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Behr JM, Wong YS, Venkatraman S. Small-Diameter Blood Vessel Substitutes: Biomimetic Approaches to Improve Patency. Biomimetics (Basel) 2024; 9:97. [PMID: 38392143 PMCID: PMC10886630 DOI: 10.3390/biomimetics9020097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Small-dimeter blood vessels (<6 mm) are required in coronary bypass and peripheral bypass surgery to circumvent blocked arteries. However, they have poor patency rates due to thrombus formation, intimal hyperplasia at the distal anastomosis, and compliance mismatch between the native artery and the graft. This review covers the state-of-the-art technologies for improving graft patency with a focus on reducing compliance mismatch between the prosthesis and the native artery. The focus of this article is on biomimetic design strategies to match the compliance over a wide pressure range.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Marc Behr
- SMD Swiss Medical Devices AG, 8222 Beringen, Switzerland
| | - Yee Shan Wong
- Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering, Temasek Polytechnic, Singapore 529757, Singapore
| | - Subbu Venkatraman
- Materials Science and Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117575, Singapore
- iHealthTech, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117599, Singapore
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2
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Aguilera C, Wong YS, Gutierrez-Reinoso MA, Velásquez AE, Melo-Báez B, Cabezas J, Caamaño D, Navarrete F, Castro FO, Rodriguez-Alvarez LL. Embryo-maternal communication mediated by extracellular vesicles in the early stages of embryonic development is modified by in vitro conditions. Theriogenology 2024; 214:43-56. [PMID: 37852113 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2023.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have become important in embryo-maternal communication during early development. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of an in vitro system on early bidirectional embryo-maternal communication mediated by EVs. For this purpose, two experiments were performed: one to evaluate the effect of embryonic EVs on maternal cells and the second to determine the effect of maternal EVs on early embryonic development. For the first in vitro (IVP) and in vivo (IVV) experiments, bovine blastocysts were selected and individually cultured for 48 h to collect embryonic EVs secreted during days 7-9 of embryonic development. Embryonic EVs were added to the medium of in vitro-cultured bovine endometrial cells to evaluate their effect on the expression pattern of genes associated with endometrial function and response to interferon tau (IFNT). Non-classical interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) were only induced by in vitro-derived embryos. In the second experiment, EVs released by endometrial cells cultured in vitro (EVC) and collected from uterine fluid (EV-UF) of cows in the early luteal phase were added to the culture medium of bovine embryos produced in vitro during days 5-9 of development. The effect of maternal in vitro or in vivo-derived EVs differs in the quality of bovine embryos produced in vitro during the pre-implantation period. The expression of IFNT in bovine embryos is increased by the effect of EV-UF treatment. Additionally, EV-UF treatment induces a sustained increase in diameter during embryonic development and a tendency towards a greater number of expanded and hatched blastocysts. However, some genes related to embryo quality are induced by EVC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Aguilera
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Universidad de Concepcion, Chillan, Chile
| | - Y S Wong
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Universidad de Concepcion, Chillan, Chile
| | - M A Gutierrez-Reinoso
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Universidad de Concepcion, Chillan, Chile
| | - A E Velásquez
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Universidad de Concepcion, Chillan, Chile
| | - B Melo-Báez
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Universidad de Concepcion, Chillan, Chile
| | - J Cabezas
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Universidad de Concepcion, Chillan, Chile
| | - D Caamaño
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Universidad de Concepcion, Chillan, Chile
| | - F Navarrete
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Universidad de Concepcion, Chillan, Chile
| | - F O Castro
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Universidad de Concepcion, Chillan, Chile
| | - L L Rodriguez-Alvarez
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Universidad de Concepcion, Chillan, Chile.
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3
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Zhu K, Xu Y, Zhong R, Li W, Wang H, Wong YS, Venkatraman S, Liu J, Cao Y. Hybrid liposome-erythrocyte drug delivery system for tumor therapy with enhanced targeting and blood circulation. Regen Biomater 2023; 10:rbad045. [PMID: 37250975 PMCID: PMC10224802 DOI: 10.1093/rb/rbad045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 03/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Liposome, a widely used drug delivery system (DDS), still shows several disadvantages such as dominant clearance by liver and poor target organ deposition. To overcome the drawbacks of liposomes, we developed a novel red blood cell (RBC)-liposome combined DDS to modulate the tumor accumulation and extend the blood circulation life of the existing liposomal DDS. Here, RBCs, an ideal natural carrier DDS, were utilized to carry liposomes and avoid them undergo the fast clearance in the blood. In this study, liposomes could either absorbed onto RBCs' surface or fuse with RBCs' membrane by merely altering the interaction time at 37°C, while the interaction between liposome and RBCs would not affect RBCs' characteristics. In the in vivo antitumor therapeutic efficacy study, 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC) liposomes attached onto RBCs' surfaces exhibited lung targeting effect (via RBC-hitchhiking approach) and reduced clearance in the liver, while DPPC liposomes fused with RBCs had prolong blood circulation up to 48 h and no enrichment in any organ. Furthermore, 20 mol% of DPPC liposomes were replaced with pH-sensitive phospholipid 1,2-dioleoyl-Sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (DOPE) as it could respond to the low pH tumor microenvironment and then accumulate in the tumor. The DOPE attached/fusion RBCs showed partial enrichment in lung and about 5-8% tumor accumulation, which were significantly higher than (about 0.7%) the conventional liposomal DDS. Thus, RBC-liposome composite DDS is able to improve the liposomal tumor accumulation and blood circulation and shows the clinical application promises of using autologous RBCs for antitumor therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kehui Zhu
- Institute of Blood Transfusion, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Chengdu, China
| | - Yingcan Xu
- Institute of Blood Transfusion, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Chengdu, China
| | - Rui Zhong
- Institute of Blood Transfusion, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Chengdu, China
| | - Wanjing Li
- Institute of Blood Transfusion, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Chengdu, China
| | - Hong Wang
- Institute of Blood Transfusion, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Chengdu, China
| | - Yee Shan Wong
- Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering, Temasek Polytechnic, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Subramanian Venkatraman
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jiaxin Liu
- Correspondence address. E-mail: (J.L.); , (Y.C.)
| | - Ye Cao
- Correspondence address. E-mail: (J.L.); , (Y.C.)
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4
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Liew WJM, Wong YS, Parikh AN, Venkatraman SS, Cao Y, Czarny B. Cell-mimicking polyethylene glycol-diacrylate based nanolipogel for encapsulation and delivery of hydrophilic biomolecule. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2023; 11:1113236. [PMID: 36733962 PMCID: PMC9888760 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1113236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Lipid based nanoparticulate formulations have been widely used for the encapsulation and sustain release of hydrophilic drugs, but they still face challenges such as high initial burst release. Nanolipogel (NLG) emerges as a potential system to encapsulate and deliver hydrophilic drug while suppressing its initial burst release. However, there is a lack of characterization of the drug release mechanism from NLGs. In this work, we present a study on the release mechanism of hydrophilic Dextran-Fluorescein Isothiocyanate (DFITC) from Poly (ethylene glycol) Diacrylate (PEGDA) NLGs by using different molecular weights of PEGDA to vary the mesh size of the nanogel core, drawing inspiration from the macromolecular crowding effect in cells, which can be viewed as a mesh network of undefined sizes. The effect is then further characterized and validated by studying the diffusion of DFITC within the nanogel core using Fluorescence Recovery after Photobleaching (FRAP), on our newly developed cell derived microlipogels (MLG). This is in contrast to conventional FRAP works on cells or bulk hydrogels, which is limited in our application. Our work showed that the mesh size of the NLGs can be controlled by using different Mw of PEGDA, such as using a smaller MW to achieve higher crosslinking density, which will lead to having smaller mesh size for the crosslinked nanogel, and the release of hydrophilic DFITC can be sustained while suppressing the initial burst release, up to 10-fold more for crosslinked PEGDA 575 NLGs. This is further validated by FRAP which showed that the diffusion of DFITC is hindered by the decreasing mesh sizes in the NLGs, as a result of lower mobile fractions. These findings will be useful for guiding the design of PEGDA NLGs to have different degree of suppression of the initial burst release as well as the cumulative release, for a wide array of applications. This can also be extended to other different types of nanogel cores and other nanogel core-based nanoparticles for encapsulation and release of hydrophilic biomolecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen Jie Melvin Liew
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yee Shan Wong
- Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering, Temasek Polytechnic, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Atul N. Parikh
- Biomedical Engineering and Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Subbu S. Venkatraman
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Ye Cao
- Institute of Blood Transfusion, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Chengdu, China,*Correspondence: Ye Cao, ; Bertrand Czarny,
| | - Bertrand Czarny
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore,Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore,*Correspondence: Ye Cao, ; Bertrand Czarny,
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5
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Lee LYK, Yeung CK, Choi CW, Leung MN, Lui SY, Tam WY, Tang KY, Wong CS, Wong YS, Yau CY, Yeung TL, Lee JKL, Chui DLK. 1039 RECEIVING ASSISTANCE FROM DOMESTIC ROBOTS: WHAT ARE ELDERS’ PREFERENCES? Age Ageing 2022. [DOI: 10.1093/ageing/afac126.089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Introduction
Aging leads to decline in physical and functional ability. Strengthening the domestic support enables elders to manage their health and living at home and reduce their need for residential service. Domestic robots can potentially provide a broad range of support to the elders. However, relatively little research attention has investigated elders’ preferences on it. This study aims to investigate elders’ preferences on receiving assistance from domestic robots.
Methods
This cross-sectional descriptive study recruited a convenient sample of 365 robotic inexperienced elders (65-99 years old). It used the Assistance Preference Checklist to assess participants’ preferences on receiving assistance from domestic robots in 48 home-based tasks under six aspects including personal care, leisure activities, health assistance, chores, information management, and manipulating objects. It used t-test and one-way analysis of variance to compare the difference in preferences between participants with different demographic and health characteristics.
