Controlled release of dexamethasone from fibrin sealant for intratympanic administration in inner ear therapy

The aim of the present work was to show the sustainability of fibrin sealant in releasing dexamethasone and adjust the protocol for clinical application of the novel method in the treatment of Meniere’s disease (MD) and sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL).Gelation occurred shortly after mixing dexamethasone-containing fibrinogen with thrombin.Dexamethasone was constantly released for at least 16 d at a stable level after 7d in protocol 1 (low-dose),while it was robustly released within 4 d and slowed afterward until 10 d in protocol 2(high-dose).There were significant differences among the time points in Protocol 2 (p<0.01,ANOVA),and the exponential model with the formula y=15.299*e~(-0.483*t) fits the association.The estimated concentration of dexamethasone released on 7 d in protocol 2 was slightly lower than that observed in protocol 1.The fibrin sealant is capable of constantly releasing dexamethasone with adjustable dynamics.Targeted and minimally invasive administration of the material can be achieved in the clinic by sequential injections of the fluids using a soft-tipped catheter.

A matrix metalloproteinase-responsive hydrogel system controls angiogenic peptide release for repair of cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury

Vascular endothelial growth factor and its mimic peptide KLTWQELYQLKYKGI(QK)are widely used as the most potent angiogenic factors for the treatment of multiple ischemic diseases.However,conventional topical drug delivery often results in a burst release of the drug,leading to transient retention(inefficacy)and undesirable diffusion(toxicity)in vivo.Therefore,a drug delivery system that responds to changes in the microenvironment of tissue regeneration and controls vascular endothelial growth factor release is crucial to improve the treatment of ischemic stroke.Matrix metalloproteinase-2(MMP-2)is gradually upregulated after cerebral ischemia.Herein,vascular endothelial growth factor mimic peptide QK was self-assembled with MMP-2-cleaved peptide PLGLAG(TIMP)and customizable peptide amphiphilic(PA)molecules to construct nanofiber hydrogel PA-TIMP-QK.PA-TIMP-QK was found to control the delivery of QK by MMP-2 upregulation after cerebral ischemia/reperfusion and had a similar biological activity with vascular endothelial growth factor in vitro.The results indicated that PA-TIMP-QK promoted neuronal survival,restored local blood circulation,reduced blood-brain barrier permeability,and restored motor function.These findings suggest that the self-assembling nanofiber hydrogel PA-TIMP-QK may provide an intelligent drug delivery system that responds to the microenvironment and promotes regeneration and repair after cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury.

Growth of tandem long-mat rice seedlings using controlled release fertilizers:Mechanical transplantation can be more economical and high yielding

The traditional soil-based rice seedling production methods for mechanical transplanting are resource-intensive,time consuming and laborious.The improvement and optimization of nutrient management in soil-less nursery raising methods like tandem long-mat seedlings(TLMS)are necessary for the resource-efficient cultivation of rice.In the present study,a controlled-release fertilizer(CRF)-polymer-coated compound fertilizer with 3 months release period(PCCF-3M)was applied as seedling fertilizer(SF),and five different dosages of SF(SF-0,SF-10,SF-20,SF-30,and SF-40)were compared with an organic substrate as the control(CK).Among all SF treatments,the best results were obtained with the application of 20 g/tray of SF(SF-20),as the seedling quality and machine transplanting quality were comparable to those of CK.In contrast,the lower dosages(SF-0 and SF-10)resulted in low nitrogen content and reduced shoot growth,while the higher dosages(SF-30 and SF-40)resulted in toxicity(increased malondialdehyde accumulation)and inhibited the root growth.Similarly,SF-20 increased panicle number(5.6-7.0%)and yield(4.3-5.3%)compared with CK,which might be related to the remaining SF entangled in the roots supporting the tiller growth of rice seedlings in the field.Moreover,SF-20 reduced the seedling block weight(53.1%)and cost of seedling production(23.5%)but increased the gross margin,indicating that it was easy to handle and economical.Taken together,our results indicate that SF-20 is a cost-effective way to promote the growth and transplanting efficiency of rice seedlings.To our knowledge,this study is the first to determine the optimum dosage of CRF for the soil-less production of rice seedlings.

