Advancements in nano-enabled therapeutics for neuroHIV management

This viewpoint is a global call to promote fundamental and applied research aiming toward designing smart nanocarriers of desired properties, novel noninvasive strategies to open the blood–brain barrier (BBB), delivery/release of single/multiple therapeutic agents across the BBB to eradicate neurohuman immunodeficiency virus (HIV), strategies for on-demand site-specific release of antiretroviral therapy, developing novel nanoformulations capable to recognize and eradicate latently infected HIV reservoirs, and developing novel smart analytical diagnostic tools to detect and monitor HIV infection. Thus, investigation of novel nanoformulations, methodologies for site-specific delivery/release, analytical methods, and diagnostic tools would be of high significance to eradicate and monitor neuroacquired immu-nodeficiency syndrome. Overall, these developments will certainly help to develop personalized nanomedicines to cure HIV and to develop smart HIV-monitoring analytical systems for disease management

State-of-Art Functional Biomaterials for Tissue Engineering

Nanobiotechnology-enabled tissue engineering strategies have emerged as an innovative and promising technique in the field of regenerative medical science. The design and development of multifunctional smart biomaterials compatible to human physiology is crucial to achieve the required biological function with a reduced negative biological response. Several medical bioimplants have been tested to boost life expectancy and better-quality life. The concept of biocompatibility focuses on body acceptance and no harmful effects after implantation, which require shaping the properties of materials synthesis, surface functionalization, and biofunctionality. Such developed bioactive and biodegradable materials have been utilized to achieve the required function at a specific period and sustainability to withstand the surrounding tissues for treating severe injuries and diseases. Thus, exploring new approaches to design multifunctional biocompatible advanced nanostructures to develop next-generation therapies for tissue engineering, this mini-review is an attempt to summarize the advancements in biofunctional smart materials. The review focuses on bio-mimic materials, biomaterials, self-assembly biomaterials, bioprinting functional hydrogels, new polymeric architectures, and hybrid synthetic–natural hydrogels in the field of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine (TERM). This mini-review will serve as a guideline to design future research where the selection of a smart multifunctional biomaterial is crucial to obtain best TERM performance

Nanostructured Gas Sensors for Health Care: An Overview

Nanostructured platforms have been utilized for fabrication of small, sensitive and reliable gas sensing devices owing to high functionality, enhanced charge transport and electro-catalytic property. As a result of globalization, rapid, sensitive and selective detection of gases in environment is essential for health care and security. Nonmaterial such as metal, metal oxides, organic polymers, and organic-inorganic hybrid nanocomposites exhibit interesting optical, electrical, magnetic and molecular properties, and hence are found potential gas sensing materials. Morphological, electrical, and optical properties of such nanostructures can be tailored via controlling the precursor concentration and synthesis conditions resulting to achieve desired sensing. This review presents applications of nano-enabling gas sensors to detect gases for environment monitoring. The recent update, challenges, and future vision for commercial applications of such sensor are also described here

Support of intelligent emergent materials to combat COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic, associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection transmitted via human to human and cause lifethreatening respiratory diseases, has emerged as an everincreasing global health and economic crisis since its declaration by the World Health Organization (WHO) in early Jan 2020. Despite the development of several vaccines and initiation of vaccination programs, it is very likely that we will have to continue our lives under now became normal preventative measures for several more years.While this global battle against the pandemic is carried out on the frontlines by healthcare providers, another major effort are underway by scientists and engineers in research labs around the globe for investigating better therapies, detection systems, and safety aspects. In this unprecedented scenario, experts are seeking fast, practical, and effective ways to support healthcare providers in treating patients and prevent or slow further spread of the virus. In this dazzling race against time, materials science is one of the fields that is contributing significantly, due to a substantial cumulative knowledge that can be translated rapidly to clinical practice. Novel material approaches of tunable performance can be useful for various multi-tasking applications such as accurate diagnosis of viral infection from patient samples, sanitizing or preventing viral accumulation on surfaces, alternative sources and sanitation for personal protective equipment, effective delivery and binding of antiviral agents to the virus, reprogramming of the immune system, and even development of injectable synthetic compounds to compete with the virus in binding to viral receptors.Qatar National Research Fun

Sustained-release nanoAR T formulation for the treatment of neuroAIDS

A novel approach was developed for the coencapsulation of an anti-HIV drug (tenofovir) and a latency-breaking agent (vorinostat), using magnetically guided layer-by-layer (LbL) assembled nanocarriers for the treatment of neuroAIDS. Ultrasmall iron oxide (Fe3O4) nanoparticles (10±3 nm) were synthesized and characterized. The LbL technique was used to achieve a sustained release profile, and application of 2 bilayers ([tenofovir+dextran sulphate]2+vorinostat)to magnetic nanoparticles resulted in a 2.8 times increase in drug (tenofovir) loading and also resulted in an increase in the drug release period by 30-fold, with 100% drug release in sustained manner over a period of 5 days with the simultaneous stimulation of latent HIV expression. Nanoformulation showed a good blood–brain barrier transmigration ability (37.95%±1.5%) with good in vitro antiviral efficacy (~33% reduction of p24 level) over a period of 5 days after HIV infection in primary human astrocytes, with good cell viability (.90%). Hence, LbL arrangements of drugs on magnetic nanoparticles provides sustained release and, therefore, may improve the patient’s adherence to therapy and lead to better compliance

Erratum: Tiwari, S., et al. Biosensors for Epilepsy Management: State-of-Art and Future Aspects. Sensors 2019, 19, 1525.

