Antibacterial hemostatic dressings with nanoporous bioglass containing silver

In vitro analysis of tantalum-containing mesoporous bioactive glass fibres for haemostasis

Haemorrhage is the leading cause of battlefield deaths and second most common cause for civilian mortality worldwide. Biomaterials-based haemostatic agents are used to aid in bleeding stoppage; mesoporous bioactive glasses (MBGs) are candidates for haemostasis. Previously made Tantalum-containing MBG (Ta-MBG) powders' compositions were fabricated as electrospun fibres for haemostatic applications in the present study. The fibres were fabricated to address the challenges associated with the powder form: difficult to compress without gauze, getting washed away in profuse bleeding, generating dust in the surgical environment, and forming thick callus-difficult to remove for surgeons and painful for patients. Ta-MBGs were based on (80-x)SiO2-15CaO-5P2O5-xTa2O5 mol% compositions with x = 0 (0Ta), 0.5 (0.5Ta), 1 (1Ta), and 5 (5Ta) mol%. The present study details the fibres' in vitro analyses, elucidating their cytotoxic effects, and haemostatic capabilities and relating these observations to fibre chemistry and previously fabricated powders of the same glasses. As expected, when Ta addition is increased at the expense of silica, a new FTIR peak (non-bridging oxygen-silicon, Si-NBO) develops and Si-O-Si peaks become wider. Compared to 0Ta and 1Ta fibres, 0.5Ta show Si-O peaks with reduced intensity. The fibres had a weaker intensity of Si-NBO peaks and release fewer ions than powders. A reduced ion profile provides fibres with a stable matrix for clot formation. The ion release profile for 1Ta and 5Ta fibres was significantly lower than 0Ta and 0.5Ta fibres. Ta-MBGs were not found to be cytotoxic to primary rat fibroblasts using a methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay. Furthermore, a modified activated partial thromboplastin time assay analysing the fibrin absorbance showed that the absorption increases from physiological clotting < 0Ta < 0.5Ta < 5Ta < commercial haemostat, Surgical SNoWTM, Ethicon, USA < 1Ta. Higher absorption signifies a stronger clot. It is concluded that Ta-MBG fibres can provide stable matrix for clot formation and 1Ta can potentially enhance clotting best among other Ta-MBGs.

Micron track chitosan conduit fabricated by 3D-printed model topography provides bionic microenvironment for peripheral nerve regeneration

The micron track conduit (MTC) and nerve factor provide a physical and biological model for simulating peripheral nerve growth and have potential applications for nerve injury. However, it has rarely been reported that they synergize on peripheral nerves. In this study, we used bioderived chitosan as a substrate to design and construct a neural repair conduit with micron track topography using threedimensional (3D) printing topography. We loaded the MTC with neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) to promote the regeneration of sensory and sympathetic neurons in the peripheral nervous system. We found that the MTC@NT3 composite nerve conduit mimicked the microenvironment of peripheral nerves and promoted axonal regeneration while inducing the targeted growth of Schwann cells, which would promote functional recovery in rats with peripheral nerve injury. Artificial nerve implants with functional properties can be developed using the strategy presented in this study.

Bioactive inorganic particles-based biomaterials for skin tissue engineering

The challenge for treatment of severe cutaneous wound poses an urgent clinical need for the development of biomaterials to promote skin regeneration. In the past few decades, introduction of inorganic components into material system has become a promising strategy for improving performances of biomaterials in the process of tissue repair. In this review, we provide a current overview of the development of bioactive inorganic particles-based biomaterials used for skin tissue engineering. We highlight the three stages in the evolution of the bioactive inorganic biomaterials applied to wound management, including single inorganic materials, inorganic/organic composite materials, and inorganic particles-based cell-encapsulated living systems. At every stage, the primary types of bioactive inorganic biomaterials are described, followed by citation of the related representative studies completed in recent years. Then we offer a brief exposition of typical approaches to construct the composite material systems with incorporation of inorganic components for wound healing. Finally, the conclusions and future directions are suggested for the development of novel bioactive inorganic particles-based biomaterials in the field of skin regeneration.

