Trends of the prevalence rate of central lymph node metastasis and multifocality in patients with low-risk papillary thyroid carcinoma after delayed thyroid surgery.

Background: Active surveillance has been an option for patients with low-risk papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). However, whether delayed surgery leads to an increased risk of local tumor metastasis remain unclear. We sought to investigate the impact of observation time on central lymph node metastasis (CLNM) and multifocal disease in patients with low-risk PTC. Methods: Patients who were diagnosed with asymptomatic low-risk PTC, and with a pathological maximum tumor size ≤1.5 cm by were included. The patients were classified into observation group and immediate surgery group, and subgroup analyses were conducted by observation time period. The prevalence of CLNM, lymph node (LN) involved >5, multifocal PTC and bilateral multifocal PTC were considered as outcome variables. The changing trend and risk ratio of prevalence over observation time were evaluated by Mann-Kendall trend test and Logistics regression. Results: Overall, 3,427 and 1,860 patients were classified to the observation group and immediate surgery group, respectively. Trend tests showed that decreasing trends both on the prevalence of CLNM and LN involved >5 over the observation time, but the difference was not statistically significant, and the prevalence of multifocal PTC and bilateral multifocal PTC showed the significant decreasing trends. After adjustment, multivariate analysis showed no statistically significant difference between observed and immediate surgery groups in the four outcome variables. Conclusion: In patients with subclinical asymptomatic low-risk PTC, observation did not result in an increased incidence of local metastatic disease, nor did the increased surgery extent in patients with delayed surgery compared to immediate surgery. These findings can strengthen the confidence in the active surveillance management for both doctors and patients.

Effect of Cu addition to AISI 8630 steel on the resistance to microbial corrosion.

Low-alloy, high-strength structural steel AISI 8630 is exposed to severe microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) in its application environment. To address this issue, we independently designed and developed an AISI 8630 steel containing 0.4 wt% Cu (Cu-AISI 8630) to exploit the Cu antimicrobial effect. The corrosion behavior of two steels in the presence of marine Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm was explored by analyzing weight loss, electrochemical tests, SEM images, corrosion pit dimensions, and corrosion products. The electrochemical test results showed an increase in Rp and a significant positive shift in Ecorr for Cu-AISI 8630 steel compared to AISI 8630 steel during the immersion cycles. A comparison of the pit morphology of AISI 8630 steel and Cu-AISI 8630 steel after 14 days showed that the maximum MIC pit depth was significantly reduced in the latter compared to the former (3.65 µm vs 9.47 µm). The XPS results showed that protective Cu2O and CuO layers were formed on the surface of Cu-AISI 8630 steel. The experimental results show that Cu improves the MIC resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms significantly.

Single inferior parathyroid autotransplantation during total thyroidectomy with bilateral central lymph node dissection for papillary thyroid carcinoma: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Management of the inferior parathyroid gland using total thyroidectomy (TT) with central lymph node dissection (CLND) is still controversial. Therefore, we evaluated the safety and effectiveness of single inferior parathyroid autotransplantation. METHODS: The clinical data of patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) who underwent TT with bilateral CLND from January 2018 to December 2020 were collected. Quality of life (QoL) was assessed using the Chinese version of the EORTC QLQ-C30 and THYCA-QOL. The patients were divided into an autotransplantation group and a preservation group according to whether a single inferior parathyroid gland was transplanted. The incidence of permanent hypoparathyroidism, the number of resected central lymph nodes (CLNs), the rate of recurrence reoperation, the rate of radioactive iodine (RAI) treatment, and the QoL score were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: A total of 296 patients were included in the study; there were 99 patients in the autotransplantation group and 197 in the preservation group. The incidence of permanent hypoparathyroidism was 3.0% (3/99) and 4.6% (9/197) in the autotransplantation and preservation groups, respectively (P = 0.532). The median number of resected CLNs was 12 (8-17) and 10 (6-14) in the autotransplantation and preservation groups, respectively (P = 0.015). No reoperations were performed for patients with CLN recurrence, and the rates of lateral lymph node (LLN) recurrence reoperation were 2.0% (2/99) and 3.6% (7/197) in the autotransplantation and preservation groups, respectively (P = 0.473). The RAI treatment rates were 12.1% (12/99) and 22.3% (44/197) in the autotransplantation and preservation groups, respectively (P = 0.034). A total of 276 questionnaires were recovered, including 84 in the autotransplantation group and 192 in the preservation group. The QoL of the two groups of patients is similar (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Single inferior parathyroid autotransplantation during thyroidectomy can be used to prevent permanent hypoparathyroidism and can enable more extensive CLND.

