Expression profiling and single nucleotide polymorphism of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase 8 MAP3K8 in white muscovy ducks (Cairina moschata).

A previous study on ovarian and hypothalami transcriptome analysis in white Muscovy duck revealed that MAP3K8 gene participated in MAPK signaling pathway that influence egg production. Additionally, MAP3K8 was predicted as a target gene of miRNA-509-3p that promotes the secretion of oestradiol which is an important hormone in egg ovulation. This suggested that MAP3K8 might have a functional role in the reproductive performance "egg production" of white Muscovy ducks. Herein, we focused on expression level of MAP3K8 in reproductive and non-reproductive tissues of highest (HP) and lowest (LP) egg producing white Muscovy ducks and identified the polymorphism in MAP3K8 and its association with three egg production traits; Age at first egg (AFE), number of eggs at 300 days (N300D) and 59 weeks (N59W). The results of expression level indicated that mRNA of MAP3K8 was significantly (p < 0.01) expressed in the oviduct than in the ovary and hypothalamus. Seven synonymous SNPs were detected, and association analysis showed that g.148303340 G>A and g.148290065 A>G were significantly (p < 0.05) associated with N300D and N59W. The results of this study might serve as molecular marker for marker-assisted selection of white Muscovy ducks for egg production.

Generation of Functional Lentoid Bodies from Human-Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells.

The pathological mechanisms of cataract remain largely unknown due to the lack of appropriate in vitro cellular models. We developed a stable in vitro system, namely, a "fried egg" differentiation method to generate functional lentoid bodies (LBs) from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). The iPSCs-derived LBs exhibited crystalline lens-like morphology and a transparent structure, and expressed lens-specific markers. TEM examination and optical analysis further demonstrated that it has the same cell arrangement structure and magnifying ability as lens.

Neurobiology of egg-laying behavior in Drosophila: neural control of the female reproductive system.

Egg-laying is one of the key aspects of female reproductive behavior in insects. Egg-laying has been studied since the dawn of Drosophila melanogaster as a model organism. The female's internal state, hormones, and external factors, such as nutrition, light, and social environment, affect egg-laying output. However, only recently, neurobiological features of egg-laying behavior have been studied in detail. fruitless and doublesex, two key players in the sex determination pathway, have become focal points in identifying neurons of reproductive significance in both central and peripheral nervous systems. The reproductive tract and external terminalia house sensory neurons that carry the sensory information of egg maturation, mating and egg-laying. These sensory signals include the presence of male accessory gland products and mechanical stimuli. The abdominal neuromere houses neurons that receive information from the reproductive tract, including sex peptide abdominal ganglion neurons (SAGs), and send their information to the brain. In the brain, neuronal groups like aDNs and pC1 clusters modulate egg-laying decision-making, and other neurons like oviINs and oviDNs are necessary for egg-laying itself. Lastly, motor neurons involved in egg-laying, which are mostly octopaminergic, reside in the abdominal neuromere and orchestrate the muscle movements required for laying the egg. Egg-laying neuronal control is important in various evolutionary processes like cryptic female choice, and using different Drosophila species can provide intriguing avenues for the future of the field.

Evaluation of chicken embryo extract and egg yolk extract as alternatives to basic cell culture medium supplement.

BACKGROUND: Fetal calf serum (FCS), an existing cell culture supplement, is effective but has several drawbacks, including being expensive, requiring a lengthy process of production, and requiring a hard currency. With this in mind, we planned to evaluate chick embryo extract and egg yolk extracts in cell culture as alternatives to fetal calf serum (FCS). METHODS: Specific pathogen-free eggs were purchased from the National Veterinary Institute, Bishoftu, Ethiopia, and incubated in a humidified incubator at 37 °C for 11 days. Egg yolk extract (EYE) and chick embryo extract (CEE) were collected after the egg was opened with caution not to destroy the yolk sack or the chick embryo itself. Chick fibroblasts and Vero cells were cultured in minimum essential medium (MEM) supplemented with egg yolk extract or chick embryo extract at ratios of 0:10, 1:9, 2.5:7.5, and 5:5% fetal calf serum. RESULTS: Fibroblast cell attachment was better in media supplemented with 5% CEE and 5% FCS. The confluency was also greater than 50% at this concentration. Vero cells cultured with 5% CEE and 5% FCS also exhibited very good cell attachment and a confluency of up to 70%. Viability and confluency were also observed at 5%:5% ratios of 50 and 70%, respectively. CONCLUSION: This investigation evaluated these two extracts as cell culture supplements and revealed promising results as alternatives to fetal calf serum. The limitation of this study is that it only used two cell types and additional cell lines, and different ratios should be tested. With the above findings, further research using different cell lines, ratios and conditions is warranted.

