Article
Chemistry, Physical
Yi-Chen Sun, Li-Li Wu, Yu-An Chang, Tzu-Yun Li, Yang Lin, Fung-Rong Hu, Wei-Bor Tsai, Kai-Feng Hung
Summary: Zwitterionic poly(carboxybetaine methacrylate) (polyCBMA) can protect the corneal epithelium from desiccation. In the experiments with human corneal epithelial cells (HCECs), it was found that HCECs pretreated with polyCBMA were more resistant to desiccating stress. Moreover, topical pretreatment of the cornea with polyCBMA reduced fluorescein staining, indicating less corneal epithelial damage.
COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Giacomo Domenici, Rodrigo Eduardo, Helena Castillo-Ecija, Gorka Orive, Angel Montero Carcaboso, Catarina Brito
Summary: Ewing's Sarcoma (ES) is the second most common malignant bone tumor in children and young adults, with limited treatment options. To study the disease and develop new therapies, experimental models are crucial. The authors developed a 3D cell culture method using PDX-derived ES cells, which maintained cell characteristics and could be used for drug sensitivity assays.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Yanfang Chen, Xiaojie Sui, Tiantong Zhang, Jing Yang, Lei Zhang, You Han
Summary: Understanding the mechanism of ice recrystallization inhibition (IRI) is crucial for designing new antifreeze protein mimetics and reducing IR-related damage. Through quantitative experimental methods and molecular dynamics simulations, we demonstrate that zwitterionic poly(carboxybetaine methacrylate) (PCBMA) can effectively inhibit ice recrystallization. This study uncovers the atomic-level details of the IRI mechanism in zwitterionic antifreeze protein mimetics and offers insights for the development of next-generation antifreeze protein mimetics.
PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY CHEMICAL PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Chunying Min, Yuzi Yang, Hongyu Liang, Zengbao He, Qiuying Li, Jinfeng Zhu, Kan Zhang, Haiting Shi, Wei Wang
Summary: Isomeric poly(hexahydrotriazine)s (PHTs) were synthesized via a facile method and the influence of chain isomerism on thermal stability, mechanical properties, tribological properties, and degradation rate was investigated. Compared to (TPE-R)PHTs, (TPE-Q)PHTs exhibited higher glass transition temperature, Yang's modulus, and degradation rate. Para-connecting isomers showed better self-lubricating performance.
ACS APPLIED POLYMER MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yixuan Li, Siheng Li, Junqi Sun
Summary: The study successfully fabricated PVA-based plastics with excellent degradability and high mechanical strength by complexing VPVA, HA, and Fe3+ to form VPVA-HA-Fe complexes, showing outstanding performance in watery and soil environments.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Lara L. Reys, Vijayaganapathy Vaithilingam, Mireille M. J. P. E. Sthijns, Eduardo Soares, Timo Rademakers, Rick de Vries, Sami G. Mohammed, Denise de Bont, Marlon J. Jetten, Carolin Hermanns, Omar Paulino da Silva Filho, Adam Stell, Nizar I. Mourad, Pierre Gianello, Vanessa L. S. LaPointe, Simone S. Silva, Rui L. Reis, Tiago H. Silva, Aart A. van Apeldoorn
Summary: Fucoidan, derived from algae, has antioxidant properties and can improve the viability and function of microencapsulated beta cells. When incorporated in ultrapure alginate, fucoidan significantly increases the survival rate and glucose responsiveness of islets, providing a redox-modulatory niche and immune barrier.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Duarte Moura, Andreia T. Pereira, Helena P. Ferreira, Cristina C. Barrias, Fernao D. Magalhaes, Helga Bergmeister, Ines C. Goncalves
Summary: In this study, the mechanical properties of a biocompatible pHEMA hydrogel were enhanced by adding a degradable crosslinker and oxidized graphene-based materials (GBMs), while the degradation time was simultaneously controlled. This has the potential for applications in blood-contacting devices (BCDs) for tissue engineering.
