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When skeletal and cardiac tissues are damaged, surgical approaches are not always successful and tissue regeneration approaches are investigated. Reports in the literature indicate that silica nanoparticles and bioactive glasses (BGs), including silicate bioactive glasses (e.g., 45S5 BG), phosphate glass fibers, boron-doped mesoporous BGs, borosilicate glasses, and aluminoborates, are promising for repairing skeletal muscle tissue. Silica nanoparticles and BGs have been combined with polymers to obtain aligned nanofibers and to maintain controlled delivery of nanoparticles for skeletal muscle repair. The literature indicates that cardiac muscle regeneration can be also triggered by the ionic products of BGs. This was observed to be due to the release of vascular endothelial growth factor and other growth factors from cardiomyocytes, which regulate endothelial cells to form capillary structures (angiogenesis). Specific studies, including both in vitro and in vivo approaches, are reviewed in this article. The analysis of the literature indicates that although the research field is still very limited, BGs are showing great promise for muscle tissue engineering and further research in the field should be carried out to expand our basic knowledge on the application of BGs in muscle (skeletal and cardiac) tissue regeneration. Impact statement This review highlights the potential of silica particles and bioactive glasses (BGs) for skeletal and cardiac tissue regeneration. These biomaterials create scaffolds triggering muscle cell differentiation. Ionic products from BGs stimulate growth factors, supporting angiogenesis in cardiac tissue repair. Further research is required to expand our know-how on silica particles and BGs in muscle tissue engineering.

The current study uses zinc oxide doping nanoparticles to investigate the radiation shielding properties of bismuth borate glass. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) examined the structural characteristics of the current samples. In contrast, the optical properties were determined based on the absorption spectrum for current samples. Appraisal studies are carried out depending on the simulation capabilities of Phy-X/PSD software in conjunction with MCNP5 to achieve this goal. In addition, the neutron and charged particle shielding properties were evaluated theoretically. All glasses are amorphous, as confirmed by the XRD data, and the FTIR data showed several vibration bands and functional groups. The density showed rising from 5.981 to 6.433 g/cm 3 with adding ZnO. The band gap values reduced from 2.831 to 2.091 eV for direct and 3.024 to 2.218 eV for indirect with adding ZnO. The investigations' findings demonstrate a strong agreement between the theoretical and simulation-derived estimates of the mass attenuation coefficient. The relative difference of MAC results lie in the range 0.106-2.941% for BBZ0, 0.105-4.348% for BBZ1, 0.105-3.398% for BBZ2, and 0.105-2.032% for BBZ3. The study's findings are valuable insights from thoroughly examining these parameters, which can potentially improve the radiation protection abilities of Bi 2 O 3 -B 2 O 3 -ZnO glasses. This study represents a significant step in developing more efficient and safer materials for gamma radiation shielding applications., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

This study employs a systematic and predictive modelling approach to investigate the structure and properties of multi-component borate glasses. In particular, this work is focused on understanding the individual and interaction effects of multiple constituents on several material properties. By leveraging advanced modeling techniques, this work examines how the inclusion and variation of B 2 O 3 , CaF 2 , TiO 2 , ZnO, and Na 2 CO 3 influence the glass network, with particular attention to modifier fractions ≥ 30 mol%. This research addresses the gap in knowledge regarding the complex behavior of borate glasses in this high modifier fraction range, known as the borate anomaly, where prediction of glass structure and properties becomes particularly challenging. The use of a design of mixtures (DoM) approach facilitated the generation of polynomial equations indicating the influence of mixture components on various responses, enabling the prediction and optimization of glass properties over broad compositional ranges despite being within the anomalous region. This methodical approach not only advances our understanding of borate glass systems but also underscores the importance of predictive modelling in the accelerated design and development of novel glass materials for diverse applications.

In this work, single- and double-doped Dy3+ and Tb3+ barium borate glasses are investigated for their potential as light converters. The density and the absorption coefficient show linearly increasing trends with an increasing lanthanide content. The external quantum efficiency of the double-doped samples is a combination of the respective single-doped samples. The strong energy transfer from Dy3+ to Tb3+ results in an intense Tb3+-related emission, i.e., an intense green luminescence. Thus, excitation at a Dy3+-related wavelength of 452 nm enables a Tb3+-related emission, at which a single-doped Tb3+ sample barely shows any luminescence. Lifetime measurements show that there is not only an energy transfer from Dy3+ to Tb3+, but also vice versa.

