Programmable heating and quenching for efficient thermochemical synthesis.

Conventional thermochemical syntheses by continuous heating under near-equilibrium conditions face critical challenges in improving the synthesis rate, selectivity, catalyst stability and energy efficiency, owing to the lack of temporal control over the reaction temperature and time, and thus the reaction pathways1-3. As an alternative, we present a non-equilibrium, continuous synthesis technique that uses pulsed heating and quenching (for example, 0.02 s on, 1.08 s off) using a programmable electric current to rapidly switch the reaction between high (for example, up to 2,400 K) and low temperatures. The rapid quenching ensures high selectivity and good catalyst stability, as well as lowers the average temperature to reduce the energy cost. Using CH4 pyrolysis as a model reaction, our programmable heating and quenching technique leads to high selectivity to value-added C2 products (>75% versus <35% by the conventional non-catalytic method and versus <60% by most conventional methods using optimized catalysts). Our technique can be extended to a range of thermochemical reactions, such as NH3 synthesis, for which we achieve a stable and high synthesis rate of about 6,000 µmol gFe-1 h-1 at ambient pressure for >100 h using a non-optimized catalyst. This study establishes a new model towards highly efficient non-equilibrium thermochemical synthesis.

Single hormone or synthetic agonist induces Gs/Gi coupling selectivity of EP receptors via distinct binding modes and propagating paths.

To accomplish concerted physiological reactions, nature has diversified functions of a single hormone at at least two primary levels: 1) Different receptors recognize the same hormone, and 2) different cellular effectors couple to the same hormone-receptor pair [R.P. Xiao, Sci STKE 2001, re15 (2001); L. Hein, J. D. Altman, B.K. Kobilka, Nature 402, 181-184 (1999); Y. Daaka, L. M. Luttrell, R. J. Lefkowitz, Nature 390, 88-91 (1997)]. Not only these questions lie in the heart of hormone actions and receptor signaling but also dissecting mechanisms underlying these questions could offer therapeutic routes for refractory diseases, such as kidney injury (KI) or X-linked nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (NDI). Here, we identified that Gs-biased signaling, but not Gi activation downstream of EP4, showed beneficial effects for both KI and NDI treatments. Notably, by solving Cryo-electron microscope (cryo-EM) structures of EP3-Gi, EP4-Gs, and EP4-Gi in complex with endogenous prostaglandin E2 (PGE2)or two synthetic agonists and comparing with PGE2-EP2-Gs structures, we found that unique primary sequences of prostaglandin E2 receptor (EP) receptors and distinct conformational states of the EP4 ligand pocket govern the Gs/Gi transducer coupling selectivity through different structural propagation paths, especially via TM6 and TM7, to generate selective cytoplasmic structural features. In particular, the orientation of the PGE2 ω-chain and two distinct pockets encompassing agonist L902688 of EP4 were differentiated by their Gs/Gi coupling ability. Further, we identified common and distinct features of cytoplasmic side of EP receptors for Gs/Gi coupling and provide a structural basis for selective and biased agonist design of EP4 with therapeutic potential.

Nonspecific phospholipase C4 hydrolyzes phosphosphingolipids and sustains plant root growth during phosphate deficiency.

Phosphate is a vital macronutrient for plant growth, and its availability in soil is critical for agricultural sustainability and productivity. A substantial amount of cellular phosphate is used to synthesize phospholipids for cell membranes. Here, we identify a key enzyme, nonspecific phospholipase C4 (NPC4) that is involved in phosphosphingolipid hydrolysis and remodeling in Arabidopsis during phosphate starvation. The level of glycosylinositolphosphorylceramide (GIPC), the most abundant sphingolipid in Arabidopsis thaliana, decreased upon phosphate starvation. NPC4 was highly induced by phosphate deficiency, and NPC4 knockouts in Arabidopsis decreased the loss of GIPC and impeded root growth during phosphate starvation. Enzymatic analysis showed that NPC4 hydrolyzed GIPC and displayed a higher activity toward GIPC as a substrate than toward the common glycerophospholipid phosphatidylcholine. NPC4 was associated with the plasma membrane lipid rafts in which GIPC is highly enriched. These results indicate that NPC4 uses GIPC as a substrate in planta and the NPC4-mediated sphingolipid remodeling plays a positive role in root growth in Arabidopsis response to phosphate deficiency.

Arsenic Methylation by a Sulfate-Reducing Bacterium from Paddy Soil Harboring a Novel ArsSM Fusion Protein.

