A Polyvinyl Alcohol/Acrylamide Hydrogel with Enhanced Mechanical Properties Promotes Full-Thickness Skin Defect Healing by Regulating Immunomodulation and Angiogenesis Through Paracrine Secretion

Hydrogel-based tissue-engineered skin has attracted increased attention due to its potential to restore the structural integrity and functionality of skin.However,the mechanical properties of hydrogel scaffolds and natural skin are substantially different.Here,we developed a polyvinyl alcohol(PVA)/acrylamide based interpenetrating network(IPN)hydrogel that was surface modified with polydopamine(PDA)and termed Dopa-gel.The Dopa-gel exhibited mechanical properties similar to native skin tissue and a superior ability to modulate paracrine functions.Furthermore,a tough scaffold with tensile resistance was fabricated using this hydrogel by three-dimensional printing.The results showed that the interpenetration of PVA,alginate,and polyacrylamide networks notably enhanced the mechanical properties of the hydrogel.Surface modification with PDA endowed the hydrogels with increased secretion of immunomodulatory and proangiogenic factors.In an in vivo model,Dopa-gel treatment accelerated wound closure,increased vascularization,and promoted a shift in macrophages from a proinflammatory M1 phenotype to a prohealing and anti-inflammatory M2 phenotype within the wound area.Mechanistically,the focal adhesion kinase(FAK)/extracellular signal-related kinase(ERK)signaling pathway may mediate the promotion of skin defect healing by increasing paracrine secretion via the Dopa-gel.Additionally,proangiogenic factors can be induced through Rho-associated kinase-2(ROCK-2)/vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)-mediated paracrine secretion under tensile stress conditions.Taken together,these findings suggest that the multifunctional Dopa-gel,which has good mechanical properties similar to those of native skin tissue and enhanced immunomodulatory and angiogenic properties,is a promising scaffold for skin tissue regeneration.

Probiotic microorganisms affect the reproductive and nervous systems of male rats treated with acrylamide

Objective:To evaluate the protective effects of probiotic microorganisms on the reproductive and nervous systems of male rats treated with acrylamide.Methods:Thirty-two rats were randomly divided into 4 groups and received normal saline through gavage(control),acrylamide 20 mg/kg body weight,acrylamide plus probiotic microorganisms(Lactobacillus acidophilus,Lactobacillus casei,Lactobacillus bulgaricus,Lactobacillus rhamnosus,Bifidobacterium breve,Bifidobacterium infantis,Streptococcus thermophilus and fructooligosaccharides,all mixed in sachets)20 or 200 mg/kg body weight,respectively.After 30 days,the testis,prostate,seminal vesicle and cerebellum were removed,fixed and stained with hematoxylin-eosin(H&E).The Johnsen score was used to classify spermatogenesis.Cavalieri's principle method was used to evaluate the total volume(in mm3)of the testes.The number of each intratubular cell type as well as intertubular Leydig cells in whole samples was measured using the physical dissector counting techniques.Stereological analysis and the grids were used to determine the volume of cerebellar layers as well as the Purkinje cell number.Results:The testis weight decreased significantly in the acrylamide-treated group compared to the other groups(P<0.001).The number of spermatogonia,spermatocytes,spermatids and Leydig cells in the acrylamide-treated group were significantly less compared to the control group(P<0.05),while they were increased significantly in the acrylamide+200 mg/kg probiotic group(P<0.05;P<0.01).The mean Johnsen score in the acrylamide-treated group was lower than in the control group(P<0.001).Acrylamide-induced changes including congestion,vacuolization in the secretory epithelial cells,and epithelial rupture were observed in the prostate and seminal vesicle.The volumes of cerebellar layers were decreased in the acrylamide group compared to the control group while recovered in both probiotic treated groups.Conclusions:Probiotic microorganisms alleviate acrylamide-induced toxicities against the reproductive and cerebellar tissues in rats.

