Three-dimensional finite element analysis of the biomechanical properties of different material implants for replacing missing teeth.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the biomechanical properties of implants made of different materials to replace missing teeth by using three-dimensional finite element analysis and provide a theoretic basis for clinical application. CBCT data was imported into the Mimics and 3-Matic to construct the three-dimensional finite element model of a missing tooth restored by an implant. Then, the model was imported into the Marc Mentat. Based on the variations of the implant materials (titanium, titanium-zirconia, zirconia and poly (ether-ether-ketone) (PEEK)) and bone densities (high and low), a total of eight models were created. An axial load of 150 N was applied to the crown of the implant to simulate the actual occlusal situation. Both the maximum values of stresses in the cortical bone and implant were observed in the Zr-low model. The maximum displacements of the implants were also within the normal range except for the PEEK models. The cancellous bone strains were mainly distributed in the apical area of the implant, and the maximum value (3225 µstrain) was found in PEEK-low model. Under the premise of the same implant material, the relevant data from various indices in low-density bone models were larger than that in high-density bone models. From the biomechanical point of view, zirconia, titanium and titanium-zirconia were all acceptable implant materials for replacing missing teeth and possessed excellent mechanical properties, while the application of PEEK material needs to be further optimized and modified.

Effects of micro/nanoplastics on oxidative damage and serum biochemical parameters in rats and mice: a meta-analysis.

Micro/nanoplastics (MNPs) are emerging as environmental pollutants with potential threats to human health. The accumulation of MNPs in the body can cause oxidative stress and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). With the aim to systematically evaluate the extent of MNPs-induced oxidative damage and serum biochemical parameters in rats and mice, a total of 36 eligible articles were included in this meta-analysis study. The results reported that MNPs can significantly increase the levels of oxidants such as reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) (P < 0.05), and resulted in notable increase in serum biochemical parameters including aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (P < 0.05). Conversely, MNPs significantly reduced levels of antioxidants such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and catalase (CAT) (P < 0.05). Subgroup analysis revealed that smaller MNPs with oral administration and prolonged treatment, were associated with more pronounced oxidative stress and enhanced serum biochemical parameters alteration. In addition, after affected by MNPs, the levels of ALT and AST in liver group (SMD = 2.26, 95% CI = [1.59, 2.94] and SMD = 3.10, 95% CI = [1.25, 4.94]) were higher than those in other organs. These comprehensive results provide a scientific foundation for devising strategies to prevent MNPs-induced damage, contributing to solution of this environmental and health challenge.

Microencapsulation of fish oil by spray drying, spray freeze-drying, freeze-drying, and microwave freeze-drying: Microcapsule characterization and storage stability.

The objective of this paper was to evaluate the effect of spray drying (SD), spray freeze-drying (SFD), freeze-drying (FD), and microwave freeze-drying (MFD) on the characteristics of fish oil (FO) microcapsules. The physicochemical properties, morphology, fatty acid composition, and stability of the microcapsules were analyzed. The encapsulation efficiencies of microcapsules dried by SD, SFD, FD, and MFD were 86.98%, 77.79%, 63.29%, and 57.89%, respectively. SD microcapsules exhibited superior properties in terms of effective loading capacity, color, and flowability. Conversely, SFD microcapsules demonstrated improved solubility. Microencapsulation positively affected the thermal stability of FO, but the content of unsaturated fatty acids decreased. The findings from the storage experiment indicated that the oxidative stability of SD fish oil microcapsules was marginally lower compared to microcapsules produced through three alternative drying techniques, all of which were based on the FD concept. The comparison of various drying methods and their effects on the quality of FO microcapsules offers valuable insights that can serve as a foundation for the industrial production of high-quality microcapsules.

Unveiling synergy of strain and ligand effects in metallic aerogel for electrocatalytic polyethylene terephthalate upcycling.