Association of Body Mass Index With Clinicopathological Features of Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma: A Retrospective Study.

OBJECTIVE: We examined the effect of body mass index (BMI) on clinicopathological features of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). METHODS: The clinical data of 4476 patients with PTC who underwent surgical treatment were retrospectively analyzed. According to the different BMI of patients, it can be divided into underweight (BMI < 18.5 kg/m2), normal weight (18.5 ≤ BMI < 24.0 kg/m2), overweight (24 ≤ BMI < 28 kg/m2), and obese (BMI ≥ 28 kg/m2). Spearman correlation analysis was performed to assess the relationship between the BMI and the size of PTC tumor. Multivariate binary logistic regression analysis was performed to estimate the association of overweight and obesity with clinicopathological features of PTC. RESULTS: There was a positive correlation between the BMI and PTC tumor size (r = 0.087, P < .001). As compared with normal weight patients with PTC, overweight and obese patients with PTC had a greater risk of bilaterality (odds ratio [OR] = 1.295, OR = 1.669), multifocality (OR = 1.273, OR = 1.617), extrathyroidal extension (OR = 1.560, OR = 2.477), T (3 + 4) stage (OR = 1.482, OR = 2.392), and recurrence risk (intermediate-high risk) (OR = 1.215, OR = 1.718) (P < .05 for all). As compared with normal weight patients with papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC), overweight and obese patients with PTMC had a greater risk of bilaterality (OR = 1.341, OR = 1.737), multifocality (OR = 1.244, OR = 1.640), extrathyroidal extension (OR = 1.992, OR = 2.080), T (3 + 4) stage (OR = 1898, OR = 2.039), and recurrence risk (intermediate-high risk) (OR = 1.458, OR = 1.536) (P < .05 for all). CONCLUSION: Overweight and obesity were significantly associated with aggressive clinicopathological features of PTC and PTMC. The impact of overweight and obesity should be considered when choosing treatment decisions for PTC and PTMC.

A Mathematical Model to Assess the Effect of Residual Positive Lymph Nodes on the Survival of Patients With Papillary Thyroid Microcarcinoma.

Background: Active surveillance (AS) has been considered the first-line management for patients with clinical low-risk papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) who often have lymph node micrometastasis (m-LNM) when diagnosed. The "low-risk" and "high prevalence of m-LNM" paradox is a potential barrier to the acceptance of AS for thyroid cancer by both surgeons and patients. Methods: Patients diagnosed with PTMC who underwent thyroidectomy with at least one lymph node (LN) examined were identified from a tertiary center database (n = 5,399). A ß-binomial distribution was used to estimate the probability of missing nodal disease as a function of the number of LNs examined. Overall survival (OS) probabilities of groups with adequate and inadequate numbers of LNs examined were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database (n = 15,340). A multivariable model with restricted cubic splines was also used to verify the association of OS with the number of LNs examined. Results: The risk of residual m-LNM (missed nodal disease) ranged from 31.3% to 10.0% if the number of LNs examined ranged from 1 and 7 in patients with PTMC. With 7 LNs examined serving as the cutoff value, the intergroup comparison showed that residual positive LNs did not affect OS across all patients and patients aged ≥55 years (P = 0.72 and P = 0.112, respectively). After adjusting for patient and clinical characteristics, the multivariate model also showed a slight effect of the number of LNs examined on OS (P = 0.69). Conclusions: Even with the high prevalence, OS is not significantly compromised by persistent m-LNM in the body of patients with low-risk PTMC. These findings suggest that the concerns of LNM should not be viewed as an obstacle to developing AS for thyroid cancer. For patients with PTMC who undergo surgery, prophylactic central LN dissection does not provide a survival benefit.

