LFIA is one of the most successful analytical methods for various target molecules detection. As a recent example, LFIA tests have played an important role in mitigating the effects of the global pandemic with SARS-COV-2, due to their ability to rapidly detect infected individuals and stop further spreading of the virus. For this reason, researchers around the world have done tremendous efforts to improve their sensibility and specificity. The development of LFIA has many sensitive steps, but some of the most important ones are choosing the proper labeling probes, the functionalization method and the conjugation process. There are a series of labeling probes described in the specialized literature, such as gold nanoparticles (GNP), latex particles (LP), magnetic nanoparticles (MNP), quantum dots (QDs) and more recently carbon, silica and europium nanoparticles. The current review aims to present some of the most recent and promising methods for the functionalization of the labeling probes and the conjugation with biomolecules, such as antibodies and antigens. The last chapter is dedicated to a selection of conjugation protocols, applicable to various types of nanoparticles (GNPs, QDs, magnetic nanoparticles, carbon nanoparticles, silica and europium nanoparticles).

Screen-printed electrodes-based sensors can be successfully used to determine all kinds of analytes with great precision and specificity. However, obtaining a high-quality sensor can be difficult due to factors such as lack of reproducibility, surface contamination or other manufacturing challenges. An important step in ensuring reproducible results is the cleaning step. The aim of the current work is to help researchers around the world who struggle with finding the most suitable method for cleaning screen-printed electrodes. We evaluated the cleaning efficiency of different chemical compounds and cleaning methods using cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The percentage differences in polarization resistance (Rp) before and after cleaning were as follows: acetone—35.33% for gold and 49.94 for platinum; ethanol—44.50% for gold and 81.68% for platinum; H2O2—47.34% for gold and 92.78% for platinum; electrochemical method—3.70% for gold and 67.96% for platinum. Thus, we concluded that all the evaluated cleaning methods seem to improve the surface of both gold and platinum electrodes; however, the most important reduction in the polarization resistance (Rp) was obtained after treating them with a solution of H2O2 and multiple CV cycles with a low scanning speed (10 mV/s).

Healthcare professionals face an ongoing challenge in managing both acute and chronic wounds, given the potential impact on patients’ quality of life and the limited availability of expensive treatment options. Hydrogel wound dressings offer a promising solution for effective wound care due to their affordability, ease of use, and ability to incorporate bioactive substances that enhance the wound healing process. Our study aimed to develop and evaluate hybrid hydrogel membranes enriched with bioactive components such as collagen and hyaluronic acid. We utilized both natural and synthetic polymers and employed a scalable, non-toxic, and environmentally friendly production process. We conducted extensive testing, including an in vitro assessment of moisture content, moisture uptake, swelling rate, gel fraction, biodegradation, water vapor transmission rate, protein denaturation, and protein adsorption. We evaluated the biocompatibility of the hydrogel membranes through cellular assays and performed instrumental tests using scanning electron microscopy and rheological analysis. Our findings demonstrate that the biohybrid hydrogel membranes exhibit cumulative properties with a favorable swelling ratio, optimal permeation properties, and good biocompatibility, all achieved with minimal concentrations of bioactive agents.

The aim of this review is to summarize some of the most recent work in the field of cardiovascular disease (CVD) diagnosis and therapy, focusing mainly on the role of nanobodies in the development of non-invasive imaging methods, diagnostic devices, and advanced biotechnological therapy tools. In the context of the increased number of people suffering from CVDs due to a variety of factors such as sedentariness, poor nutrition, stress, and smoking, there is an urgent need for new and improved diagnostic and therapeutic methods. Nanobodies can be easily produced in prokaryotes, lower eukaryotes, and plant and mammalian cells, and offer great advantages. In the diagnosis domain, they are mainly used as labeled probes that bind to certain surface receptors or other target molecules and give important information on the severity and extent of atherosclerotic lesions, using imaging methods such as contrast-enhanced ultrasound molecular imaging (CEUMI), positron emission tomography (PET), single-photon emission computed tomography coupled with computed tomography (SPECT/CT), and PET/CT. As therapy tools, nanobodies have been used either for transporting drug-loaded vesicles to specific targets or as inhibitors for certain enzymes and receptors, demonstrated to be involved in various CVDs.

This paper reports the preparation and characterization of thermosensitive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM)/magnetite nanoparticles in various conditions. The nanoprecipitation conditions address the impact of the temperature on PNIPAM/magnetite nanoparticle features due to the thermosensitive character of PNIPAM. Hybrid nanoparticles with desired features (size, size distribution, agglomeration, and release profile) are prepared by nanoprecipitation in non-solvent (acetone) at various temperatures. These nanoparticles are targeted as nanocarriers to deliver doxorubicin in breast cancer cells. Therefore, three temperatures, below the LCST (lower critical solution temperature), around the LCST, and above the LCST, were chosen as the main parameters within nanoprecipitation. Besides temperature, another major parameter drives the nanoparticles’ features: polymer solution concentration. In this regard, two variable parameters were used to study the characteristics of developed hybrid nanoparticles. After preparation, the hybrid nanoparticles were subjected to morphological and size distribution investigation by SEM and DLS. The doxorubicin loading and release measurements were also performed to reveal the behavior of the nanoparticles. Finally, the unloaded and loaded hybrid nanoparticles were biologically assessed within a cancer cells line (MCF7) in terms of biocompatibility, cancer cell viability, and cell morphology.