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Orientador: Raul Cesar Evangelista / Banca: Osvaldo de Freitas / Banca: Luís Alexandre Pedro de Freitas / Resumo: O objetivo deste trabalho foi verificar algumas propriedades físico-químicas de xiloglucanas extraídas a partir das sementes de Hymenaea courbaril var stilbocarpa (jatoba) e seu potencial para serem usadas como material polimérico na obtenção de filmes. As análises reológicas mostraram que todas as dispersões aqüosas de XIL estudadas comportaram-se como fluidos não-Newtonianos do tipo plástico. Os estudos de DSC indicam que o polissacarídeo apresenta-se no estado amorfo, com temperatura de decomposição iniciando-se em cerca de 300 ºC. Os filmes de XIL foram formados a 30ºC durante um período de 12 h e observou-se que a adição de plastificantes prolongou o período de secagem em 8 h. Observou-se que o tipo e a concentração de plastificantes alteram as propriedades funcionais de filmes de XIL. Os filmes com GLI apresentaram maiores valores de alongamento, menores valores de modulo elástico e de tensão de ruptura do que os filmes com PPG. Além disso, os estudos de DSC indicaram que os filmes com concentrações de 30 g de plastificantes/100 g de XIL apresentaram os menores valores de Tg tanto para o PPG quanto para o GLI. Observou-se também que os filmes contendo PPG apresentaram maiores valores de P do que filmes com GLI nas duas condições estudadas de umidade relativa. Os filmes de XIL obtidos mostraram interessantes propriedades físico-químicas que sugerem a possibilidade de sua futura aplicação no desenvolvimento de SLCF. / Abstract: The aim of the present work was to verify some physicochemical characteristics of xyloglucans (XYL) extracted from seeds of Hymenaea courbaril var stilbocarpa (jatoba) and their potentiality as polymeric material in film preparation. Rheological analyses showed that all aqueous XYL dispersions behave as non-Newtonian plastic fluids. DSC studies indicated that the polysaccharide remains in an amorfous state and the decomposition begins at around 300°C. XYL films were built at 30ºC after 12 h and it was observed that the presence of plasticizers added 8h to the drying period. XYL films without plasticizers showed interrupted surface, low values of elongation associated with high values of elastic modulus and tensile strength, and higher values of glass transition temperature and water vapour permeability, when compared with those films prepared with plasticizers. It was observed that the plasticizer type and concentration altered the functional properties of XYL films. Films containing GLY exhibited higher values of elongation and lower values of elastic modulus and rupture stress than those films containing PPG. Data from DSC studies indicated that films containing 30g plasticizer/100g XYL showed the lowest values of Tg, independent of the plasticizer used. Films containing PPG showed higher values of water vapour permeability than those prepared with GLY. XYL films have interesting physicochemical properties, suggesting the possibility of their further use in the development of DCDS. / Mestre

Hydrogels are three dimensional networks of hydrophilic homopolymers or copolymers generally covalently or ionically crosslinked. They interact with aqueous media by swelling to some equilibrium value by retaining the aqueous media in their structures. This study concerns the investigation of the swelling and the controlled drug release behaviour of hydrogels synthesized via the photopolymerisation process. The study of hydrogels in this project was oriented towards their biomedical applications as controlled drug delivery devices. It is a known fact that the complete conversion of monomers to polymers may not be achieved in the polymerisation process thus there is always a certain component of unreacted toxic monomers still remained in the polymer matrix. These monomers have the tendency to leach out of the polymer matrices when the polymers are in contact with an aqueous medium thus rendering the hydrogel to be nonbiocompatable. The polymers synthesized in this work were washed thoroughly in milli-Q-water and then evaluated in vitro for any possible toxic effect on human keratinocyte (HaCaT)v cells using a 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diaphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) cell proliferation assay. The cytotoxicity results indicated that the hydrogels understudy sustained and allowed a positive growth of the HaCat cells in the duration of the cytotoxicity experiment, thus proving to be satisfactorily compatible. / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2006. / Title from first page of PDF file. Includes bibliographical references (p. 86-92).

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Hong Kong, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available in print.

Polymeric nanoparticles have gained increased popularity for drug delivery as they not only overcome the problem of limited aqueous solubility of many hydrophobic drug molecules, but also have the potential to improve the pharmacologic properties of anticancer drugs by increasing their in vivo half-life. A series of biodegradable poly(D,L-lactide-co-2-methyl-2-carboxytrimethylene carbonate), P(LA-co-TMCC), was first synthesized by Sn(Oct)2 catalyzed bulk polymerization. In order to obtain the polymer product with a better-defined composition, the polymer synthesis was improved by using organo-catalytic ring-opening copolymerization. The copolymer molar mass and composition were controlled by varying the monomer to initiator ratio and the monomer feed ratio. By grafting amine-terminated polyethylene glycol (PEG-NH2) to the carboxylate groups on the copolymer backbone, amphiphilic copolymers were formed and self-assembled to form nanoparticles with narrow size distribution. The nanoparticle size was observed to be influenced by the polymer composition and the self-assembly conditions. To gain greater insight into the stability of these nanoparticles in blood, they were tested in both fetal bovine serum and individual serum protein solutions. By encapsulating Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) pairs and following their release by fluorescence, these micelles demonstrated strong thermodynamic and kinetic stability in the presence of serum. By incorporating functional groups (azide or furan) on the PEG chains, either cell adhesive peptides (i.e. alkyne-functionalized GRGDS) or targeting antibodies (i.e. maleimide-modified trastuzumab) were coupled to the surface of the nanoparticles through Huisgen 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction or Diels-Alder chemistry, respectively. The GRGDS modified nanoparticles showed specific binding affinity to rabbit corneal epithelial cells that express αvβ1 integrin receptors.

Polymeric nanoparticles have gained increased popularity for drug delivery as they not only overcome the problem of limited aqueous solubility of many hydrophobic drug molecules, but also have the potential to improve the pharmacologic properties of anticancer drugs by increasing their in vivo half-life. A series of biodegradable poly(D,L-lactide-co-2-methyl-2-carboxytrimethylene carbonate), P(LA-co-TMCC), was first synthesized by Sn(Oct)2 catalyzed bulk polymerization. In order to obtain the polymer product with a better-defined composition, the polymer synthesis was improved by using organo-catalytic ring-opening copolymerization. The copolymer molar mass and composition were controlled by varying the monomer to initiator ratio and the monomer feed ratio. By grafting amine-terminated polyethylene glycol (PEG-NH2) to the carboxylate groups on the copolymer backbone, amphiphilic copolymers were formed and self-assembled to form nanoparticles with narrow size distribution. The nanoparticle size was observed to be influenced by the polymer composition and the self-assembly conditions. To gain greater insight into the stability of these nanoparticles in blood, they were tested in both fetal bovine serum and individual serum protein solutions. By encapsulating Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) pairs and following their release by fluorescence, these micelles demonstrated strong thermodynamic and kinetic stability in the presence of serum. By incorporating functional groups (azide or furan) on the PEG chains, either cell adhesive peptides (i.e. alkyne-functionalized GRGDS) or targeting antibodies (i.e. maleimide-modified trastuzumab) were coupled to the surface of the nanoparticles through Huisgen 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction or Diels-Alder chemistry, respectively. The GRGDS modified nanoparticles showed specific binding affinity to rabbit corneal epithelial cells that express αvβ1 integrin receptors.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Drexel University, 2010. / Includes abstract and vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 183-191).

Includes bibliographical references (p. 87-95).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Rhode Island, 2000. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 123-138).