Nanoscale Research Letters最新文献

Introduction

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder with limited clinical treatment options. Nanoparticle technology offers promising new strategies for innovative diagnosis and therapy of AD. However, the rapid development of this field has not been accompanied by a systematic bibliometric analysis. This study applies bibliometric methods to comprehensively evaluate the development trends and prospects of nanoparticle applications in AD research.

Materials and methods

Publications related to nanomaterials in AD were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection. Visualization and analysis were conducted using VOSviewer, CiteSpace, and the Bibliometrix package in R to identify research hotspots in the field.

Results

A total of 2837 publications were included, involving 92 countries/regions, 2953 institutions, and 13,294 authors. China, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Xiao-Gang Qu were the most productive country, institution, and author, respectively. The Journal of Controlled Release was the most influential. Among them, Saraiva et al. (J Control Release 235:34–47, 2016) ranked first with 1069 citations, and their research highlights the great potential of nanoparticle drug delivery technology to cross the blood–brain barrier. Emerging keyword trends indicate a shift in research focus toward nasal delivery, extracellular vesicles, graphene quantum dots for diagnostics, and nanostructured lipid carriers for therapy.

Conclusion

Nanomaterial-based AD research is expanding rapidly. Current focus involves developing targeted nanoparticle systems to overcome the blood–brain barrier, mitigate Aβ pathology, and enable early diagnosis. Future work should prioritize mechanistic studies and clinical trials to translate potential into practical applications.

The persistent challenge of gel instability and inadequate performance under harsh reservoir conditions limits the efficiency of polymer-based systems in enhanced oil recovery (EOR) and water shutoff operations. This study addresses these limitations by introducing Fe₃O₄@Saponin/Ni nanocomposites as synergistic reinforcing agents within a standard HPAM/Cr(III) acetate gel system. Distinct from earlier nanocomposite additives, the specific incorporation of Nickel ions into the saponin-functionalized magnetite lattice provides a novel advantage: the formation of thermally durable Ni–O–Fe bonds and additional coordination sites that significantly enhance the gel’s resistance to thermal degradation and syneresis. Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles were synthesized and sequentially functionalized to ensure optimal dispersion and secondary crosslinking efficiency. Comprehensive characterization was performed using FT-IR, TGA, SEM, and DLS, followed by evaluation of gelation kinetics, dispersion stability, rheology, syneresis resistance, and core flooding performance under reservoir-mimicking conditions. Results revealed that the unique Ni-doped structure improved thermal stability, ensured uniform nanoparticle size (20–50 nm), and promoted stable dispersion up to 500 ppm. The addition of these nanocomposites accelerated gelation rates at optimal concentrations (≤ 250 ppm), enhanced storage modulus, and dramatically reduced syneresis, exhibiting only 12% weight loss after two months at 110 °C and 3000 psi. Core flooding tests confirmed the superior plugging efficiency, higher resistance factors, and long-term durability of the nanocomposite-reinforced gels compared to conventional formulations. These findings demonstrate that Fe₃O₄@Saponin/Ni nanocomposites provide a robust, multifunctional platform for advanced EOR, offering sustained mechanical and thermal resilience in demanding environments.

Nanogels are hydrogels embedded with nanoparticles. They have been increasingly applied in drug delivery, biomedical engineering and environmental remediation. At present, no bibliometric study has provided a comprehensive analysis of nanogels. This study aims to summarize the current development and future trends of nanogels publications through bibliometric analysis. Publications on nanogels from January 1, 2000, to August 1, 2024, were retrieved from the Science Citation Index Expanded of the Web of Science Core Collection for further bibliometric analysis. We used VOSviewer and Bibliometrix to conduct the co-authorship analysis of countries/regions, institutions and authors, summarized the most productive contributors, and keywords co-occurrence analysis to identify research hotspots and future trends on nanogels. A total of 9,569 publications were included in this study. This study revealed an overall growth trend of nanogels, peaking in 2022 (n = 948). China was the most contributive country (n = 3785). The most productive institution was the Chinese Academy of Sciences (n = 335). Kazunari Akiyoshi (n = 112) was the most prolific author. A total of 230 keywords were grouped into five clusters: nanogels and drug delivery; crosslinking chemistry of nanogels; nanogels in water treatment and biodegradation; nanogels and scaffolds; and temperature and pH-responsive nanogels. Emerging research directions included the application of novel nanogels in drug delivery and biomedical fields. This study reveals the research trends, collaboration patterns, research hotspots, and emerging frontiers in nanogels research. These findings can provide researchers with a comprehensive understanding of nanogels research and offer guidance for future research directions.

