Application of Medical Statistical and Machine Learning Methods in the Age Estimation of Living Individuals.

In the study of age estimation in living individuals, a lot of data needs to be analyzed by mathematical statistics, and reasonable medical statistical methods play an important role in data design and analysis. The selection of accurate and appropriate statistical methods is one of the key factors affecting the quality of research results. This paper reviews the principles and applicable principles of the commonly used medical statistical methods such as descriptive statistics, difference analysis, consistency test and multivariate statistical analysis, as well as machine learning methods such as shallow learning and deep learning in the age estimation research of living individuals, and summarizes the relevance and application prospects between medical statistical methods and machine learning methods. This paper aims to provide technical guidance for the age estimation research of living individuals to obtain more scientific and accurate results.

Effect of vitamin D3 supplementation in winter on physical performance of university students: a one-month randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: There is epidemiological evidence which suggests an association between 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels and bone and muscle function; however, it is unclear whether vitamin D supplementation has an added benefit beyond bone health. Here, we investigated the effects of vitamin D3 supplementation (1 month) on physical performance in Chinese university students in winter. METHODS: One hundred and seventeen eligible subjects with 25(OH)D (19.2 ± 7.8 ng/mL) were randomly assigned to either vitamin D3 supplement (N = 56; 1000 IU/day) or the control (N = 61) group for 1 month. Pre- and post-measurements included: 1) serum levels of 25(OH)D; 2) musculoskeletal and pulmonary function [vertical jump height (VJH) and right handgrip strength (RHS), forced vital capacity (FVC), and forced expiratory volume at 1s (FEV1)]; 3) bone turnover markers [parathyroid hormone (PTH), n-terminal osteocalcin (N-MID), and calcium]; 4) hemoglobin-related parameters [hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (HCT), red blood cells (RBC), and red cell distribution width (RDW)]; 5) lipid parameters [total triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)]; 6) Fatigue-related indicators [serum creatine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and total testosterone (T)]. In addition, aerobic capacity was assessed by measuring maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) at baseline. RESULTS: During wintertime, supplementation with 1000 IU/d of vitamin D3 significantly increased serum 25(OH)D levels (from 18.85 ± 7.04 to 26.98 ± 5.88 ng/mL, p < 0.05), accompanied by a decrease of PTH (p < 0.05). However, vitamin D3 supplementation did not significantly impact the physical performance, serum lipid parameters, and bone turnover markers of students. Furthermore, 25(OH)D was found to be positively correlated with VJH and negatively correlated with PTH and TC at the beginning and end of the study (p < 0.05). In addition, the multiple linear regression analysis showed that 25(OH)D combined with athletic, gender, height, weight, Hb, and FVC could account for 84.0% of the VO2max value. CONCLUSIONS: The study demonstrated that one-month of 1000 IU/d of vitamin D3 supplementation during the winter had beneficial effects on 25(OH)D status and PTH. However, vitamin D3 intervention was not sufficient to improve physical performance. Furthermore, 25(OH)D levels combined with athletic, Hb and FVC could be a predictor of VO2max.

Preparation of fat replacer utilizing gluten and barley ß-glucan and the interaction between them.

BACKGROUND: Fat replacers prepared from polysaccharides and proteins possess functional properties of both polysaccharides and proteins. In this study, an aqueous system of barley ß-glucan (BBG) and gluten was prepared. The interactions between BBG and gluten (with/without extrusion modification) were studied. Triple analysis methods, including differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR), were utilized to analyze the freezing-thawing and thermal evaporation process, as well as the distribution state of water. Meanwhile, fluorescence microscopic analysis, dynamic rheological analysis and electrophoresis analysis were used to study the structure and rheological properties of the system. RESULTS: The results showed that BBG significantly increased the water-holding capacity of gluten, regardless of extrusion treatment, with the water absorption reaching about 4.8 to 6.4 times of its weight, which was 1 to 2.5 times higher than that without BBG. The triple analysis results suggested that BBG increased the binding capacity of the system to weakly bound water, hindered the aggregation of gluten and reduced the thermal decomposition temperature of the BBG and gluten composite system. After the gluten was extruded and homogenized with the BBG solution, the appearance of the composite system was more uniform and delicate. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, BBG increased the water-holding capacity of the BBG and gluten composite system. With these changes, the composite system presented great potential for the preparation of polysaccharide-gluten fat replacer. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Role of bran particles in the formation of dark spots on fresh wet noodle sheets: what are the dark spots?

