Utilization Of Nanotechnology Research Articles

Janus “nano-bullets” for magnetic targeting liver cancer chemotherapy

Tumor-targeted delivery of anti-cancer drugs with controlled drug release function has been recognized as a promising strategy for pursuit of increased chemotherapeutic efficacy and reduced adverse effects. Development of magnetic nanoparticulates as delivery carriers to accommodate cytotoxic drugs for liver cancer treatment has evoked immense interest with respect to their convenience in biomedical application. Herein, we engineered multifunctional Janus nanocomposites, characterized by a head of magnetic Fe3O4 and a body of mesoporous SiO2 containing doxorubicin (DOX) as “nano-bullets” (M-MSNs-DOX). This nanodrug formulation possessed nanosize with controlled aspect-ratio, defined abundance in pore structures, and superior magnetic properties. M-MSN-DOX was determined to induce selective growth inhibition to the cancer cell under magnetic field rather than human normal cells due to its preferable endocytosis by the tumor cells and pH-promoted DOX release in the interior of cancer cells. Ultimately, both subcutaneous and orthotropic liver tumor models in mice have demonstrated that the proposed Janus nano-bullets imposed remarkable suppression of the tumor growth and significantly reduced systematic toxicity. Taken together, this study demonstrates an intriguing targeting strategy for liver cancer treatment based on a novel Janus nano-bullet, aiming for utilization of nanotechnology to obtain safe and efficient treatment of liver cancer.

Tumor Molecular Imaging with Nanoparticles

ABSTRACT Molecular imaging (MI) can provide not only structural images using traditional imaging techniques but also functional and molecular information using many newly emerging imaging techniques. Over the past decade, the utilization of nanotechnology in MI has exhibited many significant advantages and provided new opportunities for the imaging of living subjects. It is expected that multimodality nanoparticles (NPs) can lead to precise assessment of tumor biology and the tumor microenvironment. This review addresses topics related to engineered NPs and summarizes the recent applications of these nanoconstructs in cancer optical imaging, ultrasound, photoacoustic imaging, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and radionuclide imaging. Key challenges involved in the translation of NPs to the clinic are discussed.

Utilization of nanotechnology to enhance percutaneous absorption of acyclovir in the treatment of herpes simplex viral infections.

This study aimed to formulate an optimized acyclovir (ACV) nanoemulsion hydrogel in order to provide a solution for the slow, variable, and incomplete oral drug absorption in patient suffering from herpes simplex viral infection. Solubility of ACV in different oils, surfactants, and cosurfactants was explored utilizing a cubic model mixture design to obtain a nanoemulsion with minimum globule size. Preparation of an optimized ACV nanoemulsion hydrogel using a three-factor, three-level Box–Behnken statistical design was conducted. The molecular weight of chitosan (X1), percentage of chitosan (X2), and percentage of Eugenol as a skin permeation enhancer (X3) were selected to study their effects on hydrogel spreadability (Y1) and percent ACV permeated through rat skin after 2.5 hours (Y2). A pharmacokinetic study of the optimized ACV nanoemulsion hydrogel was conducted in rats. Mixtures of clove oil and castor oil (3:1 ratio), Tween 80 and Span 80 (3:1 ratio), and propylene glycol and Myo-6V (3:1 ratio) were selected as the oil, surfactant, and cosurfactant phases, respectively. Statistical analysis indicated that the molecular weight of chitosan has a significant antagonistic effect on spreadability, but has no significant effect on the percent ACV permeated. The percentage of chitosan also has a significant antagonistic effect on the spreadability and percent ACV permeated. On the other hand, the percentage of Eugenol has a significant synergistic effect on percent ACV permeated, with no effect on spreadability. The ex vivo study demonstrated that the optimized ACV nanoemulsion hydrogel showed a twofold and 1.5-fold higher permeation percentage than the control gel and marketed cream, respectively. The relative bioavailability of the optimized ACV nanoemulsion hydrogel improved to 535.2% and 244.6% with respect to the raw ACV hydrogel and marketed cream, respectively, confirming improvement of the relative bioavailability of ACV in the formulated nanoemulsion hydrogel.

