Greener Synthesis Route for Furanic-Aliphatic Polyester:Enzymatic Polymerization in Ionic Liquids and Deep Eutectic Solvents

The development of bio-based polymers is growing not only due to their abundance in nature but also mainly because of the current issues with fossil-based plastics. Enzymatic polymerizations are a promising way to produce such polymers since they are known to be environmentally friendly. Sustainable polymers that require a greener production process can be realized easily via this polymerization route. However, the use of organic solvents is often one of the drawbacks in developing pathways toward fully green enzymatic polymerization methods. Therefore, in the present work, a series of fully bio-based polyesters based on 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA), namely, furanic-aliphatic polyesters (FPEs), were enzymatically synthesized using greener solvents, such as ionic liquids (ILs) and deep eutectic solvents (DESs). The enzymatic polymerization in ILs and DESs effectively leads to the FDCA-based polyesters without any byproduct, which frequently causes coloration using traditional polymerization methods. FPEs with Mw up to 5.4 kg mol–1 were successfully achieved by Novozyme 435-catalyzed polycondensation of dimethyl 2,5-furandicarboxylate (DMFDCA) with aliphatic diols in BMIMPF6. Polymerization in DESs was also successfully conducted, resulting in the synthesis of bio-based polyesters, which can be further functionalized. Characterization using TGA, DSC, and WAXD showed that all obtained FPEs are semi-crystalline materials, which decomposed around 390 °C with a Tm of 68–123 °C and Tg of 3–12 °C. With this, we successfully developed more eco-friendly enzymatic synthesis routes for the production of sustainable polyester

Adaptation, validity and reliability of the modified painDETECT questionnaire for patients with subacromial pain syndrome

Background The identification of a neuropathic component to subacromial pain may lead to different pain management strategies. The purpose of this study was to adapt the Dutch modified painDETECT (mPDQ-NL) Knee, which discriminates between nociceptive and neuropathic pain, to fit patients with subacromial pain syndrome and subsequently assess its validity and reliability. Methods The mPDQ-NL Knee was adapted into the mPDQ-NL Shoulder to fit and use for patients with subacromial pain syndrome. The study population consisted of patients suffering from subacromial pain syndrome who were asked to fill in the Dutch mPDQ-NL Shoulder, the self-completed Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Symptoms and Signs (S-LANSS) and the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) to determine construct validity (structural validity, hypotheses testing) of the mPDQ-NL Shoulder. Regarding reliability, internal consistency was determined and the mPDQ-NL Shoulder was assessed a second time with a two-week interval to determine measurement error and reliability. Results A total of 107 patients were included in the validity analysis and 58 in the reliability analysis. Validity (86% of predefined hypotheses met), internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha 0.8) and reliability (ICC 0.7) of the mPDQ-NL Shoulder were good, however, a systematic bias might be present. Conclusion The mPDQ-NL Shoulder was successfully modified from the mPDQ-NL Knee. This study shows that the mPDQ-NL Shoulder seems to reflect neuropathic-like pain symptoms experienced by patients with SAPS. Whether it may also be used as a tool to record change over time or after treatment has to be further assessed