Potassium-Competitive Acid Blocker Versus Proton Pump Inhibitor: A Pilot Study on Comparable Efficacy in the Treatment of Gastroesophageal Reflux-Related Cough.

Acid inhibitors have been considered in treating gastroesophageal reflux-related cough (GERC). Compared to proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), potassium-competitive acid blockers (P-CABs) have more potent and durable effects on anti-acid secretion. However, whether vonoprazan and esomeprazole have different therapeutic effects on GERC remains unknown. Patients diagnosed with GERC were enrolled in our study and randomly treated with vonoprazan (20 mg, once daily, P-CAB) or esomeprazole (20 mg, twice daily, PPI) for two months. A prokinetic agent was also administered. Patients were followed up once a month. Cough severity visual analogue scale (VAS) was measured as the primary outcome, while cough symptom score (CSS) and scores for cough-related quality-of-life or reflux-related symptoms were the secondary endpoints. A total of 50 patients completed the study, with 25 patients in each group. P-CAB and PPI groups showed similar decreases in cough severity VAS and CSS scores after the 2-month treatment (all P < 0.001). For quality-of-life, the Leicester Cough Questionnaire (LCQ) score increased significantly from baseline in both groups, but the P-CAB group had greater improvement and a higher LCQ score in month 2 (all P ≤ 0.05). For reflux-related symptoms, the Hull Airway Reflux Questionnaire (HARQ) score declined substantially over time in the P-CAB group, while the reflux symptom index (RSI) score decreased in both groups. The P-CAB group tended to have a lower HARQ (P = 0.051) and RSI (P = 0.069) scores in month 2. In conclusion, vonoprazan may be comparable to esomeprazole in cough symptom relief in GERC during the 2-month treatment period, but possibly provides better gains on classic reflux symptoms and quality-of-life. The long-term efficacy of P-CABs on GERC may be worth further exploration. Trial Registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry Identifier: ChiCTR2200067089.

Effect of extrusion on the formation, structure and properties of yam starch-gallic acid complexes.

This paper investigated the effects of twin-screw extrusion treatment on the formation, structure and properties of yam starch-gallic acid complexes. Yam starch and gallic acid were extruded. The microstructure, gelatinization characteristics, and rheological properties of the samples were determined. The microstructure of extruded yam starch-gallic acid complexes presented a rough granular morphology, low swelling, and high solubility. The X-ray diffraction analysis showed that the extruded yam starch-gallic acid complexes exhibited A + V-type crystalline structure. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy results showed that the extrusion treatment could destroy the internal orderly structure of yam starch, and the addition of gallic acid could further reduce its molecular orderliness. Differential scanning calorimetry analysis showed a decrease in the enthalpy of gelatinization of the sample. Dynamic rheological analysis showed that the storage modulus and loss modulus of the extruded yam starch-gallic acid complexes were significantly reduced, exhibiting a weak gel system. The results of viscosity showed that extrusion synergistic gallic acid reduced the peak viscosity and setback value of starch. In addition, extrusion treatment had an inhibitory effect on the digestibility of yam starch, and enhanced the interaction of gallic acid with yam starch or hydrolytic enzymes. Therefore, extrusion synergistic gallic acid has improved the structure and properties of yam starch-related products, which can provide new directions and new ideas for the development of yam starch.

Effect of Konjac Glucomannan on Structure, Physicochemical Properties, and In Vitro Digestibility of Yam Starch during Extrusion.

In this study, the effect of konjac glucomannan (KGM, 0-5%) on the structure, physicochemical properties, and in vitro digestibility of extruded yam starch (EYS) was investigated. The EYS became rougher on the surface and the particle size increased as observed using scanning electron microscopy and particle size analysis. X-ray diffraction and Raman results revealed that the relative crystallinity (18.30% to 22.30%) of EYS increased, and the full width at half maxima at 480 cm-1 decreased with increasing KGM content, indicating the increment of long-range and short-range ordered structure. Differential scanning calorimetry and rheological results demonstrated that KGM enhanced thermal stability and the gel strength of EYS due to enhanced interaction between KGM and YS molecules. Additionally, a decrease in the swelling power and viscosity of EYS was observed with increased KGM content. The inclusion of KGM in the EYS increased the resistant starch content from 11.89% to 43.51%. This study provides a dual-modified method using extrusion and KGM for modified YS with high thermal stability, gel strength, and resistance to digestion.

