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Fructilactobacillus sanfranciscensis is extensively used in the food industry, notably for sourdough fermentation; however, its mass production is hindered by growth inhibition due to lactic acid accumulation in the medium. This study aimed to enhance the acid tolerance of F. sanfranciscensis SPC-SNU 70-4 via adaptive laboratory evolution (ALE) to improve its viability as an industrial sourdough starter. The ALE process involved sequential cultivation under progressively acidic conditions. As a result, the strain had significantly improved growth rates that were 1.4- and 1.2-fold higher than those of the parental strain at pH 6.5 and 4.1, respectively. Comparative analyses of the fermentation and metabolite profiles using GC/TOF-MS and SPME-GC/MS revealed that the evolved strain not only retained but, in some cases, enhanced the production of key metabolites essential for the flavor of bread. Sensory evaluation confirmed that the sourdough bread produced with the evolved strain maintained desirable sensory attributes comparable to those produced by the parental strain. These findings highlight the potential of the evolved F. sanfranciscensis as a robust starter culture in the food industry, particularly its enhanced tolerance to acidic environments without any compromise to the sensory quality of the resulting sourdough products., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Food-grade Pickering particles, particularly plant proteins, have attracted significant interest due to their bio-based nature, environmental friendliness, and edibility. Mulberry-leaf protein (MLP) is a high-quality protein with rich nutritional value and important functional properties. It has special amphoteric and emulsifying characteristics, making it valuable for use in Pickering emulsions. This study aimed to investigate the feasibility of using MLP nanoparticles as solid particles to stabilize Pickering emulsions., Results: The particle size of MLP nanoparticles was less than 300 nm under neutral and alkaline conditions. At pH 9, the zeta potential value reached -34.3 mV, indicating the electrostatic stability of the particles. As ion concentration increased, the particle size of MLP nanoparticles increased, and the zeta potential decreased. Throughout the storage process, no obvious aggregation or precipitation was observed in the dispersion of MLP nanoparticles, indicating strong stability. The particle size of the Pickering emulsion decreased with the increase in protein concentration. When the protein concentration was low, the particles on the oil-water interface became sparse, resulting in poor stability of the prepared emulsion and making it susceptible to aggregation and thus larger particle sizes. Increasing the oil-phase ratio to 70% (v/v) promotes the formation of Pickering emulsions, which exhibit exceptional stability when MLP nanoparticles are fixed at a concentration of 20 mg mL -1 ., Conclusion: The overall findings indicated that MLP nanoparticles have potential as food-grade materials for Pickering emulsions, marking a novel application of these nanoparticles in the food industry. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.)

Background: Pseudostellaria heterophylla, known for its significant bioactive ingredients, offers potential health benefits. Amounts of bioactive compounds of the tuberous root of cultivated Pseudostellaria heterophylla are sensitive to environmental conditions. We selected 22 sampling sites in Guizhou Province, China, a primary Pseudostellaria heterophylla planting area. We analyzed polysaccharides, water-soluble extractives, total ash and inorganic elements (Fe, Mn, Zn, Mg and Ca) in Radix Pseudostellariae, and pH, organic carbon (OC), available nitrogen (AN), available phosphorus (AP), available potassium (AK) and inorganic elements in the soil., Results: Our study revealed a substantial presence of polysaccharides (85.00-181.00 mg g -1 ), water-soluble extractives (47.52-57.63%) and total ash (1.87-3.39%) in Radix Pseudostellariae. Polysaccharides and total ash showed no sensitivity to soil pH. Radix Pseudostellariae collected from soil with pH > 7 exhibited slightly higher levels of water-soluble extractives, Mg and Ca than that from soil with pH < 5. Conversely, soil with a pH less than 5 had higher OC, AN, AP and AK contents. Water-soluble extractives in Radix Pseudostellariae were negatively correlated with soil pH but positively correlated with OC and AN., Conclusion: The results imply that the sequestration of soil nutrients over long-term Pseudostellaria heterophylla cultivation could negatively impact the accumulation of some bioactive ingredients in Radix Pseudostellariae. This study has a profound implication for enhancing the quality of Radix Pseudostellariae of artificially cultivated Pseudostellaria heterophylla. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.)

To enhance the tumor thermodynamic-chemo synergistic therapy efficacy, high loading of AIPH-Cu(II)-AQ4N Infinite Coordination Polymer nanoparticles (ICP NPs) were developed, which have high AIPH loading of 44.5 %, thermal stability, pH responsive release all therapeutic agents in the tumor tissue and lower toxicity. A long-term thermodynamic-chemo cascade tumor synergistic therapy strategy was developed with these nanoparticles. It is found ICP NPs exhibit diameters of 115.8 ± 23.7 nm, a substantial fraction of AQ4N and less 40 % of AIPH is released from ICP NPs within 70 h at pH 4.0-5.0, while the release rates of AQ4N and AIPH from ICP NPs over 72 h almost no release in normal tissues. A long-term two-stage therapeutic cascade procedure assisted by electrothermal was carried out, in which sufficient amount of AIPH maintain thermodynamic therapy 10 min at first stage and thermodynamic-chemo synergistic therapy 72 h at second stage. Under this procedure, the resulting nanoparticles demonstrate the powerful comprehensive therapeutic outcomes, small tumor entire eliminated and there is no recurrence for 60 days. Even for large tumors, the tumor inhibition rate is as high as 90 % at 16 days using lower drug dosage. This study offers remarkable potential for tumor cascade synergistic therapy in future., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Bigels in which the cationic polymer -chitosan- is combined with an anionic polymer -karaya gum, pectin or xanthan gum- were prepared. These polymers, thanks to the attraction of their charged surface groups, are liable to form a polyelectrolyte complex that would modify the characteristics of the bigel. The obtained bigels were subsequently freeze-dried and tested to study their behavior against different conditions occurring in the vaginal environment. Swelling and drug release profiles have been evaluated in a medium that simulates the ordinary vaginal conditions and simulating the conditions after ejaculation. Thanks to the formation of polyelectrolyte complexes, the bigel is able to provide a pH-independent sustained drug release. However, when one of the polymers predominates, the release of the active ingredient turns out to be pH-dependent -which can also be beneficial in some therapeutic applications-. It has been proved that the inclusion of a higher percentage of chitosan in the bigel improves its mechanical properties, while the mucoadhesivity of the system can be improved by increasing the anionic polymer. The versatility of these systems in modulating their physicochemical properties, provides a substantial advantage over the formulations currently available on the market for vaginal drug delivery., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Biologically engineered nanogels formed through sophisticated intramolecular crosslinking processes represent the forefront of next-generation drug delivery systems. These innovative systems offer many advantages, like adjustable size, satisfactory biocompatibility, and minimal toxicity. Their unique attributes facilitate deep penetration and long-term retention of drugs in tumors, effectively enhancing the anti-tumor effects. Nonetheless, the rapid disintegration of nanogels and the subsequent triggering of drug release at the tumor site pose significant challenges in achieving more effective and precise tumor treatments. Therefore, increasing research has been dedicated to exploring stimulus-responsive nanogels for enhancing tumor therapy. This review aims to encapsulate the research advancements in emerging stimulus-responsive antitumor nanogels. Firstly, a detailed exposition is provided on various endogenous stimulus-responsive nanogels, encompassing factors such as pH, hypoxia, enzymes, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and glutathione (GSH). Secondly, various nanogels triggered by exogenous stimuli such as light, ultrasound, temperature, and magnetic fields are elaborately presented. Furthermore, nanogels with multifaceted stimulus-responsive properties are also skillfully designed. Finally, the future directions, application prospects, and challenges of intelligent responsive nanogels in cancer treatment are highlighted., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Gastrointestinal (GI) changes may alter drug absorption, potentially impacting both efficacy and safety of oral pharmacotherapy. However, the GI physiology is rarely studied in the aging population. This study aimed to explore GI transit time and pH in geriatric inpatients and older adults, and compare these findings with those from young volunteers., Methods: A prospective study was performed in geriatric inpatients and community-dwelling adults aged ≥ 75 years. GI transit and intraluminal pH were assessed by using a wireless motility capsule system. Participants' data were pooled with those from a previous study in healthy young volunteers (n = 11). Multivariable linear regression models were developed to identify explanatory variables for GI transit time and pH value., Results: We recruited 30 subjects (median age 80 [interquartile range (IQR) = 77-83] years). When compared to young volunteers (median age 21 [20-33]) years), geriatric inpatients (N = 8) exhibited prolonged gastric emptying times (median = 0.63 h [IQR = 0.32-0.86 h] vs median = 2.98 h [IQR = 1.50-20.35 h], p < 0.01). Community-dwelling older adults (N = 22) did not demonstrate delayed gastric emptying (median = 0.42 h [IQR = 0.36-0.53 h]; p = 0.85. Proton pump inhibitors (PPI) use was associated with increased gastric pH (median pH = 3.75 [IQR = 1.69-4.96] vs. non-PPI median pH = 1.28[IQR = 1.01-1.70]; p < 0.01) in the pooled analysis. The total older cohort had significantly lower small intestine pH compared to young group (median pH = 6.8 vs. 7.2; p < 0.01)., Conclusion: Older age did not necessarily alter GI physiology with respect to gastric emptying time and luminal pH values. Only geriatric inpatients exhibited delayed gastric emptying of the motility capsule as compared to young volunteers, while community-dwelling older adults did not. Prevalent PPI use in the aging population led to higher gastric pH levels, with substantial intersubject variability., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Biological acidification and bioprotection are interesting tools to overcome some problems of climate change and fit some consumer requirements for fresher wine styles. Juices of Airén (Vitis vinifera L.) were fermented by Lachancea thermotolerans (Lt) and Metschnikowia pulcherrima (Mp) starters and compared with Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Sc). Fermentations were monitored and wines were analysed for standard parameters and volatile fractions by SPE-GC-MS. Wines were evaluated by an experienced tasting panel. All ferments reached dryness with lower volatile acidity and lower ethanol than the control. All strains of Lt used for biological acidification reduced the pH values of wines (pH 3.25-3.56) more than chemical acidification with 1.5 g/L of tartaric acid (pH 3.64). Wines were characterised by different total acidity and volatile composition according to the yeasts used. Lt and Mp produced wines with higher perception of freshness and acidity than Sc control, probably elicited by the higher production of lactic acid complemented with higher contents of succinic acid (+0.2-0.6 g/L). Overall, the results showed that bioacidification is a practical alternative to chemical acidification to cope with either climate change or consumer demand for fresher wine styles., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this article. Antonio Morata Full Professor of Food Technology., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

