bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
FMO rewires metabolism to promote longevity through tryptophan and one carbon metabolism
Authors: Choi Hyo Sub , Bhat Ajay , Howington Marshall B. , Schaller Megan L. , Cox Rebecca , Huang Shijiao , Beydoun Safa , Miller Hillary A. , Tuckowski Angela M. , Mecano Joy , Dean Elizabeth S. , Jensen Lindy , Beard Daniel A. , Evans Charles R. , Leiser Scott F.
Published: June 2021

Flavin containing monooxygenases (FMOs) are promiscuous enzymes known for metabolizing a wide range of exogenous compounds. In C. elegans, fmo-2 expression increases lifespan and healthspan downstream of multiple longevity-promoting pathways through an unknown mechanism. Here, we report that, contrary to its classification as a xenobiotic enzyme, fmo-2 expression leads to rewiring of endogenous metabolism principally through changes in one carbon metabolism (OCM). Using computer modeling, we identify decreased methylation as the major OCM flux modified by FMO-2 that is sufficient to recapitulate its longevity benefits. We further find that tryptophan is decreased in multiple mammalian FMO overexpression models and is a validated substrate for FMO enzymes. Our resulting model connects a single enzyme to two previously unconnected key metabolic pathways and provides a framework for the metabolic interconnectivity of longevity-promoting pathways such as dietary restriction. FMOs are well-conserved enzymes that are also induced by lifespan-extending interventions in mice, supporting a conserved and critical role in promoting health and longevity through metabolic remodeling.
Tumor PD-L1 selectively suppresses type I interferon in myeloid cells to suppress CTL recruitment to promote lung metastasis
Authors: Klement John D. , Redd Priscilla S. , Lu Chunwan , Merting Alyssa D. , Poschel Dakota B. , Yang Dafeng , Zhou Gang , Munn David H. , Liu Kebin
Published: June 2021

The mechanism underlying tumor cell PD-L1 (tPD-L1) induction of immune suppression through T cell PD-1 is well-known, but the mechanism underlying tPD-L1 induction of immune suppression via an intermediate cell is incompletely understood. We report here that tPD-L1 does not suppress cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) activation and lytic function when only tumor cells and CTLs are present. Strikingly, knocking out PD-L1 in tumor cells has no effect on primary tumor growth, but significantly decreases lung metastasis in a CTL-dependent manner. Depletion of myeloid cells impaired tPD-L1 promotion of lung metastasis. Single-cell RNA sequencing revealed that tPD-L1 engages myeloid PD-1 (mPD-1) to antagonize type I interferon (IFN-I) and STAT1 signaling to repressCxcl9andCxcl10expression to impair CTL recruitment to lung metastases. Human patient response to PD-1 blockade immunotherapy correlates with IFN-I response in myeloid cells. Our data determines that the tPD-L1/mPD-1/IFN-I/STAT1/Cxcl9/10 axis controls CTL tumor infiltration in lung metastasis.
Lamellipodia-like actin networks in cells lacking WAVE Regulatory Complex
Authors: Kage Frieda , Döring Hermann , Mietkowska Magdalena , Schaks Matthias , Grüner Franziska , Stahnke Stephanie , Steffen Anika , Müsken Mathias , Stradal Theresia E. B. , Rottner Klemens
Published: June 2021

Cell migration frequently involves the formation of lamellipodia induced by Rac GTPases mediating activation of WAVE Regulatory Complex (WRC) driving Arp2/3 complex-dependent actin assembly. Previous genome editing studies solidified the view of an essential, linear pathway employing aforementioned components. Using disruption of the WRC subunit Nap1 and its paralogue Hem1 followed by serum and growth factor stimulation or expression of active GTPases now revealed a pathway to formation of Arp2/3 complex-dependent, lamellipodia-like structures (LLS) that require both Rac and Cdc42, but not WRC. These observations were independent of WRC subunit eliminated and coincided with the lack of recruitment of Ena/VASP family actin polymerases. Moreover, aside from the latter, induced LLS contained all common lamellipodial regulators tested, including cortactin, the Ena/VASP ligand lamellipodin or FMNL subfamily formins. Our studies thus establish the existence of a signaling axis to Arp2/3 complex-dependent actin remodeling at the cell periphery operating without WRC and Ena/VASP.
Telomere transcription in MLL-rearranged acute leukemia: increased levels of TERRA associate with lymphoid lineage and are independent of telomere length and ploidy
Authors: Caslini Corrado , Serna Amparo
Published: June 2021

Telomere transcription into telomeric repeat-containing RNA (TERRA) is an integral component of all aspects of chromosome end protection consisting of telomerase- or recombination-dependent telomere elongation, telomere capping, and preservation of (sub)telomeric heterochromatin structure. The chromatin modifier and transcriptional regulator MLL associates with telomeres and regulates TERRA transcription in telomere length homeostasis and response to telomere dysfunction. MLL fusion proteins (MLL-FPs), the product of MLL rearrangements in leukemia, are also associated with telomeric chromatin. However, an effect on telomere transcription in MLL-rearranged (MLL-r) leukemia has not yet been evaluated. Here, we show increased UUAGGG repeat-containing RNA levels in MLL-r acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) when compared to myeloid and non-MLL-r ALL leukemia. MLL rearrangements do not affect telomere length and increased levels of UUAGGG repeatcontaining RNA correlate with mean telomere length and reflect increased levels of TERRA. Also, increased TERRA levels in MLL-r ALL occur in the presence of telomerase activity and are independent of ploidy, an underestimated source of variation on the overall transcriptome size in a cell. This MLL rearrangement-dependent and lymphoid lineage-associated increase in levels of TERRA supports a sustained telomere transcription by MLL-FPs that correlates with marked genomic stability previously reported in pediatric MLL-r ALL.
Stem cell-free therapy for glaucoma to preserve vision
Authors: Kumar Ajay , Siqi Xiong , Zhou Minwen , Chen Wen , Yang Enzhi , Price Andrew , Le Liang , Zhang Ying , Florens Laurence , Washburn Michael , Kumar Akshay , Li Yunshu , Xu Yi , Lathrop Kira , Davoli Katherine , Chen Yuanyuan , Schuman Joel S. , Xie Ting , Du Yiqin
Published: June 2021

Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness with trabecular meshwork (TM) dysfunction resulting in elevated intraocular pressure and retinal ganglion cell (RGC) damage leading to vision loss. In this study, we discovered that secretome, derived from human TM stem cells, via minimal invasive periocular injection, can reduce intraocular pressure, restore TM homeostasis, protect RGC, and restore RGC function in both steroid-induced and genetic myocilin mutant mouse models of glaucoma. The secretome upregulated the COX2-PGE2 axis via mitochondrial TMEM177 and led to activation of endogenous stem cells and TM regeneration. Inhibition of COX2 abolished the protective effect of secretome on TM cells. Secretome treatment also enhanced RGC survival and function. Proteomic analysis revealed that the secretome is enriched with proteins involved in extracellular matrix modulation leading to the remodeling of TM to restore homeostasis. This study highlights the feasibility of stem cell-free therapy for glaucoma with minimal invasive administration and the involvement of multiple novel pathways for a cumulative regenerative effect on the TM to protect RGC.

Brief summary

This study describes a cell-free treatment using stem cell secretome in two animal models of glaucoma and explores the potential mechanisms
Cryo-EM reveals new species-specific proteins and symmetry elements in the Legionella pneumophila Dot/Icm T4SS
Authors: Sheedlo Michael J. , Durie Clarissa L. , Chung Jeong Min , Chang Louise , Swanson Michele , Borden Lacy D. , Ohi Melanie D.
Published: June 2021

Legionella pneumophila is an opportunistic pathogen that causes the potentially fatal pneumonia known as Legionnaires’ Disease. The pathology associated with infection depends on bacterial delivery of effector proteins into the host via the membrane spanning Dot/Icm type IV secretion system (T4SS). We have determined sub-3.0 Å resolution maps of the Dot/Icm T4SS core complex by single particle cryo-EM. The high-resolution structural analysis has allowed us to identify proteins encoded outside the Dot/Icm genetic locus that contribute to the core T4SS structure. We can also now define two distinct areas of symmetry mismatch, one that connects the C18 periplasmic ring (PR) and the C13 outer membrane cap (OMC) and one that connects the C13 OMC with a 16-fold symmetric dome. Unexpectedly the connection between the PR and OMC is DotH, with five copies sandwiched between the OMC and PR to accommodate the symmetry mismatch. Finally, we observe multiple conformations in the reconstructions that indicate flexibility within the structure. We hypothesize this conformational flexibility is likely to facilitate the Dot/Icm T4SS’s ability to translocate a remarkably large set of ∼300 putative substrates across the inner and outer membranes of the bacterial cell.
The structural basis for regulation of the glutathione transporter Ycf1 by regulatory domain phosphorylation
Authors: Khandelwal Nitesh Kumar , Millan Cinthia R. , Zangari Samantha I. , Avila Samantha , Williams Dewight , Thaker Tarjani M. , Tomasiak Thomas M.
Published: June 2021

Yeast Cadmium Factor-1 (Ycf1) sequesters heavy metals and glutathione into the vacuole to counter cell stress. Ycf1 belongs to the ATP binding cassette C-subfamily (ABCC) of transporters, many of which are regulated by phosphorylation on intrinsically disordered domains. The regulatory mechanism of phosphorylation is still poorly understood. Here, we report two cryo-EM structures of Ycf1 at 3.4Å and 4.0Å in distinct inward-facing open conformations capturing a previously unobserved ordered state of the intrinsically disordered regulatory domain (R-domain). R-domain phosphorylation is clearly evident and induces a topology promoting electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions with Nucleotide Binding Domain 1 (NBD1) and the lasso domain. These interactions stay constant between the structures and are related by rigid body movements of the NBD1/R-domain complex. Biochemical data further show R-domain phosphorylation reorganizes the Ycf1 architecture and is required for maximal ATPase activity. Together, we provide long-sought after insights into how R-domains control ABCC transporter activity.
Diversity of response and effect traits provides complementary information about avian community dynamics linked to ecological function
Authors: Hordley Lisbeth A. , Gillings Simon , Petchey Owen L. , Tobias Joseph A. , Oliver Thomas H.
Published: June 2021

Functional diversity metrics based on species traits are widely used to investigate ecosystem functioning. In theory, such metrics have different implications depending on whether they are calculated from traits mediating responses to environmental change (response traits) or those regulating function (effect traits), yet trait choice in diversity metrics is rarely scrutinized.

Here, we compile effect and response traits for British bird species supplying two key ecological services—seed dispersal and insect predation—to assess the relationship between functional diversity and both mean and stability of community abundance over time.

