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Amir Hashemi,1 Masoumeh Ezati,2 Javad Mohammadnejad,3 Behzad Houshmand,4 Shahab Faghihi5 1Department of Life Science Engineering, Faculty of New Sciences and Technologies, University of Tehran, Tehran 14395-1561, Iran; 2Tissue Engineering and Biomaterials Research Center, National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (NIGEB), Tehran 14965/161, Iran; 3Department of Life Science Engineering, Faculty of New Sciences and Technologies, University of Tehran, Tehran 14395-1561, Iran; 4Department of Periodontics, School of Dentistry, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 19857-17443, Iran; 5Tissue Engineering and Biomaterials Research Center, National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (NIGEB), Tehran 14965/161, IranCorrespondence: Javad Mohammadnejad; Shahab Faghihi Tel +9821 8609-3078Tel/ Fax +98 21 44787386Fax +98(21)88497324Email mohamadnejad@ut.ac.ir; sfaghihi@nigeb.ac.irBackground: Ineffective integration has been recognized as one of the major causes of early orthopedic failure of titanium-based implants. One strategy to address this problem is to develop modified titanium surfaces that promote osteoblast differentiation. This study explored titanium surfaces modified with TiO2 nanotubes (TiO2 NTs) capable of localized drug delivery into bone and enhanced osteoblast cell differentiation.Materials and Methods: Briefly, TiO2 NTs were subjected to anodic oxidation and loaded with Metformin, a widely used diabetes drug. To create surfaces with sustainable drug-eluting characteristics, TiO2 NTs were spin coated with a thin layer of chitosan. The surfaces were characterized via scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and contact angle measurements. The surfaces were then exposed to mesenchymal bone marrow stem cells (MSCs) to evaluate cell adhesion, growth, differentiation, and morphology on the modified surfaces.Results: A noticeable increase in drug release time (3 days vs 20 days) and a decrease in burst release characteristics (85% to 7%) was observed in coated samples as compared to uncoated samples, respectively. Chitosan-coated TiO2 NTs exhibited a considerable enhancement in cell adhesion, proliferation, and genetic expression of type I collagen, and alkaline phosphatase activity as compared to uncoated TiO2 NTs.Conclusion: TiO2 NT surfaces with a chitosan coating are capable of delivering Metformin to a bone site over a sustained period of time with the potential to enhance MSCs cell attachment, proliferation, and differentiation.Keywords: titania nanotubes, titanium, osteogenic differentiation, anodization, mesenchymal bone marrow stem cells, MSCs

