bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Vegetation Dynamics in the Qinling-Daba Mountains through Climate Warming with Land-Use Policy
Authors: Yao Yonghui , Cui Lulu
Published: August 2022

The Qinling-Daba Mountains in central China (also known as the north–south transitional zone) comprise an ideal area to study land cover change, climate change, and human activities. The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) change and associated driving factors are highly sensitive to vegetation cover change. To discover the long-term vegetation trends in the transition zone and determine the driving factors of NDVI change in recent decades, this study analyzed the NDVI variation trend and its spatial variation with elevation, slope, and land-use type based on annual growing season NDVI data from 1990–2019 (Landsat 30 m; Google Earth Engine). The results show that NDVI values in the Qinling-Daba Mountains significantly increased and experienced a dynamic change process, involving an initial decrease and subsequent increase over this time period. The period of 2000–2005 showed a remarkable increasing stage of the NDVI in the transition zone. Such NDVI changes are sensitive to elevation and slope. For example, areas at elevations < 1500 m or with slopes of 5°–25° exhibited a stronger rate of NDVI increase than in other places. The NDVI change was also found to be positively affected by human land use and climate warming, both of which had a stronger impact than precipitation. The area with rapid NDVI growth was also the region with the greatest impact of human cropland and host to the Grain-for-Green project. This demonstrates that human land use has had a positive impact on the NDVI change in recent decades, although urbanization had led to a decrease in the NDVI in surrounding areas. Land-use policies have contributed to the large increase in NDVI values, especially those for forest conservation and expansion programs such as the Grain-for-Green project.
Geologic Soil Parent Material Influence on Forest Surface Soil Chemical Characteristics in the Inland Northwest, USA
Authors: Moore James A. , Kimsey Mark J. , Garrison-Johnston Mariann , Shaw Terry M. , Mika Peter , Poolakkal Jaslam
Published: August 2022

Successful fertilization treatments targeted to improve stand productivity while reducing operational complexities and cost depend on a clear understanding of soil nutrient availability under varying environmental conditions. Soil nutrient data collected from 154 forest sites throughout the Inland Northwest, USA were analyzed to examine soil nutrient characteristics on different geologic soil parent materials and to rank soil fertility. Results show that soil parent material explains significant differences in soil nutrient availability. Soils developed from volcanic rocks have the highest cation exchange capacity (CEC) and are relatively high in phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), sulfur (S), boron (B), and copper (Cu), but generally poor in mineralizable nitrogen (MinN). Forest soils developed from plutonic rocks exhibit the lowest CEC and are low in MinN, K, Ca, Mg, S, and Cu, but higher in P. Some soils located on mixed glacially derived soils are low only in K, Ca, Mg, and Cu, but many mixed glacial soils are relatively rich in other nutrients, albeit the second lowest CEC. Soils developed from metasedimentary and sedimentary rocks are among those with lowest soil nutrient availability for P and B. Sulfur was found to have the highest concentrations in metasedimentary influenced soils and the least in sedimentary derived soils. Our results should be useful in designing site-specific fertilizer and nutrient management prescriptions for forest stands growing on soils developed from these major geologies within the Inland Northwest region of the United States.
Effects of Nutrient Elements on Growth and Expression of Insect-Defense Response Genes in Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim
Authors: Kassen Kuanysh , Niyazbekova Zhannur , Zhang Tingting , Nasir Mubasher , Li Feifei , Li Menglou
Published: August 2022

In China, Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim, known as “Huajiao,” has a pleasant, fragrant flavor and several therapeutic properties. The nutritional content of plants is necessary for their defense response to insects. In this study, we analyzed the effects of soil fertilization treatments such as nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), and special compound fertilizer for pepper (HZ) on the different growth parameters and expression of insect-defense-response genes in Z. bungeanum. The results show that the height and weight of prickly ash significantly differed after the application of fertilizers with different concentrations. Additionally, seedlings that were treated with low concentrations of nutrient fertilizers (N1, P1, K1, Ca1, and HZ1) were significantly higher, and they were selected for transcriptome analysis. According to transcriptomic analysis, a total of 65,566 unigenes were discovered, among which 61,379 corresponded to annotated protein-coding genes and 4187 to transcripts of novel protein-coding genes. A total of 294 unigenes were detected as candidate genes for regulating the defense response to insects, including 204 protease inhibitors, 29 plant lectins, and 61 other defense response genes. Additionally, trypsin inhibitors, cystatin, phytepsin, metalloproteinase, MMP, caffeic acid, resveratrol, and thiol proteinase inhibitors, ACA, TDC, and 28 BES1 were enriched in Z. bungeanum. Specifically, the leaves of Z. bungeanum that were treated with Ca and HZ fertilizations were dominated by the protease inhibitors. In addition, the type of fertilizer significantly affects gene expression in plants. The functional annotations were predicted by the number of differentially expressed genes and classified by GO and KEGG ontology enrichment analysis. Moreover, according to the GO database, biological processes were the largest group and contained a high frequency of differentially expressed genes. According to KEGG pathway results, significantly enriched genes belonged to the biosynthesis of secondary metabolisms, amino acid metabolism, and folding, sorting, and degradation. Overall, it was found that the type of fertilizer with low concentrations had an effect on Z. bungeanum’s primary and secondary metabolism, and these findings provided grounds for further research in forest protection science.
The Relationships of Supporting Services and Regulating Services in National Forest City
Authors: Zhang Qiongrui , Yang Linyishu , Xu Songjun
Published: August 2022