Recently, there has been a notable surge in interest regarding reclaiming valuable chemicals from waste plastics. However, the energy-intensive conventional thermal catalysis does not align with the concept of sustainable development. Herein, we report a sustainable electrocatalytic approach allowing the selective synthesis of glycolic acid (GA) from waste polyethylene terephthalate (PET) over a Pd67Ag33 alloy catalyst under ambient conditions. Notably, Pd67Ag33 delivers a high mass activity of 9.7 A mgPd-1 for ethylene glycol oxidation reaction (EGOR) and GA Faradaic efficiency of 92.7 %, representing the most active catalyst for selective GA synthesis. In situ experiments and computational simulations uncover that ligand effect induced by Ag incorporation enhances the GA selectivity by facilitating carbonyl intermediates desorption, while the lattice mismatch-triggered tensile strain optimizes the adsorption of *OH species to boost reaction kinetics. This work unveils the synergistic of strain and ligand effect in alloy catalyst and provides guidance for the design of future catalysts for PET upcycling. We further investigate the versatility of Pd67Ag33 catalyst on CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) and assemble EGOR//CO2RR integrated electrolyzer, presenting a pioneering demonstration for reforming waste carbon resource (i.e., PET and CO2) into high-value chemicals.

UFL1 triggers replication fork degradation by MRE11 in BRCA1/2-deficient cells.

The stabilization of stalled forks has emerged as a crucial mechanism driving resistance to poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors in BRCA1/2-deficient tumors. Here, we identify UFL1, a UFM1-specific E3 ligase, as a pivotal regulator of fork stability and the response to PARP inhibitors in BRCA1/2-deficient cells. On replication stress, UFL1 localizes to stalled forks and catalyzes the UFMylation of PTIP, a component of the MLL3/4 methyltransferase complex, specifically at lysine 148. This modification facilitates the assembly of the PTIP-MLL3/4 complex, resulting in the enrichment of H3K4me1 and H3K4me3 at stalled forks and subsequent recruitment of the MRE11 nuclease. Consequently, loss of UFL1, disruption of PTIP UFMylation or overexpression of the UFM1 protease UFSP2 protects nascent DNA strands from extensive degradation and confers resistance to PARP inhibitors in BRCA1/2-deficient cells. These findings provide mechanistic insights into the processes underlying fork instability in BRCA1/2-deficient cells and offer potential therapeutic avenues for the treatment of BRCA1/2-deficient tumors.

Effective Nonstoichiometric Strategy Combined Post-annealing Process for Boosting Thermoelectric Properties in n-Type PbTe.

The intrinsic low electrical properties have hindered the enhancement of thermoelectric performance for n-type PbTe over a long period of time, primarily due to the generation of intrinsic Pb vacancies and other defects. In this work, PbTe samples with nonstoichiometric excess Pb atoms were successfully prepared by a melting reaction followed by spark plasma sintering. First, the introduction of precisely controlled excess Pb atoms has effectively eliminated the typical p-n transition phenomenon in PbTe systems by suppressing the generation of Pb vacancies. Further, the vacuum annealing process employed in nonstoichiometric samples increases the carrier mobility significantly because of the improved crystallinity and the lowered holes. Thus, the Hall mobility was optimized from 754.3 to 1215.9 cm2 V-1 s-1, while the power factor was ultimately elevated from 3087.8 to 4565.7 µW m-1 K-2 for the Pb1.03Te sample at 323 K. Benefited from the enhanced electrical transport properties near room temperature, an average zT ∼ 1.03 ranging from 323 to 723 K was achieved, demonstrating an outstanding performance in n-type nondoped PbTe. This work provides guidance for optimizing the thermoelectric performance of n-type PbTe and relevant telluride by reducing vacancies and other defects.

Mussel-Inspired Self-Adhesive and Tough Hydrogels for Effectively Cooling Solar Cells and Thermoelectric Generators.

