Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were prepared by GREEN chemistry relying on the reduction of AgNO by phytochemicals present in black tea extract. AgNPs were fully characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy ((UV-vis)), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and energy dispersive absorption spectroscopy (EDS). The synthesized AgNPs induced a decrease of the cell viability in a dose-dependent manner with a low IC (0.5 ± 0.1 μM) for an ovarian carcinoma cell line (A2780) compared to primary human fibroblasts (IC 5.0 ± 0.1 μM). The DNA binding capability of CT (calf thymus) DNA was investigated using electronic absorption and fluorescence spectroscopies, circular dichroism and viscosity titration methods. Additionally, the AgNPs strongly quench the intrinsic fluorescence of BSA, as determined by synchronous fluorescence spectra.

HighlightsAllele-specific isothermal amplification method (AS-LAMP) for SNP characterization.Use of ssDNA-functionalized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) for SNP full discrimination.A simple and low-cost strategy to provide fast results in medium throughput settings.AS-LAMP amplification products can be easily interpreted in less than 15 min.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic autoimmune disease characterized by chronic joint inflammation and one of the main causes of chronic disability worldwide with high prevalence in the ageing population.

No abstract

Nanotechnology has become an important approach to improving the diagnosis and treatment of cancer; advances in this area have made it possible to use various materials to detect cancers in the early stages. Materials at the nanoscale have unique physical, optical, and electrical properties that are useful for cancer detection. Nanoparticles, alongside the discovery of several biomarkers, made it possible to reduce the detection limit of cancer biomarkers and this breakthrough provided the possibility of new methodologies for diagnosis with simple and non-invasive approaches. Haematological malignancies such as leukaemia and lymphoma represent a specific class of cancer that attract special attention in this area of diagnoses. The aim of this review is to elucidate the applications of nanotechnology for these types of cancer and the potentialities of nanotechnology for the diagnosis of haematological malignancies. When combined onto a single nanomaterial (an approach known as nanotheranostics), these platforms may revolutionise the way we tackle liquid tumours, as well as providing innovative tools for precision oncology, diagnostics, and follow-up therapy and disease management.