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In this study, poly( l-lactide) (PLA) films were fabricated by melt processing and the plasticizing effect of hexadecyl lactate (HL) (0, 5, 7.5, 10, and 12.5 wt% on PLA were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, tensile, transparency, and water vapor permeability tests. The SEM analysis revealed that PLA with 10 wt% HL appeared uniform with extra small bumps, confirmed the interaction between PLA and HL. The thermal analysis revealed a glass transition temperature of 57.4 °C for neat PLA film, but the addition of HL elicited a decrease in the temperature of the peak (43.8 °C). The incorporation of plasticizer into PLA resulted in the increase of elongation at break, as well as the decrease of tensile strength and tensile modulus. Even though a decrease in transparency was recorded, the PLA/HL blend films appeared transparent by visually observation. The water vapor permeability of PLA/HL blend films increased with the increase of HL. The PLA/HL blend films could effectively extend the shelf-life of fresh-cut pears as the commercial low density polyethylene films. The results indicated that the properties of PLA films can be modified with the addition of HL and PLA/HL blend films could serve as an alternative as food packaging materials to reduce environmental problems associated with synthetic packaging films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cathelicidin-BF-30 (BF-30), a water-soluble peptide isolated from the snake venom of Bungarus fasciatus containing 30 amino acid residues, was incorporated in poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) 75∶25 microspheres (MS) prepared by a water in oil in water W/O/W emulsification solvent extraction method. The aim of this work was to investigate the stability of BF-30 after encapsulation. D-trehalose was used as an excipient to stabilize the peptide. The MS obtained were mostly under 2 µm in size and the encapsulation efficiency was 88.50±1.29%. The secondary structure of the peptide released in vitro was determined to be nearly the same as the native peptide using Circular Dichroism (CD). The ability of BF-30 to inhibit the growth of Escherichia coli was also maintained. The cellular relative growth and hemolysis rates were 92.16±3.55% and 3.52±0.45% respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Poly( l-lactic acid) (PLA) is now a very attractive polymer for food packaging applications. In this study, PLA/poly(trimethylene carbonate) (PTMC)/talc composite films were prepared by solvent casting. The influence of the talc loading (0, 1, 2, and 3 wt %) on the phase morphology of the PLA/PTMC/talc composites and the improvement in the resulting properties are reported in this article. The scanning electron microscopy images of the composite films demonstrated good compatibility between the PLA and PTMC, whereas talc was not thoroughly distributed in the PLA matrix at talc contents exceeding 3 wt %. The tensile strength and elongation at break of the composite films significantly improved ( p < 0.05). On the contrary, the water vapor permeability and oxygen properties of the composite films decreased by 24.7 and 39.2%, respectively, at the 2 wt % talc loading. Differential scanning calorimetry showed that the crystallinity of the PLA phase increased with the presence of talc filler in the PLA/PTMC/talc composites. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2014, 131, 40016. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Health concerns about food safety have increased in recent years. In order to ensure the safety and increase the shelf-life of food, many methods have been used to slow down the oxidation rate of food fat. In order to solve this problem, a new type of antioxidant-active packaging has emerged. Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) films containing phloridzin adsorbed on to an MCM-41 mesoporous molecular sieve were prepared by electrostatic spinning, using PLA as a film-forming substrate, phloridzin as an antioxidant, and MCM-41 as the adsorption and controlled release carrier. The physical properties of the new films—including microscopic structure, water vapor transmission rate, and fresh-keeping effects, as well as the mechanical, thermal, antioxidant, and antibacterial properties—were studied. When the mass ratio of MCM-41 to phloridzin is 1:2, the nanofiber membrane achieves a 53.61% free-radical scavenging rate and better antibacterial performance (85.22%) due to the high content of phloridzin (30.54%). Additionally, when the mass ratio of the molecular sieve to phloridzin is 1:2 and 3:4 (with the best antibacterial performance of 89.30%), the films significantly delay lipid oxidation in the strawberry packaging, allowing the fresh-keeping time to be extended to up to 21 days before mildew appears. In this study, an MCM-41 mesoporous molecular sieve was used to load phloridzin for the first time. The packaging film with phloridzin, MCM-41, and poly(lactic acid) were used as the raw materials and electrospinning technology was used to prepare the packaging film with antioxidant activity. The