Polyelectrolyte

Bacterial cellulose (BC) hydrogels are promising medical biomaterials that have been widely used for tissue repair, wound healing and cartilage engineering. However, the high water content of BC hydrogels increases the difficulty of storage and transportation. Moreover, they will lose their original hydrogel structure after dehydration, which severely limits their practical applications. Introducing the bio-based polyelectrolytes is expected to solve this problem. Here, we modified BC and combined it with quaternized chitosan (QCS) via a chemical reaction to obtain a dehydrated dialdehyde bacterial cellulose/quaternized chitosan (DBC/QCS) hydrogel with repeated swelling behavior and good antibacterial properties...

The unique high isoelectric point of lysozyme (LYZ) restricts its application in composite antibacterial coating due to the unfavorable liability to electrostatic interaction with other components. In this work, the antibacterial activity of a dispersible LYZ-carboxymethyl konjac glucomannan (CMKGM) polyelectrolyte complex was evaluated. Kinetic analysis revealed that, compared with free LYZ, the complexed enzyme exhibited decreased affinity (Km ) but markedly increased Vmax against Micrococcus lysodeikticus, and QCM and dynamic light scattering analysis confirmed that the complex could bind with the substrate but in a much lower ratio...

OBJECTIVE: The biomimetic coating on titanium surface affects the adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation of bone cells on the surface of implants. Naringin-7-O-Neohesperidoside (NRG) positively affects the proliferation and differentiation of bone cells, while inhibiting the formation of osteoclasts, thereby affecting the osteogenic effect. This study aimed to construct biomimetic coatings on pure titanium surfaces using layer by layer (LBL) self-assembly of NRGat different concentrations...

The extraction of salinity gradient energy in the capacitive mixing (CapMix) technique can be enhanced by using polyelectrolyte-coated electrodes. The micromechanism of polyelectrolyte (PE) coating enhancing the salinity energy extraction is studied by using a statistical thermodynamic theory. When PE takes same charge sign as the coated electrodes, the extraction efficiency can be boosted owing to the enhanced response of electrical double layer (EDL) to external cell voltage ( V 0 ). For the optimal case studied, the extraction efficiency was boosted from 0...

Aqueous mixtures of oppositely charged polyelectrolytes and surfactants are useful in many industrial applications, such as shampoos and hair conditioners. In this work, we investigate the friction between biomimetic hair surfaces in the presence of adsorbed complexes formed from cationic polyelectrolytes and anionic surfactants in an aqueous solution. We apply nonequilibrium molecular dynamics (NEMD) simulations using the coarse-grained MARTINI model. We first developed new MARTINI parameters for cationic guar gum (CGG), a functionalized, plant-derived polysaccharide...

AIM: To determine the comparative effectiveness of fluid schemes for children with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). METHODS: We conducted a systematic review with an attempt to conduct network meta-analysis (NMA). We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL, Epistemonikos, Virtual Health Library, and gray literature from inception to July 31, 2022. We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in children with DKA evaluating any intravenous fluid schemes. We planned to conduct NMA to compare all fluid schemes if heterogeneity was deemed acceptable...

Current synthetic grafts for ligament rupture repair often fail to integrate well with the surrounding biological tissue, leading to complications such as graft wear, fatigue, and subsequent re-rupture. To address this medical challenge, this study aims at advancing the development of a biological ligament through the integration of physiologically-inspired principles and tissue engineering strategies. In this study, we utilize interfacial polyelectrolyte complexation spinning technique, along with a custom-designed collection system, to fabricate a hierarchical scaffold mimicking native ligament structure...

Histone chaperones-structurally diverse, non-catalytic proteins enriched with acidic intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs)-protect histones from spurious nucleic acid interactions and guide their deposition into and out of nucleosomes. Despite their conservation and ubiquity, the function of the chaperone acidic IDRs remains unclear. Here, we show that the Xenopus laevis Npm2 and Nap1 acidic IDRs are substrates for TTLL4 (Tubulin Tyrosine Ligase Like 4)-catalyzed post-translational glutamate-glutamylation...

Intranasal vaccination offers crucial protection against influenza virus pandemics. However, antigens, especially subunit antigens, often fail to induce effective immune responses without the help of immune adjuvants. Our research has demonstrated that a polyelectrolyte complex, composed of curdlan sulfate/O-(2-hydroxyl) propyl-3-trimethyl ammonium chitosan chloride (CS/O-HTCC), effectively triggers both mucosal and systemic immune responses when administrated intranasal. In this study, stable nanoparticles formed by curdlan-O-HTCC conjugate (CO NP) were prepared and characterized...

The creation of large, volumetric tissue-engineered constructs has long been hindered due to the lack of effective vascularization strategies. Recently, 3D printing has emerged as a viable approach to creating vascular structures; however, its application is limited. Here, we present a simple and controllable technique to produce porous, free-standing, perfusable tubular networks from sacrificial templates of polyelectrolyte complex and coatings of salt-containing citrate-based elastomer poly(1,8-octanediol- co -citrate) (POC)...

The ideal and highly anticipated dressing for skin wounds should provide a moist environment, possess antibacterial properties, and ensure sustained drug release. In the present work, a pH-responsive hyaluronic acid-based hydrogel (CPC@HA hydrogel) was formed by hydrogen bond and amido bond cross-linking after introducing crocetin (Cro) and CaCO3@polyelectrolyte microspheres (CaCO3@PEM) to HA hydrogel to sustained, controlled release of the calcium ions and crocetin under slightly acid to accelerating skin wounds healing...

Protein translocation through nanopores holds significant promise for applications in biotechnology, biomolecular analysis, and medicine. However, the interpretation of signals generated by the translocation of the protein remains challenging. In this way, it is crucial to gain a comprehensive understanding on how macromolecules translocate through a nanopore and to identify what are the critical parameters that govern the process. In this study, we investigate the interplay between protein charge regulation, orientation, and nanopore surface modifications using a theoretical framework that allows us to explicitly take into account the acid-base reactions of the titrable amino acids in the proteins and in the polyelectrolytes grafted to the nanopore surface...

The co-assembly of polyelectrolytes (PE) with proteins offers a promising approach for designing complex structures with customizable morphologies, charge distribution, and stability for targeted cargo delivery. However, the complexity of protein structure limits our ability to predict the properties of the formed nanoparticles, and our goal is to identify the key triggers of the morphological transition in protein/PE complexes and evaluate their ability to encapsulate multivalent ionic drugs. A positively charged PE can assemble with a protein at pH above isoelectric point due to the electrostatic attraction and disassemble at pH below isoelectric point due to the repulsion...

Studying polymer micelle structure and loading dynamics under environmental conditions is critical for nanocarrier applications but challenging due to a lack of in situ nanoprobes. Here, the structure and loading of amphiphilic polyelectrolyte copolymer micelles, formed by 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid (AMPS) and n -dodecyl acrylamide (DDAM), were investigated using a multimodal approach centered around in situ resonant soft X-ray scattering (RSoXS). We observe aqueous micelles formed from polymers of wide-ranging molecular weights and aqueous concentrations...

In present study, polysaccharide polyelectrolyte nanoparticles (CMAAP-CS NPs) were constructed by mixing carboxymethylated Anemarrhena asphodeloides polysaccharide (CMAAP) and chitosan (CS). CMAAP-CS NPs were applied as carrier to improve the bioavailability and stability of curcumin (Cur). The average particle size of CMAAP-CS NPs was 216.60 ± 4.21 nm and the entrapment efficiency of Cur reached 82.50 ± 2.09 %. The simulated digestion experiments in vitro confirmed that the bioavailability of Cur loaded in CMAAP-CS NPs was 59...

This study comprises the isolation of quercetin from the bhimkol banana (Musa balbisiana) blossom, encapsulation, and its characterizations. An isolated quercetin rich fraction was obtained from HPLC followed by column chromatography and subsequently encapsulated with chitosan-alginate polyelectrolyte complex at optimum encapsulation conditions obtained by ant colony optimization. Quercetin fraction and encapsulated quercetin were characterized for their physicochemical properties (by HPLC, FTIR, NMR, XRD, Dynamic Light Scattering, and release study)...

DNA is a highly charged polyelectrolyte and is prone to associative phase separation driven by the presence of multivalent cations, charged surfactants, proteins, polymers and colloids. The process of DNA phase separation induced by positively charged species is often called DNA condensation. Generally, it refers to either intramolecular DNA compaction (coil-globule transition) or intermolecular DNA aggregation with macroscopic phase separation, but the formation of a DNA liquid crystalline system is also displayed...

With the continuous advancement of electrodialysis (ED) technology, there arises a demand for improved monovalent cation exchange membranes (CEMs). However, limitations in membrane materials and structures have resulted in the low selectivity of monovalent CEMs, posing challenges in the separation of Li+ and Mg2+ . In this investigation, a designed CEM with a swelling-embedded structure was created by integrating a polyelectrolyte containing N-oxide Zwitterion into a sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK) membrane, leveraging the notable solubility characteristic of SPEEK...

The left atrial appendage (LAA) occluder is an important medical device for closing the LAA and preventing stroke. The device-related thrombus (DRT) prevents the implantation of the occluder in exerting the desired therapeutic effect, which is primarily caused by the delayed endothelialization of the occluder. Functional coatings are an effective strategy for accelerating the endothelialization of occluders. However, the occluder surface area is particularly large and structurally complex, and the device is subjected to a large shear friction in the sheath during implantation, which poses a significant challenge to the coating...

In the field of preparing cosmetic formulations, recent advances recommend the usage of excipients derived from biocompatible materials. In this context, the present study aimed to prepare and characterize the curcumin-loaded Pickering emulsion for possible applications in cosmetic formulation. The coconut oil which is often the component of skin care formulations is used as the oily phase. Curcumin, which is well known for absorbing solar radiation, is expected to work synergistically with coconut oil towards improving the sun protection factor (SPF) of the formulation...