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- Lau, Elizabeth C. H. T., et al.
(författare)
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Gold-iron oxide (Au/Fe3O4) magnetic nanoparticles as the nanoplatform for binding of bioactive molecules through self-assembly
- 2023
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Ingår i: Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences. - : Frontiers Media S.A.. - 2296-889X. ; 10
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Nanomedicine plays a crucial role in the development of next-generation therapies. The use of nanoparticles as drug delivery platforms has become a major area of research in nanotechnology. To be effective, these nanoparticles must interact with desired drug molecules and release them at targeted sites. The design of these "nanoplatforms" typically includes a functional core, an organic coating with functional groups for drug binding, and the drugs or bioactive molecules themselves. However, by exploiting the coordination chemistry between organic molecules and transition metal centers, the self-assembly of drugs onto the nanoplatform surfaces can bypass the need for an organic coating, simplifying the materials synthesis process. In this perspective, we use gold-iron oxide nanoplatforms as examples and outline the prospects and challenges of using self-assembly to prepare drug-nanoparticle constructs. Through a case study on the binding of insulin on Au-dotted Fe3O4 nanoparticles, we demonstrate how a self-assembly system can be developed. This method can also be adapted to other combinations of transition metals, with the potential for scaling up. Furthermore, the self-assembly method can also be considered as a greener alternative to traditional methods, reducing the use of chemicals and solvents. In light of the current climate of environmental awareness, this shift towards sustainability in the pharmaceutical industry would be welcomed.
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| 2. |
- Kuhn, Joel, et al.
(författare)
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Tri-modal imaging of gold-dotted magnetic nanoparticles for magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography and intravascular ultrasound : an in vitro study
- 2020
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Ingår i: Nanomedicine. - : Future Medicine Ltd. - 1743-5889 .- 1748-6963. ; 15:25
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Aim: To examine the multimodal contrasting ability of gold-dotted magnetic nanoparticles (Au*MNPs) for magnetic resonance (MR), computed tomography (CT) and intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) imaging.Materials & methods: Au*MNPs were prepared by adapting an impregnation method, without using surface capping reagents and characterized (transmission electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy) with theirin vitrocytotoxicity assessed, followed by imaging assessments.Results: The contrast-enhancing ability of Au*MNPs was shown to be concentration-dependent across MR, CT and IVUS imaging. The Au content of the Au*MNP led to evident increases of the IVUS signal.Conclusion: We demonstrated that Au*MNPs showed concentration-dependent contrast-enhancing ability in MRI and CT imaging, and for the first-time in IVUS imaging due to the Au content. These Au*MNPs are promising toward solidifying tri-modal imaging-based theragnostics.
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| 3. |
- Tobias, Mariano Marco, et al.
(författare)
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Plasma degradation of contaminated PPE : an energy-efficient method to treat contaminated plastic waste
- 2023
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Ingår i: NPJ MATERIALS DEGRADATION. - : Springer Nature. - 2397-2106. ; 7:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The use of PPE has drastically increased because of the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic as disposable surgical face masks made from non-biodegradable polypropylene (PP) polymers have generated a significant amount of waste. In this work, a low-power plasma method has been used to degrade surgical masks. Several analytical techniques (gravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), attenuated total reflection-infra-red spectroscopy (ATR-IR), x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), thermogravimetric analysis/differential scanning calorimetry (TGA/DSC) and wide-angle x-ray scattering (WAXS)) were used to evaluate the effects of plasma irradiation on mask samples. After 4 h of irradiation, an overall mass loss of 63 +/- 8%, through oxidation followed by fragmentation, was observed on the non-woven 3-ply surgical mask, which is 20 times faster than degrading a bulk PP sample. Individual components of the mask also showed different degradation rates. Air plasma clearly represents an energy-efficient tool for treating contaminated PPE in an environmentally friendly approach.
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