Amino-terminated mesoporous silica nanoparticles embedding carbon dots (MSCD) formed by calcination were functionalized with a nitric oxide (NO) photodonor (1) to give a robust MSCD-1 conjugate. The intense fluorescence of MSCDs was strongly quenched in MSCD-1 by effective energy transfer. Visible light excitation of MSCD-1 liberates NO, suppresses the energy transfer mechanism and leads to concomitant fluorescence restoration of the MSCD scaffold, which acts as an optical reporter for the released NO. The MSCD-1 hybrid is also able to encapsulate the highly hydrophobic photosensitizer temoporfin, preserving the fluorescence reporting function.

Rapid and cost-effective analysis of histamine, in food, environmental, and diagnostics research has been of interest recently. However, for certain applications, the already-existing biological receptor-based sensing methods have usage limits in terms of stability and costs. As a result, robust and cost-effective imprinted polymeric receptors can be the best alternative. In the present work, molecularly-imprinted polymers (MIPs) for histamine were synthesized using methacrylic acid in chloroform and acetonitrile as two different porogens. The binding affinity of the MIPs with histamine was evaluated in aqueous media. MIPs synthesized in chloroform displayed better imprinting properties for histamine. We demonstrate here histamine MIPs incorporated into a carbon paste (CP) electrode as a MIP-CP electrode sensor platforms for detection of histamine. This simple sensor format allows accurate determination of histamine in the sub-nanomolar range using an electrochemical method. The sensor exhibited two distinct linear response ranges of 1 x 10(-10)-7 x 10(-9) M and 7 x 10(-9)-4 x 10(-7) M. The detection limit of the sensor was calculated equal to 7.4 x 10(-11) M. The specificity of the proposed electrode for histamine is demonstrated by using the analogous molecules and other neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, etc. The MIP sensor was investigated with success on spiked serum samples. The easy preparation, simple procedure, and low production cost make the MIP sensor attractive for selective and sensitive detection of analytes, even in less-equipped laboratories with minimal training.

Humectants belong to a group of hydrophilic compounds frequently used in skin care products with the aim to diminish the clinical symptom of skin dryness. The biochemical and biophysical mechanisms by which humectants interact with the skin barrier are far from fully understood. Increased understanding of such mechanisms can enhance the possibilities to tailor skin care products for various skin abnormalities.The work presented in this thesis centres on one high (hyaluronan) and two low (urea and glycerol) molecular weight humectants and their interactions with water, as well as their effect on the barrier properties of the outermost layer of the skin, i.e. the stratum corneum (SC). We explore the effect of hydration on thermodynamic properties of humectants, in particular hyaluronan, by using isothermal sorption calorimetry, differential scanning calorimetry and small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering. By combining data from several methods, a binary phase diagram of the hyaluronan - water system was constructed.We also investigate the effect of hydration and presence of humectants on the SC permeability in vitro by using an experimental set-up that allows for control of the boundary conditions in terms of water activity. In contrast to low molecular weight humectants, like urea and glycerol, it was concluded that hyaluronan (17 kDa) does not penetrate the skin barrier due to size exclusion. Addition of urea, glycerol or hyaluronan to aqueous formulations inevitably lowers the water activity of the formulation, which in tum affects the SC permeability when being applied. Moreover, it was shown that skin permeability of a model drug metronidazole decreases upon addition of hyaluronan to the formulation, while high skin permeability was maintained with addition of urea or glycerol. In addition, skin membrane electrical resistance, which normally increases at dehydrating skin conditions, remained low in presence of urea and glycerol.Excised skin hydrated at different hydration levels were examined with confocal Raman microspectroscopy. Large water inclusions were observed in fully hydrated SC after 24h exposure to a buffer solution. Addition of urea was shown to promote the formation of these inclusions. Urea and glycerol were also shown to improve the hydration capacity of isolated comeocytes.Similar approach as used in vitro was employed in vivo to explore the effect of hydration and humectants on skin permeability. It was shown that the water activity of the applied formulations have a marked effect on the barrier properties and urea and glycerol was shown to improve skin hydration even at reduced water activity of the applied formulation.

Objective: Confocal Raman microspectroscopy (CRM) enables non-invasive depth-scanning of biological tissues. The technique has been used to obtain information about the molecular composition of the skin, tracking of externally applied compounds and to determine molecular concentration profiles. The objective of this study is to use CRM in order to evaluate the changes in stratum corneum hydration when applying polyethylene glycol and the humectants urea and glycerol, and thereby also varying the external chemical potential of water. In the present study we also utilize the advantages of CRM to create novel spatial high- resolution Raman images of stratum corneum. Methodology: Excised porcine skin membranes (500 nm in thickness) were equilibrated from the surface with phosphate buffered saline (PBS) together with different types of humectants using Franz cells. The Raman measurements were performed with a WITec alpha300 system (Ulm, Germany) equipped with a 532 nm laser. The change in stratum corneum hydration after treatment with different humectants was determined from the relative intensity of the water and protein spectra. Raman images were created along a cross section by integrating the Raman intensities for specific vibrational modes. Results and conclusions: The results show that the hydration profiles of stratum corneum correlates well with the gradient in water chemical potential created by the applied humectants, i.e. low molecular weight humectants enable increased hydration of stratum corneum compared to a high molecular weight, non-penetrating polyethylene glycol. In addition the novel results from the Raman imaging experiments illustrates that it is possible to distinguish between water rich domains and the extracellular lipid rich domains along a cross section of the intact skin membrane.

The rather thin outermost layer of the mammalian skin, stratum corneum (SC), is a complex biomembrane which separates the water rich inside of the body from the dry outside. The skin surface can be exposed to rather extreme variations in ambient conditions (e.g. water activity, temperature and pH), with potential effects on the barrier function. Increased understanding of how the barrier is affected by such changes is highly relevant for regulation of transdermal uptake of exogenous chemicals. In the present study we investigate the effect of hydration and the use of a well-known humectant, urea, on skin barrier ultrastructure by means of confocal Raman microspectroscopy. We also perform dynamic vapor sorption (DVS) microbalance measurements to examine the water uptake capacity of SC pretreated with urea. Based on novel Raman images, constructed from 20 spectral maps, we can distinguish large water inclusions within the skin membrane exceeding the size of fully hydrated corneocytes. We show that these inclusions contain water with spectral properties similar to that of bulk water. The results furthermore show that the ambient water activity has an important impact on the formation of these water inclusions as well as on the hydration profile across the membrane. Urea significantly increases the water uptake when present in skin, as compared to skin without urea, and it promotes formation of larger water inclusions in the tissue. The results confirm that urea can be used as a humectant to increase skin hydration.

