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In polymer science, mechanochemistry is emerging as a powerful tool for materials science and molecular synthesis, offering novel avenues for controlled polymerization and post‐synthetic modification. Building upon the previous research, nitroxide‐mediated polymerization (NMP) is merged with mechanochemistry through the design of nitroxide‐based mechanophore macroinitiators, pioneering the first instance of a sonochemical nitroxide‐mediated‐type polymerization. As NMP usually requires high temperatures, this study demonstrates that a sonochemical NMP‐type process allows polymerization under reduced temperatures down to 55 °C. Moreover, depending on the nature of the employed monomers, gelated networks are obtained, demonstrating the adaptability of the mechanophore system. This study elucidates the potential of mechanochemistry in polymer synthesis, offering insights into manipulating polymerization kinetics and advancing materials science applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing dressing for wound dressings represents a significant challenge for the scientific community. In this study, a conductive hydrogel was synthesized to promote the wound‐healing process. This hydrogel is composed of silk fibroin (SF), reduced graphene oxide (rGO), and glycerol (G). The impact of modifying the SF:rGO ratio, and the G content (%), on the physicochemical and biological properties. The hydrogels were characterized using FT‐IR, SEM, XRD, TGA, swelling, mechanical resistance, and conductivity. The cytotoxicity of the materials and their wound‐healing capacity in human fibroblasts were also determined. Chemical analysis revealed that the gelation of SF occurs due to the formation of β sheet structures, which was confirmed by the shift from amide I to amide II. An Increase in the SF:rGO ratio favored swelling behavior, although increasing G reduced this effect. The swelling of the hydrogel followed a Fick diffusion mechanism. Furthermore, the increase in the SF:rGO ratio and the percentage G improved the conductivity of the materials. The hydrogels were found to be non‐cytotoxic to human fibroblasts, and those containing rGO exhibited superior wound healing capacity compared to the positive control cell culture medium. Therefore, SF:rGO hydrogels could be considered promising candidates for wound dressing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymeric supramolecular hydrogels (PSHs) leverage the thermodynamic and kinetic properties of non‐covalent interactions between polymer chains to govern their structural characteristics. As these materials are formed via endothermic or exothermic equilibria, their thermal response is challenging to control without drastically changing the nature of the chemistry used to join them. In this study, we introduce a novel class of PSHs utilizing the intercalation of double‐stranded DNA (dsDNA) as the primary dynamic non‐covalent interaction. The resulting dsDNA intercalating supramolecular hydrogels (DISHs) can be tuned to exhibit both endothermically or exothermically driven binding through strategic selection of intercalators. Bifunctional polyethylene glycol (MW~2000 Da) capped with intercalators of varying hydrophobicity, charge, and size (acridine, psoralen, thiazole orange, and phenanthridine) produced DISHs with comparable moduli (500–1000 Pa), but unique thermal viscoelastic responses. Notably, acridine‐based cross‐linkers displayed invariant and even increasing relaxation times with temperature, suggesting an endothermic binding mechanism. This methodology expands the set of structure‐properties available to biomass‐derived DNA biomaterials and promises a new material system where a broad set of thermal and viscoelastic responses can be obtained due to the sheer number and variety of intercalating molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A time–temperature‐transformation diagram is created for the curing reaction of a diglycidylether bisphenol A (DGEBA)‐based epoxy resin. It results from a kinetic analysis performed by means of dynamical differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) measurements; a gelation curve determined with isothermal and dynamical rheological tests; and a vitrification curve obtained from temperature‐modulated dynamic DSC measurements. The resulting diagram is validated by comparison of isothermal measurements with the corresponding calculated curves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Improving the characteristics of low‐salt protein products also enhanced gelation. The combined effects of high‐pressure processing (HPP) at 200 MPa for 10 min and polysaccharides (tamarind kernel powder; TKP and tapioca starch; TS) on low‐salt threadfin bream surimi (0.5% by surimi weight) were investigated on physicochemical properties (gel strength, expressible water, whiteness, and sulfhydryl group content) and protein structure [Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM)]. Higher gel strength and whiteness were observed in low‐salt surimi gel with HPP. Gels with polysaccharides and HPP also had lower expressible water values. Secondary structural alterations from α‐helix to β‐sheet were induced by the addition of polysaccharides and HPP. Low‐salt surimi gel with polysaccharides and HPP displayed a more compact network microstructure with small voids leading to higher gel strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The growing recognition of environmental conservation and human well‐being has led to a surge in the advancement of plant‐based meat. These meat alternatives are similar to animal meat products regarding texture, flavour, shape, and other characteristics. These products consist of three main components: plant tissue proteins, fat mimetics, and plant‐based glues that act as binders. Since meat substitutes are subjected to high temperatures and pressures or refrigeration, the junction between the tissue proteins and fat mimetics is prone to cracking, necessitating the development of adhesives with excellent bonding characteristics. The physicochemical properties and functional applications of plant glues are currently attracting significant research attention. Plant‐based glues are essentially gels derived from substances such as proteins, polysaccharides, or various compounds. This article summarised the basic principles of gel formation, focusing on acid‐, salt‐, heat‐, and enzyme‐induced gel formation pathways, as well as the role of pH adjustment and enzyme or salt ion addition in improving their functional properties. Optimal conditions can enhance the adhesive properties of plant‐based glues. This article reviewed the types, gelation mechanisms, influencing factors, and challenges of plant‐based glues to provide a theoretical basis for research on their application potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The effect of fava bean protein isolate (FPI) at varied concentrations (1%–4%, w/w) on gelation of sardine surimi was evaluated. Breaking force, gel strength, textural profile, and water holding capacity were improved with the addition of FPI (P < 0.05). However, deformation and whiteness of gel samples decreased slightly when higher levels (3%–4%) of FPI were used (P < 0.05). The improved gel properties were supported by enhanced rheological properties (G′ and G″) of gels containing FPI. Microstructure also revealed the formation of gel network with higher connectivity in samples containing 3%–4% FPI. No major changes in the myofibrillar proteins in surimi gel were observed as determined by FTIR spectra and protein patterns. Higher scores for texture and overall likeness were obtained for surimi gel containing 3%–4% FPI. Therefore, FPI is a promising plant‐based ingredient that can effectively improve the gel properties of low‐grade sardine surimi without causing beany flavour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Results Conclusion Soy protein isolate (SPI) gels formed using a single coagulant often have poor water‐holding capacity (WHC) and low hardness, making them fragile and unsuitable for transportation and storage. Adding compound coagulants or polysaccharides can improve the gelation properties of SPI gels induced by gluconolactone (GDL). This study explores the impact of oxidized konjac glucomannan (OKGM) on the physicochemical and structural properties of GDL‐induced SPI gels, with the aim of evaluating the potential of OKGM for enhancing the overall quality and stability of these gels.In this study, the composite gels demonstrated a significant increase in whiteness (69.02% to 70.59%) compared with the SPI gel (67.41%). Key physicochemical properties, such as water‐holding capacity (WHC), textural characteristics, viscoelasticity, and thermal stability, were notably improved. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed a reduction in the average pore diameter of the composite gels from 70.57 ± 4.13 μm to 37.19 ± 0.24 μm when the oxidation degree of OKGM was kept at or below 60 min, contributing to a more compact and orderly microstructure. Enhanced hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions within the composite gels also accelerated the gelation process, shortening the gelation time from 15.77 ± 0.37 min to 12.45 ± 0.18 min.The results demonstrate that OKGM acts effectively as a gel enhancer, improving the physicochemical and structural properties of SPI gels significantly. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tumor recurrence and metastasis following surgery remain formidable challenges. Although that is a crucial factor in determining efficacy of postoperative immune treatment, the impact of surgery on tumor microenvironment (TME) is still understudied and the specific treatment options for residual cancer are unsatisfactory. Here, it is verified that abnormal extracellular matrix (ECM) of postsurgical residual cancer results in deteriorative hypoxia, immunosuppression, and hypo‐perfusion, which further promotes invasion and may hinder efficacy of immune checkpoint blockades (ICB). To adaptively potentiate ICB therapy in this context, an ultrasound‐responsive, visualized, and in situ gelling hydrogel nanocomposite (TPP ALG) is prepared through combining phase change nanoparticles and alginate solution for normalizing ECM with controllable delivery of tranilast. After injection and gelling with ions in situ, TPP ALG enables ultrasound visualized and responsive local delivery and long‐term retention, capable of normalizing ECM, improving hypoxia, remodeling immunosuppressive microenvironment, and enhancing ICB permeation for boosting immunotherapy. Ultimately, this TPP ALG and ICB synergistic treatment approach effectively inhibit local recurrence and lung metastasis post operation, thereby delaying survival. Therefore, based on clinical drug and biocompatible materials, the simple‐synthesized hydrogel nanocomposite holds great application prospects for boosting ICB and inhibiting postsurgical cancer recurrence and metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND RESULTS CONCLUSION Starch‐based food is easy to retrograde during cold storage after gelatinization, which leads to quality fission and a relatively short shelf life. Some lipids can effectively enhance the storage stability of starch gels by the formation of starch–lipid complexes. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of glyceryl monopalmitate (GMP) on gelatinization, rheological and retrogradation properties of Japonica rice starch (JS) at different conditions and to analyze the correlation between the physical‐chemical properties and structural characteristics of the JS–GMP complex.The addition of GMP to JS could retard the process of starch gelatinization through forming JS–GMP complexes. The resulting JS–GMP pastes were typical pseudoplastic fluids with shear thinning, and their solid‐like properties were prominent (tan δ < 1). In addition, the retrogradation of JS–GMP complex was more inhibited during storage at −18 than at 4 °C. The added amount of GMP was negatively and highly associated with the minimum viscosity, consistency coefficient, hardness and elasticity, whereas it was positively and highly correlated with the breakdown value, fluid characteristic index and relative crystallinity. The relative crystallinity of JS was affected by GMP in an approximate dose‐dependent manner.The addition of GMP can influence the gelatinization properties, rheological properties and retrogradation characteristics of JS, and the formation of JS–GMP complex could improve the quality and storage stability of starch gel, which provides ideas for the quality control of starch‐based food. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Skeletal muscle plays a vital role in maintaining the body's shape and regulating various physiological processes. Its function is influenced by a multitude of factors. Given the lack of uniformity in prior research regarding the size and placement of structural pillars within the chip, as well as the choice of cell‐laden hydrogel components with various densities of extracellular matrix, in different gelation times, and cell densities, a meticulous investigation is conducted to enhance the robustness of 3D in vitro musculoskeletal tissues. This study provides guidance on how to optimize the design parameters of skeletal muscle‐on‐a‐chip and hydrogel recipe by evaluating the impact of design elements and hydrogel fabrication conditions on tissue formation and musculoskeletal differentiation. This research reports the direct evidence of mechanical properties of hydrogels are critical in influencing cellular differentiation and tissue functionality through the process of mechanotransduction. The study highlights the importance of standardizing experimental conditions in 3D in vitro musculoskeletal research, and presents a validated framework as a foundation to aid in the development of functional musculoskeletal tissue for clinical and research applications, including disease modeling and regenerative therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ganmianpi is a traditional snack in China that has traditionally been produced through natural fermentation of wheat starch slurry. However, natural fermentation occurs spontaneously and lacks control, thereby an alternative yeast‐inoculated fermentation method is proposed for the industrialization of Ganmianpi production. This study aims to investigate the impact of yeast‐inoculated fermentation on the structural and physicochemical properties of wheat starch and elucidate the underlying mechanism. The findings reveal that yeast fermentation significantly affects the properties of wheat starch, varying with the fermentation time. Yeast‐inoculated fermentation leads to surface erosion of the starch granules and a significant reduction in amylose content, double helicity, gelatinization enthalpy, and relative crystallinity of wheat starch. Specially, yeast‐inoculated fermentation alters starch chain proportions, with a decrease in chain A and an increase in chains B1, B2, and B3. Ganmianpi produced from wheat starch exhibits decreased hardness, springiness, and chewiness, and sensory evaluation suggests an optimal fermentation time of 18 h for Ganmianpi production. Overall, this study provides valuable theoretical support for the industrial production of Ganmianpi and promotes the standardized production of fermented starch‐based foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of gelation temperature and starting composition (solvent, silica, and polymer content) on the pore structure of silica xerogels with bimodal meso‐/macropore structure is explored. Using statistical regression models, precise control over the pore structure is demonstrated, a challenge in previous studies. Higher gelation temperatures and increased polyethylene oxide (PEO) content enhance the mesopore volume, while higher solvent content and reduced polymer content increase the macropore volume. The ratio of mesopore to macropore volume can be effectively adjusted, facilitating the design of xerogels with tailored properties. These findings optimize silica xerogels with bimodal pore structure for applications in catalysis, thermal insulation, and other advanced technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the advantages of low energy consumption, no air and water pollutions, the reactive polyurethane films (RPUFs) are replacing the solvated and waterborne PUFs nowadays, which significantly promotes the green and low‐carbon production of PU films. However, the microstructure evolution and in situ film‐formation mechanism of RPUFs in solvent‐free media are still unclear. Herein, according to time‐temperature equivalence principle, the in situ polyaddition and film‐formation processes of RPUFs generated by the typical polyaddition of diisocyanate terminated prepolymer (component B) and polyether glycol (component A) are thoroughly investigated