Search Results (8,773)

This study addresses the increasing demand for texture-modified seafood products suitable for elderly consumers by focusing on dried squid, a popular protein source. The aim was to optimize the softening and drying procedures to produce a dried squid product with improved chewability and quality. Fresh squid was pretreated using sodium bicarbonate or potassium carbonate solutions (0, 0.3, 0.6, and 0.9 mol/kg) and dried at 40 °C using either continuous (CD) or intermittent drying (ID) until the final moisture content reached 18.34 ± 0.44%. Hardness generally increased with higher alkaline concentrations, with the potassium carbonate-treated samples showing better softening effects. Based on standards for elderly-friendly foods targeting chewable hardness (10,000–50,000 N/m²), low water activity (<0.58), and limited color change (ΔE = 14.32), the optimal result was achieved with 0.3 mol/kg potassium carbonate and ID. Among the thin-layer drying models, the Midilli–Kucuk model showed the best fit, with the highest average R² (0.9974), and lowest SSE (0.0481) and RMSE (0.1688), effectively capturing the drying kinetics. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed smoother surfaces and consistent porosity in samples dried intermittently, indicating less structural degradation. Finite element analysis showed that ID improved internal moisture distribution, reduced surface crusting, and alleviated internal stresses. These results support mild alkaline soaking combined with ID as an effective strategy for enhancing dried squid quality for elderly individuals. Full article

Fruit stones constitute a significant portion of solid waste generated from the consumption and processing of fruits. This study demonstrated the potential of fruit stones as viable sources of nutritional compounds. The stones from three types of fruits—the “Modesto” apricot, the “Stendesto” plum-apricot, and the “Stanley” plum—were assessed for their protein, carbohydrate, lipid, and mineral content. Additionally, their total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, and total anthocyanin content were also analyzed. The antioxidant activity, evaluated through four contemporary assays (DPPH, ABTS, FRAP, and CUPRAC), revealed the biological potential of these stones. Notably, the results pertaining to the hybrid plum-apricot variety “Stendesto” are absent from the existing literature, rendering them novel. The findings indicate that the stone of this hybrid has the lowest caloric value in kcal/100 g, including its fat content, when compared to the other studied stones. Therefore, fruit stones can be effectively utilized as innovative food ingredients, aligning with the need for proper waste management and their potential application across various industries. Full article

The global transition toward plant-based diets has intensified the search for sustainable protein alternatives, positioning hemp-based meat analogs (HBMAs) as a promising solution due to their exceptional nutritional profile and environmental benefits. This comprehensive review critically examines hemp protein research, focusing on extraction technologies, nutritional excellence, functional innovation, and sustainable processing approaches for meat analog development. Hemp seeds contain 25–30% protein, primarily consisting of highly digestible edestin and albumin proteins that provide a complete amino acid profile comparable to soy and animal proteins. The protein exhibits superior digestibility (>88%) and generates bioactive peptides with demonstrated antioxidant, antihypertensive, and anti-inflammatory properties, offering significant health benefits beyond basic nutrition. Comparative analysis reveals that while alkaline extraction-isoelectric precipitation remains the industrial standard due to cost-effectiveness ($2.50–3.20 kg⁻¹), enzymatic extraction and ultrasound-assisted methods deliver superior functional properties despite higher costs. Hemp protein demonstrates moderate solubility and good emulsifying properties, though its gelation capacity requires optimization through enzymatic hydrolysis, high-pressure processing, or strategic blending with complementary proteins. Processing innovations, particularly high-moisture extrusion combined with protein blending strategies, enable fibrous structures closely mimicking conventional meat texture. Hemp protein can replace up to 60% of soy protein in high-moisture meat analogs, with formulations incorporating wheat gluten or chickpea protein showing superior textural attributes. Despite advantages in nutritional density, sustainability, and functional versatility, HBMAs face challenges including sensory limitations, regulatory barriers, and production scaling requirements. Hemp cultivation demonstrates 40–50% lower carbon footprint and water usage compared with conventional protein sources. Future research directions emphasize techniques and action processes, developing novel protein modification techniques, and addressing consumer acceptance through improved sensory properties for successful market adoption. Full article

African swine fever (ASF) is a highly pathogenic and hemorrhagic swine infectious disease caused by the African swine fever virus (ASFV). It encodes over 150 proteins, among which the CD2v protein plays multiple roles throughout the infection process. Single B-cell antibody technology is a cutting-edge method for preparing monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), which has the advantages of rapid, efficient, and high yield in antibody production, while possessing natural conformations. In this study, by cloning and expressing antibody genes in vitro, 14 murine-derived mAbs were prepared using recombinant CD2v proteins as immunogenic sources, which brings sufficient enrichment and selectivity for the development of antibodies based on the single B-cell antibody technique. All 14 mAbs demonstrated reactivity with CD2v protein by indirect ELISA, whereas 8 mAbs successfully detected CD2v in ASFV-infected PAM cells by IFA, indicating the tested mAbs can effectively recognize and bind to ASFV CD2v. Finally, a blocking ELISA method for detecting CD2v antibodies using CD2v mAb C89 was established, which holds significant potential for broad application in the serological diagnosis of ASFV with determination of the CD2v-blocking ELISA specificity, sensitivity, reproducibility, and compliance rate. It could be used for the rapid clinical detection of ASFV CD2v protein to provide a powerful tool for the monitoring of epidemics. Full article

Olive (Olea europaea) leaves, a by-product of olive oil production, represent a promising source of bioactive peptides. In this study, the peptidome of an olive leaf protein hydrolysate (OLPH) obtained via enzymatic hydrolysis with Alcalase was identified and analyzed for the first time. Liquid Chromatography coupled to Trapped Ion Mobility Spectrometry and Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-TIMS-MS/MS) analysis revealed over 7000 peptide sequences. Peptides with PeptideRanker scores above 0.79 were selected for in silico evaluation of antimicrobial potential, including physicochemical characterization and molecular docking. Several peptides—such as NYPAWGY, SSKGSLGGGF, QWDQGYF, and SGPAFNAGR—exhibited strong predicted antimicrobial potential, supported by favorable interactions with bacterial, viral, and fungal targets in docking simulations. Correlation analysis revealed that physicochemical features, such as net hydrogen, amphipathicity, and isoelectric point, were positively associated with predicted antimicrobial activity. These findings highlight the potential of olive leaf-derived peptides as natural antimicrobial agents and support the valorization of olive by-products as a sustainable source of functional ingredients for applications in food safety and health. Further experimental validation is needed to confirm the efficacy and mechanism of action of the identified peptides. Full article

We consider the lossless compression bound of any individual data sequence. Conceptually, its Kolmogorov complexity is such a bound yet uncomputable. According to Shannon’s source coding theorem, the average compression bound is $nH$, where n is the number of words and H is the entropy of an oracle probability distribution characterizing the data source. The quantity $nH\left({\widehat{\theta }}_n\right)$ obtained by plugging in the maximum likelihood estimate is an underestimate of the bound. Shtarkov showed that the normalized maximum likelihood (NML) distribution is optimal in a minimax sense for any parametric family. Fitting a data sequence—without any a priori distributional assumption—by a relevant exponential family, we apply the local asymptotic normality to show that the NML code length is $nH\left({\widehat{\theta }}_n\right)+{\displaystyle \frac{d}{2}}log{\displaystyle \frac{n}{2\pi }}+log{\int }_{\Theta }{\left|I\left(\theta \right)\right|}^{1/2}d\theta +o\left(1\right)$, where d is dictionary size, $\left|I\right(\theta \left)\right|$ is the determinant of the Fisher information matrix, and $\Theta$ is the parameter space. We demonstrate that sequentially predicting the optimal code length for the next word via a Bayesian mechanism leads to the mixture code whose length is given by $nH\left({\widehat{\theta }}_n\right)+{\displaystyle \frac{d}{2}}log{\displaystyle \frac{n}{2\pi }}+log{\displaystyle \frac{|I\left({\widehat{\theta }}_n\right){|}^{1/2}}{w\left({\widehat{\theta }}_n\right)}}+o\left(1\right)$, where $w\left(\theta \right)$ is a prior. The asymptotics apply to not only discrete symbols but also continuous data if the code length for the former is replaced by the description length for the latter. The analytical result is exemplified by calculating compression bounds of protein-encoding DNA sequences under different parsing models. Typically, compression is maximized when parsing aligns with amino acid codons, while pseudo-random sequences remain incompressible, as predicted by Kolmogorov complexity. Notably, the empirical bound becomes more accurate as the dictionary size increases. Full article

