Low incidence of hemorrhagic complications both during and after surgical procedures in patients maintained on prasugrel single antiplatelet therapy.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Prasugrel (Pra) is a third-generation thienopyridine that inhibits platelet aggregation via irreversible blockade of P2Y12 receptors. While several published studies have examined the use of Pra and acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) in coronary and neurovascular stenting procedures, there is only anecdotal evidence regarding the use of Pra as single antiplatelet therapy (SAPT) in open surgical procedures. This topic has become important because previous studies have revealed that neurovascular devices with antithrombotic coatings can be implanted using non-invasive procedures in patients maintained on Pra SAPT. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Patients who underwent open surgery under Pra SAPT between March 2020 and February 2022 were evaluated retrospectively. Adequate platelet inhibition both before and after the procedures was verified in all patients using Multiplate (Roche Diagnostics) and VerifyNow (Accriva) tests. Intraoperative and postoperative hemorrhagic events were recorded based on reviews of the procedure reports and interviews with the surgeons. RESULTS: The study enrolled 21 patients who underwent 23 open surgical procedures while maintained on Pra SAPT. The procedures included one extirpation of a brain arteriovenous malformation, seven extra-intracranial bypass surgeries, four ventriculoperitoneal shunts, one eye enucleation for an intractable orbital infection, two gastrostomies, one bone flap reinsertion after craniectomy, one decompressive craniectomy, one case requiring cranial surgical wound care, one colporrhaphy, one transurethral resection of urinary bladder cancer, two tumor oophorectomy/hysterectomy procedures, and one aneurysm clipping. None of the 23 procedures resulted in excessive intraoperative or postoperative hemorrhage. CONCLUSION: In a small retrospective series of patients who required antiplatelet therapy for neurovascular indications, Pra SAPT resulted in no significant increase in the incidence of perioperative and postoperative hemorrhagic complications.

Janus Membrane with a Dense Hydrophilic Surface Layer for Robust Fouling and Wetting Resistance in Membrane Distillation: New Insights into Wetting Resistance.

Although membrane distillation (MD) has been identified as a promising technology to treat hypersaline wastewaters, its practical applications face two prominent challenges: membrane wetting and fouling. Herein, we report a facile and scalable approach for fabricating a Janus MD membrane comprising a dense polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) surface layer and a hydrophobic polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membrane substrate. By testing the Janus membrane in direct contact MD experiments using feeds containing a sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) surfactant or/and mineral oil, we demonstrated that the dense Janus membrane can simultaneously resist wetting and fouling. This method represents the simplest approach to date for fabricating MD membranes with simultaneous wetting and fouling resistance. Importantly, we also unveil the mechanism of wetting resistance by measuring the breakthrough pressure and surfactant permeation (through the PVA layer) and found that wetting resistance imparted by a dense hydrophilic layer is attributable to capillary pressure. This new insight will potentially change the paradigm of fabricating wetting-resistant membranes and enable robust applications of MD and other membrane contactor processes facing challenges of pore wetting or/and membrane fouling.

Zwitterionic Hydrogel Coating with Antisediment Properties for Marine Antifouling Applications.

Biofouling is a serious issue affecting the marine industry because the attached micro- and macrocontaminants can increase fuel consumption and damage ship hulls. A hydrophilic hydrogel-based coating is considered a promising antifouling material because it is environmentally friendly and the dense hydration layer can protect the substrate from microbial attachment. However, sediment adsorption can be an issue for hydrogel-based coatings. Their natural soft and porous structures can trap sediment from the marine environment and weaken the antifouling capability. There is still little research on the antisediment properties of hydrogels, and none of them deal with this problem. Here, we report on optimizing zwitterionic hydrogel-based coatings to improve their antisediment properties and achieve comparable performance to commercial biocidal coatings, which are the gold standard in the antifouling coating area. After 1 week of sediment contamination and 2 weeks of diatom coculturing, this optimized zwitterionic hydrogel coating maintained its antifouling properties with a few diatoms on the surface. Its large-scale samples also achieved antifouling performance similar to that of biocidal coatings in the Atlantic Ocean for 1.5 months. More importantly, our research provides a universal strategy to improve the antisediment properties of soft hydrogel-based coatings. For the first time, we report that the introduction of interfacial electrostatic interactions enhanced the antisediment properties of hydrogels.