at 25 °C. According to the temporal change of viscosity, the RPUFs gradually transfer from liquid to gel and finally to solid state. Further characterizing the molecular weight, hydrogen bonds, crystallinity, gel content, and phase images, the polyaddition and film‐formation processes can be divided into three stages as 1) chain extension and microcrystallization; 2) gelation and demicrocrystallization; 3) microphase separation and film‐formation. This work promotes the understanding of the microstructure evolution and film‐formation mechanism of RPUFs, which can be used as the theoretical guidance for the controllable preparation of high‐performance products based on RPUFs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Algal oil emulsion gel candies were prepared by a cold‐set gelation method, and the oxidative stability was analysed. Then, the release of algal oil and the microstructural changes of gel candies were investigated under in vitro simulated digestion conditions. The formula of gel candy was found to be 65% sucrose, 5% algal oil emulsion, 1.8% sodium alginate, 1.2% high methoxy pectin and 2% D‐glucono‐δ‐lactone. Cold‐set gel candies loaded with algal oil emulsion had good oxidative stability. Emulsion gel candies could maintain a relatively intact gel network structure in a gastric fluid environment, in which the DHA release rate was less than 5%, whereas the gel structure was loosened at 30 min of digestion in simulated intestinal fluid and destroyed at 60 min, with a release rate of about 75%. Altogether, these results lay a theoretical foundation for facilitating the development of novel DHA functional foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non‐invasive electrodes for recording and delivering electric signals to the human body are crucial for health monitoring and rehabilitation applications. However, high‐fidelity signal recording or delivery with epidermal electrodes remains a challenge due to the need for shape customization, to account for the variance of body morphology among individuals, and the need for conformal contact, to accommodate creviced skin surfaces, intricate curves, and moving bodies. In this study, a conductive and self‐adhesive hydrogel for direct ink writing of wearable electrodes on the skin is presented, utilizing physical cross‐linking mechanisms between bio‐based polymers. With a fast gelation time and a facile fabrication method, the printed hydrogel achieves a 0.40 mm resolution via handheld 3D printers. Compared with silver/silver chloride (Ag/AgCl) coated gel electrode standards, the hydrogel electrode formed in situ achieves a higher signal‐to‐noise ratio by 88%, for the monitoring of forearm muscle biopotential and decreases the required current from 3.5 to 2.25 mA, for the functional electrical stimulation for eye closure. The lowered contact impedance of the hydrogel electrode is attributed to its sol–gel transition in situ on the skin, demonstrating its potential to enable future healthcare applications with improved personalization, efficiency, and comfort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soaking and germination are processes used to improve nutritional characteristics in rice especially concerning γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA) and phenolic compounds. In contrast, during these processes the activation of enzymes may affect the rice starch. Hence, the current investigation aims to understand the impact of soaking and germination processes on starch structure in terms of morphological, texture, physicochemical and gelatinization properties of non‐germinated rice starch (NGRS), soaked rice starch (SRS), and germinated rice starch (GRS). It is observed that soaking and germination cause changes in granule surface and reduce relative crystallinity (27.40–26.08 and 27.40–25.65%) and enthalpy (9.69–8.81 and 9.69–8.37%) compared with NGRS. Unexpectedly, germination affects the gel strength during cooling showing an increase of maximum peak force (0.28 N), demonstrating that the gel of GRS is firmer than NGRS and SRS. The findings are useful to provide bases for utilization of soaked and germinated rice starches in developing products for the food industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inspired by mussels protein adhesives, two series of catechol‐functionalized Linear‐Dendritic Block Copolymer (LDBC) adhesives are synthesized. They show lap shear adhesion strength as high as 7 MPa on aluminum substrates and adhesion up to 3 kPa on porcine skin. These water‐soluble LDBCs are composed of i) either poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) or poly(ethylene glycol)‐poly(propylene glycol)‐poly(ethylene glycol) triblock copolymer (Pluronic F‐127) as linear polymers, ii) Bis‐MPA dendrons of generation 0, 1, and 2 as dendritic parts, and iii) 2, 4, or 8 terminal catechol moieties. A LDBCs generation comparative test on aluminum reveals a clear dendritic effect: the LDBCs of second generation display higher adhesion than the LDBCs of first generation that also display higher adhesion than the LDBCs of generation 0 for both series, assessing thus a positive dendritic effect in adhesion. Second, a comparative study is carried out between the LDBCs based on PEG and the ones based on Pluronic. The ability of the Pluronic LDBCs to self‐assemble in water appears to reduce adhesion when applied on aluminum whereas it is essential to obtain adhesion on porcine skin, thanks to the formation of hydrogels, as observed by the vial inversion technique and electron microscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND RESULTS CONCLUSION Previous studies have demonstrated that the addition of chitosan can improve the quality and functional properties of meat products. However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. In this study, the effect and mechanism of the addition of chitosan on the gel properties of myofibrillar protein (MP) were investigated.The results indicated that the gel strength and the water‐holding capacity of MP‐chitosan gel increased significantly when chitosan was added at 2.5–10 mg mL−1. Myofibrillar protein samples with 10 mg mL−1 added chitosan exhibited the highest elasticity and viscosity during gel formation and strengthening. The addition of chitosan also caused a modification in both the secondary and tertiary structure of MP, resulting in an enhanced exposure of hydrophobic and sulfhydryl groups in comparison with the control. Chitosan inhibited the conversion of immobilized water into free water and the formation of water channels during the thermal gelation process of MP. The denaturation enthalpy (ΔH) of myosin decreased as the concentration of chitosan exceeded 5 mg mL−1. The microstructure showed that the incorporation of chitosan (5–10 mg mL−1) facilitated the formation of compact and well organized MP gel networks.The addition of chitosan can enhance the functional properties of meat protein and facilitate heat‐induced gelation, making it a promising ingredient for improving the quality of processed meat products. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel solar steam generator featuring divergent microchannels (SSG‐DM) is developed via directional freezing of a polypyrrole (PPy)–cellulose nanofiber (CNF) suspension in an inverted frustum mold. Contrary to the conventional 3D SSGs characterized by random micropores (SSG‐RM), SSGs incorporating vertical microchannels (SSG‐VM), fabricated through directional freezing procedure, demonstrate increased evaporation performance due to enhanced water transport to the top surface. However, SSG‐VM manifests a limitation in the form of reduced salt resistance on its side surfaces where water transport is restricted. This issue is addressed by directional freezing of a PPy–CNF suspension in an inverted frustum mold, followed by freeze‐thawing gelation in an AlCl3 solution. The fabricated SSG features divergent microchannels that spanned from the bottom surface to the top and side surfaces, with a gradual increase in diameter. The evaporation rate of SSG‐DM is recorded at 2.42 kg m−2h−1 under 1‐sun illumination; this rate further increases to 15.73 kg m−2h−1 in the presence of a 4 m s−1 wind. Notably, SSG‐DM demonstrates excellent salt resistance in highly saline brine (10 wt%) under windy conditions (4 m s−1), whereas SSG‐RM and SSG‐VM are ineffective under the same conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an in‐depth profile control agent, water‐soluble