Effects of substrate stiffness on the viscoelasticity and migration of prostate cancer cells examined by atomic force microscopy

• Xiaoqiong Tang,
• Yan Zhang,
• Jiangbing Mao,
• Yuhua Wang,
• Zhenghong Zhang,
• Zhengchao Wang and
• Hongqin Yang

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 560–569, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.47

• unclear how mechanical properties regulate the cellular response to the environmental matrix. In this study, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and laser confocal imaging were used to qualitatively evaluate the relationship between substrate stiffness and migration of prostate cancer (PCa) cells. Cells

• mechanical properties may be correlated with the migration of PCa cells. After actin depolymerisation, the elasticity of the PCa cells decreased while the viscosity increased, and the migration ability was correspondingly decreased. In conclusion, this study clearly demonstrated the relationship between

• substrate stiffness and the mechanical properties of cells in prostate tumour metastasis, providing a basis for understanding the changes in the biomechanical properties at a single-cell level. Keywords: actin cytoskeleton; atomic force microscopy; migration; prostate cancer cells; substrate stiffness

Ciprofloxacin-loaded dissolving polymeric microneedles as a potential therapeutic for the treatment of S. aureus skin infections

• Sharif Abdelghany,
• Walhan Alshaer,
• Yazan Al Thaher,
• Maram Al Fawares,
• Amal G. Al-Bakri,
• Saja Zuriekat and
• Randa SH. Mansour

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 517–527, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.43

• activity of ciprofloxacin-loaded polymeric microneedles against S. aureus. Agarose gel, a transparent gelatinous substance composed of a carbohydrate polymer extracted from certain red seaweed, was proposed in recent studies as an in vitro model for the mechanical properties of the human skin [22][23

• skin. Parafilm has been proposed as a model that simulates the mechanical properties of porcine skin [36], which is similar in barrier properties to human skin [37]. In a study to assess the insertion depth of microneedles in Parafilm, no significant difference was shown in the insertion depth between

• mechanical properties, many studies have shown better mechanical properties of PVA/PVP hydrogels [39][40][41]. In one study, the tensile strength of PVA hydrogel was increased by 133% after blending with less than 2% w/w PVP [42]. This is due to the formation of relatively strong hydrogen bonds between the

Design and characterization of polymeric microneedles containing extracts of Brazilian green propolis

• Camila Felix Vecchi,
• Rafaela Said dos Santos,
• Jéssica Bassi da Silva and
• Marcos Luciano Bruschi

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 503–516, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.42

• time, the design of MNs composed of PVA, PVP, and P407 as a polymeric platform for the delivery of alcoholic and glycolic green propolis extracts. MN formulations were characterized regarding their morphology, dimensions, and mechanical properties. Selected MN formulations (E3, E6, E9, and G6

Effect of sample treatment on the elastic modulus of locust cuticle obtained by nanoindentation

• Chuchu Li,
• Stanislav N. Gorb and
• Hamed Rajabi

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 404–410, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.33

• materials. This is mostly because measuring the mechanical properties of insect cuticle is very challenging in practice. One of these challenges is associated with the rather fast desiccation rate of cuticle, as it loses its water shortly after removal from insect body [5]. Only small changes in the water

• properties obtained from nanoindentations are not influenced by the geometry of specimens. Hence, nanoindentation is one of the most suitable methods to measure the mechanical properties of cuticle specimens, which usually have complicated shapes. We chose locust hind tibiae as they were used in the former

• study by Aberle et al. [9], enabling us to compare our results with those from the literature. Our results not only allowed us to systematically analyze the effect of different treatments on the mechanical properties of insect cuticle but also to provide a guideline for more accurate measurements of the

Micro- and nanotechnology in biomedical engineering for cartilage tissue regeneration in osteoarthritis

• Zahra Nabizadeh,
• Mahmoud Nasrollahzadeh,
• Hamed Daemi,
• Mohamadreza Baghaban Eslaminejad,
• Ali Akbar Shabani,
• Mehdi Dadashpour,
• Majid Mirmohammadkhani and
• Davood Nasrabadi

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 363–389, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.31

• the mechanical properties of cartilage [7][9]. Collagen type II is believed to account for 75% of fetal collagen. This amount increases to 90% in mature adults. Collagen type II is found in articular cartilage and the eyes and is considered an indicator of hyaline cartilage [7]. Collagen synthesis is

• purposes is the subject of many studies [19] in which natural polymers, synthetic polymers, or their combination were used to provide a biomimetic microenvironment, which not only includes biological cues, but also provides the desired mechanical properties. The progress in materials science has revealed

• factors in the microsphere-incorporated scaffolds. Microspheres can be independently assembled and used as building blocks for microsphere-based scaffold structures to provide the desired mechanical properties and improve the capability to control release [21]. Designing a properly controlled release

Effects of drug concentration and PLGA addition on the properties of electrospun ampicillin trihydrate-loaded PLA nanofibers

• Tuğba Eren Böncü and
• Nurten Ozdemir

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 245–254, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.19

• concentration (4–12%) and addition of PLGA (20–80%) on the spinnability of the solutions, morphology, average nanofiber diameter, encapsulation efficiency, drug release, and mechanical properties of PLA and PLA/PLGA nanofibers were examined. All nanofibers were bead-free and uniform. They had favorable

• encapsulation efficiency (approx. 90%) and mechanical properties. The increase in the amount of ampicillin trihydrate caused an increase in the diameter and burst effect of the nanofibers. The drug release ended on the 7th and 3rd day with nanofibers containing 4% and 12% of drug, respectively. The prolonged

• produced with enhanced encapsulation efficiency and mechanical properties, resulting in controlled and tailored release of ampicillin trihydrate for at least ten days. In conclusion, it was demonstrated that the addition of PLGA in different ratios and the amount of drug can be manipulated to obtain the

Relationship between corrosion and nanoscale friction on a metallic glass

• Haoran Ma and
• Roland Bennewitz

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 236–244, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.18

• ); corrosion; friction; metallic glass; passive film; Introduction Metallic glasses (MGs) exhibit excellent mechanical properties including extraordinary hardness and strength [1][2]. Thus, MGs have emerged as novel wear-resistant materials with high potential in tribological applications [3][4][5][6][7][8

Engineered titania nanomaterials in advanced clinical applications

• Padmavati Sahare,
• Paulina Govea Alvarez,
• Juan Manual Sanchez Yanez,
• Gabriel Luna-Bárcenas,
• Samik Chakraborty,
• Sujay Paul and
• Miriam Estevez

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 201–218, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.15

• , proliferation, and differentiation of the osteoblasts. However, the low fracture toughness and brittleness of akermanite have limited its use in load-bearing sites of bone tissue. To strengthen the mechanical properties nanoscale titania (nano-TiO2) was distributed into the ceramic matrix. A remarkable

• improvement in the mechanical properties was observed after the incorporation of 5 wt of nano-TiO2 and a bone-like apatite structure was formed in simulated body fluid (SBF), which supported cell attachment and growth, showing the potential for bone TE applications [73]. Human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs) are

Theoretical understanding of electronic and mechanical properties of 1T′ transition metal dichalcogenide crystals

• Seyedeh Alieh Kazemi,
• Sadegh Imani Yengejeh,
• Vei Wang,
• William Wen and
• Yun Wang

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 160–171, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.11

• properties of the monolayers shows that the interlayer van der Waals forces can slightly weaken the TM–X covalent bonding strength, which can further influence the mechanical properties. These insights revealed by our theoretical studies may boost more applications of 1T′ TMD materials. Keywords: 1T

• to their composition and structural polytypes. However, experimental measurements of the electronic and mechanical properties of 2D materials face the challenge of synthesizing high-quality pristine crystals. Thus, numerical simulations have become a promising alternative due to the relatively good

• ability to predict the mechanical characteristics of 1T′ TMD materials [33]. In this comparative study, the electronic and mechanical properties including shear modulus (G), bulk modulus (B), Young’s modulus (Y), Poisson’s ratio (ν), and microhardness (H), of MoS2, MoSe2, WS2, and WSe2 crystals with the

