Search Results (21)

Objectives: The objective of the present study was to investigate the effects of Glucose oxidase (GOx) and Macleaya cordata extract (MCE) on immune response, antioxidant capacity, gut microbiota, and metabolome in cats. Methods: Twenty-four cats were randomly divided into four groups: basal diet (CON group), basal diet + 0.03% GOx (GOD group), basal diet + 0.03% MCE (MCE group), and basal diet + 0.03% GOx and 0.03% MCE (GM group). Results: Compared to the CON group, the GOD group exhibited elevated levels of total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) and secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA), and decreased levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and immunoglobulin A (IgA) (p < 0.05). MCE increased concentrations of IgA, immunoglobulin G (IgG) and sIgA, alongside a reduction in interleukin-2 (IL-2). The GM group exhibited markedly elevated concentrations of IL-2 and IgG, and decreased levels of interleukin-10 (IL-10). Moreover, 16S rRNA sequencing showed differences in the fecal microbiota among the four dietary groups. Analyses of fecal and serum metabolomics demonstrated that differential metabolites were primarily associated with cat amino acid metabolism and fatty acid metabolism. Conclusions: These findings suggest that Gox and MCE may enhance immune function, mitigate oxidative stress in cats, and increase the relative abundance of beneficial gut microbiota. Moreover, our results may provide evidence for GOx and MCE as novel nutritional additives in pet food. It should be noted that this study is limited by its sample size; while the results provide promising insights, future studies with larger-scale studies are warranted to confirm these observations. Full article

Mushrooms are eukaryotic organisms with absorptive heterotrophic nutrition, capable of feeding on organic matter rich in cellulose and lignocellulose. Since ancient times, they have been considered allies and, in certain cultures, they were seen as magical beings or food of the gods. Of the great variety of edible mushrooms identified worldwide, less than 2% are traded on the market. Although mushrooms have been valued for their multiple nutritional and healing benefits, some cultures perceive them as toxic and do not accept them in their culinary practices. Despite the existing skepticism, several researchers are promoting the potential of edible mushrooms. There are two main methods of mushroom cultivation: solid-state fermentation and submerged fermentation. The former is the most widely used and simplest, since the fungus grows in its natural environment; in the latter, the fungus grows suspended without developing a fruiting body. In addition, submerged fermentation is easily monitored and scalable. Both systems are important and have their limitations. This article discusses the main methods used to increase the performance of submerged fermentation with emphasis on the modes of operation used, types of bioreactors and application of morphological bioengineering of filamentous fungi, and especially the use of intelligent automatic control technologies and the use of non-invasive monitoring in fermentation systems thanks to the development of machine learning (ML), neural networks, and the use of big data, which will allow more accurate decisions to be made in the fermentation of filamentous fungi in submerged environments with improvements in production yields. Full article

The Kitchen God has always been regarded as the protector of Chinese families and one of the most common and far-reaching gods in Chinese folk beliefs. The emergence and development of the Kitchen God are inseparable from the material carrier of the stove. The Han Dynasty was a critical period for the development and integration of stoves and the Kitchen God belief. Based on archaeological discoveries of cultural relics, characters and images, as well as relevant historical documents and records, this paper focuses on the interactive and symbiotic relationship between the spiritual belief in the Kitchen God and the material culture of kitchen stoves and its influence during the Han Dynasty. The Han Dynasty combined stoves with high cooking benches, large stove chambers, multiple burners, and functional designs that incorporated images of the Kitchen God, making them both practical and spiritual. The Kitchen God’s identity and functions were transformed from ancestor to household god, from giving food to monitoring merits and demerits, along with the renewal of stoves. These developments laid the foundation for the Chinese people’s earnest hope for a prosperous life and a peaceful and harmonious family. Full article

