SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Light”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

SourceResearch connectionFrom yearThrough year

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

53 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed2026

Phytolacca acinosa Roxb. induces intestinal toxicity through the histamine-MLCK-tight junction axis: Integrated evidence from proteomics, metabolomics, intestinal organoids and epithelial barrier validation.

Phytolacca acinosa Roxb. (PR) is a saponin-rich medicinal plant associated with gastrointestinal toxicity, but the mechanisms underlying PR-induced intestinal barrier injury remain unclear. In this study, raw PR extract was analytically characterized by UPLC-ZenoTOF-MS/MS, confirming triterpenoid saponins as the predominant constituents. C57BL/6 J mice were orally exposed to characterized PR extract (1.20 or 12.0 g/kg for 5 h), and Caco-2 cells and mouse intestinal organoids were used to assess epithelial toxicity and barrier disruption. Histopathology, ELISA, FITC-dextran permeability assays, immunofluorescence, CCK-8, LDH release, western blotting, DIA-based proteomics and untargeted metabolomics were integrated to define toxicological mechanisms. PR induced dose-dependent intestinal inflammation and barrier dysfunction, with the ileum as the most sensitive target. PR increased serum DAO and D-lactate and intestinal TNF-α and IL-1β, disrupted organoid morphology, enhanced epithelial permeability, and reduced ZO-1 expression. Proteomics revealed changes in inflammatory, lipid-metabolic, cytoskeletal and tight-junction pathways, including upregulation of MLCK3 and phospholipase-related proteins and downregulation of ZO-1 and ZO-2. Metabolomics identified histidine metabolism disturbance and histamine accumulation. Integrated multi-omics and pharmacological validation indicated that histamine activated the PLC/IP₃/Ca²⁺/CaM/MLCK cascade, promoting MLC phosphorylation, tight-junction disassembly and epithelial leakiness. MLCK inhibition partially restored ZO-1/ZO-2 expression and attenuated PR-induced epithelial injury. These findings identify the histamine-MLCK-tight junction axis as a key mechanism of PR-induced intestinal toxicity and support hazard identification of saponin-rich PR exposure.

Animals↗

PubMed2026

Systematic Review on the Effectiveness of Photobiomodulation Therapy on Enhancing Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation Outcomes after Total Knee and Hip Arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: Total knee and hip arthroplasty (TKA/THA) effectively alleviate chronic pain and improve joint function and quality of life. However, postoperative recovery is often hindered by pain, edema, restricted range of motion (ROM), and muscle weakness, necessitating structured physical rehabilitation. Photobiomodulation Therapy (PBMT) has been proposed as an adjunct modality to enhance rehabilitation outcomes. This systematic review evaluates the efficacy of PBMT in reducing postoperative pain and edema as well as improving ROM and functional performance compared with placebo or standard physical therapy in post-arthroplasty patients. METHODS: A systematic search of PubMed, ProQuest, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar was conducted from inception to May 31, 2025. Only prospective controlled trials assessing PBMT effects on postoperative pain, swelling, ROM, or functional performance following TKA or THA were included. Case reports, uncontrolled studies, and trials focusing on unrelated outcomes were excluded. Article selection involved title, abstract, and full-text screening, with additional studies identified through reference lists. The review is registered in PROSPERO (CRD420251123169). RESULTS: Four randomized controlled trials (RCTs; n = 133 participants) met the inclusion criteria, three studies focused on TKA, and one study examined THA. PBMT significantly improved postoperative pain and edema reduction in three trials, while two studies demonstrated enhanced ROM and functional outcomes compared with control or placebo interventions. PEDro scores ranged from 8 to 10, indicating moderate-to-high methodological quality. CONCLUSIONS: PBMT shows promising short-term benefits in reducing postoperative pain and swelling and improving functional performance after knee or hip arthroplasty. However, due to heterogeneity in treatment parameters and limited high-quality trials, conclusive evidence remains insufficient. Future large-scale RCTs with standardized PBMT parameters and extended follow-up are warranted to confirm its clinical efficacy.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Effect of photobiomodulation on pain relief and functional improvement in fractures: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Fractures, the most common type of trauma, can cause considerable distress to patients. Pain can not only affect the comfort of fracture patients but also delay their participation in rehabilitation training. Photobiomodulation (PBM) has been associated with pain reduction and the promotion of tissue healing. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the efficacy of PBM in reducing pain and promoting rehabilitation in patients with fractures. METHODS: This study was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42024591373). We systematically searched PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library and Web of Science for RCTs that investigated PBM in fractures as of August 2025. The primary outcome was the pain score. The secondary outcomes included functional and healing. RESULT: Finally, 12 and 9 studies were ultimately included in the systematic review and meta-analysis, respectively. The pooled analysis showed that the one-week pain score was lower in the PBM group than in the placebo group (MD -0.74, 95% CI -1.00, -0.47, p < 0.0001, I2 = 0%). Subgroup analysis showed that the difference between the two groups was statistically significant regardless of fracture site or acupoint irradiation. Changes in pain scores were statistically significant in both groups at different wavelength combinations. The improvement in grip strength at 4 weeks was significantly greater in PBM than in placebo (MD 5.03, 95% CI 4.29, 5.78; p < 0.0001; I2 = 0%). There were no significant differences in pain and functional scores at 4-26 weeks. Bone healing did not show differences between the two groups. No side effects reported. CONCLUSION: PBM appears to relieve short-term pain in fractures and improve grip strength in patients with upper limb fractures, but does not show significant long-term benefits. Evidence for mandibular functional recovery and bone healing remains inconsistent. Future studies should determine therapeutic parameters and their impact on bone healing and long-term functional outcomes across fracture types.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Effects of rumen fluid transplantation on longissimus dorsi muscle development in Xizang sheep: An association analysis based on transcriptomic and serum metabolomic profiles.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of rumen fluid transplantation (RFT) on the growth and development of the longissimus dorsi muscle in female Xizang sheep. After RFT, muscle lightness differed significantly between the two groups, with the LDC group showing significantly higher lightness than the LDT group. In contrast, no significant differences were observed between groups in other muscle phenotypic traits, including drip loss, pH, cooking loss, shear force, redness, and yellowness. Antioxidant-related indices (SOD, GSH-PX, MDA, CAT, and T-AOC) also showed no significant differences between groups. Histological analysis revealed that muscle fiber length, width, and density were significantly greater in the experimental group than in the control group. Transcriptomic analysis identified 515 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), of which 419 were downregulated. KEGG analysis indicated that genes involved in muscle development-related pathways, such as cell adhesion and the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, were predominantly downregulated. Key serum metabolites (L-kynurenine, IPA, allantoin, and propionylcarnitine) showed highly significant positive correlations with muscle fiber growth indices. In contrast, metabolites such as l-carnitine, acetylcarnitine, and citrulline were negatively correlated with muscle fiber growth, but positively correlated with the expression of muscle structure-related genes (COL11A1 and EFNA5) and with meat lightness. Overall, this study provides new insights into the potential molecular basis by which RFT influences muscle growth and development. However, the mechanisms by which RFT affects muscle development and meat quality-related traits remain unclear and warrant further investigation.

Animals↗

PubMed2026

Formation of environmental persistent free radicals in soil of ammunition demolition site: Roles of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene and heavy metals.

Environmental Persistent Free Radicals (EPFRs) are a particular type of contaminant present in soil. This study investigated the formation process, environmental behavior, and main influencing variables of EPFRs in soils contaminated with heavy metals and 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) from an ammunition demolition site. The results showed that the concentration of total organic carbon (TOC) in the soil was negatively correlated with EPFRs (r = -0.29). In contrast, the content of TNT and copper was significantly positively correlated with EPFRs (r = 0.90 and 0.78, respectively), indicating that TNT acts as a precursor macromolecule in the formation of EPFRs in this type of contaminated soil. Transition metal Cu may be an essential carrier in EPFR production. In order to explore the possible formation mechanism of EPFRs, a simulation experiment was carried out under different temperature and light conditions. The results showed that the photolysis process of TNT was impacted by external energy sources such as heat and light. TNT was firstly adsorbed onto the surface of a transition metal (Cu), and then EPFRs were formed through further electron transfer. This is the first study to detect significant levels of EPFRs in the soil at ammunition demolition sites.

Trinitrotoluene↗

PubMed2026

Impact of Physical Environment of Pediatric Inpatient Wards on Children: A Systematic Literature Review.

ObjectiveThe study aimed to examine empirical studies published between 2003 and 2025 to identify elements of physical environments influencing health outcomes and experiences of children and families.BackgroundIn the past 40 years, research has shown that the physical environment influences the health and well-being of patients in the healthcare environment. However, similar research in the context of "pediatric inpatient wards" remains underexplored.MethodsPubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science were used to identify relevant articles. All extracted articles underwent a three-step screening process using PRISMA. A total of 30 eligible articles were used for the analysis. The protocol is registered at PROSPERO (CRD42023408997).ResultsKey findings reveal positive and negative impacts of identified elements. Positive-effect elements include play spaces, space for parents, natural light, connections with nature, and so on, which promote comfort, healing, and emotional resilience. Conversely, negative-effect elements, such as noise, artificial lighting, uncomfortable temperature, and so on, contribute to stress and disrupted sleep. Mixed effects were observed for elements like art and television, which underscore the complexity of designing environments that address the diverse needs of different age groups and genders.ConclusionsThe review findings highlight significant knowledge gaps. The study also tries to bridge existing gaps between research and practice by systematically identifying environmental elements, offering actionable insights to architects, designers, healthcare providers, and policymakers. Future research must adopt rigorous, culturally inclusive approaches to advance the field of pediatric healthcare design and ensure equitable care across diverse sociocultural contexts.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Engineering copper ferrite (CuFe2O4) nanocomposites for enhanced eco-friendly photocatalysis: a systematic critical review on mechanisms, performance, and environmental applications.

Water pollution caused by organic and inorganic contaminants, particularly dyes and pharmaceuticals, represents a major environmental challenge. Advanced oxidation processes based on photocatalysts have emerged as efficient and sustainable approaches for water and wastewater treatment. Copper ferrite (CuFe2O4) is considered a promising photocatalyst owing to its narrow bandgap, visible-light activity, chemical stability, and magnetic properties. Despite extensive experimental investigations, a comprehensive systematic comparison of CuFe2O4-based photocatalysts under diverse operational conditions has remained limited. In this study, a systematic review following PRISMA guidelines was conducted using studies published between January 2014 and November 2025 indexed in Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, and ScienceDirect. From an initial pool of 397 studies, 98 articles met the inclusion criteria. Key parameters - including pollutant type, pH, catalyst dosage, initial pollutant concentration, irradiation time, light source, and degradation efficiency - were quantitatively compared to identify performance trends and operational optima. The results demonstrate that CuFe2O4-based nanocomposites, particularly heterojunction, Z-scheme, and S-scheme architectures combined with TiO2, g-C3N4, graphene, and metal oxides, achieve high degradation efficiencies (often >90 %) for a wide range of organic pollutants and selected inorganic contaminants (e.g., Cr(VI)). Enhanced charge separation and suppressed electron-hole recombination were identified as the primary factors contributing to improved photocatalytic activity. In addition, the intrinsic magnetic properties of these nanocomposites enable facile catalyst recovery and reuse. In conclusion, CuFe2O4-based nanocomposites, especially those incorporating advanced heterojunction architectures, emerge as highly efficient and magnetically recoverable photocatalytic platforms for sustainable water and wastewater treatment, with strong potential for scalable implementation and real-wastewater applications.

Catalysis↗

PubMed2026

In situ product monitoring in heterogeneous reaction of gaseous trimethylamine on Fe2O3/Fe(NO3)3: Effect of environmental factor and particle property.

Gas-particle reactions represent an important atmospheric heterogeneous transformation process for organic amines (OAs). Environmental factors and particle properties may impact the gas-particle reaction products. Although the products from gas-particle reactions can be monitored by various in situ techniques, related data remain scarce. Here, the interfacial and gaseous products from the reaction of trimethylamine on Fe2O3/Fe(NO3)3 particles under light irradiation with mixed NO2, O2, SO2 and H2O were monitored using in-situ diffuse reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and proton transfer reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Dark reaction of gaseous trimethylamine on Fe2O3/Fe(NO3)3 generated two interfacial products types: N-containing ones (CH3NCH2, CH3NO2, (CH3)2NCHO, and CH3N(OH)CHO) and N-free ones (alcohols, aldehydes and acids), both accumulating with reaction progression. Light irradiation and O2 oxidation enhanced formation of these products, while NO2 promoted the production of CH3NO2 and (CH3)2NCHO. H2O and SO2 occupied the active sites of particles to inhibit the formation of all products. Compared to Fe(NO3)3, Fe2O3 showed absolute dominance in contribution to the formation of products. Considering the smaller particle size of Fe2O3 and excess Fe(NO3)3, the physical mixing of them reduced the generation of interfacial products. Furthermore, gaseous products of CH3OH, HCHO, CH3CHO, HCOOH and CH3COOH detection clarified the N-free interfacial products. The presence of Fe(NO3)3 inhibited the formation of HCOOH and favored the formation of CH3CHO in the gas phase. By combining product information with thermodynamic calculations, the heterogeneous reaction pathways of trimethylamine were tentatively proposed. These findings provide a guiding significance for the migration of OAs in real atmospheric environment.

Methylamines↗

PubMed2026

Linked-color imaging with computer-aided detection and the proximal adenoma miss rate: a randomized tandem trial.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Linked-color imaging (LCI) aids the detection and characterization of lesions. Computer-aided detection (CADe) systems have been introduced to improve lesion detection during colonoscopy. Although several studies have been reported regarding LCI, few have investigated the combination of LCI and CADe. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of LCI with CADe colonoscopy compared to conventional white-light colonoscopy. METHODS: A single-center, randomized tandem trial was conducted. Participants referred for first-time colonoscopy after fecal immunochemical test (FIT)-positive, asymptomatic screening, or surveillance colonoscopy were randomized (1:1) to undergo CADe-assisted colonoscopy of LCI or white-light imaging (WLI) in the right side of the colon. The primary outcome was adenoma miss rate (AMR) in the right side of the colon. Secondary outcomes included polyp miss rate (PMR), diminutive adenoma miss rate (dAMR), sessile serrated lesion miss rate (SSLMR), advanced adenoma miss rate, advanced neoplasia miss rate, flat-type lesion miss rate (FMR), and the differences in miss rates based on expertise. RESULTS: Among 232 randomized participants, 209 were analyzed (LCI/CADe: 102; WLI: 107). AMR (WLI: 39% vs LCI/CADe: 20%; P = .001), PMR (42% vs 18%; P < .001), and dAMR (42% vs 21%; P = .003) were significantly lower in the LCI/CADe arm, particularly among experts. SSLMR (46% vs 0%), advanced AMR (30% vs 0%), advanced neoplasia miss rate (25% vs 0%), and FMR (27% vs 5.6%) were lower in LCI/CADe, although without statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: Compared to conventional colonoscopy, LCI with CADe colonoscopy resulted in a statistically significant decrease, especially in AMR. (UMIN 000050685).

Humans↗

PubMed2026

A reanalysis of the Hitachi cohort study evaluating the effectiveness of low-dose CT screening for lung cancer.

The effectiveness of low-dose thoracic computed tomography (CT) screening for lung cancer for non-smokers or light smokers has been unclear. The results of the Hitachi cohort study performed by the conventional multivariable analysis suggested the reduction of lung cancer mortality by thoracic CT screening, but also revealed the lower all-cause mortality in the CT group, which indicated the existence of self-selection bias. Because the background of the subjects in the CT screening group and that in the X-ray screening group were very different, it is critical to adjust appropriately the confounding factors. In this brief report, we describe a re-evaluation of the results of the Hitachi Cohort Study performed by using more flexible methods, propensity score matching and inverse probability weighting.

epidemiology/public health↗

PubMed2026

Enhancement flavor quality in Zhao'an Baxian oolong tea through enhanced turning-over process.

A systematical investigation on the effects of turning-over intensity on the flavor formation of Zhao'an Baxian oolong tea (ZBT) was performed, through a comparative analysis of heavy turning-over (HT) and light turning-over (LT) treatments in this study. The tea samples were subjected to proteomic and metabolomic analyses, combined with quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA) and electronic sensory (E-tongue/E-nose) evaluation. The results demonstrate that HT significantly reduced the content of bitter and astringent compounds, such as catechins and flavonol glycosides, while promoting the accumulation of umami-related amino acids. Concurrently, HT enhanced the biosynthesis of key floral and fruity volatiles, such as β-ocimene, geraniol, benzaldehyde, jasmone by activating stress-responsive metabolic pathways. These coordinated biochemical changes, driven by enzyme-catalyzed reactions in response to prolonged mechanical wounding and environmental stress, collectively improved the overall sensory profile of ZBT. These findings provide a mechanistic foundation for improving ZBT production, with clear implications for quality control and flavor-oriented product development.

Tea↗

PubMed2026

Morphology-Encoded Colorimetric Hydrogen Sensing Using Embedded Reactive Pd Absorbers in Fabry-Perot Cavities.

