High Swelling Research Articles

Effect of Hyaluronan Molecular Weight on the Stability and Biofunctionality of Microfibers Assembled by Interfacial Polyelectrolyte Complexation.

Nervous system disorders are characterized by a progressive loss of function and structure of neurons that ultimately leads to a decline in cognitive and motor functions. In this study, we used interfacial polyelectrolyte complexation (IPC) to produce fibers for neural tissue regeneration. IPC is a processing method that allows spinning of sensitive biopolymers. The rate of spinning and the properties of the used biopolymers (charge and molecular weight) influence different characteristics of the fibers such as size and stability, among others. We used two major components of the neuronal stem cell niche, the polycationic collagen (Col) and the polyanionic hyaluronic acid (HA), to obtain bioactive fibers. We tested HA with different molecular weights and found that HA with medium and high molecular weights (350 and 1200 kDa, respectively) enabled drawing of microfibers with a homogeneous distribution of Col and HA, whereas low-molecular-weight HA (40 kDa) did not allow spinning. The obtained microfibers showed high swelling ability in a physiological buffer: their diameters increased more than 5-fold from their dry state. At these conditions, the tensile storage moduli of the fibers were similar to nervous tissues. Collagenase and hyaluronidase did not change the morphology of the fibers for up to 3 days but reduced their moduli 2- to 3-fold. Assays with PC12 neuronal-like cells showed that IPC microfibers support cell adhesion and viability regardless of the molecular weight of the used HA.

3D Printing Organogels with Bioderived Cyrene for High-Resolution Customized Hydrogel Structures.

3D printing techniques are increasingly being explored to produce hydrogels, versatile materials with a wide range of applications. While photopolymerization-based 3D printing can produce customized hydrogel shapes and intricate structures, its reliance on rigid printing conditions limits material properties compared to those of extrusion printing. To address this limitation, this study employed an alternative approach by printing an organogel precursor using vat polymerization with organic solvents instead of water, followed by solvent exchange after printing to create the final hydrogel material. Using mask stereolithography (mSLA), we evaluated the effects of solvent choice on a novel and recently developed 3D-printed supramolecular hydrogel, cross-linked with quaternized chitosan/acrylate salt. In this study, we compared the conventional solvent dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) with the bioderived solvent Cyrene. Our findings reveal that hydrogels produced with Cyrene-based 3D printing exhibit weaker strength but high swelling capacity and elasticity, resilience to cyclic loading, and the ability to produce detailed and accurate 3D-printed objects. These results provide insights into the solvent-dependent mechanical and physical characteristics of 3D-printed hydrogels and underscore the potential of Cyrene as a sustainable alternative for polymeric synthesis.

Native and cationic cellulose nanofibril films enriched with avocado seed compounds as a green alternative for potential wound care applications

Cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) show great potential for skin wound care and healing due to their biocompatibility, non-cytotoxicity, and high swelling with good mechanical stability. In the presented study, for the first time native and cationized cellulose nanofibrils were used in combination with avocado seeds extracts obtained with different extraction methods (ASE), as an alternative to a well-known antibiotic, Clindamycin, to produce films with high and long-lasting antimicrobial efficacy. The swelling capacity of prepared films and extracts/antibiotic release kinetics were studied at different pH values to evaluate pH response behavior.All developed films exhibited high bacteriostatic and bactericidal activity against Gram-negative Escherichia coli and G-positive Staphylococcus aureus, resulting in up to 100 % bacterial reduction with the log reduction factor up to 5.64 or 6.50, at 14.2 mg of avocado seed extract or clindamycin integrated in the 1 cm2 of CNF film. The high swelling capacity (up to 65.67 %) and stability of avocado seed extracts-enriched CNF films provide a suitable moisture environment and a sustainable release (up to 40.98 % in 48 h) of bioactive compounds. The prepared antibacterial films' chemical and morphological characteristics and pH-responsive behavior proved the potential applications in the cosmetics, biomedicine, and pharmaceutical industry.

Zein/chitosan Janus film incorporated with tannic acid and cinnamon essential oil co-loaded Pickering emulsion for sustained controlled release and pork preservation.

