Dry fractionation efficiency of milk fats from different sources and the characteristics of their fractions in chemical composition, thermal property, and crystal morphology.

The physicochemical properties of anhydrous milk fats (AMF) often change according to different regions and seasons, inevitably affecting dry fractionation. This study analyzed the differences in the fraction yields and physicochemical characteristics of four AMFs from different sources. The results showed that single-stage dry fractionation conducted at 25 °C easily separated AMFs into liquid fractions (L25) and solid fractions (S25) via pressure filtration, both producing satisfactory yields. Moreover, all L25s exhibited few crystals with good fluidity at 25 °C, while S25s presented as semi-solids supported by ß crystal networks with a certain hardness and plasticity. However, four AMFs displayed fractionation efficiency variation, while the thermal differences among them showed no obvious correlation with those among their fractions. Generally, more trisaturated triglycerides with 48 to 54 carbon atoms in the AMF increased the S25 yield and decreased the slip melting points (SMP) of both fractions.

Effects of pH and Ionic Strength in Calcium on the Stability and Aeration Characteristics of Dairy Emulsion.

The effects of different pH levels and ionic strength in calcium on the stability and aeration characteristics of dairy emulsions were investigated in this study. The results revealed that the stability and aeration characteristics of the emulsion were enhanced as the pH value increased from 6.5 to 7.0 and were optimal within the pH of 6.8~7.0, while the concentration of free calcium ions (Ca2+) was 2.94~3.22 mM. With the pH subsequently fixed at 6.8 and 7.0, when the addition of CaCl2 was increased to 2.00 mM (free Ca2+ strength > 4.11 mM), stability and aeration characteristics reduced significantly, including the flocculation of fat globules, an increase in particle size, and a decrease in the zeta potential and viscosity of the O/W emulsion, all leading to an increase in interfacial protein mass and decreased overrun and foam firmness. Overall, the results indicated that pH changes and CaCl2 addition significantly influenced the stability and aeration characteristics of dairy emulsions, by influencing free Ca2+ strength, which is an important factor in determining the quality of dairy emulsions.

Ferulic acid supplementation alleviates hyperuricemia in high-fructose/fat diet-fed rats via promoting uric acid excretion and mediating the gut microbiota.

The prevalence of hyperuricemia (HUA) has been rising, and it is typically accompanied by renal injury and intestinal flora disorder, leading to a non-negligible health crisis. Ferulic acid (FA), as a familiar polyphenol, has been proven to exert anti-hyperuricemic properties via inhibiting uric acid (UA) synthesis; however, the detailed underlying mechanisms remain unclear. The aim of this study was to explore the regulatory effect of FA on UA excretion as a potential strategy for reducing UA levels, and the comorbidities of HUA. FA treatment downregulated the expression of urate absorption transporter genes and repressed the toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) pathway in UA-stimulated HK-2 cells. To examine these effects in vivo, FA or allopurinol (positive control) was given to rats with HUA induced by a high-fructose/fat diet (HFFD) for 20 weeks. FA markedly decreased the serum UA, blood urea nitrogen, and creatinine levels. The expression of urate absorption transporters was downregulated, whereas the expression of secretion transporters was upregulated in the kidneys and intestines of FA-treated HUA rats. Additionally, FA mitigated renal oxidative stress, and suppressed the activation of the TLR4/NF-κB pathway and the downstream inflammatory response-related markers in the kidneys. Moreover, FA remodeled the composition of the gut microbiota, characterized by an increase in beneficial bacteria (e.g., Lactobacillus and Ruminococcus) and a decrease in pathogenic bacteria (e.g., Bacteroides). In conclusion, our study validated FA as an effective nutrient to ameliorate HFFD-induced HUA, suggesting its potential to mitigate the HUA-associated renal impairment and intestinal microbiota disturbance.

Thickening mechanism of recombined dairy cream stored at 4 °C: Changes in the composition and structure of milk protein under different sterilization intensities.

