For the first time, proteins, a promising biocompatible and functionality-designable biomacromolecule material, acted as the host material to construct three-dimensional (3D) whispering-gallery-mode (WGM) microlasers by multiphoton femtosecond laser direct writing (FsLDW). Protein/Rhodamine B (RhB) composite biopolymer was used as optical gain medium innovatively. By adopting high-viscosity aqu...

BACKGROUND Three-dimensional assembly of graphene hydrogel is rapidly attracting the interest of researchers because of its wide range of applications in energy storage, electronics, electrochemistry, and waste water treatment. Information on the use of graphene hydrogel for biological purposes is lacking, so we conducted a preliminary study to determine the suitability of graphene hydrogel as ...

Peripheral nerves are fragile and easily damaged, usually resulting in nervous tissue loss, motor and sensory function loss. Advances in neuroscience and engineering have been significantly contributing to bridge the damage nerve and create permissive environment for axonal regrowth across lesions. We have successfully designed two self-assembling peptides by modifying RADA 16-I with two functi...

Background: The excellent biocompatibility, biodegradability and biological properties of the hydrogels, fabricated using natural polymers, especially polysaccharides, are very advantageous for biomedical applications. Gum tragacanth (GT) is a heterogeneous highly branched anionic polysaccharide, which has been used extensively in food and pharmaceutical industries. Despite,  its desirable prop...

This study was carried out to assess the feasibility of human umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hUCB-MSCs) in articular cartilage repair and to further determine a suitable delivering hydrogel in a rat model. Critical sized full thickness cartilage defects were created. The hUCB-MSCs and three different hydrogel composites (hydrogel A; 4% hyaluronic acid/30% pluronic (1:1, v/...

Malaysian sea cucumber was incorporated into hydrogel formulation by using electron beam irradiation technique and was introduced as novel cross-linked Gamat Hydrogel dressing. This study investigated whether Gamat Hydrogel enhanced repair of deep partial skin thickness burn wound in rats and its possible mechanism. Wounds were treated with either Gamat Hydrogel, control hydrogel, OpSite® film ...

Background—Hydrogels are being actively investigated for direct delivery of cells or bioactive molecules to the heart post-myocardial infarction (MI) to prevent cardiac functional loss. We postulate that immobilization of the pro-survival angiopoietin-1-derived peptide, QHREDGS, to a chitosan-collagen hydrogel could produce a clinically translatable thermo-responsive hydrogel to attenuate post-...

The objective of this study was to develop thin, biocompatible, and biofunctional hydrogel-coated small-sized nanoparticles that exhibit favorable stability, viability, and specific cellular uptake. This article reports the coating of magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (MIONPs) with covalently cross-linked biofunctional polyethylene glycol (PEG) hydrogel. Silanized MIONPs were derivatized with e...

BACKGROUND Stringent control of proteolytic activity represents a major therapeutic approach for wound-bed preparation. OBJECTIVES We tested whether a protease-modulating polyacrylate- (PA-) containing hydrogel resulted in a more efficient wound-bed preparation of venous leg ulcers when compared to an amorphous hydrogel without known protease-modulating properties. METHODS Patients were ran...

Traditional optical systems utilize mechanical parts (e.g., gears, motors, and drivers) to allow adjustable focusing and magnification. Emerging variable-focus microlenses have exhibited the potential to miniaturize and advance optical systems without the need for mechanical parts, impacting significantly on a multitude of fields, such as cameras, biomedical instruments, and lab-on-a-chip syste...