Recent Advances In Nanomaterials Research Articles

Recent advances in nanomaterials for the treatment of femoral head necrosis.

Osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) is a condition that causes considerable pain and discomfort for patients, and its pathogenic mechanisms are not yet fully understood. While there have been many studies that suggest multiple factors may contribute to its development, current treatments involve both surgical and nonsurgical options. However, there is still much room for improvement in these treatment methods, particularly when it comes to preventing postoperative complications and optimizing surgical procedures. Nanomaterials, as a type of small molecule material, have shown great promise in treating bone tissue diseases, including ONFH. In fact, several nanocomposite materials have demonstrated specific effects in preventing ONFH, promoting bone tissue repair and growth, and optimizing surgical treatment. This article provides a comprehensive overview of current treatments for ONFH, including their advantages and limitations, and reviews the latest advances in nanomaterials for treating this condition. Additionally, this article explores the therapeutic mechanisms involved in using nanomaterials to treat ONFH and to identify new methods and ideas for improving outcomes for patients.

Recent Advances in Nanomaterials for Modulation of Stem Cell Differentiation and Its Therapeutic Applications.

Challenges in directed differentiation and survival limit the clinical use of stem cells despite their promising therapeutic potential in regenerative medicine. Nanotechnology has emerged as a powerful tool to address these challenges and enable precise control over stem cell fate. In particular, nanomaterials can mimic an extracellular matrix and provide specific cues to guide stem cell differentiation and proliferation in the field of nanotechnology. For instance, recent studies have demonstrated that nanostructured surfaces and scaffolds can enhance stem cell lineage commitment modulated by intracellular regulation and external stimulation, such as reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging, autophagy, or electrical stimulation. Furthermore, nanoframework-based and upconversion nanoparticles can be used to deliver bioactive molecules, growth factors, and genetic materials to facilitate stem cell differentiation and tissue regeneration. The increasing use of nanostructures in stem cell research has led to the development of new therapeutic approaches. Therefore, this review provides an overview of recent advances in nanomaterials for modulating stem cell differentiation, including metal-, carbon-, and peptide-based strategies. In addition, we highlight the potential of these nano-enabled technologies for clinical applications of stem cell therapy by focusing on improving the differentiation efficiency and therapeutics. We believe that this review will inspire researchers to intensify their efforts and deepen their understanding, thereby accelerating the development of stem cell differentiation modulation, therapeutic applications in the pharmaceutical industry, and stem cell therapeutics.

Recent advances in the therapeutic potential of cathelicidins.

The alarming increase in antimicrobial resistance in the last decades has prompted the search for alternatives to control infectious diseases. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) represent a heterogeneous class of molecules with ample antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal effects. They can be found in many organisms, including all classes of vertebrates, providing a valuable source of new antimicrobial agents. The unique properties of AMPs make it harder for microbes develop resistance, while their immunomodulatory properties and target diversity reinforce their translational use in multiple diseases, from autoimmune disorders to different types of cancer. The latest years have witnessed a vast number of studies evaluating the use of AMPs in therapy, with many progressing to clinical trials. The present review explores the recent developments in the medicinal properties of cathelicidins, a vast family of AMPs with potent antimicrobial and immunomodulatory effects. Cathelicidins from several organisms have been tested in disease models of viral and bacterial infections, inflammatory diseases, and tumors, with encouraging results. Combining nanomaterials with active, natural antimicrobial peptides, including LL-37 and synthetic analogs like ceragenins, leads to the creation of innovative nanoagents with significant clinical promise. However, there are still important limitations, such as the toxicity of many cathelicidins to healthy host cells and low stability in vivo. The recent advances in nanomaterials and synthetic biology may help overcome the current limitations, enabling the use of cathelicidins in future therapeutics. Furthermore, a better understanding of the mechanisms of cathelicidin action in vivo and their synergy with other host molecules will contribute to the development of safer, highly effective therapies.

Flexible electronics for heavy metal ion detection in water: a comprehensive review.

Flexible electronics offer a versatile, rapid, cost-effective and portable solution to monitor water contamination, which poses serious threat to the environment and human health. This review paper presents a comprehensive exploration of the versatile platforms of flexible electronics in the context of heavy metal ion detection in water systems. The review overviews of the fundamental principles of heavy metal ion detection, surveys the state-of-the-art materials and fabrication techniques for flexible sensors, analyses key performance metrics and limitations, and discusses future opportunities and challenges. By highlighting recent advances in nanomaterials, polymers, wireless integration, and sustainability, this review aims to serve as an essential resource for researchers, engineers, and policy makers seeking to address the critical challenge of heavy metal contamination in water resources. The versatile promise of flexible electronics is thoroughly elucidated to inspire continued innovation in this emerging technology arena.

