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From the theoretical prognostication and experimental validation, the interface electrostatic field holds greater significance in ORR kinetics compared to the electronic properties during alloy engineering. [Display omitted] • The nature of alloy engineering for ORR kinetics modulation has been elucidated. • The interface property holds greater significance than the intermediate adsorption. • The theoretically prognosticated polarization curves match well with experiment outcomes. • The ORR kinetic mechanism of Pt 3 M is independent of potential. • The RDS occupies the almost control weight of the ORR kinetics. Alloy engineering has been utilized as a potent strategy to modulate the oxygen reduction reaction （ORR） activity. However, the regulatory mechanism underpinning the ORR kinetics by means of alloy engineering is still shrouded in ambiguity. This work places emphasis on the kinetics of the ORR concerning Pt 3 M (M = Cr, Co, Cu, Pd, Sn, and Ir) catalysts, and integrates theoretical prognostication and experimental validation to illuminate the fundamental principles of alloy engineering. The ORR kinetic activity, as prognosticated by theory, shows significant agreement with experimental results, provided that the rate-determining step (RDS) accounts for a dominant role in the potential-independent kinetic mechanism. In essence, alloy engineering manipulates electronic properties through electron transfer to modulate intermediate adsorption and adjusts the interface electric field (E field) to regulate hydrogen atom transport, ultimately influencing kinetics. The E field holds greater significance in ORR kinetics compared to the intermediate adsorption (E a d s O), the corresponding degrees of correlation with free energy barriers (E a) of RDS are −0.89, and 0.75, respectively. This work highlights the nature of alloy engineering for ORR kinetics modulation and assists in the design of efficient catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heavy metals are pervasive pollutants found in water, soil, and solid wastes. Bio-solidification offers an environmentally friendly approach to immobilize heavy metal ions using two types of bacteria: urease-producing bacteria (UPB) and phosphatase-producing bacteria (PPB). UPB, exemplified by Sporosarcina pasteurii , secretes urease to hydrolyze urea and generate CO 3 2- ions, while PPB, like Bacillus subtilis , produces alkaline phosphatase to hydrolyze organophosphate monoester (ROP) and produce PO 4 3- ions. These ions react with heavy metal ions, effectively reducing their concentration by forming insoluble carbonate or phosphate precipitates. The success of bio-solidification is influenced by various factors, including substrate concentration, temperature, pH, and bacterial density. Optimal operational conditions can significantly enhance the remediation performance of heavy metals. UPB and PPB hold great potential for remediating heavy metal pollution in diverse contaminated areas such as tailings ponds, electroplating sewage, and garbage incineration plants. In conclusion, harnessing the power of these microbial methods can provide effective solutions for remediating heavy metal-induced pollution across a range of environmental conditions. • Bacteria can be used to mineralize and solidify heavy metal ions. • UPB and PMB are the most commonly used bacteria for heavy metal remediation. • Microbial mineralization can effectively reduce the concentration of heavy metals. • The factors affect the remediation performance of heavy metals are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Cross-linking chemistry and mass spectrometry can be used for probing IDP/IDRs. • AlphaFold generated structures can be justified using experimental constraints. • The PB-loop is associated with ApcG, a novel linker protein in phycobilisome. • Potential roles of the PB-loop and ApcG in PBS biogensis. Intrinsically disordered proteins/regions (IDPRs) are a very large and functionally important class of proteins that participate in weak multivalent interactions in protein complexes. They are recalcitrant for interrogations using X-ray crystallography and cryo-EM. The IDPRs observed at the interface of the photosynthetic pigment protein complexes (PPCs) remain much less clear, e.g., the major cyanobacterial light-harvesting complex (PBS) contains an unstructured PB-loop insertion in the phycocyanobilin domain (PB domain) of ApcE (the largest polypeptide in PBS). Here, a joint platform is built to probe such structural domains. This platform is characterized by two-round progressive justifications of in silico models by using the structural mass spectrometry data. First, the AlphaFold-generated 3D structure of the PB domain (containing PB-loop) was justified in the context of PBS. Second, docking the AlphaFold-generated ApcG (a ligand) into the first-step justified structure (a