The establishment of national forest city (NFC) is to regulate the urban climate and realize the integrated development of urban and rural areas. We explored the changes and relationships between ecosystem supporting services and regulating services before and after the construction of NFC in the Pearl River Delta urban agglomeration (PRD). InVEST and CASA models were used to evaluate five ecosystem services (ESs), and correlation analysis was used to analyze the relationship between ESs. The results showed that (1) Construction land increased significantly from 2005 to 2020, while cultivated land decreased the most, followed by woodland. (2) All ESs except NPP decreased from 2005 to 2020 in the PRD. (3) There was a synergistic relationship between supporting service and regulating service, and their internal services are positively correlated. This study proved the guaranteed effect of supporting services on regulating services, and we found that the construction of NFC can restrain the decline of ESs. Based on the above results, we proposed nature- based solutions for the development of forest cities.
Management of Recreational Forests in the Romanian Carpathians
Authors: Tudoran Gheorghe-Marian , Cicșa Avram , Cicșa (Boroeanu) Maria , Dobre Alexandru-Claudiu
Published: August 2022

Research Highlights: Forests, due to their aesthetic properties, have huge recreational potential, but their management must take into account the requirements of all parties interested in these services. Background and Objectives: We sought to determine the main indicators that characterize the structural diversity of a recreational mountain forest, with relevance for the management of these forests, given that they fulfill multiple functions. Materials and Methods: The structure of 446 stands was investigated and the Shannon (H) diversity index was applied at the level of species (Hsp), age (Hage), tree diameter (Hdg), and tree height (Hhg). Results: Beech occupied 49% of the forest area and fir and spruce 16% each. Generations of trees older than 100 years occupied 71% of the forest area and those older than 150 years occupied 10%. At an age of 120 years, the beech reached a diameter (d, at breast height) of 45 cm and the fir 52 cm. At the forest level, Hsp had a value of 1.63, Hdg of 3.17, and Hhg of 2.76. At the stand level, Hsp reached 1.54, while Hdg and Hhg reached 1.72. Mixed beech–coniferous stands had the greatest diversity. High values of 1.00 for Hsp were determined for 18% of the stands, for Hdg 38%, and for Hhg 35%. Conclusions: Stand structures are in a continuous state of change, so diversity indices can be used to monitor structural and species diversities and to evaluate the recreational potential of stands and forests. A compatibility between the aesthetic qualities of Romanian forests, which is a priority, and the other protection and production services they offer can be achieved by leading the forest stands toward a selection system.
Water Balance Components of Sub-Mediterranean Downy Oak Landscapes of Southeastern Crimea
Authors: Gorbunov Roman , Tabunshchik Vladimir , Gorbunova Tatiana , Safonova Mariia
Published: August 2022

This article discusses the processes of moisture intake, redistribution, and consumption within the downy oak forest community, along with their interannual and interseasonal water balance dynamics. The study of the water balance components was conducted using a combination of field research methods and geoinformation modeling on the territory of the Karadag landscape and ecological station of the Karadag Nature Reserve for the period from 2010 to 2020. The study of the water balance of downy oak forests located at the furthest extent of their range represents an important problem, whose solution will further scientific understanding by uncovering individual patterns of the internal organization of such systems. The indicators having the most tangible impact on the water balance are the amount of precipitation and evapotranspiration. The average annual precipitation on the territory of Karadag for the analyzed period was 448 mm; in recent years, a decrease in the amount of precipitation has been recorded. The evapotranspiration values within the downy oak forests approximately coincide with the values of this indicator in the Mediterranean region to average 450 mm per year. The influence of stemflow and relief features on the redistribution of moisture within the landscape is described. The analyzed water balance components’ dynamics form conditions conducive to the displacement of steppe communities by forest species.
Application of Cool Fermentation Temperatures to Encourage Non-Saccharomyces Yeasts to Yield Lower Ethanol Concentrations in Wines
Authors: Edwards Charles G. , Aplin Jesse J.
Published: August 2022

