Extreme cold events are quite common, highlighting the urgent need for flexible wearable electronic devices capable of diagnosing human health in low-temperature environments. Using a wet spinning strategy, we successfully developed sodium zinc alginate/guar gum(SZA/GG) hydrogel fibers with excellent environmental resistance, antimicrobial properties, and electrical conductivity. Building on this, we developed a flexible wearable sensing device that operates stably at low temperatures and exhibits a sensitivity of 0.585 within the range of -20 °C to -40 °C, demonstrating excellent response performance. When evaluating the physical state of outdoor athletes, the amplitude and fluctuation range of electrical resistance provide valuable information about the monitored environment and the risk of frostbite for the individual. However, like any device, it eventually reaches its usage limit. To address the issue of recycling hydrogel fiber waste, we propose recycling and carbonizing the discarded devices to use as a biomass carbon source for fabricating button-type supercapacitors. After 10,000 charge-discharge cycles, the capacitance retention rate reached 92.53 %, demonstrating the potential of these supercapacitors and offering a new approach to reducing resource waste.

<b>Background and Objective:</b> Carob tree (<i>Ceratonia siliqua</i> L.) is a perennial leguminous species and is known as a medicinal importance tree. This species exhibits a myriad of biological effects including antibacterial, antidiarrheal and antidiabetic. To this end, current study evaluates the difference between the phytochemical composition of the leaves of two accessions of \"wild\" and \"domesticated\" hermaphroditic carob trees. <b>Materials and Methods:</b> The comparison between two carob accessions \"wild\" and \"domesticated\" was done according to methanolic extraction by the Soxhlet and aqueous extraction by maceration. The polyphenols, flavonoids, tannins and their antioxidant activity were measured. The ANOVA test was used for the analysis of results. <b>Results:</b> The total polyphenols in aqueous extract are 6.19±0.25 mg equivalent gallic acid/g dry weight (EGA/g DW) and 4.23±0.2 mg EGA/g DW) in carob fresh leaves for wild and domesticated trees, respectively. The flavonoid content was higher in methanolic extract (3.17±0.64 mg quercetin equivalent/g DW) than in aqueous extract (1.06±0.19 mg EQ/g DW) for wild trees. Wild accession recorded the highest concentration of condensed tannins in the methanolic extract (6.4±0.3 mg catechin equivalents/g DW) while low levels were recorded in aqueous extract (0.51±0.27 mg EC/g DW). <b>Conclusion:</b> Such knowledge is expected to be the key to understanding the biochemical composition of two different leaves of <i>C. siliqua</i> accessions and its various commercial food products.

Polysaccharides and polyphenols are bioactive components that co-exist in many plant foods. Their binary interaction in terms of the structure-function relationships, however, has not been well clarified. This study elucidated the correlation between the structural and physiological properties of galactomannan (GM) -catechin monomer complexes and GM with different branching or molecular weight (Mw). Results indicated that locus bean gum with lower branching degree (Gal/Man is 0.259) bound more readily to EGCG with adsorption rate of 19.42 %. EGCG and ECG containing galloyl groups were more inclined to form hydrogen bonds with GMs, significantly improving the adsorption by GMs. The introduction of EGCG could enhance the antioxidant activity and starch digestion inhibition of GM, which positively correlated with the adsorption capacity of EGCG. The guar gum (GG) with higher Mw (7384.3 kDa) could transport 71.51 % EGCG into the colon, while the retention rate of EGCG reaching the colon alone was only 46.33 %. Conversely, GM-EGCG complex with lower Mw (6.9 kDa) could be readily utilized by gut microbiota, and increased production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). This study elucidated the structure-properties relationship of GM-EGCG complexes, and provide a new idea for the development and precision nutrition of polysaccharides-polyphenol complexes fortified functional foods.

This study was conducted to formulate a conjugate of soy protein isolate (SPI) and peach gum (PG) with improved functional properties, interacting at mass ratios of 1:1, 1:2, 1:3, 2:1, and 2:3 by Maillard reaction via wet heating method. Conjugation efficiency was confirmed by grafting degree (DG) and browning index (BI). Results indicated that DG increased with increasing concentration of PG, and decreased with increasing pH, whereas no remarkable change was observed with increasing reaction time. The conjugates were optimized at a ratio of 1:3. SDS-PAGE confirmed conjugate formation, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and circular dichroism (CD) verified conjugate secondary structural changes, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) indicated significant overall structural changes. The functional properties, solubility, emulsifying stability, water holding, foaming, and antioxidant activity were significantly improved. This study revealed the wet heating method as an effective approach to improve the functional properties of soy protein.

