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Electrospinning (ES) is a versatile and diverse technique to fabricate nano and micro fibers that could be utilized as drug delivery systems. The aim of this research was the fabrication and characterization of drug loaded nanofibrous scaffold produced by single-needle ES using poly(Ɛ-caprolactone) (PCL) and poly(ethylene glycol-400) (PEG) and to investigate the potential of this material as a drug delivery system. A model drug, Ibuprofen (IBU), was used. Ibuprofen is a medicine that is a non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). Two concentrations of IBU, 5 wt% and 7 wt%, were incorporated for the ES of PCL and PCL/PEG nanofibers. Characterization of nanofibers was done by using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), and Water Contact Angle Measurements. The impact of IBU on nanofibers’ properties such as morphology, diameters, hydrophilicity, and tensile strength was investigated. Finally, the drug release kinetics of IBU from nanofibers was analyzed and their percentage release efficiency of IBU (RE%) was determined by UV-vis spectroscopy during 24 h.

An important method used to make medical implants radiologically visible is based on introduction of radiopaque bromine or iodine containing methacrylic monomers. Thus, 2-(2-bromopropionyloxy) propyl methacrylate (BPPM) and 2-(2-bromoisobutyryloxy) propyl methacrylate (BIPM) were synthesized with the aim to use them as radiopaque agents. The free radical initiated copolymerization of BPPM and BIPM with methyl methacrylate (MMA) were performed directly in a thermostatic cell of the NMR spectrometer. The copolymer compositions obtained from ¹H NMR spectra led to the determination of the reactivity ratios (rMMA = 1.08 ± 0.12; rBPPM = 1.01 ± 0.13 and rMMA = 0.95 ± 0.09; rBIPM = 0.95 ± 0.1). The reactivity ratios of these two monomers is similar to that of MMA suggesting that the length of the bromine containing monomers side chain does not affect significantly the reactivity of the methacrylic double bond. From the results we conclude the copolymers to have random structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]