The orientation of lamellar microdomains and phase transition for the thin films of a symmetric polystyrene-b-poly(methyl methacrylate) (PS-b-PMMA) on random copolymer-grafted substrates were investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS). The styrene mole fraction (XS) in random copolymers of P(S-r-MMA) was controlled to tune ...

BACKGROUND The rise of highly resistant bacteria creates a persistent urge to develop new antimicrobial agents. This paper investigates the application of the lipopeptide antibiotic daptomycin in infections involving the human bone. METHODS Compressive and tensile strength testing of daptomycin-laden PMMA was performed referring to the ISO 5833. The microstructure of the antibiotic-laden PMMA...

We report the morphology and phase behaviors of blend thin films containing two polystyrene-b-poly(methyl methacrylate) (PS-b-PMMA) diblock copolymers with different blending compositions induced by a selective solvent for the PMMA block, which were studied by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The neat asymmetric PS-b-PMMA diblock copolymers employed in this study, respectively coded as a...

Percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) is widely used in the treatment of painful osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures with the injection of PMMA cement, and the controversy for PMMA damage to the osteoporotic bone tissue and to affect the fractures repairing never stops. 72 old female rabbits, each age 3.0~3.5 y, rabbits were assigned randomly to two groups of thirty-six each; PMMA cement w...

Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) particles have been shown to inhibit the differentiation, proliferation, and mineralization of osteoprogenitor cells in vitro. In this study, we investigated the effects of OP-1 (BMP-7) on the osteogenesis of MC3T3-E1 osteoprogenitor cells exposed to PMMA particles in vitro. MC3T3-E1 cells challenged with PMMA particles on the 1st day of differentiation in osteogen...

Abstract Introduction The use of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) after anterior cervical discectomy (ACD) shows high rates of graft migration and pseudarthrosis when compared with various other fusion procedures. Due to this fact, it is currently not considered the preferred choice of treatment in many countries. This review discusses the use of PMMA in cervical spine surgery. Materials and metho...

OBJECTIVE To compare biomechanical stiffness of cadaveric canine cervical spine constructs stabilized with bicortical stainless steel pins and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), monocortical stainless steel screws with PMMA, or monocortical titanium screws with PMMA. STUDY DESIGN Biomechanical cadaver study. ANIMALS Eighteen canine cervical vertebral columns (C2-C7) were collected from skeletal...

We employ a genetic algorithm to maximize the energy dissipated per unit areal density in laminates composed of layers of poly-methyl-metha-acrylate (PMMA), adhesive and polycarbonate (PC) impacted at low velocity by a rigid hemi-spherical nosed cylinder. Sources of energy dissipation considered are plastic deformations of the PC and the PMMA, cracking of the PMMA, viscous deformations of the a...

Scaffolds were fabricated by electrospinning using polycaprolactone (PCL) blended with poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) in ratios of 10/0, 7/3, 5/5 and 3/7. The PCL/PMMA ratio affected the fiber diameter, contact angle, tensile strength and biological in vitro and in vivo properties of the scaffolds, and the 7/3 ratio resulted in a higher mechanical strength than 5/5 and 3/7. In vitro cytotoxic...

Recently, a processing technique resembling plastic-type forming has been developed for solid wood. To improve the recyclability of the formed products, thermoplastics were used as a binder. In this study, a hydrophobic monomer of methylmethacrylate (MMA) was used as a thermoplastic binder and was impregnated into wood, then polymerised by heat to form polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA). The effects...