The effect of an admixture of sodium hydrogen phosphate or heparin-coating to poly(D,L)lactide--results of an animal study.

The study was aimed at investigating the effect of an admixture of sodium hydrogen phosphate (NaP) on the pH value around degrading poly(D,L)lactide (PDLLA) and the possible improvement of PDLLA biocompatibility by coating its surface with heparin. PDLLA +/- NaP was injection-molded to form rods (20 x 3 x 2 (mm)) and cubes (3 x 2 x 2 (mm)). Half of the pure PDLLA samples were surface-coated using heparin. One rod and cube each of PDLLA, PDLLA + NaP and PDLLA/Hep were implanted into the dorsal muscles of 42 rats. From the 2nd to 52nd week after operation, pH measurements were performed in the environment around the implants. The samples were then harvested for histological and mechanical analyses. No significant decrease in pH-values was observed in the tissue around the implants. Pure PDLLA and PDLLA/Hep samples were macroscopically resorbed after 52 weeks, while the degradation of PDLLA + NaP was still in progress. Approximately 80% of the initial bending strength of PDLLA or PDLLA/Hep rods was present after six weeks, while the bending strength of PDLLA + Nap was reduced to 50% after 4 weeks. Heparin-coating of PDLLA did not improve its biocompatibility but did increase its resorption. While no significant effect of NaP on pH value was found, its admixture did reduce the mechanical characteristics of the implants.     

The uptake of pristane (2,6,10,14-tetramethylpentadecane) into phospholipid bilayers as assessed by NMR, DSC, and tritium labeling methods.

Unilamellar dioleoylphosphatidylcholine (DOPC) liposomes (250 microM) incorporated 2 mol% of [3H]pristane at 37 degrees C after addition of 50 microM pristane solubilized with beta-cyclodextrin. Conventional solubilization in dimethyl sulphoxide resulted in much lower uptake. Premixing of perdeuterated pristane with DOPC and dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) prior to the formation of multilamellar liposomes resulted in homogeneous incorporation of up to 5 mol% pristane at 22 degrees C and 50 degrees C, respectively, as observed by 2H-NMR. Lipid order parameters measured by 31P and 2H-NMR remained unchanged after pristane uptake. Pristane induced the transformation of part of the dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE)/DOPC (3:1, mol/mol) liquid crystalline lamellar phase into an inverse hexagonal phase. 5 mol% pristane in DPPC bilayers decreased the midpoint of the main phase transition temperature of DPPC from 41.5 degrees C to 40.9 degrees C. Upon cooling in the temperature range from 41 degrees C to 36 degrees C, pristane was either displaced from the DPPC bilayer or the mode of incorporation changed. These results may aid in defining the mechanisms whereby pristane, an isoprenoid C19-isoalkane, induces plasmacytomagenesis in mice.     

In vitro degradation of three-dimensional chitosan/apatite composite rods prepared via in situ precipitation

Three-dimensional (3D) compact rods with multilayer structure made from chitosan (CHI) and apatite (Ap) have been prepared. The cytocompatibility assay revealed that the CHI/Ap composite could promote cell proliferation. In vitro degradation behaviors of the rods have been systematically investigated for up to 6 weeks in phosphate buffer saline (PBS) solution at 37°C. The properties of the composite rods were measured by means of weight loss, swelling ratio, and the changes in mechanical properties, etc. The pH of the PBS solution during the first 2 weeks of degradation was also detected. Results showed that the medium of CHI/Ap composite rods exhibited more stable pH change compared with that of CHI rods. Weight loss as well as the changes in mechanical properties happened more often to CHI rods than CHI/Ap rods. The presence of Ap could effectively reduce the degradation rate of the composite rods. All the results suggested that the composite rods could keep the initial shapes and mechanical properties longer than the pure CHI rods.     

