Search

Meat is an important part of the daily human diet, and its quality is essential for consumers' health and taste experience. During the transformation from carcass to meat and meat processing after animal slaughter, many complex biochemical reactions occur, among which protein oxidation plays an important role in the formation of meat quality. Based on the influence of protein oxidation on meat quality, the relationship between protein oxidation and changes in meat quality under factors such as the types of protein oxidation products, processing methods and conditions is summarized in this review, which will provide a theoretical basis for reducing the oxidation of meat protein, and a scientific guidance for practical production.

Iron is an essential nutrient for maintaining red blood cell metabolism and assisting bone marrow hematopoiesis. Iron deficiency can cause various diseases, such as anemia, stunted growth, and premature birth in pregnant women. As a new iron supplement product, peptide iron chelate has been used as a new ideal iron supplement in recent years because of its advantages of high absorption rate, safety, and no side effects. This paper mainly reviews the preparation of foodborne peptides and peptide iron chelates and the factors affecting their chelation activity, explored the iron-binding mechanism of peptides, summarizes their binding sites and chelation patterns, further analyzes their conformational changes and intermolecular forces, and summarizes how they promote iron bioavailability. The aim is to provide a reference for developing and applying iron peptide chelates in functional foods and new iron supplements.

To investigate the effects of different extraction processes on the physicochemical properties and volatile flavor compounds of chicken oil. This study used three different extraction processes, namely dry, wet and microwave to extract chicken oil. The physicochemical properties of chicken oil extracted by different processes were comprehensively compared. At the same time, the volatile substance composition was determined by headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and the key volatile flavor component composition differences in chicken oil extracted by different processes were established by combining relative odor activity values, principal component analysis, and cluster analysis. The results showed that the chicken oil cooked by dry method had the lowest brightness, a redder and yellower color, and a lower content of malondialdehyde. Wet cooking chicken oil had the highest brightness, a greenish or yellowish color, and a lower acid value. The chicken oil cooked by microwave had a slightly darker brightness, lighter yellow and red, higher extraction rate, better oxidation stability, and shorter cooking time. A total of 49 volatile flavor compounds were identified in chicken oil samples extracted using different extraction methods. Among them, 39, 41, and 44 volatile flavor compounds were extracted from chicken oil using dry, wet, and microwave methods, respectively, with a total of 30 volatile flavor compounds. By combining ROAV and PCA, (E,E)-2,4-heptadienal, 1-octen-3-ol, hexanal, (E)-2-deceenal, 1-pentanol, octanal, (E,E)-2,4-decadienal, and 3-methylbutanal were identified as the main characteristic flavor compounds of chicken oil. The characteristic flavor substances extracted from chicken oil by microwave method had a high content and a variety of types. This study indicated that microwave technology had the advantages of relatively short time consumption, high yield, good oxidation stability and high content with variety of characteristic flavor substances in chicken oil, making it a worthwhile approach for further research and exploration of chicken oil extraction.

To efficiently utilize chicken blood, one of the by-products of broiler chickens, the fresh chicken blood was as the main raw material in this study. The peak area of immobilized water in low field nuclear magnetic field was used as the evaluation standard. The effect of different varieties and concentrations of anti-freezing amendments was investigated in the peak area of immobilized water for the frozen chicken blood tofu. Moreover, the preparation process of frozen chicken blood tofu was optimized by response surface design. Furthermore, the water loss rate, texture and color index were analyzed in the optimized frozen chicken blood tofu, which could provide scientific basis for the development of frozen chicken blood tofu products. The results showed that the optimized preparation process of frozen chicken blood tofu was as follows, 0.1% (w/v) of sodium fatty acyllactate, 0.1% (w/v) of potassium alginate, and 2% (w/v) of cassava modified starch. Under this process condition, the low-field nuclear magnetic non-flowing water peak area of frozen chicken blood tofu was 2143, which was the largest compared with the blank group and other treated groups. Therefore, the water retention effect in this study was best. The hardness, chewability, gelability and brightness of the optimized frozen chicken blood tofu were significantly (P

Background and objectivesAcute aortic syndrome (AAS) is a life-threatening condition in which there is a fracture in the integrity of the aortic wall. gamma-glutamyl transferase to lymphocyte ratio (GLR) is recognized as a risk factor for liver cirrhosis, fibrosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. However, there are no clinical reports of GLR and AAS. We attempted to determine whether GLR level is associated with AAS in patients from the Chaoshan region of southern China.MethodsA total of 2,384 patients were recruited in this study and were divided into AAS and no-AAS groups according to the results of CT angiography of the thoracoabdominal aorta. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression was performed to identify risk factors for the occurrence of AAS. ROC was applied to assess the value of D-Dimer, GLR alone, or in combination for the diagnosis of AAS. And a 1:1 propensity score-matched analysis was performed.ResultsMultivariate logistics regression analysis indicated that male, age, hypertension, diabetes, creatinine, D-dimer, and GLR were independent risk factors of AAS patients in the before propensity score-matching cohort. After propensity score-matching, it showed that D-dimer, GLR [OR 3.558(1.891, 6.697); p

Background/Aims: Total proctocolectomy with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) is widely accepted as a radical surgery for refractory ulcerative colitis (UC). Definite results on the appropriate pouch length for an evaluation of the risk-to-benefit ratio regarding technical complications and long-term quality of life (QOL) are still scarce. Methods: Data on UC patients who underwent IPAA from 2008 to 2022 in four well-established pouch centers affiliated to China UC Pouch Center Union were collected. Results: A total of 208 patients with a median follow-up time of 6.0 years (interquartile range, 2.3 to 9.0 years) were enrolled. The median lengths of the patients’ short and long pouches were 14.0 cm (interquartile range, 14.0 to 15.0 cm) and 22.0 cm (interquartile range, 20.0 to 24.0 cm), respectively. Patients with a short J pouch configuration were less likely to achieve significantly improved long-term QOL (p=0.015) and were prone to develop late postoperative complications (p=0.042), such as increased defecation frequency (p=0.003) and pouchitis (p=0.035). A short ileal pouch was an independent risk factor for the development of late postoperative complications (odds ratio, 3.100; 95% confidence interval, 1.519 to 6.329; p=0.002) and impaired longterm QOL improvement (odds ratio, 2.221; 95% confidence interval, 1.218 to 4.050, p=0.009). Conclusions: The length of the J pouch was associated with the improvement in long-term QOL and the development of late post-IPAA complications. A long J pouch configuration could be a considerable surgical option for pouch construction.