A comprehensive review on freeze-induced deterioration of frozen egg yolks: Freezing behaviors, gelation mechanisms, and control techniques.

Over the years, the production of eggs has increased tremendously, with an estimated global egg production of 9.7 billion by 2050. Further processing of shell eggs to egg products has gained growing popularity. Liquid egg yolks, an innovative form of egg replacement, still suffer from short shelf-life issues, and freezing has been applied to maintain freshness. An undesirable phenomenon called "gelation" was found during the production of frozen egg yolks, which has attracted numerous scholars to study its mechanism and quality control methods. Therefore, we comprehensively reviewed the history of the studies on frozen egg yolks, including the production procedure, the fundamentals of freezing, the gelation mechanism, the factors affecting gelation behaviors, and the techniques to control the gelation behaviors of frozen egg yolks. Reporting the production procedure and freezing fundamentals of frozen egg yolks will give readers a better understanding of the science and technological aspects of frozen egg yolks. Furthermore, a comprehensive summary of the mechanism of egg yolk gel formation induced by freeze-thawing and relevant control techniques will provide insights to researchers and manufacturers in the field of frozen egg processing.

Determining the optimal level and the effect of different zinc sources on performance, egg quality and the immune system of laying hens at the end of the production period.

BACKGROUND: Trace elements, such as zinc, magnesium and copper, are essential for improving the performance and health of broiler breeders and the development of chicken embryos. These elements are integral to various proteins involved in metabolism, hormone secretion and the immune system, necessitating their inclusion in small amounts in poultry diets. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to determine the optimal level and effect of different zinc sources on performance, egg quality and the immune system of laying hens at the end of the production period. METHODS: The experiment involved 520 Lohmann LSL laying hens, aged 80 weeks, divided into 13 treatments with 5 replications and 8 birds per replication. The hens were fed diets supplemented with 40, 60 and 80 mg/kg of zinc from various sources: mineral zinc oxide, mineral zinc sulphate, organic zinc chelated with glycine and organic zinc chelated with an organic acid. Key parameters measured included body weight, egg weight and immune response. RESULTS: The basal diet contained 63.58 mg/kg of zinc, with the requirement per the Lohmann LSL guideline being 80 mg/kg. Zinc supplementation significantly increased body weight in the second month, with 80 mg/kg being the optimal dose. Zinc oxide notably increased egg weight compared to the control. The hens utilized zinc from all sources, resulting in weight gain and improved parameters such as egg quality. Immune parameters were also positively influenced by zinc supplementation. CONCLUSIONS: Zinc supplementation at appropriate levels enhances the performance and egg quality of laying hens, particularly at the end of the production period. It improves bioavailability, enriches eggs and mitigates age-related declines in productivity.

Emulsifying properties of egg proteins: Influencing factors, modification techniques, and applications.

As an essential food ingredient with good nutritional and functional properties and health benefits, eggs are widely utilized in food formulations. In particular, egg proteins have good emulsification properties and can be commonly used in various food products, such as mayonnaise and baked goods. Egg protein particles can act as stabilizers for Pickering emulsions because they can effectively adsorb at the oil-water interface, reduce interfacial tension, and form a stable physical barrier. Due to their emulsifying properties, biocompatibility, controlled release capabilities, and ability to protect bioactive substances, egg proteins have become ideal carriers for encapsulating and delivering functional substances. The focus of this review is to summarize current advances in using egg proteins as emulsifiers. The effects of influencing factors (temperature, pH, and ionic strength) and various modification methods (physical, chemical, and biological modification) on the emulsifying properties of egg proteins are discussed. In addition, the application of egg proteins as emulsifiers in food products is presented. Through in-depth research on the emulsifying properties of egg proteins, the optimization of their applications in food, biomedical, and other fields can be achieved.

