Measurements of the Electric and Magnetic Form Factors of the Neutron for Timelike Momentum Transfer

We present the first measurements of the electric and magnetic form factors of the neutron in the timelike (positive q^{2}) region as function of four-momentum transfer. We explored the differential cross sections of the reaction e^{+}e^{-}→n[over ¯]n with data collected with the BESIII detector at the BEPCII accelerator, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 354.6  pb^{-1} in total at twelve center-of-mass energies between sqrt[s]=2.0-2.95  GeV. A relative uncertainty of 18% and 12% for the electric and magnetic form factors, respectively, is achieved at sqrt[s]=2.3935  GeV. Our results are comparable in accuracy to those from electron scattering in the comparable spacelike region of four-momentum transfer. The electromagnetic form factor ratio R_{em}≡|G_{E}|/|G_{M}| is within the uncertainties close to unity. We compare our result on |G_{E}| and |G_{M}| to recent model predictions, and the measurements in the spacelike region to test the analyticity of electromagnetic form factors.

Observation of a New X(3872) Production Process e^{+}e^{-}→ωX(3872)

Using 4.7  fb^{-1} of e^{+}e^{-} collision data at center-of-mass energies from 4.661 to 4.951 GeV collected by the BESIII detector at the BEPCII collider, we observe the X(3872) production process e^{+}e^{-}→ωX(3872) for the first time. The significance is 7.8σ, including both the statistical and systematic uncertainties. The e^{+}e^{-}→ωX(3872) Born cross section and the corresponding upper limit at 90% confidence level at each energy point are reported. The line shape of the cross section indicates that the ωX(3872) signals may be from the decays of some nontrivial structures.

Regeneration of Humeral Head Using a 3D Bioprinted Anisotropic Scaffold with Dual Modulation of Endochondral Ossification

Tissue engineering is theoretically thought to be a promising method for the reconstruction of biological joints, and thus, offers a potential treatment alternative for advanced osteoarthritis. However, to date, no significant progress is made in the regeneration of large biological joints. In the current study, a biomimetic scaffold for rabbit humeral head regeneration consisting of heterogeneous porous architecture, various bioinks, and different hard supporting materials in the cartilage and bone regions is designed and fabricated in one step using 3D bioprinting technology. Furthermore, orchestrated dynamic mechanical stimulus combined with different biochemical cues (parathyroid hormone [PTH] and chemical component hydroxyapatite [HA] in the outer and inner region, respectively) are used for dual regulation of endochondral ossification. Specifically, dynamic mechanical stimulus combined with growth factor PTH in the outer region inhibits endochondral ossification and results in cartilage regeneration, whereas dynamic mechanical stimulus combined with HA in the inner region promotes endochondral ossification and results in efficient subchondral bone regeneration. The strategy established in this study with the dual modulation of endochondral ossification for 3D bioprinted anisotropic scaffolds represents a versatile and scalable approach for repairing large joints.

Inhalable Biomineralized Liposomes for Cyclic Ca2+-Burst-Centered Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Enhanced Lung Cancer Ferroptosis Therapy

Lung cancer with the highest mortality poses a great threat to human health. Ferroptosis therapy has recently been raised as a promising strategy for lung cancer treatment by boosting the reactive species (ROS) production and lipid peroxidation (LPO) accumulation intracellularly. However, the insufficient intracellular ROS level and the unsatisfactory drug accumulation in lung cancer lesions hamper the efficacy of ferroptosis therapy. Here, an inhalable biomineralized liposome LDM co-loaded with dihydroartemisinin (DHA) and pH-responsive calcium phosphate (CaP) was constructed as a ferroptosis nanoinducer for achieving Ca²⁺-burst-centered endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress enhanced lung cancer ferroptosis therapy. Equipped with excellent nebulization properties, about 6.80-fold higher lung lesions drug accumulation than intravenous injection made the proposed inhalable LDM an ideal nanoplatform for lung cancer treatment. The Fenton-like reaction mediated by DHA with peroxide bridge structure could contribute to intracellular ROS production and induce ferroptosis. Assisted by DHA-mediated sarco-/endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase (SERCA) inhibition, the initial Ca²⁺ burst caused by CaP shell degradation triggered the Ca²⁺-mediated intense ER stress and subsequently induced mitochondria dysfunction to further boost ROS accumulation, which strengthens ferroptosis. The second Ca²⁺ burst occurred as a result of Ca²⁺ influx through ferroptotic pores on cell membranes, thus sequentially constructing the lethal "Ca²⁺ burst-ER stress-ferroptosis" cycle. Consequently, the Ca²⁺-burst-centered ER stress enhanced ferroptosis process was confirmed as a cell swelling and cell membrane disruption process driven by notable intracellular ROS and LPO accumulation. The proposed LDM showed an encouraging lung retention property and extraordinary antitumor ability in an orthotropic lung tumor murine model. In conclusion, the constructed ferroptosis nanoinducer could be a potential tailored nanoplatform for nebulization-based pulmonary delivery and underscore the application of Ca²⁺-burst-centered ER stress enhanced lung cancer ferroptosis therapy.