Impact of wheat bran micronization on dough properties and bread quality: Part II - Quality, antioxidant and nutritional properties of bread.

To investigate the impact of superfine grinding of wheat bran on bread quality, antioxidant and nutritional properties, bran with different particle sizes (coarse, D50 of 362.3 µm; medium, 60.4 µm; superfine, 11.3 µm) were produced and fortified to white bread at three levels (10, 20 and 30%). At 20% fortification, compared to coarse bran, superfine bran increased the hardness and reduced the brightness of bread crumb by 56.3 and 3.30%, respectively, while it decreased bread's cell size by 10.7% and insignificantly impacted on bread's specific volume and porosity. Superfine bran retarded bread staling by 8.3% than coarse bran. It resulted in significantly better sensory attributes of bread in taste, texture and general palatability, and the fortified bread was overall acceptable (score > 6). Moreover, faster release of antioxidants (285-353% higher k), slower release of glucose (10.8% lower k), 3.76% less rapidly digestible starch, 5.65% more slowly digestible starch and 13.2% more resistant starch were found in the superfine group than the coarse one. Results demonstrated the potential of 20% fortification of superfine bran in developing fibre-enriched bread with satisfactory quality, increased antioxidant property and improved glycaemic modulation.

Ethnicity impact on oral processing behaviour and glycemic response to noodles: Chinese (Asian) vs. New Zealander (Caucasian).

There is an increasing awareness of the link between food breakdown during chewing and its nutrient release and absorption in the gastrointestinal tract. However, how oral processing behaviour varies among different ethnic groups, and how such difference further impacts on bolus characteristics and consequently glycemic response (GR) are not well understood. In this study, we recruited a group of Asian (Chinese) subjects in China (n = 32) and a group of Caucasian subjects in New Zealand (n = 30), both aged between 18 and 30 years, and compared their blood glucose level (BGL) over 120 min following consumption of a glucose drink and cooked white noodles. We also assessed their chewing behaviour, unstimulated saliva flow rate, and ready-to-swallow bolus characteristics to determine whether these measures explain the ethnic differences in postprandial glycaemia. Compared to New Zealand subjects, the Chinese subjects showed 35% slower saliva flow rate but around 2 times higher salivary α-amylase activity in the unstimulated state. During consumption of noodles, Chinese subjects on average took a larger mouthful size, chewed each mouthful for longer and swallowed a larger number of particles with a smaller particle size area. Total GR measured by area under the curve (IAUC) was higher among the Chinese subjects. They also experienced higher BGL at 15 min, as well as higher peak BGL. There were strong correlations observed between oral processing and GR parameters. Results of this study confirmed the significance of oral processing in determining food digestion, and will provide new insights on the role of ethnicity in influencing people's physiological response to food.

Can Active Surveillance Management be Developed for Patients With Low-Risk Papillary Thyroid Microcarcinoma? A Preliminary Investigation in a Chinese Population.

OBJECTIVE: Active surveillance (AS) has been shown to be a safe approach that can effectively block transition from overdiagnosis to overtreatment in patients with low-risk papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC). This study aimed to determine whether the AS approach can be implemented in China and investigate the population characteristics of Chinese patients who underwent AS. METHODS: The epidemiologic and clinical characteristics as well as patient adherence were evaluated in 115 patients who underwent AS management as an alternative to immediate surgery for low-risk (or highly suspected) PTMC. RESULTS: The mean patient age was 41.8 ± 10.3 years, with 41.7% and 4.4% of the patients aged <40 and ≥60 years, respectively. The median baseline diameter of index tumors was 4 (range, 3-6) mm, with 73.0% of the tumors being ≤5 mm. A total of 84.4% of the patients had a junior college, college, or graduate degree, and 83.5% were employed by the government, public institutions, companies, or technical posts. After a median 25-month follow-up, a tumor growth of ≥3 mm occurred in 3 patients (2.6%), and no new lymph node metastasis occurred. Surgery was performed in 4 patients because of patient preferences rather than because of disease progression. There was satisfactory adherence in 109 patients (94.8%) in a simulated ideal medical environment. CONCLUSION: The AS approach can be used as an alternative to low-risk PTMC management in China. Given the difference in epidemiologic and clinical characteristics, Chinese institutions should fully consider the features of the Chinese population while developing candidate criteria, surveillance intervals, and follow-up strategies for AS.

