Luohe Medical College

Fresh wet tuber-based vermicelli is prized for its soft and elastic texture, which relies on high moisture content. However, this leads to water exudation and texture hardening during storage, limiting industrial application. This study employed immersion as a moisture regulation strategy, analyzing changes in water distribution, hardness, microstructure, and reheating quality during immersion and storage. Results indicated that moisture content increased rapidly within the first 20 min and stabilized after 40 min, accompanied by a significant reduction in hardness and gelatinization enthalpy. Microstructural analysis revealed that an immersion time of 30-40 min (62-63% moisture) was optimal, preserving suitable hardness and structural integrity. During storage, these samples achieved stable water distribution by day 35. In contrast, samples immersed for 50-60 min (64-65% moisture) showed markedly increased free water and notable structural damage. Reheating tests further confirmed that immersion for 30-40 min helped maintain moderate hardness post-storage. Therefore, controlling immersion to 30-40 min effectively balances texture, storage stability, and reheating quality.

Helicobacter pylori infection is a primary cause of gastritis and gastric ulcers. It is crucial to find alternative therapies for H. pylori infection due to the significant side effects of current antibiotics. Heyndrickxia coagulans is an ideal probiotic due to its functionality and stability in production and storage. This study explored the anti-bacterial effects of H. coagulans BHE26 in vitro and in vivo. H. coagulans BHE26 showed notable tolerance to simulated gastric juice (pH 3.0) and 1% bile salts, highlighting its potential suitability for gastrointestinal survival. H. coagulans BHE26 was resistant to ceftriaxone but sensitive to penicillin, ampicillin, erythromycin, gentamicin, ciprofloxacin, ceftriaxone, lincomycin, tetracycline and chloramphenicol. These characteristics showed that H. coagulans BHE26 is a potential probiotic bacterium. In vitro assays demonstrated that H. coagulans BHE26 inhibited H. pylori, reduced urease activity, and displayed notable auto-aggregation and co-aggregation abilities. In vivo, administration of H. coagulans BHE26 alleviated H. pylori-induced gastric mucosal damage, significantly lowered serum anti-bacterial IgG levels, and modulated gastric microbiota composition, including an increase in Turicibacter and a decrease in Lactobacillus abundance. These results indicate that H. coagulans BHE26 alleviated H. pylori-induced inflammation, offering a novel therapeutic strategy against H. pylori infection.

In order to improve the effectiveness of college English curriculum teaching reform and ensure the scientific and objective nature of teaching evaluation, this paper proposes an evaluation system for the effectiveness of college English curriculum teaching reform based on the driving force pressure state impact response (DPSIR) model. Principles for selecting evaluation indicators for the effectiveness of college English course teaching reform, constructing a preliminary evaluation system, and conducting reasonable assignment and quantitative analysis of expert questionnaires. Introduce the DPSIR model to classify indicators, determine indicator weights based on these criteria layers, use the TOPSIS model to calculate closeness, obtain the reform effectiveness rating standard, and evaluate the reform effectiveness indicators based on this. The experimental results show that the utilisation efficiency of English teaching resources in this method is 99.8%, the highest evaluation accuracy can reach 99.5%, and the evaluation time varies from 1.5 s to 6.2 s, indicating that this method can improve the effectiveness evaluation of college English course teaching reform.

To develop nutrient-rich whole-food gels for individuals with dysphagia, this study constructed a pork–whole soy milk composite gel (PSG) using a hybrid animal–plant protein approach. The effects of xanthan gum, konjac glucomannan, and guar gum at different concentrations (0.5%, 1.0%, and 1.5%) on the gel properties, protein conformation, and microstructure of different PSGs were systematically investigated. The results indicated that polysaccharides interfered with protein cross-linking and disrupted the gel network, leading to reduced gel hardness. Due to their abundant hydrophilic groups, the polysaccharides significantly enhanced the water-holding capacity (p < 0.05), achieving a synergistic outcome of structural softening and functional reinforcement. A comprehensive evaluation identified the PSG with 1.0% xanthan gum as the optimal formulation, which exhibited a 43.2% increase in water-holding capacity and a hardness only 23.5% of the control, complying with both International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative (IDDSI) Level 5 and Japanese Dysphagia Diet Level III standards. This study elucidates the mechanism by which polysaccharides modulate whole-food protein gels and provides a practical strategy for developing dysphagia-friendly foods that preserve nutritional quality and are suitable for industrial production.