Microbial arsenic (As) methylation is an important process of As biogeochemistry. Only a few As-methylating microorganisms have been isolated from paddy soil, hindering the mechanistic understanding of the process involved. We isolated 54 anaerobic and 32 aerobic bacteria from paddy soil with a high As methylation potential. Among the 86 isolates, 14 anaerobes, including 7 sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB), but none of the aerobes were able to methylate arsenite [As(III)] or monomethylarsenite [MMA(III)] or both, suggesting that the As-methylating ability is much more prevalent in anaerobes than in aerobes. We performed a detailed investigation on As methylation by a SRB isolate, Solidesulfovibrio sp. TC1, and identified a novel bifunctional enzyme consisting of a fusion of As(III) S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) methyltransferase (ArsM) and a radical SAM protein. The enzyme (ArsSM) can catalyze As(III) methylation to MMA and DMA and subsequent adenosylation of DMA to form 5'-deoxy-5'-dimethylarsinoyl-adenosine (DDMAA), which is a key intermediate in the biosynthesis of arsenosugars. High concentrations of sulfide produced by SRB did not affect As(III) methylation to MMA but inhibited MMA methylation to DMA. Genes encoding ArsSM fusion proteins are widespread in anaerobes, particularly SRB, suggesting that ArsSM-carrying anaerobes may play an important role in As methylation in an anoxic environment.

Circulating levels of asprosin in children with obesity: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Prior studies reported that elevated asprosin level was associated with obesity in adults and animal models. However, the relationship between asprosin level and children with obeisty remains controversial. The aim of our analysis was to systematically review available literatures linking asprosin and children with obesity for a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between circulating asprosin level and obesity in children. METHODS: Eight databases were gleaned for studies published up to January 2024. Standard mean difference with 95% confidence interval (CI) and Fisher's Z transformation was calculated to evaluate the relationship between asprosin level and children with obesity using the Review Manager 5.4 Software. Other indicators were measured via mean difference with 95% CI. RESULTS: Six observational studies were included both in systematic review and meta-analysis. The current evidence indicated that no significant difference was observed in the level of circulating asprosin between the children with and without obesity (SMD = 0.37; 95% CI:-0.22-0.95, p = 0.22). However, Fisher's Z transformation suggested the positive association of circulating asprosin levels and clinical index measuring the degree of obesity: total cholesterol (Fisher's Z: 0.11, 95% CI: 0.02-0.20, p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Circulating asprosin level was not independently related to childhood obesity currently. More rigorous longitudinal researches were required to disentangle the causations. However, the positive association of asprosin levels and total cholesterol indicated that asprosin might get involved in the lipid-metabolism of childhood obesity, asprosin might be a prospective bio-index and targeted treatment of total cholesterol metabolism besides the role of glucogenic and orexigenic. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Prospero ID: CRD42023426476.

Nerve growth factor gene polymorphisms may be associated with heroin dependence in women but do not mediate specific personality traits.

Heroin dependence (HD) is a complex disease with a substantial genetic contribution and is associated with traits of impulsivity and specific personality traits. The neurotrophic factor nerve growth factor (NGF) may mediate the reward processes in HD. This study aims to investigate whether NGF gene polymorphisms are associated with the co-occurrence of HD and impulsivity/specific personality traits in HD patients. To minimize the potential confounding effects of population stratification, we selected a homogeneous Han Chinese population and recruited 1364 participants (831 HD patients and 533 healthy controls). In addition, 163 female HD patients completed the Chinese version of the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale Version 11 (BIS-11), and 440 HD patients completed the Chinese version of the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire (TPQ) for subsequent analysis. We identified three polymorphisms with altered allele and genotype frequency in HD patients versus controls (p = 0.035 for rs2254527; p = 0.005 for rs6678788; p = 0.006 for rs7523654), especially in the female subgroup. Four associations identified via haplotype analysis were significant in the female subgroup (p = 0.003 for T-T-A haplotype and p = 0.002 for C-C-A haplotype in block 1; p = 0.011 for T-T haplotype and p = 0.009 for C-T haplotypes in block 2), but not in the male subgroup. Male HD patients had higher novelty-seeking (NS) scores, and female HD patients had higher harm avoidance (HA) scores. However, there was no significant association between the selected NGF polymorphisms and BIS or TPQ scores in HD patients. NGF variants may contribute to the risk of HD development in females but do not mediate the relationship between impulsivity and specific personality traits in the female population.

