Synthesis by gamma irradiation of hyaluronic acid-polyvinyl alcohol hydrogel for biomedical applications.

Hyaluronic acid (HA) is one of the most attractive natural polymers employed in biomaterials with biological applications. This polysaccharide is found in different tissues of the body because it is a natural component of the extracellular matrix; furthermore, it has crucial functions in cell growth, migration, and differentiation. Since its biological characteristics, HA has been utilized for the new biomaterial's development for tissue engineering, such as hydrogels. These hydrophilic macromolecular networks have gained significant attention due to their unique properties, making them potential candidates to be applied in biomedical fields. Different mechanisms to obtain hydrogels have been described. However, the research of new non-toxic methods has been growing in recent years. In this study, we prepared a new hydrogel of HA and polyvinyl alcohol by the cost-effective technique of cross-linking by gamma irradiation. The hydrogel was elaborated for the first time and was characterized by several methods such as Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, Differential Scanning Calorimetry, Thermogravimetric Analysis, and Scanning Electron Microscopy. Likewise, we evaluated the cytotoxicity of the biomaterial and its influence on cell migration in human fibroblasts. Furthermore, we provide preliminary evidence of the wound closure effect in a cellular wound model. The novel hydrogel offers an increase of HA stability with the potential to expand the useful life of HA in its different medical applications.

Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Surface Treatment of Polymers and Influence on Cell Cultivation.

Atmospheric plasma treatment is an effective and economical surface treatment technique. The main advantage of this technique is that the bulk properties of the material remain unchanged while the surface properties and biocompatibility are enhanced. Polymers are used in many biomedical applications; such as implants, because of their variable bulk properties. On the other hand, their surface properties are inadequate which demands certain surface treatments including atmospheric pressure plasma treatment. In biomedical applications, surface treatment is important to promote good cell adhesion, proliferation, and growth. This article aim is to give an overview of different atmospheric pressure plasma treatments of polymer surface, and their influence on cell-material interaction with different cell lines.

Targeting drug delivery with light: A highly focused approach.

Light is a uniquely powerful tool for controlling molecular events in biology. No other external input (e.g., heat, ultrasound, magnetic field) can be so tightly focused or so highly regulated as a clinical laser. Drug delivery vehicles that can be photonically activated have been developed across many platforms, from the simplest "caging" of therapeutics in a prodrug form, to more complex micelles and circulating liposomes that improve drug uptake and efficacy, to large-scale hydrogel platforms that can be used to protect and deliver macromolecular agents including full-length proteins. In this Review, we discuss recent innovations in photosensitive drug delivery and highlight future opportunities to engineer and exploit such light-responsive technologies in the clinical setting.

Influência da fotobiomodulação na viabilidade e proliferação de células-tronco do ligamento periodontal humano cultivadas na superfície de filmes de ácido polilático / Influence of photobiomodulation on the viability and proliferation of human periodontal ligament stem cells cultured on the surface of polylactic acid films

