SUMMARY: Magnetic particle imaging is an emerging tomographic technique with the potential for simultaneous high-resolution, high-sensitivity, and real-time imaging. Magnetic particle imaging is based on the unique behavior of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles modeled by the Langevin theory, with the ability to track and quantify nanoparticle concentrations without tissue background noise. It is a promising new imaging technique for multiple applications, including vascular and perfusion imaging, oncology imaging, cell tracking, inflammation imaging, and trauma imaging. In particular, many neuroimaging applications may be enabled and enhanced with magnetic particle imaging. In this review, we will provide an overview of magnetic particle imaging principles and implementation, current applications, promising neuroimaging applications, and practical considerations.

In order to screen for a proper baking condition to improve flavor, in this experiment, we analyzed the effect of baking on the flavor of defatted tiger nut flour by electronic tongue (E-tongue), electronic nose (E-nose) and headspace solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS). According to E-tongue and E-nose radar plots and principal component analysis (PCA), baking can effectively change the taste and odor of defatted tiger nut flour, and the odors of samples with a baking time of >8 min were significantly different from the original odor of unbaked flour. Moreover, bitterness and astringency increased with longer baking times, and sweetness decreased. HS-SPME-GC-MS detected a total of 68 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in defatted tiger nut flour at different baking levels, and most VOCs were detected at 8 min of baking. Combined with the relative odor activity value (ROAV) and heat map analysis, the types and contents of key flavor compounds were determined to be most abundant at 8 min of baking; 3-methyl butyraldehyde (fruity and sweet), valeraldehyde (almond), hexanal (grassy and fatty), and 1-dodecanol, were the key flavor compounds. 2,5-dimethyl pyrazine, and pyrazine, 2-ethylalkyl-3,5-dimethyl- added nutty aromas, and 1-nonanal, 2-heptanone, octanoic acid, bicyclo [3.1.1]hept-3-en-2-ol,4,6,6-trimethyl-, and 2-pentylfuran added special floral and fruity aromas.

Emulsions play an important role in food systems by encapsulating and delivering active compounds, but maintaining their stability under various conditions can be challenging. This study explored how the concentrations of Tremella polysaccharides (TPs) (0-0.75 %) affects the structural of whey protein isolate (WPI) and the stability of their emulsions at pH 4.5. At this pH, electrostatic interactions between WPI and TPs exposed hydrophobic groups within the protein, increased β-sheet contents, and improved the hydrophilic-hydrophobic balance, which enhanced emulsifying performance. WPI-TPs complexes (WTS) showed a high emulsifying activity index (57.85 m²/g) and emulsion stability index (82.03 %). Compared to WPI-only emulsions, WTS emulsions had smaller particle sizes, lower Turbiscan Stability Index (TSI) values, and higher viscoelasticity, thermal stability, freeze-thaw stability, and re-emulsification capacity. Importantly, when the TPs concentration in WTS emulsions exceeded 0.375 %, the TSI value dropped below 1, showing no particle migration or peak thickness, indicating full emulsion stability. These findings suggest that TPs help stabilize WPI emulsions near their isoelectric point (pH 4.5) and offer a promising approach to improving WPI functionality in acidic environments. The WTS system provides a reliable way to stabilize emulsions under acidic conditions, supporting the development of natural, stable emulsifiers for food applications.

In this study, steam explosion was employed as a modification process for rice bran insoluble dietary fiber (RBIDF) to improve the flavor adsorption and controlled release capacities of RBIDF. Results showed that the flavor adsorption ability of RBIDF was effectively improved due to the unfolding structure, increased specific surface area and pore volume and exposure of more functional groups after steam explosion treatment. The mechanism of the flavor adsorption behavior of modified RBIDF was preliminarily explored using adsorption kinetics and isotherms combined with SEM and DSC analysis. Results showed that the Langmuir isotherm model and pseudo-second-order kinetic model yielded the best fit to the adsorption data, indicating monolayer adsorption of flavor onto the modified RBIDF, and the adsorption was mainly driven by chemisorption process. The flavor release profile of modified RBIDF was investigated by HS-SPME/GC-MS and E-nose. After long-time storage, the flavor compounds were retained at a higher concentration in the modified RBIDF compared with the untreated RBIDF, indicating that the steam explosion treatment prolonged the retention time and enhanced the retention and controlled release capacities of RBIDF for flavor compounds. This study provides indications for potential applications of steam explosion-modified RBIDF as a novel flavor delivery system and functional ingredient.

Iron deficiency anemia has been a widespread disease. As an effective and stable iron supplement, the physiochemical properties of the polysaccharide iron complex have been widely studied. In this study, we characterized a novel polysaccharide-iron(III) complex extracted in an edible fungal species Auricularia auricular (AAPS-iron(III)). The highest iron content (28.40%) in the AAPS-iron(III) complex was obtained under the optimized preparation conditions including an AAPS to FeCl_3∙6H₂O ratio of 2:3 (w/w), a pH value of 8.0 in solution, a reaction temperature of 50°C, and a reaction time of 3 h. The physical and chemical properties of the AAPS-iron(III) complex were characterized by qualitative and quantitative analyses using scanning electron microscope, particle size distribution, thermogravimetric analyzer, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, circular dichroism, and ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance. Result showed that, although the iron was bound to the polysaccharide, it was released under artificial gastrointestinal conditions. The AAPS-iron(III) complex exhibited high stability (under 50-256°C) and water solubility. The AAPS-iron(III) complex also showed high antioxidant activity in vitro, demonstrating an additional health benefit over other typical nonantioxidant iron nutritional supplements. Furthermore, the AAPS-iron(III) complex showed high efficiency on the treatment of the iron deficiency anemia in the model rats. Therefore, the AAPS-iron(III) complex can be used as a nutritional fortifier to supply iron in industrial processing and to assist the treatment of iron deficiency anemia.