Strategies of invasive snail Pomacea canaliculata during hibernation in rice fields of south China: effects of body size, sex, and soil depth.

BACKGROUND: The invasive freshwater snail Pomacea canaliculata is an agricultural pest with a certain level of tolerance to abiotic stress. After the harvest of late rice, the snails usually burrow themselves into the soil surface layers to overwinter and pose a renewed threat to rice production in the following year. Revealing the response of snails to environmental stresses is crucial for developing countermeasures to control their damage and spread. RESULTS: In this study, we conducted a 120-day in situ experiment during the winter to investigate the survival and physiological changes of hibernating snails in 0-5 and 5-10 cm soil depths, aiming to explore their overwintering strategies. Our results showed that 73.61%, 87.50%, and 90.28% of male, female, and juvenile snails survived after hibernation for 120 days in 0-10 cm soil depth, respectively. The differences in survival rates based on sex and size of snails potentially reflect the countermeasures of snails to rapidly reproduce after hibernation. Simultaneously, the hibernating snails exhibited the ability to maintain a certain level of body weight. During this period, the snails increased their antioxidant enzyme activities to cope with oxidative stress, and enhanced their lipid storage. The hibernation survival of snails was not significantly affected by different soil depths, indicating that they have the potential to hibernate into deeper soils. Furthermore, snails were capable of increasing their contents of bound water and glycerol to cope with sudden cold spells during hibernation. CONCLUSION: Our findings emphasize the adaptive changes of P. canaliculata snails overwintering in paddy soils. In future studies, the vulnerabilities of P. canaliculata during hibernation (e.g. shell characteristics, nutrient reserves, and dehydration tolerance, etc.,) should be investigated to develop effective control methods for this period. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Pattern Analysis of the WNK Gene Family in Apple under Abiotic Stress and Colletotrichum siamense Infection.

With-no-lysine kinase (WNK) is a unique serine/threonine kinase family member. WNK differs from other protein kinases by not having a standard lysine in subdomain II of the universally preserved kinase catalytic region. Conversely, the amino acid lysine located in subdomain I plays a crucial role in its phosphorylation. The WNK family has been reported to regulate Arabidopsis flowering, circadian rhythm, and abiotic stress. Eighteen members of the WNK gene family were discovered in apples in this research, and they were primarily grouped into five categories on the phylogenetic tree. Conserved domains and motifs also confirmed their identity as members of the WNK family. Promoter cis-acting element analysis indicated their potential role in responses to both abiotic stress and phytohormones. Furthermore, qRT-PCR analysis showed that the expression of MdWNK family genes was stimulated to different extents by Colletotrichum siamense, NaCl, mannitol, ABA, JA, and SA, with Colletotrichum siamense being the most prominent stimulant. MdWNK family genes were expressed across all apple tissues, with young fruits showing the greatest expression and roots showing the least expression. The research offered detailed insights into the MdWNK gene family, serving as a crucial basis for investigating the biological roles of MdWNK genes.

The effect of two different contemporary chelating agents on vital pulp therapy in mature permanent teeth with irreversible pulpitis using bioceramic material: randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Vital pulp therapy maintained functionality, vitality, and asymptomatic teeth. Compared to normal root canal treatment, pulpotomy was more helpful for irreversible pulpitis in adult permanent teeth. The research was aimed to assess effectiveness of vital pulp therapy using mineral trioxide aggregate with Apple Vinegar and Ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid (17%) for five minutes in adult carious exposed pulp of permanent teeth. METHODS: Forty patients between 18 and 50 years old with a clinical diagnosis of symptomatic irreversible pulpitis but no periapical radiolucency were then divided randomly into two groups based on the irrigation method; ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid or apple vinegar. If pulpal bleeding could not be managed in less than six minutes, the assigned procedure was abandoned. After mineral trioxide aggregate application as a pulpotomy agent, glass ionomer and composite restoration were placed. Using a visual analogue scale, the pre and post-operative pain were recorded after 2,6,24,48, and 72 h. Success was assessed using radiographic and clinical examination data at three, six, and twelve months. RESULTS: The success rate was discovered to be non-statistically significant in both groups after a year follow-up. Apple vinegar had a lower mean value than ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid at the preoperative baseline pain level, which was significant.Postoperatively, the ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid group reported the greatest mean value after two hours while Apple vinegar group reported the lowest mean values after 48 h (P < 0.05). After 72 h, pain level recorded insignificant difference. CONCLUSION: Apple vinegar yielded a marginally successful outcome but substantially improved pain alleviation. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial was registered in Clinical trials.gov with this identifier NCT05970536 on 23/7/2023.

Comparative study of polyphenol extraction using physical techniques and water as a solvent: a sustainable approach for the valorization of apple pomace.

Apples are among the most commonly cultivated fruits globally. Approximately 65% of annual apple production is transformed into apple juice concentrate generating a large amount of waste material named apple pomace, which includes seeds, skin, and other components. Disposing of apple by-products directly into the environment constitutes a source of environmental pollution due to its high-water content and easily fermentable nature. Apple pomace is rich in polyphenols that can be utilized as active components in cosmetic, nutraceutical, or pharmaceutical products. The present study aims to describe and compare different physical methods for the extraction of polyphenols from apple pomace. Water was used as the extraction solvent in thermal-stirred extraction (TSE), ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), and microwave-assisted extraction (MAE). The best extraction conditions were identified in terms of solid to solvent ratio, temperature, power, and time through a kinetic study. The best extraction parameters were compared environmentally on a pilot scale through a life cycle assessment (LCA). All the results demonstrated the MAE is the best technique to extract polyphenol from apple pomace in terms yield and environmental impact proving that it is possible to transform waste into a sustainable source of bioactive ingredients.

Auxin responsive factor MdARF17 promotes ethylene synthesis in apple fruits by activating MdERF003 expression.

KEY MESSAGE: Auxin (AUX) promotion of apple fruit ripening is ethylene-dependent, and AUX-MdARF17-MdERF003 plays a role in AUX-promoted ethylene synthesis in apple. Phytohormones play important roles in plant growth and fleshy fruit ripening, and the phytohormone auxin (AUX) can either promote or inhibit the ripening of fleshy fruits. Although AUX can influence ethylene (ETH) synthesis in apple (Malus domestica) fruits by affecting ETH system II, this mechanism remains to be explored. Here, we identified an ETH response factor (ERF) family transcription factor, MdERF003, whose expression could be activated by naphthalene acetic acid. The transient silencing of MdERF003 inhibited ETH synthesis in fruits, and MdERF003 could bind to the MdACS1 promoter. To explore the upstream target genes of MdERF003, we screened the MdARF family members by yeast one-hybrid assays of the MdERF003 promoter, and found that the transcription factor MdARF17, which showed AUX-promoted expression, could bind to the MdERF003 promoter and promote its expression. Finally, we silenced MdERF003 in apple fruits overexpressing MdARF17 and found that MdERF003 plays a role in MdARF17-promoted ETH synthesis in apple. Thus, AUX-MdARF17-MdERF003 promotes ETH synthesis in apple fruits.

Apple Vision Pro Augmented Reality-Assisted Minimally Invasive Surgical Treatment of Spinal Dural Arteriovenous Fistula.

This report outlines the innovative use of augmented reality (AR) in the surgical planning and treatment of a spinal dural arteriovenous fistula (dAVF) via a minimally invasive technique. AR technology by way of an Apple Vision Pro headset was employed to enhance preoperative visualization and understanding of the pathology, leading to successful surgical ligation of the AVF. This case describes a 56-year-old male presenting with progressive weakness and thoracic myelopathy who showed marked improvement postoperatively, highlighting AR's potential to improve surgical approach and outcomes.

Functional trait mismatch between native and introduced bee pollinators servicing a global fruit crop.

