Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sedef Albayrak, Nazli Farajzadeh, H. Yasemin Yenilmez, Sadin Ozdemir, Serpil Gonca, Zehra Altuntas Bayir
Summary: A new phthalonitrile derivative and its metal phthalocyanines were synthesized and conjugated to silver nanoparticles. The biological properties of these compounds and their nanoconjugates were studied for the first time, showing high antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antimicrobial photodynamic therapy activities. The compounds also exhibited high cell viability inhibition and biofilm inhibition activities, making them efficient materials for multi-disciplinary biological applications.
CHEMISTRY & BIODIVERSITY
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Andre Q. Figueiredo, Carolina F. Rodrigues, Natanael Fernandes, Duarte de Melo-Diogo, Ilidio J. Correia, Andre F. Moreira
Summary: Metal-polymer nanoconjugates/nanohybrids have promising applications in cancer therapy as imaging and/or therapeutic agents. Compared to standalone metallic nanoparticles, metal-polymer conjugation offers better biocompatibility, colloidal stability, and tumor specificity.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xingchen Duan, Guo-Qiang Zhang, Shenglu Ji, Yiming Zhang, Jun Li, Hanlin Ou, Zhiyuan Gao, Guangxue Feng, Dan Ding
Summary: The study demonstrated the use of porphyrin derivatives for near-infrared persistent luminescence in biological applications, offering potential for tumor targeting and drug screening. The construction of a supramolecular probe with beta-sheet structure enhanced the imaging capabilities for advanced image-guided cancer surgery. The peroxynitrite-activated persistent luminescence of the probe also showed promise for rapid and precise screening of immunogenic cell death drugs.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Monika Sobiech, Karol Synoradzki, Tamara J. Bednarchuk, Kamil Sobczak, Marta Janczura, Joanna Giebultowicz, Piotr Lulinski
Summary: This study reveals the complex nature of nanocrystalline magnetic cores and verifies the effectiveness of magnetic molecularly imprinted polymer (MMIP) as a sorbent for biomolecule analysis. The adsorbate-sorbent process is independent of the amount of siloxane functionalized magnetite core (Fe3O4@SiO2-MPS).
MICROCHEMICAL JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Giovanni Marco Saladino, Carmen Vogt, Bertha Brodin, Kian Shaker, Nuzhet Inci Kilic, Kenth Andersson, Marie Arsenian-Henriksson, Muhammet Sadaka Toprak, Hans Martin Hertz
Summary: In this study, hybrid ruthenium-decorated superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles were designed as contrast agents for both magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and X-ray fluorescence computed tomography (XFCT). These nanoparticles were synthesized through a one-pot polyol hot injection method. In vivo preclinical studies showed the possibility of correlative bioimaging using these contrast agents. The complementary nature of MRI and XFCT allowed for accurate localization and high specificity and resolution in nanoparticle detection, suggesting potential applications for early tumor diagnosis, improved long-term treatment monitoring, and enhanced radiotherapy planning.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
V. P. Vijayasree, Ninie Suhana Abdul Manan
Summary: CMC@Fe3O4 composite, a magnetic biological molecule, was synthesized and used as an adsorbent to remove cationic dyes from aqueous solutions. Various techniques were used to characterize the adsorbent, including FTIR, FESEM, XRD, VSM, and TGA. The adsorption process was influenced by factors such as pH, temperature, contact time, adsorbent concentration, and initial dye dosage. The synthesized adsorbent showed spherical shapes and different sizes. The adsorption capacity of the dyes was determined, and the adsorption processes were found to be exothermic reactions. The regeneration and reusability of the adsorbent were also evaluated.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Noura A. Toto, Hanan Elhenawy, Abdelazeem S. Eltaweil, Saeed El-Ashram, Lamia M. El-Samad, Bernard Moussian, Abeer El Wakil
Summary: The use of magnetite nanoparticles (Fe3O4 NPs) shows diverse applications, including cell separation and DNA separation. In this study, Fe(3)O(4)NPs toxicity on houseflies was assessed, revealing morphological and histoarchitectural changes in larvae, pupae, and adult flies caused by NP exposure. This suggests a systemic impact on fly development and physiology beyond the digestive system.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Zhenzhen Fu, Lu Wang, Haiyan Guo, Sisi Lin, Wei Huang, Yan Pang
Summary: This study presents a method for preparing bacterial flagellum-drug nanoconjugates for carrier-free immunochemotherapy. The conjugates show long-term tumor retention, highly efficient cell internalization, and robust elicitation of systemic antitumor immune responses. Meanwhile, the conjugated chemotherapeutics exhibit an acid-mediated release profile and durable intratumoral exposure, which can induce potent tumor cell inhibition via direct killing. This combination enhances the immunoactivation effects associated with chemotherapy-enabled immunogenic tumor cell death, further enhancing antitumor efficacy.
