Polymeric Nanocapsule from Silica Nanoparticle@Cross-linked Polymer Nanoparticles via One-Pot Approach

A facile strategy was developed here to prepare cross-linked polymeric nanocapsules (CP nanocapsules) with silica nanoparticles as templates. The silica nanoparticle@cross-linked polymer nanoparticles were prepared by the encapsulation of the silica nanoparticles by the one-pot approach via surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization of hydroxyethyl acrylate in the presence ofN,N′-methylenebisacrylamide as a cross-linker from the initiator-modified silica nanoparticles. After the silica nanoparticle templates were etched with hydrofluoric acid, the CP nanocapsules with particle size of about 100 nm were obtained. The strategy developed was confirmed with Fourier transform infrared, thermogravimetric analysis and transmission electron microscopy

Polymerization of 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate in bulk and solution by chemical initiator and by ATRP method

In this study, 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate (HEA) was polymerized to obtain polymers that can be used as hydrogel and copolymerized for biomedical applications. Bulk, solution, and atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) techniques at different temperatures were applied. The polymerization in bulk form was carried out in vacuum and in open atmosphere. The polymerization curves showed autoacceleration mechanism and the limiting conversion was 100%. The polymers obtained were insoluable in most common solvents because of high molecular weights and strong intermolecular hydrogen bonding. They absorb more than 30% (w/w) water as hydrogel. To decrease the molecular weight and obtain soluble polymers, HEA was polymerized in solution by ATRP method, which also gave insoluble hydrogel type polymers. The activation energy for bulk polymerization was 155.8 kJ/mol, which is very high for a free radical polymerization. This is due to the high degree of intermolecular hydrogen bonding, which was also supported by FTIR and TGA analysis. The polymers were characterized by FT-IR, DSC, TGA, and H-1 NMR techniques. (c) 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc

Effects of Local and Sustained Release of FGF, IGF, and GH on Germ Cells in Unilateral Undescended Testis in Rats

OBJECTIVES To evaluate the effects of the local release of fibroblast growth factor (FGF), insulin-like growth factor (IGF), and growth hormone (GH) on a germ cell population of ipsilateral undescended and contralateral descended testes of rats with a surgically created unilateral abdominal testis for 12 weeks and after the application of growth factors after orchidopexy