Integrating Genomics and Transcriptomics to Identify Candidate Genes for Egg Production in Taihe Black-Bone Silky Fowls (Gallus gallus domesticus Brisson).

The Taihe Black-Bone Silky Fowl (Gallus gallus domesticus Brisson) possesses significant value in terms of consumption, medicinal applications, and ornamental appeal, representing a precious genetic resource and traditional Chinese medicinal material. However, considerable variation exists within populations regarding egg-laying performance. This study integrates a whole-genome selection signal analysis (SSA) with a transcriptome analysis to identify genes associated with egg-laying traits in Taihe Black-Bone Silky Fowls. We identified 31 candidate genes under selection from the high-yield chicken (HC) and low-yield chicken (LC) groups. Additionally, through RNA-seq analysis, 257 common differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified from four comparative groups. Two overlapping genes-LPL and SETBP1-were found in both the selected gene and DEG lists. These selected genes and DEGs were enriched in pathways related to ovarian development, including the lysosome pathway, the ECM-receptor interaction pathway, the TGF-beta signaling pathway, the Wnt signaling pathway, the PPAR signaling pathway, and the glycerolipid metabolism pathway. These research findings contribute to the breeding of Taihe Black-Bone Silky Fowls with high egg production traits and provide a theoretical foundation for exploring the regulatory mechanisms of avian reproduction.

Effects of Panax ginseng root meal as feed additive on reproductive performance of Cameroon kabir hens.

The Cameroon Kabir chicken has several production traits which makes it desirable by many farmers and hobbyists. This study was aimed at evaluating the potential of P. ginseng as a feed additive in the diet of Cameroon kabir hens reared under intensive conditions. A total of 84 kabir chickens were weighed and assigned to four dietary treatments. The birds in T0 were fed the control diet (0 % PGRM), while those in T1, T2, T3, were fed diets containing 0.5, 0.75 and 1 % PGRM respectively. The results showed that there was a significant difference (p < 0.05) in the egg lay, egg mass and hen-day egg production of the birds between the 0.5 % and 0.75 % PGRM groups. The 0.75 % PGRM group recorded the highest mean egg weight, and it was significantly (p < 0.05) different from the other PGRM groups, but similar (p > 0.05) to the control. There was also a significant difference (p < 0.05) in the hatchability percent between the 0.5 % and 0.75 % treatments groups, with the 0.5 % group recording the highest hatchability percent of 65.14 %, and the 0.75 % group recording the least hatchability percent of 12.94 %. Results for the chick hatching weights showed significant differences (p < 0.05) between the 0.75 % PGRM group and the control. In conclusion, P. ginseng as a feed additive in the diet of Cameroon kabir hens at 0.5 % improved their reproductive performance, and also improved the survivability of their offspring better but not in the number of eggs laid by chicks.

Mannan oligosaccharides as a prebiotic for laying hens: effects on fertility, hatchability, productive performance, and immunity.

This experiment examined how adding mannan-oligosaccharides (MOS) to the diet affected fertility, hatching rates, egg production, carcass characteristics, cost-effectiveness, and immune function in laying hens. One hundred and twenty Mandarah chickens (30 hens and 3 roosters per group) were randomly chosen between 34 and 50 wk old and divided into four groups. The first group was the control group, which was given just the basal diet. The basal diet was given to the second, third, and fourth experimental groups along with three different levels of MOS (0.1, 0.2, and 0.5 g/kg diet, respectively). Results found that hens fed MOS at various levels laid eggs at a significantly higher rate, enhanced egg number, egg mass and feed conversion ratio than the control group (P < 0.05). MOS seemed to improve carcass quality. The best results for egg quality (Haugh unit) and testosterone levels were seen with a dose of 0.5 g/kg of MOS compared to the control birds (P < 0.05). All MOS levels led to higher estradiol-17ß (E2) levels and better economic efficiency (EE). MOS also improved the hens' immune systems as compared to the control group. Hens-fed MOS had significantly greater levels of antibodies against Influenza viruses (H9N2) and Infectious Bronchitis Virus (P < 0.05). Also, the spleen and thymus gland, both crucial immune system components, were slightly larger (P < 0.05). It's important to note that fertility rates, hatchability, and embryo mortality rates remained similar across all groups. So, our findings suggest that incorporating MOS into the birds' diet enhances their productivity, strengthens their immune system, improves EE, and contributes to the overall health of the hens.

