Article
Chemistry, Physical
Abdolhalim Torrik, Shamim Zaerin, Mahdi Zarif
Summary: Multidrug resistance is a major obstacle to the success of anticancer treatments. This study used molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the co-loading of anticancer drugs Doxorubicin and Imatinib using carbon nanotubes coated with Chitosan and Polyethylene Glycol polymers. The results showed that the number of polymer chains affects the drug loading, and Chitosan polymer has a more significant impact on the loading process.
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR LIQUIDS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Roxana Cristina Popescu, Diana Iulia Savu, Miriam Bierbaum, Adriana Grbenicek, Frank Schneider, Hiltraud Hosser, Bogdan Stefan Vasile, Ecaterina Andronescu, Frederik Wenz, Frank A. Giordano, Carsten Herskind, Marlon R. Veldwijk
Summary: The study demonstrated that polyethylene glycol-encapsulated iron oxide nanoparticles showed potential for enhancing the intracellular delivery of a chemotherapeutic drug to improve the cytotoxic effects of ionizing radiation.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Biophysics
Maria Janina Carrera Espinoza, Kuen-Song Lin, Meng-Tzu Weng, Sikhumbuzo Charles Kunene, You-Sheng Lin, Shin-Yun Liu
Summary: Researchers developed a new drug delivery system using complexing magnetic nanoparticles (MNP) and boron nanosheets (BNN) coated with a pH-responsive polymer-polyethylene glycol (PEG) to control the loading and release of the anti-cancer drug, doxorubicin (DOX). In vitro and in vivo analyses showed that this system can inhibit tumor growth, induce cancer cell apoptosis, and reduce the cytotoxic effects of DOX. Animal experiments demonstrated that treatment with MNP-BNN-PEG-DOX nanoparticles resulted in reduced tumor growth and weight compared to other treatments.
COLLOIDS AND SURFACES B-BIOINTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Deevak Ramnandan, Seipati Mokhosi, Aliscia Daniels, Moganavelli Singh
Summary: Cancer-based magnetic theranostics using MgFe2O4 ferrite MNPs functionalized with polymers show promising potential for enhancing drug delivery and effective treatment of cancer. DOX-CHI-MNPs exhibit superior anticancer activity and pH-responsive drug release, indicating their potential in cancer therapy.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Na Liu, Fan Fan, Wei Xu, Hao Zhang, Qi Zhou, Xiaopeng Li
Summary: Hollow structured WS2 particles with large surface area were utilized for drug delivery, requiring surface modification and drug loading. Various analyses confirmed the loading and release of PEG and DOX, while the specific surface area was determined. The drug release and biocompatibility were studied with liver tumor cells.
JOURNAL OF ALLOYS AND COMPOUNDS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Lok Hin Law, Jianpan Huang, Peng Xiao, Yang Liu, Zilin Chen, Joseph H. C. Lai, Xiongqi Han, Gerald W. Y. Cheng, Kai-Hei Tse, Kannie W. Y. Chan
Summary: Image guided nose-to-brain drug delivery is a non-invasive method to monitor drug delivery to the brain. This study investigated the imaging of liposome-based drug delivery to the brain using chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Liposomes loaded with a computed tomography (CT) contrast agent were administered intranasally and specific CEST contrasts were observed in the olfactory bulb and frontal lobe.
JOURNAL OF CONTROLLED RELEASE
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Vahid Zeyni, Soheyla Karimi, Hassan Namazi
Summary: In this study, a zinc-based metal-organic framework/magnetic hydroxyapatite nanocomposite was synthesized and coated with a biocompatible layer of polyethylene glycol as a targeting drug delivery system. The nanocomposites were characterized and utilized as carriers to encapsulate the anticancer drug doxorubicin. Both nanocomposites showed pH-dependent drug release and the Korsmeyer-Peppas model was the best fit to describe the release mechanism. The synthesized systems showed no significant toxicity and exhibited higher toxicity against lung cancer cell lines. Additionally, the nanocomposites demonstrated excellent antioxidant activity. These findings suggest that the prepared drug systems have potential for targeted drug delivery applications.
MICROPOROUS AND MESOPOROUS MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Ceramics
Mohammad Poorhossein, Fatemehsadat Pishbin, Abolghasem Ataie, Mohammad Akrami
Summary: Magnetic nanoparticles can improve the delivery of anticancer drugs to tumor sites while reducing side effects. This research examined the effects of polyethylene glycol (PEG) on the structure, size, morphology, magnetic properties, and coating of cobalt ferrite nanoparticles (CFO). The results showed that higher molecular weight PEG created a thicker coating on the nanoparticles, resulting in higher drug loading efficiency.
CERAMICS INTERNATIONAL
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Lingbin Ou, Qiongyu Zhang, Yong Chang, Ning Xia
Summary: A targeted drug delivery system using nanosized hydroxyapatite particles (nHA) as cores and methotrexate (MTX) conjugated to polyethylene glycol (PEG) was developed. The system exhibited pH-dependent release feature and could increase the concentration of calcium ions, inducing mitochondrial apoptosis and improving the efficacy of medical treatment. In vitro studies demonstrated that the system had higher therapeutic efficacy on osteosarcoma cells (143B, MG63, and HOS), suggesting its great potential for osteosarcoma therapy.
Article
Polymer Science
Harrison Landfield, Muzhou Wang
Summary: This study demonstrates the hydrophobic association of pPEGMA polymer chains and the ability to diffuse individually or in clusters through single-particle tracking diffusion studies. The clustering behavior can be tuned by adjusting the concentration and molecular weight of the polymer, as well as the polarity of the solvent. The findings contribute to a better understanding of the self-assembly behavior of polymers and their potential applications in contaminant removal and drug delivery.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Morgan D. McSweeney, Limei Shen, Alexander C. DeWalle, Jordan B. Joiner, Elizabeth C. Ciociola, Dharmendra Raghuwanshi, Matthew S. Macauley, Samuel K. Lai
Summary: This study explored the effectiveness of prophylaxis with free PEG or tolerogenic PEGylated liposomes as a strategy to reduce the amount of APA induced by subsequently administered PEGylated liposomes. The results showed that a single administration of free PEG alone was capable of markedly reducing the APA response to PEG-liposomes for up to 2 months, which was comparable to, and often exceeded, interventions with different tolerogenic PEG-liposomes. These findings support further research on free PEG prophylaxis as a potential strategy to mitigate the APA response to sensitizing PEGylated therapeutics.
JOURNAL OF CONTROLLED RELEASE
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Shahryar Hosseini, Niloofar Eslahi, Reza Jahanmardi
Summary: The aim of this research was to prepare self-healing injectable nanocomposite hydrogels based on benzaldehyde-modified polyethylene glycol and chitosan, reinforced with graphene oxide (GO), for the delivery of pomegranate extract (PG) in hard tissue engineering. The incorporation of GO into the hydrogels improved the pore structure, elastic properties, compressive strength, and antibacterial properties. The designed system shows promising potential as a delivery platform for pharmaceuticals in hard tissue engineering.
MATERIALS TODAY COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Chao Lai, Hang Hu, Defeng Xu
Summary: Dimethylcurcumin (DMC), a synthetic curcuminoid, can enhance androgen receptor degradation to suppress AR-associated cancers. However, its poor water solubility and biocompatibility limit its applications. A water-soluble DMC prodrug was synthesized and used to prepare nanoparticles for improved drug delivery, showing enhanced cellular uptake and cytotoxicity on cancer cells.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Settimio Pacelli, Laura Di Muzio, Patrizia Paolicelli, Valeria Fortunati, Stefania Petralito, Jordan Trilli, Maria Antonietta Casadei
Summary: Cryogels are a special type of hydrogels with potential in drug delivery and tissue engineering. A novel cytocompatible cryogel has been developed as a spongy scaffold for the delivery of biomolecules, showing improved swelling, porosity, and mechanical properties compared to hydrogels. The cryogels are non-toxic and suitable for the delivery of water-soluble biomolecules, making them suitable for biomedical applications requiring macroporous scaffolds for localized delivery of bioactive molecules.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ozlem Gokce Kocabay, Osman Ismail
Summary: In this study, doxorubicin (DOX) loaded polymeric micelles (PMs) with high drug-loading encapsulation efficiency and pH-dependent drug release were successfully synthesized. The co-encapsulation of two agents led to enhanced solubility compared to DOX loaded formulations (DOX-PMs).
Article
Environmental Sciences
Victoria E. Restivo, Karen A. Kidd, Michael G. Surette, Mark R. Servos, Joanna Y. Wilson
Summary: The study found that the microbiome of fish gut content was altered downstream of WWTP effluent outfalls, potentially leading to negative health outcomes. Fish collected at different sites had distinct bacterial communities, with upstream samples dominant in Proteobacteria and Firmicutes, and downstream samples increasingly abundant in Proteobacteria and Cyanobacteria.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Physiology
Heather Ikert, Michael D. J. Lynch, Andrew C. Doxey, John P. Giesy, Mark R. Servos, Barbara A. Katzenback, Paul M. Craig
Summary: This study identified altered plasma miRNAs in response to acute stress in rainbow trout, as well as changes in miRNAs in fish epidermal mucus and surrounding water. The expression profiles of miRNAs in mucus and water were different from those in plasma, indicating that the plasma miRNA response was not associated with external samples.
