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The performance and stability of organic metal halide perovskite (OMHP) optoelectronic devices have been associated with ion migration. Understanding of nanoscale resolved organic cation migration mechanism would facilitate structure engineering and commercialization of OMHP. Here, we report a three-dimensional approach for in situ nanoscale infrared imaging of organic ion migration behavior in OMHPs, enabling to distinguish migrations along grain boundary and in crystal lattice. Our results reveal that organic cation migration along OMHP film surface and grain boundaries (GBs) occurs at lower biases than in crystal lattice. We visualize the transition of organic cation migration channels from GBs to volume upon increasing electric field. The temporal resolved results demonstrate the fast MA + migration kinetics at GBs, which is comparable to diffusivity of halide ions. Our findings help understand the role of organic cations in the performance of OMHP devices, and the proposed approach holds broad applicability for revealing migration mechanisms of organic ions in OMHPs based optoelectronic devices., (© 2024 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Skin wound dressings are commonly utilized for the treatment of skin injuries, as they effectively facilitate wound healing and possess anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. However, conventional dressings fail to inhibit ROS production and promote vascularization, leading to delayed wound healing. Here, we developed injectable self-crosslinking hydrogels through thiolated hyaluronic acid (HASH/rhCOLIII) with enhancing the ROS inhibitory capacity while preserving the cell adhesion ability of hyaluronic acid. Additionally, recombinant humanized collagen type III (rhCOLIII) is incorporated via electrostatic adsorption to further enhance mechanical strength and angiogenesis properties of the hydrogel. The HASH/rhCOLIII demonstrated excellent biocompatibility, remarkable ROS scavenging ability, as well as hemostatic and angiogenic properties. Cell experiment results show that HASH/rhCOLIII has excellent biocompatibility and can significantly promote angiogenesis. Animal experiments results showed that HASH/rhCOLIII exhibits anti-inflammatory effects, significantly accelerating wound healing in a full-thickness skin defect model. These findings highlight that HASH/rhCOLIII hydrogel holds great promise as an advanced dressing for effective wound healing., 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.)

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the preservation effects of konjac glucomannan (KGM)/oregano essential oil (OEO) Pickering emulsion-based pads (K/OPE pads) on large yellow croaker (Pseudosciaena crocea) fillets stored at 4 °C. The K/OPE pads were fabricated using a freeze-drying technique. The homogeneous distribution of the OEO Pickering emulsions in the KGM matrix was observed using scanning electron microscopy. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed that the OEO emulsions were encapsulated in the KGM and there was hydrogen bonding interaction between them. Compared with the KGM pads, the K/OPE pad groups demonstrated enhanced antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. When the content of OPE was increased from 20 % to 40 %, the antioxidant performance of the K/OPE pads increased from 48.09 % ± 0.03 % to 86.65 % ± 0.02 % and the inhibition range of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus increased to 13.84 ± 0.81 and 16.87 ± 1.53 mm, respectively. At the same time, K/OPE pads were more effective in inhibiting the formation of total volatile alkaline nitrogen and the production of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances, thereby helping in reducing water loss and maintaining the muscle tissue structure of fish fillets for a longer storage time. Consequently, these K/OPE 40 pads extended the shelf life of the fish fillets by an additional 4 days and delayed spoilage during refrigerated storage. The findings suggest that the K/OPE pads can effectively safeguard the quality of refrigerated large yellow croaker fillets, presenting their potential as an active packaging material in the fish preservation 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 B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: In a previous study we have shown that, in the presence of interleukin (IL)-33, repeated, per-nasal challenge of murine airways with Streptococcus pneumoniae ( S. pneumoniae ) organisms induces human asthma-like airways inflammation. It is not clear, however, whether this effect is unique or manifest in response to other common respiratory pathogens. Methods: To explore this, airways of BALB/c mice were repeatedly challenged per-nasally with formaldehyde-inactivated bacterial bodies in the presence or absence of murine recombinant IL-33. Serum concentrations of S.pneumoniae , Moraxella catarrhalis ( M.catarrhalis ) and Haemophilus influenzae ( H.influenzae ) lysates-specific IgE were measured in patients with asthma and control subjects. Results: We showed that in the presence of IL-33, repeated, per-nasal airways exposure to the bodies of these bacteria induced airways hyperresponsiveness (AHR) in the experimental mice. This was accompanied by cellular infiltration into bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), eosinophilic infiltration and mucous hypertrophy of the lung tissue, with elevated local expression of some type 2 cytokines and elevated, specific IgG and IgE in the serum. The precise characteristics of the inflammation evoked by exposure to each bacterial species were distinguishable. Conclusions: These results suggest that in the certain circumstances, inhaled or commensal bacterial body antigens of both Gram-positive ( S. pneumoniae ) and Gram-negative ( M. catarrhalis and H. influenzae ) respiratory tract bacteria may initiate type 2 inflammation typical of asthma in the airways. In addition, we demonstrated that human asthmatic patients manifest elevated serum concentrations of M.catarrhalis- and H.influenzae- specific IgE.

It is still difficult for a single antibacterial modality to realize satisfactory management of bacterial breeding in food preservation. To solve this problem, we developed a photothermal-derived dual-mode synergistic bactericidal konjac glucomannan (KGM)/polycaprolactone (PCL) bilayer film incorporated with quercetin-loaded melanin-like nanoparticles (Q@MNPs). The results showed that the mechanical properties (TS: 29.8 MPa, EAB: 43.1 %), UV shielding properties, and water resistance (WCA: 124.1°, WVP: 3.92 g mm/m 2  day kPa) of KGM-Q@MNPs/PCL bilayer films were significantly improved. More importantly, KGM-Q@MNPs/PCL bilayer film presented outstanding photothermal inversion and controlled release behavior of Q triggered by near infrared (NIR) radiation, thus contributing to excellent dual-mode synergistic antibacterial properties against E. coli and S. aureus. Meanwhile, the KGM-Q@MNPs/PCL bilayer film possessed good biocompatibility and low toxicity. As a proof-of-concept application, we further verified the significant value of film for the preservation of cherry tomatoes. Since KGM-Q@MNPs/PCL bilayer film showed excellent biodegradability, this work will aid the development of sustainable antibacterial food packaging materials., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest No conflict of interest exists in the submission of this manuscript., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Ganoderma lucidum (GL) is a kind of edible fungus with various functions and a precious medicinal material with a long history. Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide (GLP) is one of the main bioactive substances in GL, with anti-tumor, anti-oxidation, anti-cancer, and other biological activities. GLP is closely related to human health, and the research on GLP is getting deeper. This paper reviewed the extraction and purification methods of GLP, the relationship between structure and activity, and the qualitative and quantitative methods. This review provides solutions for the analysis and application of GLP. At the same time, some new methods for extraction, purification and analysis of GLP, the relationship between advanced structures and activity, and future applications of and research into GLP were emphasized. As a kind of bioactive macromolecule, GLP has unique functional properties. Through the comprehensive summary of the extraction, purification, and analysis of GLP and its future prospects, we hope that this review can provide valuable reference for the further study of GLP.

