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The bullwhip effect widely exists in supply chains and shows its significance for the competitiveness of enterprises in supply chains. In this study, we analyze the bullwhip effect in two parallel supply chains with competing products, each one consisting of a supplier and a retailer. A model is detailed for measuring the bullwhip effect in which the demand of retailers follows a similar vector autoregressive model (VAR-like) process. The results show that the bullwhip effect can be characterized as a quadratic function of the standard deviation ratio. The impact of market competition on the bullwhip effect of the supply chain may have the opposite result, which depends on some parameters, including lead time and market competition in the parallel supply chain. The parameters have asymmetric influence on bullwhip effect. Compared with VAR(1) and AR(1) model, the empirical results show that our VAR(1)-like model is closer to reality. Furthermore, we discuss the conclusion of research and its inspiration for supply chain management. • We study the bullwhip effect in two parallel supply chains with competing products. • With a similar vector autoregressive process, a model is proposed for measuring the bullwhip effect. • We analyze the impact of standard deviation ratio and market competition on bullwhip effect. • An empirical analysis of bullwhip effect is documented with our model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.comnet.2006.05.003 Byline: Wenting Tang (a), Yun Fu (b), Ludmila Cherkasova (a), Amin Vahdat (b) Keywords: Streaming media server workload; Synthetic workload generator; Media access patterns; Temporal and static properties; Non-stationary popularity; Zipf-Mandelbrot law; File life span; Modeling Abstract: Currently, Internet hosting centers and content distribution networks leverage statistical multiplexing to meet the performance requirements of a number of competing hosted network services. Developing efficient resource allocation mechanisms for such services requires an understanding of both the short-term and long-term behavior of client access patterns to these competing services. At the same time, streaming media services are becoming increasingly popular, presenting new challenges for designers of shared hosting services. These new challenges result from fundamentally new characteristics of streaming media relative to traditional web objects, principally different client access patterns and significantly larger computational and bandwidth overhead associated with a streaming request. To understand the characteristics of these new workloads we use two long-term traces of streaming media services to develop MediSyn, a publicly available streaming media workload generator. In summary, this paper makes the following contributions: (i) we propose a framework for modeling long-term behavior of network services by capturing the process of file introduction, non-stationary popularity of media accesses, file duration, encoding bit rate, and session duration. (ii) We propose a variety of practical models based on the study of the two workloads. (iii) We develop an open-source synthetic streaming service workload generator to demonstrate the capability of our framework to capture the models. Author Affiliation: (a) Hewlett-Packard Laboratories, 1501 Page Mill Road, Palo Alto, CA 94303, United States (b) Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093, United States Article History: Received 28 May 2004; Revised 27 February 2006; Accepted 2 May 2006 Article Note: (miscellaneous) Responsible Editor: U. Krieger

Hydrogen concentration profiles through olivine and pyroxene in peridotite xenoliths carried in rift basalts from northern Tanzania (Lashaine, Eledoi, and Kisite localities) show bell-shaped distributions, indicating that diffusive hydrogen loss has occurred in all minerals. Homogeneous major element concentrations and equilibration of hydrogen between the cores of olivine and coexisting pyroxene suggest that hydrogen loss resulted from diffusive degassing during host magma emplacement. For these samples, hydrogen diffusivities in olivine and coexisting pyroxene must be within the same order of magnitude, similar to experimentally determined diffusivities, but in contrast to previous observations made on xenolithic peridotites. We demonstrate here, for the first time using natural samples, that significant differences in activation energy is likely the primary parameter that causes the discrepancy between hydrogen diffusion in olivine and pyroxene observed in different suites of mantle xenoliths. Because hydrogen diffuses faster in olivine than in pyroxene as temperature increases, hydrogen loss in the Tanzanian mantle xenoliths must have occurred at relatively low temperatures (∼750 to ∼900 °C), whereas hydrogen loss observed in previous xenolith studies likely occurred at higher temperatures (∼950 to >1200 °C). Thus, the diffusive loss of hydrogen in the Tanzanian mantle xenoliths may have occurred at shallow depths or at the Earth's surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract To improve phospholipid bilayer membrane stability and reduce degradation of encapsulated curcumin, liposomes coated with guar gum (GG) and cationic guar gum (CGG) were prepared, and the physical properties of both were evaluated. The zeta potential results suggested that electrostatic interaction existed between the CGG and the negatively charged liposomes. A core−shell structure was observed under transmission electron microscopy; moreover, dynamic light scattering, atomic force microscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis confirmed that both GG and CGG were successfully coated on the surface of the vesicles. Fluorescence and Raman spectra and X-ray diffraction analysis indicated that GG and CGG could decrease membrane fluidity and enhance the lateral packing of lipids, and the structure stabilization effect was greater for CGG than GG. Further stability evaluation demonstrated that the liposome coating, especially the CGG-surface modified coating, could protect curcumin from the damage caused by oxidation or heat. Thus, the results suggested that CGG deposited onto the surface of liposomes could stabilize the lipid bilayer structure and retain the encapsulated curcumin better than GG. CGG-decorated liposomes could be developed as a formulation for encapsulating and delivering functional ingredients. Graphical abstract Image Highlights • Guar gum (GG) and cationtic GG were decorated on curcumin liposomes. • A core−shell structure was observed after the gum decoration on liposomes. • The curcumin encapsulated in the liposomes was in an amorphous state. • The structure stabilization effect was better for CGG than GG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To design a delivery system with effective protective attribute for lutein and explore the effect of the peptides conjugated with different phenolics on the carrier performance, zein peptide was covalently bonded to three phenolic acids, i.e. vanillic acid, protocatechuic acid, and gallic acid, to form the corresponding phenolic acid-zein peptide conjugates as stabilizers for preparing emulsion gels with sodium alginate and Ca2+. The emulsifying activity of the peptide was significantly increased by 49%–76% after the conjugation. The presence of the hydrophobic methoxy group on the benzene ring of vanillic acid contributed to the highest surface hydrophobicity of the corresponding conjugate, while the more hydrophilic phenolic hydroxyl groups of protocatechuic acid and gallic acid resulted in lower surface hydrophobicity for their conjugates. Among all the emulsion gels, the gel fabricated by vanillic acid-zein peptide conjugate exhibited the tightest network structure, the most favorable thixotropy with the recovery rate of 82%, the highest storage stability and UV protective effect for lutein. The in vitro digestion demonstrated that the gel with a more tight structure achieved the lower free fatty acids release rate and bioaccessibility. These findings suggest that the hydrophobicity of phenolic acids inflences the controllable release and protective effect for hydrophobic bioactives of the emulsion gels based on their covalent conjugates with zein peptides. • Three phenolic acids, VA, PA and GA were covalently conjugated with zein peptide. • Hydrophobicity of phenolic acids affected the interface performance of the conjugates. • Emulsion gels prepared by the conjugates provided effective protection for lutein. • FFA release rate was positively correlated with lutein bioavailability. • Lutein bioavailability was negatively correlated with storage modulus of emulsion gel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming to improve the stability of lycopene and incorporate it into a complex nutraceutical, exogenous lycopene–loaded Chlorella pyrenoidosa cells (CPCs) were developed. The complex had an encapsulation yield of 13.06 ± 0.89% and an encapsulation efficiency of 96.31 ± 3.10%. Fluorescence analyses indicated that lycopene was encapsulated in the CPCs. X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric and differential scanning calorimetric analyses were conducted and compared to those of the non-loaded CPCs, lycopene and their physical mixture. These studies demonstrated that lycopene was amorphous in the complex. The degradation kinetics indicated that encapsulation increased the stability of lycopene. The antioxidant activity of lycopene loaded CPCs against DPPH free radicals was higher than that of the unencapsulated lycopene after storage