The soil borne phytopathogen Fusarium equiseti poses a significant threat to global crop production, with limited sustainable control options. In this study, zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) were green-synthesized using the extracellular filtrate of Trichoderma asperellum and characterized by SEM, XRD, FTIR, DLS, and Zeta potential apparatuses. The biosynthesized ZnO-NPs exhibited a quasi-spherical morphology with a size range of 13–19 nm, high crystallinity, and a stable negative zeta potential (− 27 mV). FTIR confirmed successful ZnO-NPs formation through the characteristic absorption band at 599 cm⁻¹. Antifungal assays revealed a concentration dependent inhibition of mycelial growth in two examined strains of F. equiseti, achieving maximum suppression of 72.41 ± 0.01 and 73.41 ± 1.16% at 5 mg mL⁻¹, comparable to the commercial fungicide Propiconazole (5 mg mL⁻¹) with inhibition rates reaching 82.75 ± 0.75% for F. equiseti st.1 and 85.49 ± 0.68% for F. equiseti st.2. GC–MS profiling of the treated fungal filtrates indicated that, ZnO-NPs induced distinct metabolic alterations, including the appearance of stress associated metabolites such as phomenone, alongside modulation of membrane active glycol ethers when compared with the non-treated fungi. qRT–PCR analysis showed that ZnO-NPs selectively enhanced the expression of defense related genes (PR2, PPO, PR5, and PR8) in two strain of F. equiseti, while response efficacy was differed between the two strains. These findings demonstrate that mycosynthesized ZnO-NPs exert potent antifungal activity through combined physical disruption and biochemical interference, offering a promising eco-friendly alternative to synthetic fungicides for sustainable crop protection.

Ultra-wideband (UWB) technology has garnered significant interest from researchers worldwide. Reducing antenna size, guaranteeing radiation stability, attaining impedance matching, and keeping costs down are recent challenges.The adaptability, compactness, and wideband performance of log-periodic sawtooth planar antennas for UWB applications show great potential. There is much potential for improvement, especially in high-gain and multi-band settings, as indicated by the current research and advancements in resonator structures, reconfigurability, and meta surface designs. These advancements guarantee that log-periodic architectures will remain relevant and it targets wideband sub-GHz applications that complement 5G networks, including control, broadcast, and backward-compatibility services. A toothed log-periodic antenna based on graphene is proposed in this study to operate in the 0.1–1.3 GHz frequency range. In proposed method by varying the DC voltage applied to the graphene, the antenna’s bandwidth, radiation pattern, and operating frequency range is dynamically adjusted. The graphene’s chemical potential, surface conductivity, and surface impedance, this voltage control makes it possible to create a reconfigurable antenna design is adjusted. A log-periodic graphene lattice coupled to a 50-ohm feed line makes up the antenna’s radiating element. Simulation and implementation results demonstrate that the antenna generates stable, directional radiation patterns over a wide frequency range from 0.1 to 1.3 GHz when the chemical potential of graphene is set to 1 eV.

Fines migration is a major cause of formation damage in clay‑rich sandstones, particularly under low‑salinity waterflooding where electrostatic double‑layer expansion destabilizes clay–mineral adhesion and causes severe permeability loss. This study investigates, at the laboratory scale, the potential of a Fe₃O₄@saponin/Cu nanocomposite to mitigate fines release and permeability loss during simulated low-salinity water flooding of clay-rich sandstone. The nanocomposite was synthesized by co‑precipitating magnetite nanoparticles, coating them with a saponin biopolymer via hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions, and introducing Cu²⁺ through coordination with surface hydroxyl and glycosidic groups. Physicochemical characterization (FT‑IR, TGA, SEM, DLS) confirmed successful functionalization, enhanced thermal stability, controlled particle size, and colloidal stability up to 500 ppm loading. Zeta potential analysis revealed that the nanocomposite shifts mineral surface charge toward neutral or slightly positive values, reducing electrostatic repulsion between fines and the pore matrix. Core flooding of clay‑rich sandstone showed that untreated low‑salinity water caused catastrophic permeability loss (− 69.9%) and tripled injection pressure, whereas adding 500 ppm nanocomposite reduced impairment to − 4.1%, comparable to high‑salinity conditions without treatment. The mitigation mechanism involves synergistic electrostatic neutralization, steric stabilization from the saponin corona, and magnetic/coordination bridging that anchor fines to pore surfaces without plugging. These results demonstrate that Fe₃O₄@saponin/Cu nanofluid enables low‑salinity flooding while suppressing fines migration, providing a practical alternative to high‑salinity injection for enhanced oil recovery.

The escalating incidence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) necessitates novel therapeutic strategies targeting antibiotic resistance and biofilm formation. Silver/zinc oxide nanocomposites (Ag/ZnO NCs) were green-synthesized using Pistacia atlantica leaf extract. Comprehensive characterization confirmed spherical nanocomposites with an average size of 18.1 nm and uniform distribution. The NCs exhibited strong antimicrobial activity with MICs of 0.25 and 0.125 mg/mL against clinical MRSA and S. aureus ATCC 6538, reducing biofilm formation by ~ 98%. Treatment at 1/2× MIC significantly downregulated biofilm-associated genes (icaA, icaD, clfA, clfB, fnbA) and the mecA resistance gene. Ag/ZnO NCs showed dose-dependent anticancer effects (IC₅₀ = 22.36 µg/mL) against melanoma A375 cells with lower cytotoxicity toward normal fibroblasts (IC₅₀ = 48.79 µg/mL) and notable antioxidant activity. These findings establish rationale for in vivo validation of green-synthesized Ag/ZnO NCs as multifunctional antimicrobial and anticancer agents.

Nanotechnology is a vast field applicable in various areas of study, including agriculture. Nanoparticles (NPs) can be used in plant disease control in many ways, including as fungicide delivery systems and to enhance cell-to-cell interactions in plants. Their ease of use can be manipulated not only for disease control in crop production but also for the identification of plant diseases. Information on the use of NPs for plant disease control and disease identification was collated. Mechanisms of action of NPs were outlined and discussed. Through these mechanisms, ZnO-NPs reduced Fusarium wilt symptoms in tomatoes by 28.57% and provided 67.99% protection. Ag-NPs promoted a 49.2% reduction of bacterial leaf blight disease in rice caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae. Various techniques involving NPs have been developed for plant disease identification and have shown promise. To ensure the sustainability of applications of NPs and crop production, several knowledge gaps need to be addressed. These include the timeliness of disease identification, the lack of standardised toxicity assessment protocols for NPs, and the paucity of information on NPs-microbiome-plant tri-interactions under field conditions. Furthermore, integration of NPs biosensing with remote sensing or innovative agricultural tools, and the unclear impact of NPs accumulation on soil enzyme activity and nutrient cycling, needs to be addressed. Further study is required to develop a novel technique for real-time identification of plant disease and to accurately identify and quantify the appropriate NPs for specific plant diseases.

Graphical abstract

Nanobiotechnology is increasingly used to control viral diseases such as COVID-19, with selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) and their composite with chitosan (CS) gaining attention for their broad bioactivity and potential as antiviral agents, but challenges related to synthesis methods, cytotoxicity, and mechanistic understanding remain. In this study, we report a novel, green biosynthesis of SeNPs using Limosilactobacillus fermentum, followed by functionalization with chitosan to produce Se/CS nanocomposites with enhanced antiviral performance against SARS-CoV-2. L. fermentum was used to biosynthesize SeNPs, providing a rapid, safe, and environmentally friendly approach. The production process was optimized by testing different parameters such as concentrations of Na₂SeO₃, temperature, ratios between cell-free bacterial metabolites and Na₂SeO₃, and pH. UV–Vis spectroscopy, FT-IR, XRD, Zeta potential, and TEM studies confirmed the successful synthesis of Se/CS NC, with a distinctive peak at 266 nm. FT-IR also showed that proteins were present as capping and stabilizing agents in Se/CS NC. Se/CS NC has a high zeta potential with a negative net surface charge of − 21.84 ± 4.7 mV, giving Se/CS NC great stability. Se/CS NC had an average particle size of 38.19 nm and exhibited a crystalline morphology. Biological assays in SARS-CoV-2-infected Vero E6 cells revealed that SeNPs alone displayed dose-dependent cytotoxicity, reducing cell viability above 125 µg/ml. In contrast, Se/CS NC maintained over 96% cell viability at all tested concentrations and demonstrated potent antiviral activity, achieving over 95% inhibition of viral replication at concentrations ≥ 250 µg/ml. Studies identified virucidal action as the primary antiviral mechanism, with 47.4% inhibition at 500 µg/ml. To the best of our knowledge, this study provides the first experimental evidence that green-synthesized Se/CS NC produced by L. fermentum can effectively inhibit SARS-CoV-2, highlighting their potential as a safe, eco-friendly antiviral candidate for future COVID-19 therapies and pharmaceutical applications. This demonstrates a direct application of nanotechnology in combating COVID-19 by suppressing viral replication and maintaining host cell viability.

Lung infections caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa multi-drug resistant strains have become much more common, mostly due to the relative paucity of efficient chemotherapeutic approaches. In an in vivo environment, this work showed the potent anti-infectious qualities of iron nanoparticles (FeNPs) made with an aqueous extract of Hydnocarpus wightianus. To ascertain the potentials of the FeNPs provided by the reaction of an iron salt solution with the Hydnocarpus wightianus, we used UV–Vis, FE-SEM, XRD, FT-IR, and TEM. The vibration bands at 491 and 541 cm⁻¹ in the FT-IR are linked to the Fe–O bonds. The FE-SEM and TEM resultant pictures indicated a spherical form with an average size of 48.14 nm. The findings of the XRD study revealed prominent peaks at 38.3, 44.3, and 64.5 angles. Additionally, XRD testing revealed that the generated nanoparticles had an average diameter of 30.54 nm and were nanosized. The UV–Vis spectra with an absorption peak at 295 nm were reported in this study. In an in vivo research, the P. aeruginosa lethal dose is determined in mice, and 48 h after infection, the clinical signs, including bacteremia, hypothermia, and weight loss, are examined. The infected mice physical symptoms showed a significant decrease in body temperature and a 25% weight loss at the study end. Additionally, the FeNPs efficacy on lung infection generated with the estimated lethal dosage was assessed using bacteremia, radiographic, and histological investigation. The bacterial load was lower on day seven than it was on day one. The infiltrates were observed in all infected animals lung segments, and histological data indicated a patchy accumulation and more extensive inflammatory cells in the alveolar area. Better lung histology was indicated by the fact that exudate accumulation was reduced in the animal group that received the iron nanoparticle treatment. The study clearly shows that FeNPs (100 µg/kg) are efficient in P. aeruginosa-caused lung infections. The current effort aims to better use the FeNPs biological characteristics to develop a potent regimen for this harmful bacteria.