O ácido polilático (PLA) é um biomaterial com diversas aplicações biomédicas e tem se destacado como um arcabouço promissor na engenharia de tecidos principalmente devido à sua biocompatibilidade, fácil manipulação e baixo custo. O laser de baixa intensidade (LBI) tem se mostrado uma ferramenta útil para promover a bioestimulação in vitro de vários tipos celulares. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o efeito da fotobiomodulação com LBI na viabilidade e proliferação de células-tronco do ligamento periodontal humano (hPDLSC) cultivadas em arcabouços de PLA. Filmes de PLA foram produzidos e a topografia da superfície foi avaliada por microscopia eletrônica de varredura (MEV) e microscopia de força atômica (AFM). As hPDLSC foram isoladas, caracterizadas e cultivadas nos filmes de PLA e os espécimes foram divididos em dois grupos: Controle ­ não irradiado; e Laser ­ submetido à irradiação com laser diodo (InGaAIP) com comprimento de onda de 660 nm, potência de 30 mW, e dose única de 1 J/cm², de modo contínuo. As análises de viabilidade celular foram realizadas 24 e 48 horas após a irradiação através do ensaio bioquímico Alamar Blue e do ensaio Live/Dead. Os eventos do ciclo celular foram avaliados por citometria de fluxo e a morfologia da interação célula-biomaterial foi avaliada por MEV. Os filmes produzidos exibiram uma superfície plana e regular, com presença eventual de pequenos poros e rugosidade média de 59,381 nm. Os resultados do ensaio Alamar Blue mostraram uma maior atividade metabólica celular no grupo irradiado em relação ao controle em 24 (p<0,05) e 48 h (p<0,001), o que foi confirmado no ensaio Live/Dead por uma maior densidade de células viáveis no grupo Laser. Na análise do ciclo celular o grupo Laser apresentou um aumento de células na fase G2/M comparado com o grupo Controle (p<0,001). As imagens da MEV mostraram uma maior densidade celular no grupo irradiado, com manutenção da morfologia. Em conjunto, os achados deste estudo demonstraram que fotobiomodulação tem a capacidade de aumentar a viabilidade e proliferação das células-tronco periodontais cultivadas em arcabouços de PLA, o que pode contribuir para o desenvolvimento de novos estudos utilizando este protocolo na engenharia tecidual periodontal (AU).

Polylactic acid (PLA) is a biomaterial with diverse biomedical applications and has been a promising scaffold in tissue engineering mainly due to its biocompatibility, easy manipulation and low cost. Low-level laser irradiation (LLLI) has been shown to be a powerful tool to promote in vitro biostimulation in several cell types. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of photobiomodulation with LLLI on the viability and proliferation of human periodontal ligament stem cells (hPDLSC) cultured on PLA scaffolds. PLA films were produced by solvent casting method and the surface topography was evaluated by scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). hPDLSC were isolated, characterized and cultured on the PLA films. Two groups were evaluated: Control - non irradiated; and Laser - irradiated with diode laser (InGaAIP) with wavelength of 660 nm, power of 30 mW, and a single dose of 1 J/cm² with radiation emitted continuously. Cell viability analyzes were performed 24 and 48 hours after irradiation using the the Alamar Blue biochemical assay and Live/Dead assay. Cell cycle events were assessed by flow cytometry and cell-biomaterial morphological interaction was evaluated by SEM. The films produced showed a flat and regular surface, with the occasional presence of small pores and an average roughness of 59.381 nm. The results of Alamar Blue assay showed a greater cell metabolic activity in irradiated group compared to control at 24 (p<0.05) and 48 h (p<0.001), which was confirmed in the Live/Dead assay by a higher density of viable cells in the Laser group. In the analysis of the cell cycle, the Laser group showed an increase of cells in the G2/M phase compared to the Control group (p <0.001). SEM images showed a higher cell density in the irradiated group, with maintenance of cell morphology. Taken together, the findings of this study demonstrated that photobiomodulation has the ability to increase the viability and proliferation of periodontal stem cells cultured on PLA scaffolds, which may contribute to the development of new studies using this protocol in periodontal tissue engineering (AU).

Synthesis of an UV-Curable Divinyl-Fumarate Poly-ε-Caprolactone for Stereolithography Applications.

The limited number of commercially available photocrosslinkable resins for stereolithography has often been considered the main limitation of this technique. In this manuscript, a photocrosslinkable poly-ε-caprolactone (PCL) has been synthesized by a two-step method starting from ring opening polymerization (ROP) of ε-caprolactone. Hydroxyethyl vinyl ether (HEVE) has been used both as the initiator of ROP and as photo-curable functional group to obtain a vinyl poly-ε-caprolactone (VPCL). The following reaction of VPCL with fumaryl chloride (FuCl) results in a divinyl-fumarate polycaprolactone (VPCLF). Moreover, a catalyst based on Al, instead of the most popular Tin(II) 2-ethylhexanoate, has been employed to reduce the cytotoxicity of the material. VPCLF has been successfully used, in combination with N-vinyl-pyrrolidone (NVP), to fabricate 3D porous scaffolds by micro-stereolithography (µ-SL) with mathematically defined architectures.

