Statistics for Spatial Data.

Polydopamine and Its Derivative Materials: Synthesis and Promising Applications in Energy, Environmental, and Biomedical Fields

Gold nanoparticles have been used in biomedical applications since their first colloidal syntheses more than three centuries ago. However, over the past two decades, their beautiful colors and unique electronic properties have also attracted tremendous attention due to their historical applications in art and ancient medicine and current applications in enhanced optoelectronics and photovoltaics. In spite of their modest alchemical beginnings, gold nanoparticles exhibit physical properties that are truly different from both small molecules and bulk materials, as well as from other nanoscale particles. Their unique combination of properties is just beginning to be fully realized in range of medical diagnostic and therapeutic applications. This critical review will provide insights into the design, synthesis, functionalization, and applications of these artificial molecules in biomedicine and discuss their tailored interactions with biological systems to achieve improved patient health. Further, we provide a survey of the rapidly expanding body of literature on this topic and argue that gold nanotechnology-enabled biomedicine is not simply an act of ‘gilding the (nanomedicinal) lily’, but that a new ‘Golden Age’ of biomedical nanotechnology is truly upon us. Moving forward, the most challenging nanoscience ahead of us will be to find new chemical and physical methods of functionalizing gold nanoparticles with compounds that can promote efficient binding, clearance, and biocompatibility and to assess their safety to other biological systems and their long-term term effects on human health and reproduction (472 references).

The golden age: gold nanoparticles for biomedicine

Functional Nanomaterials for Phototherapies of Cancer

A new generation of photothermal therapeutic agents based on biopolymer dopamine-melanin colloidal nanospheres is described. Benefitting from their naturally wide distribution in humans, dopamine-melanin colloidal nanospheres exhibit robust biocompatibility and biodegradability, and provide up to 40% photothermal conversion efficiency. After administration, they can efficiently damage tumors at low power density and short irradiation time without damaging healthy tissues.

Dopamine‐Melanin Colloidal Nanospheres: An Efficient Near‐Infrared Photothermal Therapeutic Agent for In Vivo Cancer Therapy

We developed a very effective hyperthermia system for successful photothermal cancer therapy. Instead of applying individual gold nanorods (GNRs) that can absorb NIR light, GNRs were loaded into functional nanocarriers that could provide stable storage of GNRs and selective delivery to a target tumor site. The functional nanocarriers (chitosan-conjugated, Pluronic-based nanocarriers) were prepared by chemically cross-linking Pluronic F 68 with chitosan conjugation to form a flexible, soft, and excellent reservoir for biomacromolecules as well as tumor targeting. In vivo characteristics of the nanocarriers including a long circulation time, a good tumor accumulation, and low liver uptake were previously characterized by us. When GNRs were delivered by using these nanocarriers, much enhanced in vitro cellular uptake and a photothermal effect were observed for a cancer cell line. More importantly, an intravenous injection of this system followed by NIR laser irradiation to the tumor site resulted in a very e...

Tumor regression in vivo by photothermal therapy based on gold-nanorod-loaded, functional nanocarriers.

A total of 53 plant essential oils were tested for their insecticidal activities against eggs, nymphs, and adults of Trialeurodes vaporariorum Westwood, using an impregnated filter paper bioassays without allowing direct contact. Responses varied according to oil type and dose, and developmental stage of the insect. Bay, caraway seed, clove leaf, lemon eucalyptus, lime dis 5 F, pennyroyal, peppermint, rosewood, spearmint, and tea tree oils were highly effective against T. vaporariorum adults, nymphs, and eggs at 0.0023, 0.0093, and 0.0047 μl/ml air, respectively. These results indicate that the mode of delivery of these essential oils was largely a result of action in the vapor phase. Significant correlations among adulticidal, nymphicidal, and ovicidal activities of the test oils were observed. The essential oils described herein merit further study as potential fumigants for T. vaporariorum control.

https://bioone.org/journals/Journal-of-Economic-Entomology/volume-96/issue-5/0022-0493-96.5.1479/Toxicity-of-Plant-Essential-Oils-to-Trialeurodes-vaporariorum-Homoptera/10.1603/0022-0493-96.5.1479.pdf

Toxicity of plant essential oils to Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae).

Fifty-three plant essential oils were tested for their toxicity against eggs and adults of Tetranychus urticae Koch as well as adults of Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot, by using a filter paper diffusion bioassay without allowing direct contact. Responses varied according to oil type and dose, and mite species. In a plastic container (4.5 by 9.5 cm) bioassay at 14 x 10(-3) microl/ml air, caraway seed, citronella java, lemon eucalyptus, pennyroyal, and peppermint oils gave > 90% mortality against adult T. urticae, whereas 82 and 81% mortality was observed with sage and spearmint oils, respectively. With the exception of sage oil, the other six essential oils were highly effective against T. urticae eggs at 9.3 x 10(-3) microl/ml air. Against adult P. persimilis, these six test oils caused > 90% mortality at 7.1 x 10(-3) microl/ml air. Particularly peppermint oil at 4.7 x 10(-3) microl/ml air was highly toxic. In an acrylic cage (30 by 30 by 40 cm ) test, lemon eucalyptus, pennyroyal, peppermint, and spearmint oils were highly effective against adult T. urticae at 1.4 x 10(-3) microl/ml air. These results indicate that the mode of delivery of these essential oils was largely a result of action in the vapor phase via the respiratory system. The essential oils described herein merit further study as potential fumigants for T. urticae control.

Toxicity of Plant Essential Oils to Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae) and Phytoseiulus persimilis (Acari: Phytoseiidae)

Effect of host density on egg dispersion and the sex ratio of progeny of Bracon hebetor (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)

The use of injectable materials as a biofiller for soft tissue augmentation has been increasing worldwide. Levan is a biocompatible and inexpensive polysaccharide with great potential in biomaterial applications, but it has not been extensively studied. In this study, we evaluated the potential of levan as a new material for dermal fillers and prepared an injectable and physical levan-based hydrogel by combining levan with Pluronic and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC). A sol state was prepared by mixing the polymers in a specific ratio at 4 °C for 2 days and the hydrogel was formed by increasing the temperature to 37 °C. The elastic modulus of the levan hydrogel was higher than that of a hyaluronic acid (HA)-based hydrogel. The SEM images of the levan hydrogel showed an interconnected porous structure, similar to the HA hydrogel. Levan showed non-cytotoxicity, enhanced cell proliferation, and higher amount of collagen synthesis in human dermal fibroblast cells compared to HA. The injected levan hydrogel was biocompatible and stable over 2 weeks in vivo, longer than the Pluronic F127 hydrogel or HA hydrogel. Also, the levan hydrogel showed a higher amount of collagen production than the HA hydrogel in vivo. More importantly, the levan hydrogel showed enhanced anti-wrinkle efficacy compared to the HA hydrogel in a wrinkle model mouse. Thus, the levan hydrogel with injectability, biocompatibility, and an anti-wrinkle effect has high potential as an alternative to existing commercial dermal fillers.

Won Il Choi

Papers

Tumor regression in vivo by photothermal therapy based on gold-nanorod-loaded, functional nanocarriers.

Toxicity of plant essential oils to Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae).

Toxicity of Plant Essential Oils to Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae) and Phytoseiulus persimilis (Acari: Phytoseiidae)

Effect of host density on egg dispersion and the sex ratio of progeny of Bracon hebetor (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)

An injectable and physical levan-based hydrogel as a dermal filler for soft tissue augmentation.