Adhesive hydrogel-based evaporative cooling, which necessitates no electricity input, holds promise for reducing energy consumption in thermal management. Herein, inspired by the surface attachment of mussel adhesive proteins via abundant dynamic covalent bonds and noncovalent interactions, we propose a facile strategy to fabricate a self-adhesive cooling hydrogel (Li-AA-TA-PAM) using a copolymer of acrylamide (AM) and acrylic acid (AA) as the primary framework. The monomers formed hydrogen bonds between their carboxyl and amide groups, while tannic acid (TA), rich in catechol groups, enhances the adhesion of the hydrogel through hydrogen bonding. The hydrogel demonstrated strong adhesion to various material surfaces, including plastic, ceramic, glass, and metal. Even under high-speed rotation, it still maintains robust adhesion. The adhesion strength of the Li-AA-TA-PAM hydrogel to aluminum foil reached an impressive value of 296.875 kPa. Interestingly, the excellent contact caused by robust adhesion accelerates heat transfer, resulting in a rapid cooling performance, which mimics the perspiration of mammals. Lithium bromide (LiBr) with hydroactively sorptive sites is introduced to enhance sorption kinetics, thereby extending the effective cooling period. Consequently, the operation temperature of commercial polycrystalline silicon solar cells was reduced by 16 °C under an illumination of 1 kW m-2, and the corresponding efficiency of energy conversion was increased by 1.14%, thereby enhancing the output properties and life span of solar cells. The strategy demonstrates the potential for refrigeration applications using viscous gels.

Removal of Horizontally Impacted Mandibular Third Molars Using the Three-Piece or T-Shaped Tooth Sectioning Method.

BACKGROUND: The extraction of horizontally impacted mandibular third molars (HM3) can be a complicated surgery. Appropriate tooth sectioning methods can reduce the operation time and postoperative complications. PURPOSE: The current study compares operative time and postoperative pain between HM3 removed using the three-piece or T-shaped tooth sectioning techniques. STUDY DESIGN, SETTING, SAMPLE: A randomized single-blind prospective clinical trial on HM3 extraction was carried out between June and December 2022 in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, the Affiliated Stomatological Hospital, Southwest Medical University. Patients with local or systemic infection, poor oral hygiene, and systemic disease were excluded. PREDICTOR VARIABLE: The predictor variable was the tooth sectioning method. The subjects were randomized to a three-piece or T-shaped group. MAIN OUTCOME VARIABLE(S): The primary outcome variables were the operative time and postoperative pain measured using a visual analog scale (VAS). The secondary outcome variables were the rates of primary bleeding, mouth opening reduction, swelling, patient satisfaction measured using a VAS, and quality of life measured using a postoperative symptom severity scale. COVARIATES: The covariates included age, sex, side and classification of HM3, and the relationship of HM3 to the inferior alveolar nerve canal. ANALYSES: The data were analyzed using the independent samples t-test, paired t-test, χ2, and rank sum test. A significance level set at P < .05. RESULTS: The sample included 60 patients in the three-piece group and 66 patients in the T-shaped group. The operative time of the three-piece group (14.73 ± 3.21 minutes) was shorter than that of the T-shaped group (19.25 ± 4.29 minutes) (P < .05). On days 3 and 7, VAS of pain were 2.24 ± 1.89 and 0.15 ± 0.40 in the three-piece group and 3.95 ± 2.44 and 0.48 ± 0.68 in the T-shaped group (P < .05). The VAS of patient satisfaction in the three-piece group (6.05 ± 1.29) was better than the T-shaped group (4.90 ± 1.05) on day 7 (P < .05). CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE: The three-piece tooth sectioning for HM3 removal was associated with shorter duration, slighter postoperative symptoms, and higher patient satisfaction and may be considered as a recommended practice for dentists.

Cadmium exposure induced neuronal ferroptosis and cognitive deficits via the mtROS-ferritinophagy pathway.

Exposure to environmental cadmium (Cd) is known to cause neuronal death and cognitive decline in humans. Ferroptosis, a novel iron-dependent type of regulated cell death, is involved in various neurological disorders. In the present study, Cd exposure triggered ferroptosis in the mouse hippocampus and in the HT22 murine hippocampal neuronal cell line, as indicated by significant increases in ferroptotic marker expression, intracellular iron levels, and lipid peroxidation. Interestingly, ferroptosis of hippocampal neurons in response to Cd exposure relied on the induction of autophagy since the suppression of autophagy by 3-methyladenine (3-MA) and chloroquine (CQ) substantially ameliorated Cd-induced ferroptosis. Furthermore, nuclear receptor coactivator 4 (NCOA4)-mediated degradation of ferritin was required for the Cd-induced ferroptosis of hippocampal neurons, demonstrating that NCOA4 knockdown decreased intracellular iron levels and lipid peroxidation and increased cell survival, following Cd exposure. Moreover, Cd-induced mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mtROS) generation was essential for the ferritinophagy-mediated ferroptosis of hippocampal neurons. Importantly, pretreatment with the ferroptosis inhibitor ferrostatin-1 (Fer-1) effectively attenuated Cd-induced hippocampal neuronal death and cognitive impairment in mice. Taken together, these findings indicate that ferroptosis is a novel mechanism underlying Cd-induced neurotoxicity and cognitive impairment and that the mtROS-ferritinophagy axis modulates Cd-induced neuronal ferroptosis.

Predictive modeling for eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis: Nomogram and four machine learning approaches.

Eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis (ECRS) is a distinct subset of chronic rhinosinusitis characterized by heightened eosinophilic infiltration and increased symptom severity, often resisting standard treatments. Traditional diagnosis requires invasive histological evaluation. This study aims to develop predictive models for ECRS based on patient clinical parameters, eliminating the need for invasive biopsy. Utilizing logistic regression with lasso regularization, random forest (RF), gradient-boosted decision tree (GBDT), and deep neural network (DNN), we trained models on common clinical data. The predictive performance was evaluated using metrics such as area under the curve (AUC) for receiver operator characteristics, decision curves, and feature ranking analysis. In a cohort of 437 eligible patients, the models identified peripheral blood eosinophil ratio, absolute peripheral blood eosinophil, and the ethmoidal/maxillary sinus density ratio (E/M) on computed tomography as crucial predictors for ECRS. This predictive model offers a valuable tool for identifying ECRS without resorting to histological biopsy, enhancing clinical decision-making.

TFIP11 promotes replication fork reversal to preserve genome stability.

Replication fork reversal, a critical protective mechanism against replication stress in higher eukaryotic cells, is orchestrated via a series of coordinated enzymatic reactions. The Bloom syndrome gene product, BLM, a member of the highly conserved RecQ helicase family, is implicated in this process, yet its precise regulation and role remain poorly understood. In this study, we demonstrate that the GCFC domain-containing protein TFIP11 forms a complex with the BLM helicase. TFIP11 exhibits a preference for binding to DNA substrates that mimic the structure generated at stalled replication forks. Loss of either TFIP11 or BLM leads to the accumulation of the other protein at stalled forks. This abnormal accumulation, in turn, impairs RAD51-mediated fork reversal and slowing, sensitizes cells to replication stress-inducing agents, and enhances chromosomal instability. These findings reveal a previously unidentified regulatory mechanism that modulates the activities of BLM and RAD51 at stalled forks, thereby impacting genome integrity.

Insights on MOF-derived metal-carbon nanostructures for oxygen evolution.

Electrochemical water splitting has been regarded a promising method for the production of green hydrogen, addressing the need for efficient energy conversion and storage. However, it is severely hindered by the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) because of its multi-step four-electron transfer pathway with sluggish reaction kinetics. Microporous metal-organic-frameworks (MOFs), by virtue of large specific surface area, high porosity, tunable composition and morphology, find widespread use as precursors of metal-carbon nanostructures. The resulting carbon nanomaterials can well inherit the characteristics and advantages of the crystalline MOF precursors, and exhibit versatile application prospects in the fields of environment and energy, particularly in OER. Herein, a meticulous overview of the synthesis strategy for MOF-derived metal-carbon nanostructures and the origins of their enhanced OER properties has been demonstrated. We comprehensively illustrate these aspects across three dimensions: MOF selection, metal introduction, and carbon structures. Finally, the challenges and future prospects for this emerging field will be presented.

