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Background Aims Methods Results Conclusions Polyamines are plant growth regulators that exert a pivotal role in salt tolerance.This research focused on investigating the effect of spermidine on morphological and physicochemical characteristics and ion accumulation of two grapevine cultivars under NaCl stress.A greenhouse experiment was conducted with three factors, including two grapevine cultivars (Vitis vinifera L. cv. Bidaneh‐Sefid and cv. Siah‐Sardasht), four levels of NaCl (together with the nutrient solution, including 0 [control], 20, 40, and 80 mM), and four spermidine levels ([foliar spray], 0 [control], 0.25, 0.5, and 1 mM). The experiment was performed in a factorial trial in accordance with a randomized complete design with three replicates.Vegetative growth indices, including leaf number, fresh and dry weight of shoot, and root, were decreased by NaCl treatments. The application of spermidine positively reduced the effects of NaCl on morphological characteristics. Moreover, NaCl and/or spermidine significantly (p ≤ 0.05) improved antioxidant enzyme activities associated with rising total protein accumulation. NaCl stress significantly decreased ion percentage (calcium, magnesium, phosphate, potassium, iron, and zinc) in the leaves of both cultivars. Based on the results, increasing salinity levels significantly boosted plant Na+ and Cl− percentage, along with increased membrane permeability and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration. Interestingly, cv. Bidaneh‐Sefid leaves accumulated less Na+ and Cl− compared to the other cultivar. On the other hand, applying spermidine reduced the levels of Na+ and Cl− in both cultivars, and this reduction was associated with a decrease in membrane permeability and MDA concentration.The findings confirmed the role of spermidine in reducing the negative effects of NaCl, although more investigations with different grapevine cultivars under NaCl stress are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bisphenol S (BPS) is a substitute for bisphenol A in plastic manufacturing and, as a potential endocrine disruptor, may alter the physiology of the oviduct, in which fertilization and early embryo development take place in mammals. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of a daily dietary exposure to BPS combined with a contrasted diet on the oviduct fluid proteome using an ovine model. Results: Eighty adult cyclic ewes were allotted to four groups (20/group): overfed (OF) consuming 50 µg/kg/day of BPS in their diet, underfed (UF) consuming 50 µg/kg/day of BPS, and non-exposed controls in each diet group. After three months, the mean body condition score, plasma levels of glucose and non-esterified fatty acids were significantly higher in OF than in UF females. The proteins in collected OF samples (50 µg) were analyzed by nanoliquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (nanoLC-MS/MS). Overall, 1563 proteins were identified, among which 848 were quantified. Principal component analysis of the data revealed a clear discrimination of samples according to the diet and a segregation between BPS-exposed and non-exposed females in overfed ewes. Hierarchical clustering of differentially abundant proteins (DAPs) identified two clusters of 101 and 78 DAPs according to the diet. Pairwise comparisons between groups revealed a stronger effect of BPS in OF than in UF females (70 vs. 24 DAPs) and a stronger effect of the diet in BPS-exposed than non-exposed females (56 vs. 36 DAPs). Functional analysis of DAPs showed an enrichment in metabolic processes, immune system, cell response to stress, and reproductive processes. Conclusions: This work highlights for the first time the important impact of BPS on the oviduct proteome, with larger effects seen in OF than UF females. These results, together with previous ones, raise health concerns for everyone and call for a greater regulation of BPS in the food industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The global population is increasingly aging, imposing a substantial burden on social and healthcare systems as aging is associated with gradual muscle wasting and functional decline. Consumption of protein-rich foods, such as livestock-based meat, providing high-quality proteins can prevent muscle wasting and related functional decline in older adults. However, there is a lack of data on the older adults' perceptions about meat consumption, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. Objective: To explore the perceptions about dietary meat consumption among older adults in Gasabo district, Kigali, Rwanda. Methods: We conducted a descriptive qualitative study, using focus group discussions. A total of eight FGDs, lasting between 55 and 80 min, were conducted with gender-mixed groups, including 31 men and 33 women aged ≥ 55 years old. Eight older adults participated in each FGD session, and all discussions were conducted in the local language (Kinyarwanda) using a pre-designed interview guide. The discussions were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim and translated into English. The transcript was inductively analyzed using thematic analytical process. Results: Three themes were identified from the data, predominantly related to motives and barriers of meat consumption. The motives of meat consumption included improved quality and taste of the diet, improving own health, and having a social function. Barriers of meat consumption were perceived to be related to health risks, sustainability concerns (depletion of resources), and religious beliefs. Lastly, it was widely perceived that meat was unavailable and economically inaccessible, thus meat consumption was perceived to be associated with improved wealth. Conclusion: The findings revealed a low and declining meat consumption among older adults due to poverty. Improving financial capacity or strategic public health work to improve protein consumption in the elderly is necessary to meet nutritional needs and facilitate healthy aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary This study investigated the feasibility of using sodium caseinate (NaCAS) to improve the properties of electrospun pullulan (PUL) nanofibres. Replacing PUL with 50% NaCAS [50:50(PUL: NaCAS)] resulted in appropriate viscosity for fibre formation (968.93 mPa.s), increased solution conductivity (1682.50 μS cm−1), decreased surface tension (59.55 mN m−1), which led to forming beadles' fibres with the smallest diameter (141.21 nm), highest water contact angles (117°), and highest thermal stability (24.03% residue weight at 600 °C). X‐ray diffraction and Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy analyses provided insights into nanofibres' structural and chemical properties and indicated successful blending of the PUL and NaCAS. Results indicated that replacing PUL with 50% NaCAS improved fibre properties. These findings contribute to the development of novel biopolymer‐based nanofibres with potential applications in various industries, including food and bioencapsulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The utilization of atom-dispersed Cu-N x site catalysts holds significant promise as a replacement for commercial Pt/C catalyst in the context of oxygen reduction catalysts. However, practical application of these catalysts has been hindered by their insufficient catalytic activity. It is imperative to enhance the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalytic activity of the Cu-N x catalysts by manipulating electronic structure of the Cu-N x site. This study presents the synthesis of a composite catalyst, formed by coupling Cu nanoclusters and Cu-N x catalysts through pyrolysis of protein-Cu2+ gel followed by acid-leaching treatment. The resultant composite catalyst demonstrates superior ORR activity as compared to isolated Cu-N x catalysts under alkaline conditions. Through density functional theory (DFT) calculations, the synergistic mechanism of the coupled Cu nanoclusters and Cu-N x for ORR catalytic activity is elucidated. The proximity of the Cu nanoclusters (Cu 4) to the central Cu atom of Cu-N x (CuN 4) in the composite catalyst causes a shift in the d-band center of the active Cu site towards the Fermi level. This shift strengthens the binding energy of O 2 adsorption, reduces ORR overpotential, and combines with favorable electron transfer from Cu nanoclusters to Cu-N x sites, thereby enhancing ORR activity. These findings contribute novel insights into the enhancement of ORR catalysis performance through the manipulation of electron structures via nano-sized metal clusters. [Display omitted] • Cu-N x and Cu nanoclusters were coupled by simple pyrolysis and acid etching. • As-Formed micropore structure stabilizes Cu-N x sites and enhances ORR activity. • DFT calculations revealed the enhanced ORR activity on the coupled catalysts. • The coupled Cu-N x and Cu nanoclusters catalysts showed superior durability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sonodynamic activities of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) with different morphologies, gold nanospheres (GNSs), gold nanoflowers (GNFs) and gold nanorods (GNRs), were explored by multi‐spectroscopic methods, in which the lesion degree of human serum albumin (HSA) was used as assessment index. The results revealed that three GNPs all had certain sonosensitivity but varying from different morphologies. It was also found that GNPs concentration and ultrasonic parameters were all critical influencing factors of sonodynamic injury HSA. Investigating the physical damage mechanism, the results indicated that the secondary and tertiary structure of HSA were compromised by ultrasound (US) combined with GNPs, so that the conformation of HSA was altered and the function was variously disturbed due to GNPs different morphologies. Studying the chemical damage mechanism, the results discovered that the yield of singlet oxygen (1O2) produced by GNPs with various morphologies combined with US was significant difference. Therefore, comprehensively analyzing the research results under different factors, the order of sonodynamic activities of GNPs was GNSs≈GNFs>GNRs. These findings may provide reference for the application of GNPs as sonosensitizers in sonodynamic therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Simple Summary: Protein ingredients play a significant role in pet food and have been brought into focus by pet owners, which drives up the annual cost of protein sources for the pet food industry. Protein resources are a crucial part of human food. However, there is a global shortage of protein-rich food, particularly animal protein. Researching the nutritional value and metabolic properties of various protein sources is essential for the pet food industry to make environmentally sustainable pet food. Using the beagles as the model animal and the difference method, we evaluated the energy value of six protein ingredients, including fish meal, meat and bone meal, corn gluten meal, soybean meal, mealworm meal, and yeast extract, and compared the effects on biological potency. There is a correlation between the chemical composition and the effective energy of protein ingredients. This study also provided recommended predictive energy equations for protein ingredients in dog food. This study evaluated the nutrition composition, the nutrient digestibility, and the energy value of six protein ingredients used in pet food by the difference method in six beagles within a 7 × 6 incomplete Latin square design. The results showed that the apparent total tract digestibility of gross energy (GE) and organic matter (OM) in beagles fed the fish meal (FM) and corn gluten meal (CGM) diets was higher than for those fed the meat and bone meal (MBM), soybean meal (SBM), mealworm meal (MM), and yeast extract (YE) diets (p < 0.05). The digestible energy (DE), metabolizable energy (ME), and net energy (NE) of the MM diet were greater than the other diets, and MBM was the lowest (p < 0.05). The ME of protein ingredients was positively correlated with organic matter and negatively correlated with the ash content. The NE of protein ingredients was positively correlated with the crude protein content and negatively correlated with the ash content. The study resulted in predictive energy equations for protein ingredients that were more accurate than the NRC's predictive equation of ME when the ash content of the ingredient was more than 30% DM. In conclusion, the nutrient digestibility and energy value of corn gluten meal were similar to those of fish meal and those of soybean meal were similar to yeast extract. All predictive energy equations for six protein feedstuffs had slight differences with measured energy values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Transfer learning is a technique utilizing a pre-trained model's knowledge in a new task. This helps reduce the sample size and time needed for training. These characteristics of transfer learning make it a perfect candidate to use in genetic research. The aim of our study is to review the current uses of transfer learning in genetic research. Here, we overview the use of transfer learning in the mutation detection of different cancers (lung, gastrointestinal, breast, glioma), gene expression, genetic syndrome detection (Down's syndrome, Noonan syndrome, Williams–Beuren syndrome) based on the phenotype of patients, and identifying possible genotype–phenotype association. Using transfer learning in model development increases the final performance of the model compared with models trained from scratch. Artificial intelligence (AI), encompassing machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL), has revolutionized medical research, facilitating advancements in drug discovery and cancer diagnosis. ML identifies patterns in data, while DL employs neural networks for intricate processing. Predictive modeling challenges, such as data labeling, are addressed by transfer learning (TL), leveraging pre-existing models for faster training. TL shows potential in genetic research, improving tasks like gene expression analysis, mutation detection, genetic syndrome recognition, and genotype–phenotype association. This review explores the role of TL in overcoming challenges in mutation detection, genetic syndrome detection, gene expression, or phenotype–genotype association. TL has shown effectiveness in various aspects of genetic research. TL enhances the accuracy and efficiency of mutation detection, aiding in the identification of genetic abnormalities. TL can improve the diagnostic accuracy of syndrome-related genetic patterns. Moreover, TL plays a crucial role in gene expression analysis in order to accurately predict gene expression levels and their interactions. Additionally, TL enhances phenotype–genotype association studies by leveraging pre-trained models. In conclusion, TL enhances AI efficiency by improving mutation prediction, gene expression analysis, and genetic syndrome detection. Future studies should focus on increasing domain similarities, expanding databases, and incorporating clinical data for better predictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bed rest and limb immobilization are models of muscle disuse associated with skeletal muscle atrophy and reduced strength. The purpose of this systematic review was to examine the impact of protein or amino acid provision before and/or during a period of muscle disuse on muscle atrophy (primary outcome), strength and muscle protein synthesis (secondary outcomes) following a disuse period. We performed a systematic review of Embase, MEDLINE, Web of Science, PubMed and Clinical Trials in December 2022. Eligible studies were randomized controlled trials that combined a dietary protein or amino acid intervention versus control during an experimental model of disuse (bed rest or unilateral limb immobilization) in healthy individuals aged ≥18 years. Nine articles from eight independent trials were identified and rated for risk of bias by two authors. A meta‐analysis of muscle mass data revealed no effect (standardized mean difference: 0.2; 95% confidence interval: −0.18 to 0.57, P = 0.31) of protein/amino acid intervention in preventing disuse‐induced muscle atrophy. Although the meta‐analysis was not conducted on strength or muscle protein synthesis data, there was insufficient evidence in the reviewed articles to support the use of protein/amino acid provision in mitigating the disuse‐induced decline in either outcome measurement. Additional high‐quality studies, including the reporting of randomization procedures and blinding procedures and the provision of statistical analysis plans, might be required to determine whether protein or amino acid provision serves as an effective strategy to attenuate muscle atrophy during periods of disuse. What is the topic of this review?This is a systematic review of the potential for protein or amino acid provision as an intervention for mitigating skeletal muscle atrophy associated with periods of disuse.What advances does it highlight?Protein or amino acid provision before or during a period of disuse does not prevent the reductions in skeletal muscle mass, strength or muscle protein synthesis associated with immobilization or bed rest, hence future studies are required to investigate effective nutritional interventions during clinical situations of muscle disuse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioinformatics and computational biology are two fields that have been exploiting GPUs for more than two decades, with being CUDA the most used programming language for them. However, as CUDA is an NVIDIA proprietary language, it implies a strong portability restriction to a wide range of heterogeneous architectures, like AMD or Intel GPUs. To face this issue, the Khronos group has recently proposed the SYCL standard, which is an open, royalty-free, cross-platform abstraction layer that enables the programming of a heterogeneous system to be written using standard, single-source C++ code. Over the past few years, several implementations of this SYCL standard have emerged, being oneAPI the one from Intel. This paper presents the migration process of the SW# suite, a biological sequence alignment tool developed in CUDA, to SYCL using Intel's oneAPI ecosystem. The experimental results show that SW# was completely migrated with a small programmer intervention in terms of hand-coding. In addition, it was possible to port the migrated code between different architectures (considering multiple vendor GPUs and also CPUs), with no noticeable performance degradation on five different NVIDIA GPUs. Moreover, performance remained stable when switching to another SYCL implementation. As a consequence, SYCL and its implementations can offer attractive opportunities for the bioinformatics community, especially considering the vast existence of CUDA-based legacy codes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of barium ions on the biomineralization of calcium and magnesium ions is often overlooked when utilizing microbial-induced carbonate precipitation technology for removing barium, calcium, and magnesium ions from oilfield wastewater. In this study, Bacillus licheniformis was used to bio-precipitate calcium, magnesium, and barium ions. The effects of barium ions on the physiological and biochemical characteristics of bacteria, as well as the components of extracellular polymers and mineral characteristics, were also studied in systems containing coexisting barium, calcium, and magnesium ions. The results show that the increasing concentrations of barium ions decreased pH, carbonic anhydrase activity, and concentrations of bicarbonate and carbonate ions, while it increased the contents of humic acids, proteins, polysaccharides, and DNA in extracellular polymers in the systems containing all three types of ions. With increasing concentrations of barium ions, the content of magnesium within magnesium-rich calcite and the size of minerals precipitated decreased, while the full width at half maximum of magnesium-rich calcite, the content of O-C=O and N–C=O, and the diversity of protein secondary structures in the minerals increased in systems containing all three coexisting ions. Barium ions does inhibit the precipitation of calcium and magnesium ions, but the immobilized bacteria can mitigate the inhibitory effect. The precipitation ratios of calcium, magnesium, and barium ions reached 81–94%, 68–82%, and 90–97%. This research provides insights into the formation of barium-enriched carbonate minerals and offers improvements for treating oilfield wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The effects of dietary fibres, polyphenols, proteins and their combination on the estimated glycaemic index (eGI) of steamed bread, as well as the specific volume, height‐to‐diameter ratio, textural and microstructural properties thereof were studied. The results showed that supplementation of 7% soybean dietary fibre, 10% gallic acid combined with 25% soybean protein isolate significantly reduced the starch digestibility of wheat steamed bread, as evidenced by the significant decrease of eGI value from 88.16 to 49.16, which was classified as low GI steamed bread. While, the addition of soybean dietary fibre, gallic acid and soybean protein isolate together negatively affected the fermentation properties of dough, resulting in lower specific volume, chewiness, springiness and higher hardness of steamed bread compared to wheat bread without any addition. The above results in this study might provide theoretical guidance for the development of healthier and blood glucose‐friendly steamed bread in the staple food industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caulerpa racemosa is a nutritious food option that has high demand. However, the production rate is lagging behind the increased demand. The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of aqueous extract from various plants as an exogenous plant growth regulators (PGRs) in the morphology, growth, and nutrition of C. racemosa. The natural PGRs used were coconut water (CW), shallots and coconut water (AESCW), maize (AEM), moringa leaves and mung beansprout (AEMBS), and Kappaphycus alvarezii (AEKA). Fifty grams of C. racemosa was soaked on the natural PGRs and was cultivated for 30 days with a sandy mud substrate. The results showed that the soaking of C. racemosa on natural PGRs had a significant effect (p < 0.05) on absolute growth, specific growth rate, and nutrients. C. racemosa soaked in aqueous shallot and coconut water showed the best absolute growth (214.32 ± 7.68 g) and SGR (5.55 ± 0.08%/day); meanwhile, C. racemosa soaked in coconut water had the best nutrition (protein, 9.54 ± 0.16%; fiber, 1.37 ± 0.21%; and fat, 0.42 ± 0.04%). The morphological analysis showed that soaking C. racemosa on natural PGRs resulted in long fronds, bigger stolons, a greener and fresher color, and more ramuli. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Burn wound blister fluid is a valuable matrix for understanding the biological pathways associated with burn injury. In this study, 152 blister fluid samples collected from paediatric burn wounds at three different hospitals were analysed using mass spectrometry proteomic techniques. The protein abundance profile at different days after burn indicated more proteins were associated with cellular damage/repair in the first 24 h, whereas after this point more proteins were associated with antimicrobial defence. The inflammatory proteins persisted at a high level in the blister fluid for more than 7 days. This may indicate that removal of burn blisters prior to two days after burn is optimal to prevent excessive or prolonged inflammation in the wound environment. Additionally, many proteins associated with the neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) pathway were increased after burn, further implicating NETs in the post-burn inflammatory response. NET inhibitors may therefore be a potential treatment to reduce post-burn inflammation and coagulation pathology and enhance burn wound healing outcomes. • Burn blister fluid proteins provide information on the changes in burn wound environment over time. • Within the first 24 h post-burn, there was increased abundance of cellular damage and repair proteins. • After 24 h post-burn, antimicrobial defence and inflammation proteins increased, and this persisted for more than 7 days. • Removal of blisters by day 2 post-burn would prevent excessive or prolonged inflammation in the wound environment. • Therapeutics that inhibit Neutrophil Extracellular Traps, Thrombospondin and Kallikrein 10 may enhance burn wound healing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preexisting malnutrition in critically ill patients is associated with adverse clinical outcomes. Malnutrition can be diagnosed with the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition using parameters such as weight loss, muscle wasting, and BMI. International critical care nutrition guidelines recommend high protein treatment to improve clinical outcomes in critically ill patients diagnosed with preexisting malnutrition. However, this recommendation is based on expert opinion. In critically ill patients, what is the association between preexisting malnutrition and time to discharge alive (TTDA), and does high protein treatment modify this association? This multicenter randomized controlled trial involving 16 countries was designed to investigate the effects of high vs usual protein treatment in 1,301 critically ill patients. The primary outcome was TTDA. Multivariable regression was used to identify if preexisting malnutrition was associated with TTDA and if protein delivery modified their association. The prevalence of preexisting malnutrition was 43.8%, and the cumulative incidence of live hospital discharge by day 60 was 41.2% vs 52.9% in the groups with and without preexisting malnutrition, respectively. The average protein delivery in the high vs usual treatment groups was 1.6 g/kg per day vs 0.9 g/kg per day. Preexisting malnutrition was independently associated with slower TTDA (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.67-0.98). However, high protein treatment in patients with and without preexisting malnutrition was not associated with TTDA (adjusted hazard ratios of 0.84 [95% CI, 0.63-1.11] and 0.97 [95% CI, 0.77-1.21]). Furthermore, no effect modification was observed (ratio of adjusted hazard ratio, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.58-1.20). Malnutrition was associated with slower TTDA, but high protein treatment did not modify the association. These findings challenge current international critical care nutrition guidelines. ClinicalTrials.gov ; No.: NCT03160547 ; URL: www.clinicaltrials.gov [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Processed cheese food (PCF) is a dairy product prepared by blending dairy ingredients with nondairy ingredients and heating the blend with agitation to produce a homogeneous product with an extended shelf life. Emulsifying salts (ES), such as disodium phosphate (DSP) and trisodium citrate, have a critical effect on the emulsification characteristics of casein by sequestering the calcium from the calcium-paracaseinate phosphate complex in natural cheese. Lactose-6-phosphate (LP) is an organic compound produced from lactose that has the potential to function as ES. Lactose-6-phosphate is not approved for use as a substitute for ES in the large-scale production of PC. The objective of this study was to produce PCF with LP instead of DSP. Lactose-6-phosphate was prepared by mixing 1 mol of α-lactose with 0.5 mol of sodium cyclo-triphosphate. The pH of recombined solutions was adjusted using sodium hydroxide to get a pH of 12 to obtain 60.74% LP. The solution was stirred for 3 d at room temperature and then concentrated to 52% total solids (TS). The ingredients in the PCF formulations were Cheddar cheese, butter, water, milk permeate powder, and LP (at a ratio of 2.0, 2.4, 2.8, 3.2, 4.0, 5.0, and 6.0%) were formulated to contain 17.0% protein, 25.0% fat, 44.0% moisture, and 2.0% salt. Processed cheese food made with 2.0% DSP was also produced as a control. The PCF was prepared by mixing all ingredients in a Kitchen Aid stand mixer to make a homogeneous paste. A 25-g sample of the mixture was cooked in the rapid visco analyzer (Perten RVA 4500, Macquarie Park, Australia) for 3 min at 95°C at 1,000 rpm for the first 2 min and 160 rpm for the last minute. The PCF was then transferred into molds and refrigerated till further analyses. The PCF was analyzed for moisture, pH, end apparent cooked viscosity, hardness, melted diameter, and melting temperature. The experiment was repeated 3 times using different batches of LP. The moisture of PCF ranged from 42.3% to 44.0% with a pH of 5.6 to 5.8. The end apparent cooked viscosity increased from 818.0 to 2,060.0 cP as the level of LP raised from 0.63% to 1.90%, whereas it was 660.0 cP in control. The hardness of PCF made with LP elevated from 61.9 to 110.1g as the level of LP increased; however, it was 85.6 g in control. The melted diameter decreased from 43 mm in control to 29 mm in 1.90% LP, while the melting temperature of PCF increased from 37.7°C in control to 59.0°C in 1.90% LP. We conclude that LP can be used as a substitute for DSP in PCF manufacture and has more capacity than DSP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This research aims to explore the nutritional and bioactive peptide properties of goat meat taken from various primal cuts, including the breast, shoulder, rib, loin, and leg, to produce these bioactive peptides during in vitro gastrointestinal (GI) digestion and absorption. Methods: The goat meat from various primal cuts was obtained from Boer goats with an average carcass weight of 30±2 kg. The meat was collected within 3 h after slaughter and was stored at -80°C until analysis. A comprehensive assessment encompassed various aspects, including the chemical composition, cooking properties, in vitro GI digestion, bioactive characteristics, and the bioavailability of the resulting peptides. Results: The findings indicate that the loin muscles contain the highest protein and essential amino acid composition. When the meats were cooked at 70°C for 30 min, they exhibited distinct protein compositions and quantities in the sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis profile, suggesting they served as different protein substrates during GI digestion. Subsequent in vitro simulated GI digestion revealed that the cooked shoulder and loin underwent the most significant hydrolysis during the intestinal phase, resulting in the strongest angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) and dipeptidyl peptidase-IV (DPP-IV) inhibition. Following in vitro GI peptide absorption using a Caco-2 cell monolayer, the GI peptide derived from the cooked loin demonstrated greater bioavailability and a higher degree of ACE and DPP-IV inhibition than the shoulder peptide. Conclusion: This study highlights the potential of goat meat, particularly cooked loin, as a functional meat source for protein, essential amino acids, and bioactive peptides during GI digestion and absorption. These peptides promise to play a role in preventing and treating metabolic diseases due to their dual inhibitory effects on ACE and DPP-IV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. The objective of this study was to determine the nutritional and energy values of four maize distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) and one maize high protein distiller’s dried grains (HP-DDG) from ethanol production plants in Brazil; to evaluate the digestibility, performance, nitrogen balance and energy values for broiler chickens fed diets containing these coproducts (Experiment I); and to evaluate the effects of xylanase inclusion in diets containing maize DDGS for broilers on energy availability, digestibility, nitrogen balance and gastrointestinal morphometry (Experiment II).2. For each experiment, 180 broiler chickens aged 17 and 30 days with initial weights of 450 ± 18 g and 1228 ± 33 g, respectively, were used; the chickens were distributed into 36 metabolism cages. The experimental design consisted of complete randomised blocks, with six replications per treatment and five birds per experimental unit. The treatments consisted of a basal diet (BD) and five test diets containing maize ethanol coproducts (Experiment I) one BD and five test diets containing DDGS with inclusions of 0, 8,000, 16,000, 24,000 and 32,000 BXU/kg xylanase (Experiment II). In Experiment I, HP-DDG and DDGS2 presented