Engineered Hemostatic Biomaterials for Sealing Wounds

Hemostatic biomaterials show great promise in wound control for the treatment of uncontrolled bleeding associated with damaged tissues, traumatic wounds, and surgical incisions. A surge of interest has been directed at boosting hemostatic properties of bioactive materials via mechanisms triggering the coagulation cascade. A wide variety of biocompatible and biodegradable materials has been applied to the design of hemostatic platforms for rapid blood coagulation. Recent trends in the design of hemostatic agents emphasize chemical conjugation of charged moieties to biomacromolecules, physical incorporation of blood-coagulating agents in biomaterials systems, and superabsorbing materials in either dry (foams) or wet (hydrogel) states. In addition, tough bioadhesives are emerging for efficient and physical sealing of incisions. In this Review, we highlight the biomacromolecular design approaches adopted to develop hemostatic bioactive materials. We discuss the mechanistic pathways of hemostasis along with the current standard experimental procedures for characterization of the hemostasis efficacy. Finally, we discuss the potential for clinical translation of hemostatic technologies, future trends, and research opportunities for the development of next-generation surgical materials with hemostatic properties for wound management.

Porcine liver injury model to assess tantalum-containing bioactive glass powders for hemostasis

This study evaluates compositions of tantalum-containing mesoporous bioactive glass (Ta-MBG) powders using a porcine fatal liver injury model. The powders based on (80-x)SiO₂-15CaO-5P₂O₅-xTa₂O₅ compositions with x = 0 (0Ta/Ta-free), 1 (1Ta), and 5 (5Ta) mol% were made using a sol-gel process. A class IV hemorrhage condition was simulated on the animals; hemodynamic data and biochemical analysis confirmed the life-threatening condition. Ta-MBGs were able to stop the bleeding within 10 min of their application while the bleeds in the absence of any intervention or in the presence of a commercial agent, Arista^TM (Bard Davol Inc., Rhode Island, USA) continued for up to 45 min. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging of the blood clots showed that the presence of Ta-MBGs did not affect clot morphology. Rather, the connections seen between fibrin fibers of the blood clot and Ta-MBG powders point towards the powders' surfaces embracing fibrin. Histopathological analysis of the liver tissue showed 5Ta as the only composition reducing parenchymal hemorrhage and necrosis extent of the tissue after their application. Additionally, 5Ta was also able to form an adherent clot in worst-case scenario bleeding where no adherent clot was seen before the powder was applied. In vivo results from the present study agree with in vitro results of the previous study that 5Ta was the best Ta-MBG composition for hemostatic purposes. Graphical abstract.

Multifarious applications of bioactive glasses in soft tissue engineering

Tissue engineering (TE), a new paradigm in regenerative medicine, repairs and restores the diseased or damaged tissues and eliminates drawbacks associated with autografts and allografts. In this context, many biomaterials have been developed for regenerating tissues and are considered revolutionary in TE due to their flexibility, biocompatibility, and biodegradability. One such well-documented biomaterial is bioactive glasses (BGs), known for their osteoconductive and osteogenic potential and their abundant orthopedic and dental clinical applications. However, in the last few decades, the soft tissue regenerative potential of BGs has demonstrated great promise. Therefore, this review comprehensively covers the biological application of BGs in the repair and regeneration of tissues outside the skeleton system. BGs promote neovascularization, which is crucial to encourage host tissue integration with the implanted construct, making them suitable biomaterial scaffolds for TE. Moreover, they heal acute and chronic wounds and also have been reported to restore the injured superficial intestinal mucosa, aiding in gastroduodenal regeneration. In addition, BGs promote regeneration of the tissues with minimal renewal capacity like the heart and lungs. Besides, the peripheral nerve and musculoskeletal reparative properties of BGs are also reported. These results show promising soft tissue regenerative potential of BGs under preclinical settings without posing significant adverse effects. Albeit, there is limited bench-to-bedside clinical translation of elucidative research on BGs as they require rigorous pharmacological evaluations using standardized animal models for assessing biomolecular downstream pathways.

