Guar gum and its composites as potential materials for diverse applications: A review

Rheological and water binding properties of xanthan, guar and ultra-finely milled oatmeal in white birch sap: Influence of sap minor constituents

White Birch Sap (WBS) contains appreciable amounts of mineral ions and phenolic compounds and can be used as alternate solvent for food applications. In this study, the effect of the mineral and phenolic composition of WBS was evaluated on the physical properties of xanthan gum, guar gum, ultra-finely milled oatmeal and their combinations in solution. Solutions were formulated with WBS and with solvents mimicking WBS without phenolic compounds and WBS without phenolics nor mineral ions. The influence of solvent composition was evaluated on flow properties and water mobility of the solutions. From WBS without mineral ions nor phenolics, the addition of mineral ions led to increased pseudo-plasticity and decreased flow consistency, and decreased water mobility. Addition of phenolic compounds through WBS led to opposite effects possibly due to phenolic-driven aggregation of the hydrocolloids which also seemed to inhibit guar/xanthan interactions.

Guar gum-derived galactomannan induces inflammatory responses and increased energy expenditure in the intestine

Guar gum-derived galactomannan (GGGM) has been widely used in the food industry for a long time and its adverse impacts have been scarcely reported. Galactomannan is considered to have a structure similar to the surface components of certain pathogens, and the present study was thus conducted to investigate if oral administration of GGGM could cause physiological effects that were hypothesized to be related to intestinal inflammatory responses. The results showed that oral administration of GGGM resulted in compromises on growth performance, an increase of the relative weight of spleen and epididymal fat, and an elevation of the α1-acid glycoprotein content in both serum and livers of mice. With regard to energy metabolism-related indices, the activities of intestinal lactic dehydrogenase and succinic dehydrogenase were all increased by the GGGM treatment in both in vivo and in vitro experiments, the latter of which also showed an elevation in the consumption of reducing sugar by intestinal epithelial cells along with a reduced viability of these cells in response to the GGGM treatment. Notably, the GGGM treatment triggered intestinal inflammatory responses that were evidenced by the increased expression of intestinal inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α and IL-6 both in vivo and in vitro, which were at least partially responsible for the increased energy expenditure in the intestine and the retardation of growth. The results of this study could expand our knowledge of GGGM administration and provide integrated insights into the consumption of GGGM-containing foods.

Guar gum based nanocomposites: Role in water purification through efficient removal of dyes and metal ions

Researchers nowadays are relentlessly on a race exploring sustainable materials and techniques for the sequestration of toxic dyes and metal ions from water bodies. Biopolymers such as guar gum, owing to its high abundance, low cost and non-toxicity, are potential candidates in this field. Plenty of hydroxyl groups in the polymer backbone enable guar gum to be functionalised or grafted in a versatile manner proving itself as an excellent starting substance for fabricating upgraded materials meant for diverse applications. This review offers a comprehensive coverage of the role of guar gum-based nanocomposites in removal of dyes and heavy metal ions from waste water through adsorption and photo-catalytic degradation. Isotherm and kinetics models, fabrication routes, characterisation techniques, swelling properties and reusability as well as adsorption and degradation mechanisms are outlined. A detailed analysis with convincing results suggests a good future perspective of implementation of these materials in real-time wastewater treatment technology.

Synthesis of pH-sensitive crosslinked guar gum-g-poly(acrylic acid-co-acrylonitrile) for the delivery of thymoquinone against inflammation

The present work aims to synthesize the pH-sensitive crosslinked guar gum-g-poly(acrylic acid-co-acrylonitrile) [guar-g-(AA-co-ACN)] via microwave-assisted technique for the sustained release of thymoquinone. The synthesized material [guar-g-(AA-co-ACN)] was optimized by varying synthetic parameters viz. monomer concentration, reaction time, and microwave power to obtain the maximum yield of the crosslinked guar gum grafted product as well as maximum encapsulation of thymoquinone. The synthesized material [guar-g-poly(AA-co-ACN)] was characterized by FT-IR, SEM, XRD, NMR, zeta potential, and thermal techniques. This synthesized material was used to encapsulate thymoquinone (TQ) for effective nanotherapeutic delivery. In-vitro thymoquinone release behavior of guar-g-poly(AA-co-ACN) based nanoparticles (NpTGG) was investigated. The maximum thymoquinone release (78%) was achieved at pH 7.4 and time (6 h). The NpTGG also exhibited better antioxidant activity and hemocompatibility as compared to thymoquinone. Cytotoxicity of uar-g-(AA-co-ACN) and NpTGG was also evaluated against the human kidney VERO cell line and found to be nontoxic. Current research provides a cost-effective and green approach for the synthesis of guar-g-(AA-co-ACN) and NpTGG for sustained release of thymoquinone.

