Search Results (512)

Background: The reliable co-loading of paclitaxel (PTX) and indocyanine green (ICG) into a single lipid nanoparticle (LNP) enables synergistic antitumor delivery but remains challenging due to their distinct physicochemical properties. Methods: This study integrated COSMO-RS calculations, molecular dynamics simulations, and in vitro assays to systematically investigate the effects of lipid composition, drug modification, particle size, and solvent environment on dual-drug loading. Results: This work indicate that DMPS lipid membranes featuring highly polar headgroups and ordered bilayer structures stably bind both ICG and PTX, achieving drug-loading efficiencies (DLEs) of 7.2% and 5.6%, respectively. Carboxylation of PTX enhanced hydrogen bonding with DMPS, while alkyl chain modifications improved membrane insertion, though excessive chain length (e.g., C12) reduced stability due to increased flexibility. Increasing the LNP size from 50 nm to 250 nm raised the DLE of PTX from 4.7% to 8.1%, while sizes beyond 500 nm led to membrane destabilization. The use of 20 vol% ethanol increased total drug loading by 51% by disrupting the hydration shell of ICG and suppressing PTX aggregation; however, ethanol concentrations exceeding 40 vol% intensified drug–solvent competition and weakened membrane binding. Conclusions: This study provides a comprehensive elucidation of the multifactorial regulatory mechanisms underlying dual-drug loading in LNPs, offering a theoretical basis for the rational design of efficient co-delivery systems. Full article

Cyclotides are exceptionally stable plant peptides whose biological activity is widely attributed to interactions with lipid membranes, yet the molecular mechanisms underlying these interactions remain incompletely resolved. Here, we employ microsecond-scale (1 μs) all-atom molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the membrane association of the cyclotide kalata B1 with phospholipid bilayers of distinct headgroup composition, including POPC, POPE, and POPG. This extended timescale enables full bilayer equilibration and allows observation of slower peptide-induced membrane responses that are not accessible in shorter simulations. Across all systems, kalata B1 rapidly adsorbs to the membrane surface and remains predominantly surface-associated throughout the simulations, while the cyclic cystine knot motif remains structurally intact, confirming the exceptional robustness of the cyclotide fold during membrane engagement. Lipid-dependent differences arise primarily from variations in peptide orientation, conformational flexibility, and interfacial dynamics rather than deep bilayer insertion or pore formation. Zwitterionic POPC membranes favor compact, upright peptide configurations, whereas POPE and POPG bilayers promote enhanced lateral spreading and dynamic reorganization driven by hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interactions, respectively. Leaflet-resolved analyses of lipid contacts, membrane thickness, and area per lipid reveal localized, asymmetric perturbations confined to the peptide-exposed leaflet, with no evidence of sustained bilayer thinning or global destabilization. Together, these results support an interfacial, headgroup-dependent mechanism of cyclotide membrane activity and reconcile previous experimental observations. This work provides molecular-level insight into lipid selectivity and early-stage cyclotide–membrane interactions that may inform future design of cyclotide-based bioactive agents. Full article

Composite ZnO/Fe nanostructured thin films are synthesized via physical vapor deposition using radio frequency magnetron sputtering in conventional, as well as in glancing angle deposition (GLAD) geometries. ZnO is employed as a compact nanocolumnar template to direct Fe growth in bilayer and multilayer architectures. Morphological analysis reveals well-defined ZnO/Fe interfaces for normal deposition geometry, with diminished interface clarity and reduced layer thickness in GLAD samples. Crystallographic characterization indicates clear ZnO-{002} and α-Fe-{110} texture. Magnetostatic characterization investigates the effects of morphology on coercivity and domain nucleation. GLAD-deposited Fe films exhibit clear in-plane magnetic anisotropy, with remanence to saturation magnetization (M_REM/M_SAT) equal to 1 for the easy axis and equal to 0.24 for the hard axis, consistent with inclined nanocolumn morphology. Our findings show that deposition geometry, rather the ZnO template, mostly affects the morphology of Fe films. The above, highlight the potential of engineered ZnO/Fe nanocomposites for magnetic, spintronic, and magnetoplasmonic applications, by tuning morphology and interface quality through deposition parameters. Full article

This review surveys how nanoparticles and biomolecular nanosized structures interact with model membrane systems, and how these interfacial processes govern their performance in drug and gene delivery, antimicrobial strategies, biosensing, and nanotoxicology. The nanostructures covered include polymeric nanoparticles, lipid-based carriers, peptide nanostructures, dendrimers, and multifunctional hybrids. Model membranes span Langmuir monolayers, supported lipid bilayers, vesicles/liposomes across sizes, and emerging hybrid or asymmetric constructs that better approximate native complexity. Mechanistically, interactions follow recurrent routes—surface adsorption, bilayer insertion, pore formation, and lipid extraction/reorganization—regulated by particle size, morphology, charge, ligand architecture, and lipophilicity, in conjunction with membrane composition, phase state, curvature, and asymmetry. A multiscale toolkit links structure, mechanics, and dynamics: Langmuir troughs and Brewster Angle Microscopy map thermodynamics and mesoscale morphology; atomic force microscopy and quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation resolve nanoscale topography and viscoelasticity; fluorescence microscopy/spectroscopy reports on localization and packing; neutron and X-ray reflectometry quantify vertical structure; molecular dynamics provides atomistic pathways and design hypotheses. Historically, the field advanced from early monolayers and bilayers, through the fluid mosaic model, to raft microdomains and modern biomimetic systems, enabling increasingly realistic experiments. Key advances include cross-method integration linking experimental observations with image-based computational models; persistent debates concern the translation from simplified models to living membranes, the role of dynamic coronas, and scale/force-field limits in simulations. Future efforts should prioritize hybrid models incorporating proteins and asymmetric lipidomes, standardized reporting and reference systems, rigorous coupling of experiments with calibrated simulations and machine learning, and alignment with safety-by-design and regulatory expectations, thereby shifting interfacial measurements from descriptive observation to predictive design rules. Full article

Bacterial membrane vesicles (BMVs) are non-replicative, bilayered nanostructures secreted by both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. Rather than being passive byproducts of cell envelope turnover, BMVs are increasingly recognized as regulated particles that selectively package proteins, lipids, nucleic acids, and other bioactive molecules. Through these cargos, BMVs mediate a wide range of biological processes, including bacterial stress adaption, intercellular communication, virulence delivery, and host immune modulation. In this review, we integrate recent advancements in understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying BMV biogenesis and composition and discuss how their heterogeneity contributes to their functional diversity. Beyond their biological roles, we critically examine the translational potential of BMVs in vaccine development, targeted drug delivery, cancer therapy, diagnostic tools, and biotechnological applications. However, significant challenges related to their safety, efficacy, and large-scale production must be addressed to realize their full clinical potential. We review recent progress and ongoing obstacles in the use of BMVs across various biomedical applications and propose strategies for their clinical translation. Full article

Background: Plant-derived nanovesicles (PDNVs), a class of naturally occurring nanoparticles with a phospholipid bilayer structure, have attracted significant attention in biomedicine, particularly in anti-tumor research, due to their broad source availability, low production cost, high biocompatibility, and low immunogenicity. Methods: This review systematically summarizes and analyzes the isolation methods, composition, anti-tumor mechanisms, and clinical translation potential of PDNVs based on literature retrieved from PubMed and Web of Science, with clinical trials identified and categorized using ClinicalTrials.gov. Results: Current research has made impressive progress in the application of PDNVs, both as direct therapeutic agents and as drug delivery systems. Their remarkable stability, ability to cross physiological barriers (e.g., the gastrointestinal tract and blood–brain barrier), and engineerability underpin their versatile potential. Conclusions: This review comprehensively outlines the compositional characteristics of PDNVs and explores their multi-dimensional mechanisms and application prospects as natural therapeutics and drug delivery platforms in cancer therapy. Despite challenges such as standardization in preparation, PDNVs represent a highly promising class of novel nanobiomaterials. Full article

Silica particles are promising multifunctional drug delivery platforms; however, when in contact with blood or other biological fluids, proteins rapidly adsorb to their surface, forming the protein corona that modulates their biological interactions. In this study, silica microparticles were coated with lipid bilayers using two approaches: the lipid film hydration method and the on-particle solvent-assisted lipid coating (OPSALC) technique. We investigated how phospholipids with varying charges (zwitterionic, anionic, and cationic) and membrane phase influence coating formation and protein corona adsorption. The coating coverage and aggregation were characterized by fluorescence microscopy. The lipid film hydration method enabled coating with a broad range of lipids, but was highly dependent on the membrane phase and electrostatic interactions between lipid head group and particle surface. Pure anionic coatings were not achievable with this method; however, when combining the OPSALC method with a pre-silanization step, fully anionic coatings of silica microparticles were successfully obtained. Assessment by SDS-PAGE revealed differences in protein corona profiles modulated by the lipid compositions on the particles’ coatings. Overall, this study highlights the dependence of coating formation and protein corona composition on the phospholipid coatings’ properties. Full article

The development of collagen-based composite materials offers new opportunities for designing bioactive porous structures with tunable properties. This study focuses on sponges or scaffolds fabricated from fish skin-derived tropocollagen combined with detonation nanodiamonds (NDs), aiming to explore how incorporation of NDs and application of radiation, as a potential sterilization method, influence structural and functional characteristics of the material. Freeze-dry methods of sponge fabrication resulted in a bilayered structure of open porosity, with microporosity at the top and a microchannel at the lower part of the material. The sponges demonstrated mechanical properties with relatively low elongation of below 10%, while the maximum stress was reduced by ca. 20% due to irradiation. Hydration and absorption experiments, mimicking the resorption of collagen in physiological conditions of expected application as wound dressing material, demonstrated controllable fluid uptake and gradual material dissolution, taking place over several hours, depending essentially on the irradiation treatment and morphological characteristics of the sponge. These findings highlight the versatility of collagen–nanodiamond composites as platforms, in which structural design and processing parameters control performance. Moreover, they provide a strong indication of the expected behavior of collagen–nanoparticle systems, including those incorporating NDs modified to impart specific biological functionality, such as antimicrobial activity. Full article

The 2011 Fukushima accident highlighted the vulnerability of traditional Zr alloy fuel cladding under loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA) conditions, prompting the development of accident-tolerant fuel (ATF) systems. A promising near-term solution involves depositing protective coatings on existing Zr alloy cladding. Among various deposition techniques, cold spray technology has emerged as one of the leading methods due to its solid-state, low-temperature process, which minimises thermal degradation and allows for the deposition of a wide range of high-performance materials. This review provides a comprehensive examination of recent advances in cold-sprayed coatings for ATF cladding, beginning with an overview of the fundamentals of cold spray technology and its specific advantages for nuclear applications. The core of the review critically analyses three primary coating systems: Cr, FeCrAl alloys, and MAX phase composites, with a particular focus on Cr coatings, as they have been more extensively studied compared to the other two material systems. Key coating properties, including microstructure of the coating-substrate interface, mechanical properties, thermal conductivity, oxidation resistance, irradiation tolerance, and performance under normal operation and simulated LOCA conditions, are discussed in detail, with particular emphasis on the potential of cold-sprayed Cr coatings to enhance Zr alloy cladding. Cr coatings demonstrate significant improvements in oxidation resistance and irradiation stability, but also face challenges such as high-temperature interfacial reactions. To address these issues, promising solutions, such as diffusion-barrier bilayer systems, are being explored. Additionally, the review discusses FeCrAl and MAX phase composite coatings, highlighting their promising long-term performance under extreme conditions. The review concludes with recommendations for further research to optimise cold spray processes and ensure the robustness of coatings in operational reactor environments. Full article

Cr-Al composite coatings were fabricated on Ti-6Al-4V alloy substrates via mechanical alloying using a high-energy planetary ball mill. The coatings exhibited a distinctive bilayer architecture comprising an inner layer with coarse reinforcing particles and an outer layer featuring a refined, homogenized microstructure. Systematic investigations were conducted to elucidate the influence of rotational speed on coating formation, microstructural evolution, phase composition, and high-temperature oxidation performance. The findings revealed that insufficient milling speeds failed to facilitate adequate powder deposition, resulting in poor interfacial adhesion and the formation of porous or thin coatings. Conversely, excessive rotational speeds induced surface roughening and coating delamination. Optimization studies identified 250 r/min as the optimal milling speed, yielding dense, well-adherent coatings with superior oxidation resistance. Cyclic oxidation testing at 850 °C demonstrated that coated specimens exhibited significantly reduced mass gain compared to uncoated substrates. Post-oxidation characterization confirmed the formation of a protective corundum-type oxide scale (α-Al₂O₃ and Cr₂O₃) and revealed a four-layered structure in the oxidized coating: (I) a dense oxide film serving as an oxygen barrier, (II) a dense alloyed layer, (III) a porous alloyed layer, and (IV) an inner diffusion zone. These results demonstrate that the mechanically alloyed Cr-Al coatings provide effective protection against high-temperature oxidation for Ti-6Al-4V alloy substrates. Full article

We present an investigation to develop innovative composite fibrous electrodes optimized for a supercapacitor with a “green” low-cost aqueous electrolyte, superconcentrated potassium formate, which raises the maximum energy storage device voltage beyond the water electrolysis limit. Three types of electrospun nanofiber mats are investigated for optimum pseudocapacitance with this electrolyte: polyaniline (PANI)/polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fibers, without or with 1 wt% or 10 wt% graphene nanoplatelets (GNP). These nanofiber mats are considered as standalone electrodes or in bilayer formations with a phenolic-derived activated carbon fabric. Supercapacitor cells with these electrodes are tested electrochemically via electrical impedance spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge–discharge at different current densities. The supercapacitor with hybrid electrode bilayers of activated carbon fabric and electrospun fiber mat consisting of PANI:PAN at 50:50 w/w with 10 wt% GNP exhibited the best performance with an energy and a power density of 39 Wh/kg and 6057 W/kg of electrodes, respectively. Full article

Parylene C films are subjected to inadequate corrosion resistance due to their relatively low adhesion and structural defects. To address this challenge, the CVD Parylene C film (10 μm thick) was composited with Al₂O₃ film (30 nm thick) prepared with atomic layer deposition (ALD) technology in this work. Optical microscopic results indicate uniform thickness of the films and the reduced adhesion of Parylene C based thick films. SEM-EDX and AFM results show that the composite films have more blurred mounds morphology than the individual films, and Al₂O₃ film decreases the surface roughness of Parylene C film; compared with the single-layer film, the R_a value of the bilayer film decreased by approximately 6%. XPS, FTIR and XRD analyses confirm the structural components of Al₂O₃ and Parylene C films and the annealing effect of ALD process on Parylene C film. Tafel polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy tests reveal that the 304-Parylene C–Al₂O₃ system exhibits the optimal corrosion resistance; its corrosion current density (i_corr) is 8.099 × 10⁻⁵ μA/cm² and the ALD Al₂O₃ thin film uniformly coats the Parylene C film, enhancing its physical barrier and chemical passivation under corrosive conditions. Full article

Meat products are prone to spoilage during storage and transportation due to the decomposition of amino acids and proteins, which generates volatile amines and elevates pH levels. In recent years, research on pH indicator labels for food has significantly increased. This study investigates a functional film with a bilayer structure for real-time freshness monitoring of meat. Utilizing Tara gum (TG) and Gellan gum (GG) as the base material and nanocellulose composite GG/blueberry anthocyanins as the sensing layer, titanium dioxide was incorporated to effectively block ultraviolet radiation. Through response surface methodology, the cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) preparation process was optimized to address issues such as insufficient mechanical properties, hydrophobicity, and thermal stability of the composite film. Results showed that the composite film achieved optimal performance when CNC content was 6%. This research provides a simple and effective solution for real-time freshness monitoring of meat products, offering advantages such as low cost, environmental friendliness, and user-friendly operation. Full article

The combination of supported lipid bilayers (SLBs) with the Quartz Crystal Microbalance with Dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) has been proven to be a powerful tool to simultaneously monitor mass and viscoelastic changes related to membrane binding-events. In this work, the above methodology is employed for the study of the interaction of the Early Endosomal Antigen 1 (EEA1) to a model lipid bilayer that mimics the early endosome (EE) membrane, focusing on the membrane composition. Starting with the formation of a lipid bilayer through the vesicles fusion technique, we investigated the formation of SLBs that incorporate phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate (PI(3)P), a key component for EEA1 binding, in combination with other lipids, e.g., (1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3)-phosphocholine (DOPC), -phosphoserine (DOPS), -phosphoethanolamine (DOPE), and cholesterol (Chol). The interaction of the full-length coiled-coil EEA1 to the formed SLBs was further studied in real time with the QCM-D and characterized with respect to the lipid composition and pH. Our findings confirm that PI(3)P is essential for the EEA1–membrane interaction, while it was shown that Chol and phosphatidylserine greatly influence the binding event. In fact, including 30% Chol in a PI(3)P (3%):PS (6%) SLB resulted in almost double EEA1 binding than in the absence of Chol. Moreover, we employed the QCM-viscoelastic model available to analyze the QCM-D data with emphasis on the study of the protein conformation. Our results showed that, in our in vitro system, EEA1 is not fully extended and/or highly packed, but is mainly in a bent, distorted conformation with an average size close to 100 nm. This study complements previous works employing in vitro assays, also demonstrating the ability to reconstitute more complex biomimetic EE membranes containing inositol phospholipids on a QCM surface for the study of EEA1 binding. Full article