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Topic Review
Biography
Topic Review
Natural Compounds: Advantages of Combination Therapy in Cancer
Cancer is one of the leading causes of death, and latest predictions indicate that cancer-related deaths will increase over the next few decades. Despite significant advances in conventional therapies, treatments are still far from ideal due to limitations such as lack of selectivity, non-specific distribution, and multidrug resistance. Some researches are focusing on the development of several strategies to improve the efficiency of chemotherapeutic agents and, as a result, overcome the challenges associated with conventional therapies. In this regard, combined therapy with natural compounds and other therapeutic agents, such as chemotherapeutics or nucleic acids, has recently emerged as a new strategy for tackling the drawbacks of conventional therapies.
436
22 May 2023
Topic Review
Displacement-Based Approaches for Protein-Bound Uremic Toxins Removal
End-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients rely on renal replacement therapies to survive. Hemodialysis (HD), the most widely applied treatment, is responsible for the removal of excess fluid and uremic toxins (UTs) from blood, particularly those with low molecular weight (MW < 500 Da). The development of high-flux membranes and more efficient treatment modes, such as hemodiafiltration, have resulted in improved removal rates of UTs in the middle molecular weight range. However, the concentrations of protein-bound uremic toxins (PBUTs) remain essentially untouched. Due to the high binding affinity to large proteins, such as albumin, PBUTs form large complexes (MW > 66 kDa) which are not removed during HD and their accumulation has been strongly associated with the increased morbidity and mortality of patients with ESRD.
272
22 May 2023
Topic Review
Evolutionary Progress of Silica Aerogels
Aerogels are highly porous materials with fascinating properties prepared using sol-gel chemistry. Due to their unique physical and chemical properties, aerogels are recognized as potential candidates for diverse applications, including thermal insulation, sensor, environmental remediation, etc. Despite these applications, aerogels are not routinely found in our daily life because they are fragile and have highly limited scale-up productions. It remains extremely challenging to improve the mechanical properties of aerogels without adversely affecting their other properties. To boost the practical applications, it is necessary to develop efficient, low-cost methods to produce aerogels in a sustainable way.
473
22 May 2023
Topic Review
Platinum-Based Nanoformulations for Glioblastoma Treatment
Therapies for treating Glioblastoma (GB), and brain tumours in general, are inefficient and represent numerous challenges. In addition to surgical resection, chemotherapy and radiotherapy are presently used as standards of care. However, treated patients still face a dismal prognosis with a median survival below 15–18 months. Temozolomide (TMZ) is the main chemotherapeutic agent administered; however, intrinsic or acquired resistance to TMZ contributes to the limited efficacy of this drug. To circumvent the current drawbacks in GB treatment, a large number of classical and non-classical platinum complexes have been prepared and tested for anticancer activity, especially platinum (IV)-based prodrugs. Platinum complexes, used as alkylating agents in the anticancer chemotherapy of some malignancies, are though often associated with severe systemic toxicity (i.e., neurotoxicity), especially after long-term treatments.
305
22 May 2023
Topic Review
Carbon Nanotubes for Lead Ions
Lead is one of the most toxic heavy metals released into the environment through industrial sources. Its direct determination is often a problem due to the presence of relatively complex matrices as well as low content. Thus, the additional separation and preconcentration steps are necessary in the analytical procedures. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) continue to attract significant interest for these purposes as they exhibit a high specific surface area, exceptional porosities, and numerous adsorption sites.
341
22 May 2023
Topic Review
Pharmacological Activities of Diterpenoid Alkaloids
Diterpenoid alkaloids (DAs) are characteristic components of some genera of the Ranunculaceae family, the occurrence of which is extraordinarily high in the genera Aconitum, Delphinium, and Consolida. To affect the central nervous system, primarily, the drug should pass the blood–brain barrier (BBB). Transmembrane diffusion is the most common route of drugs to pass the BBB and, in contrast to the transport system, shows a non-saturable kinetic. Physiochemical features of the drug mainly determine the amounts of this passage. Molecular weight (400–600 Da is optimum), lipid solubility, molecular charge, and tertiary structure are the most important factors necessary for transmembrane diffusion through BBB. The diterpenic backbone of DAs provides their suitable lipid solubility, but the presence of tertiary nitrogen makes them different from normal diterpenoids. The tertiary nitrogen with the highest proton affinity in the molecule (in water) rearranges the electronic structure of DA by its protonation. Moreover, computational modeling showed that the function of nitrogen besides ester sidechains causes DAs to interact with the active sites as well as their toxicity.
297
22 May 2023
Topic Review
Perylene Diimide-Based Optical Chemosensors for pH Probing
The precise control and monitoring of pH values remain critical for many chemical, physiological and biological processes. Perylene diimide (PDI)-based molecules and materials exhibit excellent thermal, chemical and photochemical stability, unique UV-vis absorption and fluorescent emission properties, low cytotoxicity, as well as intrinsic electron-withdrawing (n-type semiconductor) nature and impressive molecular assembly capability. These features combined enable promising applications of PDIs in chemosensors via optical signal modulations (e.g., fluorescent or colorimetric). One of the typical applications lies in the probing of pH under various conditions, which in turn helps monitor the extracellular (environmental) and intracellular pH change and pH-relying molecular recognition of inorganic or organic ions, as well as biological species, and so on.
356
19 May 2023
Topic Review
Functionalization of Carbon Nanotubes Surface by Aryl Groups
Arylated nanotubes are characterized by extended solubility, and are widely used in photoelectronics, semiconductor technology, and bioelectrocatalysis. The main emphasis is on arylation methods according to the radical mechanism, such as the Gomberg–Bachmann and Billups reactions, and the decomposition of peroxides.
479
19 May 2023
Topic Review
Evolution of the Perovskite Solar Cell
Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have seen a rapid increase in power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) over just a few years and are already competing against other photovoltaic (PV) technologies. The PCE of hybrid PSCs exhibiting distinct properties has increased from 3.8% in 2009 to ≈30% in 2023, making it a strong contender for the next generation of PV devices.
259
19 May 2023
Topic Review
Proton-Conducting Membranes Based on 1-Vinyl-1,2,4-Triazole Homopolymers
Poly-1-vinyl-1,2,4-triazole is a unique polymer with a wide range of valuable, practically significant properties.
296
19 May 2023
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