receptor). The final ligand-receptor complex was then subjected to a second-round justification, again, by using unequivocal isotopically-encoded cross-links identified in LC-MS/MS. This work reveals a full-length PB-loop structure modelled in the PBS basal cylinder, free from any spatial conflicts against the other subunits in PBS. The structure of PB domain highlights the close associations of the intrinsically disordered PB-loop with its binding partners in PBS, including ApcG, another IDPR. The PB-loop region involved in the binding of photosystem II (PSII) is also discussed in the context of excitation energy transfer regulation. This work calls attention to the highly disordered, yet interrogatable interface between the light-harvesting antenna complexes and the reaction centers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrocarbon pollution is a worldwide problem. In this study, five surfactants containing SDS, LAS, Brij 30, Tween 80 and biosurfactant were used to evaluate their effect on crude oil biodegradation. Hydrocarbon degrading bacteria were isolated from oil production water. The biosurfactant used was a kind of cyclic lipopeptide produced by Bacillus subtilis strain WU-3. Solubilization test showed all the surfactants could apparently increase the water solubility of crude oil. The microbial adhesion to the hydrocarbon (MATH) test showed surfactants could change cell surface hydrophobicity (CSH) of microbiota, depending on their species and concentrations. Microcalorimetric experiments revealed these surfactants exhibited toxicity to microorganisms at high concentrations (above 1 CMC), except for SDS which showed low antibacterial activity. Surfactant supplementation (about 0.1 and 0.2 CMC) could improve degradation rate of crude oil slightly, while high surfactant concentration (above 1 CMC) may decrease the degradation rate from 50.5% to 28.9%. Those findings of this work could provide guidance for the application of surfactants in bioremediation of oil pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the key structure of most dynamic pressure sensors, a diaphragm backed by an air cavity plays a critical role in the determination of sensor performance metrics. In this paper, we investigate the influence of air cavity length on the sensitivity and bandwidth. A continuum mechanics model neglecting the air viscous effect is first developed to capture the structural–acoustic coupling between a clamped circular diaphragm and a cylindrical backing air cavity. To facilitate sensor design, close-form approximations are obtained to calculate the static sensitivity and the fundamental natural frequency of the air-backed diaphragm. Parametric studies based on this analytical model show that the air cavity can change both the effective mass and the effective stiffness of the diaphragm. One new finding is that the natural frequency of the air-backed diaphragm behaves differently in three different cavity length ranges. In particular, due to the mass effect of the air cavity being dominant, it is shown for the first time that the natural frequency decreases when the cavity length decreases below a critical value in the short cavity range. Furthermore, a finite element method (FEM) model is developed to validate the continuum mechanics model and to study the damping effect of the air cavity. These results provide important design guidelines for dynamic pressure sensors with air-backed diaphragms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this communication we have characterized an Arabidopsis thaliana mutant which lacks the PsbR protein of Photosystem II and complemented its phenotype by introduction and expression of a C-terminally His6-tagged PsbR protein. Absence of the PsbR protein leads to decreased levels of the PsbP, PsbQ and D2 proteins associated with Photosystem II membranes. Functional defects in the mutant were localized principally to the reducing-side of the photosystem and included slowing of electron transfer from to QB. These defects were almost fully corrected in transgenic plants containing the C-terminally His6-tagged PsbR protein. We hypothesize that the functional defects observed in the mutant were due to defective assembly and/or binding of the PsbP and PsbQ components to Photosystem II in the absence of the PsbR protein. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

