Biomacromolecule‐Functionalized AIEgens for Advanced Biomedical Studies

The advances in bioinformatics and biomedicine have promoted the development of biomedical imaging and theranostic systems to respectively extend the endogenous biomarker imaging with high contrast and enhance the therapeutic effect with high efficiency. The emergence of biomacromolecule‐functionalized aggregation‐induced emitters (AIEgens), utilizing AIEgens, and biomacromolecules (nucleic acids, peptides, glycans, and lipids), displays specific targeting ability to cancer cell, improved biocompatibility, reduced toxicity, enhanced therapeutic effect, and so forth. This review summarizes the rational design of biomacromolecule‐functionalized AIEgens and their biomedical applications in recent ten years, including high‐resolution optical imaging of cell, tissue, and small animal model with low background; the biomarker detection for early diagnosis and prognosis; the delivery and monitoring of prodrugs; image‐guide photodynamic therapy and its combination with chemotherapy. Through illustrating their functional mechanisms and application, it is hoped that this review would open up a completely new train of research thought for attracted researchers in various fields.     

可注射性骨组织工程材料不饱和聚磷酸酯的交联特性

合成了主链重复结构单元中含不饱和双键的聚磷酸酯,利用FT-IR及NM R对其进行了表征。研究了聚合物分子量、交联剂N-乙烯基吡咯烷酮与引发剂过氧化苯甲酰的含量对最高交联温度、固化时间、压缩强度及压缩模量的影响。研究表明,体系的最高交联温度在41.1℃~82.3℃,低于骨修复材料甲基丙烯酸甲酯的最高交联温度97℃。引发剂含量的增加能够加快体系交联固化。提高分子量以及交联剂与引发剂的含量都能增加交联产物的压缩强度及压缩模量,四种配方所得交联产物的压缩强度为3.3M Pa~11.0 M Pa,压缩模量为4.9 M Pa~101.9 M Pa,接近松质骨的水平。因此,U PPE有可能成为一类新型的可注射性骨组织工程支架材料。     

Derivatives of biomacromolecules as stabilizers of aqueous alumina suspensions

The stabilization of alumina suspensions is key to the development of high‐performance materials for the ceramic industry, which has motivated extensive research into synthetic polymers used as stabilizers. In this study, mimosa tannin extract and a chitosan derivative, that is, macromolecules obtained from renewable resources, are shown to be promising to replace synthetic polymers, yielding less viscous suspensions with smaller particles and greater fluidity, that is, more homogeneous suspensions that may lead to better‐quality products. The functional groups of tannin present in mimosa extract and N,N,N‐trimethylchitosan (TMC) are capable of establishing interactions with the alumina surface, thus leading to repulsion between the particles mainly due to steric and electrosteric mechanisms, respectively. The stabilization of the suspension induced by either TMC or mimosa tannin was confirmed by a considerable decrease in viscosity and average particle size, in comparison with alumina suspensions without stabilizing agents. The viscosity/average particle size decreased by 49/84% and 52/87% for suspensions with TMC and mimosa tannin, respectively. In addition, the increase in the absolute zeta potential upon addition of either TMC or mimosa tannin extract, especially at high pHs, points to an increased stability of the suspension. The feasibility of using derivatives of macromolecules from renewable sources to stabilize aqueous alumina suspensions was therefore demonstrated. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010     

利用模板合成纳米材料研究的新进展

在当今纳米科学技术研究突飞猛进的年代，本文分别介绍了近几年来以无机材料、有机高分子及天然大分子为模板进行的纳米材料合成研究的新进展。     

Natural origin biodegradable systems in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine: present status and some moving trends.

