Browsing by Author "Yao, Zhi-Cheng"

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    Controlled Morphing of Microbubbles to Beaded Nanofibers via Electrically Forced Thin Film Stretching
    (MDPI, 2017-07-03) Yao, Zhi-Cheng; Yuan, Qiantailang; Ahmad, Z.; Huang, Jie; Li, Jing-Song; Chang, Ming-Wei
    Topography and microstructure engineering are rapidly evolving areas of importance for biomedical and pharmaceutical remits. Here, PVA (Polyvinyl alcohol) microbubbles (diameter range ~126 to 414 μm) were used to fabricate beaded (beads-on) nanofibers using an electrohydrodynamic atomization (EHDA) technique. Mean fiber diameter, inter-bead distance, and aspect ratio (AR) were investigated by regulating EHDA process parameters. PVA fibers (diameter range ~233 to 737 nm) were obtained possessing bead ARs in the range of ~10 to 56%. AR was used to modulate hydrophilicity and active release.
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    Designer fibers from 2D to 3D – Simultaneous and controlled engineering of morphology, shape and size
    (Elsevier, 2017-10-09) Yao, Zhi-Cheng; Zhang, Chunchen; Ahmad, Z.; Huang, Jie; Li, Jing-Song; Chang, Ming-Wei
    Topography and surface morphology of micrometer and nanometer scaled fibrous biomaterials are crucial for bioactive component encapsulation, release, promoting cell proliferation and interaction within biological environment. Specifically, for drug delivery and tissue repair applications, surface engineering provides control on both aspects in tandem. In this study, the bioactive component (ganoderma lucidum spore polysaccharide (GLSP)) was loaded into zein prolamine (ZP) fiber matrices via coaxial electrospinning (CES) technique. During the CES process, various outer layer enveloping fluids were used to modulate fiber topography in-situ (from 2D to 3D). SEM and water contact angle tests indicate enveloping media impact electrospun fiber diameter (ranging from 400 nm to 3.0 μm) and morphologies (from flat ribbon-like to solid cylindrical structures), with the latter impacting GLSP release profile. Furthermore, CCK-8 assay assessment indicates fibroblast cell proliferation (L929 cell line), while cell extension was also observed for modified ZP fibers. The results demonstrate potential applications of modified fiber morphologies, which are tailored in-situ without impacting chemical stability and encapsulation.
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    Essential Oil Bioactive Fibrous Membranes Prepared via Coaxial Electrospinning
    (Wiley, 2017-06-07) Yao, Zhi-Cheng; Chen, Si-Cong; Ahmad, Z.; Huang, Jie; Chang, Ming-Wei; Li, Jing-Song
    A novel antimicrobial composite material was prepared by encapsulating orange essential oil (OEO) in zein prolamine (ZP) via the coaxial electrospinning (ES) technique. By manipulating process parameters, the morphological features of ZP/OEO fibers were modulated. Fine fibers with diameters ranging from 0.7 to 2.3 μm were obtained by regulating ZP solution concentration and process parameters during the ES process. Optimal loading capacity (LC) and encapsulation efficiency (EE) of OEO in fibrous ZP mats were determined to be 22.28% and 53.68%, respectively, and were achieved using a 35 w/v% ZP ES solution. The encapsulation of OEO was found to be reliant on ZP solution concentration (the enveloping medium). SEM analysis indicates the surface morphology of ZP/OEO electrospun fibers is dependent on ZP solution loading volume, with lower ZP concentrations yielding defective fibrous structures (for example, beaded and spindled-string like morphologies). Furthermore, this loading volume also influences OEO LC, EE, mat water contact angle and oil retention. CCK-8 assay and cell morphology assessment (HEK293T cells) indicate no significant change with electrospun ZP and ZP/OEO fibrous membranes over an 8 h period. Antimicrobial activity assessment using Escherichia coli, suggests composite nonwovens possess sterilization properties; elucidating potential application in active food packaging, food preservation and therefore sustainability.
