A Study to Analyse the Feasibility and Effectiveness of Left Bundle Branch Area Pacing Used in Young Children.

This study aimed to investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of left bundle branch area pacing (LBBaP) in young children. From September 2020 to May 2021, a total of 31 children (≤ 7 years) with complete atrioventricular block were included. All patients were scheduled to undergo LBBaP. Pacing parameters, and cardiac function and synchrony were evaluated during follow-up. LBBaP succeeded in 21 children (3.3 ± 2.1 years old), with a success rate of 70.9%. LBBaP failed in nine children, who eventually received right ventricular septal pacing (RVSP). The average postoperative QRS duration in patients of LBBaP group was narrower than that of RVSP group: 100.9 ± 9.1 versus 114.2 ± 11.9 ms (P = 0.002). The median follow-up duration was 12 [interquartile range (IQR) 6-15] months. At last time of follow-up, the capture threshold of ventricular electrode in patients of LBBaP group were significantly lower than that of RVSP group (0.70 ± 0.25 versus 1.39 ± 0.94 V, P = 0.011). The echo-left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) in patients in the LBBaP group was better than that in the RVSP group (66.1 ± 3.3 versus 63.1 ± 2.2%, P = 0.025). LBBaP can be safely and effectively administered in young children. Satisfactory pacing parameters, and narrow QRS durations were obtained.

First report of large-berry coffee (Coffea liberica) anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum kahawae in China.

Large-berry coffee (Coffea liberica) is one of the three cultivated coffee species and a precious breeding germplasm in China (Yan et al, 2019). Anthracnose is a damaging epidemic disease on coffee worldwide (Mohammed et al. 2015). Between June and September 2022, anthracnose was observed on coffee plants in Puer area, Yunnan, China and disease incidence (% plants diseased) of 8.5%-28.2% was recorded in the field. The disease symptoms were observed at all growth stages. Lesions on leaves were circular or oval, with a white to gray central zone outlined by a brown margin and surrounded by a chlorotic halo, Φ5.1-18.5 mm; some lesions extended and coalesced later to form large, blighted areas, leading to complete leaf senescence, defoliation and bare blighted branches on heavily infected trees. The spots on coffee berries were oval or fusiform, sunken and brown-black; diseased berries became gray-black and dried-out but remained on the tree. Leaves with typical anthracnose lesions were collected from fields in Simao ( 22.07°E,100.98°N) to isolate the pathogen. Leaf pieces (5×5mm) from the lesion margin were cut, surface-sterilized with 75% ethanol and 2% NaClO, and cultured on PDA at 25°C. Three isolates with the same colony morphology were obtained by hyphal tip purification. Detached and intact leaves of 6-month coffee seedlings were inoculated with Φ5mm mycelial discs of the isolates. Anthracnose lesions developed on the inoculated leaves, with all 3 isolates, 7d after incubation in a growth chamber (25°C, > 90% RH and lighting 8 h/d at 11000 lux). Pathogens with the same colony morphology as those of the original isolates were re-isolated from the infected tissues of inoculated leaves, thus fulfilling Koch's Postulates. The ITS sequence (PP550861) for the isolate was PCR-amplified and Blast-n analyses showed 100 % (554/554bp) identity to Colletotrichum kahawae LWTJ01; so they were the same population and coded as KFTJ02. The actin (ACT), calmodulin(CAL), glyceraldehydes-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPHD) and histone 3 (HIS3) genes (Qiu et al. 2020) were amplified from one of KFTJ02 isolates, sequenced and deposited in NCBI GenBank (OR842543, OR842544, OR842545 & OR842546). A phylogenetic tree was generated based on the concatenated sequences of the four genes and those of related Colletotrichum spp. using MEGA 6.0 and KFTJ02 clustered in the same clade with C. kahawae IMI319418 on the tree (Bootstrap sup.=88%). When cultured at 25°C on PDA for 7 days, its colonies were near round or ovoid, gray-white, contoured, Φ73.2-80.1 (76.2±2.3)mm or growth rate 10.2-11.1(8.1) mm/d (n=10). The hyphae were hyaline, septated, branching at near right angles. Conidial masses formed 14 days after incubation. The conidia were elliptical, hyaline, monocellular, 10.2-15.5 (12.7±1.06)×3.8-5.2 (4.3±0.52) µm (n=50). The appressoria were black-brown, oval or irregular, 7.8-9.3 (8.5±0.81)µm (n= 50). These morphological characteristics were consistent with those of C. kahawae (Bridge et al, 2008). Therefore, KFTJ02 was identified as C. kahawae, which has been found to infect Camellia oleifera, Areca catechu and Ficus microcarpa (Wei et al, 2023; Zhang et al, 2020; Lin 2023). The coffee berry disease pathogen (C. kahawae) is a quarantine species which has not been recorded and so it is first reported on coffee crops in China. Results of the present study provide important references for further studies on this disease.

