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The cause of Alzheimer's disease (AD), and the pathophysiological mechanisms involved, remain major unanswered questions in medical science. Oral bacteria, especially those species associated with chronic periodontitis and particularly Porphyromonas gingivalis, are being linked causally to AD pathophysiology in a subpopulation of susceptible individuals. P. gingivalis produces large amounts of proteolytic enzymes, haem and iron capture proteins, adhesins and internalins that are secreted and attached to the cell surface and concentrated onto outer membrane vesicles (OMVs). These enzymes and adhesive proteins have been shown to cause host tissue damage and stimulate inflammatory responses. The ecological and pathophysiological roles of P. gingivalis OMVs, their ability to disperse widely throughout the host and deliver functional proteins lead to the proposal that they may be the link between a P. gingivalis focal infection in the subgingivae during periodontitis and neurodegeneration in AD. P. gingivalis OMVs can cross the blood brain barrier and may accelerate AD-specific neuropathology by increasing neuroinflammation, plaque/tangle formation and dysregulation of iron homeostasis, thereby inducing ferroptosis leading to neuronal death and neurodegeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radio-echo sounding (RES) is widely used for polar ice sheet detection due to its wide coverage and high efficiency. The multivariate variational mode decomposition (MVMD) algorithm for the processing of RES data is an improvement to the variational mode decomposition (VMD) algorithm. It processes data encompassing multiple channels. Determining the most effective component combination of the penalty parameter (α) and the number of intrinsic mode functions (IMFs) (K) is fundamental and affects the decomposition results. α and K in traditional MVMD are provided by subjective experience. We integrated the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm to iteratively optimize these parameters—specifically, α and K—with high precision. This was then combined with the four quantitative parameters: energy entropy, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR), and root-mean-square error (RMSE). The RES signal decomposition results were judged, and the most effective component combination for noise suppression was selected. We processed the airborne RES data from the East Antarctic ice sheet using the combined PSO–MVMD method. The results confirmed the quality of the proposed method in attenuating the RES signal noise, enhancing the weak signal of the ice base, and improving the SNR. This combined PSO–MVMD method may help to enhance weak signals in deeper parts of ice sheets and may be an effective tool for RES data interpretation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geologic interpretation results from conventional ground-penetrating radar (GPR) detection methods tend to have a certain degree of uncertainty. In order to improve the reliability of ground-penetrating radars in the detection of rock mass fissures in grottoes, this study proposes a ground-penetrating radar detection method with the logging data constraint, which is applied to detect the fractured rock mass in the Baodingshan Scenic Area of Dazu Rock Carvings, Chongqing, China. First, conventional logging and borehole televiewer data were compared and verified, yielding detailed lithological and wellbore fissure information. Next, electromagnetic wave velocity was calibrated using GPR profile and the depth of the stratigraphic interface determined by borehole data. Utilizing this calibrated velocity, we are able to accurately calculate the depth values of anomalies in GPR interpretation profiles. Subsequently, we compared the preliminary GPR interpretation profile with the borehole televiewer images. After eliminating false anomalies caused by interference, we obtained more reliable location information for detection targets such as fissures, fracture zones, and weak interlayers. The results of fissure detection in the Dazu Rock Carvings indicate that the detection results of ground-penetrating radar are verified and supplemented under the constraints of stratigraphic and well-wall fissure information obtained by logging. This effectively mitigates the influence of multiplicity and false anomalies of GPR detection on interpretation results. GPR with the logging data constraint enhances the accuracy of the fissure detection results, providing novel technical means for the protection and restoration of grotto relics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pre-clinical evidence implicates oral bacteria in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD), while clinical studies show diverse results.Objective: To comprehensively assess the association between oral bacteria and AD with clinical evidence.Methods: Studies investigating the association between oral bacteria and AD were identified through a systematic search of six databases PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Central Library, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Web of Science. Methodological quality ratings of the included studies were performed. A best evidence synthesis was employed to integrate the results. When applicable, a meta-analysis was conducted using a random-effect model.Results: Of the 16 studies included, ten investigated periodontal pathobionts and six were microbiome-wide association studies. Samples from the brain, serum, and oral cavity were tested. We found over a ten-fold and six-fold increased risk of AD when there were oral bacteria (OR = 10.68 95% CI: 4.48-25.43; p < 0.00001, I2 = 0%) and Porphyromonas gingivalis (OR = 6.84 95% CI: 2.70-17.31; p < 0.0001, I2 = 0%) respectively in the brain. While AD patients exhibited lower alpha diversity of oral microbiota than healthy controls, the findings of bacterial communities were inconsistent among studies. The best evidence synthesis suggested a moderate level of evidence for an overall association between oral bacteria and AD and for oral bacteria being a risk factor for AD.Conclusion: Current evidence moderately supports the association between oral bacteria and AD, while the association was strong when oral bacteria were detectable in the brain. Further evidence is needed to clarify the interrelationship between both individual species and bacterial communities and the development of AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the full waveform inversion, it is necessary to provide an accurate source wavelet for forwarding modeling in the iteration. The source wavelet estimation method based on deconvolution technology can solve this problem to some extent, but we find that the estimated source wavelet is not accurate and needs to be manually corrected repeatedly in the iteration. This process is highly operator-intensive, and the update process is time-consuming and increases the potential for errors. We propose a source-independent waveform inversion (SIEWI) scheme for cross-hole GPR data, and use the envelope objective function combined with this method to effectively reduce the nonlinearity of inversion. The residual field used by SIEWI to construct the gradient inherits the characteristics of the envelope wavefield. Compared with full waveform inversion (FWI), SIEWI is more robust and less sensitive to frequency components and inaccurate source wavelet. To avoid cycle jumping, the multi-scale strategy effectively utilizes the properties of convolutional wavefields. In one iteration, the wavefield is decomposed into multiple frequency bands through multiple convolutions in the time domain to construct a multi-scale inversion strategy that preferentially inverts low-frequency information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) has become a widely used technology in geophysical prospecting. The Variational Mode Decomposition (VMD) method is a fully non-recursive signal decomposition method with noise robustness for GPR data processing. The VMD algorithm determines the central frequency and bandwidth of each Intrinsic Mode Function (IMF) by iteratively searching for the optimal solution of the variational mode and is capable of adaptively and effectively dividing the signal in the frequency domain into the many IMFs. However, the penalty parameter α and the number of IMFs K in VMD processing are determined depending on manual experience, which are important parameters affecting the decomposition results. In this paper, we propose a method to automatically search the parameters α and K optimally by Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm. Then the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and root-mean-square error (RMSE) are used to judge the best superposition of the IMFs for data reconstruction, and the process is data-driven without human subjective intervention. The proposed method is used to process the field data, and the reconstruction data show that this innovative VMD processing can effectively improve the SNR and highlight the target reflections, even some targets not found in pre-processing are also revealed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modeling plays an important role in engineering exploration. However, the traditional rectangular mesh cannot meet the requirement because the actual shape of the model may be very complex. Therefore, this paper chooses the Delaunay grid for modeling and applies this method to magnetic numerical simulation. At the same time, we make use of the advantages of the Delaunay grid and choose to use grid encryption technology in the boundary and complex area of the model. Then, the formula for calculating the magnetic anomaly of tetrahedron is deduced in detail, and the magnetic anomaly with surface fluctuation is calculated. For a synthetic