phenolic resin crosslinking polyacrylamide weak gel has been widely used in the middle and high water cut stage of water flooding reservoir. In this study, the phenolic resin was synthesized by two‐step alkali catalysis. Factors influencing the synthesis of phenolic resin, including the molar ratio of phenol and formaldehyde, catalyst types, reaction time, were investigated with hydroxylmethyl and aldehyde content as the criterion. When the molar ratio of phenolic resin was 1:2 and NaOH was catalyst, at 80°C for 4 h, the phenolic resin had the highest hydroxymethyl content (49.37%) and the lowest free aldehyde content (2.95%). Weak gel was formed by the reaction of LT002‐polyacrylamide with phenolic resin. Taking the gelation time and strength as criteria, the factors influencing the crosslinking property, including hydroxymethyl content, crosslinker addition, and polyacrylamide concentration were investigated respectively. Under optimal formulation, the property investigation shows that the hydroxymethyl group in the phenolic resin can be crosslinked with the amide group in polyacrylamide, the gelation time is long (50–60 h), and the gelation strength is larger than 5 × 104 mPa s, which is conductive to the plugging of deep oil layers. When the permeability was 5061 × 10−3 μm2, the plugging rate was 72.73%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stimuli‐responsive hydrogels (HGs) have shown promise for smart drug delivery applications. Specifically, glucose‐responsive HGs having phenylboronic acid (PBA) functional groups are extensively pursued for insulin delivery in hyperglycemia. Current polymeric glucose‐responsive HGs are cumbersome to fabricate and show a limited insulin release profile. Herein, we develop a straightforward fabrication of glucose‐responsive multipolymer HGs (MPHGs) using a three‐component in situ mixing. Molecular cargo, such as insulin, was loaded during the gelation. Heterobifunctional formylphenylboronic acid (FPBA) crosslinkers were used to interconnect polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and branched polyethyleneimine (PEI) via boronate ester and imine bonds, respectively. Three positional isomers of FPBA (2FPBA, 3FPBA, and 4FPBA) resulted in HGs with distinct viscoelastic behaviors under the same conditions. HGs derived from 4FPBA exhibited more solid‐like properties compared to 2FPBA and 3FPBA due to a higher crosslinking density. All the HGs exhibited glucose‐responsive dissolution and release of embedded insulin cargo without disrupting the native structure. Insulin release profiles show a higher glucose‐responsive release from 4FPBA‐derived MPHGs. All the HGs were injectable, self‐healing, and noncytotoxic below 10 μg/ml concentrations. The MPHGs developed in this study uncover new directions in creating glucose‐responsive matrices for self‐regulating drug delivery applications. In the future, detailed in vivo studies will be performed for clinical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Temperature‐responsive hydrogels, or thermogels, have emerged as a leading platform for sustained delivery of both small molecule drugs and macromolecular biologic therapeutics. Although thermogel properties can be modulated by varying the polymer's hydrophilic‐hydrophobic balance, molecular weight and degree of branching, varying the supramolecular donor‐acceptor interactions on the polymer remains surprisingly overlooked. Herein, to study the influence of enhanced hydrogen bonding on thermogelation, we synthesized a family of amphiphilic polymers containing urea and urethane linkages using quinuclidine as an organocatalyst. Our findings showed that the presence of strongly hydrogen bonding urea linkages significantly enhanced polymer hydration in water, in turn affecting hierarchical polymer self‐assembly and macroscopic gel properties such as sol‐gel phase transition temperature and gel stiffness. Additionally, analysis of the sustained release profiles of Aflibercept, an FDA‐approved protein biologic for anti‐angiogenic treatment, showed that urea bonds on the thermogel were able to significantly alter the drug release mechanism and kinetics compared to usage of polyurethane gels of similar composition and molecular weight. Our findings demonstrate the unrealized possibility of modulating gel properties and outcomes of sustained drug delivery through judicious variation of hydrogen bonding motifs on the polymer structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chitosan and pectin are employed here in the formation of biodegradable hydrogels. The addition of cellulose nanowhiskers (CNW) into the hydrogels is accomplished through two methods: by swelling, after the polymeric network formation (Method A), and inclusion in polymer solutions before gelation, with varying CNW content (Method B). Comprehensive physico–chemical, thermal, microscopic, gel fraction, and water vapor transmission analyses are conducted, complemented by antibacterial and viability assessments. CNWs are successfully synthesized and incorporated within the hydrogel by both methods. Moreover, the degradation temperature (Tmax) of hydrogels is higher with CNW (0% CNW: 205.5 °C, 10% CNW: 217.0 °C). CNW aggregates are observed in hydrogels with 20% and 30% content but no aggregation is observed with 4% and 10%. The antimicrobial properties are not affected by the addition of CNW, and the cytotoxicity tests reveal better results with 10% CNW compared with 20%. The study signifies the versatility of CNWs as effective reinforcements, influencing structural, thermal, and biological aspects of the hydrogels. The proposed methodology, emphasizing CNW incorporation, lays the groundwork for innovative biomaterials with promising medical implications. This investigation encourages further exploration and validation of these composite hydrogels in vivo for practical medical use in wound dressings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Native starch Pickering stabilizer without chemical modification has attracted research interest in food field. However, the behaviors of starch particles at interface are seldom studied. In this paper, ultrafine starch particles (USPs) are grounded with a planetary ball mall from various starch species down to 1–2 µm in size. USP and starches are used to prepare Pickering emulsions. With size decrease, USP has more negative zeta potentials, stronger hydrogen bonds, better hydrophilicity, and better emulsifying abilities than their counterparts of starches. Millet starch has better emulsion stability than OSA modified starch. Glutinous USP outperforms in stabilization due to higher emulsion height and no oil phase separation. USP behaves differently at interface or in water phase, which is attributed to starch species, amylose and amylopectin contents, and gelatinization. This work can inspire the behavior investigation of starch particles in nano/micrometers at interface during storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the effects of annealing process (temperature 50 °C, moisture content of 80%, for 20 h) on physicochemical characteristics (proximate composition, content of resistant starch (RS) and amylose, degree of starch digestibility, shape and size of starch granules, crystallinity, and starch gelatinization profile) of corn flour and corn starch. Two stages of experiment are as follows: 1) verifying the results of the meta‐analysis of corn starch and flour modification by annealing method and 2) analyzing their physicochemical properties. As a result, annealing significantly improves RS content in both groups, reaching 14.18% in annealed corn flour (AF) (compared to 3.27% in native corn flour (NF)) and 21.87% in annealed corn starch (AS) (compared to 3.82% in native corn starch (NS)). The present work also confirms that the treatment unaltered birefringence properties of all samples. Moreover, pasting properties of corn starch and flour demonstrate remarkable changes. The peak viscosity of AS and NS is higher than AF and NF. In addition, gelatinization seems to occur at similar temperature, but needs extra time for starting gelatinization. XRD analysis reveals A‐type crystalline for all samples, while FTIR analysis evidenced that annealing process alters the regions of amorphous and crystalline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The preparation process of resistant starch III (RS3) has attracted widespread attention, but its milling method is often overlooked. This study