Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Aditya Belamkar, Alon Harris, Ryan Zukerman, Brent Siesky, Francesco Oddone, Alice Verticchio Vercellin, Thomas A. Ciulla
Summary: Glaucoma is a progressive optic neuropathy that leads to irreversible blindness. While it has traditionally been associated with elevated intraocular pressure (IOP), recent research suggests that it is a multifactorial optic neuropathy. Current treatment mainly involves lowering IOP using topical medications, but these regimens are often ineffective and result in disease progression. Therefore, sustained release (SR) drug delivery systems are being developed as alternatives, and various SR therapies are under investigation. These advancements in SR technology have the potential to significantly improve outcomes in glaucoma management.
ANNALS OF MEDICINE
(2022)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Sandeep Kaur, Anila Kumari, Anjana Kumari Negi, Vikas Galav, Shikha Thakur, Manish Agrawal, Vandana Sharma
Summary: Phage therapy, as a treatment for bacterial infections, has seen a resurgence in interest, but has not yet received widespread approval for human use. Nanotechnology holds promise as a powerful tool to overcome pharmacological barriers in phage therapy, but literature specifically focusing on using nanotechnology to improve phage therapy is limited.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mohammad Chehelgerdi, Matin Chehelgerdi, Omer Qutaiba B. Allela, Renzon Daniel Cosme Pecho, Narayanan Jayasankar, Devendra Pratap Rao, Tamilanban Thamaraikani, Manimaran Vasanthan, Patrik Viktor, Natrayan Lakshmaiya, Mohamed J. Saadh, Ayesha Amajd, Mabrouk A. Abo-Zaid, Roxana Yolanda Castillo-Acobo, Ahmed H. Ismail, Ali H. Amin, Reza Akhavan-Sigari
Summary: The use of nanotechnology has the potential to revolutionize cancer detection and treatment, but there are still challenges in translating findings from the lab to the clinic, requiring further research.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Aksana Atrashkevich, Ana S. Fajardo, Paul Westerhoff, W. Shane Walker, Carlos M. Sanchez-Sanchez, Sergi Garcia-Segura
Summary: The composition of water matrix has a significant impact on electrochemical water treatment processes, especially on the reduction of nitrate. The coexistence of calcium, magnesium, and carbonate ions in water results in a decrease in nitrate conversion due to the formation of inorganic scaling on the electrode surface.
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Bin Zhang, Jiao Li, Jiayu Jiang, Xin Lin, Xun Sun, Qin Wang
Summary: RNA therapeutics have the potential to manipulate gene expression or protein production, making them promising for treating various diseases. However, the efficacy of RNA drugs is compromised by multiple physiological barriers in the body, highlighting the need for safe and effective delivery strategies. This review discusses recent advancements in RNA-based therapies and focuses on overcoming delivery barriers in the treatment of rheumatic arthritis (RA).
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICS AND BIOPHARMACEUTICS
(2023)
Editorial Material
Chemistry, Physical
Satish G. Jadhav, Steven F. Dowdy
Summary: Ionizable phospholipids have been developed to improve the delivery of mRNA and sgRNA for gene editing by selectively targeting organs and destabilizing endosomal membranes.
Article
Instruments & Instrumentation
Yuan Rui, Jordan J. Green
Summary: Glioblastoma remains one of the most deadly forms of primary adult tumors, with little improvement in prognosis over the past two decades. Cancer immunotherapy shows promise in treating glioblastoma, but faces unique challenges in drug delivery due to the blood-brain barrier and immune privileged status of the central nervous system. Recent advances in biomaterial-based strategies for cancer immunotherapy may offer potential solutions for effective treatment of glioblastoma.
