Rational design of poly(peptide-ester) block copolymers for enzyme-specific surface resorption.

Tissue resorption and remodeling are pivotal steps in successful healing and regeneration, and it is important to design biomaterials that are responsive to regenerative processes in native tissue. The cell types responsible for remodeling, such as macrophages in the soft tissue wound environment and osteoclasts in the bone environment, utilize a class of enzymes called proteases to degrade the organic matrix. Many hydrophobic thermoplastics used in tissue regeneration are designed to degrade and resorb passively through hydrolytic mechanisms, leaving the potential of proteolytic-guided degradation underutilized.

Polymer Texture Influences Cell Responses in Osteogenic Microparticles.

Introduction: Polymer materials used in medical devices and treatments invariably encounter cellular networks. For the device to succeed in tissue engineering applications, the polymer must promote cellular interactions through adhesion and proliferation. To predict how a polymer will behave , these material-cell interactions need to be well understood.

Tyrosol Derived Poly(ester-arylate)s for Sustained Drug Delivery from Microparticles.

New biodegradable polymers are needed for use in drug delivery systems to overcome the high burst release, lack of sustained drug release, and acidic degradation products frequently observed in current formulations. Commercially available poly(lactide--glycolide) (PLGA) is often used for particle drug release formulations; however, it is often limited by its large burst release and acidic degradation products. Therefore, a biocompatible and biodegradable tyrosol-derived poly(ester-arylate) library has been used to prepare a microparticle drug delivery system which shows sustained delivery of hydrophobic drugs.

Optical Biosensors for Virus Detection: Prospects for SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19.

The recent pandemic of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused huge worldwide disruption due to the lack of available testing locations and equipment. The use of optical techniques for viral detection has flourished in the past 15 years, providing more reliable, inexpensive, and accurate detection methods. In the current minireview, optical phenomena including fluorescence, surface plasmons, surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), and colorimetry are discussed in the context of detecting virus pathogens.

Opportunities for biomaterials to address the challenges of COVID-19.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has revealed major shortcomings in our ability to mitigate transmission of infectious viral disease and provide treatment to patients, resulting in a public health crisis. Within months of the first reported case in China, the virus has spread worldwide at an unprecedented rate. COVID-19 illustrates that the biomaterials community was engaged in significant research efforts against bacteria and fungi with relatively little effort devoted to viruses.

Effect of mandibular titanium reconstructive plates on radiation dose.

Background: The effects of the mandibular titanium alloy plates on the radiation-tissue interactions are not clearly defined. Photon beam radiation may be modified after striking a metal plate used to reconstruct the mandible after oncologic surgery. The purpose of this study was to determine, in a human mandible model, the effects of a titanium alloy plate on the radiation dose received at the bone/titanium (plate and screws) interface and bone/soft tissue interface.