Prognostic factors for invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma of the lung: systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma of the lung (IMA) is a unique and rare subtype of lung adenocarcinoma with poorly defined prognostic factors and highly controversial studies. Hence, this study aimed to comprehensively identify and summarize the prognostic factors associated with IMA. METHODS: A comprehensive search of relevant literature was conducted in the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, and Web of Science databases from their inception until June 2023. The pooled hazard ratio (HR) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) of overall survival (OS) and/or disease-free survival (DFS) were obtained to evaluate potential prognostic factors. RESULTS: A total of 1062 patients from 11 studies were included. In univariate analysis, we found that gender, age, TNM stage, smoking history, lymph node metastasis, pleural metastasis, spread through air spaces (STAS), tumor size, pathological grade, computed tomography (CT) findings of consolidative-type morphology, pneumonia type, and well-defined heterogeneous ground-glass opacity (GGO) were risk factors for IMA, and spiculated margin sign was a protective factor. In multivariate analysis, smoking history, lymph node metastasis, pathological grade, STAS, tumor size, and pneumonia type sign were found to be risk factors. There was not enough evidence that epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations, anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) mutations, CT signs of lobulated margin, and air bronchogram were related to the prognosis for IMA. CONCLUSION: In this study, we comprehensively analyzed prognostic factors for invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma of the lung in univariate and multivariate analyses of OS and/or DFS. Finally, 12 risk factors and 1 protective factor were identified. These findings may help guide the clinical management of patients with invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma of the lung.

Diet with optimal glutathione supplement improves growth, nonspecific immunity, intestinal microbiota, and antioxidant ability in Micropterus salmoides.

In this study, Micropterus salmoides were fed with dietary glutathione (GSH, 0, 100, 300, and 500 mg/kg) for 56 days to investigate its effects on growth performance, serum nonspecific immunity, liver antioxidant capacity, tissue morphology, and intestinal microbiota. The results showed that the survival rate, weight gain rate, and specific growth rate and condition factor increased, whereas the feed conversion ratio, hepato-somatic index, and viscerosomatic index decreased in the GSH groups. Compared with the control group, the serum total protein content significantly increased, whereas the triglyceride and total cholesterol significantly decreased in the 300-mg/kg dietary GSH group. The activities of lysozyme, alkaline phosphatase, and acid phosphatase were significantly higher in GSH-supplemented groups, peaking at 300-mg/kg GSH. GSH supplementation significantly increased total antioxidant capacity and decreased malondialdehyde content, with the most pronounced effects at 300-mg/kg GSH. Further antioxidant indicators showed that a dietary supplement of 300-mg/kg GSH significantly increased the activities of superoxide dismutase, glutathione transferase, endogenous glutathione, glutathione reductase, and catalase. At 300-mg/kg GSH, the liver exhibited improved characteristics with alleviated vacuolation and hepatocyte nuclear shift, and intestine showed enhanced structure with increased villus height and intestinal wall thickness. Additionally, a 300-mg/kg GSH supplementation improved the diversity of intestinal microbiota, increased the abundance of probiotics such as Bacillus, and inhibited the development of pathogenic bacteria such as Plesiomonas. Overall, the results suggest that the effect of GSH addition on improving growth performance, nonspecific immunity, antioxidant capacity, and intestinal microbiota of M. salmoides is best in the 300-mg/kg addition group. Based on second-degree polynomial regression analysis of weight gain, the optimum requirement of dietary GSH in M. salmoides is a 336.84-mg/kg diet.

