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Liposomes are highly advantageous platforms for drug delivery. To improve the colloidal stability and avoid rapid uptake by the mononuclear phagocytic system of conventional liposomes while controlling the release of encapsulated agents, modification of liposomes with well-designed polymers to modulate the physiological, particularly the interfacial properties of the drug carriers, has been intensively investigated. Briefly, polymers are incorporated into liposomes mainly using "grafting" or "coating", defined according to the configuration of polymers at the surface. Polymer-modified liposomes preserve the advantages of liposomes as drug-delivery carriers and possess specific functionality from the polymers, such as long circulation, precise targeting, and stimulus-responsiveness, thereby resulting in improved pharmacokinetics, biodistribution, toxicity, and therapeutic efficacy. In this review, we summarize the progress in polymer-modified liposomes for drug delivery, focusing on the change in physiological properties of liposomes and factors influencing the overall therapeutic efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) of chitosan can be efficiently improved by citric acid. • Experimentally confirming the construction of a strong ionic bond network to obtain persistent RTP of chitosan. • First demonstration of chitosan-based nanofibrous membrane with red long-lived emission. Organic non-conjugated materials with room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) have attracted increasing attention due to their fundamental importance and advantages like environmental friendliness, good biocompatibility, and various processing methods. However, most non-conjugated systems often suffered from the problem with very short RTP lifetimes in ambient conditions. Here, we proposed an efficient strategy to improve the RTP performance of chitosan (CTS) by constructing a strong ionic bond network based on carboxylic acids. The CA/CTS film prepared using citric acid (CA) as a solvent was found to emit a bright afterglow of about 5 s with a phosphorescence lifetime of up to 515 ms at 530 nm. Our experimental results indicated that forming synergistic networks of ionic and hydrogen bonding was a highly efficient method for achieving persistent RTP of CTS itself. Furthermore, due to the strong ionic interaction between 1-pyrenecarboxylic acid (PCA) and CTS, the PCA@CTS nanofibrous membrane with bright deep-red afterglow was first achieved through an electrostatic spinning technique using polyethylene glycol (PEG) or polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as a co-spinning agent. This work not only offered a new kind of persistent RTP nanofibrous membrane but also gained a deeper insight into improving the phosphorescence properties of non-conjugated materials, especially natural polysaccharide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The separation of structurally similar compounds, such as cholic acid (CA) and deoxycholic acid (DCA), is challenging due to their nearly identical physicochemical properties. This study demonstrates a synergistic 'push and pull' strategy with an ionic liquid (IL) biphasic system for significantly enhanced CA/DCA separation efficiency. Ethyl acetate was selected as the feed solvent to 'push' CA into the IL-rich extractant phase, while the IL 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([EMIM]Cl) was chosen to 'pull' CA due to their strong hydrogen bonding interaction. This 'push and pull' system yielded a remarkable CA/DCA selectivity up to 47.8, much higher than the case using n-butanol which pulls both CA and DCA. The underlying separation mechanism was elucidated through computational screening with COSMO-RS, NMR analysis, and solvatochromic measurements. Results revealed the critical roles of specific hydrogen bonding between the chloride anion of [EMIM]Cl and the hydroxyl/carboxyl groups of CA/DCA, along with nonspecific interactions between the feed solvent and CA/DCA. Thermodynamic analysis of the phase transfer process confirmed the 'push and pull' synergy is energetically favorable for preferentially transferring CA from the ethyl acetate feed solution into the IL-rich extractant phase. Multi-stage simulation indicated that 99% purity and recovery of both CA and DCA can be obtained through this biphasic system under optimized conditions. Overall, strategically tuning both the feed solvent and IL extractant could significantly enhance the separation efficiency of structurally similar compounds while minimizing solvent and energy consumption. This 'push and pull' approach may shed light on improving separation processes for other structural analogues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The solubilities of formononetin and daidzein in methanol, ethanol, n-propanol, isopropanol and acetone were measured by a static equilibrium method at temperatures range from 293.2 to 323.2 K. The