Targeted Treatment of Lung Cancer using Nanomaterials: Prospective and Advances

Background: Lung cancer is the second most lethal type of cancer, with a poor survival rate of 5 years. It is one of those malignant tumors that has grown most rapidly in the context of mortality and morbidity. Aim: This review article aims to provide insight into current nanotechnological approaches taken into consideration that provide advantages over conventional chemotherapy. Result and Discussion: After comparing conventional chemotherapy and nanotechnology-based therapies for lung cancer, the results showed that recent advances in nanomaterials proved to be more effective in lung cancer diagnosis, mitigation and treatment. Here, Surface-engineered smart nanocarrier- based inhalations, Bio-nanocarriers for lung cancer, gas plasma nanoparticles, and magnetic nanoparticles are discussed. Conclusion: After summarizing these nanomaterials, investigators concluded that the in-vivo and invitro effectiveness of recently developed nanoparticles was found to be better than that of conventional nanoparticles.

Numerical and experimental investigation of chaotic advection and diffusion mixing effects in 3D multihelical microfluidics for liposome synthesis

The recent advances in nanomaterials’ production by microfluidics with high throughput became critical for industry-scale production. Numerical simulation has been part of this development, allowing faster and more detailed study of the process that would be costly only experimentally. Here, we investigated the diffusion and chaotic advection effects on cationic and stealth liposome production in a 3D multihelical chaotic-advection microfluidic device. Suitable conditions for chaotic advection were primarily investigated with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) assessing diverse flow rate ratio (FRR) and total flow rate (TFR). The results showed that Reynolds ≈ 100 and Dean number > 50 can trigger chaotic advection for this device, corresponding to a TFR of 5 mL/min. We produced the liposomes in the same conditions as the simulations to evaluate the impact of these parameters on the colloidal physicochemical properties. A clear difference was shown between TFR ≤ 1 and TFR ≥ 5 mL/min for size and polydispersity (PDI). An increase in PDI was observed for FRR 10, in which the mixing index (M.I.) played an important role. The effect of composition proved an important factor, as stealth liposomes were not deeply affected by TFR change. Cryo-Transmission Electron Microscopy (Cryo-TEM) analysis showed that both cationic and stealth liposomes resulted in unilamellar liposomes. Coupling numerical simulation with experimental characterization proved an efficient process evaluation in microfluidics. Finally, the high mass throughput (2.8 g/h) with the chaotic advection microfluidic device shows a potential microchip for industrial scale-up and parallelization.

Recent Advances in Nanomaterials for the Treatment of Acute Kidney Injury.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a serious clinical syndrome with high morbidity, elevated mortality, and poor prognosis, commonly considered a "sword of Damocles" for hospitalized patients, especially those in intensive care units. Oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis, caused by the excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), play a key role in AKI progression. Hence, the investigation of effective and safe antioxidants and inflammatory regulators to scavenge overexpressed ROS and regulate excessive inflammation has become a promising therapeutic option. However, the unique physiological structure and complex pathological alterations in the kidneys render traditional therapies ineffective, impeding the residence and efficacy of most antioxidant and anti-inflammatory small molecule drugs within the renal milieu. Recently, nanotherapeutic interventions have emerged as a promising and prospective strategy for AKI, overcoming traditional treatment dilemmas through alterations in size, shape, charge, and surface modifications. This Review succinctly summarizes the latest advancements in nanotherapeutic approaches for AKI, encompassing nanozymes, ROS scavenger nanomaterials, MSC-EVs, and nanomaterials loaded with antioxidants and inflammatory regulator. Following this, strategies aimed at enhancing biocompatibility and kidney targeting are introduced. Furthermore, a brief discussion on the current challenges and future prospects in this research field is presented, providing a comprehensive overview of the evolving landscape of nanotherapeutic interventions for AKI.

Inhibitors of Immune Checkpoints: Small Molecule- and Peptide-Based Approaches.