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Chaeyoung Rhee, Sung-Gwan Park, Dae Wook Kim, Sung Il Yu, Juhee Shin, Seokhwan Hwang, Seung Gu Shin
Summary: The study found that specific bioaugmentation using HPr enrichment cultures showed better recovery response when dealing with continuous feeding and peak overload in anaerobic digesters. One-shot bioaugmentation with enrichment cultures demonstrated the best remediation, achieving high methane conversion efficiency in a short period of time. Consecutive bioaugmentation also showed increased stability of the introduced community.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Arif Jamal Siddiqui, Mitesh Patel, Mohd Adnan, Sadaf Jahan, Juhi Saxena, Mohammed Merae Alshahrani, Abdelmushin Abdelgadir, Fevzi Bardakci, Manojkumar Sachidanandan, Riadh Badraoui, Mejdi Snoussi, Allal Ouhtit
Summary: The objective of this study was to synthesize bacteriocin-derived silver nanoparticles (Bac10307-AgNPs) from Lactobacillus acidophilus (L. acidophilus) to enhance the bioactivity of bacteriocins and overcome their commercial limitations. The synthesized Bac10307-AgNPs showed strong antibacterial activity, promising antioxidant activity, and cytotoxicity against human liver cancer cells.
Article
Biophysics
Aparajita Ghosh, Bishal Rajdev, Nidhi Parihar, Srikanth Ponneganti, Pintu Das, V. G. M. Naidu, P. Radha Krishnanand, U. S. N. Murty, Jagadeesh Kumar, Deepak B. Pemmaraju
Summary: A new lithocholic acid/IR 780 conjugate (LIC) was designed and synthesized for theranostic applications in triple-negative breast cancer. The conjugate exhibited photothermal cytotoxic effect, and when developed into a polymeric nanosystem (LIPNCs), it showed efficient cellular uptake and remarkable heat generation upon NIR light exposure. The in-vitro studies demonstrated high photothermal efficacy and biocompatibility of LIPNCs, making it a potential candidate for image-guided cancer theranostics.
COLLOIDS AND SURFACES B-BIOINTERFACES
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Applied
Jingxuan Ju, Danni Xu, Xuan Mo, Jiaqian Miao, Li Xu, Guangbo Ge, Xinyuan Zhu, Hongping Deng
Summary: Imaging and tracking biological targets or processes are important for understanding molecular mechanisms and diseases. Nanoprobes made from polysaccharides and contrast agents offer enhanced imaging capabilities for various diseases. This review provides an overview of different imaging modalities and polysaccharides, highlighting the recent progress of polysaccharide-based nanoprobes and discussing future directions for development and application.
CARBOHYDRATE POLYMERS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Caiting Deng, Meichen Zheng, Shupeng Han, Yuanjie Wang, Jingqi Xin, Omer Aras, Liang Cheng, Feifei An
Summary: Sonodynamic therapy (SDT) is a promising cancer therapy that uses ultrasound to trigger a sonosensitizer to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) with excellent tissue penetration depth. However, the spread of the sonosensitizer to healthy tissue beyond the tumor can cause undesired side effects. In this study, a GSH-activatable sonosensitizer prodrug is designed by attaching a quencher to tetraphydroxy porphyrin, which shows high tumor selectivity and activation in the presence of overexpressed GSH. The prodrug demonstrates effective tumor growth inhibition under ultrasound irradiation, highlighting its potential as a highly effective cancer treatment.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Man Yi Li, Le Mi, Gennady Meerovich, Thin Wut Soe, Ting Chen, Ni Ni Than, Yi Jia Yan, Zhi Long Chen
Summary: Esophageal cancer, the most common gastrointestinal tumor, is challenging to treat with conventional methods. Porphyrin-based photosensitizers in photodynamic therapy show promise in targeting tumor cells with limited damage to normal cells. Novel 5,15-diaryl-10,20-dihalogeno porphyrin derivatives, particularly II4, demonstrate superior antitumor efficacy in both in vitro and in vivo studies, indicating potential for future clinical applications.
