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Herein, we demonstrate that modification of TiO

The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of zinc oxide nanoparticles as a photocatalyst for photodegradation of two model non-ionic surfactants (Triton X-100 and C12E10). The first part of the investigation was focused on the synthesis and characterization of ZnO nanoparticles, since its crystalline structure strongly impacts its photocatalytic properties. Based on the results of the XRD analysis, it was concluded that the obtained material occurred in the form of hexagonal wurtzite with a polycrystalline structure. FT-IR and XPS analyses were used to elucidate and confirm the nanomaterial structure, whereas investigation of N2 adsorption/desorption and SEM/TEM imaging allowed to establish that the synthesized ZnO was characterized as a mesoporous material with uniform, spherical shape and particle size fluctuating between 90 and 130 nm. The second part of the study included spectrophotometric assessment of the photodegradation process. The use of the obtained ZnO nanoparticles allowed to achieve efficient photodegradation of both C12E10 (92%) and Triton X-100 (82%) after 1 h of UV irradiation. The Langmuir–Hinshelwood mechanism was used to describe the reaction kinetics. Subsequent LC-MS/MS analysis of the residues indicated that the degradation mechanism is most likely based on both central fission of the surfactant molecules with further terminal oxidation of poly(ethylene glycol) and terminal oxidation leading to carboxylic derivatives of surfactants.

Studies on the identification, properties and function of chitin in sponges (Porifera), which are recognized as the first multicellular organisms on Earth, continue to be of fundamental scientific interest. The occurrence of chitin has so far been reported in 21 marine sponge species and only in two inhabiting fresh water. In this study, we present the discovery of α-chitin in the endemic demosponge Ochridaspongia rotunda, found in Lake Ohrid, which dates from the Tertiary. The presence of chitin in this species was confirmed using special staining, a chitinase test, FTIR, Raman and NEXAFS spectroscopy, and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). In contrast to the case of marine sponges, chitin in O. rotunda has been found only within its holdfast, suggesting a role of chitin in the attachment of the sponge to the hard substratum. Isolated fibrous matter strongly resemble the shape and size of the sponge holdfast with membrane-like structure.

The main purpose of this study was to investigate the extraction of essential oils from plants by the supercritical fluid extraction technique. However, other interesting information, regarding the process optimization, is also discussed. Therefore, logical steps were identified to completely describe the process. These steps were divided into three parts: (1) characterization of essential oils; (2) properties attributed to the supercritical fluid, including supercritical fluid extraction, parameters affecting the procedure such as temperature, pressure, particle size, modifier, flow rate, and water, the importance of fractionation, types of collection methods, the antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of essential oils extracted by supercritical fluid, advantages and drawbacks of this method in comparison with other extraction techniques; and (3) the use of experimental designs, including screening, optimizing and modeling, in the process of supercritical fluid extraction of essential oils.

Pure copper chromite nanoparticles were prepared through an efficient route using copper nitrate and chromium nitrate. For the first time, various amino acids were employed as capping agents in the presence of propylene glycol and ethylene glycol in order to prepare these nanostructures. A number of experiments were performed to examine the effect of stabilization agents, alkaline agents and connecting agents on the shape, grain size and photodegradation behavior of CuCr2O4. The results showed that the type of stabilization agent and reducing agent creates numerous changes in terms of the size and photocatalytic performance of copper chromite. The effects of several factors, including the type of pollutant, grain size of CuCr2O4 nanostructures, pH and dosage of dye, on the photocatalytic behavior of copper chromite nanostructure were evaluated. Solutions of methylene blue, methyl orange and rhodamine B were employed as model contaminants. The maximum photocatalytic activity of the CuCr2O4 nanostructure was achieved for the rhodamine B contaminant under UV irradiation. When the CuCr2O4/Ag nanostructure was used instead of CuCr2O4 nanoparticles, the photocatalytic activity during the degradation of rhodamine B increased from 76 to 91%.