The revolutionary progress in cancer immunotherapy, particularly the advent of immune checkpoint inhibitors, marks a significant milestone in the fight against malignancies. However, the majority of clinically employed immune checkpoint inhibitors are monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) with several limitations, such as poor oral bioavailability and immune-related adverse effects (irAEs). Another major limitation is the restriction of the efficacy of mAbs to a subset of cancer patients, which triggered extensive research efforts to identify alternative approaches in targeting immune checkpoints aiming to overcome the restricted efficacy of mAbs. This comprehensive review aims to explore the cutting-edge developments in targeting immune checkpoints, focusing on both small molecule- and peptide-based approaches. By delving into drug discovery platforms, we provide insights into the diverse strategies employed to identify and optimize small molecules and peptides as inhibitors of immune checkpoints. In addition, we discuss recent advances in nanomaterials as drug carriers, providing a basis for the development of small molecule- and peptide-based platforms for cancer immunotherapy. Ongoing research focused on the discovery of small molecules and peptide-inspired agents targeting immune checkpoints paves the way for developing orally bioavailable agents as the next-generation cancer immunotherapies.

Recent advances in nanomaterials for neural applications: opportunities and challenges.

Nanomedicines are promising for delivering drugs to the central nervous system, though their precision is still being improved. Fortifying nanoparticles with vital molecules can interact with the blood-brain barrier, enabling access to brain tissue. This study summarizes recent advances in nanomedicine to treat neurological complications. The integration of nanotechnology into cell biology aids in the study of brain cells' interactions. Magnetic microhydrogels have exhibited superior neuron activation compared with superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles and hold promise for neuropsychiatric disorders. Nanomaterials have shown notable results, such as tackling neurodegenerative diseases by hindering harmful protein buildup and regulating cellular processes. However, further studies of the safety and effectiveness of nanoparticles in managing neurological diseases and disorders are still required.

Biomimetic liposomes as a pH/ROS cascade-responsive nanoagent with high selectivity for breast carcinoma in photothermal therapy

With the recent advances in nanomaterials, photothermal therapies (PTT) enabled by deep-tissue penetration with novel nanoagents have offered a new hope for treating cancers. Nevertheless, PTT applications in conventional approaches remain translationally restricted due to their non-specificity and collateral pro-inflammatory effects during implementation. To address these drawbacks, we here report Lipo-PTO as the prototype of a new class of liposome-functionalized photothermal theragnostic agents, which can eradicate cancer cells in vivo with high selectivity. Lipo-PTO is activated by low pH and superoxide (O2•–) to specifically deliver and convert preloaded cyanine molecules to release Cy-NH in the tumour microenvironments, eventually enabling the activation of photothermal properties to induce tumour ablation. In further studies on Lipo-PTO for treating breast cancer (BC) in mouse models, Lipo-PTO usage was characterized by a high degree of biocompatibility, optimal retention time pharmacokinetics and tumour regression with minimal collateral damages. This study here thus illustrates an innovative strategy to target intrinsic attributes of tumour microenvironments for improved therapeutic precision and efficacy in PTT applications.

Advances in nanomaterials for the diagnosis and treatment of head and neck cancers: A review.

Nanomaterials (NMs) have increasingly been used for the diagnosis and treatment of head and neck cancers (HNCs) over the past decade. HNCs can easily infiltrate surrounding tissues and form distant metastases, meaning that most patients with HNC are diagnosed at an advanced stage and often have a poor prognosis. Since NMs can be used to deliver various agents, including imaging agents, drugs, genes, vaccines, radiosensitisers, and photosensitisers, they play a crucial role in the development of novel technologies for the diagnosis and treatment of HNCs. Indeed, NMs have been reported to enhance delivery efficiency and improve the prognosis of patients with HNC by allowing targeted delivery, controlled release, responses to stimuli, and the delivery of multiple agents. In this review, we consider recent advances in NMs that could be used to improve the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of patients with HNC and the potential for future research.

Nanomaterial-assisted theranosis of bone diseases.

Bone-related diseases refer to a group of skeletal disorders that are characterized by bone and cartilage destruction. Conventional approaches can regulate bone homeostasis to a certain extent. However, these therapies are still associated with some undesirable problems. Fortunately, recent advances in nanomaterials have provided unprecedented opportunities for diagnosis and therapy of bone-related diseases. This review provides a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of current advanced theranostic nanomaterials in bone-related diseases. First, the potential utility of nanomaterials for biological imaging and biomarker detection is illustrated. Second, nanomaterials serve as therapeutic delivery platforms with special functions for bone homeostasis regulation and cellular modulation are highlighted. Finally, perspectives in this field are offered, including current key bottlenecks and future directions, which may be helpful for exploiting nanomaterials with novel properties and unique functions. This review will provide scientific guidance to enhance the development of advanced nanomaterials for the diagnosis and therapy of bone-related diseases.

