Canine oral melanoma with suspected pulmonary metastasis: Combination of immunotherapy and tyrosine kinase inhibitor treatment.

This case report follows a 10-year-old castrated male Miniature Schnauzer dog presented with a history of incomplete surgical resection of an oral malignant melanoma (amelanotic type) on the right mandible. Melanoma vaccine therapy was administered due to incomplete surgical resection, however, new masses were detected on the contralateral mandible and suspected pulmonary metastasis occurred at 2 weeks and 7 months, respectively, following the first melanoma vaccination. At the time of detecting the pulmonary metastasis, targeted chemotherapy was initiated with the owner's consent using imatinib (10 mg/kg/day, p.o.), a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI). The patient did not show any significant adverse events related to both anticancer treatments. Three months following the first dose of imatinib, the absence of the suspected pulmonary metastatic nodules on radiography indicated complete remission. In conclusion, this report describes the achievement of clinical remission of suspected pulmonary metastatic oral malignant melanoma and an extension of survival time in a dog given a combination treatment of immunotherapy and tyrosine kinase inhibitor.

Different outcomes of multiple sialadenitis involving the submandibular and zygomatic salivary glands in a Welsh Corgi dog.

A ten-year-old indoor, castrated male Cardigan Welsh Corgi (Canis familiaris) presented with the chief complaints of chronic vomiting, retching, hypersalivation, and bilateral submandibular masses for two months. The systemic examinations, including serum chemistry, radiography, ultrasonography, and fluoroscopy, were unremarkable. A fine-needle aspiration revealed bilateral submandibular sialadenitis. Broad-spectrum antibiotics with phenobarbital were prescribed to alleviate the ptyalism. Thereafter, the left submandibular glands were normalised, and the right submandibular glands decreased to half their size. Three weeks later, the animal had an emergency visit because of a sudden left exophthalmos. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed enlarged left zygomatic and right mandibular salivary glands. The affected glands were surgically removed; the histopathologic examination confirmed non-septic sialadenitis, and the patient was finally diagnosed with idiopathic sialadenitis. Vomiting continued after the gland removal and the dog required a gradual increase in the phenobarbital dosage and an additional antiepileptic drug (potassium bromide) to manage the symptoms. The patient died eight months later from an unknown cause. This case report of bilateral submandibular sialadenitis concurrent with unilateral zygomatic sialadenitis in a Welsh Corgi dog suggests that when multiple salivary glands are involved, the response to anti-epileptic drugs and the prognosis is poor compared to that involving a single salivary gland.

Nano-Sized Extracellular Matrix Particles Lead to Therapeutic Improvement for Cutaneous Wound and Hindlimb Ischemia.

Cell-derived matrix (CDM) has proven its therapeutic potential and been utilized as a promising resource in tissue regeneration. In this study, we prepared a human fibroblast-derived matrix (FDM) by decellularization of in vitro cultured cells and transformed the FDM into a nano-sized suspended formulation (sFDM) using ultrasonication. The sFDM was then homogeneously mixed with Pluronic F127 and hyaluronic acid (HA), to effectively administer sFDM into target sites. Both sFDM and sFDM containing hydrogel (PH/sFDM) were characterized via immunofluorescence, sol-gel transition, rheological analysis, and biochemical factors array. We found that PH/sFDM hydrogel has biocompatible, mechanically stable, injectable properties and can be easily administered into the external and internal target regions. sFDM itself holds diverse bioactive molecules. Interestingly, sFDM-containing serum-free media helped maintain the metabolic activity of endothelial cells significantly better than those in serum-free condition. PH/sFDM also promoted vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) secretion from monocytes in vitro. Moreover, when we evaluated therapeutic effects of PH/sFDM via the murine full-thickness skin wound model, regenerative potential of PH/sFDM was supported by epidermal thickness, significantly more neovessel formation, and enhanced mature collagen deposition. The hindlimb ischemia model also found some therapeutic improvements, as assessed by accelerated blood reperfusion and substantially diminished necrosis and fibrosis in the gastrocnemius and tibialis muscles. Together, based on sFDM holding a strong therapeutic potential, our engineered hydrogel (PH/sFDM) should be a promising candidate in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.

Effect of external airflow resistive load on postural and exercise-associated cardiovascular and pulmonary responses in pregnancy: a case control study.

