Key for crossing the BBB with nanoparticles: the rational design

• Sonia M. Lombardo,
• Marc Schneider,
• Akif E. Türeli and
• Nazende Günday Türeli

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 866–883, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.72

• (e.g., human serum albumin) [28], gold nanoparticles [29] and superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles [30]. This review aims to summarize (i) the different pathways to cross the BBB, (ii) the strategies that can be employed to increase nanoparticle BBB permeation without disrupting the BBB, as well

• as (iii) the different nanoparticle types that can be used for drug delivery across the BBB. Review Crossing the BBB Figure 3 describes multiple pathways to cross the BBB. Paracellular pathway and passive transmembrane diffusion The tight junctions between the endothelial cells severely limit the

Hexagonal boron nitride: a review of the emerging material platform for single-photon sources and the spin–photon interface

• Stefania Castelletto,
• Faraz A. Inam,
• Shin-ichiro Sato and
• Alberto Boretti

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 740–769, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.61

• , we review some recent advances in an emerging material, low-dimensional (2D, 1D, 0D) hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN), which could lead to establishing such a platform. We highlight the recent achievements of the specific material for the expected applications in quantum technologies, indicating

• complementary outstanding properties compared to the other 3D bulk materials. Keywords: boron nitride; color centers; quantum applications; quantum properties; Review Introduction Point defects (impurity atoms or complex of atoms) in solids are recognized elementary units for various quantum technology

• sections of this paper, while we remind the readers of recent reviews on the other materials or emerging point defects in diamond [10][31][42][59][60][61] and SiC [7][11][62]. In this review, the material of focus is h-BN. The current progress indicates h-BN is distinguishing itself with great potential as

Luminescent gold nanoclusters for bioimaging applications

• Nonappa

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 533–546, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.42

• optoelectronic properties make them suitable for bioimaging and biosensing applications. In this review, an overview of the sensing of pathogens, and of in vitro and in vivo bioimaging using luminescent gold nanoclusters along with the limitations with selected examples are discussed. Keywords: bioimaging

• . Review Luminescent gold nanoclusters Luminescent AuNCs show high photostability and biocompatibility and are nontoxic [41]. Their size is highly precise and small compared to QDs, offering a better internalization in cells and tissues [42][43][44][45][46][47]. The presence of surface ligands allows for a

• as ionic polymers, proteins or peptides [74][75][76]. Recently, Dichiarante et al. reported NIR-luminescent AuNCs bearing superfluorinated (SF) ligands with strong emission at 1050 nm with a quantum yield of 12% [77]. An extensive account of the PL of NCs is beyond the scope of this review and has

Multilayer capsules made of weak polyelectrolytes: a review on the preparation, functionalization and applications in drug delivery

• Varsha Sharma and
• Anandhakumar Sundaramurthy

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 508–532, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.41

• a highly controllable architecture, unique stimuli responsiveness and easy tuning of the properties for intracellular delivery of cargo. This review describes the progress in the preparation, functionalization and applications of capsules made of weak polyelectrolytes or their combination with

• /biopolymer systems in applications such as therapeutics, biosensing, bioimaging, bioreactors, vaccination, tissue engineering and gene delivery. This review gives an emerging outlook on the advantages and unique responsiveness of weak polyelectrolyte based systems that can enable their widespread use in

• potential applications. Keywords: drug delivery; functionalization; multilayer capsules; synthesis; weak polyelectrolytes; Review Introduction In the last few decades, micrometer and nanometer-sized capsules made of polyelectrolytes (PEs) have been the subject of intensive research because of their

Nanoarchitectonics: bottom-up creation of functional materials and systems

• Katsuhiko Ariga

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 450–452, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.36

• that were formed by metal-assisted chemical etching (MACE) [27], and the formation of high-tolerance crystalline hydrogels from cyclic dipeptides upon self-assembly [28]. In addition, a review on the use of DNA as the fundamental material building block for molecular and structural engineering [29

Interactions at the cell membrane and pathways of internalization of nano-sized materials for nanomedicine

• Valentina Francia,
• Daphne Montizaan and
• Anna Salvati

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 338–353, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.25

• better understanding of these processes can help to design smarter nanomedicines and to achieve better targeting [22]. Within this context, in this review we will summarise the current understanding of the very first steps of the interactions of nano-sized materials with cells, with a particular focus on

• description of the known endocytic pathways in cells. Review 1 Interactions of nano-sized materials at the cell surface and recognition by cell receptors 1.1 Active targeting The first steps in nanoparticle–cell interactions are those happening at the cell surface, including the adhesion of nanoparticles to

• Intracellular fate Another important aspect to consider for nanomedicine applications is the final fate of nano-sized materials following internalization. A recent review has discussed this aspect in more detail [85]. Regardless of the route of entry, many studies report that most nano-sized materials travel