This work elucidates the mechanism involved in the effect of varying sterilization intensities on RDC thickening via comparative analysis of the changes in the composition and structure of RDC interfacial protein after storage at 4 °C and at 25 °C. The results showed that pasteurized RDCs (75 °C for 16 s, 90 °C for 5 min) and high-temperature sterilized RDCs (105 °C for 3 min, 115 °C for 7 min and 121 °C for 7 min) did not thicken during storage at 25 °C, and had lower viscosities and higher Ca2+ concentrations than those stored at 4 °C. Whey protein (WP) aggregates were found to have been adsorbed at the interface of high-temperature treated RDCs stored at 4 °C, leading to the aggregation of fat globules and, consequently, reversible thickening. However, high-temperature sterilized RDCs underwent into irreversible thickening at 10 d, 7 d and 3 d. This phenomenon was attributed to the large amount of heat-induced whey protein and κ-casein complex that was absorbed on the oil-water interface, with Ca2+ bonded to form bridging flocculation, which altered the secondary structure of the interfacial protein to one with increased ß-sheet content and decreased random coil content.

A Review of the Effects of Puerarin on Glucose and Lipid Metabolism in Metabolic Syndrome: Mechanisms and Opportunities.

Chronic diseases, including metabolic syndrome related to sugar and lipid metabolic disorders, are the leading causes of premature death around the world. Novel treatment strategies without undesirable effects are urgently needed. As a natural functional ingredient, puerarin is a promising alternative for the treatment of sugar and lipid metabolic disorders. However, the applications of puerarin are limited due to its poor solubility and short half-life. Various drug delivery systems have been investigated to improve the bioavailability of puerarin. This review summarizes the mechanisms involved in the beneficial action of puerarin: suppressing the release of glucose and FFA; regulating the transport of glucose and fatty acids; acting on the PI3K-Akt and AMPK signaling pathways to decrease the synthesis of glucose and fatty acids; acting on the PPAR signaling pathway to promote ß-oxidation; and improving insulin secretion and sensitivity. In addition, the preparation technologies used to improve the bioavailability of puerarin are also summarized in this review, in the hope of helping to promote the application of puerarin.

Switchable selective interactions in a Dicke model with a driven biased term.

In this work, we propose a method to investigate controllable qubit-resonator interactions in a Dicke model with driven biased term. The nonlinearity of the spectrum, which can be induced by qubit-resonator interactions, plays an important role in such controllable interactions. To gain insight into the mechanism of the nonlinearity, we perform a unitary transformation of the Hamiltonian. The results show that the nonlinearity of the transformed Hamiltonian depends on the qubit-resonator coupling strength. The general forms of the effective Hamiltonians are discussed in detail based on the frequency modulation approach. The dynamical evolution can be switched on and off by adjusting the modulation parameters. By utilizing such controllable interactions, we discuss the creation of Dicke states and the arbitrary superposition of Dicke states. We also consider the nonlinearity of the energy level for the limit of large qubit numbers. In the thermodynamics limit, the Kerr type nonlinearity is induced from "magnon"-resonator coupling, and the selective preparation of "magnon" Fock states can be studied under a "magnon" scenario.

Effect of Different Polymerization Degrees and Fatty Acids of Polyglycerol Esters on the Physical Properties and Whippability of Recombined Dairy Cream.

Polyglycerol esters (PGEs) are used as emulsifiers in recombined dairy cream (RDC) to improve product quality. In this study, the effects of four PGEs with different polymerization degrees and esterification on the particle size, viscosity, zeta potential, and microrheology of RDC emulsions were investigated, and the whipping time, overrun, serum loss, and firmness of the RDC emulsions were recorded. The results show that the addition of the PGEs reduced the particle size (from 2.75 µm to 1.48-1.73 µm) and increased the viscosity (from 41.92 cP to 73.50-100 cP) and stability (from 0.354 to 0.105-0.128), which were related to the change in interfacial properties and the weakening of Brownian motion, but there were differences in the effect on the whipping behavior of the RDCs. Although the addition of 0.9% triglyceride monolaurate gave the emulsion the best stability, the RDC had a longer whipping time (318 s) and a lower overrun (116.6%). Comparatively, the 0.7-0.9% concentrations of PGE55 and tripolycerol monostearate (TMS) provided RDC with good stability and aeration characteristics, allowing inflation within 100 s and expansion rates of up to 218.24% and 186.88%, respectively. In addition, the higher degree of polymerization of polyglyceryl-10 monstearate (PMS) did not work well at any concentration. These results contribute to understanding the mechanism of action of PGEs and improving the quality of RDC.

