Hydrogels based on chitosan and dextran as potential drug delivery systems

The release of human growth hormone (GH) from bioartificial polymeric materials in the form of hydrogels, was measured in vitro for up to 3 weeks. Poly(vinyl-alcohol) (PVA) was blended, in different ratios, with two biological polymers, dextran and chitosan respectively. These blends were used to prepare hydrogels, using a freeze–thawing method. The hydrogels were loaded with GH, and their potential use as delivery systems was investigated. The release with time of PVA, in aqueous medium, was also monitored and evaluated. Scanning electron microscopy was used to investigate the structure of the hydrogels. The results obtained indicated that GH can be released from both dextran/PVA and chitosan/PVA hydrogels. The initial GH concentration used for sample loading affected the total quantity of GH released but not the pattern of release. The amount of GH released was affected by the content of the biological component. The percentage of PVA released was low but it was, however, related to the content of chitosan and dextran in the blends. ©1999 Kluwer Academic Publishers     

Poly(allylammonium acrylate) as a drug-releasing matrix

A comparative study was undertaken on well characterized HDPE and LDPE samples in order to obtain a better understanding of the morphology of the crystalline phase. Thickness of the lamellae was determined by WAXS. The melting points were calculated by empirical and Gibbs-Thomson equations, considering either folded or extended chains, and compared to DSC data. The results confirm that in HDPE the chains are folded, the segment between folds containing about 100 carbon atoms, while in LDPE, the chains are extended, with segments of about 73 carbon atoms in the crystalline core, linked to the paracrystalline layer and amorphous zones, which contain long folds and chain ends, as proposed in the 3-phase model by Vile et al. Received: 22 January 1997/Revised: 26 March 1997/Accepted: 31 March 1997     

Composites Between Alumina and an Ester‐Ether‐Ester Bioresorbable Copolymer

Composites between alumina and the bioresorbable poly(ε‐caprolactone)‐block‐poly(oxyethylene)‐block‐poly(ε‐caprolactone) copolymer were obtained by reacting ε‐caprolactone with preformed poly(ethylene glycol), in the presence of ceramic alumina powder, at 185°C under vacuum. The mechanical properties, tested by compression and flexural strengths and Young's modulus, show that the copolymer interacts poorly with the alumina grains. Both scanning electron and atomic force microscopy show a scarce wettability between alumina and copolymer, as well as the aggregation of alumina micro‐particles into clusters of big size. Both mechanical and morphological tests seem to indicate a stronger interaction between the alumina micro‐particles than between the alumina surface and the reaction mixture during the polymerization, as well as a “compacting effect” by alumina on the forming copolymer. The FT‐IR spectra of the composites show both copolymer and alumina absorption bands. The FT‐IR analysis on the fractions of an extraction with CHCl₃ indicates the presence of traces of poly(ε‐caprolactone), stably linked to alumina. The polymerization of ε‐caprolactone with alumina alone in the same conditions gives poly(ε‐caprolactone), mainly free and in minor part linked to the alumina surface. Two polymerization mechanisms, simultaneously occurring, are proposed. The most relevant result of this work is the lack of chemical inertness of alumina towards ε‐caprolactone, which leads to reconsider also the use of alumina as a biochemically inert material.     

Poly(allylammonium acrylate) as a drug-releasing matrix

A large increase in the crystallization temperature of low density polyethylene (LDPE) when blended with high density polyethylene (HDPE) is reported. Such behavior is observed for quenched LDPE rich blends when the low melting component is cooled from 119 °C under controlled conditions in the differential scanning calorimeter. It is suggested that the presence of the most linear LDPE methylene segments within the HDPE-rich crystals (cocrystallization phenomenon) facilitates the nucleation of the more branched LDPE segments on cooling. On reheating, a depression in the low melting temperature component (LDPE) is observed with increasing HDPE content in the blend. Received: 29 December 1996/Revised: 11 March 1997/Accepted: 14 March 1997     

Hydrolysis of poly(ester-ether-ester) block copolymers in the presence of endothelial cells: in vitro modulation of endothelin release

