Evaluation of in vitro bioactivity and in vitro biocompatibility of Polycaprolactone/Hyaluronic acid/Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes/Extract from Mimosa tenuiflora composites.

BACKGROUND: The development of biomaterial scaffolds and implementation of tissue engineering techniques are necessary. Therefore, Polycaprolactone/Sodium Hyaluronate/Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes/Extract of Mimosa tenuiflora composites have been produced by a thermally-induced phase separation method. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this research was to evaluate the in vitro bioactivity and in vitro biocompatibility of the composites. METHODS: The in vitro bioactivity of the composites was assessed by soaking them in simulated body fluid for 7, 14, 21, and 28 days. The structure and composition of the composites were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Also, the in vitro biocompatibility of the composites was evaluated by means of alkaline phosphatase activity of the osteoblasts and by measuring the metabolic activity of the cells using MTT assay. RESULTS: The results show a porous and interconnected morphology with enhanced bioactivity. It was observed that the incorporation of Mimosa tenuiflora in the composites promotes increased viability of osteoblasts in the scaffolds. CONCLUSIONS: The results show the efficiency of bioactive and biocompatible composites and their potential as candidates for tissue engineering applications.

Colloidal synthesis of biocompatible iron disulphide nanocrystals.

The aim of this research was to synthesis biocompatible iron disulphide nanocrystals at different reaction temperatures using the colloidal synthesis methodology. Synthesis was conducted at the 220-240 °C range of reaction temperatures at intervals of 5 °C in an inert argon atmosphere. The toxicity of iron disulphide nanocrystals was evaluated in vitro using mouse fibroblast cell line. Two complementary assays were conducted: the first to evaluate cell viability of the fibroblast via an MTT assay and the second to determine the preservation of fibroblast nuclei integrity through DAPI staining, which labels nuclear DNA in fluorescence microscopes. Through TEM and HRTEM, we observed a cubic morphology of pyrite iron disulphide nanocrystals ranging in sizes 25-50 nm (225 °C), 50-70 nm (230 °C) and >70 nm (235 °C). Through X-ray diffraction, we observed a mixture of pyrite and pyrrohotite in the samples synthesized at 225 °C and 240 °C, showing the best photocatalytic activity at 80% and 65%, respectively, for the degradation of methylene blue after 120 minutes. In all experimental groups, iron disulphide nanocrystals were biocompatible, i.e. no statistically significant differences were observed between experimental groups as shown in a one-way ANOVA and Tukey's test. Based on all of these results, we recommend non-cytotoxic semiconductor iron sulphide nanocrystals for biomedical applications.

Nanomaterials made of non-toxic metallic sulfides: A systematic review of their potential biomedical applications.

Metallic sulfides involve the chemical bonding of one or more sulfur atoms to a metal. Metallic sulfides are cheap, abundant semiconductor materials that can be used for several applications. However, an important and emerging use for non-toxic metallic sulfides in biomedical applications has arisen quickly in the medical field. In this systematic review, the available data from electronic databases were collected according to PRISMA alignments for systematic reviews. This review shows that these metallic sulfides could be promising for biomedical uses and applications. This systematic review is focused primarily on the following compounds: silver sulfide, copper sulfide, and iron sulfide. The aim of this review was to provide a quick reference on synthesis methods, biocompatibility, recent advances and perspectives, with remarks on future improvements. The toxicity of metallic sulfides depends directly on the cytotoxicity of their interactions with cells and tissues. Metallic sulfides have potential biomedical applications due to their antibacterial properties, uses in imaging and diagnostics, therapies such as photothermal therapy and chemotherapy in tumors and cancer cells, drug delivery and the fabrication of biosensors for the sensitive and selective detection of moieties, among others. Although current evidence about metallic sulfide NPs is promising, there are still several issues to be addressed before these NPs can be used in biomedicine. The current review is a brief but significant guide to metallic sulfides and their potential uses in the biomedical field.

Hemoglobin (Hb) Val de Marne (Hb Footscray) in Brazil: the first case report.

Hemoglobin (Hb) variants involving alpha-chains are less common in the global population than Hb variants resulting from beta-chain alterations. Generally, alpha-chain Hb variants are caused by point mutations affecting alpha-1 and/or alpha-2 genes of the alpha-globin cluster (HBA1 and HBA2). In Brazil, the most prevalent alpha-chain Hb variant is Hb Hasharon. In this study, we present the first case of an Hb Val de Marne variant in the Americas, specifically in Brazil.

Frequencies of -308G/A (TNFA) and -509C/T (TGFB1) polymorphisms in sickle cell anemia patients from Brazil.

Sickle cell anemia is an affection that causes chronic inflammation, with consequences for vaso-occlusion, oxidative stress and cytokine production. Genetic polymorphisms in markers involved in this process can modulate the inflammatory response, including polymorphisms -308G/A of TNFA (tumor necrosis factor alpha) and -509C/T of TGFB1 (transforming growth factor beta 1), reported to increase TNF-α and TGF-ß1 production, respectively. Changes in the cytokine balance are important risk factors for clinical events; consequently, we examined the frequencies of these polymorphisms in 240 Brazilian sickle cell anemia patients from southeast Brazil. PCR-RFLP was used to detect these polymorphisms. The -509C/T (TGFB1) polymorphism was more frequent than -308G/A (TNFA), with allelic frequency of 0.3 for the mutant allele T (TGFB) agaist 0.1 for the mutant allele A (TNFA). These allelic frequencies are similar to those known from populations with ethnicity similar to the Brazilian population. Inheritance of these polymorphisms does not seem to be associated with that of the Hb S mutation; however, this information could be useful in analyses of specific clinical characteristics of sickle cell anemia.