Back Cover: In Article 2200788, Feiyue Xing, Yingshan Zhou, Pu Xiao, and co-workers demonstrate the preparation of novel sequence-controlled pentamers by single unit monomer insertion. The oligomers are degradable due to ester bonds 5,6-benzo-2-methylene-1,3-dioxepane undergoing radical ring-opening polymerization. well-defined structures degraded products fully confirmed specific fragmentation...

Horseshoe crabs have been a model for many biomedical science studies. Medicinal value of horseshoe crabs comes from its blue blood, eye and exoskeleton (chitin). Ability of blood to clot in the presence of bacteria, rendering the bacteria harmless has created its biomedical importance. Blood cells (amebocytes) carry Factor C, which binds lipopolysaccharide (LPS), undergoes a structural reorgan...

The didemnins represent a versatile class of depsipeptides of marine origin and hold a great deal of potential for biomedical application. The biological and geographical origins of the didemnins are reviewed in addition to the chemical structures of the major didemnins. The biological mechanisms behind the antiviral and anticancer effects of selected didemnins are summarized and the special ca...

Bacterial cellulose (BC) is a highly pure and crystalline material generated by aerobic bacteria, which has received significant interest due to its unique physiochemical characteristics in comparison with plant cellulose. BC, alone or in combination with different components (e.g., biopolymers and nanoparticles), can be used for a wide range of applications, such as medical products, electrica...

At present the pharmaceutical academia and industries are focusing on the use of natural materials and resources for development of pharmaceutical product. Due to advances in drug delivery technology, currently, excipients are included in novel dosage forms to fulfill specific functions. Various natural polymers are widely being studied as a potential carrier material for site specific drug del...

Gentle alternatives to existing sterilization methods are called for by rapid advances in biomedical technologies. Supercritical fluid technologies have found applications in a wide range of areas and have been explored for use in the inactivation of medical contaminants. In particular, supercritical CO(2) is appealing for sterilization due to the ease at which the supercritical state is attain...

Neurodegenerative diseases and spinal cord injury affect approximately 50 million people worldwide, bringing the total healthcare cost to over 600 billion dollars per year. Nervous system growth factors, that is, neurotrophins, are a potential solution to these disorders, since they could promote nerve regeneration. An average of 500 publications per year attests to the significance of neurotro...

The substance secreted by mussels, also known as nature's glue, is a type of liquid protein that hardens rapidly into a solid water-resistant adhesive material. While in seawater or saline conditions, mussels can adhere to all types of surfaces, sustaining its bonds via mussel adhesive proteins (MAPs), a group of proteins containing 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) and catecholic amino acid. S...