Results
Overall, participants preferred domestic robots to assist in tasks under the aspect on chores, information management, and manipulating objects. Specifically, males indicated a higher preference for domestic robots to assist in maintaining lawn or raking leaves than females (p = 0.05). Married participants indicated a higher preference for domestic robots to assist in getting information on weather/news than unmarried participants (p = 0.049). In contrast, participants who were partially dependent and fully dependent indicated a higher preference for domestic robots to assist in tasks under the personal care aspect such as shaving, bathing, washing/combing hair, getting dressed, walking, and brushing teeth (p < 0.001), comparing to participants who were physically independent.
Conclusion
This study provides insight for manufacturers to develop domestic robots with specific capabilities which are important to support elders’ living in the community. Moreover, it helps the care providers to identify domestic robots with the required capabilities that meet elders’ specific preferences.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Y K Lee
- Hong Kong Metropolitan University School of Nursing and Health Studies,
| | - C K Yeung
- Hong Kong Metropolitan University School of Nursing and Health Studies,
| | - C W Choi
- Hong Kong Metropolitan University School of Nursing and Health Studies,
| | - M N Leung
- Hong Kong Metropolitan University School of Nursing and Health Studies,
| | - S Y Lui
- Hong Kong Metropolitan University School of Nursing and Health Studies,
| | - W Y Tam
- Hong Kong Metropolitan University School of Nursing and Health Studies,
| | - K Y Tang
- Hong Kong Metropolitan University School of Nursing and Health Studies,
| | - C S Wong
- Hong Kong Metropolitan University School of Nursing and Health Studies,
| | - Y S Wong
- Hong Kong Metropolitan University School of Nursing and Health Studies,
| | - C Y Yau
- Hong Kong Metropolitan University School of Nursing and Health Studies,
| | - T L Yeung
- Hong Kong Metropolitan University School of Nursing and Health Studies,
| | - J K L Lee
- Hong Kong Metropolitan University School of Nursing and Health Studies,
| | - D L K Chui
- Hong Kong Metropolitan University School of Nursing and Health Studies,
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6
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Cao Y, Tan YF, Wong YS, Aminuddin M, Ramya B, Liew MWJ, Liu J, Venkatraman SS. Designing siRNA/chitosan-methacrylate complex nanolipogel for prolonged gene silencing effects. Sci Rep 2022; 12:3527. [PMID: 35241750 PMCID: PMC8894398 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-07554-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite immense revolutionary therapeutics potential, sustaining release of active small interfering RNA (siRNA) remains an arduous challenge. The development of nanoparticles with siRNA sustained release capabilities provides an avenue to enhance the therapeutic efficacy of gene-based therapy. Herein, we present a new system based on the encapsulation of siRNA/chitosan-methacrylate (CMA) complexes into liposomes to form UV crosslinkable Nanolipogels (NLGs) with sustained siRNA-release properties in vitro. We demonstrated that the CMA nanogel in NLGs can enhance the encapsulation efficiency of siRNA and provide sustained release of siRNA up to 28 days. To understand the particle mechanism of cellular entry, multiple endocytic inhibitors have been used to investigate its endocytosis pathways. The study saw positively charged NLGs entering cells via multiple endocytosis pathways, facilitating endosomal escape and slowly releasing siRNA into the cytoplasm. Transfection experiments confirmed that the crosslinked NLG delivery system provides effective transfection and prolonged silencing effect up to 14 days in cell cultures. We expect that this sustained-release siRNA NLG platform would be of interest in both fundamental biological studies and in clinical applications to extend the use of siRNA-based therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye Cao
- Institute of Blood Transfusion, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Chengdu, China.,School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yang Fei Tan
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yee Shan Wong
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Muhammad Aminuddin
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Bhuthalingam Ramya
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Melvin Wen Jie Liew
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jiaxin Liu
- Institute of Blood Transfusion, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Chengdu, China
| | - Subbu S Venkatraman
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
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7
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Cabezas J, Caamaño D, Melo-Báez B, Silva-Ibañez P, Poblete P, Wong YS, Rodriguez-Álvarez L. 69 DNase treatment of extracellular vesicles released by in vitro-produced bovine embryos increases accuracy of preimplantation genetic testing. Reprod Fertil Dev 2021; 34:270-271. [PMID: 35231324 DOI: 10.1071/rdv34n2ab69] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- J Cabezas
- Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology, Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Universidad de Concepción, Chillan, Chile
| | - D Caamaño
- Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology, Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Universidad de Concepción, Chillan, Chile
| | - B Melo-Báez
- Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology, Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Universidad de Concepción, Chillan, Chile
| | - P Silva-Ibañez
- Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology, Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Universidad de Concepción, Chillan, Chile
| | - P Poblete
- Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology, Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Universidad de Concepción, Chillan, Chile
| | - Y S Wong
- Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology, Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Universidad de Concepción, Chillan, Chile
| | - L Rodriguez-Álvarez
- Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology, Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Universidad de Concepción, Chillan, Chile
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8
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Melo-Báez B, Wong YS, Mellisho EA, Aguilera C, Cabezas J, Caamaño D, Miranda-Rodriguez NN, Rodriguez-Alvarez L. 50 The characteristics and microRNA content of extracellular vesicles are modulated by embryo developmental stage during preimplantation. Reprod Fertil Dev 2021; 34:260. [PMID: 35231305 DOI: 10.1071/rdv34n2ab50] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- B Melo-Báez
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Concepción, Chillan, Región de Ñuble, Chile
| | - Y S Wong
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Concepción, Chillan, Región de Ñuble, Chile
| | - E A Mellisho
- Centro de Investigación en Tecnología de Embriones, Facultad de Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina, Lima, La Molina, Perú
| | - C Aguilera
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Concepción, Chillan, Región de Ñuble, Chile
| | - J Cabezas
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Concepción, Chillan, Región de Ñuble, Chile
| | - D Caamaño
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Concepción, Chillan, Región de Ñuble, Chile
| | - N N Miranda-Rodriguez
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Concepción, Chillan, Región de Ñuble, Chile
| | - L Rodriguez-Alvarez
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Concepción, Chillan, Región de Ñuble, Chile
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9
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Caamaño D, Cabezas J, Wong YS, Aguilera C, Veraguas D, Castro FO, Rodriguez-Alvarez L. 2 Noninvasive method for bovine embryo sexing through the analysis of DNA content in extracellular vesicles. Reprod Fertil Dev 2021; 34:234-235. [PMID: 35231271 DOI: 10.1071/rdv34n2ab2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- D Caamaño
- Universidad de Concepción, Chillán, Chile
| | - J Cabezas
- Universidad de Concepción, Chillán, Chile
| | - Y S Wong
- Universidad de Concepción, Chillán, Chile
| | - C Aguilera
- Universidad de Concepción, Chillán, Chile
| | - D Veraguas
- Universidad de Concepción, Chillán, Chile
| | - F O Castro
- Universidad de Concepción, Chillán, Chile
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10
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Yang B, Tang KK, Geng H, Lam WW, Wong YS, Huang CY, Chiu TL, Kong CW, Cheung CW, Cheung KY, Yu SK. Comparison of modeling accuracy between Radixact ®and CyberKnife ®Synchrony ®respiratory tracking system. Biomed Phys Eng Express 2021; 7. [PMID: 34416743 DOI: 10.1088/2057-1976/ac1fa5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Synchrony Respiratory Tracking system adapted from CyberKnife has been introduced in Radixact to compensate the tumor motion caused by respiration. This study aims to compare the modeling accuracy of the Synchrony system between Radixact and CyberKnife. Two Synchrony plans based on fiducial phantoms were created for CyberKnife and Radixact, respectively. Different respiratory motion traces were used to drive a motion platform to move along the superoinferior and left-right direction. The cycle time and the amplitude of target/surrogate motion of one selected motion trace were scaled to investigate the dependence of modeling accuracy on the motion characteristic. The predicted target position, the correlation error, potential difference (Radixact only) and standard error (CyberKnife only) were extracted from raw data or log files of the two systems. The modeling accuracy was evaluated by calculating the root-mean-square (RMS) error between the predicted target positions and the input motion trace. A threshold T95 within which 95% of the potential difference or the standard error lay was defined and evaluated. Except for the motion trace with a small amplitude and a good (linear) correlation between target and surrogate motion, Radixact showed smaller RMS errors than CyberKnife. The RMS error of both systems increased with the motion amplitude and showed a decreasing trend with the increasing cycle time. No correlation was found between the RMS error and the amplitude of surrogate motion. T95 could be a good estimator of modeling accuracy for CyberKnife rather than Radixact. The correlation error defined in Radixact were largely affected by the number of fiducial markers and the setup error. In general, the modeling accuracy of the Radixact Synchrony system is better than that of the CyberKnife Synchrony system under unfavorable conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Yang
- Medical Physics and Research Department, Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital, 2 Village Road, Happy Valley, Hong Kong
| | - K K Tang
- Medical Physics and Research Department, Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital, 2 Village Road, Happy Valley, Hong Kong
| | - H Geng
- Medical Physics and Research Department, Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital, 2 Village Road, Happy Valley, Hong Kong
| | - W W Lam
- Medical Physics and Research Department, Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital, 2 Village Road, Happy Valley, Hong Kong
| | - Y S Wong
- Medical Physics and Research Department, Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital, 2 Village Road, Happy Valley, Hong Kong
| | - C Y Huang
- Medical Physics and Research Department, Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital, 2 Village Road, Happy Valley, Hong Kong
| | - T L Chiu
- Medical Physics and Research Department, Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital, 2 Village Road, Happy Valley, Hong Kong
| | - C W Kong
- Medical Physics and Research Department, Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital, 2 Village Road, Happy Valley, Hong Kong
| | - C W Cheung
- Medical Physics and Research Department, Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital, 2 Village Road, Happy Valley, Hong Kong
| | - K Y Cheung
- Medical Physics and Research Department, Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital, 2 Village Road, Happy Valley, Hong Kong
| | - S K Yu
- Medical Physics and Research Department, Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital, 2 Village Road, Happy Valley, Hong Kong
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11
