Nanotechnology Commons^™

A Natural Near-Infrared Fluorescent Probe For Cancer Cell Imaging, Benilde E. Adriano, Nycol M. Cotto, Neeraj Chauhan, Meena Jaggi, Subhash C. Chauhan, Murali M. Yallapu

Research Symposium

Background: Rio Grande Valley (RGV) suffers from a high prevalence of certain cancers and lack the resources for accurate early diagnosis. Near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence-based imaging is a noteworthy and safer strategy for cancer detection compared to radiological imaging. There are several NIR dyes including indocyanine green (ICG) and its analogues that allow high-resolution and deep tissue imaging. However, these dyes possess some drawbacks, namely photo instability, toxicity, poor water solubility, and short half-lives. Chlorophyll (Chl) is a natural dietary and biocompatible NIR fluorescent substance which has the potential to serve as a cancer NIR imaging candidate. Hence, we aim to …

An Ngqd Based Diagnostic Tool For Pancreatic Cancer, Ryan Ketan Ajgaonkar, Bong Lee, Alina Valimukhametova, Anton Naumov, Giridhar Akkaraju

Research Symposium

Background: Pancreatic cancer remains difficult to detect at early stages which contributes to a poor five-yearsurvival rate. Therefore, early detection approaches based on novel technologies should be explored to address this critical health issue. Nanomaterials have recently emerged as frontrunners for diagnostic applications due to their small size in the 1-100 nm range, which facilitates one-on-one interactions with a variety of biomolecules like oligonucleotides and makes them suitable for a plethora of detection and delivery applications. In this work, the presence of specific pancreatic cancer miRNA (pre-miR-132) is detected utilizing the fluorescence properties of highly biocompatible nitrogen-doped graphene quantum dots …

Spanlastics Nanovesicles: An Emerging And Innovative Approach For Drug Delivery, Shaimaa N. Abd Alhammid, Hanan J. Kassab, Lina S. Hussein, Mahmood A. Haiss, Hussein K. Alkufi

Maaen Journal for Medical Sciences

The use of vesicular structures as a drug delivery method has many advantages, including extending the duration of the drug's action in circulation, enhancing drug targeting, minimizing adverse effects, and boosting the bioavailability of a variety of medications. Spanlastics, which are elastic and can transport a range of pharmaceutical substances, are thought to be a subset of nanovesicles. They have drawn interest as a potentially effective medicine delivery method. They are a preferred choice for many administration routes because of their pliable and elastic nature, which allows them to pass through various cellular membranes. Non-ionic surfactants or a mixture of …

Folate Conjugated Nanomedicines For Selective Inhibition Of Mtor Signaling In Polycystic Kidneys At Clinically Relevant Doses, Rajasekharreddy Pala, Ayan K. Barui, Ashraf M. Mohieldin, Jing Zhou, Surya M. Nauli

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Although rapamycin is a very effective drug for rodents with polycystic kidney disease (PKD), it is not encouraging in the clinical trials due to the suboptimal dosages compelled by the off-target side effects. We here report the generation, characterization, specificity, functionality, pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic and toxicology profiles of novel polycystic kidney-specific-targeting nanoparticles (NPs). We formulated folate-conjugated PLGA-PEG NPs, which can be loaded with multiple drugs, including rapamycin (an mTOR inhibitor) and antioxidant 4-hydroxy-TEMPO (a nephroprotective agent). The NPs increased the efficacy, potency and tolerability of rapamycin resulting in an increased survival rate and improved kidney function by decreasing side effects and …

Nanoformulations Of Essential Oils Extracted From Pistacia Lentiscus And Boswellia Sacra And Investigation Of Their Anticancer, Antimicrobial, And Antioxidant Activities., Obaydah Abd Alkader Alabrahim