Objective: We digested anti-MUC1 monoclonal antibody PR81 to produce F(ab')₂ fragments. A comparison was performed between the two radiolabeled PR81 and F(ab')₂ fragments for breast tumor imaging in a mouse model. Methods: The optimum conditions for pepsin digestion of PR81 were investigated in terms of enzymes: antibody ratio, digestion time duration and preserved immunoreactivity of the produced fragments. The F(ab')₂ fragments were labeled with Technetium-99m using HYNIC as a chelator and tricine as a co-ligand. The immunoreactivity of the complexes was assessed by radioimmunoassay using MCF7 cells. Biodistribution and imaging studies were performed in female BALB/c mice with breast tumor xenograft at 4, 8 and 24 h post-administration. The PR81 was labeled with technetium-99m in the same way for comparison. Results: The optimum time duration for PR81 digestion was found to be 28 h at an enzyme:antibody weight ratio of 1:20 that resulted in 95.2 ± 4.7% purity. The labeling of intact PR81 and its F(ab')₂ fragments were 87.6 ± 4.2 and 76.1 ± 3.3% after 1 h, respectively (p value <0.05). The percentage of immunoreactivity of F(ab')₂ fragments and intact PR81 were 75.4 ± 2.1% and 85.7 ± 2.9%, respectively (p value <0.05). The biodistribution and imaging studies demonstrated localization of the fragments at 4 h post-administration with high sensitivity and specificity. Conclusion: The results showed that F(ab')₂ fragment of PR81 is more suitable than intact PR81 for safer and more rapid detection of human breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PR81 is a monoclonal antibody that binds with high affinity to MUC1, which is over expressed on breast and other tumors. The objective of this study was to evaluate the application of this antibody against MUC1 as a radioimmunotherapeutical agent. Monoclonal antibody (PR81) against MUC1 was prepared, characterized, purified, and labeled with ^{131}I. The immunoreactivity of radiolabeled mAb PR81with MUC1 (the native protein), BSA-P20 (a 20 amino acid corresponding the tandem repeat of MUC1) and MCF7 cell line were performed by RIA. In vitro stability of radiolabeled mAb in human serum was determined by thin layer chromatography (TLC). Cell toxicity and in vitro internalization studies were performed with the MCF7 cell line, and the tissue biodistribution of the radioiodinated PR81 was evaluated in normal BALB/c mice at 4, 24 and 48 hrs. The tumor imaging was performed in BALB/c mice with breast xenograft tumors at 24 and 72 hr after the complex injection. The labeling efficiency was found to be 59.9% ± 7.9%. MAb- ^{131}I conjugates showed high immunoreactivity towards MUC1 protein, BSA-P20 and MCF7 cell line. In vitro stability of the labeled product in human serum was found to be more than %50 over 24 hr. Cell toxicity and in vitro internalization studies showed that the mAb-^{131}I conjugate inhibited 80% growth of the MCF7 cultured cell lines in vitro in a high concentration and up to %60 of the conjugate internalized after 24 h. Biodistribution studies were performed in normal BALB/c mice at 4, 24 and 48 hrs post-injection and no important accumulation was observed in vital organs. The tumors were visualized with high sensitivity after 24 and 72 hr in radioimmunoscintographical studies. These results show that the new radiopharmaceutical may be considered as a promising candidate for therapy of breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Human dental pulp stem cells have substantial proliferative and differentiation potential. The isolated stem cells or progenitor cells of the pulp can differentiate into odontoblasts or /and osteoblast-like cells and aid in repair as well as reconstruction of tooth structure. Several ways have been introduced for isolation and tracing of these cells. The aim of this study was to isolate mesenchymal stem cells from deciduous dental pulps as well as labeling them with Technetium (Tc99m) to investigate the effect of Tc labeling on the survival rate of stem cells. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, exfoliated deciduous teeth of 6-11 year old children without any history of systemic disease were collected. Enzymatic and non-enzymatic methods were used to expedite cell isolation and isolated cells (10000) from dental pulp were mixed with 25 millicurie of Tc for tracing purposes. Individual cell activity as well as culture medium activation was evaluated separately afterwards. Data was analyzed using ANOVA statistical test. Results: Isolated dental pulp cells formed single cell derived colonies which showed fibroblast-like growth with solo cloning morphology. Specific staining of the cells indicated them to be stem cells and confirmed their differentiation into bone and fat. Moreover, Technetium significantly decreased the activity of cells. The survival rates of the cells in the period of 1,3,6,24,48 hours were reported to be 95.5%, 85.5%, 77.4%, 68.4%, and 57.3% respectively. Conclusion: The dental pulp stem cells have a significant capacity to differentiate into bone and fat. Tracing the cells with Tc M99 will reduce their survival rate over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, finding effective approaches for cancer therapy is one of the significant issues related to human health all over the world. Hence, in this research, we designed and synthesized a novel targeted DDS based on surface-modified chitosan (CS) for the effective delivery of noscapine (NO). As the surface of CS nanoparticles was firstly modified with carboxyl groups and followed by covalent conjugation of DNA-aptamer (Ap) as targeting and receptor blocker agent. Secondly, NO, as a chemotherapeutic agent, was loaded into prepared nano-complex and synthetics were effectively characterized via various analytical devices, including FT-IR, 1H NMR, DLS, Zeta potential analyzer, TGA, TEM, and SEM to verify quality and quantity of synthetics. Drug loading was obtained about 25 % and sustained drug release was observed for nano-complex at different pHs. Then, the cell viability assay was performed on MCF-7 (as breast cancer cell) and HFF-1 (as normal cell) cell lines to investigate cancer cell inhibition potency of nano-complex. Cell viability of cancer cells was 19.84 ± 1.87 % (for C-CS-Ap-NO) and 75.43 ± 2.64 % (for C-CS-Ap) after 72 h of treatment with 400 nM concentration. These results have been confirming the excellent potency of synthesized novel nano-complex as practical DDS in cancer therapy., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Despite breakthrough therapeutics in breast cancer, it is one of the main causes of mortality among women worldwide. Thus, drug therapies for treating breast cancer have recently been developed by scientists. Metformin and sorafenib are well-known therapeutics in breast cancer. In the present study, we combined sorafenib and PCL-sorafenib with metformin to improve drug absorption and promote therapeutic efficiency. The MCF-7 cells were treated with metformin, sorafenib, or PCL-sorafenib. The growth inhibitory effect of these drugs and cell viability were assessed using MTT and flow cytometry assays, respectively. The expression of targeted genes involved in cell proliferation, signaling, and the cell cycle was measured by real-time PCR. The results showed that MCF-7 cells treated with metformin/sorafenib and PCL-sorafenib/metformin co-treatment contributed to 50% viability compared to the untreated group. Moreover, PI and Annexin V staining tests showed that the cell viability for metformin/sorafenib and PCL-sorafenib/metformin was 38% and 17%, respectively. Furthermore, sorafenib/metformin and PCL-sorafenib/metformin lead to p53 gene expression increase by which they can increase ROS, thereby decreasing GPX4 gene expression. In addition, they affected the expression of BCL2 and BAX genes and altered the cell cycle. Together, the combination of PCL-sorafenib/metformin and sorafenib/metformin increased sorafenib absorption at lower doses and also led to apoptosis and oxidative stress increases in MCF-7 cells., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Lung cancer is known as the most common cancer. Although the Ramucirumab antibody is a second-line treatment for lung cancer, the high interstitial fluid pressure limits the antibody's performance. In this way, Imatinib is a chemotherapeutic drug to reduce the interstitial fluid pressure. Up to now, unfortunately, both Ramucirumab and imatinib have not been reported in one nanosystem for cancer therapy. To fulfill this shortcoming, this paper aims to design a chitosan nanocarrier that loads imatinib and attaches to Ramucirumab for selective bonding to A549. Therefore, this paper aims to develop a polymeric nanosystem for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treatment. In first, the chitosan polyethylene glycol nanoparticle is synthesized, loaded with imatinib, and then targeted using Ramucirumab. Afterwards, the CS-PEG-Ab-Im by FTIR, TEM, DLS, zeta potential, and TGA techniques are characterized. The size of CS-PEG-Ab-Im was 25-30 nm, its surface charge was 13.1 mV, and the shape of CS-PEG-Ab-Im was nearly spherical and cylindrical. The therapeutic potential of CS-PEG-Ab-Im was assessed using the A549 cell line. According to the obtained results, the cell viability was 48% after 48 h of treatment of A549 cells using the IC50 concentration of CS-PEG-Ab-Im (100 nanomolar). Moreover, the apoptosis and cell cycle arrest percentages were increased by 3 and 6 times, respectively, as compared to free imatinib. Furthermore, the release rate of imatinib from CS-PEG-Ab-Im in an acidic medium was 17% during 1 h, indicating five times the imatinib release in the natural medium. Eventually, the result of flow cytometry indicates the more apoptotic effect of nanosystem to free imatinib and CS-PEG-Ab. Besides, cell arresting result exhibits the CS-PEG-Ab-Im and causes cell arrested at G1 by %8.17. Thus, it can be concluded that CS-PEG-Ab-Im can be an ideal nanosystem in NSCLC treatment., (© 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Without a doubt, cancer and its negative impact on human health have created many hurdles for people across the world since conventional approaches have not offered a reliable ability in the eradication of cancer. As a result, finding novel approaches, like using bimodal nanoparticles as a potential nanocarrier in molecular imaging and cancer therapy, is remarkably required these days. In the present study, ex-situ (Ge) and in-situ (Gi) green synthesized silver (Ag) nanoparticles entrapped in metal-organic framework nanocomposites (NMOF) coated with folic acid (FA) targeted chitosan (CS) was successfully developed as a novel bifunctional nanocarrier for detection and treatment of colon cancer cells. Then nanocarriers, such as NMOF-CS-FA, Ge-Ag@NMOF-CS-FA, Gi-Ag@NMOF-CS-FA, and C-Ag@NMOF-CS-FA, were characterized via FT-IR, DLS, SERS, TEM, and SEM and results have potentially confirmed the quality and quantity of synthesized nanocomposites. The hydrodynamic diameters of NMOF-CS, Ge-Ag@NMOF-CS, Gi-Ag@NMOF-CS, and C-Ag@NMOF-CS specimens were measured at around 99.7 ± 10 nm, 110 ± 10 nm, 118 ± 10 nm, 115 ± 10 nm, respectively. Also, the PDI values less than 0.2 confirm the reliable distribution of these nanocomposites. Afterward, the cell viability assay was conducted on HCT116 and HGF cell lines for evaluating biocompatibility and targeting efficiency of nanocomposites; FA functionalized nanocomposites have intensively indicated better performance in cancer cells targeting and their inhibition, and IC50 was attained for 10 ng/mL of Ge-Ag@NMOF-CS-FA while non-targeted nanocarriers did not have toxicity more than 20 % on HCT116 colon cancer cells. Moreover, according to the results, the cell viability of HGF normal cells was at least 85 % after being exposed to different concentrations of nanocomposites for 24 h. This indicates that the synthesized nanocomposites do not have significant toxic effects on normal cells. The results indicate that this novel nanocomposite has the potential to effectively deliver drugs to cancer cells., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Currently, the high incidence of fungal infections among females has resulted in outstanding problems. Candida species is related with multidrug resistance and destitute clinical consequences. Chitosan-albumin derivatives with more stability exhibit innate antifungal and antibacterial effects that boost the activity of the drug without inflammatory impact. The stability and sustained release of Fluconazole in mucosal tissues can be ensured by encapsulating in protein/polysaccharide nanocomposites. Thus, we developed chitosan-albumin nanocomposite (CS-A) loaded with Fluconazole (Flu) antifungals against vaginal candidiasis. Various ratios of CS/Flu (1:1, 1:2, 2:1) were prepared. Thereafter, the CS-A-Flu nanocomposites were qualified and quantified using FT-IR, DLS, TEM, and SEM analytical devices, and the size range from 60 to 100 nm in diameter was attained for the synthesized nanocarriers. Afterward, the antifungal activity, biofilm reduction potency, and cell viability assay were performed for biomedical evaluation of formulations. The minimum inhibitory concentration) and minimum fungicidal concentration on Candida albicans were attained at 125 ng/μL and 150 ng/μL after treatment with a 1:2 (CS/Flu) ratio of CS-A-Flu. The biofilm reduction assay indicated that biofilm formation was between 0.05 and 0.1% for CS-A-Flu at all ratios. The MTT assay also exhibited excellent biocompatibility for samples, about 7 to 14% toxicity on human HGF normal cells. These data have indicated that CS-A-Flu would be a promising candidate against Candida albicans., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

