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Background: Modified titanium (Ti) substrates with titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanotubes have broad usage as implant surface treatments and as drug delivery systems. Methods: To improve drug-loading capacity and accelerate bone integration with titanium, in this study, we hydrogenated anodized titanium dioxide nanotubes (TNTs) by a thermal treatment. Three groups were examined, namely: hydrogenated TNTs (H2-TNTs, test), unmodified TNTs (air-TNTs, control), and Ti substrates (Ti, control). Results: Our results showed that oxygen vacancies were present in all the nanotubes. The quantity of -OH groups greatly increased after hydrogenation. Furthermore, the protein adsorption and loading capacity of the H2-TNTs were considerably enhanced as compared with the properties of the air-TNTs (P<0.05). Additionally, time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) was used to investigate the interactions of TNTs with proteins. During the protein-loading process, the H2-TNTs not only enabled rapid protein adsorption, but also decreased the rate of protein elution compared with that of the air-TNTs. We found that the H2-TNTs exhibited better biocompatibility than the air-TNT and Ti groups. Both cell adhesion activity and alkaline phosphatase activity were significantly improved toward MG-63 human osteoblast-like cells as compared with the control groups (P<0.05). Conclusion: We conclude that hydrogenated TNTs could greatly improve the loading capacity of bioactive molecules and MG-63 cell proliferation.

Polyetheretherketone (PEEK)/β‐tricalcium phosphate (β‐TCP) scaffolds are expected to be able to combine the excellent mechanical strength of PEEK and the good bioactivity and biodegradability of β‐TCP. While PEEK acts as a closed membrane in which β‐TCP is completely wrapped after the melting/solidifying processing, the PEEK membrane degrades very little, hence the scaffolds cannot display bioactivity and biodegradability. The strategy reported here is to blend a biodegradable polymer with PEEK and β‐TCP to fabricate multi‐material scaffolds via selective laser sintering (SLS). The biodegradable polymer first degrades and leaves caverns on the closed membrane, and then the wrapped β‐TCP is exposed to body fluid. In this study, poly(l‐lactide) (PLLA) is adopted as the biodegradable polymer. The results show that large numbers of caverns form on the membrane with the degradation of PLLA, enabling direct contact between β‐TCP and body fluid, and allowing for their ion‐exchange. As a consequence, the scaffolds display the bioactivity, biodegradability and cytocompatibility. Moreover, bone defect repair studies reveal that new bone tissues grow from the margin towards the center of the scaffolds from the histological analysis. The bone defect region is completely connected to the host bone end after 8 weeks of implantation. The biodegradation test of scaffolds reveals that many caverns form on the closed membrane due to poly(l‐lactide) (PLLA) degradation, and the caverns become larger and deeper with increasing PLLA content. As a result, the wrapped β‐tricalcium phosphate (β‐TCP) particles are exposed from the membrane into body fluid environment.

In this paper, nanofibrous membranes based on chitosan (CS), poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and graphene oxide (GO) composites, loaded with antibiotic drugs, such as Ciprofloxacin (Cip) and Ciprofloxacin hydrochloride (CipHcl) were prepared via the electrospinning technique. The uniform and defect-free CS/PVA nanofibers were obtained and GO nanosheets, shaping spindle and spherical, were partially embedded into nanofibers. Besides, the antibiotic drugs were effectively loaded into the nanofibers and part of which were absorbed into GO nanosheets. Intriguingly, the release of the drug absorbed in GO nanosheets regulated the drug release profile trend, avoiding the “burst” release of drug at the release initial stage, and the addition of GO slightly improved the drug release ratio. Nanofibrous membranes showed the significantly enhanced antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis after the addition of antibiotic drug. Moreover, the drug-loaded nanofibrous membranes exhibited excellent cytocompatibility with Melanoma cells, indicative to the great potential potential for applications in wound dressing.