Due to their enhanced dissolution, solubility and reaction speed, borate glasses offer potential advantages for the design and development of therapeutic ion-release systems. However, the field remains poorly understood relative to traditional phosphosilicate and silicate bioglasses. The increased structural complexity and relative lack of published data relating to borates, particularly borofluorates, also decreases the accuracy of artificial intelligence models, which are used to predict glass properties. To develop predictive models for borofluorate networks, this paper uses a design of mixtures approach for rapid screening of composition-property relationships, including the development of polynomial equations that comprehensively establish the predictive capabilities for glass transition, density, mass loss and fluoride release. A broad range of glass compositions, extending through the boron anomaly range, were investigated, with the inclusion of 45 to 95 mol% B 2 O 3 along with 1-50 mol% MgO, CaO and Na 2 O as well as 1-30% KF and NaF. This design space allows for the investigation of the impact of fluorine as well as mixed alkali-alkaline earth effects. Glass formation was found to extend past 30 mol% KF or NaF without a negative impact on glass degradation in contrast to the trends observed in phosphosilicates. The data demonstrates that fluoroborate materials offer an exceptional base for the development of fluoride-releasing materials.

Objectives: This study examined the ability of a borate adhesive to protect enamel/dentin surfaces from acidic erosion and its effect on the shear bond strength (SBS) of enamel/dentin to resin composite., Materials and Methods: 180 human enamel/dentin specimens were utilized. Enamel buccal surfaces were etched with phosphoric-acid then divided into: (EBG) borate glass adhesive group; (ERS) resin-adhesive system group; (EF) fluoride gel 1.23% group, and enamel control (EC) group; followed by bonding to orthodontic-buttons. The dentin specimens were conditioned by EDTA (Ethylene-diamine-tetra-acetic acid) and divided into: (DBG) borate glass resin, (DRS) resin adhesive; (DDA) group had a dentin-desensitizing agent VivaSens (VivaDent, Liechtenstein) and (DC) control group. The treated enamel/dentin specimens had their SBS to composite. The enamel/dentin specimens were exposed to 1% citric acid (18 min). Enamel/dentin specimens were examined by (SEM/EDS) scanning-electron-microscope equipped with electron-dispersive-spectroscopy and (FTIR/ATR). Analysis-of-Variance (ANOVA) was used to compare the SBS and Wilcoxon-signed-rank test was used to compare the enamel/dentin areas protected by the applied agents before/after erosion (p = 0.05)., Results: There was no significance difference in SBS among all groups except for (DDA) group that showed significant decrease p < 0.05. (EBG) and (DBG) groups were the only groups significantly protected enamel and dentin from erosion p < 0.05. FTIR/ATR showed that erosion altered the chemical structure of (DRS), (DDA), and (DC) groups but did not affect the other enamel/dentin groups. Degree of conversion of the borate-adhesive system was acceptable., Conclusion: The Borate adhesive system released calcium and phosphate compounds that decreased the erosive activity of the citric acid resulting in protecting simulated dentin-hypersensitive areas and enamel from erosion without affecting the SBS to resin-composite., Clinical Significance: A Borate adhesive system can be adopted as a therapeutic agent in a fully integrated program for protecting dentin-hypersensitive areas and in enamel next to orthodontic fixed appliances., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Mixed-valence cerium oxide nanoparticles (nanoceria) have been investigated with pronounced interest due to a wide range of biomedical and industrial applications that arises from its remarkable redox catalytic properties. However, there is no understanding of how to control the formation of these two types of nanoceria to obtain Ce 3+ /Ce 4+ ratios required in various applications. In this work, using a soluble borate glass, nanoceria with specific ratios of Ce 3+ /Ce 4+ are created and extracted via controlled glass-melting parameters. Glass embedded with nanoceria as well as nanoceria extracted from the glass were studied via XANES and fitted with the Multivariate Curve Resolution (MCR) technique to calculate the ratio of Ce 3+ /Ce 4+ . Results show that mixed-valence nanoceria with specific ratios are hermetically sealed within the glass for long durations. When the glass dissolves, the mixed-valence nanoceria are released, and the extracted nanoceria have unchanged Ce 3+ /Ce 4+ ratios. Furthermore, TEM investigation on released nanoceria show that the nanoceria consist of several different structures. Although nanocrystal structures of Ce 7 O 12 , Ce 11 O 20 , and Ce 2 O 3 contribute to the reduced state, a new quasi-stable phase of CeO1.66 has been observed as well.

