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Heating buildings with solar energy is challenged by the seasonal mismatch between solar availability and heating demand. Thermochemical energy storage is a promising technology to overcome this challenge because of its high energy density. In building applications, space requirement is also an important consideration. Therefore, both the storage space and collector areas are important considerations, with only the latter often being neglected in previous studies. This paper proposes a novel two-stage thermochemical heat pump heating system based on the working pair of NaOH/H2O. We demonstrate that this system can work with a concentration difference (70% wt–30% wt) for the climate in hot summer and cold winter regions in China. The energy storage density based on the discharged solution is 363 kWh/m3. With this solar-driven thermochemical heat pump heating system, 35.13 m2 of collectors and 10.48 tons of 70% wt NaOH solution are sufficient to complete a full charge–discharge cycle and meet the heating demand of a single-family house (winter space heating + DHW: 9370 kWh, summer DHW: 2280 kWh). The theoretical maximum storage for solution (discharged + water tank) is 32.47 m3. Compared with the sensible seasonal storage alternative, the collector area is reduced by 12.5% and the storage space is reduced by 59%, with a possible further reduction through optimization. With the potential to be further optimized for space saving, the two-stage solar–NaOH heat pump heating system is an energy-efficient and space-efficient heating system for buildings in the hot summer and cold winter regions of China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inflammation resolution is an active process via specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs) to fight invading microbes and repair tissue injury. RvD1 and RvD2 are SPMs produced from DHA during inflammation responses and show a benefit in treating inflammation disorders, but it is not completely understood how they act on vasculature and immune cells in the lung to promote inflammation resolution programs. Here, we studied how RvD1 and RvD2 regulated the interactions between endothelial cells and neutrophils in vitro and in vivo. In an acute lung inflammation (ALI) mouse model, we found that RvD1 and RvD2 resolved lung inflammation via their receptors (ALX/GPR32 or GPR18) and enhanced the macrophage phagocytosis of apoptotic neutrophils, which may be the molecular mechanism of lung inflammation resolution. Interestingly, we observed the higher potency of RvD1 over RvD2, which may be associated with unique downstream signaling pathways. Together, our studies suggest that the targeted delivery of these SPMs into inflammatory sites may be novel strategies with which to treat a wide range of inflammatory diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and Objectives: This study aimed to understand the risk factors that contribute to medical device‐related (MDR) nasal mucosal membrane pressure injuries (MM PI) in ICU patients. Background: ICU patients require substantial tube‐based life support such as oxygen tubes, tracheal intubation and indwelling gastric tubes. As a result, there is an increased risk of PI occurrence; however, few studies have assessed the risk factors associated with nasal mucosal MDR‐MMPI in ICU patients. Design: A cross‐sectional study design was performed. Methods: From January 2019 to June 2020, data from 912 patients treated in the ICU of a tertiary first‐class a hospital in China were collected. The occurrence of PI of the nasal mucosa was obtained by nasopharyngoscope when replacing the nasal catheter fixation patch every day. The study methods were followed by the STROBE guidelines. Results: The incidence of nasal mucosal MDR‐MM PI was 10.9%. The degree of nasal mucosal MM PI was mainly grade 1 (62cases, 62.6%), and no grade 4 were observed. The columella (58 cases, 58.6%) was the most common site of nasal mucosal MM PI followed by the anterior septum (18 cases, 18.2%). A high patient APACHE‐Ⅱ score, the disturbance of consciousness, a history of diabetes, days of gastric tube indwelling, hypoproteinemia, fever (T > 37.5℃) and the use of vasoconstrictors were identified as significant influencing factors of nasal MM PI in ICU patients (p <.05). Conclusions: A high APACHE‐Ⅱ score, disturbance of consciousness, history of diabetes, days of gastric tube indwelling, hypoproteinemia, fever (T > 37.5℃) and use of vasoconstrictive drugs were risk factors for nasal mucosal MDR‐MM PI in ICU patients. This study informs on the risk factors of nasal mucosal MM PI that will allow medical support staff to carry out key interventional measures to prevent nasal mucosal MM PI. Relevance to clinical practice: This study illustrates the characteristics and risk factors of nasal mucosal pressure injury in intensive care units, potentially contributing to the prevention of the incidence of nasal mucosal MDR‐PI in ICU patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, several kinds of amino acids were successfully encapsulated in a W 1 /O/W 2 emulsion produced using a two-step emulsification process. Polyglycerol polyricinoleate (PGPR) was used as a hydrophobic emulsifier in the oil phase, while gum arabic (GA) and xanthan gum (XA) were used as an emulsifier and stabilizer in the outer water (W 2) phase, respectively. The stability and encapsulation efficiency of the W 1 /O/W 2 emulsions depended on the ratio of W 1 /O emulsion to W 2 phase, as well as the concentration of GA and XA within the outer W 2 phase. A W 1 /O/W 2 emulsion prepared using 2 % (w/w) GA and 0.3 % (w/w) XA in the W 2 phase exhibited good stability and a high encapsulation efficiency (>80 %) for several amino acids. As the hydrophobicity of amino acids and storage temperature increased, the leakage from the W 1 to W 2 phases increased, which can be attributed to increasing solubility in the oil phase. The encapsulation efficiency of lysine encapsulated in GA-XA-stabilized W 1 /O/W 2 double emulsion was over 84 % after 28 days storage at 4 °C. These results indicate that double emulsions may be useful for the encapsulation of amino acids, which may be useful to protect them from their environment and mask bitter flavors. • Natural macromolecular polysaccharides are selected as hydrophilic emulsifiers. • Several kinds of amino acids were successfully encapsulated in a W/O/W emulsion. • The W/O/W emulsions exhibited good stability and high encapsulation efficiency. • Storage stability of the emulsions depended on different amino acids and storage temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Water‐in‐oil‐in‐water (W1/O/W2) emulsions stabilized by protein–carbohydrate complexes were prepared from an inner water phase (W1), an oil phase (O) and an outer water phase (W2). The complexes consisted of heat‐induced aggregates (HIAs) of isomalto‐oligosaccharide/egg white protein Maillard conjugates. The effects of polyglycerol ester of polyricinoleic acid (PGPR) concentration, HIA concentration, W1‐to‐O volume ratio and W1/O‐to‐W2 volume ratio on the properties of the W1/O/W2 emulsions were systematically investigated. RESULTS: At sufficiently high PGPR concentrations (>2%), the emulsions possess a high negative charge (≈−44 mV). The encapsulation efficiency of the emulsions, which was determined by incorporating a hydrophilic yellow dye in the inner water phase prior to homogenization, was relatively high (up to 93%) and did not change significantly during 14‐day storage at 4 °C. All emulsions were fluids that exhibited shear thinning behavior. CONCLUSION: Overall, this study shows that nature‐derived emulsifiers can be used to create W1/O/W2 emulsions suitable for application in the food industry. In addition, we provided a viable strategy to encapsulate water‐soluble nutrients. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the multi‐level cyclic triaxial testing of bimsoils (block‐in‐matrix soils), which are chaotic, mechanically and/or spatially heterogeneous geological masses in geotechnical construction. The cyclic triaxial tests simulate the behavior of bimsoil material under varying number of passing vehicle wheels. It is found that the applied confining pressure alters the stress state of the tested bimsoil and a transmission from strain softening to strain hardening occurs. The bimsoil deformation, strength, fatigue life, and stiffness are improved as the ambient pressure increases. The strain rate analysis reveals that the strong volumetric dilatancy occurs earlier for a bimsoil under relatively low confining pressure. Post‐test CT scanning shows the mesoscopic structural changes inside the bimsoil, including the multiple interface cracking behaviors and crack propagation surrounding the rock blocks. It is suggested that the contact, interlocking, occlusion, and separation among the existing blocks greatly contribute to the volume dilatancy characteristics of bimsoil under high ambient pressure. Highlights: Fatigue failure of bimsoil under multi‐level cyclic loads was experimentally investigated.Strain softening to strain hardening for bimsoil is found as confining pressure increases.Strong volumetric dilatancy occurs earlier for a bimsoil under low confining pressure.CT imaging reveals multiple interface cracking and volumetric dilatancy behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Amorphophallus bulbifer (A. bulbifer) as a newly developed superior konjac variety has the advantages of short growth cycle, high reproductive coefficient, disease resistance and adaptation to humid or hot environments. Because of its good growth characteristics and high konjac glucomannan (KGM) content, A. bulbifer has great potential to be used as KGM resources in food industry. However, KGM from the A. bulbifer flour has very high viscosity even in low concentration, and the gels formed by KGM are easily browning during the alkali-induced process. These shortcomings are key factors that limit its application in the food industry. In order to solve this problem, KGM was modified by citric-acid treatment (CAT), and the effect of CAT on the physicochemical and gel properties of KGM was investigated in this study. The results indicated that the apparent viscosity and ΔE value of the KGM treated with 1.2 M CAT for 2 h were 948.66 Pa·s and 14.55, respectively, which were significantly lower than native KGM in the same variety. Moreover, the CAT did not significantly affect the texture properties of KGM gels. Hence, it will be extremely valuable for developing innovative low-calorie foods favored by consumers and industrial production based on KGM. • Konjac glucomannan (KGM) from A. bulbifer was treated with citric-acid treatment. • Change law of KGM properties under citric-acid treatment conditions was studied. • Apparent viscosity of KGM was decreased under citric-acid treatment. • Citric-acid treatment inhibit KGM gels browning without changing texture property. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • P-E NPs improve the lipophilicity of EGCG. • P-E 1.5:1 NPs exhibit sustained release ability in in-vitro digestion. • P-E 1.5:1 NPs improve absorptive transport and transcellular permeability of EGCG. • P-E 1.5:1 NPs demonstrate inhibition of MRP2 and P-gp mediated efflux transport. • The uptake mechanism of P-E 1.5:1 NPs is through clathrin-dependent endocytosis. In this study, we prepared phosphatidylcholine (PC)-EGCG complex nanoparticles (P-E NPs) by solvent reflux method. The physicochemical properties, in vitro digestion, uptake in Caco-2 cells, and bidirectional permeability of P-E NPs were systematically investigated. The constructed P-E 1.5:1 NPs had an average particle size of 118 nm, a ζ-potential of −37.8 mV, and a polymerization dispersion index (PDI) of 0.16. The encapsulation efficiency (EE) of EGCG was 85.0% and the loading capacity (LC) was 24.4%. UV spectra, FTIR, XRD and intermolecular force results indicated that hydrophobic, electrostatic and hydrogen bonding interactions contributed to formate P-E 1.5:1 NPs. P-E 1.5:1 NPs exhibited first-order kinetics sustained release properties in simulated gastrointestinal digestion. Furthermore, P-E 1.5:1 NPs were able to enhance absorptive transport and inhibit efflux transport mediated by MRP2 and P-gp compared to EGCG. These results indicated that P-E 1.5:1 NPs may be a potential strategy to ameliorate EGCG bioavailability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Co-continuous phase composites of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) interpenetrated with five kinds of open-cell metal foams, Cu, Ni, Fe, CuNi and FeNi, were prepared via emulsion impregnation, vacuum impregnation and free sintering. The microstructure, mechanical performance, thermal stability and tribological behavior characteristics of these materials were investigated. The results showed that the filling efficiency of PTFE was between 76.1% and 98.7%. The developed composites generally exhibited enhanced strength and thermal stability. In particular, their wear rate under dry friction conditions was reduced by 63–95% compared with pure PTFE resin, which was ascribed to the effective transfer of friction heat and the enhanced load bearing capacity. However, their tribological performance weakened in a simulated seawater environment because of the diffusion of seawater in the materials and corrosion of the metal skeletons. • Metal foam-PTFE co-continuous phase composites were prepared and the filling efficiency of PTFE was studied. • The structure-strength relationship of co-continuous composites was illustrated. • The wear mechanism of co-continuous phase composites under dry friction and seawater lubrication were investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work reports the cooperative reactivity of rare‐earth aryloxide complexes with N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC) or N‐heterocyclic olefin (NHO), showcasing their synergistic effect on the activation of H2 and diverse organic substrates. Reactions of RE(OAr)3 (RE=La, Sm, and Y; Ar=2,6‐tBu2−C6H3) with unsaturated NHC ItBu (:C[N(R)CH]2, R=tBu) isolated abnormally bound RE metal NHC complexes RE/aNHC. In contrast, no metal‐NHO adducts were formed when RE(OAr)3 were treated with NHO (R2C=C[N(R)C(R)]2, R=CH3). Both RE/aNHC and RE/NHO Lewis pairs enabled cooperative H2 activation. Furthermore, RE(OAr)3 were found to catalyze the hydrogenation of the exocyclic C=C double bond of NHO under mild conditions. Moreover, treatment of the La/aNHC complex with benzaldehyde produced a La/C4 1,2‐addition product. The La/NHO Lewis pair could react with (trimethylsilyl)diazomethane and α, β‐conjugated imine, affording an isocyanotrimethylsilyl lanthanum amide complex and a La/C 1,4‐addition product, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: High internal phase emulsions (HIPEs) are potential carriers of fat‐soluble nutrients due to their high loading capacity. In this study, egg white protein particles (EWPP) and rhamnolipid (Rha) were used to co‐emulsify oil/water HIPEs to carry curcumin (Cur). The results showed that the Cur loading efficiency, microstructure, protein composition, molecular distribution of protein hydrolysates, protein interfacial adsorption rate and Cur bioavailability were measured. The results showed that, incorporation with Rha was unhelpful for improving loading efficiency of Cur, which decreased from 80.8% to 73.7% at pH 3.8 after incorporation with Rha, due to the decreased viscosity and destroyed continuous interface membrane, while beneficial for restricting coalescence of oil droplets. As studied, Rha could effectively reduce the droplet size to slow down the speed of coalescence and form EWPP–Rha complex to inhibit proteolysis. Finally, Cur bioavailability in EWPP–Rha co‐emulsified HIPE was the highest (40.3%), indicating the synergistic effect of EWPP and Rha promoting the effective adsorption of Cur, related to the increased coalescence stability during digestion and participation of Rha in the micellisation reaction. In comparison, fibrous (pH 3.8) and granular (pH 7.0) EWPP stabilised HIPEs, showed no obvious difference in Cur bioavailability, due to the balance between the interfacial adsorption ability and the digestion resistance of EWPP with various morphologies. This study has important significance for the construction of lipid soluble nutrient 'carriers' with high load and high bioavailability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lung bacterial infections could result in acute lung inflammation/injury (ALI) that propagates to its severe form, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ADRS) leading to the death. The molecular mechanism of ALI is associated with bacterial invasion and the host inflammation response. Here, we proposed a novel strategy to specifically target both bacteria and inflammatory pathways by co-loading of antibiotics (azlocillin, AZ) and anti-inflammatory agents (methylprednisolone sodium, MPS) in neutrophil nanovesicles. We found that cholesterol infilling in the membrane of nanovesicles can maintain a pH gradient between intra-vesicles and outer-vesicles, so we remotely loaded both AZ and MPS in single nanovesicles. The results showed that loading efficiency of both drugs can achieve more than 30% (w/w), and delivery of both drugs using nanovesicles accelerated bacterial clearance and resolved inflammation responses, thus preventing the potential lung damage due to infections. Our studies show that remote loading of multiple drugs in neutrophil nanovesicles which specifically target the infectious lung could be translational to treat ARDS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar application in buildings is limited by available installation areas. The performance of photovoltaic (PV) and solar collectors are compared in meeting the heating and cooling demand of a residential house using 100% solar energy through TRNSYS modelling of five systems that use air source heat pump and seasonal energy storage as optional assisting technologies. The results show that in a large scale, the PV working with air source heat pump is more efficient than the solar collector system. However, the photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) is the most spatially efficient with an energy capacity of 551 kWh/m2, 10.6% higher than that of the PV. Compared with the air source heat pump heating system using grid power, using solar energy regardless of system formats can reduce emission by 72% in a lifetime of 20 years. Solar energy can become cost-effective if the utility price is increased to above 0.7 CNY/kWh. The results can help in renewable planning in the studied climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Research on bacterial membrane vesicles (BMVs) is an emerging topic, and the goal is to address whether BMVs can bring translational tools to improve current therapies. In this review, we provided the updated studies on BMVs including their production, their types, and therapeutic regimens for treating infectious diseases and cancers. We described several platforms of BMVs, such as outer membrane vesicles (OMVs), inner membrane vesicles (IMVs) and double membrane vesicles (DMVs), and those structures were produced from Gram-negative or Gram-positive bacteria. We also discussed how to engineer and formulate new and novel BMVs using chemical, physical, and genetic methods. For therapies, we analyzed current methods for loading drugs in BMVs and discussed their limitations. Finally, we reviewed several therapeutic platforms of BMVs that have been exploited in