EMID2 is a novel biotherapeutic for aggressive cancers identified by in vivo screening.

Background: New drugs to tackle the next pathway or mutation fueling cancer are constantly proposed, but 97% of them are doomed to fail in clinical trials, largely because they are identified by cellular or in silico screens that cannot predict their in vivo effect.

Methods: We screened an Adeno-Associated Vector secretome library (> 1000 clones) directly in vivo in a mouse model of cancer and validated the therapeutic effect of the first hit, EMID2, in both orthotopic and genetic models of lung and pancreatic cancer.

Results: EMID2 overexpression inhibited both tumor growth and metastatic dissemination, consistent with prolonged survival of patients with high levels of EMID2 expression in the most aggressive human cancers.

Recovery from Food Waste-Biscuit Doughs Enriched with Pomegranate Peel Powder as a Model of Fortified Aliment.

The aim of the present work is the characterization of biscuit doughs enriched with pomegranate peel powder (PPP) at 3 (PPP3) and 5 (PPP5) wt% in the prospect of developing a fortified aliment as a support of the therapy of chronic inflammatory diseases of the intestinal tract. The total phenolic content of the powder was preliminarily evaluated. Then, the main compounds present in the PPP were identified by HPLC-ESI-TOF-MS analysis, being mainly hydrolysable tannins.

Agarose/κ-carrageenan-based hydrogel film enriched with natural plant extracts for the treatment of cutaneous wounds.

Hydrogels for complex and chronic wound dressings must be conformable, absorb and retain wound exudates and maintain hydration. They can incorporate and release bioactive molecules that can accelerate the healing process. Wound dressings have to be in contact with the wound and epidermis, even for long periods, without causing adverse effects.

Rheology of aqueous dispersions of Laponite and TEMPO-oxidized nanofibrillated cellulose.

The viscoelastic and flow properties of aqueous Laponite/TEMPO-oxidized nanofibrillated cellulose (TEMPO-NFC) systems are investigated with the aim to study the effect of content and proportion of both components on the properties. Both Laponite and TEMPO-NFC aqueous dispersions can find numerous applications in different fields (from industrial to biomedical one) due to their structural and rheological properties. The most important effects of blending are observed at low Laponite fractions, also with qualitative changes in the shape of the flow curves and mechanical spectra.

The degree of compactness of the incipient High Methoxyl Pectin networks. A rheological insight at the sol-gel transition.

Fractal analysis can be properly applied to complex structures, like physical and chemical networks formed by particles or polymers, when they exhibit self-similarity over an extended range of length scales and, hence, can be profitably used not only for their morphological characterization but also for individuating possible relationships between morphology and mechanisms of aggregation and crosslinking, as well as between morphology and physical properties. Several experimental methods are available to determine the fractal dimension of gel networks, including various scattering techniques and microscopies, permeability measurements and rheology. The present study regards the self-assembly kinetics of High Methoxyl Pectin (HMP) solutions with different pectin and sucrose concentrations investigated by rheological measurements to highlight the effects of pectin and sucrose concentrations on the gel point and to evaluate the degree of compactness of the incipient gel networks through an interpretation of the viscoelastic response at the sol-gel transition.

Viscoelastic behavior of cardiomyocytes carrying LMNA mutations.

Background: Laminopathies are genetic diseases caused by mutations in the nuclear lamina.

Objective: Given the clinical impact of laminopathies, understanding mechanical properties of cells bearing lamin mutations will lead to advancement in the treatment of heart failure.

Methods: Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to analyze the viscoelastic behavior of neonatal rat ventricular myocyte cells expressing three human lamin A/C gene (LMNA) mutations.

Theoretical Importance of PVP-Alginate Hydrogels Structure on Drug Release Kinetics.

Background: The new concepts of personalized and precision medicine require the design of more and more refined delivery systems. In this frame, hydrogels can play a very important role as they represent the best surrogate of soft living tissues for what concerns rheological properties. Thus, this paper focusses on a global theoretical approach able to describe how hydrogel polymeric networks can affect the release kinetics of drugs characterized by different sizes.

Data concerning the rheological behavior of high methoxyl pectin during gelation process.

