Eu(III) complexation of phenyltrisalanine and phenylbisalanine in aqueous solution studied by photoluminescence and UV spectroscopy

The Eu(III)-coordination of phenyltrisalanine (Pta) 1, in aqueous solution was investigated. The photoluminescence data suggested that the chelating effect of Pta places the metal ion on the face of the aromatic ring as proposed in 4. Furthermore, Eu(III) is usually used as a substitute for Ca(II) in spectroscopic studies and the formation of a 1:1 complex between Pta and Eu(III) indicated the possibility that Pta may be used as a Ca(II) binder. For comparison, phenylbisalanine (Pba) 2, was subjected to similar studies and was found to behave more like phenylalanine.     

Effect of wet-chemical substrate smoothing on passivation of ultrathin-SiO<Subscript>2</Subscript>/n-Si(111) interfaces prepared with atomic oxygen at thermal impact energies

Ultrathin SiO₂ layers for potential applications in nano-scale electronic and photovoltaic devises were prepared by exposure to thermalized atomic oxygen under UHV conditions. Wet-chemical substrate pretreatment, layer deposition and annealing processes were applied to improve the electronic Si/SiO₂ interface properties. This favourable effect of optimized wet-chemical pre-treatment can be preserved during the subsequent oxidation. The corresponding atomic-scale analysis of the electronic interface states after substrate pre-treatment and the subsequent silicon oxide layer formation is performed by field-modulated surface photovoltage (SPV), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and spectroscopic ellipsometry in the ultraviolet and visible region (UV-VIS-SE).     

Thermal behaviour study of some sol-gel TiO2 based materials

Among the great number of sol-gel materials prepared, TiO₂ holds one of the most important places due to its photocatalytic properties, both in the case of powders and coatings. Impurity doping is one of the typical approaches to extend the spectral response of a wide band gap semiconductor to visible light. This work has studied some un-doped and Pd-doped sol-gel TiO₂ nanopowders, presenting various surface morphologies and structures. The obtained powders have been embedded in vitreous TiO₂ matrices and the corresponding coatings have been prepared by dipping procedure, on glass substrates. The relationship between the synthesis conditions and the properties of titania nanosized materials, such as thermal stability, phase composition, crystallinity, morphology and size of particles, and the influence of dopant was investigated. The influence of Pd on TiO₂ crystallization both for supported and unsupported materials was studied (lattice parameters, crystallite sizes, internal strains). The hydrophilic properties of the films were also connected with their structure, composition and surface morphology. The methods used for the characterization of the materials have been: simultaneous thermogravimetry and differential thermal analysis, powder X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy (TEM, SAED) and AFM.     

Interactions between hydrophobic and ionic solutes in aqueous guanidinium chloride and urea solutions: lessons for protein denaturation mechanism

In order to clarify the mechanism of denaturant-induced unfolding of proteins we have calculated the interactions between hydrophobic and ionic species in aqueous guanidinium chloride and urea solutions using molecular dynamics simulations. Hydrophobic association is not significantly changed in urea or guanidinium chloride solutions. The strength of interaction between ion pairs is greatly diminished by the guanidinium ion. Although the changes in electrostatic interactions in urea are small, examination of structures, using appropriate pair functions, of urea and water around the solutes show strong hydrogen bonding between urea's carbonyl oxygen and the positively charged solute. Our results strongly suggest protein denaturation occurs by the direct interaction model according to which the most commonly used denaturants unfold proteins by altering electrostatic interactions either by solvating the charged residues or by engaging in hydrogen bonds with the protein backbone. To further validate the direct interaction model we show that, in urea and guanidinium chloride solutions, unfolding of an unusually stable helix (H1) from mouse PrPC (residues 144-153) occurs by hydrogen bonding of denaturants to charged side chains and backbone carbonyl groups.     

Spontaneous association of hydrophobized dextran and poly-beta-cyclodextrin into nanoassemblies. Formation and interaction with a hydrophobic drug

New nanoassemblies were instantaneously prepared by mixing two aqueous solutions, one containing a beta-cyclodextrin polymer (pbetaCD), and the other a hydrophobically modified by alkyl chains dextran (MD). The formation mechanism and the inner structure of these nanoassemblies were analysed using surface tension measurements and (1)H NMR spectroscopy. The effect of a hydrophobic guest molecule, such as benzophenone (BZ), on the formation and stability of the nanoassemblies was also evaluated. MD exhibited the typical behaviour of a soluble amphiphilic molecule and adsorbed at the air/water interface. Whereas the injection of native beta-CDs in the solution beneath the adsorbed MD monolayer did not produce any change in the surface tension, that of the pbetaCD resulted in an increase in the surface tension, indicating the desorption of the polymer from the interface. This result accounts for a cooperative effect of beta-CDs linked together in the pbetaCD polymer on dextran desorption. The presence of benzophenone in the system hindered the sequestration of dextran alkyl moieties by beta-CD in the polymer without impeding the formation of associative nanoassemblies of 100-200 nm. (1)H NMR investigations demonstrated that, in the BZ-loaded nanoassemblies, the hydrophobic molecule was mainly located into the cyclodextrin cavities.     

