Nanofibers for drug delivery – incorporation and release of model molecules, influence of molecular weight and polymer structure

• Jakub Hrib,
• Jakub Sirc,
• Radka Hobzova,
• Zuzana Hampejsova,
• Zuzana Bosakova,
• Marcela Munzarova and
• Jiri Michalek

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2015, 6, 1939–1945, doi:10.3762/bjnano.6.198

• ; nanofibrous carriers; needle-free electrospinning; release kinetics; Introduction To date, numerous drug delivery systems have been developed, such as hydrogels that carry drugs or highly sophisticated electronic microchips [1][2]. The required release rates of the therapeutic agents depend on the medicinal

Applications of three-dimensional carbon nanotube networks

• Manuela Scarselli,
• Paola Castrucci,
• Francesco De Nicola,
• Ilaria Cacciotti,
• Francesca Nanni,
• Emanuela Gatto,
• Mariano Venanzi and
• Maurizio De Crescenzi

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2015, 6, 792–798, doi:10.3762/bjnano.6.82

• architectures rather than two-dimensional ones because of the increase of active surface area throughout the entire 3D structure. Hydrogels, organogels, and aerogels based on silica [1] or carbon [2] and consisting of micro-, and macroscopic assemblies are reported in the literature. In particular, self

Filling of carbon nanotubes and nanofibres

• Reece D. Gately and
• Marc in het Panhuis

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2015, 6, 508–516, doi:10.3762/bjnano.6.53

• materials (such as hydrogels) for cartilage replacement. Most interest in the filling of VGCNFs is due to their unique internal structure, which allows for the alignment of atoms along the ridges of the graphene sheets [38], as shown in Figure 3. The internal structure has been demonstrated to be a good

• the following properties: (1) selective drug delivery using nanostructures, which is important for the development of nano-sized needles or patches for the localised treatment of diseases; (2) autonomic healing of polymeric materials, such as tough hydrogels, which is important for load-bearing

Multifunctional layered magnetic composites

• Maria Siglreitmeier,
• Baohu Wu,
• Tina Kollmann,
• Martin Neubauer,
• Gergely Nagy,
• Dietmar Schwahn,
• Vitaliy Pipich,
• Damien Faivre,
• Dirk Zahn,
• Andreas Fery and
• Helmut Cölfen

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2015, 6, 134–148, doi:10.3762/bjnano.6.13

• method following the reaction: This procedure can be repeated several times in order to obtain the desired degree of mineralization. We already reported a similar synthesis protocol for gelatin-based magnetic hydrogels [34] and now transfer these synthesis principles into the insoluble organic nacre

• already reported before for the synthesis of gelatin-based magnetic hydrogels [34]. Similar results can be obtained for the analysis of magnetite nanoparticles prepared by a co-precipitation method in water [40][41][42]. In order to determine the effect of varying mineral content onto the magnetic

• magnetite nanoparticles, which act as additional crosslinkers in the gelatin hydrogel. This effect was discovered before for the studies of magnetic hydrogels [34] and shows similar values for the swelling degree. We can conclude that the gelatin hydrogel as well as the magnetic hydrogel do not change their

Functionalization of α-synuclein fibrils

• Simona Povilonienė,
• Vida Časaitė,
• Virginijus Bukauskas,
• Arūnas Šetkus,
• Juozas Staniulis and
• Rolandas Meškys

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2015, 6, 124–133, doi:10.3762/bjnano.6.12

• ]. These natural building blocks with a wide range of modifiable properties have become very attractive tools for applications in biotechnology, material science, molecular electronics and related fields [6]. A variety of nanostructures, including nanotubes, nanospheres, nanofibers, nanotapes and hydrogels

Biopolymer colloids for controlling and templating inorganic synthesis

• Laura C. Preiss,
• Katharina Landfester and
• Rafael Muñoz-Espí

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2014, 5, 2129–2138, doi:10.3762/bjnano.5.222

