Biological Value Research Articles

Machine learning applied to species occurrence and interactions: the missing link in biodiversity assessment and modelling of Antarctic plankton distribution

BackgroundPlankton is the essential ecological category that occupies the lower levels of aquatic trophic networks, representing a good indicator of environmental change. However, most studies deal with distribution of single species or taxa and do not take into account the complex of biological interactions of the real world that rule the ecological processes.ResultsThis study focused on analyzing Antarctic marine phytoplankton, mesozooplankton, and microzooplankton, examining their biological interactions and co-existences. Field data yielded 1053 biological interaction values, 762 coexistence values, and 15 zero values. Six phytoplankton assemblages and six copepod species were selected based on their abundance and ecological roles. Using 23 environmental descriptors, we modelled the distribution of taxa to accurately represent their occurrences. Sampling was conducted during the 2016–2017 Italian National Antarctic Programme (PNRA) ‘P-ROSE’ project in the East Ross Sea. Machine learning techniques were applied to the occurrence data to generate 48 predictive species distribution maps (SDMs), producing 3D maps for the entire Ross Sea area. These models quantitatively predicted the occurrences of each copepod and phytoplankton assemblage, providing crucial insights into potential variations in biotic and trophic interactions, with significant implications for the management and conservation of Antarctic marine resources. The Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) results indicated the highest model efficiency, for Cyanophyta (74%) among phytoplankton assemblages and Paralabidocera antarctica (83%) among copepod communities. The SDMs revealed distinct spatial heterogeneity in the Ross Sea area, with an average Relative Index of Occurrence values of 0.28 (min: 0; max: 0.65) for phytoplankton assemblages and 0.39 (min: 0; max: 0.71) for copepods.ConclusionThe results of this study are essential for a science-based management for one of the world’s most pristine ecosystems and addressing potential climate-induced alterations in species interactions. Our study emphasizes the importance of considering biological interactions in planktonic studies, employing open access and machine learning for measurable and repeatable distribution modelling, and providing crucial ecological insights for informed conservation strategies in the face of environmental change.

Functional, Chemical, and Phytotoxic Characteristics of Cestrum parqui L'Herit: An Overview.

Cestrum parqui L'Herit. (Solanaceae family) is a species of forest shrub, self-incompatible and specialized in pollination, widespread in the subtropical area of the planet, and now widely distributed also in the Mediterranean area. The constituents of its leaves have antimicrobial, anticancer, insecticidal, antifeedant, molluscicidal, and herbicidal properties. The spread of this species represents a valuable source of compounds with high biological value. Various research groups are engaged in defining the chemical composition of the different parts of the plant and in defining its properties in view of important and promising commercial applications. To date, there are only a few incomplete reports on the potential applications of C. parqui extracts as selective natural pesticides and on their potential phytotoxic role. Scientific knowledge and the use of extraction techniques for these components are essential for commercial applications. This article summarizes the research and recent studies available on the botany, phytochemistry, functional properties, and commercial applications of C. parqui.

Dietary supplementation of black cumin (Nigella sativa) meal in the formulation of protein-enriched cookies, further invivo evaluation of protein quality with physicochemical and organoleptic characterization.

Nigella sativa has solid historical importance as a medicinal herb and is widely used in the bakery industry. The study revealed that the defatted black cumin meal (DBCM) possesses a high nutritious composition and amino acid profile, such as Leu, Lys, Arg, Phe, and Glu. The supplementation effect of wheat flour with defatted black cumin meal (DBCM) at levels of 5%-25% was explored on the cookies' nutritional, functional, and organoleptic attributes. Moreover, the present work was conducted to assess the invivo protein quality of defatted black cumin meal (DBCM)-supplemented cookies using the albino rat's experimental modeling for 10 days. Rheological characterization suggested a solid elastic behavior for all cookies dough with elevation in G' (138,652-230,926 Pa), G" (34201-45,092 Pa), and G* values due to protein addition. The functional characteristics of the flour blends showed that DBCM addition significantly (p ≤ .05) improved oil (70.56%-165%) and water (84.83%-232.67%) absorption capacities, emulsion, and foaming stability. The physicochemical and organoleptic assessment of the cookies exposed that a 20% level of substitution of DBCM produced acceptable cookies. The net protein utilization (NPU), protein efficiency ratio (PER), true digestibility (TD), and biological value (BV) significantly differ from each other among all the supplementation diet groups with 0%-25% DBCM.