Abstract Given the spatial resolution of ~300 km in Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) measurements, accurately quantifying mass variations at smaller scales proves challenging. Here, we present a high-resolution time-variable gravity field model of continental North China. This model, denoted as IGP-NorthChina2022TG, contains 15 gravity field solutions determined using an innovative approach that relies on terrestrial gravity measurements and Slepian basis functions. IGP-NorthChina2022TG provides degree 150 gravity changes (spatial resolution of ~120 km) on a semi-annual basis from September 2009 to September 2016, in contrast to the monthly degree 60 GRACE solutions. Despite their different temporal resolutions, the good agreement between GRACE and the ground-based results up to degree 60 confirms the robustness and reliability of the proposed method and favors the combination of these two types of measurements. The gravity changes with much finer spatial resolution from IGP-NorthChina2022TG could complement GRACE solutions for sub-regional scale investigations in North China.

In this study, the study on physicochemical, rheological properties and water-holding capacity of gelatin of chicken lungs was investigated to replace bovine and porcine gelatin. The extraction rates of chicken, bovine and porcine lung gelatin by ultrasound assisted alkaline protease were 52.12 %, 69.06 % and 70 %, respectively. Three lung gelatins had similar molecular weight distribution in SDS-PAGE with low content of high molecular weight subunits. The amino acid content of bovine lung gelatin (18.03 %) was higher than in chicken (16.62 %) and porcine lung (15.30 %). The highest intensity of 2θ = 7.5° diffraction peak in bovine lung gelatin was observed, which indicated that the triple helix content of bovine lung gelatin was higher than that of chicken and porcine lung gelatin. The lowest apparent viscosity of chicken lung gelatin was 0.253 mPa·s, but the highest water holding capacity of chicken lung gelatin was 331.72 %. Therefore, chicken lung gelatin can be used as a substitute for bovine and porcine gelatin in some functional properties.

Abstract Concentrations of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg) and lead (Pb) in crayfish from Jiangsu province, China, were measured and their health risks were evaluated. For crayfish from both crayfish-rice culture system (CRCS) and crayfish intensive culture system (CICS), concentrations of As, Cd and Pb in whole body of crayfish (WB) were significantly higher than those in abdominal muscle of crayfish (AM), while concentration of Hg in WB was significantly lower than that in AM. No significant difference in concentrations of the heavy metals was found between CRCS and CICS. Concentrations of the heavy metals in AM from both systems were below the limit set by the national standard of China. Estimated daily intake values of the heavy metals were far below the provisional tolerable daily intakes set by Joint FAO/WHO committee on Food Additives, and the corresponding hazard quotient and hazard index were below one. Therefore, consumption of crayfish with the average daily consumption rate (DCR) could be generally regarded as safe. For the consumption with two more times of average DCR during peak season, there might be a potential health risk from intakes of As and Hg in abdominal muscle of crayfish. Graphical Abstract

This paper was aimed to improve sausage quality by adding non-meat protein. The effects of adding of four non-meat proteins: Spray-dried blood cells (SBC), soybean protein isolate (SPI), egg white protein (EWP), and porcine plasma protein (PPP) on the quality of Nanjing sausages were investigated. The sensory properties, cooking loss, pressure juice loss, water activity, color difference, chewiness, and microstructure were analyzed. The results showed that among these 4 proteins, the sensory quality and chewiness of Nanjing sausage products were overall improved by adding EWP, in which chewiness was increased by 14.73% compared to the control group. The sausages by adding PPP was significantly increased the water-retaining property, where the steaming loss rate and pressure loss rate was decreased by 13.31% and 55.79%, respectively. The low-field NMR results of sausages by adding SPI and PPP showed that a tendency for T21 was left-shifted. The addition of SBC to sausages was significantly (P

To evaluate the potential of chicken blood for dietary iron supplementation, chicken blood and ferrous chloride were used as raw materials to prepare iron-chelating peptides from chicken blood in this paper. The structure of iron-chelating peptides from chicken blood was characterized by scanning electron microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. The stability of iron-chelating peptides from chicken blood was analyzed at different temperatures (30~80 ℃) and pH (2~9), and its in vitro stability was also discussed. The study confirmed that it had good thermal stability (iron retention rate above 73.76%) and acid and alkali resistance. The digestive stability of iron-chelating peptides from chicken blood (iron retention of 86.01%) was found to be better than that of ferrous sulfate and ferrous gluconate by simulated digestion in vitro. In addition, under the influence of three dietary factors, namely 1% phytic acid, 1% oxalic acid, and 8% dietary fiber, iron-chelating peptides from chicken blood showed better bioaccessibility than ferrous sulfate and ferrous gluconate.

Calcium-binding peptides have gained significant attention due to their potential applications in various fields. In this study, we aimed to prepare, characterize, and evaluate the stability of calcium-binding peptides derived from chicken blood. Chicken hemoglobin peptides (CPs) were obtained by protease hydrolysis and were applied to prepare chicken hemoglobin peptide–calcium chelate (CP-Ca). The preparation conditions were optimized, and the characteristics and stability of CP-Ca were analyzed. The optimal chelating conditions were determined by single-factor and response surface tests, and the maximum calcium ion chelating rate was 77.54%. Amino acid analysis indicated that glutamic acid and aspartic acid motifs played an important role in the chelation of the calcium ions and CP. According to the characterization analysis, CP-Ca was a different substance compared with CP; calcium ions chelated CPs via the sites of carbonyl oxygen, carboxyl oxygen, and amino nitrogen groups; and after the chelation, the structure changed from a smooth homogeneous plate to compact granular. The stability analysis showed that CP-Ca was stable at different temperatures, pH, and gastrointestinal conditions. The study indicates that chicken blood is a promising source of peptide–calcium chelates, providing a theoretical basis for application in functional foods and improving the utilization value of chicken blood.

To improve the accuracy of deflection prediction for prestressed concrete (PSC) box-girder bridges with a stay cable system (SCS) during tensioning, this study employs the Latin hypercube sampling (LHS) technique to sample random variables affecting long-term deflection of the main girder. A long-term deflection randomness analysis model is established, and the shear stiffness degradation factor is included to quantify the contribution of diagonal web cracking to the main girder deflection. Uncertainty and sensitivity analysis are conducted for the Dongming Huanghe River Highway Bridge. An objective function is applied to select the optimal combination of random variables, and a modified model is established and verified for accuracy. Results show that diagonal web-cracking accounts for 8.8% of total deflection and cannot be ignored, and the prestressed tension control stress, creep uncertainty coefficient, and concrete density significantly impact long-term deflection. The modified model predicts deflection with greater accuracy than the mean value model.

