Structural Design for EMI Shielding: From Underlying Mechanisms to Common Pitfalls.

Modern human civilization deeply relies on the rapid advancement of cutting-edge electronic systems that have revolutionized communication, education, aviation, and entertainment. However, the electromagnetic interference (EMI) generated by digital systems poses a significant threat to the society, potentially leading to a future crisis. While numerous efforts are made to develop nanotechnological shielding systems to mitigate the detrimental effects of EMI, there is limited focus on creating absorption-dominant shielding solutions. Achieving absorption-dominant EMI shields requires careful structural design engineering, starting from the smallest components and considering the most effective electromagnetic wave attenuating factors. This review offers a comprehensive overview of shielding structures, emphasizing the critical elements of absorption-dominant shielding design, shielding mechanisms, limitations of both traditional and nanotechnological EMI shields, and common misconceptions about the foundational principles of EMI shielding science. This systematic review serves as a scientific guide for designing shielding structures that prioritize absorption, highlighting an often-overlooked aspect of shielding science.

Liquid-templated graphene aerogel electromagnetic traps.

For decades, the inherently reflective nature of metallic electromagnetic (EM) shields and their induced secondary EM pollution have posed significant challenges for sensitive electronics. While numerous efforts have been made to develop superior EM shielding systems, the issue of reflection dominancy in metallic substrates remains unresolved. Herein, we addressed this long-lasting obstacle by pairing metallic shields with ultra-lightweight (density of 3.12-3.40 mg cm-3) elastic anti-reflection aerogels, altering their shielding mechanism from dominant reflection (reflectance >0.8) to absorption (absorbance >0.7) by trapping EM waves inside the aerogel. The aerogel EM traps were generated using interfacial complexation, yielding engineerable filamentous liquid structures. These served as templates for aerogel creation through a follow-up process of freezing and lyophilization. The engineerable lossy medium of aerogels benefits from a multi-scale porous construct with the combined action of dielectric and conduction losses, highly dissipating the EM waves and minimizing the reflections. Notably, declining the diameter of aerogel filaments promoted its absorption dominancy, rendering it a potent dissipating medium for EM waves. Pairing a metallic substrate with filamentous aerogel EM traps has resulted in an exceptionally effective absorption-dominant shielding system, achieving absorbance levels between 0.70-0.81. This system offers a shielding effectiveness of 53-89 dB within the X-band frequency range. This innovation addresses a persistent issue in shielding science related to the reflective characteristics of metallic substrates, effectively inhibiting their induced EM reflections.

Protective Effects of Xanthine Derivatives Against Arsenic Trioxide-Induced Oxidative Stress in Mouse Hepatic and Renal Tissues.

In this study, the protective efficacy of pentoxifylline (PTX) as a xanthine derivative against arsenic trioxide (ATO)-induced kidney and liver damage in mice was investigated. Thirty-six mice were divided into six groups, receiving intraperitoneal injections of saline, ATO, PTX, or a combination for four weeks. Blood samples were analyzed for serum biochemistry, while hepatic tissue underwent examination for histopathological changes and assessment of oxidative stress markers and antioxidant gene expression through Real-Time PCR. ATO exposure significantly increased serum markers (creatinine, ALT, BUN, ALP, AST) and induced histopathological changes in the liver. Moreover, it elevated renal and hepatic nitric oxide (NO) and lipid peroxidation (LPO) levels, and reduced antioxidant enzyme expression (CAT, GSR, GPx, MPO, SOD), total thiol groups (TTGs), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC). Conversely, PTX treatment effectively lowered serum hepatic and renal markers, improved antioxidant markers, and induced histopathological alterations. Notably, PTX did not significantly affect renal and hepatic NO levels. These findings suggest that PTX offers therapeutic potential in mitigating liver and acute kidney injuries induced by various insults, including exposure to ATO.

Therapeutic potentials of N-acetylcysteine immobilized polyrhodanine nanoparticles toward acetaminophen-induced acute hepatotoxicity in rat.