higher AME and AMEn values (14.1 and 13.9 MJ/kg and 13.4 and 13.3 MJ/kg, respectively), than did the other coproducts (p < 0.05). Compared with DDGS1 and DDGS3, DDGS4 and HP-DDG had higher digestible CP values (p < 0.05). In Experiment II, the inclusion of the enzyme quadratically affected the values of digestible CP and digestible EE (p < 0.05), with the maximum values occurring with the inclusion of 18 750 and 22,170 BXU/kg of xylanase, respectively.3. The digestible NDF and digestible MM values linearly increased with the inclusion of xylanase (p < 0.05). The addition of xylanase had no effect on gastrointestinal morphometry (p > 0.05). It was concluded that the inclusion of between 18,000 and 22,000 BXU/kg of xylanase resulted in better digestible CP and digestible EE values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. The potential growth of the chemical and physical components of males and females of the Cobb 700 strain was measured from hatch to 15 weeks of age.2. A four-phase ad libitum feeding programme was used to feed 200 chicks of each sex. All birds were weighed weekly. Ten birds per sex were sampled at 0, 7, 14, 28, 42, 56, 70, 84 and 105 d of age. They were weighed before and after plucking to determine the weight of feathers. Physical parts were measured on defeathered birds, whereafter these components were combined, minced, freeze dried to measure water content, and then analysed for protein, lipid and ash content.3. Mature body weights of males and females averaged 8.38 and 6.94 kg, respectively, mature body protein weights averaged 1.48 and 1.19 kg and mature body lipid contents averaged 1.08 and 1.54 kg, respectively.4. Rates of maturing of the empty feather-free body weights of males and females averaged 0.0417 and 0.0402/d, respectively. All chemical and physical components within a sex, other than feathers, had the same rate of maturing. The rate of maturing of feathers, calculated by iteration, in males was lower than in females (0.0324 vs. 0.0357/d) and the mature weight was higher (435 vs. 372 g).5. The ratios of the chemical components to feather-free body protein at maturity for males and females were, for water, 3.80 and 3.34; for lipid, 0.73 and 1.29; and for ash, 0.13 and 0.19, respectively. Separate equations were required for males and females to describe the allometric relationship between lipid and protein in the feather-free body.6. Mature body weights of broilers in this trial were considerably higher than those measured using the same protocol 28 years ago, whereas rates of maturing have remained the same. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming to study the performance, carcass characteristics, nutrient digestibility, blood parameters, salivary cortisol levels, and economic viability of pigs administered aspartic protease, a total of 135 pigs were housed in pens in a randomized block design, divided into five treatments with nine replications. The experimental diets were positive control (PC), basic diet with a 5.0% reduction in protein and amino acid requirements; negative control (NC) with a 7.5% reduction in protein and amino acid requirements; NC + 100 g/mT of aspartic protease (NC100); NC + 150 g/mT of aspartic protease (NC150); and NC + 200 g/mT of neutral serine protease (NC200). The inclusion of protease, independently of the source and amount, increased the average daily weight gain (P < 0.05) of animals compared with the control treatments (PC and NC), improved feed conversion (P < 0.05) in early stages, and improved diet digestibility (P < 0.05) compared with the PC. Treatment with NC150 and NC200 resulted in greater carcass weights (P < 0.05) than treatment with the PC. NC100 led to a greater carcass yield than PC (P < 0.05), and NC150 resulted in a greater loin eye area than PC (P < 0.05). No differences (P > 0.05) in the blood parameters or salivary cortisol levels were found. Regarding economic viability, proteases increased the profitability, with NC150 leading to the best results. Thus, the use of aspartic proteases is recommended to improve performance and further facilitate pork production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY The plant plasma membrane (PM) plays a key role in perception of environmental signals, and set‐up of adaptive responses. An exhaustive and quantitative description of the whole set of lipids and proteins constituting the PM is necessary to understand how these components allow to fulfill such essential physiological functions. Here we provide by state‐of‐the‐art approaches the first combined reference of the plant PM lipidome and proteome from Arabidopsis thaliana suspension cell culture. We identified and quantified a reproducible core set of 2165 proteins, which is by far the largest set of available data concerning this plant PM proteome. Using the same samples, combined lipidomic approaches, allowing the identification and quantification of an unprecedented repertoire of 414 molecular species of lipids showed that sterols, phospholipids, and sphingolipids are present in similar proportions in the plant PM. Within each lipid class, the precise amount of each lipid family and the relative proportion of each molecular species were further determined, allowing to establish the complete lipidome of Arabidopsis PM, and highlighting specific characteristics of the different molecular species of lipids. Results obtained point to a finely tuned adjustment of the molecular characteristics of lipids and proteins. More than a hundred proteins related to lipid metabolism, transport, or signaling have been identified and put in perspective of the lipids with which they are associated. This set of data represents an innovative resource to guide further research relative to the organization and functions of the plant PM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP) is a rare peritoneal mucinous carcinomatosis with largely unknown underlying molecular mechanisms. Cytoreductive surgery combined with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy is the only therapeutic option; however, despite its use, recurrence with a fatal outcome is common. The lack of molecular characterisation of PMP and other mucinous tumours is mainly due to the physicochemical properties of mucin. Results: This manuscript describes the first protocol capable of breaking the mucin barrier and isolating proteins from mucinous tumours. Briefly, mucinous tumour samples were homogenised and subjected to liquid chromatography using two specific columns to reduce mainly glycoproteins, albumins and immunoglobulin G. The protein fractions were then subjected to mass spectrometry analysis and the proteomic profile obtained was analysed using various bioinformatic tools. Thus, we present here the first proteome analysed in PMP and identified a distinct mucin isoform profile in soft compared to hard mucin tumour tissues as well as key biological processes/pathways altered in mucinous tumours. Importantly, this protocol also allowed us to identify MUC13 as a potential tumour cell marker in PMP. Conclusions: In sum, our results demonstrate that this protein isolation protocol from mucin will have a high impact, allowing the oncology research community to more rapidly advance in the knowledge of PMP and other mucinous neoplasms, as well as develop new and effective therapeutic strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary protein levels on growth performance, muscle composition, digestive enzyme activity and antioxidant capacity of red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii). Fish meal, soybean meal and rapeseed meal were the main sources of protein, soybean oil was the main source of fat, and flour was the main source of carbohydrate. The isoenergetic diets with 27.58%, 32.26% and 36.03% protein levels were prepared and named D1, D2 and D3 respectively. The crayfish with a mean initial body weight of (6.0±0.5) g were fed for 5 weeks, and three aquariums were fed with each experimental crayfish. The results showed that the final body weight and weight gain rate of crayfish increased with the increase of dietary protein level, and the differences were significant among the groups (P<0.05). There was no significant effect of different protein level feeds on muscle composition of crayfish (P>0.05). The activity of crayfish protease in each treatment group was significantly different (P<0.05), and the activity of protease in 36.03% protein diet reached the highest level, which was 46.57 U/mg. At the same time, the lipase activity in hepatopancreas was stimulated by high protein diet, and the highest level was detected in the D3, which was significantly different from that of D1(27.58%) and D2(32.26%) groups (P<0.05). CAT activity in D3 group was significantly higher than that in other two groups (P<0.05), and MAD activity in D1 group was significantly higher than that in other two groups (P<0.05). To sum up, suitably increasing the protein level in feed can promote the growth of crayfish and enhance their immunity to a certain extent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Protein glycosylation modification is an effective way to enhance the functional properties of natural proteins. This study aims to explore the preparation of glycosylation products (PPCs) through the Maillard reaction or enzymatic glycosylation using transglutaminase. The study discusses the advantages and disadvantages of preparing PPCs using dry heat, wet heat, and enzymatic glycosylation, as well as factors influencing the glycosylation process. Compared to natural proteins, PPCs demonstrate superior functional properties, including solubility, viscosity, emulsifying ability, gelling ability, thermal stability, antioxidant activity, and antibacterial activity. With improved functional performance, PPCs have broad application prospects as raw materials in food processing. For example, PPCs can be used as antioxidants, emulsifiers, gelling agents, and carriers for various bioactive molecules in the food industry. In the pharmaceutical field, PPCs are expected to serve as contrast agents and dressings. Furthermore, the application of PPCs in food processing should also consider specific processing requirements to achieve the intended enhancement of glycosylated protein functionality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Emerging evidence suggests health-promoting properties of increased protein intake. There is increased interest in plant protein but a dearth of information in relation to its impact on muscle function. The objective of the present work was to examine the impact of intake of different types of proteins on muscle functional parameters including handgrip strength, biomarkers of metabolic health, sleep quality and quality of life in a group of older adults. Methods Healthy men and women aged 50 years and older entered a double-blinded, randomised, controlled nutritional