GLUT1 mediates the release of HMGB1 from airway epithelial cells in mixed granulocytic asthma.

Asthma is quite heterogenous and can be categorized as eosinophilic, mixed granulocytic (presence of both eosinophils and neutrophils in the airways) and neutrophilic. Clinically, mixed granulocytic asthma (MGA) often tends to be severe and requires large doses of corticosteroids. High mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) is one of the epithelium-derived alarmins that contributes to type 2 inflammation and asthma. This study was aimed to investigate the role of glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) in modulation of airway epithelial HMGB1 production in MGA. Induced sputum and bronchial biopsy specimens were obtained from healthy subjects and asthma patients. BALB/c mice, the airway epithelial cell line BEAS-2B, or primary human bronchial epithelial cells (HBECs) were immunized with allergens. Intracellular and extracellular HMGB1 were both detected. The role of GLUT1 was assessed by using a pharmacological antagonist BAY876. MGA patients have a significant higher sputum HMGB1 level than the health and subjects with other inflammatory phenotypes. Nuclear-to-cytoplasmic translocation of HMGB1 was also observed in the bronchial epithelia. Allergen exposure markedly induced GLUT1 expression in murine lungs and cultured epithelial cells. Pharmacological antagonism of GLUT1 with BAY876 dramatically decreased airway hyperresponsiveness, neutrophil and eosinophil accumulation, as well as type 2 inflammation in murine models of MGA. Besides, the allergen-induced up-regulation of HMGB1 was also partly recovered by BAY876, accompanied by inhibited secretion into the airway lumen. In vitro, treatment with BAY876 relieved the allergen-induced over-expression and secretion of HMGB1 in airway epithelia. Taken together, our data indicated that GLUT1 mediates bronchial epithelial HMGB1 release in MGA.

PGS-Depot: a comprehensive resource for polygenic scores constructed by summary statistics based methods.

Polygenic score (PGS) is an important tool for the genetic prediction of complex traits. However, there are currently no resources providing comprehensive PGSs computed from published summary statistics, and it is difficult to implement and run different PGS methods due to the complexity of their pipelines and parameter settings. To address these issues, we introduce a new resource called PGS-Depot containing the most comprehensive set of publicly available disease-related GWAS summary statistics. PGS-Depot includes 5585 high quality summary statistics (1933 quantitative and 3652 binary trait statistics) curated from 1564 traits in European and East Asian populations. A standardized best-practice pipeline is used to implement 11 summary statistics-based PGS methods, each with different model assumptions and estimation procedures. The prediction performance of each method can be compared for both in- and cross-ancestry populations, and users can also submit their own summary statistics to obtain custom PGS with the available methods. Other features include searching for PGSs by trait name, publication, cohort information, population, or the MeSH ontology tree and searching for trait descriptions with the experimental factor ontology (EFO). All scores, SNP effect sizes and summary statistics can be downloaded via FTP. PGS-Depot is freely available at http://www.pgsdepot.net.

Understanding the multi-scale structure, physicochemical and digestive properties of extruded yam starch with plasma-activated water.

In this study, the synergistic effect of plasma-activated water (PAW) combined with twin-screw extrusion (TSE) on multi-scale structure, physicochemical and digestive properties of yam starch (YS) was studied. PAW-TSE resulted in higher amylose content in YS than TSE alone. Compared with single TSE, the relative crystallinity, short-range ordered degree, and gelatinization enthalpy of YS were increased by PAW-TSE according to the results of X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared, Raman spectroscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry. Furthermore, rapid viscosity and dynamic rheological analysis showed that the peak and breakdown viscosity of PAW-TSE treated YS paste were considerably reduced, and the storage modulus and loss modulus were significantly increased, indicating that the gel strength and thermal stability were improved. In addition, the resistant starch (RS) content of YS treated by PAW-TSE increased from 6.04 % to 21.21 %. Notably, the effect of PAW-TSE on YS enhanced with the preparation time of PAW increased. Finally, correlation analysis indicated that the characteristic indexes of PAW had a significant impact on the long or short-range ordered structure, thermal properties, and in vitro digestibility of YS during extrusion. Therefore, PAW-TSE, as an emerging dual modification technology, will greatly expand the application of extrusion technology.

Age-dependent dendrobine biosynthesis in Dendrobium nobile: insights into endophytic fungal interactions.

Introduction: Dendrobium nobile (D. nobile), a valued Chinese herb known for its diverse pharmacological effects, owes much of its potency to the bioactive compound dendrobine. However, dendrobine content varies significantly with plant age, and the mechanisms governing this variation remain unclear. This study delves into the potential role of endophytic fungi in shaping host-microbe interactions and influencing plant metabolism. Methods: Using RNA-seq, we examined the transcriptomes of 1-year-old, 2-year-old, and 3-year-old D. nobile samples and through a comprehensive analysis of endophytic fungal communities and host gene expression in D. nobile stems of varying ages, we aim to identify associations between specific fungal taxa and host genes. Results: The results revealing 192 differentially expressed host genes. These genes exhibited a gradual decrease in expression levels as the plants aged, mirroring dendrobine content changes. They were enriched in 32 biological pathways, including phagosome, fatty acid degradation, alpha-linolenic acid metabolism, and plant hormone signal transduction. Furthermore, a significant shift in the composition of the fungal community within D. nobile stems was observed along the age gradient. Olipidium, Hannaella, and Plectospherella dominated in 1-year-old plants, while Strelitziana and Trichomerium prevailed in 2-year-old plants. Conversely, 3-year-old plants exhibited additional enrichment of endophytic fungi, including the genus Rhizopus. Two gene expression modules (mediumpurple3 and darkorange) correlated significantly with dominant endophytic fungi abundance and dendrobine accumulation. Key genes involved in dendrobine synthesis were found associated with plant hormone synthesis. Discussion: This study suggests that the interplay between different endophytic fungi and the hormone signaling system in D. nobile likely regulates dendrobine biosynthesis, with specific endophytes potentially triggering hormone signaling cascades that ultimately influence dendrobine synthesis.

Gabapentin alleviated the cough hypersensitivity and neurogenic inflammation in a guinea pig model with repeated intra-esophageal acid perfusion.

OBJECTIVE: The anti-tussive effect of gabapentin and its underlying neuromodulatory mechanism were investigated via a modified guinea pig model of gastroesophageal reflux-related cough (GERC). METHODS: Intra-esophageal perfusion with hydrochloric acid (HCl) was performed every other day 12 times to establish the GERC model. High-dose gabapentin (48 mg/kg), low-dose gabapentin (8 mg/kg), or saline was orally administered for 2 weeks after modeling. Cough sensitivity, airway inflammation, lung and esophagus histology, levels of substance P (SP), and neurokinin-1 (NK1)-receptors were monitored. RESULTS: Repeated intra-esophageal acid perfusion aggravated the cough sensitivity in guinea pigs in a time-dependent manner. The number of cough events was significantly increased after 12 times HCl perfusion, and the hypersensitivity period was maintained for 2 weeks. The SP levels in BALF, trachea, lung, distal esophagus, and vagal ganglia were increased in guinea pigs receiving HCl perfusion. The intensity of cough hypersensitivity in the GERC model was significantly correlated with increased SP expression in the airways. Both high and low doses of gabapentin administration could reduce cough hypersensitivity exposed to HCl perfusion, attenuate airway inflammatory damage, and inhibit neurogenic inflammation by reducing SP expression from the airway and vagal ganglia. CONCLUSIONS: Gabapentin can desensitize the cough sensitivity in the GERC model of guinea pig. The anti-tussive effect is associated with the alleviated peripheral neurogenic inflammation as reflected in the decreased level of SP.