data model, Delaunay grids with different densities are used to model and calculate surface anomalies. The two results are compared with the analytical solution of the model. The results show that the method has high accuracy. Then, the method is applied to the actual geological body modeling in the Jinchuan mining area. According to local needs, a three-dimensional model with inhomogeneous grid density is established and the surface magnetic field of the model is calculated. Finally, the simulation data are compared with the measured data. The results show that the Delaunay grid modeling method has strong applicability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endomorphin‐2 demonstrates potent antinociceptive effects in various pain models. The objectives of the present study were to explore the role of endomorphin‐2 in the modulation of orofacial pain induced by orthodontic tooth movement in rats. An orthodontic pain model was established in male Sprague‐Dawley rats by ligating coiled springs to mimic orthodontic force (40 g). On days 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, and 14 following orthodontic tooth movement, bite force was recorded as a surrogate measure of orthodontic pain. Ipsilateral trigeminal ganglia, trigeminal nucleus caudalis, and periodontal tissues were harvested for immunostaining. Endomorphin‐2, endomorphin‐2 + naloxone (a non‐selective opioid receptor antagonist), naloxone, and saline were injected into trigeminal ganglia and periodontal tissues to explore the role of endomorphin‐2 on orthodontic pain. The results showed that following orthodontic tooth movement, endomorphin‐2 expression levels in trigeminal ganglia were elevated on days 1, 3, 5, and 7. Orthodontic pain levels were increased on days 1, 3, and 5. The administration of endomorphin‐2 into both trigeminal ganglia and periodontal tissues alleviated orthodontic pain. Moreover, the effects of endomorphin‐2 could be blocked by naloxone completely in trigeminal ganglia but only partially in periodontal tissues. Therefore, endomorphin‐2 plays an important role in the modulation of orthodontic pain both centrally and peripherally, probably through different pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Directional borehole radar (BR) 3-D imaging is a challenging problem due to its limited observation space within a borehole. We present a linear prediction (LP)-based direction-of-arrival (DOA) estimation and a migration-based 3-D imaging algorithm for the directional BR, which is composed of a transmitting antenna and a uniform circular array including four small receiving antennas. Only the azimuth is estimated, while the elevation and the distance are included in the imaging process. LP is a useful tool for DOA estimation in the radar domain, but a single linear array (LA) has azimuth ambiguity in DOA estimation. The four receiving antennas are treated as two orthogonal uniform LAs. The combination of two arrays removes the ambiguity in DOA estimation. In addition, the moving window and the threshold-based estimation increase the calculation efficiency. According to the estimated azimuth angles, the measured signal at each depth is decomposed to the corresponding directions. Therefore, there is a time-series signal in each direction at each depth. After processing the measured signals at all depths, we obtain a 3-D data set that can be used for horizontal- and radial vertical-section displays. Then, the radial vertical-section data are processed by migration which transforms the time domain signal into a wavefield-based 3-D image. Simulated data from a fracture model are used to validate the algorithm, and the reconstructed image can reveal the real model well. It is concluded that the novel method we propose is an effective one with real-time processing capability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a new application of Shearlet transform (ShT) for ground penetrating radar (GPR) to remove the direct wave arrivals and suppress random noise. In fact, the reflecting waves from the underground targets and the direct wave arrivals are sometimes overlapped when the targets are buried shallowly, which influences the arrival-time detection and the target-position location. Random noise is also one of the influencing factors. In this paper, ShT is introduced to remove the direct wave arrivals and suppress random noise. The original GPR data is transformed to ShT domain by using multi-scale and multi-direction properties of ShT. The direct wave arrivals and the remaining GPR signal are effectively separated. While we eliminate the direct wave arrivals, the GPR signal is not damaged. In ShT domain, GPR data can be expressed sparsely. The GPR signal is described by big Shearlet coefficients, but random noise is described by small ones. So we can use the threshold method depending on different scales and directions in ShT domain to suppress random noise. The GPR signal's signal to noise ratio (SNR) is enhanced. The synthetic and field GPR data verify the effectiveness of direct wave arrivals removal and random noise suppression based on ShT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss ) is the most widely cultured cold freshwater fish in the world. Troutlodge, Inc., one of the largest commercial rainbow trout egg producers in the world, has eight breeding populations of rainbow trout. Assessment of population genetic differentiation is critical for selective breeding, and genetic assignment is often required to address production issues arising on fish farms. Previously, we developed a SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) panel for parentage assignment in rainbow trout. The objectives of this study were: (1) to characterize the genetic differentiation of the eight Troutlodge breeding populations; and (2) to evaluate the accuracy of genetic assignment to identify Troutlodge fish using the same SNP panel previously developed for parentage assignment. A total of 1732 breeders of the eight Troutlodge breeding populations were genotyped with the SNP panel. The global F ST over all SNPs was 0.13 and the pairwise F ST between any two breeding populations ranged from 0.056 to 0.195. Both phylogenetic tree and structure analyses revealed that the odd year and even year populations for the same strain were closely related to each other. Also, the eight populations were clustered into two groups. Based on the results of self-assignment, 97.1% of the Troutlodge breeders were correctly assigned to the population of origin. To further evaluate the accuracy of genetic assignment, we also genotyped 280 egg production fish from three Troutlodge populations of known origin, 49 fish from a Canadian farm, 70 fish from a farm in Idaho and 188 fish from four known non-Troutlodge strains. Among the 280 production fish, 98.2% fish were correctly assigned to the Troutlodge strain of origin. Consistent with the purchasing records, the fish from the two farms were also correctly assigned to two Troutlodge strains. Based on the SNP genotypes, 185 out of 188 fish (98.4%) from the four non-Troutlodge strains could be excluded as Troutlodge fish. In conclusion, our previously developed SNP panel for parentage assignment is also useful to characterize genetic differentiation and has sufficient power for genetic assignment of commercial rainbow trout strains used in this study. Statement of relevance Identification of fish strains using a SNP panel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In salmonid aquaculture, family-based selective breeding programs rely on accurate pedigree information for estimating genetic merits. The pedigree information can be tracked through the use of Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) tags. However, PIT tags can be expensive, and cannot be used with small fish. DNA markers offer an alternative approach for pedigree tracking and microsatellites have been previously used for parentage assignments in rainbow trout. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are becoming increasingly popular in aquaculture research because they are highly abundant and are amenable for high throughput genotyping. The objectives of this study were to develop a SNP panel for parentage assignment in rainbow trout and to evaluate the accuracy of parentage assignment using fish with known pedigrees. Two groups of SNPs were targeted: 1) genome SNPs distributed across all 29 chromosomes; and 2) previously identified trait-associated SNPs. Among the 128 SNPs selected for assay development, 102 (79.7%) working assays were developed. A panel of 95 SNP assays including 68 genome SNPs and 27 trait-associated SNPs was used to genotype 499 fish with known pedigrees from Troutlodge, Inc. and from the USDA/ARS National Center for Cool and Cold Water Aquaculture. Parentage assignments matched perfectly with the known pedigrees when all 95 SNPs were used. Near perfect parentage assignment was obtained with the 68 genome SNPs, and the accuracy of parentage assignment was over 98% with a subset of 48 genome SNPs. Therefore, these SNP assays are robust and enable accurate parentage analysis in populations that are typically used in rainbow trout breeding programs. Statement of relevance Provide alternative method to track pedigrees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

