Anti-adhesion Ability Research Articles

Covalently grafting polycation to bacterial cellulose for antibacterial and anti-cell adhesive wound dressings

Hydrogel-based wound dressings are becoming increasingly important for wound healing. Bacterial cellulose (BC) has been commonly used as wound dressings due to its good in vitro and in vivo biocompatibility. However, pure BC does not possess antibacterial properties. In this regard, polycation gel was grafted onto the BC using a surface-initiated activator regenerated by electron transfer atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ARGET ATRP) with subsequent quaternization for antibacterial wound dressing. Dimethylethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA) was successfully polymerized on the BC surface which was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and elemental analysis. The morphology structure, specific surface area, pore size, and mechanical properties were also characterized. The quaternized PDMAEMA grafted on the BC endowed it with excellent antibacterial activity against E. coli (Gram-negative) and S. aureus (Gram-positive) with a killing rate of 89.2 % and 93.4 %, respectively. The number of cells was significantly reduced on QPD/BC hydrogel, demonstrating its good anti-adhesion ability. In vitro cellular evaluation revealed that the antibacterial wound dressing exhibited good biocompatibility. Overall, this study provides a feasible method to develop antibacterial and anti-cell adhesive hydrogel, which has a promising potential for wound healing.

A Graphene Composite Film Based Wearable Far-Infrared Therapy Apparatus (GRAFT) for Effective Prevention of Postoperative Peritoneal Adhesion.

Postoperative peritoneal adhesion (PPA) is the most frequent complication after abdominal surgery. Current anti-adhesion strategies largely rely on the use of physical separating barriers creating an interface blocking peritoneal adhesion, which cannot reduce inflammation and suffers from limited anti-adhesion efficacy with unwanted side effects. Here, by exploiting the alternative activated macrophages to alleviate inflammation in adhesion development, a flexible graphene-composite-film (F-GCF) generating far-infrared (FIR) irradiation that effectively modulates the macrophage phenotype toward the anti-inflammatory M2 type, resulting in reduced PPA formation, is designed. The anti-adhesion effect of the FIR generated by F-GCF is determined in the rat abdominal wall abrasion-cecum defect models, which exhibit reduced incidence and area of PPA by 67.0% and 92.1% after FIR treatment without skin damage, significantly superior to the clinically used chitosan hydrogel. Notably, within peritoneal macrophages, FIR reduces inflammation reaction and promotes tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) level via the polarization of peritoneal macrophages through upregulating Nr4a2 expression. To facilitate clinical use, a wirelessly controlled, wearable, F-GCF-based FIR therapy apparatus (GRAFT) is further developed and its remarkable anti-adhesion ability in the porcine PPA model is revealed. Collectively, the physical, biochemical, and in vivo preclinical data provide compelling evidence demonstrating the clinical-translational value of FIR in PPA prevention.

Bioinspired Nanozymes as Nanodecoys for Urinary Tract Infection Treatment.

Urinary tract infections (UTIs), common bacterial infections in communities and medical facilities, are mainly mediated by FimH. The glycan sites of the uromodulin protein play a crucial role in protecting against UTIs by interacting with FimH. A bioinspired approach using glycan-FimH interactions may effectively reduce bacteria through an antiadhesive mechanism, thereby curbing bacterial resistance. However, typical antiadhesive therapy alone fails to address the excessive reactive oxygen species and inflammatory response during UTIs. To bridge this gap, antioxidant nanozymes with antiadhesive ability were developed as nanodecoys to counter bacteria and inflammation. Specifically, ultrasmall dextran-coated ceria (DEC) was engineered to address UTIs, with dextran blocking FimH adhesion and ceria exhibiting anti-inflammatory properties. DECs, metabolizable by the kidneys, reduced bacterial content in the urinary tract, mitigating inflammation and tissue damage. In murine models, DECs successfully treated acute UTIs, repeated infections, and catheter-related UTIs. This dual approach not only highlights the potential of nanozymes for UTIs but also suggests applicability to other FimH-induced infections in the lungs and bowels, marking a significant advancement in nanozyme-based clinical approaches.

