Advances in Biomimetic Nanoparticles for Targeted Cancer Therapy and Diagnosis

Biomimetic nanoparticles have recently emerged as a novel drug delivery platform to improve drug biocompatibility and specificity at the desired disease site, especially the tumour microenvironment. Conventional nanoparticles often encounter rapid clearance by the immune system and have poor drug-targeting effects. The rapid development of nanotechnology provides an opportunity to integrate different types of biomaterials onto the surface of nanoparticles, which enables them to mimic the natural biological features and functions of the cells. This mimicry strategy favours the escape of biomimetic nanoparticles from clearance by the immune system and reduces potential toxic side effects. Despite the rapid development in this field, not much has progressed to the clinical stage. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop biomimetic-based nanomedicine to produce a highly specific and effective drug delivery system, especially for malignant tumours, which can be used for clinical purposes. Here, the recent developments for various types of biomimetic nanoparticles are discussed, along with their applications for cancer imaging and treatments.     

Redox magnetohydrodynamic enhancement of stripping voltammetry: toward portable analysis using disposable electrodes, permanent magnets, and small volumes

The use of redox magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) to enhance the anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV) response of heavy metals has been investigated, with respect to achieving portability: disposable electrodes consisting of screen-printed carbon (SPC) on a low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) substrate, small volumes, and permanent magnets. The analytes tested (Cd(2+), Cu(2+), and Pb(2+)) were codeposited on SPC with Hg(2+) to form a Hg thin film electrode. High concentrations of Fe(3+) were used to produce a high cathodic current which generates a significant Lorentz force in the presence of a magnetic field. This Lorentz force induces solution convection during the deposition step, enhancing the mass transport of analytes to the electrode and increasing their preconcentrated quantity in the mercury thin film. Therefore, larger ASV peaks and improved sensitivities are obtained, compared to analyses performed without a magnet. The effects on ASV signal of varying Hg(2+) concentration (0.10 and 1.0 mM), deposition time (10-600 s), and electrode surface roughness were investigated. In addition, analyses were performed using a real lake water matrix. By using the disposable LTCC-SPC working electrodes in small volumes (150 microL) and with small permanent magnets (0.78 T), peak areas were increased by 75% when compared to the signal obtained in the absence of a magnetic field. A limit of detection of 25 nM for Cd(2+) was observed with only a 1 min preconcentration time.     

Fatigue Growth Analysis of a Surface Crack in a Solid Cylinder under Combined Cyclic Axial-Torsion Loading

Experimental Techniques - In this paper, fatigue growth analyses of a surface crack in a solid cylinder under combined cyclic axial-torsion loadings through experimentation and numerical simulation...     

Enantioselective Sulfoxidation Catalyzed by a Bisguanidinium Diphosphatobisperoxotungstate Ion Pair

The first enantioselective tungstate‐catalyzed oxidation reaction is presented. High enantioselectivities were achieved for a variety of drug‐like phenyl and heterocyclic sulfides under mild conditions with H₂O₂, a cheap and environmentally friendly oxidant. Synthetic utility was demonstrated through the preparation of (S)‐Lansoprazole, a commercial proton‐pump inhibitor. The active ion‐pair catalyst was identified to be bisguanidinium diphosphatobisperoxotungstate using Raman spectroscopy and computational studies.     

Effect of Sr loading on oxydehydrogenation of propane to propylene over Al2O3-supported V-Mo catalysts

Incorporation of strontium into V-Mo alumina-supported catalyst enhanced its performance (increased conversion and selectivity, decreased reducibility and improved stability) in propane oxydehydrogenation to propylene. 12.5% Sr loading was shown to be the optimum content to the V-Mo catalyst. The results were supported by various characterization techniques, namely, BET, XRD, SEM, FTIR and TPD.     

Ruthenium-catalyzed selective synthesis of monoalkylated barbituric acids through “borrowing hydrogen” methodology

An environmentally benign alkylation of barbituric acids via “borrowing hydrogen” process with ruthenium catalysis has been established. The corresponding 5-(alkyl)barubituric acids were obtained in good to excellent yields with low catalyst loading. Various substrates including aliphatic alcohols were tolerated in the present catalytic system. A novel method for construction of barbituric acid-fused benzopyrane derivatives was also demonstrated.     

Effect of Sr loading on oxydehydrogenation of propane to propylene over Al₂O₃-supported V-Mo catalysts

Incorporation of strontium into V-Mo alumina-supported catalyst enhanced its performance (increased conversion and selectivity,decreased reducibility and improved stability) in propane oxydehydrogenation to propylene.12.5% Sr loading was shown to be the optimum content to the V-Mo catalyst.The results were supported by various characterization techniques,namely,BET,XRD,SEM,FTIR and TPD.     

Small angle neutron scattering experiments on solid electrolyte (AgI) x (AgPO3)1−x

Superionic conductor glasses have generated considerable technological interest in the applications such as batteries, fuel cell, sensors, etc. In AgPO₃ glass doped by AgI, (AgI) _x (AgPO₃)_1?x , small size of AgI clusters were formed and dispersed in the AgPO₃ glass. The size of clusters in the sample depends on the AgI content and influences the electrical properties of the sample. To understand the microscopic structure, in particular the shape and size of the clusters, a series of small angle neutron scattering experiment on (AgI) _x (AgPO₃) _x with x?=?0.0, 0.5, and 0.7 were performed at the Neutron Scattering Laboratory–National Nuclear Energy Agency, Indonesia. By assuming the clusters are spherical, a radius of gyration R _g of the clusters was determined from a Guinier plot. As there are different clusters sizes in the samples, a polydisperse model is also used to analyze the data. The results show that the average radius of clusters dispersed in (AgI) _x (AgPO₃)_1?x samples with x?=?0.0, 0.5, and 0.7 are around 236.2, 252.6, and 257.5 Å, respectively.