Protective mechanism of quercetin compounds against acrylamide-induced hepatotoxicity

Quercetin compounds have antioxidant,anti-inflammatory and anticancer pharmacological functions.Longterm exposure to acrylamide(AA)can cause liver injury and endanger human health.However,whether quercetin compounds can attenuate AA-induced liver injury and the specific mechanism are not clear.Here,we studied the mechanism and structure-activity relationship of quercetin compounds in reducing AA-induced hepatotoxicity in vivo and in vitro.In vivo studies found that quercetin-like compounds protect against AAinduced liver injury by reducing oxidative stress levels,activating the Akt/m TOR signaling pathway to attenuate autophagy,and improving mitochondrial apoptosis and endoplasmic reticulum stress-mediated apoptosis.In vitro studies found that quercetin compounds protected Hep G2 cells from AA by attenuating the activation of AA-induced autophagy,lowering reactive oxygen species(ROS)levels by exerting antioxidant effects and thus attenuating oxidative stress,increasing mitochondrial membrane potential(MMP),and improving apoptosis-related proteins,thus attenuating AA-induced apoptosis.Furthermore,the conformational differences between quercetin compounds correlated with their protective capacity against AA-induced hepatotoxicity,with quercetin showing the best protective capacity due to its strongest antioxidant activity.In conclusion,quercetin compounds can protect against AA-induced liver injury through multiple pathways of oxidative stress,autophagy and apoptosis,and their protective capacity correlates with antioxidant activity.

Lithium Salt Combining Fluoroethylene Carbonate Initiates Methyl Methacrylate Polymerization Enabling Dendrite-Free Solid-State Lithium Metal Battery

This work demonstrates a novel polymerization-derived polymer electrolyte consisting of methyl methacrylate,lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide and fluoroethylene carbonate.The polymerization of MMA was initiated by the amino compounds following an anionic catalytic mechanism.LiTFSI plays both roles including the initiator and Li ion source in the polymer electrolyte.Normally,lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide has difficulty in initiating the polymerization reaction of methyl methacrylate monomer,a very high concentration of lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide is needed for initiating the polymerization.However,the fluoroethylene carbonate additive can work as a supporter to facilitate the degree of dissociation of lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide and increase its initiator capacity due to the high dielectric constant.The as-prepared poly-methyl methacrylate-based polymer electrolyte has a high ionic conductivity(1.19×10^(−3)S cm^(−1)),a wide electrochemical stability window(5 V vs Li^(+)/Li),and a high Li ion transference number(t_(Li^(+)))of 0.74 at room temperature(RT).Moreover,this polymerization-derived polymer electrolyte can effectively work as an artificial protective layer on Li metal anode,which enabled the Li symmetric cell to achieve a long-term cycling performance at 0.2 mAh cm^(−2)for 2800 h.The LiFePO_(4)battery with polymerization-derived polymer electrolyte-modified Li metal anode shows a capacity retention of 91.17%after 800 cycles at 0.5 C.This work provides a facile and accessible approach to manufacturing poly-methyl methacrylate-based polymerization-derived polymer electrolyte and shows great potential as an interphase in Li metal batteries.

Efficient in-situ end-functionalization of polydienes by isothiocyanate via neodymium mediated coordinative chain transfer polymerization system

End-functionalization of polydiene rubbers can not only improve its compatibility with inorganic fillers,but also enhance the overall mechanical properties.Nevertheless,for traditional neodymium(Nd)diene polymerization systems,it is highly challenging to achieve such end-functionalizations,because most of polydienyl chains are capped withη3-allyl-Nd moiety during the end of polymerization,which shows very poor reactivity with nucleophile compounds.We launched a new diene polymerization strategy calling coordinative chain transfer polymerization(CCTP)[1].In such a system,all the polydienyl chains are capped withη1-allyl-Al moieties,which reveal greater reactivity with cyclic esters and epoxide compounds,providing an effective manner to prepare polydiene-polyester amphiphilic block copolymers.Inspired by such findings,we now show herein how such types of chain-ends react with isot-hiocyanate to demonstrate an efficient in-situ manner to access end-functionalized polydienes by using CCTP.