In this study, a series of novel nanofibers based on gelatin (GA) loading with purple potato anthocyanin (PPA) and syringic acid (SA) were obtained by electrospinning technology. The effects of SA on mechanical properties, thermal stability, antioxidant capacity, and antimicrobial activity of the GA/PPA nanofibers were systematically characterized. The scanning electron microscopy observation results revealed a smooth surface on the nanofibers. The incorporation of SA enhanced the viscosity of the electrospun solutions, and it increased the average diameter of nanofibers from 0.17 μm to 0.28 μm. The tensile strength and thermal stability of the obtained nanofibers were enhanced with the addition of a suitable level of SA (1.5%, w / v ), which strengthened the intermolecular interaction. The GA/PPA/SA nanofibers presented over 80% antioxidant capacity and strong antibacterial activity against E. coli and S. aureus . Meanwhile, the sensitivity responses of nanofibers to NH 3 revealed that GA/PPA/SA II nanofibers (1.5% w / v SA) presented good sensitivity of colorimetric behavior to ammonia. A pork spoilage test was performed to evaluate practical application of the nanofibers, and an obvious color change (dark purple to green) was observed. These results indicated GA/PPA/SA II nanofibers can be utilized as an active and intelligent multipurpose packaging material to preserve and track the freshness of pork.

The emerging all-van der Waals (vdW) magnetic heterostructure provides a new platform to control the magnetization by the electric field beyond the traditional spintronics devices. One promising strategy is using unconventional spin-orbit torque (SOT) exerted by the out-of-plane polarized spin current to enable deterministic magnetization switching and enhance the switching efficiency. However, in all-vdW heterostructures, large unconventional SOT remains elusive and the robustness of the field-free switching against external magnetic field has not been examined, which hinders further applications. Here, the study demonstrates the field-free switching in an all-vdW heterostructure combining a type-II Weyl semimetal TaIrTe 4 and above-room-temperature ferromagnet Fe 3 GaTe 2 . The fully field-free switching can be achieved at 2.56 × 10 10 A m -2 at 300 K and a large SOT effective field efficiency of the out-of-plane polarized spin current generated by TaIrTe 4 is determined to be 0.37. Moreover, it is found that the switching polarity cannot be changed until the external in-plane magnetic field reaches 252 mT, indicating a robust switching against the magnetic field. The numerical simulation suggests the large unconventional SOT reduces the switching current density and enhances the robustness of the switching. The work shows that all-vdW heterostructures are promising candidates for future highly efficient and stable SOT-based devices., (© 2024 The Author(s). Advanced Materials published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Background: To compare the impact of tunneled cuffed catheters (TCCs) and arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) on outcomes in elderly hemodialysis (HD) patients., Methods: A retrospective matched cohort study was performed. Propensity score matching (PSM) was applied to balance the baseline conditions, and we compared all-cause mortality, major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCEs), hospitalization, and infection rates between AVF and TCC patients ≥70 years old. Cox survival analysis was used to analyze the risk factors for death., Results: There were 2119 patients from our center in the Chinese National Renal Data System (CNRDS) between 1 January 2010 and 10 October 2023. Among these patients, 77 TCC patients were matched with 77 AVF patients. There was no significant difference in all-cause mortality between the TCC and AVF groups (30.1/100 vs. 33.3/100 patient-years, p  = 0.124). Among the propensity score-matched cohorts, no significant differences in Kaplan-Meier curves were observed between the two groups (log-rank p  = 0.242). The TCC group had higher rates of MACCEs, hospitalization, and infection than the AVF group (33.7/100 vs. 29.5/100 patient-years, 101.2/100 vs. 79.5/100 patient-years, and 30.1/100 vs. 14.1/100 patient-years, respectively). Multivariate analysis showed that high Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) score was a risk factor for death., Conclusions: There was no significant difference in all-cause mortality between elderly HD patients receiving TCCs and AVFs. Compared with those with a TCC, elderly HD patients with an AVF have a lower risk of MACCEs, hospitalization, and infection.

Background: To produce jasmine tea of excellent quality, it is crucial to select jasmine flowers at their optimal growth stage during harvesting. However, achieving this goal remains a challenge due to environmental and manual factors. This study addresses this issue by classifying different jasmine flowers based on visual attributes using the YOLOv7 algorithm, one of the most advanced algorithms in convolutional neural networks., Results: The mean average precision (mAP value) for detecting jasmine flowers using this model is 0.948, and the accuracy for five different degrees of openness of jasmine flowers, namely small buds, buds, half-open, full-open and wiltered, is 87.7%, 90.3%, 89%, 93.9% and 86.4%, respectively. Meanwhile, other ways of processing the images in the dataset, such as blurring and changing the brightness, also increased the credibility of the algorithm., Conclusion: This study shows that it is feasible to use deep learning algorithms for distinguishing jasmine flowers at different growth stages. This study can provide a reference for jasmine production estimation and for the development of intelligent and precise flower-picking applications to reduce flower waste and production costs. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.)

Silyl ether constitutes a multipurpose (macro)molecular functionality for being, e.g., SuFEx-clickable and easily cleavable as a hydroxyl precursor. Its direct incorporation by anionic polymerization is challenged by its base susceptibility. In this study, a two-component organocatalyst shows strict epoxy-selectivity in the anionic ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of commercially available tert -butyldimethylsilyl ( R )-(-)-glycidyl ether (TBSGE). The silyl ether pendant groups are fully preserved in the resultant polyether and readily undergo acidic hydrolysis to yield well-defined linear polyglycerol (PGC). Combination of the ROP with mechanistically distinct polymerization chemistries delivers PGC-based polyurethane and a hybrid amphiphilic block copolymer. The SuFEx reaction with sulfonyl fluoride shows effective tuning of polyTBSGE into a sulfonate-functionalized polyether. We have thus exploited the chemoselectivity of organocatalysis to facilitate access to polymers carrying reactive pendant functionalities.

Due to the growing concerns surrounding microbial contamination and food safety, there has been a surge of interest in fabricating novel food packaging with highly efficient antibacterial activity. Herein, we describe novel photodynamic antibacterial konjac glucomannan (KGM)/polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) nanofibers incorporated with lignin-zinc oxide composite nanoparticles (L-ZnONPs) and curcumin (Cur) via electrospinning technology. The resulting KGM/PVP/Cur/L-ZnONPs nanofibers exhibited favorable hydrophobic properties (water contact angle: 118.1°), thermal stability, and flexibility (elongation at break: 241.9%). Notably, the inclusion of L-ZnONPs and Cur endowed the nanofibers with remarkable antioxidant (ABTS radical scavenging activity: 98.1%) and photodynamic antimicrobial properties, demonstrating enhanced inhibitory effect against both Staphylococcus aureus (inhibition: 12.4 mm) and Escherichia coli (12.1 mm). As a proof-of-concept study, we evaluated the feasibility of applying nanofibers to fresh strawberries, and the findings demonstrated that our nanofibers could delay strawberry spoilage and inhibit microbial growth. This photodynamic antimicrobial approach holds promise for design of highly efficient antibacterial food packaging, thereby contributing to enhanced food safety and quality assurance., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