Hemostatic materials in wound care

Blood plays an essential role in the human body. Hemorrhage is a critical cause of both military and civilian casualties. The human body has its own hemostatic mechanism that involves complex processes and has limited capacity. However, in emergency situations such as battlefields and hospitals, when the hemostatic mechanism of the human body itself cannot stop bleeding effectively, hemostatic materials are needed for saving lives. In this review, the hemostatic mechanisms and performance of the most commonly used hemostatic materials, (including fibrin, collagen, zeolite, gelatin, alginate, chitosan, cellulose and cyanoacrylate) and the commercial wound dressings based on these materials, will be discussed. These materials may have limitations, such as poor tissue adhesion, risk of infection and exothermic reactions, that may lessen their hemostatic efficacy and cause secondary injuries. High-performance hemostatic materials, therefore, have been designed and developed to improve hemostatic efficiency in clinical use. In this review, hemostatic materials with advanced performances, such as antibacterial capacity, superhydrophobicity/superhydrophilicity, superelasticity, high porosity and/or biomimicry, will be introduced. Future prospects of hemostatic materials will also be discussed in this review.

Porous bioactive glass micro- and nanospheres with controlled morphology: developments, properties and emerging biomedical applications

In recent years, porous bioactive glass micro/nanospheres (PBGSs) have emerged as attractive biomaterials in various biomedical applications where such engineered particles provide suitable functions, from tissue engineering to drug delivery. The design and synthesis of PBGSs with controllable particle size and pore structure are critical for such applications. PBGSs have been successfully synthesized using melt-quenching and sol-gel based methods. The morphology of PBGSs is controllable by tuning the processing parameters and precursor characteristics during the synthesis. In this comprehensive review on PBGSs, we first overview the synthesis approaches for PBGSs, including both melt-quenching and sol-gel based strategies. Sol-gel processing is the primary technology used to produce PBGSs, allowing for control over the chemical compositions and pore structure of particles. Particularly, the influence of pore-forming templates on the morphology of PBGSs is highlighted. Recent progress in the sol-gel synthesis of PBGSs with sophisticated pore structures (e.g., hollow mesoporous, dendritic fibrous mesoporous) is also covered. The challenges regarding the control of particle morphology, including the influence of metal ion precursors and pore expansion, are discussed in detail. We also highlight the recent achievements of PBGSs in a number of biomedical applications, including bone tissue regeneration, wound healing, therapeutic agent delivery, bioimaging, and cancer therapy. Finally, we conclude with our perspectives on the directions of future research based on identified challenges and potential new developments and applications of PBGSs.

Bioactive Glasses: A Promising Therapeutic Ion Release Strategy for Enhancing Wound Healing

The morbidity, mortality, and burden of burn victims and patients with severe diabetic wounds are still high, which leads to an extensively growing demand for novel treatments with high clinical efficacy. Biomaterial-based wound treatment approaches have progressed over time from simple cotton wool dressings to advanced skin substitutes containing cells and growth factors; however, no wound care approach is yet completely satisfying. Bioactive glasses are materials with potential in many areas that exhibit unique features in biomedical applications. Today, bioactive glasses are not only amorphous solid structures that can be used as a substitute in hard tissue but also are promising materials for soft tissue regeneration and wound healing applications. Biologically active elements such as Ag, B, Ca, Ce, Co, Cu, Ga, Mg, Se, Sr, and Zn can be incorporated in glass networks; hence, the superiority of these multifunctional materials over current materials results from their ability to release multiple therapeutic ions in the wound environment, which target different stages of the wound healing process. Bioactive glasses and their dissolution products have high potency for inducing angiogenesis and exerting several biological impacts on cell functions, which are involved in wound healing and some other features that are valuable in wound healing applications, namely hemostatic and antibacterial properties. In this review, we focus on skin structure, the dynamic process of wound healing in injured skin, and existing wound care approaches. The basic concepts of bioactive glasses are reviewed to better understand the relationship between glass structure and its properties. We illustrate the active role of bioactive glasses in wound repair and regeneration. Finally, research studies that have used bioactive glasses in wound healing applications are summarized and the future trends in this field are elaborated.

