Gelation behavior and mechanism of low methoxyl pectin in the presence of erythritol and sucrose: The role of co-solutes.

Co-solutes such as sucrose and sugar alcohol play a significant part in low methoxyl pectin (LMP) gelation. To explore their gelation mechanism, we investigated the gelation behavior of LMP in the presence of erythritol and sucrose with Ca2+. Results revealed that the introduction of erythritol and sucrose improved the hardness of the gels, fixed more free water, accelerated the rate of gel structuring, and enhanced the gel strength. FT-IR confirmed the reinforced hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic forces between the pectin chains after introducing co-solutes. And it could be observed clearly by SEM that the cross-linking density of gel network enhanced with co-solutes. Furthermore, gel disruption experiments suggested the presence of ionic interaction, hydrogen bonding, and hydrophobic forces in LMP gels. Finally, we concluded that the egg-box regions cross-linked only by LMP and Ca2+ were too weak to form a stable gel network structure. Adding co-solutes could increase the amount of cross-linking between pectin chains and enlarge the cross-linking zones, which favored the formation of a dense gel network by more hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic forces. Sucrose gels had superior physicochemical properties and microstructure than erythritol gels due to sucrose's excellent hydration capacity and chemical structure characteristics.

Conditional knockout of ITGB4 in bronchial epithelial cells directs bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

Neonatal respiratory system disease is closely associated with embryonic lung development. Our group found that integrin ß4 (ITGB4) is downregulated in the airway epithelium of asthma patients. Asthma is the most common chronic respiratory illness in childhood. Therefore, we suspect whether the deletion of ITGB4 would affect fetal lung development. In this study, we characterized the role of ITGB4 deficiency in bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). ITGB4 was conditionally knocked out in CCSP-rtTA, Tet-O-Cre and ITGB4f/f triple transgenic mice. Lung tissues at different developmental stages were collected for experimental detection and transcriptome sequencing. The effects of ITGB4 deficiency on lung branching morphogenesis were observed by fetal mouse lung explant culture. Deleting ITGB4 from the airway epithelial cells results in enlargement of alveolar airspaces, inhibition of branching, the abnormal structure of epithelium cells and the impairment of cilia growth during lung development. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the airway epithelial cilia of the ß4ccsp.cre group appear to be sparse, shortened and lodging. Lung-development-relevant factors such as SftpC and SOX2 significantly decreased both mRNA and protein levels. KEGG pathway analysis indicated that multiple ontogenesis-regulating-relevant pathways converge to FAK. Accordingly, ITGB4 deletion decreased phospho-FAK, phospho-GSK3ß and SOX2 levels, and the correspondingly contrary consequence was detected after treatment with GSK3ß agonist (wortmannin). Airway branching defect of ß4ccsp.cre mice lung explants was also partly recovered after wortmannin treatment. Airway epithelial-specific deletion of ITGB4 contributes to lung developmental defect, which could be achieved through the FAK/GSK3ß/SOX2 signal pathway.

Polyphenol-Enriched Protein Oleogels as Potential Delivery Systems of Omega-3 Fatty Acids.

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 FAs) are essential nutrients and are considered effective in improving human health. Recent studies highlight the importance of the combination of n-3 FAs and polyphenols for limiting the oxidation of n-3 FAs and exhibiting synergistic beneficial effects. Herein, we developed a novel formulation technology to prepare oleogels that could be used for the codelivery of n-3 FAs and polyphenols with high loading efficacy and oxidative stability. These oleogels are made from algal oil with polyphenol-enriched whey protein microgel (WPM) particles as gelling agents via simple and scalable ball milling technology. The oxidative status, fatty acid composition, and volatiles of protein oleogels during accelerated storage were systematically assessed by stoichiometry and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. These results showed that protein oleogels could overcome several challenges associated with the formulation of n-3 oils, including long-term oxidative stability and improved sensory and textural properties. The protein oleogel system could provide an excellent convenience for formulating multiple nutrients and nutraceuticals with integrating health effects, which are expected to be used in the care of highly vulnerable populations, including children, the elderly, and patients.