Biopolymer-derived (nano)catalysts for hydrogen evolution via hydrolysis of hydrides and electrochemical and photocatalytic techniques: A review

Over the course of a few decades, the concern of environmental damages of fossil fuels, an increase in CO₂ emission and a decrease of hydrogen have been growing more and more. Accordingly, hydrogen production is a crucial issue nowadays. Different polymers are applied to attain the purpose. Among all polymers, biodegradables polymers are the best choices to develop the main aim. Polysaccharides and proteins are biodegradable polymers with unique places and advantages with regards to their ecofriendly properties. There are different techniques to apply and achieve the foremost purpose. It is worthwhile to mention that green and facile methods are always attracting attention in different aspects and fields. The three non-polluting and economical techniques, that is, electrochemical hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), photocatalytic technique, and hydrolysis of hydrides, are reviewed in this paper. This review helps researchers, who are environment supporters, to evaluate and choose the most ecological biopolymers and processes in their work.

Adsorption-photocatalysis performance of polyaniline/dicarboxyl acid cellulose@graphene oxide for dye removal

A novel 3-D biopolymer-based adsorption-photocatalytic composite, polyaniline/dicarboxyl acid cellulose@graphene oxide was synthesized and was employed to remove the reactive brilliant red K-2G from aqueous solution. The addition of dicarboxyl acid cellulose could improve the morphology, structure, stability and dispersity of the nanocomposite, thus providing excellent adsorption and photocatalysis performance to the product. Batch of experiments were conducted in two scenarios: adsorption followed by photocatalysis process and simultaneous adsorption-photocatalysis process. For the first scenario, adsorption equilibrium can be reached within 25 min, the expected adsorption capacity was 447.0 mg·g^-1; the subsequent photocatalysis process was carried out under light irradiation and the removal capacity could further improve to 729.0 mg·g^-1 under equilibrium state (about 180 min). For the simultaneous adsorption-photocatalytic process, the removal capacity was about 558.1 mg·g^-1 at about 25 min and the total removal capacity could reach to 733.3 mg·g^-1 under equilibrium state. PANI-DCC@GO exhibited excellent reusability and had potential in the treatment of dyes polluted wastewater.

An injectable double-crosslinking iodinated composite hydrogel as a potential radioprotective spacer with durable imaging function

Prostate cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer incidence among males worldwide. Radiotherapy can achieve similar oncological outcomes to those of radical prostatectomy. One concern is, however, radiation damage to the rectum because of the extreme proximity between the two organs. Inserting a biomaterial to separate the prostate and rectum is a promising strategy, and an injectable hydrogel is regarded to be the preferred spacer after screening of various materials. Nevertheless, there exist shortcomings for the currently available injectable hydrogel that cannot fully meet the unique requirements in clinical practice. In this work, a novel injectable hydrogel spacer based on carboxymethyl chitosan (CMC), aldehyde guar gum (AG), and aldehyde iohexol (DHQ) with an imaging function is fabricated. Contrast agent DHQ is chemically attached to CMC-AG network to form a double-crosslinking network to obtain a controlled degradation rate and high strength as well as durable CT imaging function. The hydrogel is injected subcutaneously into rats, where rapid gelation occurs and it serves as a hydrogel spacer. During the month-long in vivo studies, the spacer exhibits remarkable radiation dose attenuation and sustainable imaging function, as well as excellent toxicity profiles. This novel hydrogel shows excellent potential in the protection of critical organs during prostate cancer radiotherapy.

Recent advances in guar gum based drug delivery systems and their administrative routes

Guar gum-based drug carrier systems have gained attention for the delivery of various therapeutic agents via different administration routes for attaining controlled and sustained release. Guar gum offers a safe and effective system for drug delivery due to its natural occurrence, easy availability, biocompatibility, and biodegradability, besides simple and mild preparation techniques. Furthermore, the possibility of using various routes such as oral, buccal, transdermal, intravenous, and gene delivery further diversify guar gum applications in the biomedical field. This review delineates the recent investigation on guar gum-based drug carrier systems like hydrogels, nanoparticles, nanocomposites, and scaffolds along with their related delivery routes. Also, the inclusion of data of the loading and subsequent release of the drugs enables to explore the noble and improved drug targeting therapies.

