Estimation of Soil-Water Characteristic Curves in Multiple-Cycles Using Membrane and TDR System.

The objective of this study is to estimate multiple-cycles of the soil-water characteristic curve (SWCC) using an innovative volumetric pressure plate extractor (VPPE), which is incorporated with a membrane and time domain reflectometry (TDR). The pressure cell includes the membrane to reduce the experimental time and the TDR probe to automatically estimate the volumetric water content. For the estimation of SWCC using the VPPE system, four specimens with different grain size and void ratio are prepared.

Thermo-sensitive injectable hydrogel based on the physical mixing of hyaluronic acid and Pluronic F-127 for sustained NSAID delivery.

The aim of this research is the development of a new type of intra-articularly injectable thermo-sensitive hydrogels for the long-term delivery of Piroxicam (PX). The thermo-sensitive hydrogel was prepared by the simple physical mixing of HA and Pluronic F-127 (HP) in aqueous solution. The addition of high-molecular-weight HA not only enhanced the mechanical strength of the hydrogel but also elicited a sustained drug release.

Intermolecular Structural Change for Thermoswitchable Polymeric Photosensitizer.

We developed a thermoswitchable polymeric photosensitizer (T-PPS) by conjugating PS (Pheophorbide-a, PPb-a) to a temperature-responsive polymer backbone of biocompatible hydroxypropyl cellulose. Self-quenched PS molecules linked in close proximity by π-π stacking in T-PPS were easily transited to an active monomeric state by the temperature-induced phase transition of polymer backbones. The temperature-responsive intermolecular interaction changes of PS molecules in T-PPS were demonstrated in synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering and UV-vis spectrophotometer analysis.

Temperature-modulated noncovalent interaction controllable complex for the long-term delivery of etanercept to treat rheumatoid arthritis.

The clinical applications of etanercept (Enbrel), an emerging therapeutic protein for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), are limited by its instability and low bioavailability. In this study, a long-term and efficient therapeutic nanocomplex formulation for RA treatment was developed in the form of a temperature-modulated noncovalent interaction controllable (TMN) complex based on a temperature-sensitive amphiphilic polyelectrolyte (succinylated pullulan-g-oligo(L-lactide); SPL). The TMN complexes were prepared by simply mixing the negatively charged SPL copolymer and the positively charged etanercept via electrostatic interaction at 4 °C below the polymer's clouding temperature (CT), and the resulting complex demonstrated significantly improved salt and serum stability with increased hydrophobic interactions at temperatures (physiological condition, 37.