As predicted, functional diversity correlates with stability in community abundance of seed dispersers when calculated using response traits. However, we found a negative relationship between functional diversity and mean community abundance of seed dispersers when calculated using effect traits. Subsequently, when combining all traits together, we found inconsistent results with functional diversity correlating with reduced stability in insectivores, but greater stability in seed dispersers.

Our findings suggest that trait choice should be considered more carefully when applying such metrics in ecosystem management.

A freePlain Language Summarycan be found within the Supporting Information of this article.
Fear effects and group size interact to shape herbivory on coral reefs
Authors: Bauman Andrew G. , Hoey Andrew S. , Dunshea Glenn , Fong Jenny , Chan Ian Z. W. , Todd Peter A.
Published: June 2021

Fear of predators (‘fear effects’) is an important determinant of foraging decisions by consumers across a range of ecosystems. Group size is one of the main behavioural mechanisms for mitigating fear effects while also providing foraging benefits to group members. Within coral reef ecosystems, fear effects have been shown to influence the feeding rates of herbivorous fishes, a key functional group that prevents macroalgal overgrowth. Yet, how fear effects and group size interact to shape macroalgal removal on coral reefs remains unclear.

Here, we conducted field‐based experiments using models of a common piscivorous fish, the leopard coral grouperPlectropomus leopardusand a series of macroalgalSargassum ilicifoliumassays positioned at increasing distances from the models (1, 2, 3 and 4 m) on two coral reefs in Singapore to investigate how acute fear effects shape the intensity of herbivory, and whether these effects were influenced by variation in the group size of herbivorous fishes feeding on the assays.

We found acute fear effects strongly influenced the foraging behaviour of herbivorous fishes over small spatial scales. Rates ofSargassumbiomass removal, feeding rates and the total number of individual feeding events were all lower near the predator model. These effects dissipated rapidly with increasing distance from the predator model and were undetectable at a distance of 4 m. We also found generally larger group sizes of herbivorous fishes further from the predator model, presumably reflecting decreased risk. Furthermore, the number of individual bites/event increased significantly with increasing group size for two common browsing fishes,Siganus virgatusandSiganus javus.

Our findings highlight that acute fear effects influence the distribution and intensity of herbivory over small spatial scales. Fear effects also interacted with herbivore group size resulting in changes in the number of individual feeding events and bite rates that collectively shape the realized ecosystem function of macroalgal removal on coral reefs. Group size is an important context‐dependent factor that should be considered when examining fear effects on coral reefs.

A freePlain Language Summarycan be found within the Supporting Information of this article.
Water availability influences thermal safety margins for leaves
Authors: Cook Alicia M. , Berry Neil , Milner Kirsty V. , Leigh Andrea
Published: June 2021

One application of plant physiological heat tolerance measurements is the assessment of vulnerability to increasing environmental temperatures under climatic change. A thermal safety margin (TSM), the difference between physiological tolerance and environmental temperature, is a common metric for the assessment of plant thermal vulnerability. However, there are biological and methodological aspects to consider when evaluating thermal vulnerability that have the potential to substantially alter the assessments. Two such aspects include the leaf to air temperature relationship and the scale at which air temperature data are collected.

We grew plants of a desert species, Myoporum montanum, in situ under water‐stressed and well‐watered conditions, and measured their leaf temperatures and photosynthetic heat tolerance (T50 threshold) every third day over 12 days in summer. Thermal safety margins were calculated based on leaf temperatures and compared to those calculated with local and regional air temperatures.

We found that heat tolerance and the thermal vulnerability assessment of a plant changed with water status. When water was readily available, plants maintained wide leaf temperature safety margins and displayed partial homeothermy. When cooling via transpiration was limited, increasing leaf temperature corresponded with occurrences of leaf poikilo‐ and megathermy, higher heat tolerance and narrower safety margins.

Our study shows high physiological heat thresholds are not necessarily reflective of wide safety margins, but instead can indicate a greater vulnerability and increased risk of heat stress exposure. Calculating TSMs using air temperatures can also substantially alter margin widths. Where possible, the use of leaf temperatures in assessments of thermal vulnerability will lead to more meaningful vulnerability assessments. We recommend considering the source and temporal pairing of temperature measurements as well as plant water status, when measuring and interpreting plant TSMs.

A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.
Effects of climate‐change‐driven gradual and acute temperature changes on shark and ray species
Authors: Osgood Geoffrey J. , White Easton R. , Baum Julia K.
Published: June 2021

Climate change is altering distributions and abundances of marine species through both gradual and acute changes in temperature and productivity. Due to their high mobility and metabolic rates, elasmobranchs (sharks and rays) are likely to redistribute across latitudes and depths as they thermoregulate, but little is known about their responses to these climatic changes, which could vary widely across this diverse group of species.

Here, we assessed how species with differing mobility and ecology responded to gradual changes in daily sea surface temperature (SST) and acute temperature anomalies, caused by the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO), at Cocos Island, Costa Rica, the site of multiple marine heatwaves.

We used generalized linear mixed models to analyse 34,342 records of relative abundance or frequency of occurrence for seven shark and ray species collected in 27 years (1993–2019) by a dive company. We compared effect sizes for SST and the Oceanic Niño Index across the different species, which vary widely in body size and mobility.

