Explore the vast range of titles available.

Currently, the treatment for ocular neovascular diseases, including diabetic macular edema (DME) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD), mainly involves repeated intravitreal injection of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) drugs. Although it can preserve vision, repeated injections are an invasive treatment modality, leading to serious complications and reducing patient adherence to treatment. To reduce the frequency of administration, prolong the time of drug action, and avoid repeated intravitreal injections, the combination of sustained-release materials with anti-VEGF drug therapy has become an emphasis in ophthalmology. In this review, we highlight the current state of anti-VEGF technology, its challenges, and the sustained-release strategies under investigation or being used in clinical practice. Both continuous release and considerable therapeutic effects can be achieved by encapsulating anti-VEGF drugs in sustained-release materials to minimize the number of intravitreal injections. At present, two sustained-release materials are being tested in clinical research, and although basic research shows the strong therapeutic application prospects of extended-release drugs, its challenges mainly involve the discrepancy between the release rates in vitro and the efficiency of the drugs in vivo. Briefy, sustained release of anti-VEGF agents is an advantageous strategy for treating retinal angiogenesis. Keywords: anti-vascular endothelial growth factor, retinal angiogenesis, anti-VEGF drugs, sustained-release strategies, ranibizumab, bevacizumab

Owing to unique physiochemical and biological properties as well as the ability to be combined with a wide variety of materials for both biocompatibility and hydrophilia, carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) is an excellent choice as a carrier. Loading Chlorine dioxide (ClO2) into biodegradable carrier for its good disinfection performance and high safety factors has attracted significantattention. Therefore, in this study, we used ClO2 as a model drug, and a sustained-ClO2-gas-release gel was developed from degradable materials, such as carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), and β-cyclodextrin (βCD), through a simple and benign crosslinking strategy. Notably, the gel had sustained-release property in a wide temperature range of 4–35 ℃ and released ClO2 gas effectively for more than 30 days. Furthermore, a loss factor was proposed based on the incomplete release of the drug in the sustained release process to a chieve a good fit with the gas diffusion process. A new diffusion model was designed based on the Korsmeyer–Peppas model, and an excellent fit was obtained. This sustained-ClO2-gas-release gel provides theoretical and technical guidance for the development of sustained-disinfectant-release agents for use in space and offers new insights into the sustained release model of skeleton-soluble hydrogels.

Although nanomedicine has been highly investigated for cancer treatment over the past decades, only a few nanomedicines are currently approved and in the market; making this field poorly represented in clinical applications. Key research gaps that require optimization to successfully translate the use of nanomedicines have been identified, but not addressed; among these, the lack of control of the release pattern of therapeutics is the most important. To solve these issues with currently used nanomedicines (e.g., burst release, systemic release), different strategies for the design and manufacturing of nanomedicines allowing for better control over the therapeutic release, are currently being investigated. The inclusion of stimuli-responsive properties and prolonged drug release have been identified as effective approaches to include in nanomedicine, and are discussed in this paper. Recently, smart sustained release nanoparticles have been successfully designed to safely and efficiently deliver therapeutics with different kinetic profiles, making them promising for many drug delivery applications and in specific for cancer treatment. In this review, the state-of-the-art of smart sustained release nanoparticles is discussed, focusing on the design strategies and performances of polymeric nanotechnologies. A complete list of nanomedicines currently tested in clinical trials and approved nanomedicines for cancer treatment is presented, critically discussing advantages and limitations with respect to the newly developed nanotechnologies and manufacturing methods. By the presented discussion and the highlight of nanomedicine design criteria and current limitations, this review paper could be of high interest to identify key features for the design of release-controlled nanomedicine for cancer treatment.

