Biodegradable scaffolds such as poly(lactic acid) (PLA), poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) or poly(glycolic acid) (PGA) are commonly used materials in tissue engineering. The chemical composition of these scaffolds changes during degradation which provides a differential environment for the seeded cells. In this study we have developed a simple and relatively high-throughput ...

PURPOSE: The goal of this in vitro study was to identify the topographical features of the enamel surface deproteinized and etched with phosphoric acid (H3PO4) compared to phosphoric acid alone. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Ten extracted lower first and second permanent molars were polished with pumice and water, and then divided ...

Novel functionalized poly(p-phenylene ethynylene)s (PPEs) bearing facially amphiphilic cholic and deoxycholic acid units are synthesized by a Pd-catalyzed Sonogashira cross-coupling reaction. Some interesting properties, particularly their optical and self-assembly characteristics, are unraveled. The PPEs that carry bile acid substituents exhibit remarkable solvatochromism in a wide range of solvent systems, and ...

Polyacrylamide (PAAm), polyacrylic acid (PAA), poly(acrylamide-co-itaconic acid) (PAAmIA) and poly(acrylic acid-co-itaconic acid) (PAAIA) hydrogels were prepared via free-radical polymerization using ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) as cross-linker. The variations of swelling percentages with time and pH were determined for these hydrogels at 37 degrees C. PAAmIA was found as the most ...

Pluronic mimicking poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO-PPO-PEO) triblock copolymer having multiple hydroxyl groups in the PPO middle segment (core-functionalized Pluronic: CF-PLU) was synthesized for conjugation of doxorubicin (DOX). DOX was conjugated on the multiple hydroxyl groups of CF-PLU via an acid-labile hydrazone linkage (CF-PLU-DOX). In aqueous solution, CF-PLU-DOX copolymers self-assembled ...

Intelligent gene delivery systems based on physiologically triggered reversible shielding technology have evinced enormous interest due to their potential in vivo applications. In the present work, an acid-labile block copolymer consisting of poly(ethylene glycol) and poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) segments connected through a cyclic ortho ester linkage (PEG- a-PDMAEMA) was synthesized by ...

Pasty biodegradable polymers that can be mixed with drugs at room temperature and injected to tissue as neat composition are advantageous as they allow simple preparation and delivery of drugs, particularly for heat sensitive drugs. A series of biodegradable pasty poly (ester-anhydride)s were prepared from alkanedicarboxylic acids and ricinoleic acid ...

OBJECTIVE: To assess the erosive potential of a number of commercially available sour sweets in the laboratory. METHODS: The erosive potential was assessed by measuring the pH, neutralisable acidity and ability to erode permanent and deciduous enamel. These parameters were compared to those of an orange juice positive control. RESULTS: ...

This study proposes a new application for the neodymium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Nd:YAG) laser in conservative dentistry, which is represented by the removal of collagen network from acid-etched dentin. Thirty extracted human upper premolars were selected to be given standardized buccal and lingual class V cavities. The teeth were randomly divided into three ...

The aim of this in vitro study was to determine the diffusion of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) released from different bonding systems (BS) through dentin. Occlusal cavities with a remaining dentin thickness (RDT) of 0.5 mm (n=90) and 0.25 mm (n=80), respectively, were prepared in dentin discs of non-carious human molars. ...

This study aimed to determine the anti-erosive effects of xylitol, fluoride and a xylitol/fluoride combination used as an additive in an acidic drink or as mouthrinse after enamel was exposed to an acidic drink, in vitro. Human third molars were divided into 7 groups (A-G). Samples from groups A to ...

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Er:YAG laser ablation on the microstructure of the dentin/adhesive interface after acid-base challenge in vitro. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-two extracted third molars were used. One pair of disk-shaped specimens was obtained from the midcoronal dentin of each tooth. ...

BACKGROUND: Calcium in acidic beverages can decrease a person's risk of experiencing dental erosion. The authors compared the pHs and titratable acidities of commercially available calcium-fortified and unfortified 100 percent juices, and enamel and root surface lesion depths after they were exposed to different juices. METHODS: The authors measured the ...

There is much interest in the development of a nanoscale drug delivery system with MRI visibility to optimize the delivery efficiency and therapeutic efficacy under image guidance. Here we report on the successful fabrication of nanoscale micelles based on biodegradable poly( L-glutamic acid)- b-polylactide (PG- b-PLA) block copolymer with paramagnetic ...