packaging film was used for the first time in the packaging of strawberries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An intelligent pH indicator film was prepared by mixing cassava starch, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), and natural anthocyanin extracted from grape skin (GSE) and mangosteen rind (MRE). The effects of GSE and MRE on the physical, structural, and pH‐sensing performance of composite films were studied. Scanning electron microscope results showed that the microstructure of film had little difference when the anthocyanin extracts were incorporated into the polymer matrix. A significant (p <.05) effect of GSE and MRE on the tensile strength, moisture content, and elongation at the break of the films were observed. The two indicator films could respond to different pH values and showed good color stability. During the storage of pork, the cassava starch/PVA/GSE film showed a visible color variation from pink, blue, purple to yellow, while the cassava starch/PVA/MRE film showed color variation from light yellow, bright yellow, green to dark green. The result indicated that the two films could be used to monitor pork freshness for intelligent pH indicator packaging. Novelty impact statement: Using fruit waste to extract anthocyanin.Indicator film has good color stability, and the color change was obvious at different pH values.The color of the indicator film changed obviously in the process of indicating the freshness of pork. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • NaP@Pβ-CD has the lowest detection limit and quicker response speed. • NaP@Pβ-CD shows excellent sensing capability totally in water, does not require any organic solvent. • NaP@Pβ-CD has good biocompatibility. Formaldehyde is widely used in daily life and can be generated endogenously through diverse biological processes. However, formaldehyde may cause severe threat to the health of humanity. In this work, we designed a novel nanoprobe NaP@Pβ-CD through the host-guest self-assembly between poly β-cyclodextrins (Pβ-CD) and naphthalimide (NaP). The NaP is enclosed in the Pβ-CD cavity, forming hydrophilic nanoparticles. Formaldehyde can trigger "on" fluorescence response of NaP fluorophore and the detection can be carried out in aqueous solution. This probe has low detection limit (16.8 nM), a fast response to FA (5 min), high selectivity, good biocompatibility and excellent stability. More importantly, it shows excellent sensing capability totally in water without requiring any organic solvent. Therefore, the NaP@Pβ-CD could be successfully applied to formaldehyde detection in food, living cells, and organisms in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Hydrophobic indicator film was facilely prepared by electrospinning technique. • The film is highly responsive and indicative to both acid and alkaline gases. • BPA and CIN endow PLA film with antioxidant and antibacterial properties. • The smart film can be effectively applied for visual monitoring of beef spoilage. • The film has a significant effect on extending the shelf life of beef. A nanofiber film was prepared by a facile electrospinning technique using polylactide (PLA), butterfly pea flower extract (BPA) and cinnamaldehyde (CIN). The as-prepared film shows the prominent antioxidative, antibacterial, colorimetric and hydrophobic properties so that the beef freshness can be monitored and maintained up to 6 days at 4 °C simultaneously. Besides, the nanofiber structure endows the film with a fast color responsiveness under acidic-alkaline atmospheres with different concentrations. Moreover, this film exhibits higher tensile strength (9.56 Mpa) than that of the pure PLA electrospinning film (4.40 Mpa). Especially the introduction of the BPA effectively boosts the antimicrobial ability of the CIN. The freshness, sub-freshness and spoilage levels of the beef can be easily testified by observing the color difference change of the film. So the polylactide based multifunctional film as an intelligent packaging has an excellent potential for the sub-freshness detection of meat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of nano-Ag content, high pressure treatment, and migration time on nano-Ag migration and properties of polylactide (PLA)/nano-Ag composite films were investigated. The PLA films incorporated with 1 wt%, 5 wt%, 10 wt%, 15 wt%, and 20 wt% nano-Ag were treated by 100, 200, 300, and 400 MPa high pressure for 10, 20, and 30 min, respectively, and then soaked in isooctane food simulant at 40 °C for 49 days. The migration of nano-Ag in the PLA nanocomposite films increased by the addition of nano-Ag, the pressure of high pressure treatment, and migration time. Thermal and mechanical properties showed that high pressure and migration time would make the films rougher and increase the crystallization temperature of the PLA nanocomposite films. Moreover, the addition of nano-Ag could improve the barrier properties of the PLA nanocomposite films. However, the longer the migration time, the worse the barrier property. The results indicated that the migration amount of nano-Ag and performance of the PLA/nano-Ag composite films were greatly affected by the migration time. • This paper applied high pressure technology to the preparation of composite film materials. • The addition of nano-Ag could increase the crystallinity of the composite films. • The migration of the nano-Ag/PLA composite films in the oily food simulating liquid was safe. • As the migration time increased, the barrier and mechanical properties of the composite films deteriorated. • The results indicated that the migration of nano-Ag in the composite films increased as the initial addition quantity of nano-Ag. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reference 1 Xie Y., Cheng G., Wu Z., Shi S., Zhao J., Jiang L., Jiang D., Yuan M., Wang Y., Yuan M. Preparation and Characterization of New Electrospun Poly(lactic acid) Nanofiber Antioxidative Active Packaging Films Containing MCM-41 Mesoporous Molecular Sieve Loaded with Phloridzin and Their Application in Strawberry Packaging. Preparation and Characterization of New Electrospun Poly(Lactic Acid) Nanofiber Antioxidative Active Packaging Films Containing MCM-41 Mesoporous Molecular Sieve Loaded with Phloridzin and Their Application in Strawberry Packaging. Original image (incorrect one): Graph Corrected Figure 7: Graph: Figure 7 Antibacterial effect of antioxidant films containing assemblies of different amounts. [Extracted from the article]

An active packaging film based on poly(lactic acid) (PLA) incorporated with 9 wt% bergamot, lemongrass, rosemary, or clove essential oils was developed. The influence of essential oils on the properties of the PLA/essential oil blends was studied. The mechanical and antimicrobial properties of PLA/essential oil blends were found to be superior to pure PLA. The WVP of PLA/essential oil blend films was significantly ( p < 0.05) higher than that of pure PLA film. All FTIR spectra of PLA/essential oil blends displayed the characteristic bands of PLA-based materials. The addition of essential oils in the polymer matrix resulted in a two-step degradation process of TGA. Furthermore, essential oils led to the decrease of the glass transition temperature according to the DSC results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ring-opening polymerization of l-lactic acid O-carboxyanhydride was catalyzed by 4-dimethylaminopyridine in the presence of polyols pentaerythritol (PER) or dipentaerythritol (DPE). A high yield and relatively high molecular weight of 4- or 6-arm star PLA were obtained. The reaction was observed to be conducted easily and controllably. NMR analysis revealed that the end of the star PLA chain is a hydroxyl group and the central core is a PER or DPE group. The crystallinity of star PLA is lower than that of linear PLA. The crystallinity of 4-arm star PLA is lower than that of 6-arm PLA. Compared with that of 4-arm star PLA, the molecular arrangement of 6-arm star PLA may be relatively more regular. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly fluorescent cysteine-capped CdTe/CdS core-shell nanowires were successfully synthesized by reacting CdCl with NaHTe in aqueous solution under refluxing at 100 °C for 140 min. On increasing the reaction time from 10 to 140 min, CdTe/CdS nanocrystals gradually grew into nanorods and eventually completely evolved into nanowires. The nanowires have amino and carboxyl functional groups on their surfaces and can be well dispersed in aqueous solution. The as-prepared CdTe/CdS nanowires show a fluorescence quantum yield (QY) of 7.25 % due to the unique nature of cysteine and the formation of a CdS shell on the surface of the CdTe core, they have a narrower diameter distribution ( d = ~5 nm) and a length in the range of 175-275 nm, and their aspect ratio is between 1/35 and 1/55. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Rapid synthesis of single-phase LiMgxMn2-xO4 (x ≤ 0.20) cathode materials was accomplished by a solid-state combustion process at a low temperature of 500°C for 1h. [•] LiMg0.08Mn1.92O4 maintains good capacity retention of 93.2% after 150 cycles at 0.2C. [•] Doped Mg2+ ions improve the first electrochemical reaction and restrain the second one of the two-stage intercalation/de-intercalation process of lithium for spinel LiMn2O4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human embryonic kidney cells are the host of adenovirus type-5 (Ad5) amplification. An Ad5-vector-based COVID-19 vaccine has been proven to be tolerated and immunogenic in healthy adults. Therefore, a rationally designed scaffold for culturing human embryonic kidney cells is useful for further studying its mechanism of action. Herein, a three-dimensional layered reticulated polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffold coated with poly(ε-caprolactone)-poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCEC) was developed to proliferate human embryonic kidney cells and to be used to amplify the Ad5 vector. The results indicate that PCEC improves the hydrophilicity and the cell culture ability of PCL cell culture scaffolds, resulting in a three times higher cell proliferation ratio of human embryonic kidney cells compared with those grown on