РАЗРАБОТКА ТЕХНОЛОГИИ ФУНКЦИОНАЛЬНЫХ МОЛОЧНЫХ ПРОДУКТОВ СО СПЕЦИЯМИ

The use of dairy products with herbs and spices is an innovative solution in the field of food technology, opening up new opportunities for the development of unique healthy food products, attracting the attention of consumers around the world. The purpose of research is to develop a technology for functional dairy drinks with antioxidant properties based on biologically active substances of plant raw materials, aimed at improving the health and longevity of people for the purpose of potential use in the food industry. The inclusion of turmeric and ginger in the composition of dairy drinks determines a wide range of unique properties, enhancing the biological value, functionality of dairy drinks and expanding the range of products for various groups of the population. The chemical composition of plant ingredients contains a number of active groups of flavonoids and polyphenols with strong antioxidant properties that affect the human body by neutralizing free radicals, enhancing the human immune system and ensuring longevity. The object of the study was milk drinks enriched with biologically active substances of raw materials of plant origin. To achieve the objectives, experimental studies were conducted to develop a recipe for fresh milk drinks with spices and herbs. Based on the results of the examination of experimental samples for physicochemical and organoleptic indicators, the best samples with high quality ratings were established. Recipes for 8 types of functional milk drinks with spices Zdorov'e were developed with a justification for the dose of plant ingredients, the stage of their introduction, technological modes of milk pasteurization and features of the preparation of spices for introduction into the milk base were worked out. The data on the shelf life of the new line of fresh milk drinks were obtained. The recommended shelf life is 14 days at a storage temperature of 2 ±1 °C. The new technology does not require specialized equipment, the duration of the technological process is similar to classical technologies.

Genomic identification of expressed globulin storage proteins in oat.

Oats, a highly nutritious cereal known for their health benefits, contain various macromolecules of significant biological value, including abundant and highly digestible proteins. Despite their importance, oat proteins have not been extensively studied. Here, we present a complete set of the expressed globulins genes, which code for the main storage protein in oats as well as their chromosomal positions. Published expressed sequence tags for globulins were used as queries in the Sang oat genome. In addition, globulin proteins were fractionated from oat flour by solvent extraction based on differential solubility with other classes of cereal proteins. The protein fractions were separated by gel electrophoresis and analyzed by tandem mass spectrometry to confirm their identity and expression in seed. In total 32 globulin gene sequences were identified on the oat genome. Out of these, the expression on RNA level could be confirmed and 27 were also detected as expressed proteins by MS. Our results provide the most extensive set of salt-soluble oat globulin sequences to date, paving the way for further understanding their implications for human nutrition. In addition, a simple methodology to fractionate oat proteins is presented.

ИЗУЧЕНИЕ БИОЛОГИЧЕСКОЙ ПОЛНОЦЕННОСТИ СПЕРМАТОЗОИДОВ В СПЕРМЕ С БАКТЕРИАЛЬНОЙ ОБСЕМЕНЕННОСТЬЮ

The aim of the study is to investigate the relationship between bacterial contamination of bull semen and the biological value of spermatozoa, as well as reproductive performance. The object of the study was Holstein bulls (n = 17). The material for the study was frozen-thawed semen of bulls in the amount of 61 samples. Microbiological studies of sperm doses were carried out using standard nutrient media in accordance with GOST 32222-2013. The total number of microorganisms was calculated by the number of grown colony-forming units (CFU/ml) in 1 cm3, with subsequent determination of their morphological pro-perties. Sperm motility and morphology were determined using the Argus CASA program. The state of DNA in spermatozoa was studied by the acridine orange test (AO test) using a fluorescence microscope. The study revealed a high positive correlation (r = +0.940**) between the number of microorganisms in sperm and pathology in individual sperm segments. Analysis of variance confirmed a statistically significant effect of the number of microorganisms on sperm morphology F = 123.2 (p=0.000). The correlation relationship between the fragmentation index and the content of microorganisms has a high value (r = +0.965**). Sperm motility negatively correlates (r = –0.768**) with the number of microorganisms (CFU/ml). In the presence of Mycoplasma spp in the samples, the number of cows with fruitful insemination was 35.5 % due to reduced motility, morphology and high fragmentation of sperm DNA (58 %). Sperm motility in samples containing Mycoplasma spp averages 24.5 %, while in samples without these microorganisms it is 48.9 %. Thus, it can be assumed that the presence of Mycoplasma spp in samples and high bacterial contamination rates lead to to lower reproductive performance in bulls.

Improving foam stability: Calcium addition, high hydrostatic pressure, and their combinations on soybean protein isolates

Various combinations of high hydrostatic pressure treatment (HHPT, 0.1 or 600 MPa), calcium addition (0, 0.50, or 0.75 mmol CaCl2/g protein), and protein content ([Prot.], 1, 5, or 10 g/L) were applied to soybean protein isolate (SPI) dispersions to analyze their effects on the formation and stability of foams. The significant interactions between these factors led to several combinations that improved foam stability via different mechanisms that involved different solubilities, aggregate sizes, and molecular structures of proteins. Thirty min after foam formation, calcium combined with HHPT improved volume of foam (VF30) and volume of liquid retained (VLr30), by the formation of strong interfacial films owing to the increased cross-linking ability of soluble and intermediate-sized aggregates. Calcium without HHPT had a greater effect on VLr30 than on VF30, which could be owing to the insoluble and large aggregates that blocked Plateau borders. HHPT without calcium led to small denatured aggregates that were soluble and improved the VLr30 when [Prot.] was lower. Industrial relevanceCalcium enriched plant proteins with good techno-functional properties is a prevailing need, considering the current cultural, economic and environmental changes that occur. The findings of this study could serve as an input for the incorporation of high biological value proteins and calcium into aerated foods, and would contribute to develop innovative products. Treatment with high hydrostatic pressure could be advantageous on account of modifying the protein structure and thereby improving the stability of the foams. Under certain conditions, such as those of aerosol whipping creams, high hydrostatic pressure would simultaneously improve techno-functional properties of proteins and pasteurize the dispersions, which would then have to be safely canned.

Investigating the Endophyte Actinomycetota sp. JW0824 Strain as a Potential Bioinoculant to Enhance the Yield, Nutritive Value, and Chemical Composition of Different Cultivars of Anise (Pimpinella anisum L.) Seeds.

Anise (Pimpinella anisum L.) seeds have various nutritional and therapeutic benefits and are thus considered a valuable addition to animal and human health. Hence, in this study, we aimed to induce the nutritive and biological value of anise seeds. To this end, the potential biofortification effect of the endophytic Actinomycetota sp. JW0824 strain, isolated during the fall of 2023 from the medicinal plant Achyranthes aspera, exhibiting natural distribution in the Jazan region of Saudi Arabia, was investigated in four varieties of anise seeds from Egypt, Tunisia, Syria, and Morocco. Results revealed significant increments (p < 0.05) in the seed dry weight percentage (DW%) and oil yields. In line with increased biomass accumulation, the metabolism of the primary and secondary metabolites was increased. There were differential increases in proteins, sugars, flavonoids, alkaloids, phenols, vitamins (e.g., β-carotene, ascorbic acid), and essential oil components (e.g., phenylpropanoids and monoterpenes), along with their precursor phenylalanine. Consistently, the activity of L-phenylalanine aminolyase (PAL) was increased in the Egyptian and Tunisian varieties at 83.88% and 77.19%, respectively, while 3-deoxy-D-arabino-heptulosonate-7-phosphate synthase (DAHPS) activity increased in all varieties, with a significant 179.31% rise in the Egyptian variety. These findings highlight the beneficial effects of Actinomycetota sp. JW0824 as a bioinoculant for anise seeds, suggesting its potential application in agricultural practices to improve seed yield and quality. Further field trials are recommended to assess the commercial viability of this endophyte for enhancing anise seed production and potentially benefiting other plant species.

