Structure Of Microcapsules Research Articles

Self-Healing Properties of Water Tree Damage in Multilayered Shell-Core-Structured Microcapsules/Cross-Linked Polyethylene Composites.

To investigate the effect of the structure of microcapsules on the properties of cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) composites, three XLPE specimens filled with multilayered shell-core-structured microcapsules are designed. In this paper, the microcapsules are first analyzed morphologically and chemically. In addition, the effect of the microcapsule structure on the typical electrical properties of the composites is explored. Finally, the self-healing ability of XLPE specimens filled with microcapsules is verified. The results show that the SiO2 on the surface of the trilayer shell-core microcapsules can make the microcapsules and the XLPE matrix have a better mechanical interlocking ability, which makes the typical properties of the trilayer shell-core microcapsules slightly better than those of the bilayer shell-core microcapsules. Moreover, when the bilayer shell-core or trilayer shell-core microcapsules rupture under the action of an electric field, the repair material reacts with the water tree under capillary action to consume the residual water while generating organic matter to fill in the cavity, thus repairing the damaged area of the water tree and ultimately achieving the self-healing of the composite water tree.

Microencapsule delivery systems of functional substances for precision nutrition.

Microencapsulation, a typical core-shell structure technology, encapsulates functional active ingredients for protection, controlled release, and targeted delivery. In precise nutrition, the focus is on utilizing microcapsule delivery systems for personalized dietary supplements and disease intervention. This chapter outlines the morphological structure of microcapsules, common wall materials, and preparation techniques. It discusses the characteristics of different hydrophilic and lipophilic functional factors and their function as dietary supplements. The role of microencapsulation on the controlled release, odor masking, and enhanced bioavailability of functional factors is explored. Additionally, the application of microcapsule delivery systems in nutritional interventions for diseases like inflammatory bowel disease, alcoholic/fatty liver disease, diabetes, and cancer is introduced in detail. Lastly, the chapter proposes the future developments of anticipation in responsive wall materials for precise nutrition interventions, including both challenges and opportunities.

Preparation and Characterization of Tung Oil Loaded Melamine Formaldehyde Microcapsules

In this study microcapsules were prepared by in-situ polymerization route with melamine formaldehyde as a shell material and tung oil as core material. Melamine formaldehyde (MF), a thermosetting polymer, is one of the most widely used monomers in microencapsulation due to its superior mechanical strength and thermal stability. Tung oil contains unsaturated double bonds that can be oxidized to form a film in air. Tung oil is fast drying and biodegradable, besides it is low cost and does not pollute the environment. Most importantly, tung oil is a versatile substance in industry. Therefore, tung oil is a good choice as core material. The chemical structure of microcapsules were characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The surface morphology and particle size and distribution were evaluated by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The thermal behavior of microcapsules and tung oil were studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The results showed that the spherical microcapsules (particle size of mostly 4-5 μm) were produced with a filling content of 15.64 wt.%, and a yield of 49.78 wt.%. The microcapsules exhibit a good thermal stability

Mucoadhesive chitosan microcapsules for controlled gastrointestinal delivery and oral bioavailability enhancement of low molecular weight peptides

A bioactive compound, collagen peptide (CP), is widely used for biological activities such as anti-photoaging and antioxidant effects, with increased oral bioavailability because of its low molecular weight and high hydrophilicity. However, controlling release time and increasing retention time in the digestive tract for a more convenient oral administration is still a challenge. We developed CP-loaded chitosan (CS) microcapsules via strong and rapid ionic gelation using a highly negative phytic acid (PA) crosslinker. The platform enhanced the oral bioavailability of CP with controlled gastrointestinal delivery by utilizing the mucoadhesiveness and tight junction-opening properties of CS. CS and CP concentrations varied from 1.5 to 3.5% and 0–30%, respectively, for optimal and stable microcapsule synthesis. The physicochemical properties, in vitro release profile with intestinal permeability, in vivo oral bioavailability, in vivo biodistribution, anti-photoaging effect, and antioxidant effect of optimized CS microcapsules were analyzed to investigate the impact of controlling parameters. The structure of CS microcapsules was tuned by PA diffused gradient ionic cross-linking degree, resulting in a controlled CP release region in the gastrointestinal tract. The optimized microcapsules increased Cmax, AUC, and tmax by 1.5-, 3.4-, and 8.0-fold, respectively. Furthermore, CP in microcapsules showed anti-photoaging effects by downregulating matrix metalloproteinases-1 via antioxidant effects. According to our knowledge, this is the first study to microencapsulate CP for oral bioavailability enhancement. The peptide delivery method employed is simple, economical, and can be applied to customize bioactive compound administration.

