Improved Osteogenesis by Mineralization Combined With Double-Crosslinked Hydrogel Coating for Proliferation and Differentiation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells

In consideration of improving the interface problems of poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) that hindered biomedical use, surface coatings have been explored as an appealing strategy in establishing a multi-functional coating for osteogenesis. Though the layer-by-layer (LBL) coating developed, a few studies have applied double-crosslinked hydrogels in this technique. In this research, we established a bilayer coating with double-crosslinked hydrogels [alginate–gelatin methacrylate (GelMA)] containing bone morphogenic protein (BMP)-2 [alginate-GelMA/hydroxyapatite (HA)/BMP-2], which displayed great biocompatibility and osteogenesis. The characterization of the coating showed improved properties and enhanced wettability of the native PLLA. To evaluate the biosafety and inductive ability of osteogenesis, the behavior (viability, adherence, and proliferation) and morphology of human bone mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs) on the bilayer coatings were tested by multiple exams. The satisfactory function of osteogenesis was verified in bilayer coatings. We found the best ratios between GelMA and alginate for biological applications. The Alg70-Gel30 and Alg50-Gel50 groups facilitated the osteogenic transformation of hBMSCs. In brief, alginate-GelMA/HA/BMP-2 could increase the hBMSCs’ early transformation of osteoblast lineage and promote the osteogenesis of bone defect, especially the outer hydrogel layer such as Alg70-Gel30 and Alg50-Gel50.

Room-temperature growth of covalent organic frameworks as the stationary phase for open-tubular capillary electrochromatography

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are a class of porous materials with high surface area, high porosity, good stability and tunable structure that have been widely used in the separation area. In this work, we have proposed the in situ synthesis of a novel COF composed of 4,4',4''-(1,3,5-triazine-2,4,6-triyl)trianiline (Tz) and 1,4-dihydroxyterephthalaldehyde (Da) onto the capillary inner surface for electrochromatographic separation. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, elemental analysis (EA) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) have facilitated the characterization of the prepared capillary columns. The COF (TzDa) modified OT-CEC column exhibited satisfactory separation selectivity towards neutral compounds (such as chlorobenzenes and alkylbenzenes), acidic and basic compounds (such as phenols and anilines), food additives (vanillin and its analogues) and small biomolecules (such as amino acids and polypeptides). Furthermore, the TzDa modified capillary was quite stable and reproducible. The relative standard deviations for retention times of the test analytes (alkylbenzenes) were as follows: for intra-day (n = 3) runs (≤1.74%), inter-day (n = 3) runs (≤2.25%) and between columns (n = 3) (≤4.83%). This new type of COF-based stationary phase has tremendous potential in separation science.

Hydroxyapatite surface-functionalized monolithic column for selective in-tube solid phase microextraction of zoleronic acid and risedronic acid

To date, hydroxyapatite (HAP) based monoliths were mainly fabricated by directly doping of HAP, which suffered from less effective coverage of HAP. Herein, a HAP surface-functionalized monolithic column (HAP@PDA@UF) has been prepared by in-situ biomineralization and applied as sorbent for selective in-tube solid phase microextraction of zoleronic acid and risedronic acid. A polydopamine coating was first generated on the surface of the parent urea-formaldehyde resin monolith; and then HAP microcrystals were further grew on the polydopamine coating to achieve this preparation. SEM, EDAX, FTIR, XPS and mercury intrusion method were utilized for the characterization of the HAP@PDA@UF monolith, and provided evidences of this successful preparation. The selective extraction mechanism of the HAP@PDA@UF monolith was investigated by the optimization of methanol percentage in the sampling solution, phosphate concentration in the eluent. Other crucial factors, including sampling and elution flow rate, and collection time span, were also optimized for the desired SPME performance. Under the optimal conditions, the proposed method showed low LODs of 0.1 μg/mL, satisfactory recoveries of 79.6%-92.5% with RSDs less than 2.7%, and good reproducibility with RSD less than 6.9%, which demonstrated the excellent application of the HAP@PDA@UF monolith, and its potential as a promising selective sorbent for bisphosphonates.

Universal Surface Coating with a Non-Phenolic Molecule, Sulfonated Pyrene

Nature-inspired small molecules such as catecholamines and polyphenols have gained a great deal of attention because of the exceptional surface-coating property that is applicable to many diverse substrates. Many researchers have conducted studies to expand molecular pools with surface-coating properties, but previous reports have still been limited to phenolic molecules as surface-coating agents. In this study, we describe for the first time the material-independent coating properties of nonphenolic molecules, namely, sulfonated pyrenes with Zr^IV ions. Owing to the binding capability with several oxygen-containing ligands, Zr^IV can be used for the molecular assembly of sulfonated pyrenes. We also report on the mixing of multiple sulfonated pyrenes and Zr^IV results in cross-linked complexes that can coat diverse solid substrates. The resulting coating can serve as a platform for grafting functional polysaccharides.

Fluoro-functionalized stationary phases for electrochromatographic separation of organic fluorides

Fluorous affinity means remarkably specific interaction between highly organic fluorides. This work aims to explore the potential of fluoro-functionalized stationary phase for the separation of organic fluorides by means of fluorous-fluorous interaction. Here, by using the Michael addition strategy between 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecanethiol (PFDT) and polydopamine (PD), a novel fluoro-functionalized stationary phase was synthesized for open-tubular capillary electrochromatography (OT-CEC). The PFDT@PD was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and X-ray Photoelectron Spectrometer (XPS). The PFDT@PD@capillary exhibited outstanding separation performance towards neutral compounds (such as alkylbenzenes and chlorobenzenes) and organic fluorides (such as fluorobenzenes and perfluoroalkyl methacrylates etc.) with high resolution and high separation efficiency by hydrophobic interaction and fluorous-fluorous interaction. In addition, the column shows good stability and reproducibility. The relative standard deviations (RSDs) of the retention time for intra-day (n = 5) and inter-day (n = 3) runs and between columns (n = 3) are less than 0.39%, 1.22% and 3.87%, respectively. This novel type of fluoro-functionalized stationary phase represents a great application potential in organic fluorides separation field.

In situ one-pot synthesis of polydopamine/octadecylamine co-deposited coating in capillary for open-tubular capillary electrochromatography

Mussel-inspired polydopamine (PDA) based materials are attractive as stationary phase for open-tubular capillary electrochromatography (OT-CEC) due to their many fascinating properties. However, all of the existing strategies for fabricating PDA based OT-CEC columns are limited in aqueous solutions. Consequently, it is a challenge work to directly immobilize the hydrophobic functional materials onto the inner wall of PDA modified capillary. Herein, by using the organic amine-inducing co-deposition strategy, a novel preparative method was developed for in situ one-pot synthesis of PDA/octadecylamine (ODA) co-deposited coating inside capillary as OT-CEC stationary phase. The formation and morphology of the PDA/ODA co-deposited coating were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscope, attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and contact angle measurements. The separation performance of the fabricated PDA/ODA modified columns was validated by the separation of alkylbenzenes and steroids, which could achieve baseline separation with high separation efficiency. Their separation was found to follow the reversed phase chromatographic retention mechanism. The co-deposited column showed good stability and long lifetime. The repeatability of the PDA/ODA co-deposited column was also evaluated, with the relative standard deviations for intra-day and inter-day runs less than 5% and column-to-column runs less than 6%.

Recent advancements in open-tubular liquid chromatography and capillary electrochromatography during 2014-2018

This review critically discusses the developments on open-tubular liquid chromatography (OT-LC) and open-tubular capillary electrochromatography (OT-CEC) during 2014-2018. An appropriate Scopus search revealed 5 reviews, 4 theoretical papers on open-tubular format chromatography, 29 OT-LC articles, 68 OT-CEC articles and 4 OT-LC/OT-CEC articles, indicating a sustained interest in these areas. The open-tubular format typically uses a capillary column with inner walls that are coated with an ample layer or coating of solid stationary phase material. The ratio between the capillary internal diameter and coating thickness (CID/CT) is ideally ≤ 100 for appropriate chromatographic retention. We, therefore, approximated the CID/CT ratios and found that 22 OT-LC papers have CID/CT ratios ≤100. The other 7 OT-LC papers have CID/CT ratio >100 but have clearly demonstrated chromatographic retention. These 29 papers utilised reversed phase or ion exchange mechanisms using known or innovative solid stationary phase materials (e.g. metal organic frameworks), stationary pseudophases from ionic surfactants or porous supports. On the other hand, we found that 68 OT-CEC papers, 7 OT-LC papers and 4 OT-LC & OT-CEC papers have CID/CT ratios >100. Notably, 44 papers (42 OT-CEC and 2 OT-LC & OT-CEC) did not report the retention factor and/or effective electrophoretic mobility of analytes. Considering all covered papers, the most popular activity was on the development of new chromatographic materials as coatings. However, we encourage OT-CEC researchers to not only characterise changes in the electroosmotic flow but also verify the interaction of the analytes with the coating. In addition, the articles reported were largely driven by stationary phase or support development and not by practical applications.

Polydopamine Surface Chemistry: A Decade of Discovery

Polydopamine is one of the simplest and most versatile approaches to functionalizing material surfaces, having been inspired by the adhesive nature of catechols and amines in mussel adhesive proteins. Since its first report in 2007, a decade of studies on polydopamine molecular structure, deposition conditions, and physicochemical properties have ensued. During this time, potential uses of polydopamine coatings have expanded in many unforeseen directions, seemingly only limited by the creativity of researchers seeking simple solutions to manipulating surface chemistry. In this review, we describe the current state of the art in polydopamine coating methods, describe efforts underway to uncover and tailor the complex structure and chemical properties of polydopamine, and identify emerging trends and needs in polydopamine research, including the use of dopamine analogs, nitrogen-free polyphenolic precursors, and improvement of coating mechanical properties.

Open tubular-capillary electrochromatography: Developments and applications from 2013 to 2015

Open tubular CEC (OT-CEC) separates analyte mixtures by a combination of electrophoretic, electro-osmotic, and/or chromatographic effects. OT-CEC research is an active and growing field, with studies encompassing a wide range of investigations related to new strategies for chemical modification of the inner surface of the capillary, leading to the introduction of novel stationary phase coatings. This review has examined the literature on OT-CEC from 2013 to August 2015 and highlights the developments in the fabrication of highly selective stationary phases, based on materials that include cyclodextrin chiral selectors, graphene and graphene oxide, metal-organic frameworks, molecularly imprinted polymers, nanoparticles, nanolatex particles, nanocomposites, in situ generated polymers, block polymers, tentacle-type polymers, polyelectrolyte multilayers, polysaccharides, phospholipids, and proteins. This review, while considering the development of novel OT-CEC coating materials, specifically examines different immobilization or coating methodologies and approaches and also discusses the separation mechanisms that occur with these new materials. These OT-CEC coatings are intended mainly to separate low molecular weight molecules relevant to the pharmaceutical, agricultural, and food industries as well as for use in environmental monitoring.

Polydopamine-supported immobilization of covalent-organic framework-5 in capillary as stationary phase for electrochromatographic separation

Covalent-organic frameworks (COFs) are attractive materials for their fascinating properties, such as rigid structures, exceptional thermal stabilities, low densities, and permanent porosity with specific surface areas, which indicate potential for application in chromatography similar to related metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). However, the utilization of COFs in analytical chemistry is far behind as compared to that of the MOFs due to the challenging work of their immobilization. Here, we have successfully demonstrated the growth of the boron COF-5 on the inner wall of the fused silica capillary by a developed polydopamine-supported method. Combined with the layer-by-layer strategy, multilayer COF-5-coated capillary was obtained. The formation of COF-5 on polydopamine-coated substrate has been confirmed by scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction. A novel stationary phase of COF-5 was developed on the basis of successful growth of COF-5 on polydopamine for open-tubular capillary electrochromatography (OT-CEC). Baseline separation of neutral, acidic and basic analytes was achieved on multilayer COF-5-coated capillary column. The fabricated capillary columns showed high column efficiency (154,060 plates/m for methylbenzene), excellent stability and repeatability. The precision (relative standard deviation (RSD), n=3) of retention time, peak height, and peak area for tested neutral compounds were in the range of 1.2-1.3%, 1.8-4.2%, and 0.9-2.4%, respectively. To the best of our knowledge, it was the first demonstration that COF-5 was developed as a novel stationary phase.

Polydopamine-functionalized polymer particles as templates for mineralization of hydroxyapatite: biomimetic and in vitro bioactivity

Polydopamine-assisted biomimetic mineralization was presented to fabricate hydroxyapatite-based, organic–inorganic hybrid materials with excellent biocompatibility.

Layer-by-layer self-assembly of polydopamine/gold nanoparticle/thiol coating as the stationary phase for open tubular capillary electrochromatography

Much attention has been paid to utilizing polydopamine (PDA) as the stationary phase in open-tubular capillary electrochromatography (OT-CEC) owing to its diverse properties, such as strong adhesion to various surfaces, latent reactivity toward amine and thiol groups and metal ion chelating/redox activities. In this study, a novel open-tubular capillary column coated with polydopamine/gold nanoparticles/thiols (PDA/Au NPs/thiols) has been fabricated based on the multiple properties of PDA for the first time. The capillary inner surface was firstly functionalized with a layer of PDA/Au NPs using the strong adhesive and metal ion redox properties of PDA. Thiols were then introduced and covalently reacted with the hybrid coating based on the Michael addition reaction of PDA and thiols and also Au-S bonds. Moreover, benefitting from the porosity of PDA, layer-by-layer (LBL) self-assembly was further applied to increase the amounts of stationary phase (Au NPs and thiols), which can significantly enhance the separation effectiveness and stability of the coated column. The formation of the PDA/Au NP/thiol coating in the capillary was confirmed and characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive Spectrometry (EDS) and AFM (Atomic Force Microscopy). Then the separation effectiveness of the PDA/Au NP/thiol@capillary was verified by the separation of alkylbenzenes, which can achieve baseline separation easily with high column efficiency. In addition, the column showed long lifetime and good stability. The relative standard deviations (RSDs) for intra-day and inter-day repeatability of the PDA/Au NP/thiol@capillary were lower than 5%. Therefore, the layer-by-layer self-assembly of PDA/Au NPs/thiols on the capillary inner-surface could be an effective capillary modification strategy.

A supersandwich electrochemiluminescence immunosensor based on mimic-intramolecular interaction for sensitive detection of proteins

An electrochemiluminescence (ECL) immunoassay protocol was developed based on mimic-intramolecular interaction for sensitive detection of prostate specific antigen (PSA). It was constructed by integrating the ECL luminophore (tris(4,4'-dicarboxylicacid-2,2'-bipyridyl)-ruthenium(ii)dichloride (Ru(dcbpy)3(2+))) and coreactant (histidine) into the supersandwich DNA structure. This strategy was more effective in amplifying the ECL signal by shortening the electronic transmission distance, improving the ECL luminous stability and enhancing the ECL luminous efficiency. The ECL matrices denoted as MWCNTs@PDA-AuNPs were fabricated through spontaneous oxidative polymerization of dopamine (DA) on multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and reducing HAuCl4 to produce gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) by DA simultaneously. Then, the prepared matrices were applied to bind capture antibodies. Moreover, supersandwich Ab2 bioconjugate was designed using a PAMAM dendrimer to immobilize the detection antibody and supersandwich DNA structure. The PAMAM dendrimer, with a plurality of secondary and tertiary amine groups, not only facilitated high-density immobilization of the detection antibody and supersandwich DNA structure, but also greatly amplified the ECL signal of Ru(dcbpy)3(2+). The supersandwich DNA structure contained multiple Ru(dcbpy)3(2+) and histidine, further amplifying the ECL signal. The proposed supersandwich immunosensor showed high sensitivity with a detection limit of 4.2 fg mL(-1) and a wide linear range of 0.01 pg mL(-1)-40.00 ng mL(-1). With the excellent stability, satisfying precision and reproducibility, the proposed immunosensor indicates promising practicability for clinical diagnosis.