Mettl1 knockdown alleviates cardiac I/R injury in mice by inactivating the Mettl1-CYLD-P53 positive feedback loop.

The N7-methylguanosine (m7G) methyltransferase Mettl1 has been recently implicated in cardiac repair and fibrosis. In this study we investigated the role of Mettl1 in mouse cardiomyocytes injury and the underlying mechanisms. Cardiac ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) I/R model was established in mice by ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) for 45 min followed by reperfusion for 24 h. We showed the mRNA and protein levels of Mettl1 were significantly upregulated in mouse I/R hearts and H2O2-treated neonatal mouse cardiomyocytes (NMCMs). Mettl1 knockdown markedly ameliorated cardiac I/R injury, evidenced by decreased infarct size, apoptosis, and improved cardiac function. Overexpression of Mettl1 triggered cardiomyocytes apoptosis in vivo and in vitro. By performing RNA sequencing combined with m7G methylated RNA sequencing in Mettl1-overexpressing mouse hearts, we revealed that Mettl1 catalyzed m7G modification of the deubiquitinase cylindromatosis (CYLD) mRNA to increase the expression of CYLD, which enhanced the stability of P53 via abrogating its ubiquitination degradation. Vice versa, P53 served as a transcriptional factor to positively regulate Mettl1 expression during I/R injury. Knockdown of CYLD mitigated cardiomyocytes apoptosis induced by Mettl1 overexpression or oxidative stress. From the available drug-targets databases and literature, we identified 4 small molecule inhibitors of m7G modification. Sinefungin, one of the Mettl1 inhibitors exerted profound protection against cardiac I/R injury in vivo and in vitro. Collectively, this study has identified Mettl1 as a key regulator of cardiomyocyte apoptosis, and targeting the Mettl1-CYLD-P53 positive feedback circuit may represent a novel therapeutic avenue for alleviating cardiac I/R injury.

De novo design of a nanoregulator for the dynamic restoration of ovarian tissue in cryopreservation and transplantation.

The cryopreservation and transplantation of ovarian tissue underscore its paramount importance in safeguarding reproductive capacity and ameliorating reproductive disorders. However, challenges persist in ovarian tissue cryopreservation and transplantation (OTC-T), including the risk of tissue damage and dysfunction. Consequently, there has been a compelling exploration into the realm of nanoregulators to refine and enhance these procedures. This review embarks on a meticulous examination of the intricate anatomical structure of the ovary and its microenvironment, thereby establishing a robust groundwork for the development of nanomodulators. It systematically categorizes nanoregulators and delves deeply into their functions and mechanisms, meticulously tailored for optimizing ovarian tissue cryopreservation and transplantation. Furthermore, the review imparts valuable insights into the practical applications and obstacles encountered in clinical settings associated with OTC-T. Moreover, the review advocates for the utilization of microbially derived nanomodulators as a potent therapeutic intervention in ovarian tissue cryopreservation. The progression of these approaches holds the promise of seamlessly integrating nanoregulators into OTC-T practices, thereby heralding a new era of expansive applications and auspicious prospects in this pivotal domain.

Long-term decrease in Asian monsoon rainfall and abrupt climate change events over the past 6,700 years.

Asian summer monsoon (ASM) variability and its long-term ecological and societal impacts extending back to Neolithic times are poorly understood due to a lack of high-resolution climate proxy data. Here, we present a precisely dated and well-calibrated tree-ring stable isotope chronology from the Tibetan Plateau with 1- to 5-y resolution that reflects high- to low-frequency ASM variability from 4680 BCE to 2011 CE. Superimposed on a persistent drying trend since the mid-Holocene, a rapid decrease in moisture availability between ∼2000 and ∼1500 BCE caused a dry hydroclimatic regime from ∼1675 to ∼1185 BCE, with mean precipitation estimated at 42 ± 4% and 5 ± 2% lower than during the mid-Holocene and the instrumental period, respectively. This second-millennium-BCE megadrought marks the mid-to late Holocene transition, during which regional forests declined and enhanced aeolian activity affected northern Chinese ecosystems. We argue that this abrupt aridification starting ∼2000 BCE contributed to the shift of Neolithic cultures in northern China and likely triggered human migration and societal transformation.