BACKGROUND: Understanding connections between biodiversity and ecosystem services can be enhanced by shifting focus from species richness to functional trait-based approaches, that when paired with comparative phylogenetic methods can provide even deeper insights. We investigated the functional ecology and phylogenetic diversity of pollination services provided by hymenopteran insects visiting apple flowers in orchards surrounded by either 'natural' or 'disturbed' landscapes in New South Wales, Australia. We assessed whether morphological and behavioural traits (hairiness, body size, glossa length, pollen load purity, and probability of loose pollen) exhibited non-random phylogenetic patterns. Then, explored whether bees, the primary pollinators in this system, filled unique or overlapping functional entities (FEs). For each landscape, we calculated phylogenetic diversity and used FEs to assess functional richness, evenness, and diversion. RESULTS: A phylogenomic matrix based on ultraconserved elements (UCEs; 1,382,620 bp from 1,969 loci) was used to infer a fully-resolved and well-supported maximum likelihood phylogeny for 48 hymenopteran morphospecies. There was no significant difference in species richness between landscape categories. Pollinator communities at natural sites had higher phylogenetic complexity (X = 2.37) and functional divergence (x̄ = 0.74 ± 0.02 s.e.) than disturbed sites (X = 1.65 and x̄ = 0.6 ± 0.01 s.e.). Hairiness showed significant phylogenetic clustering (K = 0.94), whereas body size, glossa length, and loose pollen showed weaker non-random phylogenetic patterns (K between 0.3-0.5). Pollen load purity showed no association with phylogeny. The assemblage of 17 bee morphospecies comprised nine FEs: eight FEs consisted of native bees with three containing 65% of all native bee taxa. The introduced honey bee (Apis mellifera) occupied a unique FE, likely due to its different evolutionary history. Both landscape types supported six FEs each with three overlapping: two native bee FEs and the honey bee FE. CONCLUSIONS: Bee hairiness was the only functional trait to exhibit demonstrable phylogenetic signal. Despite differences in species richness, and functional and phylogenetic diversity between orchard landscape types, both maintained equal bee FE numbers. While no native bee taxon was analogous to the honey bee FE, four native bee FEs shared the same hairiness level as honey bees. Health threats to honey bee populations in Australia will likely disrupt pollination services to apple, and other pollination-dependent food crops, given the low level of functional redundancy within the investigated pollinator assemblages.

Transcriptomic dataset of Malus domestica young leaves in response to acibenzolar-S-methyl (ASM) and/or nitrogen nutrition.

Plant resistance inducers (PRIs) and nitrogen (N) nutrition are both known to affect plant defence but their interaction has not been well described. We addressed this question in apple (Malus domestica) by generating a transcriptomic data set of young leaves from seedlings grown in subirrigation systems allowing variations in nitrate supply as the sole nitrogen source. Plants under three contrasting N status (high; limited for 10 days; or just resupplied after a 12 days limitation) received foliar applications of the chemical elicitor acibenzolar-S-methyl (ASM), a functional analog of salicylic acid, or water. Two days later, the youngest developed leaves were sampled for total RNA extraction and sequencing analysis (RNAseq). The current dataset includes 1) a detailed protocol of plant sample production and 2) transcriptomic profile description of young leaves as normalized counts obtained from sequence mapping against the Malus domestica GDDH13v1.1 reference transcriptome. The raw data files and processed data are available at the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) repository under the accession number GSE264541. This dataset is a valuable resource to investigate further the molecular mechanisms underlying the role of nitrogen and/or ASM treatment in Malus domestica.

Demonstration of full polarization control of soft X-ray pulses with Apple X undulators at SwissFEL using recoil ion momentum spectroscopy.

