Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), a chronic lung disease that causes breathing difficulties and obstructs airflow from the lungs, has a significant global health burden and affects millions of people worldwide. The use of pharmaceuticals in COPD treatment is aimed to alleviate symptoms, improve lung function, prevent exacerbations, and enhance the overall quality of life for patients. Nanotechnology holds great promise to alleviate the burden of COPD. The main goal of this review is to present the full spectrum of therapeutics based on nanostructures for the treatment and management of COPD, including nanoparticles, polymeric nanoparticles, polymeric micelles, solid-lipid nanoparticles, liposomes, exosomes, nanoemulsions, nanosuspensions, and niosomes. Nanotechnology is just one of the many areas of research that may contribute to the development of more effective and personalized treatment modalities for COPD patients in the future. Future studies may be focused on enhancing the therapeutic effectiveness of nanocarriers by conducting extensive mechanistic investigations to translate current scientific knowledge for the effective management of COPD with little or no adverse effects.
Plastic waste circularity is a priority at a global level. Sustainable development goals (SDGs) set the ways to go, and the circular economy principles underlined the 'green' strategies to be employed. However, in practice, there is still much to do, especially in developing countries, where open burning and open dumping still represent the common way of plastic waste disposal. This review aims to analyse current plastic waste circular approaches in low-middle income settings. Seven countries were selected based on the economic level and data availability from the authors, and analysed to collect and critically discuss the actions implemented at a city level. Examples of waste minimization and recycling strategies, selective collection systems and public campaigns are reported from Africa, Asia and Latin America. First, a background analysis related to physical and governance aspects of municipal solid waste management systems of the chosen settings was conducted. The assessment was focused on the treatment processes or minimization actions. Then, the applicability of the projects to achieve the SDGs was commented on. The outcomes of the research underline the need to: (1) scale up small-scale and pilot projects, (2) disseminate good practices in more low- to middle-income settings, (3) create synergies among international partners for further replications in cities. Urgent solutions to plastic waste pollution are needed. The review presented practical actions to be implemented now to boost plastic waste circularity in developing cities.
Autophagy and mitophagy pose unresolved challenges in understanding the pathology of diabetic heart condition (DHC), which encompasses a complex range of cardiovascular issues linked to diabetes and associated cardiomyopathies. Despite significant progress in reducing mortality rates from cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), heart failure remains a major cause of increased morbidity among diabetic patients. These cellular processes are essential for maintaining cellular balance and removing damaged or dysfunctional components, and their involvement in the development of diabetic heart disease makes them attractive targets for diagnosis and treatment. While a variety of conventional diagnostic and therapeutic strategies are available, DHC continues to present a significant challenge. Point-of-care diagnostics, supported by nanobiosensing techniques, offer a promising alternative for these complex scenarios. Although conventional medications have been widely used in DHC patients, they raise several concerns regarding various physiological aspects. Modern medicine places great emphasis on the application of nanotechnology to target autophagy and mitophagy in DHC, offering a promising approach to deliver drugs beyond the limitations of traditional therapies. This article aims to explore the potential connections between autophagy, mitophagy and DHC, while also discussing the promise of nanotechnology-based theranostic interventions that specifically target these molecular pathways.