This overview summarizes the latest research progress on the aroma absorption mechanism and aroma fixation pathway of jasmine green tea, and discusses in depth the aroma absorption mechanism of green tea, the aroma release mechanism of jasmine flowers, as well as the absorption and fixation mechanism of the aroma components of jasmine green tea in the process of scenting, to provide a theoretical basis for the improvement of the quality of jasmine green tea and the innovation of processing technology. It was found that the aroma absorption mechanism of jasmine green tea is mainly associated with both physical and chemical adsorption, aroma release in jasmine involves the phenylpropanoid/benzoin biosynthetic pathway, β-glycosidase enzymes interpreting putative glycosidic groups, and heat shock proteins (HSPs) as molecular chaperones to prevent stress damage in postharvest flowers due to high temperatures and to promote the release of aroma components, and so forth. The preparation of aroma-protein nano-complexes, heat stress microcapsules, and the spraying of polymeric substances - β-cyclodextrin are three examples of aroma-fixing pathways. This overview also summarizes the problems and future development trends of the current research and proposes the method of loading benzyl acetate, the main aroma component of jasmine, through konjac glucomannan (KGM)-based gel to solve the problem of volatile aroma and difficult-to-fix aroma, which provides a reference for the sustainable development of the jasmine green tea industry. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.)

Background: Accumulating clinical evidence has shown that diabetes mellitus (DM) is a serious risk factor for cardiovascular disorders and an important factor for adverse cardiovascular events., Aim: To explore the value of the combined determination of the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and red blood cell distribution width (RDW) in the early diagnosis and prognosis evaluation of DM complicated with heart failure (HF)., Methods: We retrospectively analyzed clinical data on 65 patients with type 2 DM (T2DM) complicated with HF (research group, Res) and 60 concurrent patients with uncomplicated T2DM (control group, Con) diagnosed at Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital between January 2019 and December 2021. The NLR and RDW values were determined and comparatively analyzed, and their levels in T2DM + HF patients with different cardiac function grades were recorded. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted to determine the NLR and RDW values (alone and in combination) for the early diagnosis of HF. The correlation between NLR and RDW with the presence or absence of cardiac events was also investigated., Results: Higher NLR and RDW levels were identified in the Res vs the Con groups ( P < 0.05). The NLR and RDW increased gradually and synchronously with the deterioration of cardiac function in the Res group, with marked differences in their levels among patients with grade II, III, and IV HF ( P < 0.05). ROC curve analysis revealed that NLR combined with RDW detection had an area under the curve of 0.915, a sensitivity of 76.9%, and a specificity of 100% for the early diagnosis of HF. Furthermore, HF patients with cardiac events showed higher NLR and RDW values compared with HF patients without cardiac events., Conclusion: NLR and RDW were useful laboratory indicators for the early diagnosis of DM complicated with HF, and their joint detection was beneficial for improving diagnostic efficiency. Additionally, NLR and RDW values were directly proportional to patient outcomes., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article., (©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

The peptidoglycan (PG) layer is a critical component of the bacterial cell wall and serves as an important target for antibiotics in both gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. The hydrolysis of septal PG (sPG) is a crucial step of bacterial cell division, facilitated by FtsEX through an amidase activation system. In this study, we present the cryo-EM structures of Escherichia coli FtsEX and FtsEX-EnvC in the ATP-bound state at resolutions of 3.05 Å and 3.11 Å, respectively. Our PG degradation assays in E. coli reveal that the ATP-bound conformation of FtsEX activates sPG hydrolysis of EnvC-AmiB, whereas EnvC-AmiB alone exhibits autoinhibition. Structural analyses indicate that ATP binding induces conformational changes in FtsEX-EnvC, leading to significant differences from the apo state. Furthermore, PG degradation assays of AmiB mutants confirm that the regulation of AmiB by FtsEX-EnvC is achieved through the interaction between EnvC-AmiB. These findings not only provide structural insight into the mechanism of sPG hydrolysis and bacterial cell division, but also have implications for the development of novel therapeutics targeting drug-resistant bacteria., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Chen et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

The objective of this study was to develop novel functional stabilizers for Pickering emulsions using phenolic acids-grafted chitin nanofibers (phenolic acids-g-ChNF), which were fabricated by grafting ferulic acid (FA), sinapic acid (SA) and caffeic acid (CA) onto ChNF via free radical-mediated method. The Fourier transform infrared spectrum and Proton nuclear magnetic resonance showed that graft copolymerization occurred between the amino groups of ChNF and the carbonyl of the phenolic acids. Further, it was revealed that CA-g-ChNF and SA-g-ChNF possessed stronger antioxidant and antibacterial properties than the original ChNF and FA-g-ChNF. Additionally, we applied phenolic acids-g-ChNF to develop Pickering emulsions and found that SA-g-ChNF- and CA-g-ChNF-stabilized emulsions displayed reduced droplet sizes compared to FA, the main reason for which was that SA and CA had a rather close bonding relationship with ChNF. Taken together, SA-g-ChNF and CA-g-ChNF as novel multi-functional particles can be employed for facilitating the stability of Pickering emulsions., 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 © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

CRISPR‒Cas7-11 is a Type III-E CRISPR-associated nuclease that functions as a potent RNA editing tool. Tetratrico-peptide repeat fused with Cas/HEF1-associated signal transducer (TPR-CHAT) acts as a regulatory protein that interacts with CRISPR RNA (crRNA)-bound Cas7-11 to form a CRISPR-guided caspase complex (Craspase). However, the precise modulation of Cas7-11's nuclease activity by TPR-CHAT to enhance its utility requires further study. Here, we report cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of Desulfonema ishimotonii (Di) Cas7-11-crRNA, complexed with or without the full length or the N-terminus of TPR-CHAT. These structures unveil the molecular features of the Craspase complex. Structural analysis, combined with in vitro nuclease assay and electrophoretic mobility shift assay, reveals that DiTPR-CHAT negatively regulates the activity of DiCas7-11 by preventing target RNA from binding through the N-terminal 65 amino acids of DiTPR-CHAT (DiTPR-CHAT NTD ). Our work demonstrates that DiTPR-CHAT NTD can function as a small unit of DiCas7-11 regulator, potentially enabling safe applications to prevent overcutting and off-target effects of the CRISPR‒Cas7-11 system., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

