Biomimetic Mineralization of Fibrillar Collagen with Strontium-doped Hydroxyapatite.

Fibrillar collagen structures mineralized with hydroxyapatite using the polymer-induced liquid precursor (PILP) process have been explored as synthetic models for studying biomineralization of human hard tissues and have also been applied in the fabrication of scaffolds for hard tissue regeneration. Strontium has important biological functions in bone and has been used as a therapeutic agent for treating diseases that result in bone defects, such as osteoporosis. Here, we developed a strategy to mineralize collagen with Sr-doped hydroxyapatite (HA) using the PILP process.

Synthesis and electronic properties of oxidized benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b']dithiophenes.

Benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b']dithiophenes were oxidized under mild conditions with m-CPBA to yield the corresponding bis-sulfones (or tetraoxides). These sulfones possess red-shifted absorption and emission spectra relative to the parent molecules. Electrochemical analyses reveal that the benzodithiophene molecules are transformed from electron donors to electron acceptors.