Severe asthma patient with secondary Citrobacter koseri abdominal infection: first case report and review of the literature.

Citrobacter koseri (C. koseri) is a Gram-negative, motile, non-spore-forming facultative anaerobic bacillus belonging to the Enterobacteriaceae family. C. koseri typically utilizes citrate as the sole carbon source and constitutes part of the normal gastrointestinal flora in humans and animals. As an opportunistic pathogen, C. koseri infections are mainly observed in neonates, elderly individuals, and immunocompromised hosts. C. koseri has been one of the main etiological agents of neonatal meningitis and cerebral abscess. In recent years, an increasing number of cases have been reported in adults with severe infections caused by C. koseri. Here, we report for the first time a clinical case of concurrent C. koseri intra-abdominal infection in a patient with severe asthma and provide a brief review of the relevant literature. With this report, we hope to increase awareness and alertness among clinicians to the possibility of concurrent infection of gut commensal bacteria in asthmatic patients requiring long-term oral corticosteroid administration.

Analysis of Dibenzyltoluene Mixtures: From Fast Analysis to In-Depth Characterization of the Compounds.

The so-called dibenzyltoluene (H0-DBT) heat transfer oil contains numerous isomers of dibenzyltoluene as well as (benzyl)benzyltoluene (methyl group on the central vs. the side aromatic ring). As it is used as a liquid organic hydrogen carrier (LOHC), a detailed analysis of its composition is crucial in assessing the kinetic rate of hydrogenation for each constituent and studying the mechanism of H0-DBT hydrogenation. To identify all of the compounds in the oil, an in-depth analysis of the GC-MS spectra was performed. To confirm peak attribution, we synthesized some DBTs and characterized the pure compounds using NMR and Raman spectroscopies. Moreover, a fast-GC analysis was developed to rapidly determine the degree of hydrogenation of the mixture.

Debranching facilitates malate esterification of waxy maize starch and decreases the digestibility.

In this study, the debranching followed by malate esterification was employed to prepare malate debranched waxy maize starch (MA-DBS) with a high degree of substitution (DS) and low digestibility using malate waxy maize starch (MA-WMS) as the control. The optimal esterification conditions were obtained using an orthogonal experiment. Under this condition, the DS of MA-DBS (0.866) was much higher than that of MA-WMS (0.523). A new absorption peak was generated at 1757 cm-1 in the infrared spectra, indicating the occurrence of malate esterification. Compared with MA-WMS, MA-DBS had more particle aggregation, resulting in an increase in the average particle size from scanning electron microscopy and particle size analysis. The X-ray diffraction results showed that the relative crystallinity decreased after malate esterification, in which the crystalline structure of MA-DBS almost disappeared, which was consistent with the decrease of decomposition temperature by thermogravimetric analysis and the disappearance of the endothermic peak by differential scanning calorimeter. In vitro digestibility tests showed an order: WMS > DBS > MA-WMS > MA-DBS. The MA-DBS showed the highest content of resistant starch (RS) of 95.77 % and the lowest estimated glycemic index of 42.27. In a word, pullulanase debranching could produce more short amylose, promoting malate esterification and improving the DS. The presence of more malate groups inhibited the formation of starch crystals, increased particle aggregation, and enhanced resistance to enzymolysis. The present study provides a novel protocol for producing modified starch with higher RS content, which has potential application in functional foods with a low glycemic index.

Preparation and Characterization of Extruded Yam Starch-Soy Protein Isolate Complexes and Their Effects on the Quality of Dough.