The ability to freely control the polarization of X-rays enables measurement techniques relying on circular or linear dichroism, which have become indispensable tools for characterizing the properties of chiral molecules or magnetic structures. Therefore, the demand for polarization control in X-ray free-electron lasers is increasing to enable polarization-sensitive dynamical studies on ultrafast time scales. The soft X-ray branch Athos of SwissFEL was designed with the aim of providing freely adjustable and arbitrary polarization by building its undulator solely from modules of the novel Apple X type. In this paper, the magnetic model of the linear inclined and circular Apple X polarization schemes are studied. The polarization is characterized by measuring the angular electron emission distributions of helium for various polarizations using cold target recoil ion momentum spectroscopy. The generation of fully linear polarized light of arbitrary angle, as well as elliptical polarizations of varying degree, are demonstrated.

Efficacy, kinetics, inactivation mechanism and application of cold plasma in inactivating Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris spores.

As spores of Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris can survive traditional pasteurization, this organism has been suggested as a target bacterium in the fruit juice industry. This study aimed to investigate the inactivation effect of cold plasma on A. acidoterrestris spores and the mechanism behind the inactivation. The inactivation effect was detected by the plate count method and described by kinetic models. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), the detection of dipicolinic acid (DPA) release and heat resistance detection, the detection and scavenging experiment of reactive species, and cryo-scanning electron microscopy were used to explore the mechanism of cold plasma inactivation of A. acidoterrestris. The results showed that cold plasma can effectively inactivate A. acidoterrestris spores in saline with a 3.0 ± 0.3 and 4.4 ± 0.8 log reduction in CFU/mL, for 9 and 18 min, respectively. The higher the voltage and the longer the treatment time, the stronger the overall inactivation effect. However, a lower gas flow rate may increase the probability of spore contact with reactive species, resulting in better inactivation results. The biphasic model fits the survival curves better than the Weibull model. SEM and TEM revealed that cold plasma treatment can cause varying degrees of damage to the morphology and structure of A. acidoterrestris spores, with at least 50 % sustaining severe morphological and structural damage. The DPA release and heat resistance detection showed that A. acidoterrestris spores did not germinate but died directly during the cold plasma treatment. 1O2 plays the most important role in the inactivation, while O3, H2O2 and NO3- may also be responsible for inactivation. Cold plasma treatment for 1 min reduced A. acidoterrestris spores in apple juice by 0.4 ± 0.0 log, comparable to a 12-min heat treatment at 95 °C. However, as the treatment time increased, the survival curve exhibited a significant tailing phenomenon, which was most likely caused by the various compounds in apple juice that can react with reactive species and exert a physical shielding effect on spores. Higher input power and higher gas flow rate resulted in more complete inactivation of A. acidoterrestris spores in apple juice. What's more, the high inactivation efficiency in saline indicates the cold plasma device provides a promising alternative for controlling A. acidoterrestris spores during apple washing. Overall, our study provides adequate data support and a theoretical basis for using cold plasma to inactivate A. acidoterrestris spores in the food industry.

Effects of apples (Malus domestica) and their derivatives on metabolic conditions related to inflammation and oxidative stress and an overview of by-products use in food processing.

Apple (Malus domestica) is the third most produced fruit worldwide. It is a well-known source of bioactive compounds mainly represented by hydroxycinnamic acids, flavan-3-ols, dihydrochalcones, dehydroascorbic acid, carotenoids, chlorogenic acid, epicatechin, and phloridzin. Due to the lack of a recent evaluation of the clinical trials associated with apple consumption, this review investigated the effects of this fruit on metabolic conditions related to inflammation and oxidative stress and reviewed the applications of apple waste on food products. Thirty-three studies showed that apples or its derivatives exhibit anti-inflammatory and antioxidant actions, improve blood pressure, body fat, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and reduce cardiovascular risks. Apples have a great economic impact due to its several applications in the food industry and as a food supplement since it has impressive nutritional value. Dietary fiber from the fruit pomace can be used as a substitute for fat in food products or as an improver of fiber content in meat products. It can also be used in bakery and confectionary products or be fermented to produce alcohol. Pomace phytocompounds can also be isolated and applied as antioxidants in food products. The potential for the use of apples and by-products in the food industry can reduce environmental damage.

