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This article, published in the Journal of Experimental Botany, explores the role of a DEAD-box RNA helicase called OsRH52A in the development of the female gametophyte and seed setting in rice. The study found that loss of OsRH52A led to abnormal development of the embryo sac, resulting in low seed setting. The article also discusses the importance of normal development of male and female gametophytes for successful fertilization and seed production, as well as the various factors that can cause degeneration or defects in these gametophytes. The study highlights the molecular pathway of embryo sac development and suggests potential interactions with other proteins involved in reproductive development. Additionally, the article discusses the impact of OsRH52A on the expression of downstream genes involved in megaspore development. Overall, this research provides insights into the mechanisms underlying fertility in plants and has implications for hybrid rice development. [Extracted from the article]

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) can be life threatening and have chronic impacts on patients and society. Timely diagnosis and treatment are imperative to prevent deterioration. Conventional imaging modalities, such as Computed Tomography (CT), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), and Positron Emission Tomography (PET), are expensive and not readily accessible to patients. Microwave sensing and imaging (MSI) systems are promising tools for monitoring pathological changes, namely the lateral ventricle enlargement associated with ND, in a non-invasive and convenient way. This paper presents a dual-planar monopole antenna-based remote sensing system for ND monitoring. First, planar monopole antennas were designed using the simulation software CST Studio Suite. The antenna analysis was carried out regarding the reflection coefficient, gain, radiation pattern, time domain characterization, E-field distribution, and Specific Absorption Rate (SAR). The designed antennas were then integrated with a controlling circuit as a remote sensing system. The system was experimentally validated on brain phantoms using a vector network analyzer and a laptop. The collected reflection coefficient data were processed using a radar-based imaging algorithm to reconstruct images indicating brain abnormality in ND. The results suggest that the system could serve as a low-cost and efficient tool for long-term monitoring of ND, particularly in clinics and care home scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is an autoimmune disorder characterized by a platelet count of less than 100 x 109 /L, resulting from antibody-mediated platelet destruction. Treatment for ITP typically involves steroids, and intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIG) can be added. Splenectomy is performed in cases with refractory ITP. Rituximab can suppress immunity but has limited efficacy in ITP cases. Herein, we present a rare case of a 30-year-old female who was first diagnosed with ITP and underwent a splenectomy two years later. However, seven years after surgery, she was presented with symptoms of ITP. A splenic scan showed an accessory spleen in the spleen bed, for which she underwent accessory spleen removal surgery. Her laboratory tests three days post-operation showed a rise in platelet count and hence was discharged a few days later. The patient had recurrent attacks of ITP even after the removal of the normal and accessory spleen, suggesting that accessory spleen removal may not always be an effective treatment for ITP. The patient eventually died. While splenectomy is a common treatment for ITP, it may not always be effective in all cases, and other treatments such as bone marrow transplantation may be necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effects of blanching, osmotic dehydration, and/or ultrasound combined with hot air (HAD), microwave vacuum (MVD), and freeze drying (FD) on the stability of quality attributes of sweet potatoes during 90 days of storage at room temperature were investigated. Pretreated sample prior to two‐step drying (HAD‐MVD) preserved sweet potato color better compared to unblanched and FD samples during storage. X‐ray diffraction clearly showed that the amorphous structure observed with pretreated samples was mainly due to blanching responsible for the disorganization of the starch structure caused by temperature. Physical damage which takes place with blanching treatment in the granule structure and in particular at the level of the crystalline part such as the breaking of intermolecular bonds had a significant impact on a decrease in crystallinity. During 90 days of storage, samples that did not undergo pre‐treatment showed a higher reduction in phenolic content about 75.99% whereas pretreated combined with HAD‐MVD or FD showed a reduction of about 51.31% and 32.27%, respectively. The results demonstrated that MVD caused retention of total carotenoid content, while freeze‐dried samples recorded the highest degradation during storage. Practical applications: Food storage stability addresses one of the foremost problems faced by food processors. Studies on changes in the quality of a food product as a function of time are important to ensure product compliances to food standards. Storage time and processing are the major factors affecting the rate of loss of quality and shelf life of