The excellence of nanotechnology paved the way for its application in the food industry recently. Several industrial initiatives are now working on developing nano-based food packaging to improve food quality and ensure its safety. Along with providing improved mechanical property and barrier system, it also intimates the current condition of a food product. The ultimate goal is to extend the shelf life of food products, which the use of nanostructures can accomplish. The fabricated nanostructure is designed to release preservatives such as antimicrobials, at times to improve the shelf life. Two key applications of nanotechnology in the food sector are to develop nanostructured materials for food packaging or processing and nanosensors to detect food spoilage. This review discusses the types of nanomaterials used for food packaging, the advantages of nanobased packaging over conventional methods, and provides an overview of the risk of nanoparticles on the biological system.
Abstract Magnetic particle imaging (MPI) has gained significant traction as an ionising radiation-free tomographic method that offers real-time imaging capabilities with enhanced sensitivity and resolutions. In this technique, magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) are employed, particularly iron oxide nanoparticles with superparamagnetic nature, as probes within the MPI system. These MNPs enable the tracking and precise quantification of particle movement with minimal background noise. The 3D location and concentration of MNPs can provide better insights for multiple applications in vascular imaging, cell tracking, cancer cell imaging, inflammation, implant monitoring, and trauma imaging and can thus accelerate the diagnosis of disorders. The mononuclear phagocyte system provides a significant advantage, as they are involved in the spontaneous clearance of the tracers used in MPI, which readily minimise the toxic effects. Several studies have demonstrated that MPI-based functional neuroimaging is superior to other imaging modalities, providing adequate temporal resolution images with quick scan intervals. In MPI, nanoparticles are solely responsible for the source and visualisation, unlike magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), where nanoparticles were used only as supportive tracers. This review provides an overview of the principle, diagnostic, and therapeutic applications of MPI as well as the advantages and challenges MPI has over other diagnostic imaging methods in modern clinical setups.
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is recently gaining importance as an alternative to conventional clinical modalities like chemotherapy and radiation therapy protocols for cancer due to its efficacy in targeting cancer cells, enhanced cytotoxicity, and improved delivery. PDT is the therapeutic approach that deals with the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by the use of light, a photosensitizer (PS), and oxygen. The efficiency and targeted delivery of the PS can be augmented by entwining PDT with nanotechnology. Conjugation of organic or inorganic nanomaterials enhances the solubilizing property of PS that aids in its accumulation at the target site. Encapsulation is the major strategy employed for targeted delivery of PS. PS molecules may be encapsulated with nanocarriers like liposomes, polymeric micelles, and polymeric nanoparticles. The mechanism of PDT in addressing the killing of cancer cells with particular reference to the advantages of nanotechnology-based PS has been discussed.
Carbon-decorated ferrite nanodots (MNF@Cs) have been enhanced with superparamagnetism and higher fluorescence quantum yield by encapsulation with an alginate derivative to create a cost-effective and less toxic multimodal contrast agent for replacing the conventional heavy metal Gd-containing contrast agent used in MR imaging. The novel surface-engineered particles (MNF@C-OSAs), devoid of labels, can simultaneously provide both longitudinal and transverse relaxation-based magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and fluorescence emission. According to the findings of in vitro studies, the calculated molar relaxivities and the molar radiant efficiencies are indicative of the multimodal efficacy of MNF@C-OSA as compared with MNF@C particles and conventional contrast agents used in medical imaging. MNF@C-OSAs were shown to be significantly biocompatible and negligibly toxic when assessed against A549 cells and zebrafish embryos, indicating their potential for use as theranostic agents.
Background and purpose: The pandemic of COVID-19 has highlighted the need for managing infectious diseases, which spreads by airborne transmission leading to serious health, social, and economic issues. SARS-CoV-2 is an enveloped virus with a 60–140 nm diameter and particle-like features, which majorly accounts for this disease. Expanding diagnostic capabilities, developing safe vaccinations with long-lasting immunity, and formulating effective medications are the strategies to be investigated. Experimental approach: For the literature search, electronic databases such as Scopus, Google Scholar, MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, and Web of Science were used as the source. Search terms like 'Nano-mediated PDT,' 'PDT for SARS-CoV-2', and 'Nanotechnology in treatment for SARS-CoV-2' were used. Out of 275 initially selected articles, 198 were chosen after the abstract screening. During the full-text screening, 80 papers were excluded, and 18 were eliminated during data extraction. Preference was given to articles published from 2018 onwards, but a few older references were cited for their valuable information. Key results: Synthetic nanoparticles (NPs) have a close structural resemblance to viruses and interact greatly with their proteins due to their similarities in the configurations. NPs had previously been reported to be effective against a variety of viruses. In this way, with nanoparticles, photodynamic therapy (PDT) can be a viable alternative to antibiotics in fighting against microbial infections. The protocol of PDT includes the activation of photosensitizers using specific light to destroy microorganisms in the presence of oxygen, treating several respiratory diseases. Conclusion: The use of PDT in treating COVID-19 requires intensive investigations, which has been reviewed in this manuscript, including a computational approach to formulating effective photosensitizers.