Glucose oxidase (GOD) is widely used as an important oxidoreductase in various fields. However, maintaining the vitality and stability of GOD under environmental stress is a challenge. To improve the thermal and storage stability of GOD, this study constructed sodium alginate–carboxymethyl cellulose sodium gel particles (SA/CMC) and chitosan-coated SA/CMC gel particles (CS/SA/CMC) of GOD. The encapsulation efficiency (EE), gel particle structure, stability, and release behavior of GOD were evaluated. The results showed that the thermal stability of GOD encapsulated in SA/CMC and CS/SA/CMC gel particles was improved by approximately 2.8-fold and 4.3-fold compared with the free enzyme at 85 °C, respectively. In addition, CS/SA/CMC gel particles enhanced the enzyme activity retention rate of GOD to over 80% during storage at 4 °C for four weeks. Both SA/CMC and CS/SA/CMC gel particles loaded with GOD had more than 70% of the enzymes released during the simulated gastrointestinal experiment. The results demonstrated that encapsulating GOD in SA/CMC and CS/SA/CMC gel particles could improve its thermal stability and storage stability, which is conducive to further expanding the application of GOD in food, pharmaceutical and feed industries. Full article

The highly selective and sensitive determination of pesticide residues in food is critical for human health protection. Herein, the specific selectivity of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) was proposed to construct an electrochemical sensor for the detection of carbendazim (CBD), one of the famous broad-spectrum fungicides, by combining with the synergistic effect of bioelectrocatalysis and nanocomposites. Gold nanoparticle-reduced graphene oxide (AuNP-rGO) composites were electrodeposited on a polished glassy carbon electrode (GCE). Then the MIP films were electropolymerized on the surface of the nanolayer using CBD as the template molecule and o-phenylenediamine (OPD) as the monomer. The detection sensitivity of CBD on the heterogeneous structure films was greatly amplified by AuNP-rGO composites and the bioelectrochemical oxidation of glucose, which was catalyzed by glucose oxidase (GOD) with the help of mediator in the underlying solution. The developed sensor showed high selectivity, good reproducibility, and excellent stability towards CBD with the linear range from 2.0 × 10⁻⁹ to 7.0 × 10⁻⁵ M, and the limit of detection (LOD) of 0.68 nM (S/N = 3). The expected system would provide a new idea for the development of simple and sensitive molecularly imprinted electrochemical sensors (MIESs). Full article

Sucrose is a desirable component of processed soybean foods and animal feed, and thus, its content is used as an important characteristic for assessing the quality of soybean seeds. However, few studies have focused on the quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with sucrose regulation in soybean seeds. This study aims to measure the sucrose content of 1014 soybean accessions and identify genes related to high sucrose levels using QTL analysis. Colorimetric analysis based on the enzymatic reaction of invertase (INV) and glucose oxidase (GOD) was employed to test the germplasms. A total of six high-sucrose genetic resources (IT186230, IT195321, IT263138, IT263276, IT263286, and IT276521) and two low-sucrose genetic resources (IT025668 and IT274054) were identified. Two F_2:3 populations, IT186230 × IT025668 and Ilmi × IT186230, were then established from these germplasms. QTL analysis identified four QTLs (qSUC6.1, qSUC11.1, qSUC15.1, and qSUC17.1), explaining 7.3–27.6% of the phenotypic variation in the sugar content. Twenty candidate genes were found at the four QTLs. Notably, Glyma.17G152300, located in the qSUC17.1 QTL region, exhibited a 17-fold higher gene expression in the high-sucrose germplasm IT186230 compared to the control germplasm Ilmi, confirming its role as a major gene regulating the sucrose content in soybean. These results may assist in marker-assisted selection for breeding programs that aim to develop soybean lines with a higher sucrose content. Full article

Pyrus communis (P. communis) is the most cultivated and consumed species of pear within the European continent. This fruit has been a staple in Greece since ancient times, hence the name “Gift of the Gods”. Given the extensive utilization of this fruit in the industrial sector and the focus on the exploitation of by-products to create new food and beverage products, the present research aimed to enhance the antioxidant activity of the P. communis peel through the implementation of a multifactor extraction system. Increased total polyphenols and ascorbic acid concentration, and enhanced antioxidant activity through radical scavenging and Fe³⁺ to Fe²⁺ reduction, all assist in boosting the health benefits of the extracts. The results indicated that the best conditions for compound yields were a 75% v/v hydroethanolic concentration, an extraction temperature of 80 °C, and 30 min of extraction time. Under the optimal conditions, the total polyphenol content was up to 4.98 mg of gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g dried weight (dw). The radical scavenging activity by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH^•) method was expressed as 18.36 μmol ascorbic acid equivalents (AAE)/g dw, while by the ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) method, it was 35.09 μmol AAE/g dw. Finally, the amount of ascorbic acid was measured at 20.16 mg/100 g dw. In this regard, this study has been conducted to assess and enhance the level of these bioactive compounds in the extract of the P. communis peel, leading to an extract with several applications in different food and beverage industries. Full article