This study aimed to assess the growth of spoilage bacteria in Brazilian vacuum-packed beef across different pH ranges (5.4-5.8, 5.8-6.1, ≥6.1) stored at temperatures of 0 °C, 4 °C, and 7 °C. Additionally, the research sought to identify predominant spoilage bacteria at the genus level using 16S rDNA gene sequencing and analyze the principal volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced by this microbiota through HS-SPME/GC-MS. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) consistently exhibited counts exceeding 6.0 Log CFU/g, regardless of temperature and pH conditions. The bacterial diversity in the meat samples reflected the influence of slaughterhouse environments, with Pseudomonas and Serratia remaining dominant across different cuts and pH levels. Post-storage, variations in pH and temperature modulated the initial bacterial diversity, leading to a reduction in diversity and an increase in LAB such as Lactobacillus, Lactococcus, Leuconostoc, and Carnobacterium. Notably, these changes were observed within pH ranges of 5.4-5.8 and 5.8-6.1, irrespective of beef cuts and storage temperatures. Based on high throughput sequencing and VOCS, correlation analysis revealed a relationship between the growth of specific spoilage microorganisms under vacuum conditions and the presence of VOCs such as alcohols (e.g., 1-propanol, 2-methyl-) and ketones (e.g., 2-nonanone, 2-octanone, 2-heptanone), identifying them as potential indicators of spoilage bacteria growth., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This study investigated the heat resistance of Bacillus cereus spores (as well as spores in intact biofilm) in two types of Korean fermented soybean foods and presumed the potential key parameters (physicochemical and nutritional properties) associated with their heat resistance. For example, the D 100°C -values of B. cereus ATCC 10987 and CH3 spores with strong heat resistance and prolific biofilm-forming capability were compared in various Jjigae-type (Cheonggukjang jjigae, Doenjang jjigae, and Gochujang jjigae) and Jang-type (Cheonggukjang, Doenjang, and Gochujang) foods commonly consumed in Korea. The D 100°C -values of planktonic spores were significantly different depending on the type of food, that is, Jang and Jjigae. Compared with Jjigae-type foods, a higher heat resistance of B. cereus spores was found in Jang-type foods (particularly Doenjang and Gochujang) with low water activity and high salinity. In Jjigae-type foods, spore heat resistance showed a positive correlation with the pH of Jjigaes, indicating that an acidic environment weakens the spores. A negative correlation between the total fat content and spore heat resistance was found in Jjigae-type foods but not in Jang-type foods. Meanwhile, regarding the heat resistance of B. cereus spores in intact biofilm, the D 100°C -values were significantly higher (up to 6.5-fold) than those of planktonic spores in all Jjigae-type foods. The slightly acidic pH and amount of carbohydrates are likely related to the large formation of extracellular polymeric substances and strong heat resistance of B. cereus spores in biofilm. This study may provide a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between the key parameters of foods and heat resistance of B. cereus spores with or without intact biofilm and methods to control their risks in different types of fermented soybean foods., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Raw milk is considered a high-risk source of Campylobacter due to faecal contamination from healthy cattle and farm environments, thus linking raw milk consumption to global outbreaks. Detection of Campylobacter in raw milk poses challenges due to low contamination levels and antibacterial properties of the milk. Culture-based protocols for Campylobacter detection in milk vary, mainly with regard to pH adjustment and the choice of enrichment broth. This European collaborative study was organised by the EU Reference Laboratory (EURL) for Campylobacter together with eight EU National Reference Laboratories (NRL) for Campylobacter with the purpose to evaluate methods for culture-based detection of Campylobacter in raw cow's milk. The study was divided into two parts, an interlaboratory part and an intralaboratory part, both organised around the same two protocols. The aim of protocol 1 was to evaluate the impact of pH adjustment and storage of the milk on the culturability of Campylobacter over time. Aliquots of the spiked milk were adjusted either to pH 7.0 or pH 7.6 or left unadjusted. The milk was stored up to 48 h at refrigerated temperature and Campylobacter was quantified according to ISO 10272-2 on day 0, 1 and 2. The aim of protocol 2 was to evaluate which enrichment broth, Bolton broth (BB) or Preston broth (PB), showed highest sensitivity in detection of Campylobacter. The spiked milk was enriched in BB and PB as described in ISO 10272-1:2017 or ISO 10272-1:2017/Amd1.2023. In the interlaboratory part, each milk batch was collected locally by each participating NRL/EURL and inoculated with the same Campylobacter strain. In the follow-up intralaboratory part, the EURL-Campylobacter repeated the tests in protocol 1 and 2 but used different Campylobacter strains and strains subjected to thermal stress prior to inoculation. The results show that pH adjustment of raw milk has a negligible impact on culture-based detection of Campylobacter, regardless of strain and level of environmental stress. The composition of milk and properties of the inoculated strain influence culture-based detection of Campylobacter over storage time, and strains subjected to additional stress prior to inoculation in milk are reduced in culturability much faster than the same strains prepared under normal conditions. Finally, the study showed that PB without Campylobacter growth supplement is less effective than BB in detecting Campylobacter in raw milk., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Healthy non-bovine functional dairy products are reaching high interest among consumers. In the present study, an aqueous polyphenol-rich Moringa oleifera extract (MoE) and a Bifidobacterium strain of human origin (B. pseudolongum INIA P2) were added, alone or in combination, for the manufacture of three experimental and one control sheep milk cheeses. In general, addition of 2.05 g of lyophilized MoE per 100 g of curd did not affect cheese dry matter or lactococci starter counts during ripening. B. pseudolongum INIA P2 showed good viability in cheese during ripening, and after simulated major gastrointestinal conditions, reaching levels above 7 log CFU / g of cheese. Cheeses with MoE showed lower pH, higher proteolysis and aminopeptidase activity than control cheese. MoE impoved functional properties, significantly (P < 0.01) increasing total phenolic content (TPC) and, especially, antioxidant capacity, with respect to control cheese. MoE modified cheese colour and volatile profile. Cheeses with MoE were darker in colour with higher red and yellow components than control cheese. Several volatile compounds were only detected in cheeses with MoE, indicating their plant origin. On top of that, increased levels of compounds originating from amino acid catabolism were present in these cheeses, as a result of their higher proteolytic and peptidolytic indexes. The symbiotic cheese with MoE and B. pseudolongum INIA P2 could confer beneficial effects on consumers' health by increasing polyphenol bioavailability and contributing to the host antioxidant capacity., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This paper details the preparation of acrylamide-based supermacroporous cryogels and their application in removing lysozyme from aqueous solutions. N-Vinyl imidazole was copolymerized with acrylamide as a comonomer to impart pseudo-specificity to the cryogels, forming poly(AAm-VIM) cryogel. Characterization studies to assess the physical and chemical properties of the synthesized cryogels involved swelling tests, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), elemental analysis, Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA-DTA). To ascertain the optimal conditions for the adsorption process, pH 9.0 (TRIS buffer) was selected for lysozyme adsorption, using the parametres such as initial concentration screening, ionic strength, temperature, and column flow rate. The Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models were analyzed to assess the adsorption parameters mathematically. The regression coefficient results indicated that lysozyme adsorption aligned more closely with the Langmuir isotherm model. The adsorption process is considered to be thermodynamically physical and spontaneous. SDS-PAGE analysis assessed the purity of lysozyme isolated from an aqueous solution using a poly(AAm-VIM) cryogel column. The inertness and regeneration capacity of poly(AAm-VIM) cryogel affinity columns were assessed using reusability studies conducted during the adsorption-desorption cycle., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Paddy soil is recognized as a hotspot for mercury (Hg) transformation. Soil acid-base property (expressed as pH) plays a crucial role in Hg methylation and accumulation in paddy systems. However, it is challenging to study this process in soils with varying pH values due to the rarity of a single soil type spanning a wide pH range. Purple paddy soil, vital for rice cultivation in southwestern China, occurs naturally in three types based on pH: acidic, neutral, and calcareous. This variation makes purple paddy soil an ideal subject for these studies. Thus, this study investigated Hg transformation and bioaccumulation across these three purple soil types. The results showed that during the rice growing seasons, both methylmercury (MeHg) concentration and methylation potential were higher in acidic purple paddy soil than in neutral and calcareous types. In addition, total mercury (THg) and MeHg concentrations in plant tissues grown in acidic purple paddy soil were significantly higher than in other two purple soil types. These results suggest that acidic purple paddy soil was conducive to Hg methylation and accumulation in rice plants. Given that soil acidification is becoming a serious global issue, the findings could offer fundamental data on the potential risk of Hg exposure due to soil acidification., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