Recent advances and future perspectives of sol–gel derived porous bioactive glasses: a review

Sol–gel derived bioactive glasses have been extensively explored as a promising and highly porous scaffold materials for bone tissue regeneration applications owing to their exceptional osteoconductivity, osteostimulation and degradation rates.

Silver triethanolamine-loaded PVB/CO films for a potential liquid bandage application

Many studies have reported that silver has excellent antibacterial properties. However, silver ions can easily react with oxygen to form Ag2O, thus leading to a color change and a reduction in its anti-microbial characteristics. In this study, silver triethanolamine- (ST) loaded PVB/CO solution was prepared as a potential candidate liquid bandage. PVB/CO/ST retained high transparency after exposure to light for 12 months, which allowed convenient inspection of the wound bed without removal of the dressing. The PVB/CO/ST film exhibited favorable properties, such as speed of drying, excellent tensile strength and elongation characteristics and water vapor transmission rate (WVTR). It was comfortable and waterproof, and therefore effective at preventing bacterial invasion, providing effective biosafety. PVB/CO/ST solution-treated wounds exhibited accelerated healing and reduced inflammation in a nude mouse mode. Our data suggested that PVB/CO/ST solution could serve as a promising liquid bandage for treatment of minor trauma.

The effect of tantalum incorporation on the physical and chemical properties of ternary silicon-calcium-phosphorous mesoporous bioactive glasses

Synthesis and characterization of the first mesoporous bioactive glasses (MBGs) containing tantalum are reported here, along with their potential application as hemostats. Silica MBGs were synthesized using with the molar composition of (80-x)% Si, 15% Ca, 5% P, and x% Ta. It was found that incorporation of >1 mol % Ta into the MBGs changes their physical and chemical properties. Increasing Ta content from 0 to 10 mol % causes a decrease in the surface area and pore volume of ~20 and ~35%, respectively. This is due to the increase in nonbridging oxygens and mismatch of thermal expansion coefficient which created discontinuities in the ordered channel structure. However, the effect is not significant on the amount of ions (Si, Ca, P, and Ta) released, from the sample into deionized water, for short durations (<60 min). In a mouse tail-cut model, a significant decrease in bleeding time (≥50% of average bleeding time) was found for Ta-MBGs compared to having no treatment, Arista, and MBG without Ta. Further studies are proposed to determine the mechanism of Ta involvement with the hemostatic process. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater 107B: 2229-2237, 2019.

Elastomeric biocomposite of silver-containing mesoporous bioactive glass and poly(1,8-octanediol citrate): Physiochemistry and in vitro antibacterial capacity in tissue engineering applications

A novel series of silver-doped mesoporous bioactive glass/poly(1,8-octanediol citrate) (AgMBG/POC) elastomeric biocomposite scaffolds were successfully constructed by a salt-leaching technique for the first time and the effect of inclusion of different AgMBG contents (5, 10, and 20 wt%) on physicochemical and biological properties of pure POC elastomer was evaluated. Results indicated that AgMBG particles were uniformly dispersed in the POC matrix and increasing the AgMBG concentration into POC matrix up to 20 wt% enhanced thermal behaviour, mechanical properties and water uptake ability of the composite scaffolds compared to those from POC. The 20%AgMBG/POC additionally showed higher degradation rate in Tris(hydroxymethyl)-aminomethane-HCl (Tris-HCl) compared with pure POC and lost about 26% of its initial weight after soaking for 28 days. The AgMBG phase incorporation also significantly endowed the resulting composite scaffolds with efficient antibacterial properties against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus bacteria while preserving their favorable biocompatibility with soft tissue cells (i.e., human dermal fibroblast cells). Taken together, our results suggest that the synergistic effect of both AgMBG and POC make these newly designed AgMBG/POC composite scaffold an attractive candidate for soft tissue engineering applications.