Theses and Dissertations

Essential oils (EOs) obtained from natural sources have shown promising biological and therapeutical properties such as anticancer, antimicrobial, and antioxidant activities, attributing to their high content of a variety of bioactive components. However, EOs’ therapeutic properties are limited by their low stability, poor bioavailability, high volatility, and low targeting ability. Therefore, the encapsulation and nanoformulation of EOs can maximize their therapeutical efficiency and physicochemical properties while overcoming their undesirable side effects and drawbacks. EOs extracted from the resins of Pistacia Lentiscus var. Chia (P.oil) and Boswellia Sacra (B.oil) are two promising EOs that have shown great therapeutic potential. P.oil was …

Improving Peripheral Nerve Regeneration Through Rehabilitation And Biomaterial-Based Drug Delivery Strategies, Yunfan Kong

Theses & Dissertations

Peripheral nerve injury (PNI) is a common problem worldwide, with trauma being a common cause. PNI can lead to loss of sensory and motor functions, chronic neuropathic pain, and mental health issues, significantly impacting patients' family life, work, and social situation. Recent studies revealed that beyond the topical injury site at peripheral nerves, PNIs can also induce dysfunctions in the central nervous system (CNS) by causing maladaptive plasticity, which will result in exaggeration and exacerbation of the pathological condition caused by primary injuries. The common therapy strategies for PNI treatment are using sutures, nerve autografts or conduits in cases requiring …

Protein L Functionalized Microparticles For Early Detection Of Surface Markers In Heterogeneous Colorectal Lesions, Saleh Ramezani

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths among both men and women worldwide, a statistic that can be improved with early detection. Increased understanding of the tumor landscape has identified surface antigens that can be utilized to distinguish normal and cancerous tissue lining the colonic lumen. Use of antibodies conjugated to nano/micromaterials offers a means to detect these antigens, however, the heterogeneous nature of tumors makes it unlikely that antibodies against a single antigen will have sufficient sensitivity and specificity to detect all tumors. A versatile micromaterial able to be functionalized with more than one targeting …

A Dna Aptamer Transducer Designed Toward Rapid Biosensor Development: A Novel Approach To Modular Biosensing Platforms, Timothy Z. Hachigian

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Aptamer-based biosensors have garnered significant interest due to their versatility in detecting a wide range of analytes across various applications. In this work, a customizable Aptamer Transducer (AT) was introduced as a non-enzymatic and modular duplexed aptamer biosensing platform. The design modularity was accomplished by separating the aptamer input domain from the output domain. The AT was demonstrated to be capable of fully transducing an adenosine signal into arbitrary DNA outputs using a structure-switching aptamer design. The AT design utilized strand displacement reactions via toehold mediated strand displacement with fluorescence based reporting for signal detection. Furthermore, the AT was incorporated …

Nanoparticle-Based Treatment Approaches For Skin Cancer: A Systematic Review., Michael Joseph Diaz, Nicole Natarelli, Shaliz Aflatooni, Sarah J. Aleman

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Nanoparticles have shown marked promise as both antineoplastic agents and drug carriers. Despite strides made in immunomodulation, low success rates and toxicity remain limitations within the clinical oncology setting. In the present review, we assess advances in drug delivery nanoparticles, for systemic and topical use, in skin cancer treatment. A systematic review of controlled trials, meta-analyses, and Cochrane review articles was conducted. Eligibility criteria included: (1) a primary focus on nanoparticle utility for skin cancer; (2) available metrics on prevention and treatment outcomes; (3) detailed subject population; (4) English language; (5) archived as full-text journal articles. A total of 43 …

Atomistic Assessment Of Drug-Phospholipid Interactions Consequent To Cancer Treatment: A Study Of Anthracycline Cardiotoxicity, Yara Elsayed Ahmed

Theses and Dissertations

Despite being one of the most effective chemotherapeutic agents developed to date, Anthracyclines are notorious for their cardiotoxicity. Their clinical use is frequently limited both in dosage and in prescription due to the severe cardiac damage they cause. The mechanism of anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity is not yet fully understood. However, it is hypothesized that interactions with the myocardial membrane play an important role in imparting cardiotoxicity. In this study, we use molecular dynamics simulations and density functional theory calculations to study the anthracycline drug molecules and the interactions that they have with the myocardial membrane. We construct a myocardial membrane model …

Unveiling Pain: Wearables For Objective Pain Measurement, Hanqing Tang

Masters Theses

">">Pain perception is a subjective experience that differs significantly among individuals, often leading to inconsistencies in assessment and management. A critical issue within this context is the gender bias in pain evaluation, which contributes to unequal treatment and perpetuates gender inequality within the healthcare system. This thesis presents an in-depth investigation of the problem and proposes the development of a wearable device for objective pain assessment. Physiological parameters — Electrocardiography (ECG) can be collected from cardiac sound signals auscultated by fabrics via nanometre-scale vibrations. Machine learning methods can accurately classify heart rate and acute pain intensity of participants. …

Novel Long-Acting Brimonidine Tartrate Loaded-Pcl/Pvp Nanofibers For Versatile Biomedical Applications: Fabrication, Characterization And Antimicrobial Evaluation, Samar A. Salim, The British University In Egypt, Shahira H. El-Moslamy, Elbadawy A. Kamoun, College Of Pharmacy, University Of Texas At Austin

Nanotechnology Research Centre

The global state of antibiotic resistance highlights the necessity for new drugs that can treat a wide range of microbial infections. Drug repurposing has several advantages, including lower costs and improved safety compared to developing a new compound. The aim of the current study is to evaluate the repurposed antimicrobial activity of Brimonidine tartrate (BT), a well-known antiglaucoma drug, and to potentiate its antimicrobial effect by using electrospun nanofibrous scaffolds. BT-loaded nanofibers were fabricated in different drug concentrations (1.5, 3, 6, and 9%) via the electrospinning technique using two biopolymers (PCL and PVP). Then, the prepared nanofibers were characterized by …

Excitation Power Dependence Of Blinking In Copper-Indium-Sulfide Quantum Dots, Nicholas Chambers

Physics Undergraduate Honors Theses

Under continuous excitation, quantum dots exhibit random transitions between fluorescent ON states and non-fluorescent OFF states --- a phenomenon known as blinking. A physical description of the mechanism responsible for blinking that applies broadly to many types of quantum dots remains under debate. We study the blinking behavior of the non-toxic CuInS2 quantum dot, a system that has seen little investigation at the single-particle level. In particular, the optical properties of CuInS2 quantum are often improved by adding ZnS to the nanoparticles, but this addition leads to complex structural-optical property relationships that are even less understood. To probe the relationship …

Preparing Homogenous Composites Of Collagen And Cellulose Nanocrystals For Tissue Engineering Research, Zachary Stanley

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Advancements in medicine and our understanding of stem cells have led to a greater emphasis on further developing research focused on tissue engineering. This research has led to the rise of both two-dimensional and three-dimensional scaffolds that can be utilized to repair bone, skin, vascular, and potentially even nervous tissue. One of the prominent compounds used in modern scaffolds is collagen-based hydrogels due to their low antigenicity and ability to provide structure to cells. There is potential to further improve upon this three-dimensional scaffold by incorporating cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) into a composite hydrogel with collagen. The addition would increase the …

Image Analysis Methodology For Evaluating Coating Uniformity Of Drug-Coated Angioplasty Balloons, Allison Dobson Zieschang

LSU Master's Theses

Percutaneous transluminal balloon angioplasty (PTA) is a surgical procedure to treat peripheral artery disease, but restenosis causes suboptimal outcomes in many patients. Drug-coated angioplasty balloons (DCBs) were developed to reduce the risk of restenosis by delivering anti-proliferative drugs to the lesion. The efficacy of DCBs depends on factors like drug loading and drug release rate, both of which are directly impacted by the coating uniformity. This thesis evaluates the uniformity of DBCs using fluorescence microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), qualitative analysis, and an image processing algorithm. Uniformity was quantified by three measurements: histogram standard deviation, histogram percentage of coverage, and …