dehydrated sweet potatoes. Recently, osmotic dehydration and/or ultrasound combined with microwave vacuum drying has attracted significant attention in food processing generally because of the recent consumers' trend toward functional foods and stability during storage. The results show that blanching, osmotic dehydration, and/or ultrasound combined with microwave vacuum drying is a potential technique for improving the retention of bioactive compound and stability of sweet potato slices during storage at room temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was determined to investigate the efficacy of chitosan (CS)‐based apple peel polyphenols (APP) composite coatings to enhance the storage quality of strawberries. Strawberries were coated with CS‐APP1 (0.25% APP), CS‐APP2 (0.50%), CS‐APP3 (0.75%), CS‐APP4 (1.0%), and stored at 20°C and 35–40% RH. The uncoated fruit was considered as control. The fruits were evaluated for weight loss, decay, firmness, bioactive compounds, titratable acidity, and total soluble solids (TSS). The results revealed that CS‐APP coatings had a significant effect on all the tested parameters. The weight loss and decay percentage were reduced to 10.91% and 19%, respectively, in the CS‐APP4 treatment group. The highest value of TSS (6.8%) was observed in the CS‐APP3 treatment group on the 6th day of storage. Coatings with CS‐APP4 exhibited the maximum acid content (0.78 g/100 g) as compared to the CS only (0.68 g/100 g). The total phenol content was highest (1.3 mg/g) in the CS‐APP2 treatment group at the end of storage. CS‐APP2 composite coating could be effectively utilized to extend the postharvest life of strawberries as it retarded the senescence and maintained quality attributes of the fruits during storage. Practical applications: Strawberry is a nutritionally rich fruit. However, it has a short shelf‐life and can deteriorate quickly. Chitosan (CS) is a biopolymer that is widely used for the application of edible coating with different antioxidant agents. Although apple fruit peel is discarded as industrial waste, yet it is a good source of polyphenols and natural antioxidants. Chitosan‐based APP edible coating can be used to prolong the postharvest life of strawberry as well as to minimize food processing industrial waste by utilizing apple peel as an antioxidant ingredient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the present study was to develop chitosan (CS) based novel functional films containing Chinese chive root extract (CRE) using solution casting method. CRE at different concentrations (1, 3 and 5% in w/w) were incorporated into the film-forming solution. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and thermal behavior analysis (DSC & TGA) were performed to investigate the structure, potential interaction and thermal stability of prepared films. It was revealed by SEM that higher extract concentration triggered the formation of agglomerates within the films. Incorporation of CRE into CS resulted in decrease tensile properties of the films from 28.9 to 15.4 MPa, whereas thickness was increased from 0.076 to 0.113 mm. The water solubility, swelling degree and water vapor permeability were significantly decreased from 31.6 to 18.7%, 57.4 to 40.5% and 15.67 to 7.81 × 10−11 g·m−1s−1Pa−1, respectively. DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging ability of CS-CRE films were increased from 6.95 to 47.05% and 11.98 to 57.38%, respectively. CS-CRE5 film showed the highest biodegradability of 47.36%. The films prepared by addition of CRE into CS exhibited good antioxidant and antimicrobial activity indicating that it could be developed as bio-composite food packaging material for food industry. • Chitosan-based food packaging films were developed by incorporation of CRE. • Optical properties of the film were improved by the addition of CRE. • Antimicrobial and antioxidants activities of the prepared films were increased. • Chitosan-based CRE films improved in terms of physical properties and WVP. • CRE can be used as antimicrobial and antioxidant agent to develop CS-based films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, polysaccharides from chickpea hull (CHPS) were incorporated into carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) for the development of CMC-based films. The physical and mechanical properties, color, transmittance, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities were investigated, and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were applied to study the potential interaction, structure and thermal stabilization of the prepared films. The results revealed that some physical and mechanical properties of films, like moisture content, elongation at break and water vapor permeability, were decreased. While thickness, swelling ratio, water solubility and tensile strength were significantly increased ( p  < 0.05) compared with control film. Furthermore, the films exhibited potential antioxidant effects on DPPH and ABTS free radicals. The results of scanning electron microscopy showed rough and heterogeneous morphology for CMC-CHPS films while control film exhibited smooth, homogenous and compact structure. FT-IR results reflected good interaction of chemical groups and bonds between CMC and CHPS. DSC results showed that glass transition temperature increased significantly ( p  < 0.05) from 82.68 to 90.39 °C compared with control of 78.21 °C. Thermal stability of all films was