Formulation and Cost-Effectiveness of Fluid Gels as an Age-Appropriate Dosage Form for Older Adults with Dysphagia.

Dysphagia is associated with increased dependency and treatment costs, whereby patients resort to extemporaneous compounding that may further increase the number of adverse events and medical errors. In the management of dysphagia, increasing the bolus viscosity of medication such as fluid gels can be practiced. This study aimed to prepare and characterize the fluid gels as well as to estimate the cost of using fluid gels and compare it to the conventional practice of extemporaneous preparation of thickened liquid. Fluid gels were formulated using gellan gum and determined for physicochemical characteristics and in vitro drug release profile. The cost-based price of the fluid gel was estimated and compared to the cost of administering standard medication as well as administering thickened liquid using thickening powder. Fluid gels exhibited good physicochemical properties with the viscosity within nectar and honey consistency. A similar dissolution profile to the reference was observed for the 0.5% w/v gellan gum fluid gel and exhibiting the Higuchi release model. The price for 100 mL unit of 50 mg/mL paracetamol/acetaminophen and 20 mg/mL ibuprofen fluid gel was estimated to be about USD2.30 and USD2.37, respectively. A dose of 1000 mg paracetamol and 400 mg ibuprofen fluid gel was estimated to be about USD0.46 and USD0.47, respectively, which is lower than the cost of administering the same dose using extemporaneous thickened liquid. Fluid gels could be a cost-effective formulation for delivering medication in patients with dysphagia and can be developed on a profitable scale.

ACE inhibitory activity of pangasius catfish (Pangasius sutchi) skin and bone gelatin hydrolysate.

Skin and bone gelatins of pangasius catfish (Pangasius sutchi) were hydrolyzed with alcalase to isolate Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE) inhibitory peptides. Samples with the highest degree of hydrolysis (DH) were separated into different fractions with molecular weight cut-off (MWCO) sizes of 10, 3 and 1 kDa, respectively and assayed for ACE inhibitory activity. Skin and bone gelatins had highest DH of 64.87 and 68.48 % after 2 and 1 h incubation, respectively. Results from this study indicated that by decreasing the molecular weight of fractions, ACE inhibitory activity was increased. Therefore, F3 permeates (MWCO < 1 kDa) of skin (IC50 = 3.2 µg/ml) and bone (IC50 = 1.3 µg/ml) gelatins possessed higher ACE inhibitory activity compared to their untreated gelatins and corresponding hydrolyzed fractions. In this study, the major amino acids were Glycine followed by Proline with an increased amount of hydrophobic amino acid content in F3 permeates of skin (4.01 %) and bone (5.79 %) gelatin. Digestion stability against gastrointestinal proteases did not show any remarkable change on ACE inhibition potency of these permeates. It was concluded that alcalase hydrolysis of P. sutchi by-products could be utilized as a part of functional food or ingredients of a formulated drug in order to control high blood pressure.

Functionalised Hybrid Collagen-Elastin for Acellular Cutaneous Substitute Applications.

Wound contracture, which commonly happens after wound healing, may lead to physical distortion, including skin constriction. Therefore, the combination of collagen and elastin as the most abundant extracellular matrix (ECM) skin matrices may provide the best candidate biomaterials for cutaneous wound injury. This study aimed to develop a hybrid scaffold containing green natural resources (ovine tendon collagen type-I and poultry-based elastin) for skin tissue engineering. Briefly, freeze-drying was used to create the hybrid scaffolds, which were then crosslinked with 0.1% (w/v) genipin (GNP). Next, the physical characteristics (pore size, porosity, swelling ratio, biodegradability and mechanical strength) of the microstructure were assessed. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrophotometry were used for the chemical analysis. The findings showed a uniform and interconnected porous structure with acceptable porosity (>60%) and high-water uptake capacity (>1200%), with pore sizes ranging between 127 ± 22 and 245 ± 35 µm. The biodegradation rate of the fabricated scaffold containing 5% elastin was lower (<0.043 mg/h) compared to the control scaffold (collagen only; 0.085 mg/h). Further analysis with EDX identified the main elements of the scaffold: it contained carbon (C) 59.06 ± 1.36-70.66 ± 2.89%, nitrogen (N) 6.02 ± 0.20-7.09 ± 0.69% and oxygen (O) 23.79 ± 0.65-32.93 ± 0.98%. FTIR analysis revealed that collagen and elastin remained in the scaffold and exhibited similar functional amides (amide A: 3316 cm-1, amide B: 2932 cm-1, amide I: 1649 cm-1, amide II: 1549 cm-1 and amide III: 1233 cm-1). The combination of elastin and collagen also produced a positive effect via increased Young's modulus values. No toxic effect was identified, and the hybrid scaffolds significantly supported human skin cell attachment and viability. In conclusion, the fabricated hybrid scaffolds demonstrated optimum physicochemical and mechanical properties and may potentially be used as an acellular skin substitute in wound management.

