Risedronate-Induced Chronic Drug Fever in a Case of Parkinson's Disease.

We present an atypical case of risedronate-induced chronic fever in an 85-year-old woman with Parkinson's disease, with a dosage regimen of 17.5 mg/week. Our patient had been administered an analgesic/antipyretic drug, acetaminophen, at a rate of 600 mg/day for treatment of a vertebral fracture that occurred relatively frequently, which might have masked the fever caused by risedronate. We noted two clinically significant indications. Firstly, blood test results do not necessarily show the cause of risedronate-induced fever, as white blood cell counts and C-reactive protein levels vary. A simple way to diagnose risedronate-induced fever is to suspend risedronate for a certain period and observe if the patient's fever lowers. Secondly, in general, cases receiving polypharmacy tend to include an analgesic antipyretic agent, which may mask the drug-induced fever. Even in patients with Parkinson's disease whose body temperature is generally unstable due to autonomic nerve system disorder, if they are administered risedronate and experience chronic fever of unknown cause, the possibility of drug fever may be considered. This study concludes that risedronate-induced chronic fever, as observed in our case, represents a rare phenomenon, and it may be necessary to reconsider treatment methods for osteoporosis.

Impact of Zwitterions on the Acidity Constant and Glucose Sensitivity of Block Copolymers with Phenylboronic Acid.

Molecular assemblies that transform in response to pH and saccharide concentration are promising nanomaterials in the field of biomedicine, and polymeric micelles of amphiphilic polymers with phenylboronic acids (PBAs) have been studied. Herein, we report the impact of zwitterions on the acidity constant for the collapse and the glucose sensitivity of a polymeric micelle produced from a diblock copolymer comprising polyacrylamides with PBA and zwitterionic carboxybetaine (PAEBB-b-PCBAAm). The diblock copolymer was synthesized through reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer polymerization followed by deprotection. PAEBB-b-PCBAAm produced micellar aggregates in aqueous solutions at a neutral pH, and the polymeric micelles collapsed at a pH of 11.0 because the PBA transformed into a hydroxyboronate anion. The pKa decreased in the presence of glucose owing to boronate ester formation. The PCBAAm chain significantly increased the pH at which the molecular assemblies dissociated. This is probably because the pKa of boronic acid increased through the dipolar interaction of zwitterions, and/or the zwitterionic polymer corona is valid for screening of PBA ionization and electrostatic repulsion of boronate anions. This study on the modulation of pKa through the zwitterionic interaction can facilitate the molecular design of pH- and saccharide-responsive biomaterials.

Clock-Drawing Test and Cube-Copying Test to Quickly Screen Dementia: In Combination with the Mini-Mental State Examination Scores.

Objective Due to the increasing elderly population and number of dementia patients, the current number of psychiatrists and neurologists remains insufficient to treat dementia in Japan. Therefore, a simple method for accurately performing a dementia diagnosis, including that of primary care physicians, is sought in clinical practice. Methods A retrospective study was conducted on patients who made their first visit due to amnesia between October 2020 and October 2022. The sensitivities and specificities of four spatial recognition and planning ability evaluation methods (fox finger imitation test, pentagon-copying test (PCT), cube-copying test (CCT), and clock-drawing test (CDT) ) were calculated. The difference between the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores, as an evaluation of memory and language impairment, and CDT scores were assessed using the Mann-Whitney U test. Patients Fifty-one patients with dementia and 6 patients without dementia were examined in this study. Results The sensitivity and specificity were 31.4% and 100% for the fox finger imitation tests, 29.4% and 100% for PCT, 62% and 83.3% for CCT, and 72.5% and 100% for CDT, respectively. The sensitivity increased to 78.4% when the CCT and CDT results were combined. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient between the MMSE and CDT scores of the 51 patients with dementia showed a significantly positive correlation (r = 0.62, p <0.001). Comparing Alzheimer's disease (AD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), the difference between the MMSE and CDT scores was significantly greater in patients with DLB. Conclusion To quickly screen for dementia, a combination of CCT and CDT is recommended for the highest sensitivity (78.4%). In addition, the difference between the CDT and MMSE scores is considered to be useful for differentiating DLB from AD.