intervention study with three parallel arms: high plant protein, high dairy protein and low protein. Participants consumed once daily a ready-to-mix shake (containing 20 g of protein in high protein groups) for 12 weeks. Changes in handgrip and leg strength, body composition, metabolic health, quality of life and sleep quality were analysed by linear mixed models in an intention-to-treat approach. Results Eligible participants (n  = 171) were randomly assigned to the groups (plant: n  = 60, dairy: n  = 56, low protein: n  = 55) and 141 completed the study. Handgrip strength increased after the intervention (P time = 0.038), with no significant difference between the groups. There was no significant difference between groups for any other health outcomes. Conclusions In a population of older adults, increasing protein intake by 20 g daily for 12 weeks (whether plant-based or dairy-based) did not result in significant differences in muscle function, body composition, metabolic health, sleep quality or quality of life, compared with the low protein group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Natural antioxidants are crucial for preserving and enhancing the health, survival, reproduction, and reproductive function of poultry. Phycocyanin (PC) is a natural blue food colorant with various health benefits. The aim of this study was to extract Arthrospira platensis phycocyanin (ApPC) from A. platensis using simple and economical methods and investigate the impact of phytocyanin supplementation on the performance and fatty and amino acid profiles of broiler chicks. Materials and Methods: PC was extracted from A. platensis by freezing and thawing, and optimization conditions such as pH and temperature were applied during storage periods. A total of 270 1-week-old Ross breed broiler chicks were randomly assigned to the following three treatment groups: basal diet supplemented with 0 mg of PC/kg diet (control), basal diet supplemented with 1 g PC/kg diet (T1), and basal diet supplemented with 2 g PC/kg (T2). In a completely randomized design, three cage replicates (30 birds each) were assigned to each of the three groups. The dietary effects of ApPC on growth performance (body weight gain [BWG], body weight [BW], feed intake, feed conversion ratio, serum constituents, and antioxidant indices) in broiler chickens, free amino acids, and fatty acids in muscles were evaluated. Results: Total BWG and BW increased without a significant effect on the total feed consumption. Serum levels of total proteins and albumin increased with increasing ApPC supplementation. In addition, globulin levels significantly increased. There was a significant decrease in serum total cholesterol levels among the treatments. The activity of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione, and total antioxidant capacity) is significantly increased. In contrast, an increase in ApPC caused a significant decrease in malondialdehyde. The content and quantity of fatty acids and amino acids in the meat of broiler chicks supplemented with PC varies. Conclusion: The addition of PC to broiler chicken diets enhances antioxidant activities, BW, BWG, and meets quality requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study examines the association between micronutrient intake, anthropometric indices, lipid accumulation, and blood lipid risk index among Tehranian women. Methods: A cross‐sectional study was conducted on 556 Tehranian women. Dietary intake was measured using a Food Frequency Questionnaire. Biochemical assessment and anthropometric indices were measured, and demographic information and physical activity were collected. Results: Participants with the highest intake of carbohydrates were more prone to obesity. Conversely, those in the top tertile for protein intake had a lower likelihood of obesity and higher levels of lipid accumulation product (LAP). The highest fat consumers had a 63% decreased chance of having a high Castelli's Risk Index 1 (CRI‐1). A higher glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL) were linked to an increased probability of a high atherogenic coefficient (AC). Women in the top tertile of GL were significantly more likely to be obese and had lower odds for high LAP. Participants in the top tertile of aromatic amino acids/branched chain amino acids (AAA/BCAA) had significantly lower chances of high CRI‐1 and a high atherogenic index of plasma (AIP). Those in the highest tertile of monounsaturated fatty acids/polyunsaturated fatty acids (MUFA/PUFA) had lower odds of obesity and high AIP. Conclusions: The amount of carbohydrate (g) and protein intake (%), dietary GL, and the ratio of MUFA to PUFA were associated with obesity. The amount of fat intake (g) and AAA/BCAA indices were associated with CRI‐1. LAP decreased with an increase in GL. AC increased with an increase in GI and GL. AAA/BCAA and MUFA/PUFA were associated with AIP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past decade, there has been an extensive advancement in the creation of methods for the design and prediction of protein structures. Expeditious growth in protein structure and sequence databases has charged the development of computational approaches for the prediction of structures. This review focuses on fragment-based strategy, a computational approach for the prediction of the three-dimensional structure of proteins. Fragment assembly has immensely improved protein structure prediction accuracy, especially of the single-domain proteins at the fold level. Fragment libraries are generated using the dihedral angles along with local structural information of known protein structures. This leads to the construction of a full-length polypeptide chain of a query protein using the fragments present in these libraries. The energy function of the proteins is minimized contributing to multiple conformations considering the backbone atoms and "centroid" side-chain pseudo-atoms using conformational sampling. Lastly, Monte Carlo simulation is performed for the sampling of the side-chain rotamers and reduction of energy for more precise and refined model construction. The quality of the fragments determines whether the native-like conformations generated are accurate or not. The future direction as well as tools like ROSETTA, QUARK, FRAGFOLD, M-TASSER, and AlphaFold2 that use fragment assembly for optimal structure prediction have also been described and compared in this review. This review focuses on fragment-based protein structure prediction, a computational approach to construct full-length protein models by assembling structural fragments from known protein structures. Fragment assembly has greatly improved prediction accuracy, especially for single-domain proteins, by exploiting local sequence-structure correlations. The review also describes and compares leading fragment-assembly based tools like Rosetta, QUARK, FRAGFOLD, M-TASSER, and AlphaFold2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research, cress seed gum in three concentrations (0.1, 0.2 and 0.3%) as a stabilizer and egg white powder in four levels (1, 2, 3 and 4%) was used to produce orange juice foam and then the optimal foam sample (minimum density, maximum stability and overrun) was selected. Next, the optimal sample for drying by foam mat drying method was dried at three different temperatures (40, 55 and 70 C) by hot air dryer. The results showed that by decreasing the concentration of cress seed gum and increasing the concentration of egg white protein, the overrun increased significantly and the density decreased (p<0.05). Also, by increasing the concentration of cress seed gum and egg white protein, the stability of the foam improved. Among all the treatments, the sample containing 4% egg white powder and 0.1% cress seed gum, in addition to low drainage (drainage volume 0.5 ml), has low density (0.321 gr/cm) and high overrun (308 percent) which was selected as the best treatment for the production of orange powder. The drying time of orange pulp at temperatures of 40, 55 and 70 degrees Celsius was 100, 150 and 280 minutes, respectively. The effective diffusion coefficient in the temperature range of 40 to 70 degrees Celsius was in the range of 1.38 x 10 -7 to 2.938 x 10 -7 m2/s. The results showed that by increasing the temperature from 40 to 70 degrees Celsius, the solubility of the powder increased, while the water activity of the powder, density and reabsorption of water decreased significantly (p˂0.05). Also, the results of color analysis showed that with increasing drying temperature, color indices (L*) and (a*) increased significantly and color index (b*) decreased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Duck Tembusu Virus (DTMUV) is a pathogen of the Flaviviridae family that causes infections in poultry, leading to significant economic losses in the duck farming industry in recent years. Ducks infected with this virus exhibit clinical symptoms such as decreased egg production and neurological disorders, along with serious consequences such as ovarian hemorrhage, organ enlargement, and necrosis. Variations in morbidity and mortality rates exist across different age groups of ducks. It is worth noting that DTMUV is not limited to ducks alone; it can also spread to other poultry such as chickens and geese, and antibodies related to DTMUV have even been found in duck farm workers, suggesting a potential risk of zoonotic transmission. This article provides a detailed overview of DTMUV research, delving into its genomic characteristics, vaccines, and the interplay with host immune responses. These in-depth research findings contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the virus's transmission mechanism and pathogenic process, offering crucial scientific support for epidemic prevention and control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of multifunctional bio‐adhesive plays a critical role in achieving a sustainable society, where the intrinsic sensitivity to water and poor dynamics severely bottlenecks its scale‐up application. Inspired by the microstructure of dragonfly wings, a strong and tough adhesive with excellent reprocessability is designed and developed by creating a dynamic network consisting of a lignin polyurea (LPU) framework with soybean protein (SP). The LPU framework act as the rigid nervures to slow crack propagation and transfer stress, while the SP dissipate the strain energy through the interplay from the graded hydrogen and imine bonds generated between LPU and SP. The bio‐adhesive achieves significant enhancements in fracture toughness and water resistance by ≈7 and 23 folds, respectively, compared with SP. Furthermore, the capacity for diffusion and restoration of dynamic network endows the adhesive with superior reprocessability, enabling recycled particleboard to achieve high retention of modules (over 80%). This sustainable bio‐adhesive approach offers a