Observation of Three Charmoniumlike States with J^{PC}=1^{--} in e^{+}e^{-}→D^{*0}D^{*-}π^{+}

The Born cross sections of the process e^{+}e^{-}→D^{*0}D^{*-}π^{+} at center-of-mass energies from 4.189 to 4.951 GeV are measured for the first time. The data samples used correspond to an integrated luminosity of 17.9  fb^{-1} and were collected by the BESIII detector operating at the BEPCII storage ring. Three enhancements around 4.20, 4.47, and 4.67 GeV are visible. The resonances have masses of 4209.6±4.7±5.9  MeV/c^{2}, 4469.1±26.2±3.6  MeV/c^{2}, and 4675.3±29.5±3.5  MeV/c^{2} and widths of 81.6±17.8±9.0  MeV, 246.3±36.7±9.4  MeV, and 218.3±72.9±9.3  MeV, respectively, where the first uncertainties are statistical and the second systematic. The first and third resonances are consistent with the ψ(4230) and ψ(4660) states, respectively, while the second one is compatible with the ψ(4500) observed in the e^{+}e^{-}→K^{+}K^{-}J/ψ process. These three charmoniumlike ψ states are observed in the e^{+}e^{-}→D^{*0}D^{*-}π^{+} process for the first time.

Compressible Cellulose Wood Prepared with Deep Eutectic Solvents and Its Improved Technology

Elastic materials have a wide range of applications in many industries, but their widespread use is often limited by small-scale production methods and the use of highly polluting chemical reagents. In this study, we drew inspiration from research on wood softening to develop an environmentally friendly and scalable approach for producing a new type of compressible wood material called CW from natural wood. To achieve this, we employed a top-down approach using a novel type of “ionic liquid” eutectic solvent (DES) that is cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and recyclable. After treatment with DES, the resulting CW demonstrated good elasticity and durable compressibility, which was achieved by removing some lignin and hemicellulose from the wood and thinning the cell walls, thereby creating a honeycomb structure that allows for sustained compression and rebound. However, we found that the wood treated with a single eutectic solvent showed some softening (CW-1), although there was still room for further improvement of its elasticity. To address this, we used a secondary treatment with sodium hydroxide alkali solution to produce a softer and more elastic wood (CW-2). We conducted a series of comparative analyses and performance tests on natural wood (NW) and CW, including microscopic imaging; determination of chemical composition, mechanical properties, and compressive stress effects; and laser confocal testing. The results show that the DES and sodium hydroxide alkali solution treatments effectively removed some lignin, hemicellulose, and cellulose from the wood, resulting in the thinning of the cell walls and creating a more elastic material with a sustainable compression rebound rate of over 90%. The various properties of CW, including its elasticity, durability, and sustainability, provide great potential for its application in a range of fields, such as sensors, water purification, and directional tissue engineering.

Experimental and density functional study of the light-assisted gas-sensing performance of a TiO2-CoFe2O4 heterojunction

Toluene gas as a solvent is widely present in industrial production and indoor decoration, and can seriously harm human health even at low concentrations. Furthermore, toluene can be used as a typical biomarker for disease diagnosis. Therefore, the detection of toluene gas is very important. Herein, a hydrothermal method was used to successfully prepare a TiO₂-CoFe₂O₄ heterostructure for detecting toluene gas. The ultraviolet (UV)-visible diffuse reflectance spectra and photoluminescence spectra showed that the bandgap of the heterojunction was considerably shorter than those of pure TiO₂ and CoFe₂O₄, and the recombination of electron-hole pairs was inhibited. At the same time, the response value of the TiO₂-CoFe₂O₄ heterojunction was 10.5 for 20 ppm toluene at 219 °C, which was much better than those of pure TiO₂ and CoFe₂O₄. Moreover, its response value further increased under UV irradiation. In addition, density functional theory (DFT) was innovatively employed in this study to explain in detail how the heterojunction and UV irradiation can improve gas sensitivity through the calculation of the material energy band, adsorption energy, etc. This work provides a good reference for the preparation of high-efficiency and high-sensitivity gas sensors.

