This study aimed to develop and evaluate W1/O/W2 double emulsions for oral delivery of Malus baccata (Linn.) polyphenols (MBP), using MBP-loaded Hohenbuehelia serotina polysaccharides-soybean protein isolate nanoparticles as stabilizers. The emulsions exhibited the typical double-emulsion core-shell structure, shear-thinning behavior and good physicochemical stability, with an apparent overall retention efficiency of 87.41% and an intestinal release rate of 69.43%. Considering structural characteristics and stability, the double emulsions (MHSG DEs) stabilized by the nanoparticles of an SPI/MBP ratio of 1:1 were selected for in vivo evaluation. In ulcerative colitis mice, MHSG DEs intervention increased the body weight by 8.96%, reduced the disease activity index by 33.33%, promoted the tight junction proteins expression by 122.70% and elevated the total short-chain fatty acids by 59.55%, accompanying with improvement of hematological parameters and modulation of gut microbiota. Although the superiorities over other interventions are not confirmed and the underlying mechanisms require further investigation, these findings indicate that MHSG DEs are a potentially promising MBP delivery system.

Aging is a multifactorial biological process in which chronic inflammation and oxidative stress are central to the development of age-related disorders, including neurodegenerative decline. Fucoidan, a sulfated polysaccharide extracted from brown algae, has well-documented anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, and therefore has the potential to be a neuroprotective agent against cognitive impairment associated with aging. In the present study, the major fucoidan fraction (LJF-2) isolated from Laminaria japonica was examined for its neuroprotective properties in a D-galactose induced aging mouse model. Oral administration of LJF-2 for 8 weeks significantly improved spatial learning and memory and suppressed neuroinflammatory responses and oxidative stress while significantly reducing the activation of astrocytes and microglia. These neuroprotective effects were linked to the regulation of key proteins involved in neuronal protection and synaptic function, such as neprilysin and synapsin, by cAMP response element-binding protein signaling. Furthermore, LJF-2 significantly remodeled the gut microbiota through a reduction in the abundance of the Bacteroidota, Proteobacteria, and several putative pathogenic genera, which enhanced the intestinal barrier integrity and modified the microbial metabolite profiles, especially those associated with tryptophan metabolism. Fecal microbiota transplantation experiments further confirmed the role of the gut microbiota modulated by LJF-2 in mediating its neuroprotective effects through reduction of oxidative stress and inflammation. Collectively, these findings suggest that LJF-2 may be a promising therapeutic approach to address the aging-related cognitive decline by modulating the gut-brain axis.

Currently, most hydrogel sensors are single-layer structures, and the current may be potentially harmful to humans. Finding a suitable isolation layer is the key to solving this problem. However, the mismatch of mechanical properties between the isolation layer and the hydrogel sensor may affect the sensing accuracy. In this regard, the two-layer hydrogel sensor consists of a nonconductive layer and a conductive layer. The nonconductive layer is adhesive and tough, which protects the body from the leakage current. We designed and synthesized a nonconductive layer consisting of polyacrylamide (PAM) and PNIPAM for direct skin contact and a conductive layer consisting of PAM, polyethylenimine (PEI), and lithium chloride for conducting current and sensing strain. Sodium caseinate was added to the nonconductive layer to enhance adhesion. The hydrogel has a two-layer structure with a large difference in electrical conductivity. When a voltage is applied, the two-layer hydrogel protects the skin from irritation and damage. More importantly, the mechanical properties of the two layers are close to each other, enabling the bilayer hydrogel to detect the strain effectively. The bilayer hydrogel sensor also has a sensitive response over a wide temperature range. This unique strategy provides valuable inspiration for the development of fast-response and skin-protected hydrogel strain sensors.

