DNA Packaging and Polycation Length Determine DNA Susceptibility to Free Radical Damage in Condensed DNA.

In nature, DNA exists primarily in a highly compacted form. The compaction of DNA in vivo is mediated by cationic proteins: histones in somatic nuclei and protamines in sperm chromatin. The extreme, nearly crystalline packaging of DNA by protamines in spermatozoa is thought to be essential for both efficient genetic delivery as well as DNA protection against damage by mutagens and oxidative species. The protective role of protamines is required in sperm, as they are sensitive to ROS damage due to the progressive loss of DNA repair mechanisms during maturation. The degree to which DNA packaging directly relates to DNA protection in the condensed state, however, is poorly understood. Here, we utilized different polycation condensing agents to achieve varying DNA packaging densities and quantify DNA damage by free radical oxidation within the condensates. Although we see that tighter DNA packaging generally leads to better protection, the length of the polycation also plays a significant role. Molecular dynamics simulations suggest that longer polyarginine chains offer increased protection by occupying more space on the DNA surface and forming more stable interactions. Taken together, our results suggest a complex interplay among polycation properties, DNA packaging density, and DNA protection against free radical damage within condensed states.

The Impact of Solution Ionic Strength, Hardness, and pH on the Sorption Efficiency of Polychlorinated Biphenyls in Magnetic Nanocomposite Microparticle (MNM) Gels.

Environmental conditions of groundwater and surface water greatly vary as a function of location. Factors such as ionic strength, water hardness, and solution pH can change the physical and chemical properties of the nanocomposites used in remediation and the pollutants of interest. In this work, magnetic nanocomposite microparticle (MNM) gels are used as sorbents for remediation of PCB 126 as model organic contaminant. Three MNM systems are used: curcumin multiacrylate MNMs (CMA MNMs), quercetin multiacrylate MNMs (QMA MNMs), and polyethylene glycol-400-dimethacrylate MNMs (PEG MNMs). The effect of ionic strength, water hardness, and pH were studied on the sorption efficiency of the MNMs for PCB 126 by performing equilibrium binding studies. It is seen that the ionic strength and water hardness have a minimal effect on the MNM gel system sorption of PCB 126. However, a decrease in binding was observed when the pH increased from 6.5 to 8.5, attributed to anion-π interactions between the buffer ions in solution and the PCB molecules as well as with the aromatic rings of the MNM gel systems. Overall, the results indicate that the developed MNM gels can be used as magnetic sorbents for polychlorinated biphenyls in groundwater and surface water remediation, provided that the solution pH is controlled.

Aerosol capture and coronavirus spike protein deactivation by enzyme functionalized antiviral membranes.

The airborne nature of coronavirus transmission makes it critical to develop new barrier technologies that can simultaneously reduce aerosol and viral spread. Here, we report nanostructured membranes with tunable thickness and porosity for filtering coronavirus-sized aerosols, combined with antiviral enzyme functionalization that can denature spike glycoproteins of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in low-hydration environments. Thin, asymmetric membranes with subtilisin enzyme and methacrylic functionalization show more than 98.90% filtration efficiency for 100-nm unfunctionalized and protein-functionalized polystyrene latex aerosol particles. Unfunctionalized membranes provided a protection factor of 540 ± 380 for coronavirus-sized particle, above the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's standard of 10 for N95 masks. SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein on the surface of coronavirus-sized particles was denatured in 30 s by subtilisin enzyme-functionalized membranes with 0.02-0.2% water content on the membrane surface.

Thermoresponsive Cationic Polymers: PFAS Binding Performance under Variable pH, Temperature and Comonomer Composition.

