Search Results (9,482)

The environmental persistence of β-lactam antibiotics represents a growing ecological concern, requiring materials capable of combined adsorption and catalytic degradation. Herein, pure ZnS and 1% Fe-doped ZnS nanoparticles were synthesized via microwave-assisted treatment and evaluated for the removal of ceftaroline fosamil from aqueous media. Transmission electron microscopy revealed quasi-spherical nanoparticles below 10 nm, while selected area electron diffraction confirmed a face-centered cubic structure retained after Fe incorporation. UV-Vis spectroscopy showed similar absorption edges (~316 nm), indicating negligible band-gap variation, whereas photoluminescence analysis demonstrated strong emission quenching in Fe-ZnS, indicating suppressed electron–hole recombination. Point-of-zero charge measurements (pH_PZC ≈ 4.6 for ZnS; 4.5 for Fe-ZnS) indicated negatively charged surfaces under circumneutral conditions, influencing interfacial interactions with the antibiotic. Adsorption experiments followed the Langmuir isotherm model, with Fe-ZnS exhibiting a higher maximum adsorption capacity (156 mg g⁻¹) compared to ZnS (115 mg g⁻¹). Under UV irradiation (302 nm), Fe-ZnS achieved near-complete degradation at a catalyst loading of 500 ppm. Liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis revealed the transformation of ceftaroline fosamil (m/z 685.01) into ceftaroline (m/z 605.05) via phosphate group loss, followed by the formation of intermediate fragments at m/z 492.08 and 308.03, associated with cleavage of the thiadiazol-amine moiety and subsequent opening of the cephalosporin ring. After extended irradiation, these intermediates diminished, and a fragment at m/z 356.01 was detected, suggesting further breakdown through thioether bond cleavage. These results support a degradation pathway involving sequential dephosphorylation and fragmentation of the cephalosporin core. Overall, the enhanced performance of Fe-ZnS arises from the synergistic interplay between surface charge characteristics and dopant-modulated charge carrier dynamics, highlighting its potential for antibiotic remediation in aquatic environments. Full article

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has already gained immense attention in the anti-tumor field due to its low toxicity and non-invasiveness compared to traditional treatment methods. Therefore, the development of efficient photosensitizers is crucial for the advancement of photodynamic therapy. Although phthalocyanines (Pcs) have attracted huge attention as efficient photosensitizers, their clinical applications are hindered by poor solubility and a tendency to aggregate. Herein, two different Pcs that have different polarities were loaded into bacterial cellulose nanoparticles via non-covalent interactions. The aggregation behaviors and singlet oxygen production efficiencies were studied, as well as the influence of the Pc polarity on loading ratios. It was observed that octa-propylsulfonyl phthalocyanine ZnPc(SO₂Pr)₈, which has a more polar structure, loaded more on bacterial cellulose nanocrystal. Also, singlet oxygen generation efficiency of ZnPc(SO₂Pr)₈ was harmoniously increased with the loading ratio. The result indicated that both of the phthalocyanine/bacterial cellulose nanocrystal (Pc/BCNs) systems produced singlet oxygen and could be used as potential photosensitizers in PDT, especially ZnPc(SO₂Pr)_8, due to the high loading ratio. Full article

Honey authenticity control remains analytically challenging due to the complexity of its matrix and the increasing sophistication of adulteration practices. While chromatographic, spectrometric, and isotopic methods provide high confirmatory accuracy, their routine application is constrained by cost, time, and infrastructure requirements. In this context, fluorescence spectroscopy has emerged as a rapid, non-destructive, and cost-efficient screening approach capable of capturing subtle matrix-level compositional variations. This review critically evaluates the application of steady-state and excitation–emission matrix (EEM) fluorescence in honey quality and authenticity assessment. Fluorescence is positioned within tiered analytical frameworks as a first-line or intermediate screening tool preceding confirmatory chromatographic or NMR-based analyses. Emphasis is placed on intrinsic fluorophore domains, excitation–emission measurement strategies, and chemometric interpretation, including multiway analysis and supervised classification models. Recent developments in portable LED-based systems, laser-induced fluorescence, nanoparticle-based probes, and data-fusion strategies are discussed alongside key limitations related to matrix effects, spectral overlap, reproducibility, and model transferability. The review provides a structured framework for the strategic integration of fluorescence spectroscopy into contemporary honey authentication workflows. Full article

