Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Lea N. C. Rochet, Calise Bahou, Jonathan P. Wojciechowski, Ilias Koutsopetras, Phyllida Britton, Richard J. Spears, Ioanna A. Thanasi, Baihao Shao, Lisha Zhong, Dejan-Kresimir Bucar, Abil E. Aliev, Michael J. Porter, Molly M. Stevens, James R. Baker, Vijay Chudasama
Summary: This study demonstrates the potential of pyridazinediones as novel reversible and tuneable covalent cysteine modifiers. The electrophilicity of pyridazinediones correlates to the rates of the Michael addition and retro-Michael deconjugation reactions, making them an enticing platform for readily tuneable and reversible thiol addition/release. The regioselectivity of the reaction is explored and the increased reactivity of aryl bearing pyridazinediones is explained using DFT calculations and corroborating findings with SCXRD. Application of this fundamental discovery is also demonstrated in the development of more rapid disulfide rebridging agents.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Xinya Gu, Liyang Du, Zong Meng
Summary: In this study, the influence of lacquer wax content and whipping time on overrun was investigated. It was found that an appropriate amount of wax and whipping time can enhance crystal dual stabilization and close packing, resulting in improved overrun. Polyglycerol polyricinoleate (PGPR) aided in absorbing and improved the contact angle, promoting adsorption at the A-O interface. Partial substitution of high-melting fat palm stearin (POs) in 8 wt% oleogel produced oleofoams with increased melting point, structural strength, and beta'-form crystal, enhancing storage and temperature stability. The oleofoam exhibited a maximum overrun of 189% and maintained decorating shape for over 15 days at ambient temperature, demonstrating potential in low-fat food applications and other delivery systems.
FOOD RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Oju Jeon, Tae-Hee Kim, Eben Alsberg
Summary: This study developed a hydrogel system with reversible dynamic mechanics, demonstrating the tunability of mechanical signals on encapsulated stem cells and providing a promising platform to investigate the effect of dynamic mechanical changes on cell behaviors.
ACTA BIOMATERIALIA
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
B. M. Tiemeijer, M. W. D. Sweep, J. J. F. Sleeboom, K. J. Steps, J. F. van Sprang, P. De Almeida, R. Hammink, P. H. J. Kouwer, A. I. P. M. Smits, J. Tel
Summary: To study the biological function of adherent cell types at single-cell resolution with high throughput, combining droplet-based microfluidics with hydrogels is a versatile and powerful tool. It allows for robust droplet formation at low temperatures, catalyzer-free droplet gelation, and easy cell recovery after culture for downstream analysis.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Engineering, Biomedical
Yong Xu, Michelle Patino Gaillez, Rebecca Rothe, Sandra Hauser, Dagmar Voigt, Jens Pietzsch, Yixin Zhang
Summary: Conductive hydrogels (CHs) are being increasingly utilized for 3D cell culture and tissue engineering, with dynamic conductive hydrogels (DCHs) offering the ability to provide dynamic environments for cellular functions while maintaining matrix integrity. The reversible linkages in DCHs allow for properties mimicking native tissues, making them well-suited for various biotechnological and medical applications.
ADVANCED HEALTHCARE MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Yi Liu, Hongyuan Cui, Xiaolin Wang, Gangfeng Ouyang, Hui Guo
Summary: Manufacturing hydrogels with programmable and reversible mechanical performance is achieved by training the hydrogels with heat. Crystalline domains play a crucial role in this process, allowing the materials to switch between liquid and solid states, as well as soft and rigid states. By training the hydrogels in different environments, such as air and water, the mechanical properties of the hydrogels can be finely tuned. The strategy also offers good recyclability of the materials.
ADVANCED MATERIALS TECHNOLOGIES
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Inorganic & Nuclear
Sina Shahi, Hossein Roghani-Mamaqani, Saeid Talebi, Hanieh Mardani
Summary: This article discusses the reversible bond dissociation and self-healing properties of stimuli-responsive hydrogels, as well as their potential applications in the biomedical field. The properties of hydrogels can be precisely controlled by different stimuli, meeting specific application requirements.
COORDINATION CHEMISTRY REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Anna-Lena Leistner, David Georg Kistner, Christian Fengler, Zbigniew L. Pianowski
Summary: A study found that a cyclic dipeptide containing azobenzene can form composite supramolecular hydrogels with alginate, which can be reversibly converted to fluid by external UV light. The gels can also encapsulate and release fluorescent cargo.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Chuanmin Ding, Qingqing Gu, Li-Juan Yu, Shaocheng Zhang, Junwen Wang, Lichao Ma, Gangsen Li, Bing Yang, Tao Zhang, Yafeng Zhang, Zili Ma, Yuanyuan Meng, Hengxuan Zhang
Summary: In this study, two distinct Pt/CeO2 single-atom catalysts (SACs) were generated through oxidative and nonoxidative dispersions, and the distribution of Pt1On-Ce delta+ species in each specific SAC was semiquantitatively revealed. Among the diverse species, Pt1O4-Ce3+-Ov, which accounts for only 14.2%, exhibited the highest site-specific reactivity for low-temperature CO oxidation compared to other abundant counterparts, such as Pt1O4-Ce4+ and Pt1O6-Ce4+. The second nearest oxygen vacancy (Ov) not only synergistically lowers the reaction barrier with nearby active metal sites but also facilitates the dynamic transformation from six-coordinated to four-coordinated sites during cyclic nonoxidative and oxidative dispersions. This work elucidates the quantitative distribution and dynamic transformation of varied single-atom species in a given SAC, providing a more intrinsic descriptor and quantitative measure to depict the inhomogeneity of SACs.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Optics
Weipeng Zhang, Chaoran Huang, Hsuan-Tung Peng, Simon Bilodeau, Aashu Jha, Eric Blow, Thomas Ferreira de Lima, Bhavin J. Shastri, Paul Prucnal
Summary: This study experimentally demonstrates a record-high precision for photonic synapses with a dithering control scheme and numerically investigates the impact of increased synaptic precision on signal classification. It provides insights into the potential of photonic neural networks for practical applications.
Article
Polymer Science
Paola Nicolella, Daniel Lauxen, Mostafa Ahmadi, Sebastian Seiffert
Summary: Hydrogels are polymer networks that are soft and permeable, making them suitable for separation and membrane technologies. By incorporating a dual dynamic network composed of thermoresponsive polymers, the gel's elastic modulus and network mesh size can be tuned, with the ability to switch diffusive permeability and gel elasticity based on changes in temperature and pH. This versatile hydrogel shows potential as a switchable and reversible membrane.
MACROMOLECULAR CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS
(2021)
Article
Polymer Science
F. J. Vazquez-Perez, C. Gila-Vilchez, J. D. G. Duran, A. Zubarev, L. Alvarez de Cienfuegos, L. Rodriguez-Arco, M. T. Lopez-Lopez
Summary: The field of soft actuators is currently shifting towards hydrogels as a promising material that can overcome the limitations of elastomers and expand the applications of soft actuators. Research on the mechanical actuation of hydrogels is challenging but holds potential for novel developments in the field.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Lei Zhang, Siheng Wang, Zhuomin Wang, Zeyu Liu, Xu Xu, He Liu, Dan Wang, Ziqi Tian
Summary: This study presents a hydrogel with strong yet reversible mechanical and adhesive properties using cellulose nanofibrils. Inspired by a temperature-mediated phase separation strategy, the hydrogel addresses multiple challenges and achieves dynamic reversible properties. The resulting hydrogel exhibits high adhesive and mechanical tunability when worked on skin, making it a promising approach for robust adhesion performance.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Danqi Sun, Yang Gao, Yifan Zhou, Meng Yang, Jian Hu, Tongqing Lu, Tiejun Wang
Summary: This paper introduces a new method to enhance the fracture toughness and fatigue resistance of hydrogels by introducing nanofibers that can reversibly align with elastic deformation to form an anisotropic structure.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ruidong Cheng, Mingwei Xu, Xuehui Zhang, Jinqiang Jiang, Qiuyu Zhang, Yue Zhao
Summary: Poly(acrylic acid-co-N-vinylcaprolactam) (PAN) hydrogels with multiple hydrogen bonds exhibit pH-induced reversible dynamic behaviors. Transparent hydrogels placed in acid or DI water undergo a transition from transparency to opacity due to the formation of hydrogen bonds or protonation/deprotonation of COOH groups, respectively. This two-way dynamic transparency evolution in PAN-based hydrogel material enables a dynamic memory system for information memorizing-forgetting and recalling-forgetting.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Natthaporn Klubthawee, Giovanni Bovone, Bruno Marco-Dufort, Elia A. Guzzi, Ratchaneewan Aunpad, Mark W. Tibbitt
Summary: This study presents a moldable and biodegradable colloidal nano-network that protects and delivers antimicrobial peptides to address antimicrobial resistance. The nano-network successfully protects the peptides from enzymatic degradation and demonstrates effective killing of bacteria in vitro and ex vivo models.
ADVANCED HEALTHCARE MATERIALS
(2022)
Review
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Matthew J. Webber, Mark W. Tibbitt
Summary: This Review discusses the methods of introducing dynamic characteristics into polymer materials using different types of molecular bonding structures and outlines the design rules for engineering the interaction timescales for desired applications.
NATURE REVIEWS MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Dhananjay V. Deshmukh, Peter Reichert, Joel Zvick, Celine Labouesse, Valentin Kunzli, Oksana Dudaryeva, Ori Bar-Nur, Mark W. Tibbitt, Jurg Dual
Summary: In this study, an acoustofluidic device was developed to pattern mammalian cells within hydrogel fibers, allowing muscle progenitor cells to be aligned in parallel lines to mimic skeletal muscle structure. Increased formation of myotubes and spontaneous twitching were observed in patterned samples, demonstrating the potential of using this approach for engineering complex 3D tissues in the future.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Pierre-Alain Clavien, Philipp Dutkowski, Matteo Mueller, Dilmurodjon Eshmuminov, Lucia Bautista Borrego, Achim Weber, Beat Muellhaupt, Richard X. Sousa Da Silva, Brian R. Burg, Philipp Rudolf von Rohr, Martin J. Schuler, Dustin Becker, Max Hefti, Mark W. Tibbitt
Summary: A human liver has been successfully transplanted using ex situ normothermic machine perfusion, which extends the time window for evaluating the viability of donor organs and transforms the urgency of the surgery to an elective procedure.
NATURE BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Polymer Science
Giovanni Bovone, Lucien Cousin, Fabian Steiner, Mark W. Tibbitt
Summary: Solvent controls the size of nanoparticles by limiting the assembly of block copolymers. In the initial stages of mixing, polymers assemble into dynamic aggregates that grow, but further growth is prevented beyond a specific water fraction. This finding enables more efficient nanoparticle engineering.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Dilara Borte Emiroglu, Aleksandar Bekcic, Dalia Dranseikiene, Xinyu Zhang, Tomaso Zambelli, Andrew J. deMello, Mark W. Tibbitt
Summary: This study investigates the relationship between the macroscopic properties of granular hydrogels and the features of their microgel building blocks using contact mechanics. By studying the mechanics of the microgel packings and modeling the system as a collection of two-body interactions, the researchers were able to accurately describe the rheological properties of the granular hydrogels. These findings provide a rational design framework for improving the engineering of this fascinating class of materials.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Florian Huwyler, Janina Eden, Jonas Binz, Leslie Cunningham, Richard Sousa X. Da Silva, Pierre-Alain Clavien, Philipp Dutkowski, Mark W. Tibbitt, Max Hefti
Summary: This study presents a portable spectrophotometric device for real-time measurements of biomarkers, which can improve organ assessment, patient care, and biomarker discovery.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mauro Vasella, Kevin Arnke, Dalia Dranseikiene, Elia Guzzi, Francesca Melega, Gregory Reid, Holger Jan Klein, Riccardo Schweizer, Mark W. Tibbitt, Bong-Sung Kim
Summary: In this study, the feasibility of using methacrylated gelatin (GelMA) as a scaffold for mechanically processed stromal vascular fraction (mSVF) was investigated. The results showed that GelMA maintained cell viability and proliferation, and released growth factors, which had a promoting effect on both mSVF and dermal fibroblasts.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Review
Materials Science, Biomaterials
Oksana Y. Dudaryeva, Stephane Bernhard, Mark W. Tibbitt, Celine Labouesse
Summary: The ability to maintain and differentiate cells in vitro is crucial in bioengineering. However, on stiff culture substrates, cells can experience sustained mechanical stress, leading to mechanical memory that may bias the outcomes of research and treatment. This review discusses the effectors of mechanical memory and its impact on cell expansion and tissue regeneration in bioengineering applications.
ACS BIOMATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Catharina S. Sanger, Martina Cernakova, Mateusz S. Wietecha, Lorenza Garau Paganella, Celine Labouesse, Oksana Y. Dudaryeva, Carole Roubaty, Michael Stumpe, Edoardo Mazza, Mark W. Tibbitt, Jorn Dengjel, Sabine Werner
Summary: We used sorbitol-treated human fibroblasts to study the consequences of hyperosmotic stress in the skin. Sorbitol regulated many genes, and the most robustly regulated gene was PRSS35. PRSS35 affected the extracellular matrix proteome, limiting cell proliferation, and its relevance was reflected in human skin wounds.
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Lisa A. Krattiger, Lukas O. Moser, Rodi Odabasi, Adolfo Odriozola, Benjamin R. Simona, Valentin Djonov, Mark W. Tibbitt, Martin Ehrbar
Summary: This study develops and uses a cell culture-based model to study the effect of anti-angiogenic therapies on the regression and recovery of engineered blood vessels.
ADVANCED HEALTHCARE MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Emilie Vuille-dit-Bille, Dhananjay Deshmukh, Sinead Connolly, Sarah Heub, Stephanie Boder-Pasche, Juerg Dual, Mark W. Tibbitt, Gilles Weder
Summary: Complex three-dimensional in vitro models are crucial in personalized medicine research. Tools for manipulation and positioning of microtissues improve efficiency and reliability in drug development and regenerative medicine. Microtissue positioning techniques are still in the early stages but gaining attention.