To retard starch retrogradation and improve bread quality, a novel maltotetraose-forming amylase (AhMFA) from Atopomonas hussainii was expressed in Komagataella phaffii. After high cell density fermentation, the enzyme activity reached a maximum level of 3032 U mL -1 . AhMFA showed optimal activity at pH 6.0 and 55 °C, respectively. After raw wheat starch was treated with AhMFA at 55 °C for 1 h, the relative crystallinity decreased from 24.5 % to 20.8 % without changing the A-type crystalline pattern. The side chain components with A, B1 and B2 chains were reduced to 27.5 %, 44.9 %, and 13.8 %, respectively. The retrogradation enthalpy of wheat starch decreased significantly by 67.8 %. Moreover, the decreased Mixolab parameters (C5 and C5 - C4) indicated that AhMFA reduced starch retrogradation of wheat dough. After addition of AhMFA (3 ppm), the specific volume of bread increased by 29.5 % and its hardness decreased by 46.1 % compared to the control. The AhMFA-added bread exhibited good anti-staling properties with 43.7 % less hardness than the control after storage at 4 °C for 4 days. This study provided a novel maltotetraose-forming amylase for starch modification to retard retrogradation and improve bread quality., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

To address the main challenges for thoracoscopic lung cancer surgery, including persistent pulmonary air leaks and cancer recurrence, this study developed an in-situ adhesive that can effectively adhere to the lung and release the anticancer drug in response to pH. The adhesive was formulated using hydrophobically modified cold-water fish skin gelatin (hm-CFG) and cross-linking agent pullulan dialdehyde (PDA), in which succinic dihydrazide-modified doxorubicin (SDH-DOX) can be incorporated. Utilizing PDA could improve both cohesion and interfacial adhesion, while also offering drug-loading sites through the aldehyde groups that were not involved in cross-linking. The optimal adhesive formulation was 9C10-CFG/PDA (30 w/v% 9 mol% decanal modified CFG/20 w/v% PDA). The 9C10-CFG/PDA adhesive exhibited suitable cohesive strength, good mechanical flexibility (tensile strain over 170 %), and strong interface adhesion. The burst strength of 9C10-CFG/PDA adhesive (131.5 ± 22.2 mm Hg) was almost 6-fold higher than that of commercial fibrin sealant. In a rat pneumothorax model, 9C10-CFG/PDA adhesive displayed favorable wound-sealing properties, as evidenced by CT imaging and restored rat behavior. When combined with the anticancer drug, SDH-DOX@Adhesive could release the drug in response to pH more gradually than DOX@Adhesive. This dual-action adhesive is anticipated to mitigate post-surgical occurrences of lung air leaks and cancer recurrence., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