Application of cool temperatures were studied to encourage Metschnikowia pulcherrima P01A016 and Meyerozyma guilliermondii P40D002 prior inoculation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae D254 to lower ultimate ethanol concentrations achieved. Merlot grape must was distributed into 300 L temperature-controlled tanks and inoculated with non-Saccharomyces yeasts three days before S. cerevisiae. For control fermentations, S. cerevisiae was inoculated with maximum temperatures set to 25 °C (temperature regime I) while those with Mt. pulcherrima or My. guilliermondii were initially set to 15 °C (temperature regime II) or 17.5 °C (temperature regime III) before increasing to 25 °C after adding S. cerevisiae. Once fermentations achieved dryness (≤2 g/L residual sugar), wines were bottled and stored for six months at 7 °C before sensory analysis. Ethanol reduction by Mt. pulcherrima was not observed in wines fermented under II but was by III (0.8% v/v). In contrast, musts inoculated with My. guilliermondii yielded wines with ethanol concentrations lowered by 0.3% (II) or 0.4% v/v (III). Sensory panelists found wines with Mt. pulcherrima to express lower sensory scores for ‘hotness’, ‘bitterness’, and ‘ethanol’ flavor with fewer differences noted for My. guilliermondii. Reducing final ethanol concentrations of Merlot wines were achieved by Mt. pulcherrima or My. guilliermondii using cooler initial fermentation temperatures without adversely affecting final wine quality.
Development of Functional Fermented Dairy Products Containing Taiwan Djulis (Chenopodium formosanum Koidz.) in Regulating Glucose Utilization
Authors: Hou Chih-Yao , Hsieh Chen-Che , Huang Ying-Chi , Kuo Chia-Hung , Chen Min-Hung , Hsieh Chang-Wei , Cheng Kuan-Chen
Published: August 2022

Taiwan djulis (Chenopodium formosanum Koidz.) is a plant native to Taiwan and is a grain rich in nutrients, vitamins, and minerals with antioxidant properties. This paper aimed to use appropriate processing technology and incorporate probiotics, thus combining Taiwan’s high-quality milk sources to develop Taiwan djulis fermented dairy products. Later, FL83B cells have used to evaluate the glucose utilization ability after the administration of djulis. We first screened Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and combined it with the traditional yogurt strains Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus for cultivation. Further, the fermentation process was optimized where 7.5% djulis and an inoculum of 107 colony forming unit/mL were fermented at 40 °C for 18 h. Compared to fermented milk without djulis, the analysis of various nutrients and active ingredients showed that free radical scavenging abilities of DPPH and ABTS reached 2.3 and 2.0 times (752.35 ± 29.29 µg and 771.52 ± 3.79 µg TE/g, respectively). The free phenol content increased 2.5 times (169.90 ± 14.59 mg gallic acid/g); the total flavonoid content enhanced 4.8 times (3.05 ± 0.03 mg quercetin/g), and the gamma-aminobutyric acid content was 3.07 ± 0.94 mg/g. In a co-culture of mouse liver cells with fermented products, 100 ppm ethanol extract of fermented products effectively improved glucose utilization with increased glucose transporter expression. This functional fermented dairy product can be developed into the high value added local agricultural products and enhance multiple applications including medical and therapeutic fields.
Pilot Scale for Production and Purification of Lactic Acid from Ceratonia siliqua L. (Carob) Bagasse
Authors: Azaizeh Hassan , Abu Tayeh Hiba Nazmi , Schneider Roland , Venus Joachim
Published: August 2022

The bioconversion of lignocellulose and organic waste bagasse to lactic acid (LA) is an important alternative process requiring valorization as a potentially viable method in the production of pure LA, to be utilized for various purposes. Carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) biomass was used for the production of LA, using a thermophilic Bacillus coagulans isolate, cultivated in a batch pilot scale of 35 L fermenters without yeast extract supplementation, and operated for 50 h. During the fermentation process, most of the degradable sugar was consumed within 35 h and resulted in the production of 46.9 g/L LA, with a calculated LA yield of 0.72 g/g sugars and productivity at the log phase of 1.69 g/L/h. The use of LA for different industrial applications requires high purity; therefore, a downstream process (DSP) consisting of different purification stages was used, enabling us to reach up to 99.9% (w/w) product purity, which indicates that the process was very effective. The overall almost pure L-LA yield of the DSP was 56%, which indicates that a considerable amount of LA (46%) was lost during the different DSP stages. This is the first study in which carob biomass bagasse has been tested on a pilot scale for LA production, showing the industrial feasibility of the fermentation process.
Evaluation of the Technical Efficiency of Taiwan’s Milkfish Polyculture in Consideration of Differences in Culturing Models and Environments
Authors: Lu Yung-Hsiang , Huang Yi-Wei , Lee Jia-Jan , Huang Sheng-Ju
Published: August 2022

Taiwan has cultured milkfish for longer than hundreds of years. Given its long and narrow terrain surrounded by sea and location in a subtropical monsoon area, it has developed a unique culture bounded by the Erren River in the south. The Yunjianan area in the north is cold in winter and thus follows the “current year harvest” culturing model. In contrast, the Gaoping area in the south is warmer in winter and follows the “overwinter harvest” culturing model. This paper evaluated the production efficiency by using the stochastic metafrontier production model and the multi-input-multi-output distance function using input from in-person interviews with 100 current year harvest farmers and 70 overwinter harvest farmers from 2017 to 2019. In the first stage, the environmental variables of various regions were internalized into the model to obtain the group technical efficiency (GTE) of different farming models. In the second stage, the common environmental variables were re-internalized to evaluate the metafrontier technical efficiency (MTE) of both culturing modes. In this way, the technical efficiency and production technology of the two different culturing model are reasonably evaluated by taking into account not only the difference between their input and output, but also their environmental difference during their farming periods. The results show that in spite of the environmental difference between th two culturing models, shallower pond, smaller size of fish fry and lower shrimp density should make culturing more technically efficient. When cultured in a common environment, the lower the temperature, the worse the culture efficiency is. It indicated that milkfish are highly sensitive to low temperature. Therefore, the MTE and technical gap rate (TGR) of current year harvest farming are significantly higher than those of overwinter harvest farming. Finally, the regression analysis showed that the younger the farmers were, the lower the average pond age was, the larger the freshwater culture area was, and the greater the experience in fish farming was. Thus, the relatively better the MTE is; the younger the farmers, the higher the education level is and the more years of experience in fish farming they have, thus the relatively better the production technology level is.
Glycosylated Zein Composite Nanoparticles for Efficient Delivery of Betulinic Acid: Fabrication, Characterization, and In Vitro Release Properties
Authors: Peng Fei , Jin Yu , Wang Kunhua , Wang Xiaojing , Xiao Yaqing , Xu Huaide
Published: August 2022