The versatility and unique qualities of thermoresponsive polymeric systems have led to the application of these materials in a multitude of fields. One such field that can significantly benefit from the use of innovative, smart materials is environmental remediation. Of particular significance, multifunctional poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) systems based on PNIPAAm copolymerized with various cationic comonomers have the opportunity to target and attract negatively charged pollutants such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). The thermoresponsive cationic PNIPAAm systems developed in this work were functionalized with cationic monomers N-[3-(dimethylamino)propyl]acrylamide (DMAPA) and (3-acrylamidopropyl)trimethylammonium chloride (DMAPAQ). The polymers were examined for swelling capacity behavior and PFOA binding potential when exposed to aqueous environments with varying pH and temperature. Comonomer loading percentages had the most significant effect on polymer swelling behavior and temperature responsiveness as compared to aqueous pH. PFOA removal efficiency was greatly improved with the addition of DMAPA and DMAPAQ monomers. Aqueous pH and buffer selection were important factors when examining binding potential of the polymers, as buffered aqueous environments altered polymer PFOA removal quite drastically. The role of temperature on binding potential was not as expected and had no discernible effect on the ability of DMAPAQ polymers to remove PFOA. Overall, the cationic systems show interesting swelling behavior and significant PFOA removal results that can be explored further for potential environmental remediation applications.

Enhanced Inactivation of Pseudoparticles Containing SARS-CoV-2 S Protein Using Magnetic Nanoparticles and an Alternating Magnetic Field.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2's (SARS-CoV-2) rapid global spread has posed a significant threat to human health, and similar outbreaks could occur in the future. Developing effective virus inactivation technologies is critical to preventing and overcoming pandemics. The infection of SARS-CoV-2 depends on the binding of the spike glycoprotein (S) receptor binding domain (RBD) to the host cellular surface receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). If this interaction is disrupted, SARS-CoV-2 infection could be inhibited. Magnetic nanoparticle (MNP) dispersions exposed to an alternating magnetic field (AMF) possess the unique ability for magnetically mediated energy delivery (MagMED); this localized energy delivery and associated mechanical, chemical, and thermal effects are a possible technique for inactivating viruses. This study investigates the MNPs' effect on vesicular stomatitis virus pseudoparticles containing the SARS-CoV-2 S protein when exposed to AMF or a water bath (WB) with varying target steady-state temperatures (45, 50, and 55 °C) for different exposure times (5, 15, and 30 min). In comparison to WB exposures at the same temperatures, AMF exposures resulted in significantly greater inactivation in multiple cases. This is likely due to AMF-induced localized heating and rotation of MNPs. In brief, our findings demonstrate a potential strategy for combating the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic or future ones.

Development of branched polyphenolic poly(beta amino esters) to facilitate post-synthesis processing.

Given their versatility and formability, polymers have proven to be a viable platform facilitating a controlled and tuned release for a variety of therapeutic agents. One growing area of polymer drug delivery is polymeric prodrugs, which covalently link active pharmaceutical ingredients to a polymeric form to enhance stability, delivery, and pharmacology. One such class of polymeric prodrugs, poly(beta amino esters) (PßAEs) can be synthesized into crosslinked, or "thermoset," networks which greatly limits their processability. An antioxidant-PßAE polymer prodrug that is soluble in organic solutions would permit enhanced processability, increasing their utility and manufacturability. Curcumin PßAEs were synthesized to be soluble in organic solvents while retaining the release and activity properties. To demonstrate the polymer processability, curcumin PßAEs were further synthesized into nanoparticles and thin films. Control over nanoparticle size and film thickness was established through variance of dope solution concentration and withdrawal speed, respectively. Layering of polymeric films was demonstrated through inkjet printing of thin films. Polymer function was characterized through curcumin release and antioxidant activity. The processing of the polymer had a drastic impact on the curcumin release profiles indicating the polymer degradation was influenced by surface area and porosity of the final product. Previously, release was controlled primarily through the hydrophobicity of the polymer. Here, we demonstrate a novel method for further tuning the degradation by processing the polymer.

Poly(curcumin ß-amino ester)-Based Tablet Formulation for a Sustained Release of Curcumin.

Oral drug delivery remains the most common and well tolerated method for drug administration. However, its applicability is often limited due to low drug solubility and stability. One approach to overcome the solubility and stability limitations is the use of amorphous polymeric prodrug formulations, such as poly(ß-amino ester) (PBAE). PBAE hydrogels, which are biodegradable and pH responsive, have shown promising results for the controlled release of drugs by improving the stability and increasing the solubility of these drugs. In this work, we have evaluated the potential use of PBAE prodrugs in an oral tablet formulation, studying their sustained drug release potential and storage stability. Curcumin, a low solubility, low stability antioxidant drug was used as a model compound. Poly(curcumin ß-amino ester) (PCBAE), a crosslinked amorphous network, was synthesized by a previously published method using a commercial diacrylate and a primary diamine, in combination with acrylate-functionalized curcumin. PCBAE-based tablets were made and exhibited a sustained release for 16 h, following the hydrolytic degradation of PCBAE particles into native curcumin. In addition to the release studies, preliminary storage stability was assessed using standard and accelerated stability conditions. As PCBAE degradation is hydrolysis driven, tablet stability was found to be sensitive to moisture.