Well-ordered mesoporous silica and bioactive glasses: promise for improved hemostasis

Mesoporous silica and bioactive glasses with unique textural properties are new generations of inorganic hemostats with efficient hemostatic ability.

Antibiotic delivery by nanobioceramics

The role of nanotechnology has evinced remarkable interest in the field of drug delivery. Bioceramics are inorganic biomaterials which are frequently used as bone substitutes. They have been explored in drug delivery as carriers for antibiotics, anti-osteoporotic drugs and anticancer drugs. Bioceramic nanoparticles are excellent alternatives to polymers due to their bioactivity, pH and temperature stability, multifunctionality, biocompatibility and tunable biodegradability. The use of bioceramics for local drug delivery in the field of orthopedics offer an efficient, safe mode of drug delivery directly to the surgical site thereby overcoming the limitations of systemic drug delivery. This review focuses on the development and applications of various nanobioceramics employed as drug delivery systems for the treatment of bone infections.

Sol-gel processing of bioactive glass nanoparticles: A review

Silicate-based bioactive glass nanoparticles (BGN) are gaining increasing attention in various biomedical applications due to their unique properties. Controlled synthesis of BGN is critical to their effective use in biomedical applications since BGN characteristics, such as morphology and composition, determining the properties of BGN, are highly related to the synthesis process. In the last decade, numerous investigations focusing on BGN synthesis have been reported. BGN can mainly be produced through the conventional melt-quench approach or by sol-gel methods. The latter approaches are drawing widespread attention, considering the convenience and versatility they offer to tune the properties of BGN. In this paper, we review the strategies of sol-gel processing of BGN, including those adopting different catalysts for initiating the hydrolysis and condensation of silicate precursors as well as those combining sol-gel chemistry with other techniques. The processes and mechanism of different synthesis approaches are introduced and discussed in detail. Considering the importance of the BGN morphology and composition to their biomedical applications, strategies put forward to control the size, shape, pore structure and composition of BGN are discussed. BGN are particularly interesting biomaterials for bone-related applications, however, they also have potential for other biomedical applications, e.g. in soft tissue regeneration/repair. Therefore, in the last part of this review, recently reported applications of BGN in soft tissue repair and wound healing are presented.

Photodynamic antimicrobial chemotherapy for Staphylococcus aureus and multidrug-resistant bacterial burn infection in vitro and in vivo

Background and objectives

Antibiotic resistance has emerged as one of the most important determinants of outcome in patients with serious infections, along with the virulence of the underlying pathogen. Photodynamic antimicrobial chemotherapy (PACT) has been proposed as an alternative approach for the inactivation of bacteria. This study aims to evaluate the antibacterial effect of sinoporphyrin sodium (DVDMS)-mediated PACT on Staphylococcus aureus and multidrug resistant S. aureus in vitro and in vivo.

Materials and methods

Bacteria were incubated with DVDMS and exposed to treatment with light. After PACT treatment, colony-forming units were counted to estimate the bactericidal effect. Intracellular reactive oxygen-species production was detected by flow cytometry. Flow cytometry and fluorescence-microscopy detection of bacterial cell-membrane permeability. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays were used to determine expression of VEGF, TGFβ₁, TNFα, IL6, and bFGF factors in burn infection.