Sa1957 Nano-Curcumin Inhibits Neoplastic Process in the Barrett's Epithelial Carcinogenesis Model

Introduction: Curcumin is a natural product commonly used as spice and has attracted considerable attention in recent years due to its great variety of beneficial biological and pharmacological activities. However, one limitation is its low bioavailability because it is almost insoluble in water at acidic or neutral pH. Utilization of nano-technology for the development of efficient anticancer drug delivery is one of the most challenging advances in medicine. Curcumin has been reported to attenuate induction of Cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes, and may be responsible for prevention of malignant transformation such as in normal embryonic kidney cells and non-tumorigenic prostate cells. Tobacco and dietary products such as charcoal grilled meat and smoked fish are pro-mutagens because of Benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P), that undergoes enzymatic metabolism to its ultimate mutagens. This process occurs by induction of extrahepatic CYP members, particularly CYP1A1 and CYP1B1, CYP2U1, and CYP3A4 that are believed to be associated with cancer risk in humans. Using a novel in-vitro model of Barrett's Epithelial Carcinogenesis (BEC) (Int. J. Cancer, 128:274, 2011) we investigated if the carcinogenic process during BE to Esophageal Adenocarcinoma (EAC) is influenced by curcumin. Objective: We investigated the effects of Nano-curcumin against B[a]P induced DNA damage and extrahepatic CYP enzymes on the BEC model cells. Methods: The BEC model is developed by exposing hTERT immortalized benign epithelial cells to HCl (PH4) and glycochenodeoxy cholic acid (200 μM) for 5min/day for 70 weeks leading to transformation of BE cells. . BEC-0 untransformed cells and BEC-70W transformed cells were exposed to 25 μM B[a]P for 48 hrs with or without Nano-curcumin (5μM/30min pre-incubation). Indirect Immunofluorescence was performed to quantify DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) by measuring gamma-H2AX. Real Time qPCR was performed to analyze the expression of CYP1A1, CYP1B1, CYP2U1 and CYP3A4 genes. Fold change was determined by dividing the expression of each target gene to parallel untreated cells. Results: There was a 60% increase (p<0.001) of DSBs on BEC-0 and 47% increase (p<0.001) on BEC70W cells after B[a]P treatment, which can be inhibited (p<0.001) by Nano-curcumin preincubation. Gene expression profile shows a significant increase of CYP1A1, CYP1B1, CYP2U1 and CYP3A4 mRNA transcript after B[a]P treatment on BEC-0 cells, and to a lesser extent on BEC-70W cells. These CYP genes expressions can be inhibited to basal levels by Nano-curcumin. Conclusion: Our results show that Nano-curcumin effectively inhibits B[a]P related DNA damage, and extrahepatic induced CYP enzymes in early stages of the carcinogenesis process. This observation may have chemoprevention possibility in-vivo.

Role of Nanovaccine in Immunotherapy

Nanotechnology, although not a new concept, has attained notable momentum in recent years. Due to the modern approach in material science and nano-engineering in the preceding decade, the nanoparticles have become incredibly striking for their applications in the fields of biology and medicine. There are significant applications of nanoscience in biology and biotechnology. Nanotechnology can be used to facilitate the therapy targeting immune system. The initiative that a nanostructure could be assembled, constructed and introduced into the human body to progress health, together with cellular repairs at the molecular level, is promising. The utilization of nanotechnology to medicine, known as nanomedicine, deal with the use of accurately engineered materials at this length scale to build up novel therapeutic and diagnostic modalities. Biodegradable nanoparticles are attaining amplified consideration for their capacity to serve as a feasible carrier for site specific distribution of vaccines, genes, drugs and other biomolecules in the body. They offer improved biocompatibility, superior drug/vaccine encapsulation, and expedient release profiles for several drugs, vaccines and biomolecules to be used in an array of applications in the area of medicine. The small size, customized surface, superior solubility, and multi-functionality of nanoparticles will persist to open numerous doors and generate novel biomedical applications. Certainly, the peculiar properties of nanoparticles offer the facility to interact with multifacet cellular functions in new ways. The nanomaterial is so minute that it can effortlessly enter the cell; therefore, nanomaterials can be used in vivo or in vitro for biological applications. Nanovaccine is rising as a novel path to the methodology of vaccination. Nanoparticles can also be used to cargo diverse types of cytokines like LIF and IL-6. This targeted nanoparticle approach is competent to harness endogenous immune-regulatory pathways, providing a potent new process to modulate T cell developmental plasticity in immune-mediated disease indications

Microscopic droplet formation and energy transport analysis of condensation on scalable superhydrophobic nanostructured copper oxide surfaces.