The fields of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine aim at promoting the regeneration of tissues or replacing failing or malfunctioning organs, by means of combining a scaffold/support material, adequate cells and bioactive molecules. Different materials have been proposed to be used as both three-dimensional porous scaffolds and hydrogel matrices for distinct tissue engineering strategies. Among them, polymers of natural origin are one of the most attractive options, mainly due to their similarities with the extracellular matrix (ECM), chemical versatility as well as typically good biological performance. In this review, the most studied and promising and recently proposed naturally derived polymers that have been suggested for tissue engineering applications are described. Different classes of such type of polymers and their blends with synthetic polymers are analysed, with special focus on polysaccharides and proteins, the systems that are more inspired by the ECM. The adaptation of conventional methods or non-conventional processing techniques for processing scaffolds from natural origin based polymers is reviewed. The use of particles, membranes and injectable systems from such kind of materials is also overviewed, especially what concerns the present status of the research that should lead towards their final application. Finally, the biological performance of tissue engineering constructs based on natural-based polymers is discussed, using several examples for different clinically relevant applications.     

Porous Electrospun Fibers with Self‐Sealing Functionality: An Enabling Strategy for Trapping Biomacromolecules

Stimuli‐responsive porous polymer materials have promising biomedical application due to their ability to trap and release biomacromolecules. In this work, a class of highly porous electrospun fibers is designed using polylactide as the polymer matrix and poly(ethylene oxide) as a porogen. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with different concentrations are further impregnated onto the fibers to achieve self‐sealing functionality induced by photothermal conversion upon light irradiation. The fibers with 0.4 mg mL^?1 of CNTs exhibit the optimum encapsulation efficiency of model biomacromolecules such as dextran, bovine serum albumin, and nucleic acids, although their photothermal conversion ability is slightly lower than the fibers with 0.8 mg mL^?1 of CNTs. Interestingly, reversible reopening of the surface pores is accomplished with the degradation of PLA, affording a further possibility for sustained release of biomacromolecules after encapsulation. Effects of CNT loading on fiber morphology, structure, thermal/mechanical properties, degradation, and cell viability are also investigated. This novel class of porous electrospun fibers with self‐sealing capability has great potential to serve as an enabling strategy for trapping/release of biomacromolecules with promising applications in, for example, preventing inflammatory diseases by scavenging cytokines from interstitial body fluids.     

Photons and particles emitted from cold atmospheric-pressure plasma inactivate bacteria and biomolecules independently and synergistically

Cold atmospheric-pressure plasmas are currently in use in medicine as surgical tools and are being evaluated for new applications, including wound treatment and cosmetic care. The disinfecting properties of plasmas are of particular interest, given the threat of antibiotic resistance to modern medicine. Plasma effluents comprise (V)UV photons and various reactive particles, such as accelerated ions and radicals, that modify biomolecules; however, a full understanding of the molecular mechanisms that underlie plasma-based disinfection has been lacking. Here, we investigate the antibacterial mechanisms of plasma, including the separate, additive and synergistic effects of plasma-generated (V)UV photons and particles at the cellular and molecular levels. Using scanning electron microscopy, we show that plasma-emitted particles cause physical damage to the cell envelope, whereas UV radiation does not. The lethal effects of the plasma effluent exceed the zone of physical damage. We demonstrate that both plasma-generated particles and (V)UV photons modify DNA nucleobases. The particles also induce breaks in the DNA backbone. The plasma effluent, and particularly the plasma-generated particles, also rapidly inactivate proteins in the cellular milieu. Thus, in addition to physical damage to the cellular envelope, modifications to DNA and proteins contribute to the bactericidal properties of cold atmospheric-pressure plasma.     

质谱技术在中药小分子与生物大分子相互作用研究中的应用

中药发挥药理作用具有多组分,多靶点的重要特点。研究中药化学成分与生物大分子之间的相互作用不仅能够为阐明中药发挥药理作用的机理和物质基础提供科学依据,而且能够为新药设计提供理论指导。软电离质谱技术,尤其是电喷雾质谱(ESI-MS)和基质辅助激光解吸电离质谱(MALDI-MS)在一定条件下能够使药物与生物大分子形成的复合物完整地转移到气相中并被检测到,在中药小分子与生物大分子相互作用的研究中具有很大的优势。同时,色谱-质谱联用技术在中药复杂体系与生物大分子相互作用的研究中也显示出很大的应用潜力。本文介绍了质谱技术在药物与生物大分子相互作用研究中的应用原理,并总结了近年来软电离质谱技术在中药小分子与生物大分子相互作用研究中的应用。