Betulinic acid (BA) has anti-inflammatory, antioxidative stress, and antitumor activities, but BA bioavailability is low due to its poor water solubility and short half-life. This study aimed to construct a BA delivery system to improve its utilization in vitro. Glycosylated zein (G-zein) was prepared using the wet heating method, and BA-loaded zein composite nanoparticles were prepared using the antisolvent method. Compared to zein, G-zein had the advantages of higher solubility and lower surface hydrophobicity. The encapsulation efficiency of G-zein@BA reached over 80% when the BA concentration was 1 mg/mL. Compared to zein@BA nanoparticles, G-zein@BA was characterized by smaller droplets, higher encapsulation efficiency, and a more stable morphology. The sustained release and solubility of G-zein@BA nanoparticles were also superior to those of zein@BA. Compared with free BA, the dispersions of zein@BA and G-zein@BA nanoparticles in water increased 2.27- and 2.91-fold, respectively. In addition, zein@BA and G-zein@BA nanoparticles markedly inhibited the proliferation of HepG2 cells. This study provides new insights into the structural properties and antitumor activity of BA composite nanoparticles to aid in the development of zein particles as functional materials to deliver bioactive compounds.
How Does Income Heterogeneity Affect Future Perspectives on Food Consumption? Empirical Evidence from Urban China
Authors: Zhu Wenbo , Chen Yongfu , Han Xinru , Wen Jinshang , Li Guojing , Yang Yadong , Liu Zixuan
Published: August 2022

China is undergoing a rapid dietary transition as well as a changing income distribution. In this paper, we examine the impacts of income heterogeneity on the prediction of food consumption using a dataset that covered 22,210 urban households in China’s 6 provinces. The two-stage Exact Affine Stone Index Implicit Marshallian Demand System (EASI demand system) model, which deals with the problem of censoring and endogeneity, is applied to estimate demand elasticity across income strata. Additionally, a dynamic simulation method considering income heterogeneity is conducted to predict future food consumption trends. The results reveal that income elasticity follows a decreasing trend with income growth. Furthermore, the results show that the consumption of major food items in the 15th period will increase by 7.9% to 42.0% over the base period. The growth potential of low-income groups is significantly higher than that of middle- and high-income groups. However, the prediction results may be overestimated if the differences in consumer behavior across income groups and the dynamic simulation procedure are not taken into account. Our study indicates that the consumption features of different income groups need to be included in food consumption forecasts. Moreover, the government should formulate food policies for different income groups to promote a sustainable food system transformation.
Characterization of Key Aroma-Active Compounds in Two Types of Peach Spirits Produced by Distillation and Pervaporation by Means of the Sensomics Approach
Authors: Wang Xiaoqin , Guo Wentao , Sun Baoguo , Li Hehe , Zheng Fuping , Li Jinchen , Meng Nan
Published: August 2022

As a deep-processed product of peach, the aroma characteristics of peach spirit have not been systematically studied, and there has been no research on improving the aroma quality through process improvement. Pervaporation technology was used for the first time in the production of peach spirit instead of distillation, and its critical aroma compounds were analyzed compared with distilled peach spirit. Compared to the distilled peach spirit, pervaporation produced peach spirit presented stronger fruity, honey, and acidic aromas, and lighter cooked-apple aroma. Sixty-two and 65 aroma-active regions were identified in the distilled and pervaporation produced peach spirits, and 40 and 43 of them were quantified. The concentrations of esters, lactones, and acids were significantly higher in the pervaporation produced peach spirit than those in the distilled peach spirit, while terpenoids showed opposite tendency. Both of the overall aromas of distilled and pervaporation produced peach spirits were reconstituted successfully by the compounds with OAV ≥ 1. The omission tests identified 10 and 18 compounds as important aroma compounds for distilled and pervaporation-produced peach spirits, respectively. The differences in the key aroma compounds between the two types of peach spirits explained the differences in the aroma profiles.
Quality and Functional Parameters of Fermented Milk Obtained from Goat Milk Fed with Broccoli and Artichoke Plant By-Products
Authors: Muelas Raquel , Romero Gema , Díaz José Ramón , Monllor Paula , Fernández-López Juana , Viuda-Martos Manuel , Cano-Lamadrid Marina , Sendra Esther
Published: August 2022