N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is a recommended drug for treating acetaminophen (APAP) intoxication. Due to NAC's low bioavailability, this study aimed to use polyrhodanine (PR) nanoparticles (NPs) as a drug carrier to improve the effectiveness of NAC. After preparation and characterization of NAC loaded on PR, 30 rats were randomly divided into five groups of six. The first group (control) received normal saline. Groups 2-5 were treated with normal saline, PR, NAC, and NAC loaded on PR, respectively. The treatments were started 4 h after oral administration of APAP (2000 mg kg-1 ). After 48 h, the animals were anesthetized, and liver function indices and oxidative stress were measured in tissue and serum samples. The APAP administration can increase aminotransferases and alkaline phosphatase enzymes in serum, decreasing the total antioxidant capacity and thiol groups and increasing lipid peroxidation in liver tissue. Administration of PR-NAC could effectively improve the level of serum-hepatic enzymes, total antioxidant capacity and thiol groups, lipid peroxidation, and pathological changes in liver tissue in animals poisoned with APAP. PR-NAC has a significant therapeutic effect on preventing acute hepatotoxicity caused by APAP, and its effectiveness can be associated with an improvement in the oxidant/antioxidant balance of liver tissue.

Bioresource Polymer Composite for Energy Generation and Storage: Developments and Trends.

The ever-growing demand of human society for clean and reliable energy sources spurred a substantial academic interest in exploring the potential of biological resources for developing energy generation and storage systems. As a result, alternative energy sources are needed in populous developing countries to compensate for energy deficits in an environmentally sustainable manner. This review aims to evaluate and summarize the recent progress in bio-based polymer composites (PCs) for energy generation and storage. The articulated review provides an overview of energy storage systems, e. g., supercapacitors and batteries, and discusses the future possibilities of various solar cells (SCs), using both past research progress and possible future developments as a basis for discussion. These studies examine systematic and sequential advances in different generations of SCs. Developing novel PCs that are efficient, stable, and cost-effective is of utmost importance. In addition, the current state of high-performance equipment for each of the technologies is evaluated in detail. We also discuss the prospects, future trends, and opportunities regarding using bioresources for energy generation and storage, as well as the development of low-cost and efficient PCs for SCs.

Functional Janus structured liquids and aerogels.

Janus structures have unique properties due to their distinct functionalities on opposing faces, but have yet to be realized with flowing liquids. We demonstrate such Janus liquids with a customizable distribution of nanoparticles (NPs) throughout their structures by joining two aqueous streams of NP dispersions in an apolar liquid. Using this anisotropic integration platform, different magnetic, conductive, or non-responsive NPs can be spatially confined to opposite sides of the original interface using magnetic graphene oxide (mGO)/GO, Ti3C2Tx/GO, or GO suspensions. The resultant Janus liquids can be used as templates for versatile, responsive, and mechanically robust aerogels suitable for piezoresistive sensing, human motion monitoring, and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding with a tuned absorption mechanism. The EMI shields outperform their current counterparts in terms of wave absorption, i.e., SET ≈ 51 dB, SER ≈ 0.4 dB, and A = 0.91, due to their high porosity ranging from micro- to macro-scales along with non-interfering magnetic and conductive networks imparted by the Janus architecture.

Ganoderma lucidum methanolic extract as a potent phytoconstituent: characterization, in-vitro antimicrobial and cytotoxic activity.

Ganoderma lucidum methanolic extract (GLME) has attracted tremendous attention due to its exceptional antimicrobial and anticancer properties that can be delicately tuned by controlling the initial extraction's content and concentration. Herein, we detailed the characterization, antimicrobial, and cytotoxic performance of GLME as a potential multi-functional therapeutic agent. Accordingly, FTIR, XRD, FESEM, EDX, and HPLC analyses were employed to assess the samples, followed by disc diffusion and microdilution broth methods to test its antibacterial effects against four Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains, viz., Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. MTT assay was applied to determine the cytotoxic activity of GLME against PDL and Hek-293 normal cell lines and MCF-7 and K-562 cancer cell lines. The IC50 values of 598 µg mL-1 and 291 µg mL-1 were obtained for MCF-7 and K-562 cancer cell lines, which confirmed the stronger anticancer activity of the GLME against blood cancer cells than breast cancer cells. This is while the IC50 of normal Hek-293 cells is 751 µg mL-1, and the lowest toxicity was observed for normal PDL cells with more than 57% survival at a concentration of 3000 µg mL-1. The results showed that the antibacterial property of this product against E.coli bacteria was higher than streptomycin, so the zone of inhibition was observed as 44 ± 0.09 mm and 30 ± 0.11 mm, respectively. These data provide valuable insights into the therapeutic usage of GLME for treating breast and blood cancers. This work is motivated by research studies looking for pharmacological products to address chronic and acute diseases, where further resources and studies are required to explore such products' adverse effects and toxicity.

