Starch-based biodegradable films amended with nano-starch and tannic acid-coated nano-starch exhibit enhanced mechanical and functional attributes with antimicrobial activity.

Starch-based biofilms are biodegradable, but their application is limited by lower mechanical strength and absence of antimicrobial properties. In this context, the present study attempted to unleash the potential of nanotechnology for synthesizing nano-starch (NS) and tannic acid-coated nano-starch (T-NS) for augmenting the tensile strength and antimicrobial properties of starch-based biofilms. Moreover, this study reports one of the first such attempts to improve the commercial viability of starch extracted from the corms of Amorphophallus paeoniifolius. In this study, NS and T-NS samples were first synthesized by the physical and chemical modification of the native starch (S) molecules. The NS and T-NS samples showed significantly smaller granule size, lower moisture content, and swelling power. Further, amendments with NS and T-NS samples (25 % and 50 %) to the native starch molecules were performed to obtain biofilm samples. The NSB (NS amended) and T-NSB (T-NS amended) biofilms showed comparatively higher tensile strength than SB films (100 % starch-based). The T-NSB showed greater antimicrobial activity against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. All the biofilms showed almost complete biodegradation in soil (in 10 days). Therefore, it can be concluded that additives like NS and T-NS can improve starch-based biofilms' mechanical strength and antimicrobial properties with considerable biodegradability.

Biodegradable AZ91 magnesium alloy/sirolimus/poly D, L-lactic-co-glycolic acid-based substrate for cardiovascular device application.

Biodegradable drug-eluting stents (DESs) are gaining importance owing to their attractive features, such as complete drug release to the target site. Magnesium (Mg) alloys are promising materials for future biodegradable DESs. However, there are few explorations using biodegradable Mg for cardiovascular stent application. In this present study, sirolimus-loaded poly D, L-lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA)-coated/ sirolimus-fixed/AZ91 Mg alloy-based substrate was developed via a layer-by-layer approach for cardiovascular stent application. The AZ91 Mg alloy was prepared through the squeeze casting technique. The casted AZ91 Mg alloy (Mg) was alkali-treated to provide macroporous networks to hold the sirolimus and PLGA layers. The systematic characterization was investigated via electrochemical, optical, physicochemical, and in-vitro biological characteristics. The presence of the Mg17 Al12 phase in the Mg sample was found in the x-ray diffraction system (XRD) spectrum which influences the corrosion behavior of the developed substrate. The alkali treatment increases the substrate's hydrophilicity which was confirmed through static contact angle measurement. The anti-corrosion characteristic of casted-AZ91 Mg alloy (Mg) was slightly less than the sirolimus-loaded PLGA-coated alkali-treated AZ91 Mg alloy (Mg/Na/S/P) substrate. However, dissolution rates for both substrates were found to be controlled at cell culture conditions. Radiographic densities of AZ91 Mg alloy substrates (Mg, Mg/Na, and Mg/Na/S/P) were measured to be 0.795 ± 0.015, 0.742 ± 0.01, and 0.712 ± 0.017, respectively. The star-shaped structure of 12% sirolimus/PLGA ensures the bioavailability of the drugs. Sirolimus release kinetic was fitted up to 80% with the "Higuchi model" for Mg samples, whereas Mg/Na/S/P showed 45% fitting with a zero-order mechanism. The Mg/Na/S/P substrate showed a 70% antithrombotic effect compared to control. Further, alkali treatment enhances the antibacterial characteristic of AZ91 Mg alloy. Also, the alkali-treated sirolimus-loaded substrates (Mg/Na/S and Mg/Na/S/P) inhibit the valvular interstitial cell's growth significantly in in-vitro. Hence, the results imply that sirolimus-loaded PLGA-coated AZ91 Mg alloy-based substrate can be a potential candidate for cardiovascular stent application.

Effects of spray parameters on skin tumour ablation volume during cryotherapy.

The main purpose of the study is to establish correlations for the ablation volume and the ice front as a function of the spray parameters. The ablation volume and the ice front depend upon the nozzle diameter, spraying distance and the freeze duration (spray parameters). The estimation of the ablation volume using the spray parameters shall be useful in surgical practice to ablate the different sizes of tumours. Liquid nitrogen spray cooling is carried out with 0.8 mm, 0.6 mm and 0.4 mm nozzle diameters. The spraying distance is maintained at 9 mm, 18 mm and 27 mm. The spray cooling is carried out for a single freeze-thaw cycle where freezing and thawing consist of 120 s and 130 s duration respectively. A two-dimensional heat flow equation with phase change is considered for the numerical study. The numerically calculated transient temperature (2 mm and 5 mm from the gel surface) and ice front values show confirmatory results with the experimentally measured data. Correlations are obtained to determine the ablation volume (- 50 °C and - 25 °C isothermal surfaces) and ice front (axial and lateral) with a goodness of fit [Formula: see text] 95%. The nozzle diameter has a greater impact on the ablation volume as compared to the spraying distance during 120 s of freezing. The nozzle diameter of 0.8 mm, 0.6 mm and 0.4 mm can be effectively used for cryotherapy with spraying distance up to 27 mm, 18 mm and 9 mm respectively.

Chitosan composite three dimensional macrospheric scaffolds for bone tissue engineering.

The present work deals with the fabrication of chitosan composite scaffolds with controllable and predictable internal architecture for bone tissue engineering. Chitosan (CS) based composites were developed by varying montmorillonite (MMT) and hydroxyapatite (HA) combinations to fabricate macrospheric three dimensional (3D) scaffolds by direct agglomeration of the sintered macrospheres. The fabricated CS, CS/MMT, CS/HA and CS/MMT/HA 3D scaffolds were characterized for their physicochemical, biological and mechanical properties. The XRD and ATR-FTIR studies confirmed the presence of the individual constituents and the molecular interaction between them, respectively. The reinforcement with HA and MMT showed reduced swelling and degradation rate. It was found that in comparison to pure CS, the CS/HA/MMT composites exhibited improved hemocompatibility and protein adsorption. The sintering of the macrospheres controlled the swelling ability of the scaffolds which played an important role in maintaining the mechanical strength of the 3D scaffolds. The CS/HA/MMT composite scaffold showed 14 folds increase in the compressive strength when compared to pure CS scaffolds. The fabricated scaffolds were also found to encourage the MG 63 cell proliferation. Hence, from the above studies it can be concluded that the CS/HA/MMT composite 3D macrospheric scaffolds have wider and more practical application in bone tissue regeneration applications.

Biological and mechanical evaluation of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)-based composites reinforced with 1D, 2D and 3D carbon biomaterials for bone tissue regeneration.

Considering the fact that life on Earth is carbon based, carbon materials are being introduced in biological systems. However, very limited information exists concerning the potential effects of different structures of carbon materials on biological systems. In the present study, poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA)-based carbonaceous composites were developed by reinforcing 1 wt% of three different carbon-based materials i.e. carbon nanotubes (CNTs-1D), graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs-2D), and activated carbon (AC-3D). The developed composites were characterized for physicochemical, biological, and mechanical properties. Along with their hemocompatible nature, the composites exhibited better swelling ratio, degradation percentage, bioactivity, and tensile strength. The improvement in hydrophilicity and protein adsorption resulted in the enhancement of cell proliferation and differentiation. Overall, sheet-like GNPs showed the strongest effect on the composite's properties due to their larger exposed area. These results demonstrate the potential of PLGA-based carbonaceous composites for accelerating bone tissue regeneration.