Large amount of vegetal by-products are generated during production and processing steps. Introducing silage from vegetable by-products into dairy goat feed would be of great interest from the point of view of reducing costs and supporting the circular economy. The aim of this research was to study the effect of 40% inclusion of silage broccoli by-products and artichoke plant by-products in the diet of Murciano-Granadina goats throughout the lactation to establish milk suitability for fermented milks production. The novelty of this study is the use of milk from goats fed for a long term with a high inclusion of silages from artichoke plant and broccoli by-products, being the first one on broccoli inclusion. Two starter cultures thermophilic (YO-MIXTM300), and, mesophilic (MA400) were used and fermented milks were analyzed at two storage times after fermentation. Fermentation enhances antioxidant properties of fermented milks from all diets (p < 0.05), especially when mesophilic starter cultures are used. The main findings are that long term inclusion of 40% silage from broccoli and artichoke plant by-products in balanced diets of dairy goats yields milk suitable for fermentation by yogurt and cheese cultures, the inclusion of broccoli silage enhances antioxidant properties (p < 0.05), and, the inclusion of plant artichoke enhances fatty acids health indexes (p < 0.05).
Structural Characteristics and Formation Mechanism of Microbiota Related to Fermentation Ability and Alcohol Production Ability in Nongxiang Daqu
Authors: Tang Jie , Chen Jie , Chen Deming , Li Zijian , Huang Dan , Luo Huibo
Published: August 2022

Fermentation ability and alcohol production ability are important quality indicators of Chinese liquor Daqu, reflecting microbial growth and metabolic capacity and ethanol production capacity of Daqu microbiota, respectively. However, information on the microbial community related to the fermentation ability and alcohol production ability is unclear. In this study, fermentation functional microbiota (FFM) and alcohol functional microbiota (AFM) were obtained by correlating fermentation ability and alcohol production ability with Daqu microbiota. FFM and AFM consisted of 50 and 49 genera, respectively, which were basically the same at the phylum level but differed at the genus level. Correlation analysis showed that FFM and AFM were mainly affected by moisture, acidity, and humidity in the early stage of Daqu fermentation, and oxygen content was a critical factor for microbial succession in the middle stage of fermentation. FFM and AFM had commensal or synergistic interactions with multiple microbes. Function predictions indicated that fermentation functional bacterial microbiota was active in product synthesis and transport-related metabolic functions, and alcohol functional bacterial microbiota was very active in raw material utilization and its own metabolic synthesis. This study reveals the structural characteristics and formation mechanism of FFM and AFM, which is important for control of Daqu quality.
Microbial Diversity and Volatile Flavor Changes during Gayangju Fermentation, a Traditional Korean House Rice Wine
Authors: Song Young-Ran , Lim Byeong-Uk , Baik Sang-Ho
Published: August 2022

Physicochemical changes in fermented alcoholic beverages are significantly related to microbial community development during fermentation. Due to its unusually long fermentation, Gayangju, a traditional Korean house rice wine fermented with nuruk as the traditional starter, gives rise to a strong yeast community and, therefore, a high ethanol concentration and different flavors. However, no detailed analysis has been examined. Changes in microbial community structure during Gayangju fermentation were examined using both culture-dependent and culture-independent methods. During fermentation, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Saccharomycopsis fibuligera were dominant during all stages of the fermentation. In contrast, Candida parapsilosis, Hanseniaspora guilliermondii, Pichia anomala, Malassezia cuniculi and P. fermentans were identified as minor. P. anomala appeared after the second brewing and then remained constant. Among the 19 compounds identified in this study as order-active compounds, 2-methyl-1-butanol (isoamyl alcohol) was the major compound that increased during the long fermentation stage. Most of the odor-active compounds such as 2,3-butanediol, 3-methyl-1-butanol, ethyl tetradecanoate, ethyl decanoate, ethyl dodecanoate, butanoic acid, 3-methylbutanoic acid (isovaleric acid), 2-methylbutanoic acid, 2-methyl-1-propanol, ethyl acetate, ethyl caprylate, 2-phenylethanol, and 3-methylbutyl acetate increased as the fermentation progressed during 68 days of fermentation, which showed significant differences in the concentrations of odor-active compounds of commercially fermented makgeolli.
Distribution and Quantification of Lactic Acid Enantiomers in Baijiu
Authors: Xu Hao , Qiu Shuyi , Dai Yifeng , Wu Yuangen , Zeng Xiangyong
Published: August 2022