Phytochemical Composition of Rosa Gallica and Prospects of Its Use

Natural bioactive compounds have recently become a popular trend in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, food, and nutraceutical industries due to their beneficial effects on human health. Rosa gallica is a rose species widely used in medicine and cosmetics. It exhibits antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial activities. The study of R. gallica hydrolates – water-soluble, biologically active components that remain in distilled water – appears to be promising. The component composition and properties of the obtained samples of R. gallica hydrolate were investigated. Antimicrobial, bifidogenic, and antioxidant activities of R. gallica hydrolates were determined. It was found that the samples of R. gallica hydrolate contained the highest amount of gallic acid, ellagic acid and the lowest amount of astragalin. It was shown that samples of R. gallica hydrolate exhibited enhanced antimicrobial activity against C. parapsilosis (inhibition zone was 6.9±2.1 mm) and against E. coli (inhibition zone was 7.4±2.2 mm). The results indicate that the obtained samples of R. gallica hydrolatum did not have pronounced bifidogenic activity against the test strain B. adolescentis; however, they had bifidogenic activity against the test strain L. casei. The results revealed that R. gallica hydrolate samples had significant antioxidant activity in terms of DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP (831.67 mg TE g-1, 1825.28 mg TE g-1, and 71.69 mg TE g-1, respectively). It has been demonstrated that the use of hydrolates of plants containing essential oils enables the development of a new line of confectionery products with natural flavors, antioxidants, increased nutritional and biological value, and unique organoleptic properties.

Nutritional and chemical properties and antioxidant capacity of freeze-dried cow, sheep, goat and buffalo colostrums

Colostrum, the first food given to mammals after birth, plays a critical role in newborn nutrition. It is characterized by its high nutrient content, presence of immunoglobulins, and functional compounds. This study collected and freeze-dried colostrum from four different animals (Karayaka sheep, Saanen goats, Danish red cows and buffalo). Chemical and functional properties (total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity), mineral, as well as mineral content, amino acid composition, and fatty acid profile of the dried samples, were determined. Nutritional properties (protein efficiency ratio (PER), biological value (BV) and net protein utilization (NPU)) of powdered colostrum were also determined. It was found that buffalo colostrum had higher fat and protein content, while goat colostrum had high antioxidant activity. Buffalo and goat colostrums had a biological value (BV) of 94.96–97.78. Major minerals were more abundant in cow colostrum and minor minerals were more abundant in sheep colostrum. In terms of essential fatty acids, sheep and goat colostrums stood out. In conclusion, this comprehensive analysis of the composition of colostrum from different species sheds light on the different nutrient profiles and potential health benefits and provides a theoretical basis for the development of commercial products from goat, sheep, cow and buffalo colostrum.

Transforming Nutritional Value into Commercial Gain: The Impact of Intensive Food Production

Two thousand years have passed since Hippocrates (Hippocrates of Kos, 460 BC) coined the famous phrase: "let food be your medicine", with which he wanted to indicate the high biological value of food and its therapeutic content. But in the time of Hippocrates, man and food went hand in hand to provide all the resources and nutrients essential for survival. Two thousand years later, the industrial revolution completely overturned that profound bond. Food has lost its natural biological and therapeutic value, and has been replaced by symbolic contents, surrogates of the original meaning, but essential for a society based on consumption. Furthermore, the symbiotic bond between man and mother nature, which represents the essence of life itself, has been broken, making us lose track of our origins. The need to implement production to satisfy the growing global demand for food has led to the use of chemical substances that are effective in combating biological pests that destroy foodstuffs. These substances remain throughout the production chain even after transformation into ready-to-eat foods. So, if on the one hand chemistry has solved production problems, on the other it has generated serious consequences for the health of consumers. The objective of this work is promoting consumer food awareness for responsible and sustainable consumption of food.

Profiling Bioactive Compounds in the Bark of Cinchona officinalis L. and Anti-arthritic Properties Thereof

The bark samples of C. officinalis were collected from The Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu. The collected samples were processed and extracted using methanol solvent. The extracts showed high yield of secondary metabolites especially alkaloids, phenols, flavonoids, steroids, terpenoids, sterols, quinones and tannins. Alkaloid content was very high in C.officinalis followed by phenol, flavonoid, steroid and Tannin. The secondary metabolites present in C. officinalis (Bark) were isolated, purified, identified and characterized using differential Chromatographic techniques such as TLC, HPLC and GC-MS/ MS. The compounds identified using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) technique in bark of C. officinalis in the retention times of 1.750, 2.250, 4.016 and 7.266 minutes were quinine, isoquinidine and cinchonidine. The compounds were then characterized using GC- MS/ MS technique with reference to NIST library. The compounds were eluted from the bark of C. officinalis in the retention time of 9.569, 10.488, 11.814, 13.593, 14.282, 16.542, 16.967, 23.494, 24.954, 25.151, 25.988, 26.752, 26.982, 27.906, 28.277, 31.454, 33.604, and 35.744 minutes. By correlating the retention times with (NIST) mass spectral library the eluted compounds were confirmed as Phthalic acid, Hexadecanoic acid,1,2,3,5-Cyclohexanetetrol, Cinchonab-9-one, 9,12-Octadecadienoic acid (Z,Z)-, Heptadecanoic acid, Quinine, Cinchonine, Cinchonidine, Phenol, Quinine, and gamma.-Sitosterol. The phytochemicals present in the C. officinalis (Bark) samples were evaluated for their biological properties viz., anti-inflammatory activity and anti-arthritic activity in in-vitro conditions. Anti- inflammatory properties of plant samples were tested by protein denaturation method using diclofenac (75 mg/ ml concentration) as positive control. The methanol extract of C.officinalis (Bark) showed anti- inflammatory properties of range between 17.0 and 57.3%. Anti- arthritic activity of bark extract of C. officinalis (75 mg/ ml concentration) was evaluated by albumin denaturation method using diclofenac (75 mg/ ml concentration) as positive control. The methanol extract of C.officinalis (Bark) showed anti- arthritic properties of range between 18.4 and 58.5%. From the study it is understood that the alkaloids and polyphenols present in the methanolic extract of bark of C. officinalis were responsible for their biological properties. Hence, C. officinalis can serve as an alternative to synthetic drugs available in the market to treat arthritis subject to safety (toxicity) studies in humans. Based on the In vitro results, it was confirmed that the bark of C.officinalis possesses comparatively high biological values. Thus an herbal aerosol for arthritis may be formulated using the bark extract of C.officinalis as key ingredient and the therapeutic product will be of cost effective, easy to use and pocket friendly.

Gluten-free snacks based on a flour composite mixture, fortified with the Asafoetida spice (Ferula assa-foetida)

A recipe of snacks based on flour composite mixtures has been developed and scientifically substantiated with the aim of extending an assortment of flour snack products belonging to the category of specialized products. These snacks are intended for consumers adhering to the health nutrition principles and, first of all, for patients with celiac disease. Gluten-free types of flour fortified with the asafoetida spice are used in the recipe. Preliminary studies demonstrated that the formulation with a ratio of 60% rice flour, 20% pea flour and 20% chickpea flour had the highest biological value among six variants of flour mixtures. Using the mass-spectrometry method, a wide spectrum of aromatic substances belonging to different classes of organic compounds was revealed in the composition of the asafoetida spice, including aliphatic alcohols, oxo-compounds, aliphatic and aromatic carboxylic acids, esters, terpenes, phenol derivatives, heterocyclic aromatic compounds (derivatives of furan and thiophene). They have a wide spectrum of action: determine taste and aroma, show the antioxidant properties, and prevent fat rancidification. The investigations showed that addition of 0.2% of asafetida to the flour mixture not only increased the oxidative stability of snacks (induction period increased by 1.5 times), but also reduced the content of lipids. This was achieved due to a decrease in fat absorption during deep-fat frying (approximately by 1.5 times). As a result, the caloric content of the product reduced by 6.8% compared to the control, the oxidation processes were retarded and the shelf-life of snacks was extended. The results of the organoleptic assessment show that gluten-free snacks with the addition of asafetida are significantly superior to the control sample. The total score of snacks with asafetida was 24 points compared to 19 points given to the control sample. They had the most harmonious appearance, color, taste, and odor according to the profilogram of organoleptic indicators among products such as gluten-free snacks based on flour composite mixtures without additives (control), with addition of dietary fibers, with addition of the asafoetida spice and dietary fibers.