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.

Left ventricular pacing in the treatment of pediatric cardiac dysfunction caused by idiopathic complete left bundle branch block.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of transthoracic epicardial dual-chamber pacemaker implantation in the treatment of cardiac dysfunction caused by idiopathic complete left bundle branch block (CLBBB) in children. METHODS: Nine children diagnosed with cardiac dysfunction due to idiopathic CLBBB were included in this study. All patients underwent transthoracic epicardial dual-chamber pacemaker implantation. Cardiac function was evaluated using echocardiography during the follow-up. Additionally, intraventricular synchronization parameters were assessed using two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (STE). RESULTS: Nine children (mean age, 3.0 ± 2.6 years) were included in this study. The median follow-up duration was 2 (interquartile range, 1-3) years. The cardiac function of all patients recovered to normal levels within 1 year postoperatively. The postoperative QRS duration on electrocardiography (142 ± 21 ms) was significantly shorter than that at baseline (106 ± 12 ms) (p < .05). Cardiac dyssynchrony in patients who manifested preoperatively achieved complete correction after pacemaker implantation. The comparison of preoperative and postoperative (last follow-up visit) synchronization parameters were as follows: longitudinal standard deviation of the time to peak strain, 99.0 ± 41.9 versus 36.8 ± 5.0 ms (p = .004); delay time of peak longitudinal strain, 252.2 ± 131.4 versus 35.0 ± 22.9 ms (p = .002); and longitudinal systolic dyssynchrony index, 2.8 ± 0.8% versus 1.0 ± 0.3% (p = .001), respectively. CONCLUSION: Transthoracic epicardial dual-chamber pacemaker implantation (with left atrial sensing and left ventricular single-site pacing) can be used for the treatment of cardiac dysfunction caused by idiopathic CLBBB in children.

Comparison of ventricular synchrony in children with left bundle branch area pacing and right ventricular septal pacing.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the ideal pacing site in children by comparing the postoperative ventricular synchrony in children with left bundle branch area pacing and those with right ventricular septal pacing. METHODS: This retrospective study included children with complete atrioventricular block who underwent permanent pacemaker implantation from March 2019 to August 2021. Patients were grouped according to their ventricular pacing site, the left bundle branch area pacing group and the right ventricular septal pacing group. Two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography was used to evaluate the ventricular synchrony. RESULTS: Forty-eight children (median age, 2.7 years; interquartile range, 1.7-4.6 years) were included. The paced QRS duration in the left bundle branch area pacing group was significantly narrower than that in the right ventricular septal pacing group (100.2 ± 9.3 versus 115.4 ± 15.1 ms, p = 0.001). The median follow-up duration was 1.5 years (interquartile range, 1-2 years). At the last follow-up, the average capture threshold of the ventricular electrode in the left bundle branch area pacing group was lower than that in the right ventricular septal pacing group (0.79 ± 0.18 versus 1.20 ± 0.56 V, p = 0.008). The left ventricular intraventricular synchrony parameters in the left bundle branch area pacing group were better than those in the right ventricular septal pacing group (e.g. standard deviation of the time to peak longitudinal strain, 37.4 ± 4.3 versus 46.6 ± 8.2 ms, p = 0.000). The average interventricular mechanical delay time in the left bundle branch area pacing group was significantly shorter than that in the right ventricular septal pacing group (36.4 ± 14.2 versus 52.5 ± 22.7 ms, p = 0.016). CONCLUSION: Compared with right ventricular septal pacing, left bundle branch area pacing in children produces a narrower QRS duration and better pacing and ventricular synchrony parameters postoperatively.

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.

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.

miR-200a enhances TRAIL-induced apoptosis in gastric cancer cells by targeting A20.

