Gelation behavior and mechanism of low methoxyl pectin in the presence of erythritol and sucrose: The role of co-solutes.

Co-solutes such as sucrose and sugar alcohol play a significant part in low methoxyl pectin (LMP) gelation. To explore their gelation mechanism, we investigated the gelation behavior of LMP in the presence of erythritol and sucrose with Ca2+. Results revealed that the introduction of erythritol and sucrose improved the hardness of the gels, fixed more free water, accelerated the rate of gel structuring, and enhanced the gel strength. FT-IR confirmed the reinforced hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic forces between the pectin chains after introducing co-solutes. And it could be observed clearly by SEM that the cross-linking density gel network enhanced with co-solutes. Furthermore, gel disruption experiments suggested the presence of ionic interaction, hydrogen bonding, and hydrophobic forces in LMP gels. Finally, we concluded that the egg-box regions cross-linked only by LMP and Ca2+ were too weak to form a stable gel network structure. Adding co-solutes could increase the amount of cross-linking between pectin chains and enlarge the cross-linking zones, which favored the formation of a dense gel network by more hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic forces. Sucrose gels had superior physicochemical properties and microstructure than erythritol gels due to excellent hydration capacity and chemical structure characteristics.

Efficiency measurement and inefficiency analysis of low-carbon logistics in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, China.

Under the dual-carbon goals, enhancing the green development level of logistics industry and realizing its low-carbon transformation are important issues that need to be solved urgently. Amidst the continuous escalation in the total energy consumption of the national logistics industry, the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) region has exhibited a favorable descending trajectory in this respect. It is necessary to investigate the underlying reasons. Based on the panel data from 2012 to 2021, the DEA and Malmquist index are employed to analyze the low-carbon logistics efficiency of the BTH region from both static and dynamic perspectives. Furthermore, the inefficiency analysis is conducted to identify the deficiencies of low-carbon logistics industry in this region. Results show that (1) from the static perspective, the development of low-carbon logistics industry in the BTH region is relatively unbalanced. Compared to Tianjin and Hebei, Beijing's low-carbon logistics efficiency is significantly lower, becoming the focal area for attention; (2) from the dynamic perspective, technological progress is the main reason for the fluctuation of total factor productivity in the BTH region and a constraining factor for further improvements; (3) from the results of inefficiency analysis, the forthcoming emphasis on low-carbon logistics in Beijing should be on optimizing the number of logistics practitioners, transportation efficiency, and energy efficiency. Economic output and energy efficiency are relatively vulnerable aspects in Tianjin and Hebei, respectively, warranting due consideration. The research results of this paper have important practical implications for better developing low-carbon logistics in the BTH region and leveraging its leading role nationwide.

Preparation of an Inorganic All-Solid-State Electrochromic Device with Excellent Open-Circuit Memory.

Due to the spontaneous transport of small-sized cations and redox reactions under open circuit conditions, the currently reported coloring electrochromic devices (ECDs) may self-bleach easily. The resulting ECDs exhibit poor open-circuit memory, which limits their applications in static display advertisement. By constructing energy barriers to effectively control small-sized cation transport, the redox reaction could be suppressed, thereby inhibiting the self-bleaching of ECDs. In this study, phosphate glass is used as an electrolyte to construct high-energy barriers. Sodium ions in phosphate glass absorb external heat to cross energy barriers and become conductive charge carriers. In this case, the electrochromism of ECDs is allowed. On the contrary, after the absorbed heat energy is released, sodium ions are immediately trapped by oxygen ions in the PO4 unit, becoming frozen ions. At this point, the electrochromization of ECDs is prohibited. Based on the ionic conductive feature of phosphate glass, ECDs absorb heat and are colored by applying an electric field first. Then, ECDs release the thermal energy and the sodium ions transport in the electrolyte is blocked to cut off the self-bleaching pathway. The prepared inorganic all-solid-state ECDs maintained the colored state for several months using the method mentioned above, which solved the problem of the poor open-circuit memory of ECDs.