Technologically important quality indicators of low-lactose ice cream with milk and whey protein concentrates

Protein concentrates have a high biological value and contain significantly less lactose in comparison with dry skimmed milk. The use of protein concentrates in ice cream without the content of non-fat milk solids allows not only making up for protein but also developing the component composition of a product with the low content of lactose. In this regard, the study of technologically significant quality indicators of ice cream with the low content of lactose without non-fat milk solids when using milk and whey protein concentrates is an urgent task. The rheological, microstructural, color and thermostatic characteristics, as well as the oxidative stability of fat of the test samples were determined in the research. It has been found that viscosity decreased by 1.8-2.6 times when using whey proteins. The use of protein concentrates led to an increase in hardness and adhesiveness by 2.2-4.1 and 1.6-5.0 times, respectively, but did not significantly affect the thermal stability. The mass fraction of fat had the greatest influence on these characteristics. The study of color characteristics of ice cream made it possible to reveal a decrease in the yellowness index when using milk protein concentrate. It has been established that color differences in most of the samples were not recognizable to the human eye. The induction period was characterized by the lowest value in the samples with whey proteins, thus indicating a probability of a faster oxidation process in them. The use of protein concentrates did not have a significant effect on ice crystals. The stability of the air phase was significantly reduced when using the whey proteins. A multivariate analysis of the studied samples divided them into the control and the samples containing protein concentrates. Based on the technologically significant quality indicators, the use of milk protein concentrates in the production of low-lactose ice cream is more preferable than the use of whey protein concentrates.

Chemical Composition and Lipid Bioactive Components of Centaurea thracica Dwelling in Bulgaria.

Centaurea thracica (Janka) Hayek is a plant common in southern Bulgaria. The inflorescences were collected during June and September 2021, while their seeds were obtained in September 2021. The chemical and lipid composition of the inflorescences during the vegetation process of the plant were established. A significant decrease in total proteins (from 8.7 to 7.4%), glyceride oils (2.0-1.7%), and ash (4.5-4.2%) content was observed, while the amount of carbohydrates (72.3-77.2%) and fibers (28.7-35.8%) increased. During the vegetation of the plant, the content of oleic and linoleic acids increased up to 2-3 times, while the level of palmitic acid decreased. The lipids from the seeds were rich in oleic (53.0%) and palmitic (36.2%) acids. The tocopherol content in the oils of the inflorescences during vegetation increased from 58 to 110 mg/kg, and the content in the oil from the seeds was 260 mg/kg. The phospholipid content decreased during vegetation, and differences were observed in the composition between the inflorescences and the seeds. The high content of oleic acid, linoleic acid, tocopherols, and phospholipids determine the nutritional and biological value of the oils isolated from Centaurea thracica, and contribute to their potential use in various directions.

