Inflammation and Mental Health Disorders: Immunomodulation as a Potential Therapy for Psychiatric Conditions.

Mood disorders are the leading cause of disability worldwide and their incidence has significantly increased after the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the continuous surge in the number of people diagnosed with psychiatric disorders, the treatment methods for these conditions remain limited. A significant number of people either do not respond to therapy or discontinue the drugs due to their severe side effects.

A hybrid cartilage extracellular matrix-based hydrogel/poly (ε-caprolactone) scaffold incorporated with Kartogenin for cartilage tissue engineering.

Despite extensive studies, hydrogels are unable to meet the mechanical and biological requirements for successful outcomes in cartilage tissue engineering. In the present study, beta cyclodextrin (β-CD)-modified alginate/cartilage extracellular matrix (ECM)-based interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) hydrogel was developed for sustained release of Kartogenin (KGN). Furthermore, the hydrogel was incorporated within a 3D-printed poly (ε-caprolactone) (PCL)/starch microfiber network in order to reinforce the construct for cartilage tissue engineering.

Effect of the Emulsion Solvent Evaporation Technique Cosolvent Choice on the Loading Efficiency and Release Profile of Anti-CD47 from PLGA Nanospheres.

Introduction: Side effects associated with using antibodies as therapeutics can limit systemic administration at the high concentrations often needed for therapeutic impact. Thus, therapeutic antibodies are usually considered for targeted delivery. Antibody encapsulation in polymeric nanoparticles via the emulsion-based nanofabrication methods typically yields low loading efficiencies.

Potential antiviral effects of some native Iranian medicinal plants extracts and fractions against influenza A virus.

Background: Influenza A virus (IAV) infection is a continual threat to the health of animals and humans globally. Consumption of the conventional drugs has shown several side effects and drug resistance. This study was aimed to screen some Iranian medicinal plants extracts and their fractions against influenza A virus.

Biodegradable, bile salt microparticles for localized fat dissolution.

Bile acids are proposed as therapeutic agents for various diseases, including liver diseases and obesity. However, oral or subcutaneous administration of a solubilized version of these drugs has limited efficacy and imposes unwanted side effects. Here, we describe a gold-templating method for fabricating stable, bile salt-cholate or deoxycholate-microparticles.

Neutrophils preferentially phagocytose elongated particles-An opportunity for selective targeting in acute inflammatory diseases.

Polymeric particles have recently been used to modulate the behavior of immune cells in the treatment of various inflammatory conditions. However, there is little understanding of how physical particle parameters affect their specific interaction with different leukocyte subtypes. While particle shape is known to be a crucial factor in their phagocytosis by macrophages, where elongated particles are reported to experience reduced uptake, it remains unclear how shape influences phagocytosis by circulating phagocytes, including neutrophils that are the most abundant leukocyte in human blood.

Modified two-step emulsion solvent evaporation technique for fabricating biodegradable rod-shaped particles in the submicron size range.

Hypothesis: Though the emulsion solvent evaporation (ESE) technique has been previously modified to produce rod-shaped particles, it cannot generate small-sized rods for drug delivery applications due to the inherent coupling and contradicting requirements for the formation versus stretching of droplets. The separation of the droplet formation from the stretching step should enable the creation of submicron droplets that are then stretched in the second stage by manipulation of the system viscosity along with the surface-active molecule and oil-phase solvent.

Experiments: A two-step ESE protocol is evaluated where oil droplets are formed at low viscosity followed by a step increase in the aqueous phase viscosity to stretch droplets.

Vascular-targeted nanocarriers: design considerations and strategies for successful treatment of atherosclerosis and other vascular diseases.

Vascular-targeted nanocarriers are an attractive option for the treatment of a number of cardiovascular diseases, as they allow for more specific delivery and increased efficacy of many small molecule drugs. However, immune clearance, limited cellular uptake, and particle-cell dynamics in blood flow can hinder nanocarrier efficacy in many applications. This review aims to investigate successful strategies for the use of vascular-targeted nanocarriers in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis.