Bilayer Networks within a Hydrogel Shell: A Robust Chassis for Artificial Cells and a Platform for Membrane Studies.

The ability to make artificial lipid bilayers compatible with a wide range of environments, and with sufficient structural rigidity for manual handling, would open up a wealth of opportunities for their more routine use in real-world applications. Although droplet interface bilayers (DIBs) have been demonstrated in a host of laboratory applications, from chemical logic to biosynthesis reaction vessels, their wider use is hampered by a lack of mechanical stability and the largely manual methods employed in their production. Multiphase microfluidics has enabled us to construct hierarchical triple emulsions with a semipermeable shell, in order to form robust, bilayer-bound, droplet networks capable of communication with their external surroundings. These constructs are stable in air, water, and oil environments and overcome a critical obstacle of achieving structural rigidity without compromising environmental interaction. This paves the way for practical application of artificial membranes or droplet networks in diverse areas such as medical applications, drug testing, biophysical studies and their use as synthetic cells.

Roles of chemokines CCL2 and CCL5 in the pharmacokinetics of PEGylated liposomal doxorubicin in vivo and in patients with recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer.

Nanoparticles (NPs) are cleared by monocytes and macrophages. Chemokines CCL2 and CCL5 are key mediators for recruitment of these immune cells into tumors and tissues. The purpose of this study was to investigate effects of CCL2 and CCL5 on the pharmacokinetics (PKs) of NPs. Mice deficient in CCL2 or CCL5 demonstrated altered clearance and tissue distribution of polyethylene glycol tagged liposomal doxorubicin (PLD) compared to control mice. The PK studies using mice bearing SKOV3 ovarian cancer xenografts revealed that the presence of tumor cells and higher expression of chemokines were significantly associated with greater clearance of PLD compared to non-tumor bearing mice. Plasma exposure of encapsulated liposomal doxorubicin positively correlated with the total exposure of plasma CCL2 and CCL5 in patients with recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer treated with PLD. These data emphasize that the interplay between PLD and chemokines may have an important role in optimizing PLD therapy. FROM THE CLINICAL EDITOR: The use of nanoparticles as drug delivery carriers is gaining widespread acceptance in the clinical setting. However, the underlying pharmacokinetics of these novel drugs has not really been elucidated. In this interesting article, the authors carried out experiments using mice deficient in CCL2 or CCL5 to study the clearance of liposomal system. They showed the important role the immune system played and would enable better designs of future drug delivery systems.

3D-printed microfluidic-microwave device for droplet network formation and characterisation.

Microfluidic-microwave devices (MMDs) have emerged as precision tools for the rapid, accurate, sensitive, and non-invasive characterisation of liquids in low-volumes. However, the fabrication of MMDs remains a significant challenge. This is due to the complexities associated with integrating fluidic ducts and electronic components. Herein, we present a versatile and economical 3D-printing approach using ducts filled with liquid metal as an electrical conductor. Cyclic olefin copolymer, polylactic acid, and polypropylene were identified as printable dielectric materials for MMD fabrication. Substrates of 3D-printed cyclic olefin copolymer exhibited the lowest loss tangent (0.002 at 2.7 GHz), making them suitable materials for high-frequency microwave devices. Liquid metal, specifically gallium-indium eutectic, was injected into the printed ducts to form electrically conductive microwave structures. Exemplary MMDs operating at 2 GHz integrated split-ring microwave resonators that serve as sensitive detection geometries able to measure changes in dielectric properties, with droplet-forming fluidic junctions and flow channels. The performance of 3D-printed MMDs for microwave droplet sensing was comprehensively evaluated. These devices were used in the formation and characterisation of water-in-oil emulsions, constructing definable lipid-segregated droplet interface bilayer (DIB) networks. This work indicates the feasibility of using 3D-printed manifolds for the rapid prototyping of customised MMDs, and also demonstrates the potential of MMDs as new analytical research tools in droplet-based materials and biochemistry studies.

Manipulation of encapsulated artificial phospholipid membranes using sub-micellar lysolipid concentrations.