Clinical Features of Patients Infected With Coronavirus Disease 2019 With Elevated Liver Biochemistries: A Multicenter, Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: In December 2019, an outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) emerged in Wuhan, China. Although it has been reported that some patients with COVID-19 showed elevated liver biochemistries, there are few studies regarding the clinical features and prognosis of these patients. APPROACH AND RESULTS: In this multicenter, retrospective study, we collected data on laboratory-confirmed patients with COVID-19 from three hospitals in Wuhan, China, who died or were discharged between February 1, 2020, and February 20, 2020. Data on demographics, comorbidities, clinical symptoms, laboratory examinations on admission, complications, treatment, and outcome were collected. A total of 482 patients were enrolled in this study. Of those, 142 (29.5%) patients showed abnormal liver biochemistries on admission, and patients with elevated alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and total bilirubin (TBIL) accounted for 67.6%, 69.0%, and 16.2%, respectively. Those with abnormal liver biochemistries showed higher percentages of severe cases and comorbidities and were more likely to have dyspnea, chest distress or pain, and increased hemoglobin (Hb) on admission. Higher rates of complications and mortality and worse recovery when discharged were observed in patients with abnormal AST or TBIL. Multivariable regression analysis showed that chest distress or pain (odds ratio [OR], 1.765; P = 0.018), dyspnea (OR, 2.495; P = 0.001), elevated C-reactive protein level (OR, 1.007; P = 0.008), elevated white blood count (OR, 1.139; P = 0.013), and elevated Hb concentration (OR, 1.024; P = 0.001) were independent factors associated with elevated liver biochemistries in patients with COVID-19. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated liver biochemistries were common in patients with COVID-19. Patients with hypoxia or severe inflammation are more likely to experience increased liver biochemistries on admission. Those with abnormal AST or TBIL on admission are more likely to suffer from severe complications and death.

The impact of konjac glucomannan on the physical and chemical stability of walnut oil-in-water emulsions coated by whey proteins.

BACKGROUND: Walnut oil, which is rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), can be incorporated into food emulsions to increase their nutritional value. However, these emulsions are highly susceptible to deterioration during storage due to lipid oxidation. Konjac glucomannan (KGM) is a neutral plant polysaccharide used as a stabilizer, thickener or gelling agent in foods. The goal of this study was to incorporate KGM into oil-in-water emulsions containing walnut oil droplets coated by whey protein isolate (WPI) and then determine its effects on their physical and oxidative stability. RESULTS: At pH 3, inclusion of KGM (0.1-1 g kg-1 ) reduced the positive surface potential on the droplets in the emulsions and modified the secondary structure of the adsorbed whey proteins, suggesting an interaction between KGM and WPI at the droplet surfaces. The physical stability of the emulsions was enhanced when 0.1-0.6 g kg-1 KGM was added but reduced at higher levels. Lipid oxidation was inhibited in the emulsions in a dose-dependent manner when 0.2-0.6 g kg-1 KGM was added but protein oxidation was promoted at higher KGM levels. The steric hindrance provided by the thick WPI-KGM interfaces, as well as the ability of the polysaccharides to modify the antioxidant properties of the adsorbed proteins, may account for these effects. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that KGM can be used to inhibit lipid oxidation in emulsified foods containing protein-coated oil droplets. However, its level must be optimized because higher doses can result in droplet aggregation and protein oxidation. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

MiRNA-483-5p is involved in the pathogenesis of osteoporosis by promoting osteoclast differentiation.

AIMS: The study aimed to investigate the roles of miR-483-5p and IGF2 in osteoclast formation. METHODS: Blood and bone tissues were collected from osteoporosis and non-osteoporosis patients with hip fractures for gene expression analysis. CD14 + peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated for differentiating osteoclasts. MiR-483-5p mimic and inhibitor was transfected into CD14 + PBMCs, respectively. Predicted by TargetScan and verified by Dual-luciferase reporter assay system, insulin-like growth factor-2 (IGF2) could be targeted by miR-483-5p. IGF2 expression vector was co-transfected with miR-483-5p mimic to study the role of IGF2 in miR-483-5p affecting osteoclast differentiation. Flow cytometry was performed for cell apoptosis analysis. RESULTS: High-expressed miR-483-5p and low-expressed IGF2 were frequently found in the serums and bone tissues derived from osteoporotic patients. We found that up-regulation of miR-483-5p in CD14 + PBMCs notably increased the number of TRAP-positive cells, at the same time, the expression levels of TRAP, nuclear factor of activated T-cells (NFATc1), cytoplasmic 1 (NFAT2) and Cathepsin K (CTSK) were also up-regulated. However, overexpressed IGF2 effectively reversed such effects produced by up-regulation of miR-483-5p on osteoclastogenesis-related factors in CD14 + PBMCs. Moreover, forced expression of IGF2 could also enhance apoptosis of osteoclasts reduced by miR-483-5p. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that miRNA-483-5p is involved in the pathogenesis of osteoporosis by promoting osteoclast differentiation.

