Facile synthesis of superhydrophobic MS/TiO2/PDMS sponge for efficient oil-water separation.

To obtain a kind of superhydrophobic sponge with high oil and water selectivity, the MS/TiO2/PDMS sponge was prepared via a two-step hydrophobic fabrication based on the melamine sponge (MS), tetrabutyl titanate (TBOT), and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). The effects of modification time, the concentrations of TBOT and PDMS on the properties of the MS/TiO2/PDMS sponge were studied, and the separation mechanism was also discussed based on the interaction between the oil and the surface of the MS/TiO2/PDMS sponge. The results suggest that under optimal conditions, the MS/TiO2/PDMS sponge show superhydrophobicity. The contact angle and adsorption capacity for oil of the MS/TiO2/PDMS sponge are 149.2° and 98.5 g·g-1, respectively, and they can be recycled for about 25 cycles after oil-water separation test. This study prepares a new composite material with high oil-water selectivity, which is a good foundation for the development and research of new oil adsorbents.

[Clinical evaluation of "All-on-Four" provisional prostheses reinforced with carbon fibers].

OBJECTIVE: To assess the clinical effects of carbon fiber reinforcement on the "All-on-Four" provisional prostheses. METHODS: Provisional prostheses were divided into control group and carbon fiber reinforcing group according to whether carbon fiber reinforcement was used in the provisional prostheses base resin. In our study, a total of 60 patients (32 males and 28 females) with 71 provisional prostheses(28 maxilla and 43 mandible)were enrolled between April 2008 and December 2012 for control group; a total of 23 patients (13 males and 10 females) with 28 provisional prostheses (9 maxillas and 19 mandibles) were enrolled between January 2013 and March 2014 for carbon fiber reinforcing group. The information of provisional prostheses in the patients was recorded according to preoperative examination. We used the date of definitive prosthesis restoration as the cut-off point, observing whether fracture occurred on the provisional prostheses in the two groups. Additionally we observed whether fiber exposure occurred on the tissue surface of the provisional prostheses and caused mucosal irritation. The interface between the denture base resin and the fibers was examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). RESULTS: The age [(57.3 ± 10.1) years vs.(55.1 ± 11.4) years], gender (32 males and 28 females vs. 13 males and 10 females), maxilla and mandible distributions (28 maxillas and 43 mandibles vs. 9 maxillas and 19 mandibles), the number of extraction jaws (46 vs. 23), the average using time [(7.8 ± 1.3) months vs. (7.5 ± 1.1) months], and the opposing dentition distributions of provisional prostheses of the patients showed no significant differences between the control and reinforcing groups. There were 21(29.6%) fractures that occurred on the 71 provisional prostheses in the control group; there was no fracture that occurred on the 28 provisional prosthesesin the carbon fiber reinforcing group. The fracture rate of the carbon fiber reinforcing group was significantly lower than that of the control group (P=0.001). No carbon fiber exposure and mucosal irritation were observed from clinical examination.SEM revealed relatively continuous contact between the fiber and acrylic resin, and the resin particles adhered on the surface of the carbon fibers. CONCLUSION: The addition of carbon fibers between abutments placed on "All-on-Four" provisional fixed denture base resin may be clinically effective in preventing "All-on-Four" denture fracture and can provide several advantages for clinical use.

Assessment of the osteogenic effect after maxillary sinus floor elevation and simultaneous implantation with or without bone grafts by analyzing trabecular bone parameters: a retrospective study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this population-based retrospective study was to compare the osteogenic effect of newly formed bone after maxillary sinus floor elevation (MSFE) and simultaneous implantation with or without bone grafts by quantitatively analyzing trabecular bone parameters. METHODOLOGY: A total of 100 patients with missing posterior maxillary teeth who required MSFE and implantation were included in this study. Patients were divided into two groups: the non-graft group (n=50) and the graft group (n=50). Radiographic parameters were measured using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT), and the quality of newly formed bone was analyzed by assessing trabecular bone parameters using CTAn (CTAnalyzer, SkyScan, Antwerp, Belgium) software. RESULTS: In the selected regions of interest, the non-graft group showed greater bone volume/total volume (BV/TV), bone surface/total volume (BS/TV), trabecular number (Tb. N), and trabecular thickness (Tb. Th) than the graft group (p<0.001). The non-graft group showed lower trabecular separation (Tb. Sp) than the graft group (p<0.001). The incidence of perforation and bleeding was higher in the graft group than in the non-graft group (p<0.001), but infection did not significantly differ between groups (p>0.05). Compared to the graft group, the non-graft group showed lower postoperative bone height, gained bone height and apical bone height (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: MSFE with and without bone grafts can significantly improve bone formation. In MSFE, the use of bone grafts hinders the formation of good quality bone, whereas the absence of bone grafts can generate good bone quality and limited bone mass.