Controlled-Release of Plant Volatiles:New Composite Materials of Porous Carbon-Citral and Their Fungicidal Activity against Exobasidium vexans

Citral(Eo)exhibits excellent fungicidal activities.However,it is difficult to maintain long-term fungicidal activity due to its strong volatility.Herein,a controlled-release strategy by using biomass-derived porous carbon(BC)was developed to overcome the drawback of Eo.New composite materials were prepared by loading Eo on tea stem porous carbon(BC@Eo),and their controlled-release fungicidal activity against Exobasidium vexans was assessed.BC with a large specific surface area of 1001.6 m2/g and mesoporous structure was fabricated through carbonization tempera-ture of 700℃.The BC@Eo materials were characterized using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray powder diffraction.The results suggested that chemical and physical interactions occurred in BC@Eo.The Eo release profile suggested a biphasic pattern with an initial fast release on days 1–14 and a subsequent controlled phase on days 14–30.The in vitro cumulative release percentage of Eo from BC@Eo was 51%during one month,and this result was significantly lower than that from free Eo(cumulative release percentage of Eo of 82%in one week).The anti-fungal activities of Eo and BC@Eo against E.vexans were determined using the inhibition zone method.The results indicated that Eo and BC@Eo formed large inhibition zones of 19.66±0.79 and 21.92±0.77 mm,respectively.The influence on the hyphal structure of E.vexans was observed by scanning electron microscopy on day 30.The hyphal structure of E.vexans treated with BC@Eo was more shrunken than that treated with Eo at 30 days,suggesting that BC@Eo prolongs the fungicidal activity against E.vexans.This study demonstrated that the encapsulation of Eo in BC for developing the BC@Eo materials could be a promising strategy to inhibit volatility and maintain the fungicidal activity of Eo and provide a potential alternative for the reuse of abundant tea biomass waste resources.

Assessment of the crucial factors influencing the responses of ammonia and nitrous oxide emissions to controlled release nitrogen fertilizer: A meta-analysis

Reducing ammonia(NH3) and nitrous oxide(N2O) emissions have great effects on mitigating nitrogen(N) nutrient loss and greenhouse gas emissions. Controlled release urea(CRU) can control the N release rate, which reduces reactive N loss and increases nitrogen use efficiency relative to conventional urea(CU). However, the crucial factors influencing the responses of NH3and N2O emissions to CRU relative to CU are still unclear. In this study, we evaluated the responses of NH3and N2O emissions to CRU based on collected field data with a meta-analysis. CRU reduced the NH3and N2O emissions by 32.7 and 25.0% compared with CU, respectively. According to subgroup analysis, CRU presented better mitigation of NH3and N2O emissions in soils with pH 6.5–7.5(–47.9 and –23.7%) relative to either pH<6.5(–28.5and –21.4%) or pH>7.5(–29.3 and –17.3%), and in the rice season(–34.8 and –29.1%) relative to the wheat season(–19.8 and –22.8%). The responses of NH3and N2O emissions to CRU increased from rainfed(–30.5 and –17.0%) to irrigated(–32.5 and –22.9%), and then to paddy(–34.8 and –29.1%) systems. In addition, the response of N2O emission mitigation increased with increases in soil total nitrogen(TN);however, soil TN did not significantly affect the response of NH3volatilization. The reduction in NH3emission was greater in sandy-textured soil(–57.7%) relative to loam-textured(–32.9%) and clay-textured(–32.3%) soils, whereas soil texture did not affect N2O emission. Overall, CRU was a good option for reducing the NH3and N2O emissions relative to CU in agricultural production. This analysis improves our understanding of the crucial environmental and management factors influencing the mitigation of NH3and N2O emissions under CRU application, and these site-specific factors should be considered when applying CRU to reduce reactive N loss and increase NUE.