Large, mobile species responded strongly but inconsistently to temperature. For scalloped hammerhead sharks Sphyrna lewini, a 1℃ rise in SST reduced counts by over 14%, and dropped the occurrence of their large schools by almost one‐fifth (19.4%). Mobula ray occurrence also declined substantially with a few degrees rise in SST, whereas tiger shark Galeocerdo cuvier occurrence sharply increased. These species also had divergent responses to the ENSO: S. lewini and G. cuvier were sighted with greater frequency during La Niña events, and their abundance dropped considerably during El Niño events—over a twofold decline between a strong La Niña and strong El Niño for S. lewini. In contrast, Mobula rays showed little response to ENSO. The smaller and sedentary Triaenodon obesus exhibited the weakest response of all species to both SST and the ENSO, reflecting its lower metabolic rates and mobility.

Climate change will continue to impact elasmobranchs, even for smaller and more localized species, with the potential to impact the effectiveness of marine protected areas (MPAs). Our results compel further work on the diversity of elasmobranch responses to environmental change.
‘Black African’ identification and the COVID‐19 pandemic in Britain: A site for sociological, ethical and policy debate
Authors: Aspinall Peter J.
Published: June 2021

This paper is a narrative review of the use of collective terminology in relation to race and health in Britain, with particular reference to the ‘Black African’ community. ‘Black Africans’ have been categorised in the 1991–2011 censuses with added free‐text in 2021 in response to user demand. However, the UK government is increasingly reporting data for the ‘Black’ pan‐ethnicity, especially in the even more generalised ‘BAME’ (‘Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic’) acronym in COVID‐19 pandemic reports. The consequences of this practice are addressed. Firstly, with respect to ethical challenges, Black Africans find their conscription by government into the term BAME offensive and do not accept it as a self‐descriptor. This labelling, which subsumes Black Africans’ self‐assigned ethnicity in the census, and consequent misrecognition may be interpreted as a micro‐aggression (a term coined in the 1970s but used here to denote microinvalidation), as suggested in the current black activism of the ‘Black Lives Matter movement’. Secondly, ONS has warned that concealed heterogeneity renders the pan‐ethnicities unreliably crude, making them scientifically inaccurate. Analysts are recommended to present ethnic group data for the full census classification where possible for reasons of validity and respect for the patient as arbiter of their ethnic group.
Protective effects of ginsenoside Rc against acute cold exposure‐induced myocardial injury in rats
Authors: Xue Yan , Yu Xiaofeng , Zhang Xiuhang , Yu Ping , Li Yuangeng , Fu Wenwen , Yu Jiaao , Sui Dayun
Published: June 2021

Ginsenoside Rc is one of the cardinal bioactive components of Panax ginseng. The present study aimed to investigate whether ginsenoside Rc exerted protective effects against acute cold exposure‐induced myocardial injury in rats. Forty rats were randomly assigned into four groups: Control, model, ginsenoside Rc 10 mg/kg, and 20 mg/kg groups. Rats were intragastrically administrated with ginsenoside Rc (10, 20 mg/kg) or vehicle daily for 7 days. On the seventh day, all rats except the control group were exposed to low temperature. Cardiac function, myocardial enzyme activities, hemorheology, and inflammatory response were detected. Histopathological examination and apoptosis of cardiac tissues were performed. The expressions of silent information regulator 1 (SIRT1), B‐cell lymphoma (Bcl‐2), Bcl‐2‐associated X (Bax), procaspase‐3, and the mRNA (messenger RNA) level of SIRT1 were measured by western blot and real‐time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis. Ginsenoside Rc significantly improved cardiac function, diminished the activities of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), aspartate aminotransferase, and creatine kinase isoenzyme (CK‐MB), and regulated abnormal hemorheology in acute cold‐exposed rats (p < 0.05 or p < 0.01). Furthermore, ginsenoside Rc could attenuate myocardial histological changes and structural abnormalities, decrease apoptotic cells and reduce the mRNA levels and activity of tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α), interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β), and IL‐6 (p < 0.01). In addition, ginsenoside Rc upregulated the expressions of SIRT1, Bcl‐2, and procaspase‐3 and downregulated that of Bax (p < 0.01). The changes in both the mRNA and protein expression levels of SIRT1 were similar. The results of the current study suggested that ginsenoside Rc could alleviate acute cold exposure‐induced myocardial injury in rats by inhibiting cardiomyocyte apoptosis via regulating SIRT1 expression and attenuating the inflammatory responses.

Practical Application

The current study indicated that ginsenoside Rc could alleviate acute cold exposure‐induced myocardial injury in rats. Ginsenoside Rc could be potentially used as a bioactive ingredient in processed functional food products or food supplements to prevent from acute cold exposure‐induced myocardial injury.
Synthesis of hapten, production of monoclonal antibody, and development of immunoassay for ribavirin detection in chicken
Authors: Zhu Jianyu , Li Qiang , Yu Xuezhi , Zhang Xiya , Li Hongfang , Wen Kai , Ke Yuebin , Zhang Suxia , Wang Zhanhui
Published: June 2021

Ribavirin (RBV) is an effective antiviral drug, whose use is prohibited in animal husbandry worldwide. In this work, a novel immunizing hapten of RBV, named Hapten 4, was designed by comparing the conformational and electronic properties of RBV and haptens based on computational chemistry. Hapten 4 was synthesized and conjugated with carrier proteins to produce monoclonal antibody (mAb). The obtained mAb 4C3 for RBV exhibited an IC50 value of 6.24 ng/ml in an indirect competitive enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (icELISA) and displayed no cross‐reaction with five other antiviral drugs, including amantadine. The applicability of the developed icELISA was verified in chicken, with a calculated limit of detection of 4.23 µg/kg. The recoveries in spiked chicken were 79.2%–107.3% with a coefficient of variation less than 15.9%. The results indicated that the produced antibody from the new hapten was reliable and would be useful for RBV screening in chicken.

