Biomedical subjects

L Nicolais

Publications and source records attributed to L Nicolais.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2001

Mechanical strength of tooth fragment reattachment.

The aim of this study was static and fatigue test investigation of the strength of a tooth fragment reattached with adhesives to the tooth body. Central bovine incisor teeth were used, and standardized fragments were obtained by cutting the incisal edge of the selected teeth. All the fragments were reattached using a multistep dentine adhesive system, and the specimens were randomly divided into two groups (A and B). Group B specimens underwent a further dental treatment: a circumferential double chamfer prepared around the external cut interface was filled with light cured composite restorative resin. Static and fatigue bending tests were performed and linear elastic equations were used to analyze and compare the strength of the treated teeth. The results indicated that the static and fatigue bending properties were improved by using reinforcement with composite restorative resin.

Acrylic Resins↗

PubMed2000

Polymer-based composite hip prostheses.

A composite hip prosthesis (CHP) made from poly(ether-imide) reinforced with carbon and glass fibres was manufactured and characterized. The main objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of fibre organization on the mechanical properties of the composite femoral implant and compare with the bone. A stacking sequence of drop-off plies of carbon/glass fibres reinforcing poly(ether-imide) (PEI) constitutes a symmetrical and balanced CHP. The hip was manufactured according to the finite element modelling (FEM) design and using the compression moulding and water-jet technologies. The measured stress-strain data according to tensile, flexural and torsional tests showed agreement with the numerical calculation. Young's modulus and the strength in tension are uniform along the stem axis (40 GPa and 600 MPa, respectively) while the elastic modulus in bending varies from 10 to 60 GPa in the tip-head direction. The composite stem showed a linear load-displacement relation up to 4500 N without breaking. Mechanical behaviour of the CHP is compared to that of a canine femur. Comparison with metal prostheses has also been undertaken. CHPs control stress-strain distributions, and hence the mechanical signals to bone, through a material-structure design.

Animals↗

PubMed1999

Characterization of the interface between prefabricated gold copings and cast dental alloy in implant restorations.

The objective of this study was to analyse the characteristics of the metal interface between the casting of a dental noble alloy and prefabricated gold copings (OCTA-ITI Implant System) after the fabrication procedures of a prosthetic implant-retained superstructure. The microscopical investigation, performed by optical microscopy (OM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), of the region around the cylinder after the casting process and the subsequent porcelain firing procedures showed the presence of an ideal interface, including: i) maintenance of coping and casting alloy microstructures up to the interface, and ii) absence of interfacial reaction products. A low content of porosity (less than 3% by volume in average) was observed in the casting alloy bulk as well as at interface. The investigation by energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) of the alloy composition close to the interface showed the presence of a minimal elemental interdiffusion, suggesting that an adequate compatibility between alloy and coping characterized the materials used. A small decrease of the prefabricated coping hardness was also observed after the casting and porcelain firing procedures.

Dental Abutments↗

PubMed1998

Viscoelastic behavior of composite ligament prostheses.

Despite the compelling need for artificial connective tissue replacements for orthopedic applications, to date, there is no material which can adequately reproduce the mechanical behavior of natural tissue with necessary long-term endurance. In this work, we introduce a novel soft composite material as a more suitable candidate for connective tissue replacement. The material proposed is based on a hydrogel-polymer matrix reinforced with poly(ethylene terephthalate) fibers wound helically to mimic the architecture of the collagen fibers in natural tissue. Macroscopic behaviors such as static stress-strain, stress relaxation, and dynamic frequency responses can be modulated with choice of the components and design of the composite structure. In doing so, the mechanical characteristics of natural ligaments can be qualitatively reproduced and sustained over time.

Composite Resins↗

PubMed1998

Composite hydrogels for implants.

Hydrophilic composite structures are designed to mimic the transport and mechanical properties of natural soft tissue such as tendons, ligaments and intervertebral discs. Mechanical and viscoelastic behaviour of a soft composite material based on a hydrogel matrix reinforced with bundles of polyethylene therephthalate (PET) fibres is analysed. The typical J-shaped stress-strain behaviour, displayed by natural tendons and ligaments, is reproduced. The mechanical characteristics, such as the extent of the 'toe-in region' and the elastic modulus in the linear region, can be controlled by varying the winding angle of the fibres and the matrix composition. Dynamic mechanical analysis showed the dual behaviour of the composite systems due to the progressive contribution of the PET fibres. Different poly(2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate)/polycaprolactone (PHEMA/PCL) semi-interpenetrating polymer networks (IPNs) hydrogel composite systems reinforced with PET fibres have been investigated for potential use as intervertebral disc prostheses. Compression properties have been evaluated by static and dynamic tests. Uniaxial compression tests on the swollen samples showed an increase of the modulus and maximum stress with increasing content of PCL and PET fibres. Creep behaviour is also dependent on the hydrogel composition. The composite PHEMA/PCL hydrogels showed compression properties similar to those expressed by canine intervertebral discs in different spinal locations.

Animals↗

PubMed1997

The differential effects of poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) and poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate)/poly(caprolactone) polymers on cell proliferation and collagen synthesis by human lung fibroblasts.

Because of its chemical versatility and demonstrated biocompatibility, poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (pHEMA) has been widely used as a polymer for biomedical applications. Since this hydrophilic material shows a poor interface with cells, blendings with other polymers were done to improve cytocompatibility. In our polymer, the presence of hydrophobic dominions on the material surface, due to the interpenetrating polymerization of pHEMA with poly(caprolactone) (PCL), seems to ameliorate the cytocompatibility in terms of cell adhesion and metabolism. For our experiments, we used IMR-90 human fibroblasts, as these cells strongly regulate DNA, RNA, and protein synthesis as anchorage-dependent variables. Cell attachment on a pHEMA/PCL interpenetrating polymer network was optimal, suggesting a strong adhesion between the cells and the polymer surface. Cell adhesion was weaker on pHEMA, as a significant fraction of the fibroblasts revealed a lack of spreading, with most cells remaining spherical. Moreover, only fibroblasts seeded on pHEMA significantly decreased mRNA synthesis; collagen production and cell shapes ranged from fully flat and proliferating, to minimally spread and nonproliferating. Finally, DNA synthesis, as a measure of cell proliferation, was markedly inhibited in cells cultured on pHEMA but not on pHEMA/PCL. In conclusion, our results suggest that control of cell growth and metabolism by biomedical polymers is based on physicochemical mechanism(s) in which the hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity ratio of the material surfaces may play an important role.

Base Sequence↗

PubMed1997

Comparison between in vitro and in vivo UHMW-PE degradation.

There is an increasing interest in orthopedics for clinical problems associated with wear and failure of ultra-high-molecular-weight (UHMW) polyethylene devices. Wear not only affects the implant performance but, more importantly, produces the release of particulate debris in the surrounding tissues and fluids. The debris in turn cause a deleterious biological response that can include an inflammatory reaction with subsequent loosening of the implant components. Surface wear is certainly promoted from the oxidation process that can occur during the prosthesis life. However, the oxidation mechanism involved during the implantation period has not been described yet for the UHMW-polyethylene devices. Here, the comparison of FT-IR spectra of a retrieved acetabular cup (9 years in a human body) and thin UHMW-PE films treated respectively with: H2O2, KO2/THF, and Fe[II]/H2O2 solutions indicates the effect of the high reactive hydroxyl radicals as the most important cause of in vivo polymer degradation.

Biocompatible Materials↗

PubMed1996

Synthesis and characterization of a new interpenetrated poly(2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate)-gelatin composite polymer.

Poly(2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate) [poly(HEMA)] is a widely used biomaterial which does not allow cell adhesion and growth on its surface, limiting its use in biomedical applications in which cell cohesion is detrimental. We have prepared a poly(HEMA)-gelatin composite hydrogel using a sequential interpenetrating polymer network technique. The properties of this material were compared with poly(HEMA) freeze-dried sponges in terms of morphology, mechanical properties and biocompatibility. Moreover, in vivo biocompatibility experiments highlighted the occurrence of cellular interactions on the surface of the poly(HEMA)-gelatin interpenetrating polymer network, which are usually absent when unmodified poly(HEMA) hydrogels are implanted in the same host organism. These tests also showed a progressive gelatin degradation from the surface to the bulk of the poly(HEMA)-gelatin specimens during short-term (7 d) implantation. Finally, in vitro tests confirmed an improved ability of this composite to scaffold for the cells.

3T3 Cells↗

PubMed1995

Mechanical behaviour of composite artificial tendons and ligaments.

The mechanical behaviour of a soft composite material based on a hydrogel polymer matrix reinforced with bundles of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) fibres is analysed. The composite reproduces the typical J-shaped stress-strain curves displayed by natural tendons and ligaments. The lamination composite theory was used to investigate the role of the fibres and the matrix properties, as well as the role of the winding angle and the volumetric fraction of fibres, on the mechanical response of this system. The results suggested that large variations in the mechanical behaviour can be obtained by changing the winding angle of the fibres in the composite which determines the extent of the 'toe' region and the sensitivity of the system to the rigidity of the fibres.

Animals↗

PubMed1994

In vivo induction of macrophage Ia antigen (MHC class II) expression by biomedical polymers in the cage implant system.

Examination of the cellular components in the inflammatory exudate, which infiltrates subcutaneous cages, can be used to monitor the progress of an inflammatory response to an implanted material. Of particular interest is the study of monocyte/macrophage infiltration into the implanted cages containing biomaterials, as macrophages may initiate a wide spectrum of responses upon interaction with a foreign material. In this study, the authors propose a technique using subcutaneous tissue cages in conjunction with cytofluorimetric analysis of exudate leukocytes to evaluate the monocyte/macrophage cell activation in response to different materials. The studies reported here used several materials (thermoplastic and elastomeric polymers) as the challenging agent, to demonstrate whether polymers, chemically different from each other, could differentially activate macrophages to carry out their proinflammatory role more effectively. The materials tested included: poly(etherurethane ureas) (PEUU A'), poly(etherurethane ureas) with a surface active additive, Methacrol, (PEUU C'), polymethylsiloxane (PDMS), polyetherimide, (PEI), and polyetheretherketone, (PEEK). For all tested materials, the maximum numbers of exudate cells and of Ia-positive macrophages were found on day 7, although the entity of the cell increase was associated with the material used for the implant. Similarly, the percentage of Ia-positive macrophages varied according to the specific polymer present in the cages after 7 days. By day 14, the percentage of Ia-positive macrophages decreased with individual exudates showing 19-32% Ia-positive cells depending on the different type of material. Only in the case of PDMS did the percentage of Ia-positive macrophages remain the same as compared with control empty cage macrophages.

Animals↗

PubMed1994

Photopolymerization of dental composite matrices.

The kinetic behaviour of dental composite is traditionally studied, considering only the isothermal behaviour, whereas a fast and highly non-isothermal bulk polymerization is expected as a consequence of the significant heat developed due to the exothermic nature of the polymerization reaction. In this paper the photopolymerization kinetics of a commercial dental composite activated by visible light are analysed by differential scanning calorimetry. This technique is applied to determine the degree of reaction and the glass transition temperature of thin layers of the composite matrix, at different isothermal cure temperatures. A phenomenological kinetic model is then integrated with an energy balance in order to analyse the cure behaviour of thicker composite layers. The full model results indicate that non-isothermal cure conditions may be achieved, obtaining higher values for the glass transition temperature and the degree of reaction.

Calorimetry, Differential Scanning↗

PubMed1994

Water soluble drug delivery systems based on a non-biological bioadhesive polymeric system.

Matrix properties and release behaviour of monolithic devices based on a water soluble polymer has been investigated. Polyethyleneoxides of different molecular weights have been used and different molecular weight fractions have been blended in order to tune the release mechanism. Drug release kinetics have been closely related to swelling and dissolution properties of the adopted matrices. In particular the development of the external swollen layer of the tablet as well as the kinetic of dissolution have been monitored. The different drug delivery behaviours observed were related to the different matrix properties. Viscoelastic properties of the matrices have been also investigated. In fact, in order to obtain effective bioadhesive drug release devices, apart from the intrinsic mucoadhesive capabilities of the used polymers, also the viscoelastic properties of the water-polymer gel must also be taken into account. A good interpenetration between the adjacent layers of the mucus and the polymer gel is ineffective in holding the mucoadhesive tablet at a specific site if the polymer gel does not have a proper viscoelastic behaviour. The best compromise between good release, viscoelatic and mucoadhesive properties was obtained in the case of 50% by weight blend of the two adopted polymer fractions (600,000 and 4,000,000 molecular weight).

Bronchodilator Agents↗

PubMed1993

Hydrogels as an interface between bone and an implant.

The use of fully hydrated hydrogels in the body has been well established. The forces a hydrogel generates on swelling when it is placed in a constrained space were investigated with a view to providing a mechanism for fixing a prosthesis in the intramedullary cavity. A cross-linked poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) [p(HEMA)] hydrogel was investigated as a potential material. In vitro mechanical tests were carried out to determine the stresses generated in the p(HEMA) when it was placed in water and not allowed to swell. Pull out loads of up to 375 N indicated that the system could be used successfully in vivo. Consequently, the material was placed intraosseously at two sites in a rabbit animal model, in the mid-shaft (diaphysis) and the lower end (metaphysis) of the femur. Histological examination showed there was no adverse bone response; bone was growing from the endosteal surface up to and into the hydrogel in the diaphyseal implants and surrounded the hydrogel in the metaphysis. As a result of the shape and size variations in the rabbit femur, in vivo mechanical tests were found to give lower values than those obtained in vitro.

Animals↗

PubMed1993

Poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) and different molecular weight PEO blends monolithic devices for drug release.

An interpretation of the drug release from monolithic water-swellable and soluble polymer tablets is presented. A convenient parameter, alpha, which compares the drug-diffusive conductance in the gel layer with the swelling and dissolving characteristics of the unpenetrated polymer was used to describe the release behaviour of beta-hydroxyethyl-theophylline (etofylline) from compression-moulded tablets of hydrophilic pure semicrystalline poly(ethylene oxides) of mol wt 600,000 and 4,000,000 and of two blends of the two molecular weights of poly(ethylene oxides). The water swelling and dissolution characteristics of two polymers and two blends were analysed, monitoring the thickness increase of the surface-dissolving layer and the rates of water swelling and penetration in the tablets. The drug diffusivities in the water-penetrated polymer gels were measured by carrying out permeation tests. Finally, drug release tests were performed to investigate the release kinetics of the different systems in an aqueous environment at 37 degrees C. The drug release from the high molecular weight poly(ethylene oxide) is principally related to the material swelling rather than polymer dissolution, leading to a progressive decrease of the drug's diffusive conductance in the growing swollen layer, and hence to a non-constant release induced by the prevailing diffusive control. Conversely, drug release from the low molecular weight poly(ethylene oxide) is strictly related to the polymer dissolution mechanism. The achievement of stationary conditions, in which the rate of swelling equals the rate of dissolution, ensures a constant release rate, even in the case of very low drug-diffusive conductance in the external gel layer. Intermediate behaviours were detected in the case of the two blends.

Bronchodilator Agents↗

PubMed1991

Macrophage activation induced by different carbon fiber-epoxy resin composites.

The activation of cells by interaction with solid surfaces is important in many settings, including the response of tissue to implanted materials. However, few comprehensive studies of both cell migration and activation have been performed so that the connection between these events and immunological activation against foreign material is not well understood. In the present study, synthesis and expression of Ia antigens by peritoneal exudate macrophages after implantation of different carbon fiber composites in the rat peritoneal cavity have been investigated in order to determine whether the type of material implanted affected the composition of Ia-bearing cells of the exudate. The results have confirmed the low level of expression of Ia on resident peritoneal macrophages; while we have found that macrophages, harvested after implantation, express a different amount of Ia related to the different cure cycles of the composite material used.

Animals↗

PubMed1991

Rat peritoneal immune response to carbon fibre reinforced epoxy composite implants.

The aim of this paper was to evaluate the histocompatibility of differently cured carbon fibre reinforced epoxy composites, studying their potential to induce an intolerance reaction in neighbouring tissues after peritoneal implantation in the rat. According to the microscopic and scanning electron microscope findings, the inductive capacity to generate connective tissue and cellular reaction was greatest in the partially cured material compared to the fully cured material. In addition, only the partially cured material implants appeared totally coated by macrophages at various stages of activation. The differences in the cellular reactions and scar tissue deposition in the interstices of these two composites are probably related to the chemical surface properties rather than to the structural characteristics of the materials.

Adsorption↗

PubMed1991

Comparative physical tests on segmented polyurethanes for cardiovascular applications.

In order to select a candidate segmented polyurethane (SPU) elastomer for cardiovascular prostheses, a series of physical tests was carried out on five commercially available biomedical polyurethanes. The tests were performed on uniformly thick sheets (0.2-0.3 mm), obtained by solvent casting from THF (Cardiothane 51, Pellethane 2363 80A, Estane 5714 F1, and Estane 58810) or DMAC (Biomer). Tensile mechanical tests at 23 and 37 degrees C showed for all the copolymers typical stress/strain behaviour of elastomeric materials, with small individual differences. Hydrolytic stability was investigated at 85, 60, and 37 degrees C, at increasing times of exposure (96-168 h), in water or alkaline buffer (pH = 10). As indicated by gel permeation chromatography, in almost all cases a degradation of the molecular weight (particularly the M w) was noticed after the hydrolytic tests, but tensile, thermal (by DSC) and dynamic mechanical properties were substantially not affected. SEM was also performed on the materials, before and after the hydrolytic tests. Changes in the morphology of the materials (related to degradation effects) was observed only in the case of Biomer, as shown also by the thermomechanical analyses. After this first series of physical tests, a clear choice of a particular SPU among the five investigated was not found.

Blood Vessel Prosthesis↗

PubMed1983

[Initial observations on the biocompatibility of a polymer used as a skin dressing].

In the development of a dressing for burn wound covers, a material is required which combines good oxygen permeability, high water content and good biocompatibility with reasonable mechanical properties. One of the most important functions of the cover is to protect the burned surfaces from drying out and to constitute the first defence against microbial invasion. In this study composite sheets crosslinked either in presence of glicerol or diacetin, obtained by reinforcing PHEMA with a tricot PET net have been implanted subacute in rabbits, to test their biocompatibility. The same composites crosslinked in presence of diacetin and grafted on a polybutadene film, have been used as a skin graft on rabbits.

Animals↗