The therapeutic delivery system with dual stimuli-responsiveness has attracted attention for drug delivery to target sites. In this study, we used free radical polymerization to develop a temperature and pH-responsive poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide)-co-poly(acrylamide) (PNIPAM-co-PAAm). PNIPAm-co-PAAm copolymer by reacting with N-isopropyl acrylamide (NIPAm) and acrylamide (Am) monomers. In addition, the synthesized melamine-glutaraldehyde (Mela-Glu) precursor was used as a cross-linker in the production of the melamine cross-linked PNIPAm-co-PAAm copolymer hydrogel (PNIPAm-co-PAAm-Mela HG) system. The temperature-responsive phase transition characteristics of the resulting PNIPAM-co-PAAm-Mela HG systems were determined. Furthermore, the pH-responsive drug release efficiency of curcumin was investigated under various pH and temperature circumstances. Under the combined pH and temperature stimuli (pH 5.0/45 °C), the PNIPAm-co-PAAm-Mela HG demonstrated substantial drug loading (74%), and nearly complete release of the loaded drug was accomplished in 8 h. Furthermore, the cytocompatibility of the PNIPAm-co-PAAm-Mela HG was evaluated on a human liver cancer cell line (HepG2), and the findings demonstrated that the prepared PNIPAm-co-PAAm-Mela HG is biocompatible. As a result, the PNIPAm-co-PAAm-Mela HG system might be used for both pH and temperature-stimuli-responsive drug delivery.

MXenes are nanostructures with unique characteristics, such as hydrophilicity, large surface area, strong metallic conductivity, strong ion transport capabilities, biocompatibility, minimal diffusion barrier, and easy functionalization, which make these compounds suitable for bioanalytical applications. These materials are formed of transition metallic nitrides, carbides, or carbonitrides. Owing to their unique properties, MXenes have gained interest in various fields, including sustainable energy generation, fuel cells, supercapacitors, electronics, and catalysis. The composition and layered structure have made MXenes particularly appealing to biosensing applications. They can be used in electrochemical biosensors because of their high conductivity and multilayered architecture, which ensure the retention of activity in immobilized biomolecules. This review highlights the application of MXenes in electrochemical and optical biosensors, identifying future requirements and potential in this sector, particularly in the development of wearable sensors and platforms with integrated biomolecule detection.

Melanoma is one of the highly malignant tumors whose incidence and fatality rates have been increased year by year. However, in addition to early surgical resection, there still lacks specific targeted drugs and treatment strategies. In this study, it was discovered that hinokiflavone (HF) encapsulated in zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) exhibited a superior anti-melanoma effect in vitro and in vivo. HF was encapsulated in ZIF-8 through a one-step synthesis method, and polyethylene glycol (PEG-2000) was used to optimize the size and dispersion of the drug-loaded complex (PEG/ZIF-8@HF). The results show that the prepared PEG/ZIF-8@HF has a high encapsulation efficiency (92.12%) and can achieve selective drug release in an acidic microenvironment. The results of in vitro anti-melanoma experiments indicate that PEG/ZIF-8@HF shows up-regulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and can restrain the migration and invasion of B16F10 cells. Moreover, in vivo animal experiments further confirm that PEG/ZIF-8@HF shows anti-tumor effect by up-regulating the pro-apoptotic proteins caspase-3 and caspase-8, and down-regulating the migration-promoting invasion protein MMP-9. This study developed a safe and effective oral administration of HF based on the high-efficiency delivery ZIF-8 system, which provides an effective treatment strategy for melanoma.