Extrusion is a method of processing that changes the physicochemical and rheological properties of starch and protein under specific temperature and pressure conditions. In this study, twin-screw extrusion technology was employed to prepare yam starch-soy protein isolate complexes. The structure and properties of the complexes and their effects on the quality of dough were studied. The results showed changes in the X-ray diffraction, rheology, and in vitro digestibility of the complexes. The extruded starch-protein complex formed an A+V-type crystal structure with the addition of soy protein isolate. A small amount of soy protein isolate could improve the complex's viscoelasticity. As the content of soy protein isolate increased, the content of slow-digesting starch and resistant starch in the complexes increased, and the digestibility decreased. The microstructure of the dough indicated that the network structure of the puffed yam starch-protein complex dough was more uniform than that of the same amount of puffed yam starch. The moisture distribution of the dough showed that with the addition of extruded flour, the closely bound water content of the dough increased, and the weakly bound water content decreased. The hardness, gumminess, chewiness, and resilience of the dough decreased. In conclusion, extruded starch-protein complexes can improve dough quality and provide technical support for the broad application of yam.

Systematic Comparison of Structural Characterization of Polysaccharides from Ziziphus Jujuba cv. Muzao.

To investigate the structural information differences of Ziziphus Jujuba cv. Muzao polysaccharides, ten samples were successfully extracted from aqueous and alkaline solutions, prepared via DEAE-Sepharose Fast Flow through different eluents and Sephacryl S-300 columns, and systematically analyzed. Their characteristics were studied and then compared using chemical testing, high-performance gel permeation chromatography (HPGPC), gas chromatography (GC), methylation analysis, and NMR spectroscopy. The data achieved demonstrated that different jujube polysaccharide fractions possessed different structural characteristics, and most of them belonged to pectic polysaccharides. Overall, the structural information difference of jujube polysaccharides was preliminarily illuminated, which could not only promote the potential application of Z. Jujuba cv. Muzao polysaccharides but also provide an effective way to analyze the structures of polysaccharides from other genera jujube fruit.

Over-expression of DREB46 enhances drought tolerance in Populus trichocarpa.

The drought responsive element binding (DREB) gene family has a significant role in plant abiotic stress responses. Here, we cloned a drought-inducible DREB gene, DREB46 (Potri.019G075500), and investigated its function in drought tolerance in Populus trichocarpa. Under treatment with exogenous abscisic acid and 6% PEG6000, DREB46 was rapidly and abundantly expressed. We successfully inserted P. trichocarpa DREB46 constructs into P. trichocarpa. After 11 d of drought stress and 3 d of rehydration treatment, the DREB46 over-expression (OE) lines exhibited significantly increased survival rates relative to the wild type (WT). Histochemical staining showed that the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in transgenic plants under drought stress was lower than that in WT plants. Furthermore, OE plants displayed higher superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and catalase activities and proline content, but lower malondialdehyde content than the WT plants under drought stress. In contrast, DREB46-RNA interference (RNAi) lines exhibited the opposite phenotype. Under PEG-6000 stress, OE plants produced significantly more adventitious roots (ARs) than WT plants. In contrast, RNAi-mediated DREB46-inhibited poplar exhibited fewer ARs. Quantitative real-time PCR indicated that WOX11/12a (Potri.013G066900), a gene related to root growth and development regulation, was significantly increased in OE plants. Additionally, yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) assays showed that DREB46 could interact with protein kinase MPK1 (Potri.002G032100) and protein phosphatase PP2C47 (Potri.007G058700), respectively, and this result was also verified by luciferase complementation assay. Transient co-expression results of leaves showed that PP2C47 and DREB46 Agrobacterium-transformed leaves had strong drought tolerance. These results show that DREB46 plays a key role in drought tolerance by inducing the ROS scavenging system and increasing the number of ARs.

Comparative analysis of intestinal flora between rare wild red-crowned crane and white-naped crane.

