Abstracts


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One-dimensional nanostructures for photodetectors
Shen G., Chen D.

With large surface-to-volume ratios and Debye length comparable to their small size, one-dimensional nanostructures have been extensively studied and have been widely used to fabricate many high-performance and new type nanoscale electronic and optoelectronic devices. In this work, we provide a comprehensive review on the state-to-the-art research activities on the photodetectors application of one-dimensional nanostructures. The review begins with a survey of the patents and reports on the synthesis of one-dimensional nanostructures, which can be used to fabricate photodetectors. Then the recent progress on this topic is discussed, focusing on 1-D metal oxide, III-V group semiconductors, and other nanomaterials. This review will then be finalized with some perspectives and outlook on the future developments of this research topic.


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Recent patents on perovskite ferroelectric nanostructures
Zhu X.

Ferroelectric oxide materials with a perovskite structure have promising applications in electronic devices such as random access memories, sensors, actuators, infrared detectors, and so on. Recent advances in science and technology of ferroelectrics have resulted in the feature sizes of ferroelectric-based electronic devices entering into nanoscale dimensions. At nanoscale perovskite ferroelectric materials exhibit a pronounced size effect manifesting itself in a significant deviation of the properties of low-dimensional structures from the bulk and film counterparts. One-dimensional perovskite ferroelectric nanotube/nanowire systems, offer fundamental scientific opportunities for investigating the intrinsic size effects in ferroelectrics. In the past several years, much progress has been made both in fabrication and physical property testing of perovskite ferroelectric nanostructures. In the first part of this paper, the recent patents and literatures for fabricating ferroelectric nanowires, nanorods, nanotubes, and nanorings with promising features, are reviewed. The second part deals with the recent advances on the physical property testing of perovskite ferroelectric nanostructures. The third part summarizes the recently patents and literatures about the microstructural characterizations of perovskite ferroelectric nanostructures, to improve their crystalline quality, morphology and uniformity. Finally, we conclude this review with personal perspectives towards the potential future developments of perovskite ferroelectric nanostructures.


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State of the art of the bi- and trimetallic nanoparticles on the basis of gold and iron
Kharisov B.I., Kharissova O.V., Yacaman M.J., Ubaldo Ortiz M.

Recently reported patents and experimental articles on the synthesis, properties, and main applications of coreshell nanoparticles, containing iron or its oxides and gold, as well as trimetallic systems on their basis, are reviewed. These nanostructures were obtained by a series of methods, including reduction in reverse micelles, decomposition of organometallic compounds, electron-beam, laser and γ-irradiation, sonolysis and electrochemical methods. (Fe or FexOy)/Au nanoparticles are subject to be functionalized with organic moieties, may expand their main applications, which consist of catalysis, biological and biomedical uses.


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Recent progress in fabrication of anisotropic nanostructures for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy
Qiu T., Zhang W., Chu P.K.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-protein-coding transcripts that regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally by pairing with target messenger RNAs (mRNAs). It is predicted that humans express thousands of miRNAs and, although only a few hundred have been identified, there is already mounting evidence suggesting that they play an important role in several different developmental processes. It is therefore not surprising that miRNAs have been found to be deregulated in many diseases. The discovery of miRNAs has uncovered a natural form of controlling RNA transcription and translation, which could provide new avenues for diagnosis, prognostic, and therapeutic applications. This review summarizes some of the key recently published patents and relevant research advances on miRNA target identification, strategies to modulate their activity and the potential applications in human diseases such as cancer and viral infections, as well as methods and techniques for purification, detection and quantification of miRNAs.


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Nanoparticles for improved therapeutics and imaging in cancer therapy
Chithrani D.B.

Nanotechnology involves creation and utilization of materials, devices or systems on the nanometer scale. The field of nanotechnology is currently undergoing explosive development on many fronts. The technology is expected to generate innovations and play a critical role in drug delivery and imaging. There has been tremendous progress made in the use of polymer and lipid based nanoparticles (NPs) for drug delivery and imaging. Recently, more attention has been given to incorporating inorganic NPs such as gold and magnetic NPs with both imaging and therapeutic capabilities into polymer and lipid based NPs for improved therapy and imaging in cancer treatment. In this review article, the recent progress in the development of multiplex polymer, lipid, and inorganic NPs towards optimizing techniques for drug delivery and multimodal imaging will be discussed along with the relevant patents.


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Nanotechnology platforms in diagnosis and treatment of primary brain tumors
Zhu X.

Despite aggressive multimodal strategies, the prognosis in patients affected by primary brain tumors is still very unfavorable. Glial tumors seem to be able to create a favorable environment for the invasion of neoplastic cells into the cerebral parenchyma when they interact with the extracellular matrix via cell surface receptors. The major problem in drug delivery into the brain is due to the presence of the blood brain barrier which limits drug penetration. Nanotechnology involves the design, synthesis and characterization of materials that have a functional organization at least in one dimension on the nanometer scale. Nanoengineered devices in medical applications are designed to interface and interact with cells and tissues at the molecular level. Nanoparticle systems can represent ideal devices for delivery of specific compounds to brain tumors, across the blood brain barrier. In this brief review, we report the results of studies related to the emerging novel applications of nanoparticle systems in diagnosis and treatment of primary brain tumors, and also the patents of studies that adopt nanoparticle systems as drug delivery carriers in brain tumor diagnosis and therapy.


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Multifuntional nanoparticles: Preparation and applications in biomedicine and in non-invasive bioimaging
Masotti A.

In recent years, polymeric scaffolds have been used in several biomedical applications for the delivery of drugs or other biologically relevant molecules. Polymeric nanostructures possess different (and in some cases more powerful) properties respect to bulk materials. This, leaded academic researchers and industry to cooperate in developing pioneering nanostructured materials for industrial and biomedical applications. Moreover, the preparation and use of systems with multiple (multifunctional) properties (i.e., bioconjugation with superparamagnetic, fluorescent or targeting molecules) will represent in the future a viable and innovative tool for application in several clinical fields. This brief critical review collects and discusses some recent patents about the preparation and use of these multifunctional nanoparticles in biomedicine and in non-invasive bioimaging applications.


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Recent progress in graphene-related nanotechnologies
Frazier R.M., Daly D.T., Swatloski R.P., Hathcock K.W., South C.R.

Currently there is great interest in graphene-based devices and applications. The main advantages of graphene include excellent conductive and mechanical properties. The applications of graphene cover a wide range of possibilities, from next-generation transistors to light-weight, high-strength composite materials. However, commercial use of graphene will depend on the development of an industrially-viable method of fabricating and handling graphene. The recent advances in manipulating graphene and patents will be reviewed with a focus on the progress of graphene nanoparticle synthesis and applications.