In the study, variations of physicochemical factors, lipoxygenase (LOX) and hydroxyl octadecanodienoic acid (HODEs) were investigated during manufacturing of traditional salted meat, and the relationship between LOX and HODEs was studied and the evolution of lipids oxidation was tentatively discussed. The results indicated that LOX activity increased at salting stage, followed by decreasing continuously during the salted meat manufacturing. The total amount of HODEs increased slowly, while the ratio of 13-HODEs/9-HODEs decreased from 1.31 to 1.13. There was a significantly positive correlation between LOX activity and the ratio of 13-HODEs/9-HODEs (r=0.942, P

To investigate the effects of different packaging methods on microbial composition of chilled chicken during storage, the microbial diversity was analyzed by Illumina MiSeq high-throughput sequencing. The results showed that the modified atmosphere packaging (MAP), the vacuum packaging (VP) and the nitrogen-filled packaging (N2) could significantly reduce the number of microorganisms and volatile base nitrogen during refrigeration at 4 °C compared with the pallet packed (PP) group. High-throughput sequencing showed that the bacterial species richness of chilled chicken was high in the early stage of storage. The dominant bacteria of chilled chickens in PP group at the later stage of storage were Pseudomonas, Brochothrix, Acinetobacter and Shewanella. It indicated that they could tolerate lower temperatures. Compared with the PP group, the abundance of Pseudomonas and Acinetobacter in MAP group decreased by 14.8% and 9.2%, respectively, while nitrogen-filled packaging reduced the abundance of Acinetobacter and Shewanella. by 9.6% and 7.4%, respectively. The abundance of Acinetobacter and Brochothrix decreased significantly by 8% and 5.6% after vacuum packaging. Different packaging methods could have a greater impact on the flora in chilled chicken meat. All three types of packaging could inhibit the growth of Acinetobacter and MAP had a better inhibitory effect on Pseudomonas, while nitrogen-filled packaging and vacuum packaging had a better inhibitory effect on Shewanella and Brochothrix. This study also provides a theoretical basis for the future packaging methods used in chilled chicken meat.

Calcium is an essential nutrient and plays an important role in life and health. Insufficient calcium intake in the body can lead to kinds of diseases, such as rickets and osteoporosis. As more and more calcium chelated peptides are prepared from food in recent years, the advantages of calcium chelated peptides like good stability and high bioavailability have attracted much attention and calcium chelated peptides have been reported to be a kind of ideal calcium supplements. In this paper, the research progress of calcium chelted peptide is summarized, the preparation, separation and purification methods of calcium chelted peptide are introduced, the factors affecting its chelating ability are analyzed, and the ways to promote the bioavailability of calcium are also discussed, in order to provide help for the development and utilization of calcium chelted peptide in functional foods in the future.

Two-dimensional (2D) MoB metal borides (MoB MBene) have attracted much attention due to their fascinating properties and functional applications. So far, work on the synthesis of 2D MoB nanosheets by acid or alkaline etching of MoAlB has not been very successful. It has been proposed that the 2D MoB MBene may be fabricated by chemical etching of a Mo2AlB2 precursor, but further investigations were not performed possibly due to the difficult preparation of the metastable Mo2AlB2 compound at high temperatures by solid-state reactions. Here, we report on the successful synthesis of the Mo2AlB2 compound and 2D MoB nanosheets by the deintercalation of Al from MoAlB through a ZnCl2 molten salt etching approach at relatively low temperatures. The influence of etching temperature, etching time, and starting mixtures on the formation of desirable phases have been investigated. A pure Mo2AlB2 compound was synthesized at temperatures below 600 ℃, while the 2D MoB MBene nanosheets were obtained at 700 ℃ through the molten salt etching of MoAlB. In addition, the present work further confirms that the MoB MBene can be prepared by etching the as-synthesized Mo2AlB2 precursor in LiF–HCl solution. Our work demonstrates that the molten salt etching is an effective method to prepare 2D MoB MBene.

Abstract The 2013 M S 7.0 Lushan earthquake, Sichuan, China, occurred on a blind thrust fault in the southern Longmenshan fault belt. The terrestrial hybrid repeated gravity observation enables us to investigate the redistribution of both surface and deep mass. Here, we find a transient increase in the gravity field about 2 years before the earthquake and a drop after the mainshock. A Bayesian inversion method with spatiotemporal smoothness is employed to extract the apparent density changes. The increase of apparent density on the south of the focal zone is assumed to be related to crustal mass transfer. We introduce a disc-shaped equivalent source model with a homogeneous density to address this hypothesis, and estimate the model parameters by Markov Chain Monte Carlo simulations. As a fluid diffusion footprint is indicated by the seismicity migration in this region, with a fitted diffusion rate of 10 m2 s−1, we conclude that such deep crustal mass transfer may be caused by fluid diffusion.

Abstract Objective To evaluate the prognostic impact and describe suturing tools of mesenteric closure after laparoscopic right hemicolectomy (LRH). Methods PubMed, Embase, Cochrane library, Web of Science, and Scopus databases, were searched and publications relating to mesenteric closure data and tools were extracted. Search terms: “Mesenteric Defects” and “Mesenteric Closure” were used, and manual searches of eligible articles from literature reference lists performed. Result A total of 7 publications were identified. 5 focused on prognostic impact and 4 referred to tools for mesenteric closure, two of which concerned both prognostic data and tools. All studies related to prognostic impact were single center with “low” modified GRADE quality. A high degree of heterogeneous was found. Conclusion The evidence from current research does not support routine closure of mesenteric defects. Use of a polymer ligation clip has produced favorable results in a small sample size trial and further investigation is merited. A large randomized controlled trial is still warranted.

Bile salt hydrolase (BSH) is an intracellular enzyme which is produced by intestinal flora during the period of growth and reproduction. This enzyme has been suggested to be involved in the host's bile acid balance, lipid metabolism and metabolic responses. Therefore, BSH has always been a research hotspot. Detailed knowledge of BSH structure and substrate preferences is a solid foundation for the development of BSH related products. This review explains the source and distribution of BSH, test method for BSH activity. It also introduces enzymatic properties and genetic organization. Finally, the potential applications of BSH research are briefly discussed. This review would provide theoretical basis for the in-depth research of BSH, developments of related functional foods, and other industry applications.

In this paper, the reaction process parameters of the hydrogel produced by the modified gelatin from chicken, bovine and porcine lungs with carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS) and oxidized glucomannan (OKGM) were optimized to produce Schiff base reaction. The results showed the properties of the three composite hydrogels are improved when the value of gelatin/CMCS/OKGM reached 1:2:2. The best modified gelatin/CMCS/OKGM of bovine lung composite hydrogel (COBH) had a gelatin strength of 8.14 N, a swelling rate of 257%, a water evaporation rate of 66.86%, and an antibacterial property of 38.02%. The properties of modified gelatin/CMCS/OKGM of chicken lung composite hydrogel (COCH) were similar to those of COBH. However, the water holding capacity of COCH was higher than that of COBH. The properties of the modified gelatin/CMCS/OKGM for porcine lung composite hydrogel (COPH) were significantly decreased over those of the other two. Therefore, COCH has potential applications in food coating and preservation.