Droplet Interface Bilayers (DIBs) constitute a commonly used model of artificial membranes for synthetic biology research applications. However, their practical use is often limited by their requirement to be surrounded by oil. Here we demonstrate in-situ bilayer manipulation of submillimeter, hydrogel-encapsulated droplet interface bilayers (eDIBs). Monolithic, Cyclic Olefin Copolymer/Nylon 3D-printed microfluidic devices facilitated the eDIB formation through high-order emulsification. By exposing the eDIB capsules to varying lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) concentrations, we investigated the interaction of lysolipids with three-dimensional DIB networks. Micellar LPC concentrations triggered the bursting of encapsulated droplet networks, while at lower concentrations the droplet network endured structural changes, precisely affecting the membrane dimensions. This chemically-mediated manipulation of enclosed, 3D-orchestrated membrane mimics, facilitates the exploration of readily accessible compartmentalized artificial cellular machinery. Collectively, the droplet-based construct can pose as a chemically responsive soft material for studying membrane mechanics, and drug delivery, by controlling the cargo release from artificial cell chassis.

Clinical and subclinical effects of power brushing following experimental induction of biofilm overgrowth in subjects representing a spectrum of periodontal disease.

AIM: Investigate short-term effects of power brushing following experimental induction of biofilm overgrowth in periodontal disease states. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Overall, 175 subjects representing each of five biofilm-gingival interface (BGI) periodontal groups were enrolled in a single-blind, randomized study. After stent-induced biofilm overgrowth for 21 days subjects received either a manual or a power toothbrush to use during a 4 weeks resolution phase. At baseline and during induction and resolution, standard clinical parameters were measured. Subclinical parameters included multikine analysis of 13 salivary biomarkers and 16s Human Oral Microbe Identification Microarray (HOMIM) probe analysis of subgingival plaque samples. RESULTS: All groups exhibited significantly greater reductions in bleeding on probing (BOP) (p = 0.002), gingival index (GI) (p = 0.0007), pocket depth (PD) (p = 0.04) and plaque index (p = 0.001) with power brushing compared to manual. When BGI groups were combined to form a shallow PD (PD ≤ 3 mm) and a deep PD group (PD > 4 mm) power brushing reduced BOP and GI in subjects with both pocket depths. Power brushing significantly reduced IL-1ß levels at resolution while changes in bacterial levels showed non-significant trends between both brushing modalities. CONCLUSIONS: Short-term changes in select clinical parameters and subclinical salivary biomarkers may be useful in assessing efficacy of power brushing interventions in a spectrum of periodontal disease states.

Clinical and histological findings of denture stomatitis as related to intraoral colonization patterns of Candida albicans, salivary flow, and dry mouth.

PURPOSE: Multifactorial etiological factors contribute to denture stomatitis (DS), a type of oral candidiasis; however, unlike other oral candidiasis, DS can occur in a healthy person wearing a denture. In this study, we therefore attempt to explore the association between candida, denture, and mucosal tissue using (1) exfoliative cytology, (2) the candidal levels present in saliva, on mucosal tissues and on denture surfaces, and (3) the salivary flow rate and xerostomic symptoms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study enrolled 32 edentulous participants, 17 without DS as controls and 15 with DS (Newton's classification type II and III). Participants with systemic or other known oral conditions were excluded. Participants completed a xerostomia questionnaire, and salivary flow rates were measured. Samples of unstimulated whole saliva (UWS) and stimulated whole saliva (SWS) were collected. UWS was used for fungal culturing. Periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) stain and quantitative exfoliative cytology were performed on samples from affected and unaffected mucosa from each participant. Levels of Candida species (albicans and non-albicans) were determined in salivary samples (expressed as colony-forming units, CFU), as well as from swab samples obtained from denture fitting surfaces, in addition to affected and unaffected mucosa. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in salivary flow rates, mucosal wetness, or frequency of reported dry mouth comparing participants with and without DS. Exfoliative cytology of mucosal smears demonstrated significantly higher (p= 0.02) inflammatory cell counts in DS patients, as compared with smears of healthy denture-wearers. Candida albicans was significantly more prevalent in saliva (p= 0.03) and on denture surfaces (p= 0.002) of DS participants, whereas mucosal candidal counts and the presence of cytological hyphae did not show significant difference comparing DS to healthy participants. CONCLUSIONS: In this investigation, we presented a unique group of healthy edentulous patients. This population may reflect the general DS population without systemic or other oral diseases. The prominent etiological factor for DS in this population is the presence of candida in denture and saliva. We found that other factors such as saliva flow/xerostomia, fitting of the denture, and the presence of candida in the mucosa, are less important in this population. Therefore, DS treatments in healthy patients should first focus on sanitization of an existing denture and/or fabrication of a new denture.