ВЛИЯНИЕ АРАХИСОВОЙ МУКИ НА ПЕКАРНЫЕ СВОЙСТВА БИСКВИТА

The purpose of research is to study the effect of peanut flour on the baking properties of sponge cake. Objectives: to study the chemical composition of peanut flour; to determine the optimal dosage of peanut flour for making biscuits; to investigate the physicochemical and organoleptic quality indicators of the resulting biscuit. The experience is presented in five options. The control variant was a biscuit prepared according to the classic recipe: wheat flour – 100 g, chicken egg – 2 pcs., white sugar – 100 g. Replacing wheat flour with peanut flour was presented in options 2–5 at a rate of 25; 50; 75; 100 % accordingly. When performing the work, we were guided by STB 549-94. To prepare the dough, all ingredients (accor-ding to the options) were weighed using electronic scales (1st accuracy class) GF-200 and whipped in a whipping machine. The resulting dough was placed in silicone molds and baked in a ShHL-065 SPU oven at a temperature of 190 °C for 20 minutes. The chemical composition of wheat and peanut flour, the effect of partial replacement of wheat flour with peanut flour (25, 50, 75 and 100 %) on the physicochemical parameters and organoleptic properties of the resulting products were studied. Peanut flour had a significant amount of protein and low carbohydrate content compared to wheat flour. Sponge cake weight, specific volume and crumb density decreased significantly with increasing peanut flour level. In a biscuit enriched with peanut flour, the acidity of the product increases. The results of a tasting assessment of the consumer properties of the resulting sponge cake made it possible to establish the priority of this product based on peanut-wheat flour with a peanut flour content of 50 %. The data obtained allow us to conclude that it is promising to use peanut flour in the production of sponge cake products in a proportion of up to 50 % of the share of wheat flour; this ratio allows improving the taste properties of the products, balancing them in terms of nutritional and biological value.

Methodological and technological aspects of the production of lactose-free dairy products

The article provides a rationale for the need to study the development of new lactose-free dairy products, due to an increase in the volume of consumption and the need to master whey processing technologies, using various lactose removal technologies, including enzymatic ones. Whey is rich in amino acids, has high biological value and high degree of digestibility in the human body, due to which whey processed products become attractive to a consumer.The purpose of the research is to develop a method for producing lactose-free albumin from fresh whey obtained after the production of cheese or cottage cheese, using enzymatic hydrolysis technology. The market for lactose-free dairy products in the Russian Federation and the assortment that is presented in the city of Yekaterinburg, the Sverdlovsk region, have been analyzed. The parameters of temperature, duration, and amount of β-galactosidase enzyme added to obtain a lactose-free dairy product with the highest weight yield and the best organoleptic characteristics based on actual technological developments have been investigated. Organoleptic, physicochemical and microbiological indicators of the quality and safety of the resulting lactose-free albumin have been studied. The resulting product has organoleptic characteristics and structure similar to classic cottage cheese, so that it can be used as a cottage cheese substitute for the development of lactose-free products and dishes for baby food.

Unveiling the prognostic role of blood inflammatory indexes in a retrospective cohort of patients undergoing liver resection for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.

Systemic inflammation is relevant in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA), but controversial results exist on the prognostic role of inflammatory indexes and their correlation with tumor microenvironment (TME). We aimed to explore the biological and prognostic values of these indexes. A retrospective cohort study involving iCCA patients who underwent hepatic resection between 2010-2021 was conducted. The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), and clinic-pathological factors were recorded. Immune-cell subpopulations, isolated from surgical specimens, were analyzed by flow cytometry. NLR and LMR cut-offs were calculated by X-Tile software. Linear regression, Kaplan-Meier, and Cox regression analyses were conducted. A total of 101 iCCA patients were considered. NLR ≥3.83 and LMR <2.28 correlated with worse survival. Patients were divided into groups: 67 (66.3%) in the low-risk and 34 (33.7%) in the high-risk (having at least one worse prognostic ratio). The 5-year overall survival was 49.8% and 18.9% for low- and high-risk groups, respectively (P=0.003). An elevated CA19.9 in the high-risk group gives 2.148 HR (95%CI:1.060-4.349) of mortality and 2.182 HR (95%CI:1.206-3.948) of disease recurrence. Flow cytometry analysis of 20 surgical specimens highlighted that NLR was associated with tumor-derived NLR (P=0.026) and LMR with tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (P=0.002). In a subset of five high-risk vs five low-risk patients, T-cell evaluation showed a higher prevalence of CD4+ compared to CD8+ cells in the high-risk group (78.5% vs. 21.5%, P<0.0001). Conversely, low-risk patients demonstrated a noteworthy infiltration of CD8+ cells compared to the high-risk group (21.5% vs. 48.7%, P=0.037). The combination of blood inflammatory indexes determined two survival-risk profiles. The correlation between the blood scores and the iCCA microenvironment suggests a link between immune-cell infiltration and the risk group. These findings open the possibility of patient stratification with the chance to identify subgroups suitable for dedicated follow-up and targeted immuno-chemotherapy protocols.