Promotion of glyoxylic acid penetration into human hair by glycolic acid.

OBJECTIVE: Glyoxylic acid (GA) is widely used as a straight perming agent for hair care products, however, advanced GA penetration-enhancing agents are desired due to the peculiar odour and hair colour fading caused by the continuous use of GA products. Hence, it is important to develop a penetration-enhancing agent that helps minimize the GA concentration. We have found that the combined use of GA and glycolic acid (GCA) has a strong hair straightening effect. METHODS: Straightening hair test was carried out to the evaluation of the effect of additives. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC/MS) was performed to quantify the GA penetration amount into human hair. Attenuated total reflection (ATR) Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and FT-IR microscope were implemented to estimate the localization of GA in the hair. RESULTS: Straightening hair tests indicated that the hair straightening effect by GA was enhanced by the presence of GCA. LC/MS results showed that the addition of GCA enhanced the amount of GA that penetrated human hair by about four times. ATR FT-IR and FT-IR microscope measurements indicated that GA was localized more in the innermost region of hair (medulla) than the cortex and cuticle. The GA accumulated in the medulla disappeared after a hair straightener treatment at 180°C due to the chemical reaction. CONCLUSIONS: The GA penetration-enhancing effect of GCA is worth investigating to reduce the GA concentration in products for more comfortable use.

OBJECTIF: L'acide glyoxylique (AG) est largement utilisé en tant qu'agent de lissage pour les produits de soins capillaires. Cependant, des agents avancés améliorant la pénétration de l'AG sont souhaités en raison de l'odeur particulière et de la décoloration des cheveux causées par l'utilisation continue de produits à base d'AG. Il est donc important de mettre au point un agent améliorant la pénétration qui contribue à minimiser la concentration d'AG. Nous avons constaté que l'utilisation combinée de l'AG et de l'acide glycolique (AGC) a un fort effet lissant sur les cheveux. MÉTHODES: Un test de lissage des cheveux a été effectué pour évaluer l'effet des additifs. Une chromatographie en phase liquide avec spectrométrie de masse (liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, LC/MS) a été réalisée pour quantifier le volume de pénétration de l'AG dans les cheveux humains. Une spectroscopie infrarouge à transformée de Fourier (Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy, FT-IR) à réflexion totale atténuée (RTA) et un microscope FT-IR ont été adoptés pour estimer la localisation de l'AG dans les cheveux. RÉSULTATS: Les tests de lissage des cheveux ont indiqué que l'effet de lissage des cheveux de l'AG était renforcé par la présence d'AGC. Les résultats de la LC/MS ont montré que l'ajout d'AGC augmentait d'environ quatre fois la quantité d'AG pénétrant dans les cheveux humains. Les mesures de la FT-IR à RTA et du microscope FT-IR ont indiqué que l'AG était plus localisé dans la région la plus interne du cheveu (médulla) que dans le cortex et la cuticule. L'AG accumulé dans la médulla a disparu après un traitement au lisseur à cheveux à 180 °C en raison de la réaction chimique. CONCLUSIONS: L'effet d'amélioration de la pénétration de l'AG observé avec l'AGC mérite d'être étudié afin de réduire la concentration d'AG dans les produits pour une utilisation plus confortable.

Neutron Reflectometry & Simultaneous Measurements of Rheology and Small Angle Neutron Scattering Studies for Polyether Modified Silicone Vesicle Systems.

Polyethyleneglycol 12 mol / polydimethylsiloxane co-polymer (PEG-12 dimethicone) is a type of polyether modified silicone (PEMS), which can form a lamellar liquid crystalline phase, and is widely used in cosmetics. The structural changes of PEG-12 dimethicone caused by water contents as well as shear flow were evaluated using simultaneous measurements of rheology and small angle neutron scattering (Rheo-SANS) and neutron reflectometry (NR). At high PEG-12 dimethicone concentrations (≥ 36 wt%), a reorientation of plate-like lamellar structures were observed and the neutral orientation was the most favorable. However, lamella-to-vesicle transitions were hardly observed. PEG-12 dimethicone turned out to form a bi-layer on a hydrophilized Si-wafer in a similar manner to that in bulk though the structure had a certain level of roughness.