Liquid-Templating Aerogels.

Modern materials science has witnessed the era of advanced fabrication methods to engineer functionality from the nano- to macroscales. Versatile fabrication and additive manufacturing methods are developed, but the ability to design a material for a given application is still limited. Here, a novel strategy that enables target-oriented manufacturing of ultra-lightweight aerogels with on-demand characteristics is introduced. The process relies on controllable liquid templating through interfacial complexation to generate tunable, stimuli-responsive 3D-structured (multiphase) filamentous liquid templates. The methodology involves nanoscale chemistry and microscale assembly of nanoparticles (NPs) at liquid-liquid interfaces to produce hierarchical macroscopic aerogels featuring multiscale porosity, ultralow density (3.05-3.41 mg cm-3 ), and high compressibility (90%) combined with elastic resilience and instant shape recovery. The challenges are overcome facing ultra-lightweight aerogels, including poor mechanical integrity and the inability to form predefined 3D constructs with on-demand functionality, for a multitude of applications. The controllable nature of the coined methodology enables tunable electromagnetic interference shielding with high specific shielding effectiveness (39 893 dB cm2 g-1 ), and one of the highest-ever reported oil-absorption capacities (487 times the initial weight of aerogel for chloroform), to be obtained. These properties originate from the engineerable nature of liquid templating, pushing the boundaries of lightweight materials to systematic function design and applications.

Innovative Metal-Organic Frameworks for Targeted Oral Cancer Therapy: A Review.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have proven to be very effective carriers for drug delivery in various biological applications. In recent years, the development of hybrid nanostructures has made significant progress, including developing an innovative MOF-loaded nanocomposite with a highly porous structure and low toxicity that can be used to fabricate core-shell nanocomposites by combining complementary materials. This review study discusses using MOF materials in cancer treatment, imaging, and antibacterial effects, focusing on oral cancer cells. For patients with oral cancer, we offer a regular program for accurately designing and producing various anticancer and antibacterial agents to achieve maximum effectiveness and the lowest side effects. Also, we want to ensure that the anticancer agent works optimally and has as few side effects as possible before it is tested in vitro and in vivo. It is also essential that new anticancer drugs for cancer treatment are tested for efficacy and safety before they go into further research.

An Overview of Photocatalytic Membrane Degradation Development.

Environmental pollution has become a worldwide issue. Rapid industrial and agricultural practices have increased organic contaminants in water supplies. Hence, many strategies have been developed to address this concern. In order to supply clean water for various applications, high-performance treatment technology is required to effectively remove organic and inorganic contaminants. Utilizing photocatalytic membrane reactors (PMRs) has shown promise as a viable alternative process in the water and wastewater industry due to its efficiency, low cost, simplicity, and low environmental impact. PMRs are commonly categorized into two main categories: those with the photocatalyst suspended in solution and those with the photocatalyst immobilized in/on a membrane. Herein, the working and fouling mechanisms in PMRs membranes are investigated; the interplay of fouling and photocatalytic activity and the development of fouling prevention strategies are elucidated; and the significance of photocatalysis in membrane fouling mechanisms such as pore plugging and cake layering is thoroughly explored.

Synergistically Enhancing the Therapeutic Effect on Cancer, via Asymmetric Bioinspired Materials.