The purpose of this study was to investigate how the characteristics of a poly-l-lactic acid mini-plate changed with dynamic loading in an environment with hydrolytic degradation. A mandible osteosynthesis model was prepared with specimen poly-l-lactic acid mini-plates to simulate sagittal splitting ramus osteotomy. The model was then subjected to dynamic ...

Bioencapsulation is an intriguing way to immobilize biological materials, including cells, in silica, metal-oxides or hybrid sol-gel polymers. Until now only the sol-gel precursor technology was utilized to immobilize bacteria or yeast cells in silica. With the discovery of silicatein, an enzyme from demosponges that catalyzes the formation of poly(silicate), ...

We report the successful application of selective excitation sculptured TOCSY NMR (SXS-TOCSY) to identify individual solution components from a heterogeneous system using selectively acquired (1)H NMR spin system patterns. SXS-TOCSY application is illustrated by detection of the simultaneous presence of poly-beta-(1,6)-N-acetylglucosamine (PNAG) and poly(glycerol phosphate) teichoic acid (TA) carbohydrate polymer ...

Novel fluorescent chiral molecular micelles (FCMMs) were synthesized, characterized, and employed as chiral selectors for enantiomeric recognition of non-fluorescent chiral molecules using steady state fluorescence spectroscopy. The sensitivity of the fluorescence technique allowed for investigation of low concentrations of chiral selector (3.0 x 10(-5) M) and analyte (5.0 x 10(-6) ...

The complexation of beta-carboline-3-carboxylic acid N-methylamide (betaCMAM) with the sodium salts of the nucleotides polyadenylic (Poly A), polycytidylic (Poly C), polyguanylic (Poly G), polythymidylic (Poly T) and polyuridylic (Poly U) acids, and with double stranded (dsDNA) and single stranded deoxyribonucleic acids (ssDNA) was studied at pH 4, 6 and 9. ...

The present research describes synthesis of highly sinterable, nano-sized hydroxyapatite (HAp) powders using a wet chemical route with recycled eggshell and phosphoric acid as calcium and phosphorous sources. The raw eggshell was easily turned to CaO by the calcining process, and phosphoric acid was mixed with the calcined eggshell by ...

Biodegradable scaffolds play an important role in tissue engineering by providing physical and biochemical support for both differentiated and progenitor cells. Here, we describe a novel method for incorporating proteins in 3D biodegradable scaffolds by utilizing protein-loaded microspheres as the building blocks for scaffold formation. Poly(l,d-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microspheres containing ...

Homo- and heterochiral poly(mandelic acid)s (PMDAs) were synthesized under strongly acidic, mildly acidic, and nonacidic conditions. The water-soluble fractions of these polymers were evaluated with respect to their inhibitory activity against the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1). Polymers were prepared via a step-growth mechanism, yielding linear polyesters. The polymers were characterized ...

Previously we demonstrated the ability of ethyl glycinato substituted polyphosphazenes to neutralize the acidic degradation products and control the degradation rate of poly(lactic acid-glycolic acid) (PLAGA) by blending. In this study, blends of high strength poly[(50% ethyl alanato) (50% p-phenyl phenoxy) phosphazene] (PNEA(50)PhPh(50)) and 85:15 PLAGA were prepared using a ...

Boronic acid-based sensors for saccharides have been developed via biocatalysis. The self-doped copolymer of poly(aniline-co-3-aminobenzeneboronic acid) [poly(aniline-co-AB)], with various mole ratios of two components, was synthesized by oxidative enzymatic polymerization using a natural biocatalyst such as horseradish peroxidase together with an anionic polyelectrolyte template (sulfonated polystyrene) under mild conditions (pH ...

The synthesis of a Ni-nitrilotriacetic acid (Ni-NTA) attached via a new tyrosine-based linker matrix on monolithic crosslinked poly(vinyl benzyl chloride)/poly(vinylpyrrolidinone) is described. This matrix is incorporated inside a microstructured PASSflow reactor which was used for automatic purification and immobilisation of His(6)-tagged proteins. These could be used as stable and highly ...

Polylactic acid is a polymer of great technological interest, whose excellent mechanical properties, thermal plasticity, and bioresorbability render it potentially useful for environmental applications, as a biodegradable plastic and as a biocompatible material in biomedicine. This article discusses the synthesis and characterization of poly-L-lactic acid, obtained through two synthetic routes: ...