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a severe blood cancer in myeloid cells which is found to be developed due to mutation in genes that causes dysregulation in the gene’s expression, affecting the cellular function and signaling pathways. STK24 is a protein belonging to the Germinal Center Kinase III (GCK III) sub-family, found to be related to many intracellular and intercellular processes. In the following study the expression of the gene STK24 is studied using the web-based tool TNM plot, in which the expression is found dysregulated in AML with a significant p-value of 9.76e - 23. In addition to expression analysis, survival analysis is carried out, the dysregulated expression of STK24 is found to be related to lower overall survivable outcome indicated by significant p-value of 1.6e - 05 with median survival for lower expression of the STK24 for 10.7 month time. In the protein-protein interaction analysis, the targeted protein STK24 was found to interact with several proteins, among them some of the proteins which are found to be related to AML pathogenesis are PDCD10, PPP2R1B, STK11, TCP1, STK25, STK26 and STRN3 with combined score between .5 to 1.00. Among the interacting proteins 20 proteins are found to have higher interaction efficiency which is represented in circular format. A correlation study of the target protein STK24 with AML and glutamine metabolism related protein FLT3, NPM1, RUNX1, RARA, IDH1, IDH2, GLS, SLC1A5, GLUD1 and SLC7A11 showed a significant correlation with Pearson’s coefficient r value between -1 to 1 and p-value < 0.05. With the analysis of expression and survival and protein-protein interaction and gene correlation it can be indicated that STK24 may have a role in pathogenesis in AML. But to conclude the study, further expression of the gene STK24 in the AML is needed to prove its correlation with the disease progression and further in vitro and in vivo analysis are needed to be carried out.
Abstract The unique physicochemical properties of MoS 2 nanocomposites have drawn escalation in attention for the diagnosis and therapy of cancer. Mostly the 2D forms of MoS 2 find application in sensing, catalysis, and theranostics, where it was traditionally applied in lubrication and battery industries as electrodes or intercalating agents. As nanostructures, MoS 2 has a very high surface-to-volume ratio, and that helps in the engineering of structures and surfaces to promote absorption of a wide range of therapeutics and biomolecules through covalent or non-covalent interaction. This surface engineering provides excellent colloidal stability to MoS 2 and makes them ideal nanomedicines with higher selectivity, sensitivity, and biomarker sensing ability. Furthermore, MoS 2 exhibits exceptionally well optical absorption of NIR radiation and photothermal conversion, which helps in the NIR-responsive release of payloads in photothermal and photodynamic therapy. There are several reports that the fabricated MoS 2 nanomedicines can selectively counter the tumor microenvironment, which leads to the accumulation of therapeutics or imaging agents in the diseased tissues to improve the therapeutic effects decreasing the adverse effects on the healthy cells. An overview of the basic structure and properties of MoS 2 is presented in this article, along with an elaborative description of its morphology. At the same time, an attempt was made in this review to summarize the latest developments in the MoS 2 structure, surface engineering, and nanocomposite formulations for improving biocompatibility, bioavailability, biomolecular sensing, and theranostic applications.
'%3e%3ccircle r='20' fill='%23008'/%3e%3ccircle r='17.5' fill='%23fff'/%3e%3ccircle r='3.5' fill='%23008'/%3e%3cg id='d'%3e%3cg id='c'%3e%3cg id='b'%3e%3cg id='a' fill='%23008'%3e%3ccircle r='.875' transform='rotate(7.5 -8.75 133.5)'/%3e%3cpath d='M0 17.5.6 7 0 2l-.6 5L0 17.5z'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3cuse xlink:href='%23a' transform='rotate(15)'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3cuse xlink:href='%23b' transform='rotate(30)'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3cuse xlink:href='%23c' transform='rotate(60)'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3cuse xlink:href='%23d' transform='rotate(120)'/%3e%3cuse xlink:href='%23d' transform='rotate(-120)'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/svg%3e)
