bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of Freezing Wheat Dough Enriched with Calcium Salts with/without Inulin on Bread Quality
Authors: Carboni Angela Daniela , Gómez-Zavaglia Andrea , Puppo Maria Cecilia , Salinas María Victoria
Published: June 2022

Bread is a popular food that is widely consumed worldwide but has a short shelf life. Besides that, when incorporating prebiotics and calcium, aging mechanisms accelerate, further shortening the shelf-life. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of freezing storage on the rheological (loss tangent, tan δ) and thermal (glass transition temperature, Tg) properties of unfrozen dough, the fermentation times (tf), and the baking quality of wheat bread fortified with calcium and inulin. Formulations studied included wheat flour (control-C), flour with 1800 ppm Ca (calcium carbonate-CA, calcium citrate-CI or calcium lactate-LA), and flour with 2400 ppm Ca and 12% inulin (calcium carbonate-CA-In, calcium citrate-CI-In or calcium lactate-LA-In). Doughs were stored at −18 °C for 1, 7, 30 and 60 days. After storage, the rheological (oscillatory rheometry and texture profile analysis) and thermomechanical properties of the thawed doughs were measured. The quality parameters of breads determined consisted of specific volume (Vs), color, moisture, firmness, elasticity, and alveoli size characterization. Dough freezing neither changed viscoelasticity (tan δ) nor decreased hardness and adhesiveness up to the values observed for fresh wheat dough. The Tg of dough with calcium carbonate increased, while for samples with organic calcium salts, it (citrate and lactate) decreased. The tf of thawed dough significantly increased. The Vs of all breads did not change during the first 30 days but decreased after freezing the dough for 60 days (p < 0.05), probably due to the death of the yeasts. Crumb moisture decreased over time, and in all cases crumb C had the highest moisture content, suggesting a dehydration effect of the calcium salt. The firmness of CA, LA and C crumbs were similar and higher than that of CI (p < 0.05), suggesting a destabilizing effect of CI anion on gluten proteins. Inulin contributed to the depreciation of bread quality, mainly at 60 days of dough freezing storage. It can be concluded that during freezing storage, calcium improves the dynamic elasticity of the dough, although under extreme conditions it generates loaves of smaller volume. Principal component analysis (PCA) explained 66.5% of total variance. Principal component 1 (PC1) was associated with dough properties, and accounted for 44.8% of the total variance. In turn, PC2 was mainly related to baking quality parameters (fermentation time, browning index, firmness and springiness of crumbs), and explained 21.7% of the total variance. Fortification with calcium citrate should be recommended for dough freezing, as breads with softer crumbs were obtained under such conditions.
Recent Advances in Nattokinase-Enriched Fermented Soybean Foods: A Review
Authors: Li Danfeng , Hou Lizhen , Hu Miao , Gao Yaxin , Tian Zhiliang , Fan Bei , Li Shuying , Wang Fengzhong
Published: June 2022

With the dramatic increase in mortality of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) caused by thrombus, this has sparked an interest in seeking more effective thrombolytic drugs or dietary nutriments. The dietary consumption of natto, a traditional Bacillus-fermented food (BFF), can reduce the risk of CVDs. Nattokinase (NK), a natural, safe, efficient and cost-effective thrombolytic enzyme, is the most bioactive ingredient in natto. NK has progressively been considered to have potentially beneficial cardiovascular effects. Microbial synthesis is a cost-effective method of producing NK. Bacillus spp. are the main production strains. While microbial synthesis of NK has been thoroughly explored, NK yield, activity and stability are the critical restrictions. Multiple optimization strategies are an attempt to tackle the current problems to meet commercial demands. We focus on the recent advances in NK, including fermented soybean foods, production strains, optimization strategies, extraction and purification, activity maintenance, biological functions, and safety assessment of NK. In addition, this review systematically discussed the challenges and prospects of NK in actual application. Due to the continuous exploration and rapid progress of NK, NK is expected to be a natural future alternative to CVDs.
Application of Bioactive Coatings with Killer Yeasts to Control Post-Harvest Apple Decay Caused by Botrytis cinerea and Penicillium italicum
Authors: Błaszczyk Urszula , Wyrzykowska Sylwia , Gąstoł Maciej
Published: June 2022

A new method was proposed to produce alginate bio-films containing Pichia membranifaciens and Wickerhamomyces anomalus killer yeast to control the post-harvest fungal decay in organic apples caused by Botrytis cinerea and Penicillium italicum. Coatings with W. anomalus killer yeast effectively controlled the growth of P. italicum during storage at 22 °C. W. anomalus killer yeast incorporated in alginate reduced the P. italicum incidence from 90% (control) to 35% after 14 days of storage at 22 °C. Alginate biofilms with W. anomalus or P. membranifaciens also limited the incidence of the fungal decay of apples inoculated with B. cinerea compared with the control fruits, although the antagonistic capability against B. cinerea was lower than against P. italicum. The survival of W. anomalus cells in alginate coating was higher than P. membranifaciens. The incorporation of killer yeasts into alginate had no significant effect on the mechanical properties (tensile strength, percent elongation at break) of alginate coating, however, they increased the thickness of the biofilm. The bioactive coating reduced the fruit weight loss and had no significant effects on the fruit firmness during storage at 2 °C. As organic apples, produced without any synthetic fungicides, are especially prone to fungal decay during storage, the proposed alginate biofilms containing killer yeast seem to be a very promising solution by offering non-chemical, biological control of post-harvest pathogens.
Physicochemical, Functional, and In Vitro Digestibility of Protein Isolates from Thai and Peru Sacha Inchi (Plukenetia volubilis L.) Oil Press-Cakes
Authors: Rawdkuen Saroat , D’Amico Stefano , Schoenlechner Regine
Published: June 2022

Proteins from Sacha inchi (SI) have been widely known for their health-benefiting properties. This study aimed to investigate the different protein isolates obtained from oil press-cakes of Thai and Peru SI. The protein content and protein recovery of Thai and Peru SI were estimated to be 93.27, 90.67%, and 49.15, 59.32%, respectively. The protein patterns of the Thai and Peru SI samples analyzed by SDS-PAGE showed glycoprotein as a major protein, with a molecular weight of 35 kDa. Both protein isolates (PI) showed water and oil holding capacities in the range of 2.97–3.09 g/g sample and 2.75–2.88 g/g sample, respectively. The emulsifying properties of the PI from Thai SI were higher than those of Peru (p < 0.05), while the foaming properties were not analogous to the emulsion properties. The Thai SI sample showed lower digestibility up to 120 min of in vitro digestion time than that of the Peru SI sample (p < 0.05). However, simulated in vitro pepsin digestion of Thai and Peru Si samples displayed hydrolyzed protein bands compared to trypsin digestion, which showed no protein patterns in both SI samples on a 4–20% gradient gel. These results suggest that the protein isolates from Thai and Peru SI exhibit marked variations in physical and techno-functional properties and have a high potential to be employed as plant-based protein additives for future non-animal-based protein-rich foods.
Algae as Food in Europe: An Overview of Species Diversity and Their Application
Authors: Mendes Madalena , Navalho Sofia , Ferreira Alice , Paulino Cristina , Figueiredo Daniel , Silva Daniel , Gao Fengzheng , Gama Florinda , Bombo Gabriel , Jacinto Rita , Aveiro Susana , Schulze Peter , Gonçalves Ana Teresa , Pereira Hugo , Gouveia Luisa , Patarra Rita , Abreu Maria Helena , Silva Joana , Navalho João , Varela João , Speranza Lais
Published: June 2022

Algae have been consumed for millennia in several parts of the world as food, food supplements, and additives, due to their unique organoleptic properties and nutritional and health benefits. Algae are sustainable sources of proteins, minerals, and fiber, with well-balanced essential amino acids, pigments, and fatty acids, among other relevant metabolites for human nutrition. This review covers the historical consumption of algae in Europe, developments in the current European market, challenges when introducing new species to the market, bottlenecks in production technology, consumer acceptance, and legislation. The current algae species that are consumed and commercialized in Europe were investigated, according to their status under the European Union (EU) Novel Food legislation, along with the market perspectives in terms of the current research and development initiatives, while evaluating the interest and potential in the European market. The regular consumption of more than 150 algae species was identified, of which only 20% are approved under the EU Novel Food legislation, which demonstrates that the current legislation is not broad enough and requires an urgent update. Finally, the potential of the European algae market growth was indicated by the analysis of the trends in research, technological advances, and market initiatives to promote algae commercialization and consumption.
Harnessing Food Product Reviews for Personalizing Sweetness Levels
Authors: Asseo Kim , Niv Masha Y.
Published: June 2022

Sweet taste is innately appealing, ensuring that mammals are attracted to the sweetness of mother’s milk and other sources of carbohydrates and calories. In the modern world, the availability of sugars and sweeteners and the eagerness of the food industry to maximize palatability, result in an abundance of sweet food products, which poses a major health challenge. The aim of the current study is to analyze sweetness levels, liking, and ingredients of online reviews of food products, in order to obtain insights into sensory nutrition and to identify new opportunities for reconciling the palatability–healthiness tension. We collected over 200,000 reviews of ~30,000 products on Amazon dated from 2002 to 2012 and ~350,000 reviews of ~2400 products on iHerb from 2006 to 2021. The reviews were classified and analyzed using manual curation, natural language processing, and machine learning. In total, ~32,000 (Amazon) and ~29,000 (iHerb) of these reviews mention sweetness, with 2200 and 4600 reviews referring to the purchased products as oversweet. Oversweet reviews were dispersed among consumers. Products that included sucralose had more oversweet reviews than average. 26 products had at least 50 reviews for which at least 10% were oversweet. For these products, the average liking by consumers reporting oversweetness was significantly lower (by 0.9 stars on average on a 1 to 5 stars scale) than by the rest of the consumers. In summary, oversweetness appears in 7–16% of the sweetness-related reviews and is less liked, which suggests an opportunity for customized products with reduced sweetness. These products will be simultaneously healthier and tastier for a substantial subgroup of customers and will benefit the manufacturer by expanding the products’ target audience. Analysis of consumers’ reviews of marketed food products offers new ways to obtain informative sensory data.
Drying Microalgae Using an Industrial Solar Dryer: A Biomass Quality Assessment
Authors: Schmid Benjamin , Navalho Sofia , Schulze Peter S. C. , Van De Walle Simon , Van Royen Geert , Schüler Lisa M. , Maia Inês B. , Bastos Carolina R. V. , Baune Marie-Christin , Januschewski Edwin , Coelho Ana , Pereira Hugo , Varela João , Navalho João , Cavaco Rodrigues Alexandre Miguel
Published: June 2022

