Bifunctional Smart Textiles with Simultaneous Motion Monitoring and Thermotherapy for Human Joint Injuries.

The motion detection and thermotherapy provides a convenient strategy for the diagnosis and rehabilitation assessment of joint injuries. However, it is still challenging to simultaneously achieve accurate joint motion monitoring and on-demand thermotherapy. Herein, core-sheath sensing yarns (CSSYs) is proposed and fabricated for excellent electrical and photothermal heating, which consists of carbon black (CB)-coated nylon (sheath layer), silver-plated nylon and elastic spandex yarns (core layer). The CSSYs demonstrates great joule heating performance, which reaches 75 °C at 2 V applied voltage. The good thermal management performance can be well maintained when weaving these yarns into bifunctional smart textile. Further, the optimized double-ply CSSYs (DPCSSYs) with helically twisted structure possess several appealing sensing performance, including preferable strain sensitivity (0.854), excellent linearity (0.962), and superior durability (over 5000 cycles). The as-woven bifunctional smart textile can provide instant and convenient thermotherapy to the injured joints, and simultaneously monitor the injury and recovery conditions of the joint. Therefore, the designed bifunctional smart textile can provide a promising route for developing next-generation healthcare smart textile.

Waggle needling Yanglingquan (GB34) enhances cerebral blood flow and ameliorates condition of spastic paresis in rats with middle cerebral artery occlusion induced by surgical nylon suture.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy and the influence on cerebral blood supply of waggle needling Yanglingquan (GB34) on spastic paresis (SP) rats after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) induced and investigate its mechanism of relieving neurobehavior deficiency. METHODS: SP rat model was produced by permanent MCAO. Rats were divided into five groups: blank control group (Control), sham operation group (Sham), model group (Model), waggle needling group (WN) and perpendicular needling group (PN). SP rats were treated with acupuncture from day 3 after MCAO, once a day for 6 d. The modified neurological severity score (mNSS) and modified Ashworth scale (MAS) were conducted on days 0, 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9. Cerebral blood flow (CBF) in ischemic cortex was measured by laser speckle imaging 5 min pre ischemia, 5 min post ischemia, and after intervention on day 9. All rats were sacrificed at day 9 and the protein and mRNA expressions of γ2 subunit of the γ-aminobutyric acid receptor A (GABAAγ2) and K+-Cl?cotransporter 2 (KCC2) in the ischemic cortex and lumber enlargement was measured by Western blotting and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Both Control and Sham groups showed no changes in mNSS and MAS scores and in the regional CBF. Compared with Model group, both WN and PN treatments significantly ameliorated neurological deficit ( 0.01), decreased muscle tone ( 0.05), and enhanced CBF ( 0.001) in SP rats; moreover, WN showed superior effects than PN ( 0.001). In line with the improvement in neurobehavior, acupuncture interventions up-regulated the expressions of GABAAγ2 and KCC2 in the ischemic cortex as well as lumber enlargement ( 0.01) in SP rats, and those changes were more obvious in WN ( 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Acupuncture at Yanglingquan (GB34) enhanced cerebral blood flow and ameliorated SP in permanent MCAO rats, while waggle needling was superior to regular perpendicular needling. Waggle needling Yanglingquan (GB34) would be a potential complementary therapy for SP.

Toughening of Bio-Based PA 6.19 by Copolymerization with PA 6.6 - Synthesis and Production of Melt-Spun Monofilaments and Knitted Fabrics.

This work reports on the synthesis of statistical copolymers of bio-based PA 6.19 and PA 6.6 together with the production of melt-spun monofilaments for the production of sustainable textile fibers. The plant oil-based 1.19-nonadecanedioic acid is synthesized from bio-derived oleic acid via isomerizing methoxycarbonylation. The homopolymer PA 6.19 with a carbon-based bio-content of 72% shows a good elongation at break of 166%, but lower tensile strength than commercial PA 6 (43 MPa versus 82 MPa). Addition of adipic acid to form statistical PA 6.6/6.19 copolymers improves toughness while maintaining the high elongation at break. Two PA 6.6/6.19 copolymers with a carbon-based bio-content of 26% and 33% are successfully synthesized and exhibited comparable toughness (94  ±  6 MPa and 92  ±  2 MPa) to the commercial PA 6 (92  ±  15 MPa). The bio-based copolymers also exhibit a much lower water uptake than PA 6 and PA 6.6, resulting in a higher dimensional stability. Melt spinning of the oleic acid-based polyamides is successfully carried out to produce monofilaments with sufficient properties for further processing in a knitting process, demonstrating the capabilities of the bio-based PA 6.6/6.19 copolymers for use in the textile industry.

A novel green phosphorus-containing flame retardant finishing on polysaccharide-modified polyamide 66 fabric for improving hydrophilicity and durability.

Rising concerns about the toxic effects and environmental issues associated with various fireproof treatments on textiles have led to a demand for "green" materials. Chitosan (CS) is an amino polysaccharide green, recyclable, and non-toxic highly biocompatible biopolymer that consists of multiple hydroxyl groups and has a wide range of applications, including as a flame retardant additive. In this study, an eco-friendly bio-based formaldehyde-free flame retardant containing a higher level of phosphorus and nitrogen in phytic acid ammonia (PAA) was synthesized to amplify the most plentiful green chitosan (CS)-modified polyamide 66 (PA66) fabric surface through a simple pad-dry-cure technique for the improvement of durable flame retardancy with hydrophilicity. The findings revealed that each UV-grafted CS fabric could entirely stop the melt-dripping tendency during the vertical burning (UL-94) test and reached a V-1 rating. Meanwhile, limiting oxygen index (LOI) testing showed a rapid increase from 18.5 % to 24 % for the PA66 control and the PAA-treated (i.e., PA66-g-5CS-PAA) fabric samples, respectively. Moreover, compared to the PA66 control sample, a dramatic decrease in the peak heat release rate (PHRR), fire growth rate (FGR), and total heat release (THR) by approximately over 52 %, 0.63 %, and 19.7 %, respectively, was observed for the PA66-g-5CS-PAA fabric sample. Additionally, this arrangement of PAA catalyzed the charring of grafted CS and acted as a condensed phase flame retardant, resulting in a significant improvement in char yield% in both air and N2 atmospheres for the PA66-g-5CS-PAA fabric sample in TGA. In addition, only the lower grafting ratio of CS with PAA-treated fabric sample (i.e., PA66-g-2CS-PAA) could encourage it to gain its lowest water contact angle of 00, as well as impersonating a positive effect in improving the flame retardant coating durability in washing and sustaining even after 10 home laundering cycles. This phenomenon suggests that an actual hydrophilic and durable flame retardant finishing procedure for polyamide 66 fabrics might be applied with the novel, plentiful, sustainable, and environmentally friendly bio-based green PAA ingredient.

Influence of Centrifugation and Transmembrane Treatment on Determination of Polyphenols and Antioxidant Ability for Sea Buckthorn Juice.

When the total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activity of sea buckthorn juice were assayed by spectrophotometry, the reaction solutions were not clarified, so centrifugation or membrane treatment was needed before determination. In order to find a suitable method for determining TPC and antioxidant activity, the effects of centrifugation and nylon membrane treatment on the determination of TPC and antioxidant activity in sea buckthorn juice were studied. TPC was determined by the Folin-Ciocalteau method, and antioxidant activity was determined by DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP assays. For Treatment Method (C): the sample was centrifuged for 10 min at 10,000 rpm and the supernatant was taken for analysis. Method (CF): The sample was centrifuged for 10 min at 4000 rpm, filtered by Nylon 66 filtration membranes with pore size of 0.22 µm, and taken for analysis. Method (F): the sample was filtered by Nylon 66 filtration membranes with pore size of 0.22 µm and taken for analysis. Method (N): after the sample of ultrasonic extract solution reacted completely with the assay system, the reaction solution was filtered by Nylon 66 filtration membranes with pore size of 0.22 µm and colorimetric determination was performed. The results showed that centrifugation or transmembrane treatment could affect the determination of TPC and antioxidant activity of sea buckthorn juice. There was no significant difference (p > 0.05) between methods (CF) and (F), while there was a significant difference (p < 0.05) between methods (C) (F) (N) or (C) (CF) (N). The TPC and antioxidant activity of sea buckthorn juice determined by the four treatment methods showed the same trend with fermentation time, and the TPC and antioxidant activity showed a significant positive correlation (p < 0.05). The highest TPC or antioxidant activity measured by method (N) indicates that method (N) has the least loss of TPC or antioxidant activity, and it is recommended for sample assays.