improving the treatments of infectious diseases and cancers. Although BMVs offer the promising biomedical applications, it is needed to develop rigorous approaches and methods to generate reproducible and scalable drug delivery systems for translation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previously, it was shown that activated carbon can remove phenylalanine from egg white hydrolysates to produce a low phenylalanine peptide ingredient that can be used by individuals suffering from phenylketonuria. However, the factors impacting the selective adsorption of phenylalanine and peptides to activated carbon is not fully understood, which is holding back the optimization of this process. In this research, two activated carbons with different morphologies and electrical characteristics were used to adsorb egg white hydrolysates with different degrees of hydrolysis. The selective adsorption behavior of the different constituents within the hydrolysates was studied to identify the nature of the adsorption mechanisms involved. The results showed that aromatic amino acids and components with higher molecular weight were preferentially adsorbed. Moreover, the main driving force for adsorption was hydrophobic attraction, followed by hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interactions. These results could facilitate the preparation of medical foods for patients with phenylketonuria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of industrial egg white powder (EWP) was limited by the relatively poor foaming properties. Microwave treatment was proposed to be a creative and efficient technology to improve the functionality of EWP. This study focused on the physicochemical properties and baking performance of EWP undergoing microwave treatment at the presence of maltodextrin (MD). The solubility, fluorescent properties, molecular weight and secondary structure of protein were investigated to verify the glycation and structure transformation. The baking performance of the modified EWP was thoroughly investigated by foaming properties, specific volume, water content, microstructure, and sensory analysis. The microwave treated EWP at presence of MD showed smaller particle size and higher surface hydrophobicity than untreated EWP. The result of molecular weight distribution and FTIR spectrum verified the covalent binding of –OH abundant MD on the EWP molecule. The foaming ability of EWP after microwave treatment was increased from 4.84 mL/g to 6.18 mL/g at the presence of MD. The enhanced hydrophobic interaction and hydrogen bonding between protein molecules were the main beneficial factors affecting foaming properties and baking performance of EWP. This study was meaningful for promoting the application of microwave-assisted glycosylation reaction in the functional modification of proteins. [Display omitted] • Microwave assisted Maillard reaction between of egg white protein (EWP) and Maltodextrin (MD). • Glycated EWP was characterized by structural expansion and hydroxyl enrichment. • Foaming ability of EWP was greatly improved after glycation related to the water holding ability. • Glycated EWP showed excellent baking performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study was to describe the adult rheumatology workforce in the United States, assess change in rheumatology providers over time, and identify variation in rheumatology practice characteristics. Methods: Using national Medicare claims data from 2006 to 2020, clinically active rheumatology physicians and advanced practice providers (APPs) were identified. Each calendar year was used for inclusion, exclusion, and analysis, and providers were determined to be entering, exiting, or stable based upon presence or absence in the prior or subsequent years of data. Characteristics (age, gender, practice type, rural, and region) of rheumatologists were determined for 2019 and in mutually exclusive study periods from 2009 to 2011, 2012 to 2015, and 2016 to 2019. The location of rheumatology practice was determined by billing tax identification and mapped. Demographics of physicians exiting or entering the rheumatology workforce were compared separately to those stable by logistic regression. Results: The clinically active adult rheumatology workforce identified in US Medicare in 2019 was 5,667 rheumatologists and 379 APPs. From 2009 to 2020, the number of rheumatologists increased 23% and the number of APPs increased 141%. There was an increase in female rheumatologists over time, rising to 43% in 2019. Women and those employed by a health care system were more likely to exit, and those in a small practice or in the South were less likely to exit. Conclusion: The overall number of clinically active rheumatology providers grew more than 20% over the last decade to a high of 6,036 in 2020, although this rate of growth appears to be flattening off in later years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary The rapid shell‐less curing method significantly simplifies the processing cycle of salted egg yolks (SEYs). However, differences in flavour attributes between rapidly cured SEYs and traditionally cured SEYs have yet to be clearly established. Herein, a comprehensive evaluation of the volatile compounds in SEYs using HS‐SPME‐GC‐MS and HS‐GC‐IMS aims to delineate the flavour characteristics under varying preparation methods. Despite reduced oil exudation, the rapid salting process resulted in higher levels of free amino acids than the traditional approach. Hexanal, nonanal, 1‐octen‐3‐ol, 2‐pentyl‐furan, phenylacetaldehyde, benzaldehyde, 2‐octenal, and 2,5‐dimethyl‐pyrazine were identified as significant contributors to the SEY flavour profile. Conversely, salted hen egg yolks contained methional, decanal and 2‐methyl‐pyrimidine; whereas salted duck egg yolks presented with (E,E)‐2,4‐decadienal, 2,6‐diethyl‐pyrazine and nonanoic acid. Principal component analysis of the E‐nose revealed that the aroma profile of rapid curing (SHY‐R25) was more similar to that of traditional curing (SHY). The rapid preparation technology presented a viable alternative to traditional pickling, capable of partially replicating the flavour of traditional salted egg yolks within a single day. These findings contributed to a more scientific application and preparation of SEY flavouring bases, providing a theoretical basis for flavour enhancement and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Curcumin is a lipophilic polyphenol with poor solubility and stability. This review summarizes the structural and physicochemical characteristics of curcumin and explores the various carrier materials to achieve nanocurcumin, with a view to elucidating their respective advantages and drawbacks. Furthermore, the review emphasizes the applications of curcumin in different food products, ranging from milk products and beverages to meat products and dressings. By highlighting these applications, this review offers invaluable insights into the potential for incorporating curcumin into a diverse range of food items, thereby capitalizing on its health-promoting properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seeking safe and environmentally friendly natural immunomodulators is a pressing requirement of humanity. This study investigated the differential binding characteristics of two polar polyphenols (PP), namely epicatechin (EC) and chlorogenic acid (CA), to ovotransferrin (OVT), and explored the relationship between structural transformations and immunomodulatory activity of OVT-PP complexes. Results showed that CA exhibited a stronger affinity for OVT than EC, mainly driven by hydrogen bonds and van der Waals forces. Complexation-induced conformational variations in OVT, including static fluorescence quenching, increased microenvironment polarity surrounding tryptophan and tyrosine residues, and the transition from disordered α -helix to stable β -sheet. Furthermore, the structural conformation transformation of OVT-PP complexes facilitated the enhancement of immunomodulatory activity, with the OVT-CA (10:2) complex demonstrating the best immunomodulatory activity. Principal component analysis (PCA) and Pearson correlation analysis revealed the immunomodulatory activities of the OVT-PP complexes were influenced by surface hydrophobicity (negatively correlated), β -sheet percentage and polyphenol binding constants. It could be inferred that PP complexation increased the surface polarity of OVT, consequently enhancing its immunomodulatory activity by promoting cell membrane affinity and antigen recognition. This study provides valuable guidance for effectively utilizing polyphenol-protein complexes in enhancing immunomodulatory activity. [Display omitted] • Epicatechin (EC) and chlorogenic acid (CA) non-covalently bound with ovotransferrin (OVT) • CA had a stronger affinity toward OVT than EC, driven by hydrogen bonds and van der Waals force. • Complexation induced conformational variations in OVT and improved immunomodulatory activity. • The immunomodulatory activity was most influenced by the hydrophobicity of OVT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Posterior cortical atrophy (PCA) is a form of dementia that frequently displays significant visual dysfunction and relatively preserved cognitive and executive functions, thus hindering early diagnosis and treatment. This study aimed to investigate possible fundus markers in PCA patients and compare them with those of typical Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients to seek potential diagnostic patterns. Methods: Age-matched PCA and AD patients and healthy controls (HC) completed optometry, intraocular pressure measurement, neuropsychologic assessments, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) examination in one visit. Overall, six outcomes of thicknesses of