Optimisation and studies on lentil and pumpkin incorporated barley extrudates

Barley based extruded snacks containing pumpkin and lentil were produced using a twin screw extruder. Response surface methodology was used to optimize and evaluate the effect of three independent variables viz. feed composition (50-90% barley flour; 2.5-42.5% lentil flour and 7.5% pumpkin flour), moisture content (13%-21%) and barrel temperature (115-155 °C) on lateral expansion, bulk density, water absorption index, water solubility index, specific mechanical energy and breaking strength of extrudates. Low barrel temperature and low moisture content were found to enhance the lateral expansion (37-70.8), whereas low barley content significantly reduced lateral expansion of the extrudates. A significant increase in water absorption index was (5.34-6.23 g/g) observed at high moisture content. The negative regression coefficients of feed composition, barrel temperature and moisture content revealed that these parameters reduced water solubility index of the extrudates. Higher moisture content depicted positive effect on breaking strength (178.71-325.77 N), whereas increased barley content significantly reduced breaking strength. Lower values of bulk density were observed at lower values of moisture content. Low moisture content significantly reduced bulk density. The specific mechanical energy of barley based extrudates ranged from 221.07 to 327.45 W hr/kg, a significant decrease in specific mechanical energy was observed at low moisture content. Feed composition, high moisture content and high barrel temperature enhanced the luminosity, redness and yellowness of extrudates. The extruded samples were evaluated organoleptically for appearance, texture, flavour and overall acceptability by a semi-trained panel of 10 judges using a 5 point scale

Quantum Field Theory in de Sitter spacetime

In this paper we will analyse quantum field theory on de Sitter spacetime. We will analyse a general scalar and vector field theory on de Sitter spacetime. This is done by first calculating these propagators on four-Sphere and then analytically continuing it to de Sitter spacetime

Funktionelle Charakterisierung von natürlich vorkommenden Mutanten des humanen Guanin-reichen RNA-Sequenz-Bindungsfaktors 1 (GRSF1) und Mechanistische Studien in die molekulare Basis der GRSF1-RNA-Wechselwirkung

