Magnetite Nanoparticles for Composite Coatings with Patterned Roughness

Extended Abstract Wettability control on solid surfaces is currently intensely studied due to its importance in many fields, such as self-cleaning coatings for solar energy panels, satellite dishes, automobile windshields, icerepellant and anti-corrosion surface treatments for aircrafts, high performance materials for biomedical applications, to mention just a few. The strategies for engineering synthetic coatings with water/ice repellant properties have been inspired by naturally occurring superhydrophobic materials and involve an optimum combination of hierarchical surface roughness and low surface tension, as concluded in recent comprehensive reviews This study aims to develop a method to prepare iron oxide nanoparticles that are capable of mutual magnetic interaction during the curing stage of a polymeric support to create micro-scale surface protuberances in a controlled manner. Materials and Methods The Fe 3 O 4 particles were obtained by partial oxidation of ferrous ions in alkaline solution and were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and magnetization measurement. They were subsequently functionalized in aqueous suspension using either sodium oleate or mixtures of non-ionic surfactants (Span80 and Tween80) with various hydrophilic to lipophilic balance (HLB) values. Chitosan was used as a model film-forming polymeric support. Functionalized particles were suspended in acidic chitosan solution. The obtained nanoparticle-polymer dispersions were deposited by spraying on glass slides and subsequently cured by drying under a static magnetic field (strength range 3 to 6 mT) generated with the aid of an electromagnet, to yield composite films. Results The Fe 3 O 4 particles obtained by the optimum procedure had a mean size of 14 nm as estimated from the TEM micrographs, an XRD pattern that is characteristic to highly crystalline magnetite and a saturation magnetization of 88.3 emu/g that is close to the theoretical value. Magnetic field generated surface roughness was evidenced in the composite films by optical and scanning electron microscopy. The film morphology varies depending on the surfactant nature and the strength of the applied magnetic field. The rate of the particle movement in the curing stage and therefore their aggregation degree is a result of the equilibrium between the aligning effect of the magnetic field and the drag force acting upon them. The optimum texture was produced with the sodium oleate functionalized nanoparticles, assembled in chain-like structures, thus forming ordered protuberances within the polymeric film

Nigella Sativa and Oriental Spices with Protective Role in Iron Intoxication: in vivo Experiments on Rabbits

Homeostasis of hematological parameters is essential for assuring a general health status for any living organism. Iron is one of the essential mineral, involved in many vital processes - mainly in blood cells production, but in the same way it can become toxic in very high concentration. Hemoglobin and red blood cells are directed related with the iron ion, due to the high quantity (70%) of total iron from organism being part of the blood (hemoglobin) and muscle (myoglobin) cells. Ferrous ion is part of hemoglobin structure, and red blood cells. But, the administration of high doses of iron can negatively affect the general health status, because the iron alters the enzymatic system in the vital organs. The aim of our experimental study was to verify the hypothesis that in rabbit’s organism, after intraperitoneal administration of 15g Fe2+/body weight as ferrous-gluconate hydro solution, a special diet based on a complex, fresh, organic vegetables (roots and leaves) protects the organism by iron intoxication and help the hematological homeostasis. The research experiment was conducted during 43 days in summer time, on German Lop Eared breed young rabbits, which were protected with a diet that consisted of administration of Nigella sativa, some oriental spices (Allium ampeloprasum, Allium tuberosum, Coriandrum sativum, Eruca sativa, Cucumis sativus, Raphanus sativus, Trigonella foenum-graecum) and other vegetables (Trifolium, Petroselinum crispum, Dacus carrota subsp.sativus and Cucumis sativus). At the final of experiment we collected blood samples for hematological test and we evaluated the erythrocytes, leukocytes, platelets, hemoglobin, hematocrit, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, and red cell distribution width. The results were analytical evaluated and only for hemoglobin we obtained significant increase value in experimental rabbits compared to control group of rabbits

18F-FDG PET/MRI Imaging in a Preclinical Rat Model of Cardiorenal Syndrome—An Exploratory Study