improved, indicating that the films could be used as biocomposite materials for packaging of food products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, apple peel polyphenols (APP) were incorporated into chitosan (CS) to develop a novel functional film. Scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analyses were performed to study the structure, potential interaction and thermal stability of the prepared films. Physical properties including moisture content, density, color, opacity, water solubility, swelling ration and water vapor permeability were measured. The results revealed that addition of APP into CS significantly improved the physical properties of the film by increasing its thickness, density, solubility, opacity and swelling ratio whereas moisture content and water vapor permeability were decreased. Tensile strength and elongation at break of the CS-APP film with 1% APP was 16.48 MPa and 13.33%, respectively, significantly lower than those for CS control film. Thermal stability of the prepared films was decreased while antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of the CS-based APP film were significantly increased. CS-APP film with 0.50% APP concentration exhibited good mechanical and antimicrobial properties, indicating that it could be developed as bio-composite food packaging material for the food industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, eight different natural deep eutectic solvents (NADESs) were utilized in combination with microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) as a green technique for the optimal extraction and achieve enhanced antioxidant activity of bioactive compounds from date seed powder (DSP). The two most efficient NADESs (choline chloride-lactic acid (ChCl-LA) and choline chloride-xylose (ChCl-Xylo) were further optimized for (MAE) using response surface methodology (RSM). Three factors considered for optimization were temperature (20, 55, and 80 ℃), irradiation time (5, 12.5, and 20 min), and percentage NADES contents (25, 55, and 85%). Total phenolic compounds (TPC), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) activity were used as response factors. The optimal conditions were temperature (80 °C), irradiation time (5 min), and NADES contents (63%) for ChCl-LA, and temperature (80 °C), irradiation time (20 min), and NADES contents (50%) for ChCl-Xylo, respectively. At the optimized conditions, the highest values for FRAP, DPPH, and TPC obtained were 771.54 and 734.34 mM TE/g powder, 503.75 and 396.73 mM TE/g powder, and 147.92 and 234.65 mg GAE/g powder respectively, for ChCl-LA and ChCl-Xylo. The main phenolic compounds found in the selected extracts were catechin, 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid, and caffeic acid. This study infers that the utilization of MAE with appropriate NADESs as green extraction approach under optimized conditions can produce enhanced yield of bioactive compounds from date seeds. The synthesized NADES after appropriate toxicity studies could be used in replacement of conventional solvents which could be utilized in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industry as green and safe ingredients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Barley is the fourth most important cereal crop and has been domesticated and cultivated for more than 10,000 years. Breeding climate-smart and stress-tolerant cultivars is considered the most suitable way to accelerate barley improvement. However, the conventional breeding framework needs to be changed to facilitate genomics-based breeding of barley. The continuous progress in genomics has opened up new avenues and tools that are promising for making barley breeding more precise and efficient. For instance, reference genome assemblies in combination with germplasm sequencing to delineate breeding have led to the development of more efficient barley cultivars. Genetic analysis, such as QTL mapping and GWAS studies using sequencing approaches, have led to the identification of molecular markers, genomic regions and novel genes associated with the agronomic traits of barley. Furthermore, SNP marker technologies and haplotype-based GWAS have become the most applied methods for supporting molecular breeding in barley. The genetic information is also used for high-efficiency gene editing by means of CRISPR-Cas9 technology, the best example of which is the cv. Golden Promise. In this review, we summarize the genomic databases that have been developed for barley and explain how the genetic resources of the reference genome, the available state-of-the-art bioinformatics tools, and the most recent assembly of a barley pan-genome will boost the genomics-based breeding for barley improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• CMC-based food packaging films were developed by incorporation of CRE. • Prepared films were characterized by SEM, XRD, DSC and TGA. • Antimicrobial and antioxidants activities of prepared films were also evaluated. • CMC-based CRE films improved in terms of physical properties and WVP. • CRE can be used as antimicrobial and antioxidant agent to develop CMC-based films. Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) based novel functional films containing Chinese chives root extract (CRE) at different concentrations (1, 3 and 5 % in w/w) were successfully fabricated. It was revealed by SEM that higher extract concentration triggered the formation of agglomerates within the film. Tensile strength of the films was decreased from 30.91 to 16.48 MPa. Thickness of films was increased from 43 to 84 μm, while decrease in water solubility from 77.51–52.91 %, swelling degree from 55.74 to 40.37 %, and water vapor permeability from 5.76 to 1.17 10−10 gm-1s-1 Pa-1 was observed. DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging ability of CMC-CRE films was increased from 0 to 58 % and 82 %, respectively. CMC-CRE5 film showed the highest biodegradability of 58.14 %. The film prepared by the addition of CRE into CMC also exhibited good antioxidant and antimicrobial activity indicating that it could be developed as a bio-composite food packaging material for the food industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: In this paper, an optimized analog beamforming scheme for millimeter‐wave (mmWave) massive MIMO system is presented. This scheme aims to achieve the near‐optimal performance.by searching for the optimized combination of analog precoder and combiner. In order to compensate for the occurrence of attenuation in the magnitude of mmWave signals, the codebook‐dependent analog beamforming in conjunction with precoding at transmitting end and combining signals at the receiving end is utilized. Nonetheless, the existing and traditional beamforming schemes involve a more difficult and complicated search for the optimal combination of analog precoder/combiner matrices from predefined codebooks. To solve this problem, we have referred to a modified bat algorithm to find the optimal combination value. This algorithm will explore the possible pairs of analog precoder/combiner as a way to come up with the best match in order to attain near‐optimal performance. The analysis shows that the optimized beamforming scheme presented in this paper can improve the performance that is very close to the beam steering benchmark that we have considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective of this study is using calcium alginate to encapsulate Syzygium cumini seed polyphenolic extract to maintain its stability and functionality. Calcium chloride was exploited as a cross‐linking agent to get the final form as calcium alginate capsules. Two different methods for drying of capsules were conducted; freeze‐dried (FD.C) and vacuum dried (D.C). Encapsulation efficiency for FD.C and D.C was 75.96 ± 0.68% and 70.20 ± 0.59%, respectively. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) photographs and the mechanical properties indicated that the polysaccharide networks of D.C were strongly firm to prevent the release of total phenolic content (TPC) in gastric phase. FD.C showed fragile polysaccharide networks however, prevented the release of TPC in gastric phase and exhibited more release of TPC than D.C in intestinal phase. The microencapsulation process improved the thermal stability of the extract with 171.97°C and 180.36°C for FD.C and D.C, respectively. Novelty Impact Statement: Sodium alginate in combination with calcium chloride was exploited to fabricate controlled release microcapsules. The fabricated microcapsules physically interacted with Syzygium cumin seeds polyphenols. The polyphenolic microcapsules were characterized with high ability to preserve polyphenols in gastric conditions and admitted with release of polyphenols in intestinal conditions. Moreover, the resulted microcapsules increased the thermal stability of grafted polyphenols. Thus, the obtained results would pave a new technique for medical purposes as controlled release systems or more stable capsules for food additive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, during the current COVID-19 pandemic, consumers increasingly seek foods that not only fulfill the basic need (i.e., satisfying hunger) but also enhance human health and well-being. As a result, more attention has been given to some kinds of foods, termed "superfoods," making big claims about their richness in valuable nutrients and bioactive compounds as well as their capability to prevent illness, reinforcing the human immune system, and improve overall health. This review is an attempt to uncover truths and myths about superfoods by giving examples of the most popular foods (e.g., berries, pomegranates, watermelon, olive, green tea, several seeds and nuts, honey, salmon, and camel milk, among many others) that are commonly reported as having unique nutritional, nutraceutical, and functional characteristics. While superfoods have become a popular buzzword in blog articles and social media posts, scientific publications are still relatively marginal. The reviewed findings show that COVID-19 has become a significant driver for superfoods consumption. Food Industry 4.0 innovations have revolutionized many sectors of food technologies, including the manufacturing of functional foods, offering new opportunities to improve the sensory and nutritional quality of such foods. Although many food products have been considered superfoods and intensively sought by consumers, scientific evidence for their beneficial effectiveness and their "superpower" are yet to be provided. Therefore, more research and collaboration between researchers, industry, consumers, and policymakers are still needed to differentiate facts from marketing gimmicks and promote human health and nutrition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To compare the mean operative time in subtotal thyroidectomy with harmonic scalpel and conventional