BACKGROUND: Facial coverings (e.g., balaclavas, niqabs, medical/surgical masks, respirators, etc.), that impose low levels of airflow resistive loads, are worn by millions of pregnant women worldwide, but little data exist addressing their impact on pregnancy-associated cardiovascular and pulmonary responses. METHODS: 16 pregnant and 16 non-pregnant women were monitored physiologically (heart rate, blood pressure, mean arterial pressure, total peripheral resistance, stroke volume, cardiac output, oxygen saturation, transcutaneous carbon dioxide, fetal heart rate) and subjectively (exertion) for 1 h of mixed sedentary postural activity (sitting, standing) and moderate exercise (bicycle ergometer) with and without wearing N95 filtering facepiece respirators with filter resistive loads of 94.1 Pa (9.6 mm H2O) - 119.6 Pa (12.2 mm H2O) pressure. RESULTS: The external airflow resistive loads were associated with increases in diastolic pressure (p = 0.004), mean arterial pressure (p = 0.01), and subjective exertion score (p < 0.001) of all study subjects. No significant differences were noted with the external resistive loads between the pregnant and non-pregnant groups for any cardiovascular, pulmonary and subjective variable over 1 h. CONCLUSIONS: Low external airflow resistive loads, during combined sedentary postural activity and moderate exercise over 1 h, were associated with increases in the diastolic and mean arterial pressures of all study subjects, but pregnancy itself was not associated with any significant differences in physiologic or subjective responses to the external airway resistive loads utilized in the study.

Fabrication of multifunctional layer-by-layer nanocapsules toward the design of theragnostic nanoplatform.

Self-assembled polymeric nanocapsules (NCs) that incorporate dendrimer porphyrin (DP) in the shells and superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) in the cores are fabricated to create a theragnostic platform for the application in photodynamic therapy (PDT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). SPIONs-embedded polystyrene NPs (SPIONs@PS) are used as a template to build up multilayered NCs. The formation of PAH/DP multilayer on the SPIONs@PS is monitored by zeta-pential and fluorescence emission measurement, because the porphyrin unit in the core of DP has strong red fluorescence emission. NCs have strong enough magnetic property (>20 emu/g) for MRI application with typical superparamagnetic behavior, where the linear correlation of R2 and Fe concentration at diluted conditions led to corresponding T2 relaxivity coefficient (r2) value of 93.5 mM(-1) s(-1). Cell viability study upon light irradiation reveals that NCs can successfully work in photosensitizer formulation for PDT.

Oral health behaviors and metabolic syndrome: the 2008-2010 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

OBJECTIVES: This study examined whether oral health behaviors are associated with metabolic syndrome (MetS) in Korean adults involved in the 2008-2010 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 18,742 subjects (8,034 men and 10,708 women) were included. MetS was defined according to the criteria of the American Heart Association/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Scientific Statement for Asians. Oral health behavior was assessed using a questionnaire included in the KNHANES. RESULTS: Subjects with MetS brushed their teeth less frequently and used fewer secondary oral products than subjects without MetS (p < 0.01). As frequency of toothbrushing and number of secondary oral products increased, body mass index, waist circumference, diastolic blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, triglyceride, and white blood cell count decreased, but high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol increased (all p for trend <0.01). In the multivariable logistic regression models, as frequency of toothbrushing increased, the odds ratios (ORs) for MetS, abdominal obesity, and hyperglycemia are more than one after adjusting for age, gender, education, income, alcohol and tobacco use, physical activity, and the components of MetS. The ORs for MetS, abdominal obesity, and high blood pressure were more than one in subjects who do not use dental floss after adjusting for all covariates. CONCLUSION: MetS is associated with infrequent daily toothbrushing and disuse of dental floss in South Korean. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Dentists may recommend evaluation for MetS in the patients with infrequent daily toothbrushing and disuse of dental floss.

Multifunctional magnetic nanoparticles modified with polyethylenimine and folic acid for biomedical theranostics.

This paper describes the preparation of magnetic nanoparticles modified with polyethylenimine (PEI)-folic acid (PF) conjugate and their potential biomedical applications. Magnetic nanoparticles modified with (3-(2-aminoethylamino)propyltrimethoxysilane) (AEAPS) were first prepared using a ligand exchange method to provide biocompatibility and hydrophilicity, and further conjugated with PF to carry gene and enhance specific uptake into cancer cells. We demonstrated the feasibility of the multifunctional magnetic nanoparticles as contrast agents in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and as gene carriers for gene delivery. In vitro results revealed that the cytotoxicity of the multifunctional magnetic nanoparticles was lower compared to that of pristine magnetic nanoparticles. Furthermore, we demonstrated the specific uptake of the magnetic nanoparticles modified with PF to KB cells using WI-38 cells as comparison by confocal microscopy. The PF-modified magnetic nanoparticles can potentially be employed as theranostic nanoplatforms for targeted gene delivery to cancer cells and simultaneous magnetic resonance imaging.

A facile method for the preparation of monodisperse beads with uniform pore sizes for cell culture.

This paper describes a facile method for the preparation of porous gelatin beads with uniform pore sizes using a simple fluidic device and their application as supporting materials for cell culture. An aqueous gelatin droplet containing many uniform toluene droplets, produced in the fluidic device, is dropped into liquid nitrogen for instant freezing and the small toluene droplets evolve into pores in the gelatin beads after removal of toluene and then freeze-drying. The porous gelatin beads exhibit a uniform pore size and monodisperse diameter as well as large open pores at the surface. Fluorescence microscopy images of fibroblast-loaded gelatin beads confirm the attachment and proliferation of the cells throughout the porous gelatin beads.

Clinical use of thread embedding acupuncture for facial nerve palsy: A web-based survey.

Although thread embedding acupuncture (TEA) is widely used for facial nerve palsy (FNP) in Korea, it lacks clinical evidence. Therefore, a large-scale and long-term clinical trial is needed. It is necessary to standardize and optimize TEA treatment for clinical study. Hence, we collected information about how TEA in the facial region is performed in clinical practice using a web-based survey. A questionnaire was developed consisting of 22 essential items and 30 optional items including demographic characteristics, purpose of TEA, adverse events (AE), direct medical cost, required time, and current state of TEA treatment on FNP. The questionnaire was sent via e-mail to 23,910 traditional Korean medicine doctors (TKMD). A total of 427 respondents answered the questionnaire. The most common response for the purpose for TEA was cosmetic, followed by musculoskeletal disease and nervous system disease. The most common AE that resolved without medical treatment was bruising (90.4%). The most common AE that required medical treatment was dimple (30.5). Many respondents commonly used TEA for the sequelae of FNP (71.8%). The most frequent sequelae of FNP for which TEA was used as contracture around the mouth (75.3%). The most preferred treatment method was insertion of 6-10 monofilament threads using a 29-gauge needle at intervals of 2.2 ± 1.59 weeks in the sequelae period. The results of this survey can be used to standardize and optimize the procedure of TEA for FNP for further clinical research.

Thread Embedding Acupuncture for Temporomandibular Disorder: Protocol for a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Temporomandibular disorder (TMD) affects multiple tissues of the temporomandibular joint complex and manifests as orofacial pain and functional disturbance. While thread embedding acupuncture (TEA) is used for the treatment of TMD in clinical practice, sufficient clinical evidence is lacking. This pilot trial will explore the feasibility of a confirmatory randomized controlled trial (RCT) by considering the efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness of TEA to address pain, function, and quality of life in patients with TMD. Methods: This randomized, assessor-blinded, controlled trial will include two parallel arms. Thirty patients with TMD and temporomandibular joint pain more severe than 40 mm on the 100-mm visual analog scale (VAS) and aged 19-70 years will be recruited and randomly allocated to either TEA or usual care groups. The TEA group will receive treatment at 14 predefined acupoints once weekly for 4 weeks. The usual care group will receive physical therapy consisting of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation and infrared therapy. The average VAS score over the last week for temporomandibular pain after four sessions will be assessed as the primary outcome. Furthermore, maximum pain VAS, vertical opening movement, Graded Chronic Pain version 2, Jaw Functional Limitation Scale 20, Patient Global Impression of Change, Korean version of Beck's Depression Index, Short Form-12 Health Survey, EuroQol 5-Dimension 5-level, treatment expectation, rescue medication consumption, adverse events, and medical costs for economic evaluation will be measured and analyzed as secondary outcomes during four follow-up visits and after the termination of all sessions. Conclusion: The results of this trial will help evaluate the feasibility of a confirmatory RCT considering efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness and verify the effect size required to determine an appropriate sample size. Trial Registration Number: KCT0007421.