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Pang H, Wong YS, Yip B, Hung A, Chu W, Lai K, Zheng YP, Chung T, Sharma G, Cheng J, Lam TP. Using ultrasound for screening scoliosis to reduce unnecessary radiographic radiation - a prospective diagnostic accuracy study on 442 schoolchildren. Stud Health Technol Inform 2021; 280:106-108. [PMID: 34190069 DOI: 10.3233/shti210445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Scoliosis screening is important for timely initiation of brace treatment to mitigate curve progression in skeletally immature children. Scoliosis screening programs frequently include the protocol of referring children screened positive with Scoliometer and Moiré Topography for confirmatory standard radiography. Despite being highly sensitive (88%) for detecting those who require specialist referral, the screening program was found to have more than 50% false positive rate that leads to unnecessary radiation exposure. Radiation-free ultrasound has been reported to be reliable for quantitative assessment of scoliosis curves. The aim of this prospective diagnostic accuracy study was to determine the accuracy of ultrasound in determining the referral status for children initially screened positive for scoliosis. 442 schoolchildren with a mean Cobb angle of 14.0 ± 6.6° were recruited. Using x-ray as the gold standard, the sensitivity and specificity of ultrasound in predicting the correct referral status were 92.3% and 51.6% respectively. ROC curve analysis revealed an area under curve of 0.735 for ultrasound alone and 0.832 for ultrasound plus scoliometer measurement. The finding provided strong evidences on the accuracy of ultrasound in determining the referral status that could result in more than 50% reduction of unnecessary radiation exposure for children undergoing scoliosis screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Pang
- Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, China
| | - Y S Wong
- Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, China
| | - Bhk Yip
- Division of Family Medicine and Primary Health Care, The Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, China
| | - Alh Hung
- Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, China
| | - Wcw Chu
- Department of Imaging and Interventional Radiology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong, SAR, China
| | - Kkl Lai
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, SAR, China
| | - Y P Zheng
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, SAR, China
| | - Twh Chung
- Student Health Service, Department of Health, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, China
| | - G Sharma
- Student Health Service, Department of Health, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, China
| | - Jcy Cheng
- SH Ho Scoliosis Research Lab, Joint Scoliosis Research Center of the Chinese University of Hong Kong and Nanjing University, Department of Orthopaedics & Traumatology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, China
| | - T P Lam
- SH Ho Scoliosis Research Lab, Joint Scoliosis Research Center of the Chinese University of Hong Kong and Nanjing University, Department of Orthopaedics & Traumatology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, China
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12
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Yang B, Wong YS, Lam WW, Geng H, Huang CY, Tang KK, Law WK, Ho CC, Nam PH, Cheung KY, Yu SK. Initial clinical experience of patient-specific QA of treatment delivery in online adaptive radiotherapy using a 1.5 T MR-Linac. Biomed Phys Eng Express 2021; 7. [PMID: 33882471 DOI: 10.1088/2057-1976/abfa80] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Purpose. This study aims to evaluate the performance of a commercial 1.5 T MR-Linac by analyzing its patient-specific quality assurance (QA) data collected during one full year of clinical operation.Methods and Materials. The patient-specific QA system consisted of offline delivery QA (DQA) and online calculation-based QA. Offline DQA was based on ArcCHECK-MR combined with an ionization chamber. Online QA was performed using RadCalc that calculated and compared the point dose calculation with the treatment planning system (TPS). A total of 24 patients with 189 treatment fractions were enrolled in this study. Gamma analysis was performed and the threshold that encompassed 95% of QA results (T95) was reported. The plan complexity metric was calculated for each plan and compared with the dose measurements to determine whether any correlation existed.Results. All point dose measurements were within 5% deviation. The mean gamma passing rates of the group data were found to be 96.8 ± 4.0% and 99.6 ± 0.7% with criteria of 2%/2mm and 3%/3mm, respectively. T95 of 87.4% and 98.2% was reported for the overall group with the two passing criteria, respectively. No statistically significant difference was found between adaptive treatments with adapt-to-position (ATP) and adapt-to-shape (ATS), whilst the category of pelvis data showed a better passing rate than other sites. Online QA gave a mean deviation of 0.2 ± 2.2%. The plan complexity metric was positively correlated with the mean dose difference whilst the complexity of the ATS cohort had larger variations than the ATP cohort.Conclusions. A patient-specific QA system based on ArcCHECK-MR, solid phantom and ionization chamber has been well established and implemented for validation of treatment delivery of a 1.5 T MR-Linac. Our QA data obtained over one year confirms that good agreement between TPS calculation and treatment delivery was achieved.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Yang
- Medical Physics and Research Department, Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital, 2 Village Road, Happy Valley, Hong Kong
| | - Y S Wong
- Medical Physics and Research Department, Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital, 2 Village Road, Happy Valley, Hong Kong
| | - W W Lam
- Medical Physics and Research Department, Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital, 2 Village Road, Happy Valley, Hong Kong
| | - H Geng
- Medical Physics and Research Department, Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital, 2 Village Road, Happy Valley, Hong Kong
| | - C Y Huang
- Medical Physics and Research Department, Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital, 2 Village Road, Happy Valley, Hong Kong
| | - K K Tang
- Medical Physics and Research Department, Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital, 2 Village Road, Happy Valley, Hong Kong
| | - W K Law
- Medical Physics and Research Department, Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital, 2 Village Road, Happy Valley, Hong Kong
| | - C C Ho
- Medical Physics and Research Department, Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital, 2 Village Road, Happy Valley, Hong Kong
| | - P H Nam
- Medical Physics and Research Department, Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital, 2 Village Road, Happy Valley, Hong Kong
| | - K Y Cheung
- Medical Physics and Research Department, Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital, 2 Village Road, Happy Valley, Hong Kong
| | - S K Yu
- Medical Physics and Research Department, Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital, 2 Village Road, Happy Valley, Hong Kong
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13
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Li FL, Zhong L, Wen W, Tian TT, Li HC, Cheung SG, Wong YS, Shin PKS, Zhou HC, Tam NFY, Song X. Do distribution and expansion of exotic invasive Asteraceae plants relate to leaf construction cost in a man-made wetland? Mar Pollut Bull 2021; 163:111958. [PMID: 33444997 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Revised: 12/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Exotic species especially Asteraceae plants severely invade wetlands in Shenzhen Bay, an important part of the coast wetland in Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Bay Area, China. However, the reasons causing their expansion are unclear. The leaf traits and expansion indices of six invasive Asteraceae plants from the Overseas Chinese Town (OCT) wetland were studied and the results showed that nearly 45% of the total plant species (31 out of 69 species) in the OCT wetland, belonging to 15 families and 27 genera, were exotic invasive species. The expansion indices of six Asteraceae species negatively correlated with their leaf construction cost based on mass (CCM), caloric values and carbon concentration, but their relations with ash content were positive. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that CCM was the most important factor affecting the expansion of an exotic species, indicating CCM may be an important reason causing the expansion of exotic species in coastal wetlands.
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Affiliation(s)
- F L Li
- College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Bio-resource and Eco-environmental Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China; Futian-CityU Mangrove Research and Development Centre, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - L Zhong
- College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Bio-resource and Eco-environmental Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - W Wen
- College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Bio-resource and Eco-environmental Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - T T Tian
- Futian-CityU Mangrove Research and Development Centre, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Integrated Agro-environmental Pollution Control and Management, Guangdong Institute of Eco-environmental Science & Technology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - H C Li
- College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Bio-resource and Eco-environmental Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - S G Cheung
- Futian-CityU Mangrove Research and Development Centre, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; Department of Chemistry, State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Y S Wong
- Futian-CityU Mangrove Research and Development Centre, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; School of Science and Technology, Open University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - P K S Shin
- Futian-CityU Mangrove Research and Development Centre, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; Department of Chemistry, State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - H C Zhou
- College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Bio-resource and Eco-environmental Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China; Futian-CityU Mangrove Research and Development Centre, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - N F Y Tam
- Futian-CityU Mangrove Research and Development Centre, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; Department of Chemistry, State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
| | - X Song
- College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Bio-resource and Eco-environmental Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.
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14
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Lim SWZ, Wong YS, Czarny B, Venkatraman S. Microfluidic-directed self-assembly of liposomes: Role of interdigitation. J Colloid Interface Sci 2020; 578:47-57. [PMID: 32505913 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2020.05.114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2020] [Revised: 05/12/2020] [Accepted: 05/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Microfluidics has been used to process self-assembling liposomal systems that are commonly considered for drug delivery applications. However, it has been found that the parameters of the process are not universally suited for all lipid types. We hypothesize here that size aggregation and instability of microfluidic liposomes are a direct consequence of the presence of interdigitation in these liposomes. Interdigitation refers to the phenomenon where two opposing leaflets of a bilayer interpenetrate into one another and form a single layer. When this happens, aggregation results as the single layer is not thermodynamically stable. Such interdigitation can be induced by pressure, chemicals or by the type of lipid structure. In this study, we systematically investigate the role of lipid composition on membrane interdigitation in order to understand the dependency of lipid interdigitation on liposome formation by microfluidics. By doing so, we use nano DSC and SAXS to probe the extent of lipid interdigitation by measuring the changes in thermodynamics and membrane thickness of the lipid bilayers. Our results show that microfluidic-fabricated liposomes undergo chemical interdigitation in the presence of ethanol, in particular saturated 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC). Strategies to prevent interdigitation is to either remove ethanol above the lipid's main transition temperature (Tm), preventing the formation of interdigitated structures and subsequent aggregated states or by the incorporation of the inhibiting additives, such as cholesterol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaun W Z Lim
- School of Materials Science & Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore
| | - Yee Shan Wong
- School of Materials Science & Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore.
| | - Bertrand Czarny
- School of Materials Science & Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore
| | - Subbu Venkatraman
- Material Science & Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117546, Singapore.
