bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Changes in Volatile Compound Profiles in Cold-Pressed Oils Obtained from Various Seeds during Accelerated Storage
Authors: Gaca Anna , Kludská Eliška , Hradecký Jaromír , Hajšlová Jana , Jeleń Henryk H.
Published: January 2021

Cold-pressed oils are highly valuable sources of unsaturated fatty acids which are prone to oxidation processes, resulting in the formation of lipid oxidation products, which may deteriorate the sensory quality of the produced oil. The aim of the study was to determine the main volatile compounds which differentiate examined oils and could be used as the markers of lipid oxidation in various oils. In the experiment, cold-pressed oils—brown flaxseed, golden flaxseed, hempseed, milk thistle, black cumin, pumpkin, white poppy seed, blue poppy seed, white sesame, black sesame and argan oils from raw and roasted kernels—were analyzed. To induce oxidative changes, an accelerate storage test was performed, and oils were kept at 60 °C for 0, 2, 4, 7 and 10 days. Volatile compound profiling was performed using SPME-GC-HRToFMS. Additionally, basic measurements such as fatty acid composition, peroxide value, scavenging activity and phenolic compound contents were carried out. Multivariate statistical analyses with volatile compound profiling allow us to differentiate oils in terms of plant variety, oxidation level and seed treatment before pressing. Comparing black cumin cold-pressed oil with other oils, significant differences in volatile compound profiles and scavenging activity were observed. Compounds that may serve as indicators of undergoing oxidation processes in flaxseed, poppy seed, milk thistle and hemp oils were determined.
In Vitro Alpha-Amylase and Alpha-Glucosidase Inhibitory Activity and In Vivo Antidiabetic Activity of Withania frutescens L. Foliar Extract
Authors: Mechchate Hamza , Es-safi Imane , Louba Abdelhadi , Alqahtani Ali S. , Nasr Fahd A. , Noman Omar M. , Farooq Muhammad , Alharbi Mohammed S. , Alqahtani Abdulaziz , Bari Amina , Bekkari Hicham , Bousta Dalila
Published: January 2021

Withania frutescens L. is a wild perennial woody plant used by the local population for diverse therapeutic purposes. This work aims to study for the first time the potential inhibitory effect of this plant hydroethanolic extract on α-amylase and α-glucosidase activities using in vitro methods and its antidiabetic and antihyperglycemic activities using alloxan-induced diabetic mice as a model for experimental diabetes. Two doses were selected for the in vivo study (200 and 400 mg/kg) and glibenclamide, a well-known antidiabetic drug (positive control) in a subacute study (28 days) where the antihyperglycemic activity was also assessed over a period of 12 h on diabetic mice. The continuous treatment of diabetic mice with the extract of Withania frutescens for 4 weeks succeeded to slowly manage their high fasting blood glucose levels (after two weeks), while the antihyperglycemic test result revealed that the extract of this plant did not control hyperglycemia in the short term. No toxicity signs or death were noted for the groups treated with the plant extract, and it shows a protective effect on the liver and kidney. The in vitro assays demonstrated that the inhibition of alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase might be one of the mechanisms of action exhibited by the extract of this plant to control and prevent postprandial hyperglycemia. This work indicates that W. frutescens have an important long term antidiabetic effect that can be well established to treat diabetes.
Syntheses and Characterization of Novel Perovskite-Type LaScO3-Based Lithium Ionic Conductors
Authors: Zhao Guowei , Suzuki Kota , Hirayama Masaaki , Kanno Ryoji
Published: January 2021

Perovskite-type lithium ionic conductors were explored in the (LixLa1−x/3)ScO3 system following their syntheses via a high-pressure solid-state reaction. Phase identification indicated that a solid solution with a perovskite-type structure was formed in the range 0 ≤ x < 0.6. When x = 0.45, (Li0.45La0.85)ScO3 exhibited the highest ionic conductivity and a low activation energy. Increasing the loading of lithium as an ionic diffusion carrier expanded the unit cell volume and contributed to the higher ionic conductivity and lower activation energy. Cations with higher oxidation numbers were introduced into the A/B sites to improve the ionic conductivity. Ce4+ and Zr4+ or Nb5+ dopants partially substituted the A-site (La/Li) and B-site Sc, respectively. Although B-site doping produced a lower ionic conductivity, A-site Ce4+ doping improved the conductive properties. A perovskite-type single phase was obtained for (Li0.45La0.78Ce0.05)ScO3 upon Ce4+ doping, providing a higher ionic conductivity than (Li0.45La0.85)ScO3. Compositional analysis and crystal-structure refinement of (Li0.45La0.85)ScO3 and (Li0.45La0.78Ce0.05)ScO3 revealed increased lithium contents and expansion of the unit cell upon Ce4+ co-doping. The highest ionic conductivity of 1.1 × 10−3 S cm−1 at 623 K was confirmed for (Li0.4Ce0.15La0.67)ScO3, which is more than one order of magnitude higher than that of the (LixLa1−x/3)ScO3 system.
Investigation of the Physical, Chemical and Microbiological Stability of Losartan Potassium 5 mg/mL Extemporaneous Oral Liquid Suspension
Authors: Foley Lisa , Toney Jennifer , Barlow James W. , O’Connor Maura , Fitzgerald-Hughes Deirdre , Ramtoola Zebunnissa
Published: January 2021