Practical Application

RBV is a broad‐spectrum antiviral drug, which is commonly used illegally in poultry farms. A high‐affinity mAb 4C3 against RBV was produced and used to develop icELISA with acceptable sensitivity and accuracy. The constructed icELISA has excellent performance for detecting RBV residues in chicken.
Effect of infrared ray roasting on oxidation stability and flavor of virgin rapeseed oils
Authors: Yu Jie , Wang Mengzhu , Zhang Mi , Liu Yuanfa , Li Jinwei
Published: June 2021

Effects of infrared ray roasting (IRR) on the oxidation stability and flavors of virgin rapeseed oil (VROs) at 110−170°C were investigated and compared with traditional roller roasting (TRR). Results showed that IRR samples showed lower acid and peroxides values, higher oxidation stability index, and 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity than TRR ones. IRR samples displayed better thermal expansion of rapeseed for internal fragmentation from microstructures, which facilitated the release of tocophenols (652.63−748.78 mg/kg) and 4‐vinylsyringol (7.54−678.19 mg/kg), compared with TRR ones with tocophenols (652.63−689.28 mg/kg) and 4‐vinylsyringol (7.54−524.18 mg/kg) contributing to better oxidation stability. Moreover, important volatile compounds, including pyrazines, isothiocyanates, nitriles and aldehydes, were formed quantitatively more in IRR than TRR samples, which was attributed to better heat transfer efficiency and internal fragmentation promoting complex reactions inside rapeseed. Therefore, IRR has more positive roasting effects on VROs than TRR.

Practical Application

Virgin rapeseed oil is a massively consumed flavor vegetable oil, but the traditional high‐temperature roller seed roasting process can cause serious quality problems. Our work applied a novel roasting technology, infrared ray roasting to rapeseed pretreatment. The results show that this new type of roasting technology is more efficient and stable and has important applications in the production of virgin rapeseed oil with better oxidative stability and flavor.
Characterization and biological properties of peptides isolated from dried fermented cow milk products by RP‐HPLC: Amino acid composition, antioxidant, antihypertensive, and antidiabetic properties
Authors: Alu'datt Muhammad H. , Al‐u'datt Doa'a G. F. , Alhamad Mohammad N. , Tranchant Carole C. , Rababah Taha , Gammoh Sana , Althnaibat Rami M. , Daradkeh Mohammad G. , Kubow Stan
Published: June 2021

This study aimed to assess the biological properties of peptide fractions isolated from dried fermented dairy products (jameed) as influenced by processing. Peptide fractions were separated by reversed‐phase high‐performance liquid chromatography (RP‐HPLC) from salted (Sa) and unsalted (Us) cow milk jameed after drying the fermented curd by sun drying (Sd) or freeze‐drying (Fd) and were characterized for their antioxidant capacity and inhibitory activity toward angiotensin I‐converting enzyme (ACE) and α‐amylase. Sd samples showed more numerous peptide peaks in RP‐HPLC chromatograms than Fd samples, regardless of the salt content. High antioxidant activity was evidenced in several peptide fractions from FdUs jameed (including fractions 1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 9, and 10), SdUs jameed (1, 2, 5, 7, and 9), and FdSa jameed (2, 5, 6, and 9). By contrast, peptide fractions from SdSa (1, 2, 3, 5, 8, and 9), SdUs (4, 5, and 10), and FdUs (5, 6, and 8) jameed displayed the highest ACE inhibitory activity. Similarly, the highest inhibition of α‐amylase was obtained with fractions from SdSa (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, and 9), SdUs (2 and 6), and FdUs (1, 7 and 9) jameed. A significant negative correlation was evidenced between antioxidant activity and anti‐α‐amylase activity of peptide fractions from SdSa jameed. These findings demonstrate that cow milk jameed is a source of bioactive peptides with antioxidant, anti‐ACE, and anti‐α‐amylase properties in vitro, which can be tailored by adjusting the salt content and the drying conditions.

Practical Application

This study shows that cow milk jameed, a staple fermented food in several Mediterranean countries, can serve as a useful source of multifunctional bioactive peptides with potential antioxidant, hypotensive, and hypoglycemic effects, which may help prevent and manage chronic health conditions such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and the metabolic syndrome. The bioactivities of certain peptide fractions were enhanced by lowering the salt content of jameed or by the drying method. The relatively simple RP‐HPLC method described in this study can be used to isolate the peptide fractions of interest for further characterization and use as functional ingredients.
Evaluation of time–temperature integrator for indicating the ripeness of kiwifruit in plastic container at home
Authors: Oh Tae Gyu , Jo Jung An , Lee Seung Ju
Published: June 2021

Enzyme‐based time–temperature integrators (TTIs) were applied to indicate the ripeness of plastic‐container‐packaged kiwifruit. The hypothesis was that the ethylene gas production, an indication of kiwifruit ripeness, depends on the time–temperature history. The market‐purchased, unripe kiwifruit was assumed to be stored in a plastic container to ripen at home, as common practice in Korea. The kinetics of ethylene gas production and TTI color change was found to be suitable for the indication. The Arrhenius activation energy (Ea) of the ethylene gas production and color changes of lipase‐, amylase‐, and laccase‐based TTIs were 41.60 ± 10.87 kJ/mol, and 42.76 ± 9.57, 100.28 ± 6.84, and 30.49 ± 4.41 kJ/mol, respectively. Kiwifruit firmness was also tested as a practical, major quality factor. The Ea of the firmness changes was 39.66 ± 4.64 kJ/mol. In scenarios tests, the firmness could be most accurately predicted from the lipase‐based TTI color. Overall, the lipase‐based TTI was found to be the best in terms of the similarity of the Ea and the prediction accuracy.

