Hydroxyapatite/polyurethane composites as promising biomaterials

The biomaterials are intended to augment or replace the function of tissues or organs in human body. Every year millions of people require soft- or hard-tissue regeneration worldwide. Polymers and their composites are a large class of biomaterials appreciated for tissue regeneration. Polyurethane (PUR) is an organic synthetic multifunctional polymer with established biomedical applications. The hydroxyapatite (HA) is one of the biocompatible ceramic materials similar to natural bone material. The amalgamation of hydroxyapatite with polyurethane enhances the bioactivity of final product along with the combination of individual properties. Here, we review the synthesis, characterization, and applications studies of HA/PUR-based biomaterials. We initiate this review with a brief and representative compilation of the chemical composition and methods of preparation for HA/PUR biomaterials. Then, moving ahead, first, we review the simple HA/PUR biomaterials and use of PUR templates. Second, we review the significance of modified HA and PUR in these biomaterials. Third, we discuss the potential of bio-based PUR and inclusion of third constituent in the HA/PUR biomaterials. Then, we appraise the involvement of trace nutrient in deposition of HA on PUR scaffolds. Finally, we consider the other expedient applications of HA/PUR composites such as drug delivery system and sorbent of pollutants.     

New methods for nanotoxicology: synchrotron radiation-based techniques

Nanotoxicology, a new branch of bionanoscience, deals with the study and application of the toxic or biological effects of nanomaterials or nanostructures, and aims to fill gaps in our knowledge of interactions between nano- and biosystems. However, progress in this new discipline largely relies on developing methodology to characterize nanomaterials in biological samples, quantify nanoparticles in living systems, and study their uptake, translocation, biodistribution, location and chemical status in vitro and in vivo, etc. In this review article, we focus on the main features of synchrotron radiation-based methods and their application to the study of the toxicological activities of nanomaterials. Synchrotron radiation-based analytical techniques are shown to provide a potent means for characterizing the toxic or biological behaviors of nanoparticles in biological systems.     

高分子生物材料分子工程研究进展（下）

高分子生物材料分子工程研究进展（下）林思聪（南京大学高分子科学与工程系，生物材料分子工程及控制释放分子工程室，南京，２１００９３）４体内稳定的高分子生物材料目前用于制造半永久性内植物的体内稳定高分子生物材料主要有有机硅橡胶、聚四氟乙烯、聚对－苯二甲酸...     

Sulfonium alkylation followed by ‘click’ chemistry for facile surface modification of proteins and tobacco mosaic virus

Alkylsulfonium salts (ASS) have been shown to act as powerful alkylating agents. However, few studies have addressed the application of sulfonium salts to the modification of biomolecules such as nucleic acids and proteins. Since these large biomolecules play important roles in biological processes, a convenient and fast method for their modification is greatly needed. In this work, for the first time, we used a tandem method of sulfonium alkylation and click chemistry (CuAAC) for modification of biomolecules. Fluorescent labeling of proteins and tobacco mosaic virus were successfully performed after simple incubation of biomolecules with sulfonium salts followed by azido-containing compound at room temperature. This facile bioconjugation assay based on ASS-CuAAC reactions should be useful in protein chemistry and bionanoscience.     

Control of the Structure and Functions of Biomaterials by Light

Vision and other light-triggered biochemical transformations in plants and living organisms represent a sophisticated biological processes in which optical signals are recorded and transduced as (physico)chemical events. Photoswitchable biomaterials are a new class of substances in which optical signals generate discrete “On” and “Off” states of biological functions, resembling logic gates that flip between 0 and 1 states in response to the changes in electric currents in computers. The (photo)chemistry of photochromic materials has been extensively developed in the past four decades. These materials isomerize reversibly upon light absorption, and the discrete photoisomeric states exhibit distinct spectral and chemical features. Integration of photoisomerizable (or photochromic) units into biomaterials allow their secondary functions such as biocatalysis, binding, and electron transfer to be tailored so that they can be switched on or off. This can be accomplished by chemical modification of the biomaterial by photoisomerizable units and by integration of biomaterials in photoisomerizable microenvironments such as monolayers or polymers. The photoswitchable properties of chemically modified biomaterials originate from the light-induced generation or perturbation of the biologically active site, whereas in photoisomerizable matrices they depend upon the regulation of the physical or chemical features of the photoisomerizable assemblies of polymers, monolayers, or membranes. Light-triggered activation of catalytic biomaterials provides a means of amplifying the recorded optical signal by biochemical transformations, and photostimulated biochemical redox switches allow its electrochemical transduction and amplification. The field of photoswitches based on biomaterials has developed extensively in the past few years within the general context of molecular switching devices and micromachinery. The extensive knowledge on the manipulation of biomaterials through genetic engineering and the fabrication of surfaces modified by biologically active materials enables us to prepare biomaterials with improved optical-switching features. Their application in optoelectronic or bioelectronic devices has been transformed from fantasy to reality. The use of photoswitchable biomaterials in information storage and processing devices (biocomputers), sensors, reversible immunosensors, and biological amplifiers of optical signals has already been demonstrated, but still leaves important future challenges.     