Enantiomers of lactic acid were investigated in Baijiu, including soy sauce aroma-type Baijiu (SSB), strong aroma-type Baijiu (STB), and light aroma-type Baijiu (LTB), via high-performance liquid chromatography with a chiral separation column. The natural concentration and enantiomeric distribution of lactic acid were studied, and their contribution to the flavor of Chinese Baijiu was evaluated based on recognition threshold. The results showed that there were significant differences in the content of lactic acid and the ratio of enantiomeric isomers among different aroma types and storage year. In SSB, the concentrations of D-lactic acid and L-lactic acid were higher, with the highest concentrations of 1985.58 ± 11.34 mg/L and 975.31 ± 14.03 mg/L, respectively. In STB, the highest concentrations of D-lactic acid and L-lactic acid were 1048.00 ± 11.46 mg/L and 939.83 ± 0.23 mg/L, respectively. In LTB, the highest concentrations of D-lactic acid and L-lactic acid were 760.90 ± 9.45 mg/L and 558.33 ± 3.06 mg/L, respectively. The average D/L enantiomeric ratios were 78:22 ± 16.16 and 80:20 ± 9.72 in the Commercial Baijiu products of SSB and STB, respectively. The average D/L enantiomeric ratio in LTB was 90:10 ± 6.08. D-lactic acid in JSHS vintage Baijiu showed a wave variation with aging, while L-lactic acid gradually increased during aging, and the average D/L enantiomeric ratio was 76:24 ± 4.26. The concentration of D-lactic acid in XJCT vintage Baijiu also showed a wave variation with aging, and the concentration of L-lactic acid tended to be stable during aging, with an average D/L enantiomeric ratio of 88:12 ± 2.80. The content of the two configurations of lactic acid in the LZLJ vintage Baijiu showed a decreasing trend during aging, with an average D/L enantiomeric ratio of 60:40 ± 11.99. The recognition threshold of D-lactic acid in 46% ethanol solution was 194.18 mg/L with sour taste; while the L-lactic acid was 98.19 mg/L with sour taste. The recognition threshold of L-lactic acid was about half that of D-lactic acid, indicating that L-lactic acid has a stronger sour taste. The taste activity values (TAVs) of D-lactic acid and L-lactic acid were greater than 1 in most of the Baijiu samples, and the TAV of D-lactic acid was greater than that of L-lactic acid. The study showed that the lactic acid enantiomers contributed to the taste perception of Baijiu in most of the samples, and D-lactic acid contributed more to the Baijiu taste than L-lactic acid.
Pumpkin Skin Polysaccharide–Zn(II) Complex: Preparation, Characterization, and Suppression of Inflammation in Zebrafish
Authors: Dong Shujun , Zhang Bin , Ma Yue , Chang Hong , Zheng Zhenjia , Zhao Xiaoyan
Published: August 2022

In this study, pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata) skin polysaccharide–zinc(II) (PSP−Zn) complex was successfully prepared. The structure and physicochemical properties of PSP and PSP−Zn were analyzed. The anti-inflammatory activity of PSP and PSP−Zn was investigated in zebrafish larvae induced by copper sulphate. PSP and PSP−Zn consisted of rhamnose, arabinose, galactose, glucose, and galacturonic acid. The molecular weight (Mw) of PSP and PSP−Zn were 3.034 × 106 and 3.222 × 106 Da, respectively. Fourier transform infrared spectrum (FT-IR) and circular dichroism (CD) analysis results suggested that the chemical modification of zinc might occur through hydroxyl groups of PSP. The PSP−Zn complex had lamellar texture, smooth surface morphology, and larger particle size. X-ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed that both PSP and PSP−Zn were semi-crystalline substances. PSP−Zn solution showed superior stability in a weak acid and alkaline environment, especially at pH = 6.0. Moreover, PSP and PSP−Zn showed a good inhibitory effect on inflammation cells in zebrafish. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) result suggested that the anti-inflammatory mechanism of PSP and PSP−Zn were through downregulation of the expression of nitric oxide synthase 2b (nos2b), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and nuclear factor-kappa B2 (NF-κB2). The present study indicated that PSP−Zn is expected to be a safe and efficient novel zinc supplement with anti-inflammatory activity.
Optimal Design of Complementary Experiments for Parameter Estimation at Elevated Temperature of Food Processing
Authors: Benyathiar Patnarin , Dolan Kirk D. , Mishra Dharmendra K.
Published: August 2022

Simultaneous estimation of thermal properties can be challenging, especially when the parameters are temperature-dependent. Previous research has shown that by using a complementary experiment, temperature-dependent thermal conductivity can be estimated using a single experiment. The objective of this study was to optimize the complementary experiments that can facilitate the simultaneous estimation of temperature-dependent thermal conductivity and volumetric heat capacity. A theoretical study was conducted with two experiments in a single trial with the sample being kept in a cylindrical sample holder, which had a thin film heater in the center. The first part of the experiment was conducted by keeping the external surface temperature at 50 °C for 300 s and allowing the center temperature to equilibrate with the boundary temperature. Then, the second part of the experiment followed, where the thin film heater was supplied with electrical power to increase the center temperate to 140 °C. Several heating profiles were studied to maximize the information obtained from the complementary experiments, and the best one was the power profile with a sinusoidal function. All four parameters of sweet potato puree temperature-dependent thermal conductivity (0.509 to 0.629 W/mK at 25 °C and 140 °C, respectively) and volumetric heat capacity (3.617 × 106 to 4.180 × 106 J/m3K at 25 °C and 140 °C, respectively) were estimated with low standard errors.
A New L2-Gradient Flow-Based Fractional-in-Space Modified Phase-Field Crystal Equation and Its Mass Conservative and Energy Stable Method
Authors: Lee Hyun Geun
Published: August 2022

