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This study aimed to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Brazilian health technology assessment processes based on public reports from the National Committee for Health Technology Incorporation (CONITEC). This descriptive study analyzed CONITEC's official reports on Brazil available on its website between 2018 and 2021 that aimed to propose recommendations for technologies to be incorporated into its public healthcare system. We used descriptive statistics covering the number of technologies and number of reports about drugs per year, objective, type of technology, demanding sector, and outcome before 2018 to 2019 and during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2021). Furthermore, we used logistic regression to explore any association between the final decision labeled as "incorporated" and the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 278 reports were analyzed. Approximately 85% (136 of 278), 79% (220 of 278), and 45% of the reports (125 of 278) were about drugs, for incorporation, and requested by the government, respectively. Moreover, 74 of 130 (57%) and 56 of 148 decisions (38%) were "incorporated" before and during the pandemic, respectively. No significant association was noted between incorporated decisions and the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic for all technologies (odds ratio 1.43; 95% CI 0.84-2.46; P =.192) and for drugs (odds ratio 1.43; 95% confidence interval 0.81-2.53; P =.223) while adjusting for the type of technology and demandant. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought many challenges, but it does not seem to have had a significant impact on the health technology assessment approval decisions of CONITEC in Brazil. • The emergence of COVID-19 disrupted almost every aspect of life, including the health, economic, political, and social aspects. Nevertheless, its impact on health technology assessment (HTA) processes in different countries, including Brazil, is unknown. • One of the main concerns is the likelihood that HTA agencies in several countries would experience work overload because of the increasing demand to update protocols or guidelines for new drugs or vaccines for the treatment or prevention of COVID-19. • Despite the many challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, HTA approval decisions did not seem to have been greatly affected, as reflected in public reports from the National Committee for Health Technology Incorporation into the Brazilian Public Health System. • The findings from this study are comparable with those observed in other countries, especially developed ones. • Whether the continued processing of HTA evaluations translates into immediate access to technologies remains unclear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metoprolol is known as one of the most frequently used β-blockers to treat hypertension, however due to its widespread use and resistance to hydrolysis, concerning amounts of this medicine are found in surface waters, causing negative impacts on the environment and human health. To date, very few water treatment plants remove metoprolol due to the ineffectiveness of conventional procedures, thus indicating the need for more efficient water treatments for eliminating traces of this drug from aqueous wastes. A promising strategy is the development of magnetic assisted sorbents with a high surface area and adequate chemical modification aimed at the target pollutant, offering the possibility of total removal from water supplies and thus limiting potential environmental impacts. In this context, the purpose of this work was to investigate the application of magnetic Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles coated with silica and γ-polyglutamic acid to capture metoprolol dissolved in water. The synthesized sorbents consisted of magnetite nanoparticles with an average size of 55.8 nm, coated with a layer of amorphous silica covalently bound to γ-polyglutamic acid, thus exposing carboxylate surface active sites, which favor electrostatic interactions with metoprolol. As the γ-polyglutamic acid sources, two types of materials with distinct amounts in the biopolymer (30% and 92%) have been investigated. The adsorption of metoprolol by the nanosorbents γ-PGA/Fe 3 O 4 was evaluated by means of adsorption isotherms and theoretical adsorption models. Freundlich and Langmuir models provide an accurate description of the isotherm, and the compound's maximum adsorption capacity was 571.6 mg g−1. Noteworthy, the magnetic nanosorbents prepared using γ-polyglutamic acid 30% and 92% have shown comparable performances, which makes this process also economically attractive considering that a low-cost raw material can be used. • Synthesis of Fe 3 O 4 magnetic nanoparticles coated with γ-polyglutamic acid. • γ-PGA is biodegradable and magnetite has low toxicity. • Hybrid magnetic nanosorbent for the removal of metoprolol from water. • The maximum adsorption capacities were 571.6 mg g−1 for Fe 3 O 4 @SiPGA92. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developments in nanotechnology have led to the discovery of new materials, namely, magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs), that present easy surface functionalization and high surface-to-volume ratios. These properties allow a high mass transfer rate and easy removal from a reaction matrix. Simple separation under an external magnetic field makes them a promising immobilization support for enzymes. In this work, new MNPs were prepared by functionalization with EDTA-TMS and characterized by TEM, FTIR and BET analytical techniques, among others. These MNPs were applied as support for laccase immobilization to create a promising biocatalyst. Despite the known chelating nature of EDTA-TMS, its use for surface modification of MNPs for laccase immobilization is a rather unexplored strategy and is reported here for the first time. At pH 3.5, the immobilization process showed approximately 97% of enzymatic activity recovery. The Michaelis-Menten kinetic properties of immobilized laccase showed a lower V max and a similar K M compared to free laccase. Regarding operational stability, the immobilized enzyme presented approximately 73% of its initial activity after five sequential reactive cycles. The immobilized enzyme was successfully applied to the biocatalysis of Indigo Carmine dye degradation. These MNPs with immobilized laccase showed important advantages compared to other materials for application in industrial biochemical processes, biocatalysis and biosensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this work we investigate the effect of spherical and rod-shaped Au nanoparticles (NPs) in the microstructure, thermomechanical and release properties of thermosensitive κ-carrageenan hydrogels. Thermal and mechanical analyses of the composites revealed that the Au NPs reinforce the structure of the hydrogel and the mechanism of gel reinforcement is discussed. The effect of the NPs on the microstructure and strength of the hydrogel had implications in the mechanism of controlled release as demonstrated by in vitro release studies using a drug model (methylene blue: MB). Noteworthy, the mechanism of MB release followed either a diffusion or polymer relaxation mechanism, depending on the morphology of the Au NPs incorporated in the hydrogel. Consequently, κ-carrageenan hydrogels containing Au NPs exhibited not only optical features modulated by the fillers morphology, but also showed a behavior as drug carriers that can be also adjusted by Au NPs characteristics. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Natural polysaccharides such as κ-carrageenan are an important class of biomaterials for drug delivery. The incorporation of magnetic nanoparticles in polysaccharide hydrogels is currently being explored as a strategy to confer to the hydrogels novel functionalities valuable for specific bio-applications. Within this context, κ-carrageenan magnetic hydrogel nanocomposites have been prepared and the effect of magnetic (Fe3O4) nanofillers in the swelling of the hydrogels and in the release kinetics and mechanism of a model drug (methylene blue) has been investigated. In vitro release studies demonstrated the applicability of the composites in sustained drug release. The mechanism controlling the release seems to be determined by the strength of the gel network and the extent of gel swelling, both being affected by the incorporation of nanofillers. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that the release rate and profile could be tailored using variable Fe3O4 nanoparticles load. Thus, this seems to be a promising strategy for the development of drug delivery systems with tailored released behavior. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Thermally induced phase separation (TIPS) has proven to be a suitable method for the preparation of porous structures for tissue engineering applications, and particular attention has been paid to increasing the pore size without the use of possible toxic surfactants. Within this context, an alternative method to control the porosity of polymeric scaffolds via the combination with a bioglass is proposed in this work. The addition of a bioactive glass from the 3CaO·P2O5–MgO–SiO2 system enables the porous structure of high molecular weight poly(l-lactic) acid (PLLA) scaffolds prepared by TIPS to be tailored. Bioglass acts as a nucleating catalyst agent of the PLLA matrix, promoting its crystallization, and the glass solubility controls the pore size. A significant increase in the pore size is observed as the bioglass content increases and scaffolds with large pore size (∼150μm) can be prepared. In addition, the bioactive character of the scaffolds is proved by in vitro tests in synthetic plasma. The importance of this approach resides on the combination of the ability to tailor the porosity of polymeric scaffolds via the tunable solubility of bioglasses, without the use of toxic surfactants, leading to a composite structure with suitable properties for bone tissue engineering applications. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The effect of the free isocyanate (NCO) content on the adhesive properties of urethane quasi-prepolymers was studied. Polyether-based isocyanate ended quasi-prepolymers containing between 13 and 21wt% NCO were prepared by reacting a trifunctional polypropyleneglycol with polymeric MDI. The quasi-prepolymers were characterized by infrared spectroscopy (IR), proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR) spectroscopy, Brookfield viscosity, and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Immediate adhesion of quasi-prepolymers was studied by means of a probe test performed with a texture analyzer. Adhesion properties of the moisture-cured quasi-prepolymers have been obtained from single lap shear tests of vulcanized styrene–butadiene (R1) rubber/cured quasi-prepolymer joints. The increase in the free isocyanate content produced quasi-prepolymers with lower average chain length and less intermolecular interactions between polymer chains. Due to the presence of free isocyanate molecules, lower Brookfield viscosity values and lower glass transition temperatures were obtained by increasing the free isocyanate content in the quasi-prepolymers. The lower the free NCO content, the higher the cohesion and the immediate adhesion of the quasi-prepolymers because of the increase in the average molecular weight. During debonding, fibrillation was observed in the quasi-prepolymers with free NCO content lower than 20wt%. Single lap shear strength values of R1 rubber/moisture cured quasi-prepolymers joints showed a particular trend as a function of the increase in the NCO content, which can be ascribed to the opposite trends in the cohesion and adhesion properties of the cured quasi-prepolymers. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this study, magnetic nanosorbents consisting of magnetite (Fe 3 O 4) cores coated with trimethyl chitosan (TMC)-silica hybrid shells were synthesized using a one-step coating procedure, and their application in the adsorptive removal of glyphosate (GLY) from artificial (ultra-pure) and real water (wastewater) samples was investigated. In synthetic laboratory samples, the magnetic nanosorbents decreased realistic environmental concentrations of GLY to values that are below the maximum permissible value (0.1 μg/L) defined by the European Directive of Drinking Water. In spiked wastewater samples, the nanosorbents at a dose of 2.5 mg/mL removed 76.8% of the GLY (initial concentration of 3.0 μg/L), demonstrating the potential application of these nanosorbents in aqueous matrices of complex nature. The adsorption performance towards GLY was assessed by varying the operational conditions in ultra-pure water, including initial GLY concentration, pH, contact time and sorbent dose. The magnetic nanosorbent showed fast adsorption of GLY, with the maximum adsorption being reached within 60 min contact time attaining a maximum of 97% removal for the GLY concentrations tested. The kinetic data were consistent with the pseudo-first-order model. The equilibrium sorption data was better described by Sips model, with a maximum adsorption capacity of 3.04 mg/g. The magnetic nanosorbents could be reused after regeneration and the removal of GLY remained above 80% after 4 adsorption-desorption cycles. Our results indicate that assisted magnetic water remediation using recyclable TMC surface-modified nanosorbents is an efficient process for the elimination of glyphosate from ultra-pure water and real wastewater to meet water quality standards. [Display omitted] • TMC-based magnetic nanosorbents efficiently remove glyphosate present in realistic environmental concentrations. • The removal of glyphosate from artificial (ultra-pure) and real water (wastewater) was demonstrated. • Synthetic laboratory water samples meet the quality standards after treatment. • Easy separation from solution and good recyclability of the magnetic nanosorbents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a growing interest in developing more environmentally friendly softeners for hardness reduction of water supplied for domestic consumption. This work focuses on exploring biopolymer-based softeners, through the surface modification of graphene oxide (GO) with the anionic biopolymer κ-carrageenan (GO-Si(κ)CRG). The performance of the modified GO to decrease the hardness of natural waters containing high levels of Ca2+ was assessed. The sorption efficiency was dependent on the initial Ca2+ concentration and on the sorbent dose, with 8–34% removal for GO and 21–100% for GO-Si(κ)CRG. The surface modification considerably improved the adsorptive efficiency and under certain experimental conditions, it was possible to convert very hard water (300 mg L−1 CaCO 3) to soft water. Importantly, the performance was not affected by the presence of other ions typically found in natural bottled waters. The kinetics was well described by pseudo-first-order and diffusion models. The multi-linear nature observed in Boyd's and Webber's plots suggested that both film diffusion and pore diffusion controlled the sorption rate. The maximum Ca2+ sorption capacity at monolayer coverage of GO-Si(κ)CRG was 47.6 ± 3.2 mg g−1. The electrostatic attraction between sulfonate groups and calcium cations is likely to be the main mechanism involved in the sorption process of Ca2+ by GO-Si(κ)CRG. Overall, the results indicate good prospects for the development of a new class of softeners based on the GO modification described. ga1 • The surface modification of GO with κ-carrageenan