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Non-viral gene carriers have shown noticeable potential in gene delivery because of limited side effects, biocompatibility, simplicity, and the ability to take advantage of electrostatic interactions. However, the low transfection rate of non-viral vectors under physiological conditions is controversial. This study aimed to decrease the transfection time using a static magnetic field. We used self-assembled cationic polysaccharides based on dextran-stearic acid-spermine (DSASP) conjugates associated with Fe3 O4 superparamagnetic nanoparticles to investigate their potential as gene carriers to promote the target delivery. Our findings illustrate that the magnetic nanoparticles are spherical with a positive surface charge and exhibit superparamagnetic behavior. The DSASP-pDNA/Fe3 O4 complexes offered a strong pDNA condensation, protection against DNase degradation, and significant cell viability in HEK 293T cells. Our results demonstrated that although conjugation of stearic acid could play a role in transfection efficiency, DSASP magnetic carriers with more spermine derivatives showed better affinity between the amphiphilic polymer and the negatively charged cell membrane.

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Today's consumer electronics are made from nonrenewable and toxic components. They are also rigid, bulky, and manufactured in an energy-inefficient manner via CO2-generating routes. Though petroleum-based polymers such as polyethylene terephthalate and polyethylene naphthalate can address the rigidity issue, they have a large carbon footprint and generate harmful waste. Scalable routes for manufacturing electronics that are both flexible and ecofriendly (Fleco) could address the challenges in the field. Ideally, such substrates must incorporate into electronics without compromising device performance. In this work, we demonstrate that a new type of wood-based [nanocellulose (NC)] material made via nanosilicate (NS) reinforcement can yield flexible electronics that can bend and roll without loss of electrical function. Specifically, the NSs interact electrostatically with NC to reinforce thermal and mechanical properties. For instance, films containing 34 wt % of NS displayed an increased young's modulus (1.5 times), thermal stability (290 → 310 °C), and a low coefficient of thermal expansion (40 ppm/K). These films can also easily be separated and renewed into new devices through simple and low-energy processes. Moreover, we used very cheap and environmentally friendly NC from American Value Added Pulping (AVAP) technology, American Process, and therefore, the manufacturing cost of our NS-reinforced NC paper is much cheaper ($0.016 per dm-2) than that of conventional NC-based substrates. Looking forward, the methodology highlighted herein is highly attractive as it can unlock the secrets of Fleco electronics and transform otherwise bulky, rigid, and "difficult-to-process" rigid circuits into more aesthetic and flexible ones while simultaneously bringing relief to an already-overburdened ecosystem.

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Nanocarrier-based drug delivery systems have been explored extensively in cancer therapy. Among the vast number of different nanocarrier systems applied to deliver chemotherapeutics to cancer tumor, intelligent systems which deliver drug to various sites in the body have attracted considerable attentions. Finding a specific stimulant that triggers the carrier to release its payload in the target tissue is a key parameter for efficacy of delivery systems. Acidic pH of cancer tumor helps a pH-sensitive carrier to release drug at the tumor site. In this study, a pH-sensitive mixed micellar system was developed using Dextran-Stearic Acid (Dex-SA) and Dextran-Histidine (Dex-His) conjugated polymers to deliver doxorubicin (DOX) to cancer cells. Drug release from this micellar system showed higher release rate at acidic pH than that of in neutral environment, where the release was 56 and 76% at pH 7.4 and acidic pH, respectively. Finally, the in vitro cytotoxicity and cell uptake of DOX-loaded micelles and free DOX on U87 MG cell line showed that micellar systems had more anti-proliferation effect and uptake compared to free drug.

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Development of tissue engineering scaffolds with native-like biology and microarchitectures is a prerequisite for stem cell mediated generation of off-the-shelf-tissues. So far, the field of tissue engineering has not full-filled its grand potential of engineering such combinatorial scaffolds for engineering functional tissues. This is primarily due to the many challenges associated with finding the right microarchitectures and ECM compositions for optimal tissue regeneration. Here, we have developed a new microgel array to address this grand challenge through robotic printing of complex stem cell-laden microgel arrays. The developed microgel array platform consisted of various microgel environments that where composed of native-like cellular microarchitectures resembling vascularized and bone marrow tissue architectures. The feasibility of our array system was demonstrated through localized cell spreading and osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) into complex tissue-like structures. In summary, we have developed a tissue-like microgel array for evaluating stem cell differentiation within complex and heterogeneous cell microenvironments. We anticipate that the developed platform will be used for high-throughput identification of combinatorial and native-like scaffolds for tissue engineering of functional organs.

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