In recent years, the application of biopolymer-based nanofibers prepared via microfluidic blow spinning (MBS) for food packaging has continuously increased due to their advantages of biocompatibility, biodegradability, and safety. However, the poor spinnability, undesirable water barrier capacity, and loss of antibacterial and antioxidant properties of biopolymer-based nanofibers strictly restrict their real-world applications. In this work, carvacrol (CV) incorporated konjac glucomannan (KGM)/polylactic acid (PLA) nanofibrous films (KP-CV) were produced by MBS. The FTIR spectra and XRD analysis revealed the hydrogen bonding interactions among CV, PLA, and KGM, thus significantly improving the TS of KP-CV nanofibrous films from 0.23 to 1.27 MPa with increased content of CV from 0 % to 5 %. Besides, KP-CV nanofibrous films showed improved thermal stability, excellent hydrophobicity (WCA: 128.19°, WVP: 1.02 g mm/m 2  h kPa), and sustained release of CV combined with good antioxidant activities (DPPH radical scavenging activity: 77.51 ± 1.57 %), and antibacterial properties against S. aureus (inhibition zone: 26.33 mm) and E. coli (inhibition zone: 22.67 mm). Therefore, as prepared KP-CV nanofibrous films can be potentially applied as packaging materials for the extended shelf life of cherry tomatoes., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that we have no conflicts of interest to this work., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE) is a form of SLE associated with severe NP syndromes causing mortality and morbidity. Respecting the fundamental of BAFF in NPSLE pathophysiology, we investigated its clinical value., Methods: Totally 105 NPSLE and 101 SLE cases without NPSLE (non-NPSLE, control) were included. Serum BAFF/TNF-α/IL-6/IL-10 levels were measured using ELISA kits. T lymphocytes were detected by flow cytometry. The independent influencing factors for NPSLE, and the auxiliary diagnostic efficacy and the ability of BAFF levels to predict adverse prognosis of NPSLE patients were analyzed by multiple factor logistic regression, and ROC curve and survival curve., Results: In NPSLE patients, serum BAFF level was increased and positively correlated with SLEDAI-2k, serum proinflammatory cytokines, while negatively correlated with CD4+T/CD8+T cells, and anti-inflammatory cytokine. High serum BAFF protein level was associated with a higher risk of developing NPSLE. The AUC of serum BAFF > 301.7 assisting in NPSLE diagnosis was 0.8196. Furthermore, high levels of serum BAFF were associated with a higher risk of adverse outcomes in NPSLE patients.          ., Conclusion: Serum BAFF level in NPSLE patients was correlated with lymphocytes and high serum BAFF protein level could assist in diagnosis and to predict adverse outcomes in NPSLE patients.

Porous carbons with concurrently high specific surface area and electronic conductivity are desirable by virtue of their desirable electron and ion transport ability, but conventional preparing methods suffer from either low yield or inferior quality carbons. Here we developed a lithiothermal approach to bottom-up synthesize highly meso-microporous graphitized carbon (MGC). The preparation can be finished in a few milliseconds by the self-propagating reaction between polytetrafluoroethylene powder and molten lithium (Li) metal, during which instant ultra-high temperature (>3000 K) was produced. This instantaneous carbon vaporization and condensation at ultra-high temperatures and in ultra-short duration enable the MGC to show a highly graphitized and continuously cross-coupled open pore structure. MGC displays superior electrochemical capacitor performance of exceptional power capability and ultralong-term cyclability. The processes used to make this carbon are readily scalable to industrial levels., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Unsaturated fatty acids present in fish oil offer various physiological benefits to the human body. However, their susceptibility to oxidation severely limits their potential applications. The purpose of this study was to develop Pickering emulsions stabilized from a composite of resveratrol-loaded gliadin nanoparticles and oxidized chitin nanocrystals (GR/OC) to protect fish oil from oxidation. The effects of the GR/OC composite on the characterizations of fish oil Pickering emulsions were investigated, including the microstructure, physicochemical properties (stability and rheological behavior), and digestion properties in vitro. The results revealed that an increased concentration of the GR/OC composite significantly reduced the droplet size and improved the ambient stability of the emulsions (in terms of pH, ionic strength, temperature, and storage time). Confocal laser scanning microscopy images depicted that the GR/OC nanoparticles were uniformly dispersed at the interface between water and fish oil (W-O interface). This distribution formed a protective envelope around the droplets. Remarkably, the addition of 2% GR/OC nanoparticles stabilized the Pickering emulsions and showed the most positive effect on the antioxidant capacity compared to that of the control group. These stabilized emulsions maintained lower peroxide values and acid values, which were 1.5 times less than those of the blank control during the 14 day accelerated oxidation experiment. Furthermore, the Pickering emulsions stabilized by GR/OC nanoparticles exhibited the ability to protect fish oil from contamination by gastric juices and facilitate the intestinal absorption of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. The findings suggest that these GR/OC-stabilized Pickering emulsions offer a promising alternative for delivering fish oils in various industries, including the food industry.

Background: Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) plays an important role in vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) phenotypic switching, which is an early pathogenic event in various vascular remodeling diseases (VRDs). However, the underlying mechanism is not fully understood., Methods: An IP‒LC‒MS/MS assay was conducted to identify new binding partners of G6PD involved in the regulation of VSMC phenotypic switching under platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB) stimulation. Co-IP, GST pull-down, and immunofluorescence colocalization were employed to clarify the interaction between G6PD and voltage-dependent anion-selective channel protein 1 (VDAC1). The molecular mechanisms involved were elucidated by examining the interaction between VDAC1 and apoptosis-related biomarkers, as well as the oligomerization state of VDAC1., Results: The G6PD level was significantly elevated and positively correlated with the synthetic characteristics of VSMCs induced by PDGF-BB. We identified VDAC1 as a novel G6PD-interacting molecule essential for apoptosis. Specifically, the G6PD-NTD region was found to predominantly contribute to this interaction. G6PD promotes VSMC survival and accelerates vascular neointimal hyperplasia by inhibiting VSMC apoptosis. Mechanistically, G6PD interacts with VDAC1 upon stimulation with PDGF-BB. By competing with Bax for VDAC1 binding, G6PD reduces VDAC1 oligomerization and counteracts VDAC1-Bax-mediated apoptosis, thereby accelerating neointimal hyperplasia., Conclusion: Our study showed that the G6PD-VDAC1-Bax axis is a vital switch in VSMC apoptosis and is essential for VSMC phenotypic switching and neointimal hyperplasia, providing mechanistic insight into early VRDs., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

In this work, pullulan (PUL) nanofibrous films incorporated with water-in-oil emulsions (PE) were prepared by microfluidic blowing spinning (MBS). The microstructures of nanofibers were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). With the addition of W/O emulsions, the thermal stability, mechanical, and water barrier properties of PUL nanofibers were improved. Increases in emulsion content significantly affected the antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of nanofibrous films. ABTS and DPPH free radical scavenging rates increased from 10.26 % and 8.57 % to 60.66 % and 57.54 %, respectively. The inhibition zone of PE nanofibers against E. coli and S. aureus increased from 11.00 to 20.00 and from 15.67 to 21.17 mm, respectively. In addition, we investigated the freshness effectiveness of PE nanofibrous films on fresh-cut apples. PE nanofibrous films significantly maintained the firmness, and reduced the weight loss and browning index of the fresh-cut apple, throughout the 4 days of storage. Thus, the PE nanofibrous films exhibited good potential to prolong the shelf life of fresh-cut fruit and promote the development of active food packaging., 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.)

