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Although many papers have been published in recent years regarding the effects of electrospinning (ES) on the properties of legume proteins (LPs), there has been no comprehensive review summarizing these findings, which was the main aim of this paper. Thus, the main purpose of this article was to review the properties of LP fiber-forming solutions as well as LP fibers through different characterization methods. Furthermore, the effect of encapsulating/incorporating different components into the ES solution of various LPs was studied. Cross-linking significantly improves the thermal stability, barrier properties, and insolubility of LP nanofibers. Also, Maillard-induced glycation leads to higher surface tension at the interface of oil-water contact, smaller emulsion droplets, and monomodal distributions. The ES quality of LPs varies depending on the viscosity, electrical conductivity, and surface tension of the protein solution; Specifically, too low and too high viscosity are detrimental due to the formation of beads and delay in Taylor cone formation, respectively; too low or too high conductivity will also cause insufficient jet elongation and significantly reduced jet stability, respectively. Insertion of nanoparticles improves the mechanical and thermal stability of LP nanofibers; however, the extent to which the incorporation meets safety regulations for adoption in food destinations remains a major challenge. [Display omitted] • The properties of legume protein fiber-forming solutions were reviewed. • Recent innovations in the electrospinning of legume proteins were introduced. • The role of electrospun legume proteins fibers in food packaging was explained. • The challenges in the electrospinning of legume proteins were described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Meat consumption has substantially expanded over the last 50 years, with the worldwide market for fresh and processed meat predicted to be 277.5 million tons in 2020 and is predicted to reach an adjusted size of 292.92 million tons by 2027. Nevertheless, spoilage and deterioration of meat and meat products can cause economic losses for producers and health risks for consumers. To address this, intelligent packaging material has been developed with indicators and sensors, such as barcodes and radio frequency tags, to ensure quality control and safety. These advancements have revolutionized the packaging industry by reducing losses and extending shelf life. Additionally, intelligent packaging systems (IPSs) provide real-time information to consumers about the status of the product. This has improved the overall quality and safety of perishable packaged foods like meat. However, most of the studies are conducted on a lab scale, and there are many issues to be solved besides cost hurdles to apply them industrially. The transition from lab scale to industrialization of IPSs comes with challenges and limitations. One of the main challenges is scaling up production while maintaining the functionality and reliability of IPSs. This requires significant investment in equipment and processes. Additionally, ensuring the compatibility of IPSs with existing industrial processes and standards can be a hurdle. Another challenge is the need for extensive testing and validation to meet regulatory requirements and ensure the safety and efficacy of IPSs. Overcoming these challenges is crucial for successfully integrating IPSs into industrial manufacturing processes. This review focuses on ongoing scientific research and development of the latest technologies, from lab scale to industrialization, through an approach to monitor and track physical, chemical, and microbial changes in meat products packaged in industrial settings using intelligent multifunctional packaging. This review also provides an updated overview of the correlation from production scale to consumption, product spoilage, and experimental parameters such as pH, total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N), and microbial load. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ceftiofur (CEF) is an antimicrobial agent with high efficiency and low toxicity, desfuroylceftiofur is its main metabolite, but they are also have potential harm to human health. In this study, ceftiofur was combined with carrier proteins to get artificial antigens. A specific antibody (pAb) against CEF and desfuroylceftiofur was prepared. A sensitive and rapid paper-based sensor relying on time-resolved fluorescent microspheres (TRFMs) immune probes was developed, which were time-resolved fluorescent immunochromatographic strips (TRFMs-LFIA). The concentrations of T line and C line, activated pH, antibody volume and probe volume were optimized. Quantitative limits of detection (qLODs) of TRFMs-LFIA for CEF and desfuroylceftiofur were 0.97 ng/mL and 0.41 ng/mL, respectively. And 50 % inhibiting concentrations (IC 50) were 12.92 ng/mL and 12.58 ng/mL, respectively. Pretreatment procedures of real samples were simple and rapid. Detection time of TRFMs-LFIA strip was 15 min. Qualitative analysis of CEF and desfuroylceftiofur was achieved under a UV light, quantitative analysis was implemented with a fluorescent immunoassay analyzer. The average recovery rates ranged from 91.4 % to 107.7 % and corresponding coefficients of variation (CV) was 1.5%–9.7 %. Concentration levels of artificially-spiked samples were measured by TRFMs-LFIA and compared with detection results of High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), which showed a good accordance. These results indicated that the proposed assay can provide an effective strategy for on-site detection of CEF and desfuroylceftiofur simultaneously. [Display omitted] • Coupling time-resolved fluorescent microsphere with antibody to prepare immune probe. • A lateral flow immunoassay is developed based on this immune probe. • Simultaneous determination of ceftiofur and desfuroylceftiofur can be achieved. • The lateral flow immunoassay can be applied to animal-derived foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a laser-assisted plasma transfer arc (Laser-PTA) additive manufacturing (AM) technology using coaxial powder flow. The focus of this paper is the effect of laser