at 25 °C for 25 d. This study proved the feasibility of encapsulation of lycopene in the CPCs and combined the activities of both materials, which could be employed in the production of novel nutraceuticals to reduce oxidative stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fine particles from air pollution, also called particulate matter, less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter (PM2.5), are a threat to child health. Epidemiological investigations have related maternal exposure to PM2.5 to postnatal respiratory symptoms, such as frequent wheezing, chronic cough, and lung function decrements. However, only few experimental animal studies have been performed to study the effects of PM2.5.The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of maternal exposure to PM2.5 on postnatal pulmonary dysfunction in a rat model and to examine the mechanism of PM2.5-induced morphological pulmonary changes.Timed pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with PM2.5 (0.1, 0.5, 2.5, or 7.5 mg/kg) once every three days from day 0 to 18 of pregnancy. After delivery, pups were sacrificed on postnatal day (PND)1 and 28. The effects of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) on epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) were determined by immunohistochemistry, Western blotting, and quantitative RT-PCR. The offspring underwent pulmonary function measurements on PND28, lung tissues were histopathologically examined, and markers of oxidative stress were measured. Maternally PM2.5-exposed offspring pups displayed significant decreases in lung volume parameters, compliance, and airflow during expiration on PND28. The PM2.5-exposed group showed interstitial proliferation in lung histology, significant oxidative stress in lungs, and up-regulation of TGF-β-induced EMT via increased vimentin and α-smooth muscle actin and decreased E-cadherin levels on PND1 and PND28.These results suggest that EMT up-regulation mediated by the TGF-β/Smad3 pathway plays a role in postnatal pulmonary dysfunction associated with maternal exposure to PM2.5. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An anchovy antibacterial peptide ACWWP1 (GLSRLFTALK) has been previously shown to kill bacterial cells via membrane damage. The affinity and selectivity of ACWWP1 for cell membrane lipids and their effects on the activity were investigated. Thermodynamic analysis indicated that hydrophobic and electrostatic effects contributed to the partitioning of ACWWP1 in the membrane lipids. Confocal Raman microspectroscopy, fluorescence anisotropy and calcein leakage analysis suggested that the peptide induced the greatest change in the order parameters of the Staphylococcus aureus cell membrane, which was related to the relaxation of the lateral stacking and an increase in the fluidity of the phospholipid bilayer. The positively charged ACWWP1 could change the surface charge state of the membrane. Besides, ACWWP1 exhibited efficient antimicrobial activity for S. aureus in whole milk. The results suggest that ACWWP1 exhibits favorable bacterial cell membrane lipid selectivity and can be employed as an efficient method for the treatment of food poisoning caused by certain bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell membrane affinity screening method was developed to separate targeted antimicrobial peptides from the pepsin hydrolyzate of bovine casein. S. cerevisiae cell membranes were first immobilized on the surface of the silica gel to construct an affinity binding medium. A membrane-binding fraction was successfully screened by comparing the RP-HPLC fingerprint chromatograms of the hydrolyzate before and after adsorption with the adsorption medium. The amino acid sequence of the peptide was identified as LRLKKYKVPQL with the use of a matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometer. The sequence corresponded to amino acid residues 99–109 of bovine α S1 -casein. The results indicated that it is feasible to target screen antimicrobial peptides from protein hydrolyzate using S. cerevisiae cell membranes. The influences of thermal treatment, pH, ions, and enzymes on the activity of the purified peptide were also determined. The activity of the peptide was relatively thermally stable and was pH dependent. It retained more than 90% of its activity in the presence of 15% Na + , K + and pepsin. Trypsin, proteinase K, divalent cation Mg 2+ and Ca 2+ reduced the activity to different extents. The peptide also showed antibacterial effectiveness in fresh pear juice. These observations provide further information on the application of protein-derived antimicrobial peptides in food systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of the rice bran protein aggregates (RBPAs), glycated rice bran protein aggregates (gRBPAs) and resultant emulsions on the gelatinization and retrogradation characteristics of rice starch (RS) were investigated. The gelatinization and retrogradation properties of RS were determined by rapid viscosity analyzer (RVA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), dynamic rheology, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The addition of the protein aggregates and the emulsions reduced the swelling of starch during the gelatinization process and the enthalpy change (ΔH) of RS. Meanwhile, during the long-term storage (4 °C for 21 d), the existence of the protein aggregates and the emulsions decreased the storage modulus (G′) and hardness of RS gel, thereby decelerating the retrogradation of RS. Besides, XRD analysis proved that when heated for 2 h, the relative crystallinity of the RS-gRBPAs mixture decreased by 6.08%, and the relative crystallinity of the corresponding RS-emulsions mixture reduced by 6.85%, which indicated the grafting of Dex could impede the retrogradation of RS. The inhibitory effect of adding the emulsions was more pronounced than that of adding corresponding protein aggregates. Furthermore, SEM analysis confirmed that the gel network structures of mixture were more uniform and compact compared with RS, which resulted from the protein aggregates and the emulsions inhibiting the internal combination through hydrogen bonds between starch molecules. Overall, these findings suggested that the protein aggregates and the emulsions prevented the retrogradation of RS, and could be potently used as a natural substitutes to enhance the quality and nutrition of starch-based foods. [Display omitted] • The protein aggregates and emulsions inhibited the gelatinization of rice starch (RS). • The glycated protein aggregates and emulsions retarded the retrogradation of RS. • The grafting of dextran (Dex) delayed the retrogradation of RS through hydrogen bonds. • The hardness of RS gel was reduced by adding the protein aggregates and the emulsions. • The anti-retrogradation effect of emulsions was more obvious than protein aggregates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Hollow resveratrol loaded kafirin nanoparticles (HRKNPs) were fabricated. • Gallic acid was used as the crosslinking agent in the kafirin nanoparticles. • HRKNPs had smaller size and higher loading efficiency than solid ones. • HRKNPs crosslinked with gallic acid (HRKNPs-G) were more resistant to pancreatin. • HRKNPs-G showed a delayed release behavior. The possibility of combining the health benefits of kafirin and polyphenols and improving the bioavailability of resveratrol using hollow kafirin nanoparticles via gallic acid crosslinking was investigated. The size, morphology, charge state, loading efficiency, physicochemical stability, and redispersity after lyophilization of hollow resveratrol-loaded kafirin nanoparticles formed via gallic acid crosslinking were characterized and compared with their solid counterparts and those without crosslinking. The nanoparticles formed were anionic spheres with an average diameter of <100 nm when loading amounts of resveratrol were less than 20%. The hollow nanoparticles were homogenous and still achieved stable colloidal dispersion after lyophilization. The hollow nanoparticles crosslinked with gallic acid displayed stability against pancreatin and delayed release in stimulated digestion. The results suggested that hollow kafirin nanoparticles could be a favorable colloidal delivery system for incorporating resveratrol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• GA-LIP was surface decorated by lactoferrin. • LF-GA-LIP was more stable than GA-LIP. • Lactoferrin interacted with GA-LIP through electrostatic interaction. • LF-GA-LIP displayed a delayed-release effect compared with GA-LIP. • LF-GA-LIP exerted higher antibacterial properties against E. coli and S. aureus. Gallic acid liposomes (GA-LIP) and gallic acid liposomes decorated with lactoferrin (LF-GA-LIP) were fabricated, and their physiochemical, in vitro digestion and antibacterial activity were analysed. The average particle size of LF-GA-LIP was larger than that of GA-LIP, and the former had a higher encapsulation efficiency and storage stability. Electrostatic interaction existed between lactoferrin and the phospholipid bilayer. Spherical structures of both were observed by transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. Gallic acid existed in an amorphous form in both liposomes. Hydrogen bond was formed between the hydroxyl groups of gallic acid and the polar head of phospholipid in the liposomes. LF-GA-LIP displayed a delayed-release effect compared with GA-LIP in simulated digestion. It exerted higher antibacterial properties against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus than GA-LIP. The findings suggested that the liposomes