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Detecting glucose levels is crucial for diabetes patients as it enables timely and effective management, preventing complications and promoting overall health. In this endeavor, we have designed a novel, affordable point-of-care diagnostic device utilizing microfluidic principles, a smartphone camera, and established laboratory colorimetric methods for accurate glucose estimation. Our proposed microfluidic device comprises layers of adhesive poly-vinyl films stacked on a poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA) base sheet, with micro-channel contours precision-cut using a cutting printer. Employing the gold standard glucose-oxidase/peroxidase reaction on this microfluidic platform, we achieve enzymatic glucose determination. The resulting colored complex, formed by phenol and 4-aminoantipyrine in the presence of hydrogen peroxide generated during glucose oxidation, is captured at various glucose concentrations using a smartphone camera. Raw images are processed and utilized as input data for a 2-D convolutional neural network (CNN) deep learning classifier, demonstrating an impressive 95% overall accuracy against new images. The glucose predictions done by CNN are compared with ISO 15197:2013/2015 gold standard norms. Furthermore, the classifier exhibits outstanding precision, recall, and F1 score of 94%, 93%, and 93%, respectively, as validated through our study, showcasing its exceptional predictive capability. Next, a user-friendly smartphone application named "GLUCOLENS AI" was developed to capture images, perform image processing, and communicate with cloud server containing the CNN classifier. The developed CNN model can be successfully used as a pre-trained model for future glucose concentration predictions., Competing Interests: Declarations Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Over the last 15 years, a small number of paediatric artemisinin-based combination therapy products have been marketed. These included Riamet® and Coartem® dispersible tablets, a combination of artemether and lumefantrine, co-developed by the Medicines for Malaria Venture and Novartis. Disappointingly, patient compliance, requirement for high-fat meal, and sporadic drug dissolution behaviours following administration still result in considerable challenges for these products. The first and foremost barrier that needs addressed for successful delivery of the artemether/lumefantrine combination is the poor solubility of lumefantrine within the gastrointestinal fluids. In this work, amorphous solid dispersions of lumefantrine within Soluplus®-based matrices have been manufactured using hot melt extrusion as a potential formulation strategy to achieve enhanced dissolution and apparent solubility. The drug loading capacity of Soluplus® to accommodate amorphous lumefantrine, whilst ensuring improved in-vitro dissolution performance, was investigated. The extrusion process employed a variety of processing parameters, including various temperature profiles and different production scales. The influence of variation in extrusion conditions upon the physical stability of manufactured amorphous solid dispersions was also examined. This allowed for a greater understanding of the role of extrusion processing conditions on the performance of supersaturated amorphous solid dispersions during dissolution and storage. This may allow for the design and manufacture of drug enabled formulations with lower drug dosing and thus a lower risk of adverse effects., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: [Lindsay M Johnson reports a relationship with BASF Corp that includes: employment. Victoire de Margerie reports a relationship with Rondol Industrie that includes: employment. Maël Gallas reports a relationship with Rondol Industrie that includes: employment. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.]., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Membrane distillation (MD) is gaining increasing recognition within membrane-based processes for palm oil mill effluent (POME) treatment. This study aims to alter the physicochemical characteristics of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes through the incorporation of bentonite (B) at varying weight concentrations (ranging from 0.25 wt% to 1.0 wt%). Characterization was conducted to evaluate changes in morphology, thermal stability, surface characteristics and wetting properties of the resulting membranes. The resulting membranes were also tested using direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) with POME as the feed solution, aiming to generate high-purity water. Results indicated that the PVDF-0.3B and PVDF-0.5B membranes achieved the highest water vapor flux. The finger-like structure and macrovoids present in these membranes aid in minimizing mass resistance during vapor transport and enhancing permeate flux. All membranes demonstrated exceptional performance in removing contaminants, eliminating total dissolved solids (TDS) and achieving over 99% rejection of chemical oxygen demand (COD), nitrate nitrogen (NN), color, and turbidity from the feed solution. The permeate water analysis showed that the PVDF-0.3B membrane had superior removal efficiency and met the standards set by the local Department of Environment (DOE). The PVDF-0.3B membrane was chosen as the preferred option because of its consistent flux and high removal efficiency. This study demonstrated that incorporating bentonite into PVDF membranes significantly enhanced their properties and performance for POME treatment., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests:N.M. Mokhtar reports financial support was provided by Ministry of EducationMalaysia. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The effective recovery of valuables from anodes coming from spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) is of great importance to ensure resource supply and reduce the environmental burden for recycling. In this work, a simple and low energy consumption roasting method was proposed by employing low-temperature eutectic NaOH-KOH as reaction medium, in order to simultaneously separate graphite from Cu foils, extract lithium from it and set it up for reuse as environmental catalyst through one-step water washing process. Our results show that polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) was effectively deactivated due to dehydrofluorination/carbonization at a relatively low temperature and short time (150 °C, 20 min) when a mass ratio of 1:1 for eutectic NaOH-KOH to spent LIBs anodes was used, yielding 97.3 % of graphite detached. Moreover, a remarkable lithium extraction efficiency of 93.2 % was simultaneously obtained. Afterwards, the reusability of the recycled graphite was tested by employing it as a catalyst for the treatment of a contaminant organic dye (Rhodamine B) in the presence of NaClO. Our results show that a superior NaClO activation was obtained with the addition of recycled graphite, being this fact closely associated to the abundant active sites formed during the long-term charging/discharging cycles in the original battery. The alkaline-mediated roasting process presented in this work presents an energy-saving scheme to efficiently recover useful components from spent anodes, whereas the reusability example highlighted a useful option for repurposing the severely damaged graphite as an environmental catalyst rather than disposing it in landfills, turning waste into a valuable material., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Nanocomposite films of (30% PVC/70% PVDF) blend containing silver nanoparticles were synthesized via pulsed laser ablation route (PLA). Changes in physical characterization of PVC/PVDF blend before and after the incorporation of AgNPs have been studied. FTIR results confirms the interaction between AgNPs and PVC/PVDF. XRD results obtain the existence of peak at 38.42̊ in sample PVC/PVDF/Ag4 which confirm the embedded AgNPs in the high concentration. SEM photos confirm the distribution of silver nanoparticles on the surface of the sample in spherical shape which approved the dispersion of silver nanoparticles in PVC/PVDF blend. The inhibitory zone diameters observed for PVC/PVDF/Ag4 against Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, Staphylococcus aureus, and Bacillus cereus were recorded as 11 ± 1, 10 ± 1, 15.7 ± 0.6, and 17.7 ± 0.6, respectively. PVC/PVDF/AgNPs nanocomposite film could be suggested for biomedical applications such as wound healing products., Competing Interests: Declarations Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Physical stimulations such as mechanical and electric stimulation can continuously work on bone defect locations to maintain and enhance cell activity, and it has become a hotspot for research in the field of bone repair. Herein, bifunctional porous composite scaffolds with shape memory and piezoelectric functions were fabricated using thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and poly(vinylidene fluoride) through triply periodic minimal surfaces design and selective laser sintering technology. Thereinto, the shape fixity ratio and recovery ratio of the composite scaffold reached 98.6% and 81.2%, respectively, showing excellent shape memory functions. More importantly, its piezoelectric coefficient (d33 = 2.47 pC/N) is close to the piezoelectric constant of bone tissue (d33 = 0.7-2.3 pC/N), and the voltage released during the compression process can reach 0.5 V. Furthermore, cyclic compression experiments showed that the strength of composite scaffold was up to 8.3 times compared with the TPU scaffold. Besides, the composite scaffold showed excellent cytocompatibility. In conclusion, the composite scaffold is expected to continuously generate mechanical and electric stimulation due to shape memory and piezoelectric function, respectively, which provide an effective strategy for bone repair.