vessel ligation method. Study Design: Randomized control trial. Setting: Surgical unit of Bakhtawar Amin Medical and Dental College Multan. Period: April 2015 to April 2016 for one year. Methodology: A total number of 92 cases were selected for this study and these were randomly divided into two equal groups by lottery method (Group A= operated with harmonic scalpel, Group B= operated with conventional vessel ligation method) each containing 46 patients. The sample size was calculated with the help of the WHO Sample Size Calculator. (WHO sample size determination software version of KC Lun and Peter Chiam). Sample Size, n= 92 (46 in each group). Expected mean operative time with harmonic scalpel method (44.9 ± 8.3 minutes) compared with the Conventional ligation method (69.5 ± 10.7 minutes; P < .001). Data was analyzed with the use of SPSS version 23. The frequency and percentage were calculated for qualitative variables like gender. Quantitative variables like age and operative time were presented as mean and standard deviation. T test was applied to compare the mean operative time between two groups. Results: A total number of 100% (n=92) patients were included in this study. Gender distribution showed that there were more males i.e 52.2% (n=48) and 47.8% (n=44) were females. The mean age of patients was 42.75 + 14.33 years. Recorded mean duration of operation time was 47.69 + 6.51 minutes for group A compared to the mean duration of operation of 71.61 + 7.32 minutes. This time difference was statistically significant with a p-value of < 0.001. Conclusion: Subtotal thyroidectomy with harmonic scalpel leads to a significantly reduced mean operative time compared to conventional vessel ligation technique and should be opted routinely for this surgical procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Seven NADES for the extraction of bioactive compounds from date seeds were synthesized. • Innovative extraction techniques "ultrasound-assisted extraction" coupled with NADES were employed in the extraction of date seeds. • All the NADES had better extraction efficiency for phenolic compounds than conventional solvents. • The NADES with the better physicochemical property was optimized to enhance phenolic content and antioxidant activities. • 3,4-Dihydroxy benzoic acid, catechin, and caffeic acid were the main phenolic compounds present in date seeds. The green extraction of bioactive compounds from date seeds was investigated using seven natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) coupled with ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE). The seven NADESs mainly consisted of choline chloride as hydrogen bond acceptors (HBA) and four sugars, two organic acids, and one polyalcohol as hydrogen bond donors (HBD) were utilized in this study. When the extraction efficiency of the NADESs was compared to that of the conventional solvents, all the NADESs showed superior bioactive compounds recovery efficacy. The lactic acid-based NADES had the highest extraction efficiency and was further optimized using the response surface method and Box-Behnken design. A four-factors including extraction time (10, 20, and 30 min), ultrasound amplitude (70, 80, and 90 %), % NADES content (30 %, 50 %, and 70 %) and solid-to-solvent ratio (1:30, 1.5:30, and 2:30 g/ml) each at three levels (−1, 0 and 1) using Box-Behnken design was applied. The % NADES content and the solid-to-solvent ratio were the major factors influencing the extraction efficiency of the total phenolic content (TPC) and the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity. The optimum extraction conditions included an extraction time of 15 min, ultrasound amplitude of 90 %, % NADES content of 70 % and solid-to-liquid ratio of 1:30 g/ml. The experimental values for TPC and DPPH at optimum extraction conditions were 145.54 ± 1.54 (mg GAE/g powder) and 719.19 ± 2.09 (mmol TE/g powder), respectively. The major phenolic compounds observed in the date seeds extracted using ChCl-LA were 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid, catechin and caffeic acid. This study reveals that the extraction of date seeds with NADES in combination with UAE technique was able to recover significantly higher amounts of phenolic compounds which could find useful applications in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current study, a novel method to improve the nano-entrapment of enzymes into Ca-alginate gel was investigated to determine the synergistic effects of ultrasound combined with microwave shock (UMS). The effects of UMS treatment on dextranase enzymes' loading effectiveness (LE) and immobilization yield (IY) were investigated. By using FT-IR spectra and SEM, the microstructure of the immobilized enzyme (IE) was characterized. Additionally, the free enzyme was used as a control to compare the reusability and enzyme-kinetics characteristics of IEs produced with and without UMS treatments. The results demonstrated that the highest LE and IY were obtained when the IE was produced with a US of 40 W at 25 kHz for 15 min combined with an MS of 60 W at a shock rate of 20 s/min for 20 min, increasing the LE and the IY by 97.32 and 78.25%, respectively, when compared with an immobilized enzyme prepared without UMS treatment. In comparison with the control, UMS treatment dramatically raised the Vmax, KM, catalytic, and specificity constant values for the IE. The outcomes suggested that a microwave shock and