Engineering HO Self-Supplying Platform for Xdynamic Therapies via Ru-Cu Peroxide Nanocarrier: Tumor Microenvironment-Mediated Synergistic Therapy.

Of the most common, hypoxia, overexpressed glutathione (GSH), and insufficient HO concentration in the tumor microenvironment (TME) are the main barriers to the advancment of reactive oxygen species (ROS) mediated Xdynamic therapies (X = photo, chemodynamic, chemo). Maximizing Fenton catalytic efficiency is crucial in chemodynamic therapy (CDT), yet endogenous HO levels are not sufficient to attain better anticancer efficacy. Specifically, there is a need to amplify Fenton reactivity within tumors, leveraging the unique attributes of the TME.

Formulation and Characteristics of Edible Oil Nanoemulsions Modified with Polymeric Surfactant for Encapsulating Curcumin.

Curcumin (Cur) is a beneficial phytochemical with numerous health advantages. However, its limited solubility in oil and poor stability hinder its potential for biomedical applications. In this study, we employed a mixture of food-grade Tween 60, a polymeric surfactant, and Span 60 to adjust the hydrophilic lipophilic balance number (HLB) and prepared nanoemulsions (NEs) of coconut oil (Cc oil) as carriers for Cur.

Biomimetic Nanoreactor for Cancer Eradication Win-Win Cooperation between Starvation/Photo/Chemodynamic Therapies.

Combining phototherapy with the cancer cell metabolic pathway altering strategies, that is, glucose starvation, would be a promising approach to accomplish high curative efficiency of cancer treatment. Accordingly, herein, we sought to construct a multifunctional biomimetic hybrid nanoreactor by fastening nanozyme AuNPs (glucose oxidase activity) and PtNPs (catalase and peroxidase activity) and photosensitizer Indocyanine green (ICG) onto the polydopamine (PDA) surface (ICG/Au/Pt@PDA-PEG) to attain superior cancer cell killing efficiency though win-win cooperation between starvation therapy, phototherapy, and chemodynamic therapy. The as-synthesized ICG/Au/Pt@PDA-PEG has shown excellent light-to-heat conversion (photothermal therapy) and reactive oxygen species generation (photodynamic therapy) properties upon laser irradiation and also red-shifted ICG absorption (from 780 to 800 nm) and enhanced its photostability.

Brightly luminescent (NH)CsPbBr quantum dots for in vitro imaging and efficient photothermal ablation therapy.

Herein, we report for the first time a facile strategy for the highly efficient (NH)CsPbBr quantum dots (QDs). By modulating the amount of ammonium, (NH)CsPbBr QDs with different photoluminescence (PL) quantum yields (QY) were synthesized. The results of X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy showed that the crystal structure of (NH)CsPbBr was altered by incorporation of NH cations into the CsPbBr lattice.

Encapsulation and Characterization of Nanoemulsions Based on an Anti-oxidative Polymeric Amphiphile for Topical Apigenin Delivery.

Apigenin (Apig) is used as a model drug due to its many beneficial bio-activities and therapeutic potentials. Nevertheless, its poor water solubility and low storage stability have limited its application feasibility on the pharmaceutical field. To address this issue, this study developed nanoemulsions (NEs) using an anti-oxidative polymeric amphiphile, d-α-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate (TPGS), hydrogenated soy lecithin (HL), black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) oil, and avocado (AV) oil through pre-homogenization and ultrasonication method.

Fast Dissolving Electrospun Nanofibers Fabricated from Jelly Fig Polysaccharide/Pullulan for Drug Delivery Applications.

The fast-dissolving drug delivery systems (FDDDSs) are developed as nanofibers using food-grade water-soluble hydrophilic biopolymers that can disintegrate fast in the oral cavity and deliver drugs. Jelly fig polysaccharide (JFP) and pullulan were blended to prepare fast-dissolving nanofiber by electrospinning. The continuous and uniform nanofibers were produced from the solution of 1% () JFP, 12% () pullulan, and 1 wt% Triton X-305.

Core-Shell Encapsulation of Lipophilic Substance in Jelly Fig (Ficus awkeotsang Makino) Polysaccharides Using an Inexpensive Acrylic-Based Millifluidic Device.

The polysaccharides extracted from the achenes of jelly fig, Ficus awkeotsang Makino, were mainly composed of low methyl pectin and used as a novel shell material for encapsulating lipophilic bioactives in the core of microcapsule. The polysaccharide microcapsules with oil core were prepared using a novel acrylic-based millifluidic device developed in this study. To investigate the physiochemical properties of and find the suitable formula of polysaccharide shells, the films casted with jelly fig polysaccharide were thoroughly characterized.

Development and Characterization of Nano-emulsions Based on Oil Extracted from Black Soldier Fly Larvae.

Insect-based biorefinery is seen as a potential alternative approach to manufacturing foods, feeds, and fuel because of the increasing demand for renewable and sustainable products. Insect oil and protein are the two major components that can be quantitatively obtained from insect farming. However, very few attempts have been conducted to utilize insect oil for the production of value-added products.