Hyaluronan (HA) is a frequently occurring biopolymer with a large variety of functions in nature. During the past 60 years, there have been numerous reports on structural and dynamic behavior of HA in water. Nevertheless, studies covering a wider concentration range are still lacking. In this work, we use isothermal scanning sorption calorimetry for the first time to investigate hydration-induced transitions in HA (sodium hyaluronate, 17 kDa). From this method, we obtain the sorption isotherm and the enthalpy and the entropy of hydration. Thermotropic events are evaluated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and structure analysis is performed with X-ray scattering (SWAXS) and light and scanning electron microscopy. During isothermal hydration, HA exhibits a glass transition, followed by crystallization and subsequent dissolution of HA crystals and formation of a one-phase solution. Structural analysis reveals that the crystal may be indexed on an orthorhombic unit cell with space group P212121. Crystallization of HA was found to occur either through endothermic or exothermic processes, depending on the temperature and water content. We propose a mechanism of crystallization that explains this phenomenon based on the interplay between the hydrophobic effect and strengthening of hydrogen bonds during formation of crystals. The combined results were used to construct a binary phase diagram for the HA–water system.

OBJECTIVES: The mammalian skin is a barrier that effectively separates the water-rich interior of the body from the normally dryer exterior. Changes in the external conditions, for example ambient humidity, have been shown to affect the skin barrier properties. The prime objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of water activity of a topical formulation on skin hydration and permeability. A second objective was to gain more understanding on how two commonly used humectants, urea and glycerol, affect skin barrier function in vivo. METHODS: Simple aqueous formulations were applied under occlusion to the volar forearm of healthy volunteers. Following 4-h exposure, skin water loss (by transepidermal water loss measurements), skin hydration (by Corneometry) and skin permeability (by time to vasodilation due to benzyl nicotinate exposure) were monitored. RESULTS: The results demonstrate that a relatively small change in the water activity of a topical formulation is sufficient to induce considerable effects on stratum corneum hydration and permeability to exogenous substances. Exposing the skin to high water activity leads to increased skin hydration and also increased permeability. Furthermore, urea and glycerol promote skin hydration and permeability even at reduced water activity of the applied formulation. CONCLUSION: These results highlight the importance of considering the water activity in topically applied formulations and the potential benefit of using humectants. The results may impact formulation optimization in how to facilitate skin hydration and to modify skin permeability by temporarily open and close the skin barrier.

We present a method to study the morphology of living, dividing and dying cells using DHM. DHM is a non-invasive, non-destructive and non-phototoxic method which allows the user to perform both qualitative and quantitative measurements of living cells over time. We show here our results on cell division and cell death in single cells. The morphological analyses performed here show changes caused by cell death and cell division, and indicate the possibilities to discriminate between different types of cell death. Cells dying in an apoptosis-like manner display different cell area and cell thickness profiles over time compared to cells dying in a necrosis-like manner, although their volume profiles are very similar. Dividing cells show a characteristic dip in the volume profile, which makes them easily distinguishable. Also, several previous studies show the versatile abilities of DHM. Different cell types have been studied and the morphology has been used to determine cell functionality as well as changes in morphology related to the environment. Cell morphology parameters can be very useful when following the effects of different treatments, the process of differentiation as well as cell growth and cell death. Cell morphology studied by DHM can be useful in toxicology, stem cell and cancer research.

Background: Long-term intensive training leads to morphological and mechanical changes in the heart generally known as “athlete’s heart”. Previous studies have suggested that the diastolic and systolic function of the ventricles is unaltered in athletes compared to sedentary. The purpose of this study was to investigate myocardial performance index (MPI) by pulsed wave Doppler (PWD) and by tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) in female elite athletes compared to sedentary controls. Methods: The study consisted of 32 athletes (mean age 20 ± 2 years) and 34 sedentary controls (mean age 23 ± 2 years). MPI by PWD and TDI were measured in the left (LV) and right ventricle (RV) in both groups. Moreover, comparisons of MPI by the two methods and between the LV and RV within the two groups were made. Results: There were no significant differences in MPI between athletes and controls (p > 0.05), whereas the LV had significantly higher MPI compared to RV (p < 0.001, in athletes and controls). The agreement and the correlation between the two methods measuring MPI showed low agreement and no correlation (athletes RV r = −0.027, LV r = 0.12; controls RV r = 0.20, LV r = 0.30). Conclusion: The global function of the LV and RV measured by MPI with PWD and TDI is similar in female athletes compared to sedentary controls. Conversely, both MPI by PWD and by TDI shows a significant difference between the LV and RV. However, the agreement and correlation between conventional methods of measuring MPI by PWD compared to MPI by TDI is very poor in both these populations.

An intrinsic self-charging biosupercapacitor built on a unique concept for the fabrication of biodevices based on redox polymers is presented. The biosupercapacitor consists of a high-potential redox polymer based bioanode and a low-potential redox polymer based biocathode in which the potentials of the electrodes in the discharged state show an apparent potential mismatch E-anode > E-cathode and prevent the use of the device as a conventional biofuel cell. Upon charging, the potentials of the electrodes are shifted to more positive (cathode) and more negative (anode) values because of a change in the a(ox-)to-a(red) ratio within the redox polymer matrix. Hence, a potential inversion occurs in the charged state (E-anode < E-cathode) and an open circuit voltage of >0.4 V is achieved and the bio-device acts as a true biosupercapacitor. The bioanode consists of a novel specifically designed high-potential Os complex modified polymer for the efficient immobilization and electrical wiring of glucose converting enzymes, such as glucose oxidase and flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD)-dependent glucose dehydrogenase. The cathodic side is constructed from a low-potential Os complex modified polymer integrating the O-2 reducing enzyme, bilirubin oxidase. The large potential differences between the redox polymers and the prosthetic groups of the biocatalysts ensure fast and efficient charging of the biodevice.