: Fish under intensive rearing conditions experience various stressors which have negative impacts on survival, growth, reproduction and fillet quality. Identifying and characterizing the molecular mechanisms underlying stress responses will facilitate the development of strategies that aim to improve animal welfare and aquaculture production efficiency. In this study, we used RNA-seq to identify transcripts which are differentially expressed in the rainbow trout liver in response to handling and confinement stress. These stressors were selected due to their relevance in aquaculture production. Total RNA was extracted from the livers of individual fish in five tanks having eight fish each, including three tanks of fish subjected to a 3 hour handling and confinement stress and two control tanks. Equal amount of total RNA of six individual fish was pooled by tank to create five RNA-seq libraries which were sequenced in one lane of Illumina HiSeq 2000. Three sequencing runs were conducted to obtain a total of 491,570,566 reads which were mapped onto the previously generated stress reference transcriptome to identify 316 differentially expressed transcripts (DETs). Twenty one DETs were selected for qPCR to validate the RNA-seq approach. The fold changes in gene expression identified by RNA-seq and qPCR were highly correlated (R2 = 0.88). Several gene ontology terms including transcription factor activity and biological process such as glucose metabolic process were enriched among these DETs. Pathways involved in response to handling and confinement stress were implicated by mapping the DETs to reference pathways in the KEGG database. Accession Numbers: Raw RNA-seq reads have been submitted to the NCBI Short Read Archive under accession number SRP022881. Customized Perl Scripts: All customized scripts described in this paper are available from Dr. Guangtu Gao or the corresponding author. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

End-use quality is one of the priorities of modern wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) breeding. Even though quality is a complex trait, high molecular weight (HMW) glutenins play a major role in determining the bread making quality of wheat. DNA markers developed from the sequences of HMW glutenin genes were reported in several previous studies to facilitate marker-assisted selection (MAS). However, most of the previously available markers are dominant and amplify large DNA fragments, and thus are not ideal for high throughput genotyping using modern equipment. The objective of this study was to develop and validate co-dominant markers suitable for high throughput MAS for HMW glutenin subunits encoded at the Glu-A1 and Glu-D1 loci. Indels were identified by sequence alignment of allelic HMW glutenin genes, and were targeted to develop locus-specific co-dominant markers. Marker UMN19 was developed by targeting an 18-bp deletion in the coding sequence of subunit Ax2* of Glu-A1. A single DNA fragment was amplified by marker UMN19, and was placed onto chromosome 1AL. Sixteen wheat cultivars with known HMW glutenin subunits were used to validate marker UMN19. The cultivars with subunit Ax2* amplified the 362-bp fragment as expected, and a 344-bp fragment was observed for cultivars with subunit Ax1 or the Ax-null allele. Two co-dominant markers, UMN25 and UMN26, were developed for Glu-D1 by targeting the fragment size polymorphic sites between subunits Dx2 and Dx5, and between Dy10 and Dy12, respectively. The 16 wheat cultivars with known HMW glutenin subunit composition were genotyped with markers UMN25 and UMN26, and the genotypes perfectly matched their subunit types. Using an Applied Biosystems 3130xl Genetic Analyzer, four F2 populations segregating for the Glu-A1 or Glu-D1 locus were successfully genotyped with primers UMN19, UMN25 and UMN26 labeled with fluorescent dyes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A directional borehole radar consists of one transmitting antenna in the borehole and four receiving antennas distributed at equal angles in a ring. The receiving antennas can determine the depth and orientation of targets beside the borehole. However, the problem of target orientation determination and 3D imaging algorithms remains a technological challenge. The MUSIC (multiple signal classification) algorithm requires a peak search, so the accuracy of the operation is limited by the angle interval. Based on the MUSIC algorithm, the Root-MUSIC algorithm is proposed and implemented. By replacing the spectral peak search with calculating the roots of the polynomials greatly improves the orientation recognition accuracy. Finally, the results obtained using the above algorithm are verified with synthetic data and compared with the results of the MUSIC algorithm. The results show that both the MUSIC algorithm and the Root-MUSIC algorithm can achieve very good orientation determination and 3D imaging results. In terms of accuracy, the Root-MUSIC algorithm has an obvious improvement compared with the MUSIC algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A major QTL for resistance to Fusarium head blight (FHB) in wheat, Qfhs.ndsu-3BS, has been identified and verified by several research groups. The objective of this study was to increase the marker density in this QTL region using STS (sequence-tagged site) markers developed from wheat expressed sequence tags (ESTs) near Qfhs.ndsu-3BS. Because wheat chromosome 3BS and rice chromosome 1S are syntenous, the sequences of P1-derived artificial chromosome (PAC) and (or) bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) clones covering the sub-distal portion of rice chromosome 1S were used as queries for a BLASTn search to identify wheat ESTs most likely near Qfhs.ndsu-3BS. Sixty-eight out of 79 STS primer pairs designed from wheat ESTs amplified PCR products from the genomic DNA of Triticum aestivum 'Chinese Spring'. Twenty-eight STS markers were localized on chromosome 3BS by aneuploid analysis. Six out of the nine STS markers that could be mapped in the T. aestivum 'Sumai 3'/T. aestivum 'Stoa' population had higher R2 and LOD values for this QTL than the most significant marker reported previously. Therefore, leveraging genome sequence information available in rice for wheat genetics is an effective strategy to develop DNA markers for Qfhs.ndsu-3BS, and this strategy may have broad applications for targeted mapping of other traits in cereal crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigates molecular markers linked with adult plant resistance (APR) to powdery mildew in the common wheat cultivar Massey. Genetics of APR to powdery mildew in wheat; Application of microsatellite markers in wheat genetic mapping; Marker assisted-selection for resistance to powdery mildew.

• Acetobacter sp. and Gluconobacter sp. were the core microbes. • Fermentation were divided into three stages and completed at the end of second stage. • Butanoic acid and hexanoic acid were malodour substances of noni fruit juice. • Enzymes and metabolic pathways of microbiome were analyzed by metatranscriptomic. Noni (Morinda citrifolia L.) has been recognized as an important herb for treating various physiological disorders worldwide. Fermented noni fruit juice, established as a novel food in European Union, is the most important noni product. However, the structure, functions and enzyme profiles of microbiome during fermentation remain unclear. The metatranscriptomic was used to comprehensively explore the active microbial community and key metabolic function. Acetobacter sp. , Acetobacter aceti and Gluconobacter sp. were the major microorganisms and appeared in succession during fermentation. According to principal components analysis (PCA) of metabolism-related unigenes by KEGG database, the fermentation process was divided into three stages and almost completed at the end of the second stage. Furthermore, carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) and the expression of key enzymes in major metabolic pathways were analyzed systematically. Analysis by HS-SPME-GC–MS and odor active value (OAV) revealed that butanoic acid and hexanoic acid were the main volatile compounds for the unpleasant odor of fermented noni fruit juice. The microbiome in the fermentation process lacked key enzymes that degrade butanoic acid and hexanoic acid, which imparted rancid and sweat odor. This study provides theoretical basis for product improvement and new product development, thus promoting the development of noni food industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecological water replenishment (EWR) has been increasingly applied to the restoration and maintenance of wetland hydrological conditions across China since the beginning of the 21st century. However, little is known about whether EWR projects help protect and/or restore wetland ecohydrology. As one of the earliest and longest-running EWR projects in China, water has been released from the Nenjiang River into the Zhalong wetland since 2001. It is important to examine the ecohydrological effects of this EWR project. In this study, long time series remote sensing data were used to extract the water area, inundation frequency, and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) to explore how eco-hydrological conditions changed during the pre- (1984–2000) and post-EWR (2001–2018) periods in the Zhalong wetland. Results show that the inundation area decreased due to the reduced surface water inflow during the pre-EWR period. Similarly, monthly vegetation NDVI in the growing season generally exhibited a decreasing and an increasing trend during the pre- and post-EWR periods, respectively. In the post-EWR period, NDVI increased by 19%, 73%, 45%, 28%, 13% for the months of May through September, respectively. Due to EWR, vegetation growth in areas with low inundation frequency was better than in areas with high inundation frequency. We found that the EWR project, runoff, and precipitation contributed 25%, 11%, and 64% to changes in the NDVI, respectively, and 46%, 37%, and 17% to changes in inundation area, respectively. These results indicate that the EWR project has improved hydrological conditions in the Zhalong wetland. For further maximum benefits of EWR in the Zhalong wetlands, we suggest that implementing similar eco-hydrological projects in the future should focus on flood pulse management to increase the inundation