Tributyrin microcapsule prepared by ultrahigh methoxylated pectin combination with maltodextrin: The characterization, gastrointestinal digestion, and fecal fermentation behavior

A modified ultrahigh methoxylated pectin (UHMP, DM>90%) combined with maltodextrin was used to prepare tributyrin microcapsules. The encapsulation performance of microcapsules and their potential application in gut health were investigated in this study. Results showed that tributyrin was successfully encapsulated into the matrix of microcapsules, and there is no extensive chemical reaction occurred during encapsulation. The UHMP is conducive to the dispersion of tributyrin, while the maltodextrin as wall material promoted the formation of smooth surface structure of microcapsules. Microencapsulation is able to provide thermal protection for tributyrin, as reflected by the increased decomposition temperature and the decreased weight loss rate. In addition, microencapsulation effectively masks the unpleasant odor of tributyrin, resulting in a significantly reduced off-odor retention rate. During small intestinal digestion, the UHMP-stabilized tributyrin emulsions partly demulsified and led to the release of tributyrin, however, a significant higher tributyrin retention rate (88.1 ± 1.3%) was observed in UHMP-stabilized tributyrin emulsions when compared with the blank group (60.1 ± 4.6%). Through in vitro fecal fermentation, it was found that UHMP-stabilized tributyrin emulsions can regulate bacterial community by stimulating the growth of probiotics (e.g. Lachnospira, Phascolarctobacterium, and Parabacteroides) and decreasing the relative abundances of harmful microbes (e.g. Klebsiella and Fusobacterium). Furthermore, UHMP-stabilized tributyrin emulsions promote the production of SCFAs, especially, the content of butyric acid increased from 1.59 ± 0.32 mmol/L to 10.58 ± 1.89 mmol/L. The present study provides a feasible approach for the preparation of tributyrin microcapsule, which improves its application performance in gut health.

In Vitro Antioxidant Activity, Bioaccessibility, and Thermal Stability of Encapsulated Strawberry Fruit (Fragaria × ananassa) Polyphenols.

Bioactive compounds in red fruits, such as strawberries, are vulnerable to digestion, and encapsulation has become an alternative for their protection. This study aims at encapsulating strawberry juice (SJ) by freeze-drying with pea protein and okra mucilage (SJPO), pea protein and psyllium mucilage (SJPP), and pea protein, psyllium mucilage, and okra mucilage (SJPPO) and investigating the in vitro release. The highest encapsulation efficiency was observed in capsule SJPPO (95.38%) and the lowest efficiency in SJPO (82.45%). Scanning electron microscopy revealed an amorphous glassy structure for the structure of the strawberry microcapsules, and X-ray diffraction confirmed that observation. However, X-ray diffraction further showed that SJPPO was crystalline, indicating a tighter crosslinking density than the other microcapsules. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy showed peaks at 3390 and 1650 cm-1, confirming the presence of polyphenols and polysaccharides in the strawberry microcapsules. Thermal stability was higher for SJPPO, and the observed thermal transitions were due to the bonds formed between the polymers and polyphenols. Pelargonidin 3-glucoside, cyanidin 3-glucoside, cyanidin, delphinidin, malvidin 3-glucoside, ellagic acid, chlorogenic acid, catechin, and kaempferol were identified in the strawberry microcapsules. Digestion affected the compounds' content; the bioaccessibility for SJ was 39.26% and 45.43% for TPC and TAC, respectively. However, encapsulation improved the bioaccessibility of both TPC (SJPP, 51.54%; SJPO, 48.52%; and SJPPO, 54.39%) and TAC (SJPP, 61.08%; SJPO, 55.03%; and SJPPO, 71.93%). Thus, encapsulating pea protein isolate, psyllium mucilage, and okra mucilage is an effective method to facilitate targeted release and preserve the biological activities of fruits.

