Natural‐Based Nanocomposites for Bone Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine: A Review

Tissue engineering and regenerative medicine has been providing exciting technologies for the development of functional substitutes aimed to repair and regenerate damaged tissues and organs. Inspired by the hierarchical nature of bone, nanostructured biomaterials are gaining a singular attention for tissue engineering, owing their ability to promote cell adhesion and proliferation, and hence new bone growth, compared with conventional microsized materials. Of particular interest are nanocomposites involving biopolymeric matrices and bioactive nanosized fillers. Biodegradability, high mechanical strength, and osteointegration and formation of ligamentous tissue are properties required for such materials. Biopolymers are advantageous due to their similarities with extracellular matrices, specific degradation rates, and good biological performance. By its turn, calcium phosphates possess favorable osteoconductivity, resorbability, and biocompatibility. Herein, an overview on the available natural polymer/calcium phosphate nanocomposite materials, their design, and properties is presented. Scaffolds, hydrogels, and fibers as biomimetic strategies for tissue engineering, and processing methodologies are described. The specific biological properties of the nanocomposites, as well as their interaction with cells, including the use of bioactive molecules, are highlighted. Nanocomposites in vivo studies using animal models are also reviewed and discussed.     

Supercritical CO2 extraction of γ-linolenic acid and other lipids from Arthrospira (Spirulina)maxima: Comparison with organic solvent extraction

Freeze-dried biomass of Arthrospira maxima Setchell & Gardner was submitted to supercritical CO₂ extraction using a flow type apparatus at a temperature of 50 °C and a pressure of 250 bar.     

Calcium-phosphate derived from mineralized algae for bone tissue engineering applications

In this work, several routes are described towards obtaining pure inorganic phases derived from Coralline officinallis red algae. The scanning electron microscopy studies have shown that it becomes possible not only to eliminate the undesired organic phase, but also to preserve or tailor the red algae typical microporosity. X-ray diffraction analysis was used to investigate the phase content of the red algae before and after performing the different treatment routes. Hydroxyapatite nanocrystallites were obtained after converting the coralline calcium carbonate skeleton by means of combining thermal and chemical routes. These results were confirmed by Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopic analysis. The processing routes herein described are very promising in order to design bioceramics of algae origin that might find useful applications as bone fillers and tissue engineering scaffolds.     

Monitoring Corrosion of Rebar Embedded in Mortar Using High-Frequency Guided Ultrasonic Waves

Corrosion of reinforced concrete structures creates serviceability and safety issues, costing millions of dollars for inspection, repair, and rehabilitation. Recent efforts have focused on monitoring corrosion in situ, providing accurate real-time information for decision-making. The goal of this research is the creation of an embeddable ultrasonic sensing network for assessment of reinforcement deterioration. Toward this effort, guided ultrasonic waves were used to monitor reinforced mortar specimens undergoing accelerated uniform and localized corrosion. Longitudinal waves were invoked at higher frequencies (2–9?MHz), where the attenuation is a local minimum. Using a through-transmission configuration, waveforms were sensitive to both forms of corrosion damage. Scattering, mode conversions, and reflections from irregularities at the bar surface from uniform corrosion and the severely tapered cross section from localized corrosion are thought to cause the increase in attenuation. Because localized corrosion did not yield a discontinuity that was nearly perpendicular to the bar axis, incident waves were severely scattered, mode converted, and rapidly attenuated. As evidence, this was the inability of pulse-echo testing to detect reflected waveforms for localized corrosion.     

Microbial community analysis with a high PHA storage capacity.

Activated sludge was submitted to aerobic dynamic substrate feeding for the production of biodegradable plastics. Two sequencing batch reactors were operated with acetate or propionate as sole carbon substrates. With acetate a homopolymer of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) was obtained and with propionate a copolymer of hydroxybutyrate and hydroxyvalerate P(HB/HV) was produced. Three main morphotypes were identified in both sludges: two belong to the Alphaproteobacteria class and the third to the Betaproteobacteria class. Bacilli belonging to Betaproteobacteria were shown by FISH analysis, applied in combination with Nile Blue post-staining, to be the main responsible for PHAs storage. The latter were affiliated to Azoarcus genus within Betaproteobacteria.     

