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Citrate-based mussel-inspired whitlockite composite adhesives (CMWAs) were developed and administered to the bone–tendon interface in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. CMWAs could improve the initial bone–tendon bonding strength, promote the bony inward growth from the bone tunnel and enhance the chondrogenesis and osteogenesis of the bone–tendon interface, thus augmenting bone-to-tendon healing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dual-drug loaded and dual-responsive core–shell particles (DD particles) were synthesized via an electrospray method in one step. First, 4-CBS-chitosan was synthesized by conjugating an aromatic sulfonamide group at the C2-N position of chitosan. Then, poly(nisopropylacylamide) (PNIPAM) containing apatinib model drug solution as the outer solution and 4-CBS-chitosan containing doxorubicin (DOX) as the inner solution were injected through a coaxial tube into a high voltage electric field. The formulation conditions of the DD particles were tuned to obtain spherical particles with narrow size distributions (94.97 ± 33.75 nm in diameter). The particles showed excellent responses to changes in pH and temperature: the releases of entrapped apatinib and doxorubicin (DOX) were accelerated when the solution temperature was above its lower critical solution temperature (LCST) (34 °C) or when the solution pH was acidic (pH 1.2). Degradation studies indicated that the DD particles degraded; the inner layer sank and the outer layer fragmented. In vivo biodistribution was studied by intragastric administration; it was found that the retention time of the drugs in the stomach was significantly improved and the initial burst release decreased, while a higher drug concentration level was maintained for a long time. These particles can exploit triggering mechanisms for release of the entrapped drugs from the particles, indicating their great potential for use in controlled release applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]