Protein denaturation during freezing and thawing in phosphate buffer systems: monomeric and tetrameric beta-galactosidase

During freezing in sodium and potassium phosphate (NaP and KP) buffer solutions, changes in pH may impact the stability of proteins. Since the degradation pathways for the model proteins, monomeric and tetrameric beta-galactosidase (beta-gal), chosen for this study are governed by conformational changes (i.e., physical instability) as opposed to chemical transformations, we explored how the stresses of freezing and thawing alter the protein's native structure and if preservation of the native conformation during freeze-thawing is a requisite for optimal recovery of activity. During freezing in NaP buffer, a significant pH decrease from 7.0 to as low as 3.8 was observed due to the selective precipitation of the disodium phosphate; however, the pH during freezing in KP buffer only increased by at most 0.3 pH units. pH-induced inactivation was evident as seen by the lower recovery of activity when freeze-thawing in NaP buffer as compared to KP buffer for both sources of beta-gal. In addition, we investigated the effects of cooling rate and warming rate on the recovery of activity for monomeric and tetrameric beta-gal. Optimal recovery of activity for the NaP samples was obtained when the processing protocol involved a fast cool/fast warm combination, which minimizes exposure to acidic conditions and concentrated solutes. Alterations in the native secondary structure of monomeric beta-gal as measured by infrared spectroscopy were more significant when freezing and thawing in NaP buffer as opposed to KP buffer. Conformational and activity analyses indicate that pH changes during freezing in NaP buffer contribute to denaturation of beta-gal. These results suggest that proteins formulated in NaP buffer should be frozen and thawed rapidly to minimize exposure to low pH and high buffer salts.     

Thermal analysis and devolatilization kinetics of cotton stalk, sugar cane bagasse and shea meal under nitrogen and air atmospheres

Thermal degradation, reactivity and kinetics for biomass materials cotton stalk (CS), sugarcane bagasse 1 (SB1), sugarcane bagasse 2 (SB2) and shea meal (SM) have been evaluated under pyrolysis (N(2)) and oxidising (dry air) conditions, using a non-isothermal thermogravimetric method (TGA). In the cases of CS and SB1 the peak temperatures were 51 degrees C higher for pyrolysis compared with oxidative degradation, whereas for SB2 and SM the difference was approximately 38 degrees C. However, the differences in the rates of weight loss were significantly higher under oxidising conditions for all the materials studied. Maximum rate of weight loss (%s(-1)) under pyrolysis conditions ranged from 0.10 to 0.18 whereas these values accelerated to the range of 0.19-0.28 under oxidising conditions, corresponding to respective peak temperatures. Samples ranked in order of reactivity (R(M)x10(3)) (%s(-1) degrees C(-1)) are CS=1.31 approximately SM=1.30>SB2=1.14>SB1=0.94 for air and CS=0.54>SB2=0.49>SB1=0.45>SM=0.31 for nitrogen. Shea meal exhibited a complex char combustion behaviour indicating that there may be two distinct types of char derived from fibrous and woody components in the original material. Activation energy calculations were based on the Arrhenius correlation.     

Sodium bicarbonate reduces viability and alters aflatoxin distribution of Aspergillus parasiticus in Czapek's agar

The potential of sodium bicarbonate to inhibit growth of and aflatoxin synthesis by Aspergillus parasiticus was examined in Czapek's agar (CA), a medium in which fluorescence under UV light indicates aflatoxin production. Incorporation of sodium bicarbonate (SB) into CA at 0.011, 0.022, and 0.033 mol% reduced cell viability 63-, 10(3)-, and greater than 10(7)-fold, respectively. Colonies resulting from surviving cells did not fluoresce under UV light, but thin-layer chromatography analysis of culture extracts detected aflatoxins. Potassium bicarbonate (KB) at 0.011 and 0.022 mol% produced inhibitory effects similar to those of SB, but NaCl and silica had no effect. After 7 days, control cultures had the normal aflatoxin distribution (B1 greater than G1 greater than B2 greater than G2), but this distribution shifted to B2 greater than B1 approximately equal to G2 greater than G1 during prolonged incubation. Cultures supplemented with SB and KB contained mostly aflatoxins B1 and G1 after 28 days. Both SB and KB raised the pH of CA to 7.5 to 8.5 at the time of growth. Culture growth on CA adjusted to pH 7.5 to 8.5 with NaOH was not inhibited but exhibited reduced fluorescence and elevated levels of aflatoxins B1 and G1. Thus, while bicarbonate inhibition of growth could not be attributed to pH elevation, the lack of culture fluorescence on CA-SB and CA-KB and the altered aflatoxin distribution were caused by the ability of SB and KB to elevate pH.     

Sodium bicarbonate reduces viability and alters aflatoxin distribution of Aspergillus parasiticus in Czapek's agar.

