Structural colors originating from interaction of light with intricately arranged micro-/nanostructures have stimulated considerable interest because of their inherent photostability and energy efficiency. In particular, noniridescent structural color with wide viewing angle has been receiving increasing attention recently. However, no method is yet available for rapid and large-scale fabrication of full-spectrum structural color patterns with wide viewing angles. Here, infiltration-driven nonequilibrium assembly of colloidal particles on liquid-permeable and particle-excluding substrates is demonstrated to direct the particles to form amorphous colloidal arrays (ACAs) within milliseconds. The infiltration-assisted (IFAST) colloidal assembly opens new possibilities for rapid manufacture of noniridescent structural colors of ACAs and straightforward structural color mixing. Full-spectrum noniridescent structural colors are successfully produced by mixing primary structural colors of red, blue, and yellow using a commercial office inkjet printer. Rapid fabrication of large-scale structural color patterns with sophisticated color combination/layout by IFAST printing is realized. The IFAST technology is versatile for developing structural color patterns with wide viewing angles, as colloidal particles, inks, and substrates are flexibly designable for diverse applications.

Fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) has found widespread uses in biosensing, molecular imaging, and light harvesting. Plasmonic metal nanostructures offer the possibility of engineering photonic environment of specific fluorophores to enhance the FRET efficiency. However, the potential of plasmonic nanostructures to enable tailored FRET enhancement on planar substrates remains largely unrealized, which are of considerable interest for high‐performance on‐surface bioassays and photovoltaics. The main challenge lies in the necessitated concurrent control over the spectral properties of plasmonic substrates to match that of fluorophores and the fluorophore–substrate spacing. Here, a self‐assembled plasmonic substrate based on polydopamine (PDA)‐coated plasmonic nanocrystals is developed to effectively address this challenge. The PDA coating not only drives interfacial self‐assembly of the nanocrystals to form closely packed arrays with customized optical properties, but also can serve as a tailored nanoscale spacer between the fluorophores and plasmonic nanocrystals, which collectively lead to optimized fluorescence enhancement. The biocompatible plasmonic substrate that allows convenient bioconjugation imparted by PDA has afforded improved FRET efficiency in DNA microarray assay and FRET imaging of live cells. It is envisioned that the self‐assembled plasmonic substrates can be readily integrated into fluorescence‐based platforms for diverse biomedical and photoconversion applications.

Abstract:A mucoadhesive drug delivery system can improve the effectiveness of a drug by maintaining the drug concentration and allowing targeting and localization of the drug at a specific site. Acrylic-based hydrogels have been used extensively as a mucoadhesive system owing to their flexibility and excellent bioadhesion. In this experiment, poly(acrylic acid) was selected to prepare the bioadhesive hydrogel adhering to mucosal surfaces using a radiation process. Poly(acrylic acid) was dissolved in water to a prepare poly(acrylic acid) solution, and the solution was then irradiated by an electron beam at up to 75 kGy to make hydrogels. Their physical properties, such as gel percent, swelling percent and adhesive strength to mucosal surfaces, were investigated. Triamcinolone acetonide was used as a model drug. The dried poly(acrylic acid) film was dipped in a 0.1 wt% triamcinolone acetonide solution in ethanol, and then dried at 25 °C. The release of triamcinolone acetonide was determined at different time intervals, and UV (Ultraviolet)-Vis spectroscopy was used to determine the released concentration of triamcinolone acetonide at 238 nm. It was shown that poly(acrylic acid)-based drug carriers were successfully prepared for use in a bioadhesive drug delivery system.

PURPOSEThis study was to evaluate the effects of bacterial cellulose (BC) membranes as a barrier membrane on guided bone regeneration (GBR) in comparison with those of the resorbable collagen membranes.MATERIALS AND METHODSBC membranes were fabricated using biomimetic technology. Surface properties were analyzed, Mechanical properties were measured, in vitro cell proliferation test were performed with NIH3T3 cells and in vivo study were performed with rat calvarial defect and histomorphometric analysis was done. The Mann-Whitney U test and the Wilcoxon signed rank test was used (α<.05).RESULTSBC membrane showed significantly higher mechanical properties such as wet tensile strength than collagen membrane and represented a three-dimensional multilayered structure cross-linked by nano-fibers with 60 % porosity. In vitro study, cell adhesion and proliferation were observed on BC membrane. However, morphology of the cells was found to be less differentiated, and the cell proliferation rate was lower than those of the cells on collagen membrane. In vivo study, the grafted BC membrane did not induce inflammatory response, and maintained adequate space for bone regeneration. An amount of new bone formation in defect region loaded with BC membrane was significantly similar to that of collagen membrane application.CONCLUSIONBC membrane has potential to be used as a barrier membrane, and efficacy of the membrane on GBR is comparable to that of collagen membrane.

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ABSTRACT:A series of pH-responsive hydrogels were studied as potential drug carriers for the protection of insulin from the acidic environment of the stomach before releasing in the small intestine. Hydrogels based on poly(vinyl alcohol) networks grafted with acrylic acid or methacrylic acid were prepared by a two-step process. Poly(vinyl alcohol) hydrogels were prepared by gamma ray irradiation (50 kGy) and then followed by grafting either acrylic acid or methacrylic acid onto these poly(vinyl alcohol) hydrogels with subsequent irradiation (5-20 kGy). These graft hydrogels showed pH-sensitive swelling behavior and were used as carriers for the controlled release of insulin. The in vitro release of insulin was observed for the insulin-loaded hydrogels in a simulated intestinal fluid (pH 6.8) but not in a simulated gastric fluid (pH 1.2). The release behavior of insulin in vivo in a rat model confirmed the effectiveness of the oral delivery of insulin to control the level of glucose.

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Photoactive nanocarriers have emerged as robust and minimally invasive systems for the on‐demand delivery of active payloads. The easy manipulation offered by light irradiation as an external stimulus allows precise spatiotemporal control of payload release based on the time, intensity, location, and wavelength of light exposure. Compared to conventional passive delivery systems, photoactive nanocarriers offer the possibility of tailoring the release kinetics of the encapsulated active molecules, which is of considerable clinical relevance for targeted delivery to desired sites of interest. In this progress report, the recent advances in the design and fabrication of photoactive nanoplatforms based on three main modes of mechanisms: photochemical reactions, the photothermal effect, and photosensitization mechanism mediated by reactive oxygen species are highlighted. The combination of these mechanisms provides additional flexibility for the effective delivery of therapeutics and improved synergistic therapeutic effects. Finally, challenges in future perspectives on the development of photoactive nanomaterials and their medical translation are discussed.