Delivery of CRISPR/Cas9 by Novel Strategies for Gene Therapy

Precise editing of the genome of a living body is a goal pursued by scientists in many fields. In recent years, CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat)/Cas (CRISPR-associated) genome-editing systems have become a revolutionary toolbox for gene editing across various species. However, the low transfection efficiency of the CRISPR/Cas9 system to mammalian cells in vitro and in vivo is a big obstacle hindering wide and deep application. In this review, recently developed delivery strategies for various CRISPR/Cas9 formulations and their applications in treating gene-related diseases are briefly summarized. This review should inspire others to explore more efficient strategies for CRISPR system delivery and gene therapy.     

Cationized Melamine-formaldehyde Resin for Improving the Wet Strength of Paper

In this work, melamine-formaldehyde resin was cationized by adding modifiers so that the fibers closely bonded to improve their usability and the wet strength of paper was greatly improved. Triethanolamine and dimethylamine were added to modify the melamine-formaldehyde resin,respectively.The mechanism of the cationized resin was explored and the possible chemical reactions were deduced. It was concluded that,with the use of triethanolamine,the most optimum product was obtained by hydroxymethylation for 30 min with a temperature of 85℃ and p H of 9. 0 where n( melamine) ∶ n( formaldehyde) ∶ n( methanol) ∶ n( triethanolamine) was 100 ∶ 330 ∶ 450 ∶ 15. With the combined use of dimethylamine and methanol,the optimal product was acquired by condensation for 30 min at a temperature of 50℃ and p H of 2. 0 at melamine, formaldehyde, methanol, and dimethylamine molar ratio of100∶ 330∶ 350∶ 20. With the only use of dimethylamine,the optimal product was obtained by condensation at melamine,formaldehyde,dimethylamine molar ratio of 100∶ 330∶ 10. The wet tensile strength of fruit-bagging paper was improved by adding cationized melamine-formaldehyde resin. The zeta potential,charge density,and conductivity of the melamine-formaldehyde resin were also studied.     

Composites of Bacterial Cellulose and Small Molecule‐Decorated Gold Nanoparticles for Treating Gram‐Negative Bacteria‐Infected Wounds

Bacterial infections, especially multidrug‐resistant bacterial infections, are an increasingly serious problem in the field of wound healing. Herein, bacterial cellulose (BC) decorated by 4,6‐diamino‐2‐pyrimidinethiol (DAPT)‐modified gold nanoparticles (Au‐DAPT NPs) is presented as a dressing (BC‐Au‐DAPT nanocomposites) for treating bacterially infected wounds. BC‐Au‐DAPT nanocomposites have better efficacy (measured in terms of reduced minimum inhibition concentration) than most of the antibiotics (cefazolin/sulfamethoxazole) against Gram‐negative bacteria, while maintaining excellent physicochemical properties including water uptake capability, mechanical strain, and biocompatibility. On Escherichia coli‐ or Pseudomonas aeruginosa‐infected full‐thickness skin wounds on rats, the BC‐Au‐DAPT nanocomposites inhibit bacterial growth and promote wound repair. Thus, the BC‐Au‐DAPT nanocomposite system is a promising platform for treating superbug‐infected wounds.     

Industrialization Progress of Nanocellulose in China

Nanocellulose, a kind of cellulose with nanometer sizes, has drawn great interest in the pulp and paper industry due to its unique structure and excellent performance. It can be divided into five categories: nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC), nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC), bacterial cellulose (BC), electrospun cellulose nanofibers (ESC), and precipitation regenerated cellulose nanofibers (PRC). In this paper, we reviewed the industrialization progress of nanocellulose in China. Furthermore, we proposed that efficient and environmentally friendly preparation methods and high value utilization would be the focus of nanocellulose development.     

High-value Applications of Nanocellulose

Nanocelluloses, obtained from the biopolymer cellulose, are a class of renewable functional nanomaterials with excellent properties and a broad range of applications. This review mainly illustrates practical and advanced applications of nanocellulose-based materials in the following categories. ① Fire-resistant materials: in the section on these types of materials, the fire-protection property of nanocellulose/clay hybrid composites (clay nanopaper) is illustrated; oriented montmorillonite (MTM) provides barrier properties and low thermal conductivity whereas cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) impart favorable charring. ② Thermal insulation materials: the best way to obtain materials with good heat insulation performance is to decrease the thermal conductivity of such materials. ③ Template materials: nanocellulose can direct the deposition and patterning of materials to form nanoparticles, nanowires, or nanotubes with improved properties.     

One-step Fabrication of Cellulose/Graphene Conductive Paper

In this study,a straightforward,one-step wet-end formation process was employed to prepare cellulose/graphene conductive paper for antistatic packing materials.Cationic polyacrylamide was introduced into the cellulose/graphene slurry to improve the graphene loading on the surfaces of the cellulose fibers.The effect of the super calender process on the properties of the cellulose/graphene conductive paper was investigated.When 55 wt% graphene was added,the volume resistivity of the cellulose/graphene conductive paper was 94.70 W·cm,decreasing to 35.46 W·cm after the super calender process.The cellulose/graphene conductive paper possessed excellent anti-static ability and could be used as an anti-static material.     

Reverse Reconstruction and Bioprinting of Bacterial Cellulose‐Based Functional Total Intervertebral Disc for Therapeutic Implantation

The degradation of intervertebral discs (IVD), a typical hierarchical structured tissue, causes serious neck and back pain. The current methods cannot fully reconstitute the unique structure and function of native IVD. In this study, by reverse reconstruction of the structure of native IVD and bioprinting bacterial cellulose (BC) nanofibers with a high‐throughput optimized micropattern screening microchip, a total IVD is created that contained type II collagen‐based nucleus pulposus (NP) and hierarchically organized and micropatterned BC‐based annulus fibrosus (AF), mimicking native IVD tissue. The artificial NP contains rat NP cells, whereas the AF contains concentrically arranged BC layers with aligned micropatterns and attached AF cells in +/?30° alternate directions between adjacent layers. Long‐term (3 months) implantation experiments on rats demonstrate the excellent structural (shape maintenance, hydration, tissue integration) and functional (mechanical support and flexibility) performance of the artificial IVD. This study provides a novel strategy for creating highly sophisticated artificial tissues.     

Aminosaccharide–gold nanoparticle assemblies as narrow-spectrum antibiotics against methicillin-resistant <Emphasis Type="Italic">Staphylococcus aureus</Emphasis>

Bacterial infection has continued to be a leading cause of death or disability worldwide because of antibiotic resistance. Antibiotic agents specific to certain taxa of bacteria, i.e., narrow-spectrum antibiotics, have become useful because they can kill bacteria without resulting in broad-spectrum drug resistance. In this study, we describe a series of antibiotics based on combining gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) with aminosaccharides, even though these AuNPs or aminosaccharides by themselves are ineffective against any bacteria. The AuNP-based multivalent aminosaccharides can effectively and selectively inhibit the growth of Gram-positive bacteria (including drug-resistant superbacteria). In particular, aminosaccharide-modified AuNPs are effective against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a particularly hard-to-treat strain. This report carves out a way to explore antibiotics by combining AuNPs and an aminosaccharide as multivalent nanostructures, neither of which by itself is effective as an antibiotic.

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