Layer-by-Layer-Assembled Capsule Size Affects the Efficiency of Packaging and Delivery of Different Genetic Cargo

The lack of an efficient and versatile intracellular nucleic acids delivery platform impedes the clinical implementation of gene therapy. Advances in layer-by-layer (LbL) technology have led to the production of LbL polymer capsules, a promising universal delivery tool. The biocompatibility, sufficient packaging capacity, safety, low cost, and high variability of structure and composition of the LbL capsules make it possible to meet the requirements for clinical-grade nonviral gene transfer. Here, the possibility of polymeric LbL capsules of different sizes (micrometer and sub-micrometer-sized) to serve as universal nonviral carriers for messenger RNA (mRNA) and small interfering RNA (siRNA) is considered. In particular, the internalization of capsules into human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs, as an example of adult primary stem cells), capsule uptake, and intracellular delivery of mRNA and siRNA is studied. Importantly, the use of micrometer- or sub-micrometer-sized polymer capsules (MicCaps and SubCaps) allows the mRNA or siRNA to be packaged and transferred into hMSCs with high efficiency. While the uptake efficiency is comparable between MicCaps and SubCaps, the latter are significantly more efficient than MicCap when transferring siRNAs. These results demonstrate the potential of the LbL capsules as a universal gene delivery platform, which can be tuned according to the properties of genetic cargo.     

Ag2S2O7/Ag2O纳米颗粒异质结构的制备及其太阳光全光谱光催化降解应用

Ag2O是优良的感光材料,很少作为光催化材料,而常被用作光催化材料的共催化剂.此外,由于Ag2O禁带宽度窄,且可有效吸收近红外光,因而不能用于全太阳光谱的光催化应用中.同时很少被用作NIR催化剂.本文中不仅研究了纳米Ag2O颗粒的UV-Vis光催化性能,而且还系统探究了其NIR光催化活性.由于在紫外线和可见光的照射下,Ag2O纳米颗粒易发生光还原失活,因而对Ag2O表面硫化处理,使其表面上生长Ag2S2O7层以形成Ag2S2O7/Ag2O异质结,探究了该异质结UV-Vis光催化活性及其光催化循环稳定性;同时,考察了其近红外光催化及其重复使用性能.利用沉淀法成功制备了Ag2O纳米颗粒,并通过在其表面部分硫化处理得到Ag2S2O7,成功构筑Ag2S2O7/Ag2O异质结构,并研究了该Ag2S2O7/Ag2O异质结构UV-Vis-NIR光催化降解有机污染物性能.研究表明,Ag2O纳米颗粒在光子能量较低的NIR照射条件下具有较强的光催化活性,但UV-Vis照射下,虽然Ag2O具有光催化活性,但易发生光还原生成单质银,降低其光催化稳定性;Ag2S2O7/Ag2O纳米异质结,虽然在UV-Vis-NIR范围内光催化活性略降于Ag2O,但稳定性显著提高,总体来看,Ag2S2O7/Ag2O异质结构在全光谱催化方面更具优势.这主要是由于Ag2O表面部分硫化得到的Ag2S2O7纳米颗粒,且二者之间能带匹配促进了光生载流子分离,同时Ag2O表面的Ag2S2O7颗粒直接吸收能量较高的UV-Vis,进而保护内部Ag2O,抑制了其自身还原,可显著提高Ag2S2O7/Ag2O异质结在UV-Vis-NIR催化活性及稳定性.实验结果分析表明,Ag2S2O7/Ag2O异质结纳米颗粒在UV-Vis-NIR条件下均具有稳定且高效的光催化活性,其主要原因为:(1)具有窄带隙的Ag2O可有效拓宽该异质结的光谱吸收;(2)Ag2S2O7/Ag2O异质结能带匹配可有效促使光生载流子分离;(3)Ag2O颗粒表面的Ag2S2O7纳米颗粒可有效提高Ag2S2O7/Ag2O异质结纳米颗粒的光化学稳定性,尤其是在UV-Vis条件下的化学稳定性.Ag2O纳米颗粒受到光照(UV-Vis-NIR)激发后产生电子-空穴对,由于Ag2S2O7与Ag2O能带位置的匹配,Ag2O导带的光生电子注入Ag2S2O7的导带;而Ag2S2O7价带的光生空穴注入Ag2O的价带.Ag2O表面的Ag2S2O7颗粒可有效捕捉电子,从而阻止Ag2O产生的电子-空穴对复合,进而提高光催化活性;同时当光子能量较高(UV以及部分短波长的Vis)时,Ag2O表面的Ag2S2O7颗粒直接吸收该部分光能,进而保护内部Ag2O发生自身还原,因此,Ag2S2O7/Ag2O异质结纳米颗粒在UV,Vis及NIR条件下均具有稳定且高效的光催化活性,在高效利用全光谱光催化降解有机污染物方面具有较大的潜力.     