Classical swine fever (CSF) is a highly contagious and lethal disease caused by classical swine fever virus (CSFV), and it is also a notifiable disease according to the World Organization for Animal Health. Owing to the continuous growth of the international trade in pigs and pig products, pig farming has become the pillar industry of the global livestock industry and is the most important source of animal protein for mankind. As a single-stranded RNA virus, CSFV can avoid being recognized and cleared by the host immune system through a variety of immune evasion strategies so that it persists in the host body and causes multisystemic pathology. CSF has also become one of the most serious infectious diseases affecting the pig industry, resulting in considerable economic losses to the pig industry. Therefore, understanding the main immune evasion mechanism of CSFV is very important for the prevention and control of CSF infection. This article reviews the main immune evasion mechanisms of CSFV, including the suppression of nonspecific immune responses; evasion of adaptive immune responses; and the regulation of host cell apoptosis and cell autophagy. CSFV affects type I interferon regulatory signals; the JAK-STAT signaling pathway; the RIG-I and NF-κB signaling pathways; immune cell function; the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway; and the endoplasmic reticulum stress apoptosis pathway; the PI3K-Akt signaling mediated AMPK-mTOR macroautophagy pathway through its structural proteins E^rns and E1 and E2; and the nonstructural proteins N^pro, NS4B, and NS5A to achieve immune evasion. As our understanding of CSFV immune strategies continues to deepen, we believe that this understanding will provide new strategies for the development of new vaccines and novel diagnostic methods in the future. Full article

Drug discovery is an intricate and resource-intensive process in which computational approaches, such as molecular docking, are essential, particularly in the early stages, to identify potential hits. However, docking still has many drawbacks, including problems in managing protein flexibility and the reliability of scoring functions. In this paper, we systematically compared the performance of AutoDock Vina, one of the most widely used open-source docking tools, with GNINA. This advanced evolution integrates convolutional neural networks (CNNs) for pose scoring. The comparison was conducted on ten heterogeneous protein targets, including metalloenzymes, kinases, and G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). With the ability to accurately replicate binding poses and their energy values, GNINA showed outstanding performance in both virtual screening (VS) of active ligands and re-docking steps of co-crystallized ligands. GNINA’s enhanced ability to accurately distinguish between true positives and false positives—a specificity not found with AutoDock Vina—is confirmed by ROC curves and Enrichment Factor (EF) results. Therefore, we propose an integrated GNINA-based workflow that can significantly enhance the quality and reliability of docking results, providing a valuable tool for optimizing the initial stages of drug discovery. Full article

Municipal wastewater with a low carbon-to-nitrogen (C/N) ratio presents challenges for conventional nitrogen removal processes, often requiring costly external carbon sources. This study investigated the enhancement of nitrogen removal in a simultaneous nitrification and denitrification (SND) system by incorporating heterotrophic nitrification and aerobic denitrification (HN-AD) bacterial agents (Klebsiella variicola L3, Acinetobacter beijerinckii W4, and Acinetobacter sp. Z1) with modified basalt fiber carriers. Three reactors were compared: mixed HN-AD strains (M), mixed strains with activated sludge (A+M), and activated sludge alone (A). Results demonstrated that the A+M reactor achieved superior performance, with median removal efficiencies of 82.2% for NH₄⁺-N, 52.9% for total nitrogen (TN), and 51.6% for COD, outperforming the M reactor (75.2%, 43.6%, and 51.6%) and the A reactor (63.2%, 29.3%, and 44.8%). The A+M reactor also exhibited a 40% reduction in COD consumption per unit TN removed (2.55 ± 1.75) compared to the control reactor A (4.25 ± 3.99). Microbial analysis revealed Acinetobacter sp. Z1 (6.1%) and K. variicola L3 (1.1%) as dominant species, with the A+M reactor showing higher microbial diversity (56.4% Proteobacteria, 10.2% Bacteroidota) and biological viability (VSS/SS ratio of 0.70 ± 0.01). Extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) content in A+M reached 242.26 ± 15.52 mg/g-VSS, with a protein-to-polysaccharide ratio of 2.77 ± 0.00, indicating robust biofilm activity. These findings highlight the potential of HN-AD bacterial agents to enhance nitrogen removal in low C/N wastewater treatment, offering a cost-effective and sustainable alternative to traditional methods by reducing reliance on external carbon sources and improving system efficiency. Full article