Plant Prebiotics and Their Role in the Amelioration of Diseases

Prebiotics are either natural or synthetic non-digestible (non-)carbohydrate substances that boost the proliferation of gut microbes. Undigested fructooligosaccharides in the large intestine are utilised by the beneficial microorganisms for the synthesis of short-chain fatty acids for their own growth. Although various food products are now recognized as having prebiotic properties, several others, such as almonds, artichoke, barley, chia seeds, chicory, dandelion greens, flaxseeds, garlic, and oats, are being explored and used as functional foods. Considering the benefits of these prebiotics in mineral absorption, metabolite production, gut microbiota modulation, and in various diseases such as diabetes, allergy, metabolic disorders, and necrotising enterocolitis, increasing attention has been focused on their applications in both food and pharmaceutical industries, although some of these food products are actually used as food supplements. This review aims to highlight the potential and need of these prebiotics in the diet and also discusses data related to the distinct types, sources, modes of action, and health benefits.

Poly(β-cyclodextrin)-Activated Carbon Gel Composites for Removal of Pesticides from Water

Pesticides are widely used in agriculture to increase and protect crop production. A substantial percentage of the active substances applied is retained in the soil or flows into water courses, constituting a very relevant environmental problem. There are several methods for the removal of pesticides from soils and water; however, their efficiency is still a challenge. An alternative to current methods relies on the use of effective adsorbents in removing pesticides which are, simultaneously, capable of releasing pesticides into the soil when needed. This reduces costs related to their application and waste treatments and, thus, overall environmental costs. In this paper, we describe the synthesis and preparation of activated carbon-containing poly(β-cyclodextrin) composites. The composites were characterized by different techniques and their ability to absorb pesticides was assessed by using two active substances: cymoxanil and imidacloprid. Composites with 5 and 10 wt% of activated carbon showed very good stability, high removal efficiencies (>75%) and pesticide sorption capacity up to ca. 50 mg g-1. The effect of additives (NaCl and urea) was also evaluated. The composites were able to release around 30% of the initial sorbed amount of pesticide without losing the capacity to keep the maximum removal efficiency in sorption/desorption cycles.

Hydroxy citric acid cross-linked chitosan/guar gum/poly(vinyl alcohol) active films for food packaging applications

The present work aims to prepare Chitosan (CS)/Guar gum (GG)/Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) cross-linked with Hydroxy citric acid (HCA) (CGPH active film) by solvent casting technique. The influence of HCA on different CS/PVA ratio (1:3, 1:1, 3:1) in presence of the fixed amount of GG (0.2%) was investigated. The analysis of the results showed that the addition of HCA to the different ratio of CS/PVA increased the degradation temperature and improved the mechanical properties of CGPH active films. FTIR spectra and XRD analysis revealed strong interactions among the components of CGPH active films. The analysis of SEM images and water contact angle suggested a compact, dense film surface with hydrophobic nature. Further, all the active films have shown a decrease in water vapour permeability (WVP) and acted as a barrier to UV-light. CGPH active films effectively inhibited the growth of S. aureus and E. coli bacteria. With all these features the CGPH active films can find application in food packaging.

Processing Guar Gum into polyester fabric based promising mixed matrix membrane for water treatment

A reactive and mechano-chemically stable support was prepared from Ag-nanoparticles decorated polyester fabric which was subsequently coated by a casting solution containing polyvinylidene fluoride matrix, guar gum (GG) exo-polysaccharide hydrophilic agent, and UiO-66 filler. FE-SEM, XRD, FT-IR, water contact angle technique, and mechanical stability tests were applied to characterize the prepared membranes. The water contact angle measurements indicated the hydrophilicity of the prepared membrane which can be attributed to the nature of bio-GG and UiO-66. The prepared membrane was employed for purifying contaminated waters containing N-cetyl-N,N,N-trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and congo-red (CR) dye through a cross-module set-up. The central composite design was also exploited to study the effect of operational parameters such as CTAB and CR concentration, pH solution, and pressure on the removal efficiency. Particularly, the bio-based GG/UiO-66 dispersion showed excellent self-healing properties, which enabled an effective pollutant separation ability and facilitated the recyclability/sustainability of the as-prepared membrane.