A comprehensive review on electrospun nanohybrid membranes for wastewater treatment

• Senuri Kumarage,
• Imalka Munaweera and
• Nilwala Kottegoda

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 137–159, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.10

• . 3.3 Ambient parameters 3.3.1 Relative humidity. It has been reported that relative humidity has a direct impact on morphology and diameter of the fibers, which in turn affect the mechanical properties of the fibers. Pelipenko et al. investigated the impact of relative humidity on fiber morphology and

• the mechanical properties of electrospun PVA, PEO, and blends of PVA/hyaluronic acid (HA) and PEO/CS in acetic acid [42]. They have observed that the fiber diameter decreases with increasing relative humidity from 4 to 70%, but with a higher relative standard deviation. Also, at high relative humidity

• used in fabricating membranes for microfiltration (MF) and membrane distillation (MD) can be applied only to the materials that are chemically stable and can resist high temperatures. Membranes produced by sintering have a low porosity of 10–20% and stretched membranes have weak mechanical properties

Nanoscale friction and wear of a polymer coated with graphene

• Robin Vacher and
• Astrid S. de Wijn

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 63–73, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.4

• mechanical properties were already being utilised in engineering applications. Graphite powder, essentially thick flakes of graphene, has been used as a lubricant additive for over a century to reduce wear and friction during sliding [5][6][7]. Nevertheless, we still do not understand the wide variety of

• local frictional heating leading to a change in mechanical properties of the polymer below the tip. In the case of the crumpled graphene sheet (Figure 12), the frictional curve is subject to more fluctuations. The calculation of the average frictional force taken between support displacements of 50 and

Alteration of nanomechanical properties of pancreatic cancer cells through anticancer drug treatment revealed by atomic force microscopy

• Xiaoteng Liang,
• Shuai Liu,
• Xiuchao Wang,
• Dan Xia and
• Qiang Li

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 1372–1379, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.101

• Chemistry of Ministry of Education, And School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan, 250100, Shandong, China Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute & Hospital, Tianjin, 300060, China 10.3762/bjnano.12.101 Abstract The mechanical properties of cells are key to the

• regulation of cell activity, and hence to the health level of organisms. Here, the morphology and mechanical properties of normal pancreatic cells (HDPE6-C7) and pancreatic cancer cells (AsPC-1, MIA PaCa-2, BxPC-3) were studied by atomic force microscopy. In addition, the mechanical properties of MIA PaCa-2

• development of early diagnosis methods is of importance. The traditional biological methods to research pancreatic cancer are based on molecular genetics and gene signaling. However, the mechanical properties of cells, which can enable cells to express various biological functions have been ignored [4

Two dynamic modes to streamline challenging atomic force microscopy measurements

• Alexei G. Temiryazev,
• Andrey V. Krayev and
• Marina P. Temiryazeva

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 1226–1236, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.90

• periodically with a frequency of 1–2 kHz. In addition to the surface profile, contact methods allow one to obtain some information on the mechanical properties of the material, provided that the contact area between the tip and the sample can be modeled with a reasonable degree of accuracy. In the case of the

• classical contact mode, the friction force can be measured; when using off-resonance dynamic modes, stiffness and adhesion in the samples can be determined. Obviously, in determining the mechanical properties, the force of tip–surface interaction should be somewhat greater than that required if the task is

• contrast obtained in this case, as in the case of AM-AFM, allows one to probe the heterogeneity of the mechanical properties of the surface [28], but it is free from artifacts associated with the influence of the surface profile on the feedback error (phase change at the step boundaries). Thus, in

Self-assembly of amino acids toward functional biomaterials

• Huan Ren,
• Lifang Wu,
• Lina Tan,
• Yanni Bao,
• Yuchen Ma,
• Yong Jin and
• Qianli Zou

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 1140–1150, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.85

• Fmoc groups, Fmoc-lysine and Fmoc-aspartic acid, by two-step self-assembly, which had an ultra-low critical gelling concentration and good mechanical properties and can be used for 2D/3D cell scaffolds and the production of conductive soft composites. In addition, Fmoc-amino acids can be co-assembled

An overview of microneedle applications, materials, and fabrication methods

• Zahra Faraji Rad,
• Philip D. Prewett and
• Graham J. Davies

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 1034–1046, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.77

• crystal silicon and provide a degree of biodegradability, but their fabrication methods are relatively complex and involve the use of toxic and corrosive chemicals like HF. In addition, the mechanical properties of materials, including Young’s modulus, significantly degrade with increasing porosity. (Note

• are currently receiving more interest because of biocompatibility, superior mechanical properties, low material cost, and biodegradability. The low-cost of fabrication is an additional advantage of polymer microneedles over silicon. It is increasingly clear that the favoured fabrication methods used

• (COP) material using this method [5]. Fabrication and use of metal microneedles In addition to silicon and polymers, microneedles are also fabricated from metals including nickel, titanium, stainless steel, and palladium. Metals provide good mechanical properties and biocompatibility for microneedle

Effects of temperature and repeat layer spacing on mechanical properties of graphene/polycrystalline copper nanolaminated composites under shear loading

• Chia-Wei Huang,
• Man-Ping Chang and
• Te-Hua Fang

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 863–877, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.65

• ) composites under shear loading are investigated by molecular dynamics simulations. The effects of different temperatures, graphene chirality, repeat layer spacing, and grain size on the mechanical properties, such as failure mechanism, dislocation, and shear modulus, are observed. The results indicate that

• properties in various fields, such as supercapacitors, integrated electrodes, catalysis, and sensors [10][11][12][13]. Furthermore, the interaction between graphene and matrix materials directly affects the mechanical properties of composites [14]. The van der Waals force between graphene and metals can

• increase the strength of composites [15][16]. Thus, graphene–metal composites are regarded as important three-dimensional composites. Numerous studies on the enhancement of mechanical properties of graphene–metal composites have been reported. Chu et al. demonstrated that with 10 vol % graphene

Comprehensive review on ultrasound-responsive theranostic nanomaterials: mechanisms, structures and medical applications

• Sepand Tehrani Fateh,
• Lida Moradi,
• Elmira Kohan,
• Michael R. Hamblin and
• Amin Shiralizadeh Dezfuli

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 808–862, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.64

A review of defect engineering, ion implantation, and nanofabrication using the helium ion microscope

• Frances I. Allen

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 633–664, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.52

• focused helium ion beam of the HIM. Wang et al. used the HIM to conduct a systematic study of the effect of such a helium gas bubble superlattice on the mechanical properties of copper, which is representative of a range of fcc alloys that are known to exhibit radiation tolerance [78]. Copper nanopillar

Properties of graphene deposited on GaN nanowires: influence of nanowire roughness, self-induced nanogating and defects

• Jakub Kierdaszuk,
• Piotr Kaźmierczak,
• Justyna Grzonka,
• Aleksandra Krajewska,
• Aleksandra Przewłoka,
• Wawrzyniec Kaszub,
• Zbigniew R. Zytkiewicz,
• Marta Sobanska,
• Maria Kamińska,
• Andrzej Wysmołek and
• Aneta Drabińska

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 566–577, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.47

• engineering. Keywords: carrier concentration; gallium nitride; graphene; nanowires; Raman spectroscopy; scattering on defects; strain; Introduction The combination of excellent electrical and mechanical properties with interesting physical phenomena occurring in two-dimensional structures makes graphene an

Local stiffness and work function variations of hexagonal boron nitride on Cu(111)

• Abhishek Grewal,
• Yuqi Wang,
• Matthias Münks,
• Klaus Kern and
• Markus Ternes

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 559–565, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.46

• the contact potential difference measured by Kelvin probe force microscopy. Using 3D force profiles of the same area we determine the relative stiffness of the Moiré region allowing us to analyse both electronic and mechanical properties of the 2D layer simultaneously. We obtain a sheet stiffness of

• modulation [30]. To shed more light on this controversy we use an alternative method to verify the mechanical properties of the monolayer by measuring the stiffness of the h-BN layer at different locations of the superstructure and comparing these results with concomitantly recorded local work function

• that h-BN/Cu(111) undergoes no significant deformation. Also, the histogram of the decay constant κ in Figure 4f reveals only negligible differences between rim (κ = 9.2 ± 1.3 nm−1) and bridge areas (κ = 8.9 ± 1.4 nm−1) indicating almost no difference in the mechanical properties between different

Determining amplitude and tilt of a lateral force microscopy sensor

• Oliver Gretz,
• Alfred J. Weymouth,
• Thomas Holzmann,
• Korbinian Pürckhauer and
• Franz J. Giessibl

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 517–524, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.42

• , the energy input required to maintain the oscillation amplitude constant can be measured to calculate the calibration factor [21]. Besides these experimental methods, the amplitude can be also calibrated by calculating the electro-mechanical properties of the cantilever [22]. This theoretical method

Reconstruction of a 2D layer of KBr on Ir(111) and electromechanical alteration by graphene

• Zhao Liu,
• Antoine Hinaut,
• Stefan Peeters,
• Sebastian Scherb,
• Ernst Meyer,
• Maria Clelia Righi and
• Thilo Glatzel

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 432–439, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.35

• reduced by the decoupling effect of graphene, thus yielding different electrical and mechanical properties of the top KBr layer. Keywords: DFT; graphene; Ir(111); KBr; KPFM; nc-AFM; surface reconstruction; Introduction Many two-dimensional (2D) materials have excellent optical, mechanical

The patterning toolbox FIB-o-mat: Exploiting the full potential of focused helium ions for nanofabrication

• Victor Deinhart,
• Lisa-Marie Kern,
• Jan N. Kirchhof,
• Sabrina Juergensen,
• Joris Sturm,
• Enno Krauss,
• Thorsten Feichtner,
• Sviatoslav Kovalchuk,
• Michael Schneider,
• Dieter Engel,
• Bastian Pfau,
• Bert Hecht,
• Kirill I. Bolotin,
• Stephanie Reich and
• Katja Höflich

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 304–318, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.25

• resonators based on suspended single-layer graphene Used FIB-o-mat features: low-level beam path generation and automation via stage control, patterns optimized for speed to generate a large number of trampolines with varying bridge widths. Atomically thin graphene has extraordinary mechanical properties [3

Determination of elastic moduli of elastic–plastic microspherical materials using nanoindentation simulation without mechanical polishing

• Hongzhou Li and
• Jialian Chen

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 213–221, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.17

• computational study regarding the instrumented nanoindentation of elastic–plastic microspherical materials. The ratio between elastic modulus of the microsphere and the initial yield stress of the microsphere was systematically varied from 10 to 1000 to cover the mechanical properties of most materials

• characterization of the mechanical behavior of filaments [1], thin films [2], microplastics, coatings, powders, small crystals, and other materials at small scales. One of the great advantages of the technique is that many mechanical properties of materials can be determined from the analysis of indentation load

• area of the indenter at a specified depth. These effects can result in measurement errors of mechanical properties [9]. Without taking into account that the real contact area and the cross-sectional area of the indenter are different, the measured indentation modulus/hardness would be too high in the

A review on the biological effects of nanomaterials on silkworm (Bombyx mori)

• Sandra Senyo Fometu,
• Guohua Wu,
• Lin Ma and
• Joan Shine Davids

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 190–202, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.15

• BmNPVs. This decreased the virus pathogenicity and improved the survival rate of the affected silkworms. The effects of nanomaterials on the silk fibers of silkworms Silkworm silk is gaining popularity in the textile industry because of its shiny appearance and excellent mechanical properties [156][157

• ][158]. Improving the luster and the quality of silkworm silk is imperative and studies are being carried out in this direction. Feeding silkworms with nanomaterials, such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs), titanium dioxide, copper, and graphene has been reported to improve the mechanical properties and

• secondary structures of silkworm silk [159][160]. To study silk quality, the mechanical properties, crystalline structure, and thermal stability of the silk fiber are usually taken into consideration. Scientists have reported that the hindrance of the conformational transition of silk fibroin from a random