Chemical reactions offer a powerful strategy for generating visible optical responses through localized changes in absorption, dielectric environment, and interfacial wetting. A palladium (Pd)-embedded Fabry-Perot cavity is introduced as a reaction-active optical platform in which structural color is governed by intracavity absorption coupled with reaction-induced dielectric perturbation. Positioning Pd within the dielectric spacer creates a spatially controllable reactive absorber whose vertical location relative to the standing-wave field dictates wavelength-selective absorption within the cavity. The morphology of the embedded Pd layer provides an additional design parameter by modulating both optical loss and interfacial wetting. Under hydrogen exposure in the presence of oxygen, catalytic water formation at the Pd/polymer interface generates localized dielectric heterogeneity and interfacial water droplets, thereby perturbing the optical path length and amplifying the visible response. As a result, the cavity exhibits pronounced, morphology-dependent color transitions that are inaccessible through dielectric-layer engineering or Pd/PdH refractive-index changes alone, enabling direct visual hydrogen sensing under ambient light, as well as flexible optical devices capable of large-area patterning. These findings establish a design framework for reaction-active optical cavities that translate localized chemistry into a colorimetric hydrogen sensing mechanism.

Fabry–Perot resonator↗

PubMed2026

Biological characterization of Candida parapsilosis haploids induced by voriconazole.

OBJECTIVES: Candida parapsilosis is an important opportunistic fungal pathogen causing serious human infections in nosocomial settings. It has long been thought that C. parapsilosis has a diploid genome with a high homozygosity between chromosome homologs. METHODS: In this study, we report the discovery of C. parapsilosis haploids induced by voriconazole, a triazole with broad antifungal activity against fungal pathogens, in an experimental evolutionary assay. RESULTS: The haploid strains were able to undergo auto-diploidization under in vitro culture conditions or during systemic infection at a low frequency. Compared to the progenitor diploid strain, C. parapsilosis haploid and auto-diploid strains exhibited a reduced ability of invasive growth and biofilm formation. Global transcriptional expression analysis indicated that haploid and auto-diploid strains had a similar transcriptomic profile, which showed a remarkable difference from the progenitor diploid strain perhaps due to the loss of chromosome heterozygosity. Moreover, the haploid and diploid strains had distinct fungal burdens in different animal tissues, suggesting the haploid state could have a colonization advantage over the diploids in certain tissues such as the brain and spleen. CONCLUSIONS: The discovery of C. parapsilosis haploids not only sheds lights on the biology of this important fungal pathogen, but also provides a tool for genetic modifications for the field.

Voriconazole↗

PubMed2026

Innovations in microbial physical mutagenesis for food fermentation: An overview from traditional to emerging technologies.

Microbial strains serve as an important factor affecting fermentation efficiency and product quality. To obtain superior strains, mutation breeding is a classic strategy. Compared to chemical mutagenesis, physical mutagenesis directly induces genomic changes, providing notable advantages such as the elimination of chemical residues and environmental sustainability, hence rendering it a favored method for enhancing food-grade microorganisms. Conventional physical mutagenesis mostly depends on UV, rays, high pressure, or space radiation. As physical technologies advance, emerging methods such as ion implantation, plasma, microwave, ultrasound, and pulsed light are widely utilized for genetic modification. Mutagenesis technologies are progressively transitioning from single-effect to multi-effect synergy. Recent evaluations indicate that emerging technologies can enhance microbial mutation efficiency at the application level relative to established technologies. Nonetheless, the systematic clarification and comparative analysis at the mechanistic level remain inadequate, hindering intuitive comprehension of the qualities and distinctions across techniques. Furthermore, physical mutagenesis encounters several significant obstacles, such as cellular damage, limited rates of advantageous mutations, and laborious screening processes. This review carefully elucidates the mechanisms and properties of physical mutagenesis technology and delineates the distinctions among approaches through comparative analysis. Simultaneously, solutions for optimizing mutagenesis are presented to tackle the principal challenges mentioned above. This review aims to offer a theoretical foundation and practical guidance for the enhanced application of physical mutagenesis technologies in microbial breeding.

Mutagenesis↗

PubMed2026

Longitudinal Relations among Perceived Economic Stress, Teacher-Student Relationships, and Cybervictimization: Exploring Within-Person Links.

Family economic hardship has been identified as a risk factor for adolescents' cybervictimization. Nevertheless, existing studies have primarily focused on objective economic conditions, and little is known about the within-person association between perceived economic stress and adolescents' cybervictimization and the mediating mechanisms underlying this association. To fill these gaps, the random intercept cross-lagged model was employed to examine the dynamic relations among perceived economic stress, teacher-student relationships, and cybervictimization. The data were obtained from a sample of 2407 Chinese adolescents (Mage = 12.75, SD = 0.58, 50.23% girls at baseline) recruited from seven schools and assessed at three time points over one year. At the between-person level, there were no significant associations among perceived economic stress, teacher-student relationships, and cybervictimization. At the within-person level, perceived economic stress positively predicted later cybervictimization over time, and this effect was unidirectional. The bidirectional relations between perceived economic stress and teacher-student relationships remained stable over time. Cybervictimization significantly and negatively predicted subsequent teacher-student relationships across time, indicating a unidirectional predictive effect. Additionally, perceived economic stress indirectly predicted cybervictimization through teacher-student relationships. The findings highlight the importance of distinguishing within-person from between-person processes and shed light on the longitudinal role of teacher-student relationships in the association between perceived economic stress and cybervictimization.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Single-cell RNA sequencing provides further insights into the immunostimulatory action of freeze-dried Lactiplantibacillus plantarum on Penaeus vannamei shrimp.

Immunostimulation through dietary interventions opened new avenues in developing disease control and prevention tools for shrimp aquaculture. We have previously shown that feeding with freeze-dried Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (LAB) increased disease resistance of Penaeus vannamei against both Vibrio parahaemolyticus and white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) based on bulk RNA sequencing of shrimp gills. This tissue participates in ion transport and serves as a first line of defense against environmental stressors and pathogenic infections. However, characterization of their cell composition and functions remains limited. Here, we implemented a single-cell RNA sequencing approach to further gather insights into how feeding with freeze-dried LAB modulates host immunity which may not be evident with bulk RNA sequencing approach. A total of five clusters with unique transcriptional signatures were identified, corresponding to pillar cells, septal cells, and sessile hemocytes. Pseudo-bulk analyses at global- and cluster-levels showed differential expression of genes related to host immunity and metabolism. We further revealed how overall transcriptomic changes are not exclusively caused by gene expression changes but may also be driven by cell population dynamics. This study highlighted how single-cell RNA sequencing approach may shed light on the mechanisms of action of immunostimulants which may be masked in bulk transcriptome analyses.

Animals↗

PubMed2026

Elucidating the evolution of meat quality, water distribution, microstructure, and protein structure during sous-vide and micro-pressure cooking.

This study investigated the evolution of eating quality (colour, texture and volatile flavour compounds), water status, microstructure and protein structure of pork meat under different cooking methods. The methods analysed included traditional cooking (TC: 10, 20, 30 and 40 min, 100 °C), sous-vide cooking (SV: 1, 2, 3 and 4 h, 60 °C) and micro-pressure cooking (MC: 10, 20, 30 and 40 min, 120 °C). Across the three cooking processes, as cooking time increased, cooking loss, lightness, yellowness, P23, β-sheet, random coil and surface hydrophobicity of the meat samples increased. By contrast, redness, P22, hydrogen proton density, esters content, α-helix, β-turn and sulfhydryl group content decreased. Moreover, the Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF), adhesiveness, hardness, springiness, gumminess, chewiness, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones and fluorescence intensity of the meat samples, initially increased and then decreased as cooking progressed. SV resulted in higher water-holding capacity (WHC), improved redness and increased alcohol and ester levels, whereas MC produced softer meat and greater water mobility. Furthermore, MC enhanced the degree of microstructural damage and protein structural unfolding in the meat. MC requires less time to achieve textures and flavours similar to those obtained using the TC and SV methods. Thus, MC is an efficient cooking method for the catering industry to obtain desired meat quality rapidly.

Cooking↗

PubMed2026

Avian egg incubation period: Revisiting existing allometric relationships via surface area-to-volume ratio of an egg.

The incubation period (I) for bird eggs varies among species and is used in establishing allometric relationships. Research on variations in I shed light on the evolutionary mechanisms that gave rise to the differentiation of embryonic development in distinct taxa of birds. Here, using a sampling of 444 images from 444 avian species, 89 families and 30 orders, we calculated their major geometric dimensions: volume (V) and surface area (S). An assessment of the relationship between I and the measured and calculated egg parameters demonstrated the closest and most significant correlation (R = -0.760) between I and the S/V ratio that was adopted as a conditional indicator and reflects the embryo's metabolic rate. Approximation of the values of these parameters made it possible to derive a power-law dependence for the prediction of I depending on the S/V value of a particular egg (R2 = 0.757). The prediction accuracy was higher (R2 = 0.783) if the eggs of the family Procellariiformes (petrels), whose I value is characterized by a longer time, were removed from the general sampling computation. We conclude that the value of the S/V ratio can characterize both the metabolism of an embryo and the conditional thermal conductivity of an egg, which aids in ensuring the temperature regime of egg incubation.

Animals↗