energy on the deposited microstructure, including grain morphology, texture characteristics, etc. The research focuses on the ultimate tensile strength (UTS), elongation properties, as well as anisotropy improvement of the deposition material. The experimental results show that laser energy, not less than 300 W～400 W, significantly promotes grain refinement and weakens the grain growth texture in deposition layers. The laser energy can cause the growth of equiaxed fine grains in the interlaminar region, which completely blocks the continuous growth of columnar grains in adjacent layers. Additionally, laser energy can also increase the proportion of high angle grain boundaries within the microstructure of the deposited layers. Optimizing the microstructure has a favorable effect on the mechanical properties of the deposited material's structure. The tensile test results showed that the vertical and horizontal UTS and elongations were improved, with a significantly higher vertical direction tensile improvement than that seen in the horizontal direction. At the same time, the UTS average difference between the horizontal and vertical decreased by 73.29%, and the elongation average difference decreased by 67.61%, which indicates the material has improved anisotropic mechanical properties. • Laser energy can significantly promote the grain refinement effect. • Laser energy can significantly weaken the grains growth texture. • The continuous growth of columnar crystals in adjacent layers is blocked. • The proportion of high angle grain boundaries is increased. • The improvement of the anisotropy of mechanical properties is significantly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gas tungsten arc (GTA) is a heat source commonly used in wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) and arc welding. During the WAAM and arc welding process, the GTA arc length has a significant influence on the quality of deposition layer and deposition conditions. Therefore, the monitoring of arc length is conducive to the automatic control of the manufacturing process. This paper studies the characteristics of arc acoustic signals with varying arc length in GTA-WAAM, and it provides a method to identify the arc length through the detection and processing of the arc acoustic signals. The signal decomposition method based on wavelet analysis is used to extract the trend signal of the variable arc acoustic signal, and the quantitative relationship between arc length and arc acoustic signal is deduced. The results show that the arc acoustic signal fluctuates regularly with the continuous change of arc length. The basic mathematical relationship between arc length and arc acoustic signal indicates the possibility of identifying the arc length. Meanwhile, the verification experimental results show that the proposed calculation method and signal processing flow are effective for arc length identification. This result provides the possibility for the application of arc acoustic signal in arc length identification and GTA-WAAM process control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Graptolite biozones linked to diverse minerals, lithofacies and paleoenvironment. • Sedimentation on organic matter: 0∼5m/Ma stable, >5m/a causes dilution. • Wufeng-Longmaxi formation's early-late stages' provenance changes shale's minerals. • The restricted sedimentary environment resulted in acidic pore water, limiting carbonate preservation. The shales show obvious heterogeneity during the Late Ordovician-Early Silurian in South Sichuan Basin, China. To elucidate the sedimentary control factors of the heterogeneity of the Wufeng-Longmaxi Formation shales and developmental model, we conducted petrological observations, X-ray diffraction analysis, and geochemical studies of the two wells. The findings indicate 10 graptolite biozones are identified in both two studied wells. Notably, the thickness, lithofacies, mineral composition, and total organic carbon content varied noticeably throughout these marine shales within each graptolite biozone. The WF1–LM1 shales mainly accumulated under anoxic conditions that lacked terrigenous input, which was beneficial for the preservation of organic matter. After the LM1 interval, the input of terrigenous material increased, the diluting effect on organic matter was increasingly enhanced. Significant dilution of organic matter occurred after the LM4 interval, when the apparent sedimentation rate increased to over 15.0 m/Ma (49.21ft/Ma). Additionally, the early-late stage of the Wufeng-Longmaxi Formation has different provenance. Within the WF1–LM1 interval, the terrigenous material was composed primarily of carbonate minerals. Above the LM1 interval, the contents of clay, felsic, and silicate clasts increased. In more anoxic conditions, the limited supply of detrital iron from the source region may have led to more acidic pore water conditions during early diagenesis, which restricted early carbonate cementation and resulted in a more clay-rich lithofacies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food contamination reveals a major health risk globally and presents a significant challenge for the food industry. It can stem from biological contaminants like pathogens, parasites, and viruses, or chemical contaminants such as heavy metals, pesticides, drugs, and hormones. There is also the possibility of naturally occurring hazardous chemicals. Consequently, the development of sensing platforms has become crucial to accurately and rapidly identify contaminants and hazards in food products. Electrospun nanofibers (NFs) offer a promising solution due to their unique three-dimensional architecture, large specific surface area, and ease of preparation. Moreover, NFs exhibit excellent biocompatibility, degradability, and adaptability, making monitoring more convenient and environmentally friendly. These characteristics also significantly reduce the detection process of contaminants. NF-based sensors have the ability to detect a wide range of biological, chemicals, and physical hazards. Recent research on NFs-based sensors for the detection of various food contaminants/hazards, such as pathogens, pesticide/drugs residues, toxins, allergens, and heavy metals, is presented in this review. [Display