Extemporaneous oral liquid preparations are commonly used when there is no commercially available dosage form for adjustable dosing. In most cases, there is a lack of stability data to allow for an accurately assigned shelf life and storage conditions to give greater confidence of product safety and efficacy over its shelf life. The aim of this study was to evaluate the physical, chemical and microbiological stability of an extemporaneous oral liquid suspension of losartan potassium, 5 mg/mL, used to treat paediatric hypertension in Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital Crumlin, Ireland. The losartan content of extemporaneous oral suspensions, prepared with and without addition of water, was measured by UV and confirmed by HPLC analysis. Suspensions were stored at 4 °C and room temperature (RT) and were monitored for changes in; pH, colour, odour, re-dispersibility, Total Aerobic Microbial Count, Total Yeast and Mould Count and absence of E. coli. Results showed that suspensions prepared by both methods, stored at 4 °C and RT, were physically and microbiologically stable over 28 days. Initial losartan content of all suspensions was lower than expected at 80–81% and did not change significantly over the 28 days. HPLC and NMR did not detect degradation of losartan in the samples. Suspensions prepared in water showed 100% losartan content. The reduced initial losartan content was confirmed by HPLC and was related to the acidic pH of the suspension vehicle. Physiochemical properties of the drug are important factors for consideration in the selection of suspension vehicle for extemporaneous compounding of oral suspensions as they can influence the quality, homogeneity and efficacy of these preparations.
Protective Effects of Polyphenol Enriched Complex Plants Extract on Metabolic Dysfunctions Associated with Obesity and Related Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Diseases in High Fat Diet-Induced C57BL/6 Mice
Authors: Hussain Ahtesham , Cho Jin Sook , Kim Jong-Seok , Lee Young Ik
Published: January 2021

Background: Currently, obesity is a global health challenge due to its increasing prevalence and associated health risk. It is associated with various metabolic diseases, including diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, stroke, certain forms of cancer, and non-alcoholic liver diseases (NAFLD). Objective: The aim of this study to evaluate the effects of polyphenol enriched herbal complex (Rubus crataegifolius/ellagic acid, Crataegus pinnatifida Bunge/vitexin, chlorogenic acid, Cinnamomum cassiaa/cinnamic acid) on obesity and obesity induced NAFLD in the high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mouse model. Methods: Obesity was induced in male C57BL/6 mice using HFD. After 8 weeks, the mice were treated with HFD+ plants extract for 8 weeks. Body weight, food intake weekly, and blood sugar level were measured. After sacrifice, changes in the treated group’s liver weight, fat weight, serum biochemical parameters, hormone levels, and enzyme levels were measured. For histological analysis, tissues were stained with hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) and Oil Red-O. Results: Our results showed that the herbal complex ameliorated body weight and liver weight gain, and decreased total body fat in HFD-fed animals. Post prandial blood glucose (PBG) and fasting blood glucose (FBG) were lower in the herbal complex-treated group than in the HFD control group. Additionally, herbal formulation treatment significantly increased HDL levels in serum and decreased TC, TG, AST, ALT, deposition of fat droplets in the liver, and intima media thickness (IMT) in the aorta. Herbal complex increased serum adiponectin and decreased serum leptin. Herbal complex also increased carnitine palmityl transferase (CPT) activity and significantly decreased enzyme activity of beta-hydroxy beta methyl glutamyl-CoA (HMG-CoA) reductase, and fatty acid synthase (FAS). Conclusions: The results of this study demonstrated that the herbal complex is an effective herbal formulation in the attenuation of obesity and obesity-induced metabolic dysfunction including NAFLD in HFD-induced mouse model.
Differential Protein Expression in Exponential and Stationary Growth Phases of Mycobacterium avium subsp. hominissuis 104
Authors: Enany Shymaa , Ato Manabu , Matsumoto Sohkichi
Published: January 2021

Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) is the most common non-tuberculous mycobacterium (NTM) and causes different types of pulmonary diseases. While genomic and transcriptomic analysis of Mycobacterium avium 104 (M. avium 104) has been extensive, little is known about the proteomics of M. avium 104. We utilized proteomics technology to analyze the changes in the whole proteome of M. avium 104 during exponential and stationary growth phases. We found 12 dys-regulated proteins; the up-regulated protein hits in the stationary phase were involved in aminopeptidase, choline dehydrogenase, oxidoreductase, and ATP binding, while the down-regulated proteins in the stationary phase were acetyl-CoA acetyltransferase, universal stress protein, catalase peroxidase, and elongation factor (Tu). The differently expressed proteins between exponential and stationary phases were implicated in metabolism and stress response, pointing to the functional adaptation of the cells to the environment. Proteomic analysis in different growth phases could participate in understanding the course of infection, the mechanisms of virulence, the means of survival, and the possible targets for treatment.
Caffeoylquinic Acid Derivatives of Purple Sweet Potato as Modulators of Mitochondrial Function in Mouse Primary Hepatocytes
Authors: Torres Andrea , Noriega Lilia G. , Delgadillo-Puga Claudia , Tovar Armando R. , Navarro-Ocaña Arturo
Published: January 2021

Owing to their antioxidant properties, caffeoylquinic acid (CQA)-derivatives could potentially improve the impaired metabolism in hepatic cells, however, their effect on mitochondrial function has not been demonstrated yet. Here, we evaluated the impact of three CQA-derivatives extracted from purple sweet potato, namely 5-CQA, 3,4- and 4,5-diCQA, on mitochondrial activity in primary hepatocytes using an extracellular flux analyzer. Notably, an increase of maximal respiration and spare respiratory capacity were observed when 5-CQA and 3,4-diCQA were added to the system indicating the improved mitochondrial function. Moreover, 3,4-diCQA was shown to considerably increase glycolytic reserve which is a measure of cell capability to respond to an energy demand through glycolysis. Conversely, 4,5-diCQA did not modify mitochondrial activity but increased glycolysis at low concentration in primary hepatocytes. All compounds tested improved cellular capacity to oxidize fatty acids. Overall, our results demonstrated the potential of test CQA-derivatives to modify mitochondrial function in hepatic cells. It is especially relevant in case of dysfunctional mitochondria in hepatocytes linked to hepatic steatosis during obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome.
Controlled Synthesis of Polyphosphazenes with Chain-Capping Agents
Authors: Montague Robert A. , Matyjaszewski Krzysztof
Published: January 2021

N-alkyl phosphoranimines were synthesized via the Staudinger reaction of four different alkyl azides with tris(2,2,2-trifluoroethyl) phosphite. N-adamantyl, N-benzyl, N-t-butyl, and N-trityl phosphoranimines were thoroughly characterized and evaluated as chain-capping compounds in the anionic polymerization of P-tris(2,2,2-trifluoroethoxy)-N-trimethylsilyl phosphoranimine monomer. All four compounds reacted with the active chain ends in a bulk polymerization, and the alkyl end groups were identified by 1H-NMR spectroscopy. These compounds effectively controlled the molecular weight of the resulting polyphosphazenes. The chain transfer constants for the monomer and N-benzyl phosphoranimine were determined using Mayo equation.
Anti-Obesity and Anti-Adipogenic Effects of Chitosan Oligosaccharide (GO2KA1) in SD Rats and in 3T3-L1 Preadipocytes Models
Authors: Lee Jung-Yun , Kim Tae Yang , Kang Hanna , Oh Jungbae , Park Joo Woong , Kim Se-Chan , Kim Minjoo , Apostolidis Emmanouil , Kim Young-Cheul , Kwon Young-In
Published: January 2021

Excess body weight is a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes (T2D) and associated metabolic complications, and weight loss has been shown to improve glycemic control and decrease morbidity and mortality in T2D patients. Weight-loss strategies using dietary interventions produce a significant decrease in diabetes-related metabolic disturbance. We have previously reported that the supplementation of low molecular chitosan oligosaccharide (GO2KA1) significantly inhibited blood glucose levels in both animals and humans. However, the effect of GO2KA1 on obesity still remains unclear. The aim of the study was to evaluate the anti-obesity effect of GO2KA1 on lipid accumulation and adipogenic gene expression using 3T3-L1 adipocytes in vitro and plasma lipid profiles using a Sprague-Dawley (SD) rat model. Murine 3T3-L1 preadipocytes were stimulated to differentiate under the adipogenic stimulation in the presence and absence of varying concentrations of GO2KA1. Adipocyte differentiation was confirmed by Oil Red O staining of lipids and the expression of adipogenic gene expression. Compared to control group, the cells treated with GO2KA1 significantly decreased in intracellular lipid accumulation with concomitant decreases in the expression of key transcription factors, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) and CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein alpha (CEBP/α). Consistently, the mRNA expression of downstream adipogenic target genes such as fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4), fatty acid synthase (FAS), were significantly lower in the GO2KA1-treated group than in the control group. In vivo, male SD rats were fed a high fat diet (HFD) for 6 weeks to induced obesity, followed by oral administration of GO2KA1 at 0.1 g/kg/body weight or vehicle control in HFD. We assessed body weight, food intake, plasma lipids, levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) for liver function, and serum level of adiponectin, a marker for obesity-mediated metabolic syndrome. Compared to control group GO2KA1 significantly suppressed body weight gain (185.8 ± 8.8 g vs. 211.6 ± 20.1 g, p < 0.05) with no significant difference in food intake. The serum total cholesterol, triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels were significantly lower in the GO2KA1-treated group than in the control group, whereas the high-density lipoprotein (HDL) level was higher in the GO2KA1 group. The GO2KA1-treated group also showed a significant reduction in ALT and AST levels compared to the control. Moreover, serum adiponectin levels were significantly 1.5-folder higher than the control group. These in vivo and in vitro findings suggest that dietary supplementation of GO2KA1 may prevent diet-induced weight gain and the anti-obesity effect is mediated in part by inhibiting adipogenesis and increasing adiponectin level.
Ellagitannins and Oligomeric Proanthocyanidins of Three Polygonaceous Plants
Authors: Li Yun-Qiu , Kitaoka Masako , Takayoshi Juri , Wang Ya-Feng , Matsuo Yosuke , Saito Yoshinori , Huang Yong-Lin , Li Dian-Peng , Nonaka Gen-ichiro , Jiang Zhi-Hong , Tanaka Takashi
Published: January 2021

The aim of this study was to characterize hydrolyzable tannins in Polygonaceous plants, as only a few plants have previously been reported to contain ellagitannins. From Persicaria chinensis, a new hydrolyzable tannin called persicarianin was isolated and characterized to be 3-O-galloyl-4,6-(S)-dehydrohexahydroxydiphenoyl-d-glucose. Interestingly, acid hydrolysis of this compound afforded ellagic acid, despite the absence of a hexahydroxydiphenoyl group. From the rhizome of Polygonum runcinatum var. sinense, a large amount of granatin A, along with minor ellagitannins, helioscpoinin A, davicratinic acids B and C, and a new ellagitannin called polygonanin A, were isolated. Based on 2D nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopic examination, the structure of polygonanin A was determined to be 1,6-(S)-hexahydroxydiphenoyl-2,4-hydroxychebuloyl-β-d-glucopyranose. These are the second and third hydrolyzable tannins isolated from Polygonaceous plants. In addition, oligomeric proanthocyanidins of Persicaria capitatum and P. chinensis were characterized by thiol degradation. These results suggested that some Polygonaceous plants are the source of hydrolyzable tannins not only proanthocyanidins.
Erratum: Song, K.; et al. Molecular Network-Guided Alkaloid Profiling of Aerial Parts of Papaver nudicaule L. Using LC-HRMS. Molecules 2020, 25, 2636
Authors: Song Kwangho , Oh Jae-Hyeon , Lee Min Young , Lee Seok-Geun , Ha In Jin
Published: January 2021

