Micro/Nano Scale (Non Electroninc)

Latest Innovations

Treatment Significantly Increases Conversion of Homocysteine to Methionine for Reducing Human Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) Risk and Use of Animal Feed Additives

 

This treatment method and pharmaceutical composition could be significantly more effective at lowering the risk of hyperhomocysteinemia-related cardiovascular...

 

This treatment method and pharmaceutical composition could be significantly more effective at lowering the risk of hyperhomocysteinemia-related cardiovascular disease than traditional betaine treatment. The treatment uses thetins, which are sulfonium analogs of betaine, to lower plasma homocysteine levels in humans and animals that have hyperhomocysteinemia, a condition that increases the risk of CVD. Thetins can confer a 700% faster methylation rate to the betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase catalyzed reaction when compared to equimolar concentrations of betaine. This method also might provide an effective alternative to methionine, choline, and betaine animal feed supplements, resulting in a lower cost feed that still maintains optimal animal performance.

This technology provides a novel product for highly effective conversion of homocysteine to methionine, with two applications: treatment of human/animal CVD associated with hyperhomocysteinemia and replacement of existing animal feed supplements.

CVD is a major cause of death in the United States. Of the almost 25% of Americans who will be diagnosed with the disease, 50% will die from it. The causes of CVD include hypertension, smoking, high blood cholesterol, genetic predisposition, and diet.

Homocysteine is an amino acid synthesized naturally in the body, although more often it exists as a byproduct of metabolism of another amino acid, methionine, obtained from eating meat. Elevated levels of homocysteine in the blood (blood levels of homocysteine over 15M, a condition called hyperhomocysteinemia) may be linked to an elevated risk of CVD in a manner similar to blood cholesterol levels.

Existing treatments for hyperhomocysteinemia include oral administration of pharmacological doses of a compound called betaine, either alone or with vitamin supplements. Betaine, a metabolite of choline oxidation, is a substrate for an enzyme called betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase, which adds a methyl group to homocysteine to create methionine. This treatment reduces plasma homocysteine by increasing the conversion of homocysteine to methionine; however it does not effectively lower plasma homocysteine to normal levels, still leaving considerable risk for CVD.

Betaine treatment also yields increased plasma and urine concentrations of betaine and an inhibitor of methionine production, dimethylglycine, a phenomenon which may explain the low efficacy of betaine. In the animal feed industry, routine supplementation of feeds with various nutrients helps improve animal growth, gestation, or lactation. Methionine often is added because it provides an essential amino acid, while addition of choline reduces the dietary requirements of the animals for methionine. Betaine is added to reduce both the dietary requirement for methionine and any choline requirement.

This novel treatment relies on compounds called thetins to decrease or inhibit physiological homocysteine levels. Thetins are more effective plasma homocysteine-lowering agents than betaine because they produce a greater flux through the betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase reaction in vivo, resulting in greater reductions in plasma homocysteine. This treatment has a 700% faster methylation rate than equimolar concentrations of betaine. In addition, thetins have no toxicity and are completely oxidized in mammals.

Administration of specific thetins, such as dimethylacetothetin or dimethylpropriothetin along with vitamin supplements and possibly betaine, might yield significantly lower CVD risk than previous methods. For treatment of CVD, a thetin is administered at a dose from 1 mg/kg to about 50 mg/kg. For animal feed supplements, a dose of up to approximately 0.75% of the diet, on a dry-weight basis, is used.

Use of thetins as human therapeutics or animal feed supplements has many advantages over existing, analogous treatments. Existing betaine treatments reduce plasma homocysteine in humans and animals that have hyperhomocysteinemia but not to normal levels. In vitro laboratory analyses indicate that thetins could increase homocysteine methylation up to 700% over equimolar betaine treatments, thus detoxifying homocysteine. Thetins (dimethylacetothetin and/or dimethylpropriothetin) also are more specific substrates for the betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase enzyme than betaine, and they produce byproducts with lower affinities for the enzyme.

These properties are in contrast to the betaine-related production of dimethylglycine, a known inhibitor of methionine production. Existing animal feed additives include expensive methionine, choline, and betaine to maximize animal performance. With its highly effective conversion of homocysteine to methionine, this treatment could eliminate the need for three expensive feed additives, thereby substantially lowering costs in maintaining optimal animal performance.

