Delivery of Lutein by Using Modified Burdock Polysaccharide Aggregates: Preparation, Characterization, and In Vitro Release Properties.

Novel self-assembled aggregates of stearic acid (SA)-modified burdock polysaccharide (BP) for loading lutein were constructed, and the release and absorption properties of lutein in the aggregates in simulated gastrointestinal fluid were investigated. Three different degrees of substitution (DS) of SA-BPs were used to embed lutein, resulting in the encapsulation efficiency exceeding 90%. The aggregates were uniformly spherical, with a particle size range of 227-341 nm. XRD analysis revealed that lutein was present in a non-crystalline state within the aggregates. FT-IR and FS analysis demonstrated that lutein was located in the hydrophobic domains of SA-BP. The highest bioavailability of lutein in these aggregates reached 4.36 times that in the unmodified samples. These aggregates were able to remain stable in gastric juice and enhance the release rate of lutein in intestinal fluid. The transport of lutein-loaded SA-BP aggregates in Caco-2 cells competed with P-glycoprotein inhibitors, mainly promoting the transmembrane absorption of lutein through caveolae (or lipid raft)-related and clathrin-dependent endocytosis pathways. The above results suggest that SA-BP aggregates have the potential to be promising carriers for the efficient delivery of hydrophobic lutein.

The Structures and Compositions Design of the Hollow Micro-Nano-Structured Metal Oxides for Environmental Catalysis.

In recent decades, with the rapid development of the inorganic synthesis and the increasing discharge of pollutants in the process of industrialization, hollow-structured metal oxides (HSMOs) have taken on a striking role in the field of environmental catalysis. This is all due to their unique structural characteristics compared to solid nanoparticles, such as high loading capacity, superior pore permeability, high specific surface area, abundant inner void space, and low density. Although the HSMOs with different morphologies have been reviewed and prospected in the aspect of synthesis strategies and potential applications, there has been no systematic review focusing on the structures and compositions design of HSMOs in the field of environmental catalysis so far. Therefore, this review will mainly focus on the component dependence and controllable structure of HSMOs in the catalytic elimination of different environmental pollutants, including the automobile and stationary source emissions, volatile organic compounds, greenhouse gases, ozone-depleting substances, and other potential pollutants. Moreover, we comprehensively reviewed the applications of the catalysts with hollow structure that are mainly composed of metal oxides such as CeO2, MnOx, CuOx, Co3O4, ZrO2, ZnO, Al3O4, In2O3, NiO, and Fe3O4 in automobile and stationary source emission control, volatile organic compounds emission control, and the conversion of greenhouse gases and ozone-depleting substances. The structure-activity relationship is also briefly discussed. Finally, further challenges and development trends of HSMO catalysts in environmental catalysis are also prospected.

Effects of ultraviolet C on the quality and aroma volatile in peach fruit during postharvest storage.

The study investigated the impact of UV-C irradiation on peach fruit quality during postharvest storage, with a focus on aroma changes and the mechanisms involving lipoxygenase metabolism. Results showed that UV-C irradiation at a dosage of 1.5 kJ/m2 was found to preserve the quality attributes of peach fruit during ambient storage, as evidenced by high flesh firmness, inhibition of weight loss and respiration rate, as well as high values of L* and ascorbic acid. Meanwhile, UV-C irradiation led to an increase in the contents of aroma-related volatiles, particularly esters and lactones, compared to non-irradiated fruit. Our results suggested that the enhanced emission of aroma-related volatiles in UV-C irradiated peach fruit was linked to elevated levels of unsaturated fatty acids. Besides, UV-C induced the expressions and activities of enzymes in the lipoxygenase pathway, thus promoting the synthesis of esters and lactones, which contribute to the enhanced aroma in peach fruit.

Fabrication of blueberry anthocyanins-rich gels based on the apricot polysaccharides with different esterification degrees.