The authors wish to make the following change to their paper [...]
Synthesis of the Hexahydropyrrolo-[3,2-c]-quinoline Core Structure and Strategies for Further Elaboration to Martinelline, Martinellic Acid, Incargranine B, and Seneciobipyrrolidine
Authors: Haarr Marianne B. , Sydnes Magne O.
Published: January 2021

Natural products are rich sources of interesting scaffolds possessing a plethora of biological activity. With the isolation of the martinella alkaloids in 1995, namely martinelline and martinellic acid, the pyrrolo[3,2-c]quinoline scaffold was discovered. Since then, this scaffold has been found in two additional natural products, viz. incargranine B and seneciobipyrrolidine. These natural products have attracted attention from synthetic chemists both due to the interesting scaffold they contain, but also due to the biological activity they possess. This review highlights the synthetic efforts made for the preparation of these alkaloids and formation of analogues with interesting biological activity.
Vibrational Spectra of Zeolite Y as a Function of Ion Exchange
Authors: Król Magdalena , Koleżyński Andrzej , Mozgawa Włodzimierz
Published: January 2021

Zeolite Y is one of the earliest known and most widely used synthetic zeolites. Many experimental investigations verify the valuable ion exchange capability of this zeolite. In this study, we assessed the effects of ion exchange on its vibrational spectra. We applied classical lattice dynamics methods for IR and Raman intensity calculations. Computed spectra of optimized zeolite Y structures with different cations were compared with experimental data. The spectra obtained in this study are in agreement with previous experimental and computational studies on zeolites from the faujasite group.
Forming Cognitive Maps of Ontologies Using Interactive Visualizations
Authors: Demelo Jonathan , Sedig Kamran
Published: January 2021

Ontology datasets, which encode the expert-defined complex objects mapping the entities, relations, and structures of a domain ontology, are increasingly being integrated into the performance of challenging knowledge-based tasks. Yet, it is hard to use ontology datasets within our tasks without first understanding the ontology which it describes. Using visual representation and interaction design, interactive visualization tools can help us learn and develop our understanding of unfamiliar ontologies. After a review of existing tools which visualize ontology datasets, we find that current design practices struggle to support learning tasks when attempting to build understanding of the ontological spaces within ontology datasets. During encounters with unfamiliar spaces, our cognitive processes align with the theoretical framework of cognitive map formation. Furthermore, designing encounters to promote cognitive map formation can improve our performance during learning tasks. In this paper, we examine related work on cognitive load, cognitive map formation, and the use of interactive visualizations during learning tasks. From these findings, we formalize a set of high-level design criteria for visualizing ontology datasets to promote cognitive map formation during learning tasks. We then perform a review of existing tools which visualize ontology datasets and assess their interface design towards their alignment with the cognitive map framework. We then present PRONTOVISE (PRogressive ONTOlogy VISualization Explorer), an interactive visualization tool which applies the high-level criteria within its design. We perform a task-based usage scenario to illustrate the design of PRONTOVISE. We conclude with a discussion of the implications of PRONTOVISE and its use of the criteria towards the design of interactive visualization tools which help us develop understanding of the ontological space within ontology datasets.
Heterofullerene MC59 (M = B, Si, Al) as Potential Carriers for Hydroxyurea Drug Delivery
Authors: Wang Peng , Yan Ge , Zhu Xiaodong , Du Yingying , Chen Da , Zhang Jinjuan
Published: January 2021

As a representative nanomaterial, C60 and its derivatives have drawn much attention in the field of drug delivery over the past years, due to their unique geometric and electronic structures. Herein, the interactions of hydroxyurea (HU) drug with the pristine C60 and heterofullerene MC59 (M = B, Si, Al) were investigated using the density functional theory calculations. The geometric and electronic properties in terms of adsorption configuration, adsorption energy, Hirshfeld charge, frontier molecular orbitals, and charge density difference are calculated. In contrast to pristine C60, it is found that HU molecule is chemisorbed on the BC59, SiC59, and AlC59 molecules with moderate adsorption energy and apparent charge transfer. Therefore, heterofullerene BC59, SiC59, and AlC59 are expected to be promising carriers for hydroxyurea drug delivery.
Editorial for the Special Issue From Nanoinformatics to Nanomaterials Risk Assessment and Governance
Authors: Lynch Iseult , Afantitis Antreas , Greco Dario , Dusinska Maria , Banares Miguel A. , Melagraki Georgia
Published: January 2021

Ensuring the safe and responsible use of nanotechnologies and nanoscale materials is imperative to maximize consumer confidence and drive commercialization of nano-enabled products that underpin innovation and advances in every industrial sector [...]
Optical Sensitivity of Waveguides Inscribed in Nanoporous Silicate Framework
Authors: Lijing Zhong , Zakoldaev Roman A. , Sergeev Maksim M. , Petrov Andrey B. , Veiko Vadim P. , Alodjants Alexander P.
Published: January 2021

