Fabrication of food polysaccharide, protein, and polysaccharide-protein composite gels via calcium ion inducement: Gelation mechanisms, conditional factors, and applications.

Food gel is a kind of macromolecular biopolymer with viscoelasticity, which has good water retention and gelling ability, especially gels formed by protein and/or polysaccharide. The addition of calcium ions triggers gelation by interacting with the gel matrix, enhancing gels' textural and rheological properties like hardness, viscosity and elasticity. Thus calcium ions enrich the range of applications of food gels. This review focuses on forming a calcium-induced gel and improving the texture properties. It summarizes the mechanisms of gelation induced by calcium ions in polysaccharide, protein, and polysaccharide-protein systems and their gel properties. The effects of influencing factors in calcium ion concentration, types and mixing ratios of matrices, acid, and alkaline environments, as well as treatment methods on calcium-induced gel characteristics, are presented. Additionally, the current applications of calcium-induced gels in food industries and challenges are presented.

Tremella fuciformis polysaccharides as a fat substitute on the rheological, texture and sensory attributes of low-fat yogurt.

The potential of Tremella fuciformis polysaccharides (TFPS) as a fat substitute in low-fat yogurt was evaluated in this study. The effects of adding different concentrations of TFPS solution on the physical and chemical properties, texture, rheology, microstructure and sensory properties of low-fat yogurt were evaluated. Compared with control, the addition of TFPS not only increased the solid content and water holding capacity of yogurt, but also reduced syneresis losses in low-fat yogurt. In fact, the addition of TFPS did not affect the color of yogurt but had a positive effect on the texture and sensory of yogurt. In terms of rheology, all low-yogurt samples exhibited rheological to the weak gel-like structures (G' > G″), and the storage modulus and loss modulus of the yogurt added with TFPS were higher than those of the low-fat yogurt control group. Compared with the low-fat yogurt control group, yogurt added TFPS makes the cross-linking of polysaccharides and casein more compact. In conclusion, TFPS has potential as a fat substitute in dairy products.

miR-19a-3p inhibition alleviates sepsis-induced lung injury via enhancing USP13 expression.

Sepsis is a systemic inflammatory response syndrome caused by various pathogenic microorganisms or toxins. Lung damage is one of the causes of death in patients with sepsis. This study aimed to investigate the role of miR-19a-3p and its regulation mechanism in sepsis-induced lung injury. MH-S cells were treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to establish sepsis-induced lung injury cell model. C57BL/6 mice were injected with miR-19a-3p antagomiR and LPS to construct animal model. LPS-treated and control cells were transfected with miR-19a-3p mimic, miR-19a-3p inhibitor or USP13 expression vector . The expression levels of miR-19a-3p and USP13 were examined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blotting. The concentration of inflammatory cytokines was measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The relationship of miR-19a-3p and USP13 was validated using dual-luciferase reporter assay. The lung damage was assessed with hematoxylin-eosin staining (HE). The results showed that LPS treatment increased the concentration of TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1ß in MH-S cells. In LPS treated MH-S cells, the level of miR-19a-3p gradually increased over time. Both miR-19a-3p knockdown and USP13 overexpression in MH-S cells inhibited the LPS-induced production of TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1ß. Moreover, miR-19a-3p negatively regulated the expression of USP13 in MH-S cells. Furthermore, miR-19a-3p inhibitor suppressed lung damage in sepsis model mice. In conclusion, miR-19a-3p knockdown could alleviate sepsis-induced lung injury through enhancing USP13 expression.

IGFBP7 aggravates sepsis-induced acute lung injury by activating the ERK1/2 pathway.