Nanomaterials Responsive to Endogenous Biomarkers for Cardiovascular Disease Theranostics

AbstractCardiovascular disease (CVD) is the number one cause of death worldwide, which propels the development of advanced technologies for CVD diagnosis and treatment. Biomarker‐responsive nanomaterials are appealing therapeutic platforms that provide new horizons for CVD theranostics. In this review, recent advances in nanomaterials with endogenous biomarkers as stimuli or targets for CVD theranostics is presented. First, the categories of biomarkers involved are comprehensively itemized based on pathological mechanisms including pH, reactive oxygen species, lipids, enzymes, macrophage receptors, subendothelium components, platelet receptors, inflammation, and osteopontin. The role of these biomarkers in bridge‐building between nanomaterials and CVD is then presented. Next, the biomedical applications of nanomaterials responsive to endogenous biomarkers as stimuli or targets for the diagnosis and treatment of CVD are elaborated. Finally, the challenges and future research directions of biomarker‐responsive nanomaterials in CVD are also discussed. This review will provide scientific guidance to facilitate clinical applications of biomarker‐responsive nanomaterials.

Recent Advances in Nanomaterials Used for Wearable Electronics

In recent decades, thriving Internet of Things (IoT) technology has had a profound impact on people's lifestyles through extensive information interaction between humans and intelligent devices. One promising application of IoT is the continuous, real-time monitoring and analysis of body or environmental information by devices worn on or implanted inside the body. This research area, commonly referred to as wearable electronics or wearables, represents a new and rapidly expanding interdisciplinary field. Wearable electronics are devices with specific electronic functions that must be flexible and stretchable. Various novel materials have been proposed in recent years to meet the technical challenges posed by this field, which exhibit significant potential for use in different wearable applications. This article reviews recent progress in the development of emerging nanomaterial-based wearable electronics, with a specific focus on their flexible substrates, conductors, and transducers. Additionally, we discuss the current state-of-the-art applications of nanomaterial-based wearable electronics and provide an outlook on future research directions in this field.

Recent advances in nanomaterials based sustainable approaches for mitigation of emerging organic pollutants

Emerging organic pollutants (EOPs) are a category of pollutants that are relatively new to the environment and recently garnered a lot of attention. The majority of EOPs includes endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), pesticides, dyes and pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs). Exposure to contaminated water has been linked to an increase in incidences of malnutrition, intrauterine growth retardation, respiratory illnesses, liver malfunctions, eye and skin diseases, and fatalities. Consequently, there is a critical need for wastewater remediation technologies which are effective, reliable, and economical. Conventional wastewater treatment methods have several shortcomings that can be addressed with the help of nanotechnology. Unique characteristics of nanomaterials (NMs) make them intriguing and efficient alternative in wastewater treatment strategies. This review emphasis on the occurrence of divers emerging organic pollutants (EOPs) in water and their effective elimination via different NMs based methods with in-depth mechanisms. Furthermore, it also delves the toxicity assessment of NMs and critical challenges, which are crucial steps for practical implementations.

A Smart Tactile Sensing System Based on Carbon Nanotube/Polypropylene Composites for Wearable Applications

Recent advances in nanomaterials render the possibility of fabricating tactile sensors suitable for electronic skin, haptic interfaces, and biomedical applications. Furthermore, the problem of performing complex inertial measurements generated during the tactile process of polymer composites can be tackled using artificial intelligence (AI). However, the implementation of AI-based signal processing on embedded devices still represents an open area of opportunity for the design of the next generation of smart wearable sensor systems. A novel nanostructured smart tactile sensing system for wearable applications is proposed, using a 3-D-printed structure with embedded electronic devices. The highly sensitive piezoresistive tactile sensor is based on multiwall carbon nanotube/polypropylene (MWCNT/PP) composites. The integration of electronic circuits for signal processing of an artificial neural network (NN) on a digital controller unit improves the tactile interpretation in the wearable embedded device. Experiments show that the pressure classification results on MWCNT/PP composites with 98% accuracy.

