Engineered Nanomaterials and Human Health: Part 2. Applications and Nanotoxicology (IUPAC Technical Report) (Review)

Research on engineered nanomaterials (ENM) has progressed rapidly from the very early stages of studying their unique, size-dependent physicochemical properties and commercial exploration to the development of products that influence our everyday lives. We have previously reviewed various methods for synthesis, surface functionalization, and analytical characterization of ENM in a publication titled \u27Engineered Nanomaterials: Preparation, Functionalization and Characterization\u27. In this second, inter-linked document, we first provide an overview of important applications of ENM in products relevant to human healthcare and consumer goods, such as food, textiles, and cosmetics. We then highlight the challenges for the design and development of new ENM for bio-applications, particularly in the rapidly developing nanomedicine sector. The second part of this document is dedicated to nanotoxicology studies of ENM in consumer products. We describe the various biological targets where toxicity may occur, summarize the four nanotoxicology principles, and discuss the need for careful consideration of the biodistribution, degradation, and elimination routes of nanosized materials before they can be safely used. Finally, we review expert opinions on the risk, regulation, and ethical aspects of using engineered nanomaterials in applications that may have direct or indirect impact on human health or our environment

Crowdsourced assessment of common genetic contribution to predicting anti-TNF treatment response in rheumatoid arthritis

Correction: vol 7, 13205, 2016, doi:10.1038/ncomms13205Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) affects millions world-wide. While anti-TNF treatment is widely used to reduce disease progression, treatment fails in Bone-third of patients. No biomarker currently exists that identifies non-responders before treatment. A rigorous community-based assessment of the utility of SNP data for predicting anti-TNF treatment efficacy in RA patients was performed in the context of a DREAM Challenge (http://www.synapse.org/RA_Challenge). An open challenge framework enabled the comparative evaluation of predictions developed by 73 research groups using the most comprehensive available data and covering a wide range of state-of-the-art modelling methodologies. Despite a significant genetic heritability estimate of treatment non-response trait (h(2) = 0.18, P value = 0.02), no significant genetic contribution to prediction accuracy is observed. Results formally confirm the expectations of the rheumatology community that SNP information does not significantly improve predictive performance relative to standard clinical traits, thereby justifying a refocusing of future efforts on collection of other data.Peer reviewe

Manufacturing nanostructured YSZ coatings by suspension plasma spraying (SPS) : effect of injection parameters

International audienceThe suspension plasma spraying process is investigated using shadow imaging techniques to appreciate the different trajectories of the liquid jet interacting with a dc high-energy plasma flow. Then, the modelling of different liquid injections (isolated droplet, train of droplets and continuous jet) helps us to determine which injection type must be preferred. From that, coating depositions have been carried out with yttria zirconia suspension. Trajectory deviations at impact have been measured depending on the injection pressure and injection location. Coatings have been realized under the same operating investigations and their microstructures and mechanical properties have been characterize

Salt Effects on Complexes of Oppositely Charged Macromolecules Having Different Affinity to Water

International audienceThe influence of salt concentration on the size and on the thermodynamic stability of interpolymer complexes composed of oppositely charged macroions having different affinity to solvent was studied from a theoretical viewpoint. It was shown that increasing salt concentration causes changes in the structure of complex particles. At low salt concentration, the particles preserve their structure and size. At a critical salt concentration, nS cr, the particle size rises sharply to a slightly larger dimension. From this concentration, the macroions forming the interpolymer complex start to separate, and the complex is fully destroyed at a salt concentration nS*. After separation, the macroions coexist in solution and with further increase in salt concentration reduce their sizes according to the screening of polyion charges by salt ions. nS cr and nS* depend on physical parameters such as the degree of polymerization of macroions, their degree of ionization, and macroion-solvent interaction parameters. Experimental data collected in the particular cases of PLL-PLCA and PLL-PLCAI complexes with polylysine qualitatively agree with the trends indicated by the theoretical approach