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15
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Darwitan A, Wong YS, Nguyen LTH, Czarny B, Vincent A, Nedumaran AM, Tan YF, Muktabar A, Tang JK, Ng KW, Venkatraman S. Liposomal Nanotherapy for Treatment of Atherosclerosis. Adv Healthc Mater 2020; 9:e2000465. [PMID: 32543010 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202000465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2020] [Revised: 04/21/2020] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Atherosclerosis is a chronic disease that can lead to life-threatening events such as myocardial infarction and stroke, is characterized by the build-up of lipids and immune cells within the arterial wall. It is understood that inflammation is a hallmark of atherosclerosis and can be a target for therapy. In support of this concept, an injectable nanoliposomal formulation encapsulating fluocinolone acetonide (FA), a corticosteroid, is developed that allows for drug delivery to atherosclerotic plaques while reducing the systemic exposure to off-target tissues. In this study, FA is successfully incorporated into liposomal nanocarriers of around 100 nm in size with loading efficiency of 90% and the formulation exhibits sustained release up to 25 d. The anti-inflammatory effect and cholesterol efflux capability of FA-liposomes are demonstrated in vitro. In vivo studies carried out with an apolipoprotein E-knockout (Apoe-/- ) mouse model of atherosclerosis show accumulation of liposomes in atherosclerotic plaques, colocalization with plaque macrophages and anti-atherogenic effect over 3 weeks of treatment. This FA-liposomal-based nanocarrier represents a novel potent nanotherapeutic option for atherosclerosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia Darwitan
- School of Materials Science & EngineeringNanyang Technological University Singapore 639798 Singapore
| | - Yee Shan Wong
- School of Materials Science & EngineeringNanyang Technological University Singapore 639798 Singapore
| | - Luong T. H. Nguyen
- William G. Lowrie Department of Chemical and Biomolecular EngineeringThe Ohio State University Columbus OH 43210 USA
| | - Bertrand Czarny
- School of Materials Science & EngineeringNanyang Technological University Singapore 639798 Singapore
- Lee Kong Chian School of MedicineNanyang Technological University Singapore 636921 Singapore
| | - Anita Vincent
- School of Materials Science & EngineeringNanyang Technological University Singapore 639798 Singapore
| | - Anu Maashaa Nedumaran
- School of Materials Science & EngineeringNanyang Technological University Singapore 639798 Singapore
| | - Yang Fei Tan
- School of Materials Science & EngineeringNanyang Technological University Singapore 639798 Singapore
| | - Aristo Muktabar
- School of Materials Science & EngineeringNanyang Technological University Singapore 639798 Singapore
| | - Jin Kai Tang
- School of Materials Science & EngineeringNanyang Technological University Singapore 639798 Singapore
| | - Kee Woei Ng
- School of Materials Science & EngineeringNanyang Technological University Singapore 639798 Singapore
| | - Subbu Venkatraman
- Materials Science and EngineeringNational University of Singapore Singapore 117575 Singapore
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16
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Darwitan A, Tan YF, Wong YS, Nedumaran AM, Czarny B, Venkatraman S. Targeting efficiency of nanoliposomes on atherosclerotic foam cells: polyethylene glycol-to-ligand ratio effects. Expert Opin Drug Deliv 2020; 17:1165-1176. [DOI: 10.1080/17425247.2020.1777982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia Darwitan
- School of Materials Science & Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yang Fei Tan
- School of Materials Science & Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yee Shan Wong
- School of Materials Science & Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Anu Maashaa Nedumaran
- School of Materials Science & Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Bertrand Czarny
- School of Materials Science & Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Subbu Venkatraman
- Materials Science and Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
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17
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Ashah MA, Lutpi NA, Wong YS, Ong SA, Malek MA. Study on biohydrogen production using different type of carrier materials in attached growth system. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020. [DOI: 10.1088/1755-1315/476/1/012105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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18
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Affiliation(s)
- W Xue
- Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - C Lam
- Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - H H Yeung
- Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - C S Wong
- Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - V L Y Chan
- Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Y S Wong
- Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
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19
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Cao Y, Wong YS, Ben Mabrouk A, Anita V, Jie Liew MW, Tan YF, Venkatraman SS. Nanolipogels as a cell-mimicking platform for controlled release of biomacromolecules. Nanoscale Adv 2020; 2:1040-1045. [PMID: 36133062 PMCID: PMC9417634 DOI: 10.1039/d0na00093k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2020] [Accepted: 02/05/2020] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
We present studies of protein (insulin) efflux rates from nano-sized core-shell systems with a gelled core and a lipid bilayer (nanolipogels). The efflux control mechanism is the manipulation of mesh size, and we show that diffusion control via crosslinking is the dominant mechanism for efflux control. The concept is inspired by the macromolecular crowding effect in human cells, which may be considered as a physical network of undefined mesh size. Our bio-inspired system is made of chemically crosslinked water-swellable poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate cores, whose mesh size can be manipulated to yield a quantifiable crowding effect that then leads to predictable release rates for biomacromolecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye Cao
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University Singapore
| | - Yee Shan Wong
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University Singapore
| | - Amira Ben Mabrouk
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University Singapore
| | - Vincent Anita
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University Singapore
| | - Melvin Wen Jie Liew
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University Singapore
| | - Yang Fei Tan
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University Singapore
| | - Subbu S Venkatraman
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University Singapore
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20
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Cao Y, Lee BH, Irvine SA, Wong YS, Bianco Peled H, Venkatraman S. Inclusion of Cross-Linked Elastin in Gelatin/PEG Hydrogels Favourably Influences Fibroblast Phenotype. Polymers (Basel) 2020; 12:polym12030670. [PMID: 32192137 PMCID: PMC7183321 DOI: 10.3390/polym12030670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2020] [Revised: 03/11/2020] [Accepted: 03/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The capacity of a biomaterial to innately modulate cell behavior while meeting the mechanical property requirements of the implant is a much sought-after goal within bioengineering. Here we covalently incorporate soluble elastin into a gelatin–poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG) hydrogel for three-dimensional (3D) cell encapsulation to achieve these properties. The inclusion of elastin into a previously optimized gelatin–PEG hydrogel was then evaluated for effects on entrapped fibroblasts, with the aim to assess the hydrogel as an extracellular matrix (ECM)-mimicking 3D microenvironment for cellular guidance. Soluble elastin was incorporated both physically and covalently into novel gelatin/elastin hybrid PEG hydrogels with the aim to harness the cellular interactivity and mechanical tunability of both elastin and gelatin. This design allowed us to assess the benefits of elastin-containing hydrogels in guiding fibroblast activity for evaluation as a potential dermal replacement. It was found that a gelatin–PEG hydrogel with covalently conjugated elastin, supported neonatal fibroblast viability, promoted their proliferation from 7.3% to 13.5% and guided their behavior. The expression of collagen alpha-1(COL1A1) and elastin in gelatin/elastin hybrid gels increased 16-fold and 6-fold compared to control sample at day 9, respectively. Moreover, cells can be loaded into the hydrogel precursor solution, deposited, and the matrix cross-linked without affecting the incorporated cells adversely, thus enabling a potential injectable system for dermal wound healing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye Cao
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798, Singapore; (Y.C.); (B.H.L.); (S.A.I.); (Y.S.W.)
- The Inter-Departmental Program for Biotechnology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel
| | - Bae Hoon Lee
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798, Singapore; (Y.C.); (B.H.L.); (S.A.I.); (Y.S.W.)
| | - Scott Alexander Irvine
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798, Singapore; (Y.C.); (B.H.L.); (S.A.I.); (Y.S.W.)
| | - Yee Shan Wong
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798, Singapore; (Y.C.); (B.H.L.); (S.A.I.); (Y.S.W.)
| | - Havazelet Bianco Peled
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel
- Correspondence: (H.B.P.); (S.V.)
| | - Subramanian Venkatraman
- Subramanian Venkatraman, Materials Science and Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119077, Singapore
- Correspondence: (H.B.P.); (S.V.)
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21
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Li FL, Zhong L, Cheung SG, Wong YS, Shin PKS, Lei AP, Zhou HC, Song X, Tam NFY. Is Laguncularia racemosa more invasive than Sonneratia apetala in northern Fujian, China in terms of leaf energetic cost? Mar Pollut Bull 2020; 152:110897. [PMID: 31957670 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.110897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2019] [Revised: 01/07/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Laguncularia racemosa and Sonneratia apetala are fast-growing exotic mangrove species in Southern China and widely used for afforestation. However, the invasiveness of the two exotic species is still unclear. We compared structural and physiological traits and energy-use related traits between L. racemosa and S. apetala, and with two natives (Kandelia obovata and Aegiceras corniculatum) in northern Fujian. Results showed that leaf construction cost based on mass (CCM) and caloric values of L. racemosa were significantly lower than S. apetala, and the two natives had highest CCM. Because lower CCM, L. racemosa grew faster with a taller height (4.83 m) and wider ground diameter circumference (40.03 cm) than S. apetala (4.43 m tall and 35.63 cm wide) and the two natives (2.42 m tall and 26.78 cm wide). These findings indicated that L. racemosa could be more invasive than S. apetala in mangrove forests in northern Fujian, China where it still grew well, which deserves more attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- F L Li
- College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Bio-resource and Eco-environmental Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China; Futian-CityU Mangrove Research and Development Centre, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - L Zhong
- College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Bio-resource and Eco-environmental Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - S G Cheung
- Futian-CityU Mangrove Research and Development Centre, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Y S Wong
- Futian-CityU Mangrove Research and Development Centre, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; School of Science and Technology, Open University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - P K S Shin
- Futian-CityU Mangrove Research and Development Centre, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - A P Lei
- College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Bio-resource and Eco-environmental Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - H C Zhou
- College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Bio-resource and Eco-environmental Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China; Futian-CityU Mangrove Research and Development Centre, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - X Song
- College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Bio-resource and Eco-environmental Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.
