Temperature/pH/magnetic triple‐sensitive nanogel–hydrogel nanocomposite for release of anticancer drug

Hydrogels, nanogels and nanocomposites show increasing potential for application in drug delivery systems due to their good chemical and physical properties. Therefore, we were encouraged to combine them to produce a new compound with unique properties for a long‐term drug release system. In this regard, the design and application of a nanocomposite hydrogel containing entrapped nanogel for drug delivery are demonstrated. To this aim, we first prepared an iron oxide nanocomposite nanogel based on poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide)‐co‐((2‐dimethylaminoethyl) methacrylate) (PNIPAM‐co‐PDMA) grafted onto sodium alginate (NaAlg) as a biocompatible polymer and iron oxide nanoparticles (ION) as nanometric base (PND/ION‐NG). This was then added into a solution of PDMA grafted onto NaAlg. Through dropwise addition of mixed aqueous solution of iron salts into the prepared polymeric solution, a novel hydrogel nanocomposite with excellent pH, thermal and magnetic responsivity was fabricated. The synthesized samples were fully characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy with energy‐dispersive X‐ray analysis, vibrating sample magnetometry and atomic force microscopy. A mechanism for the formation of PNIPAM‐co‐PDMA/NaAlg‐ION nanogel–PDMA/NaAlg‐ION hydrogel and PND/ION nanogel is suggested. Swelling capacity was measured at various temperatures (25 to 45 °C), pH values (from 2 to 11) and magnetic field and under load (0.3 psi) and the dependence of swelling properties of the nanogel–hydrogel nanocomposite on these factors was well demonstrated. The release rate of doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX) as an anticancer drug was studied at different pH values and temperatures in the presence and absence of a magnetic field. The results showed that these factors have a high impact on drug release from this nanocomposite. The result showed that DOX release could be sustained for up to 12.5 days from these nanocomposite hydrogels, significantly longer than that achievable using the constituent hydrogel or nanogel alone (<1 day). The results indicated that the nanogel–hydrogel nanocomposite can serve as a novel nanocarrier for anticancer drug delivery. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry     

Synthesis and biodegradability assessment of poly(amide-imide)s containing N-trimellitylimido-l-amino acid and 5-(2-benzimidazole)-1,3-phenylenediamine

This paper addressed construction and biodegradability assessment of chiral synthetic poly(amide-imide)s (PAI)s. These polymers were prepared by polycondensation reaction of chiral diacids; N-trimellitylimido-S-valine (7a), and N-trimellitylimido-l-leucine (7b) with 5-(2-benzimidazole)-1,3-phenylenediamine (4) in the presence of tetrabutylammonium bromide as a green media under microwave irradiation. The morphology observations of the aforementioned polymers exhibit that these macromolecules are nanostructured particle and so, good candidate as carrier for biomedical application. Furthermore, in vitro toxicity and soil biodegradability test of the different synthetic diacids (7a, 7b) and the obtained PAIs were employed to evaluate the biological activity of these materials. In Petri plate technique, the monomers and obtained polymers exposed on glass lamels were all colonized by fungal saprophytes and due to this invasion, a weight loss up to 35 % was observed in the material. The soil burial test and measuring dehydrogenase activity revealed that the aforementioned monomers and polymers are biologically active and probably biodegradable under the soil. Normal wheat seedling growth took place in the vials containing the aforesaid monomers and polymers. It could be concluded that the synthesized monomers and their polymers are biologically active, and they are nontoxic to ecosystems and natural environments.     

Fire Response of Steel Beams With Bolted Flange Plate Connections

Fire Technology - This paper presents the results of an experimental investigation on the fire response of steel beams and their bolted flange plate (BFP) connections. Using sub-frame assembly,...     

The odontogenic differentiation of human dental pulp stem cells on hydroxyapatite-coated biodegradable nanofibrous scaffolds

The authors aimed to design nanofibrous (NF) scaffolds that facilitate odontogenic and osteogenic differentiation of human dental pulp-derived mesenchymal stem cells (DPSCs) in vitro. For this purpose, hydroxyapatite (HA)–loaded poly (L-lactic acid)/poly (?-caprolactone) (PLLA:PCL 2;1) blend NFs were prepared using the electrospinning method. Alizarin red activity and cell viability were evaluated by MTT assay, and SEM revealed the proliferation properties of NF scaffolds. QRT-PCR results demonstrated that HA-loaded PLLA/PCL can lead to osteoblast/odontoblast differentiation in DPSCs through the up-regulation of related genes, thus indicating that electrospun biodegradable PCL/PLA/HA has remarkable prospects as scaffolds for bone and tooth tissue engineering.     

Preparation and Characterization of Polyvinylpyrrolidone/L-leucine Amino Acid–Modified Montmorillonite/Chiral Diacid–Functionalized Mg-Substituted Fluorapatite Nanocomposites by Ultrasonic-Assisted Rapid Process

In this work, the surface of synthetic nanosized Mg-substituted fluorapatite particles was modified with biodegradable diacid N-trimellitylimido-L-leucine as a coupling agent in methanol. Furthermore, different contents of N-trimellitylimido-L-leucine-modified Mg-substituted fluorapatite were doped into polyvinylpyrrolidone/L-leucine-modified montmorillonite material to prepare novel ternary polyvinylpyrrolidone/modified montmorillonite/N-trimellitylimido-L-leucine-Mg-substituted fluorapatite nanocomposites by an efficient sonication process. Nanocomposite containing 5?wt% modified montmorillonite and 3, 5, and 7?wt% N-trimellitylimido-L-leucine-modified Mg-substituted fluorapatite contents were prepared and labeled as polyvinylpyrrolidone/modified montmorillonite/N-trimellitylimido-L-leucine-Mg-substituted fluorapatite 3, polyvinylpyrrolidone/modified montmorillonite/N-trimellitylimido-L-leucine-Mg-substituted fluorapatite 5, and polyvinylpyrrolidone/modified montmorillonite/N-trimellitylimido-L-leucine-Mg-substituted fluorapatite 7, respectively. The structure and morphology of the aforesaid products were characterized by different analytical apparatuses.     

Novel Optically Active Poly(amide-imide)s Derived from N-Trimellitylimido-L-Isoleucine and Different Diisocyanates

Summary  A new class of optically active poly(amide-imide)s was synthesized via direct solution polycondensation of different aliphatic and aromatic diisocyanates with a chiral diacid monomer. The polymerization of N-trimellitylimido-L-isoleucine (TMIIL)(1) as an aromatic-aliphatic diacid monomer with 4,4’-methylenebis(phenyl isocyanate) (MDI)(2) was carried out by graduate heating as well as refluxing method in the presence of pyridine (Py), dibutyltin dilaurate (DBTDL), triethylamine (TEA) as a catalyst and without catalyst, respectively. In these solution polycondensations we used amino acids as chiral inducing agents. The optimized polymerization conditions of MDI were used for the polymerization of isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI)(3), tolylene-2,4-diisocyanate (TDI)(4), and hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI)(5). The resulting polymers have inherent viscosities in a range of 0.17–0.48 dL/g. These polymers are optically active, thermally stable and soluble in amide type solvents.     

Preparation and characterization of silk fibroin hydrogel as injectable implants for sustained release of Risperidone

The principal objective of the present study is to achieve a depot formulation of Risperidone by gelation of silk fibroin (SF). For this purpose, hydrochloric acid (HCl)/acetone-based and methanol-based hydrogels were prepared with different drug/polymer ratios (1:3, 1:6, and 1:15). For all the drug-loaded methanol-based hydrogels, gel transition of SF solutions occurred immediately and the gelation time was 1?min, while the gelation time of HCL/acetone-based hydrogels was around 360?min. According to the results obtined from Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectra, solvent systems and Risperidone could induce β-sheet structure, but HCL/acetone system had the lowest effect on induction of β-sheets. The crystallinity was increased by increasing the amount of Risperidone, and drug to polymer ratio of 1:3 possessed the highest crystallinity. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) indicated that increasing the amount of drug in formulation increased the stability of hydrogels, and methanol-based hydrogel with a ratio of 1:3 had the most stable structure. The release rate of Risperidone from methanol-based hydrogel at ratio of 1:3 was lower than that for HCl/acetone-based one, and it decreased by increasing the amount of Risperidone. The release of Risperidone from methanol hydrogel at ratios 1:3 and 1:6 continued up to 25?d which is acceptable for depot form of Risperidone and shows that the extended release of Risperidone was achieved successfully. In conclusion, SF hydrogel with the ability to respond to the environmental stimuli is an excellent candidate for injectable implants for extended release of Risperidone.