ultrasound combination would be an efficient way to improve the immobilization of enzymes in biopolymer gel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Panicle degeneration, sometimes known as abortion, causes heavy losses in grain yield. However, the mechanism of naturally occurring panicle abortion is still elusive. In a previous study, we characterized a mutant, apical panicle abortion1331 (apa1331), exhibiting abortion in apical spikelets starting from the 6 cm stage of panicle development. In this study, we have quantified the five phytohormones, gibberellins (GA), auxins (IAA), abscisic acid (ABA), cytokinins (CTK), and brassinosteroids (BR), in the lower, middle, and upper parts of apa1331 and compared these with those exhibited in its wild type (WT). In apa331, the lower and middle parts of the panicle showed contrasting concentrations of all studied phytohormones, but highly significant changes in IAA and ABA, compared to the upper part of the panicle. A comparative transcriptome of apa1331 and WT apical spikelets was performed to explore genes causing the physiological basis of spikelet abortion. The differential expression analysis revealed a significant downregulation and upregulation of 1587 and 978 genes, respectively. Hierarchical clustering of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) revealed the correlation of gene ontology (GO) terms associated with antioxidant activity, peroxidase activity, and oxidoreductase activity. KEGG pathway analysis using parametric gene set enrichment analysis (PGSEA) revealed the downregulation of the biological processes, including cell wall polysaccharides and fatty acids derivatives, in apa1331 compared to its WT. Based on fold change (FC) value and high variation in expression during late inflorescence, early inflorescence, and antherdevelopment, we predicted a list of novel genes, which presumably can be the potential targets of inflorescence development. Our study not only provides novel insights into the role of the physiological dynamics involved in panicle abortion, but also highlights the potential targets involved in reproductive development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current research focused on the study of the completely enclosed circulation cycle drying of garlic slices of 3 mm thickness. The relationship between temperature and air circulation cycle through heat pump (HP) drying was studied to maintain the food product quality and to optimize its processing cost. The Box‐Behnken design was used to investigate the effect of first‐ and second‐stage bypass air ratio (BAR) and temperature on HP‐specific moisture extraction rate (SMER), moisture evaporation rate (MER), and garlic slice quality. Maximum SMER (1.530 kg kW−1 h−1) was observed, when the temperature was 45°C and first‐ and second‐stage BARs were 0.40 and 0.60, respectively. The highest MER was observed when both BARs were set at 0.20. The ambient temperature and humidity conditions have a lesser effect on the closed HP drying system; however, it is mainly affected by BAR. The best performance of the system can be attained when the BAR is between 0.2 and 0.6. Our results show that quality score, MER, SMER, and comprehensive evaluation are the most suitable parameters for a closed HP drying system to dry the garlic slices. For single‐objective optimization, under the constraints of 0.2 ≤ X1 ≤ 0.6, 0.2 ≤ X2 ≤ 0.6, and 45°C ≤ X3 ≤ 55°C, the objective functions took the maximum value. As experimental indices gained the best hot air bypass rates and temperature which can guide the efficient HP drying production. Novelty impact statement: The quality of food products is one of the main parameters in the mechanical drying process. To maintain the quality, energy consumption must be least to make the product economical for end users. Therefore, different bypass air ratios and temperatures could be used in different drying stages to improve the drying effect and reduce energy consumption. Design expert was used to process data and develop models for quality score, MER, SMER, and comprehensive evaluation; these models were significant and could be used as a reference model in actual production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Edible films/coatings are thin layers of eatable materials which, when applied to foods, can modify the exchange of molecules between food and environment as well as between different compartments of the same food. The films/coatings help the foods to maintain their freshness and also facilitate in their transportation, storage and display. As demand for healthy foods is increasing rapidly, various novel materials from herbal sources are extensively being explored as raw materials for edible films/coatings. Aloe vera is a popular herbal plant and is well known for its therapeutic properties. The gel extracted from Aloe vera leaves comprises of a variety of bioactive compounds, minerals and phenolic contents. For this reason, Aloe vera gel has attracted considerable attention as edible and active film/coating material. The present paper provides a detailed literature review on extraction, suitability and applications of Aloe vera gel as edible film/coating material, either alone and in combination with conventional film forming materials. Aloe vera gel films/coating are quite effective for shelf-life extension of various perishable food commodities (in a dose-dependent manner); however, the optimum gel concentration