Synthesis and characterization of novel scaffold for bone tissue engineering based on Whartons´s jelly

A composite is a material made of more than one component, and the bond between the components is on a scale larger than the atomic scale. The objective of the present study was to synthesize and perform the structural characterization and biological evaluation of a new biocomposite (BCO) based on a novel combination of an organic and an inorganic phase, for bone tissue engineering applications. The organic phase consisted of Wharton´s Jelly (WJ), which was obtained from embryonic tissue following a protocol developed by our laboratory. The inorganic phase consisted of bioceramic particles (BC), produced by sintering hydroxyapatite (HA) with β- tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP), and bioactive glass particles (BG). Each phase of the BCO was fully characterized by SEM, EDS, XRD and FTIR. Biocompatibility was evaluated in vivo in the tibiae of Wistar rats (n=40). Histological evaluation was performed at 0, 1, 7, 14, 30 and 60 days. XRD showed the phases corresponding to HA and β-TCP, whereas diffractogram of BG showed it to have an amorphous structure. EDS showed mainly Si and Na, Ca, P in BG, and Ca and P in HA and β-TCP. FTIR identified bonds between the organic and inorganic phases. From a mechanical viewpoint, the composite showed high flexural strength of 40.3±0.8MPa. The synthesized BCO exhibited adequate biocompatibility as shown by formation of lamellar type bone linked by BG and BC particles. The biomaterial presented here showed excellent mechanical and biocompatibility properties for its potential clinical use.Fil: Martinez, Cristian. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ingenieria. Instituto de Ingeniería Biomédica; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Odontología. Cátedra de Anatomía Patológica; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Odontologia; ArgentinaFil: Fernández, Carlos. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ingenieria. Instituto de Ingeniería Biomédica; ArgentinaFil: Prado, Miguel Oscar. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Ozols, Andres. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ingenieria. Instituto de Ingeniería Biomédica; ArgentinaFil: Olmedo, Daniel Gustavo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Odontología. Cátedra de Anatomía Patológica; Argentin

Fibrin association at hybrid biointerfaces made of clot-binding peptides and polythiophene

The properties as biointerfaces of electroactive conducting polymer-peptide biocomposites formed by poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) and CREKA or CR(NMe)EKA peptide sequences (where Glu has been replaced by N-methyl-Glu in the latter) have been compared. CREKA is a linear pentapeptide that recognizes clotted plasma proteins and selectively homes to tumors, while CR(NMe)EKA is an engineer to improve such properties by altering peptide-fibrin interactions. Differences between PEDOT-CREKA and PEDOT-CR(NMe)EKA reflect dissemblance in the organization of the peptides into the polymeric matrix. Both peptides affect fibrinogen thrombin-catalyzed polymerization causing the immediate formation of fibrin, whereas in the absence of thrombin this phenomenon is only observed for CR(NMe)EKA. Consistently, the fibrin-adsorption capacity is higher for PEDOT-CR(NMe)EKA than for PEDOT-CREKA, even though in both cases adsorbed fibrin exhibits round-like morphologies rather than the characteristic fibrous structure. PEDOT-peptide films coated with fibrin are selective in terms of cell adhesion, promoting the attachment of metastatic cells with respect to normal cells.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Safely dissolvable and healable active packaging films based on alginate and pectin

Extensive usage of long-lasting petroleum based plastics for short-lived application such as packaging has raised concerns regarding their role in environmental pollution. In this research, we have developed active, healable, and safely dissolvable alginate-pectin based biocomposites that have potential applications in food packaging. The morphological study revealed the rough surface of these biocomposite films. Tensile properties indicated that the fabricated samples have mechanical properties in the range of commercially available packaging films while possessing excellent healing effciency. Biocomposite films exhibited higher hydrophobicity properties compared to neat alginate films. Thermal analysis indicated that crosslinked biocomposite samples possess higher thermal stability in temperatures below 120 °C, while antibacterial analysis against E. coli and S. aureus revealed the antibacterial properties of the prepared samples against different bacteria. The fabricated biodegradable multi-functional biocomposite films possess various imperative properties, making them ideal for utilization as packaging material

Effect of biocomposite edible coatings based on pea starch and guar gum on nutritional quality of ‘Valencia’ orange during storage

Application of environmentally friendly components is an approach for substitution of synthetic substances in commercial waxes applied to citrus. In this study, the effect of biocomposite edible coatings based on pea starch and guar gum (PSGG) on total vitamin C, phenolic, flavonoid, anthocyanins, and carotenoid content, and antioxidant capacity of ‘Valencia’ orange stored at 5 °C and 20 °C for four weeks were evaluated. The fruits were coated by a single layer PSGG coating, blended composite PSGG coating containing shellac (Sh) and oleic acid as hydrophobic compounds (PSGG-Sh), and a layer-by-layer (LBL) coating (PSGG as an internal layer and Sh as an external layer). The results showed no significant differences in changes of bioactive compounds between coating treatments after first week storage at both temperatures. The PSGG coatings incorporated with hydrophobic compounds (PSGG-Sh) better preserved the nutritional value and the antioxidant potential of oranges during storage compared with other treatments. The single layer PSGG coating was almost similar to bilayer coating in preserving nutritional value of fruit during storage and less effective than the blended composite PSGG-Sh coating

