Loading Efficiency Research Articles

Albumin nanoparticles-mediated doxorubicin delivery enhances the anti-tumor efficiency in ovarian cancer cells through controlled release.

Doxorubicin (DOX) is an anthracycline commonly used as a first-line treatment option for various malignancies, either as a stand-alone treatment or in combination with other chemotherapeutic agents. However, its efficacy in advanced cancer stages requires high doses, resulting in significant cytotoxicity to normal cells and severe side effects. Nanotechnology offers a promising strategy to mitigate these drawbacks through controlled drug release. In this study, bovine serum albumin nanoparticles (BSA-NPs) were synthesized via the desolvation method and successfully loaded with DOX (DOX-BSA-NPs). Characterization using dynamic light scattering, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, UV-visible spectroscopy, and high-performance liquid chromatography confirmed efficient drug loading. In vitro studies demonstrated that DOX-BSA-NPs enabled sustained drug release and enhanced intracellular delivery. After treatment with DOX-BSA-NPs, ovarian cancer cells showed a twofold increase in cytotoxicity compared to free DOX. Scratch assays further revealed a significant reduction in cancer cell migration and invasion. Additionally, LDH assays and Annexin V-FITC flow cytometry indicated a shift toward apoptosis over necrosis, enhancing the anti-tumor efficacy of DOX. This was supported by increased reactive oxygen species production, upregulation of pro-apoptotic genes, downregulation of anti-apoptotic genes, and elevated caspase 3 and 7 activity, collectively promoting apoptosis. These findings underscore the potential of DOX-BSA-NPs as a superior alternative for targeted and controlled drug delivery, offering enhanced therapeutic efficacy and reduced side effects in ovarian cancer treatment.

Development of amphiphilic self-assembled nucleolipid as BBB targeting probe based on SPECT

Several approaches have been utilised to deliver therapeutic nanoparticles inside the brain but rendered by certain limitation such as active efflux, non-stability, toxicity of the nanocarrier, transport, physicochemical properties and many more. In this context use of biocompatible nano carriers is currently investigated. We herein present the hypothesis that the nucleoside-lipid based conjugates (nucleolipids) which are biocompatible in nature and have molecular recognition can be tuned for improved permeation across blood–brain barrier (BBB). In this work, a di-C15-palmitoyl-ketal nucleolipid nanoparticle bearing an acyclic chelator has been formulated, radiolabeled with 99mTc and evaluated for in vivo fate using SPECT imaging. The mean particle size of particles was 113 nm and found to be nontoxic as depticted through haemolytic assay (2.33% erythrocyte destruction) and 75 ± 0.3% HEK(Human Embryonic Kidney) cells survived at 72 h as depicted in SRB (Sulforhodamine B) toxicity assay. The encapsulation efficiency (68 ± 2.75%) and drug loading capacity (22 ± 1.8%.) was calculated for nanoparticles using Methotrexate as model anti-cancer drug. The mathematical models indicate fickian release with a release constant KH = 20.70. With 98 ± 0.75% radiolabelling efficiency and established in vitro stability, nanoparticles showed brain uptake in normal mice as 0.91 times in comparison to BBB compromised mice (1.6% ± 0.03 ID/g)indicating higher brain uptake with rapid clearance as depicted through blood kinetics.Graphical absract

Investigating the Potential of Extracellular Vesicles as Delivery Systems for Chemotherapeutics

Background/Objectives: Standard chemotherapy is generally considered the best approach to treat many solid cancers, even accounting for severe side effects. Therefore, the development of a drug delivery system for chemotherapeutic administration could significantly improve standard chemotherapy by maintaining the cytotoxic effects of the drugs while decreasing the inherent side effects of the treatment. The aim of our study is the optimization of a loading strategy that conjugates the use of extracellular vesicles (EVs) as drug delivery carriers, by preserving their integrity, with the loading efficiency and activity maintenance of chemotherapeutics. Methods: We compared the EV loading of the chemotherapeutics epirubicin, mitomycin, methotrexate and mitoxantrone by co-incubation. Once loaded, the activity of drug-carrying EVs was tested on cancer cells and compared to that of free chemotherapeutics. Results: We defined a linear correlation between chemotherapeutics’ concentration and their absorbance at the drug-specific wavelength, which allowed the definition of a highly sensitive absorbance-based spectrophotometric quantification system, enabling the assessment of drug loading efficiency. Co-incubation of EVs and chemotherapeutics was sufficient to obtain quantifiable drug loading, and the efficacy of EV loading was drug-dependent. Epirubicin-loaded vesicles showed increased toxicity to bladder cancer cells with respect to the free chemotherapeutic. The cytotoxicity was maintained even upon 6-month storage at −80 °C of loaded EVs. Conclusion: We established an absorbance-based spectrophotometric quantification system that enables a straightforward measure of drug loading efficiency into EVs, and we demonstrated that chemotherapeutic-carrying EVs can be obtained by co-incubation, preserving and increasing drug cytotoxicity.

A digital twin-driven pre-grasp path planning method for robotic deep-frame grasping of disordered workpieces

In a sheet metal parts welding shop, traditional robot path-planning methods prove inadequate for achieving automatic robot loading and unloading of disordered workpieces in the deep material frames. Therefore, this paper proposes a robotic motion planning framework in Deep-frame Disordered Workpiece Grasping (DDWG), ensuring efficient automatic loading and unloading tasks with high efficiency and collision-free operations. In conjunction with the actual DDWG scenario, an Oriented Bounding Boxes (OBB) based hierarchical enclosing box algorithm is used for collision detection. Further, this paper proposes a two-segment Middle Pre-Grasp Rapidly-exploring Random Tree (MPG-RRT) algorithm for path planning, utilizing pre-grasp point (middle point) guidance. In the DDWG process, a pre-adjustable pre-grasp point is introduced to expand the two random trees toward the intermediate points. Additionally, a probabilistic goal bias and a goal gravity strategy are incorporated with an adaptive gravity step size at each exploring stage to guide the expansion of random trees toward the goal point direction and to optimize paths by removing redundant nodes. Finally, an existing digital twins-driven robotic production line is reconfigured to simulate motion planning in two DDWG scenarios, which validates the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed method.

Development and Evaluation of Poly(Lactic‐Co‐Glycolic Acid) Encapsulated Betulinic Acid Nanocarrier for Improved Anti‐Tumor Efficacy

AbstractBetulinic acid (BA) is a promising natural anti‐tumor agent renowned for its activity against various tumor cell types. Despite its favorable profile of low cytotoxicity to normal cells, BA's inherent hydrophobic nature and relatively short systematic half‐life impose hurdles for clinical application. This study introduces a strategy to surmount these obstacles by developing a drug delivery system employing poly(lactic‐co‐glycolic acid) (PLGA)‐encapsulated BA nanoparticles (PLGA‐BA NPs). Rigorous characterization techniques such as dynamic light scattering (DLS), x‐ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses are employed to confirm the integrity of the drug within the nanocarriers. The PLGA‐BA NPs demonstrated a mean particle size of 196 ± 6.80 nm. XRD analysis demonstrated the amorphous state of the PLGA‐BA formulation, a characteristic vital for sustained drug release and enhanced bioavailability. The PLGA‐BA NPs exhibited spherical morphology with encapsulation and loading efficiency of 83 ± 9.24% and 7.0 ± 0.4%, respectively, highlighting efficient encapsulation of the drug within the PLGA NPs. In vitro, cytotoxicity assessments demonstrated enhanced anti‐proliferative efficacy against breast and lung tumor cells when utilizing PLGA‐BA NPs in comparison to free BA. This research underlines the potential of employing the developed PLGA‐based nanocarrier to optimize the therapeutic efficacy of BA.