Supercritical phase inversion of starch-poly(ε-caprolactone) for tissue engineering applications

In this work, a starch-based polymer, namely a blend of starch-poly(ε-caprolactone) was processed by supercritical assisted phase inversion process. This processing technique has been proposed for the development of 3D structures with potential applications in tissue engineering applications, as scaffolds. The use of carbon dioxide as non-solvent in the phase inversion process leads to the formation of a porous and interconnected structure, dry and free of any residual solvent. Different processing conditions such as pressure (from 80 up to 150 bar) and temperature (45 and 55°C) were studied and the effect on the morphological features of the scaffolds was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy and micro-computed tomography. The mechanical properties of the SPCL scaffolds prepared were also studied. Additionally, in this work, the in vitro biological performance of the scaffolds was studied. Cell adhesion and morphology, viability and proliferation was assessed and the results suggest that the materials prepared are allow cell attachment and promote cell proliferation having thus potential to be used in some for biomedical applications.     

Oil shale solid waste recycling in the development of new silica fillers for elastomeric composites

The production of Brazilian shale oil gives rise to 6600 ton/day of a solid waste of retorted shale, and larger amounts of dolomitic waste rock are generated during mining. Two vitreous materials were obtained through the melting of different proportions of these two wastes. By leaching these materials with hydrochloric acid at 90°C, two different kinds of silicas (powder and gel, both amorphous) with specific surface areas reaching up to ～ 420 m²/g were generated. These silicas were further modified through an Ostwald‐ripening type of treatment in ammonium hydroxide solution at 80°C. The process eliminated almost completely the deleterious micropores. The obtained silicas were evaluated as reinforcing fillers for SBR‐1502. The employment of one of the modified silicas gave rise to a composite with better mechanical properties than those displayed by the one with untreated silica. Scanning electronic microscopic observation disclosed the existence of great morphological differences between these silicas. Apparently, the aging treatment gave rise to the production of better anchoring sites for the elastomer molecules. NMR studies also showed the reduction of the silanol content of the treated silica. The fracture surface of the composite disclosed a good wetting of this silica by the elastomeric matrix. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 81: 2856–2867, 2001     

AC loss measurements with a cryocooled sample

A new cryostat cooled by a closed-cycle Cryomech GB-37 cryocooler for superconductor measurements at temperatures down to 20 K is described. The sample is conductively coupled to the cold stage so as to minimize vibration and thermal stresses. AC losses have been measured calorimetrically in several high-temperature superconductor coils that have been wound to simulate subscale transformer winding pairs. Stable temperatures down to 20 K were reached on these coils, allowing measurements at practical levels of AC current and I_c. By using short AC current pulses, losses on individual turns could be resolved. Results are reported mainly to showcase the apparatus, measurement procedure, and analytical approach     

New PCR primer pairs specific for Cryptococcus neoformans serotype A or B prepared on the basis of random amplified polymorphic DNA fingerprint pattern analyses

The imprinting behavior of chicks was quantified as a preference score (correct response ratio) achieved in a running wheel apparatus. A total of 249 chicks were exposed to an imprinting stimulus and tested for stimulus-approaching behavior. The chicks were then classified as good learners (imprinted), poor learners (non-imprinted) and a gray-zone group, those were 46%, 31% and 23% of the total chicks respectively. Using the classified chicks, the acetylcholine (ACh) and glutamate releases from the medial hyperstriatum ventrale (MHV) of the chick forebrains were determined by in vivo microdialysis. The non-imprinted chicks were used as yoked controls. Increases of ACh and glutamate released were observed in the imprinted chicks during exposure to the imprinting stimulus, whereas there were no changes in the release of these neurotransmitters in the non-imprinted chicks during the imprinting exposure. These results might be indicated that cholinergic and glutamatergic synapses which are newly formed as functioning synapses with imprinting stimulus in the MHV are involved in the performance of imprinting behavior.