Hierarchical Bi₂WO₆/TiO₂-nanotube composites derived from natural cellulose for visible-light photocatalytic treatment of pollutants

• Zehao Lin,
• Zhan Yang and
• Jianguo Huang

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 745–762, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.66

• ][8]. However, the wide bandgap of TiO2 inhibits the absorption of light in the visible region and the rapid recombination of photogenerated electron−hole pairs restrains its photocatalytic activity. It has been verified that constructing TiO2-based heterostructured composites by using visible-light

• bionics procedure using natural cellulose can be used in the fabrication of Bi2WO6/TiO2 composites. However, the relationship between the structure and activity of these compounds still remain to be deeply investigated. In this work, cellulose-derived Bi2WO6/TiO2-NT heterostructured composites were

• and Bi2WO6 phases. Meanwhile, the relationships between structure and activity of the nanocomposite, reasons for the enhancement of the photocatalytic performances, and possible photocatalytic mechanism of Bi2WO6/TiO2-NT nanocomposites were explored and discussed. Experimental Chemicals Toluene

A nonenzymatic reduced graphene oxide-based nanosensor for parathion

• Sarani Sen,
• Anurag Roy,
• Ambarish Sanyal and
• Parukuttyamma Sujatha Devi

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 730–744, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.65

• , ethyl parathion, fenitrothion, chlorpyrifos, paraoxon, ethion, and acephate) are based on the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity (an indirect method) [8][9][10]. Some organic molecules and metal cations also act as an inhibitor of AChE. Thus, interference-free detection of OP in

• , selective, sensitive, and point-of-care (POC) analytical tools for monitoring environmental pollutants [2][11]. They can also detect residual OPs based on their electrocatalytic activity and affinity toward nanomaterials, such as nanoparticles, carbon nanomaterials, and metal oxides [11]. In a few reports

• methyl paraoxon in vegetables [23]. Recently, Jangid et al. (2021) also described the electrocatalytic activity of fenitrothion on glassy carbon electrodes modified with nitrogen and sulfur co-doped activated carbon-coated multiwalled carbon nanotubes [24]. Nevertheless, the fabrication process of the

Design and selection of peptides to block the SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding domain by molecular docking

• Kendra Ramirez-Acosta,
• Ivan A. Rosales-Fuerte,
• J. Eduardo Perez-Sanchez,
• Alfredo Nuñez-Rivera,
• Josue Juarez and
• Ruben D. Cadena-Nava

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 699–711, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.62

• region). APD peptides were selected based on an already known antiviral activity (Table S1, Supporting Information File 1). ADV results showed that both peptides from the APD and theoretical peptides have the capability to dock on the RBD active region, blocking the amino acid residues related to the

• Database [22][23][24]. The peptides were selected based on their previously reported antiviral activity in order to perform a massive docking experiment. PDB files were gathered for those peptides that possess a reported three-dimensional structure and a 3D structure was predicted through I-TASSER’s and

• [12]. Specifically, during a viral infection, viral antigens are presented by MHC I to be recognized by T cells, which, in turn, promote cytosine release and the cytotoxic activity of CD8+ T cells [12][52][53]. Due to the efficiency of this system, many biological therapeutics (proteins, peptides

Nanoarchitectonics of the cathode to improve the reversibility of Li–O₂ batteries

• Hien Thi Thu Pham,
• Jonghyeok Yun,
• So Yeun Kim,
• Sang A Han,
• Jung Ho Kim,
• Jong-Won Lee and
• Min-Sik Park

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 689–698, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.61

• explored as advanced cathode materials for LOBs, owing to their controllable pore structure with a high surface-to-volume ratio and excellent electrical conductivity [13][14]. In particular, nitrogen-doped carbon materials have shown electrocatalytic activity towards the ORR and/or OER, which would be a

Antibacterial activity of a berberine nanoformulation

• Hue Thi Nguyen,
• Tuyet Nhung Pham,
• Anh-Tuan Le,
• Nguyen Thanh Thuy,
• Tran Quang Huy and
• Thuy Thi Thu Nguyen

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 641–652, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.56

• 156 nm at a concentration of 2.0 mg/mL, measured by dynamic light scattering. After nanoformulation, the concentration of BBR NPs could reach up to 5.0 mg/mL, which is much higher than the saturation concentration without treatment. Results show a strongly enhanced antibacterial activity of BBR NPs

• bacterial cells and severely damaged the cell walls. Therefore, BBR NPs prepared by ASP appear to be a potential candidate for the treatment of bacterial pathogens. Keywords: antibacterial activity; antisolvent precipitation (ASP); berberine nanoparticles (BBR NPs); glycerol; solubility; Introduction