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    Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide loaded sodium alginate micro-particles prepared via electrospraying in controlled deposition environments
    (Elsevier, 2017-03-28) Yao, Zhi-Cheng; Jin, Li-Jie; Ahmad, Z.; Huang, Jie; Chang, Ming-Wei; Li, Jing-Song
    Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide (GLP) is a functional food source deployed in preventative medicine. However, applications utilizing GLP are limited due to oxidative and acidic environmental damage. Advances in preserving GLP structure (and therefore function), in situ, will diversify their applications within biomedical fields (drug and antibacterial active delivery via the enteral route). In this study, GLP loaded sodium alginate (NaAlg) micro-particles (size range 225–355 μm) were generated using the electrospray (ES) process. The loading capacity and encapsulation efficiency of GLP for composite particles (collected at different temperatures) were ∼23% and 71%, respectively. The collection substrate (CaCl2, 1–20 w/v%) concentration was explored and preliminary findings indicated a 10 w/v% solution to be optimal. The process was further modified by manipulating the collection environment temperature (∼25 to 50 °C). Based on this, NaAlg/GLP micro-particles were engineered with variable surface morphologies (porous and crinkled), without effecting the chemical composition of either material (GLP and NaAlg). In-vitro release studies demonstrated pH responsive release rates. Modest release of GLP from micro-particles in simulated gastric fluid (pH ∼1.7) was observed, while rapid release was exhibited under simulated intestinal conditions (pH ∼7.4). Release of GLP from NaAlg beads was the greatest from samples prepared at elevated environmental temperatures. These findings demonstrate a facile route to fabricate GLP-NaAlg loaded micro-particles with various shapes, surface topographies and release characteristics via a one-step ES process.
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    Synthesis and Evaluation of Herbal Chitosan from Ganoderma Lucidum Spore Powder for Biomedical Applications
    (Springer, 2018) Zhu, Li-Fang; Yao, Zhi-Cheng; Ahmad, Z.; Li, Jing-Song; Chang, Ming-Wei
    Chitosan is an extremely valuable biopolymer and is usually obtained as a byproduct from the shells of crustaceans. In the current work, chitosan is obtained from an herbal source (Ganoderma lucidum spore powder (GLSP)) for the first time. To show this, both standard (thermochemical deacetylation, (TCD)) and emerging (ultrasound-assisted deacetylation (USAD)) methods of chitosan preparation were used. The obtained chitosan was characterized by elemental analysis, XRD (X-ray diffraction), FT-IR (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy) and thermogravimetric measurements. The process resulted in chitosan possessing comparable values of DD, [η] and ¯Mv to the commercial product. Chitosan obtained via both processes (TCD and USAD) displayed excellent biocompatibility; although the USAD prepared biopolymer exhibited significantly improved fibroblast (L929 cell) viability and enhanced antibacterial zones for both Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). The findings of new herbal chitosan mark key developments of natural biomaterials; marking a potential shift from conventional sea-based organisms.
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    Tri-Needle Coaxial Electrospray Engineering of Magnetic Polymer Yolk–Shell Particles Possessing Dual-Imaging Modality, Multiagent Compartments, and Trigger Release Potential
    (ACS, 2017-06-07) Zhang, Chunchen; Yao, Zhi-Cheng; Ding, Qiuping; Choi, James J.; Ahmad, Z.; Chang, Ming-Wei; Li, Jing-Song
    Particulate platforms capable of delivering multiple actives as well as providing diagnostic features have gained considerable interest over the last few years. In this study, magnetic polymer yolk–shell particles (YSPs) were engineered using a tri-needle coaxial electrospraying technique enabling dual-mode (ultrasonic and magnetic resonance) imaging capability with specific multidrug compartments via an advanced single-step encapsulation process. YSPs comprised magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles (MNPs) embedded in the polymeric shell, an interfacing oil layer, and a polymeric core (i.e., composite shell–oil interface–polymeric core). The frequency of the ultrasound backscatter signal was modulated through YSP loading dosage, and both T1- and T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging signal intensities were shown to decrease with increasing MNP content (YSP outer shell). Three fluorescent dyes (selected as model probes with varying hydrophobicities) were coencapsulated separately to confirm the YSP structure. Probe release profiles were tuned by varying power or frequency of an external auxiliary magnetic field (AMF, 0.7 mT (LAMF) or 1.4 mT (HAMF)). In addition, an “inversion” phenomenon for the AMF-enhanced drug release process was studied and is reported. A low YSP cytotoxicity (5 mg/mL) and biocompatibility (murine, L929) was confirmed. In summary, magnetic YSPs demonstrate timely potential as multifunctional theranostic agents for dual-imaging modality and magnetically controlled coactive delivery.