Early prediction of tumor response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) is crucial for optimal treatment and improved outcome in breast cancer patients. The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of shear wave elastography (SWE) for early assessment of response to NACT in patients with invasive breast cancer.fmass), along with SWE measurements and mass size was obtained from each SWE study visit. The clinical biomarkers were acquired from the pre-NACT core-needle biopsy. The efficacy of different models, generated with the leave-one-out cross-validation, in predicting response to NACT was shown by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve and the corresponding sensitivity and specificity.In a prospective study, 62 patients with biopsy-proven invasive breast cancer were enrolled. Three SWE studies were conducted on each patient: before, at mid-course, and after NACT but before surgery. A new parameter, mass characteristic frequency (Emean2 and mass size (s2) gave an AUC of 0.75 (0.95 CI 0.62–0.88). For the ER+ tumors, the combination of Emean_ratio1, s1, and Ki-67 index gave an improved AUC of 0.84 (0.95 CI 0.65–0.96). For responders, fmass was significantly higher during the third visit.A significant difference was found for SWE parameters measured before, at mid-course, and after NACT between the responders and non-responders. The combination of fmass is presented as a new marker in predicting the endpoint of NACT in responders.Our study findings highlight the value of SWE estimation in the mid-course of NACT for the early prediction of treatment response. For ER+ tumors, the addition of Ki-67improves the predictive power of SWE. Moreover,  Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) is an established therapeutic strategy for operable breast cancers and locally advanced breast cancers and allows more patients to undergo breast-preserving surgery , 2. A paCurrent techniques available for monitoring response to NACT are positron emission tomography (PET) , sonograTissue stiffness has been demonstrated to be significantly correlated with tumor growth as cancer development and progression require extensive reorganization of the extracellular matrix (ECM) . Increasfmass) was used. fmass is defined as the ratio of the averaged minimum shear wave speed (SWS) within the regions of interest (ROIs) to the largest mass dimension. The physical meaning of the new parameter can be explained as the inverse of the maximum shear wave propagation time in a breast mass. The motivation for using fmass is that in SWE, the SWS of small masses is often underestimated due to their small size compared to the wavelength. This error may lead to the false-negative diagnosis of such masses. fmass represents the SWS weighted by the inverse of mass diameter; therefore, fmass assumes a larger value for masses that are too small. Thus, one may expect fmass to be a more robust parameter in SWE than SWS itself. However, we want to emphasize that fmass is not meant to compensate for the underestimation error of SWS in a mathematical sense. Our intention is to introduce fmass as a new metric that improves the characterization of breast masses in a statistical sense. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of SWE parameters, including mass characteristic frequency, in evaluating the breast tumor response to the NACT treatment. For ER-positive tumors, the combination of the SWE parameters with Ki-67 was further studied to improve the sensitivity and specificity of the response prediction.In the current study, a new SWE parameter mass characteristic frequency  compliant and was approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) (IRB application #12-003329). From January 2014 to September 2020, 62 female patients (age range 27–78 years) with 62 biopsy-proven invasive breast cancers were recruited in this study. During the recruitment, patients with prior mastectomy or breast implant were excluded. One patient with a previous lumpectomy in the contralateral breast was included in this study. A signed written informed consent with permission for publication was obtained from each enrolled patient prior to the study.SWE studies were conducted for each patient at three time points: before initiation of NACT, at the mid-course of NACT, and after completion of NACT but prior to surgery. A flow diagram of the study population is summarized in Fig. fmass, is used in this paper: fmass = 1000Vmin/d, where fmass is with unit Hz, Vmin is the minimum SWS with unit m/s, and d is the mass size in mm and recorded as the maximum dimension of the tumor shown on the B-mode image. Figure fmass.The 2D SWE scanning was performed by one of our two experienced sonographers, using the GE LOGIQ-E9 ultrasound clinical scanner equipped with a 2–8 MHz linear array probe  for both the conventional B-mode and SWE data acquisition. To reduce motion artifacts, patients were instructed to suspend respiration for approximately 3 s during the data acquisition. The SWE measurement was acquired within a rectangle-shaped field of view, which covered the whole lesion and the adjacent normal tissue. For each lesion, along the same orientation, at least four SWE images were obtained. One of the consistent stiffness maps was chosen to draw ROIs. Three non-overlapping ROIs, 3 mm in diameter, were placed at the stiffest position of the lesion, with peritumoral stroma included. One ROI was placed at the surrounding normal tissue. The mean SWS, maximum SWS, minimum SWS, and standard deviation of the SWS inside each ROI were calculated by the ultrasound machine. The SWS for the tumor was represented by the average values of the three ROIs placed at the stiffest position. A new shear wave parameter, mass characteristic frequency, represented by finvdprim)0.17 + [4(1–0.75LN)dmet]0.17 [The parameters for residual cancer burden (RCB) measurement for each patient were obtained from the surgical pathology report, and the RCB score was calculated with an empirical equation: RCB = 1.4, progesterone receptor (PR), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), and Ki-67 proliferative index status of the pre-NACT tumor needle core biopsies were obtained from the clinical record. ER and PR were considered negative if less than 1% of invasive tumor cells were immunoreactive, and were considered positive if greater than or equal to 1% of invasive tumor cells were immunoreactive. As per the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)/College of American Pathologists (CAP) guidelines , immunohBased on the clinical biomarker data, the tumors were divided into five molecular subtypes according to the St. Gallen criteria : LuminalThe measured SWS was converted to elasticity expressed in kilopascals . ChangesThe subscripts 1, 2, and 3 indicate the corresponding parameters measured at the first, the second, and the third visits, respectively.p value for continuous data and count data, respectively. p < 0.05 was considered indicative of a statistically significant difference. Leave-one-out cross-validation (LOOCV) [Statistical analysis was conducted with RStudio . The Kruskal-Wallis test and Pearson’s chi-squared test were used in the statistical analysis to calculate the  (LOOCV)  was usedp = 0.03), and higher tumor grade (grade III) had a higher response rate of 67.7% compared to 32.3% to lower grade tumors (grade I/II). Among different ER-positive molecular subtypes, a significant difference was found for the response rate (p = 0.03) with the highest response rate seen in Luminal B (HER2+) type cancers. Table VMRI), mass size (s), and the SWE parameters, including the new parameter fmass. The averaged MRI volume, shear wave elasticity, and mass size decreased during the NACT treatment for both the responder group and the non-responder group. Tumor response was significantly correlated with the values of Emean-ratio1 measured during the first SWE visit; s2, Emean2, and Emax2 measured during the second SWE visit; and VMRI3, s3, Emean3, Emax3, Emean-ratio3, Emax-ratio3, and fmass3 measured during the third SWE visit.Patient demographic and tumor characteristics of the 62 patients enrolled in this study are presented in Table fmass1–3, p < 0.001). Figures Emean and fmass for different molecular subtypes measured during the three visits are shown in Figs. fmass remained low for non-responders and increased significantly for responders.For all three visits, non-responders showed higher averaged elasticity, elasticity ratio, and lower mass characteristic frequency. No