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In the twenty-first century food sector, nanotechnological processing is a new frontier that has vibrant impact on enhancing the food quality, nutritional value, food safety, and nano-fortified functional foods aspects. In addition, the added-value of various robust nano-scale materials facilitates the targeted delivery of nutraceutical ingredients and treatment of obesity and comorbidities. The recent advancement in nanomaterial-assisted palatability enhancement of healthy foods opened up a whole new area of research and development in food nanoscience. However, there is no comprehensive review available on promises of nanotechnology in the food industry in the existing literature. Thus, herein, an effort has been made to cover this leftover literature gap by spotlighting the new nanotechnological frontier and their future scope in food engineering for better health. Following a brief introduction, promises of nanotechnology have revolutionized the twenty-first century food sector of the modern world. Next, recent and relevant examples discuss the exploitation and deployment of nanomaterials in food to attain certain health benefits. A detailed insight is also given by discussing the role of nano-processing in nutraceutical delivery to treat obesity and comorbidities. The latter half of the work focuses on improving healthy foods' palatability and food safety aspects to meet the growing consumer demands. Furthermore, marketed products and public acceptance of nanotechnologically designed food items as well as future prospects are also covered herein.
Assuntos
Suplementos Nutricionais , Alimento Funcional , Humanos , Alimentos Fortificados , Nanotecnologia , ObesidadeRESUMO
Polymeric nanoparticles have attracted much attention as pharmaceutical delivery vehicles to prolong residence time and enhance the bioavailability of therapeutic molecules through the mucoadhesive phenomenon. In this study, chitosan:TPP nanoparticles were synthetized using the ionic gelation technique to analyze their mucoadhesive interaction with reconstituted porcine gastrointestinal mucus from a triborheological point of view under different pH conditions (pH = 2.0, 4.0, 6.0 and 7.0). The triborheological profile of the reconstituted mucus was evaluated at different pH environments through the oscillation frequency and the flow sweep tests, demonstrating that the reconstituted mucus exhibits shear thinning behavior regardless of pH, while its viscoelastic properties showed a change in behavior from a polymeric solution performance under neutral pH conditions to a viscoelastic gel under acidic conditions. Additionally, a rheological synergism analysis was performed to visualize the changes that occur in the viscoelastic properties, the viscosity and the coefficient of friction of the reconstituted mucus samples as a consequence of the interaction with the chitosan:TPP nanoparticles to determine or to discard the presence of the mucoadhesion phenomenon under the different pH values. Mucoadhesiveness evaluation revealed that chitosan:TPP exhibited strong mucoadhesion under highly acidic pH conditions, below its pKa value of 6.5. In contrast, at neutral conditions or close to its pKa value, the chitosan:TPP nanoparticles' mucoadhesiveness was negligible.
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Head and neck cancer (HNC) is a category of cancers that typically arise from the nose-, mouth-, and throat-lining squamous cells. The later stage of HNC diagnosis significantly affects the patient's survival rate. This makes it mandatory to diagnose this cancer with a suitable biomarker and imaging techniques at the earlier stages of growth. There are limitations to traditional technologies for early detection of HNC. Furthermore, the use of nanocarriers for delivering chemo-, radio-, and phototherapeutic drugs represents a promising approach for improving the outcome of HNC treatments. Several studies with nanostructures focus on the development of a targeted and sustained release of anticancer molecules with reduced side effects. Besides, nanovehicles could allow co-delivering of anticancer drugs for synergistic activity to counteract chemo- or radioresistance. Additionally, a new generation of smart nanomaterials with stimuli-responsive properties have been developed to distinguish between unique tumor conditions and healthy tissue. In this light, the present article reviews the mechanisms used by different nanostructures (metallic and metal oxide nanoparticles, polymeric nanoparticles, quantum dots, liposomes, nanomicelles, etc.) to improve cancer diagnosis and treatment, provides an up-to-date picture of the state of the art in this field, and highlights the major challenges for future improvements.
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In soft tissue replacement, hydrophilic, flexible, and biocompatible materials are used to reduce wear and coefficient of friction. This study aims to develop and evaluate a solid/liquid triborheological system, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/hyaluronic acid (HA), to mimic conditions in human synovial joints. Hydrogel specimens prepared via the freeze-thawing technique from a 10% (w/v) PVA aqueous solution were cut into disc shapes (5 ± 0.5 mm thickness). Compression tests of PVA hydrogels presented a Young's modulus of 2.26 ± 0.52 MPa. Friction tests were performed on a Discovery Hybrid Rheometer DHR-3 under physiological conditions using 4 mg/mL HA solution as lubricant at 37 °C. Contact force was applied between 1 and 20 N, highlighting a coefficient of friction change of 0.11 to 0.31 between lubricated and dry states at 3 N load (angular velocity: 40 rad/s). Thermal behavior was evaluated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) in the range of 25-250 °C (5 °C/min rate), showing an endothermic behavior with a melting temperature (Tm) around 231.15 °C. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) tests showed a microporous network that enhanced water content absorption to 82.99 ± 1.5%. Hydrogel achieved solid/liquid lubrication, exhibiting a trapped lubricant pool that supported loads, keeping low coefficient of friction during lubricated tests. In dry tests, interstitial water evaporates continuously without countering sliding movement friction.
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This review discusses the physicochemical and mechanical properties of porcine gastrointestinal mucus from a rheological point of view. Considering mucus as a viscoelastic gel that functions as a biological barrier by limiting particles passage, lubricating the gastrointestinal tract, and protecting the stomach from gastric acids. The viscoelastic and protective properties of mucus are mainly produced by its mucin network, which is stabilized through electrostatic, hydrophobic and hydrogen bonding interactions. Otherwise, mucus rheology is determined by its polyanionic nature at physiological pH. At neutral pH, mucus presents a viscous behavior produced by chains crosslinking. While, at acidic pH, mucus exhibits an elastic behavior related with the extended conformation that produces mucus gelation at the stomach. Additionally, rheology studies the degree of adhesion between a polymer-mucus mixture through rheological synergism, and how it varies at different pH conditions. Finally, mucoadhesion phenomenon is exemplified with chitosan (cationic) and poly (lactic-co-glycolic) acid (anionic) polymers.