Quantum dots (QDs), also known as nanoscale semiconductor crystals, are nanoparticles with unique optical and electronic properties such as bright and intensive fluorescence. Since most conventional organic label dyes do not offer the near-infrared (>650 nm) emission possibility, QDs, with their tunable optical properties, have gained a lot of interest. They possess characteristics such as good chemical and photo-stability, high quantum yield and size-tunable light emission. Different types of QDs can be excited with the same light wavelength, and their narrow emission bands can be detected simultaneously for multiple assays. There is an increasing interest in the development of nano-theranostics platforms for simultaneous sensing, imaging and therapy. QDs have great potential for such applications, with notable results already published in the fields of sensors, drug delivery and biomedical imaging. This review summarizes the latest developments available in literature regarding the use of QDs for medical applications.

Anthocyanins are secondary metabolites and water-soluble pigments belonging to the phenolic group, with important functions in nature such as seed dispersal, pollination and development of plant organs. In addition to these important roles in plant life, anthocyanins are also used as natural pigments in various industries, due to the color palette they can produce from red to blue and purple. In addition, recent research has reported that anthocyanins have important antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, which can be used in the chemoprevention of various diseases such as diabetes, obesity and even cancer. However, anthocyanins have a major disadvantage, namely their low stability. Thus, their stability is influenced by a number of factors such as pH, light, temperature, co-pigmentation, sulfites, ascorbic acid, oxygen and enzymes. As such, this review aims at summarizing the effects of these factors on the stability of anthocyanins and their degradation. From this point of view, it is very important to be precisely aware of the impact that each parameter has on the stability of anthocyanins, in order to minimize their negative action and subsequently potentiate their beneficial health effects.

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a disease with a high incidence and a dreary prognosis. Its lack of symptomatology and late diagnosis contribute to the dearth and inefficiency of therapeutic schemes. Studies show that overexpressed epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a common occurrence, linking this to the progression of pancreatic cancer, although the association between its expression and the survival rate is rather controversial. EGFR-targeted therapy has not shown the results expected, leaving at hand more questions than answers; clearly, there is a need for a better understanding of the molecular pathways involved. Nanoparticles have been used in trying to improve the efficacy of antitumor treatment; thus, using EGFR’s ligand, EGF, for nanoconjugation, showed promising results in increasing the cellular uptake mechanisms and apoptosis of the targeted cells.

Skin cancer represents any tumor development from the cutaneous structures within the epidermis, dermis or subcutaneous tissue, and is considered to be the most prevalent type of cancer. Compared to other types of cancer, skin cancer is proven to have a positive growth rate of prevalence and mortality. There are available various treatments, including chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiotherapy and targeted therapy, but because of the multidrug resistance development, a low success has been registered. By this, the importance of studying naturally occurring compounds that are both safe and effective in the chemoprevention of skin cancer is emphasized. This review focuses on melanoma because it is the deadliest form of skin cancer, with a significantly increasing incidence in the last decades. As chemopreventive agents, we present polyphenols and their antioxidant activity, anti-inflammatory effect, their ability to balance the cell cycle and to induce apoptosis and their various other effects on skin melanoma. Besides chemoprevention, studies suggest that polyphenols can have treating abilities in some conditions. The limitations of using polyphenols are also pointed out, which are related to their poor bioavailability and stability, but as the technology is well developed, it is possible to augment the efficacy of polyphenols in the case of melanoma.

We have synthetized silver nanoparticles capped with: citrate, mercaptosuccinic acid, and thioctic acid respectively. Each of the obtained nanoparticles were characterized by means of: UV-Vis and ATR-FT-IR spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and were found to be spherical in shape and aqueous stable.

In today’s society, we can see a progressive paradigm shift that tends towards a healthy and sustainable lifestyle. The proof is represented by the growing interest in food loss and waste of different sectors, from the political to the academic, or even to the private sector. In order to reduce food waste and to increase sustainability, the European Union (EU) has planned a circular bioeconomy. This action plan includes an approach based on reducing, reusing, recovering, and recycling materials and energy. Every year, there are high amounts of waste and by-products resulting from agricultural producing and agro-industrial processing, impacting the environment and the socio-economic sector. Cereal food products cover over 20% of daily diet, so it can be assumed that cereal production and processing are one of the most important sectors of agri-food industries. It is estimated that the waste generated from cereal processing and manufacturing is up to 13%, a percentage that can be decreased by converting the by-products in raw materials for biofuels, biodegradable plastics, alcohols, antioxidants, food additives, or pharmaceutic ingredients due to their content in macro- and micro-nutrients or bioactive compounds. Based on the fact that diet plays a crucial role in maintaining the integrity of our body, it is important to capitalize on any source of bioactive compounds to which we have access. This review aims to highlight the need to recirculate by-products for the purpose of extraction and use of their key compounds, polyphenols, which have not only antioxidant effects, but also preventive and therapeutic effects against cancer. For these, it is necessary to understand the biotechnologies needed for processing the most consumed cereals, the methods of extraction of phenolic compounds, and the main effects that these compounds have, summarizing the most relevant in vitro and in vivo studies performed so far.

Nanotechnology potential in antimicrobial therapy is increasingly demonstrated by various data. Results reveal antibacterial properties, comparable to that of conventional antibiotics. Working on parallel experiments, researchers continue to bring evidence demonstrating age-old-recognized antibacterial properties of various natural components of plant and animal origin. Later years brought an increasing trend for combining synthetic and natural composition in new constructs. The tendency aims to bring more on different essential aspects, such as active substance release, improvement of antibacterial effect, and up-regulation of the mechanisms at the structure-cell interface. Present chapter structures the up-to-date achievements in the field, including the concept of design, biological effects, benefits, mechanisms, and limitations of the field. Also, expected future research directions are to be discussed.

Gold nanoparticles have been functionalized with the biologically active MUC-1 peptide conjugated to KLH and the obtained bionanostructure was characterized using an array of techniques such as: UV-Vis and ATR-FT-IR spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). A 54 nm monodisperse bio-nanostructure with high aqueous stability was obtained.