Human dendritic cells (DCs) constitute a heterogeneous population of antigen-presenting cells characterized by a unique capacity to stimulate naive T cells. The functions of DCs depend on the particular subset and in this study we compare two types of myeloid DCs: freshly isolated blood mDCs and in vitro generated monocyte-derived DCs (MoDCs), in their ability to accomplish endocytosis. In our hands, these two DC subtypes showed similarities in the expression of surface markers, but displayed clear differences in endocytic capacity. Freshly isolated blood mDCs showed a high propensity to capture and endocytose particles compared to in vitro generated MoDCs. The blood mDCs also showed a clear receptor-enhanced endocytosis when zeolite particles were co-adsorbed with IgG. On the other hand, the MoDCs differed remarkably compared to blood mDCs in the capture of ovalbumin and immune complexes. Interestingly, the MoDCs showed low endocytosis of IgG-coated particles but an efficient capture of immune complexes. The MoDCs also showed a high capacity to capture ovalbumin although with a relatively low degree of internalization. These data indicate distinct differences in the early process of endocytosis featured by mDCs and MoDCs, which is important to consider when choosing DC populations for future functional or clinical applications.

Miniature, self-contained biodevices powered by biofuel cells may enable a new generation of implantable, wireless, minimally invasive neural interfaces for neurophysiological in vivo studies and for clinical applications. Here we report on the fabrication of a direct electron transfer based glucose/oxygen enzymatic fuel cell (EFC) from genuinely three-dimensional (3D) nanostructured microscale gold electrodes, modified with suitable biocatalysts. We show that the process underlying the simple fabrication method of 3D nanostructured electrodes is based on an electrochemically driven transformation of physically deposited gold nanoparticles. We experimentally demonstrate that mediator-, cofactor-, and membrane-less EFCs do operate in cerebrospinal fluid and in the brain of a rat, producing amounts of electrical power sufficient to drive a self-contained biodevice, viz. 7 μW cm−2 in vitro and 2 μW cm−2 in vivo at an operating voltage of 0.4 V. Last but not least, we also demonstrate an inductive coupling between 3D nanobioelectrodes and living neurons.

A flexible electrochemical micro(bio)sensor has been designed for determination of several biological compounds, specifically, ascorbate, dopamine, and glucose, in human lachrymal liquid (tears). The microsensor for simultaneous determination of ascorbate and dopamine concentrations was based on a gold microwire modified with the tetrathiafulvalen–7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane complex as a catalyst. To monitor glucose concentration in tears, glucose dehydrogenase was immobilized on a gold microwire modified with carbon nanotubes and an osmium redox polymer. A capillary microcell was constructed for sampling tears. The cell had a working volume of 60–100 nL with a sampling deviation of 6.7 %. To check if the microcell was properly filled with buffer or tear sample, a control electrode was introduced into the construction. The electrode was used to measure the electrical resistance of a fully filled nanovolume cell. The mechanical flexibility is one of the most important features of the prototype and allowed direct collection of tears with minimized risk of damage to the eye.

Different physico-chemical properties (eg adsorption kinetics, thickness, viscoelasticity, and mechanical stability) of adsorbed salivary pellicles depend on different factors, including the properties (eg charge, roughness, wettability, and surface chemistry) of the substratum. Whether these differences in the physico-chemical properties are a result of differences in the composition or in the organization of the pellicles is not known. In this work, the influence of substratum wettability on the composition of the pellicle was studied. For this purpose, pellicles eluted from substrata of different but well-characterized wettabilities were examined by means of sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The results showed that substratum hydrophobicity did not have a major impact on pellicle composition. In all substrata, the major pellicle components were found to be cystatins, amylases and large glycoproteins, presumably mucins. In turn, interpretation of previously reported data based on the present results suggests that variations in substratum wettability mostly affect the organization of the pellicle components.

The preparation of polymers imprinted with common aromatic solvents such as benzene and toluene is an under-exploited subject of research. The present study was aimed at the understanding of whether true solvent memory effects can be achieved by molecular imprinting, as well as if they are stable at elevated temperature. A set of copolymers, comprising low and high cross-linking levels, was prepared from four different combinations of functional monomer and cross-linker, namely methacrylic acid (MAA)/ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA), methyl methacrylate (MMA)/EGDMA, MAA/divinyl benzene (DVB) and MMA/DVB. Each possible combination was prepared separately in benzene, toluene and acetonitrile. The obtained materials were applied as coatings onto nickel-titanium (Ni-Ti) alloy wires which were incorporated into solid-phase microextraction devices and finally tested for their ability to competitively adsorb vapors from the headspace of an aqueous solution containing a few volatile organic compounds. Porosity analysis showed that, regardless of the solvent used, only a high cross-linking level permitted the preparation of mesoporous copolymers (BJH radius typically in the range 13-15nm), a requirement for providing accessibility to the targeted nanoscale-imprinted cavities. A noticeable exception was, however, observed for the MMA/DVB copolymers which exhibited much diminished BJH radius. The porosity data correlated well with the extraction profiles found, which suggested the presence of benzene-imprinted sites in all the highly cross-linked copolymers prepared in benzene, except for the MMA/DVB copolymers. Concerning the effect of an elevated conditioning temperature on the memory-effects created by the imprinting process, the results were clearly indicative that the tested copolymers, including the more robust highly cross-linked ones, are not suitable for high temperature applications such as solid-phase microextraction coupled to gas chromatography.

In this study well-ordered glycerol monooleate (GMO)-based cubic liquid crystalline nanoparticles (LCNPs) have been used as substrates for Thermomyces lanuginosus lipase in order to establish the relation between the catalytic activity, measured by pH-stat titration, and the change in morphology and nano-structure determined by cryogenic transmission electron microscopy and synchrotron small angle X-ray diffraction. The initial lipase catalyzed LCNP hydrolysis rate is approximately 25% higher for large 350 nm nanoparticles compared to the small 190 nm particles, which is attributed to the increased number of structural defects on the particle surface. At pH 8.0 and 8.4 bicontinuous Im3m cubic LCNPs transform into "sponge"-like assemblies and disordered multilamellar onion-like structures upon exposure to lipase. At pH 6.5 and 7.5 lipolysis induced phase transitions of the inner core of the particles, following the sequence Im3m cubic -> reversed hexagonal -> reversed micellar Fd3m cubic -> reversed micelles. These transitions to the liquid crystalline phases with higher negative curvature of the lipid/water interface were found to trigger protonation of the oleic acid produced during lipase catalyzed reaction. The increase curvature of the reversed discrete micellar cubic phase was suggested to cause an increase in the oleic acid pK(a) to a larger value observed by pH-stat titration. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Lipid-based liquid crystalline compositions of phospholipids and diglycerides have unique bioadhesive properties with several medical applications, as exemplified by a lipid-based medical device indicated for management and relief of intraoral pain. The present paper describes the relation between self-assembly properties of phosphatidyl choline (PC) and glycerol dioleate (GDO) mixtures in the presence of aqueous fluids and functional attributes of the system, including: film formation and bioadhesion, intraoral coverage, acceptance by patients, and potential as a drug delivery system. The phase behavior of PC/GDO was characterized using synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering. Functional properties, including the presence of study formulations at intraoral surfaces, ease of attachment, taste, and degree of and intraoral pain, were assessed in a crossover clinical pilot study in head and neck cancer patients. An optimum in functional properties was indicated for formulations with a PC/GDO weight ratio of about 35/65, where the lipids form a reversed cubic liquid crystalline micellar phase structure (Fd3m space group) over the relevant temperature range (25-40 degrees C).

