Search Results (339)

Globins are a class of globular proteins that function in the transportation or storage of oxygen. They are critical for cellular metabolism. Notable examples include hemoglobin, which is found in red blood cells, and myoglobin, which is present in muscle cells. Approximately two decades ago, a third globin, designated as neuroglobin, was identified, expressed predominantly in neuronal cells. This was followed two years later by the fourth, cytoglobin, found in cells of the fibroblast lineage, as well as in neuronal cell populations of the central and nervous systems. Both neuroglobin and cytoglobin have been found in the sensory and endocrine systems, albeit inconsistently, and it is thought that they are engaged in functions such as oxygen transport and storage, scavenging of free radicals, NO metabolism, peroxidase activity, and signaling functions. Neuroglobin is also expressed in astrocytes under challenging conditions. Common neuroscience methods were utilized to study the distribution and regulation of globin tissues and of single brain cells. Despite considerable overlap in the findings of various studies, some results deviate significantly from other studies. The potential causes of these discrepancies may include variations in detection methods, animal age and sex, time of day and year, and differing cell culture conditions. This review will explore factors that may influence functional aspects of globins and their detection in the mammalian brain. Full article

Background: High-voltage electrical injuries (HVEIs) represent a complex and life-threatening entity, frequently involving multi-organ damage. While traditionally linked to occupational hazards, train surfing—riding on moving trains—and train climbing—scaling stationary carriages—have emerged as increasingly common causes among adolescents. Popularized via social media, these behaviors expose individuals to the invisible danger of electric arcs from 15,000-volt railway lines, often resulting in extensive burns, cardiac complications, and severe trauma. This study presents a 30-year retrospective analysis comparing cardiac biomarkers and clinical outcomes in train-surfing injuries versus work-related HVEIs. Methods: All patients with confirmed high-voltage injury (≥1000 volts) admitted to a Level 1 burn center between 1994 and 2024 were retrospectively analyzed. Exclusion criteria comprised low-voltage trauma, suicide, incomplete records, and external treatment. Clinical and laboratory parameters—including total body surface area (TBSA), Abbreviated Burn Severity Index (ABSI), electrocardiogram (ECG) findings, intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital stay, mortality, and cardiac biomarkers (creatine kinase [CK], CK-MB, lactate dehydrogenase [LDH], aspartate transaminase [AST], troponin, and myoglobin)—were compared between the two cohorts. Results: Of 81 patients, 24 sustained train-surfing injuries and 57 were injured in occupational settings. Train surfers were significantly younger (mean 16.7 vs. 35.2 years, p = 0.008), presented with greater TBSA (49.9% vs. 17.9%, p = 0.008), higher ABSI scores (7.3 vs. 5.1, p = 0.008), longer ICU stays (53 vs. 17 days, p = 0.008), and higher mortality (20.8% vs. 3.5%). ECG abnormalities were observed in 51% of all cases, without significant group differences. However, all cardiac biomarkers were significantly elevated in train-surfing injuries at both 72 h and 10 days post-injury (p < 0.05), suggesting more pronounced cardiac and muscular damage. Conclusions: Train-surfing-related high-voltage injuries are associated with markedly more severe systemic and cardiac complications than occupational HVEIs. The significant biomarker elevation and critical care demands highlight the urgent need for targeted prevention, public awareness, and early cardiac monitoring in this high-risk adolescent population. Full article

Rice-field eel (Monopterus albus) slices, an important aquatic product in Southeast Asia, are prone to spoilage and deterioration during cold chain storage. In this study, the effects of a composite preservative (ε-polylysine, Vitamin C (Vc), epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), and phloretin) on the muscle quality (color, texture, water holding capacity (WHC)) of rice-field eel slices during refrigeration storage at 4 °C for up to 7 days was investigated, and the underlying mechanism was elucidated by the integrated microbiome and metabolomics, in addition to Elisa and Low-Field Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (LF-NMR). After 7 days of storage, the WHC, shear force, and a* decreased by 11.39%, 34.37%, and 49.20% in treated samples, and by 19.18%, 38.38%, and 54.87% in control samples, respectively. The addition of the composite preservative significantly increased Hexokinase, Pyruvate kinase, and Creatine kinase, while it decreased the total viable count (TVC), total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N), thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS), and Lactic acid. Preservative treatment maintained the moisture content of the eel slices during storage and prevented bright red oxymyoglobin from transforming into brown metmyoglobin. Microbiota composition (especially Pseudomonas) and metabolic pathways (including amino acid and its metabolites, nucleotide and its metabolite, and organic acid and its derivatives, etc.) were obviously altered by the preservative treatment. Pseudomonas, tryptophan-aspartic acid (Trp-Asp), D-Glucose 6-phosphate, Succinic Acid, Biliverdin 1, 5-Diaminopentane, and Tyramine, etc., are potential biomarkers for the quality changes of eel slices during refrigeration. These findings provide an in-depth understanding of the improvement of the eel slice quality during refrigeration storage by the composite preservative. Full article

