RESUMEN
Capillary penetration of a series of entangled poly(ethylene oxide) melts within nanopores of self-ordered alumina follows an approximate t1/2 behavior according to the Lucas-Washburn equation; t is the time. However, the dependence on the capillary diameter deviates from the predicted proportionality to d1/2; d is the pore diameter. We observed a reversal in the dynamics of capillary rise with polymer molecular weight. Chains with 50 entanglements (Mw ≤ 100 kg/mol) or less show a slower capillary rise than theoretically predicted as opposed to chains with more entanglements (Mw ≥ 500 kg/mol) that display a faster capillary rise. Although a faster capillary rise has been predicted by theory and observed experimentally, it is the first time to our knowledge that a slower capillary rise is observed for an entangled polymer melt under conditions of strong confinement (with 2Rg/d = 1). These results are discussed in the light of theoretical predictions for the existence of a critical length scale that depends on the molecular weight and separates the microscopic (d < d*) from the macroscopic (d > d*) regime.
RESUMEN
Efficient wound repair is crucial for mammalian survival. Healing of skin wounds is severely hampered in diabetic patients, resulting in chronic non-healing wounds that are difficult to treat. High-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) is an important signaling molecule that is released during wounding, thereby delaying regenerative responses in the skin. Here, we show that dissolving glycyrrhizin, a potent HMGB1 inhibitor, in water results in the formation of a hydrogel with remarkable rheological properties. We demonstrate that these glycyrrhizin-based hydrogels accelerate cutaneous wound closure in normoglycemic and diabetic mice by influencing keratinocyte migration. To facilitate topical application of glycyrrhizin hydrogels on cutaneous wounds, several concentrations of glycyrrhizinic acid in water were tested for their rheological, structural, and biological properties. By varying the concentration of glycyrrhizin, these hydrogel properties can be readily tuned, enabling customized wound care.