Biomacromolecules have attracted interest as spraying additives due to their degradability, renewability, and non-toxicity. However, microscopic mechanism of the biomacromolecules regulating the droplet behavior on fruits and vegetables is still unclear. In this study, konjac glucomannan (KGM) was used to improve the spraying efficiency and the fresh-keeping performance of tea polyphenols solution. KGM increased effective spreading ratio on hydrophilic surfaces and retention ratio of the main droplet on hydrophobic surfaces, thus improving spraying efficiency. Computational fluid dynamics and Brown dynamics simulations were implemented to investigate KGM behaviors during droplets colliding on hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces. Most KGM molecules extended and then collapsed in gradually weakened shear flow. Meanwhile, on the hydrophobic surface, most KGM molecules were continuously stretched by the unstable flow field. As the KGM extended, the kinetic energy of droplets converted into elastic energy stored in the KGM, promoting the stability of droplets on target surfaces and improving the spraying efficiency. The KGM molecular weight of 3.8 × 10 5  Da was optimal from the point of energy storage density. This study provides more understanding of the mechanism of biomacromolecules on spraying efficiency and guidance to develop biomass spraying additives for fruit and vegetable preservation., 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.)

Konjac glucomannan (KGM) has been widely used to deliver bioactive components due to its naturalness, non-toxicity, excellent biodegradability, biocompatibility, and other characteristics. This review presents an overview of konjac glucomannan as a matrix, and the types of konjac glucomannan-based delivery systems (such as hydrogels, food packaging films, microencapsulation, emulsions, nanomicelles) and their construction methods are introduced in detail. Furthermore, taking polyphenol compounds, probiotics, flavor substances, fatty acids, and other components as representatives, the applied research progress of konjac glucomannan-based delivery systems in food are summarized. Finally, the prospects for research directions in konjac glucomannan-based delivery systems are examined, thereby providing a theoretical basis for expanding the application of konjac glucomannan in other industries, such as food and medicine., 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.)

Food packaging detection devices have attracted attention to optimize storage situations and reduce food spoilage. However, low-cost and highly sensitive multifunctional sensors for detecting both food freshness and packaging pressure are still lacking. In this study, a multifunctional sensor was developed consisting of a MXene coated alcohol-soluble polyurethane fiber network (MXene/APU) and composite biohydrogel films made of konjac glucomannan, chitosan, and blueberry anthocyanin (KCB). Based on the pressure sensitivity of MXene/APU and the color changes of KCB in response to pH values, the sensor can detect internal package bulging, external squeezing, and food deterioration. The pressure sensor shows a sensitivity of 1.16 kPa -1 , a response time of 200 ms, a wide strain range of 1092%, and stability over multiple loops. The pressure sensor could detect human motion and identify surface morphologies. The excellent sensor performance was attributed to the porous structure and large specific surface area of microfiber networks, conductivity of MXene nanosheets, and protective effect of KCB films coated on the conductive membrane. Besides, the microfluidic blow-spinning method used to prepare microfiber networks showed the advantages of low energy consumption and high production efficiency. Based on the color changes of blueberry anthocyanin loaded in KCB films in response to pH, the sensor realized sensitive spoilage detection of food containing protein. This study provides a new multifunctional food packaging sensing device and a greater understanding of the optimization and application of related devices.

Green and environmentally friendly natural bio-based food packaging films are increasingly favored by consumers. This study incorporated carboxylated-cellulose nanocrystal stabilized oregano essential oil (OEO) Pickering emulsion and ZnO nanoparticles (ZNPs) into konjac glucomannan (KGM)/carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS) complexes to develop active food packaging films. The effects of OEO Pickering emulsion and ZNPs on the physical, structural, and antimicrobial activities of the nanocomposite films were evaluated. The OEO Pickering emulsion had a droplet size of 48.43 ± 3.56 μm and showed excellent dispersion and stability. Fourier transform infrared and X-ray diffraction analyses suggested that the interactions between the Pickering emulsion, ZNPs and KGM/CMCS matrix were mainly through hydrogen bonding. SEM observations confirmed that the Pickering emulsion and ZNPs were well incorporated into the KGM/CMCS matrix, forming tiny pores within the nanocomposite films. The incorporation of the OEO Pickering emulsion and/or ZNPs obviously increased the light and water vapor barrier ability, thermal stability, mechanical strength and antimicrobial properties of the KGM/CMCS nanocomposite film. Notably, KGM/CMCS/ZNPs/OEO Pickering emulsion films exhibited the highest barrier, and mechanical and antimicrobial activities due to the synergistic effect between the OEO Pickering emulsion and ZNPs. These results suggest that KGM/CMCS/ZNPs/OEO Pickering emulsion films can be utilized as novel active food packaging materials to extend the shelf life of packaged foods., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest in the publication of this article., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Designing a novel biomaterial for wound healing is based on biocompatibility and excellent mechanical strength. In this study, bioactive glass (BG) and zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) have been incorporated into poly(ε-caprolactone)/poly(vinyl alcohol) (PCL/PVA) composite skin scaffolds via microfluidic electrospinning. Interestingly, the addition of ZIF-8 further strengthens the BG stability and demonstrates better antibacterial effects. Utilizing the slow release of Zn, Ca, and Si ions, it also significantly promotes growth factor expression and skin regeneration. In addition, it is further demonstrated by in vitro and in vivo studies that the prepared composite skin scaffolds possess excellent biocompatibility, antibacterial capabilities, and mechanical properties. The prepared BG/ZIF-8-loaded scaffold possesses high tensile strength (26 MPa) and excellent antibacterial properties (achieves 89.64 and 78.8% inhibition of E. coli and S. aureus , respectively), and cell viability increased by 51.2%. More importantly, the wound shrinkage of the BG/ZIF-8-loaded scaffold is better than that of an unloaded scaffold, and the shrinkage rates of PCL/PVA@BG/ZIF-8(1 wt %) group is 95% with 2.2 mm granulation growth thickness within 12 days. Thus, the composite skin scaffold loaded with BG/ZIF-8 prepared by microfluidic electrospinning provides a new perspective for accelerating wound healing and is a potential novel therapeutic strategy for efficient wound healing.

