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With the increasing use of invasive, interventional, indwelling, and implanted medical devices, healthcare-associated infections caused by pathogenic biofilms have become a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Herein, we present the fabrication, characterization, and in vitro evaluation of biocompatibility and anti-biofilm properties of new coatings based on Fe3O4 nanoparticles (NPs) loaded with usnic acid (UA) and ceftriaxone (CEF). Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) was employed as a stabilizer and modulator of the polarity, dispersibility, shape, and anti-biofilm properties of the magnetite nanoparticles. The resulting Fe3O4 functionalized NPs, namely Fe3O4@SLS, Fe3O4@SLS/UA, and Fe3O4@SLS/CEF, respectively, were prepared by co-precipitation method and fully characterized by XRD, TEM, SAED, SEM, FTIR, and TGA. They were further used to produce nanostructured coatings by matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE) technique. The biocompatibility of the coatings was assessed by measuring the cell viability, lactate dehydrogenase release, and nitric oxide level in the culture medium and by evaluating the actin cytoskeleton morphology of murine pre-osteoblasts. All prepared nanostructured coatings exhibited good biocompatibility. Biofilm growth inhibition ability was tested at 24 h and 48 h against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa as representative models for Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The coatings demonstrated good biocompatibility, promoting osteoblast adhesion, migration, and growth without significant impact on cell viability or morphology, highlighting their potential for developing safe and effective antibacterial surfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), the world's most prominent cause of mortality, continue to be challenging conditions for patients, physicians, and researchers alike. CVDs comprise a wide range of illnesses affecting the heart, blood vessels, and the blood that flows through and between them. Advances in nanomedicine, a discipline focused on improving patient outcomes through revolutionary treatments, imaging agents, and ex vivo diagnostics, have created enthusiasm for overcoming limitations in CVDs' therapeutic and diagnostic landscapes. Nanomedicine can be involved in clinical purposes for CVD through the augmentation of cardiac or heart-related biomaterials, which can be functionally, mechanically, immunologically, and electrically improved by incorporating nanomaterials; vasculature applications, which involve systemically injected nanotherapeutics and imaging nanodiagnostics, nano-enabled biomaterials, or tissue-nanoengineered solutions; and enhancement of sensitivity and/or specificity of ex vivo diagnostic devices for patient samples. Therefore, this review discusses the latest studies based on applying organic nanoparticles in cardiovascular illness, including drug-conjugated polymers, lipid nanoparticles, and micelles. Following the revised information, it can be concluded that organic nanoparticles may be the most appropriate type of treatment for cardiovascular diseases due to their biocompatibility and capacity to integrate various drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Second, the latest trends in the field of antibiofilm coatings refer to the so-called multi-approach coatings, which join in a unique nanoplatform both contact killing and drug eluting strategies. To construct such low adhesion coatings, low surface energy polymer materials such as silicones and fluoropolymer derivatives were mostly used [[18]], but metallic and metal oxides anti-biofouling surfaces with nanostructured hierarchical topography have been also developed [[20]]. Nanostructured active antibiofilm coatings can target all main mechanisms responsible for the acquired increased recalcitrance of biofilm bacteria towards antibiotics, namely alteration of cell membrane permeability resulting in decreased drug uptake and increased drug export, enzymatic destruction of the antibiotic molecule, and the modification/absence of the antibiotic targets [[45]]. [Extracted from the article]

Bio-composite coatings consisting of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) and tyrosinase (Ty) were successfully electrodeposited on conventional size gold (Au) disk electrodes and microelectrode arrays using sinusoidal voltages. Electrochemical polymerization of the corresponding monomer was carried out in the presence of various Ty amounts in aqueous buffered solutions. The bio-composite coatings prepared using sinusoidal voltages and potentiostatic electrodeposition methods were compared in terms of morphology, electrochemical properties, and biocatalytic activity towards various analytes. The amperometric biosensors were tested in dopamine (DA) and catechol (CT) electroanalysis in aqueous buffered solutions. The analytical performance of the developed biosensors was investigated in terms of linear response range, detection limit, sensitivity, and repeatability. A semi-quantitative multi-analyte procedure for simultaneous determination of DA and CT was developed. The amperometric biosensor prepared using sinusoidal voltages showed much better analytical performance. The Au disk biosensor obtained by 50 mV alternating voltage amplitude displayed a linear response for DA concentrations ranging from 10 to 300 µM, with a detection limit of 4.18 µM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Functionalized magnetic nanoparticles followed two main directions in the field of biomedical applications: one direction is as image enhancing agents for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and the other is as drugdelivery devices for various biologically-active substances. A third field which just emerges in nanomedicine is the field of the so-called theranostic devices which combines in the same delivery vehicle both the therapeutic agent and the contrast substance. The advantages of using nanoparticles instead of larger carriers for delivery of both drug and image contrast enhancing agents will be highlighted throughout this review article. Despite the ever increasing number of articles reporting both in vitro and in vivo studies carried out on functionalized magnetic nanoparticles and envisaging their potential biomedical applications, only few formulations reached the phase of clinical trials and even fewer became marketed products. The perspectives in the field are open, since new drugs require new delivery devices and possibly new means of functionalization. At the same time, the field of nanomedicine also provides the opportunity to better exploit drugs that are already in clinical use by improving their bioavailability through appropriate nanoformulations.