The undesirable side effects of conventional chemotherapy are one of the major problems associated with cancer treatment. Recently, with the development of novel nanomaterials, tumor-targeted therapies have been invented in order to achieve more specific cancer treatment with reduced unfavorable side effects of chemotherapic agents on human cells. However, the clinical application of nanomedicines has some shortages, such as the reduced ability to cross biological barriers and undesirable side effects in normal cells. In this order, bioinspired materials are developed to minimize the related side effects due to their excellent biocompatibility and higher accumulation therapies. As bioinspired and biomimetic materials are mainly composed of a nanometric functional agent and a biologic component, they can possess both the physicochemical properties of nanomaterials and the advantages of biologic agents, such as prolonged circulation time, enhanced biocompatibility, immune modulation, and specific targeting for cancerous cells. Among the nanomaterials, asymmetric nanomaterials have gained attention as they provide a larger surface area with more active functional sites compared to symmetric nanomaterials. Additionally, the asymmetric nanomaterials are able to function as two or more distinct components due to their asymmetric structure. The mentioned properties result in unique physiochemical properties of asymmetric nanomaterials, which makes them desirable materials for anti-cancer drug delivery systems or cancer bio-imaging systems. In this review, we discuss the use of bioinspired and biomimetic materials in the treatment of cancer, with a special focus on asymmetric nanoparticle anti-cancer agents.

Bioresource-Functionalized Quantum Dots for Energy Generation and Storage: Recent Advances and Feature Perspective.

The exponential increase in global energy demand in daily life prompts us to search for a bioresource for energy production and storage. Therefore, in developing countries with large populations, there is a need for alternative energy resources to compensate for the energy deficit in an environmentally friendly way and to be independent in their energy demands. The objective of this review article is to compile and evaluate the progress in the development of quantum dots (QDs) for energy generation and storage. Therefore, this article discusses the energy scenario by presenting the basic concepts and advances of various solar cells, providing an overview of energy storage systems (supercapacitors and batteries), and highlighting the research progress to date and future opportunities. This exploratory study will examine the systematic and sequential advances in all three generations of solar cells, namely perovskite solar cells, dye-sensitized solar cells, Si cells, and thin-film solar cells. The discussion will focus on the development of novel QDs that are economical, efficient, and stable. In addition, the current status of high-performance devices for each technology will be discussed in detail. Finally, the prospects, opportunities for improvement, and future trends in the development of cost-effective and efficient QDs for solar cells and storage from biological resources will be highlighted.

High Permittivity Polymer Composites on the Basis of Long Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes: The Role of the Nanotube Length.

Controlling the permittivity of dielectric composites is critical for numerous applications dealing with matter/electromagnetic radiation interaction. In this study, we have prepared polymer composites, based on a silicone elastomer matrix and Tuball carbon nanotubes (CNT) via a simple preparation procedure. The as-prepared composites demonstrated record-high dielectric permittivity both in the low-frequency range (102−107 Hz) and in the X-band (8.2−12.4 GHz), significantly exceeding the literature data for such types of composite materials at similar CNT content. Thus, with the 2 wt% filler loading, the permittivity values reach 360 at 106 Hz and >26 in the entire X-band. In similar literature, even the use of conductive polymer hosts and various highly conductive additives had not resulted in such high permittivity values. We attribute this phenomenon to specific structural features of the used Tuball nanotubes, namely their length and ability to form in the polymer matrix percolating network in the form of neuron-shaped clusters. The low cost and large production volumes of Tuball nanotubes, as well as the ease of the composite preparation procedure open the doors for production of cost-efficient, low weight and flexible composites with superior high permittivity.

Biomedical Applications of an Ultra-Sensitive Surface Plasmon Resonance Biosensor Based on Smart MXene Quantum Dots (SMQDs).