| | - N F Y Tam
- Futian-CityU Mangrove Research and Development Centre, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
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Cao Y, Tan YF, Wong YS, Liew MWJ, Venkatraman S. Recent Advances in Chitosan-Based Carriers for Gene Delivery. Mar Drugs 2019; 17:md17060381. [PMID: 31242678 PMCID: PMC6627531 DOI: 10.3390/md17060381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 173] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2019] [Revised: 06/17/2019] [Accepted: 06/22/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Approximately 4000 diseases are associated with malfunctioning genes in a particular cell type. Gene-based therapy provides a platform to modify the disease-causing genes expression at the cellular level to treat pathological conditions. However, gene delivery is challenging as these therapeutic genes need to overcome several physiological and intracellular barriers in order, to reach the target cells. Over the years, efforts have been dedicated to develop efficient gene delivery vectors to overcome these systemic barriers. Chitosan, a versatile polysaccharide, is an attractive non-viral vector material for gene delivery mainly due to its cationic nature, biodegradability and biocompatibility. The present review discusses the design factors that are critical for efficient gene delivery/transfection and highlights the recent progress of gene therapy using chitosan-based carriers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye Cao
- School of Materials Science & Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore.
| | - Yang Fei Tan
- School of Materials Science & Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore.
| | - Yee Shan Wong
- School of Materials Science & Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore.
| | - Melvin Wen Jie Liew
- School of Materials Science & Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore.
| | - Subbu Venkatraman
- School of Materials Science & Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore.
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Abstract
Atherosclerosis, characterized by build-up of lipids and chronic inflammation of the arterial wall, is the primary cause of cardiovascular disease and is a leading cause of death worldwide. Currently available therapies are inadequate and warrant the demand for improved technologies for more effective treatment. Although primarily the domain of antitumor therapy, recent advances have shown the considerable potential of nanomedicine to advance atherosclerosis treatment. This Review details the arsenal of nanocarriers and molecules available for selective targeting in atherosclerosis, and emphasize the challenges in atherosclerosis treatment.
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Wong YS, Pang KK, Tam YH. Hypospadias surgery in children: improved service model of enhanced recovery pathway and dedicated surgical team. Hong Kong Med J 2018; 24:238-244. [PMID: 29807948 DOI: 10.12809/hkmj177039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Children in Hong Kong are generally hospitalised for 1 to 2 weeks after hypospadias repairs. In July 2013, we introduced a new service model that featured an enhanced recovery pathway and a dedicated surgical team responsible for all perioperative services. In this study, we investigated the outcomes of hypospadias repair after the introduction of the new service model. METHODS We conducted a retrospective study on consecutive children who underwent primary hypospadias repair from January 2006 to August 2016, comparing patients under the old service with those under the new service. Outcome measures included early morbidity, operative success, and completion of enhanced recovery pathway. RESULTS The old service and new service cohorts comprised 176 and 126 cases, respectively. There was no difference between the two cohorts in types of hypospadias and surgical procedures performed. The median hospital stay was 2 days in the new service cohort compared with 10 days in the old service cohort (P<0.001). Patients experienced less early morbidity (5.6% vs 15.9%; P=0.006) and had a lower operative failure rate (20.2% vs 44.2%; P<0.001) under the new service than the old service. Multivariable analysis revealed that the new service significantly reduced the odds of early morbidity (odds ratio=0.35, 95% confidence interval=0.15-0.85; P=0.02) and operative failure (odds ratio=0.32, 95% confidence interval=0.17-0.59; P<0.001) in comparison with the old service. Of the new service cohort, 111(88.1%) patients successfully completed the enhanced recovery pathway. CONCLUSIONS The enhanced recovery pathway can be implemented safely and effectively to primary hypospadias repair. A dedicated surgical team may play an important role in successful implementation of the enhanced recovery pathway and optimisation of surgical outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y S Wong
- Division of Paediatric Surgery and Paediatric Urology, Department of Surgery, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
| | - K K Pang
- Division of Paediatric Surgery and Paediatric Urology, Department of Surgery, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
| | - Y H Tam
- Division of Paediatric Surgery and Paediatric Urology, Department of Surgery, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
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Tian T, Tam NFY, Zan Q, Cheung SG, Shin PKS, Wong YS, Zhang L, Chen Z. Performance and bacterial community structure of a 10-years old constructed mangrove wetland. Mar Pollut Bull 2017; 124:1096-1105. [PMID: 28711288 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2016] [Revised: 06/30/2017] [Accepted: 07/03/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Constructed mangrove wetland has been used for wastewater treatment but its long-term performance has not been reported. One-year monitoring of a 10-years old horizontal subsurface-flow constructed mangrove wetland consisting of three belts, two with mangrove plants and one without, revealed that the system maintained high and stable removal percentages of organic matter and nutrients, and planted belts performed better than unplanted control. Substrates in belts planted with Aegiceras corniculatum or Kandelia obovata had higher abundance of ammonifiers, nitrifiers and denitrifiers but lower total heterotrophic bacteria than unplanted substrate. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis showed that microbial diversity in planted substrate was significantly lower than that in unplanted one. The bacteria in substrates, irrespective to belts, were phylogenetically related to Proteobacteria (most dominant), Acidobacteria, Firmicutes, Nitrospirae, Gemmatimonadetes, Chloroflexi and Cyanobacteria. The steady performance of this 10-year old constructed mangrove wetland was affected by the abundance and diversity of bacterial community in substrate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Tian
- Key Laboratory of Ecology and Environmental Science in Guangdong Higher Education, College of Life Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China; Futian-CityU Mangrove Research and Development Centre, City University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China
| | - Nora F Y Tam
- Futian-CityU Mangrove Research and Development Centre, City University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China; Department of Biology and Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
| | - Qijie Zan
- Guangdong Neilingding Futian National Nature Reserve, Shenzhen, China
| | - S G Cheung
- Futian-CityU Mangrove Research and Development Centre, City University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China; Department of Biology and Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Paul K S Shin
- Futian-CityU Mangrove Research and Development Centre, City University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China; Department of Biology and Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Y S Wong
- School of Science and Technology, Open University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Li Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Ecology and Environmental Science in Guangdong Higher Education, College of Life Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China; Futian-CityU Mangrove Research and Development Centre, City University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China
| | - Zhanghe Chen
- Key Laboratory of Ecology and Environmental Science in Guangdong Higher Education, College of Life Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China.
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Huang Y, Wong YS, Ng HCA, Boey FYC, Venkatraman S. Translation in cardiovascular stents and occluders: From biostable to fully degradable. Bioeng Transl Med 2017; 2:156-169. [PMID: 29313029 PMCID: PMC5675095 DOI: 10.1002/btm2.10066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2017] [Revised: 06/16/2017] [Accepted: 06/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Cardiovascular disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality, especially in developed countries. Most academic research efforts in cardiovascular disease management focus on pharmacological interventions, or are concerned with discovering new disease markers for diagnosis and monitoring. Nonpharmacological interventions with therapeutic devices, conversely, are driven largely by novel materials and device design. Examples of such devices include coronary stents, heart valves, ventricular assist devices, and occluders for septal defects. Until recently, development of such devices remained largely with medical device companies. We trace the materials evolution story in two of these devices (stents and occluders), while also highlighting academic contributions, including our own, to the evolution story. Specifically, it addresses not only our successes, but also the challenges facing the translatability of concepts generated via academic research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingying Huang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering Nanyang Technological University Singapore 639798 Singapore
| | - Yee Shan Wong
- School of Materials Science and Engineering Nanyang Technological University Singapore 639798 Singapore
| | - Herr Cheun Anthony Ng
- School of Materials Science and Engineering Nanyang Technological University Singapore 639798 Singapore
| | - Freddy Y C Boey
- School of Materials Science and Engineering Nanyang Technological University Singapore 639798 Singapore
| | - Subbu Venkatraman
- School of Materials Science and Engineering Nanyang Technological University Singapore 639798 Singapore
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Salvekar AV, Huang WM, Xiao R, Wong YS, Venkatraman SS, Tay KH, Shen ZX. Water-Responsive Shape Recovery Induced Buckling in Biodegradable Photo-Cross-Linked Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) Hydrogel. Acc Chem Res 2017; 50:141-150. [PMID: 28181795 DOI: 10.1021/acs.accounts.6b00539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