The effects of different processing methods on the quality of cooked crayfish during refrigerated storage were studied. Crayfish were treated with post-cooking sterilization (100 ℃, 5 min after 121 ℃, 5 min, 0.18 MPa) and simultaneous curing and sterilization (110 ℃, 10 min, 0.13 MPa), and no sterilization after cooking (100 °C for 5 min) samples were the control group. The three groups of samples were placed in a refrigerator at 4 °C, and the pH value, texture profile analysis (TPA), total volatile base nitrogen (TVB-N), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), centrifugal loss rate, myofibrillar protein characteristics, the total number of colonies of each group of samples were measured during this period, and combined with the observation of the microstructure, to evaluate quality changes in crayfish with different processing methods during refrigerated storage. The results showed that the muscle of crayfish was seriously broken under the treatment of first cooked and then sterilized, and the hardness and elasticity were significantly lower than those of other groups (P

In order to establish a rapid method for detecting the content of nitrite in food, green carbon quantum dots (CQDs) originating from chicken paw skin were synthesized by the one-step hydrothermal method. The morphology, structure and optical properties of CQDs were characterized systematically by high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy (UV-Vis), Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and fluorescence spectroscopy (FS) technologies. The prepared CQDs were distributed uniformly with a regular size, and the surface of the CQDs was rich in functional groups including hydroxyl, carboxyl, and carbonyl, et al. In addition, the CQDs emitted intense blue fluorescence under the excitation of a 365 nm UV light lamp. And the excitation spectrum and emission spectrum of CQDs were narrow and symmetrical, indicating CQDs had good luminescence properties. In the presence of Fe3+, the fluorescence of CQDs was quenched due to the formation of coordination bonds between Fe3+ and the oxygen-containing functional groups on the surface of CQDs. Based on that, a simple fluorescent probe was designed to detect indirectly nitrite (NO2−) by CQDs for nitrite possesses strong oxidation in acidic solution and was capable to transform iron (II) into iron (III) ions. The parameters including the excitation wavelength of CQDs, buffer pH value and reaction time were studied. Under the optimized conditions, the fluorescence quenching intensity of CQDs-Fe2+ fluorescent probe increased linearly with the NO2− concentration in the range of 1~500 μmol/L (R2=0.9979) with a low detection limit of 0.61 μmol/L, and the probe had a good anti-interference ability. The method was applied to the determination of NO2− in three marinate meat and satisfactory recoveries of 98.61%~100.95% and consistent data compared with ion chromatography were obtained. The results indicated that the CQDs-Fe2+ fluorescent probe could be used for the detection of NO2− in real samples. In summary, the fluorescent probe constructed based on the carbon dots of the biological matrix is green and safe, simple to prepare, can detect the content of nitrite in cured meat products, indicating a good practical application prospect.

IntroductionOver the past few years, multiple observational studies have speculated a potential association between inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which includes ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD), and osteoporosis. However, no consensus has been reached regarding their interdependence and pathogenesis. Herein, we sought to further explore the causal associations between them.MethodsWe validated the association between IBD and reduced bone mineral density in humans based on genome-wide association studies (GWAS) data. To investigate the causal relationship between IBD and osteoporosis, we performed a two-sample Mendelian randomization study using training and validation sets. Genetic variation data for IBD, CD, UC, and osteoporosis were derived from published genome-wide association studies in individuals of European ancestry. After a series of robust quality control steps, we included eligible instrumental variables (SNPs) significantly associated with exposure (IBD/CD/UC). We adopted five algorithms, including MR Egger, Weighted median, Inverse variance weighted, Simple mode, and Weighted mode, to infer the causal association between IBD and osteoporosis. In addition, we evaluated the robustness of Mendelian randomization analysis by heterogeneity test, pleiotropy test, leave-one-out sensitivity test, and multivariate Mendelian randomization.ResultsGenetically predicted CD was positively associated with osteoporosis risk, with ORs of 1.060 (95% CIs 1.016, 1.106; p = 0.007) and 1.044 (95% CIs 1.002, 1.088; p = 0.039) for CD in the training and validation sets, respectively. However, Mendelian randomization analysis did not reveal a significant causal relationship between UC and osteoporosis (p > 0.05). Furthermore, we found that overall IBD was associated with osteoporosis prediction, with ORs of 1.050 (95% CIs 0.999, 1.103; p = 0.055) and 1.063 (95% CIs 1.019, 1.109; p = 0.005) in the training and validation sets, respectively.ConclusionWe demonstrated the causal association between CD and osteoporosis, complementing the framework for genetic variants that predispose to autoimmune disease.

Objective: To establish a new animal model of intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) by axial compression on lumbar spine of rabbits and to investigate the changes of microcirculation in bony endplates during the progress of IDD. Methods: 32 New Zealand white rabbits were equally divided into 4 groups as follows: Control group with no operation and compression, Sham operation group with apparatus placement only, 2-week compression group and 4-week compression group with the devices installed and compressed for their preset duration. All groups of rabbits underwent MRI, histological evaluation, disc height index measurement and Microfil contrast agent perfusions to examine the ratio of endplate microvascular channels. Results: The new animal model of IDD was successfully established after axial compression for 4 weeks. The MRI grades for the 4-week compression group was 4.63 ± 0.52 and significantly different to the sham operation group (P

The physicochemical property, volatile flavor compounds, and microbial community structure of Jinhua fatty ham (FH) and lean ham (LH) were investigated and compared by high-throughput sequencing and HS-GC-IMS. Results showed that FH had higher pH and slightly lighter and yellower color than LH. Meanwhile, 33 volatile flavor compounds were identified from FH and LH, among which LH showed higher abundance of total alcohols and acids, but FH had generally richer aldehydes, ketones, esters, heterocyclic, and sulfur-containing compounds. Moreover, FH and LH did not have significant difference in α-diversity of bacterial community, but LH presented a much lower α-diversity of fungal community than FH. Besides, the dominant microorganisms (relative abundance >2%) in FH were Ruminococcaceae UCG-005, Staphylococcus, Ruminococcaceae UCG-014, Meyerozyma, and Aspergillus at the genus level, while in LH were Staphylococcus, Psychrobacter, Halomonas, Propionicicella, Ruminococcaceae UCG-005, Meyerozyma, Yamadazyma, and Aspergillus. Furthermore, the analysis of Pearson’s correlation and metabolic network confirmed that the discriminative flavor compounds of FH were mainly β-oxidation and degradation products of fatty acids, while those of LH were mostly derived from the Strecker reaction or microbial metabolism of amino acids. The present study could help understand the potential pathway of characteristic microorganisms affecting flavor formation of fat-deficient dry-cured hams and provide theoretical supports for developing healthier fermented meat products.

Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring biopolymer possessing numerous functions within the body including wound repair, cell migration, and cell signaling. Due to its unique physical and chemical properties, it is widely used in health care products, cosmetics, and medicine.In 2021, hyaluronic acid is approved as a new resource food raw material in China, which has attracted widespread attention. Understanding its preparation, separation and purification methods is necessary to promote its industrial development.This article summarizes the physiological functions, preparation methods and preparation trends of HA from different sources, the effect of separation and purification method on HA purity, the application fields of hyaluronic acid, aiming to provide ideas for the development and comprehensive utilization of hyaluronic acid.

The study aimed to investigate the effect of carnosine combined with ultra-high pressure (CUH) on the lipid oxidation and myofibrillar protein (MP) of snakehead fish meat during refrigerated storage. Studies on lipid and protein oxidation, protein degradation and protein structure were used to analyze the effect of CUH treatment (carnosine concentration 25 mmol/L, ultra-high pressure pressure 300 MPa, pressure holding time 900 s) on snakehead fish. The lipid oxidation of fish meat was analyzed by measuring the lipoxygenase activity and the change of MDA content in CUH-treated fish. The change in the carbonyl content of MP during refrigerated storage was used to characterize the degree of fish protein oxidation. SDS-PAGE, TCA-soluble peptides and total protease activity were used to determine the effect of CUH treatment on fish protein degradation. In order to further understand the effect of CUH treatment on the structure of snakehead fish meat and MP during refrigerated storage, SEM and CD tracking measurements were carried out on fish. The results showed that the lipoxygenase activity of fish meat treated with ultra-high pressure decreased by 64.46%. The inhibition rates of lipid oxidation and protein oxidation of fish treated with CUH were 51.25% and 3.63% on the 9th day of the refrigerated storage period, respectively. The total protease activity of fish after UHP treatment decreased by 25.75%. CUH treatment significantly reduced the degradation of MP during refrigerated storage (P

Compare with the airborne and satellite-borne gravity measurements, terrestrial gravity measurements (TGMs) are closer to the sources of mass change and have relatively higher accuracy. The static anomalies and dynamic changes derived from TGMs have been widely used to study various geodynamic problems. Many high-precision gravity products using TGMs have become available since 21 century because of the development of modern observation techniques (especially those in absolute gravimetry) and the terrestrial network. Much of the progress of geodesy and geophysics has come from these products. In this paper, we briefly summarize the recent progress in geodesy and geophysics using high-precision TGMs during the last decade or so. The first group of applications adopts the gravity anomalies from TGMs, which includes constructing gravity field and geoid models, establishing crustal models, computing Moho undulations, and estimating the effective elastic thickness of the lithosphere. The second group of applications adopts the time-varying gravity changes from TGMs, which includes constructing time-varying gravity field models, detecting weak dynamic signals, estimating crustal tectonic deformation rates, and analyzing possible correlations with volcanic and seismic processes. We also discuss the next opportunities for ground gravimetry. Our findings could benefit the construction and development of the gravity observation system in the Chinese Mainland.

BackgroundEmergence agitation (EA) is common in patients after general anesthesia (GA) and is associated with poor outcomes. Patients with thoracic surgery have a higher incidence of EA compared with other surgery. This study aimed to investigate the impact of pre-anesthetic butorphanol infusion on the incidence of EA in patients undergoing thoracic surgery with GA.Materials and methodsThis prospective randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted in 20 tertiary hospitals in China. A total of 668 patients undergoing elective video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy/segmentectomy for lung cancer were assessed for eligibility, and 620 patients were enrolled. In total, 296 patients who received butorphanol and 306 control patients were included in the intention-to-treat analysis. Patients in the intervention group received butorphanol 0.02 mg/kg 15 min before induction of anesthesia. Patients in the control group received volume-matched normal saline in the same schedule. The primary outcome was the incidence of EA after 5 min of extubation, and EA was evaluated using the Riker Sedation-Agitation Scale (RSAS). The incidence of EA was determined by the chi-square test, with a significance of P < 0.05.ResultsIn total, 296 patients who received butorphanol and 306 control patients were included in the intention-to-treat analysis. The incidence of EA 5 min after extubation was lower with butorphanol treatment: 9.8% (29 of 296) vs. 24.5% (75 of 306) in the control group (P = 0.0001). Patients who received butorphanol had a lower incidence of drug-related complications (including injecting propofol pain and coughing with sufentanil): 112 of 296 vs. 199 of 306 in the control group (P = 0.001) and 3 of 296 vs. 35 of 306 in the control group (P = 0.0001).ConclusionThe pre-anesthetic administration of butorphanol reduced the incidence of EA after thoracic surgery under GA.Clinical trial registration[http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=42684], identifier [ChiCTR1900025705].

Objective The objective was to evaluate the impact of different forms of iron including myoglobin, hemin, and ferric chloride on the quality of chicken breast meat. Methods Chicken breast muscles were subjected to 1, 2, 3 mg/mL of FeCl3, myoglobin and hemin treatment respectively, and the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde, meat color, tenderness, water holding capacity and morphology of meat was evaluated. Results Hemin was found to produce more ROS and induce greater extent of lipid oxidation than myoglobin and ferric chloride. However, it showed that hemin could significantly increase the redness and decrease the lightness of the muscle. Hemin was also shown to be prominent in improving water holding capacity of meat, maintaining a relatively higher level of the immobilized water from low-field nuclear magnetic resonance measurements. Morphology observation by hematoxylin-eosin staining further confirmed the results that hemin preserved the integrity of the muscle. Conclusion The results indicated that hemin may have economic benefit for the industry based on its advantage in improving water holding capacity and quality of meat.

Abstract Background Malaria causes major public health problems globally and drug resistance hinders its control and elimination. Molecular markers associated with drug resistance are considered as a beneficial tool to monitor the disease trends, evolution and distribution so as to help improve drug policy. Methods We collected 148 Plasmodium falciparum and 20 Plasmodium vivax isolates imported into Hangzhou city, China between 2014 and 2019. k13 gene of P. falciparum and k12 of P. vivax were sequenced. Polymorphisms and prevalence of k13 and k12 were analyzed. Results Most (98.65%, 146/148) P. falciparum infections were imported from Africa, and half P. vivax cases came from Africa and the other half from Asia. Nucleotide mutation prevalence was 2.03% (3/148) and the proportion of amino acid mutations was 0.68% (1/148). The amino acid mutation, A676S, was observed in an isolate from Nigeria. No mutation of k12 was observed from the parasites from African and Asian countries. Conclusions Limited polymorphism in k13 gene of P. falciparum isolates imported from African countries, but no evidence for the polymorphism of k12 in P. vivax samples from African and Asian countries was found. These results provide information for drug policy update in study region.

