Restorative treatment practices and dentist-related factors

This study aimed at elucidating real-life aspects of restorative treatment practices. In addition, dentists' views and perceptions of and variation in restorative treatment practices with respect to dentist-related factors were evaluated. Reasons for placement and replacement of restoration, material selection, posterior restoration longevity, and the use of local anesthesia were assessed on two cross-sectional data sets. Data from the Helsinki Public Dental Service (PDS) included details on 3057 restorations performed by dentists (n=134) during routine clinical work in 2001. The other PDS data from Vantaa were based on 205 patient records of young adults containing information on 1969 restorations investigated retrospectively from 1994-1996 backwards; 51 dentists performed the restorations. In addition, dentists’ self-reported use of local anesthesia and estimates of restoration longevity were investigated by means of a nationwide questionnaire sent to 592 general dental practitioners selected by systematic sampling from the membership list of the Finnish Dental Association in 2004. All data sets included some background information on dentists such as gender, year of birth or graduation, and working sector. In PDS in 2001, primary caries was the reason for placement of restoration more often among patients aged under 19 years than among older patients (p<0.001). Among patients over 36 years of age, replacements represented the majority. Regarding dentist-related factors, replacements of restorations were made by younger dentists more frequently than by older dentists (p<0.001). In PDS in 1994-1996, the replacement rate of posterior restorations was greater among female dentists than among male dentists (p=0.01), especially for amalgams (p=0.008). The mean age of replaced posterior restoration among young adults was 8.9 (SD 5.2) years for amalgam and 2.4 (SD 1.4) years for tooth-colored restorations, the actual replacement rate for all existing posterior restorations being 7% in PDS in 1994-1996. Of all restorative materials used, a clear majority (69%) were composites in PDS in 2001. Local anesthesia was used in 48% of cases and more frequently for older patients (55%) than for patients aged under 13 years (35%) (p<0.001). Younger dentists more often used local anesthesia for primary restoration than did the older dentists (p<0.001), especially for primary teeth (p=0.005). Working sector had an impact on dentists’ self-reported use of local anesthesia and estimates of restoration longevity; public sector dentists reported using local anesthesia more frequently than private sector dentists for Class II (p=0.04) and for Class III restorations (p=0.01). Private sector dentists gave longer estimates of posterior composite longevity than public sector dentists (p=0.001). In conclusion, restorative treatment practices seem to vary according to patient age and also dentist-related factors. Replacements of restorations are common for adults. For children, clear underuse of local anesthesia prevails.

Dental health and school-based health education among 15-year-olds in Tehran, Iran

The aim of the present study was to assess dental health and its determinants among 15-year-olds in Tehran, Iran and to evaluate the impact of a school-based educational intervention on their oral cleanliness and gingival health. The total sample comprised 506 students. Data collection was performed through a clinical dental examination and a self-administered structured questionnaire. This questionnaire covered the student s background information, socio-economic status, self-perceived dental health, tooth-brushing, and smoking. The clinical dental examination covered caries experience, gingival status, dental plaque status, and orthodontic treatment needs. Participation was voluntary, and all students responded to the questionnaire. Only three students refused the clinical dental examination. The intervention was based on exposing students to dental health education through a leaflet and a videotape designed for the present study. The outcome examinations took place 12 weeks after the baseline among the three groups of the intervention trial (leaflet, videotape, and control). High participation rates at the baseline and scanty drop-outs (7%) in the intervention speak for reliability of the results. Mean value of the DMFT (D=decayed, M=missing, and F=filled teeth) index of the 15-year-olds was 2.1, which comprised DT=0.9, MT=0.2, and FT=1.0 with no gender differences. Dental plaque existed on at least one index tooth of all students, and healthy periodontium (Community Periodontal Index=0) was found in less than 10% of students. Need for caries treatment existed in 40% of students, for scaling in 24%, for oral hygiene instructions in all, and for orthodontic treatment in 26%. Students with the highest level of parents education had fewer dental caries (36% vs. 48%) and less dental plaque (77% vs. 88%). Of all students, 78% assessed their dental health as good or better. Even more of those with their DMFT=0 (73% vs. 27%) and DT=0 (68% vs. 32%) assessed their dental health as good or better. Smokers comprised 5% of the boys and 2% of the girls. Smoking was common among students of less-educated parents (6% vs. 3%). Of all students, 26% reported twice-daily tooth-brushing; girls (38% vs. 15%) and those of higher socio-economic background (33% vs. 17%) did so more frequently. The best predictors for a good level of oral cleanliness were female gender or twice-daily tooth-brushing. The present study demonstrated that a school-based educational intervention can be effective in the short term in improving the oral cleanliness and gingival health of adolescents. At least 50% reduction in numbers of teeth with dental plaque compared to baseline was achieved by 58% of the students in the leaflet group, by 37% in the videotape group, and by 10% of the controls. Corresponding figures for gingival bleeding were 72%, 64%, and 30%. For improving the oral cleanliness and gingival health of adolescents in countries such as Iran with a developing oral health system, school-based educational intervention should be established with focus on oral self-care and oral health education messages. Emphasizing the immediate gains from good oral hygiene, such as fresh breath, clean teeth, and attractive appearance should be key aspects for motivating these adolescents to learn and maintain good dental health, whilst in planning school-based dental health intervention, special attention should be given to boys and those with lower socio-economic status. Author s address: Reza Yazdani, Department of Oral Public Health, Institute of Dentistry, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 41, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland. E-mail: reza.yazdani@helsinki.fi