To surmount the limitation of the instability of the currently reported water-in-water (W/W) emulsions, novel W/W emulsionss were constructed using amylopectin (AMP) and tara gum (TG) as the phases, and differently shaped ovalbumin (OVA) particles were used as stabilizers to improve the stability of W/W emulsions. Experiments displayed that the conformation of OVA could be changed by heating treatment, thus forming fibrous or spherical OVA particles that had the potential to stabilize TG-in-AMP (TG/AMP) emulsions. The emulsions had the best stability when the pH was 4 and the concentration of OVA particles was 3 %. Moreover, since ovalbumin fibril (OVAF) had better adsorption at the water-water interface than ovalbumin sphere (OVAS), OVAF-stabilized TG/AMP emulsion (OF-TE) had a relatively denser interfacial layer and exhibited more satisfactory ionic stability and physical stability than OVAS-stabilized TG/AMP emulsion (OS-TE). The rheological results demonstrated that OVAF and OVAS had little effect on the viscosity of TG/AMP emulsions. In brief, OVAF was more effective in improving the stability of TG/AMP emulsions than OVAS, and OF-TE did not show phase separation for at least 5 days. This study may be of great significance in improving the stability of food-grade W/W emulsions., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflict of interest and no competing financial interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Fucoxanthin (FX) has various excellent biological properties but suffers from poor bioavailability. In this work, we build a bionic cell wall model using TEMPO (2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperidinyloxy)-oxidized cellulose. The bionic cell wall enhances the environmental stability of the liposomes and serves as a pH-responsive mechanism. The coating processes protect the structure of liposomes and fucoxanthin under the acidic conditions of the stomach. The bionic cell wall disperses and releases the fucoxanthin in simulated intestinal fluid (SIF). Overall, the protective and release capabilities highlight the potential of cellulose in a bionic cell wall model and provide diversity for the structural design of carriers for delivering functional bioactive components., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In this work, composite biopolymer foams from chitosan and whey isolate protein amyloid fibrils were prepared for the removal of phthalate esters from water. Natural aldehyde functionalization enhanced the affinity for dibutyl phthalate (DBP), with citral being the most effective. The citral-grafted foams (WCGC) had tunable hydrophobicity, strong mechanical properties, and good water stability. WCGC1.5 foam exhibited a high removal efficiency (96.06 %) of DBP. The adsorption process reached adsorption equilibrium rapidly within 8 h and could be described by pseudo-second-order kinetic and Freundlich isotherm models, indicating a non-homogeneous and chemisorptive sorption process. The maximum adsorption capacity for DBP reached 332.42 mg/g. Moreover, DBP adsorption could be enhanced in alkaline environment and the removal efficiency increased to 98.27 % at pH 10. The removal efficiency of DBP by WCGC1.5 remained above 85 % after the five adsorption-desorption cycles. WCGC1.5 also showed broad-spectrum adsorption behavior, with strong affinity and removal efficiency for six common plasticizers, including DIBP (85.97 %), DPP (91.7 %), DHXP (99.1 %), DEHP (99.09 %), DNOP (91.6 %) and BBP (89.88 %)., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest No conflicts of interest are declared for any of the authors., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Antarctic krill oil (AKO) possesses potent bioactivities but has limited applications in the food industry due to its poor stability, strong off-flavor, and low bioavailability of contained astaxanthin. In this study, Antarctic krill protein isolate (AKPI) was separated from processing by-product of krill and utilized as a novel wall material via complexing it with gum Arabic (GA) to improve the limitations of AKO. The strong complex coacervation reaction between AKPI and GA was occurred at the pH of 3.8 and the ratio AKPI-to-GA of 3:1, while electrostatic interaction and hydrogen-bond interaction were determined to be the main driving forces of such reaction. The ratio wall-to-core was confirmed as 1:0.75 after comprehensively assessing the effect of AKO content on the various properties of AKPI-GA coacervated microcapsules, while the wall material concentration and pH were optimized at 1 % and 3.8, respectively. The obtained solid AKO microcapsules exhibited the encapsulation efficiency of 80.22 %. AKPI-GA coacervated microcapsules extremely masked the odor of AKO and achieved the controlled-release of AKO in the gastrointestinal tract. Meanwhile, the encapsulated AKO displayed higher astaxanthin retention and oxidative stability compared with non-encapsulated AKO during storage., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In this study, we investigate the integration of the enzyme creatinine deiminase into solid-state nanopore walls through electrostatic assembly for the development of creatinine sensors. In these asymmetric single nanochannels, ionic transport is determined by the surface charge inside the channel, resulting in diode-like behavior that rectifies ionic current. The efficiency of such rectification depends on the surface charge density. In the presence of creatinine, the enzymatic reaction generates ammonium, leading to an increase in local pH near the channel, which can be detected through changes in transmembrane ionic transport response. Changes in rectification efficiency can be well correlated with the analyte concentration, allowing for a detection limit of 5 nM creatinine. Furthermore, this solid-state nanopore-based device is capable of sensing in diluted urine samples, showing a good linear correlation between the response and the logarithm of the creatinine concentration over a wide range of concentrations (50 nM-100 μM). These results demonstrate the potential of systems based on the integration of enzymes that induce pH changes and solid-state nanopores for the development of biomarker sensors capable of operating in complex real samples., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Catalytic oxidation of 3,3',5,5'-Tetramethylbenzidine (TMB, an excellent chromogenic substrate) at neutral pH is critically important for amplified bioanalysis. Although some nanozymes exhibited the peroxidase activity at neutral pH, it is difficult to modulate their activity for homogeneous detection of biomolecules. In this work, we developed a redox-mediated dsDNA-dye photooxidase mimic that enables catalytic oxidation of TMB by dissolved O 2 at neutral pH for improved biosensing. During illumination, the double-stranded DNA-SYBR Green I (dsDNA-SG) photogenerated singlet oxygen ( 1 O 2 ) can oxidized Mn 2+ to Mn 3+ that can efficiently oxidize TMB to produce a distinct blue within 4 min under neutral conditions. The catalytic oxidation of TMB can be readily modulated by the formation or dissociation of dsDNA during the sensing. After investigating a series of redox mediators, we found that only the Mn 3+ /Mn 2+ redox mediator can lead to the oxidation of TMB at neutral pH. The maximum reaction rate of Mn 2+ -mediated dsDNA-SG photooxidase mimic under neutral conditions (pH 7.0) was 1.7 × 10 -4  mM/s, even higher than that of horseradish peroxidase (HRP, 8.0 × 10 -5  mM/s). The redox-mediated dsDNA-SG photooxidase mimic was used for detection of APE1 at pH 7.0 with over 130-fold higher sensitivity than that at 4.0, owing to the high enzymatic activity of APE1 at neutral pH. Meanwhile, we further extended this photooxidase mimic for the sensitive detection of DNA (LOD, 8 pM) and heavy metal ions at neutral pH. The redox-mediated dsDNA-dye photooxidase mimic with the ease of modulating its enzymatic activity and working at neutral pH is quite appealing for biosensing., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In this article, we present the first instance of depositing WTe x -sensitive films with varying thicknesses (3, 4, and 5 nm) onto flexible polyimide substrates using radio-frequency sputtering. These films were used to create an extended-gate field-effect transistor (EGFET) for pH sensing and detecting procalcitonin (PCT) in the sera of patients with sepsis or bacterial infections. Among the films, the 4 nm WTe x film exhibited high sensitivity (59.57 mV/pH), minimal hysteresis (∼0.8 mV), and a low drift rate (0.14 mV/h). Additionally, this WTe x -based EGFET sensor retained a pH sensitivity of 59.2 mV/pH even after 180 days of operation and exhibited excellent mechanical flexibility, enduring 500 bending cycles without degradation. Moreover, PCT antibodies, activated using 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-carbodiimide and N-hydroxysuccinimide, were immobilized on the WTe x film functionalized with 3-aminopropyl triethoxysilane. This effective immobilization enabled the specific binding of PCT antigens. The WTe x -based EGFET biosensor demonstrated high sensitivity (18.12 mV/pC PCT ) across a wide dynamic range (1 fg/mL to 1 μg/mL). Furthermore, the PCT concentrations in patient sera, whether from individuals with or without sepsis or bacterial infections, measured by our biosensor were comparable to results obtained using clinical enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Rationale: The study of inherent stability characteristics of drugs has been advocated to be important by various regulatory agencies like the ICH, USFDA, and others. The current work was envisaged to investigate the forced degradation profile of the drug ivacaftor under ICH-prescribed stress conditions, identification of its potential degradants, and postulation of the degradation routes for their generation., Methods: The stress degradation studies were performed on the drug as per the ICH guideline Q1A(R2). A UPLC-photodiode array-based chromatographic method was developed to satisfactorily resolve the drug from its degradation products, validated in accordance with various ICH prescribed parameters, and assessed for its BAGI practicality index. The degradation products were identified and characterized by UPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS studies., Results: The drug was found to significantly degrade under conditions of alkaline hydrolytic stress and it was found to be stable under all other stressor environments including acid/neutral hydrolytic, photolytic, thermal, and oxidative stress. Four alkaline hydrolytic degradation products (I-IV) were revealed by UPLC-QTOF-MS studies which were well-resolved from the drug over a C18 UPLC column by the developed UPLC-PDA method. The detection wavelength was selected as 310 nm. Characterization of the four degradation products (I-IV) was carried out by their mass spectral data and their respective degradation routes were elucidated., Conclusions: A UPLC-PDA method was developed and validated for ivacaftor and its practicality BAGI index was computed. Four alkaline hydrolytic degradation products of ivacaftor were revealed through UPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS studies and corresponding degradation routes were elucidated., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Enzymatic browning caused by polyphenol oxidases, tyrosinase and laccase, continues to be one of the main problems in winemaking. Therefore, wineries are very interested in studying the mechanisms of browning and procedures for decreasing the use sulphur dioxide. This research proposes a model to study tyrosinase activity from grape must using different substrates: one monophenol (p-hydroxybenzoic acid), two diphenols (caftaric acid and (-)-epicatechin) and one triphenol (gallic acid). The kinetic constants of tyrosinase, Vmax and K M , indicate that caftaric acid is the best substrate for tyrosinase, followed in decreasing order by (-)-epicatechin, gallic acid and p-hydroxybenzoic acid. This last acid does not appear to be susceptible to browning by the action of grape must tyrosinase. The influence of pH, temperature and ethanol on grape must tyrosinase were also determined and the results indicate that tyrosinase Vmax increases when pH and temperature are higher and that the presence of ethanol reduces it., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