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) triggers apoptosis by inducing the death-inducing signaling complex (DISC) formation. Recently, TNFα-induced protein 3 (TNFAIP3, A20) was reported to prevent TRAIL-induced caspase 8 cleavage in the DISC by mediating ubiquitination of RIP1 in glioblastoma. However, whether A20 regulates caspase 8 cleavage in the DISC when TRAIL induces apoptosis in gastric cancer cells is unknown. In the present study, A20 interacted with RIP1 and DR4 in MGC803 and SGC7901 gastric cancer cells. Treatment with TRAIL promoted the A20-mediated polyubiquitination of RIP1, caspase 8 translocation into the DISC, and the interaction between caspase 8 and ubiquitinated RIP1. Inhibition of A20 expression prevented the polyubiquitination of RIP1 and promoted caspase 8 cleavage. Moreover, our data clarified that A20 is a target of miR-200a. Overexpression of miR-200a inhibited A20 expression and polyubiquitination of RIP1 and then promoted cleavage of caspase 8 and TRAIL-triggered apoptosis. Taken together, our results indicate that miR-200a enhanced TRAIL-triggered apoptosis in gastric cancer cells by targeting A20.

Differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells into cardiomyocytes is regulated by miRNA-1-2 via WNT signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND: Bone marrow derived stem cells (BMSCs) have the potential to differentiate into cardiomyocytes, but the rate of differentiation is low and the mechanism of differentiation is unclear completely. Here, we aimed to investigate the role of miR1-2 in differentiation of mouse BMSCs into cardiomyocyte-like cells and reveal the involved signaling pathways in the procedure. METHODS: Mouse BMSCs were treated with miR1-2 and 5-azacytine (5-aza). The expression of cardiac cell markers: NKx2.5, cTnI and GATA4 in BMSCs were examined by qPCR. The apoptosis rate was detected by flow cytometry and the activity of the Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway was evaluated by measuring the upstream protein of this signaling pathway. RESULTS: After over-expression of miR1-2 in mouse BMSCs, the apoptosis rate was significantly lower than the 5-aza group, while the expressions of cardiac-specific genes: such as Nkx2.5, cTnI and GATA4 were significantly increased compared to the control group and the 5-aza group. Meanwhile, over-expression of miR1-2 in mouse BMSCs enhanced the expression of wnt11, JNK, ß-catenin and TCF in the Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway. Use of LGK-974, an inhibitor of Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway, significantly reduced the expression of cardiac-specific genes and partially blocked the role of the miR1-2. CONCLUSION: Over-expression of miR1-2 in mouse BMSCs can induce them toward promoted cardiomyocyte differentiation via the activation of the Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway. Compared to 5-aza, miR1-2 can induce differentiation of BMSCs into cardiomyocytes more effectively with a less cytotoxicity.

Formation of the IGF1R/CAV1/SRC tri-complex antagonizes TRAIL-induced apoptosis in gastric cancer cells.

Lipid rafts provide a biological platform for apoptosis induced by tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL). We previously reported that insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF1R) translocation into lipid rafts helped to explain TRAIL resistance. However, it was not clear whether TRAIL resistance was caused by the interaction of IGF1R with caveolin-1 (CAV1) and the non-receptor tyrosine kinase SRC in lipid rafts of gastric cancer cells. Here, we observed high IGF1R expression in TRAIL-resistant gastric cancer cells, and showed that IGF1R combined with both CAV1 and SRC in a native complex. TRAIL was shown to promote the formation of the IGF1R/CAV1/SRC tri-complex and the activation of these three molecules. Knockdown of IGF1R or CAV1 or inhibition of SRC activity reduced the formation of this tri-complex and enhanced TRAIL-induced apoptosis. Furthermore, the overexpression of microRNA-194 reversed TRAIL resistance by reducing IGF1R expression. In summary, TRAIL increased formation of the IGF1R/CAV1/SRC tri-complex and the activation of downstream survival pathways, leading to TRAIL resistance in gastric cancer cells.

Effect of deamidation-induced modification on umami and bitter taste of wheat gluten hydrolysates.