Conditions for a quadratic quantum speedup in nonlinear transforms with applications to energy contract pricing

Abstract Computing nonlinear functions over multilinear forms is a general problem with applications in risk analysis.
For instance in the domain of energy economics, accurate and timely risk management demands for
efficient simulation of millions of scenarios, largely benefiting from computational speedups. We develop a
novel hybrid quantum-classical algorithm based on polynomial approximation of nonlinear functions, computed
through Quantum Hadamard Products, and we rigorously assess the conditions for its end-to-end
speedup for different implementation variants against classical algorithms. In our setting, a quadratic quantum
speedup, up to polylogarithmic factors, can be proven only when forms are bilinear and approximating
polynomials have second degree, if efficient loading unitaries are available for the input data sets. We also
enhance the bidirectional encoding, that allows tuning the balance between circuit depth and width, proposing
an improved version that can be exploited for the calculation of inner products. Lastly, we exploit the
dynamic circuit capabilities, recently introduced on IBM Quantum devices, to reduce the average depth
of the Quantum Hadamard Product circuit. A proof of principle is implemented and validated on IBM
Quantum systems.

A bio-nano-engineered platform fabricated from cerium oxide-carbon nanoparticles stabilized with chitosan for label-free sensing of a lung cancer biomarker.

Herein, we report a label-free cancer biosensor designed for carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) detection using a nanohybrid comprising CeO2 nanoparticles, carbon nanoparticles (CNPs), and chitosan (Ch). CeO2 nanoparticles were prepared using a simple green synthesis process. A thin film of the CeO2-CNPs-Ch nanohybrid was formed on indium tin oxide (ITO)-coated glass plates that endowed a high surface area, excellent stability, and good adsorption for the efficient loading of CEA antibodies. Quantitative and selective determination of CEA antigen was achieved by immobilizing monoclonal CEA antibodies (anti-CEA) on the CeO2-CNPs-Ch/ITO platform. The electrochemical response of the anti-CEA/CeO2-CNPs-Ch/ITO immunoelectrode was evaluated in a label-free immunoassay format using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). The response studies of immunoelectrodes indicated wider linearity with respect to the CEA concentration in the range of 0.05-100 ng mL-1. The electrochemical cancer biosensor exhibited a higher sensitivity of 22.40 μA cm-2 per decade change in concentration along with storage stability for up to 35 days. The limit of detection (LOD) was 0.037 ng mL-1. Furthermore, this cancer biosensor exhibited good specificity and reproducibility. Thus, the proposed CeO2-CNPs-Ch nanocomposite-based platform provides an efficient method for the analysis of other antigen-antibody interactions and biomolecule detection. The efficacy of the anti-CEA/CeO2-CNPs-Ch/ITO immunoelectrode was further examined by measuring CEA levels in human serum.

IoT Enabled Intelligent Load Balancing System for Railway Wagons through Artificial Intelligence

This research paper presents an innovative system that integrates IoT (Internet of Things) and AI (Artificial Intelligence) technologies to address the critical issue of load balancing in railway wagons. Traditional systems focus on post-event detection of overloading or under loading, which poses safety risks and inefficiencies. In contrast, our solution leverages IoT-enabled load cells to continuously monitor wagon loads in real-time and utilizes AI-driven algorithms such as Genetic Algorithms and Reinforcement Learning—to optimize load distribution dynamically. The system ensures balanced loading across wagons, preventing overloading and underutilization, improving safety, fuel efficiency, and operational effectiveness. The IoT sensors provide real-time data that is processed by AI models to predict and balance load allocation, thus minimizing the risk of infrastructural damage and enhancing wagon capacity utilization. Initial testing shows a 95%reduction in load imbalances, a 20% decrease in loading time, and improved fuel economy by 10%. This research contributes to railway freight logistics by offering an AI- powered solution for intelligent load management, ensuring safety, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness.

Enhancing the Deformability of the Adjuvant: Achieving Lymph Node Targeted Delivery to Elicit a Long-Lasting Immune Protection.