Migration and Transformation of Coated Controlled Release Nitrogen in Soil under Co-situs Application Mode

By using field trials, the migration and transformation of coated controlled release nitrogen （YZS80） in soil under the co-situs application mode were studied. The results indicated that YZS80 nitrogen dissolved out in average speed of about 0.4%/d and 32% totally in 80 d compared with common compound fertUizer. For YZS80, in the vertical downward direction of application points, urea nitrogen content increased significantly （P 〈0.05） in the 45 -80 d and the 30 -60 cm soil layers; nitrate nitrogen content was little change range and in moderate （10 -100 mg/kg） in 0 -80 d and 10 -60 cm soil layers, but increased significantly （ P 〈0.05） 45 -80 d compared to 0 -45 d; ammonium nitrogen content was significant lower （P〈0.05） before 45 d in 10 -30 cm soil layers, but significant higher（P〈0.05） after 45 d in 10 -60 cm soil layers; NO3^- -N/NH4^＋ -N meets gradually the needs of the crop with the extension of time. Under the co-situs application mode, the possibility of burning root and salt injury and loss dsk of nitrate leaching is a significant reduction.

Effect of Slow and Controlled Release Fertilizers on the Yield and Nutrient Use Efficiency of Hot Pepper in Qiu-bei

[Objective] The aim of this study was to investigate the impacts of slow and controlled release fertilizers（SCRF）on the yield of qiubei hot pepper,its nutrient use efficiency and environment.[Method] Using Qiubei hot pepper（Capsicum frutescens L.）as the experimental material,we studied the fertilization effect and environment-protecting effect of SCRF.[Result] The result showed that SCRF could improve the agronomic characteristics of hot pepper.Compared to singly applied common fertilizers,SCRF increased economic yield by 20.90% and economic benefit by 13 234.35 Yuan/hm2,and the ratio of output to input was improved by 47.93%.In comparison with common straight fertilizers at same NPK proportion and rate,SCRF increased economic yield by 5.26% and economic benefit by 5 554.80 Yuan/hm2,and the ratio of output to input was improved by 9.91%.Under the reduced use of SCRF by 20%,SCRF increased economic yield by 12.38% and economic benefit by 9595.20 Yuan/hm2 compared with singly applied common fertilizers,and the ratio of output to input was improved by 65.95%.SCRF improved nitrogen,phosphorus and potassium use efficiencies by 12.42-17.53,3.35-5.24 and 5.37-14.02 percents respectively.[Conclusion] As the result of much reduced N and P application rates,SCRF would significantly economize fertilizer resources and minimize the pollution caused by the loss of fertilizer nutrients,which is of practical importance for environment protection.

Effects of a New Long-term Controlled-release Fertilizer on Growth and Development and Yield of Summer Maize

[Objective] The aim was to select the optimal amount of controlled-release fertilizer and provide theoretical references for controlled-release fertilizers use in summer maize. [Method] Long-term controlled-release fertilizers were applied once at sowing summer maize to explore effects on maize growth, yield, economic profits and environment. [Result] Maize yield reduced a little in the treatment group with 60% CRF, and increased in varying degrees in the rest groups in the range of 1.1%-7.4%, and some showed significant differences. [Conclusion] Controlled-release fertilizers can be applied once at the amount of 80% common fertilizer＇s, with con- sideration of maize yield, nitrogen use rate and economic profits, which is beneficial for summer maize application and promotion in North China.

Effects of Gel-based Controlled Release Fertilizers on Agronomic Characteristics and Physiological Indices of Corn

[Objective] This study aimed to investigate the effects of gel-based controlled release fertilizers （CRFs） on agronomic characteristics and physiological indices of corn. [Method] Pot experiment was carried out to investigate the agronomic characteristics and physiological indices of corn fertilized with controlled release fertilizers compared with conventional fertilizer （CF）. [Result] Plant height, stem girth, leaf area and root volume of corn were significantly increased under the CRF treatments; photosynthetic rate and soluble protein content were also improved. Dry matter accumulations under the two CRF treatments were increased by 21.3% and 17.0% compared with CF application at one time （CF1）, and 19.6% and 15.4% with CF application at two times （CF2）, respectively. Accumulation amounts of N, P and K in whole plant under the two CRF treatments were increased by 44.0% -24.7% , 40.0%-25.9% and 20.1% -13.9% ; and the nutrient use efficiencies of N, P and K were improved by 22.9% -13.4% , 11.2% -9.6% and 17.5% -12.1% , respectively. [Conclusion] The results implied that the CRFs could significantly improve nutrient use efficiency and plant yield.

