Nanofibers for drug delivery – incorporation and release of model molecules, influence of molecular weight and polymer structure

• Jakub Hrib,
• Jakub Sirc,
• Radka Hobzova,
• Zuzana Hampejsova,
• Zuzana Bosakova,
• Marcela Munzarova and
• Jiri Michalek

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2015, 6, 1939–1945, doi:10.3762/bjnano.6.198

• primary factors that affect the diffusion mechanism and drug release. For homogenous nanofibers, the rate of release decreases with time, because the drug must travel progressively longer distances to diffuse to the fiber periphery, which requires more time. Contrary, the core–shell design provides the

• delivery system with the diffusion rate of the therapeutic agent stable throughout the life. The structure of the nanofibrous drug delivery system plays a key role in the drug release process. The fiber diameter, specific surface area, size and total volume of pores significantly influence the convection

• and diffusion of the liquid in which the nanofibers are immersed. Therefore, the drug release is also influenced. The great advantage of nanofibrous materials is that their structure, i.e., their fiber diameter, density and thickness of the nanofibrous layer, can be tailored to various requirements by

Analyzing collaboration networks and developmental patterns of nano-enabled drug delivery (NEDD) for brain cancer

• Ying Huang,
• Jing Ma,
• Alan L. Porter,
• Seokbeom Kwon and
• Donghua Zhu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2015, 6, 1666–1676, doi:10.3762/bjnano.6.169

• network analyses, at country, institution, and individual levels, to explore the patterns of scientific networking for a key nano area – nano-enabled drug delivery (NEDD). NEDD has successfully been used clinically to modulate drug release and to target particular diseased tissues. The data for this

Formation of substrate-based gold nanocage chains through dealloying with nitric acid

• Ziren Yan,
• Ying Wu and
• Junwei Di

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2015, 6, 1362–1368, doi:10.3762/bjnano.6.140

• to their solid counterparts because of the high surface area, low density, and near-infrared localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR). All these make Au NC an attractive material for various applications in optical [4][5] and electrochemical sensing [6], immunoassay [7], drug release [8], surface

PLGA nanoparticles as a platform for vitamin D-based cancer therapy

• Maria J. Ramalho,
• Joana A. Loureiro,
• Bárbara Gomes,
• Manuela F. Frasco,
• Manuel A. N. Coelho and
• M. Carmo Pereira

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2015, 6, 1306–1318, doi:10.3762/bjnano.6.135

• internalized by targeted cells, increasing intracellular drug delivery [20], allowing a sustained and controlled drug release over time [19]. Moreover, PLGA NPs could offer selective drug delivery to tumor tissue either by passive targeting with the enhanced permeability and retention effect (EPR) [18] or by

Silica micro/nanospheres for theranostics: from bimodal MRI and fluorescent imaging probes to cancer therapy

• Shanka Walia and
• Amitabha Acharya

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2015, 6, 546–558, doi:10.3762/bjnano.6.57

• 490 nm excitation. The loading efficiency was found to increase with increasing YVO4-MSN concentration. The drug release pattern also showed sustained drug release from the silica spheres. The cytotoxicity studies of DOX-loaded YVO4-MSN NPs were examined on two human cancerous cells, namely HeLa and

• spheres. Both FE-SEM and TEM images suggested that the average diameter of the magnetite–mesoporous silica spheres was around 150 nm. The mesoporous property of the prepared NPs was demonstrated by N2 adsorption/desorption isotherm studies and the pore size was found to be ca. 3.5 nm. The drug release

• profile of ibuprofen suggested that the drug release rate can be controlled by modifying the surface of the silica spheres. Further, Insin et al. [49] reported a sol–gel process for the synthesis of hybrid NPs embedded inside silica microspheres for fluorescence and magnetic resonance imaging. The

Filling of carbon nanotubes and nanofibres

• Reece D. Gately and
• Marc in het Panhuis

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2015, 6, 508–516, doi:10.3762/bjnano.6.53

• with a focused, high energy (200 keV) electron beam results in MWCNT–Co–MWCNT junction sites [45][46]. There has been considerable interest in the filling of SWCNTs and MWCNTs for drug delivery applications, for example, tip functionalization of the filled CNT for selective drug release [47][48]. A

• , drug release, VGCNFs have not yet been evaluated. Whilst they have not demonstrated the same nanoscale interactions as CNTs (such as crossing the blood–brain barrier, which is still under investigation), they may have other applications on the larger scale and allow for higher drug storage capacity

Release behaviour and toxicity evaluation of levodopa from carboxylated single-walled carbon nanotubes

• Julia M. Tan,
• Jhi Biau Foo,
• Sharida Fakurazi and
• Mohd Zobir Hussein

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2015, 6, 243–253, doi:10.3762/bjnano.6.23

• exhibited favourable, slow, sustained-release characteristics as a drug carrier with a release period over more than 20 h. The results obtained from the drug release studies of LD at different pH values showed that the LD-loaded nanohybrid is pH activated. The release kinetics of LD from SWCNT–COOH were

• ≈38.2% as determined by UV–vis spectroscopy. Fourier transform infrared spectra indicated that the LD was successfully conjugated to SWCNT–COOH, and this was further supported by both the CHNS elemental analysis and Raman spectroscopy study. The drug release study shows that the release of LD from SWCNT

• in a parallel-displaced geometry. A schematic representation of the possible noncovalent interaction (a) sandwich or (b) parallel-displaced, between LD molecules and SWCNT–COOH is given in Scheme 1. In vitro drug release response The drug release mechanisms of LD from SWCNT–COOH were studied at room

Morphological characterization of fullerene–androsterone conjugates

• Alberto Ruiz,
• Margarita Suárez,
• Nazario Martin,
• Fernando Albericio and
• Hortensia Rodríguez

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2014, 5, 374–379, doi:10.3762/bjnano.5.43

• ][7], nucleotides, sugars and steroids [8][9], have allowed the solubilization of these hybrid derivatives in aqueous media, thus enhancing certain biological activities. For the potential use of C60 derivatives as drug delivery systems, the size of the particles is important. In general, fast drug

• release was observed for small particles, although these particles tended to aggregate. For this reason, a compromise between the size and the stability of dispersion is necessary in order to develop efficient systems [10]. On the other hand, androsterone [11] is an important and well-known metabolite of

Improvement of the oxidation stability of cobalt nanoparticles

• Celin Dobbrow and
• Annette M. Schmidt

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2012, 3, 75–81, doi:10.3762/bjnano.3.9

• to their application potential in data storage [1] and in sensor applications [2], as well as for biomedical uses in therapy and diagnosis. By opening novel mechanisms for drug targeting [3], controlled drug release, hyperthermia [4][5] and imaging applications [6][7] there is a need for well

Synthesis and catalytic applications of combined zeolitic/mesoporous materials

• Jarian Vernimmen,
• Vera Meynen and
• Pegie Cool

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2011, 2, 785–801, doi:10.3762/bjnano.2.87

• catalysts [1][2][3][4][5][11], drying agents [5][12], adsorbers [5][13], sensors [14][15], controlled-drug-release agents [6][8], column-packing material [16], food additives [17], etc. According to IUPAC (International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry) nomenclature, nanoporous materials are classified