ACTA BIOMATERIALIA
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Yihan Jing, Boguang Yang, Weihao Yuan, Shisong Han, Lizhi Song, Miaoman Ye, Zhi-Yong Zhang, Liming Bian
Summary: Hydrogels stabilized by dynamic reversible crosslinks provide a permissive microenvironment for encapsulated cells in 3D; supramolecular hydrogels based on host-guest interactions have higher structural dynamics but lower elasticity; residual elasticity of hydrogels can be tuned by incorporating covalent crosslinking, affecting the support for stem cells in 3D spreading and intercellular interactions.
APPLIED MATERIALS TODAY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jinghui Yang, Yan Xia
Summary: The researchers developed a novel polymer system that undergoes extensive backbone degradation in response to mechanical stress, synthesized through ring-opening metathesis polymerization and enhanced thermal stability through hydrogenation. The polymers can be easily degraded into small molecule or oligomeric species under mildly acidic conditions.
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Merve Varcin, Berke Bilgenur Sener, Ceren Bayrac
Summary: The study found that adsorption of resazurin on PAA hydrogels improved its stability and reliability in viability assays for both bacteria and mammalian cells. For E. coli inoculums higher than 1.0 x 10(4) CFU/mL, there was no significant difference in the reduction rates of resazurin adsorbed on hydrogels compared to resazurin free in the growth medium, but the stability of resazurin was higher when adsorbed on hydrogels.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
James R. Brown, Jana Herzberger, Glenn Allen Spiering, Emily Wilts, Robert B. Moore, Timothy E. Long
Summary: Degradable poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) hydrogels with acetal functionalization provide a versatile platform for drug delivery and tissue engineering. The tailored morphologies within the acetal-functionalized hydrogels offer fundamental understanding of the multiphase network degradation.
ACS APPLIED POLYMER MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
James R. Brown, Jana Herzberger, Glenn Allen Spiering, Emily Wilts, Robert B. Moore, Timothy E. Long
Summary: Degradable poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) hydrogels with acetal functionalization provide a versatile platform for drug delivery and tissue engineering. The tailored morphologies within the acetal-functionalized hydrogels contribute to the fundamental understanding of multiphase network degradation. The study demonstrates that controlled stoichiometric imbalance of thiol and acrylate functionalities can achieve predictable plateau storage moduli of hydrogels.
ACS APPLIED POLYMER MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Yuji Higaki, Naoki Kuraoka, Takumi Masuda, Mai Nakamura, Emi Hifumi
Summary: English Summary: Cononsolvency refers to the phenomenon where a polymer collapses in specific compositions of good solvent mixtures. In this study, the coil-globule-coil transitions of two zwitterionic polymers, PCB2 and PMPC, were investigated and compared in water, ethanol, and water-ethanol mixed solvents. PCB2 exhibited cononsolvency in water-ethanol mixed solvents with specific ethanol volume fractions. A statistical mechanical model involving competitive hydrogen bonding and cooperative hydration explained the reentrant square well-type sharp coil-globule transition observed in PCB2. PCB2 showed a broader cononsolvency range than PMPC due to its lower association constants of water and ethanol and stronger competition for hydrogen bonding. The zwitterion-specific cononsolvency characteristics were explained based on electrostatic potentials and van der Waals energies.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Nan Wu, Kelly M. Schultz
Summary: This study establishes a quantitative correlation between molecular release and material degradation in hydrogel scaffolds. The type of hydrogel crosslinking reaction greatly affects both material degradation and molecular release, with shear having no impact on degradation or release. Rheological characterization is found to be a useful tool for predicting the release of molecules from degrading hydrogels.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Jiyuan Nai, Yaning Han, Shoudu Zhang, Youxun Li, Xiaowei Chen, Ren'an Wu, Li Wang, Lei Jiang