bare PCL cell culture scaffolds. Meanwhile, the cytotoxicity test results showed that the scaffold material is noncytotoxic. This work provides an effective and scalable method for the in-depth study of adenoviruses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Random copolymers of polylactide-co-poly(amino acids) with a molecule weight range of 5,000-20,000 g/mol were obtained by ring-opening polymerization of l-lactic acid O-carboxyanhydride with amino acid- N-carboxyl anhydride in the presence of DMAP as an initiator. The structures of the copolymers were characterized with IR, H-NMR, C-NMR, and GPC. The results show that the polymerization activity of amino acid- N-carboxyl anhydride is higher than that of l-lactic acid O-carboxyanhydride. Copolymers of polylactide-co-poly(amino acid) can improve the solubility of poly(amino acid) in organic solvents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of novel antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) and antimicrobial peptide microspheres (AMS) on the physicochemical and microbial quality of Tricholoma matsutake wild edible mushrooms was investigated. In the experiments, 1.0 g/L, 0.5 g/L of AMS, and 1.0 g/L AMPs were used as preservatives. Mushrooms coated with 1.0 g/L and 0.5 g/L of AMS as a preservative had better physicochemical and sensory qualities than did mushrooms coated with 1.0 g/L of AMPs. In the experiment, 1.0 g/L of blank microspheres without cathelicidin-BF-30 (PLGA-1.0) and distilled water was used as the control. Samples with these two treatments had minimal changes in texture, weight loss, total bacteria count, and sensory attributes. Research results suggests that the use of AMS can maintain the quality of Tricholoma matsutake wild edible mushrooms and could extend the postharvest life to 20 d. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Benzimidazo [2,1- b ] [1,3]thiazines as an important class of N,S-containing heterocyclic compounds are usually present in molecules with diverse biological and pharmaceutical activities. An efficient DBU-catalyzed [3 + 3] annulation reaction between Morita-Baylis-Hillman carbonates and 2-mercaptobenzimidazoles has been developed. Under mild reaction conditions, a wide range of functionalized 3,4-dihydro-2 H -benzo[4,5]imidazo [2,1- b ][1,3]thiazines possessing two contiguous stereogenic centers on thiazine ring were prepared in moderate to excellent yields (48–93%) and diastereoselectivities (59:41 to >95:5). [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Slow healing of wounds induces great pain in diabetic patients. However, developing new approaches to promote diabetic wound healing is still one of the toughest challenges in the medical field. Here, we constructed a new double-layer hydrogel to effectively regulate reactive oxygen species (ROS) on the wound and promote diabetic wound healing. The inner layer contains glucose oxidase (Gox), ferrocene-modified quaternary ammonium chitosan (Fc-QCs), and poly(β-cyclodextrin) (Pβ-CD), which is used to generate hydroxyl radicals ( • OH) for antibacterial in the early stage of wound healing and collapses gradually. The outer layer is composed of gelatin and dopamine. In the later stage of wound healing, the outer layer contacts the skin, which is beneficial for ROS clearance on the wound. Antibacterial, ROS scavenging, and wound healing experiments have shown that the double-layer hydrogel possesses two-stage ROS regulating properties for programmed diabetic wound healing. In conclusion, it will be one of the most potential dressings for treating diabetic wounds in the future.

Dihydrochalcones are important bioactive ingredients in plants. Anneslea fragrans is an edible and medicinal plant, and its leaves are rich in dihydrochalcones. Confusoside (CF) is the most abundant dihydrochalcone in A. fragrans leaves, which is traditionally used in the treatment of liver diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the hepatoprotective effect of CF on acetaminophen (APAP)-induced hepatic injury in mice. CF could reduce the levels of AST, ALT, and LDH in the serum and enhance the antioxidant activity by activating the Nrf2 signaling pathway to increase the activities of antioxidant enzymes (SOD and CAT), and the GSH content but decrease the MDA accumulation in liver tissues. Immunofluorescence assay and western blotting analysis showed that CF can regulate Nrf2 into the cell nucleus, thereby promoting the expression of downstream antioxidant-related proteins, including NQO1 and HO-1. In addition, CF could inhibit the liver inflammatory response by suppressing the activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway to reduce the expressions of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and NO. Molecular docking results showed that there was good binding between the CF and Keap1-Nrf2 protein. Western blotting and TUNEL analysis also revealed CF-inhibited cell apoptosis-related protein expression (Bcl2 and caspase-3/9 proteins). Thus, the CF from A. fragrans leaves could be served as an alternative hepaprotective agent for the treatment and prevention of APAP-induced liver injury.