DRUG DELIVERY AND TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Tingting Hu, Hanlin Gong, Jiayue Xu, Yuan Huang, Fengbo Wu, Zhiyao He
Summary: This paper reviews the mechanisms of cancer drug resistance to chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy, and discusses the latest developments in nanomedicines for overcoming cancer drug resistance.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Manu Sharma, Sudhanshu Joshi, Mukesh Prasad, Shalini Bartwal
Summary: This study proposes a model to examine the critical barriers and suggest strategies for implementing Circular Economy (CE) in the Oil & gas (O&G) industry. The results show that 'knowledge barriers' are the most critical, and the strategies 'Developing collaborative model' and 'Internal research and development, innovation' are the most significant for reducing the barriers.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Rolle Rahikainen, Pramila Rijal, Tiong Kit Tan, Hung-Jen Wu, Anne-Marie C. Andersson, Jordan R. Barrett, Thomas A. Bowden, Simon J. Draper, Alain R. Townsend, Mark Howarth
Summary: The challenge of matching symmetry at interfaces in molecular assembly is overcome by coupling virus-like particles (VLPs) to diverse antigen symmetries using SpyCatcher003. This approach enables efficient VLP conjugation and extreme thermal resilience, allowing for the display of antigens with varying symmetries. The nanodisplay of different symmetries through SpyCatcher003 conjugation shows promise for the generation of potent vaccines.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Yaqi Zhu, Xiaoqiao Jiao, Wenjun Meng, Xinyuan Yu, Hefa Cheng, Guofeng Shen, Xuejun Wang, Shu Tao
Summary: Access to safe drinking water is a significant concern in China, particularly in rural areas. While the government has made efforts to increase access to tap water, the rate is still considerably lower than in urban areas and unevenly distributed across the country. Additionally, electricity, mainly electric kettles, contributes to the boiling of water, with 69% of households using this method. Further intervention and investment are necessary to improve drinking water safety in poor and remote rural areas.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Emile Sylvestre, Eva Reynaert, Timothy R. . Julian
Summary: Preventing failures of water treatment barriers is vital for meeting the demand for safe water. This study extends existing failure models to guide the development of risk-based operational monitoring strategies. Findings suggest that precise detection of failures is necessary to verify the effectiveness of treatment barriers, and short-term failures can be buffered by chemical disinfection residuals. Increasing contact time and hydraulic mixing reduces the impact of failures. Overall, this study highlights the importance of defining precise monitoring frequencies for barrier performance during operation.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY LETTERS
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Chenghao Huang, Nannan Yuan, Xiaosong He, Changhui Wang
Summary: The use of ceramsite as a filtration material in water treatment is popular, and the development of low-cost, high-performance, and environmentally friendly ceramsites has gained attention. This study focuses on exploring the use of drinking water treatment residue (DWTR) to make ceramsite for water treatment. The results show that DWTR-based ceramsites can be fabricated using sintering and non-sintering methods. Further research is needed to evaluate the performance and potential for pollution control of DWTR-based ceramsite-constructed filtration systems, as well as the stability and safety of raw DWTR-based ceramsite.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Review
Oncology
Mirna Lechpammer, Rohan Rao, Sanjit Shah, Mona Mirheydari, Debanjan Bhattacharya, Abigail Koehler, Donatien Kamdem Toukam, Kevin J. Haworth, Daniel Pomeranz Krummel, Soma Sengupta
Summary: Glioblastoma is a highly aggressive brain tumor with limited treatment options. Immunotherapy, which stimulates the immune system to attack tumor cells, is a promising approach. However, there are challenges such as tumor heterogeneity, the blood-brain barrier, and the lack of specific targets. New technologies like microbubble-enhanced focused ultrasound are being developed to overcome these barriers.