Making Polyisoprene Self-Healable through Microstructure Regulation by Rare-Earth Catalysts.

The creation of self-healing polymers from commodity olefins is of great interest and importance but has remained a challenge to date. We report here for the first time the synthesis of self-healing polymers by catalyst-controlled polymerization of a simple commodity diene, isoprene. We found that polyisoprenes having an appropriate mixture (ca. 70/30) of 3,4- and cis-1,4-microstructures synthesized by using a half-sandwich scandium catalyst could act as excellent self-healing elastomers without any external intervention. The unprecedented self-healability could be ascribed to nanoscale heterogeneities formed by microphase separation of the relatively hard 3,4-segments from a flexible cis-1,4-segment matrix. The hydrogenated polyisoprenes (without C=C bonds) with the analogous microstructures also exhibited excellent mechanical and self-healing properties, further demonstrating that even simple polyolefins can be made self-healable if the microstructures are appropriately regulated.

Zwitterionic Poly(carboxybetaine) Brush/Albumin Conjugate Films: Structure and Lubricity.

Artificial cartilages build up a highly lubricious system with the harmony of biomacromolecules and water. Bioconjugate thin films composed of a zwitterionic poly(carboxybetaine methacrylate) (PCB) brush platform and bovine serum albumin (BSA) were designed. BSA conjugation to the PCB brush chains was achieved by carbodiimide chemistry to give PCB brush/BSA conjugate films. The PCB brush/BSA conjugate films exhibited adaptable interfacial properties due to the amphiphilic nature of BSA. Neutron reflectivity showed that BSAs were localized at the liquid side of the conjugate films in PBS and the BSA conjugation slightly reduced the water content of the top layer, while the swollen state of the carpet PCB brush layer remained unchanged. The PCB brush/BSA conjugate films showed improved lubricity in the boundary lubrication mode but slightly worse fluid lubrication induction properties. This conjugate film could be a model system for the investigation of zwitterion/protein composite interfaces and is worth developing biomaterials that require lubrication in vivo.

Critical In-Plane Density of Polyelectrolyte Brush for the Ordered Hydrogen-Bonded Structure of Incorporated Water.

A polymer electrolyte brush is a reasonable platform to confine water molecules within a nanoscopic area to study their role in the function of interacting media because of their adjustable nanospace and charge by changing the in-plane density and side chains of the brush. Here, we demonstrate how the in-plane spacing of cationic polymer brush chains, poly[2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyltrimethylammonium chloride] (PMTAC), affects the hydrogen bond configuration of incorporated water using soft X-ray emission spectroscopy. At the critical in-plane density σ = 0.30 chains/nm2 of PMTAC, tetrahedrally coordinated water molecules started to melt into distorted or broken hydrogen-bonded configurations. Considering the charge on the quaternary ammonium cations, the electric field required to form a tetrahedrally coordinated hydrogen-bonded configuration was estimated as ∼500 kV cm-1 and is effective up to ∼1 nm from the surface of the polymer chain. These findings are useful for designing specific interface properties and the resultant surface function of polyelectrolyte-based materials.

Cononsolvency of Poly[2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl phosphorylcholine] in Ethanol-Water Mixtures: A Neutron Reflectivity Study.

Molecular mechanisms underlying the cononsolvency, a re-entrant coil-to-globule-to-coil conformational transition of polymer chains in mixtures of two good solvents, of poly[2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl phosphorylcholine] (PMPC) in ethanol-water binary mixtures were complementarily investigated. This was accomplished by following a statistical mechanical model for competitive hydrogen bonding combined with the cooperative solvation concept as well as neutron reflectivity (NR) experiments employing contrast variation in the cononsolvents. The experimental re-entrant aggregation of the PMPC chains in ethanol-water mixed solvents, obtained on the basis of turbidity was accurately reproduced by theoretical calculations. The calculation proved the relatively strong cooperativity of ethanol and the preferential interaction of water, while the total coverage of solvents was the lowest at an ethanol volume fraction (fethanol) of 0.90. At this level, the cononsolvency was the most significant, and the collapsed PMPC chains were solvated with more water than the bulk mixed solvent. The ethanol-water cononsolvency for the PMPC brushes on a planar silicon wafer was investigated by NR experiments, and the solvent composition involved in the collapsed PMPC brush was addressed according to the contrast variation study with mixed solvents of water, deuterium oxide, ethanol-d5, and ethanol-d6. The collapsed PMPC brushes at fethanol = 0.90 contained more water than the bulk solvent. The preferential distribution of water in the collapsed PMPC brush was consistent with the simulation results. Therefore, the molecular mechanism for the cononsolvency of PMPC in ethanol-water mixed solvents based on competitive hydrogen bonding coupled with cooperative solvation was experimentally rationalized.

