Intratumoral Biosynthesis of Gold Nanoclusters by Pancreatic Cancer to Overcome Delivery Barriers to Radiosensitization.

Nanoparticle delivery to solid tumors is a prime challenge in nanomedicine. Here, we approach this challenge through the lens of biogeochemistry, the field that studies the flow of chemical elements within ecosystems as manipulated by living cellular organisms and their environments. We leverage biogeochemistry concepts related to gold cycling against pancreatic cancer, considering mammalian organisms as drivers for gold nanoparticle biosynthesis.

Synthesis of an enediyne carbon-allotrope surface for photo-thermal degradation of DNA.

The improper disposal of hospital waste products containing genetic materials poses a serious safety threat. We present herein an environmentally friendly technology using a graphene-based novel carbon-allotropic surface to remediate such wastes. The used carbon-allotrope is decorated with an enediyne (EDE-1) enriched aromatic pi-conjugated structure to create an efficient and active surface for cleaving DNA strands.

Prospecting Cellular Gold Nanoparticle Biomineralization as a Viable Alternative to Prefabricated Gold Nanoparticles.

Gold nanoparticles (GNPs) have shown considerable potential in a vast number of biomedical applications. However, currently there are no clinically approved injectable GNP formulations. Conversely, gold salts have been used in the clinic for nearly a century.

A Simplistic Single-Step Method for Preparing Biomimetic Nanoparticles from Endogenous Biomaterials.

Many works utilize products isolated from nature as capping agents to functionalize gold nanoparticles for targeting and therapeutic applications. Some of the most advanced of these strategies utilize complex multicomponent biomaterials, such as whole cell-membranes, for nanoparticle functionalization strategies for evading or initializing immune response as well as for targeting. Strategies like these, wherein whole cell membrane is utilized for functionalization, take advantage of the complexity of the protein-lipid content and organization, which cells normally use for communication and interaction (instilling these capacities to nanoparticle vectors).

Intratumoral generation of photothermal gold nanoparticles through a vectorized biomineralization of ionic gold.

Various cancer cells have been demonstrated to have the capacity to form plasmonic gold nanoparticles when chloroauric acid is introduced to their cellular microenvironment. But their biomedical applications are limited, particularly considering the millimolar concentrations and longer incubation period of ionic gold. Here, we describe a simplistic method of intracellular biomineralization to produce plasmonic gold nanoparticles at micromolar concentrations within 30 min of application utilizing polyethylene glycol as delivery vector for ionic gold.

Complementary Oligonucleotide Conjugated Multicolor Carbon Dots for Intracellular Recognition of Biological Events.

By using complementary DNA sequences as surface ligands, we selectively allow two individual diffusing "dual-color" carbon dots to interact and . Spontaneous nanoscale oxidation of surface-abundant nitroso-/nitro-functionalities leads to two distinctly colored carbon dots (CD) which are isolated by polarity driven chromatographic separation. Green- and red-emitting carbon dots (gCD and rCD) were decorated by complementary single-stranded DNAs which produce a marked increase in the fluorescence emission of the respective carbon dots.

Enzyme-catalysed biodegradation of carbon dots follows sequential oxidation in a time dependent manner.

Carbon dots (CDs) have recently garnered significant attention owing to their excellent luminescence properties, thereby demonstrating a variety of applications in in vitro and in vivo imaging. Understanding the long-term metabolic fate of these agents in a biological environment is the focus of this work. Here we show that the CDs undergo peroxide catalysed degradation in the presence of lipase.

Electrochemical-digital immunosensor with enhanced sensitivity for detecting human salivary glucocorticoid hormone.

In this work, an ultra-sensitive electrochemical-digital sensor chip is devised for potential use as a digital stress analyzer for point-of-care testing (POCT) and preventive on-site recording of the hormone 'cortisol', a glucocorticoid class of steroid hormone present in the human saliva. The sensor was interfaced and re-configured with a high precision impedance converter system (AD5933) and used for electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) to evaluate the cortisol levels in seven saliva samples. To obtain enhanced biological (cortisol) recognition and achieve a lower limit of detection 0.

Multimodal imaging of the receptor for advanced glycation end-products with molecularly targeted nanoparticles.

The receptor for advanced glycation end-products (RAGE) is central to multiple disease states, including diabetes-related conditions such as peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Despite RAGE's importance in these pathologies, there remains a need for a molecular imaging agent that can accurately assess RAGE levels . Therefore, we have developed a multimodal nanoparticle-based imaging agent targeted at RAGE with the well-characterized RAGE ligand, carboxymethyllysine (CML)-modified human serum albumin (HSA).

In situ plasmonic generation in functional ionic-gold-nanogel scaffold for rapid quantitative bio-sensing.

Conventional analytical techniques, which have been developed for high sensitivity and selectivity for the detection and quantification of relevant biomarkers, may not be as suitable for medical diagnosis in resource scarce environments as compared to point-of-care devices (POC). We have developed a new reactive sensing material which contains ionic gold entrapped within an agarose gel scaffold for POC quantification of ascorbic acid (AA) in tear fluid. Pathologically elevated concentration of AA in human tear fluid can serve as a biomarker for full-thickness injuries to the ocular surface, which are a medical emergency.

Carbon dots with induced surface oxidation permits imaging at single-particle level for intracellular studies.

For robust single particle optical detection, a high sensitivity in photoluminescence (PL) of Carbon Dots (CDs) must be achieved. PL sensitivity can be successfully correlated with their surface chemistry but requires high synthetic control without altering their basic surface properties. Here we describe conditions for the controlled synthesis of CDs that resulted in a PL sensitivity at the single-particle level.

