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3BIO-BioMatter Team Publications

Peer-reviewed journal articles

 


Articles dans des revues avec comité de lecture

2024

Recent Advances of Chitosan-Based Hydrogels for Skin-Wound Dressings

Guo, W., Ding, X., Zhang, H., Liu, Z., Han, Y., Wei, Q., Okoro, O., Shavandi, A., & Nie, L. (2024). Recent Advances of Chitosan-Based Hydrogels for Skin-Wound Dressings. Gels, 10(3), 175. doi:10.3390/gels10030175  

The management of wound healing represents a significant clinical challenge due to the complicated processes involved. Chitosan has remarkable properties that effectively prevent certain microorganisms from entering the body and positively influence both red blood cell aggregation and platelet adhesion and aggregation in the bloodstream, resulting in a favorable hemostatic outcome. In recent years, chitosan-based hydrogels have been widely used as wound dressings due to their biodegradability, biocompatibility, safety, non-toxicity, bioadhesiveness, and soft texture resembling the extracellular matrix. This article first summarizes an overview of the main chemical modifications of chitosan for wound dressings and then reviews the desired properties of chitosan-based hydrogel dressings. The applications of chitosan-based hydrogels in wound healing, including burn wounds, surgical wounds, infected wounds, and diabetic wounds are then discussed. Finally, future prospects for chitosan-based hydrogels as wound dressings are discussed. It is anticipated that this review will form a basis for the development of a range of chitosan-based hydrogel dressings for clinical treatment.

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/369571/3/gels.pdf

 

Rizatriptan benzoate-loaded dissolving microneedle patch for management of acute migraine therapy

Zhong, C., Zhang, X., Sun, Y., Shen, Z., Mao, Y., Liu, T., Wang, R., Nie, L., Shavandi, A., Yunusov, K., & Jiang, G. (2024). Rizatriptan benzoate-loaded dissolving microneedle patch for management of acute migraine therapy. Journal of biomaterials applications. doi:10.1177/08853282241237323  

In this study, dissolving microneedles (MNs) using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and poly (1-vinylpyrrolidone-co-vinyl acetate) (P(VP-co-VA)) as matrix materials were developed for transdermal delivery of rizatriptan benzoate (RB) for acute migraine treatment. In-vitro permeation studies were conducted to assess the feasibility of the as-fabricated dissolving MNs to release RB. Drug skin penetration were tested by Franz diffusion cells, showing an increase of the transdermal flux compared to passive diffusion due to the as-fabricated dissolving MNs having a sufficient mechanical strength to penetrate the skin and form microchannels. The pharmacological study in vivo showed that RB-loaded dissolving MNs significantly alleviated migraine-related response by up-regulating the level of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and down-regulating the levels of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and substance P (SP). In conclusion, the RB-loaded dissolving MNs have advantages of safety, convenience, and high efficacy over conventional administrations, laying a foundation for the transdermal drug delivery system treatment for acute migraine.

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/369607/3/Manuscript.pdf

 

Fabrication of lidocaine-loaded polymer dissolving microneedles for rapid and prolonged local anesthesia

Mao, Y., Zhang, X., Sun, Y., Shen, Z., Zhong, C., Nie, L., Shavandi, A., Yunusov, K., & Jiang, G. (2024). Fabrication of lidocaine-loaded polymer dissolving microneedles for rapid and prolonged local anesthesia. Biomedical Microdevices, 26(1). doi:10.1007/s10544-024-00695-1  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/369271/3/Lidocaine.pdf

 

Red blood cell membrane-coated functionalized Cu-doped metal organic framework nanoformulations as a biomimetic platform for improved chemo-/chemodynamic/photothermal synergistic therapy

Ren, L., Sun, Y., Zhang, J., Nie, L., Shavandi, A., Yunusov, K., Aharodnikau, U., Solomevich, S. O., & Jiang, G. (2024). Red blood cell membrane-coated functionalized Cu-doped metal organic framework nanoformulations as a biomimetic platform for improved chemo-/chemodynamic/photothermal synergistic therapy. International journal of pharmaceutics, 652, 123811. doi:10.1016/j.ijpharm.2024.123811  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/369270/3/Manuscript.pdf

 

Hollow-adjustable polymer microneedles for prolonged hypoglycemic effect on diabetic rats

Liu, T., Sun, Y., Zhang, W., Wang, R., Lv, X., Nie, L., Shavandi, A., Yunusov, K., & Jiang, G. (2024). Hollow-adjustable polymer microneedles for prolonged hypoglycemic effect on diabetic rats. Chemical engineering journal, 481, 148670. doi:10.1016/j.cej.2024.148670  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/369272/3/RevisedClean.pdf

 

Management of secondary effluent using novel membrane technology to recover water and magnesium ions for phosphate precipitation: An integrated pilot-scale study

Bastrzyk, A., Pacyna-Iwanicka, K., Dawiec-Liśniewska, A., Czuba, K., Janiak, K., Chrobot, P., Okoro, O., Shavandi, A., & Podstawczyk, D. (2024). Management of secondary effluent using novel membrane technology to recover water and magnesium ions for phosphate precipitation: An integrated pilot-scale study. Separation and purification technology, 338, 126440. doi:10.1016/j.seppur.2024.126440  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/369269/3/Manuscript.pdf

 

Core-shell structured microneedles with programmed drug release functions for prolonged hyperuricemia management

Wang, R., Sun, Y., Wang, H., Liu, T., Shavandi, A., Nie, L., Yunusov, K., & Jiang, G. (2024). Core-shell structured microneedles with programmed drug release functions for prolonged hyperuricemia management. Journal of materials chemistry. B. doi:10.1039/D3TB02607H  

An appropriate non-oral platform via transdermal delivery of drugs is highly recommended for the treatment of hyperuricemia. Herein, a core-shell structured microneedle array patch with programmed drug release functions was designed to regulate serum...

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/366120/3/coreshell.pdf

 

Magnetic Force Microscopy and Nanoindentation on 3D Printed Magnetic Scaffolds for Neuronal Cell Growth

Alavarse, A. C., da Silva, R. L. C. G., Ghaffari Bohlouli, P., Cornejo, D., Ulrich, H., Shavandi, A., & Petri, D. F. S. (2024). Magnetic Force Microscopy and Nanoindentation on 3D Printed Magnetic Scaffolds for Neuronal Cell Growth. ACS applied polymer materials. doi:10.1021/acsapm.3c02565  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/366711/3/15.pdf

 

Self-adhesive and self-healing hydrogel dressings based on quaternary ammonium chitosan and host-guest interacted silk fibroin

Guo, W., Gao, X., Ding, X., Ding, P., Han, Y., Guo, Q., Ma, Y., Okoro, O., Sun, Y., Jiang, G., Mirzaei, M., Shavandi, A., & Nie, L. (2024). Self-adhesive and self-healing hydrogel dressings based on quaternary ammonium chitosan and host-guest interacted silk fibroin. Colloids and surfaces. A, Physicochemical and engineering aspects, 684, 133145. doi:10.1016/j.colsurfa.2024.133145  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/367343/3/selfadhesive.pdf

 

Starch biocomposites preparation by incorporating organosolv lignins from potato crop residues

Zolfaghari, S., Soltaninejad, A., Okoro, O., Shavandi, A., Denayer, J. F., Sadeghi, M., & Karimi, K. (2024). Starch biocomposites preparation by incorporating organosolv lignins from potato crop residues. International journal of biological macromolecules, 129140. doi:10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.129140  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/367435/3/Sbiocomposite.pdf

 

Sustainable biorefinery development for valorizing all wastes from date palm agroindustry

Shokrollahi, S., Shavandi, A., Valentine Okoro, O., Denayer, J. F., & Karimi, K. (2024). Sustainable biorefinery development for valorizing all wastes from date palm agroindustry. Fuel, 358, 130291. doi:10.1016/j.fuel.2023.130291  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/367352/5/Sustainable.pdf

 

Advanced PEG-tyramine biomaterial ink for precision engineering of perfusable and flexible small-diameter vascular constructs via coaxial printing

Siminska-Stanny, J., Nicolas, L. L., Chafaï, A., Jafari, H., Hajiabbas, M., Dodi, G., Gardikiotis, I., Delporte, C., Nie, L., Podstawczyk, D., & Shavandi, A. (2024). Advanced PEG-tyramine biomaterial ink for precision engineering of perfusable and flexible small-diameter vascular constructs via coaxial printing. Bioactive Materials, 36, 168-184. doi:10.1016/j.bioactmat.2024.02.019  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/369586/3/main.pdf

 

Facile preparation of self-healing hydrogels based on chitosan and PVA with the incorporation of curcumin-loaded micelles for wound dressings

Ding, P., Ding, X., Li, J., Guo, W., Okoro, O., Mirzaei, M., Sun, Y., Jiang, G., Shavandi, A., & Nie, L. (2024). Facile preparation of self-healing hydrogels based on chitosan and PVA with the incorporation of curcumin-loaded micelles for wound dressings. Biomedical Materials (Bristol), 19(2), 025021. doi:10.1088/1748-605X/ad1df9  

Abstract The increased demand for improved strategies for wound healing has, in recent years, motivated the development of multifunctional hydrogels with favorable bio-compatibility and antibacterial properties. To this regard, the current study presented the design of a novel self-healing composite hydrogel that could perform as wound dressing for the promotion of wound healing. The composite hydrogels were composed of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), borax and chitosan functionalized with sialic acid (SA-CS) and curcumin loaded pluronic F127 micelles. The hydrogels were formed through the boronic ester bond formation between PVA, SA-CS and borax under physiological conditions and demonstrated adjustable mechanical properties, gelation kinetics and antibacterial properties. When incubating with NIH3T3 cells, the hydrogels also demonstrated good biocompatibility. These aspects offer a promising foundation for their prospective applications in developing clinical materials for wound healing.

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/369273/3/Revisedmanuscript.pdf

 

Gas Therapy: Generating, Delivery, and Biomedical Applications

Ghaffari Bohlouli, P., Jafari, H., Okoro, O., Alimoradi, H., Nie, L., Jiang, G., Kakkar, A., & Shavandi, A. (2024). Gas Therapy: Generating, Delivery, and Biomedical Applications. Small methods. doi:10.1002/smtd.202301349  

Abstract Oxygen (O 2 ), nitric oxide (NO), carbon monoxide (CO), hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S), and hydrogen (H 2 ) with direct effects, and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) with complementary effects on the condition of various diseases are known as therapeutic gases. The targeted delivery and in situ generation of these therapeutic gases with controllable release at the site of disease has attracted attention to avoid the risk of gas poisoning and improve their performance in treating various diseases such as cancer therapy, cardiovascular therapy, bone tissue engineering, and wound healing. Stimuli‐responsive gas‐generating sources and delivery systems based on biomaterials that enable on‐demand and controllable release are promising approaches for precise gas therapy. This work highlights current advances in the design and development of new approaches and systems to generate and deliver therapeutic gases at the site of disease with on‐demand release behavior. The performance of the delivered gases in various biomedical applications is then discussed.

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/369274/3/GasReview.pdf

 

2023

Mechanical investigation of solid MNs penetration into skin using finite element analysis

Liu, T., Sun, Y., Zhang, W., Wang, R., Lv, X., Nie, L., Shavandi, A., Yunusov, K., & Jiang, G. (2023). Mechanical investigation of solid MNs penetration into skin using finite element analysis. Advanced engineering materials. doi:10.1002/adem.202301532  

In the past two decades, MNs patches (MNs) as a promising platform have been extensively investigated for transdermal delivery of drug drugs, cells, and active substances and extraction of bio‐fluids. To realize painless, efficacious and safe transdermal delivery, these MNs must penetrate the skin to the appropriate depth without breaking or bending. Therefore, effective prediction of mechanical properties such as skin penetration of microneedles is crucial for the material and structural design of MNs. In this paper, a numerical simulation of the insertion process of the microneedle into various types of skin modeling is reported using the finite element method. The effective stress failure criterion has been coupled with the element deletion technique to predict the complete insertion process. The numerical results show a good agreement with the reported experimental data for the deformation and failure of the skin and the insertion force. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/366473/3/20231204.pdf

 

Red Blood Cell Membrane-Camouflaged Polydopamine and Bioactive Glass Composite Nanoformulation for Combined Chemo/Chemodynamic/Photothermal Therapy

Zhang, J., Sun, Y., Ren, L., Chen, L., Nie, L., Shavandi, A., Yunusov, K., Aharodnikau, U., Solomevich, S. O., & Jiang, G. (2023). Red Blood Cell Membrane-Camouflaged Polydopamine and Bioactive Glass Composite Nanoformulation for Combined Chemo/Chemodynamic/Photothermal Therapy. ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering. doi:10.1021/acsbiomaterials.3c01239  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/366086/3/redbloodcell.pdf

 

Fabrication and In Vitro Characterization of Polycaprolactone/Graphene Oxide/Collagen Nanofibers for Myocardial Repair

Karapehlivan, S. S., Danisik, M. N., Akdag, Z., Yildiz, E. N., Okoro, O., Nie, L., Shavandi, A., Ulag, S., Sahin, A., Dumludag, F., & Gunduz, O. (2023). Fabrication and In Vitro Characterization of Polycaprolactone/Graphene Oxide/Collagen Nanofibers for Myocardial Repair. Macromolecular materials and engineering. doi:10.1002/mame.202300189  

Abstract This study is focused on fabricating tissue‐engineered electrospun nanofibers that contain polycaprolactone (PCL), graphene oxide (GO), and collagen (COL) to get an alternative treatment for cardiac injuries. GO (1.5 wt%) is used to support the contraction‐elongation of cardiomyocytes by improving electrical stimulation. The COL (1, 3, and 5 wt%) is the main component of the myocardial extracellular matrix have led to their frequent use in cardiac tissue engineering (CTE). The scanning electron microscope (SEM) images show the homogeneous and bead‐free morphologies of the nanofibers. Adding a high amount (3% and 5%) of COL decreases the tensile strength value of 17% PCL/1.5% GO nanofiber. 3‐(4,5‐Dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐Diphenyltetrazolium Bromide (MTT) assay demonstrates that the COL addition increases cell viability compared to that in 17% PCL/1.5% GO nanofibers on the third day. The response of the nanofibers to alternating current (AC) signal is studied between the frequencies 40 and 10 5  Hz. The direct current (DC) conductivity values of the films are determined to be between 1.10 −10 and 6.10 −10 S m −1 at 25 °C. The AC conductivity values show frequency‐dependent behavior. Among the PCL/GO‐based electrospun nanofibers, 17% PCL/1.5% GO/5% COL nanofiber shows greater DC and AC conductivity than 17% PCL/1.5% GO nanofiber.

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/365761/3/Macro.pdf

 

Coaxial 4D printing of vein-inspired thermoresponsive channel hydrogel actuators

Podstawczyk, D., Nizioł, M., Sledzik, P. S., Siminska-Stanny, J., Dawiec-Liśniewska, A., & Shavandi, A. (2023). Coaxial 4D printing of vein-inspired thermoresponsive channel hydrogel actuators. Advanced functional materials.  

Although significant progress has been made in coaxial printing of vascularized tissue models, this technique has not yet been used to fabricate stimulus-responsive scaffolds capable of shape change over time. Here, we propose a new method of direct ink printing with a coaxial nozzle, coaxial 4D printing, enabling the manufacturing of thermoresponsive constructs embedded with a network of interconnected channels. In our approach, a poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm)-based thermoink is coaxially extruded into either core/sheath microfibers or microtubes. PNIPAAm renders a hydrogel temperature-sensitive and endows it with a shape-morphing property both at the micro- and macroscale. Specifically, the lumen diameter of the microtubes can be controlled by temperature by 30%. The macrostructural soft actuators can undergo programmed and reversible temperature-dependent shape changes due to the structural anisotropy of the hydrogel. The permeability tests demonstrate that the hydrogel can possess enough strength to maintain the hollow channels without breaking. In vitro tests confirm the biocompatibility of our material with EA.hy926 cells, paving the avenue for new perfusable soft robots, active implants, or vascularized tissue models. Finally, we combined microalgae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii with our hydrogels to fabricate materials having functions of both living microorganisms and stimuli-responsive polymers towards creating engineered living materials (ELMs) with a vein-like geometry.

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/365595/3/Manuscript_AFM.pdf

 

Fabrication of carboxymethyl cellulose/hyaluronic acid/polyvinylpyrrolidone composite pastes incorporation of minoxidil-loaded ferulic acid-derived lignin nanoparticles and valproic acid for treatment of androgenetic alopecia

Li, P., Sun, Y., Nie, L., Shavandi, A., Yunusov, K., Hua, Y., & Jiang, G. (2023). Fabrication of carboxymethyl cellulose/hyaluronic acid/polyvinylpyrrolidone composite pastes incorporation of minoxidil-loaded ferulic acid-derived lignin nanoparticles and valproic acid for treatment of androgenetic alopecia. International journal of biological macromolecules, 249, 126013. doi:10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.126013  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/365413/3/Manuscript.pdf

 

Liposomal oxygen-generating hydrogel for enhancing cell survival under hypoxia condition

Moghassemi, S., Dadashzadeh, A., Jafari, H., Ghaffari Bohlouli, P., Shavandi, A., & Amorim, C. A. (2023). Liposomal oxygen-generating hydrogel for enhancing cell survival under hypoxia condition. Colloids and surfaces. B, Biointerfaces, 231, 113562. doi:10.1016/j.colsurfb.2023.113562  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/365417/3/Liposomal.pdf

 

Graphene-Based Engineered Living Materials

Allahbakhsh, A., Gadegaard, N. N., Ruiz, C. M. C. M., & Shavandi, A. (2023). Graphene-Based Engineered Living Materials. Small methods., 2300930. doi:https://doi.org/10.1002/smtd.202300930  

With the rise of engineered living materials (ELMs) as innovative, sustainable and smart systems for diverse engineering and biological applications, global interest in advancing ELMs is on the rise. Graphene-based nanostructures can serve as effective tools to fabricate ELMs. By using graphene-based materials as building units and microorganisms as the designers of the end materials, next-generation ELMs can be engineered with the structural properties of graphene-based materials and the inherent properties of the microorganisms. However, some challenges need to be addressed to fully take advantage of graphene-based nanostructures for the design of next-generation ELMs. This work covers the latest advances in the fabrication and application of graphene-based ELMs. Fabrication strategies of graphene-based ELMs are first categorized, followed by a systematic investigation of the advantages and disadvantages within each category. Next, the potential applications of graphene-based ELMs are covered. Moreover, the challenges associated with fabrication of next-generation graphene-based ELMs are identified and discussed. Based on a comprehensive overview of the literature, the primary challenge limiting the integration of graphene-based nanostructures in ELMs is nanotoxicity arising from synthetic and structural parameters. Finally, we present possible design principles to potentially address these challenges.

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/363593/3/GrapheneELMs.pdf

 

Synthesis, physicochemical characteristics, cytocompatibility, and antibacterial properties of iron-doped biphasic calcium phosphate nanoparticles with incorporation of silver

Nie, L., Chang, P., Okoro, O., Ayran, M., Gunduz, O., Hu, K., Wang, T., & Shavandi, A. (2023). Synthesis, physicochemical characteristics, cytocompatibility, and antibacterial properties of iron-doped biphasic calcium phosphate nanoparticles with incorporation of silver. Biomedical Physics & Engineering Express, 9(6), 065016. doi:10.1088/2057-1976/acfcbe  

Abstract The application of biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP) in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine has been widely explored due to its extensively documented multi-functionality. The present study attempts to synthesize a new type of BCP nanoparticles, characterised with favourable cytocompatibility and antibacterial properties via modifications in their structure, functionality and assemblage, using dopants. In this regard, this study initially synthesized iron-doped BCP (FB) nanoparticles with silver subsequently incorporated into FB nanoparticles to create a nanostructured composite (FB Ag ). The FB and FB Ag nanoparticles were then characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results showed that silver was present in the FB Ag nanoparticles, with a positive correlation observed between increasing AgNO 3 concentrations and increasing shape irregularity and reduced particle size distribution. Additionally, cell culture tests revealed that both FB and FB Ag nanoparticles were compatible with bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs). The antibacterial activity of the FB Ag nanoparticles was also tested using Gram-negative E. coli and Gram-positive S. aureus , and was found to be effective against both bacteria. The inhibition rates of FB Ag nanoparticles against E. coli and S. aureus were 33.78 ± 1.69-59.03 ± 2.95%, and 68.48 ± 4.11-89.09 ± 5.35%, respectively. These findings suggest that the FB Ag nanoparticles have potential use in future biomedical applications.