Structural Characterization and Anticoagulant Activity of a 3-O-Methylated Heteroglycan From Fruiting Bodies of Pleurotus placentodes.

Pleurotus placentodes, a fungus, belongs to the Pleurotaceae family. The aim of the present study was to characterize the structure of a novel polysaccharide from fruiting bodies of P. placentodes (PPp-W) and evaluate its anticoagulant activity in vitro. The high-performance liquid chromatography and GC-MS analysis indicated that PPp-W with a molecular weight of 27.4 kDa was mainly composed of mannose (17.56%), glucose (6.37%), galactose (44.89%), and fucose (1.22%) with a certain amount of 3-O-methyled galactose. SEM, XRD, and AFM combined with Congo red test revealed that PPp-W was an irregular curly sheet with triple-helix conformation. The FT-IR, methylation, and nuclear magnetic resonance analysis indicated that PPp-W contained→6)-α-D-Galp-(1→, →6)-3-O-Me-α-D-Galp-(1→and →2, 6)-α-D-Galp-(1→ as main chain, partially substituted at O-2 and O-6 by non-reducing ends of ß-D-Manp-(1→ and ß-L-Fucp-(1→ with a small amount of α-1,3-linked-Glcp in backbone. PPp-W could significantly prolong APTT (12.9 ± 0.42 s, p < 0.001) and thrombin time (39.9 ± 0.28 s, p < 0.01) compared with the control group (11.45 ± 0.071 s and 38.05 ± 0.21 s), which showed that PPp-W had anticoagulant activity. These studies suggested that PPp-W was a 3-O-methylated heteroglycan and might be suitable for functional foods and natural drugs as an anticoagulant ingredient, which provided a basis for the application of polysaccharides from P. placentodes.

Combination of a Metal-N-Heterocyclic-Carbene Catalyst and a Chiral Aminocatalyst within a Covalent Organic Framework: a Powerful Cooperative Approach for Relay Asymmetric Catalysis.

Incorporation of metal catalysis and organocatalysis has emerged as a promising way for developing new and valuable organic reactions. This catalytic strategy would potentially enable unprecedented transformations not possible by the existing metal catalysis or organocatalysis alone. Herein, we report an imine-linked chiral covalent organic framework (CCOF) achieved by the combination of a Au-N-heterocyclic-carbene (NHC-Au) monomer with its chiral secondary amine-containing counterpart via an updated direct synthetic approach. The obtained CCOF can be used as a reusable dual catalyst to highly promote the asymmetric aryl methanol oxidation-aldol relay reaction in a heterogeneous way. In addition, the CCOF-based shaped setup was also realized via a facile templating freeze-drying approach based on an eco-friendly chitosan material, by which the gram-scale asymmetric aerobic alcohol oxidation-aldol relay reaction was successfully achieved. The potential utility of this approach is highlighted by the preparation of many more new CCOF-based multifunctional heterogeneous catalysts to promote various asymmetric organic transformations in a facile and green way, and further progress might eventually allow CCOF catalysts to be developed for industrial processes.

Fabrication and structural properties of water-dispersible phytosterol using hot melt extrusion.

Hot-melt extrusion (HME) technology was employed to improve water dispersibility of phytosterol (P) using glycerol (G), lecithin (L), and gum arabic (A) as emulsifiers and stabilizers. The structural properties and water dispersibility of HME products were investigated. In contrast to physical mixtures, better water dispersibility and storage stability were observed for HME products, especially P:L:G:A extrudate. These improvements may be mainly associated with decreased crystallinity of phytosterol due to the occurrence of co-crystallization of phytosterol with glycerol during HME process, as confirmed by DSC and XRD data. In addition, HME-induced lecithin-arabic gum reaction products effectively stabilize phytosterol microparticle in aqueous dispersion by providing a steric hindrance. These results suggest that HME could be an effectively and potentially solvent-free technique to produce water-dispersible phytosterol on a large scale.

Airway epithelial integrin ß4-deficiency exacerbates lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury.