In this study, novel MnWO4/TmVO4 ternary nano-hybrids were synthesized effectively via a simple sonochemical method. The products were characterized in detail with the use of modern analytical techniques including XRD, EDX, TEM, DRS, BET, PL, and VSM. To the authors’ best knowledge, this is the first report on the synthesis and photocatalytic performance of MnWO4/TmVO4 ternary nano-hybrids in the degradation of rhodamine B (Rh B), 2-naphthol (Na), phenol red (Ph R), and eosin Y (EY) under visible light. Based on the degradation results, MnWO4/TmVO4 is shown to have higher photodegradation ability than pure TmVO4 or MnWO4 nanoparticles. It was also found that maximum degradation (99.2%) is achieved in the case of Rh B dye.

Praca zostala zrealizowana w ramach projektow badawczych Politechniki Poznanskiej 03/32/DSPB/0806 i 03/32/DSMK/0810.

Analysis was carried out to determine the physicochemical characteristics – morphological and structural, electrokinetic properties, elemental composition and functional groups – of peat, with a view to its use as a potential adsorbent of heavy metal ions from aqueous solutions. A significant part of the study comprised tests of adsorption of nickel(II) and lead(II) ions from model solutions. It was determined how the parameters of the adsorption process (time, pH, quantity of sorbent) influence the effectiveness of removal of nickel(II) and lead(II) ions. The adsorption kinetics are also described, using a pseudo-first-order model and pseudo-second-order models of types 1–4. The results show strong correspondence to a pseudo-second-order kinetics model of type 1 ( r 2 = 0.999 for all initial concentrations). Another key part of the analysis was the use of the Langmuir and Freundlich models to determine the adsorption isotherms. The experimental data were in strong correspondence with Langmuir’s isotherm model. The sorption capacities of peat with respect to nickel(II) and lead(II) ions were 61.27 mg(Ni 2+ )/g and 82.31 mg(Pb 2+ )/g. Desorption tests confirmed the possibility of reusing peat as an effective sorbent of environmentally harmful metals. A mechanism is also proposed for the adsorption of Ni 2+ and Pb 2+ ions on adsorbent.

This work presents an Extreme Biomimetic approach for the development of a novel non-enzymatic electrochemical glucose sensor based on modification of a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) with CuO-chitosan nanocomposite. The impact of the synthesis conditions on the structure of the formed CuO-chitosan nanocomposites was analyzed in detail using a variety of analytical techniques, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). To investigate electrocatalytic activity towards glucose oxidation and to optimize the synthesis process, the modified electrodes (CuO-CS/GCE) were tested by amperometric and potentiometric methods The CuO-CS sensor based on CuO-CS_100 Exhibits 20% better electrocatalytic activity than a CuO sensor with CuO obtained under the same process conditions. The CuO-CS/GCE sensor for glucose oxidation displays high sensitivity (503 μA mM cm−2) with a high detection limit (LOD of 11 μM), short response time (within 6 s), and very good long-term stability and reproducibility. Electrochemical measurements confirmed that the CuO-chitosan nanocomposite obtained after 18 h of hydrothermal reaction at 100 °C was the most efficient modifier of GCE. These results clearly indicate that the novel CuO-CS/GCE sensor is very promising for future application in devices used to detect glucose in biological fluids.

The giant bones of whales (Cetacea) are the largest extant biomineral-based constructs known. The fact that such mammalian bones can grow up to 7 m long raises questions about differences and similarities to other smaller bones. Size and exposure to environmental stress are good reasons to suppose that an unexplored level of hierarchical organization may be present that is not needed in smaller bones. The existence of such a macroscopic naturally grown structure with poorly described mechanisms for biomineralization is an example of the many yet unexplored phenomena in living organisms. In this article, we describe key observations in macrobiomineralization and suggest that the large scale of biomineralization taking place in selected whale bones implies they may teach us fundamental principles of the chemistry, biology, and biomaterials science governing bone formation, from atomistic to the macrolevel. They are also associated with a very lipid rich environment on those bones. This has implications for bone development and damage sensing that has not yet been fully addressed. We propose that whale bone construction poses extreme requirements for inorganic material storage, mediated by biomacromolecules. Unlike extinct large mammals, cetaceans still live deep in large terrestrial water bodies following eons of adaptation. The nanocomposites from which the bones are made, comprising biomacromolecules and apatite nanocrystals, must therefore be well adapted to create the macroporous hierarchically structured architectures of the bones, with mechanical properties that match the loads imposed in vivo. This massive skeleton directly contributes to the survival of these largest mammals in the aquatic environments of Earth, with structural refinements being the result of 60 million years of evolution. We also believe that the concepts presented in this article highlight the beneficial uses of multidisciplinary and multiscale approaches to study the structural peculiarities of both organic and inorganic phases as well as mechanisms of biomineralization in highly specialized and evolutionarily conserved hard tissues.