The Nutritional and Functional Properties of Protein Isolates from Defatted Chia Flour Using Different Extraction pH.

This study aims to determine the effects of various alkaline pHs on the nutritional and functional properties of protein isolated from defatted chia flour (DCF). The DCF isolated using alkali extraction method at pH 8.5, 10.0, and 12.0 were coded as CPI-8.5, CPI-10.0, and CPI-12.0, respectively. The highest extraction yield and protein recovery yield was demonstrated by CPI-12.0 (19.10 and 59.63%, respectively), with a total protein content of 74.53%, and glutelin showed the highest portion (79.95%). The CPI-12.0 also demonstrated the most elevated essential (36.87%), hydrophobic (33.81%), and aromatic (15.54%) amino acid content among other samples. The DCF exhibited the highest water (23.90 gg-1) and oil (8.23 gg-1) absorption capacity, whereas the CPI-8.5 showed the highest protein solubility (72.31%) at pH 11. DCF demonstrated the highest emulsifying capacity at pH 11 (82.13%), but the highest stability was shown at pH 5 (82.05%). Furthermore, CPI-12.0 at pH 11 shows the highest foaming capacity (83.16%) and stability (83.10%). Despite that, the CPI-10.0 manifested the highest antioxidant capacity (DPPH: 42.48%; ABTS: 66.23%; FRAP: 0.19), as well as ACE-I (35.67%). Overall, the extraction pH had significant effects in producing chia protein isolates (CPI) with improved nutritional and functional qualities.

Characterization of Dual-Layer Hybrid Biomatrix for Future Use in Cutaneous Wound Healing.

A skin wound without immediate treatment could delay wound healing and may lead to death after severe infection (sepsis). Any interruption or inappropriate normal wound healing, mainly in these wounds, commonly resulted in prolonged and excessive skin contraction. Contraction is a common mechanism in wound healing phases and contributes 40-80% of the original wound size post-healing. Even though it is essential to accelerate wound healing, it also simultaneously limits movement, mainly in the joint area. In the worst-case scenario, prolonged contraction could lead to disfigurement and loss of tissue function. This study aimed to fabricate and characterise the elastin-fortified gelatin/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) film layered on top of a collagen sponge as a bilayer hybrid biomatrix. Briefly, the combination of halal-based gelatin (4% (w/v)) and PVA ((4% (w/v)) was used to fabricate composite film, followed by the integration of poultry elastin (0.25 mg/mL) and 0.1% (w/v) genipin crosslinking. Furthermore, further analysis was conducted on the composite bilayer biomatrix's physicochemical and mechanical strength. The bilayer biomatrix demonstrated a slow biodegradation rate (0.374967 ± 0.031 mg/h), adequate water absorption (1078.734 ± 42.33%), reasonable water vapour transmission rate (WVTR) (724.6467 ± 70.69 g/m2 h) and porous (102.5944 ± 28.21%). The bilayer biomatrix also exhibited an excellent crosslinking degree and was mechanically robust. Besides, the elastin releasing study presented an acceptable rate post-integration with hybrid biomatrix. Therefore, the ready-to-use bilayer biomatrix will benefit therapeutic effects as an alternative treatment for future diabetic skin wound management.

Characterization and Toxicity Evaluation of Broiler Skin Elastin for Potential Functional Biomaterial in Tissue Engineering.

