Preoperative metabolic syndrome and prognosis after pancreatectomy for pancreatic cancer: A retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: We conducted a retrospective study to investigate the impact of metabolic syndrome (MetS), its individual components, and the number of metabolic risk factors on the prognosis of pancreatic cancer (PC) following pancreatectomy. METHODS: MetS was defined as meeting any three of the following criteria: (1) waist circumference ≥85 cm in men or ≥80 cm in women; (2) triglycerides ≥150 mg/dL or receiving drug treatment for elevated triglycerides; (3) high-density lipoprotein cholesterol <40 mg/dL in men or <50 mg/dL in women or receiving drug treatment for reduced HDL-C; (4) systolic blood pressure ≥130 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥85 mmHg or receiving drug treatment for hypertension; and (5) fasting glucose, (FG) ≥100 mg/dL or receiving drug treatment for elevated glucose. The hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated by the Cox regression model. RESULTS: Six hundred and seven patients who underwent radical resection for PC were enrolled in this study. Among them, 352 patients presented with preoperative MetS. MetS was associated with shorter overall survival (OS) but not with shorter disease-free survival (DFS). The adjusted HR (95% CI) for the poor OS in patients with 3, 4, and 5 metabolic risk components (vs. ≤ 2) were 1.32 (1.03-1.84), 1.64 (1.18-2.29), and 1.96 (1.27-3.04), respectively (p < 0.05). Elevated FG emerged as a significant predictor for poor OS and DFS. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights that preoperative MetS serves as a significant predictor for OS in patients with PC, with its predictive value escalating as the number of metabolic risk components increases.

Metabolite Transformation and Enzyme Activities of Hainan Vanilla Beans During Curing to Improve Flavor Formation.

This paper compares the differences in metabolites of vanilla beans at five different curing stages. Key vanilla flavors, vanillin precursors and main enzymes during the curing process of Hainan vanilla beans were also analyzed. Hundreds of metabolites were detected based on metabolic analyses of a widely targeted metabolome technique, compared with blanched vanilla beans (BVB), sweating vanilla beans (SVB) and drying vanilla beans (DVB), the total peak intensity of cured vanilla beans (CVB) is on the rise. The score plots of principal component analysis indicated that the metabolites were generally similar at the same curing stages, but for the different curing stages, they varied substantially. During processing, vanillin content increased while glucovanillin content decreased, and vanillic acid was present in sweating beans, but its content was reduced in drying beans. Both p-hydroxybenzaldehyde and p-hydroxybenzoic acid showed the maximum contents in cured beans. Ferulic acid was mainly produced in drying beans and reduced in cured beans. p-coumaric acid increased during the curing process. Vanillyl alcohol in drying beans (0.22%) may be formed by the hydrolysis of glucoside, whose conversion into vanillin may explain its decrease during the curing stage. ß-Glucosidase enzymatic activity was not detected in blanched and sweating beans, but was observed after drying. Peroxidase activity decreased during curing by 94% in cured beans. Polyphenol oxidase activity was low in earlier stages, whereas cellulase activity in processed beans was higher than in green beans, except for cured beans. This study contributes to revealing the formation of flavor components and the biosynthesis pathway of vanillin.

Nontargeted Metabolomics for Phenolic and Polyhydroxy Compounds Profile of Pepper (Piper nigrum L.) Products Based on LC-MS/MS Analysis.

In the present study, nontargeted metabolomics was used to screen the phenolic and polyhydroxy compounds in pepper products. A total of 186 phenolic and polyhydroxy compounds, including anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins, catechin derivatives, flavanones, flavones, flavonols, isoflavones and 3-O-p-coumaroyl quinic acid O-hexoside, quinic acid (polyhydroxy compounds), etc. For the selected 50 types of phenolic compound, except malvidin 3,5-diglucoside (malvin), l-epicatechin and 4'-hydroxy-5,7-dimethoxyflavanone, other compound contents were present in high contents in freeze-dried pepper berries, and pinocembrin was relatively abundant in two kinds of pepper products. The score plots of principal component analysis indicated that the pepper samples can be classified into four groups on the basis of the type pepper processing. This study provided a comprehensive profile of the phenolic and polyhydroxy compounds of different pepper products and partly clarified the factors responsible for different metabolite profiles in ongoing studies and the changes of phenolic compounds for the browning mechanism of black pepper.