omitted] • Food contamination is a major global public health risk. • Sensing platforms are developed for the precise/quick identification of contaminants/hazards. • Electrospun nanofibers (NFs) have some remarkable properties for this purpose. • NF-based sensors can detect a variety of species, from heavy metal ions to microorganisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A well-known method for reducing or swapping out undesirable and controversial fats in food is oleogelation. To quantify the effects of droplets-particle inclusion on the textural aspects of gelled systems, a thorough understanding of rheological behavior of oleogels (OGs) is necessary. Otherwise stated, a rational grasp of rheological characterization is essential for food development, optimization, and processing (when touching or putting food into the mouth, rheological flow qualities influence our perception). This narrative review primarily intends to investigate rheological and textural characteristics of various oleogelator-based OGs, such as operative connection between hardness, distortion, stresses, and rheological parameters like viscosity, elasticity, and viscoelasticity, as well as flow behavior and recovery. Expanding oleogelators concentration and synergistic interactions between them increase robustness and moduli values, as compared to single oleogelators. However, given the lack of information on the connection between the OGs' macroscopic rheological characteristics and their microstructural characteristics, this review presents state-of-the-art overview of various oleogelator-based OGs, highlighting the importance of structure–rheology relationships of OGs to provide advanced knowledge on the development of innovative OGs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different types of nanomaterials used in (bio)sensors systems for the detection of pathogens and microbial toxins. [Display omitted] • One of the new and emerging strategies for safety assessment are nanomaterial-based sensors. • Nanosensors for detection of microorganisms and their toxins have been hugely probed. • Magnetic/gold nanoparticles, peptide nanotubes, quantum dots, etc. are the most common nanomaterials for nanosensors. • Challenges stay for the easy fabrication of nanosensors and their application in food matrices. Nowadays, because of the higher people's awareness for safe and healthy food consumption, there is a proliferating request to keep food products versus the hazardous effect of pathogens and harmful microbial metabolites. Indeed, these organisms and their toxins create a high risk for food safety and known as a crucial menace for public health due to the ability of triggering foodborne infections/intoxications. Common procedures have high cost for analyses, need a lot of time, are effortful and need new tools along with skilled staff. Therefore, to come cross such difficulties, it is essential to expand sensing methods including bio/nanosensors for detections and evaluations, which are quick, trustworthy, economical and beneficial. Nanosensors for detection of microorganisms and their toxins have been hugely probed with the emrging fields of nanotechnology and artificial intelligence. Nanomaterial-based sensors such as magnetic nanoparticles, gold nanoparticles, peptide nanotubes, quantum dots, etc are the most common sensors with broad application for detection of pathogens and their toxins; they have been discussed completely in this review. Nevertheless, challenges stay for the easy and simple fabrication of nanosensors and their functional application in food matrices. Hence, developments and innovation in sensing process will be a movement in the near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Cimicifuga dahurica (Turcz.) Maxim. can promote wound healing due to its antibacterial action. • AgNPs with stronger antibacterial effect were prepared by Cimicifuga dahurica (Turcz.) Maxim. • Furthermore, a new network-like thermosensitive hydrogel spray was developed. • The hydrogel as a wound dressing promotes wound healing based on a mice model. Cimicifuga dahurica (Turcz.) Maxim. is an edible natural food and a type of traditional herbal medicine with antipyretic and analgesic properties. In this study, we found that Cimicifuga dahurica (Turcz.) Maxim. extract (CME) has good skin wound healing qualities due to its antibacterial effects on both wound inflammation-related Gram positive (Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis) and Gram negative (Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae) strains. Using CME as a reducing agent, CME-based Ag nanoparticles (CME-AgNPs) with an average particle size of 7 nm were synthesized. The minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of CME-AgNPs against the investigated bacterial species varied from 0.08 to 1.25 mg/mL, indicating much higher antibacterial activity than the pure CME. Additionally, a novel network-like thermosensitive hydrogel spray (CME-AgNPs-F127/F68) was developed and shown a skin wound healing rate of 98.40% in 14 days, demonstrating the spray's potential as a novel wound dressing that accelerates wound healing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• An MOFs and AuNPs-based QCM aptasensor was fabricated for TC sensing. • MOFs-AuNPs nanocomposite were used to enhance the performance of QCM aptasensor. • The QCM aptasensor exhibited wide linear range, good sensitivity, selectivity, and applicability. • This is a first attempt of applying MOFs in the field of QCM aptasensor. A novel label-free point-of-care quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) aptasensing platform based on metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) was fabricated for tetracycline (TC) detection. MOFs (HKUST-1) and AuNPs were modified onto the sensing interface of QCM sensor to enhance the sensing performance of the QCM aptasensor. TC aptamer with sulfhydryl group was fixed through Au-S bond. The recognition performance of the aptasensor was predicted and verified by the computer simulation. At the optimal conditions, the frequency change of the sensor was adopted for quantitative detection of TC. The prepared QCM aptasensor exhibited a wide linear range from 1 × 10−10 g mL−1 to 1 × 10−5 g mL−1 with