Evaluation of the Antihypertensive Activity of Eggplant Acetylcholine and γ-Aminobutyric Acid in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats

Daily consumption of eggplant powder containing 2.3 mg acetylcholine (ACh) is known to alleviate hypertension and improve mental status. However, eggplant powder used in clinical trials also contains the antihypertensive compound γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Although our previous study indicated that the main antihypertensive compound in eggplant is ACh, given that GABA amounts in eggplant do not reach the effective dosage, the effects of GABA on the antihypertensive effect of eggplant remain unclear. It is necessary to establish whether there is a synergistic effect between GABA and ACh and whether GABA in eggplant exerts antihypertensive effects. Consequently, here we sought to evaluate the effects of GABA on the antihypertensive effects of eggplant. We used a probability sum (q) test to investigate the combined effects of ACh and GABA and prepared eggplant powder with very low ACh content for oral administration in animals. ACh and GABA exhibited additive effects but the GABA content in eggplants was not sufficient to promote a hypotensive effect. In conclusion, ACh is the main component associated with the antihypertensive effects of eggplant but GABA within eggplants has a minimal effect in this regard. Thus, compared with GABA, ACh could be a more effective functional food constituent for lowering blood pressure.

Potential of an Aligned Porous Hydrogel Scaffold Combined with Periodontal Ligament Stem Cells or Gingival Mesenchymal Stem Cells to Promote Tissue Regeneration in Rat Periodontal Defects

Periodontal tissue regeneration is a major challenge in tissue engineering due to its regenerated environment complexity. It aims to regenerate not only the supporting alveolar bone and cementum around teeth but also the key connecting periodontal ligament. Herein, a constructed aligned porous hydrogel scaffold carrying cells based on chitosan (CHI) and oxidized chondroitin sulfate (OCS) treated with a freeze-casting technique was fabricated, which aimed to induce the arrangement of periodontal tissue regeneration. The microscopic morphology and physical and chemical properties of the hydrogel scaffold were evaluated. The biocompatibilities with periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs) or gingival-derived mesenchymal stem cells (GMSCs) were verified, respectively, by Live/Dead staining and CCK8 in vitro. Furthermore, the regeneration effect of the aligned porous hydrogel scaffold combined with PDLSCs and GMSCs was evaluated in vivo. The biocompatibility experiments showed no statistical significance between the hydrogel culture group and blank control (P > 0.05). In a rat periodontal defect model, PDLSC and GMSC hydrogel experimental groups showed more pronounced bone tissue repair than the blank control (P < 0.05) in micro-CT. In addition, there was more tissue repair (P < 0.05) of PDLSC and GMSC hydrogel groups from histological staining images. Higher expressions of OPN, Runx-2, and COL-I were detected in both of the above groups via immunohistochemistry staining. More importantly, the group with the aligned porous hydrogel induced more order periodontal ligament formation than that with the ordinary hydrogel in Masson's trichrome analysis. Collectively, it is expected to promote periodontal tissue regeneration utilizing an aligned porous hydrogel scaffold combined with PDLSCs and GMSCs (CHI-OCS-PDLSC/GMSC composite), which provides an alternative possibility for clinical application.

Material Flows and Waste Management of Titanium Products in China from 2005 to 2020

Titanium products play an important and irreplaceable role in national defense and military applications and are considered as strategic resources by many governments. Although China developed a large-scale titanium industrial chain that affects the global market, it is still weak in high-end titanium-based alloys and needs an urgent upgrade. Few policies have been implemented at the national level to explore the development strategies of China's titanium industry and related industries. One major issue is the lack of reliable statistical data, which is essential for setting the national strategies of China's titanium industry. Additionally, waste management and scrap recycling in titanium products manufacturers are not yet considered, which would significantly impact the lifetime of titanium scrap and demand for virgin titanium metal resources. To address this gap, this work has developed a titanium products flow chart for China and presented trends in the titanium industry from 2005 to 2020. The results show that only about 65% to 85% of domestic titanium sponge is finally sold as ingots, and only about 60% to 85% of ingots are finally sold as mills, indicating excessive production has been a characteristic of China's titanium industry. The average recovery ratio of prompt swarf for ingots is about 63%, and that for mills is about 56%, which can be recycled into ingots by remelting, relieving constraints on high-grade titanium sponge and reducing dependence on it to some extent.