Applications

  • Clinical therapeutics: CVD pharmaceuticals
  • Animal husbandry: Feed additives

Benefits

  • This new treatment might significantly reduce the risk of CVD. It also might reduce the costs of animal feed by replacing current additives while still promoting optimal animal health
  • More effective at lowering plasma homocysteine: This alternative to betaine treatments could provide a significantly more effective method for reducing risks for CVD due to hyperhomocysteinemia. It increases the rate of methylation of homocysteine by 700% over that of equimolar betaine treatments
  • Lower animal feed costs: By eliminating the need for supplementing animal feeds with costly methionine, choline, and betaine, this feed additive could lower the feed costs for animals while still maintaining their optimal performance
  • Health care savings: This new treatment for hyperhomocysteinemia in humans could decrease morbidity and mortality rates from CVD and significantly lower health care costs 
  • No toxic effects: Thetins, the compounds comprising the pharmaceutical/nutritional component of the treatment, could replace betaine or dietary choline with no toxicity

Improving Bonding Properties of Surgical Glues for Cartilage Repair Using Liquid Crystal Matrices

 

This technology offers an improved approach to repairing damaged articular cartilage using traditional bonding adhesives or surgical glues. The technique removes...

 

This technology offers an improved approach to repairing damaged articular cartilage using traditional bonding adhesives or surgical glues. The technique removes synovial fluid, which inhibits the bonding of surgical glues, from the cartilage surface. A poly(hydroxy substituted amino acid) composite is mixed with the synovial fluid, forming a liquid crystalline matrix on the cartilage surface. This matrix can be easily removed, taking the synovial fluid with it and leaving behind a clean surface so that surgical glue can bond properly. By allowing surgical glues to bond properly to cartilage surfaces, this technology greatly improves the techniques used to repair articular cartilage damaged due to trauma or congenital abnormalities. Effective cartilage repair can relieve joint pain, restore joint function, and postpone or even eliminate the development of osteoarthritis.

This technology is a new method for enhancing the performance of surgical glue/adhesive during repair of articular cartilage.

Found in joints throughout the human body, articular cartilage is essential for proper joint function. Once damaged (through trauma or congenital abnormalities), articular cartilage has a limited capacity to repair itself. Proper repair usually requires reconstructive orthopedic surgery. Surgical methods can include transplantation or allografts, implantation of artificial prosthetic devices, and neocartilage formation utilizing isolated chondrocytes in an organic support matrix or scaffold.

However, these surgical methods have a key limitation: the adhesive or glue used in bonding and stabilizing the transplant, implant, or scaffold on the cartilage surface is negatively affected by the synovial fluid that provides lubrication and nutrition to joint tissues.

This technology creates a liquid crystalline matrix that can be easily removed, taking the synovial fluid with it and leaving behind a clean (i.e., fluid free) cartilage surface. Thus, the efficacy of the surgical adhesives/glues is enhanced rather than inhibited.

A solid or aqueous composition of poly(hydroxy substituted amino acid) is mixed with synovial fluid in the joint. This mixture forms a liquid crystalline (or mesomorphic) matrix on the surface of the cartilage.

For example, when aqueous polythreonine comes in contact with the synovial fluid in the joint, a gelatinous matrix forms that is birefringent (i.e., a liquid crystalline matrix). Other suitable polymers include polyserine, polytyrosine, poly(hydroxyproline), and poly-5-hydroxy lysine. Polymers of L-amino acids are preferred.

The polymer-synovial matrix can be easily removed from the cartilage surface, taking the synovial fluid with it and leaving behind a clean cartilage surface so that the surgical glue/adhesive can bond properly.

Although developed specifically for cartilage surfaces, it is expected that the technology also could be used to modify the surfaces of other joint-associated tissues, including bones, ligaments, and tendons.

Applications

  • Repair of articular cartilage in diarthrodial joints (e.g., knee, hip, shoulder, ankle, wrist, finger)
  • Modification of the surfaces of other joint-associated tissues (e.g., bones, ligaments, tendons) 

Benefits

  • Using standard polymeric composites, this technology enables surgical glues/adhesives to bond properly during cartilage repair procedures 
  • Enhances surgical glue performance: This technology removes synovial fluid from the cartilage surface, allowing surgical glues/adhesives to bond properly 
  • Improves cartilage repair: By enhancing glue performance, this technology provides an overall improvement to the articular cartilage repair process 
  • Simple: This technology is easy to implement during standard reconstructive orthopedic surgery 
  • Low cost: The poly(hydroxy substituted amino acid) needed to create the liquid crystalline matrix on the cartilage surface is inexpensive

A Method to Produce Janus Particles in Large Quantity

This innovation provides a simple and generalizeable method to synthesize Janus colloidal particles in large quantity. Janus particles offer unique opportunities in...