This study presents a novel and selective method for the determination of l-asparagine in diverse potato varieties under various storage conditions. L-asparagine levels serve as a crucial indicator for acrylamide formation, a hazardous substance in processed potato products. The fluorometric method utilized blue-emitting CDs (B-CDs), orange-emitting CDs (O-CDs), and the enzyme L-asparaginase for ratiometric detection of L-asparagine. Upon enzymatic hydrolysis of L-asparagine by L-asparaginase, liberated ammonia induced a pH increase in the reaction medium. This pH shift enhanced the fluorescence of B-CDs while simultaneously decreasing that of O-CDs, enabling sensitive and selective L-asparagine quantification. Comprehensive characterization of the CDs was performed using various spectroscopic techniques and transmission electron microscopy. The method demonstrated excellent sensitivity (LOD = 0.31 μM) and a wide linear range (1.0-50.0 μM). When the method was applied to potato samples, high recovery values (98.00-100.33 %) with low relative standard deviations (RSDs) were achieved, confirming the accuracy and precision of the method. The approach was employed to determine L-asparagine levels in three potato varieties (Lady Rosetta, Spunta, and Nicola) under different storage temperatures and durations. This method provides a valuable tool for monitoring L-asparagine content in potatoes, potentially aiding in the mitigation of acrylamide formation during processing. The robust performance and simplicity of the proposed technique make it suitable for routine analysis in both research and industrial applications within the potato industry., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Oral administration of astaxanthin (AST), a potent antioxidant, is limited owing to its low solubility, physicochemical stability, and bioavailability. This study developed pH-responsive nanocarriers by the electrostatic self-assembly of 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyradical (TEMPO)-oxidized cellulose nanofibers (TCNFs) and chitosan (CS) to enhance the intestinal delivery of AST. The TCNF/CS@AST nanoparticles were optimized through single-factor experiments and Box-Behnken design, subsequently overcoming the hydrophobicity of AST and demonstrating improved stability against environmental stressors and controlled release in the intestinal environment. Transmission electron microscopy confirmed the near-spherical shape of these nanoparticles, with an average hydrodynamic diameter of 64 nm. TCNF/CS@AST enhanced the antioxidant effectiveness of AST after digestion and in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells while demonstrating good cellular compatibility. These nanoparticles present a promising strategy for the oral delivery of hydrophobic bioactive compounds orally, with potential applications in precision nutrition., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have influenced the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

A novel fluorometric method for the determination of L-asparaginase, an enzyme crucial in cancer therapy and food industry applications, is presented. This sensitive and selective approach utilizes L-asparagine and two pH-sensitive carbon dots (blue-N-CDs and red-N-CDs) as probes. The interaction between L-asparagine and L-asparaginase liberates ammonia, causing an increase in pH. This pH change simultaneously decreases the fluorescence of blue-N-CDs while enhancing the emission of red-N-CDs, enabling ratiometric detection of L-asparaginase. Comprehensive characterization of both carbon dots and investigation of their response mechanism towards L-asparaginase were conducted using ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry, fluorescence spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) imaging techniques. The designed approach demonstrates outstanding linearity (20 to 2000 U L -1 ) and a low detection limit (6.95 U L -1 ) for L-asparaginase quantification. Moreover, when tested to human serum samples, the detection system exhibits outstanding selectivity and high recovery rates (96.15% to 99.75%) with low standard deviation, underscoring its suitability for practical implementation in clinical diagnostics., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Tracing copper ions levels in the environment and subcellular microenvironment is crucial due to the key role copper ions play in physiological and pathological processes. Herein, a novel naphthalimide-fused rhodamine probe Rh-Naph-Cu was prepared through modification with phenylhydrazine to produce a closed and non-fluorescent spirolactam. Based on the copper-induced spirolactam ring-opening and hydrolysis process, Rh-Naph-Cu can be employed as a fluorescence off-on probe for copper ions with high selectivity, high sensitivity (limit of detection: 33.0 nM), broad pH-response range (pH: 5.0-10.0), and color change visible with the naked eye. Rh-Nap-Cu could be made into test strips for the in-situ chromogenic detection of Cu 2+ . Significantly, Rh-Naph-Cu can be utilized for the detection of copper ions in living HeLa cells and zebrafish, and exhibits excellent lysosomal-targeting ability with high Pearson's correlation coefficient (PCC) of 0.96., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Natural pigments are an indicator component in the freshness indicator, which is advantageous due to their safety, renewability, and low cost. However, freshness indicator with natural pigments as pH indicators has the problems of low stability and the color rendering domain could not effectively cover the shelf life of food. This paper describes the types and structures of natural pigments commonly used in freshness indicators and their color change mechanisms under different pH conditions. Also, the preparation methods of natural pigments freshness indicators are reviewed. Based on the current limitations and shortcomings faced by natural pigments freshness indicators, this paper highlights optimization strategies to enhance their sensitivity and stability, including modification, co-pigmentation, natural pigments mixing, encapsulation, and metal-ion complexation. The exploitation of these optimization strategies can help develop natural pigment-based intelligent packaging with superior performance to meet the food industry's needs for quality and safety monitoring., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Pectin-chitosan hydrogels with blends of low (50-190 kDa) and medium (310-395 KDa) molecular weight (MW) chitosan (LC and MC, respectively) were developed, and their characteristics were investigated before and after the encapsulation of an aqueous strawberry extract. The pectin to total chitosan mass ratio, the composition of the strawberry extract and the MW of chitosan greatly affected the interactions between pectin and chitosan at different pH values. More specifically, blends of low and medium MW chitosan improved the stability of the strawberry-gels in acidic conditions compared to their corresponding MC-gels, showed better flow and texture profiles, as well as slower release of phenolic compounds during in vitro digestion compared to the only stable LC-gel. Therefore, by manipulating the length range of chitosan chains would allow the formation of pectin-chitosan hydrogels with improved properties for the development of functional food products., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Katleen Raes reports financial support was provided by ERA-NET BlueBio Cofund. Johan Robbens reports financial support was provided by ERA-NET BlueBio Cofund. Katleen Raes reports financial support was provided by Research Foundation Flanders. Johan Robbens reports financial support was provided by Research Foundation Flanders. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This study aimed to determine the impact of low-temperature plasma (LTP) on the protein stability and composition in surimi rinsing wastewater (SRW). When SRW (300 mL) was treated with LTP at a power of 420 W and a flow rate of 1.1 L/min for 106 s, the protein precipitation was 76.04 %, the pH was close to the estimated value of the isoelectric point (pI). In comparison with the pI precipitation treatment, non-precipitated proteins in the SRW after LTP precipitation treatment showed significant changes in amino acids susceptible to oxidation but had minor changes in the hydrophobic amino acid content. LTP showed a markedly differentiated response to the different protein types in the SRW, increasing the relative amounts of several enzyme proteins in the non-precipitated protein. The combined effect of the active ingredients provided by LTP on protein conformation and hydrophobic interactions may be responsible for this 'screening' phenomenon., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The fixed dose combination of Rosuvastatin and ezetimibe has recently received approval from the FDA for the treatment of elevated levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in adults. Herein, an eco-friendly and highly sensitive spectrofluorimetric method was developed and validated for simultaneous determination of rosuvastatin and ezetimibe in commercial capsules. The developed method involved synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy combined with second derivative spectroscopy to resolve the overlapping fluorescence spectra of rosuvastatin and ezetimibe. The studied drugs were measured in synchronous mode at Δλ of 40 and their recorded synchronous fluorescence spectra were derivatized into second-order spectra, enabling the selective quantification of rosuvastatin and ezetimibe at 370 nm and 312 nm, respectively. Optimization studies regarding to the influence of buffer pH, incorporation of surfactant, choice of diluting solvent, and synchronous Δλ were carried out. The method was validated using the validation characteristics listed in ICH Q2(R1). The calibration curves displayed satisfactory linear relationships across the calibration range of 0.1-2 µg/mL for rosuvastatin and 0.05-3 µg/mL for ezetimibe. The methodology demonstrated robustness to minor modifications in the procedural parameters and selectivity in quantifying the studied drugs in synthetic mixed solutions and commercial capsules without interference. Furthermore, the level of environmental friendliness and sustainability of the suggested spectrofluorimetric approach was assessed in relation to two previously documented methodologies utilizing the AGREE metric. The findings indicated that the suggested method demonstrated a notably superior level of sustainability in comparison to the documented methods., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Iron-based chemodynamic therapy (CDT) exhibits commendable biocompatibility and selectivity, but its efficacy is constrained by the intracellular pH of tumors. To overcome this obstacle, we constructed a silica delivery platform loaded with autophagy-inducing reagents (rapamycin, RAPA) and iron-based Fenton reagents (Fe 3 O 4 ). This platform was utilized to explore a novel strategy that leverages autophagy to decrease tumor acidity, consequently boosting the effectiveness of CDT. Both in vitro and in vivo experiments revealed that RAPA prompted the generation of acidic organelles (e.g., autophagic vacuoles and autophagosomes), effectively changing the intracellular pH in the tumor microenvironment. Furthermore, RAPA-induced tumor acidification significantly amplified the efficacy of Fe 3 O 4 -based Fenton reactions, consequently increasing the effectiveness of Fe 3 O 4 -based CDT. This innovative approach, which leverages the interplay between autophagy induction and iron-based CDT, shows promise in overcoming the limitations posed by tumor pH, thus offering a more efficient approach to tumor treatments., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The clinical translation of the anticancer drug β-lapachone (LAP) has been limited by the narrow therapeutic window. Stimuli-responsive anticancer drug delivery systems have gained tremendous attention in recent years to alleviate adverse effects and enhance therapeutic efficacy. Here, we report a dual pH- and enzyme-responsive nanocarrier to address the above issue of LAP. In detail, the epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and ferric ions were employed to engineer nanoscale ferric ion-polyphenol complexes where LAP was physically encapsulated therein. The coordination bond between Fe 3+ and the catechol moiety of EGCG was sensitive to the low pH, enabling the triggered cargo release in the acidic endosomes/lysosomes. Afterward, the released LAP was activated by the overexpressed NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) and ferroptosis suppressor protein 1 (FSP1) in the tumor cells, followed by the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and the induction of oxidative stress and apoptotic cell death. Meanwhile, EGCG could upregulate gasdermin E (GSDME), and ferric ions were involved in the Fenton reaction. Hence, EGCG and ferric ions could sensitize the toxicity of LAP through the induction of multiple cell death pathways (e.g., pyroptosis, ferroptosis, apoptosis, and necroptosis). The current work enlarged the LAP's therapeutic window via controlled cargo release and vehicle sensitization., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