The phenomenon of recovering the permanent shape from a severely deformed temporary shape, but only in the presence of the right stimulus, is known as the shape memory effect (SME). Materials with such an interesting effect are known as shape memory materials (SMMs). Typical stimuli to trigger shape recovery include temperature (heating or cooling), chemical (including water/moisture and pH value), and light. As a SMM is able not only to maintain the temporary shape but also to respond to the right stimulus when it is applied, via shape-shifting, a seamless integration of sensing and actuation functions is achieved within one single piece of material. Hydrogels are defined by their ability to absorb a large amount of water (from 10-20% up to thousands of times their dry weight), which results in significant swelling. On the other hand, dry hydrogels indeed belong to polymers, so they exhibit heat- and chemoresponsive SMEs as most polymers do. While heat-responsive SMEs have been spotted in a handful of wet hydrogels, so far, most dry hydrogels evince the heat and water (moisture)-responsive SMEs. Since water is one of the major components in living biological systems, water-responsive SMMs hold great potential for various implantable applications, including wound healing, intravascular devices, soft tissue reconstruction, and controlled drug delivery. This provides motivation to combine water-activated SMEs and swelling in hydrogels together to enhance the performance. In many applications, such as vascular occlusion via minimally invasive surgery for liver cancer treatment, the operation time (for both start and finish) is required to be well controlled. Due to the gradual and slow manner of water absorption for water-activated SMEs and swelling in hydrogels, even a combination of both effects encounters many difficulties to meet the timerequirements in real procedures of vascular occlusion. Recently, we have reported a bioabsorbable radiopaque water-responsive shape memory embolization plug for temporary vascular occlusion. The plug consists of a composite with a poly(dl-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) core (loaded with radiopaque filler) and cross-linked poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) hydrogel outer layer. The device can be activated by body fluid (or water) after about 2 min of immersion in water. The whole occlusion process is completed within a few dozens of seconds. The underlying mechanism is water-responsive shape recovery induced buckling, which occurs in an expeditious manner within a short time period and does not require complete hydration of the whole hydrogel. In this paper, we experimentally and analytically investigate the water-activated shape recovery induced buckling in this biodegradable PEG hydrogel to understand the fundamentals in precisely controlling the buckling time. The molecular mechanism responsible for the water-induced SME in PEG hydrogel is also elucidated. The original diameter and amount of prestretching are identified as two influential parameters to tailor the buckling time between 1 and 4 min as confirmed by both experiments and simulation. The phenomenon reported here, chemically induced buckling via a combination of the SME and swelling, is generic, and the study reported here should be applicable to other water- and non-water-responsive gels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhijit Vijay Salvekar
- School of Mechanical
and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang
Avenue, 639798 Singapore, Singapore
| | - Wei Min Huang
- School of Mechanical
and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang
Avenue, 639798 Singapore, Singapore
| | - Rui Xiao
- Institute of Soft Matter Mechanics, College
of Mechanics and Materials, Hohai University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210098, PR China
| | - Yee Shan Wong
- School
of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798 Singapore, Singapore
| | - Subbu S. Venkatraman
- School
of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798 Singapore, Singapore
| | - Kiang Hiong Tay
- Department
of Diagnostic Radiology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore 169608, Singapore
| | - Ze Xiang Shen
- School
of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798 Singapore, Singapore
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Tam YH, Ng CF, Wong YS, Pang KK, Hong YL, Lee WM, Lai PT. Population-based survey of the prevalence of lower urinary tract symptoms in adolescents with and without psychotropic substance abuse. Hong Kong Med J 2016; 22:454-63. [PMID: 27516568 DOI: 10.12809/hkmj154806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate the prevalence of lower urinary tract symptoms in adolescents and the effects of psychotropic substance use. METHODS This was a population-based cross-sectional survey using a validated questionnaire in students from 45 secondary schools in Hong Kong randomly selected over the period of January 2012 to January 2014. A total of 11 938 secondary school students (response rate, 74.6%) completed and returned a questionnaire that was eligible for analysis. Individual lower urinary tract symptoms and history of psychotropic substance abuse were documented. RESULTS In this study, 11 617 non-substance abusers were regarded as control subjects and 321 (2.7%) were psychotropic substance users. Among the control subjects, 2106 (18.5%) had experienced at least one lower urinary tract symptom with urinary frequency being the most prevalent symptom (10.2%). Females had more daytime urinary incontinence (P<0.001) and males had more voiding symptoms (P=0.01). Prevalence of lower urinary tract symptoms increased with age from 13.9% to 25.8% towards young adulthood and age of ≥18 years (P<0.001). Among the substance users, ketamine was most commonly abused. Substance users had significantly more lower urinary tract symptoms than control subjects (P<0.001). In multivariate analysis, increasing age and psychotropic substance abuse increased the odds for lower urinary tract symptoms. Non-ketamine substance users and ketamine users were respectively 2.8-fold (95% confidence interval, 2.0-3.9) and 6.2-fold (4.1-9.1) more likely than control subjects to develop lower urinary tract symptoms. Females (odds ratio=9.9; 95% confidence interval, 5.4-18.2) were more likely to develop lower urinary tract symptoms than males (4.2; 2.5-7.1) when ketamine was abused. CONCLUSIONS Lower urinary tract symptoms are prevalent in the general adolescent population. It is important to obtain an accurate history regarding psychotropic substance use when treating teenagers with lower urinary tract symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y H Tam
- Division of Paediatric Surgery and Paediatric Urology, Department of Surgery, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
| | - C F Ng
- Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
| | - Y S Wong
- Division of Paediatric Surgery and Paediatric Urology, Department of Surgery, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
| | - K Ky Pang
- Division of Paediatric Surgery and Paediatric Urology, Department of Surgery, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
| | - Y L Hong
- Division of Paediatric Surgery and Paediatric Urology, Department of Surgery, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
| | - W M Lee
- Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
| | - P T Lai
- Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
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Teh TL, Rahman NNNA, Shahadat M, Wong YS, Syakir MI, Omar AKM. A comparative study of metal contamination in soil using the borehole method. Environ Monit Assess 2016; 188:404. [PMID: 27295186 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-016-5394-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2015] [Accepted: 05/25/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The present study deals with possible contamination of the soil by metal ions which have been affecting the environment. The concentrations of metal ions in 14 borehole samples were studied using the ICP-OES standard method. The degree of contamination was determined on the basis of single element pollution index (SEPI), combined pollution index (CPI), soil enrichment factor (SEF), and geo-accumulation index (Igeo). Geo-accumulation indices and contamination factors indicated moderate to strong contaminations for eight boreholes (BL-1, BL-2, BL-6, BL-8, BL-9, BL-10, BL-12, and BL-13) while the rest were extremely contaminated. Among all the boreholes, BL-3 and BL-11 demonstrated the highest level of Cd(II) and Pb(II) which were found the most polluted sites. The level of metal contamination was also compared with other countries. The development, variation, and limitations regarding the regulations of soil and groundwater contamination can be provided as a helpful guidance for the risk assessment of metal ions in developing countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- T L Teh
- School of Industrial Technology, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Penang, Malaysia
| | - Nik Norulaini Nik Ab Rahman
- School of Industrial Technology, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Penang, Malaysia.
- School of Distance Education, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Penang, Malaysia.
| | - Mohammad Shahadat
- School of Distance Education, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Penang, Malaysia.
| | - Y S Wong
- School of Distance Education, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Penang, Malaysia
| | - Muhammad I Syakir
- School of Industrial Technology, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Penang, Malaysia
- Centre of Global Sustainability Studies (CGSS), Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Penang, Malaysia
| | - A K Mohd Omar
- School of Industrial Technology, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Penang, Malaysia
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Chiang VCL, Wong HT, Yeung PCA, Choi YK, Fok MSY, Mak OI, Wong HY, Wong KH, Wong SY, Wong YS, Wong EYY. Attitude, Acceptability and Knowledge of HPV Vaccination among Local University Students in Hong Kong. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2016; 13:ijerph13050486. [PMID: 27187424 PMCID: PMC4881111 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph13050486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2016] [Revised: 04/27/2016] [Accepted: 05/05/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine has the great potential to prevent HPV-related infections for millions of women and men worldwide. However, the success of the vaccine is highly dependent on the vaccination rate. Factors influencing the attitudes of undergraduate students towards HPV vaccination should be studied. This is a cross-sectional survey that was conducted to estimate the HPV vaccination rate among undergraduate students in Hong Kong, and to identify the predictors of their attitude towards HPV vaccination. The results showed that the HPV vaccination rate was 13.3%. Factors related to knowledge of vaccination were the main predictors of the students’ attitude towards vaccination (there were seven predictors, with B = 1.36 to 2.30; p < 0.05), followed by gender (B = −1.40; p < 0.05), acceptable maximum price (B = 0.35; p < 0.05), and willingness to receive the HPV vaccine if it can protect against cervical/anal cancer and genital warts (B = −1.90; p < 0.001). The regression model that was developed based on the predictors had a moderate effect size (adj-R2 = 0.33). To conclude, the HPV vaccination rate among undergraduate students in Hong Kong was low. They should be provided with more active education and activities to promote HPV vaccination to improve their knowledge on the subject.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ho Ting Wong
- School of Nursing, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China.
| | - Pui Chun Au Yeung
- School of Nursing, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China.
| | - Yuk Ki Choi
- School of Nursing, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China.
| | | | - Oi In Mak
- School of Nursing, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China.
| | - Hing Yu Wong
- School of Nursing, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China.
| | - Kim Ho Wong
- School of Nursing, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China.
| | - Shui Yan Wong
- School of Nursing, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China.
| | - Yee Shan Wong
- School of Nursing, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China.
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Salvekar AV, Zhou Y, Huang WM, Wong YS, Venkatraman SS, Shen Z, Zhu G, Cui HP. Shape/temperature memory phenomena in un-crosslinked poly-ɛ-caprolactone (PCL). Eur Polym J 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2015.09.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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32
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Huang YY, Wong YS, Chan JN, Venkatraman SS. A fully biodegradable patent ductus arteriosus occlude. J Mater Sci Mater Med 2015; 26:93. [PMID: 25649512 DOI: 10.1007/s10856-015-5422-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2014] [Accepted: 09/15/2014] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to develop a fully degradable occluder for the closure of PDA, which can be deployed percutaneously. The blends of biodegradable poly(ε-caprolactone) and poly(L-lactide-co-ε-caprolactone) with various compositions were studied as the potential material. The mechanical properties, i.e. elastic modulus and strain recovery, of the blends could be largely tailored by changing the continuous phase component. Moreover, the suitable blends were selected to fabricate a prototype and its in vitro biodegradation rate and blood compatibility, was evaluated. The current results indicate that no adverse effect on the platelet and leukocyte components of the blood. Biocompatibility implantation studies of the device showed acceptable tissue response. Finally, an artificial PDA conduit was created in a pig, and the device deployment was tested from a sheath: the device recovered within 2-3 min of unsheathing and fully sealed the conduit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Ying Huang
- School of Materials Science & Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 639798, Singapore,
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Zhang JL, Huang WM, Gao G, Fu J, Zhou Y, Salvekar AV, Venkatraman SS, Wong YS, Tay KH, Birch WR. Shape memory/change effect in a double network nanocomposite tough hydrogel. Eur Polym J 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2014.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Huang Y, Wong YS, Wu J, Kong JF, Chan JN, Khanolkar L, Rao DP, Boey FYC, Venkatraman SS. The mechanical behavior and biocompatibility of polymer blends for Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA) occlusion device. J Mech Behav Biomed Mater 2014; 36:143-60. [PMID: 24846584 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2014.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2014] [Revised: 04/16/2014] [Accepted: 04/23/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA) is a cardiovascular defect that occurs in 1 out of every 2000 births, and if left untreated, may lead to severe cardiovascular problems. Current options for occluding utilize meta scaffolds with polymer fabric, and are permanent. The purpose of this study was to develop a fully degradable occluder for the closure of PDA, that can be deployed percutaneously without open-heart surgery. For percutaneous deployment, both elasticity and sufficient mechanical strength are required of the device components. As this combination of properties is not achievable with currently-available homo- or copolymers, blends of biodegradable poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) and poly(L-lactide-co-ε-caprolactone) (PLC) with various compositions were studied as the potential material for the PDA occlusion device. Microstructures of this blend were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and tensile tests. DSC results demonstrated the immiscibility between PCL and its copolymer PLC. Furthermore, the mechanical properties, i.e. elastic modulus and strain recovery, of the blends could be largely tailored by changing the continuous phase component. Based on the thermo-mechanical tests, suitable blends were selected to fabricate a prototype of PDA occluder and its in vitro performance, in term of device recovery (from its sheathed configuration), biodegradation rate and blood compatibility, was evaluated. The current results indicate that the device is able to recover elastically from a sheath within 2-3min for deployment; the device starts to disintegrate within 5-6 months, and the materials have no adverse effects on the platelet and leucocyte components of the blood. Biocompatibility implantation studies of the device showed acceptable tissue response. Finally, an artificial PDA conduit was created in a pig model, and the device deployment was tested from a sheath: the device recovered within 2-3min of unsheathing and fully sealed the conduit, the device remains stable and is completely covered by tissue at 1 month follow up. Thus, a novel prototype for PDA occlusion that is fully degradable has been developed to overcome the limitations of the currently used metal/fabric devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingying Huang
- School of Materials Science & Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore
| | - Yee Shan Wong
- School of Materials Science & Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore
| | - Jumiati Wu
- School of Materials Science & Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore
| | - Jen Fong Kong
- School of Materials Science & Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore
| | - Jing Ni Chan
- School of Materials Science & Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore
| | | | | | - Freddy Y C Boey
- School of Materials Science & Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore
| | - Subbu S Venkatraman
- School of Materials Science & Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore.
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35
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Gan CW, Chooi WH, Ng HCA, Wong YS, Venkatraman SS, Lim LHY. Development of a novel biodegradable drug-eluting Ventilation tube for chronic otitis media with effusion. Laryngoscope 2013; 123:1770-7. [DOI: 10.1002/lary.23895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/25/2012] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Chee Wee Gan
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery; National University of Singapore; Singapore
| | - Wai Hon Chooi
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery; National University of Singapore; Singapore
| | - Herr Cheun Anthony Ng
- School of Materials Science and Engineering; Nanyang Technological University; Singapore
| | - Yee Shan Wong
- School of Materials Science and Engineering; Nanyang Technological University; Singapore
| | - Subbu S. Venkatraman
- School of Materials Science and Engineering; Nanyang Technological University; Singapore
| | - Lynne Hsueh Yee Lim
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery; National University of Singapore; Singapore
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36
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Li H, Wong YS, Wen F, Ng KW, Ng GKL, Venkatraman SS, Boey FYC, Tan LP. Human Mesenchymal Stem-Cell Behaviour On Direct Laser Micropatterned Electrospun Scaffolds with Hierarchical Structures. Macromol Biosci 2012; 13:299-310. [DOI: 10.1002/mabi.201200318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2012] [Revised: 10/16/2012] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
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37
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38
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Hoque ME, Hutmacher DW, Feng W, Li S, Huang MH, Vert M, Wong YS. Fabrication using a rapid prototyping system and in vitro characterization of PEG-PCL-PLA scaffolds for tissue engineering. Journal of Biomaterials Science, Polymer Edition 2012; 16:1595-610. [PMID: 16366339 DOI: 10.1163/156856205774576709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
In the field of tissue engineering new polymers are needed to fabricate scaffolds with specific properties depending on the targeted tissue. This work aimed at designing and developing a 3D scaffold with variable mechanical strength, fully interconnected porous network, controllable hydrophilicity and degradability. For this, a desktop-robot-based melt-extrusion rapid prototyping technique was applied to a novel tri-block co-polymer, namely poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(epsilon-caprolactone)-block-poly(DL-lactide), PEG-PCL-P(DL)LA. This co-polymer was melted by electrical heating and directly extruded out using computer-controlled rapid prototyping by means of compressed purified air to build porous scaffolds. Various lay-down patterns (0/30/60/90/120/150 degrees, 0/45/90/135 degrees, 0/60/120 degrees and 0/90 degrees) were produced by using appropriate positioning of the robotic control system. Scanning electron microscopy and micro-computed tomography were used to show that 3D scaffold architectures were honeycomb-like with completely interconnected and controlled channel characteristics. Compression tests were performed and the data obtained agreed well with the typical behavior of a porous material undergoing deformation. Preliminary cell response to the as-fabricated scaffolds has been studied with primary human fibroblasts. The results demonstrated the suitability of the process and the cell biocompatibility of the polymer, two important properties among the many required for effective clinical use and efficient tissue-engineering scaffolding.
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Affiliation(s)
- M E Hoque
- Laboratory for Concurrent Engineering and Logistics LCEL, Department of Mechanical Engineering, National University of Singapore, 10 Kent Ridge Crescent, Singapore 119260, Republic of Singapore
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Li H, Wen F, Wong YS, Boey FYC, Subbu VS, Leong DT, Ng KW, Ng GKL, Tan LP. Direct laser machining-induced topographic pattern promotes up-regulation of myogenic markers in human mesenchymal stem cells. Acta Biomater 2012; 8:531-9. [PMID: 21985869 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2011.09.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2011] [Revised: 09/22/2011] [Accepted: 09/22/2011] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The engineering of tissue is preferably done with stem cells, which can be differentiated into the tissue of interest using biochemical or physical cues. While much effort has been focused on using biological factors to regulate stem cell differentiation, recently interest in the contribution of physical factors has increased. In this work, three-dimensional (3-D) microchannels with topographic micropatterns were fabricated by femtosecond laser machining on a biodegradable polymer (poly(L-lactide-co-ε-caprolactone)) substrate. Two substrates with narrow and wide channels respectively were created. Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) were cultured on the scaffolds for cell proliferation and cellular organization. Gene expression and the immunostaining of myogenic and neurogenic markers were studied. Both scaffolds improved the cell alignment along the channels as compared to the control group. Microfilaments within hMSCs were more significantly aligned and elongated on the narrower microchannels. The gene expression study revealed significant up-regulation of several hallmark markers associated with myogenesis for hMSCs cultured on the scaffold with narrow microchannels, while osteogenic and neurogenic markers were down-regulated or remained similar to the control at day 14. Immunostaining of myogen- and neurogen-specific differentiation markers were used to further confirm the specific differentiation towards a myogenic lineage. This study demonstrates that femtosecond laser machining is a versatile tool for generating controllable 3-D microchannels with topographic features that can be used to induce specific myogenic differentiation of hMSCs in vitro, even in the absence of biological factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huaqiong Li
- Division of Materials Technology, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798 Singapore, Singapore
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Gao QT, Wong YS, Tam NFY. Removal and biodegradation of nonylphenol by immobilized Chlorella vulgaris. Bioresour Technol 2011; 102:10230-10238. [PMID: 21944284 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2011.08.070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2011] [Revised: 08/13/2011] [Accepted: 08/16/2011] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
The removal and biodegradation of nonylphenol (NP) by alginate-immobilized cells of Chlorella vulgaris were compared with their respective free cultures. The effects of four cell densities of 10(4) per algal bead were investigated, as were the four algal bead concentrations, with regard to the removal and biodegradation of NP. Although immobilization significantly decreased the growth rate and NP's biodegradation efficiency of C. vulgaris, NP removal over a short period was enhanced. The NP removal mechanism by immobilized cells was similar to that by free cells, including adsorption onto alginate matrix and algal cells, absorption within cells and cellular biodegradation. The optimal cell density and bead concentration for the removal and biodegradation of NP was 50-100×10(4) cells algal bead(-1) and 2-4 beads ml(-1) of wastewater, respectively. These results demonstrated that immobilized C. vulgaris cells under optimal biomass and photoautotrophic conditions are effective in removing NP from contaminated water.
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Affiliation(s)
- Q T Gao
- Department of Biology and Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
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Gao QT, Wong YS, Tam NFY. Removal and biodegradation of nonylphenol by different Chlorella species. Mar Pollut Bull 2011; 63:445-451. [PMID: 21507429 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2011.03.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2010] [Revised: 03/18/2011] [Accepted: 03/19/2011] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
All four Chlorella species, including one commercially available species, Chlorella vulgaris and three local isolates, Chlorella sp. (1 uoai), Chlorella sp. (2f5aia) and Chlorellaminiata (WW1), had a rapid and high ability to remove nonylphenol (NP). Among these species, C. vulgaris had the highest NP removal (nearly all NP was removed from the medium) and degradation abilities (more than 80% of NP was degraded) after 168 h, followed by WW1 and 1 uoai; 2f5aia had the lowest NP degradation ability. The NP removal by C. vulgaris was less affected by growth conditions, but its biodegradation efficiency was significantly increased by temperature and light intensity, suggesting that the biodegradation ability was positively related to photosynthetic and metabolic activities. These results indicated that C. vulgaris was the most suitable species for effective removal and biodegradation of NP, especially under 25 °C with light illumination and initial biomass between 0.5 and 1.0 mg chlorophyll l(-1).