still needs to be investigated. The blending of Aloe vera gel with traditional biopolymers (proteins and polysaccharides) and lipids (emulsions) seems a promising approach for tuning properties of films/coating in terms of transparency, smoothness, rigidity, elasticity, water vapor permeability, and bio-functionality. Further research is needed to address some technological challenges to develop Aloe vera gel-based films/coatings with easily tunable properties. [Display omitted] • Aloe vera gel-based films/coatings represent biodegradable and active food packaging. • Blending Aloe vera gel with biopolymers improves functionality of coatings/films. • Aloe vera gel-based films/coatings with easily tunable properties are still needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although ginkgo nuts are very nutritious and loaded with numerous bioactive compounds, the nuts contain significant levels of unwanted compounds (ginkolic acids) which are toxic to consumption. To reduce or eliminate these toxic compounds without impacting the nutritional value and the bioactivity of the final product, an appropriate processing technology is needed. Thus, the effect of preheating (90 and 120°C) prior to drying (freeze drying: FD, hot air drying: HAD, and HAD in tandem with FD: HAD‐FD) was evaluated on ginkgolic acids, pyridoxine analogues, phenolic compounds, and antioxidant properties of ginkgo nuts. Our results pointed out a significant decrease (below 50%) of ginkgolic acids in ginkgo nuts samples processed at 90°C compared to the control. The major compounds found after treatments were respectively, kaempferol (36.66‐354.38 µg/g), quercetin (9.04‐183.71 µg/g), and caffeic acid (19.66‐106.88 µg/g). Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that preheating at 90°C prior to HAD‐FD would be a proper and reasonable approach for preserving the bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity of ginkgo nuts (EC50 ranged from 2.25 to 4.60 mg/mL) while significantly reducing their content in toxic compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Panicle degeneration, also known as panicle abortion, is a serious defect and causes heavy losses to reproductive yield in cereals. Several mutants have been reported to display the phenotype of spikelet abortion in rice. Recent findings have resulted in significant breakthroughs, but comprehensive understanding about the molecular pathways and physiological basis of panicle degeneration still remain a dilemma. In this review, we have summarized all the responsible genes and mechanisms underlying the panicle development with a special focus on degeneration. Here, we hypothesized a model by using knowledge and coherent logic in order to understand the molecular regulation of panicle degeneration. In addition to this, we included all the previous discoveries, schools of thoughts, ancient working theories, and crosstalk of phytohormones and provided new insights for future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The objectives of this study were to determine the optimal extraction conditions of polyphenols from Syzygium cumini seeds by response surface methodology and investigate their antioxidant activity and inhibition on α‐amylase and pancreatic lipase. As results, the optimal extraction conditions in the ultrasonic extraction process which maximised total polyphenols content, minimised the IC50 values of α‐amylase and pancreatic lipase were determined as follows: extraction time 60 min, ethanol concentration 63% and solvent/solid ratio 44 mL g−1. The main phenolic compounds in partially purified fraction of Syzygium cumini seeds were catechin, epicatechin, kaempferol, gallic, 5‐caffeoylquinic, caffeic and ferulic acids. In addition, the partially purified fraction inhibited 87.66 ± 5.55 and 86.61 ± 3.15% of α‐amylase and pancreatic lipase, respectively. The results suggested that Syzygium cumini seeds could be explored as a natural antioxidant and could be used as a source of highly antidiabetic and anti‐obesity bioactive compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the microbial and nutritional aspects of pear juice with conventional or ultrasound (US) treatment during storage at 4 °C were studied. The conventional pasteurization was 95 °C for 5 min while US-pasteurizations (frequency 30 kHz, amplitude 70%) were 25, 45, and 65 °C for 10 min, under a probe sonicator (750 W). Control, US25 and US45 had shelf lives of 9, 12, and 15 days respectively. Ascorbic acid, total phenols, total anti oxidant capacity, and cloud value decreased in all treatments while pH, acidity, and sugars remained stable. Both treatments (P95 and US65) remained viable after 21 days of storage, however, loss of bioactive compounds in P95 (16.39%) was significantly higher than that of US65 (7.44%), indicating US-pasteurization a promising pear juice processing technology at low temperature, retaining bioactive compounds, meeting safety standards, and increasing shelf life. Practical applications Complete microbial and enzymatic deactivation is achieved at commercial thermal pasteurization techniques, but these elevated temperatures cause losses in nutritional and sensory attributes of the end product. While microbial and enzymatic deactivation in pear juice was achieved at lower temperature using thermosonication in the present study. The low temperature pasteurizations exhibited higher retention and availability of bioactive compounds than