The marine sponges of the order Verongiida (Demospongiae: Porifera) have survived on our planet for more than 500 million years due to the presence of a unique strategy of chemical protection by biosynthesis of more than 300 derivatives of biologically active bromotyrosines as secondary metabolites. These compounds are synthesized within spherulocytes, highly specialized cells located within chitinous skeletal fibers of these sponges from where they can be extruded in the sea water and form protective space against pathogenic viruses, bacteria and other predators. This chitin is an example of unique biomaterial as source of substances with antibiotic properties. Traditionally, the attention of researchers was exclusively drawn to lipophilic bromotyrosines, the extraction methods of which were based on the use of organic solvents only. Alternatively, we have used in this work a biomimetic water-based approach, because in natural conditions, sponges actively extrude bromotyrosines that are miscible with the watery environment. This allowed us to isolate 3,5-dibromoquinolacetic acid from an aqueous extract of the dried demosponge Aplysina aerophoba and compare its antimicrobial activity with the same compound obtained by the chemical synthesis. Both synthetic and natural compounds have shown antimicrobial properties against clinical strains of Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis and Propionibacterium acnes. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00339-020-04167-0.

Selected hypermineralized bones (rostrum and tympanic bullae) have yet to be characterized for diverse species of whales (Cetacea). Hypermineralization in these structures is an example of extreme biomineralization that, however, occurs at temperatures around 36 °C. In this study we present the results of analytical investigations of the specimen of tympanic bulla isolated from gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus) for the first time. Examination of the internal surface of the bone mechanically crushed under a press revealed the presence of a lipid-containing phase, which did not disappear even after complete demineralization of the bone material. Additionally, analytical investigations including CARS, ATR-FTIR, Raman and XRD confirmed the presence of carbonated bioapatite and a collagen- lipid complex as the main components of this up to 2.34 kg/cm3 dense bone. Our experimental results open the way for further research on understanding of the principles of hypermineralization in highly specialized whale bones.

Molluscan shells are an example of a mineral-based biocomposite material, and most studies to date have focused on understanding their biomineralization mechanisms. Meanwhile, large amounts of these shells are produced as waste globally by seafood which is used by other industries as a source of biogenic calcium carbonates. In this study, we propose a simple methodological approach for isolation ofConchixes, the organic scaffolds that resemble the size and shapes of mollusks shells, using gentle EDTA-based demineralization of the shells. Such mineral-free biological materials have been extracted from selected representatives of marine and fresh water bivalves, as well as from marine and terrestrial gastropods under study. Key pathways to practical applications of molluscanconchixeswith regards to pharmacy, cosmetics, feed and feed additives, biomedicine and bioinspired materials science are also discussed.

Chitin is the second most abundant biopolymer and functions as the main structural component in a variety of living organisms. In nature, chitin rarely occurs in a pure form, but rather as nanoorganized chitin-proteins, chitin-pigments, or chitin-mineral composite biomaterials. Although chitin has a long history of scientific studies, it is still extensively investigated for practical applications in medicine, biotechnology, and biomimetics. The complexity of chitin has required the development of highly sensitive analytical methods for its identification. These methods are crucial for furthering disease diagnostics as well as advancing modern chitin-related technologies. Here we provide a summary of chitin identification by spectroscopic (NEXAFS, FTIR, Raman, NMR, colorimetry), chromatographic (TLC, GC, HPLC), electrophoretic (HPCE), and diffraction methods (XRD, WAXS, SAXS, HRTEM-SAED). Biochemical and immunochemical (ELISA, immunostaining) methods are described with respect to their medical application. This review outlines the history as well as the current progress in the analytical methods for chitin identification.

