| 1. |
- Abdollahi, Farnoosh, et al.
(author)
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Angiogenesis in bone tissue engineering via ceramic scaffolds: A review of concepts and recent advancements
- 2024
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In: Biomaterials Advances. - : Elsevier BV. - 2772-9516 .- 2772-9508. ; 159
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Due to organ donor shortages, long transplant waitlists, and the complications/limitations associated with auto and allotransplantation, biomaterials and tissue-engineered models are gaining attention as feasible alternatives for replacing and reconstructing damaged organs and tissues. Among various tissue engineering applications, bone tissue engineering has become a promising strategy to replace or repair damaged bone. We aimed to provide an overview of bioactive ceramic scaffolds in bone tissue engineering, focusing on angiogenesis and the effect of different biofunctionalization strategies. Different routes to angiogenesis, including chemical induction through signaling molecules immobilized covalently or non-covalently, in situ secretion of angiogenic growth factors, and the degradation of inorganic scaffolds, are described. Physical induction mechanisms are also discussed, followed by a review of methods for fabricating bioactive ceramic scaffolds via microfabrication methods, such as photolithography and 3D printing. Finally, the strengths and weaknesses of the commonly used methodologies and future directions are discussed.
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| 2. |
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| 3. |
- Akan, Rabia
(author)
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Metal-assisted chemical etching for nanofabrication of hard X-ray zone plates
- 2021
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Hard X-ray scanning microscopes, or nanoprobes, make it possible to image samples and probe their chemical, elemental and structural properties at nanoscale resolution. This is enabled by the use of nanofocusing optics. Commonly used optics in nanoprobes for high resolution X-ray experiments are zone plates. Zone plates are circular diffraction optics with radially decreasing grating periods. Their performance depends on their geometrical properties and material. The width of the outermost zone, which today is in the order of a few tens of nanometers, defines the zone plate resolution, while the zone thickness and the material define the X-ray focusing efficiency. For hard X-ray zone plates, the required zone thickness is several micrometers. Therefore, high-aspect ratio nanostructures are a prerequisite for high-resolution, high-efficiency zone plates. The very small structures together with the high-aspect ratios make zone plates one of the most challenging devices to fabricate. A wet-chemical nanofabrication process that has proved its capability of providing silicon nanostructures with ultra-high aspect ratios is metal-assisted chemical etching (MACE). MACE is an electroless, autocatalytic pattern transfer method that uses an etching solution to selectively etch a predefined noble metal pattern into silicon. In this thesis, MACE is optimized specifically for zone plate nanostructures and used in the development of a new zone plate device nanofabrication process. The MACE optimization for silicon zone plate nanostructures involved a systematic investigation of a wide parameter space. The preferable etching solution composition, process temperature, zone plate catalyst design and silicon type were identified. Parameter dependencies were characterized with respect to etching depth and verticality, mechanical stability of zones and silicon surface roughness. Zone plate molds with aspect ratios of 30:1 at 30 nm zone widths were nanofabricated using the optimized MACE process. For use with hard X-rays, the silicon molds were metallized with palladium using electroless deposition (ELD). The first order diffraction efficiency of such a palladium/silicon zone plate was characterized as 1.9 %. Both MACE for the zone plate pattern transfer and ELD for the silicon mold metalization are conceptually simple, relatively low-cost and accessible methods, which opens up for further developments of zone plate device nanofabrication processes.
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| 4. |
- Al-Farsi, Hissa M., et al.
(author)
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Effects of the Antimicrobial Peptide LL-37 and Innate Effector Mechanisms in Colistin-Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae With mgrB Insertions
- 2019
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In: Frontiers in Microbiology. - : FRONTIERS MEDIA SA. - 1664-302X. ; 10
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background Colistin is a polypeptide antibiotic drug that targets lipopolysaccharides in the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria. Inactivation of the mgrB-gene is a common mechanism behind colistin-resistance in Klebsiella pneumoniae (Kpn). Since colistin is a cyclic polypeptide, it may exhibit cross-resistance with the antimicrobial peptide LL-37, and with other innate effector mechanisms, but previous results are inconclusive. Objective To study potential cross-resistance between colistin and LL-37, as well as with other innate effector mechanisms, and to compare virulence of colistin-resistant and susceptible Kpn strains. Materials/Methods Carbapenemase-producing Kpn from Oman (n = 17) were subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility testing and whole genome sequencing. Susceptibility to colistin and LL-37 was studied. The surface charge was determined by zeta-potential measurements and the morphology of treated bacteria was analyzed with electron microscopy. Bacterial survival was assessed in human whole blood and serum, as well as in a zebrafish infection-model. Results Genome-analysis revealed insertion-sequences in the mgrB gene, as a cause of colistin resistance in 8/17 isolates. Colistin-resistant (Col-R) isolates were found to be more resistant to LL-37 compared to colistin-susceptible (Col-S) isolates, but only at concentrations >= 50 mu g/ml. There was no significant difference in surface charge between the isolates. The morphological changes were similar in both Col-R and Col-S isolates after exposure to LL-37. Finally, no survival difference between the Col-R and Col-S isolates was observed in whole blood or serum, or in zebrafish embryos. Conclusion Cross-resistance between colistin and LL-37 was observed at elevated concentrations of LL-37. However, Col-R and Col-S isolates exhibited similar survival in serum and whole blood, and in a zebrafish infection-model, suggesting that cross-resistance most likely play a limited role during physiological conditions. However, it cannot be ruled out that the observed cross-resistance could be relevant in conditions where LL-37 levels reach high concentrations, such as during infection or inflammation.
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| 5. |
- Alaghmandfard, A., et al.
(author)
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Recent advances in the modification of carbon-based quantum dots for biomedical applications
- 2021
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In: Materials science & engineering. C, biomimetic materials, sensors and systems. - : Elsevier BV. - 0928-4931 .- 1873-0191. ; 120
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Carbon-based quantum dots (CDs) are mainly divided into two sub-groups; carbon quantum dots (CQDs) and graphene quantum dots (GQDs), which exhibit outstanding photoluminescence (PL) properties, low toxicity, superior biocompatibility and facile functionalization. Regarding these features, they have been promising candidates for biomedical science and engineering applications. In this work, we reviewed the efforts made to modify these zero-dimensional nano-materials to obtain the best properties for bio-imaging, drug and gene delivery, cancer therapy, and bio-sensor applications. Five main surface modification techniques with outstanding results are investigated, including doping, surface functionalization, polymer capping, nano-composite and core-shell structures, and the drawbacks and challenges in each of these methods are discussed.
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| 6. |
- Almessiere, M. A., et al.
(author)
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Effects of Ce-Dy rare earths co-doping on various features of Ni-Co spinel ferrite microspheres prepared via hydrothermal approach
- 2021
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In: Journal of Materials Research and Technology. - : Elsevier BV. - 2238-7854 .- 2214-0697. ; 14, s. 2534-2553
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The effects of Ce-Dy co-doping on the crystal structure, optical, dielectric, magnetic properties, and hyperfine interactions of Ni-Co spinel ferrite microspheres synthesized hydrothermally have been studied. A series of ferrites with the general formula Ni0.5-Co0.5CexDyxFe2-2xO4 were synthesized with x values ranging from 0.00 to 0.10. The phase, crystallinity, and morphology of ferrite microspheres were analyzed by X-ray powder diffractometry (XRD), scanning and transmission electron microscopes (SEM and TEM), respectively. The structural analyses of the synthesized ferrite microspheres confirmed their high purity and cubic crystalline phase. The Diffuse reflectance spectroscopic (DRS) measurements were presented to calculate direct optical energy band gaps (E-g) and is found in the range 1.63 eV - 1.84 eV. Fe-57 Mossbauer spectroscopy showed that the hyperfine magnetic field of tetrahedral (A) and octahedral (B) sites decreased with the substitution of Dy3+-Ce3+ ions that preferrentially occupy the B site. The impact of the rare-earth content (x) on the magnetic features of the prepared NiCo ferrite microspheres was investigated by analyzing M-H loops, which showed soft ferrimagnetism. The magnetic features illustrate a great impact of the incorporation of Ce3+-Dy3+ ions within the NiCo ferrite structure. The saturation magnetization (M-s), remanence (M-r), and coercivity (H-c) increased gradually with increasing Ce-Dy content. At x = 0.04, M-s, M-r, and H-c attain maximum values of about 31.2 emu/g, 11.5 emu/g, and 512.4 Oe, respectively. The Bohr magneton (n(B)) and magneto-crystalline anisotropy constant (K-eff) were also determined and evaluated with correlation to other magnetic parameters. Further increase in Ce3+-Dy3+ content (i.e., x >= 0.06) was found to decrease M-s, M-r, and H-c values. The variations in magnetic parameters (M-s, M-r, and H-c) were largely caused by the surface spins effect, the variations in crystallite/particle size, the distribution of magnetic ions into the different sublattices, the evolutions of magneto-crystalline anisotropy, and the variations in the magnetic moment (n(B)). The squareness ratios were found to be lower than the predicted theoretical value of 0.5 for various samples, indicating that the prepared Ce-Dy substituted NiCo ferrite microspheres are composed of NPs with single-magnetic domain (SMD). Temperature and frequency-dependent electrical and dielectric measurements have been done to estimate the ac/dc conductivity, dielectric constant, and tangent loss values for all the samples. The ac conductivity measurements confirmed the power-law rules, largely dependent on Ce-Dy content. Impedance analysis stated that the conduction mechanisms in all samples are mainly due to the grains-grain boundaries. The dielectric constant of NiCo ferrite microspheres give rise to normal dielectric distribution, with the frequency depending strongly on the Ce-Dy content. The observed variation in tangential loss with frequency can be attributed to the conduction mechanism in ferrites, like Koop's phenomenological model.
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| 7. |
- Almessiere, M. A., et al.
(author)
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Review on functional bi-component nanocomposites based on hard/soft ferrites : Structural, magnetic, electrical and microwave absorption properties
- 2021
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In: Nano-Structures and Nano-Objects. - : Elsevier B.V.. - 2352-507X. ; 26
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Bi-component hard (H) (hexaferrite) and soft (S) (spinel) ferrites nanocomposites are gaining interest scientifically and technically, not only for combining the high magnetization of spinel ferrite nanomaterials and the high coercivity of hexaferrite magnetic nanomaterials but also for the outstanding exchange-coupling behavior among hard and soft magnetic phase. The improved magnetic features lead to produce a new nanocomposite with higher microwave absorption capacity in comparison with ferrites with a single absorption mechanism. Exchange-coupled effect has a potential application based on microwave absorption, recording media, permanent magnets, biomedical and other applications. Intensive studies have been conducted on this topic to produce hard/soft (H/S) ferrite nanocomposites with establishment of exchange coupled effect between the two phases. Preparation methods, microstructure, magnetics features, microwave and dielectric properties, and applications are elaborated. Consequently, a comprehensive effort has been made to contain an original reference investigating in detail the precise outcomes of the published papers.
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| 8. |
- Arsana, Komang G.Y., et al.
(author)
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Laboratory Liquid-Jet X-ray Microscopy and X-ray Fluorescence Imaging for Biomedical Applications
- 2024
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In: International Journal of Molecular Sciences. - : MDPI AG. - 1661-6596 .- 1422-0067. ; 25:2
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Diffraction-limited resolution and low penetration depth are fundamental constraints in optical microscopy and in vivo imaging. Recently, liquid-jet X-ray technology has enabled the generation of X-rays with high-power intensities in laboratory settings. By allowing the observation of cellular processes in their natural state, liquid-jet soft X-ray microscopy (SXM) can provide morphological information on living cells without staining. Furthermore, X-ray fluorescence imaging (XFI) permits the tracking of contrast agents in vivo with high elemental specificity, going beyond attenuation contrast. In this study, we established a methodology to investigate nanoparticle (NP) interactions in vitro and in vivo, solely based on X-ray imaging. We employed soft (0.5 keV) and hard (24 keV) X-rays for cellular studies and preclinical evaluations, respectively. Our results demonstrated the possibility of localizing NPs in the intracellular environment via SXM and evaluating their biodistribution with in vivo multiplexed XFI. We envisage that laboratory liquid-jet X-ray technology will significantly contribute to advancing our understanding of biological systems in the field of nanomedical research.
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| 9. |
- Azadpour, Behnam, et al.
(author)
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Magnetically-assisted viral transduction (magnetofection) medical applications : An update
- 2023
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In: Biomaterials Advances. - : Elsevier BV. - 2772-9516 .- 2772-9508. ; 154
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Gene therapy involves replacing a faulty gene or adding a new gene inside the body's cells to cure disease or improve the body's ability to fight disease. Its popularity is evident from emerging concepts such as CRISPR-based genome editing and epigenetic studies and has been moved to a clinical setting. The strategy for therapeutic gene design includes; suppressing the expression of pathogenic genes, enhancing necessary protein production, and stimulating the immune system, which can be incorporated into both viral and non-viral gene vectors. Although non-viral gene delivery provides a safer platform, it suffers from an inefficient rate of gene transfection, which means a few genes could be successfully transfected and expressed within the cells. Incorporating nucleic acids into the viruses and using these viral vectors to infect cells increases gene transfection efficiency. Consequently, more cells will respond, more genes will be expressed, and sustained and successful gene therapy can be achieved. Combining nanoparticles (NPs) and nucleic acids protects genetic materials from enzymatic degradation. Furthermore, the vectors can be transferred faster, facilitating cell attachment and cellular uptake. Magnetically assisted viral transduction (magnetofection) enhances gene therapy efficiency by mixing magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) with gene vectors and exerting a magnetic field to guide a significant number of vectors directly onto the cells. This research critically reviews the MNPs and the physiochemical properties needed to assemble an appropriate magnetic viral vector, discussing cellular hurdles and attitudes toward overcoming these barriers to reach clinical gene therapy perspectives. We focus on the studies conducted on the various applications of magnetic viral vectors in cancer therapies, regenerative medicine, tissue engineering, cell sorting, and virus isolation.
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| 10. |
- Batili, Hazal, et al.
(author)
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A comparative study on the surface chemistry and electronic transport properties of Bi2Te3 synthesized through hydrothermal and thermolysis routes
- 2024
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In: Colloids and Surfaces A. - : Elsevier BV. - 0927-7757 .- 1873-4359. ; 682
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Bismuth telluride-Bi2Te3 is the most promising material for harvesting thermal energy near room temperature. There are numerous works on Bi2Te3 reporting significantly different transport properties, with no clear connection to the synthetic routes used and the resultant surface chemistry of the synthesized materials. It is of utmost importance to characterize the constituent particles’ surface and interfaces to get a better understanding of their influence on the transport properties, that will significantly improve the material design starting from the synthesis step. Electrophoretic deposition (EPD) is a promising technique, enabling the formation of thick films using colloidally stabilized suspensions of pre-made nanoparticles, which can enable the study of the effect of surface chemistry, in connection to the synthetic route, on the material's transport properties. In order to explore the differences in surface chemistry and the resultant transport properties in relation to the synthetic scheme used, here we report on Bi2Te3 synthesised through two wet-chemical routes in water (Hydro-) and oil (Thermo-) as the solvents. XRD analysis showed a high phase purity of the synthesized materials. SEM analysis revealed hexagonal platelet morphology of the synthesized materials, which were then used to fabricate EPD films. Characterization of the EPD films reveal significant differences between the Hydro- and Thermo-Bi2Te3 samples, leading to about 8 times better electrical conductivity values in the Thermo-Bi2Te3. XPS analysis revealed a higher metal oxides content in the Hydro-Bi2Te3 sample, contributing to the formation of a resistive layer, thus lowering the electrical conductivity. Arrhenius plots of electrical conductivity vs inverse temperature was used for the estimation of the activation energy for conduction, revealing a higher activation energy need for the Hydro-Bi2Te3 film, in agreement with the resistive barrier oxide content. Both the samples exhibited negative Seebeck coefficient (S) in the order of 160–170 mV/K. The small difference in S of Hydro- and Themo-Bi2Te3 films was explained by the effective medium theory, revealing that the magnitude of S is linearly correlated with the surface oxide content. Based on the findings, TE materials synthesized through thermolysis route is recommended for further studies using soft treatment/processing of pre-made TE materials. EPD platform presented here is shown to clearly expose the differences in the electronic transport in connection to nanoparticle surface chemistry, proving a promising methodology for the evaluation of morphology, size and surface chemistry dependence of electronic transport for a wide range of materials.
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