Activity of microemulsion-based nanoparticles at the human bio-nano interface: concentration-dependent effects on thrombosis and hemolysis in whole blood

Background: Although microemulsion-based nanoparticles (MEs) may be useful for drug delivery or scavenging, these benefits must be balanced against potential nanotoxicological effects in biological tissue (bio-nano interface). We investigated the actions of assembled MEs and their individual components at the bio-nano interface of thrombosis and hemolysis in human blood. Methods: Oil-in-water MEs were synthesized using ethylbutyrate, sodium caprylate, and pluronic F-68 (ME4) or F-127 (ME6) in 0.9% NaCl_w/v. The effects of MEs or components on thrombosis were determined using thrombo-elastography, platelet contractile force, clot elastic modulus, and platelet counting. For hemolysis, ME or components were incubated with erythrocytes, centrifuged, and washed for measurement of free hemoglobin by spectroscopy. Results and conclusions: The mean particle diameters (polydispersity index) for ME6 and ME4 were 23.6 ± 2.5 nm (0.362) and 14.0 ± 1.0 nm (0.008), respectively. MEs (0, 0.03, 0.3, 3 mM) markedly reduced the thromboelastograph maximal amplitude in a concentration-dependent manner (49.0 ± 4.2, 39.0 ± 5.6, 15.0 ± 8.7, 3.8 ± 1.3 mm, respectively), an effect highly correlated (r2 = 0.94) with similar changes caused by pluronic surfactants (48.7 ± 10.9, 30.7 ± 15.8, 20.0 ± 11.3, 2.0 ± 0.5) alone. Neither oil nor sodium caprylate alone affected the thromboelastograph. The clot contractile force was reduced by ME (27.3 ± 11.1–6.7 ± 3.4 kdynes/cm², P = 0.02, n = 5) whereas the platelet population not affected (175 ± 28–182 ± 23 10⁶/ml, P = 0.12, n = 6). This data suggests that MEs reduced platelet activity due to associated pluronic surfactants, but caused minimal changes in protein function necessary for coagulation. Although pharmacological concentrations of sodium caprylate caused hemolysis (EC₅₀ = 213 mM), MEs and pluronic surfactants did not disrupt erythrocytes. Knowledge of nanoparticle activity and potential associated nanotoxicity at this bio-nano interface enables rational ME design for in vivo applications.     

Thermal diffusion of envelope solitons on anharmonic atomic chains

We study the motion of envelope solitons on anharmonic atomic chains in the presence of dissipation and thermal fluctuations. We consider the continuum limit of the discrete system and apply an adiabatic perturbation theory which yields a system of stochastic integro-differential equations for the collective variables of the ansatz for the perturbed envelope soliton. We derive the Fokker-Planck equation of this system and search for a statistically equivalent system of Langevin equations, which shares the same Fokker-Planck equation. We undertake an analytical analysis of the Langevin system and derive an expression for the variance of the soliton position Var[x _s ] which predicts a stronger than linear time dependence of Var[x _s ] (superdiffusion). We compare these results with simulations for the discrete system and find they agree well. We refer to recent studies where the diffusion of pulse solitons were found to exhibit a superdiffusive behaviour on longer time scales.Received: 28 June 2004, Published online: 26 November 2004PACS: 05.10.Gg Stochastic analysis methods - 05.45.Yv Solitons - 05.40.-a Fluctuation phenomena, random processes, noise, and Brownian motion - 05.50. + q Lattice theory and statistics     

Elliptic equations with BMO coefficients in Reifenberg domains

The inhomogeneous Dirichlet problems concerning divergence form elliptic equations are studied. Optimal regularity requirements on the coefficients and domains for the W^1,p theory, 1 < p < ∞, are obtained. The principal coefficients are supposed to be in the John‐Nirenberg space with small BMO seminorms. The domain is a Reifenberg domain. These conditions for the W^1,p theory not only weaken the requirements on the coefficients but also lead to a more general geometric condition on the domains. In fact, these domains might have fractal dimensions. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Synthesis,structure, spectroscopic and magnetic properties of a novel two-dimensional copper(II) complex Na2[Cu(pba)] · 6H2O [pba = 1,3-propylenebis(oxamato)]

The copper(II) complex Na₂[Cu(pba)] · 6H₂O has been synthesized and its structure determined. It consists of a novel two-dimensional network of [Cu(pba)]^2– anions connected to each other through the sodium ion as a bridge. Spectroscopic and magnetic properties have been measured and a spin distribution calculation has been carried out with the GAUSSIAN-94. Theoretical calculations indicate the rather larger spin density on nitrogen atoms should be responsible for the satellite lines appearing beside the main hyperfine coupling signs of copper(II). The antiferromagnetic interaction may be due to the intermolecular interaction and/or different copper(II) ions through the Na⁺ bridge in the same layer.     

A representation of the Belavkin equation via Feynman path integrals

 The Belavkin equation, describing the continuous measurement of the position of a quantum particle, is studied. A rigorous representation of its solution by means of an infinite dimensional oscillatory integral (Feynman path integral) defined on the complex Cameron-Martin space is given. Received: 7 January 2002 / Revised version: 20 June 2002 / Published online: 19 December 2002 Mathematics Subject Classification (2000): 81, 81S40, 60H15 Key words or phrases: Belavkin equation – Continuous measurement – Quantum theory – Oscillatory integrals – Feynman path integrals     

Beryllium (boron) clustering quest in relativistic multifragmentation (BECQUEREL Project)

A physical program of irradiation of emulsions in beams of relativistic nuclei named the BECQUEREL Project is reviewed. It is destined to study in detail the processes of relativistic fragmentation of light radioactive and stable nuclei. The expected results would make it possible to answer some topical questions concerning the cluster structure of light nuclei. Owing to the best spatial resolution, the nuclear emulsions would enable one to obtain unique and evident results. The most important irradiations will be performed in the secondary beams of He, Be, B, C, and N radioactive nuclei formed on the basis of JINR Nuclotron beams of stable nuclei. We present results on the charged state topology of relativistic fragmentation of the ¹⁰B nucleus at low energy-momentum transfers as the first step of the research.     

Crystallographic report: A new polymorph for bis[bis(N,N‐dibenzyldithiocarbamato)cadmium(II)]

The title compound is a centrosymmetric dimer with each cadmium in a distorted CdS₅ square pyramidal geometry. The Cd–S bond distances range from 2.5626(11) to 2.8459(11) Å. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Group Representation of Relativistic Quantum Crystal Optics

A group representation of radiation propagation in an anisotropic medium is developed. The system of wave equations for electromagnetic potentials, obtained from the Maxwell equations with account for the constitutive equations, has been factorized. It is shown that the linear differential operator of the factorized system is orthogonal in transparent crystals and unitary in gyrotropic ones and is represented through the momentum operator. On the basis of the commutation relations for the components of this operator, the eigenvalue problem has been solved and the expression for the change in the radiant energy in the crystal in the form of spherical waves has been obtained. The dependences of the ray and phase velocities and the polarization vectors of waves on the birefringence anisotropy and gyrotropy as well as on the angular momentum, displacement current, and bound charge determining them have been analyzed. It has been established that in the general case of gyrotropic crystals where the nonreciprocity phenomenon takes place and in magnetoelectrics Maxwell equations are represented in a form similar to the Dirac equations and the electromagnetic radiation is correctly described by means of bispinors and is quantized as fermions.