Analysis of Prognostic Factors for the Indirect Traumatic Optic Neuropathy Underwent Endoscopic Transnasal Optic Canal Decompression.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the clinical outcomes of endoscopic transnasal optic canal decompression (ETOCD) for patients with indirect traumatic optic neuropathy (TON) and identify the relevant prognostic factors. METHODS: Seventy-two indirect TON patients who underwent ETOCD surgery from August 2017 to May 2019 were analyzed retrospectively. The paired t-test was used to compare the visual acuity (VA) before and after ETOCD, and multiple linear regression analysis was used to distinguish the potential prognostic factors. RESULTS: Among the patients analyzed, postoperative VA (-2.87 ±â€Š0.19) was significantly higher than the preoperative VA (-3.92 ±â€Š0.13) (P < 0.05). Multiple linear regression analysis models showed that poor initial VA and longer time to surgery were independent risk factors for VA prognosis (P < 0.05), but surgical time alone was significantly associated with the improvement degree of visual acuity (IDVA) (P < 0.05). Optic canal fracture, orbital fracture, and hemorrhage within the ethmoid and/or sphenoid sinus were not significantly correlated with IDVA and VA prognosis (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: ETOCD surgery could salvage VA impairment in patients with indirect TON. A better initial VA indicates better final VA outcomes after surgery. Additionally, shorter time to surgery implies better VA prognosis and higher IDVA.

Effects of dietary yeast hydrolysate on the growth, antioxidant response, immune response and disease resistance of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides).

A 56-day growth trial was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary yeast hydrolysate on the growth performance, antioxidation, immune response and resistance against Aeromonas hydrophila in largemouth bass. Four experimental diets were prepared with yeast hydrolysate levels of 0% (Y0), 1.5% (Y1.5), 3.0% (Y3.0) and 4.5% (Y4.5). Each diet was randomly assigned to triplicate 150-L tanks and each tank was stocked with 30 largemouth bass (initial body weight, IBW = 7.71 ±â€¯0.02 g). A challenge test was carried out after the feeding trial by injecting A. hydrophila intraperitoneally for 4-day observation. The results showed that the FBW and WGR in Y1.5 group were significantly higher than those in Y0 group (P < 0.05) and the feed conversion ratio (FCR) got the lowest value in Y1.5 group. And the hydrolysate supplement significantly increased the 4-day cumulative survival rate after the bacterial challenge (P < 0.05). The plasma malondialdehyde was lower in the yeast hydrolysate supplement groups in both pre- and post-challenge test (P < 0.05), while the plasma C3 increased (P < 0.05). In post-challenge test, the plasma superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities increased in the Y1.5 and Y3.0 groups respectively (P < 0.05), and plasma lysozyme in Y1.5 group and the plasma IgM in Y3.0 group were higher than those in others respectively (P < 0.05). For the q-PCR results, in post-challenge test, the hepatic hep2 expression level in Y1.5 and Y4.5 groups were both significantly higher than those in others (P < 0.05), as well as il-8 in Y3.0 group. The spleen hif-1alpha and tgf-beta1 expression levels in Y4.5 group were all significantly lower than those in others (P < 0.05), while the gilt was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the post-challenge test. And the expression levels of spleen tnf-alpah1 in Y1.5 and Y3.0 groups and il-8 in Y3.0 group were all significantly higher than those in other groups (P < 0.05) in the post-challenge test. The head kidney gilt expression level was significantly higher in the yeast hydrolysate supplement groups compared with the Y0 group (P < 0.05), and the head kidney il-8 expression level in Y1.5 group was significant higher than those in other groups in post-challenge test (P < 0.05). The present results indicated dietary yeast hydrolysate improved the antioxidant ability and enhanced the immune response of largemouth bass without negative effect on growth. And 1.5% or 3.0% of dietary yeast hydrolysate was recommended for largemouth bass based on the present results.