low limit of detection (0.8 × 10−11 g mL−1). High sensitivity, good selectivity, acceptable recoveries (87.6–91.4%) in real samples were obtained. For the first time, MOFs were utilized in the construction of QCM aptasensing platform, providing a promising application way of MOFs in the QCM sensing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel Tb3+ ion-ENR aptamer probe was prepared for specific detection of the three FQs. • The probe owns a wide linear range with low LODs for ENR, CIP and NOR. • The Tb3+ ion-ENR aptamer probe has great potential for wide-ranging application in food products. Fluoroquinolones, a family of synthetic broad-spectrum antibiotics, are widely used in clinical medicine, farm animals and aquaculture. Residues of fluoroquinolones in samples have attracted much attention because of growing food safety and public health concerns. Here, a novel Tb3+ ion-enrofloxacin aptamer coordination probe was prepared to develop a sensitive and rapid label-free fluorescence assay for specific detection three fluoroquinolones. In presence of the target, Tb3+ ion- enrofloxacin aptamer probe specifically bound with enrofloxacin, norfloxacin and ciprofloxacin, leading to a sharp increase in fluorescence emission of the probe. Under the optimized conditions, fluorescence increased linearly in the 1.0–100.0 ng/mL range for the three fluoroquinolones, with 0.053 ng/mL limit of detection for ciprofloxacin, 0.020 ng/mL limit of detection for norfloxacin and 0.061 ng/mL limit of detection for enrofloxacin. Satisfactory recovery (80.10–102.48%) in spiked honey and water samples were obtained for the three fluoroquinolones with relative standard deviations between 0.21% and 5.44% (n = 3). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ginseng quinquefolium (L.), Astragalus membranaceus , and Sophora flavescens Aiton are popular folk medicines in many Asian countries and regions. These three traditional Chinese herbs and their extracts have been reported to considerably enhance the immune function. G. quinquefolium (L.) is considered the king of herbs in China. Traditionally, G. quinquefolium (L.) is believed to replenish vitality, which is considered as immune enhancement in modern Chinese pharmacy. One of the main uses of Astragalus is immunity enhancement; S. flavescens and oxymatrine obtained from its extract have been used to treat leukopenia. Considering the pharmacological properties of Ginseng , Astragalus , and oxymatrine, we evaluated the immunopotentiation effects of their combination, Ginseng–Astragalus –oxymatrine (GAO), in the present study. This study aimed to expand the clinical application of GAO and to preliminarily explore its mechanism of action by determining whether GAO injection can enhance immunity in vivo and in vitro. Overall, 17 major chemical components in GAO were analysed using HPLC and LC-MS. The immunity-enhancing effect of GAO was studied in the cyclophosphamide (CTX)-induced immunosuppressive mouse model and RAW 264.7 cells. Quantitative analysis showed that the potential active components of GAO include at least ginsenosides, astragaloside IV, and oxymatrine. GAO could significantly improve the nonspecific immunity including the indices of the thymus and spleen, number of peripheral blood leukocytes, levels of TNF-α and IL-6, phagocytic function of macrophages, and cytotoxic activity of natural killer (NK) cells. Additionally, GAO enhanced the humoural immunity, characterised by the antibody production ability of B cells, and cellular immunity, characterised by the activity of T cells, in immunosuppressed mouse. Moreover, GAO could enhance the phagocytic and adhesion functions of RAW 264.7 cells, which may be related to the activation of reactive oxygen species and NF-κB signalling pathway. GAO could dramatically ameliorate CTX-induced immunosuppression in mouse and stimulate the immune activity in RAW 264.7 cells possibly by activating the NF-κB signalling pathway. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• There is a basic relationship between defocusing distance and plasma charge voltage. • The deviation of laser defocusing distance was identified. • The maximum recognition error is less than 7.1%. It is known to all that the energy density of laser beam is depended on the laser focus size in laser processing. A stable laser focus size is important to the quality of product either in laser welding or in laser additive manufacturing. The laser focus size closely relates to the laser defocusing distance, and it is necessary to sensor the laser defocusing distance in order to ensure the stability of the laser focus size. But in the process of laser processing, the measurement accuracy of laser defocusing distance by optical and acoustic sensor is easy to be interfered by the laser manufacturing environment. The electrical signals in laser processing are less affected by environment, which can effectively improve the measurement accuracy. In this study, the plasma charge voltage signal in the laser processing is detected and processed to find out the relationship between the signal and the laser defocusing distance, and to identify the variation of laser defocusing distance in processing. The experiment results show that when the laser defocusing distance deviates, the plasma charge voltage fluctuates regularly with the variation of the deviation amount. This work reveal a regular mathematical relationship between laser defocusing distance and plasma charge voltage. The deviation of laser defocusing distance can be identified using this relation. The verification experimental results show that the maximum recognition error is less than 7.1% when the laser defocusing distance is within the range of 6–8 mm. This result provides the possibility for the application of laser plasma charge voltage signal in laser focusing distance recognition and controlling. Accordingly, higher measurement accuracy can be obtained for laser defocusing distance, which is conducive to more accurate control of laser defocusing distance and more stable laser processing quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, a novel process for effective recoveries of Te and Cu from copper telluride from anode slime processing in copper smelters was proposed. The process