In this study, an aptamer-based, functionalized-DNA hydrogel system is developed for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) detection. A pure DNA hydrogel is constructed using specific DNA building blocks and an aptamer as a cross-linker. Firstly, silver nanoclusters (AgNCs) are constructed on the Y-shaped DNA (Y-DNA) building blocks. Then, the DNA hydrogel was formed via the addition of the cross-linker to the Y-DNA solution. In this case, the fluorescence emission of silver nanoclusters that have accumulated in the hydrogel increases due to aggregation-induced emission (AIE). The presence of PSA and its subsequent interaction with its specific aptamer dissolve the hydrogel structures, which leads to a low emission intensity. A great linear relationship was attained in this assay in the range of 0.05 to 8 ng mL -1 with a detection limit of 4.4 pg mL -1 for the detection of PSA. Additionally, the proposed aptasensor was successfully used to detect PSA in human serum samples. The recovery for different concentrations of PSA was in the range of 96.1% to 99.3%, and the RSD range was from 2.3% to 4.5%. Comparing our method to current ones in the field of PSA detection proves that our platform benefits from a simpler procedure, lower cost, and better efficiency, providing high potential for future clinical applications., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Breast cancer is a malignancy that affects mostly females and is among the most lethal types of cancer. The ligand-functionalized nanoparticles used in the nano-drug delivery system offer enormous potential for cancer treatments. This work devised a promising approach to increase drug loading efficacy and produce sustained release of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and Ganoderic acid (GA) as model drugs for breast cancer. Chitosan, aptamer, and carbon quantum dot (CS/Apt/COQ) hydrogels were initially synthesized as a pH-sensitive and biocompatible delivery system. Then, CS/Apt/COQ NPs loaded with 5-FU-GA were made using the W/O/W emulsification method. FT-IR, XRD, DLS, zeta potentiometer, and SEM were used to analyze NP's chemical structure, particle size, and shape. Cell viability was measured using MTT assays in vitro using the MCF-7 cell lines. Real-time PCR measured cell apoptotic gene expression. XRD and FT-IR investigations validated nanocarrier production and revealed their crystalline structure and molecular interactions. DLS showed that nanocarriers include NPs with an average size of 250.6 nm and PDI of 0.057. SEM showed their spherical form, and zeta potential studies showed an average surface charge of +37.8 mV. pH 5.4 had a highly effective and prolonged drug release profile, releasing virtually all 5-FU and GA in 48 h. Entrapment efficiency percentages for 5-FU and GA were 84.7±5.2 and 80.2 %±2.3, respectively. The 5-FU-GA-CS-CQD-Apt group induced the highest cell death, with just 57.9 % of the MCF-7 cells surviving following treatment. 5-FU and GA in CS-CQD-Apt enhanced apoptotic induction by flow cytometry. 5-FU-GA-CS-CQD-Apt also elevated Caspase 9 and downregulated Bcl2. Accordingly, the produced NPs may serve as pH-sensitive nano vehicles for the controlled release of 5-FU and GA in treating breast cancer., (© 2023 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.)

Purpose: Epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFRs) are overexpressed in a wide range of tumors and are attractive candidates to target in targeted therapies. This study aimed to introduce a novel radiolabeled compound, 177 Lu-cetuximab-PAMAM G4, for the treatment of EGFR-expressing tumors., Methods: In this study, the cetuximab mAb was bound to PAMAM G4 and labeled with 177 Lu via DTPA-CHX chelator. The synthesized nanosystem was confirmed by different analyses such as DLS, FT-IR, TEM, and RT-LC. Cell viability of the radioimmunoconjugate was assessed over the EGFR-expressing cell line of SW480. The biodistribution of 177 Lu-Cetuximab-PAMAMG4 was determined in different intervals after injection of the radiolabeled compound in normal and tumoral nude mice via scarification and SPECT images., Results: The average size of PAMAM G4 and PAMAM-Cetuximab-DTPA-CHX nanoparticles were 2 and 70 nm, respectively. 177 Lu-Cetuximab-PAMAMG4 was prepared with radiochemical purity of more than 98%. The survival rates of SW480 cells at 24, 48, and 72 h post-treatment with 177 Lu-Cetuximab-PAMAMG4 (500 nM) were 18%, 15%, and 14%, respectively. The biodistribution studies showed a significant accumulation of 177 Lu-Cetuximab-PAMAM in the EGFR-expressing tumor., Conclusion: According to the results, this new agent can be considered as an efficient therapeutic complex for tumors expressing EGFR receptors., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Biosensors are valuable tools for the detection of biological species, including cells, pathogens, proteins, and other biological molecules. Biosensing devices integrated with microfluidics not only allow for easier sample preparation, portability, and reduced detection time and cost but also offer unique features such as label-free detection and improved sensitivity. Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), particularly acute myocardial infarction, which is considered one of the main causes of death, are currently diagnosed by electrocardiography (ECG), which has been proven to be inadequate. To overcome the limitations of ECG, the efficient detection of cardiac biomarkers and specifically the measurement of cardiac troponins (cTnT and cTnI) are suggested. This review aims to expound on microfluidics, the most recent materials to develop these devices, and their application in medical diagnosis, particularly in CVD detection. Moreover, we will explore some of the prevalent and last readout methods to investigate in-depth electrochemical label-free detection methods for CVDs, primarily based on voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, with the main focus on structural details.