promising eco‐friendly alternative to the conventional petrochemical adhesive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The maturation of B cells is a complex, multi-step process. During B cell differentiation, errors can occur, leading to the emergence of aberrant versions of B cells that, finally, constitute a malignant tumor. These B cell malignancies are classified into three main groups: leukemias, myelomas, and lymphomas, the latter being the most heterogeneous type. Since their discovery, multiple biological studies have been performed to characterize these diseases, aiming to define their specific features and determine potential biomarkers for diagnosis, stratification, and prognosis. The rise of advanced -omics approaches has significantly contributed to this end. Notably, proteomics strategies appear as promising tools to comprehensively profile the final molecular effector of these cells. In this narrative review, we first introduce the main B cell malignancies together with the most relevant proteomics approaches. Then, we describe the core studies conducted in the field and their main findings and, finally, we evaluate the advantages and drawbacks of flow cytometry, mass cytometry, and mass spectrometry for the profiling of human B cell disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dietary macronutrients regulate life span and aging, yet little is known about their evolutionary effects. Here, we examine the evolutionary response of these traits in decorated crickets (Gryllodes sigillatus) maintained on diets varying in caloric content and protein-to-carbohydrate ratio. After 37 generations, each population was split: half remained on the evolution diet, and half switched to a standardized diet. Crickets lived longer and aged slower when evolving on high-calorie (both sexes) and carbohydrate-biased (females only) diets and had lower baseline mortality on high-calorie (females only) diets. However, on the standardized diet, crickets lived longer when evolving on high-calorie diets (both sexes), aged slower on high-calorie (females only) and carbohydrate-biased (both sexes) diets, and had lower baseline mortality on high-calorie (males only) and protein-biased (both sexes) diets. Life span was longer, and baseline mortality was lower when provided with the evolution vs. the standardized diet, but the aging rate was comparable. Moreover, life span was longer, aging slower (females only), and baseline mortality was lower (males only) compared to our evolved baseline, suggesting varying degrees of dietary adaptation. Collectively, we show dietary components influence the evolution of life span and aging in different ways and highlight the value of combining experimental evolution with nutritional geometry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanism of ammonia formation during the pyrolysis of proteins in biomass is currently unclear. To further investigate this issue, this study employed the AMS 2023.104 software to select proteins (actual proteins) as the model compounds and the amino acids contained within them (assembled amino acids) as the comparative models. ReaxFF molecular dynamics simulations were conducted to explore the nitrogen transformation and NH3 generation mechanisms in three-phase products (char, tar, and gas) during protein pyrolysis. The research results revealed several key findings. Regardless of whether the model compounds are actual proteins or assembled amino acids, NH3 is the primary nitrogen-containing product during pyrolysis. However, as the temperature rises to higher levels, such as 2000 K and 2500 K, the amount of NH3 decreases significantly in the later stages of pyrolysis, indicating that it is being converted into other nitrogen-bearing species, such as HCN and N2. Simultaneously, we also observed significant differences between the pyrolysis processes of actual proteins and assembled amino acids. Notably, at 2000 K, the amount of NH3 generated from the pyrolysis of assembled amino acids was twice that of actual proteins. This discrepancy mainly stems from the inherent structural differences between proteins and amino acids. In proteins, nitrogen is predominantly present in a network-like structure (NH-N), which shields it from direct external exposure, thus requiring more energy for nitrogen to participate in pyrolysis reactions, making it more difficult for NH3 to form. Conversely, assembled amino acids can release NH3 through a simpler deamination process, leading to a significant increase in NH3 production during their pyrolysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of nitrogen (three doses of N) and magnesium (two doses of Mg) fertilization on the yield and quality of fodder obtained from two old and extensive grass species Festulolium braunii cv. 'Felopa' and Lolium multiflorum cv. 'Tur' in field cultivation under dry conditions. F. braunii was better adapted to cultivation on light, dry soils than L. multiflorum; in such conditions, it produces higher yields of dry matter and protein, characterized by a higher concentration of nutrients. F. braunii fertilized with doses of 120 and 180 kg N∙ha−1 yielded higher than that fertilized with a dose of 60 kg N∙ha−1, and L. multiflorum produced similar yields after applying doses of 60, 120 and 180 kg N∙ha−1. For tested grass pasture, a single N application after the start of vegetation in two forms (fast- and slow-acting) appears to be adequate. Resignation from splitting the nitrogen dose due to variable rainfall distribution that can occur after the first cut during the dry summer is beneficial due to a reduction in the losses of nutrients and environmental burdens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The approach toward the molecular imprinting of hydrogel with different proteins erects the template-size cavities inside the matrix. The cavities provide the binding sites to adsorb the protein perfectly in the hydrogel. To intensify the adsorption efficiency of protein bovine serum albumin (BSA), cobalt ions (Co) play an essential role. In contrast, 2-(Dimethylamino) ethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA) provides pH sustainability as an assistant monomer. Results elucidate that incorporating Co in preparation can enhance the hydrogel's imprinting effect or adsorption efficiency compared to others due to the development of coordinated covalent bonding. Hydrogel adsorption capacity is an essential factor in this study. In this research, the obtained BSA-imprinted hydrogel also observed a high protein adsorption capacity. The Co concentration and pH of the hydrogel system are the main factors affecting proteins' adsorption efficiency. Their optimizations are the main concerns, and their successful implementations are confirmed by UV/Vis spectroscopy. The imprinted BSA protein was removed by using 500 mmol/L NaCl solution. The two and three-parameter isothermal models were implemented to predict the mechanism of the adsorption process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fluorescence microscopy data describe protein localization patterns at single-cell resolution and have the potential to reveal whole-proteome functional information with remarkable precision. Yet, extracting biologically meaningful representations from cell micrographs remains a major challenge. Existing approaches often fail to learn robust and noise-invariant features or rely on supervised labels for accurate annotations. We developed PIFiA (Protein Image-based Functional Annotation), a self-supervised approach for protein functional annotation from single-cell imaging data. We imaged the global yeast ORF-GFP collection and applied PIFiA to generate protein feature profiles from single-cell images of fluorescently tagged proteins. We show that PIFiA outperforms existing approaches for molecular representation learning and describe a range of downstream analysis tasks to explore the information content of the feature profiles. Specifically, we cluster extracted features into a hierarchy of functional organization, study cell population heterogeneity, and develop techniques to distinguish multi-localizing proteins and identify functional modules. Finally, we confirm new PIFiA predictions using a colocalization assay, suggesting previously unappreciated biological roles for several proteins. Paired with a fully interactive website (https://thecellvision.org/pifia/), PIFiA is a resource for the quantitative analysis of protein organization within the cell. Synopsis: PIFiA is a self-supervised deep-learning approach for protein functional annotation from single-cell images. It generates feature profiles from images of the yeast ORF-GFP collection that can be used in downstream analyses. PIFiA features identify new functional groups of proteins within organelles and proteins with heterogeneous localizations. PIFiA features successfully predict protein–protein interactions and members of protein complexes. PIFiA outperforms previous methods on four different standards of protein function. Images and analysis are available at thecellvision.org/pifia. PIFiA is a self-supervised deep-learning approach for protein functional annotation from single-cell images. It generates feature profiles from images of the yeast ORF-GFP collection that can be used in downstream analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Net energy for lactation (NE L) and metabolizable protein (MP) are the 2 main nutritional forces that drive synthesis of milk components. This study investigated mammary-gland metabolism in dairy cows in response to variations in the supply of NE L and MP. Four Holstein dairy cows were randomly assigned to a 4 × 4 Latin square design, in which each experimental period consisted of 14 d of dietary treatment. The diets provided 2 levels of NE L (low energy, 25.0 Mcal/d vs. high energy, 32.5 Mcal/d) and 2 levels of MP (low protein, 1,266 g/d vs. high protein, 2,254 g/d of protein digestible in the intestine) in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. Performance and dry matter intake (DMI) were measured during the last 5 d of each period, and the mammary net balance was measured on d 13 by collecting 6 sets of blood samples from the left carotid artery and left mammary vein. Mammary plasma flow was measured according to the Fick principle for Phe and Tyr. The mammary net balance of carbon equaled the uptake of nutrients expressed as carbon minus the output of lactose, fatty acids (FA) synthesized in the mammary gland, AA of milk protein, and glycerol-3P from triglyceride on d 13. Milk, lactose, fat, and protein yields increased when NE L and MP supplies increased. However, increasing the NE L supply increased FA synthesis more than increasing the protein supply did. In addition, FA secretion increased more than lactose secretion when the NE L supply increased. Increasing the NE L supply increased the left half-udder uptake