Multifunctional stable fluorescent magnetic nanoparticles

Because of their multifunctionality and unique magnetic properties, superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) have been recognized as very promising materials for various biomedical applications. The main difficulty with the use of SPIONs as multimodal bioimaging agents is their lack of fluorescence. Since cells can act as extremely efficient filters for the elution of surface-bound fluorescent tags with nanoparticles, the surface loaded fluorescence dyes significantly decay after a short period of time. Here, for the first time, we introduce novel, engineered multimodal SPIONs with a permanent fluorescence capability, the study of which can lead to a deeper understanding of biological processes at the biomolecular level, greatly influencing molecular diagnostics, imaging and therapeutic applications.     

Triggered release in lipid bilayer-capped mesoporous silica nanoparticles containing SPION using an alternating magnetic field

We report here the on-command cargo controlled delivery using an alternating magnetic field (AMF) from magnetic silica mesoporous supports capped with a lipid bilayer.     

Topological Soliton and Other Exact Solutions to KdV–Caudrey–Dodd–Gibbon Equation

This paper studies the KdV–Caudrey–Dodd–Gibbon equation. The modified F-expansion method, exp-function method as well as the G′/G method are used to extract a few exact solutions to this equation. Later, the ansatz method is used to obtain the topological 1-soliton solution to this equation. The constraint conditions are also obtained that must remain valid for the existence of these solutions.     

A simple route to synthesize nanocrystalline nickel ferrite (NiFe2O4) in the presence of octanoic acid as a surfactant

Nanocrystalline nickel ferrite (NiFe₂O₄) powder was prepared by a co-precipitation method from Ni and Fe chlorides. The as-prepared samples were characterized by powder X-ray diffractometry (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM). SEM and TEM indicated that the particles were spherical with particle sizes in the range 25 ± 5 nm. The magnetic properties of the sample were measured by using a vibrating sample magnetometer, which showed that the sample exhibited typical ferromagnetic behavior at room temperature, while a finite coercivity of 245.5 Oe was present at 300 K. The saturation magnetization of the sample (23.13 emu/g) was significantly lower than that for the reported multidomain bulk particles (55 emu/g), reflecting the ultrafine nature of the sample.     

Preparation and characterization of aqueous stable electro-spun nanofibers using polyvinyl alcohol/polyvinyl pyrrolidone/zeolite

Cross-linked polyvinyl alcohol/polyvinyl pyrrolidone/zeolite fibers were prepared in the presence of potassium peroxodisulphate (K₂S₂O₈) under the curing process by the electrospinning technique. The narrowest nanofibers of PVA/PVP (50:50) were prepared under optimum experimental conditions of 2.5 × 10^?4 mol of K₂S₂O₈, an applied voltage of 22 KV, the distance of 15 cm and the feed rate of 0.2 mL/h. The progress of the cross-linking was examined by immersion of the prepared nanofibers in water and following the swelling degrees. By raising the K₂S₂O₈ amount and curing time, the cross-linking density was increased. X-ray diffraction (XRD) demonstrated that the crystallinity of the nanofibers was decreased by the increase of K₂S₂O₈ and the lowest crystallinity was observed for PVA/PVP (70:30). The contact angle of nanofibers was decreased from 72° to 34 by increasing PVP ratio from 30 to 70. The morphology of the nanofibers before and after immersion in the simulated body fluid (SBF) was studied using electron scanning microscopy (SEM) and PVA/PVP (70:30) showed the highest changes in the morphology while the lowest one was observed for PVA/PVP (50:50). Moreover, the cross-linked PVA/ PVP with the ratio of 50:50 had the narrowest diameter of 200 ± 100 nm, and by addition of about 0.5% zeolite, it was even reduced more to 150 ± 50 nm. The cross-linked nanofibers (50:50) with 0.5 wt% and 1.5 wt% zeolite nanoparticles showed the tensile modules of 416.26 and 703.52 MPa, respectively, while in the absence of zeolite, it was209.25 MPa. Fibroblast L929 cells were cultured on the cross-linked PVA/PVP/zeolite (50:50:0.5) nanofiber, and the cell proliferation and growth was evaluated by MTT (3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay. Fibroblasts grew on the surface of scaffold showed good morphology and proliferation after seven days and the absorption amount was increased from 0.075 to 0.78     

Concentration on minimal submanifolds for a singularly perturbed Neumann problem

We consider the equation −ε²Δu+u=up in Ω⊆RN, where Ω is open, smooth and bounded, and we prove concentration of solutions along k-dimensional minimal submanifolds of ∂Ω, for N?3 and for k∈{1,…,N−2}. We impose Neumann boundary conditions, assuming 1<p<(N−k+2)/(N−k−2) and ε→⁰⁺. This result settles in full generality a phenomenon previously considered only in the particular case N=3 and k=1.     

Voltage-controlled transmission through a dielectric slab doped with quantum dot molecules

Transmission and reflection of an electromagnetic pulse through a dielectric slab doped with the quantum dot molecules are investigated. It is shown that the transmission and reflection coefficients depend on the inter-dot tunneling effect and can be simply controlled by applying a gate voltage without any changing in the refractive index or thickness of the slab. Such simple controlling prepares an active beam splitter which can be used in all optical switching, optical limiting, and other optical systems.     

Controlling the optical bistability via interacting dark-state resonances

We analyze the behavior of optical bistability in a four-level mercury atomic system driven by a cavity and two external coherent fields by means of a unidirectional ring cavity. We find that without interacting dark resonances and for large intensity of coupling field, the optical bistability disappears. So, the double dark resonances could significantly establish the optical bistability. Moreover, we demonstrate that the double dark resonances can dramatically reduce the threshold of optical bistability.     

Hartman effect in one-dimensional photonic crystals with a three-level atomic defect layer

The Hartman effect in one-dimensional photonic crystals contained a defect layer doped with two-level, and three-level atoms is discussed. It is shown that the transmitted phase time in one-dimensional photonic crystals contained a defect layer reaches to a positive constant as the periodic number N increases. However, for a defect layer doped by two-level atoms, the transmitted phase time reaches to negative constant by increasing periodic number N. In addition, for defect layer doped by three-level atoms, the transmitted phase time can be controlled from positive to negative just by the Rabi-frequency of coupling field.     

Complexation diastereoselective d''alcools benzyliques par le chrome hexacarbonyle. Difference de reactivite des diastereoisomeres en milieu acide.

Reaction of ortho alkyl or alkoxy phenyl carbinol with Cr(CO)₆ affords arene chromium tricarbonyl complexes with 38 to 86% of diastereoisomeric excess. The behavior of the two diastereoisomers shows a striking difference. Equimolar mixture of (RR,SS) and (RS,SR) diastereoisomers treated with concentrated sulfuric acid and methanol gives (RS,SR) ether while (RR,SS) alcool remains unchanged.