Tailoring silk fibroin hydrophilicity and physicochemical properties using sugar alcohols for medical device coatings.

This study explores the modification of silk fibroin films for hydrophilic coating applications using various sugar alcohols. Films, prepared via solvent casting, incorporated glycerol, sorbitol, and maltitol, revealing distinctive transparency and UV absorption characteristics based on sugar alcohol chemical structures. X-ray diffraction confirmed a silk I to silk II transition influenced by sugar alcohols. Glycerol proved most effective in enhancing the ß-sheet structure. The study also elucidated a conformational shift towards a ß-sheet structure induced by sugar alcohols. Silk fibroin-sugar alcohol blind docking and sugar alcohol-sugar alcohol blind docking investigations were conducted utilizing the HDOCK Server. The computer simulation unveiled the significance of size and hydrogen bonding characteristics inherent in sugar alcohols, emphasizing their pivotal role in influencing interactions within silk fibroin matrices. Hydrophilicity of ozonized silicone surfaces improved through successful coating with silk fibroin films, particularly glycerol-containing ones, resulting in reduced contact angles. Strong adhesion between silk fibroin films and ozonized silicone surfaces was evident, indicating robust hydrogen bonding interactions. This comprehensive research provides crucial insights into sugar alcohols' potential to modify silk fibroin film crystalline structures, offering valuable guidance for optimizing their design and functionality, especially in silicone coating applications.

Bioinspired Multilayered Knitted Fabric with Directional Water Transport and Collection for Personal Sweat Management.

Effective sweat management fabric for sportswear facilitates sweat removal from the skin and elevates the comfort for human. However, when the body is in a strong hot and humid environment or after strenuous exercise, the sweat management fabric will be totally wetted and saturated quickly. As a result, excess sweat cannot be absorbed effectively by the garment, which creates obvious stickiness and heaviness. In this paper, a directional water transport and collection multilayered knitted fabric (DWTCF) is prepared by plasma pretreatment technology and screen coating. The treelike water transport network inspired from nature is designed in order to drive the liquid flow along the channels. By surface modification, branched hydrophilic flow paths are fabricated, and other regions are hydrophobic. As a demonstration, DWTCF has been injected with water to observe the liquid transport behavior. During the experiment, 76.7% liquid is collected by DWTCF, but there is just 0.06% collected by an ordinary knitted fabric. The weight increase of the ordinary fabric is 555.4% larger than that of DWTCF. Specifically, DWTCF utilizes the wetting and pressure-gradient-induced interfacial tension as well as the gravitational effect to facilitate the fluid motion along the hydrophilic channel, in addition to the capillarity present in the fabric structure. This study provides a new idea to develop directional water transport and collection fabric to solve the moisture absorption saturation problem of the fabric, especially for conditions requiring intense sweating.

Hydrophilic/Hydrophobic Janus Nanofibers Containing Compound K for Cartilage Regeneration.