Living materials fabricated via gradient mineralization of light-inducible biofilms.

Living organisms have evolved sophisticated cell-mediated biomineralization mechanisms to build structurally ordered, environmentally adaptive composite materials. Despite advances in biomimetic mineralization research, it remains difficult to produce mineralized composites that integrate the structural features and 'living' attributes of their natural counterparts. Here, inspired by natural graded materials, we developed living patterned and gradient composites by coupling light-inducible bacterial biofilm formation with biomimetic hydroxyapatite (HA) mineralization. We showed that both the location and the degree of mineralization could be regulated by tailoring functional biofilm growth with spatial and biomass density control. The cells in the composites remained viable and could sense and respond to environmental signals. Additionally, the composites exhibited a maximum 15-fold increase in Young's modulus after mineralization and could be applied to repair damage in a spatially controlled manner. Beyond insights into the mechanism of formation of natural graded composites, our study provides a viable means of fabricating living composites with dynamic responsiveness and environmental adaptability.

Recovery of motor function after traumatic spinal cord injury by using plasma-synthesized polypyrrole/iodine application in combination with a mixed rehabilitation scheme.

Traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) can cause paralysis and permanent disability. Rehabilitation (RB) is currently the only accepted treatment, although its beneficial effect is limited. The development of biomaterials has provided therapeutic possibilities for TSCI, where our research group previously showed that the plasma-synthesized polypyrrole/iodine (PPy/I), a biopolymer with different physicochemical characteristics than those of the PPy synthesized by conventional methods, promotes recovery of motor function after TSCI. The present study evaluated if the plasma-synthesized PPy/I applied in combination with RB could increase its beneficial effects and the mechanisms involved. Adult rats with TSCI were divided into no treatment (control); biopolymer (PPy/I); mixed RB by swimming and enriched environment (SW/EE); and combined treatment (PPy/I + SW/EE) groups. Eight weeks after TSCI, the general health of the animals that received any of the treatments was better than the control animals. Functional recovery evaluated by two scales was better and was achieved in less time with the PPy/I + SW/EE combination. All treatments significantly increased ßIII-tubulin (nerve plasticity) expression, but only PPy/I increased GAP-43 (nerve regeneration) and MBP (myelination) expression when were analyzed by immunohistochemistry. The expression of GFAP (glial scar) decreased in treated groups when determined by histochemistry, while morphometric analysis showed that tissue was better preserved when PPy/I and PPy/I + SW/EE were administered. The application of PPy/I + SW/EE, promotes the preservation of nervous tissue, and the expression of molecules related to plasticity as ßIII-tubulin, reduces the glial scar, improves general health and allows the recovery of motor function after TSCI. The implant of the biomaterial polypyrrole/iodine (PPy/I) synthesized by plasma (an unconventional synthesis method), in combination with a mixed rehabilitation scheme with swimming and enriched environment applied after a traumatic spinal cord injury, promotes expression of GAP-43 and ßIII-tubulin (molecules related to plasticity and nerve regeneration) and reduces the expression of GFAP (molecule related to the formation of the glial scar). Both effects together allow the formation of nerve fibers, the reconnection of the spinal cord in the area of injury and the recovery of lost motor function. The figure shows the colocalization (yellow) of ßIII-tubilin (red) and GAP-43 (green) in fibers crossing the epicenter of the injury (arrowheads) that reconnect the rostral and caudal ends of the injured spinal cord and allowed recovery of motor function.

Photo-cross-linkable, insulating silk fibroin for bioelectronics with enhanced cell affinity.