Low-threshold Raman laser from an on-chip, high-Q, polymer-coated microcavity.

We study the stimulated Raman emission of a high-Q polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-coated silica microsphere on a silicon chip. In this hybrid structure, as the thickness of the PDMS coating increases, the spatial distribution of the whispering gallery modes moves inside the PDMS layer, and the light emission switches from silica Raman lasing to PDMS Raman lasing. The Raman shift of the PDMS Raman laser is measured at 2900 cm(-1), corresponding to the strongest Raman fingerprint of bulk PDMS material. The threshold for this PDMS Raman lasing is demonstrated to be as low as 1.3 mW. This type of Raman emission from a surface-coated high-Q microcavity not only provides a route for extending lasing wavelengths, but also shows potential for detecting specific analytes.

Surface modifications of zirconia with plasma pretreatment and polydopamine coating to enhance the bond strength and durability between zirconia and titanium.

The aim of this study was to assess the shear bond strength and durability between plasma-pretreated and polydopamine (PDA)-coated zirconia and titanium. Four groups were prepared according to the different surface treatments (untreated ZrO2, plasma-pretreated ZrO2, PDA-coated ZrO2, and plasma-pretreated and PDA-coated ZrO2 (PP+PDA-ZrO2). The surface topography and roughness, contact angle, and elemental analysis of the coatings of the four groups were investigated, and the bond strength and durability of the specimens were evaluated based on shear bond strength and thermocycle tests. Physical and chemical characterization results confirmed that PDA coatings can be successfully formed on zirconia substrates. The roughness and hydrophilicity were significantly higher in the PP+PDA-ZrO2 group, which demonstrated better shear bond strength and durability between zirconia and titanium. The plasma pretreatment of zirconia substrates can enhance the stability of the PDA coating layer, and hybrid surface modifications can provide several bonding advantages for clinical use.

Optimization of a concentrated growth factor/mesoporous bioactive glass composite scaffold and its application in rabbit mandible defect regeneration.

Maxillofacial bone defect repair and regeneration remains a tremendous challenge in the field of stomatology. However, the limited osteoinductivity of artificial materials and the high cost of bioactive agents restrain their clinical translation. This study aimed to construct an economical and efficient concentrated growth factor/mesoporous bioactive glass (CGF/MBG) composite scaffold for bone regeneration. The biochemical composition and biological effects of different forms of CGFs were systematically compared, and the results showed that CGF-conditioned medium effectively promoted proliferation, migration and osteogenesis of allogenic BMSCs. Gel phase CGF (gpCGF) exhibited superior bioactivity and osteoinductivity to liquid phase CGF (lpCGF) and liquid/gel mixed phase CGF (lgpCGF), and was further applied to construct CGF/MBG scaffolds. In vitro studies demonstrated that co-culture with gpCGF-conditioned medium further enhanced the biocompatibility of MBG, increasing cell adhesion and proliferation on the scaffold. On this basis, two compositing approaches to construct the scaffold by fibrin gel formation (CGF/FG/MBG) and freeze-drying (fdCGF/MBG) were applied, and the biological efficacy of CGFs was compared in vivo. In a rabbit mandibular defect model, higher osteogenic efficiency in in situ bone regeneration of CGF/FG/MBG composite scaffolds was proved, compared with fdCGF/MBG. Taken together, the CGF/FG/MBG composite scaffold is expected to be an efficient bone repairing therapy for clinical translation, and the CGF-composited scaffold using gpCGF and the fibrin gel formation method is a promising way to enhance the bioactivity and osteoinductivity of current clinical bone repairing materials, providing new thoughts on the development of future orthopedic biomaterials.

Modified internal sinus elevation for patients with low residual bone height: A retrospective clinical study.