decorated with lactoferrin could be developed as a favourable delivery system for a potential application in the food industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ca 2 Nb 2 O 7 is a promising material for high-temperature piezoelectric applications due to its ultra-high Curie temperature, which makes it a suitable candidate for use in harsh environments. However, their piezoelectric performance needs improvement. Here, through chemical engineering methods, we have successfully grown Bi3+ doped Ca 2 Nb 2 O 7 single crystals using the optical floating zone technique. The Ca 1.94 Bi 0.06 Nb 2 O 7 single crystals achieved better high-temperature stability, transparency and a higher piezoelectric constant of 12.8 pC/N at 298 K and 20.0 pC/N at 660 K. In addition to the dopant effects, mechanisms for enhancing the piezoelectric properties of perovskite-like layer structure (PLS) materials have been identified, highlighting the significant contribution of the NbO 6 octahedron and interlayer ions. These findings offers valuable insights into improving the performance of PLS materials, which is crucial for promoting their practical applications as high-temperature lead-free piezoelectric materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the effect of molecular weight of saccharides and heating time on interfacial behavior of protein, glycated rice bran protein aggregates (gRBPAs) were obtained by incubating rice bran protein (RBP) with glucose (Glu), maltose (Mal) and dextran (Dex) via acid-heat treatment (pH 2.0, 90 °C). Subsequently, the stability and in vitro simulated digestion properties of oil in water (O/W) emulsion stabilized by gRBPAs were analyzed. Structural analysis (circular dichroism and fluorescence spectra) proved that the tertiary structure and secondary structure of RBP changed after glycation, and the contents of β-sheet structure of gRBPAs increased significantly. Besides, the glycation improved the interfacial activity and emulsification of protein obviously. Compared with Glu or Mal, the grafting of Dex could produce larger steric hindrance, which better inhibited the aggregation of emulsion droplets. Furthermore, glycation enhanced the pancreatic lipase (PL) inhibitory activity of gRBPAs obviously, and the emulsions stabilized by gRBPAs exhibited higher anti-digestion ability (62.12–75.00%) compared with RBP (95.27%). Moreover, the free fatty acid (FFA) rate of O/W emulsion was closely related to the surface hydrophobicity, degree of glycation, PL inhibitory activity and interfacial behavior of gRBPAs. Therefore, these findings would be enlightening to intuitively tailor the physicochemical stability and digestibility of O/W emulsion system according to heating time and molecular weight of saccharides. Meanwhile, this work would facilitate the application of O/W emulsion stabilized by glycated protein aggregates in functional foods. [Display omitted] • O/W emulsions stabilized by glycated rice bran protein aggregates were constructed. • Glycation changed the tertiary structure and secondary structure of protein. • Glycation improved the interfacial activity and emulsification of protein. • Glycation tailored the stability and in vitro digestion properties of emulsions. • Interfacial protein content was negatively correlated with FFA release rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to develop new plant protein-based lipid substitutes to deal with health problems caused by animal fats or trans -fatty acids, the emulsion stablized by acid-heat (90 °C, pH 2.0) induced aggregation of peanut protein isolate (PPI) was used as template to fabricate oleogels. Heating time affected the structure, morphology of PPI and the adsorption characteristics at the O/W interface. The protein with suitable heating time (2–6 h) formed fibrils structure, which was beneficial to the rapid adsorption of aggregates at the O/W interface. Overheating (exceeding 8 h) led to the aggregate of protein fibrils and inhibited the adsorption of proteins at the O/W interface. Therefore, the heating times of 2 h, 4 h and 6 h were selected to prepare the follow-up emulsion and oleogels. Among the four heating times, the emulsion prepared by PPI heating for 6 h showed the best storage stability, ionic strength stability and shear resistance. The resultant oleogels exhibited the least oil loss and the highest freeze-thaw stability. The margarita biscuits prepared with a substitution rate of 50% oleogels to butter presented similar sensory property to the margaritas prepared with butter, indicating that the oleogels possessed favorable shortening properties. The results indicated that PPI fibrils structure could improve the oleogel formaton properties, making it a potential novel additive for the development of new fat substitute products. [Display omitted] • Peanut