Using gold nanoparticles to detect single-nucleotide polymorphisms: toward liquid biopsy

• María Sanromán Iglesias and
• Marek Grzelczak

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 263–284, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.20

• and its implementation into point-of-care devices for common use. Covering the last twenty years, this review gives an overview of the state-of-the-art of the research on the use of gold nanoparticles in the development of colorimetric biosensors for the detection of single-nucleotide polymorphism as

• seconds even at sub-picomolar concentration. Here, we review recent advancements in the development of sensors based on metallic nanoparticles for the detection of mutations in circulating tumor DNA molecules. By introducing the importance of DNA molecules as biomarkers in the field of liquid biopsy and

• by discussing current technologies in clinics, we review the performance of recent sensors for single-point mutation in which gold nanoparticles act as signal transducers. We classify the discussed sensors according to whether the underlying mechanisms of detection involve enzymatic reactions or not

Rational design of block copolymer self-assemblies in photodynamic therapy

• Maxime Demazeau,
• Laure Gibot,
• Anne-Françoise Mingotaud,
• Patricia Vicendo,
• Clément Roux and
• Barbara Lonetti

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 180–212, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.15

• therapy is a technique already used in ophthalmology or oncology. It is based on the local production of reactive oxygen species through an energy transfer from an excited photosensitizer to oxygen present in the biological tissue. This review first presents an update, mainly covering the last five years

• the importance of intracellular targeting has been addressed. Keywords: intracellular targeting; micelles; photodynamic therapy (PDT); photochemistry; polymer; self-assembly; Review Introduction After Paul Ehrlich, in 1900, had the very first notion of a drug being delivered at will to a specific

• intravenous polymer nanocarrier are biocompatibility, stealthiness, optimal size (20–200 nm), polymer/drug affinity compatible with good encapsulation and release, and a design compatible with the targeted organ [4] (this includes the possible crossing of biological barriers). The aim of this review is to

Molecular architectonics of DNA for functional nanoarchitectures

• Debasis Ghosh,
• Lakshmi P. Datta and
• Thimmaiah Govindaraju

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 124–140, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.11

• molecular architectonics enabled the creation of novel DNA nanoarchitectures with potential applications, which has been termed as templated DNA nanotechnology or functional DNA nanoarchitectonics. This review highlights the molecular architectonics-guided design principles and applications of the derived

• ; functional DNA nanoarchitectonics; functional small molecules; molecular architectonics; nucleic acids; templated coassembly; Review Introduction The development of functional molecular systems and materials on a nanoscale through custom design and engineering of molecular organization is a highly

• review, we attempted to cover the molecular architectonics of DNA, which comprises programmed self-assembly (DNA nanotechnology) and coassembly (templated DNA nanotechnology/functional DNA nanoarchitectonics) to produce diverse molecular and nanoarchitectures. The functional DNA nanoarchitectonics

Internalization mechanisms of cell-penetrating peptides

• Ivana Ruseska and
• Andreas Zimmer

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 101–123, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.10

• that several CPPs are able to induce and shift between different uptake mechanisms depending on their concentration, cargo or the cell line used. This review will focus on the major internalization pathways CPPs exploit, their characteristics and regulation, as well as some of the factors that

• penetrating peptides CPPs are currently classified in several ways, depending on their individual properties. Table 1 presents a short overview of some of the most commonly used CPPs, listing their amino acid sequence and properties. In this review, only a short outlook of their classification will be given

• . Review Direct translocation through the cell membrane The direct translocation of CPPs through the cell membrane as an energy-independent mechanism and an alternative to endocytosis was suggested after internalization of CPPs was observed at low temperature [23]. As a process which requires no energy

A review of demodulation techniques for multifrequency atomic force microscopy

• David M. Harcombe,
• Michael G. Ruppert and
• Andrew J. Fleming

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 76–91, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.8

• channels. Review of Multifrequency Demodulation Methods Lock-in amplifier The multifrequency lock-in amplifier (LIA) [28][39][40][41] operates by multiplying an input signal described by Equation 2 with parallel in-phase and quadrature sinusoids tuned to frequencies the amplitude and phase of which are of

Recent progress in perovskite solar cells: the perovskite layer

• Xianfeng Dai,
• Ke Xu and
• Fanan Wei

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 51–60, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.5

• , paving the way for their commercialization. In the closing section of this review, some future critical challenges are outlined, and the prospect of commercialization of PSCs is presented. Keywords: coating techniques; perovskite layer; perovskite solar cells (PSCs); perovskite structure; photovoltaic

• technology; scalability; Review Introduction During the past decade, organic–inorganic halide perovskites (OIHP) have attracted great interest due to their special merits, including exciting optical properties, outstanding optical tunability and low-temperature solution processability. Recently, OIHPs have