Laser direct writing technique in glass is a powerful tool for various waveguides’ fabrication that highly develop the element base for designing photonic devices. We apply this technique to fabricate waveguides in porous glass (PG). Nanoporous optical materials for the inscription can elevate the sensing ability of such waveguides to higher standards. The waveguides were fabricated by a single-scan approach with femtosecond laser pulses in the densification mode, which resulted in the formation of a core and cladding. Experimental studies revealed three types of waveguides and quantified the refractive index contrast (up to Δn = 1.2·10−2) accompanied with ~1.2 dB/cm insertion losses. The waveguides demonstrated the sensitivity to small objects captured by the nanoporous framework. We noticed that the deposited ethanol molecules (3 µL) on the PG surface influence the waveguide optical properties indicating the penetration of the molecule to its cladding. Continuous monitoring of the output near field intensity distribution allowed us to determine the response time (6 s) of the waveguide buried at 400 µm below the glass surface. We found that the minimum distinguishable change of the refractive index contrast is 2 × 10−4. The results obtained pave the way to consider the waveguides inscribed into PG as primary transducers for sensor applications.
Status Quo in Data Availability and Predictive Models of Nano-Mixture Toxicity
Authors: Trinh Tung X. , Kim Jongwoon
Published: January 2021

Co-exposure of nanomaterials and chemicals can cause mixture toxicity effects to living organisms. Predictive models might help to reduce the intensive laboratory experiments required for determining the toxicity of the mixtures. Previously, concentration addition (CA), independent action (IA), and quantitative structure–activity relationship (QSAR)-based models were successfully applied to mixtures of organic chemicals. However, there were few studies concerning predictive models for toxicity of nano-mixtures before June 2020. Previous reviews provided comprehensive knowledge of computational models and mechanisms for chemical mixture toxicity. There is a gap in the reviewing of datasets and predictive models, which might cause obstacles in the toxicity assessment of nano-mixtures by using in silico approach. In this review, we collected 183 studies of nano-mixture toxicity and curated data to investigate the current data and model availability and gap and to derive research challenges to facilitate further experimental studies for data gap filling and the development of predictive models.
Pool Boiling of Nanofluids on Biphilic Surfaces: An Experimental and Numerical Study
Authors: Freitas Eduardo , Pontes Pedro , Cautela Ricardo , Bahadur Vaibhav , Miranda João , Ribeiro Ana P. C. , Souza Reinaldo R. , Oliveira Jeferson D. , Copetti Jacqueline B. , Lima Rui , Pereira José E. , Moreira António L. N. , Moita Ana S.
Published: January 2021

This study addresses the combination of customized surface modification with the use of nanofluids, to infer on its potential to enhance pool-boiling heat transfer. Hydrophilic surfaces patterned with superhydrophobic regions were developed and used as surface interfaces with different nanofluids (water with gold, silver, aluminum and alumina nanoparticles), in order to evaluate the effect of the nature and concentration of the nanoparticles in bubble dynamics and consequently in heat transfer processes. The main qualitative and quantitative analysis was based on extensive post-processing of synchronized high-speed and thermographic images. To study the nucleation of a single bubble in pool boiling condition, a numerical model was also implemented. The results show an evident benefit of using biphilic patterns with well-established distances between the superhydrophobic regions. This can be observed in the resulting plot of the dissipated heat flux for a biphilic pattern with seven superhydrophobic spots, δ = 1/d and an imposed heat flux of 2132 w/m2. In this case, the dissipated heat flux is almost constant (except in the instant t* ≈ 0.9 when it reaches a peak of 2400 W/m2), whilst when using only a single superhydrophobic spot, where the heat flux dissipation reaches the maximum shortly after the detachment of the bubble, dropping continuously until a new necking phase starts. The biphilic patterns also allow a controlled bubble coalescence, which promotes fluid convection at the hydrophilic spacing between the superhydrophobic regions, which clearly contributes to cool down the surface. This effect is noticeable in the case of employing the Ag 1 wt% nanofluid, with an imposed heat flux of 2132 W/m2, where the coalescence of the drops promotes a surface cooling, identified by a temperature drop of 0.7 °C in the hydrophilic areas. Those areas have an average temperature of 101.8 °C, whilst the average temperature of the superhydrophobic spots at coalescence time is of 102.9 °C. For low concentrations as the ones used in this work, the effect of the nanofluids was observed to play a minor role. This can be observed on the slight discrepancy of the heat dissipation decay that occurred in the necking stage of the bubbles for nanofluids with the same kind of nanoparticles and different concentration. For the Au 0.1 wt% nanofluid, a heat dissipation decay of 350 W/m2 was reported, whilst for the Au 0.5 wt% nanofluid, the same decay was only of 280 W/m2. The results of the numerical model concerning velocity fields indicated a sudden acceleration at the bubble detachment, as can be qualitatively analyzed in the thermographic images obtained in this work. Additionally, the temperature fields of the analyzed region present the same tendency as the experimental results.
Microfabrication and Surface Functionalization of Soda Lime Glass through Direct Laser Interference Patterning
Authors: Soldera Marcos , Alamri Sabri , Sürmann Paul Alexander , Kunze Tim , Lasagni Andrés Fabián
Published: January 2021