A key challenge in vaccine development is to inducean effective and durable immune response. Live virus vaccines induce lifelong antibody responses; however, the immune responses induced by inactivated or subunit vaccines decrease gradually. Activation of the germinal center (GC) reaction, which generates long-lived plasma cells (LLPCs), is a key mediator of long-term antibody responses. To enhance the activation of GC, lymph node-targeted delivery of the vaccine is promoted by enhancing the deformability of the delivery vector. In this study, a double emulsion is designed with strong deformability and containing chitosan nanoparticles (CSNP) in the internal aqueous phase (WNP) for efficient antigen loading, called WNP/O/W. The flexible oil layer and the internally loaded positively charged particles endow the emulsion with strong deformability, continuously enrich model antigen ovalbumin(OVA)in the lymph nodes, activate germinal center B (GC B) cells and T follicular helper (TFH) cells, induce LLPCs, and obtain high-level antibody persistence for more than 5 months, which is significantly better than the traditional oil emulsion adjuvant. Concurrently, it also improves the immune-protective effect in aged mice. Altogether, these results indicate that WNP/O/W achieves lymph node targeted delivery by strengthening deformability, generating high-intensity antibody responses, and long-lasting immune protection.

Nanocarriers Made of Natural Fatty Acids: Modulation of Their Release Profiles through Photo‐Crosslinking

AbstractNatural fatty acids are attractive carrier materials for drug delivery, but their rapid dissolution and degradation in vivo calls for new strategies to enhance their stability. Here we report a simple and versatile method capable of photo‐crosslinking carriers made of natural fatty acids for drug delivery under controlled release. By optimizing the crosslinking density, the nanoscale carriers show a high drug loading efficiency, together with a stable network structure for minimal degradation in a body fluid mimic. Fluorescence microscopy analysis also reveals the exceptional intracellular stability of the crosslinked network, resulting in negligible cytotoxicity toward A549 cells up to 24 h when loaded with a potent anticancer drug. We further extend this strategy to microscale carriers fabricated using electrospray. Upon photo‐crosslinking, the carriers show a retarded release of nerve growth factor, resulting in slower neurite outgrowth from dorsal root ganglion. This work holds promise for addressing the efficacy and safety issues critical to nanomedicine and related applications.

Optimizing Ligand Valency to Maximize Tendon Accumulation of Peptide-Targeted Nanoparticles.

In many tissues, including musculoskeletal tissues such as tendon, systemic delivery typically results in poor targeting of free drugs. Hence, we previously developed a targeted drug delivery nanoparticle (NP) system for tendon healing, leveraging a tartrate resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) binding peptide (TBP) ligand. The greatest tendon targeting was observed with NPs functionalized with 30 000 TBP ligands per NP at day 7 during the proliferative healing phase, relative to the inflammatory (day 3) and early remodeling (day 14) phases of healing. Nevertheless, TRAP activity varies throughout healing and, therefore, may offer an opportunity for optimizing temporal therapeutic targeting through multivalent interactions. Hence, in this study, we hypothesized that the ligand density (9000-55,000 TBPs per NP) can optimize tendon accumulation on the basis of variable TRAP levels. The multivalent nanoparticles were loaded with three different fluorophores. In vitro, the ligand density and fluorophore had no effect on the physicochemical properties of the NPs, including size, charge, polydispersity index, or dye loading efficiency; however, the TRAP binding affinity correlated positively with the ligand density. In vivo, the ligand density correlated positively with NP homing and retention in the tendon, establishing opportunities to leverage ligand density for tendon targeting across the tendon healing cascade, during aging, and in other tendon pathologies, including tendinopathies.

Diversity of extracellular vesicles derived from calli, cell culture and apoplastic fluid of tobacco

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in plant extracellular vesicles (pEVs) due to their immense potential for medical applications, particularly as carriers for drug delivery. To use the benefits of pEVs in the future, it is necessary to identify methods that facilitate their production in sufficient quantities while maintaining high quality. In this study, a comparative analysis of yields of tobacco pEV derived from apoplastic fluid, sterile calli, and suspension cultures, was performed to identify the most suitable plant material for vesicle isolation. Subsequent experiments focused on assessing the efficiency of small interfering RNA (siRNA) loading into callus-derived vesicles, employing various methods such as sonication, incubation, incubation supplemented with saponin, lipofection, and electroporation. Differences in loading efficiency among vesicles derived from apoplastic fluid, calli, and suspension cultures were observed. Moreover, our investigation extended to the presence of tobacco secondary metabolites, specifically anabasine and nicotine, within vesicles originating from three distinct tobacco sources. The outcomes of our study highlight variations not only in vesicle yields based on their source but also in their loadability and the presence of nicotine and anabasine. These findings contribute valuable insights into optimizing the production and application of pEVs for future medicinal purposes.