Modulation of Double Zwitterionic Block Copolymer Aggregates by Zwitterion-Specific Interactions.

Transformable double hydrophilic block copolymer assemblies are valid as a biocompatible smart macromolecular system. The molecular mechanisms in the spontaneous assembly of double zwitterionic diblock copolymers composed of a poly(carboxybetaine methacrylate) (PCB2) and a poly(sulfobetaine methacrylate) (PSB4) chains (PCB2-b-PSB4) were investigated by the modulation of the aggregates in response to nondetergent zwitterions. The PCB2-b-PSB4 diblock copolymers with a high degree of polymerization PSB4 block produced aggregates in salt-free water through "zwitterion-specific" interactions. The PCB2-b-PSB4 aggregates were dissociated by the addition of nondetergent sulfobetaine (SB4) and carboxybetaine (CB2) molecules, while the aggregates showed different aggregation modulation processes for SB4 and CB2. Zwitterions with different charged groups from SB4 and CB2, glycine and taurine, hardly disrupted the PCB2-b-PSB4 aggregates. The PCB2-b-PSB4 aggregate modulation efficiency of SBs associated with the intercharge hydrocarbon spacer length (CSL) rather than the symmetry with the SB in the PSB chain. These zwitterion-specific modulation behaviors were rationalized based on the nature of zwitterions including partial charge density, dipole moment, and hydrophobic interactions depending on the charged groups and CSL.

Terpolymerization of Ethylene and Two Different Methoxyaryl-Substituted Propylenes by Scandium Catalyst Makes Tough and Fast Self-Healing Elastomers.

The terpolymerization of a non-polar olefin (such as ethylene) and two different polar functional olefins in a controlled fashion is of great interest and importance but has hardly been explored to date. We report for the first time the terpolymerization of ethylene (E) and two different methoxyaryl-substituted propylenes (AR1 P=hexylanisyl propylene; AR2 P=methoxynaphthyl propylene or methoxypyrenyl propylene) by a half-sandwich scandium catalyst. The terpolymerization took place in a sequence-controlled fashion, affording unique multi-block copolymers composed of two different ethylene-alt-methoxyarylpropylene sequences E-alt-AR1 P (soft segments) and E-alt-AR2 P (hard segments) and relatively short ethylene-ethylene (EE) blocks (crystalline segments). The terpolymers exhibited excellent elasticity and unprecedented self-healing as a result of microphase separation of nanodomains of the crystalline EE segments and the hard amorphous E-alt-AR2 P segments from a very flexible E-alt-AR1 P matrix, demonstrating unique synergy of the three different components.

Exploring the Mesoscopic Morphology in Mussel Adhesive Proteins by Soft X-ray Spectromicroscopy.

Marine mussels efficiently adhere under wet conditions by precisely controlling the hierarchical structure of the adhesive plaque through sequential mussel foot protein secretion in the foot-tip cavity. Chemical analysis of the non-uniform mussel plaque morphology has been performed using spectromicroscopy; however, the mesoscopic morphology has not been elucidated yet because of the limited spatial resolution of conventional chemical imaging techniques. We investigated the chemical speciation in the non-uniform mussel plaque morphology employing scanning transmission soft X-ray spectromicroscopy (STXM). The high-spatial-resolution STXM chemical imaging with C 1s near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure yields the distribution of the hydroxy-substituted aromatic residues in the sub-micron scale non-uniform mussel plaque morphology. The matrix consists of a high-protein-density cured product containing a large number of hydroxy-substituted aromatic carbons, including tyrosine and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (Dopa), whereas the microdomains are poor-protein-density regions with a low aromatic residue relative content. The adhesive interface was covered with the matrix phase to ensure adhesion. The cuticle layer involves a moderate Dopa content, which appears to be optimized for the mechanical performance of the skin.