Influence of external nitrogen-containing donors on polymerization behavior of neodymium-based cis-1,4-polybutadiene rubber

Neodymium(Nd)-based catalyst in butadiene(Bd)polymerization has drawn interests due to its availability in affording higher cis-1,4-unit selectivity than transition metal(Ti,Co,Ni,etc.)-based catalysts[1-2].Such outstanding high cis-1,4-unit selecti-vity is hypothetically originated from the presence of 4 f orbitals,that can participate in monomer coordination and thereby govern subsequent enchainment manners.This unique characteristic also renders the active species highly susceptible to Lewis bases,and may impact the overall selectivity as well as polyme-rization behavior after coordination.Nevertheless,it is still a virgin area in such a field,and the influence of Lewis bases on Nd-based diene polymerizations is still a black box.Based on this consideration,how nitrogen-containing donors(D)impacts the overall behaviors of Nd-mediated Bd polymerizations is disclosed.

Procyanidin A_1 and its digestive products alleviate acrylamide-induced IPEC-J2 cell damage through regulating Keap1/Nrf2 pathway

Our previous study has revealed that procyanidin A_(1)(A_(1))and its simulated digestive product(D-A,)can alleviate acrylamide(ACR)-induced intestine cell damage.However,the underlying mechanism remains unknown.In this study,we elucidated the molecular mechanism for and D-A_(1) to alleviate ACR-stimulated IPEC-J2 cell damage.ACR slightly activated nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2(Nrf2)signaling and its target genes,but this activation could not reduce intestine cell damage.A_(1) and D-A_(1) could alleviate ACR-induced cell damage,but the effect was abrogated in cells transiently transfected with Nrf2 small interfering RNA(siRNA).Further investigation confirmed that A_(1) and D-A_(1) interacted with Ketch-like ECH-associated protein 1(Keapl),which boosted the stabilization of Nrf2,subsequently promoted the translocation of Nrf2 into the nucleus,and further increased the expression of antioxidant proteins,thereby inhibiting glutathione(GSH)consumption,maintaining redox balance and eventually alleviating ACR-induced cell damage.Importantly,there was no difference between A_(1) and D-A_(1) treated groups,indicating that A_(1) can tolerate gastrointestinal digestion and may be a potential compound to limit the toxicity of ACR.

Nickel catalysts with asymmetric steric hindrance for ethylene polymerization

α-Diimide catalysts have attracted widespread attention due to their unique chain walking characteristics.A series ofα-diimide nickel/palladium catalysts with different electronic effects and steric hindrances were designed and synthesized for olefin polymerization.In this work,we synthesized a series of asymmetricα-diimide nickel complexes with different steric hindrances and used them for ethylene polymerization.These nickel catalysts have high ethylene polymerization activity,up to 6.51×10^(6)g·mol^(−1)·h^(−1),and the prepared polyethylene has a moderate melting point and high molecular weight(up to 38.2×10^(4)g·mol^(−1)),with a branching density distribution between 7 and 94 branches per 1000 carbons.More importantly,the polyethylene prepared by these catalysts exhibits excellent tensile properties,with strain and stress reaching 800%and 30 MPa,respectively.

3D printing encouraging desired in-situ polypyrrole seed-polymerization for ultra-high energy density supercapacitors

The tireless pursuit of supercapacitors with high energy density entails the parallel advancement of wellsuited electrode materials and elaborately engineered architectures.Polypyrrole(PPy)emerges as an exceedingly conductive polymer and a prospective pseudocapacitive materials for supercapacitors,yet the inferior cyclic stability and unpredictable polymerization patterns severely impede its real-world applicability.Here,for the first time,an innovative seed-induced in-situ polymerization assisted 3D printing strategy is proposed to fabricate PPy-reduced graphene oxide/poly(vinylidene difluoride-cohexafluoropropylene)(PVDF-HFP)(PPy-rGO/PH)electrodes with controllable polymerization behavior and exceptional areal mass loading.The preferred active sites uniformly pre-planted on the 3D-printed graphene substrates serve as reliable seeds to induce efficient polypyrrole deposition,achieving an impressive mass loading of 185.6 mg cm^(-2)(particularly 79.2 mg cm^(-2)for polypyrrole)and a superior areal capacitance of 25.2 F cm^(-2)at 2 mA cm^(-2)for a 12-layer electrode.In agreement with theses appealing features,an unprecedented areal energy density of 1.47 mW h cm^(-2)for a symmetrical device is registered,a rarely achieved value for other PPy/rGO-based supercapacitors.This work highlights a promising route to preparing high energy density energy storage modules for real-world applications.