solubilities of formononetin and daidzein increased with rising temperature. At a given temperature, the solubility expressed in mole fraction was recorded highest in acetone (e. g., 5.2735 × 10–4 for formononetin and 7.4678 × 10 – 4 for daidzein at T = 293.2 K, respectively.) followed by n-propanol, isopropanol , ethanol, and methanol, and the solubility in different solvents mainly depended on the polarity and hydrogen-bond acceptor (HBA) basicity of the solvents. Moreover, the experimental solubility data in all solvents could be reasonably correlated by ideal model, the modified Apelblat equation, λh equation and van't Hoff equation (the relative average deviations (RAD)were all < 3.29%.), wherein the modified Apelblat model showed the best correlation (RAD < 2.94% ). The dissolution thermodynamic properties, including enthalpy, entropy and Gibbs energy of formononetin and daidzein in the dissolution process were evaluated using the van't Hoff equation. In addition, the COSMO–RS model was also applied to predict the solubilities of the two solutes and take insight into the intrinsic solvation mechanism within the systems, and the results confirmed that daidzein had relative higher values of solubility in the solvents as compared to formononetin due to the stronger hydrogen-bond interaction between daidzein and the solvents. The COSMO–RS model showed relative good agreement with the experimental values in tested solvents, especially in alcohols, and could provide excellent qualitative agreement with experimental dissolution behavior both for temperature dependence and for effect of molecular structures of the solutes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The maintenance of a high delivery efficiency by traditional nanomedicines during cancer treatment is a challenging task. As a natural mediator for short-distance intercellular communication, extracellular vesicles (EVs) have garnered significant attention owing to their low immunogenicity and high targeting ability. They can load a variety of major drugs, thus offering immense potential. In order to overcome the limitations of EVs and establish them as an ideal drug delivery system, polymer-engineered extracellular vesicle mimics (EVMs) have been developed and applied in cancer therapy. In this review, we discuss the current status of polymer-based extracellular vesicle mimics in drug delivery, and analyze their structural and functional properties based on the design of an ideal drug carrier. We anticipate that this review will facilitate a deeper understanding of the extracellular vesicular mimetic drug delivery system, and stimulate the progress and advancement of this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hydration layer surrounding the phosphocholine headgroups of single-component phosphatidylcholine lipids, or of lipid-mixtures, assembled at an interface greatly modifies the interfacial properties and interactions. As water molecules within the hydration layer are held tightly by the headgroup but are nonetheless very fluid on shear, the boundary lipid layers, exposing the highly hydrated headgroup arrays, can provide efficient boundary lubrication when sliding against an opposing surface, at physiologically high contact pressures. In addition, any free lipids in the surrounding liquid can heal defects which may form during sliding on the boundary phosphatidylcholine layer. Similar boundary lipid layers contribute to the lubricating, pressure-bearing, and wear-protection functions of healthy articular joints. This review presents a survey of the relationship between the molecular composition of the interfacial complex and the lubrication behavior of the lipid-based boundary layers, which could be beneficial for designing boundary lubricants for intra-articular injection for the treatment of early osteoarthritis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thedesign of a biphasic system is important for the developmentof liquid–liquid extraction and biphasic catalysis. In thiswork, we report a series of ternary biphasic systems that consistof hydrophilic ionic liquid (IL), water, and ethyl acetate. The effectsof the structure of the ILs (cation, anion, and substituent group),IL/water ratio, and temperature on the phase equilibrium of thesebiphasic systems were investigated. The mutual solubility was lowerin the IL/water–ethyl acetate biphasic system than in the water–ethylacetate system when ILs with strong hydration ability were introduced,such as [EMIm]OAc, [EMIm]Cl, [EMIm]NO3, [EMIm]EtSO4, and [HOEMIm]Cl. In addition, the hydrogen-bonding basicityof the IL-containing phase could be tuned by changing the IL structureor IL/water ratio. These novel IL/water-ethyl acetate biphasic systemsmay present another option in addition to hydrophobic IL–waterand aqueous biphasic systems for liquid–liquid extraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most prevalent degenerative joint disease affecting millions of people