Utilization of nanotechnologies in condensation has been recognized as one opportunity to improve the efficiency of large-scale thermal power and desalination systems. High-performance and stable dropwise condensation in widely-used copper heat exchangers is appealing for energy and water industries. In this work, a scalable and low-cost nanofabrication approach was developed to fabricate superhydrophobic copper oxide (CuO) nanoneedle surfaces to promote dropwise condensation and even jumping-droplet condensation. By conducting systematic surface characterization and in situ environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM) condensation experiments, we were able to probe the microscopic formation physics of droplets on irregular nanostructured surfaces. At the early stages of condensation process, the interfacial surface tensions at the edge of CuO nanoneedles were found to influence both the local energy barriers for microdroplet growth and the advancing contact angles when droplets undergo depinning. Local surface roughness also has a significant impact on the volume of the condensate within the nanostructures and overall heat transfer from the vapor to substrate. Both our theoretical analysis and in situ ESEM experiments have revealed that the liquid condensate within the nanostructures determines the amount of the work of adhesion and kinetic energy associated with droplet coalescence and jumping. Local and global droplet growth models were also proposed to predict how the microdroplet morphology within nanostructures affects the heat transfer performance of early-stage condensation. Our quantitative analysis of microdroplet formation and growth within irregular nanostructures provides the insight to guide the anodization-based nanofabrication for enhancing dropwise and jumping-droplet condensation performance.

NANOTECHNOLOGY IN NOVEL DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEM

Nanotechnology is novel and having full scope of contribution in the field of human health care. Recent advances suggest that nanotechnology will have a profound impact on diseases prevention, diagnosis and treatment. It will allow faster drug absorption, controlled dose release with minimized side-effects. Nanotechnology plays a crucial role in revolutionizing the field of surgery, detection of disease like cancer. Drugs with high toxic potential can be given with a better safety profile with the utility of nanotechnology. It is an ideal targeting system should have long circulating time, it should be present at appropriate Concentrations at the target site, and it should not lose its activity or therapeutic efficacy while in circulation. Our aim is to review the potential applications and various drug delivery system of nanotechnology. Keywords: Nanotechnology, health care, side-effects, revolutionizing, concentrations.

ChemInform Abstract: Photochemically Controlled Molecular Machines with Sequential Logic Operation

AbstractReview: [66 refs.

Photochemically Controlled Molecular Machines with Sequential Logic Operation

AbstractA molecular machine is an assembly of molecular components (i.e., a supramolecular structure) designed to perform specific mechanical movements in response to external stimuli. Biomolecular machines are essential for living organisms and are proven examples of the feasibility and utility of nanotechnology. Artificial molecular machines have been built in the laboratory and their use for smart materials and devices is the subject of much investigation. Here we discuss molecular machines based on rotaxane‐like species, whose operation depends both on the type and sequencing of stimuli. These systems have the potential to store information and when carefully designed, the interplay of thermodynamic and kinetic features of supramolecular assemblies can yield sequential behavior. The investigation of ‘intelligent’ molecules capable of recognizing a specific input code can introduce new concepts to the field of chemistry and stimulate research in the bottom‐up construction of nanodevices.