consists of two hydrometallurgical steps of atmospheric alkaline leaching for Cu and Te separation, and TeO 2 precipitation with H 2 SO 4 for Te recovery. The effects of NaOH concentration, liquid to solid ratio, temperature, H 2 O 2 to Cu 2 Te mole ratio, and reaction time on the dissolution behavior of tellurium were investigated. A Te leaching efficiency of about 91% was obtained under the optimal experimental conditions. The results of thermodynamic and kinetic analysis indicate that a lower temperature is favorable for the dissolution of Te, and mass transfer inside the solid particle is the rate-determining step. In addition, a mechanochemical-assisted leaching was conducted, by which Te leaching efficiency was enhanced to approximately 93% with ball milling at 180 rpm for 5 h. After Te leaching, H 2 SO 4 was utilized to adjust the pH value of the Te-containing alkaline leach solution to 4.5 for TeO 2 precipitation. The crystallization of TeO 2 can be completed by reacting for 1 h and the overall tellurium recovery has reached nearly 90%. Image 1 • One-step separation of Cu and Te was achieved by atmospheric alkaline leaching. • Thermodynamic and kinetic analysis of Te dissolution process were conducted. • Ball milling treatment was employed to enhance Te selective dissolution process. • An overall Te recovery of 90% was achieved by precipitating TeO 2 from solution. • A complete and efficient technology for copper telluride recycling was proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study incorporated purple sweet potato anthocyanin (PSPA) and silver-nanoparticles (AgNPs) into the chitosan/polyvinyl alcohol film matrix (PVA/CS) to successfully prepare a composite film, which effectively inhibited bacterial growth and indicated product freshness. The addition of AgNPs and PSPA led to a dense structure of the film, which effectively enhanced its physical properties, barrier properties and functional properties. The incorporation of PSPA made the composite film highly pH-sensitive, which exhibited distinct color changes in varying pH solutions. The PVA/CS-AgNPs-PSPA10 composite film with PSPA and AgNPs resulted the shelf life of strawberries to 13 days at 4 °C, which effectively reduced strawberry breathing during storage. Additionally, such composite film changed color from purple to yellow-purple, indicating the deterioration of strawberries. It also showed an antibacterial indication through its excellent antibacterial property and freshness indication performance, which demonstrated its significance in developing antibacterial indicator composite packaging materials for fruits and vegetables 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 Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs)-based immunochromatographic assay has gained popularity as a rapid detection method for food hazards. Synthesizing highly stable AuNPs in a rapid, simple and environmentally friendly manner is a key focus in this field. Here, we present a green microfluidic strategy for the rapid, automated, and size-controllable synthesis of pepsin-doped AuNPs (AuNPs@Pep) by employing glucose-pepsin as a versatile reducing agent and stabilizer. Through combining the colorimetric and photothermal (PoT) properties of AuNPs@Pep, both "signal-off" and "signal-on" formats of microfluidic paper analytical devices (PADs) were developed for detection of a small molecule antibiotic, florfenicol, and an egg allergen, ovalbumin. Compared to the colorimetric mode, a 4-fold and 3-fold improvement in limit of detection was observed in the "signal-off" detection of florfenicol and the "signal-on" detection of ovalbumin, respectively. The results demonstrated the practicality of AuNPs@Pep as a colorimetric/PoT dual-readout probe for immunochromatographic detection of food hazards at different molecular scales., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest All authors declare no conflict of interests., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Pickering emulsions (PEs) can be used as efficient carriers for encapsulation and controlled release of different bioactive compounds. Recent research has revealed the potential of prolamins in development of nanoparticle- and emulsion-based carriers which can improve the stability and bioavailability of bioactive compounds. Prolamin-based particles have been effectively used as stabilizers of various PEs including single PEs, high internal phase PEs, multiple PEs, novel triphasic PEs, and PE gels due to their tunable self-assembly behaviors. Prolamin particles can be fabricated via different techniques including anti-solvent precipitation, dissolution followed by pH adjustment, heating, and ion induced aggregation. Particles fabricated from prolamins alone or in combination with other hydrocolloids or polyphenols have also been used for stabilization of different PEs which were shown to be effective carriers for food bioactives, providing improved stability and functionality. This article covers the recent advances in various PEs stabilized by prolamin particles as innovative carriers for bioactive ingredients. Strategies applied for fabrication of prolamin particles and prolamin-based carriers are discussed. Emerging techno-functional applications of prolamin-based PEs and possible challenges are also highlighted., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Micro/nanomaterials display considerable potential for increasing the sensitivity of lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) by acting as 3D carriers for both antibodies and signals. The key to achieving high detection sensitivity depends on the probe's orientation on the material surface and its multivalent biomolecular interactions with targets. Here, we engineer Lactococcus lactis as the bacterial microcarrier (BMC) for a multivalent immunorecognition probe that was genetically programmed to display multifunctional components including a phage-screened single-chain variable fragment (scFv), an enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP), and a C-terminal peptidoglycan-binding domain (AcmA) anchored on BMC through the cell wall peptidoglycan. The innovative design of this biocarrier system, which incorporates a lab-on-a-chip microfluidic device, allows for the rapid and