Synthesis and Characterization of a New Copolymer Consisting of Polyamide 1210 and Reactive Phosphorus-Nitrogen Flame-Retardant.

The thermal stability and reactivity of organophosphorus flame-retardants play a critical role in synthesizing copolymerized flame-retardant polyamides. Herein, this work successfully synthesizes a flame-retardant CEPPA-DDA salt (CDS) with both good thermal stability and high reactivity by reacting 2-carboxyethyl phenyl phosphonic acid (CEPPA) with 1,12-dodecanediamine (DDA). Flame-retardant polyamide 1210 (FRPA) is further prepared by copolymerizing the CDS, DDA, and sebacic acid (SEA). The test results show that the introduction of CDS can significantly improve the flame-retardant properties of FRPA. Specifically, the flame-retardant polyamide 1210 (FRPA-7) with 7 wt% CDS addition can reach V-0 grade according to UL-94 standard, accompanying limiting oxygen index value of 30.2% and tensile strength of 38.62 MPa. Compared with pure polyamide 1210, the peak heat release rate and total heat release rate of FRPA-7 reduce by 24.11% and 9.40%, respectively. This study provides a simple strategy to prepare flame-retardant polyamides with high flame retardancy and good mechanical properties, which are expected to show great potentials in future industrial applications.

Highly efficient extraction of uranium from seawater by polyamide and amidoxime co-functionalized MXene.

Uranium mainly exists in the form of uranyl carbonate in seawater. [UO2(CO3)3]4- has strong stability, which increases the difficulty of uranium extraction from seawater. Meanwhile, the complex marine environment, a large number of coexisting competing ions and biological pollution are all non-negligible disturbing factors. Herein, we introduced amidoxime (AO) groups into the surface of Ti3C2 and grafted polyamides (PA) by a simple one-step hydrothermal method to produce an efficient seawater uranium extraction adsorbent Ti3C2-AO-PA. Owing to the amidoxime groups, the material was highly selective for uranium. And the large number of amino groups in the polyamides gave it ideal resistance to biofouling. The possibility of Ti3C2-AO-PA as an adsorbent for uranium extraction from seawater was confirmed by various characterization techniques, numerous adsorption batch experiments, simulated seawater experiments and antibacterial performance tests. It was demonstrated that the uptake of [UO2(CO3)3]4- by Ti3C2-AO-PA showed fast reaction kinetics (about 120 min), brilliant absorption capacity (81.1 mg·g-1 at pH 8.3), significant high selectivity (32.8 mg-U/g-Ads) and outstanding anti-biological contamination performance (92.9% antibacterial rate). XPS and DFT further indicated that the high extraction ability of Ti3C2-AO-PA for uranium was mainly attributed to the strong complexation of AO and -NH2 with [UO2(CO3)3]4-. These conclusions showed that Ti3C2-AO-PA not only had an ideal application prospect for uranium extraction from seawater, but also provided an available strategy for rapid and selective uranium adsorption from real seawater.

Multienzymatic synthesis of nylon monomers from vegetable oils.

Nylons are important polyamide (PA) materials that can be polymerized from different monomers. Bio-based nylon monomers are traditionally obtained through chemical conversion from vegetable oils, but they can be more sustainably obtained through multienzymatic catalysis. For large-scale application of this process, enzyme engineering and process innovation must be combined.

Separation of Antioxidants from Trace Fraction of Ribes himalense via Chromatographic Strategy and Their Antioxidant Activity Supported with Molecular Simulations.

Antioxidants from natural sources have long been of interest to researchers. In this paper, taking the traditional Tibetan medicine Ribes himalense as an example, an integrated approach was used to identify and isolate its chemical composition with free-radical-scavenging properties from its ethanol extract. First, the ethanol extract of Ribes himalense was pretreated using polyamide medium-pressure liquid chromatography (polyamide-MPLC), and the target fraction (Fr4) was obtained. Then, a combined HPLC mode was utilized to purify antioxidants in Fr4 under the guidance of an online HPLC-1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (HPLC-DPPH) activity screening system. Finally, three antioxidants (3-caffeoylquinic acid methyl ester, rutin, and myricetin-3'-α-L-rhamnopyranoside) were isolated, and this is the first report of their presence in R. himalense. Further molecular docking studies showed that the antioxidants exhibited good binding with HO-1, Nrf2, and iNOS. In conclusion, this comprehensive approach is capable of extracting high-purity antioxidants from trace fractions of Ribes himalense and holds promise for future applications in the exploration of the chemical compositions and bioactivity of natural products.

Safety assessment of charcoal usage and effects of common charcoal ignition aiders on combustion indices.

Charcoal is a popular form of biofuel embraced for domestic and industrial purposes. However, the use of Charcoal has some associated challenges, such as the required charcoal pot and setting it into the fire at first by using Charcoal-Ignition-Aiders (CIA) (e.g. discarded paper, nylon, rubber, plastics, petrol, the residue of processed palm oil, maise cob, wood, and kerosene). Coupled with the chemical properties of Charcoal, the resulting gases from CIA are capable of polluting the environment with perceived Adverse-Health-Implications (AHI) on the ecosystem. Therefore, this study conducted a safety assessment of charcoal biofuel usage and the effects of common CIA on combustion indices. This study followed standard methods and the use of peculiar equipment. This study established that Charcoal is commonly used in the studied area because it is cheap, readily available and requires less technical know-how. Considering the combustion indices, using paper as a CIA generated the lowest carbon monoxide (CO) value, 28.1 ppm, with 3,434.54 ppm volatile organic compound, VOC. Compared with the ACGIH standard permissible exposure level of ≤ 30 ppm, the paper gave a lesser CO value of 28.10 ppm among all the CIA. At the same time, all the CIA recorded higher VOC compared with EPA standard permissible exposure level of ≤ 15 ppm. ANOVA analysis conducted on the socio-demographic profile of the respondents, cooking attributes of the respondents, and use of charcoal pot types by the respondents in Zone 1, Zone 2, and Zone 3 gave p-values of 0.032, 0.028, and 0.039, respectively. These imply significant differences within the zones in each of the indices. The average energy content reported for charcoals sourced from oak trees, afara, obeche, mahogany, and iroko woods is 3,2149 kJ/kg compared to the lower ones. Therefore, this study recommended using these charcoals alongside discarded paper as CIA because they are a better combination to reduce AHI.

Copolymer-Functionalized Cellulose Nanocrystals as a pH- and NIR-Triggered Drug Carrier for Simultaneous Photothermal Therapy and Chemotherapy of Cancer Cells.

As a class of biocompatible and biodegradable naturally derived nanomaterials, cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) with diverse surface functionalization have aroused considerable attention for a range of biomedical applications in drug or gene delivery, as a fluorescent nanoprobe, in cancer targeting, and in photothermal cancer therapy, among others. Herein, we construct the copolymer-functionalized CNCs as a pH- and near-infrared (NIR)-triggered drug carrier for simultaneous photothermal therapy and chemotherapy of cancer cells. Poly(ε-caprolactone)-b-poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) (PCL-b-PDMAEMA) was conjugated onto the surface of CNCs through ring-opening polymerization, followed by activators regenerated by electron transfer atom transfer radical polymerization (ARGET ATRP). The resultant CNC-based drug carrier can encapsulate doxorubicin (DOX) as a therapeutic agent and indocyanine green (ICG) as an NIR dye in the PCL core and the PDMAEMA shell, respectively, via hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions. In addition to the intrinsic pH response, the release profile of DOX can also be controlled by the duration of laser irradiation due to collapse of the crystal structure of the PCL domain with the increase of temperature induced by photothermal conversion. The drug carrier can exhibit enhanced cytotoxicity toward HepG2, human hepatocyte carcinoma, cells upon laser irradiation, which can be attributed to the synergistic effect arising from NIR-triggered burst release of DOX and photothermal heating. The rod-like morphology of the CNC-based drug carrier may help accelerate the endocytosis in cell membranes compared with its common spherical counterpart. Based on the abovementioned advantages, copolymer-functionalized CNCs can serve as a promising candidate for effective cancer treatment.

Occurrence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, microplastics and biofilms in Alqueva surface water at touristic spots.

Freshwater pollution is a huge concern. A study aiming to evaluate physico-chemical characteristics, microbiota, occurrence of two groups of persistent environmental pollutants with similar chemical properties (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons- PAHs and microplastics - MPs) in Alqueva's surface water was performed during 2021. Water samples were collected at three spots related to touristic activities (two beaches and one marina) during the Winter, Spring, Summer and Autumn seasons. In addition, the presence of biofilms on plastic and natural materials (stone, wood/ vegetal materials) were assessed and compared. Water quality based on physicochemical parameters was acceptable with a low eutrophication level. PAHs concentration levels were lower than the standard limits established for surface waters by international organizations. However, carcinogenic compounds were detected in two sampling locations, which can pose a problem for aquatic ecosystems. PAHs profiles showed significant differences when comparing the dry seasons with the rainy seasons, with a higher number of different compounds detected in Spring. Low molecular weigh compounds, usually associated with the atmospheric deposition and petroleum contamination, were more prevalent. MPs were detected in all samples except one during the Winter season. The polymers detected were poly(methyl-2-methylpropenoate), polystyrene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyamide, polypropylene, styrene butadiene, polyvinyl chloride and low /high density polyethylene with the last being the most frequent. Biofilms were more often detected on plastics than on natural materials. In addition, biofilms detected on plastics were more complex with higher microbial diversity (e.g., bacteria, fungi/yeast and phytoplancton organisms) and richer in extrapolymeric material. Based on morphological analysis a good agreement between microbiota and microorganism present in the biofilms was found. Among microbiota were identified microorganisms previously linked to plastic and PAHs detoxification suggesting the need for further studies to evaluate the viability of using biofilms as part of a green bioremediation strategy to mitigate water pollution.

Adsorption of pesticides and personal care products on pristine and weathered microplastics in the marine environment. Comparison between bio-based and conventional plastics.

The hydrophobicity of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) makes them adsorb on microplastics in the marine environment, affecting their distribution, persistence, or their transfer to the trophic chain. Fragrances and non-polar pesticides can be adsorbed by microplastics in the marine environment because of their physico-chemical characteristics. In this work, the adsorption of two pesticides (α-endosulfan and chlorpyrifos) and 6 musk fragrances (musk xylene, musk ketone, musk moskene, galaxolide, tonalide, and celestolide) on polyamide (PA6) (a petroleum based polymer) and on polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) (biopolymer) in seawater was studied, considering also the effect of water temperature and plastic weathering. Results show higher adsorption of the selected pollutants for PHB than PA, being PA more affected by the water temperature and the plastic weathering. The highest percentage of adsorption was achieved in most cases at 24 h. In addition, this process was irreversible, as it showed the leaching assays. Besides, this work revealed that plastics mitigate the degradation of α-endosulfan in aquatic media (hydrolysis), showing that plastics can act as inhibitors of degradation of POPs, increasing its persistence in the environment.

Transition in plant-plant facilitation in response to soil water and phosphorus availability in a legume-cereal intercropping system.

BACKGROUND: The tradeoff between negative and positive interactions of facilitated species and facilitators may depend on the degree of resource availability in agroecosystems. However, the rhizospheric mechanisms driving trade-offs that occur along phosphorus (P) and water availability gradients have not yet been systematically clarified. We established three types of root isolation conditions (no barrier, nylon barrier and solid barrier) at different P and water addition levels to address the above issue in a maize-grass pea intercropping system. RESULTS: The total yield and biomass net effect (NE) and the relative interaction index (RII) were significantly higher than 0 under all environmental conditions, demonstrating that plant-plant interactions generated positive effects in the intercropping system. The maize yield and biomass RII were 0.029-0.095 and 0.018-0.066, respectively, which indicated that maize growth was constantly facilitated. However, the RII for grass pea yield and biomass exhibited a different trend in comparison with maize. It was higher than 0 (as the facilitated species) under low soil P and moisture conditions and transitioned to values lower than 0 (facilitator species) under high P and moisture conditions, which showed that the type and intensity of plant-plant interactions steadily shifted with the applied stressors. Direct interactions decreased the maize rhizospheric soil pH by 1.5% and 1.9% under Low-P conditions. Notably, the rhizospheric soil acid and alkaline phosphatase secretions of maize and grass pea increased by 17.4-27.4% and 15.3-27.7%, respectively, in P-deficient soils. These results show that plant-plant interactions can effectively relieve P stress by mineralizing organophosphorus in P-deficient soils. Furthermore, the above tendency became more pronounced under drought-stressed conditions. The nylon barrier partially restricted the exchange and utilization of available nutrients and decreased the total yield and biomass by 1.8-7.8% and 1.1-7.8%, respectively. The presence of a solid barrier completely restricted interspecific rhizospheric interactions and decreased the total yield and biomass by 2.1-13.8% and 1.6-15.7%, respectively. Phytate and KH2PO4 addition intensified asymmetric interspecific competition, and grass pea was consistently subjected to competitive pressures. CONCLUSION: Briefly, the tradeoff between facilitation and competition was driven by rhizospheric interactions, and the transition in the intensity and type of interaction was highly dependent on resource availability in a biologically diverse system.

