IN the 1990s,Fuchsia Dunlop decided to visit China after reading articles about the country for several months.The ensuing one-month backpacking trip exposed the English woman to a wide range of Chinese food.“The dis...IN the 1990s,Fuchsia Dunlop decided to visit China after reading articles about the country for several months.The ensuing one-month backpacking trip exposed the English woman to a wide range of Chinese food.“The dishes and soups I had even in the cheapest and plain eateries were better than what I had in the U.K.,”Dunlop recalled.展开更多
During the Year of South Africa in China, ChinAfrica presents an introduction of different aspects of South African culture. This month we look at some of the country＇s better known dishes
γ-Glutamyl peptides can enhance basic taste sensations such as saltiness,sweetness,and umaminess,while the molecular mechanism and the difference in taste enhancement remain elusive.Thus,two complex conformations:tas...γ-Glutamyl peptides can enhance basic taste sensations such as saltiness,sweetness,and umaminess,while the molecular mechanism and the difference in taste enhancement remain elusive.Thus,two complex conformations:taste type 1 receptor 1(T1 R1)-MSG and taste type 1 receptor 2(T1 R2)-sucrose were constructed to form binding receptors.These peptides showed affinity for the two receptors,but a higher affi nity scores and more binding amino acid residues for the T1 R1-MSG receptor,implying that they may exhibit a higher umami-enhancing effect.Thereinto,γ-glutamyl alanine(γ-EA)displayed the highest affi nity for the two receptors through mobilizing multiple amino acid residues to form hydrophobic and hydrogen bonds,indicating it had the highest enhancement for umaminess and sweetness among these peptides.Sensory evaluation demonstrated the enhancement ofγ-EA on umaminess was superior to that of sweetness.Generally,γ-glutamyl peptides could enhance basic taste sensation via activating taste receptor,and exhibited a highest umami-enhancing effect.展开更多
Studies have shown that there are strong interactions between gustatory and visceral sensations the central nervous system when rats ingest sweet foods or solutions. To investigate the role of th subdiaphragmatic vagi...Studies have shown that there are strong interactions between gustatory and visceral sensations the central nervous system when rats ingest sweet foods or solutions. To investigate the role of th subdiaphragmatic vagi in transmitting general visceral information during the process of drinking sweet-tasting solutions, we examined the effects of subdiaphragmatic vagotomy on the intake of 0.5 mol/L sucrose, 0.005 mol/L saccharin or distilled water over the course of 1 hour in rats depriv~ of water. Results showed no significant difference in consumption of these three solutions in vagotomized rats. However, rats in the sham-surgery group drank more saccharin solution than sucrose solution or distilled water. Moreover, the intake of distilled water was similar between vagotomized rats and sham-surgery group rats, but significantly less sucrose and saccharin were consumed by vagotomized rats compared with rats in the sham-surgery group. These findings indicate that subdiaphragmatic vagotomy reduces intake of sweet-tasting solution in rats, and suggest that vagal and extravagal inputs play a balanced role in the control of the intake of sweet-tasting solutions. They also suggest that subdiaphragmatic vagotomy eliminates the difference in hedonic perception induced by sweet-tasting solutions compared with distilled water II E展开更多
A gastronomic tour of one of China’s unique regional cuisines The first step in my Chinese culinary odyssey through Yangzhou City, east China’s Jiangsu Province, began at Gonghechun, a locally famous restaurant visi...A gastronomic tour of one of China’s unique regional cuisines The first step in my Chinese culinary odyssey through Yangzhou City, east China’s Jiangsu Province, began at Gonghechun, a locally famous restaurant visible from the street only with a banner of golden letters on a field展开更多
The New Millennium has brought a renewed focus onto China's abundance of world heritage sites. Up to now, 21 scenic spots in China have been included in the list of world heritage sites by the UNESCO and some othe...The New Millennium has brought a renewed focus onto China's abundance of world heritage sites. Up to now, 21 scenic spots in China have been included in the list of world heritage sites by the UNESCO and some others are in the process of application. Scattered over the country, these places are the gems of Chinese tourism resources. We have chosen two of them to offer to our readers. First is the unique charm of ancient Lijiang County in China's southwestern frontier province, Yunnan. Some time later, we wi...展开更多
A little girl tastes food at the Romanian booth at the 2025 Chengdu Europe Culture Season in Chengdu,southwest China's Sichuan Province,on April 12,2025.