FRONTIERS IN PHYSIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Hossein Mehdi, Samantha C. Lau, Caitlyn Synyshyn, Matthew G. Salena, Erin S. McCallum, Melissa N. Muzzatti, Jennifer E. Bowman, Kyle Mataya, Leslie M. Bragg, Mark R. Servos, Karen A. Kidd, Graham R. Scott, Sigal Balshine
Summary: The study revealed significant impacts of municipal wastewater treatment plant effluents on fish communities, especially during the winter season. Sites closer to the WWTP outfalls had higher fish abundance, species richness, and diversity, along with poorer water quality and higher concentrations of contaminants. Additionally, the effluent-receiving environments experienced significant increases in temperature during the winter, affecting fish behavior and exposure to contaminants.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
M. J. Lawrence, D. Mitrovic, D. Foubister, L. M. Bragg, J. Sutherby, M. F. Docker, M. R. Servos, M. P. Wilkie, K. M. Jeffries
Summary: The study examined the physiological responses and impacts of different lampricide exposures on sea lamprey and bluegill. The results showed that sea lamprey exposed to a mixture exhibited depletion of high energy substrates and accumulation of lactate, while bluegill were largely unaffected by toxin exposure, demonstrating high metabolic turnover.
AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Samantha C. Lau, Hossein Mehdi, Leslie M. Bragg, Mark R. Servos, Sigal Balshine, Graham R. Scott
Summary: The study investigated the interactive effects of hypoxia and WWTP effluent on the physiology of mummichog killifish. Results showed that exposure to chronic hypoxia in wastewater environment attenuated the fish's hypoxia tolerance and gill remodeling, disrupting their physiological mechanisms for coping with hypoxia.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Hossein Mehdi, Markelle E. Morphet, Samantha C. Lau, Leslie M. Bragg, Mark R. Servos, Joanne L. Parrott, Graham R. Scott, Sigal Balshine
Summary: Municipal wastewater treatment plant effluent is a significant source of pollution in aquatic habitats and its impacts vary with seasons. This study investigated the effects of wastewater exposure on adult fathead minnow and found that it can cause metabolic and behavioral disruptions, which vary in magnitude and direction depending on temperature. The findings highlight the importance of studying interactions between stressors and the need for research during colder periods to enhance our understanding of wastewater contamination in aquatic ecosystems.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Nicole L. Gauvreau, Leslie M. Bragg, Hadi A. Dhiyebi, Mark R. Servos, Paul M. Craig
Summary: This study investigated the effects of WWTP effluent on four Etheostoma species in the Grand River, finding significant differences in antioxidant enzymes and tph between sites and sexes. Yearly, species, and sex differences in antioxidant responses were also observed. Further research on the impacts of CECs in effluent on non-target species is necessary to better understand the effects of WWTP effluent.
COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY C-TOXICOLOGY & PHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Brian Youden, Runqing Jiang, Andrew J. Carrier, Mark R. Servos, Xu Zhang
Summary: Despite successful clinical applications in drug delivery, the potential of theranostic nanomedicines is limited by mechanistic uncertainty and lack of science-based regulatory guidance. This review provides an overview of cancer nanomedicine field and offers knowledge framework and interaction maps to facilitate future research, assessments, and regulation. The understanding of structure-activity relationships is crucial for computer-assisted evaluation models as nanomedicine moves away from animal testing.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Femi F. Oloye, Yuwei Xie, Mohsen Asadi, Jenna Cantin, Jonathan K. Challis, Markus Brinkmann, Kerry N. McPhedran, Kevin Kristian, Mark Keller, Mike Sadowski, Paul D. Jones, Chrystal Landgraff, Chand Mangat, Meghan Fuzzen, Mark R. Servos, John P. Giesy
Summary: Monitoring the communal incidence of COVID-19 is important for decision-making, but relying on a single method may lead to inaccurate results. Wastewater surveillance provides unbiased data that can predict COVID-19 situations in smaller communities.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Kirsten E. Nikel, Gerald R. Tetreault, Patricija Marjan, Keegan A. Hicks, Meghan L. M. Fuzzen, Nivetha Srikanthan, Emily K. McCann, Hadi Dhiyebi, Leslie M. Bragg, Pam Law, Dominika Celmer-Repin, Sonya Kleywegt, Jessie Cunningham, Thomas Clark, Mark E. McMaster, Mark R. Servos
Summary: Municipal wastewater treatment plant effluent can adversely affect aquatic life, but major upgrades in the Central Grand River have significantly reduced pollution levels. Prior to the upgrades, rainbow darters showed disruptions in various biological aspects, but these were no longer significant after the improvements. Capital investments in wastewater treatment have corresponded with a reduction in adverse responses in fish in the receiving environment.
AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Patrick M. D'Aoust, Xin Tian, Syeda Tasneem Towhid, Amy Xiao, Elisabeth Mercier, Nada Hegazy, Jian-Jun Jia, Shen Wan, Md Pervez Kabir, Wanting Fang, Meghan Fuzzen, Maria Hasing, Minqing Ivy Yang, Jianxian Sun, Julio Plaza-Diaz, Zhihao Zhang, Aaron Cowan, Walaa Eid, Sean Stephenson, Mark R. Servos, Matthew J. Wade, Alex E. MacKenzie, Hui Peng, Elizabeth A. Edwards, Xiao-Li Pang, Eric J. Alm, Tyson E. Graber, Robert Delatolla
Summary: Clinical testing has been crucial in monitoring and controlling the COVID-19 pandemic, but as the disease transitions into an endemic state, wastewater surveillance (WWS) becomes an important diagnostic tool. This study explores the ratio of SARS-CoV-2 wastewater signal to clinical cases (WC) across seven Canadian cities. The findings show that inadequate clinical testing led to an increase in the WC ratio despite an increase in wastewater signal. Additionally, significant decreases in the WC ratio may indicate the emergence of different variants of concern (VOC) and their impact on community immunity.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Monika R. Snowdon, Shasvat Rathod, Azar Fattahi, Abrar Khan, Leslie M. Bragg, Robert Liang, Norman Zhou, Mark R. Servos
Summary: The complex composition of natural organic matter (NOM) can affect drinking water treatment processes and current treatments can generate carcinogenic by-products. Electrochemical methods, such as electrooxidation (EO), have shown safer degradation of humic acid and algae. In this study, a comparison between Boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrodes and mixed-metal oxide (MMO) electrodes was conducted. The results showed that BDD electrodes performed better than MMO under stronger current density and higher pH, and were more cost-effective.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Mohsen Asadi, Femi F. Oloye, Yuwei Xie, Jenna Cantin, Jonathan K. Challis, Kerry N. McPhedran, Warsame Yusuf, David Champredon, Pu Xia, Chantel De Lange, Seba El-Baroudy, Mark R. Servos, Paul D. Jones, John P. Giesy, Markus Brinkmann
Summary: Wastewater surveillance is useful for understanding the spread of COVID-19 in communities. This study developed the Wastewater Viral Load Risk Index (WWVLRI) to interpret wastewater surveillance results. The index considers the reproduction number, clinical data, daily per capita concentrations of virus particles in wastewater, and weekly viral load change rate. It provides a valuable resource for decision-makers and health authorities.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Philip J. Schmidt, Nicole Acosta, Alex H. S. Chik, Patrick M. D'Aoust, Robert Delatolla, Hadi A. Dhiyebi, Melissa B. Glier, Casey R. J. Hubert, Jennifer Kopetzky, Chand S. Mangat, Xiao-Li Pang, Shelley W. Peterson, Natalie Prystajecky, Yuanyuan Qiu, Mark R. Servos, Monica B. Emelko
Summary: Real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) is commonly used in environmental microbiology, including the detection and quantification of SARS-CoV-2 during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the traditional log-linear standard curve model used in qPCR has limitations in explaining data at low concentrations. By integrating probabilistic modeling concepts, a new model has been developed that can better represent standard curve data at low concentrations while maintaining compatibility with the log-linear regression model at high concentrations. This improved modeling approach allows for exploration of random error mechanisms and quantification of uncertainty in qPCR-based concentration estimates.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yuwei Xie, Jonathan K. Challis, Femi F. Oloye, Mohsen Asadi, Jenna Cantin, Markus Brinkmann, Kerry N. McPhedran, Natacha Hogan, Mike Sadowski, Paul D. Jones, Chrystal Landgraff, Chand Mangat, Mark R. Servos, John P. Giesy
Summary: This study developed a pipeline for quantifying SARS-CoV-2 and key variants RNA in wastewater and evaluated different normalization approaches. The viral load was positively correlated with daily new cases and wastewater surveillance had a lead time of 7 days. Adjusting for recovery ratio and extraction efficiency improved the correlation between viral load and new cases. Normalizing viral concentration to the artificial sweetener acesulfame K performed better for population normalization during dynamic and variable population periods.