The Biocompatibility Analysis of Artificial Mucin-Like Glycopolymers.

The ocular surface is covered by a tear film consisting of an aqueous/mucin phase and a superficial lipid layer. Mucins, highly -glycosylated proteins, are responsible for lubrication and ocular surface protection. Due to contact lens wear or eye disorders, lubrication of the ocular surface can be affected.

Hollow polyelectrolyte multilayer tubes: mechanical properties and shape changes.

In this paper, novel hollow polyelectrolyte multilayer tubes from poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDADMAC), poly(styrene sulfonate) (PSS), and poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH) were prepared: Readily available glass fiber templates are coated with polyelectrolytes using the layer-by-layer technique, followed by subsequent fiber dissolution. Depending on the composition of the polymeric multilayer, stable hollow tubes or tubes showing a pearling instability are observed. This instability corresponds to the Rayleigh instability and is a consequence of an increased mobility of the polyelectrolyte chains within the multilayer.

Investigation of pseudoisocyanine aggregates formed on polystyrenesulfonate.

The interaction of 1,1'-diethyl-2,2'-cyanine (PIC), a non-fluorescent cationic dye known to form emissive J-aggregates in aqueous solutions, with the polyelectrolyte poly(styrenesulfonate) (PSS) is investigated by absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy. Depending on the amount of polyelectrolyte added, three regimes are identified. At a large excess of PIC, there is an equilibrium between the PIC monomer and a non-fluorescent PIC aggregate characterized by a strong absorption band centered at 565 nm.