JOURNAL OF CANCER RESEARCH AND CLINICAL ONCOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Dong Wang, Dong-Bing Cheng, Lei Ji, Li-Juan Niu, Xue-Hao Zhang, Yong Cong, Rong-Hui Cao, Lei Zhou, Feng Bai, Zeng-Ying Qiao, Hao Wang
Summary: The study introduces a novel approach for treating drug-resistant deep bacterial infections using a polymer-peptide-porphyrin conjugate (PPPC) to achieve accurate and deep sonodynamic therapy (SDT). PPPC can be monitored in real-time at the infectious site and effectively eliminates drug-resistant bacteria, showing promising applications in the field.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Innes McClelland, Samuel G. Booth, Nirmalesh N. Anthonisamy, Laurence A. Middlemiss, Gabriel E. Perez, Edmund J. Cussen, Peter J. Baker, Serena A. Cussen
Summary: Ni-rich layered oxide cathodes, such as LiNi0.8Mn0.1Co0.1O2 (NMC811), have high capacities but suffer from irreversible first cycle capacity loss due to slow Li+ diffusion kinetics at a low state of charge. This study develops operando muon spectroscopy (mu SR) to investigate Li+ ion diffusion in NMC811 during the first cycle and compares it with electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and galvanostatic intermittent titration technique (GITT). The results reveal that sluggish surface diffusion is likely the cause of first cycle irreversible capacity loss, and demonstrate the sensitivity of mu SR parameter to structural changes during cycling.
CHEMISTRY OF MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Justin Narimbi, Sivakumar Balakrishnan, Tatiana S. Perova, Garret Dee, Gerhard F. Swiegers, Yurii K. Gun'ko
Summary: New composite materials consisting of zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF) structures and microchannel glass (MCG) plates were prepared using the hydrothermal method. Their morphological and spectral properties were characterized using XRD, SEM, FTIR, and Raman spectroscopy. The results showed the formation of stable ZIF structures inside the macropores of the MCG substrate, indicating the potential for important applications in sensors and molecular sieving.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Fiona C. Coomer, Heather M. Mutch, Otto Mustonen, Charlotte Pughe, Serena A. Cussen, Silvia Ramos, Adrian D. Hillier, Edmund J. Cussen
Summary: New and exotic ground states of magnetic materials are highly sought after and extensively studied for their insights into the thermodynamics of disorder and fundamental magnetic interactions. By controlling the crystal structure of an appropriate magnetic lattice, it is possible to induce frustration in strong magnetic exchange interactions. These finely balanced systems offer a way of probing classical or quantum mechanical interactions that are of fundamental importance but are too weak to be observed in non-frustrated systems.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Garret Dee, Olivia O'Donoghue, Aran Rafferty, Lee Gannon, Cormac McGuinness, Yurii K. Gun'ko
Summary: Nanofiltration (NF) is a promising technology for water purification, and 2D boron nitride (BN) based nanomaterials have shown great potential as building blocks for NF membranes. In this study, BN nanosheets (BNNS) were functionalized with magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) to form stable BNNS-MNP nanocomposites. These nanocomposites demonstrated high removal efficiency of methylene blue (MB) dye from water, with the BNNS-magnetite nanocomposites showing higher efficiency than pure BNNS. The BNNS-cobalt ferrite material was successfully regenerated and recycled. Additionally, the BNNS membranes effectively captured magnetite nanoparticles with no MNPs left in the filtrate, indicating strong potential for water remediation.
ACS APPLIED NANO MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Electrochemistry
Laura Wheatcroft, Arron Bird, Joe C. Stallard, Ria L. Mitchell, Samuel G. Booth, Alisyn J. Nedoma, Michael F. L. De Volder, Serena A. Cussen, Norman A. Fleck, Beverley J. Inkson
Summary: Fracture of cathode secondary particles is a critical degradation mechanism in lithium-ion batteries. In this study, the microindentation strength of LiNi0.8Mn0.1Co0.1O2 secondary particles was measured in situ in the scanning electron microscope (SEM) to visualize the fracture process. The results showed that crack propagation occurred between primary particles when compressed between flat platens, and directly beneath the cono-spherical tip and at the center of secondary particles when compressed between flat platens. Finite element modelling provided insights into the relationship between fracture load and cohesive strength and particle toughness.