In today's world, the use of biosensors occupies a special place in a variety of fields such as agriculture and industry. New biosensor technologies can identify biological compounds accurately and quickly. One of these technologies is the phenomenon of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) in the development of biosensors based on their optical properties, which allow for very sensitive and specific measurements of biomolecules without time delay. Therefore, various nanomaterials have been introduced for the development of SPR biosensors to achieve a high degree of selectivity and sensitivity. The diagnosis of deadly diseases such as cancer depends on the use of nanotechnology. Smart MXene quantum dots (SMQDs), a new class of nanomaterials that are developing at a rapid pace, are perfect for the development of SPR biosensors due to their many advantageous properties. Moreover, SMQDs are two-dimensional (2D) inorganic segments with a limited number of atomic layers that exhibit excellent properties such as high conductivity, plasmonic, and optical properties. Therefore, SMQDs, with their unique properties, are promising contenders for biomedicine, including cancer diagnosis/treatment, biological sensing/imaging, antigen detection, etc. In this review, SPR biosensors based on SMQDs applied in biomedical applications are discussed. To achieve this goal, an introduction to SPR, SPR biosensors, and SMQDs (including their structure, surface functional groups, synthesis, and properties) is given first; then, the fabrication of hybrid nanoparticles (NPs) based on SMQDs and the biomedical applications of SMQDs are discussed. In the next step, SPR biosensors based on SMQDs and advanced 2D SMQDs-based nanobiosensors as ultrasensitive detection tools are presented. This review proposes the use of SMQDs for the improvement of SPR biosensors with high selectivity and sensitivity for biomedical applications.

Antiproliferative and Apoptotic Effects of Graphene Oxide @AlFu MOF Based Saponin Natural Product on OSCC Line.

The increasing rate of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and the undesirable side effects of anticancer agents have enhanced the demand for the development of efficient, detectable, and targeted anticancer systems. Saponins are a diverse family of natural glycosides that have recently been evaluated as an effective compound for the targeted therapy of squamous cell carcinoma. Due to their porous nature and stable structure, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are a well-known substance form for various biological applications, such as drug delivery. In this study, we fabricated a novel hybrid, highly porous and low-toxic saponin-loaded nanostructure by modifying graphene oxide (GO)/reduced GO (rGO) with aluminum fumarate (AlFu) as MOF core-shell nanocomposite. The characterization of the nanostructures was investigated by FTIR, TEM, EDX, FESEM, and BET. MTT assay was used to investigate the anticancer activity of these compounds on OSCC and PDL normal dental cells. The effect of the nanocomposites on OSCC was then investigated by studying apoptosis and necrosis using flow cytometry. The GO/rGO was decorated with a saponin-AlFu mixture to further investigate cytotoxicity. The results of the MTT assay showed that PDL cells treated with AlFu-GO-saponin at a concentration of 250 µg/mL had a viability of 74.46 ± 16.02%, while OSCC cells treated with this sample at a similar concentration had a viability of only 38.35 ± 19.9%. The anticancer effect of this nanostructure on OSCC was clearly demonstrated. Moreover, the number of apoptotic cells in the AlFu-GO-saponin and AlFu-rGO-saponin groups was 10.98 ± 2.36%-26.90 ± 3.24% and 15.9 ± 4.08%-29.88 ± 0.41%, respectively, compared with 2.52 ± 0.78%-1.31 ± 0.62% in the untreated group. This significant increase in apoptotic effect observed with AlFu-rGO-saponin was also reflected in the significant anticancer effect of saponin-loaded nanostructures. Therefore, this study suggests that an effective saponin delivery system protocol for the precise design and fabrication of anticancer nanostructures for OSCC therapy should be performed prior to in vivo evaluations.

Bioinorganic Synthesis of Sodium Polytungstate/Polyoxometalate in Microbial Kombucha Media for Precise Detection of Doxorubicin.

In this study, we have developed a new platform of polyoxometalate as a biocompatible and electrosensitive polymeric biosensor for the accurate detection of doxorubicin. For this purpose, we used a green synthesis approach using tartaric acid, glutamic acid, and kombucha solvent. Thanks to its bioinorganic components, the biogenic approach can chemically modify and improve the performance of the biosensor, which was experimentally confirmed. Our results showed excellent sensitivity (175.72 µA·µM-1·cm-2), low detection limit (DL, 8.12 nM), and low quantification limit (QL, 0.056 µM) when the newly developed biosensor was used. The results also show that the biosynthesized biosensor has improved performance in detecting DOX in the biological fluid with an accuracy of more than 99% depending on the components used, which underlines the high efficiency of the biosensor produced. Considering the body's physiological condition, the biosensor fabricated as a biocompatible component can show high efficiency. Therefore, its applicability for clinical use still needs to be studied in detail.

