The bench scientist’s perspective on the unique considerations in nanoparticle regulation

The emergence and use of nanotechnologies in commercially available products, including nanotherapeutics, have necessitated the response of regulatory agencies to ensure that these products are safely employed. While bench scientists are at the forefront of nanoparticle development and design, many are unaware of the regulatory requirements necessary to transform their laboratory discoveries into marketable products. As bench scientists, we performed a “thought experiment” using multifunctional mesoporous silica nanoparticles synthesized in our lab, which we considered as a combination product, to try to understand the steps necessary for pre-clinical approval from the Food and Drug Administration. This thought experiment illuminated challenges associated with nanoparticle risk assessment and regulation.     

Fluorogenic ferrocenyl Schiff base for Zn2+ and Cd2+ detection

Research on Chemical Intermediates - A novel sensor based on acetylferrocene-containing Schiff base (ASB) was synthesized by reaction of α-chloroacetylferrocene and...     

Characterization of atomic layer deposition coated cutting tools by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and examination of cutting performance

Abstract

The performance of cutting tools was examined, involving synthesis of a 10?nm thin film of Aluminum oxide using atomic layer deposition. Characterization of coated and uncoated cutting tools was done by several methods. scanning electron microscopy was used and the images were compared with each other. Chemical characterization was performed by X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Coated and uncoated cutting tools were tested with steel material in turning tests. After turning, it was observed that the adhesion effect was reduced to a large extent in turning with coated tool. It was observed that the coating showed stability at high temperatures during cutting and the cutting performance was increased. The main advantage of the coating was that the tools produced were more environmentally friendly, with a longer useful life and they were easier to recycle.     

Grain boundary grooving in bi-crystal thin films induced by surface drift-diffusion driven by capillary forces and applied uniaxial tensile stresses

Grain boundary (GB) grooving, induced by surface drift-diffusion and driven by the combined actions of capillary forces and applied uniaxial tensile stresses, is investigated in bi-crystal thin films using self-consistent dynamical computer simulations. A physico-mathematical model, based on the irreversible thermodynamics treatment of surfaces and interfaces with singularities allowed auto-control of the otherwise free-motion of the triple junction at the intersection of the grooving surface and the GB, without having any a priori assumption on the equilibrium dihedral angles. In the present theory, the generalised driving forces for stress-induced surface drift-diffusion arise not only from the usual elastic strain energy density (ESED), but also much stronger elastic dipole tensor interactions (EDTI) between the applied stress field and the mobile atomic species situated at the surface layer and in the GB regions. Accelerated groove-deepening kinetics shows that the surface drift-diffusion enhanced by the applied uniaxial tensile stresses through EDTI is dominant over the GB flux leakage at the triple junction. At high uniaxial stress levels (≥500?MPa for a 100-nm thick copper film), a sequential time-frame for micro-crack nucleation and growth is recorded just before specimen failure took place. These non-equilibrium thermokinetics discoveries (kinetics and energetics) contradict or at least do not support the hypothesis of the steady-state diffusive GB micro-crack formation and propagation due to ‘constant’ flux drainage through GB enhanced by tensile stresses acting normal to it.     

A Novel DNA Probe Based on Molecularly Imprinted Polymer Modified Electrode for the Electrochemical Monitoring of DNA

A DNA probe that was based on methylene blue (MB) imprinted polyvinyl pyridine polymer (MIP) modified carbon paste electrodes were developed for the first time for electrochemical monitoring of DNA. Probes were built up by adsorbing MB onto modified electrodes prior to DNA immobilization. It was shown that DNA strongly immobilizes on MIP modified electrodes when MB was adsorbed in advance of DNA immobilization. The performance of the MB imprinted polymer modified carbon paste electrodes (MIP‐CPE) to rebind the template molecule (MB) were compared to those of control polymer modified (non‐imprinted polymer NIP‐CPE) and bare (CPE) electrodes. Electrochemical signal resulting from the oxidation of guanine moiety of the immobilized probe DNA was high enough on the constructed platform, implicating that probes of this kind could be favorably used for DNA analysis. These probes exhibited high selectivity for its complementary DNA sequences (target). HBV‐DNA hybridization was studied to evaluate the selectivity of the probes for complementary, non‐complementary and mismatch sequences. The detection limit of the probe for the target DNA was 8.72 µg/mL (1.38 µM), which was better than those attained by some earlier DNA sensor studies.     

Organometallic chiral Schiff base for enantio-selective fluorescent recognition of methionine

Herein, the synthesis and characterization of a novel chiral Schiff bases derived from ferrocene, coded as 3, have been reported. The sensing behavior of the synthesized compound has been examined towards the enantiomers of some amino acids (methionine, alanine, serine, histidine, and threonine) by spectrofluorimetric method. The fluorescence response of compound 3 showed noticeable enhancement upon addition of d-methionine compared to l-methionine and kept nearly linear correlation with the concentration of d-methionine. The value of enantiomeric fluorescence difference ratio (ef) has been determined to be 1.54 when d - and l- methionine amount is 100 times more than compound 3. The results showed that the compound 3 can be used as a sensor for enantio-selective recognition of d-methionine.     

Magnetocaloric and magnetoresistance properties in Co-based (Co0.402Fe0.201Ni0.067B0.227Si0.053Nb0.05)100−xCux (x=0–1) glassy alloys

The magnetocaloric and magnetoresistance properties of amorphous Co-based (Co_0.402Fe_0.201Ni_0.067B_0.227Si_0.053Nb_0.05)_100?xCu_x (x = 0, 0.5, 0.75 and 1) ribbons were investigated. Cu additions changed the crystallisation temperature (T_x) and the Curie temperature (T_C). The saturation magnetisation (M_s) and coercivity (H_c) for alloys were in the range of 65.51–38.49 emu/g and 1.99–6.84 A/m, respectively. Under an applied magnetic field change of 2.2 T, the (?ΔS_M)^max for (Co_0.402Fe_0.201Ni_0.067B_0.227Si_0.053Nb_0.05)_100?xCu_x with x = 0, 0.5, 0.75 and 1 are 0.77, 0.71, 0.89 and 0.67 Jkg^?1 K^?1, respectively. The values of refrigeration capacity (RC) for the as-spun glassy alloys are comparable with those of previously studied Fe-based metallic glasses such as Fe₈₀B₁₀Zr₉Cu₁, (Fe_0.76B_0.24)₉₆Nb₄ and Fe₈₂Ni₂Zr₆B₁₀. In addition, the maximum magnetoresistance (MR) values for (Co_0.402Fe_0.201Ni_0.067B_0.227Si_0.053Nb_0.05)_100?xCu_x with x = 0, 0.5, 0.75 and 1 are found to be 110, 38, 23 and 1% around the Curie temperatures under an applied magnetic field change of 1 T, respectively. With good RC, negligible hysteresis due to very low coercivity values and large magnetoresistance, these Co-based amorphous alloys can be used as the high temperature magnetic refrigerants and multifunctional applications working in the temperature range of 450–600 K.