• Phytochemicals are organic substances produced by plants with pharmacological and biological activity. Phytochemical-based medicines have become popular in the pharmaceutical market because of their diversity, availability, low cost, and little or no undesirable side effects [1]. Berberine (BBR) has been widely

Sodium doping in brookite TiO₂ enhances its photocatalytic activity

• Boxiang Zhuang,
• Honglong Shi,
• Honglei Zhang and
• Zeqian Zhang

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 599–609, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.52

• enhances its photocatalytic activity, which becomes three times higher than that of the quasi-spherical brookite TiO2. The results demonstrated that the sodium-doped brookite NaxTi1−xO2 can be stable up to 500 °C. At 600°C, the sodium in the brookite precipitates in the form of Na2CO3, and above 700 °C

• structure and produce microstructures such as the core–shell structure, local lattice distortion, interstitial atoms, and atomic vacancies, which are critical to its excellent photocatalytic activity. Keywords: brookite titanium dioxide; core–shell structure; photocatalytic activity; sodium doping; twins

• increased due to its importance for photocatalytic application. Ohtani et al. reported that extra-fine brookite TiO2 exhibited good photocatalytic activity for redox reactions in aqueous propan-2-ol and silver sulfate solution [7]. Kobayashi et al. suggested that the photoactivity of brookite nanoparticles

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

• the assay buffer was used to rinse the cells three times to remove residual esterase activity. Next, the cells were incubated at 37 °C for 15 min in assay buffer containing calcein-AM (1 μM) and PI (3 μM) and then imaged with a laser confocal microscope. Cell migration and invasion assays To assess

Stimuli-responsive polypeptide nanogels for trypsin inhibition

• Petr Šálek,
• Jana Dvořáková,
• Sviatoslav Hladysh,
• Diana Oleshchuk,
• Ewa Pavlova,
• Jan Kučka and
• Vladimír Proks

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 538–548, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.45

• PHEG-Tyr and Nα-Lys-NG nanogels loaded with AAT successfully inhibited the enzymatic activity of trypsin. Furthermore, the inhibitory efficiency of the AAT-loaded nanogels was higher than that of only AAT. Interestingly, also non-loaded PHEG-Tyr and Nα-Lys-NG nanogels were shown to effectively inhibit

• pancreatitis [4][5]. Various organisms naturally produce inhibitors of serine proteases to regulate the inappropriate proteolytic activity that may lead to undesirable inflammatory processes [6]. Beneficial biological activity of serine protease inhibitors has been successfully exploited for therapeutic

• purposes or antinutritional properties [7][8]. Different types of small proteins or polypeptides represent a class of bioactive compounds identified as serine protease inhibitors. Aprotinin, a Kunitz-type serine protease inhibitor, is well known for its inhibitory activity regarding trypsin [9]. Other

Influence of thickness and morphology of MoS₂ on the performance of counter electrodes in dye-sensitized solar cells

• Lam Thuy Thi Mai,
• Hai Viet Le,
• Ngan Kim Thi Nguyen,
• Van La Tran Pham,
• Thu Anh Thi Nguyen,
• Nguyen Thanh Le Huynh and
• Hoang Thai Nguyen

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 528–537, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.44

• thin film were composed of 1T and 2H structures and exhibited excellent electrocatalytic activity for the I3–/I− redox couple. DSSCs assembled using these MoS2 CEs showed a maximal power conversion efficiency of 7.33%. The short-circuit value reached 16.3 mA·cm−2, which was higher than that of a

• conventional Pt/FTO CE (15.3 mA·cm−2). This work reports for the first time the possibility to obtain a honeycomb-like MoS2 thin film morphology by the CV method and investigates the effect of film structure on the electrocatalytic activity and photovoltaic performance of CEs for DSSC application. Keywords

• : cyclic voltammetry (CV); dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs); electrocatalytic activity; honeycomb-like; molybdenum disulfide (MoS2); thin film; Introduction Since Grätzel’s first report in 1991, dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have been the subject of much research due to the easy fabrication process

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

• on agarose gel as an in vitro model of human skin showed that the formula was able to fully perforate the agarose gel. Moreover, this formula showed significantly greater antimicrobial activity (p < 0.0001) compared to a free gel of ciprofloxacin against Staphylococcus aureus in an agarose gel-based

• 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

• Staphylococcus aureus to study the antibacterial activity of ciprofloxacin-loaded polymeric microneedles. To assess the distribution of CIP in dermal layers after microneedle application, the cryostatic microtome technique was utilized. This technique is based on freezing excised skin samples and slicing them

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

• extracts. PRP exhibits important pharmacological activity, already proven in several studies, in addition to being a biologically safe compound [17][18][19][20][21]. This natural drug is also widely used as antimicrobial agent, immune system strengthener, and anticancer drug in the form of its ethanolic or

