Biobased Fat Mimicking Molecular Structuring Agents for Medium-Chain Triglycerides (MCTs) and Other Edible Oils

To develop sustainable value-added materials from biomass, novel small-molecule sugar ester gelators were synthesized using biocatalysis. The facile one-step regiospecific coupling of the pro-antioxidant raspberry ketone glucoside and unsaturated or saturated long- and medium-chain fatty acids provides a simple approach to tailor the structure and self-assembly of the amphiphilic product. These low molecular weight molecules demonstrated the ability to self-assemble in a variety of solvents and exhibited supergelation, with a minimum gelation concentration of 0.25 wt %, in numerous organic solvents, as well as in a range of natural edible oils, specifically a relatively unstudied group of liquids: natural medium-chain triglyceride oils, notably coconut oil. Spectroscopic analysis details the gelator structure as well as the intermolecular noncovalent interactions, which allow for gelation. X-ray diffraction studies indicate fatty acid chain packing of gelators is similar to that of natural fats, signifying the crystalline nature may lead to desirable textural properties and mouthfeel

Medium-Chain Sugar Amphiphiles: A New Family of Healthy Vegetable Oil Structuring Agents

Vegetable oils are frequently structured to enhance their organoleptic and mechanical properties. This is usually achieved by increasing the net amount of saturated and/or trans fatty acids in the oil. With the risk of coronary heart diseases associated with these fatty acids, the food industry is looking for better alternatives. In this context, the medium-chain dialkanoates of low-calorie sugars (sugar alcohol dioctanoates) are investigated as a healthy alternative structuring agent. Precursors of sugar amphiphiles, being FDA-approved GRAS materials, exhibited high cell viability at a concentration ∼50 μg/mL. They readily formed nanoscale multilayered structures in an oil matrix to form a coherent network at low concentrations (1–3 wt %/v), which immobilized a wide range of oils (canola, soybean, and grapeseed oils). The structuring efficiency of sugar amphiphiles was computed in terms of mechanical, thermal, and structural properties and found to be a function of its type and concentration

Radiation-Responsive Esculin-Derived Molecular Gels as Signal Enhancers for Optical Imaging

Recent interest in detecting visible photons that emanate from interactions of ionizing radiation (IR) with matter has spurred the development of multifunctional materials that amplify the optical signal from radiotracers. Tailored stimuli-responsive systems may be paired with diagnostic radionuclides to improve surgical guidance and aid in detecting therapeutic radionuclides otherwise difficult to image with conventional nuclear medicine approaches. Because light emanating from these interactions is typically low in intensity and blue-weighted (i.e., greatly scattered and absorbed in vivo), it is imperative to increase or shift the photon flux for improved detection. To address this challenge, a gel that is both scintillating and fluorescent is used to enhance the optical photon output in image mapping for cancer imaging. Tailoring biobased materials to synthesize thixotropic thermoreversible hydrogels (a minimum gelation concentration of 0.12 wt %) offers image-aiding systems which are not only functional but also potentially economical, safe, and environmentally friendly. These robust gels (0.66 wt %, ∼900 Pa) respond predictably to different types of IRs including β- and γ-emitters, resulting in a doubling of the detectable photon flux from these emitters. The synthesis and formulation of such a gel are explored with a focus on its physicochemical and mechanical properties, before being utilized to enhance the visible photon flux from a panel of radionuclides as detected. The possibility of developing a topical cream of this gel makes this system an attractive potential alternative to current techniques, and the multifunctionality of the gelator may serve to inspire future next-generation materials

Factor associated with anti-hypertensive switching within 6 months after the first prescription.

*<p>denotes p<0.05. ACEI: Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors; CCB: Calcium channel blockers.</p