Selected Biomedical Applications

3 Methoxyoligoethylene Glycol Methacrylate (OEGMA)-based Thermoresponsive (Co)polymers hy RAFT 

All previous examples focused on the homopolymerization of OEGMA (or OEGA) monomers resulting in POEGMAs with LCSTs that are relatively far apart. More precise tuning of the LCST by statistical copolymerization of DEGMA (cloud point (CP) = 28 C) and 

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There has been great interest in Cu(II) as a result of its role in biology, and the versatility in its available radioactive isotopes. The chemistry of bis(thiosemicarbazonato) metal complexes has received much interest over the last decade with particular interest in the copper complexes that are known blood perfusion tracers and also display hypoxic selectivity. Biomedical applications revolve around its redox chemistry (12,83-88,98-104). 

L. (2012) Electrospun matrices for localized drug delivery current technologies and selected biomedical applications. Eur. J Pharm. Biopharm., 81 (1), 1 — 13. 

The tin, iron, and osmium examples discussed above allow one to imagine all sorts of possibilities for metal- and metalloid-containing polymers with biomedical applications. In the next section a series of selected biomedical applications of metal-bound polymers is reviewed. This is followed by a short review of some representative small molecules containing metals which have biomedical uses. 

Biomedical Applications Due to their excellent blood compatibility (low interaction with plasma proteins) and high oxygen and moisture permeabilities, siloxane containing copolymers and networks have been extensively evaluated and used in the construction of blood contacting devices and contact lenses 376). Depending on the actual use, the desired mechanical properties of these materials are usually achieved by careful design and selection of the organic component in the copolymers. 

Vol. 131. Selective Detectors Environmental, Industrial, and Biomedical Applications. Edited by Robert E. Sievers... 

Analytical and Biomedical Applications of Ion-Selective Field-Effect Transistors... 

Most important biomedical applications of ion-selective electrodes... 

Solvent polymeric membranes conventionally consist of ionophore, ion exchanger, plasticizer, and polymer. The majority of modem polymeric ISEs are based on neutral carriers, making the ionophore the most important membrane component. Substantial research efforts have focused on the development of highly selective ionophores for a variety of analytes [3], Some of the most successful ionophores relevant to biomedical applications are depicted in Fig. 4.1. 

P. Bergveld and A. Sibbald, Analytical and Biomedical Applications of Ion-Selective Field-Effect Transistors. Elsevier, Amsterdam (1988). 

Apparently, biomedical applications are the main demands of the DNA biochip. The selected applications are shown in Table 11.5. 

The fullerene derivatives result to be noncompetitive inhibitors, meaning that, although the catalytic site of AChE could bind cationic fullerenes, the binding of C60 derivatives should take place in allosteric sites (Pastorin et al., 2006). Considering all these actions, with important biomedical applications, the question about selectivity naturally arises, but no answer has been proposed as yet. 

In biomedical applications, the ranges of ion concentration are higher by several orders of magnitude. For instance, the abovementioned calcium probes for living cells cannot be used because the dissociation constant is so low that they would be saturated. Special attention is thus to be paid to the ionophore moiety to achieve proper selectivity and efficiency of binding. For instance, at present there is a need for a selective fluorescent probe for the determination of calcium in blood which could work in the millimolar range in aqueous solutions so that optodes with immobilized probes on the tip could be made for continuous monitoring calcium in blood vessels. 

Morf and W. Simon, Liquid membrane ion-selective electrodes and their biomedical applications. Chapter 2 of Medical and Biological Applications of Electrochemical Devices (ed. J. Koryta), John Wiley Sons, Chichester (1980). MS - mixed solution technique, SS - separate solution technique symbols for ion-exchanging ions from table 7.1. 

Biomaterials such as proteins/enzymes or DNA display highly selective catalytic and recognition properties. Au nanoparticles or nanorods show electronic, photonic and catalytic properties. The convergence of both types of materials gives rise to Au NP-biomolecule hybrids that represent a very active research area. The combination of properties leads to the appearance of biosensors due to the optical or electrical transduction of biological phenomena. Moreover, multifunctional Au NP-peptide hybrids can be used for targeting nuclear cells where genetic information is stored and could be useful for biomedical applications [146]. 

Mass spectrometry has become an essential analytical tool for a wide variety of biomedical applications such as food chemistry and food analysis. Mass spectrometry is highly sensitive, fast, and selective. By combining mass spectrometry with HPLC, GC, or an additional stage of mass spectrometry (MS/MS), the selectivity increases considerably. As a result, mass spectrometry may be used for quantitative as well as qualitative analyses. In this manual, mass spectrometry is mentioned frequendy, and extensive discussions of mass spectrometry appear, for example, in units describing the analyses of carotenoids (unitfia) and chlorophylls (unit F4.5). In particular, these units include examples of LC/MS and MS/MS and the use of various ionization methods. 

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