various retinal layers and seven outcomes of the retinal microvascular network were calculated. After adjusting for age, sex, and years of education, the OCT and OCTA results were analyzed using analysis of covariance and generalized linear models. Correlation analyses were performed using Spearman correlation, and ROC curves were plotted. Results: Twelve PCA patients, nineteen AD patients, and thirty HC, aged 45–80 years were included. Fifty HC, thirty AD, and twenty PCA eyes were available for foveal avascular zone (FAZ) area analysis; forty-nine HC, thirty-four AD, and eighteen PCA eyes were available for OCT and OCTA assessments. PCA patients had thinner retinal nerve fiber layer and ganglion cell layer + inner plexiform layer than HC in the 0–3 mm circle and 1–3 mm ring. Few structural differences were observed between the AD group and the other two groups. The flow area of the superficial capillary plexus and the intermediate capillary plexus was smaller in the PCA group than in the HC group in the 0–1 mm circle, 0–3 mm circle. MMSE performed better than any combination of optical parameters in identifying AD and PCA from HC (AUC = 1), while the combination of MoCA, retinal thickness and vascular density of ICP in the 1-3 mm ring, with flow area of ICP in the 0-1 mm circle showed the strongest ability to distinguish PCA from AD (AUC = 0.944). Conclusions: PCA patients exhibited similar impairment patterns to AD patients in the fundus structure and microvascular network. OCTA may aid in the non-invasive detection of AD and PCA, but still remains to be substantiated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Ovalbumin (OVA), accounting for 50% of proteins in egg white, is a kind of high‐quality protein with excellent nutritional and processing functions. Acid heat treatment will induce the deformation and filtration of OVA, endowing it with improved functionality. However, the molecular kinetic process during the fibrillation of OVA and the application of the fabricated OVA fibrils (OVAFs) have not been thoroughly studied and revealed. RESULTS: In this study, the fabrication mechanism and the application OVAFs as an interfacial stabilizer and polyphenol protector were investigated. Acidic (pH 3.0) heat treatment was used to induce the fibrillation of OVA, and thioflavin T fluorescence intensity, molecular weight distribution, and the tertiary and secondary structures of OVAF samples were recorded to determine the fibrillation efficiency and the molecular mechanism. The results showed that, in the initial stage of fibrillation, OVA first hydrolyzed to oligopeptides, accompanied by the exposure of hydrophobic domains. Then, oligopeptides were connected by disulfide bonds to form primary fibril monomers. Hydrophobic interaction and hydrogen bonding may participate in the further polymerization of the fibrils. The fabricated OVAFs were characterized by a β‐sheet‐rich structure and possessed improved emulsifying, foaming, and polyphenol protection ability. CONCLUSION: The research work was meaningful for exploring the application of globular water‐soluble OVA in an emerging nutritious food with novel texture and sensory properties. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is a kind of polyphenol with various biological activities but poor stability and bioavailability. The encapsulation of EGCG in a nano-delivery system effectively improves its shortcomings. In this research, co-assembled nanoparticles of egg white protein, phosphatidylcholine (PC), and EGCG (EW/PE 1:5 NPs) were prepared by antisolvent precipitation to improve their bioavailability. The constructed EW/PE 1:5 NPs had an average particle size of 172 nm, a ζ-potential of −26.1 mV, and a polymerization dispersion index (PDI) of 0.33. The encapsulation efficiency (EE) of EGCG was 88.09% and the loading capacity (LC) was 20.10%. UV spectra, FTIR, XRD and intermolecular force results indicated that hydrophobic, electrostatic and hydrogen bonding interactions contributed to the formation of EW/PE 1:5 NPs. EW/PE 1:5 NPs exhibited Fick diffusion and sustained release characteristics in simulated gastrointestinal digestion. In addition, the transcellular permeability of EW/PE 1:5 NPs was significantly increased compared with free EGCG. At the same time, EW/PE 1:5 NPs increased EGCG absorption transport and inhibited MRP2 and P-gp-mediated efflux transport. These results suggest that EW/PE 1:5 NPs play a key role in improving the bioavailability of EGCG. Therefore, EW/PE 1:5 NPs are expected to provide a theoretical basis for the design and development of functional foods or dietary supplements that synergistically enhance the bioavailability of EW, PC and other flavonoids. [Display omitted] • EW/PE 1:5 NPs exhibit Fick diffusion and sustained release in in-vitro digestion. • EW/PE 1:5 NPs improve absorptive transport and transcellular permeability of EGCG. • EW/PE 1:5 NPs demonstrate inhibition of MRP2 and P-gp mediated efflux transport. • EW/PE 1:5 NPs are uptaken by clathrin-dependent endocytosis, macropinocytosis, and caveolin-mediated endocytosis. • EW/PE 1:5 NPs significantly improve the bioavailability of EGCG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent form of dementia among elderly people worldwide. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is the optimal fluid source for AD biomarkers, while serum biomarkers are much more achievable. To search for novel diagnostic AD biomarkers, we performed a quantitative proteomic analysis of CSF and serum samples from AD and normal cognitive controls (NC). CSF and serum proteomes were analyzed via data-independent acquisition quantitative mass spectrometry. Our bioinformatic analysis was based on Gene Ontology (GO) functional annotation analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment. In comparison to the controls, 8 proteins were more abundant in AD CSF, and 60 were less abundant in AD CSF, whereas 55 proteins were more and 10 were less abundant in the serum samples. ATPase-associated activity for CSF and mitochondrial functions for CSF and serum were the most enriched GO terms of the DEPs. KEGG enrichment analysis showed that the most significant pathways for the differentially expressed proteins were the N-glycan biosynthesis pathways. The area under the curve (AUC) values for CSF sodium-/potassium-transporting ATPase subunit beta-1 (AT1B1), serglycin (SRGN), and thioredoxin-dependent peroxide reductase, mitochondrial (PRDX3) were 0.867 (p = 0.004), 0.833 (p = 0.008), and 0.783 (p = 0.025), respectively. A panel of the above three CSF proteins accurately differentiated AD (AUC = 0.933, p = 0.001) from NC. The AUC values for serum probable phospholipid-transporting ATPase IM (AT8B4) and SRGN were moderate. The AUC of the CSF SRGN + serum SRGN was 0.842 (p = 0.007). These novel AD biomarker candidates are mainly associated with inflammation, ATPase activity, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial dysfunction. Further studies are needed to investigate the molecular mechanisms by which these potential biomarkers are involved in AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Reliability of dynamic voting phased-mission systems is studied. • A novel and fast analytical modeling method is proposed. • Heterogeneous components with arbitrary time-to-failure distributions. • The pseudo codes of the algorithm are provided. • Efficiency of the proposed method is analyzed and compared to the existing approach. Many computing and technological systems can be modeled as a dynamic voting phased mission system (VPMS), which performs a pre-specified task in multiple consecutive phases and the number of components available for use n and the number of components required for the system operation k may vary for different phases. In addition to the changing system configurations, the failure behavior of each component may be phase-dependent due to changing load and operational environments. Furthermore, statistical dependencies across different phases take place for any given component. All those factors contribute to the difficulty and complexity of the VPMS reliability analysis. This paper suggests a new analytical modeling method based on multi-valued decision diagrams (MDD) for efficient VPMS reliability analysis. Unlike existing methods that typically require generating the system reliability model in a phase-by-phase manner and assume identical components and static k -out-of- n structure, the suggested approach encompasses a novel and fast MDD generation algorithm that takes behaviors of all the phases into consideration simultaneously, and can be applied to heterogeneous components with no limitations on their time-to-failure distribution types. Examples of VPMSs with different sizes are provided for demonstrating applications and advantages of the suggested approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Egg yolk will undergo gelation when it is stored below −6 °C due to protein denaturation and aggregation. In this study, the cryoprotective effects of sugar alcohols with various molecular weights (erythritol, xylitol, mannitol and maltitol) on egg yolks stored at −18 °C were compared, and the corresponding mechanism was elucidated. The rheological and textural properties showed that small molecular weight sugar alcohol could greatly increase the fluidity of frozen-thawed yolk and weaken the gel strength. Smaller molecule sugar alcohol, such as erythritol, had better efficiency in inhibiting the aggregation of proteins during freezing, due to the restricted growth of ice crystals, which was verified by the decrease in the loss of immobile water and crystallization enthalpy. In addition, the dominant interaction between protein molecules changed from hydrophobic interactions to electrostatic interactions in the presence of erythritol. It