Hydrogel for the Controlled Delivery of Bioactive Components from Extracts of Eupatorium glutinosum Lam. Leaves.

This research reported a hydrogel loaded with the ethanolic and methanolic extracts of Eupatorium glutinosum Lam. The E. glutinosum extracts were characterized by phytochemical screening, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thin-layer chromatography (TLC), and UV/Vis profile identification. This research also evaluated the pharmacological activity of the extracts using antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory assays prior to polymeric encapsulation. Results indicate that extracts inhibit the Escherichia colii DH5-α (Gram negative) growth; excellent antioxidant activity was evaluated by the ferric reducing power and total antioxidant activity assays, and extracts showed an anti-hemolytic effect. Moreover, the cotton and microcrystalline cellulose hydrogels demonstrate successful encapsulation based on characterization and kinetics studies such as FTIR, extract release, and swelling degree. Moreover, effective antibacterial activity was registered by the loaded hydrogel. The overall results encourage and show that Eupatorium glutinosum-loaded hydrogel may find a wide range of bandage and wound healing applications in the biomedical area.

Marine Arthropods as a Source of Antimicrobial Peptides.

Peptide therapeutics play a key role in the development of new medical treatments. The traditional focus on endogenous peptides has shifted from first discovering other natural sources of these molecules, to later synthesizing those with unique bioactivities. This review provides concise information concerning antimicrobial peptides derived from marine crustaceans for the development of new therapeutics. Marine arthropods do not have an adaptive immune system, and therefore, they depend on the innate immune system to eliminate pathogens. In this context, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) with unique characteristics are a pivotal part of the defense systems of these organisms. This review covers topics such as the diversity and distribution of peptides in marine arthropods (crustacea and chelicerata), with a focus on penaeid shrimps. The following aspects are covered: the defense system; classes of AMPs; molecular characteristics of AMPs; AMP synthesis; the role of penaeidins, anti-lipopolysaccharide factors, crustins, and stylicins against microorganisms; and the use of AMPs as therapeutic drugs. This review seeks to provide a useful compilation of the most recent information regarding AMPs from marine crustaceans, and describes the future potential applications of these molecules.

Antimicrobial Properties of Plant Fibers.

Healthcare-associated infections (HAI), or nosocomial infections, are a global health and economic problem in developed and developing countries, particularly for immunocompromised patients in their intensive care units (ICUs) and surgical site hospital areas. Recurrent pathogens in HAIs prevail over antibiotic-resistant bacteria, such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. For this reason, natural antibacterial mechanisms are a viable alternative for HAI treatment. Natural fibers can inhibit bacterial growth, which can be considered a great advantage in these applications. Moreover, these fibers have been reported to be biocompatible and biodegradable, essential features for biomedical materials to avoid complications due to infections and significant immune responses. Consequently, tissue engineering, medical textiles, orthopedics, and dental implants, as well as cosmetics, are fields currently expanding the use of plant fibers. In this review, we will discuss the source of natural fibers with antimicrobial properties, antimicrobial mechanisms, and their biomedical applications.

Dual Encapsulated Dacarbazine and Zinc Phthalocyanine Polymeric Nanoparticle for Photodynamic Therapy of Melanoma.