Co-operative membrane disruption between cell-penetrating peptide and cargo: implications for the therapeutic use of the Bcl-2 converter peptide D-NuBCP-9-r8.

Delivering apoptosis inducing peptides to cells is an emerging area in cancer and molecular therapeutics. Here, we have identified an alternative mechanism of action for the proapoptotic chimeric peptide D-NuBCP-9-r8. Integral to D-NuBCP-9-r8 is the Nur-77-derived D-isoform sequence fsrslhsll that targets Bcl-2, and the cell-penetrating peptide (CPP) octaarginine (r8) that is required for intracellular delivery. We find that the N-terminal phenylalanine of fsrslhsll acts in synergy with the cell-penetrating moiety to enhance peptide uptake at low nontoxic levels and cause rapid membrane blebbing and cell necrosis at higher (IC(50)) concentrations. These effects were not observed when a single phenylalanine-alanine mutation was introduced at the N-terminus of D-NuBCP-9-r8. Using primary samples from chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients and cancer cell lines, we show that NuBCP-9-r8 induced toxicity, via membrane disruption, is independent of Bcl-2 expression. Overall, this study demonstrates a new mechanism of action for this peptide and cautions its use as a highly specific entity for targeting Bcl-2. For delivery of therapeutic peptides the work emphasizes that key amino acids in cargo, located several residues away from the cell-penetrating sequence, can significantly influence their cellular uptake and mode of action.

Building programmable multicompartment artificial cells incorporating remotely activated protein channels using microfluidics and acoustic levitation.

Intracellular compartments are functional units that support the metabolism within living cells, through spatiotemporal regulation of chemical reactions and biological processes. Consequently, as a step forward in the bottom-up creation of artificial cells, building analogous intracellular architectures is essential for the expansion of cell-mimicking functionality. Herein, we report the development of a droplet laboratory platform to engineer complex emulsion-based, multicompartment artificial cells, using microfluidics and acoustic levitation. Such levitated models provide free-standing, dynamic, definable droplet networks for the compartmentalisation of chemical species. Equally, they can be remotely operated with pneumatic, heating, and magnetic elements for post-processing, including the incorporation of membrane proteins; alpha-hemolysin; and mechanosensitive channel of large-conductance. The assembly of droplet networks is three-dimensionally patterned with fluidic input configurations determining droplet contents and connectivity, whilst acoustic manipulation can be harnessed to reconfigure the droplet network in situ. The mechanosensitive channel can be repeatedly activated and deactivated in the levitated artificial cell by the application of acoustic and magnetic fields to modulate membrane tension on demand. This offers possibilities beyond one-time chemically mediated activation to provide repeated, non-contact, control of membrane protein function. Collectively, this expands our growing capability to program and operate increasingly sophisticated artificial cells as life-like materials.

Current practices for describing the performance of molecularly imprinted polymers can be misleading and may be hampering the development of the field.

A contributing factor to the labored advance of molecularly imprinting as a viable commercial solution to molecular recognition needs is the absence of a standard and robust method for assessing and reporting on molecular imprinted polymer (MIP) performance. The diversity and at times inappropriateness of MIP performance indicators means that the usefulness of the literature back-catalogue, for predicting, elucidating or understanding patterns in MIP efficacy, remains largely inaccessible. We hereby put forward the case that the simple binding isotherm is the most versatile and useful method of assessing and reporting MIP function, allowing direct comparison between polymers prepared and evaluated in different studies. In this study we describe how to correctly plot and interpret a bound / free isotherm and show how such plots can be readily used to predict outcomes, retro-analyze data and optimize experimental design. We propose that by adopting the use of correctly constructed isotherms as the primary form of data representation researchers will enable inter-laboratory comparisons, promote good experimental design and encourage a greater collective understanding of molecular imprinting.

Droplet Microfluidics for Tumor Drug-Related Studies and Programmable Artificial Cells.