Dual carbon isotope (δ13C and Δ14C) characterization of particulate organic carbon in the Geum and Seomjin estuaries, South Korea.

We investigated the source, composition, and reactivity of particulate organic carbon (POC) in two contrasting Korean estuary systems, a closed estuary (Geum) (i.e., with an estuary dam at the river mouth) and an open (Seomjin) estuary. A dual isotope (δ13CPOC and Δ14CPOC) approach was applied to surface water samples collected along a salinity gradient in August 2016. Our results indicate that phytoplankton-derived POC was the main contributor to the total POC pool in the reservoir of the Geum estuary, while terrestrial-derived POC predominated the upper Seomjin estuary. A simple binary mixing model using Δ14CPOC revealed a higher modern POC contribution (87-90%) in the Geum estuary reservoir than that (77%) of the upper Seomjin estuary. Accordingly, it appears that an estuary dam can alter the source and reactivity of POC in a reservoir, which can be transferred to the adjacent coastal ecosystem.

Rapid development of dual porous poly(lactic acid) foam using fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printing for medical scaffold application.

The poor melt property and brittleness of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) cause difficulties in extrusion foaming and decrease product performance in industrial and research fields. In this paper, the rheological properties of PLA resin were improved using an epoxy chain extension reaction, which led to the improvement of pore properties such as morphology and foamability. Reinforced PLA was extruded in a porous filament, and a scaffold was fabricated with design freedom, one-step processing, and dual porosity by extrusion foaming and 3D printing. In addition, in vitro cell culture tests were performed to verify the cell biology assessment and confirm the potential of the scaffold for application as medical scaffolds.

Temporal variation in riverine organic carbon concentrations and fluxes in two contrasting estuary systems: Geum and Seomjin, South Korea.

In this study, surface water samples were collected at sites located in the lowest reaches of closed (Geum) (i.e. with an estuary dam at the river mouth) and open (Seomjin) estuary systems between May 2016 and May 2018. We analyzed concentrations and stable isotopes of particulate organic carbon (POC) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) to assess OC sources, to estimate fluxes of riverine OC, and to assess some of the factors driving OC exports in these two contrasting Korean estuary systems. Our geochemical results suggest that the contribution of the phytoplankton-derived POC to the total POC pool was larger in the Geum River than in the Seomjin River. Notably, a heavy riverine algae bloom occurred in the Geum River in August 2016, resulting in a high carbon isotopic composition (-19.4‰) together with low POC/PN ratio (<10) and POC/Chl-a ratio (<100). In contrast, potential DOC sources in both the Geum River and the Seomjin River were a mixture of C3-derived forest soils and cropland organic matter. During the study period, the catchment area-normalized fluxes of POC and DOC were 0.40 × 10-3 tC/km2/yr and 6.5 × 10-2 tC/km2/yr in the Geum River and 5.2 × 10-4 tC/km2/yr and 8.6 × 10-4 tC/km2/yr in the Seomjin River, respectively. It appears that the POC flux was more weakly associated with the water discharge in the Geum River than in the Seomjin River, but the DOC fluxes were in general controlled by the water discharges in both rivers. Accordingly, the estuary dam of the Geum River might be one of the most strongly influencing factors on seasonal patterns in POC fluxes into the adjacent coastal seas, strongly modifying water residence times and thus biogeochemical processes.

Stretchable ECM Patch Enhances Stem Cell Delivery for Post-MI Cardiovascular Repair.

Current cell-based therapies administered after myocardial infarction (MI) show limited efficacy due to subpar cell retention in a dynamically beating heart. In particular, cardiac patches generally provide a cursory level of cell attachment due to the lack of an adequate microenvironment. From this perspective, decellularized cell-derived ECM (CDM) is attractive in its recapitulation of a natural biophysical environment for cells. Unfortunately, its weak physical property renders it difficult to retain in its original form, limiting its full potential. Here, a novel strategy to peel CDM off from its underlying substrate is proposed. By physically stamping it onto a polyvinyl alcohol hydrogel, the resulting stretchable extracellular matrix (ECM) membrane preserves the natural microenvironment of CDM, thereby conferring a biological interface to a viscoelastic membrane. Its various mechanical and biological properties are characterized and its capacity to improve cardiomyocyte functionality is demonstrated. Finally, evidence of enhanced stem cell delivery using the stretchable ECM membrane is presented, which leads to improved cardiac remodeling in a rat MI model. A new class of material based on natural CDM is envisioned for the enhanced delivery of cells and growth factors that have a known affinity with ECM.