Two-photon polymerization lithography for imaging optics

Optical imaging systems have greatly extended human visual capabilities,enabling the observation and understanding of diverse phenomena.Imaging technologies span a broad spectrum of wavelengths from x-ray to radio frequencies and impact research activities and our daily lives.Traditional glass lenses are fabricated through a series of complex processes,while polymers offer versatility and ease of production.However,modern applications often require complex lens assemblies,driving the need for miniaturization and advanced designs with micro-and nanoscale features to surpass the capabilities of traditional fabrication methods.Three-dimensional(3D)printing,or additive manufacturing,presents a solution to these challenges with benefits of rapid prototyping,customized geometries,and efficient production,particularly suited for miniaturized optical imaging devices.Various 3D printing methods have demonstrated advantages over traditional counterparts,yet challenges remain in achieving nanoscale resolutions.Two-photon polymerization lithography(TPL),a nanoscale 3D printing technique,enables the fabrication of intricate structures beyond the optical diffraction limit via the nonlinear process of two-photon absorption within liquid resin.It offers unprecedented abilities,e.g.alignment-free fabrication,micro-and nanoscale capabilities,and rapid prototyping of almost arbitrary complex 3D nanostructures.In this review,we emphasize the importance of the criteria for optical performance evaluation of imaging devices,discuss material properties relevant to TPL,fabrication techniques,and highlight the application of TPL in optical imaging.As the first panoramic review on this topic,it will equip researchers with foundational knowledge and recent advancements of TPL for imaging optics,promoting a deeper understanding of the field.By leveraging on its high-resolution capability,extensive material range,and true 3D processing,alongside advances in materials,fabrication,and design,we envisage disruptive solutions to current challenges and a promising incorporation of TPL in future optical imaging applications.

Effect of solvent on the initiation mechanism of living anionic polymerization of styrene:A computational study

For living anionic polymerization(LAP),solvent has a great influence on both reaction mechanism and kinetics.In this work,by using the classical butyl lithium-styrene polymerization as a model system,the effect of solvent on the mechanism and kinetics of LAP was revealed through a strategy combining density functional theory(DFT)calculations and kinetic modeling.In terms of mechanism,it is found that the stronger the solvent polarity,the more electrons transfer from initiator to solvent through detailed energy decomposition analysis of electrostatic interactions between initiator and solvent molecules.Furthermore,we also found that the stronger the solvent polarity,the higher the monomer initiation energy barrier and the smaller the initiation rate coefficient.Counterintuitively,initiation is more favorable at lower temperatures based on the calculated results ofΔG_(TS).Finally,the kinetic characteristics in different solvents were further examined by kinetic modeling.It is found that in benzene and n-pentane,the polymerization rate exhibits first-order kinetics.While,slow initiation and fast propagation were observed in tetrahydrofuran(THF)due to the slow free ion formation rate,leading to a deviation from first-order kinetics.

ZnO Incorporated Acrylamide Grafted Chitosan Based Composite Film for Advanced Wound Healing Applications

This study was carried out to prepare ZnO nanoparticles incorporated acrylamide grafted chitosan composite film for possible biomedical application especially drug loading in wound healing. ZnO nanoparticles were prepared by co-precipitation method from zinc acetate di-hydrate and incorporated in acrylamide grafted chitosan. FT-IR and TGA of the prepared composite film confirmed the successful incorporation of ZnO nanoparticles in the acrylamide-grafted polymer matrix. SEM images showed that the ZnO nanoparticles were homogeneously distributed on the porous matrix of the composite film. Water uptake and buffer uptake analysis revealed that the composite film could hold water and buffer sufficiently, which facilitated the absorption of exudate from the wound site. Amoxicillin was loaded in the prepared composite film and the maximum loading efficiency was found to be 67.33% with drug concentration of 300 ppm. In vitro studies showed greater antimicrobial activity of drug-loaded composite film compared to both pure film and standard antibiotic disc. Finally, the In vivo mouse model showed maximum healing efficiency compared to conventional gauge bandages because the loading of antibiotic in the film produced a synergistic effect and healing time was reduced.

Synthesis of Branched Polyethylene via Bulky α-Diimine Nickel(II)-Catalyzed Ethylene Chain-Walking Polymerization

The catalysis of olefin polymerization through the chain-walking process is a subject of great interest. In this contribution, the successful synthesis of a Brookhart-type unsymmetrical α-diimine nickel catalyst Ni, which contains both dibenzhydryl and phenyl groups, was determined by X-ray crystallography. The compound has a pseudo-tetrahedral geometry at the Ni center, showing pseudo-C2-symmetry. Upon activation with modified methylaluminoxane (MMAO), Ni1 exhibits high catalytic activity up to 1.02 × 107 g PE (mol Ni h)−1 toward ethylene polymerization, enabling the synthesis of high molecular weight branched polyethylene. The molecular weights and branching densities could be tuned over a very wide range. The polymerization results indicated the possibility of precise microstructure control, depending on the polymerization temperature. The branching densities were decreased with increasing the polymerization temperature.

Synthesis and Characterization of Poly Styrene-Co-Poly 2-Hydroxyethylmethacrylate (HEMA) Copolymer and an Investigation of Free-Radical Copolymerization Propagation Kinetics by Solvent Effects

A series of homo and copolymers of styrene (ST) and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) in three different media (bulk, tetrahydrofuran, and benzene) have been investigated by free radical polymerization method. The samples obtained from the synthesis were characterized by Fourier Transform-Infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H NMR), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The results show that the synthesis of the polymers is more feasible under neat conditions rather than solvent directed reaction. Moreover, the DSC data shows that the polystyrene obtained is amorphous in nature and therefore displayed only a glass transition signal rather than crystallization and melting peaks. In addition, this study indicates that homolopolymerization of styrene via free radical polymerization tends to be preferable in less polar solvents like THF than in non-polar solvents like benzene. Benzene might destabilize the formation of the reactive radicals leading to the formation of the products. In summary, the homolpolymerization of styrene is more feasible than the homopolymerization 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate under the experimental setup used. Styrene is more reactive than 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate than free radical polymerization reaction due in part of the generation of the benzylic radical intermediate which is more stable leading to the formation of products than alkyl radical which are less stable. Furthermore, polymerization of styrene under neat conditions is preferable in solvent-assisted environments. The choice of solvent for the synthesis of these polymers is crucial and therefore the selection of solvent that leads to the formation of a more stable reaction intermediate is more favorable. It is worth noting that the structure of the proposed copolymer consists of a highly polar and hydrophilic monomer, 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate and a highly non-polar and hydrophobic monomer, styrene. These functionalities constitute an amphiphilic copolymer with diverse characteristics. A plausible explanation underlying our observations is that the reaction conditions employed in the synthesis of these copolymers might not be the right route required under free radical polymerization.

PHOTOSENSITIVITY OF CERIC ION INITIATED ACRYLAMIDE POLYMERIZATION

Polymerization of acrylamide initiated by ceric ammonium nitrate alone has been studied in aqueous medium. The effects of UV light irradiation on the initial rates of polymerization, the activation energy and on the polymer molecular weights have been investigated. Compared with that in the dark, the rate of polymerization under UV light was accelerated to eleven times higher, and the overall activation energy was lowered markedly.