Acute mitochondrial myopathy with respiratory insufficiency and motor axonal polyneuropathy.

BACKGROUND: Mitochondrial myopathies (MMs) are mainly presented with chronic muscle weakness and accompanied with other syndromes. MM with acute respiratory insufficiency is rare. AIMS: To reveal the clinical, pathological and molecular characteristics of a life-threatening MM. METHODS: Muscle biopsy and enzyme staining were performed in skeletal muscles. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequencing was analyzed and heteroplasmy were quantified by pyrosequencing. RESULTS: All three patients had tachycardia, acute lactic acidosis, dyspnea and sudden severe muscle weakness. Two patients had calf edema and abdominal pain, and one had a heart attack. Electromyography in two patients showed dramatically decreased axonal amplitudes of motor nerves. Muscle biopsies showed ragged red fibers and dramatic mitochondrial abnormality. A mtDNA m.3243A>G mutation was identified in Patient 1 (mutation load: 29% in blood and 73% in muscle) and Patient 3 (79% in blood and 89% in muscle). A mtDNA m.8344A>G mutation was found in Patient 2 (mutation load 80.4% in blood). CONCLUSION: MM characterized by lactic acidosis, respiratory failure and acute motor axonal neuropathy is life threatening.

Properties and Stability of Perilla Seed Protein-Stabilized Oil-in-Water Emulsions: Influence of Protein Concentration, pH, NaCl Concentration and Thermal Treatment.

Perilla seed protein (PSP) was extracted from defatted perilla seed meal and applied in oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions as an emulsifier. We investigated the influences of protein concentration (0.25⁻1.5 wt %), pH (3.0⁻9.0), NaCl concentration (0⁻350 mmol/L) and thermal treatment (70⁻90 °C, 30 min) on the physical characteristics of O/W emulsions, including volume-average diameter, ζ-potential, interfacial protein concentration, microstructure and so on. Results showed that increasing PSP concentration would decrease the d4,3 and a 1.0 wt % PSP concentration was sufficient to ensure the stability of emulsion. Under pH 3.0⁻9.0, emulsions were stable except at pH 3.0⁻5.0 which was proximal to the isoelectric point (pH 4.5) of PSP. At high NaCl concentrations (250⁻350 mmol/L), the emulsions exhibited relatively lower absolute ζ-potential values and a large number of aggregated droplets. A moderate thermal treatment temperature (e.g., 70 °C) was favorable for the emulsion against aggregation and creaming. However, when 90 °C thermal treatment was performed, a clear layer separation was observed after 2 weeks storage and the emulsion showed a poor stability. The findings of this work are of great importance for the utilization and development of PSP as an emulsifier for food emulsions.

Ultrasound improving the physical stability of oil-in-water emulsions stabilized by almond proteins.

