In recent decades, there has been an increased interest in the development of intranasal delivery systems for active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) not only for treating local nasal diseases but also for treating systemic diseases, central nervous system (CNS) disorders, and vaccine delivery. The nasal cavity possesses a unique set of anatomical characteristics for delivering active pharmaceutical ingredients, but there are several limitations that recent research in the field of the intranasal administration of APIs aims to overcome. For the effective delivery of nasal preparations, active pharmaceutical ingredients are incorporated into various micro- and nanosystems. Some of the most commonly encountered API delivery systems in the scientific literature include liposomal systems, polymer particles with mucoadhesive properties, in situ gels, nano- and microemulsions, and solid lipid particles. This article provides a review of research on the development of nasal preparations for treating local nasal cavity diseases (in particular, for antibiotic delivery), systemic diseases (analgesics, drugs for cardiovascular diseases, antiviral and antiemetic drugs), CNS disorders (Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, schizophrenia, depression), and vaccine delivery. The literature data show that active research is underway to reformulate drugs of various pharmacotherapeutic groups into a nasal form.

Uncontrolled bleeding causes more than 30% of deaths due to injuries worldwide. Modern hemostatic materials based on synthetic and biological macromolecules focus mainly on the time prior to hemostasis, but the prevention of a bacterial infection is also crucial for increasing survival. Silver is known to exhibit potent antimicrobial activity and strong biocidal effects against various types of bacteria. A new method for producing of composite sponges with a pronounced antimicrobial effect based on such biological polymers as alginate and chitosan with the addition of silver nanoparticles has been proposed. The method is based on the combination of cryostructuring, ionotropic gelation and ion substitution methods during the formation of the macroporous structure of the sponge at the gelation stage with subsequent freeze drying. Silver nanoparticles isolated by three fungal cultures were introduced into the sponges in low concentrations. The alginate–chitosan–composite sponges with Ag nanoparticles showed high sorption capacity, microporous structure and increased antimicrobial activity compared to a composite sponge without the inclusion of silver nanoparticles.

The diversity and the stability of the microbial community are associated with microecological interactions between its members. Antagonism is one type of interaction, which particularly determines the benefits that probiotics bring to host health by suppressing opportunistic pathogens and microbial contaminants in food. Mathematical models allow for quantitatively predicting intrapopulation relationships. The aim of this study was to create predictive models for bacterial contamination outcomes depending on the probiotic antagonism and prebiotic concentration. This should allow an improvement in the screening of synbiotic composition for preventing gut microbial infections. The functional model (fermentation) was based on a three-stage continuous system, and the distal colon section (N₂, pH 6.8, flow rate 0.04 h^–1) was simulated. The strains Bifidobacterium adolescentis ATCC 15703 and Bacillus cereus ATCC 9634 were chosen as the model probiotic and pathogen. Oligofructose Orafti P95 (OF) was used as the prebiotic at concentrations of 2, 5, 7, 10, 12, and 15 g/L of the medium. In the first stage, the system was inoculated with Bifidobacterium, and a dynamic equilibrium (Bifidobacterium count, lactic, and acetic acids) was achieved. Then, the system was contaminated with a 3-day Bacillus suspension (spores). The microbial count, as well as the concentration of acids and residual carbohydrates, was measured. A Bacillus monoculture was studied as a control. The stationary count of Bacillus in monoculture was markedly higher. An increase (up to 8 h) in the lag phase was observed for higher prebiotic concentrations. The specific growth rate in the exponential phase varied at different OF concentrations. Thus, the OF concentration influenced two key events of bacterial infection, which together determine when the maximal pathogen count will be reached. The mathematical models were developed, and their accuracies were acceptable for Bifidobacterium (relative errors ranging from 1.00% to 2.58%) and Bacillus (relative errors ranging from 0.74% to 2.78%) count prediction.

The article describes obtaining polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibers by electrospinning on a setup developed at the Mendeleev University of Chemical Technology of Russia (MUCTR). A technique for producing PAN-based carbon nanofibers (CNFs) and PAN-based CNFs modified with titanium oxide (TiO₂) is presented. The article presents a comprehensive study of the characteristics of PAN-based nanofibers and CNFs, including an analysis of the external structure of the fibers, the dependence of fiber diameters on the viscosity of the initial solutions, the effect of temperature treatment on the functional groups of PAN, elemental analysis, and flame-retardant properties. It was found that the fiber diameter and its external structure strongly depend on the viscosity of the initial solutions; an increase in viscosity leads to a linear increase in the fiber diameter. Preliminary temperature treatment at 250 °C helps stabilize PAN nanofibers and prevents their melting at the carbonization stage. The differential scanning calorimetry results allowed us to determine the presence of peaks for the initial PAN nanofibers, indicating an exothermic process in the temperature range of 290–320 °C. The peak height decreased with increasing TiO₂ concentration in the samples. For CNF samples of different compositions, the endothermic effect prevailed in the temperature range of 400–700 °C, indicating the possible flame-retardant properties of these materials. The limiting oxygen index (LOI) was calculated based on the thermogravimetric analysis results. The highest LOI values were obtained for CNFs based on PAN without adding TiO₂ nanoparticles and CNFs modified with TiO₂ (3 wt.%). The resulting CNF-based nonwovens can be recommended for use in heat-protective clothing, flame-retardant mattresses, and flame-retardant suits for the military.

The process of freezing (crystallization under cooling) is the preliminary preparation of samples for vacuum freeze drying. At this stage, the structure of the product is formed, which depends on the size of the resulting ice crystals. One of the most interesting and cost-effective ways to intensify the freezing stage and controlled nucleation is ultrasonic treatment. The effect of ultrasound with a power of 50 W and a frequency of 40000 Hz on the freezing kinetics and ice crystals size distribution were studied for polymers of various nature: sodium alginate, chitosan, polyvinyl alcohol, and a cross-linked polyelectrolyte complex of alginate-chitosan. Cryoscopic temperatures for these polymers were determined. A mathematical model for calculating the kinetics of freezing and size distribution of ice crystals was implemented in Python.