Microalgae are considered a promising resource of proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, and other functional biomolecules for food and feed markets. Competitive drying solutions are required to meet future demands for high-quality algal biomass while ensuring proper preservation at reduced costs. Since often used drying methods, such as freeze or spray drying, are energy and time consuming, more sustainable processes remain to be developed. This study tested an indirect and hybrid solar dryer as an alternative to conventional freeze drying of industrially produced Tetraselmis chui and Nannochloropsis oceanica wet paste. The effects of the drying method on biomass quality parameters, including biochemical profiles, functional properties, and microbial safety, were assessed. No significant differences were found between the applied drying technologies for total proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and fatty acid profiles. On the other hand, some pigments showed significant differences, displaying up to 44.5% higher contents in freeze-dried samples. Minor differences were also registered in the mineral profiles (<10%). Analyses of microbial safety and functional properties of the solar-dried biomass appear adequate for food and feed products. In conclusion, industrial solar drying is a sustainable technology with a high potential to preserve high-quality microalgal biomass for various markets at expected lower costs.
Peanut Butter Food Safety Concerns—Prevalence, Mitigation and Control of Salmonella spp., and Aflatoxins in Peanut Butter
Authors: Sithole Tapiwa Reward , Ma Yu-Xiang , Qin Zhao , Wang Xue-De , Liu Hua-Min
Published: June 2022

Peanut butter has a very large and continuously increasing global market. The food safety risks associated with its consumption are also likely to have impacts on a correspondingly large global population. In terms of prevalence and potential magnitude of impact, contamination by Salmonella spp., and aflatoxins, are the major food safety risks associated with peanut butter consumption. The inherent nature of the Salmonella spp., coupled with the unique chemical composition and structure of peanut butter, present serious technical challenges when inactivating Salmonella spp. in contaminated peanut butter. Thermal treatment, microwave, radiofrequency, irradiation, and high-pressure processing all are of limited efficacy in inactivating Salmonella spp. in contaminated peanut butter. The removal of aflatoxins in contaminated peanut butter is equally problematic and for all practical purposes almost impossible at the moment. Adopting good manufacturing hygiene practices from farm to table and avoiding the processing of contaminated peanuts are probably some of the few practically viable strategies for minimising these peanut butter food safety risks. The purpose of this review is to highlight the nature of food safety risks associated with peanut butter and to discuss the effectiveness of the initiatives that are aimed at minimising these risks.
Structure Characterization and Potential Probiotic Effects of Sorghum and Oat Resistant Dextrins
Authors: Chen Wenwen , Zhang Ting , Ma Qi , Zhu Yingying , Shen Ruiling
Published: June 2022

Resistant dextrins (RDs) were prepared from sorghum and oat starches to determine their molecular structure, physicochemical properties, digestibility and prebiotics effect in vitro. The results showed that the particle size of sorghum resistant dextrin (SRD) and oat resistant dextrin (ORD) was significantly smaller than their respective starches. They formed a block structure, and lost the original A-type structure. In addition, SRD and ORD had good thermal stability, solubility (>90%) and enzymatic hydrolysis resistance (digestibility < 5%). The potential probiotic effects of ORD and SRD were studied by measurement of their promoting effects on the growth of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus delbrueckii. For Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus acidophilus, the promoting effect of ORD was the best (p < 0.05), and the counts increased by 8.89 and 8.74 log CFU/mL, respectively, compared with the control. For Lactobacillus delbrueckii, SRD was most effective, increasing the counts by 8.72 log CFU/mL compared with the control. These characteristics make SRD and ORD suitable for use as soluble dietary fiber and prebiotics in beverages and the excipients of low-glycemic-index products.
Experimental and Numerical Study of a Turbulent Air-Drying Process for an Ellipsoidal Fruit with Volume Changes
Authors: Zambra Carlos E. , Puente-Díaz Luis , Ah-Hen Kong , Rosales Carlos , Hernandez Diógenes , Lemus-Mondaca Roberto
Published: June 2022

It is common in the numerical simulations for drying of food to suppose that the food does not experience a change of volume. The few numerical studies that include volume changes assume that the shrinkage occurs symmetrically in all directions. Therefore, this effect has not been fully studied, and it is known that not considering it can be detrimental for the accuracy of these simulations. The present study aims to develop a three-dimensional model for the simulation of fruits that includes the volume changes but also takes into consideration the asymmetry of the shrinkage. Physalis peruviana is taken as the subject of study to conduct experiments and imaging analyses that provided data about the drying kinetics and asymmetric shrinkage mode. The effective diffusion coefficient is found to be between 10−12 m2 s−1 and 1.75 × 10−9 m2 s−1. The shrinkage occurs essentially in only one direction, with an average velocity of 8.3 × 10−5 m/min. A numerical modelling scheme is developed that allows including the shrinkage effect in computer simulations. The performance of the model is evaluated by comparison with experimental data, showing that the proposed model decreases more than 4 times the relative error with respect to simulations that do not include volume changes. The proposed model proves to be a useful method that can contribute to more accurate modeling of drying processes.
Widely Targeted Lipidomics and Transcriptomics Analysis Revealed Changes of Lipid Metabolism in Spleen Dendritic Cells in Shrimp Allergy
Authors: Sun Shanfeng , Luo Jiangzuo , Du Hang , Liu Guirong , Liu Manman , Wang Junjuan , Han Shiwen , Che Huilian
Published: June 2022