2013 IFT International Food Nanoscience Conference: Proceedings.

The Institute of Food Technologists convened its 6th Intl. Food Nanoscience Conference in Chicago July 12 to 13, 2013. The objectives were to: (1) serve as a unique forum for exchange of insights into research developments, technology trends and applications, and risk and safety assessments; and (2) facilitate dialogue examining potential policy implications, social issues, consumer perceptions, and risk communication. An inaugural student poster competition was held to engage students who are actively involved in nanoscience-related research. John DiLoreto presented the first of 2 keynote presentations, providing an overarching big picture of the current utility of nanotechnology in multiple industry sectors. Frans Kampers and Rickey Yada presented the 2nd keynote-a global perspective of applications for the food system and information on research and other trends. Shaun Clancy addressed activities and perspectives outside the United States. Others addressed ultraviolet light as a sustainable means for improving safety and quality of liquid dairy products (Gail Barnes), the sustainable synthesis of nanomaterials (Rajender Varma), safety evaluation of nanomaterials (Michael Adams), developments relating to safety assessment of engineered nanomaterials and the NanoCharacter initiative (Richard Canady), the NanoRelease project (Richard Canady, Steve Roberts, Rickey Yada, Susann Bellmann, and Timothy Duncan), application of a gastrointestinal model for studying the behavior of nanosized layered double hydroxides (Susann Bellmann), capability of nanodelivery systems to improve bioavailability of bioactives (Lacey Simon), potential benefits of applications of nanoscience in food contact materials (Timothy Duncan), food safety implications of nanoscience (Frans Kampers), and consumer perceptions of food nanoscience (Mitchell Cheeseman).

Recent Advances in Nanotechnology: Potential Prospects in Neuromedicine and Neurosurgery

The advent and popularity of minimal access surgeries and micro-medicine techniques incur the current surge in the utilization of nanotechnology and nanodevices in medical fields. It is obvious that the observed marked increase in nanotechnology research and developments provides a future avenue that portrayed the destiny of neuromedicine and neurosurgery. In fact, it has been the cause for the realization of several potential benefits such as new procedures and therapeutic options for nervous system neoplasia, brain implantation, neuroprotection, nerve nanorepair, efficient drug delivery, nano diagnostic of neurological disease and disorders, nanoimaging, neurological manipulation using nanorobots and nanowires, real- time recording using nanowires arrays and nanocircuits etc. Certainly, nanotechnology is providing a future platform for further research and development in neuroscience and neurosurgery. However, despite the significant advances provided by nanotechnology in terms of neurosurgical procedures, modern neuroimaging and contrast media; still some significant limitations exist. Thus, the applications of nanotechnology in the field of neurosurgery and neuroscience need to be precisely understandable for more transparent and honest solutions to foster their medical potentials. This review examines the recent developments and potentials of the utilization of nanotechnology in Neuromedicine and Neurosurgery.

Nanoparticulate Transscleral Ocular Drug Delivery

Ocular drug delivery is one of the most challenging areas of drug delivery due to the unique mostly avascular nature of the major eye structures and presence of two blood barriers. Effectiveness of a more conventional systemic delivery falls short due to low drug levels in the eye tissue. Periocular approaches require penetration of fibrous sclera and present their own limitations. Utilization of nanotechnology presents new avenue of drug system development with potential to penetrate protective barriers and sustain ample tissue saturation. More specifically, transscleral delivery permits a range of applications in targeted delivery, gene, stem cell, protein and peptides, oligonucleotide, and ribozyme therapies. The exciting range of current applications is expounded in this review.

Versatile Fabrication of Complex Shaped Metal Oxide Nano-Microstructures and Their Interconnected Networks for Multifunctional Applications

Metal oxide nano-microstructures are applied in photocatalytic surfaces, sensors or biomedical engineering, proving the versatile utilization of nanotechnology. However, more complex or interconnected nano-microstructures are still seldomly met in practical applications, although they are of higher interest, due to enhanced structural, electronic and piezoelectric properties, as well as several complex biomedical effects, like antiviral characteristics. Here we attempt to present an overview of the novel, facile and cost-efficient flame transport synthesis (FTS) which allows controlled growth of different nano-microstructures and their interconnected networks in a scalable process. Various morphologies of nano-microstructures synthesized by FTS and its variants are demonstrated. These nano-microstructures have shown potential applications in different fields and the most relevant are reviewed here. Fabrication, growth mechanisms and properties of such large and highly porous three-dimensional (3D) interconnected networks of metal oxides (ZnO, SnO2, Fe2O3) nano-microstructures including carbon based aerographite material using FTS approaches are discussed along with their potential applications.

The use of life cycle tools to support decision making for sustainable nanotechnologies

Nanotechnology is a broad-impact technology with applications ranging from materials and electronics to analytical methods and metrology. The many benefits that can be realized through the utilization of nanotechnology are intended to lead to an improved quality of life. However, numerous concerns have been expressed regarding the unchecked growth of nanotechnology and the unforeseen consequences it may bring. To address the concerns, nanotechnology must be examined under the microscope of sustainability. This work applies the life cycle perspective to provide an understanding of the challenges facing the development of sustainable nanotechnology. A discussion of the holistic tools used to assess the components of sustainability serves as the basis to examine how a harmony between policy and product development can be maintained using decision making for sustainability. This harmony will be most readily achieved using an enhanced risk management strategy for sustainability that combines sustainability assessment with sustainable chemical design.

