Nanoparticles have useful properties, but it is often important that they only start working after they are placed in a desired location. The encapsulation of nanoparticles allows their function to be preserved until they are released at a specific time or location, and this has been exploited in the development of self-healing materials and in applications such as drug ...

BackgroundCarbon nanotubes (CNTs) have found wide success in circuitry, photovoltaics, and other applications. In contrast, several hurdles exist in using CNTs towards applications in drug delivery. Raw, non-modified CNTs are widely known for their toxicity. As such, many have attempted to reduce CNT toxicity for intravenous drug delivery purposes by post-process surface modification. Alternatively, a novel sphere-like ...

Treatment options for triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) are generally limited to cytotoxic chemotherapy. Recently, anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) therapy has been introduced for TNBC patients. We engineered a novel nanobioconjugate based on a poly(β-L-malic acid) (PMLA) nanoplatform for TNBC treatment. The nanobioconjugate carries anti-tumor nucleosome-specific monoclonal antibody (mAb) 2C5 to target breast ...

BackgroundMali is endemic for all five targeted major neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). As one of the five ‘fast-track’ countries supported with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funds, Mali started to integrate the activities of existing disease-specific national control programs on these diseases in 2007. The ultimate objectives are to eliminate lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis and trachoma ...

This study aims at modifying the synthesis method of preparing N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAM)/N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone (VP)/Polyethylene glycol monoacrylate (PEG-A) polymeric nanoparticles encapsulating curcumin as a model drug. The optimal concentration of nanoparticle reagents was determined using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy. Curcumin nanoparticles mean hydrodynamic size was found to be 104 nm with zeta potential of 3 ± 13 mV. The ...

A microscopic theory of optical properties of ideal ultrathin molecular films, was formulated in bosonic and nearest-neighbor approximation. Calculating of dynamical permittivity by the single-pole Green's functions have shown that the threshold of light absorption, refraction, reflection and transmission can be moved along frequencies, changing the film thickness. This can give a great contribution to practical ultrathin ...

In case of degenerative disease or lesion, bone tissue replacement and regeneration is an important clinical goal. In particular, nowadays, critical size defects rely on the engineering of scaffolds that are 3D structural supports, allowing cellular infiltration and subsequent integration with the native tissue. Several ceramic hydroxyapatite (HA) scaffolds with high porosity and good osteointegration have been developed in the ...

A calcium phosphate – hydroxyapatite (HA) bone cement was loaded with varying concentrations of tobramycin and vancomycin and the elution properties of these antibiotics were evaluated. Nine groups of antibiotic loaded cement cylinders (N = 6 in each group) were prepared and placed in saline for 28 days. Elution rates of tobramycin and vancomycin from the HA cement were evaluated at high, medium, ...

Interactions between amphiphilic block copolymers and lipids are of medical interest for applications such as drug delivery and the restoration of damaged cell membranes. A series of monodisperse poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(butylene oxide) (EOBO) block copolymers were obtained with two ratios of hydrophilic/hydrophobic block lengths. We have explored the surface activity of EOBO at a clean interface and ...

Background: The lack of a relevant stroke model in large nonhuman primates hinders the development of innova- tive diagnostic/therapeutic approaches concerned with this cerebrovascular disease. Our objective was to develop a novel and clinically relevant model of embolic stroke in the anesthetized monkey that incorporates readily available clinical imaging techniques and that would allow the possibility of drug delivery ...

High power pulsed generator for non-contact cell electroporation application in pulsed magnetic fields is presented. Finite element method analysis of the magnetic field and the analysis of the Jurkat T lymphoblasts electroporation experimental data are overviewed. The dependence of cell electroporation efficiency on the structure of the microcoil was acquired experimentally. Possible problems of the technique, further developments and ...

Drug delivery devices are systems employed to conduct a drug to a specific site of the body, where it should be released and absorbed. Reservoir-type systems are devices in which the drug is contained within a nucleus isolated from the outside environment by a thin polymeric layer, which regulates a diffusion process driven by a functional concentration gradient. In ...

Experiments in rodents revealed neuropeptide S (NPS) to constitute a potential novel treatment option for anxiety diseases such as panic and post-traumatic stress disorder. However, both its cerebral target sites and the molecular underpinnings of NPS-mediated effects still remain elusive. By administration of fluorophore-conjugated NPS, we pinpointed NPS target neurons in distinct regions throughout the entire brain. ...

Over the past few decades, there have been considerable interests in developing biomaterials e.g. micro- or nano-particles and micro-or nano-gels as effective drug delivery carriers. Various polymers e.g. synthetic and natural polymers, have been used in developmental of the drug carrier. Recently, in Malaysia, a group of nuclear scientist from Malaysian Nuclear Agency and University ...

The aim of this study was to establish a toxicologic profile of gold nanoparticles (AuNP) (surface plasmon resonance at 520 nm and average particle size 14 ± 2 nm) synthesized using novel polysaccharide porphyran isolated from marine red algae. The toxicology profile includes in vitro cytotoxicity and in vivo sub-acute oral toxicity study (OECD guideline 407) of porphyran-reduced AuNP. In vitro cytotoxicity study of porphyran-...

Curcumin (Cur) is a yellow compound isolated from rhizome of the herb curcuma longa. Curcumin possesses antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic and antimicrobial properties, and suppresses proliferation of many tumor cells. However, the clinical application of curcumin in cancer treatment is considerably limited due to its serious poor delivery characteristics. In order to increase the hydrophilicity and drug delivery capability, ...

A label-free, layer-by-layer (LBL) modified, fiber-optic interferometry biosensor for real-time affinity-based protein sensing applications has been proposed. The proposed sensor allows real-time protein adsorption detection by monitoring interference wavelength shifts, which offers better dynamic range and stability in comparison to current detection of changes in optical intensity. With a label-free sensing mechanism, ...

Currently, there is no regenerative strategy for the spinal cord that is part of clinical standard of core. Current paths usually include combinations of scaffold materials and active molecules. In a recent study, a permanent dental resin scaffold for treatment of spinal cord injury was designed. The results from studies on rats were promising. However, for potential clinical use, a ...

The brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has been shown to have broad neuroprotective effects in addition to its therapeutic role in neurodegenerative disease. In this study, the efficacy of delivering exogenous BDNF to the left hippocampus is demonstrated in wild-type mice (n = 7) through the noninvasively disrupted blood–brain barrier (BBB) using focused ultrasound (FUS). The BDNF bioactivity was ...

Use of liquid crystalline nanoparticles is a novel approach in the field of controlled drug delivery. Tacrolimus, being a highly lipophilic drug, is easily incorporated in the hydrophobic core of these nanoparticles which are prepared using monoolein, distilled water and varying ratios of poloxamer 407. Characterization including Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) image, particle size and entrapment efficiency analysis suggested the ...

The complex interaction between an ultrasound-driven microbubble and an enclosing capillary microvessel is investigated by means of a coupled, multi-domain numerical model using the finite volume formulation. This system is of interest in the study of transient blood–brain barrier disruption (BBBD) for drug delivery applications. The compliant vessel structure is incorporated explicitly as a distinct domain described ...

Poly(ϵ-caprolactone) microreactors were prepared by micro-volcanic rupture of freeze dried microspheres. Effects of three synthesis parameters viz polymer concentration, emulsifier concentration and stirring speed on size and morphology of microreactors were examined. Average diameter of microreactors showed substantial increase with increasing polymer concentration and reduced size with increasing polyvinyl alcohol (emulsifier) concentration and stirring speed, respectively. These ...

Hyperthermia effects (39–44 °C) induced by pulsed high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) have been regarded as a promising therapeutic tool for boosting immune responses or enhancing drug delivery into a solid tumor. However, previous studies also reported that the cell death occurs when cells are maintained at 43 °C for more than 20 minutes. The aim of this study ...

In this study, we extend the technique of the production of small and nearly-monodisperse liposomes using a formerly demonstrated microfluidic hydrodynamic focusing technique toward the continuous-flow synthesis of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-modified liposomes for use in drug delivery applications. Relationships between microfluidic flow conditions and physicochemical characteristics of the produced PEG-modified lipid vesicles were evaluated and ...

Biogenic polyamines are essential for cell growth and differentiation, while polyamine analogues exert antitumor activity in multiple experimental model systems, including breast and lung cancer. Dendrimers are widely used for drug delivery in vitro and in vivo. We report the bindings of biogenic polyamines, spermine (spm), and spermidine (spmd), and their synthetic analogues, 3,7,11,15-tetrazaheptadecane.4HCl (BE-...