In this study, the core-sheath nanofibers were prepared by electrostatic spinning for encapsulation of Malus baccata polyphenols (MBP), with MBP/PVA as the inner core layer nanofibers and gelatin/zein as the outer sheath layer nanofibers. The preparation conditions, structural characteristics, physicochemical properties and morphology of the core-sheath nanofibers were systematically investigated. The results showed that the core-sheath nanofibers prepared under the conditions of 14 wt% of PVA content, 0.6 wt% of MBP content, the flow rate of 0.1 mL/h, and a needle model of 15-19G possessed the smooth, relatively uniform and continuous beadless fiber surface and coaxial core-sheath morphological characteristics, with a fiber diameter of 120.87±19.29 nm. Furthermore, the core-sheath nanofibers formed by the driving forces of hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interaction exhibited the relatively stable thermal features, excellent tensile strength and elongation at break and high hydrophilicity. This study provides a novel strategy to deliver polyphenols by core-sheath nanofibers for improving their physicochemical stability.

The shells of Juglans regia L. are agricultural by-products rich in cellulose, yet they are typically discarded as waste. Conventional surfactant-stabilized double emulsions suffer from instability and potential toxicity, which necessitate the use of sustainable food-grade stabilizers. This study prepared cellulose nanocrystals from Juglans regia L. shells, evaluated their potential, and applied them, in combination with sodium caseinate (NaCaS), to stablize water-in-oil-in-water (W/O/W) Pickering double emulsions (PDEs) via a one-step emulsification. JR-CNCs were produced by sulfuric acid hydrolysis and characterized in terms of morphology, crystallinity, and surface properties. The resulting JR-CNCs exhibited a needle-like shape (average length 130.0 nm, diameter 5.3 nm), a high crystallinity index of 88.28

Malus baccata polyphenols (MBP) possess considerable bioactivity but suffer from poor physicochemical stability, which limits their practical applications. In this study, coaxial electrospinning was employed to fabricate core-sheath nanofibers (PM-GZ nanofibers) for MBP encapsulation, using PVA/MBP (PM) as the core solution and gelatin/zein (GZ) as the sheath solution. The effects of electrospinning parameters on the morphology and properties of the nanofibers were systematically investigated. Under the optimized conditions (14 wt% PVA, 0.6 wt% MBP, 19 kV voltage, 10 cm receiving distance, 0.1 mL/h core flow rate, 0.5 mL/h sheath flow rate, and 15-19G coaxial needle), the obtained nanofibers exhibited smooth, continuous, and bead-free morphology with distinct core-sheath structures and an average fiber diameter of 120.87 ± 19.29 nm. Furthermore, the nanofibers showed high encapsulation efficiency, favorable thermal stability, enhanced mechanical properties, and improved protection of MBP, attributable to hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions within the fiber matrix. Overall, this study demonstrates that coaxially electrospun core-sheath nanofibers are a promising strategy to significantly enhance the stability and delivery efficiency of natural polyphenols.

This study aimed to fabricate and characterize cellulose nanocrystals from the shells of Juglans regia L. (JR-CNCs) by acid hydrolysis method and evaluate their emulsified capacity on Pickering double emulsions (PDEs). Response surface optimization results showed that the optimal conditions for preparation of JR-CNCs were temperature of 45 ℃, time of 30 min, and acid/sample ratio of 20 mL/g, with the yield of 72.67%. The prepared JR-CNCs possessed the needle-like morphology, with an average length of 130.0 nm and an average diameter of 5.3 nm, and they had a crystallinity index of 88.28% and good thermal properties. Following that, JR-CNCs were used synergistically with sodium caseinate to stabilize PDEs at varying oil-to-water ratio, and the morphology, physicochemical properties, stability as well as simulated gastrointestinal digestive characteristics of which were investigated. The results demonstrated that among four kinds of emulsions, PDEs (8:2) exhibited the typical W/O/W structural feature and the elastic-dominated rheological behavior. Moreover, PDEs (8:2) possessed the excellent storage, centrifugal, thermal and freeze-thaw stability, which could relatively inhibit the occurrence of lipid oxidation. Simulated gastrointestinal digestion results showed that PDEs (8:2) presented the controlled-release properties. This study indicated that JR-CNCs possessed a significant potential as an eco-friendly stabilizer for preparation of food-grade emulsions.

Natural polyphenols derived from medicinal herbs exhibit significant anti-inflammatory and tissue-repair properties, demonstrating considerable therapeutic potential for inflammatory injury diseases such as ulcerative colitis (UC). However, the development of sustained-release carriers compatible with polyphenols remains a critical challenge. In this study, we engineered a hydrogel system by integrating Cayratia japonica polyphenols with boric acid-modified manganese dioxide nanosheets (MNS) into a hyaluronic acid-dopamine (HA-DA) matrix for targeted UC therapy. The designed hydrogel exhibited a three-dimensional porous architecture and mucoadhesive characteristics, facilitating the sustained release of therapeutic components in the colonic microenvironment. In vitro studies demonstrated synergistic therapeutic effects, including oxygen generation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging, and controlled polyphenols release. In vivo assessments using murine colitis models revealed that the hydrogel significantly mitigated disease progression, as evidenced by attenuated body weight loss, reduced disease activity index (DAI) scores, and suppression of colon shortening. Histopathological and immunofluorescence analyses further confirmed the restoration of the intestinal epithelial barrier through upregulation of tight junction proteins (Claudin-1 and ZO-1) and modulation of macrophage polarization (M1-to-M2 phenotype transition). This multifunctional hydrogel platform represents a promising strategy for the in situ delivery of natural polyphenols, offering a potent and targeted approach for UC intervention.

OBJECTIVE:To achieve high-value and functional applications of Mongolian oak starch resources. METHODS:Dialdehyde Mongolian oak starch was prepared by modifying Mongolian oak starch with NaIO_4, using the degree of aldehyde substitution as an indicator to study the oxidation conditions. The dialdehyde Mongolian oak starch was then combined with gum arabic to create a composite wall material for encapsulating tea polyphenols, and the reaction conditions were optimized through PB tests and response surface analysis to investigate the encapsulation efficiency and sustained release properties of the polyphenols. RESULTS:When the oxidation temperature was 35℃, oxidation time was 3 hours, and the oxidation pH was 2, a nearly linear relationship was observed between the degree of double aldehyde substitution and the amount of oxidizing agent when the molar ratio of NaIO_4 to Mongolian oak starch was less than 0.65. The optimal preparation conditions for the microcapsules were a degree of aldehyde substitution of 65%, a core-to-wall ratio of 1∶3.5, a wall material ratio of 1∶1, a solid-to-liquid ratio of 1∶40, encapsulation time of 4.0 hours, encapsulation temperature of 50℃, and an emulsifier dosage of 4 wt%. Under these conditions, the encapsulation efficiency of the microcapsules reached 90.856%. CONCLUSION:The microcapsules containing double aldehyde Mongolian oak starch wall material can selectively dissolve in intestinal environments and release tea polyphenols, achieving targeted release and demonstrating selective sustained-release effects.

This study isolated and purified a protein from Hohenbuehelia serotina (HP) with the molecular weight of 11 kDa. HP was composed by 16 kinds of amino acids and had the excellent thermal stability and water/oil holding capacity. The nanoparticles were fabricated based on HP and sodium alginate (HSNPs) or chitosan (HCNPs), the average particle sizes of which were 683.4 nm and 688.7 nm, respectively. Both HSNPs and HCNPs possessed non-crystalline properties and nearly rectangle morphology, with smooth surface and neat edge. Comparatively, HCNPs possessed the higher contents of free sulfhydryl group, total sulfhydryl group, disulfide bond and stronger surface hydrophobicity. The Pickering emulsions (PEs) stabilized by HSNPs or HCNPs had the typical shearthinning and elastic gelatinous characteristics and excellent temperature, ionic and storage stability. Both HSNPs and HCNPs effectively prevented the lipid oxidation of PEs and extended their shelf life. These findings provided a basis for HP-based stabilizer applied in construction of emulsions.