Contribution of Polyphenol Oxidation, Chlorophyll and Vitamin C Degradation to the Blackening of Piper nigrum L.

Black pepper (Piper nigrum L.) is the most widely used spice in the world. Blackening is considered to be beneficial and important in the processing of black pepper because it contributes to its color and flavor. The purpose of this paper is to investigate polyphenol oxidation as well as the chlorophyll and vitamin C (VC) degradation in the blackening of Piper nigrum L. Black pepper was produced by four methods, and changes in polyphenols, chlorophyll and VC were studied by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and ultraviolet-visible and visible (UV-Vis) spectrophotometry. The results show that polyphenol oxidase activity significantly decreased during the preparation of black pepper, and the concentrations of phenolic compounds, VC, and chlorophyll a and b also significantly decreased. Polyphenol oxidation and chlorophyll and VC degradation contribute to the blackening. A crude extract of phenolic compounds from black pepper was prepared by the system solvent method. The greater the polarity of the extraction solvent, the higher the extraction rates of the phenolic compounds and the total phenol content. Pepper phenolic compounds were analyzed by HPLC analysis.

Involvement of Colonizing Bacillus Isolates in Glucovanillin Hydrolysis during the Curing of Vanilla planifolia Andrews.

Vanilla beans were analyzed using biochemical methods, which revealed that glucovanillin disperses from the inner part to the outer part of the vanilla bean during the curing process and is simultaneously hydrolyzed by ß-d-glucosidase. Enzymatic hydrolysis was found to occur on the surface of the vanilla beans. Transcripts of the ß-d-glucosidase gene (bgl) of colonizing microorganisms were detected. The results directly indicate that colonizing microorganisms are involved in glucovanillin hydrolysis. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that the colonizing microorganisms mainly belonged to the Bacillus genus. bgl was detected in all the isolates and presented clustering similar to that of the isolate taxonomy. Furthermore, inoculation of green fluorescent protein-tagged isolates showed that the Bacillus isolates can colonize vanilla beans. Glucovanillin was metabolized as the sole source of carbon in a culture of the isolates within 24 h. These isolates presented unique glucovanillin degradation capabilities. Vanillin was the major volatile compound in the culture. Other compounds, such as α-cubebene, ß-pinene, and guaiacol, were detected in some isolate cultures. Colonizing Bacillus isolates were found to hydrolyze glucovanillin in culture, indirectly demonstrating the involvement of colonizing Bacillus isolates in glucovanillin hydrolysis during the vanilla curing process. Based on these results, we conclude that colonizing Bacillus isolates produce ß-d-glucosidase, which mediates glucovanillin hydrolysis and influences flavor formation.

Bacillus vanillea sp. nov., Isolated from the Cured Vanilla Bean.

A Gram-positive bacterium, designated strain XY18(T), was isolated from a cured vanilla bean in Hainan province, China. Cells were rod-shaped, endospore producing, and peritrichous flagella. Strain XY18(T) grew at salinities of 0-8 % (w/v) NaCl (optimally 1-4 %), pH 4.0-8.0 (optimally 5.0-7.0 %) and temperature range 20-45 °C (optimally 28-35 °C). The predominant menaquinone was MK-7. The major cellular fatty acids were anteiso-C15:0, iso-C15:0, anteiso-C17:0, and iso-C17:0. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence indicated that strain XY18(T) was a member of the genus Bacillus, and closely related to B. amyloliquefaciens NBRC 15535(T) and B. siamensis PD-A10(T), with 99.1 and 99.2 % sequence similarity, respectively. However, the DNA-DNA hybridization value between strain XY18(T) and B. amyloliquefaciens NBRC 15535(T) was 35.7 %. The genomic DNA G+C content of strain XY18(T) was 46.4 mol%, significantly differed from B. siamensis PD-A10(T) (41.4 %), which was higher than the range of 4 % indicative of species. On the basis of polyphasic taxonomic study, including phenotypic features, chemotaxonomy, and phylogenetic analyses, strain XY18(T) represents a novel species within the genus Bacillus, for which the name Bacillus vanillea sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is XY18(T) (=CGMCC 8629 = NCCB 100507).