Glaucoma, a leading cause of blindness due to elevated intraocular pressure (IOP), is managed with medications like latanoprost (LAT), a prostaglandin analogue, to enhance aqueous outflow. Despite the challenge posed by eye anatomy and tear dynamics, effective ocular bioavailability via topical administration remains elusive. This study aims to optimize self-assembled nanomicelles incorporating LAT, an anti-glaucoma drug, belonging to BCS Class II (low solubility and high permeability) via a two-level, two-factor full factorial design, the nanomicelles were formulated via direct dissolution method and validated using design of expert. The optimized nanomicelles exhibited a spherical morphology, with a size of 69 nm and encapsulation efficiency of 77.5%, demonstrating a sustained LAT release over 12 h. In normotensive rabbits, the nanomicelles elicited a substantial reduction in intraocular pressure (IOP) by up to 40% for a duration of three days, that was significantly longer than the IOP-lowering efficacy of XALATAN eye drops (24 h). These findings indicated that self-assembled nanomicelles hold promise for enhancing the ocular bioavailability and extending the therapeutic duration of LAT, while providing the physical stability., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Ternary amorphous solid dispersions (ASDs) consist of a multicomponent carrier with the aim of improving physical stability or dissolution performance. A polymer blend as a carrier that combines a water-insoluble and a water-soluble polymer may delay the drug release rate, minimizing the risk of precipitation from the supersaturated state. Different microstructures of the ternary ASD may result in different drug release performances; hence, understanding the phase morphology of the polymer blend is crucial prior to drug incorporation. The objective of this study is to investigate the miscibility of the water-insoluble p(MMA- co -HEMA) and water-soluble polymers such as HPC, HPMC, HPMC-AS, and Soluplus. To prepare the polymer blends, p(MMA- co -HEMA) was spray dried in 80/20 and 90/10 (w/w) ratios with one of the water-soluble polymers. Thermal analysis (mDSC and DMA) and solid-state (ss)NMR relaxometry were applied to study the miscibility of these blends. No conclusions regarding miscibility could be drawn from the T g measurements by thermal analysis. However, phase-separation could be demonstrated in all blends by ssNMR relaxometry. Moreover, by measuring both the T 1ρH and T 1H relaxation times, domain sizes between 5 and 50 nm could be estimated. This work shows the importance of using complementary analytical techniques to investigate polymer miscibility.

Using the time-temperature-transformation diagrams, we demonstrated a correlation between molecular mobility and crystallization in amorphous solid dispersions of nifedipine (NIF) with each polyvinylpyrrolidone vinyl acetate (PVPVA64) and polyvinyl caprolactam polyvinyl acetate-polyethylene glycol graft copolymer (Soluplus). The behavior was compared with the NIF dispersions prepared with each polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose acetate succinate (HPMCAS) [Lalge et al., Mol. Pharmaceutics 2023, 20 (3), 1806-1817]. Each system was characterized by a unique temperature at which the crystallization onset time was the shortest. Below this temperature, a coupling was observed between the α-relaxation time determined by dielectric spectroscopy and crystallization onset time. Above this temperature, the activation barrier for crystallization had a more significant role than molecular mobility. In the solid state, PVP and PVPVA64 dispersion exhibited higher resistance to crystallization than HPMCAS and Soluplus. The role of polymers in inhibiting crystal growth in nucleated systems was discerned by monitoring crystallization following wetting of the amorphous dispersion with the dissolution medium. PVPVA64 and Soluplus dispersions exhibited higher resistance to crystal growth than PVP and HPMCAS.

Severe cutaneous injuries may not heal spontaneously and may necessitate the use of supplementary therapeutic methods. Electrospun nanofibers possess high porosity and specific surface area, which provide the necessary microenvironment for wound healing. Here in, the nanofibers of Soluplus-soy protein isolate (Sol-SPI) containing mupirocin (Mp) were fabricated via electrospinning for wound treatment. The fabricated nanofibers exhibited water absorption capacities of about 300.83 ± 29.72% and water vapor permeability values of about 821.8 ± 49.12 g/m 2 day. The Sol/SPI/Mp nanofibers showed an in vitro degradability of 33.73 ± 3.55% after 5 days. The ultimate tensile strength, elastic modulus, and elongation of the Sol/SPI/Mp nanofibers were measured as 3.61 ± 0.29 MPa, 39.15 ± 5.08 MPa, and 59.11 ± 1.94%, respectively. Additionally, 85.90 ± 6.02% of Mp loaded in the nanofibers was released in 5 days in vitro, and by applying the Mp-loaded nanofibers, 93.06 ± 5.40% and 90.40 ± 5.66% of S. aureus and E. coli bacteria were killed, respectively. Human keratinocyte cells (HaCat) demonstrated notable biocompatibility with the prepared nanofibers. Furthermore, compare to other groups, Sol-SPI-Mp nanofibers caused the fastest re-epithelialization and wound healing in a rat model. The findings of this study present a novel nanofiber-based wound dressing that accelerates the healing of severe skin wounds with the risk of infection., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

In this study, the interaction among multifunctional excipients, including polysaccharides, cellulose derivatives, and surfactants, was particularly investigated, together with its impact on the physicochemical properties of astaxanthin amorphous solid dispersions (ASTX ASDs). It was indicated that Span 20 could rapidly form hemimicelles or aggregates in the presence of hypromellose acetate succinate HF (HPMCAS-HF, HF) or Soluplus®, while octenyl succinic anhydride modified starch (OSA-starch) efficiently assisted in the coalescence inhibition of drug-excipients aggregates, which was jointly beneficial to the recrystallization inhibition of amorphous ASTX. ASTX ASDs were further prepared with OSA-starch, HPMCAS-HF/Soluplus®, and Span 20 as the wall materials. DSC, SEM, and XRD confirmed that crystalline ASTX had transformed to amorphous state in the ASDs, while FT-IR spectra provided evidence suggesting the existence of hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interaction between ASTX and the excipients. The dissolution of ASTX ASDs in different media revealed significant promotion, while the pharmacokinetic results further demonstrated the oral bioavailability of ASTX ASDs enhanced remarkably, exhibiting 2.75-fold (SD 1 ) and 1.87-fold (SD 2 ) increase, respectively, compared to ASTX bulk powder. In summary, the cellulose derivatives-surfactant interaction had great impact on the physicochemical properties of ASTX ASDs, and their combinations exhibited great potential for delivering the hydrophobic bioactive compounds efficiently., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Modified polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC) resin was prepared using octafluoropentyl methacrylate and trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate as modifying monomers through seeded emulsion polymerization. The successful incorporation of octafluoropentyl methacrylate into the PVDC resin was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and XPS were utilized to investigate the element distribution in the modified monomer emulsion and the mechanism of monomer modification. The results demonstrated that the fluorine monomer was reacted in the resin, and mainly concentrated on the surface of the resin. The addition of octafluoropentyl methacrylate and trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate improved the water resistance of the resin. Compared to unmodified PVDC resin, the contact angle of the modified PVDC resin increased from 89.46° to 109.51°, and the water resistance at room temperature increased from 120 to 500 h. Furthermore, the modified resin exhibited excellent mechanical properties, thermal stability, and storage stability., (© 2024 The Author(s). Macromolecular Rapid Communications published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Although membrane technology has demonstrated outstanding pathogen removal capabilities, current commercial membranes are insufficient for removing small viruses at trace levels due to certain limitations. The theoretical and practical significance of developing a new form of hydrophilic, anti-fouling, and virus-specific ultra-purification membrane with high capturing and separation efficiency, stability, and throughput for water treatment is of the utmost importance. In this study, molecularly imprinted membranes (MIMs) were fabricated from polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes utilizing novel surface hydrophilic modification techniques, followed by the immobilization of virus-specific molecularly imprinted nanoparticles (nanoMIPs) as synthetic receptors. Three distinct membrane functionalization strategies were established and optimized for the first time: membrane functionalization with (i) polyethyleneimine (PEI) and dopamine (DOP), (ii) PEI and 3-(chloropropyl)-trimethoxysilane (CTS), and (iii) chitosan (CS). Hydrophilicity was enhanced significantly as a result of these modification strategies. Additionally, the modifications enabled spacer arms between the membrane surface and the nanoMIPs to decrease steric hindrance. The surface chemistry, morphology, and membrane performance results from the characterization analysis of the MIMs demonstrated excellent hydrophilicity (e.g., the functionalized membrane presented 37.84° while the unmodified bare membrane exhibited 128.94° of water contact angle), higher permeation flux (145.96 L m -2  h -1 for the functionalized membrane), excellent uptake capacity (up to 99.99 % for PEI-DOP-MIM and CS-MIM), and recovery (more than 80 % for PEI-DOP-MIM). As proof of concept, the cutting-edge MIMs were able to eliminate the model adenoviruses up to 99.99 % from water. The findings indicate that the novel functionalized PVDF membranes hold promise for implementation in practical applications for virus capture and separation., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Implant failure is primarily caused by poor osseointegration and bacterial colonization, which demands readmissions and revision surgeries to correct it. A novel approach involves engineering multifunctional interfaces using piezoelectric polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) materials, which mimic bone tissue's electroactive properties to promote bone integration and provide antibacterial functionality when mechanically stimulated. In this study, PVDF films were coated with antibacterial essential oil nanoparticles and antibiofilm enzymes using a layer-by-layer (LBL) approach to ensure antibacterial properties even without mechanical stimulation. The experimental results confirmed the LBL build-up and demonstrated notable antibiofilm properties against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus while enhancing pre-osteoblast cell proliferation under mechanical dynamic conditions in a bioreactor that replicated the real-life environment of implants within the body. The findings highlight the potential of PVDF-coated surfaces to prevent biofilm formation and boost cell proliferation through the piezoelectric effect, paving the way for advanced implantable devices with improved osseointegration and antibacterial performance., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The trial restoration increases outcome predictability in restorative treatments, enhances communication among specialists and patients, and guides tooth preparations. It should reproduce the planned design precisely because many decisions will be made based on the transferred design. Traditionally, a diagnostic waxing design is transferred to the mouth with a flexible silicone matrix. However, a rigid matrix would ensure an accurate transfer of the planned design by avoiding the deformation of the silicone index. A step-by-step technique for fabricating a computer-aided design and computer-aided manufactured (CAD-CAM) rigid matrix relined with polyvinyl siloxane material to fabricate a trial restoration is presented. The technique ensures accurate detail reproduction and dimensional stability, avoiding deformation and ensuring a predictable transfer of the planned design., (Copyright © 2022 Editorial Council for The Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Hospital pharmacy compoundings are crucial for maintaining patient care. They are time- and cost-effective in hospital pharmacy settings because they prevent waste, preparation errors, dosage errors, microbial contamination and breakage due to handling. Unfortunately, the drawbacks of hospital pharmacy compounding include the selection of inappropriate medical devices (MDs) for long-term storage, which could directly impact patients. In this study, three important hospital pharmaceutical compoundings, vancomycin in prefilled syringes (PFSs) made of polypropylene (PP) material, paediatric parenteral nutrition (PN) in ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) bags and diluted insulin in cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) vials, were selected for leachate study and risk assessment. These compounds were studied via a semiquantitative screening approach by means of an ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS) with postcolumn infusion and an in-house built database. 17 leachable compounds for the PFS, 25 for the PN, and 10 for the vial were identified, and their concentrations were estimated for toxicological assessments. In conclusion, all MDs used in hospital pharmacy compoundings were observed suitable thanks to risk assessments. However, suitable MDs recommended for long-term storage would remain with polymers like COC, for higher safety when exposed to frail and vulnerable patients like neonates and infants., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Liver fibrosis is a necessary pathological process in many chronic liver diseases. Studies have shown that the progression of chronic liver disease can be slowed by rational intervention in hepatic fibrosis. Berberine (BBR), a natural extract of Phellodendron amurense, inhibits the development of liver fibrosis through several mechanisms. However, the clinical application of BBR is limited due to its low solubility. Drug delivery systems have been developed to improve the solubility of hydrophobic drugs and increase their efficacy in treating the liver fibrosis., Methods: In this study, a biocompatible nanomicelle was constructed by thin-film dispersion method using polyvinyl caprolactam-polyvinyl acetate-polyethylene glycol graft copolymer (PVCL-PVA-PEG) as a carrier to encapsulate BBR (PVCL-PVA-PEG/BBR-MCs) to improve the solubility of BBR and reduce the systemic side effects. The ability to inhibit HSC-T6 cell activation of PVCL-PVA-PEG/BBR-MCs was evaluated in vitro. The anti-hepatic fibrosis effects of PVCL-PVA-PEG/BBR-MCs were investigated in vivo., Results: PVCL-PVA-PEG/BBR-MCs have a uniform spherical shape with a mean particle size of 60.04 ± 0.027 nm and a potential of 1.49 ± 0.32 mV. It had an encapsulation efficiency of 98.52% ± 0.70 and drug loading content of 6.16% ± 0.04. Compared to free BBR, PVCL-PVA-PEG/BBR-MCs significantly inhibited HSC-T6 cell activation and TGF-β1-induced HSC-T6 cell migration in vitro. In vivo biodistribution experiments showed significantly improved hepatic distribution of PVCL-PVA-PEG/DiD-MCs compared to free DiD, suggesting that PVCL-PVA-PEG micelles enhance the ability of BBR to enter the liver and improve therapeutic efficacy. After treatment, PVCL-PVA-PEG/BBR-MCs significantly improved fibrotic liver structure and reduced collagen deposition in comparison to the CCl 4 -treated group; the treatment outcome was more effective than that of the free BBR group., Conclusion: Our results demonstrate the advantages of encapsulating BBR in PVCL-PVA-PEG micelles and highlight the potential of PVCL-PVA-PEG/BBR-MCs as a therapeutic strategy for the treatment of liver fibrosis., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work., (© 2024 Zha et al.)

3D-printed dosage forms comprised of Carbopol and Eudragit were fabricated through semi-solid extrusion, combining Enoxaparin (Enox) and the permeation enhancer SNAC in a single-step process without subsequent post-processing. Inks were characterized using rheology and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The stability of Enox in the fabricated dosage forms was assessed by means of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and Circular Dichroism (CD) analysis. In vitro release studies revealed the release of Enox in a sustained manner, whereas ex vivo experiments demonstrated the mucoadhesive properties of the 3D-printed dosage forms and their ability to enhance Enox permeability across intestinal mucosa. Cellular assays (CCK-8 assay) revealed a dose- and time-dependent response following incubation with the 3D-printed dosage forms. The encapsulation of SNAC in the 3D-printed dosage forms demonstrated their capacity to increase the transcellularly transport of macromolecule across Caco-2 monolayer in a reversible manner, as confirmed by Transepithelial Resistance (TEER) measurements., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: The objective of this paper was to compare the effectiveness of different materials for mouthguards in preventing oral and maxillofacial injuries during sports activities. The present study compares the stress-reduction and energy absorption capabilities of two other fused filament materials - poly(lactic-acid plus) (PLA+) and polycarbonate (PC), with Ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), which is the most commonly used material for mouthguard fabrication., Materials and Methods: Two human skulls were modelled, and a boxing glove simulated punches along the x, y, and z-axes with 5 mm displacement with 1 kN force. Firstly, the maximum principal stress curve in the skull was compared for forces along the three perpendicular directions. Furthermore, the present study examines materials energy absorption properties, including their specific energy absorption characteristics and initial peak von Mises stresses. Additionally, a topology optimization approach is used to create an alternative design for a mouthguard to improve specific energy absorption., Results: The model without a mouthguard showed the highest stress concentration of 32.298 MPa in the teeth, followed by the EVA material, which resulted in a maximum principal stress of 28.525 MPa. Fused filament 3D materials, such as PLA + and PC, on the other hand, showed better mechanical effectiveness in both lower jaw dislocation and lower maximum principal stress by 30.82% and 51.25% in the mandibular and maxillary teeth. Though EVA comparatively shows better specific energy absorption capability at 2.24 kJ/kg post-optimization than PLA + and PC, the peak principal stress experienced in the mandibular region was comparatively higher. The topology optimization, however, improved the energy-absorbing capabilities of PLA + by 4.5 times, reaching 1.37 kJ/kg and PC from 0.165 kJ/kg to 0.38 kJ/kg., Conclusions: This study demonstrates that PLA + and PC have better stress reduction capabilities than EVA and could be promising materials for the fabrication of mouthguards in sports activities. This study highlights the importance of topology optimization in dental materials science and engineering to develop safer and more effective mouthguard designs., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Developing an ideal nerve conduit for proper nerve regeneration still faces several challenges. The attempts to fabricate aligned substrates for neuronal growth have enhanced the hope of successful nerve regeneration. In this wok, we have attempted to generate an electrospun matrix with aligned fibers from a silver and graphene oxide-incorporated ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVAL). The presence of silver was analyzed using UV-visible spectra, XPS spectra, and ICP. Raman spectra and FTIR spectra confirmed the presence of GO. The complexation of Ag + with - OH of EVAL enabled the generation of aligned fibers. The fiber diameter (>1 μm) provided sufficient space for forming focal adhesion by the neurites and filopodia of N2a and C6 cells, respectively. The fiber diameter enabled the neurites and filopodia of the cells to align on the fibers. The incorporation of GO has contributed to the cell-material interactions. The morphological and mechanical properties of fibers obtained in the study ensure that the EVAL-Ag-GO-0.01 matrix is a potential substrate for developing a nerve guidance conduit/nerve wrap (NGC/W).

The present study was aimed to ameliorate the issue of solubility and thereby, bioavailability of ketoprofen, a BCS Class II drug. The sustained release matrix tablets (MT) were prepared using surfactant-assisted wet granulation (SAWG) with 1-5% of different surfactants. The tablet characteristics were within the compendial limits. The selected sustained release-compliant matrix tablet formulation containing granules prepared using 3% Soluplus® (MT2) released the drug by swelling-erosion. In human volunteers, MT2 attained the maximum plasma concentration (C max ) of 5.72µg /ml ± 0.30 h, time to C max (T max ) of 5.56 ± 0.30 h and maintained the plasma concentration above its minimum effective concentration (MEC), 0.7 µg.ml -1 till 24h. A control formulation, prepared from granules without surfactant (MT16), promptly attained C max of 9.62 ± 0.76 µg/ml within 1h but rapidly declined to below MEC in 8h. Area under the curve from initial point to infinity (AUC 0-∞ ) of MT2 (78.65 ± 7.64 µg.h.ml -1 ) was 2.29 folds higher than 34.39 ± 3.06 µg.h.ml -1 of MT16. With decreased C max , increased AUC 0-∞ , delayed T max and retained ketoprofen concentration above MEC for longer time, MT2 corresponded with the in-vitro sustained drug release characteristic. There is a likelihood of administration of once-a-day single dose of MT2 without plasma fluctuations, expected from two doses of MT16. SAWG helped developing a swellable-erodible sustained release matrix tablet formulation of ketoprofen with the desired biopharmaceutical and pharmacokinetics properties, merely by addition of Soluplus® in granules and without incorporation of any special ingredients or the major manipulation of the formulative ingredients in the formulation., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists.)

In recent years, poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) has emerged as a versatile polymer with a wide range of applications across various fields. PVDF's piezosensitivity, versatility, crystalline structure, and tunable parameters have established it as a highly sought-after material. Furthermore, PVDF and its copolymers exhibit excellent processability and chemical resistance to a diverse array of substances. Of particular significance is its remarkable structural stability in physiological media, which highlights its potential for use in the development of biomedical products. This review offers a comprehensive overview of the latest advancements in PVDF-based biomedical systems. It examines the fabrication of stimulus-responsive delivery systems, bioelectric therapy devices, and tissue-regenerating scaffolds, all of which harness the piezosensitivity of PVDF. Moreover, the potential of PVDF in the fabrication of both invasive and non-invasive diagnostic tools is investigated, with particular emphasis on its flexibility, transparency, and piezoelectric efficiency. The material's high biocompatibility and physiological stability are of paramount importance in the development of implantable sensors for long-term health monitoring, which is crucial for the management of chronic diseases and postoperative care. Additionally, we discuss a novel approach to photoacoustic microscopy that employs a PVDF sensor, thereby eliminating the necessity for external contrast agents. This technique provides a new avenue for non-invasive imaging in biomedical applications. Finally, we explore the challenges and prospects for the development of PVDF-based systems for a range of biomedical applications. This review is distinctive in comparison to other reviews on PVDF due to its concentrated examination of biomedical applications, including pioneering imaging techniques, long-term health monitoring, and a detailed account of advancements in the field. Collectively, these elements illustrate the potential of PVDF to markedly influence biomedical engineering and patient care, distinguishing it from existing literature. By leveraging the distinctive attributes of PVDF and its copolymers, researchers can continue to advance the frontiers of biomedical engineering, with the potential to transform patient care and treatment outcomes.

The escalating threat of antibiotic-resistant bacterial biofilms necessitates innovative antimicrobial strategies. This study introduces silver-decorated azithromycin-infused Soluplus® nanoparticles (Ag-AZI-Sol NPs) synthesized via a controlled emulsion diffusion method to ensure sustained release of antimicrobial silver ions for over six hours-a critical factor for continuous antibacterial efficacy. The efficacy of these nanoparticles was evaluated against biofilms formed by Escherichia coli ( E. coli ) and Staphylococcus epidermidis ( S. epidermidis ), pathogens that cause hospital-acquired infections. Concentrations of 5 and 10 μg mL -1 of Ag-AZI-Sol NPs induced significant morphological changes within the biofilms, disrupting the bacterial extracellular matrix as observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). This disruption peaked between two and six hours, coinciding with damage to bacterial cells by the silver ions. Antibacterial assay measurements confirmed a significant reduction in the growth rate among the Ag-AZI-Sol NP-treated bacteria compared with controls. Electrochemical analysis using laser-induced graphene (LIG) and chronoamperometry revealed a decline in current, indicating an effective antibacterial effect. This innovative biosensing technique makes use of the high conductivity and surface area of LIG to detect changes in bacterial activity quickly and sensitively. Our findings highlight the potent microbicidal properties of Ag-AZI-Sol NPs and suggest diverse applications from food processing to medical device coatings.

Developing monolithic materials for chromatography columns with a novel interconnected porous structure is vital for the enhancement of the separation efficiency of RNA purification processes. Herein, a porous nanofibrous sponge (PNFS) is constructed by freeze molding and freeze-drying a nanofiber dispersion with ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer nanofibers as the skeleton, chitosan (CS) and polyethylenimine (PEI) as the binders, and glutaraldehyde (GA) as the crosslinking agent. The results show that when the CS content of the dispersion is 1.5 wt %, PNFS demonstrates a high static adsorption capacity of 406.5 mg/g (30.7 mg/m 2 ) and a dynamic adsorption capacity of 382.6 mg/g (28.9 mg/m 2 ) at a flow rate of 1 mm/min. Moreover, PNFS shows a high specific adsorption performance toward RNA in the presence of bovine serum albumin, lecithin, or DNA by adjusting the solution pH value and the method of gradient elution. Besides, PNFS presents exceptional performance in the rapid separation of RNA from HT22 cells without degradation. This result can be attributed to optimized morphology, pore structure, and comprehensive performance of PNFS, benefiting from the synergistic effect of the highly oriented porous structure and CS-PEI interaction derived from the high-density adsorption ligands on the channel walls of PNFS. This work provided an efficient strategy to handle the permeability/adsorptivity trade-off for ion-exchange chromatographic materials.

High-performance biocompatible composite materials are gaining attention for their potential in various fields such as neural tissue scaffolds, bio-implantable devices, energy harvesting, and biomechanical sensors. However, these devices currently face limitations in miniaturization, finite battery lifetimes, fabrication complexity, and rigidity. Hence, there is an urgent need for smart and self-powering soft devices that are easily deployable under physiological conditions. Herein, we present a straightforward and efficient fabrication technique for creating flexible/stretchable fiber-based piezoelectric structures using a hybrid nanocomposite of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), reduced graphene oxide (rGO), and barium-titanium oxide (BT). These nanocomposite fibers are capable of converting biomechanical stimuli into electrical signals across various structural designs (knit, braid, woven, and coil). It was found that a stretchable configuration with higher output voltage (4 V) and a power density (87 μW cm -3 ) was obtained using nanocomposite coiled fibers or knitted fibers, which are ideal candidates for real-time monitoring of physiological signals. These structures are being proposed for practical transition to the development of the next generation of fiber-based biomedical devices. The cytotoxicity and cytocompatibility of nanocomposite fibers were tested on human mesenchymal stromal cells. The obtained results suggest that the developed fibers can be utilized for smart scaffolds and bio-implantable devices.

Ferroelectric structures have spontaneous macroscopic polarization that can be inverted using external electric fields and have potential applications including information storage, energy transduction, ultralow-power nanoelectronics 1,2 and biomedical devices 3 . These functions would benefit from nanoscale control of ferroelectric structure, the ability to switch polarization with lower applied fields (low coercive field) and biocompatibility. Soft ferroelectrics based on poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) 4-6 have a thermodynamically unstable ferroelectric phase in the homopolymer, complex semi-crystalline structures, and high coercive fields. Here we report on ferroelectric materials formed by water-soluble molecules containing only six VDF repeating units covalently conjugated to a tetrapeptide, with the propensity to assemble into the β-sheet structures that are ubiquitous in proteins. This led to the discovery of ribbon-shaped ferroelectric supramolecular assemblies that are thermodynamically stable with their long axes parallel to both the preferred hydrogen-bonding direction of β-sheets and the bistable polar axes of VDF hexamers. Relative to a commonly used ferroelectric copolymer, the biomolecular assemblies exhibit a coercive field that is two orders of magnitude lower, as the result of supramolecular dynamics, and a similar level of remnant polarization, despite having a peptide content of 49 wt%. Furthermore, the Curie temperature of the assemblies is about 40 °C higher than that of a copolymer containing a similar amount of VDF. This supramolecular system was created using a biologically inspired strategy that is attractive in terms of sustainability and that could lead to new functions for soft ferroelectrics., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.)

In this work, a novel tool for small-scale filament production is presented. Unlike traditional methods such as hot melt extrusion (HME), the device (i) allows filament manufacturing from small material amounts as low as three grams, (ii) ensures high diameter stability almost independent of the viscoelastic behavior of the polymer melt, and (iii) enables processing of materials with rheological profiles specifically tailored toward fused filament fabrication (FFF). Hence, novel materials, previously difficult to process due to HME limitations, become easily accessible for FFF for the first time. Here, we showcase the production of highly flexible drug-free, and drug-loaded filaments based on ethylene-vinyl acetate polymers with a vinyl acetate content of 28 w% (EVA28) and unprecedented high melt flow rates of up to 400 g/10 min. Owing to their low viscosity, FFF with low print nozzle sizes of 250 μm was achieved for the first time for EVA28. These small nozzle diameters facilitate 3D-printing of high-resolution structures in small-dimensional dosage forms such as subcutaneous implantable drug delivery systems, which can later be used for personalization. Consequently, the material portfolio for FFF is tremendously broadened, allowing material and formulation optimization toward FFF, independent of a preliminary extrusion process., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Purpose: To evaluate the marginal and internal misfit of fixed partial denture zirconia frameworks developed from conventional impression and intraoral scanning, before and after being subjected to the thermal cycle of the covering ceramic., Methods: A three-elements fixed partial denture was prepared, molded, and poured with polyurethane. Group CI (n= 7) was impressed by the conventional technique with polyvinyl siloxane material, and the plaster models scanned on the inEosX5 bench scanner. Group DI (n=07) was scanned using the CEREC Bluecam intraoral scanner. The models and images obtained were sent to the laboratory and the frameworks were made using zirconia blocks. After this, they were subjected to the ceramic thermal cycle, simulating the ceramic application. Marginal and internal misfits of the frameworks were measured before (T1) and after (T2) thermal cycle simulation using the replica technique in an optical microscope. Statistical analysis was performed using the mixed effects of linear model tests and comparisons., Results: There were no statistical differences for axial misfit. Significant differences were found between the groups for occlusal, vertical, horizontal, and absolute misfit, where group CI had higher values than group DI (P< 0.001). At the time, there was a statistical difference only in the absolute misfit, where T1 had lower values than T2. The misfit in group CI was greater than in group DI; however, the average misfit values found are low and considered clinically acceptable., Clinical Significance: Knowing marginal and internal misfit is an important step to consolidating digital impressions in fixed partial dentures, implying a secure use of this technique., Competing Interests: The authors declared no conflict of interest. The project was funded by FORP/USP and the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (Grant number: 1678421, 2017)., (Copyright©American Journal of Dentistry.)

Background: Leech bites have long been a persistent problem for individuals engaged in outdoor activities, particularly in environments such as moors, jungles, and grasslands. Methods to prevent leech bites are anecdotal and individual, highlighting the need for the development of universal and effective repellent formulations. This study developed a novel approach for repelling leeches using combined repellent agents and a film-forming material (polyvinyl butyral), to enhance efficiency in multi-scenario applications. Material and methods: This study demonstrates that citronellal, icaridin and DDAC (didecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride) showcasing active avoidance and contact toxicity on leeches. the optimized repellent formulation (MSRS, containing citronellal, icaridin and DDAC as repellent agents) enables specific sustained release properties of constituents in both air and water conditions. Results: MSRS could effectively achieve the purposes of "proactive repelling", "contact repelling", and "bite detaching". The effectiveness could last for several hours. Additionally, the hydrophobic polyvinyl butyral membrane reduced the transdermal absorption of repellent agents. Moreover, the formulation is biocompatible and environmentally friendly. Conclusions: This study provides a new feasible strategy for the prevention and removal of leech bites.

Mn-catalyzed hydroarylation polyaddition of 1-(2-pyrimidinyl)pyrrole (1a) with aromatic diynes is investigated. The use of commercially available MnBr(CO) 5 as a precatalyst under the optimized reaction conditions resulted in a site- and regioselective hydroarylation polyaddition, affording the corresponding poly(arylenevinylene)s (PAVs) with excellent vinylene selectivity. The reaction protocol eliminates the production of stoichiometric amounts of byproducts from the monomers. The nonstoichiometric polyaddition of an excess amount of 1a with aromatic diynes is also demonstrated. The 2-pyrimidinyl substituent promoted the intramolecular transfer of the Mn catalyst walking through the 1a moiety., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

In this study, a highly efficient, sensitive, and lightweight piezoelectric nanogenerator (PENG) is developed using graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) incorporated into the polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) matrix. Unzipping multi-walled carbon nanotubes is an effective and scalable strategy for synthesizing graphene nanoribbons. The synthesized GNRs are employed to prepare nanometer-scale piezoelectric polymer composite films showing higher piezoelectric performance than neat PVDF. The impact of GNR concentration in the PVDF matrix on the electroactive phase content and piezoelectric properties of the composites is systematically investigated. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) analysis demonstrate an increase in the electroactive β and γ phases of PVDF by incorporating GNRs in the composites. With the optimized concentration of GNRs (1 wt%), the fabricated piezoelectric device can generate open-circuit voltage and an output power density of 26 V and 16.52 µWcm 2 , respectively. It is also found that the PVDF-GNR 1 nanogenerator can be used to generate electrical power by converting mechanical energy from different human activities such as wrist bending, palm tapping, and toe tapping. The findings indicate that (PVDF-GNR 1) PENG can be applied in self-powered portable and wearable electronic devices., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

The physiological mechanism of bone tissue regeneration is intricately organized and involves several cell types, intracellular, and extracellular molecular signaling networks. To overcome the drawbacks of autografts and allografts, a number of synthetically produced scaffolds have been manufactured by integrating ceramics, polymers, and their hybrid-composites. Considering the fact that natural bone is composed primarily of collagen and hydroxyapatite, ceramic-polymer composite materials seem to be the most viable alternative to bone implants. Here, in this experimental study, copolymer PVDF-TrFE has been amalgamated with HA ceramics to produce composite scaffolds as bone implants. In order to fabricate PVDF-TrFE-HA (polyvinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene-hydroxyapatite) composite scaffolds, solvent casting-particulate leaching technique was devised. Two scaffold specimens were produced, with different PVDF-TrFE and HA molar ratios (70:30 and 50:50), and then electrically polarized to observe the subsequent polarization impact on the tissue growth and the suppression of bacterial cell proliferation. Both the specimens underwent characterization to analyze their biocompatibility and bactericidal activities. The bacterial culture of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) bacteria on the composites was studied to understand the antibacterial characteristics. Moreover, MG63 cells cultured on these as-formed composites provided information about osteogenesis. Improved osteogenesis and antibacterial efficacy were observed on both the composites. However, the composite with 70 wt% PVDF-TrFE and 30 wt% HA showed a higher bactericidal effect as well as osteogenesis. It was found that PVDF-TrFE-HA-based biomaterials have the potential for bone tissue engineering applications., (© 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Recreating the natural heart's mechanical and electrical environment is crucial for engineering functional cardiac tissue and repairing infarcted myocardium in vivo. In this study, multimaterial-printed serpentine microarchitectures are presented with synergistic mechanical/piezoelectric stimulation, incorporating polycaprolactone (PCL) microfibers for mechanical support, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) microfibers for piezoelectric stimulation, and magnetic PCL/Fe 3 O 4 for controlled deformation via an external magnet. Rat cardiomyocytes in piezoelectric constructs, subjected to dynamic mechanical stimulation, exhibit advanced maturation, featuring superior sarcomeric structures, improved calcium transients, and upregulated maturation genes compared to non-piezoelectric constructs. Furthermore, these engineered piezoelectric cardiac constructs demonstrate significant structural and functional repair of infarcted myocardium, as evidenced by enhanced ejection and shortening fraction, reduced fibrosis and inflammation, and increased angiogenesis. The findings underscore the therapeutic potential of piezoelectric cardiac constructs for myocardial infarction therapy., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

The active silicon cell of a solar photovoltaic (PV) panel is covered by an ethylenevinylacetate (EVA) adhesive and a protective top glass layer. Separating this glass-EVA layer from the underlying silicon represents a bottleneck for recycling PV panels. Previous work has shown that the EVA-Si bond can be weakened by applying a continuous source of heat to melt the EVA. In this paper, a new method using nanosecond laser pulses is demonstrated to induce transient melting selectively at the EVA-Si interface. This impulsive heating method can cleanly separate the glass-EVA layer from the silicon in both model and commercial multicrystalline PV panels. The dependence of this debonding on parameters like laser pulse fluence (laser pulse energy per area), wavelength, applied pressure, and scan speed were characterized. For model PV panels, the single-pulse laser fluences required for spontaneous separation of the assembly under the force of gravity, were 0.23, 0.32 and 0.78 J/cm 2 for 355 nm, 532 nm and 1064 nm, respectively. The use of shorter wavelengths reduces the laser fluence needed for debonding, while higher fluences can compensate for faster laser beam scanning rates. Optical and electron microscopy images of the Si surfaces before and after laser irradiation show that the textured antireflection layer is destroyed but the silver metal grid remains intact. Preliminary experiments using 532 nm pulses showed that the laser debonding method could remove the glass-EVA layer from sections of decommissioned commercial PV panels, even when the top glass layer was densely cracked., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Christopher J Bardeen reports financial support was provided by Office of Naval Research. Christopher J Bardeen reports a relationship with Office of Naval Research that includes: funding grants. Christopher J Bardeen has patent pending to UC Riverside. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In this work, a new type of composite nanoparticles, 'pearl chain', was developed by linking titanium dioxide and silicon dioxide by polyacrylic acid polymer chains, and the prepared TiO 2 -PAA-SiO 2 composite nanoparticles were analysed by SEM, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis, zeta potential, x-ray diffraction, etc. The success of this work was verified by the successful linking of TiO 2 -PAA-SiO 2 composite nanoparticles.TiO 2 -PAA-SiO 2 composite nanoparticles were analysed to verify the successful attachment of pearl chains. The obtained TiO 2 -PAA-SiO 2 were subsequently blended in different ratios to prepare polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) ultrafiltration membranes. The membrane performance was tested by porosity and water contact angle measurements, scanning electron microscopy, as well as experiments using bovine serum proteins and MTBE interception. The results showed that when a certain amount of TiO 2 -PAA-SiO 2 was added, the surface wettability, porosity and permeability of the prepared modified composite membranes were significantly improved, and the BSA adsorption rate was increased from 71.59% to 80.86%, and the retention rate of MTBE was increased by 77%, in addition to showing a better anti-pollution effect (FRR: 91.07%). It was finally concluded that the prepared membranes embedded with 1.0 wt.% TiO 2 -PAA-SiO 2 nanofillers showed good overall filtration performance, better contamination resistance and remarkable durability. The present work successfully demonstrated the feasibility of using polyacrylic acid chemical chains to connect nanoparticles with different functions to prevent particle loss and substantially enhance membrane performance, which is valuable for bridging connection of composite nanoparticles and exploring the development of high-performance ultrafiltration membranes.

Membrane distillation (MD) presents a promising alternative to conventional desalination systems, particularly for the treatment of hypersaline wastewater. However, the large-scale application of MD is hindered by challenges such as membrane wetting, membrane fouling, and low permeate flux. Herein, we proposed an air/liquid interface deposition method to fabricate a Janus membrane, termed the PVDF-PDA/PEI-Si membrane. The membrane featured a nanosieving, superhydrophilic polydopamine/polyethylenimine (PDA/PEI) layer decorated with silica nanoparticles, coupled with a microporous, hydrophobic polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) layer. The introduction of a dense PDA/PEI-Si layer featuring high surface energy significantly enhanced the wetting and fouling resistance of the membrane, with a minor effect on the permeate flux. The performance enhancement was particularly evident when hypersaline water containing sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and oily contaminants was used as the feed. The interactions between the membrane and contaminants were calculated using the XDLVO theory and molecular dynamics simulations to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the enhanced anti-wetting and anti-fouling properties, respectively. According to the XDLVO theory, a large energy barrier must be overcome for the SDS to attach onto the PDA/PEI-Si surface. Meanwhile, molecular dynamics simulations confirmed the weak interaction energy between the oily foulants and the PVDF-PDA/PEI-Si membrane due to its high surface energy. This study presents a promising approach for the fabrication of high-performance MD membranes and provides new insights into the mechanisms underlying the enhanced anti-wetting and anti-fouling properties., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Against the backdrop of advancements in modern multifunctional wearable electronics, there is a growing demand for simple, sustainable, and portable electronic skin (e-skin), posing significant challenges. This study aims to delineate the development of a straightforward, transparent, highly sensitive, and high power-density electronic skin based on a triboelectric nanogenerator(S-TENG), designed for harvesting human body energy and real-time monitoring of the physiological motion status. Our e-skin incorporates thermally treated polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) fiber membranes as the contact layer and a film of silver nanowires as the conductive electrodes. The resulting contact-separation type e-skin exhibits an impressive transparency of 80 %, along with a nice sensitivity value, capable of detecting a light touch from a 0.13 g sponge and demonstrating good working stability and breathability. Leveraging the triboelectric effect, our e-skin generates an open-circuit voltage of 301 V and a short-circuit current of 2.7 μA under an extrinsic force of 8 N over an interaction area of 4 × 4 cm 2 , achieving a power density up to 306 mW/m 2 . With its signal processing circuitry, the integrated S-TENG showcases nice energy harvesting and signal transmission capabilities. Accordingly, we contend that S-TENG has potential applications in energy capture and real-time human motion state monitoring. This research is anticipated to blaze a novel and practical trail for self-powered wearable devices and personalized health rehabilitation training regimens., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Statement of Problem: Which method or material used to record the intercuspal position yields the best accuracy of location of the maxillary and mandibular casts is unclear., Purpose: The purpose of this clinical study was to determine the most reliable method of recording a patient's maximal intercuspal position by comparing 2 common methods with 2 popular registration materials., Material and Methods: Complete arch impressions were made of both jaws with a polyvinyl siloxane impression material in a metal stock tray followed by 4 interocclusal registrations for each of the 17 participants. Two registration techniques were used. More than 1 record was obtained in the first technique, as the participant had to close through a wax sheet or a polyvinyl siloxane material. In the second technique, a polyvinyl siloxane material was injected from the buccal aspect between occluded tooth surfaces. Casts were made from Type 4 stone and vertical measurements of the casts were carried out by using digital vernier calipers, accurate to 100 μm. Hand articulation of the casts was used as the control. Consistency of measurement was assessed by the intraclass correlation coefficient, and comparisons were made by using repeated-measures regression analysis., Results: Statistical analysis showed significant discrepancies when the participant closed through both wax and polyvinyl siloxane material (P<.001). No statistically significant differences to the control group were present when polyvinyl siloxane was injected laterally after closure., Conclusions: Hand articulation was the most accurate method of reproducing the maximal intercuspal position in a completely dentate individual with horizontal and vertical occlusal stability and was therefore considered the control. Recording the position after the participant had closed by using a polyvinyl siloxane material was the most accurate., (Copyright © 2022 Editorial Council for the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To investigate dimensional accuracy of polyether (PE) and vinylpolysiloxane (VPS) impressions taken with manually fabricated and 3D-printed trays., Materials and Methods: To evaluate impression accuracy, highly precise digital data of a metallic lower jaw model with prepared teeth (regions 34 and 36), an implant (region 47) and three precision balls placed occlusally along the dental arch served as reference. PE (Impregum, 3M Oral Care) and VPS (Aquasil, Dentsply Sirona) impressions (n = 10/group) were taken with trays fabricated using different materials and manufacturing techniques (FDM: filament deposition modeling, material: Arfona Tray, Arfona; printer: Pro2, Raise3D; DLP: digital light processing, material: V-Print Tray, VOCO, printer: Max, Asiga; MPR: manual processing with light-curing plates, material: LC Tray, Müller-Omicron) including an open implant impression. Scans of resulting stone models were compared with the reference situation. Global distance and angular deviations as well as local trueness and precision for abutment teeth and scan abutment were computed. Possible statistical effects were analyzed using ANOVA., Results: Clinically acceptable global accuracy was found (all mean absolute distance changes < 100 μm) and local accuracy for single abutments was excellent. All factors (abutment type, impression material, tray material) affected global accuracy (p < 0.05). In particular with PE impressions, MPR trays led to the best accuracies, both in horizontal and vertical direction., Conclusions: Within the limitations of this in vitro study, impression accuracy was high in use of both polyether and vinylpolysiloxane combined with different 3D-printed and customized trays making them recommendable for at least impressions for smaller fixed dental prostheses. Manually fabricated trays were overall still the best choice if utmost precision is required., Clinical Relevance: Based on the results of this study, use of innovative CAD-CAM fabrication of individual impression trays fulfills the perquisites to be a viable option for impression making. In the sense of translational research, performance should be proved in a clinical setting., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Adequate simulation mimicking a tissue's native environment is one of the elemental premises in tissue engineering. Although various attempts have been made to induce human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC) into an osteogenic pathway, they are still far from widespread clinical application. Most strategies focus primarily on providing a specific type of cue, inadequately replicating the complexity of the bone microenvironment. An alternative multifunctional platform for hMSC osteogenic differentiation has been produced. It is based on poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) and cobalt ferrites magnetoelectric microspheres, functionalized with collagen and gelatin, and packed in a 3D arrangement. This platform is capable of performing mechanical stimulation of piezoelectric PVDF, mimicking the bones electromechanical biophysical cues. Surface functionalization with extracellular matrix biomolecules and osteogenic medium complete this all-round approach. hMSC were cultured in osteogenic inducing conditions and tested for proliferation, surface biomarkers, and gene expression to evaluate their osteogenic commitment., (© 2024 IOP Publishing Ltd. All rights, including for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies, are reserved.)

Recently, MOFs@AuNPs composites-based catalysts via anchoring of AuNPs onto metal-organic-frameworks (MOFs) have attracted great attention. However, the influence of the AuNPs loading amounts on the catalytic activity of MOFs@AuNPs composites remains largely unexplored. Here, ficin (Fic) protected AuNPs (Fic@AuNPs) anchored onto the surface of UiO-66-NH 2 (UiO) modified with poly(2-vinyl-4,4-dimethyl-2-oxazolidine) (PV) were designed and constructed. The UiOPVFic@AuNPs composites with longer PV chains leading to high-loading Fic@AuNPs exhibited intense peroxidase (POD)-mimetic activity in 3,3'5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) oxidation. Further, following the colour-fading, dopamine (DA) was sensitively and selectively monitored in the composites-TMB-H 2 O 2 system. The portable smartphone sensing platform-based colourimetric method had good linearity ranging from 3.34 to 36.7 μM (R 2  = 0.995), with a limit of detection of 0.3 μM. This protocol explores high-loading AuNPs on polymer-MOFs composites, providing deep insights into understanding catalytic activity improvements of polymer-MOFs@AuNPs catalysts and revealing their application potential in real biological samples analysis., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Austria, part of Springer Nature.)

Histones and their posttranslational modifications (PTMs) are critical regulators of gene expression. Differentiation, environmental stressors, xenobiotics, and major human diseases cause significant changes in histone variants and PTMs. Western blotting is the mainstay methodology for detection of histones and their PTMs in the majority of studies. Surprisingly, despite their high abundance in cells, immunoblotting of histones typically involves loading of large protein amounts that are normally used for detection of sparse cellular proteins. We systematically examined technical factors in the Western-blotting-based detection of human histones with >30 antibodies. We found that under multiple protein transfer conditions, many histone epitopes on polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes had a very low antibody accessibility, which was dramatically increased by the addition of a simple denaturation step. Denaturation of membrane-bound proteins also enhanced the specificity of some histone antibodies. In comparison to standard PVDF membranes, the sensitivity of histone detection on standard nitrocellulose membranes was typically much higher, which was further increased by the inclusion of the same denaturation step. Optimized protocols increased by >100-times detection sensitivity for the genotoxic marker γ-H2AX with two monoclonal antibodies. The impact of denaturation and nitrocellulose use varied for different histones, but for each histone, it was generally similar for antibodies targeting N-terminal and C-terminal regions. In summary, denaturation of membrane-bound histones strongly improves their detection by Westerns, resulting in more accurate measurements and permitting analyses with small biological samples.

The regulation of the cell membrane potential plays a crucial role in governing the transmembrane transport of various ions and cellular life processes. However, in situ and on-demand modulation of cell membrane potential for ion channel regulation is challenging. Herein, we have constructed a supramolecular assembly system based on water-soluble cationic oligo(phenylenevinylene) (OPV) and cucurbit[7]uril (CB[7]). The controllable disassembly of OPV/4CB[7] combined with the subsequent click reaction provides a step-by-step adjustable surface positive potential. These processes can be employed in situ on the plasma membrane to modulate the membrane potential on-demand for precisely controlling the activation of the transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) ion channel and up-regulating exogenous calcium-responsive gene expression. Compared with typical optogenetics, electrogenetics, and mechanogenetics, our strategy provides a perspective supramolecular genetics toolbox for the regulation of membrane potential and downstream intracellular gene regulation events.

