Modification of the physicochemical, functional, biochemical and structural properties of a soursop seed (Annona muricata L.) protein isolate treated with high-intensity ultrasound.

The obtained seeds from fruit processing are considered by-products containing proteins that could be utilized as ingredients in food manufacturing. However, in the specific case of soursop seeds, their usage for the preparation of protein isolates is limited. In this investigation a protein isolate from soursop seeds (SSPI) was obtained by alkaline extraction and isoelectric precipitation methods. The SSPI was sonicated at 200, 400 and 600 W during 15 and 30 min and its effect on the physicochemical, functional, biochemical, and structural properties was evaluated. Ultrasound increased (p < 0.05) up to 5 % protein content, 261 % protein solubility, 60.7 % foaming capacity, 30.2 % foaming stability, 86 % emulsifying activity index, 4.1 % emulsifying stability index, 85.4 % in vitro protein digestibility, 423.4 % albumin content, 83 % total sulfhydryl content, 316 % free sulfhydryl content, 236 % α-helix, 46 % ß-sheet, and 43 % ß-turn of SSPI, in comparison with the control treatment without ultrasound. Furthermore, ultrasound decreased (p < 0.05) up to 50 % particle size, 37 % molecular flexibility, 68 % surface hydrophobicity, 41 % intrinsic florescence spectrum, and 60 % random coil content. Scanning electron microscopy analysis revealed smooth structures of the SSPI with molecular weights ranging from 12 kDa to 65 kDa. The increase of albumins content in the SSPI by ultrasound was highly correlated (r = 0.962; p < 0.01) with the protein solubility. Improving the physicochemical, functional, biochemical and structural properties of SSPI by ultrasound could contribute to its utilization as ingredient in food industry.

Cellular Distribution and Intracellular Localization of Different Sizes of Fluorescent Thiol-Organosilica Particles in Mouse Lungs.

We investigated the distribution of intratracheally administered thiol-organosilica (thiol-OS) particles in mouse lungs. Toward this end, single doses of thiol-OS particles containing fluorescein (140 nm in diameter) (F140) and rhodamine B (Rh) (Rh160, Rh280, Rh420, Rh640, and Rh1630 with diameters of 160, 280, 420, 640, and 1630 nm, respectively) were administered. After 24 h, fluorescence imaging revealed homogeneous fluorescence with a patchier pattern on the lung surface and no difference among the six particle sizes. Simultaneous dual administration of Rh and F140 particles did not reveal any size-dependent differences in the lung surface fluorescence. Fluorescence microscopy of the lung sections revealed a similar tissue distribution in the fluorescent areas of Rhs and F140. Some fluorescent areas showed one type of particle fluorescence or only one fluorescence. Cellular distribution of particles was observed in bronchoalveolar lavage cells and lung sections under a high magnification, and correlative light and electron microscopy revealed large cells with fluorescence corresponding to both particle types and small cells with fluorescence of individual particle types, indicating a cell-subset-dependent particle size effect. Rh280, Rh420, and Rh640 exhibited significant size effects and were taken up by alveolar macrophages. Extracellular particles were observed, indicating that saturation exceeded the particle dose threshold in the alveoli. F140 taken up by small and large macrophages colocalized with CD68, CD11c, and CD11b and correlated with CD11c. The size effect, intracellular localization, and extracellular distribution of particles provide insights into lung and systemic drug delivery.

Bile conjugation and its effect on in vitro lipolysis of emulsions.

Bile Salts (BS) are responsible for stimulating lipid digestion in our organism. Gut microbiota are responsible for the deconjugation process of primary conjugated to secondary unconjugated BS. We use two structurally distinct BS and characterize the rate of lipolysis as a compound parameter. A static in-vitro digestion model as well as meta-analysis of literature data has been performed to determine the most influential factors affecting the lipid digestion process. The results demonstrate that lipolysis of emulsions using conjugated BS (NaTC, FFA = 60.0 %, CMC in SIF = 5.58 mM, MSR of linoleic acid = 0.21, rate of adsorption = -0.057 mN/m.s) enhances the release of FFA compared to deconjugated BS (NaDC, FFA = 49.5 %, CMC in SIF = 2.49 mM, MSR of linoleic acid = 0.16 rate of adsorption = -0.064 mN/m.s). These results indicate that conjugation plays an important role in controlling the rate of lipolysis in our organism which can be in turn, tuned by the microflora composition of our gut, ultimately controlling the rate of deconjugation of the BS.