Experimental investigation on performance of composite thermochromic and ice-melting coatings for dynamic pavement temperature control

As the main type of urban roads, the surface temperature of asphalt pavement can reach 70 °C in summer because high heat absorption, causing pavement disease and aggravating the heat island effect. Solar reflective coating is an effective way to tackle the problem in summer but may bring certain negative effects in winter. In this paper, a kind of composite coating containing thermochromic (TCM) materials and snow melting and ice suppression (SMIS) functional fillers was developed. The reflective properties, thermal behavior and road performance of the pavement coatings were investigated. The results showed that the optimal TiO2 contents in TCM-black coating for pavement was 3 wt% to make full use of optical variation range. Long-term solar radiation destroyed the structure of thermochromic microcapsules and caused degradation of color and visible reflectance of TCM coatings, which could be alleviated by ultraviolet absorbers and light stabilizers. The optimal double-layer coating structure with TCM on the top and SMIS at the bottom could achieve cooling effect of 9 °C, pavement icing temperature of −5 °C and faster ice melting rate. The skid and temperature change resistance with the coatings also met requirements. This study provides a reference for developing novel pavement materials with balanced cooling effect and ice suppression capacity for mitigating heat island effect, improving driving safety, and ensuring the optimal service state and longer service life of pavement at the same time.

On-Chip Precisely Controlled Preparation of Uniform Core-Shell Salmon Byproduct Protein/Polysaccharide Microcapsules for Enhancing Probiotic Survivability in Fruit Juice.

The increasing demand for probiotic-fortified fruit juices stems from the dietary requirements of individuals with dairy allergies, lactose intolerance, and vegetarian diets. However, a notable obstacle arises from the degradation of probiotics in fruit juices due to their low pH levels and harsh gastrointestinal conditions. In response, this study proposes an innovative approach utilizing a microfluidic chip to create core-shell microcapsules that contain Lactobacillus plantarum Lp90. This method, based on internal-external gelation, forms highly uniform microcapsules that fully enclose the core, which consists of oil-in-water Pickering emulsions stabilized by salmon byproduct protein and sodium alginate. These emulsions remain stable for up to 72 h at a 1% sodium alginate concentration. The shell layer incorporates kelp nanocellulose and sodium alginate, thus improving the thermal properties. Furthermore, compared to free probiotics, the multilayer structure of the core-shell microcapsules provides a robust barrier, resulting in significantly enhanced probiotic stability. These findings introduce a novel strategy for augmenting probiotic delivery in functional fruit juice beverages, promising solutions to the challenges encountered during their development.

Compatibility of high strength silica‐modified microcapsules modified with polydopamine in elastomer substrates

AbstractMicrocapsules with polydopamine composite shell layer were successfully synthesized by functionalizing silica‐modified microcapsules containing isophorone diisocyanate. The components and micromorphology of silica‐modified microcapsules at different reaction periods were studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy. The structure of different microcapsules was characterized by FTIR, 1H nuclear magnetic resonance and x‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The mechanical performances of different microcapsules were analyzed by nanoindentation technique. The compatibility and self‐healing efficiency of different microcapsules with the substrate were also investigated by the tensile tests. The results showed that the density of the silica‐modified microcapsule shell gradually increased and the mechanical performances were enhanced with the silica source. The hardness and elastic modulus of silica‐modified microcapsules in suitable core fraction (76.5 wt%) were 139.9 MPa and 2.2 GPa, which are 2.3 times and 4.8 times higher than those of untreated microcapsules, respectively. The functionalized modified microcapsules had excellent compatibility with the elastomeric substrate (PU‐PPG2000). At the same time, the self‐healing efficiency of the functionalized modified microcapsules in PU‐PPG2000 was 69.8%, which was 48.9% higher than that of the untreated microcapsules prepared under the same conditions. Silicon modification improved the density of microcapsules, enhancing their mechanical strength. At the same time, functionalization modification improved the interfacial bonding strength of microcapsules, further improving the compatibility with the polymer matrix.Highlights Microcapsules with different silicon sources are characterized. Microcapsules are functionalized with polydopamine. Individual microcapsules are tested for mechanical strength by nanoindentation. The compatibility of the functionalized microcapsules is excellent. The self‐healing efficiency of modified microcapsules is greater than 70%.

