Inclusion in nasogastric tube feeds (NGTF) of acid-sensitive, seaweed-derived alginate, expected to form a reversible gel in the stomach, may create a more normal intragastric state and modified gastrointestinal responses. This may ameliorate NGTF-associated risk of diarrhoea, upper gastrointestinal symptoms and appetite suppression. In a randomised, crossover, comparison study, undertaken in twelve healthy males, an alginate-containing feed (F + ALG) or one that was alginate-free (F-ALG) (300 ml) was given over 1 h with a 7–14-d washout period between treatments. Baseline and for 4-h post-feed initiation, MRI measurements were made to establish small bowel water content (SBWC), gastric contents volume (GCV) and appearance, and superior mesenteric artery blood flux. Blood glucose and gut peptides were measured. Subjective appetite and upper gastrointestinal symptoms scores were obtained. Ad libitum pasta consumption 3-h post-feeding was measured. F + ALG exhibited a gastric appearance consistent with gelling surrounded by a freely mobile water halo. Significant main effects of feed were seen for SBWC (P = 0·03) and peptide YY (PYY) (P = 0·004) which were attributed to generally higher values for SBWC with F + ALG (max difference between adjusted means 72 ml at 210 min) and generally lower values for PYY with F + ALG. GCV showed a faster reduction with F + ALG, less between-participant variation and a feed-by-time interaction (P = 0·04). Feed-by-time interactions were also seen with glucagon-like-peptide 1 (GLP-1) (P = 0·02) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) (P = 0·002), both showing a blunted response with F + ALG. Apparent intragastric gelling with F + ALG and subsequent differences in gastrointestinal and endocrine responses have been demonstrated between an alginate-containing and alginate-free feed.

Microencapsulation of functioning cells for transplantation therapies is particularly promising, but the cells must retain their proper physiology and viability after being encapsulated. K-562 cells are multipotential and exhibit erythroid, megakaryocytic, or granulocytic properties that can be exploited by using an array of physiologically differentiating factors. The potential for cell differentiation makes it attractive the use of K-562 cells as functional model to the assessment of the effects of encapsulation on cell viability and physiology. Thus, alginate and hybrid alginate matrices were produced by extrusion technique for K-562 cell encapsulation. The produced systems were composed of bare alginate (1–3 wt%) and alginate in combination with chitosan or silica. The resulting materials were characterized by dynamic laser scattering, zeta potential measurements, small-angle X-ray scattering, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. To assess viability, the encapsulated cells were subjected to the Trypan blue exclusion technique and NAD(P)H-dependent oxidoreductase (MTT) assays; hemin-induced erythroid differentiation capacity was also evaluated. The encapsulated alginate-based systems were shown to be monomodal and bimodal, depending on the nature of the capsule, with mean sizes in the range between 414 and 4.129 nm. Encapsulated cells exhibited viability ratios compatible with their use for prolonged cell cultures. Erythroid differentiation occurred in the range between 39 and 44%. The present results allow the consideration of the viability of therapeutic cells encapsulated in both bare alginate and in hybrid matrices.

Bioactive glass–ceramic powder reinforced alginate scaffold has been successfully prepared and characterized for bone tissue engineering application. Glass-ceramic (GC) particles were synthesized through a sol–gel process. Alginate scaffolds containing different weight percentages of GC were fabricated through a freeze-drying technique. The composite scaffolds were characterized for phase analysis through X-ray powder diffraction and microstructure analysis through field emission scanning electron microscopy. The swelling behavior, degradation behavior, bioactivity, cell adhesion, and osteogenic potential of the fabricated scaffolds were evaluated. Microstructural analysis showed a highly porous behavior of the scaffold having a macroporous pore size. The composite scaffolds showed good bioactivity where GC induces apatite formation. The compressive strength of the scaffold was enhanced with GC addition due to the reinforcement of the alginate matrix. In vitro cell studies revealed that the composite scaffolds promoted cell adhesion, proliferation, and osteogenesis. Fabricated scaffolds are a promising biomaterial candidate for bone substitution because of their attractive properties.