Contribution of Bacillus Isolates to the Flavor Profiles of Vanilla Beans Assessed through Aroma Analysis and Chemometrics.

Colonizing Bacillus in vanilla (Vanilla planifolia Andrews) beans is involved in glucovanillin hydrolysis and vanillin formation during conventional curing. The flavor profiles of vanilla beans under Bacillus-assisted curing were analyzed through gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, electronic nose, and quantitative sensory analysis. The flavor profiles were analytically compared among the vanilla beans under Bacillus-assisted curing, conventional curing, and non-microorganism-assisted curing. Vanilla beans added with Bacillus vanillea XY18 and Bacillus subtilis XY20 contained higher vanillin (3.58%±0.05% and 3.48%±0.10%, respectively) than vanilla beans that underwent non-microorganism-assisted curing and conventional curing (3.09%±0.14% and 3.21%±0.15%, respectively). Forty-two volatiles were identified from endogenous vanilla metabolism. Five other compounds were identified from exogenous Bacillus metabolism. Electronic nose data confirmed that vanilla flavors produced through the different curing processes were easily distinguished. Quantitative sensory analysis confirmed that Bacillus-assisted curing increased vanillin production without generating any unpleasant sensory attribute. Partial least squares regression further provided a correlation model of different measurements. Overall, we comparatively analyzed the flavor profiles of vanilla beans under Bacillus-assisted curing, indirectly demonstrated the mechanism of vanilla flavor formation by microbes.

Optimized production of vanillin from green vanilla pods by enzyme-assisted extraction combined with pre-freezing and thawing.

Production of vanillin from natural green vanilla pods was carried out by enzyme-assisted extraction combined with pre-freezing and thawing. In the first step the green vanilla pods were pre-frozen and then thawed to destroy cellular compartmentation. In the second step pectinase from Aspergillus niger was used to hydrolyze the pectin between the glucovanillin substrate and ß-glucosidase. Four main variables, including enzyme amount, reaction temperature, time and pH, which were of significance for the vanillin content were studied and a central composite design (CCD) based on the results of a single-factor tests was used. Response surface methodology based on CCD was employed to optimize the combination of enzyme amount, reaction temperature, time, and pH for maximum vanillin production. This resulted in the optimal condition in regards of the enzyme amount, reaction temperature, time, and pH at 84.2 mg, 49.5 °C, 7.1 h, and 4.2, respectively. Under the optimal condition, the experimental yield of vanillin was 4.63% ± 0.11% (dwb), which was in good agreement with the value predicted by the model. Compared to the traditional curing process (1.98%) and viscozyme extract (2.36%), the optimized method for the vanillin production significantly increased the yield by 133.85% and 96%, respectively.

Microbiome-Metabolomic Analysis Revealed the Immunoprotective Effects of the Extract of Vanilla planifolia Andrew (EVPA) on Immunosuppressed Mice.

This study investigated the immunoprotective effects of the extract of Vanilla planifolia Andrew (EVPA) on cyclophosphamide (Cy)-induced immunosuppression in mice. The results show that EVPA administration significantly alleviated the immune damage induced by Cy, as evidenced by an improved body weight, organ index, and colonic injury. A further analysis of microbial diversity revealed that the EVPA primarily increased the abundance of the beneficial bacteria Verrucomicrobiota, Lactobacillaceae, and Lactobacillus while decreasing Akkermansiaceae, Akkermansia, Romboutsia, and Lactococcus, thereby ameliorating the microbial dysbiosis caused by Cy. A metabolomic analysis revealed significant alterations in the microbial metabolite levels after EVPA treatment, including urobilinogen, formamidopyrimidine nucleoside triphosphate, Cer (d18:1/18:0), pantetheine, and LysoPC (15:0/0:0). These altered metabolites are associated with pathways related to sphingolipid metabolism, carbapenem biosynthesis, pantothenate and CoA biosynthesis, glycerophospholipid metabolism, and porphyrin metabolism. Furthermore, significant correlations were observed between certain microbial groups and the differential metabolites. These findings provide new insights into the immunomodulatory effects of EVPA on the intestinal microbiota and metabolism, laying the foundation for more extensive utilization.

