Hyaluronic Acid Methacrylate Hydrogel-Modified Electrochemical Device for Adsorptive Removal of Lead(II).

This paper presents the development of a compact, three-electrode electrochemical device functionalized by a biocompatible layer of hyaluronic acid methacrylate (HAMA) hydrogel for the adsorptive removal of detrimental lead (Pb(II)) ions in aqueous solutions. An adsorption mechanism pertaining to the observed analytical performance of the device is proposed and further experimentally corroborated. It is demonstrated that both the molecular interactions originating from the HAMA hydrogel and electrochemical accumulation originating from the electrode beneath contribute to the adsorption capability of the device.

Hydrogel Microparticle-Templated Anti-Solvent Crystallization of Small-Molecule Drugs.

Conventional formulation strategies for hydrophobic small-molecule drug products frequently include mechanical milling to decrease active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) crystal size and subsequent granulation processes to produce an easily handled powder. A hydrogel-templated anti-solvent crystallization method is presented for the facile fabrication of microparticles containing dispersed nanocrystals of poorly soluble API. Direct crystallization within a porous hydrogel particle template yields core-shell structures in which the hydrogel core containing API nanocrystals is encased by a crystalline API shell.

Sensing the flow beneath the fins.

Flow sensing, maneuverability, energy efficiency and vigilance of surroundings are the key factors that dictate the performance of marine animals. Be it swimming at high speeds, attack or escape maneuvers, sensing and survival hydrodynamics are a constant feature of life in the ocean. Fishes are capable of performing energy efficient maneuvers, including capturing energy from vortical structures in water.

Cupula-Inspired Hyaluronic Acid-Based Hydrogel Encapsulation to Form Biomimetic MEMS Flow Sensors.

Blind cavefishes are known to detect objects through hydrodynamic vision enabled by arrays of biological flow sensors called neuromasts. This work demonstrates the development of a MEMS artificial neuromast sensor that features a 3D polymer hair cell that extends into the ambient flow. The hair cell is monolithically fabricated at the center of a 2 μm thick silicon membrane that is photo-patterned with a full-bridge bias circuit.

Nanofibril scaffold assisted MEMS artificial hydrogel neuromasts for enhanced sensitivity flow sensing.

We present the development and testing of superficial neuromast-inspired flow sensors that also attain high sensitivity and resolution through a biomimetic hyaulronic acid-based hydrogel cupula dressing. The inspiration comes from the spatially distributed neuromasts of the blind cavefish that live in completely dark undersea caves; the sensors enable the fish to form three-dimensional flow and object maps, enabling them to maneuver efficiently in cluttered environments. A canopy shaped electrospun nanofibril scaffold, inspired by the cupular fibrils, assists the drop-casting process allowing the formation of a prolate spheroid-shaped artificial cupula.

Electrosprayed inulin microparticles for microbiota triggered targeting of colon.

Inulin, a naturally occurring polysaccharide, was acetylated to make it processable by electrospraying, a facile and single step method for microparticle fabrication. Electrospraying process parameters were optimized for fabrication of spherical and monodisperse indomethacin (IDM) loaded inulin acetate (INA) microparticles. The apparent entrapment efficiency of IDM was determined to be 100%, whereas working encapsulation efficiency was estimated to be 35.

Release retardation of model protein on polyelectrolyte-coated PLGA nano- and microparticles.

PEM capsules have been proposed for vehicles of drug microencapsulation, with the release triggered by pH, salt, magnetic field, or light. When built on another carrier encapsulating drugs, such as nanoparticles, it could provide additional release barrier to the releasing drug, providing further control to drug release. Although liposomes have received considerable attention with PEM coating for sustained drug release, similar results employing PEM built on poly(lactic-co-lycolic acid) (PLGA) particles is scant.

Hyaluronic acid-based nanocomposite hydrogels for ocular drug delivery applications.

Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a widely investigated biomaterial for many therapeutic applications owing to its unique properties of biocompatibility, biodegradation, and viscoelasticity. HA being a natural component of eye tissue with significant role in wound healing is a natural choice as a carrier for ocular drug delivery, provided the incorporated drugs are released in a sustained manner. However, localized sustained release of drugs inside eye has been difficult to achieve because of the inability to retain carriers for long periods in the eye.