BACKGROUND: Dark spots may affect the appearance of fresh noodles during storage, even when made from flour with low ash content. The effect of flour bran content on the degree of dark spot formation in fresh wet noodle sheets (FWNS) is investigated to explain this phenomenon. RESULTS: Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) observation revealed that the wheat bran particles were responsible for the formation of dark spots on FWNS, with each bran particle core generating a single dark spot. In wheat flours with low ash content, the number of wheat bran particles causing dark spot formation on FWNS was limited, and these particles were not visible to the naked eye until their size exceeded approximately 50 µm. Tropolone, a polyphenol oxidase inhibitor (PubChem CID: 24900578) and dry heating treatment, which inactivates polyphenol oxidase, was found to inhibit or reduce the formation of dark spots. CONCLUSION: Based on these findings, it can be concluded that bran particles, rich in polyphenol oxidase, play a key role in dark spot formation. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Ablation of Ventricular Preexcitation to Cure Preexcitation-Induced Dilated Cardiomyopathy in Infants: Diagnosis and Outcome.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the clinical features of preexcitation-induced dilated cardiomyopathy in infants and evaluate safety and efficacy of radiofrequency ablation (RFCA) in these patients. METHODS: This study included 10 infants (4 males and 6 females) with mean age of 6.78±3.14 months, mean weight of 8.11±1.71 kg, and mean left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was 32.6±10.34%. Tachycardiomyopathy has been excluded and all patients were refractory to the drugs. All of these 10 patients underwent RFCA. RESULTS: All the accessory pathways in these patients were located on right free wall and the acute success rate was 100%. No complication associated with the procedure occurred. In one case preexcitation recurred and was ablated successfully during the second attempt. There were 3 patients with mild cardiac dysfunction (LVEF, 40≤LVEF<50%), 3 with moderate (30≤LVEF<40%), and 4 with severe cardiac dysfunction (LVEF<30%, the ages were 3, 6, 7, and 10 months, respectively). The time for LVEF normalization was 1 week, 1 to 3 months, and ≥3 months, respectively. In 3 of the 4 severe cardiac dysfunction patients, the LVEF normalized at 3, 6, and 12 months after ablation, the LVEF of the remaining case did not recover at 3 months and is still being followed. CONCLUSIONS: Ventricular preexcitation could lead to severe cardiac dysfunction during infancy. RFCA may be a safe and effective treatment option in right free wall accessory pathways, even in infants with cardiac dysfunction. Cases of more severe cardiac dysfunction might require a longer time for LVEF recovery after RFCA.

Structural changes and components' interactions alter the digestion property of in-kernel starch from thermally processed Tibetan Qingke.

Thermal processing has been applied to the property modification of the pure Tibetan Qingke (TQ) starch, but few studies attempt to elucidate the changes in physicochemical properties of in-kernel starches under whole TQ kernels thermal processing. In this study, the molecular, structural, and digestive characteristics of SUTQ, SHTQ, SMTQ, and SBTQ (starches isolated from unprocessed, heat fluidized, microwave irradiated, and baked TQ, respectively) were measured to elucidate the effects of different thermal treatments on the in-kernel starch. After TQ thermal treatments, the amylose/amylopectin ratio increased to 0.71, 0.64, and 0.68 for SHTQ, SMTQ, and SBTQ, respectively, while the molecular weight of in-kernel starches decreased by 39.29 %-82.14 %. Furthermore, the damage degree of starch surface morphology ranked as: SHTQ > SBTQ > SMTQ. The entanglement action between protein network resulting from protein polymerization and gelatinized starch aggregations exhibited most obvious in SHTQ. Moreover, the increased fluorescence intensity, newly formed dark color rings, and disrupted Maltese cross were observed in SHTQ, SMTQ, and SBTQ, and their variation trends were consistent with the damage degree of starch surface morphology. SHTQ, SMTQ, and SBTQ showed the decreased relative crystallinity (1.79 %, 15.98 %, and 14.64 %), short-range order (0.64, 0.81, and 0.80), and double helix structures (0.48, 0.61, and 0.58) and increased degree of gelatinization (100 %, 38 %, and 45.51 %), which partially transformed slowly digested starch into rapidly digested starch. In particularly, the formation of more ordered structures (V-type crystalline and interaction between protein and starch) induced by heat fluidization treatment provided the greatest thermal stability and highest resistant starch content (42.1 %) for SHTQ. Heat fluidization was a promising thermal processing for the development of TQ or TQ starch-based functional foods.

Impact of thermally induced wall breakage on the structural properties of water-soluble polysaccharides in chickpeas.

