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Objective: The aim of this study was to analysis the effect of cultivars on the adaptability of kiwifruit processing to chips while six cultivars of kiwifruit were used as the raw material. Methods: Kiwifruit chips were prepared by the method of vacuum freeze-dried. Sensory evaluation and nine indexes such as the yield of kiwifruit chips, water-soluble pectin, acid-soluble pectin, soluble sugar, total acid content, sugar-acid ratio. ascorbic acid content, hardness and crispness of kiwifruit chips were analyzed. Results: There were significantly differences among yield, nutrient content and sensory indicators in kiwifruit chips while the kiwifruit chips were prepared with different cultivars. Kiwifruit chips with cultivar name "Jinyan" were higher in yield, water-soluble pectin, soluble sugar and hardness of kiwifruit chips, but were lower in total acid content and crispness of kiwifruit chips. Kiwifruit chips with cultivar name "Jinmei" were higher in yield, water-soluble pectin, soluble sugar and ascorbic acid, and were lower in total acid, hardness and crispness of kiwi fruit chips. Kiwifruit chips with cultivar name "Jinyuan" were higher in water-soluble pectin, acid-soluble pectin, bound-pectin, soluble sugar, total acid and ascorbic acid, and were lower in hardness and crispness of kiwi fruit chips. Kiwifruit chips with cultivar name "Jintao" were higher in yield, sugar-acid ratio, ascorbic acid, hardness and crispness of the chips, and were lower in water-soluble pectin and total acid in kiwifruit chips. Kiwifruit chips with cultivar name "Cuiyu" were higher in yield, sugar-acid ratio, crispness of kiwifruit chips, and were lower in acid-soluble pectin, bound-pectin, soluble sugar, total acid and hardness of chips. Kiwifruit chips with cultivar name "Donghong" were higher in yield of kiwifruit chips, acid-soluble pectin, bound-pectin, soluble sugar, sugar-acid ratio and hardness of chips, and were lower in water-soluble pectin, total acid and crispness of chips. Conclusion: The cultivars of kiwifruit had extremely effect on the yield, nutrient content and sensory indicators of kiwifruit chips. Kiwifruit named "Donghong" was considered as the optimal cultivar to be prepared kiwifruit chips by vacuum freeze-drying method.

Hollow nanoporous carbon architectures (HNCs) present significant utilitarian value for a wide variety of applications. Facile and efficient preparation of HNCs has long been pursued but still remains challenging. Herein, we for the first time demonstrate that single‐component metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) crystals, rather than the widely reported hybrid ones which necessitate tedious operations for preparation, could enable the facile and versatile syntheses of functional HNCs. By controlling the growth kinetics, the MOFs crystals (STU‐1) are readily engineered into different shapes with designated styles of crystalline inhomogeneity. A subsequent one‐step pyrolysis of these MOFs with intraparticle difference can induce a simultaneous self‐hollowing and carbonization process, thereby producing various functional HNCs including yolk‐shell polyhedrons, hollow microspheres, mesoporous architectures, and superstructures. Superior to the existing methods, this synthetic strategy relies only on the complex nature of single‐component MOFs crystals without involving tedious operations like coating, etching, or ligand exchange, making it convenient, efficient, and easy to scale up. An ultra‐stable Na‐ion battery anode is demonstrated by the HNCs with extraordinary cyclability (93 % capacity retention over 8000 cycles), highlighting a high level of functionality of the HNCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pear (Pyrus pyrifolia) is an important accessory fruit in which the pear core is tarter than the pear pulp. However, the reason for the acidic core and diversity in the taste of the same fruit is not clear. In this study, we observed that the citrate contents were three times higher in the core than in the pulp, while the malate content decreased along with fruit development and was significantly lower in the core than in the pulp at 110 days after flowering. Overall transcript levels for citrate-malate synthesis-related genes increased more in the pear core than the pulp at early fruit development, while degradation-related genes activity was nearly similar or non-significant between the core and pulp during fruit development. The lesser malate accumulation in the pear core compared to the pulp at 110 DAF was possibly due to the reduced activity of tDT2 gene. Regarding citrate accumulation, we identified five important p-type H+-ATPase genes in pear and found that the relative expression level of the PH8.1 gene was four-fold higher in the core than in the pulp during fruit development. Moreover, the expression level of di-carboxylate carrier gene 2 (DIC2) was constantly and significantly higher in the core than in the pulp. In addition, correlation analysis signified that the transcript levels of the two genes PH8.1 and DIC2 positively and significantly correlated with the citrate contents. These results suggested that the increased and collaborative activity of PH8.1 and DIC2 played a key role in the higher citrate accumulation in the core than the pulp, thus, with the help of molecular breeding tools, the citrate contents can be optimized in pear fruit for divers and improved fruit flavoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study was conducted to evaluate the embryonic development of broilers with different growth rates and correlate the differences between the amino acid transporter and peptide transporter gene expression patterns to the growth of the small intestine. The results showed that the body and yolk weights of the White Plymouth Rock (WPR) embryos were higher than those of the WENS Yellow Feather Chicken (WYFC) embryos although the relative embryonic body weights were inversely correlated. We studied nine organs and classified them into four clusters according to their changes in relative weight during the hatching process. The levels of gene expression of SLC7A9, SLC1A1 and SLC15A1 in the small intestine increased during embryo development and were affected by breed. Breed-specific differences in embryonic development were observed for SLC7A9, SLC1A1 and SLC15A1 gene expression. When represented as a function of SLC7A9, SLC1A1 or SLC15A1 gene expression, strong correlations were observed for the weight of small intestine. We conclude that WPR embryos have a higher absolute growth rate but a lower relative growth rate in comparison with WYFC embryos. Moreover, the expression levels of the SLC7A9, SLC1A1 or SLC15A1 genes can be used as indicators for the growth of the small intestine. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: To quantify the contribution of locally implemented prevention programmes in contributing to reductions in treatment and care costs by averting HIV infections among those who inject drugs this study calculates net financial benefit of providing harm reduction programmes using information from services being implemented in Urumqi, Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region of China ( between 2005 and 2010).Methods: Information was collected to assess cost of providing methadone treatment (MMT) and needle and syringe programmes (NSP). HIV incidence was estimated among people who inject drugs (PWID). HIV infections averted were calculated. Net benefit was assessed by estimating costs of providing prevention programmes and comparing these to the costs of providing care.Results: An estimated 5678 (range 3982-7599) HIV infections were averted between 2005 and 2010 and the net financial benefit of providing harm reduction programmes compared to treatment and care costs for HIV infections averted was USD 4.383 million during the same time period.Conclusion: These results demonstrate the net and accumulating benefit of investing in harm reduction programmes for PWID in Urumqi. The return on investment progressively increased during the time period studied and it is clear that these cost savings will continue to accrue with the continued implementation of HIV prevention interventions in the community that include harm reduction programmes targeted at PWID. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hollow nanoporous carbon architectures (HNCs) present significant utilitarian value for a wide variety of applications. Facile and efficient preparation of HNCs has long been pursued but still remains challenging. Herein, we for the first time demonstrate that single-component metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) crystals, rather than the widely reported hybrid ones which necessitate tedious operations for preparation, could enable the facile and versatile syntheses of functional HNCs. By controlling the growth kinetics, the MOFs crystals (STU-1) are readily engineered into different shapes with designated styles of crystalline inhomogeneity. A subsequent one-step pyrolysis of these MOFs with intraparticle difference can induce a simultaneous self-hollowing and carbonization process, thereby producing various functional HNCs including yolk-shell polyhedrons, hollow microspheres, mesoporous architectures, and superstructures. Superior to the existing methods, this synthetic strategy relies only on the complex nature of single-component MOFs crystals without involving tedious operations like coating, etching, or ligand exchange, making it convenient, efficient, and easy to scale up. An ultra-stable Na-ion battery anode is demonstrated by the HNCs with extraordinary cyclability (93 % capacity retention over 8000 cycles), highlighting a high level of functionality of the HNCs., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Background: The nuclear cap-binding complex (CBC)-dependent translation (CT) is an important initial translation pathway for 5'-cap-dependent translation in normal mammal cells. Eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4A-III (eIF4A3), as an RNA helicase, is recruited to CT complex and enhances CT efficiency through participating in unwinding of secondary structure in the 5' UTR. However, the detailed mechanism for eIF4A3 implicated in unwinding of secondary structure in the 5' UTR in normal mammal cells is still unclear. Specially, we need to investigate whether the kind of mechanism in normal mammal cells extrapolates to cancer cells, e.g. ESCC, and further interrogate whether and how the mechanism triggers malignant phenotype of ESCC, which are important for identifying a potential therapeutic target for patients with ESCC. Methods: Bioinformatics analysis, RNA immunoprecipitation and RNA pulldown assays were performed to detect the interaction of circular RNA circ-231 with eIF4A3. In vitro and in vivo assays were performed to detect biological roles of circ-231 in ESCC. RNA immunoprecipitation, RNA pulldown, mass spectrometry analysis and co-immunoprecipitation assays were used to measure the interaction of circ-231, eIF4A3 and STAU1 in HEK293T and ESCC. In vitro EGFP reporter and 5' UTR of mRNA pulldown assays were performed to probe for the binding of circ-231, eIF4A3 and STAU1 to secondary structure of 5' UTR. Results: RNA immunoprecipitation assays showed that circ-231 interacted with eIF4A3 in HEK293T and ESCC. Further study confirmed that circ-231 orchestrated with eIF4A3 to control protein expression of TPI1 and PRDX6, but not for mRNA transcripts. The in-depth mechanism study uncovered that both circ-231 and eIF4A3 were involved in unwinding of secondary structure in 5' UTR of TPI1 and PRDX6. More importantly, circ-231 promoted the interaction between eIF4A3 and STAU1. Intriguingly, both circ-231 and eIF4A3 were dependent on STAU1 binding to secondary structure in 5' UTR. Biological function assays revealed that circ-231 promoted the migration and proliferation of ESCC via TPI1 and PRDX6. In ESCC, the up-regulated expression of circ-231 was observed and patients with ESCC characterized by higher expression of circ-231 have concurrent lymph node metastasis, compared with control. Conclusions: Our data unravels the detailed mechanism by which STAU1 binds to secondary structure in 5' UTR of mRNAs and recruits eIF4A3 through interacting with circ-231 and thereby eIF4A3 is implicated in unwinding of secondary structure, which is common to HEK293T and ESCC. However, importantly, our data reveals that circ-231 promotes migration and proliferation of ESCC and the up-regulated circ-231 greatly correlates with tumor lymph node metastasis, insinuating that circ-231 could be a therapeutic target and an indicator of risk of lymph node metastasis for patients with ESCC., Competing Interests: Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interest exists., (© The author(s).)