the traditional high temperature pasteurizations over the studied shelf life period. The findings of the study would pave way for the commercial processing of pear juice with improved quality and shelf life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this review, we argue that there is much to be learned by transferring knowledge from research on lignocellulose degradation to that on plastic. Plastic waste accumulates in the environment to hazardous levels, because it is inherently recalcitrant to biological degradation. Plants evolved lignocellulose to be resistant to degradation, but with time, fungi became capable of utilising it for their nutrition. Examples of how fungal strategies to degrade lignocellulose could be insightful for plastic degradation include how fungi overcome the hydrophobicity of lignin (e.g. production of hydrophobins) and crystallinity of cellulose (e.g. oxidative approaches). In parallel, knowledge of the methods for understanding lignocellulose degradation could be insightful such as advanced microscopy, genomic and post-genomic approaches (e.g. gene expression analysis). The known limitations of biological lignocellulose degradation, such as the necessity for physiochemical pretreatments for biofuel production, can be predictive of potential restrictions of biological plastic degradation. Taking lessons from lignocellulose degradation for plastic degradation is also important for biosafety as engineered plastic-degrading fungi could also have increased plant biomass degrading capabilities. Even though plastics are significantly different from lignocellulose because they lack hydrolysable C-C or C-O bonds and therefore have higher recalcitrance, there are apparent similarities, e.g. both types of compounds are mixtures of hydrophobic polymers with amorphous and crystalline regions, and both require hydrolases and oxidoreductases for their degradation. Thus, many lessons could be learned from fungal lignocellulose degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Appropriate methyl jasmonate dose induced enrichment of carotenoids in germinated maize kernels. • Methyl jasmonate could increase germination percentage and radical scavenging activity. • Salicyl hydroxamic acid treatment reduced carotenoids accumulation in germinated maize kernels. • The transcript levels of most carotenoid biosynthetic genes increased by methyl jasmonate. This study investigated effects of different concentrations of methyl jasmonate (MeJA) on carotenoids accumulation, radical scavenging activity and proline content in germinated maize kernels. MeJA treatment promoted carotenoids accumulation, radical scavenging activity and proline accumulation, while salicyl hydroxamic acid (SHAM) reduced carotenoids accumulation. There was a significant increase of 42.5% in lutein content when treated with 0.5 μM MeJA. Furthermore, the transcriptional expression of seven carotenogenic genes were explored by MeJA and SHAM. The results showed that 0.5 μM MeJA significantly increased the gene expression levels of PSY , PDS , ZDS, LCYB , LCYE , BCH1 , CYP97C , and their transcript levels, which were strongly associated with carotenoids content. Treatment of MeJA affected the carotenoids biosynthesis gene and led to the accumulation of carotenoids. These new findings would help to develop innovative approach for enrichment of lutein in germinated maize kernels for further development of functional food materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Black and red rice are rich in both anthocyanin and proanthocyanin content, which belong to a large class of flavonoids derived from a group of phenolic secondary metabolites. However, the molecular pathways and mechanisms underlying the flavonoid biosynthetic pathway are far from clear. Therefore, this study was undertaken to gain insight into physiological factors that are involved in the flavonoid biosynthetic pathway in rice cultivars with red, black, and white colors. RNA sequencing of caryopsis and isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) analyses have generated a nearly complete catalog of mRNA and expressed proteins in different colored rice cultivars. A total of 31,700 genes were identified, of which 3417, 329, and 227 genes were found specific for red, white, and black rice, respectively. A total of 13,996 unique peptides corresponding to 3916 proteins were detected in the proteomes of black, white, and red rice. Coexpression network analyses of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) among the different rice cultivars showed significant differences in photosynthesis and flavonoid biosynthesis pathways. Based on a differential enrichment analysis, 32 genes involved in the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway were detected, out of which only CHI, F3H, ANS, and FLS were detected by iTRAQ. Taken together, the results point to differences in flavonoid biosynthesis pathways among different colored rice cultivars, which may reflect differences in physiological functions. The differences in contents and types of flavonoids among the different colored rice cultivars are related to changes in base sequences of Os06G0162500, Os09G0455500, Os09G0455500, and Os10G0536400. Current findings expand and deepen our understanding of flavonoid biosynthesis and concurrently provides potential candidate genes for improving the nutritional qualities of rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]