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/365565/3/mp.pdf

 

Tissue adhesive hydrogel based on upcycled proteins and plant polyphenols for enhanced wound healing

Jafari, H., Ghaffari Bohlouli, P., Alishahi, M., Davani, F., Daneshi, S. S., Heidari, R., Morowvat, M. H., Niknezhad, S. V., Nie, L., Savoji, H., & Shavandi, A. (2023). Tissue adhesive hydrogel based on upcycled proteins and plant polyphenols for enhanced wound healing. Materials Today Chemistry, 33, 101722. doi:10.1016/j.mtchem.2023.101722  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/365415/3/Revised.pdf

 

Alleviating hypoxia through self-generating oxygen and hydrogen peroxide fluorinated chitosan: Insights from a kinetic study

Ghaffari-Bohlouli, P., Alimoradi, H., Freitas Siqueira Petri, D., Moghassemi, S., Amorim, C. A., Nie, L., & Shavandi, A. (2023). Alleviating hypoxia through self-generating oxygen and hydrogen peroxide fluorinated chitosan: Insights from a kinetic study. Chemical engineering journal, 473, 145072. doi:10.1016/j.cej.2023.145072  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/365414/3/MS.pdf

 

Optimizing the subcritical water valorization of insect (Hermetia illucens l.) farming waste for biodiesel production

Okoro, O., Preat, V., Karimi, K., Nie, L., Debaste, F., & Shavandi, A. (2023). Optimizing the subcritical water valorization of insect (Hermetia illucens l.) farming waste for biodiesel production. Chemical engineering research & design, 196, 413-426. doi:10.1016/j.cherd.2023.06.043  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/365412/3/MS-revised.pdf

 

Click chemistry for 3D bioprinting

Nie, L., Sun, Y., Okoro, O., Deng, Y., Jiang, G., & Shavandi, A. (2023). Click chemistry for 3D bioprinting. Materials Horizons. doi:10.1039/D3MH00516J  

Bioinks are employed in the fabrication of 3D scaffolds containing cells and macromolecules that can be applied in regenerative medicine.

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/359445/3/1.pdf

 

Optimizing phenol-modified hyaluronic acid for designing shape-maintaining biofabricated hydrogel scaffolds in soft tissue engineering

Siminska-Stanny, J., Hachemi, F. F., Dodi, G., Cojocaru, F. F., Gardikiotis, I., Podstawczyk, D., Delporte, C., Jiang, G., Nie, L., & Shavandi, A. (2023). Optimizing phenol-modified hyaluronic acid for designing shape-maintaining biofabricated hydrogel scaffolds in soft tissue engineering. International journal of biological macromolecules.  

In this study, we developed a well-printable biomaterial ink for 3D printing of shape-maintaining hydrogel scaffolds. The hydrogel base comprised tyramine-modified hyaluronic acid (HA-Tyr) and gelatin methacrylate (GelMA) and was dually cross-linked. Using the Box-Behnken design, we explored how varying the ink composition affected fiber formation and shape preservation. By adjusting the polymer ratios, we produced a stable hydrogel with varying responses, from a viscous liquid to a thick gel, and optimized 3D scaffolds that were structurally stable both during and after printing, offering precision and flexibility. Our ink exhibited shear-thinning behavior and high swelling capacity, as well as ECM-like characteristics and biocompatibility, making it an ideal candidate for soft tissues matrices with storage modulus of around 300 Pa. Animal trials and CAM assays confirmed its biocompatibility and integration with host tissue.

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/359139/3/1.pdf

 

Bioactive wound dressing based on decellularized tendon and GelMA with incorporation of PDA-loaded asiaticoside nanoparticles for scarless wound healing

Liu, S., Zhao, Y., Li, M., Nie, L., Wei, Q., Okoro, O. V., Jafari, H., Wang, S., Deng, J., Chen, J., Shavandi, A., & Fan, L. (2023). Bioactive wound dressing based on decellularized tendon and GelMA with incorporation of PDA-loaded asiaticoside nanoparticles for scarless wound healing. Chemical engineering journal, 466, 143016. doi:10.1016/j.cej.2023.143016  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/358353/3/1.pdf

 

The effect of the molecular structure of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose on the states of water, wettability, and swelling properties of cryogels prepared with and without CaO2

Chiaregato, C. G., Bernardinelli, O. D., Shavandi, A., Sabadini, E., & Petri, D. F. S. (2023). The effect of the molecular structure of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose on the states of water, wettability, and swelling properties of cryogels prepared with and without CaO2. Carbohydrate polymers, 316, 121029. doi:10.1016/j.carbpol.2023.121029  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/358678/3/4.pdf

 

In vitro electrically controlled amoxicillin release from 3D-printed chitosan/bismuth ferrite scaffolds

Baykara, D., Pilavci, E., Ulag, S., Valentine Okoro, O., Nie, L., Shavandi, A., Ceren Koyuncu, A., Bingol Ozakpinar, O., Eroglu, M., & Gunduz, O. (2023). In vitro electrically controlled amoxicillin release from 3D-printed chitosan/bismuth ferrite scaffolds. European Polymer Journal, 193, 112105. doi:10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2023.112105  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/358355/3/2.pdf

 

Solar-powered and antibacterial water purification via Cu-BTC-embedded reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite aerogels

Allahbakhsh, A., Jarrahi, Z., Farzi, G., & Shavandi, A. (2023). Solar-powered and antibacterial water purification via Cu-BTC-embedded reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite aerogels. Chemical engineering journal, 143472. doi:10.1016/j.cej.2023.143472  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/358351/3/1.pdf

 

Multifunctional nanostructures: Intelligent design to overcome biological barriers

Azizi, M., Jahanban-Esfahlan, R., Samadian, H., Hamidi, M., Seidi, K., Dolatshahi-Pirouz, A., Yazdi, A. A., Shavandi, A., Laurent, S., Be Omide Hagh, M., Kasaiyan, N., Santos, H. A., & Shahbazi, M.-A. (2023). Multifunctional nanostructures: Intelligent design to overcome biological barriers. Materials Today Bio, 100672. doi:10.1016/j.mtbio.2023.100672  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/358681/1/doi_342325.pdf

 

Waste valorization as low-cost media engineering for auxin production from the newly isolated Streptomyces rubrogriseus AW22: Model development

Alloun, W., Berkani, M., Benaissa, A., Shavandi, A., Gares, M., Danesh, C., Lakhdari, D., Ghfar, A., & Chaouche, N. K. (2023). Waste valorization as low-cost media engineering for auxin production from the newly isolated Streptomyces rubrogriseus AW22: Model development. Chemosphere, 326, 138394. doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.138394  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/357384/3/1.pdf

 

Regenerated silk fibroin and alginate composite hydrogel dressings loaded with curcumin nanoparticles for bacterial-infected wound closure

Jing, Y., Ruan, L., Jiang, G., Nie, L., Shavandi, A., Sun, Y., Xu, J., Shao, X., & Zhu, J. (2023). Regenerated silk fibroin and alginate composite hydrogel dressings loaded with curcumin nanoparticles for bacterial-infected wound closure. Biomaterials Advances, 149, 213405. doi:10.1016/j.bioadv.2023.213405  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/357309/3/2.pdf

 

Porcupine-inspired microneedles coupled with an adhesive back patching as dressing for accelerating diabetic wound healing

Liu, T., Sun, Y., Jiang, G., Zhang, W., Wang, R., Nie, L., Shavandi, A., Yunusov, K., Aharodnikau, U., & Solomevich, S. O. (2023). Porcupine-inspired microneedles coupled with an adhesive back patching as dressing for accelerating diabetic wound healing. Acta Biomaterialia, 160, 32-44. doi:10.1016/j.actbio.2023.01.059  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/357307/3/1.pdf

 

Bioceramics/Electrospun Polymeric Nanofibrous and Carbon Nanofibrous Scaffolds for Bone Tissue Engineering Applications

Dibazar, Z. E., Nie, L., Azizi, M., Nekounam, H., Hamidi, M., Shavandi, A., Izadi, Z., & Delattre, C. (2023). Bioceramics/Electrospun Polymeric Nanofibrous and Carbon Nanofibrous Scaffolds for Bone Tissue Engineering Applications. Materials, 16(7), 2799. doi:10.3390/ma16072799  

Bone tissue engineering integrates biomaterials, cells, and bioactive agents to propose sophisticated treatment options over conventional choices. Scaffolds have central roles in this scenario, and precisely designed and fabricated structures with the highest similarity to bone tissue have shown promising outcomes. On the other hand, using nanotechnology and nanomaterials as the enabling options confers fascinating properties to the scaffolds, such as precisely tailoring the physicochemical features and better interactions with cells and surrounding tissues. Among different nanomaterials, polymeric nanofibers and carbon nanofibers have attracted significant attention due to their similarity to bone extracellular matrix (ECM) and high surface-to-volume ratio. Moreover, bone ECM is a biocomposite of collagen fibers and hydroxyapatite crystals; accordingly, researchers have tried to mimic this biocomposite using the mineralization of various polymeric and carbon nanofibers and have shown that the mineralized nanofibers are promising structures to augment the bone healing process in the tissue engineering scenario. In this paper, we reviewed the bone structure, bone defects/fracture healing process, and various structures/cells/growth factors applicable to bone tissue engineering applications. Then, we highlighted the mineralized polymeric and carbon nanofibers and their fabrication methods.

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/357581/3/1.pdf

 

Maillard Reaction Crosslinked Alginate-Albumin Scaffolds for Enhanced Fenofibrate Delivery to the Retina: A Promising Strategy to Treat RPE-Related Dysfunction

Abedin Zadeh, M., Alany, R., Satarian, L., Shavandi, A., Abdullah Almousa, M., Brocchini, S., & Khoder, M. (2023). Maillard Reaction Crosslinked Alginate-Albumin Scaffolds for Enhanced Fenofibrate Delivery to the Retina: A Promising Strategy to Treat RPE-Related Dysfunction. Pharmaceutics, 15(5), 1330. doi:10.3390/pharmaceutics15051330  

There are limited treatments currently available for retinal diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Cell-based therapy holds great promise in treating these degenerative diseases. Three-dimensional (3D) polymeric scaffolds have gained attention for tissue restoration by mimicking the native extracellular matrix (ECM). The scaffolds can deliver therapeutic agents to the retina, potentially overcoming current treatment limitations and minimizing secondary complications. In the present study, 3D scaffolds made up of alginate and bovine serum albumin (BSA) containing fenofibrate (FNB) were prepared by freeze-drying technique. The incorporation of BSA enhanced the scaffold porosity due to its foamability, and the Maillard reaction increased crosslinking degree between ALG with BSA resulting in a robust scaffold with thicker pore walls with a compression modulus of 13.08 KPa suitable for retinal regeneration. Compared with ALG and ALG-BSA physical mixture scaffolds, ALG-BSA conjugated scaffolds had higher FNB loading capacity, slower release of FNB in the simulated vitreous humour and less swelling in water and buffers, and better cell viability and distribution when tested with ARPE-19 cells. These results suggest that ALG-BSA MR conjugate scaffolds may be a promising option for implantable scaffolds for drug delivery and retinal disease treatment.

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/357863/1/doi_341507.pdf

 

Carbon nanotubes as a nitric oxide nano-reservoir improved the controlled release profile in 3D printed biodegradable vascular grafts

Kabirian, F., Baatsen, P., Smet, M., Shavandi, A., Mela, P., & Heying, R. (2023). Carbon nanotubes as a nitric oxide nano-reservoir improved the controlled release profile in 3D printed biodegradable vascular grafts. Scientific Reports, 13(1). doi:10.1038/s41598-023-31619-3  

Abstract Small diameter vascular grafts (SDVGs) are associated with a high failure rate due to poor endothelialization. The incorporation of a nitric oxide (NO) releasing system improves biocompatibility by using the NO effect to promote endothelial cell (EC) migration and proliferation while preventing bacterial infection. To circumvent the instability of NO donors and to prolong NO releasing, S -nitroso- N -acetyl- d -penicillamine (SNAP) as a NO donor was loaded in multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). Successful loading was confirmed with a maximum SNAP amount of ~ 5% (w/w) by TEM, CHNS analysis and FTIR spectra. SDVGs were 3D printed from polycaprolactone (PCL) and coated with a 1:1 ratio of polyethylene glycol and PCL dopped with different concentrations of SNAP-loaded matrix and combinations of MWCNTs-OH. Coating with 10% (w/w) SNAP-matrix-10% (w/w) SNAP-MWCNT-OH showed a diminished burst release and 18 days of NO release in the range of 0.5-4 × 10 -10  mol cm −2  min −1 similar to the NO release from healthy endothelium. NO-releasing SDVGs were cytocompatible, significantly enhanced EC proliferation and migration and diminished bacterial viability. The newly developed SNAP-loaded MWCNT-OH has a great potential to develop NO releasing biomaterials with a prolonged, controlled NO release promoting in-situ endothelialization and tissue integration in vivo , even as an approach towards personalized medicine.

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/357306/1/doi_340950.pdf

 

3D high-precision melt electro written polycaprolactone modified with yeast derived peptides for wound healing

Mirzaei, M., Dodi, G., Gardikiotis, I., Pasca, S.-A., Mirdamadi, S., Subra, G., Echalier, C., Puel, C., Morent, R., Ghobeira, R., Soleymanzadeh, N., Moser, M., Goriely, S., & Shavandi, A. (2023). 3D high-precision melt electro written polycaprolactone modified with yeast derived peptides for wound healing. Biomaterials Advances, 149, 213361. doi:10.1016/j.bioadv.2023.213361  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/357308/3/Manuscript.pdf

 

Fabrication and desired properties of conductive hydrogel dressings for wound healing

Nie, L., Wei, Q., Li, J., Deng, Y., He, X., Gao, X., Mariette, X., Liu, S., Sun, Y., Jiang, G., Okoro, O. V., Shavandi, A., & Jing, S. (2023). Fabrication and desired properties of conductive hydrogel dressings for wound healing. RSC Advances, 13(13), 8502-8522. doi:10.1039/D2RA07195A  

Conductive hydrogels are recognized as promising materials for wound healing. Valuable properties of conductive hydrogels suggest the possibility of their use as an alternative wound dressing to traditional dressings such as bandages.

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/357305/1/doi_340949.pdf

 

Improved anti-inflammatory properties of xanthan gum hydrogel physically and chemically modified with yeast derived peptide

Alavarse, A. C., Mirzaei, M., Shavandi, A., & Petri, D. F. S. (2023). Improved anti-inflammatory properties of xanthan gum hydrogel physically and chemically modified with yeast derived peptide. Biomedical Materials (Bristol), 18(2), 025026. doi:10.1088/1748-605X/acbd08  

Abstract Bioactive peptides from natural resources with associated beneficial biological properties such as skin wound healing have drawn much attention. Polysaccharides with their biocompatibility, biodegradability, and ease of modification are suitable carriers for peptides delivery to the wound. In this study, a polysaccharide-peptide system was designed for potential wound healing applications. Xanthan hydrogels were modified with the yeast-derived peptide VW-9 with known biological properties via chemical conjugation using carbodiimide chemistry (XG-g-VW-9) or physically incorporation (XG-p-VW-9). Grafting VW-9 to the hydrogels increased the hydrogels' swelling degree and the release of the peptide from the hydrogels followed the Higuchi model indicating the peptide diffusion from the hydrogel matrix without hydrogel matrix dissolution. Both hydrogels were cytocompatible toward the tested fibroblast and macrophage cells. XG-p-VW-9 and XG-g-VW-9 reduce the level of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6 in cells activated with lipopolysaccharide more efficiently than free VW-9. Thus, VW-9-modified xanthan hydrogels may have the potential to be considered for skin wound healing.

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/357304/3/1.pdf

 

MSCs-laden silk Fibroin/GelMA hydrogels with incorporation of platelet-rich plasma for chondrogenic construct

Chen, D., Chang, P., Ding, P., Liu, S., Rao, Q., Okoro, O. V., Wang, L., Fan, L., Shavandi, A., & Nie, L. (2023). MSCs-laden silk Fibroin/GelMA hydrogels with incorporation of platelet-rich plasma for chondrogenic construct. Heliyon, 9(3), e14349. doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e14349  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/357303/1/doi_340947.pdf

 

Injectable, self-healing, transparent, and antibacterial hydrogels based on chitosan and dextran for wound dressings

Nie, L., Wei, Q., Sun, M., Ding, P., Wang, L., Sun, Y., Ding, X., Okoro, O., Jiang, G., & Shavandi, A. (2023). Injectable, self-healing, transparent, and antibacterial hydrogels based on chitosan and dextran for wound dressings. International journal of biological macromolecules, 123494. doi:10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.123494  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/355850/3/1-s2.0-S0141813023003860-main.pdf

 

Technoeconomic Assessment of Biopolymer Production from Crustacean Waste with the UK as a Case Study

Okoro, O., Nie, L., Gunduz, O., Ulag, S., Hamidi, M., & Shavandi, A. (2023). Technoeconomic Assessment of Biopolymer Production from Crustacean Waste with the UK as a Case Study. Sustainability, 15(3), 2280. doi:10.3390/su15032280  

Marine pollution has increased in recent decades, largely due to the proliferation of seafood processing plants and the improper disposal of their associated waste streams. The waste streams consist mainly of shells that are composed of chitin, which is the most abundant aminopolysaccharide biopolymer in nature. Recognizing the value of chitin, the potential for the valorization of crustacean waste for chitin production was explored. In this regard, biogenic crab waste was subjected to chemical-only, enzymatic-chemical, and microbial treatments for chitin production. The results were employed as inputs for process simulation as a precursor to undertaking performance assessments. This study subsequently showed that the net present values (NPVs) of the chemical-only, enzyme-chemical, and microbial chitin production pathways were GBP 118.63 million, GBP 115.67 million, and GBP 132.34 million, respectively, indicating that the microbial chitin production pathway constituted the most appropriate technology for future investment. Employing a cost-benefit (CB) analysis, the CB ratios for the chemical-only, enzymatic-chemical, and microbial approaches were determined to be 7.31, 0.45, and 0.23, respectively. These results reinforced the dominant status of the microbial approach for chitin production from crab waste as the preferred valorization strategy. This study was able to provide information regarding the implications of executing alternative scenarios for crustacean waste.

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/355798/1/doi_339442.pdf

 

Fabrication, characterization and biological properties evaluation of bioactive scaffold based on mineralized carbon nanofibers

Azizi, M., Shavandi, A., Hamidi, M., Gholizadeh, S., Mohammadpour, M., Salami, M. S., & Samadian, H. (2023). Fabrication, characterization and biological properties evaluation of bioactive scaffold based on mineralized carbon nanofibers. Journal of biomolecular structure & dynamics, 1-8. doi:10.1080/07391102.2023.2166117  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/355141/3/Manuscript.pdf

 

Reinforced conductive polyester based on itaconic acids, glycerol and polypyrrole with potential for electroconductive tissue restoration

Ghaffari Bohlouli, P., Golbaten-Mofrad, H., Najmoddin, N., Goodarzi, V., Shavandi, A., & Chen, W.-H. (2023). Reinforced conductive polyester based on itaconic acids, glycerol and polypyrrole with potential for electroconductive tissue restoration. Synthetic metals, 293, 117238. doi:10.1016/j.synthmet.2022.117238  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/353967/3/revision.pdf

 

Printable hyaluronic acid hydrogel functionalized with yeast-derived peptide for skin wound healing

Ghaffari Bohlouli, P., Siminska-Stanny, J., Jafari, H., Mirzaei, M., Nie, L., Delporte, C., & Shavandi, A. (2023). Printable hyaluronic acid hydrogel functionalized with yeast-derived peptide for skin wound healing. International journal of biological macromolecules, 232, 123348.  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/355318/3/IJBM.pdf

 

“Fabrication of bioactive polyphenolic biomaterials for bone tissue engineering”

Hobbi, P., Okoro, O., Nie, L., & Shavandi, A. (2023). “Fabrication of bioactive polyphenolic biomaterials for bone tissue engineering”. Materials Today Sustainability, 24, 100541. doi:10.1016/j.mtsust.2023.100541  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/365418/3/Review.pdf

 

Transdermal delivery of allopurinol on acute hyperuricemic mice via polymer microneedles for regulation of serum uric acid levels

Wang, R., Wang, H., Jiang, G., Sun, Y., Liu, T., Nie, L., Shavandi, A., Yunusov, K., Aharodnikau, U., & Solomevich, S. (2023). Transdermal delivery of allopurinol on acute hyperuricemic mice via polymer microneedles for regulation of serum uric acid levels. Biomaterials science. doi:10.1039/D2BM01836E  

Allopurinol (AP) is widely used to treat hyperuricemia which may cause severe side effects after oral administration. Alternative means for the treatment of hyperuricemia are demanded to simultaneously facilitate drug...