• recent years, with the introduction of a variety of strategies and the application of new techniques [1][2][3][4][5][6], the power conversion efficiency (PCE) records of PSCs are constantly being beat. While writing this review article, the highest certified PCE reached 25.2% [7], which is comparable to

Synthesis of amorphous and graphitized porous nitrogen-doped carbon spheres as oxygen reduction reaction catalysts

• Maximilian Wassner,
• Markus Eckardt,
• Andreas Reyer,
• Thomas Diemant,
• Michael S. Elsaesser,
• R. Jürgen Behm and
• Nicola Hüsing

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 1–15, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.1

• -synthetic heat treatment in ammonia atmosphere (see the review by Daems and co-workers [7]). The direct comparison of the N content of NCS-850 and NCS-1000 with the g-NCS-850 and g-NCS-1000 spheres reveals that substitutional N-doping of the amorphous carbon matrix is easier than that of the graphitic one

The different ways to chitosan/hyaluronic acid nanoparticles: templated vs direct complexation. Influence of particle preparation on morphology, cell uptake and silencing efficiency

• Arianna Gennari,
• Julio M. Rios de la Rosa,
• Erwin Hohn,
• Maria Pelliccia,
• Enrique Lallana,
• Roberto Donno,
• Annalisa Tirella and
• Nicola Tirelli

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 2594–2608, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.250

• ., liposomes [26], amphiphilic polymers [31], and gold nanoparticles [32]. We refer the reader to the excellent review of Bushell in 2002 for an extensive physico-mathematical explanation of Dm [25]. Firstly, the AF4-DLS curves (Figure 3A, left) largely overlapped. Thus, it appears that DLS alone (Figure 1

BergaCare SmartLipids: commercial lipophilic active concentrates for improved performance of dermal products

• Florence Olechowski,
• Rainer H. Müller and
• Sung Min Pyo

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 2152–2162, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.208

• the production of marketable products in cosmetics and consumer care. Review What exactly are SmartLipids – definition SLN were made from typically one solid lipid only. Such lipids can form highly ordered lipid crystalline structures (β modification), which leaves little space to accommodate active

Nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond for nanoscale magnetic resonance imaging applications

• Alberto Boretti,
• Lorenzo Rosa,
• Jonathan Blackledge and
• Stefania Castelletto

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 2128–2151, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.207

• diamond with unique properties for use in ultra-sensitive, high-resolution magnetometry. One of the most interesting and challenging applications is nanoscale magnetic resonance imaging (nano-MRI). While many review papers have covered other NV centers in diamond applications, there is no survey targeting

• methods, this review presents a survey of the latest advances in NV center nano-MRI. Keywords: nanodiamonds; nanoscale magnetic resonance imaging (nano-MRI); nitrogen-vacancy center; optically detected magnetic resonance; Review Introduction Spin echoes and free induction decays were first detected in

• preparation. Specifically, NV forms in both bulk and ND – this option introduces more opportunity in terms of applications, even if the ND NV magnetic sensing technology is less developed. A review of the superior properties of diamond nanomaterials and the NV centers, as well as their uses in biomedical

Review of advanced sensor devices employing nanoarchitectonics concepts

• Katsuhiko Ariga,
• Tatsuyuki Makita,
• Masato Ito,
• Taizo Mori,
• Shun Watanabe and
• Jun Takeya

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 2014–2030, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.198

• , which is a novel conceptual methodology to engineer functional materials and systems from nanoscale units through the fusion of nanotechnology with other research fields, including organic chemistry, supramolecular chemistry, materials science and biology. In this review article, we discuss recent

• ; nanoarchitectonics; sensor; thin film; Review Introduction Detection systems for various chemical, physical, environmental, and biological targets, so-called sensors, have been continuously explored [1][2][3][4]. Although their usefulness was recognized even in the early stages of modern science and technology, the

• features [82]. Therefore, the design and fabrication of biosensors based on the nanoarchitectonics concept may have many particular advantages. In this review article, we first discuss several examples of recent progress in sensor systems whose advanced nanoarchitectonic design and fabrication allowed for

Materials nanoarchitectonics at two-dimensional liquid interfaces

• Katsuhiko Ariga,
• Michio Matsumoto,
• Taizo Mori and
• Lok Kumar Shrestha

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 1559–1587, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.153

• emerging concept of nanoarchitectonics. In this review article, we overview recent research progresses on materials nanoarchitectonics at two-dimensional liquid interfaces, which are dimensionally restricted media with some freedoms of molecular motion. Specific characteristics of molecular interactions

• low-dimensional and specifically structured nanocarbons and their assemblies at liquid–liquid interfaces. Finally, interfacial nanoarchitectonics of biomaterials including the regulation of orientation and differentiation of living cells are explained. In the recent examples described in this review