This innovation provides a simple and generalizeable method to synthesize Janus colloidal particles in large quantity. Janus particles offer unique opportunities in particle engineering for building particular structures; offering insight into the movement of particles and serving as a basis for new materials and sensors. Earlier methods to produce Janus particles of colloidal size (=1m in dimension) have been severely limited in the amount of product, but this method has overcome limitations on yield.

At the liquid-liquid interface of emulsified molten wax and water, untreated particles adsorb and are frozen in place when the wax solidifies. The exposed surfaces of the immobilized particles are modified chemically.

The wax is then dissolved and the inner surfaces are modified chemically. Janus particles, which have different chemical properties at different locations, could be used as potential building blocks for new 3D self-assembled structures. However, this purpose in particular requires a method to produce large quantities of material.

This invention offers tremendous control over the Janus Balance, the ratio of the two treated areas on each particle. The invention includes a number of ways to control this Janus Balance, giving the developer one more parameter to use in optimizing the end product.

Applications

  • Drug delivery: within the context of functional, biologically active molecules with polar moieties
  • Coatings: improved stability, color development, and viscosity control by choosing the right particle treatments and "Janus Balance" of the treatments
  • Nanoencapsulation: a wider range of functions in which the behavior of the particles can be determined by the surface composition
  • Stabilization of emulsions and foams
  • Cosmetic formulations

Benefits

  • High yield: The process is solution-based with an approximate 50% yield, allowing hundreds of grams of particles to be made per batch. This is several orders of magnitude larger than with traditional methods 
  • Manufacturability: The process uses mature, readily available technologies to synthesize the particles 
  • Low cost: Mechanical mixing and large quantities make the process inexpensive 

Versatility: The process and particles can be applied to a wide variety of applications

To learn more about an application for this method, click here. 

Janus Particle Application

A printable product including a substrate including fibers. The substrate has a first side and a second side. At least one of the first side and the second side of the...

A printable product including a substrate including fibers. The substrate has a first side and a second side. At least one of the first side and the second side of the substrate includes a surface layer that does not substantially contain inorganic particles and forms an outermost surface layer of the substrate, which surface layer includes hemicellulose. A method for manufacturing a printable product and to a surface treating agent for treating a substrate including fibers.

This is a potential application for the method to synthesize Janus particles. To learn more about this method, click here. 

Dual-Electrode Field-injection Electrohydrodynamic Spraying System

 

An electrohydrodynamic spray apparatus includes a liquid inlet and a spray nozzle in fluid communication with the liquid inlet, where the spray nozzle has an...

 

An electrohydrodynamic spray apparatus includes a liquid inlet and a spray nozzle in fluid communication with the liquid inlet, where the spray nozzle has an opening downstream of the liquid inlet. An inner electrode is situated at least partially inside the spray nozzle. An outer electrode is situated external to the spray nozzle and within about 100 mm of the opening of the nozzle. The electrohydrodynamic spray apparatus can be combined with a substrate to form an electrohydrodynamic spray system. The electrohydrodynamic spray apparatus or system can be used to form nanostructures such as nanodrops, nanoparticles and thin films.

Process for Producing Polymers with Improved Melt Flow Characteristics

 

This technology simplifies manufacturing processes for plastics while also improving melt flow characteristics of polymers. It is a method for inexpensive...

 

This technology simplifies manufacturing processes for plastics while also improving melt flow characteristics of polymers. It is a method for inexpensive synthesis of monomers for production of hyperbranched polymers (HBP). These polymers maintain desirable properties of linear polymers, such as thermal and chemical stability, while also maintaining high solubility and low viscosity.

This technology offers the plastics additives industry a way to produce an optimal melt flow product while simplifying and reducing costs of the manufacturing process. It can be used to produce coatings, additives, or stand-alone polymers as well as other materials. It is thermally stable and can conform to any architecture needed.

The technology includes methods for producing AmBn monomers and for producing high molecular weight (MW) star, linear, hyperbranched, and dendritic polyethermides (PEIs) from those monomers and their various combinations. Careful control of the chemistry of the monomers can selectively target production of processible, highly branched (hyperbranched) polymers that are mechanically, thermally, and hydrolytically stable as well as resistant to oxidative degradation.