Development of temperature-responsive polymeric gels with physical crosslinking due to intermolecular 𝜋-𝜋 interactions.

Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) PNIPAAm was polymerized with co-monomers containing a biphenyl moiety to create a unique thermoresponsive physically crosslinked system due to the presence of pi-pi interactions between the biphenyl moieties. The biphenyl monomers used were 2-phenylphenol monoacrylate (2PPMA) and 4-phenylphenol monoacrylate (4PPMA). These monomers were utilized to synthesize a set of polymers with biphenyl monomer (2PPMA/4PPMA) content from 2.5 to 7.5 mole percent and with initiator concentrations from 0.1 and 1.0 weight percent. The resulting polymers were characterized by various techniques, such as gel permeation chromatography (GPC), swelling studies and mechanical testing. The decrease in the average molecular weight of the polymers due to the increase in the concentration of initiator was confirmed by GPC results. Swelling studies confirmed the expected temperature dependent swelling properties and explored the impact of the biphenyl comonomers. These studies indicated that with the increase in biphenyl comonomers, the physical crosslinking increases which leads to decrease in the swelling ratio. The results from the mechanical tests also depict the effect of the concentration of biphenyl comonomers. These physically crosslinked polymeric systems with their unique properties have potential applications spanning environmental remediation/sensing, biomedicine, etc.

Effect of Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization Reaction Time on PCB Binding Capacities of Styrene-CMA/QMA Core-Shell Iron Oxide Nanoparticles.

Water pollution continues to be one of the greatest challenges humankind faces worldwide. Increasing population growth, fast industrialization and modernization risk the worsening of water accessibility and quality in the coming years. Nanoadsorbents have steadily gained attention as remediation technologies that can meet stringent water quality demands. In this work, core-shell magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) comprised of an iron oxide magnetic core and a styrene based polymer shell were synthesized via surface initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP), and characterized them for their binding of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), as model organic contaminants. Acrylated plant derived polyphenols, curcumin multiacrylate (CMA) and quercetin multiacrylate (QMA), and divinylbenzene (DVB) were incorporated into the polymeric shell to create high affinity binding sites for PCBs. The affinity of these novel materials for PCB 126 was evaluated and fitted to the nonlinear Langmuir model to determine binding affinities (KD). The KD values obtained for all the MNP systems showed higher binding affinities for PCB 126 that carbonaceous materials, like activated carbon and graphene oxide, the most widely used adsorption materials for water remediation today. The effect of increasing ATRP reaction time on the binding affinity of MNPs demonstrated the ability to tune polymer shell thickness by modifying the reaction extent and initial crosslinker concentrations in order to maximize pollutant binding. The enhancement in binding affinity and capacity for PCB 126 was demonstrated by the use of hydrophobic, aromatic rich molecules like styrene, CMA, QMA and DVB, within the polymeric shell provides more sites for π-π interactions to occur between the MNP surface and the PCB molecules. Overall, the high affinities for PCBs, as model organic pollutants, and magnetic capabilities of the core-shell MNPs synthesized provide a strong rationale for their application as nanoadsorbents in the environmental remediation of specific harmful contaminants.

Demonstration of Hollow Fiber Membrane-Based Enclosed Space Air Remediation for Capture of an Aerosolized Synthetic SARS-CoV-2 Mimic and Pseudovirus Particles.