Recent advances in nanomaterials for the treatment of spinal cord injury.

Spinal cord injuries (SCIs) are devastating. In SCIs, a powerful traumatic force impacting the spinal cord results in the permanent loss of nerve function below the injury level, leaving the patient paralyzed and wheelchair-bound for the remainder of his/her life. Unfortunately, clinical treatment that depends on surgical decompression appears to be unable to handle damaged nerves, and high-dose methylprednisolone-based therapy is also associated with problems, such as infection, gastrointestinal bleeding, femoral head necrosis, obesity, and hyperglycemia. Nanomaterials have opened new avenues for SCI treatment. Among them, performance-based nanomaterials derived from a variety of materials facilitate improvements in the microenvironment of traumatic injury and, in some cases, promote neuron regeneration. Nanoparticulate drug delivery systems enable the optimization of drug effects and drug bioavailability, thus contributing to the development of novel treatments. The improved efficiency and accuracy of gene delivery will also benefit the exploration of SCI mechanisms and the understanding of key genes and signaling pathways. Herein, we reviewed different types of nanomaterials applied to the treatment of SCI and summarized their functions and advantages to provide new perspectives for future clinical therapies.

Application of Nanomaterials in Stem Cell-Based Therapeutics for Cardiac Repair and Regeneration.

Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of disability and death worldwide. Although the survival rate of patients with heart diseases can be improved with contemporary pharmacological treatments and surgical procedures, none of these therapies providea significantimprovementin cardiac repair and regeneration. Stem cell-based therapies are a promising approach for functional recovery of damaged myocardium. However, the available stem cells are difficult to differentiate into cardiomyocytes, which result in the extremely low transplantation efficiency. Nanomaterials are widely used to regulate the myocardial differentiation of stem cells, and play a very important role in cardiac tissue engineering. This study discusses the current status and limitations of stem cells and cell-derived exosomes/microRNAs based cardiac therapy, describes the cardiac repair mechanism of nanomaterials, summarizes the recent advances in nanomaterials used in cardiac repair and regeneration, and evaluates the advantages and disadvantages of the relevant nanomaterials. Besides discussing the potential clinical applications of nanomaterials in cardiac therapy, the perspectives and challenges of nanomaterials used in stem cell-based cardiac repair and regeneration are also considered. Finally, new research directions in this field are proposed, and future research trends are highlighted.

Recent Advances in Nanomaterials of Group XIV Elements of Periodic Table in Breast Cancer Treatment.

Breast cancer is one of the most common malignancies and a leading cause of cancer-related mortality among women worldwide. The elements of group XIV in the periodic table exhibit a wide range of chemical manners. Recently, there have been remarkable developments in the field of nanobiomedical research, especially in the application of engineered nanomaterials in biomedical applications. In this review, we concentrate on the recent investigations on the antiproliferative effects of nanomaterials of the elements of group XIV in the periodic table on breast cancer cells. In this review, the data available on nanomaterials of group XIV for breast cancer treatment has been documented, providing a useful insight into tumor biology and nano-bio interactions to develop more effective nanotherapeutics for cancer patients.

Recent Advances in Nanomaterials for Asthma Treatment.

Asthma is a chronic airway inflammatory disease with complex mechanisms, and these patients often encounter difficulties in their treatment course due to the heterogeneity of the disease. Currently, clinical treatments for asthma are mainly based on glucocorticoid-based combination drug therapy; however, glucocorticoid resistance and multiple side effects, as well as the occurrence of poor drug delivery, require the development of more promising treatments. Nanotechnology is an emerging technology that has been extensively researched in the medical field. Several studies have shown that drug delivery systems could significantly improve the targeting, reduce toxicity and improve the bioavailability of drugs. The use of multiple nanoparticle delivery strategies could improve the therapeutic efficacy of drugs compared to traditional delivery methods. Herein, the authors presented the mechanisms of asthma development and current therapeutic methods. Furthermore, the design and synthesis of different types of nanomaterials and micromaterials for asthma therapy are reviewed, including polymetric nanomaterials, solid lipid nanomaterials, cell membranes-based nanomaterials, and metal nanomaterials. Finally, the challenges and future perspectives of these nanomaterials are discussed to provide guidance for further research directions and hopefully promote the clinical application of nanotherapeutics in asthma treatment.