protein folding

Rheological modulation of egg white protein-based capillary suspensions via synergistic capillary bridging and chitosan-mediated hydrogen bonding.

Capillary suspensions are ternary solid-liquid-liquid systems formed by introducing a secondary fluid into a suspension of solid particles in a bulk liquid. While previous studies have established the concept of polymer-enhanced capillary suspensions, systematic quantitative correlations between polymer concentration and rheological performance remain lacking, and the potential of cationic biopolymers in edible systems has received limited attention. This study investigates capillary suspensions comprising corn oil (bulk phase), water (secondary phase), and egg white protein (EWP) microgel (particle phase), with chitosan (CS) introduced into the aqueous phase to modulate rheological properties. The results show that the capillary-force-driven particle network can be tuned by adjusting EWP content and water fraction, with optimal solid-like behavior achieved at water saturation > 0.15 and EWP content >30 wt%. At ΦP = 30%, increasing water content from S = 0.05 to 0.19 led to a three-orders-of-magnitude increase in viscosity with shear-thinning behavior. Notably, at a CS concentration of 0.15 wt% in the aqueous secondary phase, the yield stress increased 6.69-fold, and the oil constraint capacity and network stability were also enhanced. Confocal laser scanning microscopy reveals a denser EWP particle network, while Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy confirms more extensive hydrogen bonding upon CS addition, consistent with the enhanced viscoelasticity. This enhancement is attributed to synergistic effects between capillary bridging and CS-mediated hydrogen bonding. Overall, this work establishes a quantitative correlation between CS concentration and rheological reinforcement, and demonstrates the feasibility of employing a cationic biopolymer to tailor edible capillary suspension networks for food applications.

Exploiting ER proteostasis in malaria: protein disulphide isomerases as selective antimalarial targets.

PfPDI inhibitors are most likely to succeed as components of resistance-robust combination therapies, and progress will depend on structure-guided targeting of divergent non-catalytic surfaces, optimization of intracellular and ER exposure, and rigorous in-parasite target-engagement studies.

Iron Deficiency and Iron‐Deficiency Anemia Among Reproductive‐Age Women in the United States: Prevalence and Disparities, 2015–2023

Introduction Iron deficiency (ID) and iron‐deficiency anemia (IDA) remain highly prevalent among U.S. reproductive‐age women, with substantial racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities. This study examined the contemporary burden of ID and IDA among U.S. reproductive‐age women using inflammation‐adjusted diagnostic criteria and an explicit health equity framework. Methods Cross‐sectional analysis of 3322 women aged 18–49 years from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2015–2023). ID and IDA were defined using World Health Organization 2020 inflammation‐adjusted ferritin thresholds incorporating C‐reactive protein. Multivariable logistic regression examined associations between sociodemographic factors and iron status outcomes. Results Among nonpregnant women (n = 3156), 27.4% had ID and 8% had IDA. Among pregnant women (n = 166), 75.5% had ID and 8.3% had IDA. Non‐Hispanic Black women had 2.8‐fold higher odds of IDA (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.8, 95% CI 1.6, 4.9). Obesity was independently associated with ID (aOR 2.4, 95% CI 1.86, 3.24) in nonpregnant women and pregnant women (aOR 4.5, 95% CI 1.08, 18.76). Racial and ethnic disparities persisted after adjustment for education, income, and food security. Conclusions ID and IDA remain highly prevalent among U.S. reproductive‐age women, with substantial and persistent racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities. As a preventable and treatable condition with significant impacts on quality of life and pregnancy outcomes, it warrants greater clinical and public health attention, particularly among non‐Hispanic Black women, Hispanic women, women with obesity, and those experiencing socioeconomic disadvantages.

Duckweed Fortified Cookies: Nutritional Profile, Functional Properties and Consumer Assessment

This study provides a sustainable approach for enhancing the nutritional and phytochemical properties of cookies with duckweed fortification. Duckweed flour (7%, 10 % and 13 %) was incorporated into wheat flour to make cookies and compared with controls (100% wheat flour) for proximate composition, techno-functional properties, amino acid and phenolic profile (HPLC), antioxidant capacity (TEAC Assay), polyphenol estimation (Folin-Ciocalteau method), fatty acid profile (GCMS) and sensory attributes. Duckweed fortification significantly (p<0.05) improved the nutritional composition, increasing protein content by approximately 51% (6.3% to 9.5%), alongside significant increase in ash and essential aminoacids. HPLC analysis demonstrated enhanced accumulation of individual polyphenols, resulting in a 3.8-fold increase in total phenolic content (0.014- 0.053 mg g-1). Linolenic acid content increased by 108% (1.2%-2.5%), while water and oil absorption increased by 59.6% (10.4%-16.6%) and 35.0% (10.0%-13.5%), respectively. Although duckweed fortification reduced consumer acceptability due to changes in colour and flavour, it substantially enhanced the nutritional, functional and phytochemical properties of the cookies. These findings demonstrate the potential of duckweed as a sustainable, nutrient rich ingredient for the development of functional bakery products.

PtWOX2 and PtWOX14 accelerate somatic embryogenesis initiation in Pinus massoniana via synergistic hormonal and transcriptional reconfiguration

This study demonstrates that PtWOX2 and PtWOX14 significantly accelerate the initiation of somatic embryos in Pinus massoniana, offering a comprehensive molecular framework to address conifer recalcitrance via PtWOX -mediated synergistic hormonal and transcriptional reprogramming.

Four IgG Antibodies and Protein G Are Shapeshifters

Computed collisional cross-sections from compacted “o-shape” and extended “l-shape” protein G three-dimensional (3D) structures match experimental data, indicating equilibrium, and suggest a dynamic “o2l” flip process.

N-Acetylcysteine as a Bacterial Antibiofilm Adjuvant: Mechanisms, Synergistic Combinations and Clinical Translation

The results of clinical studies from the last decade are reviewed, demonstrating the potential of NAC as an adjuvant in urinary tract infections, chronic rhinosinusitis, diabetic osteomyelitis, and cystic fibrosis.

Association of Endothelial Dysfunction and Microalbuminuria with Fibrosis Severity in Patients with MASLD

Microalbuminuria was strongly associated with greater hepatic steatosis, higher liver stiffness, increased fibrosis burden, endothelial dysfunction, and systemic inflammation in patients with MASLD and support further prospective investigation of microalbuminuria and endothelial biomarkers as noninvasive tools for fibrosis risk stratification in MASLD.

Chrysin treatment is associated with altered microrna expression and reduced levels of HPV16 E6 protein in caski cervical cancer cells

Determinants of missense pathogenicity in Usherin: Evaluating sequence and predicted-structure features

UshEffect-3D serves as an interpretable protein-specific framework and a supplementary ranked resource that can be used to flag unresolved variants for further clinical and experimental review.

In the same cell, the proteome defines cellular state and the transcriptome marks transitions

A scalable technology is introduced that quantifies thousands of proteins and transcripts in the same cell, separating RNA from protein by tip-based C18 capture and pairing full-length RNA sequencing with latest-generation mass spectrometry to yield deep proteome and transcriptome from the same cells.

Alternative splicing expands and remodels the breast cancer proteoform landscape

The results show that alternative transcript diversity extensively enters translation-supported proteoform space and establish a systematic link between transcript variation and protein functional diversification.