CTNNAL1 promotes the structural integrity of bronchial epithelial cells through the RhoA/ROCK1 pathway.

Adhesion molecules play critical roles in maintaining the structural integrity of the airway epithelium in airways under stress. Previously, we reported that catenin alpha-like 1 (CTNNAL1) is downregulated in an asthma animal model and upregulated at the edge of human bronchial epithelial cells (HBECs) after ozone stress. In this work, we explore the potential role of CTNNAL1 in the structural adhesion of HBECs and its possible mechanism. We construct a CTNNAL1 ‒/‒ mouse model with CTNNAL1-RNAi recombinant adeno-associated virus (AAV) in the lung and a CTNNAL1-silencing cell line stably transfected with CTNNAL1-siRNA recombinant plasmids. Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining reveals that CTNNAL1 ‒/‒ mice have denuded epithelial cells and structural damage to the airway. Silencing of CTNNAL1 in HBECs inhibits cell proliferation and weakens extracellular matrix adhesion and intercellular adhesion, possibly through the action of the cytoskeleton. We also find that the expressions of the structural adhesion-related molecules E-cadherin, integrin ß1, and integrin ß4 are significantly decreased in ozone-treated cells than in vector control cells. In addition, our results show that the expression levels of RhoA/ROCK1 are decreased after CTNNAL1 silencing. Treatment with Y27632, a ROCK inhibitor, abolished the expressions of adhesion molecules induced by ozone in CTNNAL1-overexpressing HBECs. Overall, the findings of the present study suggest that CTNNAL1 plays a critical role in maintaining the structural integrity of the airway epithelium under ozone challenge, and is associated with epithelial cytoskeleton dynamics and the expressions of adhesion-related molecules via the RhoA/ROCK1 pathway.

Formation of small-granule starch oleogels based on capillary force: Impact of starch surface lipids on lubrication performance.

Starch granule oleogels were prepared and their rheological properties were precisely tuned using the capillary bridging phenomenon. The addition of a small amount of water to an oily suspension of starch granules can lead to starch granule bridging and network formation, transitioning it from a fluid-like to a gel-like state. Small-granule starches with high specific surface area and interfacial area exhibited a greater number of liquid bridges and stronger starch granules interactions, making them more prone to forming structurally stable oleogel systems. By increasing the content of water and starch granule, the starch oleogels exhibited three distinct structural states: pendular state (water ≤ 3.28 %, starch ≤ 17.85 %), pendular bridging network (water: 4.92 %, starch: 24.59 %), and capillary aggregates (water ≥ 6.56 %, starch > 24.59 %). Furthermore, the influence of starch granule surface lipids on the lubrication performance of the oleogel system was investigated. Surface roughness increased after extraction of surface lipids, and the friction coefficient also showed a significant increase. Overall, capillary suspension system can potentially be used to design novel fat food products, and our findings have established the correlation between starch granule surface properties and sensory perception in food, providing valuable insights for adjusting the oral processing characteristics of food.

Downregulating miRNA-199a-5p exacerbates fluorouracil-induced cardiotoxicity by activating the ATF6 signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND: Fluorouracil (5-FU) might produce serious cardiac toxic reactions. miRNA-199a-5p is a miRNA primarily expressed in myocardial cells and has a protective effect on vascular endothelium. Under hypoxia stress, the expression level of miRNA-199a-5p was significantly downregulated and is closely related to cardiovascular events such as coronary heart disease, heart failure, and hypertension. We explored whether 5-FU activates the endoplasmic reticulum stress ATF6 pathway by regulating the expression of miRNA-199a-5p in cardiac toxicity. METHODS: This project established a model of primary cardiomyocytes derived from neonatal rats and treated them with 5-FU in vitro. The expression of miRNA-199a-5p and its regulation were explored in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS: 5-FU decreases the expression of miRNA-199a-5p in cardiomyocytes, activates the endoplasmic reticulum stress ATF6 pathway, and increases the expression of GRP78 and ATF6, affecting the function of cardiomyocytes, and induces cardiac toxicity. The rescue assay further confirmed that miRNA-199a-5p supplementation can reduce the cardiotoxicity caused by 5-FU, and its protective effect on cardiomyocytes depends on the downregulation of the endoplasmic reticulum ATF6 signaling pathway. CONCLUSIONS: 5-FU can down-regulate expression of miRNA-199a-5p, then activate the endoplasmic reticulum stress ATF6 pathway, increase the expression of GRP78 and ATF6, affect the function of cardiomyocytes, and induce cardiac toxicity.