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yiyuan Yao, Chaohai Wang, Jongbeom Na, Mohammed Shahriar A. Hossain, Xin Yan, Hao Zhang, Mohammed A. Amin, Junwen Qi, Yusuke Yamauchi, Jiansheng Li
Summary: This article discusses successful strategies for fabricating macroscopic materials from MOFs and their applications in removing pollutants from water; the macroscopic performance of MOFs ranging from 0D to 3D can be utilized for water treatment through adsorption, separation, and advanced oxidation processes.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Haibo Wang, Pingfeng Yu, Cory Schwarz, Bo Zhang, Lixin Huo, Baoyou Shi, Pedro J. J. Alvarez
Summary: Exposure to low concentrations of certain phthalate esters promotes Pseudomonas biofilm formation and resistance to chlorine by upregulating quorum sensing, extracellular polymeric substances excretion, and oxidative stress resistance genes. PAE exposure leads to biofilm densification and stimulates antioxidative system expression, enhancing biofilm resistance to disinfectants.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Onur G. Apul, Sarah Arrowsmith, Caitlyn A. Hall, Evelyn M. Miranda, Fabiha Alam, Paul Dahlen, Kanwartej Sra, Roopa Kamath, Sara J. McMillen, Natasha Sihota, Paul Westerhoff, Rosa Krajmalnik-Brown, Anca G. Delgado
Summary: This study assessed the efficacy of H2O2 oxidation on biodegradation in field-contaminated and weathered soil containing high concentrations of petroleum hydrocarbons. The results showed that the addition of oxidants removed some organic carbon but had limited effect on the degradation of petroleum hydrocarbons. Moreover, the addition of oxidants limited the viable concentration of microorganisms, altered the composition of soil microbial communities, and created inhibitory conditions in soil.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Yaqi Liu, Haibo Gan, Li Tian, Zhenhai Liu, Yunyun Ji, Tong Zhang, Pedro J. J. Alvarez, Wei Chen
Summary: Partial oxidation of iron sulfide nanoparticles enhances their capability in sequestering hexavalent chromium, although it mitigates the reduction process. An optimum oxidation degree exists where the gain in overall performance from enhanced adsorption outweighs the loss from inhibited reduction, resulting in maximum sequestration of aqueous hexavalent chromium as solid-phase trivalent chromium.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Burcu Yavuz, Brielle Januszewski, Tengfei Chen, Anca G. Delgado, Paul Westerhoff, Bruce Rittmann
Summary: The concentration-response relationship between the germination outcome of radish and ozonated petroleum residuals was experimentally determined. A risk assessment model was developed based on the outcomes to predict the additional risk of adverse effects. Different doses of ozone gas were used to treat a test soil mixed with raw crude oil, and the measurements of total petroleum hydrocarbons and dissolved organic carbon were taken. The logistic regression model showed that the variables controlling germination were DOC, TREATMENT, and b-ORGANIC.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Naushita Sharma, Chao Zeng, Andrew Eaton, Tanju Karanfil, Amlan Ghosh, Paul Westerhoff
Summary: This study investigates the concentrations of bromine and iodine species in drinking water sources and wastewater effluents in the United States. The results show that bromide and iodide were present in both surface water and groundwater samples, with higher concentrations in groundwater. Inorganic iodine species were predominant in groundwater samples, while organic iodine species contributed to a significant portion of total iodine in surface water samples. The study also observed seasonal cycling of iodine species in lakes. There was a strong correlation between bromine and iodine in surface water samples.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Jessica Mulinari, Alan Ambrosi, Yuren Feng, Ze He, Xiaochuan Huang, Qilin Li, Marco Di Luccio, Dachamir Hotza, J. Vladimir Oliveira
Summary: Covalent enzyme immobilization is a time-consuming and multistep process, but using aqueous polydopamine (PDA) solution as an alternative offers a greener approach. This study compares the one-step and two-step approaches to immobilizing lipase Eversa Transform 2.0 (ET2) on an alpha-alumina membrane. The one-step method achieved similar results in enzyme loading and activity as the two-step method, and showed better fouling resistance and permeance recovery in oily wastewater filtration.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Jie Miao, Jian Song, Junyu Lang, Yuan Zhu, Jie Dai, Yan Wei, Mingce Long, Zongping Shao, Baoxue Zhou, Pedro J. J. Alvarez, Lizhi Zhang
Summary: Five-nitrogen coordinated Mn (MnN5) sites effectively activate peroxymonosulfate (PMS) by cleaving the O-O bond into high-valent Mn(IV)-oxo species, with nearly 100% selectivity. This finding highlights the importance of high coordination numbers in single-atom catalysts (SACs) for efficient PMS activation and informs the design of next-generation environmental catalysts.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yong-Gu Lee, Jaegwan Shin, Seung Joon Kim, Kyung Hwa Cho, Paul Westerhoff, Hojung Rho, Kangmin Chon
Summary: This study systematically investigated the organic fouling characteristics of hollow fiber ultrafiltration (HFUF) and multibore ultrafiltration (MBUF) membranes from long-term ultrafiltration (UF) membrane systems. The results showed that hydrophobic dissolved organic matter (DOM) controlled the fouling of HFUF membranes, while hydrophilic DOM, including polysaccharide-like and protein-like matter, promoted fouling of MBUF membranes. The decline in performance of MBUF membranes due to fouling layer formation was more severe than that of HFUF membranes. Alkaline-based cleaning agent was found to be more efficient in recovering the performance of fouled MBUF membranes, highlighting the importance of adequate cleaning strategies for preventing performance deterioration in the p-UHMS.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Alireza Farsad, Ken Niimi, Mahmut Selim Ersan, Jose Ricardo Gonzalez-Rodriguez, Kiril D. Hristovski, Paul Westerhoff
Summary: Millions of households still rely on drinking water with high levels of arsenic, a potent carcinogen. Point-of-use treatment systems are a promising option, but the commonly used activated carbon block filter is ineffective in removing arsenic. This study explores the potential of impregnating carbon blocks with amorphous titanium (hydr)oxide to improve arsenic removal without introducing titanium into the treated water.