This study investigated the meat quality, sensory properties and microbiology of Angus beef after a short dry or wet aging. For that, a total of 16 Biceps femoris muscles from female Aberdeen Angus x Charoles calves were used. Half of these underwent a technological aging process in the carcass (dry aging) for 7 days, whilst the remaining were filleted, vacuum-packed and stored at refrigerated conditions (wet aging) for 7 days at 4 ± 2 °C. The type of aging affected the ratio of the myoglobin forms but did not translate into differences in the instrumental colour measurements. Dry aging led to minor water release after the application of a force (17.58 dry-aged vs. 31.09 wet-aged) or after cooking and yielded higher hardness and lower shear force in the Warner–Braztler shear force test compared to wet aging. Nevertheless, these differences were not appreciated at the sensory level. Higher counts of mesophilic aerobic bacteria (11.66%) and enterobacteria (3.68%) were found in samples subjected to dry aging. Full article

This study investigated the effect of cattle age on the color stability of Psoas major steaks under different packaging conditions, including polyvinyl chloride (PVC) film packaging, high-oxygen-modified atmosphere packaging (HiOx-MAP), and carbon monoxide-modified atmosphere packaging (CO-MAP), over a 14-day storage period. Steaks from old cows had a greater myoglobin content than those from young animals (p < 0.05), resulting in a darker beef color. Regardless of animal age, steaks in PVC and HiOx-MAP exhibited poor color stability during storage, as evidenced by the low color intensity and high surface metmyoglobin (MetMb; p < 0.05). These samples also exhibited a reduced MetMb reducing activity (MRA) and oxygen consumption rate (OCR) and higher 2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) levels, with these effects being evident in steaks from mature cows. In contrast, steaks stored in CO-MAP had greater redness, MRA, and OCR, along with lower surface MetMb and TBARS levels (p < 0.05), contributing to the limited discoloration of steaks from both age groups. These findings suggest that while both harvest age and packaging affect the shelf stability of bovine steaks, packaging plays a more significant role. CO-MAP proved to be more effective than aerobic packaging and may mitigate age-related differences in color stability. Full article

Depression and anxiety are mental health disorders that significantly impact global public health, affecting more than 280 million people with depression and 301 million with anxiety worldwide. These conditions impair individuals’ ability to engage in economic and personal activities and can lead to severe outcomes, such as suicide. Current research suggests that inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor (TNF), play crucial roles in the pathophysiology of these disorders, influencing neurotransmitters. Elevated cortisol levels, typically associated with anxiety, worsen these conditions through dysregulation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis. Additionally, vitamin D deficiency has been linked to reduced production of dopamine and norepinephrine, hormones involved in depressive symptoms. This study utilized the Random Forest machine learning algorithm along with cross-validation to assess the importance of various biomarkers, including IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, TNF, cortisol, vitamin D, NT-proBNP, CK-MB, troponin, myoglobin, and C-reactive protein (CRP), in volunteers of both sexes diagnosed with mental disorders. A single sample from each of the 96 participants was analyzed, consisting of 50 women and 46 men. The results revealed sex-specific differences in biomarker relevance, with vitamin D, CRP, and D-dimer being the most predictive for depression in men, while IL-6, CRP, and vitamin D were significant in women. For anxiety, vitamin D and myoglobin were important biomarkers in men, while IL-8 and vitamin D were key in women. The methodological strategy adopted, based on the use of Random Forest and cross-validation assessment, not only confirmed the robustness of the model but also reliably identified the most important biomarkers for the outcomes studied. Full article

Meat color is the most intuitive measure of meat quality and has a significant impact on consumer preference. To explore the molecular mechanisms affecting duck pectoralis meat color, the phenotypic traits of Cherry Valley duck (CV, eight males and eight females) and Huai Fu duck (HF, eight males and eight females) were compared; three males and three females of each variety were later selected for transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses to reveal key molecular processes. This study found that the expression level of CA3 (carbonic anhydride enzyme 3) is positively correlated with the meat color phenotype, suggesting that it may play a positive regulatory role in the formation of meat color. The expression trend of the ST13 gene is opposite to the phenotype, suggesting that it may play a negative regulatory role. With the participation of CA3 and NDUF family genes (such as NDUFC2, NDUFB2, etc.), the oxidative phosphorylation pathway plays a key role in meat color formation by regulating the oxygenation/deoxygenation state of myoglobin and intracellular pH value. Although the effects of these genes and pathways on meat color have been discovered, their specific genetic mechanisms and molecular functions still need further verification. This provides important clues for further understanding the molecular mechanism of meat color formation and may offer potential molecular targets for improving meat color or breeding new varieties. Full article