Glasses with the formula [80B 2 O 3 -4.0La 2 O 3 -(16-x) PbO-xNiO, (x ranged from 0.0 to 4.0 mol%)], were produced by the standard quenching method. XRD, SEM and EDAX analysis established the success of the obtained samples preparation. Density measurements and FT-IR analysis confirmed the structural modifications emerging by the entry of Ni 2+ ions as a network modifier, where the structural unit's ratio of BO 3 (BO 4 ) was affirmed to increase (decrease) with a gradual rise of NBO's number. The semiconducting behavior of the current glassy samples was verified by the role of the structural modifications in decreasing the gap energy and increasing both Urbach and mineralization criterion. Ligand field analysis applied to the absorption spectra exhibited the covalent nature of the Ni 2+ bonds. The behavior of electronic polarizability supported the gradual increases of the linear and non-linear refractive index of the samples. These properties qualify the present glasses as an optically active material for the devices operated in the visible-NIR regions., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In this work, it is the first time to study the effect of replacing of Na 2 O by a fixed amount of Li 2 O or K 2 O in soda-lime-borate glass on its in vivo biocompatibility. The glass composition was based on xM 2 O-20x Na 2 O20 CaO60 B 2 O 3 , (wt %), where, M 2 OLi 2 O and K 2 O, and consequently, samples encoded BN100, BK50, and BL50. The degradation test was carried out in 0.25 M K 2 HPO 4 solution. The in vivo test was performed in the femoral bone defect of Sprague-Dawley adult male rat. Following up bone formation was conducted by the histological analyses and bone formation markers (alkaline phosphatase [ALP] and osteocalcin [OCN]). Furthermore, the glass effect on the liver and kidney functions was addressed in this study using (alanine transaminase [ALT] and aspartate transaminase [AST]) and (urea and creatinine), respectively. The results of the degradation test showed that the glass dissolution rate was increased by incorporating of K 2 O, and its ion release was occurred by a diffusion-controlled process. Moreover, in vivo bioactivity test showed that serum activity of ALP, OCN level, and the newly formed bone was higher in BL50-implanted group than that of BN100 andBK50at 3 w and 6 w post-surgery. As well as, implantation of all glass samples in the femoral bone defect did not alter the liver and kidney functions. In conclusion, the synthesized borate glass was well served as a controlled delivery system for Li + ion release, which enhanced bone formation as shown from the bone formation markers (ALP and OCN)., (© 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

The trivalent erbium (Er 3+) doped sodium lithium borate glass with composition (65-x)B 2 O 3 -15Na 2 O-10PbO-5ZnO-5Li 2 O-xEr 2 O 3 have been successfully fabricated by melt-quench technique. The structural properties were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR). The absorption and luminescence spectra of glass samples were measured to determine the spectroscopic properties. The Judd-Ofelt parameters were calculated based on absorption spectra with values of Ω 2 , = 4.39, Ω 4  = 3.22, and Ω 6  = 0.91 (×10 -22  cm 2 ) for 2.0 mol% Er 3+ ion doped sodium lithium borate glass. Furthermore, radiative properties including effective bandwidth (Δλ eff ), radiative transition probability (A R ), radiative lifetime (τ R ), and branching ratio (β R ) were also calculated and analyzed. A strong emission band at 1532 nm was observed corresponding to 4 I 15/2  →  4 I 13/2 transition under the excitation wavelength of 528 and 976 nm. The stimulated emission cross-section (σ e ) and figure of merit (FWHM xσ e ) were calculated and compared with other glasses in order to evaluate the properties of the present samples for optical amplifier. Based on the characterization results, we found that the glass with 2.0 mol% Er 3+ ion doped sodium lithium borate glass had the highest stimulated emission cross section compared to other samples and were comparable with the previous reports., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Local delivery of antibiotics using bone cement as the delivery vehicle is an established method of managing implant-associated orthopedic infections. Various fillers have been added to cement to increase antibiotic elution, but they often do so at the expense of strength. This study evaluated the effect of adding a borate bioactive glass, previously shown to promote bone formation, on vancomycin elution from PMMA bone cement. Methods: Five cement composites were made: three loaded with borate bioactive glass along with 0, 1, and 5 grams of vancomycin and two without any glass but with 1 and 5 grams vancomycin to serve as controls. The specimens were soaked in PBS. Eluate of vancomycin was collected every 24 hours and analyzed by HPLC. Orthopedic-relevant mechanical properties of each composite were tested over time. Results: The addition of borate bioactive glass provided an increase in vancomycin release at Day 1 and an increase in sustained vancomycin release throughout the treatment period. An 87.6% and 21.1% increase in cumulative vancomycin release was seen for both 1g and 5g loading groups, respectively. Compressive strength of all composites remained above the weight-bearing threshold of 70 MPa throughout the duration of the study with the glass-containing composites showing comparable strength to their respective controls. Conclusion: The incorporation of borate bioactive glass into commercial PMMA bone cement can significantly increase the elution of vancomycin. The mechanical strength of the cement-glass composites remained above 70 MPa even after soaking for 8 weeks, suggesting their suitability for orthopedic weight-bearing applications., Competing Interests: Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interest exists.

