In this review, we outline examples that illustrate the design criteria for achieving macromolecular assemblies that incorporate a combination of two or more chemical, physical or biological stimuli-responsive components. Progress in both fundamental investigation into the phase transformations of these polymers in response to multiple stimuli and their utilization in a variety of pratical applications have been highlighted. Using these examples, we aim to explain the origin of employed mechanisms of stimuli responsiveness which may serve as a guideline to inspire future design of multi-stimuli responsive materials.
Self-assembly of random copolymers has attracted considerable attention recently. In this feature article, we highlight the use of random copolymers to prepare nanostructures with different morphologies and to prepare nanomaterials that are responsive to single or multiple stimuli. The synthesis of single-chain nanoparticles and their potential applications from random copolymers are also discussed in some detail. We aim to draw more attention to these easily accessible copolymers, which are likely to play an important role in translational polymer research.
High-risk (HR) human papillomavirus (HPV) prevalence has been shown to correlate well with cervical cancer incidence rates. Our study aimed to estimate the prevalence of HR-HPV and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) in China and indirectly inform on the cervical cancer burden in the country. 30,207 women from 17 population-based studies throughout China were included. All women received HPV DNA testing (HC2, Qiagen), visual inspection with acetic acid, and liquid-based cytology. Women positive for any test received colposcopy-directed or 4-quadrant biopsies. 29,579 women had HR-HPV testing results, of whom 28,761 had biopsy-confirmed (9019, 31.4%) or assumed (19,742, 68.6%) final diagnosis. Overall crude HR-HPV prevalence was 17.7%. HR-HPV prevalence was similar in rural and urban areas but showed dips in different age groups: at age 25–29 years (11.3%) in rural and at age 35–39 (11.3%) in urban women. In rural and urban women, age-standardized CIN2 prevalence was 1.5% (95%CI: 1.4%–1.6%) and 0.7% (95%CI: 0.7%–0.8%), and CIN3+ prevalence was 1.2% (95%CI: 1.2%–1.3%) and 0.6% (95%CI: 0.5%–0.7%), respectively. Prevalence of CIN3+ as a percentage of either all women or HR-HPV positive women steadily increased with age, peaking in 45–49 year-old women. High prevalence of HR-HPV and CIN3+ was detected in both rural and urban China. The steady rise of CIN3+ up to the age group 45–49 is attributable to lack of lesion removal through screening. Our findings document the inadequacy of current screening in China while indirectly raising the possibility that the cervical cancer burden in China is under-reported.
The rapid development of additive manufacturing techniques, also known as three‐dimensional (3D) printing, is driving innovations in polymer chemistry, materials science, and engineering. Among current 3D printing techniques, direct ink writing (DIW) employs viscoelastic materials as inks, which are capable of constructing sophisticated 3D architectures at ambient conditions. In this perspective, polymer designs that meet the rheological requirements for direct ink writing are outlined and successful examples are summarized, which include the development of polymer micelles, co‐assembled hydrogels, supramolecularly cross‐linked systems, polymer liquids with microcrystalline domains, and hydrogels with dynamic covalent cross‐links. Furthermore, advanced polymer designs that reinforce the mechanical properties of these 3D printing materials, as well as the integration of functional moieties to these materials are discussed to inspire new polymer designs for direct ink writing and broadly 3D printing.
Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are crystalline polymers with permanent porosity. They are usually synthesized as micrometer-sized powders or two-dimensional thin films and membranes for applications in molecular storage, separation, and catalysis. In this work, we report a general method to integrate COFs with imine or β-ketoenamine linkages into three-dimensional (3D)-printing materials. A 3D-printing template, Pluronic F127, was introduced to coassemble with imine polymers in an aqueous environment. By limitation of the degree of imine polycondensation during COF formation, the amorphous imine polymer and F127 form coassembled 3D-printable hydrogels with suitable shear thinning and rapid self-healing properties. After the removal of F127 followed by an amorphous-to-crystalline transformation, three β-ketoenamine- and imine-based COFs were fabricated into 3D monoliths possessing high crystallinity, hierarchical pores with high surface areas, good structural integrity, and robust mechanical stability. Moreover, when multiple COF precursor inks were employed for 3D printing, heterogeneous dual-component COF monoliths were fabricated with high spatial precision. This method not only enables the development of COFs with sophisticated 3D macrostructure but also facilitates the heterogeneous integration of COFs into devices with interconnected interfaces at the molecular level.
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