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare the protective effect of TiF(4), SnF(2), and NaF treatment on the development of erosion-like lesions in pellicle-covered human enamel. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twelve human molars were each divided into 5 specimens, 4 of which were immersed in saliva for 2 h. ...

This study evaluated the resistance to demineralization and fluoride incorporation of enamel irradiated with Er:YAG. A total of 110 bovine teeth were selected and divided into eight groups: unlased, 37% phosphoric acid, and samples irradiated with the Er:YAG laser at several fluences (31.84 J/cm(2), 25.47 J/cm(2), 19.10 J/cm(2), 2.08 J/cm(2), ...

The chemical etching of silicon using HF-HNO(3) mixtures is a widely used process in the processing of silicon wafers for microelectronic or photovoltaic applications. The control of the etch bath composition is the necessary condition for an effective bath utilization, for the replenishment of the consumed acids, and to maintain ...

The preparation and characterization of porous scaffolds from chitosan-PCL blends by freeze extraction, freeze gelation and freeze drying is reported. Using freeze extraction, stable structures were obtained only from PCL, but these were not porous. No stable scaffolds were obtained using the freeze gelation process. Stable scaffolds of chitosan/PCL mixtures ...

We report the cloning, expression, purification, and characterization of the Trypanosoma cruzi exopolyphosphatase (TcPPX). The product of this gene (TcPPX), has 383 amino acids and a molecular mass of 43.1 kDa. TcPPX differs from most exopolyphosphatases in its preference for short-chain polyphosphate (poly P). Heterologous expression of TcPPX in Escherichia ...

A simple and rapid bulk-modification method based on adding an amphiphilic copolymer during the fabrication process was employed to modify PDMS microchips. Poly(lactic acid)-poly(ethylene glycol) (PLA-PEG) was used as the additive substance. Compared to the native PDMS microchips, both the contact angle and the EOF of the bulk-modified PDMS microchips ...

In the title compound, poly[(mu3-boric acid)-mu4-maleato-dipotassium], [K2(C(4)H(2)O(4)){B(OH)3}]n, there are two independent K+ cations, one bonded to seven O atoms (three from boric acid and four from maleate), and the other eight-coordinate via three boric acid and four maleate O atoms and a weak eta(1)-type coordination to the C=C bond of ...

A biodegradable Copolymer of poly(lactic acid-co-lysine)(PLA-PLL) was synthesized by a modified method and novel Arginine-Glycine-Aspartic (RGD) peptides were chemical conjugated to the primary epsilon-amine groups of lysine components in four steps: I to prepare the monomer of 3-(Nepsilon-benzoxycarbonyl-L-lysine)-6-L-methyl-2,5-morpholinedione; II to prepare diblock copolymer poly(lactic acid-co-(Z)-L-lysine) (PLA-PLL(Z)) by ring-opening polymerization of ...

A novel polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) surface modification method for microchip electrophoresis has been developed to make a stable and sufficient electroosmotic flow (EOF). Poly(l-glutamic acid) (PGA) which had ionizable carboxyl groups at a high pH-range was immobilized on the surface of microchannel fabricated with PDMS. The surface modification involved surface oxidation ...

Macromolecules with defined nanosizes--nanoglobules--were synthesized and characterized as novel drug carriers with precise molecular architectures. Poly-L-lysine dendrimers with a cubic octa(3-aminopropyl)silsesquioxane (OAS) core, (L-lysine 8-OAS, (L-lysine) 16-(L-lysine) 8-OAS, (L-lysine) 32-(L-lysine) 16-(L-lysine) 8-OAS, and (L-lysine) 64-(L-lysine) 32-(L-lysine) 16-(L-lysine) 8-OAS, were divergently synthesized by solution phase peptide chemistry in good yield and ...

This study deals with the fabrication of a peripheral nerve scaffold prepared with poly (lactic acid-co-glycolic acid) [PLGA] and acellularized pigskin collagen micro particles and the investigation of its sustained release property in vitro. We took bovine serum albumin [BSA] as model drug to investigate the sustained-release property of the ...

The interaction of hydrophobically modified copolymers of acrylamide and acrylic acid, designated as PAM-C12-AA (X%) (X% indicates the percentage of acrylic acid unit and X = 5, 10, 20), with dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) vesicles has been studied. Complementary techniques including isothermal titration microcalorimetry (ITC), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), turbidity measurement, calcein ...

