Encapsulation of Curcumin in a Ternary Nanocomplex Prepared with Carboxymethyl Short Linear Glucan-Sodium-Caseinate-Pectin Via Electrostatic Interactions.

This work chemically modified short linear glucan (SLG) by introducing a surface carboxymethyl group to obtain carboxymethylated SLG (CMSLG), then prepared CMSLG-based ternary nanocomplex particles based on electrostatic interactions with sodium-caseinate (NaCas) and pectin. These nanocomplex particles are homogeneous, generally exhibiting sizes of <200 nm with spherical shape and negative surface charge. In addition, the results showed the increase in both the mass ratio of CMSLG and NaCas and the synthesis temperature can improve the colloidal stability of nanocomplex particles when they are exposed to simulated gastrointestinal fluids containing digestive enzymes. Moreover, nanocomplex particles have an exceptional capability to encapsulate curcumin, and this encapsulation efficiency increased as the mass ratios of CMSLG and NaCas were increased. The study also investigated the antioxidant activity and in vitro release properties of curcumin encapsulated by nanocomplex particles and found that CMSLG/NaCas/pectin had improved higher ABTS radical scavenging capacity and allowed for the controlled, sustained release of curcumin in simulated gastrointestinal fluid within 6 hours. Thus, this study provides new insights into the design of a CMSLG-based ternary nanocomplex and its use as a potential oral delivery system for lipophilic bioactive compounds. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Curcumin, as a sort of natural polyphenolic compound, has many physiologic functions such as anti-oxidation, anticancer, and prevention of Alzheimer's disease. However, the application of the curcumin has been limited by its poor water solubility and unstable physicochemical property. To solve this problem, the nanotechnology has been used to prepare the nano-delivery carriers for curcumin. This work prepared a ternary nanoparticle based on the carboxymethyl short linear glucan, sodium-caseinate, and pectin. The ternary nanoparticle can achieve a higher encapsulation efficiency for curcumin. In addition, the ternary nanoparticle can enhance the ABTS radical scavenging capacity and provided control and sustained release of curcumin in the simulated gastrointestinal fluid.

Characterization of Cationic Modified Short Linear Glucan and Fabrication of Complex Nanoparticles with Low and High Methoxy Pectin.

In this study, we chemically modified the short linear glucan (SLG) using the 3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyl trimethylammonium chloride to introduce a positive surface charge via cationization (CSLG). We then prepared CSLG-based binary nanocomplex particles through electrostatic interactions with low and high methoxyl pectin. The two new types of binary nanocomplex were comprehensively characterized. It was found that the nanocomplex particles showed a spherical shape with the particle size of <700 nm, smooth surface, homogeneous distribution, and negative surface charge. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) revealed that the driving forces to form nanocomplex were primarily electrostatic interactions and hydrogen bonding. In addition, increasing the CSLG concentration in the nanocomplex significantly enhanced both thermal stability and digestive stability. By comparing the two complex nanoparticles, the HMP-CSLG has a larger particle size and better stability under the GI condition due to the high content of the methoxy group. Additionally, the HMP-CSLG nanoparticle has a higher encapsulation efficiency and slower release rate under simulated gastrointestinal fluid for tangeretin compared with the LMP-CSLG. These results provide new insights into designing the CSLG-based nanocomplex as a potential oral delivery system for nutraceuticals or active ingredients.

Laboratory and Field Evaluation of the Phytotoxic Activity of Sapindus mukorossi Gaertn Pulp Extract and Identification of a Phytotoxic Substance.

Interest in finding plant-based herbicides to supplement synthesized herbicides is increasing. Although the extract of Sapindus mukorossi Gaertn has been reported to have herbicidal activity, little is known about phytotoxic substances and their efficacy of weed control in the field. To identify phytotoxic substances, the bioassay-guided fractionation by column chromatography and high-speed counter-current chromatography (HSCCC) was carried out. The phytotoxic activity assay, performed by the agar medium method, showed that the 70% ethanol fraction exhibited strong root growth inhibition against Trifolium pratense with an 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) value of 35.13 mg/L. An active compound was isolated from the 70% ethanol fraction and identified as hederagenin 3-o-ß-D-xylopyranosyl-(1→3)-α-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→2)-α-l-arabinopyranoside (Compound A). Compound A had an IC50 value of 16.64 mg/L. Finally, a new formulation was prepared based on the 70% ethanol fraction, which exhibited good efficacy against broadleaf weeds in a carrot field. The fresh weight control efficacy was 78.7% by 45 days after treatment at the dose of 1500 g a. i./ha. Hence, the extract of S. mukorossi pulp could be a promising supplement to the synthesized herbicides. Furthermore, compound A from S. mukorossi may be responsible for its phytotoxic activity.