protein isolate (PPI) fibrils were formed by acid-heating induction. • Fibrillation improved the emulsifying performance of PPI. • Oleogels obtained by PPI fibril emulsion template showed higher freeze-thaw stability. • Replacing butter with oleogel had no significant impact on biscuit sensory attributes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In the smart grid (SG), the active management (AM) mode will be applied for the connection and operation of distributed generation (DG), which means real time control and management of DG units and distribution network devices based on real time measurements of primary system parameters. In this paper, a novel bi-level programming model for distributed wind generation (DWG) planning under AM mode is put forward. The model takes the maximum expectation of net benefit of DWG as the upper level program objective, and takes the minimum expectation of generation curtailment as the lower level program objective. The impact of active management algorithm on improvement of branch power flow and node voltage is taken into account. A hybrid algorithm combining the plant growth simulation algorithm (PGSA) with probabilistic optimal power flow (POPF) algorithm is presented to solve the optimal planning of DWG under AM mode. The case studies have been carried out on a 33-node distribution network, and the results verify the rationality of the planning model and the effectiveness of the proposed method. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The low bioavailability of polyphenol limits their use in functional foods. This study focused on the effects of luteolin, quercetin, proanthocyanidins, and apigenin loading on the attributes of lipid bilayers. Liposomes loaded with quercetin and proanthocyanidins were smaller in size and disperse more uniformly than those loaded with luteolin and apigenin. The spherical structures of these four liposomes were investigated via transmission electron microscope (TEM) and atomic force microscope (AFM). Raman spectra showed that the choline groups in all the liposome bilayers were mainly gauche conformations. Furthermore, polyphenolics had different effects on the liposomes' mobility and structure, which were dependent on the localization and orientation of polyphenolics in the lipid bilayer. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis indicates that four kinds of polyphenolics exist in an amorphous form in these liposomes. Fluorescence analysis indicates that the four polyphenolic compounds could load into the liposomes with different orientations. The ability of the four polyphenols to chelate Al3+ was significantly reduced in the lipid environment. The results reveal that polyphenolics' localization in lipid bilayers and their effects on lecithin membranes can be attributed to the polyphenols' structural characteristics. These were vital factors that should be taken into account when designing a liposome delivery system. • Effects of polyphenol loading on attributes of lipid bilayers were investigated. • Four polyphenols were incorporated into lipid bilayer with different degrees. • Liposomes exhibited the strongest protective effect on proanthocyanidins. • The number of hydroxyl groups affects the interaction between phenols and liposomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Suitable heating (2–6 h) was conducive to adsorption of RBPAs at the interface. • Hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen contributed to the formation of emulsion gel. • The gel structure of emulsion gel induced by double-cross-linked was more dense. • Double-cross-linked treatment enhanced the WHC of emulsion gel. • The RBPAs emulsion gels exhibited slow-release effect on free fatty acid. To investigate the effects of heating time and induction methods on the physicochemical properties and in vitro digestion behavior of emulsion gels, rice bran protein aggregates (RBPAs) were formed by acid-heat induction (90 °C, pH 2.0) and the emulsion gels were further prepared by adding GDL or/and laccase for single/double cross-linked induction. Heating time affected the aggregation and oil/water interfacial adsorption behavior of RBPAs. Suitable heating (1–6 h) was conducive to faster and more adsorption of aggregates at the oil/water interface. While excessive heating (7–10 h) resulted in protein precipitation, which inhibited the adsorption at the oil/water interface. The heating time at 2, 4, 5 and 6 h was thus chosen to prepare the subsequent emulsion gels. Compared with the single cross-linked emulsion gels, the double-cross-linked emulsion gels showed higher water holding capacity (WHC). After simulated gastrointestinal digestion, the single/double cross-linked emulsion gels all exhibited slow-release effect on free fatty acid (FFA). Moreover, the WHC and final FFA