Introduction: Animal intestines are extremely rich in microbial ecosystems. Numerous studies in different fields, such as epidemiology and histology, have revealed that gut microorganisms considerably mediate the survival and reproduction of animals. However, gut microbiology studies of homogeneously distributed wild cranes are still rare. This study aimed to understand the structural composition of the gut microbial community of wild cranes and elucidate the potential roles of the microorganisms. Methods: We used high-throughput sequencing to analyze the gut microbial community structure of wild cranes in the Zhalong Nature Reserve. Results: A total of 1,965,683 valid tags and 5248 OTUs were obtained from 32 fecal samples. Twenty-six bacteria phyla and 523 genera were annotated from the intestinal tract of the red-crowned crane. Twenty-five bacteria phyla and 625 genera were annotated from the intestine of the white-naped crane. Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Bacteroidetes are the dominant bacterial phyla in the intestinal tract of red-crowned cranes, while Catellicoccus, Lactobacillus, Neisseria, and Streptococcus were the dominant genera. The dominant bacterial phyla in the intestinal tract of white-naped cranes were Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Epsilonbacteraeota, Actinobacteria, and Fusobacteria. However, the dominant genera were Catellicoccus, Lactobacillus, Neisseria, Campylobacter, Streptococcus, Anaerobiospirillum, Romboutsia, Turicibacter, Haemophilus, and Lautropia. Firmicutes had significantly higher relative abundance in the intestine of the red-crowned than white-naped cranes (P < 0.05). However, the relative abundance of Actinobacteria and Bacteroidetes was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the intestines of white-naped than red-crowned cranes. The diversity of the intestinal flora between the two crane species was significantly different (P < 0.05). Besides, the alpha diversity of the intestinal flora was higher for white-naped than red-crowned cranes. Eight of the 41 functional pathways differed in the gut of both crane species (P < 0.05). Discussion: Both species live in the same area and have similar feeding and behavioral characteristics. Therefore, host differences are possibly the main factors influencing the structural and functional differences in the composition of the gut microbial community. This study provides important reference data for constructing a crane gut microbial assessment system. The findings have implications for studying deeper relationships between crane gut microbes and genetics, nutrition, immunity, and disease.

Structural characterization of a new high molecular weight polysaccharide from jujube fruit.

From Ziziphus Jujuba cv. Muzao fruit, a new polysaccharide (PZMP3-1) with high molecular weight was isolated. Constructional characterization revealed that PZMP3-1 comprized 2.56 rhamnose, 7.70 arabinoses, 3.73 galactose, and 6.73 galactose, and it has a 241 kDa average molecular weight. The principal structural components of PZMP3-1 were 1,2,4 and 1,4-linked GalpA, 1,4-linked Galp, 1,3 and 1,5-linked Araf, and 1-linked Rhap based on methylation and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) analyses. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) structural analysis of PZMP3-1 revealed a tangled and branching pattern. Overall, these structural results suggested that PZMP3-1 could have unique bioactivities and be widely used in nutritional supplements.

Effect of inulin on the pasting and retrogradation characteristics of three different crystalline starches and their interaction mechanism.

At present, there are hardly any studies about the effect of inulin (IN) on the physicochemical properties and structures of different crystalline starches. In this study, three different crystalline starches (wheat, potato, and pea starch) were compounded with natural IN, and its pasting, retrogradation, and structural characteristics were investigated. Then, the potential mechanism of interaction between IN and starch was studied. The results showed that there were some differences in the effects of IN on the three different crystalline starch. Pasting experiments showed that the addition of IN not only increased pasting viscosity but also decreased the values of setback and breakdown. For wheat starch and pea starch, IN reduced their peak viscosity from 2,515 cP, 3,035 cP to 2,131 cP and 2,793 cP, respectively. Retrogradation experiment dates demonstrated that IN delayed gelatinization of all three starches. IN could reduce the enthalpy of gelatinization and retrogradation to varying degrees and inhibit the retrogradation of starch. Among them, it had a better inhibitory effect on potato starch. The addition of IN reduced the retrogradation rate of potato starch from 38.45 to 30.14%. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and interaction force experiments results showed that IN interacted with amylose through hydrogen bonding and observed the presence of electrostatic force in the complexed system. Based on the above, experimental results speculate that the mechanism of interaction between IN and three crystalline starches was the same, and the difference in physicochemical properties was mainly related to the ratio of amylose to amylopectin in different crystalline starches. These findings could enrich the theoretical system of the IN with starch compound system and provide a solid theoretical basis for further applications.

Effect of annealing using plasma-activated water on the structure and properties of wheat flour.

In this study, wheat flour (WF) was modified by annealing (ANN) using plasma-activated water (PAW) for the first time. Compared with WF and DW-WF, the results of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and particle-size analysis showed that the granule structure of wheat starch in PAW-WF was slightly damaged, and the particle size of PAW-WF was significantly reduced. The results of X-ray diffraction and Fourier transforming infrared spectroscopy indicated that PAW-ANN could reduce the long-range and short-range order degrees of wheat starch and change the secondary structure of the protein in WF, in which the content of random coils and α-helices was significantly increased. In addition, the analysis of solubility, viscosity, and dynamic rheological properties showed that PAW-ANN improved the solubility and gel properties of WF and decreased its viscosity properties and short-term regeneration. PAW-ANN, as a green modification technology, has the potential for further application in WF modification, as well as in the production of flour products.

Risk factors for impaired pulmonary diffusion function in convalescent COVID-19 patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: The long-term prognosis of COVID-19 survivors remains poorly understood. It is evidenced that the lung is the main damaged organ in COVID-19 survivors, most notably in impairment of pulmonary diffusion function. Hence, we conducted a meta-analysis of the potential risk factors for impaired diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO) in convalescent COVID-19 patients. Methods: We performed a systematic search of PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Ovid databases for relevant studies from inception until January 7, 2022, limited to papers involving human subjects. Studies were reviewed for methodological quality. Fix-effects and random-effects models were used to pool results. Heterogeneity was assessed using I2. The publication bias was assessed using the Egger's test. PROSPERO registration: CRD42021265377. Findings: A total of eighteen qualified articles were identified and included in the systematic review, and twelve studies were included in the meta-analysis. Our results showed that female (OR: 4.011; 95% CI: 2.928-5.495), altered chest computerized tomography (CT) (OR: 3.002; 95% CI: 1.319-6.835), age (OR: 1.018; 95% CI: 1.007-1.030), higher D-dimer levels (OR: 1.012; 95% CI: 1.001-1.023) and urea nitrogen (OR: 1.004;95% CI: 1.002-1.007) were identified as risk factors for impaired DLCO. Interpretation: Pulmonary diffusion capacity was the most common impaired lung function in recovered patients with COVID-19. Several risk factors, such as female, altered chest CT, older age, higher D-dimer levels and urea nitrogen are associated with impairment of DLCO. Raising awareness and implementing interventions for possible modifiable risk factors may be valuable for pulmonary rehabilitation. Funding: This work was financially supported by Emergency Key Program of Guangzhou Laboratory (EKPG21-29, EKPG21-31), Incubation Program of National Science Foundation for Distinguished Young Scholars by Guangzhou Medical University (GMU2020-207).

Rheological Properties of Wheat Flour Modified by Plasma-Activated Water and Heat Moisture Treatment and in vitro Digestibility of Steamed Bread.

The study investigated the effects of plasma-activated water (PAW) and heat moisture treatment (HMT) on the rheological properties of wheat flour and the in vitro digestibility of steamed bread partially replaced by the modified wheat flour. After HMT, the gelatinization temperature of wheat flour increased and the gelatinization enthalpy reduced. The solubility and swelling power of wheat flour increased after the heat-moisture treatment. The solubility of modified flour after PAW-HMT treatment was lower than that of distilled water (DW)-HMT at the same temperature. The wheat flour with HMT had higher storage modulus (G') and loss modulus (G"), and had better ductility and deformability. Common wheat flour was partially replaced by modified flour to make steamed bread. The results indicated that the volume, height, diameter and specific volume of steamed bread were significantly decreased with the addition of HMT flour. However, the hardness, viscosity and chewiness increased significantly. The resistant starch content of steamed bread with the modified wheat flour increased. The results provide new insights for the development of new functional steamed bread.