area, improve hydrological connectivity, and create new habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The directional borehole radar can accurately locate and image the geological target around the borehole, which overcomes the shortcomings that the conventional borehole radar can only detect the depth of the target and the distance from the borehole. The directional borehole radar under consideration consists of a transmitting antenna and four receiving antennas equally distributed on the ring in the borehole. The nonuniformity caused by the borehole and sonde, as well as the mutual coupling among the four receiving antennas, will have a serious impact on the received signal and then cause interference to the azimuth recognition for the targets. In this paper, Finite difference time domain (FDTD), including the subgrid, is applied to study these effects and interferences, and the influence of borehole, sonde, and mutual coupling among the receiving antennas is found. The results show that, without considering the sonde and the fluid in the borehole, the one transmitting and one receiving borehole radar system does not have resonance, but the wave pattern of the reflected wave will have obvious distortion. For the four receiving antennas of the borehole radar system, there is obvious resonance, which is caused by the multiple reflections between the receiving antennas. However, when the fluid in the borehole is water and the relative permittivity of the sonde is low to a certain extent, the resonance disappears; that is, the generation of resonance requires a large relative permittivity material between the receiving antennas. When the influence of the sonde is considered, the resonance disappears because the relative permittivity of the sonde is low, which makes the propagation speed of the electromagnetic wave between the antennas accelerate and lose the conditions for resonance. In addition, the diameters of the sonde and the circular array of the receiving antennas can affect the received signal: the higher the diameter of the sonde and the higher the diameter of the circular array are, the better the differentiation of the received signal. The development of the research provides scientific guidance for the design and application of borehole radar in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China is strongly dependent on railway transportation, but the frost heaving of the subgrade in cold regions has seriously affected the safety and comfort of trains. Moisture content is an essential parameter in the subgrade frost heave. Non-destructive and efficient geophysical methods have great potential in measuring the moisture content of railway subgrade. In this paper, we use the common mid-point (CMP) measurement of ground penetrating radar (GPR) to estimate the propagation velocity of electromagnetic waves in a subgrade application. We establish a synthetic model to simulate the railway subgrade structure. The synthetic CMP gathers acquired from shallow and thin layers are seriously disturbed by multiple waves and refraction waves, which make the routine velocity analysis unable to provide accurate velocities. Through the analysis of numerical simulation results, it is found that the primary reflection waves, multiple waves, and refraction waves are dominant in different offset ranges of CMP gather. Therefore, we propose a solution of the optimal gather at a certain range of offset dominated by the primary reflection wave to calculate the velocity spectrum and extract the accurate velocities for the subgrade model. The relative dielectric constants of the corresponding layers are calculated after the stacking velocities are converted into the interval velocities. Then, the moisture content is obtained by the Topp formula, which expresses the relationship between dielectric constant and moisture content. Finally, we apply the optimal gather scheme and the above interpretation process to the GPR data acquired at the railway site, and we form a long moisture content profile of the railway subgrade. Compared with the polarizability measured by the induced polarization (IP) method, it is found that the regions with high moisture content correspond to polarizability anomalies with different strengths. The comparison shows the reliability of GPR results to some extent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The internal layers of ice sheets from ice-penetrating radar (IPR) investigation preserve critical information about the ice-flow field and englacial conditions. This paper presents a new detailed analysis of spatial distribution characteristics of internal layers and subglacial topography of the East Antarctic ice sheet (EAIS) from Zhongshan Station to Dome A. The radar data of 1244 km along a traverse between Zhongshan Station and Dome A of EAIS were collected during the 29th Chinese National Antarctic Research Expedition (CHINARE 29, 2012/2013). In this study, the Internal Layering Continuity Index (ILCI) and basal roughness were taken as indicators to provide an opportunity to evaluate the past internal environment and dynamics of the ice sheet. Except for the upstream of Lambert Glacier, the fold patterns of internal layers are basically similar to that of the bed topography. The relatively flat basal topography and the decrease of ILCI with increasing depth provide evidence for identifying previous rapid ice flow areas that are unavailable to satellites, especially in the upstream of Lambert Glacier. Continuous internal layers of Dome A, recording the spatial change of past ice accumulation and ice-flow history over 160 ka, almost extend to the bed, with high ILCI and high basal roughness of the corresponding bed topography. There are three kinds of basal roughness patterns along the traverse, that is, "low ξt low η", "low ξt high η", and "high ξt high η", where ξt represents the amplitude of the undulations, and quantifies the vertical variation of the bedrock, and η measures the frequency variation of fluctuations and the horizontal irregularity of the profile. The characteristics of internal layers and basal topography of the traverse between Zhongshan Station and Dome A provide new information for understanding the ancient ice-flow activity and the historical evolution of EAIS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Full waveform inversion (FWI) can yield high resolution images and has been applied in Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) for around 20 years. However, appropriate selection of the initial models is important in FWI because such an inversion is highly nonlinear. The conventional way to obtain the initial models for GPR FWI is ray-based tomogram inversion which suffers from several inherent shortcomings. In this paper, we develop a Laplace domain waveform inversion to obtain initial models for the time domain FWI. The gradient expression of the Laplace domain waveform inversion is deduced via the derivation of a logarithmic object function. Permittivity and conductivity are updated by using the conjugate gradient method. Using synthetic examples, we found that the value of the damping constant in the inversion cannot be too large or too small compared to the dominant frequency of the radar data. The synthetic examples demonstrate that the Laplace domain waveform inversion provide slightly better initial models for the time domain FWI than the ray-based inversion. Finally, we successfully applied the algorithm to one field data set, and the inverted results of the Laplace-based FWI show more details than that of the ray-based FWI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: In recent years, the worldwide prohibition on antibiotics, including in China, has led to an increased incidence of acute enteritis in poultry, resulting in significant economic losses. Probiotic-fermented products, especially postbiotics, have exhibited promising probiotic effects, demonstrating potential for ameliorating acute enteritis. It has been reported that probiotic and postbiotics intervention can effectively treat acute enteritis. In reality, coconut water, an abundant local resource in Hainan, China, is frequently easy to be contaminated and consequently underutilized in industrial processes. In this study, Wenchang chicken was employed as an DSS-induced model of acute enteritis and then fed with coconut water fermented by probiotics. The results show that coconut water fermented by probiotics facilitates the recovery of production performance in afflicted chickens, improving serum immune and biochemical indexes, intestinal tissue structure, and the composition of the gut microbiota structure and metabolomics. This study provides theoretical insights for the development and utilization of new fermented feed resources known as postbiotics and provides a reference for the sustainable green development of the poultry breeding industry. In order to investigate the potential mechanisms of probiotic-fermented coconut water in treating enteritis, this study conducted a comprehensive analysis of the effects of probiotic intervention on the recovery from Dextran Sodium Sulfate-induced acute enteritis in Wenchang chicks. The analysis encompassed the assessment of growth performance, serum indicators, intestinal tissue structure, and metagenomic and metabolomic profiles of cecal contents in 60 Wenchang chicks subjected to intervention. This approach aimed to elucidate the impact of probiotic intervention on the recovery process from acute enteritis at both the genetic and metabolic levels in the avian model. The results revealed that intervention with Saccharomyces cerevisiae Y301 improved the growth rate of chicks. and intervention with Lactiplantibacillus plantarum MS2c regulated the glycerophospholipid metabolism pathway and reshaped the gut microbiota structure in modeling chicks with acute enteritis, reducing the abundance of potentially pathogenic bacteria from the Alistipes and increasing the abundance of potentially beneficial species from the Christensenellaceae. This intervention resulted in the production of specific gut metabolites, including Gentamicin C and polymyxin B2, recognized for their therapeutic effects on acute enteritis. The combined intervention of S. cerevisiae Y301 and L. plantarum MS2c not only enhanced growth performance but also mitigated intestinal wall damage and increased the abundance of gut metabolites such as gentamicin C and polymyxin B2, thereby mitigating symptoms of enteritis. Furthermore, this combined intervention reduced the levels of serum immune markers, including IL-10, IL-6, TNF-α, IFN-γ, and D-lactic acid, thus mitigating intestinal epithelial cell damage and promoting acute enteritis recovery. This study provides crucial insights into the mechanisms of action of probiotics and probiotic-fermented coconut water in acute enteritis recovery, offering new perspectives for sustainable farming practices for Wenchang chicken. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Arctic and Antarctic scientific expeditions, ice-penetrating radar is an effective method for studying the bedrock under the ice sheet and ice information within the ice sheet. Because of the low conductivity of ice and the relatively uniform composition of ice sheets in the polar regions, ice-penetrating radar is able to obtain deeper and more abundant data than other geophysical methods. However, it is still necessary to suppress the noise in radar data to obtain more accurate and plentiful effective information. In this paper, the entirely non-recursive Variational Mode Decomposition (VMD) is applied to the data noise reduction of ice-penetrating radar. VMD is a decomposition method of adaptive and quasi-orthogonal signals, which decomposes airborne radar data into multiple frequency-limited quasi-orthogonal Intrinsic Mode Functions (IMFs). The IMFs containing noise are then removed according to the information distribution in the IMF's components and the remaining IMFs are reconstructed. This paper employs this method to process the real ice-penetrating radar data, which effectively eliminates the interference noise in the data, improves the signal-to-noise ratio and obtains the clearer inner layer structure of ice. It is verified that the method can be applied to the noise reduction processing of polar ice-penetrating radar data very well, which provides a better basis for data interpretation. At last, we present fine ice structure within the ice sheet based on VMD denoised radar profile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A borehole radar investigation was performed at the Sanzuodian reservoir, Chifeng, China to assess possible leakage paths located in the deep dam foundation. The key methodologies used include both single-hole reflection and cross-hole radar tomography, which make a high-resolution identification of the hydraulic connection paths between upstream and downstream sides possible. The leakage paths are characterized by direct wave loss due to high electromagnetic attenuation in the single-hole reflection profile and the nearly horizontal-banded low-velocity zone in the cross-hole velocity tomography due to possible large internal erosion. Meanwhile, some small structures inside the dam, including the core wall thickness changing point, the connecting point between asphalt and concrete walls, and the contacting interface between the dry and the water-saturated formations can be identified from the single-hole reflection profile clearly. Interpreted leakage paths are proven by the water flow measurement. Borehole radar is a useful high-resolution tool, suitable for deep leakage detection and evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: About half of adults aged ≥80 years suffer from frailty. Exercise is considered effective in preventing frailty but may be inapplicable to adults aged ≥80 years due to physical limitations. As an alternative, we aimed to explore the association of leisure activities with frailty and identify potential interaction with established polygenic risk score (PRS) among adults aged ≥80 years. Methods: Analyses were performed in a prospective cohort study of 7,471 community-living older adults aged ≥80 years who were recruited between 2002 and 2014 from 23 provinces in China. Leisure activity was assessed using a seven-question leisure activity index and frailty was defined as a frailty index ≥0.25 using a validated 39-item health-related scale. The PRS was constructed using 59 single-nucleotide polymorphisms associated with frailty in a subsample of 2,541 older adults. Cox proportional hazards models were used to explore the associations of leisure activities, PRS with frailty. Results: The mean age of participants was 89.4 ± 6.6 years (range: 80–116). In total, 2,930 cases of frailty were identified during 42,216 person-years of follow-up. Each 1 unit increase in the leisure activity index was associated with 12% lower risk of frailty (hazard ratio: 0.88 [95% confidence interval, 0.85–0.91]). Participants with high genetic risk (PRS >2.47 × 10−4) suffered from 26% higher risk of frailty. Interaction between leisure activity and genetic risk was not observed. Conclusion: Evidence is presented for the independent association of leisure activities and genetic risk with frailty. Engagement in leisure activities is suggested to be associated with lower risk of frailty across all levels of genetic risk among adults aged ≥80 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) is an important tool for measuring soil water content (SWC) at the field scale. The amplitude analysis of the early time signal (ETS) of GPR may provide a rapid way to estimate SWC. By assuming a homogeneous medium, various studies have been conducted on the relationship between the amplitude of ETS and the topsoil layer's electromagnetic parameters (dielectric permittivity and conductivity) through numerical simulations, laboratory experiments, and field experiments. Soil is a typical inhomogeneous medium, and soil cultivation is a factor affecting its heterogeneity. In this context, we discuss the ability of the amplitude of ETS to estimate the water content of heterogeneous soil. First, we establish a multi-scale stochastic medium model with the inhomogeneous distribution of dielectric permittivity and conductivity and simulate the GPR response by the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method to observe the influence of medium heterogeneity on the GPR response. The heterogeneity of the soil models is evaluated by a geostatistical analysis described by two parameters, correlation length and variability. Then, we analyze the relationship between variability and the average envelope amplitude (AEA) of ETS. A strong soil heterogeneity increases the error of the AEA method in estimating SWC. Finally, the AEA method is used to estimate the SWC of two adjacent fields with different heterogeneities, which were caused by different cultivation methods. The results of the numerical simulation and field experiment indicate that the soil heterogeneity can have an impact on the estimation of SWC using EST, with an error lower than 3% within a depth range of 1/2 λ to λ (wavelength). This suggests that the EST of GPR can be applied to soil layers with relatively large lateral changes in water content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of dietary fiber on lowering blood cholesterol level depends on its ability to separate bile salt (BS) and prevent its recycling. The effects of composition and microstructure of coconut residue fiber (CRF) by modifying on BS retention and adsorption process were studied, and the adsorption mechanism of BS by insoluble dietary fiber (IDF) was investigated. We proved for the first time that adding 0.38 wt% of chitosan to assist in CRF self-assembly could improve effectively IDF's ability to retain multiple BS molecules. The adsorption of CRF to BS was a combination of two modes: rapid adsorption at the initial stage and slow adsorption after the initial stage. The fast adsorption mode plays a dominant role during the early stage of adsorption and is correlated with the viscosity and soluble diary fiber (SDF) content in dietary fiber (DF). In contrast, the slow adsorption mode occurs during the whole adsorption process while plays a dominant role during the middle and late adsorption stages. This mode is also correlated with the non-covalent transient network formed by DF in the system. The formation of a non-covalent transient network is a dynamic process in which the formation and collapse of the system occurs alternately; and this formation relies on the content of free H-bonds in IDF. This study can be helpful for the understanding of the BS-adsorption mechanism of ordinary diary fiber. [Display omitted] • Microrheology monitored the particle motion type during BS adsorption. • Chitosan self-assembly modification improved the BS adsorption capacity of CRF. • BS adsorption of IDF correlated with the non-covalent transient network. • BS adsorption capacity of DF was summarized into two action modes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fat has a great impact on the meat product flavor, which is influenced by cooking time. This study explored the effect of different steaming times on the fat flavor of pork belly. A total of 14 aldehydes, 11 ketones, 6 esters, 4 alcohols, and 1 acid volatile compounds were identified through gas chromatography ion mobility spectrometry (GC–IMS). The relative odor activity value (ROAV) combined with the principal component analysis (PCA) method showed that the aroma of pork belly fat was considerably different under different steaming times. The quantity of key volatile compounds with ROAV ≥ 1, namely, heptanal, ethyl