The present data concern the structuring kinetics of aqueous high methoxyl pectin (HMP) solutions at acid pH (3.1), constant pectin concentration (0.2% w/w) and sucrose concentrations ranging from 56 to 65% w/w.

The role of sucrose concentration in self-assembly kinetics of high methoxyl pectin.

Several natural and synthetic polysaccharides are able to form, under appropriate conditions, supramolecular structures, typically physical hydrogels, and, together with their biocompatibility, this explains their wide use in food, pharmaceutical and biomedical sectors. In the case of high methoxyl pectins (HMP) the gel formation is promoted by the presence of cosolutes (sugars or polyols) and low pH. The present investigation mainly regards the structuring kinetics of aqueous HMP solutions at acid pH (3.

An engineering insight into the relationship of selective cytoskeletal impairment and biomechanics of HeLa cells.

It is widely accepted that the pathological state of cells is characterized by a modification of mechanical properties, affecting cellular shape and viscoelasticity as well as adhesion behaviour and motility. Thus, assessing these parameters could represent an interesting tool to monitor disease development and progression, but also the effects of drug treatments. Since biomechanical properties of cells are strongly related to cytoskeletal architecture, in this work we extensively studied the effects of selective impairments of actin microfilaments and microtubules on HeLa cells through force-deformation curves and stress relaxation tests with atomic force microscopy.

Potential Applications of Nanocellulose-Containing Materials in the Biomedical Field.

Because of its high biocompatibility, bio-degradability, low-cost and easy availability, cellulose finds application in disparate areas of research. Here we focus our attention on the most recent and attractive potential applications of cellulose in the biomedical field. We first describe the chemical/structural composition of cellulose fibers, the cellulose sources/features and cellulose chemical modifications employed to improve its properties.

Rheology of Laponite-scleroglucan hydrogels.

Both Laponite and scleroglucan can find several applications in various fields (from industrial to biomedical one) in virtue of their peculiar features and rheological properties displayed in aqueous phases. Structural states of Laponite dispersions strongly depend on concentration and ionic strength. When attractive and repulsive interparticle interactions are so effective that they lead to arrested states (attractive gel or repulsive glass), the rheological behavior of the dispersion undergoes a sharp transition, from quasi-Newtonian to markedly shear thinning and viscoelastic.

Mixed polymeric systems: New ophthalmic viscosurgical device created by mixing commercially available devices.

Purpose: To evaluate the rheological properties of mixtures of different commercially available ophthalmic viscosurgical devices (OVDs) containing sodium hyaluronate and chondroitin sulfate.

Setting: Eye Clinic, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy.

Design: Laboratory study.

The complex mechanism of HM pectin self-assembly: A rheological investigation.

Several biopolymers are widely employed in food, pharmaceutical and biomedical sectors by virtue of their ability to generate supramolecular structures, typically physical hydrogels. In the case of high methoxyl pectins (HMP) the gel formation is promoted by the presence of cosolutes (sugars or polyols) and low pH. The present investigation regards the structuring kinetics of aqueous HMP solutions having different polymer concentration and equal sucrose content at 20°C.

Biomimetic Polymers for Cardiac Tissue Engineering.

Heart failure is a morbid disorder characterized by progressive cardiomyocyte (CM) dysfunction and death. Interest in cell-based therapies is growing, but sustainability of injected CMs remains a challenge. To mitigate this, we developed an injectable biomimetic Reverse Thermal Gel (RTG) specifically engineered to support long-term CM survival.

Topological characterization of a bacterial cellulose-acrylic acid polymeric matrix.

This paper focuses on the micro- and nano-topological organization of a hydrogel, constituted by a mixture of bacterial cellulose and acrylic acid, and intended for biomedical applications. The presence of acrylic acid promotes the formation of two interpenetrated continuous phases: the primary "pores phase" (PP) containing only water and the secondary "polymeric network phase" (PNP) constituted by the polymeric network swollen by the water. Low field Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (LF NMR), rheology, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and release tests were used to determine the characteristics of the two phases.

Physical characterization of alginate-Pluronic F127 gel for endoluminal NABDs delivery.