Ultrasound modification on milk fat globule membrane and soy lecithin to improve the physicochemical properties, microstructure and stability of mimicking human milk fat emulsions.

Starting from the consideration of the structure of human milk fat globule (MFG), this study aimed to investigate the effects of ultrasonic treatment on milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) and soy lecithin (SL) complexes and their role in mimicking human MFG emulsions. Ultrasonic power significantly affected the structure of the MFGM-SL complex, further promoting the unfolding of the molecular structure of the protein, and then increased solubility and surface hydrophobicity. Furthermore, the microstructure of mimicking MFG emulsions without sonication was unevenly distributed, and the average droplet diameter was large. After ultrasonic treatment, the droplets of the emulsion were more uniformly dispersed, the particle size was smaller, and the emulsification properties and stability were improved to varying degrees. Especially when the ultrasonic power was 300 W, the mimicking MFG emulsion had the highest encapsulation rate and emulsion activity index and emulsion stability index were increased by 60.88 % and 117.74 %, respectively. From the microstructure, it was observed that the spherical droplets of the mimicking MFG emulsion after appropriate ultrasonic treatment remain well separated without obvious flocculation. This study can provide a reference for the screening of milk fat globules mimicking membrane materials and the further utilization and development of ultrasound in infant formula.

Nimble vs. torpid responders to hydration pulse duration among soil microbes.

Environmental parameters vary in time, and variability is inherent in soils, where microbial activity follows precipitation pulses. The expanded pulse-reserve paradigm (EPRP) contends that arid soil microorganisms have adaptively diversified in response to pulse regimes differing in frequency and duration. To test this, we incubate Chihuahuan Desert soil microbiomes under separate treatments in which 60 h of hydration was reached with pulses of different pulse duration (PD), punctuated by intervening periods of desiccation. Using 16S rRNA gene amplicon data, we measure treatment effects on microbiome net growth, growth efficiency, diversity, and species composition, tracking the fate of 370 phylotypes (23% of those detected). Consistent with predictions, microbial diversity is a direct, saturating function of PD. Increasingly larger shifts in community composition are detected with decreasing PD, as specialist phylotypes become more prominent. One in five phylotypes whose fate was tracked responds consistently to PD, some preferring short pulses (nimble responders; NIRs) and some longer pulses (torpid responders; TORs). For pulses shorter than a day, microbiome growth efficiency is an inverse function of PD, as predicted. We conclude that PD in pulsed soil environments constitutes a major driver of microbial community assembly and function, largely consistent with the EPRP predictions.

Differences in physicochemical properties of pectin extracted from pomelo peel with different extraction techniques.

In order to obtain high yield pomelo peel pectin with better physicochemical properties, four pectin extraction methods, including hot acid extraction (HAE), microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), ultrasound-assisted extraction, and enzymatic assisted extraction (EAE) were compared. MAE led to the highest pectin yield (20.43%), and the lowest pectin recovery was found for EAE (11.94%). The physicochemical properties of pomelo peel pectin obtained by different methods were also significantly different. Pectin samples obtained by MAE had the highest methoxyl content (8.35%), galacturonic acid content (71.36%), and showed a higher apparent viscosity, thermal and emulsion stability. The pectin extracted by EAE showed the highest total phenolic content (12.86%) and lowest particle size (843.69 nm), showing higher DPPH and ABTS scavenging activities than other extract methods. The pectin extracted by HAE had the highest particle size (966.12 nm) and degree of esterification (55.67%). However, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy showed that no significant difference occurred among the different methods in the chemical structure of the extracted pectin. This study provides a theoretical basis for the industrial production of pomelo peel pectin.

A Safe One-Pot Synthesis and Characterization of Epoxidized Moringa Oleifera Oil.

Global demand for epoxidized vegetable oil has been steadily growing. Epoxidized vegetable oils are typically produced using a two-pot synthesis process in which the oxidation and epoxidation reactions are carried out sequentially. This two-pot synthesis method, however, has a major drawback in industrialscale production, particularly when it comes to operational and process safety issues. A laboratory-scale one-pot synthesis method was attempted in this study with the aim to safely synthesize epoxidized Moringa Oleifera oil (eMOo) by avoiding the occurrence of undesired exothermic runaway reaction. The oil extracted from Moringa Oleifera oil seed kernel (MOo) was used as a starting component due to its high degree of unsaturation and also because the Moringa Oleifera plant can be freely grown in any soil conditions. Two parallel oxidation and epoxidation reactions were carried out simultaneously in this one-pot synthesis method to produce eMOo. The effect of five different mole ratios of MOo, acetic acid and hydrogen peroxide (1:1:1, 1:1:2, 1:1.5:2, 1:1.75:2 and 1:2:2, respectively) on reaction mechanism was investigated at the controlled temperature range of 43 - 55°C and reaction time of 0 - 120 min. The physicochemical properties of MOo as well as the oxirane oxygen content (OOC) of the resulting eMOo were characterized. In addition, GC-MS and FTIR analysis were performed to verify the molecular composition of MOo and also to identify the epoxy group of the resulting eMOo respectively. Among the five different mole ratios studied, the 1:1.5:2 mole ratio has the highest unsaturation conversion of 79.57% and OOC of 4.12%.

Effects of different oil additives on water resistance of corn starch straws.

To investigate the effect of oil additives on improving the water resistance of corn starch straws, corn oil (CO), soybean oil (SO), rapeseed oil (RO), peanut oil (PO), lard (LD) and coconut oil (CCO) were chosen and compared the structure and properties of starch straws with different oil additives. Corn starch straws (CS), and starch straws supplemented with CO, SO, RO, PO, LD and CCO were prepared by thermoplastic extrusion. The results showed that the incorporation of oils effectively enhanced the water resistance of starch straws such as water absorption, water solubility and water swelling performance. Meanwhile, the flexural strength of starch straws significantly increased. There was no significant linear relationship among starch chain length, oil unsaturation and straw performance. Among seven starch straws, S-SO had the strongest hydrogen bond interaction (3289 cm-1) and relaxation time (0.96 ms). The S-CO had the highest relative crystallinity (16.82 %) and degree of double helix (1.535), hence resulting in the lowest water absorption and solubility values, the highest flexural strength (23.43 MPa), the highest ΔT value (9.93 °C) and ΔH value (4.79 J/g). S-RO had the highest thermal transition temperatures.

Experimental investigation into the implications of low-intensity magnetic field treatment on the structural and functional properties of rapeseed meal during biofermentation.

The functionality of rapeseed meal is limited, to acquire more utilization, the functional attributes were improved by altering its structural features using magnetic field-assisted solid fermentation. The magnetic treatment was performed every 24 h (specifically at 24, and 48 h), each treatment having a duration of 4 h. The magnetic intensity was set at 120 Gs, and the fermentation temperature 37 °C. Magnetic field-assisted solid fermentation resulted in higher surface hydrophobicity, fluorescence intensity, UV absorption, and sulfhydryl groups of rapeseed meal. Magnetic field treatment considerably enhanced solubility, antioxidant activity, emulsifying activity, and stability by 8.8, 19.5, 20.7, and 12.3 %, respectively. Magnetic field-assisted solid fermentation also altered rapeseed meal structure, as shown by scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy outcomes. Correlation analysis displayed positive interrelationships between functional characteristics, and surface hydrophobicity, ß-sheets, and polydispersity index.

Effects of germination time on the structure, functionality, flavour attributes, and in vitro digestibility of green Altamura lentils (Lens culinaris Medik.) flour.

There has been an increase in the use of adoptable bioprocessing methods for the development of high-quality leguminous ingredients. The potential use of germinated green Altamura lentils as a food ingredient is closely related to the resulting properties. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of three germination times - 0 (C), 24 (G) and 48 (H) hours - on the physicochemical, microstructural, flavour, functional, and nutritional features of lentil flour samples (CF, GF and HF). Lentil flour samples were obtained by grinding both whole green seeds (C) and germinated seeds (G and H), and then sifting them to obtain a particle size < 300 µm. The germinated samples - GF (24 h) and HF (48 h) - exhibited differences (P < 0.05) in the physicochemical and bioactive properties of CF (control). Similarly, compared with those in the control sample, the total starch, amylose and total phenolic contents in the GF and HF samples decreased, while the protein content increased (p < 0.05). A decrease in the presence of intact starch granules was observed via SEM in the germinated samples. The germination time had a significant (P < 0.05) effect on the colour indices, L*, a*, and b* of the samples. Flavour attributes were significantly influenced by the germination time. Overall, a total of 14 (CF) and 17 (GF and HF) aromatic compounds were identified. The technological characteristics of the CF, GF and HF dough samples were studied using a Brabender farinograph. Germination time affects the flour properties, leading to a significant decrease in farinographic parameters such as water absorption (WA), dough development time (DT), and dough stability (DS) and an increase in the degree of dough weakening (DOS). Differential scanning calorimetry was employed to examine the gelatinization transition of the samples. Germination strongly influenced all the thermal properties of the samples. It also had a significant impact on the in vitro starch digestibility, starch fraction and glycaemic index (eGI) of the samples. In particular, the eGI of germinated lentils was lower than that of the CF. In conclusion, the germination time could be a key factor modulating some crucial lentil flour properties.

Application of ultrasound treatment in pork marination: Effects on moisture migration and microstructure.

To better understanding the effects of ultrasonic marination on the porcine tissue, the moisture migration and microstructure were investigated in this study. Additionally, the acoustic field distribution was analysis using COMSOL Multiphysics. The low-filed NMR results demonstrated that ultrasonic curing induced a leftward shift in T21 and a rightward shift in T22, accompanied by a significant reduction in A22, thereby enhancing the water-holding capacity of pork. The SEM and TEM observation showed that the presence of larger interstitial gaps between muscle fibers facilitated the diffusion of NaCl. The simulation analysis revealed that the acoustic field at 26.8 kHz showed minimal standing wave effects and more pronounced cavitation, which was the main reason for the best curing effect at this frequency. The scale-up test showed the NaCl content in pork reached 1% after ultrasound curing, indicating the potential application of ultrasonic marination technology in domestic refrigerators.

Effects of freeze-thaw cycles on the quality of Hot-dry noodles: From the moisture, starch, and protein characteristics.

Freeze-thaw cycles (FTC) could cause damage to food during storage. The effects of different FTC on Hot-dry noodles (HDN) in terms of quality, moisture, starch, and protein characteristics were studied. This study showed that FTC decreased the texture properties and water absorption of HDN. Meanwhile, cooking loss was significantly increased after FTC. The water content of HDN was decreased and water migration was increased during FTC. In addition, results showed that FTC destroyed the order structure and increased the crystallinity of starch in HDN. Under FTC, the disulfide bond of HDN was broken, the free sulfhydryl group was increased, and the electrophoretic patterns confirmed the protein depolymerization. The microstructure also showed that the gluten network became incomplete and starch was exposed outside the substrate. This study expounded the mechanism of HDN quality deterioration during FTC, which laid a foundation for the development and improvement of frozen and freeze-thaw noodles.

The effects of different fiber fractions from sour cherry (Prunus cerasus L.) pomace and fiber modification methods on cake quality.

Sour cherry pomace is the largest byproduct of sour cherry processing with more than 0.4 million tonnes per year. In this study, sour cherry pomace powder (SCPP) has been treated individually or by a combination of microwave (MW), enzymatic hydrolysis, and high pressure to increase soluble dietary fiber (SDF) content. Then, the untreated or treated forms of SCPP, their SDF, and insoluble dietary fiber (IDF) isolates were added (5%) to the reduced-fat cake. Rheological, physical, and textural properties of the full-fat (50%) and the reduced-fat (25% fat) cakes enriched with dietary fiber (DF) were compared. SDF enrichment minimized the negative effect of fat reduction in the cake. Water absorption, mixing tolerance, hardness, and springiness values of the SDF-enriched samples were found as the lowest. Extensibility, energy, weight loss, and cohesiveness values were found to be the highest values with the addition of SDF. All treatments helped to decrease mixing tolerance, dough development, and stability time. MW was the critical treatment for DF modification. Individual MW-treated DF samples increased resistance to extension of the dough samples as compared to the untreated SDF, IDF, and SCPP. Nevertheless, SDF showed better performance in acting as a fat replacer than IDF and SCPP. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The soluble dietary fiber (SDF) isolate minimized the negative effect of fat reduction in cakes. Water absorption and mixing tolerance of the dough were measured as the lowest. The hardness and springiness of soluble dietary fiber-enriched cakes were found to be the lowest. Extensibility and weight loss reached the highest value when SDF was used. Treatments helped decrease mixing tolerance, dough development, and stability time.

Multiple ion isolation and accumulation events for selective chemical noise reduction and dynamic range enhancement in MALDI imaging mass spectrometry.

Abundant chemical noise in MALDI imaging mass spectrometry experiments can impede the detection of less abundant compounds of interest. This chemical noise commonly originates from the MALDI matrix as well as other endogenous compounds present in high concentrations and/or with high ionization efficiencies. MALDI imaging mass spectrometry of biological tissues measures numerous biomolecular compounds that exist in a wide range of concentrations in vivo. When ion trapping instruments are used, highly abundant ions can dominate the charge capacity and lead to space charge effects that hinder the dynamic range and detection of lowly abundant compounds of interest. Gas-phase fractionation has been previously utilized in mass spectrometry to isolate and enrich target analytes. Herein, we have characterized the use of multiple continuous accumulations of selected ions (Multi CASI) to reduce the abundance of chemical noise and diminish the effects of space charge in MALDI imaging mass spectrometry experiments. Multi CASI utilizes the mass-resolving capability of a quadrupole mass filter to perform multiple sequential ion isolation events prior to a single mass analysis of the combined ion population. Multi CASI was used to improve metabolite and lipid detection in the MALDI imaging mass spectrometry analysis of rat brain tissue.

Recent advances in organic waste pyrolysis and gasification in a CO2 environment to value-added products.

The persistent combustion of fossil fuels has resulted in a widespread greenhouse effect attributable to the continual elevation of carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in the atmosphere. Recent research indicates that utilizing CO2 as a pyrolysis gasification medium diminishes CO2 emissions and concurrently augments the value of the resultant pyrolysis gasification products. This paper reviews recent advancements in the pyrolysis gasification of organic solid wastes under a CO2 atmosphere. Meanwhile, the mechanisms of CO2 influence in the pyrolysis and gasification processes were also discussed. In comparison to noble gases, CO2 exhibits reactivity with char at≥710 °C, resulting in additional mass loss of the sample. In addition, CO2 was able to increase the specific surface area and stability of biochar and reduce biooil toxicity by lowering the content of cyclic compounds in the biooil, while CO2 was able to react with GPRs with some volatile products (e.g., light hydrocarbons) to increase biogas yield. Finally, CO2 also prevents catalyst deactivation by reducing secondary coke formation. We also recommend directing future attention toward utilizing unpurified CO2 in pyrolysis and gasification. This review aims to expand the utilization of CO2 and advocate for applying pyrolysis gasification products.

Non-destructive visualization of internal structural changes in humidified magnesium oxide tablets using X-ray computed tomography.

Detailed examinations of the internal structure of tablets are imperative for comprehending their formulation, physical attributes, and ensuring their safe utilization. While X-ray computed tomography (CT) is valuable for noninvasively analyzing internal structural changes, the influence of humidity on these structural changes remains unexplored. Accordingly, we aimed to assess the viability of X-ray CT in non-destructively evaluating the internal structure of humidified magnesium oxide (MgO) tablets. MgO tablets were subjected to conditions of 40 °C and 75% humidity for 7 days, weighed pre- and post-humidification, and subsequently stored at room temperature (22-27 °C) until day 90. Their internal structure was evaluated using X-ray CT. We observed a substantial increase in the weight of MgO tablets concomitant with moisture absorption, with minimal changes observed upon storage at room temperature. The skewness reduced immediately post-moisture absorption, remained almost the same post-storage at room temperature, and failed to revert to pre-humidification levels during the storage period. These findings highlight the utility of X-ray CT as an effective tool for non-destructive, three-dimensional, and detailed evaluation of internal structural transformations in MgO tablets.

Thermal stability and in vitro biological fate of lactoferrin-polysaccharide complexes.

