Differences of wax-based emulsion gel in 3D printing performance: Crystal distribution and droplet stability.

Six kinds of natural waxes were used for emulsion gels preparation. The differences in printing performance were explored based on the crystal distribution and droplet stability. Firstly, the effect of crystal distribution was investigated through microstructures and rheological properties. It was found that the dense crystal network/interfacial crystallization could stabilize the droplet and provide modulus to ensure the self-supporting behavior after printing, whereas excessive crystal could lead to droplet rupture and coalescence. Furthermore, all emulsion gels could recrystallize by heating, which could enhance the performance of 3D printing. Then, the droplet stability was investigated after storing/freeze-thawing. It was found that emulsion gels with dense crystal networks/interfacial crystallization had more stable droplets, which ensure the continuous extrusion during printing. Finally, printing performance was investigated comprehensively. Three emulsion gels with denser crystal networks/interfacial crystallization had higher recovery rates (16.17-21.15%) and more stable droplets, which perform better in 3D printing correspondingly.

Spirulina platensis protein isolate nanoparticle stabilized O/W Pickering emulsions: Interfacial adsorption and bulk aggregation.

In this paper, novel food-grade Spirulina platensis protein (SPP) Pickering nanoparticles were obtained using a facile top-down approach of heat-set protein gel formation followed by controlled shearing and high-pressure homogenization. Results showed that nanoparticles not only adsorbed on the surface of oil droplets but also formed aggregation networks in continuous phases by varying nanoparticle concentration (c, 0.5-2 wt%) and oil phase fraction (φ, 30-65 wt%), which had a positive effect on the stability. Supported interfaces and regular polygonal shape deformations were observed in the micromorphology of emulsions when φ exceeded 50 wt%, becoming the more decisive factor of emulsion stability. And there was a significant positive correlation between φ and the recovery rate. Pickering emulsion with 30 wt% φ, stabilized by nanoparticle adsorption and aggregation network without the shared interface, had a recovery rate of 6.57-39.77% for the destroyed aggregation network after suffering 100% strain. While φ increased to 50 wt% or more, emulsions behaved recoverable at a rate of 56.69-73.86% for supported interfaces regardless of broken nanoparticle aggregation networks. Findings from this study on SPP nanoparticles and emulsions were of great significance for the utilization of sustainable microalgae protein in the food industry and would open avenues for rational designing of novel plant-based products in the future.

Evidence Quality Assessment of Tai Chi Exercise Intervention in Cognitive Impairment: An Overview of Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Tai Chi (TC) exercise has recently received wide attention for its efficacy in the management of cognitive impairment. The purpose of this overview is to summarize the available evidence on TC treatment of cognitive impairment and assess its quality. Methods: We retrieved relevant systematic reviews/meta-analyses (SRs/MAs) from 7 databases from the time they were established to January 2, 2022. Two reviewers independently evaluated the methodological quality, risk of bias, report quality, and evidence quality of the included SRs/MAs on randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The tools used are Assessment System for Evaluating Methodological Quality 2 (AMSTAR-2), the Risk of Bias In Systematic (ROBIS) scale, the list of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews And Meta-Analysis (PRISMA), and the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system. Results: This overview finally included 8 SRs/MAs. According to the results of AMSTAR-2, all included SRs/MAs were rated as very low quality. Based on the ROBIS tool, none of the SR/MA had a low risk of bias. In light of PRISMA, all SRs/MAs had reporting deficiencies. According to the GRADE system, there was only 1 high-quality piece of evidence. Conclusion: TC is a promising complementary and alternative therapy for cognitive impairment with high safety profile. However, in view of the low quality of the included SRs/MAs supporting this conclusion, high-quality evidence with a more rigorous study design and a larger sample size is needed before making a recommendation for guidance.

Ping Feng Qingfei mixture treats airway hyperresponsiveness: a network pharmacology and molecular docking study.

BACKGROUND: As air pollution has increased in severity over recent years, fine particulate matter (PM) (<25 µm; PM2.5) has led to a greater incidence of disease, including airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR). Ping Feng Qingfei Mixture (PFQF) is effective in treating AHR caused by PM2.5. As there is a lack of knowledge regarding the mechanisms of PFQF in the treatment of AHR, we conducted a network pharmacology study to clarify this issue. METHODS: We obtained the composition of PFQF from the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) systems pharmacology database and its potential targets. The potential targets of AHR were obtained from the Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man and Gene Cards databases. Then psychophysiological interaction, KEGG pathway, and Gene Ontology biological process analyses were carried out for targeting PFQF in treating AHR. We further constructed a related network diagram and verified the experimental results in molecular docking. RESULTS: We identified a total of 4 core active compounds, and through KEGG analysis obtained multiple signaling pathways, including T helper17 (Th17) cell differentiation and interleukin-17 (IL-17) signaling pathway. Our molecular docking also verified that PFQF could effectively regulate the imbalance of Th17-T regulatory (Treg) cells. CONCLUSIONS: PFQF can effectively treat the AHR caused by PM2.5 through Th17-Treg immune balance. The combination of molecular docking and network pharmacology provides a way to elucidate the complex mechanism of action of this Chinese herbal medicine.