Efficient drug delivery systems (DDSs) can potentially replace with conventional modalities in cancer therapy, like liver cancer. In this study, a novel folic acid (FA)-functionalised and alginate (Alg)-modified poly lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) nanocomposite was developed for delivery of doxorubicin (Dox) to HepG2 and Huh7 liver cancer cells. After synthesising the nanocarrier, several analytical devices, including FT-IR, DLS, TGA, and TEM, were employed for its characterisation. Nano-metric size (55 and 85 nm in diameter), close to neutral surface charge, semi-spherical morphology, and successful synthesis were approved. Dox entrapment efficiency was determined near 1%, and sustained and pH-sensitive drug release behaviours of nanocarrier were ascertained for DDS. Afterwards, the cell viability test was carried out to study the HepG2 and Huh7 cells suppression capability of FA-PLGA-Dox-Alg. About 12% and 10% cell viabilities were observed in HepG2 and Huh7 cancer cells after 24 h treatment with 400 nM concentration of FA-PLGA-Dox-Alg nanocarrier respectively. The IC 50 value was observed for 100 nM after 24 h of treatment in cancer cells. These data have indicated that fabricated nanocarrier could be promising DDS against liver cancer and replace with conventional approaches in cancer treatment, like chemotherapy., (© 2023 The Authors. IET Nanobiotechnology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Cancer diagnosis and treatment are the most critical challenges in modern medicine. Conventional cancer treatments no longer meet the needs of the health field due to the high rate of mutations and epigenetic factors that have caused drug resistance in tumor cells. Hence, the search for unique methods and factors is quickly expanding. The development of nanotechnology in medicine and the search for a system to integrate treatment and diagnosis to achieve an effective approach to overcome the known limitations of conventional treatment methods have led to the emergence of theranostic nanoparticles and nanosystems based on these nanoparticles. An influential group of these nanoparticles is carbon-based theranostic nanoparticles. These nanoparticles have received significant attention due to their unique properties, such as electrical conductivity, high strength, excellent surface chemistry, and wide range of structural diversity (graphene, nanodiamond, carbon quantum dots, fullerenes, carbon nanotubes, and carbon nanohorns). These nanoparticles were widely used in various fields, such as tissue engineering, drug delivery, imaging, and biosensors. In this review, we discuss in detail the recent features and advances in carbon-based theranostic nanoparticles and the advanced and diverse strategies used to treat diseases with these nanoparticles.

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is one of the most prevalent cancers in children and microRNA-128 is amongst the most useful biomarkers not only for diagnosis of ALL, but also for discriminating ALL from acute myeloid leukemia (AML). In this study, a novel electrochemical nanobiosensor based on reduced graphene oxide (RGO) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) has been fabricated to detect miRNA-128. Cyclic Voltametery (CV), Square Wave Voltametery (SWV) and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) have been applied to characterize the nanobiosensor. Hexacyanoferrate as a label-free and methylene blue as a labeling material were used in the design of the nanobiosensors. It was found that the modified electrode has excellent selectivity and sensitivity to miR-128, with a limit of detection of 0.08761 fM in label-free and 0.00956 fM in labeling assay. Additionally, the examination of real serum samples of ALL and AML patients and control cases confirms that the designed nanobiosensor has the potential to detect and discriminate these two cancers and the control samples., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Electrospun nanofibrous constructs based on nanoparticles and biopolymers have recently been used in tissue engineering because of their similarity to the extracellular matrix in nature. In this study, electrospun chitosan-carbon quantum dot-titanium dioxide-graphene oxide (CS-CQD-TiO 2 -GO) nanofibrous mats were synthesized for use as wound dressings by the electrospinning method. To increase the biodegradation rate and water resistance, the fabricated nanofibrous mats were cross-linked. SEM images showed a uniform and coherent structure of CS-CQD-TiO 2 -GO nanocomposites and CS-CQD-TiO 2 -GO electrospun nanofibers mats. FTIR analysis, XRD pattern, SEM mapping, and EDS spectrum demonstrate the accuracy of the synthesis as well as the elemental and chemical structure of the nanofibrous mat. The water contact angle indicated that the nanofibrous mat had a hydrophilic property, which is essential for controlling wound exudates. The tensile strength and elongation tests showed that the nanofibrous mat has suitable mechanical properties for wound dressing, including significant flexibility and strength. Interestingly, antimicrobial testing illustrated that the fabricated nanofibrous mat had antibacterial activity against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. Appropriate cell viability and cytocompatibility of treated mouse fibroblast NIH3T3 cells with the nanofibrous mat were determined using an MTT assay. The animal study results confirmed the proper potential of the nanofibrous mat in wound dressing applications.