Bioelectronic scaffolds that support devices while promoting tissue integration could enable tissue hybrids with augmented electronic capabilities. Here, we demonstrate a photo-cross-linkable silk fibroin (PSF) derivative and investigate its structural, electrical, and chemical properties. Lithographically defined PSF films offered tunable thickness and <1-µm spatial resolution and could be released from a relief layer yielding freestanding scaffolds with centimeter-scale uniformity. These constructs were electrically insulating; multielectrode arrays with PSF-passivated interconnects provided stable electrophysiological readouts from HL-1 cardiac model cells, brain slices, and hearts. Compared to SU8, a ubiquitous biomaterial, PSF exhibited superior affinity toward neurons which we attribute to its favorable surface charge and enhanced attachment of poly-d-lysine adhesion factors. This finding is of significant importance in bioelectronics, where tight junctions between devices and cell membranes are necessary for electronic communication. Collectively, our findings are generalizable to a variety of geometries, devices, and tissues, establishing PSF as a promising bioelectronic platform.

Innovative Bio-Based Organic UV-A and Blue Light Filters from Meldrum's Acid.

Faced with the ban of some organic UV filters such as octinoxate or avobenzone, especially in Hawaii, it became essential to offer new alternatives that are both renewable and safe for humans and the environment. In this context, a class of bio-based molecules displaying interesting UV filter properties and great (photo)stability has been developed from Meldrum's acid and bio-based and synthetic p-hydroxycinnamic acids, furans and pyrroles. Moreover, p-hydroxycinnamic acid-based Meldrum's derivatives possess valuable secondary activities sought by the cosmetic industry such as antioxidant and anti-tyrosinase properties. The evaluation of the properties of mixture of judiciously chosen Meldrum's acid derivatives highlighted the possibility to modulate secondary activity while maintaining excellent UV protection. Meldrum's acid derivatives are not only competitive when benchmarked against organic filters currently on the market (i.e., avobenzone), but they also do not exhibit any endocrine disruption activity.

Enhancement of Neurite Outgrowth by Warming Biomaterial Ultrasound Treatment.

Ultrasound is a method for enhancing neurite outgrowth because of its thermal effect. In order to reach the working temperature to enhance neurite outgrowth, long-time treatment by ultrasound is necessary, while acknowledging that the treatment poses a high risk of damaging nerve cells. To overcome this problem, we developed a method that shortens the ultrasonic treatment time with a warming biomaterial. In this study, we used Fe3O4 nanoparticle-embedded polycaprolactone (PCL) as a sonosensitized biomaterial, which has an excellent heating rate due to its high acoustic attenuation. With this material, the ultrasonic treatment time for enhancing neurite outgrowth could be effectively shortened. Ultrasonic treatment could also increase neuronal function combined with the warming biomaterial, with more promoter neuronal function than only ultrasound. Moreover, the risk of overexposure can be avoided by the use of the warming biomaterial by reducing the ultrasonic treatment time, providing better effectiveness.

Evaluation of Radiosterilized Glyercerolated Amniotic Membranes as a Substrate for Cultured Human Epithelial Cells.

Human amniotic membrane (HAM) is a biomaterial with biological properties beneficial to tissue repair, serving as a substrate for cell cultivation. Irradiation is used for tissue sterilization, but can damage the HAM structure. The objective of this paper was to construct a skin substitute, composed of human keratinocytes cultured on glycerolated HAMs, and to evaluate the influence radiation on subsequent cell culture growth. Four batches of HAMs were glycerolated, and half of them were radio-sterilzed with 25 kGy. Non-irradiated glycerolated HAM (ni-HAM) and irradiated glycerolated HAM (i-HAM) samples were then de-epithelized and analyzed using optical microscopy (Picrossirius staining), immunofluorescence and electron microscopy. Subsequently, keratinocytes were cultured on ni- and i-HAMs, and either immersed or positioned at the air-liquid interface. The basement membranes of the ni-HAM group remained intact following de-epithelialization, whereas the i-HAM group displayed no evidence or remnant presence of these membranes. Concerning the keratinocyte cultures, the ni-HAM substrate promoted the growth of multi-layered and differentiated epithelia. Keratinocytes cultured on i-HAM formed epithelium composed of three layers of stratification and discrete cell differentiation. The glycerolated HAM was compatible with cultured epithelia, demonstrating its potential as a skin substitute. Irradiation at 25 kGy caused structural damage to the amnion.