examines two milling methods for RS3: shear milling (SM) and vibration milling (VM). Manual milling (MM) is used as a control. The particle size, morphology, crystallinity, gelatinization characteristics, and in vitro digestibility of milled RS3 are analyzed. The particle size of the VM‐samples ranged from 71.92 to 107.69 µm, which is lower than SM‐samples. Scanning electron microscopy shows that SM‐RS3 appears as pellets, while VM‐RS3 is mostly coarse flakes. From the results of RVA and DSC, VM destroys more starch than SM. The crystallization peak of VM‐samples disappears, and the retention of SM‐samples is well. The values of R 1047/1022 and R 995/1022 cm−1 indicate that the crystal order and double helix structure of RS3 are destroyed after multiple VM shocked compared with SM. In vitro digestion experiment, resistant starch content of SM‐samples is about 30%, while VM‐samples are much less than SM. These findings suggest that the choice of milling methods has a significant impact on the structure and physicochemical characteristics of RS3, and it is an important step in preparing RS3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work evaluates starch from 29 diverse pea accessions for structural (amylose content and amylopectin chain length distribution), granule size distribution, thermal, pasting, and retrogradation properties. Amylose content and the proportion of amylopectin chains with the degree of polymerization (DP) of 6–10, 11–20, and >20 vary in the range from 21.4% to 57.0%, 17.9% to 25.8%, 64.0% to 66.5%, and 9.4% to 16.7%, respectively. Starches with a higher proportion of small granules (<5 µm) have a greater proportion of amylopectin chains with DP > 10 and exhibit higher transition temperatures/enthalpy and vice versa. Retrogradation in starch pastes relates negatively to the proportion of amylopectin chains with DP < 10. Paste viscosities relate negatively with amylopectin chains with DP > 10, amylose content, and retrogradation while positively with transition temperatures/enthalpy and the potential of granules to swell. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: This study aims to valorise a plant waste, corn cobs (Zea mays) enriched with fibres (cellulose of 19.09–19.18% and hemicellulose of 34.04–60.13%), to create gel‐like sorbents. Corn cobs (CB) were dried, grounded and sieved to obtain 500, 250 and 125 μm powder size fractions. Various CB powder concentrations (10–40% w/w) were mixed with distilled water and rice bran oil for 2 min at ambient temperature to form hydrogel‐like and oleogel‐like sorbents, respectively. Visual appearance indicated that selected gels formed by 250 and 125 μm CB powders were self‐sustained right after mixing, while the largest particles (500 μm) could not fabricate gels at the CB concentrations studied. FTIR results suggested that the gelation process was primarily attributed to physical absorption rather than chemical binding. Comprehensive analyses of microstructure, physicochemical properties and rheological behaviour indicated that gelation was due to fibre–fibre interaction (125 μm) and oil/water–fibre interaction (250 μm). An increase in CB powder concentration enhanced the microstructural density and hardness of gels. Thus, 250 μm particles and higher absorbent concentrations resulted in brittle sorbents characterised by high hardness but low cohesiveness. The 250 μm particles also exhibit a superior antioxidant profile and lower oil/water loss than the 125 μm CB particles due to effective intra‐particle trapping mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: In this study, we examined the physicochemical and functional properties of fava bean globulin fractions that are rich in legumin or vicilin proteins. The sulphur containing amino acids, branched chain amino acids, and arginine/lysine ratio obtained for legumin (1.89%, 18.32%, and 1.43%) are significantly (P < 0.05) higher than the 1.24%, 17.94%, and 1.05%, respectively, for the vicilin fraction. SDS‐PAGE results show that the legumin fraction had a wider range of polypeptide sizes (approximately 14–140 kDa) when compared to the approximately 12–68 kDa for vicilin. The surface hydrophobicity (So) of legumin (86.07) was significantly (P < 0.05) lower compared with vicilin (118.19). The legumin had higher protein solubility (approximately 40–50%) than the vicilin (0%) at pH 3 and 4, but vicilin solubility was higher at pH 6–8. The vicilin had higher (83.58%) in vitro protein digestibility than the legumin (78.24%). However, the legumin had higher oil‐holding capacity, lower least gelation concentration, and formed emulsions at pH 3, 7, and 9 with smaller mean oil droplet sizes than the vicilin. Foam formation was better with increased levels of α‐helix secondary structure. We conclude that pH of the environment was a stronger determinant of protein functionality than the sample protein concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The advances of self‐crossing hyaluronic acid (SC‐HA) fillers combination use with polydioxanone thread in minipigs were examined for compatibility, effectiveness, and immune response. Materials and Methods: A 12‐week experiment was conducted using 6 minipigs (3 male and 3 female each) to evaluate the effects of SC‐HA filler. The molecular weight of SC‐HA filler was fixed at 200 kDa and alternative storage modulus of G80, G250, and G500 were examined. The procedure involved injecting SC‐HA filler and polydioxanone threads into the skin tissue of anesthetized minipigs, and tissue sampling after 1 month (three minipigs), and 3 months (three minipigs) for histological staining and analysis. The immune reaction was observed during the experiment. Results: The practitioner reported it was easy to inject the SC‐HA filler in combination with polydioxanone threads. All four storage modulus of SC‐HA fillers were injectable within the polydioxanone thread containing cannula. Also, during the procedure, there were no immune responses at the treated sites. The results of the histological tissue examination confirmed that there was no chemical interaction between SC‐HA filler and the existing polydioxanone thread, and it was observed that SC‐HA filler was more uniformly distributed within the tissue with lower storage modulus, resulting in a higher production of collagen in the surrounding filler. When combined with scaffold polydioxanone thread, the scaffold polydioxanone thread helped spread the filler evenly, resulting in a more evenly distributed collagen around the filler. Conclusion: Today, the combination therapy of filler and polydioxanone thread in one procedure is challenging due to the high viscosity of conventional fillers. However, this study confirmed that combination therapy of filler and polydioxanone thread is possible with SC‐HA fillers. Additionally, it was found that polydioxanone thread does not seem to interfere with the crosslinking reaction of SC‐HA filler, and if used with a higher pH of polydioxanone, it may enhance the cross‐linking reaction and achieve a higher viscosity value. Finally, the study resulted in the idea of concrete as SC‐HA filler and reinforcing rod for polydioxanone thread. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Most dietary fibres improved rheological properties but negatively impacted digestibility. However, the effect of psyllium husk powder (PHP) on digestibility has not been yet reported. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the rheological properties and digestibility of chicken myofibrillar protein (MP) containing different concentrations of PHP (0%, 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5%) at 0.45 m NaCl. To assess the rheological properties of MP, viscosity, hydrophobicity, disulphide bond, SDS–PAGE, cooking yield and gel strength were evaluated. The addition of PHP enhanced water retention capacity and protein–protein interactions in the MP system. To evaluate the effect of PHP on digestibility, protein digestibility, SDS–PAGE and microstructure observations were performed. It was confirmed that the addition of PHP improved the protein digestibility of MP by measuring the differences in protein content (%). Therefore, the addition of PHP into MP gel improved not only the rheological properties but also the protein digestibility during in vitro digestion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The preparation of malic acid starch ester (MSE) is mostly carried out using a high temperature method, but there are problems such as high energy consumption, long preparation time, and uneven heating. Microwave technology can be used to overcome these limitations. The semi‐crystalline structure of starch granules hinders the modifier's access to the matrix, thus limiting the esterification reaction. Physical techniques can act on the interior of the starch to create a number of active sites, thereby facilitating the reaction of the starch with esterification reagents. Therefore, this study investigated the effect of starch pretreatment by microwave, heat‐moisture, and ultrasonic techniques on the degree of substitution (DS), structure, and physicochemical properties of MSE synthesized by the microwave method. RESULTS: The DS of MSE was increased after pretreatments. The modified starch obtained by different pretreatment methods did not show new characteristic peaks, while the MSE synthesized showed new absorption peaks near 1735 cm−1. The granular structure and morphology of the modified starch obtained by microwave and heat‐moisture pretreatment were gelatinized and aggregated, while some of the starch particles of the modified starch obtained by ultrasonic pretreatment appeared pore‐sized. The relative crystallinity and gelatinization enthalpy of the MSE were reduced, but the crystallization pattern remained as A‐type. CONCLUSION: Overall, the results suggest that various pretreatment methods can enhance the DS of MSE by disrupting the structure of starch. The findings of this study provide theoretical support for improving the DS of esterified starch. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Banana flour can provide a solution to people with gluten intolerance, as it is gluten‐free. Native banana flour may have limited functionality in certain applications. In this study, banana flour was modified by ultrasonic (US) and annealing (ANN) treatments at four incubation time spans, namely 12, 24, 36 and 72 h, separately or combined sequentially (US–ANN) to enhance the physicochemical and digestive properties. RESULTS: US led to exposed granular surfaces and damaged non‐starch components. Both treatments, at extended incubation time, increased crystallinity, resulting in a narrower starch gelatinization temperature range. The swelling power was significantly lower for ANN and US–ANN compared to US alone, providing a delay of gelatinization temperature. However, none of the treatments affected the gelatinization enthalpy. Furthermore, US increased peak viscosity, breakdown, final viscosity and setback whereas the opposite results were obtained for ANN and US–ANN. Additionally, US prior to ANN significantly increased the resistant starch (RS) content for annealing times over 24 h, especially for the US–ANN treatment for 72 h, which provided the highest RS content (49.3%) compared to ANN treatment for 72 h (44.0%) and native flour (36.3%). CONCLUSIONS: US prior to ANN treatment offers an alternative method to improve the functional and digestive properties of banana flour, extending the range of applications. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Starch nanoparticles (SNPs), due to their minimum particle size and maximum surface to volume ratio do not have starch limitations such as low solubility and digestibility. SNPs in colloidal form were enzymatically produced using enzyme of α‐amylase in combination toultrasinication technique to accomplished SNPs gelatinization. Results indicated that SNPs with smallest particle size (109 nm) and polydispersity index (0.560), and highest zeta potential (−32.16 mV) and antioxidant activity (30%) values was obtained using 2.10 mL enzyme and ultrasonication time of 69 s. SNPs in powder form were produced using obtained optimum conditions and a laboratory freeze dryer with chamber temperature and pressure of −70 °C and 100 Pa, for 24 h, and characterized Results indicated that the provided native starch had particle size of ranging 6 to 10 µm with zeta potential value of −4.50 mV, prepared SNPs powder had spherical shape and flat surface with mean particle size, zeta potential and specific surface area values of 105 nm, −26.7 mV and 4.70 m2 g−1, respectively. Furthermore, oil separation time for the emulsions having starch and powder of SNPs, were 43 and 297 s, respectively. While, for the sample without emulsifier (control), this time was 22 s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogels are useful drug release systems and tissue engineering scaffolds. However, synthetic hydrogels often require harsh gelation conditions and can contain toxic by‐products while naturally derived hydrogels can transmit pathogens and in general have poor mechanical properties. Thus, there is a need for a hydrogel that forms under ambient conditions, is non‐toxic, xeno‐free, and has good mechanical properties. A recombinant spider silk protein‐derived hydrogel that rapidly forms at 37 °C is recently developed. The temperature and gelation times are well‐suited for an injectable in situ polymerising hydrogel, as well as a 3D cell culture scaffold. Here, it is shown that the diffusion rate and the mechanical properties can be tuned by changing the protein concentration and that human fetal mesenchymal stem cells encapsulated in the hydrogels show high survival and viability. Furthermore, mixtures of recombinant spider silk proteins and green fluorescent protein (GFP) form gels from which functional GFP is gradually released, indicating that bioactive molecules are easily included in the gels, maintain activity and can diffuse through the gel. Interestingly, encapsulated ARPE‐19 cells are viable and continuously produce the growth factor progranulin, which is detected in the cell culture medium over the study period of 31 days. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy and environmental issues have increasingly garnered significant attention for sustainable development. Flexible and shape‐stable phase change materials display great potential in regulation of environmental temperature for energy saving and human comfort. Here, inspired by the water absorption behavior of salt‐tolerant animals and plants in salinity environment and the Hofmeister theory, highly stable phase change salogels (PCSGs) are fabricated through in situ polymerization of hydrophilic monomers in molten salt hydrates, which can serve multiple functions including thermal management patches, smart windows, and ice blocking coatings. The gelation principles of the polymer in high ion concentration solution are explored through the density functional theory simulation and verified the feasibility of four types of salt hydrates. The high concentration chaotropic ions strongly interacted with polymer chains and promoted the gelation at low polymer concentrations which derive highly‐stable and ultra‐moisturizing PCSGs with high latent heat (> 200 J g−1). The synergistic adhesion and transparency switching abilities accompanied with phase transition enable their smart thermal management. The study resolves the melting leakage and thermal cycling stability of salt hydrates, and open an avenue to fabricate flexible PCM of low cost, high latent heat, and long‐term durability for energy‐saving, ice‐blocking, and thermal management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogels are of interest for a wide range of applications. The ability to control when the hydrogel degrades can provide beneficial properties such as controlled degradation in the environment or the stimulated release of drugs or cells. Self‐immolative polymers are a class of degradable polymers that undergo complete end‐to‐end depolymerization upon the application of a stimulus. They have been explored for hydrogel development, but the ability to prepare and selectively degrade self‐immolative hydrogels under neutral aqueous conditions has so far been limited. We describe here the preparation of water‐soluble polyglyoxylamides with cross‐linkable pendent azides and their cross‐linking to form hydrogels with 4‐arm poly(ethylene glycol)s having unstrained and strained alkynes using copper‐assisted and strain‐promoted azide‐alkyne click chemistry respectively. The influence of pendent azide density and solution polymer content on the resulting hydrogels was evaluated. A polyglyoxylamide with a 70 : 30 ratio of pendent hydroxyl:azide successfully provided hydrogels with compressive moduli ranging from 1.3–6.3 kPa under copper‐free conditions at 10–20 % (w/w) of polymer in phosphate‐buffered saline. Selective depolymerization