Effect of constant and variable temperature drying processes on drying characteristics, quality, and volatile profile of rose petals in infrared-assisted spouted bed drying.

The edible rose (Rosa Crimson Glory) petals were dried using infrared-assisted spouted bed drying technology. The effects of different drying temperature conditions (30, 35, 40, 45, and 50°C, as well as stepped heating drying [SHD] and stepped cooling drying) on the drying characteristics, physicochemical properties, antioxidant capacity, and changes in volatile flavor compounds of the rose petals were investigated. The results showed that the drying time was shortened with increasing drying temperature. Both variable temperature drying processes gave the shortest drying times. Optimal color retention of rose petals was achieved at a constant temperature of 40°C and SHD. Increased drying temperature resulted in higher water-soluble polysaccharide content in the dried rose petals, whereas lower temperatures facilitated anthocyanin preservation. The variable temperature drying processes favored the retention of water-soluble polysaccharides in rose petals, but not anthocyanins. Regarding antioxidant capacity, the samples dried at 40°C and those subjected to the two variable temperature drying processes performed better. This study also analyzed the differences in volatile flavor compounds of rose petals dried under different drying conditions. It was found that the majority of volatile flavor compounds in the rose petals dried by SHD exhibited higher content levels than the other drying conditions. Therefore, considering a thorough evaluation of all relevant factors, it was clear that utilizing the SHD process was the most efficient method for obtaining the best quality rose petals overall.

Text2Face: Text-based Face Generation with Geometry and Appearance Control.

Recent years have witnessed the emergence of various techniques proposed for text-based human face generation and manipulation. Such methods, targeting bridging the semantic gap between text and visual contents, provide users with a deft hand to turn ideas into visuals via text interface and enable more diversified multimedia applications. However, due to the flexibility of linguistic expressiveness, the mapping from sentences to desired facial images is clearly many-to-many, causing ambiguities during text-to-face generation. To alleviate these ambiguities, we introduce a local-to-global framework with two graph neural networks (one for geometry and the other for appearance) embedded to model the inter-dependency among facial parts. This is based upon our key observation that the geometry and appearance attributes among different facial components are not mutually independent, i.e., the combinations of part-level facial features are not arbitrary and thus do not conform to a uniform distribution. By learning from the dataset distribution and enabling recommendations given partial descriptions of human faces, these networks are highly suitable for our text-to-face task. Our method is capable of generating high-quality attribute-conditioned facial images from text. Extensive experiments have confirmed the superiority and usability of our method over the prior art.

Effect of gum arabic and thermal modification of whey protein isolate on the characteristics of Cornus officinalis flavonoid microcapsules.

Whey protein isolates (WPIs) were treated at 50, 60, 70, and 80°C to obtain thermally modified WPI. Gum arabic (GA) and thermal modification of WPI were used as novel wall materials to improve the quality of Cornus officinalis flavonoid (COF) microcapsules using microwave freeze-drying technique in this study. Results showed that all the thermal modification treatment decreased emulsifying activity index of WPI, whereas the solubility and emulsifying stability index (ESI) of WPI gradually increased with the increase of heating temperature. Compared to the untreated protein, the thermal modification treatment at 70°C increased the solubility and ESI of WPI by 14.91% ± 0.71% and 26.70% ± 0.94%, respectively. The microcapsules prepared with the modified protein at 60°C had the highest encapsulation efficiency (95.13% ± 2.36%), the lowest moisture content (1.42% ± 0.34%), and the highest solubility (84.41% ± 0.91). Scanning electron microscopy images showed that COF microcapsules were uniformly spherical, and the sizes of the microcapsules were in the following order: 12.42 ± 0.37 µm (80°C) > 11.7 ± 0.23 µm (untreated group) > 9.44 ± 0.33 µm (60°C) > 9.24 ± 0.14 µm (50°C) > 7.69 ± 0.29 µm (70°C). In the simulated in vitro digestion experiments, the release rate of COF microcapsules in the gastric digestion phase was less than that in the intestinal digestion phase, and it reached 66.46% at intestinal digestion phase. These results suggested that heated WPI and GA could be an effective nanocarrier to enhance the stability of COF.

A mechanical and three-dimensional finite element study of the optimum tooth sectioning depth during the extraction of low-level horizontally impacted mandibular third molar.

The present study aims to determine the optimum sectioning depth for the extraction of low-level horizontally impacted mandibular third molar (LHIM3M) using mechanical and finite element analysis. One hundred and fifty extracted mandibular third molars were randomly divided into three groups: 1, 2 or 3 mm of tooth tissue was retained at the bottom of the crown. The breaking force of teeth was tested in a universal strength testing machine. The fracture surface was observed and the type of tooth breakage was recorded. According to the three groups, corresponding 3D finite element models were created. The breaking force obtained in the mechanical study was, respectively, applied and the stress and strain of the teeth and surrounding tissues were analysed. Breaking force decreased as sectioning depth increased. The 2 mm group produced the lowest rate of incomplete breakage (10%). In the 2 mm model, the stresses were evenly distributed in the tooth tissue at the bottom of the fissure, and the maximal stress was located in the tissue close to the root segment. The maximum values of stresses in the bone and of strains in the periodontal ligament of the second molar and bone were lower in the 1 mm model than in other models. Their distribution was similar in the three models. A sectioning depth of 1 mm group saves labour during the extraction of LHIM3M, compared to 2 and 3 mm; 2 mm might be the appropriate sectioning depth in terms of breakage shapes.

Dietary supplementation of VA enhances growth, feed utilization, glucose and lipid metabolism, appetite, and antioxidant capacity of Chinese perch (Siniperca chuatsi).

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of dietary vitamin A on juvenile Chinese perch (Siniperca chuatsi). Chinese perch were fed with five experimental diets containing 0, 20, 40, 60, and 80 mg VA·kg-1 for 8 weeks. Results showed that dietary vitamin A significantly influenced the fish's growth, feed utilization, glucose and lipid metabolism, appetite, and antioxidant capacity. Vitamin A-supplemented groups had higher weight gain rate (WGR) and specific growth rate (SGR) compared to the control group. Feed conversion ratio (FCR) was also lower in the vitamin A-supplemented groups. Dietary vitamin A had no significant effect on the survival rate (SR). Compared to the control group, fish fed with vitamin A had increased feed intake (FI), and the expression of appetite-promoting genes (npy and agrp) was significantly higher in the 40 mg VA·kg-1 group. Vitamin A also enhanced the utilization of dietary protein by Chinese perch. The serum glucose content of the fish fed with 40 mg VA·kg-1 diet was significantly higher than that of the control group and 20 mg VA·kg-1 diet, indicating that the promoting effect of VA on gluconeogenesis was greater than that on glycolysis. Additionally, dietary vitamin A increased the expression of lipid metabolism-related genes (hl and fas) and antioxidant genes (nrf2 and gpx) in the fish. These results suggest that the optimal vitamin A requirement of juvenile Chinese perch bream was estimated to be 37.32 mg VA·kg-1 based on broken-line regression analysis of WGR. In conclusion, this study provides valuable insights into the potential benefits of dietary vitamin A on the growth, metabolism, and antioxidant capacity of Chinese perch.

Effect of sodium phenylbutyrate and taurursodiol on plasma concentrations of neuroinflammatory biomarkers in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: results from the CENTAUR trial.