Background: Continuing hyperglycemia causes and exacerbate oxidative stress. Betanin as the principal pigment of red beet root has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-diabetic properties. The purpose of this study was to investigate the potency of betanin on antioxidant defense in STZ-induced diabetic rats' livers., Methods: STZ at a single dose of 60 mg/kg body weight was intraperitoneally injected and betanin (10, 20, and 40 mg/kg/day) was administered orally for 28 days. Malondialdehyde (MDA), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), protein carbonyl (PC) levels, and the enzyme activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalases and glutathione peroxidases (GPx) were evaluated in the liver. Furthermore, gene expression of Nrf2 and mentioned antioxidant enzymes were measured by Real-time PCR., Results: Betanin (10 and 20 mg/kg) significantly reduced PC levels and increased antioxidant enzyme activity in diabetic rats compared to the control diabetic group (P < 0.01). In comparison to the diabetic control group, all studied genes expression in diabetic rats were increased significantly with betanin at doses of 10 and 20 mg/kg (P < 0.02). The increase in gene expression at 20 mg/kg of betanin was significantly stronger than others (P < 0.015) except for the catalase (P = 0.201), that was almost the same. Moreover, treatment of diabetic rats with 20 mg/kg of betanin could significantly increase TAC levels (P < 0.05) and decrease MDA levels (P < 0.001) compared to diabetic control group., Conclusions: Betanin could increase the antioxidant capacity of liver tissue associated with the Nrf2-mediated pathway in a dose-dependent manner., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Abstract: Breast cancer due to its high incidence and mortality is the second leading cause of death among females. On the other hand, nanoparticle-based drug delivery is one of the most promising approaches in cancer therapy, nowadays. Hence, margetuximab- and polyethylene glycol-conjugated PAMAM G4 dendrimers were efficiently synthesized for targeted delivery of quercetin (therapeutic agent) to MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Synthesized nano-complexes were characterized using analytical devices such as FT-IR, TGA, DLS, Zeta potential analyzer, and TEM. The size less than 40 nm, - 18.8 mV surface charge, efficient drug loading capacity (21.48%), and controlled drug release (about 45% of drug release normal pH after 8 h) were determined for the nano-complex. In the biomedical test, the cell viability was obtained 14.67% at 24 h of post-treatment for 800 nM concentration, and IC 50 was ascertained at 100 nM for the nano-complex. The expression of apoptotic Bax and Caspase9 genes was increased by more than eightfolds and more than fivefolds after treatment with an optimal concentration of nanocarrier. Also, more than threefolds of cell cycle arrest was observed at the optimal concentration synthetics, and 27.5% breast cancer cell apoptosis was detected after treatment with 100 nM nano-complex. These outputs have been indicating the potential capacity of synthesized nano-complex in inhibiting the growth of breast cancer cells., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThe authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (© Korean Society of Medical and Biological Engineering 2022.)

Context: Targeting MUC1 antigens which are overexpressed in 80% of breast cancers can be widely used in the field of radioimmunoscintigraphy (RIS) of breast cancer., Aims: The aim of this study was to develop a new diagnostic labeled compound for breast cancer RIS., Settings and Design: In this study, an efficient indirect labeling method of PR81 with Indium-111 was developed and preliminary preclinical qualifications were reported., Subjects and Methods: 111 In-DTPA-PR81 was prepared and its radiochemical purity and stabilities in human serum and in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) buffer were surveyed. Furthermore, cellular studies including complex reactivity, binding specificity, cell toxicity, etc., were examined. Finally, biodistribution and scintigraphy of the complex were studied in normal and tumoral animals., Statistical Analysis Used: Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS 10.0., Results: 111 In-DTPA-PR81 was prepared with a radiochemical purity of >99% at optimized conditions. Stability studies showed the radiochemical purity of >90% in PBS buffer after 96 h, while the stability in human serum showed decrement to 81% after 96 h. Reactivity of the complex with MUC1 was significantly (P < 0.005) higher than bovine serum albumin (BSA) (about 7-8 times), even though BSA concentration was about twice the MUC1. The binding specificity of the complex to the MUC1 antigen was confirmed by means of immunoreactivity assay. Cell toxicity examination showed no significant lethal effect of the radiolabeled compound on the cells. Biodistribution studies of the complex in normal rats were consistent with the biodistribution of antibodies and high accumulation was observed in the tissues expressing MUC1 antigen. The results of 111 In-DTPA-PR81 scintigraphy in tumoral female BALB/c mice at 24 and 48 h after injection showed an increasement of the accumulation in the tumor site., Conclusions: 111 In-DTPA-PR81 can be considered as a potential agent for imaging of the MUC1 +breast tumors., Competing Interests: None

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) is the principal enzyme in the pentose phosphate pathway that plays a fundamental role in the production of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate, which is very important in preventing the oxidation of cells, especially red blood cells. This enzyme deficiency was associated with many disorders, the most common of which were hemolysis episodes. In the last decade, nanoparticles have been used to design optical and electronic sensors due to their unique properties. This report presents a new colorimetric method that used silver nanoparticles to detect glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity directly. The glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase detection mechanism was based on an aggregation of silver nanoparticles, leading to increased nanoparticle size, which causes discoloration. In the presence of the enzyme, the color of the solution was yellow, and when the enzyme was not present, the color of the solution was grayish. Utilizing this method, colorimetric sensing of glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase was gained with a detection limit of 0.009 U ml -1 and a linear range of 0-16.0 U ml -1 . In this way, the presence or absence of the enzyme can be easily detected with the naked eye during one step., (© 2021 IOP Publishing Ltd.)

In this study, [ 111 In]In-DOTA-PR81 was developed, and its preliminary preclinical qualifications were assessed for single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging of breast cancer. DOTA-NHS-ester was practiced and successively purified by molecular filtration. The chelate:mAb ratio was determined by spectrophotometry. DOTA-PR81 was radiolabeled with In-111 and its radiochemical yield, in vitro stability, in vitro internalization, and immunoreactivity tests were performed. SPECT imaging and tissue counting were applied to evaluate the tissue distribution of [ 111 In]In-DOTA-hIgG and [ 111 In]In-DOTA-PR81 in BALB/c mice bearing breast tumors. The radiochemical yield of [ 111 In]In-DOTA-PR81 complex was >95.0 ± 0.5% (ITLC), and the specific activity was 170 ± 44 MBq/mg. Conjugation reaction resulted in the average number of chelators attached to a mAb (c/a) of 3.4 ± 0.3:1. The radioimmunoconjugate showed immunoreactivity towards MCF7 cell line and MUC1 antigen while its significant in vitro and in vivo stability were investigated over 48 h, respectively (93.0 ± 1.2% in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) and 84.0 ± 1.3% in human serum). The peak concentration of internalized activity of [ 111 In]In-DOTA-PR81 was between 4 to 6 h. In comparison with control probes, the complex was accumulated with high specificity and sensitivity at the tumor site. Achieved results indicated that [ 111 In]In-DOTA-PR81 could be contemplated as an appropriate radiotracer for prognostic imaging of antigens in oncology., (© 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Dendrimer-based targeted drug delivery, as an innovative polymeric drug-delivery system, is promising for cancer therapy. Folate receptors (FR) are overexpressed in many types of tumor cells, such as breast cell carcinomas, which allow folate-targeted delivery. Therefor polyethylene glycol (PEG) modified-PAMAM G4 dendrimers were functionalized with folic acid (FA), as targeting agent. Then, 5-FU (5-fluorouracil) and 99m Tc (technetium-99 m) as therapeutic agents were respectively loaded and conjugated to previous nano-complex (PEG-PAMAM G4-FA-5FU- 99m Tc). The value of drug loading was calculated by TGA analysis (16.97%). Drug release profiles of PEG-PAMAM G4-FA-5FU- 99m Tc and PEG-PAMAM G4-FA-5FU were evaluated. The radiochemical purity of PEG-PAMAM G4-FA-5FU- 99m Tc and PEG-PAMAM G4-FA- 99m Tc was obtained at >95% with excellent in-vitro and in-vivo stabilities. PEG-PAMAM G4-FA-5FU- 99m Tc was synthesized and the stability studies were carried out by the ITLC methods in serum (86.67% and 83.75%) and PBS. Combinational therapy effects of 5-FU and 99m Tc containing nano-complexes were evaluated on 4 T1 (mouse breast cancer) and MDA-MB-231 (human breast adenocarcinoma) cancer cell lines. Excellent uptake values were obtained for FA-decorated nano-complexes on 4 T1 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines. Subsequently, tumor inhibition effects of PEG-PAMAM G4-FA-5FU- 99m Tc and PEG-PAMAM G4-FA-5FU were evaluated using the breast tumor-bearing BALB/C mice. Graphical abstract Breast Tumor Targeting with PAMAM-PEG-5FU- 99m Tc As a New Therapeutic Nanocomplex: in In-vitro and In-vivo Studies was presented. This targeted drug delivery system can significantly increase the efficiency of cancer therapy, and reduce the treatment cost and time.