Facile Chemical Strategy to Hydrophobically Modify Solid Nanoparticles Using Inverted Micelle-Based Multicapsule for Efficient Intracellular Delivery.

Theranostic nanoparticles have incredible potential for biomedical applications by enabling visual confirmation of therapeutic efficacy. Numerous issues challenge their clinical translation and are primarily related to the complex chemistry and scalability of synthesizing Nanoparticles. We report a 2-step chemical strategy for high-throughput intracellular delivery of organic and inorganic solid nanoparticles.

Electrically-receptive and thermally-responsive paper-based sensor chip for rapid detection of bacterial cells.

Although significant technological advancements have been made in the development of analytical biosensor chips for detecting bacterial strains (E. coli, S. Mutans and B.

α-Amino Acid Rich Photophytonic Nanoparticles of Algal Origin Serendipitously Reveal Antimigratory Property against Cancer.

Spheroidal nanoparticles of algal ("phytonic") origin were synthesized and composed of carbonaceous architectures and surface-rich oxygenated functional groups. Nanoparticles were negatively charged and efficiently luminescent after ultraviolet-range excitation and called as "photophytonic" nanoparticles. A multitude of analytical techniques confirmed the rich profusion of hydroxyl, carboxylate, and amines at the nanoscale, while spectroscopic investigation indicated the presence of α-amines, a signature functionality present in amino acids.

Genomic DNA Interactions Mechanize Peptidotoxin-Mediated Anticancer Nanotherapy.

Host defense peptides (HDPs) are a class of evolutionarily conserved substances of the innate immune response that have been identified as major players in the defense system in many living organisms. Some of the HDPs are also referred to as peptidotoxins, which offer immense potential for anticancer therapy. However, their therapeutic potential is yet to be fully translated mainly due to their off-target toxicity.

Nanosalina: A Tale of Saline-Loving Algae from the Lake's Agony to Cancer Therapy.

The nanoparticles (NPs) that contain the therapeutic agent within themselves without further modifications can be coined as "self-therapeutic" NPs. The development of these agents especially when derived from natural resources can lead to a paradigm shift in the field of cancer nanotechnology as they can immensely facilitate the complex chemistry procedures and the follow up biological complications. Herein, we demonstrate that inherently therapeutic NPs "integrating" β-carotene can be synthesized from Dunaliella salina microalgae in a single step without complicated chemistry.

Real-Time Monitoring of Post-Surgical and Post-Traumatic Eye Injuries Using Multilayered Electrical Biosensor Chip.

Lack of current techniques for the early monitoring of bleb leaks and other post-traumatic or post-surgical ocular injury has posed an unmet clinical need for the development of new techniques. Present evaluation techniques use either subjective or nonquantitative approaches. At present, there are no FDA approved ocular devices that can directly measure ascorbic acid (AA) concentration levels for both tear film (TF) and aqueous humor (AH) at point-of-care (POC) level.

Paper-Based Analytical Biosensor Chip Designed from Graphene-Nanoplatelet-Amphiphilic-diblock-co-Polymer Composite for Cortisol Detection in Human Saliva.

Cortisol has been identified as a biomarker in saliva to monitor psychological stress. In this work, we report a label-free paper-based electrical biosensor chip to quantify salivary cortisol at a point-of-care (POC) level. A high specificity of the sensor chip to detect cortisol with a detection limit of 3 pg/mL was achieved by conjugating anticortisol antibody (anti-CAB) on top of gold (Au) microelectrodes using 3,3'-dithiodipropionic acid di(N-hydroxysuccinimide ester (DTSP) as a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) agent.

Nano-Cesium for Anti-Cancer Properties: An Investigation into Cesium Induced Metabolic Interference.

The use of cesium chloride (CsCl) for cancer therapy ("high pH therapy") has been theorized to produce anticancer properties by raising intracellular pH to induce apoptosis. Although considered as "alternative medicine", little scientific evidence supports this theory. Alternatively, cells have no cesium ion (Cs) mediated channels for clearance.

(-)/(+)-Sparteine induced chirally-active carbon nanoparticles for enantioselective separation of racemic mixtures.

Chiral carbon nanoparticles (CCNPs) were developed by surface passivation using the chiral ligand (-)-sparteine or (+)-sparteine (denoted (-)-SP/CNP and (+)-SP/CNP, respectively). The chirality of the prepared CCNPs was demonstrated by circular dichroism and polarimetry and employed as an enantioselective separation platform for representative racemic mixtures.

Point-of-service, quantitative analysis of ascorbic acid in aqueous humor for evaluating anterior globe integrity.

Limited training, high cost, and low equipment mobility leads to inaccuracies in decision making and is concerning with serious ocular injuries such as suspected ruptured globe or post-operative infections. Here, we present a novel point-of-service (POS) quantitative ascorbic acid (AA) assay with use of the OcuCheck Biosensor. The present work describes the development and clinical testing of the paper-based biosensor that measures the changes in electrical resistance of the enzyme-plated interdigitated electrodes to quantify the level of AA present in ocular fluid.

Dual-modality, fluorescent, PLGA encapsulated bismuth nanoparticles for molecular and cellular fluorescence imaging and computed tomography.

Reports of molecular and cellular imaging using computed tomography (CT) are rapidly increasing. Many of these reports use gold nanoparticles. Bismuth has similar CT contrast properties to gold while being approximately 1000-fold less expensive.