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/353970/3/Manuscript.pdf

 

Biorefining of corn stover for efficient production of bioethanol, biodiesel, biomethane, and value-added byproducts

Alavijeh, R. S., Shavandi, A., Okoro, O. V., Denayer, J. F., & Karimi, K. (2023). Biorefining of corn stover for efficient production of bioethanol, biodiesel, biomethane, and value-added byproducts. Energy conversion and management, 283, 116877. doi:10.1016/j.enconman.2023.116877  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/357261/3/1.pdf

 

Evaluation of two fungal exopolysaccharides as potential biomaterials for wound 2 healing applications

Hamidi, M., Okoro, O., Rashidi, K., Salami, M. S., Mirzaei Seveiri, R., Hadi, S., & Shavandi, A. (2023). Evaluation of two fungal exopolysaccharides as potential biomaterials for wound 2 healing applications. World journal of microbiology & biotechnology. doi:10.1007/s11274-022-03459-2  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/352358/3/Final.pdfhttps://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/352358/4/Manuscript.docx

 

Chemical Composition, Antioxidant Activity and Cytocompatibility of Polyphenolic Compounds Extracted from Food Industry Apple Waste: Potential in Biomedical Application

Hobbi, P., Okoro, O., Hajiabbas, M., Hamidi, M., Nie, L., Megalizzi, V., Musonge, P., Dodi, G., & Shavandi, A. (2023). Chemical Composition, Antioxidant Activity and Cytocompatibility of Polyphenolic Compounds Extracted from Food Industry Apple Waste: Potential in Biomedical Application. Molecules (Print Archive Edition), 28(2), 675. doi:10.3390/molecules28020675  

Apple pomace (AP) from the food industry is a mixture of different fractions containing bioactive polyphenolic compounds. This study provides a systematic approach toward the recovery and evaluation of the physiochemical and biological properties of polyphenolic compounds from AP. We studied subcritical water extraction (SCW) and solvent extraction with ethanol from four different AP fractions of pulp, peel, seed, core, and stem (A), peel (B), seed and core (C), and pulp and peel (D). The subcritical water method at the optimum condition resulted in total polyphenolic compounds (TPC) of 39.08 ± 1.10 mg GAE per g of AP on a dry basis compared to the ethanol extraction with TPC content of 10.78 ± 0.94 mg GAE/g db. Phloridzin, chlorogenic acid, and quercetin were the main identified polyphenolics in the AP fractions using HPLC. DPPH radical scavenging activity of fraction B and subcritical water (SW) extracts showed comparable activity to ascorbic acid while all ethanolic extracts were cytocompatible toward human fibroblast (3T3-L1) and salivary gland acinar cells (NS-SV-AC). Our results indicated that AP is a rich source of polyphenolics with the potential for biomedical applications.

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/354879/1/doi_338523.pdf

 

2022

Biosynthesis of exopolysaccharide from waste molasses using Pantoea sp. BCCS 001 GH: a kinetic and optimization study

Niknezhad, S. V., Kianpour, S., Jafarzadeh, S., Alishahi, M., Najafpour Darzi, G., Morowvat, M. H., Ghasemi, Y., & Shavandi, A. (2022). Biosynthesis of exopolysaccharide from waste molasses using Pantoea sp. BCCS 001 GH: a kinetic and optimization study. Scientific reports, 12(1), 10128. doi:10.1038/s41598-022-14417-1  

The bacterium Pantoea sp. BCCS 001 GH produces an exopolysaccharide (EPS) named Pantoan through using sugar beet molasses (SBM) as an inexpensive and widely available carbon source. This study aims to investigate the kinetics and optimization of the Pantoan biosynthesis using Pantoea sp. BCCS 001 GH in submerged culture. During kinetics studies, the logistic model and Luedeking-Piret equation are precisely fit with the obtained experimental data. The response surface methodology (RSM)-central composite design (CCD) method is applied to evaluate the effects of four factors (SBM, peptone, Na2HPO4, and Triton X-100) on the concentration of Pantoan in batch culture of Pantoea sp. BCCS 001 GH. The experimental and predicted maximum Pantoan production yields are found 9.9 ± 0.5 and 10.30 g/L, respectively, and the best prediction factor concentrations are achieved at 31.5 g/L SBM, 2.73 g/L peptone, 3 g/L Na2HPO4, and 0.32 g/L Triton X-100 after 48 h of submerged culture fermentation, at 30 °C. The functional groups and major monosaccharides (glucose and galactose) of a purified Pantoan are described and confirmed by 1HNMR and FTIR. The produced Pantoan is also characterized by thermogravimetric analysis and the rheological properties of the biopolymer are investigated. The present work guides the design and optimization of the Pantoea sp. BCCS 001 GH culture media, to be fine-tuned and applied to invaluable EPS, which can be applicable in food and biotechnology applications.

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/349563/1/doi_333207.pdf

 

Graphene oxide-reinforced alginate/gelatin hydrogel via Schiff-base bond and thiol-Michael addition for bone regeneration

Ding, P., Okoro, O., Sun, Y., Wang, L., Wei, X., Liu, S., Deng, Y., Fan, L., Jiang, G., Wang, L., Shavandi, A., & Nie, L. (2022). Graphene oxide-reinforced alginate/gelatin hydrogel via Schiff-base bond and thiol-Michael addition for bone regeneration. Materials Today Communications, 33, 104904. doi:10.1016/j.mtcomm.2022.104904  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/353971/3/Manuscript.pdf

 

Enzymatically crosslinked hydrogel based on tyramine modified gelatin and sialylated chitosan

Ding, P., Wei, Q., Tian, N., Ding, X., Wang, L., Wang, B., Okoro, O., Shavandi, A., & Nie, L. (2022). Enzymatically crosslinked hydrogel based on tyramine modified gelatin and sialylated chitosan. Biomedical Materials (Bristol), 18(1), 015006. doi:10.1088/1748-605X/ac9f90  

Abstract The enzymatically crosslinked hydrogel could replicate the cellular microenvironment for biomedical applications. In the present study, to improve the cytocompatibility of chitosan (CS), sialic acid (SA) was introduced to CS to synthesize sialylated CS (CS-SA), and the tyramine (TA) was grafted to gelatin (G) to obtain TA modified gelatin (G-TA). The successful synthesis of CS-SA and G-TA was confirmed using 1 H NMR and UV-Vis absorption spectra. The interpenetrating polymer networks G-TA/CS-SA (GC) hydrogel was then fabricated via blending G-TA and CS-SA solutions and crosslinked using horseradish peroxidase. The storage modulus (G′) of the fabricated GC hydrogels with different ratios of G-TA/CS-SA greatly varied during the formation and strain of hydrogels. With the increase of CS-SA concentration from 0% to 2%, the storage modulus of GC hydrogels was also observed to decrease from 1500 Pa to 101 Pa; the water uptake capacity of GC hydrogels increased from 1000% to 4500%. Additionally, the cell counting kit-8 and fluorescent images demonstrated the excellent cytocompatibility of GC hydrogels after culturing with NIH 3T3 cells. The obtained results indicated that the fabricated GC hydrogels might have potential in biomedical fields, such as wound dressing.

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/353969/3/Manuscript-Revised.pdf

 

Technoeconomic and Environmental Assessment of Alternative Biorefineries for Bioenergy and Polyphenolic Production from Pomace Biomass

Okoro, O., Nie, L., Podstawczyk, D., & Shavandi, A. (2022). Technoeconomic and Environmental Assessment of Alternative Biorefineries for Bioenergy and Polyphenolic Production from Pomace Biomass. Bioenergy Research. doi:10.1007/s12155-022-10530-1  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/353973/3/Tech.pdf

 

Tannic acid post-treatment of enzymatically crosslinked chitosan-alginate hydrogels for biomedical applications

Jafari, H., Ghaffari-Bohlouli, P., Podstawczyk, D., Nie, L., & Shavandi, A. (2022). Tannic acid post-treatment of enzymatically crosslinked chitosan-alginate hydrogels for biomedical applications. Carbohydrate polymers, 295, 119844. doi:10.1016/j.carbpol.2022.119844  

Enzyme-mediated crosslinked hydrogels as soft materials for biomedical applications have gained considerable attention. In this article, we studied the effect of tannic acid post-treatment on adhesiveness and physiochemical properties of an enzymatically crosslinked hydrogel based on chitosan and alginate. The hydrogels were soaked in TA solution at different pH (3, 5.5, 7.4, and 9) and concentrations (1, 10, 20, 30 TA wt%). Increasing the TA concentration to 30 TA wt% and pH (up to 7.4) increased the TA loading and TA release. TA post-treatment reduced the swelling ratio and degradation rate of the hydrogels due to the formation of hydrogen bonding between TA molecules, chitosan, and alginate chains resulted in higher crosslinking density. TA-reinforced hydrogels with 30 % TA (Gel-TA 30) exhibited significantly high adhesive strength (up to 18 kPa), storage modulus (40 kPa), and antioxidant activity (>96 %), antibacterial activity, and proliferation and viability of 3 T3-L1 fibroblast cells.

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/346919/3/CLEAN.pdf

 

New trends in biotechnological applications of photosynthetic microorganisms

Dawiec-Liśniewska, A., Podstawczyk, D., Bastrzyk, A., Czuba, K., Pacyna-Iwanicka, K., Okoro, O., & Shavandi, A. (2022). New trends in biotechnological applications of photosynthetic microorganisms. Biotechnology advances, 59, 107988. doi:10.1016/j.biotechadv.2022.107988  

As a source of several valuable products, photosynthetic microorganisms (microalgae and cyanobacteria) have many applications in biomedical, electrochemical, and urban-space fields. Microalgal and cyanobacterial (photoautotrophs) implementations have been the subject matter of several reviews, which mainly focused on exploring effective methods of their harvesting, optimal cultivation conditions, energy conversion efficiency, and new strategies for microalgal health-promoting compound recovery. This review highlights recent investigations into biomedical, urban, environmental, and electrical engineering microalgae and cyanobacteria applications over the last seven years. A brief historical outline of advances in photoautotroph-based technologies is presented prior to an exploration of the important role of these microorganisms in combating global warming and food and energy insecurity. Special attention is given to the photosynthetic oxygen production of algae and the possibility of treating hypoxia-associated diseases such as cancer or tissue injuries. Photoautotroph applications in microrobotics, drug delivery and wound healing systems, biosensors, and bioelectronics are also introduced and discussed. Finally, we present emerging fabrication techniques, such as additive manufacturing, that unleash the full potential of autotrophic, self-sufficient microorganisms at both the micro- and macroscales. This review constitutes an original contribution to photoautotroph biotechnology and is thought to be impactful in determining the future roles of microalgae and cyanobacteria in medical, electrical, or urban space applications.

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/343794/3/1-s2.0-S0734975022000842-main.pdf

 

Synthesis, surface modifications, and biomedical applications of carbon nanofibers: Electrospun vs vapor-grown carbon nanofibers

Keshavarz, S., Okoro, O., Hamidi, M., Derakhshankhah, H., Azizi, M., Mohammad Nabavi, S., Gholizadeh, S., Amini, S. M., Shavandi, A., Luque, R., & Samadian, H. (2022). Synthesis, surface modifications, and biomedical applications of carbon nanofibers: Electrospun vs vapor-grown carbon nanofibers. Coordination chemistry reviews, 472, 214770. doi:10.1016/j.ccr.2022.214770  

Engineered nanostructures are materials with promising properties, enabled by precise design and fabrication, as well as size-dependent effects. Biomedical applications of nanomaterials in disease-specific prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and recovery monitoring require precise, specific, and sophisticated approaches to yield effective and long-lasting favorable outcomes for patients. In this regard, carbon nanofibers (CNFs) have been indentified due to their interesting properties, such as good mechanical strength, high electrical conductivity, and desirable morphological features. Broadly speaking, CNFs can be categorized as vapor-grown carbon nanofibers (VGCNFs) and carbonized CNFs (e.g., electrospun CNFs), which have distinct microstructure, morphologies, and physicochemical properties. In addition to their physicochemical properties, VGCNFs and electrospun CNFs have distinct performances in biomedicine and have their own pros and cons. Indeed, several review papers in the literature have summarized and discussed the different types of CNFs and their performances in the industrial, energy, and composites areas. Crucially however, there is room for a comprehensive review paper dealing with CNFs from a biomedical point of view. The present work therefore, explored various types of CNFs, their fabrication and surface modification methods, and their applications in the different branches of biomedical engineering.

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/350501/3/Manuscript.pdf

 

Mercaptolated chitosan/methacrylate gelatin composite hydrogel for potential wound healing applications

Wu, Q., Wang, L., Ding, P., Deng, Y., Okoro, O., Shavandi, A., & Nie, L. (2022). Mercaptolated chitosan/methacrylate gelatin composite hydrogel for potential wound healing applications. Composites Communications, 35, 101344. doi:10.1016/j.coco.2022.101344  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/350738/3/Manuscript-R1-UNmarked.pdf

 

Thermochemical Liquefaction of Pomace Using Sub/Supercritical Ethanol: an Integrated Experimental and Preliminary Economic Feasibility Study

Okoro, O., Nie, L., Waeytens, J., Hamidi, M., & Shavandi, A. (2022). Thermochemical Liquefaction of Pomace Using Sub/Supercritical Ethanol: an Integrated Experimental and Preliminary Economic Feasibility Study. Bioenergy Research. doi:10.1007/s12155-022-10511-4  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/350208/1/doi_333852.pdf

 

Magnesium-doped biphasic calcium phosphate nanoparticles with incorporation of silver: Synthesis, cytotoxic and antibacterial properties

Yang, N., Wang, S., Ding, P., Sun, S., Wei, Q., Jafari, H., Wang, L., Han, Y., Okoro, O., Wang, T., Li, G., Shavandi, A., & Nie, L. (2022). Magnesium-doped biphasic calcium phosphate nanoparticles with incorporation of silver: Synthesis, cytotoxic and antibacterial properties. Materials letters, 322, 132478. doi:10.1016/j.matlet.2022.132478  

The development of new calcium phosphate nanoparticles with excellent cytocompatibility and antibacterial properties is generating substantial interest in the biomedical field. In this regard, the present study demonstrated the synthesis of magnesium-doped biphasic calcium phosphate nanoparticles containing silver (AgMgB-NPs) via the employment of the chemical wet-precipitation method. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis) methods were used to confirm the successful synthesis of AgMgB-NPs. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Raman spectra indicated that Mg2+ was doped at the Ca2+ position. The excellent cytocompatibility of AgMgB-NPs was confirmed using the cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) analysis which employed a culture of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs). Additionally, the antibacterial activity of AgMgB-NPs was evaluated using Gram-negative E. coli and Gram-positive S. aureus micro-organisms. The present study therefore developed novel calcium phosphate nanoparticles that were demonstrated to have the potential for biomedical applications.

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/345859/3/MG.pdf

 

An injectable, self-healing, 3D printable, double network co-enzymatically crosslinked hydrogel using marine poly- and oligo-saccharides for wound healing application

Jafari, H., Alimoradi, H., Delporte, C., Bernaerts, K. K., Heidari, R., Podstawczyk, D., Niknezhad, S. V., & Shavandi, A. (2022). An injectable, self-healing, 3D printable, double network co-enzymatically crosslinked hydrogel using marine poly- and oligo-saccharides for wound healing application. Applied materials today (Online), 29, 101581. doi:10.1016/j.apmt.2022.101581  

In this study, we designed dual network hydrogels with antioxidant and antibacterial activities using marine poly- and oligosaccharides with skin wound healing potential. The synergy between dual enzymatic co-crosslinking based on glucose oxidize (GOx)/horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and electrostatic interaction between positively charged chitooligosaccharides (COS) and phenolated chitosan with negatively charged phenolated alginate formed a hydrogel. The Gel-COS hydrogels exhibited toughness, self-healing, moldability, injectability, and 3D printability. Investigation of the physicochemical properties of the hydrogels exhibited a swelling ratio (< 50%) and in vitro biodegradation after 9 days. Furthermore, the hydrogels exhibited antioxidant properties and antibacterial activity against E. coli and S. aureus. The hydrogels were not cytotoxic and enhanced the migration of 3D cell encapsulated 3T3-L1 fibroblasts, blood vessel formation, as well as in vivo wound healing in a rat model. The Gel-COS hydrogel can be considered a promising skin wound dressing material.

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/346944/3/Hafez_AppliedMatToday_2022.pdf

 

The Circular Economy Paradigm: Modification of Bagasse-Derived Lignin as a Precursor to Sustainable Hydrogel Production

Akhramez, S., Fatimi, A., Okoro, O., Hajiabbas, M., Boussetta, A., Moubarik, A., Hafid, A., Khouili, M., Siminska-Stanny, J., Brigode, C., & Shavandi, A. (2022). The Circular Economy Paradigm: Modification of Bagasse-Derived Lignin as a Precursor to Sustainable Hydrogel Production. Sustainability, 14(14), 8791. doi:10.3390/su14148791  

There have been many efforts to valorise lignin to produce bio-based chemicals and advanced materials. In this study, alkaline delignification was initially employed to recover lignin from the rind, pulp, and whole bagasse fractions of Moroccan sugarcane. The lignin fractions were subsequently modified via silanization and acetylation reactions. The modified lignin and raw lignin were then characterised to assess changes in their physicochemical properties via Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), solubility and thermogravimetric assessment, with both salinization and acetylation modification shown to enhance the solubility properties of the raw lignin of both polar and non-polar solvents. Preliminary investigations into the suitability of employing the modified lignin in hydrogel preparation were also undertaken. The preliminary hydrogels were developed using heating and freeze-thawing methods, while polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and epichlorohydrin (ECH) were used as the matrix and the crosslinking agents, respectively. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), rheological analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and thermal analysis were then used to characterize the different lignin-PVA hydrogels. The study showed that the swelling behaviour of the hydrogels was mainly influenced by the nature of the lignin (i.e., modified or raw), and the morphology of the hydrogel surfaces varied depending on the preparation methods. The study showed that the hydrogel based on silanized lignin and PVA had superior mechanical performance and swelling capacity compared to the acetylated lignin-PVA and raw lignin-PVA hydrogels.

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/349687/1/doi_333331.pdf

 

Bioengineering in Salivary Gland Regeneration

Hajiabbas, M., D'Agostino, C., Siminska-Stanny, J., Tran, S. D., Shavandi, A., & Delporte, C. (2022). Bioengineering in Salivary Gland Regeneration. Journal of biomedical science, 29, 35.  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/344054/3/Hajibbas_published.pdf

 

Effects of ionic liquids and pulsed electric fields on the extraction of antioxidants from green asparagus roots

Symes, A., Shavandi, A., & Bekhit, A. E. D. A. A. (2022). Effects of ionic liquids and pulsed electric fields on the extraction of antioxidants from green asparagus roots. International journal of food science & technology. doi:10.1111/ijfs.15764  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/344013/3/PEF.pdf

 

Protein by-products: Composition, extraction, and biomedical applications

Ghaffari Bohlouli, P., Jafari, H., Taebnia, N., Abedi, A., Amirsadeghi, A., Niknezhad, S. V., Alimoradi, H., Jafarzadeh, S., Mirzaei, M., Nie, L., Zhang, J.-Y., Varma, R. S., & Shavandi, A. (2022). Protein by-products: Composition, extraction, and biomedical applications. Critical reviews in food science and nutrition, 1-46. doi:10.1080/10408398.2022.2067829  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/343799/3/BFSN2067829.pdf

 

Temperature Responsive Hydrogel for Cells Encapsulation Based on Graphene Oxide Reinforced poly(N- isopropylacrylamide)/Hydroxyethyl-Chitosan

Nie, L., Li, J., Lu, G., Wei, X., Deng, Y., Liu, S., Zhong, S., Shi, Q., Hou, R., Sun, Y., Politis, C., Fan, L., Okoro, O., & Shavandi, A. (2022). Temperature Responsive Hydrogel for Cells Encapsulation Based on Graphene Oxide Reinforced poly(N- isopropylacrylamide)/Hydroxyethyl-Chitosan. Materials Today Communications, 103697. doi:10.1016/j.mtcomm.2022.103697  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/343796/3/1-s2.0-S235249282200558X-main.pdf

 

Anionic exopolysaccharide from Cryptococcus laurentii 70766 as an alternative for alginate for biomedical hydrogels

Hamidi, M., Jafari, S. H., Siminska-Stanny, J., Okoro, O. V., Fatimi, A., & Shavandi, A. (2022). Anionic exopolysaccharide from Cryptococcus laurentii 70766 as an alternative for alginate for biomedical hydrogels. International journal of biological macromolecules. doi:10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.05.133  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/343801/3/Dif.pdf

 

Towards the circular economy — Sustainable fouling mitigation strategies in ultrafiltration of secondary effluent

Czuba, K., Pacyna-Iwanicka, K., Bastrzyk, A., Kabsch-Korbutowicz, M., Dawiec-Liśniewska, A., Chrobot, P., Shavandi, A., & Podstawczyk, D. (2022). Towards the circular economy — Sustainable fouling mitigation strategies in ultrafiltration of secondary effluent. Desalination, 532, 115731. doi:10.1016/j.desal.2022.115731  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/341757/4/1.pdf

 

A Yeast-Derived Peptide Promotes Skin Wound Healing by Stimulating Effects on Fibroblast and Immunomodulatory Activities

Mirzaei, M., Shavandi, A., Dodi, G., Gardikiotis, I., Pasca, S.-A., Mirdamadi, S., Soleymanzadeh, N., Alimoradi, H., Moser, M., & Goriely, S. (2022). A Yeast-Derived Peptide Promotes Skin Wound Healing by Stimulating Effects on Fibroblast and Immunomodulatory Activities. SSRN Electronic Journal. doi:10.2139/ssrn.4030328  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/340295/3/SSRN-id4030328.pdf

 

Natural Hydrogel-Based Bio-Inks for 3D Bioprinting in Tissue Engineering: A Review

Fatimi, A., Okoro, O., Podstawczyk, D., Siminska-Stanny, J., & Shavandi, A. (2022). Natural Hydrogel-Based Bio-Inks for 3D Bioprinting in Tissue Engineering: A Review. Gels, 8(3), 179. doi:10.3390/gels8030179  

Three-dimensional (3D) printing is well acknowledged to constitute an important technology in tissue engineering, largely due to the increasing global demand for organ replacement and tissue regeneration. In 3D bioprinting, which is a step ahead of 3D biomaterial printing, the ink employed is impregnated with cells, without compromising ink printability. This allows for immediate scaffold cellularization and generation of complex structures. The use of cell-laden inks or bio-inks provides the opportunity for enhanced cell differentiation for organ fabrication and regeneration. Recognizing the importance of such bio-inks, the current study comprehensively explores the state of the art of the utilization of bio-inks based on natural polymers (biopolymers), such as cellulose, agarose, alginate, decellularized matrix, in 3D bioprinting. Discussions regarding progress in bioprinting, techniques and approaches employed in the bioprinting of natural polymers, and limitations and prospects concerning future trends in human-scale tissue and organ fabrication are also presented.