The potential of sodium bicarbonate to inhibit growth of and aflatoxin synthesis by Aspergillus parasiticus was examined in Czapek's agar (CA), a medium in which fluorescence under UV light indicates aflatoxin production. Incorporation of sodium bicarbonate (SB) into CA at 0.011, 0.022, and 0.033 mol% reduced cell viability 63-, 10(3)-, and greater than 10(7)-fold, respectively. Colonies resulting from surviving cells did not fluoresce under UV light, but thin-layer chromatography analysis of culture extracts detected aflatoxins. Potassium bicarbonate (KB) at 0.011 and 0.022 mol% produced inhibitory effects similar to those of SB, but NaCl and silica had no effect. After 7 days, control cultures had the normal aflatoxin distribution (B1 greater than G1 greater than B2 greater than G2), but this distribution shifted to B2 greater than B1 approximately equal to G2 greater than G1 during prolonged incubation. Cultures supplemented with SB and KB contained mostly aflatoxins B1 and G1 after 28 days. Both SB and KB raised the pH of CA to 7.5 to 8.5 at the time of growth. Culture growth on CA adjusted to pH 7.5 to 8.5 with NaOH was not inhibited but exhibited reduced fluorescence and elevated levels of aflatoxins B1 and G1. Thus, while bicarbonate inhibition of growth could not be attributed to pH elevation, the lack of culture fluorescence on CA-SB and CA-KB and the altered aflatoxin distribution were caused by the ability of SB and KB to elevate pH.     

Characterization of Symbiobacterium toebii, an obligate commensal thermophile isolated from compost

A symbiotic thermophilic bacterium, strain SC-1, was isolated from hay compost (toebi) in Korea. The new isolate exhibited an obligate commensal interaction with a thermophilic Geobacillus strain and required crude extracts and/or culture supernatant from Geobacillus sp. SK-1 for axenic growth. The growth factors from Geobacillus sp. SK-1 were irreversibly inactivated by phenol or protease treatment, suggesting that they might be proteins. The cells of strain SC-1 were non-spore forming, nonmotile rods that were stained Gram-negatively. The isolate was a microaerophilic heterotroph. Growth was observed between 45 degrees and 70 degrees C (optimum: 60 degrees C; 2.4-h doubling time) and pH 6.0 and 9.0 (optimum: pH 7.5). The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 65 mol%, and the major quinones were MK-6 and MK-7. A phylogenetic analysis of its 16S rDNA sequence indicated that strain SC-1 is closely related to Symbiobacterium thermophilum and so was named Symbiobacterium toebii on the basis of its physiological and molecular properties.     

Reactions of Fe(II)-ATP and Fe(II)-citrate complexes with t-butyl hydroperoxide and cumyl hydroperoxide

Rate constants for the reactions of cumyl hydroperoxide and t-butyl hydroperoxide with ferrous complexes of ATP and citrate were measured at pH 7.4. These ligands are potential chelators of iron(II) in the low-molecular weight iron pool that may catalyze oxidative degradation of biomolecules. The second-order rate constants for the reduction of cumyl hydroperoxide and t-butyl hydroperoxide by ferrous ATP are 3.1 x 10(3) and 1.3 x 10(3) M-1.s-1, respectively, at 25 degrees C and 0.11 M ionic strength. Rates of reduction by ferrous citrate are similar. Activation enthalpies for these reactions average 10 kcal/mol.     

The effects of bilirubin on the thermal properties of phosphatidylcholine bilayers.

The thermotropic properties of multilamellar vesicles of dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC), dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC), and distearoylphosphatidylcholine (DSPC), as a function of the concentration of bilirubin in the range of 0.1 to 1 mol%, were measured. The exact effects of bilirubin depended on the chain length of the polymethylene chains. But the general effects of bilirubin were the same in all systems. At the lowest concentrations tested (0.1 mol bilirubin/100 mol phospholipid (0.1 mol%)), bilirubin broadened and shifted to higher temperatures the main phase transitions of all bilayers. For DPPC and DSPC, but not DMPC, this concentration of bilirubin was associated with a new transition at 25 degrees C (DPPC) or 34 degrees C (DSPC). Bilirubin at 0.2 mol% was required for the detection of a similar transition (at 13.7 degrees C) in DMPC. Higher concentrations of bilirubin (> 0.2 mol%) suppressed completely the main phase transitions in all bilayers but increased the enthalpy of the new transition. Maximal values of delta H for these transitions were reached at 0.5, 0.25, and 0.2 mol% bilirubin in DMPC, DPPC, and DSPC, respectively. Values of delta H and delta S for these transitions were far larger than for the corresponding gel-to-liquid crystal transitions in pure lipid bilayers but were equal to those expected for a transition between crystalline and liquid crystalline phases.     