In vivo biomimetic biomineralization using living organisms known as biomineralizers is currently a major research trend. Industrially cultivated terrestrial snails, such as the common garden snail Cornu aspersum, represent a simple model organism that is ideal for use in experiments on the regeneration of the calcified shell after the excavation of a corresponding shell fragment. The mollusk’s artificially damaged shell is regenerated via the formation of an organic regenerative membrane, which serves as a native template for in vivo biocalcification. In this study, for the first time, a special plexiglass device for non-lethal fixation of living snails, enabling real-time monitoring of their ability to regenerate their shells using digital microscopy, has been proposed and tested. As an alternative to natural biomineralization using the mollusk’s own sources, we propose chitin- and collagen-based templates, which have been shown to be effectively calcified by living snails. The results indicate that the type of organic template used for in vivo biomineralization has a substantial effect on the nature of the mineral phases.

β-Chitinous scaffolds isolated from the skeleton of marine cephalopod Sepia officinalis were used as a template for the in vitro formation of ZnO under conditions (70 °C) which are extreme for biological materials. Novel β-chitin/ZnO film-like composites were prepared for the first time by hydrothermal synthesis, and were thoroughly characterized using numerous analytical methods including Raman spectroscopy, HR-TEM and XRD. We demonstrate the growth of hexagonal ZnO nanocrystals on the β-chitin substrate. Our chitin/ZnO composites presented in this work show antibacterial properties against Gram positive bacteria and can be employed for development of inorganic–organic wound dressing materials.

Structure-based tissue engineering requires large-scale 3D cell/tissue manufacture technologies, to produce biologically active scaffolds. Special attention is currently paid to naturally pre-designed scaffolds found in skeletons of marine sponges, which represent a renewable resource of biomaterials. Here, an innovative approach to the production of mineralized scaffolds of natural origin is proposed. For the first time, a method to obtain calcium carbonate deposition ex vivo, using living mollusks hemolymph and a marine-sponge-derived template, is specifically described. For this purpose, the marine sponge Aplysin aarcheri and the terrestrial snail Cornu aspersum were selected as appropriate 3D chitinous scaffold and as hemolymph donor, respectively. The formation of calcium-based phase on the surface of chitinous matrix after its immersion into hemolymph was confirmed by Alizarin Red staining. A direct role of mollusks hemocytes is proposed in the creation of fine-tuned microenvironment necessary for calcification ex vivo. The X-ray diffraction pattern of the sample showed a high CaCO3 amorphous content. Raman spectroscopy evidenced also a crystalline component, with spectra corresponding to biogenic calcite. This study resulted in the development of a new biomimetic product based on ex vivo synthetized ACC and calcite tightly bound to the surface of 3D sponge chitin structure. © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Naturalis Biodiversity Center Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnología y Medio Ambiente, CITMA: 18-54-34007 Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, DFG: HE 394/3 Russian Foundation for Basic Research, RFBR Russian Science Foundation, RSF: 18-13-00220 57397326 Ministerstwo Nauki i Szkolnictwa Wyższego, MNiSW: 03/32/SBAD/0906 PPN/BEK/2018/1/00071 Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst, DAAD Sächsisches Staatsministerium für Wissenschaft und Kunst, SMWK: 02010311 Funding: This work was partially supported by the DFG Project HE 394/3, SMWK Project no. 02010311 (Germany), as well as DAAD-Italy Project “Marine Sponges as Sources for Bioinspired Materials Science” (No. 57397326). The sampling conducted in Cuba (V.I.) and Curaçao (V.I. and B.H.) was funded by RFBR and CITMA, according to the research project 18-54-34007 (grant), and Temminck-Fellowships from the Naturalis Biodiversity Center, respectively. M.W is financially supported by the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (PPN/BEK/2018/1/00071). Tomasz Machałowski is supported by DAAD (Personal ref. no. 91734605). Yuliya Khrunyk is supported by the Russian Science Foundation (grant no. 18-13-00220). This research was partially funded by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education (Poland), as financial subsidy to PUT No. 03/32/SBAD/0906.

