Effect of Polymeric Nanoparticles with Entrapped Fish Oil or Mupirocin on Skin Wound Healing Using a Porcine Model

The utilization of poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) nanoparticles (NPs) with entrapped fish oil (FO) loaded in collagen-based scaffolds for cutaneous wound healing using a porcine model is unique for the present study. Full-depth cutaneous excisions (5 x 5 cm) on the pig dorsa were treated with pure collagen scaffold (control, C), empty PLGA NPs (NP), FO, mupirocin (MUP), PLGA NPs with entrapped FO (NP/FO) and PLGA NPs with entrapped MUP (NP/MUP). The following markers were evaluated on days 0, 3, 7, 14 and 21 post-excision: collagen, hydroxyproline (HP), angiogenesis and expressions of the COX2, EGF, COL1A1, COL1A3, TGFB1, VEGFA, CCL5 and CCR5 genes. The hypothesis that NP/FO treatment is superior to FO alone and that it is comparable to NP/MUP was tested. NP/FO treatment increased HP in comparison with both FO alone and NP/MUP (day 14) but decreased (p < 0.05) angiogenesis in comparison with FO alone (day 3). NP/FO increased (p < 0.05) the expression of the CCR5 gene (day 3) and tended (p > 0.05) to increase the expressions of the EGF (day 7, day 14), TGFB1 (day 21) and CCL5 (day 7, day 21) genes as compared with NP/MUP. NP/FO can be suggested as a suitable alternative to NP/MUP in cutaneous wound treatment.O

Dynamics and determinants of SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR testing on symptomatic individuals attending healthcare centers during 2020 in Bahia, Brazil

RT-PCR testing data provides opportunities to explore regional and individual determinants of test positivity and surveillance infrastructure. Using Generalized Additive Models, we explored 222,515 tests of a random sample of individuals with COVID-19 compatible symptoms in the Brazilian state of Bahia during 2020. We found that age and male gender were the most significant determinants of test positivity. There was evidence of an unequal impact among socio-demographic strata, with higher positivity among those living in areas with low education levels during the first epidemic wave, followed by those living in areas with higher education levels in the second wave. Our estimated probability of testing positive after symptom onset corroborates previous reports that the probability decreases with time, more than halving by about two weeks and converging to zero by three weeks. Test positivity rates generally followed state-level reported cases, and while a single laboratory performed ~90% of tests covering ~99% of the state's area, test turn-around time generally remained below four days. This testing effort is a testimony to the Bahian surveillance capacity during public health emergencies, as previously witnessed during the recent Zika and Yellow Fever outbreaks

Tailoring Physical Properties of Dual-Network Acrylamide Hydrogel Composites by Engineering Molecular Structures of the Cross-linked Network

Poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) nanoparticles of different physical characteristics (size, size distribution, morphology, zeta potential) can be synthesized by controlling the parameters specific to the synthesis method employed. The aim of this review is to clearly, quantitatively and comprehensively describe the top-down synthesis techniques available for PLGA nanoparticle formation, as well as the techniques commonly used for nanoparticle characterization. Many examples are discussed in detail to provide the reader with an extensive knowledge base on the important parameters specific to the synthesis method described and ways in which these parameters can be manipulated to control the nanoparticle physical characteristics

Ca(2+) cross-linked alginic acid nanoparticles for solubilization of lipophilic natural colorants

The increased tendency toward healthy lifestyles has promoted natural food ingredients to the detriment of synthetic components of food products. The trend followed into the colorant arena, with consumers worried about potential health problems associated with synthetic colorants and demanding food products that use natural pigments. The goal of this study was to entrap a lipophilic natural pigment (beta-carotene) in a water-soluble matrix made of Ca(2+) cross-linked alginic acid, to allow its use as a colorant in water-based foods. The effects of different synthesis parameters such as type of solvent, alginic acid concentration, and calcium chloride concentration on nanoparticle characteristics (i.e., size, zeta potential, and morphology) were evaluated. The particle stability was assessed by measuring aggregation against pH, oxidation, and particle precipitation as a function of time. The particle synthesized measured 120-180 nm when formed with chloroform and 500-950 nm when synthesized with ethyl acetate. The particles were negatively charged (-70 to -80 mV zeta potential) and were stable at pH values ranging from 3 to 7. The presence of calcium was prevalent on the particles, indicating that the divalent ions were responsible for cross-linking lecithin with alginic acid and forming the matrix around the beta-carotene pockets. The addition of calcium increased nanoparticle density and improved beta-carotene protection against oxidation. It is concluded that the method proposed herein was capable of forming water-soluble nanoparticles with entrapped beta-carotene of controlled functionality, as a result of the type of solvent and the amounts of alginate and Ca(2+) used