Introduction: Cartilage regeneration is a challenging issue due to poor regenerative properties of tissues. Electrospun nanofibers hold enormous potentials for treatments of cartilage defects. However, nanofibrous materials used for the treatment of cartilage defects often require physical and/or chemical modifications to promote the adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation of cells. Thus, it is highly desirable to improve their surface properties with functionality. We aim to design hydrophilic, adhesive, and compound K-loaded nanofibers for treatments of cartilage defects. Methods: Hydrophilic and adhesive compound K-containing polycaprolactone nanofibers (CK/PCL NFs) were prepared by coatings of gallic acid-conjugated chitosan (CHI-GA). Therapeutic effects of CHI-GA/CK/PCL NFs were assessed by the expression level of genes involved in the cartilage matrix degradation, inflammatory response, and lipid accumulations in the chondrocytes. In addition, Cartilage damage was evaluated by safranin O staining and immunohistochemistry of interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) using OA animal models. To explore the pathway associated with therapeutic effects of CHI-GA/CK/PCL NFs, cell adhesion, phalloidin staining, and the expression level of integrins and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPARs) were evaluated. Results: CHI-GA-coated side of the PCL NFs showed hydrophilic and adhesive properties, whereas the unmodified opposite side remained hydrophobic. The expression levels of genes involved in the degradation of the cartilage matrix, inflammation, and lipogenesis were decreased in CHI-GA/CK/PCL NFs owing to the release of CK. In vivo implantation of CHI-GA/CK/PCL NFs into the cartilage reduced cartilage degradation induced by destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM) surgery. Furthermore, the accumulation of lipid deposition and expression levels of IL-1ß was reduced through the upregulation of PPAR. Conclusion: CHI-GA/CK/PCL NFs were effective in the treatments of cartilage defects by inhibiting the expression levels of genes involved in cartilage degradation, inflammation, and lipogenesis as well as reducing lipid accumulation and the expression level of IL-1ß via increasing PPAR.

Designing Sustainable Hydrophilic Interfaces via Feature Selection from Molecular Descriptors and Time-Domain Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Relaxation Curves.

Surface modification using hydrophilic polymer coatings is a sustainable approach for preventing membrane clogging due to foulant adhesion to water treatment membranes and reducing membrane-replacement frequency. Typically, both molecular descriptors and time-domain nuclear magnetic resonance (TD-NMR) data, which reveal physicochemical properties and polymer-chain dynamics, respectively, are required to predict the properties and understand the mechanisms of hydrophilic polymer coatings. However, studies on the selection of essential components from high-dimensional data and their application to the prediction of surface properties are scarce. Therefore, we developed a method for selecting features from combined high-dimensional molecular descriptors and TD-NMR data. The molecular descriptors of the monomers present in polyethylene terephthalate films were calculated using RDKit, an open-source chemoinformatics toolkit, and TD-NMR spectroscopy was performed over a wide time range using five-pulse sequences to investigate the mobility of the polymer chains. The model that analyzed the data using the random forest algorithm, after reducing the features using gradient boosting machine-based recursive feature elimination, achieved the highest prediction accuracy. The proposed method enables the extraction of important elements from both descriptors of surface properties and can contribute to the development of new sustainable materials and material-specific informatics methodologies encompassing multiple information modalities.

Multicenter study of the safety and effectiveness of intracranial aneurysm treatment with the p64MW-HPC flow modulation device.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The new p64 flow diverter with hydrophilic polymer coating (HPC) was designed to reduce thrombogenicity. To date, it is unclear how antithrombogenic surface modifications affect neoendothelialization and thrombus formation in patients with unruptured intracranial aneurysms. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the p64MW-HPC in the treatment of unruptured aneurysms of small to giant size and of both the anterior and posterior circulation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between March 2020 and October 2022 all patients with unruptured intracranial aneurysms treated with the p64MW-HPC were included at five neurovascular centers. Demographic data, aneurysm characteristics, antiplatelet therapy, procedural complications, and clinical and angiographic outcomes were recorded. RESULTS: A total of 100 patients with 100 unruptured intracranial aneurysms met the inclusion criteria. Eighty-three aneurysms were classified as saccular, 12 aneurysms were fusiform, 4 aneurysms dissecting, and 1 aneurysm was blister-like. Dual antiplatelet therapy with Clopidogrel and Aspirin was given in 68 cases, and with Ticagrelor and Aspirin in 24 cases. Technical issues with deployment were encountered in 14 cases (torsion (n = 3), foreshortening (n = 8), and incomplete opening (n = 3)). Ischemic stroke occurred in a total of seven cases. In one patient a wire perforation and subsequent severe ICH occurred. Complete aneurysm occlusion at angiographic follow-up (mean time = 7 months) was seen in 73% and adequate occlusion in 93%. CONCLUSION: This study is the largest multicenter study to date documenting the safety and effectiveness of the new antithrombogenic p64MW-HPC in the treatment of unruptured intracranial aneurysms of the anterior and posterior circulation.