The development of active packaging offers a promising approach to reducing food waste. However, challenges remain, particularly in achieving efficient release dynamics of active compounds and balancing the barrier properties. Herein, a Janus structure zein/chitosan film is custom designed by layer-by-layer casting method to achieve sustainable and unidirectional release performance of antimicrobial agent, which comprises an inner loading layer of tannic acid (TA) and cinnamon essential oil (CEO) co-loaded Pickering emulsion incorporated with chitosan and an outer barrier layer of zein. The good interfacial compatibility between the entities of Pickering emulsion/chitosan loading layer and zein barrier layer had be confirmed via physicochemical structure characterization. The lower swelling rate of Pickering emulsion/chitosan film (47.61%-51.71%) indicated the sustained and stable release rate of substances from the inner loading layer, while the zein barrier layer restricted the diffusion of active molecules due to the high swelling rate (162.52%). In addition, the films showed excellent antimicrobial activity (>99% against key foodborne pathogens) and radical scavenging activity (2.5-fold enhancement). Moreover, the film loading layer showed predominantly controlled by a quasi-Fickian diffusion, and prolonged the shelf life of pork by 6days under the unidirectional sustained release. Our work presents a promising fabrication strategy of antimicrobial packaging film with sustainable release performance for food preservation.

Assessment and retrofitting of deteriorated light structure founded on expansive soil

ABSTRACT Structure damages are becoming very common when constructed in arid and semi-arid areas on problematic soil. This may be attributed to the inadequate geotechnical investigation prior to construction. The problem is most effective in case of light weight structures constructed on arid problematic soils without any special considerations for these types of soil, and the problems start to arise with the entrance of structure to the service and the seepage of water to the founded soil. In this paper, a case study for a villa in a gated compound; just after 6 months from construction, the walls of this light structure suffered severe cracks. A careful inspection and geotechnical site investigation showed that the structure’s foundations have been subjected to differential movement at its western part, due to percolation of water into bed of high potential swelling soil. In addition, the stiffness of the basement columns was very low. Some consultants recommended to demolish the villa, nevertheless, an intensive structural analysis taking into consideration conditions of the concrete skeleton had led to select proper structure’s remedial measurements to stop the heave and shrinkage problems, and to improve the structure’s stiffness. The retrofitting measures included removing the expansive clayey layer which was of limited thickness and area; modifying the foundation system, and replacing the basement columns with inadequate strength with new ones. The measurements of the monitoring process during and after finishing repair processes had shown no movements, which reflects the efficiency of implemented retrofitting techniques.

Design and Characterization of Novel Polymeric Hydrogels with Protein Carriers for Biomedical Use.

Hydrogels are three-dimensional polymeric matrices capable of absorbing significant amounts of water or biological fluids, making them promising candidates for biomedical applications such as drug delivery and wound healing. In this study, novel hydrogels were synthesized using a photopolymerization method and modified with cisplatin-loaded protein carriers, as well as natural extracts of nettle (Urtica dioica) and chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.). The basic components of the hydrogel were polyvinylpyrrolidone and polyvinyl alcohol, while polyethylene glycol diacrylate was used as a crosslinking agent and 2-methyl-2-hydroxypropiophenone as a photoinitiator. The hydrogels demonstrated high swelling capacities, with values up to 4.5 g/g in distilled water, and lower absorption in Ringer's solution and simulated body fluid (SBF), influenced by ionic interactions. Wettability measurements indicated water contact angles between 51° and 59°, suggesting balanced hydrophilic properties conducive to biomedical applications. Surface roughness analyses revealed that roughness values decreased after incubation, with Ra values ranging from 6.73 µm before incubation to 5.94 µm after incubation for samples with the highest protein content. Incubation studies confirmed the stability of the hydrogel matrix, with no significant structural degradation observed over 20 days. However, hydrogels containing 2.0 mL of protein suspension exhibited structural damage and were excluded from further testing. The synthesized hydrogels show potential for application as carriers in localized drug delivery systems, offering a platform for future development in areas such as targeted therapy for skin cancer or other localized treatments.

A Recombinant Human Collagen and RADA-16 Fusion Protein Promotes Hemostasis and Rapid Wound Healing.