Lactoferrin (LF) is a thermally sensitive iron-binding globular glycoprotein. Heat treatment can induce its denaturation and aggregation and thus affect its functional activity. In this study, carrageenan (CG), xanthan gum (XG) and locust bean gum (LBG), allowed to apply in infant food, were used to form protein-polysaccharide complexes to improve the thermal stability of LF. Meanwhile, in vitro simulated infant digestion and absorption properties of LF were also estimated. The results showed that the complexes formed by CG and XG with LF (LF-CG and LF-XG) could significantly inhibit the loss of α-helix structure of LF against heating. LF-CG and LF-LBG could protect LF from digestion in simulated infant gastric fluid and slow down the degradation of LF under the simulated intestinal conditions. Besides, LF, LF-CG and LF-XG showed no adverse effects on the growth of Caco-2 cells in the LF concentration range of 10-300 µg/mL, and LF-XG exhibited better beneficial to improve the cell uptake of the digestive product than the other protein-polysaccharides at the LF concentration of 100 µg/mL. This study may provide a reference for the enhancement of thermal processing stability of LF and development infant food ingredient with high nutrients absorption efficiency in the gastrointestinal environment in the future.

Forward-predictive SERS-based chemical taxonomy for untargeted structural elucidation of epimeric cerebrosides.

Achieving untargeted chemical identification, isomeric differentiation, and quantification is critical to most scientific and technological problems but remains challenging. Here, we demonstrate an integrated SERS-based chemical taxonomy machine learning framework for untargeted structural elucidation of 11 epimeric cerebrosides, attaining >90% accuracy and robust single epimer and multiplex quantification with <10% errors. First, we utilize 4-mercaptophenylboronic acid to selectively capture the epimers at molecular sites of isomerism to form epimer-specific SERS fingerprints. Corroborating with in-silico experiments, we establish five spectral features, each corresponding to a structural characteristic: (1) presence/absence of epimers, (2) monosaccharide/cerebroside, (3) saturated/unsaturated cerebroside, (4) glucosyl/galactosyl, and (5) GlcCer or GalCer's carbon chain lengths. Leveraging these insights, we create a fully generalizable framework to identify and quantify cerebrosides at concentrations between 10-4 to 10-10 M and achieve multiplex quantification of binary mixtures containing biomarkers GlcCer24:1, and GalCer24:1 using their untrained spectra in the models.

Precise Spectral Overlap-Based Donor-Acceptor Pair for a Sensitive Traffic Light-Typed Bimodal Multiplexed Lateral Flow Immunoassay.

Bimodal-type multiplexed immunoassays with complementary mode-based correlation analysis are gaining increasing attention for enhancing the practicability of the lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA). Nonetheless, the restriction in visually indistinguishable multitargets induced by a single fluorescent color and difficulty in single acceptor ineffectual fluorescence quenching due to the various spectra of multiple different donors impede the further execution of colorimetric-fluorescence bimodal-type multiplexed LFIAs. Herein, the precise spectral overlap-based donor-acceptor pair construction strategy is proposed by regulating the size of the nanocore, coating it with an appropriate nanoshell, and selecting a suitable fluorescence donor with distinct colors. By in situ coating Prussian blue nanoparticles (PBNPs) on AuNPs with a tunable size and absorption spectrum, the resultant APNPs demonstrate efficient fluorescence quenching ability, higher colloidal stability, remarkable colorimetric intensity, and an enhanced antibody coupling efficiency, all of which facilitate highly sensitive bimodal-type LFIA analysis. Following integration with competitive-type immunoreaction, this precise spectral overlap-supported spatial separation traffic light-typed colorimetric-fluorescence dual-response assay (coined as the STCFD assay) with the limits of detection of 0.013 and 0.152 ng mL-1 for ractopamine and clenbuterol, respectively, was proposed. This work illustrates the superiority of the rational design of a precise spectral overlap-based donor-acceptor pair, hinting at the enormous potential of the STCFD assay in the point-of-care field.

On transient absorption and dual emission of the atomically precise, DNA-stabilized silver nanocluster Ag16Cl2.

DNA-stabilized silver nanoclusters with 10 to 30 silver atoms are interesting biocompatible nanomaterials with intriguing fluorescence properties. However, they are not well understood, since atom-scale high level theoretical calculations have not been possible due to a lack of firm experimental structural information. Here, by using density functional theory (DFT), we study the recently atomically resolved (DNA)2-Ag16Cl2 nanocluster in solvent under the lowest-lying singlet (S1) and triplet (T1) excited states, estimate the relative emission maxima for the allowed (S1 → S0) and dark (T1 → S0) transitions, and evaluate the transient absorption spectra. Our results offer a potential interpretation of the recently reported transient absorption and dual emission of similar DNA-stabilized silver nanoclusters, providing a mechanistic view on their photophysical properties that are attractive for applications in biomedical imaging and biophotonics.