Taste buds relay taste sensory information to the primary taste neurons but depend on those same neurons for essential components to maintain function.While denervation-induced taste bud degeneration and subsequent re...Taste buds relay taste sensory information to the primary taste neurons but depend on those same neurons for essential components to maintain function.While denervation-induced taste bud degeneration and subsequent regeneration were discovered decades ago,the mechanisms underlying these phenomena(e.g.,heterogenous cellular responses to nerve injury and the signaling pathways involved)remain poorly understood.Here,using mouse genetics,nerve injury models,pharmacologic manipulation,and taste bud organoid models,we identify a specific subpopulation of taste cells,predominantly c-Kit-expressing sweet cells,that exhibit superior resistance to nerve injury.We found the c-Kit inhibitor imatinib selectively reduced the number of residual c-Kit-expressing sweet cells at post-operation week 2,subsequently attenuating the re-emergence of other type II cells by post-operation week 4.In taste bud organoids,c-Kit-expressing cells were resistant to R-spondin withdrawal but susceptible to imatinib,while other taste cell types showed the opposite behavior.We also observed a distinct population of residual taste cells that acquired stem-like properties,generating clonal descendent cells among suprabasal keratinocytes independent of c-Kit signaling.Together,our findings reveal that c-Kit signaling confers resilience on c-Kit-expressing sweet cells and supports the broader reconstruction of taste buds during the later regenerative stage following nerve injury.展开更多
The utilization of Lactobacillus plantarum(LP)in chili sauce production is well-known for its capacity to enhance product quality and sensory attributes.However,there is still limited knowledge regarding the taste-act...The utilization of Lactobacillus plantarum(LP)in chili sauce production is well-known for its capacity to enhance product quality and sensory attributes.However,there is still limited knowledge regarding the taste-active metabolites in the sauce.To bridge this gap,our study employed metabolomics and webbased computational tools to investigate the dynamic changes of taste-active metabolites during chili sauce fermentation.By leveraging the advantages of the feature-based molecular network(FBMN),we conducted a rapid annotation of metabolites,successfully identifying 205 metabolites,a considerable portion of which were previously unreported.Through the utilization of the Virtual Taste tool,we identified dihydrosphingosine,lactic acid,isoleucine,phytosphingosine,and gluconic acid as potential taste indicators for quality control.Pathway enrichment analysis further supported their primary involvement in key biochemical pathways,including amino acid t RNA biosynthesis,phenylalanine,tyrosine,tryptophan biosynthesis,and sphingolipid metabolism.This investigation provides valuable insights into the underlying mechanisms contributing to the distinctive flavor profile of chili sauce.展开更多
1 Himalayan salt,a pink organic variety of the essential food sourced from Pakistan,is becoming increasingly popular in China,fueled by growing demand from quality‑conscious consumers.Himalayan salt is on the dining t...1 Himalayan salt,a pink organic variety of the essential food sourced from Pakistan,is becoming increasingly popular in China,fueled by growing demand from quality‑conscious consumers.Himalayan salt is on the dining tables of more Chinese consumers on occasions such as camping,barbecue parties and grilling steak at home,and it has been used to improve taste and for decorative purposes.展开更多
Sugars are one of the major metabolites and are essential for nucleic acid synthesis and energy production.In addition,sugars can act as signaling molecules.To study sugar signaling at the systemic level,there is an u...Sugars are one of the major metabolites and are essential for nucleic acid synthesis and energy production.In addition,sugars can act as signaling molecules.To study sugar signaling at the systemic level,there is an urgent need to systematically identify sugar-sensing proteins and nucleic acids.I propose the terms“swodkoreceptor”and“swodkocrine signaling,”derived from the Polish word“slodki”meaning“sweet,”to comprise all sugar-sensing proteins and signaling events,respectively,regardless of their cellular location and signaling domains.This proposal is intended to facilitate the inclusion of proteins such as the Escherichia coli Lac I repressor as an