Controlling Air Bubble Formation Using Hydrophilic Microfiltration Diffuser for C. vulgaris Cultivation.

In this project, a commercial polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) membrane was coated with a thin layer of polyether block amide (PEBAX) via vacuum filtration to improve hydrophilicity and to study the bubble formation. Two parameters, namely PEBAX concentration (of 0-1.5 wt%) and air flow rate (of 0.1-50 mL/s), were varied and their effects on the bubble size formation were investigated. The results show that the PEBAX coating reduced the minimum membrane pore size from 0.46 µm without coating (hereafter called PEBAX0) to 0.25 µm for the membrane coated with 1.5wt% of PEBAX (hereafter called PEBAX1.5). The presence of polar functional groups (N-H and C=O) in PEBAX greatly improved the membrane hydrophilicity from 118° for PEBAX0 to 43.66° for PEBAX1.5. At an air flow rate of 43 mL/s, the equivalent bubble diameter size decreased from 2.71 ± 0.14 cm for PEBAX0 to 1.51 ± 0.02 cm for PEBAX1.5. At the same air flow rate, the frequency of bubble formation increased six times while the effective gas-liquid contact area increased from 47.96 cm2/s to 85.6 cm2/s. The improved growth of C. vulgaris from 0.6 g/L to 1.3 g/L for PEBAX1.5 also shows the potential of the PEBAX surface coating porous membrane as an air sparger.

First Experience of Three Neurovascular Centers With the p64MW-HPC, a Low-Profile Flow Diverter Designed for Proximal Cerebral Vessels With Antithrombotic Coating.

Background: In the last decade, flow diversion (FD) has been established as hemodynamic treatment for cerebral aneurysms arising from proximal and distal cerebral arteries. However, two significant limitations remain-the need for 0.027" microcatheters required for delivery of most flow diverting stents (FDS), and long-term dual anti-platelet therapy (DAPT) in order to prevent FDS-associated thromboembolism, at the cost of increasing the risk for hemorrhage. This study reports the experience of three neurovascular centers with the p64MW-HPC, a FDS with anti-thrombotic coating that is implantable via a 0.021" microcatheter. Materials and methods: Three neurovascular centers contributed to this retrospective analysis of patients that had been treated with the p64MW-HPC between March 2020 and March 2021. Clinical data, aneurysm characteristics, and follow-up results, including procedural and post-procedural complications, were recorded. The hemodynamic effect was assessed using the O'Kelly-Marotta Scale (OKM). Results: Thirty-two patients (22 female, mean age 57.1 years) with 33 aneurysms (27 anterior circulation and six posterior circulation) were successfully treated with the p64MW-HPC. In 30/32 patients (93.75%), aneurysmal perfusion was significantly reduced immediately post implantation. Follow-up imaging was available for 23 aneurysms. Delayed aneurysm perfusion (OKM A3: 8.7%), reduction in aneurysm size (OKM B1-3: 26.1%), or sufficient separation from the parent vessel (OKM C1-3 and D1: 65.2%) was demonstrated at the last available follow-up after a mean of 5.9 months. In two cases, device thrombosis after early discontinuation of DAPT occurred. One delayed rupture caused a caroticocavernous fistula. The complications were treated sufficiently and all patients recovered without permanent significant morbidity. Conclusion: Treatment with the p64MW-HPC is safe and feasible and achieves good early aneurysm occlusion rates in the proximal intracranial circulation, which are comparable to those of well-established FDS. Sudden interruption of DAPT in the early post-interventional phase can cause in-stent thrombosis despite the HPC surface modification. Deliverability via the 0.021" microcatheter facilitates treatment in challenging vascular anatomies.

Robust Hybrid Hydrophilic Coating on a High-Density Polyethylene Surface with Enhanced Mechanical Property.

Acoustic aeration on a sonochemical surface could have a major impact on sensitivity because of the serious reflection/scattering of sound waves. Recently, we found that the trapped air in the crevices can be reduced by covering the surface with a hydrophilic coating, thus preventing the bubble formation upon ultrasound agitation. Here, we developed an epoxy-based hybrid polymer coating that shows greatly enhanced mechanical adhesion on a high-density polyethylene (HDPE) surface. The strong bonding of C-O-C and the benzene ring as the backbone ensures excellent mechanical strength, and the hydrophilic polar groups of -OH/-NH2 on dopamine display bubble suppression. The existing -OH groups in the cross-linked matrix, which is constructed by adding the monomer PEGMA and cross-linker PEGDA, form a strong chemical bond with the HDPE surface via dehydration, which largely enhanced the adhesion force. The coated HDPE surface maintained a low contact angle of less than 45°, which is the critical angle for avoiding bubbles, after a long period period of abrasion cycling of 160 times under 9.8 kPa pressure. The coated HDPE surface displayed excellent bubble removal performance under ultrasound agitation from room temperature to 60 °C. The strengthened mechanical adhesion of the epoxy-based hydrophilic coating displays extensive applications on a variety of surfaces for acoustic bubble removal.

Acute Thrombus Burden on Coated Flow Diverters Assessed by High Frequency Optical Coherence Tomography.

PURPOSE: The implantation of flow diverters requires administration of dual anti-platelet therapy, posing the potential for complications. The p48MW HPC (phenox, Bochüm, Germany) hydrophilic-coated flow diverting stent is designed to be anti-thrombotic, thus opening the potential for single anti-platelet therapy. We deploy a novel intravascular high-resolution imaging technique, high-frequency optical coherence tomography (HF-OCT), to study in an animal model the acute thrombus formation on coated p48MW devices versus uncoated control devices. METHODS: Three pigs were implanted with 4 flow diverters each, two test hydrophilic-coated devices, and two control uncoated devices (p48MW). Each pig was treated with a different anti-platelet regime: no anti-platelet therapy, aspirin only, aspirin and clopidogrel. Twenty minutes after the flow diverter was implanted, an HF-OCT data set was acquired. Acute clot formed on the flow diverter at each covered side branch was measured from the HF-OCT slices. Factors considered to be important were the device type (pHPC versus bare metal), aspirin, clopidogrel, and vessel location. A linear model was constructed from the significant factors. RESULTS: Both coating (p < 0.001) and aspirin (p = 0.003) were significantly related to reduction in clot burden, leading to an approximate 100-fold and 50-fold reduction in clot, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows the power of HF-OCT not only in the detection of clot but also the quantification of clot burden. In an animal model, the pHPC-coated p48MW significantly reduced acute thrombus formation over jailed side branches as compared to the bare metal p48MW that was nearly eliminated when combined with aspirin administration.

Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of Water-Dispersible Humate-Coated Magnetite Nanoparticles: Relation of Coating Process Parameters to the Properties of Nanoparticles.

Nowadays, there is a demand in the production of nontoxic multifunctional magnetic materials possessing both high colloidal stability in water solutions and high magnetization. In this work, a series of water-dispersible natural humate-polyanion coated superparamagnetic magnetite nanoparticles has been synthesized via microwave-assisted synthesis without the use of inert atmosphere. An impact of a biocompatible humate-anion as a coating agent on the structural and physical properties of nanoparticles has been established. The injection of humate-polyanion at various synthesis stages leads to differences in the physical properties of the obtained nanomaterials. Depending on the synthesis protocol, nanoparticles are characterized by improved monodispersity, smaller crystallite and grain size (up to 8.2 nm), a shift in the point of zero charge (6.4 pH), enhanced colloidal stability in model solutions, and enhanced magnetization (80 emu g-1).