A system-on-a-chip (SOC) with integrated drug reservoirs for drug delivery is proposed. Electrolysis is used to generate microbubbles, which are employed as a force to open the reservoirs and release the drug. Wireless components, including an on/off keying receiver, microcontrol unit, regulator, clock divider, and power-on reset, are integrated for remote drug activation. The proposed ...

While Magnetic Resonance Thermometry (MRT) has been extensively utilized for non-invasive temperature measurement, there is limited data on the use of high field (≥7T) scanners for this purpose. MR-guided Focused Ultrasound (MRgFUS) is a promising non-invasive method for localized hyperthermia and drug delivery. MRT based on the temperature sensitivity of the proton resonance frequency (PRF) has been ...

Immunization is one of the most efficient and cost-effective means for the prevention of diseases. The latest trend for inducing protective immunity is topical application of vaccines to intact skin rather than invasive administration via injection. Apart from being a non-invasive route of drug delivery, skin itself also offers advantages through the presence of cells of the immune ...

This paper presents new albumin-shelled Gd-DTPA microbubbles (MBs) that can concurrently serve as a dual-modality contrast agent for ultrasound (US) imaging and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging to assist blood–brain barrier (BBB) opening and detect intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) during focused ultrasound brain drug delivery. Perfluorocarbon-filled albumin-(Gd-DTPA) MBs were prepared with a mean diameter of ...

Supercritical Anti-Solvent (SAS) technique is an appropriate process to obtain micro- and nanoparticles. The application of this process has until now been explored in a variety of different fields including: explosives, polymers, pharmaceutical compounds, colouring matter, superconductors, catalysts and inorganic compounds. Biocompatible and biodegradable polymers are playing more and more important roles in pharmaceutical areas such as tissue engineering ...

Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) have elicited great interest in biomedical applications due to their extraordinary physical, chemical, and optical properties. Intravenous administration of MWCNT-based medical imaging agents and drugs in animal models was utilized. However, the potential harmful health effects of MWCNT administration in humans have not yet been elucidated. Furthermore, to date, there are no apparent reports regarding ...

Recent developments in nanotechnology have enabled the fabrication of nanomachines with very limited sensing, computation, communication, and action capabilities. The network of communicating nanomachines is envisaged as nanonetworks that are designed to accomplish complex tasks such as drug delivery and health monitoring. For the realization of future nanonetworks, it is essential to develop novel and efficient communication and networking paradigms. ...

Metal-organic frameworks comprising metal-carboxylate cluster vertices and long, branched organic linkers are the most porous materials known, and therefore have attracted tremendous attention for many applications, including gas storage, separations, catalysis and drug delivery. To increase metal-organic framework porosity, the size and complexity of linkers has increased. Here we present a promising alternative strategy for constructing mesoporous ...

The purpose of this work was to develop a type of tissue-engineering scaffold or drug-delivery carrier with the capability of encapsulation and controlled release of dual drugs. In this study, Rhodamine B and bovine serum albumin (BSA) were successfully incorporated into nanofibers by means of blending or coaxial electrospinning. The morphology of composite nanofibers was studied by scanning ...

Poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (pHEMA) hydrogels loaded with core cross-linked PEG-b-PCL micelles with different morphologies (spherical and rod-like) were prepared and evaluated for use as drugeluting soft contact lenses. The relationship between the composition of micelle-loaded pHEMA hydrogels and properties such as transparency and swelling were determined. The incorporation of core crosslinked micelles into pHEMA ...

Artificial tissue constructs require vehicles for controlled release of growth factor to induce cellular signaling in vivo conditions. The objective of this study was to develop a three-dimensional porous tissue engineering scaffold with the capability of carrying nanoparticles for their controlled release. Epidermal growth factor and fibroblast growth factor were encapsulated into chitosan nanoparticles of an average diameter of ...

Poly (N’ - isopropylacrylamide - co– methacryl amide), has been prepared by freeradical emulsion polymerization. The copolymer was transformed into thermo responsive microspheres by chemical crosslinking with N’,N’ Methylenebis- acrylamide (NNMBA). Enalpril maleate (ENAM), an anti-hypertensive drug, was successfully loaded into these microspheres during in-situ polymerization. DSC and X-RD analysis of the drug loaded and plain microspheres have ...

The understanding of interactions between double stranded (ds) DNA and charged nanoparticles will have a broad bearing on many important applications from drug delivery [ 1 4 ] to DNAtemplated metallization. [ 5 , 6 ] Cationic nanoparticles (NPs) can bind to DNA, a negatively charged molecule, through a combination of electrostatic attraction, groove binding, and intercalation. Such binding events induce changes in the conformation ...

Electrospray aerosol generators (EAGs) disperse conducting solutions into air, promptly neutralize the particles to remove the excess charge, and evaporate the residual solvent with a dry air flow. For solutions containing multiple solutes, the particles may become enhanced in the more surface-active solutes. The extent of the enhancement was estimated for nanoparticles electrosprayed from a solution containing NaCl and ...

Solid-lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) are an interesting nanoparticulate delivery system. The present work was carried out with the aim to develop a prolonged release solid-lipid nanoparticulate system for the drug using aceclofenac. Aceclofenac-loaded solid-lipid nanoparticles (ACSLNs) was prepared by hot high pressure homogenization technique. Tripalmitin was used as the lipid core. Surfactants (Poloxamer 188, Tween 80, and ...

A simple, sensitive and selective ultra performance liquid chromatographic (UPLC) method with quadrapole-time of flight-mass spectrometric (Q-TOF-MS/MS) detection was developed for the determination of moxifloxacin (moxi) in rabbit aqueous humor. After a simple protein-precipitation by acetonitrile, the post-treatment samples were separated on a UPLC Bridged Ethyl Hybrid (BEH) C-18 column with 0....

Nanoscale drug delivery vehicles have been extensively studied as carriers for cancer chemotherapeutics. However, the formulation of platinum chemotherapeutics in nanoparticles has been a challenge arising from their physicochemical properties. There are only a few reports describing oxaliplatin nanoparticles. In this study, we derivatized the monomeric units of a polyisobutylene maleic acid copolymer with glucosamine, which chelates trans-1,2-...

Patient-Controlled Analgesia (PCA) is an important means of self-regulated pain relief service and has been widely used in postoperative pain management. In order to improve the defects and risks of paper-based data collection, we propose a web-based electronic data collection (EDC) system to support PCA services. The successful website design involves a clearly communicated stepwise process ...

Magnetic Resonance Navigation (MRN) relies on Magnetic Nanoparticles (MNPs) embedded in microcarriers or microrobots to allow the induction of a directional propelling force by 3-D magnetic gradients. These magnetic gradients are superposed on a sufficiently high homogeneous magnetic field (e.g. the Bo field of a MR scanner) to achieve maximum propelling force through magnetization saturation of the MNPs. ...

Septic loosening of cemented implants represents an unresolved long-term problem of total hip endoprostheses. Common treatments of infected prostheses involve the use of temporary antibiotic-loaded PMMA spacer-implants or antibiotic-loaded cements. The latter are either provided by a manufacturer or are obtained by simply mixing specific antibiotic powders according to a microbial sensitivity test with PMMA cement. ...

We report the synthesis of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) loaded biocompatible fluorescent zein nanoparticles. Zein is the storage protein in corn kernels that has a variety of unique characteristics and functionalities that makes zein valuable in various commercial applications. It is classified as generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). We synthesized zein nanoparticles of ...

The NeuroMedicator is a micropump integrated with application-specific silicon microprobes aimed for drug delivery in neural research with small animals. The micropump has outer dimensions of 11 × 15 × 3 mm3 and contains 16 reservoirs each having a capacity of 0.25 µL. Thereby, the reservoirs are interconnected in a pearl-chain-like manner and are connected to ...

Polymeric beads have been used for protection and delivery of bioactive materials, such as drugs and cells, for different biomedical applications. Here, we present a generic two-phase system for the production of polymeric microbeads of gellan gum or alginate, based on a combination of in situ polymerization and phase separation. Polymer droplets, dispensed using a syringe pump, formed polymeric ...

DNA based nanostructures and advances in DNA origami techniques have shown great potential in fabrication and of nanostructures and devices. Though a large number of DNA origami structures have been reported [1–3], very few applications of DNA structures have been presented. Custom shapes formed by programmable DNA self assembly can be used to engineer nanoscale devices such as a ...