Photoacoustic Heterodyne CO Sensor for Rapid Detection of CO Impurities in Hydrogen.

Hydrogen (H2) fuel cells have been developed as an environmentally benign, low-carbon, and efficient energy option in the current period of promoting low-carbon activities, which offer a compelling means to reduce carbon emissions. However, the presence of carbon monoxide (CO) impurities in H2 may potentially damage the fuel cell's anode. As a result, monitoring of the CO levels in fuel cells has become a significant area of research. In this paper, a novel photoacoustic sensor is developed based on photoacoustic heterodyne technology. The sensor combines a 4.61 µm mid-infrared quantum cascade laser with a low-noise differential photoacoustic cell. This combination enables fast, real-time online detection of CO impurity concentrations in H2. Notably, the sensor requires no wavelength locking to monitor CO online in real-time and produces a single effective signal with a period of only 15 ms. Furthermore, the sensor's performance was thoroughly evaluated in terms of detection sensitivity, linearity, and long-term stability. The minimum detection limit of 11 ppb was obtained at an optimal time constant of 1 s.

Novel Thermoelectric Fabric Structure with Switched Thermal Gradient Direction toward Wearable In-Plane Thermoelectric Generators.

Wearable thermoelectric generators (TEGs) have exhibited great potential to convert the temperature gradient between the human body and the environment into electrical energy for maintenance-free wearable applications. A 2D planar device structure is widely employed for fabricating flexible TEGs due to its simple structure and facile fabrication properties. However, this device configuration is more appropriate for utilizing in-plane temperature differences than the out-of-plane direction, which limits their application in wearable cases since the temperature difference between the human body and the environment is in the out-of-plane direction. To solve this problem, a novel fabric-based TEG structure that can utilize the out-of-plane temperature gradient is proposed in this work. By introducing thermally conductive components in the generator, the out-of-plane temperature difference can be switched to the in-plane direction, which can be further utilized for 2D planar devices in wearable applications. The prepared thermoelectric fabric prototype with only 12 p-type TE legs exhibits a maximum open-circuit voltage of 4.69 mV and an output power of 39.7 nW at a temperature difference of 30 K. This strategy exhibits a high degree of versatility and can be readily applied to other 2D planar TEGs, thus expanding their potential application in wearable technology.

Expectations for safety of nursing home residents and their family members during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 has spread worldwide. Older adults are at the greatest risk of contracting and dying from the virus. Nursing homes are densely populated places for older adults who are generally vulnerable and at high-risk. Although Chinese nursing homes have been trying to protect their residents, the needs and expectations of the residents and their families have been ignored. This study aimed to promote the safety of NH residents, including their physical and psychological safety, and to meet their expectations during the COVID-19 pandemic in China. METHODS: Data were collected through face-to-face semi-structured interviews with nursing home residents and focus group online interviews with family members between June 2021 and February 2022. Data analysis was performed using inductive content analysis. RESULTS: 16 residents and 24 family members were interviewed. Four themes with 10 sub-themes were identified from the participants' descriptions. Their expectations were mainly focused on prevention and control measures for COVID-19, medical capacity of nursing homes, health literacy and expectations for some aged care policies. CONCLUSIONS: In the face of concerns about the impact of COVID-19 on nursing homes, we sought to bring firsthand perspectives to the forefront by interviewing residents and their family members about their expectations for safety to address this issue. Our findings provide important areas on which should be focused and may improve the sense of gain, happiness, and security of nursing home residents during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fully Physically Crosslinked Conductive Hydrogel with Ultrastretchability, Transparency, and Self-Healing Properties for Strain Sensors.