Investigation of anti-adhesion ability of 8-arm PEGNHS-modified porcine pericardium

In post-adhesion surgery, there is a clinical need for anti-adhesion membranes specifically designed for the liver, given the limited efficacy of current commercial products. To address this demand, we present a membrane suitable for liver surgery applications, fabricated through the modification of decellularized porcine pericardium with 20 KDa hexaglycerol octa (succinimidyloxyglutaryl) polyoxyethylene (8-arm PEGNHS). We also developed an optimized modification procedure to produce a high-performance anti-adhesion barrier. The modified membrane significantly inhibited fibroblast cell adherence while maintaining minimal levels of inflammation. By optimizing the modification ratio, we successfully controlled post-adhesion formation. Notably, the 8-arm PEG-modified pericardium with a molar ratio of 5 exhibited the ability to effectively prevent post-adhesion formation on the liver compared to both the control and Seprafilm®, with a low adhesion score of 0.5 out of 3.0. Histological analysis further confirmed its potential for easy separation. Furthermore, the membrane demonstrated regenerative capabilities, as evidenced by the proliferation of mesothelial cells on its surface, endowing anti-adhesion properties between the abdominal wall and liver. These findings highlight the membrane’s potential as a reliable barrier for repeated liver resection procedures that require the removal of the membrane multiple times.

Investigation of anti-adherence and antimicrobial properties of prodigiosin-functionalized bacterial cellulose membrane for biomedical applications

In this study, novel biomaterial that consisted entirely of bacterial products was developed with the approach of designing cost effective material for biomedical applications. With this aim, bacterial cellulose membranes (BCMs) which synthesized by Komagataeibacter intermedius were produced. Moreover, to impart antimicrobial properties to enhance the capacity of BCMs for biomedical usage, prodigiosin (PG) pigment of Serratia marcescens which presents wide range of antimicrobial activities was loaded to BCMs. Firstly, high yield of PG production was achieved, and then crude pigment was purified with silica gel column. The purified PG was characterized with thin layer chromatography and UV–visible spectrometry. The antimicrobial effect of the produced pigment on Gram-positive and negative bacteria and a yeast was investigated. The success of modification in PG-modified BCMs has been demonstrated by FTIR and SEM. Moreover, antimicrobial and antiadhesive ability of novel PG-BCMs were examined with disc diffusion and plate counting methods. As a result, it was established that PG-BCMs were able to inhibit the growth of all tested microorganisms. Furthermore, excellent antiadhesive effect was observed for the tested microorganisms with the inhibition rates of 82.05–96.25 %. Finally, cytotoxicity test with L929 cell line demonstrated that PG-BCM is biocompatible at a level that can be applied in in vivo studies.

Microbiome-friendly PS/PVP electrospun fibrous membrane with antibiofilm properties for dental engineering.

Dental caries is one of the most prevalent and biofilm-associated oral diseases in humans. Streptococcus mutans, with a high ability to form biofilms by adhering to hard surfaces, has been established as an important etiological agent for dental caries. Therefore, it is crucial to find a way to prevent the formation of cariogenic biofilm. Here, we report an electrospun fibrous membrane that could inhibit the adhesion and biofilm formation of S. mutans. Also, the polystyrene (PS)/polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) electrospun fibrous membrane altered the 3D biofilm architecture and decreased water-insoluble extracellular polysaccharide production. Notably, the anti-adhesion mechanism which laid in Coulomb repulsion between the negatively charged PS/PVP electrospun fibrous membrane and S. mutans was detected by zeta potential. Furthermore, metagenomics sequencing analysis and CCK-8 assay indicated that PS/PVP electrospun fibrous membrane was microbiome-friendly and displayed no influence on the cell viability of human gingival epithelial cells and human oral keratinocytes. Moreover, an in vitro simulation experiment demonstrated that PS/PVP electrospun fibrous membrane could decrease colony-forming unit counts of S. mutans effectively, and PS/PVP electrospun fibrous membrane carrying calcium fluoride displayed better anti-adhesion ability than that of PS/PVP electrospun fibrous membrane alone. Collectively, this research showed that the PS/PVP electrospun fibrous membrane has potential applications in controlling and preventing dental caries.