A viroid-derived small interfering RNA targets bHLH transcription factor MdPIF1 to regulate anthocyanin biosynthesis in Malus domestica.

Fruit colour is a critical determinant for the appearance quality and commercial value of apple fruits. Viroid-induced dapple symptom severely affects the fruit coloration, however, the underlying mechanism remains unknown. In this study, we identified an apple dimple fruit viroid (ADFVd)-derived small interfering RNA, named vsiR693, which targeted the mRNA coding for a bHLH transcription factor MdPIF1 (PHYTOCHROME-INTERACTING FACTOR 1) to regulate anthocyanin biosynthesis in apple. 5' RLM-RACE and artificial microRNA transient expression system proved that vsiR693 directly targeted the mRNA of MdPIF1 for cleavage. MdPIF1 positively regulated anthocyanin biosynthesis in both apple calli and fruits, and it directly bound to G-box element in the promoter of MdPAL and MdF3H, two anthocyanin biosynthetic genes, to promote their transcription. Expression of vsiR693 negatively regulated anthocyanin biosynthesis in both apple calli and fruits. Furthermore, co-expression of vsiR693 and MdPIF1 suppressed MdPIF1-promoted anthocyanin biosynthesis in apple fruits. Infiltration of ADFVd infectious clone suppressed coloration surrounding the injection sites in apple fruits, while a mutated version of ADFVd, in which the vsiR693 producing region was mutated, failed to repress fruit coloration around the injection sites. These data provide evidence that a viroid-derived small interfering RNA targets host transcription factor to regulate anthocyanin biosynthesis in apple.

Fabrication, characterization, and oxidation resistance of gelatin/egg white protein cryogel-templated oleogels through apple polyphenol crosslinking.

Cryogel-templated oleogels (CTO) were fabricated via a facile polyphenol crosslinking strategy, where apple polyphenol was utilized to crosslink the gelatin/egg white protein conjugates without forming hydrogels. After freeze-drying, cryogel templates were obtained and used to construct CTO by oil absorption. Apple polyphenol crosslinking improved the emulsion-related properties with appearance changes on samples, and infrared spectroscopy further confirmed the interactions between proteins and apple polyphenol. The crosslinked cryogels presented porous microstructures (porosity of over 96 %), enhanced thermal/mechanical stabilities, and could absorb a high content of oil (14.41 g/g) with a considerable oil holding capacity (90.98 %). Apple polyphenol crosslinking also influenced the rheological performances of CTO, where the highly crosslinked samples owned the best thixotropic recovery of 85.88 %. Moreover, after the rapid oxidation of oleogels, the generation of oxidation products was effectively inhibited by crosslinking (POV: 0.48 nmol/g, and TBARS: 0.53 mg/L). The polyphenol crosslinking strategy successfully involved egg white protein and gelatin to fabricate CTO with desired physical/chemical properties. Apple polyphenol acted as both a crosslinker and an antioxidant, which provided a good reference for fabricating pure protein-based CTO.

Functional evidence on the involvement of the MADS-box gene MdDAM4 in bud dormancy regulation in apple.