Tetrahydroquinoxaline based squaraines: Synthesis and photophysical properties

Tetrahydroquinoxaline based squaraine dyes synthesized by the condensation reaction between squaric acid and different tetrahydroquinoxaline derivatives are described. The squaraines gave a strong intense peak at 700 nm and were found to exhibit good molar extinction coefficient (>105 M−1 cm−1). Metal binding studies were carried out with different metal ions and it was found that it was selective in the case of copper metal. Using Job's plot it was ascertained that the squaraines bind to the copper metal in the ratio of 2:1.

Isolation and characterization of riboflavin-binding protein from pregnant-rat serum

A high-affinity riboflavin -binding protein was isolated and characterized for the first time from pregnant-rat sera by affinity chromatography on a lumiflavin-agarose column. The purified protein was homogeneous by the criteria of analytical polyacrylamide-gel disc electrophoresis, gel-filtration chromatography on Sephadex G-100 and sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis. It had a molecular weight of 90000+/-5000 and interacted with [14C]riboflavin with a 1:1 molar ratio with a dissociation constant (Kd) of 0.42 micron.

The Influence of Bilayer Composition on the Gel to Liquid Crystalline Transition

We report molecular dynamics simulations of bilayers using a united atom model with explicit solvent molecules. The bilayer consists of the single tail cationic surfactant behenyl trimethyl ammonium chloride (BTMAC) with stearyl alcohol (SA) as the cosurfactant. We study the gel to liquid crystalline transitions in the bilayer by varying the amount of water at fixed BTMAC to SA ratio as well as by varying the BTMAC to SA ratio at fixed water content. The bilayer is found to exist in the tilted, Lβ′ phase at low temperatures, and for the compositions investigated in this study, the Lβ′ to Lα melting transition occurred in the temperature range 330−338 K. For the highest BTMAC to SA composition (2:3 molar ratio), a diffuse headgroup−water interface is observed at lower temperatures, and an increase in the d-spacing occurs prior to the melting transition. This pretransition swelling is accompanied by a sharpening in the water density variation across the headgroup region of the bilayer. Signatures of this swelling effect which can be observed in the alkane density distributions, area per headgroup, and membrane thickness are attributed to the hydrophobic effect. At a fixed bilayer composition, the transition temperature (>338 K) from the Lβ′ to Lα transition obtained for the high water content bilayer (80 wt %) is similar to that obtained with low water content (54.3 wt %), confirming that the melting transition at these water contents is dominated by chain melting.

Heats of reaction between aniline and formaldehyde by solution calorimetry: Reaction in neutral medium

The enthalpies of reaction between aniline and HCHO at various molar proportions under neutral conditions were determined by solution calorimetry. These measurements are new in the field of aniline and HCHO condensation polymers. The specific heats of the products formed were determined by differential scanning calorimetry and were used in the enthalpy calculations. Plots of enthalpy of reaction calculated with respect to aniline and HCHO vs. different A/F molar ratios were made. From the enthalpy data it appears that the reactions between different A/F molar ratios yield different products.