The future development of wearable/implantable sensing and medical devices relies on substrates with excellent flexibility, stability, biocompatibility, and self-powered capabilities. Enhancing the energy efficiency and convenience is crucial, and converting external mechanical energy into electrical energy is a promising strategy for long-term advancement. Poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF), known for its piezoelectricity, is an outstanding representative of an electroactive polymer. Ingeniously designed PVDF-based polymers have been fabricated as piezoelectric devices for various applications. Notably, the piezoelectric performance of PVDF-based platforms is determined by their structural characteristics at different scales. This Review highlights how researchers can strategically engineer structures on microscopic, mesoscopic, and macroscopic scales. We discuss advanced research on PVDF-based piezoelectric platforms with diverse structural designs in biomedical sensing, disease diagnosis, and treatment. Ultimately, we try to give perspectives for future development trends of PVDF-based piezoelectric platforms in biomedicine, providing valuable insights for further research.

This work aims at synthesizing tailor-made poly(vinyl alcohol- co -vinyl acetate) (PVA) amphiphilic copolymers, obtained by alcoholysis of poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc) that could display improved properties as stabilizers compared to commercially available PVAs. Well-defined PVAs with different alcoholysis degrees were produced from a library of PVAc homopolymers synthesized by macromolecular design via interchange of xanthate polymerization and exhibiting different degrees of polymerization degrees. Subsequently, these PVAs were evaluated as stabilizers in the emulsion copolymerization of VAc and vinyl neodecanoate (VERSA 10, referred to as V10) and compared to a commercially available reference PVA obtained by alcoholysis of PVAc formed by conventional radical polymerization. In all cases, stable latexes were obtained and compared in terms of their colloidal characteristics. To identify the best stabilizer candidate, the amount of PVA remaining in water and not participating to the particle stabilization was evaluated in each case.

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is one of the most lethal malignancies worldwide and its incidence is increasing. Chemotherapy is often associated to limited efficacy, poor targeting and systemic toxicity. In this work, the hydrophilic gemcitabine (GEM), widely used in PC treatment alone or in combination, was conjugated with vitamin E succinate (VES) and encapsulated in Soluplus® micelles. This prodrug approach facilitated encapsulation of the anticancer drug into the self-assembled copolymer micelles. Soluplus®/VES-GEM micelles were optimized regarding the ratio of the components and the preparation process. The micelles were small-sized (<80 nm), monodisperse, and highly stable, efficiently retaining the conjugate drug and showing significant antiproliferative activity against BxPC3 cell line. To improve biofunctionalization and targeting properties of prepared Soluplus®/VES-GEM micelles, biomimetic modification with PC cell membrane was further attempted by co-extruding PC cell membrane (BxPC3) nanovesicles with Soluplus®/VES-GEM micelles. Several protocols were attempted to prepare the BxPC3-modified Soluplus®/VES-GEM micelles and the outcomes were analyzed in detail. Overall, the results pave the way to innovative PC-targeted nanotherapies by maximizing GEM encapsulation in hydrophobic compartments with high stability and affinity. The results also highlight the need of higher resolution techniques to characterize cell membrane coating of nanocarriers bearing highly hydrophilic shells., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In this work, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) intercalated CuFe layered double hydroxides (LDH) membranes were fabricated and investigated for UV-LED/persulfate degradation of methylene blue (MB), crystal violet (CV), methyl orange (MO), and Eriochrome black T (EBT) dyes from water. The PVDF-CuFe membrane exhibited improved heterogeneity, surface functionality (CuO, Fe-O, Cu-O-Fe), surface roughness, and hydrophilicity. The process parameters were optimized by response surface methodology, and maximum MB removal (100%) was achieved within 45.22-178.5 min at MB concentration (29.45-101.93 mg/L), PP concentration (0.5-2.41 g/L) and catalyst dosage (1.84-1.95 g/L). The degradation kinetics was well described by a pseudo-first-order model (R 2  = 0.982) and fast reaction rate (0.029-0.089/min). The MB dye degradation mechanism is associated with HO·/SO 4 •- reactive species generated by Fe 3+ /Fe 2+ or Cu 2+ /Cu + in PVDF-CuFe membrane and PP dissociation. The PVDF-CuFe membrane demonstrated excellent recyclability performance with a 12% reduction after five consecutive cycles. The catalytic membrane showed excellent photocatalytic degradation of crystal violet (100%), methyl orange (79%), and Eriochrome black T (60%). The results showed that UV-LED/persulfate-assisted PVDF-CuFe membranes can be used as a recyclable catalyst for the effective degradation of dye-contaminated water streams., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Aqueous supercapacitors exhibit the advantage of high cycling stability, inherent safety and appealing energy density, and thus have long been considered an exceptional technology for efficient energy storage. However, in the absence of an electric field, the spontaneous transmembrane diffusion of ions leads to self-discharge or energy decay of supercapacitors. Herein, we propose a phase transformation strategy to design a porous regenerated cellulose and polyvinylidene difluoride composite separator with ion selectivity by utilizing cellulose dissolution regeneration with PVDF enhancement. Specifically, the anion selective property of PVDF screens the transmembrane diffusion of electrolyte ions, thereby suppressing the self-discharge of supercapacitors. The in-depth characterization indicated that the RC@PVDF separator applied to aqueous supercapacitors demonstrated high performance by maintaining a capacitance of 173 F g -1 after 20,000 cycles. After 24 h of self-discharge, the supercapacitor retained 59 % of its energy. In addition, the cross-linked network of regenerated cellulose provides critical properties for the ion-selective separator, including strong mechanical stability, excellent thermal stability (220 °C) and uniform pore structure (31 nm). This work is anticipated to provide considerable insight into the creative design of self-discharge suppression separators for long-term energy storage supercapacitors., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Enhanced phosphorus management, geared towards sustainability, is imperative due to its indispensability for all life forms and its close association with water bodies' eutrophication, primarily stemming from anthropogenic activities. In response to this concern, innovative technologies rooted in the circular economy are emerging, to remove and recover this vital nutrient to global food production. This research undertakes an evaluation of the dead-end filtration performance of a mixed matrix membrane composed of modified bentonite (MB) and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) for efficient phosphorus removal from water media. The MB:PVDF membrane exhibited higher permeability and surface roughness compared to the pristine membrane, showcasing an adsorption capacity (Q) of 23.2 mgP·m -2 . Increasing the adsorbent concentration resulted in a higher removal capacity (from 16.9 to 23.2 mgP·m -2 ) and increased solution flux (from 0.5 to 16.5 L·m -2 ·h -1 ) through the membrane. The initial phosphorus concentration demonstrates a positive correlation with the adsorption capacity of the material, while the system pressure positively influences the observed flux. Conversely, the presence of humic acid exerts an adverse impact on both factors. Additionally, the primary mechanism involved in the adsorption process is identified as the formation of inner-sphere complexes., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Organic pollutants, such as toluene and xylene, in industrial wastewater negatively impact the environment. Membrane treatment is one of the best methods to reduce impurities in wastewater. Existing membranes that coat the water surface with hydrophilic material only effectively resist the initial fouling, resulting in poor oil and water selectivity. Here we report a simple and efficient method to enhance the water flux and antifouling properties of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes. This method involves developing and applying Catechol-Fe(III) complexes with a rough surface to the PVDF surface. Forming Catechol-Fe(III) complexes on the surface better anchors them to the membrane than the dip-coating method. The PVDF membranes with rough Catechol-Fe(III) complexes are superoleophobic, with an oil contact angle of 152 ° and high permeability, with pure water flux of 10487 Lm -2 h -1 bar -1 and 1 wt% toluene in water emulsion flux of 4697 Lm -2 h -1 bar -1 . Overall, the straightforward manufacturing process, increased permeability, and outstanding antifouling capabilities of the PVDF membrane incorporating rough nanoparticles offer promising prospects for designing and implementing suitable membranes for oil in water emulsion separation applications., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)