Noelthiesen0589

This work investigated the effects of water-deficit and high-nitrogen (N) treatments on wheat resistant starch (RS) formation, molecular structure, and physicochemical properties. The results of consecutive 2-year field experiments revealed that water deficit significantly reduced starch granule number and diameter, amylose, RS content, RS particle size distribution, and physicochemical properties, including peak and trough viscosities, oil absorption capacity, and freeze-thaw stability. Water deficit also altered the long- and short-range structures of RS. In contrast, high-N fertilizer application significantly improved the RS content, long- and short-range structures, and physicochemical properties. Pearson correlation analysis revealed that RS content was positively correlated with total starch, amylose, rapidly digesting starch, 90th percentile of RS particle size, relative crystallinity, infrared 1047/1022 cm-1 ratio, peak and breakdown viscosities, oil absorption capacity, and freeze-thaw stability, and was negatively correlated with slowly digestible starch content, 1022/995 cm-1 ratio, and final viscosity. In this study, 2-urea-chitosan oligosaccharide derivatives (2-urea-COS derivatives) and 2,6-diurea-chitosan oligosaccharide derivatives (2,6-diurea-COS derivatives) were successfully designed and synthesized via intermediate 2-methoxyformylated chitosan oligosaccharide. All samples were characterized and compared based on FT-IR, 1H NMR spectroscopy, and elemental analysis. The antifungal effects of COS derivatives were tested against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum, Phomopsis asparagus, and Botrytis cinereal. Their antioxidant properties, including superoxide radicals' scavenging activity, hydroxyl radicals' scavenging activity, and DPPH radicals' scavenging activity were also explored within different concentrations. COS derivatives bearing urea groups showed improved bioactivity compared with pristine COS and 2,6-diurea-COS derivatives had a higher biological activity than 2-urea-COS derivatives in tested concentrations. Additionally, L929 cells were used to carry out cytotoxicity test of COS and COS derivatives by CCK-8 assay. The results indicated that some of samples showed low cytotoxicity. These findings offered a suggestion that COS derivatives bearing urea groups are promising biological materials. A therapeutic nanocarrier capable of cell targeting has the potential to reduce off-target effects of otherwise effective drugs. Nanoparticle surface modification can be tailored for specific cells, however multistep surface modification can prove slow and difficult for a variety of cell types. Here, we designed drug carrying polysaccharide based nanoparticles with a layered structure for clickable surface modification. The center of nanoparticle was composed of cationic macromer (e.g., poly-l-lysine) and anionic polysaccharide (e.g., heparin). Furthermore, a 'clickable' polysaccharide was installed on the surface of the nanoparticles to permit a wide range of bioconjugation via norbornene-tetrazine click chemistry. The utilities of these layered nanoparticles were demonstrated via enhanced protein sequestration, selective cell targeting (via PEGylation or altering polysaccharide coating), as well as loading and release of chemotherapeutic. The drug-loaded nanocarriers proved cytotoxic to J774A.1 monocytes and MOLM-14 leukemia cells. Injectable in situ gelling hydrogels are viable treatment options for meniscal injuries occurring in athletes. The present study aims to develop an injectable hydrogel via borax complexation of oxidized alginate, followed by a self-crosslinking reaction with gelatin through a Schiff's base reaction. Gelation kinetics and degree of crosslinking could be controlled by changing the concentration of components and the formation of Schiff ;'s base formation was confirmed by Raman spectroscopy. The injectable alginate dialdehyde-gelatin (15ADA20G) hydrogel showed 423 ± 20 % water uptake, had an average pore size of 48 μm and compressive strength 295 ± 32 kPa. Phase contrast images, scanning electron micrographs and actin staining depicted adhesion, profuse proliferation, and distribution of fibrochondrocytes on the hydrogel demonstrating its cytocompatibility. Application of hydrogel at the pig meniscal tear ex vivo showed good integration with the host meniscal tissue. Further, the histology of 15ADA20G hydrogel filled meniscus showed retention of hydrogel in the close proximity of meniscal tear even after 3days in culture. The self-crosslinking injectable hydrogel offers a niche for the growth of fibrochondrocytes. Gefitinib in vivo The global abundance of recycled pulp has introduced opportunities for cellulose nanofiber (CNF) production at lower energy due to the partially fibrillated nature of recycled pulp. This study investigated the potential of recycled pulp as a feedstock for CNF production, comparing recycled bleached de-inked pulp (DIP) predominantly from eucalyptus fibers with virgin bleached eucalyptus kraft (BEK) pulp. The specific energy consumption for CNF production with 10,000 PFI refiner revolutions and 1 homogenization pass was 7 % lower with recycled pulp. At this treatment level, fiber characterization experiments revealed that the CNF from recycled pulp had a median diameter of 19 nm and aspect ratio was 140, similar to that from virgin pulp. The tensile index of unrefined BEK sheets (30 Nm/g) almost doubled (55 Nm/g) when reinforced with only 20 wt% DIP CNF. This work demonstrates that recycled pulp is a viable alternative to virgin pulp feedstocks for CNF production. Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) are used to design nanocomposites because of their high aspect ratio and their outstanding mechanical and barrier properties. However, the low compatibility of hydrophilic CNCs with hydrophobic polymers remains a barrier to their use in the nanocomposite field. To improve this compatibility, poly(glycidyl methacrylate) (PGMA) was grafted from CNCs containing α-bromoisobutyryl moieties via surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization. The novelty of this research is the use of a reactive epoxy-containing monomer that can serve as a new platform for further modifications or crosslinking. Polymer-grafted CNC-PGMA-Br prepared at different polymerization times were characterized by XRD, DLS, FTIR, XPS and elemental analysis. Approximately 40 % of the polymer at the surface of the CNCs was quantified after only 1 h of polymerization. Finally, nanocomposites prepared with 10 wt% CNC-PGMA-Br as nanofillers in a poly(lactic acid) (PLA) matrix exhibited an improvement in their compatibilization based on SEM observation.