worldwide. Currently, clinical nonsurgical treatments of OA are only limited to pain relief, anti-inflammation, and viscosupplementation. Developing disease-modifying OA drugs (DMOADs) is highly demanded for the efficient treatment of OA. As OA is a local disease, intra-articular (IA) injection directly delivers drugs to synovial joints, resulting in high-concentration drugs in the joint and reduced side effects, accompanied with traditional oral or topical administrations. However, the injected drugs are rapidly cleaved. By properly designing the drug delivery systems, prolonged retention time and targeting could be obtained. In this review, we summarize the drugs investigated for OA treatment and recent advances in the IA drug delivery systems, including micro- and nano-particles, liposomes, and hydrogels, hoping to provide some information for designing the IA injected formulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Separation of high value bioactive compounds is a viable route to make full use of the biomass resources and improve the profitability. However, the sparing aqua- and lipo-solubility of the bioactive compounds makes their separation really challenging. Considering that ionic liquids show good solubility of biomass and could easily form biphasic systems with organic solvents, an ionic liquid (IL)-based biphasic system consisting of ionic liquid, water and ethyl acetate is proposed in this study. Ginkgolide homologues were selected as model compounds to evaluate its practicality. Adequate distribution coefficients, relatively high extraction capacity and selectivity were obtained with the novel biphasic system. The improved distribution coefficients of the ginkgolides are mainly attributed to the multiple interactions between ginkgolide and IL, which were confirmed by means of quantum chemistry calculations. Moreover, the effect of the interactions between ginkgolides and the extraction solvent on the selectivity coefficient was studied by measuring the Kamlet–Taft parameters of the extraction solvent. Based on the results of fractional extraction, which was simulated by calculation and validated by experiments, as well as the comparison of organic solvent consumption, the employed IL-based extraction would be a valid and clean method as an alternative to chromatographic methods for separating bioactive compounds in large-scale operations. It is noteworthy that the amount of organic solvents consumed with this method was supposed to be less than 1/11 of the most widely used chromatographic method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Real-time three-dimensional (3D) object detection has become a crucial component of autonomous driving applications. Recent research demonstrates that a voxel-based feature aggregation method is accurate and efficient in large 3D scenes. However, the parameter choice of voxel size has become a sensitive issue because of the contradiction between its detection performance and inference speed. To alleviate this problem, in this paper we propose a sparse multi-scale voxel feature aggregation network (SMS-Net), a novel one-stage, end-to-end network that primarily contains a sparse multi-scale-fusion (SMSF) module and shallow-to-deep regression (SDR) module. First, the raw point clouds are divided into different scales of voxels to construct diverse 3D sparse feature maps. Then, the SMSF module attentively aggregates the point-wise features with a perspective-channel attention mechanism and fuses multi-scale features at 3D sparse feature-map level to achieve more fine-grained shape information. In addition, the new SDR module boosts the localization accuracy and 3D box estimation accuracy through multiple aggregation at feature-map level, which requires less computational overhead. Extensive experiments demonstrate the remarkable performance improvements from each module of the proposed method. On the KITTI 3D object detection benchmark, for example, SMS-Net outperforms most one-stage, state-of-the-art methods and its performance can even be compared to that of two-stage methods. These detection results are achieved with a real-time inference speed of 42 Hz. SMS-Net also achieves state-of-the-art performance on the nuScenes 3D benchmark. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The solubility of chrysin in N , N -dimethylformamide (DMF), acetone, ethyl acetate (EA), n -butanol, isopropanol, n -propanol, ethanol, methanol, n -hexane, and water was measured by using the static equilibrium method or the dynamic method at temperatures ranging from 293.2 to 333.2 K. Chrysin shows the easiest solvation in the dipolar aprotic solvents, followed by the polar protic solvents (alcohols), and shows poor solvation in the apolar aprotic solvents (hexane) and the strong polar water. The solubility of chrysin increases with rising temperature. The inherent microscopic solvation mechanisms were investigated qualitatively and quantitatively using a combination of the KAT-LSER model as