13 C metabolism analysis of a microbial community is often hindered by the time-consuming and complicated separation procedure for a single species. However, a “reporter protein,” produced uniquely by one cell type, retains 13 C fingerprint information in microbial consortia. This study describes the use of photosystem I (PSI), a multi-subunit protein complex universally found in oxygenic phototrophs, as a reliable reporter protein to probe microalgal metabolism (i.e., cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803) in a mixed culture with heterotrophic bacteria (i.e., Escherichia coli ). We demonstrate that efficient purification of PSI and subsequent 13 C-based amino acid analyses may decipher photomixotrophic metabolism of Synechocystis 6803 in the coculture. This study also indicates that a supplement of NaHCO 3 at high concentration could significantly improve the robustness of cyanobacterial growth against bacterial contamination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) represent a category of persistent and hazardous organic pollutants extensively prevalent across aquatic environments. The combination of adsorption and photocatalytic degradation has been identified as an effective approach for removing trace amounts of PFASs from water. Among the various materials explored for this purpose, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have structural solid tunability, and suitable modification methods could endow them with rich adsorption capabilities and excellent photocatalytic performance, which has potential for applications involving the treatment of trace, multi-chain-length PFASs in water. The research within this realm is currently in its nascent phase, and a holistic knowledge of modification methods can provide a comprehensive framework for future studies. Therefore, this review intends to (1) summarize the mechanism underlying the adsorption and photocatalytic removal of PFASs by MOFs; (2) present various modification methods aimed at enhancing the adsorption and photocatalytic performance of MOFs in alignment with the goal mentioned above; (3) provide an outlook on the prospects of utilizing MOFs for PFASs removal based on current trends and data. Ultimately, the findings from these studies will contribute to advancing knowledge in this area and facilitate the development of effective strategies for addressing PFASs contamination in water systems. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Silicosis is a systemic disease caused by inhaling silicon dioxide (SiO 2 ). Phagocytosis of SiO 2 in the lung initiates an inflammatory cascade that results in fibroblast proliferation and migration and subsequent fibrosis. Clinical evidence indicates that the activation of alveolar macrophages by SiO 2 produces rapid and sustained inflammation that is characterized by the generation of monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1), which induces fibrosis. Pulmonary fibroblast-derived MCP-1 may play a critical role in fibroblast proliferation and migration. Methods and results Experiments using primary cultured adult human pulmonary fibroblasts (HPF-a) demonstrated the following results: 1) SiO 2 treatment resulted in the rapid and sustained induction of MCP-1 as well as the elevation of the CC chemokine receptor type 2 (CCR2) protein levels; 2) pretreatment of HPF-a with RS-102895, a specific CCR2 inhibitor, abolished the SiO 2 -induced increase in cell activation and migration in both 2D and 3D culture systems; and 3) RNA interference targeting CCR2 prevented the SiO 2 -induced increase in cell migration. Conclusion These data demonstrated that the up-regulation of pulmonary fibroblast-derived MCP-1 is involved in pulmonary fibroblast migration induced by SiO 2 . CCR2 was also up-regulated in response to SiO 2 , and this up-regulation facilitated the effect of MCP-1 on fibroblasts. Our study deciphered the link between fibroblast-derived MCP-1 and SiO 2 -induced cell migration. This finding provides novel insight into the potential of MCP-1 in the development of novel therapeutic strategies for silicosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrite, as an electron acceptor, plays a good role in denitrifying phosphorus removal (DPR); however, high nitrite concentration has adverse affects on sludge performance. We investigated the precise mechanisms of responses of sludge to high nitrite stress, including surface characteristics, intracellular and extracellular components, microbial and metabolic responses. When the nitrite stress reached 90 mg/L, the sludge settling performance was improved, but the activated sludge was aging. FTIR and XPS analysis revealed a significant increase in the hydrophobicity of the sludge, resulting in improve settling performance. However, the intracellular carbon sources synthesis was inhibited. In addition, the components in the tightly bound extracellular polymeric substances (TB-EPS) of sludge were significantly reduced and indicated the disturb of metabolism. Notably, Exiguobacterium emerged as a new genus when face high nitrite stress that could maintaining survival in hostile environments. Moreover, metabolomic analysis demonstrated strong biological response to nitrite stress further supported above results that include the inhibited of carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism. More importantly, some lipids (PS, PA, LysoPA, LysoPC and LysoPE) were significantly upregulated that related enhanced membrane