Abstract Developing efficient and promising tenderising techniques for postmortem meat is a heavily researched topic among meat scientists as consumers are willing to pay more for guaranteed tender meat. However, emerging tenderising techniques are not broadly used in the meat industry and, to some degree, are controversial due to lack of theoretical support. Thus, understanding the mechanisms involved in postmortem tenderisation is essential. This article first provides an overview of the relationship of ageing tenderisation and calpain system, as well as proteomics applied to identify protein biomarkers characterizing tenderness. In general, the ageing tenderisation is mediated by multiple biochemical activities, and it can exhibit better palatability and commercial benefit by combining other interventions. The calpain system plays a key role in ageing tenderisation functions by rupturing myofibrils and regulating proteolysis, glycolysis, apoptosis and metabolic modification. Additionally, tenderising techniques from different aspects including exogenous enzymes, chemistry, physics and the combined methods are discussed in depth. Particularly, innovation of home cooking could be recommended to prepare relatively tender meat due to its convenience and ease of operation by consumers. Furthermore, the combined interventions provide better performance in controlled tenderness. Finally, future trends in developing new tenderising techniques, and applied consideration in the meat processing industry are proposed in order to improve meat quality with higher economical value. Graphical abstract

BackgroundThe simple endoscopic score for Crohn's disease (SES-CD) is a widely used index to evaluate clinical and endoscopic activity. However, the association and predictive value of SES-CD for intestinal obstruction in Crohn's disease (CD) remains unclear. We aimed to establish the best cut-off indicators of SES-CD for early clinical intervention and subsequent prevention of intestinal obstruction in CD.MethodsData on patients with CD evaluated at our institute from January 2016 to January 2022 were retrospectively collected. The SES-CD and Crohn's Disease Activity Index scores used in the analysis indicated the results of the first clinical and colonoscopy evaluations after hospitalization. The primary outcome was the occurrence of intestinal obstruction during admission and follow-up.ResultsA total of 248 patients with a median follow-up time of 2 years [interquartile range: 1.0–4.0] were enrolled, of which 28.2% developed intestinal obstruction. An SES-CD score of 8 was the most significant threshold evaluation, and SES-CD ≥8 had the largest area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (0.705), with a sensitivity of 52.9% and specificity of 88.2% in predicting intestinal obstruction. Furthermore, SES-CD ≥8 had the greatest risk factor for intestinal obstruction (odds ratio: 7.731; 95% confidence interval: 3.901–15.322; p

This study investigated the effect of ultrasound assisted chicken cartilage collagen peptide (CP) treatment on the storage quality of chicken breast meat. There were five meat groups at 4 °C for 60 min as follows: untreatment (Control), immersing in deionized water (DW), ultrasound treatment in DW (UDW), immersing in CP (0.15 g/100 mL) solution and immersing in ultrasound combined with CP (UCP). The results showed that the drip and cooking loss of meat decreased significantly in UCP at 4 and −18 °C with the extension of storage time. A large amount of non-flowing water transformed into free water in the 4 °C for 5 d, and the smallest degree of water migration was observed at −18 °C in UCP. The texture parameters of UCP group were significantly improved, especially for decreased hardness and increased elasticity. Furthermore, there had no significant effect on the color of chicken breast.

As a zoonotic virus, Japanese Encephalitis virus (JEV) poses a serious threat to human health and the breeding industry. Regarding the mechanism and complications of tissue inflammation caused by JEV, such as encephalitis and orchitis, there is no effective drug treatment currently, and the mechanism of occurrence has not been thoroughly studied. Therefore, it is necessary to study the mechanism of the inflammatory pathway caused by JEV. As one of the key proteins regulating cell death, BCL2 antagonist/killer (BAK) is also a necessary prerequisite for the release of cellular inflammatory factors. We found that after JEV infection, BAK-knockdown cells died less than normal cells, and the transcription levels of inflammatory factors such as TNF, IFNα, and IL-1β and their corresponding regulatory genes were also significantly reduced. By further verifying protein expression on the cell death pathway, it was found that pyroptotic activation and virus titer were also significantly reduced in BAK.KD cells, suggesting that JEV proliferation might be related to BAK-induced cell death. From our data, we could conclude that JEV utilized the BAK-promoted pyroptotic pathway to release more virions after the final Gasdermin D-N (GSDMD-N) protein pore formation for the purpose of JEV proliferation. Therefore, the study of the endogenous cell death activator protein BAK and the final release pathway of JEV, is expected to provide some new theoretical basis for future research on the screening of targeted drugs for the treatment of inflammatory diseases caused by JEV.

Objective The objectives of this study were to investigate the direct antioxidative effect of 90 Kda heat shock protein (Hsp90) obtained from duck muscle. Methods The interaction of Hsp90 with phospholipids and oxidized phospholipids was studied with surface plasmon resonance (SPR), and their further oxidation in the presence of Hsp90 was evaluated with thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) assay. The scavenging effect on the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2′-azinobis (3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) was measured, and the electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy in combination with 5-tert-Butoxycarbonyl-5-methyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide and 2-phenyl-4,4,5,5,-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl-3-oxide (PTIO) was utilized to determine the abilities of Hsp90 in scavenging hydroxyl and PTIO radicals. Results SPR showed Hsp90 could bind with both phospholipids and oxidized phospholipids, and prevent their further oxidation by the TBARS assay. The DPPH and ABTS scavenging activity increased with Hsp90 concentration, and could reach 27% and 20% respectively at the protein concentration of 50 μM. The EPR spectra demonstrated Hsp90 could directly scavenge ·OH and PTIO· radicals. Conclusion This suggests that Hsp90, a natural antioxidant in meat, may play an important role in cellular defense against oxidative stress, and may have potential use in meat products.

ABSTRACT: An environmentally sustainable method to extract phosphatidylcholine (PC) from chicken liver (PCCL) and its functional properties were studied. The extraction times, enzymatic hydrolysis time, the solid-liquid ratio as well as types of enzymes (protamex proteinase and neutral proteinase) were investigated. Furthermore, the content of PCCL, emulsifying properties and solubilities of PCCL were also determined. The optimum conditions of extracting PCCL were found to be: reaction time of 3.75 h, enzymatic hydrolysis time of 85.22 min, 1: 3.15 (w/v) of solid-liquid ratio, using protamex proteinase, and the yield and concentration of PCCL was 88.92% and 0.89 mg/mL, respectively. Solubility and emulsifying properties of PCCL showed that the HLB value of PCCL was 10, and in ethanol and glycerol, the solubility of PCCL was 0.5850 g/mL and 0.0965 g/mL, respectively, which was shown to have good ethanol solubility and lipophilicity. From the perspective of green production and high-value utilization of by-products, PCCL could be used as a potential new lecithin source, providing ideas for the development and application of PC of animal origin.

