This study presents the development and characterisation of two novel bioactive coatings deposited on TiAlV and AISI 316LVM substrates. The coatings were prepared using 3D printing and ...electrospinning. The 3D-printed coating consisted of the cellulose nanofibril suspension, alginate, and carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), while CMC and polyethylene oxide were used to prepare the electrospun coating. Both coatings were loaded with the antibiotic clindamycin (CLIN), which is a bacteriostatic lincosamide known for its activity against streptococci, staphylococci, pneumococci, Bacteroides species, and other anaerobes. Initial characterisation of the coatings was performed by attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. Furthermore, the contact angle measurements, swelling rate, and biodegradability of the coatings were investigated. The released concentration of CLIN in PBS (pH = 7.4 at 25 °C) was determined by UV-VIS spectrophotometry. The coatings' biocompatibility was determined using an MTT (3(4,5 dimethylthiazolyl-2)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay using an osteoblast cell culture (hFOB 1.19, ATCC CRL 11372).
Electrospinning as method for fabrication of wound dressing materials with included medical plant extracts for wound treatment has lately gained increasing attention. However, the transfer of ...nanofiber fabrication with included plant extracts from the research to the pilot and industrial scale production, using needleless electrospinning is a vital area of research, which could enable its large-scale commercial exploitation. Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) is a cheap, water soluble biopolymer, and in blends with the spinning agent polyethylene oxide (PEO) it is a suitable polymer for a large-scale nanofiber production. Thus, this study addresses the needleless electrospinning of CMC/PEO/plant extract blend aqueous solutions in order to fabricate cellulose based wound dressing material, suitable for treatment of acute wounds. The influence of plant extracts on the morphology of the electrospun mats was further evaluated. The antioxidant and antibacterial properties of the as-prepared electrospun mats were determined, where special attention was devoted to the stability/degradation study of phenolic compounds in plant extracts during the electrospinning process. This research was complemented by the release study and cell viability testing with results indicating a promising potential of this product to use for wound care as a self-contained wound dressing or as a part of number of already existing novel wound dressing materials.
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In this work, unmodified screen-printed electrode (bare SPE) and Sb-film modified SPE (SbFSPE) sensors were employed for the analysis of trace amounts of Pb(II) in non-deaerated water solutions. The ...modified electrode was performed in situ in 0.5 mg/L Sb(III) and 0.01 M HCl. The methodology was validated for an accumulation potential of ⁻1.1 V vs. Ag/AgCl and an accumulation time of 60 s. A comparative analysis of bare SPE and SbFSPE showed that the detection and quantification limits decrease for the bare SPE. The method with the bare SPE showed a linear response in the 69.8⁻368.4 µg/L concentration range, whereas linearity for the SbFSPE was in the 24.0⁻319.1 µg/L concentration range. This work also reports the reason why the multiple standard addition method instead of a linear calibration curve for Pb(II) analysis should be employed. Furthermore, the analytical method employing SbFSPE was found to be more accurate and precise compared to the use of bare SPE when sensors were employed for the first time, however this performance changed significantly when these sensors were reused in the same manner. Furthermore, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy was used for the first time to analyse the electrochemical response of sensors after being used for multiple successive analyses. Surface characterisation before and after multiple successive uses of bare SPE and SbFSPE sensors, with atomic force microscopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy, showed sensor degradation. The interference effect of Cd(II), Zn(II), As(III), Fe(II), Na(I), K(I), Ca(II), Mg(II), NO₃
, Bi(III), Cu(II), Sn(II), and Hg(II) on the Pb(II) stripping signal was also studied. Finally, the application of SbFSPE was tested on a real water sample (from a local river), which showed high precision (RSD = 8.1%,
= 5) and accurate results.
Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) have recently attracted considerable attention, mainly due to their unique magnetic properties and biocompatibility. Although MNPs have been extensively studied for ...biomedical applications, there are still very few studies on them as part of three-dimensional (3D)-printed scaffolds. Thus, this review aims to show the potential of MNPs to modulate various properties of 3D-printed scaffolds. 3D Printing is for itself a contemporary method in biomedicine, owing to its ability to produce versatile scaffolds with complex shapes enabling a homogeneous distribution of cells or other entrapped compounds, as well as possible precise control of pore size and shape, porosity, and interconnectivity of pores that contribute to structural stability. All mentioned properties can be upgraded or complemented with the specific properties of MNPs (e.g., biocompatibility and positive effect on cell proliferation). Considering the latest related literature and a steadily increasing number of related publications, the fabrication of magnetically responsive scaffolds is among the most interesting strategies in tissue engineering. According to the literature, incorporating MNPs into scaffolds can improve their mechanical properties and significantly affect biological properties, such as cellular responses. Moreover, under the influence of an external magnetic field, MNPs significantly promoted cell adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation.