A comparison of ondansetron in preventing postoperative nausea and vomiting for patients with or without preoperative anxiety with painless egg retrieval: a prospective, randomized, controlled trial.

Background: Patients undergoing painless egg retrieval are prone to preoperative anxiety, and whether preoperative anxiety induces postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) is debated. The primary objective of this prospective, randomized, controlled study was to compare the clinical effect of ondansetron in preventing PONV for patients with and without preoperative anxiety. The secondary objective was to investigate whether preoperative anxiety was associated with PONV. Methods: The self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) was used to assess the anxiety patients undergoing painless egg retrieval. Patients with a SAS standard score of 50-60 were selected to the anxiety group (n=105); and patients with a SAS standard score of 25-35 were assigned to the non-anxiety group (n=104). Venous blood samples of both groups of patients were obtained during admission and 1 hour after surgery, and all serotonin (5-HT) levels were tested using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The anxiety group was then randomly assigned into two subgroups: ondansetron (AO group, n=53) and placebo saline (AS group, n=52). Similarly, patients in the non-anxiety group were also randomly assigned to one of two subgroups: ondansetron (NO group, n=51) and placebo saline (NS group, n=53). The AO and NO groups received 8 mg (4 mL) of intravenous ondansetron 15 minutes before surgery, while the AS and NS groups received an equivalent volume (4 mL) of normal saline. We then analyzed the vital signs, risk factors for nausea and vomiting, intraoperative anesthetic doses, incidences of nausea and vomiting in 24 hours after surgery, serum 5-HT level before and after surgery, other adverse responses, pain scores, and satisfaction. Results: A total of 200 patients eventually completed this study. The serum 5-HT values in the anxiety group were higher before and after surgery than in the non-anxiety group (P<0.05), but there was no significant difference in serum 5-HT before and after surgery in the same group (P>0.05). The incidence of PONV was more significant in the AS group than in the NS group (P<0.05). The incidence of PONV was also higher in the AS group than in the AO group (P<0.05). Still, there was no statistically significant difference between the NO and NS groups (P>0.05). There were no significant differences between the four groups in vital signs, risk factors for nausea and vomiting, intraoperative anesthetic doses, other adverse responses and pain scores (P>0.05). Patients in the AS group had lower satisfaction scores than those in the other three groups (P<0.05). Conclusions: Patients experiencing preoperative anxiety have a greater risk of PONV following painless egg retrieval compared to those without preoperative anxiety. Ondansetron can reduce the occurrence of PONV in patients with preoperative anxiety, but it has no discernible preventative effect in non-anxious patients. Trial Registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR2400079504.

Biofunctional components and bacterial dynamics of enzymatic and fermentatively prepared rohu (Labeo rohita) egg sauce.

The present study focused on preparing rohu egg sauce using optimized conditions through enzymatic and fermentative methods. The enzymatic preparation of rohu egg sauce (ERS) involved homogenizing the eggs in water at a ratio of 1:0.9 (w/v), followed by the addition of salt (20% w/w) and papain (3% w/w). A mixture containing salt (25% w/w), sugar (7.5% w/w), and inoculum (10% (w/v)) of Pediococcus pentosaceus FSBP4-40 was utilized to prepare fermentatively produced rohu egg sauce (FRS). ERS and FRS were then stored at room temperature (25 ± 2 °C) and 37 °C for 180 days. After storage, both sauces were evaluated for their scavenging activity against DPPH, ABTS, and superoxide anion (SOA). The ERS demonstrated significantly higher DPPH, ABTS, and SOA scavenging activity compared to the FRS, with values of 61.61 ± 7.33%, 71.21 ± 2.14%, and 85.11 ± 4.92%, respectively, as opposed to 37.49 ± 5.34, 52.31 ± 1.76%, and 63.09 ± 2.31%. Significant changes were observed in the fatty acid profile of the sauces during 180 day storage. Furthermore, after 180 days, the bacterial counts in the FRS were much lower than in the ERS. Overall, this study highlights the importance of using enzymes and LAB in accelerating the hydrolytic process to produce biofunctional rohu egg sauce.