Comparison of optical microscopy and optical coherence tomography as quality assurance methods for evaluating lubricious hydrophilic coatings surrounding catheter shafts.

Cardiac catheters are a vital tool in medicine due to their widespread use in many minimally invasive procedures. To aid in advancing the catheter within the patient's vasculature, many catheters are coated with a lubricious hydrophilic coating (HPC). Although HPCs benefit patients, their delamination during use is a serious safety concern. Adverse health effects associated with HPC delamination include pulmonary and myocardial embolism, embolic stroke, infarction, and death. In order to improve patient outcomes, more consistent manufacturing methods and improved quality assurance techniques are needed to evaluate HPC medical devices. The present work investigates the efficacy of two novel methods to image and evaluate HPCs post-manufacturing, relative to industry-standard scanning electron microscopy (SEM)-based methods. We have shown that novel evaluation approaches based on optical microscopy (OM) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) are capable of imaging HPC layers and quantifying HPC thickness, saving hours of time relative to SEM sample preparation and imaging. Additionally, the nondestructive nature of OCT avoids damage and alteration to the HPC prior to imaging, leading to more reliable HPC thickness measurements. Overall, the work demonstrated the feasibility and advantages of using OM and OCT to image and measure HPC thickness relative to industry-standard SEM methods.

Product evaluation of Hollister's Onli™ ready-to-use hydrophilic intermittent catheter and adherence to a treatment plan using this catheter. / Evaluación del producto catéter intermitente hidrofílico listo para usar Onli™ de Hollister y adherencia a un plan de tratamiento usando este catéter.

OBJECTIVE: The primary objective of this product evaluation involved obtaining assessments from patients following the use of the Onli™ intermittent catheter(IC) 17cm and 40cm; and opinions from clinicians on its use for catheterization based on its design features.The inability to access the right catheter is often why patients discontinue intermittent self-catheterization(1). Design factors play an important role in the like lihood of using and remaining compliant to an IC device.The secondary objective of this product evaluation was to assess if the ease-of-learning and ease-of-use of Onli intermittent catheter, would support patient adherence to a catheterization treatment plan. METHODS: A multi-center, unblinded evaluation was executed in 10 different SCI Units across Spain. Rehabilitation physicians and nurses recruited patients with neurogenic bladder disorder and used IC's. The patient sused 30 catheters in according to their standard of care.A total of 100 subjects were enrolled into the study (78 male and 22 female). RESULTS: 90% of clinicians agreed that the "ease-oflearning"and "ease-of-use" of the Onli intermittent catheter has the potential to support patient adherence to a catheterization plan. 80% of patients found learning curve for catheter usage easy, and 69% found it easier than their current catheter. A total of 89% of patients reported insertion of the catheter as easy or very easy;with 91% reporting removal easy or very easy. CONCLUSION: Results of the current evaluation support increased adherence to a self-cath treatment plan.The IC was described as easy to teach and learn; with77% of patients indicating that if the IC was available they would be likely or very likely to use it. Other designat tributes of the IC were found to lend to the preference for the selection of the product.