Effect of Continuous Application of Controlled Release Nitrogen Fertilizer in Various Types of Soil in Dong-Ting Lake Region under Double Rice Cropping System

[Objective] This study aimed to explore the effects of continuous application of controlled release nitrogen fertilizer under double rice cropping system. [Method] By modeling three types of paddy soils in Dong-Ting Lake area, four treatments as no fertilizer （CK）, urea, controlled release nitrogen fertilizer （CRNF） and 70% controlled release nitrogen fertilizer （70% CRNF） were designed in the micro-plot trials from 2005 to 2008. [Result] The rice yield in treatment CRNF at N 150 kg/hm2 was increased by 10.3%, 8.0% and 2.4% compared with treatment of urea, in alluvial sandy loamy paddy soil （ALS）, purple calcareous clayey paddy soil （PCS）, and reddish yellow loamy paddy soil （RYS）, respectively; and the yield in treatment of 70% CRNF was increased by 6.1%, 2.6% and -0.8%, respectively. The ranking order of nitrogen uptake amount by plant in early rice and late rice was CRNF 70% CRNF urea CK in all three types of soil. Nitrogen utilization efficiency of CRNF in above three types of soil was 60.7%, 59.6% and 56.3%, increased by 23.8%, 19.4% and 16.3% compared with that in treatment of urea, respectively. Nitrogen utilization efficiency of CRNF in early rice was increased year by year, and was higher than that of 70% CRNF during the whole experiment stage, while that in late rice was increased first and then decreased from the 3rd year. [Conclusion] Continuous application CRNF could alleviate the decreasing of soil nitrogen fertility and organic carbon especially in ALS, increase rice yield and nitrogen utilization efficiency in double-rice cropping system.

Spatiotemporal phase change materials for thermal energy long-term storage and controllable release

Phase change materials(PCMs)have attracted much attention in the field of solar thermal utilization recently,due to their outstanding thermal energy storage performance.However,PCMs usually release their stored latent heat spontaneously as the temperature below the phase transition temperature,rendering thermal energy storage and release uncontrollable,thus hindering their practical application in time and space.Herein,we developed erythritol/sodium carboxymethylcellulose/tetrasodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate(ERY/CMC/EDTA-4Na)composite PCMs with novel spatiotemporal thermal energy storage properties,defined as spatiotemporal PCMs(STPCMs),which exhibit the capacity of thermal energy long-term storage and controllable release.Our results show that the composite PCMs are unable to lose latent heat due to spontaneous crystallization during cooling,but can controllably release thermal energy through cold crystallization during reheating.The cold-crystallization temperature and enthalpy of composite PCMs can be adjusted by proportional addition of EDTA-4Na to the composite.When the mass fractions of CMC and EDTA-4Na are both 10%,the composite PCMs can exhibit the optical coldcrystallization temperature of 51.7℃ and enthalpy of 178.1 J/g.The supercooled composite PCMs without latent heat release can be maintained at room temperature(10-25℃)for up to more than two months,and subsequently the stored latent heat can be controllably released by means of thermal triggering or heterogeneous nucleation.Our findings provide novel insights into the design and construction of new PCMs with spatiotemporal performance of thermal energy long-term storage and controllable release,and consequently open a new door for the development of advanced solar thermal utilization techniques on the basis of STPCMs.

Effects of Different Proportions of Controlled Release Urea and Ordinary Urea on Peanut Yield

[Objectives]To study the effects of different proportions of controlled release urea and ordinary urea on peanut yield.[Methods]A total of 5 treatments were set up according to different proportions of controlled release urea and ordinary urea,randomly arranged in blocks and repeated 3 times.[Results]The test results of field districts showed that different proportions of controlled release urea and conventional urea had different effects on peanut yield.On the basis of applying 50 kg/666.7 m^(2)of calcium superphosphate and 17 kg/666.7 m^(2)of potassium sulfate,13.34 kg/666.7 m^(2)of pure nitrogen was applied.The optimal ratio of controlled release urea to ordinary urea was 75:25,followed by 50:50.The output was 379.83 and 371.83 kg/666.7 m^(2),separately increased by 6.74%and 4.50%compared to the application of ordinary urea.[Conclusions]The combined application of controlled release urea and ordinary urea in peanuts can significantly increase peanut yield compared to just applying ordinary urea.

Study of Dynamics of Floodwater Nitrogen and Regulation of Its Runoff Loss in Paddy Field-Based Two-Cropping Rice with Urea and Controlled Release Nitrogen Fertilizer Application

The article deals with the effects of urea and controlled release nitrogen fertilizer （CRNF） on dynamics of pH, electronic conductivity （EC）, total nitrogen （TN）, NH4^＋-N and NO3 -N in floodwater, and the regulation of runoff TN loss from paddy field-based two-cropping rice in Dongting Lake, China, and probes the best fertilization management for controlling N loss. Studies were conducted through modeling alluvial sandy loamy paddy soil （ASP） and purple calcareous clayey paddy soil （PCP） using lysimeter, following the sequence of the soil profiles identified by investigating soil profile. After application of urea in paddy field-based two-cropping rice, TN and NHa＋-N concentrations in floodwater reached peak on the 1st and the 3rd day, respectively, and then decreased rapidly over time; all the floodwater NO3--N concentrations were very low; the pH of floodwater gradually rose in case of early rice within 15 d （late rice within 3 d） after application of urea, and EC remained consistent with the dynamics of NH4^＋-N. The applied CRNF, especially 70% CRNF, led to significantly lower floodwater TN and NH4^＋ concentrations, pH, and EC values compared with urea within 15 d after application. The monitoring result for N loss due to natural rainfall runoff indicated that the amount of TN lost in runoff from paddy field- based two-cropping rice with urea application in Dongting Lake area was 7.47 kg ha^-1, which accounted for 2.49% of urea- N applied, and that with CRNF and 70% CRNF application decreased 24.5 and 27.2% compared with urea application, respectively. The two runoff events, which occurred within 20 d after application, contributed significantly to TN loss from paddy field. TN loss due to the two runoffs in urea, CRNF, and 70% CRNF treatments accounted for 72, 70, and 58% of the total TN loss due to runoff over the whole rice growth season, respectively. And the TN loss in these two CRNF treatments due to the first run-off event at the 10th day after application to early rice decreased 44.9 and 44.2% compared with urea, respectively. In conclusion, the 15-d period after application of urea was the critical time during which N loss occurred due to high floodwater N concentrations. But CRNF decreased N concentrations greatly in floodwater and runoff water during this period. As a result, it obviously reduced TN loss in runoff over the whole rice growth season.

Halloysite Nanotube Composited Thermo-responsive Hydrogel System for Controlled-release

Halloysite nanotube-composited thermo-responsive hydrogel system has been successfully developed for controlled drug release by copolymerization of N-isopropylacrylamide （NIPAM） with silane-modified halloysite nanotubes （HNT） through thermally initiated free-radical polymerization. With methylene blue as a model drug, thermo-responsive drug release results demonstrate that the drug release from the nanotubes in the composited hy-drogel can^be well controlled by manipulating the environmental temperature. When the hydrogel network is swol- len at temperature below the lower critical solution temperature （LCST）, drug releases steadily from lumens of the embedded nanotubes, whereas the drug release stops when hydrogel shrinks at temperature above the LCST. The release of model drug from the HNT-composited hydrogel matches well with its thermo-responsive volume phasetransition, and shows characteristics of well controlled release. The design strategy and release results of the pro- posed novel HNT-composited thermo-responsive hydrogel system provide valuable guidance for designing respon- s_i_ve nanocomposites for controlled-release of active agents.

Glutathione-Responsive Carboxymethyl Chitosan Nanoparticles for Controlled Release of Herbicides

Glutathione-responsive carboxymethyl chitosan nanoparticles cross-linked with disulfide bonds were developed for controlled release of herbicides. The nanoparticles were synthesized by selfassembly of amphiphilic carboxymethyl chitosan derivative (CMCS-MUA) in aqueous solution and subsequently producing disulfide cross-linking bonds by ultrasonic treatment. TEM showed that the nanoparticles had a spherical core-shell configuration with a size of about 250 nm. Assessment of stability of the nanoparticles (considering mean diameter, polydispersity, and Zeta potential) was conducted over a period of three months, and the nanoparticles were found to be stable in solution. Herbicide-loaded nanoparticles were prepared using diuron as a model herbicide. In vitro release study revealed that diuron can be released from nanoparticles in a controlled manner depended on the glutathione concentration. Herbicidal activity assays performed with preemergence treatment of target species (Echinochloa crusgalli) showed the effectiveness of diuron- loaded nanoparticles. Assays with nontarget species (Zea mays) showed that the diuronloaded nanoparticles did not affect plant growth. The results indicate that the glutathioneresponsive nanoparticles prepared in this work will be a promising candidate for controlled release of herbicides in agriculture.

Tablets of paliperidone using compression-coated technology for controlled ascending release

The aim of this work was to prepare ascending release compression-coated(CC) tablets with paliperidone(PAL) using a simple manufacturing technique and short manufacturing process.The release behavior and mechanisms in vitro of the final tablets was investigated and evaluated. The PAL CC tablets were comprised of a core layer of high viscosity hydroxypropyl cellulose(HPC-H) and a coating layer of high viscosity hydroxypropyl methylcellulose(HPMCK100 M). Several factors such as materials and core tablet compositions were studied for their influence in the formulation procedure. The drug release mechanism was studied using gravimetric analysis. The data could be fitted to the Peppas model. The ascending drug release results were expressed in terms of the slope of the release curve at different time points.Results showed that the formulation could achieve a good ascending drug release when the weight ratio of PAL was 5:1(core:layer). The fraction of HPC and HPMC was 33 %, and the combination of Eudragit RL-PO was 10%. The ascending release mechanism was due to solvent penetration into the PAL CC tablets, and subsequent drug dissolution from the gelatinous HPC and HPMC matrix erosion. The release mechanism was therefore a combination of diffusion and erosion. This work demonstrated that the compression-coated tablets could achieve controlled ascending release over 24 h for the oral administration systems.

4D printing of core-shell hydrogel capsules for smart controlled drug release

Personalized drugs,as well as disease-specific and condition-dependent drug release,have been highly desired in drug delivery systems for effective and safe therapies.Four-dimensional(4 D)printing,as a newly emerging technique to develop drug capsules,displays unique advantages that can autonomously control drug release according to the actual physiological circumstances.Herein,core-shell structured hydrogel capsules were developed using a multimaterial extrusion-based 4 D printing method,which consists of a model drug as the core and UV cross-linked poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)(PNIPAM)hydrogel as the shell.Owing to the lower critical solution temperature(LCST)-induced shrinking/swelling properties,the prepared PNIPAM hydrogel capsules showed temperature-responsive drug release along with the topography changes in the cross-linked PNIPAM network.The in vitro drug release test confirmed that the PNIPAM hydrogel capsules can autonomously control their drug release behaviors according to changes in ambient temperature.Moreover,the increased shell thickness of these capsules causes an obvious reduction in drug release rate,distinctly indicating that the drug release behavior can be well adjusted by setting the shell thickness of the capsules.The proposed 4 D printing strategy pioneers the paradigm of smart drug release by showing great potential in the smart controlled release of drugs and macromolecular active agents.