School adjustment experiences of ventilator-dependent children: A phenomenological study of mothers' perspectives.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to describe the experiences of ventilator-dependent children (VDC) in adjusting to school life from the perspectives of their mothers. DESIGN AND METHOD: This study employed a descriptive phenomenological approach. From July 2021 to September 2022, ten mothers of VDC were recruited via purposive sampling and underwent in-depth individual interviews. Data were analyzed using Colaizzi's phenomenological method. This study adheres to the COREQ guidelines for qualitative study. FINDINGS: Four themes emerged: (1) the transition and burden of the mother's role; (2) positive adjustment and assessment of resources; (3) develop strategies to meet health and learning needs; (4) expectations for accessible school environments. CONCLUSIONS: The mothers extensively assessed and adjusted their coping strategies on a rolling basis to ensure that their children received the resources that met their individual needs, promoted peer interactions, and helped adjustment to school life. The children's improvement and progress surpassed their mothers' expectations and demonstrated the benefits of a school education. Future educational settings should focus on building accessible school environments for special needs children. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: These findings allow healthcare professionals to assess the needs of VDC at different educational levels and create care plans that meet their healthcare and educational needs. This study also provides a reference for amending policies and regulations on individualized educational programs for VDC and developing guidelines for realizing accessible school environments to help them adjust to school life.

Versatile Activated Carbon Fibers Derived from the Cotton Fibers Used as CO2 Solid-State Adsorbents and Electrode Materials.

Activated carbon has an excellent porous structure and is considered a promising adsorbent and electrode material. In this study, activated carbon fibers (ACFs) with abundant microporous structures, derived from natural cotton fibers, were successfully synthesized at a certain temperature in an Ar atmosphere and then activated with KOH. The obtained ACFs were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), elemental analysis, nitrogen and carbon dioxide adsorption-desorption analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and N2 adsorption-desorption measurement. The obtained ACFs showed high porous qualities and had a surface area from 673 to 1597 m2/g and a pore volume from 0.33 to 0.79 cm3/g. The CO2 capture capacities of prepared ACFs were measured and the maximum capture capacity for CO2 up to 6.9 mmol/g or 4.6 mmol/g could be achieved at 0 °C or 25 °C and 1 standard atmospheric pressure (1 atm). Furthermore, the electrochemical capacitive properties of as-prepared ACFs in KOH aqueous electrolyte were also studied. It is important to note that the pore volume of the pores below 0.90 nm plays key roles to determine both the CO2 capture ability and the electrochemical capacitance. This study provides guidance for designing porous carbon materials with high CO2 capture capacity or excellent capacitance performance.

Enhancing functionality and bioactivity of walnut protein through limited enzyme digestion.

BACKGROUND: Walnut protein (WP) is recognized as a valuable plant protein. However, the poor solubility and functional properties limit its application in the food industry. It is a great requirement to improve the physicochemical properties of WP. RESULTS: Following a 90 min restricted enzymatic hydrolysis period, the solubility of WP significantly increased from 3.24% to 54.54%, with the majority of WP hydrolysates (WPHs) possessing a molecular weight exceeding 50 kDa. Circular dichroism spectra showed that post-hydrolysis, the structure of the protein became more flexible, while the hydrolysis time did not significantly alter the protein's secondary structure. After hydrolysis, WP's surface hydrophobicity significantly increased from 2279 to 6100. Furthermore, WPHs exhibited a strong capacity for icariin loading and micelle formation with critical micelle concentration values of 0.71, 0.99 and 1.09 mg mL-1, respectively. Moreover, similar immuno-enhancement activities were observed in WPHs. After exposure to WPHs, the pinocytosis of RAW264.7 macrophages was significantly improved. WPH treatment also increased the production of nitric oxide, interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in macrophages. Up-regulation of mRNA expressions of IL-6, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and TNF-α was observed in a dose-dependent manner. CONCLUSION: The enhancement of functionality and bioactivity in WP can be achieved through the application of limited enzyme digestion with trypsin. This process effectively augments the nutritional value and utility of the protein, making it a valuable component in various dietary applications. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Bioactive compound composition and cellular antioxidant activity of fig (Ficus carica L.).