Interacting phenotypic plasticities: Do male and female responses to the sociosexual environment interact to determine fitness?

Socially induced plasticity in reproductive effort is a widely documented phenomenon. However, few empirical studies have examined how male and female plastic responses to the social environment might interact in determining fitness outcomes. In field crickets, Teleogryllus oceanicus, males respond to rival song by increasing expenditure on seminal fluid proteins that enhance competitive fertilization success at the cost of reduced embryo survival. It remains unknown whether plastic responses in females could moderate the effects of male competitiveness on offspring performance. Here we used a fully factorial design to explore the interacting effects on fitness of male and female plasticity to the sociosexual environment. We found that female crickets exposed to male song increased the number of eggs produced during early life reproduction, which came at a cost of reduced offspring size. There was evidence, albeit weak, that interacting effects of male and female sociosexual environment contributed to variation in the hatching success of eggs laid by females. Lifetime offspring production was unaffected by the sociosexual environments to which upstream male and female plastic responses were made. Our data offer a rare test of the theoretical expectation that male and female plasticities should interact in their effects on female fitness.

Fermented soybean meal improved laying performance and egg quality of laying hens by modulating cecal microbiota, nutrient digestibility, intestinal health, antioxidant and immunological functions.

Antinutritional factors in feedstuffs may limit their utilization in livestock production, but fermentation process can be used to improve feed quality; however, studies on fermented soybeans for laying hens remain limited. We investigated the effect of fermented soybean meal (FSBM) at various inclusion levels as a partial replacement for soybean meal (SBM) on egg production, egg quality, amino acid digestibility, gut morphology and microbiota, antioxidant capacity and immune response of young laying hens. A total of 360 Hy-line Brown laying hens aged 18 weeks were selected and divided into 5 groups of 6 replicates each and 12 birds per replicate. The control group received a basal diet while the trial group received the basal diet with FSBM included at 2.5%, 5.0%, 7.5% and 10.0%, respectively, for 12 weeks. Our findings revealed that the nutritional value of FSBM was higher compared to that of SBM in terms of reduced content of trypsin inhibitors and increased contents of crude protein, amino acids and minerals. FSBM enhanced egg production (P < 0.05), feed-to-egg ratio (P < 0.05), and albumen quality (albumen height and Haugh unit) (P < 0.05). Furthermore, FSBM improved apparent fecal amino acid digestibility (P < 0.05), gut morphology (increased villus height, villus width, villus height-to-crypt depth ratio and decreased crypt depth) (P < 0.05), antioxidant capacity (reduced malondialdehyde and increased catalase, total superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and total antioxidant capacity) (P < 0.05) and immune function (increased concentrations of IgG, IgA, and IgM; increased levels of transforming growth factor beta and Toll-like receptor 2; and reduced levels of interleukin 1ß and tumor necrosis factor alpha) (P < 0.05). Further analysis showed that FSBM altered the composition of the gut microbiota favoring beneficial microbes. These findings suggest that probiotic fermentation improved the nutritional value of SBM. The inclusion of FSBM in the diets of laying hens at 2.5% or 5.0% improved amino acid digestibility, gut health, immune function, egg production and egg quality.

Sawfly Sex Pheromones: Analysis of Their Impact on Pine Odor Attractive to Egg Parasitoids.

