Catechins as Model Bioactive Compounds for Biomedical Applications.

Research regarding polyphenols has gained prominence over the years because of their potential as pharmacological nutrients. Most polyphenols are flavanols, commonly known as catechins, which are present in high amounts in green tea. Catechins are promising candidates in the field of biomedicine.

Improved mechanical performance of self-adhesive resin cement filled with hybrid nanofibers-embedded with niobium pentoxide.

Objectives: In this study hybrid nanofibers embedded with niobium pentoxide (NbO) were synthesized, incorporated in self-adhesive resin cement, and their influence on physical-properties was evaluated.

Methods: Poly(D,L-lactide), PDLLA cotton-wool-like nanofibers with and without silica-based sol-gel precursors were formulated and spun into submicron fibers via solution blow spinning, a rapid fiber forming technology. The morphology, chemical composition and thermal properties of the spun fibers were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), respectively.

Porous, Aligned, and Biomimetic Fibers of Regenerated Silk Fibroin Produced by Solution Blow Spinning.

Solution blow spinning (SBS) has emerged as a rapid and scalable technique for the production of polymeric and ceramic materials into micro-/nanofibers. Here, SBS was employed to produce submicrometer fibers of regenerated silk fibroin (RSF) from Bombyx mori (silkworm) cocoons based on formic acid or aqueous systems. Spinning in the presence of vapor permitted the production of fibers from aqueous solutions, and high alignment could be obtained by modifying the SBS setup to give a concentrated channeled airflow.