Cyclodextrins (CDs) have gained increasing attention as versatile platforms for enhancing drug delivery to the central nervous system, particularly in overcoming the restrictive properties of the blood–brain barrier (BBB). Owing to their unique cyclic oligosaccharide structure, CDs are capable of forming inclusion complexes with a wide range of therapeutic agents, thereby improving their solubility, stability, and bioavailability. In addition to their role as excipients, growing evidence indicates that CDs can actively modulate biological processes, including membrane fluidity and cholesterol homeostasis, which are critical factors in neurological disorders. This review explores the application of CDs in facilitating drug transport across the BBB through multiple mechanisms, including carrier-mediated transport, receptor-mediated transcytosis, and nanoparticle-based delivery systems. Special emphasis is placed on their use in the treatment of neurodegenerative and neurological diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, Niemann–Pick type C disease, and other central nervous system disorders. In these contexts, CD-based formulations have demonstrated the ability to enhance brain targeting, reduce pathological protein aggregation, and improve therapeutic outcomes in preclinical models. This review uniquely integrates cyclodextrin’s physicochemical properties with specific blood–brain barrier transport mechanisms, proposing a structure–transport–therapy framework that enables a more predictive understanding of brain-targeted drug delivery. Full article

Improving the absorption of visible light in photocatalysts could enhance photocatalytic reactions and reduce energy consumption, particularly in sunny regions like Ecuador. This study reports the synthesis of ZnO and ZnO nanoparticles doped with 1.5 at.% Er, 5 at.% Al, and 1.5 at.% Er, 5 at.% Al using the sol–gel method. The effect of doping on the structure, morphology, absorption spectra, and photocatalytic properties was analyzed by XRD, SEM, EDS, and UV-Vis spectrophotometry. XRD confirmed the presence of the wurtzite ZnO structure, and UV-Vis diffuse reflection spectra showed a red shift in the band gap for doped ZnO compared to pristine ZnO. Photocatalytic activity was evaluated through the degradation of methyl orange (MO) under artificial visible light and natural sunlight in Quito, Ecuador. ZnO doped with Er/Al nanoparticles exhibited significantly enhanced photocatalytic performance under solar light, suggesting the potential for replacing artificial light and reducing operating costs in photocatalytic processes. Moreover, all doped samples retained the antibacterial properties of ZnO against B. subtilis, and Er/Al co-doping improved the inhibition of E. coli compared to undoped ZnO. Full article

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted both the transformative potential of mRNA vaccines and the structural challenges associated with their supply chains. Unlike traditional vaccine platforms, mRNA vaccines depend on highly specialized raw materials, including plasmid DNA (pDNA), nucleotides, enzymes, and lipid nanoparticles (LNP), that are produced by a limited number of global suppliers. These dependencies, combined with platform-specific manufacturing processes and stringent cold chain requirements, introduce vulnerabilities across production, distribution, and regulatory oversight. This narrative review examines the distinctive features of mRNA vaccine supply chains and identifies key challenges and opportunities across three interconnected domains: manufacturing systems, logistics and distribution, and regulatory governance. Drawing on literature published between January 2021 and March 2026, the review synthesizes evidence on supply chain bottlenecks revealed during the COVID-19 pandemic, including upstream raw-material dependencies, limitations in manufacturing scale-up, cold chain constraints, and regulatory fragmentation. Particular attention is given to the implications of these challenges for low- and middle-income countries, where infrastructure, technical capacity, and regulatory resources may limit participation in mRNA vaccine production and deployment. The review also highlights emerging strategies to strengthen supply chain resilience, including diversification of input suppliers, development of regional manufacturing hubs, improvements in vaccine thermostability, regulatory harmonization initiatives, and the use of digital technologies for supply chain management. By integrating insights from manufacturing, logistics, and regulatory perspectives, this study contributes to a better understanding of the structural characteristics shaping mRNA vaccine supply chains and identifies priority areas for strengthening global preparedness for future health emergencies. Full article

Excessive CO₂ emissions cause global warming, while CO₂ interaction with crude oil can enhance oil recovery (EOR). To capture and reuse CO₂, nano-SiO₂ was cationically modified to synthesize nanoparticles (SCR₂). The structure and performance of SCR₂ were characterized by FT-IR, DLS, and TEM, confirming its excellent CO₂ adsorption capacity and surface activity. Compared with unmodified nano-silica, SCR₂ increased CO₂ adsorption capacity by 254.3% and reduced the core surface contact angle from 112.1° to 24.5°. Core flooding experiments showed that in low-permeability reservoirs, SCR₂ achieved a plugging rate of 87.5%, an enhanced oil recovery of 24.8%, and an ultimate oil recovery of 74.8% (23.8% higher than unmodified nano-silica). Mechanistically, SCR₂ plugs gas channeling pathways via its inherent nanoparticle properties and adsorption of dissolved CO₂ in the aqueous phase while improving rock surface wettability, thereby enhancing sweep efficiency and total oil recovery during CO₂ flooding. This study provides a promising approach for EOR and CO₂ resource utilization in low-permeability reservoirs. Full article