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Affiliation(s)
- Q T Gao
- Department of Biology and Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
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Park MS, Wong YS, Park JO, Venkatraman SS, Srinivasarao M. A Simple Method for Obtaining the Information of Orientation Distribution Using Polarized Raman Spectroscopy: Orientation Study of Structural Units in Poly(lactic acid). Macromolecules 2011. [DOI: 10.1021/ma101553v] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Yee Shan Wong
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore
| | | | - Subbu S. Venkatraman
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore
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Abstract
beta-Glucan synthesis from uridine diphosphoglucose by pea epicotyl tissue slices is increased two- to threefold by preliminary, short-term treatment with cellulases purified from auxin-treated peas. We suggest that cellulases introduce chain ends in accessible regions of cellulose microfibrils which then act as primers for chain elongation.
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Abstract
The presence of ATP-dependent, polycation-stimulated protein kinase activity in highly purified phytochrome preparations [Wong, Y.-S., Cheng, H.-C., Walsh, D. A. & Lagarias, J. C. (1986) J. Biol. Chem. 261, 12089-12097] has renewed the hypothesis that the phytochrome photoreceptor possesses enzymatic activity. A prerequisite for protein kinase function is the presence of an ATP binding site. Here we present evidence for a nucleoside triphosphate binding site(s) in the phytochrome molecule. Two ATP analogs, 5'-p-fluorosulfonylbenzoyladenosine and 8-azidoadenosine 5'-triphosphate, were used to affinity label purified Avena phytochrome. Labeling with both reagents is stimulated by the polycations poly(Lys(75),Ala(25)) and histone H1. Coincubation with ATP inhibits the polycation-stimulated labeling of phytochrome. In similar experiments GTP, CTP, UTP, ADP, and pyrophosphate, but not adenosine or AMP, also prevent photoaffinity labeling of phytochrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y S Wong
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, Davis, CA 95616
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Goh KP, Chew K, Koh A, Guan M, Wong YS, Sum CF. The relationship between ACE gene ID polymorphism and aerobic capacity in Asian rugby players. Singapore Med J 2009; 50:997-1003. [PMID: 19907891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The aim of this study was to analyse the association between the ACE ID polymorphism and aerobic capacity in a homogeneous cohort of national Asian rugby players. METHODS 17 subjects recruited during active training had their maximal oxygen uptake (V0 2 max) and ventilatory threshold (VT) measured during maximal exercise testing. ACE genotyping was performed for all players. RESULTS The likelihood of having a V0 2 max above the 80th percentile of a gender-specific reference range for a normal population was 14.3-fold greater among subjects with the II genotype as compared to the ID genotype (p-value is 0.030). Similarly, subjects with the II genotype were 29.4 times more likely to have a VT above the gender-specific median value compared to the ID genotype (p-value is 0.019). The results suggest that the I allele confers an advantage in aerobic capacity as measured by the V0 2 max and VT. CONCLUSION It is likely that the same physiological mechanisms mediated by the ACE gene are responsible for aerobic capacity in both Asians and Caucasians.
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Affiliation(s)
- K P Goh
- Department of Medicine, Alexandra Hospital, 378 Alexandra Road, Singapore.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Caucasian families with food-allergic children have a compromised quality of life (QoL) for fear of life-threatening food reactions. Such data are limited in Asian children. Based on our recent questionnaire-based survey, 8.1% of young children recruited from local nurseries and kindergartens had parent-reported adverse food reactions (AFRs). OBJECTIVE This study tested the robustness of the Chinese Food Allergy Quality of Life-Parental Burden questionnaire (FAQL-PB) and assessed QoL in families with childhood AFR. The correlations among FAQL-PB items were evaluated by factor analysis. METHODS Two hundred and ninety-eight of 3677 children aged 2-7 years had parent-reported AFR, and 197 (66.1%) of them completed the 17 items of our self-administered FAQL-PB. Six hundred and thirty-nine (18.9%) children without AFR returned this questionnaire. Factor analysis was used to delineate the inter-relationship among the FAQL-PB items. RESULTS Cronbach alpha for our Chinese FAQL-PB was 0.976, and the median (interquartile range) FAQL-PB scores of children with and without parent-reported AFR were 0.10 (0.02-0.32) and 0 (0-0.18), respectively (P < 0.001). Factor analysis confirmed excellent correlations between FAQL-PB items. The 17 items were clustered into two factors, which explained 79.7% of the total variance. Among children with AFR, FAQL-PB scores increased with increasing numbers of foods that caused AFRs (P < 0.001 for trend). Thirty (15.2%) children had impaired QoL, defined as average item FAQL-PB score > or = 0.5. Impaired QoL was associated with AFR that was caused by >3 foods (P = 0.001), current food avoidance (P = 0.005) and AFR caused by peanut (P = 0.003), egg (P = 0.011) and cow's milk (P = 0.028), and current flexural dermatitis (P = 0.011). CONCLUSIONS FAQL-PB is a robust measure of AFR-specific parental QoL, which is impaired in Chinese children with parent-reported AFR. Flexural dermatitis, current food avoidance and AFR caused by multiple foods are independent risk factors for lower parental QoL.
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Affiliation(s)
- T F Leung
- Department of Paediatrics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, Hong Kong.
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Tam NFY, Wong YS. Effectiveness of bacterial inoculum and mangrove plants on remediation of sediment contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Mar Pollut Bull 2008; 57:716-726. [PMID: 18374368 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2008.02.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2007] [Revised: 02/15/2008] [Accepted: 02/16/2008] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
The remediation of mangrove sediment contaminated with mixed polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) having 3-, 4- and 5-rings by natural attenuation, bioaugmentation, phytoremediation and its combination was compared by greenhouse microcosm studies. At Days 90 and 154, the decreases of PAHs in contaminated mangrove sediment by phytoremediation, planted with one-year old Aegiceras corniculatum, and bioaugmentation, the inoculation of PAH-degrading bacterial strains isolated from mangrove sediment, either SCSH (Mycobacterium parafortuitum) or SAFY (Sphingobium yanoikuyae), were not better than that by natural attenuation (the non-vegetated and un-inoculated microcosms). The populations of SCSH and SAFY in sediment could not be maintained even with repeated inoculation, suggesting that the two isolates were not able to compete with the indigenous microbes and had little enhancement effect. Although some PAHs were accumulated in roots, root uptake only accounted for <15% of the spiked PAHs and the effect of plants on remediation were also insignificant. At the end of the 154-day experiment, the mass balance calculation revealed that the overall losses of PAHs by phytoremediation were comparable to that by bioaugmentation but were lower than that by natural attenuation, especially for the high molecular weight PAHs. Under natural attenuation, around 90% fluorene, 80% phenanthrene, 70% fluoranthene, 68% pyrene and 32% benzo[a]pyrene in contaminated sediment were removed. These results demonstrated that the mangrove sediment itself had sufficient indigenous microorganisms capable of naturally remedying PAH contamination.
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Affiliation(s)
- N F Y Tam
- Department of Biology and Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.
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Yang Q, Tam NFY, Wong YS, Luan TG, Su WS, Lan CY, Shin PKS, Cheung SG. Potential use of mangroves as constructed wetland for municipal sewage treatment in Futian, Shenzhen, China. Mar Pollut Bull 2008; 57:735-743. [PMID: 18342338 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2008.01.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2007] [Revised: 01/28/2008] [Accepted: 01/29/2008] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
A pilot-scale mangrove wetland was constructed in Futian, Shenzhen for municipal sewage treatment. Three identical belts (length: 33m, width: 3m, depth: 0.5m) were filled with stone (bottom), gravel and mangrove sand (surface). Seedlings of two native mangrove species (Kandelia candel, Aegiceras corniculatum) and one exotic species (Sonneratia caseolaris) were transplanted to the belts with one species for each belt. The hydraulic loading was 5m(3)d(-1) and hydraulic retention time 3d. High levels of removal of COD, BOD(5), TN, TP and NH(3)-N were obtained. The treatment efficiency of S. caseolaris and A. corniculatum was higher than that of K. candel. Faster plant growth was obtained for S. caseolaris. The substrate in the S. caseolaris belt also showed higher enzyme activities including dehydrogenase, cellulase, phosphatase, urease and beta-glucosidase. The removal rates of organic matter and nutrients were positively correlated with plant growth. The results indicated that mangroves could be used in a constructed wetland for municipal sewage treatment, providing post-treatment to remove coliforms was also included.
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Affiliation(s)
- Q Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
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Chen J, Wong MH, Wong YS, Tam NFY. Multi-factors on biodegradation kinetics of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) by Sphingomonas sp. a bacterial strain isolated from mangrove sediment. Mar Pollut Bull 2008; 57:695-702. [PMID: 18433800 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2008.03.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2007] [Revised: 03/03/2008] [Accepted: 03/09/2008] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Biodegradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in contaminated sediment is an attractive remediation technique and its success depends on biodegradation kinetics, and the optimal condition for the PAH-degrading isolates; however, information on this aspect is still scarce. The effects of multi-factors on biodegradation of phenanthrene, a 3-ring model PAH, in contaminated sediment slurry by Sphingomonas sp. a bacterial strain isolated from surface mangrove sediment, were investigated using the orthogonal experimental design (form L(16)(4(5))). The most significant factors were salinity and inoculum size, while the effects of phenanthrene concentrations, nutrient addition and temperatures were insignificant. The optimal biodegradation condition in contaminated mangrove sediment slurry was 30 degrees C, 15 ppt salinity, a carbon/nitrogen ratio of 100:1 (the background ratio in sediment) and an inoculum size of 10(6) most probable number g(-1) sediment. The phenanthrene biodegradation could be best described by the first order rate model, C=C(0)e(-kt), where k (the rate constant) is equaled to 0.1185, under the optimal condition. The kinetic model was verified and its validity in predicting biodegradation by Sphingomonas sp. at various phenanthrene concentrations was proved by experimental data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianlin Chen
- Department of Biology and Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong
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