Shrimp allergy (SA) is pathological type 2 inflammatory immune responses against harmless shrimp protein allergen, which is caused by complex interactions between dendritic cells (DCs) and other immune cells. Lipid metabolism in different DCs states are significantly changed. However, the lipid metabolism of spleen DCs in SA remain ambiguous. In this study, we established a BALB/c mouse shrimp protein extract-induced allergy model to determine the lipid profile of spleen DCs in SA, and the molecular mechanism between lipid metabolism and immune inflammation was preliminarily studied. Spleen DCs were sorted by fluorescence-activated cell sorting, and then widely targeted lipidomics and transcriptomics analysis were performed. Principal component analysis presented the lipidome alterations in SA. The transcriptomic data showed that Prkcg was involved in lipid metabolism, immune system, and inflammatory signaling pathway. In the correlation analysis, the results suggested that Prkcg was positively correlated with triacylglycerol (Pearson correlation coefficient = 0.917, p = 0.01). The lipidomics and transcriptomics integrated pathway analysis indicated the activated metabolic conversion from triacylglycerol to 1,2-diacyl-sn-glycerol and the transmission of lipid metabolism to immune inflammation (from triacylglycerol and ceramide to Prkcg) in SA spleen DCs, and cellular experiments in vitro showed that glyceryl trioleate and C16 ceramide treatment induced immune function alteration in DCs.
Recent Advances in pH-Responsive Freshness Indicators Using Natural Food Colorants to Monitor Food Freshness
Authors: Liu Danfei , Zhang Changfan , Pu Yumei , Chen Siyuan , Liu Lei , Cui Zijie , Zhong Yunfei
Published: June 2022

Recently, due to the enhancement in consumer awareness of food safety, considerable attention has been paid to intelligent packaging that displays the quality status of food through color changes. Natural food colorants show useful functionalities (antibacterial and antioxidant activities) and obvious color changes due to their structural changes in different acid and alkali environments, which could be applied to detect these acid and alkali environments, especially in the preparation of intelligent packaging. This review introduces the latest research on the progress of pH-responsive freshness indicators based on natural food colorants and biodegradable polymers for monitoring packaged food quality. Additionally, the current methods of detecting food freshness, the preparation methods for pH-responsive freshness indicators, and their applications for detecting the freshness of perishable food are highlighted. Subsequently, this review addresses the challenges and prospects of pH-responsive freshness indicators in food packaging, to assist in promoting their commercial application.
Application of an Electronic Nose and HS-SPME/GC-MS to Determine Volatile Organic Compounds in Fresh Mexican Cheese
Authors: Lee-Rangel Héctor Aarón , Mendoza-Martinez German David , Diaz de León-Martínez Lorena , Relling Alejandro Enrique , Vazquez-Valladolid Anayeli , Palacios-Martínez Monika , Hernández-García Pedro Abel , Chay-Canul Alfonso Juventino , Flores-Ramirez Rogelio , Roque-Jiménez José Alejandro
Published: June 2022

Electronic devices have been used to describe chemical compounds in the food industry. However, there are different models and manufacturers of these devices; thus, there has been little consistency in the type of compounds and methods used for identification. This work aimed to determine the applicability of electronic nose (e-nose) Cyroanose 320 to describe the differentiation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in fresh Mexican cheese (F-MC) formulated with milk from two different dairy cattle breeds. The VOCs were described using a device manufactured by Sensigent and Solid-Phase Micro-extraction (SPME) coupled to GC-MS as a complementary method. The multivariate principal components analysis (PCA) and the partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) were used to describe the relationships of VOCs to electronic nose data, sensory data, and response levels. In addition, variable importance in projection (VIP) was performed to characterize the e-nose signals to the VOCs. The e-nose distinguishes F-MC prepared with milk from two dairy breeds. Sensor number 31 correlated with carboxylic acids most in F-MC from Jersey milk. The HS-SPME/GC-MS identified eighteen VOCs in F-MC made with Holstein milk, while only eleven VOCs were identified for F-MC made with Jersey milk. The more significant peaks in both chromatogram analyses were Propanoic acid, 2-methyl-, 1-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-2-methyl-1,3-propanediyl ester in cheese made from Holstein milk and Propanoic acid, 2-methyl-, 3-hydroxy-2,4,4-trimethylpentyl ester in Jersey milk cheese. Both compounds are considered essential carboxylic acids in the dairy industry. Thus, sensor 31 in the electronic nose Cyranose 320 increased its response by essential carboxylic acids identified by HS-SPME/GC-MS as a complementary method. The e-nose Cyranose 320 is potentially helpful for evaluating fresh Mexican cheese authentication independent of cows’ milk samples from different breeds.
Minimization Problems for Functionals Depending on Generalized Proportional Fractional Derivatives
Authors: Almeida Ricardo
Published: June 2022

In this work we study variational problems, where ordinary derivatives are replaced by a generalized proportional fractional derivative. This fractional operator depends on a fixed parameter, acting as a weight over the state function and its first-order derivative. We consider the problem with and without boundary conditions, and with additional restrictions like isoperimetric and holonomic. Herglotz’s variational problem and when in presence of time delays are also considered.
Natural Gas Conversion and Organic Waste Gasification by Detonation-Born Ultra-Superheated Steam: Effect of Reactor Volume
Authors: Frolov Sergey M. , Smetanyuk Viktor A. , Sadykov Ilias A. , Silantiev Anton S. , Shamshin Igor O. , Aksenov Viktor S. , Avdeev Konstantin A. , Frolov Fedor S.
Published: June 2022