CoFe₂O₄ nanoparticles were prepared using a hydrothermal method. All the studied samples were single-phase and were crystallized in a cubic Fd-3m structure. XRD and TEM analyses revealed that the particles had average sizes between 5 and 22 nm. It has been shown that, by using the PVP of different molecular masses, trends of growth and crystallization can be established, obtaining elongated 40 k, cubical 58 k, and rhomboidal 360 kg/mol nanoparticles. While using Ethylene glycol as solvent, the formation of separated “raspberry”-like nanostructures was revealed. The saturation magnetizations are somewhat smaller compared with crystalline CoFe₂O₄ saturation magnetization, but are high enough to have possible biomedical applications. FC and ZFC measurements show that the blocking temperature was around 100 K for the CF5 sample and around 20 K for the FC6 sample. The calculated anisotropy constants were between 7 and 10 kJ/m³, being close to previously reported values. The calculated blocking temperatures are in good agreement with experimental ones. The M_r/Ms ratio at room temperature was lower than 0.5, confirming the predominance of magnetostatic interactions. This paper serves as a good starting point for researchers seeking to synthesize a CoFe₂O₄ system with a desired size and growth tendency at the nanometer scale. Full article

Background: Rabies is a highly fatal zoonotic disease that causes approximately 59,000 human deaths worldwide each year. Current inactivated rabies vaccines require multiple doses and are associated with high costs. The full-length rabies virus glycoprotein (RVG), a membrane protein, exhibits substantial instability in its trimeric structure during recombinant expression. This instability makes it difficult to obtain high-purity, correctly folded antigens. Objectives: This study focuses on the preparation of a full-length recombinant RVG subunit vaccine candidate expressed in a glycoengineered Pichia pastoris system with mammalian-like glycosylation. Methods: The full-length RVG gene (including the transmembrane domain and cytoplasmic tail) from the Challenge Virus Standard-11 (CVS-11) strain was codon-optimized and inserted into the pPICZαA vector to construct the recombinant expression plasmid pPICZαA-RVG. The plasmid was transformed into glycoengineered Pichia pastoris X33-7 (low-mannose type) by electroporation for inducible expression. The target protein was purified by nickel affinity chromatography, anion-exchange chromatography, and Superdex-200 size-exclusion chromatography. The structural characteristics of the purified protein were analyzed by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The purified antigen was formulated with the adjuvants AS03 or MF59. BALB/c mice (n = 5 per group) were immunized intramuscularly following a four-dose schedule (days 0, 7, 14, and 28). Antigen-specific IgG antibody titers were measured by ELISA, and neutralizing antibody titers were determined using the rapid fluorescent focus inhibition test (RFFIT). Results: Glycoengineered Pichia pastoris yeast strains expressing wild-type RVG (RVG-WT) or a mutant variant (RVG-M6: R84S, R199S, H270P, R279S, K300S, and R463S) were successfully constructed. The purified RVG antigen formed nanoparticles with an average particle size of approximately 75 nm. Immunized mice generated robust RVG-specific IgG responses, with titers reaching approximately 6.31 × 10⁵ for RVG-WT after the fourth immunization, compared to 3.16 × 10³ for RVG-M6 and 5.62 × 10³ for the RVG-WT-PEG control. Two weeks after the fourth immunization, RVG-WT formulated with AS03 or MF59 induced significant neutralizing antibody responses compared with the control group (p < 0.0001 and p < 0.01, respectively). The neutralizing antibody titers reached 1:79.43 in the AS03 group and 1:33.11 in the MF59 group, whereas the WT-PEG + AS03 control group showed a low titer of 1:3.72. In contrast, RVG-M6 formulated with MF59 failed to induce detectable neutralizing antibodies (1:3.02). Furthermore, RVG-WT + AS03 induced significantly higher neutralizing antibody responses than the WT-PEG + AS03 control group (p < 0.0001), and a significant difference was also observed between the RVG-WT + MF59 and RVG-M6 + MF59 groups (p < 0.01). Conclusions: The glycoengineered Pichia pastoris expression system successfully produced uniform full-length rabies virus glycoprotein nanoparticles with high purity. When formulated with the AS03 adjuvant, RVG-WT induced high-titer neutralizing antibodies in mice, suggesting a promising strategy for the development of recombinant subunit vaccines against rabies. However, this study is limited by the absence of challenge studies and validation in target animal species, which will be further investigated in future work. Full article

Over the past decade, antibacterial materials have become a promising strategy to address both antibiotic-resistant and biomaterial-associated infections in clinical settings. Despite substantial progress, a gap remains between promising antibacterial performance in vitro and limited therapeutic outcomes in vivo. Herein, we present a mechanistic framework for understanding formulation-dependent antibacterial performance across five representative formulation architectures: nanoparticle-based systems, nanofibrous scaffolds, hydrogel matrices, surface coatings, and vesicular or microencapsulated carriers. We impart how structural organization and delivery dynamics regulate antibacterial mechanisms such as contact-mediated killing, controlled therapeutic release, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and discuss their context-dependent suitability for diverse infection scenarios; these include acute wound infections, biofilm-associated implant infections, and chronic infected wounds. Particular emphasis is placed on factors contributing to the frequent failure of high in vitro log reduction efficacy translating into clinical success, including protein corona formation, biological barrier penetration, and dynamic host–pathogen interactions. Finally, we propose a comparative formulation-selection framework based on infection type, tissue environment, and therapeutic objectives to guide the rational design of next-generation antibacterial materials. This perspective bridges the gap between material innovation and clinical translation by highlighting formulation architecture as a central determinant of antibacterial performance in biomedical applications. Full article

Pesticides are a major cause of water contamination, making this issue a major environmental and public health concern. In this context, the development of advanced and effective remediation materials is needed. In this study, a titanium-functionalized magnetic silica aerogel (AG-Ti@Fe₃O₄-SA) was successfully prepared via microfluidics and evaluated for water decontamination. The structural and compositional features of the aerogel were determined using XRD, FT-IR, RAMAN, SEM, TEM, BET, and DLS, confirming the formation of the aerogel with dispersed Fe₃O₄-SA nanoparticles and the successful incorporation of titanium within the aerogel matrix. Regarding decontamination potential, the aerogel was tested against a pesticide mixture, yielding pesticide-dependent removal efficiencies (16–100%). Notably, the aerogel exhibited a high affinity for organophosphorus pesticides and a moderate affinity for polar compounds, whereas bulky hydrophobic pesticides showed lower adsorption. In vitro, the aerogel induced a moderate decrease in HaCaT cell viability after 48 h of exposure, accompanied by a slight increase in lactate dehydrogenase release, while HEK293 cells remained largely unaffected, indicating a cell-type-dependent biological response. Overall, the findings from this screening-level study recommend AG-Ti@Fe₃O₄-SA aerogel as a promising selective adsorbent for pesticide removal. Full article

Printed electronics have emerged as a versatile manufacturing platform for next-generation biosensors, enabling on-demand and low-cost fabrication of functional devices on flexible, stretchable, and unconventional substrates. One major challenge in this field lies in the sintering of printed features, as conventional high-temperature processing is incompatible with polymeric substrates and thermally sensitive biological components. Low-temperature sintering inks, typically processed below 200 °C or even at room temperature, have become a critical enabling technology for bio-integrated electronics. This review provides an overview of the current state-of-the-art and key challenges associated with low-temperature sintering inks for printed bioelectronics. We discuss inks based on metal nanoparticles, metal–organic decomposition precursors, metal oxides, chalcogenides, and hybrid material systems. The emphasis is on how ink chemistry, ligand selection, and precursor structure govern rheology, stability, and sintering behavior. In addition, key low-temperature sintering and curing strategies, including thermal, photonic, laser, plasma, microwave, and chemical sintering, are compared in terms of energy delivery, densification mechanisms, and substrate compatibility. Finally, we outline emerging directions towards low temperature and room-temperature sintering inks, and sustainable biobased ink formulations, and discuss their applications for wearable, implantable, and soft biosensing platforms. Full article

Background: Occult lymph node metastasis (LNM) occurs in 30–80% of patients with clinically node-negative papillary thyroid carcinoma (cN0-PTC), partly owing to the limited sensitivity of current preoperative nodal assessment, and may contribute to postoperative recurrence. Conventional sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy, typically performed with a single tracer, has limited reliability for detecting occult metastatic nodes, which can result in either overtreatment or undertreatment with lymph node dissection. We aimed to develop a highly accurate multimodal prediction framework to accurately identify second-echelon lymph node metastasis (SeLNM) and non-sentinel lymph node metastasis (NsLNM). Methods: We prospectively enrolled 301 patients with cN0-PTC between April and October 2024, of whom 131 met the inclusion criteria. Intraoperatively, a dual-tracer technique combining carbon nanoparticles and indocyanine green was applied, and near-infrared imaging was used to record the entire SLN visualization process in real time. For each case, a 3 min video clip (150 frames) was captured. Two senior surgeons delineated regions of interest to generate 19,650 mask images. A total of 2048 spatial features and 20 temporal features were extracted, combined with 32 clinical variables, including demographics, ultrasound characteristics, and gene mutation status. Nine deep learning models were developed and evaluated using 10-fold cross-validation. Model performance was quantified using receiver operating characteristic curves, decision curve analysis curves, calibration curves, precision–recall curves, learning curves, and 12 metrics. Statistical comparisons were performed using the DeLong test, and models were further evaluated using a probability-based ranking approach. Shapley Additive Explanations (SHAP) analysis was applied to interpret key predictive features. The primary outcomes were SeLNM and NsLNM, defined based on postoperative histopathology. Results: The Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) + Transformer model showed the best performance for both prediction tasks, with stable AUCs across training and testing (SeLNM: 0.980/0.982; NsLNM: 0.986/0.983). In the testing set, the model reached the same accuracy for both outcomes (94.7%) and showed strong sensitivity/specificity for SeLNM (94.7%/94.6%) and NsLNM (96.4%/91.5%). SHAP analysis indicated that time-series fluorescence flow features were the most influential predictors, followed by spatial structural features and SLN status. Conclusions: Dual-tracer SLN mapping with deep learning demonstrated encouraging intraoperative prediction of lymph node metastasis with interpretable features in this single-center cohort. Independent multicenter validation and prospective outcome studies are needed before considering clinical adoption. Full article

Biobased hybrid semiconducting composites are attracting significant attention as sustainable alternatives to traditional inorganic photocatalysts for environmental remediation and energy-related applications. Recent research progress in biobased hybrid photocatalytic systems is critically reviewed to outline their design strategies, photocatalytic mechanisms, and environmental applications. These composites integrate bioderived polymers with metal oxide semiconductors, forming hybrid architectures that improve interfacial contact at the molecular level, enhance charge transfer efficiency, and impart higher structural flexibility. The polymer matrix not only provides mechanical adaptability and functional surface groups, but also serves as an environmentally friendly support that can modulate surface electronic states and influence the photoinduced electron–hole dynamics in the inorganic phase. By controlling the molecular interactions between the polymer chains and metal oxide surfaces, these hybrids can mitigate key limitations of conventional metal oxides, such as rapid electron–hole recombination and restricted visible-light absorption. This review first summarizes the fundamental electronic and structural properties of widely employed metal oxide semiconductors and highlights their intrinsic limitations in photocatalytic processes. It then examines the role of biopolymers from the perspective of molecular structure, charge transport pathways, and interfacial interaction mechanisms with the inorganic component. Various synthesis strategies—including sol–gel, hydrothermal, in situ nanoparticle generation, green synthesis, and surface functionalization—are discussed, with emphasis on their ability to tune the nanoscale morphology and interfacial chemistry of the hybrids. Applications of these biohybrid systems in dye degradation, pharmaceutical pollutant removal, heavy metal reduction, and antimicrobial photocatalysis are analyzed alongside mechanistic insights into charge separation efficiency and band alignment at the molecular interface. Furthermore, challenges related to long-term stability, reproducibility, scalability, and performance in real wastewater matrices are also addressed. Overall, this review provides a thorough discussion on the design principles, photocatalytic mechanism, and environmental applications of biobased hybrid semiconductors, while emphasizing future opportunities for the development of efficient and sustainable photocatalytic systems. Full article

By examining a novel nanomaterial that has been modified for use in sustainable construction, this study primarily responds to the growing need for environmentally acceptable materials. The primary goal was to improve the functional and aesthetic qualities of building materials by synthesizing and characterizing environmentally friendly clay-based nanomaterials doped with cobalt pyrophosphate (Co₂P₂O₄). The authors employed contemporary experimental methods, such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for morphological characterisation, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) for molecular bonding assessment, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) for crystal structure research. The published findings show the doped nanomaterials’ potential durability as well as their structural integrity. An economic assessment is part of the investigation. The study is noteworthy for emphasizing the potential of cobalt-doped pyrophosphate nanoparticles as eco-friendly colour pigments for construction materials made of clay. Full article