BACKGROUND: We have modified the internal sinus elevation by combining it with the sinus mucoperiosteum stripping procedure, which further increases the indications for the internal lift. Similar long-term clinical follow-up studies and three-dimensional finite element analyses are rare. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the feasibility of the modified internal sinus floor elevation method in patients with low residual bone height using a three-dimensional (3D) finite element model and report on the long-term outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Overall, 99 implants were placed in 86 patients. All patients were followed-up for 3-24 months. The modified internal sinus floor elevation was dynamically simulated using a 3D finite element model, and the stress of the sinus membrane was measured. RESULTS: In trial group A (modified internal sinus floor elevation group), 57 implants were placed in 52 patients. The sinus floor height was lifted by 6.5 mm (95%confidence interval (CI): 6.2-6.8). The perforation rate was 8.8%, and the implant survival rate was 96.5%. In control group B (external sinus floor elevation group), 42 implants were placed in 34 patients. The sinus floor height was lifted by 8.8 mm (95%CI: 8.4-9.3). The perforation rate was 14.3%, and the implant survival rate was 100%. In trial group A, compared with the control group B, perforation decreased by 5.5% (odds ratio = 0.50 and 95%CI: 0.14-1.78; p = 0.282), and the sinus floor lift height was 2.3 mm lower (95%CI, 1.8-2.9; p < 0.001). The finite element analysis showed that the peak stress of the sinus membrane increased with an increase in height elevation and degree of membrane separation. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate the positive clinical outcomes in patients with low RBH associated with the modified internal sinus elevation procedure.

Bioactive Nanocomposite Microsponges for Effective Reconstruction of Critical-Sized Calvarial Defects in Rat Model.

Introduction: Micro-sized sponge particulates have attracted extensive attention because of their potential to overcome the intrinsic limitations of conventional monolithic scaffolds in tissue engineering. Bioactive nanocomposite microsponges are regarded as potential bone substitute materials for bone regeneration. Methods: Based on a combination of microfluidic emulsion with further freezing and in situ thawing, chitosan (CS)-hydroxyapatite (HAP) microsponges were prepared and characterized in terms of their morphology and elemental distribution using a scanning electron microscope equipped with an X-ray detector. The swelling ratio, porosity, degradability, antibacterial activity, and bioactivity were detected and analyzed. The biological functions of the CS-HAP microsponges were examined to assess the adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation of in vitro co-cultured rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (rBMSCs). Furthermore, the CS-HAP microsponges were used as cell-free scaffolds and implanted into calvarial defects in a rat model to evaluate the in vivo osteogenesis. Results: The CS-HAP microsponges have a porous structure with high porosity (~76%), good swelling capacity (~1900%), and shape-memory properties. The results of in vitro experiments show that the CS-HAP microsponges achieve good bioactivity and promote osteogenic differentiation of rBMSCs. Furthermore, the CS-HAP microsponges significantly promote bone regeneration in rat calvarial defects. Conclusion: The bioactive CS-HAP microsponges have the potential to be used as bone substitute materials for bone tissue engineering.

Biological and antibacterial properties of composite coatings on titanium surfaces modified by microarc oxidation and sol-gel processing.

The aim of this study was to assess the biological and antibacterial properties of composite coatings on titanium surfaces modified by microarc oxidation and sol-gel processing. A layer of hydroxyapatite (HA) with different concentrations of zinc (Zn) ions, prepared by the sol-gel method, was coated on microarc oxidized Ti (MAO-Ti) substrates. Five groups of specimens were tested. The microstructures, elemental compositions, and chemical phases of the composite coatings were investigated, and the biological and antibacterial properties of specimens were evaluated in vitro. The EDS and XRD results confirmed the composite coatings contained HA and Zn ions which was formed on titanium surfaces. The proliferation and ALP activity of BMSCs was significantly higher in group MAO-Ti+HA and MAO-Ti+HA+Zn(High), but MAO-Ti+HA+Zn(High) showed better antibacterial performance. The MAO-Ti substrate coated with the higher Zn concentration in the HA coating exhibited not only favorable biocompatibility, but also antibacterial action against Gram-negative anaerobic bacteria.

A biodegradable gelatin-based nanostructured sponge with space maintenance to enhance long-term osteogenesis in maxillary sinus augmentation.