To evaluate the effectiveness of the single-stage anterior eccentric kyphotic distraction reduction technique (EKD-RT) for treating lower cervical dislocation with locked facet joints, assessing its reduction success rate, neurological improvement, and safety. A retrospective analysis was conducted on 67 patients with lower cervical dislocation and locked facet joints (21 unilateral, 46 bilateral) treated between January 2015 and January 2024. There were 39 males and 28 females, with an average age of 49.5 years (range, 22-75 years). The injured segments included C 3, 4 in 4 cases, C 4, 5 in 13 cases, C 5, 6 in 22 cases, and C 6, 7 in 28 cases. The interval between injury and admission ranged from 2 hours to 2 days (mean, 5.6 hours). Preoperative Frankel grading included grade A in 9 cases, grade B in 28 cases, grade C in 17 cases, grade D in 11 cases, and grade E in 2 cases. Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score was 7.0±1.4. All patients underwent single-stage anterior cervical discectomy and fusion. Following discectomy at the dislocated level, the EKD-RT was applied to unlock and reduce the locked facet joints, followed by internal fixation. Operation time, blood loss, reduction success rate, and complications were recorded. Interbody fusion status was evaluated using Bridwell criteria. Neurological status was assessed pre- and post-operatively using Frankel grading. Spinal cord function was scored using the 17-point JOA score, and the improvement rate was calculated. Successful reduction of the locked facet joints achieved in all cases. The operation time was 41-85 minutes (range, 63.3 minutes), and intraoperative blood loss was 50-360 mL (range, 125.0 mL). Complications included cerebrospinal fluid leakage in 2 cases; no severe complications such as major vascular injury or recurrent laryngeal nerve injury occurred. All patients were followed up 12-24 months (mean, 17.9 months). At last follow-up, radiological examination confirmed interbody fusion in all patients, with no implant failure or migration. The Frankel grading included grade A in 3 cases, grade B in 9 cases, grade C in 13 cases, grade D in 16 cases, and grade E in 26 cases; the JOA score reached 13.7±2.3; all of which significantly improved compared to preoperative levels ( P<0.05). The improvement rate of JOA score was 66.1%±24.7%. The EKD-RT is an effective surgical approach for lower cervical dislocation with locked facet joints. It enables safe and efficient reduction of the locked facet joints via a single incision, resulting in significant neurological improvement with a low complication rate.

This study investigates the vibrational behavior of carbon nanosheet-reinforced polymer nanocomposites using a multiscale finite element modeling approach. The carbon nanosheets are represented using beam elements calibrated to molecular mechanics parameters, while the polymer matrix is treated as a continuum medium. Non-bonded van der Waals interactions at the nanosheet–matrix interface are modeled using spring elements derived from the Lennard-Jones potential. The model is validated by comparing predicted Young’s modulus values with theoretical and experimental results from the literature, showing good agreement. The influence of nanosheet geometry, chirality, volume fraction, and boundary conditions on the natural frequencies of the nanocomposite is systematically analyzed. The results indicate that increasing the aspect ratio from 1 to 5 reduces the natural frequency by 76%–82% for armchair nanosheets under clamped-free boundary conditions. At volume fractions below 8%, frequency increases monotonically with concentration; however, at 11% volume fraction and aspect ratios exceeding 2, frequency improvements diminish by 15%–20% relative to the 5% case, suggesting agglomeration-induced stiffness degradation. Armchair nanosheets exhibit 5%–8% higher natural frequencies than zigzag configurations across all geometries tested. In addition, armchair nanosheets consistently exhibit higher natural frequencies than zigzag configurations, highlighting the role of atomic orientation in mechanical performance. The findings provide insights into optimizing nanosheet geometry and dispersion for applications requiring enhanced vibrational characteristics, such as nano-resonators and mechanical sensors. This work offers a comprehensive framework for understanding and tailoring the dynamic response of two-dimensional nanomaterial-reinforced composites.

Intervertebral disc (IVD) homeostasis and function depend on the immunological privilege status, while immune cell infiltration constitutes a pivotal pathological driver of intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD). Nevertheless, the immune infiltration landscape and associated molecular targets in IDD remain elusive. We therefore integrated bioinformatic analysis of public datasets and single-cell RNA-sequencing analysis (scRNA-seq) data, flow cytometric (FACS) and experimental validation to delineate immune infiltration dynamics and identify therapeutic targets. CIBERSORT deconvolution analysis revealed significant increases in follicular helper T cells (p < 0.05) and M2 macrophages (p < 0.05) in IDD, with M1 macrophages demonstrating an upward trend. WGCNA showed that the blue module was associated with M1 macrophages infiltration (positive correlation 0.87, P < 0.001), among which VAMP8, JUN and others were mainly enriched in macrophage activation and myeloid leukocyte activation. FACS quantification established postoperative day 14 as the peak of leukocyte infiltration in rat IVDs following puncture. scRNA-seq resolved seven cellular subsets within degenerated rat IVDs: annulus fibrosus cells, smooth muscle cells, fibroblasts, macrophages, monocytes, vascular endothelial cells, and nucleus pulposus (NP) cells, with pronounced expression of Jun and Vamp8. Western blotting confirmed upregulated VAMP8 and JUN expression in TNF-α-stimulated (50 ng/ml, 24 h) NP cells. Immunohistochemistry further demonstrated elevated VAMP8 and JUN levels during rat IDD progression. This work identifies post-puncture day 14 as the critical window for peak immune infiltration in rat IVDs, and reveals VAMP8 and JUN are macrophage-associated regulators of IDD pathogenesis, thereby revealing promising targets for immunomodulatory interventions against disc degeneration.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13018-025-06250-9.