Scholars@Duke
Darlene Kimber Taylor

Darlene Kimber Taylor

Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Obstetrics and Gynecology

Selected Publications

Effect of amino-oligophenylenes on the properties of molybdenum disulfide metal-organic frameworks: Rapid catalytic reduction of nitrophenol in water

Journal Article Journal of Molecular Liquids · March 15, 2025 Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) 2D layered structures conjugated with phenylene derivatized oligomers were prepared and used as catalysts for the reduction of p-nitrophenol. A series of nitro and amino functionalized paraphenylenes (n = 2–5) were synthesized. ... Full text Cite

Multiple hour antifibrotic drug release enabled by a thermosensitive quadpolymer.

Journal Article Int J Pharm · January 25, 2025 Injectable drug delivery for uterine fibroid therapy is an ambitious, possibly fertility-preserving concept, that could meet the challenges associated with the structure of these tumors and their location in the uterus. This study was conducted to advance ... Full text Link to item Cite

Nitrophenylene-decorated V2O5 nanohybrids: Effect of processing conditions on enhancing the electrochemical performance for oxygen reduction reaction and dopamine sensing

Journal Article Microchemical Journal · January 1, 2025 Vanadium oxide-based nanocomposites have gained considerable interest in energy storage and electrochemical sensing due to the versatile valence states of vanadium. To enhance electrocatalytic and electrochemical sensing properties, this study focuses on t ... Full text Cite

Developing Equitable Lab Practices/Culture: A Student-Centered Activity on Alcohol Metabolism and Its Relation to the Black Community

Journal Article Journal of Chemical Education · December 10, 2024 This lab updates the study of acetaldehyde oxidation in vitro using the enzyme aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) by presenting the study in a guided inquiry approach that is culturally relevant. Acetaldehyde is a toxic compound that builds up in the liver foll ... Full text Cite

The Synthesis, Characterization, and Theoretical Study of Ruthenium (II) Polypyridyl Oligomer Hybrid Structures with Reduced Graphene Oxide for Enhanced Optoelectronic Applications.

Journal Article Int J Mol Sci · December 3, 2024 π-conjugated polymers are arguably one of the most exciting classes of materials and have attracted substantial attention due to their unique optical and electronic properties. The introduction of transition metals into conjugated polymers tunes the optoel ... Full text Link to item Cite

Design of Thermo-Responsive Pervaporation Membrane Based on Hyperbranched Polyglycerols and Elastin-like Protein Conjugates.

Journal Article Nanomaterials (Basel) · November 14, 2024 This paper reports the development of a highly crosslinked hyper-branched polyglycerol (HPG) polymer bound to elastin-like proteins (ELPs) to create a membrane that undergoes a distinct closed-to-open permeation transition at 32 °C. The crosslinked HPG for ... Full text Link to item Cite

Sustained Release Studies of Metformin Hydrochloride Drug Using Conducting Polymer/Gelatin-Based Composite Hydrogels.

Journal Article ACS Omega · April 30, 2024 The present work highlights the synthesis and characterization of conducting polymer (CP)-based composite hydrogels with gelatin (GL-B) for their application as drug delivery vehicles. The spectral, morphological, and rheological properties of the synthesi ... Full text Link to item Cite

In-vitro release studies of ciprofloxacin drug using polyaniline/polypyrrole-encapsulated β-cyclodextrin nanocomposites

Journal Article Polymer Bulletin · December 1, 2023 The present study reports the synthesis of nanocomposites of β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) with polyaniline (PANI) and polypyrrole (PPy) to design core–shell nanocomposites. The synthesized nanocomposites were investigated for their spectral, morphological and the ... Full text Cite

Linear and nonlinear rheology of liberase-treated breast cancer tumors.

Journal Article Biomaterials science · March 2023 Extracellular matrix (ECM) rigidity has been shown to increase the invasive properties of breast cancer cells, promoting transformation and metastasis through mechanotransduction. Reducing ECM stiffness via enzymatic digestion could be a promising a ... Full text Cite

Recent advances in the utilization of polyaniline in protein detection: a short review.