significant difference was found in the change of elasticity, although there was a trend for the averaged change in stiffness in the responder group to be higher. A significant difference was found in the change of the mass characteristic frequency measured between the first and the third visits . No significant difference was found between the second and the third visits (p = 0.29). Therefore, the AUC  for the second visit gave the second best prediction, given the balance between timing and accuracy.Selected SWE parameters measured at each visit were combined using the LOOCV to predict the NACT treatment response, and the models were denoted as the noninvasive models. The For ER-positive tumors, the Ki-67 index obtained from the pre-NACT biopsy was then added to the selected SWE parameters included in the noninvasive models with the LOOCV to predict NACT response. The corresponding models were denoted as the mixed models, with ROCs shown in Fig. PE = ((S1-S0)/S0) × 100%, where S0, S1, and S2 represented the signal intensities on the precontrast, early postcontrast, and late postcontrast images, respectively.The AUCs for both the invasive models and the mixed models during the three visits are compared in Fig. Emean and Emax between the first two visits were larger than the changes between the second and the third visits. The slower drop in stiffness during the later course of NACT treatment may be due to hypoxia, which is associated with increased matrix stiffness in the non-necrotic area of the tumors [The results of our study demonstrate that SWE aids accurate assessment and early prediction of tumor response to NACT; for ER-positive tumors, combining the Ki-67 index with some SWE parameters can further improve the response prediction. Our study showed that the averaged stiffness decreased for both the responders and the non-responders. Moreover, the changes in stiffness for both the e tumors , 30. More tumors . These ce tumors , 31.fmass is a newly introduced SWE parameter for breast cancer characterization, and a lower fmass value is significantly correlated with poor histologic prognostic factors. The average fmass value for the non-responders stayed relatively constant throughout the NACT treatment. Recalling the definition of fmass, this result indicated that the change of SWS and mass size during the NACT was such that the net effect on fmass was minimal for the non-responders. This study showed that the averaged fmass for the responders was higher than that for the non-responders during all three visits. For the third visit, a significant difference was found among the responders and non-responders. Among the responders, there was no significant difference between fmass1 and fmass2. When compared to the average fmass1, the average fmass3 significantly increased by 70%, indicating that the effect of size reduction was dominant on fmass (compared to the change of minimum SWS) after the mid-course of NACT. A similar trend was observed in each molecular subtype. However, the average Emean decreased continuously throughout the NACT. When compared to the first measurement, the average Emean decreased by 48% during the second visit and by 62% during the third visit. Therefore, fmass could be used as a useful indicator to determine the end-of-treatment point for the NACT for responders. Currently, response to NACT is routinely assessed using MRI, clinical ultrasound, and mammography [fmass could further facilitate the individualized NACT treatment plan. We plan to extend our study to a larger number of patients and with more frequent fmass measurements in the course of NACT to further investigate the role of fmass in predicting earlier response to NACT.The mography . The addPredictions of response to NACT with the noninvasive models which combine the SWE parameters show promising results for all three visits. To balance the timing and accuracy, the parameters obtained during the mid-course of NACT could be used for evaluating the NACT treatment outcome. Similarly, a previous study showed that the optimal time for early evaluation to identify patients who would be responsive to treatment was after 2 cycles of treatment and immediately before the third cycle of the therapy .The Ki-67 index is an important predictive factor for the effectiveness of NACT , 33. BreBoth the noninvasive models and the mixed models were generated with the leave-one-out cross-validation analysis, which included internal validations to quantify any optimism in the predictive performance and adjust the models for overfittings , 37. TheStudies showed that MRI volumetric assessment was more accurate than the diameter for earlier detection of treatment response , 24. TheThere are some limitations in this study. Firstly, the sample size was relatively small; moreover, as shown in the flowchart, some patients did not complete all three visits for the SWE studies, leading to some missing data. However, the leave-one-out cross-validation has been applied to compensate for the sample number limitation. Secondly, this is a one-center study. Thus, a multicenter study with a larger population is required to further investigate the role of SWE parameters in NACT response prediction.Emean2 and s2 are measured during the mid-course of the treatment. For ER-positive tumors, an even earlier and more accurate response prediction could be obtained with the combination of Ki-67 index, Emean_ratio1, and s1 measured before the treatment using the mixed model. Moreover, this study also shows that fmass is useful in determining the endpoint of the NACT.In summary, this study investigated the application of SWE in discriminating the responders from non-responders to chemotherapy, before NACT, during the mid-course of NACT, and after NACT but prior to surgery. In conclusion, when the noninvasive model is used for response prediction, a balance between the timing and accuracy is achieved when the fmass is presented as a new marker in predicting the endpoint of NACT in responders. These results may facilitate personalizing the treatment regimens of patients with breast cancer receiving NACT. Furthermore, the role of these SWE parameters can be validated in the future by carrying out a multicenter prospective study with a larger patient population.Our study findings highlight the value of SWE estimation in the mid-course of NACT for the early prediction of treatment response. For ER+ tumors, the addition of Ki-67 improves the predictive power of SWE. Moreover,


In the treatment of anterior shoulder instability with glenoid bone loss, free bone graft transfers have proven to be a viable anatomic alternative to the commonly performed, nonanatomic Latarjet procedure. Implant-free fixation of the free bone grafts, in particular, has rendered excellent short- and long-term results. However, a drawback remains the source of the graft. We describe an arthroscopic bone block cerclage technique using a tricortical scapular spine autograft, which provides an anatomic arthroscopic glenoid reconstruction with the combined benefit of sparing the subscapularis, metal-free fixation, and intraregional donor site for autograft harvesting. Arthroscopic bone block cerclage technique using a tricortical scapular spine autograft for glenoid reconstruction in patients with anterior shoulder instability. All patients with multiple episodes of anterior shoulder instability should be evaluated with 3-dimensional computed tomography (CT) to assess humeral and glenoid bone loss. The current technique is indicated in patients with symptomatic anterior shoulder instability and concomitant measured glenoid bone loss >15%.Under general anesthesia and with a routine single-shot antibiotic regimen, the patient is placed in the lateral decubitus position using a vacuum bean bag positioner. The affected arm is fixed with the help of a traction device in 30° of abduction and neutral rotation, with axial and lateral traction applied to distend the shoulder joint and improve intraarticular visualization.Three regular portals are required for this procedure: standard posterior, anterosuperior, and anteroinferior. We recommend the posterior portal be incised in a horizontal fashion to ease the introduction of the drill guide from posterior. A diagnostic arthroscopy is first performed through the posterior portal to identify concomitant pathologies; however, the anterior glenoid rim and capsulolabral complex can be evaluated best through the anterosuperior portal.Looking through the anterosuperior portal, the capsulolabral complex