The emergence of antibiotic resistance in microbial strains is representing one of the major threats to public health worldwide, due to the decreased or total cancelling of the available antibiotics effectiveness, correlated with the slow development of novel antibiotics. Due to their excellent biodegradability and biocompatibility, the synthetic polymers could find a lot of biomedical applications, such as the development of biomaterials with optimized properties and of drug delivery systems. This review is focusing on the applications of synthetic, biodegradable polymers for the improvement of antiinfective therapeutic and prophylactic agents (i.e., antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory agents and vaccines) activity, as well as for the design of biomaterials with increased biocompatibility and resistance to microbial colonization.
Coronaviruses are large, enveloped viruses with a single-stranded RNA genome, infecting both humans and a wide range of wild and domestic animals. SARS-CoV-2, the agent of the COVID-19 pandemic, has 80% sequence homology with SARS-CoV-1 and 96–98% homology with coronaviruses isolated from bats. The spread of infection is favored by prolonged exposure to high densities of aerosols indoors. Current studies have shown that SARS-CoV-2 is much more stable than other coronaviruses and viral respiratory pathogens. The severe forms of infection are associated with several risk factors, including advanced age, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, obesity, chronic inflammatory or autoimmune disease, and other preexisting infectious diseases, all having in common the pre-existence of a pro-inflammatory condition. Consequently, it is essential to understand the relationship between the inflammatory process and the specific immune response in SARS-CoV-2 infection. In this review, we present a general characterization of the SARS-CoV-2 virus (origin, sensitivity to chemical and physical factors, multiplication cycle, genetic variability), the molecular mechanisms of COVID-19 pathology, the host immune response and discuss how the inflammatory conditions associated with different diseases could increase the risk of COVID-19. Last, but not least, we briefly review the SARS-CoV-2 diagnostics, pharmacology, and future approaches toward vaccine development.
This study aims to establish whether the use of biomaterials, particularly polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), for surgical reconstruction of the esophagus with templates, Montgomery salivary tube, after radical oncology surgery for malignant neoplasia is an optimal choice for patients’ safety and for optimal function preservation and organ rehabilitation. Structural analysis by Raman spectrometry and biomechanical properties with dynamic mechanical analysis are performed for fatigue strength and toughness, essential factors in durability of a prosthesis in the reconstruction practice of the esophagus. Nanocomposites with silicone elastomers and nanoparticles used in implantable devices and in reconstruction surgery present risks of infection and fatigue strength when required to perform a mechanical effort for long periods of time. This report takes into account the effect of silver (Ag) nanoparticles on the fatigue strength using polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) matrix, representative for silicon elastomers used in implantable devices. PDMS with 5% (wt) Ag nanoparticles of 100–150 nm during mechanical fatigue testing at shear strength loses elasticity properties after 400 loading-unloading cycles and up to 15% shear strain. The fatigue strength, toughness, maximum shear strength, as well as clinical properties are key issues in designing Montgomery salivary tube and derivates with appropriate biomechanical behavior for each patient. Prosthesis design needs to indulge both clinical outcomes as well as design methods and research in the field of biomaterials.
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