Legumes are abundant sources of proteins, and white common bean proteins play an important role in air-water interface properties. This study aims to investigate the technical-functional properties of white common bean protein isolate (BPI) as a function of pH, protein concentration, and guar gum (GG) presence. BPI physicochemical properties were analyzed in terms of solubility, zeta potential, and mean particle diameter at pH ranging from 2 to 9, in addition to water-holding capacity (WHC), oil-holding capacity (OHC), and thermogravimetric analysis. Protein dispersions were evaluated in terms of dynamic, interfacial, and foam-forming properties. BPI showed higher solubility (>80 %) at pH 2 and above 7. Zeta potential and mean diameter ranged from 15.43 to -34.08 mV and from 129.55 to 139.90 nm, respectively. BPI exhibited WHC and OHC of 1.37 and 4.97 g/g, respectively. Thermograms indicated decomposition temperature (295.81 °C) and mass loss (64.73 %). Flow curves indicated pseudoplastic behavior, with higher η100 values observed in treatments containing guar gum. The behavior was predominantly viscous (tg δ > 1) at lower frequencies, at all pH levels, shifting to predominantly elastic at higher frequencies. Equilibrium surface tension (γeq) ranged from 43.87 to 41.95 mN.m-1 and did not decrease with increasing protein concentration under all pH conditions. All treatments exhibited ϕ < 15°, indicating predominantly elastic surface films. Foaming properties were influenced by higher protein concentration and guar gum addition, and the potential formation of protein-polysaccharide complexes favored the kinetic stability of the system.

BACKGROUND: Dorema aucheri gum (DAG) is a bitter flavonoid gum widely used for numerous medicinal purposes including wound recovery. The present work investigates the acute toxicity and wound-healing effects of DAG in excisional skin injury in rats.
METHODS: Sprague Dawley rats (24) were clustered into four groups, each rat had a full-thickness excisional dorsal neck injury (2.00 cm) and addressed with 0.2 mL of the following treatments for 15 days: Group A (vehicle), rats addressed with normal saline; Group B, rats received intrasite gel; C and D, rats addressed with 250 and 500 mg/kg of DAG, respectively.
RESULTS: The results revealed the absence of any toxic signs in rats who received oral dosages of 2 and 5 g/kg of DAG. Wound healing was significantly accelerated following DAG treatments indicated by smaller open areas and higher wound contraction percentages compared to vehicle rats. Histological evaluation revealed higher fibroblast formation, collagen deposition, and noticeably lower inflammatory cell infiltration in granulated skin tissues of DAG-addressed rats compared to vehicle rats. DAG treatment caused significant modulation of immunohistochemical proteins (decreased Bax and increased HSP 70) and inflammatory mediators (reduced TNF-α, IL-6, and magnified IL-10), which were significantly varied compared to vehicle rats. Moreover, topical DAG treatment led to significant upregulation of the hydroxyproline (HDX) (collagen) and antioxidant content. At the same time, decreased the lipid peroxidation (MDA) levels in healed tissues obtained from DAG-treated rats.
CONCLUSIONS: The present wound contraction by DAG might be linked with the modulatory effect of its phytochemicals (polysaccharides, flavonoids, and phenolic) on the cellular mechanisms, which justify their folkloric use and provokes further investigation as therapeutic drug additives for wound contraction.

This study aimed to prepare Glucono-δ-lactone (GDL)-induced Chlorella pyrenoidosa protein (CPP) hydrogel and further investigate the effect of polysaccharides on the mechanical properties and stability enhancement of the composite hydrogels. Polysaccharides composed of different ratios of low acyl gellan gum (GE) and guar gum (GU) imparted dense honeycomb-like networks and adjustable textural properties to the composite hydrogels induced by CaCl2. In particular, the hardness of hydrogels increased significantly from 14 to 833 g. Scanning electron microscopy results revealed that CPP-GE/GU composite hydrogels had better stable spatial porous structures. Moreover, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) indicated hydrogen bonding interaction between CPP and GE/GU. The composite network showed improved viscoelasticity, increased thermal stability, and self-healing ability of hydrogels. The composite hydrogels also showed high water holding (89-98%) and swelling (747-862%) properties compared to the pure CPP hydrogel. These findings further expand CPP hydrogel products and broaden application in plant protein-based food.

The current research endeavour aimed to synthesize ferulic acid grafted tamarind gum/guar gum (FA-g-TG/GG) based powders as wound dressings, which could form in situ gels upon contact with wound exudates. In this context, variable amounts of FA were initially grafted with TG via the Steglich esterification reaction protocol and the resulting conjugates were subsequently amalgamated with GG and lyophilized to produce dry powders (F-1 - -F-3) with average particle size within 5.10-5.54 μm and average angle of repose ∼30°. These powders were structurally characterized with 1H NMR, FTIR, DSC, TGA, XRD and SEM analyses. Pristine TG, FA-g-TG and FA-g-TG/GG powders (F-2) revealed their distinct morphological structures and variable negative zeta potential values (-11.06 mV-25.50 mV). Among various formulation (F-1-F-3), F-2 demonstrated an acceptable powder-to-gel conversion time (within 20 min), suitable water vapour transmission rates (WVTR, 2564.94 ± 32.47 g/m2/day) and excellent water retention abilities and swelling profiles (4559.00 ± 41.57 %) in wound fluid. The powders were cytocompatible and conferred antioxidant activities. The powders also displayed fibroblast cell proliferation, migration and adhesion properties, implying their wound-healing potentials. Thus, the developed in situ gel-forming powders could be employed as promising dressings for wound management.

Conducting biopolymer blend nanocomposites of cashew gum (CG) and polypyrrole (PPy), with varying concentrations of copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles were synthesized through an in-situ polymerization method using water as a sustainable solvent. The formation of blend nanocomposites was characterized using UV-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). UV spectroscopy revealed a significant reduction in absorption intensity with the addition of CuO, indicating enhanced optical properties. FT-IR and XRD analysis confirmed the successful incorporation of CuO into the CG/PPy blend. FE-SEM images revealed the uniform distribution of nanoparticles throughout the biopolymer blend, particularly in the 7 wt% sample. TGA and DSC results demonstrated a significant enhancement in thermal stability, increasing from 352 °C to 412 °C and a rise in the glass transition temperature from 89 °C to 106 °C in the blend nanocomposites. The dielectric constant, dielectric loss, impedance, Nyquist plot, electrical conductivity, and electric modulus were extensively examined at different temperatures and frequencies. The dielectric constant of the CG/PPy blend increased from 2720 to 92,950 with the addition of 7 wt% CuO, measured at 100 Hz. The improved glass transition temperature, thermal stability, and superior electrical properties imply potential usage of the developed nanocomposite in nanoelectronics and energy storage applications.

A new guar gum hydrogel beads were fabricated by dropping method from an aqueous solution of guar gum (GG) using ammonium persulphate and polyethylene glycol as initiator and crosslinker respectively, for the adsorption of chlorpyrifos (CP) from water. The semi-crystalline nature of the synthesized beads was confirmed by FESEM analysis. The TGA studies implied that the beads were thermally stable up to 600 °C. The maximum swelling ratio of 1400 gg-1 was attained at pH 9.2 and 80 min. The evidence of a strong absorption band was found in FTIR spectrum at 584 cm-1 due to -P=S of the adsorbed pesticide CP. The maximum adsorption of CP was found to be 220.97 mgg-1. The adsorption followed pseudo second-order kinetics and Langmuir adsorption isotherm with regression coefficients 0.9998 and 0.9938 which followed the chemisorption process. It is due to the hydrolysis of CP at pH 9.2 to yield 3,5,6-trichloropyridinol which in turn reacts with the carboxylic group present in GG giving -N-C=O linkage. A -ΔG indicates that the process is spontaneous and involves chemisorption which is thermodynamically and kinetically favorable and a -ΔH value (-10.37 kJ/mol) suggests that the adsorption is exothermic.