release rate of emulsion gels were closely related to the surface hydrophobicity, molecular flexibility, sulfhydryl, disulfide bond and interface behavior of RBPAs. Generally, these findings proved the potential of emulsion gels in designing fat alternatives, which could provide a novel technique for the fabrication of low-fat food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The microstructure evolution of the K403 Ni-based superalloy as a function of thermal exposure temperature and time was investigated using correlative characterization, including a combination of scanning electron microscopy, electron backscatter diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, high-angle angular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy imaging and electron energy loss spectroscopy. The as-cast microstructure of the K403 alloy shows a typical dendritic structure and consists of a γ solid solution, γ′ phase, ( γ + γ′ ) eutectic phase and a metal carbide (MC) phase. The solutes of Ni and Ti are enriched in the γ solid solution, while, the solutes of Cr and Co are enriched in the γ′ phase. The morphology of the γ′ phase is nearly cubic. After thermal exposure at 800 °C or 950 °C for up to 200 h, the typical dendritic structure and a similar solute segregation behavior were still observed. However, the MC carbides were partially decomposed and further transformed to the M 6 C phase and M 23 C 6 phase. Furthermore, the size of γ′ was increased from 302.88 ± 20.49 nm to 374.75 ± 29.76 nm (800 °C, 50 h) and 751.73 ± 123.14 nm (950 °C, 50 h), respectively. The morphology of γ′ was changed from cubic to triangular or round. Clearly, there is a significant coarsening of γ′ during thermal exposure. A topologically close-packed (TCP) σ phase was observed after thermal exposure at 800 °C for 100 h or 950 °C for 50 h. More interestingly, an in-situ phase transformation of the σ phase to other TCP phase (i.e. P phase) was also observed after thermal exposure at 950 °C for 50 h. The formation and transformation of carbide (i.e. M 6 C phase, M 23 C 6 phase) and TCP phases (i.e. σ phase, P phase) is proposed to be a diffusion-controlled process and can be attributed to the solute diffusion during thermal exposure. The present investigation provides a better understanding on the high temperature performance of the K403 Ni-based superalloy, which is essential to predict the failure and thereby enhance the reliability and service life of the K403 Ni-based superalloy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • HAP was used as a carrier for walnut peptides loaded proliposomes. • HAP improved the encapsulation efficiency of walnut peptides in proliposomes. • Hydrogen bonds formed between HAP and phospholipids in the proliposomes. • HAP improved thermal and environmental stability of the liposomes. • HAP facilitated a slow-release effect in simulated digestion for the proliposomes. To explore the feasibility of hydroxyapatite (HAP) as the carrier for proliposomes and improve the stability of walnut peptides (WPs), WPs-loaded proliposomes (WPs-PROLIPs) with hydroxyapatite (HAP) as the carrier were fabricated, and the physicochemical properties, environmental stability as well as in vitro simulated digestion release performance of the proliposomes were investigated. The proliposomes with HAP possessed smaller particle sizes and higher encapsulation efficiencies than those without HAP. FTIR analysis revealed that hydrogen bonds formed between HAP and phospholipids in the proliposomes. The inclusion of HAP in WPs-PROLIPs led to the improvement of the thermal degradation stability and environmental stabilities of the system. HAP also induced the conversion of free water into bound water in the proliposomes, as evaluated by LF NMR. In addition, proliposomal encapsulation did not affect the antioxidant activity of WPs-PROLIPs and the lateral order of the liposome membrane. Finally, in vitro digestion showed that the addition of HAP endowed the proliposomes with a retarded free fatty acid release effect, which was dependent on the weight ratio of phospholipids to HAP. These results offer opportunities for the use of HAP as a feasible carrier and lyoprotectant for proliposomes encapsulating biopeptides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soybean oleosome-associated protein (SOP) plays a vital role in stabilizing soy oleosomes owing to its unique amphipathic topological structure. Inspired by the structure of natural oleosomes, in the current study, SOP-decorated liposomes (SOP-Lips) were proposed as a vehicle for improving phospholipid bilayer membrane stability. The micro morphology, size, encapsulation efficiency, and retention rate of SOP-Lips were characterized, the interactions between SOP and the phospholipid bilayer and their effects on the protein