[Relationship between nutritional status and breakfast behaviors of rural primary and middle school students in a minority area of a city in Guizhou Province in 2019].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the nutritional status and influencing factors of rural primary and middle school students in a minority area in a certain city of Guizhou Province, so as to provide scientific evidence for prevention and intervention. METHODS: A multi-stage stratified cluster random sampling method was adopted in this study, 3952 students from 6 primary and middle schools in a certain city of Guizhou Province were selected from April to June 2019 for height and weight measurement(1966 boys, 1986 girls, age(10.81±2.88) years old), among which 2833 students in grade 4 and above were surveyed(1374 boys and 1459 girls, age(13.44±1.94) years old), through the questionnaire to understand students& apos; basic information, breakfast and eating behaviors and so on, Using multi-factor Logistic regression to analyze the relationship between nutritional status and breakfast behavior. RESULTS: The height and weight of Han male students and female students in all age groups were slightly higher than those of ethnic minorities, but they tended to overlap gradually by the age of 16.The general height and weight of students in this area were lower than the 2014 national average. The general malnutrition rate of students was 21.39%, and the growth retardation rate was 13.13%, the moderate-to-severe wasting rate 3.04% and the mild wasting rate 5.22%. The malnutrition rate of minority students(24.72%) was higher than that of Han students(18.73%)(χ~2=14.93, P& lt; 0.05), the malnutrition rate of boys(26.49%) was higher than that of girls(16.59%)(χ~2=41.29, P& lt; 0.05). The sum of the rate of overweight and obesity of the students was 8.65%, among which the overweight rate was 6.42% and the obesity rate was 2.22%. There was no statistically significant difference in the variables between overweight and obese students(P& gt; 0.05). The breakfast behavior situation showed that rice noodle products(71.66%) were the most frequently consumed by primary and middle school students in the city. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that the frequency of breakfast, the quality of breakfast, fresh vegetables, milk and products, and the frequency of meat/egg/fish were the main influencing factors of malnutrition. The differences were statistically significant(P& lt; 0.05). CONCLUSION: The growth and development status of primary and middle school students in a city of Guizhou Province mainly includes malnutrition, and the rate of overweight and obesity is not high, but prevention and control should still be paid attention to. The frequency and quality of breakfast are important influencing factors of malnutrition.

Breakfast consumption and influencing factors of primary and middle school students in rural poor areas of Guizhou Province / 中国学校卫生

Objective@#To understand the current situation of breakfast consumption and its influencing factors in primary and middle school students in a poor rural area in a city in Guizhou Province, and to provide scientific basis for child nutrition education and intervention.@*Methods@#A stratified cluster sampling method was used to conduct a questionnaire survey of breakfast behavior and influencing factors among 2 833 students from 3 primary schools and 3 middle schools in a area of Guizhou Province from April to June 2019.@*Results@#The most frequently consumed breakfast was rice noodle products(71.66%), followed by fresh vegetables(45.89%), milk(35.55%), meat/egg/fish(29.33%), beans(19.52%), and fresh fruits(18.74%). The proportion of having breakfast everyday among elementary and middle school students who was 62.97%, and having breakfast 4-6 days peer week was 22.80%, and 14.23% with ≤3 days peer week, and the proportion of boys who ate breakfast every day(65.07%) was higher than girls(61.00%)(χ2=10.01, P<0.05). The proportion of low quality breakfast was 71.87%, and girls(73.68%) were higher than boys(69.94%)(χ2=9.29, P<0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that grade of school, boarding school, and sleep quality are all influencing factors for whether to eat breakfast every day; grade of school, whether to stay at school were factors that affect breakfast quality(P<0.05).@*Conclusion@#The frequency and quality of breakfast need more improvement among middle and primary school students in a poor rural area of a city in Guizhou Province. Students, parents, and teachers should be educated on nutrition to promote healthy eating and sleeping habits and improve student health.

