Ionically crosslinked composite gels containing amine-functionalized CoFeO nanoparticles as a bioactive and pH-responsive drug delivery system.

Composite gels are a type of soft matter, which contains a continuous three-dimensional crosslinked network and has been embedded with non-gel materials. Compared to pure gels, composite gels show high flexibility and tunability in properties and hence have attracted extensive interest in applications ranging from cancer therapy to tissue engineering. In this study, we incorporated triethylenetetramine (TETA)-functionalized cobalt ferrite nanoparticles (ANPs) into a hydrogel consisting of sodium alginate (SA) and methyl cellulose (MC), and examined the resulting composite gels for controlled drug release.

Composite Microgels Loaded with Doxorubicin-Conjugated Amine-Functionalized Zinc Ferrite Nanoparticles for Stimuli-Responsive Sustained Drug Release.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to address the need for efficient drug delivery with high drug encapsulation efficiency and sustained drug release. We aim to create nanoparticle-loaded microgels for potential applications in treatment development.

Methods: We adopted the process of ionic gelation to generate microgels from sodium alginate and carboxymethyl cellulose.

Advances in preclinical approaches for intravesical therapy of bladder cancer.

Purpose Of Review: The purpose of this review is to explore new strategies to treat bladder cancer. This article addresses challenges and opportunities in intravesical therapy of bladder cancer.

Recent Findings: The review examines the latest advances in the development of preclinical approaches for intravesical therapy of bladder cancer.

ROS-generating, pH-responsive and highly tunable reduced graphene oxide-embedded microbeads showing intrinsic anticancer properties and multi-drug co-delivery capacity for combination cancer therapy.

The development of effective carriers enabling combination cancer therapy is of practical importance due to its potential to enhance the effectiveness of cancer treatment. However, most of the reported carriers are monofunctional in nature. The carriers that can be applied to concomitantly mediate multiple treatment modalities are highly deficient.

Omicron: Understanding the Latest Variant of SARS-CoV-2 and Strategies for Tackling the Infection.

The new variant of concern of SARS-CoV-2, namely Omicron, has triggered global fear recently. To date, our knowledge of Omicron, particularly of how S glycoprotein mutations affect the infectivity of the virus and the severity of the infection, is far from complete. This hinders our ability to treat the disease and to predict the future state of SARS-CoV-2 threats to well-being and economic stability.

ROS-Generating Amine-Functionalized Magnetic Nanoparticles Coupled with Carboxymethyl Chitosan for pH-Responsive Release of Doxorubicin.

Purpose: Magnetic nanoparticles have been used in diverse pharmaceutical applications because they can potentially be used to target specific sites. In the present work, a new type of nanocomposites is designed as a carrier of controlled bioactive agent delivery.

Methods: Amine-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles (amine-MNPs) are coupled with carboxymethyl chitosan (CMC) to generate the nanocomposites, namely MNPs-CMC, which can be further loaded with doxorubicin (DOX) to produce MNPs-CMC-DOX.

Preparation, Characterization and Dielectric Properties of Alginate-Based Composite Films Containing Lithium Silver Oxide Nanoparticles.

Polymer composites have found applications in diverse areas, ranging from the manufacturing of portable electronic devices to the fabrication of bioactive agent carriers. This article reports the preparation of composite films consisting of sodium alginate (SA) and lithium silver oxide (LAO) nanoparticles. The films are generated by solution casting; whereas the nanoparticles are fabricated by using the hydrothermal method.

Preparation and use of nanogels as carriers of drugs.

Nanogels have high tunability and stability while being able to sense and respond to external stimuli by showing changes in the gel volume, water content, colloidal stability, mechanical strength, and other physical/chemical properties. In this article, advances in the preparation of nanogels will be reviewed. The application potential of nanogels in drug delivery will also be highlighted.

Preparation and characterization of 2-hydroxyethyl starch microparticles for co-delivery of multiple bioactive agents.

The present study reports the generation of 2-hydroxyethyl starch microparticles for co-delivery and controlled release of multiple agents. The obtained microparticles are characterized by using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction analysis, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. By using ofloxacin and ketoprofen as drug models, the release sustainability of the microparticles is examined at pH 1.

Multi-Component Hydrogel Beads Incorporated with Reduced Graphene Oxide for pH-Responsive and Controlled Co-Delivery of Multiple Agents.

The development of combination therapy has received great attention in recent years because of its potential to achieve higher therapeutic efficacy than that achieved by mono-drug therapy. Carriers for effective and stimuli-responsive co-delivery of multiple agents, however, are highly deficient at the moment. To address this need, this study reports the generation of multi-component hydrogel beads incorporated with reduced graphene oxide (rGO).

Tackling COVID-19 Using Remdesivir and Favipiravir as Therapeutic Options.

The human world is currently influenced largely by the outbreak of pandemic COVID-19. At this moment, most researchers focus on developing treatment strategies and measures to work against COVID-19. Treatment strategies specific for COVID-19 are lacking.