lipid remodeling. The comprehensive analyses provide novel insights into the high nitrite stress responses mechanisms in activated sludge systems. [Display omitted] • DPR sludge hydrophobic enhancement response to high nitrite stress. • PS, PN and HS contents were significantly reduced in TB-EPS. • Exiguobacterium emerged as new genus with resist hostile environments function. • Carbohydrate metabolism and amino acid metabolism were inhibited. • Membrane lipids remodeling response to high nitrite stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor-associated factor (TRAF) family has been reported to be involved in many immune pathways. In a previous study, we identified 5 TRAF genes, including TRAF2, 3, 4, 6, and 7, in the bay scallop (Argopecten irradians , Air) and the Peruvian scallop (Argopecten purpuratus , Apu). Since TRAF6 is a key molecular link in the TNF superfamily, we conducted a series of studies targeting the TRAF6 gene in the Air and Apu scallops as well as their hybrid progeny, Aip (Air ♀ × Apu ♂) and Api (Apu ♀ × Air ♂). Subcellular localization assay showed that the Air-, Aip-, and Api-TRAF6 were widely distributed in the cytoplasm of the human embryonic kidney cell line (HEK293T). Additionally, dual-luciferase reporter assay revealed that among TRAF3, TRAF4, and TRAF6, only the overexpression of TRAF6 significantly activated NF-κB activity in the HEK293T cells in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest a crucial role of TRAF6 in the immune response in Argopecten scallops. To investigate the specific immune mechanism of TRAF6 in Argopecten scallops, we conducted TRAF6 knockdown using RNA interference. Transcriptomic analyses of the TRAF6 RNAi and control groups identified 1194, 2403, and 1099 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the Air, Aip, and Api scallops, respectively. KEGG enrichment analyses revealed that these DEGs were primarily enriched in transport and catabolism, amino acid metabolism, peroxisome, lysosome, and phagosome pathways. Expression profiles of 28 key DEGs were confirmed by qRT-PCR assays. The results of this study may provide insights into the immune mechanisms of TRAF in Argopecten scallops and ultimately benefit scallop breeding. • TRAF6 is localized in the cytoplasm of the scallops. • Overexpression of TRAF6 significantly activated NF-κB activity in a dose-dependent manner. • TRAF6 induced much higher NF-κB activations in hybrids than in the bay scallops. • TRAF6 seems to mainly function through pathways involving inhibition of IFN and p53 and stimulation of MyD88 and NF-κB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mine tailing dumps represent significant threats to ecological environments due to the presence of toxic substances. The present work investigated the relationship among microbial activity, the community, antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and trace metals in soil surrounding gold mine tailings. Using microbial metabolic activity and high-throughput sequencing analysis, we found the trace metals Cd and Hg could be main factors influencing the microbial community. According to bacterial co-occurrence pattern analysis, the effects of total cadmium and total mercury on bacterial diversity are potentially mediated by influencing bacteria community in the keystone module II. Additionally, most of metal-resistant bacteria belong to Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria, and the metal tolerance suggested to be linked with various functions including replication, recombination and repair, as well as inorganic ion transport and metabolism based on PICRUSt2 analysis. We also found that metals generated by mining activity may trigger the co-selection of antibiotic resistance in the phyla Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria due to co-resistance or cross resistance. Additionally, PLS-PM analysis revealed that metals could indirectly affect ARGs by influencing bacterial diversity in gold mining areas. Image 1 • Cd and Hg could be main factors influencing microbial community. • Most of metal-resistant bacteria belong to Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria. • The microbial mechanisms of adaptation to trace metals was investigated. • Trace metals generated from mining activity affect ARGs through was deciphered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