In this study, the absorption and fluorescence characteristics of sulfa drugs, specifically Sulfadiazine (SDZ), Sulfamerazine (SMZ), and Sulfamethazine (STZ), were examined across a pH range of 1-14. The absorption and fluorescence spectra of these sulfa drugs showed significant changes depending on the pH value. Analysis of their pH-dependent absorption and fluorescence properties indicated that these sulfa drugs could used to design molecular logic gates. The absorption and fluorescence behaviors at various wavelength maxima were utilized to design IMPLICATION and Improved-INHIBIT (I-INHIBIT) molecular logic gates., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

This study investigated mung bean protein hydrolysates (MBPH) produced using neutral protease, examining their physicochemical properties, stability, and lipid peroxidation inhibition capabilities. The research revealed that MBPH molecular weight ranged from 17 to 26 kDa and perform various functions, including catalytic, nutrient storage, and binding. Stability assessments showed that MBPH are stable at 45 °C and pH of 7.5 but are light-sensitive and unstable in solution or when combined with sugars. Additionally, increased concentrations of digestive enzymes reduce MBPH stability. Antioxidant tests in vitro and in Caenorhabditis elegans confirmed MBPH's ability to neutralizing radicals, enhance antioxidant enzyme activities, and reduce lipid peroxidation, thereby protecting against oxidative damage. Furthermore, in vivo experiments showed that MBPH extend the lifespan of worms and reduced their body lipid content, indicating potential benefits in mitigating cholesterol-related damage. This research demonstrates the potential of MBPH in inhibiting lipid peroxidation., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

A pH-sensitive film was prepared from pectin (P) and whey protein (W), incorporating anthocyanin-rich purple sweet potato extract (PPE) as the pH indicator. The effect of PPE content on the structure and properties of the films and the pH indicating function were determined and evaluated for shrimp freshness and grape preservation. The solubility (60.23 ± 7.36 %) and water vapor permeability (0.15 ± 0.04 × 10 -11  g·cm/(cm 2 ·s·Pa)) of the pectin/whey protein/PPE (PW-PPE) film with 500 mg/100 mL PPE were the lowest of the films tested and much lower than PW films without PPE. PW-PPE films were non-cytotoxic and had excellent biodegradability in soil. Grapes coated with PW-PPE film had reduced weight loss from water evaporation, and decay during storage was inhibited. The total color change (ΔE) of the PW-PPE films had a strong linear correlation with the pH of shrimps during storage. PW-PPE films have application potential to monitor the real-time freshness of meat and extend the shelf life of fruit., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

To enhance stability and bioaccessibility of curcumin in Pickering emulsions stabilized by starch nanoparticles (SNP), cationized guar gum (CGG) was incorporated into the emulsion. Zeta potential results revealed that SNP and CGG formed electrostatic interactions, resulting in stable interfacial layer with higher hydrophobicity. Adding 0.4 % CGG maintained a homogeneous phase without significant droplet size change for up to one month. The emulsion with 0.4 % CGG demonstrated stable storage under varying pH (4-10), ionic strength (0-10 mM NaCl), and freeze-thaw cycles (up to 3). When optimized Pickering emulsion system was applied to curcumin encapsulation, curcumin-loaded emulsions were stably maintained for up to one month. The curcumin retained approximately 100 % stability under thermal (90 °C) and UV (12h) treatments. In the optimized emulsion, starch components resisted digestion in oral and gastroenteric phases but were primarily digested in small intestine, resulting in an increasing bioaccessibility from 88.23 to 96.92 %., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