In this study, zwitterionic chitin nanofibers (Z-ChNFs) were used to prepare Pickering emulsions containing citrus essential oils (CEO) and their physicochemical properties and antimicrobial activity were investigated. Results show that as-prepared Pickering emulsions exert pH-reversible properties, pH can adjust the charge of Z-ChNFs to influence the stability of the emulsion. As the concentration of Z-ChNFs increase, the droplet size of the emulsion decreases. The high concentration of Z-ChNFs (1.5 wt%) can enhance the viscosity and promote forming nano-network structures within continuous phases, and their amphiphilic nature can strengthen the capacity for adsorption on the oil/water interface, resulting in enhanced physical stability of the encapsulated CEO emulsion. Additionally, Z-ChNFs have positive effects on the improvement of antimicrobial activity of CEO. This study provides valuable implications for the development and application of essential oils as biopreservation in the food field., 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 © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background and Aims: Increasing numbers of studies have sought to uncover the relationship between serum uric acid (UA) levels and the risk of aortic aneurysm (AA) or aortic dissection (AD), but the causality of the associations has not been established yet. To assess this potential relationship, we conducted a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis., Methods and Results: We performed two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis using independent genetic variants for UA levels from a published genome-wide association study (GWAS). Summary statistics for instrument-outcome associations from FinnGen database for AA and AD. Various sensitivity analyses were performed using different MR methods including random effects inverse variance weighting, fix effects inverse variance weighting, MR-Egger, weighted median/mode, and the contamination mixture method. Genetically predicted UA levels was associated with a higher AA risk (odds ratio (OR), 1.223; 95 % confidence interval (CI), 1.058-1.388; p = 0.017) in a simple size of 209,366 individuals. No association was found between uric acid levels and the risk of AD (OR,0.812; 95 % CI, 0.423-1.200; p = 0.293)., Conclusion: Our study suggests a significant and robust causal association between UA levels and risk of AA but did not support such a relationship between UA levels and AD risk, which might be interpreted with caution and further confirmed. These findings support a clinically relevant causal effect of serum urate levels on the risk of AA., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In this study, nanofiber films were prepared by electrospinning technology with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and konjac glucomannan (KGM) as raw materials. Tea polyphenols (TPs) were incorporated in the above matrix, which increased physicochemical (thermal and mechanical characteristics) and antibacterial properties of the nanofiber films. The release behavior of phenolic compounds from PVA/KGM-TPs nanofiber films was determined in different food simulants; antioxidant and antibacterial activity of the films were also evaluated. The results showed that the addition of KGM increased the physical and chemical properties of the films. The tensile strength (TS) and elongation at break (EB) increased from 5.40 ± 0.33 to 10.62 ± 0.34 and from 7.24 ± 0.32 to 18.10 ± 0.91, respectively. PVA/KGM-TPs nanofiber films performed controlled release of TPs, with final release of 49.17% in 3% acetic acid, 43.6% in 10% ethanol, and 59.42% in 95% ethanol. The nanofiber films showed good antioxidation properties, with the free radical scavenging rate increasing from 1.33% to 25.61%, and good antibacterial properties with inhibition zones against E. coli and S. aureus of 24.33 ± 0.47 mm and 34.33 ± 0.94 mm, respectively. In addition, the as-prepared films showed significant preservation performance for raw bananas at 25 °C.

The effects of water content and water activity on the lipid stability of air-dried hairtail ( Trichiurus haumela ) were investigated during chilled storage. Air-dried hairtail samples with high and low water contents were comparatively analyzed over 8 days of storage at 4 °C. The results indicated that the decreases in water activity and increases in the NaCl content significantly inhibited lipid oxidation in the air-dried hairtail samples. The peroxidation value (PV), conjugated diene value (CD), thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) value, and p-anisidine value (p-AnV) of the air-dried hairtail significantly increased with the extension of storage time. The low water content significantly inhibited the activity of neutral and alkaline lipase, in addition to lipoxygenase, and retarded the rapid increases in the non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) content in the hairtail samples. The correlation analysis results showed that the TBARS, p-AnV, and lipase activity were positively correlated in the air-dried hairtail samples, and the lower water content significantly inhibited the progress of lipid oxidation. This study offers a theoretical framework for the industrial processing and storage of air-dried hairtail products.

Background: The triglyceride and glucose (TyG) index has been found to be significantly associated with a higher risk of mortality. However, there has been a lack of studies exploring the specific relationship between the TyG index and all-cause and cardiovascular mortality among middle-aged and elderly with hypertension., Methods: A total of 3,614 participants with hypertension were enrolled from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The TyG index was calculated using the formula log [fasting triglycerides (mg/dL) x fasting glucose (mg/dL)/2]. The Cox proportional hazard ratios were used to evaluate the association between the TyG index and the risk of mortality., Results: Over a follow-up period of 7.87 years, 991 all-cause death and 189 cardiovascular deaths occurred. Compared with the reference quartile, the multivariate-adjusted hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals were 1.28 (1.07-1.53; p  = .006) in the fourth quartile for all-cause mortality and 0.63 (0.42-0.96; p  = .031) in the second quartile for cardiovascular mortality. Dose-response analysis indicated an L-shaped relationship., Conclusions: The TyG index exhibited an L-shaped association with the risk of all-cause mortality among middle-aged and elderly with hypertension.

Quercetin (QCT) is a promising dose-dependent nutraceutical that usually suffers from poor water solubility and low bioavailability issues. In this work, a novel QCT-loaded nanoscale delivery system was constructed based on the oxidative self-polymerization of melanin (Q@MNPs). The FT-IR, XRD, and Zeta potential analyses confirmed that QCT was successfully absorbed on the melanin nanoparticles (MNPs) via Π-Π and hydrogen bonding interactions. The encapsulation efficiency and particle size of Q@MNPs were 43.78% and 26.68 nm, respectively. Q@MNPs improved the thermal stability of QCT and the antioxidant properties in comparison to MNPs. Meanwhile, Q@MNPs presented fantastic photothermal conversion capacity and stability triggered by the NIR laser, which significantly enhanced the antibacterial capability with a sterilization rate of more than 98% against E. coli and S. aureus . More importantly, Q@MNPs exhibited NIR/pH dual-responsive drug release behavior and good biocompatibility (at concentrations of < 100 μg/mL). Thus, Q@MNPs show promising prospects for flavonoid delivery.

Biodegradable gelatin (G) food packaging films are in increasing demand as the substitution of petroleum-based preservative materials. However, G packaging films universally suffer from weak hydrophobicity in practical applications. Constructing a hydrophobic micro/nanocoating with low surface energy is an effective countermeasure. However, the poor compatibility with the hydrophilic G substrate often leads to the weak interfacial adhesion and poor durability of the hydrophobic coating. To overcome this obstacle, we used (3-aminopropyl) triethoxysilane (APS) as an interfacial bridging agent to prepare a highly hydrophobic, versatile G nanocomposite film. Specifically, tannic acid (TA)-modified nanohydroxyapatite (n-HA) particles (THA) were introduced in G matrix (G-THA) to improve the mechanical properties. Micro/nanostructure with low surface energy composed of nanozinc oxide (Nano-ZnO)/APS/stearic acid (SA) (NAS) was constructed on the surface of G-THA film (G-THA/NAS) through one-step spray treatment. Consequently, as-prepared G-THA/NAS film presented excellent mechanics (tensile strength: 7.6 MPa, elongation at break: 292.7%), water resistance ability (water contact angle: 150.4°), high UV-shielding (0% transmittance at 200 nm), degradability (100% degradation rate after buried in the natural soil for 15 days), antioxidant (78.8% of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity), and antimicrobial (inhibition zone against Escherichia coli : 15.0 mm and Staphylococcus aureus : 16.5 mm) properties. It should be emphasized that the bridging function of APS significantly improves the interfacial adhesion ability of the NAS coating with more than 95% remaining area after the cross-cut adhesion test. Meanwhile, the G-THA/NAS film could maintain stable and long-lasting hydrophobic surfaces against UV radiation, high temperature, and abrasion. Based on these multifunctional properties, the G-THA/NAS film was successfully applied as a liquid packaging material. To sum up, we provide a feasible and effective method to prepare high-performance green packaging films.