Objectives: To evaluate how a 10-day multi-stressor field-training course—combining high physical and psycho-emotional demands, caloric restriction, and severe sleep deprivation—affects systemic oxidative/antioxidative status and biomarkers of nucleic-acid and skeletal-muscle damage in trained military cadets. Methods: Seventy-five healthy cadets (8 women, 67 men; 22–34 y) completed the course. Standardised operational rations (700–800 kcal day⁻¹) and two 20 min tactical naps per 24 h were enforced. Pre- and post-course venous blood was collected after an overnight fast. Plasma superoxide-dismutase activity (SOD), reduced and oxidised glutathione (GSH, GSSG), malondialdehyde (MDA), and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) were quantified by colourimetric/fluorometric assays; 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and myoglobin were measured by ELISA. The oxidative-stress index (OSI) was calculated as GSSG·GSH⁻¹. Within-subject differences were assessed with Wilcoxon signed-rank tests; associations between biomarker changes were explored by Spearman correlation. Results: After training, GSH (+175%, p < 0.001) and GSSG (+32%, p < 0.001) rose significantly, whereas SOD (−19%, p = 0.002), H₂O₂ (−20%, p = 0.015), MDA (−50%, p < 0.001), 8-OHdG (−23%, p < 0.001), and OSI (−47%, p < 0.001) declined. Myoglobin remained unchanged (p = 0.603). Reductions in MDA correlated inversely with increases in GSSG (rₛ = −0.25, p = 0.041), while H₂O₂ changes correlated positively with GSSG (rₛ = 0.25, p = 0.046), indicating a glutathione-driven adaptive response. Conclusions: Ten consecutive days of vigorous, calorie- and sleep-restricted field training elicited a favourable redox adaptation characterised by enhanced glutathione-mediated antioxidant capacity and lower circulating oxidant concentrations, without evidence of DNA or skeletal-muscle damage. The data suggest that, in physically prepared individuals, prolonged multi-stressor exposure can strengthen endogenous antioxidant defences rather than precipitate oxidative injury. Full article

Currently, various types of myoglobins and hemoglobins are widely used in the fields of food additives and biocatalytic applications. However, the limited availability of heme constrains the biosynthesis of these high-activity hemoproteins in microbial chassis cells. In this work, a new heme synthetic pathway was reconstructed in the mitochondria by eliminating the spatial barrier during heme synthesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, resulting in a significant enhancement in intracellular heme supply. To further enhance the supply of the essential precursor for heme synthesis (5-aminolevulinate, ALA), the special ALA exporter in the mitochondrial membrane (Ort1p) was identified and knocked out. Moreover, the mitochondrial heme exporter (Ygr127wp) was overexpressed to promote the transport of heme to the cytoplasm to participate in the synthesis of various myoglobins and hemoglobins. Based on these strategies in the engineered strain, the binding ratios of heme in porcine myoglobin (52.4 ± 4.9%) and soybean hemoglobin (75.5 ± 2.8%) were, respectively, increased by 2.4-fold and 3.6-fold, and the titers of porcine myoglobin (130.5 ± 2.8 mg·L⁻¹) and soybean hemoglobin (152.8 ± 2.6 mg·L⁻¹), respectively, increased by 31.1% and 42.1%. Furthermore, the engineered strain presents great potential in the efficient synthesis of other heme-binding proteins and enzymes in S. cerevisiae. Full article