• biopolymers can be useful for designing inorganic and inorganic/organic materials, including the ex situ synthesis and the different cases of the in situ formation, further classified in the corresponding section below. Review Ex situ formation of the inorganic material Hydrogels, such as those based on the

• component takes place. On the other hand, the presence of functional groups such as carboxylic, amino or phosphate groups can provide a high ability to bind metal ions or to interact with growing crystal faces, influencing nucleation and growth. Hydrogels, such as those formed with chitosan or gelatin, are

Carbon-based smart nanomaterials in biomedicine and neuroengineering

• Antonina M. Monaco and
• Michele Giugliano

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2014, 5, 1849–1863, doi:10.3762/bjnano.5.196

• localise in the lungs, liver and spleen [79], and that the urinary system excrete them [80]. Hydrogels and thin-films based on NDs have also been used as drug delivery systems by virtue of their ease of surface functionalisation and small size. They have been reported for successfully delivering several

Controlling mechanical properties of bio-inspired hydrogels by modulating nano-scale, inter-polymeric junctions

• Seonki Hong,
• Hyukjin Lee and
• Haeshin Lee

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2014, 5, 887–894, doi:10.3762/bjnano.5.101

• of gelation kinetics and mechanical properties of PEG hydrogels compared to results obtained by using PEGs in the absence of amine groups. Therefore, the study provides new insight into designing new crosslinking chemistry for controlling nano-scale chemical reactions that can broaden unique

• properties of bulk hydrogels. Keywords: catechols; hydrogels; poly(ethylene glycol)s; quinone tanning; Introduction Water-resistant adhesives secreted by marine mussels, stiff cuticles synthesized by insects, and sharp beaks found in squids appear to be drastically different biomaterials (Figure 1a–c) [1

• ) (PEG) and pluronic hydrogels have been reported [22][23][24][25][26]. However, most previous work utilized catechol–catechol crosslinking by using catechol end-functionalized polymers, which limits the control of important variables in hydrogels such as gelation kinetics and mechanical properties

Manipulation of isolated brain nerve terminals by an external magnetic field using D-mannose-coated γ-Fe₂O₃ nano-sized particles and assessment of their effects on glutamate transport

• Tatiana Borisova,
• Natalia Krisanova,
• Arsenii Borуsov,
• Roman Sivko,
• Ludmila Ostapchenko,
• Michal Babic and
• Daniel Horak

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2014, 5, 778–788, doi:10.3762/bjnano.5.90

• ]. In addition, D-mannose-bound poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) hydrogels support the adhesion of keratinocytes (epidermal cells) and their subsequent cultivation in the absence of feeder cells [11]. Therefore, D-mannose was selected to coat the iron oxide nanoparticles. Recently, it was demonstrated

Biocalcite, a multifunctional inorganic polymer: Building block for calcareous sponge spicules and bioseed for the synthesis of calcium phosphate-based bone

• Xiaohong Wang,
• Heinz C. Schröder and
• Werner E. G. Müller

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2014, 5, 610–621, doi:10.3762/bjnano.5.72

• /glutamic acid-rich sponge-specific protein. The discovery that calcium carbonate crystals act as bioseeds in human bone formation may allow the development of novel biomimetic scaffolds for bone tissue engineering. Na-alginate hydrogels, enriched with biosilica, have recently been demonstrated as a

Molecular dynamics simulations of mechanical failure in polymorphic arrangements of amyloid fibrils containing structural defects

• Hlengisizwe Ndlovu,
• Alison E. Ashcroft,
• Sheena E. Radford and
• Sarah A. Harris

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2013, 4, 429–440, doi:10.3762/bjnano.4.50

• , however, properties such as self-assembly and robustness have increasingly made them attractive candidates for use in nanotechnological applications [2][3] that range from conducting nanowires [4], to drug-delivery devices [5], structural scaffolds [6][7] and functionalised hydrogels [8]. A central theme