A quality-by-design approach for optimizing the functionalization of gold nanoparticles onto the surface of doxorubicin-encapsulated liposomes.

Stimulus-responsive liposomes (L) are increasingly recognized for their potential in enhancing therapies, especially in cancer nanomedicine, owing to their ability to encapsulate drugs of diverse properties efficiently. In this study, a quality-by-design (QbD) strategy was proposed to optimize the surface functionalization of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) on doxorubicin (Dox)-loaded L intended for improving cancer treatment. Thin-film hydration and pH-gradient methods were applied for L preparation and Dox loading, respectively. Through a Taguchi design (L9), the AuNPs surface functionalization was optimized by studying variables such as L-Dox:AuNPs ratio, stirring time, temperature, and post-functionalization period, and their impact on various L properties including size, polydispersity, and loading efficiency. This approach allowed thedevelopment of an AuNPs-L-Dox nanoplatform capable of controlled Dox release under bio-relevant conditions and dual pH/photothermal responsiveness for triggering drug release. Upon light irradiation, the nanoplatform exhibited enhanced anticancer efficacy against ovarian cancer cells, showcasing its potential for photothermal hyperthermia therapies. Biocompatibility assessment in absence of irradiation against keratinocytes confirmed safety without increased drug cytotoxicity. This study underscores the effectiveness of the QbD approach in optimizing key parameters for the functionalization of L-Dox with AuNPs, highlighting the potential of this nanoplatform for triggered Dox delivery in cancer nanomedicine, particularly in photothermal hyperthermia therapies.

Extraction and characterization of sodium alginate from native Malaysian brown seaweed Sargassum polycystum.

Malaysian seaweed, particularly Sargassum polycystum, has potential for alginate production, yet an extraction protocol for this seaweed remains lacking. This study aimed to optimize the extraction process to maximize alginate yield while characterizing the physicochemical properties of the extracted alginate and its potential applications. An alkali-based extraction method was employed, with key parameters, including alkali concentration, extraction temperature, and time, carefully optimized to yield 30.17 ± 0.76 % (g alginate/100 g dry seaweed biomass) of alginate. Sodium alginate extracted from Sargassum polycystum has a viscosity-average molecular weight of 4.73 ± 0.001 × 104 g/mol and an M/G ratio of 2.87. The physicochemical properties and biochemical composition of the extracted alginate revealed its capacity to be utilized as a natural antioxidant. An alginate-based nanohybrid for polyphenol delivery was developed to explore the potential applications of extracted alginate. This nanohybrid showed favorable properties (size: 415 nm, PDI: 0.3, zeta potential: -44.7 mV), high encapsulation (80.13 %), and loading efficiency (19.21 ± 1.69 %). Alginate coating on the nanohybrid protected polyphenol from premature release, significantly enhancing its antioxidant activity. These findings suggest that alginate extracted from Malaysian Sargassum polycystum could be a valuable natural material for developing controlled-release delivery systems.

Folic acid functionalized Ag@MOF(Ag) decorated carboxymethyl starch nanoparticles as a new doxorubicin delivery system with inherent antibacterial activity

Considering the benefits of controlled drug delivery in cancer treatment, as well as the importance of biological macromolecules in this area, herein, the pre-synthesized carboxymethyl starch (CMS) was converted to CMS nanoparticles (CMS NPs) in one easy nanoprecipitation way. Thereafter, the Ag@MOF(Ag) was in situ synthesized in the presence of pre-prepared CMS NPs (CMS NPs/Ag@MOF(Ag)). Eventually, the functionalization with folic acid (FA) obtained the CMS NPs/Ag@MOF(Ag)-FA. The success of the accomplished process was approved by doing several techniques, including FT-IR, XRD, EDX, AFM, etc. The SEM analysis showed a combination of rod-like and spherical-like morphology for the fabricated bio-nanocomposite. The generated CMS NPs/Ag@MOF(Ag)-FA with a surface area of 10.595 m2/g displayed a pore size of 13.666 nm and 82.99 % of doxorubicin (DOX) loading efficiency (DOX@CMS NPs/Ag@MOF(Ag)-FA). The 38.46 % and 58.19 % of loaded DOX were released respectively within 240 h at pH 7.4 and pH 5.0, referring to the pH-responsivity of the constructed system. 27.25 % of inhibitory effects on HeLa cells were obtained for the drug-loaded bio-nanocomposite. The CMS NPs/Ag@MOF(Ag)-FA also displayed an inherent antibacterial activity towards two common gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. All of these results can contribute to developing polysaccharide-based porous systems in controlled cancer therapy.