Amidoxime-based polymers have been widely regarded as ideal adsorbents for uranium extraction from seawater. However, significant challenges remain in the efficient utilization of amidoxime groups on the polymers which is closely related to the conformation of molecular chains in complex marine environments. Herein, by integrating multi-scale computational simulation with chain conformation regulation, three representative auxiliary group were designedly introduced to polyamidoxime (PAO) by grafting glycine, aminomethylsulfonic acid and aminomethylphosphonic acid. Firstly, the hydrophilicity of adsorbents was directly observed to increase significantly after modification by contact angle test and swelling test. Furthermore, the chain conformation was investigated by combined SAXS and MD simulation under real factors from seawater. Finally, uranium adsorption performance and mechanism were investigated by XPS and DFT calculation. The minimum contact angle reaches 26.9 degrees and the maximum swelling rate is above 153.4 %. The conformation of the modified PAO was much more stretched than the raw one, with a radius of gyration up to 161.5 nm for PAO-AMP. The uranium adsorption capacity of PAO was only 165.5 mg/g, while that of the modified adsorbents PAO-AMP went up to 375.0 mg/g. The above results indicate that auxiliary groups played a role not only in optimizing the chain conformation of adsorbents but also in enhancing coordination capacity with uranium, which is beneficial for uranium extraction from seawater. This study offers a new point of view to assess adsorption phenomena of polymers, bridging chain conformations in different environment at the mesoscopic level with metal-ligand interactions at the molecular level.

Polyamidoxime (PAO) is considered as one of the most promising materials for uranium mass-extraction from seawater. However, the inadequate utilization efficiency of amidoxime groups limits its practical application. Herein, the economic reagents ethanolamine (ETA) and polyhexamethylene guanide (PHMG) were grafted onto the PAO fibers through one-pot synthesis for highly swollen, salt-shrinkage resistant and antibacterial uranium adsorbents. With the increase of ETA grafting rate, the hydrophilicity, swelling and salt-shrinkage resistance abilities are significantly improved. The optimal two adsorbents (without or with alkali treatment respectively) obtain Langmuir maximum adsorption capacities of 515.34mg g(-1) and 594.05mg g(-1) at pH = 8, and also possess a good tolerance of coexisting ions and salinity. Meanwhile, with the help of PHMG, the adsorbent gets a high antibacterial rate of > 97 %. Based on the above advantages, the adsorbents have gratifying adsorption capacities of 4.33 mg g(-1) and 4.02 mg g(-1) in real seawater. Molecular dynamics simulation has proved that ETA can make the chain conformation of PAO more extended in both water and seawater to achieve higher swelling and salt-shrinkage resistance abilities, which is beneficial for uranium to enter the interior of the adsorbent and contact with amidoxime groups, thus improving the adsorption performance.

Halogen bonding interactions are crucial in the design of 2D supramolecular assemblies. In this study, we introduce the N-oxide moiety as a halogen-bonding acceptor for the formation of 2D coassemblies. The monomers 4,4'-bipyridine N,N'-dioxide (BPYD) and 1,3,5-trifluoro-2,4,6-triiodobenzene (1,3,5-TFTIB) coassemble into well-ordered, close-packed nanoarchitectures on HOPG surfaces. BPYD forms both halogen and hydrogen bonds with 1,3,5-TFTIB, resulting in pentameric structural units. At high concentrations, these units pack into dense ordered structures. When octanoic or nonanoic acid is used as a solvent, the formation of a 3-component linear structure with the interdigitated solvent molecules between the linear-arranged pentameric units is observed at low concentrations of reactants.

Smart hydrogel materials that respond to external stimuli have a wide range of potential applications. Nearinfrared (NIR) light is an ideal way to achieve remote and accurate triggering of response behavior in an active manner. In this study, we designed and prepared double layer hydrogels with photothermal response properties for fluid controlled release. After NIR irradiation, the double layer hydrogel can be heated to 40 degrees C within 30 s. The maximum bending angle of the hydrogel was 323 degrees. The double layer hydrogel also showed significant fatigue resistance, with rapid heating and deformation ability even after 25 "irradiated-unirradiated" cycles. Precise controlled release of liquid can be achieved by NIR irradiation. In this work, a preparation strategy of simple and NIR-responsive hydrogel valve was proposed, which provided a new method for the controlled release of fluid.