Annual Accumulation of CymMV May Lead to Loss in Production of Asymptomatic Vanilla Propagated by Cuttings.

Vanilla (Vanilla planifolia Andrews) is a valuable orchid spice cultivated for its highly priced beans. Vanilla has been planted in Hainan province of China via cutting propagation for about 40 years. The yield has been decreasing annually for the past ten years due to pod numbers declining significantly even though it seems to grow normally without disease symptoms, while the reason is still unknown. In this study, we found that Cymbidium mosaic virus (CymMV), one of the most devastating viruses causing losses in the vanilla industry, massively presented within the pods and leaves of vanilla plants, so the virus infecting the vanilla seems to be a highly probable hypothesis of the main contributions to low yield via decreasing the number of pods. This represents the first speculation of CymMV possibly affecting the yield of vanilla in China, indicating the important role of virus elimination in restoring high yield in vanilla. This research can also serve as a warning to important economic crops that rely on cuttings for propagation, demonstrating that regular virus elimination is very important for these economically propagated crops through cuttings.

Genome-Wide Analysis of the TCP Transcription Factor Gene Family in Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.).

TCP transcription factors play a key role in regulating various developmental processes, particularly in shoot branching, flower development, and leaf development, and these factors are exclusively found in plants. However, comprehensive studies investigating TCP transcription factors in pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) are lacking. In this study, we identified 27 CaTCP members in the pepper genome, which were classified into Class I and Class II through phylogenetic analysis. The motif analysis revealed that CaTCPs in the same class exhibit similar numbers and distributions of motifs. We predicted that 37 previously reported miRNAs target 19 CaTCPs. The expression levels of CaTCPs varied in various tissues and growth stages. Specifically, CaTCP16, a member of Class II (CIN), exhibited significantly high expression in flowers. Class I CaTCPs exhibited high expression levels in leaves, while Class II CaTCPs showed high expression in lateral branches, especially in the CYC/TB1 subclass. The expression profile suggests that CaTCPs play specific roles in the developmental processes of pepper. We provide a theoretical basis that will assist in further functional validation of the CaTCPs.

[Comparison of green coffee beans volatiles chemical composition of Hainan main area].

Chemical component of Hainan green coffee beans was analyzed with solid phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and the discrepancy between two green coffee beans was differentiated through the spectrum database retrieval and retention index of compound characterization. The experimental results show that: the chemical composition of Wanning coffee beans and Chengmai coffee beans is basically the same. The quantity of analyzed compound in Wanning area coffee is 91, and in Chengmai area coffee is 106, the quantity of the same compound is 66, and the percent of the same component is 75.52%. The same compounds accounted for 89.86% of the total content of Wanning area coffee, and accounted for 85.70% of the total content of Chengmai area coffee.

Effect of Piper nigrum essential oil in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis and its potential mechanisms.

BACKGROUND: Piper nigrum essential oil (PnEO) possesses pleasant aroma, unique flavor, and various bioactivities; however, its role against colitis remains unclear. PURPOSE: In this study, we investigated the role of PnEO in relieving colitis and explored its potential mechanisms in a mouse model of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis. METHODS: Initially, we identified and quantified the components of PnEO by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Subsequently, we investigated the protective role of PnEO (50 and 200 mg/kg) in DSS-induced colitis in mice by evaluating disease activity index (DAI) scores and colon length, and performing histological analyses. Eyeball blood was collected and cytokines were determined using ELISA kits. The anti-inflammatory mechanisms of PnEO were analyzed by western blot (WB) and immunohistochemistry (IHC). The intestinal barrier function was evaluated according to tight junction (TJ) protein mRNA levels. We used 16S rRNA gene sequencing to analyze the intestinal microflora of mouse cecal contents. RESULTS: Supplementation with PnEO (50 and 200 mg/kg) increased colon length and improved colon histopathology. PnEO regulated inflammatory responses by downregulating TLR4/MAPKs activation, thereby reducing the release of cytokines and mediators. Moreover, it also protected the intestinal barrier through enhancing the expression of claudin-1, claudin-3, occludin, ZO-1, and mucin 2. 16S rRNA gene sequencing revealed that PnEO (200 mg/kg) decreased the abundance of Akkermansia in the gut microbiome. CONCLUSION: PnEO treatment (50 and 200 mg/kg) relieved DSS-induced colitis by inhibiting TLR4/MAPK pathway and protecting intestinal barrier, and high-dose PnEO exhibited better effects. Moreover, PnEO (200 mg/kg) regulated key compositions of the gut microbiome, which indicated that it had therapeutic potential for sustaining gut health to lower the risk of colitis.

