Influence of the type and concentration of hydrocolloids on Ostwald ripening of emulsions stabilized with small molecular and non-ionic surfactants.

The effects of hydrocolloid gum, gum arabic, carrageenan, and xanthan on the Ostwald ripening of emulsions fabricated using Brij or Tween surfactants were examined. Emulsions prepared using pure n-decane exhibited low stability to Ostwald ripening, and modifying the oil composition by mixing corn oil improved the stability to Ostwald ripening. When gums were added to emulsions prepared using pure n-decane, the stability to Ostwald ripening decreased further, except for xanthan in emulsions stabilized using Tween surfactant. This could be because gums may affect interactions between water molecules and the hydrophilic head of the surfactant, increasing the water solubility of n-decane. However, gum addition (or viscosity increment) increased the stability of emulsions prepared using the modified oil composition (90% n-decane and 10% corn oil). In conclusion, emulsions unstable to Ostwald ripening may be negatively affected by gum addition, whereas emulsions relatively stable to Ostwald ripening may be positively affected.

Lactic acid level as an outcome predictor in pediatric patients with intussusception in the emergency department.

BACKGROUND: Intussusception decreases blood flow to the bowel, and tissue hypoperfusion results in increased lactic acid levels. We aimed to determine whether lactic acid levels are associated with pediatric intussusception outcomes. METHODS: The electronic medical records of our emergency department pediatric patients diagnosed with intussusception, between January 2015 and October 2018, were reviewed. An outcome was considered poor when intussusception recurred within 48 h of reduction or when surgical reduction was required due to air enema failure. RESULTS: A total of 249 patients were included in the study, including 39 who experienced intussusception recurrence and 11 who required surgical reductions; hence, 50 patients were included in the poor outcome group. The poor and good outcome groups showed significant differences in their respective blood gas analyses for pH (7.39 vs. 7.41, P = .001), lactic acid (1.70 vs. 1.30 mmol/L, P < .001), and bicarbonate (20.70 vs. 21.80 mmol/L, P = .036). Multivariable logistic regression analyses showed that pH and lactic acid levels were the two factors significantly associated with poor outcomes. When the lactic acid level cutoff values were ≥ 1.5, ≥2.0, ≥2.5, and ≥ 3.0 mmol/L, the positive predictive values for poor outcomes were 30.0, 34.6, 50.0, and 88.9%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Lactic acid levels affect outcomes in pediatric patients with intussusception; higher lactic acid levels are associated with higher positive predictive values for poor outcomes.

Point-of-care ultrasound may be useful for detecting pediatric intussusception at an early stage.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to verify the usefulness of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) performed by pediatric emergency physicians for detecting intussusception at an early stage. METHODS: This retrospective study included 1-month- to 6-year-old children with clinically suspected intussusception, who underwent POCUS in the pediatric emergency department between December 2016 and February 2018. The criteria for performing POCUS were set to broader standards: presenting any one of intermittent abdominal pain/irritability or bloody stool, or ≥ 2 symptoms among nonspecific abdominal pain/irritability, abdominal mass/distension, vomiting, or lethargy. POCUS results were interpreted and categorized as "negative" or "suspicious," and a radiologist performed confirmatory ultrasound in "suspicious" cases. RESULTS: We analyzed 575 POCUS scans from 549 patients (mean age, 25.5 months). Among the 92 "suspicious" cases (16.0%), 70 (12.2%) were confirmed to have intussusception. POCUS showed 100% sensitivity, 95.6% specificity, and 97.8% accuracy. Patients with confirmed intussusception were mainly diagnosed in the early stages, with a mean symptom duration of 11.7 h, and most patients (97.1%) were treated successfully via air enema reduction. Compared to the non-intussusception group, the intussusception group had more intermittent abdominal pain (P < 0.001), but less vomiting (P = 0.001); the other clinical features showed no intergroup differences. CONCLUSION: POCUS performed using the criteria set to broader standards by pediatric emergency physicians may be useful for detecting intussusception at an early stage, which may present with obscure clinical symptoms.

Amylosucrase-modified waxy potato starches recrystallized with amylose: The role of amylopectin chain length in formation of low-digestible fractions.

This study examined the contribution of amylose to the organization of each starch fraction in recrystallized starch. Amylosucrase (AS)-modified waxy potato starches with different branch chain lengths were completely solubilized with amylose (3:1 ratio) and recrystallized at 4 °C for 48 h. The content of rapidly digestible starch and resistant starch (RS) showed linear change with degree of AS modification, while slowly digestible starch (SDS) did not. The changes in structural characteristics were tracked according to serial removal of each fraction. Results from iodine binding property, branch chain length, X-ray diffraction, and thermal property analysis indicated that branch chain length of amylopectin determined the length of the amylose-amylopectin double helix and the mobility of amylose and that formation of SDS or RS could be induced by controlling the length of amylopectin chains. These findings could be used for production of customized starches with specific digestive properties for health benefits.

Ostwald Ripening Rate of Orange Oil Emulsions: Effects of Molecular Structure of Emulsifiers and Their Oil Composition.

Ostwald ripening, one of the frequently observed instability of flavor oil emulsions, can be easily prevented by adding triacylglycerols to the oil phase. The effect of interfacial characteristics of the emulsion droplets (particularly thickness) on the effectiveness of triacylglycerol inhibition of Ostwald ripening was evaluated in this study. The prepared emulsions were stabilized with emulsifiers with different-size hydrophilic groups, which correlate to droplet interfacial thickness. Emulsions with an oil phase of pure orange oil were unstable due to Ostwald ripening. Modifying the oil phase by adding corn oil or medium-chain triacylglycerol (MCT) effectively inhibited droplet growth. Thicker and less dense droplet surfaces in the emulsions required more triacylglycerol, regardless of its type, to resist Ostwald ripening. When the oil phase contained the same amounts of triacylglycerols, MCT was more effective at inhibiting Ostwald ripening than corn oil. Compared with corn oil, MCT more effectively inhibited Ostwald ripening of the emulsions containing micelles. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: When food and beverage industries produce food products containing flavor or essential oils vulnerable to Ostwald ripening as emulsion forms, the findings in this work could provide useful information on the interfacial engineering of emulsions and on how to modify the oil compositions of emulsions using triacylglycerols to improve the stability of these emulsions against Ostwald ripening.

Mild Hyperthermia-Induced Myogenic Differentiation in Skeletal Muscle Cells: Implications for Local Hyperthermic Therapy for Skeletal Muscle Injury.

The percutaneous application of controlled temperature on damaged muscle is regarded as a prevalent remedy. However, specific mechanisms are not completely understood. Therefore, cellular behaviors of myoblasts were investigated under a physiological hyperthermic temperature. The myoblasts were cultured under no treatment (NT, 37°C, 24 h/day), intermittent heat treatment (IHT, 39°C, 2 h/day), and continuous heat treatment (CHT, 39°C, 24 h/day) during proliferation, migration, or myogenic differentiation. Although the effects of mild heat on migration were not observed, the proliferation was promoted by both IHT and CHT. The myogenic differentiation was also enhanced in a treatment time-dependent manner, as evidenced by an increase in myotube size and fusion index. The gene expressions of mitochondrial biogenesis (Pgc-1α, Nrf1, and Tfam), a subset of mitochondrial dynamics (Mfn1 and Drp1), and a myogenic regulatory factor (myogenin) were increased in a heat treatment time-dependent manner. Interestingly, the mild heat-induced myogenic differentiation and myogenin expression were retarded significantly in PGC-1α-targeted siRNA-transfected cells, suggesting that mild hyperthermia promotes myogenic differentiation via the modulation of PGC-1α. This study provides cellular evidence supporting that local hyperthermic treatment at 39°C is regarded as an effective therapeutic strategy to promote satellite cell activities in regenerating myofibers.

Influence of emulsion interfacial membrane characteristics on Ostwald ripening in a model emulsion.

Ostwald ripening is a major destabilization mechanism for emulsions containing flavor oils with relatively high water solubilities. Emulsions with different oil phase compositions were prepared that were stabilized by polyoxyethylene alkyl ether-type emulsifiers with differently sized hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups. Emulsions prepared using only orange oil were highly unstable to Ostwlad ripening during storage. When emulsifier concentration was increased, Ostawald ripening in emulsions containing emulsifiers with small hydrophilic groups was inhibited, while size increment of droplets in emulsions containing emulsifiers with large hydrophilic groups was not. Droplet enlargement was effectively inhibited by incorporating corn oil into the oil phase prior to homogenization. However, the concentration of corn oil required to inhibit Ostwald ripening varied depending on the structural characteristics and concentrations of the emulsifiers present. These results could have important implications for the selection of emulsifiers to improve the physical stability of orange oil emulsions for use in the food and beverage industries.

Synergistic Effects of Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation and Manual Lymphatic Drainage in Patients with Mastectomy-Related Lymphedema.

Purpose: Manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) and proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) are potential therapeutic strategies to reduce mastectomy-induced edema. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the combination of these therapies would induce synergistic effects to treat lymphedema-related complications and to analyze a possible physiological mechanism involved in the observed effects. Methods: A total of 55 patients diagnosed with mastectomy-induced lymphedema were recruited and randomized into three experimental groups: PNF group (n = 17), MLD group (n = 20), and PNF + MLD group (n = 18). They were subjected to designated rehabilitation program three times a week for 16 weeks. ROM (flexion of the shoulder joint), edema size, arterial blood flow velocity, and degree of pain and depression were measured every 4 weeks over experimental period. Results: Lymphedema volume, VAS pain scale, and Beck depression scale were decreased in PNF and MLD groups for 16 weeks in a time-dependent manner. In combination, a greater reduction of these variables was observed over 16 weeks compared to each PNF and MLD. While axillary arterial blood circulation rate in the affected extremity was increased in both PNF and PNF + MLD groups over 16 weeks, this value was not increased in MLD group throughout the experimental period. A greater reduction of scales of VAS pain and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was observed in PNF + MLD group after the 16 week-treatment, as compared to each PNF and MLD group. Pearson's coefficients test demonstrated that there are significant correlation of depression against pain (r = 0.616, p < 0.01), ROM (r = -0.478, p < 0.01), and lymphedema size (r = 0.492, p < 0.01). Conclusion: The combination of MLD and PNF induces potent synergistic effects on edema volume, shoulder range of motion (ROM), pain, and depression in patients with lymphedema. In addition, an increased rate of axillary arterial blood flow in PNF-treated patients provide a potential physiological mechanism by which local arterial pulsation in the affected extremity plays a positive role in the treatment of lymphedema. Therefore, it is suggested to incorporate an element of PNF into traditional MLD method to facilitate treatment process for patients with lymphedema.

Improving Flavonoid Bioaccessibility using an Edible Oil-Based Lipid Nanoparticle for Oral Delivery.

To enhance the oral bioaccessibility of flavonoids, including quercetin, naringenin, and hesperetin, we prepared an edible oil-based lipid nanoparticle (LNP) system. Flavonoid-loaded LNPs were similar to the blank LNP in physicochemical characteristics (z average <154.8 nm, polydispersity index <0.17, and ζ potential < -40.8 mV), and their entrapment efficiency was >81% at 0.3 wt % flavonoid concentration of the lipid phase. In the simulated digestion assay (mouth, stomach, and small intestine), LNPs were hydrolyzed under small intestine conditions and protected successfully incorporated flavonoids (≥94%). Moreover, the relative bioaccessibility of flavonoids was >71%, which was otherwise <15%, although flavonoids were released rapidly from LNPs into the medium. In conclusion, since the flavonoids incorporated in LNPs were preserved well during oral digestion and had improved bioaccessibility, the designed LNP system may serve as an encapsulation strategy to enhance the bioavailability of nonbioaccessible nutraceuticals in foods.