Despite the extensive utilization of polysaccharide hydrogels in regenerative medicine, current fabrication methods fail to produce mechanically stable scaffolds using only hydrogels. The recently ...developed hybrid extrusion-based bioprinting process promises to resolve these current issues by facilitating the simultaneous printing of stiff thermoplastic polymers and softer hydrogels at different temperatures. Using layer-by-layer deposition, mechanically advantageous scaffolds can be produced by integrating the softer hydrogel matrix into a stiffer synthetic framework. This work demonstrates the fabrication of hybrid hydrogel-thermoplastic polymer scaffolds with tunable structural and chemical properties for applications in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Through an alternating deposition of polycaprolactone and alginate/carboxymethylcellulose gel strands, scaffolds with the desired architecture (e.g., filament thickness, pore size, macro-/microporosity), and rheological characteristics (e.g., swelling capacity, degradation rate, and wettability) were prepared. The hybrid fabrication approach allows the fine-tuning of wettability (approx. 50-75°), swelling (approx. 0-20× increased mass), degradability (approx. 2-30+ days), and mechanical strength (approx. 0.2-11 MPa) in the range between pure hydrogels and pure thermoplastic polymers, while providing a gradient of surface properties and good biocompatibility. The controlled degradability and permeability of the hydrogel component may also enable controlled drug delivery. Our work shows that the novel hybrid hydrogel-thermoplastic scaffolds with adjustable characteristics have immense potential for tissue engineering and can serve as templates for developing novel wound dressings.
Limitations in wound management have prompted scientists to introduce bioprinting techniques for creating constructs that can address clinical problems. The bioprinting approach is renowned for its ...ability to spatially control the three-dimensional (3D) placement of cells, molecules, and biomaterials. These features provide new possibilities to enhance homology to native skin and improve functional outcomes. However, for the clinical value, the development of hydrogel bioink with refined printability and bioactive properties is needed. In this study, we combined the outstanding viscoelastic behavior of nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) with the fast cross-linking ability of alginate (ALG), carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), and encapsulated human-derived skin fibroblasts (hSF) to create a bioink for the 3D bioprinting of a dermis layer. The shear thinning behavior of hSF-laden bioink enables construction of 3D scaffolds with high cell density and homogeneous cell distribution. The obtained results demonstrated that hSF-laden bioink supports cellular activity of hSF (up to 29 days) while offering proper printability in a biologically relevant 3D environment, making it a promising tool for skin tissue engineering and drug testing applications.
This study presents an innovative wound dressing system that offers a highly effective therapeutic solution for treating painful wounds. By incorporating the widely used non-steroidal ...anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac, we have created an active wound dressing that can provide targeted pain relief with ease. The drug was embedded within a biocompatible matrix composed of polyhydroxyethyl methacrylate and polyhydroxypropyl methacrylate. The multilayer structure of the dressing, which allows for sustained drug release and an exact application, was achieved through the layer-by-layer coating technique and the inclusion of superparamagnetic iron platinum nanoparticles. The multilayered dressings' physicochemical, structural, and morphological properties were characterised using various methods. The synergistic effect of the incorporated drug molecules and superparamagnetic nanoparticles on the surface roughness and release kinetics resulted in controlled drug release. In addition, the proposed multilayer wound dressings were found to be biocompatible with human skin fibroblasts. Our findings suggest that the developed wound dressing system can contribute to tailored therapeutic strategies for local pain relief.
Rapid, selective, and cost-effective detection and determination of clinically relevant biomolecule analytes for a better understanding of biological and physiological functions are becoming ...increasingly prominent. In this regard, biosensors represent a powerful tool to meet these requirements. Recent decades have seen biosensors gaining popularity due to their ability to design sensor platforms that are selective to determine target analytes. Naturally generated receptor units have a high affinity for their targets, which provides the selectivity of a device. However, such receptors are subject to instability under harsh environmental conditions and have consequently low durability. By applying principles of supramolecular chemistry, molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) can successfully replace natural receptors to circumvent these shortcomings. This review summarizes the recent achievements and analytical applications of electrosynthesized MIPs, in particular, for the detection of protein-based biomarkers. The scope of this review also includes the background behind electrochemical readouts and the origin of the gate effect in MIP-based biosensors.
Chronic wounds not only lower the quality of patient's life significantly, but also present a huge financial burden for the healthcare systems around the world. Treatment of larger wounds often ...requires the use of more complex materials, which can ensure a successful renewal or replacement of damaged or destroyed tissues. Despite a range of advanced wound dressings that can facilitate wound healing, there are still no clinically used dressings for effective local pain management. Herein, alginate (ALG) and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), two of the most commonly used materials in the field of chronic wound care, and combination of ALG-CMC were used to create a model wound dressing system in the form of multi-layered thin solid films using the spin-assisted layer-by-layer (LBL) coating technique. The latter multi-layer system was used to incorporate and study the release kinetics of analgesic drugs such as diclofenac and lidocaine at physiological conditions. The wettability, morphology, physicochemical and surface properties of the coated films were evaluated using different surface sensitive analytical tools. The influence of
incorporated drug molecules on the surface properties (e.g., roughness) and on the proliferation of human skin cells (keratinocytes and skin fibroblasts) was further evaluated. The results obtained from this preliminary study should be considered as the basis for the development "real" wound dressing materials and for 3D bio-printing applications.
The development of in vitro neural tissue analogs is of great interest for many biomedical engineering applications, including the tissue engineering of neural interfaces, treatment of ...neurodegenerative diseases, and in vitro evaluation of cell-material interactions. Since astrocytes play a crucial role in the regenerative processes of the central nervous system, the development of biomaterials that interact favorably with astrocytes is of great research interest. The sources of human astrocytes, suitable natural biomaterials, guidance scaffolds, and ligand patterned surfaces are discussed in the article. New findings in this field are essential for the future treatment of spinal cord and brain injuries.
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