Objectives: This study examined physiological, biochemical, and performance adaptations in 18 semi-professional male soccer players across three seasonal phases: pre-season initiation (PS), pre-competition (PC), and mid-season (MS). Methods: Assessments included physical/performance/hormonal/biochemical markers. Results: From PS to PC, body fat (Cohen’s d = −0.88; p ≤ 0.01) and speed drop rate (Cohen’s d = −1.52; p ≤ 0.01) significantly decreased, while V̇O₂max (Cohen’s d = 0.80; p ≤ 0.01), velocity at V̇O₂max (Cohen’s d = 1.86; p ≤ 0.01), and velocity at the second ventilatory threshold (Cohen’s d = 1.54; p ≤ 0.01) significantly increased. Significant fluctuations were observed in creatine kinase (Cohen’s d = 4.34; p ≤ 0.01), myoglobin (Cohen’s d = 0.66; p ≤ 0.01), and cortisol (Cohen’s d = −1.14; p ≤ 0.01) levels. From PS to MS, further reductions in body fat (Cohen’s d = −0.81; p ≤ 0.01) and speed drop rate (Cohen’s d = −1.12; p ≤ 0.01) were observed, along with significant improvements in countermovement jump performance (Cohen’s d = 1.08; p ≤ 0.01) and cardiorespiratory fitness (Cohen’s d ≥ 0.83; p ≤ 0.01). Creatine kinase (Cohen’s d = 3.82; p ≤ 0.01), myoglobin (Cohen’s d = 1.50; p ≤ 0.01), interleukin-6 (Cohen’s d = 1.24; p ≤ 0.01), and testosterone (Cohen’s d = 0.92; p ≤ 0.01) significantly increased. Stability in lower limb strength, flexibility, triglycerides, C-reactive protein, ferritin, liver enzymes, and most hematological parameters suggest resilience to seasonal demands. Conclusions: Seasonal training enhanced fitness and hormonal balance while maintaining physiological stability. These findings underscore the importance of periodized training to manage muscle damage and sustain an anabolic hormonal profile for peak performance. Consistent diet and training support metabolic health, while tailored recovery strategies and season-specific interventions are essential for optimizing performance and minimizing injury risk. Full article

Objectives: This study investigated the effects of 2-week ingestion of hemp fiber (high and low doses) versus placebo bars on gut permeability and plasma metabolite shifts during recovery from 2.25 h intensive cycling. Hemp hull powder is a rich source of two bioactive compounds, N-trans-caffeoyl tyramine (NCT) and N-trans-feruloyl tyramine (NFT), with potential gut health benefits. Methods: The study participants included 23 male and female cyclists. A three-arm randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover design was used with two 2-week supplementation periods and 2-week washout periods. Supplement bars provided 20, 5, or 0 g/d of hemp hull powder. Participants engaged in an intensive 2.25 h cycling bout at the end of each of the three supplementation periods. Five blood samples were collected before and after supplementation (overnight fasted state), and at 0 h-, 1.5 h-, and 3 h-post-exercise. Five-hour urine samples were collected pre-supplementation and post-2.25 h cycling after ingesting a sugar solution containing 5 g of lactulose, 100 mg of ¹³C mannitol, and 1.9 g of mannitol in 450 mL of water. An increase in the post-exercise lactulose/¹³C mannitol ratio (L:¹³CM) was used as the primary indicator of altered gut permeability. Other outcome measures included muscle damage biomarkers (serum creatine kinase, myoglobin), serum cortisol, complete blood cell counts, and shifts in plasma metabolites using untargeted metabolomics. Results: No trial differences were found for L:¹³CM, cortisol, blood cell counts, and muscle damage biomarkers. Orthogonal partial least-squares discriminant analysis (OPLSDA) showed distinct trial differences when comparing high- and low-dose hemp fiber compared to placebo supplementation (R2Y = 0.987 and 0.995, respectively). Variable Importance in Projection (VIP) scores identified several relevant metabolites, including 3-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzoic acid (VIP = 1.9), serotonin (VIP = 1.5), 5-hydroxytryptophan (VIP = 1.4), and 4-methoxycinnamic acid (VIP = 1.4). Mummichog analysis showed significant effects of hemp fiber intake on multiple metabolic pathways, including alpha-linolenic acid, porphyrin, sphingolipid, arginine and proline, tryptophan, and primary bile acid metabolism. Conclusions: Hemp fiber intake during a 2-week supplementation period did not have a significant effect on post-exercise gut permeability in cyclists (2.25 h cycling bout) using urine sugar data. On the contrary, untargeted metabolomics showed that the combination of consuming nutrient-rich hemp fiber bars and exercising for 135 min increased levels of beneficial metabolites, including those derived from the gut in healthy cyclists. Full article

Background: High-voltage injuries pose severe risks, particularly among train surfers and occupational workers. This study compares current flow mechanisms and their association with cardiac failure and kidney function problems in these groups. Methods: A retrospective analysis of 102 patients treated for high-voltage injuries between 1994 and 2024 was conducted, including 32 train-surfing and 70 work-related cases. Demographics, current flow patterns, and complications were analyzed. Results: Train surfers, mostly young males (median age: 19 years), sustained more severe burns compared to older males with work-related injuries (median age: 34 years), with a %TBSA of 47.6% vs. 25.4% (p < 0.0001). Vertical electrical flow was predominant among train surfers (65.62%) and led to cardiac failure in 37.5% of cases. In contrast, diagonal flow was most common in work-related injuries (58.57%). Cardiac failure occurred in 21.57% of all patients, with vertical flow posing the highest risk (38.46%). Kidney failure affected 43.75% of train surfers and 21.43% of work-related cases, with dialysis required in 21.57% overall. Train surfers were more likely to require resuscitation (43.75% vs. 15.71%, p = 0.005), while ECG findings showed no significant differences (p = 0.325). Biomarker levels, such as CK, myoglobin, and troponin, were significantly higher in train surfers, reflecting greater muscle damage. Conclusions: Current flow mechanisms significantly influence cardiac and renal complications. Vertical flow, common in train surfers, is strongly associated with cardiac failure, while work-related injuries exhibit varied flow patterns. These findings highlight the need for targeted prevention strategies and public awareness. Full article

Rhabdomyolysis in pediatric patients is a rare but potentially life-threatening condition characterized by the breakdown of skeletal muscle fibers, leading to the release of intracellular components such as myoglobin, potassium, and creatine kinase into the bloodstream. This process can result in severe electrolyte imbalances and acute kidney injury (AKI), sometimes necessitating kidney replacement therapy. While rhabdomyolysis is well studied in adults, pediatric cases present unique diagnostic and therapeutic challenges due to distinct etiologies and clinical manifestations. This review explores the pathophysiology, etiologies, complications, treatment, and outcomes of rhabdomyolysis, with a particular focus on the pediatric population. Emerging evidence regarding the role of hemoadsorption in myoglobin removal is discussed and summarized. Additionally, we propose a systematic framework for the management and monitoring of these patients. Full article

This study aimed to investigate the impact of various low-temperature heat treatments, namely sous vide (SV), dynamic temperature roasting (ΔT), and slow roasting (R), on the quality of bovine semitendinosus (ST) muscle. The effects on textural and color properties, myoglobin denaturation cooking loss, and consumer acceptance were examined. The samples treated with the SV cooking methods at 55 °C (SV55) and 65 °C (SV65) showed the lowest WBSF values (p ≤ 0.05). Sous vide at lower temperatures (SV55 and SV65) preserved the highest levels of redness a* (p ≤ 0.05) and exhibited the smallest color differences ΔE (p ≤ 0.05) between the perimeter and center cross-sections. Dynamic temperature roasting with a constant temperature difference between the product core and the oven interior of 40 °C (ΔT40) and 20 °C (ΔT20) and roasting at 75 °C (R75) led to lower color differences in the cross-sections compared to the SV methods (p ≤ 0.05). Among all methods, slow cooking, particularly sous vide, resulted in the highest product quality, with higher consumer acceptance scores for juiciness, tenderness, and color. However, it was comparable to ΔT20 samples in terms of WBSF, tenderness, color acceptance, and overall quality. These results suggest that ΔT20 roasting can serve as an alternative to the SV method, achieving a similar quality of ST muscle product in a significantly shorter time. Full article

To assess the impact of metabolic stress on blood lactate, muscle damage, inflammatory and hormonal responses following a high-load (70% maximum) strength training session, we compared two methods with a similar number of repetitions but that differed by their metabolic demand: the 3/7 method consisting in two series of five sets of an increasing number of repetitions (3 to 7) with a short inter-set interval (15 s) and the 8 × 6 method that comprises eight sets of six repetitions with a longer inter-set interval (2.5 min). Blood concentrations in lactate, creatine kinase (CK), myoglobin (MB), interleukine-6 (IL-6), leukocytes, growth hormone (GH), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and cortisol were determined before and after each session. Lactate concentration increased more (11.9 vs. 3.1 mmol/L; p < 0.001) for the 3/7 method whereas CK and MB concentrations were augmented similarly (p > 0.05) for both methods. Inflammatory markers (leukocytes and IL-6) increased (p < 0.01) more after the 3/7 method. GH and cortisol concentrations also increased more (p < 0.001) after the 3/7 method with no difference in IGF-1 concentrations between methods. Positive associations were found between the change in lactate and changes in IL-6 (r² = 0.47; p < 0.01), GH (r² = 0.58; p < 0.001) and cortisol (r² = 0.61; p < 0.001) concentrations. In conclusion, the greater lactate accumulation induced by short inter-set intervals during a high-load training session is associated with enhanced inflammatory and hormonal responses, suggesting that metabolic stress might contribute to the greater adaptative response previously observed with this method. Full article