Assessing the causal relationship between plasma proteins and osteoporosis: novel insights into pathological mechanisms and therapeutic implications.

Identifying dysregulated plasma proteins in osteoporosis (OP) progression offers insights into prevention and treatment. This study found 8 such proteins associated with OP, suggesting them as therapy targets. This discovery may cut drug development costs and improve personalized treatments. PURPOSE: This study aims to identify potential therapeutic targets for OP using summary data-based Mendelian randomization (SMR) and colocalization analysis methods. Furthermore, we seek to explore the biological significance and pharmacological value of these drug targets. METHODS: To identify potential therapeutic targets for OP, we conducted SMR and colocalization analysis. Plasma protein (pQTL, exposure) data were sourced from the study by Ferkingstad et al. (n = 35,559). Summary statistics for bone mineral density (BMD, outcome) were obtained from the GWAS Catalog (n = 56,284). Additionally, we utilized enrichment analysis, protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis, drug prediction, and molecular docking to further analyze the biological significance and pharmacological value of these drug targets. RESULTS: In the SMR analysis, while 20 proteins showed significance, only 8 potential drug targets (GCKR, ERBB3, CFHR1, GPN1, SDF2, VTN, BET1L, and SERPING1) received support from colocalization (PP.H4 > 0.8). These proteins are closely associated with immune function in terms of biological significance. Molecular docking also demonstrated favorable binding of drugs to proteins, consistent with existing structural data, further substantiating the pharmacological value of these targets. CONCLUSIONS: The study identified 8 potential drug targets for OP. These prospective targets are believed to have a higher chance of success in clinical trials, thus aiding in prioritizing OP drug development and reducing development costs.

Effects of the covalent conjugation between caffeic acid and peanut allergen protein Ara h1 on the antigenicity and structure of Ara h1.

Ara h1 was the highest content of peanut allergen protein, identified as a biomarker of peanut allergen. In this study, Ara h1 was covalently complexed with caffeic acid (CA) to research the effects of covalent conjugation on the antigenicity and protein structural properties of Ara h1. After the covalent complexing of Ara h1 and CA, the IgG-binding capacity of Ara h1 was reduced compared with that of control Ara h1. Moreover, the structure of Ara h1 changed from ordered to disordered, the number of intermolecular hydrogen bonds decreased, and some hydrophobic groups were exposed or hydrophobic peptides were released. The carboxyl group in CA reacted with the amino group in Ara h1. The digestibility of Ara h1-CA was increased. The antigenicity of Ara h1-CA was undetectable after 30 min of digestion in vitro. These findings can serve as a reference for further research on hypoallergenic peanut products.

Systematic bioinformatics analysis reveals the role of shikonin in blocking colon cancer progression by identifying senescence-induced genes.

Shikonin, a naturally occurring naphthoquinone compound extracted from comfrey plants, has antitumor, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties. Cell senescence plays a key role in preventing tumor progression. It is unclear whether shikonin has an effect on cell senescence in colon cancer. In the current study, we first determine the IC50 values of shikonin on colon cancer cell lines HT29 and HCT116. Then, we verified the inhibitory effects of shikonin on the proliferation and migration abilities of colon cancer cell lines HT29 and HCT116 using cell counting kit-8, colony formation, and wound healing assays. Next, we identified a series of potential targets using high-throughput mRNA sequencing and identified 210 upregulated and 296 downregulated genes. KEGG profiling revealed eight downregulated genes associated with cell senescence: CCNB3, IL-1α, CXCL8, CDKN2A, MYC, IGFBP3, SQSTM1, and GADD45G. Among them, CXCL8 and CDKN2A were associated with poor prognosis in patients with colon cancer, suggesting that their downregulation by shikonin could improve patient survival. Furthermore, SA-ß-galactosidase staining revealed that the percentage of cellular senescence in colon cancer cells was significantly increased after shikonin treatment. Molecular docking revealed that shikonin suppressed colon cancer progression by blocking CXCL8 activity. Based on these findings, we deem that shikonin might induce senescence and exert antitumor activity in colon cancer cells by downregulating CDKN2A and CXCL8. This provides a new molecular mechanism and potential therapeutic target for shikonin to inhibit colon cancer progression.