Genome-wide analysis and identification of stress-responsive genes of the CCCH zinc finger family in Capsicum annuum L.

The CCCH zinc finger gene family encodes a class of proteins that can bind to both DNA and RNA, and an increasing number of studies have demonstrated that the CCCH gene family plays a key role in growth and development and responses to environmental stress. Here, we identified 57 CCCH genes in the pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) genome and explored the evolution and function of the CCCH gene family in C. annuum. Substantial variation was observed in the structure of these CCCH genes, and the number of exons ranged from one to fourteen. Analysis of gene duplication events revealed that segmental duplication was the main driver of gene expansion in the CCCH gene family in pepper. We found that the expression of CCCH genes was significantly up-regulated during the response to biotic and abiotic stress, especially cold and heat stress, indicating that CCCH genes play key roles in stress responses. Our results provide new information on CCCH genes in pepper and will aid future studies of the evolution, inheritance, and function of CCCH zinc finger genes in pepper.

Identification and expression analysis of LEA gene family members in pepper (Capsicum annuum L.).

Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) is an economically important crop containing capsaicinoids in the seed and placenta, which has various culinary, medical, and industrial applications. Late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins are a large group of hydrophilic proteins participating in the plant stress response and seed development. However, to date there have been no genome-wide analyses of the LEA gene family in pepper. In the present study, 82 LEA genes were identified in the C. annuum genome and classified into nine subfamilies. Most CaLEA genes contain few introns (≤ 2) and are unevenly distributed across 10 chromosomes. Eight pairs of tandem duplication genes and two pairs of segmental duplication genes were identified in the LEA gene family; these duplicated genes were highly conserved and may have performed similar functions during evolution. Expression profile analysis indicated that CaLEA genes exhibited different tissue expression patterns, especially during embryonic development and stress response, particularly in cold stress. Three out of five CaLEA genes showed induced expression upon cold treatment. In summary, we have comprehensively reviewed the LEA gene family in pepper, offering a new perspective on the evolution of this family.

Optimization of enzymatic process for vanillin extraction using response surface methodology.

Vanillin was extracted from vanilla beans using pretreatment with cellulase to produce enzymatic hydrolysis, and response surface methodology (RSM) was applied to optimize the processing parameters of this extraction. The effects of heating time, enzyme quantity and temperature on enzymatic extraction of vanillin were evaluated. Extraction yield (mg/g) was used as the response value. The results revealed that the increase in heating time and the increase in enzyme quantity (within certain ranges) were associated with an enhancement of extraction yield, and that the optimal conditions for vanillin extraction were: Heating time 6 h, temperature 60 °C and enzyme quantity 33.5 mL. Calculated from the final polynomial functions, the optimal response of vanillin extraction yield was 7.62 mg/g. The predicted results for optimal reaction conditions were in good agreement with experimental values.

Effect of extraction technique on chemical compositions and antioxidant activities of freeze-dried green pepper.