Crustacean endocrinology: Sexual differentiation and potential application for aquaculture

Crustaceans, which represent a significant subset of arthropods, are classified into three major classes: Ostracoda, Malacostraca, and Branchiopoda. Among them, sex manipulation in decapod species from the Malacostraca class has been extensively researched for aquaculture purposes and to study reproductive physiology and sexual plasticity. Some decapods exhibit sexual dimorphism that influences their biological and economic value. Monosex culture, in which only one sex is cultivated, increases production yields while reducing the risk of invasiveness, as genetic leakage into natural waters is less likely to occur. Differences in yield are also observed when cultivating different sexes, with all-male cultures of Macrobrachium rosenbergii being more profitable than both mixed and all-female cultures. Research on decapod sexual differentiation has led to a better understanding of sex determination and sexual differentiation processes in arthropods. Similar to most mammals and other vertebrate classes, Malacostraca crustaceans, including decapods, exhibit a cell-non-autonomous mode of sexual development. Genetic factors (e.g., sex chromosomes) and endocrine factors (e.g., insulin-like androgenic gland factor and crustacean female sex hormone) play pivotal roles in the development of sexually dimorphic traits. This review synthesizes the existing understanding of sex determination mechanisms and the role of sex hormones in decapod species. Additionally, it provides an overview of the methyl farnesoate, which has been suggested to be involved in male sex differentiation in some crab species, as well as the phenomenon of male-to-female sex reversal in host decapods caused by parasitic crustaceans.

Greater than recommended stiffness and power setting of a stance-phase powered leg prosthesis can improve step-to-step transition work and effective foot length ratio during walking in people with transtibial amputation.

People with unilateral transtibial amputation (TTA) using a passive-elastic prosthesis exhibit lower positive affected leg trailing work (ALtrail Wpos) and a greater magnitude of negative unaffected leg leading work (ULlead Wneg) during walking than non-amputees, which may increase joint pain and osteoarthritis risk in the unaffected leg. People with TTA using a stance-phase powered prosthesis (e.g., BiOM, Ottobock, Duderstadt, Germany) walk with increased ALtrail Wpos and potentially decreased magnitude of ULlead Wneg compared to a passive-elastic prosthesis. The BiOM includes a passive-elastic prosthesis with a manufacturer-recommended stiffness category and can be tuned to different power settings, which may change ALtrail Wpos, ULlead Wneg, and the prosthesis effective foot length ratio (EFLR). Thirteen people with TTA walked using 16 different prosthetic stiffness category and power settings on a level treadmill at 0.75-1.75m/s. We constructed linear mixed effects models to determine the effects of stiffness category and power settings on ALtrail Wpos, ULlead Wneg, and EFLR and hypothesized that decreased stiffness and increased power would increase ALtrail Wpos, not change and decrease ULlead Wneg magnitude, and decrease and not change prosthesis EFLR, respectively. We found there was no significant effect of stiffness category on ALtrail Wpos but increased stiffness reduced ULlead Wneg magnitude, perhaps due to a 0.02 increase in prosthesis EFLR compared to the least stiff category. Furthermore, we found that use of the BiOM with 10% and 20% greater than recommended power increased ALtrail Wpos and decreased ULlead Wneg magnitude at 0.75-1.00m/s. However, prosthetic power setting depended on walking speed so that use of the BiOM increased ULlead Wneg magnitude at 1.50-1.75m/s compared to a passive-elastic prosthesis. Ultimately, our results suggest that at 0.75-1.00m/s, prosthetists should utilize the BiOM attached to a passive-elastic prosthesis with an increased stiffness category and power settings up to 20% greater than recommended based on biological ankle values. This prosthetic configuration can allow people with unilateral transtibial amputation to increase ALtrail Wpos and minimize ULlead Wneg magnitude, which could reduce joint pain and osteoarthritis risk in the unaffected leg and potentially lower the metabolic cost of walking.