Guar gum based hydrogel as controlled micronutrient delivery system: Mechanism and kinetics of boron release for agricultural applications

A boron loaded super-absorbent hydrogel (BLSAH) was developed through in situ incorporation of boron (B) in a guar gum-based hydrogel and characterized with FTIR, thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and swelling studies, showing maximum absorption up to 356 g/g. The release pattern of B from the BLSAH and its kinetics was studied in water as well as soil. The B release pattern of the BLSAH was also compared with the commercial B fertilizer, boronated single super phosphate (bSSP). The BLSAH, following the Fickian mechanism, released 38% B, as compared with 51% of the bSSP, during the incubation period of 30 days in soil. The half-life period for the BLSAH (96.25 days) in soil was almost triple that of the bSSP's half-life (33.32 days), which is indicative of the slow and controlled release of B from the BLSAH. Thus, owing to its sustained nutrient release ability, the synthesized BLSAH exhibited wide potential for applications in agriculture sector.

Starch, cellulose, pectin, gum, alginate, chitin and chitosan derived (nano)materials for sustainable water treatment: A review

Natural biopolymers, polymeric organic molecules produced by living organisms and/or renewable resources, are considered greener, sustainable, and eco-friendly materials. Natural polysaccharides comprising cellulose, chitin/chitosan, starch, gum, alginate, and pectin are sustainable materials owing to their outstanding structural features, abundant availability, and nontoxicity, ease of modification, biocompatibility, and promissing potentials. Plentiful polysaccharides have been utilized for making assorted (nano)catalysts in recent years; fabrication of polysaccharides-supported metal/metal oxide (nano)materials is one of the effective strategies in nanotechnology. Water is one of the world's foremost environmental stress concerns. Nanomaterial-adorned polysaccharides-based entities have functioned as novel and more efficient (nano)catalysts or sorbents in eliminating an array of aqueous pollutants and contaminants, including ionic metals and organic/inorganic pollutants from wastewater. This review encompasses recent advancements, trends and challenges for natural biopolymers assembled from renewable resources for exploitation in the production of starch, cellulose, pectin, gum, alginate, chitin and chitosan-derived (nano)materials.

Optimizing the properties of Zodo gum and examining its potential for amino acid binding by periodate oxidation

In this study, the Zodo gum exudated by Amygdalus scoparia spach underwent the periodate oxidation process for chemical modification and the formation of dialdehyde groups. Modification of the Zodo gum properties was done using the periodate oxidation method, response surface methodology (RSM) and central composite design (CCD), with 4 factors of sodium periodate volume (6.4-19.2 mL), temperature (35-55 °C), pH (3-5) and time (2-4 h). Dialdehyde Zodo gum (DZG) was produced by controlling test variables and measuring some responses including dialdehyde content and efficacy, in addition to evaluating the rheological parameters. Quadratic, linear polynomial equations were then fitted with the insignificant Lack of fit and high R² to address the relationship between the mentioned variables and responses. Optimal test conditions, including pH = 3.9, T = 43 °C and Time = 3.5 h, were also determined for the production of DZG₁₀, DZG₂₀ and DZG₃₀ samples. The results of ¹H-¹³C NMR, FTIR and determination of the aldehyde content indicated the formation of dialdehyde groups in equilibrium with the dominant hemiacetal form. The AFM study of the DZG₃₀ sample also showed over-oxidation and depolymerization, which could be associated with increased hydrophobic properties and the reduced viscosity. Although the DZG₃₀ sample had the highest amount of the dialdehyde factor group with the tendency to combine with the amino group of proteins, DZG₁₀ and DZG₂₀ samples could be recommended for industrial applications due to the nonoccurrence of overoxidation.

Sustainable landfill leachate treatment: Optimize use of guar gum as natural coagulant and floc characterization

Sustainable wastewater treatment necessitates the application of natural and green material in the approach. Thus, selecting a natural coagulant in leachate treatment is a crucial step in landfill operation to prevent secondary environmental pollution due to residual inorganic coagulant in treated effluent. Current study investigated the application of guar gum in landfill leachate treatment. Central composite design in response surface methodology was used to optimize the performance of Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) removal. Quadratic model developed indicated the optimum COD removal 22.57% at guar gum dosage of 44.39 mg/L, pH 8.56 (natural pH of leachate) and mixing speed 79.27 rpm. Scanning electron microscopy showed that floc was compact and energy-dispersive-x-ray analysis showed that guar gum was capable to adsorb multiple ions from the leachate. Structural characterization using Fourier Transform Infrared analysis demonstrated that hydrogen bonding between guar and pollutant particles was involved in coagulation and flocculation process. Therefore, guar gum coagulant present potential to be an alternative in leachate treatment where pH requirement is not required during treatment. Simultaneously, adsorption by guar gum offers added pollutant removal advantage.

