The major problem in bone tissue engineering is the development of scaffolds which can simultaneously meet the requirements of porous structure, as well as have the ability to guide the regeneration of damaged tissue by biological fixation. Composites containing biodegradable matrix and bioactive filler are the new hope in this research field. Herein we employed a simple and facile solvent casting particulate-leaching method for producing polylactide acid/hydroxyapatite (PLA/HA) composites at room temperature. FT-IR analysis confirmed the existence of necessary functional groups associated with the PLA/HA composite, whereas energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectra indicated the uniform distribution of hydroxyapatite particles in the polymer matrix. The beehive-like surface morphology of the composites revealed the presence of macropores, ranged from 300 to 400 μm, whereas the thickness of the pores was noticed to be 1–2 μm. The total porosity of the scaffolds, calculated by hydrostatic weighing, was found to be 79%. The water contact angle of pure PLA was decreased from 83.6 ± 1.91° to 62.4 ± 4.17° due to the addition of hydroxyapatite in the polymer matrix. Thus, the wettability of the polymeric biomaterial could be increased by preparing their composites with hydroxyapatite. The adhesion of multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells over the surface of PLA/HA scaffolds was 3.2 times (p = 0.03) higher than the pure PLA sample. Subcutaneous implantation in mice demonstrated a good tolerance of all tested porous scaffolds and widespread ingrowth of tissue into the implant pores. HA-containing scaffolds showed a less pronounced inflammatory response after two weeks of implantation compared to pure PLA. These observations suggest that PLA/HA composites have enormous potential for hard tissue engineering and restoring maxillofacial defects.

Recent studies showed that moderate consumption of red or white wines increased the chances of breast cancer, while similar consumption of red wines, rich in trans-resveratrol (trans-R), decreased the rate of prostate cancer. This prompted us to explore the role of various forms of R in cancer proliferation.

Fucoidans are natural sulfated polysaccharides that have a wide range of biological functions and are regarded as promising antitumor agents. The activity of various fucoidans and their derivatives has been demonstrated in vitro on tumor cells of different histogenesis and in experiments on mice with grafted tumors. However, these experimental models showed low levels of antitumor activity and clinical trials did not prove that this class of compounds could serve as antitumor drugs. Nevertheless, the anti-inflammatory, antiangiogenic, immunostimulating, and anticoagulant properties of fucoidans, as well as their ability to stimulate hematopoiesis during cytostatic-based antitumor therapy, suggest that effective fucoidan-based drugs could be designed for the supportive care and symptomatic therapy of cancer patients. The use of fucoidans in cancer patients after chemotherapy and radiation therapy might promote the rapid improvement of hematopoiesis, while their anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and anticoagulant effects have the potential to improve the quality of life of patients with advanced cancer.