Magnetic carbon nanotubes: synthesis by electrostatic self-assembly approach and application in biomanipulations

Magnetic multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) were facilely prepared by the electrostatic self-assembly approach. Poly(2-diethylaminoethyl methacrylate) (PDEAEMA) was covalently grafted onto the surfaces of MWNTs by MWNT-initiated in situ atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of 2-diethylaminoethyl methacrylate (DEAEMA). The PDEAEMA-grafted MWNTs were quaternized with methyl iodide (CH(3)I), resulting in cationic polyelectrolyte-grafted MWNTs (MWNT-PAmI). Magnetic iron oxide (Fe(3)O(4)) nanoparticles were loaded onto the MWNT surfaces by electrostatic self-assembling between MWNT-PAmI and Fe(3)O(4), affording magnetic nanotubes. The assembled capability of the nanoparticles can be adjusted to some extent by changing the feed ratio of Fe(3)O(4) to MWNT-PAmI. The obtained magnetic nanotubes were characterized with TEM, EDS, STEM, and element mapping analyses. TEM and EDS measurements confirmed the nanostructures and the components of the resulting nanoobjects. The magnetic nanotubes were assembled onto sheep red blood cells in a phosphate buffer solution, forming magnetic cells. The blood cells attached with or without magnetic nanotubes can be selectively manipulated in a magnetic field. These results promise a general and efficient strategy to magnetic nanotubes and the fascinating potential of such magnetic nanoobjects in applications of bionanoscience and technology.     

酶生物传感器中酶的固定化技术

综述了近年来国内外酶生物传感器的进展,介绍了制作酶生物传感器的关键技术——酶的固定化。固定化方法主要有吸附法、包埋法、共价键合法和交联法。固定化材料分为无机材料、有机聚合物材料、凝胶以及生物材料等。探讨了固定化方法和固定化材料对酶的固定化及酶生物传感器性能的影响,并结合自己的工作展望了酶生物传感器的发展方向和趋势。     

Protein and Polysaccharide-Based Electroactive and Conductive Materials for Biomedical Applications

Electrically responsive biomaterials are an important and emerging technology in the fields of biomedical and material sciences. A great deal of research explores the integral role of electrical conduction in normal and diseased cell biology, and material scientists are focusing an even greater amount of attention on natural and hybrid materials as sources of biomaterials which can mimic the properties of cells. This review establishes a summary of those efforts for the latter group, detailing the current materials, theories, methods, and applications of electrically conductive biomaterials fabricated from protein polymers and polysaccharides. These materials can be used to improve human life through novel drug delivery, tissue regeneration, and biosensing technologies. The immediate goal of this review is to establish fabrication methods for protein and polysaccharide-based materials that are biocompatible and feature modular electrical properties. Ideally, these materials will be inexpensive to make with salable production strategies, in addition to being both renewable and biocompatible.     

生物材料与细胞相互作用及表面修饰

生物材料用作人工细胞外基质(ECMs)在组织工程中起重要作用。生物材料表面的拓扑结构、亲水／疏水平衡、自由能、电荷状况、化学基团和生物特异性识别对材料／细胞相互作用有较大影响。生物材料表面与细胞的相互作用主要是细胞膜表面受体与生物材料表面配体间的相互分子识别,因此采用仿生修饰生物材料表面以提高细胞亲和性和特异性识别。本文对生物材料与细胞相互作用及表面修饰的技术方法进行了介绍。     

组织工程相关生物材料表面工程的研究进展

生物材料用作人工细胞外基质(ECM ) 在组织工程中占据重要位置。本文在分析细胞2生物材料表面相互作用的基础上, 从生物材料中的水、材料表面的形态、材料表面的特异性识别及生物材料诱发愈合等方面探讨了生物材料的复杂性。生物材料对细胞的影响是一个双向、动态过程, 起着调节细胞增殖和凋亡平衡的作用。基于生物材料对细胞生长的影响, 本文提出了生物材料表面生物仿生化以提高细胞亲和力,糖链团簇、糖脂质及材料表面蛋白质修饰以提高细胞特异性识别, 材料表面的自组装修饰以改善表面形态等观点。     

Complicity of degradable polymers in health-care applications

Polymeric biomaterials have revolutionized biomedical technology and related fields as biomaterials for health-care applications. Recent trend in polymeric medical technology has adapted a tendency to substitute degradable polymers instead of non-degradable synthetic polymers for the advancement of various health-care modalities. They have got considerable attention for their potential in various interdisciplinary arenas, which implies tissue engineering scaffolds, sustainable drug release, delivery agents, regenerative medicine, and development of life-saving devices, implants, dental products as well as in food technology. Various types of degradable polymers are been developed to date having stringent features applicable for various aspects in modern science. Thus, being the most renovative field of biomedicine and biomedical technology degradable polymers has gained substantial acceptance and appreciation recent times. This review critically underlines various degradative polymers and their subtypes, potential applications, types of degradation, and their possible effects in the biological system. Assessment of possible toxicological risks behind is an important criterion to be focused before validating any biomaterial safe for biomedical applications. Therefore various toxicological assessment strategies and their impact in biomedicine and technology were also included. In addition, the risk versus benefit assessment is also critically summarized.     

