Revolutionizing goat milk gels: A central composite design approach for synthesizing ascorbic acid-functionalized iron oxide nanoparticles decorated alginate-chitosan nanoparticles fortified smart gels.

Goat milk gels (GMGs) are popular food due to their high water content, low-calorie density, appealing taste, texture enhancers, stability, and satiety-enhancing characteristics, making them ideal for achieving food security and zero hunger. The GMGs were optimized using the central composite design matrix of response surface methodology using goat milk powder (35-55 g), whole milk powder (10-25 g), and potato powder (10-15 g) as independent variables. In contrast, complex modulus, flow stress, and forward extrudability were chosen as dependent variables. The maximum value of complex modulus 33670.9 N, good flow stress 7863.6 N, and good extrudability 65.32 N was achieved under optimal conditions. The optimized goat milk gel was fortified with ascorbic acid-coated iron oxide nanoparticle (magnetic nature) decorated alginate-chitosan nanoparticles (AA-MNP@CANPs), making it nutritionally rich in an economically feasible way-the decorated AA-MNP@CANPs characterized for size, shape, crystallinity, surface charge, and optical characteristics. Finally, the optimized fortified smart GMGs were further characterized via Scanning electron microscopy, Rheology, Texture profile analysis, Fourier transforms infrared (FTIR), and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). The fortified smart GMGs carry more nutritional diversity, targeted iron delivery, and the fundamental sustainability development goal of food security.

Biogenic engineered nanomaterials for enhancing bioavailability via developing nano-iron-fortified smart foods: advances, insight, and prospects of nanobionics in fortification of food.

Iron deficiency is a significant cause of iron deficiency anemia (IDA). Treatment of IDA is challenging due to several challenges, including low target bioavailability, low palatability, poor pharmacokinetics, and extended therapeutic regimes. Nanotechnology holds the promise of revolutionizing the management and treatment of IDA. Smart biogenic engineered nanomaterials (BENMs) such as lipids, protein, carbohydrates, and complex nanomaterials have been the subject of extensive research and opened new avenues for people and the planet due to their enhanced physicochemical, rheological, optoelectronic, thermomechanical, biological, magnetic, and nutritional properties. Additionally, they show eco-sustainability, low biotoxicity, active targeting, enhanced permeation and retention, and stimuli-responsive characteristics. We examine the opportunities offered by emerging smart BENMs for the treatment of iron deficiency anemia by utilizing iron-fortified smart foods. We review the progress made so far and other future directions to maximize the impact of smart nanofortification on the global population. The toxicity effects are also discussed with commercialization challenges.

Nanofortification of vitamin B-complex in food matrix: Need, regulations, and prospects.

Micronutrient malnutrition (or hidden hunger) caused by vitamin B-complex deficiency is a significant concern in the growing population. Vitamin B-complex plays an essential role in many body functions. With the introduction of nanotechnology in the food industry, new and innovative techniques have started to develop, which holds a promising future to end malnutrition and help achieve United Nations Sustainable Developmental Goal-2 (UN SDG-2), named as zero hunger. This review highlights the need for nanofortification of vitamin B-complex in food matrix to address challenges faced by conventional fortification methods (bioavailability, controlled release, physicochemical stability, and shelf life). Further, different nanomaterials like organic, inorganic, carbon, and composites along with their applications, are discussed in detail. Among various nanomaterials, organic nanomaterials (lipid, polysaccharides, proteins, and biopolymers) were found best for fortifying vitamin B-complex in foods. Additionally, different regulatory aspects across the globe and prospects of this upcoming field are also highlighted in this review.

Smart and emerging nanomaterials-based biosensor for SARS-CoV-2 detection.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a primary cause of the COVID-19 pandemic. To date, various detection approaches are already present, and many other techniques are also being developed for the rapid and real-time detection of COVID-19 infection in the wake of this pandemic. Hence, this featured review will provide an overview of COVID-19, its biomarkers, current diagnostic techniques, and emerging smart nanomaterials-based biosensing approaches; apart from this, it will also extend some light on future perspectives of biosensing technologies for SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis.

Microfluidic Platforms to Unravel Mysteries of Alzheimer's Disease: How Far Have We Come?

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a significant health concern with enormous social and economic impact globally. The gradual deterioration of cognitive functions and irreversible neuronal losses are primary features of the disease. Even after decades of research, most therapeutic options are merely symptomatic, and drugs in clinical practice present numerous side effects. Lack of effective diagnostic techniques prevents the early prognosis of disease, resulting in a gradual deterioration in the quality of life. Furthermore, the mechanism of cognitive impairment and AD pathophysiology is poorly understood. Microfluidics exploits different microscale properties of fluids to mimic environments on microfluidic chip-like devices. These miniature multichambered devices can be used to grow cells and 3D tissues in vitro, analyze cell-to-cell communication, decipher the roles of neural cells such as microglia, and gain insights into AD pathophysiology. This review focuses on the applications and impact of microfluidics on AD research. We discuss the technical challenges and possible solutions provided by this new cutting-edge technique to understand disease-associated pathways and mechanisms.

Nanotherapeutics in the treatment of acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a form of oxygenation failure primarily characterized by rapid inflammation resulting from a direct pulmonary or indirect systemic insult. ARDS has been a major cause of death in the recent COVID-19 outbreak wherein asymptomatic respiratory tract infection progresses to ARDS from pneumonia have emphasized the need for a reliable therapy for the disease. The disease has a high mortality rate of approximately 30-50%. Despite the high mortality rate, a dearth of effective pharmacotherapy exists that demands extensive research in this area. The complex ARDS pathophysiology which remains to be understood completely and the multifactorial etiology of the disease has led to the poor diagnosis, impeded drug-delivery to the deeper pulmonary tissues, and delayed treatment of the ARDS patients. Besides, critically ill patients are unable to tolerate the off-target side effects. The vast domain of nanobiotechnology presents several drug delivery systems offering numerous benefits such as targeted delivery, prolonged drug release, and uniform drug-distribution. The present review presents a brief insight into the ARDS pathophysiology and summarizes conventional pharmacotherapies available to date. Furthermore, the review provides an updated report of major developments in the nanomedicinal approaches for the treatment of ARDS. We also discuss different nano-formulations studied extensively in the ARDS preclinical models along with underlining the advantages as well as challenges that need to be addressed in the future.

Metallic/bimetallic magnetic nanoparticle functionalization for immobilization of α-amylase for enhanced reusability in bio-catalytic processes.

Novel magnetic nanoparticles coated with silica and gold were synthesized for immobilization of α-amylase enzyme and characterized with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy. Effect of various limiting factors such as substrate concentration, temperature, and pH on the catalytic activity of enzyme was investigated. The optimum pH for free and immobilized enzyme was found unaffected (7.0), whereas optimum temperature for the enzyme activity was increased from 60°C for free enzyme to 80°C for immobilized counterpart. The gains in catalytic attributes concomitant to ease of recovery of the enzyme reflect the potential of the approach and the product to be useful for the enzymatic bioprocessing. The Michaelis-Menten constant (Km) value of the immobilized α-amylase was higher than that of free α-amylase, whereas maximum velocity (Vmax), and turn over number (Kcat), values were almost similar. Immobilized α-amylase maintained 60% of the enzyme activity even after recycling ten times.