Development, Optimization, And In Vitro/In Vivo Evaluation Of Azelaic Acid Transethosomal Gel For Antidermatophyte Activity, Ali Nasr, Noha Badawi, Yasmine Tartor, Nader Sobhy, Ali Nasr

Pharmacy

Treatment of dermatophytosis is quite challenging. This work aims to investigate the antidermatophyte action of Azelaic acid (AzA) and evaluate its efficacy upon entrapment into transethosomes (TEs) and incorporation into a gel to enhance its application. Optimization of formulation variables of TEs was carried out after preparation using the thin film hydration technique. The antidermatophyte activity of AzA-TEs was first evaluated in vitro. In addition, two guinea pig infection models with Trichophyton (T.) mentagrophytes and Microsporum (M.) canis were established for the in vivo assessment. The optimized formula showed a mean particle size of 219.8 ± 4.7 nm and a …

Brief Review: Applications Of Nanocomposite In Electrochemical Sensor And Drugs Delivery, Zia Ul Haq Khan, Taj Malook Khan, Amjad Khan, Noor Samad Shah, Nawshad Muhammad, Kamran Tahir, Jibran Iqbal, Abdur Rahim, Syed Khasim, Iftikhar Ahmad, Khadija Shabbir, Noor Shad Gul, Jianbo Wu

All Works

The recent advancement of nanoparticles (NPs) holds significant potential for treating various ailments. NPs are employed as drug carriers for diseases like cancer because of their small size and increased stability. In addition, they have several desirable properties that make them ideal for treating bone cancer, including high stability, specificity, higher sensitivity, and efficacy. Furthermore, they might be taken into account to permit the precise drug release from the matrix. Drug delivery systems for cancer treatment have progressed to include nanocomposites, metallic NPs, dendrimers, and liposomes. Materials’ mechanical strength, hardness, electrical and thermal conductivity, and electrochemical sensors are significantly improved …

Emergence Of Dental Nanomaterials: “Their Role In Performing Endodontic Therapy”, Chandrika Nama, John Wisniewski Dr.

Annual Research Symposium

No abstract provided.

Formulation Of Encapsulated Nanoparticles Of Leek Extract As Antimicrobial And Anticancer Agent, Rawan Hassan Mohamed Elghanam

Theses and Dissertations

Leek extract (LEK) has broad therapeutic activity. However, plant extract use has many drawbacks, which could be resolved using nanocarriers. The purpose of this research work was to prepare chitosan nanoparticles (CS NPs) encapsulating LEK and investigate their antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anticancer activity. Gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy was used to determine the LEK components. The CS-LEK NPs were produced by tripolyphosphate (TPP) crosslinking with chitosan (CS) the ionic gelation methodology. The particle size was 331 nm, zeta potential (ZP) was 28.9 mv, polydispersity index (PDI) was 0.4, encapsulation efficiency (EE) was 65.6%, and loading capacity (LC) was 28.8 % of the …

Leveraging Bio-Inspired Molecules For Cancer Theranostics, Douglas S. Macpherson

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

A variety of molecules can be radiolabeled and delivered to a cancer site for the purposes of diagnostics and therapy. Among the most promising of tumor targeting molecules are peptides and antibodies. These bio-inspired molecules can be designed and synthesized to target and respond to cancer cells based on the properties of those cells. Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) enzymes are over-expressed by some metastatic cancers, in which they are responsible for the degradation and remodeling of the extracellular matrix. In recent years, MMPs have emerged as promising targets for enzyme-responsive diagnostic probes because oligopeptides can be designed to be selectively hydrolyzed …

Characterization, Antibacterial, Antioxidant, Antidiabetic, And Anti-Inflammatory Activities Of Green Synthesized Silver Nanoparticles Using Phragmanthera Austroarabica A. G. Mill And J. A. Nyberg Extract, Shady Swidan, Dina Khodeer, Sarah Shabayek, Ali Nasr, Roaa Khinkar, Mohammed Aldurdunji, Maryam Ramadan, Jihan Badr

Pharmacy

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder that exhibited great expansion all over the world. It is becoming an epidemic disease adding a major burden to the health care system, particularly in developing countries.