OBJETIVO: El objetivo principal de la evaluaciónde este producto consistió en la obtención de evaluaciones de los pacientes tras el uso del catéter intermitente (CI) Onli™, de 17 cm y 40 cm, y de las opiniones de los profesionales sanitarios sobre su uso para el cateterismo en función de sus características de diseño. La imposibilidad de acceder al catéter correcto suele ser el motivo por el cual los pacientes suspenden el autocateterismo intermitente (1). Los factores de diseño juegan un rol importante en la probabilidad de usar un CI y seguir el tratamiento. El objetivo secundario de la evaluación de este producto consistió en evaluar si la facilidad de aprendizaje y de uso de este catéter intermitente Onli facilitaría la adherencia del paciente a un plan de tratamiento con sondaje vesical intermitente. MÉTODOS: Se realizó un estudio multicéntrico abierto en 10 Unidades de Lesión Medular (ULMs) de distintos lugares de España. Los médicos y la enfermería de Rehabilitación reclutaron pacientes de las ULMs con vejiga neurógena y que usaban CI o se les pautó CI. Los pacientes utilizaron 30 catéteres de acuerdo con su estándar de atención. En total, se incluyeron 100 sujetos en el estudio (78 hombres y 22 mujeres). RESULTADOS: Los resultados mostraron que el 90% de los profesionales sanitarios estuvieron de acuerdo con que la "facilidad de aprendizaje" y la "facilidad de uso" de la sonda Onli pueden potencialmente favorecer la adherencia del usuario a un plan de tratamiento con cateterismo intermitente, que un 80% de los pacientes consideró que aprender a usar el catéter era fácil y que a un 69% le resultó más fácil aprender a utilizar Onlique su sonda habitual. En total, el 89% de los pacientes consideró que la inserción del catéter fue fácil o muy fácil, y para un 91% resultó fácil o muy fácil la retirada. CONCLUSIÓN: Los resultados de esta evaluación respaldan las probabilidades de adherencia del pacientea un plan de tratamiento con cateterismos. Se determinó que el CI es fácil de enseñar y aprender, y un 77% de los pacientes indicaron que si el CI estuviera disponible probablemente o muy probablemente lo usarían. Se puede concluir que los factores de diseño juegan un papel importante en la selección del dispositivo, así como en su adherencia. Se descubrió que otros atributos del diseño del CI aportan a la preferencia en la selección del producto.

Hyperbranched poly(amidoamine)/TMC reverse osmosis membrane for oily saline water treatment.

Generally, conventional polyamide reverse osmosis (RO) membranes suffer from a low water flux and serious oil pollution in the treatment of oil saline wastewater. Here, a novel RO membrane was successfully fabricated with hyperbranched polyamidoamine (PAMAM) and trimesoyl chloride (TMC) by interfacial reaction on polysulfone ultrafiltration membrane surface. The relatively smooth and thin PAMAM and TMC crosslinking active layer on the substrate membrane endowed the composite membrane with an excellent separation performance and remarkable anti-fouling performance simultaneously. For the stable saline emulsion with an oil droplet size of 300 nm, the rejection of oil and NaCl reached to 99% and 89.3% respectively, and the water flux was about 18.42 L/(m2h). After 24-h continuous operation, the rejection of oil and salt maintained above 98% and 88%, and the flux only decreased about 5%, exhibiting a more excellent resistance to oil pollution than the commercial membrane, of which the flux sharply decreased by 30%. Hence, it is believed that such membrane has great potential for effective separation of oily saline wastewater.

Bile Flow Phantom Model and Animal Bile Duct Dilation Model for Evaluating Biliary Plastic Stents with Advanced Hydrophilic Coating.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The efforts to improve biliary plastic stents (PSs) for decreasing biofilm formation and overcome short patency time have been continued. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of advanced hydrophilic coating for patency and biodurability of PS. METHODS: Using an in vitro bile flow phantom model, we compared patency between prototype PS with hydrophilic coating (PS+HC) and prototype PS without hydrophilic coating (PS-HC). We performed an analysis of the degree of luminal narrowing by microscopic examination. Using an in vivo swine bile duct dilation model made by endoscopic papillary closure and stent insertion, we evaluated biodurability of hydrophilic coating. RESULTS: In the phantom model, PS+HC showed less biofilm formation and luminal narrowing than PS-HC at 8 weeks (p<0.05). A total of 31 stents were inserted into the dilated bile duct of seven swine models, and 24 stents were successfully retrieved 8 weeks later. There was no statistical difference of stent patency between the polyethylene PS+HC and the polyurethane PS+HC. The biodurability of hydrophilic coating was sustained up to 8 weeks, when assessing the coating layer by scanning electron microscopy examination. CONCLUSIONS: Advanced hydrophilic coating technology may extend the patency of PS compared to uncoated PS.