In this study, the yield, content of piperine, and antioxidant activity of pepper oleoresin obtained with the methods of maceration, ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), and ultrasound-MAE (UMAE) were analyzed, and the microstructure of pepper residue was observed. For the yield and piperine content, the UMAE method had the best extraction capacity among the four methods. While, the oleoresin obtained with maceration had the highest total phenolic content, and the antioxidant activity of the oleoresin obtained by maceration was higher than that of the extracts acquired by UAE, MAE, and UMAE, and a high positive correlation was observed between the antioxidant activity and total phenolic content of the oleoresin obtained by these extraction methods. The ideal parameters for UMAE were an 80-mesh particle size and a 1 g/10 mL solid-liquid ratio. The kinetic parameters and models of the UMAE extraction process were also compared using first- and second-order models. The second-order kinetic equation with the lowest root mean square deviation and highest adjusted correlation coefficient proved to be more suitable for describing the extraction kinetics of pepper oleoresin. This study showed that UMAE is a fast, efficient, and cost-effective technique for the extraction of green pepper oleoresin.

Phylogenomic analysis of cytochrome P450 multigene family and its differential expression analysis in pepper (Capsicum annuum L.).

Plant cytochrome P450 is a multifamily enzyme widely involved in biochemical reactions for the synthesis of antioxidants, pigments, structural polymers, and defense-related compounds. Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) is an economically important plant. A comprehensive identification and characterization of P450 genes would provide valuable information on the evolutionary relationships of genes and their functional characteristics. In this study, we identified P450 genes in pepper with the aid of bioinformatics methods to investigate the phylogenetic relation, gene structure, chromosomal localization, duplicated events, and collinearity among Solanaceae species. We identified and classified 478 genes of P450 from the pepper genome into two major clades and nine subfamilies through phylogenetic analysis. Massive duplication events were found in the P450 gene family, which may explain the expansion of the P450 gene family. In addition, we also found that these duplication genes may have undergone strict purification selection during evolution. Gene expression analysis showed that some P450 genes that belong to clan 71 in pepper may play an important role in placenta and pericarp development. Through quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and transcriptome analysis, we also found that many P450 genes were related to defensive and phytohormone response in pepper. These findings provide insight for further studies to identify the biological functions of the P450 genes in pepper.

Contribution of sulfur-containing compounds to the colour-inhibiting effect and improved antioxidant activity of Maillard reaction products of soybean protein hydrolysates.

BACKGROUND: Light-coloured and savoury-tasting flavour enhancers are attractive to both consumers and food producers. The aim of this study was to investigate the colour-inhibiting effect of L-cysteine and thiamine during the Maillard reaction of soybean peptide and D-xylose. The correlation between volatile compounds and antioxidant activity of the corresponding products was also studied. RESULTS: Colour formation was markedly suppressed by cysteine. Compared with peptide/xylose (PX), the taste profile of Maillard reaction products (MRPs) derived from peptide/xylose/cysteine (PXC) and peptide/xylose/cysteine/thiamine (PXCT) was stronger, including umami, mouthfulness, continuity, meaty and overall acceptance. PXC and PXCT also exihibited distinctly higher antioxidant activity. Principal component analysis was applied to investigate the correlation between antioxidant activity and volatile compounds. Of 88 volatile compounds identified, 55 were significantly correlated with antioxidant activity by two principal components (accounting for 85.05% of the total variance). CONCLUSION: Effective colour control of the Maillard reaction by L-cysteine may allow the production of healthier (higher antioxidant activity) and tastier foods to satisfy consumers' and food producers' demands. Light-coloured products might be used as functional flavour enhancers in various food systems.

Distinct Roles for Bacterial and Fungal Communities During the Curing of Vanilla.

Vanilla produces aroma after curing. There were a few reports about the possible involvement of microorganisms during the curing process. Bacterial and fungal community was analyzed to explore the distinct roles. Alpha diversity analysis indicated that the abundance and diversity of microorganisms did not increase regularly as the curing progressed. Weighted and unweighted principal coordinates analysis (PCoA) showed that the fungal community of blanching beans was significantly different from those of the vanilla beans of other stages, respectively. Bacillus and Aspergillus were the dominant genus during the curing process. Correlation analysis indicated that the bacterial and fungal structure was positively related to the vanillin formation, respectively. The study was conducive to reveal the formation of flavor components and the biosynthesis of vanillin. Furthermore, it proposed the possible curing methods of regulating the bacterial and fungal community to increase vanillin formation.