and lipid bilayer structures were evaluated. When the liposomes/SOP mass ratio was 1: 0.2 and 1: 0.4, the SOP-Lips exhibited spherical morphology and favorable dispersibility. The quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) result suggested that most of SOP bound to liposomes in a tightly integrated way. Spectroscopy analysis indicated that the aromatic amino acids in the protein were exposed to a more hydrophobic microenvironment due to the interactions between the SOP and liposomes. There was an increase in α-helix and decrease in β-sheet and random curl contents in SOP upon exposure to liposomes. The decoration of SOP to liposomes could decrease membrane fluidity and enhance lateral packing of the phospholipid fatty acyl chain. The SOP coating increased the pH, ionic strength and temperature stability of luteolin liposomes (LUT-Lips). In the simulated digestion, SOP-decorated luteolin liposomes (SOP-LUT-Lips) showed a delayed release effect compared with LUT-Lips, suggesting that the inclusion of SOP resulted in a more digestion-resistant structure. This work provides a viable strategy for using SOP-Lips as a delivery system for nutraceuticals in functional food, dietary supplements and pharmaceuticals. [Display omitted] • Soybean oleosome-associated protein (SOP) decorated liposomes were constructed. • SOP interacted with liposomes through hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interaction. • SOP decreased phospholipid membrane fluidity and enhanced the bilayer orderness. • Inclusion of SOP increased the load efficiency of luteolin in liposomes. • SOP modified liposomes exhibited sustained luteolin release profile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Lyoprotectants maintained a favorable liposomal spherical shape during lyophilization. • Walnut peptides-loaded proliposomes showed favorable bioactivities. • Walnut peptides formed hydrogen bond with either lyoprotectants or phospholipids. • Lyoprotectants altered the free fatty acid release behaviors in simulated digestion. To protect walnut peptides from harsh external environments during their storage and digestion, proliposomes loaded with walnut peptides were fabricated using sucrose, trehalose, and mannitol as carriers and lyoprotectants. The physicochemical properties, environmental stability, antioxidant/antibacterial activities, and digestion in vitro of the proliposomes were evaluated. The freshly prepared liposomes were uniform in size, but the hydrated proliposomes showed a more uneven size distribution. The lyoprotectants helped maintain favorable liposome shape during lyophilization. Alongside the lyoprotectants, the walnut peptides further stabilized the lipid bilayer. Proliposomes encapsulation didn't impact the peptides' antioxidant activity. Furthermore, walnut peptides-loaded proliposomes exhibited antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The proliposomes were stable during gastric-phase digestion. The lyoprotectants changed the free fatty acid release behaviors of the proliposomes. These characteristics suggest potential applications for proliposomes as effective delivery systems for biopeptides in food stuffs, thereby protecting bioactivities during storage and passage through the gastrointestinal tract. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Zein peptides from trypsin (TZP) and flavourzyme (FZP) hydrolysis were prepared. • Surface hydrophobicity of TZP was higher than that of FZP. • Lutein-loaded NE, SLN, and NLC stabilized by TZP and FZP were fabricated. • Carriers with TZP were more stable than those prepared from FZP. • Bioavailability of lutein in SLN was the highest after in vitro digestion. Three lipid-based carriers encapsulating lutein, nano-emulsion (NE), solid lipid nanoparticle (SLN), and nano-structured lipid carrier (NLC), were developed from zein peptides hydrolyzed by trypsin (TZP) and flavourzyme (FZP) as stabilizers. The physiochemical properties of FZP and TZP were evaluated. The particle size, potential, microstructure, environmental stability, rheological properties, in vitro digestion stability, and bioavailability of the lutein-loaded NE, SLN, and NLC were compared. The results showed that the surface hydrophobicity of TZP was higher than that of FZP. Except for the SLN, most samples were stable against droplet aggregation during storage, and carriers stabilized by TZP exhibited more favorable storage stabilities than those prepared from FZP. All the samples presented characteristics of fluid with good fluidity. The bioavailability of lutein was between 42.61% and 62.81%. In summary, these results provide valuable insights into the design of lipid-based delivery systems for fat-soluble biologically active compounds using zein peptides as stabilizers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]