PURPOSE: Melanoma is an invasive and very aggressive skin cancer due to its multi-drug resistance that results in poor patient survival. There is a need to test new treatment approaches to improve therapeutic efficacy and reduce side effects of conventional treatments. METHODS: PLA/PVA nanoparticles carrying both Dacarbazine and zinc phthalocyanine was produced by double emulsion technique. The characterization was performed by dynamic light scattering and atomic force microscopy. In vitro photodynamic therapy test assay using MV3 melanoma cells as a model has been performed. In vitro cell viability (MTT) was performed to measure cell toxicity of of nanoparticles with and without drugs using human endothelial cells as a model. The in vivo assay (biodistribution/tissue deposition) has been performed using radiolabeled PLA/PVA NPs. RESULTS: The nanoparticles produced showed a mean diameter of about 259 nm with a spherical shape. The in-vitro photodynamic therapy tests demonstrated that the combination is critical to enhance the therapeutic efficacy and it is dose dependent. The in vitro cell toxicity assay using endothelial cells demonstrated that the drug encapsulated into nanoparticles had no significant toxicity compared to control samples. In-vivo results demonstrated that the drug loading affects the biodistribution of the nanoparticle formulations (NPs). Low accumulation of the NPs into the stomach, heart, brain, and kidneys suggested that common side effects of Dacarbazine could be reduced. CONCLUSION: This work reports a robust nanoparticle formulation with the objective to leveraging the synergistic effects of chemo and photodynamic therapies to potentially suppressing the drug resistance and reducing side effects associated with Dacarbazine. The data corroborates that the dual encapsulated NPs showed better in-vitro efficacy when compared with the both compounds alone. The results support the need to have a dual modality NP formulation for melanoma therapy by combining chemotherapy and photodynamic therapy.

Persistent organic pollutants: The trade-off between potential risks and sustainable remediation methods.

Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) have become a very serious issue for the environment because of their toxicity, resistance to conventional degradation mechanisms, and capacity to bioconcentrate, bioaccumulate and biomagnify. In this review article, the safety, regulatory, and remediation aspects of POPs including aromatic, chlorinated, pesticides, brominated, and fluorinated compounds, are discussed. Industrial and agricultural activities are identified as the main sources of these harmful chemicals, which are released to air, soil and water, impacting on social and economic development of society at a global scale. The main types of POPs are presented, illustrating their effects on wildlife and human beings, as well as the ways in which they contaminate the food chain. Some of the most promising and innovative technologies developed for the removal of POPs from water are discussed, contrasting their advantages and disadvantages with those of more conventional treatment processes. The promising methods presented in this work include bioremediation, advanced oxidation, ionizing radiation, and nanotechnology. Finally, some alternatives to define more efficient approaches to overcome the impacts that POPs cause in the hydric sources are pointed out. These alternatives include the formulation of policies, regulations and custom-made legislation for controlling the use of these pollutants.

Bimodal Ultrasound and X-ray Bioimaging Properties of Particulate Calcium Fluoride Biomaterial.

Ultrasound (US) and X-ray imaging are diagnostic methods that are commonly used to image internal body structures. Several organic and inorganic imaging contrast agents are commercially available. However, their synthesis and purification remain challenging, in addition to posing safety issues. Here, we report on the promise of widespread, safe, and easy-to-produce particulate calcium fluoride (part-CaF2) as a bimodal US and X-ray contrast agent. Pure and highly crystalline part-CaF2 is obtained using a cheap commercial product. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) depicts the morphology of these particles, while energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) confirms their chemical composition. Diffuse reflectance ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy highlights their insulating behavior. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern reveals that part-CaF2 crystallizes in the face-centered cubic cell lattice. Further analyses regarding peak broadening are performed using the Scherrer and Williamson-Hall (W-H) methods, which pinpoint the small crystallite size and the presence of lattice strain. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) solely exhibits specific peaks related to CaF2, confirming the absence of any contamination. Additionally, in vitro cytotoxicity and in vivo maximum tolerated dose (MTD) tests prove the biocompatibility of part-CaF2. Finally, the results of the US and X-ray imaging tests strongly signal that part-CaF2 could be exploited in bimodal bioimaging applications. These findings may shed a new light on calcium fluoride and the opportunities it offers in biomedical engineering.

Graphene quantum dots decorated with imatinib for leukemia treatment.

The use of graphene quantum dots as biomedical device and drug delivery system has been increasing. This nanoplatform of pure carbon has showed unique properties and showed to be safe for human use. The imatinib is a molecule designed to specifically inhibit the tyrosine kinase, used for leukemia treatment. In this study, we successfully decorated the graphene quantum dots (GQDs@imatinb) by a carbodiimide crosslinking reaction. The GQDs@imatinb were characterized by FTIR and AFM. The nanoparticles' in vitro behaviors were evaluated by cellular trafficking (internalization) assay and cell viability and apoptosis assays in various cancer cell lines, including suspension (leukemia) cells and adherent cancer cells. The results showed that the incorporation of the imatinib on the surface of the graphene quantum dots did not change the nanoparticles' morphology and properties. The GQDs@imatinb could be efficiently internalized and kill cancer cells via the induction of apoptosis. The data indicated that the prepared GQDs@imatinb might be a great drug nano-platform for cancer, particularly leukemia treatments.

