Novel Pickering bigels stabilized by whey protein microgels: Interfacial properties, oral sensation and gastrointestinal digestive profiles.

In the ongoing quest to formulate sensory-rich, low-fat products that maintain structural integrity, this work investigated the potential of bigels, especially those created using innovative Pickering techniques. By harnessing the unique properties of whey protein isolate (WPI) and whey protein microgel (WPM) as interfacial stabilizers, WPM-based Pickering bigels exhibited a remarkable particle localization at the interface due to specific intermolecular interactions. The rise in protein concentration not only intensified particle coverage and interface stabilization but also amplified attributes like storage modulus, yield stress, and adhesiveness, owing to enhanced intermolecular forces and a compact gel matrix. Impressively, WPM-based Pickering bigels outshone in practical applications, showcasing exceptional oil retention during freeze-thaw cycles and extended flavor release-a promising indication for frozen food product applications. Furthermore, these bigels underwent a sensory evolution from a lubricious texture at lower concentrations to a stable plateau at higher ones, offering an enriched consumer experience. In a comparative digestibility assessment, WPM-based Pickering bigels demonstrated superior prowess in decelerating the release of free fatty acids, indicating slowed lipid digestion. This study demonstrates the potential to fine-tune oral sensations and digestive profiles in bigels by modulating Pickering particle concentrations.

Homogalacturonan enriched pectin based hydrogel enhances 6-gingerol's colitis alleviation effect via NF-κB/NLRP3 axis.

A nanolipidcarrier (NLC) loaded homogalacturonan enriched pectin (citrus modified pectin, MCP4) hydrogel was designed as a novel colon inflammation site-specific oral delivery system for 6-gingerol (6G) (6G-NLC/MCP4 hydrogel) administration, and its colitis alleviation effect were investigated. 6G-NLC/MCP4 exhibited typical "cage-like" ultrastructure with 6G-NLC embedded in the hydrogel matrix as observed by cryoscanning electron microscope. And due to the homogalacturonan (HG) domain in MCP4 specifically combined with Galectin-3, which is overexpressed in the inflammatory region, the 6G-NLC/MCP4 hydrogel targeted to severe inflammatory region. Meanwhile, the prolonged-release characteristics of 6G-NLC provided sustained release of 6G in severe inflammatory regions. The matrix of hydrogel MCP4 and 6G achieved synergistic alleviation effects for colitis through NF-κB/NLRP3 axis. Specifically, 6G mainly regulated the NF-κB inflammatory pathway and inhibited the activity of NLRP3 protein, while MCP4 regulated the expression of Galectin-3 and peripheral clock gene Rev-Erbα/ß to prevent the activation of inflammasome NLRP3.

Scoulerine promotes cell viability reduction and apoptosis by activating ROS-dependent endoplasmic reticulum stress in colorectal cancer cells.

Scoulerine, an isoquinoline alkaloid isolated from Corydalis plants, has been reported to possess potent anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic function in cancer cells. However, the effects and underlying mechanisms of scoulerine on colorectal cancer (CRC) progression remain elusive. CCK-8 and LDH assays were used to evaluate cell viability. Apoptosis was assessed by flow cytometry analysis, caspase-3/7 activity assay, and Western blot analysis of Bax, Bcl-2 and cytochrome c (Cyt C) expression. Oxidative stress level was examined by measuring reactive oxygen species (ROS) and glutathione (GSH) contents and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress activation was detected by Western blot analysis of glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78) and C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) expression. Results showed that scoulerine dose-dependently suppressed CRC cell viability. Scoulerine induced apoptosis and increased caspase-3/7 activity in CRC cells. Bax and cytosolic Cyt C expression was enhanced while Bcl-2 and mitochondrial Cyt C expression was reduced in scoulerine-treated CRC cells. Additionally, scoulerine induced oxidative damage in CRC cells by increasing ROS generation and reducing GSH content and SOD activity. Scoulerine activated ER stress, as evidenced by the increased GRP78 and CHOP expression in CRC cells. Interestingly, blocking ROS production by ROS scavenger N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) attenuated scoulerine-induced ER stress. Inhibition of ER stress by 4-phenyl butyric acid (4-PBA) abolished scoulerine-induced ROS generation in CRC cells. Blockage of ROS and ER stress attenuated scoulerine-induced cell viability reduction and apoptosis in CRC cells. In conclusion, scoulerine promoted cell viability reduction and apoptosis by activating ROS-dependent ER stress in CRC cells.

