Tunable Quantum Photoinitiators for Radical Photopolymerization

Magnetic Silica-Coated Fluorescent Microspheres (MagSiGlow) for Simultaneous Detection of Tumor-Associated Proteins

Multiplexed bead assays for solution-phase biosensing often encounter cross-over reactions during signal amplification steps, leading to unwanted false positive and high background signals. Current solutions involve complex custom-designed and costly equipment, limiting their application in simple laboratory setup. In this study, we introduce a straightforward protocol to adapt a multiplexed single-bead assay to standard fluorescence imaging plates, enabling the simultaneous analysis of thousands of reactions per plate. This approach focuses on the design and synthesis of bright fluorescent and magnetic microspheres (MagSiGlow) with multiple fluorescent wavelengths serving as unique detection markers. The imaging-based, single-bead assay, combined with a scripted algorithm, allows the detection, segmentation, and co-localization on average of 7500 microspheres per field of view across five imaging channels in less than one second. We demonstrate the effectiveness of this method with remarkable sensitivity at low protein detection limits (100 pg/mL). This technique showed over 85 % reduction in signal cross-over to the solution-based method after the concurrent detection of tumor-associated protein biomarkers. This approach holds the promise of substantially enhancing high throughput biosensing for multiple targets, seamlessly integrating with rapid image analysis algorithms.

Light-Mediated Polymerization Catalyzed by Carbon Nanomaterials

Carbon nanomaterials, specifically carbon dots and carbon nitrides, play a crucial role as heterogeneous photoinitiators in both radical and cationic polymerization processes. These recently introduced materials offer promising solutions to the limitations of current homogeneous systems, presenting a novel approach to photopolymerization. This review highlights the preparation and photocatalytic performance of these nanomaterials, emphasizing their application in various polymerization techniques, including photoinduced i) free radical, ii) RAFT, iii) ATRP, and iv) cationic photopolymerization. Additionally, it discusses their potential in addressing contemporary challenges and explores prospects in this field. Moreover, carbon nitrides, in particular, exhibit exceptional oxygen tolerance, underscoring their significance in radical polymerization processes and allowing their applications such as 3D printing, surface modification of coatings, and hydrogel engineering.

ZnO Quantum Photoinitiators as an All-in-One Solution for Multifunctional Photopolymer Nanocomposites

Nanocomposites are constructed from a matrix material combined with dispersed nanosized filler particles. Such a combination yields a powerful ability to tailor the desired mechanical, optical, electrical, thermodynamic, and antimicrobial material properties. Colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals (SCNCs) are exciting potential fillers, as they display size-, shape-, and composition-controlled properties and are easily embedded in diverse matrices. Here we present their role as quantum photoinitiators (QPIs) in acrylate-based polymer, where they act as a catalytic radical initiator and endow the system with mechanical, photocatalytic, and antimicrobial properties. By utilizing ZnO nanorods (NRs) as QPIs, we were able to increase the tensile strength and elongation at break of poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) hydrogels by up to 85%, unlike the use of the same ZnO NRs acting merely as fillers. Simultaneously, we endowed the PEGDA hydrogels with post-polymerization photocatalytic and antimicrobial activities and showed their ability to decompose methylene blue and significantly eradicate antibiotic-resistant bacteria and viral pathogens. Moreover, we demonstrate two fabrication showcase methods, traditional molding and digital light processing printing, that can yield hydrogels with complex architectures. These results position SCNC-based systems as promising candidates to act as all-in-one photoinitiators and fillers in nanocomposites for diverse biomedical applications, where specific and purpose-oriented characteristics are required.

Transdermal delivery via medical device technologies

INTRODUCTION

Despite their effectiveness and indispensability, many drugs are poorly solvated in aqueous solutions. Over recent decades, the need for targeted drug delivery has led to the development of pharmaceutical formulations with enhanced lipid solubility to improve their delivery properties. Therefore, a dependable approach for administering lipid-soluble drugs needs to be developed.

AREAS COVERED

The advent of 3D printing or additive manufacturing (AM) has revolutionized the development of medical devices, which can effectively enable the delivery of lipophilic drugs to the targeted tissues. This review focuses on the use of microneedles and iontophoresis for transdermal drug delivery. Microneedle arrays, inkjet printing, and fused deposition modeling have emerged as valuable approaches for delivering several classes of drugs. In addition, iontophoresis has been successfully employed for the effective delivery of macromolecular drugs.

EXPERT OPINION

Microneedle arrays, inkjet printing, and fused deposition are potentially useful for many drug delivery applications; however, the clinical and commercial adoption rates of these technologies are relatively low. Additional efforts is needed to enable the pharmaceutical community to fully realize the benefits of these technologies.

Progress of Nanomaterials in Photodynamic Therapy Against Tumor

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an advanced therapeutic strategy with light-triggered, minimally invasive, high spatiotemporal selective and low systemic toxicity properties, which has been widely used in the clinical treatment of many solid tumors in recent years. Any strategies that improve the three elements of PDT (light, oxygen, and photosensitizers) can improve the efficacy of PDT. However, traditional PDT is confronted some challenges of poor solubility of photosensitizers and tumor suppressive microenvironment. To overcome the related obstacles of PDT, various strategies have been investigated in terms of improving photosensitizers (PSs) delivery, penetration of excitation light sources, and hypoxic tumor microenvironment. In addition, compared with a single treatment mode, the synergistic treatment of multiple treatment modalities such as photothermal therapy, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy can improve the efficacy of PDT. This review summarizes recent advances in nanomaterials, including metal nanoparticles, liposomes, hydrogels and polymers, to enhance the efficiency of PDT against malignant tumor.

Luminescence, energy transfer, colour modulation and up-conversion mechanisms of Yb3+, Tm3+ and Ho3+ co-doped Y6MoO12

Up-conversion materials based on YMO were successfully synthesized by the sol–gel method, and the luminescence colour tuning was achieved by changing the type and concentration of dopant ions (Tm3+, Ho3+).