Si@C anode with excellent electrochemical performance for lithium-ion batteries: Microcapsules composed of N-doped carbon shell and diffusely distributed nano-silicon inside

As a promising candidate for the next generation of new anode materials, the modification and optimization of silica-based anode materials are significant. Using chitosan (CS) as the carbonaceous precursor, the N-containing Si@C microcapsules were prepared by emulsification cross-linking combined with high-temperature pyrolysis method. The microcapsule structure offers additional space for nano-Si and effectively enhances the electrochemical properties of the anode. Moreover, optimizing the CS:Si ratio is advantageous in achieving a synergistic effect between silicon and carbon. When CS:Si = 4:1, the first specific capacity was 762.78 mAh/g and the retention rate was 69.27 % after 100 cycles. To further enhance the material properties, urea was added to a ratio of CS:Si = 4:1 as an N supplement for elemental doping modification. The specific capacity of the anode had a positive correlation with N content within a certain range. As the N content increases, the pyridine-N content and density of C vacancies also increase, which improves the storage form and diffusion path of Li+. When 0.75 g urea was added, the first reversible specific capacity reached 1108.88 mAh/g and the retention rate was 92.41 % after 100 cycles. This work offers environmentally friendly and safe methods, as well as a new modification concept for N-doped microsphere-encapsulated silicon-carbon composites.

Bacterial Viability in Self-Healing Concrete: A Case Study of Non-Ureolytic Bacillus Species.

Cracking is an inevitable feature of concrete, typically leading to corrosion of the embedded steel reinforcement and massive deterioration because of the freezing-thawing cycles. Different means have been proposed to increase the serviceability performance of cracked concrete structures. This case study deals with bacteria encapsulated in cementitious materials to "heal" cracks. Such a biological self-healing system requires preserving the bacteria's viability in the cement matrix. Many embedded bacterial spores are damaged during concrete curing, drastically reducing efficiency. This study investigates the viability of commonly used non-ureolytic bacterial spores when immobilized in calcium alginate microcapsules within self-healing cementitious composites. Three Bacillus species were used in this study, i.e., B. pseudofirmus, B. cohnii, and B. halodurans. B. pseudofirmus demonstrated the best mineralization activity; a sufficient number of bacterial spores remained viable after the encapsulation. B. pseudofirmus and B. halodurans spores retained the highest viability after incorporating the microcapsules into the cement paste, while B. halodurans spores retained the highest viability in the mortar. Cracks with a width of about 0.13 mm were filled with bacterial calcium carbonate within 14 to 28 days, depending on the type of bacteria. Larger cracks were not healed entirely. B. pseudofirmus had the highest efficiency, with a healing coefficient of 0.497 after 56 days. This study also revealed the essential role of the cement hydration temperature on bacterial viability. Thus, further studies should optimize the content of bacteria and nutrients in the microcapsule structure.

Reduction of interfacial polycondensation self-limitation through solvent swelling to dynamically modulate shell thickness and structure of microcapsules

The thickness and structure of microcapsule shell is the most important factor affecting essential performance of microcapsule. The growth of microcapsule shell prepared by interfacial polycondensation is self-limited which produces thin microcapsule shells with low mechanical strength. In this study, solvent dynamic swelling is employed to overcome the self-limitation of microcapsule shell prepared by interfacial polycondensation. It was found that the solvent dynamic swelling can enhance polyurethane shell and epoxy shell growth, and so that different shell structures could be regulated and the thickness of the shell could be increased. Finally, capsaicin microcapsules were prepared using epoxy resin as microcapsule shell, and capsaicin microcapsules with different core-shell structures were obtained by solvent regulation. The embedded microcapsule structure had lower release rate. The general effect of solvent evaporation and swelling on the interfacial polymerized microcapsule shell was explained, which provided a new paradigm for interfacial polymerized microcapsule shell structure regulation, especially the regulation of shell thickness.

Numerical investigation of microcapsules of phase change materials with au nanoparticles: The effect of radius and the atomic ratio of Au nanoparticles on the thermal storage efficiency of the simulated structure

The addition of nanoparticles (NPs) can change the thermophysical properties of materials. Hence, adding NPs to phase change materials (PCMs) can accelerate phase transition processes. Moreover, the NPs concentration changes can change the structures' dynamic and thermal properties. Thus, it is crucial to survey how the volume fraction (size and atomic ratio) of NPs affects the PCM's thermal behavior. In the current work, molecular dynamics (MD) simulation was used to examine the thermal behavior of PCM microcapsules containing gold NPs. These microcapsules were taken into consideration together with aminoacetaldehyde (C2H5NO) and bromohexadecane (BrC16) as PCM, and the effect of gold nanoparticle radius and atomic ratio on simulated structure's thermal behavior was investigated. The findings demonstrate that charging and discharging periods were shortened by increasing the radius and atomic ratio of gold NPs in the atomic microcapsule structure. The heat flux (HF), and thermal conductivity (TC), on the other hand, are increased by increasing the radius of NPs from 3 to 6 nm, reaching 299.43 W/m2 and 1.42 W/mK, respectively. Moreover, by increasing the atomic ratio of NPs from 0.01 to 0.05, HF and TC values increased to 300.08 W/m2 and 1.45 W/mK, respectively. Furthermore, increasing the radius and atomic ratio of gold NPs in the microcapsule structure increased viscosity and phase change time. The methods offered in this study might be used as a viable mechanism in application domains to improve the thermal efficiency of this structure.