is first carefully mobilized using an arthroscopic periosteal elevator. Then the anterior glenoid defect is debrided and abraded with a motorized burr to achieve a flat plane and induce bleeding for improved glenoid bone graft healing potential .Fig 1ArtAn arthroscopic posterior drilling guide  is introduced into the joint through the posterior portal, and the hook component is placed parallel to the articular surface of the glenoid, as close as possible to the center of the defect and ∼5 mm medial of the cartilage surface A. With tIn situ measurement of the anterior glenoid defect is crucial to achieve a perfect fit of the autograft. This is performed by using an arthroscopic measuring probe  from the anteroinferior portal to measure the craniocaudal and mediolateral width of the defect and the exact localization of the drill holes within the defect.A harvest location 4 to 5 cm lateral to the medial scapular border is selected that provides the largest cross-sectional graft size while avoiding the acromial base.Digital dilation of the anteroinferior portal is performed for better graft passage. Using the inferior FiberLink loop, 2 ultra-high-strength suture tapes  are passed from posterior to the anterior side of the glenoid and retrieved through the anteroinferior portal. The suture tapes are then passed through the inferior tunnel of the autograft from the cancellous side to the cortical side and from the cortical side to the cancellous side through the superior tunnel of the autograft A. The suAfter insertion and proper positioning of the scapular spine graft B, the FiThe capsulolabral complex is reattached to the glenoid around the graft with 3 cinch stitches and 3 single-loaded 2.9-mm knotless suture anchors  placed in the native glenoid, thus partially covering the graft to restore anatomy . Alterna,13,In the treatment of anterior shoulder instability with glenoid bone loss, free bone graft transfers have proven to be a viable anatomic alternative to the commonly performed, nonanatomic Latarjet procedure.The arthroscopic bone block cerclage technique using a tricortical scapular spine autograft provides an anatomic arthroscopic glenoid reconstruction with the combined benefit of sparing the subscapularis, metal-free fixation, and intraregional donor site for autograft harvesting. The advantages and disadvantages, as well as some pearls and pitfalls of the technique, are described in


The estimated glycemic index (eGI) value of adzuki bean powder prepared by steamed cooking (SC), extruded cooking (EC) and roller cooking (RC) was studied comparatively. Results showed that RC had the highest eGI, with 80.1, and both EC and SC resulted in a lower eGI value of 70.0 and 49.7, respectively. Compared with the EC and RC methods, the SC method provided a more intact physical barrier for starch digestion, resulting in a less destroyed cell structure. As the essential components that form the cell wall, the study further investigated the effects of protein and fiber on physicochemical properties, in vitro starch digestibility and the eGI of adzuki bean powder processed with the SC method. Viscozyme and Protamax were used to obtain the deprotein and defiber samples. Results showed that the SC treatment with Viscozyme and Protamax, respectively, had significant effects on in vitro starch digestibility. The eGI of different samples were given as follows: steamed cooking adzuki bean powder (49.7) < deproteined adzuki bean powder (60.5) < defibered adzuki bean powder (83.1), which indicates that fiber may have a greater influence on the eGI than protein. Vigna angularis) is widely consumed in many countries and was mainly cultivated in China, North Korea, Japan and other southeast Asian countries. It is rich in protein, starch, dietary fiber, phytochemicals and other nutrients [The adzuki bean  and cooking , and could further influence the glycemic response ,9,10. ThEpidemiological and clinical studies reported that whole cereals and pulses have relatively low glycemic index (GI), which could better reduce the risk of chronic diseases, such as obesity and type 2 diabetes . It is eThe interaction of starch, protein and fiber on the nutritional and functional properties of cereal has been investigated by a number of researchers ,19,20,21This study aims to investigate the effects of different processing methods: steamed cooking, roller cooking and extruded cooking on the eGI of adzuki bean powder. Selecting the treatment with the best result in eGI, the present study further examines the impact of fiber and protein on eGI.By studying the gelatinization characteristics and structural properties of adzuki bean powder with different processing methods, the findings will optimize the existing cooking methods of adzuki bean powder with a lower eGI value. More significantly, the findings will provide more in-depth scientific information on the effect of fiber and protein on eGI in order to develop healthier adzuki bean foods.Adzuki beans (Jihong 0015) were kindly provided by the Institute of Crop Germplasm Resources (CAAS), Beijing, China. Total starch kit, Glucose Oxidase/peroxidase (GOPOD) kit, Amyloglucosidase , pepsin (3200 U/mg) and α-amylase (10 U/mg) were purchased from Megazyme . Porcine pancreas pancreatin , fluorescein isothiocyanate isomer I  and calcofluor-white stain  were purchased from Sigma-Aldrich . Viscozyme and Protamax were kindly provided by Novozymes . All other chemical reagents used in this study were of analytical grade.Steamed cooking (SC): adzuki beans (100 g) were soaked in water overnight (12 h) with a ratio of adzuki beans to water of 1:3 and then cooked at 100 °C for 40 min. When they were cooled down, the materials were beaten into paste in a high-speed stirrer, ground by colloidal grinding and passed through a 60-mesh sieve. The wet adzuki bean powder was freeze-dried  for subsequent analysis.Roller cooking (RC): adzuki beans (100 g) were milled with cyclone  in order to pass through a 60-mesh sieve, then the slurry was prepared with a ratio of raw adzuki bean powder to water of 1:2. The slurry was ground finely by colloidal grinding. The materials were poured on the surface of the drum dryer with a temperature of 150 °C, rotational speed at 1350 rmp and pressure at 0.3–0.8 Mpa. The collected materials were crushed through 60-mesh sieve, which was named as RC.Extrusion cooking (EC): adzuki beans (100 g) were milled through 60-mesh sieve, the moisture content was adjusted to 40%, and then the beans were extruded through the twin screw extrusion system ; extrusion machine barrel temperature program: 50 °C, −60 °C, −80 °C, −100 °C, −120 °C, screw speed: 160 r/min. The extrudates were collected and placed in an oven at 40 °C, drying for 12 h. After drying and grinding (60-mesh), the extrudates were sealed and stored for subsequent analysis.Raw adzuki bean powder (R): this was obtained by taking 100 g of adzuki bean and grinding it through a 60-mesh sieve, which was named as R, and taken as the control samples of the above cooking samples.Control sample (SC): the adzuki bean powder prepared with steamed cooking was taken as control sample. The preparation method was as above.Defiber powder (SC-DF): 100 g adzuki bean powder was soaked in water at 25 °C for 4 h with a ratio of adzuki beans to water of 1:3, cooked at 100 °C for 40 min, cooled down and then ground through colloidal grinding. Its pH was adjusted to 5.5, Viscozyme was added , it underwent hydrolysis at 45 °C for 2 h and was passed through a 60-mesh sieve. The wet adzuki bean powder was freeze-dried for further analysis. Similar studies with the Viscozyme treatment were used by Figueiredo, Yamashita, Vanzela, Ida and Kurozawa .Deprotein powder (SC-DP): 100 g adzuki beans were soaked in water at 25 °C for 4 h with a ratio of adzuki beans to water of 1:3, cooked at 100 °C for 40 min, cooled down and then ground through colloidal grinding. The pH of the resulting powder was adjusted to 7.0, complex Protamax was added , it underwent hydrolysis at 50 °C for 2 h and was then passed through a 60-mesh sieve. The wet adzuki bean powder was freeze-dried for further analysis. Similar studies with the Protamax treatment were used by Annor, Marcone, Bertoft and Seetharaman .The damaged starch content was measured using the AACC approved method 76–31.01 ,25. The 2, 200 mM CaCl2) and then equilibrated at 37 °C for 15 min. Three glass balls (10 mm diameter) and 5 mL of the enzyme solution (containing 5 mg of pancreatin and 50 μL of AMG in sodium acetate buffer solution) were added to each