Waterlogged archaeological wood is highly vulnerable to degradation by wood-degrading microorganisms. Oregano essential oil (OEO) shows excellent antimicrobial activity against such microbes, but its high volatility and poor stability restrict direct application in cultural relic protection. This study aims to optimize the preparation of sodium alginate (SA)-based OEO microcapsules (OEO@SAM), characterize their structural and physicochemical properties, and evaluate their sustained-release antimicrobial performance for waterlogged archaeological wood conservation. OEO@SAM was fabricated via ionic crosslinking, with orthogonal experiments optimizing three key parameters: OEO:SA ratio, SA concentration, and CaCl2 concentration. The microcapsules were characterized by morphological observation, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), etc. Encapsulation efficiency (EE), in vitro sustained-release kinetics, and antimicrobial activity against dominant wood-degrading microorganisms (isolated from waterlogged archaeological sites) were tested. The OEO:SA ratio was the dominant factor regulating EE: EE decreased sharply as the OEO:SA ratio increased, with the highest EE (24.05%) achieved at OEO:SA = 0.5, SA = 2%, and CaCl2 = 3%. Meanwhile, only 0.71 g/L of OEO@SAM is required to inhibit bacterial growth and achieve the conservation of waterlogged archaeological wood. OEO@SAM exhibited stable sustained release (fitting the zero-order kinetic model) and significant antimicrobial activity against target microorganisms. It provides a new type of antibacterial and antifungal material for the in situ conservation of waterlogged archaeological wood.

Background Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a prevalent immune-related allergic disease, and corticosteroid nasal sprays serve as the primary treatment for this patient population. However, their short duration of efficacy and frequent administration pose challenges, leading to drug wastage and potential adverse effects. To overcome these limitations, we devised a novel approach to formulate DEX-Gel by incorporating dexamethasone (DEX) into a blend of Pluronic F127, stearic acid (SA), and polyethylene glycol 400 (PEG400) to achieve sustained-release treatment for AR. Results Following endoscopic injection into the nasal mucosa of AR rats, DEX-Gel exhibited sustained release over a 14-day period. In vivo trials employing various assays, such as flow cytometry (FC), demonstrated that DEX-Gel not only effectively managed allergic symptoms but also significantly downregulated helper T-cells (T H ) 2 and T H 2-type inflammatory cytokines (e.g., interleukins 4, 5, and 13). Additionally, the T H 1/T H 2 cell ratio was increased. Conclusion This innovative long-acting anti-inflammatory sustained-release therapy addresses the T H 1/T H 2 immune imbalance, offering a promising and valuable approach for the treatment of AR and other inflammatory nasal diseases. Graphical Abstract

Blue emitting perovskite ink obtained from cesium lead halide quantum dots bearing chlorine (CsPbCl x Br 3− x , 0 < x ≤ 3) suffers from the low photoluminescence quantum yield and poor stability. Cesium lead bromine (CsPbBr 3 ) quantum dots free of chlorine have more stable crystal structure and fewer crystal defects. Precise control of crystal sizes and surface passivation components of CsPbBr 3 quantum dots is crucial for the best use of quantum confinement effect and blueshift of emission wavelength to blue region. Here, by polymerizing acrylamide under UV-light irradiation to form polymer gel networks in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) with CsPbBr 3 precursors and passivating agents trapped, we successfully prepared novel sustained release tablets with different shapes and sizes. Thanks to the limitation of the polymer networks on solvent releasing, the resulting CsPbBr 3 quantum dots have the average size of 1.1 ± 0.2 nm. On the basis of the excellent quantum confinement effect and optimized surface passivation, the obtained PQD ink can emit high quality blue light for more than 6 weeks. This work elucidates a new and convenient technique to prepare blue emission perovskite quantum dots ink with high stability and photoluminescence quantum yield and provides a great potential technology for the preparation of perovskite optoelectronic devices.

Diabetic foot ulcers are among the most common complications of diabetes and can lead to delayed wound healing. Fibroblast growth factor (FGF1) is a classic drug for the treatment of skin wounds but has the disadvantages of a short half-life and instability. Poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanofibers are sustained-release biomaterials that have potential for use as therapeutic delivery systems. However, the therapeutic effect of PLGA loaded with recombinant human FGF1 (rhFGF1) on diabetic wound healing is unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the therapeutic effects of PLGA-rhFGF1 in type 2 diabetic (T2D) wound mice. We found that PLGA offers good sustained release, which enhances the stability and bioactivity of rhFGF1. PLGA-rhFGF1 promoted wound closure, re-epithelialization and the expression of keratin 10 and keratin 14 in T2D mice on day 14. PLGA-rhFGF1 significantly decreased the levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in serum and skin tissues as well as the level of IL-1β in skin tissues. Moreover, PLGA-rhFGF1 decreased the mRNA levels of CXCL1 , MCP1 and MIP2 , and the fluorescence intensity of F4/80 and Ly6G in T2D wound mice and increased the collagen content and the protein expression of collagen I in the dermis of T2D wounds. PLGA-rhFGF1 also increased blood flow; the mRNA levels of the angiogenesis-related factors VEGF , Ang-1 and eNOS and the fluorescence intensity of CD31 in T2D wound mice. These data indicate that PLGA releases rhFGF1 slowly and promotes skin wound healing in T2D mice. The mechanisms through which PLGA-rhFGF1 produces these effects involve decreased inflammation and the promotion of granulation, re-epithelialization and angiogenesis.

