abstract among synthetic carriers, dendrimers with the more flexible structure have attracted a great deal of researchers' attention in the field of gene delivery. followed by the promising results upon hydrophobic modification on polymeric structures in our laboratory, alkylcarboxylated poly (propylenimine)-based carriers were synthesized by nucleophilic substitution of amines with alkyl moiet...

Understanding the structure of hybrid nanoparticle-lipid multilayers is fundamental importance to their bioanalytical applications and nanotoxicity, where nanoparticle-membrane interactions play an important role. Poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimers are branched polymeric nanoparticles with potential biomedical due precise tunability physicochemical properties. Here, effect PAMAM (2.9–4.5 nm) e...

BACKGROUND Poly(alkyl cyanoacrylate) (PACA) nanoparticles have shown promise as drug carriers both to solid tumors and across the blood-brain barrier. Efficient drug delivery requires both high cellular uptake of the nanoparticles and release of the drug from the nanoparticles. Release of hydrophobic drugs from PACA nanoparticles is primarily governed by nanoparticle degradation, and this proce...

Unspecific adhesion of bacteria is usually the first step in the formation of biofilms on abiotic surfaces, yet it is unclear up to now which forces are governing this process. Alongside long-ranged van der Waals and electrostatic forces, short-ranged hydrophobic interaction plays an important role. To characterize the forces involved during approach and retraction of an individual bacterium to...

Using either nitroxide mediated polymerization (NMP) or reversible addition fragmentation transfer (RAFT) techniques, novel block copolymers that present terminal acetylenes, in the side chain of the styrenic block, were obtained with narrow polydispersities and targeted molecular weights. For the conversion of these acetylene-functionalized polymers to amphiphilic block copolymers, RAFT techni...

Polymer composites consisted of small hydrophilic pockets homogeneously dispersed in a hydrophobic polymer matrix are important in many applications where controlled release of the functional agent from the hydrophilic phase is needed. As an example, a release of biomolecules or drugs from therapeutic formulations or release of salt in anti-icing application can be mentioned. Here, we report a ...

Phospholipid-stabilized microbubbles are utilized as contrast agents in medical ultrasound imaging, and researchers currently investigating their potential theranostic agents. Due to the inadequate water solubility poor stability of numerous new therapeutics, development stable with capacity encapsulate hydrophobic therapeutics is necessary. Herein, we proposed a flow-focusing microfluidic devi...

Gold nanoparticles functionalized with water-soluble zwitterionic ligands form kinetically stable complexes with hydrophobic drugs and dyes. These drugs and dyes are efficiently released into cells, as demonstrated through fluorescence microscopy and cytotoxicity assays. Significantly, there is little or no cellular uptake of particle, making these low toxicity particles promising for delivery ...

Water contributes substantially to the degradation of monuments through freezing and thawing cycles and also because it is a carrier of pollutants and salt solutions. Water repellency can be promoted by the application of a thin organic, hydrophobic, film. The efficacy of simple polymer coatings for monument protection is, however, still debated. We demonstrate that a polymer/nanoparticle compo...