INTRODUCTION: Sepsis is characterized by an infection-caused acute inflammatory response, which is usually accompanied by multiple organ failure, especially lung injury. During sepsis, a large number of endotoxins such as lipopolysaccharides (LPSs) are secreted from Gram-negative bacteria. However, the mechanisms underlying acute lung dysfunction caused by sepsis have not yet been well defined. MATERIAL AND METHODS: To identify the mechanism of insulin-like growth factor binding protein 7 (IGFBP7) in acute lung injury during sepsis, the effects of IGFBP7 shRNA were evaluated in a model of cecal ligation puncture (CLP)-induced sepsis in mice. Histologic evaluation of the effects of IGFBP7 on CLP-induced acute lung injury was performed by H&E staining. Murine pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (MPVECs) were transfected with shIGFBP7 or shNC before treatment with LPS to mimic the sepsis-induced lung dysfunction. The effects of CLP or LPS on IGFBP7 expression and the activation of ERK1/2 pathway were analyzed by western blot. MTT and LDH assays were used to measure the viability of MPVECs under different treatment regimes. The apoptosis rate of MPVECs in different groups was detected by flow-cytometry analysis. RESULTS: IGFBP7 was strongly up-regulated in sepsis-induced acute lung injury in mice. IGFBP7 silencing attenuated sepsis-induced apoptosis and cytotoxicity in MPVECs. Furthermore, the activation of ERK1/2 pathway was regulated by IGFBP7 during sepsis-induced inflammation. IGFBP7 inhibition by RNA interference in MPVECs attenuated CLP-induced morphological features of lung dysfunction. The knockdown of IGFBP7 attenuated LPS-induced MPVECs' apoptosis by the suppression of the ERK1/2 pathway. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated for the first time that IGFBP7 is involved in the pathogenesis of sepsis-induced acute lung injury and may serve as a therapeutic target in sepsis-induced acute lung injury.

Extravascular lung water monitoring of renal replacement therapy in lung water scavenging for septic acute kidney injury.

This study aims to investigate the extravascular lung water index (EVLWI) in lung water scavenging of sepsis patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) by renal replacement therapy (RRT). 57 septic acute kidney injury patients with EVLWI > 7 ml/kg were selected and randomly divided into two groups: the treatment group with continued RRT for 24 h per day, the control group with RRT for ≤8 h per day. Fluid resuscitation and RRT were performed simultaneously. After fluid resuscitation, EVLWI, hemodynamics, oxygenation index, blood lactate, and intensive care unit (ICU) stay were determined. The values of EVLWI, pulmonary vascular permeability index (PVPI), and blood lactate decreased and the intrathoracic blood volume index (ITBVI) increased significantly at 24 h, 48 h and 72 h, after RRT, compared with those before RRT in the two groups (P < 0.05). The values of EVLWI at 48 h and 72 h after RRT in the treatment group were significantly lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05). The cardiac index (CI) at 48 h and 72 h after RRT in the treatment group was significantly higher than that before RRT (P < 0.05). The values of PVPI, ITBVI, CI, blood lactate, transcutaneous oxygen saturation pulse (SPO2), oxygenation index (PO2/FiO2) and arterial oxygen (PO2) before and 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h after RRT. The 28d mortality had no significant difference in the two groups (P > 0.05). The average ICU stay for the treatment group was significantly shorter than that of the control group (P < 0.05). EVLWI monitoring of septic patients with AKI in RRT time had clinical reference value.

Photodegradation of Vocs by C_TiO2 nanoparticles produced by flame CVD process.

Carbon containing C_TiO2 nanoparticles with rutile mass fractions about 20%, carbon mass fractions from 0-22%, having normal size distributions with mean sizes from 24-62 nm are synthesized by the oxidation of TiCl4 in industrial propane/air diffusion flame. Photodegradation of VOCs of formaldehyde, benzene, toluene and methanol by the C_TiO2 nanoparticles have been investigated by using a tubular photoreactor with C_TiO2 thin films coated on the wall of the tubular reactor by a sedimentation method. Effects of effective thickness of C_TiO2 thin films from 60-150 nm, relative humidity from 8-100%, and initial concentration of VOCs loaded air stream from 0.06-3 g/m3 on degradation degree have been investigated. Comparisons are made on degradation degree between the C_TiO2 nanoparticles and P25 photocatalyst and the results show that the photocatalytic activity of the C_TiO2 nanoparticles and P25 are comparative.