Chemistry and Materials Science

Abstract: Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and polyethylene glycol (PEG 1500 and 3350) films plasticized with hydrolyzed cutin (HCut) were investigated to elucidate the structure-property relationship in the resulting biofilms. Cutin was extracted from tomato residual wastes according to reported methods and hydrolyzed for use in the PVA/PEG blends. Films were prepared by solution casting to obtain pure PVA and PVA/PEG blends with 5, 10, and 30 wt% PEG (3350 o 1500). The PVA/PEG mixture with 30 wt% PEG was the optimum blend used to analyze the effect of HCut on the structural organization of the films. PVA/30% PEG films with HCut loadings of 0.3, 0.5, and 1% produced homogeneous films, which were analyzed using atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Attenuated Total Reflectance-Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR). AFM shows a slight variation in roughness (Rq 1.3 nm for PVA to 5.3 nm for PVA/PEG 30%), which recovers as cutin hydrolysate is added (Rq 5.3 nm for PVA/PEG 30%-HCut 0.3% to 1.7 nm for PVA/PEG 30%-HCut 1.0%). XRD shows that HCut acts as an important plasticizer, especially in PVA/PEG-1500, where crystallinity increases with PEG concentration and is modified when HCut is added. These analyses demonstrate that cutin hydrolysate can modify the structure of PVA/PEG films, enabling their use in multifunctional applications.

Abstract: The development of bio-based polymers exhibiting pH-responsive behavior represents a promising strategy for designing functional materials with potential applications in controlled drug delivery. In this work, starch nicotinate was synthesized from native corn starch through a high-pressure solid-state esterification process using nicotinoyl chloride as the esterifying agent, without organic solvents or catalysts during the esterification step. The reaction was performed at 353 K and 80 kg cm-2 for 96 h, yielding a degree of substitution (DS) of 0.086 and a reaction efficiency (RE) of 8.6%, as determined by elemental nitrogen analysis. The resulting material was comprehensively characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), polarized light microscopy (PLM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and derivative thermogravimetry (DTG). FT-IR confirmed the introduction of ester functionalities, while XRD revealed an almost complete disruption of the characteristic A-type crystalline structure of native corn starch. Consistently, PLM showed the disappearance of granular birefringence, whereas SEM demonstrated that the overall granular morphology remained largely preserved despite the pronounced loss of internal structural order. Thermal analysis indicated a reduction in thermal stability and an increase in residual mass following esterification. The water uptake behavior was investigated gravimetrically at 310 K in acidic (pH 1.2) and near-neutral (pH 6.8) media, using native starch as a reference. The modified starch exhibited enhanced water uptake (WU) under acidic conditions, suggesting that protonation of the introduced pyridine groups contributes to its pH-dependent hydration behavior. Overall, these findings demonstrate the feasibility of high-pressure solid-state nicotinoylation as a strategy for obtaining functional starch derivatives and highlight the potential of starch nicotinate as a bio-based pH-responsive material for future controlled drug delivery applications.

Abstract: Controlling the extent and timing of bioactive release requires understanding how material chemistry and scaffold architecture jointly govern compound accessibility. Here, lignin source was explored as a formulation variable for tuning electrospun poly(lactic acid) (PLA) nanofibres, using curcumin as a model bioactive compound. Three organosolv lignins recovered from hazelnut shells (Lhs), spelt husks (Lsh), and potato plant residues (Lpp) using a common extraction protocol were incorporated into the same polymer matrix at fixed nominal component loadings. ¹H^-13C HSQC NMR characterised the aromatic fingerprints of the lignins, while fibre morphology, surface topography, wettability, and release-related responses were compared among the resulting scaffolds. Release was monitored over 10 days in phosphate buffer (pH 7.4) using UV–Vis spectroscopy. All lignin-containing scaffolds showed higher cumulative release-related spectral responses than PLA–curcumin, following the order Lhs > Lsh > Lpp. The Lhs-containing scaffold combined the finest fibres and lowest local roughness with the highest cumulative response, while the Lsh-containing scaffold exhibited intermediate fibre diameters, roughness, and cumulative response among the three lignin-containing formulations. Despite its most favourable initial surface wetting, the Lpp-containing scaffold exhibited larger, rougher fibres and reached its maximum interval release-related response at 48–72 h, later than the first-day maxima observed for the Lhs- and Lsh-containing scaffolds. This divergence shows why wettability alone is insufficient to explain the observed release behaviour. The comparison identifies a distinct release-related spectral profile for each formulation, alongside differences in lignin chemistry and scaffold structure. These findings establish a comparative basis for selecting residual lignins according to their functional contribution and support their valorisation in nanofibrous materials designed towards specific delivery profiles.