Practical Application

Currently, there is no commercially available indicator that can determine the ripeness of packaged kiwifruit. Although an ethylene gas indicator is possible, it has been difficult to commercialize because the gas may leak in the package. An indicator on plastic containers with kiwifruit, as is common in Korea, has been developed using a conventional time–temperature integrator (TTI). The hypothesis was that the production of ethylene gas, indicating kiwi ripening, is also dependent on the time–temperature history. It was found that the TTI color change over time was suitable for judging suitable kiwifruit hardness, a major kiwifruit ripeness index.
Thermal treatment enhances the α‐glucosidase inhibitory activity of bitter melon (Momordica charantia) by increasing the free form of phenolic compounds and the contents of Maillard reaction products
Authors: Hsieh Hsin‐Jung , Lin Jer‐An , Chen Kai‐Ting , Cheng Kuan‐Chen , Hsieh Chang‐Wei
Published: June 2021

Inhibition of α‐glucosidase can slow carbohydrate metabolism, which is known as an effective strategy for diabetes treatment. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of thermal treatment (50, 60, and 70℃) for 15 days on the α‐glucosidase inhibitory activity of bitter melon. The results show that the bitter melon heated at 70℃ for 12 days had the best α‐glucosidase inhibitory effect. However, the amount of free polyphenols, 5‐hydroxymethyl‐2‐furfural (5‐HMF), and the browning degree of bitter melon generally increased with the time (15 days) and temperature of the thermal treatment, which is positively related to their antioxidant and α‐glucosidase inhibitory activities. In conclusion, aged bitter melon shows great α‐glucosidase inhibitory activity, which may be related to the increased free form of the involved phenolic compounds and Maillard reaction products. This suggests that thermal processing may be a good way to enhance the application of bitter melon for diabetes treatment.

Practical Application

The thermal processing of bitter melon provides an application for diabetes treatment. This study demonstrated that heat‐treated bitter melon can lower the blood glucose level; therefore, it can be used as a potential anti‐hyperglycemic and functional food.
How does milk fat replacement influence cheese analogue microstructure, rheology, and texture profile?
Authors: Giha Valeria , Ordoñez María José , Villamil Ruby Alejandra
Published: June 2021

Over the past few years, the market for cheese substitutes has been growing on account of the simple and cost‐effective production of these cheese‐like products. It is well established that the functional properties of cheeses are directly related to their composition. Therefore, the variation of fat in cheese substitutes certainly affects the characteristics of the cheeses. The purpose of this review was to summarize the latest research on the effects of milk fat replacement with vegetable oils on the rheological, textural, and microstructural properties of cheese analogues. The findings suggest that the primary effects of modifying fat in cheese analogues are associated with an alteration in the interactions among the components of the protein matrix, which varies because of milk fat extraction. Overall, changes in the functional properties of analogous cheeses will depend on the type of oil, the percentage of fat modification, and the type of cheese produced.
Changes in pectin characteristics of jujube fruits cv "Dongzao" and "Jinsixiaozao" during cold storage
Authors: Wang Yingrui , Ding Shenghua , Chen Fei , Xiao Guangjian , Fu Xincheng , Wang Rongrong
Published: June 2021

Softening is one of the main factors affecting market value and consumer preferences for jujubes, and it was closely related to the modification and depolymerization of pectin. Changes in characteristics of three pectins (water‐soluble pectin (WSP), sodium carbonate‐soluble pectin (SSP) and chelate‐soluble pectin (CSP)), including their contents, degree of methylesterification (DM), neutral sugar compositions, the molecular weight (Mw) distributions and nanostructures, from two jujube fruits cv Dongzao (DZ) and Jinsixiaozao (JS) during cold storage were assessed. The results showed that variation in pectin characteristics during cold storage was similar between DZ and JS. The reduction of firmness corresponded to a conversion of water‐insoluble pectin to WSP during cold storage. DM of WSP presented an increase trend in the late storage. Rhamnose (Rha), arabinose (Ara) and glucose (Glc) were the crucial compositions in three pectins, and most neutral sugar compositions in three pectins first increased and then decreased during cold storage. Changes in the ratio of (galactose (Gal)+Ara)/Rha and Ara/Gal represented that the branch chains of rhamnogalacturonan‐I in three pectins depolymerized after storage. The high Mw in WSP and SSP of jujubes were solubilized and extensively depolymerized into pectin with lower Mw after storage. AFM images showed an increase in short chains and branch structures of three pectins after storage. Overall, three pectins in DZ and JS depolymerized and solubilized during cold storage. WSP and SSP were more contributed to the softening of jujubes compared to CSP, and they played the critical role for regulating the softening of jujube fruits during cold storage.