Application of Synchrotron Radiation X-ray Scattering and Spectroscopy to Soft Matter.

Light produced by synchrotron radiation (SR) is much brighter than that produced by conventional laboratory X-ray sources. The photon energy of SR X-ray ranges from soft and tender X-rays to hard X-rays. Moreover, X-rays become element sensitive with decreasing photon energy. By using a wide energy range and high-quality light of SR, different scattering and spectroscopic methods were applied to various soft matters. We present five of our recent studies performed using specific light properties of a synchrotron facility, which are as follows: (1) In situ USAXS study to understand the deformation behavior of colloidal crystals during uniaxial stretching; (2) structure characterization of semiconducting polymer thin films along the film thickness direction by grazing-incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering using tender X-rays; (3) X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) analysis of the formation mechanism of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT); (4) soft X-ray absorption and emission spectroscopic analysis of water structure in polyelectrolyte brushes; and (5) X-ray photon correlation spectroscopic analysis of the diffusion behavior of polystyrene-grafted nanoparticles dispersed in a polystyrene matrix.

Hydration State Variation of Polyzwitterion Brushes through Interplay with Ions.

Polyzwitterions have emerged as a new class of antifouling materials alternating poly(ethylene glycol). The exemplary biopassivation and lubrication behaviors are often attributed to the particular chemical structure of zwitterions, which involve a large dipole moment of the charged groups and a neutral net charge, while the hydration state and dynamics also associate with these characteristics. Polymer brushes composed of surface-tethered polyzwitterion chains produced by surface-initiated controlled radical polymerization have been developed as thin films which exhibit excellent antifouling and lubrication properties. In past decades, numerous studies have been devoted to examining the structure and dynamics of polyzwitterion brush chains in aqueous solutions. This feature article provides an overview of recent studies exploring the hydration state of polyzwitterion brushes with specular neutron reflectivity, highlights some newly published work on the nonuniform equilibrium structure, ion concentration dependence, ion specificity, and the effects of charge spacer length in the zwitterions, and discusses future perspective in this field.

Cationic Polymer Brush/Giant Polysaccharide Sacran Assembly: Structure and Lubricity.

A highly effective aqueous lubrication strategy employing electrostatic assembly of a negatively charged ultrahigh molecular weight natural polysaccharide named "sacran" and a positively charged poly[2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyltrimethylammonium chloride] (PMTAC) brush was investigated. The PMTAC brush was compressed through the adsorption of sacran to produce the layered structure of a PMTAC brush/sacran hybrid bottom layer and a poorly hydrated sacran top layer. The dynamic friction coefficients of the PMTAC brush were drastically reduced in salt-free sacran aqueous solutions, and the lubrication mode transition from the brush-lubrication regime to hydrodynamic lubrication was promoted. The electrostatic assembly was inhibited by the addition of NaCl into the lubricant solutions, leading to the loss of the lubrication effect. The hydrodynamic lubrication would be encouraged by the local viscosity enhancement at the friction boundary due to the poorly hydrated and highly viscous PMTAC brush/sacran hybrid film produced by the spontaneous electrostatic assembly.

Synthesis of Self-Healing Polymers by Scandium-Catalyzed Copolymerization of Ethylene and Anisylpropylenes.

Self-healing materials are of fundamental interest and practical importance. Herein we report the synthesis of a new class of self-healing materials, formed by the copolymerization of ethylene and anisyl-substituted propylenes using a sterically demanding half-sandwich scandium catalyst. The copolymerization proceeded in a controlled fashion, affording unique multi-block copolymers composed of relatively long alternating ethylene- alt-anisylpropylene sequences and short ethylene-ethylene units. By controlling the molecular weight and varying the anisyl substituents, a series of copolymers that show a wide range of glass-transition temperatures ( Tg) and mechanical properties have been obtained. The copolymers with Tg below room temperature showed high elastic modulus, high toughness, and remarkable self-healability, being able to autonomously self-heal upon mechanical damage not only in a dry environment but also in water and aqueous acid and alkaline solutions, while those with Tg around or above room temperature exhibited excellent shape-memory property. The unique mechanical properties may be ascribed to the phase separation of the crystalline ethylene-ethylene nanodomains from the ethylene- alt-anisylpropylene matrix.