• glycolic extracts. It is a strongly adhesive gum resin, which is collected, processed, and used by honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) [17][22][23]. PRP extracts have been reported to enhance some antibiotic effects, attributing the antibacterial activity of propolis mainly to flavonoids or synergisms among

• containing different concentrations of EE and EG in addition to the concentration of P407. This made it possible to choose the best concentrations for each type of extract. In previous studies carried out by Bruschi and colleagues, the concentrations of PRP extract that would have biological activity were

Ethosomal (−)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate as a novel approach to enhance antioxidant, anti-collagenase and anti-elastase effects

• Çiğdem Yücel,
• Gökçe Şeker Karatoprak,
• Sena Yalçıntaş and
• Tuğba Eren Böncü

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 491–502, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.41

• collagenase and elastase enzymes were investigated compared to those of the solution form. Within the scope of antioxidant activity studies, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH•) and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS+•) radical scavenging and β-carotene/linoleic acid co-oxidation

• cytotoxicity test revealed that the formulations and the EGCG solution at different concentrations were nontoxic. In terms of cell permeability, enzyme inhibition, and antioxidant activity, the ethosomal formulations yielded better results compared to the EGCG solution. It was observed that the formulations

• products due to its safety and many benefits as a medicinal source. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), one of the major components of green tea, is a catechin-derived compound with a high antioxidant activity. It also has a protective effect against cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer, and

Zinc oxide nanostructures for fluorescence and Raman signal enhancement: a review

• Ioana Marica,
• Fran Nekvapil,
• Maria Ștefan,
• Cosmin Farcău and
• Alexandra Falamaș

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 472–490, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.40

• combined with metal nanoparticles, resulting in enhanced photoactivity of Au-decorated ZnO nanocrystals for photoelectrochemical water splitting [9], improved photodetection performance of ZnO nanofibers decorated with Au NPs [10], or enhanced photocatalytic activity of ZnO doped with Au NPs [11]. Moreover

• metal-based nanocomposites can present several disadvantages, such as the use of complex polymer stabilizers, which result in toxic activity [40], SERS deactivation [41], or undesired signals in SERS analysis. Therefore, simple and rapid metal decoration methods have been applied recently. Some of these

• milli-Q water to the freshly prepared Ag nanowire solution [55]. A higher photocatalytic activity was shown for the Ag–ZnO core–shell particles compared to ZnO alone under solar light irradiation. SERS applications of ZnO-based nanostructures SERS is a powerful technique with promising applications for

Tubular glassy carbon microneedles with fullerene-like tips for biomedical applications

• Sharali Malik and
• George E. Kostakis

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 455–461, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.38

• al. observed that carbon deposition in the mesopores of alumina is responsible for catalytic activity resulting in the decomposition of methane [12]. Here, we examine the characteristics of the glassy carbon produced by catalytic pyrolysis of methane. Our results show clear experimental evidence for

A non-enzymatic electrochemical hydrogen peroxide sensor based on copper oxide nanostructures

• Irena Mihailova,
• Vjaceslavs Gerbreders,
• Marina Krasovska,
• Eriks Sledevskis,
• Valdis Mizers,
• Andrejs Bulanovs and
• Andrejs Ogurcovs

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 424–436, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.35

• being horseradish peroxidase) [34][35][36], and detection is carried out through physicochemical processes of interaction between H2O2 and the enzyme. This type of sensor has high catalytic activity, sensitivity, and selectivity. However, enzyme sensors have a significant disadvantage, namely enzyme

• ]. Compared to bulk materials, nanostructures have higher catalytic activity and a significantly increased surface area-to-volume ratio, which makes it possible to significantly increase both sensitivity of the sensor and rate of detection of H2O2. Among the nanostructured materials used, the most promising

• candidate is copper oxide (CuO) [56][67][68][69][70][71]. It has selectivity for the determination of H2O2, high catalytic activity, and a variety of morphologies (e.g., nanoneedles, nanoplates, and nanorods). Various techniques have been used in the preparation of nanostructured epitaxial CuO coatings

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

• these, the overall 3D environment may have a greater influence on chondrocyte activity and the synthesis of cartilage ECM. The choice between microscales and nanoscales required for the development of scaffolds highly depends on the nature of the scaffold substrate as well as the adopted architecture

• TE, there are other nanoscale tube-based compounds, which can potentially be used for biomedical purposes. Among these, silica nanotubes have the greatest potential for integration in biomaterials because of their biocompatibility, photoluminescence activity, and ease of surface modification. Silica

• enhancing the ALP activity and mineralization, the scaffold showed improved cell proliferation. Khoshroo et al. fabricated a 3D PCL/TiO2 sintered microsphere scaffold, which improved the mechanical and biological properties for bone TE purposes [143]. Moreover, the results showed that the presence of TiO2

Coordination-assembled myricetin nanoarchitectonics for sustainably scavenging free radicals

• Xiaoyan Ma,
• Haoning Gong,
• Kenji Ogino,
• Xuehai Yan and
• Ruirui Xing

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 284–291, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.23

• good hydrophilicity and biocompatibility. However, it is easily metabolized by enzymes. To take advantages of their antioxidation activity and to overcome the abovementioned limitations, GSH, Zn2+, and Myr were selected to co-assemble into Myr-Zn2+-GSH nanoparticles or nanoarchitectonics. This study

• scavenging activity First, a solution of 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) radical cations (ABTS+) solution was prepared. 7 mM of ABTS solution was mixed with 2.45 mM of potassium persulfate solution and kept for 12 h in the dark. The UV–vis absorption intensity of a 0.7 mM ABTS solution

• ) assay. Evaluation of ROS scavenging in cells First, the median lethal dose (LD50) value of H2O2 was evaluated. 3T3 cells at a density of 2 × 105 cells per well were incubated with H2O2 at different concentrations (0, 10, 20, 40, 60, 80, 100, 150, and 200 µM). Second, the ROS scavenging activity of MZG

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

• , pitting is always distributed along a line. Wang et al. [26] found that pitting occurs preferentially at the shear offsets on a pre-deformed Zr-based MG due to the higher chemical activity of offset sites compared with the surrounding flat region. This influence of surface morphology was also shown for

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

• systems for theranostic purposes. Titanium dioxide (titanium(IV) oxide/titania/TiO2) has garnered considerable attention as one of the most extensively studied metal oxides in clinical applications. Owing to the unique properties of titania, such as photocatalytic activity, excellent biocompatibility

• their use as a matrix for immobilizing enzymes for maintaining their biocatalytic activity for a longer duration [16]. Chen et al. describe the use of TiO2 as a molecular sieve by designing flower-like microspheres consisting of a magnetic Fe3O4 core and a hierarchical mesoporous and macroporous TiO2

• photocatalytic activity. Upon UV irradiation, the electrons in the valence band get excited to the conduction band, leading to the formation of electron–hole pairs and the generation of ROS. Subsequently, the generated holes (h+) convert water/hydroxide molecules to peroxide/hydroxyl radicals by oxidation. The

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

• . For instance, the 1T′ WSe2 nanosheets exhibit metallic nature demonstrated by an enhanced electrostatic activity for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) as compared to other nanosheets [9]. In addition, 1T′ WSe2 nanosheets can be produced in high yield and in a reproducible and controlled manner, which

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

• . The organic dyes were degraded by catalytic activity, while oil and chemicals were removed by filtration. The filtration of kerosene, hexane, petroleum ether, chloroform, and toluene each mixed with water was carried out and the removal efficiency reached a value of 99.9%, while the dye degradation

Bacterial safety study of the production process of hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers

• Axel Steffen,
• Yu Xiong,
• Radostina Georgieva,
• Ulrich Kalus and
• Hans Bäumler

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 114–126, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.8

• with doxorubicin, a cytostatic drug used in chemotherapy for cancer treatment. These particles showed higher efficacy in inhibiting metabolic activity in cell culture in comparison to free doxorubicin [8]. To be used as an artificial oxygen carrier, hemoglobin is isolated from bovine blood. Compared to

Tin dioxide nanomaterial-based photocatalysts for nitrogen oxide oxidation: a review

• Viet Van Pham,
• Hong-Huy Tran,
• Thao Kim Truong and
• Thi Minh Cao

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 96–113, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.7

• the decomposition of gas pollutants are still being developed. In addition, previous studies have shown that the photocatalytic activity regarding NOx decomposition of SnO2 and other materials depends on many factors, such as physical structure and band energies, surface and defect states, and

• reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) [35][36][37][38][39][40]. This promotes a new avenue for diverse analyses of semiconductor photocatalysts in addition to the traditional theories and conclusions. Previous studies have shown that the photocatalytic activity of NOx decomposition of materials in general and SnO2

• quantum dots (SQDs) were heated from 200 to 700 °C, which indicated that the bandgap of the SQDs decreased from 3.49 to 2.52 eV (for SQD-700) as shown in Figure 3. These results demonstrated that the redshift is favorable for a photocatalytic activity in the visible light region. Meanwhile, Fan et al. [47

Sputtering onto liquids: a critical review

• Anastasiya Sergievskaya,
• Adrien Chauvin and
• Stephanos Konstantinidis

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 10–53, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.2

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

• 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