The present work aimed to elucidate the influence of wall breakage induced by thermal processing on the molecular, structural, and antioxidant activities of water-soluble polysaccharides in chickpeas. Different extents of cell wall disruption were observed by fluorescence microscopy in chickpea cotyledons. Moreover, a decreasing fluorescence intensity of cell wall fragments was observed in the flour residues upon heat fluidization, autoclaving, and microwave heating, and the polysaccharide extraction rates were increased by 31.47%, 25.52%, and 9.79%, respectively. Furthermore, WPUCP, WPHCP, WPMCP, and WPACP (water-soluble polysaccharides from unprocessed, heat fluidized, microwaved, and autoclaved chickpeas, respectively) were RG-I (rhamnogalacturonan-I)-enriched pectic polysaccharides composed of galactose, arabinose, galacturonic acid, and rhamnose. After chickpea thermal processing, the degrees of branching decreased to 2.87, 3.79, and 2.53 in WPHCP, WPMCP, and WPACP, respectively, and the molecular weights were reduced by 46.46%, 24.83%, and 59.91%, respectively. Structural analysis showed that the semicrystalline regions of WPHCP, WPMCP, and WPACP were slightly damaged without changing the functional groups, but their thermal stability decreased. Interestingly, WPACP formed an ordered conformation (microporous network structure) through the formation of hydrogen bonds. Moreover, the antioxidant activities of WPHCP, WPMCP, and WPACP were enhanced, and the strongest radical scavenging activity was observed for WPHCP.

Egg white protein addition induces protein aggregation and fibrous structure formation of textured wheat gluten.

The effect of egg white protein addition on the fibrous structure and protein aggregation of textured wheat gluten (TWG) extrudates was investigated. The hardness, springiness, chewiness, and degree of texturization of TWG significantly increased with the addition of egg white protein. Analysis of morphological characteristics showed a positive effect of egg white protein on the formation of the fibrous structure of TWG. The results of size-exclusion high performance liquid chromatography (SE-HPLC) indicated that the egg white protein improved the degree of wheat gluten aggregation, and the analysis of the protein intermolecular forces proved that disulfide bonds were the main contributor to the cross-linking of protein. In addition, an increase in the ß-sheets also indicated an increase in protein aggregation induced by egg white protein. The addition of egg white protein promoted protein interactions and improved the fibrous structure of TWG.

Effect of thermal processing on the molecular, structural, and antioxidant characteristics of highland barley ß-glucan.

This present work evaluated the effect of heat fluidization, microwave roasting and baking treatment of highland barley (HB) on the molecular, structural, thermal and antioxidant characteristics of ß-glucan. Fluorescence microscopy results showed that heat fluidization exhibited the greatest disruption effect on endosperm cell walls, resulting in the highest extractability (3.35 ± 0.06 g/100 g flour) and purity (92.67 ± 0.73%) of ß-glucan. After HB thermal processing, the molecular weight and polydispersity index of ß-glucan were respectively reduced by 3.68%-90.35% and 26.45%-39.83%, and its microscopic molecular morphology transformed from large sphere aggregate to alveolate gel network structure. Meanwhile, the structural elucidation by X-ray diffraction and infrared spectroscopy revealed that thermal processing induced the scission of polymeric chain and formation of lattice-type microgels without changing the primary functional groups of ß-glucan. Furthermore, thermogravimetry and antioxidant results indicated the thermal stability and antioxidant activity of ß-glucan were enhanced by thermal processing.

Effects of vacuum ultrasonic treatment on the texture of vegetarian meatloaves made from textured wheat protein.

To improve the quality of vegetarian meatloaves (VMs) made from textured wheat protein, the effects of different treatments (Vacuum, ultrasound and vacuum ultrasound) were compared in terms of texture, moisture distribution, microstructure and chemical bonding interactions. After vacuum, ultrasonic, and vacuum ultrasonic treatments, the hardness of VMs increased by 78%, 66%, 176% respectively. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that surface of VMs was smoother and the structure was tighter after vacuum ultrasonic treatment. In addition, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) analysis showed that the moisture in VMs was evenly distributed after vacuum ultrasonic treatment. According to the optical maps observed by spectrofluorimetry and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), the fluorescence value and relative content of ß-sheet increased after vacuum ultrasonic treatment. Furthermore, the protein was cross-linked and hydrophobic interactions increased after vacuum ultrasonic treatment. Results showed that texture of VMs after vacuum ultrasonic treatment was closer to that of beef patties.

Effect of thermal treatment on the physicochemical, ultrastructural and nutritional characteristics of whole grain highland barley.

Highland barley (HB) was subjected to three thermal treatments (heat fluidization, microwave, and baking) and assessed for physicochemical, ultrastructural and nutritional properties. After thermal treatments, the hardness, bulk density, thousand kernel weight, length/breadth ratio, and color difference decreased significantly, while puffing index increased. Meanwhile, the formation of fissure was observed in the appearance. Microstructure images illustrated that numerous micropores were evenly distributed in the endosperm structure, and aleurone layer cells were deformed by compression. Furthermore, a dramatically disruption of endosperm cell walls and slightly deformation of outer layers were observed by confocal laser scanning microscopy. Moreover, a notably decrease in total phenolics (14.02%-36.91%), total flavonoids (25.28%-44.94%), and bound phenolics (8.99%-27.53%) was detected, while free phenolics (8.81%-43.40%), ß-glucan extractability (4.71%-43.66%), antioxidant activity (71.87%-349.77%), and reducing power (3.05%-56.13%) increased significantly. Greatest increase in nutritional values was caused by heat fluidization, which possessed the potential for development of ready-to-eat functional foods.

Effect of rehydration on textural properties, oral behavior, kinetics and water state of textured wheat gluten.

To reduce the rehydration time and improve the quality of textured wheat gluten (TWG), the effects of steam pretreatment and water temperature (45 °C, 65 °C, and 85 °C) on the rehydration of TWG were investigated. Four different models were used to describe the rehydration kinetics: Peleg, Weibull, first-order, and exponential association models, with the Weibull model found to give the best fit. High temperature induced deterioration of textural properties and oral processing behavior and increased the rehydration loss ratio, while steam pretreatment reduced these negative changes. Morphological results showed that the surface and cross-sectional structure were conducive to water diffusion with steam pretreatment. Low-field nuclear magnetic resonance and infrared thermal results indicated that steam pretreatment promoted the diffusion of water and reduced the time required to reach thermal equilibrium. This work provides a fast rehydration method for TWG to help in the future production of high-quality meat analogues.

Inhibition of hexose oxidase on the dark spots in fresh wet noodle sheets: A feasible prevention of dark spots.

Hexose oxidase was a feasible prevention for the dark spots in the fresh wet noodle sheets (FWNS). The chemical mechanism that hexose oxidase recucing the melanins of dark spots was discussed basis on the UPLC-TOF-MS analysis of the polyphenol oxidase (PPO)-catechol system. In the process of PPO browning, hexose oxidase catalyzed the oxidation of o-benzoquinone derivatives and their oligomers, hindering the formation of melanins. Hexose oxidase was efficient in FWNS with low ash content when water addition was 24%~44% or pH range was 4 ~ 7.5. Hexose oxidase could inhubit dark spots in the presence of 10 metal ions. The recommended addition amount was 40 ~ 60 ppm, by which the dark spots could be compolitely inhibited. Hexose oxidase was also suitable for wholewheat and oat FWNS, ΔL6d of wholewheat and oat FWNS were reduced by 4 and 7.98, respectively.

Impact of aqueous ozone mixing on microbiological, quality and physicochemical characteristics of semi-dried buckwheat noodles.

The microbiological, microstructural, and physicochemical impact of aqueous ozone mixing (AOM) on semi-dried buckwheat noodles (SBWN) was elucidated in this study. Microbiological measurements declared that AOM reduced the initial total plate count (TPC) of SBWN significantly (P < 0.05) with a prolonged shelf-life of 2 ~ 5 days. Meanwhile, AOM reduced the cooking loss and water absorption along with the enhancement of hardness and tension force. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that the protein network of surface and cross section became continuous and compact, and wrapped starch granules more effectively. Moreover, an obvious increase in the intensity of the high molecular protein bands was observed in the sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) patterns. Furthermore, the sodium dodecyl sulfate extractable protein (SDSEP) under non-reducing condition obviously decreased, and then the SDSEP under reducing condition changed insignificantly (P > 0.05). These results indicated that AOM mainly promoted the protein cross-linking of SBWN by disulfide bond (SS) cross-links.

Polyphenol oxidase browning in the formation of dark spots on fresh wet noodle sheets: How dark spots formed.

The role of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) in the browning of fresh wet noodle sheets (FWNS) was discussed. To release the chemical formation mechanism of the dark spots formed on FWNS, the reconstituted FWNS and PPO-catechol reaction systems were prepared. Different from the overall color change of FWNS, almost all the melanins in dark spots were indirect products of PPO catalysis. The PPO catalytic dehydrogenation was an essential step for the formation of dark spots, but once the phenol dehydrogenation products were formed, the dark spots could still form through a further polymerization process, even though the PPO was completely deactivated. The optimum pH for the phenolic dehydrogenation in FWNS was about 7, and the alkaline condition was advantageous to the progress of the polymerization. Comprehensively, the maximum amount of dark spots was formed at about pH 9.