polysaccharide is described. • The water softening performance of GO-based materials was investigated. • The Ca2+ removal from water greatly improved by surface modification. • The hybrid GO-Si(κ)CRG was effective in converting very hard water to soft water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dithiocarbamate-functionalized magnetite nanoparticles (Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 /SiDTC) have been investigated as a convenient and effective sorbent for mercury removal from river, estuarine and sea waters, and their capability to decrease realistic environmental concentrations to the new environmental quality standards was evaluated. The sorption kinetics was well described by the Elovich model and the initial sorption rate was dependent of the sorbent dose. Except for river water sample, the Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 /SiDTC particles uptake 99.9% or more of the Hg(II) in the waters (initially at the concentration of 50 μg/L), allowing to reach residual concentrations lower than the new environmental quality standards (70 ng/L) with only 10 mg/L of sorbent material. The distribution coefficients of mercuric ions between the magnetic particles and the different natural water types were above 10 3 mL/g for the river water and above 10 5 mL/g for the estuarine and sea waters. The differences observed between the water types can be attributed to different water composition (effect of the matrix), which plays an important role in the efficiency of the water treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Formed as an interdisciplinary domain on the basis of Human Genome Project, Proteomics aims at the large-scale study of proteins. The enthusiasm that resulted from obtaining the complete human genetic information has, however, been chastened by the realization that this information contributes little to the comprehension and knowledge of the expressed proteins. In the wake of this realization, the Human Proteome Project (HUPO) was founded, which is a global, collaborative initiative, aiming at the complete characterization of the proteins of all protein-coding genes. Nonetheless, the rapid detection of these molecules in complex biological samples under conditions considered to be of clinical relevance is extremely difficult, requiring the development of very sensitive, robust, reproducible and high throughput platforms. Nanoproteomics has emerged as a feasible, promising option, offering short assay times, low sample consumption, ultralow detection and high throughput capacity. Additionally, the successful synthesis of biomolecules and nanoparticle hybrids yields systems which often exhibit new or improved features. Herein, we overview the recent advances in bioconjugation at the nanolevel and, specifically, their application in Proteomics, discussing not only the merits and prospects of Proteomics, but also present day limitations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The in situ preparation and the full spectroscopic characterization of corrole - gold nanoparticles (AuTPFCS) are reported. The synthetic approach to these nanoconjugates involved the reaction of a mercaptocorrole (TPFCSH) with chloroauric acid under reductive conditions. Fluorescence quantum yields and time resolved lifetimes showed a significant quenching of the mercaptocorrole after its covalent coupling to the gold nanoparticles in acetonitrile and in toluene. Irradiated samples of AuTPFCS with a Nd:YAG laser in toluene solution revealed the distribution of larger nanoparticles from 3.1 to 11 nm viewed by TEM images. The in situ synthesis and ground and excited state of corrole-gold nanoparticles (AuTPFCS) are reported. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In order to take advantage of the high affinity between mercury and sulphur, magnetite (Fe3O4) particles functionalized with dithiocarbamate groups (), were synthesized to be used as a new type of sorbent to remove Hg (II) from synthetic and natural spiked waters. The effectiveness of this type of sorbent was studied, and its potential as cleanup agent for contaminated waters was assessed. Batch stirred tank experiments were carried out by contacting a volume of solution with known amounts of functionalized Fe3O4 particles, in order to study the effect of sorbent dose, salinity, and the kinetics and the equilibrium of this unit operation. A complete Hg (II) removal (ca. 99.8%) was attained with 6 mg/L of magnetic particles for an initial metal concentration of 50 μg/L. It was confirmed that highly complex matrices, such as seawater (ca. 99%) and river water (ca. 97%), do not affect the removal capacity of the functionalized magnetic particles. Concerning isotherms, no significant differences were observed between two- and three-parameter models (P = 0.05%); however, Sips isotherm provided the lowest values of SS and Sx/y , predicting a maximum sorption capacity of 206 mg/g, in the range of experimental conditions under study. The solid loadings measured in this essay surmount the majority of the values found in literature for other type of sorbents. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights • Surface modification of Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles with siliceous shells enriched in quaternary chitosan. • Magnetic nanoparticles containing cationic surface charge in a wide pH range. • Magnetic sorbents effectively remove diclofenac from water. • Easy separation of sorbents from water under a magnetic gradient. Abstract The occurrence of pharmaceuticals in the environment and the water cycle, even at trace levels, has been a matter of great discussion in the literature in the recent years. Despite the clinical relevance of diclofenac (DCF), several studies indicate that it is one of the most frequently detected anti-inflammatory drugs in surface waters, with potential harmful impact on environment and human health. Herein, novel magnetic hybrid nanosorbents composed of magnetite cores encapsulated within a siliceous network highly enriched in a quaternary chitosan (HTCC) were successfully prepared and tested in magnetically assisted removal of sodium diclofenac from aqueous solutions. The DCF adsorption by the produced core–shell nanoparticles was assessed based on several experimental parameters. It was found that under optimal conditions, the modelling of the equilibrium data was best fit with Langmuir and Toth models where the maximum adsorption capacity of DCF was 240.4 mg/g. These results indicate that these hybrid biosorbents are among the most effective magnetic systems for the removal of this pharmaceutical from water. Through the strategy proposed in this work, novel hybrid magnetic nanoparticles containing a cationic surface charge in a broad pH range, from acidic to neutral pH values, is reported. Therefore, these materials may provide a new way of removing a wider class of other anionic contaminants from water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bladder Cancer (BC) presents one of the highest recurrence rates amongst solid tumours and constitutes the second deadliest disease of the genitourinary track. Non-invasive identification of patients facing disease recurrence and/or progression remains one of the most critical and challenging aspects in disease management. To contribute to this goal, we demonstrate the potential of glycan-affinity glycoproteomics nanoplatforms for urinary biomarkers discovery in bladder cancer. Briefly, magnetic nanoprobes (MNP) coated with three broad-spectrum lectins, namely Concanavalin A (ConA; MNP@ConA), Wheat Germ Agglutinin (WGA; MNP@WGA), and Sambucus nigra (SNA; MNP@SNA), were used to selectively capture glycoproteins from the urine of low-grade and high-grade non-muscle invasive as well as muscle-invasive BC patients. Proteins were identified by nano-LC MALDI-TOF/TOF and data was curated using bioinformatics tools (UniProt, NetOGlyc, NetNGlyc, ClueGO app for Cytoscape and Oncomine) to highlight clinically relevant species. Accordingly, 63 glycoproteins were exclusively identified in cancer samples compared with healthy controls matching in age and gender. Specific glycoprotein sets exclusively found in low-grade non-muscle invasive bladder tumours may aid early diagnosis, while those only found in high-grade non-invasive and muscle-invasive tumours hold potential for accessing progression. Amongst these proteins is bladder cancer stem-cell marker CD44, which has been associated with poor prognosis. Orthogonal validation studies by slot-blotting demonstrated an elevation in urine CD44 levels of high-grade patients, which became more pronounced upon muscle-invasion, in mimicry of the primary tumour. These observations demonstrate the potential of MNP@lectins for identification of clinically relevant glycoproteomics signatures in bladder cancer. Future clinical validation in a larger and well characterized patient subset is required envisaging clinical translation of the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The antibacterial potential of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) resulted in their increasing incorporation into consumer, industrial and biomedical products. Therefore, human and environmental exposure to AgNPs (either as an engineered product or a contaminant) supports the emergent research on the features conferring them different toxicity profiles. In this study, 30 nm AgNPs coated with citrate or poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) were used to assess the influence of coating on the effects produced on a human hepatoma cell line (HepG2), namely in terms of viability, apoptosis, apoptotic related genes, cell cycle and cyclins gene expression. Both types of coated AgNPs decreased cell proliferation and viability with a similar toxicity profile. At the concentrations used (11 and 5 μg/mL corresponding to IC50 and ~ IC10 levels, respectively) the amount of cells undergoing apoptosis was not significant and the apoptotic related genes BCL2 (anti-apoptotic gene) and BAX (pro-apoptotic gene) were both downregulated. Moreover, both AgNPs affected HepG2 cell cycle progression at the higher concentration (11 μg/mL) by increasing the percentage of cells in S (synthesis phase) and G2 (Gap 2 phase) phases. Considering the cell-cycle related genes, the expression of cyclin B1 and cyclin E1 genes were decreased. Thus, this work has shown that citrate- and PEG-coated AgNPs impact on HepG2 apoptotic gene expression, cell