Acrylated adhesive proteinic microneedle patch for local drug delivery and stable device implantation.

Microneedle patches have been developed as favorable platforms for delivery systems, such as the locoregional application of therapeutic drugs, and implantation systems, such as electronic devices on visceral tissue surfaces. However, the challenge lies in finding materials that can achieve both biocompatibility and stable fixation on the target tissue. To address this issue, utilizing a biocompatible adhesive biomaterial allows the flat part of the patch to adhere as well, enabling double-sided adhesion for greater versatility. In this work, we propose an adhesive microneedle patch based on mussel adhesive protein (MAP) with enhanced mechanical strength via ultraviolet-induced polyacrylate crosslinking and Coomassie brilliant blue molecules. The strong wet tissue adhesive and biocompatible nature of engineered acrylated-MAP resulted in the development of a versatile wet adhesive microneedle patch system for in vivo usage. In a mouse tumor model, this microneedle patch effectively delivered anticancer drugs while simultaneously sealing the skin wound. Additionally, in an application of rat subcutaneous implantation, an electronic circuit was stably anchored using a double-sided wet adhesive microneedle patch, and its signal location underneath the skin did not change over time. Thus, the proposed acrylated-MAP-based wet adhesive microneedle patch system holds great promise for biomedical applications, paving the way for advancements in drug delivery therapeutics, tissue engineering, and implantable electronic medical devices.

A Customizable Proteinic Bioadhesive Patch with Water-Switchable Underwater Adhesiveness, Adjustable Biodegradability, and Modifiable Stretchability for Healing Diverse Internal Wounds.

Customizable bioadhesives for individual organ requirements, including tissue type and motion, are essential, especially given the rise in implantable medical device applications demanding adequate underwater adhesion. While synthetic bioadhesives are widely used, their toxicity upon degradation shifts focus to biocompatible natural biomaterials. However, enhancing the adhesive strengths of these biomaterials presents ongoing challenges while accommodating the unique properties of specific organs. To address these issues, three types of customized underwater bioadhesive patches (CUBAPs) with strong, water-responsive adhesion and controllable biodegradability and stretchability based on bioengineered mussel adhesive proteins conjugated with acrylic acid and/or methacrylic acid are proposed. The CUBAP system, although initially nonadhesive, shows strong underwater adhesion upon hydration, adjustable biodegradation, and adequate physical properties by adjusting the ratio of poly(acrylic acid) and poly(methacrylic acid). Through ex vivo and in vivo evaluations using defective organs and the implantation of electronic devices, the suitability of using CUBAPs for effective wound healing in diverse internal organs is demonstrated. Thus, this innovative CUBAP system offers strong underwater adhesiveness with tailored biodegradation timing and physical properties, giving it great potential in various biomedical applications.

Fibro-inflammatory recovery and type 2 diabetes remission following a low calorie diet but not exercise training: A secondary analysis of the DIASTOLIC randomised controlled trial.

AIMS: To investigate the relationship between fibro-inflammatory biomarkers and cardiovascular structure/function in people with Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) compared to healthy controls and the effect of two lifestyle interventions in T2D. METHODS: Data were derived from the DIASTOLIC randomised controlled trial (RCT) and includes a comparison between those with T2D and the matched healthy volunteers recruited at baseline. Adults with T2D without cardiovascular disease (CVD) were randomized to a 12-week intervention either: (1) exercise training, (2) a low-energy (∼810 kcal/day) meal-replacement plan (MRP) or (3) standard care. Principal Component and Fisher's linear discriminant analysis were used to investigate the relationships between MRI acquired cardiovascular outcomes and fibro-inflammatory biomarkers in cases versus controls and pre- and post-intervention in T2D. RESULTS: At baseline, 83 people with T2D (mean age 50.5 ± 6.4; 58% male) and 36 healthy controls (mean age 48.6 ± 6.2; 53% male) were compared and 76 people with T2D completed the RCT for pre- post-analysis. Compared to healthy controls, subjects with T2D had adverse cardiovascular remodelling and a fibro-inflammatory profile (20 differentially expressed biomarkers). The 3D data visualisations showed almost complete separation between healthy controls and those with T2D, and a marked shift towards healthy controls following the MRP (15 biomarkers significantly changed) but not exercise training. CONCLUSIONS: Fibro-inflammatory pathways and cardiovascular structure/function are adversely altered before the onset of symptomatic CVD in middle-aged adults with T2D. The MRP improved the fibro-inflammatory profile of people with T2D towards a more healthy status. Long-term studies are required to assess whether these changes lead to continued reverse cardiac remodelling and prevent CVD.

The relationship between volatile organic profiles and emission sources in ozone episode region-a case study in Southern Taiwan.

This study investigates the relationship between volatile organic profiles in the atmosphere and emission sources in an ozone non-attainment in region Southern Taiwan. Dynamometer test of vehicles and stack sampling from industrial facilities were conducted to obtain the fingerprints of emissions from on-road mobile sources and stationary sources, respectively. In addition, field sampling of non-methane organic compounds (NMOC) concentration at monitoring stations during episode seasons were also collected by canisters. The influences of different emissions sources on airborne concentrations were estimated by back-trojectory analysis and chemical mass balance model (CMB 8.0) calculation. Field measurement data indicated that the daily average concentration of NMOC ranges between 26.4 and 69.8 ppb at different sites. The mass fraction for paraffins, oleffins and aromatics in airborne samples at these sites were 28-47%, 7-12% and 41-52%, respectively. Toluene was the dominant species among these species, followed by isopentane, n-butane and 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene. The source apportionment of airborne NMOC in the ozone non-attainment region, based on CMB simulation, is passenger cars (28-51%), motorcycles (9-24%), industrial sources (14-33%), solvent application (13-46%) and biogenic emissions (< 1-2.4%), respectively. Both field measurement and model analysis showed that the vehicle exhaust and industrial emission are the dominant contributors of NMOC in the region.