Ion-Specific Hydration States of Zwitterionic Poly(sulfobetaine methacrylate) Brushes in Aqueous Solutions.

The ion-specific hydration states of zwitterionic poly(3-( N-2-methacryloyloxyethyl- N, N-dimethyl)ammonatopropanesulfonate) (PMAPS) brushes in various aqueous solutions were investigated by neutron reflectivity (NR) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The asymmetric hydration state of the PMAPS brushes was verified from the NR scattering-length density profiles, while the variation in their swollen thickness was complementary as determined from AFM topographic images. PMAPS brushes got thicker in any salt solutions, while the extent of swelling and the dimensions of swollen chain structure were dependent on the ion species and salt concentration in the solutions. Anion specificity was clearly observed, whereas cations exhibited weaker modulation in ion-specific hydration states. The anion specificity could be ascribed to ion-specific interactions between the quaternary ammonium cation in sulfobetaine and the anions. The weak cation specificity was attributed to the intrinsically weak cohesive interactions between the weakly hydrated sulfonate anion in sulfobetaine and the strongly hydrated cations. The ion-specific hydration of PMAPS brushes was largely consistent with the ion-specific aggregation state of the PMAPS chains in aqueous solutions.

Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Thin Films Fabricated by Layer-by-Layer Assembly of the Phosphorylated Cellulose Nanocrystal and Imogolite Nanotubes.

Phosphorylated cellulose nanocrystal (P-CNC)/imogolite nanotube (natural aluminosilicate nanotube) hybrid thin films were fabricated by spin-assisted layer-by-layer assembly. Phosphorylation of CNC with diammonium hydrogen phosphate ((NH4)2HPO4) was carried out to introduce phosphate groups on the CNC surface for enhanced interaction with imogolite. Structure of the P-CNC/imogolite thin film was characterized by atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and grazing incidence wide-angle XRD. The film thickness increased linearly with the increment of the P-CNC/imogolite bilayer. Benefitting from the strong affinity between the phosphate group of the P-CNC and the Al-OH group of imogolite, the P-CNC/imogolite thin films were quite stable in water within a wide range of pH values, compared with the deterioration of the CNC/imogolite film under same soaking conditions.

Halloysite Nanotubes: Green Nanomaterial for Functional Organic-Inorganic Nanohybrids.

The unique one-dimensional nanoporous structure and the reactive external and internal surfaces make halloysite nanotube (HNT) an interesting nanomaterial for various applications. HNT is a green nanomaterial because it is easily available from abundant deposits in nature and is biocompatible with low cytotoxicity. After a brief introduction on the structure of HNT, recent advances in surface modification of HNT and its functional organic-inorganic nanohybrids including hybrid nanocontainers, flame retardant nanocomposites, dye removal adsorbents, liquid marbles, and superamphiphobic coatings are introduced.

Electrospinning of non-ionic cellulose ethers/polyvinyl alcohol nanofibers: Characterization and applications.

The morphology of spin-coated films and electrospun fibers of ethyl hydroxy ethyl cellulose (EHEC), hydrophobically modified ethyl hydroxy ethyl cellulose (HM-EHEC) and their blends with Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) was examined by AFM, SEM and contact angle measurements. These polysaccharides upon blending with PVA exhibited smooth surface which was evidenced by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) observation. The electrospinnability of above polysaccharides with PVA was demonstrated for the first time. The oriented fibers could be obtained using a rotating disc collector. Contact angles of spin-coated films and electrospun fibers were discussed in terms of hydrophobicity and wetting characteristics. Further, The nanofibers of EHEC/PVA were in-situ crosslinked using citric acid and were used for controlled release of an antibacterial drug, Chlorhexidine Digluconate (ChD). In-vitro studies of cytotoxicity, cell growth and cell proliferation were performed using L929 mouse fibroblast cells. These nanofiber mats show potential in drug delivery and as scaffolds in tissue engineering applications.