Biomedical Science to Tackle the COVID-19 Pandemic: Current Status and Future Perspectives.

The coronavirus infectious disease (COVID-19) pandemic emerged at the end of 2019, and was caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which has resulted in an unprecedented health and economic crisis worldwide. One key aspect, compared to other recent pandemics, is the level of urgency, which has started a race for finding adequate answers. Solutions for efficient prevention approaches, rapid, reliable, and high throughput diagnostics, monitoring, and safe therapies are needed. Research across the world has been directed to fight against COVID-19. Biomedical science has been presented as a possible area for combating the SARS-CoV-2 virus due to the unique challenges raised by the pandemic, as reported by epidemiologists, immunologists, and medical doctors, including COVID-19's survival, symptoms, protein surface composition, and infection mechanisms. While the current knowledge about the SARS-CoV-2 virus is still limited, various (old and new) biomedical approaches have been developed and tested. Here, we review the current status and future perspectives of biomedical science in the context of COVID-19, including nanotechnology, prevention through vaccine engineering, diagnostic, monitoring, and therapy. This review is aimed at discussing the current impact of biomedical science in healthcare for the management of COVID-19, as well as some challenges to be addressed.

Molecular and Cellular Risk Assessment of Healthy Human Cells and Cancer Human Cells Exposed to Nanoparticles.

: Nanodrugs have in recent years been a subject of great debate. In 2017 alone, almost 50 nanodrugs were approved for clinical use worldwide. Despite the advantages related to nanodrugs/nanomedicine, there is still a lack of information regarding the biological safety, as the real behavior of these nanodrugs in the body. In order to better understand these aspects, in this study, we evaluated the effect of polylactic acid (PLA) nanoparticles (NPs) and magnetic core mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MMSN), of 1000 nm and 50 nm, respectively, on human cells. In this direction we evaluated the cell cycle, cytochemistry, proliferation and tubulogenesis on tumor cells lines: from melanoma (MV3), breast cancer (MCF-7, MDA-MB-213), glioma (U373MG), prostate (PC3), gastric (AGS) and colon adenocarcinoma (HT-29) and non-tumor cell lines: from human melanocyte (NGM), fibroblast (FGH) and endothelial (HUVEC), respectively. The data showed that an acute exposure to both, polymeric nanoparticles or MMSN, did not show any relevant toxic effects on neither tumor cells nor non-tumor cells, suggesting that although nanodrugs may present unrevealed aspects, under acute exposition to human cells they are harmless.

Nanostructured and Photochromic Material for Environmental Detection of Metal Ions.

Compared to conventional spectroscopy or chromatography analysis, chemical sensing based on colorimetric changes offers an alternative to monitor potential metal hazards in aqueous environment through rapid and low-cost colorimetric changes which can be easily interpreted. In this work poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG 2000) was modified with a carboxylic acid spiropyran (SPCOOH) derivate by Steglich esterification (PEGSP2). PEGSP2 was incorporated into a poly(-caprolactone) (PCL) polymer matrix by electrospinning technique to produce nanofibers with photochromic properties. Spectroscopic analysis, thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were used to characterize PEGSP2. Drop shape analysis (DSA) and scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) were used to characterize the electrospun (ES) nanofibers morphology. Several metal ions solutions relevant to environmental hazards were prepared to be spotted on the surface of ES nanofibers for photochromatic sensing. Among them, Mg2+, Ca2+, Zn2+, Cd2+, La3+, and Er3+ demonstrated orange fluorescence when exposed to UV light. ES nanofibers also presented higher wettability when compared to a pure PCL polymer matrix, which is critical for sensitivity. Eighteen metals ions could be detected on the electrospun material. Additionally, among all metal ions Fe3+ was the most sensitive one in solution, in a µmol L1 range.

