Thermal stability, antioxidant activity and bioavailability of pea protein-naringin Pickering emulsion for enhanced delivery applications.

After successfully addressing to mitigate bitterness of naringin through construction Pickering emulsion using pea protein (PP) and naringin (NG) in our previous study, we now probed thermal stability, antioxidant efficacy, and bioavailability. FTIR analysis and UV-vis spectroscopy indicated predominant interactions between PP and NG were hydrogen and hydrophobic bonds. TGA and DSC analyses demonstrated that PP-NG complexes exhibited superior heat-resistance compared to pure PP and NG. Thermal stability assessments indicated a significant retention of NG in the PP-NG Pickering emulsion than the control NG across varied temperatures (4 °C, 25 °C, 37 °C, and 65 °C). Moreover, the antioxidant activity of PP-NG emulsion was dependent on the concentration of NG, as evidenced by DPPH and ABTS free radicals scavenging abilities, ferric reducing power, and lipid peroxidation resistance. Additionally, PP-NG Pickering emulsion exhibited substantially high bioavailability (92.01 ± 3.91%). These results suggest a promising avenue for the application of NG with improved characteristics.

Effects of Geographical Origin and Tree Age on the Stable Isotopes and Multi-Elements of Pu-erh Tea.

Pu-erh tea is a famous tea worldwide, and identification of the geographical origin of Pu-erh tea can not only protect manufacture's interests, but also boost consumers' confidence. However, tree age may also influence the fingerprints of Pu-erh tea. In order to study the effects of the geographical origin and tree age on the interactions of stable isotopes and multi-elements of Pu-erh tea, 53 Pu-erh tea leaves with three different age stages from three different areas in Yunnan were collected in 2023. The δ13C, δ15N values and 25 elements were determined and analyzed. The results showed that δ13C, δ15N, Mg, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Rb, Sr, Y, La, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, and Lu had significant differences among different geographical origins (p < 0.05). Mn content was significantly influenced by region and tree age interaction. Based on multi-way analysis of variance, principal component analysis and step-wised discriminant analysis, 24 parameters were found to be closely related to the geographical origin rather than tree age, and the geographical origin of Pu-erh tea can be 100.0% discriminated in cross-validation with six parameters (δ13C, δ15N, Mn, Mg, La, and Tb). The study could provide references for the establishment of a database for the traceability of Pu-erh tea, and even the identification of tea sample regions with different tree ages.

CO2 mesophyll conductance regulated by light: a review.

MAIN CONCLUSION: Light quality and intensity regulate plant mesophyll conductance, which has played an essential role in photosynthesis by controlling leaf structural and biochemical properties. Mesophyll conductance (gm), a crucial physiological factor influencing the photosynthetic rate of leaves, is used to describe the resistance of CO2 from the sub-stomatal cavity into the chloroplast up to the carboxylation site. Leaf structural and biochemical components, as well as external environmental factors such as light, temperature, and water, all impact gm. As an essential factor of plant photosynthesis, light affects plant growth and development and plays a vital role in regulating gm as well as determining photosynthesis and yield. This review aimed to summarize the mechanisms of gm response to light. Both structural and biochemical perspectives were combined to reveal the effects of light quality and intensity on the gm, providing a guide for selecting the optimal conditions for intensifying photosynthesis in plants.

Zhenqing recipe relieves diabetic nephropathy through the SIK1/SREBP-1c axis in type 2 diabetic rats.

BACKGROUND: Salt-inducible kinase 1 (SIK1) plays an important role in lipid metabolism, which inhibits lipid synthesis by directly phosphorylating multiple serine residue sites of sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1c (SREBP-1c). This study examined potential therapeutic effect of a Chinese herbal medicine Zhenqing Recipe (ZQR) and metformin on diabetic nephropathy and investigated whether the SIK1/SREBP-1c axis is involved. METHODS: The rat model of type 2 diabetes was developed by high-sucrose plus high fat diet for one month combined with low-dose Streptozocin intraperitoneal injection for three days, after which the presence of hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia was examined to validate the model. The diabetic rats were then randomly allocated to diabetic groups treated by either ZQR or metformin, and normal rats receiving normal diet were included as a control group. Metabolic parameters, renal function, and renal triglyceride were examined and compared between groups. RESULTS: After a treatment of 12 weeks, ZQR and metformin significantly reduced serum glucose and triglyceride, inhibited diabetic nephropathy and improved renal function. The mRNA level of SIK1 was significantly lower in the diabetic rats than that in the control group, while the expression of SREBP-1c had an opposite pattern. However, after receiving ZQR or metformin treatment, the SIK1 level in diabetic rats increased and the SREBP-1c level was downregulated. Consistent results were observed at the protein level. CONCLUSION: The data suggested that similar to metformin, ZQR could alleviate diabetic nephropathy through SIK1/SREBP-1c axis.

[Determination of photosynthetic pigments in citrus leaves based on hyperspectral images datas].

The effective region was segmented from the hyperspectral image of citrus leaf by threshold method with the average spectrum extracted and used to describe the corresponding leaf. Based on the different spectral pre-processing methods, the prediction models of three photosynthetic pigments (i. e., chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and carotenoid) were calibrated by partial least squares (PLS), BP neural network (BPNN) and least square support vector machine (LS-SVM). The LS-SVM model for chlorophyll a was established based on multiplicative scatter correction (MSC), and the correlation coefficient (Rp) and the root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) were 0.898 3 and 0.140 4, respectively. The LS-SVM model for chlorophyll b with Rp = 0.912 3 and RMSEP = 0.042 6, was established based on standard normal variable (SNV). The PLS model for carotenoid was established with Rp = 0.712 8 and RMSEP = 0.062 4 based on moving average smoothing (MAS), but the result was no better than the other two. The results illustrated that these three photosynthetic pigments could be nondestructively and real time estimated by hyperspectral image.

Salt-inducible kinase 1 is involved in high glucose-induced mesangial cell proliferation mediated by the ALK5 signaling pathway.

High glucose levels can induce mesangial cell proliferation and extracellular matrix (ECM) accumulation through the type I activin receptor-like kinase 5 (ALK5) signaling pathway. Salt-inducible kinase 1 (SIK1) prevents fibrosis by downregulating ALK5, while the expression level of the SIK1 protein itself is downregulated by glucose in neuronal cells following ischemia. In this study, we investigated the correlation between SIK1 and the ALK5 signaling pathway in a rat glomerular mesangial cell line (HBZY-1 cells). We found that high glucose levels downregulated the expression level of SIK1 and suppressed the phosphorylation of SIK1 at Thr-182. The downregulation of SIK1 by high glucose was accompanied by the activation of the ALK5 signaling pathway, while the overexpression of SIK1 in the HBZY-1 cells resulted in a decrease in the ALK5 protein level, as well in the levels of its downstream targets, including fibronectin and plasminogen activator inhibitor type I. In conclusion, high glucose may activate the ALK5 signaling pathway by downregulating SIK1, and SIK1 may be a protective factor against cellular proliferation and ECM accumulation in glomerular mesangial cells under high glucose conditions.