Objectives The aim of the present in vitro study is to determine the cytocompatibility of the recently introduced NeoPutty in contact with human dental pulp cells compared with its precursor NeoMTA Plus and the classic gold standard MTA Angelus.Materials and methodsSample disks were obtained for each of the tested materials (5 mm diameter; 2 mm thickness; n = 30), along with 1:1, 1:2, and 1:4 material eluents. HDPCs were extracted and cultured with the tested materials (test groups) or in unconditioned medium (control group), and the following biocompatibility assays were performed: MTT assay, scratch wound assay, cell cytoskeleton staining assays, and cell attachment assessment via SEM. Additionally, material ion release and surface element composition were evaluated via ICP-MS and SEM–EDX, respectively. Each experimental condition was carried out three times and assessed in three independent experiments. Statistical significance was established at p < 0.05.Results1:2 dilutions of all the tested materials exhibited a comparable cell viability to that of the control group at 48 and 72 h of culture (p < 0.05). The same was observed for 1:4 dilutions of the tested materials at 24, 48, and 72 h of culture (p > 0.05). All the tested materials exhibited adequate cytocompatibility in the remaining biocompatibility assays. MTA exhibited a significantly higher calcium ion release compared to NeoPutty and NeoMTA Plus (p < 0.05).ConclusionThe results from the present work elucidate the adequate cytocompatibility of NeoPutty, NeoMTA Plus, and MTA Angelus towards human dental pulp cells.Clinical relevanceWithin the limitations of the present in vitro study, our results may act as preliminary evidence for its use in vital pulp therapy as a pulp capper. However, results need to be interpreted with caution until further clinical supporting evidence is reported.

Gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) has recently attracted increasing attention. Unlike other hydrogels, it allows for the adjustment of the mechanical properties using such factors as degree of functionalization, concentration, and photocrosslinking parameters. In this study, GelMA with a high degree of substitution (82.75 ± 7.09%) was synthesized, and its suitability for extrusion printing, cytocompatibility, and biocompatibility was studied. Satisfactory printing quality was demonstrated with the 15% concentration hydrogel. The high degree of functionalization led to a decrease in the ability of human adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) to adhere to the GelMA surface. During the first 3 days after sowing, proliferation was observed. Degradation in animals after subcutaneous implantation was slowed down.

Apple pomace (AP) from the food industry is a mixture of different fractions containing bioactive polyphenolic compounds. This study provides a systematic approach toward the recovery and evaluation of the physiochemical and biological properties of polyphenolic compounds from AP. We studied subcritical water extraction (SCW) and solvent extraction with ethanol from four different AP fractions of pulp, peel, seed, core, and stem (A), peel (B), seed and core (C), and pulp and peel (D). The subcritical water method at the optimum condition resulted in total polyphenolic compounds (TPC) of 39.08 ± 1.10 mg GAE per g of AP on a dry basis compared to the ethanol extraction with TPC content of 10.78 ± 0.94 mg GAE/g db. Phloridzin, chlorogenic acid, and quercetin were the main identified polyphenolics in the AP fractions using HPLC. DPPH radical scavenging activity of fraction B and subcritical water (SW) extracts showed comparable activity to ascorbic acid while all ethanolic extracts were cytocompatible toward human fibroblast (3T3-L1) and salivary gland acinar cells (NS-SV-AC). Our results indicated that AP is a rich source of polyphenolics with the potential for biomedical applications.

In this study, a fibrous composite was developed as synthetic graft for labral reconstruction treatment, comprised of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fabric, ultrafine fibre of polycaprolactone (PCL), and 45S5 Bioglass®. This experiment aimed to examine the mechanical performance and cytocompatibility of the composite. Electrospinning and a slurry dipping technique were applied for composite fabrication. To assess the mechanical performance of UHMWPE, tensile cyclic loading test was carried out. Meanwhile, cytocompatibility of the composite on fibroblastic cells was examined through a viability assay, as well as SEM images to observe cell attachment and proliferation. The mechanical test showed that the UHMWPE fabric had a mean displacement of 1.038 mm after 600 cycles, approximately 4.5 times greater resistance compared to that of natural labrum, based on data obtained from literature. A viability assay demonstrated the predominant occupation of live cells on the material surface, suggesting that the composite was able to provide a viable environment for cell growth. Meanwhile, SEM images exhibited cell adhesion and the formation of cell colonies on the material surface. These results indicated that the UHMWPE/PCL/Bioglass® composite could be a promising material for labrum implants.