In this work a new fluorescence immunosensor with use of graphene oxide and graphene quantum dot for detection Campylobacter jejuni whole cell in food samples was designed. This biosensor was designed based on interaction of poly clonal antibody conjugated with graphene quantum dot with surface protein in Campylobacter jejuni cell membrane. Specific binding of graphene quantum dot with Campylobacter jejuni membrane leads to generate a distance among graphene dot and graphene oxide and fluorescence is ON. In lack of Campylobacter jejuni or in existence of other bacterial cells, distance between of graphene dot and graphene oxide is very low and graphene quantum dot fluorescence emission was OFF. Experiment revealed that step by step increase in bacterial target cells caused to gradually increased fluorescence emission and this process was linear. Limit of detection for this bacterial sensor was 10 CFU/ml and ability of this FRET immunosensor for Campylobacter jejuni sensing in comparison with other bacterial cells was significant. Also, this method for monitoring Campylobacter jejuni in poultry liver was applied and results revealed that this immunosensor could be used for analysis bacterial cell in food samples., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The field of cartilage tissue engineering has been evolved in the last decade and a myriad of scaffolding biomaterials and bioactive agents have been proposed. Controlled release of growth factors encapsulated in the polymeric nanomaterials has been of interest notably for the repair of damaged articular cartilage. Here, we proposed an on-chip hydrodynamic flow focusing microfluidic approach for synthesis of alginate nanogels loaded with the transforming growth factor beta 3 (TGF-β3) through an ionic gelation method in order to achieve precise release profile of these bioactive agents during chondrogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Alginate nanogels with adjustable sizes were synthesized by fine-tuning the flow rate ratio (FRR) in the microfluidic device consisting of cross-junction microchannels. The result of present study showed that the proposed approach can be a promising tool to synthesize bioactive -loaded polymeric nanogels for applications in drug delivery and tissue engineering., (Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Polyethyleneimine (PEI) is a chemical compound that used is as a carrier in gene therapy/delivery. Some studies have investigated the microbicidal potential and antiviral activity (prophylactic or therapeutic) of PEI and its derivatives. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of branched polyethyleneimine (bPEI) on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) replication. Infected cells were treated with bPEI for 36 hours, and the concentration of the viral protein P24 (as a virus replication marker) was determined in cell culture supernatants. This study indicated that bPEI increased HIV replication and decreased the viability of infected cells through cytotoxicity. The toxicity of bPEI its association with and cell death (apoptosis, autophagy and necrosis) have been reported in several studies. To investigate bPEI-induced cytotoxicity, we examined apoptosis and autophagy in cells treated with bPEI, and a significant increase in HIV viral load, the P24 antigen level, autophagy, and necrosis observed. Thus, treatment with bPEI leads to cytotoxicity and higher HIV virus yield.

Conductive scaffolds are suitable candidates for cardiovascular tissue engineering (CTE) due to their similarity to the extracellular matrix of native tissue. Here, nanofiber scaffolds based on polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), chitosan (CS), and different concentrations of carbon nanotube (CNT) were produced using electrospinning. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) image, mechanical test (elastic modulus: 130 ± 3.605 MPa), electrical conductivity (3.4 × 10 -6  S/Cm), water uptake, cell adhesion, and cell viability (>80%) results of the PVA-CS-CNT1 scaffold revealed that the nanofiber containing 1% of CNT has optimal properties for cardiac differentiation. Afterwards, the differentiation of rat mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to cardiomyocytes was performed on the optimal scaffold by electrical stimulation in the presence of 5-azacytidine, TGF-β and ascorbic acid. The real-time qPCR results indicated that the expression of Nkx2.5, Troponin I, and β-MHC cardiac marker was increased significantly (>3 folds) in comparison to control group. Based on the findings of this study, the incorporation of MSCs, conductive scaffolds, and electrical stimulation seem to be a promising approach in CTE., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The separation process is the main stage of recombinant production. With the advancement of nanotechnology and the development of magnetic nanoparticles, these structures are increasingly used in different applications. In the present study, we produced the recombinant human growth hormone from Pichia pastoris and for protein separation provided the surfaces similar to chromatographic columns on the surface of magnetic nanoparticles. For this purpose, using a co-precipitation method, the core of Fe 3 O 4 was prepared and coated by silica. To increase the protein availability, silica mesoporous formation and its amine functionalization were performed. The specific surface area and the pore size were determined 78.3189 m 2 /g and 7.44 nm. After the magnetic separation, the sample loading in SDS gel shows a reduction in protein band and the protein absorption at a wavelength of 280 nm. Finally, we evaluate the ability of amine functionalized nanoparticles for protein separation that demonstrate the adsorption capacity significantly increased compare with silica-coated nanoparticles. The amine functionalized nanoparticles provide the maximum adsorption capacity of 235.21 μg/mg and after the elution, protein concentration determined 476 mg/L. This work indicates the functionalized magnetic mesoporous silica nanoparticles can be used as the best candidate for the separation of different biological macromolecules., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In this paper, we present a new colorimetric technique as a novel assay for the easy and direct detection of α-amylase activity. This detection system utilizes the interaction of α-amylase with starch that is supporting copper/gold (Cu/Au) nanoclusters. The Cu/Au nanoclusters are synthesized using starch as a stabilizing agent at room temperature. These nanoclusters show robust peroxidase-like activity and are able to catalyze the oxidation of TMB (3,3,5,5-tetramethylbenzidine) in the presence of hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ), leading to the generation of a blue-colored solution. The α-amylase detection mechanism is based on the digestion of the starch by α-amylase, which results in nanocluster aggregation, leading to increased nanoparticle size and thus decreased peroxidase-like activity of the Cu/Au NCs. Experiments showed that the gradual addition of α-amylase causes the peroxidase activity to decrease step by step in a linear fashion. Using this method, colorimetric sensing of α-amylase was achieved with a detection limit (LOD) of 0.04 U/mL and a linear range of 0.1-10 U/mL. This method is significantly selective for α-amylase and could be affordably and conveniently applied to the detection of α-amylase in blood serum. Graphical Abstract.