Background: Studies comparing the survival of hemodialysis (HD) and peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients are controversial. This study evaluated the impact of initial dialysis modality on the survival of patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in a matched-pair cohort., Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed on ESRD patients who initiated renal replacement treatment between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2018. Propensity score matching was applied to balance the baseline conditions, and multivariate Cox regression analysis was applied to compare mortality between HD and PD patients and evaluate correlations between mortality and various baseline characteristics. Subgroup analysis was performed with respect to diabetes status., Results: There were 739 patients in our center in the Chinese National Renal Data System (CNRDS) between 2010 and 2018. Of these, 125 PD patients were matched with 125 HD patients. The 1-, 2-, and 3-year survival rates were 96.5%, 90.7%, and 82.5%, respectively, in the HD group and 99.5%, 97.8%, and 92.5%, respectively, in the PD group (log-rank P < 0.001). Among the propensity score-matched cohorts, no significant differences in Kaplan-Meier curves were observed between the two groups (log-rank P = 0.514). Age at dialysis initiation, CCI, congestive heart failure and cerebrovascular disease were risk factors in the multivariable-adjusted model. In subgroups defined by diabetes status, the Kaplan‒Meier survival curve showed that PD survival was significantly higher than that of HD (log-rank P = 0.022)., Conclusions: HD and PD were not significantly different regarding the survival of patients with ESRD. PD was associated with better survival in diabetic ESRD patients., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

This present study investigated the effect of cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) pre-treatment on the quality of ready-to-eat drunken red shrimp ( Solenocera crassicornis ) during chilled storage. The shrimp were pre-treated with the CAP at 40 kV and 36 kH for 100 s in a plasma generating equipment before the drunken treatment and compared with an untreated control sample. The results showed that the CAP pre-treatment significantly inhibited the total viable count (TVC) values, total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) content, and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity of the drunken shrimp compared to the control treatment. Furthermore, the CAP pre-treatment also significantly maintained the myofibrillar protein (MP) content, texture properties, and a more stable histological structure of muscle fibers compared to the control. High-throughput sequencing results confirmed that the CAP pre-treatment significantly reduced the diversity and abundance of several bacteria in the shrimp. Gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (GC-IMS) analysis detected that the CAP pre-treatment effectively maintained the stability of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These findings provide valuable theoretical support for the processing and storage of drunken shrimp., Competing Interests: 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., (© 2023 The Author(s).)

Objective: To explore and analyze the association between peripheral blood Th17/Treg balance and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in patients with dermatomyositis (DM)., Methods: Data of 83 DM patients hospitalized between January 2020 to April 2022 were collected, including 43 patients in the active phase (DM active-phase group) and 40 in the remission phase (DM remission-phase group). Additionally, data of 50 healthy subjects who underwent physical examinations and immunologic function testing in the same period were taken as a control group. We detected the percentage of Th17 and Treg cells by flow cytometry, calculated patient's NLR and laboratory test indicators, and analyzed the correlation of Th17/Treg balance with NLR and laboratory indicators., Results: Th17 percentage and Th7/Treg ratio in the DM active-phase group were higher than those in the DM remission-phase group ( P<0.05 ), while Treg percentage was lower in the active-phase group than in the remission-phase group ( P<0.05 ). The creatine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), erythrocyte deposition rate (ESR), and NLR in DM patients were significantly higher than those of the control group (P<0.05), and were associated with the disease activity of DM. The ratio of Th17/Treg was positively correlated with CK, LDH, AST, ALT, ESR, and NLR ( P<0.05 ). NLR was positively correlated with CK, LDH, AST, ALT, and ESR ( P<0.05 )., Conclusion: DM patients exhibit changes in immune balance of Th17/Treg and an increase in the NLR. The Th17/Treg ratio in the patients is closely associated with the NLR, which suggests that the immune balance mechanism may interact with the inflammatory response of the body, collectively contributing to the progression of DM., Competing Interests: None., (AJTR Copyright © 2023.)

Flexible piezoresistive sensors are core components of many wearable devices to detect deformation and motion. However, it is still a challenge to conveniently prepare high-precision sensors using natural materials and identify similar short vibration signals. In this study, inspired by microstructures of human skins, biomass flexible piezoresistive sensors were prepared by assembling two wrinkled surfaces of konjac glucomannan and k-carrageenan composite hydrogel. The wrinkle structures were conveniently created by hardness gradient-induced surface buckling and coated with MXene sheets to capture weak pressure signals. The sensor was applied to detect various slight body movements, and a machine learning method was used to enhance the identification of similar and short throat vibration signals. The results showed that the sensor exhibited a high sensitivity of 5.1 kPa -1 under low pressure (50 Pa), a fast response time (104 ms), and high stability over 100 cycles. The XGBoost machine learning model accurately distinguished short voice vibrations similar to those of individual English letters. Moreover, experiments and numerical simulations were carried out to reveal the mechanism of the wrinkle structure preparation and the excellent sensing performance. This biomass sensor preparation and the machine learning method will promote the optimization and application of wearable devices.

Constructing biopolymer-based packaging films with fantastic water resistance and mechanical properties for food preservation is highly desirable and challenging. In this work, Gliadin/Casein nanoparticles (GCNPs) were prepared by pH-driven method and embedded into konjac glucomannan/carboxymethyl chitosan (KC) film matrix to improve the water resistance and mechanical properties of KC film. Gliadin and Casein showed good compatibility and co-assembled to form compact GCNPs clusters through hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interaction verified by FT-IR spectroscopy, and fluorescence spectroscopy. The particle size and zeta potential of GCNPs was 269.7 nm and -7.6 mV, respectively. The effect of GCNPs on the mechanics, water barrier, thermal stability, and UV-shielding of KC-GCNPs film was investigated. SEM images revealed that GCNPs uniformly distributed into KC film matrix and significantly improved the mechanics (tensile strength: 75.6 MPa, elongation at breaking: 36.7 %), water barrier ability (water contact angle: 91.3°, water vapor permeability: 0.994 g mm/m 2  day kPa, water solubility: 52.0 %), thermal stability and UV blocking property of KC-GCNPs film. Furthermore, KC-GCNPs film could also be applied to extend the shelf life of grapes. This paper demonstrated the great potential of GCNPs as functional nanofillers in enhancing the physicochemical properties of KC film., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest No conflict of interest exists in the submission of this manuscript., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: The high viscosity of konjac glumannan (KGM) limits its application in meat processing. In this work, the effects of konjac oligo-glucomannan (KOG), as a derivative of KGM, on the emulsifying properties of myofibrillar protein (MP) and the related mechanism were investigated., Results: It was found that the addition of KOG had no significant effect on the secondary structure of MP, but altered the tertiary conformation of MP, resulting in exposure of tyrosine residues to polar microenvironments and decreased intrinsic fluorescence intensity. In addition, the addition of KOG increased the emulsifying activity of MP, resulting in decreased particle size and improved physical stability of the emulsion. The emulsifying activity of MP reached the maximum value when 1.0 wt% KOG was added. Moreover, the interfacial tension and interfacially adsorbed protein content of MP/KOG emulsions decreased with the increase in KOG concentration., Conclusion: These findings demonstrated that KOG mainly interacted with MP and changed the amphipathy of the KOG-MP at the oil-water interface, forming a stable interface film to improve the emulsifying properties of MP. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.)