BACKGROUND: Vegetable proteins are increasingly used to stabilize oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions. However, emulsions are thermodynamically unstable. Recently, high-intensity ultrasound (US) has been used to enhance the stability of emulsions. For these reasons, and considering almond (Prunus dulcis L.) as a good source of high-quality proteins, the aim of this work was to investigate the effect of US treatment on the stability of pre-emulsification O/W emulsions coated with almond protein isolate (API). RESULTS: The influence of API concentration (0.25-2.0 g L-1 ), ion strength (0-500 mmol L-1 NaCl), and pH (3.0-7.0) on the stability of US-treated emulsions was evaluated. US treatment (200-600 W, 25 kHz, 15 min) led to a significant reduction in the particles size of droplets in emulsions, increased critical osmotic pressure and additional protein interfacial adsorption, and thus the formation of more stable emulsions. The more unfolded and random coil structures of the proteins were detected at higher US power, facilitating protein interfacial adsorption. Increasing API concentrations resulted in higher stability of US-treated emulsions against untreated counterparts. The US-treated emulsions were more resistant to salt than untreated samples. In the range from pH 3.0 to7.0, US treatment also enhanced the physical stability of emulsions compared with untreated emulsions. CONCLUSION: US technology could be applied to produce more stable O/W food emulsions stabilized by proteins. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

The visible and hidden blood loss of Asia proximal femoral nail anti-rotation and dynamic hip screw in the treatment of intertrochanteric fractures of elderly high- risk patients: a retrospective comparative study with a minimum 3 years of follow-up.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether PFNA-II (Asia proximal femoral nail anti-rotation) and DHS (dynamic hip screw) carry substantial post-operative hidden blood loss and to compare PFNA-II with DHS in terms of post-operative hidden blood loss in elderly high-risk patients with intertrochanteric femur fractures(IFFs). METHODS: The clinical data from Jan 2005 to Apr 2015 of 186 patients with PFNA-II and 177 patients with DHS were analyzed retrospectively. Indexes including pre- and post-operative blood routine, intra- and post-operative blood loss and blood transfusion situation were analyzed. The situation of perioperative blood loss (visible and hidden) was assessed. RESULTS: The intra-operative blood loss in the PFNA-II group was 34.7 ± 2.5 ml, the post-operative visible blood loss was 54.7 ± 2.5 ml, and the hidden blood loss was 277.2 ± 7.6 ml. In the DHS group, the intra-operative blood loss was 102.0 ± 7.0 ml, the post-operative visible blood loss was 78.8 ± 4.7 ml, and the hidden blood loss was 139.3 ± 9.6 ml. The intra-operative blood loss and the post-operative visible blood loss in the PFNA-II group were significantly less than in the DHS group (p < 0.01). However, the post-operative hidden blood loss and the total blood loss in the PFNA-II group were larger than in the DHS group (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that with PFNA-II and DHS, much post-operative hidden blood loss exists in the treatment of intertrochanteric fractures in elderly high-risk patients and DHS is more favourable than PFNA-II in terms of post-operative hidden blood loss.

Proximal femoral nails anti-rotation versus dynamic hip screws for treatment of stable intertrochanteric femur fractures: an outcome analyses with a minimum 4 years of follow-up.

BACKGROUND: Dynamic hip screws (DHSs) and proximal femoral nails anti-rotation (PFNAs) are well-documented implants for stable intertrochanteric femur fractures(IFFs); however, there is no consensus regarding which type of implant is the better option for stable IFFs. This study aimed to compare DHSs with PFNAs in the management of stable intertrochanteric fractures. METHODS: A retrospective study was performed in our institution. Between June, 2005 and November, 2015, 267 patients (267 hips) with stable IFFs (AO/OTA Type 3.1A1) were treated with a DHS or a PFNA. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were designed to focus on isolated stable IFFs in ambulatory patients. Follow-up was undertaken at 1, 3, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 36, 48 postoperative months, and at final follow-up. Radiograph outcomes were obtained at all visits. The primary outcome measure was re-operation rate. The secondary outcome was patient function, evaluated using Harris hip score (HHS). Tertiary outcomes included: intra- and post-operative orthopaedic complications. RESULTS: Two hundred twenty two patients (110 in the PFNA group and 112 in the DHS group) were evaluated with a mean follow-up period of 53 months (range, 48-60 months). There was an increased risk of reoperation after DHS in one-year follow-up: 0 % and 5.4 % for PFNA and DHS, respectively (P = 0.029). The difference persisted with time: 6.4 % and 13.4 % at last follow-up (P < 0.05). There are statistical differences in postoperative HHS at 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 36, 48 months postoperatively and at final follow-up. No statistical differences in medical complications was observed between the two groups. The orthopaedic complications were more in the DHS group (n = 42) compared with the PFNA group (n = 18) (P <0.05). CONCLUSION: Compared with PFNA device, DHS device might not be the preferred implant for stable intertrochanteric femur fractures.

