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Wang A, Pollack GH. Exclusion-zone water inside and outside of plant xylem vessels. Sci Rep 2024; 14:12071. [PMID: 38802675 PMCID: PMC11130298 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-62983-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
The fourth phase of water has garnered increased attention within the scientific community due to its distinct properties that differentiate it from regular water. This unique state seems to arise potentially from a liquid crystalline structure, which has been observed near various hydrophilic surfaces to possess the capability of excluding microspheres. Consequently, it has been labeled as exclusion zone (EZ) water. When in contact with hydrophilic surfaces, water could exhibit the ability to form organized layers of EZ water. In this study, we investigated the quick buildup of EZ water exposed to xylem vessels of four vegetable plants: cabbage, celery, asparagus, and pumpkin. Among them, pumpkin vessels showed larger EZs, up to 240 ± 56 μm in width. The width of EZ water found near the xylem vessels of the other plants ranged from 133 ± 22 to 142 ± 20 μm. EZ water generally excludes a wide range of particles, including polystyrene microspheres with various surface modifications, as well as silica microspheres. This implies that the formation of EZ water is not an artificial result of using specific microsphere types but rather demonstrates EZ's ability to exclude particles regardless of their composition. Inside single xylem vessels of the pumpkin, we could observe the dynamics of EZ buildup, growing from the inside edge of the vessel toward the center. The relationship between vessel diameter, vessel length, and salt concentration on EZ generation inside the xylem vessel was also explored. The results showed that EZ water can build up both inside and outside the xylem vessels. Our findings suggest that EZ generation inside xylem vessels is associated with water flow, likely driven by a proton gradient. Further research is warranted to elucidate the role of EZ water in the physiology of living plants, particularly considering the limitations of the current experiments conducted on cut-out xylem vessel samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anqi Wang
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Box 355061, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA.
| | - Gerald H Pollack
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Box 355061, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
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2
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Zhang M, An H, Gu Z, Zhang YC, Wan T, Jiang HR, Zhang FS, Jiang BG, Han N, Wen YQ, Zhang PX. Multifunctional wet-adhesive chitosan/acrylic conduit for sutureless repair of peripheral nerve injuries. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 253:126793. [PMID: 37709238 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.126793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
The incidence of peripheral nerve injury (PNI) is high worldwide, and a poor prognosis is common. Surgical closure and repair of the affected area are crucial to ensure the effective treatment of peripheral nerve injuries. Despite being the standard treatment approach, reliance on sutures to seal the severed nerve ends introduces several limitations and restrictions. This technique is intricate and time-consuming, and the application of threading and punctate sutures may lead to tissue damage and heightened tension concentrations, thus increasing the risk of fixation failure and local inflammation. This study aimed to develop easily implantable chitosan-based peripheral nerve repair conduits that combine acrylic acid and cleavable N-hydroxysuccinimide to reduce nerve damage during repair. In ex vivo tissue adhesion tests, the conduit achieved maximal interfacial toughness of 705 J m-2 ± 30 J m-2, allowing continuous bridging of the severed nerve ends. Adhesive repair significantly reduces local inflammation caused by conventional sutures, and the positive charge of chitosan disrupts the bacterial cell wall and reduces implant-related infections. This promises to open new avenues for sutureless nerve repair and reliable medical implants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Zhang
- Department of Orthopedics and Trauma, Peking University People's Hospital, Key Laboratory of Trauma and Neural Regeneration, Peking University, National Center for Trauma Medicine, Beijing 100044, China.
| | - Heng An
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Bioengineering and Sensing Technology, Daxing Research Institute, School of Chemistry & Biological Engineering, University of Science & Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China.
| | - Zhen Gu
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Bioengineering and Sensing Technology, Daxing Research Institute, School of Chemistry & Biological Engineering, University of Science & Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China.
| | - Yi-Chong Zhang
- Department of Orthopedics and Trauma, Peking University People's Hospital, Key Laboratory of Trauma and Neural Regeneration, Peking University, National Center for Trauma Medicine, Beijing 100044, China.
| | - Teng Wan
- Department of Orthopedics and Trauma, Peking University People's Hospital, Key Laboratory of Trauma and Neural Regeneration, Peking University, National Center for Trauma Medicine, Beijing 100044, China.