Egyptian temples are profusely decorated with scenes showing the pharaoh performing animal sacrifices, offering food, or presenting various objects with symbolic value. In this last case, the image of what is offered is usually easy to identify, but the image alone is not sufficient to explain the purpose of the offering. Texts accompanying the offering scene explain the role of the pharaoh and gods involved, the nature of the offering, and its role based on mythological events and their theological interpretation. Some lists of materia sacra, unfortunately, almost all from the Hellenistic or Roman period, give information of this kind but in a very laconic form. In some cases, the offered object is not immediately recognisable. Discovering its identity as a real object, then as a symbolic one, leads to revealing its apparent multiplicity of roles and even materialities. The example of the object called mnpḥ is particularly illustrative in this respect. It is an oryx skin, but it was also regarded as a cloth and as a part of boats belonging to different gods. This article aims at explaining the logic that links these different roles. Full article

In this article, we demonstrate an improved efficient fibre sensor with a high sensitivity to measure glucose concentrations in the physiological range of human beings, operating in a broad spectral bandwidth from the near- to mid-infrared. The sensor consists of a dual-peak long period grating (DPLPG) with a period of 150 μm inscribed in an optical fibre with a diameter of 80 μm. The investigation of sensing for refractive index results in a sensitivity of ~−885.7 nm/refractive index unit (RIU) and ~2008.6 nm/RIU in the range of 1.30–1.44. The glucose measurement is achieved by the immobilisation of a layer of enzyme of glucose oxidase (GOD) onto the fibre surface for the selective enhancement of sensitivity for glucose. The sensor can measure glucose concentrations with a maximum sensitivity of −36.25 nm/(mg/mL) in the range of 0.1–3.0 mg/mL. To the best of our knowledge, this is the highest sensitivity ever achieved for a measurement of glucose with a long period grating-based sensor, indicating its potential for many applications including pharmaceutical, biomedical and food industries. Full article

This essay employs Dr Martin Luther King, Jr’s sermon, “The Three Dimensions of a Complete Life”, as an acute lens through which to assess and impart new meanings to African–American activists’ strivings to reach an ideal state of humanness and communal holism as they fulfilled their personal, political, and spiritual missions in the food realm during the 1960s Civil Rights era and the contemporary food justice movement. Narrative analyses of these Black activists’ personal testimonies convey that their discrete journeys to completeness—what Dr King called the ideal state of humanity in its fullness—were not only facilitated by a divine calling but were also conditioned by the enactment of their Christian faith, particularly in reconciling the affective tolls engendered by their participation in lunch-counter sit-ins and by their quests to help alleviate food insecurity among impoverish populations in the American South. Indeed, when these individuals consciously endeavored to master the three dimensions of a complete life—recognize their agency, honor the interconnectedness of humanity, and seek God’s guidance in doing both—were they able to embody their best selves and demand the realization of a truly democratic nation. Full article

Unlike Islam, Judaism and Christianity, religions in antiquity were non-confessional and lacked moral instructions for worshippers. Patron–client associations seemed to depict gods-worshipper relations in Paul’s time. In this paper, I argue that Paul in 1 Cor 10:1–4 uses both his former religious traditions and those of the first audience, Jews and non-Jews, to convince them about his novel God–Christ patron–covenant theology. Paul abruptly introduced Moses (10:2), spiritual food/drink (10:3–4a) and Christ (10:4b) into the classic Jewish wandering story in the wilderness to delineate his anti-idol rhetoric throughout 1 Cor 10. Paul paradoxically warned the first audience against their idol-worshipping lifestyles by utilising and transforming Jewish Shema worship into a binitarian God–Christ covenantal relation, and idol-worship traditions to the only patron family god of the Christ-follower community. Paul’s rhetorical purpose of (re)introducing the concept of God as Moses’ God and Christ as an anti-idol polemic is a coherent theme throughout 1 Cor 10 and probably throughout 1 Cor 11–14. Full article