Surgical management of acute combined injuries of the ipsilateral wrist and elbow joints.

Background: Combined injuries of ipsilateral wrist and elbow joints are rare in clinical practice, characterized by multiple joint dislocations or/and fractures and varying manifestations. As there are still no clinical guidelines and no consensus on the standard treatment, this study aimed to explore the surgical intervention and complications of this kind of combined injuries. Methods: This retrospective study was conducted in a single center. A total of 13 patients with acute combined injuries of the ipsilateral wrist and elbow joints receiving surgical treatment from August 2013 to May 2016 were retrospectively analyzed. The fracture and joint instability and structural damages were repaired and reconstructed. Results: All 13 patients were followed up for a mean duration of 17 months (range: 14 to 22 months). The X-ray films showed good fracture reduction and joint alignment, no fixation failure, re-displacement, bone nonunion, or ischemic necrosis in all cases. According to the Mayo Elbow Performance Score (MEPS), the excellent and good rate of joint function was 84.6%. According to the Mayo Modified Wrist Score (MMWS), the excellent and good rate of joint function was 76.9%. There were no significant restrictions on elbow and wrist movements. The disabilities of the arm, shoulder, and hand (DASH) score was excellent, with an average of 18.5 points. Conclusions: The key to intervention of combined injuries of the wrist and elbow is to identify the types of injuries and conduct an overall assessment to determine the appropriate surgical methods. Early surgical intervention and rehabilitation exercise are the main principles for the treatment.

Dietary yeast glycoprotein supplementation improves the growth performance, intestinal health and disease resistance of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) fed low-fishmeal diets.

The active ingredients extracted from yeast are important for regulating animal health. The aim of the current research was to explore the impacts of dietary yeast glycoprotein (YG) on the growth performance, intestinal morphology, antioxidant capacity, immunity and disease resistance of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). A total of 375 juvenile fish (6.00 ± 0.03 g) were allocated into 15 fiberglass tanks. Triplicate tanks were assigned to each diet. The dietary YG inclusion was as follows: the first group was given a high fishmeal diet (40% fishmeal, 0% YG) (FM) and the second group was given a low fishmeal diet (30% fishmeal and 15% soybean meal, 0% YG) (LFM). The fish in the third, fourth and fifth groups were fed the LFM diet supplemented with 0.5% (LFM+YG0.5), 1.0% (LFM+YG1.0) and 2.0% (LFM+YG2.0) YG, respectively. After a 60- day feeding trial, a challenge test using A. hydrophila was carried out. The results showed that the final body weight (FBW) and weight gain rate (WGR) in the LFM+YG2.0 group were significantly higher than those in the LFM group and were no significantly different from those in the FM group. This may be partially related to the activation of the target of rapamycin (TOR) signaling pathway. Dietary YG supplementation enhanced intestinal physical barriers by upregulating the intestinal tight junction protein related genes (claudin1, occludin and zo2) and improving the structural integrity of the gut, which may be partially associated with AMPK signaling pathway. Moreover, dietary YG increased the antioxidant capacity in the gut, upregulated intestinal anti-inflammatory factors (il-10, il1-1ß and tgf-ß) and downregulated proinflammatory factors (il-1ß and il-8), which may be partially related to the Nrf2/Keap1 signaling pathways. The results of the challenge test indicated that dietary supplementation with 0.5 or 1.0% YG can increase the disease tolerance of largemouth bass against A. hydrophila. In conclusion, the present results indicated that dietary supplementation with YG promotes the growth performance, intestinal immunity, physical barriers and antioxidant capacity of largemouth bass. In addition, 1.0% of dietary YG is recommended for largemouth bass based on the present results.