Death receptor and mitochondria-mediated hepatocyte apoptosis underlies liver dysfunction in rats exposed to organic pollutants from drinking water.

Persistent organic pollutants in drinking water impose a substantial risk to the health of human beings, but the evidence for liver toxic effect and the underlying mechanism is scarce. This study aimed to examine the liver toxicity and elucidate the molecular mechanism of organic pollutants in drinking water in normal human liver cell line L02 cells and rats. The data showed that organic extraction from drinking water remarkably impaired rat liver function, evident from the increase in the serum level of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and cholinesterase, and decrease in the serum level of total protein and albumin. Organic extraction dose-dependently induced apoptotic cell death in rat liver and L02 cells. Administration of rats with organic extraction promoted death receptor signaling pathway through the increase in gene and protein expression level of Fas and FasL. Treatment of rats with organic extraction also induced mitochondria-mediated apoptosis via increasing the expression level of proapoptotic protein, Bax, but decreasing the expression level of antiapoptotic protein, Bcl-2, resulting in an upregulation of cytochrome c and activation of caspase cascade at both transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels. Moreover, organic extraction enhanced rat liver glutathione S-transferases activity and reactive oxygen species generation, and upregulated aryl hydrocarbon receptor and glutathione S-transferase A1 at both transcriptional and translational levels. Collectively, the results indicate that organic extraction from drinking water impairs liver function, with the involvement of death receptor and mitochondria-mediated apoptosis in rats. The results provide evidence and molecular mechanisms for organic pollutants in drinking water-induced liver dysfunction, which may help prevent and treat organic extraction-induced liver injury.

Effect of Nourishing "Yin"-Removing "Fire" Chinese Herbal Mixture on Hypothalamic NKB/NK3R Expression in Female Precocious Rats.

Aim. The present study aims to investigate the effects of nourishing "Yin"-removing "Fire" Chinese herb mixture on the hypothalamic NKB/NK3R expression in female precocious model rats. Materials and Methods. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups: normal (N), central precocious puberty (CPP) model (M), CPP fed with Chinese herbal mixture (CHM), and CPP fed with normal saline (MS). Rats on postnatal day 5 were given a single subcutaneous injection of 300 µg to establish CPP model rats. Rats of CHM and MS groups were continuously administered with nourishing "Yin"-removing "Fire" Chinese herb mixture or saline since postnatal day 15. The expressions of hypothalamic NKB/NK3R were detected by means of real-time PCR, western blot, and immunofluorescence histochemistry. Results. The day of vaginal opening and establishment of two regular estrous cycles were delayed in the CHM group compared with M and MS groups. The expression of hypothalamic NKB/NK3R mRNA and protein in the arcuate nucleus (ARC) and medial preoptic (MPO) area were decreased significantly in the CHM group compared with the M and MS groups on the day of onset-puberty. Conclusions. These results indicate that the NKB/NK3R signaling pathway might be involved in the effect of herbal mixture treatment on CPP.

[Neurokinkin B and it's function on reproductive endocrine].

Neurokinkin B (NKB) is a member of tachykinin family and plays a role mainly through its receptor NK3R. NKB and NK3R are wide spread through the neural system. Studies revealed that NKB has kinds of biological functions such as constringing the smooth muscle of hollow viscus, relaxing blood vessels, reducing mean arterial pressure, slowing heart rate, exciting in vitro spinal cord neurons of rats and astringing sphincter pupillae. For the past few years, people pay more and more attentions to the regulating action of NKB on reproductive endocrine and a lot of research are made to discuss the function of NKB in HPGA. This article summarizes the distribution and physiological function of NKB and NK3R, discusses their functions in reproductive endocrine. Future studies will be needed to determine the precise mechanism of NKB.