L. vannamei has become one of the most productive species. However, it is susceptible to microbial contamination during fishing, transportation, and storage, which can lead to spoilage and quality deterioration. This study investigates the relationship between changes in the proteome of Litopenaeus vannamei ( L. vannamei ) muscle and quality characteristics during low-temperature storage using the tandem mass spectrometry technology of quantitative proteomics strategy. The differential expression of proteins under cold storage (4 °C, CS), partial slight freezing (-3 °C, PFS), and frozen storage (-18 °C, FS) conditions was compared with the fresh group (CK), resulting in 1572 proteins identified as differentially expressed. The purpose of this research is to identify potential biochemical markers by analyzing quality changes and relative differential proteins through searches in the UniProt database, Gene Ontology database, and Genome Encyclopedia. Correlation analysis revealed that seven DEPs were significantly related to physical and chemical indicators. Bioinformatics analysis demonstrated that most DEPs are involved in binding proteins, metabolic enzymes, and protein turnover. Additionally, some DEPs were identified as potential biomarkers for muscle decline. These findings contribute to understanding the mechanism of freshness decline in L. vannamei under low-temperature storage and the changes in muscle proteome.

In this work, a multifunctional bilayer film was prepared by solvent casting method. Elderberry anthocyanins (EA) were incorporated into konjac glucomannan (KGM) film as the inner indicator layer (KEA). β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) loaded with oregano essential oil (OEO) inclusion complexes (β-CD@OEO) was prepared and incorporated into chitosan (CS) film as the outer hydrophobic and antibacterial layer (CS-β-CD@OEO). The impacts of β-CD@OEO on the morphological, mechanical, thermal, water vapor permeability and water resistance properties, pH sensitivity, antioxidant, and antibacterial activities of bilayer films were thoroughly evaluated. The incorporation of β-CD@OEO into bilayer films can significantly improve the mechanical properties (tensile strength (TS): 65.71 MPa and elongation at break (EB): 16.81 %), thermal stability, and water resistance (Water contact angle (WCA): 88.15°, water vapor permeability (WVP): 3.53 g mm/m 2  day kPa). In addition, the KEA/CS-β-CD@OEO bilayer films showed color variations in acid-base environments, which could be used as pH-responsive indicators. The KEA/CS-β-CD@OEO bilayer films also presented controlled release of OEO, good antioxidant, and antimicrobial activity, which exhibited good potential for the preservation of cheese. To sum up, KEA/CS-β-CD@OEO bilayer films have potential applications in the field of food packaging industry., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest No conflict of interest exists in the submission of this manuscript., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Constructing biodegradable food packaging with good mechanics, gas barrier and antibacterial properties to maintain food quality is still challenge. In this work, mussel-inspired bio-interface emerged as a tool for constructing functional multilayer films. Konjac glucomannan (KGM) and tragacanth gum (TG) with physical entangled network are introduced in the core layer. Cationic polypeptide ε-polylysine (ε-PLL) and chitosan (CS) producing cationic-π interaction with adjacent aromatic residues in tannic acid (TA) are introduced in the two-sided outer layer. The triple-layer film mimics the mussel adhesive bio-interface, where cationic residues in outer layers interact with negatively charged TG in the core layer. Furthermore, a series of physical tests showed excellent performance of triple-layer film with great mechanical properties (tensile strength (TS): 21.4 MPa, elongation at break (EAB): 7.9 %), UV-shielding (almost 0 % UV transmittance), thermal stability, water, and oxygen barrier (oxygen permeability (OP): 1.14 × 10 -3  g/m s Pa and water vapor permeability (WVP): 2.15 g mm/m 2  day kPa). In addition, the triple-layer film demonstrated advanced degradability, antimicrobial functions, and presented good moisture-proof performance for crackers, which can be potentially applied as dry food packaging., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest No conflict of interest exists in the submission of this manuscript., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

In this work, we prepared polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) microfibers incorporated water-in-oil (W/O) emulsions. The W/O emulsions were fabricated by hexadecyl konjac glucomannan (HKGM, emulsifier), corn oil (oil phase) and purple corn anthocyanins (PCAs, water phase). The structures and functions of emulsions and microfibers were characterized by confocal laser scanning (CLSM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), Raman and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The results showed that W/O emulsions exhibited good storage stability for 30 d. Microfibers presented ordered and uniform arrays. Compared with pure PVP microfiber films, the addition of W/O emulsions with PCAs improved the water resistance (WVP from 1.28 to 0.76 g mm/m 2  day kPa), mechanical strength (Elongation at break from 18.35 % to 49.83 %), antioxidation (free radical scavenging rate from 2.58 % to 16.37 %), and antibacterial activity (inhibition zone against E. coli: 27.33 mm and inhibition zone against S. aureus: 28.33 mm) of microfiber films. Results showed that microfiber film exhibited controlled release of PCAs in W/O emulsions, and about 32 % of the PCAs were released from the microfiber film after 340 min. The as-prepared microfiber films exhibited potential applications for food packaging., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest No conflict of interest exists in the submission of this manuscript., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Spraying is a common way to coat solutions onto surfaces evenly. Improving spraying effectiveness can avoid wasting solutions and reduce pollution. In this study, a trace amount of natural polysaccharide, konjac glucomannan (KGM), was added into solutions to regulate the spraying performances including the breakup of liquid jets, size of produced droplets, and collision and spreading of droplets on both superhydrophobic and hydrophilic surfaces. The shear viscosity, extensive viscosity, and surface tension of the KGM solutions were tested. The results of spraying experiments showed that adding KGM inhibited the liquid jet from breaking into small droplets, avoided the breakage of droplets on superhydrophobic surfaces, and promoted the spreading of liquid films on hydrophilic surfaces. The numerical simulation showed the stretching of single macromolecules and quantified the energy stored in molecular chains in a shear-dominated flow field during the spreading of droplets on surfaces and an elongational-dominated flow field during the breakage of a liquid bridge. The storage and dissipation of energy during the stretching and relaxing of KMG macromolecules were important origins of the increase in the colloid viscosity and molecular mechanisms of the effect of the KGM additive on spraying performances. This study provided an understanding and a strategy for optimization and application of spraying additives.

The viscosity is a foundational parameter of biomacromolecule in the food industry. The viscosity of macroscopic colloids is closely related to the dynamical behaviors of mesoscopic biomacromolecule clusters, which are difficult to be investigated at molecular resolution by common methods. In this study, based on experimental data, multi-scale simulations combining microscopic molecular dynamics simulation, mesoscopic Brownian dynamics simulation, and macroscopic flow field construction were used to investigate the dynamical behaviors of mesoscopic clusters of konjac glucomannan (KGM) colloids (~500 nm) over a long time (~100 ms). Numerical statistical parameters of the mesoscopic simulation of macroscopic clusters were proposed and proved to represent the viscosity of colloids. Based on the intermolecular interaction and macromolecular conformation, the mechanism of the shear thinning effect was revealed as both the regular arrangement of macromolecules at low shear rates (<100 s -1 ) and structural collapse of macromolecules at high shear rates (>500 s -1 ). Then, the effect of molecular concentration, molecular weight, and temperature on the colloid viscosity and cluster structure of KGM colloids was investigated by experiments and simulations. This study provides a novel multi-scale numerical method and insight into the viscosity mechanism of biomacromolecule., 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 © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)