BACKGROUND: Fig (Ficus carica L.) fruit is consumed worldwide as a functional food. It contains phytochemicals that have been related to health benefits. However, the characteristic chemicals remain unclear. In this work, phytochemicals were prepared from figus by ultrasound-assisted extraction under optimized conditions. The chemical composition of fig fruit and leaves was characterized by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). RESULTS: One hundred and fifty-seven compounds were identified, including 58 flavonoids, 29 coumarins, 19 acids, 15 terpenoids, 11 alkaloids, and 25 other compounds. The mass spectrum (MS) fragmentation pathways of representative chemicals were elucidated. Flavonoid glycosides and prenylated flavonoids were mainly present in fig fruit, whereas coumarins were abundant in leaves. Both fig fruit and leaf extracts showed good cellular antioxidant activity. CONCLUSION: The full phytochemical profile of fig was revealed by UPLC-MS/MS. Prenylated flavonoids and prenylated coumarins were the characteristic phytochemicals. These data provided useful information for the extensive utilization of fig fruit in functional food. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Effects of integration interdisciplinary learning on student learning outcomes and healthcare-giving competence: a mixed methods study.

BACKGROUND: Interdisciplinary collaboration is known to foster professional innovation and enhance student learning across different domains. However, the research on the effectiveness of integration of interdisciplinary learning in pediatric nursing education is limited. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the effectiveness of integrating game-based learning, an interdisciplinary approach to teaching, into pediatric nursing education's play courses. METHODS: We used a mixed methods study with pre-test/post-test quantitative analyses and a descriptive qualitative analysis of students' reflection journals. Data were collected between August 2019 and July 2020 to gauge course effectiveness. Quantitative data obtained from the questionnaires were analyzed using a t-test, correlation, and regression analysis. Qualitative data using students' reflective journals were collected and analyzed using content analysis. One hundred and three second-year nursing students enrolled in a four-year nursing program. Nursing students attended classes in university classrooms and served learning in a kindergarten or hospital in Northern Taiwan. RESULTS: The subscales of Students' Learning Outcome in knowledge, abilities, and attitudes showed significantly higher mean post-test scores compared to pre-test scores: 26.15 (SD = 3.35) vs. 16.82 (SD = 4.49), p < .001; 18.03 (SD = 2.13) vs. 11.43 (SD = 2.95), p < .001; and 12.90 (SD = 2.12) vs. 8.72 (SD = 2.52), p < .001. Furthermore, scores on the Service-Learning Abilities Scale indicated a significant increase in communication, problem-solving, knowledge application, and cross-cultural competence. Integrating instruction to improve problem-solving skills and knowledge application predicts student learning outcomes. Qualitative findings revealed nursing students' reflections on integrating different learning areas, communication, problem-solving, and practical knowledge skills. CONCLUSIONS: Integration of interdisciplinary learning effectively stimulates learning among nursing students and enhances their knowledge, abilities, and attitudes toward therapeutic play, benefiting children's health. Our findings demonstrate that integration of interdisciplinary learning significantly enhances nursing students' healthcare-giving competence, particularly in communication, problem-solving, knowledge application, and cross-cultural competence as measured by the Service-Learning Scale. Integrating social service with integration of interdisciplinary learning exposes nursing students to diverse challenges and needs, thereby enhancing their communication skills, knowledge application, and problem-solving abilities. Nursing students can blend knowledge and skills through integrated learning, which is crucial for nursing career preparation. TRIAL REGISTRATION: N/A. It was a survey on educational activities.

The occurrence, role, and management strategies for phytic acid in foods.

Phytic acid, a naturally occurring compound predominantly found in cereals and legumes, is the focus of this review. This review investigates its distribution across various food sources, elucidating its dual roles in foods. It also provides new insights into the change in phytic acid level during food storage and the evolving trends in phytic acid management. Although phytic acid can function as a potent color stabilizer, flavor enhancer, and preservative, its antinutritional effects in foods restrict its applications. In terms of management strategies, numerous treatments for degrading phytic acid have been reported, each with varying degradation efficacies and distinct mechanisms of action. These treatments encompass traditional methods, biological approaches, and emerging technologies. Traditional processing techniques such as soaking, milling, dehulling, heating, and germination appear to effectively reduce phytic acid levels in processed foods. Additionally, fermentation and phytase hydrolysis demonstrated significant potential for managing phytic acid in food processing. In the future, genetic modification, due to its high efficiency and minimal environmental impact, should be prioritized to downregulate the biosynthesis of phytic acid. The review also delves into the biosynthesis and metabolism of phytic acid and elaborates on the mitigation mechanism of phytic acid using biotechnology. The challenges in the application of phytic acid in the food industry were also discussed. This study contributes to a better understanding of the roles phytic acid plays in food and the sustainability and safety of the food industry.

Lipidomic and metabolomic analyses reveal changes of lipids and metabolites profile in rapeseed during nitrogen deficiency.

