Electrospun metal oxides nanostructures for energy related devices

Metal oxide nanostructures of wide bandgap semiconductors with various morphologies, high degree of crystallinity and surface properties were fabricated by electrospinning a polymeric solution containing respective metal ions and their controlled heat treatment. The metal oxide nanostructures thus developed were tested for their application as charge separation and transport medium in solar cells, cathodes for low voltage (2 V) lithium ion batteries, and super capacitors. The solar cells thus fabricated features enhanced electron diffusion coefficient and energy storage devices featured stable electrochemical cycling thereby making electrospun metal oxide nanostructures a viable product for next generation energy industry

Evolution of electrospinning in liver tissue engineering

The major goal of liver tissue engineering is to reproduce the phenotype and functions of liver cells, especially primary hepatocytes ex vivo. Several strategies have been explored in the recent past for culturing the liver cells in the most apt environment using biological scaffolds supporting hepatocyte growth and differentiation. Nanofibrous scaffolds have been widely used in the field of tissue engineering for their increased surface-to-volume ratio and increased porosity, and their close resemblance with the native tissue extracellular matrix (ECM) environment. Electrospinning is one of the most preferred techniques to produce nanofiber scaffolds. In the current review, we have discussed the various technical aspects of electrospinning that have been employed for scaffold development for different types of liver cells. We have highlighted the use of synthetic and natural electrospun polymers along with liver ECM in the fabrication of these scaffolds. We have also described novel strategies that include modifications, such as galactosylation, matrix protein incorporation, etc., in the electrospun scaffolds that have evolved to support the long-term growth and viability of the primary hepatocytes

Biomaterial strategies for alleviation of myocardial infarction

World Health Organization estimated that heart failure initiated by coronary artery disease and myocardial infarction (MI) leads to 29 per cent of deaths worldwide. Heart failure is one of the leading causes of death in industrialized countries and is expected to become a global epidemic within the twenty-first century. MI, the main cause of heart failure, leads to a loss of cardiac tissue impairment of left ventricular function. The damaged left ventricle undergoes progressive ‘remodelling’ and chamber dilation, with myocyte slippage and fibroblast proliferation. Repair of diseased myocardium with in vitro-engineered cardiac muscle patch/injectable biopolymers with cells may become a viable option for heart failure patients. These events reflect an apparent lack of effective intrinsic mechanism for myocardial repair and regeneration. Motivated by the desire to develop minimally invasive procedures, the last 10 years observed growing efforts to develop injectable biomaterials with and without cells to treat cardiac failure. Biomaterials evaluated include alginate, fibrin, collagen, chitosan, self-assembling peptides, biopolymers and a range of synthetic hydrogels. The ultimate goal in therapeutic cardiac tissue engineering is to generate biocompatible, non-immunogenic heart muscle with morphological and functional properties similar to natural myocardium to repair MI. This review summarizes the properties of biomaterial substrates having sufficient mechanical stability, which stimulates the native collagen fibril structure for differentiating pluripotent stem cells and mesenchymal stem cells into cardiomyocytes for cardiac tissue engineering

The urgent need for integrated science to fight COVID-19 pandemic and beyond

The COVID-19 pandemic has become the leading societal concern. The pandemic has shown that the public health concern is not only a medical problem, but also afects society as a whole; so, it has also become the leading scientifc concern. We discuss in this treatise the importance of bringing the world’s scientists together to fnd efective solu‑ tions for controlling the pandemic. By applying novel research frameworks, interdisciplinary collaboration promises to manage the pandemic’s consequences and prevent recurrences of similar pandemics

Pharmacology of caffeine and its effects on the human body

Caffeine is the world's most popular stimulant and psychoactive substance. Given the ubiquitous use of caffeine, it is crucial for us to comprehend how our body interacts with caffeine. The pharmacokinetics of caffeine and its action mechanisms have been reviewed in this paper. The safety and recommended dosage of caffeine in healthy adults and vulnerable populations like children and pregnant women are also discussed in this paper. While caffeine consumption is generally safe, this review paper also examines the potential effects that caffeine could have on human health and development. Studies indicated that caffeine exhibits neuroprotective properties, potentially serving as a preventive measure against the onset of neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. The article also explores various physiological effects of caffeine on the body, in addition to investigating novel drug delivery techniques, particularly nano-delivery systems designed to efficiently administer caffeine

Biomaterials: A Nano Approach

There are several well-known books on the market that cover biomaterials in a general way, but none provide adequate focus on the future of and potential for actual uses of emerging nanontechnology in this burgeoning field. Biomaterials: A Nano Approach is written from a multi-disciplinary point of view that integrates aspects of materials science and engineering, nanotechnology, bioengineering, and biosciences. The book fills a glaring void in the literature by providing a comprehensive discussion of biomaterials and a scientifically plausible extrapolation of likely scenarios in which nanotechnology could play a significant role. The authors introduce and examine basic concepts, processing methodologies, and techniques involved in the preparation and characterization of nanobiomaterials that are specific to biomedical applications. A Self-Contained Book Illustrating Past, Present, and Future Trends in Biomaterials Spanning from the historical development of biomaterials to cutting-edge advances in the field, the text describes how basic concepts in nanotechnology are applied to the processing of novel nanobiomaterials, including nanostructured metals and alloys. With its illustrative examples and presentation of applications, this text offers a solid framework for understanding present and future trends of biomaterials in human healthcare systems. It is an ideal companion resource for students, researchers, and industrial scientists who specialize in biomaterials and nanobiomaterials

Elastomeric core/shell nanofibrous cardiac patch as a biomimetic support for infarcted porcine myocardium

10.1089/ten.tea.2014.0265Tissue Engineering - Part A21422231288-129

Common Wet Chemical Agents for Purifying Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes

Purification and functionalization of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) are challenging but vital for their effective applications in various fields including water purification technologies, optoelectronics, biosensors, fuel cells, and electrode arrays. The currently available purification techniques, often complicated and time consuming, yielded shortened and curled MWCNTs that are not suitable for applications in certain fields such as membrane technologies, hybrid catalysis, optoelectronics, and sensor developments. Here we described the H2O2 synergy on the actions of HCl and KOH in purifying and functionalizing pristine MWCNTs. The method (HCl/H2O2) showed 100% purification yield as compared to HCl and KOH/H2O2 with purification yields 93.46 and 3.92%, respectively. We probed the findings using transmission electron microscope, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscope, attenuated total reflectance infrared spectroscope, Raman spectroscope, thermal gravimetric analysis, and X-ray powder diffraction. The study is a new avenue for simple, rapid, low cost, and scalable purification of pristine MWCNTs for application in versatile fields

A Review of Recent Advances in Nanoengineered Polymer Composites

This review paper initially summarizes the latest developments in impact testing on polymer matrix composites collating the various analytical, numerical, and experimental studies performed since the year 2000. Subsequently, the scientific literature investigating nanofiller reinforced polymer composite matrices as well as self-healing polymer matrix composites by incorporating core-shell nanofibers is reviewed in-depth to provide a perspective on some novel advances in nanotechnology that have led to composite developments. Through this review, researchers can gain a representative idea of the state of the art in nanotechnology for polymer matrix composite engineering, providing a platform for further study of this increasingly industrially significant material, and to address the challenges in developing the next generation of advanced, high-performance materials