BACKGROUND: An oral sodium phenylbutyrate and taurursodiol combination (PB and TURSO) significantly reduced functional decline in people living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in the CENTAUR trial. Biomarkers linking clinical therapeutic effect with biological changes are of high interest in ALS. We performed analyses of neuroinflammatory biomarkers associated with ALS in the literature, including YKL-40 (also known as chitinase-3-like protein 1), chitinase 1 (CHIT1) and C reactive protein (CRP), in plasma samples collected in CENTAUR. METHODS: Log10-transformed plasma biomarker measurements were analysed using a linear mixed-effects model. Correlation between paired biomarker concentrations and ALS Functional Rating Scale-Revised (ALSFRS-R) total scores was assessed via Pearson correlation coefficients. RESULTS: By week 24, geometric least squares mean YKL-40 plasma concentration decreased by approximately 20% (p=0.008) and CRP by 30% (p=0.048) in the PB and TURSO versus placebo group. YKL-40 (r of -0.21; p<0.0001) and CRP (r of -0.19; p=0.0002) concentration correlated with ALSFRS-R total score. CHIT1 levels were not significantly different between groups. CONCLUSIONS: YKL-40 and CRP plasma levels were significantly reduced in participants with ALS receiving PB and TURSO in CENTAUR and correlated with disease progression. These findings suggest YKL-40 and CRP could be treatment-sensitive biomarkers in ALS, pending further confirmatory studies. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03127514.

Structure Characterization and Functional Properties of Flaxseed Protein-Chlorogenic Acid Complex.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of the covalent binding of flaxseed protein (FP) and chlorogenic acid (CA) on the structure and functional properties of FP-CA complexes fabricated using the alkali method. The results suggested that the encapsulation efficiency of CA encapsulated by FP ranged from 66.11% to 72.20% and the loading capacity of CA increased with an increasing addition ratio of CA with a dose-dependent relationship, which increased from 2.34% to 10.19%. The particle size, turbidity, zeta potential and PDI of FP and the FP-CA complexes had no significant discrepancy. UV-Vis and fluorescence spectra showed the existence of the interaction between FP and CA. SEM images showed that the surface of the FP-0.35%CA complex had more wrinkles compared to FP. Differential scanning calorimetry analysis indicated the decomposition temperature of FP at 198 °C was higher than that (197 °C) of the FP-0.35%CA complex, implying that the stability of the FP-CA complexes was lower than FP. The functional properties suggested that the FP-CA complex with 1.40% CA had a higher water holding capacity (500.81%), lower oil holding capacity (273.495%) and lower surface hydrophobicity. Moreover, the FP-CA complexes had better antioxidant activities than that of FP. Therefore, this study provides more insights for the potential application of FP-CA covalent complexes in functional food processing.

Effects of Transglutaminase Concentration and Drying Method on Encapsulation of Lactobacillus plantarum in Gelatin-Based Hydrogel.

Lactobacillus plantarum is a kind of probiotic that benefits the host by regulating the gut microbiota, but it is easily damaged when passing through the gastrointestinal tract, hindering its ability to reach the destination and reducing its utilization value. Encapsulation is a promising strategy for solving this problem. In this study, transglutaminase (TGase)-crosslinked gelatin (GE)/sodium hexametaphosphate (SHMP) hydrogels were used to encapsulate L. plantarum. The effects of TGase concentration and drying method on the physiochemical properties of the hydrogels were determined. The results showed that at a TGase concentration of 9 U/gGE, the hardness, chewiness, energy storage modulus, and apparent viscosity of the hydrogel encapsulation system were maximized. This concentration produced more high-energy isopeptide bonds, strengthening the interactions between molecules, forming a more stable three-dimensional network structure. The survival rate under the simulated gastrointestinal conditions and storage stability of L. plantarum were improved at this concentration. The thermal stability of the encapsulation system dried via microwave vacuum freeze drying (MFD) was slightly higher than that when dried via freeze drying (FD). The gel structure was more stable, and the activity of L. plantarum decreased more slowly during the storage period when dried using MFD. This research provides a theoretical basis for the development of encapsulation technology of probiotics.