Practical Application

Softening is one of the main factors affecting market value and consumer preferences for jujubes, and it was closely related to the modification and depolymerization of pectin. Changes in characteristics of three pectins (WSP, SSP, CSP), including their contents, degree of methylesterification, neutral sugar compositions, the molecular weight distributions and nanostructures, from two jujube fruits cv Dongzao (DZ) and Jinsixiaozao (JS) during cold storage were assessed. Three pectins in DZ and JS depolymerized and solubilized during cold storage. WSP and SSP were more contributed to the softening of jujubes compared to CSP, and they played the critical role for regulating the softening of jujube fruits during cold storage. This study would elucidate the mechanism of jujube softening and help to regulate the postharvest quality during cold storage.
Purification and characterization of antioxidant peptides from hairtail surimi hydrolysates and their effects on beef color stability
Authors: Wang Peixin , Zhang Jiawen , Tang Yibin , Zhang Zhigang , Zhang Yi , Hu Jiamiao
Published: June 2021

The antioxidant peptides extracted from plants or animals have shown great potential in preventing food quality deterioration caused by oxidization. Here, peptide fractions obtained from hairtail surimi hydrolysates (HSH) were investigated for structure and color‐protective effect. The results showed the <3 kDa fraction obtained from HSH by ultrafiltration could be separated into five major fractions (A–E) by gel chromatography, among which fraction A possessed the highest antioxidant activities. This fraction A could be further separated into two fractions (A1 and A2) by the reversed‐phase high‐performance liquid chromatography, and fraction A2 with lower α‐helix content exhibited the higher antioxidant activities. The amino acids sequence of fraction A2 was identified as DLYANTVLSGGTTMYPGIADR (2214.0627 Da). The synthetic peptide with this sequence was also found to exhibit obvious antioxidant activity. Moreover, both HSH, fractions A1 and A2, and synthetic peptide demonstrated color‐protective effects during the beef preservation. Taken together, the results obtained showed that the natural antioxidant peptides could be isolated from HSH, which can be used in meat preservation for inhibiting color deterioration.

Practical Application

This study demonstrated the potential of hairtail surimi hydrolysates (HSH) as a source of antioxidant peptides. Furthermore, these antioxidant peptides purified from HSH exhibited the potential for prevention of beef color deterioration of beef, providing a potential application for meat preservation. Particularly, using the antioxidant peptides sourced from fish surimi for meat preservation may not only ease the safety concerns about artificial preservatives but also create a unique selling proposition, especially in far eastern Asian countries, since consumers in these countries believe “umami” is the combination of “fish” and “meat.”
Stability of refrigerated traditional and liquid smoked catfish (Sciades herzbergii) sausages
Authors: Filho Paulo Roberto Campagnoli de Oliveira , de Araújo Isabelly Barbosa , Raúl Lito Jorge , Maciel Maria Inês Sucupira , Shinohara Neide Kazue Sakugawa , Gloria Maria Beatriz Abreu
Published: June 2021

Catfish (Sciades herzbergii) are widely captured in Brazilian Northeast but have low commercial value. The processing of catfish into an innovative product with longer shelf life can add value to the fish and improve sustainability. The objective of this study was to investigate the stability during 60 days of refrigerated storage smoked sausages produced by two different smoking processes (traditional smoking [TS] and liquid smoking [LS]). The smoking processes affected fat and ash contents, hardness, and CIE (Commission Internationale de L'Eclairage) color (L* and b* values). TS sausages had higher fat content and yellowness (b* value). LS sausages had higher ash content (15 days of storage) and lightness (L* value). The sausage's hardness was higher at 45 days of storage for TS and at 60 days for LS sausages. During refrigerated storage, there were decreases in crude protein (309.12–263.49 g/kg, 1–30 days, respectively), water holding capacity (89.77%–87.39%, 1–45 days, respectively), and redness (a* value) (10.35–6.09, 1–30 days, respectively), and increases in hardness (TS = 31.92–55.92 N, 1–45 days, respectively; LS = 32.88–61.18N, 160 days, respectively) and TBARS values (1.56–2.38 mg malonaldehyde/kg, 1–60 days, respectively). The microbial quality was kept within Brazilian legislation limits. Therefore, liquid smoked catfish sausage consists of a convenient innovative product, which is easier to process and control and provides a product with good physicochemical, microbial, and biochemical characteristics for up to 60 days of storage.

Practical Application

Catfish, a low commercial value fish (by catch from shrimp operations), can be processed into a high value smoked sausage. Liquid smoking was easier to process, environment friendly, and easier to control compared to traditional smoking. It provided a nutritional, easy to prepare at home, and microbial safe product with a shelf life under refrigeration up to 60 days. It can be successfully used to warrant sustainability in the fish chain.
Hamartomatous polyposis syndrome associated malignancies: Risk, pathogenesis and endoscopic surveillance
Authors: Liu Shuang , Ma Ye , You Wen , Li Ji , Li Jing Nan , Qian Jia Ming
Published: June 2021