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/341341/1/doi_324985.pdf

 

Sustainable production of low molecular weight phenolic compounds from Belgian Brewers' spent grain

Zago, E., Tillier, C., De Leener, G., Nandasiri, R., Delporte, C., Bernaerts, K. V., & Shavandi, A. (2022). Sustainable production of low molecular weight phenolic compounds from Belgian Brewers' spent grain. Bioresource Technology Reports, 17, 100964. doi:10.1016/j.biteb.2022.100964  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/338967/3/1.pdf

 

Production of Fungal Nanochitosan Using High-Pressure Water Jet System for Biomedical Applications

Ogura, K., Brasselet, C., Cabrera-Barjas, G., Hamidi, M., Shavandi, A., Dols-Lafargue, M., Sawamura, N., & Delattre, C. (2022). Production of Fungal Nanochitosan Using High-Pressure Water Jet System for Biomedical Applications. Materials, 15(4), 1375. doi:10.3390/ma15041375  

In this present work, fungal nanochitosans, with very interesting particle size distribution of 22 µm, were efficiently generated in high-yield production using a high-pressure water jet system (Star Burst System, Sugino, Japan) after 10 passes of mechanical treatment under high pressure. The specific characterization of fungal chitosan nanofibers suspensions in water revealed a high viscosity of 1450 mPa.s and an estimated transparency of 43.5% after 10 passes of fibrillation mechanical treatment. The mechanical characterization of fungal nanochitosan (NC) film are very interesting for medical applications with a Young's modulus (E), a tensile strength (TS), and elongation at break (e%) estimated at 2950 MPa, 50.5 MPa, and 5.5%, respectively. Furthermore, we exhibited that the fungal nanochitosan (NC) film presented very good long-term antioxidant effect (reached 82.4% after 96 h of contact with DPPH radical solution) and very interesting antimicrobial activity when the nanochitosan (NC) fibers are mainly activated as NC-NH3+ form at the surface of the film with 45% reduction and 75% reduction observed for S. aureus (Gram-positive) and E. coli (Gram-negative), respectively, after 6 h of treatment. These promising antimicrobial and antioxidant activities indicated the high potential of valorization toward biomedical applications.

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/340296/1/doi_323940.pdf

 

Enhanced keratin extraction from wool waste using a deep eutectic solvent

Okoro, O., Jafari, H., Hobbi, P., Nie, L., Alimoradi, H., & Shavandi, A. (2022). Enhanced keratin extraction from wool waste using a deep eutectic solvent. Chemical Papers. doi:10.1007/s11696-021-02029-4  

Abstract: In this study, the solubilization of waste coarse wool as a precursory step for the large-scale valorization of keratin was investigated using a green deep eutectic solvent (DES) based on L-cysteine and lactic acid. The investigation was undertaken via the response surface methodology and based on the Box-Behnken design for four process variables of temperature (70-110 °C), dissolution time (2-10 h), the mass of L-cysteine (0.5-2.5 g) in 20 mL of lactic acid, and wool load in the DES (0.2-0.6 g). Temperature was the most significant process variable influencing keratin yield from the waste coarse wool. The optimum keratin yield (93.77 wt.%) was obtained at the temperature of 105 °C, 8 h dissolution time, with 1.6 g L-cysteine in 20 mL of lactic acid using 0.5 g of wool. This study suggests L-cysteine and lactic acid as a green solvent with the potential to scale up keratin recovery from waste wool without significant destruction in the structure of the recovered keratin. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/339014/3/2.pdf

 

Fungal exopolysaccharides: Properties, sources, modifications, and biomedical applications

Hamidi, M., Okoro, O., Milan, P. B., Khalili, M. R., Samadian, H., Nie, L., & Shavandi, A. (2022). Fungal exopolysaccharides: Properties, sources, modifications, and biomedical applications. Carbohydrate polymers, 284, 119152. doi:10.1016/j.carbpol.2022.119152  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/339074/3/3.pdf

 

Synergistic complexation of phenol functionalized polymer induced in situ microfiber formation for 3D printing of marine-based hydrogels

Jafari, H., Delporte, C., Bernaerts, K. V., Alimoradi, H., Nie, L., Podstawczyk, D., Tam, K. C., & Shavandi, A. (2022). Synergistic complexation of phenol functionalized polymer induced in situ microfiber formation for 3D printing of marine-based hydrogels. Green chemistry, 24(6), 2409-2422. doi:10.1039/d1gc04347a  

The design of 3D printable bio-based hydrogels with enhanced mechanical properties and minimal chemical modification can open new opportunities in the field of biomedical applications. A facile and safe approach is proposed to prepare mechanically reinforced chitosan-based hydrogels via a phenolated polyelectrolyte complex (PHEC) and enzyme-mediated crosslinking. PHEC was formed between phenolated chitosan and alginate, leading to the formation of in situ phenol-functionalized microfibers that exhibited excellent 3D printability. The synergistic complexation enhanced the loss modulus (60 times), toughness, flexibility, and moldability of hydrogel as well as dynamic viscosity (20 times) of the hydrogel precursor compared to individual phenolated chitosan and alginate hydrogels. This complexation endowed the material with excellent printability without sacrificing the hydrogel's elasticity. This study proposes a strategy to design tough and 3D printable marine-based hydrogels based on the synergistic complexation of a phenolated polyelectrolyte complex and enzyme-mediated crosslinking.

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/336635/3/PEC.pdf

 

Fabrication and Characterization of Nanocomposite Hydrogel Based on Alginate/Nano-Hydroxyapatite Loaded with Linum usitatissimum Extract as a Bone Tissue Engineering Scaffold

Mohammadpour, M., Samadian, H., Moradi, N., Izadifar, Z., Eftekhari, M., Hamidi, M., Shavandi, A., Quéro, A., Petit, E., Delattre, C., & Elboutachfaiti, R. (2022). Fabrication and Characterization of Nanocomposite Hydrogel Based on Alginate/Nano-Hydroxyapatite Loaded with Linum usitatissimum Extract as a Bone Tissue Engineering Scaffold. Marine drugs, 20(1), 20. doi:10.3390/md20010020  

In the current paper, we fabricated, characterized, and applied nanocomposite hydrogel based on alginate (Alg) and nano-hydroxyapatite (nHA) loaded with phenolic purified extracts from the aerial part of Linum usitatissimum (LOH) as the bone tissue engineering scaffold. nHA was synthesized based on the wet chemical technique/precipitation reaction and incorporated into Alg hydrogel as the filler via physical cross-linking. The characterizations (SEM, DLS, and Zeta potential) revealed that the synthesized nHA possess a plate-like shape with nanometric dimensions. The fabricated nanocomposite has a porous architecture with interconnected pores. The average pore size was in the range of 100-200 µm and the porosity range of 80-90%. The LOH release measurement showed that about 90% of the loaded drug was released within 12 h followed by a sustained release over 48 h. The in vitro assessments showed that the nanocomposite possesses significant antioxidant activity promoting bone regeneration. The hemolysis induction measurement showed that the nanocomposites were hemocompatible with negligible hemolysis induction. The cell viability/proliferation confirmed the biocompatibility of the nanocomposites, which induced proliferative effects in a dose-dependent manner. This study revealed the fabricated nanocomposites are bioactive and osteoactive applicable for bone tissue engineering applications.

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/336638/3/marinedrugs-20-00020-v2.pdf

 

Tannic acid: a versatile polyphenol for design of biomedical hydrogels

Jafari, H., Ghaffari-Bohlouli, P., Niknezhad, S. V., Abedi, A., Izadifar, Z., Mohammadinejad, R., Varma, R. R., & Shavandi, A. (2022). Tannic acid: a versatile polyphenol for design of biomedical hydrogels. Journal of materials chemistry. B. doi:10.1039/d2tb01056a  

Tannic acid (TA), a natural polyphenol, is a hydrolysable amphiphilic tannin derivative of gallic acid with several galloyl groups in its structure. Tannic acid interacts with various organic, inorganic, hydrophilic, and hydrophobic materials such as proteins and polysaccharides via hydrogen bonding, electrostatic, coordinative bonding, and hydrophobic interactions. Tannic acid has been studied for various biomedical applications as a natural crosslinker with anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and anticancer activities. In this review, we focus on TA-based hydrogels for biomaterials engineering to help biomaterials scientists and engineers better realize TA's potential in the design and fabrication of novel hydrogel biomaterials. The interactions of TA with various natural or synthetic compounds are deliberated, discussing parameters that affect TA-material interactions thus providing a fundamental set of criteria for utilizing TA in hydrogels for tissue healing and regeneration. The review also discusses the merits and demerits of using TA in developing hydrogels either through direct incorporation in the hydrogel formulation or indirectly via immersing the final product in a TA solution. In general, TA is a natural bioactive molecule with diverse potential for engineering biomedical hydrogels.

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/349621/3/TAREVIEW.docx

 

Crosslinkers for polysaccharides and proteins: Synthesis conditions, mechanisms, and crosslinking efficiency, a review

Alavarse, A. C., Frachini, E. C. G., da Silva, R. L. C. G., Lima, V. H., Shavandi, A., & Petri, D. F. S. (2022). Crosslinkers for polysaccharides and proteins: Synthesis conditions, mechanisms, and crosslinking efficiency, a review. International journal of biological macromolecules. doi:10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.01.029  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/337401/3/proof.pdf

 

Three-dimensional nanoporous Cu-BTC/graphene oxide nanocomposites with engineered antibacterial properties synthesized via a one-pot solvosonication process

Allahbakhsh, A., Jarrahi, Z., Farzi, G., & Shavandi, A. (2022). Three-dimensional nanoporous Cu-BTC/graphene oxide nanocomposites with engineered antibacterial properties synthesized via a one-pot solvosonication process. Materials chemistry and physics, 277, 125502. doi:10.1016/j.matchemphys.2021.125502  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/335668/3/R1.pdf

 

Waste Apple Pomace Conversion to Acrylic Acid: Economic and Potential Environmental Impact Assessments

Okoro, O., Nie, L., Alimoradi, H., & Shavandi, A. (2022). Waste Apple Pomace Conversion to Acrylic Acid: Economic and Potential Environmental Impact Assessments. Fermentation, 8(1), 21. doi:10.3390/fermentation8010021  

The global demand for acrylic acid (AA) is increasing due to its wide range of applications. Due to this growing demand, alternative AA production strategies must be explored to avoid the exacerbation of prevailing climate and global warming issues since current AA production strategies involve fossil resources. Investigations regarding alternative strategies for AA production therefore constitute an important research interest. The present study assesses waste apple pomace (WAP) as a feedstock for sustainable AA production. To undertake this assessment, process models based on two production pathways were designed, modelled and simulated in ASPEN plus® software. The two competing production pathways investigated included a process incorporating WAP conversion to lactic acid (LA) prior to LA dehydration to generate AA (denoted as the fermentation-dehydration, i.e., FD, pathway) and another process involving WAP conversion to propylene prior to propylene oxidation to generate AA (denoted as the thermochemical-fermentation-oxidation, i.e., TFO, pathway). Economic performance and potential environmental impact of the FD and TFO pathways were assessed using the metrics of minimum selling price (MSP) and potential environmental impacts per h (PEI/h). The study showed that the FD pathway presented an improved economic performance (MSP of AA: USD 1.17 per kg) compared to the economic performance (MSP of AA: USD 1.56 per kg) of the TFO pathway. Crucially, the TFO process was determined to present an improved environmental performance (2.07 kPEI/h) compared to the environmental performance of the FD process (8.72 kPEI/h). These observations suggested that the selection of the preferred AA production pathway or process will require a tradeoff between economic and environmental performance measures via the integration of a multicriteria decision assessment in future work.

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/340431/1/doi_324075.pdf

 

Injectable hydrogels based on silk fibroin peptide grafted hydroxypropyl chitosan and oxidized microcrystalline cellulose for scarless wound healing

Liu, S., Zhao, Y., Wei, H., Nie, L., Ding, P., Sun, H., Guo, Y., Chen, T., Okoro, O., Shavandi, A., & Fan, L. (2022). Injectable hydrogels based on silk fibroin peptide grafted hydroxypropyl chitosan and oxidized microcrystalline cellulose for scarless wound healing. Colloids and surfaces. A, Physicochemical and engineering aspects, 647, 129062. doi:10.1016/j.colsurfa.2022.129062  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/343800/3/d.pdf

 

Exopolysaccharide from the yeast Papiliotrema terrestris PT22AV for skin wound healing

Hamidi, M., Okoro, O., Ianiri, G., Jafari, H., Rashidi, K., Ghasemi, S., Castoria, R., Palmieri, D., Delattre, C., Pierre, G., Mirzaei, M., Nie, L., Samadian, H., & Shavandi, A. (2022). Exopolysaccharide from the yeast Papiliotrema terrestris PT22AV for skin wound healing. Journal of Advanced Research. doi:10.1016/j.jare.2022.06.012  

Introduction: Exopolysaccharides (EPSs) are high-value functional biomaterials mainly produced by bacteria and fungi, with nutraceutical, therapeutic and industrial potentials. Objectives: This study sought to characterize and assess the biological properties of the EPS produced by the yeast Papiliotrema terrestris PT22AV. Methods: After extracting the yeast's DNA and its molecular identification, the EPS from P. terrestris PT22AV strain was extracted and its physicochemical properties (structural, morphological, monosaccharide composition and molecular weight) were characterized. The EPS's in vitro biological activities and in vivo wound healing potential were also evaluated. Results: The obtained EPS was water-soluble and revealed an average molecular weight (Mw) of 202 kDa. Mannose and glucose with 97% and 3% molar percentages, respectively, constituted the EPS. In vitro antibacterial activity analysis of the extracted EPS exhibited antibacterial activity (>80%) against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Staphylococcus epidermidis at a concentration of 2 mg/mL. The EPS showed cytocompatibility against the human fibroblast and macrophage cell lines and the animal studies showed a dose-dependent wound healing capacity of the EPS with higher wound closure at 10 mg/mL compared to negative and positive control after 14 days. Conclusion: The EPS from P. terrestris PT22AV could serve as a promising source of biocompatible macromolecules with potential for skin wound healing.

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/346824/1/doi_330468.pdf

 

2021

Kinetic modelling of the solid-liquid extraction process of polyphenolic compounds from apple pomace: influence of solvent composition and temperature

Hobbi, P., Okoro, O., Delporte, C., Alimoradi, H., Podstawczyk, D., Nie, L., Bernaerts, K. V., & Shavandi, A. (2021). Kinetic modelling of the solid-liquid extraction process of polyphenolic compounds from apple pomace: influence of solvent composition and temperature. Bioresources and Bioprocessing, 8(1). doi:10.1186/s40643-021-00465-4  

Abstract This study aims to assess kinetic modelling of the solid-liquid extraction process of total polyphenolic compounds (TPC) from apple pomace (AP). In this regard, we investigated the effects of temperature and solvent (i.e. water, ethanol, and acetone) on TPC extraction over various periods. The highest TPC yield of 11.1 ± 0.49 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g db (dry basis) was achieved with a mixture of 65% acetone-35% water (v/v) at 60 °C. The kinetics of the solvent-based TPC extraction processes were assessed via first-order and second-order kinetic models, with an associated investigation of the kinetic parameters and rate constants, saturation concentrations, and activation energies. The second-order kinetic model was sufficient to describe the extraction mechanism of TPC from AP. This study provides an understanding of the mass transfer mechanism involved in the polyphenolic compound extraction process, thus facilitating future large-scale design, optimization, and process control to valorize pomace waste. Graphical Abstract

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/335667/1/doi_319311.pdf

 

A fast method for in vitro biomineralization of PVA/alginate/biphasic calcium phosphate hydrogel

Nie, L., Li, X., Chang, P., Liu, S., Wei, Q., Guo, Q., Wu, Q., Fan, L., Okoro, O., & Shavandi, A. (2021). A fast method for in vitro biomineralization of PVA/alginate/biphasic calcium phosphate hydrogel. Materials letters., 131182. doi:10.1016/j.matlet.2021.131182  

The development of biomineralized hydrogels with excellent cytocompatibility is of great importance for tissue engineering applications. Here, porous polyvinyl alcohol/alginate/biphasic calcium phosphate (BPS) hydrogels were fabricated via chemical and physical crosslinking methods, and the BPS hydrogels were in vitro biomineralized using urease in saturated calcium-phosphorus solution. For comparison, the BPS hydrogels were also treated using simulated body fluid (SBF) and Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium with fetal bovine serum (DMEM-FBS), respectively. The physicochemical characterizations confirmed that bone-like apatite was quickly formed on the urease-biomineralized BPS hydrogels compared to the SBF and DMEM-FBS treated hydrogels. Additionally, the bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs), adhered and proliferated on the biomineralized hydrogels, were systematically analyzed using cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8). This paper demonstrated the potential urease for fast in vitro biomineralization on hydrogels to improve the cytocompatibility for bone tissue engineering applications.

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/335225/3/Manuscript_Lei_R1.pdf

 

Anisotropic PLGA microsphere/PVA hydrogel composite with aligned macroporous structures for directed cell adhesion and proliferation

Liu, S., Zhou, X., Nie, L., Wang, Y., Hu, Z., Okoro, O., Shavandi, A., & Fan, L. (2021). Anisotropic PLGA microsphere/PVA hydrogel composite with aligned macroporous structures for directed cell adhesion and proliferation. International journal of polymeric materials, 1-10. doi:10.1080/00914037.2021.2018317  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/336641/3/Manuscript_R2.pdf

 

Bioactive peptides from yeast: A comparative review on production methods, bioactivity, structure-function relationship, and stability

Mirzaei, M., Shavandi, A., Mirdamadi, S., Soleymanzadeh, N., Motahari, P., Mirdamadi, N., Moser, M., Subra, G., Alimoradi, H., & Goriely, S. (2021). Bioactive peptides from yeast: A comparative review on production methods, bioactivity, structure-function relationship, and stability. Trends in food science & technology, 118, 297-315. doi:10.1016/j.tifs.2021.10.008  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/333444/3/1.pdf

 

Iron oxide nanoparticles synthesized via green tea extract for doxorubicin delivery

Nie, L., Cai, C., Sun, M., Zhang, F., Zheng, L., Peng, Q., Shavandi, A., & Yang, S. (2021). Iron oxide nanoparticles synthesized via green tea extract for doxorubicin delivery. Current Nanoscience, 17(4), 646-657. doi:10.2174/1573413716999201029205654  

Background: Due to the limitation of conventional cancer treatment using chemotherapy, the nanoparticle therapeutics have shown enhanced efficacy with alleviating side effects. Objective: The aim of this study was to prepare the superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (T-C-SPION) for doxorubicin (DOX) loading and delivery. Methods: Here, we reported a simple green strategy to fabricate T-C-SPION using green tea extract and citric acid. Also, the anti-cancer drug, DOX, was used as a model drug to fabricate DOX-loaded nanoparticles. Results: The formed T-C-SPION nanoparticles were spherical with a diameter of 23.8 ± 0.8 nm, as confirmed by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). Besides, Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) revealed that the prepared nanoparticles were water-dispersible and stable while stored in water for 6 weeks. The CCK-8 assay showed T-C-SPION to have a good cytocompatibility using different iron concentrations (10 ~ 120 ug/mL). Furthermore, T-C-SPION had a higher DOX encapsulation efficiency (Eencaps), around 43.2 ± 1.8 %, which resulted in a lagged release profile of DOX, compared to other types of iron oxide nanoparticles using green tea or citric acid alone. Next, cell viability assay indicated that T-C-SPION with a higher Eencaps showed superior and sustained cytotoxicity compared to the control group. Conclusion: The developed iron oxide nanoparticles synthesized by green tea extract and citric acid in this paper could be considered as a potential drug carrier for cancer therapy applications.