Nanotechnology for sustainable development: retrospective and outlook

The world is facing great challenges in meeting rising demands for basic commodities (e.g., food, water and energy), finished goods (e.g., cell phones, cars and airplanes) and services (e.g., shelter, healthcare and employment) while reducing and minimizing the impact of human activities on Earth’s global environment and climate. Nanotechnology has emerged as a versatile platform that could provide efficient, cost-effective and environmentally acceptable solutions to the global sustainability challenges facing society. This special issue of the Journal of Nanoparticle Research is devoted to the utilization of nanotechnology to improve or achieve sustainable development. We highlight recent advances and discuss opportunities of utilizing nanotechnology to address global challenges in (1) water purification, (2) clean energy technologies, (3) greenhouse gases management, (4) materials supply and utilization, and (5) green manufacturing and chemistry. In addition to the technical challenges listed above, we also discuss societal perspectives and provide an outlook of the role of nanotechnology in the convergence of knowledge, technology and society for achieving sustainable development.

Nanotechnology and clean energy: sustainable utilization and supply of critical materials

Advances in nanoscale science and engineering suggest that many of the current problems involving the sustainable utilization and supply of critical materials in clean and renewable energy technologies could be addressed using (i) nanostructured materials with enhanced electronic, optical, magnetic and catalytic properties and (ii) nanotechnology-based separation materials and systems that can recover critical materials from non-traditional sources including mine tailings, industrial wastewater and electronic wastes with minimum environmental impact. This article discusses the utilization of nanotechnology to improve or achieve materials sustainability for energy generation, conversion and storage. We highlight recent advances and discuss opportunities of utilizing nanotechnology to address materials sustainability for clean and renewable energy technologies.

Near-field effects and energy transfer in hybrid metal-oxide nanostructures

One of the big challenges of the 21st century is the utilization of nanotechnology for energy technology. Nanoscale structures may provide novel functionality, which has been demonstrated most convincingly by successful applications such as dye-sensitized solar cells introduced by M. Grätzel. Applications in energy technology are based on the transfer and conversion of energy. Following the example of photosynthesis, this requires a combination of light harvesting, transfer of energy to a reaction center, and conversion to other forms of energy by charge separation and transfer. This may be achieved by utilizing hybrid nanostructures, which combine metallic and nonmetallic components. Metallic nanostructures can interact strongly with light. Plasmonic excitations of such structures can cause local enhancement of the electrical field, which has been utilized in spectroscopy for many years. On the other hand, the excited states in metallic structures decay over very short lifetimes. Longer lifetimes of excited states occur in nonmetallic nanostructures, which makes them attractive for further energy transfer before recombination or relaxation sets in. Therefore, the combination of metallic nanostructures with nonmetallic materials is of great interest. We report investigations of hybrid nanostructured model systems that consist of a combination of metallic nanoantennas (fabricated by nanosphere lithography, NSL) and oxide nanoparticles. The oxide particles were doped with rare-earth (RE) ions, which show a large shift between absorption and emission wavelengths, allowing us to investigate the energy-transfer processes in detail. The main focus is on TiO2 nanoparticles doped with Eu3+, since the material is interesting for applications such as the generation of hydrogen by photocatalytic splitting of water molecules. We use high-resolution techniques such as confocal fluorescence microscopy for the investigation of energy-transfer processes. The experiments are supported by simulations of the electromagnetic field enhancement in the vicinity of well-defined nanoantennas. The results show that the presence of the nanoparticle layer can modify the field enhancement significantly. In addition, we find that the fluorescent intensities observed in the experiments are affected by agglomeration of the nanoparticles. In order to further elucidate the possible influence of agglomeration and quenching effects in the vicinity of the nanoantennas, we have used a commercial organic pigment containing Eu, which exhibits an extremely narrow particle size distribution and no significant agglomeration. We demonstrate that quenching of the Eu fluorescence can be suppressed by covering the nanoantennas with a 10 nm thick SiOx layer.