tube. The mixture was incubated in a water bath at 37 °C with stirring at 300 rpm. The digesta (0.5 mL) were collected at 5, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120 and 180 min, and the digestion was stopped by adding 0.5 mL of 95% ethanol. The digestibility of gelatinized sample was determined from the amount of glucose released in the supernatant, tested using the Megazyme glucose kit, with a conversion factor of 0.9 (the ratio of the molecular weight of the hydroglucose monomer unit in starch to that of glucose).In vitro digestion was carried out using porcine pancreatic α-amylase and AMG with the method described by Sopade and Gidley  with sli−1) [t, C∞ and k were the concentration at incubation time t, the equilibrium concentration and the kinetic constant, respectively. Using the hydrolysis curve (0–180 min), the hydrolysis index (HI) was calculated as the percentage of total glucose released from the samples [The digestion kinetic profiles were then fitted to the first-order equation to obtain the apparent digestion rate coefficient  ,28Ct =  samples . The gly samples :GI = 39.c is the crystallinity, Ac is the crystalline area and Aa is the amorphous area on the X-ray diffractogram.The X-ray diffraction and degree of crystallinity of adzuki bean powder were recorded using a powder X-ray diffractometer  with Cu-Kαvalue of 1.54 radiation at room temperature. It was scanned at a rate of 2°/min from the diffraction angle (2θ) between 4° and 40°, using a voltage of 40 kV and filament current 30 mA. The crystallinity was calculated according to the equation below:o), peak temperature (Tp) and enthalpy of gelatinization (ΔH) were calculated automatically.The thermal properties of each sample were examined using differential scanning calorimetry . Approximately 3 mg sample was mixed with 6 mg deionized water and hermetically sealed in an aluminum pan, allowed to equilibrate for 12 h at room temperature and then scanned at a heating rate of 5 °C/min from 40 to 120 °C. The differential scanning calorimetry analyzer was calibrated using indium as a standard and an empty aluminum pan was used as the reference. The onset temperature  with 15 kV potential accelerator. For SEM, the adzuki bean powder was directly applied to a circular metal stub covered with double-sided adhesive carbon tape, then coated with platinum by a sputter coater. An accelerating voltage of 5 kV was used during imaging. For polarized pictures, a Motic BA310POL microscope  equipped with a cross polarizer was used.Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) was carried out following the method described by Zhang et al.  with slip < 0.05). All statistical computations and analyses were conducted using SPSS version 13.0  for Windows.All the experiments were performed in triplicate and the experimental data were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA), which were expressed as mean value ± standard deviation. A Duncan’s multiple range test was conducted in order to assess the level of significant differences among experimental mean values  with wet milling resulted in a lower content of damaged starch; the integrity of the starch granules remained and the structure of the starch in adzuki bean powder was relatively intact.Moreover, starch relative crystallinity is an important parameter to characterize the crystallization properties of starch granules. With different processing methods , the relative crystallinity of the adzuki bean powder starch decreased from 20.2% (R) to 17.13% (SC), 12.27% (RC) and 10.23% (EC), respectively. This explains that the processing methods can partially destroy the ordered structure of starch crystallinity ,35,36. TB type XRD curve.The X-ray diffraction patterns of raw adzuki bean starch (R) and processed adzuki bean powder are presented in Roller-cooked adzuki bean powder (RC) and extruded adzuki bean powder (EC) showed no obvious crystallization peak; the starch was fully gelatinized and the result was consistent with the result of DSC. For the steam-cooked adzuki bean powder, there was no starch crystallization peak at 15.0°, but a single peak at 17.3° and a double peak at 23.0°, indicating that the crystal structure was less damaged. SC was cooked with whole beans, where the intact cell wall structure can limit cell expansion. The starch structure cannot be fully extended due to the inclusion of the cell wall, so as to retain the ordered structure of starch granules and keep the integrity of the crystalline structure.Based on the above findings, we found that the SC method maintained the integrity of the cells with less damage and that the SC method in particular showed the lowest damaged starch content and eGI value. It is also well known that the steamed cooking treatment has a great influence on vegetable cell structure and texture . TherefoLight microscope images of adzuki bean powder treated with steam cooking with Protamax and Viscozyme are shown in After steamed cooking treatment with the complex Viscozyme (SC-DF), a scanning electron microscope showed that the cell structure of steam-cooked adzuki bean powders (SC-DF) was obviously deformed, and that the starch particles wrapped by the cell wall were gradually exposed . ShrunkeBirefringent with Maltese crosses were observed in all cell samples under the polarized light microscopy. In The scanning electron microscope showed that the granules of defibered adzuki bean powder adhered to each other, that the surface was rough and that the particle shape was irregular. A few fragments of cell walls around the granules could be observed under the light microscope. Large granules of the defibered adzuki bean powder disappeared.The permeability of the adzuki bean powder cell walls may limit the ability of Viscozyme to pass through the cell wall to the inside of the cells. The cell wall permeability of adzuki bean powder cells can be damaged irreversibly by steamed treatment. In addition, the strength, porosity and stiffness of the cell wall can also be disrupted after thermal treatment, enabling Protamax and Viscozyme to pass through , leading∞) and kinetic constant (k) were estimated by fitting a first-order equation model  ann powder . Comparen powder .The estimated glycemic index has been used to estimate the blood glucose response after food ingestion by humans . As showDifferent eGI values could also be attributed to the presence of other components, such as polyphenols in adzuki bean powders, which have been previously described to have lower blood glucose . Future This study investigated the mechanism of different processing methods on the in vitro digestibility and estimated glycemic index (eGI) of adzuki bean powder and the impact of the protein and fiber of steam-cooked adzuki bean powder on the eGI.By comparing three different processing methods, we found that the eGI value of the steam-cooked adzuki bean powder (SC) was the lowest compared with EC and RC. By observing its microstructure, the SC sample had a better cellular integrity and its cell walls formed a physical barrier to digestive enzymes after cooking. We speculated that steam-cooked processing with wet milling could result in a lower content of damaged starch, meaning that the integrity of starch granules mostly remained and that it is crucial to obtain a low eGI. However, the roller cooking destroyed the cell structure, which led to a relatively completed starch gelatinization, and hence the eGI was higher.Based on the above results, we utilized two kinds of enzymes  to prepare deprotein and defiber samples in order to further examine the impact of the enzymatic treatment on the samples’ eGI. Results have confirmed our speculation that protein and fiber impact both the eGI and the in vitro digestion of adzuki bean powder. Additionally, fiber showed the most effect on the eGI compared with protein. The defiber sample’s eGI increased from 49.7 to 83.1 after the enzymatic treatment. It was confirmed that the digestibility of cooked starch in adzuki bean powders was protected by the protein and fiber of the cell wall, leading to a low eGI value. Processing technologies that apply to adzuki bean powder, such as steamed cooking with Viscozyme and Protamax, remove the fiber and protein, which leads to an increase in its in vitro starch digestibility and eGI. We concluded that fiber and protein are crucial to reduce the level of the eGI in adzuki bean powder. We therefore advocate for the development of potential products made from whole adzuki beans in order to maintain its hypoglycemic property.


LD graft recipients spent more time on the waitlist vs. the split graft group (60 (22–138) days vs. 46 (16–108) days; p = 0.007). LD recipients had a lower rate of graft failure, found in 9.8% of patients compared with 14.6% in the split graft group (p = 0.02). HAT was the most common graft failure cause, with similar rates. Graft and patient survival at 1-, 3-, and 5-years was comparable between LDLT and SLT. In subgroup analyses, patients with biliary atresia, those ≤10 kg or ≤10 years old receiving an LD graft showed improved graft survival. In conclusion, LDLT is associated with a lower rate of graft failure in pediatric patients. The use of LLS regardless of the type of donor is a safe way to facilitate access to transplantation to pediatric patients with acceptable short and long-term outcomes.Split and LDLT in pediatric patients have the potential to decrease wait times and waitlist mortality. Using UNOS-STAR data, we compared outcomes of pediatric patients undergoing LDLT and SLT using LLS grafts. The baseline characteristics and post-operative outcomes were compared between groups. Actuarial graft and patient survival were analyzed with Kaplan-Meier curves. Between 2010 and 2019, 911 pediatric LT were included in the analysis (LD graft group,   The use of split liver transplantation (SLT) and living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) have revolutionized the field of pediatric liver transplantation (LT)—with the potential to increase the availability of organs and decrease waitlist mortality . PediatrThe number of pediatric LT performed in the US has remained stable over the past decade . Out of Deceased donor splitting into an LLS and an extended right graft, not only provides access to LT for pediatric recipients but also the possibility to utilize the remnant liver graft in a larger size recipient (pediatric or adult) , 4. The Over the past decade, the outcomes of split and living donor vs. the whole LT in the pediatric population have improved . Some stData for this retrospective study were obtained from the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) Standard Transplant Analysis and Research file (STAR). The UNOS-STAR database does not include any patient or transplant center identifiers. The study population included all pediatric recipients (<18 years of age) who received a LLS graft from a deceased donor (SLT) or a living donor (LD) in the United States from January 1, 2010, to March 2019. Recipients ≥18 years, patients receiving a right lobe, right trisegment graft, full left lobes, whole liver grafts, donation after circulatory death, multi-organ transplants, re-transplantations, and those transplanted prior to 2010 were excluded from the analysis. The records of the remaining pediatric liver transplant recipients were then analyzed.Three additional subgroup analyses were performed to assess outcomes with the two techniques in challenging pediatric populations. The first one compared the outcome of both techniques in pediatric patients with biliary atresia. While a second analysis evaluated recipients ≤10 kg, the third analysis assessed both techniques in those patients who were ≤10 years of age at the time of transplant. Demographic variables for donors, recipients, and postoperative outcomes were compared in each set of patients.The following donor characteristics were analyzed and compared between groups: age, gender, weight (kg), height (cm), body mass index (BMI), and cold ischemia time (CIT) (hours).Since November 2007, the OPTN has identified organs with the potential to be split as those that met the following criteria: donor less than 40 years old on less than 1 vasopressor, transaminases no greater than 3 times the upper limit of normal, and BMI of 28 or less. However, although these are meant as guidelines, the final decision to split or not an organ is based on each transplant center’s criteria and expertise.In the deceased donor group, some of the left lateral segment grafts resulted from a reduction of a full graft rather than a true split into two grafts. For descriptive purposes, we described these grafts also as splits although the extended right graft was not used for another recipient.The following recipient data were analyzed and compared between groups: age, gender, weight (kg), height (cm), BMI, laboratory values at transplant such as international normalized ratio (INR), albumin level, serum creatinine, and total bilirubin level. Preoperative data such as ascites grade, history of portal vein thrombosis (PVT), previous upper abdominal surgery, indication for transplant, Pediatric End-Stage Liver Disease (PELD) score at transplant, patients transplanted under status 1, and the total number of days on the waitlist were also analyzed.Status 1 variable was comprised of patients with Status 1A and 1B. Status 1A and 1B are the only medical priority exceptions to PELD scores in pediatric patients and account for less than 1% of liver transplant candidates at any given time. Status 1A patients are those with a diagnosis of acute liver failure with a life expectancy of less than 7-days. Status 1B includes patients with hepatoblastoma, certain metabolic disorders, and chronic liver disease with a MELD or PELD greater than 25.de novo, recurrent disease and hepatic outflow obstruction. Re-transplantation rates and mortality were also analyzed by actuarial graft and patient survival.Recipient surgical outcomes were analyzed by assessing the length of hospital stay (LOS), and the reported incidence of graft failure causes such as hepatic artery thrombosis (HAT), other vascular thrombosis, primary non-function (PNF), infection, PVT, biliary related graft failure, diffuse cholangiopathy, hepatitis Chi-square test and Fisher’s Exact Test were used for comparison between groups accordingly. Independent t-test and Mann-Whitney U test were used for comparisons of continuous variables as appropriate. Kaplan-Meier method was used to analyze survival between study groups and were compared using the log-rank test. The outcome for graft and patient survival were calculated by using the variables “pstatus” and “gstatus”-Boolean most recent patient status (based on composite death date)- respectively. These variables reflect the death date reported for the patient as deceased, as verified by external sources. For all analyses, two-tailed p-values ≤0.05 were considered statistically significant. All analyses were performed using IBM SPSS Statistics Version 26.Baseline donor and recipient demographics, as well as clinical characteristics, were presented as median (interquartile range) for continuous variables, and counts (percent) for categorical variables, unless stated otherwise according to the distribution of the data. For categorical variables, the During the study period, a total of 911 pediatric patients who received an LT with an LLS graft were identified in the UNOS-STAR database. Of those, 508 (55.8%) underwent LT with a graft from a living donor (LD graft group) and 403 (44.2%) received a split liver graft from a deceased donor (Split graft group).p < 0.001). However, it is important to notice that the maximum donor age in the LD graft group was 59 years, while the older donor in the split graft group was 52 years. There was a significantly lower percentage of male donors in the LD graft group when compared to the split graft group . Anthropometric measurements, including weight (kg), height (cm), and BMI were significantly higher in the LD group . In congruence with the nature of the groups, CIT was significantly shorter in the LD graft group when compared with the split graft group (1.5 (1.0–2.3) hours vs. 7.5 (6.2–9.0) hours; p < 0.001) (Donors in the LD graft group were older when compared with donors from the split graft group (32 (IQR: 26–37) years vs. 12 (IQR: 7–17) years, respectively; < 0.001) .p = 0.001). PELD scores at the time of listing and LT were similar between groups. However, fewer recipients were listed under status 1 in the LD graft group compared with the split graft group (66 (13%) vs. 96 (23.8%); p < 0.001). The most common indication for pediatric LT was biliary atresia, occurring in 57.2% of recipients in the LD group, and in 