Crystallization: A commercial block copolymer poly(ethylene glycol)-blockpoly(methacrylic acid) (PEG-b-PMAA, PEG = 3000 g mol ±1 , PMAA= 700 g mol ±1 ) was obtained from T. Goldschmidt AG, Essen, Germany. The carboxylic acid groups of this copolymer were partially phosphonated (21 %) to give a copolymer with carboxylated and phosphonated groups, PEG-b-PMAA-PO 3 H 2 . The crystallization of BaCrO 4 in the presence of the polymer was carried out in a 5 mL glass bottle. The polymer concentration was kept at 1 g L ±1 . In a typical synthesis, 0.12 mL 0.05 M BaCl 2 (Sigma Aldrich, 99 %) was added to 3 mL of polymer solution (1 g L ±1 ) under vigorous stirring at room temperature, resulting in a final BaCrO 4 concentration of 2 mM. After 3 min, 0.12 mL 0.05 M Na 2 CrO 4 (Sigma Aldrich, 99 %) solution was added to the mixture. Then 20 lL of the PSS/PAH capsule solution (0.5 vol.-%,) was injected into the solution under stirring for 3 min. The pH value was kept at 5.5. Then the solution was left static for up to two to five days before the precipitates were collected for characterization. The precipitates were left to stand in their mother solutions for at least 24 h to ensure complete equilibration. All precipitates were carefully washed repeatedly with distilled water and then stirred gently before placing one drop of the solution onto copper TEM grids or SEM stubs. In some cases, the solution that contained precipitate was sonicated for 3 min to ensure good dispersion of the particles.Characterization: Dry powder samples were used for the measurements of X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) using a PDS 120 (Nonius GmbH, Solingen) with Cu Ka radiation. The characterization was done by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with a DSM 940 A (Carl Zeiss, Jena) microscope, by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) with a Zeiss EM 912 Omega microscope, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and electron diffraction with a Philips CM 12 microscope operating at 120 kV (equipped with an EDAX 9800 analyzer). The n-potential of the initial solution was measured using a Malvern Zetasizer 4 by taking the average of five measurements at the stationary level. All measurements were performed in air-equilibrated water (~pH 5.5). The computer modeling of the cell structure and the crystal face cleavage of BaCrO 4 were done with Cerius 2 software (Accelrys).Surfactant-templated mesoporous thin films with ordered, nanometer-sized pores offer a high degree of uniformity that is of interest in diverse application areas like membranes, (bio)molecular sensors, shape-selective catalysis, and low-k dielectrics. The properties of the internal surface area often are adapted by inclusion of (pendant) organic groups. Here we report on the single-step formation of mesoporous hybrid

Judicious application of site-selective reactions to non-aligned and aligned carbon nanotubes has opened a rich field of carbon nanotube chemistry. In order to meet specific requirements demanded by particular applications (e.g. biocompatibility for nanotube biosensors and interfacial strength for blending with polymers), chemical modification of carbon nanotubes is essential. The tips of carbon nanotubes are more reactive than their sidewalls, allowing a variety of chemical reagents to be attached at the nanotube tips. Recently, some interesting reactions have also been devised for chemical modification of both the inner and outer nanotube walls, though the seamless arrangement of hexagon rings renders the sidewalls relatively unreactive. This review provides a brief summary of very recent progress in the research on chemistry of carbon nanotubes.

Calcium phosphate cements (CPC) are increasingly used in the orthopedic "eld. This kind of cement has potential applications in bone defect replacements, osteosynthetic screw reinforcements or drug delivery. In vivo studies have demonstrated a good osteointegration of CPC. However, it was also observed that the resorption of CPC could create particles. It is known from orthopedic implant studies that particles can be responsible for the peri-implant osteolysis. Biocompatibility assessment of CPC should then be performed with particles. In this study, we quanti"ed the functions of osteoblasts in the presence of -TCP, brushite and cement particles. Two particle sizes were prepared. The "rst one corresponded to the critical diameter range 1}10 m and the second one had a diameter larger than 10 m. We found that CPC particles could adversely a!ect the osteoblast functions. A decrease in viability, proliferation and production of extracellular matrix was measured. A dose e!ect was also observed. A ratio of 50 CPC particles per osteoblast could be considered as the maximum number of particles supported by an osteoblast. The smaller particles had stronger negative e!ects on osteoblast functions than the larger ones. Future CPC development should minimize the generation of particles smaller than 10 m.

A POSS-PMMA copolymer has been synthesised by conventional free-radical polymerisation reaction. Uniform electrospun fibres from this copolymer showed a water contact angle as high as 165 degrees with a sliding angle as low as 6 degrees . For the first time, we found that the electrospun fibres had a bundled nanofibril secondary structure with an ordered POSS morphology on the fibre surface.

Numerous studies have demonstrated the capacity of mechanical strains to modulate cell behavior through several different signaling pathways. Understanding the response of ligament fibroblasts to mechanically induced strains may provide useful knowledge for treating ligament injury and improving rehabilitation regimens. Biomechanical studies that quantify strains in the anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments have shown that these ligaments are subjected to 4-5% strains during normal activities and can be strained to 7.7% during external application of loads to the knee joint. The objective of this study was to characterize the expression of types I and III collagen in fibroblast monolayers of anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments subjected to equibiaxial strains on flexible growth surfaces (0.05 and 0.075 strains) by quantifying levels of mRNA encoding these two proteins. Both cyclic strain magnitudes were studied under a frequency of 1 Hz. The results indicated marked differences in responses to strain regimens not only between types I and III collagen mRNA expression within each cell type but also in patterns of expression between anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligament cells. Whereas anterior cruciate ligament fibroblasts responded to cyclic strains by expression of higher levels of type-I collagen message with almost no significant increases in type-III collagen, medial collateral ligament fibroblasts exhibited statistically significant increases in type-III collagen mRNA at all time points after initiation of strain with almost no significant increases in type-I collagen. Furthermore, differences in responses by fibroblasts from the two ligaments were detected between the two strain magnitudes. In particular, 0.075 strains induced a time-dependent increase in type-III collagen mRNA levels in medial collateral ligament fibroblasts whereas 0.05 strains did not. The strain-induced changes in gene expression of these two collagens may have implications for the healing processes in ligament tissue. The differences may explain, in part, the healing differential between the anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in vivo.