Here we focus the attention on the physical characteristics of a highly biocompatible hydrogel made up of crosslinked alginate and Pluronic F127 (PF127). This is a composite polymeric blend we propose for artery endoluminal delivery of an emerging class of molecules named nucleic acid based drugs (NABDs). The physical characterization of our composite gel, i.

Microencapsulation of bioactive principles with an airless spray-gun suitable for processing high viscous solutions.

Purpose: to design, assemble and test a prototype of a novel production plant, suitable for producing microparticles (MPs) by processing highly viscous feed solutions (FSs).

Methods: the prototype has been built using a commercial air compressor, a piston pump, an airless spray-gun, a customized air-treatment section, a timer, a rotating base, and a filtration section. Preliminary prototype parameter setting was carried out to individuate the best performing nozzle's dimension, the nebulization timing, and the CaCl2 concentration in the gelation fluid.

Polysaccharide-based polyanion--polycation--polyanion ternary systems. A preliminary analysis of interpolyelectrolyte interactions in dilute solutions.

The present contribution deals with the preparation and characterization of ternary mixtures of polysaccharides with potential applications in the field of tissue engineering. Two natural polyanions, i.e.

Mechanical spectroscopy and relaxometry on alginate hydrogels: a comparative analysis for structural characterization and network mesh size determination.

The structure of calcium-saturated alginate hydrogels has been studied by combining rheological determinations and relaxometry measurements. The mechanical spectroscopy analyses performed on alginate gel cylinders at different polysaccharide concentration allowed estimating their main structural features such as the average mesh size. The calculation was based on the introduction of a front factor in the classical rubber elasticity approach which was correlated to the average length of the Guluronic acid blocks along the polysaccharide chain.

Structural characterization of calcium alginate matrices by means of mechanical and release tests.

In this paper we have concentrated on the characterization of calcium alginate hydrogels loaded with a model drug (myoglobin) by means of a mechanical approach; in addition, release tests of myoglobin from alginate hydrogels were performed. At a fixed temperature, relaxation tests (mechanical study) were carried out on matrices constituted by different polymer concentrations. The interpretation of the relaxation behavior of the different matrices was conducted using the generalized Maxwell model; as a result of this investigation it was possible to conclude that for polymer concentrations greater than 0.

Mathematical modelling of NABD release from endoluminal gel paved stent.

Coronary restenosis consists of the partial/total re-occlusion of the artery lumen following percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTCA). In order to match this pathology, PTCA is followed by the implantation of rigid scaffolds (stent or coated stent) aimed to contrast the most important mechanical (coronary wall elastic recoil and late remodelling) and biological (smooth muscle cells iper-proliferation) factors leading to restenosis. In the light of the clinical problems recently arisen about the use of traditional coated stents, this paper proposes a theoretical study to comprehend the release kinetics of novel anti-proliferative drugs, i.

A new heavy internal tamponade in vitreoretinal surgery: an in vitro study.

AimTo study the solubility of perfluorohexyloctane (F6H8) in silicone oil (polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) 1000) and to measure the viscosity and the specific gravity of the mixture obtained (heavy silicone oil or HSO tamponade) to define the ideal ratio of these components.MethodsThe solubility diagram of the mixture was obtained with the turbidimetric method, indicating the miscibility of F6H8 and silicone oil 1000 at all the useful temperatures. The viscosity was measured in steady shear conditions by using a controlled stress rheometer (Haake RS150) and a double cone/plate (DC 60/4) system, both at 25 and 37 degrees C for different volume per cent compositions of the mixture.

Rheological properties of aqueous Pluronic-alginate systems containing liposomes.

Rheological and erosion studies regarding a liposome-containing polymeric blend that is propaedeutic to its use in paving techniques in tubular organs, such as blood vessels, are reported. Attention is focused on an aqueous polymeric blend composed of Pluronic (PF127) and alginate (Protanal LF 10/60) because both polymers, when dissolved in water at a sufficiently high concentration, are subjected to different structural mechanisms, which are driven by temperature increase and addition of bivalent cations, respectively, and both result in marked viscoelastic and plastic properties. After proving the compatibility between PF127 and alginate, we show that the structural transition temperature of the blend, T(ST), can be properly modulated.