One of the major challenges of implantology is to design nanoscale modifications of titanium implant surfaces inducing osseointegration. The aim of this study was to investigate the behavior of rat osteoblasts cultured on anodized TiO2 nanotubes of different crystallinity (amorphous and anatase phase) up to 24 days. TiO2 nanotubes were fabricated on VT1&ndash, 0 titanium foil via a two-step anodization at 20 V using NH4F as an electrolyte. Anatase-phase samples were prepared by heat treatment at 500 &deg, C for 1 h. VT1&ndash, 0 samples with flat surfaces were used as controls. Primary rat osteoblasts were seeded over experimental surfaces for several incubation times. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to analyze tested surfaces and cell morphology. Cell adhesion and proliferation were investigated by cell counting. Osteogenic differentiation of cells was evaluated by qPCR of runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2), osteopontin (OPN), integrin binding sialoprotein (IBSP), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and osteocalcin (OCN). Cell adhesion and proliferation, cell morphology and the expression of osteogenic markers were affected by TiO2 nanotube layered substrates of amorphous and anatase crystallinity. In comparison with flat titanium, along with increased cell adhesion and cell growth a large portion of osteoblasts grown on the both nanostructured surfaces exhibited an osteocyte-like morphology as early as 48 h of culture. Moreover, the expression of all tested osteogenic markers in cells cultured on amorphous and anatase TiO2 nanotubes was upregulated at least at one of the analyzed time points. To summarize, we demonstrated that amorphous and anodized TiO2 layered substrates are highly biocompatible with rat osteoblasts and that the surface modification with about 1500 nm length nanotubes of 35 &plusmn, 4 (amorphous phase) and 41 &plusmn, 8 nm (anatase phase) in diameter is sufficient to induce their osteogenic differentiation. Such results are significant to the engineering of coating strategies for orthopedic implants aimed to establish a more efficient bone to implant contact and enhance bone repair.

This work determines the effect of the addition of various amounts of vanadium oxide on the work of a cell built from a hybrid VxOy-TiO2-rGO system in a lithium-ion cell. Moreover, a new method based on solvothermal chemistry is proposed for the creation of a new type of composite material combining reduced graphene, vanadium oxide and crystalline anatase. The satisfactory electrochemical properties of VxOy-TiO2-rGO hybrids can be attributed to the perfect matching of the morphology and structure of VxOy-TiO2 and rGO. In addition, it is also responsible for the partial transfer of electrons from rGO to VxOy-TiO2, which increases the synergistic interaction of the VxOy-TiO2-rGO hybrid to the reversible storage of lithium. In addition a full cell was created LiFePO4/VxOy-TiO2-rGO. The cell showed good cyclability while providing a capacity of 120 mAh g&minus, 1.