Methods: The plant under investigation in the current study Phragmanthera austroarabica A. G. Mill and J. A. Nyberg is traditionally used in Saudi Arabia for the treatment of diabetes mellitus. The methanolic extract (200 mg/kg) of the plant and pure gallic acid (40 mg/kg), a major metabolite of the plant, as well as their silver nanoparticle formulae (AgNPs) were evaluated for their antidiabetic activity.

Results …

Tio2-Mwcnt Nanohybrid: Cytotoxicity, Protein Corona Formation And Cellular Internalisation In Rtg-2 Fish Cell Line, Gabriela Helena Da Silva, Lidiane Silva Franqui, Marcelo A. De Farias, Vera Lucia S.S. De Castro, Hugh Byrne, Diego S.T. Martinez, Regina T.R. Monteiro, Alan Casey

Articles

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles-multiwalled carbon nanotubes (TiO2-MWCNT) nanohydrid has an enhanced photocatalytic activity across the visible light with promising applications in environmental remediation, solar energy devices and antimicrobial technologies. However, it is necessary to evaluate the toxicological effects of TiO2-MWCNT towards safe and sustainable development of nanohybrids. In this work, we studied the cytotoxicity, protein corona formation and cellular internalisation of TiO2-MWCNT on fibroblasts derived from gonadal rainbow trout tissue (RTG-2) for the first time. This nanohydrid did not show any toxicity effect on RTG-2 cells up to 100 mg L-1 after 24 h of exposure as monitored by alamar blue, …

Development And Praxis Of Ph Drug Delivery System Contra Zika, Julissa Rodriguez

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

As the effects of global warming continue to spread throughout the world, another critical issue is slowly gaining attention in many urban tropical countries. The Emerging Infectious Diseases/ Pathogens list from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) listed the Zika virus as a potential pandemic threat. In 2015, an outbreak of Zika was noted in several South American countries until the spread reached an all-time high of 87 countries in 2017. During the outbreaks, adults affected were noted to have joint and muscle pains, fevers, and rashes. The worst cases reported would ultimately lead to Guillain-Barre symptoms. Still, pregnant women …

Radioprotectant Ceria Nanoparticles Drug Delivery System To Reduce Reactive Oxygen Species Levels And Mitigate Spaceflight Osteopenia, Balaashwin Babu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

In the extreme environment of space, radiation induced health issues is a major concern. The ability to induce higher levels of free radicals and reactive oxidative species (ROS) are factors to be addressed. Ceria nanoparticles (CNPs) can provide a means to scavenge ROS through regenerative redox coupling that occurs on the surface and acts as a radioprotectant. Additionally, the defect levels in CNP can be categorized by the Ce3+/Ce4+ ratio with a high ratio indicating superoxide scavenging, a radical species with high oxidative potential. However, engineering a specialized Ce3+ NP often requires a harsh reducing agent. We hypothesized a wet-chemical …

Interactions Of Carboxylated Nanodiamonds With Mouse Macrophages Cell Line And Primary Cells, Maisoun Bani-Hani, Stephen J. Beebe, Michael W. Stacey, Christopher Osgood

Bioelectrics Publications

Nanodiamonds (ND) have attracted significant interest for their use in several biomedical applications. These applications can be very useful if the safety and compatibility of ND are proven. We assessed the effects of ND (100 nm, Carboxylated) on primary macrophages and a macrophage-like cell line and found that these particles are not toxic to these cells at lower concentrations but may interfere with cell functions and differentiation. Internalization of ND by these cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner was mostly via phagocytosis and clathrin-dependent endocytosis and localized to the cytoplasm but not into the nucleus. No significant induction of …