38.9% of recipients in the split graft group. The LD group had significantly longer time spent on the waitlist (LD group = 60 (22–138) days vs. split graft group = 46 (16–108) days)  days, vs. Split graft group n = 307, 56 (21–132) days, p = 0.027).Age at transplant and anthropometric measurements were similar between groups. Baseline characteristics such as the presence of ascites, and history of PVT were also similar. More patients in the LD group had a history of previous abdominal surgery (306 (60.2%)) vs. the split graft group (193 (47.9%)) (8) days) . The lonp < 0.001). The overall graft failure rate was significantly lower in the LD graft group . The most common cause of graft failure in both groups was HAT, which occurred at similar rates between groups (p = 0.046). PNF rate was significantly lower in the LD group (LD group = 4 (0.8%) patients vs. Split graft group = 6 (1.5%) patients; p = 0.01). Diffuse cholangiopathy was the cause of graft failure in 1 patient who received a split graft and did not occur in any LD recipients (p = 0.036). Other reported causes of graft failure can be found in Length of hospital stay was significantly shorter in the LD graft group (16 (11–26) days vs. 20 (13–33) days, respectively; n groups . Other vRe-transplantation rates and mortality were not significantly different between groups. Graft and patient survival at 1-, 3-, and 5-years were also similar between the LD and split graft groups .n = 291) vs. those receiving a split liver graft (n = 157). Baseline recipient characteristics were similar between groups. Importantly, in this subanalysis time spent on the waitlist was similar in both groups (69 (34–152) days in the LD group vs. 67 (31–125) days in the split graft group; p = 0.34). The proportion of male donors was lower in the LD group vs. the split graft group . Additional donor characteristics appear in p = <0.001). Although improved 1-, 3- and 5-years graft survival was found in the LD group , patient survival at 1-, 3-, and 5-years remained comparable between groups .To identify significant factors influencing outcomes amongst groups, using a more homogeneous sample we performed a subgroup analysis of recipients with biliary atresia receiving a graft from a LD (p = 0.02). As in the main analysis, fewer patients in the LD graft group were listed as status 1 when compared to recipients in the split graft group (24 (8.7%) patients vs. 43 (20.3%) patients, respectively; p = <0.001).To assess the outcomes following LT in small pediatric recipients, a subgroup analysis including patients with a body weight ≤10 kg was performed. During the study period, a total of 487 LT were performed in pediatric patients with a body weight ≤10 kg. From this, while 275 (56.5%) were performed with an LD graft, 212 (43.5%) were performed using a split LLS graft from a deceased donor. Patients in the LD group spent more time on the waitlist (LD group = 52 (23–109) days vs. Split graft group = 43 (14–95) days; p = 0.011). Patient survival at 1-, 3-, and 5-years was similar between groups  vs. the split graft group . Fewer patients in the LD graft group were status 1 at the time of transplant when compared with patients in the split graft group (59 (13.1%) vs. 86 (22.9%), respectively; p < 0.001). Graft survival at 1-, 3-, and 5-years was significantly higher in the LD group  than the split graft group  (p = 0.015). Patient survival at 1-, 3-, and 5-years was similar between groups (Recipients ≤10 years old (LD group = 451 vs. Split graft group = 375) were also analyzed. Again, the LD graft group had significantly longer wait times (LD group = 57 (22–131) days vs. Split graft group = 47 (16–107) days; n groups .This study compares UNOS data on LDLT and SLT using the left lateral segment in the pediatric population within the last decade. Our analysis revealed improved post-operative outcomes including shorter hospital stays and lower rates of graft failure in living donor recipients. Our study also revealed that patients with a diagnosis of biliary atresia, those who weighed <10 kg or were <10 years old at the time of transplant showed an improved graft survival at 1-, 3-, and 5-years when they received an LLS graft from a living donor.in situ vs. ex vivo) has on CIT and therefore on graft injury and postoperative outcomes would have been interesting. However, due to the variability of the data set, this was not able to be evaluated in our study and requires further assessment in future studies. Importantly, CIT is a variable that can be modified with improved logistics between centers performing split liver transplantation and calls for a system that would allow for protection of these otherwise ideal allografts by minimizing the obstacles that extend cold ischemic times by a seven-fold difference. Indeed, the deceased donors in this study were from younger donors with significantly lower BMIs leaving extended CIT as the primary difference to explain increased graft loss, ischemic cholangiopathy, and primary non-function rates.Previous studies including both graft types have shown acceptable graft and patient outcomes with living donor and split grafts compared to whole liver grafts ,9, 12-14The appropriate lower limit of donor age for SLT has not been defined in the literature. There have been a few studies focused on evaluating the use of split livers from pediatric donors. In a study by Cescon et al., 43 livers were split from pediatric donors less than age 15. Forty left lateral segment grafts were transplanted into pediatric recipients while 39 extended right grafts were transplanted into 11 children and 28 adults . Two-yeaThere is an association between decreased wait time and waitlist mortality in adult recipients after LDLT , 21. In p < 0.001) (p < 0.002)  . Further< 0.002) . In 2020< 0.002) . Our stuLDLT has been associated with higher rates of biliary complications in the pediatric and adult populations when compared to whole grafts , 26. A rSubgroup analyses were performed to better understand the challenges associated with low body weight <10 kg) of pediatric recipients and younger age at the time of transplant (<10 years old). Historically, weight above 10 kg has been predictive of graft survival and associated with improved outcomes  kg of pe. SmallerAge at the time of transplant is also an important consideration in pediatric liver transplant outcomes. Historically, infants <12 months have the highest pretransplant mortality rate . Our anaLimitations of this study include the inherent challenges of registry data. Primary diagnoses for transplant in the pediatric UNOS database were felt to be under documented and some categories redundant. The individual causes of graft failure account for a small percentage of the number of deceased donors and living donor cases included. Specifically, the “other vascular thrombosis” as a category of graft failure may have overestimated the incidence of the complication. This is further compounded by the low numbers of liver transplants occurring in pediatric patients in general over the time period. As with all registry data, the onus falls on the transplant center performing the surgery to document the correct complications and reason for graft failure. In addition, lack of detailed information limited analysis of important variables that were not recorded/available in the dataset  as well as the possibility to control for additional confounders among the study groups. However, detailed analysis and subgroup analysis, as well as the scarcity of reports in literature comparing outcomes following these techniques in pediatric recipients are amongst the strengths of the present manuscript.In conclusion, this study demonstrates that LDLT is associated with a lower rate of graft failure in pediatric patients. Patient survival at 1-, 3-, and 5-years is comparable between LDLT and SLT. In patients with a diagnosis of biliary atresia, those with a body weight <10 kg or those <10 years old, LDLT is associated with improved graft survival and decreased need for re-transplantation. The use of LLS regardless of the type of donor could represent a safe way to facilitate access to transplantation to pediatric patients with acceptable outcomes.


Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) play a prominent role in drug discovery due to the rapid increase in drug resistant infections. Hence, we report the molecular docking analysis ofantimicrobial peptides MREEKKERKRD and MVQGAKRGGRLHRV with the target protein CXCL1 in the context of colorectal cancer for further consideration in drug discovery. Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most prevalent cancer in the world and causes second mortality rate . WorldwiAll the computational work has been carried out on Dell Optiplex 380 Intel (R) Core (TM) i-2400 CPU @ 3.10 GHz processor.The 3D structure of the chemokines (C-X-C motif) ligand 1 (CXCL1) was not available in Protein Data Bank. The structure of the CXCL1 was modelled using I-TASSER (Iterative ThreadingAssembly Refinement) standalone tool  with theThe protein structure was prepared using protein preparation wizard present in the Maestro 10.2 version of Schrodinger suite . The proActive site residues for the modeled protein structure CXCL1 were identified using the CASTp Server . The resGrid generation was carried out using Glide module of Schrodinger suite . SelectiADMET properties of Antimicrobial peptides were calculated by using the QikProp module  in SchroThe peptide structures were prepared by using LigPrep module  availablComputational docking studies have proven to be useful in the drug discovery and development of small molecule drugs. Similarly there is a rapid growth made in the field of peptidetherapeutics. The antimicrobial cleaved peptide sequence with the length of 5-12 amino acids was downloaded and the sequence was converted into structure by using PyMOL. The antimicrobialpeptides were screened based on the ADMET toxicity prediction. Those peptides with the CXCL1 target were subjected to molecular docking analysis to find out the best lead drug for colorectalcancer. This study focused on designing a novel peptide drug for colorectal cancer. The binding affinity of the CXCL1 against antimicrobial peptides was determined by molecular dockingstudies in order to find a lead drug molecule. Computational docking studies identify the top ranked binding affinity of the given antimicrobial peptides with CXCL1 target. The protein-peptidescomplex got the highest docking score of -57.848, -55.765 shown in and the We report the molecular docking analysis of antimicrobial peptides MREEKKERKRD and MVQGAKRGGRLHRV with the target protein CXCL1 for colorectal cancer for further consideration intherapy and development.


The present study investigated the multi-scale structure of starch derived from acorn kernels and the effects of the non-starch nutrients on the physicochemical properties and in vitro digestibility of starch. The average polymerization degree of acorn starch was 27.3, and the apparent amylose content was 31.4%. The crystal structure remained as C-type but the relative crystallinity of acorn flour decreased from 26.55% to 25.13%, 25.86% and 26.29% after the treatments of degreasing, deproteinization, and the removal of β-glucan, respectively. After the above treatments, the conclusion temperature of acorn flour decreased and had a significant positive correlation with the decrease in the crystallinity. The aggregation between starch granules, and the interactions between starch granules and both proteins and lipids, reduced significantly after degreasing and deproteinization treatments. The endogenous protein, fat, and β-glucan played key roles in reducing the digestibility of acorn starch relative to other compounds, which was dictated by the ability for these compounds to form complexes with starch and inhibit hydrolysis. Fagaceae family of oak trees and their close relatives, which are widely distributed throughout the northern hemisphere. There are seven genera and 900 species within the Fagaceae throughout the world, including Fagus, Castanea, Castanopsis, Lithocarpus, Trigonobalanus, Quercus, and Cyclobalanopsis. Acorns have a long history of being used as a raw material in staple foods in Northern China, with an annual harvest in China of 6–7 million tons [Quercus species [Acorn is a general name for the fruit of the ion tons . Fresh a species . In addi species ,4. There species .8 g/mol and an apparent amylose content (AAC) of 43.4% [Starch is the major component of acorns and acorn starch granules are spherical or ovoid with a diameter of 3–17 μm, exhibit the A-type X-ray diffraction pattern, and have a comparable weight-average molar mass of 3.9 × 10of 43.4% . Based oof 43.4% . Proteinof 43.4% . The exiof 43.4% . In addiof 43.4% . The exiof 43.4% .A large number of studies have reported how the endogenous proteins and lipids affected the properties of some kinds of starches, e.g., wheat starch , rice stQuercus wutaishanica Bl. was harvested in Yanji, Jilin, China. Three batches of fresh acorn fruits were shelled and cut into small pieces of 0.5 cm in length before being pulverized, dried at 40 °C for 24 h, and passed through an 80-mesh sieve. The sieved powder was marked as acorn flour (AF). Isoamylase (1000 U/mL) from Pseudomonas adaceae was bought from Aoboxing Biotechnology Co., Ltd. . Porcine pancreatic α-amylase (9 U/mg) and glucosidase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae (23.5 U/mg) were obtained from Yuanye Biotechnology Co., Ltd. . All other chemicals were purchased from Beijing Chemical Reagent Co. .w/v) for 2 h, the resulting suspension was filtered through a filter paper, and the filtrate was discarded. The filter cake was treated repeatedly based on the above steps until the filtrate was a light-yellow colour. After scraping off the brown impurities on the upper layer of the filter cake, the solid residue was repeatedly washed with distilled water until the pH of the water was less than 8.0. Finally, the solid residue was dried at 40 °C for 24 h to obtain the AS [Acorn flour (20 g) was soaked in 40 mL of a NaOH solution  [Acorn flour (5 g) was mixed with 25 mL of petroleum ether, and the suspension was stirred at 25 °C for 15 min, and then centrifuged at 5000× r (DGAF) .g for 10 min. The pellet was hydrolysed by the same method, washed with distilled water until the pH of the water was neutral, and dried at 40 °C for 24 h to obtain the deproteinized acorn flour (DPAF) [Acorn flour (20 g) was added to a mixture of alkaline protease  in 180 mL of carbonate buffer . The suspension was stirred at 45 °C for 1 h and centrifuged at 4000× r (DPAF) .g for 10 min, and the supernatant was discarded. The pellet was dried at 40 °C for 24 h and marked as de-β-glucan acorn flour (DβAF).The method used for the removal of β-glucan from the AF was a modification of the method by Zhang, Luo, and Zhang . β-glucaThe contents of protein, fat, total starch, and β-glucan were determined by the AACC 46–13.01, 30–25.01, 76–13.01, and 32–22.01 methods , respectv/v) was heated at 100 °C for 15 min and then cooled to 25 °C under continuous stirring for 24 h. Subsequently, the mixture was diluted with 20 mL of 95% (v/v) ethanol and centrifuged at 3500× g for 10 min. The supernatant was discarded, and the pellet was reconstituted in 4 mL of deionized water, and the resulting suspension was stirred in a water bath at 100 °C for 15 min. The mixture was cooled to 25 °C and filtered through a 5-μm sieve, and then the filtrate was passed through a gel-permeation chromatography column equipped with refractive index detector . The mobile phase was an aqueous solution of 0.06% NaN3 (ultrasonicated before injection), the flow rate was 0.2 mL/min and the SEC column  temperature was 60 °C. The ASTRA 6.1 software package  was used to determine the molecular weight, from which the polydispersity index (D) was calculated based on the following equation:The distributions of molecular weight and chain length of the AS were determined by size-exclusion chromatography (SEC), with which the molecules were separated based on size or hydrodynamic volume . A