Nanosuspension-Loaded Dissolving Microneedle Patches for Enhanced Transdermal Delivery of a Highly Lipophilic Cannabidiol.

Purpose: Transdermal Drug Delivery System (TDDS) offers a promising alternative for delivering poorly soluble drugs, challenged by the stratum corneum's barrier effect, which restricts the pool of drug candidates suitable for TDDS. This study aims to establish a delivery platform specifically for highly lipophilic drugs requiring high doses (log P > 5, dose > 10 mg/kg/d), to improve their intradermal delivery and enhance solubility.

Methods: Cannabidiol (CBD, log P = 5.

Recent progress of polymeric microneedle-assisted long-acting transdermal drug delivery.

Microneedle (MN)-assisted drug delivery technology has gained increasing attention over the past two decades. Its advantages of self-management and being minimally invasive could allow this technology to be an alternative to hypodermic needles. MNs can penetrate the stratum corneum and deliver active ingredients to the body through the dermal tissue in a controlled and sustained release.

Development of Novel Nanocarriers by Ultrasound and Ethanol-Assisted Soy Protein Isolate: Enhancing the Resistance of Lutein to Environmental Stress.

The aim of this work was to investigate the effects of the processing sequence of ultrasound and ethanol on the physicochemical properties of soy protein isolate (SPI), which were further evaluated for the morphology and stability of SPI-lutein coassembled nanoparticles. The results showed that the sequence of ultrasound followed by ethanol treatment was the optimal one. The samples were subjected to ultrasonication followed by subunit disassembly and reassembly induced by 40% (v/v) ethanol, with the resulting molecular unfolding and subsequent aggregation being attributed to intramolecular hydrogen bonds.

Wheat gliadin hydrolysates based nano-micelles for hydrophobic naringin: Structure characterization, interaction, and in vivo digestion.

In this study, enzymatic hydrolysis was used to fabricate wheat gliadin hydrolysates (WGHs) for the encapsulation and protection of naringin. The exposure of hydrophilic amino acids decreased the critical micelle concentration (from 0.53 ± 0.

Effects of Halogenation on Quinoline-Malononitrile-based AIEgens: Photophysical Properties Investigation and Wash-Free Imaging.

Developing halogen-functionalized fluorescent dyes with intriguing photophysical properties, including enhanced photostability, is particularly important for bioimaging. In this work, we synthesized two new halogen-functionalized aggregation-induced emission (AIE)-active molecules, DQMF-OH and DQMCl-OH, based on the quinoline-malononitrile chromophore. The halogen effect on the photophysical characteristics was detailedly studied by absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy, density functional theory calculations, and crystal structures.

Thermal stability of exenatide encapsulated in stratified dissolving microneedles during storage.

As low-temperature storage and transportation of peptides require high costs, improving the dosage form of peptides can reduce costs. We developed a thermostable and fast-releasing stratified dissolving microneedle (SDMN) system for delivering exenatide (EXT) to patients with type 2 diabetes. Among the tested polymers, dextran and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) were the best at stabilizing EXT under high-temperature storage for 9 weeks.

Design and Evaluation of Complex Polypeptide-Loaded Dissolving Microneedles for Improving Facial Wrinkles in Different Areas.

Wrinkles are one of the most intuitive manifestations of skin aging. Complex polypeptide-loaded dissolving microneedles (CP-DMNs) for facial wrinkles in different areas have been developed and evaluated for the first time. In optimizing formulations, we compared the differences in CP-DMNs heights on skin insertion depth and skin repair and healing.

Progress on Multifunction Enzyme-Activated Organic Fluorescent Probes for Bioimaging.

Bioimaging techniques are of increasing importance in clinical and related fields, which also have been successfully applied in the / imaging system. Due to the vital factor of enzymes in biological systems, enzyme-activated fluorophores, which could turn "on" the fluorescence signal from an "off" state, offer non-invasive and effective potential for the accurate bioimaging of particular cells, tissues, or bacteria. Comparing with the traditional imaging probes, enzyme-activated organic small fluorophores can visualize living cells within small animals with high sensitivity, high imaging resolution, non-invasiveness, and real-time feedback.

Structure Rigidification Promoted Ultrabright Solvatochromic Fluorescent Probes for Super-Resolution Imaging of Cytosolic and Nuclear Lipid Droplets.

Lipid droplets (LDs) containing cytosolic and nuclear LDs have recently received increasing attention because of their diverse biological roles in living systems. However, developing fluorescent probes for super-resolution visualization of these subcellular LDs still remains challenging due to insufficient fluorescence brightness and poor nuclear membrane permeability. Herein, we rationally synthesized a series of ultrabright solvatochromic fluorescent probes based on benzoboranils (BBAs) for LD-specific super-resolution imaging using structured illumination microscopy (SIM).

One-Shot Full-Range Quantification of Multi-Biomarkers With Different Abundance by a Tandem Giant Magnetoresistance Assay.