Maintenance-free antifouling polymeric membrane potentiometric sensors based on self-polishing coatings.

Polymeric membrane ion-selective electrodes (ISEs) have been widely used in environmental monitoring. However, in complicated marine environments, marine biofouling usually becomes a sticky problem for these electrodes. Herein, for the first time, a novel maintenance-free antifouling potentiometric marine sensor based on a self-polishing coating (SPC) is proposed. The SPC is synthesized by using the seeded emulsion polymerization method based on the triisopropylsilyl methacrylate monomer as the regulator of the self-renewal rate. This coating can be simply modified onto the electrode surface by drop-casting. The silyl acrylate side groups of the obtained SPC on the sensor surface can be hydrolyzed in the marine alkaline medium. The shear movement of seawater driven by sea waves, wind, gravity, or vibration removes the leftover (fouled) brittle polymer backbone and thus the fouling marine microorganisms. As a proof-of-concept experiment, a polymeric membrane Ca2+-ISE is chosen as a model. Compared to the unmodified electrode, the SPC-coated Ca2+-ISE exhibits remarkable improved antifouling properties in terms of superior anti-adhesive abilities towards marine microorganisms, such as bacterial cells and algae and excellent long-term stability even in the presence of high levels of marine microorganisms. Since no additional manual maintenance is required for maintaining the antifouling abilities of the sensor, the proposed self-polishing sensor may lay an important foundation for construction of unattended long-term potentiometric monitoring systems in real marine environments.

A highly antifouling and eco-friendly hydrogel coating based on capsaicin derivative -functionalized polymer

Antifouling hydrogels have received extensive attention in the field of marine antifouling due to their excellent hydrophilicity and environmental friendliness. However, the antifouling applications of traditional hydrogels are limited by their poor antibacterial properties, and capsaicin derivatives, as nontoxic and environmentally friendly antifoulants, can be used to improve the antibacterial properties of hydrogels. From the perspective of practical application, hydrogels were obtained by crosslinking the copolymer of the capsaicin derivative N,N'-((4,5,6-trihydroxy-1,3-phenylene) bis (methylene)) diacrylamide (TPA), lipophilic monomers and hydrophilic monomers. This hydrogel exhibited anti-protein performance due to its hydrophilicity, and the capsaicin derivative caused the hydrogel coating to exhibit excellent algae inhibition performance (the minimum adhesion density of diatoms on the surface of the hydrogel coating was less than 440 cells/mm2), better algae anti-adhesion abilities than hydrogel reported in the other paper, and antibacterial effects (the antibacterial rate was more than 95%). After 73 d of panel testing in a real marine environment, there was still a good antifouling effect in the hydrogel coating. Hence, the antifouling performance was improved significantly by capsaicin derivative (TPA)-functionalized hydrogel coating. A new strategy is provided in this study for the preparation of hydrogels with superior marine antifouling properties.