Anticandidal efficacy on polymide based denture resin using Photodynamic therapy, chemical and herbal disinfectants and their effect on surface roughness and hardness.

AIM: The present study aimed to evaluate the anticandidal effectiveness of PDT, DL, Triphala, CHX, and NE and their effects on Ra and the hardness of polyamide denture base colonized with C. Albicans. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 50 thermo-injected polyamide denture resins were constructed and inoculated by the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) of C. albicans in an in-vitro setup. The specimens were arbitrarily allocated into five groups, pre-candida count was measured then subjected to the diverse polyamide denture disinfection methodologies: Group 1: PDT, Group 2: Diode Laser, group 3: Triphala, group 4: 0.12% CHX (Control) and group 5 Neem extract. After disinfection protocol, post-candida count (CFU/ml) was assessed. Surface roughness and surface hardness of polyamide dentures were evaluated and statistical differences in the Ra and Vickers hardness was also assessed. Statistical analysis was performed for CFU/mL (log10) for exposed C. albicans by two-way ANOVA and Tukey's multiple test (p>0.05). For normality of the data, Kolmogorov Smirnov test was executed. RESULTS: The highest anti-microbial efficacy against Candida colonies was displayed by chemical control group 0.12% CHX (11.39 ± 1.8 CFU/ml). This was comparable to herbal NE (12.45 ± 2.9 CFU/ml) (p>0.05). There was no statistical difference found in the surface hardness values among the disinfected groups. Group 2: DL (1.32 ± 0.13 µm) showed the highest Ra value comparable to group 1: PDT (1.21 ± 0.22 µm) CONCLUSION: Polyamide denture base colonized with C. Albicans and disinfected with 0.12% Chlorhexidine and Neem extract demonstrated the highest antimicrobial efficacy with decreased surface roughness and no alteration in denture hardness.

Enhanced Water Permeability and Antifouling Property of Coffee-Ring-Textured Polyamide Membranes by In Situ Incorporation of a Zwitterionic Metal-Organic Framework.

Modulation of the polyamide structure is critically important for the reverse-osmosis performance of thin-film composite (TFC) membranes in the field of water reuse and desalination. Herein, zwitterionic nanoparticles of zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (PZ@ZIF-8) were fabricated and incorporated into the polyamide active layer through the interfacial polymerization method. A hydrophilic, zwitterionic coffee-ring structure was formed on the surface of polyamide thin-film nanocomposite (TFN) membranes due to the adjusted diffusion rate of m-phenylenediamine (MPD) from the aqueous phase into the organic phase during the interfacial polymerization process. Surface characterization demonstrated that the coffee-ring structure increased the amounts of water transport channels on the membrane surface and the intrinsic pores of PZ@ZIF-8 maintained the salt rejection. Antifouling and bactericidal activities of TFN membranes were enhanced remarkably owing to the bacterial-"defending" and bacterial-"attacking" behaviors of hydrophilic and zwitterionic groups from PZ@ZIF-8 nanoparticles. This work would provide a promising method for the application of MOFs to enhance the bio-/organic-fouling resistance of TFN membranes with high water permeation and salt rejection.

Enzymatic degradation of ginkgolic acids by laccase immobilized on core/shell Fe3O4/nylon composite nanoparticles using novel coaxial electrospraying process.