The contribution of rheology for designing hydroxyapatite biomaterials

As a result of aging populations in the industrialized world, the development of biomaterials for bone tissue engineering is becoming increasingly important. Rheology, which is a key parameter in process engineering, plays a decisive role in designing these biomaterials. As a prime example of biomaterials engineering, this review focuses on formulations that are based on hydroxyapatite (HAp). More specifically, we will discuss the contribution of rheology for designing injectable bone replacement materials, composite gel scaffolds, porous scaffolds and scaffolds that can be generated using rapid prototyping or 3D printing techniques.     

新一代生物医用材料

第一代生物医用材料是生物相容和生物惰性材料;第二代生物医用材料是生物活性或可生物降解吸收材料;第三代生物医用材料是同时具有生物活性和生物降解性的新一代生物医用材料。作为细胞外基质,它们可在分子水平上激活基因、刺激细胞增殖、诱导其组织分化进而构筑成新的组织和器官。     

复合生物材料的研究进展

从力学性能的改善和降解速率的可调度等角度,总结了复合生物材料与单一组分的材料相比,在生物医学领域应用中所表现出的综合使用性能的优越性。综述了复合生物材料,特别是用于骨修复的各类有机／无机复合材料近年来的研究进展状况。提出将与人骨中磷灰石微晶类似的羟基磷灰石纳米粒子与可降解聚酯材料进行复合,能够得到具有优越骨诱导性能并且能够降解的新型骨修复材料。这方面的研究代表了有机／无机复合生物材料领域新的发展方向。     

我国锂资源及其开发技术进展

介绍了我国盐湖锂资源的现状及其开发技术的进展情况,讨论了各种提锂工艺的优缺点,并对现阶段我国盐湖锂资源的开发提出了建议。     

Two-step elution of human serum proteins from different glass-modified bioactive surfaces: a comparative proteomic analysis of adsorption patterns

Plasma protein adsorption patterns on surfaces may give vital information to evaluate biocompatibility of biomaterials designed for direct blood-contacting applications or tissue integration. Adsorption of human serum proteins on four different types of biomaterials (glass, aminosilanized glass, hyaluronan and sulfated hyaluronan) was analyzed by two-dimensional electrophoresis. Desorption of proteins from the surfaces was first classically achieved by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) elution. We introduced a second elution step (by use of isoelectric focusing (IEF) sample buffer consisting of urea, 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylammonio]-1-propansulfonate, and dithioerythritol) which allows more stringent elution conditions and is a tool to evaluate the protein adsorption strength to biomaterials. Moreover, the two-step elution may discriminate between irreversible and reversible adsorption of plasma proteins for biomaterials, thus helping to elucidate the structure of protein multilayers which form a complex system at the surfaces. The IEF sample buffer proved not to alter the biomaterial structure and integrity. Hydrophobic bonds resulted to be the main strength driving protein adsorption onto our biomaterials. Apolipoproteins were the most important proteins interacting with the surfaces suggesting that high-density lipoprotein (HDL) particles could play a role in biocompatibility due to their beneficial effects on endothelial cells.     

Polymeric biomaterials with engineered degradation

Polymeric biomaterials are widely used as carriers for cells and therapeutic agents. Until recently, most research has been limited to a relatively narrow number of monomers and chemistries. A fundamental challenge in developing clinically relevant polymeric biomaterials is to independently control their chemical and physical properties across multiple scales in both time and space. Control over a biomaterial's chemical and physical properties is critical to recapitulate the complex cascades of signals and complex microenvironments found in nature. Typically, dynamically responsive biomaterials either degrade in the presence of a stimulus (i.e., water induces hydrolysis) or experience a change in solubility on application of the stimulus (i.e., temperature induces gelation via lower critical solution temperature LCST). This highlight discusses recent advances in stimulated and controlled degradation of polymeric biomaterials. The goal of this review is to provide a broad overview of physiologically relevant stimuli used to control the degradation of a wide range of polymeric biomaterials with varying architectures and physical forms. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2013, 51, 3531–3566     

Smart self-assembled hybrid hydrogel biomaterials

Hybrid biomaterials are systems created from components of at least two distinct classes of molecules, for example, synthetic macromolecules and proteins or peptide domains. The synergistic combination of two types of structures may produce new materials that possess unprecedented levels of structural organization and novel properties. This Review focuses on biorecognition-driven self-assembly of hybrid macromolecules into functional hydrogel biomaterials. First, basic rules that govern the secondary structure of peptides are discussed, and then approaches to the specific design of hybrid systems with tailor-made properties are evaluated, followed by a discussion on the similarity of design principles of biomaterials and macromolecular therapeutics. Finally, the future of the field is briefly outlined.     

太阳能电池的新进展

太阳能电池的研究、开发和利用 ,倍受世界各国政府所重视。在科学前沿一系列重大发现和“新思维、新科学、新技术”的推动下 ,太阳能电池得到了迅速发展 ,它的开发和利用可为人类提供清洁 (绿色 )的能源 ,对促进人类社会的文明与进步具有重要的意义。