Nowadays, bioactive glasses (BGs) are mainly used to improve and support the healing process of osseous defects deriving from traumatic events, tumor removal, congenital pathologies, implant revisions, or infections. In the past, several approaches have been proposed in the replacement of extensive bone defects, each one with its own advantages and drawbacks. As a result, the need for synthetic bone grafts is still a remarkable clinical challenge since more than 1 million bone-graft surgical operations are annually performed worldwide. Moreover, recent studies show the effectiveness of BGs in the regeneration of soft tissues, too. Often, surgical criteria do not match the engineering ones and, thus, a compromise is required for getting closer to an ideal outcome in terms of good regeneration, mechanical support, and biocompatibility in contact with living tissues. The aim of the present review is providing a general overview of BGs, with particular reference to their use in clinics over the last decades and the latest synthesis/processing methods. Recent advances in the use of BGs in tissue engineering are outlined, where the use of porous scaffolds is gaining growing importance thanks to the new possibilities given by technological progress extended to both manufacturing processes and functionalization techniques., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Zinc borate glasses with increasing gallium content (0, 2.5, 5, 10, and 15 Wt % Ga) were synthesized and their degradation, bioactivity in simulated body fluid (SBF), and antibacterial properties were investigated. ICP measurements showed that increased gallium content in the glass resulted in increased gallium ion release and decreased release of other ions. Degradability declined with the addition of gallium, indicating the formation of more symmetric BO 3 units with three bridging oxygens and asymmetric BO 3 units with two bridging oxygens in the glass network as the gallium content in the series increased. The formation of amorphous CaP on the glass surface after 24 h of incubation in SBF was confirmed by SEM, XRD, and FTIR analyses. Finally, antibacterial evaluation of the glasses using the agar disc-diffusion method demonstrated that the addition of gallium increased the antibacterial potency of the glasses against P. aeruginosa (Gram-negative) while decreasing it against S. epidermidis (Gram-positive); considering the ion release trends, this indicates that the gallium ion is responsible for the glasses' antibacterial behavior against P. aeruginosa while the zinc ion controls the antibacterial activity against S. epidermidis. The statistical significance of the observed trends in the measurements were confirmed by applying the Kruskal-Wallis H Test. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 106B: 367-376, 2018., (© 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Borate glasses have shown promising potential as bioactive materials. With recent research demonstrating that glass properties may be modulated by appropriate compositional design. This may provide for indication specific material characteristics and controlled release of therapeutic inorganic ions (i.e., strontium); controlling such release is critical in order to harness the therapeutic potential. Within this sub-chronic pilot study, a rabbit long-bone model was utilized to explore the safety and efficacy of a high borate glass (LB102: 70B 2 O 3 -20SrO-6Na 2 O-4La 2 O 3 ) particulate (90 - 710 μm) for bone regeneration. Six bilateral full-thickness defects (Ø = 3.5 mm; L = 8 mm) were created in three white New Zealand rabbits. Longitudinal non-decalcified sections of each defect site were produced and stained with Goldner's Trichrome. Histopathological examination revealed that LB102 demonstrated osteoconductive and osseointegrative properties with greater new bone being formed within and surrounding LB102 particles, when compared to the sham control. The inflammatory cell infiltration was observed to be slightly higher in the control when compared to LB102 defect sites, while no significant difference in fibrosis and neovascularization was determined, indicating that healing was occurring in a normal fashion. These data further suggest the possible utility of high borate glasses with appropriate compositional design for medical applications, such as bone augmentation. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 105B: 1818-1827, 2017., (© 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

