Nanoscale Research Letters最新文献

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is one of the most common chronic neurodegenerative diseases and dementia, with about 46 million cases worldwide and going to become tripled by 2050. It is characterized by formation and aggregation of amyloid-β plaques, tau tangles, and inflammatory mediators. The treatment protocol poses challenging obstacles particularly, effectiveness drug delivery to the brain. However, the available therapies with low potency and blood-brain barrier (BBB) are most challenges for developing novel treatments. New delivery systems that interact with biological systems at the molecular level, such as nanotechnology can overcome these problems and open new therapeutic avenues. Nanoparticles showed different applications in medicine due to its bioavailability, transport and low toxicity. This review explored the therapeutic potential of natural phytochemical nanomedicine that important in AD treatment through improving drug delivery system across BBB, increasing bioavailability and minimizing neurotoxicity.

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Latent fingerprint (LFP) visualisation remains a cornerstone method in forensic science, with ongoing developments aimed at enhancing clarity, sensitivity, and substrate compatibility. Due to their ability to tailor surface chemistry and optical properties, nanoparticles present a promising avenue for fingerprint development, especially on various types of surfaces. However, there has been a lack of understanding regarding the comparative behaviour of nanoparticles across different substrates. This review aims to address this gap by critically comparing the surface-specific performance of metal and metal oxide nanoparticles. In which we consider common nanoparticles for LFP development, such as Gold, Silver, silica, zinc oxide, Titanium dioxide, iron oxide, Copper oxide, and Aluminium oxide. Our review examines how various nanoparticles influence fingerprint residue on porous and non-porous surfaces and assesses their effectiveness in terms of clarity, durability using these nanoparticles. Our key finding of comparative analysis highlights that gold nanoparticles yield promising outcomes even on historically challenging porous substrates due to their affinity for sweat and amino acids. Conversely, zinc oxide and titanium dioxide exhibit superior fluorescence-based contrast on non-porous surfaces such as glass and plastics, as well as some porous surfaces. The rest of the nanoparticles were able to achieve their success on porous and non-porous surfaces with some limitations. We also outline diverse methods employed by various researchers, including dusting, brushing, spraying, and fluorescence imaging, while emphasising the role of substrate texture and the functionalization of nanoparticles. The review provides insights using comparative tables on selecting effective nanoparticle-based methods for specific forensic contexts to achieve more stable and universal fingerprint recovery in criminal investigations.

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Illustration of various nanoparticles in forensic science for latent fingerprint Visualisation

The increasing resistance of insects to chemical-based pesticides is a critical challenge in crop production, demanding the urgent development of sustainable and effective pest control alternatives. In response, this study presents the insecticidal potential of graphene materials in the form of nanopowders as new chemical and resistance free grain protectants. The influence of the grain types such as rice, maize, and wheat and graphene nanopowder characteristics on insectidicial efficacy against common grain insects was evaluated against three most destructive grain insects including: the rice weevil, Sitophilus oryzae (L.) (Coleoptera; Curculionidae), the maize weevil, Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky (Coleoptera; Curculionidae), and the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum Herbst (Coleoptera; Tenebrionidae). Three industrially produced graphene nanopowders with distinct physicochemical properties (particle size, surface chemistry, hydrophobicity) were used at two dosage rates (500 and 1000 ppm). Mortality of insects was assessed after 7, 14, and 21 days of exposure, and progeny production was evaluated after 65 days. The results indicated that S. oryzae exhibited the highest susceptibility among the tested species, with rice grains experiencing the most significant insect mortality across all graphene concentrations (500 and 1000 ppm). Significant reductions in progeny with minor produced insects were observed, especially in maize, highlighting the long-term protective effects of graphene nanopowders. The insectidicial mode of action is attributed to a physical mechanism involving the adhesion of graphene particles to insect bodies, obstructing respiration and disrupting the cuticle. These findings suggest that graphene nanopowders, due to their unique structural, chemical and interfacial properties, have a strong potential to be used as new grain protectants, providing unique physical mode of action.

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This study systematically reviewed the construction strategies of pomegranate peel carrier-free self-assembled nanomedicines and their performance in practical applications, aiming to provide theoretical support and technical path for the modernization of traditional Chinese medicine and the development of new drugs. Pomegranate peel is rich in polyphenols (such as ellagic acid and gallic acid), triterpenoids (such as ursolic acid and oleanolic acid), flavonoids (such as quercetin and baicalein) and other active ingredients. These components can be self-assembled to form nanostructures without exogenous carriers through intermolecular synergy, including hydrogen bond network, π-π stacking and hydrophobic interaction. This technology not only effectively improves the water solubility, bioavailability and stability of the active ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine, but also significantly enhances pharmacological activities including anti-tumor, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidation etc. Compared with the traditional nanocarrier system, this method adopts the design concept of ‘active ingredient is carrier’, showing significant advantages in avoiding potential toxicity and improving drug loading efficiency, while retaining the structural integrity and synergistic effect of natural components. The study further pointed out that in the future, the self-assembly mechanism should be further explored, its application in precision medicine and individualized treatment should be optimized, and preclinical and clinical studies should be promoted to verify its safety and effectiveness. Combined with modern pharmaceutical engineering technology, promoting the large-scale production and industrialization of such carrier-free self-assembled nanomedicines will bring important impetus to the modernization of traditional Chinese medicine and global health.

Twisted van der Waals (t-vdW) heterostructures (HSs), where the electronic and optical properties can be modulated by the interlayer twist angle, have led to the emerging field of “Twistronics.” By precisely controlling the twist angle in stacked vdW materials, researchers are uncovering novel properties and quantum phenomena such as superconductivity, magnetism, and unique charge transport behaviors. This review presents recent advancements in the growth and synthesis of t-vdW HSs focusing mostly on chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and mechanical exfoliation (ME) along with some other techniques including Metal Organic CVD (MOCVD) and molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). We discuss various methods used to control the twist angles, including mechanical stacking and rotational assembly. Each technique’s strengths and limitations are evaluated, particularly in the context of producing high-quality HSs with tunable properties. Special attention is given to optimizing CVD processes to achieve reproducible growth of twisted HSs with precise twist angles. Additionally, this review also explores the theoretical and experimental insights into the influence of twist angles on physical, optical, and electronic properties of vdW HSs. By examining the progress and challenges in this field, we highlight future directions and the potential of t-vdW HSs in advancing next-generation opto-electronic and quantum devices.

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Inefficient thermal transmission in heat exchangers requires creative solutions. Ternary hybrid nanofluids have evolved to offer improved thermal efficiency compared to standard nanofluids. The current study involves a ternary hybrid nanofluid of copper oxide (CuO), titanium dioxide (TiO₂), and silver (Ag) nanoparticles suspended in a base fluid of water-ethylene glycol (50–50%) (H₂O–C₂H₆O₂) to enhance thermal efficiency. This comprehensive analysis aims to provide insights into the heat transfer behaviour of a ternary hybrid nanofluid flow through a porous medium, considering the magnetic field effects in the momentum equation, exothermic/endothermic (Thermochemical) reactions in the energy equation, and activation energy in the concentration equation, respectively, on a rotating stretching sheet. Partial differential equations (PDEs) govern the flow problem. PDEs are converted to Ordinary differential equations (ODEs) using a suitable similarity transformation to aid solution. The linearised equations are solved numerically using MATLAB’s “bvp4c” boundary value problem solver. Variations in the velocity, temperature and concentration profiles due to various parameters are presented graphically. The results show that increasing M and Fr values increases (theta ) profile by 1.2% and 0.85% respectively. Whereas the overall increase in the heat transfer is 6.65% and mass transfer is 1.86%, making this a substantial contribution to our work. This research will benefit manufacturers of cosmetics, hydraulic fluids, and fibreglass. Furthermore, the findings are supported by the available literature in specific instances, and they exhibit a strong concordance.

The intestine is an important organ in radiotherapy of the abdominal region, and radiation-induced intestinal injury (RIII) is an undesirable biological response to radiotherapy. Radiotherapy is known to induce oxidative stress associated with the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which in turn plays an important role in RIII. However, these effects cannot be detected or predicted early using conventional imaging techniques such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In this study, an intestinal redox imaging method using dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) MRI and carbamoyl PROXYL (CmP) was designed. The probe was prepared in a solution of increased viscosity of the CmP solution that is not affected by peristalsis. This redox imaging method enabled noninvasive redox imaging of the intestine and detection of RIII at an early stage of progression. Our findings suggest that redox imaging can aid in monitoring early metabolic changes that occur during the pathogenesis of this condition.