Hamartomatous polyposis syndromes (HPS) are a heterogeneous spectrum of diseases that are characterized by diffuse hamartomatous polyps lining the gastrointestinal (GI) tract together with extra‐GI manifestations. Classical HPS includes juvenile polyposis syndrome, Peutz–Jeghers syndrome, PTEN hamartoma tumor syndrome and hereditary mixed polyposis syndrome. Patients with HPS have a higher risk of GI and extra‐GI malignancies than the general population, although the underlying mechanisms remain unclear and are obviously different from the carcinogenesis of classical adenocarcinoma and colitis‐associated malignancy. In this review we aimed to clarify the risks, possible mechanism and endoscopic surveillance of HPS‐associated GI malignancies.
Radiation oncology training in Singapore – A non‐Australasian RANZCR training site
Authors: Ho Francis , Tey Jeremy , Tseng Michelle , Ng Ivy , Tan Teng Hwee , Lim Keith , Leong Yiat Horng , Tham Ivan WK
Published: June 2021

The Radiation Oncology Department at The National Cancer Institute, Singapore (NCIS) and the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiology (RANZCR) has had a well‐established relationship that began as a partnership to grow a pool of local radiation oncologists to meet a nation’s demand for radiotherapy services. This journey has surpassed its initial aims and now has produced a generation of radiation oncologists leading a national cancer institute. We recount the history and progress of this partnership here, as well as the unique success of its product; the only RANZCR‐accredited radiation oncology training site outside of Australia and New Zealand since 2002. We outline the mutual benefits through many years of collaboration and deliberate efforts to grow the partnership. We also outline the distinctive specialist training path that our trainees take to meet both the local accreditation body as well as the RANZCR requirements.
Individual haplotyping of whale sharks from seawater environmental DNA
Authors: Dugal Laurence , Thomas Luke , Jensen Mads Reinholdt , Sigsgaard Eva Egelyng , Simpson Tiffany , Jarman Simon , Thomsen Philip Francis , Meekan Mark
Published: June 2021

Population genetic data can provide valuable information on the demography of a species. For rare and elusive marine megafauna, samples for generating the data are traditionally obtained from tissue biopsies, which can be logistically difficult and expensive to collect and require invasive sampling techniques. Analysis of environmental DNA (eDNA) offers an alternative, minimally invasive approach to provide important genetic information. Although eDNA approaches have been studied extensively for species detection and biodiversity monitoring in metabarcoding studies, the potential for the technique to address population‐level questions remains largely unexplored. Here, we applied “eDNA haplotyping” to obtain estimates of the intraspecific genetic diversity of a whale shark (Rhincodon typus) aggregation at Ningaloo reef, Australia. Over 2 weeks, we collected seawater samples directly behind individual sharks prior to taking a tissue biopsy sample from the same animal. Our data showed a 100% match between mtDNA sequences recovered in the eDNA and tissue sample for all 28 individuals sampled. In the seawater samples, >97% of all reads were assigned to six dominant haplotypes, and a clear dominant signal (~99% of sample reads) was recovered in each sample. Our study demonstrates accurate individual‐level haplotyping from seawater eDNA. When DNA from one individual clearly dominates each eDNA sample, it provides many of the same opportunities for population genetic analyses as a tissue sample, potentially removing the need for tissue sampling. Our results show that eDNA approaches for population‐level analyses have the potential to supply critical demographic data for the conservation and management of marine megafauna.
Algorithmic Bias and the (False) Promise of Numbers
Authors: Fejerskov Adam Moe
Published: June 2021

Advances in AI and machine learning systems have given rise to a contemporary euphoria of progress. This commentary discusses the challenges posed by advances in artificial intelligence, or more precisely the increasing usage of algorithmic systems, in global health, sometimes carried forward by an almost blind faith in numbers and automation. Yet we share no common definition of fairness in AI and global health; regulation and regulatory oversight of algorithms seem impossible; and transparency is highly unlikely as algorithms themselves can represent immense commercial value. As we cannot erase the risk of bias in any system that emulates or interacts with our world, the grand challenge becomes to balance innovation with fairness and equality.
The International Authority Database
Authors: Zürn Michael , Tokhi Alexandros , Binder Martin
Published: June 2021

International organizations (IOs) are perceived as increasingly important, yet also severely challenged actors in world politics. How authoritative are IOs, how do they exercise authority, and how has their authority evolved over time? The International Authority Database (IAD) offers a novel measure of IO authority built from several aspects of an IO’s institutional design. We provide systematic data on how IOs exercise authority across seven policy functions, using a representative sample of 34 IOs, based on coding over 200 IO bodies, and covering the period 1920–2013. Empirical applications illustrate how the IAD advances our understanding of IOs in novel and important ways.
Large Shareholder Portfolio Diversification and Voluntary Disclosure*
Authors: Akamah Herita , Shu Sydney Qing
Published: June 2021

Although large shareholders have sufficient influence to engage privately with management, extant literature provides inconclusive evidence on the relation between large equity positions and corporate disclosure. This study examines whether large shareholders' portfolio diversification affects voluntary corporate disclosure. We define diversification as the extent to which investors spread investments among portfolio stocks. We predict that holding a diversified portfolio deters large shareholders from incurring the costs of private information gathering about a portfolio firm. We document that firms provide more voluntary disclosure when their large shareholders hold a more diversified portfolio, consistent with investors relying more on public disclosure about portfolio firms when their portfolio diversification is higher. Evidence from cross‐sectional analyses suggests that, as predicted, the positive relation between portfolio diversification and voluntary disclosure is weaker as the net benefit of acquiring private information increases for large shareholders (i.e., when portfolio firms are more connected, have alternative information channels, or are more complex). Overall, our results suggest that diversified large shareholders' preference for a richer public disclosure environment creates a positive externality of lowering the information costs for external stakeholders without private access to management.