Evaluation of 3D Printed Gelatin-Based Scaffolds with Varying Pore Size for MSC-Based Adipose Tissue Engineering.

Adipose tissue engineering aims to provide solutions to patients who require tissue reconstruction following mastectomies or other soft tissue trauma. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) robustly differentiate into the adipogenic lineage and are attractive candidates for adipose tissue engineering. This work investigates whether pore size modulates adipogenic differentiation of MSCs toward identifying optimal scaffold pore size and whether pore size modulates spatial infiltration of adipogenically differentiated cells. To assess this, extrusion-based 3D printing is used to fabricate photo-crosslinkable gelatin-based scaffolds with pore sizes in the range of 200-600 µm. The adipogenic differentiation of MSCs seeded onto these scaffolds is evaluated and robust lipid droplet formation is observed across all scaffold groups as early as after day 6 of culture. Expression of adipogenic genes on scaffolds increases significantly over time, compared to TCP controls. Furthermore, it is found that the spatial distribution of cells is dependent on the scaffold pore size, with larger pores leading to a more uniform spatial distribution of adipogenically differentiated cells. Overall, these data provide first insights into the role of scaffold pore size on MSC-based adipogenic differentiation and contribute toward the rational design of biomaterials for adipose tissue engineering in 3D volumetric spaces.

UV Treatment Improves the Biocompatibility and Antibacterial Properties of Crystallized Nanostructured Titanium Surface.

This study describes the production of a new material composed of pure titanium (Ti) metal with a crystallized nanostructure and investigated whether heat treatment and ultraviolet (UV) irradiation improved its biocompatibility and antibacterial properties. We compared the performance of UV-irradiated and non-irradiated Ti nanosheets (TNS) formed by dark alkaline treatment and heating at 600 °C with that of untreated pure Ti nanostructure (positive control). In vitro and in vivo experiments to assess biocompatibility and effects on cell behavior were performed using human umbilical vein endothelial cells and rat bone marrow cells. The material surface was characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The antibacterial properties of the irradiated material were evaluated using Staphylococcus aureus, a common pathogenic bacterium. The UV-irradiated TNS exhibited high angiogenic capacity and promoted cell adherence and differentiation relative to the control. Further, surface analysis via XPS revealed a lower C peak for the UV-treated material, indicating a reduced amount of dirt on the material surface. Moreover, UV irradiation decreased the viability of S. aureus on the material surface by stimulating reactive oxygen species production. The biocompatibility and antibacterial properties of the TNS were improved by UV irradiation. Thus, TNS may serve as a useful material for fabrication of dental implants.

Electron microscopy analysis of the thermal phase transition from hydroxyapatita to ß-TCP observed in human teeth.

Samples of enamel and dentin from human molar teeth were heated in air from room temperature (25°C) up to 1200°C and the phase transition from hydroxyapatite (HAP) to tricalcium phosphate (ß-TCP) was recorded. The changes produced in morphology and chemical composition in the tooth during heating were analysed by light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), characteristic x-ray energy dispersion spectroscopy (EDS), x-ray diffraction (XRD), electron diffraction, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high-resolution electron microscopy (HRTEM). The results indicated a high correlation relationship among Ca content, P content, O content and Na content, and the existence of the Kirkendall effect during the HAP- ß-TCP phase transition. LAY DESCRIPTION: This work is related with tooth materials. Samples of enamel and dentine from human molar teeth were heated in air from 25°C up to 1200°C and the phase transition from hydroxyapatite (HAP) to tricalcium phosphate (ß-TCP) was recorded. The ß-TCP phase is also known as whitlockite. The changes produced in morphology and chemical composition in the tooth during heating were analysed by electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The results indicated a high correlation relationship among Ca, P, O and Na contents, and the existence of the Kirkendall effect, the atomic diffusion producing voids, during the HAP- ß-TCP phase transition.