In this paper, we introduce a new fractional-in-space modified phase-field crystal equation based on the L2-gradient flow approach, where the mass of atoms is conserved by using a nonlocal Lagrange multiplier. To solve the L2-gradient flow-based fractional-in-space modified phase-field crystal equation, we present a mass conservative and energy stable method based on the convex splitting idea. Numerical examples together with standard tests in the classical H−1-gradient flow-based modified phase-field crystal equation are provided to illustrate the applicability of the proposed framework.
A Uniform Accuracy High-Order Finite Difference and FEM for Optimal Problem Governed by Time-Fractional Diffusion Equation
Authors: Cao Junying , Wang Zhongqing , Wang Ziqiang
Published: August 2022

In this paper, the time fractional diffusion equations optimal control problem is solved by 3−α order with uniform accuracy scheme in time and finite element method (FEM) in space. For the state and adjoint state equation, the piecewise linear polynomials are used to make the space variables discrete, and obtain the semidiscrete scheme of the state and adjoint state. The priori error estimates for the semidiscrete scheme for state and adjoint state equation are established. Furthermore, the 3−α order uniform accuracy scheme is used to make the time variable discrete in the semidiscrete scheme and construct the full discrete scheme for the control problems based on the first optimal condition and ‘first optimize, then discretize’ approach. The fully discrete scheme’s stability and truncation error are analyzed. Finally, two numerical examples are denoted to show that the theoretical analysis are correct.
Temporal and Spatial Analysis on the Fractal Characteristics of the Helical Vortex Rope
Authors: Li Puxi , Tao Ran , Yang Shijie , Zhu Di , Xiao Ruofu
Published: August 2022

Vortex rope is a common phenomenon in the draft tube of hydraulic turbines. It may cause strong pressure pulsation, noise, and strong vibration of the unit especially when it is helical. Therefore, the study of vortex rope is of great significance. In order to study the helical vortex rope, the embedded large eddy simulation (ELES) method in the hybrid methods is used based on the vortex rope generator case. The Liutex method can show the three-dimensional shape of the vortex rope well. In order to quantitatively describe the helical vortex rope, the three-dimensional structure is divided into multiple two-dimensional sections, and then the shape of vortex rope on each section is processed to extract the perimeter and area of the vortex. Combined with the change trend of vortex number and section area, the helical vortex rope is divided into four zones. Then, the fractal dimension on each zone and section can be obtained, and it can be used to quantitatively analyze the change trend of the vortex rope in time and space. The fractal analysis method can be applied to the analysis of the vortex rope in the draft tube to help judge the flow pattern shape and the stability of the unit operating conditions.
The Increase of Soft Cheese Shelf-Life Packaged with Edible Films Based on Novel Hybrid Nanostructures
Authors: Giannakas Aris E. , Salmas Constantinos E. , Moschovas Dimitrios , Zaharioudakis Konstantinos , Georgopoulos Stavros , Asimakopoulos Georgios , Aktypis Anastasios , Proestos Charalampos , Karakassides Anastasios , Avgeropoulos Apostolos , Zafeiropoulos Nikolaos E. , Nychas George-John
Published: August 2022

This study presents, the development of a green method to produce rich in thymol natural zeolite (TO@NZ) nanostructures. This material was used to prepare sodium-alginate/glycerol/xTO@NZ (ALG/G/TO@NZ) nanocomposite active films for the packaging of soft cheese to extend its shelf-life. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray analysis (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) instruments were used for the characterization of such nanostructures and films, to identify the thymol adsorbed amount, to investigate the thermal behaviour, and to confirm the dispersion of nanostructure powder into the polymer matrix. Water vapor transmission rate, oxygen permeation analyzer, tensile measurements, antioxidant measurements, and antimicrobial measurements were used to estimate the film’s water and oxygen barrier, mechanical properties, nanostructure’s nanoreinforcement activity, antioxidant and antimicrobial activity. The findings from the study revealed that ALG/G/TO@NZ nanocomposite film could be used as an active packaging film for foods with enhanced, mechanical properties, oxygen and water barrier, antioxidant and antimicrobial activity, and it is capable of extending food shelf-life.
Photomotion of Hydrogels with Covalently Attached Azo Dye Moieties—Thermoresponsive and Non-Thermoresponsive Gels
Authors: Jaik Thorben G. , Flatae Assegid M. , Soltani Navid , Reuschel Philipp , Agio Mario , Descrovi Emiliano , Jonas Ulrich
Published: August 2022

The unique photomotion of azo materials under irradiation has been in the focus of research for decades and has been expanded to different classes of solids such as polymeric glasses, liquid crystalline materials, and elastomers. In this communication, azo dye-containing gels are obtained by photocrosslinking of non-thermoresponsive and lower critical solution temperature type thermoresponsive copolymers. These are analysed with light microscopy regarding their actuation behaviour under laser irradiation. The influences of the cloud-point temperature and of the laser power are investigated in a series of comparative experiments. The thermoresponsive hydrogels show more intense photoactuation when the cloud-point temperature of the non-crosslinked polymer is above, but closer to, room temperature, while higher laser powers lead to stronger motion, indicating a photothermal mechanism. In non-thermoresponsive gels, considerably weaker photoactuation occurs, signifying a secondary mechanism that is a direct consequence of the optical field-azo dye interaction.
Identification of Quantitative Trait Loci Associated with Seed Protein Concentration in a Pea Recombinant Inbred Line Population
Authors: Zhou Junsheng , Gali Krishna Kishore , Jha Ambuj Bhushan , Tar’an Bunyamin , Warkentin Thomas D.
Published: August 2022