Editorial: biodegradable materials

This Special Issue “Biodegradable Materials” features research and review papers concerning recent advances on the development, synthesis, testing and characterisation of biomaterials. These biomaterials, derived from natural and renewable sources, offer a potential alternative to existing non-biodegradable materials with application to the food and biomedical industries amongst many others. In this Special Issue, the work is expanded to include the combined use of fillers that can enhance the properties of biomaterials prepared as films. The future application of these biomaterials could have an impact not only at the economic level, but also for the improvement of the environment

Artificial leaf device for hydrogen generation from immobilised C. reinhardtii microalgae

We developed a fully biomimetic leaf-like device for hydrogen production which allows incorporated fabric-immobilised microalgae culture to be simultaneously hydrated with media and harvested from the produced hydrogen in a continuous flow regime without the need to replace the algal culture. Our leaf device produces hydrogen by direct photolysis of water resulting from redirecting the photosynthetic pathways in immobilised microalgae due to the lack of oxygen. In contrast to the many other reports in the literature on batch photobioreactors producing hydrogen from suspension culture of microalgae, we present the first report where this is done in a continuous manner from a fabric-immobilised microalgae culture. The reported artificial leaf device maximises the sunlight energy utilisation per gram of algae and can be upscaled cheaply and easily to cover large areas. We compared the production of hydrogen from both immobilised and suspended cultures of C. reinhardtii microalgae under sulphur, phosphorus and oxygen deprived conditions. The viability and potential of this approach is clearly demonstrated. Even though this is a first prototype, the hydrogen yield of our artificial leaf device is twenty times higher per gram of algae than in previously the reported batch reactors. Such leaf-like devices could potentially be made from flexible plastic sheets and installed on roofs and other sun-exposed surfaces that are inaccessible by photovoltaic cells. The ability to continuously produce inexpensive hydrogen by positioning inexpensive sheets onto any surface could have an enormous importance in the field of biofuels. The proposed new concept can provide a cleaner and very inexpensive way of bio-hydrogen generation by flexible sheet-like devices

THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX: BUILDING MATERIALS AND OTHER PRODUCTS FROM ANIMAL PROCESSED FIBER

Agribusiness, Livestock Production/Industries,

Development of sustainable biodegradable lignocellulosic hemp fiber/polycaprolactone biocomposites for light weight applications

Biocomposites with poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) as matrix and lignocellulosic hemp fiber with varying average aspect ratios (19, 26, 30 and 38) as reinforcement were prepared using twin extrusion process. The influence of fiber aspect ratio on the water absorption behavior and mechanical properties are investigated. The percentage of moisture uptake increased with the aspect ratio, following Fickian behavior. The hemp fiber/PCL biocomposites showed enhanced properties (tensile, flexural and low-velocity impact). The biocomposite with 26 aspect ratio showed the optimal properties, with flexural strength and modulus of 169% and 285% respectively, higher than those of neat PCL. However, a clear reduction on the mechanical properties was observed for water-immersed samples, with reduction in tensile and flexural moduli for the aspect ratio of 26 by 90% and 62%, respectively than those of dry samples. Summarily, the optimal sample provides an eco-friendly alternative to conventional, petroleum-based and non-renewable composites for various applications.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio

Utilization of Micro Sisal Fibers as Reinforcement Agent and Polypropylene or Polylactic Acid as Polymer Matrices in Biocomposites Manufacture

Sisal (Agave sisalana) as a perennial tropical plant grows abundantly in Indonesia. Its fibers can be used as the reinforcement agent of biocomposite products. Utilization of sisal as natural fiber has some notable benefits compared to synthetic fibers, such as renewable, light in weight, and low in cost. Manufacture of biocomposite requires the use of matrix such as thermoplastic polymer, e.g. polypropylene (PP) and polylactic acid (PLA) to bond together with the reinforcement agent (e.g. sisal fibers). In relevant, experiment was conducted on biocomposites manufacture that comprised sisal fibers and PP as well as PLA. Sisal fibers were converted into pulp, then refined to micro-size fibrillated fibers such that their diameter reduced to about 10 μm, and dried in an oven. The dry microfibrillated sisal pulp fibers cellulose (MSFC) were thoroughly mixed with either PP or PLA with varying ratios of MSFC/PP as well as MSFC/PLA, and then shaped into the mat (i.e. MSFC-PP and MSFC-PLA biocomposites). Two kinds of shaping was employed, i.e. hot-press molding and injection molding. In the hot-press molding, the ratio of MSFC/PP as well as MSFC/PLA ranged about 30/70-50/50. Meanwhile in the injection (employed only on assembling the MSFC-PLA biocomposite), the ratio of MSFC/PLA varied about 10/90-30/70. The resulting shaped MSFC-PP and MSFC-PLA biocomposites were then tested of its physical and mechanical properties. With the hot-press molding device, the physical and mechanical (strength) properties of MSFC-PLA biocomposite were higher than those of MSFC-PP biocomposite. The optimum ratio of MSFC/PP as well as MSFC/PLA reached concurrently at 40/60. The strengths of MSFC-PP as well as MSFC-PLA biocomposites were greater than those of individual polymer (PP and PLA). With the injection molding device, only the MSFC-PLA biocomposite was formed and its strengths reached maximum at 30/70 ratio. The particular strengths (MOR and MOE) of MSFC-PLA biocomposite shaped with injection molding were lower than those with hot-press molding, both at 30/70 ratio. The overall MOR of such MSFC- PLA biocomposite was lower than that of pure PLA, while its MOE was still mostly higher