A Mesoporous Silica-Based Nano-Drug Co-Delivery System with Gemcitabine for Targeted Therapy of Pancreatic Cancer.

To investigate the efficacy and safety of the mesoporous silica-based nano-drug co-delivery system with gemcitabine (GEM) in the treatment of pancreatic cancer. Experimental study. Place and Duration of the Study: Wenzhou Central Hospital, Zhejiang Province, China, between July 2022 and November 2023. Ce6@MSN-Fe3O4/GEM@DPM nanoparticles were prepared and structurally characterised, then their drug loading and entrapment efficiency were calculated, and in vitro drug release and cytotoxicity assays were performed. In addition to that, mesoporous silica nanorods were prepared and structurally characterised for cellular uptake, cytotoxicity, and reactive oxygen species detection. The mesoporous silica nanoparticles were spherical in shape and possessed a unique core-shell structure. The prepared nanoparticles had good entrapment efficiency and drug loading, and exibited pharmacotoxic and phototoxic effects on cells. The mesoporous silica nanorods were taken up by pancreatic cancer cells and exbitied cytotoxicity. Mesoporous silica-based nano-drug co-delivery system, which carries GEM, is an effective targeted drug delivery system to provide new research ideas for the treatment of pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic cancer, Gemcitabine, Magnetic nanocomposites, Photodynamic therapy, Targeted drug delivery.

Investigation of the aerodynamic performance of the dragonfly-inspired tandem wings considering the coupling between the stroke plane and phase difference

The dragonfly's tandem wings can make full use of the interference of various spatial vortices to obtain efficient flight capability. The complex coupling among multiple motion parameters will have an important influence on the interference between the forewing (FW) and hindwing (HW). In this paper, the aerodynamic performance of the dragonfly-inspired tandem wings is analyzed using the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) method considering the coupling effect of the stroke plane and phase difference. The variation of the force coefficient, vortex structure and aerodynamic efficiency of the tandem wings in forward flight are analyzed, respectively. The results show that the stroke plane angle affects the distribution of the leading edge vortex (LEV) and trailing edge vortex (TEV), which primarily controls the trend of horizontal force variation. The phase difference of tandem wings will change the fluctuation of the horizontal force coefficient curve by affecting the meeting time of the forewing and hindwing. However, with the increase of stroke plane angle, the fluctuation of aerodynamic coefficient caused by phase difference will decrease. The propulsion efficiency(η) and power loading(PL) can be improved through increasing the stroke plane angle and selecting a reasonable phase difference. The conclusion can provide theoretical guidance for the design of the dragonfly-inspired tandem flapping wing aircraft (DTFWA) and the choice of motion parameters.

Enhanced antitumor activity of lapatinib against triple-negative breast cancer via loading in human serum albumin

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) presents significant treatment challenges due to its aggressive nature. Human serum albumin (HSA) is a promising drug delivery platform, offering high binding capacity, biocompatibility, and reduced toxicity. Lapatinib (LAP), a tyrosine kinase inhibitor for TNBC, is hindered by poor water solubility and toxicity. To address these issues, LAP was encapsulated within HSA (HSA-LAP), and its structural, drug release, and therapeutic properties were evaluated in cellular and animal TNBC models. HSA-LAP demonstrated efficient drug loading and pH-dependent tumor-targeted release, favoring acidic tumor microenvironments. Structural and microscopic studies confirmed LAP binding to HSA, with only minor structural and no significant morphological changes observed. In 4 T1 breast cancer cells, HSA-LAP exhibited superior anti-proliferative, pro-apoptotic, and anti-migratory effects compared to free LAP, which were further amplified when combined with VGB3, a VEGFR1/2-targeting peptide, indicating an effective dual-targeting strategy for TNBC. In vivo, HSA-LAP showed greater tumor inhibition and improved survival rates, especially in combination with VGB3 through apoptosis induction. Biodistribution studies using technetium-99 m (99mTc) labeling revealed enhanced tumor targeting. These findings highlight the potential of HSA as a delivery vehicle for LAP, particularly in combination with anti-angiogenic agents like VGB3, offering a promising therapeutic strategy for TNBC.

