Polymers in Biology and Medicine

Another use for polymers in the body is in temporary inclusions such as sutures and supporting meshes which are required to dissolve and biodegrade over a relatively short period of time. This requires the design of new material which, unlike the present range of bio-inert polymers, can then be bioassimilated into the body after they have served their purpose. This will be discussed in Chapter 5. 

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J. Pitha, in "Polymers in Biology and Medicine", L. G. Donaruma, R. M. Ottenbrite 0. Vogl, eds., John Wiley Sons, Inc. Publishers, New York, in press (1980)... 

Wise, D. Fellmann, T. Sanderson, J. Wentwotrth, R. In Lactic/Glycolic Acid Polymers, Drug Carriers in Biology and Medicine Academic Press London, 1976 pp 237-270. 

Organic Radicals in Solution Organic Radicals in Solids Triplets and Biradicals Applicatins of E.S.R. in Polymer Chemistry Spin Labels Biological Systems Free Radical Studies in Biology and Medicine Loop-Gap Resonators. 

Other areas of research and development that are now taking shape are studies of organic polymers that are photo- and elec-troresponsive, and studies of systems that are biocompatible and promise to find extensive use in biology and medicine. 

Burnett, G. M. Mechanism of Polymer Reactions-, Interscience New York, 1954 Chapter 7. losifescu, M. Tautu, P. Stochastic Processes and Applications in Biology and Medicine, Vol. II Models, Springer Berlin, 1973 Chapter 1. 

Wise, D.L., Fellmann, T.D., Sanderson, J.E., and Wentworth, R.L., 1979. Lactic/Glycolic acid polymers. In Drug Carriers in Biology and Medicine, G. Gregoriadis, Ed., pp. lil-TlQ, Academic Press, New York. 

Of these four, the phenomenon of greatest practical interest is electrophoresis. Over the years, several relatively easy techniques for the study and application of electrophoresis have been developed and today these are important tools in many areas of science and technology, including colloid science, polymer science, biology, and medicine. Of lesser practical importance, and less intensely studied, are electroosmosis and streaming potential. Sedimentation potential has received relatively little attention because of experimental difficulties. 

Shape memory PU and polymers in general have tremendous applications in biology and medicine [104, 105] especially for biomedical devices which may permit new medical procedures. Because of the ability to memorise a permanent shape that can be substantially different from an initial temporary phase, a bulky device could be introduced into the body in a temporary shape (e.g., string) that could go through a small laparoscopic hole and then be expanded on demand into a permanent shape at body temperature. 

Abstract Conjugated polymers have many unique photophysical properties that make them useful for a variety of applications within the fields of chemistry, molecular biology, and medicine, specifically their ability to produce a conformation-dependant spectral signature reflective of changes in their local environment. This physical property makes conjugated polymers an indispensible tool in the toolbox of fluorescent reporters, and within this chapter, their utilization as molecular probes for studying protein structure and conformation is emphasized. 

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