In this study, we designed a fusion protein, rhCR, by combining human collagen with the self-assembling peptide RADA-16 using genetic engineering technology. The rhCR protein was successfully expressed in Pichia pastoris. The rhCR can self-assemble into a three-dimensional nanofiber network under physiological conditions. The lyophilized rhCR sponge exhibited high elasticity modulus and stable swelling properties. In vitro experiments confirmed that the rhCR had good biocompatibility and could significantly promote the adhesion, proliferation, and migration of fibroblasts (L929), upregulating the expression of genes such as Vim, Fgf, Vegf, and Tgf-β3 in L929 cells. When applied to a mouse liver hemorrhage model, rhCR hemostatic sponges rapidly formed nanofibers on the ruptured liver surface, activated platelet CD62P, and significantly reduced blood loss and bleeding duration compared to the recombinant human collagen (rhCol) alone. Furthermore, the rhCR application markedly accelerated wound healing in a mouse full-thickness skin defect model, with the wound healing rate in the rhCR group being 2.6 times that of the untreated group and 1.7 times that of the rhCol group on day 6 postinjury. Histological and immunofluorescence analyses revealed that the rhCR promoted collagen deposition and epidermal regeneration and improved the quality of skin tissue repair by stimulating tissue cells to produce cytokines, growth factors, and immune factors through immunological regulation. The rhCR fusion protein combines the advantages of collagen and RADA-16, overcoming the limitations of their separate use in hemostatic and tissue engineering applications. This biomaterial and its design idea hold promise for a variety of regenerative applications.

Diatom contained alginate-chitosan hydrogel beads with enhanced hydrogen bonds and ionic interactions for extended release of gibberellic acid.

Hydrogels in agriculture offer controlled release, however, face issues with rapid disintegration, swift release, and inability to protect active ingredients. To overcome this, the study presents a hydrogel delivery system that uses dopamine-functionalized nanoporous diatom (DE-PDA) microparticles entrapped in alginate and chitosan matrices to deliver plant growth hormone, gibberellic acid (GA) that suffers from instability, limiting its field application. Developed GA@hydrogel beads exhibited an encapsulation efficiency of 85.2 % and demonstrated thermal and functional properties that suggested complex interactions between biopolymers. They showed enhanced stability, retention, and extended release for GA, improving tomato seed germination and plant growth. The GA release was governed by Fickian diffusion and the polymer relaxation with 86.3 % release by the 15th day, with a high swelling rate compared to a system without DE-PDA that only sustained GA release for 5 h. The GA@hydrogel system boosts tomato seed germination rates to 100 % on the third day for a 0.05 % GA@hydrogel formulation, demonstrating enhanced seedling growth. Also, they prove more effective than free GA in increasing the physiological parameters of tomato plants. Further, the pot experiments show enhanced plant growth, suggesting a new trend of GA delivery to plants through soil.

Chitosan-Alginate Hydrogel Enriched with Hypericum perforatum Callus Extract for Improved Wound Healing and Scar Inhibition.

Hypericum perforatum callus contains pluripotent stem cells, and its extract (HPCE) is a natural compound that includes various biologically active components, such as phenolic acids, flavonoids, and naphthodiantrons like hypericin and hyperforin. These components give HPCE significant antibacterial and antioxidant properties, making it a valuable option for wound healing. Unlike traditional wound dressings that may leave a residue or necessitate invasive procedures like phototherapy, HPCE is a promising alternative. This study presents a hydrogel wound dressing made from a chitosan/alginate scaffold loaded with HPCE (CA/HPCE). This system displayed remarkable mechanical properties coupled with a high swelling capacity. Moreover, it demonstrated potent antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities, promoting a favorable environment for wound healing. In vitro studies confirmed that our wound dressings effectively inhibited Escherichia coli (E. coli) and drug-resistant bacteria like Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (MR-CoNS). Additionally, CA/HPCE had the potential to significantly augment fibroblast migration. Moreover, in vivo investigations confirmed that this system accelerated re-epithelialization, neovascularization, and collagen deposition while reducing inflammation. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) analysis of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) indicated the absence of hypertrophic scar formation postdressing. These findings suggest that CA/HPCE is a highly effective and innovative solution for advanced wound care.

Investigation of bioprintable modified agar-based hydrogels with antimicrobial properties.

Due to the numerous dangers arising from excessive use of antibiotics in treatments, researchers have been searching for natural alternatives to conventional antibiotics. Despite the popularity of plant extracts, essential oils, and their derivatives in herbal medicine, their applications in novel therapies are rather limited. This paper tries to open a new possibility for infection treatments by assessing the suitability of antimicrobial hydrogels as bioinks. Antimicrobial activity against S. epidermidis, P. aeruginosa, S. aureus, E. coli of selected extracts and geraniol were investigated. Suitable agent was incorporated into agar-based hydrogel. Physicochemical properties of the obtained compositions were analyzed, including determination of swelling kinetics and key polymer network parameters, contact angle measurements, FTIR spectra analysis, biocompatibility assessment, antimicrobial tests and bioprintability studies. Results confirmed geraniol's superior antimicrobial activity in pure form and in hydrogels. The obtained materials showed high swelling capacity, satisfying extrusion processability, shape fidelity, and great biocompatibility in their unmodified state. Nevertheless, modification with geraniol caused a significant decrease of cell viability, which limits their usage as bioinks in current form, due to the cytotoxic effect on cells. To improve cells interactions, studies on materials with geraniol and other agents with similar mechanism should be conducted in the future.

Gastro retentive floating drug delivery system of levofloxacin based on Aloe vera hydrogel: In vitro and in vivo assays

Gastro retentive drug delivery systems (GRDDS) have gained immense popularity as they reduce dosing frequency, improve bioavailability, and enhance patient compliance. Herein, a plant-based, controlled swelling, and pH-sensitive GRDDS based on Aloe vera hydrogel and cellulose was developed for the sustained release of levofloxacin (LEVO). The properties of five various floating tablet formulations including dynamic swelling, pH-responsiveness, hardness, friability, drug release, and buoyant time were evaluated. The optimized formulation (FF) was characterized using FTIR and SEM, and the surface morphology exhibited a porous texture with microchannels that facilitated tablet swelling and prolonged release of LEVO. The formulation FF remained buoyant (> 12 h) in the simulated gastric fluid with a buoyancy time of 303 s. A pH-dependent swelling behavior of the formulation FF was revealed with the highest swelling (7.1 g/g) in water, followed by buffers of pH 6.8 (5.4 g/g), 4.5 (3.8 g/g), and 1.2 (2 g/g). The controlled release of LEVO was demonstrated for >12 h following the Hixson-Crowell model and non-Fickian diffusion. Pharmacokinetic parameters of LEVO were determined using in vivo studies. The non-toxic nature of the formulation under study was demonstrated. The results render this approach promising in reducing the dosing frequency, suggesting its potential for clinical applications.

High-Strength Silicon Anodes with High Tap Density via Compression Carbonization for Liquid and All-Solid-State Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Despite the advantages of nanostructure design with a balance of capacity and cycle life, the low tap density (<1 g cm-3) and high swelling properties make nanostructured silicon far from practical in applications. Here, we design a free-standing silicon graphite composite integrated anode through facile one-pot sintering with pitch under pressure. The thermomechanical effect during compression carbonization enables the integrated electrode to achieve a high tap density of 1.51 g cm-3, >2 times that of typical free-standing electrodes. In situ expansion measurements demonstrate that the longitudinal expansion of integrated electrodes is <20% of that of conventional electrodes. A rational conductive framework enables integrated electrodes to exhibit remarkable cycling stability in both liquid lithium-ion batteries (77.6% capacity retention after 500 cycles) and all-solid-state lithium-ion batteries (98.5% capacity retention after 1000 cycles). In particular, integrated electrodes remain stable even with a high areal capacity of 12.6 mAh cm-2.

Preparation and kinetic studies of a new antibacterial sodium alginate gelatin hydrogel composite.

This study involved synthesis of a novel antibacterial heterocyclic compound, sodium 2-(2-(3-phenyl-1, 2, 4-oxadiazol-5-yl) phenoxy) acetate abbreviated as Na-POPA. Further development of a biocompatible, pH-responsive hydrogel drug carrier prepared utilizing the natural polymers gelatin and sodium alginate. The compound loaded on the hydrogel represented new drug delivery system. Comprehensive characterization of Na-POPA was performed using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H NMR), carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance (¹³C NMR), and high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS). The compound was loaded onto the sodium alginate/gelatin hydrogel carrier under feasible experimental conditions. The successful incorporation of Na-POPA into the hydrogel matrix was confirmed via scanning electron microscopy (SEM), powder X-ray diffraction (pXRD) analysis and FT-IR spectroscopy. Cytotoxicity assays revealed that the all the loaded and unloaded compound induced cell toxicity at large concentration much lower than many reported results. The hydrogel reduced the inherent cytotoxicity of Na-POPA and enhanced its biocompatibility. The release kinetics of Na-POPA from the hydrogel were evaluated spectrophotometrically at different pH conditions simulating biological fluids. The release rate at pH 1.2 was greater than the release at pH 6.8, with a higher cumulative release observed at pH 6.8. The release kinetics obeyed the pseudo-second-order kinetic model, indicating a controlled release mechanism influenced by the hydrogel's physicochemical properties. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry further confirmed that the compound release was pH-dependent. The high swelling and solubility at pH 6.8 enhance the release. The larger amount released at 6.8 (target intestine) because of more solubility, leaching and swelling rather than shrinking.