hexanoate, 2‐methylbutanal‐m, 3‐methylbutanal, ethyl acetate, and 2, 3‐butanedione increased considerably in the fat after steaming. The fat gives rise to two key volatile compounds, hexanal‐d and 1‐heptanol, after steaming for 30 min. Similarly, ethyl formate and 3‐hydroxy‐2‐butanone were obtained as the key volatile compounds after steaming for 180 min. Practical applications: Pork belly is the main ingredient of Chinese traditional dishes such as Dongpo's pork and braised pork in brown sauce. When heated for extended periods of time, the high fat content of pork belly gives rise to important precursors that influence the flavor characteristics of these dishes. However, studies comparing the diversities of volatile compounds in pork belly fat exposed to different heating times are sparse. To address this gap in literature, this study identified the flavor components of pork belly fat exposed to different heating times. The data from this study can act as a framework for further flavor research on pork belly products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Borehole radar is a powerful tool for detecting subsurface fractures. Fracture modeling and numerical simulation are essential means to study fracture detectability. In this article, we first propose a method to construct a single fracture model, which combines the Baecher disk model and random rough surface and includes features, such as roughness, pinch-out, and irregularity. As the precise description of the fracture raises the requirement for accuracy of the simulation algorithm, the 3-D conformal finite-difference time-domain (CFDTD) method is used in this work. Numerical simulations of a sphere and rough fractures show that the CFDTD has higher calculation accuracy than conventional FDTD. Then, we analyzed how the fractures with different roughness affect the electromagnetic wave response. It is found that as the fracture surface becomes rougher, the wave scattered by it becomes stronger, more fracture contour-related information is obtained, and the fracture morphology is recovered better. Combined with accurate fracture modeling and high-precision numerical simulation, the electromagnetic response characteristics of different forms of fractures are obtained, which provides a basis for the accurate detection and interpretation of fractures in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacterial cold water disease (BCWD) is caused by infection with Flavobacterium psychrophilum , and outbreaks cause significant economic losses in salmonid aquaculture. Previously, we identified a major QTL for BCWD resistance on rainbow trout chromosome Omy19 as well as a QTL for spleen size (SPLW = spleen weight and SPLI = spleen index) which in naïve fish is a surrogate indicator of BCWD resistance. The objective of this study was to validate the BCWD resistance and spleen size QTL in a subsequent generation and investigate whether the correlation between BCWD resistance and spleen size loci on Omy19 was due to close linkage or pleiotropy. We designed four full-sib matings whose offspring were evaluated for BCWD resistance, body weight, SPLW and SPLI. A total of 800 offspring were genotyped with seven microsatellite markers from Omy19. Our analyses confirmed the presence of QTL for BCWD and spleen size on Omy19. Our findings also suggest that BCWD resistance and spleen size are not influenced by a single pleiotropic QTL on Omy19 as the QTL were separately inherited in the families studied. These data increase our understanding of the genetic basis of rainbow trout BCWD resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Wuxiang powder is a Chinese traditional condiment with a strong aroma and flavor. Moreover, it is suitable for dishes prepared using several cooking methods. Gas chromatography–ion mobility spectrometry was used to analyze the changes in the flavor of the original Wuxiang powder, the air‐fried Wuxiang powder and the stewed Wuxiang powder. A total of 49 volatile compounds were studied, including 17 aldehydes, 9 alkenes, 9 esters, 7 alcohols, 2 ethers, 2 furans, 1 acid, 1 ketone and 1 phenol. The contents of aldehydes, hydrocarbons, esters and alcohols were higher than others. The principal component analysis elucidated significant differences in the aroma among different cooking methods of the Wuxiang powder. According to the relative odor activity value, the major flavor compounds that contributed to the difference in the aroma among different cooking methods were (Z, Z)‐2, 4‐decadienal, anethole, decanal, 3‐methylbutanal, β‐caryophyllene, α‐pinene, linalool, eugenol, octanal, heptanal, and hexanal. Practical applications: The Wuxiang powder is one of the most common commercial condiments and is known for its excellent flavor and nutritional value. It is often used in frying, roasting, boiling, cold mixing, and other cooking methods. The volatile components in the Wuxiang powder undergo changes due to different cooking methods. However, the literature comparing the volatile compounds in different cooking methods is little. We believe that this research could provide the basis data for Wuxiang flavor products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the changes in physicochemical properties, bioactive compounds, and metabolic characteristics of noni fruit at different ripeness levels. The results showed that there were significant differences in physicochemical properties. HPLC analysis was conducted, revealing succinic acid, scopoletin, deacetylasperulosidic acid, and asperulosidic acid were key bioactive compounds as the fruit ripened. Additionally, 4 differentbiomarkers (isocitric acid, 4,4-thiodiphenol, lobaric acid, and octocrylene), identified using 1HNMR and LC-IT-TOF-MS, were found to have a VIP value over 1. The results from HS-GC-IMS demonstrated noteworthy that 14 volatile compounds were identified as highly discriminative features during fruit ripening. Furthermore, correlation analysis showed that different ripeness had significant effects on bioactive components and functional activities, e.g., the inhibition rate of enzyme and E. coli of noni fruit with different ripeness exceeded 90% at the last stage. This study contributes new insights into the effective utilization of bioactive ingredients in noni fruit. [Display omitted] • Amino acid and sugar metabolisms are main metabolic pathways during noni ripening. • The butanoic acid and octanoic acid are key volatile compounds during noni ripening. • The bioactive components profiles change with the ripening process of noni fruit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In China and Southeast Asia, pre-fermented coconut water is commonly used for the production of nata de coco , a jelly-like fermented food that consists of bacterial cellulose (BC). The inherent natural fermentation process of coconut water introduces uncontrollable variables, which can lead to unstable yields during BC production. This study involved the collection of spontaneously pre-fermented coconut water over a five-month production cycle. The aim was to evaluate the microbiota and metabolite profile, as well as determine its impact on BC synthesis by Komagataeibacter nataicola. Significant variations in the microbial community structure and metabolite profile of pre-fermented coconut water were observed across different production months, these variations had significant effects on BC synthesis by K. nataicola. A total of 52 different bacterial genera and 32 different fungal genera were identified as potential biotic factors that can influence BC production. Additionally, several abiotic factors, including lactate (VIP = 4.92), mannitol (VIP = 4.22), ethanol (VIP = 2.67), and ascorbate (VIP = 1.61), were found to be potential driving forces affecting BC synthesis by K. nataicola. Upon further analysis, the correlation network indicated that 14 biotic factors had a significant contribution to BC production in three strains of K. nataicola. These factors included 8 bacterial genera, such as Limosilactobacillus and Lactiplantibacillus , and 6 fungal genera, such as Meyerozyma and Ogataea. The abiotic factors lactate, mannitol, and ethanol showed a positive correlation with the BC yield. This study provides significant insights into controlling the fermentation processes of pre-fermented coconut water in industrial settings. • Microbiota of pre-fermented coconut water in peak season were investigated. • Fourteen biotic factors exert significant effects to bacterial cellulose synthesis. • Lactate, mannitol, and ethanol were potential abiotic driving forces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Microrheology monitored the particle motion type during Self-assembly of CRF. • BS adsorption of IDF correlated with the transient network. • The transient network was composed of CRF, chitosan and BS. • The formation of transient network was through non-covalent weak interactions. Self-assembly with chitosan is a promising method for improving bile salt (BS) adsorption by coconut residue fiber (CRF). To study the self-assembly process, three pre-treatments were performed and investigated using microrheological analysis. The effects of the pretreatments on the self-assembly of CRF and the BS adsorption were evaluated. During self-assembly, CRFs underwent Brownian-like motion, and the addition of chitosan facilitated the formation of inter-particle interactions between CRFs in the system. These interactions were small in extent, large in number, and slow to state change, in addition to relatively high strength and longer maintenance, all of which contributed to the binding to BS. The conventional pretreatments failed to effectively improve the BS adsorption of the self-assembled CRFs and weakened the inter-particle interactions in the system. These results suggest that chitosan assists in the adsorption of self-assembled CRF to BS through a combination of H-bonds and other weak intermolecular forces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chicken is one of the highest selling meats worldwide. Different cooking methods produce various flavor compounds in cooked chicken, which affect consumers' food choices. In this study, the volatile flavor components of Gushi chicken breast after stewing and air frying were detected using gas chromatography‐ion mobility chromatography (GC‐IMS) and principal component analysis (PCA), and the relative odor activity value (ROAV) was determined using PCA. A total of 43 volatile substances were identified. 