Cross-linked cellulose microspheres (CL-CMs) were successfully prepared using an inverse crosslinking suspension method from a cellulose solution with sodium hydroxide/urea aqueous solution as a solvent and epichlorohydrin as the crosslinker. The effects of epichlorohydrin content on the appearance and dispersity, average pore volume, moisture content, and wet real density of CL-CMs were studie...

The main objective of the study was to develop a stomach-specific drug delivery system to increase the efficacy of tetracycline against Helicobacter pylori. Chitosan microspheres were prepared by ionic cross-linking and precipitation with sodium sulfate. Two different methods were used for drug loading. In method I, tetracycline was mixed with chitosan solution before the simultaneous cross-lin...

Superparamagnetic iron-oxide particles (SPIO) are used in different ways as contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): Particles with high nonspecific uptake are required for unspecific labeling of phagocytic cells whereas those that target specific molecules need to have very low unspecific cellular uptake. We compared iron-oxide particles with different core materials (magnetite, m...

The aim of this work is to describe and characterize a new spray-drying procedure for the production of nasal powders as an alternative to the conventional freeze-drying method. Cyanocobalamin was chosen as the active ingredient and loaded into five different nonsoluble vehicles with high water absorption ability. Then these hydrated particles were suspended in methylene chloride and spray-drie...

The need for organ-targeted delivery of drugs and imaging agents creates an interest in biocompatible, biodegradable vesicles. We make protein microspheres using high-intensity ultrasound; these microspheres have a protein shell and a hydrophobic interior, making them ideal for delivering hydrophobic materials. We have previously shown that various proteins, e.g., bovine serum albumin (BSA), fo...

Guinea pig cochlear blood flow was measured before and after systemic normovolemic hemodilution with high molecular weight dextran. Absolute determinations of blood flow (in the cochlea, brain, kidney and lung) were accomplished by use of radioactive-labeled (85Sr or 141Ce) microspheres. Relative measurements of the cochlear blood flow changes were made simultaneously by the use of a laser Dopp...

We report the effects of distinct concentrations of genipin and silk fibroin (SF):chitosan (CS) ratios on the formation of SF-CS composite microspheres. We selected microspheres featuring an SF:CS ratio of 1:1, encapsulated various concentrations of bovine serum albumin (BSA), and then compared their encapsulation efficiency and sustained-release rate with those of pure CS microspheres. We dete...

The efficient transport of micron-sized beads into cells, via a non-endocytosis mediated mechanism, has only recently been described. As such there is considerable scope for optimization and exploitation of this procedure to enable imaging and sensing applications to be realized. Herein, we report the design, synthesis and characterization of fluorescent microsphere-based cellular delivery agen...

Affinity chromatography has become the standard procedure for isolation of lectins [ I] . In its most general form, a ligand which binds to the lectin is linked covalently to a solid matrix. However, an insoluble or cross-linked polysaccharide for which the lectin exhibits affinity can also be used as the adsorbent. Notable examples of this approach include the isolation of concanavalin A using...