High performance anion exchange membrane containing large, rigid branching structural unit for fuel cell and electrodialysis applications

Highly conductive and robust anion exchange membrane (AEM) is the key for development of alkali fuel cell and electrodialysis. We herein report novel, branched polyarylpiperidinium AEMs containing 1,3-dicarbazole-9-ylbenzene (DCB) unit. As a larger, more rigid branching unit relative to the conventional one, DCB can create higher fraction of free volume in the AEM, induce more significant microphase separation and better restrict water swelling of the membrane. The prepared qTPDCB-5.5 AEM exhibited an excellent hydroxide conductivity (175.3 mS cm−1) and a low swelling ratio (21 %) at 90 °C; when soaked in aqueous sodium hydroxide solution (2 mol/L, 80 °C) for 1000 h, qTPDCB-5.5 showed a high conductivity retention (96.5 %). Its hydrogen/oxygen fuel cell reached an impressive peak power density (1.83 W cm−2), and the qTPDCB-5.5 AEM did not experience appreciable structural decomposition after the cell worked at 0.2 A cm−2 for 230 h (including >100 h intermittent discharge). Owing to its high conductivity and swelling resistance, the qTPDCB-5.5 membrane also showed good performance in electrodialysis, and gave rise to low energy consumption (2.72 kWh kg−1) when used for desalinating 0.1 M NaCl solution. This work highlights the importance and provides the methodology of incorporating large, rigid branching unit in the structure of high performance AEM for fuel cell and electrodialysis applications.

Compressive strength of bentonite concrete using state-of-the-art optimised XGBoost models

ABSTRACT This study proposes an advanced soft-computing approach for predicting the compressive strength (CS) of bentonite concrete using an optimised XGBoost model. Bentonite is valued as a partial cement replacement for its environmental benefits and improved concrete properties, but predicting CS remains challenging due to complex constituent interactions. The study’s motivation is the increasing interest in sustainable materials like bentonite as a partial cement replacement, which presents unique challenges due to its high plasticity and swelling properties. While hybrid XGBoost models are effective in civil engineering, their application for CS prediction in concrete is limited. This research simulates hybrid XGBoost models using particle swarm optimisation (PSO), genetic algorithm (GA), and dragonfly optimisation (DO), supported by a comprehensive dataset with varied mix proportions and multicollinearity analysis. Hyperparameter tuning and feature selection techniques were applied to optimise the model’s performance. The results demonstrate that the PSO-XGBoost is the best performing model (R2 = 0.974, RMSE = 0.038), followed by DO-XGBoost and GA-XGBoost. All the hybrid XGBoost models perform better than conventional XGBoost model. The developed robust soft-computing based prediction methodology can serve as a reliable alternative tool for predicting the CS of bentonite concrete, thereby facilitating the design and development of sustainable concrete mixtures with enhanced performance characteristics.

Investigations into the swelling pressure of wood as a function of the anatomical direction

The swelling pressure as a function of the anatomical cutting direction of European beech [Fagus sylvatica L.] and Norway spruce [Picea abies (L.) Karst.] was determined at 20 °C between 25 and 85 % relative humidity (RH). The RH was increased in steps of 20 %. The uniaxial tests were carried out on test specimens with a small cross-section. As a result, it was found that beech produces almost twice as high swelling pressures as spruce during impeded swelling. The maximum swelling pressures are reached more quickly with spruce. For both types of wood, significantly higher swelling pressures were measured in the respective tangential cutting direction than in the radial cutting direction.

