An anisotropic three-dimensional electrospun micro/nanofibrous hybrid PLA/PCL scaffold

Facile Fabrication of Anisotropic Multicompartmental Microfibers Using Charge Reversal Electrohydrodynamic Co-Jetting

Anisotropic microstructures are utilized in various fields owing to their unique properties, such as reversible shape transitions or on-demand and sequential release of drug combinations. In this study, anisotropic multicompartmental microfibers composed of different polymers are prepared via charge reversal electrohydrodynamic (EHD) co-jetting. The combination of various polymers, such as thermoplastic polyurethane, poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide), poly(vinyl cinnamate), and poly(methyl methacrylate), results in microfibers with distinct compositional boundaries. Charge reversal during EHD co-jetting enables facile fabrication of multicompartmental microfibers with the desired composition and tunable inner architecture, broadening their spectrum of potential applications, such as functional microfibers and cell scaffolds with multiple physical and chemical properties.

Advanced mycelium materials as potential self-growing biomedical scaffolds

Mycelia, the vegetative part of fungi, are emerging as the avant-garde generation of natural, sustainable, and biodegradable materials for a wide range of applications. They are constituted of a self-growing and interconnected fibrous network of elongated cells, and their chemical and physical properties can be adjusted depending on the conditions of growth and the substrate they are fed upon. So far, only extracts and derivatives from mycelia have been evaluated and tested for biomedical applications. In this study, the entire fibrous structures of mycelia of the edible fungi Pleurotus ostreatus and Ganoderma lucidum are presented as self-growing bio-composites that mimic the extracellular matrix of human body tissues, ideal as tissue engineering bio-scaffolds. To this purpose, the two mycelial strains are inactivated by autoclaving after growth, and their morphology, cell wall chemical composition, and hydrodynamical and mechanical features are studied. Finally, their biocompatibility and direct interaction with primary human dermal fibroblasts are investigated. The findings demonstrate the potentiality of mycelia as all-natural and low-cost bio-scaffolds, alternative to the tissue engineering systems currently in place.

Electrospun nanofibrous membrane for filtration of coconut neera

Coconut neera is a nutritious natural drink that is rich in amino acids, polyphenols, vitamins, and minerals. Nevertheless, the inherent presence of yeast activates natural fermentation. To prevent the fermentation process, it is necessary to reduce the yeast load in fresh neera, at the earliest possible. In this research, an electrospun polycaprolactone nanofibrous membrane was used for the removal of yeast from coconut neera. Randomly oriented non-woven nanofibers were fabricated using the electrospinning process. The process conditions were optimized at 15 kV applied voltage, 8 cm distance between the spinneret needle and the collector plate, and 1.6 ml/h feed flow rate for the best nanofiber characteristics and high filtration efficiency. The optimized nanofibrous membrane for neera filtration had an average fiber diameter of 942 nm, average porosity of 73.26%, and a mean thickness of 150 µm. Results confirmed that the porosity of the membrane had a significant effect on the flow rate of permeate. The biochemical characteristics of neera filtrate were investigated. In comparison with fresh neera, the filtered counterpart had significant changes in titratable acidity, pH, and color. While no significant changes were observed in total soluble solids content, slight reductions were noted in the total polyphenolic content and minerals. Importantly, the neera filtrate obtained through the optimized nanofibrous membrane showed a 2 log-reduction in yeast load. The effective reusability of the membrane and stability of the nanofiber morphology at repeated usage was confirmed. This approach shows prospects for neera filtration while retaining nutrient content and can be extended to other natural extract applications.

Fabrication and characterization of polylactic acid/polycaprolactone composite macroporous micro-nanofiber scaffolds by phase separation

By using incompatible polymers, the preparation of scaffolds with a macroporous structure has overcome the use of porogens and carcinogenic solvents.