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Synthetic hyperbranched polyesters with potential therapeutic properties were synthesized using the bifunctional polyethylene glycol or PEG with different molecular weights, ca., 4000, 6000, and 20,000 g/mol, and the trifunctional trans -aconitic acid or TAA. During polycondensation, a fixed amount of PEG was allowed to react with varying amounts of TAA (1:1 and 1:3) to control the branching extents. It was found that the synthetic polyesters had a considerable yield and were highly water soluble. Spectroscopic data (Fourier transform infrared and 1 H NMR) confirmed the polyester formation; the branching percentages were determined from 1 H NMR spectroscopy which varied from 73% to 22% among the synthesized samples. As the molecular weight of PEG was increased, the branching percentage drastically dropped. All polyesters were found to be negatively charged due to the ionization of unreacted -COOH in the branched ends at the working pH (7.4). Both the hydrodynamic size and intrinsic viscosity were found to reduce as the branching extent increased. Among the sets of polyesters, the one with the highest branching percentage (73%) showed the core-shell morphology (evident from field emission scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy studies). It also exhibited the highest efficiency toward Ca 2+ influx in neuronal cells due to the unique morphology and the negatively charged surface. Nevertheless, this particular grade of polyester along with all the other grades was cytocompatible and induced reactive oxygen species generation. Since the maximally branched grade was highly efficient in altering the Ca 2+ signaling through stronger influx, it may well be tested for treating neuronal disorders in vivo in future.

Introduction: Reducing the healing period after surgical placement of dental implants can facilitate the loading of dental prostheses., Aim: The aim is to compare the osteogenic potential of unmodified titanium disks with titanium disks that were surface-modified or hydrogel-coated., Materials and Methodology: One hundred eight titanium disks (Ø6 × 2-mm) were divided into three groups: (1) unmodified titanium as control (Ti-C); (2) sandblasted and acid-etched (Ti-SLA), and (3) coated with tamarind kernel polysaccharide hydrogel grafted with acrylic acid (Ti-TKP-AA). The osteogenic potential and cytotoxic effect of various groups of titanium were compared using human osteoblasts Saos-2. The surface topography of the titanium disks and morphology of osteoblasts grown on disks were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (n = 3). Cell attachment to the disks and actin expression intensity were investigated by confocal imaging (n = 3). Cytotoxicity was quantified by cell viability assay (n = 9). Osteoblast maturation was determined by alkaline phosphatase assay (n = 9). Cell mineralization was quantified by Alizarin red staining (n = 9). One-way analysis of variance followed by Tukey's multiple comparisons test was used for intergroup comparisons ( α = 0.05)., Results: The surface modifications on Ti-SLA and Ti-TKP-AA support better morphology and proliferation of osteoblasts than Ti-C (P< 0.001) and significantly higher levels of actin cytoskeleton accumulation (P< 0.0001). Ti-TKP-AA showed a significantly higher maturation rate than Ti-C (P< 0.001). Ti-TKP-AA showed > twofold increased mineralization than Ti-C and Ti-SLA (P< 0.001)., Conclusions: TKP-AA hydrogel-coated titanium promotes faster osteoblast proliferation, maturation, and mineralization than SLA-treated or untreated titanium. These advantages can be explored for achieving early osseointegration and prosthetic loading of titanium dental implants., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2024, Majhi et al.)

Though stress is an integrated part of the modern life, defining stress in biological systems is difficult. Anxiety, medication, metabolic disorder, neuro-endocrinological abnormalities, immunological responses, neuro-immune interaction and several other internal and external factors are important which induce stress and pain in higher organisms. Stress and pain are often synonymous and overlapping to a large extent, but these two responses are different at the behavioral, cellular and molecular levels. Importance of Transient Receptor Potential (TRP) group of non-selective cation channels in the development and regulation of different forms of pain is well established. However, recent studies confirmed that TRPs can regulate neuroplastic changes through neuro-endocrine signaling, neuro-immune interactions and psychological state variables suggesting that abnormalities in TRP-signaling can indeed affect the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and several other metabolic pathways and thus may generate stress at various levels. Therefore, TRPs are important factors that can link stress with pain. This review summarizes the role of TRPs, their effects and clinical implications in the context of different types of pain which can be relevant for stress too.