Iron Oxide Nanoparticles as Anti-Virulence Factors of Gram-positive and Gram-negative Bacteria

Background: Due to their extensive use in medical therapy, iron oxide nanoparticles have recently attracted the attention of researchers in the field of increasing multi-resistance properties in bacterial pathogens. Because iron oxide nanoparticles have a high specific surface area, they can interact with bacterial surface structures and exhibit significant antibacterial activity. Objective: The current work, determined the effect of a novel anti-virulence factor agent which was created from iron oxide nanoparticles against selected gram-positive and gram-negative variant bacterial strains that were isolated and identified from elderly Iraqi patients with urinary tract infections. Methods: Seven bacterial strains (three gram-positive and four gram-negative) were tested for their (biofilm, adhesion, and hemolysis) activity using the quantitative test-tube method, glass-slide method, and by determining the hemolysis ability of bacterial isolates against previously prepared RBC, respectively. The highest virulence factors formation bacterial isolates were chosen to determine the effect of Iron-oxide nanoparticles. Previously prepared and characterized Iron- oxide nanoparticles were used as anti- (biofilm, adhesion, and hemolysis) by using specific Bacterial-Fe3O4 NPs complex with different concentrations. The Results: All these bacteria expressed their virulence factors, the highest-level biofilm formation abilities were detected in Proteus mirabilis and Staphylococcus aureus, and the highest-level adhesion activity was observed in Enterococcus faecalis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa while the highest-level hemolysis activities on human RBC were determined in Micrococcus luteus and E. coli. The effects of (Fe3O4) nanoparticles against the highest virulence factors bacterial isolates shows an increases in the biofilm formation abilities of S. aureus and P. mirabilis as well as for standard bacterial strains the anti-biofilm formation ability of (Fe3 O4) NPs against gram-positive S. aureus, Proteus mirabilis, and standard gram-negative bacteria demonstrated an in-decrease biofilm formation ability of these bacteria effective at (5000 and 10000 µg/ml). The anti-adhesion ability of (Fe3 O4) NPs against gram-positive Enterococcus faecalis, and gram-negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa determined no effect on the adhesion abilities of gram-positive and negative bacteria atall concentrations (250, 400, 500, 750 and 1000µg/ml) Finally, the effect of different concentrations of iron oxide nanoparticles on the hemolysis ability of Micrococcus luteus and Escherichia coli on RBC was determined, the highest hemolysis inhibition level was estimated in 1000 µg/ml and the less inhibition in 500 µg/ml as compared with control.

Application of mixture design for the optimum antibacterial action of chemically-analyzed essential oils and investigation of the antiadhesion ability of their optimal mixtures on 3D printing material

Contamination of food and medical devices has become a serious public health concern. Therefore, this work intended to assess the single and combined antibacterial effect of essential oils (EOs) obtained from Clinopodium nepeta, Ruta montana, and Dittrichia viscosa, through mixture design approach. In addition, the anti-adhesive action of the obtained optimal mixtures of EOs was investigated against bacterial adhesion on 3D printed surface, widely used in food and medical industries. Indeed, Chromatography Gas/Mass spectrometry (CG/MS) analysis showed that pulegone (30.2%), piperitenone oxide (15.71%), and limonene (10.32%), mainly characterized the Clinopodium nepeta essential oil (CNEO), whereas Ruta montana essential oil (RMEO) was dominated by 2-undecanone (46.13%), and 2-nonanone (20.53%). By contrast, the Dittrichia viscosa essential oil (DVEO) principally contained (E)-nerolidol (32.21%), τ-muurolol (18.17%), and α-eudesmol (10.36%). The obtained optimum mixtures revealed that the binary combination consisting of 36% of RMEO, 64% of CNEO certified the maximal inhibition against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), while a formulation of 25%, 50%, and 25% of RMEO, CNEO, and DVEO respectively, was associated to the ideal restriction of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa). The time-kill analysis showed that all studied EOs are able to eradicate the total growth (bactericidal action) of S. aureus and P. aeruginosa at twice-minimal inhibitory concentration (2xMIC) after 12 h. Interestingly, the contact angle method and environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) analysis reported that the optimal EOs mixtures are effective in preventing biofilm formation by modification of physico-chemical parameters of the 3D printing resin surface and complete inhibition of bacterial adhesion on the material surface. Thereby, the interaction between EOs might be applied as natural preservatives in the food and medical industries.

