The eye is a well-suited organ for local delivery of therapeutics to treat vitreous inflammation as well as other pathologic conditions that induce visual loss. Several conditions are particularly challenging to treat and often require chronic courses of therapy. The use of implantable intravitreal devices for drug delivery is an emerging field in the treatment of vitreous inflammation as well ...

Alkylmethoxypyrazines (MPs) are a class of compounds that can elicit undesirable aroma and flavor characteristics in wine, and resist remediation using traditional wine making approaches. MPs are grape-derived constituents as well as contaminants from Coccinellidae beetles present during wine processing; the latter eliciting an off-flavor referred to as 'ladybug taint'. In this study we investi...

This website provides an excellent overview of PLA as a polymer, its properties, and manufacture. This web article describes the production of lactic acid from biomass by microbial fermentation coupled to a poly-merization process to make PLA. The article is a bit dated and its industrial projections are now seen to be a bit over-optimistic. NatureWorks is the company that started large-scale p...

Functionalization of a porous orthopedic implant with dexamethasone, a widely used anti-inflammatory drug, encapsulated within a biodegradable polymer for controlled release could help reduce or eliminate the inflammation response by the local tissue. In this research, we investigated the possibility of using supercritical carbon dioxide (CO₂) for attaching dexamethasone-loaded PLGA (polylactic...

The nature of the extracellular matrix (ECM) is crucial in regulating cell functions via cell-matrix interactions, cytoskeletal organization, and integrin-mediated signaling. In bone, the ECM is composed of proteins such as collagen (CO), fibronectin (FN), laminin (LM), vitronectin (VN), osteopontin (OP) and osteonectin (ON). For bone tissue engineering, the ECM should also be considered in ter...

Triblock Polymer Electrolyte In article number 2300425, Anqiang Pan, Zhi Chang, and co-workers construct a triblock polyacrylonitrile/polylactic acid-block-ethylene glycol polymer as skeleton for gel electrolyte, in which the chain structure increased electronegative functional groups extended chains play important roles directing transport of Li+ ions forming compact interface layers.

Drug-Grafted Polymers In article 2203078 by Huajiang Chen, Jinglei Wu, Shen Liu, and co-workers, polylactic acid (PLA)-dicumarol conjugates are synthesized grafting the hydroxyl of dicumarol to carboxyl PLA through esterification, then electrospinning them into nanofiber membranes. Dicumarol releases in response lipase attenuate peritendinous adhesion formation inhibiting Cx43/TGFβ1/Smad3 signa...