This research aimed to identify quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with seed protein concentration in a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population of pea and aimed to validate the identified QTLs using chromosome segment-introgressed lines developed by recurrent backcrossing. PR-25, an RIL population consisting of 108 F7 bulked lines derived from a cross between CDC Amarillo (yellow cotyledon) and CDC Limerick (green cotyledon), was used in this research. The RIL population was genotyped using an Axiom 90K SNP array. A total of 10,553 polymorphic markers were used for linkage map construction, after filtering for segregation distortion and missing values. The linkage map represents 901 unique loci on 11 linkage groups which covered a map distance of 855.3 Centimorgans. Protein concentration was assessed using near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy of seeds harvested from field trials in seven station-years in Saskatchewan, Canada, during the 2019–2021 field seasons. Three QTLs located on chromosomes 2, 3 and 5 were identified to be associated with seed protein concentration. These QTLs explained 22%, 11% and 17% of the variation for protein concentration, respectively. The identified QTLs were validated by introgression lines, developed by marker-assisted selection of backcross lines for introgression of corresponding chromosome segments (~1/4 chromosome) harboring the QTL regions. Introgression line PR-28-7, not carrying any protein-related QTLs identified in this study, was 4.7% lower in protein concentration than CDC Amarillo, the lower protein parent of PR-25 which carried one identified protein-related QTL. The SNP markers located at the peak of the three identified QTLs will be converted into breeder-friendly KASP assays, which will be used for the selection of high-protein lines from segregating populations.
PROZ Associated with Sorafenib Sensitivity May Serve as a Potential Target to Enhance the Efficacy of Combined Immunotherapy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Chen Yinkui , Qiu Xiusheng , Wu Donghao , Lu Xu , Li Guanghui , Tang Yongsheng , Jia Changchang , Xiong Zhiyong , Wang Tiantian
Published: August 2022

Targeted combined immunotherapy has significantly improved the prognosis of patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma and has now become the primary treatment for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. However, some patients still have poor efficacy or are resistant to treatment. The further exploration of molecular markers related to efficacy or finding molecular targets to increase efficacy is an urgent problem that needs to be resolved. In this research, we found that PROZ was a gene related to KDR expression that had significantly low expression in cancer tissue by analyzing the differential genes of cancer tissue and adjacent tissue and the intersection of KDR-related genes in hepatocellular carcinoma. The correlation analysis of clinical data showed that the low expression of PROZ was significantly correlated with the poor prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma, and further studies found that PROZ was closely related to the expression of p-ERK and VEGFR2 in hepatocellular carcinoma. In addition, intracellular detection also showed that the expression of p-ERK increased and VEGFR2 expression decreased after PROZ interference, and PROZ downregulation with increased p-ERK and decreased VEGFR2 was also detected in sorafenib-resistant strains. At the same time, our analysis found that PROZ was negatively correlated with genes related to immunotherapy efficacy such as CD8A, CD274 and GZMA, and was also negatively correlated with T-cell infiltration in tumor tissue. Conclusion: PROZ is a gene related to the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma and it is closely related to the efficacy of sorafenib and immunotherapy. It may serve as a potential molecular target to improve the efficacy of targeted combined immunotherapy.
Rational Approach to Finding Genes Encoding Molecular Biomarkers: Focus on Breast Cancer
Authors: Schneider Nathalie , Reed Ellen , Kamel Faddy , Ferrari Enrico , Soloviev Mikhail
Published: August 2022

Early detection of cancer facilitates treatment and improves patient survival. We hypothesized that molecular biomarkers of cancer could be rationally predicted based on even partial knowledge of transcriptional regulation, functional pathways and gene co-expression networks. To test our data mining approach, we focused on breast cancer, as one of the best-studied models of this disease. We were particularly interested to check whether such a ‘guilt by association’ approach would lead to pan-cancer markers generally known in the field or whether molecular subtype-specific ‘seed’ markers will yield subtype-specific extended sets of breast cancer markers. The key challenge of this investigation was to utilize a small number of well-characterized, largely intracellular, breast cancer-related proteins to uncover similarly regulated and functionally related genes and proteins with the view to predicting a much-expanded range of disease markers, especially that of extracellular molecular markers, potentially suitable for the early non-invasive detection of the disease. We selected 23 previously characterized proteins specific to three major molecular subtypes of breast cancer and analyzed their established transcription factor networks, their known metabolic and functional pathways and the existing experimentally derived protein co-expression data. Having started with largely intracellular and transmembrane marker ‘seeds’ we predicted the existence of as many as 150 novel biomarker genes to be associated with the selected three major molecular sub-types of breast cancer all coding for extracellularly targeted or secreted proteins and therefore being potentially most suitable for molecular diagnosis of the disease. Of the 150 such predicted protein markers, 114 were predicted to be linked through the combination of regulatory networks to basal breast cancer, 48 to luminal and 7 to Her2-positive breast cancer. The reported approach to mining molecular markers is not limited to breast cancer and therefore offers a widely applicable strategy of biomarker mining.