All-purpose glasses are common in many established and emerging industries, such as microelectronics, photovoltaics, optical components, and biomedical devices due to their outstanding combination of mechanical, optical, thermal, and chemical properties. Surface functionalization through nano/micropatterning can further enhance glasses’ surface properties, expanding their applicability into new fields. Although laser structuring methods have been successfully employed on many absorbing materials, the processability of transparent materials with visible laser radiation has not been intensively studied, especially for producing structures smaller than 10 µm. Here, interference-based optical setups are used to directly pattern soda lime substrates through non-lineal absorption with ps-pulsed laser radiation in the visible spectrum. Line- and dot-like patterns are fabricated with spatial periods between 2.3 and 9.0 µm and aspect ratios up to 0.29. Furthermore, laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) with a feature size of approximately 300 nm are visible within these microstructures. The textured surfaces show significantly modified properties. Namely, the treated surfaces have an increased hydrophilic behavior, even reaching a super-hydrophilic state for some cases. In addition, the micropatterns act as relief diffraction gratings, which split incident light into diffraction modes. The process parameters were optimized to produce high-quality textures with super-hydrophilic properties and diffraction efficiencies above 30%.
Electrophoretic Deposition of Aged and Charge Controlled Colloidal Copper Sulfide Nanoparticles
Authors: Park Yoonsu , Kang Hyeri , Jeong Wooseok , Son Hyungbin , Ha Don-Hyung
Published: January 2021

Colloidal nanoparticles (NPs) have been recently spotlighted as building blocks for various nanostructured devices. Their collective properties have been exhibited by arranging them on a substrate to form assembled NPs. In particular, electrophoretic deposition (EPD) is an emerging fabrication method for such nanostructured films. To maximize the benefits of this method, further studies are required to fully elucidate the key parameters that influence the NP deposition. Herein, two key parameters are examined, namely: (i) the aging of colloidal NPs and (ii) the charge formation by surface ligands. The aging of Cu2-xS NPs changes the charge states, thus leading to different NP deposition behaviors. The SEM images of NP films, dynamic light scattering, and zeta potential results demonstrated that the charge control and restoration of interparticle interactions for aged NPs were achieved via simple ligand engineering. The charge control of colloidal NPs was found to be more dominant than the influence of aging, which can alter the surface charges of the NPs. The present results thus reveal that the charge formation on the colloidal NPs, which depends on the surface ligands, is an important controllable parameter in EPD.
Experimental Investigation on Stability, Viscosity, and Electrical Conductivity of Water-Based Hybrid Nanofluid of MWCNT-Fe2O3
Authors: Giwa Solomon O. , Sharifpur Mohsen , Ahmadi Mohammad H. , Sohel Murshed S. M. , Meyer Josua P.
Published: January 2021

The superiority of nanofluid over conventional working fluid has been well researched and proven. Newest on the horizon is the hybrid nanofluid currently being examined due to its improved thermal properties. This paper examined the viscosity and electrical conductivity of deionized water (DIW)-based multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT)-Fe2O3 (20:80) nanofluids at temperatures and volume concentrations ranging from 15 °C to 55 °C and 0.1–1.5%, respectively. The morphology of the suspended hybrid nanofluids was characterized using a transmission electron microscope, and the stability was monitored using visual inspection, UV–visible, and viscosity-checking techniques. With the aid of a viscometer and electrical conductivity meter, the viscosity and electrical conductivity of the hybrid nanofluids were determined, respectively. The MWCNT-Fe2O3/DIW nanofluids were found to be stable and well suspended. Both the electrical conductivity and viscosity of the hybrid nanofluids were augmented with respect to increasing volume concentration. In contrast, the temperature rise was noticed to diminish the viscosity of the nanofluids, but it enhanced electrical conductivity. Maximum increments of 35.7% and 1676.4% were obtained for the viscosity and electrical conductivity of the hybrid nanofluids, respectively, when compared with the base fluid. The obtained results were observed to agree with previous studies in the literature. After fitting the obtained experimental data, high accuracy was achieved with the formulated correlations for estimating the electrical conductivity and viscosity. The examined hybrid nanofluid was noticed to possess a lesser viscosity in comparison with the mono-particle nanofluid of Fe2O3/water, which was good for engineering applications as the pumping power would be reduced.
Inorganic and Polymeric Nanoparticles for Human Viral and Bacterial Infections Prevention and Treatment
Authors: Aguilera-Correa John Jairo , Esteban Jaime , Vallet-Regí María
Published: January 2021

Infectious diseases hold third place in the top 10 causes of death worldwide and were responsible for more than 6.7 million deaths in 2016. Nanomedicine is a multidisciplinary field which is based on the application of nanotechnology for medical purposes and can be defined as the use of nanomaterials for diagnosis, monitoring, control, prevention, and treatment of diseases, including infectious diseases. One of the most used nanomaterials in nanomedicine are nanoparticles, particles with a nano-scale size that show highly tunable physical and optical properties, and the capacity to a wide library of compounds. This manuscript is intended to be a comprehensive review of the available recent literature on nanoparticles used for the prevention and treatment of human infectious diseases caused by different viruses, and bacteria from a clinical point of view by basing on original articles which talk about what has been made to date and excluding commercial products, but also by highlighting what has not been still made and some clinical concepts that must be considered for futures nanoparticles-based technologies applications.
αvβ3-Specific Gold Nanoparticles for Fluorescence Imaging of Tumor Angiogenesis
Authors: Pretze Marc , von Kiedrowski Valeska , Runge Roswitha , Freudenberg Robert , Hübner René , Davarci Güllü , Schirrmacher Ralf , Wängler Carmen , Wängler Björn
Published: January 2021