Characterization of Key Odorants in Scallion Pancake and Investigation on Their Changes during Storage.

To characterize key odorants in scallion pancake (SP), volatiles were extracted by solvent extraction-solvent assisted flavor evaporation. A total of 51 odor-active compounds were identified by gas chromatography-olfactometry (GC-O) and chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). (Z/E)-3,6-Diethyl-1,2,4,5-tetrathiane was detected for the first time in scallion food. Application of aroma extract dilution analysis to extracts showed maltol, methyl propyl disulfide, dipropyl disulfide and 2-pentylfuran had the highest flavor dilution (FD) factor of 4096. Twenty-three odorants with FD factors ≥ 8 were quantitated, and their odor active values (OAVs) were calculated. Ten compounds with OAVs ≥ 1 were determined as the key odorants; a recombinate model prepared from the key odorants, including (E,E)-2,4-decadienal, dimethyl trisulfide, methyl propyl disulfide, hexanal, dipropyl trisulfide, maltol, acetoin, 2-methylnaphthalene, 2-pentylfuran and 2(5H)-furanone, successfully simulated the overall aroma profile of SP. The changes in odorants during storage were investigated further. With increasing concentrations and OAVs during storage, hexanal became an off-flavor compound.

Bread breakdown pathways during mastication: impact of wheat bran fortification.

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of wheat bran fortification on the mastication process of bread. White wheat bread (WB) and bran-fortified wheat bread (BB) were consumed by eighteen panellists. The bolus was collected at four different mastication stages and characterized by properties of hydration, particle size, and texture. The results showed that there was no difference between the two bread samples in terms of swallowable bolus moisture. BB with a harder and denser texture produced more small particles and had a slightly shorter chewing time than WB during mastication. Moreover, bolus heterogeneity (D75/D25) indicated a distinct difference among mastication stages and revealed different disintegration pathways between the two samples: BB bolus exhibited a monotonous particle size reduction during mastication with reducing D50 and D75/D25; whereas, WB displayed a combination pattern of disintegration and agglomeration featuring relatively steady D50 and fluctuating D75/D25. It was concluded that bran fortification changed the bread breakdown pathways in terms of bread disintegration and bolus formation during the mastication process. This information offers new guidelines for fortifying innovative materials to manufacture foods specifically targeted for health.

Effect of Sm Doping on the Microstructure, Mechanical Properties and Shape Memory Effect of Cu-13.0Al-4.0Ni Alloy.

The effects of rare earth element Sm on the microstructure, mechanical properties, and shape memory effect of the high temperature shape memory alloy, Cu-13.0Al-4.0Ni-xSm (x = 0, 0.2 and 0.5) (wt.%), are studied in this work. The results show that the Sm addition reduces the grain size of the Cu-13.0Al-4.0Ni alloy from millimeters to hundreds of microns. The microstructure of the Cu-13.0Al-4.0Ni-xSm alloys are composed of 18R and a face-centered cubic Sm-rich phase at room temperature. In addition, because the addition of the Sm element enhances the fine-grain strengthening effect, the mechanical properties and the shape memory effect of the Cu-13.0Al-4.0Ni alloy were greatly improved. When x = 0.5, the compressive fracture stress and the compressive fracture strain increased from 580 MPa, 10.5% to 1021 MPa, 14.8%, respectively. When the pre-strain is 10%, a reversible strain of 6.3% can be obtained for the Cu-13.0Al-4.0Ni-0.2Sm alloy.