Anticancer drug development is a crucial step toward cancer treatment, that requires realistic predictions of malignant tissue development and sophisticated drug delivery. Tumors often acquire drug resistance and drug efficacy, hence cannot be accurately predicted in 2D tumor cell cultures. On the other hand, 3D cultures, including multicellular tumor spheroids (MCTSs), mimic the in vivo cellular arrangement and provide robust platforms for drug testing when grown in hydrogels with characteristics similar to the living body. Microparticles and liposomes are considered smart drug delivery vehicles, are able to target cancerous tissue, and can release entrapped drugs on demand. Microfluidics serve as a high-throughput tool for reproducible, flexible, and automated production of droplet-based microscale constructs, tailored to the desired final application. In this review, it is described how natural hydrogels in combination with droplet microfluidics can generate MCTSs, and the use of microfluidics to produce tumor targeting microparticles and liposomes. One of the highlights of the review documents the use of the bottom-up construction methodologies of synthetic biology for the formation of artificial cellular assemblies, which may additionally incorporate both target cancer cells and prospective drug candidates, as an integrated "droplet incubator" drug assay platform.

Pediatric mild head trauma: is outpatient follow-up imaging necessary or beneficial?

OBJECTIVE: Pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the leading cause of death among children and is a significant cause of morbidity. However, the majority of injuries are mild (Glasgow Coma Scale score 13-15) without any need for neurosurgical intervention, and clinically significant neurological decline rarely occurs. Although the question of repeat imaging within the first 24 hours has been discussed in the past, the yield of short-term follow-up imaging has never been thoroughly described. In this paper, the authors focus on the yield of routine repeat imaging for pediatric mild TBI (mTBI) at the first clinic visit following hospital discharge. METHODS: The authors conducted a retrospective review of patients with pediatric brain trauma who had been admitted to Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital (JHACH). Patients with mTBI were identified, and their presentation, hospital course, and imaging results were reviewed. Those pediatric patients with mTBI who had undergone no procedure during their initial admission (only conservative treatment) were eligible for inclusion in the study. Two distinct groups were identified: patients who underwent repeated imaging at their follow-up clinic visit and those who underwent only clinical evaluation. Each case was assessed on whether the follow-up imaging had changed the follow-up course. RESULTS: Between 2010 and 2015, 725 patients with TBI were admitted to JHACH. Of those, 548 patients qualified for analysis (i.e., those with mTBI who received conservative treatment without any procedure and were seen in the clinic for follow-up evaluation within 8 weeks after the trauma). A total of 392 patients had only clinic follow-up, without any diagnostic imaging study conducted as part of their clinic visit, whereas the other 156 patients underwent repeat MRI. Only 1 patient had a symptomatic change and was admitted after undergoing imaging. For 30 patients (19.2%), it was decided after imaging to continue the neurosurgical follow-up, which is a change from the institutional paradigm after mTBI. None of these patients had a change in neurological status, and all had a good functional status. All of these patients had one more follow-up in the clinic with new MRI, and none of them required further follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Children with mTBI are commonly followed up in the ambulatory clinic setting. The authors believe that for children with mTBI, normal clinical examination, and no new symptoms, there is no need for routine ambulatory imaging since the clinical yield of such is relatively low.

Adolescent Disc Disease: Risk Factors and Treatment Success-Related Factors.

OBJECTIVE: A paucity of literature is available discussing the associated risk factors, treatment options (including the use of minimally invasive surgery), and outcomes related to lumbar disc herniation (LDH) in children. We have discussed the risk factors for disc disease among pediatric patients and evaluated the efficacy of the minimally invasive approach. METHODS: A retrospective review of pediatric patients with lumbar disc disease who had undergone microdiscectomy at our institution from 2005 to 2016 was conducted. The preoperative presentation, hospital course, postoperative course, and follow-up data (≥3 years) were reviewed. We evaluated the risk factors for LDH and the surgical outcomes for both groups. RESULTS: A total of 52 pediatric patients had undergone 61 lumbar disc surgeries for LDH in our department from 2005 to 2016. Their average age at surgery was 16.65 years. Of the 61 procedures, 48 (78.7%) had been performed via the minimally invasive spine microdiscectomy approach and 13 (21.3%) via the open microdiscectomy approach. The average body mass index for all cases was 29.3 kg/m2. The average interval to diagnosis was 7.9 months. Of the 61 cases, 21 (34.4%) had been required for patients who were competitive athletes. In addition, 15 had been for LDH related to trauma (24.6%). In 46 of the 61 cases, complete resolution of the symptoms had occurred at the 1-year follow-up visit (79.2% of minimally invasive spine microdiscectomy vs 61.5% of open microdiscectomy). CONCLUSION: Risk factors similar to those for adult LDH, such as an elevated body mass index, can be seen in the pediatric population. However, some unique risk factors such as post-traumatic LDH were found in the pediatric age group. Minimally invasive techniques are demonstrably safe and useful in this patient population.

Dietary alteration of n-3 and n-6 fatty acids for headache reduction in adults with migraine: randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether dietary interventions that increase n-3 fatty acids with and without reduction in n-6 linoleic acid can alter circulating lipid mediators implicated in headache pathogenesis, and decrease headache in adults with migraine. DESIGN: Three arm, parallel group, randomized, modified double blind, controlled trial. SETTING: Ambulatory, academic medical center in the United States over 16 weeks. PARTICIPANTS: 182 participants (88% women, mean age 38 years) with migraines on 5-20 days per month (67% met criteria for chronic migraine). INTERVENTIONS: Three diets designed with eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and linoleic acid altered as controlled variables: H3 diet (n=61)-increase EPA+DHA to 1.5 g/day and maintain linoleic acid at around 7% of energy; H3-L6 diet (n=61)-increase n-3 EPA+DHA to 1.5 g/day and decrease linoleic acid to ≤1.8% of energy; control diet (n=60)-maintain EPA+DHA at <150 mg/day and linoleic acid at around 7% of energy. All participants received foods accounting for two thirds of daily food energy and continued usual care. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary endpoints (week 16) were the antinociceptive mediator 17-hydroxydocosahexaenoic acid (17-HDHA) in blood and the headache impact test (HIT-6), a six item questionnaire assessing headache impact on quality of life. Headache frequency was assessed daily with an electronic diary. RESULTS: In intention-to-treat analyses (n=182), the H3-L6 and H3 diets increased circulating 17-HDHA (log ng/mL) compared with the control diet (baseline-adjusted mean difference 0.6, 95% confidence interval 0.2 to 0.9; 0.7, 0.4 to 1.1, respectively). The observed improvement in HIT-6 scores in the H3-L6 and H3 groups was not statistically significant (-1.6, -4.2 to 1.0, and -1.5, -4.2 to 1.2, respectively). Compared with the control diet, the H3-L6 and H3 diets decreased total headache hours per day (-1.7, -2.5 to -0.9, and -1.3, -2.1 to -0.5, respectively), moderate to severe headache hours per day (-0.8, -1.2 to -0.4, and -0.7, -1.1 to -0.3, respectively), and headache days per month (-4.0, -5.2 to -2.7, and -2.0, -3.3 to -0.7, respectively). The H3-L6 diet decreased headache days per month more than the H3 diet (-2.0, -3.2 to -0.8), suggesting additional benefit from lowering dietary linoleic acid. The H3-L6 and H3 diets altered n-3 and n-6 fatty acids and several of their nociceptive oxylipin derivatives in plasma, serum, erythrocytes or immune cells, but did not alter classic headache mediators calcitonin gene related peptide and prostaglandin E2. CONCLUSIONS: The H3-L6 and H3 interventions altered bioactive mediators implicated in headache pathogenesis and decreased frequency and severity of headaches, but did not significantly improve quality of life. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02012790.

Modulation of allergic airway inflammation by the oral pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis.

Accumulating evidence suggests that bacteria associated with periodontal disease may exert systemic immunomodulatory effects. Although the improvement in oral hygiene practices in recent decades correlates with the increased incidence of asthma in developed nations, it is not known whether diseases of the respiratory system might be influenced by the presence of oral pathogens. The present study sought to determine whether subcutaneous infection with the anaerobic oral pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis exerts a regulatory effect on allergic airway inflammation. BALB/c mice sensitized and subsequently challenged with ovalbumin exhibited airway hyperresponsiveness to methacholine aerosol and increased airway inflammatory cell influx and Th2 cytokine (interleukin-4 [IL-4], IL-5, and IL-13) content relative to those in nonallergic controls. Airway inflammatory cell and cytokine contents were significantly reduced by establishment of a subcutaneous infection with P. gingivalis prior to allergen sensitization, whereas serum levels of ovalbumin-specific IgE and airway responsiveness were not altered. Conversely, subcutaneous infection initiated after allergen sensitization did not alter inflammatory end points but did reduce airway responsiveness in spite of increased serum IgE levels. These data provide the first direct evidence of a regulatory effect of an oral pathogen on allergic airway inflammation and responsiveness. Furthermore, a temporal importance of the establishment of infection relative to allergen sensitization is demonstrated for allergic outcomes.