p53 is the guardian of the genome integrity and the degradation of p53 protein is mediated by MDM2. Here we report that USP3 interacts with p53 and regulates p53 stability. Depletion of USP3 lead to accelerated degradation of p53 in normal cells thereby enhanced cell proliferation and transformation. Reconstitution of wildtype USP3, but not the USP3 C168S mutant, restored the stability of p53 protein and inhibited cell proliferation and transformation. These findings suggest that USP3 is an important regulator of p53 and regulates normal cell transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vibrio bacteria are often fatal to aquatic organisms and selection of Vibrio -resistant strains is warranted for aquaculture animals. In this study, we found that hybrids between bay scallops and Peruvian scallops exhibited significantly higher resistance to Vibrio challenge, but little is available on its mechanism. Interferon induced protein 44 (IFI44), a member of the type I interferon (IFN) family, plays an important role in the IFN immune response in invertebrates, which may also participate in the resistance to Vibrio in scallops. To explore the roles of IFI44 genes in the resistance to Vibrio, they were identified and characterized in the bay scallop (designated as AiIFI44), the Peruvian scallop (designated as ApIFI44), and their reciprocal hybrids (designated as AipIFI44 and ApiIFI44, respectively). Their open reading frame (ORF) sequences were all 1434 bp, encoding 477 amino acids, but with large variations among the four genes. The AipIFI44 and ApiIFI44 exhibited higher similarity with ApIFI44 than with AiIFI44. All four genes have a TLDc structural domain with significant variations in sequences among them. Predicted differences in conformation and posttranslational modifications may lead to altered protein activity. We further demonstrated that the AiIFI44 , AipIFI44 and ApiIFI44 expressed in all the tested tissues, with the highest expression in the gills and hepatopancreas. In response to Vibrio anguillarum challenge, the profile of mRNA expression of IFI44 gene differed among the bay scallops and the two hybrids. In the bay scallops, it increased at 6 h but dramatically decreased after 12–48 h. However, the mRNA expression of both AipIFI44 and ApiIFI44 decreased at 6 h but continuously increased thereafter and reached the highest value at 48 h. The results in the present study suggest the immune responds of IFI44 in scallops and it may be related to the higher resistance to Vibrio bacterial in hybrids. • Hybrids of Argopecten scallops show markedly higher resistance to Vibrio challenge. • Dramatic mutation occurred in the IFI44 genes of the hybrids. • The IFI44 gene is immune to bacterial infection in Argopecten scallops. • The IFI44 genes promoted disease resistance in the hybrids of Argopecten scallops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tumor necrosis factor receptor-related factor (TRAF) family has been reported to be involved in many immune pathways, such as TNFR, TLR, NLR, and RLR in animals. However, little is known about the roles of TRAF genes in the innate immune of Argopecten scallops. In this study, we first identified five TRAF genes, including TRAF 2 , TRAF 3 , TRAF 4 , TRAF 6 and TRAF 7 , but not TRAF 1 and TRAF 5 , from both the bay scallop A. irradians (Air) and the Peruvian scallop A. purpuratus (Apu). The phylogenetic analysis showed that the TRAF genes in Argopecten scallops (AiTRAF) belong to the branch of molluscan TRAF family, which lacks TRAF 1 and TRAF 5. Since TRAF 6 is a key bridge factor in the tumor necrosis factor superfamily and plays an important role in innate and adaptive immunity, we cloned the ORFs of the TRAF 6 gene in both A. irradians and A. purpuratus , as well as in two reciprocal hybrids (Aip for the hybrid Air × Apu and Api for the hybrid Apu × Air). Differences in conformational and post-translational modification resulted from the variation in amino acid sequences may cause differences in activity among them. Analysis of conserved motifs and protein structural domains revealed that AiTRAF contains typical structural domains similar to those of other mollusks and has the same conserved motifs. Tissue expression of TRAF in Argopecten scallops challenged by Vibrio anguillarum was examined by qRT-PCR. The results showed that AiTRAF were higher in gill and hepatopancreas. When challenged by Vibrio anguillarum , the expression of AiTRAF was significantly increased compared with the control group, indicating that AiTRAF may play an important role in the immunity of scallops. In addition, the expression of TRAF was higher in Api and Aip than in Air when challenged by Vibrio anguillarum , suggesting that TRAF may have contributed to the high resistance of Api and Aip to Vibrio anguillarum. The results of this study may provide new insights into the evolution and function of TRAF genes in bivalves and ultimately benefit scallop breeding. • Hybrids between two Argopecten scallops exhibited higher resistance to Vibrio. • Differences in sequence and structures between the TRAF genes of the hybrids and purebred cohorts may result in the difference in activity between them. • Elevated mRNA expression of TRAF gene in the hybrids in response to Vibrio challenge may contribute to the higher resistance of hybrids to Vibrio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although lakes dominated by macrophytes are conducive to ecological balance, this balance