Electrodeposition of Ni and Te‐doped Cobalt Triantimonide in Citrate Solutions

Skutterudite compounds form a new class of potential candidates for thermoelectric applications. Cobalt triantimonide (CoSb₃) shows good thermoelectric properties at medium and high temperatures. Doping this system with substitution elements, for either Co or Sb or both, may result in an increase of the thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT). This work focused on the electrochemical doping and characterization of films and nanowires of Co‐Sb system in citrate solutions using gold‐coated PCTE templates. The electrodeposition was performed on gold surface that was pre‐treated electrochemically to ensure reproducible results. The electrochemical treatment acted as an annealing process for the surface, which resulted in an increase in Au(111) as demonstrated by XRD. Detailed electrochemical studies including deposition‐stripping experiments was performed in order to develop a better understanding of the co‐deposition kinetics and a better control over the composition of doped Co‐Sb system. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM/EDS) helped study the morphology and the composition of the doped and undoped Co‐Sb system. Co‐deposition of Co‐Sb showed that the amount of Co is higher in nanowires than in film or mushroom caps due to the slow Sb deposition rate dictated by slow Sb(III) complex diffusion. Doped nanowires have been also obtained. Both Ni and Te electrochemical doping of the Co‐Sb system affected the composition of the deposit but there was no effect on nanowire morphology.     

Synthesis and physicochemical characterization of new squalenoyl amphiphilic gadolinium complexes as nanoparticle contrast agents

A family of novel amphiphilic gadolinium chelates was successfully obtained by coupling the hydrophilic DOTA ligand [1,4,7,10-tetrakis(carboxymethyl)-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane] to squalenoyl moieties. Thanks to the self-assembling properties of their squalenoyl lipophilic moieties, all these derivatives were able to form, without any adjuvant, micellar or liposome-like supramolecular nanoassemblies, endowed with high relaxivities (r(1) = 15-22 mM(-1) s(-1) at 20 MHz and 37 °C). The remarkably high payloads of Gd(3+) ions reached 10 to 17 wt %. Moreover, one of these derivatives interacted with human serum albumin (HSA) forming mixed micelles, which induced a remarkable increase in relaxivity. Liposome-like structures were obtained when the Gd(3+) complex of DOTA was coupled to two squalene units. These liposomal structures were characterized by a high loading of Gd(3+) (about 74,000 gadolinium ions per particle of 100 nm). The supramolecular architecture of these nano-objects has been investigated by electron microscopy and small-angle X-ray scattering. Squalenoylation of gadolinium derivatives offers a platform to conceive contrast agents (CAs) in mild conditions (no toxic solvents, no surfactants, no energy input). These new amphiphilic gadolinium chelates could also find potential applications in theranostics, by forming mixed systems with other squalenoylated drugs, or to delineate blood vessels owing to the interaction with HSA.     

Compartmentalized Encapsulation of Two Antibiotics in Porous Nanoparticles: an Efficient Strategy to Treat Intracellular Infections

Combinatorial drug therapies emerge among the most promising strategies to treat complex pathologies such as cancer and severe infections. Biocompatible nanoparticles of mesoporous iron carboxylate metal–organic framework (nanoMOFs) are used here to address the challenging aspects related to the coincorporation of two antibiotics. Amoxicillin and potassium clavulanate, a typical example of drugs used in tandem, are efficiently coincorporated with payloads up to 36 wt%. Due to the occurrence of two distinct pore sizes/apertures within the MOF architecture, each drug is able to infiltrate the porous framework and localize within separate compartments. Molecular simulations predict drug loadings and locations consistent with experimental findings. Drug loaded nanoMOFs that are internalized by Staphylococcus aureus infected macrophages are able to colocalize with the pathogen, which in turn leads to an alleviation of bacterial infection. The data also reveal potential antibacterial properties of nanoMOFs alone as well as their ability to deliver a high payload of drugs to fight intracellular bacteria. These results pave the way toward the design of engineered “all‐in‐one” nanocarriers in which both the loaded drugs and their carrier play a role in fighting intracellular infections.     

Fabrication of nanocables by electrochemical deposition inside metal nanotubes

We report a novel route for fabricating Au-Te nanocables. Using nanoporous polycarbonate tract-etching (PCTE) membrane as the template, Au nanotubes were fabricated by electroless Au deposition inside the nanopores of the PCTE membrane. Using the Au nanotube membrane as a second template, Te was deposited on the surfaces of the Au nanotubes by slow electrochemical deposition, taking advantage of underpotential deposition (UPD). The deposition rate was sufficiently slow to radially grow Te nanotubes coaxially within the Au nanotubes to form nanocables.