Cytochrome P450 (CYP450) enzymes play an essential role in the metabolism of drugs, particularly in phase I metabolic reactions. In this article, we present a comprehensive review of fifteen selected enzymes belonging to the CYP450 family. The enzymes included in this analysis are CYP7A1, CYP3A4, CYP3A5, CYP2D6, CYP2E1, CYP2C8, CYP2C18, CYP2C9, CYP2C19, CYP2B6, CYP2A6, CYP2A13, CYP1B1, CYP1A1, and CYP1A2. We examined the influence of natural, polymorphic variations within their primary amino acid sequences on their enzymatic function and mechanisms of action. To begin, we compiled a dataset of naturally occurring polymorphic variants for these enzymes. This was achieved through a detailed analysis of entries in the UniProt database, as well as an extensive review of the current scientific literature. For each variant, we included commentary regarding its potential impact on enzyme activity or drug response, based on evidence observed in in vitro experiments, in vivo studies, or clinical trials. Particular emphasis was placed on how such polymorphisms might alter the metabolism of xenobiotics, thereby potentially affecting pharmacological outcomes. In this respect, the work represents the first comprehensive source in the scientific literature that systematically gathers and organizes data on CYP450 polymorphisms, including an assessment of their potential significance in processes mediated by these enzymes. A more detailed comparison of the polymorphism-related in vitro studies is devoted to CYP3A4, an enzyme that displays the largest fraction of clinically significant polymorphs. Secondly, we aimed to establish possible molecular explanations for why specific polymorphisms exhibit clinically or experimentally observable effects. To explore this, we performed a qualitative structural analysis of the enzymes, focusing on shared structural characteristics among the examined members of the CYP450 family. The results of this analysis demonstrate that there is no single universal mechanism by which polymorphisms influence the function of CYP450 enzymes. Instead, the mechanisms vary and may include alterations in the orientation of the enzyme within the lipid membrane, changes affecting the association or dissociation of substrates and products at the active site, structural stabilization or destabilization of the enzyme’s reactive centers, modifications in the way the enzyme interacts with its ligand, or alterations in the character of the interface involved in contact with its redox partner (electron transfer protein). Furthermore, among the polymorphisms that significantly impact enzyme function, mutations involving the substitution of arginine residues for other amino acids appear to be overrepresented. Full article

Based on an established appropriate substitution level for corn distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGSs) replacing energy-supplying components in the basal diet for pregnant sows, the substitution method was employed to determine the available energy values of corn DDGSs. In Exp. 1, forty pregnant sows (gestation day = 50 ± 5 d; body weight = 220 ± 24.9 kg; parity, 4 to 6) were randomly allocated into five treatments. The control group was fed a corn–soybean basal diet, while test diets contained 20%, 30%, 40%, 50% corn DDGSs replacing the energy-supplying portion of the basal diet. In Exp. 2, the available energy of five corn DDGS sources was determined using the substitution method at a 30% substitution level. Twelve pregnant sows (gestation day = 50 ± 5 d; body weight = 225.4 ± 29.2 kg; parity, 4 to 6) were arranged in a 6 × 3 Youden square design. Dietary treatments consisted of the corn–soybean basic diet and five test diets incorporating different corn DDGS types. Increasing the substitution level of corn DDGSs displayed both linear and quadratic effects (p < 0.05) on the apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), acid detergent fiber (ADF), ether extract (EE) and gross energy (GE) in diets. The ATTD of neutral detergent fiber (NDF), digestible energy (DE) and metabolizable energy (ME) was quadratically affected by different substitution levels (p < 0.05), with the highest value achieved at the 30% substitution level. As the substitution level of corn DDGSs increased, the ATTD of ADF in corn DDGSs decreased. In contrast, the ATTD of crude protein (CP) increased either linearly or quadratically (p < 0.05), and a significant quadratic effect was observed for the ATTD of EE in corn DDGSs (p < 0.05). Although the GE, DE, and ME of corn DDGSs were not significantly influenced by the substitution level, the 30% corn DDGSs resulted in the lowest coefficients of variation (CV). Therefore, a 30% substitution level of corn DDGSs is recommended for energy-supplying components in the basal diet of pregnant sows using the substitution method. The ranges of DE, ME and net energy (NE) of five corn DDGSs samples were 15.58–18.07, 12.17–16.42 and 8.76–15.88 MJ/kg DM, respectively. The absolute value of relative error (|RE|) between the predicted available energy values obtained from the prediction equations established in Exp. 2 and the determined values were below 5%, except for ME for corn DDGSs N3 (5.81%). Full article

The growing consumer awareness of functional foods has increased interest in fermented plant-based products with enhanced nutritional and health-promoting properties. This comprehensive narrative literature review examines the potential of diverse raw materials for tempeh production beyond traditional soybeans, analysing their nutritional composition, bioactive compounds, and functional properties. A structured literature search was conducted on peer-reviewed publications up to July 2025, focusing on tempeh fermentation technology, chemical composition, and bioactive compounds from various substrates using recognised analytical methods according to Association of Official Analytical Collaboration (AOAC) standards. The analysis of over 25 different substrates revealed significant opportunities for enhancing tempeh’s nutritional profile through alternative raw materials including legumes, cereals, algae, seeds, and agricultural by-products. Several substrates demonstrated superior nutritional characteristics compared with traditional soybean tempeh, notably tarwi (Lupinus mutabilis) with exceptional protein content ((32–53% dry matter (DM)) and mung bean (Vigna radiata) exhibiting remarkably high polyphenol concentrations (137.53 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g DM). Fermentation with Rhizopus oligosporus consistently achieved substantial reductions in anti-nutritional factors (64–67% decrease in trypsin inhibitors, up to 65% reduction in phytates) while maintaining consistent antioxidant activities (39–70% 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) inhibition) across most variants. The diversity of bioactive compounds across different substrates demonstrates potential for developing targeted functional foods with specific health-promoting properties, supporting sustainable food system development through protein source diversification. Full article