In ancient Greece, people said that “honey is the Food of the Gods”, and they were right. They believed that honey fell from the sky, with the morning dew, on the flowers and leaves, and from this point, the bees collected it. Honey is one of the most nutritious food products, which can be found in most homes. A lot of honey products are stored in different types of packaging materials, including plastics. Plastic packaging has been studied for the migration of plasticizers, chemical compounds, and MPs and NPs in foodstuffs. Most of them have been achieved through food simulations, while some studies managed to detect and isolate MPs/NPs. Recent studies presented evidence for the presence of MPs/NPs in honey products but not directly connected to food packaging or to the different types of honey and their properties (viscosity, pH value, and moisture content) or their storing conditions (temperature, humidity, light, and time). Spectroscopic and analytical techniques like Raman, FTIR, HPLC, and GC-MS are in the foreground for MP/NP detection and identification, but a universal way of isolation, detection, characterization, and quantification has not yet been found. This leaves an open field for more work to be done to clarify the factors affecting the migration of plastic packaging material in honey. Full article

Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting, is typically a time associated with individual worship and communal gatherings as Muslims meet, eat and pray together. In 2020 especially, COVID-19 had a significant impact on the observation of the holy month. With lockdown measures in place, mosques were closed and there were prohibitions on visiting family and friends, making the month an unusual occasion. This paper draws upon qualitative PhD research on Ramadan 2020 in Britain comprising more than 50 Ramadan photo diaries from diverse Muslim participants and follow-up interviews. The findings highlight how participants experienced the benefits of isolation by being able to reflect and connect more with God and via the establishment of “Ramadan corners” in homes, while at the same time missing the mosque and the Muslim community. I further highlight how communal aspects of the holy month were maintained and transformed to suit lockdown conditions, including the use of online activities, praying in congregation at home and sharing food. Emerging from these two facets of Ramadan, I explore ideas of socially dependent spirituality and how participants negotiated communal and individual elements of their spiritual lives. Through the diverse examples discussed, I argue that material, embodied, aesthetic and emotive practices were emphasised in 2020 to recreate a ‘feeling’ of Ramadan when typical expressions of the month were unavailable. Full article

A cross-sectional observational study was conducted to describe the lifestyle of people ≥90 years, living in Evdilos or Raches, two municipalities of the Greek island of Ikaria, classified a longevity blue zone. The 71 participants were interviewed and underwent the Mediterranean Islands study food frequency questionnaire (MEDIS-FFQ) and the international physical activity questionnaire (IPAQ). The frequency of social contacts was daily for 77.9% of participants, weekly for 16.1%, and monthly for 5.9%. Most participants (90.0%) believed in God, and 81.4% took part in religious events. A total of 62.0% attended Panigiria festivals. Access to primary health care was considered difficult in the past for 66.2% of participants, while 22.1% felt that it remained difficult at the time of the survey. The level of adherence to the Mediterranean diet was 62.7% (61.6% in women and 64.0% in men). Physical activity levels were moderate or high for 71.8% of participants (59.5% of women and 85.3% of men). In conclusion, the participants had a very high level of family solidarity, social interaction and physical activity. The results concerning the Mediterranean diet are less convincing. It would be interesting to study the impact of these factors on the longevity of the oldest old aged people living in Ikaria. Full article

Based on an ethnographic study of a Christian charity in Taipei, Taiwan, this paper examines how the mixing of “orders of worth” (Boltanski and Thevenot) is negotiated among charity workers and homeless people in the field setting. The organization, Grace Home Church, has two official goals: (1) to glorify God; (2) to assist homeless people. This mix of sacred and secular purposes often produces tensions, with the fundamental tension being between what the charity seeks to provide (salvation) versus what the homeless commonly want to be provided (food). As an analytic tool, I utilize Boltanski and Thevenot’s framework to link emergent tensions with broader social forces, such as neoliberalism, the welfare state, and religion. I will argue that charity workers as well as homeless individuals who have accepted Christianity attempt to separate the market and inspired orders through signifying practices that maintain a symbolic order, thereby justifying a sacred mission (for the charity organization) and self-worth (for the homeless). Full article