The search for bone substitutes that are biodegradable, ensure space maintenance, and have osteogenic predictability, is ongoing in the field of sinus augmentation. We thus compared the bone regeneration potential of nanostructured sponges (NS-Sponge) with that of collagen-stabilized inorganic bovine bones (BO-Collagen), gelatin sponges (Gelatin), and blood clots (Cont) in sinus augmentation of rabbits. NS-Sponge was prepared by thermally induced phase separation with porogen leaching techniques. All the materials were non-hemolytic and cytocompatible. The porous and nanofibrous NS-Sponge showed better dimensional stability to support cell growth and osteogenic differentiation. In vivo, the sinus membrane collapsed in Cont and Gelatin, while BO-Collagen and NS-Sponge maintained the elevated height as assessed by come-beam computed tomography. Limited bone regeneration was observed in Cont and Gelatin. In the entire implanted area, histological analysis revealed a higher percentage of new bone area at 4 weeks of BO-Collagen treatment; however, a significantly greater increase in new bone area was observed after 12 weeks of NS-Sponge treatment. The 12-week remnant NS-Sponge material was significantly lower than the 4-week remnant material. Overall, NS-Sponge may be highly recommended for sinus augmentation, as it exhibits numerous advantages, including excellent operability, clear imaging characteristics, space maintenance, biodegradability, and superior osteogenic potential.

Features of electron beam deposition of polymer coatings with the prolonged release of the drug component.

The first part of the paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the features of electron beam formation of polymer coatings with the prolonged release of the drug compound using ciprofloxacin and clotrimazole as an example. The influence features of the low-energy electron beam on the molecular structure of medicinal chemical preparations have been established. The impossibility of producing the coatings based on medicinal compounds with a complex molecular structure (vancomycin, micafungin, etc.) by a low-energy electron beam has been justified. The second part of the paper introduces a fundamentally new vacuum method for the formation of the composite coatings based on antibiotics and antifungal drugs, accompanied by the prolonged release of the drug component. This method allows the formation of composite coatings based on medicinal compounds with a complex molecular structure. It is effective for modifying implants to prevent the risk of implant-associated infectious complications which are the result of the occurrence of mixed biofilms. The method can be used to form composite layers based on topical antitumor drugs for cancer control.

Green synthesis of reduced graphene oxide using bagasse and its application in dye removal: A waste-to-resource supply chain.

Graphene is usually synthesized through deoxygenation of graphene oxide (GO) by hydrazine which functions as a reducing agent, but the production of graphene via this method suffers a high cost and is often regarded to be not environmental-friendly. In this work, we developed a simple and efficient method for the green reduction of GO to reduced graphene oxide (rGO) dispersed on sugarcane bagasse derived from rGO/bagasse material. The rGO/bagasse was characterized by Scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, Thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis. All these characterization techniques clearly revealed that the rGO has been successfully prepared by reduction sugars. In addition, rGO synthesized from bagasse was considered as a promising adsorbent for removing methyl blue. Adsorption kinetics were also applied to stimulate the adsorption process, and the adsorption behavior of this new adsorbent fits well with the pseudo-second-order kinetic model (R2 = 0.98). Finally, the cycling experiments for MB adsorption by bagasse synthesized rGO confirmed that the as-prepared rGO was reusable. Taken together, all results in this work provided the new insights into the green reduction of GO by bagasse, and the formation of rGO/bagasse material presented a great potential in the disposal of dye waste water.

Assessment of the osteogenic effect after maxillary sinus floor elevation and simultaneous implantation with or without bone grafts by analyzing trabecular bone parameters: a retrospective study

Abstract Objective: The aim of this population-based retrospective study was to compare the osteogenic effect of newly formed bone after maxillary sinus floor elevation (MSFE) and simultaneous implantation with or without bone grafts by quantitatively analyzing trabecular bone parameters. Methodology: A total of 100 patients with missing posterior maxillary teeth who required MSFE and implantation were included in this study. Patients were divided into two groups: the non-graft group (n=50) and the graft group (n=50). Radiographic parameters were measured using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT), and the quality of newly formed bone was analyzed by assessing trabecular bone parameters using CTAn (CTAnalyzer, SkyScan, Antwerp, Belgium) software. Results: In the selected regions of interest, the non-graft group showed greater bone volume/total volume (BV/TV), bone surface/total volume (BS/TV), trabecular number (Tb. N), and trabecular thickness (Tb. Th) than the graft group (p<0.001). The non-graft group showed lower trabecular separation (Tb. Sp) than the graft group (p<0.001). The incidence of perforation and bleeding was higher in the graft group than in the non-graft group (p<0.001), but infection did not significantly differ between groups (p>0.05). Compared to the graft group, the non-graft group showed lower postoperative bone height, gained bone height and apical bone height (p<0.001). Conclusion: MSFE with and without bone grafts can significantly improve bone formation. In MSFE, the use of bone grafts hinders the formation of good quality bone, whereas the absence of bone grafts can generate good bone quality and limited bone mass.

New nano-biomaterials for the removal of malachite green from aqueous solution via a response surface methodology.

The development of new biomaterials for the remove of organic contaminants from wastewater has attracted much attention over the few past years. One of the most cost-effective approaches is to produce new high value biomaterials from low value solid agricultural biowastes. In this work, sugarcane bagasse and agricultural waste rich in reducing sugars, acted as both a green bioreductant for graphene oxide (GO) and a sustainable supporter for the immobilization of Burkholderia cepacia. Therefore, this new biomaterial which contained both reduced graphene oxide (RGO) and Burkholderia cepacia, was cable of initial adsorption of malachite green (MG) and its subsequent biodegradation. After 60 h, immobilized Burkholderia cepacia degraded more MG (98.5%) than a cell cultured Burkholderia cepacia (87.7%) alone. Raman spectroscopy confirmed that GO was successfully reduced by bagasse and that consequently a composite (B-RGO) was prepared. SEM indicated that Burkholderia cepacia was well immobilized and kinetics studies showed that the adsorption of MG onto the developed composite fitted a pseudo-second order kinetics model (R2 > 0.99). Biodegradation of MG, was confirmed by the detection of appropriate degradation products such as N, N-dimethylaniline and 4-(Dimethylamino) benzophenone using GC-MS, UV and FT-IR, and via best fit first-order biodegration kinetics. Furthermore, a response surface methodology (RSM) was applied to the removal process by varying four independent parameters using a Box-Behnken design (BBD). Optimum MG removal (99.3%) was achieved at 31.5 °C, with an initial MG concentration of 114.5 mg L-1, initial pH of 5.85, and an adsorbent dosage of 0.11 g L -1. The excellent removal efficiency indicated that agricultural waste derived reduced graphene oxide bio-adsorbents have significant potential for the removal of dyes such as MG from industrial wastewaters.

Porcine serum amyloid A3 is expressed in extrahepatic tissues and facilitates viral replication during porcine respiratory and reproductive syndrome virus infection.

Serum amyloid A (SAA) is an acute phase protein that is expressed rapidly in response to infection and inflammation in vertebrates. Here, we detected the expression of porcine SAA3, an isoform of porcine SAA, during porcine respiratory and reproductive syndrome virus (PRRSV) infection, which is a major threat to the pig industry. In response to PRRSV infection, porcine SAA3 expression was upregulated significantly in porcine pulmonary alveolar macrophages and in extrahepatic tissues, including the lungs and inguinal, mandibular, and hilar lymph nodes, which were affected mainly by PRRSV infection, demonstrating that porcine SAA3 is a tissue-derived isoform that is induced in extrahepatic tissues during the acute phase response. Overexpression of porcine SAA3 increased PRRSV titers in cultured cells, and the exogenous administration of porcine SAA3 facilitated PRRSV adsorption to cells, suggesting that porcine SAA3 assists PRRSV replication. Our data provide insights into the role of porcine SAA3 during PRRSV infection.

Efficacy of Ozone against Phosphine Susceptible and Resistant Strains of Four Stored-Product Insect Species.