• , various materials such as molecular machines, molecular receptors, block-copolymer, DNA origami, nanocarbon, phages, and stem cells were assembled at liquid interfaces by using various useful techniques. This review overviews techniques such as conventional Langmuir–Blodgett method, vortex Langmuir

Superconducting switching due to a triplet component in the Pb/Cu/Ni/Cu/Co₂Cr_1−xFe_xAl_y spin-valve structure

• Andrey Andreevich Kamashev,
• Nadir Nurgayazovich Garif’yanov,
• Aidar Azatovich Validov,
• Joachim Schumann,
• Vladislav Kataev,
• Bernd Büchner,
• Yakov Victorovich Fominov and
• Ilgiz Abdulsamatovich Garifullin

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 1458–1463, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.144

• the heterostuctures, which gave rise to the field of superconducting (SC) spintronics (for a review see [4]). The so-called superconducting spin valve (SSV) effect that can be used in SC spintronics was proposed theoretically for the first time by Oh et al. [5] and later on by Tagirov [6]. The

Energy distribution in an ensemble of nanoparticles and its consequences

• Dieter Vollath

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 1452–1457, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.143

• temperature. Additionally, the data for gsolid ± kT [1][2], describing the limits of the fluctuations, are also given. The fluctuation limits defined by Equation 5 are indicated, too. The necessary thermodynamic data were taken from Arblaster’s review [3]. For the surface energy, in a first approximation, the

Photoactive nanoarchitectures based on clays incorporating TiO₂ and ZnO nanoparticles

• Eduardo Ruiz-Hitzky,
• Pilar Aranda,
• Marwa Akkari,
• Nithima Khaorapapong and
• Makoto Ogawa

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 1140–1156, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.114

• dioxide and zinc oxide nanoparticles with clay minerals to give diverse clay–semiconductor nanoarchitectures are summarized and critically discussed in this review article. The possibility to use clay minerals as starting components showing different morphologies, such as layered, fibrous, or tubular

• ; nanoarchitectures; photocatalysts; titanium dioxide; zinc dioxide; Review Introduction: immobilization of nanoscale TiO2 and ZnO on clay minerals Nanoarchitectonics is a term coined by Japan's National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), which refers to the nanoscale design of complex materials through a deep

In situ AFM visualization of Li–O₂ battery discharge products during redox cycling in an atmospherically controlled sample cell

• Kumar Virwani,
• Younes Ansari,
• Khanh Nguyen,
• Francisco José Alía Moreno-Ortiz,
• Jangwoo Kim,
• Maxwell J. Giammona,
• Ho-Cheol Kim and
• Young-Hye La

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 930–940, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.94

• deposition [3], corrosion and molecular adsorbates on a variety of surfaces [4] have also been investigated with scanning probe microscopy. In situ local probe techniques at electrical interfaces [5] use scanning probe microscopy to probe surface changes and reactions. A recent review by Yang et al. [6

Capillary force-induced superlattice variation atop a nanometer-wide graphene flake and its moiré origin studied by STM

• Loji K. Thomas and
• Michael Reichling

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 804–810, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.80

• summarized in a review elsewhere [24]. There have been reports both in support [21][25] as well as against [26][27] the simple moiré theory. Changes of the superlattice periodicity in space [25] and time [17] have been reported before. However, there has been no report on a real-time observation of a change

Deposition of metal particles onto semiconductor nanorods using an ionic liquid

• Michael D. Ballentine,
• Elizabeth G. Embry,
• Marco A. Garcia and
• Lawrence J. Hill

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 718–724, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.71

• ] using Pt(acac)2 and an ammonium bromide [31], and a mechanism involving the acetylacetonate ligands was suggested in a subsequent review article [15]. Additionally, a carbene mechanism involving the imidazolium cation could also contribute to the reduction mechanism [32], as proposed for Pd

Review of time-resolved non-contact electrostatic force microscopy techniques with applications to ionic transport measurements

• Aaron Mascaro,
• Yoichi Miyahara,
• Tyler Enright,
• Omur E. Dagdeviren and
• Peter Grütter

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 617–633, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.62

• atomic force microscopy. Here, we review in detail several time-resolved EFM techniques based on non-contact atomic force microscopy, elaborating on their specific limitations and challenges. We also introduce a new experimental technique that can resolve time-varying signals well below the oscillation

• to develop a clear picture of the underlying mechanisms that govern them. This requires an extensive toolbox of experimental techniques of which EFM-based ones will most certainly play an essential role. In this review we explore in detail several techniques that allow for time-resolved electrostatic

• implementations and analyses, we have restricted our review to exclude all pump–probe and KPFM techniques as these are generally unsuitable for probing ionic transport. For a recent review of all KPFM and related techniques, we refer the reader to [21]. We begin by describing the direct time-domain method and its