Pinus sylvestris trees are known to efficiently defend themselves against eggs of the herbivorous sawfly Diprion pini. Their direct defense against eggs is primable by prior exposure to the sex pheromones of this species and their indirect defense involves attraction of egg parasitoids by egg-induced pine needle odor. But it is unknown whether exposure of pine to D. pini sex pheromones also affects pine indirect defense against sawfly eggs. In this study, we investigated the influence of exposure of P. sylvestris trees to the sex pheromones of D. pini on indirect defense mediated by egg parasitoids. Behavioral assays with Closterocerus ruforum, a key parasitoid of sawfly eggs, revealed no significant attraction to odor from egg-free pines pre-exposed to pheromones. Chemical analyses of odor from egg-free pines showed no pheromone-induced change in the emission rates of the known key terpenoids promoting parasitoid attraction. Further comparative analyses of odor from egg-laden pines pre-exposed to the sex pheromones and of odor from egg-laden pines unexposed to pheromones neither revealed significant differences in the emission rates of terpenoids relevant for parasitoid attraction. The results suggest that a pheromone-induced or pheromone-primed, egg-induced pine indirect defense seems to be redundant in addition to the known pheromone-primable pine direct defense against the eggs and the known egg-inducible indirect defense.

RhoprCAPA-2 acts as a gonadotropin regulating reproduction in adult female, Rhodnius prolixus.

CAPA peptides play diverse roles in insects, modulating muscle contraction, regulating fluid balance, and reproduction. In Rhodnius prolixus, a hematophagous insect and a vector for human Chagas disease, three CAPA peptides are encoded by the capability gene, including RhoprCAPA-1, RhoprCAPA-2, and RhoprCAPA-PK-1. RhoprCAPA-2 is an anti-diuretic hormone in R. prolixus. Here, we explore the involvement of RhoprCAPA-2 in reproduction in adult female R. prolixus. Double-label immunohistochemistry reveals co-localization of RhoprCAPA-2-like and the glycoprotein hormone (GPA2/GPB5) subunit GPB5-like immunoreactivity in neurosecretory cells in the mesothoracic ganglionic mass and in their neurohemal sites, suggesting these peptides can be co-released to regulate physiological processes. qPCR analysis reveals changes in transcript expression levels of the RhoprCAPA receptor (CAPAR) in the fat body and reproductive tissues after feeding in adult female R. prolixus. RNA interference-mediated knockdown of CAPAR transcript decreases egg production and reduces hatching rate and survival rate in female R. prolixus. Downregulation of CAPAR decreases vitellogenin RhoprVg1 transcript expression in the fat body and deceases its receptor RhoprVgR transcript level in the ovaries; accompanied by a reduction in vitellogenin content in the fat body and hemolymph. Incubation of fat body and ovaries in vitro with RhoprCAPA-2 increases RhoprVg1 transcript expression in the fat body, vitellogenin content in the fat body culture medium, and increases RhoprVgR transcript in the ovaries. These findings implicate the CAPA signaling pathway in reproduction, with RhoprCAPA-2 acting as a gonadotropin in adult female R. prolixus.

Changes of Potent Odorants in Salted Duck Egg Yolk before and after Roasting.

As the second most widely consumed eggs, duck eggs are made into preserved eggs, salted duck eggs, and roasted duck eggs to extend their shelf-life. To investigate the differences in potent odorants (POs) between salted duck egg yolk (SDEY) and roasted duck egg yolk (RDEY), the volatiles in SDEY and RDEY were extracted through solvent extraction coupled with solvent-assisted flavor evaporation and were assayed with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-olfactometry. A total of 45 volatiles were identified in two samples, 24 odor-active compounds (OACs) were screened, and more OACs were in RDEY. The flavor-dilution (FD) factors of OACs were obtained by aroma extract dilution analysis and ranged from 3 to 6561. Twenty-two OACs with FD factors ≥ 9 were quantitated, and the results indicated the concentrations of OACs in yolk increased greatly after salted duck eggs were roasted. Based on the concentrations and thresholds, odor activity values (OAVs) were determined; 17 odorants with OAVs ≥ 1 were determined as POs. Acetoin was the most PO in SDEY; there were more POs in RDEY, including 2-ethyl-3,6-dimethylpyrazine, acetoin, 2-acetyl-3-methylthiophene, dihydro-4-hydroxy-2(3H)-furanone, etc. The outcomes obtained have reference values for making better use of duck eggs in the food industry.

