Nose-to-Brain Delivery of Biomimetic Nanoparticles for Glioblastoma Targeted Therapy.

Glioblastoma (GBM) is an extremely aggressive form of brain cancer that remains challenging to treat, especially owing to the lack of effective targeting and drug delivery concerns. Due to its anatomical advantages, the nose-to-brain strategy is an interesting route for drug delivery. Nanoengineering has provided technological tools and innovative strategies to overcome biotechnological limitations, which is promising for improving the effectiveness of conventional therapies.

Interaction of sp. RIT 592 induces the production of broad-spectrum antibiotics in sp. RIT 594.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the most alarming global public health challenges of the 21st century. Over 3 million antimicrobial-resistant infections occur in the United States annually, with nearly 50,000 cases being fatal. Innovations in drug discovery methods and platforms are crucial to identify novel antibiotics to combat AMR.

Artificial intelligence tools for the identification of antibiotic resistance genes.

The fight against bacterial antibiotic resistance must be given critical attention to avert the current and emerging crisis of treating bacterial infections due to the inefficacy of clinically relevant antibiotics. Intrinsic genetic mutations and transferrable antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) are at the core of the development of antibiotic resistance. However, traditional alignment methods for detecting ARGs have limitations.

Tailoring the structure and self-activated photoluminescence of carbonated amorphous calcium phosphate nanoparticles for bioimaging applications.

Self-activated luminescent calcium phosphate (CaP) nanoparticles, including hydroxyapatite (HA) and amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP), are promising for bioimaging and theragnostic applications in nanomedicine, eliminating the need for activator ions or fluorophores. In this study, we developed luminescent and stable citrate-functionalized carbonated ACP nanoparticles for bioimaging purposes. Our findings revealed that both the CO content and the posterior heating step at 400 °C significantly influenced the composition and the structural ordering of the chemically precipitated ACP nanoparticles, impacting the intensity, broadness, and position of the defect-related photoluminescence (PL) emission band.

Isolation, whole-genome sequencing, and annotation of two antibiotic-producing and antibiotic-resistant bacteria, Pantoea rodasii RIT 836 and Pseudomonas endophytica RIT 838, collected from the environment.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global threat to human health since infections caused by antimicrobial-resistant bacteria are life-threatening conditions with minimal treatment options. Bacteria become resistant when they develop the ability to overcome the compounds that are meant to kill them, i.e.

pH-Dependence Cytotoxicity Evaluation of Artepillin C against Tumor Cells.

Brazilian green propolis is a well-known product that is consumed globally. Its major component, Artepillin C, showed potential as an antitumor product. This study explored the impact of Artepillin C on fibroblast and glioblastoma cell lines, used as healthy and very aggressive tumor cell lines, respectively.

In vitro toxicity and lung cancer risk: Atmospheric particulate matter from a city in southeastern Brazil impacted by biomass burning.

The effects of PM on human health were investigated using samples collected in São Carlos city (São Paulo state), by the determination of the concentrations of PAHs and derivatives, together with evaluations of cytotoxicity and the formation of ROS in in vitro tests. In 2016, the mean concentrations of PM, ΣPAHs, Σoxy-PAHs, Σnitro-PAHs, Σsaccharides, and Σions were 21.12 ± 9.

Chromatographic isolation of potentially novel antibiotic compounds produced by Yimella sp. RIT 621.

Objective: Antibiotic resistant infections have become a global health crisis causing 1.2 million deaths worldwide in 2019 [1]. In a previous study, we identified a bacterium from a rare genus, Yimella, and found in an initial antibiotic screening that they produce broad-spectrum bactericidal compounds [2].

Using design of experiments (DoE) to optimize performance and stability of biomimetic cell membrane-coated nanostructures for cancer therapy.

Cell membrane-covered biomimetic nanosystems have allowed the development of homologous nanostructures to bestow nanoparticles with enhanced biointerfacing capabilities. The stability of these structures, however, still represents a challenge for the scientific community. This study is aimed at developing and optimizing cell derived membrane-coated nanostructures upon applying design of experiments (DoE) to improve the therapeutic index by homotypic targeting in cancer cells.

Isolation, Whole-Genome Sequencing, and Annotation of Two Antibiotic-Producing and -Resistant Bacteria, Enterobacter roggenkampii RIT 834 and Acinetobacter pittii RIT 835, from Disposable Masks Collected from the Environment.

We report the whole-genome sequence and annotation of two antibiotic-resistant bacteria, Enterobacter roggenkampii RIT 834 and Acinetobacter pittii RIT 835, isolated from disposed masks. We found that these strains are resistant to five of seven commonly used antibiotics and that they produce bactericidal compounds against Escherichia coli.

Polystyrene Degradation by sp. RIT 594: Preliminary Evidence for a Pathway Containing an Atypical Oxygenase.

The widespread use of plastics has led to their increasing presence in the environment and subsequent pollution. Some microorganisms degrade plastics in natural ecosystems and the associated metabolic pathways can be studied to understand the degradation mechanisms. Polystyrene (PS) is one of the more recalcitrant plastic polymers that is degraded by only a few bacteria.

Modulating Fingolimod (FTY720) Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Activity Using a PLGA-Based Drug Delivery System.

COVID-19 has resulted in more than 490 million people being infected worldwide, with over 6 million deaths by April 05th, 2022. Even though the development of safe vaccine options is an important step to reduce viral transmission and disease progression, COVID-19 cases will continue to occur, and for those cases, efficient treatment remains to be developed. Here, a drug repurposing strategy using nanotechnology is explored to develop a therapy for COVID-19 treatment.

Proteome-wide analysis reveals molecular pathways affected by AgNP in a ROS-dependent manner.

The use of mass spectrometry-based proteomics has been increasingly applied in nanomaterials risk assessments as it provides a proteome-wide overview of the molecular disturbances induced by its exposure. Here, we used this technique to gain detailed molecular insights into the role of ROS as an effector of AgNP toxicity, by incubating Bend3 cells with AgNP in the absence or presence of an antioxidant N-acetyl L-cystein (NAC). ROS generation is a key player in AgNP-induced toxicity, as cellular homeostasis was kept in the presence of NAC.

Exploring silver nanoparticles for cancer therapy and diagnosis.

Nanomaterials have emerged as promising candidates for cancer therapy and diagnosis as they can solve long-term issues such as drug solubility, systemic distribution, tumor acquired resistance, and improve the performance of diagnostic methods. Among inorganic nanomaterials, AgNPs have been extensively studied in the context of cancer treatment and the reported results have raised exciting expectations. In this review, we provide an overview of the recent research on AgNPs antitumoral properties, their application in different cancer treatment modalities, their potential in biosensors development, and also highlight the main challenges and possible strategies to enable its translation to clinical use.

Isolation, Whole-Genome Sequencing, and Annotation of Three Unclassified Antibiotic-Producing Bacteria, Enterobacter sp. Strain RIT 637, Pseudomonas sp. Strain RIT 778, and sp. Strain RIT 780.

We report the isolation, whole-genome sequencing, and annotation of Enterobacter sp. strain RIT 637, Pseudomonas sp. strain RIT 778, and sp.

Co-exposure to silver nanoparticles and cadmium induce metabolic adaptation in HepG2 cells.

Although multiple studies have reported the toxicological effects and underlying mechanisms of toxicity of silver nanoparticles (AgNP) in a variety of organisms, the interactions of AgNP with environmental contaminants such as cadmium are poorly understood. We used biochemical assays and mass spectrometry-based proteomics to assess the cellular and molecular effects induced by a co-exposure of HepG2 cells to AgNP and cadmium. Cell viability and energy homeostasis were slightly affected after a 4-h exposure to AgNP, cadmium, or a combination of the two; these endpoints were substantially altered after a 24-h co-exposure to AgNP and cadmium, while exposure to one of the two contaminants led only to minor changes.

Toxicological interactions of silver nanoparticles and non-essential metals in human hepatocarcinoma cell line.

Toxicological interaction represents a challenge to toxicology, particularly for novel contaminants. There are no data whether silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), present in a wide variety of products, can interact and modulate the toxicity of ubiquitous contaminants, such as nonessential metals. In the current study, we investigated the toxicological interactions of AgNP (size=1-2nm; zeta potential=-23mV), cadmium and mercury in human hepatoma HepG2 cells.