Microspheres, small spherical (polymeric) particles with or without second phase materials embedded or encapsulated, are important for many biomedical applications such as drug delivery and organ printing. Scale-up fabrication with the ability to precisely control the microsphere size and morphology has always been of great manufacturing interest. The objective of this work is to experimentally study the performance differences ...

Sericin is a proteinous substrate that envelops fibroin (silk) fiber, and its recovery provides significant economical and social benefits. Sericin is an antibacterial agent that resists oxidation and absorbs moisture and UV light. In powder form, sericin has a wide range of applications in food, cosmetics and drug delivery. Asides from other techniques of producing powder, such as precipitation and ...

Curcumin and bovine serum albumin (BSA) were used as model drugs and loaded into micro- and nanoparticles of biodegradable poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA). The PLGA was incorporated into hydrophilic and biocompatible gelatin scaffolds to design a controlled drug release system. The gelatin scaffolds were cross-linked using glutaraldehyde. The controlled delivery of drugs from biologically active PLGA micro- ...

SummaryBackground: Patients with progressive mesenchymal tumours after standard chemotherapy have poor outcome. Trabectedin is approved in Europe as 24-h intravenous (i.v.) infusion q3w in this setting. We report the use of disposable elastomeric pumps for ambulatory treatment with trabectedin. Material and Methods: Pre-treated sarcoma patients were offered trabectedin 1.5 mg/m2 as 24-h i.v. ...

Published in 2012]]>http://academic.research.microsoft.com/Publication/57001547Mon, 20 May 2013 16:30:25 GMT57001547S. Khoei, M. Azarian, S. Khoee, A R Mahdavianview publication

5-Fluorouracil has been demonstrated to display antitumor activity against a wide variety of cancers [1, 2]; high doses are needed to bring out the required therapeutic activity that could simultaneously lead to severe side effects [3]. Nanoparticles are particularly useful in drug delivery for different compounds [4, 5]. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the cytotoxic ...

Biodegradable polymers have been developed for medical applications such as surgical sutures, drug delivery devices, tissue supports and implants for interior bone fixation. However, implants are highly susceptible to microbial adhesion, which can ultimately lead to the formation of bio-films. The goal of the current study was to fabricate a biocompatible and antibacterial nanofibrous poly(ϵ-caprolactone) (PCL) scaffold ...

The generation of supramolecular architectures with well-defined structures and functionalities is recently garnering attraction. Self-assemblage of amphiphilic polymers leads to the formation of polymeric micelles that demonstrate unique set of characteristics such as excellent biocompatibility, low toxicity, enhanced blood circulation time, and solubilization of poorly water-soluble drugs. In this article, we provide an up-to-date review ...

A novel carboxymethyl starch (CMS)/chitosan polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) was proposed as an excipient for oral administration of ovalbumin. The dissolution of ovalbumin from monolithic tablets (200 mg, 2.1 × 9.6 mm, 50% loading) obtained by direct compression was studied. When CMS was used as an excipient, more than 70% of the loaded ovalbumin remained undigested after 1 ...

Investigating the cellular internalization pathways of single molecules or single nano objects is important to understanding cell–matter interactions, and to applications in drug delivery and discovery. Imaging and tracking the motion of single molecules on cell plasma membranes require high spatial resolution in three dimensions. Fluorescence imaging along the axial dimension with nanometre resolution has been highly challenging, but ...

Understanding the characteristics of cysteine on a solid surface is an important issue in protein study and amino acid analysis. Therefore, cysteine was selected as a model biomolecule to study the interaction with plasmonic silver nanoparticles. In this study, we report the differential interaction of cysteine with silver nanoparticles synthesised by Lee and Meisel (using citrate as reductant), and modified ...

We show that 3 nm wide cobalt–iron alloy nanowires can be synthesized by simple wet chemical electroless deposition inside tubular Tobacco mosaic virus particles. The method is based on adsorption of Pd(II) ions, formation of a Pd catalyst, and autocatalytic deposition of the alloy from dissolved metal salts, reduced by a borane compound. Extensive energy-filtering TEM investigations ...

We present an innovative microfluidic approach to transcranial delivery of small quantities of drugs in brief time pulses for neurobiological studies. The approach is based on a two-stage process of consecutive drug dispensing and delivery, demonstrated by a device featuring a fully planar design in which the microfluidic components are integrated in a single layer. This 2-D configuration ...

Based on the fact that the polylactic acid (PLA) has high crystallinity and poor hydrophilicity and its degradation products are known to induce inflammatory reactions, tyrosine could be introduced in the chain of polylactic acid to enhance its poperties. The new copolymers poly(lactic acid-co-L-tyrosine) (PLA-co-Tyr) were synthesized via direct melt polycondensation with lactic acid (...

Electrospun tetracycline (Tet)-loaded poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) nanofibers are considered to have great potential as local drug-delivery systems. This study was designed to explore the effects of the lactidyl/glycolidyl (LA/GA) unit ratio and molecular weight of PLGA on Tet entrapment efficiency and in vitro release kinetics. Three kinds of PLGA (PLGA75/25, Mw = ...

New solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN), composed of Compritol ATO888 (C) and hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP), were developed in order to study a new colon-specific formulation for diclofenac sodium (D) delivery. The prepared batches differ from each other by the molecular ratio between HP and D and by the composition of the matrix. Nanoparticles composed of an exclusively lipid matrix ...

In this study, a new CFD modeling approach for pharmaceutical aerosols is further developed by evaluating the effects of turbulence, polydisperse aerosol size distribution, and multiple lung lobes on deposition in the mouth–throat (MT) and entire tracheobronchial (TB) airways. To evaluate a range of respiratory drug delivery conditions, a model dry powder inhaler (DPI; Novolizer) and a model spray ...

Capacitive Micromachined Ultrasound Transducers (cMUTs) are recognized as key enablers for emerging applications of ultrasound waves in gaseous, liquid and solid-state media, from positioning/ranging to medical treatment, through actuation, levitation, drug delivery, bio-sensing. This paper presents an improved consistent model for cMUTs implementing uniform or bossed membranes in transmit and receive modes. Key in our model are ...

The present work introduces new hybrid material based on the combination of layered double hydroxides (LDH) and pH-sensitive polymer (PSP), alginate, a polysaccharide widely applied for encapsulating drugs to produce LDH–polymer nanocomposite, able to act as effective drug delivery systems (DDS) in comparison to the Zn–Al LDH or the polymer alone. Insulin has been chosen as a ...

Malignant hemorrhagic ascites may complicate the terminal evolution of digestive cancers with peritoneal carcinomatosis. It has a bad influence on prognosis and may severely impair patients’ quality of life. Palliative laparoscopic hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) has been proposed to treat debilitating malignant ascites. Two cases of peritoneal carcinomatosis causing hemorrhagic ascites and severe anemia that needed iterative blood transfusions are ...

Direct comparisons of different types of nanoparticles for drug delivery have seldom been performed. In this study we compare the physical properties and cellular activity of doxorubicin (Dox) conjugates to gold nanoparticles (Au) and InP quantum dots of comparable diameter. Although the Au particles alone are non-toxic and InP is moderately toxic, Au–Dox is more effective than InP–...

Convection-enhanced drug delivery is a technique where a therapeutic agent is infused under positive pressure directly into the brain tissue. For predicting the final concentration distribution and optimizing infusion rate and catheter placement, numerical models can be of great help. However, despite advances in modeling this process, often the infused agent does not reach the targeted region prescribed in ...

Core-shell structured beads were fabricated from chitosan (CS)/organic rectorite (OREC) composites and alginate (ALG) in Ca aqueous solutions with different mixing ratios by a cross-linking process. The mechanical properties, surface and internal morphology, intercalation structure between CS and OREC, porosity and pore size distribution, bovine serum albumin (BSA) encapsulation efficiency and its controllable release ability were investigated. ...

Asthma is a widespread disease, affecting more than 300 million individuals. The treatment in children is based upon an administration of a pressurised metered-dose inhaler added with a spacer. The efficiency of drug delivery to the patient is strongly affected by the transient airflow pattern inside the spacer device. This paper presents a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis of ...

Ion-exchange microspheres (IEMs) are widely employed in controlled drug delivery of ionic drugs due to their high loading capacity and the possibility to obtain the controlled release of the loaded drug(s) at a specific site. Among IEMs, DC Bead are embolic microdevices (100–300 μm diameter) designed for transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) and composed of cross-linked poly(vinyl ...

We have prepared polymeric drug nanoparticles by oil in water (O/W) emulsion solvent evaporation method. We used acetone as solvent for polymer and water as non-solvent. The purpose of this study is to use the emulsion solvent evaporation method in order to prepare nanoparticles and to investigate the effects of the various processing parameters to the characteristics of ...