Synthesis and characterization of Ce_(0.8)Sm_(0.2)O_(1.9) nanopowders using an acrylamide polymerization process

Ce0.8Sm0.2O1.9(SDC) nanopowders were synthesized by an acrylamide polymerization process.The XRD results showed that SDC powders prepared at 700 °C possessed a cubic fluorite structure.Transmission electron microscopy(TEM) indicated that the particle sizes of powders were in the range of 10-15 nm.A 98.3% of theoretical density was obtained when the SDC pellets were sintered at 1350 °C for 5 h,indicating that the powders had good sinterability.The conductivity of the sintered SDC ceramics was 0.019 S/cm at 6...

PHOTO-INDUCED GRAFT POLYMERIZATION OF ACRYLAMIDE ON POLYPROPYLENE MEMBRANE SURFACE IN THE PRESENCE OF DIBENZYL TRITHIOCARBONATE

Ultraviolet （UV）-induced graft polymerization of acrylamide （AAm） on polypropylene substrates was successfully conducted using dibenzyl trithiocarbonate （DBTTC） as photoinitiator. It was confirmed by chemical analysis and surface morphology observation with attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. A possible mechanism for this graft process was presented, which suggested that, under UV irradiation, the C： S bond in DBTTC could split and abstract a hydrogen from the polypropylene surface and a surface free radical was then formed, and initiated the graft polymerization of AAm.

Dispersion polymerization of anionic polyacrylamide in an aqueous salt medium

Anionic polyacrylamide dispersions were prepared by dispersion polymerization in an aqueous salt medium, using acrylamide（AM） and acrylic acid（AA） as monomers and anionic polyelectrolytes as stabilizer. Effects of salt concentration, and molecular weight and concentration of stabilizers on the stability of the dispersions were investigated using a HAAKE rheometer and optical microscopy. The results showed that stable anionic polyacrylamide dispersions, consisting of smooth, spherical, polydisperse particles, could be obtained under the conditions of salt concentration ranging from 26 wt% to 30 wt%, concentration of stabilizers from 1.2 wt% to 1.8 wt%, and intrinsic viscosity of stabilizers from 2.98 dL·g^-1 to 3.74 dL·g^-1. The apparent viscosity of the stable dispersions changed very little with the shear rate, showing Newton fluid behavior.

MONODISPERSE MICRON-SIZED POLYACRYLAMIDE PARTICLES SYNTHESIZED BY DISPERSION POLYMERIZATION

Monodisperse micron-sized polyacrylamide （PAM） particles with a regular shape have been successfully prepared through dispersion polymerization of the monomer using a rotary reactor. FTIR and NMR spectroscopic results demonstrated the formation of PAM. POM and TEM observations revealed that PAM particles had a regular shape and good dispersity. A thick layer of surfactant （PVP） still existed on PAM particles after multiple centrifugation and ultrasonic re-dispersion in ethanol, which indicates a strong interaction between PVP and PAM. The effects of various polymerization factors on the average size of PAM particles have also been studied.

Research on the Graft Copolymerization of EH-lignin with acrylamide

Lignin isolated from enzymatic hydrolyzed corn-stalks (EH-lignin) is a renewable natural polymer noted for its versatility and applicability in a vari-ety of uses. Graft copolymerization of EH-lignin with acrylamide (AM) and the application of this copolymer as a flocculant in dye wastewater treatment were studied in this article. The influ-ences of some factors on yield of copolymer and the grafting ratio were investigated and the structure of EH-lignin/AM graft copolymer was characterized by FT-IR. According to the yield and the grafting ratio, the optimum conditions for graft copolymerization were as follows: initiator K2S2O8-Na2S2O3 with a quantity 3 wt% of EH-lignin, mass ratio of AM to EH-lignin was 2~3, reaction time 4h and temperature at 50℃. It was found that the absorption capacity of graft copolymer to two azo-dyes was enhanced with the increase of grafting ratio. Furthermore, the residue concen-tration of EH-lignin/AM graft copolymer remained in the supernatant after flocculation was much lower than that of pure EH-lignin.