The pulsed detonation (PD) gun technology was applied for the autothermal high-temperature conversion of natural gas and atmospheric-pressure oxygen-free allothermal gasification of liquid/solid organic wastes by detonation-born ultra-superheated steam (USS) using two flow reactors of essentially different volume: 100 and 40 dm3. Liquid and solid wastes were waste machine oil and wood sawdust, with moisture ranging from 10 to 30%wt. It was expected that decrease in the reactor volume from 100 to 40 dm3, other conditions being equal, on the one hand, should not affect natural gas conversion but, on the other hand, could lead to an increase in the gasification temperature in the flow reactor and, correspondingly, to an increase in the product syngas (H2 + CO) quality. The PD gun was fed by natural gas–oxygen mixture and operated at a frequency of 1 Hz. As was expected, complete conversion of natural gas to product syngas in the PD gun was obtained with H2/CO and CO2/CO ratios equal to 1.25 and 0.25, irrespective of the reactor volume. Liquid and solid wastes were gasified to H2, CO, and CH4 in the flow reactors. The steady-state H2/CO and CO2/CO ratios in the syngas produced from waste machine oil were 0.8 and 0.5 for the 100-dm3 reactor and 0.9 and 0.2 for the 40-dm3 reactor, respectively, thus indicating the expected improvement in syngas quality. Moreover, the maximum mass flow rate of feedstock in the 40-dm3 reactor was increased by a factor of over 4 as compared to the 100-dm3 reactor. The steady-state H2/CO and CO2/CO ratios in the syngas produced from the fixed weight (2 kg) batch of wood sawdust were 0.5 and 0.8 for both reactors, and the gasification time in both reactors was about 5–7 min. The measured H2 vs. CO2 and CO vs. CO2 dependences for the syngas produced by the autothermal high-temperature conversion of natural gas and atmospheric-pressure allothermal gasification of liquid/solid organic wastes by USS at f = 1 Hz were shown to be almost independent of the feedstock and reactor volume due to high values of local instantaneous gasification temperature.
Injectable DNA Hydrogel-Based Local Drug Delivery and Immunotherapy
Authors: Wang Qi , Qu Yanfei , Zhang Ziyi , Huang Hao , Xu Yufei , Shen Fengyun , Wang Lihua , Sun Lele
Published: June 2022

Regulated drug delivery is an important direction in the field of medicine and healthcare research. In recent years, injectable hydrogels with good biocompatibility and biodegradability have attracted extensive attention due to their promising application in controlled drug release. Among them, DNA hydrogel has shown great potentials in local drug delivery and immunotherapy. DNA hydrogel is a three-dimensional network formed by cross-linking of hydrophilic DNA strands with extremely good biocompatibility. Benefiting from the special properties of DNA, including editable sequence and specificity of hybridization reactions, the mechanical properties and functions of DNA hydrogels can be precisely designed according to specific applications. In addition, other functional materials, including peptides, proteins and synthetic organic polymers can be easily integrated with DNA hydrogels, thereby enriching the functions of the hydrogels. In this review, we first summarize the types and synthesis methods of DNA hydrogels, and then review the recent research progress of injectable DNA hydrogels in local drug delivery, especially in immunotherapy. Finally, we discuss the challenges facing DNA hydrogels and future development directions.
Gene Expression and Characterization of Iturin A Lipopeptide Biosurfactant from Bacillus aryabhattai for Enhanced Oil Recovery
Authors: Yaraguppi Deepak A. , Bagewadi Zabin K. , Mahanta Nilkamal , Singh Surya P. , Khan T. M. Yunus , Deshpande Sanjay H. , Soratur Chaitra , Das Simita , Saikia Dimple
Published: June 2022

Biosurfactants are eco-friendly surface-active molecules recommended for enhanced oil recovery techniques. In the present study, a potential lipopeptide (biosurfactant) encoding the iturin A gene was synthesized from Bacillus aryabhattai. To improvise the yield of the lipopeptide for specific applications, current research tends toward engineering and expressing recombinant peptides. An iturin A gene sequence was codon-optimized, amplified with gene-specific primers, and ligated into the pET-32A expression vector to achieve high-level protein expression. The plasmid construct was transformed into an E. coli BL21 DE3 host to evaluate the expression. The highly expressed recombinant iturin A lipopeptide was purified on a nickel nitrilotriacetic acid (Ni-NTA) agarose column. Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) revealed that the purity and molecular mass of iturin A was 41 kDa. The yield of recombinant iturin A was found to be 60 g/L with a 6.7-fold increase in comparison with our previously published study on the wild strain. The approach of cloning a functional fragment of partial iturin A resulted in the increased production of the lipopeptide. When motor oil was used, recombinant protein iturin A revealed a biosurfactant property with a 74 ± 1.9% emulsification index (E24). Purified recombinant protein iturin A was characterized by mass spectrometry. MALDI-TOF spectra of trypsin digestion (protein/trypsin of 50:1 and 25:1) showed desired digested mass peaks for the protein, further confirming the identity of iturin A. The iturin A structure was elucidated based on distinctive spectral bands in Raman spectra, which revealed the presence of a peptide backbone and lipid. Recombinant iturin A was employed for enhanced oil recovery through a sand-packed column that yielded 61.18 ± 0.85% additional oil. Hence, the novel approach of the high-level expression of iturin A (lipopeptide) as a promising biosurfactant employed for oil recovery from Bacillus aryabhattai is not much reported. Thus, recombinant iturin A demonstrated its promising ability for efficient oil recovery, finding specific applications in petroleum industries.
An Engineered Protein-Based Building Block (Albumin Methacryloyl) for Fabrication of a 3D In Vitro Cryogel Model
Authors: Niu Xueming , Lin Mian , Lee Bae Hoon
Published: June 2022

Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is a leading cause of attrition in drug development or withdrawal; current animal experiments and traditional 2D cell culture systems fail to precisely predict the liver toxicity of drug candidates. Hence, there is an urgent need for an alternative in vitro model that can mimic the liver microenvironments and accurately detect human-specific drug hepatotoxicity. Here, for the first time we propose the fabrication of an albumin methacryloyl cryogel platform inspired by the liver’s microarchitecture via emulating the mechanical properties and extracellular matrix (ECM) cues of liver. Engineered crosslinkable albumin methacryloyl is used as a protein-based building block for fabrication of albumin cryogel in vitro models that can have potential applications in 3D cell culture and drug screening. In this work, protein modification, cryogelation, and liver ECM coating were employed to engineer highly porous three-dimensional cryogels with high interconnectivity, liver-like stiffness, and liver ECM as artificial liver constructs. The resulting albumin-based cryogel in vitro model provided improved cell–cell and cell–material interactions and consequently displayed excellent liver functional gene expression, being conducive to detection of fialuridine (FIAU) hepatotoxicity.
Efficient Editing of the ZBED6-Binding Site in Intron 3 of IGF2 in a Bovine Model Using the CRISPR/Cas9 System
Authors: Zou Huiying , Yu Dawei , Yao Shun , Ding Fangrong , Li Junliang , Li Ling , Li Xue , Zhao Shanjiang , Pang Yunwei , Hao Haisheng , Du Weihua , Zhao Xueming , Dai Yunping , Zhu Huabin
Published: June 2022

Background: Insulin-like growth factor 2 is a growth-promoting factor that plays an important role in the growth and development of mammals. A nucleotide substitution in intron 3 of IGF2—which disrupts the ZBED6-binding site—affects muscle mass, organ size, and fat deposition in pigs. The ZBED6-binding site is also conserved in cattle. Methods: In the present study, we introduced mutations in the ZBED6-binding site in intron3 of IGF2 in bovine fetal fibroblasts using the CRISPR/Cas9 system, and investigated the effect of disruption of ZBED6 binding on IGF2 expression. Results: Eleven biallelic-mutant single-cell clones were established, three of which contained no foreign DNA residues. Single-cell clones 93 and 135 were used to produce cloned embryos. Dual-luciferase reporter assay in C2C12 cells demonstrated that the mutation in the ZBED6-binding site increases the promoter 3 activity of bovine IGF2. A total of 49 mutant cloned embryos were transplanted into surrogate cows. Unfortunately, all cloned embryos died before birth. IGF2 was found to be hypomethylated in the only fetus born (stillborn), which may have been due to the incomplete reprogramming. Conclusions: We efficiently constructed IGF2-edited cell lines and cloned embryos, which provided a theoretical basis and experimental materials for beef cattle breeding.
Identification of Novel Circular RNAs of the Human Protein Arginine Methyltransferase 1 (PRMT1) Gene, Expressed in Breast Cancer Cells
Authors: Papatsirou Maria , Diamantopoulos Marios A. , Katsaraki Katerina , Kletsas Dimitris , Kontos Christos K. , Scorilas Andreas
Published: June 2022

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) constitute a type of RNA formed through back-splicing. In breast cancer, circRNAs are implicated in tumor onset and progression. Although histone methylation by PRMT1 is largely involved in breast cancer development and metastasis, the effect of circular transcripts deriving from this gene has not been examined. In this study, total RNA was extracted from four breast cancer cell lines and reversely transcribed using random hexamer primers. Next, first- and second-round PCRs were performed using gene-specific divergent primers. Sanger sequencing followed for the determination of the sequence of each novel PRMT1 circRNA. Lastly, bioinformatics analysis was conducted to predict the functions of the novel circRNAs. In total, nine novel circRNAs were identified, comprising both complete and truncated exons of the PRMT1 gene. Interestingly, we demonstrated that the back-splice junctions consist of novel splice sites of the PRMT1 exons. Moreover, the circRNA expression pattern differed among these four breast cancer cell lines. All the novel circRNAs are predicted to act as miRNA and/or protein sponges, while five circRNAs also possess an open reading frame. In summary, we described the complete sequence of nine novel circRNAs of the PRMT1 gene, comprising distinct back-splice junctions and probably having different molecular properties.
NtDREB-1BL1 Enhances Carotenoid Biosynthesis by Regulating Phytoene Synthase in Nicotiana tabacum
Authors: Dong Chen , Wang Qingdong , Wang Yubo , Qin Lili , Shi Yongchun , Wang Xiaoran , Wang Ran
Published: June 2022

