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Topic Review
Plasmon-Resonant Gold Nanostructures
Liposomes can sequester a variety of bioactive water-soluble ions, ligands and enzymes, and oligonucleotides. The bilayer that separates the liposome interior from the exterior solution provides a physical barrier to contents release and degradation. Tethering plasmon-resonant, hollow gold nanoshells to the liposomes, or growing gold nanoparticles directly on the liposome exterior, allows liposome contents to be released by nanosecond or shorter pulses of near-infrared light (NIR). Gold nanoshells or nanoparticles strongly adsorb NIR light; cells, tissues, and physiological media are transparent to NIR, allowing penetration depths of millimeters to centimeters. Nano to picosecond pulses of NIR light rapidly heat the gold nanoshells, inducing the formation of vapor nanobubbles, similar to cavitation bubbles.
  • 676
  • 18 May 2022
Topic Review
Diversity of Mycogenic Oxide and Chalcogenide Nanoparticles
Oxide and chalcogenide nanoparticles have great potential for use in biomedicine, engineering, agriculture, environmental protection, and other research fields. The myco-synthesis of nanoparticles with fungal cultures, their metabolites, culture liquids, and mycelial and fruit body extracts is simple, cheap and environmentally friendly. The characteristics of nanoparticles, including their size, shape, homogeneity, stability, physical properties and biological activity, can be tuned by changing the myco-synthesis conditions.
  • 675
  • 30 May 2023
Topic Review
Functional Photosensitive Polymeric Nanocarriers
Polymer nanoparticles can be loaded with active compounds entrapped within the core or adsorbed/linked onto the polymeric surface. The advantages of polymer nanoparticles as active principle delivery systems over other particular systems include high drug encapsulation efficiency, intracellular uptake, stability of encapsulated active substances, biocompatibility and biodegradability with tissue and cells, especially when prepared from biopolymers. The polymeric nanocarriers can be nanocapsules, composed of an oily core in which the drug is usually dissolved, dispersed, or embedded, surrounded by a polymeric shell that controls the release profile; and nanospheres, based on a continuous polymeric network in which the drug can be retained inside or adsorbed onto their surface.
  • 674
  • 05 Aug 2021
Topic Review
Applications of Dendritic Polymers in Dentistry
Dendritic polymers represent the well-established 4th class of polymers, next to their conventional linear, branched, and cross-linked counterparts. They are constructed by a central core that is the focal point of radial polymerization and may comprise the same monomeric units as the rest of the macromolecule or a completely different entity that endows the substance with exceptional properties. The main body, i.e., the branched interior, contains the monomers and their characteristic groups. These define the conformation of the cavities and their chemical environment. The periphery contains the end groups that may be decorated with functional groups to adapt to the desired role.
  • 674
  • 07 Sep 2023
Topic Review
On-Surface Synthesis of sp-Carbon Nanostructures
Over the centuries, carbon allotropes have been playing a significant role in material science and engineering due to their outstanding electric, magnetic, optical, and mechanical properties. Compared to traditional carbon materials such as diamond and graphite, carbon nanomaterials consist of carbons with different hybridization types, namely linear (sp), planar (sp2), or tetrahedral (sp3) bond configurations, or even a combination of several types. Owning to the development of STM (scanning tunneling microscope) and nc-AFM (noncontact atomic force microscope), a wide variety of low-dimensional carbon nanostructures have been synthesized and characterized at the atomic scale on surfaces, such as linear polymers comprising of hydrocarbons, graphene nanoribbons, porous graphene, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. In particular, nanostructures containing sp-hybridized carbons are of great advantage for their structural linearity and small steric demands as well as intriguing electronic and mechanical properties. 
  • 673
  • 19 Jan 2022
Topic Review
Modern Antimicrobial Applications of Nanosilver
Silver has an extensive history because it has been used for multiple millennia spanning from the Before Common Era (B.C.E) to the present day. This long-term use of silver stemmed from its anti-deteriorative activity and led to its recognition as the most important antimicrobial agent (i.e., antibacterial, antiviral, antiparasitic, and antifungal) that predated antibiotics.