Results

DVDMS-PACT effectively killed bacterial proliferation. Intracellular ROS levels were enhanced obviously in the PACT-treatment group. SYTO 9 and propidium iodide staining showed a decrease in the ratio of green:red fluorescence intensity in the PACT-treatment group in comparison to the control group. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent-assay results revealed that in the healing process, the expression of bFGF, TGFβ₁, and VEGF in the treatment group were higher than in the control group, which inhibited inflammation-factor secretion. In addition, skin-tissue bacteria were reduced after treatment.

Conclusion

These results indicate that DVDMS-PACT presents significant bactericidal activity and promotes wound healing after burn infections.

Bioactive glasses as delivery systems for antimicrobial agents

Most biomaterial-associated infections are caused by opportunistic pathogens and bacteria that are regularly found within the microflora of the implant site. In addition, a biomaterial implant or device remains at risk of infection by hematogenous spread of bacteria disseminated from infections elsewhere in the body or from infected peri-implant tissue in revision surgery. The resulting infections are frequently accompanied by patient morbidity and discomfort and can lead to surgical replacement of the implant after lengthy, unsuccessful attempts to mitigate infections with antibiotic treatments. Therefore, extensive study is aiming to find new infection-resistant antimicrobial biomaterials and coatings for implants and devices to effectively reduce the incidence of biomaterial-associated infections. An overview of the in vitro and in vivo antimicrobial efficacies of the numerous biomaterials currently available is beyond the scope of this review. Herein, we provide a comprehensive review of bioactive glasses as biomaterial delivery systems for antimicrobial agents.

An easy-to-use wound dressing gelatin-bioactive nanoparticle gel and its preliminary in vivo study

Beyond promoting hard tissue repairing, bioactive glasses (BGs) have also been proved to be beneficial for wound healing. Nano-scale BGs prepared by sol-gel method were found to have a better performance as they have a larger specific surface area. In this work, bioactive nanoparticles (nBPs) with mean diameter of 12 nm (BP-12) instead of conventional BGs were mixed with gelatin to form an easy-to-use hydrogel as a dressing for skin wound. It was found that the composite of BP-12 and gelatin could form a hydrogel (BP-12/Gel) under 25 °C, which showed pronounced thixotropy at a practically accessible shear rate, therefore become easy to be used for wound cover. In vitro, the composite hydrogel of BP-12 and gelatin had good biocompatibility with the fibroblast cells. In vivo, rapid cutaneous-tissue regeneration and tissue-structure formation within 7 days was observed in the wound-healing experiment performed in rats. This hydrogel is thus a promising easy-to-use wound dressing material.

Bioactive glasses in wound healing: hope or hype?

Bioactive glasses have long been investigated in mineralized tissue regeneration, but recently their potential applications in soft tissue repair, and in particular wound healing, have demonstrated great promise.

Bioactive Glass Nanoparticles: From Synthesis to Materials Design for Biomedical Applications

Thanks to their high biocompatibility and bioactivity, bioactive glasses are very promising materials for soft and hard tissue repair and engineering. Because bioactivity and specific surface area intrinsically linked, the last decade has seen a focus on the development of highly porous and/or nano-sized materials. This review emphasizes the synthesis of bioactive glass nanoparticles and materials design strategies. The first part comprehensively covers mainly soft chemistry processes, which aim to obtain dispersible and monodispersed nanoparticles. The second part discusses the use of bioactive glass nanoparticles for medical applications, highlighting the design of materials. Mesoporous nanoparticles for drug delivery, injectable systems and scaffolds consisting of bioactive glass nanoparticles dispersed in a polymer, implant coatings and particle dispersions will be presented.

Gallium-containing mesoporous bioactive glass with potent hemostatic activity and antibacterial efficacy

Gallium-containing mesoporous bioactive glass can be considered as an efficient hemostatic material due to its merits of increased platelet adhesion and thrombin formation as well as antibacterial properties.

Biological behavior of bioactive glasses and their composites

This review summarizes current developments in improving the biological behavior of bioactive glasse and their composites.