Microbially induced calcite precipitation using Bacillus velezensis with guar gum

Mineral precipitation via microbial activity is a well-known process with applications in various fields. This relevance of microbially induced calcite precipitation (MICP) has pushed researchers to explore various naturally occurring MICP capable bacterial strains. The present study was performed to explore the efficiency of microbially induced calcite precipitation (MICP) via locally isolated bacterial strains and role of guar gum, which is a naturally occurring polymer, on the MICP process. The strains were isolated from local soil and screened for urease activity Further, the urease positive strain was subjected to urea and calcium chloride based medium to investigate the efficacy of isolated strain for microbial induced precipitation. Among screened isolates, the soil bacterium that showed urease positive behaviour and precipitated calcium carbonate was subjected to 16S rRNA gene sequencing. This strain was identified as Bacillus velezensis. Guar gum—a natural polymer, was used as a sole carbon source to enhance the MICP process. It was observed that the isolated strain was able to breakdown the guar gum into simple sugars resulting in two-fold increase in calcium carbonate precipitate. Major bio-chemical activities of isolated strain pertaining to MICP such as ammonium ion concentration, pH profiling, and total reducing sugar with time were explored under four different concentrations of guar gum (0.25%, 0.5%, 0.75% and 1% w/v). Maximum ammonium ion concentration (17.5 μg/ml) and increased pH was observed with 1% guar gum supplementation, which confirms augmented MICP activity of the bacterial strain. Microstructural analysis of microbial precipitation was performed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques, which confirmed the presence of calcium carbonate in different phases. Further, XRD and SEM based studies corroborated that guar gum supplemented media showed significant increase in stable calcite phase as compared to media without guar gum supplementation. Significant diverse group of nitrogenous compounds were observed in guar gum supplemented medium when subjected to Gas Chromatography–Mass spectrometry (GC-MS) profiling.

Low molecular weight polyethyleneimine conjugated guar gum for targeted gene delivery to triple negative breast cancer

The study emphasized on the development of an efficient, receptor-targeted non-viral gene delivery vehicle for gene therapy of triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). Here, naturally abundant guar gum based non-viral carrier was developed through conjugating by low molecular weight polyethylenimine (LPEI) (GNP) using napthalic anhydride coupling agent and characterized them by FT-IR, ¹H NMR, XRD and UV spectrophotometer. The carrier was found to be cytocompatible as revealed by MTT assay against MDA-MB-231 and HeLa cell lines and excellent blood compatibility till the concentration of 200 μg/ml. In addition to these, the carrier exhibited excellent gene binding capability and formed spherical shaped complexes. The carrier showed very high in vitro transfection efficiency in TNBC cell (MDA-MB-231) compared to lipofectamine 2000 (LF2k) which could be justified by its high buffering capacity. Therefore, GNP may be an attractive non-viral gene carrier for gene therapy of TNBC in future.

Sustainable Battery Materials from Biomass

Sustainable sources of energy have been identified as a possible way out of today's oil dependency and are being rapidly developed. In contrast, storage of energy to a large extent still relies on heavy metals in batteries. Especially when built from biomass-derived organics, organic batteries are promising alternatives and pave the way towards truly sustainable energy storage. First described in 2008, research on biomass-derived electrodes has been taken up by a multitude of researchers worldwide. Nowadays, in principle, electrodes in batteries could be composed of all kinds of carbonized and noncarbonized biomass: On one hand, all kinds of (waste) biomass may be carbonized and used in anodes of lithium- or sodium-ion batteries, cathodes in metal-sulfur or metal-oxygen batteries, or as conductive additives. On the other hand, a plethora of biomolecules, such as quinones, flavins, or carboxylates, contain redox-active groups that can be used as redox-active components in electrodes with very little chemical modification. Biomass-based binders can replace toxic halogenated commercial binders to enable a truly sustainable future of energy storage devices. Besides the electrodes, electrolytes and separators may also be synthesized from biomass. In this Review, recent research progress in this rapidly emerging field is summarized with a focus on potentially fully biowaste-derived batteries.