could be concluded that, small molecule sugar alcohols especially erythritol could more effectively protect proteins from aggregation by inhibiting the denaturation caused by ice crystal growth and hindering intermolecular hydrophobic interactions. • Small molecule sugar alcohol can effectively improve fluidity of frozen egg yolk. • The improved fluidity of frozen egg yolk was related to the reduced aggregation and ice crystal formation. • Erythritol addition could restrict inter-molecular hydrophobic interaction between frozen egg yolk proteins. • The gelation and emulsifying properties of frozen egg yolk were significantly improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent form of dementia among the aging population. Cumulative studies aim to find non-invasive biomarkers in the early stages of AD. Saliva can be obtained easily, and salivary biomarkers have been proven effective in detecting neurodegenerative diseases. To find effective biomarkers in saliva and to help the diagnosis of AD, we performed a meta-analysis focusing on the salivary biomarkers (β-amyloid 1–42 (Aβ1–42), total tau (t-tau), phosphorylated tau (p-tau) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE)) in AD. Methods: We conducted a systematic online search for eligible studies reporting data on salivary biomarkers reflecting Aβ1–42, t-tau, p-tau, and AChE in AD cohorts versus controls. Biomarkers' performance was assessed in a random-effects meta-analysis with the ratio of mean (RoM). Results: A total of thirteen studies were included in the meta-analysis, of them seven involved salivary Aβ1–42 (271 AD and 489 controls), five involved salivary t-tau (324 AD and 252 controls), four involved salivary p-tau (130 AD and 161 controls), and three involved salivary AChE (81 AD and 54 controls). AD showed significantly higher salivary Aβ1–42 levels than control (ROM = 1.90 (95% CI 1.28–2.81, P = 0.001), while AD and control did not differ significantly on salivary t-tau, p-tau and AChE (ROM = 0.94, 95% CI 0.67–1.31, P = 0.72; ROM = 0.91, 95% CI 0.56–1.45, P = 0.68; ROM = 0.83, 95% CI 0.24–2.88, P = 0.77; respectively). Conclusion: The pooled results provide evidence that salivary Aβ1–42 may serve as a sensitive biomarker for AD; nevertheless, larger AD cohorts are required to further confirm the sensitivity and specificity of salivary Aβ1–42 for AD diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Overconsumption of fat‐rich foods has led to a significant increase in the incidence of chronic diseases in humans. With the increased pursuit of a healthy lifestyle, low‐fat products are gradually developing. In this study, egg white protein microparticle (EWPM) was used as a fat mimetic in low‐fat mayonnaise, as well as xanthan gum (XG) and gum arabic (GA) were used as texture and rheology modifiers. The results showed that XG and GA had a synergistic effect on modifying viscosity and recovery of EWPM‐structured low‐fat mayonnaise. The addition of XG could effectively increase the viscosity of low‐fat system, due to the electrostatic binding with EWPM and the intermolecular entanglement. The incorporation of XG with GA could effectively intervene intermolecular interactions to improve recovery, verified by the decreased particle size and weakened electrostatic binding. The results would provide practical guidance for the development of high‐protein and low‐fat nutritious mayonnaise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a newly superior konjac variety, the Amorphophallus bulbifer (A. bulbifer) has several unique advantages of high reproductive coefficient, short growth cycle, high disease resistance, high konjac glucomannan (KGM) content and climate adaption to hot or humid conditions. However, the gel formed by KGM from the A. bulbifer flour is easily browning during the alkali-induced process and the mechanism underlying them is still unclear. In order to explore the browning mechanisms, the changes of composition and color parameters of KGM were investigated during deacetylation in this research. The L*, h*, total phenols, total flavonoids, reducing sugars, and amino acids decreased along with the increase of deacetylation degree of KGM while a*, ΔЕ, and browning index increased. The results indicated that the oxidation or polymerization of polyphenols and flavones in alkaline circumstances, and the carbonyl ammonia reaction between reducing sugars and amino acids may be the main reasons for color changes of KGM flour during deacetylation. Hence, this study was expected to provide the theoretical basis for the inhibition of KGM gel browning and further broaden the application range of KGM in food and other industries. • Browning in KGM during the deacetylation was dominated by non-enzymatic browning. • The color of KGM became more and more crimson as the deacetylation increased. • Browning product isolated from deacetylated KGM (Da-KGM) was identified as mixture. • Total phenol and total flavonoid were the main factor affecting browning of Da-KGM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the immunomodulatory function of egg white peptides (EWP) was evaluated using RAW264.7 macrophage cells and an immunosuppressive BALB/c mice model. In vitro, 100 μg/mL EWP significantly increased cell viability and upregulated expression of immunomodulators (NO, IL-6, IL-10 and TNF-α) in RAW264.7 cells, which contributed to macrophage activation. In vivo, 150 mg/kg/day EWP alleviated splenomegaly and rebound thymic hyperplasia in BALB/c mice during recovery from immunosuppression. Numbers of white blood cells in peripheral blood and levels of cytokines (IL-2, IL-6, IL-10 and TNF-α) in spleen tissue were significantly increased in mice given 150 mg/kg/day EWP. Spleen pathological changes and oxidation degree showed that EWP promoted the recovery of spleen tissue from immunosuppression and oxidation. Oligopeptides with common characteristics of immunomodulatory peptides might be responsible for the immunomodulatory function of EWP. Therefore, EWP may be considered as a natural immunomodulator that can help immune function recover from immunosuppressive state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Soy protein isolate (SPI) is widely used as an alternative to animal‐based protein, and its gelling property is essential for producing plant protein‐based foods. Insoluble dietary fiber has been used to improve the properties of protein gels. RESULTS: Effects of partial replacement of SPI by okara dietary fiber (ODF) on the gelling properties of ODF‐fortified SPI gels with and without 0.1 m NaCl were investigated. The presence of ODF hindered the SPI self‐aggregation and reduced the surface hydrophobicity of SPI. The presence of ODF reduced the hydrophobic interaction and improved the proportion of disulfide bonds in the gels. In the microstructure, the swollen ODF promoted the local aggregation of SPI at 0.1 m NaCl. Texture profile analysis showed that 5% and 10% ODF improved the SPI gel hardness in the absence of NaCl, whereas only 5% ODF improved the gel hardness at 0.1 m NaCl. The results of low‐field nuclear magnetic resonance imaging revealed that ODF shortened the T2 relaxation time of the free water in the gel. The gel of ODF‐10 had the highest storage modulus. CONCLUSION: Using an appropriate amount of ODF to replace SPI could improve the quality of SPI gel and increase the dietary fiber content in the product. In addition, the appropriate ratio of ODF/SPI varied in different solution environments. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dynamic mechanical response of block-in-matrix-soils (bimsoils) is crucial to the long-term stability predication of constructions and building structures made of bimsoils. Although the dynamic failure behaviors of bimsoil under cyclic loads have been widely understood, the influence of loading frequencies on the macro-meso structural deterioration governing localized band propagation have not been well understood. Herein, multistage cyclic triaixal tests and post-test X-ray computed tomography (CT) scanning have been performed on bimsoil with various loading frequencies (f = 0.1 Hz, 0.2 Hz, 1.0 Hz, and 2.0 Hz). The cyclic triaxial tests simulated the behavior of bimsoil material under varied velocities of passing vehicle herein. The macro-meso fatigue failure characteristics were analyzed in terms of stress-strain responses, stiffness degradation, and meso-structural changes. Testing results show that the applied loading frequency alters the coupling degree of soil matrix and rock blocks, and damage develops fully within bimsoil under relatively low loading frequency. In addition, the failure mode of bimsoil changes from bulging failure to shear failure with the increases of loading frequency, and the volumetric deformation is the largest for a bimsoil sample subjected to low loading frequency. Moreover, post-test CT scanning reveals the meso-structural degradation within bimsoil, the multiple interface damage and cracking contribute a lot to the strength, volumetric deformation and failure modes. It is suggested the contact, interlocking, occlusion, and separation among the rock blocks promote the volume dilatancy when subjecting to low loading frequency. • Macro-meso fatigue failure of bimsoil under multi-level cyclic loads was experimentally investigated. • The applied loading frequency alters the coupling degree of soil matrix and rock blocks. • Failure mode of bimsoil changes from bulging failure to shear failure with the increases of loading frequency. • Multiple interface damage and cracking contribute a lot to volumetric deformation and failure evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soft robots can create complicated structures and functions for rehabilitation. The posture perception of soft actuators is critical for performing closed-loop control for a precise location. It is essential to have a sensor with both soft and flexible characteristics that does not affect the movement of a soft actuator. This paper presents a novel end-to-end posture perception method that employs flexible sensors with kirigami-inspired structures and long short-term memory (LSTM) neural networks. The sensors were developed with conductive sponge materials. With one-step calibration from the sensor output, the posture of the soft actuator could be calculated by the LSTM network. The method was validated by attaching the developed sensors to a soft fiber-reinforced bending actuator. The results showed the accuracy of posture prediction of sponge sensors with three kirigami-inspired structures ranged from 0.91 to 0.97 in terms of R 2 . The sponge sensors only generated a resistive torque value of 0.96 mNm at the maximum bending position when attached to a soft actuator, which would minimize the effect on actuator movement. The kirigami-inspired flexible sponge sensor could in future enhance soft robotic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Isolation of lysozyme from egg white (EW) using ion exchange resin adsorption method generates large quantities of lysozyme‐free egg white (LFEW) with poor gelling property. To maximize the applications of LFEW, the effect of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum fermentation on the gel properties of LFEW was investigated in this study. RESULTS: The fermentation efficiency of LFEW with lysozyme removed was significantly improved, and the sugar removal rate (2 g kg−1Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, 37 °C, 7 h) was more than 90%. Removal of lysozyme resulted in increased stability and surface hydrophobicity of EW. After Lactiplantibacillus plantarum fermentation, the stability of EW decreased, and the average particle size and surface hydrophobicity increased. In addition, by comparing the gel properties of EW and LFEW before and after fermentation at different pH, it was found that the hardness, elasticity, and water holding capacity (WHC) of EW gel increased significantly. The removal of lysozyme effectively improved the WHC and springiness of the EW gel and promoted the formation of a denser network structure with smaller pores. After Lactiplantibacillus plantarum fermentation treatment, LFEW gel hardness decreased, with loose and porous network structure, no browning occurred after autoclaving. CONCLUSION: This study provided the direction and theoretical basis for producing a fermented LFEW gel with pleasing texture and appearance. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: In patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), attaining remission or low disease activity (LDA), as recommended by the treat-to-target approach, has shown to yield improvement in symptoms and quality of life. However, limited evidence from real-world settings is available to support the premise that better disease control is associated with lower healthcare costs. This study fills in evidence gaps regarding the cost of care by RA disease activity (DA) states and by therapy. Methods: This retrospective cohort study linked medical and prescription claims from Optum Clinformatics Data Mart to electronic health record data from Illumination Health over 1/1/2010–3/31/2020. Mean annual costs for payers and patients were examined, stratifying on DA state and baseline use of conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (csDMARDs), biologics, and targeted synthetic (ts)DMARDs. Subgroup analysis examining within-person change in costs pre- and post-initiation of new therapy was also performed. Descriptive statistics, means, and boot-strapped confidence intervals were analyzed by DA state and by RA therapy. Furthermore, multivariate negative binomial regression analysis adjusting for key baseline characteristics was conducted. Results: Of 2339 eligible patients, 19% were in remission, 40% in LDA, 29% in moderate DA (MDA), and 12% in high DA (HDA) at baseline. Mean annual costs during follow-up were substantially less for patients in remission ($40,072) versus those in MDA ($56,536) and HDA ($59,217). For patients in remission, csDMARD use was associated with the lowest mean annual cost ($25,575), tsDMARD was highest ($75,512), and tumor necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi) ($69,846) and non-TNFi ($57,507) were intermediate. Among new TNFi (n = 137) and non-TNFi initiators (n = 107), 31% and 26% attained LDA/remission, respectively, and the time to achieve remission/LDA was numerically shorter in TNFi vs. non-TNFi initiators. For those on biologics, mean annual within-person medical and inpatient costs were lower after achieving LDA/remission, although pharmacy costs were higher. Conclusions: Cost of care increased with increasing DA state, with patients in remission having the lowest costs. Optimizing DA has the potential for substantial savings in healthcare costs, although may be partially offset by the high cost of targeted RA therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Desugaring is a necessary step to prevent undesirable attributes of the egg white (EW) products. In this study, the effects of yeast fermentation and glucose oxidase (GOD) method on the functionalities of EW were compared. Yeast fermentation treatment led to the formation of poor EW gel with low hardness due to the porous structure brought by increased foam capacity (FC). In contrast, GOD treatment increased the hardness of EW gel by increasing the surface hydrophobicity (H0) and ordered secondary structure and decreased the foaming capacity and stability of EW by decreasing absolute potential. In addition, the foam structure became more compact after yeast fermentation compared to GOD treatment. However, the water holding capacity (WHC) of both EW gels with desugaring treatments decreased due to the porosity of the internal gel network confirmed by scanning electron microscopy. These results provide a guide for the selection of sugar‐free EW liquid in the subsequent application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Egg yolk granules (EYGs)‐soy lecithin (SL) complex is a newly developed delivery system that is effective for improving the storage stability of hydrophobic bioactive compounds. However, the formation mechanism of EYGs and SL complex and its effect on the gastrointestinal fate of lutein‐loaded emulsions needs to be investigated further. RESULTS: Adding SL greatly improved the surface activity of the EYGs, as evidenced by reduced surface tension and an increased adsorption rate to the oil/water interface. Hydrophobic interaction was the dominant force in the formation of EYG‐SL complex, with hydrogen and ionic bonds playing complementary roles. Using the EYG‐SL complex, stable oil‐in‐water emulsions were formed and exhibited an enhanced retention ratio and bioaccessibility of lutein after simulated digestion. Correlation analysis demonstrated that the additional anti‐oxidant activity as a result of EYGs was responsible for the high retention of lutein, whereas low surface tension facilitated the micellization of bioaccessible lutein. CONCLUSION: The present study shows that the EYG and SL have a synergistic effect with respect to improving the retention ratio and bioaccessibility of lutein in emulsions stabilized by EYG‐SL complex after digestion and this will guide the development of value‐added oil‐in‐water emulsion products using protein‐lecithin complex as a promising nutrient delivery vehicle. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The combination and integration of multimodal imaging and clinical markers have introduced numerous classifiers to improve diagnostic accuracy in detecting and predicting AD; however, many studies cannot ensure the homogeneity of data sets and consistency of results. In our study, the XGBoost algorithm was used to classify mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and normal control (NC) populations through five rs-fMRI analysis datasets. Shapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) is used to analyze the interpretability of the model. The highest accuracy for diagnosing MCI was 65.14% (using the mPerAF dataset). The characteristics of the left insula, right middle frontal gyrus, and right cuneus correlated positively with the output value using DC datasets. The characteristics of left cerebellum 6, right inferior frontal gyrus, opercular part, and vermis 6 correlated positively with the output value using fALFF datasets. The characteristics of the right middle temporal gyrus, left middle temporal gyrus, left temporal pole, and middle temporal gyrus correlated positively with the output value using mPerAF datasets. The characteristics of the right middle temporal gyrus, left middle temporal gyrus, and left hippocampus correlated positively with the output value using PerAF datasets. The characteristics of left cerebellum 9, vermis 9, and right precentral gyrus, right amygdala, and left middle occipital gyrus correlated positively with the output value using Wavelet-ALFF datasets. We found that the XGBoost algorithm constructed from rs-fMRI data is effective for the diagnosis and classification of MCI. The accuracy rates obtained by different rs-fMRI data analysis methods are similar, but the important features are different and involve multiple brain regions, which suggests that MCI may have a negative impact on brain function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Headache accompanying ischemic stroke is considered an independent predictor of neurological deterioration. This meta-analysis aims to estimate the prevalence of ischemic stroke-related headaches and identify its risk factors in China. Methods: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library database, Web of Science, PsycINFO, and four Chinese databases for the related publications were searched. Two researchers independently selected the literature, extracted the relevant data, and assessed its methodological quality. The meta-analysis applied a random-effects model with R software to calculate the pooled prevalence of ischemic stroke-related headaches in Chinese patients, and to merge the odds ratio (OR) of risk factors. Subgroup analysis, sensitivity analysis, and meta-regression analysis were conducted. Publication bias was assessed by a funnel plot and Egger test. Results: Ninety-eight studies were eligible for inclusion. The overall pooled prevalence of ischemic stroke-related headache was 18.9%. Subgroup analysis showed that the prevalence of ischemic stroke related-headaches was higher among studies using self-report to diagnosis headache (18.9%; 95%CI, 8.9% to 40.2%), and those focused on age ≥ 55 years (19.7%; 95%CI, 14.9% to 25.9%), rural settings (24.9%; 95%CI, 19.7% to 31.6%). There were no significant differences in the headache prevalence between studies in the south and north, and inland and coastal studies. The prevalence of pre onset headache (13.9%) and tension-type headache (15.5%) and was higher compared with other types. History of headache (OR = 3.24; 95%CI, 2.26 to 4.65.), female gender (OR = 2.06; 95%CI, 1.44 to 2.96.), midbrain lesions (OR = 3.56; 95%CI, 1.86 to 6.83.), and posterior circulation stroke (OR = 2.13; 95%CI, 1.14 to 4.32) were major risk factors. Conclusion: The prevalence of ischemic stroke-associated headache is high in China. In addition, women, presence of midbrain lesions, posterior circulation stroke and a history of migraine were high-risk factors for ischemic stroke-related headaches. Designing effective interventions to prevent or alleviated headaches is necessary to promote patients' neurological recovery and quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tight sandstone reservoir in the Qianfoya formation of well PL-3 of the Puguang gas field in Sichuan, China, obtained a high-yield gas flow after a volume fracturing treatment. However, the stimulated reservoir volume (SRV), fracture morphology, scale and formation law still remain unclear. Based on particle flow discrete-element theory in this paper, we carried out a few trials of the Brazilian splitting test, uniaxial compression and triaxial compression of rock mechanics. Meanwhile, the research also testified to the conversion relationship between macroparameters and microparameters, established the numerical simulation on hydraulic fracturing through PFC2D discrete element software, and finally analyzed the influence of difference coefficients on the fracturing effect, in terms of different in-situ stresses. The conclusions are as follows: firstly, the influence of in-situ stress is essential for the direction, shape and quantity of fracture propagation, and the fractures generated by hydraulic fracturing are mainly tension fractures, accounting for over 90% of the total longitudinal fractures. Secondly, it is indicated that when the difference coefficient is small in the in-situ stress, the fractures formed by hydraulic fracturing expand randomly around the wellbore. When the difference coefficient Kh of in-situ stress is above 0.6, the development of hydraulic fractures is mainly controlled by in-situ stress; as a result, the fractures tend to expand in the vertical direction of the minimum horizontal principal stress and the fracture shape is relatively singular. When the difference coefficient of in-situ stress was 0.3, in total, 3121 fractures were generated by fracturing, and the fractal dimension D value of the fracture network complexity was 1.60. In this case, this fracturing effect was the best and it is the easiest to achieve for the purpose of economical and effective development on large-scale volume fracturing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of three different enzyme treatments on the structure and volatile compounds of egg yolk protein were investigated. The secondary and tertiary structures, as well as volatiles, were characterized using ultraviolet spectroscopy (UV), fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, free sulfhydryl group analysis, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). FTIR analysis revealed a decrease in the contents of intermolecular, intramolecular, and intermolecular antiparallel β-sheets while an increase in random coils was observed. The contents of α-helices and β-turns did not show significant changes, indicating a reduction in protein compactness. Enzymatic treatment led to an increase in hydrophobic interaction, electrostatic interaction, and hydrogen bond formation within the egg yolk hot gel (EYG). Structural characterization demonstrated that EYG formed large uniform air chamber cavities after lipase hydrolysis (LEYG), while EYG hydrolyzed by papain (PEYG) and by flavor protease (FEYG) exhibited more compact structures. In addition, the binding of proteins to flavor substances inhibited the release of volatile flavor compounds. These findings provide insights into enhancing the flavor and texture of egg yolk by modulating its protein structure. [Display omitted] • The enzyme treatment induced a significant alteration in the secondary structure, resulting in increased flexibility. • The flavor components potentially formed hydrophobic interactions with egg yolk, thereby improving their flavor profile. • The alteration of free sulfhydryl group could potentially result in a reduction in gel strength. • The interrelation among protein structure, gel texture, and flavor was investigated through diverse analytical approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of nutrient and bioactive delivery vehicles has become a burgeoning field with the worldwide growing demand for healthy foods and supplements. Food-grade protein particles have attracted significant attention for their great potentials in fabricating nutrient delivery vehicles. This review aims to summarize a wide range of food-grade protein particles used for the fabrication of nutrient delivery systems, with a particular focus on analyzing the digestion behaviors and nutrient release mechanisms using digestion models. The review of the current literature reveals that a variety of modification techniques exist to promote the formation of protein particles with desirable structures and physicochemical properties (particle size, surface charge, hydrophobicity, and interfacial wettability). Furthermore, nano/microparticles, hydrogels and Pickering emulsions have emerged as three main delivery vehicles based on food protein particles, and many studies have demonstrated their excellent ability to encapsulate and protect nutrients from degradation during storage and/or under exposure to light and heat. The digestion profile of these delivery systems and the release properties of nutrients are related to the composition, interfacial structure, and enzymatic responsiveness of the delivery system as well as the bulk environment. However, significant gap of knowledge still exists in the current understanding of these delivery systems at the biological interface. Future studies should focus on elucidating the digestion, the release of the encapsulated nutrients, and the intestinal absorption/transport using advanced simulated conditions and in in vivo models. [Display omitted] • Protein based nano/microparticles, hydrogels and Pickering emulsions are discussed. • The digestion profile and nutrient release mechanism are related to the wall materials. • Protein complexation with polysaccharide and cross-linking agent is used to control nutrient release. • Future studies should focus on elucidating the nutrient release in in vivo models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the interaction between egg white protein particles (EWPP) and rhamnolipid (Rha) as co-emulsifiers in high internal phase emulsions (HIPEs). To reveal the effect between EWPP and Rha on the properties of HIPEs, the physicochemical properties (particle size, zeta-potential and microstructure) and emulsifying capacity were investigated. The results showed that, with the increase in Rha content, the EWPP-Rha complex could be divided into three regions according to the emulsifying capacity. The emulsion properties at different regions were analyzed by microstructure, rheology and nuclear magnetic resonance etc. The addition of Rha may compete interface with EWPP, adjusting the properties of constructed HIPEs. Generally, the replacement of EWPP by Rha from interface decreased emulsion droplets and disrupted the inter-droplet network, resulting to the formation of soft and flexible emulsions. The incorporation with Rha was beneficial for improving the emulsifying capacity of EWPP. In Rha sufficient system, more EWPP distributed in the aqueous phase of constructed HIPEs and functioned as a stabilizer to increase coalescence stability. The study was meaningful for revealing the complicated relation between protein particle and surfactant, and improving properties of high internal phase emulsions combining the advantages of each emulsifier. [Display omitted] • The combination of EWPP and Rha improved the emulsifying capacity immensely. • The addition of Rha was helpful for decreasing the droplet size of HIPEs. • EWPP was beneficial for improving coalescence and thermal stability of the HIPEs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • High internal phase emulsion (HIPE) acted as an active filler in minced chicken gels. • Adding high HIPE produced an ordered gel structure with low amounts of free water. • NaCl and phosphate synergistically improved the gelling properties of chicken gel. • The interaction between lipid droplet and proteins was enhanced by adding salt. Effects of high internal phase emulsion (HIPE) stabilized by egg yolk-modified starch complex on the gelling properties of chicken gels with or without sodium chloride (NaCl)/sodium tripolyphosphate (TP) were studied. The addition of 30 % HIPE increased the hardness from 376 g to 590 g. The NaCl addition further improved textural and viscoelastic properties compared with the gels without NaCl. 30 % HIPE-filled gels with salts (NaCl and TP) has the highest hardness (3562 g) and the lowest cooking loss (3.41 %). Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR) revealed that salts, especially TP, could promote the transition of α-helices to β-sheets structure. Moreover, the chicken gels with TP had higher acyl chain disorder. In summary, the co-addition of HIPE and salt (NaCl/TP) has a positive effect on the formation of chicken gel, thereby providing potential applications in comminuted meat products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of selected saccharides (glucose, sucrose, and maltodextrin) on the foam characteristic of egg white liquid. The rheological measurements suggested that increasing sugar concentrations in egg white led to an increase in both apparent viscosity and viscoelasticity. Moreover, the addition of saccharides shortened the relaxation time of hydrogen proton, indicating the presence of hydration effect between sugar and water. Samples with 3% saccharides increased the surface hydrophobicity and reduced the surface tension of the compound egg white solution, leading to the increase of foam capacity and stability. The best foam performance of compound egg white solution was achieved when the 3% maltodextrin was present in egg white, along with the smallest and most homogeneous bubbles. The classification of mixture conditions by the principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis (HCA) revealed that the maltodextrin-egg white system had good scores both at 0.6% and 3% adding ratios, indicating maltodextrin is a suitable additive for the modification of egg white foam properties. [Display omitted] • Saccharides improved both the foam capacity and stability of egg white. • Maltodextrin is a suitable additive for modification of egg white foam properties. • Saccharides improved rheological properties of egg white by changing water sate. • Quantitative associations between foam and physicochemical indexes were studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Freeze-thaw treatment is helpful for removing lipoprotein and lipid; • Freeze-induced yolk gelation is helpful for improving the purity of Immunoglobulins; • Freeze triggers aggregation of lipoprotein with mobility of boundary water decrease; • Hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions are the dominant forces in yolk gelation; In this study, the effect of freeze–thaw treatment on isolation of IgY was investigated, with macrograph, protein concentration, solid content, and transmittance evaluated. The results showed that higher refrigeration power (at −18 °C for more than 4 h and −40 °C for more than 2 h) caused yolk gelation and was helpful for removing heteroproteins. To reveal the mechanism of freeze-induced gelation assisting isolation of IgY, the properties of yolk frozen at −5°C, −18 °C and −40 °C for 8 h were determined, with SDS-PAGE, rheology property, low field NMR and interactions between proteins evaluated. As the results showed, the purity of separated IgY increased obviously (frozen at −18 °C and −40 °C), corresponding to the removal of LDL which aggregated during freezing. LDL aggregation may be triggered by hydrophobic interaction during boundary water crystallization. Therefore, freeze-induced yolk gelation is beneficial for IgY isolation by keeping LDL in dense gel structure while releasing IgY to the supernatant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Cholesterol removal treatment (CRT) can reduce the off-odor of EY. • The effect of CRT on the flavor of EY is evaluated by E-nose and GC–MS. • The texture, color, and taste of EY are not affected. • CRT reduces the degree of lipid oxidation by reducing the content of PUFA. The aim of this study was to investigate effects of cholesterol removal treatment (CRT) on the flavor, taste, texture, color, and nutritional value of hot gel egg yolk (EY). The off-odor, volatile components and taste of EY treated with CRT were studied by electronic nose (E-nose), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and electronic tongue (E-tongue). The effect of CRT on the nutritional value of EY was studied by amino acid and fatty acid analysis. The CRT significantly reduced the content of hexanal, 2-amyl-furan, 1-octene-3-ol, styrene and heptanal in EY1-EY4, also decreased its bitter taste without affecting other taste and elasticity. In addition, the CRT did not affect the essential amino acids (EAA) content and L*, a* and b* values of EY1-EY4, but it led to the reduction in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) content. In general, the CRT is an effective way to reduce the off-odor of EY without affecting consumer acceptance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-meat proteins are widely used in the meat processing, and the final product is greatly affected by salt. This study presented the combined use of soybean protein isolate (SPI) and egg white (EW) on the gelation of chicken myofibrillar protein (MP) with or with NaCl. Gel properties were determined with the use of texture profile analysis, cooking loss, intermolecular forces, rheological properties, scanning electron microscopy and low field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) measurements. Non-meat proteins improved the MP gel quality when it was without NaCl, except for the increased cooking loss caused by 1.2% SPI. The effect of non-meat proteins on MP gel quality was more obvious at 0.3 mol/L NaCl, including the improvement of gel hardness by SPI and the reduction of cooking loss by EW. When the added non-meat proteins changed from 1.2% SPI to 0.3% EW-0.9% SPI, the gel hardness significantly decreased (P < 0.05). Its storage modulus was even lower than that of the pure MP, and uneven protein aggregates and pores were observed in the microstructure. This was because the SPI aggregates were wrapped by EW, and the SPI-EW aggregates led to the local aggregation of MP and the uneven structure of MP gel. • Soybean protein isolates (SPI) were wrapped by egg white (EW) forming aggregates. • The SPI-EW aggregates caused the local aggregation of myofibrillar protein (MP). • The combined utilization of SPI and EW improved the MP gel quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Egg proteins are effective emulsifiers and gelators in food systems. However, the physicochemical stability and control release properties of egg‐protein stabilized emulsions and gels need to be further improved. The potential of sodium tripolyphosphate (St) to improve the functionality of egg proteins was evaluated. RESULTS: The emulsions with St had smaller particle sizes and higher zeta potential, leading to better physical stability. Furthermore, the oxidation stability increased with increasing St contents, possibly due to its metal chelating capacity and the improved emulsifying activity of whole‐egg dispersions. Phosphate had a positive impact on the chemical stability of β‐carotene in whole‐egg liquids and gels, decreasing the degradation during thermal treatment. The gel made with St was firm and broke down slowly, leading to a low rate of digestion and β‐carotene release in simulated gastric fluid. CONCLUSION: This study shows that St is useful to improve the egg proteins stabilized emulsions and gels, which is applicable in the development of emulsion‐based food grade gel products. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hen egg yolk (EY) has a variety of techno-functionalities, including emulsifying, gelling, and film-forming properties. However, the application of native EY and its fractions is still limited due to the insufficient functionalities. Thus, various modification treatments have been used to improve the functionalities. In addition, there has been increasing research interest to explore the potential of modified EY and its fractions for applications in developing value-added food products. This review provides a brief introduction of EY structures, fractions, and components and focuses on discussing a wide range of existing modification methods and the mechanism of each method to change the structure and improve the desirable functionality of EY and its fractions. Three emerging applications of EY in food formulation industry, i.e. nutrient encapsulation and delivery system, unmodified EY substitutes, and edible films, are finally highlighted. Recent studies have shown that pre-treatment of EY and its fractions are often needed using enzymatic hydrolysis, complexing with polysaccharides, or other chemical, physical, and fermentation methods. The purpose of the pre-treatment is to dissociate the aggregated EY protein state, modify solution characteristics (such as solubility, hydrophobicity, and surface charge), so that the functionality is greatly improved, leading to more stable emulsion systems or other novel EY-based food products. By reviewing the new modification technology and application trends of EY, this review provides expert opinions of future research directions for the development of value-added EY derived food products. • Modification techniques for the functional enhancement of egg yolk are summarized. • Egg yolk derived emulsions or micro-capsules are attractive delivery systems. • Low cholesterol egg yolk fractions are new alternatives for unmodified egg yolk. • Egg yolk components are important candidates in the preparation of edible films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]