Comparison of different tracers in sentinel lymph node detection for endometrial cancer: A systematic review and network meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: In the realm of endometrial cancer (EC) therapeutics and prognostic assessments, lymph nodes' status is paramount. The sentinel lymph node (SLN) detection, recognized for its reliability, has been progressively adopted as a standard procedure, posing a compelling alternative to conventional systematic lymphadenectomy. However, there remains a lack of agreement on the most effective choice of tracers for this procedure. OBJECTIVE: This investigation was dedicated to a comparative analysis of various tracers to identify the most effective combination that achieves the highest detection rate. This endeavor sought to enhance the efficacy of SLN biopsy in the surgical management of EC. METHODS: A systematic review was conducted across multiple databases, including the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and clinicaltrials.gov, to analyze studies employing different tracers for SLN biopsy during surgery in EC. Using Bayesian network meta-analysis, we compared the total and bilateral detection rates of various tracers. RESULTS: After screening 1431 articles, 11 studies including 2699 participants were selected in this network meta-analysis. The combination of radioactive isotopes and indocyanine green (ICG) emerged as the most efficacious method in total and bilateral detection rates, with the Surface Under the Cumulative Ranking Curve (SUCRA) scores of 80.00% and 86.36%, respectively. Additionally, carbon nanoparticles (CNPs) demonstrated superior performance in the detection of para-aortic lymph nodes with an SUCRA score of 97.77%. CONCLUSION: Network meta-analysis shows that the application of radioactive isotopes and ICG is the optimal tracer combination for SLN biopsy during surgery in EC.

Slightly acidic electrolyzed water treatment enhances the quality attributes and the storability of postharvest litchis through regulating the metabolism of reactive oxygen species.

Effects of slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW) on the storability, quality attributes, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) metabolism of litchis were investigated. Results showed that SAEW-treated litchis presented better quality attributes and storability than control litchis. On storage day 5, the commercially acceptable fruit rate of control litchis was 42%, while SAEW-treated litchis displayed 59% higher rate of commercially acceptable fruit, 21% lower pericarp browning index, and 13% lower weight loss percentage than control litchis. Additionally, compared to control litchis, SAEW-treated litchis demonstrated higher activities of SOD, CAT and APX, higher levels of GSH, AsA, DPPH radical scavenging ability, and reducing power, but lower O2 -· generation rate, lower levels of H2O2 and MDA. These findings indicated that SAEW treatment could elevate antioxidant capacity and ROS scavenging ability, reduce ROS production and accumulation, and lower membrane lipid peroxidation, thereby retaining the quality attributes and storability of litchis.

The Synergistic Effect of Aramid Nanofibers and Carbon Nanotubes on Micro-Silicon Anodes for Improved Stability and Conductivity.

Despite the continuous development of energy storage, the challenges faced by micro-silicon anode pulverization have yet to be effectively addressed. In this work, the aramid nanofibers (ANFs) are in situ protonated on the surface of silicon micro-particles (SMPs), and also act as surfactants to bundle the carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to form ANF/CNT networks on SMPs (ANF/CNT/SMPs) at the same time. The results demonstrate that the dual-coating not only inhibits expansion and enhances structural stability but also improves conductivity, thereby promoting the cycling stability of micro-silicon anodes. The ANF/CNT/SMP anode shows cycling stability of 454 mAh g-1 at 0.2 A g-1 after 200 cycles. The expansion in thickness of the ANF/CNT/SMP electrode can be reduced by 51.5% after 100 cycles compared with the SMP electrode. The findings provide a novel approach for mitigating expansion in micro-silicon anodes through the combined coating of ANFs and CNTs.

Discussion of the classification of pediatric drug clinical trials in children's hospitals in China.

Objectives: This study aimed to gain insights into pediatric clinical trials conducted in children's hospitals in China and provide valuable references for the development of children's hospitals and the research and development of pediatric drugs. Methods: A comprehensive search was performed on the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (Chi CTR) and ChinaDrugTrials.org.cn to collect information on all clinical trials involving subjects under 18 years, including those conducted in children's hospitals. The retrieval period was extended until 31 December 2022. Results: A total of 459 pediatric clinical trials were collected, comprising 299 from Chi CTR and 160 from the Drug Clinical Trial Registration and Information Publicity Platform (Information Platform). Post-marketing drug studies and phase III clinical trials accounted for the majority of research stages. These trials covered a wide range of diseases/systems, with a particular focus on respiratory system disorders, tumors, endocrine disorders, and nutritional or metabolic diseases. Chemical drugs constituted the most extensively studied category, while traditional Chinese medicine/natural drugs received comparatively less attention. Clinical trial activities were primarily geographically focused on the eastern coastal regions of China, with multicenter trials being the most predominant. Ethics committee approval was obtained for 427 studies. Conclusion: The pediatric clinical trials conducted by children's hospitals in China have shown an overall upward trend; however, there is limited research focusing on traditional Chinese medicine, along with significant regional and institutional imbalances. Furthermore, there is still room for improvement regarding ethical review processes. It is recommended that children's hospitals enhance their scientific research capabilities while optimizing resource allocation to meet medical service demands effectively. Additionally, fostering more research-focused children's hospitals will contribute to the high-quality development of children's health in China.

[Association of the -c.108C>T and c.192Q>R polymorphisms of the PON1 gene with preeclampsia among Chinese women].

OBJECTIVE: To assess the association of -c.108C>T and c.192Q>R polymorphisms of paraoxonase 1 (PON1) gene with preeclampsia (PE) and the influence of genotypes on the metabolic and oxidative stress indexes among Chinese women. METHODS: This case-control study has included 334 patients with PE and 1337 healthy pregnant women. The -c.108C>T and c.192Q>R genotypes were determined by PCR and restriction fragment length polymorphism method. Metabolic and oxidative stress parameters were also analyzed. RESULTS: No statistical difference in the genotypic and allelic frequencies for the -c.108C>T and c.192Q>R polymorphisms of the PON1 gene was found between the PE patients and the healthy controls (P > 0.05). Nevertheless, the 192Q-108T haplotype of these polymorphisms was associated with an increased risk of PE (P = 0.007). Total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and atherosderosis index were higher in patients with the -108TT genotype compared with those with a CT genotype (P < 0.05); whilst total oxidant status was lower in patients with a CT genotype compared with those with a CC genotype (P = 0.036). Malondialdehyde level was higher in patients with a 192RR genotype compared with those with a QQ genotype (P = 0.019). TAC level was higher in patients with a RR genotype compared with those with a QR genotype (P = 0.015). CONCLUSION: The 192Q-108T haplotype of the PON1 gene is associated with the risk for PE. These polymorphisms may be associated with abnormal lipid metabolism and oxidative stress among Chinese PE patients.

Genome-wide association study provided insights into the polled phenotype and polled intersex syndrome (PIS) in goats.

BACKGROUND: Breeding polled goats is a welfare-friendly approach for horn removal in comparison to invasive methods. To gain a comprehensive understanding of the genetic basis underlying polledness in goats, we conducted whole-genome sequencing of 106 Xinong Saanen dairy goats, including 33 horned individuals, 70 polled individuals, and 3 polled intersexuality syndrome (PIS) individuals. METHODS: The present study employed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) and linkage disequilibrium (LD) analysis to precisely map the genetic locus underlying the polled phenotype in goats. RESULTS: The analysis conducted in our study revealed a total of 320 genome-wide significant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with the horned/polled phenotype in goats. These SNPs exhibited two distinct peaks on chromosome 1, spanning from 128,817,052 to 133,005,441 bp and from 150,336,143 to 150,808,639 bp. The present study identified three genome-wide significant SNPs, namely Chr1:129789816, Chr1:129791507, and Chr1:129791577, as potential markers of PIS-affected goats. The results of our LD analysis suggested a potential association between MRPS22 and infertile intersex individuals, as well as a potential association between ERG and the polled trait in goats. CONCLUSION: We have successfully identified three marker SNPs closely linked to PIS, as well as several candidate genes associated with the polled trait in goats. These results may contribute to the development of SNP chips for early prediction of PIS in goats, thereby facilitating breeding programs aimed at producing fertile herds with polled traits.

peri-Fused polyaromatic molecular contacts for perovskite solar cells.

Molecule-based selective contacts have become a crucial component to ensure high-efficiency inverted perovskite solar cells1-5. These molecules always consist of a conjugated core with heteroatom substitution to render the desirable carrier-transport capability6-9. So far, the design of successful conjugation cores has been limited to two N-substituted π-conjugated structures, carbazole and triphenylamine, with molecular optimization evolving around their derivatives2,5,10-12. However, further improvement of the device longevity has been hampered by the concomitant limitations of the molecular stability induced by such heteroatom-substituted structures13,14. A more robust molecular contact without sacrificing the electronic properties is in urgent demand, but remains a challenge. Here we report a peri-fused polyaromatic core structure without heteroatom substitution that yields superior carrier transport and selectivity over conventional heteroatom-substituted core structures. This core structure produced a relatively chemically inert and structurally rigid molecular contact, which considerably improved the performance of perovskite solar cells in terms of both efficiency and durability. The champion device showed an efficiency up to 26.1% with greatly improved longevity under different accelerated-ageing tests.