Radial Egg White Hydrogel Releasing Extracellular Vesicles for Cell Fate Guidance and Accelerated Diabetic Skin Regeneration.

Topology and bioactive molecules are crucial for stimulating cellular and tissue functions. To regulate the chronic wound microenvironment, mono-assembly technology is employed to fabricate a radial egg white hydrogel loaded with lyophilized adipose tissue-extracellular vesicles (radial EWH@L-EVs). The radial architecture not only significantly modified the gene expression of functional cells, but also achieved directional and controlled release kinetics of L-EVs. Through the synergy of topographical and inherent bioactive cues, radial EWH@L-EVs effectively reduced intracellular oxidative stress and promoted the polarization of macrophages toward an anti-inflammatory phenotype during the inflammatory phase. Afterward, radial EWH@L-EVs facilitated the centripetal migration and proliferation of fibroblasts and endothelial cells as the wound transitioned to the proliferative phase. During the latter remodeling phase, radial EWH@L-EVs accelerated the regeneration of granulation tissue, angiogenesis, and collagen deposition, thereby promoting the reorganization chronic wound. Compared with the gold standard collagen scaffold, radial EWH@L-EVs actively accommodated the microenvironment via various functions throughout all stages of diabetic wound healing. This can be attributed to the orientation of topological structures and bioactive molecules, which should be considered of utmost importance in tissue engineering.

Targeted metabolomics reveals the contribution of degradation and oxidation of lipids and proteins mediated by pH to the formation of characteristic volatiles in preserved egg yolk during pickling.

Targeted metabolomics and flavouromics combined with relative odor activity value were performed to explore the effect of degradation and oxidation of matrix mediated by pH on the formation of characteristic volatiles in preserved egg yolk (PEY) during pickling. It was found that the oxidation of proteins and lipids in PEY induced by pH sequentially occurred in early and later periods, and degradation both mainly occurred in early stage. Moreover, 1-octen-3-one, heptanal, trimethylamine, etc., compounds and 5-HETrE, proline, etc., components were confirmed as up-regulated characteristic volatiles and differential metabolites in PEY during pickling. The formation of octanal-M/D and benzeneacetaldehyde-M was attributed to ß-oxidation of hydroxyeicosapentaenoic acid and L-isoleucine catalyzed by strong alkali at early period based on correlation network between them, respectively. Meanwhile, the generation of 1-octen-3-one-M/D mainly depended on L-serine and could be promoted by phosphatidylcholines oxidation. At later stage, the formation of heptanal-M/D was primarily attributed to phosphatidylethanolamines oxidation induced by alkali, and the enrichment of heptanal-M/D and nonanal were both enhanced by oxidized lipids. Lastly, trimethylamine was derived from L-lysine under alkaline conditions and promoted by protein oxidation during the whole process. This manuscript provided insight into the differential contribution of oxidation and degradation from matrix regulated by exogenous factors on the formation pathway for characteristic volatiles in foods.

Formation mechanism and stability of egg white fluid gels under ultrahigh-pressure homogenization pretreatment and synergistic heating effect.

The thermal sterilization process of protein beverages inevitably leads to the formation of insoluble thermal aggregates, greatly reducing the texture and taste of protein beverages. In this study, homogenized egg white (HEW) was obtained by ultrahigh-high-pressure (UHP) homogenization pretreatment of egg white (EW), and then a special egg white fluid gel (EWFG) was prepared by water bath heating. The results showed that the optimal conditions for preparing EWFG were three cycles at 20 MPa homogenizing pressure and heating in a water bath at 72℃ for 10 min. Under these conditions, the EWFG was a milky-white homogeneous liquid with an average particle size of about 560 nm. Measurements of the physicochemical properties of HEW and EWFG showed that the UHP homogenization treatment reduced the viscosity of HEW, decreased the particle size of protein aggregates, and increased the zeta potential, which altered the interactions of proteins during the subsequent heating process and facilitated the formation of homogeneous and dispersed EWFG. EWFG showed good stability at pH 6-10 and in low-concentration saline and medium-concentration sucrose solutions. The EWFG obtained by the present treatment is more suitable for factory-scale production and has great potential for protein beverage applications.