As a unique tubular nanoclay, halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) have recently attracted significant research attention. The HNTs have outer diameters of ∼50 nm, inner lumens of ∼20 nm and are 200–1000 nm long. They are biocompatible nanomaterials and widely available in nature, which makes them good candidates for application in biomedicine. Compared with other types of nanoparticles such as polymer nanoparticles and carbon nanotubes, the drawbacks associated with HNTs include brittleness, difficulty with fabrication, low fracture strength, high density and inadequate biocompatibility. Preparation of polysaccharide-HNT composites offer a means to overcome these shortcomings. Halloysite nanotubes can be incorporated easily into polysaccharides via solution mixing, such as with chitosan (CS), sodium alginate, cellulose, pectin and amylose, for forming composite films, porous scaffolds or hydrogels. The interfacial interactions, such as electrostatic attraction and hydrogen bonding, between HNTs and the polysaccharides are critical for improvement of the properties. Morphology results show that HNTs are dispersed uniformly in the composites. The mechanical strength and Young's modulus of the composites in both the dry and wet states are enhanced by HNTs and the HNTs can also increase the storage modulus, glass-transition temperature and thermal stability of the composites. Cytocompatibility results demonstrate that the polysaccharide-HNT composites have low cytotoxicity even for HNT loading >80%. Therefore, the polysaccharide-HNT composites show great potential for biomedical applications, e.g. as tissue engineering scaffold materials, wound-dressing materials, drug-delivery carriers, and cell-isolation surfaces.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) alginate culture systems on in vitro development of pre-antral caprine follicles. In addition, the influence of the reproductive age of the ovary donor on the in vitro culture success was investigated. Pre-antral follicles from pre-pubertal or adult goats were isolated and cultured directly on a plastic surface (2D) or encapsulated in an alginate-based matrix (3D). After 18 days, the oocytes underwent in vitro maturation (IVM) and in vitro fertilization (IVF) to produce embryos. The 3D system showed higher rates of follicle survival, lower rates of oocyte extrusion, and a greater number of recovered oocytes for IVM and IVF (P < 0.05). Only pre-antral follicles from adult animals produced MII oocytes and embryos. The estradiol concentrations increased from day 2 to day 12 of culture in all groups tested (P < 0.05). Conversely, progesterone concentrations were lower in 3D-cultured follicles than in 2D-cultured follicles, with differences on days 2 and 6 of culture (P < 0.05). We provide compelling evidence that a 2D or 3D alginate in vitro culture system offers a promising approach to achieving full in vitro development of caprine pre-antral follicles to produce mature oocytes that are capable of fertilization and viable embryos.

Polarization microscopy was used for evaluation of kinetics of diclofenac sorption in three different wound dressing materials. The sorption kinetics can be evaluated by radii change and intensity of the light traveling through the fiber. The most frequently used host materials for drugs in wound dressings are alginate, polyesters such as polyethylene terephthalate, and viscose. We studied sorption of diclofenac as an example drug. Effective, but rather simple in vitro simulation of diclofenac sorption gives insight into the applicability of the mentioned materials for development of wound healing materials.

Aspergillus fumigatus has become a leading cause of fungal morbidity and mortality, especially in immunocompromised patients. This fungus is able to grow as a multicellular community and produce a hydrophobic extracellular matrix (ECM), mainly composed of galactomannan and α-1,3 glucans, to protect itself from host defenses and antimicrobial drugs. This matrix envelops the fungus hyphae, binding them into a contiguous sheath on the colony surface, forming a biofilm and increasing the fungal resistance to adverse environmental factors. Adherence to host cells and resistance to physical removal play a key role in fungal colonization and invasion of the host and in a wide range of infections. Here we show that, by using atomic force spectroscopy, it is possible to exploit the peculiar hydrophobicity of the biofilm components (i.e., cell walls, ECM) to detect the biofilm spread, its growth, and lysis on rough surfaces. By means of this approach, we demonstrate that alginate lyase, an enzyme known to reduce negatively charged alginate levels in microbial biofilms, reduces the biofilm adhesion forces suggesting a loss of ECM from the biofilm, which could be used to enhance pharmacological treatments.