The Effect of Crystal Structure of Si Anode on Electrochemical Properties for Lithium-Ion Batteries

Silicon anode attention as a promising next-generation anode material capable of achieving high capacity/high density lithium-ion batteries, possesses the advantage of an extremely high theoretical capacity of 3,800 mAh/g. Si anode materials are known to experience volume expansion of about 400% during charging and discharging, leading to material cracking as a consequence. Therefore, in order to effectively utilize Si anode materials, it is necessary to mitigate the volume expansion issue by designing materials with lower expansion. For this, understanding the electrochemical mechanism differences of Si anode materials according to their crystal structure is crucial. In this study, Si is synthesized using the RF thermal plasma synthesis technique. Using the synthesized Si anode material, fabricate SLP(single layer pouch type) cells and evaluate their electrochemical characteristics such as cyclability at room temperature and high temperature, C-rate, impedance and swelling. The results of the electrochemical characterization will be compared and analyzed, and compare materials with maximum and minimal expansion rates based on differences in crystal structure. To analyze the irreversible phases related to the crystal structural differences during initial charging and discharging processes, Si 100% coin half cells be fabricated for ex-situ XRD analysis. Additionally, for more precise analysis, TEM analysis technique employed for comparative analysis.

Investigation on Swelling of Agar-Based Antibacterial Hydrogels for Hard-to-Heal Wound Dressings.

Despite a wide range of available wound treatments, hard-to-heal wounds still pose a challenge. Hydrogels are often used as dressings for these wounds, because they sustain moisture in the wound environment, supporting the natural healing process. However, it is still not fully understood how physicochemical properties of hydrogel matrix affect the drug release process. Thus, detailed swelling kinetics examination coupled with modeling is needed together with studies on drug release. In this regard, several hydrogels based on plant-derived agar and modified with amikacin sulfate were investigated. The main properties of hydrogels were examined focusing on detailed swelling kinetics. Drug release was studied as microbiological activity against E. coli and S. Epidermidis strains. The obtained hydrogels were characterized by high swelling, reaching values in range from 465-1300 %, fitting the second order kinetics mode and exhibiting the quasi-Fickian diffusion properties. Furthermore, there was no correlation found between swelling properties and antibacterial activity against tested strains. The results confirmed that presented hydrogel materials have desirable properties for application as dressings for hard-to-heal wounds. The suggested compositions are a promising base for modification with other active substances (e. g., regenerative, anti-inflammatory) and studying the broader correlation between swelling and drug release.

I-Motif DNA Based Fluorescent Ratiometric Microneedle Sensing Patch for Sensitive Response of Small pH Variations in Interstitial Fluid.

Detection of slight pH changes in skin interstitial fluid (ISF) is crucial yet challenging for studying pathological processes and understanding personal health conditions. In this work, we construct an i-motif DNA based fluorescent ratiometric microneedle sensing patch (IFR-pH MN patch) strategy that enables minimally invasive, high-resolution, and sensitive transdermal monitoring of small pH variations in ISF. The IFR-pH MN patch with advanced integration of both ISF sampling and pH sensing was fabricated from the cross-linking of gelatin methacryloyl and methacrylated hyaluronic acid, wrapping with pH-sensitive hairpin-containing i-motif DNA based fluorescent ratiometric probes in the matrix. Because it is mechanically robust for skin penetration and has high swelling ability, the IFR-pH MN patch could be quickly extracted as sufficient liquid from agarose gel (∼56.4 μL in 10 min). Benefiting from conformation changes of the hairpin-containing i-motif DNA under pH variation and ratiometric fluorescence signal readout, the IFR-pH MN patch could quantitate pH over a small range between pH 6.2 and 6.9 with an accuracy of 0.2 pH units in the mimic skin model. Furthermore, in vivo testing on wound and tumor mouse models indicated the ability of the biocompatible IFR-pH MN patch to penetrate the skin for obtaining transdermal pH values, demonstrating the potential applications in monitoring and intervention of pathological states.

Evaluations of Grass Pea Relay Inter-Cropping with Wheat on Vertisol in Eastern Amhara Region, Ethiopia

Grass peas have been cultivated in Ethiopia for a long time; they are drought-tolerant and unaffected by excessive rainfall. This study evaluated the effectiveness of grass pea relay intercropping with wheat for better production and its effect on soil moisture and fertility improvement in the Jama district, northeastern Amhara, Ethiopia. The location is mainly dominated by vertisol, a black-to-gray clay with high swelling and shrinking character. The treatments were evaluated by arranging the randomized block design. At the tillering stage of wheat, planting grass peas on furrows and between rows with 30 cm spacing effectively contributes to soil fertility status and soil moisture. Grass pea is a legume crop that incorporates nitrogen and is also used as a cover crop that retains soil moisture. This type of planting technique is also efficient in the case of land utilization; a 1.9 ha sole cropping area would be required to produce the same yields as 1 ha of the intercropped system. Planting grass peas during the tillering stage of the wheat crop is recommended.