Reduction of airborne viral particles in enclosed spaces is critical in controlling pandemics. Three different hollow fiber membrane (HFM) modules were investigated for viral aerosol separation in enclosed spaces. Pore structures were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, and air transport properties were measured. Particle removal efficiency was characterized using aerosols generated by a collision atomizer from a defined mixture of synthetic nanoparticles including SARS-CoV-2 mimics (protein-coated 100 nm polystyrene). HFM1 (polyvinylidene fluoride, ~50-1300 nm pores) demonstrated 96.5-100% efficiency for aerosols in the size range of 0.3-3 µm at a flow rate of 18.6 ± 0.3 SLPM (~1650 LMH), whereas HFM2 (polypropylene, ~40 nm pores) and HFM3 (hydrophilized polyether sulfone, ~140-750 nm pores) demonstrated 99.65-100% and 98.8-100% efficiency at flow rates of 19.7 ± 0.3 SLPM (~820 LMH) and 19.4 ± 0.2 SLPM (~4455 LMH), respectively. Additionally, lasting filtration with minimal fouling was demonstrated using ambient aerosols over 2 days. Finally, each module was evaluated with pseudovirus (vesicular stomatitis virus) aerosol, demonstrating 99.3% (HFM1), >99.8% (HFM2), and >99.8% (HFM3) reduction in active pseudovirus titer as a direct measure of viral particle removal. These results quantified the aerosol separation efficiency of HFMs and highlight the need for further development of this technology to aid the fight against airborne viruses and particulate matter concerning human health.

On the swelling behavior of poly(N-Isopropylacrylamide) hydrogels exposed to perfluoroalkyl acids.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have rapidly accumulated in the environment due to their widespread use prior to commercial discussion in the early 21st century, and their slow degradation has magnified concerns of their potential toxicity. Monitoring their distribution is, therefore, necessary to evaluate and control their impact on the health of exposed populations. This investigation evaluates the capability of a simple polymeric detection scheme for PFAS based on crosslinked, thermoresponsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) hydrogels. Surveying swelling perturbations induced by several hydrotropes and comparable hydrocarbon analogs, tetraethylammonium perfluorooctane sulfonate (TPFOS) showed a significantly higher swelling ratio on a mass basis (65.5 ± 8.8 at 15°C) than any of the other analytes tested. Combining swelling with the fluorimetric response of a solvachromatic dye, nile red, revealed the fluorosurfactant to initiate observable aggregation (i.e., its critical aggregation concentration) at 0.05 mM and reach saturation (i.e., its charge neutralization concentration) at 0.5 mM. The fluorosurfactant was found to homogeneously distribute throughout the polymer matrix with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, marking the swelling response as a peculiar nexus of fluorinated interfacial positioning and delocalized electrostatic repulsion. Results from the current study hold promise for exploiting the physiochemical response of PNIPAM to assess TPFOS's concentration.

Assessing the perfluoroalkyl acid-induced swelling of Förster resonance energy transfer-capable poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) microgels.

As a method to combat the extensive contamination of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in water supplies, poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) microgels copolymerized with 2,2,2-trifluoroethylacrylate (TFEA) represent a potential sensing tool for recognizing PFAS at dilute aqueous concentrations. The microgels exhibit exceptional temperature responsiveness, transitioning from a swollen z-average diameter of 890.8 ± 19.8 nm to a collapsed diameter of 246.4 ± 10.3 nm below and above their lower critical solution temperature, respectively, for non-fluorinated gels, offering broad size fluctuations that are susceptible to coadded contaminants. Monitoring size perturbations as a function of analyte concentration, the polymers were observed to deswell in the presence of perfluorooctanoic acid, octanoic acid, phenol, and sodium 1-octane sulfonate while tetraethylammonium perfluorooctane sulfonate (TPFOS) augmented swelling. Adding up to 40 mol% TFEA to the networks lowered the concentration at which the microgels' normalized z-average diameter demonstrated a significant deviation from 0.25 mM to 0.1 mM for TPFOS, indicating fluorophilicity as a key contributor to the copolymers' associative capacity. Implanting Förster resonance energy transfer-compatible dyes, cyanine 3 and cyanine 5, into non-fluorinated microgels largely reiterated results from light scattering, as expected for the size-dependent energy transfer mechanism. Including dyes did, however, reinforce the customizability of this system, leaving windows open for functionalization with other signal transduction motifs to lower the detection limits of the polymer further. The swelling changes for PNIPAM microgels stimulated by the acidic constituents of PFAS highlight the polymer as a candidate for detecting the substances following additional development.

Leveraging the thermoresponsiveness of fluorinated poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) copolymers as a sensing tool for perfluorooctane sulfonate.