well as σ-profile theory and molecular interaction energies calculated by COSMO–RS model. The results show the solvation process of chrysin in the different solvents is a complex process which depends on the synergistic effects of multiple molecular interactions between the solute and solvent together with the solvent and solvent. Moreover, the experimental solubility data in all solvents could be reasonably correlated by the modified Apelblat equation, λh equation, van't Hoff equation, Wilson model, and NRTL model, whereas the NRTL model and the modified Apelblat equation showed the most satisfactory fitting results. The dissolution thermodynamic properties, including enthalpy, entropy and Gibbs energy of chrysin in the dissolution process were evaluated using the van't Hoff equation. Moreover, the overall dissolution trend and the temperature-dependence of experimental solubility of chrysin in the different classes of solvents can be predicted correctly by the COSMO–RS model. Unlabelled Image • The solubility of chrysin in different classes of solvents was measured. • Solvation capacity for chrysin: dipolar aprotic > polar protic > apolar solvents. • Solvation depends on the synergistic effects of multiple intermolecular interactions. • Solute-solvent van der Waals and hydrogen bond interactions favor on the solvation. • Hydrophobic and solvent-solvent interactions are unfavorable for the solvation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oral cancer (OC), characterized by malignant tumors in the mouth, is one of the most prevalent malignancies worldwide. Chemotherapy is a commonly used treatment for OC; however, it often leads to severe side effects on human bodies. In recent years, nanotechnology has emerged as a promising solution for managing OC using nanomaterials and nanoparticles (NPs). Nano-drug delivery systems (nano-DDSs) that employ various NPs as nanocarriers have been extensively developed to enhance current OC therapies by achieving controlled drug release and targeted drug delivery. Through searching and analyzing relevant research literature, it was found that certain nano-DDSs can improve the therapeutic effect of drugs by enhancing drug accumulation in tumor tissues. Furthermore, they can achieve targeted delivery and controlled release of drugs through adjustments in particle size, surface functionalization, and drug encapsulation technology of nano-DDSs. The application of nano-DDSs provides a new tool and strategy for OC therapy, offering personalized treatment options for OC patients by enhancing drug delivery, reducing toxic side effects, and improving therapeutic outcomes. However, the use of nano-DDSs in OC therapy still faces challenges such as toxicity, precise targeting, biodegradability, and satisfying drug-release kinetics. Overall, this review evaluates the potential and limitations of different nano-DDSs in OC therapy, focusing on their components, mechanisms of action, and laboratory therapeutic effects, aiming to provide insights into understanding, designing, and developing more effective and safer nano-DDSs. Future studies should focus on addressing these issues to further advance the application and development of nano-DDSs in OC therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanocellulose is of increasing interest for a range of applications relevant to the fields of material science and biomedical engineering due to its renewable nature, anisotropic shape, excellent mechanical properties, good biocompatibility, tailorable surface chemistry, and interesting optical properties. We discuss the main areas of nanocellulose research: photonics, films and foams, surface modifications, nanocomposites, and medical devices. These tiny nanocellulose fibers have huge potential in many applications, from flexible optoelectronics to scaffolds for tissue regeneration. We hope to impart the readers with some of the excitement that currently surrounds nanocellulose research, which arises from the green nature of the particles, their fascinating physical and chemical properties, and the diversity of applications that can be impacted by this material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of mechanoresponsive fluorescence composite films were prepared by doping pyrene (Py) and its derivatives including 1-hydroxypyrene (HPY), 1-pyrenemethanol (PYM) and 1-pyrenylboronic acid (PBA) into thermoplastic polyurethane (PU) via physical blending, respectively. The fluorescence property of the composite films was found to be influenced by the polar group of pyrene derivatives and the content of hard segment of PU. The doped PYM showed a stronger trend to aggregate in PU matrixes, relative to other dyes. Contrary to PU/Py and most of previously reported mechanoresponsive materials, the emission intensity of aggregated PYM molecules in both PU25/PYM and PU50/PYM films exhibited a stretching-enhanced-emission feature. When PU25/PYM was stretched up to 500%, the intensity ratio of its