Potential of the neonicotinoid imidacloprid and the oxadiazine indoxacarb for controlling five coleopteran pests of stored grain.

The potential for using imidacloprid (a neonicotinoid) and indoxacarb (an oxadiazine) as grain protectants was investigated in bioassays against resistant strains of five stored grain beetles. The species investigated were Rhyzopertha dominica (F.) (the lesser grain borer), Sitophilus oryzae (L.) (the rice weevil), Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (the rust-red flour beetle), Oryzaephilus surinamensis (L.) (the saw tooth flour beetle), and Cryptolestes ferrugineus (Stephens) (the flat grain beetle). Each of these species has developed resistance to one or more protectants, including organophosphorus insecticides, synthetic pyrethroids and the juvenile hormone analogue methoprene. Mortality and reproduction after a 2-week exposure of adults to treated wheat depended on species, dose and insecticide. Imidacloprid had no effect on S. oryzae at any dose, but none of the other species produced any live progeny at 10 mg/kg. Indoxacarb had no effect on T. castaneum at any dose, but none of the other species produced any live progeny at 5 mg/kg. The results show that although both imidacloprid and indoxacarb can control at least four of the five key pests tested at doses comparable to those used for organophosphorus protectants, more potent neonicotinoid or oxadiazine insecticides would be needed than either of these to provide broad spectrum protection of stored grain.

Proinflammatory cytokines regulate cementogenic differentiation of periodontal ligament cells by Wnt/Ca2+ signaling pathway

Periodontal inflammation can inhibit cell differentiation of periodontal ligament cells (PDLCs), resulting in decreased bone/cementum regeneration ability. The Wnt signaling pathway, including canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling and noncanonical Wnt/Ca2+ signaling, plays essential roles in cell proliferation and differentiation during tooth development. However, little is still known whether noncanonical Wnt/Ca2+ signaling cascade could regulate cementogenic/osteogenic differentiation capability of PDLCs within an inflammatory environment. Therefore, in this study, human PDLCs (hPDLCs) and their cementogenic differentiation potential were investigated in the presence of cytokines. The data demonstrated that both cytokines interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) inhibited cell proliferation, relative alkaline phosphatase activity, bone/cementum-related gene/protein expression, and canonical Wnt pathway-related gene/protein expression in hPDLCs. Interestingly, both cytokines upregulated the noncanonical Wnt/Ca2+ signaling-related gene and protein expression in hPDLCs. When the Wnt/Ca2+ pathway was blocked by Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II inhibitor KN93, even in the presence of IL-6 and TNF-α, cementogenesis could be stimulated in hPDLCs. Our data indicate that the Wnt/Ca2+ pathway plays an inhibitory role on PDLC cementogenic differentiation in inflammatory microenvironments. Therefore, targeting the Wnt/Ca2+ pathway may provide a novel therapeutic approach to improve periodontal regeneration for periodontal diseases.

Thermal Expansivities and Temperature Coefficients of Refractive Indices for Molten Salts

An empirical relation for temperature–independent molar polarization is suggested. When this relation was used, the thermal expansivity was estimated correctly from refractive index data.