Several polymers derived from natural materials are effective for tissue engineering or drug delivery applications, due to specific properties, such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, and structural activity. Their blood compatibility needs to be carefully evaluated to avoid thrombosis and other material-related adverse events in the hematic environment. We compared the surface properties and blood compatibility of protein and polysaccharide polymers, ...

Engineered nanofibers are generally focused on filtration, solar cells, sensors, smart textile fabrication, tissue engineering, etc. Electrospun nanofibers have potential advantages in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, because of the ease in the incorporation of drugs, growth factors, natural materials, and inorganic nanoparticles in to these nanofiber scaffolds. Electrospun nanofiber scaffolds composed of synthetic and natural polymers are being explored ...

On many occasions, homopolysaccharide hydrogel networks alone are not suitable for controlled drug delivery. In this study, interpenetrating networks (IPNs) of sodium alginate (ALG) and etherified locust bean gum (ELBG) were developed through ionotropic gelation with Al ions, tested for glipizide release, and were compared with homopolymer hydrogel networks. The degree of reticulation in IPNs was explained by the neutralization ...

Tissue-engineering solutions often harness biomimetic materials to support cells for functional tissue regeneration. Three-dimensional scaffolds can create a multi-scale environment capable of facilitating cell adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation. One such multi-scale scaffold incorporates nanofibrous features to mimic the extracellular matrix along with a porous network for the regeneration of a variety of tissues. This review will ...

Flow-through electroporation on a chip is a promising technique to introduce molecules into cells in applications of biological research, drug delivery and gene therapy. During the electroporation process, the electrical field also causes large amount of non-viable cells, which significantly influence the following biological procedure. Off-chip separation of the variable cells increases experimental complexity dramatically and results ...

Novel star-shaped poly(ϵ-caprolactone)-b-poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (sPCL-b-PHEMA) with 3 arm and 6 arm was synthesized by a combination of ring-opening polymerization and atom transfer radical polymerization. The structure of copolymers was confirmed by nuclear magnetic resonance (H and C NMR) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The thermal behavior was measured by differential ...

A drug delivery system based on poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) hydrogels containing ibuprofen-loaded poly (lactic acid) (PLA) microspheres was developed to improve the release kinetics of this model drug. Gamma-irradiation and freeze-thawing was applied to prepare poly (vinyl alcohol) hydrogels. Properties and morphology of these composite hydrogels were investigated using FTIR, DSC and SEM. In vitro release ...

Many nanoparticle collection devices have limitations related to retention of particle integrity from bounce, shattering or aggregation. Suspensions of soft nanoparticles (e.g. proteins, lipids) are required for drug delivery and therapy. To enable direct collection of soft nanoparticles into liquid media, a wet electrostatic precipitator (WESP) was designed and evaluated in this work. Different sections were used for ion ...

Two kinds of functionalized nanostructured hybrid microspheres, based on the bridged silsesquioxane family, were synthesized by employing the sol–gel method via self-assembly of two different organic–inorganic bridged monomers. The architecture reached at molecular level allowed the incorporation of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) as an anti-inflammatory model drug. The ASA-functionalized microspheres were characterized as delivery devices in ...

The leaky, heterogeneous vasculature of human tumors prevents the even distribution of systemic drugs within cancer tissues. However, techniques for studying vascular delivery systems in vivo often require complex mammalian models and time-consuming, surgical protocols. The developing chicken embryo is a well-established model for human cancer that is easily accessible for tumor imaging. To assess this model for ...

For several years, ultrasound contrast agents are being investigated for their therapeutic capacity. These gas-filled coated microbubbles have the ability to enhance local intravenous drug delivery. Microbubbles can be loaded with drugs by adding them to the bubble surface of by incorporating them into the core of the bubble. Upon microbubble oscillation and/or disruption, following ultrasound insonation, the ...

An implantable system-on-a-chip (SoC) integrating controller/actuation circuitry and 8 individually addressable drug reservoirs is proposed for on-demand drug delivery. It is implemented by standard 0.35-μm CMOS technology and post-IC processing. The post-IC processing includes deposition of metallic membranes (200Å Pt/3000Å Ti/200Å Pt) to cap the drug reservoirs, deep d...