The Pivotal Role of Quantum Dots-Based Biomarkers Integrated with Ultra-Sensitive Probes for Multiplex Detection of Human Viral Infections.

The spread of viral diseases has caused global concern in recent years. Detecting viral infections has become challenging in medical research due to their high infectivity and mutation. A rapid and accurate detection method in biomedical and healthcare segments is essential for the effective treatment of pathogenic viruses and early detection of these viruses. Biosensors are used worldwide to detect viral infections associated with the molecular detection of biomarkers. Thus, detecting viruses based on quantum dots biomarkers is inexpensive and has great potential. To detect the ultrasensitive biomarkers of viral infections, QDs appear to be a promising option as biological probes, while physiological components have been used directly to detect multiple biomarkers simultaneously. The simultaneous measurement of numerous clinical parameters of the same sample volume is possible through multiplex detection of human viral infections, which reduces the time and cost required to record any data point. The purpose of this paper is to review recent studies on the effectiveness of the quantum dot as a detection tool for human pandemic viruses. In this review study, different types of quantum dots and their valuable properties in the structure of biomarkers were investigated. Finally, a vision for recent advances in quantum dot-based biomarkers was presented, whereby they can be integrated into super-sensitive probes for the multiplex detection of human viral infections.

Recent Advances in Inflammatory Diagnosis with Graphene Quantum Dots Enhanced SERS Detection.

Inflammatory diseases are some of the most common diseases in different parts of the world. So far, most attention has been paid to the role of environmental factors in the inflammatory process. The diagnosis of inflammatory changes is an important goal for the timely diagnosis and treatment of various metastatic, autoimmune, and infectious diseases. Graphene quantum dots (GQDs) can be used for the diagnosis of inflammation due to their excellent properties, such as high biocompatibility, low toxicity, high stability, and specific surface area. Additionally, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) allows the very sensitive structural detection of analytes at low concentrations by amplifying electromagnetic fields generated by the excitation of localized surface plasmons. In recent years, the use of graphene quantum dots amplified by SERS has increased for the diagnosis of inflammation. The known advantages of graphene quantum dots SERS include non-destructive analysis methods, sensitivity and specificity, and the generation of narrow spectral bands characteristic of the molecular components present, which have led to their increased application. In this article, we review recent advances in the diagnosis of inflammation using graphene quantum dots and their improved detection of SERS. In this review study, the graphene quantum dots synthesis method, bioactivation method, inflammatory biomarkers, plasma synthesis of GQDs and SERS GQD are investigated. Finally, the detection mechanisms of SERS and the detection of inflammation are presented.

Highly Sensitive Flexible SERS-Based Sensing Platform for Detection of COVID-19.

COVID-19 continues to spread and has been declared a global emergency. Individuals with current or past infection should be identified as soon as possible to prevent the spread of disease. Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is an analytical technique that has the potential to be used to detect viruses at the site of therapy. In this context, SERS is an exciting technique because it provides a fingerprint for any material. It has been used with many COVID-19 virus subtypes, including Deltacron and Omicron, a novel coronavirus. Moreover, flexible SERS substrates, due to their unique advantages of sensitivity and flexibility, have recently attracted growing research interest in real-world applications such as medicine. Reviewing the latest flexible SERS-substrate developments is crucial for the further development of quality detection platforms. This article discusses the ultra-responsive detection methods used by flexible SERS substrate. Multiplex assays that combine ultra-responsive detection methods with their unique biomarkers and/or biomarkers for secondary diseases triggered by the development of infection are critical, according to this study. In addition, we discuss how flexible SERS-substrate-based ultrasensitive detection methods could transform disease diagnosis, control, and surveillance in the future. This study is believed to help researchers design and manufacture flexible SERS substrates with higher performance and lower cost, and ultimately better understand practical applications.