Journal Article RSC Adv · November 15, 2022 Various reports have been published based on covalently attaching biomolecules to polyaniline (PANI). The functional groups connected to the surface of polymeric units determine the immobilization method as well as the method of detection. The present mini ... Full text Link to item Cite

Structure and performance control of high-damping bio-based thermoplastic polyurethane

Journal Article Journal of Applied Polymer Science · May 10, 2022 Thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) has become the focus of attention in the green and sustainable materials field because of its superior processability and recyclability. In this paper, a series of polylactic acid (PLA) and polycaprolactone (PCL)-based TPUs ... Full text Cite

Using rheology to quantify the effects of localized collagenase treatments on uterine fibroid digestion.

Journal Article Acta Biomater · October 15, 2021 Uterine fibroids are stiff, benign tumors containing excessive, disordered collagens that occur in 70-80% of women before age 50 and cause bleeding and pain. Collagenase Clostridium histolyticum (CCH) is a bacterial enzyme capable of digesting the collagen ... Full text Link to item Cite

Continuing to Nurture Undergraduates in STEM: Evaluation of a Polymer-infused Chemistry Research Experience for Undergraduates at an HBCU

Journal Article Journal of Negro Education · June 1, 2021 This article aims to describe the implementation, evaluation, and outcomes associated with a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) research fellow experience at an historically Black college and university (HBCU) funded by the National S ... Cite

Increasing Chemistry Content Engagement by Implementing Polymer Infusion into Gatekeeper Chemistry Courses

Journal Article Journal of Chemical Education · December 11, 2018 Mastery of core chemistry content is a degree requirement for several STEM majors. Gatekeeper courses, like general and physical chemistry, have a history of weeding out struggling students, and often underrepresented groups underperform. While gatekeeper ... Full text Cite

In Situ Drug Delivery to Breast Cancer-Associated Extracellular Matrix.

Journal Article ACS Chem Biol · October 19, 2018 The extracellular matrix (ECM) contributes to tumor progression through changes induced by tumor and stromal cell signals that promote increased ECM density and stiffness. The increase in ECM stiffness is known to promote tumor cell invasion into surroundi ... Full text Link to item Cite

Recent scientific advances in leiomyoma (uterine fibroids) research facilitates better understanding and management.

Journal Article F1000Res · 2015 Uterine leiomyomas (fibroids) are the most prevalent medical problem of the female reproductive tract, but there are few non-surgical treatment options. Although many advances in the understanding of the molecular components of these tumors have occurred o ... Full text Link to item Cite

Engineered molecules for smarter medicines

Journal Article American Scientist · January 1, 2014 Full text Cite

Electrochemical responsive arrays of sulfonatocalixarene groups prepared by free radical polymerization

Journal Article Reactive and Functional Polymers · January 1, 2014 A styrene based water soluble polymer containing pendant sulfonated calix[4]arene groups has been synthesized by using free radical polymerization combined with post-polymerization sulfonation chemistry. The monomer 25-(4-vinylbenzyl)-26, 27, 28-hydroxy-ca ... Full text Cite

Soluble reduced graphene oxide sheets grafted with polypyridylruthenium-derivatized polystyrene brushes as light harvesting antenna for photovoltaic applications.

Journal Article ACS Nano · September 24, 2013 Soluble graphene nanosheets, prepared by grafting polystyrene-based polymer chains from the surface of reduced graphene oxide (RGO), have been functionalized with pendant Ru(II) polypyridine chromophores. N-Hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) derivatized p-vinylbenzo ... Full text Link to item Cite

Atom transfer radical polymerization preparation and photophysical properties of polypyridylruthenium derivatized polystyrenes.

Journal Article Inorg Chem · August 5, 2013 A ruthenium containing polymer featuring a short carbonyl-amino-methylene linker has been prepared by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). The polymer was derived from ATRP of the N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) derivative of p-vinylbenzoic acid, follow ... Full text Link to item Cite

Paraphenylene dimers with diphenylamine donor groups: Synthesis and photophysics

Journal Article Tetrahedron Letters · June 12, 2013 A novel paraphenylene dimer (D696) with electron donating diphenylamine side chain groups has been prepared. Optical absorption measurements were theoretically and experimentally determined showing a red shift in the absortivity relative to dialkylamine fu ... Full text Cite