Nitrogen is one of the most essential macronutrients for plant growth and its availability in soil is vital for agricultural sustainability and productivity. However, excessive nitrogen application could reduce the nitrogen use efficiency and produce environmental pollution. Here, we systematically determined the response in lipidome and metabolome in rapeseed during nitrogen starvation. Plant growth was severely retarded during nitrogen deficiency, while the levels of most amino acids was significantly decreased. The levels of monogalactosyl diacyglycerol (MGDG) in leaves and roots was significantly decreased, while the level of digalactosyl diacylglycerol (DGDG) was significantly decreased in roots, resulting in significant reduction of MGDG/DGDG ratio during nitrogen starvation. Meanwhile, the levels of sulfoquinovosyl diacylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol and glucuronosyl diacylglycerol was reduced to varying extents. Moreover, the levels of metabolites in the tricarboxylic acid cycle, Calvin cycle, and energy metabolism was changed during nitrogen deficiency. These findings show that nitrogen deprivation alters the membrane lipid metabolism and carbon metabolism, and our study provides valuable information to further understand the response of rapeseed to nitrogen deficiency at metabolism level.

A critical thermal transition driving spring phenology of Northern Hemisphere conifers.

Despite growing interest in predicting plant phenological shifts, advanced spring phenology by global climate change remains debated. Evidence documenting either small or large advancement of spring phenology to rising temperature over the spatio-temporal scales implies a potential existence of a thermal threshold in the responses of forests to global warming. We collected a unique data set of xylem cell-wall-thickening onset dates in 20 coniferous species covering a broad mean annual temperature (MAT) gradient (-3.05 to 22.9°C) across the Northern Hemisphere (latitudes 23°-66° N). Along the MAT gradient, we identified a threshold temperature (using segmented regression) of 4.9 ± 1.1°C, above which the response of xylem phenology to rising temperatures significantly decline. This threshold separates the Northern Hemisphere conifers into cold and warm thermal niches, with MAT and spring forcing being the primary drivers for the onset dates (estimated by linear and Bayesian mixed-effect models), respectively. The identified thermal threshold should be integrated into the Earth-System-Models for a better understanding of spring phenology in response to global warming and an improved prediction of global climate-carbon feedbacks.

Naturally occurring prenylated stilbenoids: food sources, biosynthesis, applications and health benefits.

Prenylated stilbenoids are a unique class of natural phenolic compounds consisting of C6-C2-C6 skeleton with prenyl substitution. They are potential nutraceuticals and dietary supplements presented in some edible plants. Prenylated stilbenoids demonstrate promising health benefits, including antioxidant, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial activities. This review reports the structure, bioactivity and potential application of prenylated stilbeniods in food industry. Edible sources of these compounds are compiled and summarized. Structure-activity relationship of prenylated stilbenoids are also highlighted. The biosynthesis strategies of prenylated stilbenoids are reviewed. The findings of these compounds as food preservative, nutraceuticals and food additive are discussed. This paper combines the up-to-date information and gives a full image of prenylated stilbenoids.

New insights of flavonoid glycosidases and their application in food industry.

Flavonoids are significant natural nutraceuticals and a key component of dietary supplements. Given that flavonoid glycosides are more plentiful in nature and less beneficial to human health than their aglycone counterparts, they serve as potential precursors for flavonoid production. Glycosidases have shown substantial potential within the food industry, particularly in enhancing the organoleptic properties of juice, wine, and tea. When applied to food resources, glycosidases can amplify their biological activities, thereby improving the performance of functional foods. This review provides up-to-date information on flavonoid glycosidases, including their catalytic mechanisms, biochemical properties, and natural sources, as well as their applications within the food industry. The use of flavonoid glycosidases in improving food quality is also reviewed.

An update of aurones: food resource, health benefit, biosynthesis and application.

Aurones are a subclass of active flavonoids characterized with a scaffold of 2-benzylidene-3(2H)-benzofuranone. This type of chemicals are widely distributed in fruit, vegetable and flower, and contribute to human health. In this review, we summarize the natural aurones isolated from dietary plants. Their positive effects on immunomodulation, antioxidation, cancer prevention as well as maintaining the health status of cardiovascular, nervous system and liver organs are highlighted. The biosynthesis strategies of plant-derived aurones are elaborated to provide solutions for their limited natural abundance. The potential application of natural aurones in food coloration are also discussed. This paper combines the up-to-date information and gives a full image of dietary aurones.