This paper aimed to evaluate the effects of ultrasound-assisted L-histidine marination (UMH) on meat quality and actomyosin properties of beef M. semitendinosus. Our results found that UMH treatment effectively avoided excessive liquid withdrawal, and disrupted myofibril integrity by modifying the water distribution and weakening connection of actin-myosin with increased muscle pH. The ultrasound-treated sample provided more opportunity for the filtration of L-histidine to intervene the isoelectric point and conformation of muscle protein. The activated caspase-3 and changes of ATPase activity in UMH-treated meat accelerated the postmortem ageing, and L-histidine might competitively inhibit the actin-myosin binding by the imidazole group. UMH decreased the surface hydrophobicity by shielding hydrophobic area and unfolding the actomyosin structure. In addition, the increased actomyosin solubility with smaller particle size enhanced the SH content for better cross-linking of myosin tail, and formation of heat-set gelling protein structure. Therefore, UMH treatment manifested the potential to improve beef quality.

Abstract Background Ammonium is an indispensable nutrient for crop growth, but anoxic conditions or inappropriate fertilizer usage result in the increase in ammonium content in soil. Excessive ammonium causes phytotoxicity. Thymol is a kind of natural phenolic compound with anti-microbial properties. However, little is known about the role of thymol in modulating plant physiology. Here we find the novel role of thymol in protecting rice from ammonium toxicity. Results Thymol remarkably rescued rice seedlings growth from ammonium stress, which may resulted from the attenuation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, oxidative injury, and cell death in both shoots and roots. Polyamine oxidase (PAO) metabolizes polyamines to produce ROS in plants in response to stress conditions. Thymol blocked ammonium-induced upregulation of a set of rice PAOs, which contributed to the decrease in ROS content. In rice seedlings upon ammonium stress, thymol downregulate the expression of ammonium transporters (AMT1;1 and AMT1;2); thymol upregulated the expression of calcineurin B-like interacting protein kinase 23 (CIPK23) and calcineurin B-like binding protein 1 (CBL1), two negative regulators of AMTs. This may help rice avoid ammonium overload in excessive ammonium environment. Correlation analysis indicated that PAOs, AMTs, and CBL1 were the targets of thymol in the detoxification of excessive ammonium. Conclusion Thymol facilitates rice tolerance against ammonium toxicity by decreasing PAO-derived ROS and modulating ammonium transporters. Such findings may be applicable in the modulation of nutrient acquisition during crop production. Graphical abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of different content of sodium chloride (NaCl) on lipid oxidation of chicken breast meat and the endogenous pro-oxidants/antioxidants contributing to lipid oxidation. The results demonstrated that NaCl could promote lipid oxidation in chicken meat until NaCl content reached up to 4.5%. Generation of reactive oxygen species and H2O2 initiated by NaCl might be responsible for the increased lipid oxidation, and lipoxygenase activity was highly correlated with oxidative stability of meat. However, oxidation of lipid was not negatively correlated with superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and catalase activity. The sensory evaluation by electronic nose showed an increase in saltiness, richness and umami taste and a decrease in bitterness with increasing NaCl content, but there was no significant change in these sensory ratings when the NaCl content exceeded 3.0%. The volatile compounds obtained by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) showed that NaCl increased the formation of most flavor components in chicken meat. This study could provide a reference for the control of lipid oxidation in meat and development of low salt meat products.

Crohn’s disease is a highly heterogeneous autoimmune disease with a unique inflammatory phenotype of T cells at the lesion site. We aim to further explore the diagnosis of Crohn’s disease and drug prediction of T cell marker gene expression. We obtained single-cell expression profile data from 22 CDs or normal samples and performed cell annotation and cellular communication analysis. Through the intersection of T cell marker genes, differential genes, and WGCNA results, we identified T cell-specific key genes and their immune landscapes and potential pathogenesis, and validated them across multiple datasets and patient tissue samples. We also explored the differentiation characteristics of genes by pseudo-temporal analysis and assessed their diagnostic performance and drug sensitivity by molecular docking. Finally, we extended this study to the prognosis of IBD-associated colon cancer. TNF-centered 5-gene diagnostic model not only has excellent diagnostic efficacy, but is also closely associated with KRAS, P53, and IL6/JAK/STAT3 pathways and physiological processes, such as EMT, coagulation, and apoptosis. In addition, this diagnostic model may have potential synergistic immunotherapeutic effects, with positive correlations with immune checkpoints such as CTLA4, CD86, PDCD1LG2, and CD40. Molecular docking demonstrated that BIRC3 and ANXA1 have strong binding properties to Azathioprine and Glucoocorticoid. Furthermore, the 5-gene model may suggest antagonism to IFX and prognosis for colon cancer associated with inflammatory bowel disease. Single-cell sequencing targeting T cell-related features in patients with Crohn’s disease may aid in new diagnostic decisions, as well as the initial exploration of high-potential therapies.

BackgroundData on the relative risk of malignant transformation in ulcerative colitis (UC) are insufficient. We investigated the potential value of the Mayo endoscopic score (MES) for predicting malignant transformation in patients with UC.MethodsData of patients with UC evaluated at our institute from June 1986 to December 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. The MES used in the study indicated the results of the first colonoscopy after hospitalization. We defined MES of 0–1 as low and MES of 2–3 as high. Univariable and multivariate logistic regression models were used for statistical analysis.ResultsAmong the 280 eligible patients with UC with a median follow-up time of 14 (interquartile range, 10.0–18.0) years, those with a high MES were more likely to develop malignant transformation. High MES positively correlated with the degree of malignancy and was an independent risk factor for UC-associated dysplasia and colorectal cancer (CRC, odds ratio [OR], 9.223; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.160–73.323; p = 0.036). Disease duration >5 years (OR, 2.05; 95% CI, 1.177–3.572; p = 0.011), immunomodulator use (OR, 4.314; 95% CI, 1.725–10.785; p = 0.002), biologics nonuse (OR, 3.901; 95%CI, 2.213–6.876; p < 0.001), and Hb

Background/Aims: The risk factors of colorectal stricture associated with ulcerative colitis (UC) carcinogenesis in the long-term disease duration remain unclear. Methods: This study included all UC patients registered from a prospectively maintained database between June 1986 to July 2018. The demographic data, clinical features, and outcomes in patients with dysplasia and stricture were assessed using univariable analysis and multivariate logistic regression models. Results: A total of 246 eligible patients were included in the analysis. The median follow-up time was 13.0 years (interquartile range [IQR], 9.0 to 16.0). There were 35 cases (14.2%) of colorectal stricture. Patients with stricture had worse clinical outcomes. Stricture formation (odds ratio [OR], 9.350; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.842 to 30.762), inflammatory polyps (OR, 5.464; 95% CI, 1.692 to 17.638), disease duration of more than 10 years (OR, 3.223; 95% CI, 1.040 to 9.985), and age >40 years at diagnosis (OR, 8.499; 95% CI, 1.903 to 37.956) were significantly associated with high-grade dysplasia or colorectal cancer. In addition, disease duration of more than 5 years (OR, 3.211; 95% CI, 1.168 to 8.881), moderated anemia (OR, 3.373; 95% CI, 1.472 to 7.731), and primary sclerosing cholangitis (OR, 5,842; 95% CI, 1.395 to 24.468) were contributing factors for the development of colorectal stricture. Conclusions: Colorectal stricture had the highest risk for malignant transformation. Earlier initiation of colonoscopic surveillance in UC patients with risk factors for stricture should be considered to prevent stricture formation and further malignant transformation.