Currently, conductive hydrogels have received great attention as flexible strain sensors. However, the preparation of such sensors with integrated stretchability, transparency, and self-healing properties into one gel through a simple method still remains a huge challenge. Here, a fully physically crosslinked double network hydrogel was developed based on poly(hydroxyethyl acrylamide) (PHEAA) and κ-carrageenan (Car). The driving forces for physical gelation were hydrogen bonds, ion bonding, and electrostatic interactions. The resultant PHEAA-Car hydrogel displayed stretchability (1145%) and optical transparency (92%). Meanwhile, the PHEAA-Car hydrogel exhibited a self-healing property at 25 °C. Additionally, the PHEAA-Car hydrogel-based strain sensor could monitor different joint movements. Based on the above functions, the PHEAA-Car hydrogel can be applied in flexible strain sensors.

Complexity influence of societal development comprehensive indicators on building carbon emission: empirical evidence from China.

Carbon mitigation in the building sector is crucial for China to fulfill its commitments towards achieving a carbon peak and carbon neutrality. However, the impact of societal development and ecological indicators on building carbon emissions remains unclear. This study employs the panel smooth transition regression model to investigate the complex implications of societal development comprehensive indicators, characterized by harmonious development, decoupling, and technological advances, on buildings' total carbon emissions, based on the evidence from China's 30 provinces for the period between 2007 and 2020. Additionally, the robustness of the model confirms that the conclusion is still valid. The empirical results indicate a strongly non-linear relationship between societal development comprehensive indicators and building carbon emissions. Both the harmonious development and technological advances exhibit two transition functions, and decoupling features a single transition function. Harmonious development is more sensitive to the impact of building carbon emissions, while technological advances have tremendous emission reduction potential. From the time dimension, fluctuation trends and ranges are different. From the spatial dimension, the inhibiting and promoting effects on each province have regional heterogeneity. Our results entail suggestions for reduced building total carbon emissions and practical strategies for regional climate resilience and efficiency in mitigating climate change.

Conditional knockout of ITGB4 in bronchial epithelial cells directs bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

Neonatal respiratory system disease is closely associated with embryonic lung development. Our group found that integrin ß4 (ITGB4) is downregulated in the airway epithelium of asthma patients. Asthma is the most common chronic respiratory illness in childhood. Therefore, we suspect whether the deletion of ITGB4 would affect fetal lung development. In this study, we characterized the role of ITGB4 deficiency in bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). ITGB4 was conditionally knocked out in CCSP-rtTA, Tet-O-Cre and ITGB4f/f triple transgenic mice. Lung tissues at different developmental stages were collected for experimental detection and transcriptome sequencing. The effects of ITGB4 deficiency on lung branching morphogenesis were observed by fetal mouse lung explant culture. Deleting ITGB4 from the airway epithelial cells results in enlargement of alveolar airspaces, inhibition of branching, the abnormal structure of epithelium cells and the impairment of cilia growth during lung development. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the airway epithelial cilia of the ß4ccsp.cre group appear to be sparse, shortened and lodging. Lung-development-relevant factors such as SftpC and SOX2 significantly decreased both mRNA and protein levels. KEGG pathway analysis indicated that multiple ontogenesis-regulating-relevant pathways converge to FAK. Accordingly, ITGB4 deletion decreased phospho-FAK, phospho-GSK3ß and SOX2 levels, and the correspondingly contrary consequence was detected after treatment with GSK3ß agonist (wortmannin). Airway branching defect of ß4ccsp.cre mice lung explants was also partly recovered after wortmannin treatment. Airway epithelial-specific deletion of ITGB4 contributes to lung developmental defect, which could be achieved through the FAK/GSK3ß/SOX2 signal pathway.