Self-Assembled Ternary Polypeptide Nanoparticles With Improved Biostability For Drug Delivery In Cancer Therapy, Preye Mike Agbana

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacy

Cancer remains a real and present threat to global health. In the United States, according to cancer statistics, almost 40% of people will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lifetime. Conventional chemotherapy has become the mainstay for cancer treatment option. However, chemotherapeutic agents are plagued with problems such as poor aqueous solubility, chemical degradation, Bio instability, and off-site toxicity due to non-specificity. New drug modalities are needed to tackle the ever-growing burden on cancer. In recent times, the promise of nanotechnology has aided to develop drug delivery vehicles to facilitate the administration of potent chemotherapeutics. Nanoformulations such …

Investigation Of Folate-Poly(Glutamic Acid)/Polyethylenimine/Dna Complexes For In Vitro Gene Delivery, Caleb Akers

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacy

Gene therapy is currently being studied as a treatment for a variety of indications, including cancer, infectious disease, and cardiovascular diseases, among others. While many of the early treatments in the field involved the use of viral delivery methods, various safety, ethical, and financial concerns limit the potential uses of this methodology. As such, more recent research has focused on developing non-viral delivery platforms to alleviate some of the issues inherent in viral delivery. Recently, the release of the COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna represents a promising use of non-viral delivery as both utilized a lipid-based delivery vector.

Despite …

Synthesis, Characterization, And Application Of Chitosan Nanoparticles For In Vitro Studies On Hela Cancer Cells, Rejeena Jha

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Chitosan is a fibrous substance that is derived from chitin, a natural substance in the shells of crustaceans. It possesses all the necessary qualities for being used as carrier for the transport of drugs and genes into tumor, such as biodegradability, biocompatibility, hydrophilicity, and non-toxicity and cationic in nature. Ionic gelation method was used to synthesize chitosan (CS) nanoparticles (NPs). Ionic gelation is a very benign process chemically that requires mixing a CS aqueous solution with a sodium tripolyphosphate (TPP) aqueous solution at room temperature. In addition, a surfactant polyethylene oxide (PEO) alone and a diblock copolymer of PEO and …

Effect Of Decorating Super Paramagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles With Silver Nanoparticles On Their Magneto-Photo Thermal Heating Efficiency, Anthony Joseph Afful

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Cancer treatment is rather dangerous to the body, often involving many secondary effects, including nausea, hair loss, and weight fluctuations. The search for non-invasive, highly efficient, and targetable treatments ameliorates these issues. Super paramagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONS) have been used for other medical purposes such as magnetic resonance imaging contrast agent and is being extensively studied as a potential candidate for many cancer therapeutic and diagnostic approaches due to its biocompatibility and superior magnetic properties. When subjected to an external alternating magnetic field SPIONS generate heat mainly due to the friction of the SPIONS against the fluid it is …

Evaluation Of Selenomethionine Entrapped In Nanoparticles For Oral Supplementation Using In Vitro, Ex Vivo And In Vivo Models, Shane Forde, Giuliana Vozza, David J. Brayden, Jesus Maria Frias, Sinead M. Ryan

Articles

Selenium methionine (Se Met) is an essential micronutrient required for normal body function and is associated with additional health benefits. However, oral administration of Se Met can be challenging due to its purported narrow therapeutic index, low oral bioavailability, and high susceptibility to oxidation. To address these issues, Se Met was entrapped in z e i n-coated nanoparticles made from chitosan using an ionic gelation formulation. The high stability of both the Se Met and s e l e n o methionine nanoparticles (Se Met-NPs) was established using cultured human intestinal and liver epithelial cells, rat liver homogenates, and rat …