The process typically takes an aromatic monomer containing silylated phenols and fluorphthalimed reactive groups (ABn) types monomer and reacts it with a catalytic amount of cesium fluoride in high boiling, polar, aprotic solvents to produce a high-MW polymer This technique produces polymers that are highly amorphous and easily isolated from crystalline monomers that are easily synthesized and purified in three steps from inexpensive commercial starting materials.

Further modifications produce a polymer with physical properties that are dominated by the endgroup functionalities and not by the repeat unit. The process controls the degree of branching and the polymer's structure, thereby targeting and controlling physical properties that lie between those of a linear and a "perfect" dendritic structure.

The degree of branching (DB) of a polymer is defined on a scale from 0 to 1, with linear polymers approaching 0 and dendritic (maximally branched) polymers approaching 1. Those in between are termed branched or hyperbranched. This technology can produce polymers exhibiting the entire range of branching.

Physical properties of dendritic macromolecules, such as crystallinity, viscosity and solubility, are determined by their unique globular shape and the endgroups that occupy their periphery. Techniques for producing high MW, "perfect" dendrimers require many synthetic steps that increase the cost and limit the scale of production. This method has few synthetic steps and provides macromolecules with properties very similar to dendrimers with a fraction of the time and cost.

The physical properties of linear polymers are determined by intermolecular interactions and the structure of the repeat itself. Linear polymers increase in viscosity and decrease in solubility as their MW increases. For uses such as coatings or films, this quality makes the processing difficult. This technology can create highly branched, high-MW polymers with characteristics of linear polymers but much lower viscosities and much higher solubilities. This makes it ideal for use as an additive to commercially available polymers for reducing the melt and/or solution viscosity without compromising the physical properties of the parts or composites (e.g., injection molded) being created. Since the materials are high molecular weight, they are ideal candidates as viscosity reducers for coatings to reduce VOC content.

The synthesis of hyperbranched monomers, historically costly and difficult, yields only small quantities of material. Techniques for improving the scaleability of hyperbranched monomers have not produced polymers that can withstand severe chemical, mechanical, thermal, or oxidative conditions. This new technology produces hyperbranched polymers that are amorphous solids with excellent chemical stability: they can withstand temperatures above 500 C in air and nitrogen, their chemical solubility profile can be easily modified, and they can be produced in bulk quantities while still maintaining their preferred characteristics.

Lastly, the technology can effectively eliminate separation of polymer phases within blended products. It can camouflage hyperbranched polymers by selecting endgroups or linear polymer chains that make the particle compatible or homogenous within the matrix.

Applications

  • Specialty chemicals (e.g., plastics, fibers, adhesives, appliances, carpeting, furniture)
  • Automobiles (e.g., plastic components, rubber tires and hoses, fibers, paint, lubricants, adhesives and sealants, electronic components)
  • Electronics (e.g., chemicals, photo resists, polymers, specialty gases) 
  • Construction (e.g., plastics used in pipes and siding)

Benefits

  • This technology lowers the costs associated with synthesizing monomers used in producing hyperbranched polymers that maintain advantageous stability, solubility, and viscosity characteristics.
  • Possesses Ideal Characteristics: In addition to maintaining the thermal and chemical stability characteristics of linear polymers, this technology also provides high solubility and low viscosity.
  • Scalable: This polymer can be produced in bulk quantities.
  • Stable in Production: Even when mass produced, the polymer maintains the preferred characteristics.
  • Versatile: This technology can be used as a coating, an additive, a stand-alone polymer, or in other ways.
  • Easy to Incorporate: This technology's high solubility and low viscosity characteristics simplify the manufacturing process when used as an additive.

Autonomous Self-Regulating Microfluidic System

 

This technology enables the fabrication of microfluidic devices that automatically maintain homeostasis via an organic feedback system. Originally developed to...

 

This technology enables the fabrication of microfluidic devices that automatically maintain homeostasis via an organic feedback system. Originally developed to create self-regulating pH systems, this technology can be used to create medical/biological devices that self-govern temperature, light, molecular, and other fluid parameters.