Flow Injection Photochemical Vapor Generation Coupled with Miniaturized Solution-Cathode Glow Discharge Atomic Emission Spectrometry for Determination and Speciation Analysis of Mercury.

A novel, compact, and green method was developed for the determination and speciation analysis of mercury, based on flow injection photochemical vapor generation (PVG) coupled with miniaturized solution cathode glow discharge-atomic emission spectroscopy (SCGD-AES). The SCGD was generated between a miniature hollow titanium tube and a solution emerging from a glass capillary. Cold mercury vapor (Hg(0)) was generated by PVG and subsequently delivered to the SCGD for excitation, and finally the emission signals were recorded by a miniaturized spectrograph. The detection limits (DLs) of Hg(II) and methylmercury (MeHg) were both determined to be 0.2 µg L-1. Moreover, mercury speciation analysis could also be performed by using different wavelengths and powers from the UV lamp and irradiation times. Both Hg(II) and MeHg can be converted to Hg(0) for the determination of total mercury (T-Hg) with 8 W/254 nm UV lamp and 60 s irradiation time; while only Hg(II) can be reduced to Hg(0) and determined selectively with 4 W/365 nm UV lamp and 20 s irradiation time. Then, the concentration of MeHg can be calculated by subtracting the Hg(II) from the T-Hg. Because of its similar sensitivity and DL at 8 W/254 nm, the simpler and less toxic Hg(II) was used successfully as a primary standard for the quantification of T-Hg. The novel PVG-SCGD-AES system provides not only a 365-fold improvement in the DL for Hg(II) but also a nonchromatographic method for the speciation analysis of mercury. After validating its accuracy, this method was successfully used for mercury speciation analysis of water and biological samples.

Imaging gold nanoparticles in mouse liver by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.

Imaging the size distribution of metal nanoparticles (NPs) in a tissue has important implications in terms of evaluating NP toxicity. Microscopy techniques used to image tissue NPs are limited by complicated sample preparation or poor resolution. In this study, we developed a laser ablation (LA) system coupled to single-particle inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (SP-ICP-MS) for quantitative imaging of gold (G)NPs in tissue samples. In this system, GNPs were ablated but did not disintegrate and integrate under optimised operation conditions, which were verified by characterising LA particles by scanning electron microscopy. The feasibility of imaging size distributions in tissue was validated using reference GNPs 60 and 80 nm in size on matrix-matched kidney. A transport efficiency of 6.07% was obtained by LA-SP-ICP-MS under optimal conditions. We used this system to image 80-nm GNPs in mouse liver and the size distribution thus obtained was in accordance with that determined by nebuliser SP-ICP-MS. The images revealed that 80-nm GNPs mainly accumulate in the liver and did not obviously aggregate. Our results demonstrate that LA-SP-ICP-MS is an effective tool for evaluating the size distribution of metal NPs in tissue.

Ultratrace Determination of Tin, Germanium, and Selenium by Hydride Generation Coupled with a Novel Solution-Cathode Glow Discharge-Atomic Emission Spectrometry Method.

We herein describe a novel method of hydride generation (HG) coupled to a newly designed atmospheric pressure solution-cathode glow discharge (SCGD) spectrometric technique for the ultratrace determination of tin, germanium, and selenium. In this novel SCGD process, gas introduction was permitted using a hollow titanium tube as both the anode and sampling port. In these experiments, the analytes were converted into volatile hydrides upon passing through the hydride generator, and were introduced into the near-anode region of the SCGD system, where they were detected directly by atomic emission spectrometry (AES). A significant improvement in both selectivity and sensitivity was achieved, which was reflected in an improvement in the detection limits (DLs) by 3 orders of magnitude, in addition to successful valence analysis of Se without the requirement for chromatographic separation. In the absence of a strict sample pretreatment process and with a reduction in electrolyte consumption, the detection limits of Sn, Ge, and Se were determined to be 0.8, 0.5, and 0.2 µg·L-1. Moreover, our HG-SCGD-AES system demonstrated excellent repeatability (<3% peak height relative standard deviation) and more than 2 orders of linear dynamic range. The optimal operating conditions are outlined herein, and the analytical performance of the system is evaluated as described. Furthermore, our method was applied for the analysis of Sn, Ge, and Se in both environmental and biological samples, and the obtained results were in good agreement with reference values.