of all major energy-yielding nutrients by increasing mammary plasma flow. However, nutrient uptake increased more than milk output did, which in turn increased carbon dioxide output. This increase in nutrient oxidation by the mammary gland decreased the mammary efficiency of nutrients utilization when the NE L supply increased. Increasing MP supply tended to increase glucose uptake through mammary clearance and increased mammary AA uptake with no change in mammary plasma flow. In addition, the protein supply did not change the mammary uptake of acetate or β-hydroxybutyrate. The increase in milk-component secretions in response to either NE L or MP supplies occurred through different metabolic adaptations (increase in mammary plasma flow vs. clearances, respectively). These results suggest that the nutrient use by the mammary gland is highly flexible, which helps in maintaining milk and milk-component yields even with limiting nutrient supplies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Societal Impact Statement: The world is increasingly looking to plant‐based sources to meet its protein needs. Multiple factors are driving this progression, ranging from nutritional and ethical considerations to climate change and population growth. As a pulse crop, lentil is ideal to help meet this change in demand. However, plant‐based proteins have limiting amino acids and lower protein digestibility compared to animal‐based proteins. This research identifies genetic markers that can be used to accelerate breeding of protein quality traits in lentil to ultimately help meet the rising demand in high‐quality plant‐based protein and bolster global food and nutritional security. Summary: Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) contains ~25% high‐quality protein in addition to high concentrations of prebiotic carbohydrates and micronutrients, such as folate, iron, zinc, and selenium. As animal‐based protein's economic and environmental costs rise, plant‐based protein sources, such as lentil, will become increasingly important to global food systems. Consequently, evaluating and targeting protein quality traits for genomic‐assisted breeding is a valuable objective for lentil breeding programs.A diversity panel of 183 breeding lines was analyzed for protein quality traits, including amino acids and protein digestibility. Genotyping‐by‐sequencing (GBS) data were used to assess population structure and conduct genome‐wide association studies (GWAS). Genes in local linkage disequilibrium (LD) with significant single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers were identified and categorized by homology.Protein quality traits showed a wide range of variation. Repeatability estimates were low to moderate across traits. Twelve traits were strongly correlated with each other (r >.7). Admixture analysis identified six ancestral subpopulations, which also demonstrated clustering in principal component analysis. Ten different traits had significant SNP associations; two loci were shared across multiple traits. Twenty‐seven candidate genes, including glutathione S‐transferase, protease family, and gibberellin 2‐beta‐dioxygenase genes, were identified.This paper identifies SNP markers associated with lentil protein quality traits. Once validated, these SNPs could accelerate lentil protein quality breeding efforts. By targeting lentil's limiting amino acids (methionine and cysteine) and protein digestibility through marker‐assisted selection, the nutritional value of lentil's protein content could be increased without the need to alter total protein content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory disease that leads to a series of pathological reactions. The basis is a changed proinflammatory activated immune system, which results in more pronounced oxidative stress, disturbed function of proteolysis and cell apoptosis. These processes are crucial in the development of the disease because their dysfunctional activities cause the progression of the disease. It is believed that the proteins excreted in the urine interact with each other and promote pathological processes in endometriosis. Methods: We analyzed the urine proteome of patients and aimed to detect a potential protein biomarker for endometriosis in the urine proteome. We collected urine samples from 16 patients with endometriosis and 16 patients in the control group with functional ovarian cysts. The diagnosis for all patients was confirmed through pathohistological analysis. After the preanalytical preparation of the urine, chromatography and mass spectrometry (LC‐MS/MS) used the technology of urine proteome analysis. Results: The main finding was a significantly different concentration of 14 proteins in the urine samples. We recorded a considerably higher concentration of proteins that have a significant role in activating the immune system (SELL), iron metabolism (HAMP) and cell apoptosis (CHGA) in endometriosis compared to controls. Proteins having an antioxidant function (SOD1) and a role in proteolysis of the extracellular matrix (MMP‐9) were significantly reduced in endometriosis compared to controls. Conclusion: Consistent with the known pathogenesis of endometriosis, the study results complement the pathological responses that occur with disease progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The galls can offer shelter, protection, and an adequate diet for the gall-inducing organisms. Herein, we evaluated the structure of Manihot esculenta leaves and galls induced by Iatrophobia brasiliensis in order to identify metabolic and cell wall composition changes. We expected to find a complex gall with high primary metabolism in a typical nutritive tissue. Non-galled leaves and galls were subjected to anatomical, histochemical, and immunocytochemical analyses to evaluate the structural features, primary and secondary metabolites, and glycoproteins, pectins, and hemicelluloses in the cell wall. The gall is cylindric, with a uniseriate epidermis, a larval chamber, and a parenchymatic cortex divided into outer and inner compartments. The outer compartment has large cells with intercellular spaces and stocks starch and is designated as storage tissue. Reducing sugars, proteins, phenolic compounds, and alkaloids were detected in the protoplast of inner tissue cells of galls, named nutritive tissue, which presents five layers of compact small cells. Cell walls with esterified homogalacturonans (HGs) occurred in some cells of the galls indicating the continuous biosynthesis of HGs. For both non-galled leaves and galls, galactans and xyloglucans were broadly labeled on the cell walls, indicating a cell growth capacity and cell wall stiffness, respectively. The cell wall of the nutritive tissue had wide labeling for glycoproteins, HGs, heteroxylans, and xyloglucans, which can be used as source for the diet of the galling insect. Manihot esculenta galls have compartments specialized in the protection and feeding of the galling insect, structured by nutritive tissue rich in resource compounds, in the cell walls and protoplast. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elevated concentrations of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2), a consequence of anthropogenic global change, may profoundly interfere with natural ecological processes, perhaps even interactions across trophic levels. Even the survival prospects of organisms at higher trophic levels could be affected, as follows. We showed previously that the endoparasitoid Diaeretiella rapae, a specialized parasitoid of the cabbage aphid Brevicoryne brassicae, exposed to elevated CO2 concentrations (800 ppm) for up to 10 weeks, performed far worse (e.g., lower survival and parasitism rates) compared with ambient CO2 (400 ppm). To investigate whether these CO2‐related effects in the parasitoids were mediated by changes in the quality of the aphids as hosts, we measured the nutritional and energy content of cabbage aphids under the above conditions. Specifically, we measured lipid, protein and water‐soluble carbohydrate concentrations. We tested the hypothesis that when insects feed from plants with altered nutritional content, they incur a cost in dealing with such biotic stresses. That cost reduces their metabolic well‐being and, thus, reduces their nutritional status with respect to parasitoids developing at their expense. We found that CO2 had significant effects on aphid body mass (i.e., wet weight) and chemical composition, with elevated CO2 concentrations reducing aphid mass by more than 50%. Aphids grown under elevated CO2 also had significantly reduced soluble carbohydrates but significantly more lipids, on a weight‐per‐weight basis, than aphids grown under ambient CO2. A significant decrease in total energy reserves (i.e., the sum of total proteins, lipids, and water‐soluble carbohydrates) thus typified aphids grown under elevated CO2. Our results contribute to explaining the impaired performance of the aphid B. brassicae and its parasitoid D. rapae previously reported under elevated CO2, and provide evidence that under future climate change, host plants might affect the development and performance of parasitoids through their impacts on the nutritional quality of their herbivorous hosts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epitope imprinting has shown better prospects to synthesize synthetic receptors for proteins. Here, dual epitope imprinted polymer electrode (DEIP) matrix was fabricated on gold surface of electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM) for recognition of target epitope sequence in blood samples of patients suffering from brain fever. Epitope sequences from outer membrane protein Por B of Neisseria meningitidis (MC58) bacteria predicted through immunoinformatic tools were chosen for imprinting. Self‐assembled monolayers (SAM) of cysteine appended epitope sequences on gold nanoparticles were subjected to polymerization prior to electrodeposition on gold coated EQCM electrode. The polymeric matrix was woven around the cysteine appended epitope SAMs through multiple monomers (3‐sulfo propyl methacrylate potassium salt (3‐SPMAP), benzyl methacrylate (BMA)) and crosslinker (N, N′‐methylene‐bis‐acrylamide). On extraction of the peptide sequences, imprinted cavities were able to selectively and specifically bind targeted epitope sequences in laboratory samples as well as ‘real’ samples of patients. Selectivity of sensor was examined through mismatched peptide sequences and certain plasma proteins also. The sensor was able to show specific binding towards the blood samples of infected patients, even in the presence of ‘matrix’ and other plasma proteins such as albumin and globulin. Even other peptide sequences, similar to epitope sequences only with one or two amino acid mismatches were also unable to show any binding. The analytical performance of DEIP‐EQCM sensor was tested through