Effects of the degree of substitution of OSA on the properties of starch microparticle-stabilized emulsions.

An amphiphilic polymer of octenyl succinic anhydride (OSA)-modified starch microparticles (SMPs) was synthesized and used to stabilize emulsions. The effects of the degree of substitution (DS) on the physicochemical properties of OSA-modified SMPs and the stability of OSA-modified SMP-stabilized emulsions during a three-step in vitro digestion model were studied. The results showed that OSA esterification acted on the surface of SMPs and that the hydrophobicity of SMPs improved with increasing DS. In addition, the emulsion stability during storage and the changes in ionic strength were enhanced by increasing DS. Moreover, a higher DS also led to smaller oil droplets and more OSA-modified SMPs retained during intestinal digestion. Most importantly, the encapsulation efficiency and the bioaccessibility of curcumin in the emulsion during intestinal digestion were both enhanced significantly with the increase of DS.

Ni-Co Binary Hydroxide Nanotubes with Three-Dimensionally Structured Nanoflakes: Synthesis and Application as Cathode Materials for Hybrid Supercapacitors.

Nickel-cobalt binary hydroxide nanotubes were fabricated by a facile synthetic approach by using Cu2 O nanowires as sacrificial templates. The surface morphology of the binary hydroxide nanotubes can be easily controlled by adjusting the molar ratio of Ni to Co. With increasing Co content, the surfaces of the nanotubes tend to form hierarchical nanoflakes. The obtained nanotubes with high specific surface area exhibit typical battery-like electrochemical behavior. Among them, Ni-Co hydroxide nanotubes with Ni:Co=48:52 showed outstanding electrochemical characteristics, with a specific capacity of 209.9 mAh g-1 at 1 Ag-1 and remarkable cycling stability with 84.4 % capacity retention after 10 000 cycles at 20 A g-1 . With the advantages of their unique nanostructure and the synergistic effect of the two elements, the Ni-Co binary hydroxide nanotubes are expected to be effective potential cathode materials for hybrid supercapacitors.

Extraordinarily Stretchable All-Carbon Collaborative Nanoarchitectures for Epidermal Sensors.

Multifunctional microelectronic components featuring large stretchability, high sensitivity, high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and broad sensing range have attracted a huge surge of interest with the fast developing epidermal electronic systems. Here, the epidermal sensors based on all-carbon collaborative percolation network are demonstrated, which consist 3D graphene foam and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) obtained by two-step chemical vapor deposition processes. The nanoscaled CNT networks largely enhance the stretchability and SNR of the 3D microarchitectural graphene foams, endowing the strain sensor with a gauge factor as high as 35, a wide reliable sensing range up to 85%, and excellent cyclic stability (>5000 cycles). The flexible and reversible strain sensor can be easily mounted on human skin as a wearable electronic device for real-time and high accuracy detecting of electrophysiological stimuli and even for acoustic vibration recognition. The rationally designed all-carbon nanoarchitectures are scalable, low cost, and promising in practical applications requiring extraordinary stretchability and ultrahigh SNRs.

Simultaneous Detection of Dihydroxybenzene Isomers with ZnO Nanorod/Carbon Cloth Electrodes.

Herein, ZnO nanorods with an average diameter of 50 nm were uniformly anchored on the surface of carbon cloth directly by a simple hydrothermal method. The nanorods growing in situ along the specific direction of (002) have single-crystalline features and a columnar structure. On the basis of the ZnO nanorod/carbon cloth composite, free-standing electrodes were fabricated for the simultaneous determination of dihydroxybenzene isomers. The ZnO nanorod/carbon cloth electrodes exhibited excellent electrochemical stability, high sensitivity, and high selectivity. The linear ranges of concentration for hydroquinone, catechol, and resorcinol were 2-30, 2-45, and 2-385 µM, respectively, and the corresponding limits of detection (S/N = 3) were 0.57, 0.81, and 7.2 µM. The outstanding sensing properties of ZnO/carbon cloth electrodes have a great promise for the development of free-standing biosensors and other electrochemical devices.

3D Printed Microfluidic Device with Microporous Mn2O3-Modified Screen Printed Electrode for Real-Time Determination of Heavy Metal Ions.

Fabricating portable devices for the determination of heavy metal ions is an ongoing challenge. Here, a 3D printing approach was adopted to fabricate a microfluidic electrochemical sensor with the desired shape in which the model for velocity profiles in microfluidic cells was built and optimized by the finite element method (FEM). The electrode in the microfluidic cell was a flexible screen-printed electrode (SPE) modified with porous Mn2O3 derived from manganese containing metal-organic framework (Mn-MOF). The microfluidic device presented superior electrochemical detection properties toward heavy metal ions. The calibration curves at the modified SPE for Cd(II) and Pb(II) covered two linear ranges varying from 0.5 to 8 and 10 to 100 µg L-1, respectively. The limits of detection were estimated to be 0.5 µg L-1 for Cd(II) and 0.2 µg L-1 for Pb(II), which were accordingly about 6 and 50 times lower than the guideline values proposed by the World Health Organization. Furthermore, the microfluidic device was connected to iPad via a USB to enable real-time household applications. Additionally, the sensing system exhibited a better stability and reproducibility compared with traditional detecting system which offered a promising prospect for the detection of heavy metal ions especially in household and resource-limited occasions.

MOF-Derived Zn-Doped CoSe2 as an Efficient and Stable Free-Standing Catalyst for Oxygen Evolution Reaction.

Developing highly active electrocatalysts with low cost and high efficiency for oxygen evolution reactions (OER) is important for the practical implementations of hydrogen energy. Here, we report a Zn-doped CoSe2 nanosheets grown on free-standing carbon fabric collector (CFC), which was synthesized by using a metal-organic framework (MOF) as precursor and followed by a selenylation process. Importantly, the Zn-doped CoSe2/CFC electrode exhibited an obviously enhanced catalytic activity for OER in 1 M KOH aqueous solution compared with CoSe2/CFC, showing a small overpotential of 356 mV for a current density of 10 mA cm-2, a small Tafel slope of 88 mV dec-1, and an excellent stability. The robust and free-standing electrode shows great potential as an economic catalyst for OER applications.

Template-Assisted Synthesis of Nickel Sulfide Nanowires: Tuning the Compositions for Supercapacitors with Improved Electrochemical Stability.

Ni nanowires were first synthesized via a chemical method without surfactants or a magnetic field. A series of nickel sulfide nanowires (Ni3S2-Ni, Ni3S2-NiS-Ni, and Ni3S2-NiS) have been successfully prepared by a controlled sacrificial template route based on the conductive Ni nanowire template. Electrochemical characterizations indicate that Ni3S2-NiS nanowires present superior redox reactivity with a high specific capacitance of 1077.3 F g(-1) at 5 A g(-1). Besides, its specific capacitance can remain about 76.3% after 10 000 cycles at 20 A g(-1). On the contrary, the nickel-preserving sulfide nanowires (Ni3S2-Ni and Ni3S2-NiS-Ni) deliver enhanced cycling stability as 100% of the initial specific capacitance of Ni3S2-Ni is retained after 10 000 cycles. The outstanding electrochemical stability can be attributed to the interaction between nickel sulfides and the conductive nickel nanowires.

Cobalt oxide nanosheets wrapped onto nickel foam for non-enzymatic detection of glucose.

Ultra-sensitive and highly selective detection of glucose is essential for the clinical diagnosis of diabetes. In this paper, an ultra-sensitive glucose sensor was successfully fabricated based on cobalt oxide (Co3O4) nanosheets directly grown on nickel foam through a simple hydrothermal method. Characterizations indicated that the Co3O4 nanosheets are completely and uniformly wrapped onto the surface of nickel foam to form a three-dimensional heterostructure. The resulting self-standing electrochemical electrode presents a high performance for the non-enzymatic detection of glucose, including short response time (<10 s), ultra-sensitivity (12.97 mA mM(-1) cm(-2)), excellent selectivity and low detection limit (0.058 µM, S/N = 3). These results indicate that Co3O4 nanosheets wrapped onto nickel foam are a low-cost, practical, and high performance electrochemical electrode for bio sensing.

Template Synthesis of Shape-Tailorable NiS2 Hollow Prisms as High-Performance Supercapacitor Materials.

Uniform NiS2 hollow nanoprisms have been controllably synthesized by a facial sacrificial template method including two-step refluxed reactions. The morphology of the hollow NiS2 prisms can be easily tailored by the low cost nickel complex template. With unique hollow structure, efficient electron, and ion transport pathway as well as single crystal structure, the NiS2 hollow prisms electrode exhibits excellent pseudocapacitive performance in LiOH electrolyte. It can deliver a specific capacitance of 1725 F g(-1) at a current density of 5 A g(-1) and 1193 F g(-1) even at a current density of 40 A g(-1). Furthermore, the materials also present an amazing cycling stability, that is, the specific capacitance can increase from 1367 F g(-1) to 1680 F g(-1) after 10,000 cycles of charge-discharge at the current density of 20 A g(-1).