Nanotechnology for Environmental Remediation: Materials and Applications.

Environmental remediation relies mainly on using various technologies (e.g., adsorption, absorption, chemical reactions, photocatalysis, and filtration) for the removal of contaminants from different environmental media (e.g., soil, water, and air). The enhanced properties and effectiveness of nanotechnology-based materials makes them particularly suitable for such processes given that they have a high surface area-to-volume ratio, which often results in higher reactivity. This review provides an overview of three main categories of nanomaterials (inorganic, carbon-based, and polymeric-based materials) used for environmental remediation. The use of these nanomaterials for the remediation of different environmental contaminants-such as heavy metals, dyes, chlorinated organic compounds, organophosphorus compounds, volatile organic compounds, and halogenated herbicides-is reviewed. Various recent examples are extensively highlighted focusing on the materials and their applications.

Target-Specific Capture of Environmentally Relevant Gaseous Aldehydes and Carboxylic Acids with Functional Nanoparticles.

Aldehyde and carboxylic acid volatile organic compounds (VOCs) present significant environmental concern due to their prevalence in the atmosphere. We developed biodegradable functional nanoparticles comprised of poly(d,l-lactic acid)-poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(ethyleneimine) (PDLLA-PEG-PEI) block co-polymers that capture these VOCs by chemical reaction. Polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) preparation involved nanoprecipitation and surface functionalization with branched PEI. The PDLLA-PEG-PEI NPs were characterized by using TGA, IR, (1) H NMR, elemental analysis, and TEM. The materials feature 1°, 2°, and 3° amines on their surface, capable of capturing aldehydes and carboxylic acids from gaseous mixtures. Aldehydes were captured by a condensation reaction forming imines, whereas carboxylic acids were captured by acid/base reaction. These materials reacted selectively with target contaminants obviating off-target binding when challenged by other VOCs with orthogonal reactivity. The NPs outperformed conventional activated carbon sorbents.

Polymeric nanoparticle technologies for oral drug delivery.

Biologics increasingly are being used for the treatment of many diseases. These treatments typically require repeated doses administered by injection. Alternate routes of administration, particularly oral, are considered favorable because of improved convenience and compliance by patients, but physiological barriers such as extreme pH level, enzyme degradation, and poor intestinal epithelium permeability limit absorption. Encapsulating biologics in drug delivery systems such as polymeric nanoparticles prevents inactivation and degradation caused by low pH and enzymes of the gastrointestinal tract. However, transport across the intestinal epithelium remains the most critical barrier to overcome for efficient oral delivery. This review focuses on recent advances in polymeric nanoparticles being developed to overcome transport barriers and their potential for translation into clinical use.

Synthesis of brightly PEGylated luminescent magnetic upconversion nanophosphors for deep tissue and dual MRI imaging.

A method is developed to fabricate monodispersed biocompatible Yb/Er or Yb/Tm doped ß-NaGdF4 upconversion phosphors using polyelectrolytes to prevent irreversible particle aggregation during conversion of the precursor, Gd2 O(CO3 )2.H2 O:Yb/Er or Yb/Tm, to ß-NaGdF4 :Yb/Er or Yb/Tm. The polyelectrolyte on the outer surface of nanophosphors also provided an amine tag for PEGylation. This method is also employed to fabricate PEGylated magnetic upconversion phosphors with Fe3 O4 as the core and ß-NaGdF4 as a shell. These magnetic upconversion nanophosphors have relatively high saturation magnetization (7.0 emu g(-1) ) and magnetic susceptibility (1.7 × 10(-2) emu g(-1) Oe(-1) ), providing them with large magnetophoretic mobilities. The magnetic properties for separation and controlled release in flow, their optical properties for cell labeling, deep tissue imaging, and their T1 - and T2 -weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) relaxivities are studied. The magnetic upconversion phosphors display both strong magnetophoresis, dual MRI imaging (r1 = 2.9 mM(-1) s(-1) , r2 = 204 mM(-1) s(-1) ), and bright luminescence under 1 cm chicken breast tissue.

Multifunctional yolk-in-shell nanoparticles for pH-triggered drug release and imaging.

Multifunctional nanoparticles are synthesized for both pH-triggered drug release and imaging with radioluminescence, upconversion luminescent, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The particles have a yolk-in-shell morphology, with a radioluminescent core, an upconverting shell, and a hollow region between the core and shell for loading drugs. They are synthesized by controlled encapsulation of a radioluminescent nanophosphor yolk in a silica shell, partial etching of the yolk in acid, and encapsulation of the silica with an upconverting luminescent shell. Metroxantrone, a chemotherapy drug, was loaded into the hollow space between X-ray phosphor yolk and up-conversion phosphor shell through pores in the shell. To encapsulate the drug and control the release rate, the nanoparticles are coated with pH-responsive biocompatible polyelectrolyte layers of charged hyaluronic acid sodium salt and chitosan. The nanophosphors display bright luminescence under X-ray, blue light (480 nm), and near infrared light (980 nm). They also served as T1 and T2 MRI contrast agents with relaxivities of 3.5 mM(-1) s(-1) (r1 ) and 64 mM(-1) s(-1) (r2 ). These multifunctional nanocapsules have applications in controlled drug delivery and multimodal imaging.

Multilayered polymer-coated carbon nanotubes to deliver dasatinib.

Multilayered, multifunctional polymer coatings were grafted onto carbon nanotubes (CNTs) using a one-pot, ring-opening polymerization in order to control the release kinetic and therapeutic efficacy of dasatinib. Biocompatible, biodegradable multilayered coatings composed of poly(glycolide) (PGA) and poly(lactide) (PLA) were polymerized directly onto hydroxyl-functionalized CNT surfaces. Sequential addition of monomers into the reaction vessel enabled multilayered coatings of PLA-PGA or PGA-PLA. Poly(ethylene glycol) capped the polymer chain ends, resulting in a multifunctional amphiphilic coating. Multilayer polymer coatings on CNTs enabled control of the anticancer drug dasatinib's release kinetics and enhanced the in vitro therapeutic efficacy against U-87 glioblastoma compared to monolayer polymer coatings.

Nanotechnologies for noninvasive measurement of drug release.

A wide variety of chemotherapy and radiotherapy agents are available for treating cancer, but a critical challenge is to deliver these agents locally to cancer cells and tumors while minimizing side effects from systemic delivery. Nanomedicine uses nanoparticles with diameters in the range of ∼1-100 nm to encapsulate drugs and target them to tumors. The nanoparticle enhances local drug delivery efficiency to the tumors via entrapment in leaky tumor vasculature, molecular targeting to cells expressing cancer biomarkers, and/or magnetic targeting. In addition, the localization can be enhanced using triggered release in tumors via chemical, thermal, or optical signals. In order to optimize these nanoparticle drug delivery strategies, it is important to be able to image where the nanoparticles distribute and how rapidly they release their drug payloads. This Review aims to evaluate the current state of nanotechnology platforms for cancer theranostics (therapeutic and diagnostic particles) that are capable of noninvasive measurement of release kinetics.

Synergistic Antibacterial Properties of Silver Nanoparticles and Its Reducing Agent from Cinnamon Bark Extract.

