Iain Allan

University of Brighton

This paper describes a novel approach the development of biocompatible polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polyurethane (PU) polymers, modified with copper (II) ions followed by the immobilisation the thrombin inhibitor argatroban (AG) using dopamine chemistry. The surface loading of the immobilised AG was 6.06 µg cm ⁻² on PVC and 6.66 µg cm ⁻² on PU, con...

Conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and long-term immobilisation can precipitate the development of chronic dermal ulcers. Such wounds are associated with inflammation and bacterial contamination which in turn can lead to the liberation of offensive odours that cause patient embarrassment and, in some instances, social isolation. Ac...

The process of wound healing is often accompanied by bacterial infection or critical colonization, resulting in protracted inflammation, delayed reepithelization, and production of pungent odors. The malodor produced by these wounds may lower health-related quality of life and produce psychological discomfort and social isolation. Current managemen...

Macroporous cryogels containing mixtures of two key components of the dermal extracellular matrix, fibrinogen and collagen-derived gelatin, were evaluated for use as dermal tissue regeneration scaffolds. The infiltration of human dermal fibroblasts into these matrices was quantitatively assessed in vitro using a combination of cell culture and conf...

Cryogels are hydrogel materials produced in semifrozen conditions and have a unique structure of large interconnected pores and many features of biomaterials. In this chapter, the cryogel properties with particular focus on applications in regenerative medicine are discussed. Recent studies in dermal tissue regeneration, topical wound dressing and...

Natural biocomposites were prepared from flax fibers and mucilage polysaccharides extracted from flax seeds, as a matrix, in two steps: impregnation and compression molding. The ribbons were preimpregnated with water plasticized mucilage. Solid mucilage (30%, w/w) was added to the ribbon impregnated with 20% mucilage, and the composite was compress...

Secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG) is a polyphenolic phytoestrogen which is particularly abundant in flaxseed. As a diphenolic compound, SDG is expected to function as a metal chelating ligand. The affinity of SDG for metal cations was determined using a mass spectrometric approach. Experiments yielded equilibrium constants in aqueous solution...

A sheet gelatin scaffold with attached silicone pseudoepidermal layer for wound repair purposes was produced by a cryogelation technique. The resulting scaffold possessed an interconnected macroporous structure with a pore size distribution of 131±17μm at one surface decreasing to 30±8μm at the attached silicone surface. The dynamic storage modulus...

Capsule Skylarks and Yellowhammers generally did not preferentially establish territories in flax relative to autumn-sown crops on lowland farmland.Aims To investigate the biodiversity value of flax using farmland birds as indicator species.Methods Field surveys took place annually between 2009 and 2011 in Northern France, during the breeding seaso...

As an accompaniment to research seeking novel applications for flax (linseed), biodiversity effects of expansion of flax cultivation in the UK were explored via avian field surveys of flax fields under similar conditions in Northern France. The Department for Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) reports that flax cultivation potentially enhances habitat...

The great many varieties of dermal regeneration materials currently being developed requires that sound in vitro assessments of their potential to be infiltrated with host cells are needed prior to any in vivo studies. The biocompatibility of scaffolds is conventionally determined by indirect biochemical assays as measures of cell number/viability...

Macroporous sponge-like gelatin-fibrinogen (Gl-Fg) scaffolds cross-linked with different concentrations (0.05-0.5%) of glutaraldehyde (GA) were produced using cryogelation technology, which allows for the preparation of highly porous scaffolds without compromising their mechanical properties, and is a more cost-efficient process than freeze-drying....

The in vitro activity of a blend of essential oils derived from four UK grown cultivars of thyme (Thymus zygis L.) against two strains of methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) and two strains of epidemic methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (EMRSA) was examined, and the results compared to those obtained for an unblended linaloo...

Oral streptococci are primary colonisers of the tooth surface and are abundant in dental plaque biofilms. Bacteria growing in these relatively dense, surface-associated communities are phenotypically quite distinct from their planktonic counterparts. The purpose of the present study was to develop a method to investigate biofilm-specific surface pr...

45S5 Bioglass® is a bioactive implant material which, in its particulate form, is used in the repair of periodontal defects. The surface reactions undergone by this material in an aqueous environment may exert an antibacterial effect that would be beneficial to periodontal surgical treatment. Biofilms of Streptococcus sanguis, an early plaque forme...

Particulate Bioglass is a bioactive material used in the repair of periodontal defects. This material undergoes a series of surface reactions in an aqueous environment which lead to osseointegration. The aim of this study was to determine whether these reactions exerted an antibacterial effect on a range of oral bacteria. Streptococcus sanguis, Str...

Bioactive ceramics have been used in periodontal repair. These materials provide a surface compatible with bone growth. As with all implanted materials, a potential for bacterial colonisation exists. This can disrupt the process of bone bonding to the material. The bioactive glass, 45S5 Bioglass, has superior bone bonding properties to many other b...