The formation of salivary films onto different surfaces relevant in dental research like titania, hydroxyapatite, gold, zirconia, silica, and hydrophobized silica has been studied by means of QCM-D. Human whole saliva (HWS), and sterile filtered HWS (sHWS) both diluted in water to a final concentration of 25% (v/v) were used. Main differences between the salivary films formed from the two saliva types were observed with the help of ΔD vs Δf plots where sHWS samples showed an almost linear adsorption regime for most of the surfaces whereas most of the HWS samples had a marked multi-regime nature indicating that the former ones are homogenous and the later are heterogeneous supporting previous data on a multi-phase adsorption process. The films with highest shear elastic modulus, μ > 105 N m−2, shear viscosity, η ∼ 3 × 10−3 N s m−2, and lowest thickness (∼10 nm) were formed for both types of saliva onto hydroxyapatite and for sHWS on titania. Furthermore, the ratio between the loss, G″, and the storage modulus, G′, indicates that these films have a solid-like behavior (G″/G′ ≤ 0.5). In contrast, for the remaining surfaces the adsorbed films show higher d values and are also characterized by low μ ∼ 104 N m−2, η ∼ 10−3 N s m−2, and by high ratios, G″/G′ > 2, that indicate a fluid like behavior. These observations might be expected to have influence on the lubricating properties of the salivary films. The SDS induced elutability also indicates a different interaction strength and composition of the adsorbed films and is likely associated with the ease by which these surfaces can be cleaned. Our results suggest that, among the relevant materials, zirconia and titania would yield the more lubricious films whereas hydroxyapatite will be the most easily cleaned.

According to the amyloid hypothesis, abnormal processing of the β-amyloid precursor protein in Alzheimer's disease patients increases the production of β-amyloid toxic peptides, which, after forming highly aggregated fibrillar structures, lead to extracellular plaques formation, neuronal loss and dementia. However, a great deal of evidence has point to intracellular small oligomers of amyloid peptides, probably transient intermediates in the process of fibrillar structures formation, as the most toxic species. In order to study the amyloid-DNA interaction, we have selected here three different forms of the amyloid peptide: Aβ1-40, Aβ25-35 and a scrambled form of Aβ25-35. Surface Plasmon Resonance was used together with UV-visible spectroscopy, Electrophoresis and Electronic Microscopy to carry out this study. Our results prove that, similarly to the full length Aβ1-42, all conformations of toxic amyloid peptides, Aβ1-40 and Aβ25-35, may bind DNA. In contrast, the scrambled form of Aβ25-35, a non-aggregating and nontoxic form of this peptide, could not bind DNA. We conclude that although the amyloid-DNA interaction is closely related to the amyloid aggregation proneness, this cannot be the only factor which determines the interaction, since small oligomers of amyloid peptides may also bind DNA if their predominant negatively charged amino acid residues are previously neutralized.

The effect of pH on the build-up-of polyelectrolyte multilayers, PEMs, composed by poly-L-lysine and heparin onto two different substrates, silica and gold, has been studied by means of ellispmetry and quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation, QCM-D. Ellipsometry results indicate that the dry mass grows exponentially with the number of layers, and that this amount is larger as the pH values are raised. From QCM-D data the viscoelastic properties of the multilayered structure have been obtained. These data reflect that PEMs become more viscoelastic as the pH values are increased for silica substrates, while for gold the highest viscoelastic behavior is obtained at neutral pH and the elastic behavior becomes dominant as the pH is further increased or decreased. By combining these two surface techniques it has been also possible to determine the solvent content in the multilayers and reach a deeper understanding of the internal structure.

The adsorption of blood proteins, serum albumin (BSA), immunoglobulin G (IgG) and fibrinogen (FGN), onto model SiO2 planar surfaces coated with poly-L-lysine/heparin multilayers (PLL/HEP) has been investigated by means of ellipsometry and quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation. Aiming at the development of low fouling coatings, this study has been focused on the effects that the number of layers and the type of polyelectrolyte present on the topmost layer have on the adsorption of these proteins. The three proteins interact with PLL-ended coatings whereas HEP-ended coatings prevent the adsorption of both BSA and IgG and induce a decrease in the adsorbed amount of FGN, down to 0.4 mg/m(2) for three bilayers, as the number of PLL/HEP bilayers increases. These results suggest that heparin-ended multilayers prevent protein adsorption, which is an indicative of good blood compatibility. As a consequence we propose that PLL/HEP coatings could be used for the development of vascular medical devices. (C) 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Background—Although monocytes in peripheral blood are no longer considered to be a homogeneous population, associations between distinct monocyte subsets and cardiovascular disease have not been highlighted in large epidemiological studies. Methods and Results—The study included 700 randomly selected subjects from the cardiovascular arm of the Malmö Diet and Cancer study. Among these, 123 subjects experienced ischemic cardiovascular events during the follow-up until December 2008. Mononuclear leukocytes frozen at the baseline investigation in 1991 to 1994 were thawed and analyzed with flow cytometry to enumerate monocyte subsets, based on CD14 and CD16 expression. The percentage and number of classical CD14++CD16− monocytes were increased in the cardiovascular-event group compared with the event-free subjects (median, 69% [interquartile range, 62% to 76%] versus 67% [59% to 72%], P=0.017; 344 [251 to 419] cells/μL versus 297 [212 to 384] cells/μL, P=0.003). The hazard ratio was 1.66 for suffering a cardiovascular event in the highest tertile of the number of CD14++CD16− monocytes compared with the lowest tertile, even after adjustment for common risk factors (HR, 1.66; 95% CI: 1.02 to 2.72). CD14++CD16− monocytes did not, however, associate with the extent of atherosclerosis at baseline. In contrast, the percentage of monocytes expressing CD16 was negatively associated to the extent of carotid atherosclerosis measured as intima-media thickness at baseline. The chemokine receptors CCR2, CX3CR1, and CCR5 were not differentially expressed between cases and controls on any of the monocyte subsets, but CCR5 expression on CD14+CD16++ monocytes was negatively associated to carotid intima-media thickness. Conclusions—This study shows that classical CD14++CD16− monocytes can predict future cardiovascular risk independently of other risk factors in a randomly selected population.

