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Special Issue "Development, Characterization and Applications of Novel Polymeric Materials and Composites"

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Macromolecules".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 December 2023 | Viewed by 1146

Special Issue Editors

Faculty of Medical Engineering, University POLITEHNICA of Bucharest, RO-011061 Bucharest, Romania
Interests: neuron; synapses; neurobiology; electrophysiology; synaptic transmission; ion channel gating; neuron culture; functional neuroscience
1. Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ 08028, USA
2. Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ 08028, USA
3. Department of Molecular & Cellular Biosciences, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ 08028, USA
Interests: polymer; biomaterials; biomacromolecules; regenerative medicine; drug delivery; nanotechnology
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The development in the fields of biotechnologies, from molecular biology to diagnosis and treatment, has had an exponential evolution in the last decades. This has led to an increasing fragmentation of science, with the decrease in the capacity for interdisciplinarity with the decrease in the capacity to use the results for concrete social and commercial purposes, such as diagnosis and the therapy of various pathologies. To overcome this barrier, it is necessary to develop new skills for presenting one's own results, through the lens of presenting the potential impact along with the problems that still need to be solved to achieve the goals.

In this sense, we propose catalyzing an effort to present experimental or theoretical model research activities in the field of polymeric or composite materials, in a way that identifies as many interdisciplinary bridges as possible, starting from the idea of development and characterization to be exploited by the scientific and economic community through diagnostic and therapeutic applications.

For this objective, we want to reach the following targets:

  • Theoretical models;
  • Molecular simulations;
  • New polymers;
  • New composite materials;
  • Characterization of the proposed materials;
  • New applications of existing polymer materials and composites;
  • Diagnostic and therapeutic applications.

Dr. Daniel Dumitru Banciu
Dr. Xiao Hu
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

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Keywords

  • diagnosis
  • therapy
  • polymers
  • composite materials
  • theoretical model

Published Papers (2 papers)

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23 pages, 7376 KiB  
Article
Development and Characterization of Electrospun Composites Built on Polycaprolactone and Cerium-Containing Phases
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(18), 14201; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241814201 - 17 Sep 2023
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Abstract
The current study reports on the fabrication of composite scaffolds based on polycaprolactone (PCL) and cerium (Ce)-containing powders, followed by their characterization from compositional, structural, morphological, optical and biological points of view. First, CeO2, Ce-doped calcium phosphates and Ce-substituted bioglass were [...] Read more.
The current study reports on the fabrication of composite scaffolds based on polycaprolactone (PCL) and cerium (Ce)-containing powders, followed by their characterization from compositional, structural, morphological, optical and biological points of view. First, CeO2, Ce-doped calcium phosphates and Ce-substituted bioglass were synthesized by wet-chemistry methods (precipitation/coprecipitation and sol-gel) and subsequently loaded on PCL fibres processed by electrospinning. The powders were proven to be nanometric or micrometric, while the investigation of their phase composition showed that Ce was present as a dopant within the crystal lattice of the obtained calcium phosphates or as crystalline domains inside the glassy matrix. The best bioactivity was attained in the case of Ce-containing bioglass, while the most pronounced antibacterial effect was visible for Ce-doped calcium phosphates calcined at a lower temperature. The scaffolds were composed of either dimensionally homogeneous fibres or mixtures of fibres with a wide size distribution and beads of different shapes. In most cases, the increase in polymer concentration in the precursor solution ensured the achievement of more ordered fibre mats. The immersion in SBF for 28 days triggered an incipient degradation of PCL, evidenced mostly through cracks and gaps. In terms of biological properties, the composite scaffolds displayed a very good biocompatibility when tested with human osteoblast cells, with a superior response for the samples consisting of the polymer and Ce-doped calcium phosphates. Full article
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14 pages, 1028 KiB  
Perspective
Perspectives on Scaffold Designs with Roles in Liver Cell Asymmetry and Medical and Industrial Applications by Using a New Type of Specialized 3D Bioprinter
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(19), 14722; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241914722 - 29 Sep 2023
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Abstract
Cellular asymmetry is an important element of efficiency in the compartmentalization of intracellular chemical reactions that ensure efficient tissue function. Improving the current 3D printing methods by using cellular asymmetry is essential in producing complex tissues and organs such as the liver. The [...] Read more.
Cellular asymmetry is an important element of efficiency in the compartmentalization of intracellular chemical reactions that ensure efficient tissue function. Improving the current 3D printing methods by using cellular asymmetry is essential in producing complex tissues and organs such as the liver. The use of cell spots containing at least two cells and basement membrane-like bio support materials allows cells to be tethered at two points on the basement membrane and with another cell in order to maintain cell asymmetry. Our model is a new type of 3D bioprinter that uses oriented multicellular complexes with cellular asymmetry. This novel approach is necessary to replace the sequential and slow processes of organogenesis with rapid methods of growth and 3D organ printing. The use of the extracellular matrix in the process of bioprinting with cells allows one to preserve the cellular asymmetry in the 3D printing process and thus preserve the compartmentalization of biological processes and metabolic efficiency. Full article
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