Chitin Nanofibrils Enabled Core-Shell Microcapsules of Alginate Hydrogel.

An engineered 3D architectural network of the biopolymeric hydrogel can mimic the native cell environment that promotes cell infiltration and growth. Among several bio-fabricated hydrogel structures, core-shell microcapsules inherit the potential of cell encapsulation to ensure the growth and transport of cells and cell metabolites. Herein, a co-axial electrostatic encapsulation strategy is used to create and encapsulate the cells into chitin nanofibrils integrated alginate hydrogel microcapsules. Three parameters that are critical in the electrostatic encapsulation process, hydrogel composition, flow rate, and voltage were optimized. The physicochemical characterization including structure, size, and stability of the core-shell microcapsules was analyzed by scanning electron microscope (SEM), FTIR, and mechanical tests. The cellular responses of the core-shell microcapsules were evaluated through in vitro cell studies by encapsulating NIH/3T3 fibroblast cells. Notably, the bioactive microcapsule showed that the cell viability was found excellent for more than 2 weeks. Thus, the results of this core-shell microcapsule showed a promising approach to creating 3D hydrogel networks suitable for different biomedical applications such as in vitro tissue models for toxicity studies, wound healing, and tissue repair.

Release mechanism of UV responded chitosan-decorated TiO2 microcapsules: Regulation of humidity

In this research, the synergistic influences of UV light and relative humidity on the structure and immediate triggered release abilities of microcapsules loaded with oregano essential oil (OEO) were investigated. The microcapsules sufficiently were encouraged to release OEO by UV irradiation and regulated by ambient humidity. Relatively low humidity from 23 to 58% had no impact on the encapsulation efficiency and release processes of microcapsules in food simulations and air significantly. Analysis of microstructure showed that UV irradiation and higher relative humidity were conducive to fracturing glycosidic bonds of microcapsule shell through hydroxyl radicals generated by TiO2 and vapour. Finally, microcapsules were applied to the preservation of chicken breasts for 6 d and the results showed that chicken breasts with microcapsules that had been irradiated by UV light at 76 %RH would have better quality and the shelf life was extended, which evidenced its excellent foreground in meat preservation.

EFFECT OF DIFFERENT SODIUM ALGINATE COMPOSITIONS ON 3D MICROCAPSULE STRUCTURE AND CELL VIABILITY

Despite the constant expansion of the global alginate market and the emergence of a plethora of new brands to meet the rising demand, the literature remains insufficient for the selection and preparation of optimized microcapsules. In this study, the cell transplantation potentials of two commercial alginate brands (Sigma and FMC Biopolymers-PRONATAL) with different M/G ratios were compared in vitro. Different brands of alginates were crosslinked with increasing concentrations of calcium chloride (1.5%, 2%, and 3%[Formula: see text]w/v). Utilizing size/dimension measurements, compression, swelling, and degradation tests, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and bright field (BF) imaging, the intrastructure of each experimental group was investigated. Moreover, the cell viability of HDF-encapsulated Ca-alginate microcapsules was evaluated. According to SEM and compression analysis, PROTANAL KF200 with a lower M/G ratio was found to be more rigid and robust. Due to the different proportions of MM and GG blocks, Sigma Ca-alginate microcapsules exhibited greater flexibility but lower hardness than PRONATAL KF200 microcapsules. However, there was no significant difference in cell viability between the alginate microcapsules. In future in vivo experiments, encouraging cell transplantation outcomes could be monitored by the choice of PROTANAL KF200 sodium alginate polymer for the microcapsule preparation.