In previous papers, we studied the hydrolytic degradation of six poly(ester-ether-ester) block copolymers, i.e. three poly(ε-caprolactone)-block-poly(oxyethylene)-block-poly(ε-caprolactone) copolymers and three poly(l-lactide)-block-poly(oxyethylene)-block-poly(l-lactide) copolymers. Their degradation products, 6-hydroxyhexanoic acid and l-lactic acid, have now been found to modulate endothelin release by human umbilical vein endothelial cells, with no significant alteration of the vasoconstrictor-vasodilator balance previously determined. The influence of the same degradation products on the cell proliferation has also been determined and discussed. Received: 13 January 1997/Revised: 2 May 1997/Accepted: 3 May 1997     

New composites of hydroxyapatite and bioresorbable macromolecular material

Composite materials were prepared by mixing in different proportions of hydroxyapatite (HA) and poly(-caprolactone-oxyethylene--caprolactone) block copolymer (PCL-POE-PCL) to produce a new resorbable material for biomedical applications. This material has proved to be very interesting for production of periodontal membranes. Mechanical properties are linearly proportional to the amount of HA introduced. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) investigations have pointed out that HA is able to influence some close -caprolactone molecules to start its homopolymerization giving PCL with an end chain ionic bonding. HA grains are therefore surrounded by a film of PCL which grants close connection of HA grains within copolymeric matrix. This interface bond with PCL is, however, an interesting occurrence for preparations of HA/PCL composites. ©1999 Kluwer Academic Publishers     

Release of 5-fluorouracil by biodegradable poly(ester-ether-ester)s. Part I: release by fused thin sheets

The 5-fluorouracil release by biodegradable -caprolactone and L-lactide copoly(ester-ether-ester)s was tested. The drug-copolymer mixture was formed by fusion in thin sheets, which were dipped in Dulbecco's PBS for time intervals ranging from one hour to two months. Each experiment shows a fast initial release, which subsequently slows down and stops at a limiting value, depending on the copolymer composition. This behavior was attributed to an extraction of the drug present on the sheet surface, due only to its shape, and to hydrogen bonds between the drug and the copolymers. The results obtained lead to a possibility of using such copolymers as time-delayed drug-releasing systems, when formed in specimens with smaller surface-to-volume ratio, which could minimize the fast initial extraction. © 2001 Kluwer Academic Publishers     

Use of remotely sensed and ancillary data for estimating forest gross primary productivity in Italy

The current paper describes the development and testing of a procedure which can use widely available remotely sensed and ancillary data to assess large-scale patterns of forest productivity in Italy. To reach this objective a straightforward model (C-Fix) was applied which is based on the relationship between photosynthetically active radiation absorbed by plant canopies and relevant gross primary productivity (GPP). The original C-Fix methodology was improved by using more abundant ancillary information and more efficient techniques for NDVI data processing. In particular, two extraction methods were applied to NDVI data, derived from two sensors (NOAA-AVHRR and SPOT-VGT) to feed C-Fix. The accuracy of the model outputs was assessed through comparison with annual and monthly values of forest GPP derived from eight eddy covariance flux towers. The results obtained indicated the superiority of SPOT-VGT over NOAA-AVHRR data and a higher efficiency of the more advanced NDVI extraction method. Globally, the procedure was proved to be of easy and objective implementation and allowed the evaluation of mean productivity levels of existing forests on the national scale.     

The Role of DAMPS in Burns and Hemorrhagic Shock Immune Response: Pathophysiology and Clinical Issues. Review

Severe or major burns induce a pathophysiological, immune, and inflammatory response that can persist for a long time and affect morbidity and mortality. Severe burns are followed by a “hypermetabolic response”, an inflammatory process that can be extensive and become uncontrolled, leading to a generalized catabolic state and delayed healing. Catabolism causes the upregulation of inflammatory cells and innate immune markers in various organs, which may lead to multiorgan failure and death. Burns activate immune cells and cytokine production regulated by damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs). Trauma has similar injury-related immune responses, whereby DAMPs are massively released in musculoskeletal injuries and elicit widespread systemic inflammation. Hemorrhagic shock is the main cause of death in trauma. It is hypovolemic, and the consequence of volume loss and the speed of blood loss manifest immediately after injury. In burns, the shock becomes evident within the first 24 h and is hypovolemic-distributive due to the severely compromised regulation of tissue perfusion and oxygen delivery caused by capillary leakage, whereby fluids shift from the intravascular to the interstitial space. In this review, we compare the pathophysiological responses to burns and trauma including their associated clinical patterns.