Long-circulating liposomes, such as PEG-liposomes, are frequently studied for drug delivery and diagnostic purposes. In our group, poly(amino acid) (PAA)-based coatings for long-circulating liposomes have been developed. These coatings provide liposomes with similar circulation times as compared to PEG-liposomes, but have the advantage of being enzymatically degradable. For PEG-liposomes it ...

Phosphorylation of the organic matrix proteins of dentin is important for the initiation of mineralization, but its relevance in later mineralization stages is controversial. The objective of this study was to analyze changes in the total matrix phosphate content during dentin development and to identify their origin. Amino acid and ...

Biomaterials are widely used in diverse applications as substances, materials or important elements of biomedical devices. Biodegradable polymers, both natural and synthetic, have been utilized in applications in which they act as temporary substitutes. Poly(alpha-hydroxy acids), especially lactic acids and glycolic acid and their copolymers with epsilon-caprolactone, are the most ...

A poly(butyl methacrylate-co-methacrylic acid) (BMA-MAA) scaffold was fabricated by an in situ polymerization solvent casting/particulate leaching technique. It displayed high porosity (85-90%), pore interconnectivity, and a pore size range of 100-650 microm. Compression testing of the scaffolds demonstrated a dependence of the compressive stiffness on several fabrication variables including the ...

Novel cholic acid functionalized star oligo/poly(DL-lactide)s with different molecular weights were synthesized through the ring-opening polymerization of DL-lactide initiated by cholic acid. Compared with poly(DL-lactide), these star oligo/poly(DL-lactide)s show faster hydrolytic degradation rates, and the degradation mechanism changes from bulk erosion to surface erosion with decreasing molecular weight. Based on ...

Partially benzyl-esterified poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(aspartic acid) (PEG-P(Asp(Bzl))) having different hydrophobic inner-core structure were synthesized and analyzed. We obtained two types of the block copolymers for formation of polymeric micelle drug carriers; one had an amide-bond ratio of 1:3 (alpha/beta) in the poly(aspartic acid) residues through alkaline hydrolysis, and the other one ...

Here, we described a new method for electrochemically selective detection of dopamine (DA). In this report, for the first time, electrochemical polymerization of 4-amino-1-1'-azobenzene-3,4'-disulfonic acid (acid yellow 9 dye (AY)) was carried out onto the surface of glassy carbon (GC) electrode and indium tin oxide coated electrode (ITO) from acidic ...

OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to analyse the effects of different brushing loads on abrasion of acid-softened and sound enamel surfaces. DESIGN: Sound and acid-softened surfaces of each 10 human enamel samples were submitted to brushing abrasion in an automatic brushing machine at 1.5 N (A), 2.5 N (B), 3.5 N ...

A practical synthesis for 9,10-bis(alkoxyphenyl)-2,7-diiodophenanthrenes is described. 9,10-Bis(4-hexyloxyphenyl)-2,7-diiodophenanthrene was selectively obtained by a one-pot reaction of 10,10-bis-(4-hexyloxy-phenyl)-2,7-diiodo-10H-phenanthren-9-one with 1 equiv of triethylsilane in trifluoroacetic acid. The target molecular architecture was demonstrated to be a useful precursor for obtaining the corresponding poly(phenanthrene) and poly(phenanthrylene-vinylene).

This study focuses on the use of bio-nanocomposite microspheres, consisting of carbonated hydroxyapatite (CHAp) nanospheres within a poly(L: -lactide) (PLLA) matrix, to produce tissue engineering (TE) scaffolds using a modified selective laser sintering (SLS) machine. PLLA microspheres and PLLA/CHAp nanocomposite microspheres were prepared by emulsion techniques. The resultant microspheres had ...

The hydrolytic degradability and erythromycin release from stoichiometric ionic complexes of biotechnological poly(beta,L-malic acid)s and poly(gamma,D-glutamic acid)s with alkyltrimethylammonium surfactants were investigated. The influence of pH, temperature and antibiotic load on hydrolysis rate was examined. It was found that poly(malic acid) complexes degraded by a surface erosion mechanism at a ...

Infiltration of non-cavitated caries lesions with light-curing resins could lead to an arrest of lesion progression. The aim of this study was to evaluate the penetration of a conventional adhesive into natural enamel caries after pre-treatment with two different etching gels in vitro. Extracted human molars and premolars showing proximal ...