Shape Memory Cellulose-Based Photonic Reflectors.

Biopolymer-based composites enable to combine different functionalities using renewable materials and cost-effective routes. Here we fabricate novel thermoresponsive photonic films combining cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) with a polydiolcitrate elastomer exhibiting shape memory properties, known as hydroxyl-dominant poly(dodecanediol-co-citrate) (PDDC-HD). Iridescent films of CNCs are first made by evaporation-induced self-assembly, then embedded in the PDDC-HD prepolymer, and finally cured to obtain a cross-linked composite with shape memory properties. The fabricated samples are characterized by polarized optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and thermomechanical cycling. The obtained hybrid material combines both intense structural coloration and shape memory effect. The association of stiff cellulose nanocrystals and soft polydiolcitrate elastomer enhances the overall mechanical properties (increased modulus and reduced brittleness). This hybrid nanocomposite takes advantage of two promising materials and expands their possibilities to cover a wide range of potential applications as multiresponsive devices and sensors. As they perform from room to body temperatures, they could be also good candidates for biomedical applications.EU FP7 NoE Nanophotonics4Energy Grant No. 248855, the Spanish MINECO project MAT2015-68075 (SIFE), and Comunidad de Madrid S2013/MIT-2740 (PHAMA_2.0) program. All the authors acknowledge the Royal Society (2014/R2-IE140719). A.E. was supported by the FPI PhD program from the MICINN. S.V., B.F.P., and A.G.P. are funded by the BBSRC David Phillips fellowship [BB/K014617/1] and the ERC-2014-STG H2020 639088. G.G. acknowledges the EPSRC [1525292]. M.C.S. acknowledges the Instituto de Salud Carlos III of Spain for a Miguel Servet I contract (MS13/00060)

Riociguat treatment in patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension: Final safety data from the EXPERT registry

Objective: The soluble guanylate cyclase stimulator riociguat is approved for the treatment of adult patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and inoperable or persistent/recurrent chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) following Phase