selectivity, specificity, matrix effect, detection limit (0.68–1.01 nM), quantification limit (2.05–3.05 nM) and reproducibility (RSD ~ 5%). Hence, a diagnostic tool for bacterium causing meningitis is successfully fabricated in a facile manner which will broaden the clinical access and make efficient population screening feasible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elucidating protein conformational changes is essential because conformational changes are closely related to the functions of proteins. Cryo‐electron microscopy (cryo‐EM) experiment can be used to reconstruct protein conformational changes via a method that involves using the experimental data (two‐dimensional protein images). In this study, a reconstruction method, referred to as the "four‐dimensional imaging," was proposed. In our four‐dimensional imaging technique, the protein conformational change was obtained using the two‐dimensional protein images (the three‐dimensional electron density maps used in previously proposed techniques were not used). The protein conformation for each two‐dimensional protein image was obtained using our original protocol with molecular dynamics simulations. Using a manifold‐learning technique and two‐dimensional protein images, the protein conformations were arranged according to the conformational change of the protein. By arranging the protein conformations according to the arrangement of the protein images, four‐dimensional imaging is constructed. A simulation for a cryo‐EM experiment demonstrated the validity of our four‐dimensional imaging technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ischemic heart disease is one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide, and thus calls for development of more effective therapeutic strategies. This study aimed to identify potential therapeutic targets for coronary heart disease (CHD) and myocardial infarction (MI) by investigating the causal relationship between plasma proteins and these conditions. Methods: A two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study was performed to evaluate more than 1600 plasma proteins for their causal associations with CHD and MI. The MR findings were further confirmed through Bayesian colocalization, Summary-data-based Mendelian Randomization (SMR), and Transcriptome-Wide Association Studies (TWAS) analyses. Further analyses, including enrichment analysis, single-cell analysis, MR analysis of cardiovascular risk factors, phenome-wide Mendelian Randomization (Phe-MR), and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network construction were conducted to verify the roles of selected causal proteins. Results: Thirteen proteins were causally associated with CHD, seven of which were also causal for MI. Among them, FES and PCSK9 were causal proteins for both diseases as determined by several analytical methods. PCSK9 was a risk factor of CHD (OR = 1.25, 95% CI: 1.13–1.38, P = 7.47E-06) and MI (OR = 1.36, 95% CI: 1.21–1.54, P = 2.30E-07), whereas FES was protective against CHD (OR = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.59–0.79, P = 6.40E-07) and MI (OR = 0.65, 95% CI: 0.54–0.77, P = 5.38E-07). Further validation through enrichment and single-cell analysis confirmed the causal effects of these proteins. Moreover, MR analysis of cardiovascular risk factors, Phe-MR, and PPI network provided insights into the potential drug development based on the proteins. Conclusions: This study investigated the causal pathways associated with CHD and MI, highlighting the protective and risk roles of FES and PCSK9, respectively. FES. Specifically, the results showed that these proteins are promising therapeutic targets for future drug development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND RESULTS CONCLUSION The efficient separation and purification of proteins like C‐phycocyanin (C‐PC) from Spirulina platensis are essential for their commercialization, yet they remain challenging. This study investigated three chromatographic methods for C‐PC purification: weak anion exchange chromatography (DEAE), strong anion exchange chromatography (Q Sepharose), and hydrophobic interaction chromatography (HIC).Weak anion exchange chromatography achieved a recovery of 36.80 mg unit (57.08%) with a purity of 3.23, outperforming Q Sepharose (yield: 23.21 mg unit means that 46.33%, purity: 2.76) and HIC (yield: 22.95 mg unit means that 17.57%, purity: 3.02). The purified C‐PC consisted of α and β subunits with molecular masses of 16 kDa and 17 kDa, respectively. Further assessment revealed its antioxidant capacity through a 2,2'‐Azino‐bis(3‐ethylbenzothiazoline‐6‐sulfonic acid) (ABTS) assay. The stability of C‐phycocyanin was tested at different pH levels and temperatures. Maximum stability was observed at pH 7, and pH 4 showed the lowest stability. Glutaraldehyde‐treated C‐PC (GC‐PC) demonstrated gradual degradation up to 50 °C, retaining 73.25% after 30 min. Notably, GC‐PC exhibited stability even at higher temperatures, with degradation rates of 57.32% at 70 °C and 50.96% at 80 °C.Weak anion exchange chromatography proved superior for C‐PC purification, offering higher yields and purity than Q Sepharose and HIC. The purified C‐PC showed promising antioxidant capacity and stability, particularly GC‐PC, which exhibited resistance to degradation, even at elevated temperatures. These findings underscore the potential of C‐PC as a valuable compound for various applications, with DEAE chromatography being an efficient method for its production and commercialization. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim Methods Results Conclusions To evaluate the effectiveness of an individualized nutritional education program in promoting adequate nutrient intake in pregnant women.A stratified randomized controlled trial was conducted. Participants were stratified by factors affecting the primary outcome and randomly assigned to the intervention or control groups. Intervention group participants received an individualized 30‐min booklet‐based education program in their 2nd and 3rd trimesters; the control group received usual care. The primary outcome was protein intake after the intervention, which was compared between the intervention and control groups. Secondary outcomes included comparing the amount of increase of protein before and after the intervention. Nutrient intake was measured using a self‐administered short dietary history questionnaire, and analyses of covariance and t tests were performed.Of the 130 participants, 66 were assigned to the intervention group and 64 to the control group. There was no difference in protein intake between the two groups after the intervention (p = .051, 95% CI [−0.021, 12.4]). Comparing the increase in protein intake before and after intervention, the intervention group was 7.4 g/day higher than that of the control group (p = .040; F = 4.31; effect size = 0.36).The primary outcome, a comparison of protein intake between the groups after the program, revealed no significant differences. However, on comparing the amount of protein increase before and after the intervention, the intervention group's increase was significantly higher than that of the control group. Results indicate the potential for individualized face‐to‐face interventions for pregnant women in Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objective] The nutritional value of 16 varieties in the main producing areas of walnut was clarified, which provided certain theoretical basis for the breeding of improved walnut varieties in China. [Method] From 2018 to 2021, 16 locally promoted walnut varieties were collected from Sichuan, Xinjiang, Yunnan, Shanxi, Gansu and other main producing provinces in China for four consecutive years. The nutritional components of protein, fat, mineral elements (Ca, Fe, Zn, Se), vitamin B1 and vitamin B6 were determined and analyzed by national standard method. [Result] Among the 16 tested walnut varieties, the Guangfeng variety produced in Sichuan had the highest protein and Zn content, the Wen 185 variety produced in Xinjiang had the highest fat content. The Cd and Fe contents of Chuanzao No.2 variety produced in Sichuan were the highest, and the Se content of Shuoxing variety was the highest. The Longnan 755 variety produced in Gansu had the highest content of vitamin B1. Lifeng variety produced in Sichuan had the highest content of vitamin B6. [Conclusion] The contents of protein, fat, mineral elements and vitamins of 16 domestic walnut varieties were higher. The Shuoxing variety was rich in Se elements, which could provide germplasm resources for the subsequent development of Se-rich walnut. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to determine whether Si solubilizer could increase nutrient content in rice grains and help mitigate the negative impacts of water stress conditions. A field trial was performed with eight genotypes of rice (Oryza sativa L.) for two seasons to estimate the effects of silicon (Si) solubilizer on rice grains under normal and water stress conditions. Treatments included control (T1), Si sprays (0.6% Ortho silicic acid) (T2), Si sprays + water stress (T3), and water stress only (T4). The findings showed that Si solubilizer had favorable impacts on protein, amylose, iron, and zinc across genotypes. Under water stress, the Si treatment significantly increased the protein content in IIRRH-148 (8.25%), amylose content in IIRRH-143 (18.74%), Fe content in husked seeds of 27P63 (381.36 µg/g), Fe content in dehusked seeds of 27P63 (185. 41 µg/g), Zn content in husked seeds of US-312 (48.09 µg/g), and Zn content in dehusked seeds of US-314 (37.34 µg/g). Given the harsh climate change scenarios, it was determined that the application of Si solubilizer enhances nutrient content, improves the quality of rice grains, and fulfills the needs of an ever-increasing population in the coming years. Therefore, the impact of this factor on increasing the nutrient content should be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The toughness of silk naturally obtained from spiders and silkworms exceeds that of all other natural and man-made fibers. These insects transform aqueous protein feedstocks into mechanically specialized materials, which represents an engineering phenomenon that has developed over millions of years of natural evolution. Silkworms have become a new research hotspot due to the difficulties in collecting spider silk and other challenges. According to continuous research on the natural spinning process of the silkworm, it is possible to divide the main aspects of bionic spinning into two main segments: the solvent and behavior. This work focuses on the various methods currently used for the spinning of artificial silk fibers to replicate natural silk fibers, providing new insights based on changes in the fiber properties and production processes over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]