INTRODUCTION. Assessing left ventricular (LV) dysfunction by echocardiography in ICU patients is common. In patients with cardiovascular disease mitral annular plane sys- tolic excursion (MAPSE) is known to be more sensitive in detecting abnormalities in LV function at an early stage, easily obtainable and related to prognosis. OBJECTIVES. The aim of this study was to investigate MAPSE in critically ill patients with shock and its relation to LV systolic and diastolic function, myocardial injury and to outcome. METHODS. In a prospective, observational, cohort study we enrolled 50 patients with SIRS and shock despite fluid resuscitation. Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) mea- suring LV systolic and diastolic function was performed within 12 h after admission and daily for a 7-day observation period. TTE and laboratory measurements (high-sensitive troponin T (hsTNT), B-natriuretic peptide [BNP]) were related to 28-day mortality. Spearman rank correlation was used. RESULTS. MAPSE on day 1 correlated significantly with LV ejection fraction (LVEF), tissue Doppler indices of LV diastolic function (e ́ , E/e ́ ) and hsTNT whereas LVEF did not correlate significantly with any marker of LV diastolic function or myocardial injury; tissue Doppler of LV systolic function (TDIs) correlated significantly with LVEF and e ́ (Table 1). Compared to survivors, non-survivors had a significantly lower MAPSE (8 [IQR 7.5–11] versus 11 [IQR 8.9–13] mm; p = 0.028). Other univariate predictors were age (p = 0.033), hsTNT (p = 0.014) and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) scores (p = 0.007). By multivariate analysis MAPSE (OR 0.6 (95 % CI 0.5–0.9) p = 0.015) and SOFA score (OR 1.6 (95 % CI 1.1–2.3) p = 0.018) were identified as independent predictors of mor- tality. Daily measurements showed that MAPSE, as sole echocardiographic marker, was significantly lower in most days in non-survivors (p \ 0.05 at day 1–2, 4–6). CONCLUSIONS. MAPSE seemed to reflect LV systolic and diastolic function as well as myocardial injury in critically ill patients with shock. The combination of MAPSE and SOFA added to the predictive value for 28-day mortality

BACKGROUND: Assessing left ventricular (LV) dysfunction by echocardiography in ICU patients is common. The aim of this study was to investigate mitral annular plane systolic excursion (MAPSE) in critically ill patients with shock and its relation to LV systolic and diastolic function, myocardial injury and to outcome. METHODS: In a prospective, observational, cohort study we enrolled 50 patients with SIRS and shock despite fluid resuscitation. Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) measuring LV function was performed within 12 hours after admission and daily for a 7-day observation period. TTE and laboratory measurements were related to 28-day mortality. RESULTS: MAPSE on day 1 correlated significantly with LV ejection fraction (LVEF), tissue Doppler indices of LV diastolic function (é, E/é) and high-sensitive troponin T (hsTNT) (p< 0.001, p= 0.039, p= 0.009, p= 0.003 respectively) whereas LVEF did not correlate significantly with any marker of LV diastolic function or myocardial injury. Compared to survivors, non-survivors had a significantly lower MAPSE (8 [IQR 7.5-11] versus 11 [IQR 8.9-13] mm; p= 0.028). Other univariate predictors were age (p=0.033), hsTNT (p=0.014) and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) scores (p=0.007). By multivariate analysis MAPSE (OR 0.6 (95% CI 0.5- 0.9), p= 0.015) and SOFA score (OR 1.6 (95% CI 1.1- 2.3), p= 0.018) were identified as independent predictors of mortality. Daily measurements showed that MAPSE, as sole echocardiographic marker, was significantly lower in most days in non-survivors (p<0.05 at day 1-2, 4-6). CONCLUSIONS: MAPSE seemed to reflect LV systolic and diastolic function as well as myocardial injury in critically ill patients with shock. The combination of MAPSE and SOFA added to the predictive value for 28-day mortality.

Synthesis of core-shell nanoparticles by surface initiated reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer polymerization in presence of a chiral template conjugated to magnetic nanoparticles is reported. The approach leads to imprinted nanoparticles featuring enantioselectivity and enhanced affinity compared to nanoparticles prepared using free template.

Nanodisc films are a promising approach to study the equilibrium conformation of membrane bound proteins in native-like environment. Here we compare nanodisc formation for NADPH-dependent cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase (POR) using two different scaffold proteins, MSP1D1 and MSP1E3D1. Despite the increased stability of POR loaded MSP1E3D1 based nanodiscs in comparison to MSP1D1 based nanodiscs, neutron reflection at the silicon–solution interface showed that POR loaded MSP1E3D1 based nanodisc films had poor surface coverage. This was the case, even when incubation was carried out under conditions that typically gave high coverage for empty nanodiscs. The low surface coverage affects the embedded POR coverage in the nanodisc film and limits the structural information that can be extracted from membrane bound proteins within them. Thus, nanodisc reconstitution on the smaller scaffold proteins is necessary for structural studies of membrane bound proteins in nanodisc films.

Objectives: Human leucocyte antigens (HLAs) are polymorphic molecules involved in antigen presentation. Associations between HLA type and autoimmune diseases, such as type 1 diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis, are well established but the potential association of genetic variation affecting antigen presentation with cardiovascular disease has not been systematically investigated in large cohorts. The importance of such studies is stressed by recent experimental findings of an involvement of autoimmunity in the atherosclerotic disease process. Results: An SSP-PCR method was used for HLA genotyping to determine associations of HLA-DRB1, -DQA1 and -DQB1 with cardiovascular disease in a population-based cohort of 1188 acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients and 1191 matched healthy controls. The HLA-DRB1*0101 allele, as well as the HLA-DRB1*0101-DQA1*01-DQB1*05 haplotype, was found to be associated with increased risk for AMI (OR 1.24; 95% CI 1.00–1.54 for both). In contrast, the DRB1*07 and DQA*02 alleles (OR 0.78; 95% CI 0.65–0.95 for both), as well as the DRB1*07-DQA*02-DQB*02 haplotype, conferred protection (OR 0.79; 95% CI 0.63–0.98). An HLA risk score taking each individual’s both haplotypes into account was higher amongst cases (2.43 ± 0.92 vs. 2.29 ± 0.95, P = 0.001). The association between HLA risk score and AMI was independent of other cardiovascular riskfactors assessed. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that the associations between HLA-DRB1 and DQA1 loci and cardiovascular disease exists but that they are considerably weaker than those previously reported for other diseases with an established autoimmune aetiology such as type 1 diabetes, systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis.

The natural moisturizing factor (NMF) is a group of hygroscopic molecules that is naturally present in skin and protects from severe drying. Glycerol and urea are two examples of NMF components that are also used in skin care applications. In the present study, we investigate the influence of glycerol and urea on the permeability of a model drug (metronidazole, Mz) across excised pig skin membranes at different hydrating conditions. The degree of skin hydration is regulated by the gradient in water activity across the membrane, which in turn depends on the water activity of the formulation in contact with the skin membrane. Here, we determine the water activity of all formulations employed using an isothermal calorimetric method. Thus, the gradient in water activity is controlled by a novel experimental set-up with well-defined boundary conditions on both sides of the skin membrane. The results demonstrate that glycerol and urea can retain high steady state flux of Mz across skin membranes at dehydrating conditions, which otherwise would decrease the permeability due to dehydration. X-ray diffraction measurements are performed to give insight into the effects of glycerol and urea on SC molecular organization. The novel steady state flux results can be related to the observation that water, glycerol, and urea all affect the structural features of the SC molecular components in a similar manner.

Mesoporous silica has received much attention due to its well-defined structural order, high surface area, and tunable pore diameter. To successfully employ mesoporous silica for nanotechnology applications it is important to consider how it is influenced by solvent molecules due to the fact that most preparation procedures involve treatment in various solvents. In the present work we contribute to this important topic with new results on how MCM-41 is affected by a simple treatment in alcohol at room temperature. The effects of alcohol treatment are characterized by TGA, FTIR, and sorption calorimetry. The results are clear and show that treatment of MCM-41 in methanol, ethanol, propanol, butanol, pentanol, or octanol at room temperature introduces alkoxy groups that are covalently bound to the silica surface. It is shown that alcohol treated MCM-41 becomes more hydrophobic and that this effect is sequentially more prominent going from methanol to octanol. Chemical formation of alkoxy groups onto MCM-41 occurs both for calcined and hydroxylated MCM-41 and the alkoxy groups are hydrolytically unstable and can be replaced by silanol groups after exposure to water. The results are highly relevant for mesoporous silica applications that involve contact or treatment in protic solvents, which is very common.

A new method to determine water sorption-desorption isotherms with high resolution in the complete range of water activities (relative humidities) is presented. The method is based on quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D). The QCM-D is equipped with a humidity module in which the sample film is kept in air with controlled humidity. The experimental setup allows for continuous scanning of the relative humidity from either dry to humid conditions or vice versa. The amount of water sorbed or desorbed from the sample is determined from the resonance frequencies of the coated quartz sensor, via analysis of the overtone dependence. In addition, the method allows for characterization of hydration induced changes of the rheological properties from the dissipation data, which is closely connected to the viscoelasticity of the film. The accuracy of the humidity scanning setup is confirmed in control experiments. Sorption-desorption isotherms of pig gastric mucin and lysozyme, obtained by the new method, show good agreement with previous results. Finally, we show that the deposition technique used to coat the quartz sensor influences the QCM-D data and how this issue can be used to obtain further information on the effect of hydration. In particular, we demonstrate that spin-coating represents an attractive alternative to obtain sorption-desorption isotherms, while drop-coating provides additional information on changes of the rheological properties during hydration.

For several surfactant and lipid systems, it is crucial to understand how hydration influences the physical and chemical properties. When humidity changes, it affects the degree of hydration by adding or removing water molecules. In many cases, this process induces transitions between liquid crystalline phases. This phenomenon is of general interest for numerous applications simply because of the fact that humidity variations are ubiquitous. Of particular interest are hydration-induced phase transitions in amphiphilic films, which in many cases appear as the frontier toward a vapor phase with changing humidity. Considering this, it is important to characterize the film thickness needed for the formation of 3D liquid crystalline phases and the lyotropic phase behavior of this kind of film. In this work, we study this issue by employing a recently developed method based on the humidity scanning quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (HS QCM-D), which enables continuous scanning of the film hydration. We investigate five surfactants films (DDAO, DTAC, CTAC, SDS, and n-octyl beta-D-glucoside) and one lipid film (monoolein) and show that HS QCM-D enables the fast characterization of hydration-induced phase transitions with small samples. Film thicknesses range from tens to hundreds of nanometers, and clear phase transitions are observed in all cases. It is shown that phase transitions in films occur at the same water activities as for corresponding bulk samples. This allows us to conclude that surfactant and lipid films, with a thickness of as low as 50 nm, are in fact assembled as 3D-structured liquid crystalline phases. Furthermore, liquid crystalline phases of surfactant films show liquidlike behavior, which decreases the accuracy of the absorbed water mass measurement. On the other hand, the monoolein lipid forms more rigid liquid crystalline films, allowing for an accurate determination of the water sorption isotherm, which is also true for the sorption isotherms corresponding to the solid surfactant phases.

In the development of transdermal and topical products it is important to understand how formulation ingredients interact with the molecular components of the upper layer of the skin, the stratum corneum (SC), and thereby influence its macroscopic barrier properties. The aim here was to investigate the effect of two commonly used excipients, transcutol and dexpanthenol, on the molecular as well as the macroscopic properties of the skin membrane. Polarization transfer solid-state NMR methods were combined with steady-state flux and impedance spectroscopy measurements to investigate how these common excipients influence the molecular components of SC and its barrier function at strictly controlled hydration conditions in vitro with excised porcine skin. The NMR results provide completely new molecular insight into how transcutol and dexpanthenol affect specific molecular segments of both SC lipids and proteins. The presence of transcutol or dexpanthenol in the formulation at fixed water activity results in increased effective skin permeability of the model drug metronidazole. Finally, impedance spectroscopy data show clear changes of the effective skin capacitance after treatment with transcutol or dexpanthenol. Based on the complementary data, we are able to draw direct links between effects on the molecular properties and on the macroscopic barrier function of the skin barrier under treatment with formulations containing transcutol or dexpanthenol.

The stratum corneum (SC) is an effective permeability barrier. One strategy to increase drug delivery across skin is to increase the hydration. A detailed description of how hydration affects skin permeability requires characterization of both macroscopic and molecular properties and how they respond to hydration. We explore this issue by performing impedance experiments on excised skin membranes in the frequency range 1 Hz to 0.2 MHz under the influence of a varying gradient in water activity (aw). Hydration/dehydration induces reversible changes of membrane resistance and effective capacitance. On average, the membrane resistance is 14 times lower and the effective capacitance is 1.5 times higher when the outermost SC membrane is exposed to hydrating conditions (aw ¼ 0.992), as compared to the case of more dehydrating conditions (aw ¼ 0.826). Molecular insight into the hydration effects on the SC components is provided by natural-abundance 13C polarization transfer solidstate NMR and x-ray diffraction under similar hydration conditions. Hydration has a significant effect on the dynamics of the keratin filament terminals and increases the interchain spacing of the filaments. The SC lipids are organized into lamellar structures with ~ 12.6 nm spacing and hexagonal hydrocarbon chain packing with mainly all-trans configuration of the acyl chains, irrespective of hydration state. Subtle changes in the dynamics of the lipids due to mobilization and incorporation of cholesterol and long-chain lipid species into the fluid lipid fraction is suggested to occur upon hydration, which can explain the changes of the impedance response. The results presented here provide information that is useful in explaining the effect of hydration on skin permeability.

Protein phosphorylation at distinct tyrosine residues (pY) is essential for fast, specific, and accurate signal transduction in cells. Enrichment of pY-containing peptides derived from phosphoproteins is commonly facilitated by use of immobilized anti-pY antibodies prior to phosphoproteomics analysis by mass spectrometry. We here report on an alternative approach for pY-peptide enrichment using inexpensive pY-imprinted polymer (pY-MIP). We assessed by mass spectrometry the performance of pY-MIP for enrichment and sequencing of phosphopeptides obtained by tryptic digestion of protein extracts from HeLa cells. The combination of pY-MIP- and TiO2-based phosphopeptide enrichment provided more than 90% selectivity for phosphopeptides. Mass spectrometry signal intensities were enhanced for most pY-phosphopeptides (approximately 70%) when using the pY-MIP-TiO2 combination as compared to TiO2 alone. pY constituted up to 8% of the pY-MIP-TiO2-enriched phosphopeptide fractions. The pY-MIP-TiO2 and the TiO2 protocols yielded comparable numbers of distinct phosphopeptides, 1693 and 1842, respectively, from microgram levels of peptide samples. Detailed analysis of physicochemical properties of pY-MIP-TiO2-enriched phosphopeptides demonstrated that this protocol retrieved phosphopeptides that tend to be smaller (<24 residues), less acidic, and almost exclusively monophosphorylated, as compared to TiO2 alone. These unique properties render the pY-MIP-based phosphopeptide enrichment technique an attractive alternative for applications in phosphoproteomics research.

Recent direct and indirect evidence have pointed to both biological reactivity and toxicity of micro- and nano-particles. Particle size appears to be a decisive factor and particles can enter cells in two ways; either through endocytosis, were particles enter the cell in an endosome; or by otherwise passing the cell membrane directly into the cytoplasm. Endocytosis covers sampling of small volumes of fluids and soluble molecules from the milieu surrounding the cell, as well as internalization of large particulate matter such as whole cells or cell fragments from the immediate vicinity of the cells. With respect to toxicity, it is important to identify the size and the chemical composition at which biological systems no longer regard the extraneous matter as particles and hence the material enters the cells directly, through other mechanisms than endocytosis.

The recent media hoopla regarding ‘smart’, ‘bionic’, or more appropriately, electronically augmented contact lenses is analyzed in terms of real achievements coupled to the critically important issue of power management. Not depending on the availability, currently or in the near future, of to-the-purpose discrete or integrated electronic devices, power management, including delivery/supply and temporal sustainability, will be an outstanding issue if present-day technology should remain the only option. Radically different approaches have been taken to deliver electric power to electronically augmented contact lenses, that is, ranging from quite simplistic wire-based delivery assemblies, grossly inappropriate for end users, to various elaborate wireless designs drawing on over-the-air power delivery, as well as solar and electrochemical cells. Nonetheless, given the complex restrictions offered by a contact lens, conventional, even state-of-the-art, power management technology is at an impasse, and to ensure a bright future for smart lenses, radical technological measures need to be taken. Bridging the conceptual gap between fuel cells and supercapacitors, an ingenious novel approach to on-lens power management is presented: a charge-storing fuel cell, or alternatively, a self-charging capacitor, that is, a hybrid electric power device.

The characterization of materials at the atomic-, nano-, and microscales is of crucial importance in understanding and then tailoring their macroscale properties and function for end-use applications and for effective modern cradle-to-reuse materials cycling. Synchrotron light, as well as the complementary neutron beams, offer exquisite microscopy probes to look into the heart of materials. This chapter presents some examples of pharma-oriented nanoparticle characterization highlighting the possibilities of synchrotron light and neutron beams. Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) is a well-established technique to probe nanoscale structures. SAXS can also deliver valuable information on the structure of self-assembled nanovectors, such as liposomes, which are recognized as efficient platforms for drug delivery. Future developments for neutron characterization will be driven in parallel with instrumental developments at existing sources and future facilities such as the European Spallation Source (ESS) being built in Sweden.  