Dexamethasone is a widely used drug in medical and biological applications. Since the systematic and controllable release of this drug is of significant importance, encapsulation of this anti-inflammatory drug in poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles can minimize uncontrolled issues. As dexamethasone-encapsulated PLGA nanoparticles are synthesized in the presence of organic solvents, poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS)-based microchannels collapse due to the swelling problem. In present study, PTFE nanoparticles were used for the surface modification of the microchannels to prevent absorption and adhesion of solvents into the microchannels' wall. The contact angle analysis of microchips after coating showed that the surface of microchannels bear the superhydrophobicity feature (140.30°) and SEM images revealed that PTFE covered the surface of PDMS, favorably. Then, the prepared microchip was tested for the synthesis of dexamethasone-loaded nanoparticles. SEM and atomic force microscopy (AFM) images of the synthesized nanoparticles represented that there was not any evidence of adhesion or absorption of nanoparticles. Furthermore, the monodispersity of nanoparticles was discernible. As AFM results revealed, the average diameters of 47, 63, and 82 nm were achieved for flow ratios of 0.01, 0.05, and 0.1, respectively. To evaluate the drug efficiency, cumulative release and encapsulation efficiency were analyzed which showed much more efficiency than the synthesized nanoparticles in the bulk mode. In addition, MTT test revealed that nanoparticles could be considered as a non-toxic material. Since the synthesis of drug-loaded nanoparticles is ubiquitous in laboratory experiments, the approach presented in this study can render more versatility in this regard.

Conventional chemotherapeutic approaches in cancer therapy such as surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy have several disadvantages due to their nontargeted distributions in the whole body. On the other hand, nanoparticles (NPs) based therapies are remarkably progressing to solve several limitations of conventional drug delivery systems (DDSs) including nonspecific biodistribution and targeting, poor water solubility, weak bioavailability and biodegradability, low pharmacokinetic properties, and so forth. The enhanced permeability and retention effect escape from P-glycoprotein trap in cancer cells as a passive targeting mechanism, and active targeting strategies are also other most important advantages of NPs in cancer diagnosis and therapy. Folic acid (FA) is one of the biologic molecules which has been targeted overexpressed-folic acid receptor (FR) on the surface of cancer cells. Therefore, conjugation of FA to NPs most easily enhances the FR-mediated targeting delivery of therapeutic agents. Here, the recent works in FA which have been decorated NPs-based DDSs are discussed and cancer therapy potency of these NPs in clinical trials are presented., (© 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

The development of new combinations to empower better protection against HIV infection is particularly important. Anionic polymers can block HIV infection. In the current study, first generation (G1) and second generation (G2) novel water-soluble anionic citrate-PEG-citrate dendrimers were synthesized and characterized with Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), and dynamic light scattering (DLS) methods. After the biocompatibility of the G2 dendrimer was determined, its antiviral activity was evaluated. This function may contribute to the peripheral groups of this dendrimer (carboxylate group). In order to measure the inhibitory effect of G2 on HIV infection, both pre-treatment (treated with G2 dendrimer before HIV infection) and co-treatment (simultaneously treated with G2 dendrimer and HIV infection) were used in vitro. The results showed the good synthesis of the G2 dendrimer, and the dendrimer showed antiviral properties (ICC50:0.4 mM) and low toxicity (CC50:0.6 mM) at high concentrations. A strong inhibitory effect was found when the co-treatment approach was used. This study achieved promising results which encourage the use of G2 dendrimers as anti-HIV agents.

The authors describe a method for colorimetric determination of Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni) in milk samples. It is based on the interaction of a specific DNA aptamer with surface protein in the cell membranes of C. jejuni. Specific binding of the aptamer with the cell membrane leads to an uptake of aptamer from solution. As a result, the concentration of aptamer floating in the solution is reduced. In the presence of large quantities of aptamer, the surface of added Au@Pd nanoparticles (NPs) is covered with aptamer via electrostatic interactions. Hence, they cannot act as a peroxidase mimic and oxidize the substrate 3,3 ' ,5,5 ' -tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) to give a blue product. However, when the aptamer is bound by the target cells, the surface of the NPs is not blocked by aptamer and the NPs exert a strong peroxidase -like activity. Under defined experimental conditions, the intensity of the blue color increases with the concentration of C. jejuni, and as little as 100 CFU·mL -1 can bedetected in milk. Graphical abstract A colorimetric aptasensor for assay Campylobacter jejuni whole cell in food samples was investigated. This assay was designed based on interaction of specific DNA aptamer with surface protein in c. jejuni cell membrane without any modification of aptamer.