Abstract: Biodegradable sodium carboxymethylcellulose-hydrolyzed polyacrylonitrile-acrylic acid (CMC-GIPAN-AA) ternary hybrid hydrogels were synthesized via free-radical graft copolymerization to mitigate drought stress in rainfed agriculture. To evaluate crosslinking effects on network architecture and performance, rigid covalent agents (epichlorohydrin, EXG; N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide, MBAA) and a dynamic amine-functionalized agent (urotropine, UR) were systematically compared. Multi-instrumental analysis revealed that covalent crosslinking generated dense, thick-walled mesoporous networks with restricted surface areas (BET = 7.24 m²/g for EXG). Conversely, urotropine integration established flexible ionic/coordination complexes, yielding a highly porous, thin-walled macroporous morphology with targeted nitrogen integration (3.46 wt%) and high sodium content (21.96 wt%). Consequently, the urotropine-crosslinked hydrogel (N2) achieved an exceptional equilibrium swelling capacity (Qeq) of 680 g/g in DI water, representing a 2.19-fold and 2.83-fold increase over EXG (310 g/g) and MBAA (240 g/g), respectively. Kinetic modeling confirmed anomalous non-Fickian diffusion (n = 0.68) for N2, driven by rapid chain relaxation. TGA/DTA demonstrated enhanced initial moisture retention (28.6%) and gradual multi-stage thermal degradation. In 30-day soil drying tests at 30 °C, 0.5 wt% N2-amended soil retained 31.8% moisture content, whereas unamended soil completely desiccated (0.0%) within 25 days. Thus, urotropine-driven dynamic crosslinking provides a superior molecular design for engineering high-performance soil conditioners.

Abstract: Natural materials offer chemical diversity, but their translation into reproducible nano-enabled products depends on decisions made before carrier selection. This critical review examines development as a source-to-ingredient-to-product continuum. Five thematic searches in PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science Core Collection yielded 615 exported records and 375 unique references after deduplication. Exploratory title, abstract, and keyword mapping identified stronger explicit signals for carrier design and biological performance than for source traceability and supply feasibility; these search-dependent patterns are not prevalence estimates. The proposed Natural Material-to-Product Stage-Gate Framework organizes development into 15 stages, from intended-product definition and source qualification through ingredient processing, chemical standardization, formulation, efficacy, safety, manufacturing, and translational readiness. Each gate uses product-specific criteria to assign GO, CONDITIONAL GO, or NO-GO. A source-to-product mass balance, a conceptual evidence-maturity hierarchy, and a Minimum Development Dataset support planning and transparent reporting. Reproducibility, safety, scalability, and sustainability are assessed throughout. Illustrative product benchmarks distinguish public evidence from proprietary information and commercial availability from demonstrated clinical benefit. The framework is an evidence-informed decision aid that requires prospective evaluation; it is neither a validated readiness score nor a substitute for application-specific regulatory requirements.

Abstract: Fish scales are a calcium-rich biogenic waste source for hydroxyapatite (HAp), but the influence of processing route on material characteristics and calcium-release behaviour remains insufficiently understood. This study compared fish-scale-derived HAp produced by calcination and wet-chemical processing. Pretreated fish scales were processed by calcination at 1200°C (cnHAp) or acid-assisted ultrasonic extraction followed by alkaline precipitation (wnHAp). The materials were characterised using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy–energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. Calcium concentrations were measured by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry at 0, 24 and 72 h and analysed using two-way mixed-design repeated-measures analysis of variance. Both materials exhibited characteristic HAp functional groups and diffraction features but differed in crystallographic ordering and morphology. cnHAp showed greater crystallographic ordering and a smaller mean particle size (42.41 ± 2.00 nm) than wnHAp (181.09 ± 3.64 nm), with Ca/P atomic ratios of 1.87 and 1.57, respectively. Calcium concentration differed significantly by processing group, time and their interaction (all p < .001), with cnHAp consistently showing higher concentrations. Processing route substantially influenced the physicochemical characteristics and temporal calcium-release behaviour of fish-scale-derived HAp.