MOF-derived Mn, N Co-doped Co-C nanomaterials and exo I-driven dual signal amplification for sensitive detection of florfenicol using an electrochemical aptasensor

Florfenicol (FF) is a broad-spectrum antibiotic with potent bactericidal effects against most Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. However, its misuse can pose significant threats to human health. In this study, we successfully developed an electrochemical aptasensor based on MOF-derived Mn, N Co-doped Co-C nanomaterials (CoMnN-Cs) derived from metal-organic frameworks (MOF) and a dual signal amplification strategy utilizing Exonuclease I (Exo I) for target recycling, aimed at achieving high-sensitivity detection of FF. This aptasensor depended on the CoMnN-Cs nanomaterials loaded with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), which features a hierarchical porous structure that enhanced the specific surface area, conductivity, and electrocatalytic activity while improving the loading efficiency of signal molecules and the binding strength of biomolecules, leading to the first amplification of the electrochemical signal. In the presence of FF, Exo I-catalyzed target recycling was triggered, achieving further amplification of the electrochemical signal. Utilizing these unique features, the developed aptasensor exhibited outstanding FF detection performance, with a low detection limit of 5.28 × 10−4 ng mL−1, a wide linear range from 1 × 10−3 to 1 × 103 ng mL−1, and the recovery rates for milk, egg, and shrimp samples were 98.0 % to 100.3 %, 96.3 % to 100.9 %, and 97 % to 100.5 %, respectively. With its diverse signal amplification capabilities, this aptasensor offers a new strategy for the analysis of FF and even other antibiotics or biomolecules.

Chitosan-capped mesoporous silica nano/microcontainers for waterborne epoxy coating: Implications of size and textural properties modulated by synthesis route

Herein, the dependence of the performance of smart waterborne epoxy coating on the size and textural properties of intercalated nano/microcontainers is critically examined. Two routes were adopted to synthesize nano/microcontainers from similar starting materials resulting in nanocontainers and microcontainers with dissimilar textural properties. The containers were constructed based on mesoporous silica particles (MSPs) loaded with benzotriazole (BTA) and encased with chitosan (CTS) shell to obtain nanocontainers with a slightly crystalline core (C@B@MSP1) and microcontainers with amorphous core (C@B@MSP2), both demonstrating pH-responsiveness. The obtained containers were characterized using SEM, TEM/EDX, XRD, FTIR, TGA, XRD, N2 adsorption/desorption and UV-vis studies. These containers were incorporated into waterborne epoxy coating namely EP/CBS1 and EP/CBS2, respectively. Their performance was investigated in comparison to a reference coating EP/REF and coatings doped with commercial inhibitor zinc phosphate, EP/ZP. The surface morphology and adhesion of coatings were examined using OM, SEM and 3D profilometer. EIS measurements of scribed coating in 3.5 wt% NaCl solution for 48 h demonstrated high active corrosion resistance of EP/CBS1. However, EIS assessment of intact coatings for 30 d shows the dominance of EP/CBS2 with |Z|0.01 Hz value of 6.0×107 Ω cm2 after 30 d of exposure, a performance corroborated by salt spray test carried out for 50 d. Hence, driven by the large size and amorphous core of C@B@MSP2 which allows compatibility with the waterborne epoxy matrix, EP/CBS2 demonstrated a synergy between exceptional barrier properties and adequate active corrosion resistance implying their versatility. Therefore, in addition to inhibitor loading efficiency of containers, their sizes and compatibility of textural properties with the chosen polymer matrix is crucial for better performance as active carriers in waterborne anticorrosive coatings.