Structural analyses of (1->3),(1->4)-β-D-glucan of oats and barley

The structures of (1→3),(1→4)-β-D-glucans of oat bran, whole-grain oats and barley and processed foods were analysed. Various methods of hydrolysis of β-glucan, the content of insoluble fibre of whole grains of oats and barley and the solution behaviour of oat and barley β-glucans were studied. The isolated soluble β-glucans of oat bran and whole-grain oats and barley were hydrolysed with lichenase, an enzyme specific for (1→3),(1→4)-β-D-β-glucans. The amounts of oligosaccharides produced from bran were analysed with capillary electrophoresis and those from whole-grains with high-performance anion-exchange chromatography with pulse-amperometric detection. The main products were 3-O-β-cellobiosyl-D-glucose and 3-O-β-cellotriosyl-D-glucose, the oligosaccharides which have a degree of polymerisation denoted by DP3 and DP4. Small differences were detected between soluble and insoluble β-glucans and also between β-glucans of oats and barley. These differences can only be seen in the DP3:DP4 ratio which was higher for barley than for oat and also higher for insoluble than for soluble β-glucan. A greater proportion of barley β-glucan remained insoluble than of oat β-glucan. The molar masses of soluble β-glucans of oats and barley were the same as were those of insoluble β-glucans of oats and barley. To analyse the effects of cooking, baking, fermentation and drying, β-glucan was isolated from porridge, bread and fermentate and also from their starting materials. More β-glucan was released after cooking and less after baking. Drying decreased the extractability for bread and fermentate but increased it for porridge. Different hydrolysis methods of β-glucan were compared. Acid hydrolysis and the modified AOAC method gave similar results. The results of hydrolysis with lichenase gave higher recoveries than the other two. The combination of lichenase hydrolysis and high-performance anion-exchange chromatography with pulse-amperometric detection was found best for the analysis of β-glucan content. The content of insoluble fibre was higher for barley than for oats and the amount of β-glucan in the insoluble fibre fraction was higher for oats than for barley. The flow properties of both water and aqueous cuoxam solutions of oat and barley β-glucans were studied. Shear thinning was stronger for the water solutions of oat β-glucan than for barley β-glucan. In aqueous cuoxam shear thinning was not observed at the same concentration as in water but only with high concentration solutions. Then the viscosity of barley β-glucan was slightly higher than that of oat β-glucan. The oscillatory measurements showed that the crossover point of the G´ and G´´ curves was much lower for barley β-glucan than for oat β-glucan indicating a higher tendency towards solid-like behaviour for barley β-glucan than for oat β-glucan.

Effects of dietary phosphorus and calcium-to-phosphorus ratio on calcium and bone metabolism in healthy 20- to 43-year-old Finnish women

Dietary habits have changed during the past decades towards an increasing consumption of processed foods, which has notably increased not only total dietary phosphorus (P) intake, but also intake of P from phosphate additives. While the intake of calcium (Ca) in many Western countries remains below recommended levels (800 mg/d), the usual daily P intake in a typical Western diet exceeds by 2- to 3-fold the dietary guidelines (600 mg/d). The effects of high P intake in healthy humans have been investigated seldom. In this thesis healthy 20- to 43-year-old women were studied. In the first controlled study (n = 14), we examined the effects of P doses, and in a cross-sectional study (n = 147) the associations of habitual P intakes with Ca and bone metabolism. In this same cross-sectional study, we also investigated whether differences exist between dietary P originating from natural P sources and phosphate additives. The second controlled study (n = 12) investigated whether by increasing the Ca intake, the effects of a high P intake could be reduced. The associations of habitual dietary calcium-to-phosphorus ratios (Ca:P ratio) with Ca and bone metabolism were determined in a cross-sectional study design (n = 147). In the controlled study, the oral intake of P doses (495, 745, 1245 and 1995 mg/d) with a low Ca intake (250 mg/d) increased serum parathyroid hormone (S-PTH) concentration in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, the highest P dose decreased serum ionized calcium (S-iCa) concentration and bone formation and increased bone resorption. In the second controlled study with a dietary P intake of 1850 mg/d, by increasing the Ca intake from 480 mg/d to 1080 mg/d and then to 1680 mg/d, the S-PTH concentration decreased, the S-iCa concentration increased and bone resorption decreased dose-dependently. However, not even the highest Ca intake could counteract the effect of high dietary P on bone formation, as indicated by unchanged bone formation activity. In the cross-sectional studies, a higher habitual dietary P intake (>1650 mg/d) was associated with lower S-iCa and higher S-PTH concentrations. The consumption of phosphate additive-containing foods was associated with a higher S-PTH concentration. Moreover, habitual low dietary Ca:P ratios (≤0.50, molar ratio) were associated with higher S-PTH concentrations and 24-h urinary Ca excretions, suggesting that low dietary Ca:P ratios may interfere with homeostasis of Ca metabolism and increase bone resorption. In summary, excessive dietary P intake in healthy Finnish women seems to be detrimental to Ca and bone metabolism, especially when dietary Ca intake is low. The results indicate that by increasing dietary Ca intake to the recommended level, the negative effects of high P intake could be diminished, but not totally prevented. These findings imply that phosphate additives may be more harmful than natural P. Thus, reduction of an excessively high dietary P intake is also beneficial for healthy individuals.

Asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation in the study of water-soluble macromolecules

Asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation (AsFlFFF) was constructed, and its applicability to industrial, biochemical, and pharmaceutical applications was studied. The effect of several parameters, such as pH, ionic strength, temperature and the reactants mixing ratios on the particle sizes, molar masses, and the formation of aggregates of macromolecules was determined by AsFlFFF. In the case of industrial application AsFlFFF proved to be a valuable tool in the characterization of the hydrodynamic particle sizes, molar masses and phase transition behavior of various poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) polymers as a function of viscosity and phase transition temperatures. The effect of sodium chloride salt and the molar ratio of cationic and anionic polyelectrolytes on the hydrodynamic particle sizes of poly (methacryloxyethyl trimethylammonium chloride) and poly (ethylene oxide)-block-poly (sodium methacrylate) and their complexes were studied. The particle sizes of PNIPAM polymers, and polyelectrolyte complexes measured by AsFlFFF were in agreement with those obtained by dynamic light scattering. The molar masses of PNIPAM polymers obtained by AsFlFFF and size exclusion chromatography agreed also well. In addition, AsFlFFF proved to be a practical technique in thermo responsive behavior studies of polymers at temperatures up to about 50 oC. The suitability of AsFlFFF for biological, biomedical, and pharmaceutical applications was proved, upon studying the lipid-protein/peptide interactions, and the stability of liposomes at different temperatures. AsFlFFF was applied to the studies on the hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions between cytochrome c (a basic peripheral protein) and anionic lipid, and oleic acid, and sodium dodecyl sulphate surfactant. A miniaturized AsFlFFF constructed in this study was exploited in the elucidation of the effect of copper (II), pH, ionic strength, and vortexing on the particle sizes of low-density lipoproteins.

Influence of Sm2O3 doping on formation and structure of SrBi2Nb2O9 nanocrystals in lithium borate glasses

New glasses of 16.66SrO–16.66[(1 − x)Bi2O3–xSm2O3]–16.66Nb2O5–50Li2B4O7 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.5, in molar ratio), i.e., the pseudo-binary Sm2O3-doped SrBi2Nb2O9–Li2B4O7 glass system, giving the crystallization of Sm3+-doped SrBi2Nb2O9 nanocrystals are developed. It is found that the thermal stability of the glasses against the crystallization and the optical band gap energy increases with increasing Sm2O3 content. The formation of fluorite-type Sm3+-doped SrBi2Nb2O9 nanocrystals (diameters: 13–37 nm) with a cubic structure is confirmed in the crystallized (530 °C, 3 h) samples from X-ray powder diffraction analyses, Raman scattering spectrum measurements, and transmission electron microscope observations. The effect of Sm3+-doping on the microstructure, Raman scattering peak positions, and dielectric properties of composites comprising of fluorite-type SrBi2Nb2O9 nanocrystals and the Li2B4O7 glassy phase is clarified. It is found that fluorite-type SrBi2Nb2O9 nanocrystals transform to stable perovskite-type SrBi2Nb2O9 crystals with an orthorhombic structure by heat treatments at around 630 °C.

Titanium Complexes for the Polymerisation of Ethene and Caprolactone

The literature part of the thesis mainly reviews the results of the use of titanium catalysts for ethene and caprolactone polymerisation. The behaviour of titanium catalysts bearing phenoxy-imino ligands has been the focus of more detailed investigations in ethene polymerisation. Reasons for the production of multimodal polyethene for a range of catalysts are also given. The experimental part of the thesis is divided into two sections based on the monomers used in the polymerisations: Part A (ethene) and part B (caprolactone). Part A: Titanium(IV) complexes bearing phenoxy-imino ligands are known to possess high ethene polymerisation activities after MAO activation. Depending on the ligand, the activities of the catalysts in polymerisation can vary between 1 and 44000 kgPE/(mol*cat*h*bar). Depending on the polymerisation temperature and the electronic and steric properties of the catalyst ligands, low to high molar mass values and uni- and multimodal polydispersity values can been observed. In order to discover the reasons for these differences, 22 titanium(IV) complexes containing differently substituted phenoxy-imino derivatives as di- and tetradentate ligands were synthesised with high yields and used as homogeneous catalysts in ethene polymerisations. Computational methods were used to predict the geometry of the synthesised complexes and their configuration after activation. Based on the results obtained, the geometry of the catalyst together with the ligand substituents seem to play a major role in defining the catalytic activity. Novel titanium(IV) complexes bearing malonate ligands were also synthesised. Malonates are considered to be suitable ligand pre-cursors since they can be produced by the simple reaction of any primary or secondary alcohol with malonylchloride, and thus they are easily modifiable. After treatment with MAO these complexes had polymerisation activities between 10 and 50 kgPE/(mol*cat*h*bar) and surprisingly low polydispersity values when compared with similar types of catalysts bearing the O?O chelate ligand. Part B: One of the synthesis routes in the preparation of the above mentioned phenoxy-imino titanium dichloride complexes involved the use of Ti(NMe2)4 with a range of salicylaldimine type compounds. On reaction, these two compounds formed an intermediate product selectively and quantitatively which was active in the ring-opening polymerisation of caprolactone. Several mono-anionic alcoholates were also combined with Ti(NMe2)4 in different molar ratios and used as catalysts. Full conversion of the monomer was achieved within 15 minutes with catalysts having a co-ordination number of 4 while after 22 hours full conversion was achieved with catalysts having a co-ordination number of 6.

