The present invention is in the field of aqueous emulsions that dry into water-insoluble or water-resistant structures that are useful for active packaging, manufactured devices and components, and other applications. The aqueous emulsions of the present invention comprise biopolymers, metal in the form of a salt, nanoparticles or metal oxide nanoparticles, essential oil, and additives such as surfactants and plasticizers. When the components of the emulsion are mixed following the distinctive method of preparation, a water-soluble fluid is obtained, which, upon drying, becomes a water-insoluble or water-resistant solid exhibiting antimicrobial, antioxidative, and other useful properties including tensile strength, elasticity, transparency. The obtained fluid may be applied by spraying, pouring, injecting, 3-D printing, or otherwise formed into a solid product of any geometrical shape including film, foil, or other 3-D shape.

Nanoparticles, methods, and kits are provided for supplying nutrients and other therapeutic agents to transplanted cells. Nutrient deprivation is a significant factor which contributes to poor outcome of many cell transplants because cells receive insufficient nutrients until they are able to establish a functional microcirculation to support their metabolic and physiological needs after transplantation. Nanoparticles are provided for use in supplying nutrients and other therapeutic agents to transplanted cells to improve cell survival. Such nanoparticles can be used to supply nutrients and other factors to transplanted cells until the transplanted cells are able to develop a new microcirculation.

A nanomedicinal composition comprising a nanocarrier and a pharmaceutical agent mixture comprising an anti-cancer therapeutic and an antioxidant. The nanocarrier comprises a porous silicate matrix and particles of a magnetic ferrite disposed in the pores of the porous silicate matrix. The pharmaceutical agent mixture is disposed in the pores and/or on the surface of the nanocarrier by a solution phase impregnation process. The nanomedicinal composition is used in a method of treating breast cancer.

There is provided a method of preparing silica nanocapsules, the method comprising mixing a surfactant with water at a temperature that is above the gel-to-liquid transition temperature of the surfactant to form a mixture, passing the mixture one or more times through at least one pore to obtain a dispersion of vesicles, and adding a silica precursor to the dispersion of vesicles to form silica nanocapsules. Also provided is a silica nanocapsule formed from a vesicle template, and a method of delivering one or more types of molecules to a subject. In a specific embodiment, hollow silica nanocapsules having substantially lens-shaped are synthesized by employing dimethyldioctadecylammonium bromide (DODAB) or dioctadecyldimethyl ammonium chloride (DODAC) as the vesicle template and tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) as the silica precursor.

A composition includes porous silica particles to carry a cell fate modulating factor therein. A method for modulating cell fate includes treating various cells with the composition. The cell fate modulating factor is delivered to a stable target receptor, toxicity to subject cells for delivery may be reduced, a fate of the subject cells can be controlled through sustained release of at least 99 wt. % of the cell fate modulating factor.

The subject invention provides materials and methods for intracellular deliver of molecules and/or therapeutic agents. The subject invention also provides methods for synthesizing polymeric systems and nanomaterials that enhance or assist the passage of molecules and/or therapeutic agents across biological membranes. The compound, polymer or nanoparticle of the subject invention comprises a modified guanidine moiety in a plurality of repeating units of a polymer or on the surface of a nanoparticle where the guanidine moiety comprises, for example, a carbamoyl or thiourea modification. The polymer or nanoparticle can be used in a cancer treatment formulation.

A nanoprobe system for in vivo use comprises a plasmonic-active nanoparticle and a molecular probe system. The molecular probe system comprises an oligonucleotide capable of forming a stem-loop configuration, having a first end and a second end, wherein the oligonucleotide is immobilized to the plasmonic-active nanoparticle at the first end and labeled with a Raman reporter at the second end, a placeholder strand at least partially bound to the oligonucleotide, and an attachment mechanism for attachment to a cell membrane.

A composition having nanoparticles having lipids; a polysaccharide coating, an active agent and iron oxide. The active agent can be ciprofloxacin or fluocinolone. A method of treatment of ear disease or ear infection including the administration of a pharmaceutical formulation comprising nanoparticles and magnetically pushing or pulling the nanoparticles to a treatment site.

A system is disclosed for delivery of a therapeutic agent to a site in mucosal tissue or to the skin of a patient. The system includes a porous mucoadhesive, freeze-dried matrix formed by a composition including chitosan in an aqueous salt solution of a chloride salt of a monovalent cation. The system further includes a plurality of chitosan microparticles having an average diameter between 500 nm and 2000 nm and comprising a therapeutic agent.

Cerium oxide nanoparticles (CNPs) have been proven to exhibit antioxidant properties attributed to its surface oxidation states (Ce4+ to Ce3+ and vice versa) mediated at the oxygen vacancies on the surface of CNPs. Different anions in precursor cerium salts were used to prepare CNPs resulting in disclosed CNPs with varying physicochemical properties such as dispersion stability, hydrodynamic size, and the signature surface chemistry. The antioxidant catalytic activity and oxidation potentials of different CNPs have been significantly altered with the change of anions in the precursor salts. For one, CNPs prepared using precursor salts containing NO.sub.3.sup.− and Cl.sup.− ions exhibited increased antioxidant activity than previously thought possible. The change in oxidation potentials of CNPs with the change in concentration of the nitrate and chloride ions indicates the disclosed CNP's have different surface chemistry and antioxidant properties. These compositions and methods of their synthesis are disclosed.