Emulsification Characteristics of Insoluble Dietary Fibers from Pomelo Peel: Effects of Acetylation, Enzymatic Hydrolysis, and Wet Ball Milling.

To improve the application potential of pomelo peel insoluble dietary fiber (PIDF) in emulsion systems, acetylation (PIDF-A), cellulase hydrolysis (PIDF-E), and wet ball milling (PIDF-M) were investigated in this paper as methods to change the emulsification properties of PIDF. The impact of the methods on PIDF composition, structure, and physicochemical properties was also assessed. The results demonstrated that both acetylation modification and cellulase hydrolysis could significantly improve the emulsification properties of PIDF. The emulsions stabilized with PIDF-A and PIDF-E could be stably stored at 25 °C for 30 d without phase separation at particle concentrations above 0.8% (w/v) and had higher storage stability: The D4,3 increments of PIDF-A- and PIDF-E-stabilized emulsions were 0.98 µm and 0.49 µm, respectively, at particle concentrations of 1.2% (w/v), while the storage stability of PIDF-M-stabilized emulsion (5.29 µm) significantly decreased compared with that of PIDF (4.00 µm). Moreover, PIDF-A showed the highest water retention capacity (21.84 g/g), water swelling capacity (15.40 mL/g), oil retention capacity (4.67 g/g), and zeta potential absolute (29.0 mV) among the PIDFs. In conclusion, acetylation modification was a promising method to improve the emulsifying properties of insoluble polysaccharides.

Integrated metabolomics and network pharmacology to reveal antioxidant mechanisms and potential pharmacological ingredients of citrus herbs.

The benefits of citrus herbs are strongly associated with their secondary metabolites. In the study, we conducted widely-targeted metabolomics and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) to compare the variability of ingredients in four citrus herbs. In total, we discovered 1126 secondary metabolites, primarily comprising flavonoids, phenolic acids, lignans and coumarins, and alkaloids. Differential metabolites of citrus herbs were searched by multivariate statistical analysis. Notably, Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium contained higher levels of flavonoids, while Zhique and Huajuhong demonstrated a greater abundance of coumarins. Among the flavonoids determined by UPLC, Guangchenpi demonstrated significantly elevated levels of polymethoxyflavones (tangeretin and nobiletin) compared to other citrus herbs. Additionally, we determined their antioxidant capacity (Chenpi > Guangchenpi > Huajuhong > Zhique) using in vitro assays. Finally, we utilized network pharmacology to explore the antioxidant mechanisms and potential pharmacological ingredients, providing a basis for future preventive and therapeutic applications of these metabolites.

Effect of pulp cell wall polysaccharides on citrus fruit with different mastication traits.

Mastication trait is a primary quality attribute of citrus fruit, influencing consumer demands and industrial processing conditions. However, the underlying causes of differences in mastication traits of citrus remain unclear. In this study, microscopy, spectroscopy and diffraction techniques were applied to investigate the physicochemical properties of Hongmeiren (HMR), Satsuma (WM) and Nanfeng tangerine (NF) with superior, moderate and inferior mastication traits, respectively. Ultrastructure indicated that NF had more neatly arranged and regularly shaped cells than HMR and WM. The monosaccharide composition of NF revealed that multi-branched Na2CO3-soluble pectin (NSF) enhanced intercellular adhesion. Additionally, FT-IR analysis revealed more intense vibrations of O2-H····O6 intramolecular hydrogen bonds within NF cellulose, which resulted in a higher crystallinity of cellulose (73.75%) than HMR (32.53%) and WM (43.76%). Overall, the high content and crystallinity of cellulose, the multi-branched NSF and the high content of hemicellulose contributed to the inferior mastication trait of citrus fruit.

Thermal conditions and active substance stability affect the isomerization and degradation of lycopene.

This study evaluated the effects of thermal treatment conditions (100-120 °C, 0-5 h) and active substance stability on the isomerization and degradation of lycopene in the "Sanhong" pummelo (C. grandis cv. Sanhongmiyou) matrix. The results revealed that the degradation of (all-E)-lycopene and total lycopene in pummelo could be well fit by the first-order kinetic model under thermal treatment. The total Z-lycopene ratio was maintained at nearly 40 % (120 °C, 4 h). The behavior of lycopene was related to the degradation of active substances, such as the degradation of ascorbic acid and polysaccharides. The stability of polysaccharides was temperature-dependent, and with the increasing temperature (100-120 °C), a significant negative correlation was observed between the content of Z-isomers and polysaccharides. The enhancement of lycopene isomerization was attributed to the degradation of polysaccharides under thermal treatment. These findings facilitate the functional development and efficient utilization of lycopene in fruit processing.

Angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor therapy and recurrence of atrial fibrillation after radiofrequency catheter ablation: A propensity-matched cohort study.

Background: Compared with conventional medicines, angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor (ARNI) could further improve the prognosis for multiple cardiovascular diseases, such as heart failure, hypertension, and myocardial infarction. However, the relationship between ARNI therapy and the recurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF) after radiofrequency catheter ablation is currently unknown. Methods: This study is a retrospective cohort study. Patients with consecutive persistent or paroxysmal AF undergoing first-time radiofrequency ablation were enrolled from February 2018 to October 2021. We compared the risk of AF recurrence in patients with catheter ablation who received ARNI with the risk of AF recurrence in those who received the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI). The propensity-score matched analysis was conducted to examine the effectiveness of ARNI. We used a Cox regression model to evaluate AF recurrence events. Results: Among 679 eligible patients, 155 patients with ARNI treatment and 155 patients with ACEI treatment were included in the analyses. At a median follow-up of 228 (196-322) days, ARNI as compared with ACEI was associated with a lower risk of AF recurrence [adjusted hazard ratio (HR), 0.39; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.24-0.63; p < 0.001]. In addition, no interaction was found in the subgroup analysis. Conclusion: Angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor treatment was associated with a decreased risk of AF recurrence after first-time radiofrequency catheter ablation.

Comparative Evaluation on the Bioaccessibility of Citrus Fruit Carotenoids In Vitro Based on Different Intake Patterns.

The intake pattern has a great impact on the bioaccessibility of carotenoids from citrus fruit. Here, we compared the bioaccessibility of carotenoids from fresh citrus fruit (FC), fresh citrus juice (FCJ), and not-from-concentrate citrus juice (NCJ) and analyzed the influencing factors. The results demonstrated that particle size, viscosity, and some active components of the samples during digestion are potential factors affecting the bioaccessibility of carotenoids. The total carotenoid bioaccessibility of NCJ (31.45 ± 2.58%) was significantly higher than that of FC (8.11 ± 0.43%) and FCJ (12.43 ± 0.49%). This work demonstrates that NCJ is an appropriate intake pattern to improve the bioaccessibility of carotenoids from citrus fruit. The findings also suggest that adjustment of food intake patterns is an effective way to improve the digestion and absorption of nutrients.