Structural characteristics of pea protein isolate (PPI) modified by high-pressure homogenization and its relation to the packaging properties of PPI edible film.

This study modified pea protein isolate (PPI) structure by high-pressure homogenization (HPH) and investigated PPI structural relation to the packaging properties of PPI film. HPH decreased PPI particle size, reduced surface charge, increased surface hydrophobicity, and increased free sulfhydryl, providing greater potential for covalent bonding during film formation. HPH decreased opacity of PPI films from 7.39 to 4.82 at pressure of 240 MPa with more homogeneous surface. The tensile strength and elongation at break were increased from 0.76 MPa to 1.33 MPa and from 96% to 197%, respectively, after treatment at 240 MPa. This improvement was due to the enhanced protein-protein and protein-glycerol hydrogen bonding as evidenced by FTIR. Increased ß-sheet and decreased α-helix by HPH was also observed, and ß-sheet was highly correlated to film tensile strength (Pearson coefficient of 0.973, P < 0.01). Principle component analysis visualized the influence of HPH treatment, and confirmed the association between structural characteristics and film properties.

Reactive molecular dynamics study on the thermal decomposition reaction of a triple-base solid propellant.

The study of the combustion property of newly designed propellant by means of computational simulation is an efficient pathway for assessment and could avoid exposure to hazardous chemicals. An RDX-modified triple-base solid propellant formula was proposed in this study. Reactive molecular dynamics simulations employing ReaxFF-lg force field were performed to explore the thermal decomposition property of the propellant for a variety of temperatures. The reaction kinetics of the system and major ingredients were analyzed, and the apparent decomposition activation energies were calculated. The population of decomposition intermediates and products is thoroughly investigated. H2O is consumed at high temperatures indicating a water-gas reaction that could reduce carbon clusters during the combustion of solid propellant. The water-gas reaction, as well as the population of H2 at high temperature, points out the way of adjusting the formula of the propellant, which is adding fuel and oxidizer to improve combustion temperature and oxygen balance.

Antioxidant and prooxidant activities of tea polyphenols in oil-in-water emulsions depend on the level used and the location of proteins.

We studied the impacts of protein location (interface or aqueous phase) on the antioxidant and prooxidant activities of tea polyphenols (TP) in model oil-in-water emulsions (pH 7) at a low (0.01% w/v) or high (0.04 % w/v) concentration. TP at 0.01% reduced the levels of both lipid and protein oxidation markers in emulsions, independent of the protein location. However, TP were more potent when proteins were located at the interface. At 0.04%, TP were only weakly antioxidant towards lipids but were prooxidant towards proteins in emulsions with proteins at the interface, whereas they were still somewhat antioxidant for aqueous phase proteins. These results indicate that TP may act as either antioxidants or prooxidants depending on their concentration and also on the location of the proteins in emulsions. The level of TP should be optimized for emulsion-based foods or beverages to achieve optimum antioxidant activity.

Robust and recyclable magnetic nanobiocatalysts for extraction of anthocyanin from black rice.

Anthocyanins, which are natural pigments and nutraceuticals, can be extracted from plant materials using enzyme-assisted methods. However, the enzymes used are often expensive, fragile, and hard to recover/reuse. In this study, cellulase and α-amylase were immobilized on amino-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles to prepare a magnetic nanobiocatalyst. The enzymes in this nanobiocatalyst exhibited higher stability and greater catalytic activity than free enzymes, including good thermal stability (50 to 70℃) and pH stability (pH 4.5-7.5). Nanobiocatalyst efficacy was demonstrated by extracting anthocyanins from black rice, with a maximum yield of 266 mg anthocyanin/100 g black rice obtained. After six reuse cycles, cellulase and α-amylase retained around 70% and 64% of their activity, respectively. Immobilization also increased their reusability. In summary, a novel magnetic nanobiocatalyst was developed for extracting anthocyanins from black rice, which may also have other applications within the food industry.