Bernardbreum1719
A new series of theranostic silica materials based on fibrous silica particles acting as nanocarriers of two different cytotoxic agents, namely, chlorambucil and an organotin metallodrug have been prepared and structurally characterized. Besides the combined therapeutic activity, these platforms have been decorated with a targeting molecule (folic acid, to selectively target triple negative breast cancer) and a molecular imaging agent (Alexa Fluor 647, to enable their tracking both in vitro and in vivo). The in vitro behaviour of the multifunctional silica systems showed a synergistic activity of the two chemotherapeutic agents in the form of an enhanced cytotoxicity against MDA-MB-231 cells (triple negative breast cancer) as well as by a higher cell migration inhibition. buy ZK53 Subsequently, the in vivo applicability of the siliceous nanotheranostics was successfully assessed by observing with in vivo optical imaging techniques a selective tumour accumulation (targeting ability), a marked inhibition of tumour growth paired to a marked antiangiogenic ability after 13 days of systemic administration, thus, confirming the enhanced theranostic activity. The systemic nanotoxicity was also evaluated by analyzing specific biochemical markers. The results showed a positive effect in form of reduced cytotoxicity when both chemotherapeutics are administered in combination thanks to the fibrous silica nanoparticles. Overall, our results confirm the promising applicability of these novel silica-based nanoplatforms as advanced drug-delivery systems for the synergistic theranosis of triple negative breast cancer.The Boston Keratoprosthesis type I (B-KPro) is widely used in the world, but the lack of donor corneas limits its application. This study aims to prepare the acellular porcine cornea (APC) crosslinked with ultraviolet A (UVA)/riboflavin instead of donor corneas as the scaffold for B-KPro. Decellularization of freeze-thaw combined with biological enzymes resulted in approximately 5 ng/mg DNA residue, the a-Gal removal rate of 99%, and glycosaminoglycans retention at a high level of 46.66 ± 2.59 mg/mg. UVA/ riboflavin cross-linking was adopted to induce the formation of new chemical bonds between adjacent collagen chains in the corneal stroma to improve the mechanical properties and resistance to enzymatic hydrolysis. Through comprehensive analysis of the biomechanics, enzyme degradation, immunogenicity and histological structure of the APC crosslinked at different times, CL3 (irradiation conditions, 365 nm, 3 mW/cm, 80 min, both sides) was selected and transplanted into the rabbit cornea model through interlamellar keratoplasty and penetrating keratoplasty as the scaffold of the B-KPro. Compared with the native porcine cornea (NPC) and APC, the experiment of interlamellar pocket indicated that the structure of CL3 was homogeneous without degradation and vascularization in vivo at 12 weeks after surgery. Simultaneously, the results of transplantation of B-KPro showed complete epithelialization of CL3 within 1 week, and neovascularization of the cornea indicated rejection but could be controlled with immunosuppressants. At 3 months postoperatively, the lens of B-KPro remained transparent, and the structure of CL3 was compact and uniform, accompanied by the migration and proliferation of a large number of stromal cells without degradation, suggesting the CL3 could be a promising corneal substitute.Lipids are interesting biological materials that can offer a number of pharmaceutical benefits when used as carriers for drug delivery. However, 3D printing of lipids alone by fused deposition processing techniques is very difficult as they have very poor mechanical properties that cause their filaments to fail when they are loaded into a fused deposition 3D printer. If this problem could be overcome, then lipids could be 3D printed into bespoke tablets and assist progress towards such personalised medicines. This work aims to improve the mechanical properties of lipid filaments by developing novel lipid-EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate) blends suitable for 3D printing. Different types of lipids in varying proportions were melt blended with EVA and extruded using a micro compounder. The ultimate printability of the materials was tested by feeding the filaments into a material extrusion 3D printer. Flexural testing of the extruded blends demonstrates that a good balance between the strength and flexibility is required for a material to be printable and it was found that a filament has to have a modulus/strength ratio between 8 and 25 in order to be printable. SEM analysis of the fracture surface shows a network structure within the lipid matrix that could be playing a role in the improved properties of the best performing blends. DSC thermograms show a shift in thermal transitions, suggesting some level of miscibility of the components that could have contributed to a more robust structure. The TGA results show an onset of degradation of the blends greater than 200 °C, indicating that the materials can readily withstand the extrusion and printing temperatures. This study demonstrates the successful extrusion and 3D printing of novel EVA-lipid blends with lipid contents of up to 90%.Intestinal stents are a palliative treatment option that solves many shortcomings of traditional surgeries for cancer-induced intestinal obstructions. The present review provides an overview of the incidence, clinical manifestations and limitations in the treatment of intestinal cancers. The paper also discusses material property requirements, indications, complications and the future of stent-assisted therapy. The advantages and disadvantages of different materials and processing techniques for intestinal stents are reviewed along with new stent treatment combinations for colorectal cancer. Challenges that require further cooperative studies are also detailed. The future development of intestinal stents will depend on innovation in material designs as well as the utilization of multi-functional strategies and innovative engineering solutions.Concave surfaces have shown to promote bone regeneration in vivo. However, bone scaffolds obtained by direct ink writing, one of the most promising approaches for the fabrication of personalized bone grafts, consist mostly of convex surfaces, since they are obtained by microextrusion of cylindrical strands. By modifying the geometry of the nozzle, it is possible to print 3D structures composed of non-cylindrical strands and favor the presence of concave surfaces. In this work, we compare the in vivo performance of 3D-printed calcium phosphate scaffolds with either conventional cylindrical strands or star-shaped strands, in a rabbit femoral condyle model. Monocortical defects, drilled in contralateral positions, are randomly grafted with the two scaffold configurations, with identical composition. The samples are explanted eight weeks post-surgery and assessed by μ-CT and resin-embedded histological observations. The results reveal that the scaffolds containing star-shaped strands have better osteoconductive properties, guiding the newly formed bone faster towards the core of the scaffolds, and enhance bone regeneration, although the increase is not statistically significant (p > 0.05). This new approach represents a turning point towards the optimization of pore shape in 3D-printed bone grafts, further boosting the possibilities that direct ink writing technology offers for patient-specific applications.Decellularized extracellular matrix (ECM) has been widely used for wound healing. But, ECM failed to integrate tissue and restore the tissue function properly, when elevated levels of free radicals and biofilm formation occur at the wound site. Here, nanoemulgel systems were fabricated, considering the combinatorial approach of nanotechnology (nanoceria and curcumin nanoemulsion) and ECM gel of goat small intestine submucosa. The curcumin was encapsulated in the nanoemulgel system to enhance bioavailability in terms of antibacterial, antioxidant, sustained release and permeation at the wound site. Nanoceria was also incorporated to enhance the antibacterial, antioxidant and wound healing properties of the fabricated nanoemulgel formulation. All the formulations were porous, hydrophilic, biodegradable, antioxidant, antibacterial, hemocompatible, biocompatible, and showed enhanced wound healing rate. The formulation (DG-SIS/Ce/NC) showed the highest free radicals scavenging capacity and antibacterial property with prolonged curcumin release (62.9% in 96 h), skin permeability (79.7% in 96 h); showed better cell growth under normal and oxidative-stressed conditions it also showed full-thickness wound contraction (97.33% in 14 days) with highest collagen synthesis at the wound site (1.61 μg/mg in 14 days). The outcomes of this study suggested that the formulation (DG-SIS/Ce/NC) can be a potential nanoemulgel system for full-thickness wound healing application.This study sought to prepare powder hemostats based on iota-carrageenan (ιC), xyloglucan (XYL), l-serine (SER), and tranexamic acid (TA). The powder form was chosen because it enables the hemostat to be used in wounds of any shape and depth. The powder hemostats showed irregular shapes and specific surface areas ranging from 34 to 46 m2/g. Increasing TA amount decreases the specific surface area, bulk density, water and blood absorption, and the antibacterial activities of the powder hemostats, but not the water retention ability. Conversely, in vitro biodegradation was positively impacted by increasing the TA content in the powder hemostats. In both the in vitro and in vivo tests, powder hemostats showed reduced bleeding time, significant adhesion of red blood cells, great hemocompatibility, moderate antioxidant activity, and high biocompatibility. These findings shed new light on designing powder hemostats with intrinsic antibacterial and antioxidant activity and excellent hemostatic performance.Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus (MRS) is a multi-drug resistant bacteria that pose a serious threat to human health. Antibacterial nanomaterials are becoming a promising antibiotic substitute or antibiotic adjuvants. In this work, selenium nanowires were modified with nano‑silver (Ag NPs) with antibacterial activity and [Ru(bpy)2dppz]2+ with fluorescent labeling of DNA (SRA), and the antibacterial activity, antibacterial mechanism and biological toxicity of SRA synergistic antibiotics were studied. In vitro, antibacterial results show that SRA (12 μg/mL) improves the antibacterial activity of various antibiotics against resistant bacteria and significantly slows the development of bacterial resistance to antibiotics. Studies on antibacterial mechanisms have shown that SRA synergistic antibiotics destroy drug-resistant bacteria through a combination of physical (physical damage) and chemical pathways (destruction of biofilm, membrane depolarization, cell membrane destruction, adenosine triphosphate consumption and reactive oxygen species production). Transcriptomics analysis found that SRA affects bacterial activity by affecting bacterial biosynthesis, ATP synthesis and biofilm formation. Furthermore, SRA synergistic antibiotics can accelerate wound healing of bacterial infection by reducing the inflammatory response. The toxicity evaluation results show that SRA has extremely low cellular and in vivo toxicity. SRA has the potential of clinical application as multiple antibiotic adjuvants to deal with resistant bacterial infections.