non-destructive self-assembly of the multivalent scFv-eGFP-AcmA@BMC probe, in which the 3D structure of BMC with a large peptidoglycan surface area facilitates the precisely orientated attachment and immobilization of scFv-eGFP-AcmA. This leads to a remarkable fluorescence aggregation amplification effect in LFIA, outperforming a monovalent 2D scFv-eGFP-AcmA probe for florfenicol detection. By designing a portable sensing device, we achieved an exceptionally low detection limit of 0.28 pg/mL and 0.21 pg/mL for florfenicol in lake water and milk sample, respectively. The successful microfabrication of this biocarrier holds potential to inspire innovative biohybrid designs for environment and food safety biosensing applications., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Fungal secondary metabolites are not necessary for growth, but they are important for fungal metabolism and ecology because they provide selective advantages for competition, survival and interactions with the environment. These various metabolites are widely used as medicinal precursors and insecticides. Secondary metabolism genes are commonly arranged in clusters along chromosomes, which allow for the coordinate control of complete pathways. In this study, we created the Fungal Gene Cluster Database to store, retrieve, and visualize secondary metabolite gene cluster information across fungal species. The database was created by merging data from RNA sequencing, Basic Local Alignment Search Tool, genome browser, enrichment analysis and the R Shiny web framework to visualize and query putative gene clusters. This database facilitated the rapid and thorough examination of significant gene clusters across fungal species by detecting, defining and graphically displaying the architecture, organization and expression patterns of secondary metabolite gene clusters. In general, this genomic resource makes use of the tremendous chemical variety of the products of these ecologically and biotechnologically significant gene clusters to our further understanding of fungal secondary metabolism. Database URL: https://www.hebaubioinformatics.cn/FungalGeneCluster/., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press.)

Recombinant antibody-based immunoassays have emerged as crucial techniques for detecting antibiotic residues in food samples. Developing a stable recombinant antibody production system and enhancing detection sensitivity are crucial for their biosensing applications. Here, we bioengineered a single-chain fragment variable (scFv) antibody to target chloramphenicol (CAP) using both Bacillus subtilis and HEK 293 systems, with the HEK 293-derived scFv demonstrating superior sensitivity. Computational chemistry analyses indicated that ASP-99 and ASN-102 residues in the scFv play key roles in antibody recognition, and the hydroxyl group near the benzene ring of the target molecule is critical for in antibody binding. Furthermore, we enhanced the scFv's biosensing sensitivity using an HCR-CRISPR/Cas12a amplification strategy in a streptavidin-based immunoassay. In the dual-step amplification process, detection limits for CAP in the HCR and HCR-CRISPR/Cas12a stages were significantly reduced to 55.23 pg/mL and 3.31 pg/mL, respectively. These findings introduce an effective method for developing CAP-specific scFv antibodies and also propose a multi-amplification strategy to increase immunoassay sensitivity. Additionally, theoretical studies also offer valuable guidance in CAP hapten design and genetic engineering for antibody modification., 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.)

An ingenious and universal design of fluorescent/electrochemical dual-signal mode sensing platform was constructed for the sensitive, selective and accurate detection of tetracycline (TET). Apt-functionalized nano-magnetic beads (Fe 3 O 4 -Apt) as capture probe, Apt-complementary short-chain functionalized fluorescent MOF loaded with methylene blue (MB) (cDNA-MOF-MB) as dual-signal tag were prepared. The sensing platform (Fe 3 O 4 -Apt/cDNA-MOF-MB) was formed based on the base complementary pairing of Apt and cDNA. With the help of Apt for target recognition, together with magnetic separation technology, a dual-signal mode biosensor was constructed. The dual-signal mode biosensor exhibited a wide linear concentration range from 1.00 × 10 -9 g/mL to 1.00 × 10 -4 g/mL with a low limit of detection (LOD) of 1.69 × 10 -10 g/mL (fluorescence mode assay) and 1.15 × 10 -10 g/mL (electrochemical mode assay). The proposed biosensor had been successfully applied to the determination of TET content in real samples with satisfactory recoveries (94.99-101.30%)., 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.)

Oral cavity contains the second largest microbial community in the human body. Due to the highly vascularized feature of mouth, oral microbes could directly access the bloodstream and affect the host healthy systemically. The imbalance of oral microbiota is closely related to various oral and systemic diseases. Green tea extracts (GTE) mainly contain tea polyphenols, alkaloids, amino acid, flavones, and so on, which equipped with excellent anti-inflammatory activities. Previous studies have demonstrated the beneficial effects of GTE on oral health. However, most researches used in vitro models or focused on limited microorganisms. In this study, the regulatory effect of GTE on oral microbiome and the alleviative effect on oral inflammation in vivo were evaluated. The results showed that GTE could efficiently alleviate the inflammations of the tongue, cheek pouch, as well as throat. GTE effectively inhibited the activation of NF-κB through the upregulation of the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-10, consequently leading to reduced expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α. The indexes of spleen and thymus were also elevated by GTE in stomatitis mice. Moreover, GTE promoted the growth of probiotics Lactobacillus and Bacillus, inhibited the reproduction of pathogens Achromobacter, reversing the microbiota disorders in oral cavity. This study not only presents a novel approach for enhancing oral microecology but also facilitates the wider adoption of tea consumption., (© 2023 Institute of Food Technologists.)