Improvement of texture properties and syneresis of arrowroot (Maranta arundinacea) starch gels by using hydrocolloids (guar gum and xanthan gum)

BACKGROUND

The incorporation of hydrocolloids into starch dispersions modifies their techno-functional properties, such as gelatinization, retrogradation, syneresis, and texture, among others. Their main function is to improve these properties and to promote greater stability of starch gels. Thus, the main objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of adding colloids (guar gum and xanthan gum) on the texture properties (hardness, elasticity, cohesiveness, and gumminess) and syneresis of the starch gels made from the common variety of arrowroot. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and regression were carried out to analyze the effects of the treatments and variables with their respective interactions.

RESULTS

The addition of guar gum and xanthan gum influenced the stability of the starch gels studied, and it was capable of reducing syneresis even at low concentrations, with a greater effect for xanthan gum. Both gums were capable of inhibiting syneresis at concentrations above 0.5%, throughout the storage time studied (5 days). The addition of these hydrocolloids was also shown to influence the following texture parameters: hardness, cohesiveness, and gumminess, but showed no effect on gel elasticity.

CONCLUSION

The addition of hydrocolloids was shown to be an alternative way of increasing the stability and enhancing the textural properties of the starch gels in arrowroot. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Physicochemical characterization of galactomannans extracted from seeds of Gleditsia sinensis Lam and fenugreek. Comparison with commercial guar gum

Gleditsia sinensis, fenugreek and guar galactomannans (referred to as GSG, FG, and GG) were extracted from their gums and investigated using various techniques. Mannose to galactose ratios were 3.55, 1.11, and 1.65, respectively. The intrinsic viscosity of GSG was very close to that of GG, while that of FG was the lowest one. This was attributed to the influence of high galactose substitution of FG on the mannan backbone, which induced a lower chain dimension due to intermolecular entanglement. High degrees of substitution and high temperatures contributed to improving the solubility of galactomannan. Rheological behavior indicated that GG had the highest apparent viscosity, yet the power-law model could well-fitted the flow curves of GSG and FG, but not GG. Through morphological observations, the extracted galactomannans exhibited rod-like structure in deionized water and showed fibrous filament network structure after dehydration by freeze-drying. The thermal behavior was greatly influenced by the degree of side groups and Mw of galactomannans.

Production of cupcake-like dessert containing microbial biosurfactant as an emulsifier

This work describes the application of the biosurfactant from Candida bombicola URM 3718 as a meal additive like cupcake. The biosurfactant was produced in a culture medium containing 5% sugar cane molasses, 5% residual soybean oil and 3% corn steep liquor. The surface and interfacial tension of the biosurfactant were 30.790 ± 0.04 mN/m and 0.730 ± 0.05 mN/m, respectively. The yield in isolated biosurfactant was 25 ± 1.02 g/L and the CMC was 0.5 g/L. The emulsions of the isolated biosurfactant with vegetable oils showed satisfactory results. The microphotographs of the emulsions showed that increasing the concentration of biosurfactant decreased the oil droplets, increasing the stability of the emulsions. The biosurfactant was incorporated into the cupcake dessert formulation, replacing 50%, 75% and 100% of the vegetable fat in the standard formulation. Thermal analysis showed that the biosurfactant is stable for cooking cupcakes (180 °C). The biosurfactant proved to be promising for application in foods low in antioxidants and did not show cytotoxic potential in the tested cell lines. Cupcakes with biosurfactant incorporated in their dough did not show significant differences in physical and physical–chemical properties after baking when compared to the standard formulation. In this way, the biosurfactant has potential for application in the food industry as an emulsifier for flour dessert.