Bio-inspired functionalization of electrospun nanofibers with anti-biofouling property for efficient uranium extraction from seawater

The development of efficient adsorbents with anti-biofouling properties for uranium extraction from seawater is highly attractive to meet the growing demands for energy. However, traditional fiber adsorbents still suffer from the challenge of weak binding energy, low functional group density, and inefficient antifouling ability. Herein, inspired by the structures of phospholipid, the bio-inspired zwitterionic phosphate groups were created onto the electrospun nanofibers to manipulate the affinity with uranium and the anti-biofouling property. Additionally, hyperbranched grafting reaction together with thin diameters of the fibers were applied to significantly improve the available density of functional groups. The constructed hyperbranched zwitterionic phosphate groups functionalized nanofiber adsorbents (ZP-PAN fibers) exhibited high distribution coefficient kd (7.38 × 106 mL/g) and large adsorption capacity (1294.0 mg g−1) in the uranium-spiked seawater, surpassing most of reported polymeric adsorbents. ZP-PAN fibers also showed good selectivity against competitive cations and stable reusability. Owing to their zwitterionic structures, ZP-PAN fibers had satisfactory anti-adhesive ability toward bacteria and protein. Consequently, the uranium could be effectively extracted by ZP-PAN fibers from natural seawater with the extraction capacity of 8.1 mg g−1 after contacting with seawater for 15 days. This work demonstrates a new functionalization selection for nanofiber materials and provides a promising adsorbent in the practical uranium extraction from seawater.

Characterization of adhesion, anti-adhesion, co-aggregation, and hydrophobicity of Helicobacter pylori and probiotic strains

ObjectivesTo characterize the adhesion ability of nine Helicobacter pylori strains and eight probiotics in human oral keratinocyte cells (H357 cells) in comparison to intestinal cells (Caco-2 and HIEC-6 cells). Subsequently, the anti-adhesion and co-aggregation abilities of the selected probiotic strains on H. pylori strains were investigated. MethodsNine H. pylori strains, including H. pylori ATCC43504 (type strain), and 8 clinical strains, were isolated from oral samples of three patients (one non-disease, one gastritis patient, and one gastric cancer patient). Eight selected probiotic strains were used, as follows: Lacticaseibacillus paracasei SD1, Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus SD4, L. rhamnosus SD11, Limosilactobacillus fermentum SD7, L. rhamnosus GG, Limosilactobacillus reuteri ATCC-PTA6475, Lacticaseibacillus casei Shirota, and L. paracasei CNCM I-1572. The adhesion and anti-adhesion abilities of H. pylori and the probiotic strains were investigated in H357, Caco-2, and HIEC-6 cells. Co-aggregation at various pHs, hydrophobicity, and surface receptors of the cell lines for H. pylori strains were examined. ResultsAll probiotic and H. pylori strains adhered to H357 significantly better than Caco-2, and HIEC-6 cells. Three probiotic strains (SD7, SD4, SD11) showed significantly higher adhesion than others. Of the clinical H. pylori strains, isolates from a gastric cancer patient had the highest adhesion ability to all of the cell lines tested. Probiotic strains that exhibited high adhesion ability provided high anti-adhesion and co-aggregation against H. pylori strains. Acidic conditions encouraged the co-aggregation of probiotics to H. pylori strains. ConclusionThis study provides information relating to the adhesion abilities of clinical H. pylori and probiotic strains to the oral mucosa when compared to the intestinal mucosa. Certain probiotic strains may be useful for the successful eradication of H. pylori infection via anti-adhesion and co-aggregation.