Broiler skin, a by-product of poultry processing, has been proven to contain essential elastin, a high-value protein with many applications. The present study reported the extraction of water-soluble elastin from broiler skin by using sodium chloride (NaCl), sodium hydroxide (NaOH), and oxalic acid treatment before freeze-drying. Chemical characterization such as protein and fat content, Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, amino acid composition and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) were performed and compared with commercial elastin from bovine neck ligament. The resultant elastin's toxicity was analyzed using an MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) tetrazolium assay and primary skin irritation test. Results showed a high quality of the extracted-elastin with the presence of a high amount of proline (6.55 ± 0.40%) and glycine (9.65 ± 0.44%), low amount of hydroxyproline (0.80 ± 0.32%), methionine (2.04 ± 0.05%), and histidine (1.81 ± 0.05%) together with calculated 0.56 isoleucine/leucine ratio. FTIR analysis showed the presence of typical peaks of amide A, B, I, and II for protein with high denaturation temperature around 322.9 °C. The non-toxic effect of the extracted elastin was observed at a concentration lower than 0.5 mg/mL. Therefore, water-soluble elastin powder extracted from broiler skin can be an alternative source of elastin as a biomaterial for tissue engineering applications.

Silicon-Based Scaffold for Wound Healing Skin Regeneration Applications: A Concise Review.

Silicon has made its breakthrough in various industries, including clinical and biomedical applications. Silicon-based biomaterials that were fabricated into various types of scaffolds may attract interest due to their highly favorable properties covering their excellent biocompatibility, high surface area, mechanical strength, and selectivity depending on their application including film, hydrogel, nanoparticles, and so on. Silicon-based materials have also shown exciting results involving cell culture, cell growth, as well as tissue engineering. In this article, a simple review compromising the evaluation of silicon's unique properties has been discussed and followed by the application of the silicone-based product in future perspectives in biomedical fields. The review goals are to widen and inspire broader interest in silicone-based materials in wound healing research.

Characterization and Cytocompatibility of Collagen-Gelatin-Elastin (CollaGee) Acellular Skin Substitute towards Human Dermal Fibroblasts: In Vitro Assessment.

Full-thickness skin wounds have become a serious burden to patients, medical care, and the socio-economic environment. The development of a safe and effective acellular skin substitute that can rapidly restore intact physiological skin is required. Natural bioactive materials including collagen, gelatin, and elastin possess significant advantages over synthetic biomaterials regarding biodegradability and biocompatibility. However, low mechanical strength, a faster biodegradation rate, and thermally unstable biomaterials lead to slow-healing and a high rate of post-implantation failure. To overcome these concerns, naturally occurring genipin (GNP) flavonoids were added to improve the mechanical strength, degradation rate, and thermal properties. Therefore, this study aimed to fabricate and characterize collagen−gelatin−elastin (CollaGee) biomaterials cross-linked with GNP as an acellular skin substitute potentially used in full-thickness wound healing. CollaGee at different ratios was divided into non-cross-linked and cross-linked with 0.1% GNP (w/v). The physicochemical, mechanical, and biocompatibility properties of CollaGee were further investigated. The results demonstrated that GNP-cross-linked CollaGee has better physicochemical (>50% porosity, pore size range of 100−200 µm, swelling ratio of >1000%) and mechanical properties (resilience and cross-linking degree of >60%, modulus of >1.0 GPa) compared to non-cross-linked CollaGee groups. Furthermore, both cross-linked and non-cross-linked CollaGee demonstrated pivotal cellular compatibility with no toxicity and sustained cell viability until day 7 towards human dermal fibroblasts. These findings suggest that GNP-cross-linked CollaGee could be a promising ready-to-use product for the rapid treatment of full-thickness skin loss.

Efficacy of Gamma Irradiation in Improving the Microbial and Physical Quality Properties of Dried Chillies (Capsicum annuum L.): A Review.

Dried chilli is one of the highly traded spices globally and is well-known for its natural flavour, colour, and unique pungent taste. It is rich in nutrients and has medicinal benefits. During the dehydration and storage process, the proliferation of unwanted microorganisms in dried chilli is unavoidable. Recently, the occurrence of toxigenic fungi and faecal coliforms has been widespread that can cause severe illness and even death. Therefore, sanitation treatment is highly required to decontaminate undesirable microorganisms. Among the common sanitation treatments applied, food irradiation is gaining attention worldwide because of concern for post-harvest loss, foodborne disease, and more stringent regulation in dried chilli trading. Irradiation can successfully preserve dried chilli from pathogenic bacteria with minimal disturbance to critical physical properties, such as pungency and colour. It can also save dried chilli from secondary pollution by storing it into final packing before radiation which helps in distribution to market promptly after treatment. Furthermore, radiation does not leave any chemical residues after the treatment, ensuring the quality and safety of the dried chilli. The efficiency of radiation depends mainly on the initial level of contamination and the persistence of the harmful microorganism. A low irradiation dose is sufficient for dried chili to reduce microbial load to an acceptable level and eliminate pathogens even though a minimum radiation dose of 10 kGy is required for complete sterilization. However, high dosage may affect the colour properties. Gamma radiation, X-ray, and electron beam radiation are the three approved radiation sources for dried chilli in most countries and proven effective for dried chilli preservation. Thus, this review paper highlights the microbial and physical quality properties in gamma radiated dried chillies.

Effects of marbling on physical and sensory characteristics of ribeye steaks from four different cattle breeds.

OBJECTIVE: Marbling or intramuscular fat (IMF) has been widely reported to directly impact the sensory acceptance of meat. This study was carried out to determine the physical and sensory characteristics of ribeye, Longissimus dorsi steaks obtained from four different cattle breeds namely Wagyu, Angus, Brahman, and Malaysian local beef, the Kedah-Kelantan (KK). METHODS: The degree of marbling was determined by using an established combined camera-image analysis technique while instrumental texture determination was carried out by using Warner-Bratzler shear force analysis. Sensory evaluation of the beef steaks was performed following a quantitative descriptive analysis incorporating 10 trained consumer panelists. RESULTS: Wagyu was found to possess the highest (p<0.05) percentage of IMF at 33.90% and the lowest shear force (raw = 5.61 N/mm2; cooked = 14.72 N/mm2) followed by Angus (20.87%), Brahman (12.17%), and KK (p<0.05, 6.86%). The difference in sensory properties of the four steaks was evident, with Wagyu appearing to be highly correlated with most sensory attributes measured namely sustained buttery, tooth-packing, chewiness, juiciness, tenderness, mouthfeel, oiliness, and overall acceptability. The Malaysian local beef, KK was found to be less acceptable (p<0.05), although most of its sensory attributes were found similar (p>0.05) in appearance, aroma, texture, juiciness, and flavour to the cooked steak from Angus and Brahman. CONCLUSION: This present study demonstrated the role of IMF in determining the quality and sensory acceptance of beef from different cattle breeds. These data have provided new information and further understanding on the physical and sensory quality of Malaysian local beef.

Isolation, Purification and Characterization of Antioxidative Bioactive Elastin Peptides from Poultry Skin.

Muscle-based by-products are often undervalued although commonly reported having a high amount of natural bioactive peptides. In this study, elastin was isolated from the protein of broiler hen skin while its hydrolysate was prepared using Elastase. Assessment of antioxidative properties of elastin-based hydrolysate (EBH) was based on three different assays; 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate (DPPH) radical, 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) radical and metal chelating ability. The EBH was purified further using ultrafiltration, gel filtration and Reverse- Phase High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (RP-HPLC). The IC50 of ABTS radical activities for EBH were decreased as EBH further purified using ultrafiltration (EBH III; 0.66 mg/mL)>gel filtration (EB-II; 0.42 mg/mL)>RP-HPLC (EB-II4; 0.12 mg/mL). The sequential identification of the peptide was done by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ ionization time-of-flight/time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/ TOF-MS) of the potent fractions obtained from RP-HPLC (EB-II4). The presence of hydrophobic amino acids (Val and Pro) in the peptide sequences could potentially contribute to the high antioxidant activity of EBH. The sequences GAHTGPRKPFKPR, GMPGFDVR and ADASVLPK were identified as antioxidant peptides. In conclusion, the antioxidative potential from poultry skin specifically from elastin is evident and can be explored to be used in many applications such as health and pharmaceutical purposes.