GRSF1 is a ubiquitously occurring RNA-binding protein (RBP) that contains three quasi-RNA recognition motifs (qRRMs). These domains bind G-rich RNA sequences and the minimal RNA targeting sequence has been narrowed down to an A(G)4A sequence. Before this project the molecular mechanisms of GRSF1-RNA interaction and the functional consequences of naturally occurring mutations in human GRSF1 were not known. Here we expressed different human and mouse GRSF1 constructs, purified them to near electrophoretic homogeneity and employed these proteins for RNA-binding studies. GRSF1 frequently occurs in mammals but its distribution in other living organisms has not been studied in detail. Here we performed comprehensive in silico searches for GRSF1-like proteins and found that such sequences do not frequently occur in viral, bacterial, archaeal and fungal proteomes. However, related sequences were found in higher frequency in mosses, higher plants and lower non-mammalian animals. To explore the RNA-binding mechanism of GRSF1 we modified both, the RNA substrates and the RNA-binding protein. First, we analyzed RNA constructs representing GRSF1 substrates by circular dichroism spectroscopy and found that these oligonucleotides fold into parallel G-quadruplex secondary structures. Next, we functionally characterized the different structural domains of GRSF1 and determined their binding constants with a labeled RNA probe representing the 5’-UTR of human GPx4 mRNA. Our results indicate that the N-terminal Ala-rich domain is not essential for RNA-binding. In contrast, the three canonical RNA-binding domains contribute to high affinity RNA- binding. Finally, we functionally characterized naturally occurring genetic variations of human GRSF1. For this purpose we first modeled the 3D structure of the qRRM domains on the basis of the NMR structure of hnRNP F and identified putative RNA interacting amino acids. The models indicated that the qRRM domains adopt the canonical β1α1β2β3α2β4-fold, which is characteristic for RNA-binding proteins. To explore the genetic variability of human GRSF1 we searched different genomic databases and found a total of 294 genetic variations. However, except for the S95P exchange none of them has an allele frequency >1%. Exploring the functional consequences of selected non- synonymous nucleotide exchanges we found that the following mutants exhibited impaired RNA-binding capabilities: Q155R and T162S in qRRM1, T318C and F322S in qRRM2, T468C and F472L in qRRM3. To investigate the molecular basis for this impairment we created a number of additional GRSF1 mutants and observed that chemistry and geometry of critical amino acid site chains impact the RNA- binding behavior of human GRSF1. To exclude that our mutations have altered the global structure of GRSF1 we performed thermal shift assays and found that the naturally occurring mutations did neither impact the global protein structure nor protein stability.GRSF1 ist ein ubiquitär vorkommendes RNA-bindendes Protein (RBP), das drei quasi-RNA-Erkennungsmotive (qRRMs) enthält. Diese Domänen binden G-reiche RNA- Sequenzen und die minimale RNA-Zielsequenz wurde auf das A(G)4A-Sequenzmotiv eingeengt. Vor Beginn dieses Projektes waren die molekularen Mechanismen der GRSF1-RNA-Wechselwirkungen und die funktionellen Konsequenzen von natürlich vorkommenden Mutationen im humanen GRSF1-Gen nicht bekannt. Um diese Themen zu erforschen, haben wir zunächst verschiedene humane und murine GRSF1-Konstrukte als rekombinante Proteine exprimiert und weitgehend aufgereinigt. Diese Proteine wurden anschließend für mechanistische Untersuchungen zur RNA- Bindungsfähigkeit eingesetzt. Um die Evolution von GRSF1 zu erforschen, haben wir öffentlich zugängige Sequenzdatenbanken nach GRSF1-ähnlichen Sequenzen durchsucht. Dabei konnten wir festgestellen, dass solche Proteine in viralen, pro-karyotischen und Pilzproteomen wenig verbreitet sind. Im Gegensatz dazu kommen GRSF1-ähnliche Sequenzen in Moosen, höheren Pflanzen und bei niederen Tieren weiter verbreitet vor. Um den RNA-Bindungsmechanismus von GRSF1 besser zu verstehen, haben wir sowohl die RNA Substrate als auch das Bindungsprotein (GRSF1) zielgerichtet modifiziert. Zuerst wurden dabei Messungen des Zirkulardichroismus an potentiellen GRSF1 Substraten durchgeführt. Aus diesen Daten wurde geschlussfolgert, dass GRSF1 Substrate sich in parallele G-quadruplex Strukturen falten, die als Erkennungsstrukturen dienen. Anschließend wurde die funktionelle Bedeutung der verschiedenen GRSF1 Domänen untersucht. Die Ala-reiche Domäne hat für die RNA Bindung kaum Bedeutung. Demgegenüber tragen alle drei qRRM Domänen zur hochaffinen RNA-Bindung bei. Um die funktionellen Auswirkungen natürlich vorkommender Mutationen im humanen GRSF1 Gen analysiert. Dafür wurden zuerst 3D-Strukturmodelle für die drei RNA- Bindungsdomänen des humanen GRSF1 erstellt. Diese Modellierungen ergaben, dass sich die GRSF1 qRRMs in das klassische β1α1β2β3α2β4-Motiv falten, welches charakteristisch für RNA bindende Proteine ist. Bei unserer Suche nach natürlich vorkommenden Mutationen im humanen GRSF1 Gens identifizierten wir einen SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) und knapp 300 seltenen Mutationen. Von diesen wiesen die folgenden Aminosäureaustausche funktionelle Defizite auf: Q155R, T162S in qRRM1, T318C, F322S in qRRM2 und T468C, F472L in qRRM3. Mechanistische Untersuchungen lassen darauf schließen, dass die Chemie und die Geometrie kritischer Aminosäureseitenketten für die RNA-Bindungsfähigkeit bedeutsam sind. Vergleichende Fluoreszenzmessungen zeigten, dass alle hergestellten GRSF1 Mutanten keine gravierenden strukturellen Unterschiede zum Wildtypenzym aufwiesen

Nutritional and bioactive characteristics of buckwheat, and its potential for developing gluten-free products: An updated overview

In the present era, food scientists are concerned about exploiting functional crops with nutraceutical properties. Buckwheat is one of the functional pseudocereals with nutraceutical components used in the treatment of health-related diseases, malnutrition, and celiac diseases. As a preferred diet as a gluten-free product for celiac diseases, buckwheat is a good source of nutrients, bioactive components, phytochemicals, and antioxidants. The general characteristics and better nutritional profile of buckwheat than other cereal family crops were highlighted by previous investigations. In buckwheats, bioactive components like peptides, flavonoids, phenolic acids, d-fagomine, fagopyritols, and fagopyrins are posing significant health benefits. This study highlights the current knowledge about buckwheat and its characteristics, nutritional constituents, bioactive components, and their potential for developing gluten-free products to target celiac people (1.4% of the world population) and other health-related diseases

Metabolic-GWAS provides insights into genetic architecture of seed metabolome in buckwheat