Defeathering with rosin results in rosin residue in duck skin, which may present as potential risk to human health. Dehydroabietic acid (DHAA) is a major component of rosin. An indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed for determination of DHAA in duck skin. A set of parameters was optimized, including coating antigen concentration, dilution of antiserum, dilution of HRP-IgG antibody, incubation time, and temperature for antigen reaction with antiserum. The indirect competitive ELISA yielded an excellent specificity against DHAA with low cross-reactivity toward other resin acids. The limit of detection and the working concentration range of DHAA in duck skin were 16.4 ng/g and from 40 to 8,060 ng/g, respectively. The indirect competitive ELISA was applied to the determination of DHAA in duck skin samples spiked with DHAA at different contents, and recoveries were found between 78.2 and 97.2%. Finally, DHAA contents in 32 duck samples were quantified by the indirect competitive ELISA and high performance liquid chromatography-fluorescence detector (HPLC-FLD) method. No significant difference was found between DHAA concentrations from indirect competitive ELISA and HPLC-FLD method for all samples, which indicated the indirect competitive ELISA established in this article was of the same accuracy as the HPLC-FLD method. The indirect competitive ELISA was simple, rapid, and reliable, which could be used to identify the duck carcasses defeathered with rosin in the market.

The aim of the current research was to examine lipid oxidation in chicken meat heated to different temperatures followed by refrigerator storage and the factors contributing to lipid oxidation. It showed that lipid oxidation was significantly promoted when meat was heated up to 70°C and stored for 2 and 4 D as measured by thiobarbituric acid reactive substance. The monounsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids also decreased significantly (P < 0.05) with the increase of heating temperature. The liberation of nonheme iron and increase of hydroxyl radical were observed in heated chicken meat, and the activities of antioxidant enzymes was decreased considerably at higher temperatures. The changes of these prooxidants and antioxidants might constitute a possible mechanism for the stronger lipid oxidation in heated meat.

Abstract The effects of ultrasound power on extraction kinetic model, and physicochemical and structural characteristics of collagen from chicken lung were studied. Ultrasound power caused a significant increase in extraction rate and equilibrium concentration, with the maximum extraction yield (31.25%) at 150 W. The experimental data were consistent with the predicted ones in this empirical equation, in which the percentage error differences was 0.026–4.159%. Besides, ultrasound treatment did not affect their triple-helical structure. The thermal stability of pepsin-soluble collagen by ultrasound pre-treatment (UPSC) was higher, due to the higher imino acid content (20.76%). UPSC also exhibited better solubility and fibril forming capacity. Overall, the kinetic model of UPSC from chicken lung could serve the purpose of obtaining collagen, which displayed a potential alternative source to mammal collagens for application in food, biomaterials and biomedical fields. Graphical abstract

Objective The aim was to investigate the influence of ultrasound and adenosine 5′-monophosphate (AMP) marination (UAMP) on tenderness and structure of myofibrillar proteins of beef. Methods Five groups, the untreated meat (Control), deionized water marination (DW), ultrasound followed by DW (UDW), AMP marination (AMP), and ultrasound followed by AMP (UAMP) were studied. Myofibrillar fragmentation, cooking loss, shear force, thermograms, histological observation of meats and myofibrillar proteins properties were investigated in these different treatments. Results The results showed that UAMP significantly increased myofibrillar fragmentation index from 152 (Control), 231 (AMP), and 307 (UDW) to 355 (p

The effect of ultrasound assisted konjac glucomannan treatment on the properties of chicken plasma protein gelation was investigated in this study. There were four gelation groups as follows: untreated plasma protein gelation (Control), gelation added konjac glucomannan (KGG), gelation by ultrasound treatment alone (UG) and gelation added konjac glucomannan combined with ultrasound treatment (KGUG). The data showed that the gelation strength and water-holding capacity of the treated groups were significantly increased compared with those of Control. The strongest bonding water was present in KGUG, followed by KGG and UG in low-field nuclear magnetic resonance. The storage energy (G′) and loss energy modulus (G″) of KGUG showed the largest rheological properties, and the G′ value was higher than that of G″. Furthermore, the elastic and gelatinous properties of UG, KGG and KGUG played a dominant role in viscoelasticity. After konjac glucomannan addition, the particle size of KGG increased significantly. Compared with that of the Control and KGG, the average particle size of UG and KGUG decreased significantly after ultrasound treatment. The hydrophobicity and disulfide bonds mainly affected the formation of heat-induced gelation in these four groups. Furthermore, KGUG with the highest hydrophobicity and disulfide bonds revealed the best stability. Therefore, the gelation of chicken plasma protein by ultrasound assisted konjac glucomannan treatment had excellent gelling properties.

Radiologists’ diagnostic capabilities for breast mass lesions depend on their experience. Junior radiologists may underestimate or overestimate Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) categories of mass lesions owing to a lack of diagnostic experience. The computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) method assists in improving diagnostic performance by providing a breast mass classification reference to radiologists. This study aims to evaluate the impact of a CAD method based on perceptive features learned from quantitative BI-RADS descriptions on breast mass diagnosis performance. We conducted a retrospective multi-reader multi-case (MRMC) study to assess the perceptive feature-based CAD method. A total of 416 digital mammograms of patients with breast masses were obtained from 2014 through 2017, including 231 benign and 185 malignant masses, from which we randomly selected 214 cases (109 benign, 105 malignant) to train the CAD model for perceptive feature extraction and classification. The remaining 202 cases were enrolled as the test set for evaluation, of which 51 patients (29 benign and 22 malignant) participated in the MRMC study. In the MRMC study, we categorized six radiologists into three groups: junior, middle-senior, and senior. They diagnosed 51 patients with and without support from the CAD model. The BI-RADS category, benign or malignant diagnosis, malignancy probability, and diagnosis time during the two evaluation sessions were recorded. In the MRMC evaluation, the average area under the curve (AUC) of the six radiologists with CAD support was slightly higher than that without support (0.896 vs. 0.850, p = 0.0209). Both average sensitivity and specificity increased (p = 0.0253). Under CAD assistance, junior and middle-senior radiologists adjusted the assessment categories of more BI-RADS 4 cases. The diagnosis time with and without CAD support was comparable for five radiologists. The CAD model improved the radiologists’ diagnostic performance for breast masses without prolonging the diagnosis time and assisted in a better BI-RADS assessment, especially for junior radiologists.