This study presented the well stable W1/O/W2 double emulsions stabilized by food-grade nanoparticles. Firstly, the nanoparticles were prepared based on soybean protein isolate and Hohenbuehelia serotina polysaccharides by physical effects, which had the elliptical morphology and the average particle size of 639.96 nm. After fabrication of the first W1/O emulsions stabilized by the nanoparticles, the W1/O/W2 double emulsions were prepared and optimized under different volume ratio of W1/O emulsions phase to W2 phase (2:8, 3:7, 4:6, 5:5) by evaluating their physicochemical stability and gastrointestinal digestive characteristics in vitro. All the double emulsions had the uniform spherical morphology and two-layer and three-phase" characteristics. By contrast, the double emulsions prepared at a volume ratio of 3:7 exhibited the more excellent storage, heating, centrifugal and freezing and thawing stability, and could inhibit the lipid oxidation of emulsions. During simulated gastrointestinal digestion in vitro, the nanoparticles possessed a lower free fatty acid release rate, with the maximum value of 6.62 %. Overall, this study provides an effective strategy for constructing the double emulsions potentially applied in functional food field.

The currently available polyphenols delivery systems require the complicated preparation process and participation of multiple food-graded materials. Yeast membranes (YMS), as unitary encapsulation material, not only can load natural products by their porous structure but also can be specifically degraded by β-glucanase in intestine. Therefore, this study fabricated Malus baccata (Linn.) polyphenols loaded nanoparticles based on yeast membranes (YMS@MBP) by hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interaction. YMS@MBP with the lamellar aggregated morphology possessed the non-crystalline feature and excellent thermal stability, and their average particle size was 997.2 ± 22.1 nm. Through establishing the model of gastrointestinal digestion in vitro, YMS@MBP presented the sustained release and intestinal targeting release characteristics, and the maximum release rates in gastric and small intestine were 16.04 % and 79.39 %, respectively. HPLC-MS/MS analysis showed that MBP were mainly composed by quercetin and its derivatives, phloretin, catechins, anthocyanins and phenolic acids. After digestion, the phenolic composition of MBP was perfectly protected by encapsulation of YMS, which was much closer to that of undigested MBP. This study provides a new strategy for construction of polyphenols delivery system applied in functional food field.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of roasting, microwave, ultrasound and enzymolysis pretreatments on the composition, physicochemical properties, lipid oxidation and antioxidant activities of canola seed oils (CSOs). The results showed that all the pretreatments significantly increased the contents of total phenolic compounds, alpha-tocopherol, gamma-tocopherol and polyunsaturated fatty acids in CSOs relative to control. Moreover, the peroxide value, acid value, saponification value and iodine value of CSOs were improved by different pre- treatments. The oils extracted from the pretreated canola seeds exhibited the stronger DPPH and ABTS radicals scavenging activities than control, with the DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging rates up to 90% respectively at the concentration of 80 mg/L and 40 mg/mL. Furthermore, the pretreated CSOs possessed the excellent beta-carotene bleaching inhibitory abilities, and could inhibit the lipid oxidation during storage. Among four kinds of pretreatments, microwave and enzymolysis presented the better impacts on nutritional and functional properties of CSOs. This study demonstrated that the pretreatment prior to extraction could improve the nutritional values of canola seed oil and prolong its shelf life.

Excessive blood loss caused by severe trauma is often life-threatening, so a kind of hemostatic material with superior performance is urgently needed to achieve rapid hemostasis of wounds. Here, we prepared CDCS/PF/PVA/Agar hydrogels by blending chitosan modified by catechol groups, PF127-NH2 micelles, PVA and agarose. The hydrogel showed adjustable swelling and degradation properties. The CDCS/PF/PVA/Agar hydrogel exhibited exceptional mechanical properties with an elastic modulus of 351.4 kPa after four freeze-thaw cycles, surpassing traditional polysaccharide hydrogels by 7-20 fold. Its tissue adhesion strength reached 16.24 kPa in air and 11.23 kPa under wet conditions, enabled by catechol-mediated covalent bonding and amino group interactions. In vivo experiments demonstrated rapid hemostasis within 170 s in mouse liver injury models, reducing blood loss by 75.4 % compared to untreated controls. This study provides a robust strategy for designing polysaccharide hydrogels integrating mechanical resilience, rapid hemostasis, antibacterial activity, and biosafety, offering significant potential for clinical wound management.