The efficacy of ozone was evaluated against four economically-important stored-product insect species at 27.2 C and 20.4% r.h. Adults of phosphine-susceptible laboratory strains and phosphine-resistant field strains of the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Herbst), saw-toothed grain beetle, Oryzaephilus surinamensis (Linnaeus), maize weevil, Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky, and rice weevil, Sitophilusoryzae (Linnaeus), were exposed in vials to an ozone concentration of 0.42 g/m³ (200 ppm) for 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10 and 12 h with 0 and 10 g of wheat. Initial and final mortalities were assessed 1 and 5 d after exposure to ozone, respectively. After an 8-12-h exposure to ozone, initial mortality of Sitophilus spp. and O. surinamensis was 100%, whereas the highest initial mortality of T. castaneum was 90%. A 3-4-h exposure to ozone resulted in 100% final mortality of Sitophilus spp., whereas O. surinamensis required a 6- to 10-h exposure to ozone. Adults of T. castaneum were least susceptible to ozone, and after a 10-h exposure, mortality ranged between 82 and 95%. Time for the 5 d 99% mortality (LT99) for adults of laboratory and field strains of Sitophilus spp., O. surinamensis and T. castaneum were 2.00-5.56, 4.33-11.18 and 14.35-29.89 h, respectively. The LT99 values for adults of T. castaneum and O. surinamensis were not significantly different between bioassays conducted with 0 and 10 g of wheat. The LT99 values for the laboratory strains of Sitophilus spp. in the absence of wheat were significantly lower than those obtained in the presence of wheat. Both phosphine-susceptible and -resistant strains were equally susceptible to ozone. Ozone effectively suppressed adult progeny production of all four species. Ozone is a viable alternative fumigant to control phosphine-resistant strains of these four species.

L-3-n-Butylphthalide Protects HSPB8 K141N Mutation-Induced Oxidative Stress by Modulating the Mitochondrial Apoptotic and Nrf2 Pathways.

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT), also known as hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy, is the most common inherited peripheral nerve disorder. Missense mutations, such as K141N, in the small heat shock protein HSPB8 are known to cause distal hereditary motor neuropathy 2A (dHMN2A) or Charcot-Marie-Tooth neuropathy type 2L (CMT2L). However, of critical clinical significance, very few specific therapies for this disease exist. In the present study, we investigated the impact of mutant K141N HSPB8 on mitochondrial distribution and function in a cellular model of CMT2L. Our results indicate that K141N HSPB8 induced mitochondrial aggregation and caused increased oxidative stress injury. As an extraction from Chinese celery Apium graveolens Linn seeds, L-3-n-Butylphthalide (NBP), has been reported to exert many neuroprotective effects, we interrogated whether NBP could elicit a protective effect on the cell injury typically caused by HSPB8 K141N mutations. We found NBP could reverse the pathological processes induced by HSPB8 K141N mutation via an antioxidant effect, modulation of the Bax/Bcl-2 mitochondrial apoptotic and Nrf2 pathways. We propose a novel function of HSPB8, highlighting the consequence of the K141N pathogenic mutation. Furthermore, we suggest NBP may have promising therapeutic potential in the treatment of CMT2L.

A stapled peptide antagonist of MDM2 carried by polymeric micelles sensitizes glioblastoma to temozolomide treatment through p53 activation.

Antagonizing MDM2 and MDMX to activate the tumor suppressor protein p53 is an attractive therapeutic paradigm for the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). However, challenges remain with respect to the poor ability of p53 activators to efficiently cross the blood-brain barrier and/or blood-brain tumor barrier and to specifically target tumor cells. To circumvent these problems, we developed a cyclic RGD peptide-conjugated poly(ethylene glycol)-co-poly(lactic acid) polymeric micelle (RGD-M) that carried a stapled peptide antagonist of both MDM2 and MDMX (sPMI). The peptide-carrying micelle RGD-M/sPMI was prepared via film-hydration method with high encapsulation efficiency and loading capacity as well as ideal size distribution. Micelle encapsulation dramatically increased the solubility of sPMI, thus alleviating its serum sequestration. In vitro studies showed that RGD-M/sPMI efficiently inhibited the proliferation of glioma cells in the presence of serum by activating the p53 signaling pathway. Further, RGD-M/sPMI exerted potent tumor growth inhibitory activity against human glioblastoma in nude mouse xenograft models. Importantly, the combination of RGD-M/sPMI and temozolomide--a standard chemotherapy drug for GBM increased antitumor efficacy against glioblastoma in experimental animals. Our results validate a combination therapy using p53 activators with temozolomide as a more effective treatment for GBM.