Search Results (321)

Native chickpea protein isolate (CPI) exhibits unsatisfactory solubility and dispersibility, restricting its interfacial performance and emulsion-stabilizing capacity. Herein, CPI gels were subjected to combined high-pressure homogenization and ultrasonication pretreatment to fabricate CPI microgel particles (CPIMPs), followed by a Maillard conjugation with mung bean hull soluble dietary fiber (MSDF). Then the effects of glycosylated CPIMP–MSDF conjugates on structural properties, functional properties, and emulsion stability were evaluated. The results demonstrated that the grafting degree of the CPIMP–MSDF conjugate reached a peak of 35.54% at a 4:1 protein-to-polysaccharide mass ratio, indicating efficient grafting. FTIR, intrinsic fluorescence spectroscopy, and free sulfhydryl content analysis confirmed the structural changes. Glycosylation was found to significantly enhance the antioxidant activity, foaming properties, and emulsifying capacity of conjugates. The emulsifying activity index (EAI) and emulsion stability index (ESI) of the CPIMP–MSDF conjugates were 2.52- and 2.91- fold higher than those of CPI, respectively. The Pickering emulsion stabilized by the CPIMP–MSDF conjugate exhibited the smallest droplet size (4.72 μm) and the lowest zeta potential (−30.71 mV). Furthermore, glycosylation significantly enhanced the storage stability and thermal stability of the Pickering emulsions. This combined physical pretreatment and Maillard conjugation provides a feasible strategy to upgrade the functional attributes of legume protein. Full article

Lost circulation of oil-based drilling fluids (OBDFs) in deep, fractured formations remains a critical challenge, primarily due to the poor retention and low pressure-bearing capacity of conventional materials on oil-wet rock surfaces. To bridge this gap, this study reports the development and field application of a novel thermo-responsive gel (SBR−g−PSA). Synthesized by grafting highly lipophilic stearyl acrylate (SA) onto a flexible styrene–butadiene rubber (SBR) backbone, the microgel exploits a UCST-like (Upper Critical Solution Temperature) phase transition behavior. At surface temperatures, rigid styrene microdomains act as physical crosslinks, maintaining the particles in a compact, highly dispersible state. Under elevated downhole temperatures (120–180 °C), these microdomains relax, triggering the massive unfolding and physical entanglement of the octadecyl side chains. This in situ topological evolution generates a resilient three-dimensional network with a high thermal degradation temperature of 346.6 °C. Rheological and macroscopic sealing evaluations demonstrate that the gel effectively adapts to OBDFs, securely sealing 1–1.5 mm fractures and limiting fluid loss to within 5 mL under a 4 MPa differential pressure. Successful field application in the deep well Dashen-X reduced severe fluid leakage from 2.42 m³/h to zero. This intelligent thermo-responsive platform offers a robust, high-performance technological solution for precise lost circulation control in deep oil and gas exploration. Full article

Injectable fillers that combine immediate volume restoration with a sustained biological response remain of considerable interest in minimally invasive aesthetic medicine. In this study, a hydroxyapatite-loaded methacrylated recombinant type III collagen microgel (HAp@rhCol III-MA) was prepared by in situ coprecipitation and photocrosslinking. Recombinant type III collagen (rhCol III) was functionalized with methacryloyl groups to obtain rhCol III-MA, after which a calcium phosphate phase was mineralized in the presence of the modified collagen and the collagen phase was crosslinked under ultraviolet irradiation. More than 80% of the microgel particles prepared at 900 rpm were 20–80 μm in diameter. Spectroscopic, elemental, thermal, and diffraction analyses supported the incorporation of a poorly crystalline, HAp-compatible calcium phosphate phase, while rheological measurements showed higher storage and loss moduli than those of rhCol III-MA gel. HAp@rhCol III-MA did not reduce NIH-3T3 cell viability at the tested concentrations and enhanced HUVEC scratch closure and tube-network formation in vitro. Following subcutaneous implantation in rats, the microgel retained more volume than rhCol III-MA during the early and intermediate observation periods, with residual volumes of 56.58 ± 3.03 mm³ for HAp@rhCol III-MA and 52.80 ± 1.79 mm³ for rhCol III-MA at day 59; the commercial type I collagen comparator retained 123.23 ± 2.80 mm³. The composite caused no evident tissue injury and was associated with progressive collagen deposition and a low, declining CD68-positive response. These findings support further investigation of HAp@rhCol III-MA as an injectable dermal-filling material, while long-term persistence and clinical injection performance remain to be established. Full article

Most active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) reach their target by passive systemic distribution, so the dose required for efficacy at the lesion is set by what healthy tissue can tolerate; conventional dosage forms consequently produce pharmacokinetic profiles that oscillate between toxic peaks and sub-therapeutic troughs. Nanoparticulate carriers (liposomes, lipid nanoparticles, polymeric and inorganic systems, and biomimetic carriers) and hydrogels (natural, synthetic, supramolecular, and microgel-assembled) have emerged as the dominant strategies to address this, increasingly combined as hybrid nanoparticle–hydrogel constructs in which the gel provides locoregional retention and the nanoparticles provide cargo protection, intracellular delivery and stimuli responsiveness. Stimuli-responsive chemistries (pH, redox, enzyme, ROS, hypoxia, temperature, light, magnetic, ultrasound, glucose, and multi-stimuli logic) translate the molecular signatures of a disease into spatiotemporally controlled cargo release. This narrative review consolidates the state of the art (prioritizing 2022–2026) and departs from the conventional carrier-type survey in one respect: the literature is read along an explicit chain—disease cue, sensing chemistry, carrier architecture, release mechanism and kinetics, administration route, and clinical readiness—which exposes a variable that classification by carrier type conceals. Across all three material classes, what governs release behavior is not primarily the carrier chemistry but the identity of the released species (dissolved drug, drug from an embedded nanoparticle, an intact nanoparticle, and a matrix fragment) and the transport step that limits it. This is why power-law exponent analysis developed for dissolved drug fits particulate release poorly, why statistical goodness-of-fit cannot by itself establish a release mechanism, and why carrier class predicts clinical readiness less well than administration route and regulatory product type. Translational hurdles—CMC complexity, regulatory fragmentation, anti-PEG immunogenicity, and the structural mismatch between preclinical promise and clinical efficacy—are critically appraised in light of previously reported <1% delivery efficiency analysis. This review identifies converging strategies that could move stimuli-responsive controlled release from an aspirational outcome to a routine clinical reality. Full article

Sulfated polysaccharides from red algae are multifunctional hydrocolloids whose properties depend strongly on molecular structure, sulfate content, and chain conformation. In this study, a sulfated galactan extracted from Gracilaria vermiculophylla collected from a coastal region of northwestern Mexico was investigated to elucidate its structural and functional properties. The polysaccharide was extracted by enzymatic treatment and characterized by monosaccharide analysis, FTIR, 1D/2D NMR spectroscopy, and size-exclusion chromatography coupled with multi-angle light scattering and viscometry. The extracted polysaccharide exhibited high carbohydrate (97%) and sulfate (28%) contents, with galactose as the predominant monosaccharide. It showed a moderate molecular weight (Mw = 2.39 × 10⁵ g/mol), a relatively narrow molar mass distribution (Mw/Mn = 1.23), a high intrinsic viscosity (420.9 mL/g), and an Rg/Rh ratio of 2.2, consistent with an expanded macromolecular conformation in solution. The sulfated polysaccharide also exhibited measurable antioxidant activity, particularly in the ABTS⁺ assay (IC₅₀ = 31.8 ± 2.5 mg/mL) compared with the DPPH assay (IC₅₀ = 51.1 ± 3.0 mg/mL), and showed Fe³⁺-responsive association, leading to the formation of microgel-like structures. These findings indicate that the sulfated galactan characterized in this study is a structurally complex and functionally active hydrocolloid with potential relevance for functional food systems and related biomaterial applications. Full article

High-salinity waters, including seawater, brines, and saline radioactive effluents, contain recoverable uranium or require uranium removal, but their complex chemistry complicates both capture and regeneration. Under seawater-relevant conditions, U(VI) occurs mainly as uranyl carbonate complexes and ternary uranyl carbonate complexes containing Ca²⁺ or Mg²⁺ rather than as free UO₂²⁺. Selective separation therefore depends on coupled transport, hydration-shell reorganization, carbonate displacement, and interfacial coordination. Conventional sorbents largely optimize binding strength and adsorption capacity, often at the expense of harsh stripping and secondary waste. This review frames thermoresponsive uranium separation as a coupled aqueous-speciation, interfacial-state, and process-design problem. It examines how LCST and UCST transitions, polymer-brush reorganization, hydration-layer reconstruction, pore gating, and localized photothermal heating regulate access to binding sites and release pathways. Polymer brushes, hydrogels and microgels, membranes and nanochannels, ion-imprinted magnetic composites, and MXene-based hybrids are critically compared using cycle-level criteria, including U/V selectivity, switching time, regeneration demand, energy input, fouling resistance, material loss, synthesis reproducibility, and environmental performance. Particular emphasis is placed on distinguishing genuine structural gating from the generic effects of temperature on diffusion, ligand exchange, and adsorption equilibria. Current evidence supports the feasibility of programmable capture–release interfaces but remains limited by matrix-dependent transition windows, incomplete mechanistic attribution, scarce quantitative energy and temperature-gradient data, short cycling tests, and limited device-scale validation. Progress will require standardized testing in realistic saline matrices and complete capture–release mass and energy balances rather than evaluation by maximum adsorption capacity alone. Full article

This work analyzes protocol-dependent effects on the colloidal characterization and drug loading/release analysis of model thermosensitive PNIPAM-co-COOH microgels and shows how they can be quantified or minimized through targeted methodological refinements. Findings reveal that standard single-beam DLS underestimates the collapsed hydrodynamic radius by 18% at 43 °C due to thermal convection. After drift correction, 3D-DLS combined with SLS provides a consistent description of thermally induced collapse, pH-dependent swelling and core–corona structure. Regarding drug delivery, loading efficiency for Doxorubicin and 5-Fluorouracil is maximized near the volume phase transition temperature, where hydrophobic interactions are strongest. For release studies, dialysis is recommended, but free-drug blanks are required to account for membrane-induced delay and ensure accurate early kinetic profiles. By integrating TEM, AFM, SLS, DLS, NTA and LDE, this study establishes a robust framework for the colloidal characterization of thermosensitive microgels. These refinements reduce experimental bias and may be extended to related soft nanocarriers. Full article

The skin microbiome plays a central role in maintaining cutaneous homeostasis, and its disruption has been implicated in a wide range of inflammatory and degenerative skin disorders. This review critically evaluates the current evidence on topical probiotics in dermatology, integrating microbiological mechanisms, formulation strategies, and translational and regulatory challenges within a single framework—an angle that remains insufficiently addressed in previous reviews. A targeted search of PubMed and ScienceDirect (2009–2025) was conducted to identify relevant original studies. The results suggest that topical probiotics may promote skin health through three broad, interconnected axes: (i) modulation of host responses (e.g., inflammation, immune signaling, and oxidative stress); (ii) microbial ecology and pathogen control (e.g., competition, acidification, and antimicrobial metabolite production); and (iii) support of barrier function and tissue repair (e.g., lipid metabolism, re-epithelialization, and extracellular matrix remodeling). Efficacy appears to depend strongly on strain specificity, formulation design, and microbial viability during storage and application. In addition to conventional dosage forms, advanced platforms—hydrogels, microgels, microparticles, and microneedle-based systems—have been investigated to improve stability and local delivery. Promising preclinical and clinical results have been reported for acne, wound healing, skin barrier repair, and anti-aging applications. Nevertheless, major translational challenges remain, including limited standardization, instability of live microorganisms, insufficiently representative experimental models, and regulatory uncertainty. Overall, topical probiotics represent a promising microbiome-based strategy in dermatology, but robust clinical validation and formulation optimization are still needed to support broader clinical implementation. Full article

Fluid-loss additives play a critical role in maintaining the stability and filtration-control performance of water-based drilling fluids during deep and high-temperature drilling operations. However, the development of microgel-based additives with both exceptional thermal stability and strong salt tolerance remains a major challenge under harsh drilling conditions. In this study, a covalently micro-crosslinked anionic copolymer-based microgel (PAAN) was synthesized via free-radical copolymerization of acrylamide, 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid, and N-vinylpyrrolidone using N,N′-methylenebisacrylamide as the crosslinking agent. The chemical structure of PAAN is consistent with the design, with excellent thermal stability, and the starting temperature for thermal decomposition of polymer molecular chains is 297 °C. The weight average molecular weight of PAAN is 1.3396 × 10⁶ g/mol. After aging at 220 °C in the presence of 15 wt% NaCl, the PAAN-containing drilling fluid exhibited a high-temperature high-pressure filtration loss of only 15.6 mL. Even after prolonged aging for 168 h, the filtration loss remained at a relatively low level of 46.0 mL, indicating outstanding thermal stability and salt tolerance. Mechanistic analysis indicated that PAAN adsorbed onto bentonite surfaces through electrostatic interactions and hydrogen bonding, promoting clay-particle dispersion and colloidal stability. Moreover, the microgel network facilitated the formation of a compact and low-permeability filter cake, contributing to effective fluid-loss control under harsh conditions. These results demonstrate that microgel structural design is an effective strategy for improving the high-temperature and salt-resistant filtration-control performance of WBDFs, and PAAN shows strong potential for deep and ultra-deep drilling applications. Full article

Background/Objectives: Micro- and nano-scale hydrogels (microgels and nanogels) have attracted increasing attention as carriers for drug delivery due to their high-water content, responsiveness to external stimuli, tunable properties, and versatility. In this work, gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) with a medium degree of methacryloylation (DoM ca. 60%) was ad hoc synthesized as a constituent material for nanogel production. For the first time in the literature, GelMA-based nanogels (nanoGelMA) were developed through an optimized two-step desolvation method combined with photo-crosslinking. Methods: The influence of key process parameters, including the pH, volume of desolvating agent, photo-initiator concentration, and UV exposure time, was systematically investigated to identify optimal conditions for nanoGelMA preparation. To assess its potential as a drug delivery nanocarrier, the nanoGelMA was loaded with ibuprofen (IBU) as a model anti-inflammatory drug via in situ encapsulation during nanogel preparation. Results: The formulated nanoGelMA exhibited an average hydrodynamic diameter (d) of ca. 250 nm, a polydispersity index of 0.2, and a production yield of approximately 30%. The nanogels demonstrated stability in water and in phosphate buffer at pH 5 over 96 h, while exhibiting significant swelling in physiological-like conditions and enzymatic degradation (d of ca. 421 ± 91 nm and 609 ± 182 nm at 96 h, respectively). The cytocompatibility evaluation demonstrated high cell viability (86–96%) of the nanoGelMA at different concentrations (1–5 mg/mL). IBU-loaded nanoGelMA particles were successfully developed via direct drug encapsulation during nanogel formation, achieving a maximum encapsulation efficiency of ca. 30%, and exhibited environment-responsive release, with kinetics modulated by the ionic strength, pH, and enzymatic activity. Conclusions: Overall, the nanoGelMA developed herein represents a promising nanogel platform with great potential for the development of advanced and controlled drug delivery therapies. Full article

Reservoir conformance control is a necessary production measure in the oil field, which significantly impacts the efficiency of enhanced oil recovery (EOR). Polymers, hydrophobic associating polymers (HAPs), polymer microgels (MGs), and preformed particle gel (PPG) are typical polymer/gel dispersion fluids that are widely used as conformance control agents. Currently, there is still no combined conformance control method to realize the equilibrium production of the reservoir. This paper first evaluates the reservoir adaptability of polymers, HAPs, and MGs by the three-parallel core displacement experiments. Then, the displacement equilibrium factor (DEF) was established by comprehensively considering the profile improvement, oil increment, and oil recovery to optimize the fluid switching time. Based on the above oil displacement experiments, a scatter plot of the DEF with respect to the ultimate recovery of each layer can be plotted, which has an inflection point when the DEF is 45%. When the DEF is lower than 45%, the difference in the oil displacement effect of each layer is enhanced. Therefore, the best time to switch the injection fluid is when the DEF is reduced to 45%. Finally, based on the above results, a graph guiding the combined conformance control method under different reservoir variation coefficients and reservoir median permeability was established, and an equilibrium production method for heterogeneous reservoirs was developed. The five-parallel core flooding experiments with the DEF < 45% as the switching guidance can increase the oil recovery by 17.79% based on association polymer flooding, which is 9.68% higher than that of the conventional conformance control method. This paper can provide theoretical and experimental support for the optimal design of conformance control in oilfields. Full article

Sports nutrition products are increasingly expected to deliver bioactive compounds that aid in recovery, reduce fatigue, and support physiological regulation, going beyond merely providing energy and nutrients. However, many bioactive compounds face challenges such as poor aqueous dispersibility, limited stability, low bioaccessibility, or inefficient absorption, which hinder their practical use in real food products. This review critically examines food-grade, gel-based delivery systems for bioactive compounds in sports nutrition from a design-driven perspective. It focuses on hydrogels, microgels, emulsion gels, protein gel matrices, and multicomponent gel architectures that prioritize structural stability, digestion-triggered responsiveness, and compatibility with food. Key design principles are discussed, including the need to maintain stability during processing and storage, balance protection with release, and tailor delivery structures to sports-specific constraints such as gastrointestinal tolerance, osmotic load, nutrient timing, and changes in digestion related to exercise. The review also analyzes the effectiveness of gel-based and hybrid systems in liquid, solid, and semi-solid sports nutrition products, emphasizing how the product format and consumption scenario can influence delivery performance. A design decision framework is proposed to align bioactive properties, food format, target release profile, and exercise-stage requirements with appropriate delivery architectures. Current challenges are also addressed, including difficulties in predicting structure–function relationships, limited robustness during scale-up processes, and inadequate functional evaluation. Overall, gel-based food delivery systems provide a promising solution for improving the stability, release behavior, and practical functionality of bioactives in sports nutrition. Full article