Branch chain elongation by amylosucrase: production of waxy corn starch with a slow digestion property.

Starches with high slowly digestible starch (SDS) contents were prepared by treating completely gelatinized waxy corn starch with amylosucrase. The structural properties of the prepared starches were then investigated. The content of SDS increased by up to 38.7% after amylosucrase modification, and the portion of chains with degree of polymerisation (DP) 25-36 increased, while the portion of chains with DP⩽12 decreased. Amylosucrase-modified starches showed a weak B-type crystalline structure. A slight increase in the degree of relative crystallinity was observed with increased reaction time. The thermal properties, including melting temperature and enthalpy, of the amylosucrase-modified starches were higher than for the control starch. Although the amylosucrase-modified starches showed varying structural properties according to reaction time (1-45 h), their digestibilities did not change much after 6 h. By controlling the reaction time of the amylosucrase treatment, a tailored starchy food containing the desired amount of SDS can be produced.

Hydrothermal treatment of water yam starch in a non-granular state: slowly digestible starch content and structural characteristics.

UNLABELLED: Gelatinized water yam starch was subjected to hydrothermal treatment (25, 30, and 35% moisture content for 1, 8, 16, and 24 h at 100 °C) and characterized by X-ray diffractometry, solid-state ¹³C cross-polarization and magic-angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance, differential scanning calorimetry, and digestibility analysis. The slowly digestible starch (SDS) content of the starch treated at 30% moisture content for 24 h reached 49.1%, 31.9% higher than that of the control starch. The B-type pattern of native starch was re-crystallized to the A-type by hydrothermal treatment. The SDS content showed negative correlations with T(o), T(p), T(c), and T(r), but showed a positive correlation with melting enthalpy. Furthermore, SDS was positively correlated with hydrothermal reaction time, moisture content, relative crystallinity, and the double-helix proportion. The structural changes in hydrothermally treated water yam starches resulted in the enhancement of SDS. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The hydrothermally treated water yam starch could be used as a food ingredient for slow-energy supply or dietary fiber.

Inhibition of Ostwald ripening in model beverage emulsions by addition of poorly water soluble triglyceride oils.

Beverage emulsions containing flavor oils that have a relatively high water-solubility are unstable to droplet growth due to Ostwald ripening. The aim of this study was to improve the stability of model beverage emulsions to this kind of droplet growth by incorporating poorly water-soluble triglyceride oils. High pressure homogenization was used to prepare a series of 5 wt% oil-in-water emulsions stabilized by modified starch that had different lipid phase compositions (orange oil : corn oil). Emulsions prepared using only orange oil as the lipid phase were highly unstable to droplet growth during storage, which was attributed to Ostwald ripening resulting from the relatively high water-solubility of orange oil. Droplet growth could be effectively inhibited by incorporating ≥ 10% corn oil into the lipid phase prior to homogenization. In addition, creaming was also retarded because the lipid phase density was closer to that of the aqueous phase density. These results illustrate a simple method of improving the physical stability of orange oil emulsions for utilization in the food, beverage, and fragrance industries.

Isoflavones found in Korean soybean paste as 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl Coenzyme A reductase inhibitors.

3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl CoA (HMG-CoA) reductase is the rate-limiting enzyme in the biosynthesis of cholesterol in mammals. Some microbial metabolites have been found to be HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors. Korean soybean paste is a unique food fermented by many microorganisms. The enzymatic method using the catalytic domain of Syrian hamster HMG-CoA reductase was employed for the screening of HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors. Soybean paste extract was fractionated by vacuum liquid chromatography. Fractions showing relatively high HMG-CoA reductase inhibition were further purified through Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography and C18 preparative HPLC, and the inhibitory compounds were identified as genistein, daidzein, and glycitein.