High and low density lipoproteins (HDL and LDL) are thought to play vital roles in the onset and development of atherosclerosis; the biggest killer in the western world. Key issues of initial lipoprotein (LP) interactions at cellular membranes need to be addressed including LP deposition and lipid exchange. Here we present a protocol for monitoring the in situ kinetics of lipoprotein deposition and lipid exchange/removal at model cellular membranes using the non-invasive, surface sensitive methods of neutron reflection and quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation. For neutron reflection, lipid exchange and lipid removal can be distinguished thanks to the combined use of hydrogenated and tail-deuterated lipids. Both HDL and LDL remove lipids from the bilayer and deposit hydrogenated material into the lipid bilayer, however, the extent of removal and exchange depends on LP type. These results support the notion of HDL acting as the ‘good’ cholesterol, removing lipid material from lipid-loaded cells, whereas LDL acts as the ‘bad’ cholesterol, depositing lipid material into the vascular wall.

The development of miniature autonomous bioelectronic devices that function in the human or animal internal environments is one of the most popular areas of bioelectronics. In recent works, a concept was developed for the creation of charge-storing fuel cells, or in other words self-charging supercapacitors based on (bio)electrodes with a dual function of generation and accumulation of electric charge and operating in both continuous and pulse modes. The main purpose of this work is to create a potentially implantable biodevice with a dual function of generation and accumulation of electrical charge on the basis of a membraneless nanobiocomposite biocathode with CNT/PANI/MvBOx composite material and a bioanode with GOx/AuNPs composite material, as well as investigation of their stability and efficiency in solutions close to the human blood. Nanobiocomposite materials are widely used as components of electronic devices for biomedical applications (biosensors, bio-fuel cells, biobataries, etc.) Modern bioelectronic devices based on nanocomposite materials can be used to influence organs and tissues, as well as for point delivery of drugs. Electrically conductive polymers are usually synthesized by chemical methods in an acid medium by oxidative polymerization of the monomer. This approach has a number of disadvantages, in particular, contamination of the final product with residual monomers and oxidant degradation products. Therefore, in this paper, electrochemical and enzymatic methods for the synthesis of electrically conducting polymers have been tested, which may be an alternative to chemical polymerization.

The macroscopic phase behavior and other physicochemical properties of dilute aqueous mixtures of DNA and the cationic surfactant hexadecyltrimethylammounium bromide (CTAB), DNA and the polyamine spermine, or DNA, CTAB, and (2-hydroxypropyl)-β-cyclodextrin (2HPβCD) were investigated. When DNA is mixed with CTAB we found, with increasing surfactant concentration, (1) free DNA coexisting with surfactant unimers, (2) free DNA coexisting with aggregates of condensed DNA and CTAB, (3) a miscibility gap where macroscopic phase separation is observed, and (4) positively overcharged aggregates of condensed DNA and CTAB. The presence of a clear solution beyond the miscibility gap cannot be ascribed to self-screening by the charges from the DNA and/or the surfactant; instead, hydrophobic interactions among the surfactants are instrumental for the observed behavior. It is difficult to judge whether the overcharged mixed aggregates represent an equilibrium situation or not. If the excess surfactant was not initially present, but added to a preformed precipitate, redissolution was, in consistency with previous reports, not observed; thus, kinetic effects have major influence on the behavior. Mixtures of DNA and spermine also displayed a miscibility gap; however, positively overcharged aggregates were not identified, and redissolution with excess spermine can be explained by electrostatics. When 2HPβCD was added to a DNA–CTAB precipitate, redissolution was observed, and when it was added to the overcharged aggregates, the behavior was essentially a reversal of that of the DNA–CTAB system. This is attributed to an effectively quantitative formation of 1:1 2HPβCD–surfactant inclusion complexes, which results in a gradual decrease in the concentration of effectively available surfactant with increasing 2HPβCD concentration.

We investigated hydration of acid hydrolyzed potato starch (maltodextrin) employing a multi-method approach. In particular, synchrotron radiation X-ray scattering and differential scanning calorimetry were used, and, for the first time, the material was investigated with sorption calorimetry and a newly developed quartz crystal microbalance with humidity scanning. The dry starch was found to be in an amorphous state. During hydration it exhibits a glass transition in both bulk and thin film samples, followed by an exothermic event where the starch crystallized. Recrystallized bulk samples displayed neither a pronounced glass transition nor crystallization upon hydration whereas both events occurred in thin film samples. The hydration-driven crystallization resulted in an X-ray pattern consistent with the coexistence of A and B type crystallites; however, at higher water concentrations only the B form occurred. The results were used to construct the first ever acid hydrolyzed starch–water phase diagram.

By constructing a detailed phase diagram for the potato starch–water system based on data from optical microscopy, synchrotron X-ray scattering and differential scanning calorimetry, we show that gelatinization can be interpreted in analogy with a eutectic transition. The phase rule explains why the temperature of the gelatinization transition (G) is independent on water content. Furthermore, the melting (M1) endotherm observed in DSC represents a liquidus line; the temperature for this event increases with increasing starch concentration. Both the lamellar spacing and the inter-helix distance were observed to decrease with increasing starch content for starch concentrations between approximately 65 wt% and 75 wt%, while the inter-helix distance continued decreasing upon further dehydration. Understanding starch gelatinization has been a longstanding challenge. The novel approach presented here shows interpretation of this phenomenon from a phase equilibria perspective.

The self-assembly of lipids leads to the formation of a rich variety of nano-structures, not only restricted to lipid bilayers, but also encompassing non-lamellar liquid crystalline structures, such as cubic, hexagonal, and sponge phases. These non-lamellar phases have been increasingly recognized as important for living systems, both in terms of providing compartmentalization and as regulators of biological activity. Consequently, they are of great interest for their potential as delivery systems in pharmaceutical, food and cosmetic applications. The compartmentalizing nature of these phases features mono- or bicontinuous networks of both hydrophilic and hydrophobic domains. To utilize these non-lamellar liquid crystalline structures in biomedical devices for analyses and drug delivery, it is crucial to understand how they interact with and respond to different types of interfaces. Such non-lamellar interfacial layers can be used to entrap functional biomolecules that respond to lipid curvature as well as the confinement. It is also important to understand the structural changes of deposited lipid in relation to the corresponding bulk dispersions. They can be controlled by changing the lipid composition or by introducing components that can alter the curvature or by deposition on nano-structured surface, e.g. vertical nano-wire arrays. Progress in the area of liquid crystalline lipid based nanoparticles opens up new possibilities for the preparation of well-defined surface films with well-defined nano-structures. This review will focus on recent progress in the formation of non-lamellar dispersions and their interfacial properties at the solid/liquid and biologically relevant interfaces.