Bioactive glasses beyond bone and teeth: emerging applications in contact with soft tissues

The applications of bioactive glasses (BGs) have to a great extent been related to the replacement, regeneration and repair of hard tissues, such as bone and teeth, and there is an extensive bibliography documenting the role of BGs as bone replacement materials and in bone tissue engineering applications. Interestingly, many of the biochemical reactions arising from the contact of BGs with bodily fluids, in particular the local increase in concentration of various ions at the glass-tissue interface, are also relevant to mechanisms involved in soft tissue regeneration. An increasing number of studies report on the application of BGs in contact with soft tissues, aiming at exploiting the well-known bioactive properties of BGs in soft tissue regeneration and wound healing. This review focuses on research, sometimes involving preliminary in vitro studies but also in vivo evidence, that demonstrates the suitability of BGs in contact with tissues outside the skeletal system, which includes studies investigating vascularization, wound healing and cardiac, lung, nerve, gastrointestinal, urinary tract and laryngeal tissue repair using BGs in various forms of particulates, fibers and nanoparticles with and without polymer components. Potentially active mechanisms of interaction of BGs and soft tissues based on the surface bioreactivity of BGs and on biomechanical stimuli affecting the soft tissue-BG collagenous bonding are discussed based on results in the literature.

The future of bioactive ceramics

Two important worldwide needs must be satisfied in the future; (1) treatment of the deteriorating health of an aging population and, (2) decreasing healthcare costs to meet the needs of an increased population. The ethical and economic dilemma is how to achieve equality in quality of care while at the same time decreasing cost of care for an ever-expanding number of people. The limited lifetime of prosthetic devices made from first-generation nearly inert biomaterials requires new approaches to meet these two large needs. This paper advises an expanded emphasis on: (1) regeneration of tissues and (2) prevention of tissue deterioration to meet this growing need. Innovative use of bioactive ceramics with genetic control of in situ tissue responses offers the potential to achieve both tissue regeneration and prevention. Clinical success of use of bioactive glass for bone regeneration is evidence that this concept works. Likewise the use of micron sized bioactive glass powders in a dentifrice for re-mineralization of teeth provides evidence that prevention of tissue deterioration is also possible. This opinion paper outlines clinical needs that could be met by innovative use of bioactive glasses and ceramics in the near future; including: regeneration of skeletal tissues that is patient specific and genetic based, load-bearing bioactive glass-ceramics for skeletal and ligament and tendon repair, repair and regeneration of soft tissues, and rapid low-cost analysis of human cell-biomaterial interactions leading to patient specific diagnoses and treatments using molecularly tailored bioceramics.

Synthesis, characterization, and efficacy of antimicrobial chlorhexidine hexametaphosphate nanoparticles for applications in biomedical materials and consumer products

Chlorhexidine (CHX) is an antimicrobial agent that is efficacious against gram-negative and -positive bacteria and yeasts. Its mechanism of action is based on cell membrane disruption and, as such, it does not promote the development of bacterial resistance, which is associated with the widespread use of antibiotics. In this manuscript, we report the development of novel antimicrobial nanoparticles (NPs) based on a hexametaphosphate salt of CHX. These are synthesized by instantaneous reaction between equimolar aqueous solutions of CHX digluconate and sodium hexametaphosphate, under room temperature and pressure. The reaction results in a stable colloid composed of highly negatively charged NPs (−50 mV), of size 20–160 nm. The NPs adhere rapidly to specimens of glass, titanium, and an elastomeric wound dressing, in a dose-dependent manner. The functionalized materials exhibit a gradual leaching of soluble CHX over a period of at least 50 days. The NP colloid is efficacious against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in both planktonic and biofilm conditions. These NPs may find application in a range of biomedical and consumer materials.