  • 672
  • 18 Aug 2023
Topic Review
Optical Imaging-Guided Nanotheranostics
Nanomedicine involves the use of nanotechnology for clinical applications and holds promise to improve treatments. Recent developments offer new hope for cancer detection, prevention and treatment; however, being a heterogenous disorder, cancer calls for a more targeted treatment approach. Nanotheranostics comprise a combination of therapy and diagnostic imaging incorporated in a nanosystem and are developed to fulfill the promise of personalized medicine (PM) by helping in the selection of treatments, the objective monitoring of response and the planning of follow-up therapy. Although well-established imaging techniques, such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Computed Tomography (CT), Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT), are primarily used in the development of theranostics, Optical Imaging (OI) offers some advantages, such as high sensitivity, spatial and temporal resolution and less invasiveness.
  • 668
  • 15 Feb 2022
Topic Review
Justification and Design Strategies for Magnetic Nanoplatforms
Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) have evolved tremendously during recent years, in part due to the rapid expansion of nanotechnology and to their active magnetic core with a high surface-to-volume ratio, while their surface functionalization opened the door to a plethora of drug, gene and bioactive molecule immobilization. Taming the high reactivity of the magnetic core was achieved by various functionalization techniques, producing MNPs tailored for the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular or neurological disease, tumors and cancer.
  • 657
  • 02 Sep 2022
Topic Review
I-III-VI2 QDs and Derivatives for Photovoltaic Applications
I–III–VI2 group quantum dots (QDs) have attracted high attention in photoelectronic conversion applications, especially for QD-sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs). Because PV cells allow us to convert solar energy into electricity, these devices represent some of the most promising technology to meet the ever-increasing energy demand. The light-harvesting efficiency of I-III-VI2 QDs is higher than that of TiO2 due to their small bandgap and large absorption coefficient, and the use of these nanocrystals is beneficial for PV cell engineering. Upon light irradiation, electron-hole pairs are generated in I-III-VI2 QDs. When in contact with TiO2, photoexcited electrons from QDs can transfer to the CB of TiO2, and then electrons are further transferred to the external circuit (for example, fluorine-doped tin oxide, FTO). Simultaneously, holes in the VB of QDs are transported to the counter electrode (for example, Au or Pt) to complete the circuit, resulting in the flow of electricity.
  • 649
  • 07 Nov 2023
Topic Review
Functional Groups' Role in Metal Ion Sensing Mechanism
Carbon dots (CDs) are zero-dimensional nanomaterials composed of carbon and surface groups attached to their surface. CDs have a size smaller than 10 nm and have potential applications in different fields such as metal ion detection, photodegradation of pollutants, and bio-imaging, in this research, the capabilities of CDs in metal ion detection will be described. Quantum confinement is generally viewed as the key factor contributing to the uniqueness of CDs characteristics due to their small size and the lack of attention on the surface functional groups and their roles is given, however, in this research, the focus will be on the functional group and the composition of CDs. The surface functional groups depend on two parameters: (i) the oxidation of precursors and (ii) their composition.
  • 649
  • 30 Jun 2023
Topic Review
Coatings for Optimizing Gold Drug Delivery Systems
Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are increasingly being used in drug delivery systems due to their unique properties such as high biocompatibility and versatility. However, AuNPs alone can have limitations in terms of stability, cellular uptake, and specificity for certain types of cells. To address these issues, coatings are being developed to optimize AuNP-based drug delivery systems. Coatings can enhance the stability of AuNPs, prevent their aggregation, and improve their targeting and cellular uptake. Different types of coatings such as polymers, peptides, and proteins are being explored for this purpose. The development of coatings for optimizing gold drug delivery systems has the potential to significantly improve the efficacy of cancer therapies and other treatments.
  • 648
  • 23 Feb 2023
Topic Review
Several Organic Pollutants Dyes
The increase in economic activities and the industrialization of countries have caused the growth of pollution created by waste and sewage. In particular, the textile industry produces large amounts of liquid contaminants due to the large amounts of water employed during the production of fabrics. In addition, dyes are another category of organic compound used in many industries, such as pharmaceuticals and rubber making. 