Airway epithelial cells, the first barrier of the respiratory tract, play an indispensable role in innate immunity. Integrin ß4 (ITGB4) is a structural adhesion molecule that is involved in the pathological progression of acute inflammatory diseases and is downregulated in asthmatic patients. Research has shown that endothelial ITGB4 has proinflammatory properties in acute lung injury (ALI). However, the role of epithelial ITGB4 in a murine ALI model is still unknown. This study investigated the role of ITGB4 in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced ALI. We found that ITGB4 in the airway epithelium had remarkably increased after the introduction of LPS in vivo and in vitro. Then, we constructed airway epithelial cell-specific ITGB4 knockout (ITGB4-/- ) mice to study its role in ALI. At a time point of 12 h after the tracheal injection of LPS, ITGB4-/- mice showed increased macrophages (mainly M1-type macrophages) and neutrophil infiltration into the lungs; inflammation-related proteins including interleukin (IL)-6, tumor necrosis factor, and IL-17A were significantly elevated compared to their levels in ITGB4+/+ mice. Furthermore, we investigated the role of ITGB4 in the anti-inflammatory response. Intriguingly, in the ITGB4-/- + LPS group, we found significantly reduced expression of anti-inflammatory factors, including IL-10 messenger RNA (mRNA) and ARG-1 mRNA. We also observed that monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP-1) increased significantly both in vivo and in vitro. Airway epithelium activates macrophages, most likely driven by MCP-1, which we confirmed in the coculture of epithelia and macrophages. These phenomena indicate that ITGB4 in airway epithelial cells plays an important role in the process of inflammation and activation of macrophages in ALI. Overall, these data demonstrated a novel link between airway epithelial ITGB4 and the inflammatory response in LPS-induced ALI.

[Progress of epithelial-mesenchymal transition in respiratory system and the modulatory mechanism of cell adhesion].

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays an important role in the development and pathogenesis of respiratory system. Epithelial cells are characterized by well-developed, intercellular contacts, whereas EMT triggers the sequential destabilization of cell-cell adhesive junctions. The dynamic remodeling of the epithelial cell adhesion molecules is important for maintaining the integrity and normal function of epithelium. This paper reviews the research progress of EMT in lung development, lung injury repair and chronic lung diseases, and summarizes the effect of cell junctions and cell adhesion molecules on EMT molecular events.

Enzyme-Adsorbed Chitosan Nanogel Particles as Edible Pickering Interfacial Biocatalysts and Lipase-Responsive Phase Inversion of Emulsions.

Here, a simple food-grade Pickering emulsion system is prepared and adopted for biphasic biocatalytic reactions. The chitosan nanogels were prepared with strong dispersion of chitosan aggregates approaching neutral pH and then used as the particle emulsifiers to produce oil-in-water Pickering emulsions. The chitosan nanogel exhibited high affinity to negatively charged lipase. As a result of increasing the biphasic interfacial area and loading amount on the oil-water interface, the catalysis activity of lipase and recycling and pH stability were highly enhanced through colorimetric determination of p-nitrophenol (the hydrolysis product of p-nitrophenyl palmitate). A general strategy was proposed to obtain stimulus-responsive Pickering emulsions that can undergo phase inversion. The in situ modification of the wettability of chitosan nanogel could be attributed to the interaction between nanogel and free fatty acids, which was triggered by lipase hydrolysis. This would permit a rapid and controlled release of hydrophobic active components in response to enzymatic triggers.

Zein Particle-Stabilized Water-In-Water Emulsion as a Vehicle for Hydrophilic Bioactive Compound Loading of Riboflavin.

Vitamins and flavonoids are two kinds of essential trace bioactives which are prone to photodegradation during food processing and storage. In this study, a particle-stabilized water-in-water (W/W) emulsion system composed of soy protein isolate (SPI) and guar gum (GG) was applied in loading riboflavin. Based on the significant binding affinity differences of SPI (Ka = 1.11 × 105 L mol-1) and GG (Ka = 9.00 × 103 L mol-1) to riboflavin, this hydrophilic and light-sensitive bioactive compound was loaded in SPI-rich droplets. Confocal images indicated that a stable microstructure of SPI-rich droplets suspended in GG-rich continuous phase was successfully constructed by manipulating the proportion of the two polymeric components and using zein-based particles (ZPs) as stabilizers. These negatively charged particles modified by pectin with a hydrodynamic diameter of 533 ± 5.7 nm were able to adsorb at the SPI/GG interface and subsequently stabilized the SPI-in-GG emulsion. Fluorescence spectra of riboflavin suggested that the formation of such W/W emulsion could effectively delay the photodegradation of riboflavin during an 8 h ultraviolet irradiation, and its color was maintained to a maximum extent. Therefore, this structured W/W emulsion could be a desired architecture for delivering light-sensitive cargo.

