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Polymers
Special Issues
Polysaccharides and Polymers
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Polysaccharides and Polymers

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Biomacromolecules, Biobased and Biodegradable Polymers".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2021) | Viewed by 9055

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Gary G. Adams

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Queen’s Medical Centre, School of Health Sciences, The University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2HA, UK
Interests: diabetes; insulin; wound healing; MRI; antimicrobials; electrospinning; films; polycaprolactone; chitosan; biophysical characterisation; bioactive polysaccharides; Cucurbita moschata; drug delivery
Prof. Dr. M. Samil Kök

E-Mail Website
Co-Guest Editor
Gida Muhendisligl Bolumu, Bolu Abant Izzet Baysal University, 14030 Merkez/Bolu, Turkey
Interests: hydrocolloids; depolymerisation; rheological behaviours; biopolymer characterisations; protein–polysaccharide interactions; global hydrodynamic analysis; autoimmune diseases

Special Issue Information

Polysaccharides are polydisperse and consist of different molecular weight species and are also non-ideal. This non-ideality occurs as a result of their high thermodynamic exclusion volumes, which result from large asymmetry or high solvent affinity and polyelectrolyte behaviour. In solution, polysaccharides have a conformation, which is sometimes challenging to determine with precision. An added complication is that, at higher solute concentrations, some polysaccharides self-associate. Nevertheless, many polysaccharides, such as as β-glucans, inulin and pectins from various plants, have attracted attention because of their effects on the immune system. For example, polysaccharides showing immunomodulation are displayed in a variety of glucans from homopolymers to highly complex heteropolymers. 

Polysaccharides synthesised by bacteria are functionally different from those of higher plants. These bacterial polysaccharides secreted from the cell to form a surface layer around the organism are believed to have multiple functions. These glucans, alginate-like materials and cellulose materials are utilised in high-value applications in research, pharmaceuticals and healthcare for patients.

The aim of this Special Issue is to highlight the development of synthesis, chemical modification, bio-functionalisation, processing and characterisation of polymeric materials designed for biomedical modelling and potential combination with cells and other biologics. The idea behind this is that the polymeric structures of polysaccharides and proteins will be able to precisely mimic anatomical, biological and physiological function with the possibility of providing a level of therapeutic benefit to health.

Dr. Gary G. Adams
Prof. Dr. M. Samil Kök
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Polymers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • polysaccharides
  • proteins
  • complexes
  • biologics
  • antitumour
  • antioxidant
  • antidiabetic
  • antiviral
  • hypolipidaemic
  • immunomodulatory