High-pressure homogenization and pH-shifting can be used to modify soybean lipophilic protein (SLP), and to enhance its ability to deliver vitamin B 12 . The structural changes of SLP were analyzed by multispectral techniques and the results showed that secondary and tertiary structures of SLP were altered by modification. The modification unfolded the SLP structure, released more free hydrogen ions, and increased positive charge density on the protein surface. Also, the solubility of modified SLP increased by maximum of 34.75 %. Furthermore, molecular docking showed that complexes were formed between SLP and vitamin B 12 mainly through hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions, and the encapsulation rate of modified SLP was maximally increased by 2.3 %. In vitro digestion showed that modified SLP enhanced stability and bioaccessibility of vitamin B 12 . This study provides theoretical basis for modification of SLP and effective delivery of bioactive substances., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The digestive characteristics of plant proteins are crucial for their nutritional value and utilization efficiency. In this study, an in vitro semi-dynamic digestion model was employed to investigate the gastric digestion process of soybean protein after treatment with phytase. The results found that phytase treatment reduced the phytate content in soybean proteins (22.83 ± 0.09 to 8.72 ± 0.07 mg/g), shifted its isoelectric point towards the alkaline range by 1 pH unit, and significantly improved its solubility at pH 4.0. Particularly for protein sample treated with phytase after acid precipitation, the formation of aggregates during digestion was weakened, resulting in a significantly higher digestion rate compared to untreated SPI, with digestion being at least 15 min faster than SPI. This study provides a strategy for preparing soybean protein with faster digestion and weaker clot-forming ability during digestion, which offers insights for the application of soybean protein in clinical nutrition products and specialized medical foods., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: 'Xynisteri' is considered as the reference white grape cultivar in Cyprus with remarkable adaptation to adverse edaphoclimatic conditions and appreciable oenological properties that renders it as an appropriate cultivar for studies within a global context due to climate change. To this aim, two distinct non-irrigated plots with different climatic conditions, soil properties and levels of rainfall were selected; Koilani [KO, altitude 800 m, 76% calcium carbonate (CaCO 3 ) content, pH 7.97, average temperature: 16.5 °C, rainfall: 229 mm] and Kyperounda (KY, altitude 1200 m, CaCO 3 -free soil, pH 6.47, average temperature: 14.9 °C, rainfall: 658 mm). An array of physiological, biochemical and qualitative indices during successive developmental stages (BBCH 75-89) were determined. During the advanced on-vine developmental stages (BBCH 85-89), the aromatic profile of grapes was assessed with the employment of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Such analysis was complemented with non-destructive chemometric analyses., Results: Berry ripening process substantially differed on the examined plots; BBCH 89 stage reached at 267 and 303 Julian days for KO and KY, respectively. Results indicated that berry weight, soluble solids content (SSC) and α-amino nitrogen were higher in KO than in KY, with exception made for ammonium nitrogen content. A total of 75 compounds, including aliphatic alcohols, benzenic compounds, phenols, vanillins, monoterpenes and C13-norisoprenoids were identified and quantified. The variations of mesoclimatic conditions affected the volatile organic compound (VOC) profiles at the fully-ripe stage, showing a considerable rise in glycosylated aroma compounds, especially monoterpenes and benzenic compounds. In particular, the higher amount of glycosylated aroma compounds were obtained in KY berries up to mid-ripe, whereas KO showed higher glycosylated aroma compounds at fully-ripe stage. Results reported herein indicate that aroma profile of 'Xynisteri' grapes varied substantially in the examined terroirs. Interestingly, the limited rainfall in KΟ non-irrigated vine did not compromise qualitative and aromatic properties of berries., Conclusions: The present study aimed at dissecting the impact of terroir on bush-trained, non-irrigated grapevines of a cultivar appropriate for extreme climate change scenarios. The volatilome fingerprint was highly variable among the examined plots; such results can be further exploited at vinification level towards production of single vineyard premium end products. © 2024 The Author(s). Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2024 The Author(s). Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.)

Tulathromycin is a triamilide antibacterial drug which has been approved for use in the European Union and the United States for the treatment and prevention of bovine respiratory diseases. The aim of this study was the development of two innovative microwell spectrometric (photometric and fluorometric) assays for determination of tulathromycin in its pharmaceutical formulations. To achieve this goal, 4-fluoro-7-nitrobenzofurazan was investigated as a dual-function chromogenic and fluorogenic probe for tulathromycin. The reaction between tulathromycin and 4-fluoro-7-nitrobenzofurazan proceeded smoothly in an alkaline medium, resulting in the formation of a colored and fluorescent product. The product displayed a maximum light absorption at 475 nm and emitted fluorescence at 545 nm when excited at 475 nm. Extensive investigations were conducted to optimize the factors affecting the tulathromycin /4-fluoro-7-nitrobenzofurazan reaction, and the optimal conditions were established. Using these optimized conditions, both microwell-based photometric and fluorometric assays were developed. The calibration curves relating the absorbance and fluorescence intensities of the reaction product with the corresponding tulathromycin concentrations were generated. The absorbance-concentration relationship was found to be linear within a tulathromycin concentration range of 10-400 µg mL -1 , with a limit of quantitation of 6.2 µg mL -1 . On the other hand, the fluorescence-concentration relationship was linear within a concentration range of 0.04-1.2 µg mL -1 , with a limit of quantitation of 0.06 µg mL -1 . Rigorous validations of both assays' procedures were performed, and both assays were successfully employed for the analysis of tulathromycin-containing pharmaceutical formulations (injections) with satisfactory accuracy and precision. The ecologically friendly assessment of both assays demonstrated their compliance with the principles of green analytical chemistry approaches. Moreover, the proposed microwell-based assays enabled the simultaneous analysis of multiple samples using small volumes, enabling high-throughput analysis. In conclusion, this study represents the first evaluation of 4-fluoro-7-nitrobenzofurazan as a probe with dual functionality for the microwell-based photometric and fluorometric analysis of tulathromycin. The developed assays serve as valuable analytical tools for ensuring the quality of tulathromycin 's pharmaceutical formulations., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Herein, an interpenetrating network hydrogel (IPN-Gel) based on cellulose and chitosan was synthesized via simultaneous amino-anhydride and azide-alkyne click reaction in water in one pot. The samples were characterized by various analytical methods including FTIR, SEM, XRD, XPS, 1 H NMR and so forth. The fabrication conditions were optimized by single factor experiments with water uptake (WU) and gel mass fraction (GMF) as two indexes. The WU and GMF of the IPN-Gel prepared under optimized conditions were 1192.37 % and 74.00 %, respectively. Its WU descended with the ascension in temperature, and first descended and then gradually ascended with the ascension in pH, confirming that the IPN-Gel had thermal/pH dual responsiveness. Using 5-Fu as a model drug, the release behavior of 5-Fu in IPN-Gel was explored. Its release behavior could be regulated by changing temperature and pH values, and it followed the Korsmeyer Peppas model. The viability of 4 T1 cells and HUVEC cells exceeded 80 % after 48 h of incubation at a high concentration of 200 μg/mL IPN-Gel, and hemolytic percentage was below the allowed limit of 5 %. The study provides a new strategy for the preparation of the IPN-Gel with biocompatibility, swelling reversibility and controllable drug release., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The demand for animal products is increasing in developing countries due to population growth. However, livestock production contributes significantly to global warming, accounting for 25%. Probiotics can help improve livestock efficiency by enhancing gut microbes and fat metabolism. They can modify rumen populations, enhance fermentation, reduce methane emissions and improve feed digestion. In this study, the goal was to determine the most effective method of reducing methane emissions in the rumen of sheep in vitro by adding different concentrations of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Bacillus subtilis., Results: Adding 8 × 10 6  CFU g -1 S. cerevisiae during fermentation reduced pH levels after 48 h. This also increased the concentrations of NH 3 -N, microbial protein and total gas production. At the same time, it decreased methane emissions. Furthermore, adding 20 × 10 6  CFU g -1 B. subtilis to the mixture increased total gas production (TGP) and methane production, with the highest production observed after 48 h. However, it did not affect pH levels after 48 h., Conclusion: It can be concluded that S. cerevisiae had significantly increased microbial protein and NH 3 -N concentrations after fermentation without altering pH. Additionally, the addition of S. cerevisiae enhanced TGP and reduced methane emissions. It is worth noting that TGP increased because B. subtilis was added at a concentration of 20 × 10 6  CFU g -1 , with no significant differences between concentrations. Therefore, we recommend adding S. cerevisiae and B. subtilis to the diet at doses of 8 and 20 × 10 6  CFU g -1 , as it resulted in higher TGP and reduced methane emissions. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.)