| | - Hao-Ran Jiang
- Department of Orthopedics and Trauma, Peking University People's Hospital, Key Laboratory of Trauma and Neural Regeneration, Peking University, National Center for Trauma Medicine, Beijing 100044, China.
| | - Feng-Shi Zhang
- Department of Orthopedics and Trauma, Peking University People's Hospital, Key Laboratory of Trauma and Neural Regeneration, Peking University, National Center for Trauma Medicine, Beijing 100044, China.
| | - Bao-Guo Jiang
- Department of Orthopedics and Trauma, Peking University People's Hospital, Key Laboratory of Trauma and Neural Regeneration, Peking University, National Center for Trauma Medicine, Beijing 100044, China.
| | - Na Han
- Department of Orthopedics and Trauma, Peking University People's Hospital, Key Laboratory of Trauma and Neural Regeneration, Peking University, National Center for Trauma Medicine, Beijing 100044, China.
| | - Yong-Qiang Wen
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Bioengineering and Sensing Technology, Daxing Research Institute, School of Chemistry & Biological Engineering, University of Science & Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China.
| | - Pei-Xun Zhang
- Department of Orthopedics and Trauma, Peking University People's Hospital, Key Laboratory of Trauma and Neural Regeneration, Peking University, National Center for Trauma Medicine, Beijing 100044, China.
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Li Z, Pollack GH. On the driver of blood circulation beyond the heart. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0289652. [PMID: 37856567 PMCID: PMC10586597 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0289652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Accepted: 07/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The heart is widely acknowledged as the unique driver of blood circulation. Recently, we discovered a flow-driving mechanism that can operate without imposed pressure, using infrared (IR) energy to propel flow. We considered the possibility that, by exploiting this mechanism, blood vessels, themselves, could propel flow. We verified the existence of this driving mechanism by using a three-day-old chick-embryo model. When the heart was stopped, blood continued to flow for approximately 50 minutes, albeit at a lower velocity. When IR was introduced, the postmortem flow increased from ~41.1 ± 25.6 μm/s to ~153.0 ± 59.5 μm/s (n = 6). When IR energy was diminished under otherwise physiological conditions, blood failed to flow. Hence, this IR-dependent, vessel-based flow-driving mechanism may indeed operate in the circulatory system, complementing the action of the heart.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng Li
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Gerald H. Pollack
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
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4
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Kowacz M, Withanage S, Niestępski S. Voltage and concentration gradients across membraneless interface generated next to hydrogels: relation to glycocalyx. SOFT MATTER 2023; 19:7528-7540. [PMID: 37750247 DOI: 10.1039/d3sm00889d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
Next to many hydrophilic surfaces, including those of biological cells and tissues, a layer of water that effectively excludes solutes and particles can be generated. This interfacial water is the subject of research aiming for practical applications such as removal of salts, pathogens or manipulation of biomolecules. However, the exact mechanism of its creation is still elusive because its persistence and extension contradict hydrogen-bond dynamics and electric double layer predictions. The experimentally recorded negative voltage of this interfacial water remains to be properly explained. Even less is known about the nature of such water layers in biological systems. We present experimental evidence for ion and particle exclusion as a result of separation of ionic charges with distinct diffusion rates across a liquid junction at the gel/water interface and the subsequent repulsion of ions of a given sign by a like-charged gel surface. Gels represent features of biological interfaces (in terms of functional groups and porosity) and are subject to biologically relevant chemical triggers. Our results show that gels with -OSO3- and -COO- groups can effectively generate ion- and particle-depleted regions of water reaching over 100 μm and having negative voltage up to -30 mV. Exclusion distance and electric potential depend on the liquid junction potential at the gel/water interface and on the concentration gradient at the depleted region/bulk interface, respectively. The voltage and extension of these ion- and particle-depleted water layers can be effectively modified by CO2 (respiratory gas) or KH2PO4 (cell metabolite). Possible implications pertain to biologically unstirred water layers and a cell's bioenergetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Kowacz
- Department of Reproductive Immunology & Pathology, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research Polish Academy of Sciences, Tuwima 10, 10-748 Olsztyn, Poland.
| | - Sinith Withanage
- Department of Reproductive Immunology & Pathology, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research Polish Academy of Sciences, Tuwima 10, 10-748 Olsztyn, Poland.
| | - Sebastian Niestępski
- Department of Reproductive Immunology & Pathology, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research Polish Academy of Sciences, Tuwima 10, 10-748 Olsztyn, Poland.