Impact of wheat bran micronization on dough properties and bread quality: Part I - Bran functionality and dough properties.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of wheat bran micronization on its functionality including physicochemical and antioxidant properties, and dough properties. Coarse bran (D50 = 362.3 ± 20.5 µm) was superfine ground to medium (D50 = 60.4 ± 10.1 µm) and superfine (D50 = 11.3 ± 2.6 µm) bran, accompanied with increasing specific surface area and breakdown of aleurone layers. Bran micronization increased its soluble dietary fibre content, ferulic acid liberation, and antioxidant properties including total polyphenol content, ABTS•+ and DPPH• scavenging activities, while decreased its water retention capacity and insoluble dietary fibre content. Moreover, bran micronization impacted dough rheological properties. The dough with superfine bran had higher water absorption and gelatinization temperature, peak viscosity, final viscosity and setback value, lower stability time, resistance to extension, and extensibility than the dough with coarse bran. This dough furthermore exhibited more solid-like properties characterized by decreased loss moduli and frequency dependence (n').

Graphene-reinforced polymer matrix composites fabricated by in situ shear exfoliation of graphite in polymer solution: processing, rheology, microstructure, and properties.

Effective methods are needed to fabricate the next generation of high-performance graphene-reinforced polymer matrix composites (G-PMCs). In this work, a versatile and fundamental process is demonstrated to produce high-quality graphene-polymethylmethacrylate (G-PMMA) composites via in situ shear exfoliation of well-crystallized graphite particles loaded in highly-viscous liquid PMMA/acetone solutions into graphene nanoflakes using a concentric-cylinder shearing device. Unlike other methods where graphene is added externally to the polymer and mixed, our technique is a single step process where as-exfoliated graphene can bond directly with the polymer with no contamination/handling. The setup also allows for the investigation of the rheology of exfoliation and dispersion, providing process understanding in the attainment of the subsequently heat injection-molded and solidified G-PMC, essential for future manufacturing scalability, optimization, and repeatability. High PMMA/acetone concentration correlates to high mixture viscosity, which at large strain rates results in very-high shear stresses, producing a large number of mechanically-exfoliated flakes, as confirmed by liquid-phase UV-visible spectral analysis. Raman spectroscopy and other imaging evince that single- and bi-layer graphene are readily achieved. Nevertheless, a limit is reached at high mixtures viscosities where the process becomes unstable as non-Newtonian fluid behavior (e.g. viscoelastic) dominates the system. Characterization of microstructure, morphology, and properties of this new class of nanostructured composites reveals interesting trends. Observations by transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and helium ion microscopy of the manufactured G-PMCs show uniform distributions of unadulterated, well-bonded, discontinuous, graphene nanoflakes in a PMMA matrix, which enhances stiffness and strength via a load-transfer mechanism. Elastic modulus of 5.193 GPa and hardness of 0.265 GPa are achieved through processing at 0.7 g ml-1 of acetone/PMMA for 1% wt. starting graphite loading when injected into a sample mold at 200 °C. Mechanical properties exhibit 31% and 28.6% enhancement in elastic modulus and hardness, respectively, as measured by nano-indentation.

Functional Correlates and Impact of Dietary Lactoferrin Intervention and its Concentration-dependence on Neurodevelopment and Cognition in Neonatal Piglets.

SCOPE: Lactoferrin (Lf), a sialylated milk glycoprotein, promotes early neurodevelopment and cognition. Functional concentrations of Lf, however, remain unknown. Our objective is to determine the concentration-dependency of Lf on genes associated with neurodevelopment and cognition in neonatal piglets. METHODS AND RESULTS: Piglets are given milk replacer with Lf at concentrations of 155 (low) or 285 mg kg-1 day-1 (high) from postnatal days 3 to 38. Gene expression associated with neurodevelopment, cognition, and cognate proteins were quantitated. This study found 1) The rate of learning and long-term memory was higher with 155 mg kg-1 day-1 assessed in an eight-arm radial maze; 2) Global gene transcription profiling showed this lower concentration upregulated genes and functions correlated with neurodevelopment and cognition, while the higher concentration regulated cellular processes for neuroprotection; 3) Expression of BDNF genes and proteins were higher with both concentrations, while genes regulating BDNF signaling, including SLC6A3, IGF-1 responded more to the lower concentration; 4) The lower concentration modulated genes in the five highest networks associated with cellularity and neurocognition, while the prevention of neurodevelopmental and neurological pathologies was associated with the higher concentration. CONCLUSION: The lower concentrations of Lf enhanced neurodevelopment and cognition, while higher concentrations are greater neuroprotective, findings of potential novel clinical relevance.

Mechanistic study on inhibition of porcine pancreatic α-amylase using the flavonoids from dandelion.

This study was designed to investigate quantitatively the inhibition and molecular mechanism of pancreatic α-amylase exhibited by flavonoids from dandelion to reveal its potential use in relieving postprandial hyperglycemia. The results show that the flavonoids reversibly inhibited the α-amylase in a non-competitive manner with Michaelis-Menten constant (Km) and half-inhibitory concentration (IC50) value of 10.51 and 0.0067 mg/mL, respectively. The flavonoids present a strong ability to quench the intrinsic fluorescence of α-amylase through static quenching by forming a complex. The values of the binding site (n) at different temperatures were found to be approximately the unity, indicating the presence of a single class of molecular binding of the dandelion flavonoids on α-amylase. The positive values of enthalpy and entropy change reveal that the binding was predominately driven by hydrophobic interactions. This study suggests a benefit of incorporating the dandelion flavonoids in making functional foods in managing the diet of the diabetes.

Risk probability model for residual metastatic lymph node in patients with papillary thyroid microcarcinoma undergoing cervical central lymph node dissection.

To establish a risk probability model for residual metastatic lymph nodes in patients with papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) after cervical central lymph node dissection (CLND). The clinical data of patients with PTMC treated in the First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University from 2007 to 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. All patients underwent thyroidectomy with CLND, and at least one lymph node was examined. Based on the distribution characteristics of metastatic lymph nodes from this retrospective cohort, a probabilistic model for the risk of residual metastatic lymph node was established. ß-Binomial distribution was used to estimate the probability of residual metastatic lymph node as a function of the number of lymph nodes examined. Among 5399 patients included in the probabilistic model, central lymph node metastases were observed in 1664 cases (30.8%). After model correction, the real lymph node metastasis rate increased from 30.8% to 38.9%. The probability of false negative of central lymph node was estimated to be 31.3% for patients with a single node examined, while decreased to 10.0% and 4.9% when 7 and 12 nodes were examined, respectively. In the sensitivity analysis limited to patients with or without Hashimoto thyroiditis, the performance of probability model was also satisfactory. The established risk probability model in this study quantifies the risk of residual metastatic lymph nodes after CLND in patients with PTMC, which can be used as complementary indicators for the risk of recurrence/persistence disease at postoperative evaluation. The study also provides a new method to evaluate the impact of residual metastatic lymph nodes on the prognosis of tumor patients through retrospective data.

Whole-wheat flour particle size influences dough properties, bread structure and in vitro starch digestibility.

Whole-wheat flour (WWF) is increasingly popular because of the health benefits of whole grains. This study investigated the effect of WWF particle size on dough properties, bread quality and in vitro starch digestibility. WWF was made from intact whole grain directly. Three WWF particle sizes were examined, including coarse, medium and fine with a mean size of 1315, 450 and 199 µm, respectively. The dough made from WWF of a larger particle size exhibited lower extensibility and stability, and subsequently the bread had a more compact structure (i.e. lower open porosity and thicker cell thickness), smaller specific volume and harder texture, which were regarded as poor quality attributes. On the other hand, the bread made from the fine WWF exhibited a higher amount of released glucose than those made from the coarse and medium WWFs. Moreover, the particle size of bread bolus showed no significant effect on in vitro starch digestion. The whole study demonstrated that the particle size of WWF plays a critical role in determining both bread quality and digestibility.

An advanced near real dynamic in vitro human stomach system to study gastric digestion and emptying of beef stew and cooked rice.