Summary: Trimethylphenol, a toxic byproduct of industrial process, can be effectively degraded using a sulfite-based oxidation process activated by ZnO-embedded hydrogel. The combination of ZnO catalysts, hydrogel, and sulfite-based advanced oxidation process shows great potential for alkylated phenols treatment.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Po-Ting Wu, Chih-Ling Lin, Che-Wei Lin, Ning-Chu Chang, Wei-Bor Tsai, Jiashing Yu
Article
Biophysics
Ibrahim Nasser Ahmed, Ray Chang, Ming-Chun Keng, Hsiu-Wen Chien, Hsien-Yeh Chen, Wei-Bor Tsai
COLLOIDS AND SURFACES B-BIOINTERFACES
(2019)
Article
Biophysics
Yi Liu, Sai Cheong Ng, Jiashing Yu, Wei-Bor Tsai
COLLOIDS AND SURFACES B-BIOINTERFACES
(2019)
Article
Materials Science, Biomaterials
Wen-Hsuan Chen, Tzu-Ying Liao, Helmut Thissen, Wei-Bor Tsai
ACS BIOMATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING
(2019)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Ray Chang, Qingfeng Yan, Peter Kingshott, Wei-Bor Tsai, Peng-Yuan Wang
ACTA BIOMATERIALIA
(2020)
Article
Materials Science, Biomaterials
Tzu-Ying Liao, Christopher D. Easton, Helmut Thissen, Wei-Bor Tsai
ACS BIOMATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING
(2020)
Review
Chemistry, Physical
Martins Rucins, Aiva Plotniece, Eiva Bernotiene, Wei-Bor Tsai, Arkadij Sobolev
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Shang-Lin Yeh, Ting-Ching Wang, Shin-ichi Yusa, Helmut Thissen, Wei-Bor Tsai
Summary: A simple one-step coating method has been developed to inhibit the adhesion of L929 cells and significantly reduce protein adsorption, with a positive correlation to increasing coating time, surface hydrophilicity, and film thickness. The coating exhibits resistance against harsh sterilization conditions and stability for long-term storage in phosphate-buffered saline, making it applicable for the manufacture of medical devices.
Article
Polymer Science
Pei-Ju Chen, Hsien-Yeh Chen, Wei-Bor Tsai
Summary: In this study, a functional poly-p-xylylene thin film was prepared using chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and molecules were immobilized on the surface through click chemistry. It was found that this method effectively inhibited cell adhesion and protein adsorption, providing a simple and powerful tool for fabricating antifouling surfaces.
Article
Materials Science, Biomaterials
Shang-Lin Yeh, Piyush Deval, Jhih-Guang Wu, Shyh-Chyang Luo, Wei-Bor Tsai
Summary: Electrochemical techniques are sensitive and label-free methods for detecting biomarkers, toxins, or pathogens. A one-step electrodeposition method based on pyrogallol polymerization was developed to prepare a nonfouling and biotinylated surface. The platform efficiently fabricates electrochemical biosensors and has the potential for conjugating various biosensing elements for nonfouling biosensors.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY B
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Piyush Deval, Chia-Hsuan Lin, Wei-Bor Tsai
Summary: In this study, a continuous antifouling gradient surface was developed using a simple and fast method to fabricate a gradient of pSBAE on glass slides. This method can be used for high-throughput screening of surface properties to modulate biointerfaces.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Ting-Ching Wang, Wei-Bor Tsai
Summary: This study aimed to mathematically model the release behavior of polymer-drug conjugates and proposed a diffusion model suitable for macromolecular drugs. The results showed that hydrogels have a heterogeneous structure, and the release of macromolecules is affected by diffusion in different regions. Additionally, this study demonstrated the applicability of a biphasic model in designing hydrogel systems for precision drug release.
JOURNAL OF THE TAIWAN INSTITUTE OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERS
(2022)
Article
Polymer Science
Hsiu-Wen Chien, Jen-Chia Wu, Ying-Chih Chang, Wei-Bor Tsai
Summary: Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) serve as indicators for cancer detection, diagnosis, and monitoring, providing biological information for personalized medicine. A study presents a CTC capture-and-release system using a polymer with disulfide bonds, allowing specific capture and non-destructive release of CTCs from blood.
Article
Chemistry, Organic
Egils Bisenieks, Janis Poikans, Aiva Plotniece, Eiva Bernotiene, Wei-Bor Tsai, Arkadij Sobolev
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Cheng-Hung Chen, Ching-Cheng Tsai, Po-Ting Wu, Ing-Kae Wang, Jiashing Yu, Wei-Bor Tsai
ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS
(2019)