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Tissutal and Fluidic Aspects in Osteopathic Manual Therapy: A Narrative Review. Healthcare (Basel) 2022; 10:healthcare10061014. [PMID: 35742064 PMCID: PMC9222872 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare10061014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Revised: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Over the years, several authors have discussed the possibility of considering somatic dysfunction (SD) as a “nosological element” detectable on palpation. There are many aspects to consider regarding the etiology and diagnosis of SD, and the literature on osteopathic issues provides details on physiological signs that characterize it, including tissue texture changes. Recent knowledge suggests that how tissue and, in particular, connective tissue, responds to osteopathic treatment may depend on the modulation of the inflammation degree. Low-grade inflammation (LGI) may act on the extracellular matrix (ECM) and on cellular elements; and these mechanisms may be mediated by biological water. With its molecules organized in structures called exclusion zones (EZ), water could explain the functioning of both healthy and injured tissues, and how they can respond to osteopathic treatment with possible EZ normalization as a result. The relationship between inflammation and DS and the mechanisms involved are described by several authors; however, this review suggests a new model relating to the characteristics of DS and to its clinical implications by linking to LGI. Tissue alterations detectable by osteopathic palpation would be mediated by body fluids and in particular by biological water which has well-defined biophysical characteristics. Research in this area is certainly still to be explored, but our suggestion seems plausible to explain many dynamics related to osteopathic treatment. We believe that this could open up a fascinating scenario of therapeutic possibilities and knowledge in the future.
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Hu Y, Zhang Y, Cheng Y. Kinetic insight on the long-range exclusion of dissolved substances by interfacial interactions of water and hydrophilic surface. J Mol Liq 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molliq.2021.118118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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7
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Wang X, Jia P, Sun S, He X, Lu TJ, Xu F, Feng S. Evaporation-Induced Diffusion Acceleration in Liquid-Filled Porous Materials. ACS OMEGA 2021; 6:21646-21654. [PMID: 34471768 PMCID: PMC8388088 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.1c03052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Liquid-filled porous materials exist widely in nature and engineering fields, with the diffusion of substances in them playing an important role in system functions. Although surface evaporation is often inevitable in practical scenarios, the evaporation effects on diffusion behavior in liquid-filled porous materials have not been well explored yet. In this work, we performed noninvasive diffusion imaging experiments to observe the diffusion process of erioglaucine disodium salt dye in a liquid-filled nitrocellulose membrane under a wide range of relative humidities (RHs). We found that evaporation can significantly accelerate the diffusion rate and alter concentration distribution compared with the case without evaporation. We explained the accelerated diffusion phenomenon by the mechanism that evaporation would induce a weak flow in liquid-filled porous materials, which leads to convective diffusion, i.e., evaporation-induced flow and diffusion (EIFD). Based on the EIFD mechanism, we proposed a convective diffusion model to quantitatively predict the diffusion process in liquid-filled porous materials under evaporation and experimentally validated the model. Introducing the dimensionless Peclet (P e) number to measure the relative contribution of the evaporation effect to pure molecular diffusion, we demonstrated that even at a high RH of 95%, where the evaporation effect is usually assumed negligible in common sense, the evaporation-induced diffusion still overwhelms the molecular diffusion. The flow velocity induced by evaporation in liquid-filled porous materials was found to be 0.4-5 μm/s, comparable to flow in many biological and biomedical systems. The present analysis may help to explain the driving mechanism of tissue perfusion and provide quantitative analysis or inspire new control methods of flow and material exchange in numerous cutting-edge technologies, such as paper-based diagnostics, hydrogel-based flexible electronics, evaporation-induced electricity generation, and seawater purification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuefeng Wang
- The
Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of
Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, P. R. China
- Bioinspired
Engineering and Biomechanics Center (BEBC), Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, P.
R. China
| | - Pengpeng Jia
- The
Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of
Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, P. R. China
- Bioinspired
Engineering and Biomechanics Center (BEBC), Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, P.
R. China
| | - Shanyouming Sun
- Bioinspired
Engineering and Biomechanics Center (BEBC), Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, P.
R. China
| | - Xiaocong He
- The
Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of
Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, P. R. China
- Bioinspired
Engineering and Biomechanics Center (BEBC), Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, P.
