Development of LiCl-containing calcium aluminate cement for bone repair and remodeling applications.

The effect of LiCl additions on the in vitro bioactivity, hemolysis, cytotoxicity, compressive strength and setting time of calcium aluminate cements was studied. Calcium aluminate clinker (AC) was obtained via solid state reaction from reagent grade chemicals of CaCO3 and Al2O3. Calcium aluminate cements (CAC) were prepared by mixing the clinker with water or aqueous LiCl solutions (0.01, 0.0125 or 0.015M (M)) using a w/c ratio of 0.4. After 21days of immersion in a simulated body fluid (SBF) at physiological conditions of temperature and pH, a Ca-P rich layer, identified as hydroxyapatite (HA), was formed on the cement without LiCl and on the cement prepared with 0.01M of LiCl solution. This indicates the high bioactivity of these cements. The cements setting times were significantly reduced using LiCl. The measured hemolysis percentages, all of them lower than 5%, indicated that the cements were not hemolytic. The compressive strength of the cements was not negatively affected by the LiCl additions. The obtained cement when a solution of LiCl 0.010M was added, presented high compressive strength, appropriated bioactivity, no cytotoxicity and low setting time, making this material a potentially bone cement.

Study on the efficiency of nanosized magnetite and mixed ferrites in magnetic hyperthermia.

Magnetic materials, which have the potential for application in heating therapy by hyperthermia, were prepared. This alternative treatment is used to eliminate cancer cells. Magnetite, magnesium-calcium ferrites and manganese-calcium ferrites were synthesized by sol-gel method followed by heat treatment at different temperatures for 30 min in air. Materials with superparamagnetic behavior and nanometric sizes were obtained in all the cases. Thus, these nanopowders may be suitable for their use in human tissue. The average sizes were 14 nm for magnetite, 10 nm for both Mg(0.4)Ca(0.6)Fe(2)O(4) and Mg(0.6)Ca(0.4)Fe(2)O(4) and 11 nm for Mn(0.2)Ca(0.8)Fe(2)O(4). Taking into account that the Mg(0.4)Ca(0.6)Fe(2)O(4) and Mg(0.6)Ca(0.4)Fe(2)O(4) treated at 350 °C showed the lower coercivity values, these nanoparticles were selected for heating tests and cell viability. Heating curves of Mg(0.4)Ca(0.6)Fe(2)O(4) subjected to a magnetic field of 195 kHz and 10 kA/m exhibited a temperature increase up to 45 °C in 15 min. A high human osteosarcoma cell viability of 90-99.5% was displayed. The human osteosarcoma cell with magnesium-calcium ferrites exposed to a magnetic field revealed a death cell higher than 80% in all the cases.