As one of the most imperative antioxidants in higher plants, carotenoids serve as accessory pigments to harvest light for photosynthesis as well as photoprotectors for plants to adapt to high light stress. Phytoene synthase (PSY) is the entry enzyme and also the major rate-limiting enzyme in the carotenoid pathway. Here, we report a dehydration-responsive element-binding protein (DREB) transcription factor member in Nicotiana tabacum K326, NtDREB-1BL1, which regulates carotenoids biosynthesis by binding to the NtPSY promoter. The NtDREB-1BL1 transcript was widely distributed in leaves by Real-time PCR. Confocal image revealed that NtDREB-1BL1 was localized in the nucleus. The chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) with the qPCR technique indicated that NtDREB-1BL1 could anchor the promoter region of NtPSY. Overexpression (NtDREB-1BL1 OE) and RNA interference (NtDREB-1BL1 RNAi) of NtDREB-1BL1 were performed to evaluate its biological function in N. tabacum. Both carotenoid and chlorophyll contents increased in transgenic plants of NtDREB-1BL1 OE compared with wild-type (WT) plants, with the augment of the genes involved in carotenoid biosynthesis. In contrast, the contents of carotenoid and chlorophyll significantly decreased in transgenic plants of NtDREB-1BL1 RNAi compared to WT, along with the decline in the expression of genes related to carotenoid biosynthesis. Moreover, transgenic plants of NtDREB-1BL1 OE exhibited enhanced tolerance under drought stress, with the weakened tolerance of drought stress in transgenic plants of NtDREB-1BL1 RNAi. In conclusion, our results illustrated the new role of transcription factor NtDREB-1BL1 in improving carotenoid biosynthesis through regulating NtPSY expression.
Autosomal Recessive Stickler Syndrome
Authors: Nixon Thomas R. W. , Richards Allan J. , Martin Howard , Alexander Philip , Snead Martin P.
Published: June 2022

Stickler syndrome (SS) is a genetic disorder with manifestations in the eye, ear, joints, face and palate. Usually inherited in a dominant fashion due to heterozygous pathogenic variants in the collagen genes COL2A1 and COL11A1, it can rarely be inherited in a recessive fashion from variants in COL9A1, COL9A2, and COL9A3, COL11A1, as well as the non-collagen genes LRP2, LOXL3 and GZF1. We review the published cases of recessive SS, which comprise 40 patients from 23 families. Both homozygous and compound heterozygous pathogenic variants are found. High myopia is near-universal, and sensorineural hearing loss is very common in patients with variants in genes for type IX or XI collagen, although hearing appears spared in the LRP2 and LOXL3 patients and is variable in GZF1. Cleft palate is associated with type XI collagen variants, as well as the non-collagen genes, but is so far unreported with type IX collagen variants. Retinal detachment has occurred in 18% of all cases, and joint pain in 15%. However, the mean age of this cohort is 11 years old, so the lifetime incidence of both problems may be underestimated. This paper reinforces the importance of screening for SS in congenital sensorineural hearing loss, particularly when associated with myopia, and the need to warn patients and parents of the warning signs of retinal detachment, with regular ophthalmic review.
Gene–Environment Correlation over Time: A Longitudinal Analysis of Polygenic Risk Scores for Schizophrenia and Major Depression in Three British Cohorts Studies
Authors: Machlitt-Northen Sandra , Keers Robert , Munroe Patricia , Howard David , Pluess Michael
Published: June 2022

Research suggests that both genetic and environmental risk factors are involved in the aetiology of schizophrenia (SCZ) and major depressive disorder (MDD). Importantly, environmental and genetic risk factors are often related as evidenced in gene–environment correlation (rGE), which describes the observation that genetic and environmental factors are associated with each other. It is understood that rGE gets stronger over time as individuals select their environments more actively based on their genetic propensities. However, little is known whether rGEs remain stable over time or change across different development periods. Using data from three British longitudinal cohorts, we investigated whether rGE patterns of polygenic risk scores (PRS) for SCZ and MDD changed over time across childhood and adulthood, as well as across both from birth to age 55 and whether results differed between SCZ and MDD. Overall, the majority of rGEs remained stable across the investigated development periods. Furthermore, the few detected rGE changes which did differ between SCZ and MDD, could not be explained by the confounding of clinical cases and are therefore likely the result of actual changes in environmental and cultural risk factors with genetic susceptibility to SCZ and MDD likely playing a less significant role.
Group II Intron-Encoded Proteins (IEPs/Maturases) as Key Regulators of Nad1 Expression and Complex I Biogenesis in Land Plant Mitochondria
Authors: Mizrahi Ron , Shevtsov-Tal Sofia , Ostersetzer-Biran Oren
Published: June 2022

Mitochondria are semi-autonomous organelles that produce much of the energy required for cellular metabolism. As descendants of a bacterial symbiont, most mitochondria harbor their own genetic system (mtDNA/mitogenome), with intrinsic machineries for transcription and protein translation. A notable feature of plant mitochondria involves the presence of introns (mostly group II-type) that reside in many organellar genes. The splicing of the mtRNAs relies on the activities of various protein cofactors, which may also link organellar functions with cellular or environmental signals. The splicing of canonical group II introns is aided by an ancient class of RT-like enzymes (IEPs/maturases, MATs) that are encoded by the introns themselves and act specifically on their host introns. The plant organellar introns are degenerated in structure and are generally also missing their cognate intron-encoded proteins. The factors required for plant mtRNA processing are mostly nuclearly-encoded, with the exception of a few degenerated MATs. These are in particular pivotal for the maturation of NADH-dehydrogenase transcripts. In the following review we provide an update on the non-canonical MAT factors in angiosperm mitochondria and summarize the current knowledge of their essential roles in regulating Nad1 expression and complex I (CI) biogenesis during embryogenesis and early plant life.
The Effect of Salinity and Light Intensity on the Batch Cultured Cyanobacteria Anabaena sp. and Cyanothece sp.
Authors: Hotos George N. , Avramidou Despoina , Samara Athina
Published: June 2022