allolactose receptor,human glucokinase regulatory protein(GCKR)as a fructose receptor,and other sugar-binding based allosterically regulated enzymes and transcription factors as sugar-sensing receptors.In addition,enzyme-interacting proteins whose interaction state is regulated by sugar binding have also been proposed as sugar receptors.The systemic study of protein-and nucleic-acid-based swodkoreceptors may help to identify organelle-specific swodkoreceptors and to also address receptor duality.The study of intra-and inter-organism swodkocrine signaling and its crosstalk with gasocrine signaling may help to understand the etiology of diseases due to dysregulation in sugar homeostasis and signaling.展开更多
[Objective] The paper was to study adsorption dynamics of calyx aroma onto basic tea in scenting process of calyx-scented tea, so as to increase aroma and quality of products. [Method] Adsorption experiment was carrie...[Objective] The paper was to study adsorption dynamics of calyx aroma onto basic tea in scenting process of calyx-scented tea, so as to increase aroma and quality of products. [Method] Adsorption experiment was carried out in a hermetic container, and the effect of calyx amount, contact time, moisture content of basic tea and temperature on the scenting process was studied. [Result] The optimal moisture and temperature for scenting process was 4% and 10 ℃, respectively. [Conclusion] The scenting process accorded pseudo-first-order kinetic model, and the adsorption dynamic data of total process could better fit pseudo-second-order kinetic model.展开更多
Huizhou-style gardens have been greatly influenced by Huizhou culture, their plant landscapes have also been integrated with various aspects of Huizhou culture, which demonstrated the ideology, historical and cultural...Huizhou-style gardens have been greatly influenced by Huizhou culture, their plant landscapes have also been integrated with various aspects of Huizhou culture, which demonstrated the ideology, historical and cultural connotation of the society in an abstract and impalpable way. In this study, Huizhou-style miniature landscapes, plants of virtual implications, flowers or fruit trees of special connotations are taken for examples to analyze the influence of Xin’an Neo-Confucianism on plant landscapes in Huizhou-style gardens, the demonstration of Huizhou businessmen’s aesthetic tastes, as well as folk cultures of Huizhou, which implies that plant landscapes in Huizhou-style gardens are those incorporating with humanistic spirits, ornamental and practical uses. This study aims to provide references for further researches in the present situation of ancient Huizhou areas, protection of ancient Huizhou-style gardens and construction of new-style Huizhou gardens.展开更多
文摘IN the 1990s,Fuchsia Dunlop decided to visit China after reading articles about the country for several months.The ensuing one-month backpacking trip exposed the English woman to a wide range of Chinese food.“The dishes and soups I had even in the cheapest and plain eateries were better than what I had in the U.K.,”Dunlop recalled.
文摘During the Year of South Africa in China, ChinAfrica presents an introduction of different aspects of South African culture. This month we look at some of the country＇s better known dishes
基金financial support by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31901814)Guangzhou Science and Technology program key project(202104020028)the Major State Basic Reasearch Development Program Of China(2018YFD0901003)。
文摘γ-Glutamyl peptides can enhance basic taste sensations such as saltiness,sweetness,and umaminess,while the molecular mechanism and the difference in taste enhancement remain elusive.Thus,two complex conformations:taste type 1 receptor 1(T1 R1)-MSG and taste type 1 receptor 2(T1 R2)-sucrose were constructed to form binding receptors.These peptides showed affinity for the two receptors,but a higher affi nity scores and more binding amino acid residues for the T1 R1-MSG receptor,implying that they may exhibit a higher umami-enhancing effect.Thereinto,γ-glutamyl alanine(γ-EA)displayed the highest affi nity for the two receptors through mobilizing multiple amino acid residues to form hydrophobic and hydrogen bonds,indicating it had the highest enhancement for umaminess and sweetness among these peptides.Sensory evaluation demonstrated the enhancement ofγ-EA on umaminess was superior to that of sweetness.Generally,γ-glutamyl peptides could enhance basic taste sensation via activating taste receptor,and exhibited a highest umami-enhancing effect.
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 81071029the Joint Funds of the Natural Science Foundation Committee with Henan Province Government for Fostering Talents, No. U1204809
文摘Studies have shown that there are strong interactions between gustatory and visceral sensations the central nervous system when rats ingest sweet foods or solutions. To investigate the role of th subdiaphragmatic vagi in transmitting general visceral information during the process of drinking sweet-tasting solutions, we examined the effects of subdiaphragmatic vagotomy on the intake of 0.5 mol/L sucrose, 0.005 mol/L saccharin or distilled water over the course of 1 hour in rats depriv~ of water. Results showed no significant difference in consumption of these three solutions in vagotomized rats. However, rats in the sham-surgery group drank more saccharin solution than sucrose solution or distilled water. Moreover, the intake of distilled water was similar between vagotomized rats and sham-surgery group rats, but significantly less sucrose and saccharin were consumed by vagotomized rats compared with rats in the sham-surgery group. These findings indicate that subdiaphragmatic vagotomy reduces intake of sweet-tasting solution in rats, and suggest that vagal and extravagal inputs play a balanced role in the control of the intake of sweet-tasting solutions. They also suggest that subdiaphragmatic vagotomy eliminates the difference in hedonic perception induced by sweet-tasting solutions compared with distilled water II E
文摘A gastronomic tour of one of China’s unique regional cuisines The first step in my Chinese culinary odyssey through Yangzhou City, east China’s Jiangsu Province, began at Gonghechun, a locally famous restaurant visible from the street only with a banner of golden letters on a field
文摘The New Millennium has brought a renewed focus onto China's abundance of world heritage sites. Up to now, 21 scenic spots in China have been included in the list of world heritage sites by the UNESCO and some others are in the process of application. Scattered over the country, these places are the gems of Chinese tourism resources. We have chosen two of them to offer to our readers. First is the unique charm of ancient Lijiang County in China's southwestern frontier province, Yunnan. Some time later, we wi...
文摘A little girl tastes food at the Romanian booth at the 2025 Chengdu Europe Culture Season in Chengdu,southwest China's Sichuan Province,on April 12,2025.
基金supported by a National Research Foundation of Korea(NRF)grant funded by the Korean Government(Ministry of Science and ICT,RS-2023-00208193 to Y.T.J.)by a grant of the Korea Health Technology R&D Project through the Korea Health Industry Development Institute(KHIDI)funded by the Ministry of Health&Welfare(RS-2024-00403511 to D.-H.K.)by a Korea University grant(K2117151 to Y.T.J.)。
文摘Taste buds relay taste sensory information to the primary taste neurons but depend on those same neurons for essential components to maintain function.While denervation-induced taste bud degeneration and subsequent regeneration were discovered decades ago,the mechanisms underlying these phenomena(e.g.,heterogenous cellular responses to nerve injury and the signaling pathways involved)remain poorly understood.Here,using mouse genetics,nerve injury models,pharmacologic manipulation,and taste bud organoid models,we identify a specific subpopulation of taste cells,predominantly c-Kit-expressing sweet cells,that exhibit superior resistance to nerve injury.We found the c-Kit inhibitor imatinib selectively reduced the number of residual c-Kit-expressing sweet cells at post-operation week 2,subsequently attenuating the re-emergence of other type II cells by post-operation week 4.In taste bud organoids,c-Kit-expressing cells were resistant to R-spondin withdrawal but susceptible to imatinib,while other taste cell types showed the opposite behavior.We also observed a distinct population of residual taste cells that acquired stem-like properties,generating clonal descendent cells among suprabasal keratinocytes independent of c-Kit signaling.Together,our findings reveal that c-Kit signaling confers resilience on c-Kit-expressing sweet cells and supports the broader reconstruction of taste buds during the later regenerative stage following nerve injury.