Dry fractionation of surface abrasion for polyphenol-enriched buckwheat protein combined with hydrothermal treatment.

Buckwheat constitutes a good source of bioactive components. A dry fractionation of surface abrasion for polyphenol-enriched protein combined with hydrothermal treatment was evaluated as an alternative to conventional wet extraction from tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench). The protein contents and the total polyphenol contents of both free and bound polyphenol gradually decreased in the order from the outer to the inner fractions. Polyphenol-enriched buckwheat protein flour was successfully enrichment with a maximum polyphenol content of 55 mg/g. Moreover, starch digestibility and polyphenols bioaccessibility of the buckwheat protein were increased with hydrothermal treatment time, while protein digestibility decreased slightly. Besides, most of the aroma compounds increased during the hydrothermal treatment. The assessment results demonstrate that the sustainability dry surface abrasion process in combination with hydrothermal treatment should be encouraged in processing functional protein fractions and improving both qualities of end use products and health benefits.

Pea soluble polysaccharides obtained from two enzyme-assisted extraction methods and their application as acidified milk drinks stabilizers.

The objective of this work was characterize and evaluate the protein-stabilizing property of pea soluble polysaccharide (PSPS) extracted from pea by-products using spray-drying and ethanol precipitation oven drying, obtaining PSPS-A and PSPS-B, respectively. The weight average molecular weight (Mw) of PSPS-A and PSPS-B were 625 kDa and 809 kDa, respectively. The results of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) analysis indicated that PSPS-A, PSPS-B and soybean soluble polysaccharide (SSPS) contained the same functional groups. The absolute negative charges of PSPS-A or PSPS-B in aqueous solution were slightly higher than that of SSPS at pH 2.0 to 7.0. The apparent diameter of PSPS-B (479.1 nm) was larger than that of PSPS-A (127.7 nm) and SSPS (209.5 nm) were measured by dynamic light scattering. The AFM images revealed that both PSPS-A and PSPS-B possessed star-like structures with more side chains as compared to SSPS. It was found that the addition of 0.15% PSPS-A or 0.1% PSPS-B was adequate to prevent the aggregation of protein and obtain stable dispersion. Furthermore, PSPS has a wider pH range (pH 3.6-4.6) to stabilize milk protein than SSPS (pH 3.6-4.2).

Hierarchical high internal phase emulsions and transparent oleogels stabilized by quillaja saponin-coated nanodroplets for color performance.

Herein, we report novel high internal phase emulsions and transparent oleogels that exhibit a hierarchical configuration by manipulating the spatial assembly of a natural small molecular-weight quillaja saponin for color performance. Quillaja saponin (QS) is a natural triterpenoid bidesmosidic from the soapbark tree (Quillaja saponaria Molina). Fairly monodispersed QS-coated nanodroplets (∼154 nm) were prepared using the ultrasonic emulsification strategy, and then used as block stabilizers for the fabrication of stable oil-in-water high internal phase emulsions (HIPEs, ϕ = 0.75). The resulting HIPEs can be easily converted into transparent oleogels with a very high oil loading (99.7%) through oven drying (70 °C). The jelly-like oleogels exhibit weak elastic, shear thinning behavior, good thixotropic recovery, and thermostabilization properties, which might be provided by the percolating 3D network of QS fibrils in the oil phase. We spatially tuned the color performance of the HIPEs and subsequent oleogels by locating the compositions of food colorants in different sections of their hierarchal architecture. The design and construction of hierarchical HIPEs and oleogels provide a promising new route for multitask functional delivery applications in various fields including food, cosmetics, and medical applications.