We examine the feasibility and functionality of hydrophilic modifications to a borate glass reinforced resin composite; with the objective of meeting and maintaining therapeutic thresholds for Sr release over time, as a potential method of incorporating antiosteoporotic therapy into a vertebroplasty material. Fifteen composites were formulated with the hydrophilic agent hydroxyl ethyl methacrylate (HEMA, 15, 22.5, 30, 37.5 or 45 wt% of resin phase) and filled with a borate glass (55, 60 or 65 wt% of total cement) with known Sr release characteristics. Cements were examined with respect to degree of cure, water sorption, Sr release, and biaxial flexural strength over 60 days of incubation in phosphate buffered saline. While water sorption and glass degradation increased with increasing HEMA content, Sr release peaked with the 30% HEMA compositions, scanning electron microscope (SEM) imaging confirmed the surface precipitation of a Sr phosphate compound. Biaxial flexural strengths ranged between 16 and 44 MPa, decreasing with increased HEMA content. Degree of cure increased with HEMA content (42 to 81%), while no significant effect was seen on setting times (209 to 263 s). High HEMA content may provide a method of increasing monomer conversion without effect on setting reaction, providing sustained mechanical strength over 60 days., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

A series of lithium-lead-borate glasses of a variable copper oxide loading were quantitatively analyzed in this work using two distinct spectroscopic techniques, namely double pulse laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (DP-LIBS) and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). DP-LIBS results measured upon a combined nanosecond lasers irradiation running at 266nm and 1064nm pulses of a collinear configuration directed to the surface of borate glass samples with a known composition. This arrangement was employed to predict the electron's temperature (Te) and density (Ne) of the excited plasma from the recorded spectra. The intensity of elements' responses using this scheme is higher than that of single-pulse laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (SP-LIBS) setup under the same experimental conditions. On the other hand, the EPR data shows typical Cu (II) EPR-signals in the borate glass system that is networked at a distorted tetragonal Borate-arrangement. The signal intensity of the Cu (II) peak at g⊥=2.0596 has been used to quantify the Cu-content accurately in the glass matrix. Both techniques produced linear calibration curves of Cu-metals in glasses with excellent linear regression coefficient (R(2)) values. This study establishes a good correlation between DP-LIBS analysis of glass and the results obtained using EPR spectroscopy. The proposed protocols prove the great advantage of DP-LIBS system for the detection of a trace copper on the surface of glasses., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Unlabelled: Influence of Nd(3+) concentration on the optical and thermoluminescence (TL) properties of melt-annealed synthesized 10 Na2O: 20 Li2O: (70-x) B2O3 : xNd2O3, where 0.1≤ x ≤0.7 (LNB) glasses are determined. The absence of sharp peaks in X-ray diffraction patterns confirms the amorphous nature of the prepared glasses. The photoluminescence spectra under 800 nm laser excitations at room temperature exhibit three prominent peaks centred at 538, 603 and 675 nm corresponding to the transitions of (4)G(7/2) → (4)I(9/2), [(4)G(7/2) → (4)I(11/2), (4)G(5/2) → (4)I(9/2)] and [(4)G(7/2) → (4)I(13/2), (4)G(5/2) → (4)I(11/2)], respectively. The TL glow curve exhibits a prominent peak (T(m)) at 180°C. The best performance of the prepared glass was found at 0.5 mol% of Nd2O3. We achieved a good linearity of TL response against dose between 0.5 to 4.0 Gy. The calculated value of the effective atomic number, Z(eff), is 7.55 which is nearly tissue equivalent (Z(eff) = 7.42). These promising features demonstrate the capability of the aforementioned glass to be used as a radiation dosimeter., Highlights: The thermoluminescence and optical properties of new compositions of lithium sodium borate glasses doped with Nd(3+) ions were reported. Attractive features were obtained from the TL, PL and UV-Vis light analysis. Three upconversion luminescences permitting green, orange and red emissions were observed., (Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Er(3+)-doped Li-Zn fluoroborate glass was synthesized via melt quenching technique. Optical properties of the glass were investigated by UV-Vis-NIR absorption and emission spectra. To evaluate the nature of Er(3+)-ligand bond in the glass network, nephelauxetic ratios and bonding parameter were calculated. Judd-Ofelt analysis and hence the radiative properties of the present glass system were evaluated for ascertaining the suitability of the glass for laser applications and compared those with the emission spectra. Absorption cross-sections have been calculated from the absorption spectrum and stimulated emission cross-sections were estimated using McCumber theory for (4)I13/2↔(4)I15/2 transitions. The results of the present glass were compared with those obtained for some other Er(3+)-doped glass systems., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