3‐(methylthio)propionaldehyde‐M and benzene acetaldehyde can be used as characteristic flavor markers in the air‐fried chicken breast.ethyl acetate, (E)‐2‐octenal‐D, and 2‐ethyl‐1‐hexanol‐D can be used as characteristic flavor markers in the stewed chicken breast. Because these five substances have the most obvious contrast in the fingerprint. The following part describes the specific substances that have mainly contributed to the flavor system in the volatile system obtained by different cooking methods. Finally, the main flavor compounds of the stewed chicken breast were 3‐methylbutanal‐D, octanal‐D, (E)‐2‐nonenal, and other 11 types of compounds (ROAV ≥1). Nine types of compounds (ROAV ≥1), including 3‐methylbutanal‐D, (E)‐2‐nonenal‐M octanal‐M, and hexanal‐M, were the main compounds to characterize the air‐fried chicken breast. Practical applications: GC‐IMS technology combined with the principal component analysis of ROAV can be used to rapidly identify the main flavor substances and the flavor substances having an important role in modifying the overall taste of the sample. It plays a considerably important role in the aroma recombination of substances and can play a role in food processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fluorescence intensity and selective recognition ability are crucial factors in determining the analytical techniques for fluorescent probes. In this study, a core–shell fluorescent material, composed of silver nanoparticles@nitrogen-doped graphene quantum dots (Ag NPs@N/GQDs), was synthesised using mango leaves as the raw material through a thermal cracking method, resulting in strong fluorescence luminescence intensity. By employing noradrenaline as a template molecule and using a surface molecular imprinting technique, a molecularly imprinted membrane (MIP) was formed on the surface of the fluorescent material, that was subsequently eluted to obtain a highly specific, fluorescent probe capable of recognising noradrenaline. The probe captured various concentrations of noradrenaline using the MIP, which decreased the fluorescence intensity. Then a method for detecting trace amounts of noradrenaline was established. This method exhibited a linear range from 0.5 –700 pM with a detection limit of 0.154 pM. The proposed method was implemented in banana samples. Satisfactory recoveries were confirmed at four different concentrations. The method presented a relative standard deviation (RSD) of less than 5.0%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-extractable/bound phenolics from plant matrices played an increasingly important role in human health benefits, but conventional solvent extraction missed high amounts of bound phenolics. In this study, Rubus idaeus L. leaves (RDLR) and seeds residues (RDSR) free of extractable phenolics were treated by different methods, respectively. The results revealed that acid, alkaline, and enzymatic hydrolysis can all significant improve the releasing of bound phenolics. Moreover, acid hydrolysis was the most efficient method for releasing the bound phenolics from RDLR and RDSR, followed by enzymatic hydrolysis. The quantitative results showed that most of individual phenolic compounds were significantly enhanced from RDLR and RDSR after acid hydrolysis. Especially for ellagic acid, was increased by 156.1-folds for RDLR and 101.8-folds for RDSR compared with methanol extraction. For RDLR or RDSR, regardless of the hydrolysis methods, higher contents of bound phenolics evidently showed the stronger antioxidant activities and inhibitory potency in α -glucosidase. Importantly, a significantly positive correlation existed in between the investigated bio-activities and bound phenolics/flavonoids released from RDLR or RDSR. These results provided comprehensive approaches for treating the residues of agricultural crops or fruit tree leaves enriched in bound phenolics, thereby to enhance their bio-accessibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Glucose adsorption capacity, GDRI and amylase inhibition of PE-IDF were improved. • Microrheology monitored the molecular interactions during α-amylase inhibition. • Modified coconut residue IDF forms transient network with α-amylase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • An active polysaccharide of longan (LPD2) was purified and its structure was characterized. • The main linkages of LPD2 were (1→4)-β-Glc and (1→6)-β-Man. • The structure of LPD2 was significantly different from longan polysaccharides in previous reports. • LPD2 induced macrophage activation mainly via the TLR2- and TLR4-mediated MyD88/IRAK4-TRAF6 signaling pathways. Abstract An active polysaccharide (LPD2) was isolated from longan pulp by comparing the effects of polysaccharides on the phagocytosis of macrophages. LPD2 was composed of arabinose, mannose, glucose, and galactose in a molar ratio of 0.25:0.49:1:0.5 with average molecular weight of 9.64 × 106 Da. The main linkages of the sugar residues of LPD2 were (1→4)-β-Glc and (1→6)-β-Man. LPD2 significantly enhanced the lymphocytes proliferation, phagocytosis and NO and IL-6 secretion by macrophage. The anti-TLR2 and anti-TLR4 mAbs markedly suppressed LPD2-mediated NO and IL-6 production. Furthermore, anti-TLR4 or anti-TLR2 plus anti-TLR4 treatment significantly decreased LPD2-induced increase of MyD88, IRAK4, TRAF6 and INOS mRNA expression. Moreover, western blotting analysis showed that LPD2 enhanced the expression of target proteins in MyD88/IRAK4-TRAF6- INOS pathways. These results suggested that LPD2 induced macrophage activation partly via the TLR2- and TLR4-mediated MyD88/IRAK4-TRAF6 signaling pathways. Knowing the structural features and activities of active polysaccharide of longan gives the insights into longan polysaccharide application as an immunomodulatory agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Previously accurate genomic predictions for Bacterial cold water disease (BCWD) resistance in rainbow trout were obtained using a medium‐density single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array. Here, the impact of lower‐density SNP panels on the accuracy of genomic predictions was investigated in a commercial rainbow trout breeding population. Using progeny performance data, the accuracy of genomic breeding values (GEBV) using 35K, 10K, 3K, 1K, 500, 300 and 200 SNP panels as well as a panel with 70 quantitative trait loci (QTL)‐flanking SNP was compared. The GEBVs were estimated using the Bayesian method BayesB, single‐step GBLUP (ssGBLUP) and weighted ssGBLUP (wssGBLUP). The accuracy of GEBVs remained high despite the sharp reductions in SNP density, and even with 500 SNP accuracy was higher than the pedigree‐based prediction (0.50–0.56 versus 0.36). Furthermore, the prediction accuracy with the 70 QTL‐flanking SNP (0.65–0.72) was similar to the panel with 35K SNP (0.65–0.71). Genomewide linkage disequilibrium (LD) analysis revealed strong LD (r2 ≥ 0.25) spanning on average over 1 Mb across the rainbow trout genome. This long‐range LD likely contributed to the accurate genomic predictions with the low‐density SNP panels. Population structure analysis supported the hypothesis that long‐range LD in this population may be caused by admixture. Results suggest that lower‐cost, low‐density SNP panels can be used for implementing genomic selection for BCWD resistance in rainbow trout breeding programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies investigated factors associated with mortality. Nevertheless, evidence is limited regarding the determinants of lifespan. We aimed to develop and validate a lifespan prediction model based on the most important predictors. A prospective cohort study. A total of 23,892 community-living adults aged 65 years or older with confirmed death records between 1998 and 2018 from 23 provinces in China. Information including demographic characteristics, lifestyle, functional health, and prevalence of diseases was collected. The risk prediction model was generated using multivariate linear regression, incorporating the most important predictors identified by the Lasso selection method. We used 1000 bootstrap resampling for the internal validation. The model performance was assessed by adjusted R 2, root mean square error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE), and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Twenty-one predictors were included in the final lifespan prediction model. Older adults with longer lifespans were characterized by older age at baseline, female, minority race, living in rural areas, married, with healthier lifestyles and more leisure engagement, better functional status, and absence of diseases. The predicted lifespans were highly consistent with observed lifespans, with an adjusted R 2 of 0.893. RMSE was 2.86 (95% CI 2.84–2.88) and MAE was 2.18 (95% CI 2.16–2.20) years. The ICC between observed and predicted lifespans was 0.971 (95% CI 0.971–0.971). The lifespan prediction model was validated with good performance, the web-based prediction tool can be easily applied in practical use as it relies on all easily accessible variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The uncontrolled coconut water pre-fermentation process represents a considerable