Sequential Photodamage Driven by Chaotic Systems in NiO Thin Films and Fluorescent Human Cells

A laser ablation process assisted by the feedback of a sensor with chaotic electronic modulation is reported. A synchronous bistable logic circuit was analyzed for switching optical signals in a laser-processing technique. The output of a T-type flip-flop configuration was employed in the photodamage of NiO films. Multiphotonic effects involved in the ablation threshold were evaluated by a vectorial two-wave mixing method. A photoinduced thermal phenomenon was identified as the main physical mechanism responsible for the nonlinearity of index under nanosecond irradiation at 532 nm wavelength. Comparative experiments for destroying highly transparent human cells were carried out. Potential applications for developing hierarchical functions yielding laser-induced controlled explosions with immediate applications for biomedical photothermal processes can be contemplated

Novel PVA–Hyaluronan–Siloxane Hybrid Nanofiber Mats for Bone Tissue Engineering

Hyaluronan (HA) is a natural biodegradable biopolymer; its biological functions include cell adhesion, cell proliferation, and differentiation as well as decreasing inflammation, angiogenesis, and regeneration of damaged tissue. This makes it a suitable candidate for fabricating nanomaterials with potential use in tissue engineering. However, HA nanofiber production is restricted due to the high viscosity, low evaporation rate, and high surface tension of HA solutions. Here, hybrids in the form of continuous and randomly aligned polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)–(HA)–siloxane nanofibers were obtained using an electrospinning process. PVA–HA fibers were crosslinked by a 3D siloxane organic–inorganic matrix via sol-gel that restricts natural hydrophilicity and stiffens the structure. The hybrid nanofiber mats were characterized by FT-IR, micro-Raman spectroscopy, SEM, and biological properties. The PVA/HA ratio influenced the morphology of the hybrid nanofibers. Nanofibers with high PVA content (10PVA-8 and 10PVA-10) form mats with few beaded nanofibers, while those with high HA content (5PVA-8 and 5PVA-10) exhibit mats with mound patterns formed by “ribbon-like” nanofibers. The hybrid nanofibers were used as mats to support osteoblast growth, and they showed outstanding biological properties supporting cell adhesion, cell proliferation, and cell differentiation. Importantly, the 5PVA-8 mats show 3D spherical osteoblast morphology; this suggests the formation of tissue growth. These novel HA-based nanomaterials represent a relevant advance in designing nanofibers with unique properties for potential tissue regeneration