Addition of nanoscaledbioinspiredsurface features: A revolution for bone related implants and scaffolds?

Our expanding ability to handle the "literally invisible" building blocks of our world has started to provoke a seismic shift on the technology, environment and health sectors of our society. During the last two decades, it has become increasingly evident that the "nano-sized" subunits composing many materials—living, natural and synthetic—are becoming more and more accessible for predefined manipulations at the nanosize scale. The use of equally nanoscale sized or functionalised tools may, therefore, grant us unprecedented prospects to achieve many therapeutic aims. In the past decade it became clear that nano-scale surface topography significantly influences cell behaviour and may, potentially, be utilised as a powerful tool to enhance the bioactivity and/ or integration of implanted devices. In this review, we briefly outline the state of the art and some of the current approaches and concepts for the future utilisation of nanotechnology to create biomimetic implantable medical devices and scaffolds for in vivo and in vitro tissue engineering,with a focus on bone. Based on current knowledge it must be concluded that not the materials and surfaces themselves but the systematic biological evaluation of these new material concepts represent the bottleneck for new biomedical product development based on nanotechnological principles.

Advanced technology valuation of the industrial utilization of nanotechnology

This article focuses on valuation of biological wastewater treatment (WWT) technology with the application of nano-fi brous carrier. The economic analysis and assessment of this developing technology is based on the data from the technology using ™ carriers. The fi rst part describes the methods of valuation of technol- ogy. The following analyses are presented: cost analysis, depreciation model, model of production chemical agent DPG and cash fl ow model. There are sensitivity analyses exploring the impact on the price of chemical agent DPG, increase of its production, price of applied carriers and accident frequency, and pro forma income statement. Results show that the application of WWT technology with the nano-fi brous carrier is a right choice in compliance with long-term economic and ecological indicators in relation to the sustainable growth of the Nowadays, the evolution of the nanotechnology is having a great impact on most of the industrial branches. This article focuses on the application of nanotechnology in the branch of industrial waste- water treatment. This paper describes the application of nano-fi brous carrier of biomass in biological wastewater treatment facilities. This technology is being tested in a research phase at one of the projects of the Advanced Remediation Technologies and Processes Center of the Technical University in Liberec (Czech Republic). The research is being developed on the basis of diverse disciplines such as chemistry, engineering of natural resources, development of textile materials, and mathematic modeling, among others. The economic valuation of the mentioned technology is based on the comparison with the already applied technology for wastewater treatment using carriers Anoxkaldnes ™ . Because of the exist- ence of sensitive data, we decided to keep the company in anonymity and call it Company A for the purposes of this work. The aim of this article is to describe the issues and methods concerning valuation of progressive technologies focused on the industrial application of nanotechnology. We also intend to defi ne advantages and disadvantages of the application of the valuation methods in order to make a sug- gestion for further work on research and practical application of nanotechnology at the industrial branch. The whole work was developed under the aid of MS Excel in order to allow actualizations and interconnections among different parts of the model. This might lead to better orientation through the results and will, therefore, ease the decision making process. We selected the methods according to the criteria shown on Table 1.

A Realistic Utilization of Nanotechnology in Molecular Imaging and Targeted Radiotherapy of Solid Tumors

Precise dose delivery to malignant tissue in radiotherapy is of paramount importance for treatment efficacy while minimizing morbidity of surrounding normal tissues. Current conventional imaging techniques, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computerized tomography (CT), are used to define the three-dimensional shape and volume of the tumor for radiation therapy. In many cases, these radiographic imaging (RI) techniques are ambiguous or provide limited information with regard to tumor margins and histopathology. Molecular imaging (MI) modalities, such as positron emission tomography (PET) and single photon-emission computed-tomography (SPECT) that can characterize tumor tissue, are rapidly becoming routine in radiation therapy. However, their inherent low spatial resolution impedes tumor delineation for the purposes of radiation treatment planning. This review will focus on applications of nanotechnology to synergize imaging modalities in order to accurately highlight, as well as subsequently target, tumor cells. Furthermore, using such nano-agents for imaging, simultaneous coupling of novel therapeutics including radiosensitizers can be delivered specifically to the tumor to maximize tumor cell killing while sparing normal tissue.