Over the course of the year, temperate trees experience extremes in temperature and day length. In order to protect themselves from frost damage in winter, they enter a dormant state with no visible growth where all leaves are shed and buds are dormant. Also the young floral tissues need to withstand harsh winter conditions, as temperature fruit trees like apple develop their flower buds in the previous year of fruit development. So far, the genetic control of induction and release of dormancy is not fully understood. However, the transcription factor family of DORMANCY-Associated MADS-box (DAM) genes plays a major role in the control of winter dormancy. One of these genes is MdDAM4. This gene is expressed in the early phase of bud dormancy, but little is known about its function. Six transgenic apple lines were produced to study the function of MdDAM4 in apple. For plant transformation, the binary plasmid vector p9oN-35s-MdDAM4 was used that contains the coding sequence of MdDAM4 driven by the 35S promoter. Transgenicity of the lines was proven by PCR and southern hybridization. Based on siRNA sequencing and phenotypic observations, it was concluded that line M2024 overexpresses MdDAM4 whereas the gene is silenced in all other lines. Phenotyping of the transgenic lines provided evidence that the overexpression of MdDAM4 leads to an earlier induction and a later release of dormancy. Silencing this gene had exactly the opposite effects and thereby led to an increased duration of the vegetation period. Expression experiments revealed genes that were either potentially repressed or activated by MdDAM4. Among the potentially suppressed genes were several homologs of the cytokinin oxidase 5 (CKX5), five LOX homologs, and several expansins, which may indicate a link between MdDAM4 and the control of leaf senescence. Among the potentially activated genes is MdDAM1, which is in line with observed expression patterns during winter dormancy. MdDAM2, which shows little expression during endodormancy also appears to be activated by MdDAM4. Overall, this study provides experimental evidence with transgenic apple trees for MdDAM4 being an important regulator of the onset of bud dormancy in apple.

Unveiling the Arsenal of Apple Bitter Rot Fungi: Comparative Genomics Identifies Candidate Effectors, CAZymes, and Biosynthetic Gene Clusters in Colletotrichum Species.

The bitter rot of apple is caused by Colletotrichum spp. and is a serious pre-harvest disease that can manifest in postharvest losses on harvested fruit. In this study, we obtained genome sequences from four different species, C. chrysophilum, C. noveboracense, C. nupharicola, and C. fioriniae, that infect apple and cause diseases on other fruits, vegetables, and flowers. Our genomic data were obtained from isolates/species that have not yet been sequenced and represent geographic-specific regions. Genome sequencing allowed for the construction of phylogenetic trees, which corroborated the overall concordance observed in prior MLST studies. Bioinformatic pipelines were used to discover CAZyme, effector, and secondary metabolic (SM) gene clusters in all nine Colletotrichum isolates. We found redundancy and a high level of similarity across species regarding CAZyme classes and predicted cytoplastic and apoplastic effectors. SM gene clusters displayed the most diversity in type and the most common cluster was one that encodes genes involved in the production of alternapyrone. Our study provides a solid platform to identify targets for functional studies that underpin pathogenicity, virulence, and/or quiescence that can be targeted for the development of new control strategies. With these new genomics resources, exploration via omics-based technologies using these isolates will help ascertain the biological underpinnings of their widespread success and observed geographic dominance in specific areas throughout the country.

Effects of Phloretin on Seedling Growth and Histochemical Distribution of Phenols, Polysaccharides and Lipids in Capsella bursa-pastoris (L.) Medik.

The present study evaluates the phytotoxic effects of phloretin, a prevalent secondary metabolite of apple trees, on the broadleaf weed Capsella bursa-pastoris (L.) Medik. known for its resistant myxospermous seeds that form a long-lasting soil bank. The results indicate a significant, dose-dependent inhibitory effect of phloretin on the growth and morphological parameters of weed seedlings grown in vitro. Although the applied phloretin concentrations (250-1000 µM) were not lethal to the C. bursa-pastoris seedlings after two weeks, the metabolism of the seedlings was impaired, resulting in an accumulation of lipid droplets in the root tips and root hairs. Histochemical analysis shows deposits of phenols in the root epidermal cells, which are probably aggregates of phloretin or its metabolic derivatives. The accumulation of pectin in the cell walls of root border cells in phloretin-treated seedlings indicates an attempt to reduce the uptake of phloretin and reduce its concentration in the cells. Inhibition of shoot growth associated with chlorosis and reduced photosynthetic pigment content is a consequence of seedling exposure to phloretin. This study provides a basis for further evaluation of phloretin as a new bioherbicidal compound and for elucidating the mechanism underlying its phytotoxic activity.

Apple Watch 6 vs. Galaxy Watch 4: A Validity Study of Step-Count Estimation in Daily Activities.