BACKGROUND: Bitter taste is the main limiting factor for various applications of protein hydrolysates. Frequently used physicochemical methods for debittering protein hydrolysates come with some undesired side effects. Deamidation-induced modification would be a very promising technique to improve the flavor of wheat gluten hydrolysates (WGHs). This study was designed to determine the effect of deamidation with certain enzymes or acid treatment on the chemical composition, bitterness and umami properties of WGHs. The difference between umami peptide and free glutamic acid on the suppression of bitterness is emphatically discussed. The optimal scheme is proposed based on the flavor of WGHs and the yield of peptides. RESULTS: The generation of umami substances suppressed bitter signal transduction. When the content of umami substances was relatively high, the umami-enhancing properties of umami peptides were obviously effective. The intensity of umami taste was high enough to further suppress bitter taste in the course of neurocognitive functioning. CONCLUSION: When WGHs were treated with Glutaminase for 180 min, the umami taste score increased from 1.62 to 4.27 and the bitter taste score decreased from 1.33 to 0.65. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Antioxidant capacity of hydrolyzed protein fractions obtained from an under-explored seed protein: Gingerbread plum (Neocarya macrophylla).

The antioxidant capacity of gingerbread plum kernel protein fraction (albumin, globulin and glutelin) hydrolysates (GPKH) was studied. Gingerbread plum kernel protein fractions were hydrolyzed through a combined action of two digestive enzymes (pespsin and trypsin). The hydrolyzed fractions were subjected to antioxidant test via several chemical assays such as: DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging activity, hydroxyl radical-scavenging activity, reducing power and metal chelating activity. Total phenolic contents, amino acid composition and molecular weight distribution were also evaluated. The glutelin fraction hydrolysate showed the strongest antioxidative activity throughout the entire investigation: 79.09, 58.81, 52.08 % and 40.7 µg/mL GAE for DPPH, hydroxyl radical, chelating activity and total phenolics respectively. GPKH possess a molecular weight ranging from 300 to 4000 Da and also showed much more high reducing power than some common standards such as BHA and α-tocopherol indicating that, hydrolysates derived from gingerbread plum kernel protein could be a new antioxidants source.

Natural Additives in Wheat-Based Pasta and Noodle Products: Opportunities for Enhanced Nutritional and Functional Properties.

Pasta products and noodles have been staple foods since ancient times in many countries all over the world. These cereal products are still increasingly popular worldwide for their convenience, nutritional properties, special flavor, and taste. Pasta and noodles are essentially the same type of food but differ in their raw materials and shaping process, as well as the people and regions in the world consuming them. Many additives have been developed and are being used today in pasta and noodle products for various purposes. However, due to lack of knowledge about specific uses for some additives, they are sometimes misused by manufacturers. This can lead to opposite technological effects instead and may even cause damage to human health. Due to consumer demands, interest now focuses on natural "green" food additives with broad-spectrum functions, high effectiveness, and low toxicity. In order to provide detailed references for noodle and pasta production, as well as to provide ideas for developing new types of these products, here we summarize the types of natural additives that are being incorporated in pasta and noodle products, mainly for quality improvement and food preservation.

Comparative study about some physical properties, in vitro digestibility and immunoreactivity of soybean protein isolate for infant formula.

The objective of this study was to determine molecular weight subunit distributions of soy protein isolate (SPI) by SDS-PAGE and gel size exclusion chromatography, and further to investigate the differences of thixotropy, viscosity, in vitro digestibility and immunoreactivity of SPI for infant formula produced in Chinese domestic companies and world famous SPI manufacturers such as Dupont and Fuji. The molecular subunit distributions were analyzed by SDS-PAGE and gel size exclusion chromatography, indicating that Solae and Fuji were hydrolyzed by proteolytic enzymes. The thixotropy of Fuji and Solae significantly reduced around by 95 %, compared with those of Mantianxue and Dupont Zhengzhou. The allergen contents of Fuji and Solae strikingly decreased by 60 and 84 % respectively, in contrast to that of Mantianxue. The in vitro protein digestibility of Solae at the end of pepsin and trypsin digestion markedly increased by 11.7 and 11.3 %, respectively, in comparison to those of Mantianxue. Suitable enzymatic hydrolyzed SPIs showed lower thixotropy, viscosity, immunoreactivity and higher in vitro protein digestibility than those from the other SPIs. The lower thixotropy indicates low difficulty or shear stress in swallowing for infants. The lower immunoreactivity will improve the safety of SPI for cow milk allergic babies.

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.

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.

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.

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.