Enzyme immobilization can increase enzyme reusability to reduce cost of industrial production. Ginkgo biloba leaf extract is commonly used for medical purposes, but it contains ginkgolic acid, which has negative effects on human health. Here, we report a novel approach to solve the problem by degrading the ginkgolic acid with immobilized-laccase, where core/shell composite nanoparticles prepared by coaxial electrospraying might be first applied to enzyme immobilization. The core/shell Fe3O4/nylon 6,6 composite nanoparticles (FNCNs) were prepared using one-step coaxial electrospraying and can be simply recovered by magnetic force. The glutaraldehyde-treated FNCNs (FNGCNs) were used to immobilize laccase. As a result, thermal stability of the free laccase was significantly improved in the range of 60-90 °C after immobilization. The laccase-immobilized FNGCNs (L-FNGCNs) were applied to degrade the ginkgolic acids, and the rate constants (k) and times (τ50) were ~0.02 min-1 and lower than 39 min, respectively, showing good catalytic performance. Furthermore, the L-FNGCNs exhibited a relative activity higher than 0.5 after being stored for 21 days or reused for 5 cycles, showing good storage stability and reusability. Therefore, the FNGCNs carrier was a promising enzyme immobilization system and its further development and applications were of interest.

Polymers and Composites Derived from Castor Oil as Sustainable Materials and Degradable Biomaterials: Current Status and Emerging Trends.

Recent years have seen rapid growth in utilizing vegetable oils to derive a wide variety of polymers to replace petroleum-based polymers for minimizing environmental impact. Nonedible castor oil (CO) can be extracted from castor plants that grow easily, even in an arid land. CO is a promising source for developing several polymers such as polyurethanes, polyesters, polyamides, and epoxy-polymers. Several synthesis routes have been developed, and distinct properties of polymers have been studied for industrial applications. Furthermore, fillers and fibers, including nanomaterials, have been incorporated in these polymers for enhancing their physical, thermal, and mechanical properties. This review highlights the development of CO-based polymers and their composites with attractive properties for industrial and biomedical applications. Recent advancements in CO-based polymers and their composites are presented along with a discussion on future opportunities for further developments in diverse applications.

Soft Defect-Tolerant Material Inspired by American Lobsters.

The joint membrane of the American lobster shows an excellent combination of high strength, toughness, and defect tolerance due to the periodic helicoidal stacking of the fiber layers that are connected by a weak continuous matrix. Inspired by the joint membrane of American lobsters, we simply use nonwoven fabrics and silicon rubber to fabricate a multilayer soft composite with the helicoidal stacking and controllable matrix. The influences of stacking structure, matrix strength, fabrics strength, and notch size on the fracture behavior of the soft composite during the tensile process are systematically analyzed by both experimental tests and finite element analysis (FEA). We find that similar to the joint membrane, the soft composite demonstrates a gradual failure process and a linear relationship between tensile strength/toughness and notch size. Such phenomena demonstrate the strong defect-tolerant ability, thereby imparting the soft composite with both high strength and toughness. The defect-tolerant ability is closely related to the helicoidal stacking and weak matrix between the fabrics layers, which induce crack deflection and inhibit the propagation of cracks across the sample.

Curcumin loaded poly (amidoamine) dendrimer-plamitic acid core-shell nanoparticles as anti-stress therapeutics.

Despite poor bioavailability of the drug and in vivo stability, curcumin has been reported for many pharmacological activities. Considering the potential of dendrimers as a drug delivery system, current research work is focused on the formulation and characterization of G4 PAMAM dendrimer-Palmitic acid core-shell nanoparticle-containing curcumin as antistress therapeutics to maximize the bioavailability of curcumin. Various formulations were prepared using different concentrations of palmitic acid and an optimized ratio of dendrimer and curcumin. All formulations were investigated for evaluation of physicochemical parameters, encapsulation efficiency, and in vitro release. Particle size, PDI, zeta-potential, and encapsulation efficiency of final formulation was found to be 257.9 ± 0.365 nm, 0.10 ± 0.004, 3.59 ± 0.167 mV, and 80.87%, respectively. In vitro release studies have shown that 53.62 ± 2.431% of the drug was released after 24 h. In vivo studies pharmacokinetic parameters, drug distribution, pharmacological, and toxicological were also estimated using swiss albino mice. The findings have shown the selected formulation is better than plain curcumin formulation.