Exopolymers from Tolypothrix tenuis and three Anabaena sp. (Cyanobacteriaceae) as novel blood clotting agents for wound management

Rapid initiation of clotting is critical to trauma patients. In the present study exopolymers (EPs) from four desert cyanobacteria including Tolypothrix tenuis and three species of Anabaena have been discovered as potential hemostatic biomaterials. The EPs showed reduction in activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and prothrombin time (PT) by 16-41% and 12-65%, respectively. Besides hastening blood clotting, the EPs could absorb 7.1-25.9 g H₂O g(-1) EP and displayed 7.1-18.1% hydrophobicity. They were noncytotoxic and biodegradable. The EP from Anabaena sp. showed strong antibacterial activity against E. coli, S. aureus and B. licheniformis. These results suggest that cyanobacteria, the microscopic phototrophs growing rapidly over simple mineral medium could prove to be a novel source of affordable hemostatic dressings for the traumatic wounds in underdeveloped and developing countries. Compositional analysis of the EPs showed them to be consisting of mainly carbohydrate (17-50%), protein (4.4-7.2%), uronic acid (4.7-9.5%) and sulphate (0.6-6.6%). Their viscometric molecular weight ranged from 539 to 3679 kDa. They were further characterized using GC-MS and FTIR.

Silver-containing mesoporous bioactive glass with improved antibacterial properties

The aim of the present work is the study of the bacteriostatic/bactericidal effect of a silver-containing mesoporous bioactive glass obtained by evaporation-induced self-assembly and successive thermal stabilization. Samples of the manufactured mesophase were characterized by means of transmission electron microscopy and N₂ adsorption/desorption at 77 K, revealing structural and textural properties similar to SBA-15 mesoporous silica. Glass samples used for bioactivity experiments were put in contact with a standardized, commercially available cell culture medium instead of lab-produced simulated body fluid, and were then characterized by means of X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. All these analyses confirmed the development of a hydroxyl carbonate apatite layer on glass particles. Moreover, the investigated mesostructure showed a very good antibacterial effect against S. aureus strain, with a strong evidence of bactericidal activity already registered at 0.5 mg/mL of glass concentration. A hypothesis about the mechanism by which Ag affects the bacterial viability, based on the intermediate formation of crystalline AgCl, was also taken into account. With respect to what already reported in the literature, these findings claim a deeper insight into the possible use of silver-containing bioactive glasses as multifunctional ceramic coatings for orthopedic devices.

Polyacrylonitrile nanofibers coated with silver nanoparticles using a modified coaxial electrospinning process

Background

The objective of this investigation was to develop a new class of antibacterial material in the form of nanofibers coated with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using a modified coaxial electrospinning approach. Through manipulation of the distribution on the surface of nanofibers, the antibacterial effect of Ag can be improved substantially.

Methods

Using polyacrylonitrile (PAN) as the filament-forming polymer matrix, an electrospinnable PAN solution was prepared as the core fluid. A silver nitrate (AgNO₃) solution was exploited as sheath fluid to carry out the modified coaxial electrospinning process under varied sheath-to-core flow rate ratios.

Results

Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy demonstrated that the sheath AgNO₃ solution can take a role in reducing the nanofibers’ diameters significantly, a sheath-to-core flow rate ratio of 0.1 and 0.2 resulting in PAN nanofibers with diameters of 380 ± 110 nm and 230 ± 70 nm respectively. AgNPs are well distributed on the surface of PAN nanofibers. The antibacterial experiments demonstrated that these nanofibers show strong antimicrobial activities against Bacillus subtilis Wb800, and Escherichia coli dh5α.

Conclusion

Coaxial electrospinning with AgNO₃ solution as sheath fluid not only facilitates the electrospinning process, providing nanofibers with reduced diameters, but also allows functionalization of the nanofibers through coating with functional ingredients, effectively ensuring that the active antibacterial component is on the surface of the material, which leads to enhanced activity. We report an example of the systematic design, preparation, and application of a novel type of antibacterial material coated with AgNPs via a modified coaxial electrospinning methodology.