Graphical Abstract

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40831-023-00667-4.

Evidence for the Cusp Effect in η' Decays into ηπ^{0}π^{0}

Using a sample of 4.3×10^{5} η^{'}→ηπ^{0}π^{0} events selected from the ten billion J/ψ event dataset collected with the BESIII detector, we study the decay η^{'}→ηπ^{0}π^{0} within the framework of nonrelativistic effective field theory. Evidence for a structure at π^{+}π^{-} mass threshold is observed in the invariant mass spectrum of π^{0}π^{0} with a statistical significance of around 3.5σ, which is consistent with the cusp effect as predicted by the nonrelativistic effective field theory. After introducing the amplitude for describing the cusp effect, the ππ scattering length combination a_{0}-a_{2} is determined to be 0.226±0.060_{stat}±0.013_{syst}, which is in good agreement with theoretical calculation of 0.2644±0.0051.

All-Water-Driven High-k HfO2 Gate Dielectrics and Applications in Thin Film Transistors

In this article, we used a simple, non-toxic, environmentally friendly, water-driven route to fabricate the gate dielectric on the Si substrate and successfully integrate the In₂O₃/HfO₂ thin film transistor (TFT). All the electrical properties of In₂O₃ based on HfO₂ were systematically analyzed. The In₂O₃/HfO₂ device exhibits the best electrical performance at an optimized annealing temperature of 500 °C, including a high µ_FE of 9 cm² V^-1 s^-1, a high I_ON/I_OFF of 10⁵, a low threshold voltage of 1.1 V, and a low sub-threshold of 0.31 V dec^-1. Finally, test the stability of the bias under positive bias stress (PBS) and negative bias stress (NBS) with threshold shifts (V_TH) of 0.35 and 0.13 V while these optimized properties are achieved at a small operating voltage of 2 V. All experimental results demonstrate the potential application of aqueous solution technology for future low-cost, energy-efficient, large-scale, and high-performance electronics.

Microwave bag cooking affects the quality, glucosinolates content and hydrolysate production of broccoli florets

Appropriate processing and cooking technologies can effectively improve the content of bioactive compounds in vegetables. The effects of microwave bag cooking on broccoli floret quality attributes, glucosinolates (GLSs) content and hydrolysate production were investigated in this study. Microwave bag cooking not only preserved the color of the florets, but also enhanced the total phenolic and flavonoid content, as well as total chlorophyll and ascorbic acid content. Furthermore, the majority of the microorganisms were inactivated, and the structure of the florets was greatly destroyed, thereby increasing antioxidant capacity and promoting the release of GLSs and myrosinase activity in the florets. Moreover, microwave bag cooking significantly enriched the sulforaphane (SFN) and indole-3-carbinol (I3C) production of broccoli florets in the meantime, demonstrating that it was a convenient and quick cooking option to satisfy the requirements of modern consumers.

Predictive Value of Combined Plasma D-Dimer, SCUBE1, and Right Ventricular Tei Index for the Prognosis of Elderly Patients with Acute Pulmonary Thromboembolism

Acute pulmonary thromboembolism (APTE) has become a non-negligible clinical concern due to its high mortality and complex symptoms. Early diagnosis and prognostic assessment of APTE are of great significance for the long-term benefits of patients, especially elderly patients. Elderly patients with pulmonary embolism (n = 250) who presented to our hospital from January 2018 to July 2021 were recruited into this study. In addition, 50 healthy elderly people with no history of allergies were selected as the control group. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method was used to determine concentrations of D-dimer and signal peptide-CUB-EGF domain-containing protein-1 (SCUBE1) in their plasma. Right ventricular volume contraction time (ICT), ejection time (ET), and isovolumic relaxation time (IRT) were determined by Doppler ultrasound. Right ventricular Tei index was calculated as (ICT + IRT)/ET. High plasma D-dimer, plasma SCUBE1, and right ventricular Tei index are risk factors for poor prognosis in APTE patients after treatment. Plasma D-dimer, plasma SCUBE1, and right ventricular Tei index have predictive value for poor prognosis in APTE patients. Their combined detection (0.256*DD +0.04*SCUBE1 + 10.188*Tei) can improve the sensitivity and specificity of prediction. There is a predictive value of combined plasma D-dimer, SCUBE1, and right ventricular Tei index for the prognosis of elderly patients with APTE.