颗粒状固定化青霉素酰化酶的研究

将巨大芽孢杆菌 (Bacillusmegaterium)胞外青霉素酰化酶通过共价键结合到聚合物载体EupergitC颗粒环氧基团上 ,制成的颗粒状固定化青霉素酰化酶表现活力达 1 40 0 μ/g左右。固定化酶水解青霉素的最适 pH8 0 ,最适温度为 55℃。在pH6 0～ 8 5、温度低于 40℃时固定化酶活力稳定。在 pH8 0、温度 37℃时 ,固定化酶对青霉素的表现米氏常数Ka为 2×1 0 - 2 mol/L ;苯乙酸为竞争性抑制剂 ,抑制常数Kip为 2 8× 1 0 - 2 mol/L ;6 APA为非竞争性抑制剂 ,抑制常数Kia为 0 1 2 5mol/L。固定化酶水解青霉素 ,投料浓度为 8% ,在使用 2 0 0批后 ,保留活力 80 %左右 ,6 APA收率平均达 89 48%。     

Thermaerobacter nagasakiensis sp. nov., a novel aerobic and extremely thermophilic marine bacterium

A novel, extremely thermophilic bacterium was isolated from a shallow marine hydrothermal vent at depth of 22 m in Tachibana Bay, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. Cells were gram-negative, non-spore-forming, motile rods. Growth was observed between 52 and 78 degrees C (optimum 70 degrees C), pH 5 and 8 (optimum pH 7) and 0-4.5% NaCl (optimum 1.0%). The isolate was a strictly aerobic heterotroph utilizing yeast extract and trypticase peptone. The G+C content of the genomic DNA is 69 mol%. Analysis of 16S rDNA sequences indicated that strain Ts1a is closely related to Thermaerobacter marianensis. The differences in physiology and DNA-DNA similarity between strain Ts1a and T. marianensis showed that strain Ts1a represents a new species of Thermaerobacter. The type strain of T. nagasakiensis is strain Ts1a (=JCM11223, DSM 14512).     

The K+-H+ exchanger, nigericin, modulates taste cell pH and chorda tympani taste nerve responses to acidic stimuli

The relationship between acidic pH, taste cell pH(i), and chorda tympani (CT) nerve responses was investigated before and after incorporating the K(+)-H(+) exchanger, nigericin, in the apical membrane of taste cells. CT responses were recorded in anesthetized rats in vivo, and changes in pH(i) were monitored in polarized fungiform taste cells in vitro. Under control conditions, stimulating the tongue with 0.15 M potassium phosphate (KP) or 0.15 M sodium phosphate (NaP) buffers of pHs between 8.0 and 4.6, KP or NaP buffers did not elicit a CT response. Post-nigericin (500 × 10(-6) M), KP buffers, but not NaP buffers, induced CT responses at pHs ≤ 6.6. The effect of nigericin was reversed by the topical lingual application of carbonyl cyanide 3-chloro-phenylhydrazone, a protonophore. Post-nigericin (150 × 10(-6) M), KP buffers induced a greater decrease in taste cell pH(i) relative to NaP buffers and to NaP and KP buffers under control conditions. A decrease in pH(i) to about 6.9 induced by KP buffers was sufficient to elicit a CT response. The results suggest that facilitating apical H(+) entry via nigericin decreases taste cell pH(i) and demonstrates directly a strong correlation between pH(i) and the magnitude of the CT response.     