ACS ES&T ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Zhe Zhao, Yi-Hao Luo, Tzu-Heng Wang, Shahnawaz Sinha, Li Ling, Bruce Rittmann, Pedro Alvarez, Francois Perreault, Paul Westerhoff
Summary: Biofilms lead to various issues, and UV-C irradiation can effectively inhibit biofilm formation. This study found that adequate UV-C irradiation can inhibit biofilm formation, while insufficient irradiation promotes biofilm formation. Analysis of biofilm samples revealed the mechanism through which UV-C irradiation affects biofilm formation.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Yixiao Tan, Pingfeng Yu, Dan Huang, Mengting Maggie Yuan, Zhuodong Yu, Huijie Lu, Pedro J. J. Alvarez, Liang Zhu
Summary: This study investigated the adaptive strategies and ecological functions of phages in microbial aggregates. The results showed that phages exhibited high lysogenicity and had broad host ranges, interacting closely with habitat generalist species. Phage-carried auxiliary metabolic genes played a crucial role in bacterial survival and aggregate stability, with different patterns observed in different habitats.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Engineering, Environmental
Yiqi Yan, Zongsu Wei, Xiaoguang Duan, Mingce Long, Richard Spinney, Dionysios D. Dionysiou, Ruiyang Xiao, Pedro J. J. Alvarez
Summary: Urbanization and industrialization have negatively impacted water quality, leading to a demand for reliable and eco-friendly treatment technologies. Persulfate-based advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) have shown promise in treating challenging industrial wastewaters and remediating contaminated groundwater. Comparisons of reaction rate constants for different pathways suggest that radical-based AOPs can achieve high removal efficiency with short contact times, while nonradical AOPs are advantageous for complex wastewater treatments with minimal interference. However, nonradical pathways require significantly higher energy requirements. These comparisons inform the prioritization of basic research and the understanding of system-specific application merits and limitations.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Sara B. Denison, Peixuan Jin, Priscilla Dias Da Silva, Chun Chu, Bhagavatula Moorthy, Thomas P. Senftle, Kyriacos Zygourakis, Pedro J. J. Alvarez
Summary: Transition metal catalysts can enhance the pyrolytic remediation of soils contaminated with polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) by increasing the pyrene adsorption and promoting faster degradation at lower temperatures. However, higher pyrolysis temperatures may be required to mitigate residual toxicity.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Zehui Deng, Qingling Xiao, Heyun Fu, Shourong Zheng, Pedro J. J. Alvarez, Dongqiang Zhu, Zhaoyi Xu, Xiaolei Qu
Summary: This study develops a nanozyme-like colorimetric sensing strategy for biomolecule detection in solution and on paper strips based on persulfate activation on Co-based metal-organic frameworks. By switching from H2O2 activation on nanozymes to catalytic persulfate activation, this general strategy provides higher sensitivity, faster speed, and wider application ranges for detection.
CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Water Resources
Sayalee Joshi, Rain Richard, Carlos Levya, Joanna Ciol Harrison, Daniella Saetta, Naushita Sharma, Lucas Crane, Noelle Mushro, Lucien Dieter, Grace V. Morgan, Ashley Heida, Bennett Welco, Treavor H. Boyer, Paul Westerhoff, Kerry A. Hamilton
Summary: In this study, sampling was conducted in a LEED-certified commercial building, and it was found that the concentration of L. pneumophila in the water increased as the distance from the building entrance increased. Factors conducive to microbial growth, such as fluctuating water temperatures, lack of chlorine residual, and colonized water-saving fixtures, were identified. Flushing and thermal disinfection alone were not effective in resolving the issue.
FRONTIERS IN WATER
(2023)
