Long-term Storage Stability Research Articles

Laccase modified GO/TiS2 nanocomposite based amperometric biosensor for (-)-epicatechin detection

In this study, 2-dimensional graphene oxide-titanium disulfide (GO/TiS2) nanolayers were synthesized, and the surface and size properties of nanolayers were investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) technique. The nanolayers were used to modify the screen-printed electrode surface and applied as a micro-medium for Trametes versicolor laccase. The ability of this enzyme biosensor to detect the (-)-epicatechin has been demonstrated with a wide linear range (0.1–250 µM), LOD (0.073 µM), and sensitivity (0.3264 µAµM−cm−2). In addition, the biosensor exhibited excellent selectivity allowing selective detection of (-)-epicatechin in the presence of other polyphenolic compounds and high reducing currents sensitivity (vs Ag/AgCl) examined at −0.6 V. The proposed biosensor showed reproducibility, reusability, long-term storage stability, and applicability in actual food samples with recovery values close to 100 %. Also, Kmapp and Imax values ​​of the biosensor were determined as 2.245 µM and 0.757 µA, respectively.

Chitosan Nanoparticles Production: Optimization of Physical Parameters, Biochemical Characterization, and Stability upon Storage

Ionic gelation is among the simplest processes for the development of chitosan nanoparticles reported so far in the literature. Its one-shot synthesis process in conjunction with the mild reaction conditions required are among the main causes for its success. In this work, we sought to optimize a set of physical parameters associated with the ionic gelation process at two different pH values. Following that, the NPs’ freeze-drying and long-term storage stability were assayed, and their biocompatibility with HaCat cells was evaluated. The results show that NPs were more homogenously produced at pH 5, and that at this pH value, it was possible to obtain a set of optimum production conditions. Furthermore, of the assayed parameters, TPP addition time and overall reaction time were the parameters which had a significant impact on the produced NPs. Nanoparticle freeze-drying led to particle aggregation, and, of the cryoprotectants, assayed mannitol at 10% (w/v) presented the best performance, as the NPs were stable to freeze-drying and maintained their size and charge in the long-term stability assay. Lastly, the chitosan NPs presented no toxicity towards the HaCat cell line.

Native Biofilm Used in Mediated Method for Toxicity Measurement

A native biofilm (NBF) bioreactor for monitoring total toxicity in water was developed in this article. Specific objectives include the investigation of (i) the NBF was introduced in toxicity measurement, and (ii) the immobilized microorganisms on carbon fiber felts are adopted for mediator toxicity assay. Culture conditions of NBF with 35 ◦C and 24 h were adopted, and a measuring condition with 45 mM ferricyanide (at pH 7) was optimized. Under the above conditions, NBF bioreactor was successfully employed to assess toxicities of four toxicants. By adopting the NBF, the IC50 values obtained were much lower than that of the single bacterium as the test microorganism. Furthermore, the long-term storage stability was examined. The result showed that the activity of the microorganisms of NBF was found to be roughly the same within 42 days. We confirmed that this NBF combined with mediator toxicity assay may be served as an early warning for affecting public health and avoiding environmental pollution.

Facile Preparation of Dopamine-Modified Magnetic Zinc Ferrite Immobilized Lipase for Highly Efficient Synthesis of OPO Functional Lipid

1,3-Dioleoyl-2-palmitoylglycerol (OPO) has been a hotspot of functional oils research in recent years, but due to the high cost of sn-1,3 specific lipase in enzymatic synthesis and the lack of biocatalyst stability, large-scale industrial application is difficult. In this study, the prepared magnetic ZnFe2O4 was functionalized with dopamine to obtain ZnFe2O4@PDA, and the nano-biocatalyst ZnFe2O4@PDA@RML was prepared by immobilizing sn-1,3 specific lipase of Rhizomucor miehei lipase (RML) via a cross-linking method. The existence of RML on ZnFe2O4@PDA was confirmed by XRD, FTIR, SEM, and TEM. This strategy proved to be simple and effective because the lipase immobilized on magnetic nanoparticles could be quickly recovered using external magnets, enabling reuse of the lipase. The activity, adaptability to a high temperature, pH value, and operational stability of immobilized RML were superior to those of free RML. After optimizing the synthesis conditions, the OPO yield was 42.78%, and the proportion of PA at the sn-2 position (PA-Sn2) was 54.63%. After the first four cycles, the activity of ZnFe2O4@PDA@RML was not significantly affected. The magnetically immobilized lipase has good thermal stability, long-term storage stability, reusability, and high catalytic activity. It can be used as a green and efficient biocatalyst to synthesize the OPO functional lipid.

Molecular engineering of nitrogen-rich helicene based organic semiconductors for stable perovskite solar cells.

Polycyclic heteroaromatics play a pivotal role in advancing the field of high-performance organic semiconductors. In this study, we report the synthesis of a pyrrole-bridged double azahelicene through intramolecular oxidative cyclization. By incorporating bis(4-methoxyphenyl)amine (OMeDPA) and ethylenedioxythiophene-phenyl-OMeDPA (EP-OMeDPA) into the sp3-nitrogen rich double helicene framework, we have successfully constructed two organic semiconductors with ionization potentials suitable for application in perovskite solar cells. The amorphous films of both organic semiconductors exhibit hole density-dependent mobility and conductivity. Notably, the organic semiconductor utilizing EP-OMeDPA as the electron donor demonstrates superior hole mobility at a given hole density, which is attributed to reduced reorganization energy and increased centroid distance. Moreover, this organic semiconductor exhibits a remarkably elevated glass transition temperature of up to 230 °C and lower diffusivity for external small molecules and ions. When employed as the p-doped hole transport layer in perovskite solar cells, TMDAP-EP-OMeDPA achieves an improved average efficiency of 21.7%. Importantly, the solar cell with TMDAP-EP-OMeDPA also demonstrates enhanced long-term operational stability and storage stability at 85 °C. These findings provide valuable insights into the development of high-performance organic semiconductors, contributing to the practical application of perovskite solar cells.

Flexible electrochemical sensor for highly sensitive and selective non-enzymatic detection of creatinine via electrodeposited copper over polymelamine formaldehyde.

A non-enzymatic electrochemical biosensor was developed for highly sensitive detection of creatinine using copper nanoparticles supported over polymelamine formaldehyde. The synergy between the electrodeposited copper nanoparticles over the highly porous polymer (eCu-PMF) provided a greener platform to boost up the electron transport at the electrode electrolyte interface by eliminating the role of redox species as well as interference of major interferents like glucose, dopamine, and ascorbic acid in physiological media 0.1 M PBS (pH 7.4). The proposed sensor exhibited a wide detection range of 100 fM-60 mM with high sensitivities of 0.320 mA nM-1 cm-2 and 3.8 mA nM-1 cm-2. Moreover, the sensor was applied to real samples of serum creatinine and recoveries of 97 to 114% were found. Additionally, a paper-based flexible screen-printed electrode was fabricated which displayed an excellent activity with the same detection range of 100 fM-60 mM and long-term storage stability of 15 days.

Combinations of hydrocolloids show enhanced stabilizing effects on cloudy orange juice ready-to-drink beverages

Cloudy ready-to-drink beverages have to be stabilized by hydrocolloids in order to prevent turbidity loss and undesirable sedimentation during storage time. The present work focuses on the stabilizing effects of pectin, guar gum and locust bean gum and the combinations of two of them on ready-to-drink beverages containing 7% of orange juice. The application and the potential combined effects of the mentioned hydrocolloids in these drinks has not been reported yet. The particle size distribution, zeta potential, viscosity, turbidity and sedimentation behaviour of beverages were measured to evaluate the impact of the different concentrations and combinations of the stabilizers. Applying 2.5 g pectin and 2.5 g guar gum per kg base was identified to be most suitable for stabilizing the turbidity over five weeks of beverages with orange juice concentrate, which contained large juice particles ranging from 0.6 to 200 μm. In contrast, 2 g pectin as well as the application of both 2.5 g pectin and 2.5 g locust bean gum per kg base maintained the storage stability of beverages containing juice concentrate, which was composed of smaller juice particles (0.5–120 μm). When locust bean gum and guar gum were applied without pectin being involved, negative effects on particle size and zeta potential could be observed leading to increased cloud loss and sedimentation rates compared with the other pectin-containing samples. The results indicated that the combination of hydrocolloids showed greater effects on long-term storage stability of the ready-to-drink beverages compared to the application of individual stabilizers.

Fluorinated carboxymethyl chitosan-based nano-prodrugs for precisely synergistic chemotherapy

The clinical transformation of polysaccharide-based nano-prodrugs remains a long way off, due to the shackles on easy metabolic clearance, dilemma of dose-dependent toxicity and immunogenicity, and poor tumor selectivity. To address these challenges, the fluorinated dual-crosslinked carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS)-based nano-prodrugs with precise structure were facilely developed through the reaction of CMCS with water-soluble stimuli-responsive synergistic small molecule prodrug (Pt(IV)-1), glutaraldehyde and heptafluorobutyric anhydride successively. The fluorination enabled the nano-prodrugs to display metabolic stability and improve tumoral cellular uptake. The pH/glutathione (GSH)-sensitive dual-crosslinked structure enabled the nano-prodrugs to show physicochemical stability at physiological pH, selective drug release and synergistic cytotoxicity at tumoral intracellular pH/GSH, and circumventing the dilemma of dose-dependent toxicity and immunogenicity induced by that crosslinked or grafted via a single drug. These superior performances promoted stability in long-term storage and circulation, normal blood routine and aminotransferase, fantastic hemocompatibility, selective tumor accumulation and precisely synergistic chemotherapy, therefore achieving significant tumor growth inhibition while minimizing side effects. Thus, the precise fluorinated dual-crosslinked CMCS-based nano-prodrugs have great potential for selective clinical cancer treatment.

Application and comparison of lyophilisation protocols to enhance stable long-term storage of filovirus pseudotypes for use in antibody neutralisation tests

Filoviruses encompass highly pathogenic viruses placing significant public health burden on countries affected. Efforts for improved diagnostics and surveillance are needed. The requirement for high-containment can be circumvented by using pseudotype viruses (PV), which can be handled safely, in tropism, drug screening, vaccine evaluation, and serosurveillance studies. We assessed the stability and functionality after long-term storage of lyophilised filovirus pseudotypes for use in neutralisation assays. We generated a panel of filovirus lentiviral pseudotypes followed by lyophilisation and storage in different conditions. Next, we reconstituted and tested PVs in infection experiments and pseudotype neutralisation assays where possible. Lyophilised Ebola and Marburg PVs retained production titres for at least two years when stored at+4˚C or less. Lyophilised Ebola PVs performed similarly to non-lyophilised PVs in neutralisation assays after reconstitution. When stored at high temperatures (+37˚C), lyophilised PVs did not retain titres after 1-month storage, however, when lyophilised using pilot-scale facilities EBOV PVs retained titres and performed as standard in neutralisation assays after on 1-month storage at 37˚C. Filovirus PVs are amenable to lyophilisation and can be stored for at least 2 years in a household fridge to be used in antibody assays. Lyophilisation performed in the right conditions would allow transportation at room temperature, even in warmer climates.

Microscopic Insights and Optimization of the CH4-CO2 Replacement in Natural Gas Hydrates.

Using the CO2 replacement method to exploit natural gas hydrates and store CO2 has great significance in energy access and environmental protection. Herein, the molecular dynamic method is utilized to analyze and evaluate the CH4-CO2 replacement at different constant temperatures and pressures. For optimization, various temperature oscillations are introduced in the CH4-CO2 replacement. It illustrates that increasing the temperature can improve the amounts of CH4 escape and CO2 capture but is unfavorable to the long-term CO2 storage and hydrate stability. The effects of pressure are not as significant and definite as those of temperature. Appropriate temperature oscillations can achieve comprehensive improvements, which benefit from both the deep diffusion of CO2 in the higher temperature stage and the rapid rebuilding of CO2 hydrate within just nanoseconds caused by the memory effects in the lower temperature stage. The results also reveal that the optimal lower temperature duration and frequency should be moderate. Decreasing the lower temperature value can distinctly enhance CO2 capture and hydrate stability. This study can help understand the mechanisms of CH4-CO2 replacement under different temperature and pressure conditions, especially at temperature transitions, and proposes a potentially effective method to achieve large-scale carbon sequestration in the hydrate.

Encapsulation behavior of curcumin in heteroprotein complex coacervates and precipitates fabricated from β-conglycinin and lysozyme

The associative phase separation of oppositely charged biopolymers produces liquid-like coacervates or solid-like precipitates, whereas the effect of the physical state difference on applications is often overlooked. This study investigated the application of complexes coacervates and precipitates fabricated from β-conglycinin (β-CG) and lysozyme (LYS) for the encapsulation of curcumin. The β-CG-LYS complexes encapsulating curcumin at charge stoichiometric ratios appeared as coacervates at pH 6 and precipitates at pH 7 and 8. The curcumin encapsulation efficiency and loading capacity of these complexes reached 95% and 410–486 μg/mg. Coacervates and precipitates both significantly improved the curcumin stability when exposed to light and heat treatment. During storage, the curcumin in coacervates had an extremely long half-life value (t 1/2 ), whereas curcumin in the precipitates had a short t 1/2 . When the coacervates encapsulating curcumin adhered to the bottom of the cuvette, 35.2% of the curcumin was still retained after rinsing with ethanol 30 times. The β-CG-LYS coacervates were promising carriers to encapsulate functional molecules, which may be used as functional dressings and coatings. • Curcumin did not affect phase behavior of β-CG-LYS complex coacervation. • The encapsulation efficiency of curcumin in coacervates exceeded 95%. • The loading capacity of curcumin in coacervates exceeded 290 μg/mg. • β-CG-LYS coacervates endowed the curcumin with long-term storage stability. • β-CG-LYS coacervates have potential as functional dressings and coatings.

SnS nanoplate coated with crystalline silicon-oxy carbide as composite anode for lithium-ion storage applications

In this work, SiOC, and SnS@SiOC composite have been prepared by thermal pyrolysis method, whereas SnS is prepared by CTAB-assisted hydrothermal method. The presence of a crystalline carbon phase in a SiOC is identified by high-magnification TEM images. The nanoplate-like morphology of SnS and the nanoparticle nature of silicon-oxy carbide are established by SEM and TEM images. The Chemical state of elements in the SnS@SiOC composite is validated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. CV graphs exposed SiOC behaving non-faradic process; SnS and SnS@SiOC composite behaves combined lithium-ion storage mechanism. The rate capability nature of SnS@SiOC composite is superior to SnS and SiOC electrode materials. The initial discharge capacity of SiOC, SnS, and SnS@SiOC is 1191 mAh g−1, 1007 mAh g−1, and 1315 mAh g−1 @ 0.1 A g−1 respectively. At a current density of 1 A g−1, it provided the 1000th cycle discharge capacity of 196.8, 437.5, and 570 mAh g−1 for SiOC, SnS, and SnS@SiOC composite, respectively. Even though, it delivered a discharge capacity of 448.7 and 491.8 mAh g−1 for SnS and SnS@SiOC composite after 800 cycles @ 5 A g−1. It has a capacity retention of 94 % and 90 %, respectively. Silicon oxy carbide and SnS work synergistically to increase lithium-ion storage capacity and cycle stability for long-term energy storage and conversion applications.

Artificial metalloenzyme with peroxidase-like activity based on periodic mesoporous organosilica with ionic-liquid framework

Artificial enzymes were developed as alternatives to natural enzymes. Considering the unique characteristics of periodic mesoporous organosilica (PMO) materials, a rational design approach was investigated to simulate the coordination sphere around the iron active center in natural horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and fabricate a new peroxidase-like nanozyme. Well-ordered mesoscopic structure, high surface area, tunable pore size, high thermal-hydrothermal stability, and facile surface functionalization are unique properties of PMOs which allow them be potential candidate for enzyme mimic catalysis. In the present study, a monofunctional PMO with ionic-liquid framework (PMO-IL) was prepared as a support to incorporate the iron protoporphyrin IX hemin. The interior surface of mesochannels were also modified by imidazole functional groups. The synthetic peroxidase-like nanomaterial was fully characterized using several techniques such as N2 adsorption-desorption analysis, Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX). Peroxidase-like activity of the current nanomaterial was evaluated using 2,2′-Azinobis [3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid]-diammonium salt (ABTS) in the presence of hydrogen peroxide in neutral pH condition. Michaelis-Menten kinetic parameters indicated enhanced affinity toward substrate. Results imply that the biomimetic pathways can be developed to achieve a new generation of nanozymes with excellent thermal stability and long-term storage stability which are promising as peroxidase mimics for various applications.

Bioconjugated β-Cyclodextrin-Perfluorohexane Nanocone Clusters as Functional Nanoparticles for Nanoparticle-Mediated Histotripsy.

Nanocone clusters (NCCs) are new-generation agents of nanoparticle-mediated histotripsy (NMH) recently developed to address the limitations of previously designed nanodroplets (NDs). NCCs can be obtained by simply mixing FDA-approved cyclodextrins (CD) and suitable perfluorocarbons (PFCs), which result in smaller size aggregates, detectable PFC amount, and more stable long-term storage since the obtained powder can be stored and redispersed as needed. Previous experimental and computational studies showed that NCCs consist of an organization of inclusion complexes of CD and PFC around free PFC droplets, and their aggregate behavior depends on the localization of PFC in the cavity and the water solubility of CD derivatives. It has been shown that β-cyclodextrin (βCD) and perfluorohexane (PFH) are ideal candidates for NCCs that can be isolated as a powder with high PFC content among various CD and PFC derivatives. This study focuses on the further development of the selected NCC composition to enhance the potential of NMH therapy while also enabling more detailed future experiments in vitro and in vivo. It is aimed to show the bioconjugation potential of NCCs through the example of the most commonly used functionalization methods such as targeting, PEGylation, and fluorescent labeling. For this purpose, βCD as a building block was monofunctionalized with groups such as azide, alkyne, and amine groups that allow for effective coupling reactions such as the "click" reaction and N-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-N'-ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride/N-hydroxysuccinimide (EDC/NHS) coupling. These monofunctional βCDs were used as building blocks of NCCs in the presence of PFH to obtain functional NCCs as precursors of bioconjugation. EPPT1 as a synthetic peptide specific to uMUC1 and folic acid (FA) as the most commonly used targeting agent along with PEGylation were successfully shown as bioconjugation examples. Lastly, fluorescently labeled NCCs were obtained via fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) and alkyne functional NCC reaction through propargyl amine and isothiocyanate group reaction. The obtained bioconjugates were tested in vitro to validate the conjugation, and the ability to lower the histotripsy cavitation threshold, which is necessary for NMH, was demonstrated for all bioconjugates. Overall, the results showed that all obtained bioconjugates successfully lowered the cavitation threshold pressure while also fulfilling the desired bioconjugation metrics to serve as improved tools to enhance NMH as a targeted noninvasive ablation method.

Oxidized high-amylose starch as pickering stabilizer for oil-in-water emulsion and delivery of bioactive compound

Polysaccharide based emulsions have received considerable attention due to their biodegradability, biocompatibility and food-safety. In this study, oxidized high-amylose starch (OHAS) is adopted for stabilization of oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion. Results showed that OHAS with oxidation degree of 90% (DO90-OHAS) exhibited higher wettability with three-phase contact angle of 70.6°. The obtained emulsion was stable within a wide range of different solution condition, with pH ranging from 3 to 7, salt concentration as high as 1.0 M and temperature ranging from -25 to 80 ℃. The gel-like network structure of DO90-OHAS effectively stabilized the emulsion and prevented the aggregation of oil droplets under different pH, as evidenced by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) observation. Furthermore, DO90-OHAS based emulsion prepared at different pH showed satisfactory long-term storage stability (up to 30 days). The fabricated emulsion was utilized for encapsulation of hydrophobic bioactive substances, with ∼72.5% encapsulation efficiency for β-carotene. The DO90-OHAS based emulsion enabled the controlled-release of β-carotene in vitro, with antioxidant activity maintained ∼50% of initial activity when exposed to elevated temperature (80°C). This research may provide a new avenue for OHAS based Pickering emulsions preparation and bioactive components delivery.

Effects of the molecular weight of hyaluronan on the conformation and release kinetics of self-assembled 5-fluorouracil-loaded lysozyme-hyaluronan colloidal nanoparticles

Lysozyme (LYS) and hyaluronan with low (HA1: 3 kDa), medium (HA2: 120 kDa), and high (HA3: 1200 kDa) molecular weights were used to fabricate lysozyme-hyaluronan colloidal nanoparticles using a green self-assembly method. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy indicated that hydrogen bonding, hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions promoted the formation of the colloidal nanoparticles. The hydrophobic area of prepared colloidal nanoparticles was quantified using a pyrene fluorescent probe, and the results showed that the LYS-HA3 nanoparticles had the strongest hydrophobic capacity. Furthermore, 5-fluorouracil (5-Fu) was used to evaluate encapsulation performance, demonstrating that the LYS-HA3 nanoparticles had the highest encapsulation ability (>90 %). All prepared 5-Fu-loaded lysozyme-hyaluronan (5-Fu@LYS-HA) colloidal nanoparticles exhibited excellent long-term storage stability at 4 °C for 60 days. Cellular uptake and in vitro release results indicated that the LYS-HA2 nanoparticles exhibited the highest cellular uptake efficiency, and the LYS-HA3 nanoparticles had the best slow-release effect, while the release process was mainly controlled by the combination of Fickian diffusion and structural relaxation, respectively. This study demonstrates the influence of molecular weight on the conformational and structural properties of colloidal nanoparticles, which has implications for the design of insoluble drug self-assembly systems.

A powerless, gas-permeable, flexible and transparent carbon micromesh electrode for simultaneous ascorbic acid detection and pH monitoring

Ascorbic acid (AA) is a critical nutrition and chemical for humans, due to its crucial role in metabolic processes and medical treatments. It is necessary to develop a simple and rapid method for real-time tracking AA level in the body. In this work, we fabricated a powerless, gas-permeable, flexible and transparent AA biosensor based on carbon micromesh electrode (CME). The AA biosensor worked without an external power supply and exhibited excellent performances, including high transmittance (>95%), wide detection range (1 μM–1 mM), low limit of detection (10 nM), good selectivity and long-term storage stability (30 days). In addition, we integrated a pH-sensing electrode to correct the AA analysis. A layer of polyaniline (PANI) film was electrodeposited on the carbon micromesh as pH-sensing electrode that had an average sensitivity of 58.1 mV/pH with a high correlation coefficient (R2 = 0.997) within the physiological range of human body fluids (pH 4.0–8.7). To verify the availability of the CME in practical application, the Ag/C electrode was used as reference electrode to fabricate the integrated dual-functional biosensors for artificial tears detection. The CME-based biosensors showed good sensitivity, selectivity and correlation coefficient, indicating its excellent practicability towards wearable electronics.