Effects of Film-Degraded Rice Controlled Release Fertilizer on the Nitrogen Uptake and Yield of the Hybrid Rice

Field experiment was carried out to nitrogen release characteristics of rice controlled release fertilizer (RCRF) coated with natural and half natural high molecular materials, and to thereof effects on the nitrogen uptake and yield of early and late hybrid rice from 1999 to 2000, with urea as control.In experimental fields regardless of early and late seasons, the amount of N in the plants increased exponentially at the early growth stage (y=abx) and nonlinearly at the middle and late growth stages (y=a+bx+cx2).Rice controlled release fertilizer lengthened the exponential phase and increased the parameter -b/c during the nonlinear phase. Although the N amount of plants was less in rice controlled release fertilizer plots man in urea plots within 20 days after transplanting, at the heading and maturity stages, the N amount of plants in rice controlled release fertilizer plots was above two times greater than in the urea plots due to the higher N recovery, and the high absorption density of N in the nonlinear phase.Tillers pattern and achievement of the maximum tillering stage varied with fertilizer types. The maximum tillering stage in the urea plots occurred a week earlier than in the rice controlled release fertilizer plots. Yield sink size and potential sink size of the plants reflected the N absorption pattern and the amount of N in the plants. The yields of early and late rice with 90 kg N ha-1 of rice controlled release fertilizer were respectively increased by 832.7 kg ha-1 and 412.8 kg ha-1 than those with 90 kg N ha-1 of urea, almost equivalent to the yield of early and late hybrid rice with 180 kg N ha-1 of urea.

Alginate-based complex fibers with the Janus morphology for controlled release of co-delivered drugs

Hydrogels are soft materials consisting of a three-dimensional network of polymer chains.Over the years,hydrogels with different compositions have been developed as drug carriers for diverse biomedical applications,ranging from cancer therapy and wound care to the treatment of neurodegenerative and inflammatory diseases.Most of these carriers,however,are designed only to deliver single agents.Carriers based on hydrogels for co-delivery of multiple agents,with the release rate of each of the co-delivered agents tunable,are lacking.This study reports a one-pot method of fabricating alginate-based complex fibers with the Janus morphology,with carboxymethyl cellulose sodium functioning as a polymeric modifier of the properties of each of the fiber compartments.By using malachite green and minocycline hydrochloride as model drugs,the generated fibers demonstrate the capacity of enabling the release profile of each of the co-delivered drugs to be precisely controlled.Along with their negligible toxicity and the retention of the activity of the loaded drugs,the complex fibers reported in this study warrant further development and optimization for applications that involve co-delivery of multiple agents.

Effects of controlled-release urea application on the growth, yield and nitrogen recovery efficiency of cotton

Field experiments were conducted to study the effects of the controlled release urea (CRU) application on growth yield and nitrogen recovery efficiency of cotton in the main cotton zone of the Yangtze River basin in 2010. Different nitrogen levels were set in order to determine the suitable dosage of CRU on cotton. The special purpose was to provide evidence for the CRU application in cotton fields. The results show that the application of CRU promotes the growth of cotton significantly and enhances the nitrogen supply in the whole period. Compared to the treatment with total N as base fertilizer (UB), the bod, flower, little bolls and total bolls are increased significantly. There are no significant differences in the yield between the CRU treatment and the treatment of controlled release urea and urea combined application (60%CRU + 40%U), but an increase by 12.38%-22.67% compared to the UB treatment, and an increase by 4.49%-7.23% compared to the treatments of total N split application (UD). The nitrogen uptake of CRU treatment was significantly increased by 13.01%-48.32% and 30.27%-13.01% than UB treatment and UD treatment, respectively. The nutrient recovery efficiency of CRU treatment is increased by 16.42-20.59, 5.92-11.29 and 4.22-12.59 percentage points compared to the UB treatment, UD treatment and 60%CRU + 40%U treatment, respectively. In this study, there was a good linearity relationship between the cotton yield and amount of CRU in Wuxue site. The yield of cotton response to amount of CRU could be described by the model of linear plus plateau in Jingzhou site.