Tunable volatile release from organogel-emulsions based on the self-assembly of ß-sitosterol and γ-oryzanol.

A current challenge in the area of food emulsion is the design of microstructure that provides controlled release of volatile compounds during storage and consumption. Here, a new strategy addressed this problem at the fundamental level by describing the design of organogel-based emulsion from the self-assembly of ß-sitosterol and γ-oryzanol that are capable of tuning volatile release. The results showed that the release rate (v0), maximum headspace concentrations (Cmax) and partition coefficients (ka/e) above structured emulsions were significantly lower than unstructured emulsions and controlled release doing undergo tunable though the self-assembled interface and core fine microstructure from internal phase under dynamic and static condition. This result provides an understanding of how emulsions can behave as delivery system to better design novel food products with enhanced sensorial and nutritional attributes.

Co-occurrence of bronchial papilloma and pulmonary sclerosing hemangioma in a male.

INTRODUCTION: Bronchial papilloma and pulmonary sclerosing hemangioma (PSH) are rare tumors. The development of PSH combined with bronchial papilloma in lung is extremely rare. We herein presented a case of the co-occurrence of bronchial papilloma and PSH in a male. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 48-year-old man was referred to our department for further treatment of the productive purulent cough and fever. After bronchoscopy, the biopsy of the specimen showed a bronchial papilloma in the lumen of posterior segment of the right upper lobar bronchus. For computed tomography demonstrated a focal lesion with an air bubble in the posterior segment of the right upper lobe, a lobectomy was performed and PSH was diagnosed. DISCUSSION: The report emphasizes the fact that even though some of bronchial papilloma and PSH may have a low prevalence, nonetheless, the low prevalence of both diseases in a male has meant that it has not been possible to explore the depth of association between them. CONCLUSIONS: The paper reports a case of PSH in a male suffering from bronchial papilloma which is the exceptional concurrence of these two extremely infrequent events.

Comparison of the colloidal stability, bioaccessibility and antioxidant activity of corn protein hydrolysate and sodium caseinate stabilized curcumin nanoparticles.

The aims of this work were to construct corn protein hydrolysate (CPH)-based curcumin nanoparticles (Cur NPs) and to compare the colloidal stability, bioaccessibility and antioxidant activity of the Cur NPs stabilized CPH and sodium caseinate (NaCas) respectively. The results indicated that Cur solubility could be considerably improved after the Cur NPs fabrication. The spectroscopy results demonstrated that the solubilization of Cur should be attributed to its complexation with CPH or NaCas. The Cur NPs exhibited good colloidal stability after 1 week's storage but showed smaller (40 nm) size in CPH than in NaCas (100 nm). After lyophilization, the Cur NPs powders showed good rehydration properties and chemical stability, and compared with NaCas, the size of Cur NPs stabilized by CPH was still smaller. Additionally, the Cur NPs exhibited higher chemical stability against the temperature compared with free Cur, and the CPH could protect Cur from degradation more efficiently. Comparing with NaCas, the Cur NPs stabilized by CPH exhibited better bioaccessibility and antioxidant activity. This study demonstrated that CPH may be better than NaCas in Cur NPs fabrication and it opens up the possibility of using hydrophobic protein hydrolysate to construct the NPs delivery system.

Phytosterol structured algae oil nanoemulsions and powders: improving antioxidant and flavor properties.