Due to mounting evidence of the negative health effects of persistent perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) with long (i.e., >C7) tails, there is a need for convenient systems capable of sensing these contaminants at dilute aqueous concentrations. To address this concern, a thermoresponsive polymeric network composed of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) copolymerized with fluorinated comonomers was studied to characterize the gel's physical response to fluorosurfactants in solution. Incorporating fluorinated comonomers into the polymer backbone raised their swelling in fluorocontaminant solutions relative to water - gels synthesized with 10.0 mol% 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl acrylate (TFEA) displayed a heightened maximum water-analyte swelling difference of 3761 ± 147% compared to 3201 ± 466% for non-fluorinated gels in the presence of 1 mM tetraethylammonium perfluorooctane sulfonate (TPFOS). The normalized area under the curve for gels with 12.5 mol% TFEA was further raised to 1.77 ± 0.09, indicating a broadened response window for the contaminant, but at the cost of reducing the overall swelling ratio to 3227 ± 166% and elongating the time required to reach swelling equilibrium. Overall, a copolymer fed with 10.7 mol% TFEA was predicted to maximize both the swelling and response window of the polymer toward TPFOS. Equilibration times followed a logarithmic increase as the percentage of comonomer was raised, noting gradual fluorosurfactant penetration into the gels impeded by initial gel compaction caused by the addition of fluorinated comonomers. Comparative study of gels containing 1H,1H,7H-dodecafluoroheptyl acrylate, TFEA, or 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoroisopropyl acrylate identified careful selection of fluorinated comonomers and their feed ratios as useful tools for tailoring the network's swelling response to TPFOS.

Radiation-induced oral mucositis hamster model using a linear accelerator enhances clinical relevance of preclinical studies for treatment strategy investigation.

Translational animal models for oral mucositis (OM) are necessary to simulate and assess the bioclinical effects and response in humans. These models should simulate high levels of radiation exposure that leads to oxidative stress and inflammatory-initiated tissue changes. Hamster models have been extensively studied to observe pathological effects of radiation exposure and help in the development of effective treatments. To successfully evaluate the potential for treatment regimens with consistency and relevance, a radiation-induced OM hamster model was developed using a clinical linear accelerator utilized by cancer patients daily. The dose exposure to the isolated, everted cheek pouch of a hamster, as well as the progression of injury, pro-inflammatory marker, histological, and elasticity analyses of the buccal pouch were conducted to verify replicability and reproducibility of the injury model. The findings from this model demonstrated its ability to consistently induce injury and resolution over 28 days using an acute dose of 60 Gy. This model was developed to enhance clinical relevance when evaluating potential efficacious treatments and can now be utilized in efficacy studies to better evaluate developed therapeutics in a preclinical model that is easy to translate to clinical studies..

DEVELOPMENT OF BIPHENYL MONOMERS AND ASSOCIATED CROSSLINKED POLYMERS WITH INTRAMOLECULAR PI-PI INTERACTIONS.

Monomers containing biphenyl moieties were employed to create two sets of covalently crosslinked polymers that displayed noncovalent interactions in their 3-dimensional network. The biphenyls (precursors) used were 2-phenylphenol, 4-phenylphenol and 4,4'-dihydroxybiphenyl, and their acrylated forms were synthesized and named as 2-phenylphenolmonoacrylate (2PPMA), 4-phenylphenolmonoacrylate (4PPMA), and 4,4'-dihydroxybiphenyldiacrylate (44BDA), respectively. These were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) to confirm the successful acrylation reaction. Polymers were synthesized via free radical polymerization reactions with varying crosslinker contents, and their network properties were characterized using swelling studies and compressive modulus tests. Interestingly, swelling studies did not show the expected decreasing swelling ratio with increasing crosslinker content, while compression testing indicated the expected trend of increasing modulus with increasing crosslinking density. The unexpected swelling results are hypothesized to result from the intramolecular interactions between the biphenyl side groups that result in noncovalent crosslinks.

Corrigendum to: Modeling the oxidative consumption of curcumin from controlled released poly(beta-amino ester) microparticles in the presence of a free radical generating system.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1093/rb/rbz002.][This corrects the article DOI: 10.1093/rb/rbz002.].

Multifunctional temperature-responsive polymers as advanced biomaterials and beyond.