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/333619/3/D0012N.pdf

 

4D printing of patterned multimaterial magnetic hydrogel actuators

Siminska-Stanny, J., Nizioł, M., Szymczyk-Ziółkowska, P., Brożyna, M., Junka, A., Shavandi, A., & Podstawczyk, D. (2021). 4D printing of patterned multimaterial magnetic hydrogel actuators. Additive Manufacturing, 102506. doi:10.1016/j.addma.2021.102506  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/335666/1/doi_319310.pdf

 

Fruit pomace-lignin as a sustainable biopolymer for biomedical applications

Okoro, O., Amenaghawon, A., Podstawczyk, D., Alimoradi, H., Khalili, M. R., Anwar, M., Milan, P. B., Nie, L., & Shavandi, A. (2021). Fruit pomace-lignin as a sustainable biopolymer for biomedical applications. Journal of cleaner production, 328, 129498. doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.129498  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/333445/3/2.pdf

 

A review on biomaterials for ovarian tissue engineering

Dadashzadeh, A., Moghassemi, S., Shavandi, A., & Amorim, C. A. (2021). A review on biomaterials for ovarian tissue engineering. Acta Biomaterialia. doi:10.1016/j.actbio.2021.08.026  

Considerable challenges in engineering the female reproductive tissue are the follicle's unique architecture, the need to recapitulate the extracellular matrix, and tissue vascularization. Over the years, various strategies have been developed for preserving fertility in women diagnosed with cancer, such as embryo, oocyte, or ovarian tissue cryopreservation. While autotransplantation of cryopreserved ovarian tissue is a viable choice to restore fertility in prepubertal girls and women who need to begin chemo- or radiotherapy soon after the cancer diagnosis, it is not suitable for all patients due to the risk of having malignant cells present in the ovarian fragments in some types of cancer. Advances in tissue engineering such as 3D printing and ovary-on-a-chip technologies have the potential to be a translational strategy for precisely recapitulating normal tissue in terms of physical structure, vascularization, and molecular and cellular spatial distribution. This review first introduces the ovarian tissue structure, describes suitable properties of biomaterials for ovarian tissue engineering, and highlights recent advances in tissue engineering for developing an artificial ovary. Statement of significance: The increase of survival rates in young cancer patients has been accompanied by a rise in infertility/sterility in cancer survivors caused by the gonadotoxic effect of some chemotherapy regimens or radiotherapy. Such side-effect has a negative impact on these patients' quality of life as one of their main concerns is generating biologically related children. To aid female cancer patients, several research groups have been resorting to tissue engineering strategies to develop an artificial ovary. In this review, we discuss the numerous biomaterials cited in the literature that have been tested to encapsulate and in vitro culture or transplant isolated preantral follicles from human and different animal models. We also summarize the recent advances in tissue engineering that can potentially be optimal strategies for developing an artificial ovary.

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/332238/3/Ovary.pdf

 

Hydroxyapatite in oral care products—a review

Chen, L., Al-Bayatee, S., Khurshid, Z., Shavandi, A., Brunton, P., & Ratnayake, J. T. B. (2021). Hydroxyapatite in oral care products—a review. Materials, 14(17), 4865. doi:10.3390/ma14174865  

Calcium phosphate compounds form the inorganic phases of our mineralised tissues such as bone and teeth, playing an important role in hard tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. In dentistry and oral care products, hydroxyapatite (HA) is a stable and biocompatible calcium phosphate with low solubility being used for various applications such as tooth remineralisation, reduction of tooth sensitivity, oral biofilm control, and tooth whitening. Clinical data on these products is limited with varied results; additionally, the effectiveness of these apatite compounds versus fluoride, which has conventionally been used in toothpaste, has not been established. Therefore, this review critically evaluates current research on HA oral care, and discusses the role and mechanism of HA in remineralisation of both enamel and dentine and for suppressing dentine sensitivity. Furthermore, we position HA's role in biofilm management and highlight the role of HA in dental applications by summarising the recent achievement and providing an overview of commercialised HA dental products. The review also indicates the existing limitations and provides direction for future research and commercialisation of apatite-based oral care products.

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/332365/1/doi_316009.pdf

 

Ovarian cell encapsulation in an enzymatically crosslinked silk-based hydrogel with tunable mechanical properties

Jafari, H., Dadashzadeh, A., Moghassemi, S., Zahedi, P., Amorim, C. A., & Shavandi, A. (2021). Ovarian cell encapsulation in an enzymatically crosslinked silk-based hydrogel with tunable mechanical properties. Gels, 7(3), 138. doi:10.3390/gels7030138  

An artificial ovary is a promising approach for preserving fertility in prepubertal girls and women who cannot undergo current cryopreservation strategies. However, this approach is in its infancy, due to the possible challenges of creating a suitable 3D matrix for encapsulating ovarian follicles and stromal cells. To maintain the ovarian stromal cell viability and proliferation, as a first step towards developing an artificial ovary, in this study, a double network hydrogel with a high water swelling capacity (swelling index 15-19) was developed, based on phenol conjugated chi-tosan (Cs-Ph) and silk fibroin (SF) through an enzymatic crosslinking method using horseradish peroxidase. The addition of SF (1%) to Cs (1%) decreased the storage modulus (G') from 3500 Pa (Cs1) to 1600 Pa (Cs-SF1), and the hydrogels with a rapid gelation kinetic produced a spatially ho-mogeneous distribution of ovarian cells that demonstrated 167% proliferation after 7 days. This new Cs-SF hydrogel benefits from the toughness and flexibility of SF, and phenolic chemistry could pro-vide the potential microstructure for encapsulating human ovarian stromal cells.

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/332354/1/doi_315998.pdf

 

Proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells on three-dimensional scaffolds made by thermal sintering method

Maleki, F., Jafari, H., Ghaffari-bohlouli, P., Shahrousvand, M., Sadeghi, G. M. M., Alimoradi, H., & Shavandi, A. (2021). Proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells on three-dimensional scaffolds made by thermal sintering method. Chemical Papers. doi:10.1007/s11696-021-01774-w  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/327710/3/4.pdf

 

Optimization of Exopolysaccharide (EPS) Production by Rhodotorula mucilaginosa sp. GUMS16

Okoro, O., Gholipour, A. R., Sedighi, F., Shavandi, A., & Hamidi, M. (2021). Optimization of Exopolysaccharide (EPS) Production by Rhodotorula mucilaginosa sp. GUMS16. ChemEngineering, 5(3), 39. doi:10.3390/chemengineering5030039  

Exopolysaccharides (EPSs) are important biopolymers with diverse applications such as gelling compounds in food and cosmetic industries and as bio-flocculants in pollution remediation and bioplastics production. This research focuses on enhancing crude EPS production from Rhodotorula mucilaginosa sp. GUMS16 using the central composite design method in which five levels of process variables of sucrose, pH, and ammonium sulfate were investigated with sucrose and ammonium sulfate serving as carbon and nitrogen sources during microbial incubation. The optimal crude EPS production of 13.48 g/100 mL was achieved at 1 g/100 mL of sucrose concentration, 14.73 g/100 mL of ammonium sulfate at pH 5. Variations in ammonium sulfate concentrations (1.27-14.73 g/100 mL) presented the most significant effects on the crude EPS yield, while changes in sucrose concentrations (1-5 g/100 mL) constituted the least important process variable influencing the EPS yield. The Rhodotorula mucilaginosa sp. GUMS16 may have the potential for large-scale production of EPS for food and biomedical applications.

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/328527/1/doi_312171.pdf

 

3D Printing of Thermoresponsive Hydrogel Laden with an Antimicrobial Agent towards Wound Healing Applications

Nizioł, M., Paleczny, J., Junka, A., Shavandi, A., Dawiec-Liśniewska, A., & Podstawczyk, D. (2021). 3D Printing of Thermoresponsive Hydrogel Laden with an Antimicrobial Agent towards Wound Healing Applications. Bioengineering, 8(6), 79. doi:10.3390/bioengineering8060079  

Thermoresponsive hydrogel-based wound dressings with an incorporated antimicrobial agent can be fabricated employing 3D printing technology. A novel printable ink containing poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) precursors, sodium alginate (ALG), methylcellulose (MC) that is laden with a mixture of octenidine dihydrochloride and 2-phenoxyethanol (Octenisept®, OCT) possess accurate printability and shape fidelity. This study also provides the protocol of ink's use for the 3D printing of hydrogel scaffolds. The hydrogel's physicochemical properties and drug release profiles from the hydrogel specimens to the external solution have been determined at two temperatures (20 and 37 °C). The release test showed a sustained OCT delivery into ultrapure water and the PBS solution. The temperature-responsive hydrogel exhibited antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Candida albicans, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa and demonstrated non-cytotoxicity towards fibroblasts. The thermoresponsive behavior along with biocompatibility, antimicrobial activity, and controlled drug release make this hydrogel a promising class of materials for wound dressing applications.

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/325288/1/doi_308932.pdf

 

Methylation Landscape: Targeting Writer or Eraser to Discover Anti-Cancer Drug

Shavandi, A., Zhang, J.-Y., Zhou, W.-M., Liu, B., Li, L., & Hang, S. (2021). Methylation Landscape: Targeting Writer or Eraser to Discover Anti-Cancer Drug. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 12(690057).  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/325295/4/fullhttps://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/325295/3/fphar.2021.690057

 

Imaging Constructs: The Rise of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles

Crețu, B. E.-B., Dodi, G., Shavandi, A., Gardikiotis, I., Șerban, I. L., & Balan, V. (2021). Imaging Constructs: The Rise of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles. Molecules (Print Archive Edition), 26(11), 3437. doi:10.3390/molecules26113437  

Over the last decade, an important challenge in nanomedicine imaging has been the work to design multifunctional agents that can be detected by single and/or multimodal techniques. Among the broad spectrum of nanoscale materials being investigated for imaging use, iron oxide nanoparticles have gained significant attention due to their intrinsic magnetic properties, low toxicity, large magnetic moments, superparamagnetic behaviour and large surface area—the latter being a particular advantage in its conjunction with specific moieties, dye molecules, and imaging probes. Tracers-based nanoparticles are promising candidates, since they combine synergistic advantages for non-invasive, highly sensitive, high-resolution, and quantitative imaging on different modalities. This study represents an overview of current advancements in magnetic materials with clinical potential that will hopefully provide an effective system for diagnosis in the near future. Further exploration is still needed to reveal their potential as promising candidates from simple functionalization of metal oxide nanomaterials up to medical imaging.

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/325296/1/doi_308940.pdf

 

Polyphenol rich green tea waste hydrogel for removal of copper and chromium ions from aqueous solution

Nie, L., Chang, P., Liang, S., Hu, K., Hua, D., Liu, S., Sun, J., Sun, M., Wang, T., Okoro, O., & Shavandi, A. (2021). Polyphenol rich green tea waste hydrogel for removal of copper and chromium ions from aqueous solution. Cleaner Engineering and Technology, 4, 100167. doi:10.1016/j.clet.2021.100167  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/325287/1/doi_308931.pdf

 

Valorization of Waste Apple Pomace for Production of Platform Biochemicals: A Multi-Objective Optimization Study

Okoro, O., Nie, L., Hobbi, P., & Shavandi, A. (2021). Valorization of Waste Apple Pomace for Production of Platform Biochemicals: A Multi-Objective Optimization Study. Waste and Biomass Valorization. doi:10.1007/s12649-021-01487-x  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/325289/3/2.pdf

 

Alginate modification via click chemistry for biomedical applications

Deng, Y., Shavandi, A., Okoro, O., & Nie, L. (2021). Alginate modification via click chemistry for biomedical applications. Carbohydrate polymers, 118360. doi:10.1016/j.carbpol.2021.118360  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/326062/3/20210607.pdf

 

Bone Grafts and Substitutes in Dentistry: A Review of Current Trends and Developments

Zhao, R., Yang, R., Cooper, P. R., Khurshid, Z., Shavandi, A., & Ratnayake, J. T. B. (2021). Bone Grafts and Substitutes in Dentistry: A Review of Current Trends and Developments. Molecules (Print Archive Edition), 26(10), 3007. doi:10.3390/molecules26103007  

After tooth loss, bone resorption is irreversible, leaving the area without adequate bone volume for successful implant treatment. Bone grafting is the only solution to reverse dental bone loss and is a well-accepted procedure required in one in every four dental implants. Research and development in materials, design and fabrication technologies have expanded over the years to achieve successful and long-lasting dental implants for tooth substitution. This review will critically present the various dental bone graft and substitute materials that have been used to achieve a successful dental implant. The article also reviews the properties of dental bone grafts and various dental bone substitutes that have been studied or are currently available commercially. The various classifications of bone grafts and substitutes, including natural and synthetic materials, are critically presented, and available commercial products in each category are discussed. Different bone substitute materials, including metals, ceramics, polymers, or their combinations, and their chemical, physical, and biocompatibility properties are explored. Limitations of the available materials are presented, and areas which require further research and development are highlighted. Tissue engineering hybrid constructions with enhanced bone regeneration ability, such as cell-based or growth factor-based bone substitutes, are discussed as an emerging area of development.

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/325297/1/doi_308941.pdf

 

Cover Image, Volume 138, Issue 19

Nie, L., Deng, Y., Zhang, Y., Zhou, Q., Shi, Q., Zhong, S., Sun, Y., Yang, Z., Sun, M., Politis, C., & Shavandi, A. (2021). Cover Image, Volume 138, Issue 19. Journal of applied polymer science, 138(19), 50643. doi:10.1002/app.50643  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/325290/3/app.50643.pdf

 

Development of marine oligosaccharides for potential wound healing biomaterials engineering

Jafari, H., Delporte, C., Bernaerts, K. V., De Leener, G., Luhmer, M., Nie, L., & Shavandi, A. (2021). Development of marine oligosaccharides for potential wound healing biomaterials engineering. Chemical Engineering Journal Advances, 7, 100113. doi:10.1016/j.ceja.2021.100113  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/321964/1/doi_305608.pdf

 

Osteogenesis enhancement using poly (l-lactide-co-d, l-lactide)/poly (vinyl alcohol) nanofibrous scaffolds reinforced by phospho-calcified cellulose nanowhiskers

Ghaffari-Bohlouli, P., Jafari, H., Khatibi, A., Bakhtiari, M., Tavana, B., Zahedi, P., & Shavandi, A. (2021). Osteogenesis enhancement using poly (l-lactide-co-d, l-lactide)/poly (vinyl alcohol) nanofibrous scaffolds reinforced by phospho-calcified cellulose nanowhiskers. International journal of biological macromolecules, 182, 168-178. doi:10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2021.04.029  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/322153/3/Pejmanpaper.pdf

 

Three-Dimensional Printing of Hydroxyapatite Composites for Biomedical Application

Han, Y., Wei, Q., Chang, P., Hu, K., Okoro, O., Shavandi, A., & Nie, L. (2021). Three-Dimensional Printing of Hydroxyapatite Composites for Biomedical Application. Crystals, 11(4), 353. doi:10.3390/cryst11040353  

Hydroxyapatite (HA) and HA-based nanocomposites have been recognized as ideal biomaterials in hard tissue engineering because of their compositional similarity to bioapatite. However, the traditional HA-based nanocomposites fabrication techniques still limit the utilization of HA in bone, cartilage, dental, applications, and other fields. In recent years, three-dimensional (3D) printing has been shown to provide a fast, precise, controllable, and scalable fabrication approach for the synthesis of HA-based scaffolds. This review therefore explores available 3D printing technologies for the preparation of porous HA-based nanocomposites. In the present review, different 3D printed HA-based scaffolds composited with natural polymers and/or synthetic polymers are discussed. Furthermore, the desired properties of HA-based composites via 3D printing such as porosity, mechanical properties, biodegradability, and antibacterial properties are extensively explored. Lastly, the applications and the next generation of HA-based nanocomposites for tissue engineering are discussed.

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/322155/1/doi_305799.pdf

 

Protein-Based 3D Biofabrication of Biomaterials

Mirzaei, M., Okoro, O., Nie, L., Petri, D. F. S., & Shavandi, A. (2021). Protein-Based 3D Biofabrication of Biomaterials. Bioengineering, 8(4), 48. doi:10.3390/bioengineering8040048  

Protein/peptide-based hydrogel biomaterial inks with the ability to incorporate various cells and mimic the extracellular matrix's function are promising candidates for 3D printing and biomaterials engineering. This is because proteins contain multiple functional groups as reactive sites for enzymatic, chemical modification or physical gelation or cross-linking, which is essential for the filament formation and printing processes in general. The primary mechanism in the protein gelation process is the unfolding of its native structure and its aggregation into a gel network. This network is then stabilized through both noncovalent and covalent cross-link. Diverse proteins and polypeptides can be obtained from humans, animals, or plants or can be synthetically engineered. In this review, we describe the major proteins that have been used for 3D printing, highlight their physicochemical properties in relation to 3D printing and their various tissue engineering application are discussed.

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/322154/1/doi_305798.pdf

 

An assessment of the utilization of waste apple slurry in bio-succinic acid and bioenergy production

Okoro, O., & Shavandi, A. (2021). An assessment of the utilization of waste apple slurry in bio-succinic acid and bioenergy production. International journal of environmental science and technology. doi:10.1007/s13762-021-03235-z  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/322156/3/1.pdf

 

A sustainable solvent based on lactic acid andl-cysteine for the regeneration of keratin from waste wool

Shavandi, A., Jafari, H., Zago, E., Hobbi, P., Nie, L., & De Laet, N. (2021). A sustainable solvent based on lactic acid andl-cysteine for the regeneration of keratin from waste wool. Green chemistry, 23(3), 1171-1174. doi:10.1039/d0gc04314a  

Keratin dissolution is the first step toward reusing protein-rich biomass such as waste wool, hair, and feather. This paper reports an efficient and environmentally friendly method for the complete recycling of waste wool using a mixture of lactic acid andl-cysteine as a new green deep eutectic solvent (DES) for isolation of keratin. The dissolution time for a 90% dissolubility was 3.5 hours at 95 °C where 22 mg of wool was dissolved per 1 g of the DES. Keratin was obtained after dialysis of the DES mixture followed by lyophilization. In comparison with the raw wool, the α-helix content of keratin decreased while its β content increased. The keratin isolation with the proposed DES only requires water,l-cysteine, and lactic acid and does not require conventional chemicals such as urea, sodium sulfite, and sodium hydroxide.

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/321129/3/Shavandi_Green_Chem.pdf

 

Advances in Growth Factor Delivery for Bone Tissue Engineering

Oliveira, É. R., Nie, L., Podstawczyk, D., Allahbakhsh, A., Ratnayake, J. T. B., Brasil, D. L., & Shavandi, A. (2021). Advances in Growth Factor Delivery for Bone Tissue Engineering. International Journal of Molecular Sciences (CD-ROM), 22(2), 903. doi:10.3390/ijms22020903  

Shortcomings related to the treatment of bone diseases and consequent tissue regeneration such as transplants have been addressed to some extent by tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Tissue engineering has promoted structures that can simulate the extracellular matrix and are capable of guiding natural bone repair using signaling molecules to promote osteoinduction and angiogenesis essential in the formation of new bone tissues. Although recent studies on developing novel growth factor delivery systems for bone repair have attracted great attention, taking into account the complexity of the extracellular matrix, scaffolding and growth factors should not be explored independently. Consequently, systems that combine both concepts have great potential to promote the effectiveness of bone regeneration methods. In this review, recent developments in bone regeneration that simultaneously consider scaffolding and growth factors are covered in detail. The main emphasis in this overview is on delivery strategies that employ polymer-based scaffolds for spatiotemporal-controlled delivery of both single and multiple growth factors in bone-regeneration approaches. From clinical applications to creating alternative structural materials, bone tissue engineering has been advancing constantly, and it is relevant to regularly update related topics.

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/318805/1/doi_302449.pdf

 

Vaginal Administration of Contraceptives

Jalalvandi, E., Jafari, H., Amorim, C. A., Petri, D. F. S., Nie, L., & Shavandi, A. (2021). Vaginal Administration of Contraceptives. Scientia pharmaceutica, 89(1), 3. doi:10.3390/scipharm89010003  

While contraceptive drugs have enabled many people to decide when they want to have a baby, more than 100 million unintended pregnancies each year in the world may indicate the contraceptive requirement of many people has not been well addressed yet. The vagina is a well-established and practical route for the delivery of various pharmacological molecules, including contraceptives. This review aims to present an overview of different contraceptive methods focusing on the vaginal route of delivery for contraceptives, including current developments, discussing the potentials and limitations of the modern methods, designs, and how well each method performs for delivering the contraceptives and preventing pregnancy.

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/318808/1/doi_302452.pdf

 

2020

Poly(acrylic acid) capped iron oxide nanoparticles via ligand exchange with antibacterial properties for biofilm applications

Nie, L., Chang, P., Ji, C., Zhang, F., Zhou, Q., Sun, M., Sun, Y., Politis, C., & Shavandi, A. (2020). Poly(acrylic acid) capped iron oxide nanoparticles via ligand exchange with antibacterial properties for biofilm applications. Colloids and surfaces. B, Biointerfaces, 197, 111385. doi:10.1016/j.colsurfb.2020.111385  

Biofilm infections pose a rising threat to public health due to its existing protective shield, which preventing biocide penetration. Here, the oleate-capped iron oxide nanoparticles (OIONPs) were synthesized by the high-temperature method first; after then, the poly(acrylic acid)-capped iron oxide nanoparticles (PIONPs) were obtained via a ligand exchange reaction between OIONPs and sodium poly(acrylic acid). The physicochemical properties of PIONPs were evaluated by Fourier-transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (STEM), Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), and zeta potential. The FT-IR analysis confirmed the successful ligand exchange on the surface of iron oxide nanoparticles. STEM images displayed that the prepared PIONPs were monodisperse spherical nanoparticles. The PIONPs were stable in ultrapure water and could be kept for 5 weeks without aggregation. Next, Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay and fluorescent images confirmed the excellent cytocompatibility of PIONPs, while the iron concentration of PIONPs was in the range of 5∼120 mg/L. Finally, PIONPs exhibited efficient antibacterial activity against E. coli and S. aureus, and Staphylococcus aureus subsp. aureus Rosenbach (SASAR) biofilm could be destroyed by treating PIONPs under alternating current (AC) applied field conditions.

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/313641/3/Manuscript-0530.docx

 

Injectable cell-laden poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)/chitosan hydrogel reinforced via graphene oxide and incorporated with dual-growth factors

Nie, L., Chen, D., Zhong, S., Shi, Q., Sun, Y., Politis, C., & Shavandi, A. (2020). Injectable cell-laden poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)/chitosan hydrogel reinforced via graphene oxide and incorporated with dual-growth factors. Materials letters, 280, 128572. doi:10.1016/j.matlet.2020.128572  

Injectable hydrogels have gained lots of attention as cell and growth factor carrier in tissue engineering. Here, we developed a novel graphene oxide (GO) reinforced poly(N-isoproplylacrylamide)/chitosan temperature-responsive (pNCG) hydrogel, and the gelation temperature was around 36.4 °C. Then, vascular endothelial cells (VECs) laden pNCG hydrogel was fabricated by encapsulating VECs through the sol-gel transfer process. Also, a sequential release system of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was delicately designed and incorporated into VECs-laden pNCG hydrogel. In vitro and in vivo experiments confirmed that the VECs could proliferate into hydrogel, as well as feasible in-growing angiogenesis. Thus, the injectable pNCG hydrogel holds great potential for biomedical applications.

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/312956/4/nie2020.docx

 

3D Bioprinting of Lignocellulosic Biomaterials

Shavandi, A., Hosseini, S., Okoro, O., Nie, L., Eghbali Babadi, F., & Melchels, F. (2020). 3D Bioprinting of Lignocellulosic Biomaterials. Advanced Healthcare Materials. doi:10.1002/adhm.202001472  

The interest in bioprinting of sustainable biomaterials is rapidly growing, and lignocellulosic biomaterials have a unique role in this development. Lignocellulosic materials are biocompatible and possess tunable mechanical properties, and therefore promising for use in the field of 3D-printed biomaterials. This review aims to spotlight the recent progress on the application of different lignocellulosic materials (cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin) from various sources (wood, bacteria, and fungi) in different forms (including nanocrystals and nanofibers in 3D bioprinting). Their crystallinity, leading to water insolubility and the presence of suspended nanostructures, makes these polymers stand out among hydrogel-forming biomaterials. These unique structures give rise to favorable properties such as high ink viscosity and strength and toughness of the final hydrogel, even when used at low concentrations. In this review, the application of lignocellulosic polymers with other components in inks is reported for 3D bioprinting and identified supercritical CO2 as a potential sterilization method for 3D-printed cellulosic materials. This review also focuses on the areas of potential development by highlighting the opportunities and unmet challenges such as the need for standardization of the production, biocompatibility, and biodegradability of the cellulosic materials that underscore the direction of future research into the 3D biofabrication of cellulose-based biomaterials.

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/314003/3/adhm.pdf

 

Isolation and physicochemical properties of chitin polymer from insect farm side stream as a new source of renewable biopolymer

Brigode, C., Hobbi, P., Jafari, H., Verwilghen, F., Baeten, E., & Shavandi, A. (2020). Isolation and physicochemical properties of chitin polymer from insect farm side stream as a new source of renewable biopolymer. Journal of cleaner production, 275, 122924. doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.122924  

This study aims to valorize chitin polymer from the side stream of an insect farm and to determine the chitin content, and its physicochemical properties obtained from different processing steps in the insect farm (Adult Black Soldier Fly insect, Puparia, and Flake). We used an acid-base method (using 1 M HCl and 1 M NaOH) as a conventional technique and the acid detergent fiber (ADF) with acid detergent lignin (ADL) methods. The chitin samples are then characterized for thermal stability (TGA-DTA), crystallinity (XRD), chemical compounds (FTIR), and C/N content, and the results were compared to the commercial shrimp chitin. The Puparia had the highest chitin content of 21-33%, followed by the Flake 20-28% and the Adult insect with 7-13% chitin, depending on the extraction method. The chitin yield from ADF-ADL method was on par with the conventional method, while the ADF results were approximately 3-10% higher than the ADF-ADL results. The insect farm side stream is an abundant rich source of high-quality chitin with physiochemical properties comparable with the commercially available shrimp derived chitin.

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/312411/3/2.pdf

 

Fish collagen: Extraction, characterization, and applications for biomaterials engineering

Jafari, H., Lista, A., Siekapen, M. M., Ghaffari-Bohlouli, P., Nie, L., Alimoradi, H., & Shavandi, A. (2020). Fish collagen: Extraction, characterization, and applications for biomaterials engineering. Polymers, 12(10), 2230, 1-37. doi:10.3390/polym12102230  

The utilization of marine-based collagen is growing fast due to its unique properties in comparison with mammalian-based collagen such as no risk of transmitting diseases, a lack of religious constraints, a cost-effective process, low molecular weight, biocompatibility, and its easy absorption by the human body. This article presents an overview of the recent studies from 2014 to 2020 conducted on collagen extraction from marine-based materials, in particular fish by-products. The fish collagen structure, extraction methods, characterization, and biomedical applications are presented. More specifically, acetic acid and deep eutectic solvent (DES) extraction methods for marine collagen isolation are described and compared. In addition, the effect of the extraction parameters (temperature, acid concentration, extraction time, solid-to-liquid ratio) on the yield of collagen is investigated. Moreover, biomaterials engineering and therapeutic applications of marine collagen have been summarized.

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/313867/1/doi_297511.pdf

 

Silk fibroin nanoscaffolds for neural tissue engineering

Boni, R., Ali, A., Giteru, S. G., Shavandi, A., & Clarkson, A. A. (2020). Silk fibroin nanoscaffolds for neural tissue engineering. Journal of materials science. Materials in medicine, 31(9), 81. doi:10.1007/s10856-020-06422-5  

The nervous system is a crucial component of the body and damages to this system, either by injury or disease, can result in serious or potentially lethal consequences. An important problem in neural engineering is how we can stimulate the regeneration of damaged nervous tissue given its complex physiology and limited regenerative capacity. To regenerate damaged nervous tissue, this study electrospun three-dimensional nanoscaffolds (3DNSs) from a biomaterial blend of silk fibroin (SF), polyethylene glycol (PEG), and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). The 3DNSs were characterised to ascertain their potential suitability for direct implant into the CNS. The biological activity of 3DNSs was investigated in vitro using PC12 cells and their effects on reactive astrogliosis were assessed in vivo using a photothrombotic model of ischaemic stroke in mice. Results showed that the concentration of SF directly affected the mechanical characteristics and internal structure of the 3DNSs, with formulations presenting as either a gel-like structure (SF ≥ 50%) or a nanofibrous structure (SF ≤ 40%). In vitro assessment revealed increased cell viability in the presence of the 3DNSs and in vivo assessment resulted in a significant decrease in glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) expression in the peri-infarct region (p < 0.001 for F2 and p < 0.05 for F4) after stroke, suggesting that 3DNSs could be suppressing reactive astrogliosis. The findings enhanced our understanding of physiochemical interactions between SF, PEG, and PVA, and elucidated the potential of 3DNSs as a potential therapeutic approach to stroke recovery, especially if these are used in conjunction with drug or cell treatment. [Figure not available: see fulltext.]

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/312933/3/technical.docx

 

Chitooligosaccharides for wound healing biomaterials engineering

Jafari, H., Bernaerts, K. V., Dodi, G., & Shavandi, A. (2020). Chitooligosaccharides for wound healing biomaterials engineering. Materials science & engineering. C, Materials for biological applications.  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/309249/3/MSEC_2020_2328_Original_V0.pdf

 

Hydroxyethyl Chitosan-Reinforced Polyvinyl Alcohol/Biphasic Calcium Phosphate Hydrogels for Bone Regeneration

Nie, L., Deng, Y., Li, P., Hou, R., Shavandi, A., & Yang, S. (2020). Hydroxyethyl Chitosan-Reinforced Polyvinyl Alcohol/Biphasic Calcium Phosphate Hydrogels for Bone Regeneration. ACS Omega. doi:10.1021/acsomega.0c00727  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/305117/3/acsomega.0c00727.pdf

 

Microfluidic-Assisted Preparation of 5-Fluorouracil-Loaded PLGA Nanoparticles as a Potential System for Colorectal Cancer Therapy

Ghasemi Toudeshkchouei, M., Zahedi, P., & Shavandi, A. (2020). Microfluidic-Assisted Preparation of 5-Fluorouracil-Loaded PLGA Nanoparticles as a Potential System for Colorectal Cancer Therapy. Materials, 13(7), 1483. doi:10.3390/ma13071483  

This work aims at fabricating 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-loaded poly (lactic-co-glycolic) acid nanoparticles (PLGA NPs) using a microfluidic (MF) technique, with potential for use in colorectal cancer therapy. In order to achieve 5-FU-loaded NPs with an average diameter of approximately 119 nm, the parameters of MF process with fork-shaped patterns were adjusted as follows: the ratio of polymer to drug solutions flow rates was equal to 10 and the solution concentrations of PLGA as carrier, 5-FU as anti-cancer drug and poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) as surfactant were 0.2 (% w/v), 0.01 (% w/v) and 0.15 (% w/v), respectively. In this way, a drug encapsulation efficiency of approximately 95% into the PLGA NPs was obtained, due to the formation of a hydrodynamic flow focusing phenomenon through the MF chip. A performance evaluation of the NP samples in terms of the drug release, cytotoxicity and cell death was carried out. Finally, by analyzing the results after induction of cell death and 4′, 6-diamidino-2-phenylin-dole (DAPI) staining, MF-fabricated NPs containing 5-FU [0.2 (% w/v) of PLGA] revealed the dead cell amounts of 10 and 1.5-fold higher than the control sample for Caco2 and SW-480, respectively.

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/305115/1/doi_288759.pdf

 

Silver‐doped biphasic calcium phosphate/alginate microclusters with antibacterial property and controlled doxorubicin delivery

Nie, L., Deng, Y., Zhang, Y., Zhou, Q., Shi, Q., Zhong, S., Sun, Y., Yang, Z., Sun, M., Politis, C., & Shavandi, A. (2020). Silver‐doped biphasic calcium phosphate/alginate microclusters with antibacterial property and controlled doxorubicin delivery. Journal of applied polymer science, 50433. doi:10.1002/app.50433  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/318807/3/Doc266.pdfhttps://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/318807/4/s.pdf

 

Polyvinyl Alcohol/Sodium Alginate Hydrogels Incorporated with Silver Nanoclusters via Green Tea Extract for Antibacterial Applications

Wang, T., Zhang, F., Zhao, R., Wang, C., Hu, K., Sun, Y., Politis, C., Shavandi, A., & Nie, L. (2020). Polyvinyl Alcohol/Sodium Alginate Hydrogels Incorporated with Silver Nanoclusters via Green Tea Extract for Antibacterial Applications. Designed monomers and polymers, 23(1), 118-133. doi:10.1080/15685551.2020.1804183  

Silver-based nanoparticles and biomaterials have extensive biomedical applications owing to their unique antimicrobial properties. Thus, green and facile synthesis of such materials is highly desirable. This study reports an antibacterial hydrogel based on polyvinyl alcohol/sodium alginate network with the incorporation of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), which is greenly synthesized by reductive metabolites obtained from the leaves of green tea. The ‘flower-shape' AgNPs were acquired, it formed a mono-disperse system with a distinct uniform interparticle separation. The average size of AgNPs varied from 129.5 to 243.6 nm, which could be regulated by using different volumes of the green tea extract. Zeta potentials of the AgNPs were from −39.3 mV to −20.3 mV, indicating the moderate stability of the particles in water. In the next stage, the antibacterial polyvinyl alcohol/sodium alginate hydrogels were fabricated by incorporating prepared AgNPs. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) images showed that the porous structure was obtained, and Energy Dispersive X-Ray (EDX) analysis confirmed that the AgNPs were uniformly dispersed in the polymer network. The hydrogels exhibited superior water absorption properties, which were characterized by a high swelling ratio (500-900%) and fast equilibrium. The hydrogels also exhibited good antimicrobial activity in assays with Gram-positive bacteria Escherichia coli and Gram-negative bacteria Staphylococcus aureus. To sum up, a process for the green preparation of antibacterial hydrogels based on AgNPs derived from tea leaves as a conveniently available cheap local agricultural product was established.

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/312916/3/1.pdf

 

2019

The role of microbiota in tissue repair and regeneration

Shavandi, A., Saeedi, P., Gérard, P., Jalalvandi, E., Cannella, D., & Bekhit, A. E.-D. (2019). The role of microbiota in tissue repair and regeneration. Journal of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine. doi:10.1002/term.3009  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/299653/3/TERM-19-0192.R1_Proof_hi.pdf

 

Biofabrication of Bacterial Constructs: New Three-Dimensional Biomaterials

Shavandi, A., & Jalalvandi, E. (2019). Biofabrication of Bacterial Constructs: New Three-Dimensional Biomaterials. Bioengineering, 6(2), 1-6. doi:10.3390/bioengineering6020044  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/287419/4/doi_271046.pdf

 

Keratin based thermoplastic biocomposites: a review

Shavandi, A., & Ali, A. (2019). Keratin based thermoplastic biocomposites: a review. Reviews in environmental science and bio-technology. doi:10.1007/s11157-019-09497-x  

Abstract: Fibre reinforced composites have become important materials for manufacturing a diverse range of industrial products. Keratin-rich materials including sheep wool and poultry feathers can have added value by partially substituting synthetic polymers in the production of biocomposites with improved mechanical properties. The strong intermolecular disulfides, hydrogen, ionic and hydrophobic interactions of keratin make it behave as a thermoset material which is not easy to process and thermally blend with other polymers. Therefore, different plasticizers, compatibilizers and coupling agents were investigated in order to make keratin a processable material. This review discusses recent developments in the production of thermoplastic keratin blend biocomposites. In particular, the processing and preparation conditions has been discussed, and their strengths and limitations are enumerated and critically evaluated. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.].

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/285724/3/10.1007_s11157-019-09497-x.pdf

 

Plant molecular farming: Production of metallic nanoparticles and therapeutic proteins using green factories

Mohammadinejad, R., Shavandi, A., et al. (2019). Plant molecular farming: Production of metallic nanoparticles and therapeutic proteins using green factories. Green chemistry. doi:10.1039/C9GC00335E  

Plants have numerous biological, clinical, pharmaceutical and medicinal purposes for many years; however, their use as a general platform for preparation of desired pharmaceutical and biomedical is relatively current. Secondary metabolites with remarkable and diverse biological functions are produced by medicinal plants. Significant advancements in nanosciences have enabled various applications in the development of new generation of drug molecules. Due to the application of toxic solvents and high energy consumption of conventional physical and chemical approaches, greener and eco-friendly methods are essential and vital. Plants can provide an outstanding alternative for the production of phytomaterials and biomaterials, and this review highlights the exogenous and endogenous syntheses of nanoparticles using living plants. Additionally, the plant nano-molecular farming of proteins including collagen, gelatin, elastin, recombinant anti-cancer monoclonal antibodies and recombinant anti-cancer vaccines, are discussed.

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/285161/3/mohammadinejad2019.pdf

 

What Do We Know about Diet and Markers of Cardiovascular Health in Children: A Review

Saeedi, P., Shavandi, A., & Skidmore, P. (2019). What Do We Know about Diet and Markers of Cardiovascular Health in Children: A Review. International journal of environmental research and public Health, 16(4), 548. doi:10.3390/ijerph16040548  

Chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the main health concerns in the 21st century, with CVD as the number one cause of mortality worldwide. Although CVD hard endpoints such as stroke or heart attack do not usually occur in children, evidence shows that the manifestation of CVD risk factors begins in childhood, preceding clinical complications of CVD in adulthood. Dietary intake is a modifiable risk factor that has been shown to make a substantial contribution to the risk of CVD in adulthood. However, less is known about the association between dietary intake and markers of cardiovascular health in children. This review summarises the current evidence on the relationship between dietary intake and markers of cardiovascular health including traditional CVD risk factors, physical fitness, and indices of arterial stiffness and wave reflection in children. Original research published in English, between January 2008 and December 2018 fulfilling the objective of this review were screened and included. Findings show that adaptation of a healthy lifestyle early in life can be beneficial for reducing the risk of CVD later in life. Furthermore, keeping arterial stiffness low from a young age could be a potential CVD prevention strategy. However, limited studies are available on diet-arterial stiffness relationship in children, and future research is required to better understand this association to aid the development and implementation of evidence-based strategies for preventing CVD-related complications later in life.

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/284012/3/ijerph-16-00548.pdf

 

Shear thinning/self-healing hydrogel based on natural polymers with secondary photocrosslinking for biomedical applications

Jalalvandi, E., & Shavandi, A. (2019). Shear thinning/self-healing hydrogel based on natural polymers with secondary photocrosslinking for biomedical applications. Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials, 90, 191-201. doi:10.1016/j.jmbbm.2018.10.009  

Injectable hydrogel systems are useful in many biomedical applications, including drug or cell delivery carriers and scaffolds. Here, we describe the design and characterization of a shear thinning hydrogel that undergoes a disassembly when shear forces are applied during injection and is self-healing once the shear forces are removed. This hydrogel is based on a cyclodextrin modified alginate, and a methacrylated gelatin which initially forms through a weak guest-host interaction between hydrophobic cyclodextrin cavities and the aromatic residue of gelatin. Methacrylated gelatin possesses photocrosslinkable functionalities which can go through a light-initiated polymerization to create secondary crosslinking sites and further crosslink the matrix. The shear thinning and self-healing behavior of these gels monitored in low and high strain range, viscosity of the hydrogels components and gelation kinetic were studied. The rheological analyses showed the formation of shear thinning gels which were further stabilized by visible light exposure. The cytotoxicity of the hydrogels towards human mesenchymal stem cells were assessed and the rate of mass loss over a week period was studied. © 2018 Elsevier Ltd

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/279150/3/1-s2.0-S1751616118311287-main.pdf

 

Electrochemical investigation of amino acids Parkia seeds using the composite electrode based on Copper/Carbon nanotube/Nanodiamond

Eghbali Babadi, F., Hosseini, S., Shavandi, A., Moghaddas, H., & Kheawhom, S. (2019). Electrochemical investigation of amino acids Parkia seeds using the composite electrode based on Copper/Carbon nanotube/Nanodiamond. Journal of environmental chemical engineering., 102979. doi:10.1016/j.jece.2019.102979  

An electrochemical biosensor comprising copper, nano-diamond (ND) and carbon nanotube (CNT) has been fabricated to detect the amino acids of Parkia speciosa (PS) seeds. Parkia speciosa (stink bean), a Southeast Asian legume, is composed of medicinal chemicals which exhibit biological activities. The electro-catalytic activity of three electrodes Cu/CNT/ND, Zn/CNT/ND and NiO/CNT/ND was studied using 5 mM potassium ferrocyanide in 0.1 MKCl. The Zn/CNT/ND electrode exhibited irreversible reaction free oxidation with reduction peaks at -1 V, whereas, a pair redox peaks was observed for Cu/CNT/ND electrode. The immobilization of l-amino acid oxidase on the Cu/CNT/ND electrode was carried out to catalyze the amino acids detection. It was observed that the anodic and cathodic peak currents increased linearly with both the square root of the scan rate (ν1/2) and scan rate (ν) over the studied scan range of 0.01-0.1 V/s with high correlation coefficients and following both the adsorption and the diffusion-controlled mechanisms. The developed biosensor displayed a very good electro-catalytic activity toward the oxidation of the amino acid to release H2O2 and NH3 as a result of the reaction between the active sites and the Parkia speciosa component. This was also confirmed by a drop in the pH value from 6.8 to 6.5 and a change in the color of the solution from green to yellow (releasing H2S). The impedance results indicated an inductance behavior due to the co-formation of the hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and the water via the adsorption on the electrode surface.

 

Status and future scope of plant-based green hydrogels in biomedical engineering

Mohammadinejad, R., Shavandi, A., et al. (2019). Status and future scope of plant-based green hydrogels in biomedical engineering. Applied materials today (Online), 213-246. doi:10.1016/j.apmt.2019.04.010  

Hydrogels are the most iconic class of soft materials, and since their first report in the literature, they have attracted the attention of uncountable researchers. Over the past two decades, hydrogels have become smart and sophisticated materials with numerous applications. This class of soft materials have been playing a significant role in biomedicine due to their tunable and often programmable properties. Hydrogels from renewable polymers have been popularized in biomedical applications as they are often biocompatible, easily accessible, and inexpensive. The challenge however has been to find an ideal plant-based hydrogel for biomedicine that can mimic critical properties of human tissues in terms of structure, function, and performance. In addition, natural polymers can readily be functionalized to engineer their chemical and physical uproperties pertinent to drug delivery and tissue engineering. Here, the most recent advances in the synthesis, fabrication, and applications of plant-based hydrogels in biomedical engineering are reviewed. We cover essential and updated information about plants as green sources of biopolymers for hydrogel synthesis, general aspects of hydrogels and plant-based hydrogels, and thorough discussion regarding the use of such hydrogels in the biomedical engineering area. Furthermore, this review details the present status of the field and answers several important questions about the potential of plant-based hydrogels in advanced biomedical applications including therapeutics, tissue engineering, wound dressing, and diagnostics., etc.

 

Graft polymerization onto wool fibre for improved functionality

Shavandi, A., & Ali, A. (2019). Graft polymerization onto wool fibre for improved functionality. Progress in organic coatings, 130, 182-199. doi:10.1016/j.porgcoat.2019.01.054  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/284713/3/POC_2018_462_Original_V0.pdf

 

2018

Current and novel polymeric biomaterials for neural tissue engineering.

Shavandi, A., et al. (2018). Current and novel polymeric biomaterials for neural tissue engineering. Journal of biomedical science, 25(90). doi:10.1186/s12929-018-0491-8  

The nervous system is a crucial component of the body and damages to this system, either by of injury or disease, can result in serious or potentially lethal consequences. Restoring the damaged nervous system is a great challenge due to the complex physiology system and limited regenerative capacity. Polymers, either synthetic or natural in origin, have been extensively evaluated as a solution for restoring functions in damaged neural tissues. Polymers offer a wide range of versatility, in particular regarding shape and mechanical characteristics, and their biocompatibility is unmatched by other biomaterials, such as metals and ceramics. Several studies have shown that polymers can be shaped into suitable support structures, including nerve conduits, scaffolds, and electrospun matrices, capable of improving the regeneration of damaged neural tissues. In general, natural polymers offer the advantage of better biocompatibility and bioactivity, while synthetic or non-natural polymers have better mechanical properties and structural stability. Often, combinations of the two allow for the development of polymeric conduits able to mimic the native physiological environment of healthy neural tissues and, consequently, regulate cell behaviour and support the regeneration of injured nervous tissues. Currently, most of neural tissue engineering applications are in pre-clinical study, in particular for use in the central nervous system, however collagen polymer conduits aimed at regeneration of peripheral nerves have already been successfully tested in clinical trials. This review highlights different types of natural and synthetic polymers used in neural tissue engineering and their advantages and disadvantages for neural regeneration.

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/280645/4/doi_264272.pdf

 

Leishmania treatment and prevention: Natural and synthesized drugs.

Bekhit, A., El-Agroudy, E., Helmy, A., Ibrahim, T. M., Shavandi, A., & Bekhit, A. E.-D. (2018). Leishmania treatment and prevention: Natural and synthesized drugs. European journal of medicinal chemistry, 160, 229-244. doi:10.1016/j.ejmech.2018.10.022  

Leishmaniasis affects over 150 million people all over the world, especially in subtropical regions. Currently used antileishmanial synthesized drugs are associated with some drawbacks such as resistance and cytotoxicity, which hamper the chances of treatment. Furthermore, effective leishmanial vaccines are not well developed. Promising chemotherapy, either from natural or synthetic compounds, was or still is the most promising treatment. This review focuses on recent findings in drugs used for the treatment of leishmaniasis including; chemical and natural antileishmanial moieties, different potential targets, as well as various trials of vaccination development. Special emphasis has been paid to the mechanisms of the drugs, their safety and where possible, the structure-activity relationship to enable guided future drug discovery.

 

In situ-forming and pH-responsive hydrogel based on chitosan for vaginal delivery of therapeutic agents

Jalalvandi, E., & Shavandi, A. (2018). In situ-forming and pH-responsive hydrogel based on chitosan for vaginal delivery of therapeutic agents. Journal of materials science. Materials in medicine, 29(158), 1-11.  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/279280/3/jalalvandi2018.pdf

 

Nail Properties and Bone Health: A Review.

Saeedi, P., Shavandi, A., & Meredith-Jones, K. (2018). Nail Properties and Bone Health: A Review. Journal of functional biomaterials, 9(2). doi:10.3390/jfb9020031  

Physicochemical properties of nail may offer valuable insight into the health of bone. Currently, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is the gold standard technique for evaluating bone health through bone mineral density (BMD). However, only 70% of fractures are explained by low BMD according to DXA. Therefore, the World Health Organisation recommended the need for the development of alternative methods of assessing bone health. Keratin and collagen type I are major proteins in nail and bone, respectively. Both of these proteins undergo post-translational modifications, with a possible correlation between the degree of post-translational modifications in keratin and collagen. Raman spectroscopy is a technique used to detect changes in protein composition and structure. As changes in protein function and structure may be associated with the development of osteoporosis, Raman spectroscopy may be a valuable adjunct to assess bone health and fracture risk. This review critically evaluates various methods and techniques to identify the link between nail properties and bone health. The strengths and limitations of various studies and the potential use of nail protein and minerals to evaluate bone health have been also presented.

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/279202/4/doi_262829.pdf

 

A new adhesive from waste wool protein hydrolysate

Shavandi, A., & Ali, A. (2018). A new adhesive from waste wool protein hydrolysate. Journal of environmental chemical engineering, 6(5), 6700-6706. doi:10.1016/j.jece.2018.10.022  

This study aimed to produce a new non-toxic adhesive system consisting of wool-hydrolysed (WH) and a commercial wet-strength agent for paper (Kymene® 557H) which is an aqueous solution of cationic polyamidoamine-epichlorohydrin (PAE) resins. The WH mixed with Kymene (WH-K) and used as an adhesive for bonding pine veneer. Rheology aspects of the blends measured in different WH-K weight ratios and the effect of reaction time on the lap-shear strengths of wood composites bonded with WH-K adhesives were evaluated. The physicochemical properties of the newly developed wood adhesive system were characterised using FTIR, DSC and TGA. Wood composites bonded with WH-K adhesive had shear strengths comparable to or higher than those bonded with commercial phenol-formaldehyde resins. Wood composites bonded with the new adhesive system demonstrated high water resistance and retained relatively high strength even after treated with boiling water. The new adhesive system is non-toxic, free from formaldehyde and friendly to use for diverse applications. Thus, we anticipate that this new adhesive system will be potential candidate for bio-composites and packaging applications. © 2018 Elsevier Ltd.

 

Antioxidant activities and caffeic acid content in New Zealand asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) roots extracts

Symes, A., Shavandi, A., Zhang, H., Ahmed, I. A., Al-Juhaımı, F. Y., & Bekhit, A. E.-D. (2018). Antioxidant activities and caffeic acid content in New Zealand asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) roots extracts. Antioxidants, 7(4), 52. doi:10.3390/antiox7040052  

Asparagus officinalis are perennial plants that require re-planting every 10-20 years. The roots are traditionally mulched in the soil or treated as waste. The A. officinalis roots (AR) contain valuable bioactive compounds that may have some health benefiting properties. The aim of this study was to investigate the total polyphenol and flavonoid contents (TPC and TFC, respectively) and antioxidant (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) and Ferric Reducing/Antioxidant Power (FRAP) assays) activities of New Zealand AR extract. The antioxidant activity decreased with a longer extraction time. © 2018 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/279056/3/doi_262683.pdf

 

Characterization of phenolic compounds in wine lees

Zhijing, Y., Shavandi, A., Harrison, R., & Bekhit, A. E.-D. (2018). Characterization of phenolic compounds in wine lees. Antioxidants, 7(4), 48. doi:10.3390/antiox7040048  

The effect of vinification techniques on phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity of wine lees are poorly understood. The present study investigated the antioxidant activity of white and red wine lees generated at early fermentation and during aging. In this study, the total phenol content (TPC), total tannin content (TTC), mean degree of polymerization (mDP), and antioxidant activities of five white and eight red wine lees samples from different vinification backgrounds were determined. The results showed that vinification techniques had a significant (p < 0.05) impact on total phenol and tannin content of the samples. White wine lees had high mDP content compared with red ones. Catechin (50-62%) and epicatechin contents were the predominant terminal units of polymeric proanthocyanidin extracted from examined samples. Epigallocatechin was the predominant extension unit of white wine lees, whereas epicatechin was the predominant compound in red wine marc. The ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) assay was strongly correlated with the DPPH (α,α-diphenyl-β-picrylhydrazyl) assay, and the results showed the strong antioxidant activities associated with red wine lees (PN > 35 mg Trolox/g FDM) (PN: Pinot noir lees; FDM: Freeze-dried Material). This study indicates that tannin is one of the major phenolic compounds available in wine lees that can be useful in human and animal health applications. © 2018 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

 

Flaxseed: Composition, detoxification, utilization, and opportunities

Bekhit, A. E.-D., Shavandi, A., Jodjaja, T., Birch, J., Teh, S., Ahmed, I. A., Al-Juhaımı, F. Y., Saeedi, P., & Bekhit, A. (2018). Flaxseed: Composition, detoxification, utilization, and opportunities. Biocatalysis and agricultural biotechnology, 13, 129-152. doi:10.1016/j.bcab.2017.11.017  

Flaxseed cake is a low value, a protein-rich by-product of flaxseed oil pressing companies. Flaxseed oil has been known as a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids and has been widely used. However, due to the presence of anti-nutritive compounds such as phytic acid, linatine, and cyanogenic glycosides, flaxseed cake that has a high protein content has limited food application. Cyanogenic compounds, particularly cyanogenic glycosides, can be degraded to toxic HCN upon ingestion. Therefore, the cake with a high content of fibre and protein with great nutritional potential has been underutilised and has some limited animal feed applications. Detoxification of the flax cake from cyanogenic content can, therefore, improve the market value of the protein and increase its food application. This review focuses on various available methods for detoxification of flax seed cake with emphasis on nutritional properties of the final product. The impact of various flaxseed cake detoxification methods on the protein is critically evaluated, discussing the options available toward increasing the food application value of this high protein product. © 2017 Elsevier Ltd

 

Polysuccinimide and its derivatives: Degradable and water soluble polymers (review)

Jalalvandi, E., & Shavandi, A. (2018). Polysuccinimide and its derivatives: Degradable and water soluble polymers (review). European Polymer Journal, 109, 43-54. doi:10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2018.08.056  

Interest for water soluble polymers which show biocompatibility and degradability is growing due to their potential applications in medical sciences. Polysuccinimide (PSI), commonly synthesized through thermal polymerization, is a polyimide precursor for the production of such biocompatible and degradable polymers namely polyaspartic acid and various polyaspartamides. Polyaspartic acid is usually obtained by hydrolysis of PSI while polyaspartamide is produced by ring opening of PSI using a nucleophilic reagent. The presence of amide linkages in these polymers gives them peptide-like structures which is prone to hydrolysis and subsequent degradation. These derivatives could be potential substitutes for different polyamino acids in many medical applications. This review compiles the works carried out on developing polysuccinimide and its derivatives as well as the main synthetic routs and characterization methods. © 2018 Elsevier Ltd

 

Polyphenol uses in biomaterials engineering

Shavandi, A., Bekhit, A. E.-D., Saeedi, P., Izadifar, Z., Bekhit, A., & Khademhosseini, A. (2018). Polyphenol uses in biomaterials engineering. Biomaterials, 167, 91-106. doi:10.1016/j.biomaterials.2018.03.018  

Polyphenols are micronutrients obtained from diet that have been suggested to play an important role in health. The health benefits of polyphenols and their protective effects in food systems as antioxidant compounds are well known and have been extensively investigated. However, their functional roles as a “processing cofactor” in tissue engineering applications are less widely known. This review focuses on the functionality of polyphenols and their application in biomaterials. Polyphenols have been used to stabilize collagen and to improve its resistance to degradation in biological systems. Therefore, they have been proposed to improve the performance of biomedical devices used in cardiovascular systems by improving the mechanical properties of grafted heart valves, enhancing microcirculation through the relaxation of the arterial walls and improving the capillary blood flow and pressure resistance. Polyphenols have been found to stimulate bone formation, mineralization, as well as the proliferation, differentiation, and the survival of osteoblasts. These effects are brought about by the stimulatory effect of polyphenols on osteoblast cells and their protective effect against oxidative stress and inflammatory cytokines. In addition, polyphenols inhibit the differentiation of the osteoclast cells. Collectively, these actions lead to promote bone formation and to reduce bone resorption, respectively. Moreover, polyphenols can increase the cross-linking of dentine and hence its mechanical stability. Overall, polyphenols provide interesting properties that will stimulate further research in the bioengineering field. © 2018 Elsevier Ltd

 

2017

Keratin: dissolution, extraction and biomedical application

Shavandi, A., Silva, T., Bekhit, A., & Bekhit, A. E.-D. (2017). Keratin: dissolution, extraction and biomedical application. Biomaterials science, 5(9), 1699-1735. doi:10.1039/c7bm00411g  

Keratinous materials such as wool, feathers and hooves are tough unique biological co-products that usually have high sulfur and protein contents. A high cystine content (7-13%) differentiates keratins from other structural proteins, such as collagen and elastin. Dissolution and extraction of keratin is a difficult process compared to other natural polymers, such as chitosan, starch, collagen, and a large-scale use of keratin depends on employing a relatively fast, cost-effective and time efficient extraction method. Keratin has some inherent ability to facilitate cell adhesion, proliferation, and regeneration of the tissue, therefore keratin biomaterials can provide a biocompatible matrix for regrowth and regeneration of the defective tissue. Additionally, due to its amino acid constituents, keratin can be tailored and finely tuned to meet the exact requirement of degradation, drug release or incorporation of different hydrophobic or hydrophilic tails. This review discusses the various methods available for the dissolution and extraction of keratin with emphasis on their advantages and limitations. The impacts of various methods and chemicals used on the structure and the properties of keratin are discussed with the aim of highlighting options available toward commercial keratin production. This review also reports the properties of various keratin-based biomaterials and critically examines how these materials are influenced by the keratin extraction procedure, discussing the features that make them effective as biomedical applications, as well as some of the mechanisms of action and physiological roles of keratin. Particular attention is given to the practical application of keratin biomaterials, namely addressing the advantages and limitations on the use of keratin films, 3D composite scaffolds and keratin hydrogels for tissue engineering, wound healing, hemostatic and controlled drug release.

 

Antioxidant and functional properties of protein hydrolysates obtained from squid pen chitosan extraction effluent.

Shavandi, A., Hu, Z., Teh, S., Zhao, J., Carne, A., Bekhit, A., & Bekhit, A. E.-D. (2017). Antioxidant and functional properties of protein hydrolysates obtained from squid pen chitosan extraction effluent. Food chemistry, 227, 194-201. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2017.01.099  

Squid pens were subjected to alkali hydrolysis to extract chitin and chitosan. Proteins present in the alkaline extraction wastewater were recovered at pH 3, 4, 5 and 6, and were subjected to hydrolysis by trypsin, pepsin and a bacterial protease called HT for 1, 2, 4 and 24h. Hydrolysis of the extracted proteins with either trypsin or HT generated more antioxidant activity than hydrolysis with pepsin. Higher ACE-inhibitory activity was generated in the trypsin and pepsin hydrolysates than in the HT hydrolysate. Squid pen protein recovered from chitosan processing waste alkaline solution can be a potential source of bioactive peptides for addition to foods. The antioxidant and ACE-inhibitory activities of the extracted proteins were initially low and increased upon incubation with the proteases. Pepsin generated significantly lower (P<0.05) antioxidant activities compared to trypsin and HT, while trypsin and pepsin hydrolysates exhibited higher ACE-inhibitory activity than HT (P<0.05).

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/279057/1/Elsevier_262684.pdf

 

An improved method for solubilisation of wool keratin using peracetic acid

Shavandi, A., Carne, A., Bekhit, A., & Bekhit, A. E.-D. (2017). An improved method for solubilisation of wool keratin using peracetic acid. Journal of environmental chemical engineering, 5(2), 1977-1984. doi:10.1016/j.jece.2017.03.043  

Keratin in wool is a potentially important natural source of protein with many applications. However, solubilisation of keratin from wool is challenging. The yield of solubilised keratin was investigated using peracetic acid (PA) treatment of wool. The yield of keratin obtained by extraction of wool with various concentrations of PA (6, 12, 24 and 36%) with 1, 2, or 3 days of treatment time was examined. Treatment of wool for two days with 24% PA was found to be the optimum treatment condition, resulting in a 57% yield of water soluble keratin (WSK) and a 40% yield of insoluble keratin (ISK). The physicochemical properties of the obtained keratin samples were determined using XRD, FTIR and SDS-PAGE. FTIR analysis of the WSK and ISK showed both extracts had a high content of cysteine-S-sulfonated residues and SDS-PAGE confirmed that the extracts contained proteins in the 40-60 kDa molecular weight range. © 2017 Elsevier Ltd.

 

Development and characterization of a xenograft material from New Zealand sourced bovine cancellous bone

Ratnayake, J. T. B., Gould, M. L., Shavandi, A., Mucalo, M. R., & Dias, G. J. (2017). Development and characterization of a xenograft material from New Zealand sourced bovine cancellous bone. Journal of biomedical materials research. Part B, Applied biomaterials, 105(5), 1054-1062. doi:10.1002/jbm.b.33644  

A xenograft (bovine hydroxyapatite [BHA]) was developed from New Zealand sourced bovine cancellous bone by a successful defatting and deproteinizing procedure. The BHA was chemically, compositionally and structurally characterized. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed the removal of organic matter from the bone matrix and the presence of carbonate (CO3 2-), hydroxyl (OH−), and phosphate (PO4 3-) functional groups. X-ray diffraction analysis suggested that the processed bone corresponds characteristically to hydroxyapatite (HA). SEM analysis showed that the BHA has an interconnected porous architecture with a pore diameter ranging from 100 to 700 μm while µCT analysis calculated the total porosity as 73.46% ± 1.08. Furthermore, the BHA was stable up to 1000°C and lost only 1.8% of its weight. The Ca/P molar ratio of the BHA was 1.58, which is comparable with commercially available natural HA-Endobon®. After 28 days of incubation in simulated body fluid (SBF), the pH value only fluctuated between 7.1 and 7.5 and the BHA scaffold did not degrade significantly by weight indicating the scaffold had excellent chemical and structural stability. In vitro studies showed the BHA was cytocompatible and supported the proliferative growth of Saos-2 osteoblast cells. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 105B: 1054-1062, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

 

2016

Bio-scaffolds produced from irradiated squid pen and crab chitosan with hydroxyapatite/β-tricalcium phosphate for bone-tissue engineering.

Shavandi, A., Bekhit, A. E.-D., Sun, Z., & Ali, M. (2016). Bio-scaffolds produced from irradiated squid pen and crab chitosan with hydroxyapatite/β-tricalcium phosphate for bone-tissue engineering. International journal of biological macromolecules, 93, 1446-1456. doi:10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2016.04.046  

In this study, bio-scaffolds have been developed using irradiated chitosan from different sources - squid pen (RS) and crab shell (RC) - with hydroxyapatite/β-tricalcium phosphate (HA/β-TCP) at a chitosan/HA/β-TCP ratio of 50/30/20. The bio-scaffolds were prepared at two different freezing temperature (-20°C and -80°C) followed by lyophilisation. To enhance the mechanical properties, the bio-scaffolds were cross-linked using sodium tripolyphosphate (TPP) followed by lyophilisation. The composition and morphology of the bio-scaffolds were characterized using XRD, SEM, TEM and μ-CT. The pore size of the porous scaffolds ranged from 90 to 220μm and the scaffolds had 70-80% porosity. The scaffolds had a water uptake ratio of more than 10, and a controlled biodegradation in the range of 30-40%. These results suggest that the physical and biological properties of chitosan-based bio-scaffolds can be a promising biomaterial for bone-tissue regeneration.

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/279059/1/Elsevier_262686.pdf

 

Thermochemical Properties of Glass Wool/Maerogel Composites

Dastorian Jamnani, B., Hosseini, S. J., Shavandi, A., & Hassan, M. R. (2016). Thermochemical Properties of Glass Wool/Maerogel Composites. Advances in Materials Science and Engineering, 2016, 6014874. doi:10.1155/2016/6014874  

Aerogel blankets are composites of silica aerogel particles dispersed in a reinforcing fiber matrix that turns the brittle aerogel into durable and flexible insulating materials. In this study, silica aerogel was loaded on glass wool with different concentrations (0-18.6%) and morphological and thermal characteristics of the aerogel blankets were studied. Rate of modified blanket decomposition was slower at temperatures between 250°C and 650°C due to the retardant effect of the silica aerogel. The average diameter of the fiber for either original glass wool or modified glass wool materials was approximately 20 μm and samples had porous, interconnected particles with dendritic-like structure. © 2016 Bahador Dastorian Jamnani et al.

 

Synthesis of macro and micro porous hydroxyapatite (HA) structure from waste kina (Evechinus chloroticus) shells

Shavandi, A., Wilton, V., & Bekhit, A. E.-D. (2016). Synthesis of macro and micro porous hydroxyapatite (HA) structure from waste kina (Evechinus chloroticus) shells. Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers. Journal, 65, 437-443. doi:10.1016/j.jtice.2016.05.007  

The aim of this study was to investigate the conversion of waste kina shells (Evechinus chloroticus) into hydroxyapatite (HA, Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2), while preserving its porous and interconnected structure. The shells were subjected to a pyrolysis process followed by a chemical synthesis step at ambient pressure and at a low temperature of 100°C under alkaline condition. The obtained HA had a porous structure with large pores ranged 300-500μm and small pores of 10-20μm, which is considered beneficial for bone repair materials to ensure blood and nutrient circulation required for bone regeneration. The samples also had high concentrations of magnesium (3.44%) which is an important component of HA used in bone grafting. X-Ray Diffractometer results indicated that a HA layer was formed on the surface of the calcium carbonate structure of the shells. The synthesized HA had no toxicity to the osteoblast cells and the porous and interconnected microstructure of the shells was preserved during an incubation period of 3 days. The obtained HA may have potential applications in bone tissue enegineering. © 2016 Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers.

 

Injectable gel from squid pen chitosan for bone tissue engineering applications

Shavandi, A., Bekhit, A. E.-D., Sun, Z., & Ali, A. (2016). Injectable gel from squid pen chitosan for bone tissue engineering applications. Journal of sol-gel science and technology, 77(3), 675-687. doi:10.1007/s10971-015-3899-6  

The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of squid pen chitosan for developing injectable gels for bone tissue engineering applications. Gel mixtures made of glycerol phosphate mixed with crab (RC) or squid pen (RS) chitosan (2 % w/v) at four different concentrations (0, 30, 50 and 70 %) of calcium phosphate compounds (CaP, hydroxyapatite and β-tricalcium phosphate, HA/β-TCP) were investigated for their biocompatibility and mechanical properties. The proposed gel rapidly settled (<3 min) and formed a stable gel at body temperature (i.e. 37 °C). The chemical compositions and crystallinity of the gels were characterised by FTIR and XRD. The surface morphology and microstructure of the gels were characterised using SEM. The physical properties (such as water uptake, washout resistant and syringeability), compressive modulus and biocompatibility properties (cell cytotoxicity) of the gels were also studied. The RS chitosan gels showed the highest water uptake ability (>2000 %), compressive modulus (up to 26 kPa) and better cell (Saos-2) compatibility compared to the RC chitosan. This study showed that RS chitosan is a promising alternative to commercially available crab/shrimp chitosan for producing injectable gels for tissue engineering applications. Graphical Abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.] © 2015, Springer Science+Business Media New York.

 

Evaluation of keratin extraction from wool by chemical methods for bio-polymer application

Shavandi, A., Bekhit, A. E.-D., Carne, A., & Bekhit, A. (2016). Evaluation of keratin extraction from wool by chemical methods for bio-polymer application. Journal of bioactive and compatible polymers, 32(2), 163-177. doi:10.1177/0883911516662069  

This study investigated some physicochemical properties of keratin extracted from Merino wool using five chemical extraction methods: alkali hydrolysis, sulfitolysis, reduction, oxidation, and extraction using ionic liquid. The ionic liquid method produced the highest protein yield (95%), followed by sulfitolysis method (89%), while the highest extraction yield was obtained with the reduction method (54%). The lowest yield was obtained with the oxidation method (6%). The oxidation extract contained higher molecular weight (>40 kDa) protein components, whereas the alkali hydrolysis extract contained protein material of <10 kDa. The sulfitolysis, reduction, and ionic liquid extracts contained various protein components between 3.5 and 60 kDa. Keratin obtained from various extraction methods had different yield, morphology, and physicochemical properties. None of the samples were toxic to L929 fibroblast cells up to a concentration of 2.5 mg/mL. Apart from the alkali hydrolysis extract, all other keratin extracts (reduction, sulfitolysis, ionic liquid, and oxidation) showed Fourier transform infrared adsorption peaks attributed to the sulfitolysis-oxidation stretching vibrations of cysteine-S-sulfonated residues, with the oxidation extract showing the highest content of cysteine-S-sulfonated residues. This study indicates that the properties of the keratin extract obtained vary depending on the extraction method used, which has implications for use in structural biomaterial applications. © The Author(s) 2016.

 

Marine shells: Potential opportunities for extraction of functional and health-promoting materials

Hou, Y., Shavandi, A., Carne, A., Bekhit, A., Ng, T., Cheung, R. C. F., & Bekhit, A. E.-D. (2016). Marine shells: Potential opportunities for extraction of functional and health-promoting materials. Critical reviews in environmental science and technology, 46(11-12), 1047-1116. doi:10.1080/10643389.2016.1202669  

Marine shell waste is a very rich source of several bioactive compounds and materials, such as calcium, chitin, pigments, and proteins. Currently, this waste material is greatly underutilized and contributes to significant environmental problems due to off-odor and concentration of minerals in landfill. The main objective of this review is to highlight the potential to add value to and maximize the utilization of this waste stream. Therefore, this review provides up-to-date information on various compounds available in marine shells that are generated as waste coproduct from commercial processing operations and their potential uses. Methods are described for extraction of these compounds for use in food and pharmaceutical applications. © 2016 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

 

2015

A novel squid pen chitosan/hydroxyapatite/β-tricalcium phosphate composite for bone tissue engineering

Shavandi, A., et al. (2015). A novel squid pen chitosan/hydroxyapatite/β-tricalcium phosphate composite for bone tissue engineering. Materials Science and Engineering C.  

 

Bio-mimetic composite scaffold from mussel shells, squid pen and crab chitosan for bone tissue engineering.

Shavandi, A., Bekhit, A. E.-D., Ali, A., & Sun, Z. (2015). Bio-mimetic composite scaffold from mussel shells, squid pen and crab chitosan for bone tissue engineering. International journal of biological macromolecules, 80, 445-454. doi:10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2015.07.012  

In the present study, chitosan/hydroxyapatite (HA)/β-tircalcium phosphate (β-TCP) composites were produced using squid pen derived chitosan (CHS) and commercial crab derived chitosan (CHC). CHS was prepared from squid pens by alkaline N-deacetylation. HA and β-TCP were extracted from mussel shells using a microwave irradiation method. Two different composites were prepared by incorporating 50% (w/w) HA/(β-TCP) in CHS or CHC followed by lyophilization and cross-linking of composites by tripolyphosphate (TPP). The effect of different freezing temperatures of -20, -80 and -196 °C on the physicochemical characteristics of composites was investigated. A simulated body fluid (SBF) solution was used for preliminary in vitro study for 1, 7, 14 and 28 days and the composites were characterized by XRD, FTIR, TGA, SEM, μ-CT and ICP-MS. Porosity, pore size, water uptake; water retention abilities and in vitro degradations of the prepared composites were evaluated. The CHS composites were found to have higher porosity (62%) compared to the CHC composites (porosity 42%) and better mechanical properties. The results of this study indicated that composites produced at -20 °C had higher mechanical properties and lower degradation rate compared with -80 °C. Chitosan from the squid pen is an excellent biomaterial candidate for bone tissue engineering applications.

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/279058/1/Elsevier_262685.pdf

 

Synthesis of nano-hydroxyapatite (nHA) from waste mussel shells using a rapid microwave method

Shavandi, A., Bekhit, A. E.-D., Ali, A., & Sun, Z. (2015). Synthesis of nano-hydroxyapatite (nHA) from waste mussel shells using a rapid microwave method. Materials chemistry and physics, 149, 607-616. doi:10.1016/j.matchemphys.2014.11.016  

Nano-crystalline hydroxyapatite (HA, Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2) was produced from waste mussel shells using a rapid microwave irradiation method. Mussel shells were converted to rod like nano-crystalline HA particles of 30-70 nm long using 0.1 M EDTA as a chelating agent for 30 min after an appropriate pre-treatment and an irradiation step in a microwave with a power of 1.1 kW. The produced HA was characterised using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) to determine the morphology, particle size, crystal phases, elemental composition and thermal behaviour. Furthermore, to benchmark the synthesized HA obtained from mussel shells, it was compared with a commercially pure HA (Sigma-Aldrich). The thermal analysis showed that the synthesized HA has remarkable heat stability at 1000 °C, and the XRD and FTIR results showed a high purity of the synthesized HA powders. Compared to the conventional hydrothermal treatment, microwave-assisted method has the advantages of an increased rate of HA formation. The obtained HA have potential engineering applications as materials for bone-tissues. © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

 

A review of synthesis methods, properties and use of hydroxyapatite as a substitute of bone

Shavandi, A., Bekhit, A. E.-D., Sun, Z., & Ali, A. (2015). A review of synthesis methods, properties and use of hydroxyapatite as a substitute of bone. Journal of biomimetics, biomaterials and biomedical engineering, 25, 98-117. doi:10.4028/www.scientific.net/JBBBE.25.98  

In recent years, a significant achievement has been made in developing biomaterials, in particular the design of bioceramics, from natural sources for various biomedical applications. In this review, we discuss the fundamentals of structure, function and characteristics of human bone, its calcium and phosphate composition, role and importance of bioceramics for bone repairing or regeneration. This review also outlines various isolation techniques and the application of novel marine-derived hydroxyapatite (HA) and tri-calcium phosphate (TCP) for biocomposites engineering, and their potentials for bone substitute and bone regeneration. © (2015) Trans Tech Publications, Switzerland.

 

A novel squid pen chitosan/hydroxyapatite/β-tricalcium phosphate composite for bone tissue engineering

Shavandi, A., Bekhit, A. E.-D., Sun, Z., Ali, A., & Gould, M. L. (2015). A novel squid pen chitosan/hydroxyapatite/β-tricalcium phosphate composite for bone tissue engineering. Materials Science and Engineering C, 55, 373-383. doi:10.1016/j.msec.2015.05.029  

Squid pen chitosan was used in the fabrication of biocomposite scaffolds for bone tissue engineering. Hydroxyapatite (HA) and beta-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) obtained from waste mussel shells were used as the calcium phosphate source. The composite was prepared using 2.5% tripolyphosphate (TPP) and 1% glycerol as a cross-linker and plasticizer, respectively. The weight percent (wt.%) ratios of the ceramic components in the composite were 20/10/70, 30/20/50 and 40/30/30 (HA/β-TCP/Chi). The biodegradation rate and structural properties of the scaffolds were investigated. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and microCT(μCT) results indicated that the composites have a well defined lamellar structure with an average pore size of 200 μm. The porosity of the composites decreased from 88 to 56% by increasing the ratio of HA/β-TCP from 30 to 70%. After 28 days of incubation in a physiological solution, the scaffolds were degraded by approximately 30%. In vitro investigations showed that the composites were cytocompatible and supported the growth of L929 and Saos-2 cells. The obtained data suggests that the squid pen chitosan composites are potential candidates for bone regeneration. © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

 

Preparation and characterisation of irradiated crab chitosan and New Zealand Arrow squid pen chitosan

Shavandi, A., Bekhit, A., Bekhit, A. E.-D., Sun, Z., & Ali, A. (2015). Preparation and characterisation of irradiated crab chitosan and New Zealand Arrow squid pen chitosan. Materials chemistry and physics, 167, 295-302. doi:10.1016/j.matchemphys.2015.10.047  

The properties of chitosan from Arrow squid (Nototodarus sloanii) pen (CHS) and commercial crab shell (CHC) were investigated using FTIR, DSC, SEM and XRD before and after irradiation at the dose of 28 kGy in the presence or absence of 5% water. Also, the viscosity, deacetylation degree, water and oil holding capacities, colour and antimicrobial activities of the chitosan samples were determined. Irradiation decreased (P < 0.05) the viscosity of CHC from 0.21 to 0.03 Pa s and of CHS from 1.71 to 0.23 Pa s. The inclusion of water had no effect on the viscosity of irradiated chitosan. Irradiation did not affect the degree of deacetylation of CHC, but increased the deacetylation degree of CHS from 72.78 to 82.29% in samples with 5% water. Water and oil holding capacities of CHS (1197.30% and 873.3%, respectively) were higher (P < 0.05) than those found in CHC (340.70% and 264.40%, respectively). The water and oil holding capacities were decreased for both types of chitosan irradiation, but were not affected by the addition of water. Squid pen chitosan was whiter in colour (White Index = 90.06%) compared to CHC (White Index = 83.70%). Generally, the CHC samples (control and irradiated) exhibited better antibacterial activity compared to CHS, but the opposite was observed with antifungal activity. © 2015 Elsevier B.V.

 

Microwave-assisted synthesis of high purity β-tricalcium phosphate crystalline powder from the waste of Green mussel shells (Perna canaliculus)

Shavandi, A., Bekhit, A. E.-D., Ali, A., Sun, Z., & Ratnayake, J. T. B. (2015). Microwave-assisted synthesis of high purity β-tricalcium phosphate crystalline powder from the waste of Green mussel shells (Perna canaliculus). Powder technology, 273, 33-39. doi:10.1016/j.powtec.2014.12.029  

Beta-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) was successfully synthesized using the waste of Green mussel shells, Perna canaliculus. Calcined mussel shells and phosphoric acid were mixed in 1.5 Ca/P molar ratio and subjected to microwave irradiation (1100. W) for 30. min and subsequently calcined at 750. °C. The synthesized powder was chemically, compositionally and structurally characterized and was found to be very similar to a commercial β-TCP. Furthermore, the obtained powder was stable up to 1000. °C and lost only 2% of its weight. Its toxic metallic contents (e.g. Cd, Pb and As) were lower than standard limits for biogenic calcium phosphate for medical application. The synthesized β-TCP powder shows spherical morphology having diameter in the range of 100-150. nm and Ca/P molar ratio of 1.49, which is close to the stoichiometric ratio. The results obtained in this study showed that pure β-TCP can be produced from waste mussel shells in a simple and fast way using microwave irradiation. © 2014 Elsevier B.V.

 

Development and characterization of hydroxyapatite/β-TCP/chitosan composites for tissue engineering applications

Shavandi, A., Bekhit, A. E.-D., Ali, A., Sun, Z., Gould, M. L., et al. (2015). Development and characterization of hydroxyapatite/β-TCP/chitosan composites for tissue engineering applications. Materials Science and Engineering C, 56, 481-493. doi:10.1016/j.msec.2015.07.004  

Calcium phosphate ceramics that mimic bone composition provide interesting possibilities for the advancement in bone tissue engineering. The present study reports on a chitosan composite reinforced by hydroxyapatite (HA) and β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) obtained from waste mussel shells and cross-linked using tripolyphosphate (TPP). The ratios of the ceramic components in composites were 20/10/70, 30/20/50 and 40/30/30 (HA/β-TCP/CH, w/w %). Biodegradation rate, structural properties and in-vitro degradation of the bone-like composite scaffolds were investigated. The optimum amount of TPP required for composite was 2.5% and glycerol was used as plasticizer at an optimized concentration of 1%. Tripolyphosphate cross-linked chitosan composites were developed by freezing and lyophilisation. The Young's modulus of the scaffolds was increased from 4kPa to 17kPa and the porosity of composites dropped from 85 to 68% by increasing the HA/β-TCP ratio. After 28days in physiological solution, bone-like composite scaffolds with a higher ratio of HA/β-TCP (e.g. 40/30/30) showed about 2% lower biodegradation in comparison to scaffolds with a lower ratio of HA/β-TCP (i.e. 20/10/70). The obtained data suggest that the chitosan based bone-like composites could be potential candidates for biomedical applications.

https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/278779/3/Elsevier_262406.pdf

 

2014

Methylene blue removal from aqueous solution by Hylocereus undatus (dragon fruit) foliage

Abidin, Z. Z., Zahra, H., Shavandi, A., Ismail, M. H. S., & Ahmadun, F. R. (2014). Methylene blue removal from aqueous solution by Hylocereus undatus (dragon fruit) foliage. Applied mechanics and materials, 625, 864-869. doi:10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.625.864  

Dragon fruit foliage in its natural form was applied for decolorization of methyleneblue,a cationic dye from aqueous solution. The effects of major parameters like initial dye concentration, pH, adsorbent dose, temperature and contact time were investigated in batch experimental set-up. The optimum values for removal of methylene blue were identified to be pH 9.0 with 30 hours contact time using 1.2 g L−1biosorbent dosage at 250mg L−1 initial dye concentration. The present results suggested that foliage of dragon fruit can be a potential agricultural byproduct to be used as an environmental friendly and low cost biosorbent. © 2014 Trans Tech Publications, Switzerland.

 

2013

Biosorption of azoimide on almond integument: Kinetics, isotherm and thermodynamics studies

Hosseini, S. M. M., Malekbala, M. R., Hosseini, S. J., Eghbali Babadi, F., Balavandy, S. K., & Shavandi, A. (2013). Biosorption of azoimide on almond integument: Kinetics, isotherm and thermodynamics studies. Journal of environmental chemical engineering, 1(4), 696-702. doi:10.1016/j.jece.2013.07.007  

Hospital effluents are a serious problem in waterways due to azoimide that provides physical and health hazards. The removal of azoimide using powdered almond integument was studied in batch mode. Hydroxyl, carbonyl and carboxyl on the biosorbent surface were measured by titration method. The biosorption of azoimide was found to depend on the initial concentrations, pH and contact time. The equilibrium data was analyzed by using a non-linear form of Langmuir, Freundlich, Toth and Redlich-Peterson isotherm models. The fitness of data was evaluated using three error functions and correlation coefficient value (R 2). The error analysis showed three parameters models described the best biosorption in comparison of two parameters models such as Langmuir and Freundlich. The pseudo-first order, pseudo-second order and Elovich kinetic models were applied to study the kinetic behavior, and revealed applicability of the pseudo-second order model. The evaluation of thermodynamic parameters showed that biosorption process was endothermic and spontaneous. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

 

Removal Methyl Orange from Aqueous Solutions Using Dragon Fruit (Hylocereusundatus) Foliage

Haddadian, Z., Shavandi, A., Abidin, Z. Z., Ahmadun, F. R., & Ismail, M. H. S. (2013). Removal Methyl Orange from Aqueous Solutions Using Dragon Fruit (Hylocereusundatus) Foliage. Chemical science transactions, 3, 900-910. doi:10.7598/cst2013.439  
https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/279204/3/doi_262831.pdf

 

2012

Process simulation and optimization of palm oil waste combustion using aspen plus

Ismail, M. H. S., Haddadian, Z., & Shavandi, A. (2012). Process simulation and optimization of palm oil waste combustion using aspen plus. Research Journal in Engineering and Applied Sciences, 1(5), 266-273.  

 

Eryngium foetidum L. Coriandrum sativum and Persicaria odorata L. : a review

Shavandi, A., Haddadian, Z., & Ismail, M. H. S. (2012). Eryngium foetidum L. Coriandrum sativum and Persicaria odorata L. : a review. Journal of Asian scientific research, 2(8), 410-426.  

 

Simulation of hot gas desulfurization using liquid tin in scrubber

Ismail, M. H. S., Hussain, S. A., & Shavandi, A. (2012). Simulation of hot gas desulfurization using liquid tin in scrubber. Research Journal in Engineering and Applied Sciences, 1(4), 258-265.  

 

Continuous metal and residual oil removal from palm oil mill effluent using natural zeolite-packed column

Shavandi, A., Haddadian, Z., Ismail, M. H. S., & Abdullah, N. (2012). Continuous metal and residual oil removal from palm oil mill effluent using natural zeolite-packed column. Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers. Journal, 43(6), 934-941. doi:10.1016/j.jtice.2012.07.001  

In this paper, fixed bed column studies were carried out to evaluate the performance of natural zeolite in removing heavy metals (Fe, Mn and Zn) and residual oil from palm oil mill effluent (POME) under varying experimental conditions such as flow rate and bed height. The maximum uptakes of Fe, Zn and Mn in a fixed bed adsorption column were 1.466, 0.203 and 0.019. mg/g at pH 6, bed height 15. cm and flow rate 3. ml/min,while maximum sorption of residual oil was 100. mg/g at pH 3 and same bed height and flow rate. Bohart-Adams and the bed depth service time (BDST) models were applied to the data for predicting breakthrough curves and to determine the characteristic parameters such as service time adsorption, adsorption rate, capacity and time required for 50% breakthrough. © 2012 Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers.

 

Removal of Fe (III), Mn (II) and Zn (II) from palm oil mill effluent (POME) by natural zeolite

Shavandi, A., Haddadian, Z., Ismail, M. H. S., Abdullah, N., & Abidin, Z. Z. (2012). Removal of Fe (III), Mn (II) and Zn (II) from palm oil mill effluent (POME) by natural zeolite. Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers. Journal, 43(5), 750-759. doi:10.1016/j.jtice.2012.02.014  

The adsorption capacity of natural zeolite for the removal of heavy metal ions, zinc Zn(II), manganese Mn(II) and iron Fe(III), found in palm oil mill effluent was investigated in this study. The effects of contact time, agitation speed, pH, and sorbent dosage on the sorption of heavy metals were evaluated. The desorption potential of zeolite was also investigated. The sorption was fast with equilibrium reached within 180. min. The metal sorption increased with pH, and adsorption capacities ranged between 0.015 and 1.157. mg/g of zeolite. Equilibrium data followed the Langmuir isotherm model while the kinetic data were well described by the pseudo-second-order model. Maximum desorption was attained by HCl with 69.638, 58.575 and 61.516% of the initial adsorbed amount for Fe, Zn and Mn, respectively. More than 50% of Zn(II) and Mn(II) and about 60% of Fe(III) could be removed in the experiments. © 2012 Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers.

 

Removal of residual oils from palm oil mill effluent by adsorption on natural zeolite

Shavandi, A., Haddadian, Z., Ismail, M. H. S., Abdullah, N., & Abidin, Z. Z. (2012). Removal of residual oils from palm oil mill effluent by adsorption on natural zeolite. Water, air and soil pollution, 223(7), 4017-4027. doi:10.1007/s11270-012-1169-6  

The adsorption of residue oil from palm oil mill effluent using natural zeolite was investigated in this study. The adsorption was performed in batch mode, and the effect of different operational parameters such as pH, dose of adsorbent, stirring rate, contact time and initial oil concentration were explored. It was found that the pH plays a major role in the adsorption process. Isotherm data best fitted with the Freundlich model, and kinetic data followed the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The results obtained demonstrated that the oil removal efficiencies by natural zeolite were up to 70 % at a pH of 3.0 and 50 min of contact time. The adsorbent material also has been characterised by X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence and scanning electron microscopy. © 2012 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.

 

Updated on October 12, 2021