  • 647
  • 07 Oct 2023
Topic Review
Lysosomes in GNM-Based Cancer Therapy
Graphene-based nanomaterials (GNMs), including graphene, graphene oxide, reduced graphene oxide, and graphene quantum dots, may have direct anticancer activity or be used as nanocarriers for antitumor drugs. GNMs usually enter tumor cells by endocytosis and can accumulate in lysosomes. This accumulation prevents drugs bound to GNMs from reaching their targets, suppressing their anticancer effects. A number of chemical modifications are made to GNMs to facilitate the separation of anticancer drugs from GNMs at low lysosomal pH and to enable the lysosomal escape of drugs. Lysosomal escape may be associated with oxidative stress, permeabilization of the unstable membrane of cancer cell lysosomes, release of lysosomal enzymes into the cytoplasm, and cell death. GNMs can prevent or stimulate tumor cell death by inducing protective autophagy or suppressing autolysosomal degradation, respectively.
  • 644
  • 14 Jul 2023
Topic Review
Dynamic Metal Nanoclusters
Dynamic metal nanoclusters refer to a class of nanoscale metallic assemblies that exhibit dynamic behavior or undergo structural transformations under certain conditions. Unlike conventional static nanoclusters, dynamic metal nanoclusters can exhibit changes in their size, shape, composition, or ligand environment, leading to altered properties and functionalities. These dynamic characteristics arise from the inherent flexibility and adaptability of the metal nanocluster structures, allowing them to respond to external stimuli or undergo reversible transformations. The study of dynamic metal nanoclusters has gained significant attention due to their unique properties and potential applications in various fields, including catalysis, optics, electronics, and energy storage.
  • 643
  • 28 Sep 2023
Topic Review
Microfluidic Synthesis of Halide Perovskite
Halide perovskites are increasingly exploited as semiconducting materials in diverse optoelectronic applications, including light emitters, photodetectors, and solar cells. The halide perovskite can be easily processed in solution, making microfluidic synthesis possible. 
  • 634
  • 12 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Functionalization of ETL/Perovskite Interface
Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have revolutionized the field of photovoltaics, achieving certified power conversion efficiencies reaching 26% at the laboratory scale. High performance, enhanced stability, and long lifetime are prerequisites for the industrialization and commercialization of this class of third-generation photovoltaic technology. The electron transport layer (ETL) plays a pivotal role in obtaining stable perovskite solar cells with a high power conversion efficiency (PCE). It must be characterized by high transparency to visible light, photostability, and compatibility with the perovskite used. Therefore, a thorough comprehension and optimization of the interaction between perovskite materials and TiO2 ETL underlayers, as well as a special focus on the behavior of the corresponding devices, are necessary.
  • 634
  • 15 Aug 2023
Topic Review
Nanoplasmonics Enabling Cancer Diagnostics and Therapy
Advances in the state of the art for early cancer detection and therapy have led to a paradigm shift in the way the disease is detected and treated. In particular, treatments have become much more targeted and localized to minimize systemic body-wide side effects common in traditional treatment methods such as chemotherapy. At the forefront of this revolution is the utilization of plasmonic gold nanoparticles, which have gained increasing attention as a highly effective nanoplatform ranging from drug delivery to plasmonics-enhanced treatments such as photothermal therapy.
  • 631
  • 19 Dec 2022
Topic Review
Multi-Functionalized Nanocarriers for Breast Cancer Therapy
Breast cancer (BC) is one of the most prevalent cancers in women. This type of malignancy often starts from ductal hyper-proliferation with its expansion into benign tumors or metastatic carcinomas resulting from exposure to carcinogenic agents. This disease exhibits not only a great deal of heterogeneity but also a great deal of variation in its occurrence, treatment response, progression, and even location of metastasis. Multifunctional nanocarriers include polymeric nanoparticles (NPs), self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery systems (SNEDDS), liposomes, and mesoporous inorganic NPs. 
  • 629
  • 02 Aug 2022
Topic Review
Direct Optical Patterning of Semiconductor Quantum Dots
Patterning, stability, and dispersion of the semiconductor quantum dots (scQDs) are three issues strictly interconnected for successful device manufacturing. Several authors adopted direct optical patterning (DOP) as a step forward in photolithography to position the scQDs in a selected area. However, the chemistry behind the stability, dispersion, and patterning has to be carefully integrated to obtain a functional commercial device. 
  • 629
  • 13 Jul 2023
Topic Review
Bismuth-Based Composites for Energy Storage Systems
Bismuth (Bi) has been prompted many investigations into the development of next-generation energy storage systems on account of its unique physicochemical properties. Although there are still some challenges, the application of metallic Bi-based materials in the field of energy storage still has good prospects. 
  • 627
  • 17 Jan 2024
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