In this paper, a series of low-molecular-weight PEG-PCL-PEG triblock copolymers were successfully synthesized by ring-opening polymerization method, and were characterized using 1H-NMR and FTIR. The aqueous solution displayed specific thermosensitive gel-sol transition when the concentration was above corresponding critical gel concentration (CGC). The gel-sol phase diagram was recorded using test tube-inverting method, which was depended on the hydrophilic/hydrophobic balance in macromolecular structure, as well as heating history. As a result, the gel-sol transition temperature range could be altered, which might be very useful for its application as injectable drug delivery system.
Biocompatible Materials ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; Drug Carriers ; chemistry ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate ; chemistry ; Polyesters ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; Polyethylene Glycols ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared ; Temperature

Objective: To explore susceptibility genes for autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Methods: Whole-exome sequencing was carried out for 60 family trios affected with sporadic ASD. Genetic variants discovered in over 10% of the patients were selected for genotype-phenotype correlation and pathway enrichment analysis using Phenolyzer software and metascape database. Combining gene-phenotypic scores, pathway-related genes associated with neural and neurite triggering were screened for the candidates. Results: A total of 170 common variants were found to be associated with the ASD phenotype. Among these, there was only one high-confidence gene [SHANK2 (0.8146)] and four medium-confidence genes [ERBB2 (0.1322), LAMC3 (0.1117), PPFIA4 (0.1059), DISC1 (0.1002)]. Twenty-pathways and four biological processes were found to be statistically significant by pathway enrichment analysis, which included neuron projection morphogenesis (GO: 0048812), regulation of neuroblast proliferation (GO: 1902692), modulation of excitatory postsynaptic potential (GO: 0098815), and dendrite morphogenesis (GO: 0048813). Twenty-one genes were found to be closely associated with neurological and neurite triggering, among which only SHANK2, ERBB2, and DISC1 had above-medium confidence correlation scores with the ASD phenotypes. Conclusion Abnormal neuron projection morphogenesis (GO: 0048812) may be closely related to the occurrence of ASD. SHANK2, ERBB2, and DISC1 are susceptibility genes for ASD.