food safety risk and can cause unstable production. In the present study, a metagenomics approach was used to explore the dynamic changes in the microbial structure and their correlation with the physicochemical indices of coconut water during pre-fermentation. At the generic level, Leuconostoc, Lactobacillus, Acetobacter and Weissella were the predominant bacteria during pre-fermentation. Using the RDP database, we detected 28 and 34 core OTUs in samples from the cities of Wenchang and Haikou (Hainan province, China) that primarily belonged to the genera Leuconostoc and Lactobacillus . The PCoA, based on Weighted Unifrac distances, demonstrated that the microbial community structure changed significantly during pre-fermentation, and these structural changes could be attributed to an increase in bacteria of the genera Lactobacillus and Acetobacter . Additionally, we observed that the pH values decreased significantly, whereas the lactic acid and acetic acid content increased during pre-fermentation. A significant positive correlation was observed between the OTUs representing Lactobacillus and Acetobacter and the lactic acid content. This study is intended as a theoretical guide for controlling and accelerating pre-fermentation, inhibiting or eliminating harmful contaminating microorganisms, especially pathogens and, finally, raising the yield of nata de coco for further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• NFE intervention decreased body weight and lipid accumulation in HFD-fed mice. • NFE ameliorated HFD-induced gut dysbiosis. • NFE increased SCFA-producing bacteria and decreased LPS-producing bacteria. • NFE mitigated intestinal oxidative stress and barrier dysfunction. • NFE blocked LPS/TLR4/NF-κB pathway to attenuate intestinal inflammation. Noni fruit has certain anti-obesity effect. However, the bioactive ingredients in noni fruit that contribute to anti-obesity activity as well as the relation between its anti-obesity activity and gut microbiota remain unclear. In this study, obese mice induced by high-fat diet (HFD) and were intervened with noni fruit phenolic extract (NFE) for 10 weeks. The results showed NFE supplementation decreased body weight, lipid accumulation in liver and adipose tissues, ameliorated gut microbiota dysbiosis by increasing short-chain fatty acid (SCFA)-producing bacteria and decreasing lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-producing bacteria, and mitigated intestinal inflammation and oxidative stress. Moreover, NFE supplementation improved intestinal barrier dysfunction by elevating the protein expression levels of Claudin-1, Occludin and ZO-1, alleviated the HFD-induced intestinal inflammation by repressing the LPS/TLR4/NF-κB pathway. Collectively, the findings revealed NFE intervention inhibits obesity by improving gut microbiota disorder, barrier function, and inflammation. Hence, NFE may be an effective way to ameliorate HFD-induced damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The flavor profiles of fermented noni juice inoculated with Acetobacter sp. were analyzed by GC-IMS. • 14 differential biomarkers were screened by OPLS-DA. • Hexanoic acid, octanoic acid and butanoic acid were major unpleasant ingredients. • Hexanoic acid, octanoic acid and butanoic acid were significantly decreased or even eliminated in the fermentation process. • The fermentation was basically completed on the 6th day after inoculation with Acetobacter sp. To clarify the role of Acetobacter sp. in fermented noni juice, the physiochemical properties, main active ingredients and volatile constituents were comprehensively analyzed. The sugar content and acidity tended to be stable after 12 days of fermentation. Acetobacter sp. had no significant influence on major active ingredients of products. The headspace-gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (HS-GC-IMS) were performed to describe the characteristic flavor profiles during fermentation. A total of 55 flavor compounds were screened with odour threshold and Kruskal-Wallis p < 0.05. Among them, 14 different biomarkers were selected with Variable Importance in Projection (VIP) greater than 1. The concentrations of ketones and aldehydes increased significantly, mainly contributing to the floral, fruit and green features. The content of hexanoic acid, octanoic acid and butanoic acid as the main source of peculiar odor were significantly reduced, indicating Acetobacter sp. could improve the unpleasant odor of fermented noni juice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

White pepper ( Piper nigrum L.), a well-known spice, is the main pepper processing product in Hainan province, China. The solid-state method of fermentation can peel pepper in a highly efficient manner and yield high-quality white pepper. In the present study, we used next-generation sequencing to reveal the dynamic changes in the microbiota during pepper peeling by solid-state fermentation. The results suggested that the inoculated Aspergillus niger was dominant throughout the fermentation stage, with its strains constituting more than 95% of the fungi present; thus, the fungal community structure was relatively stable. The bacterial community structure fluctuated across different fermentation periods; among the bacteria present, Pseudomonas, Tatumella, Pantoea, Acinetobacter, Lactococcus, and Enterobacter accounted for more than 95% of all bacteria. Based on the correlations among the microbial community, we found that Pseudomonas and Acinetobacter were significantly positively related with A. niger, which showed strong synergy with them. In view of the microbial functional gene analysis, we found that these three bacteria and fungi were closely related to the production of pectin esterase (COG4677) and acetyl xylan esterase (COG3458), the key enzymes for pepper peeling. The present research clarifies the solid-state fermentation method of pepper peeling and lays a theoretical foundation to promote the development of the pepper peeling process and the production of high-quality white pepper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using pre-fermented coconut water brings about a high yield of bacterial cellulose (BC) from Komagataeibacter strains in food industry, but the production is unstable and even risky. Therefore, finding a controllable and high-yield production mode of BC is necessary. Our previous study has showed that Lactobacillus is one of the dominant genera in pre-fermented coconut water. Based on this, the effect of co-culture of K. nataicola and 17 coconut-sourced Lactobacillus spp. strains on the production of BC was investigated in this study. Results suggested that co-culture of K. nataicola and Lactobacillus spp. strains had varied effects on the production of BC. Co-culture of K. nataicola Q2 and L. fermentum SR can effectively improve the production of BC via affecting the formation of β-1,4-glucan chains and crystallization of microfibrils. Moreover, direct and indirect pathways were involved in promoting the formation of β-1,4-glucan chains in the co-culture system. The co-culture of K. nataicola Q2 and L. fermentum SR led to the production of BC membrane with higher crystallinity but lower thermal degradation, hardness, adhesiveness, and water holding capacity. This research provides a reference for realizing controllable increase of BC production and modification of BC. • Co-culture of K. nataicola and Lactobacillus strains variedly affected BC yield. • Co-culture of K. nataicola Q2 and L. fermentum SR enhanced BC yield by up to 4.5 folds. • Co-culture with L. fermentum SR promoted BC synthesis via two pathways. • Co-culture with L. fermentum SR increased BC crystallinity. • Co-culture with L. fermentum SR changed the texture profile and WHC of BC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Combined ultrasound and enzymatic treatment were used for the extraction of noni juice for the first time. • Ultrasonic process parameters for noni juice extraction were further optimized by response surface methodology. • Ultrasonication at 600 W for 10 min after enzymatic treatment (EZU) obtained the maximum juice yield. • EZU-treated noni juice achieved the highest bioactive ingredients content and antioxidant capacity. • EZU treatment is a good alternative to the individual method. In order to obtain noni juice with high yield and good quality, the effect of combined extraction technique of enzymatic treatment (EZ) and ultrasonication (US) on the overall quality of noni juice was investigated. Moreover, the extraction performance of the EZ-US combined extraction technique was compared with that of EZ-based extraction and the US-based extraction. Response surface methodology (RSM) was designed to optimize the parameters of ultrasonic treatment, by taking consideration of the extraction efficiency, quality parameters and bioactive ingredients of noni juice. The results indicated that combined ultrasonic and enzymatic treatment achieved a synergistic effect on promoting the quality of noni juice. The maximum juice yield of 67.95 % was obtained under ultrasonication for 10 min at 600 W after enzymatic treatment (EZU). In addition, EZU-treated juice exhibited the highest contents of total phenolic and flavonoid, which were 148.19 ± 2.53 mg gallic acid/100 mL and 47.19 ± 1.22 mg rutin/100 mL, respectively, thus contributing to better antioxidant activity. Moreover, the EZU treatment significantly reduced the particle size of noni juice, and improved its suspension stability and rheological properties. FTIR results indicated that the treatments did not bring major changes in the chemical structure and the functional groups of compounds in noni juice. Therefore, EZU treatment can be successfully applied to the extraction of noni juice with better nutritional properties and overall quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]