Multifunctional Electrochemical Platforms Based on the Michael Addition/Schiff Base Reaction of Polydopamine Modified Reduced Graphene Oxide: Construction and Application

In this paper, a new strategy for the construction of multifunctional electrochemical detection platforms based on the Michael addition/Schiff base reaction of polydopamine modified reduced graphene oxide was first proposed. Inspired by the mussel adhesion proteins, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DA) was selected as a reducing agent to simultaneously reduce graphene oxide and self-polymerize to obtain the polydopamine-reduced graphene oxide (PDA-rGO). The PDA-rGO was then functionalized with thiols and amines by the reaction of thiol/amino groups with quinine groups of PDA-rGO via the Michael addition/Schiff base reaction. Several typical compounds containing thiol and/or amino groups such as 1-[(4-amino)phenylethynyl] ferrocene (Fc-NH2), cysteine (cys), and glucose oxidase (GOx) were selected as the model molecules to anchor on the surface of PDA-rGO using the strategy for construction of multifunctional electrochemical platforms. The experiments revealed that the composite grafted with ferrocene derivative shows excellent catalysis activity toward many electroactive molecules and could be used for individual or simultaneous detection of dopamine hydrochloride (DA) and uric acid (UA), or hydroquinone (HQ) and catechol (CC), while, after grafting of cysteine on PDA-rGO, simultaneous discrimination detection of Pb(2+) and Cd(2+) was realized on the composite modified electrode. In addition, direct electron transfer of GOx can be observed when GOx-PDA-rGO was immobilized on glassy carbon electrode (GCE). When glucose was added into the system, the modified electrode showed excellent electric current response toward glucose. These results inferred that the proposed multifunctional electrochemical platforms could be simply, conveniently, and effectively regulated through changing the anchored recognition or reaction groups. This study would provide a versatile method to design more detection or biosensing platforms through a chemical reaction strategy in the future.

Covalent immobilization of graphene onto stainless steel wire for jacket-free stir bar sorptive extraction

Stainless steel wire is a good substrate for jacket-free stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE). In this work, we present the first example of chemical modification of graphene on stainless steel wire (SSW) for SBSE. Bio-inspired polydopamine was firstly modified on the SSW covalently; then graphene oxide was introduced and reacted with amino groups of polydopamine layer. The modification of polydopamine and graphene can be repeated by a layer-by-layer strategy, resulting in control of the thickness of graphene layer and increase of extraction capability. The prepared covalently immobilized graphene-stainless steel wire (G-SSW) exhibited good stability under stirring, ultrasonication and treatment with commonly used organic solvents, basic and acidic solutions. Application as stir bar for SBSE, G-SSW was found to possess good extraction efficiency towards pollutant polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), with enrichment factors from 10086 to 16896. After optimization of conditions, G-SSW based SBSE was coupled HPLC for determination of PAHs in environmental and food samples. The quantitative method has low limits of detection of 0.2-50pg/mL, which is better than some reported SBSE-HPLC methods. The method shows wide linear range (200-5000, 10-1000 and 1-1000pg/mL), good linearity (r≥0.9950) and good reproducibility (RSD≤4.97%). The method has been applied to soil and food samples, with good selectivity and good recoveries ranging from 88.5-113.6%.