On the quest of discovering novel local strains of microalgal species that can be effectively cultured with industrial perspectives, two cyanobacterial strains Anabaena sp. and Cyanothece sp. were isolated from the lagoonal and saltworks waters of the Messolonghi lagoon (W. Greece). They were batch cultured at 20–21.5 °C in six combinations of three salinities (20, 40 and 60 ppt) and two light intensities (2000 and 8000 lux) resulting in: (a) Anabaena grew best at 20 and 40 ppt at high light of 8000 lux. (b) Cyanothece grew best at 40 and 60 ppt at high light. (c) Low light of 2000 lux resulted in much reduced growth in all treatments. (d) Maximal biomass yield was 1.27 and 1.77 g d.w./L for Anabaena and Cyanothece, respectively. Overall, both species have culture potential yielding biomass comparable to the average (or above) relevant values reported in the literature for various cultured cyanobacteria.
The SOGAZ-Med experience in protecting the rights of the insured
Authors:   Directorate for Compulsory Medical Insurance Organization and Marketing, Insurance Company SOGAZ-Med, Chumenko Nikolay Leonidovich
Published: June 2022

SOGAZ-Med tells about its experience in protecting the rights of the insured and sums up the results of work in this direction in 2021.
Modern trends in the health of the child population in Russia
Authors:   FSBSI N.A. Semashko National Research Institute of Public Health, Moscow, Russian Federation, Zagoruichenko Anna Anatolievna , Karpova Oksana Borisovna ,   FSBSI N.A. Semashko National Research Institute of Public Health
Published: June 2022

The article presents current statistical data on the health status of the children's population in Russia; an assessment of the dynamic changes in the morbidity and disability of children and adolescents in the country has been carried out. The main analytical materials were the data from the official state and departmental statistics, Internet, and the RSCI, Pubmed, Cyberleninka and other databases. The methods included: literature study and generalization, statistical and analytical methods. Thus, the results obtained in the course of this study will serve as a basis for the development of new management decisions within the framework of improving the health of the child population and enhancing the efficiency of the pediatric service.
Pharmacoeconomic analysis of ferric carboxymaltose in patients with chronic heart failure and iron deficiency in the Russian Federation
Authors:   FSBEI HE Volgograd State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of Russia, Nedogoda Sergey Vladimirovich , Salasyuk Alla Sergeevna ,   FSBEI HE Volgograd State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of Russia, Barykina Irina Nikolaevna ,   FSBEI HE Volgograd State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of Russia, Lutova Viktoriya Olegovna ,   FSBEI HE Volgograd State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of Russia, Popova Ekaterina Andreevna ,   FSBEI HE Volgograd State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of Russia
Published: June 2022

Aim: To evaluate the economic efficiency of using ferric carboxymaltose (FCM) in patients with chronic heart failure with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (CHFrEF) and iron deficiency (ID) in the Russian Federation Methods: The analysis of the cost of maintaining CHFrEF with ID was carried out and an analytical decision-making model was built in MS Excel, which allows estimating the costs from the position of the state in the management of patients with CHFrEF with ID when using FCM in comparison with placebo. Results: The use of FCM in 633,301 patients with CHFrEF and ID for 1 year will prevent 72,386 hospitalizations for CHF and reduce the number of days spent by patients in the hospital by 1,136,141 days. Taking into account the direct costs of stopping adverse events, as well as the indirect costs of paying disability benefits and GDP losses, the potential economic benefit of using FCV when prescribing 633,301 CHFrEF and DJ to patients for 1 year can be 4.280 million rubles. per year of therapy. The use of FCM in patients with CHFrEF and ID is advisable immediately after an episode of CHF decompensation in order to reduce the risk of subsequent hospitalizations for worsening CHF and increase the cost per patient by only 4 642 rubles. per year (18 %), while significantly improving the prognosis of patients and their quality of life. Conclusion: FCM can be recommended for inclusion in the standards of medical care, clinical guidelines, formularies of healthcare facilities, application templates within the framework of the regional (RLO) and federal drug benefits, as well as federal and regional programs aimed at improving the control of the clinical course CHFrEF with ID.
Fluvoxamine and fluoxetine in the treatment of patients with the novel coronavirus infection
Authors:   FSAEI HE Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University of the Ministry of Health of Russia, Moscow, SAHI Republican Clinical Hospital of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Tatarstan, Artamonov N. M. , Maksimov M. L. ,   FSAEI HE Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University of the Ministry of Health of Russia, Moscow, SAHI Republican Clinical Hospital of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Tatarstan, Zvegintseva A. A. ,   FSAEI HE Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University of the Ministry of Health of Russia, Moscow, SAHI Republican Clinical Hospital of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Tatarstan
Published: June 2022

Depression is the most common mental illness in the world, affecting 4.4 % of the world's population. There is a large number of depression types, each of which is characterized by signs atypical for other types: a seasonal pattern, increased anxiety, psychotic features, melancholy, and many others. Each type of depression may respond to certain types of pharmacological treatment better than others, but despite a variety of treatment methods, depressive disorders remain difficult to treat due to many factors, including the relatively high relapse rate during treatment and the adverse side effects of the drugs used. This article discusses the use of SSRIs fluoxetine and fluvoxamine in the treatment of depressive disorders and their impact on the COVID-19 course.