In this work, chitosan/polycaprolactam (PCL-CS) nano-complex was synthesized and their micelles were formed as self-assembled amphiphilic nano-compartments. These micelles were utilize for drug delivery after loading quercetin (QU) as chemotherapeutic agent and delivery potency of this nano-complex was investigated. This nano-complex was also functionalized with folic acid (FA) in order to targeting delivery of nano-carrier to cancer cell lines. This foure dimensional nano-complex was successfully characterized based on UV-vis, FT-IR, DLS, and TGA analytical devices to confirm the synthesis. Drug loading was estimated 21.5% in final nano-carrier. In vitro drug release study was applied to investigation of QU release in PBS that was exhibited high potency of nano-complex in controlled drug release. Cell viability of assay was implemented to determination of biocompatibility, bioavailability and therapeutic potency of nano-complexes on different cancer and normal cell lines. Micelles demonstrated safety levels for 24 and 48 h post-treatment incubation and FA receptor mediated uptake of chitosan/polycaprolactam/folic acid/quercetin (PCL-CS-FA-QU) was exhibited excellent efficiency on inhibition of cancer cells., (Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

MiR-155 plays a critical role in the formation of cancers and other diseases. In this study, the authors aimed to design and fabricate a biosensor based on cross-linking gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) aggregation for the detection and quantification of miR-155. Also, they intended to compare this method with SYBR Green real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Primers for real-time PCR, and two thiolated capture probes for biosensor, complementary with miR-155, were designed. Citrate capped AuNPs (18.7 ± 3.6 nm) were synthesised and thiolated capture probes immobilised to AuNPs. The various concentrations of synthetic miR-155 were measured by this biosensor and real-time PCR method. Colorimetric changes were studied, and the calibration curves were plotted. Results showed the detection limit of 10 nM for the fabricated biosensor and real-time PCR. Also, eye detection using colour showed the weaker detection limit (1 µM), for this biosensor. MiR-133b as the non-complementary target could not cause a change in both colour and UV-visible spectrum. The increase in hydrodynamic diameter and negative zeta potential of AuNPs after the addition of probes verified the biosensor accurately fabricated. This fabricated biosensor could detect miR-155 simpler and faster than previous methods.

Background: Acute heart allograft rejection occurs as a result of antibody-mediated rejection that presents during the first month after transplantation. Finding a non-invasive biomarker is essential for diagnosis of heart allograft rejection. In this research, we intended to compare expression levels of several microRNAs across cardiac troponin T levels between rejected patients (who died before one month following transplantation), non-rejected patients (who survived for at least one month after transplantation), and non-transplanted patients (CABG surgery patients)., Methods: Serum levels of miR-155, miR-326, and miR-133b were evaluated by the q-RT-PCR method. Furthermore, cardiac troponin T levels were measured by a highly sensitive electrochemiluminescence assay. Finally, the data were analyzed by independent sample t-test using SPSS 21® computer software. Results: It was observed that miR-326 and miR-155 expression levels increased after 24h and 72h of surgery in rejected patients compared with the two other groups, but these increases were not statistically significant. Moreover, the decrease in miR-133b expression level was non-significant after transplantation in the rejected group compared with the non-rejected group. However, cTnT levels in rejected patients increased significantly compared with the other groups (P < .05). After ROC curve analysis, the cTnT marker with the most area under the curve (AUC = 1.00, 95% confidence interval, 1.00 to 1.00; P = .006), had the best discriminatory power, and among microRNAs, miR-326 had the largest area under curve (AUC = 0.81), and consequently the highest discriminatory power., Conclusions: We demonstrated that troponin T can be a more efficient biomarker than miRNAs for early prediction of human death caused by acute heart rejection, and the ROC curves analysis verified this finding.

Recently, bacterial cellulose (BC) based wound dressing have raised significant interests in medical fields. However, to our best knowledge, it is apparent that the BC itself has no antibacterial activity. In this study, we optimized graphene oxide-silver (GO-Ag) nanohybrid synthesis using Response Surface Methodology and impregnate it to BC and carefully investigate their antibacterial activities against both the Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli and the Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus . We discover that, compared to silver nanoparticles, GO-Ag nanohybrid with an optimal GO suspension's pH and [ G O ] [ A g N O 3 ] ratio is much more effective and shows synergistically enhanced, strong antibacterial activities at rather low dose. The GO-Ag nanohybrid is more toxic to E. coli than that to S. aureus . The antibacterial and mechanical properties of BC/GO-Ag composite are further investigated., (© 2018 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Chitin and chitosan with unique properties and numerous applications can be produced from fungus. The production of chitin and chitosan from the mycelia of an Iranian Ganoderma lucidum was studied to improve cell growth and chitin productivity. Inoculum size and initial pH as two effective variables on the growth of G. lucidum and chitin production were optimized using response surface method (RSM) by central composite design (CCD). The results verified the significant effect of these two variables on the cell growth and chitin production. In optimum conditions, including pH = 5.7 and inoculum size of 7.4%, the cell dry weight was 5.91 g/L and the amount of chitin production was 1.08 g/L with the productivity of 0.083 g/(L day). The produced chitin and chitosan were characterized using XRD and FTIR. Moreover, the antibacterial activity of the produced chitosan was investigated and compared with the commercial chitosan. The results showed that the produced chitin and chitosan had suitable quality and the Iranian G. lucidum would be a great source for safe and high-quality chitin and chitosan production.

Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is a complex disease characterized by damages to the liver and is the consequence of excessive alcohol consumption over years. Since this disease is associated with several pathway failures, pathway reconstruction and network analysis are likely to explicit the molecular basis of the disease. To this aim, in this paper, a network medicine approach was employed to integrate interactome (protein-protein interaction and signaling pathways) and transcriptome data to reconstruct both a static network of ALD and a dynamic model for it. Several data sources were exploited to assemble a set of ALD-associated genes which further was used for network reconstruction. Moreover, a comprehensive literature mining reveals that there are four signaling pathways with crosstalk (TLR4, NF- [Formula: see text]B, MAPK and Apoptosis) which play a major role in ALD. These four pathways were exploited to reconstruct a dynamic model of ALD. The results assure that these two models are consistent with a number of experimental observations. The static network of ALD and its dynamic model are the first models provided for ALD which offer potentially valuable information for researchers in this field.

Overexpression of folic acid receptor in various human tumors cells makes it as good candidate for targeting delivery of chemotherapeutic and radiopharmaceutical agents. In this research, FA used for functionalization of PEG modified PAMAM G4 dendrimer as a smart delivery of 5-FU and 99m Tc for the breast carcinoma in order to chemotherapeutic and imaging goals. One aim of this research was assess the FA-mediated cell viability assay of PEG-PAMAM G4-FA-5FU- 99m Tc and in vitro uptake of PEG-PAMAM G4-FA- 99m Tc as the novel nano-complex determined on C2Cl2 (normal cell) and MCF-7 (breast cancer cell) cell lines. Other main goals were studied. Morover, an investigation in to in vivo imaging and biodistribution was carried out via a novel radio tracer by which tumor accumulation and site were obviously detected. The targeted tumor images taken by tail intravenous injection demonstrated that nano-complex can be smartly used in imaging study of the clinical practices. Also, the biodistribution of this nano-complex was investigated and the organ predestination of 99m Tc labeled nano-complex (%ID/g) was ascertained., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)