Triclosan inhibition of acute and chronic inflammatory gene pathways.

AIM: We sought to determine whether triclosan (2,4,4'-trichloro-2'-hydroxydiphenylether), an extensively used anti-plaque agent with broad-spectrum anti-microbial activity, with reported anti-inflammatory effects via inhibition of prostaglandin E2 and interleukin 1 (IL-1)beta, could also more broadly suppress multiple inflammatory gene pathways responsible for the pathogenesis of gingivitis and periodontitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: As an exploratory study, the effects of triclosan on the inflammatory gene expression profile were assessed ex vivo using peripheral whole blood samples from eight periodontally healthy donors. Ten-millilitres whole blood aliquots were incubated 2 h with 0.3 microg/ml Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) with or without 0.5 microg/ml triclosan. Affymetrix microarray gene expression profiles from isolated leucocytes and pathway-specific quantitative polymerase chain reaction arrays were used to investigate changes in expression of target cytokines and cell signalling molecules. RESULTS: Ex vivo human whole blood assays indicated that triclosan significantly down-regulated the LPS-stimulated expression of Toll-like receptor signalling molecules and other multiple inflammatory molecules including IL-1 and IL-6 and the dampening of signals that activate the T-helper type 1 acquired immune response via suppression of CD70 with concomitant up-regulation of growth factors related to bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)2 and BMP6 synthesis. CONCLUSIONS: Anti-inflammatory effects were found in this exploratory survey, including suppression of microbial-pathogen recognition pathway molecules and the suppression of acute and chronic mediators of inflammation.

In vitro drug release study of methacrylate polymer blend system: effect of polymer blend composition, drug loading and solubilizing surfactants on drug release.

The application of polymers as the drug delivery systems for treating oral infections is a relatively new area of research. The present study was to test the release of the antibacterial drug chlorhexidine diacetate (CHDA), the antifungal drug Nystatin (NYS) and the antiviral drug acyclovir (ACY) from polymer blends of poly(ethyl methacrylate) and poly(n-hexyl methacrylate) of different compositions. The effects of polymer blend composition, drug loading and solubilizing surfactants on the release of the drugs have been studied. Measurements of the in vitro rate of drug release showed a sustained release of drug over extended periods of time. Drug release rates decreased with increasing PEMA content in polymer blends. CHDA release rates increased steadily with increasing drug load. The drug release rates increased with the addition of surfactants. This study demonstrates that the three therapeutic agents show a sustained rate of drug release from polymer blends of PEMA and PHMA over extended periods of time. By varying polymer blend compositions as well as the drug concentration (loading), it is possible to control the drug release rates to a desired value. The drug release rate is enhanced by addition of surfactants that solubilize drugs in the polymer blends.

Formation of Polarized, Functional Artificial Cells from Compartmentalized Droplet Networks and Nanomaterials, Using One-Step, Dual-Material 3D-Printed Microfluidics.

The bottom-up construction of synthetic cells with user-defined chemical organization holds considerable promise in the creation of bioinspired materials. Complex emulsions, droplet networks, and nested vesicles all represent platforms for the engineering of segregated chemistries with controlled communication, analogous to biological cells. Microfluidic manufacture of such droplet-based materials typically results in radial or axisymmetric structures. In contrast, biological cells frequently display chemical polarity or gradients, which enable the determination of directionality, and inform higher-order interactions. Here, a dual-material, 3D-printing methodology to produce microfluidic architectures that enable the construction of functional, asymmetric, hierarchical, emulsion-based artificial cellular chassis is developed. These materials incorporate droplet networks, lipid membranes, and nanoparticle components. Microfluidic 3D-channel arrangements enable symmetry-breaking and the spatial patterning of droplet hierarchies. This approach can produce internal gradients and hemispherically patterned, multilayered shells alongside chemical compartmentalization. Such organization enables incorporation of organic and inorganic components, including lipid bilayers, within the same entity. In this way, functional polarization, that imparts individual and collective directionality on the resulting artificial cells, is demonstrated. This approach enables exploitation of polarity and asymmetry, in conjunction with compartmentalized and networked chemistry, in single and higher-order organized structures, thereby increasing the palette of functionality in artificial cellular materials.

Liquid-liquid phase separation: characterisation of a novel device capable of separating particle carrying multiphase flows.

Capillary forces on the microscale are exploited to create a continuous flow liquid-liquid phase separator. Segmented flow regimes of immiscible fluids are generated and subsequently separated into their component phases through an array of high aspect ratio, laser machined, separation ducts (36 microm wide, 130 microm deep) in a planar, integrated, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) microdevice. A controlled pressure differential across the phase separator architecture facilitates the selective passage of the wetting, organic, phase through the separator ducts, enabling separation of microfluidic multiphase flow streams. The reported device is demonstrated to separate water and chloroform segmented flow regimes at flow rates up to 0.4 ml min(-1). Separation efficiency is quantified over a range of flow rates and applied pressure differentials, characterising device behaviour and limits of operation. Experimental measurements and observations are supported by theoretical hydrodynamic and capillary pressure modelling. The influence of material properties and geometric design parameters on phase separation is quantified and optimisation strategies proposed. The novel ability of the membrane free device to separate an organic phase containing suspended microparticulates, from an aqueous phase, is also demonstrated.

Results from the Periodontitis and Vascular Events (PAVE) Study: a pilot multicentered, randomized, controlled trial to study effects of periodontal therapy in a secondary prevention model of cardiovascular disease.

BACKGROUND: In the Periodontitis and Vascular Events (PAVE) pilot study, periodontal therapy was provided as an intervention in a secondary cardiac event prevention model through five coordinated cardiac-dental centers. METHODS: Subjects were randomized to either community care or protocol provided scaling and root planing to evaluate effects on periodontal status and systemic levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP). RESULTS: After 6 months, there was a significant reduction in mean probing depth and extent of 4- or 5-mm pockets. However, there were no significant differences in attachment levels, bleeding upon probing, or extent of subgingival calculus comparing subjects assigned to protocol therapy (n = 151) to those assigned to community care (n = 152). Using intent-to-treat analyses, there was no significant effect on serum hs-CRP levels at 6 months. However, 48% of the subjects randomized to community care received preventive or periodontal treatments. Secondary analyses demonstrated that consideration of any preventive or periodontal care (i.e., any treatment) compared to no treatment showed a significant reduction in the percentage of people with elevated hs-CRP (values >3 mg/l) at 6 months. However, obesity nullified the periodontal treatment effects on hs-CRP reduction. The adjusted odds ratio for hs-CRP levels >3 mg/l at 6 months for any treatment versus no treatment among non-obese individuals was 0.26 (95% confidence interval: 0.09 to 0.72), adjusting for smoking, marital status, and gender. CONCLUSION: This pilot study demonstrated the critical role of considering obesity as well as rigorous preventive and periodontal care in trials designed to reduce cardiovascular risk.

Dissolving microneedle based transdermal delivery of therapeutic peptide analogues.

Microneedle technology offers a viable means of delivering biologically active pharmaceutical agents across the skin in a minimally invasive and virtually pain free manner. Previous work detailed the first successful transdermal delivery of a model peptide drug, polymyxin b, utilising a dissolving polymer-based microneedle system. The focus of this study was to examine the ability of a dissolving microneedle system to deliver a range of peptides of different sizes and properties. Analogue versions of 2 existing therapeutic peptides; pentagastrin and sincalide, were synthesised utilising Fmoc based solid phase peptide synthesis (SPPS) chemistry techniques and once successfully synthesised and purified, the peptide analogues were characterised using LC-MS. The peptide analogues were then incorporated into PVP/trehalose microneedle formulations. Skin permeation testing, in addition to skin penetration testing, was carried out to determine the effectiveness of the microneedle system to deliver the peptide analogues through porcine skin. The results obtained from these studies were then compared with the permeation results obtained utilising polymyxin B as the peptide drug cargo to evaluate the PVP/trehalose microneedle system's suitability to successfully deliver therapeutic peptides. Results indicated that the microneedle system successfully systemically delivered a higher overall percentage of the encapsulated peptides at an initially faster rate than peptide loaded control discs and in therapeutically relevant concentrations.