Three-dimensional (3D) biopolymer-based scaffolds including chitinous matrices have been widely used for tissue engineering, regenerative medicine and other modern interdisciplinary fields including extreme biomimetics. In this study, we introduce a novel, electrochemically assisted method for 3D chitin scaffolds isolation from the cultivated marine demosponge Aplysina aerophoba which consists of three main steps: (1) decellularization, (2) decalcification and (3) main deproteinization along with desilicification and depigmentation. For the first time, the obtained electrochemically isolated 3D chitinous scaffolds have been further biomineralized ex vivo using hemolymph of Cornu aspersum edible snail aimed to generate calcium carbonates-based layered biomimetic scaffolds. The analysis of prior to, during and post-electrochemical isolation samples as well as samples treated with molluscan hemolymph was conducted employing analytical techniques such as SEM, XRD, ATR–FTIR and Raman spectroscopy. Finally, the use of described method for chitin isolation combined with biomineralization ex vivo resulted in the formation of crystalline (calcite) calcium carbonate-based deposits on the surface of chitinous scaffolds, which could serve as promising biomaterials for the wide range of biomedical, environmental and biomimetic applications. © 2020, The Author(s). Politechnika PoznaÅ ska, PUT: 0911/SBAD/0380/2019 Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, DFG: HE 394/3 Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst, DAAD Russian Science Foundation, RSF: 18-13-00220 PPN/BEK/2018/1/00071 03/32/SBAD/0906 Sächsisches Staatsministerium für Wissenschaft und Kunst, SMWK: 02010311 This work was performed with the financial support of Poznan University of Technology, Poland (Grant No. 0911/SBAD/0380/2019), as well as by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education (Poland) as financial subsidy to PUT No. 03/32/SBAD/0906. Krzysztof Nowacki was supported by the Erasmus Plus program (2019). Also, this study was partially supported by the DFG Project HE 394/3 and SMWK Project No. 02010311 (Germany). Marcin Wysokowski is financially supported by the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (PPN/BEK/2018/1/00071). Tomasz Machałowski is supported by DAAD (Personal Ref. No. 91734605). Yuliya Khrunyk is supported by the Russian Science Foundation (Grant No. 18-13-00220).

Modern scaffolding strategies include two key ways: to produce requested 3D constructs from corresponding precursors using technological tools, or simply use naturally already pre-fabricated scaffolds if they originate from renewable sources. Marine sponges inhabit oceans since the Precambrian. These ancient multicellular organisms possess a broad variety of evolutionary approved and ready to use skeletal structures, which seem to be well applicable as 3D scaffolds in diverse fields of modern bioinspired materials science, biomimetics and regenerative medicine. In this review, most attention is paid to biosilica-, chitin-, and spongin-based scaffolds of poriferan origin with respect to their potential use. © 2020, The Author(s). Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, DFG: HE 394–3 Ministerstwo Nauki i Szkolnictwa Wyższego, MNiSW: 0912/SBAD/2006 PPN/BEK/2018/1/00071 Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, DFG Sächsisches Staatsministerium für Wissenschaft und Kunst, SMWK: 02010311 This work was financially supported by German Research Foundation (DFG) grant HE 394–3, SMWK Project 02010311 (Germany) and subsidy from the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, Poland to PUT (no. 0912/SBAD/2006). M.W. is thankful for financial support from Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (PPN/BEK/2018/1/00071).

Marine demosponges of the Verongiida order are considered a gold-mine for bioinspired materials science and marine pharmacology. The aim of this work was to simultaneously isolate selected bromotyrosines and unique chitinous structures from A. aerophoba and to propose these molecules and biomaterials for possible application as antibacterial and antitumor compounds and as ready-to-use scaffolds for cultivation of cardiomyocytes, respectively. Among the extracted bromotyrosines, the attention has been focused on aeroplysinin-1 that showed interesting unexpected growth inhibition properties for some Gram-negative clinical multi-resistant bacterial strains, such as A. baumannii and K. pneumoniae, and on aeroplysinin-1 and on isofistularin-3 for their anti-tumorigenic activity. For both compounds, the effects are cell line dependent, with significant growth inhibition activity on the neuroblastoma cell line SH-SY5Y by aeroplysinin-1 and on breast cancer cell line MCF-7 by isofistularin-3. In this study, we also compared the cultivation of human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (iPSC-CMs) on the A. aerophoba chitinous scaffolds, in comparison to chitin structures that were pre-coated with Geltrex™, an extracellular matrix mimetic which is used to enhance iPSC-CM adhesion. The iPSC-CMs on uncoated and pure chitin structures started contracting 24 h after seeding, with comparable behaviour observed on Geltrex-coated cell culture plates, confirming the biocompatibility of the sponge biomaterial with this cell type. The advantage of A. aerophoba is that this source organism does not need to be collected in large quantities to supply the necessary amount for further pre-clinical studies before chemical synthesis of the active compounds will be available. A preliminary analysis of marine sponge bioeconomy as a perspective direction for application of biomaterials and secondary bioactive metabolites has been finally performed for the first time.