R. China
| | - Tian Jian Lu
- State
Key Laboratory of Mechanics and Control of Mechanical Structures, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, P. R. China
- Nanjing
Center for Multifunctional Lightweight Materials and Structures (MLMS), Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, P. R. China
| | - Feng Xu
- The
Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of
Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, P. R. China
- Bioinspired
Engineering and Biomechanics Center (BEBC), Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, P.
R. China
| | - Shangsheng Feng
- The
Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of
Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, P. R. China
- Bioinspired
Engineering and Biomechanics Center (BEBC), Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, P.
R. China
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8
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Mercado-Uribe H, Guevara-Pantoja FJ, García-Muñoz W, García-Maldonado JS, Méndez-Alcaraz JM, Ruiz-Suárez JC. On the evolution of the exclusion zone produced by hydrophilic surfaces: A contracted description. J Chem Phys 2021; 154:194902. [PMID: 34240904 DOI: 10.1063/5.0043084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
After exciting scientific debates about its nature, the development of the exclusion zone, a region near hydrophilic surfaces from which charged colloidal particles are strongly expelled, has been finally traced back to the diffusiophoresis produced by unbalanced ion gradients. This was done by numerically solving the coupled Poisson equation for electrostatics, the two stationary Stokes equations for low Reynolds numbers in incompressible fluids, and the Nernst-Planck equation for mass transport. Recently, it has also been claimed that the leading mechanism behind the diffusiophoretic phenomenon is electrophoresis [Esplandiu et al., Soft Matter 16, 3717 (2020)]. In this paper, we analyze the evolution of the exclusion zone based on a one-component interaction model at the Langevin equation level, which leads to simple analytical expressions instead of the complex numerical scheme of previous works, yet being consistent with it. We manage to reproduce the evolution of the exclusion zone width and the mean-square displacements of colloidal particles we measure near Nafion, a perfluorinated polymer membrane material, along with all characteristic time regimes, in a unified way. Our findings are also strongly supported by complementary experiments using two parallel planar conductors kept at a fixed voltage, mimicking the hydrophilic surfaces, and some computer simulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Mercado-Uribe
- CINVESTAV-Monterrey, PIIT, 66600 Apodaca, Nuevo León, Mexico
| | | | - W García-Muñoz
- CINVESTAV-Monterrey, PIIT, 66600 Apodaca, Nuevo León, Mexico
| | - J S García-Maldonado
- Departamento de Física, CINVESTAV, Av. IPN 2508, Col. San Pedro Zacatenco, 07360 Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - J M Méndez-Alcaraz
- Departamento de Física, CINVESTAV, Av. IPN 2508, Col. San Pedro Zacatenco, 07360 Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - J C Ruiz-Suárez
- CINVESTAV-Monterrey, PIIT, 66600 Apodaca, Nuevo León, Mexico
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Kowacz M, Pollack GH. Propolis-induced exclusion of colloids: Possible new mechanism of biological action. COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE COMMUNICATIONS 2020; 38:100307. [PMID: 32864353 PMCID: PMC7442903 DOI: 10.1016/j.colcom.2020.100307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Revised: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 08/12/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Propolis is a natural product originating from life activity of honeybees. It exhibits wide range of biological properties applicable in medicine, the food industry, and cosmetics. Chemically, propolis is a complex and variable mixture with more than 300 identified biologically active components. Propolis's many health-promoting effects are attributed to different biochemical mechanisms, mediated by often-concerted actions of some of its many constituents. Propolis is considered safe and biocompatible. Yet due to its intrinsic complexity, standardization of propolis preparations for medical use as well as prediction of e.g. pathogen-specific interactions becomes a non-trivial task. In this work we demonstrate a new physical mechanism of propolis action, largely independent of specific nuances of propolis chemistry, which may underlie some of its biological actions. We show that propolis-bearing surfaces generate an extensive exclusion zone (EZ) water layer. EZ is an interfacial region of water capable of excluding solutes ranging from ions to microorganisms. Propolis-generated EZ may constitute an effective barrier, physically disabling the approach of various pathogens to the propolis-functionalized surfaces. We suggest possible implications of this new mechanism for propolis-based prevention of respiratory infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Kowacz
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Box 355061, Seattle, WA 98195, United States
| | - Gerald H Pollack
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Box 355061, Seattle, WA 98195, United States
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