Topic Review
Polymeric-Micelle-Based Delivery Systems for Nucleic Acids
Nucleic acids can modulate gene expression specifically. They are increasingly being utilized and show huge potential for the prevention or treatment of various diseases. However, the clinical translation of nucleic acids faces many challenges due to their rapid clearance after administration, low stability in physiological fluids and limited cellular uptake, which is associated with an inability to reach the intracellular target site and poor efficacy. For many years, tremendous efforts have been made to design appropriate delivery systems that enable the safe and effective delivery of nucleic acids at the target site to achieve high therapeutic outcomes. Among the different delivery platforms investigated, polymeric micelles have emerged as suitable delivery vehicles due to the versatility of their structures and the possibility to tailor their composition for overcoming extracellular and intracellular barriers, thus enhancing therapeutic efficacy. Many strategies, such as the addition of stimuli-sensitive groups or specific ligands, can be used to facilitate the delivery of various nucleic acids and improve targeting and accumulation at the site of action while protecting nucleic acids from degradation and promoting their cellular uptake. Furthermore, polymeric micelles can be used to deliver both chemotherapeutic drugs and nucleic acid therapeutics simultaneously to achieve synergistic combination treatment. 
  • 210
  • 16 Aug 2023
Topic Review
Sustainable Fire-Resistant Polysaccharide-Based Composite Aerogels
Fire safety is a critical concern in various industries necessitating the development of sustainable and effective fire-resistant materials. Sustainable fire-resistant polysaccharide-based composite aerogels are regarded as an innovative solution in fire safety applications.
  • 343
  • 16 Aug 2023
Topic Review
Development of Active Layers for Efficient Photovoltaic Devices
Photovoltaics (PVs) has become one of the emerging alternatives to progressively supply/replace conventional energy sources, considering the potential exploitation of solar energy. Depending on the nature of the light harvester to influence on its light-absorption capability and the facility to produce electricity, different generations of solar devices have been fabricated. Early studies of organic molecules (dye sensitizers) with good absorption coefficients, going through metal chalcogenides and, lastly, the timely emergence of halide perovskites, have promoted the development of novel and low-cost solar cells with promising photoconversion efficiency (PCE), close to the well-established Si-based devices.
  • 241
  • 16 Aug 2023
Topic Review
Peptide-Based Gene Delivery Vectors
Gene therapy is the ultimate therapeutic technology for diseases related to gene abnormality. However, the use of DNA alone has serious problems, such as poor stability and difficulty in entering target cells. The development of a safe and efficient gene delivery system is the cornerstone of gene therapy. Of particular interest, multifunctional peptides are rationally designed as non-viral vectors for efficient gene delivery. As components of gene delivery vectors, these peptides play critically important roles in skeleton construction, the implementation of targeting strategies, cell membrane penetration, endosome rupture, and nuclear transport.
  • 417
  • 16 Aug 2023
Topic Review
Causes and Mechanisms of Supercapacitor Ag(e)ing and Degradation
The most prominent and highly visible advantage attributed to supercapacitors of any type and application, beyond their most notable feature of high current and power capability, is their high stability in terms of lifetime, number of possible charge/discharge cycles or other stability-related properties. Actual devices show more or less pronounced deterioration of performance parameters during time and use, they show ageing.
  • 345
  • 15 Aug 2023
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.
  • 223
  • 15 Aug 2023
Topic Review
Hydrogen Permeation Test Methods of Polymer Liner Material
Type IV hydrogen storage cylinders comprise a polymer liner and offer advantages such as lightweight construction, high hydrogen storage density, and good fatigue performance. However, they are also characterized by higher hydrogen permeability. Consequently, it is crucial for the polymer liner material to exhibit excellent resistance to hydrogen permeation. International organizations have established relevant standards mandating hydrogen permeation tests for the liner material of type IV on-board hydrogen storage cylinders. 
  • 597
  • 14 Aug 2023
Topic Review
Electromagnetic Interference Shielding
Graphene is the first two-dimensional material that becomes the center material in various research areas of material science, chemistry, condensed matter, and engineering due to its advantageous properties, including larger specific area, lower density, outstanding electrical conductivity, and ease of processability. These properties attracted the attention of material researchers resulted in a large number of publications on EMI shielding in a short time and play a central role in addressing the problems and challenges faced in this modern era of electronics by electromagnetic interference. After the popularity of graphene, the community of material researchers investigated other two-dimensional materials like MXenes, hexagonal boron nitride, black phosphorous, transition metal dichalcogenides, and layered double hydroxides, to additionally enhance the EMI shielding response of materials.
  • 464
  • 14 Aug 2023
Topic Review
Designing Plant-Based Anticancer Nanoparticles against Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), accounting for 85% of liver cancer cases, continues to be the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Although various forms of chemotherapy and immunotherapy have been investigated in clinics, patients continue to suffer from high toxicity and undesirable side effects. Medicinal plants contain novel critical bioactives that can target multimodal oncogenic pathways; however, their clinical translation is often challenged due to poor aqueous solubility, low cellular uptake, and poor bioavailability. Nanoparticle-based drug delivery presents great opportunities in HCC therapy by increasing selectivity and transferring sufficient doses of bioactives to tumor areas with minimal damage to adjacent healthy cells. In fact, many phytochemicals encapsulated in Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved nanocarriers have demonstrated the ability to modulate the tumor microenvironment with different molecular mechanisms. Although polymer-based and lipid-based nanocarriers usually provide great benefit for bioactives, a custom design and optimization of nanocarrier is recommended for targeting HCC.  
  • 147
  • 14 Aug 2023
Topic Review
Films and Coatings Deposition Methods
The modern methods of films and coatings deposition find many new application in industry and technology. The methods are mainly physical and categorized by the species participating in deposits build-up as: (i) atomistic; (ii) granular; and (iii) bulk. The examples of emerging methods developed by the author and belonging to each category are briefly discussed.
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  • 11 Aug 2023
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