Gastrophysical and chemical characterization of structural changes in cooked squid mantle

Abstract: Squid (Loligo forbesii and Loligo vulgaris) mantles were cooked by sous vide cooking using different temperatures (46°C, 55°C, 77°C) and times (30 s, 2 min, 15 min, 1 h, 5 h, 24 h), including samples of raw tissue. Macroscopic textural properties were characterized by texture analysis (TA) conducted with Meullenet-Owens razor shear blade and compared to analysis results from differential scanning calorimetry. The collagen content of raw tissues of squid was quantified as amount of total hydroxyproline using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography. Structural changes were monitored by Raman spectroscopy and small-angle X-ray scattering and visualized by second harmonic generation microscopy. Collagen in the squid tissue was found to be highest in arms (4.3% of total protein), then fins (3.0%), and lowest in the mantle (1.5%), the content of the mantle being very low compared to that of other species of squid. Collagen was found to be the major protein responsible for cooking loss, whereas both collagen and actin were found to be key to mechanical textural changes. A significant decreased amount of cooking loss was obtained using a lower cooking temperature of 55°C compared to 77°C, without yielding significant textural changes in most TA parameters, except for TA hardness which was significantly less reduced. An optimized sous vide cooking time and temperature around 55–77°C and 0.5–5 h deserves further investigation, preferably coupled to sensory consumer evaluation. Practical Application: The study provides knowledge about structural changes during sous vide cooking of squid mantle. The results may be translated into gastronomic use, promoting the use of an underutilized resource of delicious and nutritious protein (Loligo vulgaris and Loligo forbesii)

Effects of an Oral Contraceptive on Dynamic Brain States and Network Modularity in a Serial Single-Subject Study

Hormonal contraceptive drugs are used by adolescent and adult women worldwide. Increasing evidence from human neuroimaging research indicates that oral contraceptives can alter regional functional brain connectivity and brain chemistry. However, questions remain regarding static whole-brain and dynamic network-wise functional connectivity changes. A healthy woman (23 years old) was scanned every day over 30 consecutive days during a naturally occurring menstrual cycle and again a year later while using a combined hormonal contraceptive. Here we calculated graph theory-derived, whole-brain, network-level measures (modularity and system segregation) and global brain connectivity (characteristic path length) as well as dynamic functional brain connectivity using Leading Eigenvector Dynamic Analysis and diametrical clustering. These metrics were calculated for each scan session during the serial sampling periods to compare metrics between the subject’s natural and contraceptive cycles. Modularity, system segregation, and characteristic path length were statistically significantly higher across the natural compared to contraceptive cycle scans. We also observed a shift in the prevalence of two discrete brain states when using the contraceptive. Our results suggest a more network-structured brain connectivity architecture during the natural cycle, whereas oral contraceptive use is associated with a generally increased connectivity structure evidenced by lower characteristic path length. The results of this repeated, single-subject analysis allude to the possible effects of oral contraceptives on brain-wide connectivity, which should be evaluated in a cohort to resolve the extent to which these effects generalize across the population and the possible impact of a year-long period between conditions

High Intensity Aerobic exercise training and Immune cell Mobilization in patients with lung cancer (HI AIM):a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND: The increasing role of exercise training in cancer care is built on evidence that exercise can reduce side effects of treatment, improve physical functioning and quality of life. We and others have shown in mouse tumor models, that exercise leads to an adrenalin-mediated increased influx of T and NK cells into the tumor, altering the tumor microenvironment (TME) and leading to reduced tumor growth. These data suggest that exercise could improve immune responses against cancer cells by increase immune cell infiltration to the tumor and potentially having an impact on disease progression. Additionally, there are data to suggest that infiltration of T and NK cells into the TME is correlates with response to immune checkpoint inhibitors in patients. We have therefore initiated the clinical trial HI AIM, to investigate if high intensity exercise can mobilize and increase infiltration of immune cells in the TME in patients with lung cancer. METHODS: HI AIM (NCT04263467) is a randomized controlled trial (70 patients, 1:1) for patients with non-small cell lung cancer. Patients in the treatment arm, receive an exercise-intervention consisting of supervised and group-based exercise training, comprising primarily intermediate to high intensity interval training three times per week over 6 weeks. All patients will also receive standard oncological treatments; checkpoint inhibitors, checkpoint inhibitors combined with chemotherapy or oncological surveillance. Blood samples and biopsies (ultrasound guided), harvested before, during and after the 6-week training program, will form basis for immunological measurements of an array of immune cells and markers. Primary outcome is circulating NK cells. Secondary outcome is other circulating immune cells, infiltration of immune cells in tumor, inflammatory markers, aerobic capacity measured by VO(2) max test, physical activity levels and quality of life measured by questionnaires, and clinical outcomes. DISCUSSION: To our knowledge, HI AIM is the first project to combine supervised and monitored exercise in patients with lung cancer, with rigorous analyses of immune and cancer cell markers over the course of the trial. Data from the trial can potentially support exercise as a tool to mobilize cells of the immune system, which in turn could potentiate the effect of immunotherapy. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study was prospectively registered at ClinicalTrials.gov on February 10(th) 2020, ID: NCT04263467. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT0426346