Electrohydrodynamic drying of probiotics

Drying and moisture content is known to influence long-term storage stability of probiotics. In this study, electrohydrodynamic drying (EHD) of probiotics using ionic wind was investigated. The EHD drying process was found to be dependent on several parameters such as polarity and voltage of the electric field, collector type, surrounding temperature and gas, and use of excipient. By using a moving mesh flat electrode collector to facilitate the airflow during EHD processing, the water evaporation and cell viability were 76% and 61%, respectively. Moreover, comparison of the EHD drying process with the freeze-drying, reveals that the survival of probiotics and the water evaporation rates were similar, as well as the surface properties of the cells (zeta potential and hydrophobicity).

Interfacial decoration of desalted duck egg white nanogels as stabilizer for Pickering emulsion

Pickering emulsions, stabilized by food-grade protein colloidal particles, have demonstrated potential in food, cosmetics, and medical applications, while their environmental instability remains serious challenges. Herein, in this study, we have prepared a simple but effective interfacial decoration method based on the noncovalent interaction between desalted duck egg white nanogels (DEWN) and natural polyphenol for enhancing the interfacial and environmental stability of Pickering emulsions. As demonstrated, the introduction of tannic acid (TA) tuned near neutral wettability (θo/w∼90°) of the DEWN-TA (named DEWN-Tn) colloidal particles and significantly lowered the interfacial tension. Subsequently, the emulsions with distinct TA concentrations were further investigated. The results presented a decrement in the droplet sizes by adding appropriate concentrations of TA and long-term storage stability. The rheological behavior explored that the addition of TA did increase in both G′ and G″ compared with a solely DEWN-based system. Furthermore, it was worth noting that the decoration of TA under optimized conditions could also increase heat and pH stability and effectively inhibit “salting-out” effects of the Pickering emulsions system. Our study implies a possibility of fabricating interfacial architecture on the oil-water interface, which possesses great potential to be used as excellent food-grade emulsifiers.

Development of Adenovirus Containing Liposomes Produced by Extrusion vs. Homogenization: A Comparison for Scale-Up Purposes.

Adenovirus (Ad) is a widely studied viral vector for cancer therapy as it can be engineered to cause selective lysis of cancer cells. However, Ad delivery is limited in treating cancers that do not have coxsackievirus and adenovirus receptors (CAR). To overcome this challenge, Ad-encapsulated liposomes were developed that enhance the delivery of Ads and increase therapeutic efficacy. Cationic empty liposomes were manufactured first, to which an anionic Ad were added, which resulted in encapsulated Ad liposomes through charge interaction. Optimization of the liposome formula was carried out with series of formulation variables experiments using an extrusion process, which is ideal for laboratory-scale small batches. Later, the optimized formulation was manufactured with a homogenization technique-A high shear rotor-stator blending, that is ideal for large-scale manufacturing and is in compliance with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP). Comparative in vitro transduction, physicochemical characterization, long-term storage stability at different temperature conditions, and in vivo animal studies were performed. Ad encapsulated liposomes transduced CAR deficient cells 100-fold more efficiently than the unencapsulated Ad (p ≤ 0.0001) in vitro, and 4-fold higher in tumors injected in nude mice in vivo. Both extrusion and homogenization performed similarly-with equivalent in vitro and in vivo transduction efficiencies, physicochemical characterization, and long-term storage stability. Thus, two Ad encapsulated liposomes preparation methods used herein, i.e., extrusion vs. homogenization were equivalent in terms of enhanced Ad performance and long-term storage stability; this will, hopefully, facilitate translation to the clinic.