Synthesis of silver nanoparticles with antibacterial properties using a one-pot green approach that harnesses the natural reducing and capping properties of cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum) bark extract is presented in this work. Silver nitrate was the sole chemical reagent employed in this process, acting as the precursor salt. Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectroscopy (GC-MS), High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) analysis, and some phytochemical tests demonstrated that cinnamaldehyde is the main component in the cinnamon bark extract. The resulting bio-reduced silver nanoparticles underwent comprehensive characterization by Ultraviolet-Vis (UV-Vis) and Fourier Transform InfraRed spectrophotometry (FTIR), Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), Transmission Electron Microscopy, and Scanning Electron Microscopy suggesting that cinnamaldehyde was chemically oxidated to produce silver nanoparticles. These cinnamon-extract-based silver nanoparticles (AgNPs-cinnamon) displayed diverse morphologies ranging from spherical to prismatic shapes, with sizes spanning between 2.94 and 65.1 nm. Subsequently, the antibacterial efficacy of these nanoparticles was investigated against Klebsiella, E. Coli, Pseudomonas, Staphylococcus aureus, and Acinetobacter strains. The results suggest the promising potential of silver nanoparticles obtained (AgNPs-cinnamon) as antimicrobial agents, offering a new avenue in the fight against bacterial infections.

Protein Adsorption, Calcium-Binding Ability, and Biocompatibility of Silver Nanoparticle-Loaded Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA) Hydrogels Using Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells.

Several approaches have evolved to facilitate the exploration of hydrogel systems in biomedical research. In this sense, poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) has been widely used in hydrogel (HG) fabrication for several therapeutic applications. The biological properties of PVA hydrogels (PVA-HGs) are highly dependent on their interaction with protein receptors and extracellular matrix (mainly calcium) deposition, for which there is not enough evidence from existing research yet. Thus, for the first time, the functional properties, like protein and mineral interactions, related to the proliferation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) by silver nanoparticle (AgNP)-loaded PVA hydrogels (AgNPs-PVA-HGs) were investigated in the present study. The UV absorption spectrum and TEM microscopic results showed a maximum absorbance of synthesized AgNPs at 409 nm, with an average particle size of 14.5 ± 2.5 nm, respectively. The functional properties, such as the calcium-binding and the protein adsorption of PVA-HG, were accelerated by incorporating AgNPs; however, the swelling properties of the HGs were reduced by AgNPs, which might be due to the masking of the free functional groups (hydroxyl groups of PVA) by AgNPs. SEM images showed the presence of AgNPs with a more porous structure in the HGs. The proliferative effect of MSCs increased over culture time from day 1 to day 7, and the cell proliferative effect was upregulated by HGs with more pronounced AgNPs-PVA-HG. In addition, both HGs did not produce any significant cytotoxicity in the MSCs. The histological (bright light and H&E staining) and fluorescence microscopic images showed the presence of a cytoskeleton and the fibrillar structure of the MSCs, and the cells adhered more firmly to all HGs. More fibrillar bipolar and dense fibrillar structures were seen in the day 1 and day 7 cultures, respectively. Interestingly, the MSCs cultured on AgNPs-PVA-HG produced extracellular matrix deposition on day 7. Accordingly, the present results proved the biocompatibility of AgNPs-PVA-HG as a suitable system for culturing mammalian stem cells for regenerative tissue applications.

Removal of metals and inorganics from rendered fat using polyamine-modified cellulose nanocrystals.

Meatpacking and poultry operations produce an enormous amount of co-products including offal, fat, blood, feathers etc. that are collected and processed by the rendering industry into value-added materials such as various protein meals and rendered fat products. Rendered fats (mainly composed of triglycerides from the adipose tissue of animals or used cooking oil from the restaurant industry) are sold for a variety of applications including animal feed formulations. Nonetheless, in the current context of energy scarcity, their use as feedstocks for the generation of renewable fuels including biodiesel and renewable diesel represents a growing market. The diverse composition of the source material can impose significant challenges in terms of compliance, requiring the control (and reduction) of the concentration of elements such as phosphorus, sulfur, calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, and other undesirable metals that can otherwise interfere with critical aspects of the refining process or contaminate the renewable fuel products. To address this critical need, we describe the application of poly(ethylenimine)-modified cellulose nanocrystals as a low-cost material for the removal of unwanted metal/inorganic cations from rendered fat. A total of 28 real samples including poultry, white pork grease, and beef tallow were analyzed. Test results showed that the approach can effectively decrease the concentration of the target elements by 95 ± 2%, suggesting that this treatment protocol could dramatically improve the application of rendered fat products for renewable fuel refining.