This study was performed to promote the clinical application of Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS), which present anti-inflammatory and antitumor activities, and provided insights for the preparation of controlled-release dosage forms of traditional Chinese medicine. A series of drug-loaded microspheres with degradable amphiphilic polymer material polyethylene glycol monomethyl ether-polylactic acid (mPEG-PLA) as the carrier was synthesized. The degradation, sustained-release behavior, and biocompatibility of the drug-loaded microspheres were studied through in vitro release, degradation, hemolysis, anticoagulation, and cytotoxicity experiments. The pharmacological activities of the microspheres were studied through anti-inflammatory and antitumor experiments. The results showed that the best carrier material was mPEG 2k -PLA (1:9), with an average particle size of 3.47 ± 0.35 μm, a drug load of 5.50 ± 0.28 %, and an encapsulation efficiency of 38.52 ± 1.93 %. This material could be released stably for approximately 24 days and degrade in approximately 60 days. Moreover, the microspheres had good biocompatibility and anti-inflammatory and antitumor activities., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Drug-loaded microspheres are an ideal bone tissue delivery material. In this study, a biodegradable Schiff base chitosan-polylactide was used as the encapsulation material to prepare drug-loaded microspheres as biocompatible carriers for controlled vancomycin release. In this regard, Schiff base chitosan was prepared by the Schiff base method, and then different proportions of the Schiff base chitosan-polylactide polymer were prepared by ring-opening polymerization. Drug-loaded microspheres were prepared by the W/O emulsion method, and the polymers and polymer microspheres were characterized and studied by NMR, IR, and antibacterial methods. The drug loading and release rates of microspheres were determined to investigate the drug loading, encapsulation efficiency, and release rate of drug microspheres at different ratios. In this study, different proportions of Schiff base chitosan-polylactic acid materials are successfully prepared, and vancomycin-loaded microspheres are successfully prepared using them as carriers. This study proves that the materials have antibacterial activities against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. The particle size of drug-loaded microspheres was below 10 μm, and the particle size decreased with decreasing molecular weight. The obtained results show that 1:100 microspheres have the highest drug-loading and encapsulation efficiencies, the drug-loaded microspheres have no burst release within 24 h, and the release quantity reaches more than 20%. After 30 days of release, the release amounts of 1:10, 1:20, 1:40, 1:60, and 1:100 drug-loaded microspheres were 64.80 ± 0.29%, 54.43 ± 0.54%, 44.60 ± 0.43%, 42.53 ± 0.40% and 69.73 ± 0.45%, respectively, and the release amount of 1:100 was the highest.

The objective of this study was to prepare a biodegradable poly (DL-lactide) injectable gel of tinidazole. The formulation parameters evaluated in this study included polymer molecular weight, polymer concentration, solvent and drug loading, and orthogonal design was used to optimize the formulation. The preferable formulation was that 30% (w/w) poly(DL-lactide) (MW is 5 700) dissolved in 70% (w/w) N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone with 4%-6% (w/w) tinidazole.

The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of a novel biodegradable membrane on the prevention of postoperative adhesion formation. The membrane was prepared by blending 50% PLA (polylactic acid) with 50% PTMC (polytrimethylene carbonate). The prepared blends polymer membrane was more flexible than pure PLA membrane, as measured by glass-transition temperature and tensile study. Cytotoxicity study revealed that PLA/PTMC blends membrane showed good biocompatibility. The membrane elicited slight tissue reaction based on the results of histological study. Thirty adult Japanese rabbits were used for the intestine adhesion model. The treatment group had PLA/PTMC membrane, the control group had chitosan, and the blank control group was not operated. The animals were housed for two weeks and sacrificed to investigate adhesion of intestine. Compared with the blank control group, the treatment group and the control group lowered the extent of adhesions (p < 0.01), but the treatment group was better than the control group (p < 0.05). The in-vivo studies confirmed that PLA/PTMC blends membrane could prevent postoperative adhesions., ((c) 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Polylactide is a biodegradable and biocompatible biomaterial. Based on the PLA (Polylactide) membrane, we have produced a new PLA/PTMC (Polytrimethylene carbonate) blends membrane. The biological properties of this membrane were studied by cell toxicity experiment, acute toxicity experiment, skin irritant experiment, sensitization test, hemolytic test, micronucleus test and subcutaneous implantation test. The results demonstrated that the blends membrane has no toxicity and it does not cause skin irritation, hypersensitive reaction and hemolysis. The micronucleus ratio of the membrane is 1.3% +/- 1.0%, being less than 3%. The result of medullary micronucleus test was reported negative. The wounds were free from suppuration and necrosis after subcutaneous implantation in all periods. In the experimental application of this member to preventing adhesion after rabbit intestine operation, the membrane demonstrated good effect. In conclusion, PLA/PTMC blends membrane is a material with good biocompatibility.