The versatility and applicability of thermoresponsive polymeric systems have led to great interest and a multitude of publications. Of particular significance, multifunctional poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) systems based on PNIPAAm copolymerized with various functional comonomers or based on PNIPAAm combined with nanomaterials exhibiting unique properties. These multifunctional PNIPAAm systems have revolutionized several biomedical fields such as controlled drug delivery, tissue engineering, self-healing materials, and beyond (e.g., environmental treatment applications). Here, we review these multifunctional PNIPAAm-based systems with various cofunctionalities, as well as highlight their unique applications. For instance, addition of hydrophilic or hydrophobic comonomers can allow for polymer lower critical solution temperature modification, which is especially helpful for physiological applications. Natural comonomers with desirable functionalities have also drawn significant attention as pressure surmounts to develop greener, more sustainable materials. Typically, these systems also tend to be more biocompatible and biodegradable and can be advantageous for use in biopharmaceutical and environmental applications. PNIPAAm-based polymeric nanocomposites are reviewed as well, where incorporation of inorganic or carbon nanomaterials creates synergistic systems that tend to be more robust and widely applicable than the individual components.

Synthesis of magnetic nanocomposite microparticles for binding of chlorinated organics in contaminated water sources.

In this work, the development of novel magnetic nanocomposite microparticles (MNMs) via free radical polymerization for their application in the remediation of contaminated water is presented. Acrylated plant-based polyphenols, curcumin multiacrylate (CMA) and quercetin multiacrylate (QMA), were incorporated as functional monomers to create high affinity binding sites for the capture of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), as a model pollutant. The MNMs were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, and UV-visible spectroscopy. The affinity of these novel materials for PCB 126 was evaluated and fitted to the nonlinear Langmuir model to determine binding affinities (K D). The results suggest the presence of the polyphenolic moieties enhances the binding affinity for PCB 126, with K D values comparable to that of antibodies. This demonstrates that these nanocomposite materials have promising potential as environmental remediation adsorbents for harmful contaminants.

Novel magnetic core-shell nanoparticles for the removal of polychlorinated biphenyls from contaminated water sources.

In this work, we developed novel core-shell nanoparticle systems with magnetic core and polymer shell via atom transfer radical polymerization for use as high affinity nanoadsorbents for organic contaminants in water and wastewater treatment. Polyphenolic-based moieties, curcumin multiacrylate (CMA) and quercetin multiacrylate (QMA), were incorporated into poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) based polymeric shells to create high affinity binding sites for the capture of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) as a model pollutant. The resulting magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and UV-visible spectroscopy. The affinity of these novel materials for PCB 126 was evaluated and fitted to the nonlinear Langmuir model to determine binding affinities (KD). The KD values obtained were: PEG MNPs (8.42 nM) < IO MNPs (8.23nM) < QMA MNPs (5.88 nM) < CMA MNPs (2.72 nM), demonstrating that the presence of polyphenolic-based moieties enhanced PCB 126 binding affinity, which is hypothesized to be a result of π - π stacking interactions. These values are lower that KD values for activated carbon, providing strong evidence that these novel core-shell nanoparticles have a promising application as nanoadsorbents for specific organic contaminants offering a cost effective alternative to current remediation approaches.

Modeling the oxidative consumption of curcumin from controlled released poly(beta-amino ester) microparticles in the presence of a free radical generating system.

Despite the promise of its therapeutic benefits, curcumin as a free molecule has failed to demonstrate significant clinical success. Arguably, its inherently poor stability and rapid clearance is a significant reason for these negative outcomes. The incorporation of curcumin into the backbone of a crosslinked hydrogel that utilizes poly(beta-amino ester) (PBAE) chemistry can provide a tunable protective network with the ability to release at a controlled rate while improving its therapeutic potential. Kinetics of curcumin conjugated PBAE microparticles controlled release delivery system in the presence of oxidative environments was studied for the first time, where consumption rates of active curcumin and release products were obtained. The constituent amount of curcumin present in solution was improved by incorporating the active into the network in comparison to curcumin as a free drug. Modeling curcumin conjugated PBAE microparticles will provide a design platform to improve translation and overall success in delivering a therapeutic agent that matches levels of oxidative stress.