Microspheres

Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is an effective method for resecting early-stage tumors in the digestive system. To achieve a low injection pressure of the injected fluid and continuous elevation of the mucosa following injection during the ESD technique, we introduced an innovative injectable sodium-alginate-based drug-loaded microsphere (Cipro-ThSA) for ESD surgery, which was generated through an emulsion reaction involving cysteine-modified sodium alginate (ThSA) and ciprofloxacin. Cipro-ThSA microspheres exhibited notable adhesiveness, antioxidant activity, and antimicrobial properties, providing a certain level of postoperative wound protection...

Light-element-based fluorescent materials, colloidal graphene quantum dots, and carbon dots (CDs) have sparked an immense amount of scientific interest in the past decade. However, a significant challenge in practical applications has emerged concerning the development of solid-state fluorescence (SSF) materials. This study addresses this knowledge gap by exploring the unexplored photonic facets of C-based solid-state microphotonic emitters. The proposed synthesis approach focuses on carbonized polymer microspheres (CPMs) instead of conventional nanodots...

Simultaneous utilization of photogenerated electrons and holes to achieve overall redox reactions is attractive but still far from practical application. The emerging step (S)-scheme mechanism has proven to be an ideal approach to inhibit charge recombination and supply photoinduced charges with highest redox potentials. Herein, a hierarchical phosphotungstic acid (H3PW12O40, HPW)@Znln2S4 (ZISW) heterojunction was prepared through one-pot hydrothermal method for simultaneous hydrogen (H2) evolution and benzyl alcohol upgrading...

Two chiral covalent organic frameworks (CCOFs) core-shell microspheres based on achiral organic precursors by chiral-induced synthesis strategy for HPLC enantioseparation are reported for the first time. Using n-hexane/isopropanol as mobile phase, various kinds of racemates were selected as analytes and separated on the CCOF-TpPa-1@SiO2 and CCOF-TpBD@SiO2 -packed columns with a low column backpressure (3 ~ 9 bar). The fabricated two CCOFs@SiO2 chiral columns exhibited good separation performance towards various racemates with high column efficiency (e...

BACKGROUND: Cholestasis commonly occurs after orthotopic liver transplantation. It can be extrahepatic because of mechanical obstruction or intrahepatic because of various causes. During cholestasis episodes, blood concentrations of tacrolimus (TAC) metabolites may increase, potentially affecting TAC concentrations measured by immunoassays. This study aimed to simultaneously evaluate the analytical performance of 2 TAC immunoassays, a quantitative microsphere system (QMS) immunoassay, and chemiluminescence microparticle immunoassay, using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) as a reference method in liver transplant recipients...

Coprinus comatus is an edible mushroom and its fermented product possesses antioxidant activity. In this study, to further enhance the antioxidant activity and improve the reusability of the strain, calcium alginate hydrogel was used as the carrier for embedding and immobilizing Coprinus comatus . The effects of CaCl2 concentration, sodium alginate concentration, microsphere diameter, and the amount of magnetic particle on the antioxidant activity of fermented products were investigated. The results showed that the magnetic immobilized microsphere prepared by 2...

The Thermomyces lanuginosus lipase (TLLs) was successfully immobilized within a novel hydrogel matrix through a two-step crosslinking method. TLLs were initially crosslinked through the Schiff base reaction by oxidized carboxymethyl cellulose (OCMC). The water-soluble OCMC@TLLs complex was subsequently crosslinked by carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCSH) in a microfluidic apparatus to form the CMCHS/OCMC@TLLs microspheres. The CD (Circular Dichroism, CD) and FT-IR (Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy, FT-IR) spectra demonstrated that the crosslinking of TLLs with OCMC resulted in a less significant impact on their structure compared to that with glutaraldehyde...

INTRODUCTION: Voxel-based dosimetry offers improved outcomes in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with transarterial radioembolization (TARE) using glass microspheres. However, the adaptation of voxel-based dosimetry to resin-based microspheres has been poorly studied, and the prognostic relevance of heterogeneous dose distribution remains unclear. This study aims to explore the use of dose-volume histograms for resin microspheres and to determine thresholds for objective metabolic response in HCC patients treated with resin-based TARE...

BACKGROUND: In selected cases of cardiogenic shock, veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (V-A ECMO) is combined with trans valvular micro axial flow pumps (ECMELLA). Observational studies indicate that ECMELLA may reduce mortality but exposing the patient to two advanced mechanical support devices may affect the early inflammatory response. We aimed to explore inflammatory biomarkers in a porcine cardiogenic shock model managed with V-A ECMO or ECMELLA. METHODS: Fourteen landrace pigs had acute myocardial infarction-induced cardiogenic shock with minimal arterial pulsatility by microsphere embolization and were afterwards managed 1:1 with either V-A ECMO or ECMELLA for 4 h...

This review attempted to ascertain the rationale for the formulation of sustained-release local anesthetics and summarize the various formulation approaches designed to date to achieve sustained and localized local analgesic effects. The incidence of pain, which is the concern of patients as well as health care professionals, is increasing due to accidents, surgical procedures, and other diseases. Local anesthetics can be used for the management of moderate to severe acute and chronic pain. They also allow regional analgesia, in situations where the cause and source of the pain are limited to a particular site or region, without the need for loss of consciousness or systemic administration of other analgesics thereby decreasing the risk of potential toxicities...

Degenerative spinal pathology is a widespread medical issue, and spine fusion surgeries are frequently performed. In this study, we fabricated an injectable bioactive click chemistry polymer cement for use in spinal fusion and bone regrowth. Taking advantages of the bioorthogonal click reaction, this cement can be crosslinked by itself eliminating the addition of a toxic initiator or catalyst, nor any external energy sources like UV light or heat. Furthermore, nano-hydroxyapatite (nHA) and microspheres carrying recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) and recombinant human vascular endothelial growth factor (rhVEGF) were used to make the cement bioactive for vascular induction and osteointegration...

Poly(lactide-co-glycolide) and poly(lactic-co-glycolic acids) (PLGAs) play a critical role in the development of commercial long-acting injectable microsphere formulations. However, very little information is available describing the impact of PLGA manufacturer and monomer distribution along the polymer chain (e.g., glycolic blockiness (Rc ) and average lactic block length (LL )) on the degradation and release behavior of PLGA drug carriers in vitro and in vivo. Here, we compared the in vitro and in vivo performance of (a) four leuprolide-loaded microsphere formulations prepared from similar low-molecular-weight acid-capped PLGAs (10-14 kD, i...

The detection of low-abundance microribonucleic acid (miRNA) frequently adopted nucleic acid sequence-based amplification detection, which was found to have poor selectivity for the nonspecific amplification of template-dependent ligation in enzyme-mediated cascade reactions. Here, a highly selective detection of miRNAs was developed that combined microsphere-enhanced fluorescence (MSEF) and solid-phase base-paired hybridization. The target miRNA could be accurately and quantitatively identified through the solid-phase hybridization assay on the surface of an optical microsphere, while the detected fluorescence signal could be physically amplified by MSEF...

The osseointegration of titanium implants within the host tissue holds crucial importance. The introduction of functional coatings at tissue-implant interface enhances the bioactivity of titanium implants, improves their therapeutic outcomes, and enhances the effectiveness of treatments. In this study, we focused on enhancing the bioactivity of titanium-based implant materials by coating the titanium surfaces with chitosan microspheres, which are loaded with osseointegration-promoting agent dexamethasone (DEX)...

Polystyrene nanoparticles are emerging as contaminants in freshwater environments, posing potential risks to amphibians exposed to extended periods of water contamination. Using tadpoles as a model, this study aimed to evaluate the toxicity of PS NPs. Pyrolysis-gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (Py-GCMS) analysis revealed a concentration-dependent increase in polystyrene nanoparticles (PS NPs) levels in tadpoles with escalating exposure concentrations. Following exposure to 100 nm fluorescent microspheres, fluorescence was observed in the intestines and gills, peaking at 48 hours...

The organelle network is a key factor in the repair and regeneration of lesion. However, effectively intervening in the organelle network which has complex interaction mechanisms is challenging. In this study, on the basis of electromagnetic laws, we constructed a biomaterial-based physical/chemical restraint device. This device was designed to jointly constrain electrical and biological factors in a conductive screw-threaded microneedle (ST-needle) system, identifying dual positioning regulation of the organelle network...

BACKGROUND: Cellular therapies have been investigated to improve blood flow and prevent amputation in peripheral artery disease with limited efficacy in clinical trials. Alginate-encapsulated mesenchymal stromal cells (eMSCs) demonstrated improved retention and survival and promoted vascular generation in murine hind limb ischemia through their secretome, but large animal evaluation is necessary for human applicability. We sought to determine the efficacy of eMSCs for peripheral artery disease-induced limb ischemia through assessment in our durable swine hind limb ischemia model...

This study explored the distribution of esculin microspheres in rabbit brain tissue following intravitreal injection and investigated the possibility of direct entry of the drug into the brain through the eye, to develop a formulation with enhanced therapeutic efficacy against Parkinson's disease.Chitosan microspheres of esculin were prepared via an emulsification cross-linking method and their characteristics were evaluated, including angle of repose, bulk density, and swelling ratio. Furthermore, the pharmacokinetic parameters and brain tissue distribution in rabbits were compared among groups administered esculin eye drops, intravitreal esculin solution, and intravitreal esculin microspheres, to determine whether esculin could enter the brain through an ocular route...

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) often have one or more painfuljoints despite adequate medicine. Local drug delivery to the synovial cavity bids for high drug concentration with minimal systemic adverse effects. However, anti-RA drugs show short half-lives in inflamed joints after intra-articular delivery. To improve the therapeutic efficacy, it is essential to ensure that a drug is only released from the formulation when it is needed. In this work, we developed an intelligent "Self-actuating" drug delivery system where Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic Drug (DMARD) methotrexate is incorporated within a matrix intended to be injected directly into joints...

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries are one of the most promising high-energy density secondary batteries due to their high theoretical energy density of 2600 Wh kg-1 . However, the sluggish kinetics and severe "shuttle effect" of polysulfides are the well-known barriers that hinder their practical applications. A carefully designed catalytic host of sulfur may be an effective strategy that not only accelerates the conversion of polysulfides but also limit their dissolution to mitigate the "shuttle effect." Herein, in situ surface-phosphided Ni0...