Superconductivity with T c of 116 K discovered in antimony polyhydrides.

Superconductivity (SC) was experimentally observed for the first time in antimony polyhydride. The diamond anvil cell combined with a laser heating system was used to synthesize the antimony polyhydride sample at high pressure and high temperature. In-situ high pressure transport measurements as a function of temperature with an applied magnetic field were performed to study the SC properties. It was found that the antimony polyhydride samples show superconducting transition with critical temperature T c 116 K at 184 GPa. The investigation of SC at magnetic field revealed the superconducting coherent length of ∼40 Å based on the Ginzburg Landau (GL) equation. Antimony polyhydride superconductor has the second highest T c in addition to sulfur hydride among the polyhydrides of elements from main groups IIIA to VIIA in the periodic table.

Full-length agave transcriptome reveals candidate glycosyltransferase genes involved in hemicellulose biosynthesis.

Agave species are typical crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) plants commonly cultivated to produce beverages, fibers, and medicines. To date, few studies have examined hemicellulose biosynthesis in Agave H11648, which is the primary cultivar used for fiber production. We conducted PacBio sequencing to obtain full-length transcriptome of five agave tissues: leaves, shoots, roots, flowers, and fruits. A total of 41,807 genes were generated, with a mean length of 2394 bp and an annotation rate of 97.12 % using public databases. We identified 42 glycosyltransferase genes related to hemicellulose biosynthesis, including mixed-linkage glucan (1), glucomannan (5), xyloglucan (16), and xylan (20). Their expression patterns were examined during leaf development and fungal infection, together with hemicellulose content. The results revealed four candidate glycosyltransferase genes involved in xyloglucan and xylan biosynthesis, including glucan synthase (CSLC), xylosyl transferase (XXT), xylan glucuronyltransferase (GUX), and xylan α-1,3-arabinosyltransferase (XAT). These genes can be potential targets for manipulating xyloglucan and xylan traits in agaves, and can also be used as candidate enzymatic tools for enzyme engineering. We have provided the first full-length transcriptome of agave, which will be a useful resource for gene identification and characterization in agave species. We also elucidated the hemicellulose biosynthesis machinery, which will benefit future studies on hemicellulose traits in agave.

RGO/CuCl-Based Flexible Gas Sensor for High-Concentration Carbon Monoxide Gas Detection at Room Temperature.

Carbon monoxide (CO) gas sensors are widely used, especially for environmental monitoring in confined spaces such as the landscape of mining cave ruins in mining parks, which is essential for ensuring the health and safety of tourists and staff. In this paper, a flexible CO gas sensor based on polyimide, interdigital electrodes, and reduced graphene oxide (RGO)/cuprous chloride (CuCl) composite film is designed and manufactured for reliable room temperature detection of high-concentration CO gas. The structure size of RGO/CuCl gas-sensitive film is 5 × 5 mm. The RGO with a 62.65% C-C bond is prepared by the thermal reduction method. The test results show that the sensor has a high response in the range of 400-2000 ppm CO gas concentration, and the maximum response is 1.56. The linear correlation coefficient of the sensor is 0.981, which indicates that the sensor has good output response characteristics. The response time of the sensor for 400 ppm CO gas is 332 s, which indicates that the sensor has a fast response rate. Furthermore, compared with other gases, the sensor shows higher gas selectivity for CO gas. This sensor has the characteristics of small size and easy attachment; therefore, it can be installed on the shoulder or helmet of tourists' safety suits, providing personalized real-time warning prompts for tourists' physical health status.

The Role of Traditional Chinese Medicines in the Treatment of Osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis (OP) represents a substantial public health issue and is associated with increasing rates of morbidity and mortality. It is characterized by reduced bone mineral density, deterioration of bone tissue quality, disruption of the microarchitecture of bones, and compromised bone strength. These changes may be attributed to the following factors: intercellular communication between osteoblasts and osteoclasts; imbalanced bone remodeling; imbalances between osteogenesis and adipogenesis; imbalances in hormonal regulation; angiogenesis; chronic inflammation; oxidative stress; and intestinal microbiota imbalances. Treating a single aspect of the disease is insufficient to address its multifaceted nature. In recent decades, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has shown great potential in the treatment of OP, and the therapeutic effects of Chinese patent drugs and Chinese medicinal herbs have been scientifically proven. TCMs, which contain multiple components, can target the diverse pathogeneses of OP through a multitargeted approach. Herbs such as XLGB, JTG, GSB, Yinyanghuo, Gusuibu, Buguzhi, and Nvzhenzi are among the TCMs that can be used to treat OP and have demonstrated promising effects in this context. They exert their therapeutic effects by targeting various pathways involved in bone metabolism. These TCMs balance the activity of osteoblasts (bone-forming cells) and osteoclasts (bone-resorbing cells), and they exhibit anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, anti-oxidative, and estrogen-like functions. These multifaceted mechanisms underlie the efficacy of these herbs in the management and treatment of OP. Herein, we examine the efficacy of various Chinese herbs and Chinese patent drugs in treating OP by reviewing previous clinical trials and basic experiments, and we examine the potential mechanism of these therapies to provide evidence regarding the use of TCM for treating OP.

Analysis of heaping-induced decline in olive quality: insights from integrated analysis between phenotypic traits and gene expression profiles.

Heaping is an unavoidable process before olive milling, and its duration significantly affects the olive quality. However, there is limited research on the quality changes of olive fruits on a short-time scale. To gain a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying postharvest deterioration of olives, this study piled olives at room temperature and extracted oil at 0, 8, 24, 48 and 72 h to analyze oil quality parameters. Gas/Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC/LC-MS) techniques were employed to investigate variations in metabolite contents. Concurrently, the transcriptional profiles of olives during heaping were examined. As piling time progressed, quality indicators declined, and stored fruit were categorized into three groups based on their quality characters: '0 h' belongs to the first category, '8 h' and '24 h' to the second category, and '48 h' and '72 h' to the third category. Metabolite changes were consistent with the expression patterns of genes related to their synthesis pathways. Additionally, ethylene was identified as a crucial factor influencing fruit senescence. These findings establish a foundation for further research on olive deterioration after harvesting and offer insights for optimizing olive oil production.

Vapor deposition strategy for implanting isolated Fe sites into papermaking nanofibers-derived N-doped carbon aerogels for liquid Electrolyte-/All-Solid-State Zn-Air batteries.

Single-atom catalysts (SACs), with precisely controlled metal atom distribution and adjustable coordination architecture, have gained intensive concerns as efficient oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) electrocatalysts in Zn-air batteries (ZAB). The attainment of a monodispersed state for metallic atoms anchored on the carbonaceous substrate remains the foremost research priority; however, the persistent challenges lie in the relatively weak metal-support interactions and the instability of captured single atom active sites. Furthermore, in order to achieve rapid transport of O2 and other reactive substances within the carbon matrix, manufacturing SACs based on multi-stage porous carbon substrates is highly anticipated. Here, we propose a methodology for the fabrication of carbon aerogels (CA)-supported SACs utilizing papermaking nanofibers, which incorporates advanced strategies for N-atom self-doping, defect/vacancy introduction, and single-atom interface engineering. Specifically, taking advantages of using green and energy-efficient feedstocks, combining with a direct pore-forming template volatilization and chemical vapor deposition approach, we successfully developed N-doped carbon aerogels immobilized with separated iron sites (Fe-SAC@N/CA-Cd). The obtained Fe-SAC@N/CA-Cd exhibited substantially large specific surface area (SBET = 1173 m2/g) and a multi-level pore structure, which can effectively mitigate the random aggregation of Fe atoms during pyrolysis. As a result, it demonstrated appreciable activity and stability in catalyzing the ORR progress (E1/2 = 0.88 V, Eonset = 0.96 V). Furthermore, the assembled liquid electrolyte-state Zn-air batteries (LES-ZAB) and all-solid-state Zn-air battery (ASS-ZAB) also provides encouraging performance, with a peak power density of 169 mW cm-2 for LES-ZAB and a maximum power density of 124 mW cm-2 for ASS-ZAB.

Ononin inhibits triple-negative breast cancer lung metastasis by targeting the EGFR-mediated PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway.

The spreading of cancer cells from the primary tumor site to other parts of the body, known as metastasis, is the leading cause of cancer recurrence and mortality in patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Overexpression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is observed in approximately 70% of TNBC patients. EGFR is crucial for promoting tumor metastasis and associated with poor prognosis. Therefore, it is vital to identify effective therapeutic strategies targeting EGFR inhibition. Ononin, an isoflavonoid found in various plants, such as clover and soybeans, has been shown to have anticancer properties in several cancers. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the effects of ononin on TNBC lung metastasis and the associated molecular pathways. We used various assays, including cell viability, colony formation, Transwell, wound healing, ELISA, Western blotting, and staining techniques, to achieve this objective. The results demonstrated that ononin effectively suppressed cellular proliferation and induced apoptosis, as evidenced by the cell viability assay, colony formation assay, and expression of apoptosis markers, and reduced the metastatic capabilities of TNBC cells. These effects were achieved through the direct suppression of cell adhesion, invasiveness and motility. Furthermore, in TNBC xenograft lung metastatic models, ononin treatment significantly reduced tumor growth and lung metastasis. Additionally, ononin reversed the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) by downregulating the expression of EMT markers and matrix metalloproteinases, as confirmed by Western blot analysis. Furthermore, ononin treatment reduced EGFR phosphorylation and suppressed the PI3K, Akt, and mTOR signaling pathways, which was further confirmed using EGFR agonists or inhibitors. Importantly, ononin treatment did not exert any toxic effects on liver or kidney function. In conclusion, our findings suggest that ononin is a safe and potentially therapeutic treatment for TNBC metastasis that targets the EGFR-mediated PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway. Further studies are warranted to validate its efficacy and explore its potential clinical applications.

Widely Targeted Metabolomic Analysis Revealed the Diversity in Milk from Goats, Sheep, Cows, and Buffaloes and Its Association with Flavor Profiles.

The milk flavor can be attributed to the presence of numerous flavor molecules and precursors. In this study, we employed widely targeted metabolomic analysis techniques to analyze the metabolic profiles of various milk samples obtained from goats, sheep, dairy cows, and buffaloes. A total of 631 metabolites were identified in the milk samples, which were further categorized into 16 distinct classes. Principal component analysis (PCA) suggested that the metabolite profiles of samples from the same species exhibit clustering, while separated patterns of metabolite profiles are observed across goat, sheep, cow, and buffalo species. The differential metabolites between the groups of each species were screened based on fold change and variable importance in projection (VIP) values. Five core differential metabolites were subsequently identified, including 3-(3-hydroxyphenyl)-3-hydroxypropanoic acid, inosine 5'-triphosphate, methylcysteine, N-cinnamylglycine, and small peptide (L-tyrosine-L-aspartate). Through multiple comparisons, we also screened biomarkers of each type of milk. Our metabolomic data showed significant inter-species differences in the composition and concentration of some compounds, such as organic acids, amino acids, sugars, nucleotides, and their derivatives, which may affect the overall flavor properties of the milk sample. These findings provided insights into the molecular basis underlying inter-species variations in milk flavor.

Modification of myofibrillar protein structural characteristics: Effect of ultrasound-assisted first-stage thermal treatment on unwashed Silver Carp surimi gel.

The hardness properties of unwashed surimi gel are considered as the qualities of gelation defect. This research investigated the effect of ultrasound-assisted first-stage thermal treatment (UATT) on the physicochemical properties of unwashed Silver Carp surimi gel, and the enhancement mechanism. UATT could reduce protein particle size, which significantly reduced from 142.22 µm to 106.70 µm after 30 min of UATT compared with the nature protein. This phenomenon can promote the protein crosslinking, resulting in the hardness of surimi gel increased by 15.08 %. Partially unfolded structure of myofibrillar protein and exposures of tryptophan to water, lead to the increase in the zeta potential absolute value, driven by UATT. The reduced SH group level and the conformational conversion of proteins from random coiling to α-helix and ß-sheet, which was in support of intermolecular interaction and gel network construction. The results are valuable for processing protein gels and other food products.

Evaluating fit indices in a multilevel latent growth model with unbalanced design: a Monte Carlo study.

This study informed researchers about the performance of different level-specific and target-specific model fit indices in the Multilevel Latent Growth Model (MLGM) with unbalanced design. As the use of MLGMs is relatively new in applied research domain, this study helped researchers using specific model fit indices to evaluate MLGMs. Our simulation design factors included three levels of number of groups (50, 100, and 200) and three levels of unbalanced group sizes (5/15, 10/20, and 25/75), based on simulated datasets derived from a correctly specified MLGM. We evaluated the descriptive information of the model fit indices under various simulation conditions. We also conducted ANOVA to calculated the extent to which these fit indices could be influenced by different design factors. Based on the results, we made recommendations for practical and theoretical research about the fit indices. CFI- and TFI-related fit indices performed well in the MLGM and could be trustworthy to use to evaluate model fit under similar conditions found in applied settings. However, RMSEA-related fit indices, SRMR-related fit indices, and chi square-related fit indices varied by the factors included in this study and should be used with caution for evaluating model fit in the MLGM.