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small non-coding RNAs that exert their biological functions as negative regulators of gene expression. They are involved in the skin wound healing process with a dynamic expression pattern and can therefore potentially serve as biomarkers for skin wound age estimation. However, no reports have described any miRNAs as suitable reference genes (RGs) for miRNA quantification in wounded skin or samples with post-mortem changes. Here, we aimed to identify specific miRNAs as RGs for miRNA quantification to support further studies of skin wound age estimation. Overall, nine miRNAs stably expressed in mouse skin at certain posttraumatic intervals (PTIs) were preselected by next-generation sequencing as candidate RGs. These nine miRNAs and the commonly used reference genes (comRGs: U6, GAPDH, ACTB, 18S, 5S, LC-Ogdh) were quantitatively examined using quantitative real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction at different PTIs during skin wound healing in mice. The stabilities of these genes were evaluated using four independent algorithms: GeNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper, and comparative Delta Ct. Stability was further evaluated in mice with different post-mortem intervals (PMIs). Overall, mmu-miR-26a-5p, mmu-miR-30d-5p, and mmu-miR-152-3p were identified as the most stable genes at both different PTIs and PMIs. These three miRNA RGs were additionally validated and compared with the comRGs in human samples. After assessing using one, two, or three miRNAs in combination for stability at different PTIs, PMIs, or in human samples, the set of miR-26a/30d/152 was approved as the best normalizer. In conclusion, our data suggest that the combination of miR-26a/30d/152 is recommended as the normalization strategy for miRNA qRT-PCR quantification in skin wound age estimation., Key Points: The small size of miRNAs makes them less susceptible to post-mortem autolysis or putrefaction, leading to their potential use in wound age estimation.Studying miRNAs as biological indicators of skin wound age estimation requires the selection and validation of stable reference genes because commonly used reference genes, such as U6, ACTB, GAPDH, 5S, 18S, and LC-Ogdh, are not stable.miR-26a/30d/152 are stable and reliable as reference genes and their use in combination is a recommended normalization strategy for miRNA quantitative analysis in wounded skin., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by OUP on behalf of the Academy of Forensic Science.)

Plant signal transduction occurs in response to nutrient element deficiency in plant vascular tissue. Recent works have shown that the vascular tissue is a central regulator in plant growth and development by transporting both essential nutritional and long-distance signaling molecules between different parts of the plant's tissues. Split-root and grafting studies have deciphered the importance of plants' shoots in receiving root-derived nutrient starvation signals from the roots. This review assesses recent studies about vascular tissue, integrating local and systemic long-distance signal transduction and the physiological regulation center. A substantial number of studies have shown that the vascular tissue is a key component of root-derived signal transduction networks and is a regulative center involved in plant elementary nutritional deficiency, including nitrogen (N), phosphate (P), and iron (Fe).

Gold doped copper hexacyanoferrate (Au@Cu-HCF) nanozyme-based colorimetric sensing strategies were exploited to measure total antioxidant capacity (TAC) of some plant-derived food samples. The new developed Au@Cu-HCF nanozyme replaces natural enzymes to catalyze a redox reaction, and antioxidants can compete with substrates in the interaction with OH, leading to an antioxidant concentration-dependent color change. Depending on the Au@Cu-HCF-based ABTS colorimetric strategy, a smartphone-based sensor was devised using smartphone's camera as a "smart detector". The proposed sensor was successfully utilized to measure the TAC of lotus root (4.61 mM), citrus juice (6.35 mM), and lemon beverage (1.00 mM) with standard deviations of 0.16 mM, 0.16 mM, and 0.06 mM, respectively. These results all agree well with the commercial kit (4.55 mM for lotus root, 6.27 mM for citrus juice and 1.11 mM for lemon beverage), indicating this sensor has good practical applications in the TAC measurement of food samples., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The abuse of antibiotics, such as the cephalosporins in livestock and aquaculture productions, usually causes the widespread antibiotic resistance due to their growth-promoting effects. In this study, cephalexin was chosen as the hapten molecule to prepare a broad-spectrum rabbit polyclonal antibody for cephalosporin antibiotics. The obtained antibody exhibited broad cross-reactivity ranging from 0.05% to 100% with 10 cephalosporins. Based on this antibody, we developed a broad-specific indirect competitive ELISA (ic-ELISA) for cefalexin, cefradine, cefadroxil and cefazolin with the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC 50 ) ranging from 0.72 to 2.99 ng/mL in working buffer. For animal-derived food samples with spiked cephalosporins, the ic-ELISA exhibited an excellent recovery ranging from 72.3% to 95.6%. To verify the accuracy of this proposed ic-ELISA, its detection performance was evaluated utilizing the high-performance liquid chromatography with satisfactory results. This study confirmed that: firstly, the prepared antibody can be used as a class-specific recognition element to develop immunoassays for cephalosporin antibiotics; and secondly, the developed ic-ELISA provided a new tool for broad-spectrum detection of first-generation cephalosporins in animal-derived foods., (© 2020. Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