BATTERIES & SUPERCAPS
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Hany El-Shinawi, Ed Darnbrough, Johann Perera, Innes McClelland, David E. J. Armstrong, Edmund J. Cussen, Serena A. Cussen
Summary: Deformable, fast-ion conducting sulfides make it possible to create bulk-type solid-state batteries that can rival current Li-ion batteries in terms of energy density and scalability. One way to optimize the energy density of these batteries is to minimize the size of the electrolyte layer by integrating the solid electrolyte into thin membranes. However, it is difficult to prepare or integrate additive-free thin membranes or membranes based on preprepared scaffolds on a large scale. In this study, a scalable solution-based approach is proposed to produce glass microfiber-reinforced composites that restore the deformability of sulfide electrolytes and can easily be shaped into thin membranes through cold pressing. This approach enables easy preparation and enhances the energy density of sulfide-based solid-state batteries.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Samuel W. Coles, Viktoria Falkowski, Harry S. Geddes, Gabriel E. Perez, Samuel G. Booth, Alexander G. Squires, Conn O'Rourke, Kit McColl, Andrew L. Goodwin, Serena A. Cussen, Simon J. Clarke, M. Saiful Islam, Benjamin J. Morgan
Summary: Short-range ordering in cation-disordered cathodes can have a significant effect on their electrochemical properties. We characterise the cation short-range order in Li2FeSO and find that the preference for polar cation configurations produces long-range disorder, in contrast to the predictions of a simple point-charge model, which instead suggests long-range crystallographic order. The absence of long-range order in Li2FeSO can be attributed to the relative stability of certain oxygen-coordination motifs.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY A
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Aine Coogan, Natalia Garcia Domenech, Donagh Mc Ginley, Tigran Simonian, Aran Rafferty, Quentin Fedix, Amy Donlon, Valeria Nicolosi, Yurii K. Gun'ko
Summary: Increasing urbanisation and industrialisation, biodiversity loss, and climate change are causing widespread shortage of clean water. The development of innovative and sustainable water purification methods is urgently needed. In this study, we report the development of high-performance nanofiltration membranes based on a recyclable CuAl-CO3 LDH/BNOx nanocomposite, which showed exceptional water flux and up to 100% retention of various dyes. Importantly, these membranes also demonstrated the potential to effectively degrade dyes under visible light conditions, offering a low-cost and viable solution to membrane fouling.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY A
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Aaron M. King, Teresa Insinna, Connor J. R. Wells, Isabel A. Raby, Yurii K. Gun'ko, Gemma-Louise Davies
Summary: We present a new magnetically-assisted method to fabricate 1-D 'nano-necklace' arrays containing 0-D magnetic nanoparticles, which are coated with an oxide layer to form semi-flexible core@shell structures. These 'nano-necklaces' exhibit excellent MRI relaxation properties despite their coating and permanent alignment, showing low field enhancement due to structural and magnetocrystalline anisotropy.
NANOSCALE ADVANCES
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Physical
Gabriel E. Perez, Jake M. Brittain, Innes McClelland, Stephen Hull, Martin O. Jones, Helen Y. Playford, Serena A. Cussen, Peter J. Baker, Emily M. Reynolds
Summary: Neutron and muon characterisation techniques have unique capabilities for studying the complex structure and dynamics of rechargeable battery systems. The neutron's interaction with atomic nuclei enables it to detect light elements and its weak interaction allows it to penetrate deep into the sample, while the non-invasive nature of the implanted positive muon makes it a probe for studying ionic diffusion phenomena at different depths. This review discusses the application of these techniques in ion battery research and provides an accessible overview of their working principles.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY A
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Lorenzo Branzi, Aoife Kavanagh, Michele Back, Adolfo Speghini, Yurii K. K. Gun'ko, Alvise Benedetti
Summary: In this study, new chiral luminescent Cs3Cu2Br5 needle-like microcrystals were synthesized and their optical properties were examined. The effect of the ligand structure on the transfer of chirality was also investigated.
CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Garret Dee, Hend Shayoub, Helen McNeill, Itziar Sanchez Lozano, Aran Rafferty, Yurii K. Gun'ko
Summary: The main objective of this study is to develop new magnetic core-shell nanostructures for the removal of dye pollutants from water using an external magnetic field. The prepared nanoparticles demonstrated excellent adsorption properties for methylene blue dye, which was validated by UV-visible spectroscopy. The particles retained their ability to adsorb the pollutant after multiple cycles and showed no change in morphology. This research highlights the potential of magnetic core-shell nanostructures for water remediation.
Article
Chemistry, Organic
Danielle D. Barnes, Vera Kuznetsova, Anastasia Visheratina, Finn Purcell-Milton, Mikhail A. Baranov, Dylan M. Lynch, Harlei Martin, Yurii K. Gun'ko, Eoin M. Scanlan
Summary: This article describes a method for detecting trehalase using fluorescent nanoprobes based on trehalose-functionalized quantum dots. The aggregates formed by trehalose and quantum dots are released proportionally to the concentration of trehalase, offering a unique and efficient approach for specific sensing of this biologically important enzyme.
ORGANIC & BIOMOLECULAR CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Lorenzo Branzi, Oriane Lavet, Yurii K. Gun'ko
Summary: Chirality has been observed in indium sulfide nanoparticles for the first time, with cysteine used as a chiral agent. The successful transfer of chirality to the nanoparticles was confirmed through circular dichroism spectroscopy, and nuclear magnetic resonance analysis revealed a fast chemical exchange between the chiral ligand on the nanoparticle surface and the free ligand in solution. Furthermore, the thiolate group was found to play a critical role in the optimization of chiral transfer.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Beth I. J. Johnston, Innes Mcclelland, Peter J. Baker, Serena A. Cussen
Summary: Understanding the Li-ion transport properties is crucial for optimizing the electrochemical performance of Ni-rich cathodes for high energy density Li-ion batteries.
PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY CHEMICAL PHYSICS
(2023)