Cardiorenal syndrome (CRS) denotes the bidirectional interaction of chronic kidney disease and heart failure with an adverse prognosis but with a limited understanding of its pathogenesis. This study correlates biochemical blood markers, histopathological and immunohistochemistry features, and 2-deoxy-2-fluoro-D-glucose positron emission tomography (18F-FDG PET) metabolic data in low-dose doxorubicin-induced heart failure, cardiorenal syndrome, and renocardiac syndrome induced on Wistar male rats. To our knowledge, this is the first study that investigates the underlying mechanisms for CRS progression in rats using 18F-FDG PET. Clinical, metabolic cage monitoring, biochemistry, histopathology, and immunohistochemistry combined with PET/MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) data acquisition at distinct points in the disease progression were employed for this study in order to elucidate the available evidence of organ crosstalk between the heart and kidneys. In our CRS model, we found that chronic treatment with low-dose doxorubicin followed by acute 5/6 nephrectomy incurred the highest mortality among the study groups, while the model for renocardiac syndrome resulted in moderate-to-high mortality. 18F-FDG PET imaging evidenced the doxorubicin cardiotoxicity with vascular alterations, normal kidney development damage, and impaired function. Given the fact that standard clinical markers were insensitive to early renal injury, we believe that the decreasing values of the 18F-FDG PET-derived renal marker across the groups and, compared with their age-matched controls, along with the uniform distribution seen in healthy developing rats, could have a potential diagnostic and prognostic yield in cardiorenal syndrome

Chitooligosaccharides for wound healing biomaterials engineering

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Exploring the Antioxidant Potential of Gellan and Guar Gums in Wound Healing

It is acknowledged that the presence of antioxidants boosts the wound-healing process. Many biopolymers have been explored over the years for their antioxidant potential in wound healing, but limited research has been performed on gum structures and their derivatives. This review aims to evaluate whether the antioxidant properties of gellan and guar gums and wound healing co-exist. PubMed was the primary platform used to explore published reports on the antioxidant wound-healing interconnection, wound dressings based on gellan and guar gum, as well as the latest review papers on guar gum. The literature search disclosed that some wound-healing supports based on gellan gum hold considerable antioxidant properties, as evident from the results obtained using different antioxidant assays. It has emerged that the antioxidant properties of guar gum are overlooked in the wound-healing field, in most cases, even if this feature improves the healing outcome. This review paper is the first that examines guar gum vehicles throughout the wound-healing process. Further research is needed to design and evaluate customized wound dressings that can scavenge excess reactive oxygen species, especially in clinical practice

Flaxseed Lignans and Polyphenols Enhanced Activity in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats

Flaxseeds play an important role in human health due to their chemical composition and recognized beneficial outcomes. This study investigated the antidiabetic effects of present lignans and polyphenols found in the flaxseed extract on streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. The flaxseed administration produced favorable changes in body weight, food and water intake, and glycosylated hemoglobin and blood glucose quantities in the treated diabetic rats. Additionally, significant positive results were observed in the biochemical parameters, namely reduced plasma cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, plasma creatinine, and urea and uric acid levels, highlighting the seeds’ use in traditional medicine. The results were sustained by histopathological observations that showed better tissue preservation following the flaxseed diet. Overall, the consumption of flaxseeds produced moderate reduction in glucose levels and hyperlipidemia, together with improvement in the impaired organs’ function in diabetic rats. The daily administration of polyphenols and lignans compounds could impact therapeutic potential in diabetes management

Flaxseed Lignans and Polyphenols Enhanced Activity in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats

Flaxseeds play an important role in human health due to their chemical composition and recognized beneficial outcomes. This study investigated the antidiabetic effects of present lignans and polyphenols found in the flaxseed extract on streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. The flaxseed administration produced favorable changes in body weight, food and water intake, and glycosylated hemoglobin and blood glucose quantities in the treated diabetic rats. Additionally, significant positive results were observed in the biochemical parameters, namely reduced plasma cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, plasma creatinine, and urea and uric acid levels, highlighting the seeds’ use in traditional medicine. The results were sustained by histopathological observations that showed better tissue preservation following the flaxseed diet. Overall, the consumption of flaxseeds produced moderate reduction in glucose levels and hyperlipidemia, together with improvement in the impaired organs’ function in diabetic rats. The daily administration of polyphenols and lignans compounds could impact therapeutic potential in diabetes management

Borrowing the Features of Biopolymers for Emerging Wound Healing Dressings: A Review

Wound dressing design is a dynamic and rapidly growing field of the medical wound-care market worldwide. Advances in technology have resulted in the development of a wide range of wound dressings that treat different types of wounds by targeting the four phases of healing. The ideal wound dressing should perform rapid healing; preserve the body’s water content; be oxygen permeable, non-adherent on the wound and hypoallergenic; and provide a barrier against external contaminants—at a reasonable cost and with minimal inconvenience to the patient. Therefore, choosing the best dressing should be based on what the wound needs and what the dressing does to achieve complete regeneration and restoration of the skin’s structure and function. Biopolymers, such as alginate (ALG), chitosan (Cs), collagen (Col), hyaluronic acid (HA) and silk fibroin (SF), are extensively used in wound management due to their biocompatibility, biodegradability and similarity to macromolecules recognized by the human body. However, most of the formulations based on biopolymers still show various issues; thus, strategies to combine them with molecular biology approaches represent the future of wound healing. Therefore, this article provides an overview of biopolymers’ roles in wound physiology as a perspective on the development of a new generation of enhanced, naturally inspired, smart wound dressings based on blood products, stem cells and growth factors

A Novel Approach to Osteoporosis Treatment: Polyphenolic-based Scaffold from Apple Waste

Osteoporosis has been converted into a major public health issue which is projected to affect 13.6 million women over 50 years old by 2030. Osteoporosis accelerates bone loss, leading to a gradual decrease in bone density and increased risk of fractures [1]. Bone tissue engineering by fabricating a bioactive bone scaffold has introduced an effective solution for this global issue. Polyphenolic compounds (PPCs) have shown their efficiency in bone healing processes such as influencing different bone cells mechanisms and mineralization. In addition, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties as well as the capability of interacting with other molecules have introduced them as an effective biomolecule for bone tissue regeneration [2]. The present research aimed to fabricate a functional bone-engineered scaffold from highly abundant polyphenol-rich apple waste (AW) which not only mitigates the environmental issues caused by AW streams but also it can provide a potential therapeutic solution for women's bone fractures resulting from osteoporosis.Food industry AW samples with four different fractions namely, a mixture containing pulp, peel, seed, core, and stem (A), peel (B), seed and core (C), and pulp and peel (D) were investigated as viable sources of PPCs via mild extraction using green solvent of ethanol (50%v/v) and subsequently analyzed. HPLC analysis revealed phloridzin, chlorogenic acid, and quercetin as the major PPCs of AW fractions. Polyphenolic extracts showed antioxidant activity (%DPPH radical scavenging activity) with the highest value (89.03 ± 0.93%) obtained in fraction B. Moreover, polyphenolic extract were cytocompatible towards fibroblast (3T3-L1) cells at the highest employed concentration of 1 mg/mL after 24h.The in vivo bone regeneration assay showed that the polyphenolic extract of fraction A could enhance bone formation in a rat femur bone defect compared to the control drug (Bio-Gen) after 45 days. For the fabrication of a polyphenolic bone scaffold, phloridzin (ph), which was identified as the main polyphenol in AW extract, was incorporated to the gelatin/hydroxyapatite (Gel/HA) scaffold. Gel/HA/ph scaffold resulted better compressive strength, antioxidant activity, degradation rate compared to Gel/HA scaffold. Furthermore, ph could enhance the proliferation of Hoffa´s fat pad derived Mesenchymal stem cells and apatite mineralization on the surface of the Gel/HA/ph scaffold compared to the Gel/HA scaffold. Considering the polyphenol’s unique properties, this study suggests polyphenol-based scaffold a promising biomaterial for bone tissue regeneration applications. 1. J. J. Damani et. al. Adv Nutr, 2022, 13(5), 1476-1492.2. A. Shavandi et. al. Biomaterials, 2018,167, 91-106.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishe