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Pluronic F127 exhibits thermogelling behaviour at 20-30 °C via a micelle packing mechanism. Disruption of the micelle packing increases the sol-gel temperature, but results in the decrease of modulus. Herein, we reported a method to modify F127 with polyhedral oligosilsesquioxane (POSS) to impart a higher gelling temperature without yielding the property and strength of the thermogel. The thermal degradation temperature was enhanced to 15 °C after POSS incorporation and the gelling temperature shifted 10 °C higher, without sacrificing the modulus of the gel. Rheological studies supported the claim that the gel property was reinforced after POSS incorporation. F127-POSS copolymer matrix stored more energy from POSS reinforcement, which saw larger Lissajous curve areas before the collapse of the microstructure for the same amount of stress applied. These results indicated that modification with POSS would raise the sol-gel transition temperature without sacrificing the modulus of the gel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The synthesis and gene transfection efficiency of a series of amphiphilic copolymers, poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate)-poly (methacrylate isobutyl polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane) (PDMAEMA-POSS) copolymers are reported. The hydrophobic POSS interior allows a cell-sensitizing drug such as paclitaxel to be incorporated, whereas the cationic and hydrophilic PDMAEMA corona allows the complexation of anionic DNA to form a nano-sized polyplex. These drug-encapsulated copolymers display excellent gene transfection efficiency compared with polyethylenimine or PDMAEMA homopolymers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protein transport is an important phenomenon in biological systems. Proteins are transported via several mechanisms to reach their destined compartment of cell for its complete function. One such mechanism is the microtubule mediated protein transport. Up to now, there are no reports on synthetic systems mimicking the biological protein transport mechanism. Here we report a highly efficient method of mimicking the microtubule mediated protein transport using newly designed biotinylated peptides encompassing a microtubule-associated sequence (MTAS) and a nuclear localization signaling (NLS) sequence, and their final conjugation with streptavidin-coated CdSe/ZnS quantum dots (QDs). Our results demonstrate that these novel bio-conjugated QDs enhance the endosomal escape and promote targeted delivery into the nucleus of human mesenchymal stem cells via microtubules. Mimicking the cellular transport mechanism in stem cells is highly desirable for diagnostics, targeting and therapeutic applications, opening up new avenues in the area of drug delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A (110) oriented Tb0.3Dy0.7Fe1. 95 alloy rod was annealed at 500 °C under a magnetic field of 0.3 T, which was applied 35° away from the rod axis. X-ray diffraction characterization and optical microscopy observation showed that both the crystal orientation and morphologies were retained after magnetic annealing. Magnetic force microscopy images exhibited obvious change of the magnetic domain configurations. The magnetostrictive performance was changed drastically. Saturation axial magnetostriction λ||s increased from 1023 to 1650 ppm by the ratio of 61.3%, but saturation perpendicular magnetostriction λ⊥s decreased from --802 to --624 ppm. Maximum magnetostrictive strain coefficients d33 and d31 were found to be enhanced by 29.3% and 32.6%, respectively. In addition, the fields for obtaining both optimum d33 and d31 decreased, which indicates that better magnetostrictive performance can be achieved at lower external fields after magnetic annealing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]