Abstract: Triple-ion substitution and femtosecond laser surface microstructuring are promising strategies for tailoring the physicochemical and biological properties of β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) ceramics for bone tissue engineering. In this study, Mg (8-9mol%)-, Zn (3 mol%)-, and Sr(1 or 5 mol%) -substituted β-TCP ceramics were synthesized by a biomimetic precipitation route followed by calcination. The ceramic tablets were subsequently surface-textured using a femtosecond laser to generate hierarchical microstructures with different scanning geometries. The phase composition and surface characteristics were investigated by chemical analysis, powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, optical profilometry, and water contact angle measurements. Cytocompatibility was evaluated using HaCaT keratinocytes, while the antibacterial response was assessed against Escherichia coli K12 by colony-forming unit counting and scanning electron microscopy. The laser-textured surfaces exhibited modified roughness and substantially improved wettability compared with the untreated controls. The 45° intersecting-line pattern produced the highest surface roughness, particularly for the 5 mol% Sr composition, while the laser-treated Sr5 surfaces were immediately wetted by water, indicating highly hydrophilic behavior. Laser texturing also reduced bacterial adhesion and viable bacterial counts compared with the untreated controls, with the lowest bacterial counts observed for the surfaces patterned with parallel laser lines. At the same time, the laser-treated ceramics maintained their cytocompatibility, with no increase in cell death or adverse morphological changes observed in HaCaT keratinocytes after 24 and 48 h of direct contact. Overall, the combination of Mg, Zn, and Sr substitution with femtosecond laser surface texturing effectively tailored the surface morphology, roughness, wettability, and biological response of β-TCP ceramics.

Abstract: Biopolymer-based sponges incorporating chlorhexidine (CHX) and CaCl₂ were developed as potential topical biomaterials for post-dental extraction wound management. Carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and Chitosan (CHS) sponges containing hyaluronic acid (HA), glycerol (G), chlorhexidine (CHX) and calcium chloride (CaCl₂, Ca²⁺) were characterized in terms of their physicochemical properties, hemocompatibility, cytotoxicity, neutrophil activation and microbial growth control. The CHX-loaded sponges exhibited no detectable hemolysis (0%), compared with 22.67% for the control formulation, and markedly reduced neutrophil activation, as indicated by CD11b and CD69 expression. Although no significant growth inhibition was observed, the sponges prevented abnormal microbial proliferation, maintaining a stable microbial population. Collectively, these findings highlight the potential of CHX-loaded biopolymer sponges as hemocompatible topical biomaterials for post-extraction wound management alveolar tissue repair.

Abstract: Fish scales are the only common fish-processing residue that supplies both a structurally organised Type I collagen matrix and an apatitic calcium phosphate phase from the same material, and they are discarded in large quantities by producer economies with substantial inland fisheries. This review evaluates what the published literature actually supports regarding the conversion of that residue into regenerative biomaterials, with particular attention to ocular applications. The hierarchical organisation of the scale is examined as the property that both motivates and constrains recovery: because the mineral is distributed through the collagen network rather than layered separately, the separation chemistry chosen for one fraction determines what remains recoverable of the other. Acid-assisted, enzyme-assisted and alternative-solvent extraction routes are compared with respect to product integrity, reagent burden and effluent load, and the lower denaturation temperature of fish collagen is treated as an application-specific characteristic rather than a general advantage or defect. Analytical approaches are reviewed across the conventional toolbox and the terahertz (T-ray) frequency range; illustrative T-ray imaging and spectra of a rohu (Labeo rohita) scale are presented to indicate the class of information the method yields, together with an explicit account of what such measurements cannot establish. The ocular literature is assessed in detail: decellularised fish-scale collagen matrices have progressed through in vitro cytocompatibility, rodent, rabbit and porcine implantation, but no controlled human clinical trial has been reported. A distinction that is frequently blurred is made explicit — fish-scale collagen is a structural biomaterial for the anterior segment, whereas teleost retinal regeneration is a conceptual model of endogenous repair involving no fish-derived implant. Translation is constrained less by extraction chemistry than by feedstock logistics, effluent management, standardised characterisation and regulatory infrastructure, and most published work terminates at laboratory-scale characterisation. For producer economies such as Bangladesh, the realistic near-term entry point is characterised intermediate materials rather than finished medical devices.

Abstract:

Freeze-dried porous (0.05-0.06 g/cm³) composite materials were prepared from homogeneous molding compositions containing distilled water (95 wt. %), fine inorganic powders of calcium salts (2.5 wt. %) and sodium alginate (2.5 wt. %). Aqueous solution of calcium chloride (CaCl₂) and aqueous mixed-anionic solution prepared by mixing solutions of (NH₄)₂CO₃ and (NH₄)₂H₂P₂O₇ taken in different proportions were used for syntheses of fine inorganic powders. Molar ratios (NH₄)₂Н₂P₂O₇)/((NH₄)₂CO₃+(NH₄)₂Н₂P₂O₇) of salts used for mixed-anionic solutions preparation were established as 0 (reference powder), 0.02, 0.04, 0.08 and 0.16. Quantities of aqueous solutions of calcium chloride (CaCl₂) was taken to provide molar ratio CaCl₂/((NH₄)₂CO₃+(NH₄)₂Н₂P₂O₇) equal 1.00 (reference powder), 1.02, 1.04, 1.08 and 1.16. Phase composition of synthesized inorganic powders included calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) (mostly vaterite) and quasi-amorphous phase of hydrated calcium pyrophosphate (Ca₂P₂O₇ xH₂O). All synthesized powders contained adsorbed and occluded salts presented in the mother liquor after synthesis completed before separation of precipitate. Mother liquors were aqueous solutions of ammonium chloride (NH₄Cl) (all syntheses) and calcium chloride (CaCl₂) (syntheses from mixed-anionic solutions). As components of inorganic powders used as fillers in composite materials ammonium chloride (NH₄Cl) and calcium chloride (CaCl₂) provoked a partial cross-linking of sodium alginate in the stages of preparation of molding compositions, composite sample molding, freezing and freeze drying. All freeze-dried porous composite materials demonstrated high water absorption capacity 4700-9300%. The most pronounced cross-linked effect was observed for alginate matrixes loaded with powders synthesized at molar ratio CaCl₂/((NH₄)₂CO₃+(NH₄)₂Н₂P₂O₇) equal 1.04 and 1.08 demonstrating lowest water absorption and dry mass-loss after dipping in distilled water for 12 hours. Prepared freeze-dried porous composite materials with alginate matrix and calcium carbonate and/or hydrated calcium pyrophosphate powders as a filler can be recommended for subsequent testing as extracellular matrix for soft/hard tissue repair, as wound dressings or bone defects fillers.

Abstract: Hydrogel-forming microneedle design requires simultaneous consideration of material swelling and microstructure geometry. This study proposes a model-assisted frame-work for preselecting commercial microneedle templates for a hyaluronic acid (HA)–poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) semi-interpenetrating polymer network (semi-IPN) hydrogel with experimentally determined swelling kinetics. The gravimet-ric swelling ratio (Q) increased from 0.1785 at 1 h to 0.3485, 0.6734, and 0.8473 g/g at 12, 24, and 48 h, respectively. These data defined the material-response domain and were additionally used in an exploratory isotropic free-swelling scenario to calculate the swelling-adjusted inter-needle clearance, C(t)=P−B(1+Q)^(1/3), where P is pitch and B is needle base width. None of the 11 analyzed geometries reached the theoretical contact condition C≤0 at 48 h; the smallest clearance was obtained for template 934593 (193.2 µm). Geometry preselection therefore combined local crowding, needle number, and aspect ratio rather than relying solely on principal component analysis. Controlled template contrasts were identified to independently examine height/slenderness, nee-dle number, and pitch. The proposed framework integrates experimentally measured swelling with geometry-based screening to reduce the initial experimental design space while retaining physically informative boundary conditions for subsequent mi-croneedle fabrication and validation.

Abstract: Chitosan is an appealing matrix for low-cost separator membranes in water electrolysis, but fillers are normally screened one at a time and judged on mechanical grounds, so the way a filler simultaneously reshapes hydration and ionic transport is rarely mapped across a single consistent series. We cast seven membranes from chitosan extracted in-house from Litopenaeus vannamei shells — pristine chitosan and composites containing graphite (1 wt.%), bamboo cellulose nanocrystals (1 and 3 wt.%), graphene oxide (1 and 3 wt.%) and a ternary 1 wt.% NCC/1 wt.% GO formulation — and characterised all of them by proximate analysis, DSC, electrolyte uptake in 1 wt.% KOH, uniaxial tension, Shore D hardness, a five-cycle ultrasonic ageing protocol and polarisation in a purpose-built two-compartment cell. The two filler families moved hydration and transport in opposite directions. Nanocellulose raised the moisture content from 11.00% to 13.46% while lowering the conductivity of the casting dispersion by 12.5% and 23.2% at 1 and 3 wt.%; graphene oxide cut moisture to 6.42% and raised dispersion conductivity by 18.4% and 25.9%. Across the series the two quantities were inversely correlated (r = −0.761, p = 0.047). Electrolysis onset potential tracked dispersion conductivity (Spearman ρ = −0.857, p = 0.014) but showed no relationship with tensile strength (p = 0.125), so the functional gain from a filler is not predictable from the mechanical data alone. Loadings above 1 wt.% degraded every property measured, and the 3 wt.% GO membrane was the only composite to fail the ageing protocol. Filler selection for these membranes is therefore a compromise, not an optimisation.

Abstract: Stainless steel 316L remains a primary material for orthopedic implants, yet its bioinert surface often delays or prevents stable, long-term osseointegration. This study addresses this limitation by developing an energy-efficient method to synthesize nanostructured, low-crystalline zirconolite (CaZrTi2O7) coatings from natural zircon sand. Raw zircon sand from the Brahmaputra-Jamuna riverbed was physically beneficiated and decomposed via low-temperature alkali fusion at 500°C. Following hydrometallurgical purification and acid digestion in 6M HCl, soluble precursors were co-precipitated at pH 12–12.5 and calcined at 500°C to yield single-phase zirconolite nanoparticles. XRD and TEM confirmed the formation of low-crystalline (36.7%) zirconolite nanoparticles with an average size of 10.3 nm and a lattice d-spacing of 0.288 nm, corresponding to the (221) plane. While conventional solid-state synthesis of zirconolite requires temperatures exceeding 1100°C, phase stabilization was achieved at 500°C. Stable, uniform coatings were successfully deposited on SS-316L using a dip-coating slurry. The tailored low crystallinity, nanoscale topography, and trace silica synergy of the zirconolite coatings provide a highly reactive interface that enhances protein adsorption and accelerates bone-like apatite nucleation. This cost-effective synthesis and coating strategy offers a dual benefit: it valorizes local mineral resources and provides a bioactive, structurally durable surface modification to accelerate osseointegration in metallic implants.

Abstract: Diatoms—unicellular microalgae essential for global ecosystems—synthesize nanostructured siliceous frustules composed of valves and girdle bands. In recent years, these frustule components have attracted increasing attention as sustainable, eco-friendly, and cost-effective alternatives to selected artificially fabricated micro/nanostructures used in micro- and nanosystems, particularly in fields such as photonics, sensing, and microfluidics, leading to the rise of diatom nanotechnology. Yet, the fabrication of commercially viable diatom-based devices remains hindered by several bottlenecks, including challenges associated with the precise assembly and integration of frustule-derived components within sophisticated micro- and nanosystems. In this perspective, we focus on these challenges and propose automated micromanipulation as a potentially transformative approach for addressing them.

Abstract: Organ-on-chip (OoC) systems — microfluidic devices lined with living human cells that reconstitute organ-level structure and function in vitro — are, at the materials level, chemical constructs: cross-linked siloxane or hydrocarbon polymer networks, plasma-activated and silanized at defined interfaces, coated with adsorbed or covalently immobilized extracellular-matrix proteins, and in continuous chemical exchange with the small-molecule drugs and metabolites they are built to study. This extensively referenced perspective takes that materials- and surface-chemistry foundation as its organizing frame. It first details the polymer network chemistry of poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) device fabrication — hydrosilylation cross-linking, epoxide-based photoresist chemistry in mold production, oxygen-plasma-driven silanol (Si–OH) generation, siloxane (Si–O–Si) covalent bonding, the thermodynamically driven hydrophobic recovery that constrains device assembly windows, and silane-coupling and carbodiimide bioconjugation chemistry used to immobilize extracellular-matrix proteins at defined interfaces. It then addresses, in quantitative chemical terms, the single limitation most consequential to pharmaceutical use of these devices: PDMS's bulk absorption of lipophilic small molecules, contrasted against surface-adsorption-dominated, more chemically inert alternatives such as cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) and styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene (SEBS) elastomers, drawing on partition-coefficient data spanning logP values from below zero to above five. Building on this materials-chemistry foundation, the article reviews organ-specific pharmaceutical evidence across the systems most developed for drug testing — liver (drug-induced liver injury, DILI), kidney (drug-induced kidney injury, DIKI, and transporter-mediated clearance), heart (torsadogenic and structural cardiotoxicity), blood-brain barrier (CNS drug permeability), gut (absorption and peristalsis-dependent differentiation), and immune-competent chips (cytokine release syndrome and immuno-oncology) — before detailing the regulatory landscape on both sides of the Atlantic, market trajectory, the organoid-versus-chip comparison, and the technical and institutional barriers, including chemistry-rooted ones, that continue to separate OoC technology from routine pharmaceutical use. As of mid-2026, no organ-chip has achieved full FDA qualification, though several sponsors have submitted chip-derived data directly within individual investigational new drug (IND) applications, and one hepatotoxicity chip has cleared the first of three ISTAND qualification stages. This article argues that organ-chip material and surface chemistry is not a peripheral fabrication detail but a first-order determinant of whether a given platform's pharmacological data can be trusted, and that organ chips are best understood today not as animal-testing replacements but as a maturing, chemistry-constrained, regulator-engaged evidentiary category whose near-term value is organ-system-specific and accrues fastest where substrate chemistry has been matched to the physicochemical properties of the compound class under study.

Abstract: Background/Objectives: Poly(xylitol sebacate) (PXS) is a biodegradable, biocompatible hyperbranched polyester capable of self-assembling into nanoparticles for hydrophobic drug delivery. Building on our prior physicochemical characterization of PXS nanoparticles, this study evaluated whether curcumin-loaded PXS nanoparticles (LNP) can deliver curcumin to colorectal cancer (CRC) cells and enhance its anticancer activity relative to free curcumin. Methods: Unloaded (UNP) and curcumin-loaded PXS nanoparticles were fabricated by nanoprecipitation and characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Four CRC cell lines (HCT116, HT29, SW480, SW620) were treated with free curcumin, UNP, or LNP at an equivalent curcumin concentration of 20 μg/mL for 48 h; viability was measured by CellTiter-Blue® assay, and cell morphology and curcumin cellular association were assessed by phase-contrast and fluorescence microscopy. Results: Nanoparticles fell within the target 100–200 nm range (LNP: 171.04 nm; UNP: 212.40 nm at 24 h) and remained colloidally stable for 48 h (159–203 nm). SEM confirmed spherical morphology for both formulations, and UNP were not cytotoxic at 20 μg/mL. LNP produced substantially greater viability reduction than free curcumin across all lines: SW480 and SW620 decreased to ~30% viability (~70% reduction), HT29 to ~60% (~40% reduction, despite minimal response to free curcumin), and HCT116, the most resistant line, to ~70% (~30% reduction). Fluorescence imaging suggested closer cellular association of LNP-delivered curcumin, although the signal was modest and not quantified. Conclusions: PXS nanoparticles are an effective, biodegradable carrier that enhances the cellular delivery and anticancer activity of curcumin in CRC cells, supporting further development of this hyperbranched polyester platform for cancer drug delivery.

Abstract: Background/Objectives: Cancer therapy remains limited by poor tumor selectivity, systemic toxicity, biological barriers to drug transport, rapid clearance, treatment resistance, and postoperative recurrence. Functional biomaterials offer engineered systems to address these limitations through targeted, localized, controlled, and stimuli-responsive drug delivery. However, existing reviews commonly classify these systems according to carrier type, therapeutic agent, or cancer application, with less emphasis on how biomaterial structure and physicochemical properties determine therapeutic performance. This review addresses this gap using a structure-property-performance (SPP) framework for the rational engineering of functional biomaterials for targeted and localized cancer drug delivery. Methods: The review critically examines particle size and morphology, surface chemistry and charge, targeting functionalization, stimulus responsiveness, porosity and internal architecture, mechanical stability, and degradation, and relates these design parameters to drug loading and release, systemic transport, tumor accumulation and penetration, cellular uptake, and local retention. The review further evaluates these relationships across cancer-specific biomaterial applications. Results: The reviewed evidence shows that biomaterial properties are strongly interdependent and often involve competing requirements, so optimizing one property can improve one aspect of therapeutic performance while limiting another. Cancer-specific applications in breast, brain, colorectal, pancreatic, melanoma, ovarian, bladder, and bone cancers further demonstrate that effective biomaterial design must be matched to disease-specific biological and anatomical barriers. Conclusions: The SPP framework provides a design approach for moving functional biomaterials from empirical formulation toward integrated, application-specific design. Future development is expected to increasingly incorporate AI-guided and personalized design, image-guided delivery, multi-responsive functionality, and integration of cancer therapy with tissue regeneration to advance more precise and clinically translatable cancer treatments.

Abstract: Magnesium has been of interest to researchers as a potential biodegradable alternative to metal orthopedic implants due to its biocompatibility and mechanical properties similar to those of bone. However, magnesium implants corrode more quickly than would be beneficial. This study focused on the influence of calcium modification on the microstructure, mechanical and electrochemical degradation (in simulated body fluids at 25°C and 40°C) of selected Mg-Zn alloys. Four alloys, Mg1Zn, Mg2Zn, Mg1Ca1Zn and Mg1Ca2Zn, were fabricated by levitation induction melting under argon atmosphere. Microstructural characterization was performed using optical microscopy and SEM/EDS analysis, mechanical behavior was evaluated by microhardness testing and Gaussian mixture modeling while corrosion performance was assessed in Ringer lactate solution. The results indicated that calcium addition modified the microstructural morphology. Moderate Ca addition modified the distribution of secondary phases and altered the local mechanical response of the Mg matrix. Among the investigated composition, Mg1Ca1Zn exhibited the best balance between microstructural characteristic, mechanical properties and corrosion resistance These results provide key criteria for the development of future resorbable orthopedic implants that improve patients’ quality of life.

Abstract: The deep-sea harbors an exceptional proportion of the ocean’s unexplored biological and chemical diversity, while the extreme conditions of hydrothermal vent ecosystems have imposed selective pressures that have driven the evolution of biochemical and structural adaptations with no clear counterpart among shallow-water organisms. This review focuses on one such organism, the vent mussel Bathymodiolus azoricus, dominant across Mid-Atlantic Ridge hydrothermal fields, as a source of biomedically relevant molecules that goes beyond its well-known role as a physiological adaptation model organism. We address this potential through two complementary lines of evidence, one rooted in immunology and the other in biomaterials research, which have largely been treated as separate fields in the literature but which we argue form part of a unified narrative. First, we review Bathymodiolus azoricus as a model organism for the study of innate immunity, focusing on its hemocyte biology, phagocytic and signaling responses, and the transcriptional interplay between host immune genes and its chemosynthetic endosymbionts. Although this body of work, conducted predominantly by Bettencourt and colleagues over the past fifteen years, has significantly advanced our understanding of host-symbiont interactions in hydrothermal vent mussels, it has only rarely been connected to the biomaterials literature on the same species. Second, we examine the byssal adhesive proteins secreted by the mussel foot, which are rich in the catecholic amino acid DOPA, as templates for the development of medical bioadhesives. Particular attention is given to the possibility that the metal-rich hydrothermal vent environment has selected for Fe³⁺-binding chemistries with higher affinity than those found in shallow-water mytilids. This constitutes a testable B. azoricus-specific hypothesis, rather than a generic restatement of established principles of mussel adhesion biology. We further extend this discussion to shell-derived biomaterials, focusing on nacre and calcium carbonate biomineralization as potential precursors for calcium phosphate-based bone-graft materials. We also highlight mussel byssal collagen, a structurally important yet underexploited protein whose biomedical potential has only recently begun to attract attention. Collectively, these observations suggest that the vent-adapted physiology of B. azoricus not only supports its value as a model system for extremophile biology but also identifies it as a promising and underutilized source of structural biomaterials and immune-active molecules. Testing this hypothesis will require addressing several outstanding experimental challenges, including recombinant production of foot-derived adhesive proteins, completion of the species’ immune-gene catalogue, and systematic structural and functional comparisons with shallow-water relatives.

Abstract: Ti35NbxSn alloys produced via Electrical Resistance Sintering were evaluated for their potential in biomedical applications, particularly dental implants. The study focused on the effects of Sn content and sintering current on electrochemical properties and tribocorrosion behaviour. Testing in Hartmann-Ringer solution and sulfuric acid showed that alloys with 6 wt.% Sn sintered at 11 kA offered the best performance, demonstrating superior corrosion resistance, minimal wear rates, and stable microhardness. Sn significantly enhanced the stability of passive oxide films, aiding in repassivation during slide. Ion release remained below acceptable levels, indicating biocompatibility.