This paper reports on the development of tumor-specific gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) as theranostic tools intended for target accumulation and the detection of tumor angiogenesis via optical imaging (OI) before therapy is performed, being initiated via an external X-ray irradiation source. The AuNPs were decorated with a near-infrared dye, and RGD peptides as the tumor targeting vector for αvβ3-integrin, which is overexpressed in tissue with high tumor angiogenesis. The AuNPs were evaluated in an optical imaging setting in vitro and in vivo exhibiting favorable diagnostic properties with regards to tumor cell accumulation, biodistribution, and clearance. Furthermore, the therapeutic properties of the AuNPs were evaluated in vitro on pUC19 DNA and on A431 cells concerning acute and long-term toxicity, indicating that these AuNPs could be useful as radiosensitizers in therapeutic concepts in the future.
Advanced G-MPS-PMMA Bone Cements: Influence of Graphene Silanisation on Fatigue Performance, Thermal Properties and Biocompatibility
Authors: Paz Eva , Ballesteros Yolanda , Abenojar Juana , Dunne Nicholas , del Real Juan C.
Published: January 2021

The incorporation of well-dispersed graphene (G) powder to polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) bone cement has been demonstrated as a promising solution to improving its mechanical performance. However, two crucial aspects limit the effectiveness of G as a reinforcing agent: (1) the poor dispersion and (2) the lack of strong interfacial bonds between G and the matrix of the bone cement. This work reports a successful functionalisation route to promote the homogenous dispersion of G via silanisation using 3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxy silane (MPS). Furthermore, the effects of the silanisation on the mechanical, thermal and biocompatibility properties of bone cements are presented. In comparison with unsilanised G, the incorporation of silanised G (G_MPS1 and G_MPS2) increased the bending strength by 17%, bending modulus by 15% and deflection at failure by 17%. The most impressive results were obtained for the mechanical properties under fatigue loading, where the incorporation of G_MPS doubled the Fatigue Performance Index (I) value of unsilanised G-bone cement—meaning a 900% increase over the I value of the cement without G. Additionally, to ensure that the silanisation did not have a negative influence on other fundamental properties of bone cement, it was demonstrated that the thermal properties and biocompatibility were not negatively impacted—allowing its potential clinical progression.
Effects of Doxorubicin Delivery by Nitrogen-Doped Graphene Quantum Dots on Cancer Cell Growth: Experimental Study and Mathematical Modeling
Authors: Frieler Madison , Pho Christine , Lee Bong Han , Dobrovolny Hana , Akkaraju Giridhar R. , Naumov Anton V.
Published: January 2021

With 18 million new cases diagnosed each year worldwide, cancer strongly impacts both science and society. Current models of cancer cell growth and therapeutic efficacy in vitro are time-dependent and often do not consider the Emax value (the maximum reduction in the growth rate), leading to inconsistencies in the obtained IC50 (concentration of the drug at half maximum effect). In this work, we introduce a new dual experimental/modeling approach to model HeLa and MCF-7 cancer cell growth and assess the efficacy of doxorubicin chemotherapeutics, whether alone or delivered by novel nitrogen-doped graphene quantum dots (N-GQDs). These biocompatible/biodegradable nanoparticles were used for the first time in this work for the delivery and fluorescence tracking of doxorubicin, ultimately decreasing its IC50 by over 1.5 and allowing for the use of up to 10 times lower doses of the drug to achieve the same therapeutic effect. Based on the experimental in vitro studies with nanomaterial-delivered chemotherapy, we also developed a method of cancer cell growth modeling that (1) includes an Emax value, which is often not characterized, and (2), most importantly, is measurement time-independent. This will allow for the more consistent assessment of the efficiency of anti-cancer drugs and nanomaterial-delivered formulations, as well as efficacy improvements of nanomaterial delivery.
Atomic Oxygen-Resistant Polyimide Composite Films Containing Nanocaged Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxane Components in Matrix and Fillers
Authors: Zhang Yan , Wu Hao , Guo Yi-dan , Yang Yan-bin , Yu Qiang , Liu Jin-gang , Wu Bo-han , Lv Feng-zhu
Published: January 2021

For the development of spacecraft with long-servicing life in low earth orbit (LEO), high-temperature resistant polymer films with long-term atomic oxygen (AO) resistant features are highly desired. The relatively poor AO resistance of standard polyimide (PI) films greatly limited their applications in LEO spacecraft. In this work, we successfully prepared a series of novel AO resistant PI composite films containing nanocaged polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) components in both the PI matrix and the fillers. The POSS-containing PI matrix film was prepared from a POSS-substituted aromatic diamine, N-[(heptaisobutyl-POSS)propyl]-3,5-diaminobenzamide (DABA-POSS) and a common aromatic diamine, 4,4′-oxydianline (ODA) and the aromatic dianhydride, pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA) by a two-step thermal imidization procedure. The POSS-containing filler, trisilanolphenyl POSS (TSP-POSS) was added with the fixed proportion of 20 wt% in the final films. Incorporation of TSP-POSS additive apparently improved the thermal stability, but decreased the high-temperature dimensional stable nature of the PI composite films. The 5% weight loss temperature (T5%) of POSS-PI-20 with 20 wt% of DABA-POSS is 564 °C, and its coefficient of linear thermal expansion (CTE) is 81.0 × 10−6/K. The former is 16 °C lower and the latter was 20.0 × 10−6/K higher than those of the POSS-PI-10 film (T5% = 580 °C, CTE = 61.0 × 10−6/K), respectively. POSS components endowed the PI composite films excellent AO resistance and self-healing characteristics in AO environments. POSS-PI-30 exhibits the lowest AO erosion yield (Es) of 1.64 × 10−26 cm3/atom under AO exposure with a flux of 2.51 × 1021 atoms/cm2, which is more than two orders of magnitude lower than the referenced PI (PMDA-ODA) film. Inert silica or silicate passivation layers were detected on the surface of the PI composite films exposed to AO.
An Application of Multivariate Data Analysis to Photoacoustic Imaging for the Spectral Unmixing of Gold Nanorods in Biological Tissues
Authors: Maturi Mirko , Armanetti Paolo , Menichetti Luca , Comes Franchini Mauro
Published: January 2021

Gold nanorods (GNRs) showed to be a suitable contrast agent in photoacoustics (PA), and are able to provide a tunable absorption contrast against background tissue, while a detectable PA signal can be generated from highly localized and targeted areas. A crucial issue for these imaging techniques is represented by the discrimination between exogenous and endogenous contrast and the assessment of the real PA signal magnitude. The application of image resolution/unmixing methods was implemented and optimized to recover the relative magnitude spectra and distribution maps of image constituents of the biological sample based on multivariate analysis (multivariate curve resolution—alternating least squares, MCR-ALS) in the presence of GNRs with tunable absorption properties. The proposed data analysis methodology is demonstrated on real PA images from experimental animal models and ex-vivo preparations.
Development of a New Hyaluronic Acid Based Redox-Responsive Nanohydrogel for the Encapsulation of Oncolytic Viruses for Cancer Immunotherapy
Authors: Deng Siyuan , Iscaro Alessandra , Zambito Giorgia , Mijiti Yimin , Minicucci Marco , Essand Magnus , Lowik Clemens , Muthana Munitta , Censi Roberta , Mezzanotte Laura , Di Martino Piera
Published: January 2021

Oncolytic viruses (OVs) are emerging as promising and potential anti-cancer therapeutic agents, not only able to kill cancer cells directly by selective intracellular viral replication, but also to promote an immune response against tumor. Unfortunately, the bioavailability under systemic administration of OVs is limited because of undesired inactivation caused by host immune system and neutralizing antibodies in the bloodstream. To address this issue, a novel hyaluronic acid based redox responsive nanohydrogel was developed in this study as delivery system for OVs, with the aim to protect the OVs following systemic administration. The nanohydrogel was formulated by water in oil (W/O) nanoemulsion method and cross-linked by disulfide bonds derived from the thiol groups of synthesized thiolated hyaluronic acid. One DNA OV Ad[I/PPT-E1A] and one RNA OV Rigvir® ECHO-7 were encapsulated into the developed nanohydrogel, respectively, in view of their potential of immunovirotherapy to treat cancers. The nanohydrogels showed particle size of approximately 300–400 nm and negative zeta potential of around −13 mV by dynamic light scattering (DLS). A uniform spherical shape of the nanohydrogel was observed under the scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM), especially, the successfully loading of OV into nanohydrogel was revealed by TEM. The crosslinking between the hyaluronic acid chains was confirmed by the appearance of new peak assigned to disulfide bond in Raman spectrum. Furthermore, the redox responsive ability of the nanohydrogel was determined by incubating the nanohydrogel into phosphate buffered saline (PBS) pH 7.4 with 10 μM or 10 mM glutathione at 37 °C which stimulate the normal physiological environment (extracellular) or reductive environment (intracellular or tumoral). The relative turbidity of the sample was real time monitored by DLS which indicated that the nanohydrogel could rapidly degrade within 10 h in the reductive environment due to the cleavage of disulfide bonds, while maintaining the stability in the normal physiological environment after 5 days. Additionally, in vitro cytotoxicity assays demonstrated a good oncolytic activity of OVs-loaded nanohydrogel against the specific cancer cell lines. Overall, the results indicated that the developed nanohydrogel is a delivery system appropriate for viral drugs, due to its hydrophilic and porous nature, and also thanks to its capacity to maintain the stability and activity of encapsulated viruses. Thus, nanohydrogel can be considered as a promising candidate carrier for systemic administration of oncolytic immunovirotherapy.
Editorial for Special Issue: Nanostructured Surfaces and Thin Films Synthesis by Physical Vapor Deposition
Authors: Palmero Alberto , Alcala German , Alvarez Rafael
Published: January 2021

The scientific interest in the growth of nanostructured surfaces and thin films by means of physical vapor deposition (PVD) techniques has undoubtedly increased in the last decade [...]
Magnetic Hyperthermia on γ-Fe2O3@SiO2 Core-Shell Nanoparticles for mi-RNA 122 Detection
Authors: Horny Marie-Charlotte , Gamby Jean , Dupuis Vincent , Siaugue Jean-Michel
Published: January 2021

Magnetic hyperthermia on core-shell nanoparticles bears promising achievements, especially in biomedical applications. Here, thanks to magnetic hyperthermia, γ-Fe2O3 cores are able to release a DNA target mimicking the liver specific oncotarget miRNA-122. Our silica coated magnetic nanoparticles not only allow the grafting at their surface of a significant number of oligonucleotides but are also shown to be as efficient, by local heating, as 95 °C global heating when submitted to an alternative magnetic field, while keeping the solution at 28 °C, crucial for biological media and energy efficiency. Moreover, a slight modification of the silica coating process revealed an increased heating power, well adapted for the release of small oligonucleotides such as microRNA.