A new type of dermal wound drug delivery device has been successfully fabricated and tested. It is powered by heat from the human body. There are three main parts to the device, the Knudsen pump, a reservoir and a bottom plate. The reservoir holds the drug until the device is placed on the skin of the patient. The heat from ...

Visible light photo-cross-linked biodegradable amorphous elastomers based on poly(decane-co-tricarballylate) (PDET) with different cross-linking densities were synthesized, and their cytotoxicity, biocompatibility, and biodegradability were reported. Cytotoxicity of PDET extracts of the elastomers was assessed for mitochondrial succinate dehydrogenase activity by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT assay) and inhibition of [...

Chitosan (CS) and its carboxymethyl derivatives are smart biopolymers that are non-toxic, biocompatible and biodegradable, and, hence, suitable for various biomedical applications, such as drug delivery, gene therapy and tissue engineering. Curcumin is a major chemotherapeutic agent with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-proliferative, anticancer and antimicrobial effects. However, the potential of curcumin as a chemotherapeutic agent is limited by ...

In this report, MDDS (Magnetic Drug Delivery System) which is a technology to control the drugs kinetics from outside the body by the magnetic field of a HTS (high temperature superconducting) bulk magnet was investigated. Liposome composed of phospholipid bilayer membrane was used as a drug carrier, in which the ferromagnetic particle and the model drug were encapsulated together. The ...

Organic/inorganic hybrid nanofiber systems have generated great interest in the area of tissue engineering and drug delivery. In this study, halloysite nanotube (HNT)-doped poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) composite nanofibers were fabricated via electrospinning and the influence of the incorporation of HNTs within PLGA nanofibers on their in vitro biocompatibility was investigated. The morphology, mechanical and thermal ...

Polymeric forms of ionic liquids have many potential applications because of their ionic nature. Two ionic liquid monomers, 1-(4-vinylbenzyl)-3-methyl imidazolium hexafluorophosphate (VMIH) and 1-(4-vinylbenzyl)-4-(dimethylamino)-pyridinium hexafluorophosphate (VDPH), were synthesized through the quaternization of N-methylimidazole and 4-(dimethylamino) pyridine with 4-vinylbenzylchloride, respectively, and a subsequent anion exchange reaction with potassium hexafluorophosphate. ...

In this thesis the potential of photo-crosslinked polymer networks for intraocular drug delivery is described. Patients with diseases of the back of the eye would benefit considerably from the development of drug delivery systems that can provide sustained intraocular delivery for months to years. Due to their versatility, photo-crosslinked polymer networks are an interesting class of materials for ...

A novel AMPS-based hydrogel was synthesized, characterized, and its swelling and drug-release behaviour with brufen as model drug were studied in vitro. The results indicated that the swelling of the hydrogel is pH sensitive and follows the non-Fickian diffusion process. Swelling behaviour of brufen loaded and unloaded hydrogel was similar. The results of in-vitro drug release ...

We present a flat and cost effective volume displacement actuator based on superabsorbent polymer. It offers slow kinetics and is able to work against reasonable back-pressures, e.g. 0.50 ml in 235 min at 140 kPa. It is predestined for low-cost skin attachable drug delivery devices. The actuator consists of a plastic ring filled with superabsorbent polymer ...

We previously demonstrated the efficacy of BNCT mediated by boronophenylalanine (BPA) to treat tumors in a hamster cheek pouch model of oral cancer with no normal tissue radiotoxicity and moderate, albeit reversible, mucositis in precancerous tissue around treated tumors. It is known that boron targeting of the largest possible proportion of tumor cells contributes to the success of BNCT and ...

Ultrasound energy at frequencies lower than 200 kHz has recently been used in the medical field to improve transdermal drug transport and to achieve a more suitable therapeutic approach. Low-frequency ultrasound energy was shown to be more effective than high-frequency ultrasound energy, so low-frequency ultrasound is attracting its share of attention in the medical field. In this ...

Recent bioengineering strategies for peripheral nerve regeneration have been focusing on the development of alternative treatments for nerve repair. In this study, we incorporated nerve growth factor (NGF) into aligned core–shell nanofibres by coaxial electrospinning, and reeled the scaffold into aligned fibrous nerve guidance conduits (NGCs) for nerve regeneration study. This aligned PLGA/NGF NGC combined physical guidance cues ...