Porous hydrophilic core/hydrophobic shell nanoparticles for particle size and drug release control.

Polymeric nanoparticle has been developed for drug delivery during the past decades. However, the size of hydrophilic nanoparticles would increase in the aqueous environment due to water absorption, and then influence the in vivo biodistribution and drug release behavior. In the present study, the metronidazole-loaded porous Eudragit® RS (ERS)/poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) core/shell nanoparticles were prepared by coaxial electrospray. Compared to the hydrophilic ERS nanoparticles, the porous hydrophilic core/hydrophobic shell nanoparticles displayed a slower drug release, and the release rate can be adjusted to change the surface area and particle size. In addition, the porous core/shell nanoparticles could maintain a stable particle size distribution in simulated body fluid for 8h, which can be attributed to the bioinert nature of PMMA coating. And porous core/shell nanoparticles showed slight in vitro cytotoxicity and good cellular internalization property. The results demonstrated that the prepared porous hydrophilic core/hydrophobic shell nanoparticles is a potential candidate for delivering drugs, which can also be used as a platform and further modified into targeted drug delivery systems for clinical application.

Bile Flow Phantom Model and Animal Bile Duct Dilation Model for Evaluating Biliary Plastic Stents with Advanced Hydrophilic Coating

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The efforts to improve biliary plastic stents (PSs) for decreasing biofilm formation and overcome short patency time have been continued. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of advanced hydrophilic coating for patency and biodurability of PS. METHODS: Using an in vitro bile flow phantom model, we compared patency between prototype PS with hydrophilic coating (PS+HC) and prototype PS without hydrophilic coating (PS-HC). We performed an analysis of the degree of luminal narrowing by microscopic examination. Using an in vivo swine bile duct dilation model made by endoscopic papillary closure and stent insertion, we evaluated biodurability of hydrophilic coating. RESULTS: In the phantom model, PS+HC showed less biofilm formation and luminal narrowing than PS-HC at 8 weeks (p<0.05). A total of 31 stents were inserted into the dilated bile duct of seven swine models, and 24 stents were successfully retrieved 8 weeks later. There was no statistical difference of stent patency between the polyethylene PS+HC and the polyurethane PS+HC. The biodurability of hydrophilic coating was sustained up to 8 weeks, when assessing the coating layer by scanning electron microscopy examination. CONCLUSIONS: Advanced hydrophilic coating technology may extend the patency of PS compared to uncoated PS.

The controlled intravenous delivery of drugs using PEG-coated sterically stabilized nanospheres.

Injectable blood persistent particulate carriers have important therapeutic application in site-specific drug delivery or medical imaging. However, injected particles are generally eliminated by the reticuloendothelial system within minutes after administration and accumulate in the liver and spleen. To obtain a coating that might prevent opsonization and subsequent recognition by the macrophages, sterically stabilized nanospheres were developed using amphiphilic diblock or multiblock copolymers. The nanospheres are composed of a hydrophilic polyethylene glycol coating and a biodegradable core in which various drugs were encapsulated. Hydrophobic drugs, such as lidocaine, were entrapped up to 45 wt% and the release kinetics were governed by the polymer physico-chemical characteristics. Plasma protein adsorption was drastically reduced on PEG-coated particles compared to non-coated ones. Relative protein amounts were time-dependent. The nanospheres exhibited increased blood circulation times and reduced liver accumulation, depending on the coating polyethylene glycol molecular weight and surface density. They could be freeze-dried and redispersed in aqueous solutions and possess good shelf stability. It may be possible to tailor "optimal" polymers for given therapeutic applications.