To enhance the stability of anthocyanins under conditions such as light, temperature, and pH, an apricot polysaccharide hydrogel for anthocyanins encapsulation was prepared in this study. Apricot polysaccharides with different DEs were prepared by an alkaline de-esterification method. A gel was prepared by mixing the apricot polysaccharides with CaCl2 to encapsulate the anthocyanins; the encapsulation efficiency reached 69.52 ± 0.31 %. Additionally, the gel exhibited favorable hardness (144.17 ± 2.33 g) and chewiness (64.13 ± 1.53 g). Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and X-ray diffractometer (XRD) spectra confirmed that the formation of the hydrogel primarily relied on electrostatic interactions and hydrogen bonding. Compared with free anthocyanins, it was also found that the gel-encapsulated anthocyanins had a higher retention rate (RR) under different temperatures and light.

Optimization of fermentation conditions and quality evaluation of Chaenomeles sinensis glutinous rice wine.

The present study was conducted to optimize fermentation conditions for preparation of Chaenomeles sinensis Glutinous Rice Wine (CRW). The dynamic changes of main substances in the liquor during fermentation process, aroma components, biologically active substances and antioxidant capacity in the CRW after 6 months of aging were tested. The results showed that under optimized conditions, the yield and alcohol content of wine was 44.97 and 20.00%, respectively. After aging, 64 aroma components were detected in the wine, mainly alcohols and esters. The alcohol content of the CRW was 14.8%. Polyphenols and flavonoids reached 0.23 g/L and 0.037 g/L respectively. Furthermore, the CRW had an excellent free radical scavenging ability. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13197-024-05934-0.

Insights into formation and stability mechanism of V7-type short amylose-resveratrol complex using molecular dynamics simulation and molecular docking.

Pre-formed V-type amylose as a kind of wall material has been reported to carry polyphenols, while the interaction mechanism between V-type amylose and polyphenol is still elusive. In this work, the formation and stability mechanism of a V7-type short amylose-resveratrol complex was investigated via isothermal titration calorimetry, molecular dynamics, and molecular docking. The results presented that two stoichiometric ratios of resveratrol to short amylose were calculated to 0.120 and 0.800, and the corresponding main driving force was hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interaction, respectively. The folding and unfolding conformation of V7-type short amylose chains appeared alternately during the simulation. Resveratrol tended to be bound in the short amylose helix between 40 ns and 80 ns to form a more stable complex. Hydrogen bonds between resveratrol molecule and O6 at the 22nd glucose molecule/O2 at the 24th glucose molecules and hydrophobic interaction between resveratrol molecule and glucose molecules (19th, 20th, 21st and 23rd) could be found.

Efficient degradation and enhanced α-glucosidase inhibitory activity of apricot polysaccharides through non-thermal plasma assisted non-metallic Fenton reaction.

Dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) was a commonly used non-thermal plasma (CP) technology. This paper aimed to enhance the biological activity of apricot polysaccharides (AP) by using dielectric barrier discharge (DBD-CP) assisted H2O2-VC Fenton reaction for degradation. The degradation conditions were optimized through response surface methodology. The molecular weight (Mw) of degraded apricot polysaccharides (DAP) was 19.71 kDa, which was 7.25 % of AP. The inhibition rate of DAP (2 mg/mL) was 82.8 ± 3.27 %, which was 106.87 % higher than that of AP. DBD-CP/H2O2-VC degradation changed the monosaccharide composition of AP and improved the linearity of polysaccharide chains. In addition, a novel apricot polysaccharide DAP-2 with a Mw of only 6.60 kDa was isolated from DAP. The repeating units of the main chain of DAP-2 were →4)-α-D-GalpA-(1 →, the branch chain was mainly composed of α-D-GalpA-(1 â†’ 2)-α-L-Rhap-(1→ connected to O-3 position →3,4)-α-D-GalpA-(1→. The complex structure formed by the combination of DAP-2 and α-glucosidase was stable. DAP-2 had a higher α-glucosidase binding ability than the acarbose. These results suggested that DAP-2 had the potential to be developed as a potential hypoglycemic functional food and drug.

Constructing Efficient CuO-Based CO Oxidation Catalysts with Large Specific Surface Area Mesoporous CeO2 Nanosphere Support.

CeO2 is an outstanding support commonly used for the CuO-based CO oxidation catalysts due to its excellent redox property and oxygen storage-release property. However, the inherently small specific surface area of CeO2 support restricts the further enhancement of its catalytic performance. In this work, the novel mesoporous CeO2 nanosphere with a large specific surface area (~190.4 m2/g) was facilely synthesized by the improved hydrothermal method. The large specific surface area of mesoporous CeO2 nanosphere could be successfully maintained even at high temperatures up to 500 °C, exhibiting excellent thermal stability. Then, a series of CuO-based CO oxidation catalysts were prepared with the mesoporous CeO2 nanosphere as the support. The large surface area of the mesoporous CeO2 nanosphere support could greatly promote the dispersion of CuO active sites. The effects of the CuO loading amount, the calcination temperature, mesostructure, and redox property on the performances of CO oxidation were systematically investigated. It was found that high Cu+ concentration and lattice oxygen content in mesoporous CuO/CeO2 nanosphere catalysts greatly contributed to enhancing the performances of CO oxidation. Therefore, the present mesoporous CeO2 nanosphere with its large specific surface area was considered a promising support for advanced CO oxidation and even other industrial catalysts.

Multiomics analyses of the effects of LED white light on the ripening of apricot fruits.

INTRODUCTION: Apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) fruits are highly perishable and prone to quality deterioration during storage and transportation. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effects of LED white light treatment on postharvest ripening of fruits using metabolomics, transcriptomics, and ATAC-Seq analysis. METHODS: Fruits were exposed to 5 µmol m-2 s-1 LED white light for 12 h followed by 12 h of darkness at 20 °C daily for 12 days. The effects of the treatments on the physiological and nutritional quality of the fruits were evaluated. These data were combined with transcriptomic, metabolomic, and ATAC-Seq data from fruits taken on 8 d of treatment to provide insight into the potential mechanism by which LED treatment delays ripening. RESULTS: LED treatment activated pathways involved in ascorbate and aldarate metabolism and flavonoid and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis. Specifically, LED treatment increased the expression of UDP-sugar pyrophosphorylase (USP), L-ascorbate peroxidase (AO), dihydroflavonol 4-reductase (DFR), chalcone synthase (CHS), and caffeoyl-CoA O-methyltransferase (CCOAOMT1), leading to the accumulation of caffeoyl quinic acid, epigallocatechin, and dihydroquercetin and the activation of anthocyanin biosynthesis. LED treatment also affected the expression of genes associated with plant hormone signal transduction, fruit texture and color transformation, and antioxidant activity. The notable genes affected by LED treatment included 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate synthase (ACS), 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate oxidase (ACO), hexokinase (HK), lipoxygenase (LOX), malate dehydrogenase (MDH), endoglucanase (CEL), various transcription factors (TCP, MYB, EFR), and peroxidase (POD). ATAC-Seq analysis further revealed that LED treatment primarily regulated phenylpropanoid biosynthesis. CONCLUSION: The results obtained in this study provide insights into the effects of LED light exposure on apricot fruits ripening. LEDs offer a promising approach for extending the shelf life of other fruits and vegetables.

Improved encapsulation effect and structural properties of whey protein isolate by dielectric barrier discharge cold plasma.

The whey protein isolate (WPI) was modified by dielectric barrier discharge cold plasma (DBD) in order to improve its encapsulation efficiency of rutin. In this work, the effect of DBD treatment on structure and physicochemical properties of WPI and the interaction between DBD-treated WPI and rutin were investigated. The results showed that the structural change of WPI leaded to the exposure of internal hydrophobic groups, increasing the interaction site with rutin. The encapsulation efficiency of DBD-treated WPI (30 kV, 30 s) on rutin was improved by 12.42 % compared with control group. The results of multispectral analysis showed that static quenching occurred in the process of interaction between DBD-treated and rutin, hydrogen bond and van der Waals force were the main forces between them. Therefore, DBD treatment can be used as a method to improve the encapsulation efficiency of WPI on hydrophobic active substances.

Preparation and characterization of fine and stable short amylose nanocarriers for curcumin using a highly efficient and convenient method.

To prepare fine and stable nanocarriers for curcumin using a highly efficient and convenient method, nanoprecipitation combined with ultrasonication and a high-speed dispersion (US+HSS) method were used to prepare short amylose nanoparticles with pre-formed helical structures. Their morphology, structural characteristics, and embedding effects for curcumin were investigated. The results showed that the optimal ratio of ethanol to short amylose solution and ultrasonic time was 4:1 and 4 min, respectively. The nanoparticles showed a small size (82.43 nm), relatively high loading capacity (11.57 %), and a peak gelatinization temperature of 97.74 °C. Compared to the nanoprecipitation method, the short amylose nanoparticles prepared using the US+HSS method possessed a higher V-type crystalline structure ratio. In addition, the US+HSS method was easier to use to prepare nanoparticles with high stability against NaCl, and the stable nanoparticles showed the best in vitro sustained release effect for curcumin. The Peppas-Sahlin model was the optimal model that matched curcumin release from nanoparticles during digestion.

Solubility-permeability interplay of a supersaturated lutein delivery system constructed by glycosylated stevioside and hydroxypropyl-methylcellulose.

This study investigated the solubilizing capacity of glycosylated stevioside/hydroxypropyl-methylcellulose (stevia-G-HPMC) complexes with varying mass ratios on lutein. The impact on the steady-state flux and permeability coefficient of intracellular lutein was also explored through the construction of a Caco-2 cellular transport model. The results indicated that the equilibrium solubility of lutein linearly increased with an increase in stevia-G amount. The stability constants of the ternary system surpassed those of the binary system. Molecular dynamics simulation revealed a tight and stable structure in lutein supersaturated complexes. Meanwhile, lutein-stevia-G-HPMC complexes demonstrated superior cumulative penetrations, with the peak Papp (AP â†’ BL) value being (3.24 ± 0.89) × 10-5 cm·s-1. There was a slight decrease in Papp (BL â†’ AP), which improved the forward transport of lutein. Highly soluble lutein in aqueous environments saturated the extracellular transport proteins on the AP side of cell membranes, thereby maintaining the high permeability transport. Notably, the permeability trend of lutein in Caco-2 cells negatively correlated with the equilibrium solubility and matched the single exponential growth model. When the mass ratio of lutein, stevia-G and HPMC was 1:21:5, the solubility-permeability trade-off of lutein was effectively maintained.

Unravelling the Proteomic Profiles of Bovine Colostrum and Mature Milk Derived from the First and Second Lactations.

Bovine colostrum (BC) and mature bovine milk are highly nutritious. In addition to being consumed by adults, these dairy products are also used as protein ingredients for infant formula. However, the differences in the nutritional composition of BC and mature milk, especially regarding proteins present in trace amounts, have not been comprehensively studied. Furthermore, the distinct proteomic profiles of mature milk derived from the first lactation (Milk-L1) and the second lactation (Milk-L2) are not fully understood. To address these gaps, this study aims to uncover the subtle differences in protein compositions of BC, Milk-L1, and Milk-L2 by proteomics. Compared with BC, anti-microbial proteins ß-defensins and bovine hemoglobin subunit were up-regulated in Milk-L1, while Milk-L2 exhibited higher levels of enteric ß-defensin, sterol regulatory element binding transcription factor 1, sydecan-2, and cysteine-rich secretory protein 2. Additionally, immune proteins such as vacuolar protein sorting-associated protein 4B, polymeric immunoglobulin receptor (PIGR), and Ig-like domain-containing protein were found at higher levels in Milk-L1 compared with Milk-L2. The study provides a comprehensive understanding of the distinct proteomic profiles of BC, Milk-L1, and Milk-L2, which contributes to the development of protein ingredients for infant formula.

Color stability and degradation kinetics of anthocyanins in mulberry stirred yoghurt fermented by different starter cultures.

To evaluate the storage stability of anthocyanin in stirred yoghurt, mulberry juice and different starter cultures (S) were added into milk to investigate the color stability and degradation kinetics of anthocyanin. The result showed that the redness value decreased, while the brightness value increased, and the anthocyanin content decreased significantly from 1.47 ~ 1.86 to 1.01 ~ 1.19 mg/g. The degradation kinetics followed a first-order reaction. Principal component analysis showed that S2 and S6 were correlated with anthocyanins, S8 and S4 were correlated with a*. At the later stage, S4, S8 were correlated with a*, while S2, S4, S6 were correlated with anthocyanins. At 28th day, the anthocyanin content of S4 was 1.14 mg/g, which was not the highest, but the total score was the highest. Therefore, S4 was the best choice when the storage period is 28 days. This study provided technical support for the selection of a better starter for stirring yoghurt. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10068-023-01271-8.

The working experience of medical staff in the hospital-wide bed-sharing mode: A qualitative study.

AIM: The purpose of this study was to provide a comprehensive understanding of the attitudes and experiences of the medical staff regarding the hospital bed-sharing model. DESIGN: The present research was a qualitative study. METHODS: This qualitative study used in-depth individual interviews with 7 doctors, 10 clinical nurses and 3 head nurses, which were then transcribed and analysed thematically. RESULTS: The study identified six overall themes. Issues were raised about the efficient utilization of hospital bed resources, greater challenges for nursing work, adjustment of doctors' work modes, barriers to communication between doctors, nurses, and patients, potential medical risks, and differentiation of patients' medical experience. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: Hospital administrators and nurse managers should work together to solve the challenges that medical staff face, including strengthening nursing training, improving medical-nursing collaboration models, standardizing and effective communication strategies, and improving patient experiences.

Effects of Modified Dietary Fiber from Fresh Corn Bracts on Obesity and Intestinal Microbiota in High-Fat-Diet Mice.

The effects of insoluble dietary fiber from fresh corn bracts modified by dynamic high-pressure micro-fluidization (DHPM) on the pathological characteristics of obesity, intestinal microflora distribution and production of short-chain fatty acids in high-fat-diet C57BL/6 mice were evaluated. The results show that the DHPM-modified dietary fiber from fresh corn bracts significantly reduces weight gain, insulin resistance and oxidative damage caused by a high-fat diet, and promotes the production of SCFAs, especially acetic acid, propionic acid and butyric acid. These modified dietary fibers also change the proportion of different types of bacteria in the intestinal microflora of mice, reduce the ratio of Firmicutes and Bacteroidota and promote the proliferation of Bifidobacteriales. Therefore, the DHPM-modified dietary fiber from fresh corn bracts can be used as a good intestinal microbiota regulator to promote intestinal health, thereby achieving the role of preventing and treating obesity.

Oxidation of Toluene over Mesoporous MnO2/CeO2 Nanosphere Catalysts: Effects of the MnO2 Precursor and the Type of Support.

Toluene is the most common volatile organic compound (VOC), and the MnO2-based catalyst is one of the excellent nonprecious metal catalysts for toluene oxidation. In this study, the effects of MnO2 precursors and the support types on the oxidation performance of toluene were systematically explored. The results showed that the 15MnO2/MS-CeO2-N catalyst with Mn(NO3)2·4H2O as the precursor and the mesoporous CeO2 nanosphere (MS-CeO2) as the support exhibited the most excellent performance. To reveal the reason behind this phenomenon, the calcination process of the catalyst precursor and the reaction process of toluene oxidation were investigated by in situ DRIFTS. It was found that the MnO2 precursor and the type of catalyst support could have a large effect on the reaction pathway and the produced intermediates. Therefore, the roles of the MnO2 precursor and the type of support should be key considerations when developing the high-performance MnO2-based toluene oxidation catalyst.

Intestinal Barrier Protective Study of Jujube Peel Polyphenols/Zein Complexes by a Combined Caco-2 Cell and Caenorhabditis elegans Model: A Perspective of Proteomics.

Jujube peels have been recognized as a promising resource of several bioactive ingredients. The main composition of jujube peel polyphenols (JPP) has been identified as rutin, kaempferol-3-O-rutinosid, and salicylic acid. The JPP/zein complexes, whose bioavailability reached 69.73% ± 5.06% in vitro, have been formed successfully. The Caco-2 cell and Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) models have been combined to detect the intestinal barrier protective effect of JPP and its complexes. Results showed that JPP/zein complexes contain better protection capability than JPP in both models. In the Caco-2 cell model, the complex relieved intestinal barrier damage by regulating the tight junction proteins. Moreover, the lysosome pathway has been activated, further regulating immune responses and lipid transportation, improving the barrier function of C. elegans after incubation with JPP/zein complexes according to the proteomics study. This work provides new insights into intestinal barrier protection with bioactive compounds.

Whole-transcriptome RNA sequencing reveals changes in amino acid metabolism induced in harvested broccoli by red LED irradiation.

Whole-transcriptomic profiling combined with amino acid analysis were conducted in order to gain a better understanding of global changes in amino acid metabolism induced in broccoli by red LED irradiation. The results showed that the contents of almost all 16 amino acids in postharvest broccoli were maintained under red LED illumination. The red LED irradiation enhanced the anabolism of amino acid, including the biosynthesis of aromatic amino acids by upregulating the genes' expression in the shikimate pathway, as well as by upregulating the genes' expression which encoding biosynthetic enzymes in the branched-chain amino acid biosynthesis pathway. Red LED irradiation induced the expression of genes encoding aspartate aminotransferase, which plays a role in Asp synthesis, aspartate kinase, which functions in aspartate metabolism, and a cytoplasmic aspartate aminotransferase that converts 2-Oxoglutarate into Glu. Genes encoding imidazole glycerol-phosphate synthase and histidinol-phosphatase, which function in the His biosynthesis pathway, were also upregulated. According to our results, red LED irradiation delays broccoli's yellowing and senescence by regulating amino acid metabolism. These results enhance our understanding of the role of amino acid metabolism in the senescence of broccoli and the mechanism of red LED irradiation to alter amino acid metabolism in harvested broccoli.

Effects of cereal grain cell wall composition and structure on starch digestion.

BACKGROUND: Wheat is an important food crop, and its characteristics vary depending on the region of cultivation; different environments have varying effects on the composition of the grains. We previously reported the effects of environmental factors on wheat grain cell wall composition and structure. The variations in the structure of aleurone cell walls between different wheat samples were examined to determine the effects of aleurone cell walls on grain starch digestion properties. Ten different varieties of wheat grains with different aleurone cell wall structure and composition constituted a simple research system used to investigate their effect on the starch digestion of bread. RESULTS: The aleurone cell wall thickness ranged from 3.05 µm to 4.67 µm, and the arabinose to xylose ratio of water-extractable arabinoxylan was in the range 0.79-0.97. With the increase in arabinoxylans content or cell wall thickness, the total digestibility of starch within the bread decreased; this phenomenon may be related to the changes in the interaction between polysaccharides and starch granules in this process. CONCLUSION: The results of the present study showed that the wheat cell wall structure has a great impact on starch hydrolysis, indicating that the change in the digestibility of starch in flour and bread may be a result of changes in the cell wall structure leading to different combinations, thus affecting digestibility. The present study showed that the cell wall combines the starch granules during the bread-making process; thus, the diffusion of enzymes through the cell wall was hindered. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.