Zwitterionic biodegradable physical hydrogel based on ATRP technology for effective prevention of postoperative tissue adhesion

Postoperative adhesions are one of the most common complications post intraperitoneal surgery. Even after the adhesiolysis, the recurrence of adhesions is as high as 85%. Although zwitterionic-based materials have been reported for the application, unlike the conventional zwitterionic hydrogel, a series of poly (sulfobetaine methacrylate) grafted dextran derivatives (Dex-g-PSBMA) were synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) reaction, making it fined controllable copolymer by its living polymerization property. Intriguingly, the Dex-g-PSBMA copolymer can self-assemble into a physical hydrogel under physiological conditions. When injected at the site of the lesions, it can immediately cover the wound area, and as the ion concentration increases, the chemical bonds dissociate and the hydrogel may degrade completely. In the abdominal wall-cecum injury adhesion model in rats, Dex-g-PSBMA hydrogel showed excellent anti-adhesion ability, effectively preventing postoperative abdominal wall-cecum adhesion. The mechanism exploration revealed that Dex-g-PSBMA hydrogel can take an effect on the TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway, which can inhibit the Smad3 and activate the Smad7 pathway, thereby reducing the probability of tissue fibrosis, reducing fibrin deposition, and resisting fibroblast adhesions. In conclusion, these findings demonstrated that this Dex-g-PSBMA physical hydrogel is a promising candidate for completely preventing post-surgical adhesions.

Antifungal bio-coating of endotracheal tube built by overexpressing the MCP1 gene of Saccharomyces boulardii and employing hydrogel as a “house” to antagonize Candida albicans

BackgroundFor some ICU patients, an artificial airway must be established with an endotracheal tube, but Candida albicans can easily adhere to the tube surface and form a biofilm, leading to potentially life threatening fungal infections. Therefore, it is urgent to prevent and reduce C. albicans infections introduced by the endotracheal tube. However, there are few antifungal drugs effective against C. albicans, and each of these drugs may have adverse effects on human cells. Saccharomyces boulardii is regarded as an alternative strategy to inhibit the adhesion of C. albicans, but it is affected by environmental stress. We hypothesized that it is feasible to strengthen the antagonistic ability of S. boulardii via encapsulating and genetically modification.MethodsIn this study, a bioactive material carrying the overexpressed MCP1 gene of Saccharomyces boulardii was constructed based on one-step photo-crosslinking. This material achieved spatial growth control of S. boulardii by encapsulating each S. boulardii cell within a hydrogel pore. The bioactive material was coated on an endotracheal tube and tested for its ability to inhibit the adhesion of C. albicans. Additionally, the material’s antagonistic activity towards C. albicans was evaluated by detecting intracellular Adenosine-triphosphate content, reactive oxygen species level and the activity of antioxidative enzymes. Tissue invasion experiment was executed to further evaluate the anti-adhesion ability of S. boulardii bio-coating.ResultsEncapsulating the overexpression of MCP1 by S. boulardii in hydrogel pores enhanced the viability of probiotics in the presence of high salt and oxidation stress. When used as the coating of an endotracheal tube, the S. boulardii bioactive material efficiently inhibited the adhesion of C. albicans by impairing the activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase and disturbing mitochondrial functions. In vivo, the S. boulardii bioactive material coating displayed good biocompatibility and reduced the host tissue invasion and virulence of C. albicans.ConclusionsThe integration of genetic modification and immobilization model breaks the bottleneck of previous application of microorganisms, and provides a new way to prevent fungal infections introduced by endotracheal tubes.Graphical

Adhesion and Anti-Adhesion Abilities of Potentially Probiotic Lactic Acid Bacteria and Biofilm Eradication of Honeybee (Apis mellifera L.) Pathogens.

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) naturally inhabits the organisms of honeybees and can exhibit adhesive properties that protect these insects against various pathogenic microorganisms. Thus, cell surface (auto-aggregation, co-aggregation, hydrophobicity) and adhesive properties of LAB to two abiotic (polystyrene and glass) and four biotic (collagen, gelatin, mucus, and intestinal Caco-2 cells) surfaces were investigated. Additionally, anti-adhesion activity and the eradication of honeybee pathogen biofilms by LAB metabolites (culture supernatants) were determined. The highest hydrophobicity was demonstrated by Pediococcus pentosaceus 19/1 (63.16%) and auto-aggregation by Lactiplantibacillus plantarum 18/1 (71.91%). All LAB showed a broad spectrum of adhesion to the tested surfaces. The strongest adhesion was noted for glass. The ability to co-aggregate with pathogens was tested for the three most potently adherent LAB strains. All showed various levels of co-aggregation depending on the pathogen. The eradication of mature pathogen biofilms by LAB metabolites appeared to be weaker than their anti-adhesive properties against pathogens. The most potent anti-adhesion activity was observed for L. plantarum 18/1 (98.80%) against Paenibacillus apiarius DSM 5582, while the strongest biofilm eradication was demonstrated by the same LAB strain against Melissococcus plutonius DSM 29964 (19.87%). The adhesive and anti-adhesive activity demonstrated by LAB can contribute to increasing the viability of honeybee colonies and improving the conditions in apiaries.

Study on hydrodynamic lubrication and friction reduction performance of spur gear with groove texture

Spur gears are widely used in aerospace, energy power and other fields due to their advantages of convenient design and manufacturing. However, in the process of spur gear transmission, the tooth surface wear and adhesion are prone to failure, which seriously affect the life of the gear transmission. In order to minimize the frictional wear during gear transmission, a groove-type tooth surface texture is proposed in this paper. The core size parameters of the groove texture are optimized through CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) fluid simulation and groove texture cylindrical roller process experiments. Gears with groove texture are prepared by using the laser processing technology, and comparative friction wear tests are conducted. The experimental results show that the maximum and minimum damage area rates of the spur gears with groove texture are, respectively, 84.8% and 84.9% lower than those of the spur gears without groove texture. The anti-adhesion ability is also significantly improved in the gears with grove texture. In addition, the average friction coefficient of the spur gears with groove texture is significantly reduced, which effectively reduces the transmission dynamic pressure lubrication and friction in the spur gears.

Dual-Modal Imaging and Synergistic Spinal Tumor Therapy Enabled by Hierarchical-Structured Nanofibers with Cascade Release and Postoperative Anti-adhesion.

Most treatments for spinal cancer are accompanied by serious side effects including subsequent tumor recurrence, spinal cord compression, and tissue adhesion, thus a highly effective treatment is crucial for preserving spinal and neurological functionalities. Herein, trilayered electrospun doxorubicin@bovine serum albumin/poly(ε-caprolactone)/manganese dioxide (DOX@BSA/PCL/MnO2) nanofibers with excellent antiadhesion ability, dual glutathione/hydrogen peroxide (GSH/H2O2) responsiveness, and cascade release of Mn2+/DOX was fabricated for realizing an efficient spinal tumor therapy. In detail, Fenton-like reactions between MnO2 in the fibers outermost layer and intra-/extracellular glutathione within tumors promoted the first-order release of Mn2+. Then, sustained release of DOX from the fibers' core layer occurred along with the infiltration of degradation fluid. Such release behavior avoided toxic side effects of drugs, regulated inflammatory tumor microenvironment, amplified tumor elimination efficiency through synergistic chemo-/chemodynamic therapies, and inhibited recurrence of spinal tumors. More interestingly, magnetic resonance and photoacoustic dual-modal imaging enabled visualizations of tumor therapy and material degradation in vivo, achieving rapid pathological analysis and diagnosis. On the whole, such versatile hierarchical-structured nanofibers provided a reference for rapid and potent theranostic of spinal cancer in future clinical translations.

Self-healing, injectable hydrogel based on dual dynamic covalent cross-linking against postoperative abdominal cavity adhesion

Clinically, increasing the peritoneal barrier is an effective adjunct to reducing postoperative peritoneal adhesion. This study presents a facile template for preparing a supramolecular hybrid hydrogel through dynamic covalent cross-linking between carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS), 2-formylphenylboronic acid (2-FPBA), and quercetin (Que). The as-prepared complex CMCS/2-FPBA/Que (CFQ) hydrogel exhibited favorable antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant effects. A L929 cytotoxicity evaluation confirmed the favorable cytocompatibility of the CFQ hydrogel. The postoperative anti-adhesion ability of the CFQ hydrogel was further evaluated in rats with lateral wall defects and cecal abrasions. Compared with control groups, the tissue adhesion rate was significantly reduced by increasing the Que concentration in all the hydrogel-treated groups. Additionally, the sustained-release time of the C3F0.8Q0.08 hydrogel can exceed 14 days, which is highly desirable for clinical wound treatment. Statement of significancePostoperative adhesions are a very common postoperative complication that seriously affects the quality of life of patients. The currently commonly used methods for preventing adhesion mainly use degradable barrier materials for physical separation. In this study, we prepared a dual dynamic covalently cross-linked CFQ hydrogel, which is not only degradable and injectable, but also has multiple properties such as antibacterial, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, which can effectively prevent postoperative adhesion and promote wound healing.

Capsaicin-Modified Fluorosilicone Based Acrylate Coating for Marine Anti-Biofouling

Capsaicin has been extensively studied for its excellent antifouling activity and very low environmental toxicity. However, mixing natural capsaicin with coatings can cause rapid capsaicin leakage, severely shortening its antifouling cycle. In this study, we describe the preparation and performance of a new capsaicin-modified marine antifouling organofluorosilicone, which is based on silicone and fluorine acrylate monomers covalently bound to an organic antimicrobial monomer, HMBA (N-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzyl)-acrylamide) on a polymer network. The chemical grafting of HMBA into the polymer has improved the problem of short antifouling life of the coating due to antifouling agent leakage and the environmental pollution caused by the leakage. The study focused on the synthesis of pristine acrylate monomers with organic bioactive groups prepared from vanillin amine salts and their co-polymerization in the presence of distal acrylate oligomers. The resulting cross-linked films were characterized using infrared spectroscopy, contact angle, and adhesion analyses. The results indicate that the materials had good adhesion, low surface energy, and were resistant to prolonged immersion in water. The polyacrylate coating synthesized from acrylate exhibited antibacterial and anti-algae activity. Biological tests on the marine microorganisms, Pseudomonas species, Shewanella species, and Navicula incerta, revealed a 97%, 98%, and 99% reduction compared to the blank control group, respectively, indicating that the coating has strong anti-adhesive ability. This work is expected to develop a promising material for marine antifouling.

The use of vitamin E as an anti-adhesive coating for cells and bacteria for temporary bone implants

In recent years, vitamin E (or more specifically alpha tocopherol) has been widely discussed in the literature due to its strong anti-oxidant, -inflammatory, -cancer, and -bacterial properties and successfully applied in hip and knee arthroplasty to confer oxidation resistance to irradiated ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE). In this study, vitamin E has been used, characterized, and in vitro tested as a coating on a chemically treated titanium alloy. The target final application is in temporary trauma fixation devices. The results of the physico-chemical characterization from FTIR-ATR and reflectance spectroscopy, z-potential titration curves, contact angle measurements, and tape test revealed a continuous coating, with hydrophobic behaviour, low surface energy (39 mN/m), and high adhesion to the substrate. Interestingly, the biological characterization revealed a strong anti-adhesion ability of the vitamin E coating as >90 % of the human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC) seeded directly onto specimens' surface failed to attach, resulting nevertheless viable as demonstrated by the live/dead assay. Similarly, when vitamin E coated specimens were infected by the pathogens Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, a strong antifouling effect was observed as the colony forming units (CFU) count showed that >95 % bacteria were viable, but unable to adhere and colonize the Ti specimens (>2 logs reduction in comparison to controls).This work highlights a novel promising application of this biomolecule as a coating preventing unintended osseointegration on removable temporary devices, as well as preventing the adhesion of bacterial pathogens thus reducing the risk of implant-associated infections.