Synthesis and characterization of PEO-PCL-PEO triblock copolymers: effects of the PCL chain length on the physical property of W(1)/O/W(2) multiple emulsions.

A series of poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(epsilon-caprolactone)-block-poly(ethylene glycol) (PEO-PCL-PEO) triblock copolymers were prepared and then used for the investigation of the effects of the ratio of epsilon-caprolactone to poly(ethylene glycol) (i.e., [CL]/[EO]) on the physical properties of water-in-oil-in-water (W(1)/O/W(2)) multiple emulsions containing a model reagent, ascorbic acid-2-glucoside (AA2G). In the synthesis, the [CL]/[EO] was varied from 0.11 to 0.31. The molecular weights and compositions of PEO-PCL-PEO were determined by GPC and (1)H NMR analyses. Thermal behavior and crystal formation were studied by DSC, XRD, FT-IR, and polarized optical microscopy (POM). Aggregate behavior of PEO-PCL-PEO was confirmed by DLS, UV, and (1)H NMR. Morphology and relative stiffness of the W(1)/O/W(2) multiple emulsions in the presence of PEO-PCL-PEO were studied by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and rheometer. Variation in the [CL]/[EO] significantly affects the crystalline temperature and spherulite morphology of PEO-PCL-PEO. As the [CL]/[EO] increases, the CMCs of PEO-PCL-PEO decreases and the slope of aggregate size reduction against the copolymer concentration becomes steeper except for the lowest [CL]/[EO] value of PEO-PCL-PEO (i.e., P-222). P-222 significantly increases the viscosity of continuous (W(2)) phase, which implies the copolymer would exist in the W(2) phase. On the other hand, the triblock copolymers with relatively high [CL]/[EO] ratios mainly contribute to the size reduction of multiple emulsions and the formation of a firm wall structure. The particle size of the multiple emulsion decreases and the elastic modulus increased as [CL]/[EO] increases, confirmed by microscopic and rheometric analyses.

Effect of Full-Length Carbon Fiber Insoles on Lower Limb Kinetics in Patients With Midfoot Osteoarthritis: A Pilot Study.

OBJECTIVES: We investigated the effects of full-length carbon fiber (FCF) insoles on gait, muscle activity, kinetics, and pain in patients with midfoot osteoarthritis (OA). DESIGN: We enrolled 13 patients with unilateral midfoot OA (mild: Visual Analog Scale [VAS] range, 1-3; moderate, VAS range, 4-7) and healthy controls. All participants were asked to walk under two conditions: with and without FCF insole. The outcome measures were ground reaction force, quantitative gait parameters, electromyography activities and pain severity (VAS). RESULTS: In the patients with moderate midfoot OA, significantly longer gait cycle and higher muscle activity of lower limb during loading-response phase were observed while walking without FCF insoles. In the mild midfoot OA group, there was no significant difference in VAS score (without, 2.0 ± 1.0 vs. with, 2.0 ± 0.5) with FCF insole use. However, significantly reduced VAS score (without, 5.5 ± 1.4 vs. with, 2.0 ± 0.5) and muscle activity of the tibialis anterior and increased muscle activity of gastrocnemius were observed in the moderate midfoot OA group by using an FCF insole (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Full-length carbon fiber insoles can improve pain in individuals with moderate midfoot OA, which might be associated with changes in the kinetics and muscle activities of the lower limb. Taken together, the results of the present study suggest that FCF insoles may be used as a helpful option for midfoot OA.

3,6-Anhydro-l-galactose, a rare sugar from agar, a new anticariogenic sugar to replace xylitol.