Kinetics of hyaluronan hydrolysis in acidic solution at various pH values

Hyaluronic acid (HA) was hydrolyzed using varying temperatures (40, 60, and 80 degrees C) and acid concentrations (0.0010, 0.010, 0.10, 0.50, 1.0, and 2.0 M HCl). The degradation process was monitored by determination of weight average molecular weight ( M w) by size-exclusion chromatography with online multiangle laser light scattering, refractive index, and intrinsic viscosity detectors (SEC-MALLS-RI-visc) on samples taken out continuously during the hydrolysis. SEC-MALLS-RI-visc showed that the degradation gave narrow molecular weight distributions with polydispersity indexes ( M w/ M n) of 1.3-1.7. Kinetic plots of 1/ M w versus time gave linear plots showing that acid hydrolysis of HA is a random process and that it follows a first order kinetics. For hydrolysis in HCl at 60 and 80 degrees C, it was shown that the kinetic rate constant ( k h) for the degradation depended linearly on the acid concentration. Further, the dependence of temperature on the hydrolysis in 0.1 M HCl was found to give a linear Arrhenius plot (ln k h vs 1/ T), with an activation energy ( E a) of 137 kJ/mol and Arrhenius constant ( A) of 7.86 x 10 (15) h (-1). (1)H NMR spectroscopy was used to characterize the product of extensive hydrolysis (48 h at 60 degrees C in 0.1 M HCl). No indication of de- N-acetylation of the N-acetyl glucosamine (GlcNAc) units or other byproducts were seen. Additionally, a low molecular weight HA was hydrolyzed in 0.1 M DCl for 4 h at 80 degrees C. It was shown that it was primarily the beta-(1-->4)-linkage between GlcNAc and glucuronic acid (GlcA) that was cleaved during hydrolysis at pH < p K a,GlcA. The dependence of the hydrolysis rate constant was further studied as a function of pH between -0.3 and 5. The degradation was found to be random (linear kinetic plots) over the entire pH range studied. Further, the kinetic rate constant was found to depend linearly on pH in the region -0.3 to 3. Above this pH (around the p K a of HA), the kinetic constant decreased more slowly, probably due to either a change in polymer conformation or due to an increased affinity for protons due to the polymer becoming charged as the GlcA units dissociated.     

Glial fibrillary acidic protein from bovine and rat brain. Degradation in tissues and homogenates.

Compared with human material glial fibrillary acidic protein isolated from bovine, rat and mouse brain was remarkably homogeneous and migrated as a single band at 54 000 mol. wt. on sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis. The protein was extremely susceptible to proteolysis and lower molecular weight components were invariably isolated together with the major species when the brain was not rapidly frozen. Further degradation of the 54 000 mol wt. polypeptide in bovine tissues incubated at 24 degrees C resulted in preparations essentially identical to those previously isolated from human autopsy material and separating into a series of immunologically active polypeptides ranging in molecular weight from 54 000 to approximately 40 500. The gel band pattern obtained after progressively longer periods of autolysis suggested that small fragments were cleaved from the original polypeptide in successive steps of degradation. As in human brain, the lower molecular weight products in the 45 000-40 500 range were more resistant to proteolysis and still present after prolonged periods of tissue autolysis. The effect of the pH and of proteinase inhibitors on degradation was studied in homogenates of bovine brain stem incubated at 37 degrees C. At pH 8.0 PROTEOLYSIS OF The glial fibrillary acidic protein followed essentially the same pattern as in tissue. Cleavage of the major species was not prevented by the addition of proteinase inhibitors. At pH 6.0 and 6.5 a different type of degradation was observed, with rapid breakdown of the protein and loss of immunological activity. Increased solubility in buffer solutions was another effect of autolysis. Compared with cerebral cortex and brain stem, where most of the protein was water soluble, only a small fraction was extracted with buffer from bovine white matter. However, the solubility markedly increased following incubation and comparable amounts were extracted in buffer and in 6 M urea.     

一株高效广谱莠去津降解菌SB5的生长和降解特性

本研究采用富集培养技术自莠去津污染的活性污泥中分离筛选到一株具有降解三嗪类除草剂功能的菌株SB5,经形态学和16S rRNA基因分析将其初步鉴定为类节杆菌属细菌.其具有已知莠去津降解相关基因trzN、atzB及atzC.在培养基中添加葡萄糖、蔗糖、柠檬酸钠、酵母浸粉和蛋白胨可显著提高菌株SB5的生物量和对莠去津的降解效...     