cycle dynamics and cyclin regulation in a similar way. More research is needed to determine the properties that confer AgNPs at lower toxicity, since their use has proved helpful in several industrial and biomedical contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface coating of silver nanoparticles may influence their toxicity, in a way yet to decipher. In this study, human keratinocytes (HaCaT cells) were exposed for 24 and 48 h to well-characterized 30 nm AgNPs coated either with citrate (Cit30 AgNPs) or with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG30 AgNPs), and assessed for cell viability, reactive oxygen species (ROS), cytokine release, apoptosis and cell cycle dynamics. The results showed that Cit30 AgNPs and PEG30 AgNPs decreased cell proliferation and viability, the former being more cytotoxic. The coating molecules per se were not cytotoxic. Moreover, Ag + release and ROS production were similar for both AgNP types. Cit30 AgNPs clearly induced apoptotic death, while cells exposed to PEG30 AgNPs appeared to be at an earlier phase of apoptosis, supported by changes in BAX, BCL2 and CASP-3 expressions. Concerning the impact on cell cycle dynamics, both Cit30 and PEG30 AgNPs affected cell cycle regulation of HaCaT cells, but, again, citrate-coating induced more drastic effects, showing earlier downregulation of cyclin B1 gene and cellular arrest at the G2 phase. Overall, this study has shown that the surface coating of AgNPs influences their toxicity by differently regulating cell-cycle and cell death mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence of resistant microorganism to conventional therapeutics prompted us to search new and better antimicrobial treatment modalities. In this work was envisaged an economically viable and environmental friendly approach to allow successive recovery and removal of the photosensitizer agent after photodynamic treatment. The photodynamic inactivation of bioluminescent Escherichia coli in the presence of an immobilized cationic chlorin photosensitizer and its reusability are described. The chlorin photosensitizer (PS) was immobilized on two commercial materials: a 3-bromopropyl-functionalized silica and a Merrifield resin. The new photosensitising materials were characterized by UV–vis spectroscopy, SEM and EDX. Their singlet oxygen generation capacities were also assessed. Previous studies showed that there is a direct relationship between the photoinactivation efficiency and the number of positive charges on such PS molecules. Therefore the number of positive charges on the new prepared materials was further increased by treatment of the PS-immobilized materials with 1-methylimidazole and pyridine. The efficiency of photoinactivation against bioluminescent E. coli was evaluated in the presence of the non-immobilized chlorin (20 μM) as well as in the presence of the new prepared materials positively charged or non-charged on the surface (20–200 μM) with white light at an irradiance of 4.0 mW cm −2 . Overall, this study shows that the materials resulting from the immobilization of the chlorin on the silica surface and on the Merrifield resin, followed by further treatment with pyridine, have high potential as PS for the inactivation of Gram negative bacteria (3.0 log reductions) and are able to maintain its antimicrobial efficiency after at least 3 repeated cycles of photoinactivation. Their reusability, without loss of effectiveness, confirms a potential inexpensive and friendly application in clinic and environmental areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cisplatin has demonstrated extraordinary anticancer activity against a variety of solid tumors. However, its clinical efficacy is contrasted by its toxicity profile. Having in mind the need to reduce the toxicity, promote a sustained release and enhance the body-circulation time of cisplatin, herein novel nanocarriers consisting of core–shell silica-coated iron oxide nanoparticles functionalized with dicarboxylic acid groups were prepared and characterized. Cisplatin was conjugated with the functionalized nanoparticles by surface tethering. Controlled release of cisplatin was observed without burst effect and in a sustained profile for up to 3 days. In vitro studies showed cytotoxic and antiproliferative effects of the cisplatin nanoconjugates against a human pancreatic cancer cell line. Importantly, when compared with free cisplatin, nanoconjugates exhibited lower cytotoxic effects regarding nonmalignant human duct pancreatic cells. Novel nanocarriers consisting of core–shell silica-coated iron oxide nanoparticles functionalized with dicarboxylic acid groups for controlled release of cisplatin have been synthesized and their in vitro biological properties have been evaluated. Unlabelled Image • Core–shell magnetic nanoparticles with chelating moieties were produced. • Cisplatin was conjugated onto the nanoparticles by surface tethering. • In vitro release of cisplatin was observed in a sustained profile for up to 3 days. • The efficacy of the conjugates against one human pancreatic cancer cell line was proved. • The cisplatin nanoconjugates exhibited selectivity toward cancer cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]