A near real dynamic in vitro human stomach (new DIVHS) system has recently been advanced in this study, based on the previous rope-driven in vitro human stomach model (RD-IV-HSM). The new DIVHS mainly consists of a J-shaped silicone human stomach model fabricated using 3D-printing technology which has a similar stomach morphology, dimension and wrinkled inner structure to those present in vivo, and an electromechanical instrument composed of a series of motors, rollers and eccentric wheels to produce peristaltic contractions. The simulated stomach system was able to generate consistent gastric emptying ratios of both the solid and liquid fractions in beef stew mixed with orange juice with that reported in vivo (p > 0.05). By fitting the gastric retention data with a modified power-exponential model, the solid fractions showed an average emptying half-time (t1/2) of 74.1 min and a lag phase (tlag) of 36.3 min in the new DIVHS, similar to that obtained in vivo where the average values of t1/2 and tlag were 75.8 min and 40.2 min, respectively. The performance of the new DIVHS was further validated by showing good qualitative matches of the gastric pH, particle size distribution and emptying profiles of cooked rice with the literature in vivo data. These results indicate that it is a reasonable approach to perform in vitro gastric digestion experiments using the new DIVHS, which is practically meaningful.

In vitro digestion of bread: How is it influenced by the bolus characteristics?

This study aimed to understand the impact of in vitro oral processing methods on bolus formation and the kinetics of starch hydrolysis of refined white bread during in vitro gastrointestinal digestion. Four in vitro oral processing methods (i.e., cut, cut-and-pestle, blend, and grind) were performed at two levels of disintegration (less and more intensive) and compared with human mastication. Boluses prepared using the in vitro methods had a larger particle size (20-69 mm2 vs. 14 mm2 ), a higher moisture content (64-68% vs. 47%), a softer texture (1.3-2.3 N vs. 6.3 N) and a less adhesive surface (0.3-1.0 vs. 1.6 N•s) as compared to the in vivo masticated ones. Moreover, in vitro prepared blouses were digested more rapidly than in vivo masticated ones during the stimulated intestinal digestion from 150 min onward, with a higher hydrolysis rate (0.011-0.012 mg/mL • min vs. 0.010 mg/mL • min) and a higher equilibrium concentration of reducing sugar (5.5-6.3 mg/mL vs. 4.9 mg/mL). Among all the in vitro methods, the blending and grinding methods produced boluses that most closely resemble the in vivo masticated ones in terms of their physical characteristics. The blending method also produced boluses having the highest amount of reducing sugar released (6.32 mg/mL). The amount of reducing sugar present in the PBS buffer outside the dialysis tube might be controlled by the diffusion efficiency at the beginning of the digestion (≤120 min) and then be largely influenced by the particle size of the bolus in the latter stage of the digestion. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Studying the in vitro starch amyloysis is valuable for predicting the postprandial glycemic potential of starchy food. This work provides novel insights on the role of in vitro oral processing in the prediction of the glycemic potential of carbohydrate-rich staple food. Blending method is recommended because of its ability to produce boluses with similar physical characteristics as the in vivo masticated boluses. But the excessive structural breakdown occurred during blending also resulted in a higher enzymatic accessibility and a higher rate of starch digestion. Further study is needed to propose a new in vitro method that stimulates multiple actions occurred during mastication (cutting, grinding, and shearing), in order to match both physical properties and digestion profiles. Moreover, the amount of artificial saliva added should be adjusted according to the specific type of food.

Combination of ß-glucan and Morus alba L. Leaf Extract Promotes Metabolic Benefits in Mice Fed a High-Fat Diet.

ß-glucan (BG) and mulberry have received increasing attention for their benefits as natural sources of metabolic health. In the current study, we investigated the synergetic beneficial effects of BG and mulberry leaf extract (MLE) in mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD). Male C57BL6 mice were fed a HFD for twelve weeks to induce significant obesity and insulin resistance. BG and MLE were administrated orally throughout the feeding period. The administration of BG resulted in a significant reduction in body weight gain, perirenal fat mass, fasting insulin, serum lipids, serum inflammation markers, and fatty liver, showing systemic health improvement. Likewise, the administration of MLE showed benefits similar to BG, with the exception of body weight gain. In addition to the systemic benefits, the combination of BG and MLE resulted in a synergetic improvement in insulin sensitivity. Meanwhile, only the combination of BG and MLE significantly enhanced liver GST (Glutathione S-Transferase) activity and CuZn-SOD (Superoxide dismutase (Cu-Zn)) activity, resulting in a significant reduction in GSH/GSSG (Glutathione disulfide) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in the liver. These results further confirm the beneficial effects of BG and MLE on metabolic disorders and show that the combination of BG and MLE has synergetic effects.