基金the financial support from Sichuan Technology Development Program,China(2020YFN0056,2021ZHCG0051,2020YFN0094,2021YFN0048,2020YFN0151)the Natural Science Foundation of Sichuan Province(2022NSFSC0105)Pidu 100 Innovative Talents Program(2022)。
文摘The utilization of Lactobacillus plantarum(LP)in chili sauce production is well-known for its capacity to enhance product quality and sensory attributes.However,there is still limited knowledge regarding the taste-active metabolites in the sauce.To bridge this gap,our study employed metabolomics and webbased computational tools to investigate the dynamic changes of taste-active metabolites during chili sauce fermentation.By leveraging the advantages of the feature-based molecular network(FBMN),we conducted a rapid annotation of metabolites,successfully identifying 205 metabolites,a considerable portion of which were previously unreported.Through the utilization of the Virtual Taste tool,we identified dihydrosphingosine,lactic acid,isoleucine,phytosphingosine,and gluconic acid as potential taste indicators for quality control.Pathway enrichment analysis further supported their primary involvement in key biochemical pathways,including amino acid t RNA biosynthesis,phenylalanine,tyrosine,tryptophan biosynthesis,and sphingolipid metabolism.This investigation provides valuable insights into the underlying mechanisms contributing to the distinctive flavor profile of chili sauce.
文摘1 Himalayan salt,a pink organic variety of the essential food sourced from Pakistan,is becoming increasingly popular in China,fueled by growing demand from quality‑conscious consumers.Himalayan salt is on the dining tables of more Chinese consumers on occasions such as camping,barbecue parties and grilling steak at home,and it has been used to improve taste and for decorative purposes.
基金supported by the National Science Centre grants,Grant/Award Number:SONATA-BIS 2020/38/E/NZ3/00090 and SONATA 2021/43/D/NZ3/01798。
文摘Sugars are one of the major metabolites and are essential for nucleic acid synthesis and energy production.In addition,sugars can act as signaling molecules.To study sugar signaling at the systemic level,there is an urgent need to systematically identify sugar-sensing proteins and nucleic acids.I propose the terms“swodkoreceptor”and“swodkocrine signaling,”derived from the Polish word“slodki”meaning“sweet,”to comprise all sugar-sensing proteins and signaling events,respectively,regardless of their cellular location and signaling domains.This proposal is intended to facilitate the inclusion of proteins such as the Escherichia coli Lac I repressor as an allolactose receptor,human glucokinase regulatory protein(GCKR)as a fructose receptor,and other sugar-binding based allosterically regulated enzymes and transcription factors as sugar-sensing receptors.In addition,enzyme-interacting proteins whose interaction state is regulated by sugar binding have also been proposed as sugar receptors.The systemic study of protein-and nucleic-acid-based swodkoreceptors may help to identify organelle-specific swodkoreceptors and to also address receptor duality.The study of intra-and inter-organism swodkocrine signaling and its crosstalk with gasocrine signaling may help to understand the etiology of diseases due to dysregulation in sugar homeostasis and signaling.
基金Supported by Special Major Build of China and Nature Science Research Foundations of Sichuan Agricultural University(06370101)~~
文摘[Objective] The paper was to study adsorption dynamics of calyx aroma onto basic tea in scenting process of calyx-scented tea, so as to increase aroma and quality of products. [Method] Adsorption experiment was carried out in a hermetic container, and the effect of calyx amount, contact time, moisture content of basic tea and temperature on the scenting process was studied. [Result] The optimal moisture and temperature for scenting process was 4% and 10 ℃, respectively. [Conclusion] The scenting process accorded pseudo-first-order kinetic model, and the adsorption dynamic data of total process could better fit pseudo-second-order kinetic model.
文摘Huizhou-style gardens have been greatly influenced by Huizhou culture, their plant landscapes have also been integrated with various aspects of Huizhou culture, which demonstrated the ideology, historical and cultural connotation of the society in an abstract and impalpable way. In this study, Huizhou-style miniature landscapes, plants of virtual implications, flowers or fruit trees of special connotations are taken for examples to analyze the influence of Xin’an Neo-Confucianism on plant landscapes in Huizhou-style gardens, the demonstration of Huizhou businessmen’s aesthetic tastes, as well as folk cultures of Huizhou, which implies that plant landscapes in Huizhou-style gardens are those incorporating with humanistic spirits, ornamental and practical uses. This study aims to provide references for further researches in the present situation of ancient Huizhou areas, protection of ancient Huizhou-style gardens and construction of new-style Huizhou gardens.