The significance for anticariogenic sugar substitutes is growing due to increasing demands for dietary sugars and rising concerns of dental caries. Xylitol is widely used as an anticariogenic sugar substitute, but the inhibitory effects of xylitol on Streptococcus mutans, the main cause of tooth decay, are exhibited only at high concentrations. Here, the inhibitory effects of 3,6-anhydro-l-galactose (AHG), a rare sugar from red macroalgae, were evaluated on S. mutans, in comparison with those of xylitol. In the presence of 5g/l of AHG, the growth of S. mutans was retarded. At 10g/l of AHG, the growth and acid production by S. mutans were completely inhibited. However, in the presence of xylitol, at a much higher concentration (i.e., 40g/l), the growth of S. mutans still occurred. These results suggest that AHG can be used as a new anticariogenic sugar substitute for preventing dental caries.

Use of PLGA scaffold for mucociliary epithelium transfer in airway reconstruction: a preliminary study.

CONCLUSION: A PLGA biodegradable membrane can be used as a scaffold for mucociliary epithelium transfer. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to examine the usefulness of the PLGA membrane as a biodegradable scaffold for mucociliary epithelium transfer in order for it to be used as a substitute for a skin graft for restoring mucosal defects in the airway. METHODS: A PLGA biodegradable membrane was synthesized using the immersion precipitation method, and morphologic characterization was carried out using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The degradation test was performed by soaking the PLGA membrane in a culture medium, and the morphological changes were observed by SEM. Human nasal basal epithelial (HNBE) cells were cultured on the newly synthesized PLGA membrane, and the morphological changes were analyzed using SEM. The MUC5AC and MUC8 mRNA levels were analyzed by RT-PCR. RESULTS: The PLGA membrane for the mucociliary epithelium transfer was successfully fabricated. It had a 24 mm diameter, a 50 microm thickness, and many pores with diameters of approximately 3 microm. The PLGA membrane began to degrade from 7 days after it was soaked in the culture medium. It rapidly degraded from 3 weeks and severe destruction of the pore structure was noted from 4 to 6 weeks of soaking. The HNBE cells were well differentiated into the mucociliary epithelium on the PLGA membrane both phenotypically and genotypically.

Hybrid Silver Mesh Electrode for ITO-Free Flexible Polymer Solar Cells with Good Mechanical Stability.

Herein, we report a tailored Ag mesh electrode coated with poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) polymer on a flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate. The introduction of this highly conductive polymer solves the existing problems of Ag mesh-type transparent conductive electrodes, such as high pitch, roughness, current inhomogeneity, and adhesion problems between the Ag mesh grid and PEDOT polymer or PET substrate, to result in excellent electron spreading from the discrete Ag mesh onto the entire surface without sacrificing sheet conductivity and optical transparency. Based on this hybrid anode, we demonstrate highly efficient flexible polymer solar cells (PSCs) with a high fill factor of 67.11 %, which results in a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 6.9 % based on a poly({4,8-bis[(2-ethylhexyl)oxy]benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b'] dithiophene-2,6-diyl}{3-fluoro-2-[(2-ethylhexyl) carbonyl]thieno[3,4-b]thiophenediyl}):[6,6]-phenyl-C71 -butyric acid methyl ester bulk heterojunction device. Furthermore, the PSC device with the Ag mesh electrode also exhibits a good mechanical bending stability, as indicated by a 70 % retention of the initial PCE after 500 bending cycles compared with the PSC device with a PET/indium tin oxide electrode, which retained 0 % of the initial PCE after 300 bending cycles.

Agglutination study of poly(allyl-alpha-D-glucopyranose/styrene) latex particles in the presence of Concanavalin A.

Latex agglutination of the glucose-modified latex, which were synthesized by emulsion copolymerization of allyl-modified glucose and styrene monomers by specific binding interactions between Concanavalin A (Con A) and allyl-alpha-d-glucopyranose, were investigated. The surface of the glucose-modified latex was characterized by dye-partition method and the number of glucose was 1517 per latex particle. The average particle size and the polydispersity index of the latex were 78.3 and 1.005, respectively. Time-evolution adsorption behavior of various concentrations of the Con A and the consequent latex agglutination were studied by UV spectrophotometer at 540 nm and zeta-potential analyzer at the fixed latex concentration of 0.02 wt%. Specific binding between Con A and allyl-alpha-D-glucopyranose leaded the latex particles to coagulate by decreasing the electrostatic repulsion between the particles and mobility.