Construction of phase change n-Octadecane microencapsulated in carbon nanotubes-modified polymer for thermal management applications of finned heat sinks

The low thermal conductivity of organic shell-based phase change microcapsules severely limits their practical applications in thermal management of high-power-density electronic components. A novel microencapsulated phase change material (MPCM) was synthesized via suspension polymerization with n-Octadecane core shelled by aminated multiwalled carbon nanotubes-doped styrene–divinylbenzene copolymer (SDB/MWCNT-NH2). The chemical structure and micromorphology of the new microcapsules (MPCM/CNT) with various amounts of doped aminated multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT-NH2) were identified by the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The thermal properties of various MPCM/CNT samples were analyzed based on the measurements of thermogravimetric analyzer, differential scanning calorimeter and thermal conductivity meter. The results indicated that the microcapsules with MWCNT-NH2 had good thermal stability, heat storage capacity and heat transfer properties. The thermal performance of the microcapsule samples in the low and medium temperature finned heat sink (FHS) was investigated and their thermal performance with that of bare FHS at four constant thermal loads of 5 W, 7 W, 10 W and 15 W was compared. The thermal performance was evaluated based on the time to setpoint temperature, heat dissipated and heat dissipation factors. Compared with the bare FHS, the FHS with the MPCM/CNT-2.5 sample (i.e., 2.5 wt% MWCNT-NH2) exhibited 17.70% longer operation time, 33.01% more heat dissipated, and 16.53% higher heat dissipation factor during heating at 10 W. This study aims to apply the phase change microcapsules modified with high thermal conductivity MWCNT-NH2 in medium and low temperature heat sinks to optimize the thermal management of high power density electronic components and improve the heat dissipation performance of heat sinks. The microcapsules with MWCNT-NH2 showed great potential for applications in thermal management of electronic components.

Progress in release‐activated food packaging films

AbstractTo solve the problems caused by direct incorporation of preservation agents (PAs) such as antimicrobials and antioxidants into food, development and application of active packaging (AP) are being strongly promoted. According to the way of PAs applied, AP can be divided into immobilisation type and release type. In release AP, a long‐lasting and stable preservation effect can be achieved by adjusting the release rate of PAs. In this review, we focused on the effects of adjusting the multilayers, polymers, and nanocapsule and microcapsule structures of AP on the release mechanisms and applications of PAs. Release mathematical models based on food simulants have limitations in real food applications. Controlled release modifications often affect the properties of AP such as permeability and light transmission; by regulating the interaction between various factors, there is the potential to achieve a synergistic effect between controlled release and other packaging characteristics to maintain food quality.

Self-Assemble Silk Fibroin Microcapsules for Cartilage Regeneration through Gene Delivery and Immune Regulation.

Effective treatments for cartilage defects are currently lacking. Gene delivery using proper delivery systems has shown great potential in cartilage regeneration. However, the inflammatory microenvironment generated by the defected cartilage severely affects the system's delivery efficiency. Therefore, this study reports a silk fibroin microcapsule (SFM) structure based on layer-by-layer self-assembly, in which interleukin-4 (IL-4) is modified on silk by click chemistry and loaded with lysyl oxidase plasmid DNA (LOX pDNA). The silk microcapsules display good biocompatibility and the release rate of genes can be adjusted by controlling the number of self-assembled layers. Moreover, the functionalized SFMs mixed with methacrylated gelatin (GelMA) exhibit good injectability. The IL-4 on the outer layer of the SFM can regulate macrophages to polarize toward the M2 type, thereby promoting cartilage matrix repair and inhibiting inflammation. The LOX pDNA loaded inside can be effectively delivered into cells to promote extracellular matrix generation, significantly promoting cartilage regeneration. The results of this study provide a promising biomaterial for cartilage repair, and this novel silk-based microcapsule delivery system can also provide strategies for the treatment of other diseases.

Improvement in the stability and bioavailability of pumpkin lutein using β-cyclodextrin microcapsules.

Growing concerns about food nutrition and food supplies have encouraged the development of effective constituents. Lutein is an important nutrient element, and its health benefits are gradually being recognized. Lutein, as a carotenoid antioxidant, can protect cells and organs from damage caused by free radicals. However, in processing, storage, and usage, lutein is unstable and often undergoes isomerization and oxidative decomposition, which limits its wide range of applications. β-Cyclodextrin is an ideal substrate to prepare microcapsule structures, which are highly biocompatible and nontoxic. During the lutein encapsulation process, ideal β-cyclodextrin microcapsules were used to form inclusion compounds. The results reveal that the encapsulation efficiency of the microcapsules reached 53%. Moreover, using ultrasonic-assisted extraction can easily and efficiently purify lutein. In addition, the capability of the β-cyclodextrin composite shell can enhance the bioactive molecules' activity and stability.