Square-Shaped, Single-Crystal, Monolayer graphene domains by low-pressure chemical vapor deposition

Journal Article Materials Research Letters · January 1, 2013 Square-shaped, single-crystal, monolayer graphene domains are grown on Cu foils by low-pressure chemical vapor deposition. The domains are remarkably well-aligned along the direction of flow of the gases. Scanning electron microscopy shows that these ‘squa ... Full text Cite

Hybrid 3D graphene and aligned carbon nanofiber array architectures

Journal Article RSC Advances · December 19, 2012 We report a one-step, low-pressure, chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process to obtain a three-dimensional (3D) carbon architecture consisting of vertically aligned carbon nanofiber arrays on multi-layered graphene films. The morphology and structure of the ... Full text Cite

Treatment for Uterine Fibroids: Searching for Effective Drug Therapies.

Journal Article Drug Discov Today Ther Strateg · 2012 Uterine fibroids are common reproductive-age benign tumors that contribute to severe morbidity and infertility. Cumulative incidence is 4 times higher in Africian-Americans compared to Caucasians and constitutes a major health disparity challenge. Fibroids ... Full text Link to item Cite

Temperature-responsive biocompatible copolymers incorporating hyperbranched polyglycerols for adjustable functionality.

Journal Article J Funct Biomater · August 23, 2011 Temperature-triggered copolymers are proposed for a number of bio-applications but there is no ideal material platform, especially for injectable drug delivery. Options are needed for degradable biomaterials that not only respond to temperature but also ea ... Full text Link to item Cite

Effect of substitution on the optical properties and HOMO-LUMO gap of oligomeric paraphenylenes.

Journal Article J Phys Chem A · December 23, 2010 A series of dialkyl amino benzophenone dimers with various alkyl chain lengths is presented. Gaussian B3LYP/6-31G(d) calculations show that the band gap decreases within the dimer series as a function of the donor group efficiency. Theoretical calculations ... Full text Link to item Cite

Fibroid Therapy Enabled by the Hyperbranched Polyglycerol Platform

Conference JOURNAL OF WOMENS HEALTH · October 1, 2009 Link to item Cite

Solubility of fluorinated homopolymer and block copolymer in compressed CO2

Journal Article Journal of Supercritical Fluids · April 1, 2006 Nitroxide-mediated radical polymerization was used to synthesize poly(1,1,2,2-tetrahydroperfluorodecyl acrylate) homopolymer, PFDA, and to tailor the synthesis of semifluorinated polystyrene-b-PFDA block copolymer, PS-b-PFDA. The solubility of the polymers ... Full text Cite

Polymer Self-Assembly in Carbon Dioxide

Journal Article Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research · September 1, 2002 Full text Cite

Synthesis of fluorinated block copolymers by nitroxide-mediated radical polymerization for supercritical carbon dioxide applications

Conference American Chemical Society, Polymer Preprints, Division of Polymer Chemistry · January 1, 2002 Cite

Study of the association of a diblock copolymer and absorption of an insoluble homopolymer in CO2 [4]

Journal Article Macromolecules · August 28, 2001 Association of a diblock copolymer was studied using small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) and light scattering methods. Absorption of a CO2-insoluble poly(tert-butyl methacrylate) homopolymer by the micelle was also demonstrated. The diblock copolymer was ... Full text Cite

Opportunities for pollution prevention and energy efficiency enabled by the carbon dioxide technology platform

Journal Article Annual Review of Energy and the Environment · December 1, 2000 Various applications using carbon dioxide (CO2) have developed within the last decade and, if current trends continue, the CO2 technology platform could emerge as the most commonly used solvent in the twenty-first century. An environmentally friendly platf ... Full text Cite

Synthesis and characterization of poly(p-phenylene)s with nonlinear optical side chains

Journal Article Macromolecules · April 4, 2000 A highly substituted side chain NLO poly(p-phenylene) (approximately 70.1 wt % NLOphore) has been prepared by the nickel-catalyzed coupling of 4′-(N,N-diethylamino)-2,5-dichlorobenzophenone. Poly((4′-N,N-diethylamino)-2,5-benzophenone), PDEABP, is a modest ... Full text Cite