The authors wish to make the following correction to the above-mentioned published paper [...]

Perspectives on nano-nutraceuticals to manage pre and post COVID-19 infections

Optimized therapeutic bio-compounds supported by bio-acceptable nanosystems (i.e., precise nanomedicine) have ability to promote health via maintaining body structure, organ function, and controlling chronic and acute effects. Therefore, nano-nutraceuticals (designed to neutralize virus, inhibit virus bindings with receptors, and support immunity) utilization can manage COVID-19 pre/post-infection effects. To explore these approaches well, our mini-review explores optimized bio-active compounds, their ability to influence SARS-CoV-2 infection, improvement in performance supported by precise nanomedicine approach, and challenges along with prospects. Such optimized pharmacologically relevant therapeutic cargo not only affect SARS-CoV-2 but will support other organs which show functional alternation due to SARS-CoV-2 for example, neurological functions. Hence, coupling the nutraceuticals with the nano-pharmacology perspective of higher efficacy via targeted delivery action can pave a novel way for health experts to plan future research needed to manage post COVID-19 infection effect where a longer efficacy with no side-effects is a key requirement

Carbon nanotubes — chitosan nanobiocomposite for immunosensor

Carboxylic group functionalized single walled (SW) and multi walled (MW) carbon nanotubes (CNT) have been incorporated into biopolymer matrix of chitosan (CH) to fabricate nanobiocomposite film onto indium– tin–oxide (ITO) coated glass plate for co-immobilization of rabbit-immunoglobulin (r-IgGs) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) to detect ochratoxin-A (OTA). The results of electrochemical studies reveal that presence of both CNT results in increased electro-active surface area of CH leading to enhanced electron transport in these nanobiocomposites. Moreover, in CH–SWCNT and CH–MWCNT nanobiocomposites the availability of NH2/OH group in CH and surface charged CNT also increases loading of the r-IgGs resulting in enhanced electron transport responsible for improved sensing characteristics. Compared to BSA/r-IgGs/CH– MWCNT/ITO immunoelectrode, electrochemical response studies of BSA/r-IgGs/CH–SWCNT/ITO immunoelectrode carried out as a function of OTA concentration exhibits improved linearity as 0.25–6 ng/dL, detection limit as 0.25 ng/dL, response time as 25 s, and sensitivity as 21 μA ng dL−1cm−2 with the regression coefficient as 0.998

A self assembled monolayer based microfluidic sensor for urea detection

Urease (Urs) and glutamate dehydrogenase (GLDH) have been covalently co-immobilized onto a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) comprising of 10-carboxy-1-decanthiol (CDT) via EDC–NHS chemistry deposited onto one of the two patterned gold (Au) electrodes for estimation of urea using poly(dimethylsiloxane) based microfluidic channels (2 cm × 200 μm × 200 μm). The CDT/Au and Urs-GLDH/CDT/Au electrodes have been characterized using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, contact angle (CA), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and electrochemical cyclic voltammetry (CV) techniques. The electrochemical response measurement of a Urs-GLDH/CDT/Au bioelectrode obtained as a function of urea concentration using CV yield linearity as 10 to 100 mg dl−1, detection limit as 9 mg dl−1 and high sensitivity as 7.5 μA mM−1 cm−2

Electrochemical sensing method for point-of-care cortisol detection in human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients

A novel electrochemical sensing method was devised for the first time to detect plasma cortisol, a potential psychological stress biomarker, in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive subjects. A miniaturized potentiostat (reconfigured LMP91000 chip) interfaced with a microfluidic manifold containing a cortisol immunosensor was employed to demonstrate electrochemical cortisol sensing. This fully integrated and optimized electrochemical sensing device exhibited a wide cortisol-detection range from 10 pg/mL to 500 ng/mL, a low detection limit of 10 pg/mL, and sensitivity of 5.8 μA (pg mL)-1, with a regression coefficient of 0.995. This cortisol-selective sensing system was employed to estimate plasma cortisol in ten samples from HIV patients. The electrochemical cortisol-sensing performance was validated using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique. The results obtained using both methodologies were comparable within 2%–5% variation. The information related to psychological stress of HIV patients can be correlated with disease-progression parameters to optimize diagnosis, therapeutic, and personalized health monitoring