This study was undertaken to test the hypotheses that germinative metabolism of recalcitrant seeds in storage induces a requirement for additional water, which may result in the development of mild water stress, and that a reduction of the rate of this germinative metabolism will increase the storage lifespan of recalcitrant seeds. Studies were undertaken on seeds of Avicennia marina (Forssk.) Vierh. and concentrated on root primordia as these constitute the tissue that undergoes most change during storage. Encapsulating seeds from which the pericarp had been removed (naked seeds) in an alginate gel increased storage lifespan fourfold compared with naked seeds. Measures of metabolic rate such as time to first germination in storage and rate of protein synthesis did not indicate differences between alginate-coated and naked seeds, although ultrastructural observations indicated that both germinative and deteriorative processes were occurring more slowly in the alginate-coated seeds. Measures of water content and water and turgor potentials did not reveal signs of a mild water stress in either treatment. However, the number of seeds visibly contaminated with fungi and the rapidity with which this contamination became apparent were much reduced in alginate-coated seeds. It is suggested that fungal contamination constitutes a major cause of deterioration in stored, hydrated seeds of A. marina (and possibly other recalcitrant seed species) and the main effect of the alginate coating was to reduce the incidence of fungal contamination.

This paper reports the development of a biodegradable porous scaffold made from naturally derived chitosan and alginate polymers for bone tissue engineering. The scaffold has a 3-D interconnected porous structure and was fabricated through thermally induced phase separation. The mechanical test showed that the scaffold has compressive strength of 0.46 ± 0.02 MPa — about 4 times that of the pure chitosan scaffold. The cell-material interaction study indicated that osteoblast cells seeded on the chitosan-alginate scaffold attach and proliferate well. The mineral deposition occurred after 3 days of culture and formed large chunks after 7 days. The chitosan-alginate scaffold was also found to have desirable swelling property and was structurally stable in solutions of different pH. The chitosan-alginate scaffold can be prepared from solutions of neutral pH allowing growth factors to be incorporated homogeneously into the scaffold for sustained release. This research demonstrated a technique by which a polymer-based biodegradable scaffold can be made to have high porosity up to 92% and excellent mechanical and biological properties.

The zygote wall in developing Durvillaea potatorum embryos is secreted soon after fertilization. Mucilage covers the surface of the zygote wall ensuring rapid adhesion of the newly fertilized egg. The zygote wall is replaced by new cell walls secreted by growing, dividing embryonic cells. Separation of the zygote wall from the embryo is evident 4 days after fertilization and is visible at the edge of the cap flanking the side of the developing embryo and/or at the curved part of the cap where it lifts away from the top of the embryo. At this stage the embryo has undergone an average of 8 cell divisions, increased 3 times in length, and started to increase in width. The zygote wall is eventually shed as it cannot accommodate embryo expansion. The growing embryo flicks out of the rigid zygote wall, which usually remains connected to the developing rhizoid by a mucilaginous strand. By day 5 the zygote wall has detached from the embryo in 22% of individuals and this increases to nearly 70% of individuals by day 10. Removal of alginate-gelling cations from the artificial sea medium indicates that the zygote wall has different properties from the underlying embryonic cell walls. Shedding of the zygote wall allows continued embryo growth, frees the embryonic thallus from the substratum and cleans the embryo surface of phenolic bodies and mucilage that are secreted soon after fertilization; it also removes micro-organisms colonizing the mucilage.

A prospective study was undertaken to compare the efficacy of calcium sodium alginate fibre (Kaltostat®) to petrolatum gauze impregnated with bismuth tribromophenate (Xeroform®) for the control of epistaxes that require hospital admission.

Forty patients presenting with severe epistaxis requiring hospital admission were treated with either Kaltostat®r Xeroform® nasal packs. Allocation to either treatment group was made randomly. The composition of each group in terms of age, sex distribution, aetiology of epistaxis and severity of bleed was not significantly different.

There was no significant difference in the efficacy or patient acceptability of either therapeutic agent. It is concluded that calcium sodium alginate fibre should be considered as an acceptable alternative to traditional gauze packing.