Bacterial cellulose (BC) production can be performed using a static or dynamic culture method. In the static culture method, the BC is obtained presents three-dimensional thinner network structures and excellent mechanical properties. In the dynamic culture method, BC is produced in the form of granules or fibrous threads with a lower degree of polymerization, mechanical strength, and crystallinity than those formed in static fermentation. Compared with BC membranes, sphere-like BC (SBC) cultured under dynamic conditions showed advantages for adsorption due to its larger surface area. The objectives of this work were to obtain SBC, by the bacterial strain Komagataeibacter hansenii ATCC 23769, in dynamic culture, using media containing different carbon sources carbon sources, such as fructose (FRU), glucose and sucrose (MS1), sucrose (Y) and glucose (Z and HS), aiming to produce supports for sustained release of rifampicin (RIF). SBC has been produced under agitation at 130 rpm and 25 °C. SBC obtained were processed to remove bacteria and residues from the culture media and lyophilized. The SBC characterizations were performed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Field emission gun-scanning electron microscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis. The SBC produced were impregnated with antibiotic RIF and tested for the sustained release capacity of this drug by diffusion method and Frans cell kinetics. SBC that the best results for all tests were produced in FRU, Z and MS1 media, respectively. The results demonstrate the potential of the SBC to contribute to the design of new drug delivery systems with biomedical applications.

Inspired by the antifouling properties of scaly fish, the conventional silicone coating with phenylmethylsilicone oil (PSO/PDMS) composite coating was fabricated and modified with single layer polystyrene (PS) microsphere (PSO/PDMS-PS) arrays. The fish scale like micro-nano structures were fabricated on the surface of bio-inspired coating, which can reduce the contact area with the secreted protein membrane of fouling organisms effectively and prevent further adhesion between fouling organisms and bio-inspired coating. Meanwhile, PSO exuded to the coating surface has the similar function with mucus secreted by fish epidermis, which make the coating surface slithery and will be polished with the fouling organisms in turbulent waters. Compared to PSO/PDMS coating without any structure and conventional silicone coating, PSO/PDMS-PS showed better antiadhesion activity against both marine bacteria and benthic diatom (Navicula sp.). Additionally, the existence of PS microspheres can reduce the release rate of PSO greatly, which will extend the service life of coating. Compared to PSO/PDMS coating, the sustained release efficiency of PSO/PDMS-PS coating can reach 23.2%. This facile method for fabricating the bio-inspired composite slow-release antifouling coating shows a widely fabricating path for the development of synergistic anti-fouling coating.

This study presents a hybrid hydrogel system designed for the targeted delivery of letrozole, a key therapeutic agent in breast cancer treatment. Letrozole-loaded poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microparticles were embedded within a poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (pHEMA) matrix coated onto acrylamide-grafted low-density polyethylene (AAm-g-LDPE), yielding a mechanically stable system with tunable drug release. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and confocal microscopy confirmed uniform microparticle distribution. In vitro release studies in simulated uterine fluid (SUF) at 37 °C demonstrated a sustained release profile over 32 days, with a reduced initial burst effect (~15% lower than conventional PLGA systems). The system’s release kinetics followed the Higuchi model (R2 = 0.803–0.996), indicating Fickian diffusion. This hybrid hydrogel offers enhanced drug stability, reduced dosing frequency, and potential for personalized hormone therapy, improving patient compliance, particularly for individuals with physical or cognitive impairments.