Background: The co-application of biochar and wood vinegar has demonstrated the potential to enhance premium crop production. The present study reveals the effects of co-applying rice husk biochar and wood vinegar (both foliar and soil application) on soil properties and the growth of Chinese cabbage (Brassica chinensis L.) in a two-season pot experiment., Results: The soil pH, electrical conductivity and dissolved organic carbon contents in combination treatments of wood vinegar and biochar were increased more when wood vinegar was applied to soils rather than to leaves, and the parameters were observed to surpass those for chemical fertilizer treatments. The biomass of Chinese cabbage shoots was significantly increased by 60.8- and 27.3-fold in the combined treatments compared to the control when 1% wood vinegar was sprayed to the leaves (WF1) in 2022 and 2023, respectively. Higher contents of vitamin C, soluble protein and soluble sugar were also observed in the combined wood vinegar and biochar treatments compared to chemical fertilizer treatments and the control; for example, the vitamin C content of plant shoot in WF1 was 21.3 times that of the control. The yield and quality of plants were decreased across all treatments in 2023 compared to 2022 but the combination treatments still displayed superiority., Conclusion: The co-application of wood vinegar and biochar enhances the growth and improve the quality of Chinese cabbage through improving the soil properties and plant photosynthesis. Moreover, the foliage application of wood vinegar is more preferable compared to soil application. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.)

Carbon dots (CQD) have received significant attention as a novel ratiometric fluorescent pH nanoprobe, owing to their favorable optical properties and excellent biocompatibility. Despite their appealing features, the precise mechanism behind the pH-sensitive photoluminescence of CQDs remains to be fully understood. This study endeavors to unravel the mechanism underlying the pH-responsive ratiometric fluorescence in dual-emission CQDs, synthesized through a one-step hydrothermal method using o-phenylenediamine and oxalic acid as precursors. The resultant CQDs exhibit inherent dual-emission at wavelengths of 383 nm and 566 nm, with the ratiometric fluorescence response tailored by the ratio of precursors, providing a robust tool for pH sensing across a range of 2 to 6. Detailed characterizations, including chemical, morphological, and optical analyses, alongside theoretical insights from time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT), elucidate the mechanism underlying the pH-dependent luminescence, attributed to the electron cloud transmission between amide and adjacent carboxyl groups on the CQD surface. The superior performance of these CQDs in real-time pH monitoring is demonstrated through their application in glucose oxidase-catalyzed reactions, showcasing their potential as efficient, reliable nanoprobes for biomedical research and diagnostic applications., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: The present study evaluated the effects of temperature, pH, light and chemical oxidation on fucoxanthin changes in terms of colour, antioxidant activity and metabolomic profile. Additionally, the correlation between antioxidant activity and identified metabolites was analysed., Results: It was found that colour change was significantly reduced at elevated heat (100 °C, *∆E = 0.81 ± 0.05), reduced pH (pH 3, *∆E = 0.59 ± 0.04) and length of light exposure (*∆E = 3.16 ± 0.04). Antioxidant activity decreased under all treatments. Among the temperatures tested, fucoxanthin exhibited the highest activity at 60 °C, ranging from 0.92 to 3.04 mg Trolox equivalents (TE) g -1 . Significant activity reductions (P < 0.05) were observed as a result of pH changes in the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and β-carotene bleaching assays. Exposure to light 2: warm white lamp for 120 h significantly reduced antioxidant activity (0.01 to 1.70 mg TE g -1 ). Chemical oxidation also led to reduced activity, ranging from 0.18 to 0.29 mg TE g -1 . Multivariate data analysis revealed distinct profiles for temperature, pH, light and chemical oxidation treatments. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)-based metabolomics analysis identified 10 metabolites, and significant correlations (P < 0.05) indicate that these metabolites contributed to the samples' antioxidant activities., Conclusion: In conclusion, fucoxanthin tolerates well at 60 °C, within pH range 3-9, and within 8 h of light exposure, as indicated by its consistent antioxidant activity and minimal colour change. Each treatment resulted in distinct metabolite concentrations, as shown by LC-MS/MS-based metabolomics analysis. Further research into these metabolites could advance the understanding of their roles and aid in optimising processing conditions to favour beneficial metabolites. © 2024 The Author(s). Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2024 The Author(s). Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.)

A rapid and sensitive enrichment technique, field enhanced sample injection-dynamic pH junction-sweeping (FESI-DypH-sweeping) was successfully developed for the simultaneous separation and concentration of alkaloids and stereoisomers of Uncariae ramulus cum uncis (UR) by cyclodextrin electrokinetic chromatography (CDEKC) with diode array detection system. The sample was prepared in a low-conductivity (FESI), low-pH (DypH) sample matrix (4 mM phosphate buffer, 3% methanol, pH=3), and the background electrolyte (BGE) consisted of a high-conductivity, high-pH buffer (40 mM phosphate buffer, pH 7.0, 8 mg/mL carboxymethyl-β-cyclodextrin, and 30% methanol). The crucial parameters influencing separation and enrichment efficiency were systematically optimized using single variable method. Under the optimum conditions, the method provided satisfactory resolution for seven alkaloids within 18 minutes, achieving enrichment factors ranging from 25 to 78 folds. The limits of detections (LODs) ranged from 0.04 to 0.12 μg/mL and limits of quantifications (LOQs) ranged from 0.10 and 0.40 μg/mL respectively. Intra-day and inter-day precision, expressed as relative standard deviations, were all below 3.5%., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

The rapid development of mRNA-based therapeutics, especially post-COVID-19, has necessitated the precise characterization of mRNA quality attributes, including sequence integrity. Ion-pairing reversed-phase liquid chromatography (IP-RPLC) has been widely accepted as a reference method for the characterization of small oligonucleotides. Some studies have already investigated the use of IP-RPLC for RNA, but no systematic approach has been developed to assess the impact of ion-pairing agents (IPAs) on the separation of large RNA molecules. This study addresses this gap by investigating the potential of IP-RPLC for the separation and characterization of large RNA molecules, with a specific focus on optimizing the use of IPAs to enhance retention and selectivity. Thirteen different IPAs, varying in hydrophobicity, were systematically tested using a supermacroporous polymeric (divinylbenzene) column with a very broad pore size range under various conditions, including different temperatures, pH, and IPA concentrations. The results demonstrate that moderately hydrophobic IPAs provide superior resolution for RNA species up to 6000 nucleotides. An optimized combination of 100 mM butylammonium acetate and 50 mM tripropylammonium acetate achieved the best overall separation, significantly improving resolution by 35% compared to individual IPAs. The study also identifies optimal conditions for RNA separation, including a mobile phase pH of 7.0, acetonitrile as the organic solvent, and a column temperature of 65 °C. In a second step, a solution to increase the retention of small nucleotides and thereby separate nucleic acids ranging from 1 to 6000 nucleotides allowing to characterize IVT-mRNA differing in length and study their integrity and fragmentation or monitor the presence of in-process impurities (nucleotides) was investigated by combining two different LC columns. These findings enhance the analytical toolbox for evaluating the critical quality attributes of RNA, supporting the development of reliable and efficient RNA-based therapeutics., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: This work was partially funded by Sanofi. Camille Malburet and Marc Francois-Heude are Sanofi employees and may hold shares and/or stock options in the company. Jonathan Maurer and Davy Guillarme declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)