A glucose (Glu) sensor was designed by introducing synthetic cyclic peptides (CPs) as recognition receptors and Au nanoparticles assisted graphitic carbon nitride (AuNPs/g-C 3 N 4 ) for electrochemiluminescence (ECL) enhancement. The synthetic CP receptor (cyclo-[-CNDNHCRDNDC-]) with natural active center of Glu binding protein can mimic the interactions between Glu and Glu binding protein to specifically capture Glu. The AuNPs were reduced on g-C 3 N 4 and formed a new nanohybrid that can be applied as an ECL emitter. The AuNPs/g-C 3 N 4 effectively ameliorated the ECL response of bare g-C 3 N 4 . The ECL enhancement mechanism was theoretically speculated through computer simulation. Glu quantification was conducted by recording ECL shifts induced by the binding of Glu to CPs. The linear detection range of the fabricated CPs-based ECL sensor was 1 to 100 mmol L -1 , and the detection limit (LOD) was 0.57 nmol L -1 (S / N = 3). The CP-based ECL sensor also showed good specificity, repeatability, stability, and favorable recoveries in sample analysis. This work offer a promising analytical method for Glu assay in clinical diagnostics and bioprocess monitoring.

In order to develop a sensitive immunoassay for Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) monitoring, a hybridoma secreting anti-AFB1 monoclonal antibody with high binding affinity was screened. A new type of CdTe/CdS/ZnS quantum dot was synthesized and conjugated with an artificial antigen for use as a fluorescent probe in a simple one-step fluorescence immunoassay (FLISA). The developed FLISA allowed a sensitive determination of AFB1 in cereal samples in a wide linear range, from 0.08 to 1.97 ng mL -1 , with a detection limit of 0.01 ng mL -1 in cereal samples. The corresponding immunoglobulin genes of the Fab fragment were cloned and sequenced, and expression of Fab was successfully verified in HEK293 cells, with a K D value of 1.09 × 10 -7  mol L -1 for AFB1. To investigate the interactions between the antibody and AFB1, molecular docking, molecular dynamic simulation, and quantum-chemical computation were performed on AFB1 and a homology model of the Fab fragment. Our results showed that residues Ser32, Trp93, and Trp98 played the most important roles in the binding through hydrogen bonds formation, Pi-Pi stacked/Pi-alkyl interactions, and van der Waals interactions. In addition, the electrostatic potential study of AFB1 demonstrated that electrostatic interactions also played an important role in the recognition process. Results from theoretical studies provide guidance for hapten design and antibody improvement through genetic engineering., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

CdTe/CdS/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) were synthesized in aqueous phase and conjugated with a new anti-zearalenone (ZEN) monoclonal antibody. Using this novel fluorescent probe, a fluoroimmunoassay (FLISA) and a rapid immunochromatographic strip (ICTS) were developed for the detection of ZEN in maize. Our proposed FLISA allowed for ZEN determination in the range of 0.038-0.977 ng/mL with an IC 50 of 0.162 ng/mL and a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.012 ng/mL occurring in maize. The rapid ICTS had a visual LOD of 1.0 ng/mL in buffer solution and 1.5 ng/mL in maize extract. These two QDs-based immunoassays were all successfully verified by commercial ELISA kits. The results confirmed that: firstly, the FLISA can be used as a robust method for the sensitive detection of ZEN; and secondly, the ICTS is ideally suited for rapidly screening large numbers of samples., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Reported herein is the first visible-light-induced formation of alkoxyl radicals from N-alkoxyphthalimides, and the Hantzsch ester as the reductant is crucial for the reaction. The selective hydrogen atom abstraction by the alkoxyl radical enables C(sp(3))-H allylation and alkenylation reactions under mild reaction conditions at room temperature. Broad substrate variations, including a structurally complexed steroid, undergo the C(sp(3))-H functionalization reaction effectively with high regio- and chemoselectivity., (© 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Porous surfaces have an important effect on bioactivity of titanium implants. In this study, two micro/nanostructural titanium surfaces were prepared by chemical and electrochemical method. The two samples had different diameters of nanotubes. Tests of biomineralization and codeposition in simulated body fluid and bovine serum albumin (BSA) were carried out in order to evaluate the bioactivity of micro/nanostructural titanium surfaces. The information of the surfaces was detected using scanning electron microscope and X-ray diffractometer. The results showed that the bioactivity of micro/nanostructural titanium increased with the diameter of nanotubes. Furthermore, the existence of BSA can accelerate biomineralization and decrease the crystallinity of hydroxyapatite coating.