The neuroprotective activity of heat-treated human platelet lysate biomaterials manufactured from outdated pathogen-reduced (amotosalen/UVA) platelet concentrates.

BACKGROUND: Effective neurorestorative therapies of neurodegenerative diseases must be developed. There is increasing interest in using human platelet lysates, rich in neurotrophic factors, as novel disease-modifying strategy of neurodegeneration. To ensure virus safety, pathogen reduction treatments should be incorporated in the preparation process of the platelet concentrates used as source material. We therefore investigated whether platelet concentrates (PC) pathogen-inactivated using a licensed photo-inactivation treatment combining photosensitive psoralen (amotosalen) and UVA irradiation (Intercept) can serve as source material to prepare platelet lysates with preserved neuroprotective activity in Parkinson's disease models. METHODS: Intercept treated-PCs were centrifuged, when reaching expiry day (7 days after collection), to remove plasma and platelet additive solution. The platelet pellet was re-suspended and concentrated in phosphate buffer saline, subjected to 3 freeze-thaw cycles (- 80 °C/37 °C) then centrifuged to remove cell debris. The supernatant was recovered and further purified, or not, by heat-treatment as in our previous investigations. The content in proteins and neurotrophic factors was determined and the toxicity and neuroprotective activity of the platelet lysates towards LUHMES cells or primary cortical/hippocampal neurons were assessed using ELISA, flow cytometry, cell viability and cytotoxicity assays and proteins analysis by Western blot. RESULTS: Platelet lysates contained the expected level of total proteins (ca. 7-14 mg/mL) and neurotrophic factors. Virally inactivated and heat-treated platelet lysates did not exert detectable toxic effects on neither Lund human mesencephalic dopaminergic LUHMES cell line nor primary neurons. When used at doses of 5 and 0.5%, they enhanced the expression of tyrosine hydroxylase and neuron-specific enolase in LUHMES cells and did not significantly impact synaptic protein expression in primary neurons, respectively. Furthermore, virally-inactivated platelet lysates tested were found to exert very strong neuroprotection effects on both LUHMES and primary neurons exposed to erastin, an inducer of ferroptosis cell death. CONCLUSION: Outdated Intercept pathogen-reduced platelet concentrates can be used to prepare safe and highly neuroprotective human heat-treated platelet pellet lysates. These data open reassuring perspectives in the possibility to develop an effective biotherapy using virally-inactivated platelet lysates rich in functional neurotrophins for neuroregenerative medicine, and for further bio-industrial development. However, the data should be confirmed in animal models.

Radiation-Chemical Synthesis of Crosslinked Films Based on N-Vinylcaprolactam Copolymers.

Water-soluble copolymers were obtained by graft copolymerization of N-vinylcaprolactam and 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate on polyvinyl alcohol. The chemical composition of the obtained graft copolymers was determined by IR spectroscopy. Cross-linked films were obtained by radiation treatment of water-soluble copolymers. To estimate the efficiency of the radiation crosslinking of films, the dependence of the yield of gel fraction on the absorbed dose was studied at different proportions of the initial components. It was established that the yield of the crosslinked fraction increases and the swelling capacity of polymer mesh decreases with increasing 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate content in graft copolymer and absorbed dose.

Dual-color fluorescent nanoparticles showing perfect color-specific photoswitching for bioimaging and super-resolution microscopy.