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 2654 KiB  
Article
Investigation of the Adsorption Behavior of Jet-Cooked Cationic Starches on Pulp Fibers
by Esther Ferstl, Martin Gabriel, Florian Gomernik, Stefanie Monika Müller, Julian Selinger, Ferula Thaler, Wolfgang Bauer, Frank Uhlig, Stefan Spirk and Angela Chemelli
Polymers 2020, 12(10), 2249; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12102249 - 29 Sep 2020
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2767
Abstract
The optimization of the thermal treatment of cationic starch in the paper industry offers the opportunity to reduce the energy consumption of this process. Four different industrially relevant cationic starches, varying in source, cationization method and degree of substitution were treated by a [...] Read more.
The optimization of the thermal treatment of cationic starch in the paper industry offers the opportunity to reduce the energy consumption of this process. Four different industrially relevant cationic starches, varying in source, cationization method and degree of substitution were treated by a steam-jet cooking procedure, comparable to industrially employed starch cooking processes. The influence of the starch properties and cooking parameters on the adsorption behavior of the starches on cellulosic pulp was investigated. The adsorbed amount was affected by the cooking temperature and the type of starch. For some starch grades, a cooking temperature of 115 °C can be employed to achieve sufficient starch retention on the pulp fibers. The energy consumption could further be reduced by cooking at higher starch concentrations without loss of adsorption efficiency. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polysaccharides and Polymers)
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16 pages, 1521 KiB  
Article
Isolation and Biophysical Characterisation of Bioactive Polysaccharides from Cucurbita Moschata (Butternut Squash)
by Shahwar Imran Jiwani, Richard B. Gillis, David Besong, Fahad Almutairi, Tayyibe Erten, M. Samil Kök, Stephen E. Harding, Berit S. Paulsen and Gary G. Adams
Polymers 2020, 12(8), 1650; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12081650 - 24 Jul 2020
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2888
Abstract
Cucurbits are plants that have been used frequently as functional foods. This study includes the extraction, isolation, and characterisation of the mesocarp polysaccharide of Cucurbita moschata. The polysaccharide component was purified by gel filtration into three fractions (NJBTF1, NJBTF2, and NJBTF3) of [...] Read more.
Cucurbits are plants that have been used frequently as functional foods. This study includes the extraction, isolation, and characterisation of the mesocarp polysaccharide of Cucurbita moschata. The polysaccharide component was purified by gel filtration into three fractions (NJBTF1, NJBTF2, and NJBTF3) of different molecular weights. Characterisation includes the hydrodynamic properties, identification of monosaccharide composition, and bioactivity. Sedimentation velocity also indicated the presence of small amounts of additional discrete higher molecular weight components even after fractionation. Sedimentation equilibrium revealed respective weight average molecular weights of 90, 31, and 19 kDa, with the higher fractions (NJBTF1 and NJBTF2) indicating a tendency to self-associate. Based on the limited amount of data (combinations of 3 sets of viscosity and sedimentation data corresponding to the 3 fractions), HYDFIT indicates an extended, semi-flexible coil conformation. Of all the fractions obtained, NJBTF1 showed the highest bioactivity. All fractions contained galacturonic acid and variable amounts of neutral sugars. To probe further, the extent of glycosidic linkages in NJBTF1 was estimated using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GCMS), yielding a high galacturonic acid content (for pectin polysaccharide) and the presence of fructans—the first evidence of fructans (levan) in the mesocarp. Our understanding of the size and structural flexibility together with the high bioactivity suggests that the polysaccharide obtained from C. moschata has the potential to be developed into a therapeutic agent. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polysaccharides and Polymers)
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0 pages, 4498 KiB  
Article
Effects of Electrospun Fibrous Membranes of PolyCaprolactone and Chitosan/Poly(Ethylene Oxide) on Mouse Acute Skin Lesions
by Flávia Cristina Zanchetta, Rafael Bergamo Trinca, Juliany Lino Gomes Silva, Jéssica da Silva Cunha Breder, Thiago Anselmo Cantarutti, Sílvio Roberto Consonni, Ângela Maria Moraes, Eliana Pereira de Araújo, Mario José Abdalla Saad, Gary G. Adams and Maria Helena Melo Lima
Polymers 2020, 12(7), 1580; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12071580 - 16 Jul 2020
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2806 | Correction
Abstract
Polycaprolactone (PCL) is a synthetic polymer with good mechanical properties that are useful to produce biomaterials of clinical application. It can be successfully combined with chitosan, which enhances the biomaterial properties through the modulation of molecular and cellular mechanisms. The objective of this [...] Read more.
Polycaprolactone (PCL) is a synthetic polymer with good mechanical properties that are useful to produce biomaterials of clinical application. It can be successfully combined with chitosan, which enhances the biomaterial properties through the modulation of molecular and cellular mechanisms. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of the use of electrospun fibrous membranes consisting of polycaprolactone (PCL) or polycaprolactone coated with chitosan and poly(ethylene oxide) (PCL+CHI/PEO) on mouse skin lesions. Sixty four Black-57 mice were divided into PCL and PCL+CHI/PEO groups. A 1 cm2 lesion was made on the animals’ backs, and the membranes were sutured in place. The tissues were extracted on the 3rd, 7th, and 14th days after the lesion. The tissues were analyzed by histology with Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) and Sirius Red stains, morphometry, immunohistochemistry, and Western blot. On the 3rd, 6th, and 9th days after the lesion, the PCL+CHI/PEO group showed a higher wound-healing rate (WHR). On the 3 day, the PCL+CHI/PEO group showed a greater amount of inflammatory infiltrate, greater expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), and smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) (p < 0.05) compared to the PCL group. On the 7th day after the lesion, the PCL+CHI/PEO group showed a greater amount of inflammatory infiltrate, expression of Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF-α) and PCNA (p < 0.05). In addition, it showed a greater immunolabeling of Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein-1 (MCP-1) and deposition of collagen fibers compared to the PCL group. The PCL+CHI/PEO membrane modulated the increase in the inflammatory infiltrate, the expression of MCP-1, PCNA, and α-SMA in lesions of mice. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polysaccharides and Polymers)
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