Sericin coats of silk fibres, a degumming waste or future material?

Silk is a fibrous biopolymer with a recorded history in the textile industries for centuries. This fibre is constituted of two different proteins: fibroin and sericin, of which the latter accounting for approximately 20-30 % of the silk mass. Silk sericin (SSER) was previously considered as a waste by-product in silk fibroin extraction.

Pharmacy 3D printing.

A significant limitation of the 'one size fits all' medication approach is the lack of consideration for special population groups. 3D printing technology has revolutionised the landscape of pharmaceuticals and pharmacy practice, playing an integral role in enabling on-demand production of customised medication. Compared to traditional pharmaceutical processes, 3D printing has major advantages in producing tailored dosage forms with unique drug release mechanisms.

Evaluation of the Protective Role of Vitamin E against ROS-Driven Lipid Oxidation in Model Cell Membranes.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are chemically reactive oxygen-containing compounds generated by various factors in the body. Antioxidants mitigate the damaging effects of ROS by playing a critical role in regulating redox balance and signaling. In this study, the interplay between reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidants in the context of lipid dynamics were investigated.

Recent applications of three-dimensional bioprinting in drug discovery and development.

The ability of three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting to fabricate biomimetic organ and disease models has been recognised to be promising for drug discovery and development as 3D bioprinted models can better mimic human physiology compared to two-dimensional (2D) cultures and animal models. This is useful for target selection where disease models can be studied to understand disease pathophysiology and identify disease-linked compounds. Lead identification and preclinical studies also benefit from 3D bioprinting as 3D bioprinted models can be utilised in high-throughput screening (HTS) systems and to produce efficacy and safety data that closely resembles clinical observations.

Controlled release of vancomycin from PEGylated fibrinogen polyethylene glycol diacrylate hydrogel.

Surgical site infection (SSI) is a common issue post-surgery which often prolongs hospitalization and can lead to serious complications such as sternal wound infection following cardiac surgery via median sternotomy. Controlled release of suitable antibiotics could allow maximizing drug efficacy and safety, and therefore achieving a desired therapeutic response. In this study, we have developed a vancomycin laden PEGylated fibrinogen-polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PF-PEGDA) hydrogel system that can release vancomycin at a controlled and predictable rate to be applied in SSI prevention.

Nanoparticles for inducing Gaucher disease-like damage in cancer cells.

Nutrient avidity is one of the most distinctive features of tumours. However, nutrient deprivation has yielded limited clinical benefits. In Gaucher disease, an inherited metabolic disorder, cells produce cholesteryl-glucoside which accumulates in lysosomes and causes cell damage.

DNA adductomics aided rapid screening of genotoxic impurities using nucleosides and 3D bioprinted human liver organoids.

Current genotoxicity assessment methods are mainly employed to verify the genotoxic safety of drugs, but do not allow for rapid screening of specific genotoxic impurities (GTIs). In this study, a new approach for the recognition of GTIs has been proposed. It is to expose the complex samples to an in vitro nucleoside incubation model, and then draw complete DNA adduct profiles to infer the structures of potential genotoxic impurities (PGIs).

Efficient and accurate personalized product recommendations through frequent item set mining fusion algorithm.

In the realm of personalized product recommendation, addressing the challenges of sparse data and "cold start" has been the primary focus. However, filtering invalid information amidst the overwhelming data on e-commerce platforms remains an underexplored issue. This paper proposes a fusion recommendation algorithm based on frequent item set mining to tackle this problem by compressing the commodity data set and identifying the frequent commodity set.

Prediction of drug permeation through microneedled skin by machine learning.

Stratum corneum is the outermost layer of the skin preventing external substances from entering human body. Microneedles (MNs) are sharp protrusions of a few hundred microns in length, which can penetrate the stratum corneum to facilitate drug permeation through skin. To determine the amount of drug delivered through skin, in vitro drug permeation testing is commonly used, but the testing is costly and time-consuming.

Microneedle-enabled therapeutics delivery and biosensing in clinical trials.

Microneedles (MNs) are micron-sized protrusions attached to a range of devices that are used in therapeutic delivery and diagnosis. Because MNs can be self-applied, are painless, and can carry multiple therapeutic agents, they have received extensive attention, and have been widely investigated, for local and systemic therapy. Many researchers are currently working to extend the use of MNs to clinical applications.

Solubilisation and Enhanced Oral Absorption of Curcumin Using a Natural Non-Nutritive Sweetener Mogroside V.

Background: Curcumin (CUR) is a functional ingredient from the spice turmeric. It has attracted considerable attention recently, owing to its diverse biological activities. However, curcumin has low water solubility, which limited its applications.

3D printing for personalised medicines: implications for policy and practice.

The current healthcare dynamic has shifted from one-size-fits-all to patient-centred care, with our increased understanding of pharmacokinetics and pharmacogenomics demanding a switch to more individualised therapies. As the pharmaceutical industry remains yet to succumb to the push of a technological paradigm shift, pharmacists lack the means to provide completely personalised medicine (PM) to their patients in a safe, affordable, and widely accessible manner. As additive manufacturing technology has already established its strength in producing pharmaceutical formulations, it is necessary to next consider methods by which this technology can create PM accessible from pharmacies.

Consumers' self-reported adherence to directions for non-prescription medicines and the role of risk perception.

Background: Non-prescription medicines (NPMs), while relatively safe, are responsible for a small but significant proportion of medication misadventure and inappropriate use may lead to avoidable healthcare cost. Some consumers vary their use of NPMs from the directions provided on packaging or advice from healthcare professionals. Consumers may use NPMs at lower doses or less frequently than directed because of the risk of side effects.

Recent progress in three-dimensionally-printed dosage forms from a pharmacist perspective.

Objective: Additive manufacturing (AM), commonly known as 3D printing (3DP), has opened new frontiers in pharmaceutical applications. This review is aimed to summarise the recent development of 3D-printed dosage forms, from a pharmacists' perspective.

Methods: Keywords including additive manufacturing, 3D printing and drug delivery were used for literature search in PubMed, Excerpta Medica Database (EMBASE) and Web of Science, to identify articles published in the year 2020.

Enhancement of Skin Delivery of Drugs Using Proposome Depends on Drug Lipophilicity.

The study aims to investigate the propylene glycol-based liposomes named 'proposomes' in enhancing skin permeation of drugs with different physicochemical properties. Ibuprofen, tofacitinib citrate, rhodamine B, and lidocaine were loaded into proposomes. These drug formulations were analyzed for particle size, zeta potential, polydispersity index, entrapment efficiency, and in vitro skin permeation.

Microstructured Hyaluronic Acid Hydrogel for Tooth Germ Bioengineering.

Tooth loss has been found to adversely affect not just masticatory and speech functions, but also psychological health and quality of life. Currently, teeth replacement options include dentures, bridges, and implants. However, these artificial replacement options remain inferior to biological replacements due to their reduced efficiency, the need for replacements, and the risk of immunological rejection.

Enhanced skin retention and permeation of a novel peptide via structural modification, chemical enhancement, and microneedles.

Hyperpigmentation is a common skin condition with serious psychosocial consequences. Decapeptide-12, a novel peptide, has been found to be safer than hydroquinone in reducing melanin content, with efficacy up to more than 50% upon 16 weeks of twice-daily treatment. However, the peptide suffers from limited transcutaneous penetration due to its hydrophilicity and high molecular weight.

Effect of Pharmaceutical Excipients on Intestinal Absorption of Metformin via Organic Cation-Selective Transporters.

Growing evidence has shown that some pharmaceutical excipients can act on drug transporters. The present study was aimed at investigating the effects of 13 commonly used excipients on the intestinal absorption of metformin (MTF) and the underlying mechanisms using Caco-2 cells and an mouse non-everted gut sac model. First, the uptake of MTF in Caco-2 cells was markedly inhibited by nonionic excipients including Solutol HS 15, polysorbate 20, polysorbate 40, polysorbate 60, polysorbate 80, and crospovidone.

Mahuang Decoction Antagonizes Acute Liver Failure via Modulating Tricarboxylic Acid Cycle and Amino Acids Metabolism.

Acute liver failure (ALF) is a serious clinical disorder with high fatality rates. Mahuang decoction (MHD), a well-known traditional Chinese medicine, has multiple pharmacological effects, such as anti-inflammation, anti-allergy, anti-asthma, and anti-hyperglycemia. In this study, we investigated the protective effect of MHD against ALF.

Investigating PEGDA and GelMA Microgel Models for Sustained 3D Heterotypic Dermal Papilla and Keratinocyte Co-Cultures.

Hair follicle morphogenesis is heavily dependent on reciprocal, sequential, and epithelial-mesenchymal interaction (EMI) between epidermal stem cells and the specialized cells of the underlying mesenchyme, which aggregate to form the dermal condensate (DC) and will later become the dermal papilla (DP). Similar models were developed with a co-culture of keratinocytes and DP cells. Previous studies have demonstrated that co-culture with keratinocytes maintains the in vivo characteristics of the DP.

A 3D printed human upper respiratory tract model for particulate deposition profiling.

Pulmonary route is the main route of drug delivery for patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, offering several advantages over the oral route. Determining the amount of drug deposited onto various parts of the respiratory tract allows for a good correlation to clinical efficacy of inhalation drug devices. However, current in vitro cascade impactors measure only the aerodynamic particle size distribution, which does not truly represent the in vivo deposition pattern in human respiratory tract.

Immobilized nanoneedle-like structures for intracellular delivery, biosensing and cellular surgery.

The rapid advancements of nanotechnology over the recent years have reformed the methods used for treating human diseases. Nanostructures including nanoneedles, nanorods, nanowires, nanofibers and nanotubes have exhibited their potential roles in drug delivery, biosensing, cancer therapy, regenerative medicine and intracellular surgery. These high aspect ratio structures enhance targeted drug delivery with spatiotemporal control while also demonstrating their role as an efficient intracellular biosensor with minimal invasiveness.

Microneedles with Tunable Dissolution Rate.

Dissolvable microneedle (MN) patches have been widely investigated for transdermal drug delivery. The dissolution rate of MN controls the status of drug release from the MN, which in turn determines drug absorption through skin. However, no systematic approaches have been reported to tune the dissolution profile of dissolvable MN matrices.

High resolution photopolymer for 3D printing of personalised microneedle for transdermal delivery of anti-wrinkle small peptide.

Acetyl-hexapeptide 3 (AHP-3) has good efficacy and safety profile as an anti-wrinkle small peptide. However, its skin permeation is poor due to its hydrophilicity and large molecular weight. 3D printing of personalised microneedles (MN), that contour to the skin surface, offers an attractive alternative for delivery for AHP-3.