ASCT2-mediated glutamine uptake promotes Th1 differentiation via ROS-EGR1-PAC1 pathway in oral lichen planus.

Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a T cell-mediated autoimmune disease of oral mucosa concerning with the redox imbalance. Although glutamine uptake mediated by alanine-serine-cysteine transporter 2 (ASCT2) is critical to T cell differentiation, the exact mechanism remains ambiguous. Here, we elucidate a novel regulatory mechanism of ASCT2-mediated uptake in the differentiation and proliferation of T cells through maintaining redox balance in OLP. The results of immunohistochemistry (IHC) showed that both ASCT2 and glutaminase (GLS) were obviously upregulated compared to controls in OLP. Moreover, correlation analyses indicated that ASCT2 expression was significantly related to GLS level. Interestingly, the upregulation of glutamine metabolism in epithelial layer was consistent with that in lamina propria. Functional assays in vitro revealed the positive association between glutamine metabolism and lymphocytes infiltration. Additionally, multiplex immunohistochemistry (mIHC) uncovered a stronger colocalization among ASCT2 and CD4 and IFN-γ, which was further demonstrated by human Th1 differentiation assay in vitro. Mechanistically, targeting glutamine uptake through interference with ASCT2 using L-γ-Glutamyl-p-nitroanilide (GPNA) decreased the glutamine uptake of T cells and leaded to the accumulation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), which promoted dual specificity phosphatase 2 (DUSP2/PAC1) expression through activation of early growth response 1 (EGR1) to induce dephosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) and inhibit Th1 differentiation in turn. These results demonstrated that glutamine uptake mediated by ASCT2 induced Th1 differentiation by ROS-EGR1-PAC1 pathway, and restoring the redox dynamic balance through targeting ASCT2 may be a potential treatment for T cell-mediated autoimmune diseases.

Structuring meat analogs by citrus fiber with reduced salt intake.

In this study, we investigated the effect of addition of citrus fiber (CF; 5% and 10%, which consists mainly of soluble pectin and insoluble cellulose) on physical properties and microstructure of meat analogs based on soy protein isolate and wheat gluten using high-moisture extrusion. Layered structure or microstructure of meat analogs was observed by scanning electron microscope and confocal laser scanning microscope. Compared to the control (without CF), meat analogs with CF addition showed disorder layered microstructure, which was interconnected with smaller fibers. Rheological measurements (strain sweep and frequency sweep) show that the incorporation of CF resulted in meat analogs with softer texture. The moisture content of meat analogs increased significantly upon the addition of CF, which was also correlated with juiciness. Sensory evaluation and dynamic salt release results confirm that the saltiness of meat analogs with CF addition was enhanced due to the structural changes of phase-separated structures, achieving salt reduction by 20% and showing a saltiness similar to the control sample. This research provides a novel approach to modulate the saltiness perception of meat analogs by modifying the phase separation of protein/polysaccharides. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Citrus fiber is added to the plant protein matrix to prepare meat analogs with high moisture content and enhanced saltiness perception via modifying the phase separation of protein/polysaccharides. This work provided a potential target for the meat industry to produce the meat analogs with less salt intake. Further research can be conducted using modified fibrous or inner structure of meat analogs to improve its quality.

Comparison of physicochemical and volatile flavor properties of neon flying squid (Ommastrephes bartramii), jumbo squid (Dosidicus gigas), and Argentine shortfin squid (Illex argentinus) during chilled storage.

The difference and similarities in the physicochemical and volatile flavor properties were determined in neon flying squid (OB), jumbo squid (DG), and Argentine squid (IA) mantles during 8 days of chilled storage. Physicochemical analysis indicated the chilled conditions induced rapid increases in pH value, total volatile basic nitrogen (TVBN), and carbonyl and malondialdehyde (MDA) content of the three squid species. In addition, myofibrillar protein (MP) content decreased and springiness in the OB, DG, and IA mantle samples declined with the extension of storage time. Importantly, OB mantles presented less chemical stability than the other two squid samples during 8 days of chilled storage. In addition, histological observations suggest DG mantle tissues presented more compact structures than those of the other two samples. Volatile flavor analysis showed propionaldehyde, 3-pentanone, trimethylamine, 3-furanmethanol, 2-methyl butyric acid, and 2-butanone were highly abundant in the squid mantles after storage, likely resulting from decomposition, oxidation, and degradation of proteins and lipids in the squid mantle, which varied with different squid species. The findings provide insight into the performance of three squid species during chilled storage.

An Engineered Dermal Substitute with Mesenchymal Stem Cells Enhances Cutaneous Wound Healing.

The treatment of refractory cutaneous wounds remains to be a clinical challenge. There is growing evidence to show that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have great potential in promoting wound healing. However, the therapeutic effects of MSCs are greatly dampened by their poor survival and engraftment in the wounds. To address this limitation, in this study, MSCs were grown into a collagen-glycosaminoglycan (C-GAG) matrix to form a dermis-like tissue sheet, named engineered dermal substitute (EDS). When seeded on C-GAG matrix, MSCs adhered rapidly, migrated into the pores, and proliferated readily. When applied onto excisional wounds in healthy and diabetic mice, the EDS survived well, and accelerated wound closure, compared with C-GAG matrix alone or MSCs in collagen hydrogel. Histological analysis revealed that EDS prolonged the retention of MSCs in the wounds, associated with increased macrophage infiltration and enhanced angiogenesis. RNA-Seq analysis of EDS-treated wounds uncovered the expression of abundant human chemokines and proangiogenic factors and their corresponding murine receptors, suggesting a mechanism of ligand/receptor-mediated signals in wound healing. Thus, our results indicate that EDS prolongs the survival and retention of MSCs in the wounds and enhances wound healing.

Bile Acid Profile Influences Digestion Resistance and Antigenicity of Soybean 7S Protein.

Soybean 7S storage protein (ß-conglycinin) is the most important allergen, exhibits resistance in gastrointestinal (GI) digestion, and causes allergies in humans and animals. A previous study has demonstrated that 7S proteins contained innate amyloid aggregates, but the fate of these specific protein aggregates in intestinal digestion and correlation to allergenicity are unclear. In this study, via a modified INFOGEST static in vitro digestion and IgE binding test, we illustrate that the survived amyloid aggregates of soybean 7S protein in GI digestion might be dominant IgE epitopes of soybean protein in humans. The impact of conjugated primary bile acid salt (BS) profile on digestion resistance and immunogenicity of soybean protein is assessed, regarding the binding affinity of BS to protein aggregates with consideration of the BS composition and the physiologically relevant colloidal structure. The results show that chenodeoxycholate-containing colloidal structures exhibit high affinity and unfolding capacity to protein amyloid aggregates, promoting proteolysis by pancreatic enzymes and thus mitigating the antigenicity of soybean protein. This study presents a novel understanding of bile acid profile and colloidal structure influence on the digestibility and antigenicity of dietary proteins. It should be helpful to design in vitro digestion protocol and accurately replicate physiologically relevant digestion conditions.

Construction of Bi-Enzyme Self-Assembly Clusters Based on SpyCatcher/SpyTag for the Efficient Biosynthesis of (R)-Ethyl 2-hydroxy-4-phenylbutyrate.

Cascade reactions catalyzed by multi-enzyme systems are important in science and industry and can be used to synthesize drugs and nutrients. In this study, two types of macromolecules of bi-enzyme self-assembly clusters (BESCs) consisting of carbonyl reductase (CpCR) and glucose dehydrogenase (GDH) were examined. Stereoselective CpCR and GDH were successfully fused with SpyCatcher and SpyTag, respectively, to obtain four enzyme modules, namely: SpyCatcher-CpCR, SpyCatcher-GDH, SpyTag-CpCR, and SpyTag-GDH, which were covalently coupled in vitro to form two types of hydrogel-like BESCs: CpCR-SpyCatcher-SpyTag-GDH and GDH-SpyCatcher-SpyTag-CpCR. CpCR-SpyCatcher-SpyTag-GDH showed a better activity and efficiently converted ethyl 2-oxo-4-phenylbutyrate (OPBE) to ethyl(R)2-hydroxy-4-phenylbutanoate ((R)-HPBE), while regenerating NADPH. At 30 °C and pH 7, the conversion rate of OPBE with CpCR-SpyCatcher-SpyTag-GDH as a catalyst reached 99.9%, with the ee% of (R)-HPBE reaching above 99.9%. This conversion rate was 2.4 times higher than that obtained with the free bi-enzyme. The pH tolerance and temperature stability of the BESCs were also improved compared with those of the free enzymes. In conclusion, bi-enzyme assemblies were docked using SpyCatcher/SpyTag to produce BESCs with a special structure and excellent catalytic activity, improving the catalytic efficiency of the enzyme.

Salivary microbiome and metabolome analysis of severe early childhood caries.

BACKGROUND: Severe early childhood caries (SECC) is an inflammatory disease with complex pathology. Although changes in the oral microbiota and metabolic profile of patients with SECC have been identified, the salivary metabolites and the relationship between oral bacteria and biochemical metabolism remains unclear. We aimed to analyse alterations in the salivary microbiome and metabolome of children with SECC as well as their correlations. Accordingly, we aimed to explore potential salivary biomarkers in order to gain further insight into the pathophysiology of dental caries. METHODS: We collected 120 saliva samples from 30 children with SECC and 30 children without caries. The microbial community was identified through 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene high-throughput sequencing. Additionally, we conducted non-targeted metabolomic analysis through ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography combined with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry to determine the relative metabolite levels and their correlation with the clinical caries status. RESULTS: There was a significant between-group difference in 8 phyla and 32 genera in the microbiome. Further, metabolomic and enrichment analyses revealed significantly altered 32 salivary metabolites in children with dental caries, which involved pathways such as amino acid metabolism, pyrimidine metabolism, purine metabolism, ATP-binding cassette transporters, and cyclic adenosine monophosphate signalling pathway. Moreover, four in vivo differential metabolites (2-benzylmalate, epinephrine, 2-formaminobenzoylacetate, and 3-Indoleacrylic acid) might be jointly applied as biomarkers (area under the curve = 0.734). Furthermore, the caries status was correlated with microorganisms and metabolites. Additionally, Spearman's correlation analysis of differential microorganisms and metabolites revealed that Veillonella, Staphylococcus, Neisseria, and Porphyromonas were closely associated with differential metabolites. CONCLUSION: This study identified different microbial communities and metabolic profiles in saliva, which may be closely related to caries status. Our findings could inform future strategies for personalized caries prevention, detection, and treatment.

Polyphenol-Enriched Protein Oleogels as Potential Delivery Systems of Omega-3 Fatty Acids.

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 FAs) are essential nutrients and are considered effective in improving human health. Recent studies highlight the importance of the combination of n-3 FAs and polyphenols for limiting the oxidation of n-3 FAs and exhibiting synergistic beneficial effects. Herein, we developed a novel formulation technology to prepare oleogels that could be used for the codelivery of n-3 FAs and polyphenols with high loading efficacy and oxidative stability. These oleogels are made from algal oil with polyphenol-enriched whey protein microgel (WPM) particles as gelling agents via simple and scalable ball milling technology. The oxidative status, fatty acid composition, and volatiles of protein oleogels during accelerated storage were systematically assessed by stoichiometry and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. These results showed that protein oleogels could overcome several challenges associated with the formulation of n-3 oils, including long-term oxidative stability and improved sensory and textural properties. The protein oleogel system could provide an excellent convenience for formulating multiple nutrients and nutraceuticals with integrating health effects, which are expected to be used in the care of highly vulnerable populations, including children, the elderly, and patients.