Algae oil, enriched with omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω-3 LC-PUFA), is known for its health benefits. However, protection against lipid oxidation as well as masking of unpleasant fishy malodors in algae oil enriched foods is a big challenge to achieve. In this study, we firstly achieved a one-pot ultrasound emulsification strategy (alternative heating-homogenization) to prepare phytosterol structured thermosensitive algae oil-in-water nanoemulsion stabilized by quillaja saponin. After spray drying, the resulting algae oil powders from the structured nanoemulsion templates exhibit an excellent reconstructed behavior, even after 30 d of storage. Furthermore, an enhanced oxidative stability was obtained by reducing both the primary and secondary oxidation products through formulation with ß-sitosterol and γ-oryzanol, which are natural antioxidants. Following the results of headspace volatiles using dynamic headspace-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (DHS-GC-MS), it was clear that the structured algae oil-loaded nanoemulsion and powder had lower levels of fishy off-flavour (e.g., (Z)-heptenal, decanal, ethanone, and hexadecenoic acid), whereas the control emulsion and oil powder without structure performed worse. This study demonstrated that the structure from phytosterols is an effective strategy to minimize the fishy off-flavour and maximize oxidative stability of both algae oil nanoemulsions and spray-dried powders, and opens up the possibility of formulation design in polyunsaturated oil encapsulates as novel delivery systems to apply in functional foods and beverages.

Subcritical Water Induced Complexation of Soy Protein and Rutin: Improved Interfacial Properties and Emulsion Stability.

Rutin is a common dietary flavonoid with important antioxidant and pharmacological activities. However, its application in the food industry is limited mainly because of its poor water solubility. The subcritical water (SW) treatment provides an efficient technique to solubilize and achieve the enrichment of rutin in soy protein isolate (SPI) by inducing their complexation. The physicochemical, interfacial, and emulsifying properties of the complex were investigated and compared to the mixtures. SW treatment had much enhanced rutin-combined capacity of SPI than that of conventional method, ascribing to the well-contacted for higher water solubility of rutin with stronger collision-induced hydrophobic interactions. Compared to the mixtures of rutin with proteins, the complex exhibited an excellent surface activity and improved the physical and oxidative stability of its stabilized emulsions. This improving effect could be attributed to the targeted accumulation of rutin at the oil-water interface accompanied by the adsorption of SPI resulting in the thicker interfacial layer, as evidenced by higher interfacial protein and rutin concentrations. This study provides a novel strategy for the design and enrichment of nanovehicle providing water-insoluble hydrophobic polyphenols for interfacial delivery in food emulsified systems.

Effects of Flavonoids in Lysimachia clethroides Duby on the Activities of Cytochrome P450 CYP2E1 and CYP3A4 in Rat Liver Microsomes.

Incubation systems were established to investigate the effects of quercetin, kaempferol, isoquercitrin and astragalin in Lysimachia clethroides Duby on the activities of CYP2E1 and CYP3A4 in rat liver microsomes in vitro. Probe substrates of 4-nitrophenol and testosterone as well as flavonoids at different concentrations were added to the incubation systems. After incubation, a validated high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was applied to separate and determine the relevant metabolites. The results suggested that kaempferol exhibited a weak inhibition of CYP2E1 activity with an IC50 of 60.26 ± 2.54 µM, while quercetin and kaempferol caused a moderate inhibition of CYP3A4 activity with IC50 values of 18.77 ± 1.69 µM and 32.65 ± 1.32 µM, respectively. Isoquercitrin and astragalin had no effects on the activities of either CYP2E1 or CYP3A4. It could be speculated from these results that the inhibitory effects of quercetin and kaempferol on the activities of CYP2E1 and CYP3A4 could be the mechanisms underlying the hepatoprotective effects of L. clethroides.

Zein based oil-in-glycerol emulgels enriched with ß-carotene as margarine alternatives.

Structuring edible oils into solid lipids without saturated and trans fats has attracted increasing interest due to the benefits for human health and promises potential as novel delivery systems for lipophilic bioactive ingredients. The study shows that a zein stabilized high (ϕ=0.6) oil-in-glycerol (O/G) emulgels enriched with ß-carotene was performed, by a facile one-step homogenization. Rheological measurements and morphologies observations indicated that increasing ß-carotene resulted in a progressive strengthening of gel-like network and improving their spreadability in the O/G emulgels stabilized by zein, which was closely related to the hydrophobic interaction of zein and ß-carotene. The formation of emulgels significantly enhanced the UV photo-stability of ß-carotene, and more than 88% of ß-carotene was retained in 64h storage under UV exposure, and consequently retarded oil oxidation while storage. Further, cakes prepared using zein-based O/G emulgels as a margarine alternative showed comparable functionalities (texture and sensory attributes) to the standard cake.