Impaired wound healing is an encumbering public health issue that increases the demand for developing new therapies in order to minimize health costs and enhance treatment efficacy. Available conventional therapies are still unable to maximize their potential in penetrating the skin at the target site and accelerating the healing process. Nanotechnology exhibits an excellent opportunity to enrich currently available medical treatments, enhance standard care and manage wounds. It is a promising approach, able to address issues such as the permeability and bioavailability of drugs with reduced stability or low water solubility. This paper focuses on nanosized-lipid-based drug delivery systems, describing their numerous applications in managing skin wounds. We also highlight the relationship between the physicochemical characteristics of nanosized, lipid-based drug delivery systems and their impact on the wound-healing process. Different types of nanosized-lipid-based drug delivery systems, such as vesicular systems and lipid nanoparticles, demonstrated better applicability and enhanced skin penetration in wound healing therapy compared with conventional treatments. Moreover, an improved chemically and physically stable drug delivery system, with increased drug loading capacity and enhanced bioavailability, has been shown in drugs encapsulated in lipid nanoparticles. Their applications in wound care show potential for overcoming impediments, such as the inadequate bioavailability of active agents with low solubility. Future research in nanosized-lipid-based drug delivery systems will allow the achievement of increased bioavailability and better control of drug release, providing the clinician with more effective therapies for wound care.

Antimony has been known and used since ancient times, but its applications have increased significantly during the last two centuries. Aside from its few medical applications, it also has industrial applications, acting as a flame retardant and a catalyst. Geologically, native antimony is rare, and it is mostly found in sulfide ores. The main ore minerals of antimony are antimonite and jamesonite. The extensive mining and use of antimony have led to its introduction into the biosphere, where it can be hazardous, depending on its bioavailability and absorption. Detailed studies exist both from active and abandoned mining sites, and from urban settings, which document the environmental impact of antimony pollution and its impact on human physiology. Despite its evident and pronounced toxicity, it has also been used in some drugs, initially tartar emetics and subsequently antimonials. The latter are used to treat tropical diseases and their therapeutic potential for leishmaniasis means that they will not be soon phased out, despite the fact the antimonial resistance is beginning to be documented. The mechanisms by which antimony is introduced into human cells and subsequently excreted are still the subject of research; their elucidation will enable us to better understand antimony toxicity and, hopefully, to improve the nature and delivery method of antimonial drugs.

Kaempferol and its derivatives are flavonoids found in various plants, and a considerable number of these have been used in various medical applications worldwide. Kaempferol and its compounds have well-known antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties among other health benefits. However, the antiviral properties of kaempferol are notable, and there is a significant number of experimental studies on this topic. Kaempferol compounds were effective against DNA viruses such as hepatitis B virus, viruses of the alphaherpesvirinae family, African swine fever virus, and pseudorabies virus; they were also effective against RNA viruses, namely feline SARS coronavirus, dengue fever virus, Japanese encephalitis virus, influenza virus, enterovirus 71, poliovirus, respiratory syncytial virus, human immunodeficiency virus, calicivirus, and chikungunya virus. On the other hand, no effectiveness against murine norovirus and hepatitis A virus could be determined. The antiviral action mechanisms of kaempferol compounds are various, such as the inhibition of viral polymerases and of viral attachment and entry into host cells. Future research should be focused on further elucidating the antiviral properties of kaempferol compounds from different plants and assessing their potential use to complement the action of antiviral drugs.

The prevalence of diet-related diseases underscores the imperative for innovative management approaches. The deployment of smart solutions signifies a paradigmatic evolution, capitalising on advanced technologies to enhance precision and efficacy. This paper aims to present and explore smart solutions for the management of diet-related diseases, focusing on leveraging advanced technologies, such as connected care, the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT), and remote health monitoring systems (RHMS), to address the rising prevalence of diet-related diseases. This transformative approach is exemplified in case studies focusing on tailored RHMS capabilities. This paper aims to showcase the potential of three RHMS in introducing a novel evaluation method and their customisation for proactive management of conditions influenced by dietary habits. The RO-SmartAgeing System uniquely addresses age-related aspects, providing an integrated approach that considers the long-term impact of dietary choices on ageing, marking an advanced perspective in healthcare. The NeuroPredict Platform, leveraging complex neuroinformatics, enhances the understanding of connections between brain health, nutrition, and overall well-being, contributing novel insights to healthcare assessments. Focused on liver health monitoring, the HepatoConect system delivers real-time data for personalized dietary recommendations, offering a distinctive approach to disease management. By integrating cutting-edge technologies, these smart solutions transcend traditional healthcare boundaries.

Along with the rapid and extensive advancements in the 3D printing field, a diverse range of uses for 3D printing have appeared in the spectrum of medical applications. Vat photopolymerization (VPP) stands out as one of the most extensively researched methods of 3D printing, with its main advantages being a high printing speed and the ability to produce high-resolution structures. A major challenge in using VPP 3D-printed materials in medicine is the general incompatibility of standard VPP resin mixtures with the requirements of biocompatibility and biofunctionality. Instead of developing completely new materials, an alternate approach to solving this problem involves adapting existing biomaterials. These materials are incompatible with VPP 3D printing in their pure form but can be adapted to the VPP chemistry and general process through the use of innovative mixtures and the addition of specific pre- and post-printing steps. This review’s primary objective is to highlight biofunctional and biocompatible materials that have been adapted to VPP. We present and compare the suitability of these adapted materials to different medical applications and propose other biomaterials that could be further adapted to the VPP 3D printing process in order to fulfill patient-specific medical requirements.

Background: Liver cirrhosis (LC) is largely associated with diabetes mellitus (DM). More than 80% of patients with LC manifest glucose intolerance and about 30% have type 2 DM. A particular and yet unrecognized entity is hepatogenous diabetes (HD), defined as impaired glucose regulation caused by altered liver function following LC. Numerous studies have shown that DM could negatively influence liver-related outcomes. Aim: We aimed to investigate whether patients with LC and DM are at higher risk for hepatic encephalopathy (HE), variceal hemorrhage (VH), infections and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The impact of DM on liver transplant (LT) outcomes was also addressed. Methods: Literature search was performed in PubMed, Ovid, and Elsevier databases. Population-based observational studies reporting liver outcomes in patients with LC were included. Results: Diabetics are at higher risk for HE, including post-transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt HE. DM also increases the risk of VH and contributes to elevated portal pressure and variceal re-bleeding, while uncontrolled DM is associated with increased risk of bacterial infections. DM also increases the risk of HCC and contributes to adverse LT outcomes. Conclusions: Patients with DM and LC may benefit from close follow-up in order to reduce readmissions and mortality. Due to the heterogeneity of available research, prospective multicenter clinical trials are needed to further validate these findings.