is easily disrupted by excessive nutrients flowing into the lake. However, knowledge of whether excessive nutrients lead to different microbial environmental vulnerabilities in the lake sediment between macrophyte-dominated areas and macrophyte-free areas is a prerequisite for the implementation of targeted protection measures. In this study, we investigated bacterial communities in sediments using high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA genes. Our results showed that the sources of total nitrogen (TN) and organic matter (OM) were related to the macrophytes. The structure, drivers, and interspecific associations of bacterial community, which were more susceptible to increased changes in TN and OM, differed significantly between macrophyte-dominated areas and macrophyte-free areas. More precisely, the lake edge, where was occupied by macrophytes, had a higher proportion of deterministic phylogenetic turnover (88.89%) than other sites, as well as a wider ecological niche and a tighter network structure. Further, as the difference in TN increased, the main assembly processes in surface sediments changed from stochastic to deterministic. However, the majority of phyla from the lake edge showed a greater correlation with excessive nutrients, and the selection of the community by excessive nutrients was more obvious at the edge of the lake. In addition, our results demonstrated that the stability of the bacterial community in macrophyte-free areas is greater than in macrophyte-dominated areas, while an excessively high deterministic process ratio and nutrient (TN and OM) concentration significantly reduced bacterial community stability at macrophyte-dominated areas. Taken together, these results provide a better understanding of the effects of excessive nutrients derived from macrophytes on bacterial community patterns, and highlight the importance of avoiding the accumulation of TN and OM in macrophyte-dominated areas to enhance the sustainability of the ecosystem after restoration of lakes with macrophytes. [Display omitted] • TN and OM played important roles to impact the bacterial community. • Differences in increasing TN drove the assembly process from stochastic to deterministic. • The connectivity and stability of networks changed in the opposite direction from shore to the center of lake. • TN has a stronger effect on the stability of bacterial communities on the edge of the lake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Silicosis is a systemic disease caused by inhaling silicon dioxide (SiO 2 ); early stages are characterized by alveolar inflammation, and later stages are characterized by progressive lung fibrosis. Mounting evidence indicates that high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) is involved in pulmonary fibrosis. Whether neogambogic acid (NGA) inhibits macrophage and fibroblast activation induced by SiO 2 by targeting HMGB1 remains unclear. Methods and results Experiments using cultured mouse macrophages (RAW264.7 cells) demonstrated that SiO 2 treatment induces the expression of HMGB1 in a time- and dose-dependent manner via mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway; in turn, this expression causes macrophage apoptosis and fibroblast activation. Pretreating macrophages with NGA inhibited the HMGB1 expression induced by SiO 2 and attenuated both macrophage apoptosis and fibroblast activation. Moreover, NGA directly inhibited MCP-1-induced protein 1 (MCPIP1) expression, as well as markers of fibroblast activation and migration induced by SiO 2 . Furthermore, the effects of NGA on macrophages and fibroblasts were confirmed in vivo by exposing mice to SiO 2 . Conclusion NGA can prevent SiO 2 -induced macrophage activation and apoptosis via HMGB1 inhibition and SiO 2 -induced fibrosis via the MCPIP1 pathway. Targeting HMGB1 and MCPIP1 with NGA could provide insights into the potential development of a therapeutic approach for alleviating the inflammation and fibrosis induced by SiO 2 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The objective of the present study was to characterize the puffing properties of blackcurrant slabs with respect to expansion ratio and dehydration rate under microwave-vacuum condition. Microwave power, vacuum degree, initial moisture content and puffing time were selected as influencing parameters. The results showed that the microwave power had the most significant effect and the vacuum pressure had less effect on the dehydration rate of microwave-vacuum puffing blackcurrant slabs. During the microwave-vacuum puffing berry slabs first underwent stage of volume expansion to form a porous structure, followed by dehydration stage to improve the crispy texture of blackcurrant slab. The observed phenomena provided the essential information for the allocation of microwave energy to produce high quality snack products. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]