Additive manufacturing of TPU devices for genital herpes treatment with sustained acyclovir release.

The treatment of recurrent genital herpes typically involves daily doses of acyclovir for extended periods. Additive manufacturing is an intriguing technique for creating personalised drug delivery systems, which can enhance the effectiveness of treatments for various diseases. The vaginal route offers a viable alternative for the systemic administration of drugs with low oral bioavailability.

Development and characterization of 3D printed ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) as drug delivery device for the treatment of overactive bladder.

The overactive bladder is a condition characterized by a sudden urge to urinate, even with small volumes of urine present in the bladder. The current treatments available for this pathology consist on conservative approaches and the continuous administration of drugs, which when made by conventional methods has limitations related to the first pass metabolism, bioavailability, severe side effects, and low patient adherence to treatments, ultimately leading to low effectiveness. Within this context, the present work proposes the design, manufacture, and characterization of an intravesical implant for the treatment of overactive bladder pathology, using EVA copolymer as a matrix and oxybutynin as a drug.

3D-Printed EVA Devices for Antiviral Delivery and Herpes Virus Control in Genital Infection.

Herpes viruses are widespread in the human population and can cause many different diseases. Genital herpes is common and can increase the risk of HIV infection and neonatal herpes. Acyclovir is the most used drug for herpes treatment; however, it presents some disadvantages due to its poor oral bioavailability.

Polymeric implants with drug-releasing capabilities: a mapping review of laboratory research.

Purpose: To provide a systematic map of the nature and extent of preclinical research concerning drug-releasing polymeric implants.

Significance: By summarizing available data, this mapping review can guide the development of new drug-delivery devices.

Methods: studies assessing drug-delivery implants were reviewed.

Influence of Breast Implant Surface Finishing on Physicochemical and Mechanical Properties before and after Extreme Degradation Studies.

The influence of the surface finishing of breast implants on physicochemical and mechanical properties, before and after extreme degradation experiments, was investigated in this study. Removal of superficial layers after degradation was verified for both smooth and rough membranes, in which local erosion was verified. FTIR results demonstrated the generation of low-molecular-weight structures in all samples due to exposure to acidic and basic environments.

Thermomechanical and in vitro biological characterization of injection-molded PLGA craniofacial plates.

Purpose:: To evaluate the thermomechanical and in vitro biological response of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) plates for craniofacial reconstructive surgery.

Methods:: PLGA 85/15 craniofacial plates were produced by injection molding by testing two different temperatures (i.e.

Glucosamine Hydrochloride and -Acetylglucosamine Influence the Response of Bovine Chondrocytes to TGF-β3 and IGF in Monolayer and Three-Dimensional Tissue Culture.

Background: Glucosamine hydrochloride (GlcN·HCl) has been shown to inhibit cell growth and matrix synthesis, but not with -acetyl-glucosamine (GlcNAc) supplementation. This effect might be related to an inhibition of critical growth factors (GF), or to a different metabolization of the two glucosamine derivatives. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the synergy between GlcN·HCl, GlcNAc, and GF on proliferation and cartilage matrix synthesis.

Effect of Injection Molding Melt Temperatures on PLGA Craniofacial Plate Properties during Degradation.

The purpose of this article is to present mechanical and physicochemical properties during degradation of PLGA material as craniofacial plates based on different values of injection molded temperatures. Injection molded plates were submitted to degradation in a thermostat bath at 37 ± 1°C by 16 weeks. The material was removed after 15, 30, 60, and 120 days; then bending stiffness, crystallinity, molecular weights, and viscoelasticity were studied.

Influence of Processing Conditions on the Mechanical Behavior and Morphology of Injection Molded Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) 85:15.

Two groups of PLGA specimens with different geometries (notched and unnotched) were injection molded under two melting temperatures and flow rates. The mechanical properties, morphology at the fracture surface, and residual stresses were evaluated for both processing conditions. The morphology of the fractured surfaces for both specimens showed brittle and smooth fracture features for the majority of the specimens.

Production and characterization of cornstarch/cellulose acetate/silver sulfadiazine extrudate matrices.

The production and evaluation of cornstarch/cellulose acetate/silver sulfadiazine extrudate matrices are reported herein. The matrices were melt extruded under nine different conditions, altering the temperature and the screw speed values. The surface morphology of the matrices was examined by scanning electron microscopy.