Functional stabilization of trypsin by conjugation with beta-cyclodextrin-modified carboxymethylcellulose

Bovine pancreatic trypsin was chemically modified by a beta-cyclodextrin-carboxymethylcellulose polymer using 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide as coupling agent. The conjugate retained 110% and 95% of the initial esterolytic and proteolytic activity, respectively, and contained about 2 mol of polymer per mol of trypsin. The optimum temperature for trypsin was increased to 8 degrees C after conjugation. The thermostability of the enzyme was increased to about 16 degrees C after modification. The conjugate prepared was also more stable against thermal incubation at different temperatures ranging from 45 degrees C to 60 degrees C. In comparison with native trypsin, the polymer-enzyme complex was more resistant to autolytic degradation at pH 9.0, retaining about 65% of the initial activity after 3h incubation. In addition, modification protected trypsin against denaturation in the presence of sodium dodecylsulfate.     

The kinetics of changes in the fatty acid composition of Neurospora crassa lipids after a temperature increase

The fatty acid composition of the total lipids, phospholipids and neutral lipids of log-phase shaker cultures of the bd (band) strain of Neurospora crassa, were measured every 2 h for an 8-h period following a temperature increase from 22 to 40 degrees C. For purposes of comparison, the fatty acid composition was also measured when cultures were grown from inoculation at temperatures between 22 and 40 degrees C. In the phospholipids, the temperature jump produced, over a 4-6 hour span, a linear decrease in the linolenic acid (18:3) content from 31 to 10 mol% and an increase in the linoleic acid (18:2) content from 41 to 45 mol% for a few hours, followed by a decrease to 38 mol%. The oleic acid (18:1) content increased, after a 2 h lag, from 5 to 26 mol%. The temperature increase caused a decrease in the double bond index from 180 to 135 but produced no changes in the mol% of the saturated fatty acids, the ratio of saturated to unsaturated fatty acids, the total amount of fatty acids per gram dry weight, or the growth rate of the cultures. After the switch to 40 degrees C the total amount of 18:3 per flask increased only slightly over the 8 h period, indicating that there was little loss of 18:3 from the mycelia by beta-oxidation, or by conversion to other fatty acids. Since the mass of the culture increased some 4-fold in this time, it suggests that the decrease in the mole percent of 18:3 is probably due to a decrease in the rate of synthesis of 18:3.     

Osmolytes stabilize ribonuclease S by stabilizing its fragments S protein and S peptide to compact folding-competent states

Osmolytes stabilize proteins to thermal and chemical denaturation. We have studied the effects of the osmolytes sarcosine, betaine, trimethylamine-N-oxide, and taurine on the structure and stability of the protein.peptide complex RNase S using x-ray crystallography and titration calorimetry, respectively. The largest degree of stabilization is achieved with 6 m sarcosine, which increases the denaturation temperatures of RNase S and S pro by 24.6 and 17.4 degrees C, respectively, at pH 5 and protects both proteins against tryptic cleavage. Four crystal structures of RNase S in the presence of different osmolytes do not offer any evidence for osmolyte binding to the folded state of the protein or any perturbation in the water structure surrounding the protein. The degree of stabilization in 6 m sarcosine increases with temperature, ranging from -0.52 kcal mol(-1) at 20 degrees C to -5.4 kcal mol(-1) at 60 degrees C. The data support the thesis that osmolytes that stabilize proteins, do so by perturbing unfolded states, which change conformation to a compact, folding competent state in the presence of osmolyte. The increased stabilization thus results from a decrease in conformational entropy of the unfolded state.     

Degradation properties of co-continuous calcium-phosphate-polyester composites

Co-continuous composites consisting of a porous calcium phosphate matrix (hydroxyapatite, HA, or β-tricalcium phosphate, TCP) filled with poly(D,L-lactide) (PDLLA) were produced with two different methods: in situ polymerization of D,L-lactide monomer inside the matrix, or infiltration of the matrix with molten polymer. The influence of the calcium phosphate matrix as well as the manufacturing method on the degradation were investigated with accelerated in vitro studies at 42 °C in pH 7.4 phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), with some controls at 37 °C. The results show that samples produced with the infiltration method had higher initial molecular weights leading to a later onset of mass loss. Heterogenous polymer degradation was still present in the composites, as indicated by molecular weight distributions and glass transition temperature measurements. The calcium phosphate matrix delayed degradation, with evidence from X-ray microtomography suggesting that the polymer degrades more slowly in proximity to the matrix.