In this study, we reported a tandem giant magnetoresistance (GMR) assay that realized the one-shot quantification of multi-biomarkers of infection, C-reactive protein (CRP) with procalcitonin (PCT), and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), all of which could cover their clinically relevant concentration ranges under a different principle. In the presence of co-determined assay, we quantified these three biomarkers in undiluted human blood serum in a single test. The tandem principle, based on which quantification of CRP occurs, combines a sandwich assay and an indirect competitive assay, which allows for the discrimination of the concentration values resulting from the multivalued dose-response curve ('Hook' effect), which characterizes the one-step sandwich assay at high CRP concentrations.

A highly selective "turn-on" water-soluble fluorescent sensor for gallium ion detection.

In this work, a novel sensor, ()-'-(3-(-butyl)-2-hydroxybenzylidene)thiophene-2-carbohydrazide (1), based on salicylaldehyde and thiophene hydrazide moieties was designed and synthesized. The single-crystal structure of 1 was achieved and studied for understanding its functional properties. The interaction and recognition abilities of 1 with different metal ions were investigated.

Protocells: Milestones and Recent Advances.

The origin of life is still one of humankind's great mysteries. At the transition between nonliving and living matter, protocells, initially featureless aggregates of abiotic matter, gain the structure and functions necessary to fulfill the criteria of life. Research addressing protocells as a central element in this transition is diverse and increasingly interdisciplinary.

Dynamic Range Expansion of the C-Reactive Protein Quantification with a Tandem Giant Magnetoresistance Biosensor.

In this study, we report a convenient analytical method for a full-range quantification of the C-reactive protein (CRP), a blood biomarker of infection and cardiovascular events. We determine CRP over the entire diagnostically relevant concentration range in undiluted human blood serum in a single test, using a tandem giant magnetoresistance (GMR) sensor. The tandem principle combines a sandwich assay and a competitive assay, which allows for the discrimination of the concentration values resulting from the multivalued dose-response curve ("Hook" effect), which characterizes the one-step sandwich assay at high CRP concentrations.

Recent Advances on Sorting Methods of High-Throughput Droplet-Based Microfluidics in Enzyme Directed Evolution.

Droplet-based microfluidics has been widely applied in enzyme directed evolution (DE), in either cell or cell-free system, due to its low cost and high throughput. As the isolation principles are based on the labeled or label-free characteristics in the droplets, sorting method contributes mostly to the efficiency of the whole system. Fluorescence-activated droplet sorting (FADS) is the mostly applied labeled method but faces challenges of target enzyme scope.

A tandem giant magnetoresistance assay for one-shot quantification of clinically relevant concentrations of N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide in human blood.

We report a microfluidic sandwich immunoassay constructed around a dual-giant magnetoresistance (GMR) sensor array to quantify the heart failure biomarker NT-proBNP in human plasma at the clinically relevant concentration levels between 15 pg/mL and 40 ng/mL. The broad dynamic range was achieved by differential coating of two identical GMR sensors operated in tandem, and combining two standard curves. The detection limit was determined as 5 pg/mL.

"Turn-On" Fluorescent Biosensors for High Selective and Sensitive Detection of Al Ion.

A series of new compounds (-) based on pyrrole hydrazone Schiff bases were designed and synthesized. The interactions of these new compounds with metal ions and their fluorescent recognition were investigated. All compounds showed "turn-on" fluorescence in the presence of Al in aqueous solution.

Recent Trends in Fluorescent Organic Materials for Latent Fingerprint Imaging.

Fingerprints are an important kind of material evidence with the key function in personal identification, which are unique and life-long to everyone. Latent (invisible) fingerprints are common at the crime scene, needing to be visualized with proper methods in order to identify sources of the fingerprints in routine forensic practice. Fluorescent imaging of latent fingerprints has the advantage of high contrast, sensitivity, selectivity, and less dependency on instruments.

Recent Developments in Fluorescent Materials for Heavy Metal Ions Analysis From the Perspective of Forensic Chemistry.

Forensic chemistry deals with the analysis of various types of physical evidences related to crime, corresponding to the detection of target substances or elements in complex matrices. There is a vital need for highly selective, rapid, and sensitive biosensing technologies in heavy metal ions analysis especially those from living persons, autopsy, food, water, soil, and other identified substances at very preliminary stages. Fluorescent materials-based method for heavy metal ions detection is one of the most important analytical methods, resulting in the ability to measure analytes in complex matrices with unsurpassed selectivity and sensitivity.

A novel chrysin thiazole derivative polarizes macrophages to an M1 phenotype via targeting TLR4.

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are an important cause of tumorigenesis and tumor development. M2 macrophages can promote tumor growth while M1 macrophages kill tumor cells, therefore, polarizing macrophages to achieve a functional M1 phenotype could effectively play its anti-tumor role. In the current study, we synthesized a novel chrysin derivative which is termed as ChR-TD.