3D Network VO Electrodes in a Gel Electrolyte for High-Voltage Wearable Symmetric Pseudocapacitors.

A 3D network composed of VO nanofibers was manufactured on a novel conductive printing paper [urea-LiClO-PVA (ULP) deep eutectic solvent gel-doped graphite/printing paper, U-paper] for use as electrodes linked with a ULP neutral gel electrolyte for 3D network VO wearable symmetric pseudocapacitors (WSSCs). The function of the ULP gel is not only that it can be doped into the conductive ink to decrease the resistance of the conductive printing paper but also that it increases the stability of VO-based electrodes. Moreover, 3D network VO WSSCs containing the ULP gel can support high operating voltages of 4.

Tris(8-Hydroxyquinoline)iron induces apoptotic cell death via oxidative stress and by activating death receptor signaling pathway in human head and neck carcinoma cells.

Background: 8-Hydroxyquinoline derivatives have highly sensitive fluorescent chemosensors for metal ions, which are associated with anti-oxidant, anti-tumor and anti-HIV-1 properties. Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is associated with a high rate of mortality and novel anti-HNSCC drugs must be developed. Therefore, effective chemotherapy agents are required to address this public health issue.

Aqueous synthesis of Ag and Mn co-doped InS/ZnS quantum dots with tunable emission for dual-modal targeted imaging.

Unlabelled: Here, we present the microwave-assisted synthesis of InS/ZnS core/shell quantum dots (QDs) co-doped with Ag and Mn (referred to as AgMn:InS/ZnS). Ag altered the optical properties of the host QDs, whereas the spin magnetic moment (S=5/2) of Mn efficiently induced the longitudinal relaxation of water protons. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of the aqueous synthesis of color-tunable AgMn:InS/ZnS core/shell QDs with magnetic properties.

Promoting Cardiomyogenesis of hBMSC with a Forming Self-Assembly hBMSC Microtissues/HA-GRGD/SF-PCL Cardiac Patch Is Mediated by the Synergistic Functions of HA-GRGD.

Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cell microtissues (BMSCMT) enhanced cardiomyogenesis in vitro and cardiac repairs of myocardial infarcted hearts in vivo are documented. Producing human BMSCMT onto patches in vitro for cardiac tissue engineering has not been reported. For possibly producing human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cell microtissues (hBMSCMT) on an elastic silk fibroin (SF)-poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) based patches is hereby designed.

Electrophoresis of pH-regulated nanoparticles: impact of the Stern layer.

A multi-ion model taking into account the Stern layer effect and the surface chemistry reactions is developed for the first time to investigate the surface charge properties and electrophoresis of pH-regulated silica nanoparticles (NPs). The applicability of the model is validated by comparing its prediction to the experimental data of the electrophoretic mobility of silica NPs available from the literature. Results show that if the particle size is fixed, the Stern layer effect on the surface charge properties of the NP is notable at high pH and background salt concentration; however, that effect on the particle mobility is significant when pH is around neutrality and the salt concentration is medium high (ca.

Current Application of Lipid- and Surfactant-based Vesicles for Cosmeceuticals: A Review.

Skincare products with multiple beneficial functions are currently of great interest to most cosmeceutical consumers in the world, which provides a strong driving force for the search of new bio-active ingredients. Along with the development of cosmeceuticals, seeking the efficient delivery systems to convey these active substances to the human skin has also gained increasing attention in the field of research and development. In order to elevate the delivery efficacy of cosmetics/drugs, colloidal carriers such as vesicles, nano/micro-emulsions, and nano/micro-particles have been widely developed.

Synthesis, Self-assembly, and in vitro Biocompatibility of a Novel Steroidal Oxime.

A novel steroidal oxime (SO) was synthesized using an economic method and then characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). When dispersed in pure water, SO can self-assemble into a nano-scale circular structure which was verified by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The formation of SO nano aggregates may result from its ambiphilic characteristic which has the hydrophobic cholesterolbased backbone and the hydrophilic oxime head group.

Characterization and in vitro biocompatibility of catanionic assemblies formed with oppositely charged dicetyl amphiphiles.

In this study, cationic dicetyldimethylammonium bromide (DCB) and anionic dicetyl phosphate (DCP) were mixed to form catanionic assemblies in water, and their colloidal morphology, size, charge characteristics, phase behavior, membrane fluidity, and in vitro biocompatibility are comprehensively investigated for the first time. Our results show that the catanionic DCB and DCP mixtures in water are capable of forming circular vesicles and this binary mixed system expresses the miscibility with deviation from the ideal mixing. Compared to the nanoscale DCB-rich vesicles, the DCP-rich vesicles have smaller size, higher negative zeta potential, higher main transition temperature, and better storage stability.

Concurrent calcium peroxide pretreatment and wet storage of water hyacinth for fermentable sugar production.

In the present study, a novel concurrent process of pretreatment and wet storage was developed and investigated by applying calcium peroxide for preservation and conversion of fresh water hyacinth biomass to fermentable sugars. The effects of CaO2 loading concentration and moisture content on the lignin reduction, carbohydrate preservation and enzymatic saccharification of water hyacinth biomass were evaluated by experimental design using a response surface methodology. The data showed that the concurrent process could conserve 70% carbohydrates and remove 40% lignin from biomass of water hyacinth at the best condition in this study.

Simple synthesis, self-assembly, and cytotoxicity of novel dimeric cholesterol derivatives.

A simple and economic methodology to synthesize three types of novel dimeric cholesterol derivatives (DCDs) was developed. Results obtained from dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy show that spherical and/or angular nano-structural aggregates of DCDs are formed by self-assembly in aqueous solution. The size and morphology of DCD dispersions depend on the spatial arrangement of the substituents and polarity of the head group in the DCD structures.

Effects of lipid composition on physicochemical characteristics and cytotoxicity of vesicles composed of cationic and anionic dialkyl lipids.

The behaviors of cat-anionic vesicles composed of dioctadecyldimethylammonium bromide (DODAB) and dihexadecyl phosphate (DHP) with varying lipid composition were investigated through the measurements of size, zeta potential and fluorescence polarization, morphological observations, determination of thermotropic phase behavior, cell viability assay, and examination of entrapment efficiency and colloid stability. DODAB is miscible with DHP in the bilayer domain, which expresses a non-ideal mixing characteristic. The DODAB-rich vesicles show a smaller particle size, higher positive zeta potential, lower main transition temperature, less angular structure, better storage stability, and higher encapsulation efficiency than the DHP-rich ones.

Antioxidant, anti-adipocyte differentiation, antitumor activity and anthelmintic activities against Anisakis simplex and Hymenolepis nana of yakuchinone A from Alpinia oxyphylla.

Background: Alpinia oxyphylla is a common remedy in traditional Chinese medicine. Yakuchinone A is a major constituent of A. oxyphylla and exhibits anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antibacterial, and gastric protective activities.

Brazilein from Caesalpinia sappan L. Antioxidant Inhibits Adipocyte Differentiation and Induces Apoptosis through Caspase-3 Activity and Anthelmintic Activities against Hymenolepis nana and Anisakis simplex.

Brazilein, a natural, biologically active compound from Caesalpinia sappan L., has been shown to exhibit anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties and to inhibit the growth of several cancer cells. This study verifies the antioxidant and antitumor characteristics of brazilein in skin cancer cells and is the first time to elucidate the inhibition mechanism of adipocyte differentiation, cestocidal activities against Hymenolepis nana, and reduction of spontaneous movement in Anisakis simplex.

trans-Caffeic acid stearyl ester from Paeonia suffruticosa inhibits melanin synthesis by cAMP-mediating down-regulation of α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone-stimulated melanogenesis signaling pathway in B16 cells.

trans-Caffeic acid stearyl ester (TCASE) from the root cortex of Paeonia suffruticosa ANDREWS is a traditional medicinal herb that has several beneficial properties. However, the inhibitory effect of TCASE on melanogenesis has not been explored. In the cell viability assay, TCASE did not show a cytotoxic effect at a dose of 65 µM for 48 h in B16, HaCaT and Hs68 cells.

Free radical scavenging activity of 4-(3,4-dihydroxybenzoyloxymethyl)phenyl-O-β-D-glucopyranoside from Origanum vulgare and its protection against oxidative damage.

4-(3,4-Dihydroxybenzoyloxymethyl)phenyl-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (DBPG), a polyphenolic glycoside, isolated from Origanum vulgare has shown 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH(•))-scavenging capacity in previous work. This study demonstrated that DBPG exhibits antioxidant activity by a series of DPPH(•), 2,2'-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS(•+)), and superoxide anion radical (O(2)(•-)) radical-scavenging assays. The inhibition of lipid peroxidation (LP) by DBPG exceeded that by l-ascorbic acid (AA) in a liposome model system.

Apigenin induces apoptosis via tumor necrosis factor receptor- and Bcl-2-mediated pathway and enhances susceptibility of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma to 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin.

Background: Apigenin, a natural plant flavone, may have chemopreventive and therapeutic potentials for anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-cancer. Nevertheless, the anti-tumor effect of apigenin on human head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is not fully understood.

Methods: The antioxidant capacity and protective effects of apigenin against oxidative stress in murine normal embryonic liver BNLCL2 cells are examined.

5-epi-Sinuleptolide induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis through tumor necrosis factor/mitochondria-mediated caspase signaling pathway in human skin cancer cells.

Background: Skin cancers are reportedly increasing worldwide. Developing novel anti-skin cancer drugs with minimal side effects is necessary to address this public health issue. Sinuleptolide has been demonstrated to possess anti-cancer cell activities; however, the mechanisms underlying the anti-skin cancer effects of 5-epi-sinuleptolide and sinuleptolide remain poorly understood.