Biocomposites of sponge origin attract scientific attention due to their renewability as well as special properties. Dried skeletons of fresh water demosponge Spongilla lacustris represent unique kind of naturally occurring silica-chitin-based biocomposites with long history of their applications in dermatocosmetics. However, there is still a lack of knowledge on their physico-chemical properties in model systems. The aim of this work was to model drug systems based on S. lacustris powdered biocomposite, water and a hydrophobic medium, which served as an analog of an oil base. Both thermogravimetric analysis and 1H NMR spectroscopy study of structural water in rehydrated biocomposite lead to obtaining of interesting experimental data useful for preparation of biocosmetic products. © 2020, The Author(s). Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, DFG: HE 394-3 PPN/BEK/2018/1/00071 Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, DFG Sächsisches Staatsministerium für Wissenschaft und Kunst, SMWK: 02010311 This work was financially supported by German Research Foundation (DFG) Grant HE 394-3, SMWK Project 02010311 (Germany). M.W. is thankful for financial support from Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (PPN/BEK/2018/1/00071) and support from Ministry of Science and Higher Education (Poland) as financial subsidy to PUT.

One of the major challenges of implantology is to design nanoscale modifications of titanium implant surfaces inducing osseointegration. The aim of this study was to investigate the behavior of rat osteoblasts cultured on anodized TiO2 nanotubes of different crystallinity (amorphous and anatase phase) up to 24 days. TiO2 nanotubes were fabricated on VT1–0 titanium foil via a two-step anodization at 20 V using NH4F as an electrolyte. Anatase-phase samples were prepared by heat treatment at 500 °C for 1 h. VT1–0 samples with flat surfaces were used as controls. Primary rat osteoblasts were seeded over experimental surfaces for several incubation times. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to analyze tested surfaces and cell morphology. Cell adhesion and proliferation were investigated by cell counting. Osteogenic differentiation of cells was evaluated by qPCR of runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2), osteopontin (OPN), integrin binding sialoprotein (IBSP), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and osteocalcin (OCN). Cell adhesion and proliferation, cell morphology and the expression of osteogenic markers were affected by TiO2 nanotube layered substrates of amorphous and anatase crystallinity. In comparison with flat titanium, along with increased cell adhesion and cell growth a large portion of osteoblasts grown on the both nanostructured surfaces exhibited an osteocyte-like morphology as early as 48 h of culture. Moreover, the expression of all tested osteogenic markers in cells cultured on amorphous and anatase TiO2 nanotubes was upregulated at least at one of the analyzed time points. To summarize, we demonstrated that amorphous and anodized TiO2 layered substrates are highly biocompatible with rat osteoblasts and that the surface modification with about 1500 nm length nanotubes of 35 ± 4 (amorphous phase) and 41 ± 8 nm (anatase phase) in diameter is sufficient to induce their osteogenic differentiation. Such results are significant to the engineering of coating strategies for orthopedic implants aimed to establish a more efficient bone to implant contact and enhance bone repair.

Diverse fields of modern technology and biomedicine can benefit from the application of ready-to-use chitin-based scaffolds. In this work we show for the first time the applicability of tubular and porous chitin from Caribena versicolor spiders as a scaffold for the development of an effective CuO/Cu(OH)2 catalyst for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) to 4-aminophenol (4-AM), and as a scaffold for the tissue engineering of selected cells. The formation of CuO/Cu(OH)2 phases on and within the chitinous tubes leads to a hybrid material with excellent catalytic performance with respect to the reduction of p-nitrophenol. On the other hand, experimental results provide for the first time strong evidence for the biocompatibility of spider chitin with different cell types, a human progenitor cell line (hPheo1), as well as cardiomyocytes differentiated from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC-CMs) that were cultured on a tube-like scaffold.