Cyanuric chloride-catalyzed synthesis of 10-aryl-6,8-dimethyl-6,10-dihydro-5-oxa-6,8-diazaanthra[2,3-d][1,3]dioxole-7,9-diones

An environmentally friendly procedure for the preparation of 10-aryl-6,8-dimethyl-6,10-dihydro-5-oxa-6,8-diazaanthra[2,3- d][1,3]dioxole-7,9-diones under thermal solvent-free conditions in the presence of cyanuric chloride as heterogeneous catalyst was developed.     

W-Band pulse EPR distance measurements in peptides using Gd(3+)-dipicolinic acid derivatives as spin labels

We present high field DEER (double electron-electron resonance) distance measurements using Gd(3+) (S = 7/2) spin labels for probing peptides' conformations in solution. The motivation for using Gd(3+) spin labels as an alternative for the standard nitroxide spin labels is the sensitivity improvement they offer because of their very intense EPR signal at high magnetic fields. Gd(3+) was coordinated by dipicolinic acid derivative (4MMDPA) tags that were covalently attached to two cysteine thiol groups. Cysteines were introduced in positions 15 and 27 of the peptide melittin and then two types of spin labeled melittins were prepared, one labeled with two nitroxide spin labels and the other with two 4MMDPA-Gd(3+) labels. Both types were subjected to W-band (95 GHz, 3.5 T) DEER measurements. For the Gd(3+) labeled peptide we explored the effect of the solution molar ratio of Gd(3+) and the labeled peptide, the temperature, and the maximum dipolar evolution time T on the DEER modulation depth. We found that the optimization of the [Gd(3+)]/[Tag] ratio is crucial because excess Gd(3+) masked the DEER effect and too little Gd(3+) resulted in the formation of Gd(3+)-tag(2) complexes, generating peptide dimers. In addition, we observed that the DEER modulation depth is sensitive to spectral diffusion processes even at Gd(3+) concentrations as low as 0.2 mM and therefore experimental conditions should be chosen to minimize it as it decreases the DEER effect. Finally, the distance between the two Gd(3+) ions, 3.4 nm, was found to be longer by 1.2 nm than the distance between the two nitroxides. The origin and implications of this difference are discussed.     

Observation of vector solitons with hidden vorticity

This letter reports the first experimental observation, to our knowledge, of optical vector solitons composed of two incoherently coupled vortex components. We employ nematic liquid crystal to generate stable vector solitons with counterrotating vortices and hidden vorticity. In contrast, the solitons with explicit vorticity and corotating vortex components show azimuthal splitting.     

Ionic liquid-assisted synthesis of carbon nanotube/platinum nanocomposites

A novel solution-enhanced dispersion by supercritical CO₂ (SEDS) was employed to prepare silk fibroin (SF) nanoparticles. The resulting SF nanoparticles exhibited a good spherical shape, a smooth surface, and a narrow particle size distribution with a mean particle diameter of about 50?nm. The results of X-ray powder diffraction, thermo gravimetry-differential scanning calorimetry, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis of the SF nanoparticles before and after ethanol treatment indicated conformation transition of SF nanoparticles from random coil to ??-sheet form and thus water insolubility. The MTS assay also suggested that the SF nanoparticles after ethanol treatment imposed no toxicity. A non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, indomethacin (IDMC), was chosen as the model drug and was encapsulated in SF nanoparticles by the SEDS process. The resulting IDMC?CSF nanoparticles, after ethanol treatment, possessed a theoretical average drug load of 20%, an actual drug load of 2.05%, and an encapsulation efficiency of 10.23%. In vitro IDMC release from the IDMC?CSF nanoparticles after ethanol treatment showed a significantly sustained release over 2?days. These studies of SF nanoparticles indicated the suitability of the SF nanoparticles prepared by the SEDS process as a biocompatible carrier to deliver drugs and also the feasibility of using the SEDS process to reach the goal of co-precipitation of drug and SF as composite nanoparticles for controlled drug delivery.     

Conformational Analysis of N-Alkyl-N-[2-(diphenylphosphoryl)ethyl]amides of Diphenylphosphorylacetic Acid: Dipole Moments,IR Spectroscopy,DFT Study

Experimental and theoretical conformational analysis of N-methyl-N-[2-(diphenylphosphoryl)ethyl]diphenylphosphorylacetamide, N-butyl-N-[2-(diphenylphosphoryl)ethyl]diphenylphosphorylacetamide, and N-octyl-N-[2-(diphenylphosphoryl)ethyl]diphenylphosphorylacetamide was carried out by the methods of dipole moments, IR spectroscopy, and Density Functional Theory (DFT) B3PW91/6-311++G(df,p) calculations. In solution, these N,N-dialkyl substituted bisphosphorylated acetamides exist as a conformational equilibrium of several forms divided into two groups—with Z- or E-configuration of the carbonyl group and alkyl substituent, and syn or anti arrangement of the phosphoryl-containing fragments relative to the amide plane. The substituents at the phosphorus atoms have eclipsed cis- or staggered gauche-orientation relative to the P=O groups, and cis orientation of the substituents is due to the presence of intramolecular H-contacts P=O...H−C_phenyl or p,π conjugation between the phosphoryl group and the phenyl ring. Preferred conformers of acetamides molecules are additionally stabilized by various intramolecular hydrogen contacts with the participation of oxygen atoms of the P=O or C=O groups and hydrogen atoms of the methylene and ethylene bridges, alkyl substituents, and phenyl rings. However, steric factors, such as a flat amide fragment, the bulky phenyl groups, and the configuration of alkyl bridges, make a significant contribution to the realization of preferred conformers.     

α-氨基酸各官能团对其Co(Ⅱ)配合物可逆氧合性能的影响

选择氧合性能良好的组氨酸(His)-Co(Ⅱ)作为研究对象, 分别掩蔽—NH₂、 取代—O^-和去除—COO^-, 得到短肽、 伪肽和多胺等类组氨酸结构. 采用UV-Vis光谱法研究了α-氨基酸中的3个官能团对其Co(Ⅱ)配合物氧合性能的影响. 对比研究表明: α-氨基酸中—NH₂对其Co(Ⅱ)配合物的吸氧性具有决定作用; —COO^-对其Co(Ⅱ)配合物氧合作用的可逆性起关键作用; 而—O^-对其Co(Ⅱ)配合物的吸氧性影响不大. 在前期研究结果的基础上, 对α-氨基酸-Co(Ⅱ)配合物可逆吸收和释放O₂的机理进行了探讨.     

Vortex-bearing array of singular beams with very high orbital angular momentum

We consider theoretically and experimentally an array of singular beams whose axes lie on the surface of a hyperboloid of revolution. We show that such a singular array can carry a very high orbital angular momentum. Experimental results demonstrate a way of generating such singular arrays.