How Does Molecular Diameter Correlate with the Penetration Barrier of Small Gas Molecules on Porous Carbon-Based Monolayer Membranes?

Molecular diameter is an essential molecule-size descriptor that is widely used to understand, e.g., the gas separation preference of a permeable membrane. In this contribution, we have proposed two new molecular diameters calculated respectively by the circumscribed-cylinder method (D_n^') and the group-separated method (D_n), and compared them with the already known kinetic diameter (D_k), averaged diameters (D_pa), and maximum diameters (D_pm and D_mm) in correlating with the penetration barriers of small gas molecules on a total of 14 porous carbon-based monolayer membranes (PCMMs). D₁^' and D₂^' give the best barrier-diameter correlations with average Pearson's correlation coefficients of 0.91 and 0.90, which are markedly larger than those (0.77, 0.76, 0.60, 0.48, 0.33, and 0.32) for D₁, D₂, D_k, D_pa, D_pm, and D_mm. Our results manifest that the choice of vdW radii set does not drastically change the barrier-diameter correlation. Our newly defined D₁^', D₂^', D₁, and D₂, especially D₁^' and D₂^', show universal applicability in predicting the relative permeability of small gas molecules on different PCMMs. The circumscribed-cylinder method proposed here is a facile approach that considers the molecule's directionality and can be applicable to larger molecules. The excellent linear correlation between D_n^' and gas penetration barrier implies that the computationally less demanding molecular diameter D_n^' can be an alternative to the penetration barrier in diagnosing the gas separation preference of the PCMMs.

Trust Beyond Border: Lightweight, Verifiable User Isolation for Protecting In-Enclave Services

Due to the absence of in-enclave isolation, today's trusted execution environment (TEE), specifically Intel's Software Guard Extensions (SGX), does not have the capability to securely run different users' tasks within a single enclave, which is required for supporting real-world services, such as an in-enclave machine learning model that classifies the data from various sources, or a microservice (e.g., data search) that performs a very small task (within sub-seconds) for a user and therefore cannot afford the resources and the delay for creating a separate enclave for each user. To address this challenge, we developed Liveries, a technique that enables lightweight, verifiable in-enclave user isolation for protecting time-sharing services. Our approach restricts an in-enclave thread's privilege when configuring an enclave, and further performs integrity check and sanitization on critical enclave data upon user switches. For this purpose, we developed a novel technique that ensures the protection of sensitive user data (e.g., session keys) even in the presence of the adversary who may have compromised the enclave. Our study shows that the new technique is lightweight (1% overhead) and verifiable (about 3200 lines of code), making a step towards assured protection of real-world in-enclave services.

Secondary hyperperfusion injury following surgical evacuation for acute isolated epidural hematoma with concurrent cerebral herniation

Objective

Hemispherical cerebral swelling or even encephalocele after head trauma is a common complication and has been well elucidated previously. However, few studies have focused on the secondary brain hemorrhage or edema occurring regionally but not hemispherically in the cerebral parenchyma just underneath the surgically evacuated hematoma during or at a very early stage post-surgery.

Methods

In order to explore the characteristics, hemodynamic mechanisms, and optimized treatment of a novel peri-operative complication in patients with isolated acute epidural hematoma (EDH), clinical data of 157 patients with acute-isolated EDH who underwent surgical intervention were reviewed retrospectively. Risk factors including demographic characteristics, admission Glasgow Coma Score, preoperative hemorrhagic shock, anatomical location, and morphological parameters of epidural hematoma, as well as the extent and duration of cerebral herniation on physical examination and radiographic evaluation were considered.

Results

It suggested that secondary intracerebral hemorrhage or edema was determined in 12 of 157 patients within 6 h after surgical hematoma evacuation. It was featured by remarkable, regional hyperperfusion on the computed tomography (CT) perfusion images and associated with a relatively poor neurological prognosis. In addition to concurrent cerebral herniation, which was found to be a prerequisite for the development of this novel complication, multivariate logistic regression further showed four independent risk factors contributing to this type of secondary hyperperfusion injury: cerebral herniation that lasted longer than 2 h, hematomas that were located in the non-temporal region, hematomas that were thicker than 40 mm, and hematomas occurring in pediatric and elderly patients.

Conclusion

Secondary brain hemorrhage or edema occurring within an early perioperative period of hematoma-evacuation craniotomy for acute-isolated EDH is a rarely described hyperperfusion injury. Because it plays an important prognostic influence on patients' neurological recovery, optimized treatment should be given to block or reduce the consequent secondary brain injuries.

Pan-Cancer Analysis of the Roles and Driving Forces of RAB42

RAB42 is a member of the RAS family. However, the roles and driving forces for RAB42 in tumors remain elusive. In this study, we performed a comprehensive pan-cancer analysis of the roles and regulatory mechanisms of RAB42 using bioinformatics and experiments. Online databases such as Sanger Box, ACLBI and TIDE were used to search for the expression levels, prognostic value and immune features of RAB42. We observed that RAB42 expression was upregulated in most tumors and was closely associated with poor prognosis. Enrichment analysis indicated that RAB42 was related to multiple biological functions, especially the immune process. RAB42 expression had a positive correlation with immune cell infiltration and immune checkpoint gene expression. RAB42 had a high predictive value for immunotherapy efficiency. Our study screened out susceptible drugs for the RAB42 protein by sensitivity analysis and virtual screening. Many key driver genes such as TP53 contributed to RAB42 expression. DNA methylation, super-enhancer and non-coding RNAs were the epigenetic factors responsible for RAB42 expression. In brief, RAB42 could serve as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in many tumor types. RAB42 might be a predictive biomarker and a new target for immunotherapy. Genetic and epigenetic factors were essential for RAB42 overexpression in tumors.

Tumour microenvironment landscape and immunotherapy response in bladder cancer decoded by stromal MOXD1 based on copper-related genes signature

Introduction

We aimed to develop a copper-related gene (CRG) signature that can be used to evaluate prognosis and guide therapeutic management in bladder cancer patients.

Methods

The raw transcriptome profiles and clinical data of 405 bladder samples were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, and differentially expressed copper-related genes were identifified using the Molecular Signatures Database (MSigDB) database and univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis. A multigene prognostic signature based on 14 CRGs was developed by least absolute shrinkage and selection operation (LASSO) analysis in the TCGA cohort and validated in the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) cohort. Multiple analyses were then conducted in which the nomograms, clinicopathological features, immune-related cell infifiltration characteristics, and therapy responses of the high- and low-risk score groups were compared.

Results

A 14 CRGs signature was constructed and used to classify patients into high-risk and low-risk groups. Compared to patients classifified as high-risk, low-risk patients in both the TCGA cohort and the GEO cohort had better overall survival. Patients in high-risk groups had more aggressive clinical features, immunologically "cold" infifiltrating characteristics, and experienced lower therapeutic effificacy. We identifified a CRG signature of bladder cancer and validated it using unsupervised clustering analysis. Monooxygenase DBH-like 1 (MOXD1) was further identifified, and its potential for evaluating the tumor immune microenvironment and predicting the immunotherapy response was explored.

Discussion

These results suggest a novel research direction for precision therapy of bladder cancer and demonstrate that copper-related genes can play a promising role in predicting prognosis and may serve as therapeutic targets for bladder cancer.

Physical properties, antioxidant capacity, and starch digestibility of cookies enriched with steam-exploded wheat bran

Wheat bran-based food is rich in bioactive compounds, and steam explosion enhances the nutritional properties of wheat bran. This study examined the potential utilization of steam-exploded wheat bran (SWB) in cookie formulation. The influence of steam explosion on the chemical compounds in wheat bran and the effects of SWB on the physical properties, antioxidant capacity, and starch digestibility of cookies were investigated. The results showed that steam explosion facilitated the release of reducing sugar, flavonoids, phenolic substances, and amino acid nitrogen in wheat bran, thereby improving its nutritional properties. The reduction of sugar, total flavonoids, total phenolics, and amino acid nitrogen contents of wheat bran after steam explosion increased by 34.22, 183.02, 284.09, and 93.39%, respectively, compared with those of native wheat bran. Substitution of SWB for wheat flour mainly induced higher water, sodium carbonate, and sucrose solvent retention capacities, which were positively related to the spread ratio and hardness of cookies. The cookies with more SWB substitution (30-50%) expressed a higher spread ratio and harder texture than the others. The substitution of SWB caused changes in the antioxidant properties of cookies, which were related to the phenolic content. The cookies with SWB showed a higher DPPH radical scavenging activity (16.30-30.93%) than that of the control (14.74%). SWB might form a matrix barrier to hinder starch digestion, thus reducing the digestibility of cookies. The cookies enriched with 30-50% of the SWB exhibited greater physical properties and antioxidant capacity but lower starch digestibility than those of other cookies. The results will contribute to expanding the application range and improving the quality of bran-rich flour products.