dual emission peaks at 490 and 400 nm increased from 2.3 to 5.3. This interesting mechanoresponsive behavior was related to the formation of strong hydrogen bonding between PYM and hard segment of PU matrixes proved by FT-IR spectrograph. Enhancing instead of reducing the emission intensity of dyes through stretching would be remarkable in the field of mechanoresponsive materials. In the fluorescent polyurethane composite systems, the polar units of fluorescent dyes played an important role in the mechanoresponsive behavior of polyurethane. The doped 1-pyrenemethanol film exhibited a stretching-enhanced emission feature when polyurethane with hard segments of over 20 wt% used as the matrix, which is contrary to that in the doped pyrene film and most of polymer composite systems in the literature. [Display omitted] • Polar units of Py dyes have a significant influence on fluorescent property of PU. • PU/PYM (1-pyrenemethanol) doped film exhibited stretching-enhanced emission behavior. • The fluorescent intensity of PU/PYM doped film is sensitive to large deformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crocus sativus L. is commonly used as functional food and medicinal herb in traditional Chinese medicine. In this study, the spectrum–effect relationship was established between HPLC fingerprints and in vitro antioxidant activity of saffron to improve the quality evaluation method of saffron. The fingerprints of 21 batches of saffron collected from different regions were assessed, and the data were further analyzed by chemometric methods, including similarity analysis, hierarchical clustering analysis, principal component analysis, and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis. The spectrum–effect relationship between fingerprints and antioxidant effect of saffron was analyzed by grey relational analysis and partial least square methods to figure out the antioxidant component of saffron. Thirteen common peaks of 21 batches of saffron were included in the analysis, and peak 3 (picrocrocin), peak 7 (crocin I), and peak 10 (crocin II) were identified as the main active components responsible for antioxidant efficacy. Besides, a multi-index quality control method was developed for simultaneous determination of these three antioxidant components in saffron. Taken together, this study provided new strategies for the quality control and the development of new bioactive products of saffron in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional Chinese medicine considers that the etiology and pathogenesis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are related to liver depression and qi stagnation. Saffron and its active ingredient, crocetin (CCT), are used for the treatment of metabolic diseases owing to their "Liver deobstruent" and "Liver tonic" effects. However, the effect of CCT on NAFLD has not been fully elucidated. In the present study, the effect and potential molecular mechanism of CCT were explored in both in vivo and in vitro models of NAFLD. CCT was isolated from saffron and purity and structure characterization were performed using HPLC, MS, 1H-NMR, and 13C-NMR. The effect of CCT on the viability of L02 cells and its maximum tolerable concentration (MTC) in zebrafish were investigated. Free fatty acids (FFA) and thioacetamide (TAA) were used to induce lipid accumulation in L02 cells and steatosis in zebrafish, respectively. The effects of CCT on indexes related to lipid metabolism, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial function in NAFLD models were explored using biochemical assay kits, Western blot analysis, Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR), histopathology analysis, and determination of mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm). Morphological analysis of mitochondria was performed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The levels of triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), malondialdehyde (MDA), and alanine/aspartate aminotransferases (ALT/AST) activities in FFA treated L02 cells were significantly reduced after CCT treatment. CCT treatment significantly increased ATP concentration, ΔΨm , and activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and cytochrome c oxidase (COX IV) in FFA treated L02 cells. TEM images showed restoration of mitochondrial morphology. CCT decreased ATP concentration and upregulated expression of B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) and COX IV, whereas, CCT downregulated expression of BCL2-Associated X (Bax) and cleaved caspase-3 in TAA treated zebrafish. These findings indicated that mitochondrial dysfunction was alleviated after CCT treatment. Oil Red O staining of L02 cells and zebrafish showed that CCT treatment reversed the accumulation of lipid droplets. In summary, CCT treatment effectively alleviated the symptoms of NAFLD and restored mitochondrial function in L02 cells and zebrafish NAFLD model. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]