Background: Nitrogen balance studies have traditionally been used to estimate protein requirements in adults. However, ethical and practical constraints have made new studies increasingly difficult to conduct. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to compile and analyze the most comprehensive individual-level dataset to date. Methods: We included 31 studies that reported nitrogen intake and excretion data for healthy adults. Studies were selected based on strict eligibility criteria that required data from at least three intake levels per individual. Nitrogen requirements were estimated using regression analysis. In total, data from 395 individuals were analyzed. We used a random effects model for the meta-analysis. Subgroup comparisons and meta-regression were conducted based on sex, age, climate, and protein source. Results: The overall mean nitrogen requirement was 104.2 mg N/kg/day. No significant differences were found by sex, age group (<60 vs. ≥60 years), climate (temperate vs. tropical), or protein source (animal, plant, or mixed). Subgroup and meta-regression analyses did not reveal consistent moderator effects. Substantial heterogeneity was observed (I² > 90%). Conclusions: This analysis provides the most extensive compilation of individual-level nitrogen balance data to date. While the average nitrogen requirement was consistent with previous estimates, the high heterogeneity limits definitive conclusions. Nonetheless, this dataset provides a valuable foundation for revising protein intake recommendations and guiding future research on human nitrogen metabolism in the absence of new studies. Full article

Background: owing to altered protein metabolism during critical illness, skeletal muscles are utilised as a source of protein, with subsequent debilitating effects on both muscle structure and function. Protein nutrition has been shown to improve clinical outcomes in critically unwell patients; however, the impact on muscle function is less established. Therefore, the aim of this review was to systematically determine the effect of protein dose on skeletal muscle strength in critically ill patients. Methods: we searched five databases (Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, Emcare, CINAHL, and PubMed) and clinical trial registers for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of non-pregnant, adult patients admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU), which assessed the impact of different doses of protein nutrition on muscle strength. Studies investigating only muscle structure or with co-interventions were excluded. Six RCTs were eligible for inclusion, and five were suitable for meta-analysis. Results: there was a significant difference in skeletal muscle strength with higher versus lower protein intakes, with a mean difference of 2.36 kg (95% CI: 0.37–4.35). The mean difference in protein dose was 0.46 g/kg/d (95% CI: 0.29–0.64). Inconsistency was evident across the included studies, with risk of bias ranging from moderate to high. Conclusion: muscle strength of ICU patients does appear to be affected by different protein doses. However, trials focusing on muscle function are limited by number and quality, highlighting a clear need for future work. Full article

This study evaluated the effect of vitamin C (L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate) on the physiological condition, biochemical antioxidant activity, immune responses, and gene expression in the reproductive tract, as well as on sperm quantity and quality in male white shrimp Penaeus vannamei broodstock. Four diets containing 42.5% protein, 11.5% lipids, and 23.5% carbohydrates were formulated with L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate as a source of vitamin C at the following concentrations: 0.016 g/kg (Basal), 0.322 g/kg (A), 0.628 g/kg (B), and 0.934 g/kg (C). Shrimp fed diet C exhibited the highest SOD and CAT activity and serum cholesterol levels, but the lowest expression of hemocyanin (Hemo) mRNA transcripts (p ˂ 0.05). Shrimp fed diet A showed the highest Hemo mRNA expression and phenoloxidase (PO) activity, while those fed diet B had the highest serum triglyceride levels (p ˂ 0.05). In contrast, shrimp fed diets A and B exhibited the lowest serum cholesterol levels (p ˂ 0.05). There were no differences in sperm quality between the diets. In relation to sperm quantity, the shrimp fed diet B had the highest sperm cell count (2,750,000 cel/mL), and those fed diet A had the lowest (585,000 cel/mL) (p ˂ 0.05). These results indicate that vitamin C influences the reproductive aspects of male P. vannamei broodstock. A dietary inclusion level of 0.628 g/kg promotes optimal physiological, oxidative stress, and immunological conditions for increased sperm cell production, whereas an excessive level may promote oxidative stress. Full article