Surface-modified, zinc-incorporated mesoporous silica nanoparticles with improved antibacterial and rapid hemostatic properties.

Severe bleeding and bacterial infections pose significant challenges to the global public health. Effective hemostatic materials have the potential to be used for rapid control of bleeding at the wound site. In this study, mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN) were doped with zinc ions (MSN@Zn) and subsequently functionalized with carboxyl (-COOH) groups through post-grafting, resulting in (MSN@Zn-COOH). The results demonstrated the successful functionalization of carboxyl groups on the surface of MSN@Zn mesoporous materials with minimal impact on the morphology. The released zinc ions showed potent antibacterial activity (above ∼80 %) against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). In vitro and in vivo assessments of MSN@Zn-COOH revealed excellent hemostatic effects and favorable blood compatibility. Hemolysis percentages associated with MSN@Zn-COOH exhibited noteworthy reductions in comparison to MSN. Furthermore, a decrease in APTT (a test evaluating the intrinsic coagulation pathway) of modified MSN@Zn indicated enhanced hemostasis, supported by their negative zeta potential (∼ -14 to -43 mV). Importantly, all samples showed no cytotoxicity. This work underscores the potential of MSN@Zn-COOH, with its combined hemostatic performance and antibacterial activity, for emergency clinical applications.

Reinforcement of freeze-dried chitosan scaffolds with multiphasic calcium phosphate short fibers.

The composite scaffolds of the chitosan and multiphasic calcium phosphate (HW) short fibers were prepared by freeze drying and characterized by X-ray diffractometry (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM and FE-SEM). The mechanical properties of the scaffolds were assessed by compression test. The incorporation of HW fibers consisting three phases of hydroxyapatite (HA), beta-tricalcium phosphate (ß-TCP) and calcium pyrophosphate (CPP) into the chitosan matrices was associated with an increase in pore size, density and compressive strength and modulus, and a decrease in porosity and swelling ratio of the scaffolds. The strongest composite scaffolds in this study with a chitosan: HW fibers weight ratio of 1:1 showed a mean porosity of 69% and a mean strength and modulus of 420kPa and 3.87MPa, respectively. The in vitro bioactivity of the composites was confirmed by the formation of a calcium phosphate rich layer on the surface of soaked scaffolds in simulated body fluid. The findings of this initial work indicate that the chitosan-multiphasic calcium phosphate short fibers may be a suitable material for bone scaffolding.