solutv/v) ethanol, and the suspension was heated at 80 °C for 30 min and then centrifuged at 4000× g for 5 min. The pellet was washed with anhydrous ethanol twice, and the treated starch was suspended in 5.0 mL deionized water and heated at 100 °C for 1 h to obtain the gelatinized acorn starch. Subsequently, 50 mL of sodium acetate buffer  and 10 mL of 2.0% (w/v) sodium azide were added to 1.0 mL of the gelatinized starch sample. Isoamylase  was added to the AS solution to enzymatically debranch the starch at 40 °C for 24 h. The debranched starch sample was neutralized with 0.1 mol/L NaOH and then lyophilized. The dried debranched starch was dissolved in DMSO/LiBr solution for SEC analysis, following the method of Kuang, Xu, Wang, Zhou, and Liu [The extracted AS sample (10 mg) was suspended in 2 mL of 95% .The sizes of the starch particles were determined by a Mastersizer 3000 laser particle size analyser  equipped with a 300 mm lens and operating in polydispersity analysis mode. Approximately 0.1 g of starch was suspended in 100 mL distilled water and mixed using a magnetic stirrer for 30 min at room temperature before measurement. The size distribution measurements were made at intervals of 2 min and was reported as an average after three repetitions. The results were expressed as ratios (%) of large (>25 μm), medium (10–25 μm), small (5–10 μm), and very small (<5 μm) particles .The XRD analysis was performed by an X-ray diffractometer  operating at 30.0 kV and 40.0 mA. The diffraction scan range (2θ) ranged from 5° to 45° with a scanning speed of 2°/min and the step width of 0.01. The relative crystallinity of the samples was calculated by the DIFFREAC. EVA V3.1 software based on the following equation :Relativew/w) of the sample in KBr were prepared, and then was pressed into transparent disks. Spectra were acquired over the range of 4000–400 cm−1 (32 scans) with a resolution of 4 cm−1.The FT-IR spectra of the sample were acquired by a Tensor 27 FT-IR spectrometer . The pellets containing 1% (w/v), and the temperature range was set to 20–120 °C with a heating rate of 10 °C/min. The onset temperature (To), peak temperature (Tp), conclusion temperature (Tc), and gelatinization enthalpy (∆H) were all obtained by analysing the DSC curve.The thermodynamic parameters of the samples were measured by differential scanning calorimetry . The sample (3 mg) and distilled water were mixed at a ratio of 1:3.5  was analysed by the method of 3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid (DNS). The hydrolysis rate was calculated according to the equation:20 and G120 were glucose content (mg) after enzymatic hydrolysis for 20 min and 120 min, respectively, FG was the content of free glucose in the starch before enzymatic hydrolysis (mg), and TS was the total starch content in the sample (mg).The digestibility was assessed according to a method described by Flores, Singh, Kerr, Pegg, and Kong with some modifications . Simulatp < 0.05) between the average values of each group, and Pearson’s test was used to analyse the correlation of the statistical data.Each sample was measured in triplicate. The SPSS 23.0 software  was used for the analysis of variance (ANOVA) of the experimental data, Duncan’s Multiple Range Test was used to determine the significant difference level  and wheat (3.1 × 108 g/mol) [The Mw of the starch from 8 g/mol) . The cor8 g/mol) . The extQ. palustris (DP of 25.5) [The chains of amylopectin can be classified based on the DP: chain A DP 6–12), chain B1 (DP 13–24), chain B2 (DP 25–36), and chain B3 (DP ≥ 37) . The cha2, chain of 25.5) , while cof 25.5) .For treatment, AF samples were separately degreased, deproteinized, and rid of β-glucan. The lipid removal rate to prepare the DGAF was 81.4%, and the β-glucan removal rate to prepare the DβAF reached 83.8%. For the DPAF, the protein content decreased from 8.4 to 2.0% after deproteinization. Lipids and protein were mostly removed from the AS, which was consistent with the results by Tang et al.  and Annop < 0.05) decreased amylose content in DβAF could be attributed to amylose leaching [Different treatment methods affected the amylose content in the AF, with the order of amylose content being DPAF > AF > DGAF > AS > DβAF. The significantly  and small (<10 µm). Compared to AF, the proportion of starch granules with sizes of <10 µm in the DGAF sample increased, but granules with sizes of >10 µm decreased . It was The XRD patterns of the acorn starch samples were shown in The XRD peak at 2θ = 20° was the characteristic peak of the V-shaped crystal, which represented the existence of an amylose-lipid complex in the granular starch . It was −1 corresponded to the skeleton mode vibration of the glucopyranose ring, and the peaks from 800 to 1500 cm−1 reflected the stretching vibrations of the glucose molecules. The characteristic peak at 1050–1100 cm−1 was attributed to the stretching of the C-O bond, and the peak at 1162 cm−1 was the characteristic peak for the C-O and C-C stretching vibrations of the dehydrated glucose ring. The peak at 1649 cm−1 represented the O-H vibration of water absorbed in the amorphous region of the starch granules. The peaks between 2800 and 3000 cm−1 demonstrated the C-H stretching mode, and the peaks observed in the range of 3000–3600 cm−1 were attributed to the starch. The peaks at 2934 cm−1 and 3381 cm− 1 represented the C-H deformation within the glucose unit and the O-H bond stretching vibrations, respectively [The FT-IR spectra of the different samples were similar . The peaectively .−1 was the characteristic peak of the amorphous region of the starch granules, the peak at 1047 cm−1 was the characteristic peak of the crystalline region of the starch granules, and the ratio of the 1047 cm−1/1022 cm−1 peaks corroborated a short-range molecular order [−1/1022 cm−1 of the AF sample was 1.025, and this value increased after the removal of the non-starch components  all decreased relative to the untreated AF, with the To values following the order of AF > DGAF > DβAF > DPAF > AS  between the relative crystallinity and the conclusion temperature (Tc), which was consistent with the results from Wang, Liu, and Wang [There was a positive correlation , which was attributed to the fact that amylose existed predominantly in the amorphous region. In addition, RS showed a significant negative correlation with ΔH  and transition temperature (Tc–To) , while RDS had a significant positive correlation with ΔH  and transition temperature . However, there was no significant correlation between relative crystallinity and digestibility, and the same conclusion was found in the experiments by Htoon et al. [The RS was negatively correlated with amylose content  of amylopectin was 27.3, and chain B2 accounted for 45.3%. From the SEM images, the particles attached to the surface of the starch granules were most likely protein molecules because the DGAF and DβAF starch samples had rough surfaces, while the surfaces of the AS and DPAF starch samples were smooth. The particle sizes of the starch granules decreased after degreasing. The different treatments performed on the AF did not change the crystalline structure of starch, but the relative crystallinity decreased after removing the non-starch components. The short-range order increased after the removal of non-starch components because of the tight interactions between the lipid molecules and starch molecules. In addition, RS had a significant negative correlation with ΔH and amylose content. Not only did these results provide further understanding of the low digestibility of acorn flour, but also, they provided evidence for the justification of acorns being used in various industrial, food-related applications, such as the development of acorn-containing food, which is beneficial for researching potential food alternatives for type II diabetics and people with diseases related to deficiencies in the metabolism of carbohydrates.