The purpose of this study was to examine the validity of two wearable smartwatches (the Apple Watch 6 (AW) and the Galaxy Watch 4 (GW)) and smartphone applications (Apple Health for iPhone mobiles and Samsung Health for Android mobiles) for estimating step counts in daily life. A total of 104 healthy adults (36 AW, 25 GW, and 43 smartphone application users) were engaged in daily activities for 24 h while wearing an ActivPAL accelerometer on the thigh and a smartwatch on the wrist. The validities of the smartwatch and smartphone estimates of step counts were evaluated relative to criterion values obtained from an ActivPAL accelerometer. The strongest relationship between the ActivPAL accelerometer and the devices was found for the AW (r = 0.99, p < 0.001), followed by the GW (r = 0.82, p < 0.001), and the smartphone applications (r = 0.93, p < 0.001). For overall group comparisons, the MAPE (Mean Absolute Percentage Error) values (computed as the average absolute value of the group-level errors) were 6.4%, 10.5%, and 29.6% for the AW, GW, and smartphone applications, respectively. The results of the present study indicate that the AW and GW showed strong validity in measuring steps, while the smartphone applications did not provide reliable step counts in free-living conditions.

Dual-Responsive "Egg-Box" Shaped Microgel Beads Based on W1/O/W2 Double Emulsions for Colon-Targeted Delivery of Synbiotics.

In this study, for enhancing the resistance of probiotics to environmental factors, we designed a microgel beads delivery system loaded with synbiotics. Multiple droplets of W1/O/W2 emulsions stabilized with zein-apple pectin hybrid nanoparticles (ZAHPs) acted as the inner "egg," whereas a three-dimensional network of poly-L-lysine (PLL)-alginate-CaCl2 (Ca) crosslinked gel layers served as the outermost "box." ZAHPs with a mass ratio of 2:1 zein-to-apple pectin showed excellent wettability (three-phase contact angle = 89.88°). The results of the ζ-potentials and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy demonstrate that electrostatic interaction forces and hydrogen bonding were the main forces involved in the formation of ZAHPs. On this basis, we prepared W1/O/W2 emulsions with other preparation parameters and observed their microstructures by optical microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscope. The multi-chambered structures of W1/O/W2 emulsions were successfully visualized. Finally, the W1/O/W2 emulsions were coated with PLL-alginate-Ca using the solution extrusion method. The results of the in vitro colonic digestion stage reveal that the survival rate of probiotics in the microgel beads was about 75.11%, which was significantly higher than that of the free. Moreover, probiotics encapsulated in microgel beads also showed positive storage stability. Apple pectin would serve as both an emulsifier and a prebiotic. Thus, the results indicate that the "egg-box" shaped microgel beads, designed on the basis of pH-sensitive and enzyme-triggered mechanisms, can enhance the efficiency of probiotics translocation in the digestive tract and mediate spatiotemporal controlled release.

The Effects of High-Pressure Processing Pre-Treatment on Apple Fruit for Juice Production.

One of the most difficult issues in the juice industry is to manufacture juices where processing processes minimise the impact on the native characteristics of the fruits. In this study, high-pressure technology was used on whole apple fruits in order to evaluate the effect on the juice production. Two varieties, cv. Limoncella and cv. Pink Lady, were considered. Preliminarily, the fruits were subjected to different pressures, and histological as well as pomological measurements were taken in order to identify the best treatment condition, which was established to be 600 MPa for 3 min. Juice samples were then characterised by measuring the colour, viscosity, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and total phenolic content (TPC). The storage colour stability of the juices for both varieties showed not significant L* values between the untreated and pre-treated fruits. Juices obtained from pre-treated fruits had a viscosity significantly higher than that obtained from untreated ones. Interestingly, the TPC of high-pressure processing (HPP) pre-treated juice resulted in being significantly higher compared to the untreated ones. The HPP pre-treatment can be considered as a commercial application to modulate some quality standards for apple juice production.