Organized Nanostructures of Thermoresponsive Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) Block Copolymers Obtained Through Controlled RAFT Polymerization

Kontrolloidut radikaalipolymerointimenetelmät, kuten RAFT-polymerointi, ovat moderni tapa valmistaa polymeerejä säädellysti. RAFT-polymeroinnilla polymeerien ketjunpituutta, moolimassajakaumaa, mikrorakennetta (taktisuus, järjestys), koostumusta ja funktionaalisuutta kyetään hallitsemaan. Siten menetelmällä voidaan valmistaa uudenlaisia polymeeriarkkitektuureja, kuten blokki- ja tähtipolymeerejä, sekä hybridimateriaaleja ja biokonjugaatteja. Polymeeristen rakennuspalikoiden itsejärjestyminen, missä huolellisesti syntetisoidut polymeerit järjestyvät halutulla tavalla nanoskaalassa, on suosittu tutkimuskohde materiaalitieteessä. On huomattava, että blokkipolymeerien itsejärjestyminen on vielä suhteellisen nuori tutkimusaihe. Tämän hetkiset polymeeriset nanomateriaalit ovat suhteellisen yksinkertaisia luonnon luomuksiin verrattuina, tarjoten jatkuvasti uusia mahdollisuuksia seuraavan sukupolven polymeereille. Tässä työssä RAFT-polymeroinnilla syntetisoitiin amfifiilisiä di- ja triblokkikopolymeerejä sekä tutkittiin niiden järjestymistä nanorakenteiksi. Kaikissa blokkikopolymeereissä käytettiin lämpöherkkää poly(N-isopropyyliakryyliamidia). Siten polymeerit ja tutkitut materiaalit reagoivat lämpötilanmuutokseen ympäristössä eli ovat ns. ympäristöherkkiä. Työssä tutkittiin taktisuuden kontrollointia N-isopropyyliakryyliamidin RAFT-polymeroinnissa. Polymeerin taktisuutta sekä ketjunpituutta ja blokkijärjestystä säätämällä voitiin hallita polymeerin itsejärjestymistä vesiliuoksessa. Amfifiiliset polymeerit järjestyivät laimeissa vesiliuoksissa erilaisiksi misellirakenteiksi, muodostaen ns. mikrosäiliöitä. Tällaisilla polymeereillä odotetaan olevan sovelluksia esim. lääkeainevapautuksessa. Amfifiilejä käytetään myös esimerkiksi apuaineina pinnoitteissa ja kosmetiikassa. Kiinteässä tilassa tutkitut triblokkikopolymeerit muodostivat teoreettisesti ennustettuja morfologioita. Lämpöherkän materiaalin hydrogeelit toimivat suodatinmembraanina nanokokoluokassa. RAFT-polymeroinnilla syntetisoituja polymeereja voidaan sellaisenaan käyttää kultananopartikkeleiden päällystämiseen. Kultananopartikkelit ovat erittäin kiinostavia mm. niiden stabiilisuuden ja ainutlaatuisten pintaominaisuuksien vuoksi. Kun amfifiilisiä polymeerejä kiinnitettiin kultapartikkelin pinnalle, sen liuos- ja optisia ominaisuuksia voitiin säädellä pH:n ja lämpötilan avulla. Tällaisilla kultananopartikkeleilla on sovelluksia mm. diagnostiikassa, sensoreina ja solukuvauksessa.