Most microfluidic devices designed to maintain homeostasis use feedback systems based on electronics or other non-biologically compatible actuation methods. To overcome the limitations of those devices, this technology uses a responsive polymeric material hydrogel as the control system. According to its chemistry, the hydrogel expands when exposed to a given condition (e.g., high pH) and constricts in the opposite condition (e.g., low pH). As the hydrogel expands and contracts, it deforms a 30 m polydimethylsiloxane membrane that regulates the feedback stream. The hydrogel's chemistry is selected according to the fluid parameter of interest. In this way, the microfluidic device operates without electronics or external power, allowing it to be used in medical and biological applications. Construction of the device, which involves compression micromolding, layered manufacturing, and in situ liquid phase polymerization, can be completed in one day and is less expensive than other manufacturing techniques for microfluidic systems.

Advantages

These new technologies enable the fabrication of innovative microfluidic devices that address many of the limitations associated with conventional systems:

  • Unlike silicon-based devices, the new device is easy to incorporate into medical and biological applications.
  • Unlike devices made from a single material (e.g., elastomer-only devices), the new device is capable of performing complex functions.
  • Unlike all other devices, the new self-regulating device functions autonomously without electronics or an external power source.
  • Unlike traditional microfabrication methods, this technology uses inexpensive methods to produce increased functionality.
  • Unlike devices that use expensive microchips in the channels, the new microfluidic device uses surface chemistry to expand its functionality.

In summary, the technology enables the economical, simple, and rapid fabrication of more functionally complex microfluidic devices than are available today.

Applications

  • Clinical medicine: Artificial lung, responsive drug (e.g., insulin) delivery, feedback control devices
  • Bioproduction: Protein production, assisted reproduction, filtration
  • Research: Incubation/maturation, infection, fertilization, chemical or other treatment of biological objects, reaction kinetics, high surface area sensing substrates, feedback control, drug candidate solubility
  • Bioanalysis: DNA analysis, sequence determination of proteins

Benefits

This technology dramatically expands the capabilities of microfluidic devices. It enables the economical, simple, and rapid fabrication of more functionally complex systems than are available today.

  • Simple: This technology greatly simplifies the fabrication process for microfluidic devices.
  • Less expensive: This technology uses less expensive materials and fabrication methods than those conventionally used to manufacture microfluidic devices.
  • Fast: This technology enables microfluidic devices to be constructed in minutes, as compared to days or weeks with more traditional fabrication methods.

Better devices: Microfluidic devices made using this technology have enhanced capabilities compared to those made with traditional fabrication methods:

  • Greater functionality
  • Autonomous operation; no external power supply or electronics are needed
  • Flexible design that is useful for medical and biological applications

Chirally active Carbon Nanoparticles for Enantioselective Separation of Racemic Mixtures

 

 

Dr. Dipanjan Pan from the University of Illinois has...

 

 

Dr. Dipanjan Pan from the University of Illinois has developed compounds featuring carbon nanoparticles (CNPs), which enantioselectively absorb chiral molecules. This allows for the separation of racemic mixtures. These CNPs are inexpensive to produce and result in better or comparable enantiomeric excess in relation to similar adsorbents. These chiral CNPs are biodegradable, allowing for simple removal by enzyme after separation is complete. This technology is very useful for separating racemic mixtures when a specific enantiomer is targeted. 

Benefits
• This technology is a cost effective means of chiral resolution which does not suffer from the toxicity and reactivity issues that other chiral nanoparticles do.
• The chiral CNPs are biodegradable.
• Chiral CNPs are less toxic and less reactive than current chiral nanoparticle technologies

 
 

Shape Memory Polymer Reusable Dry Adhesive

Dr. Seok Kim from the University of IL has developed a removable and reusable dry adhesive for wall hanging applications. This invention uses a shape memory polymer and...

Dr. Seok Kim from the University of IL has developed a removable and reusable dry adhesive for wall hanging applications. This invention uses a shape memory polymer and internal heating coil to change the SMP's adhesion characteristics. In 10 seconds it can change states, thus altering its adhesion characteristics. It can be attached to accessories, like a hook, that are attached to walls in order to hang objects on. Due to the SMP's surface, the adhesive does not pick up debris or degrade over time. This adhesive leaves no residue.

Black silicon array based reversible wettability switching system

Dr. Kim from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has developed a reversible wettability switching system consists of black silicon...

Dr. Kim from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has developed a reversible wettability switching system consists of black silicon arrays. Surface wettability changes only by mechanical stretching. The invention can be used for microfluid flow path as well as pick-and-place device.

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