Synthesis of vitamin E-carnosine (VECAR): New antioxidant molecule with potential application in atherosclerosis

Natural antioxidants such as carnosine and α-tocopherol (vitamin E) provide protection against several oxidative stress-related diseases such as atherosclerosis and Alzheimer\u27s. The synthetic combination of α-tocopherol and carnosine can take advantage of the cellular transport mechanism of α-tocopherol by α-tocopherol transfer protein (α-TTP) to colocate α-tocopherol and carnosine at the interface between a lipophilic and a hydrophilic domain and protect both from oxidation. Successful synthesis of a novel heterodimer of α-tocopherol (vitamin E) and carnosine, VECAR was carried out in a total of nine steps. The VECAR design uses a 13-carbon phytyl-chain mimic to link carnosine to Trolox at the C2 carbon position. This design feature is anticipated to maintain binding to α-TTP, while maintaining the antioxidant activity of the two heterodimer components. Our results confirmed that there was no loss in antioxidant activity in VECAR using an in-vitro DPPH assay, versus α-tocopherol and Trolox. Supplemental materials are available for this article. Go to the publisher\u27s online edition of Synthetic Communications® to view the free supplemental. © 2013 Taylor and Francis Group, LLC

Zein Nanoparticles Uptake by Hydroponically Grown Soybean Plants

In the interest of developing and characterizing a polymeric nanoparticle pesticide delivery vehicle to soybeans, zein nanoparticle (ZNP) uptake by the roots and biodistribution to the leaves of soybean plants was measured. Zein was tagged with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) and made into nanoparticles (135 ± 3 nm diameter. 0.202 ± 0.034 PDI and 81 ± 4 mV zeta-potential at pH 6) using an emulsion-diffusion method. After 10 days of hydroponic exposure, association between particles and roots of plants was found to vary based on bulk nanoparticle concentration. While 0.37 mg NP/mg dry weight were detected in roots immersed in 0.88 mg NP/mL nanoparticle suspension, 0.58 mg NP/mg dry weight associated with roots immersed in a high dose nanoparticle suspension of 1.75 mg NP/mL at 10 days. Nanoparticle root uptake followed second order kinetics. A small amount of increased fluorescence was detected in the hydroponically exposed plant\u27s leaves, suggesting that either small amounts of particles or other fluorescent contaminants of zein were up taken by the roots and biodistributed within the plant. To the authors\u27 knowledge, this is the first study in which the uptake and time-dependent association between polymeric nanoparticles and soybeans are quantified

Antioxidant poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid nanoparticles made with α-tocopherol-ascorbic acid surfactant

The goal of the study was to synthesize a surfactant made of α-tocopherol (vitamin E) and ascorbic acid (vitamin C) of antioxidant properties dubbed as EC, and to use this surfactant to make poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) nanoparticles. Self-assembled EC nanostructures and PLGA-EC nanoparticles were made by nanoprecipitation, and their physical properties (size, size distribution, morphology) were studied at different salt concentrations, surfactant concentrations, and polymer/surfactant ratios. EC surfactant was shown to form self-assembled nanostructures in water with a size of 22 to 138 nm in the presence of sodium chloride, or 12 to 31 nm when synthesis was carried out in sodium bicarbonate. Polymeric PLGA-EC nanoparticles presented a size of 90 to 126 nm for 40% to 120% mass ratio PLGA to surfactant. For the same mass ratios, the PLGA-Span80 formed particles measured 155 to 216 nm. Span80 formed bilayers, whereas EC formed monolayers at the interfaces. PLGA-EC nanoparticles and EC showed antioxidant activity based on 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay measurements using UV and EPR techniques, antioxidant activity which is not characteristic to commercially available Span80. The thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) assay for lipid peroxidation showed that PLGA nanoparticles with EC performed better as antioxidants than the EC nanoassembly or the free vitamin C. Nanoparticles were readily internalized by HepG2 cells and were localized in the cytoplasm. The newly synthesized EC surfactant was therefore found successful in forming uniform, small size polymeric nanoparticles of intrinsic antioxidant properties