Abstract Background Buckwheat (Fagopyrum spp.), belonging to the Polygonaceae family, is an ancient pseudo-cereal with high nutritional and nutraceutical properties. Buckwheat proteins are gluten-free and show balanced amino acid and micronutrient profiles, with higher content of health-promoting bioactive flavonoids that make it a golden crop of the future. Plant metabolome is increasingly gaining importance as a crucial component to understand the connection between plant physiology and environment and as a potential link between the genome and phenome. However, the genetic architecture governing the metabolome and thus, the phenome is not well understood. Here, we aim to obtain a deeper insight into the genetic architecture of seed metabolome in buckwheat by integrating high throughput metabolomics and genotyping-by-sequencing applying an array of bioinformatics tools for data analysis. Results High throughput metabolomic analysis identified 24 metabolites in seed endosperm of 130 diverse buckwheat genotypes. The genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) of these genotypes revealed 3,728,028 SNPs. The Genome Association and Prediction Integrated Tool (GAPIT) assisted in the identification of 27 SNPs/QTLs linked to 18 metabolites. Candidate genes were identified near 100 Kb of QTLs, providing insights into several metabolic and biosynthetic pathways. Conclusions We established the metabolome inventory of 130 germplasm lines of buckwheat, identified QTLs through marker trait association and positions of potential candidate genes. This will pave the way for future dissection of complex economic traits in buckwheat

Explicating genetic architecture governing nutritional quality in pigmented rice

Rice is one of the most important staple plant foods that provide a major source of calories and nutrients for tackling the global hunger index especially in developing countries. In terms of nutritional profile, pigmented rice grains are favoured for their nutritional and health benefits. The pigmented rice varieties are rich sources of flavonoids, anthocyanin and proanthocyanidin that can be readily incorporated into diets to help address various lifestyle diseases. However, the cultivation of pigmented rice is limited due to low productivity and unfavourable cooking qualities. With the advances in genome sequencing, molecular breeding, gene expression analysis and multi-omics approaches, various attempts have been made to explore the genetic architecture of rice grain pigmentation. In this review, we have compiled the current state of knowledge of the genetic architecture and nutritional value of pigmentation in rice based upon the available experimental evidence. Future research areas that can help to deepen our understanding and help in harnessing the economic and health benefits of pigmented rice are also explored

Injury burden in individuals aged 50 years or older in the Eastern Mediterranean region, 1990–2019: a systematic analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Background: Injury poses a major threat to health and longevity in adults aged 50 years or older. The increased life expectancy in the Eastern Mediterranean region warrants a further understanding of the ageing population's inevitable changing health demands and challenges. We aimed to examine injury-related morbidity and mortality among adults aged 50 years or older in 22 Eastern Mediterranean countries. Methods: Drawing on data from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019, we categorised the population into adults aged 50–69 years and adults aged 70 years and older. We examined estimates for transport injuries, self-harm injuries, and unintentional injuries for both age groups, with sex differences reported, and analysed the percentage changes from 1990 to 2019. We reported injury-related mortality rates and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs). The Socio-demographic Index (SDI) and the Healthcare Access and Quality (HAQ) Index were used to better understand the association of socioeconomic factors and health-care system performance, respectively, with injuries and health status in older people. Healthy life expectancy (HALE) was compared with injury-related deaths and DALYs and to the SDI and HAQ Index to understand the effect of injuries on healthy ageing. Finally, risk factors for injury deaths between 1990 and 2019 were assessed. 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs) are given for all estimates. Findings: Estimated injury mortality rates in the Eastern Mediterranean region exceeded the global rates in 2019, with higher injury mortality rates in males than in females for both age groups. Transport injuries were the leading cause of deaths in adults aged 50–69 years (43·0 [95% UI 31·0–51·8] per 100 000 population) and in adults aged 70 years or older (66·2 [52·5–75·5] per 100 000 population), closely followed by conflict and terrorism for both age groups (10·2 [9·3–11·3] deaths per 100 000 population for 50–69 years and 45·7 [41·5–50·3] deaths per 100 000 population for ≥70 years). The highest annual percentage change in mortality rates due to injury was observed in Afghanistan among people aged 70 years or older (400·4% increase; mortality rate 1109·7 [1017·7–1214·7] per 100 000 population). The leading cause of DALYs was transport injuries for people aged 50–69 years (1798·8 [1394·1–2116·0] per 100 000 population) and unintentional injuries for those aged 70 years or older (2013·2 [1682·2–2408·7] per 100 000 population). The estimates for HALE at 50 years and at 70 years in the Eastern Mediterranean region were lower than global estimates. Eastern Mediterranean countries with the lowest SDIs and HAQ Index values had high prevalence of injury DALYs and ranked the lowest for HALE at 50 years of age and HALE at 70 years. The leading injury mortality risk factors were occupational exposure in people aged 50–69 years and low bone mineral density in those aged 70 years or older. Interpretation: Injuries still pose a real threat to people aged 50 years or older living in the Eastern Mediterranean region, mainly due to transport and violence-related injuries. Dedicated efforts should be implemented to devise injury prevention strategies that are appropriate for older adults and cost-effective injury programmes tailored to the needs and resources of local health-care systems, and to curtail injury-associated risk and promote healthy ageing. Funding: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation