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Nanotechnology keeps drawing attention due to the great tunable properties of nanomaterials in comparison to their bulk conventional materials. The growth of nanotechnology in combination with the digitization era has led to an increased need of safety related data. In addition to safety, new data-driven paradigms on safe and sustainable by design materials are stressing the necessity of data even more. Data is a fundamental asset to the scientific community in studying and analysing the entire life-cycle of nanomaterials. Unfortunately, data exist in a scattered fashion, in different sources and formats. To our knowledge, there is no study focusing on aspects of actual data-structure knowledge that exists in literature and databases. The purpose of this review research is to transparently and comprehensively, display to the nanoscience community the datasets readily available for machine learning purposes making it convenient and more efficient for the next users such as modellers or data curators to retrieve information. We systematically recorded the features and descriptors available in the datasets and provide synopsised information on their ranges, forms and metrics in the supplementary material., (Copyright © 2021 The Author. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Tracking protein levels in the body is vital in both research and medicine, where understanding their physiological roles provides insight into their regulation in homeostasis and diseases. In medicine, protein levels are actively sampled since they continuously fluctuate, reflecting the status of biological systems and provide insight into patient health. One such protein is interferon gamma, a clinically relevant protein with immunoregulatory functions that play critical roles against infection. New tools for continuously monitoring protein levels in vivo are invaluable in monitoring real-time conditions of patients to allow better care. Here, we developed a DNA-based nanosensor for the photoacoustic detection of interferon gamma. This work demonstrates how we transformed a simple DNA motif, receptors, and a novel phthalocyanine dye into a proof-of-concept photoacoustic nanosensor for protein detection. Surface plasmon resonance kinetic analysis demonstrated that the nanosensor is responsive and reversible to interferon gamma with an affinity in the nanomolar range, K D1 = 167 nM and K D2 = 316 nM. As a reporter, our design includes a novel phthalocyanine-based photoacoustic dye that stacks in a J-aggregate, causing a 22.5% increase in signal. Upon receptor binding, the DNA structure bends to induce phthalocyanine dye stacking, resulting in a 55% increase in photoacoustic signal in the presence of 10 μM interferon gamma. This proof-of-concept nanosensor is a novel approach to the development of a photoacoustic sensor and may be adapted for other proteins of interest in the future for in vivo tracking.

Background: A diverse class of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) exhibiting a wide array of physical-chemical properties that are associated with toxicological effects in experimental animals is in commercial use. However, an integrated framework for human health risk assessment (HHRA) of ENMs has yet to be established. Rodent 2-year cancer bioassays, clinical chemistry, and histopathological endpoints are still considered the 'gold standard' for detecting substance-induced toxicity in animal models. However, the use of data derived from alternative toxicological tools, such as genome-wide expression profiling and in vitro high-throughput assays, are gaining acceptance by the regulatory community for hazard identification and for understanding the underlying mode-of-action. Here, we conducted a case study to evaluate the application of global gene expression data in deriving pathway-based points of departure (PODs) for multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT)-induced lung fibrosis, a non-cancer endpoint of regulatory importance., Methods: Gene expression profiles from the lungs of mice exposed to three individual MWCNTs with different physical-chemical properties were used within the framework of an adverse outcome pathway (AOP) for lung fibrosis to identify key biological events linking MWCNT exposure to lung fibrosis. Significantly perturbed pathways were categorized along the key events described in the AOP. Benchmark doses (BMDs) were calculated for each perturbed pathway and were used to derive transcriptional BMDs for each MWCNT., Results: Similar biological pathways were perturbed by the different MWCNT types across the doses and post-exposure time points studied. The pathway BMD values showed a time-dependent trend, with lower BMDs for pathways perturbed at the earlier post-exposure time points (24 h, 3d). The transcriptional BMDs were compared to the apical BMDs derived by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) using alveolar septal thickness and fibrotic lesions endpoints. We found that regardless of the type of MWCNT, the BMD values for pathways associated with fibrosis were 14.0-30.4 μg/mouse, which are comparable to the BMDs derived by NIOSH for MWCNT-induced lung fibrotic lesions (21.0-27.1 μg/mouse)., Conclusions: The results demonstrate that transcriptomic data can be used to as an effective mechanism-based method to derive acceptable levels of exposure to nanomaterials in product development when epidemiological data are unavailable.

Nanotechnology has the potential to innovate the agricultural, feed and food sectors (hereinafter referred to as agri/feed/food). Applications that are marketed already include nano-encapsulated agrochemicals or nutrients, antimicrobial nanoparticles and active and intelligent food packaging. Many nano-enabled products are currently under research and development, and may enter the market in the near future. As for any other regulated product, applicants applying for market approval have to demonstrate the safe use of such new products without posing undue safety risks to the consumer and the environment. Several countries all over the world have been active in examining the appropriateness of their regulatory frameworks for dealing with nanotechnologies. As a consequence of this, different approaches have been taken in regulating nano-based products in agri/feed/food. The EU, along with Switzerland, were identified to be the only world region where nano-specific provisions have been incorporated in existing legislation, while in other regions nanomaterials are regulated more implicitly by mainly building on guidance for industry. This paper presents an overview and discusses the state of the art of different regulatory measures for nanomaterials in agri/feed/food, including legislation and guidance for safety assessment in EU and non-EU countries., (Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Designing a biosensor for versatile biomedical applications is a sophisticated task and how dedicatedly functionalized fullerene (C60) can perform on this stage is a challenge for today and tomorrow's nanoscience and nanotechnology. Since the invention of biosensor, many ideas and methods have been invested to upgrade the functionality of biosensors. Due to special physicochemical characteristics, the novel carbon material "fullerene" adds a new dimension to the construction of highly sensitive biosensors. The prominent aspects of fullerene explain its outstanding performance in biosensing devices as a mediator, e.g. fullerene in organic solvents exhibits five stages of reversible oxidation/reduction, and hence fullerene can work either as an electrophile or nucleophile. Fullerene is stable and its spherical structure produces an angle strain which allows it to undergo characteristic reactions of addition to double bonds (hybridization which turns from sp(2) to sp(3)). Research activities are being conducted worldwide to invent a variety of methods of fullerene functionalization with a purpose of incorporating it effectively in biosensor devices. The different types of functionalization methods include modification of fullerene into water soluble derivatives and conjugation with enzymes and/or other biomolecules, e.g. urease, glucose oxidase, hemoglobin, myoglobin (Mb), conjugation with metals e.g. gold (Au), chitosan (CS), ferrocene (Fc), etc. to enhance the sensitivity of biosensors. The state-of-the-art research on fullerene functionalization and its application in sensor devices has proven that fullerene can be implemented successfully in preparing biosensors to detect glucose level in blood serum, urea level in urine solution, hemoglobin, immunoglobulin, glutathione in real sample for pathological purpose, to identify doping abuse, to analyze pharmaceutical preparation and even to detect cancer and tumor cells at an earlier stage. Employing fullerene-metal matrix for the detection of tumor and cancer cells is also possible by the inclusion of fullerene in single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) known as peapods as well as in double-walled carbon nanotubes (DWCNTs), to augment the effectiveness of biosensors. This review discusses various approaches that have been reported for functionalizing fullerene (C60) derivatives and their application in different types of biosensor fabrication., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Novel nanoemulsion-based drug delivery systems (DDS) have been proposed as alternative and effective approach for the delivery of various types of poorly water-soluble drugs in the last decade. This nanoformulation strategy significantly improves the cell uptake and bioavailability of numerous hydrophobic drugs by increasing their solubility and dissolution rate, maintaining drug concentration within the therapeutic range by controlling the drug release rate, and reducing systemic side effects by targeting to specific disease site, thus offering a better patient compliance. To date, cavitation technology has emerged to be an energy-efficient and promising technique to generate such nanoscale emulsions encapsulating a variety of highly potent pharmaceutical agents that are water-insoluble. The micro-turbulent implosions of cavitation bubbles tear-off primary giant oily emulsion droplets to nano-scale, spontaneously leading to the formation of highly uniform drug contained nanodroplets. A substantial body of recent literatures in the field of nanoemulsions suggests that cavitation is a facile, cost-reducing yet safer generation tool, remarkably highlighting its industrial commercial viability in the development of designing novel nanocarriers or enhancing the properties of existing pharmaceutical products. In this review, the fundamentals of nanoemulsion and the principles involved in their formation are presented. The underlying mechanisms in the generation of pharmaceutical nanoemulsion under acoustic field as well as the advantages of using cavitation compared to the conventional techniques are also highlighted. This review focuses on recent nanoemulsion-based DDS development and how cavitation through ultrasound and hydrodynamic means is useful to generate the pharmaceutical grade nanoemulsions including the complex double or submicron multiple emulsions., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: Fine-grained, high strength, translucent leucite dental glass-ceramics are synthesized via controlled crystallization of finely milled glass powders. The objectives of this study were to utilize high speed planetary milling of an aluminosilicate glass for controlled surface crystallization of nano-scale leucite glass-ceramics and to test the biaxial flexural strength., Methods: An aluminosilicate glass was synthesized, attritor or planetary milled and heat-treated. Glasses and glass-ceramics were characterized using particle size analysis, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. Experimental (fine and nanoscale) and commercial (Ceramco-3, IPS Empress Esthetic) leucite glass-ceramics were tested using the biaxial flexural strength (BFS) test. Gaussian and Weibull statistics were applied., Results: Experimental planetary milled glass-ceramics showed an increased leucite crystal number and nano-scale median crystal sizes (0.048-0.055 μm(2)) as a result of glass particle size reduction and heat treatments. Experimental materials had significantly (p<0.05) higher mean BFS and characteristic strength values than the commercial materials. Attritor milled and planetary milled (2h) materials showed no significant (p>0.05) strength difference. All other groups' mean BFS and characteristic strengths were found to be significantly different (p<0.05) to each other. The mean (SD) MPa strengths measured were: Attritor milled: 252.4 (38.7), Planetary milled: 225.4 (41.8) [4h milling] 255.0 (35.0) [2h milling], Ceramco-3: 75.7 (6.8) and IPS Empress: 165.5 (30.6)., Significance: Planetary milling enabled synthesis of nano-scale leucite glass-ceramics with high flexural strength. These materials may help to reduce problems associated with brittle fracture of all-ceramic restorations and give reduced enamel wear., (Copyright © 2013 Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This article provides information on the integration of nanochemistry into secondary education curricula in Lower Saxony, Germany. It discusses the Nan_OS school laboratory setting, which aims to teach students about the properties, applications, opportunities, and risks of nanochemistry. The article also presents three innovative experiments that can be used in secondary education to introduce students to the synthesis and applications of nanoparticles. It emphasizes the importance of adapting school curricula to reflect current research and developments in nanotechnology and highlights the need for further development of experiments in the field of nanochemistry to support teachers in creating research-based lesson plans. [Extracted from the article]

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Abstract Significant research employing nanomaterials has been conducted in the field of nanotechnology over the past few years. Due to the significant advancements made in a number of industries, including electronics, energy, medical, cosmetics, food engineering, telecommunications, and agriculture, nanotechnology is advancing quickly. As a result, nanomaterials are the foundation of nanotechnology. Due to their small size, nanomaterials have special optical, magnetic, electrical, and physical, reactivity, strength, surface area, sensitivity, and stability features. Surprisingly, the phase change occurs when bulk materials are converted into nanomaterials, which means that materials that were previously non‐magnetic become magnetic at the nanoscale. Because of its unique features, nanoscale matter is a separate form of matter from the solid, liquid, gaseous, and plasma states. Nanomaterials' characteristics are mostly determined by their shapes and sizes. In this paper a critical overview of nanomaterials, their varieties, characteristics, synthesis techniques, and applications in various fields is offered.

The selection of suitable materials as components of the drilling fluid remains the primary concern of the mud engineer. Micro and nanomaterials represent dense and effective complementary additives to the drilling fluid. In this paper, both micro silica and Nano silica were used in order to find the effect of each on the properties of drilling fluid in general and filtration in particular. Where the results showed that each of them has an effective and different role in improving the properties of drilling fluids in general and filtration in particular. although they are one material, but nanotechnology has contributed to making Nano-silica more efficient and effective than micro-silica. Both materials reduce the permeability of the mud cake and reduce the volume of the filtrate, as well as increase the viscosity, yield point and gel strength. As for density and acidity, fine silica had the biggest effect. Where it can be used as a heavy material, as well as the effect of adding micro silica on the PH value has been studied, as the results prove that the proportion is direct. As for Nano silica, it did not have a significant effect on the density or the pH. The results showed that Nano-silica is the most efficient for reducing filtration, followed by CMC, then PAC, then micro-silica It was found that if the percentage of addition was 25%, the filter volume value is as follows: 0.5 cc for Nano silica, 1.9 cc for CMC, 2 cc for PAC and 3 cc for micro silica. The addition of Nano-silica gave a cohesive clay cake with a permeability of 1.84, five times lower than what was provided by PAC for a 25% addition ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT A significant portion of the current knowledge regarding the use of iron nanoparticles for remediating metal-contaminated soils is derived from laboratory experiments, leaving several unanswered questions. This article presents a field experiment comparing the efficacy of magnetite nanoparticles and microparticles for the immobilization of metals and the growth of plants in metal-contaminated soils. This study aimed to investigate the effects of magnetite particle size on metal immobilization and plant growth in soils exposed to airborne pollution from the Middle-Urals Copper Smelter in the southern taiga subzone near Revda, Russia, 50 km from Ekaterinburg. Magnetite nano- and microparticles were added to forest litter at a 4 % w/w dose. The total metal contents in litter from the study plots were 1-2 orders of magnitude higher than background metal concentrations. The magnetite nanoparticle treatment was found to decrease the concentration of exchangeable copper in soil and improve the growth of red fescue (Festuca rubra L.) on polluted soil compared to the control. In contrast, magnetite microparticles did not show any statistically significant effects. These findings are in line with laboratory results that demonstrated the superior metal adsorption properties of magnetite nanoparticles compared to microparticles. However, this study was limited in duration (2 months), and longer field studies would be necessary to confirm the role of iron particle size in the rehabilitation of metal-contaminated soils.

Significant research employing nanomaterials has been conducted in the field of nanotechnology over the past few years. Due to the significant advancements made in a number of industries, including electronics, energy, medical, cosmetics, food engineering, telecommunications, and agriculture, nanotechnology is advancing quickly. As a result, nanomaterials are the foundation of nanotechnology. Due to their small size, nanomaterials have special optical, magnetic, electrical, and physical, reactivity, strength, surface area, sensitivity, and stability features. Surprisingly, the phase change occurs when bulk materials are converted into nanomaterials, which means that materials that were previously non‐magnetic become magnetic at the nanoscale. Because of its unique features, nanoscale matter is a separate form of matter from the solid, liquid, gaseous, and plasma states. Nanomaterials' characteristics are mostly determined by their shapes and sizes. In this paper a critical overview of nanomaterials, their varieties, characteristics, synthesis techniques, and applications in various fields is offered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanotechnology is the engineering and application of atoms, molecules, and particles whose sizes are on the nanometer scale (1-100 nm). Studies have shown that nanoparticles (NPs), most especially the nano metal oxides have improved and/or unusual physic chemical properties when compared with the corresponding bulk materials. Thus, these unique properties make NPs very useful in different field like medicine, electronics, biomaterials, energy production, water and wastewater treatment, etc. Different methods such as the gas phase synthesis (gas condensation processing, chemical vapour condensation, microwave plasma processing, and combustion flame synthesis), ball milling, co-precipitation, sol gel, micro emulsion, and surfactant have been widely reported in literature over the years for the production of NPs. There are few conventional technologies which are affordable and can be produced locally for effective removal of contaminants from water and wastewater. However, there are several challenges with regards to the cost and the removal efficiency of certain pollutants, most especially, the persistent organic pollutants and endocrine disruptors by these conventional technologies. Environmental nanotechnology vis nanotechnology and/or nanotechnology combined with conventional technologies are able to treat organic and inorganic contaminants to acceptable levels. There is currently intense scientific interest in nanotechnology for water and wastewater treatment; nevertheless, there are concerns about the toxicity and environmental impact of NPs. The application of nanotechnology for the removal of toxic pollutants such as the pharmaceutical and personal care products, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls, phthalates, furans and dioxins, agrochemicals and pesticides, volatile organic compounds, viruses and bacteria, dyes, inorganic pollutants, etc., has been widely reported by several investigators in the field of nanotechnology. Interestingly, results have shown that environmental nanotechnology could be effectively utilized for the removal of organic and inorganic contaminants from drinking water, sewage, municipal, industrial and process wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How to enhance the bioavailability and prolong the residence time of drugs in the eye present the major barriers to traditional eye delivery. Nanotechnology has been widely used in ocular drug delivery systems because of its advantages of minimizing adverse reactions, decreasing the frequency of administration, prolonging the release time, and improving the bioavailability of the drug in the eye. As natural product-based nanostructured systems, bioinspired nanostructured systems have presented as less toxic, easy to prepare, and cost-effective and have potential application value in the field of nanotechnology. A systematic classification of bioinspired nanostructured systems based on their inspiration source and formulation and their brief applications in disease are presented here. A review of recent research progress of the bioinspired nanostructured systems for the treatment of the anterior and posterior segment of ocular disorders is then presented in detail. Finally, current challenges and future directions with regard to manufacturing bioinspired nanomaterials are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nano science is a scientific effort towards achieving complete control over of atoms, molecules and larger atomic structures including surfaces and bulk material. This control at the most basic level does not, however, come without difficulty, and at this point basic science is struggling to understand even the simplest building blocks and how they interact. Once this understanding is secured, nanotechnology will be apt to affect every aspect of human life, from the way we produce energy to the way we cure diseases. The basis of all life is molecular motion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a regular reader of Science, Scientific American, Nature and The Eonomist, I could not miss how so many articles in these science-technology journals refer to micro-processing, which today dominates so much science-praxis. I have become aware that how science happens, changes primarily with a wide context of instrument changes. That is what this paper is about. Heidegger's technologies were largely Industrial-Big, Machinic, and Mechanical. Science, today often a leader, is now operating by using micro-nano processes and has often shifted to biological and medical sciences, marking a change in how science operates. This has significant consequences for how we should think about the "transcendental" and the "empirical" in philosophy of technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two-dimensional (2D) nanoheterostructure (2D NHS) with nanoparticles grown on 2D nanomaterial substrates could potentially enable many novel functionalities. Controlled site-selective growth of nanoparticles on either the lateral or the basal directions of 2D nanomaterial substrates is desirable but extremely challenging. Herein, we demonstrate the rational control of lateral- and basal-selective attachment of CdS nanoparticles onto 2D Bi2Se3 nanosheets through solution phase reactions. The combination of experimental and theoretical efforts elucidate that site-relevant interfacial bonding and kinetic control of molecular precursors play vital roles for site selectivity. Furthermore, the electronic structures revealed from density functional theory calculations explain the superior performance of the lateral 2D NHSs compared to their basal counterpart in prototype photoelectrochemical cells. The present study will inspire the construction of other site-selective 2D NHSs with well-defined structure and unique properties.

The varied applications of nanotechnology have paved way for several breakthroughs in the realm of biomedical technology. In this challenging era when illness multiplies, timely and accurate disease diagnosis is very important. Thus, well founded novel approaches matter very much in areas like disease diagnosis and monitoring. Nanomedicine has tremendous implications in the given context. An elevated cholesterol concentration in blood is risky and is associated with cardiovascular diseases (CVD). CVD remains the No. 1 global cause of death and hence there is an urge to understand cholesterol level and take preventive measures. Highly fluorescent graphene quantum dots (GQs) are well known for their biocompatibility, non toxicity and aqueous solubility. Here in we report an easy and sensitive non enzymatic based cholesterol detection using digitonin conjugated graphene quantum dots (GDG). Selectivity studies and the cholesterol detection in human blood serum suggests the probe to be reliable and selective for blood cholesterol monitoring. Digitonin conjugated fluorescent graphene quantumdots, an efficient probe for cholesterol sensing [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background The emergence of nanomedicine in the past decade has changed the landscape of disease diagnosis and treatment. Nanomedicine makes use of nanostructures for applications in different fields of medicine, including drug delivery, biosensors, neuro-electronic interfaces, in vivo imaging, and cell-specific molecular interactions. Despite its relative infancy, nanomedicine has generated a significant body of research as evidenced by peer reviewed literature and several patents. This proposed systematic review will focus specifically on drug delivery systems in which nanoparticles are used to enhance the pharmacological and therapeutic properties of drugs. The strength of nanoparticulate drug delivery systems is their ability to alter the pharmacokinetics and bio-distribution of drugs. Globally, the discourse on nanomedicine is dominated by research being done in the developed countries of Europe and in the United States of America. Less attention has been given to the applications of nanomedicine in developing countries, particularly Africa. There is dearth of information on the applications of nanomedicine in terms of drug delivery with particular reference to which diseases are being targeted generally in Africa. The review will describe the specific diseases that are being targeted and the progress being made in South Africa, with a view to determining whether the applications of nanomedicine are being appropriated to address the context-specific challenges in this country or if they mimic what is being done globally. Methods Keywords related to nanomedicine and drug delivery will be combined to build a search strategy for each of the following databases: PubMed, Cochrane Library (including Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Methodology Register), Google Scholar, NHS Health Technology Assessment Database and Web of Science. We will also check reference lists of included studies for other eligible reports and search unpublished data. To ensure that the search is comprehensive, grey literature will be searched extensively. Literature to be included will have nanomedicine in drug delivery as the primary application and report on the specific diseases that are targeted in South Africa. Two authors will independently screen the search output, select studies and extract data; discrepancies will be resolved by consensus and discussion. When no consensus is reached, the third author will be consulted Discussion The systematic review will inform the government, policy-makers, investors, health professionals, scientists, and engineers about the applications of nanomedicine in drug delivery. In particular, it will identify the diseases targeted by the application of nanomedicine for drug delivery and the progress being made in South Africa as the disease burden of this country differs from that of developed countries where nanomedicine has been widely used for drug delivery. Systematic review registration PROSPERO CRD42017057388

The oil industry needs solid and reliable materials in almost all processes. By making nano-scale materials, lighter, more robust, and more robust equipment than today's products can be produced. Nanotechnology in the field of oil industry and its related industries, in addition to reducing the environmental hazards of this sector and the possibility of saving from harvesting of underground reserves, will provide the basis for the growth of the country's major industries. Oil and gas industry in Iran is a long time and enjoyed. From these enormous resources, it has created a special place for the country. The effort to achieve technology and improve the status of these industries is something that should be given special attention. For this reason, the oil, gas and petrochemical industries have not gone away far beyond the penetration of nanotechnology, and nanotechnology has also entered this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]