and degradation of the hydrogels upon irradiation with light was demonstrated, resulting in reductions in the compressive moduli and the release of depolymerization products that were detected by NMR spectroscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fabrication of chiral hydrogels from thermoresponsive helical dendronized phenylacetylene copolymers (PPAs) carrying three‐fold dendritic oligoethylene glycols (OEGs) is reported. Three different temperatures, i.e. below or above cloud point temperatures (Tcps) of the copolymers, and under freezing condition, were utilized, affording thermoresponsive hydrogels with different morphologies and mechanical properties. At room temperature, transparent hydrogels were obtained through crosslinking among different copolymer chains. Differently, opaque hydrogels with much improved mechanical properties were formed at elevated temperatures through crosslinking from the thermally dehydrated and collapsed copolymer aggregates, leading to heterogeneity for the hydrogels with highly porous morphology. While crosslinking at freezing temperature synergistically through ice templating, these amphiphilic dendronized copolymers formed hydrogels with highly porous lamellar structures, which exhibited remarkable compressible properties as human articular cartilage with excellent fatigue resistance. Amphiphilicity of the dendronized copolymers played a pivotal role in modulating the network formation during the gelation, as well as morphology and mechanical performance of the resulting hydrogels. Through crosslinking, these dendronized copolymers featured with typical dynamic helical conformations were transformed into hydrogels with unprecedently stabilized helicities due to the restrained chain mobilities in the three‐dimensional networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymeric foamed materials are among the most widely utilized technologies for oil spill accidents and releases of oil‐contaminated wastewater oil due to their porosity to absorb and separate oil/water effectively. However, a major limitation of traditional polymeric foams is their reliance on an ad/absorption mechanism as the sole method of oil capture, leading to potential oil leakage once their saturation point is exceeded. Tri‐block polymer styrene‐ethylene‐butylene‐styrene (SEBS) is a fascinating absorbent material that can bypass this limitation by both capturing oil and providing a sealing mechanism via gelation to prevent oil leakage due to its unique chemical structure. SEBS foams are produced via simultaneous crosslinking and foaming that results in an impressive expansion ratio of up to 15.2 with over 93% porosity. Most importantly, the SEBS foams show great potential as oil absorbents in spill remediation, demonstrating rapid and efficient oil absorption coupled with superhydrophobic properties. Moreover, the unique interaction between the oil and SEBS enables the formation of a physical gel, acting as an effective barrier against oil leakage. These findings indicate the potential for commercializing SEBS foam as a viable option for geotextiles to mitigate oil spill concerns from infrastructures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many bio‐hydrogels are prepared thanks to the addition of divalent ions. These gels usually exhibit partial ionic selectivity, a feature is leveraged to instigate an osmotic flow during the gelation process across a range of bio‐hydrogels. A simple experimental setup consisting a glass capillary filled by the reactant solution is taken as an advantage, brought into contact with a reservoir of calcium chloride. Direct observation allows to characterize the gelation kinetics, the permeability and the selectivity of several gels, including some made of protein aggregates, pectin, and alginate. It is shown that these intrinsic properties, coupled with appropriate gelation kinetics, intricately govern the osmotic flow induced by the chemical potential difference of the calcium chloride ions imposed during gel formation, consistent with the Kedem–Kashalsky equation. The forming gel acts as a semi‐permeable membrane for calcium chloride ions. The consequences of this osmotic flow are of potentially great interest since it triggers an increase of the gel concentration close to its boundary, opening the road to their spontaneous structuration. The formation of this dense shell is well accounted for the combination of a mass balance and a kinetic model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a series of coordination cages that incorporate peptide chains at their vertices, prepared through subcomponent self‐assembly. Three distinct heterochiral tripeptide subcomponents were incorporated, each exhibiting an L−D−L stereoconfiguration. Through this approach, we prepared and characterized three tetrahedral metal‐peptide cages that incorporate thiol and methylthio groups. The gelation of these cages was probed through the binding of additional metal ions, with the metal‐peptide cages acting as junctions, owing to the presence of sulfur atoms on the peripheral peptides. Gels were obtained with cages bearing cysteine at the C‐terminus. Our strategy for developing functional metal‐coordinated supramolecular gels with a modular design may result in the development of materials useful for chemical separations or drug delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the effect of modifying the mineral composition through adjustment of pH prior to ultrafiltration on the functionality of acid whey protein concentrate (WPC; pH 4.6). Increasing pH to 6.5 prior to ultrafiltration produced a concentrate with a significantly higher calcium and phosphorous content, compared to ultrafiltration at pH 4.6. WPC produced at pH 6.5 also had significantly more calcium‐phosphate precipitation following pasteurisation and evaporation and had a higher viscosity at 30% solids (300 s−1, 50°C). In addition, both reconstituted powders (5%, w/w, protein) had strong gelation properties following heat treatment at 90°C; however, the WPC produced at pH 6.5 had a significantly firmer gel strength, but such gels appeared to be more sensitive to breakage at increased frequency and oscillation strain. Overall, the pH prior to UF had a significant impact on the processing of acid whey and final product functionality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While β‐peptides have been paid attention due to their diverse secondary structures, their application to the design of low‐molecular‐weight gelators (LMWGs) is less explored. In this work, chiral cyclic β‐amino acid‐based β‐peptides were developed as ambidextrous LMWGs, wherein multiple hydrogen bonds between the amide moieties led to high gelation ability. Their molecular assembly was elucidated using spectroscopies, microscopy, and X‐ray analysis. Further, the supramolecular gel was used as a platform for the enantioselective extraction of (S)‐naproxen from its racemate under optimized conditions. These findings have expanded the utility of β‐peptides and shown the potential of supramolecular gels as a distinct dynamic medium for enantiomer separation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of varying extrusion conditions on the functional properties of hulless barley–mung bean (70:30) extruded snacks was investigated using response surface methodology with feed moisture (FM), barrel temperature (BT), and screw speed (SS) as process variables. Results revealed significant impacts on functional characteristics with varying extrusion conditions. Bulk density (BD) of extruded snacks ranged from 0.24 to 0.42 g/cm3, showing that lower FM and higher BT results in lower BD while it increased with increasing FM, SS, and BT. The expansion ratio (ER) of extruded snacks ranged between 2.03 and 2.33, showing BT and SS had a desirable positive effect, whereas increasing FM led to decreased ER. Increasing BT and SS depicted a negative effect on water absorption index, whereas FM showed positive effect, which ranged between 4.21 and 4.82 g/g. A positive effect on water solubility index was depicted by BT and SS, which ranges between 9.01% and 13.45%, as higher SS and BT led to starch degradation and increased solubility suggesting better digestibility. The hardness of extruded snacks ranged from 32.56 to 66.88 Newton (N), showing increasing FM increased hardness, whereas higher SS and BT resulted in lowering the hardness. Scanning electronic microscope (SEM) analysis revealed structural