We have synthesized TiO2 doped strontium borate glasses, 70B2O3-(30-x)SrO-xTiO2 and 70B2 O3 -20SrO(10-x)Na2 O-xTiO2 . The composition dependence of glass structure, density, thermal properties, durability, and cytotoxicity of degradation products was studied. Digesting the glass in mineral acid and detecting the concentrations of various ions using an ICP provided the actual compositions that were 5-8% deviated from the theoretical values. The structure was investigated by means of (11)B magic angle spinning (MAS) NMR spectroscopy. DSC analyses provided the thermal properties and the degradation rates were measured by measuring the weight loss of glass disc-samples in phosphate buffered saline at 37°C in vitro. Finally, the MTT assay was used to analyze the cytotoxicity of the degradation products. The structural analysis revealed that replacing TiO2 for SrO or Na2 O increased the BO3/BO4 ratio suggesting the network-forming role of TiO2 . Thermal properties, density, and degradation rates also followed the structural changes. Varying SrO content predominantly controlled the degradation rates, which in turn controlled the ion release kinetics. A reasonable control (2-25% mass loss in 21 days) over mass loss was achieved in current study. Even though, very high concentrations (up to 5500 ppm B, and 1200 ppm Sr) of ions were released from the ternary glass compositions that saturated the degradation media in 7 days, the degradation products from ternary glass system was found noncytotoxic. However, quaternary glasses demonstrated negative affect on cell viability due to very high (7000 ppm) Na ion concentration. All the glasses investigated in current study are deemed fast degrading with further control over degradation rates, release kinetics desirable., (© 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Much work has focused on developing synthetic materials that have tailored degradation profiles and physical properties that may prove useful in developing biomaterials for tissue engineering applications. In the present study, three different composite sheets consisting of biodegradable poly-ε-caprolactone (PCL) and varying types of bioactive glass were investigated. The three composites were composed of 50wt.% PCL and (1) 50wt.% 13-93 B3 borate glass particles, (2) 50wt.% 45S5 silicate glass particles, or (3) a blend of 25wt.% 13-93 B3 and 25wt.% 45S5 glass particles. Degradation profiles determined for each composite showed the composite that contained only 13-93 B3 borate glass had a higher degradation rate compared to the composite containing only 45S5 silicate glass. Uniaxial tensile tests were performed on the composites to determine the effect of adding glass to the polymer on mechanical properties. The peak stress of all of the composites was lower than that of PCL alone, but 100% PCL had a higher stiffness when pre-reacted in cell media for 6weeks, whereas composite sheets did not. Finally, to determine whether the composite sheets would maintain neuronal growth, dorsal root ganglia isolated from embryonic chicks were cultured on composite sheets, and neurite outgrowth was measured. The bioactive glass particles added to the composites showed no negative effects on neurite extension, and neurite extension increased on PCL:45S5 PCL:13-93 B3 when pre-reacted in media for 24h. This work shows that composite sheets of PCL and bioactive glass particles provide a flexible biomaterial for neural tissue engineering applications., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Characteristics of lithium potassium borate glasses with various copper concentrations are reported. The glasses were prepared by the melt quenching method and irradiated with photons to doses in the 0.5-4.0 Gy range. Glowing curves, dose response curves, reproducibility of the response, dose threshold, thermal fading and optical bleaching were studied., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Bacterial contamination of implanted orthopedic prostheses is a serious complication that requires prolonged systemic antibiotic therapy, major surgery to remove infected implants, bone reconstruction, and considerable morbidity. Local delivery of high doses of antibiotics using poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) cement as the carrier, along with systemic antibiotics, is the standard treatment. However, PMMA is not biodegradable, and it can present a surface on which secondary bacterial infection can occur. PMMA spacers used to treat deep implant infections must be removed after resolution of the infection. Alternative carrier materials for antibiotics that could also restore deficient bone are therefore of interest. In this article, the development of bioactive glass-based materials as a delivery system for antibiotics is reviewed. Bioactive glass is osteoconductive, converts to hydroxyapatite, and heals to hard and soft tissues in vivo. Consequently, bioactive glass-based carriers can provide the combined functions of controlled local antibiotic delivery and bone restoration. Recently-developed borate bioactive glasses are of particular interest since they have controllable degradation rates coupled with desirable properties related to osteogenesis and angiogenesis. Such glasses have the potential for providing a new class of biomaterials, as substitutes for PMMA, in the treatment of deep bone infections., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)