Oxidized chitosan modified electrospun scaffolds for controllable release of acyclovir

Developing a novel scaffold carrier with a sustained and controllable release profile of drug is essential to promote the effective transdermal delivery for acyclovir (ACY). In this work, electrospun polyacrylonitrile nanofibers (PAN NFs) was chemically modified with oxidized chitosan (OC). The modified fibrous scaffold was further loaded with the ACY for drug released investigation. FT-IR and NMR results revealed that the conversion of the functional group for each step has successfully occurred on the surface of the fibers. Through the in-vitro drug release and kinetic study, it demonstrated that ACY could be sustainably and controlled released from the OC modified scaffold following the Korsmeyer-Peppas model with a Fickian diffusion mechanism. The human adipose-derived stem cells and the blood combability evaluation confirmed the obtained scaffold possessed excellent cell biocompatibility and hemocompatibility. It could be concluded that the resultant OC modified scaffold based on electrospun PAN NFs opened a new potential option for the topical/transdermal drug delivery of ACY.

Recent Advances in Natural Gum-Based Biomaterials for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine: A Review

The engineering of tissues under a three-dimensional (3D) microenvironment is a great challenge and needs a suitable supporting biomaterial-based scaffold that may facilitate cell attachment, spreading, proliferation, migration, and differentiation for proper tissue regeneration or organ reconstruction. Polysaccharides as natural polymers promise great potential in the preparation of a three-dimensional artificial extracellular matrix (ECM) (i.e., hydrogel) via various processing methods and conditions. Natural polymers, especially gums, based upon hydrogel systems, provide similarities largely with the native ECM and excellent biological response. Here, we review the origin and physico-chemical characteristics of potentially used natural gums. In addition, various forms of scaffolds (e.g., nanofibrous, 3D printed-constructs) based on gums and their efficacy in 3D cell culture and various tissue regenerations such as bone, osteoarthritis and cartilage, skin/wound, retinal, neural, and other tissues are discussed. Finally, the advantages and limitations of natural gums are precisely described for future perspectives in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine in the concluding remarks.

Rheological behaviours of guar gum derivatives with hydrophobic unsaturated long-chains

The rheological behaviors of three hydrophobically modified guar gum derivatives in aqueous solutions were systematically studied for practical applications.

Evaluation of immunogenicity and protection of the Mic1-3 knockout Toxoplasma gondii live attenuated strain in the feline host

Toxoplasmosis is a zoonotic disease caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii. Up to a third of the global human population is estimated to carry a T. gondii infection, which can result in severe complications in immunocompromised individuals and pregnant women. Humans and animals can become infected by ingesting either tissue cysts containing T. gondii bradyzoites, from raw or undercooked meat, or sporulated oocysts from environmental sources. T. gondii oocysts are released in the faeces of cats and other felids, which are the parasite's definitive hosts, leading to environmental contamination. Therefore, vaccination of the feline host against T. gondii is an interesting strategy to interrupt the parasitic life cycle and subsequently limit contamination of intermediate hosts. With this goal in mind, we tested in cats, an attenuated live strain of T. gondii deleted for the Mic1 and Mic3 genes (Mic1-3KO) that was previously shown to be an efficient vaccine candidate in mouse and sheep models. Subcutaneous or oral vaccination routes induced a high specific antibody titer in the cat sera, indicating that the Mic1-3KO strain is immunogenic for cats. To assess protection induced by the vaccine candidate strain, we followed oocysts shedding by vaccinated cats, after oral challenge with a T. gondii wild-type strain. Surprisingly, a high antibody titer did not prevent cats from shedding oocysts from the challenge strain, regardless of the vaccination route. Our results show that the Mic1-3KO vaccine candidate is immunogenic in the feline host, is well tolerated and safe, but does not confer protection against oocysts shedding after natural infection with wild type T. gondii. This result highlights the particular relationship between T. gondii and its unique definitive host, which indicates the need for further investigations to improve vaccination strategies to limit environmental and livestock contaminations.

Antimicrobial gum bio-based nanocomposites and their industrial and biomedical applications

Gum polysaccharides are derived from renewable sources. They are readily available, inexpensive, non-hazardous and eco-friendly. Depending upon the source, gums may be categorized as microbial gums, plant exudate gums or seed gums. Naturally occurring gum carbohydrates find multiple applications in the biomedical arena, compared with synthetic compounds, because of their unique structures and functionalities. Gums and their biocomposites are preferred for sustained drug delivery because they are safe and edible as well as more susceptible to biodegradation. The present review provides a state-of-the-art conspectus on the industrial and biomedical applications of antimicrobial gum-based biocomposites. Different kinds of gums polysaccharides will first be addressed based on their sources. Metal-, carbon- and organic-based nanostructures that are used in gum nanocomposites will then be reviewed with respect to their industrial and biomedical applications, to provide a backdrop for future research.