changes in extrudates in comparison with nonextruded flour, indicating starch gelatinization and pore formation affected by varying processing parameters. Shifts in absorption bands were observed in Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR), suggesting structural changes in starch and protein. Understanding the effects of extrusion parameters on product properties can help tailored production to meet consumers' preferences and the development of functional snacks with improved nutritional quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inflammatory diseases including rheumatoid arthritis are major health problems. Although different techniques and drugs are clinically available for the diagnosis and therapy of the disease, novel approaches regarding radiolabeled drug delivery systems are researched. Hence, in the present study, it was aimed to design, prepare, and characterize 99mTc‐radiolabeled and tofacitinib citrate‐encapsulated microsphere loaded poloxamer in situ gel formulations for the intra‐articular treatment. Among nine different microsphere formulations, MS/TOFA‐9 was chosen as the most proper one due to particle size, high encapsulation efficiency, and in vitro drug release behavior. Poloxamer 338 at a concentration of 15% was used to prepare in situ gel formulations. For intra‐articular administration, microspheres were dispersed in an in situ gel containing 15% Poloxamer 338 and characterized in terms of gelation temperature, viscosity, rheological, mechanical, and spreadability properties. After the determination of the safe dose for MS/TOFA‐9 and PLX‐MS/TOFA‐9 as 40 µL/mL in the cell culture study performed on healthy cells, the high anti‐inflammatory effects were due to significant cellular inhibition of fibroblasts. In the radiolabeling studies with 99mTc, the optimum radiolabeling condition was determined as 200 ppm SnCl2 and 0.5 mg ascorbic acid, and both 99mTc‐MS/TOFA‐9 and 99mTc‐PLX‐MS/TOFA‐9 exhibited high cellular binding capacity. In conclusion, although further in vivo experiments are required, PLX‐MS/TOFA‐9 was found to be a promising agent for intra‐articular injection in rheumatoid arthritis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Salted hen egg yolks are less oily and less flavorful than salted duck egg yolks. However, hen eggs have a more adequate market supply and have a broader application prospect than duck eggs. In the present study, egg yolks, plasma, and granules were dehydrated by adding 1% NaCl to simulate traditional curing process of salted egg yolk. The changes in the pickling process of hen egg yolks (HEY) and duck egg yolks (DEY) plasma and granules were compared to reveal the gelation mechanism and the underlying causes of quality differences in salted HEY and DEY. Salted HEY can be compared with the changes in DEY during the pickling process to provide a theoretical basis for the quality improvement of salted HEY to salted DEY. RESULTS: The results showed that both plasma and granules were involved in gel formation, but exhibited different aggregation behaviors. Based on the intermolecular forces, the HEY proteins achieved aggregation mainly through hydrophobic interactions and DEY proteins mainly through covalent binding. According to spin–spin relaxation time, HEY gels immobilized a large amount of lipid and interacted strongly with lipids. DEY gels showed much free lipid and had weak interaction with lipid. The microstructure showed that HEY proteins were easily unfolded to form a homogeneous three‐dimensional gel network structure after salting, whereas heterogeneous aggregates were formed to hinder the gel development in DEY. Changes in protein secondary structure content showed that pickling can promote the transformation of the α‐helices to β‐sheets structure in HEY gels, whereas more α‐helices structure was formed in DEY gels. CONCLUSION: The present study has demonstrated that different gelation behaviors of hen and duck egg yolk proteins (especially in plasma) through salting treatment led to the difference in the quality of salted HEY and DEY. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tunability of the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) to lower or higher temperatures, as well as the ease of modulation of the LCST phase transition kinetics broadens the scope of application of PNIPAM‐based materials in biomedical fields. This work reports a facile approach to formulate a smart, injectable cellulose nanofibril (CNF)/PNIPAM hybrid gel. Hofmeister salts are used to induce ion‐mediated gelation of the nanofibrils and PNIPAM chains, resulting in an interpenetrating network (IPN) structure. From rheological measurements, the hybrid material displays excellent structural integrity at room temperature and tunable thermo‐stiffening around body temperature. De‐swelling kinetics can be modulated by varying the nature and concentration of the Hofmeister ion used. The successful realization of the IPN hybrid gel structure is dependent on the molecular weight of PNIPAM used. Moreover, the hybrid gels show good thermo‐reversibility during thermal cycling, as well as excellent injectability and remarkable self‐healing post‐injection, owing to shear‐thinning and thixotropic characters. Since rheology is a crucial technique in the analysis of soft matter and flow behavior is fundamental for the design and synthesis of application‐specific viscoelastic materials, the work reported herein provides a rheological basis for careful design and synthesis of smart gels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adsorbents with high adsorption efficiency and excellent biosafety for biomedical applications are highly required. MXene is a promising candidate owning these advantages, yet pristine MXene faces dilemmas including insufficient utility of surface site as well as limited processibility. Here, we develop MXene‐encapsulated porous microcapsules via microfluidics. The microcapsules have a biomass hydrogel shell that provides robust support for MXene in the core, by which the microcapsules are endowed with high MXene dosage and remarkable biosafety. Additionally, the MXene nanoflakes assemble into a three‐dimensional network via metal ion‐induced gelation, thereby avoiding restacking and significantly improving surface utilization. Moreover, a freeze‐pretreatment of the microcapsules during preparation results in the formation of a macroporous structure in the shell, which can facilitate the diffusion of the target molecules. These features, combined with additional magneto‐responsiveness rendered by the incorporation of magnetic nanoparticles, contribute to prominent performances of the microcapsules in cleaning uremia toxins including creatinine, urea, and uric acid. Thus, it is anticipated that the MXene‐encapsulated microcapsules will be promising adsorbents in dialysis‐related applications, and the combination of microfluidic encapsulation with metal ion gelation will provide a novel approach for construction of hybrid MXene materials with desired functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The physicochemical and technofunctional properties of several pea starches harvested in consecutive years are studied. All samples are cultivated in the same geographical locations. Despite limited variation of amylose content that is found (mean amylose content of 32.1 ± 1.4% and a range from 29.2% to 35.7%), the varieties demonstrate significant differences in their functional properties. During gelatinization, all starches exhibit comparable onset temperatures (To) within the range of 60.8–63.7 °C. However, the conclusion temperature (Tc) displays a considerably broader spectrum, spanning from 73.5 to 80.0 °C. Furthermore, noticeable systematic differences between the samples from 2020 to 2021 are observed. In terms of the hot paste viscosity, two main shear viscosity curves are identified. These are independent of the harvesting period and could be associated with differences in average molar masses examined previously. Pea varieties with comparable low starch molar masses (<25 × 106 g∙mol−1) show a stronger shear thinning behavior. The starches also exhibit substantial variations in mechanical gel strength and gel elasticity. The gel strengths range from 5.5 to 17.0 N. Increasing firmness of gels appears to correspond to reduced elasticities. For comparison, native corn starch, potato starch, and wrinkled pea starch are considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]