Water Cooking Stability of Dried Noodles Enriched with Different Particle Size and Concentration Green Tea Powders.

Incorporating green tea powder (GTP) into dried noodles enriched the functional characteristics of noodles. To achieve the maximum benefits from GTP, the water cooking stability of dried green tea noodles (DGTN) should be investigated. Indeed, antioxidant activities and phenolic compounds of DGTN after water cooking markedly decreased. The results showed that large GTP particles caused the increased cooking loss of DGTN, but the phenolic compound loss of DGTN prepared with them was low after cooking. Analysis of texture properties and microstructure showed that DGTN with a 2% concentration of large GTP particles formed some holes in the noodles' network, and its breaking strength decreased. However, we observed that many GTP particles adhered to the surface of DGTN prepared with small GTP particles, and they were easier to lose after water cooking. Comprehensive analysis concluded that cooking loss, functional compounds retention and textural properties of DGTN were related to GTP particle size and concentration via the microstructure.

Growth promotion and disease resistance induced in Anthurium colonized by the beneficial root endophyte Piriformospora indica.

BACKGROUND: Anthurium andraeanum, an important ornamental flower, has to go through a growth-delaying period after transfer from tissue culture to soil, which requires time and extra costs. Furthermore, during this period, the plantlets are highly susceptible to bacterial infections, which results in impaired development and severe losses. Here, we aimed to address whether application of the endophytic fungus, Piriformospora indica protects the A. andraeanum root system during the critical propagation period, and whether P. indica reduce the mortality rate by stimulating the host's resistance against diseases. RESULTS: We demonstrate that P. indica shortens the recovery period of Anthurium, promotes growth and confers disease resistance. The beneficial effect of P. indica results in faster elongation of Anthurium roots early in the interaction. P. indica-colonized plants absorb more phosphorus and exhibit higher photosynthesis rates than uncolonized control plants. Moreover, higher activities of stress-related enzymes, of jasmonic acid levels and mRNA levels of jasmonic acid-responsive genes suggest that the fungus prepares the plant to respond more efficiently to potentially upcoming threats, including bacterial wilt. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that P. indica is a helpful symbiont for promoting Anthurium rooting and development. All our evidences are sufficient to support the disease resistance conferred by P. indica through the plant-fungal symbiosis. Furthermore, it implicates that P. indica has strong potential as bio-fertilizer for utilization in ornamental plant cultivation.

Rheological and quality characteristics of composite gluten-free dough and biscuits supplemented with fermented and unfermented Agaricus bisporus polysaccharide flour.

In this study, functional, rheological and physicochemical characteristics were carried out for composite gluten-free (CGF) flours, dough and biscuits, respectively fortified with fermented and unfermented Agaricus bisporus polysaccharide (FABP and UABP) flours. Addition of both FABP flour and UABP flour improved functional properties, while addition of FABP flour decreased viscosity property. Incorporation of both polysaccharide flours in CGF biscuit dough revealed a significant increase in rheological moduli (G' and G″) and a decrease in tan (δ). Supplementation of UABP flour increased thickness, whereas supplementation of FABP flour increased diameter and spread ratio. All CGF biscuit formulations exhibited lower fracture strength and hardness compared to the control. Furthermore, both UABP flour and FABP flour formulation (F3) contained the highest nutrients in terms of protein, dietary fibers, amino acids and minerals among the CGF biscuit formulations. The sensory evaluation result showed that FABP flour formulation (F1) and UABP flour F1 were most acceptable.

Increasing the physicochemical stability of stored green tea noodles: Analysis of the quality and chemical components.

Different methods used to process green tea powder noodles (GTPN) were compared by analyzing the quality and chemical components of the final products. Significant differences were observed in the discoloration rate, color loss, and lightness of all noodles. Polyphenol oxidase activity was effectively inhibited through the heat treatment, resulting in retardation of the GTPN discoloration rate. However, heat-exposed GTPN showed a higher surface lightness due to a greater loss of chlorophyll. The chlorophyll contents of GTPN prepared with a new method (a combination of water treatment and heat exposure) were prominently higher than those prepared by heat treatment alone, and exhibited less color loss. The heat-exposed noodles had relatively low free polyphenol contents, and their textural properties were not significantly decreased after 28 d. Therefore, combining water treatment and heat exposure in the preparation process has great potential for increasing the stability of GTPN.