Dual-emissive systems showing color-specific photoswitching are promising in bioimaging and super-resolution microscopy. However, their switching efficiency has been limited because a delicate manipulation of all the energy transfer crosstalks in the systems is unfeasible. Here, we report a perfect color-specific photoswitching, which is rationally designed by combining the complete off-to-on fluorescence switching capability of a fluorescent photochromic diarylethene and the frustrated energy transfer to the other fluorescent dye based on the excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) process. Upon alternation of UV and visible light irradiations, the system achieves 100% switching on/off of blue emission from the diarylethene while orange emission from the ESIPT dye is unchanged in the polymer film. By fabricating this system into biocompatible polymer nanoparticles, we demonstrate microscopic imaging of RAW264.7 macrophage cells with reversible blue-color specific fluorescence switching that enables super-resolution imaging with a resolution of 70 nm.

Synthesis and Characterization of Polyhydroxyalkanoate Organo/Hydrogels.

Synthetic organogels/hydrogels are attracting growing interests due to their potential applications in biomedical fields, organic electronics, and photovoltaics. Photogelation methods for synthesis of organogels/hydrogels have been shown particularly promising because of the high efficiency and simple synthetic procedures. This study synthesized new biodegradable polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA)-based organogels/hydrogels via UV photo-cross-linking using unsaturated PHA copolymer poly[(R)-3-hydroxyundecanoate-co-(R)-3-hydroxy-10-undecenoate] (PHU10U) with polyethylene glycol dithiol (PDT) as a photo-cross-linker. The PHU10U was synthesized by an engineered Pseudomonas entomophila and characterized via Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and 13C NMR. With decreasing the molar ratio of PHU10U to PDT, both the swelling ratio and pore size were decreased. Meanwhile, increasing densities of the gel networks resulted in a higher compressive modulus. Cell cytotoxicity studies based on the CCK-8 assay on both the PHU10U precursor and PHU10U/PDT hydrogels showed that the novel PHA-based biodegradables acting as hydrogels possess good biocompatibility.

Functional Mesoporous Silica Nanocomposites: Biomedical applications and Biosafety.

The rise and development of nanotechnology has enabled the creation of a wide number of systems with new and advantageous features to treat cancer. However, in many cases, the lone application of these new nanotherapeutics has proven not to be enough to achieve acceptable therapeutic efficacies. Hence, to avoid these limitations, the scientific community has embarked on the development of single formulations capable of combining functionalities. Among all possible components, silica-either solid or mesoporous-has become of importance as connecting and coating material for these new-generation therapeutic nanodevices. In the present review, the most recent examples of fully inorganic silica-based functional composites are visited, paying particular attention to those with potential biomedical applicability. Additionally, some highlights will be given with respect to their possible biosafety issues based on their chemical composition.

Ultraviolet treatment restores bioactivity of titanium mesh plate degraded by contact with medical gloves.

Titanium mesh plate (Ti mesh) used for bone augmentation inadvertently comes into contact with medical gloves during trimming and bending. We tested the hypotheses that glove contact degrades the biological capability of Ti mesh and that ultraviolet treatment (UV) can restore this capability. Three groups of Ti mesh specimens were prepared: as-received (AR), after glove contact (GC), and after glove contact followed by UV treatment. The AR and GC meshes were hydrophobic, but GC mesh was more hydrophobic. AR and GC meshes had significant amounts of surface carbon, and Si content was higher for GC mesh than for AR mesh. UV mesh was hydrophilic, and carbon and silicon content values were significantly lower in this group than in the AR and GC groups. The number, alkaline phosphatase activity, and mineralization ability of attached osteoblasts were significantly lower in the GC group than in the AR group and markedly higher in the UV group than in the AR group. In conclusion, glove contact caused chemical contamination of Ti mesh, which significantly reduced its bioactivity. UV treatment restored bioactivity in contaminated Ti mesh, which outperformed even the baseline Ti mesh.