Green SPIONs as a novel highly selective treatment for leishmaniasis: an in vitro study against Leishmania amazonensis intracellular amastigotes

• Brunno R. F. Verçoza,
• Robson R. Bernardo,
• Luiz Augusto S. de Oliveira and
• Juliany C. F. Rodrigues

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 893–903, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.73

• behavior at room temperature, and are taken up by macrophages without being toxic for these mammalian cells [9]. The application of SPIONs in treating leishmaniasis has been studied by different groups over the past few years, showing promising and satisfactory results [10][11][12][13]; thus, using SPIONs

• ability of both promastigotes and intracellular amastigotes to uptake SPIONs from the culture medium. The acquisition of iron by Leishmania intracellular amastigotes that live inside mammalian host cells is important for cell differentiation and the pathogenesis of the disease [19][20][21]. Thus, it is

• software to estimate them. CC50 values are essential to calculate the selective index (SI), and both quantities are important to understand how effective the nanoparticles are against the parasite while being less toxic for mammalian cells (Table 1). The SI revealed that the SPIONs were highly selective

Biomimetics on the micro- and nanoscale – The 25th anniversary of the lotus effect

• Matthias Mail,
• Kerstin Koch,
• Thomas Speck,
• William M. Megill and
• Stanislav N. Gorb

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 850–856, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.69

• biological processes and surface interactions involved in the bioselective adhesion of mammalian cells. The second topic of the review was on repellence of microbes on protein-based material surfaces, highlighting the importance of materials made of recombinant spider silk proteins. Biomaterials that

• the hierarchically structured surface of a lotus leaf. The first level of the surface structure consists of papillae formed by epidermal cells with a height and diameter of several microns. c) This structure is covered by wax crystals, leading to the extreme superhydrophobicity of the surface

Nanostructured lipid carriers containing benznidazole: physicochemical, biopharmaceutical and cellular in vitro studies

• Giuliana Muraca,
• María Esperanza Ruiz,
• Rocío C. Gambaro,
• Sebastián Scioli-Montoto,
• María Laura Sbaraglini,
• Gisel Padula,
• José Sebastián Cisneros,
• Cecilia Yamil Chain,
• Vera A. Álvarez,
• Cristián Huck-Iriart,
• Guillermo R. Castro,
• María Belén Piñero,
• Matias Ildebrando Marchetto,
• Catalina Alba Soto,
• Germán A. Islan and
• Alan Talevi

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 804–818, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.66

• . cruzi compared to free BNZ. No formulation-related cytotoxic effects were observed on either Vero or CHO cells. Moreover, BNZ showed a 50% reduction in CHO cell viability at 125 µg/mL, whereas NLC-BNZ and non-loaded NLC did not exert a significant effect on cell viability at the same concentration

• repulsion after adding a non-ionic surfactant [41]. Cytotoxicity and hemolytic activity Cytotoxicity assays using the tetrazolium 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide salt method (MTT) showed that Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO) viability was affected by BNZ concentration in a dose

• attributed to the release profile of BNZ from NLC, exposing cells to lower doses of BNZ during the first stages of cellular division. This is a remarkable result, as toxic effects of BZN are a major cause of treatment discontinuation in the clinical setting [42]. Additionally, cytotoxicity was evaluated in

Silver nanoparticles loaded on lactose/alginate: in situ synthesis, catalytic degradation, and pH-dependent antibacterial activity

• Nguyen Thi Thanh Tu,
• T. Lan-Anh Vo,
• T. Thu-Trang Ho,
• Kim-Phuong T. Dang,
• Van-Dung Le,
• Phan Nhat Minh,
• Chi-Hien Dang,
• Vinh-Thien Tran,
• Van-Su Dang,
• Tran Thi Kim Chi,
• Hieu Vu-Quang,
• Radek Fajgar,
• Thi-Lan-Huong Nguyen,
• Van-Dat Doan and
• Thanh-Danh Nguyen

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 781–792, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.64

• release of silver ions or electrostatic interaction between AgNPs and microbial cells, have been proposed [21][22]. The AgNPs might release silver ions capable of binding to nucleic acids, thereby, exhibiting antibacterial activity [23][24]. Consequently, any silver-containing composite material with

• antibacterial properties can serve as a source of silver ions. Another mechanism involves the electrostatic attraction between negatively charged microbial cells and positively charged AgNPs [25]. Because of their affinity to sulfur proteins and through electrostatic attraction, silver ions can bind to both

Carboxylic acids and light interact to affect nanoceria stability and dissolution in acidic aqueous environments

• Matthew L. Hancock,
• Eric A. Grulke and
• Robert A. Yokel

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 762–780, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.63

• , distribution, and toxicity of nanoceria within biological systems. Cellular uptake studies of nanoceria in lung adenocarcinoma (A549) cells favored particles with a negative zeta potential. However, positively charged particles resulted in greater bovine serum albumin adsorption. This suggests that surface

In situ magnesiothermic reduction synthesis of a Ge@C composite for high-performance lithium-ion batterie anodes

• Ha Tran Huu,
• Ngoc Phi Nguyen,
• Vuong Hoang Ngo,
• Huy Hoang Luc,
• Minh Kha Le,
• Minh Thu Nguyen,
• My Loan Phung Le,
• Hye Rim Kim,
• In Young Kim,
• Sung Jin Kim,
• Van Man Tran and
• Vien Vo

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 751–761, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.62

• electrodes. The obtained slurry was cast onto copper foil using an automatic film coater and dried in a vacuum oven at 80 °C for 10 h. Discs (diameter of 12 mm with a mass loading of the active material of around 1.2 mg·cm−2) punched from the film were used as a working electrodes. CR2032 coin cells, in half

• . Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was carried out at the open-circuit voltage of the assembled cells after 6 h of resting on a Biologic VSP3 potentiostat. A sinusoidal signal with an amplitude of 10.0 mV and a frequency varying exponentially from 10 mHz to 100 kHz was used. (a) XRD patterns, (b) FTIR

Nanoarchitectonics for advanced applications in energy, environment and biology: Method for everything in materials science

• Katsuhiko Ariga

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 738–740, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.60

• systems [36], nanoarchitectonics to entrap living cells [37], among other papers in which the concept of nanoarchitectonics has been applied to a variety of targets. Nanoarchitectonics integrates many existing disciplines and bridges nanotechnology and materials science. Due to the universality of the

Cross-sectional Kelvin probe force microscopy on III–V epitaxial multilayer stacks: challenges and perspectives

• Mattia da Lisca,
• José Alvarez,
• James P. Connolly,
• Nicolas Vaissiere,
• Karim Mekhazni,
• Jean Decobert and
• Jean-Paul Kleider

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 725–737, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.59

• Electronique de Paris, 91192, Gif-sur-Yvette, France Sorbonne Université CNRS, Laboratoire de Génie Electrique et Electronique de Paris, 75252, Paris, France III-V Lab, 1 Avenue Augustin Fresnel, 97167 Palaiseau, France 10.3762/bjnano.14.59 Abstract Multilayer III–V-based solar cells are complex devices

• ; surface photovoltage; Introduction The development of photovoltaic (PV) technologies has progressed significantly over the past twenty years as a result of considerable advancements in solar cell device engineering and material science. As a consequence, solar cells have turned into complex structures

Nanomaterials for photocatalysis and applications in environmental remediation and renewable energy

• Viet Van Pham and
• Wee-Jun Ong

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 722–724, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.58

• semiconductor materials for sustainable applications; for instance, dye solar cells, solar-driven water splitting, NOx removal, and contaminant degradation. The synthesis of semiconductor nanomaterials published on this thematic issue indicates a wide range of synthetic routes. The as-prepared nanomaterials

• with various morphologies demonstrated many preeminent features in the above applications. In detail, the MoS2 with a honeycomb-like structure was first synthesized by an electrochemical route and applied in dye-sensitized solar cells [19], which expressed a higher applicability than that of other

• nanomaterials for environmental remediation and sustainable applications; for instance, dye solar cells, solar-driven water splitting, NOx removal, and contaminant degradation. This Thematic Issue will make a good reference material and be of great use for scientists in nanomaterials fields. Viet Van Pham and

Humidity-dependent electrical performance of CuO nanowire networks studied by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy

• Jelena Kosmaca,
• Juris Katkevics,
• Jana Andzane,
• Raitis Sondors,
• Liga Jasulaneca,
• Raimonds Meija,
• Kiryl Niherysh,
• Yelyzaveta Rublova and
• Donats Erts

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 683–691, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.54

• −12, and “pseudo chi imaginary” was less than 1.0 × 10−10, meaning that these spectra are valid for further analysis [36]. The EIS model of the whole tested sample consisted of 152 electrochemical cells, formed by nanowires interconnecting a pair of electrodes, connected in a parallel circuit. Using

Investigations on the optical forces from three mainstream optical resonances in all-dielectric nanostructure arrays

• Guangdong Wang and
• Zhanghua Han

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 674–682, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.53

• strong laser beam generates a piconewton level of force, which can be used to manipulate small dielectric particles, including biological entities such as DNA, enzymes, and cells. The underlying physics of nanoparticle manipulation by optical tweezers can be interpreted as the trend of the particle to

Titania nanoparticles for photocatalytic degradation of ethanol under simulated solar light

• Evghenii Goncearenco,
• Iuliana P. Morjan,
• Claudiu Teodor Fleaca,
• Florian Dumitrache,
• Elena Dutu,
• Monica Scarisoreanu,
• Valentin Serban Teodorescu,
• Alexandra Sandulescu,
• Crina Anastasescu and
• Ioan Balint

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 616–630, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.51

• components to substances that catalyze decomposition processes. They have a bandgap that varies from one material to another. Titanium dioxide is a semiconductor material and has been investigated, at first, for solar cells [1][2][3][4] and as optoelectronic component [5][6][7]. In recent years, it has been

Transferability of interatomic potentials for silicene

• Marcin Maździarz

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 574–585, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.48

• ) fitted to a wide range of properties of 3D silicon determined from DFT calculations Results and Discussion Structural and mechanical properties Basic cells for the five silicene polymorphs, that is, flat (FS) (hP2, P6/mmm, no.191), low-buckled (LBS) (hP2, , no.164), trigonal dumbbell (TDS) (hP7, , no.189

Observation of multiple bulk bound states in the continuum modes in a photonic crystal cavity

• Rui Chen,
• Yi Zheng,
• Xingyu Huang,
• Qiaoling Lin,
• Chaochao Ye,
• Meng Xiong,
• Martijn Wubs,
• Yungui Ma,
• Minhao Pu and
• Sanshui Xiao

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 544–551, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.45

• Q factors [29][30]. Photonic crystals (PhCs) are composed of periodic unit cells that modulate the propagation of electromagnetic waves by defining allowed and forbidden energy bands. Because of the slow group velocity, photons are confined in the transverse direction at the band edge of the PhC. By

Nanoarchitectonics to entrap living cells in silica-based systems: encapsulations with yolk–shell and sepiolite nanomaterials

• Celia Martín-Morales,
• Jorge Fernández-Méndez,
• Pilar Aranda and
• Eduardo Ruiz-Hitzky

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 522–534, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.43

• Biological Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), C/ José Antonio Novais 12, 28040 Madrid, Spain 10.3762/bjnano.14.43 Abstract In the present work, the bottom-up fabrication of biohybrid materials using a nanoarchitectonics approach has been applied to entrap living cells. Unicellular

• microorganisms, that is, cyanobacteria and yeast cells, have been immobilized in silica and silicate-based substrates organized as nanostructured materials. In a first attempt, matrices based on bionanocomposites of chitosan and alginate incorporating sepiolite clay mineral and shaped as films, beads, or foams

• sol–gel methods, as well as pre-synthesised yolk–shell bionanohybrids have been studied subsequently. Optical microscopy and SEM confirm that the silica shell microstructures provide a reduced contact between cells. The inorganic matrix increases the survival of the cells and maintains their

The origin of black and white coloration of the Asian tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae)

• Manuela Rebora,
• Gianandrea Salerno,
• Silvana Piersanti,
• Alexander Kovalev and
• Stanislav N. Gorb

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 496–508, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.41

• (Figure 4b–d,h). Such nanovoids originate from the rests of epidermal cells and appear in TEM as white or light grey areas inside the scales, together with electron-dense debris (Figure 4h). Their occurrence is higher at the bases of microribs, because the cuticle thickness is higher there (Figure 4h

• the rest of epidermal cells, are occasionally visible between them (arrows). The cuticular microribs (arrow heads) along the ridges (R) appear in the cross section as small lateral globular bulges. Tarsal black and white scales of Aedes albopictus female in a light microscope. (a) Dry white scales

Specific absorption rate of randomly oriented magnetic nanoparticles in a static magnetic field

• Ruslan A. Rytov and
• Nikolai A. Usov

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 485–493, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.39

• the tumor in the range of 41–43 °C over several medical treatments leads to the tumor destruction, as well as to the activation of the body’s immune response to cancer cells [8]. However, the introduction of MH into clinical practice is hindered by a number of difficulties. Unfortunately, it is not

Plasmonic nanotechnology for photothermal applications – an evaluation

• A. R. Indhu,
• L. Keerthana and
• Gnanaprakash Dharmalingam

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 380–419, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.33

New trends in nanobiotechnology

• Pau-Loke Show,
• Kit Wayne Chew,
• Wee-Jun Ong,
• Sunita Varjani and
• Joon Ching Juan

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 377–379, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.32

• , Selangor, 43900, Malaysia School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, 999077, Hong Kong 10.3762/bjnano.14.32 Keywords: biocompatible nanoparticles; cancer cells; carrageenan; cytotoxic selectivity; green synthesis methods; nanobiotechnology; SARS-CoV-2; self

• infection caused by SARS-CoV-2. Another important topic covered in this thematic issue is presented in this article: “In search of cytotoxic selectivity on cancer cells with biogenically synthesized Ag/AgCl nanoparticles” [7]. This work explores the use of pineapple waste for the synthesis of silver and

• silver chloride nanoparticles, along with the analysis of the selective cytotoxicity of these nanoparticles on healthy and cancerous cells. The work aims to contribute to the production of alternative nanomaterials obtained from waste for therapeutic applications with emphasis on disease mitigation

Quercetin- and caffeic acid-functionalized chitosan-capped colloidal silver nanoparticles: one-pot synthesis, characterization, and anticancer and antibacterial activities

• Akif Hakan Kurt,
• Elif Berna Olutas,
• Fatma Avcioglu,
• Hamza Karakuş,
• Mehmet Ali Sungur,
• Cansu Kara Oztabag and
• Muhammet Yıldırım

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 362–376, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.31

• glioblastoma) and ARPE-19 (human retinal pigment epithelium) cells. Both NPs showed anticancer activity, but Ch/Q-Ag NPs seemed to be more effective on cancer cell lines (U-118 MG) in comparison to healthy ones (ARPE-19). Furthermore, the antibacterial activity of Ch/Q- and Ch/CA-Ag NPs against Gram-negative

• (P. aeruginosa and E. coli) and Gram-positive (S. aureus and S. epidermidis) bacteria was determined, and dose-dependent antibacterial effects were found. Keywords: Ag NPs; anticancer and antibacterial effects; caffeic acid; chitosan; one-pot synthesis; quercetin; U-118 MG and ARPE-19 cells

• high dose (500 µM) for 24 h. It decreased cell viability by 75% in glioblastoma cells and by 25% in non-cancerous cells (data not shown). From this, it can be concluded that the selected cancer drug is highly specific to the cancer cells [56]. Therefore, human glioblastoma (U-118 MG) cell lines were

The steep road to nonviral nanomedicines: Frequent challenges and culprits in designing nanoparticles for gene therapy

• Yao Yao,
• Yeongun Ko,
• Grant Grasman,
• Jeffery E. Raymond and
• Joerg Lahann

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 351–361, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.30

• (only 6% used 3D imaging, Figure 1a3) [19]. Furthermore, the subjective interpretation of results obtained by imaging techniques cannot be neglected [17]. Based on 50 studies regarding NP-mediated delivery of plasmid DNA to cells/tissues, only a small fraction reported systematic image quantification

• data sets at rates greater than one thousand cells per second [20]. This allows for a more robust statistical analysis resulting in a greater degree of confidence. In spite of its clear merits, this technique has not been accepted by the community as much as imaging (reported in less than 50% of the

• papers, Figure 1b). Despite the robust data it can provide, flow cytometry counts the total number of cells associated with NPs and cannot distinguish internalized cargo from surface-bound NPs [1][17]. To precisely quantify internalization, a secondary method is required that can differentiate between

Polymer nanoparticles from low-energy nanoemulsions for biomedical applications

• Santiago Grijalvo and
• Carlos Rodriguez-Abreu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 339–350, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.29

• inherent cytotoxicity of PLGA may come from the accumulation of the degraded polymer components leading to changes in osmolality of the culture medium [50]. Other in vitro studies also reported that the size of PLGA nanoparticles had a significant impact on cytotoxicity against BEAS-2B and RAW264.7 cells

• were obtained upon solvent removal. High colloidal stability (longer than three months without sedimentation), high encapsulation efficiency (>99%), slow drug release (only 15% of the drug after five days), and low cytotoxicity against HeLa cells (cell viability > 80%) were observed. In vivo tests

• and cell viabilities higher than 75% (for concentrations below 100 nM). These nanoparticles displayed high gene silencing efficiencies (up to 90%) targeting Renilla luciferase mRNA, particularly when coated with PEG (Figure 3) and did not show hemolysis after incubation with red blood cells. PLGA

Overview of mechanism and consequences of endothelial leakiness caused by metal and polymeric nanoparticles

• Magdalena Lasak and
• Karol Ciepluch

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 329–338, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.28

• considered one of the best materials with anticancer properties. Most of the administered NPs that end up in the bloodstream interact with the endothelial layer. The interaction of the NPs with the endothelium widens the existing gaps or induces new ones in the monolayer of vascular endothelial cells, thus

• cells, the inner lining of blood vessels controls the two-way transport of molecules and ions circulating in the blood and protects the inner tissue environment from harmful and dangerous substances [1][2][3][4]. The endothelium secretes vasodilation factors (e.g., nitric oxide and prostacyclin) and

• )), fibrinolysis (e.g., tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI)), and blood clotting processes (e.g., tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI)) [4][6][7][8][9][10]. In addition, endothelial cells are involved in the immune response of the body. Endothelial cells regulate

Quasi-guided modes resulting from the band folding effect in a photonic crystal slab for enhanced interactions of matters with free-space radiations

• Kaili Sun,
• Yangjian Cai,
• Uriel Levy and
• Zhanghua Han

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 322–328, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.27

• choosing the proper incident angles. (a) Schematic of the photonic crystal slab structure of air holes in a silicon layer. (b) Top view of the unit cells for two cases. Left: the square lattice of the original structure, right: the distorted rectangular lattice with a period of 2a × a. Dispersion curves of

Bismuth-based nanostructured photocatalysts for the remediation of antibiotics and organic dyes

• Akeem Adeyemi Oladipo and
• Faisal Suleiman Mustafa

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 291–321, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.26

• ][66]. Fluoroquinolones have a detrimental impact on the morphology and photosynthesis of plants, as well as on the ability of eukaryotic cells to synthesise DNA and replicate plastids. Streptomycin prevents Hordeum vulgare from producing chlorophyll, while ciprofloxacin, enrofloxacin, and