Raman Scattering Enhancement Based on High-Pressure High-Temperature Diamonds†

Journal of Russian Laser Research - We discuss the use of high-pressure high-temperature (HPHT) diamonds for the determination of trace amounts of various Raman active substances. The amount of the...     

Characterization of H3PO4/HNO3–NANO2 oxidized bacterial cellulose and its usage as a carrier for the controlled release of cephalexin

Biocompatibility, biodegradation, good sorption characteristics, and unique structure of highly oxidized bacterial cellulose (OBC) are of great interest for the development of new drug delivery systems. In this study, OBC with 9.6, 13.0 and 19.5% carboxyl groups for 5, 20, and 48 h of synthesis, respectively, was successfully obtained using the HNO₃/H₃PO₄–NaNO₂. The results of morphological analysis showed that with an increase in the number of carboxyl groups, OBC fibers become thicker and rougher. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy showed the formation of carboxyl groups in the OBC after the oxidation reaction. The crystallinity of the samples according to X-Ray diffraction analysis decreased with increasing reaction time. The immobilization of cephalexin in the polymer matrix was studied in detail, it took 120 min to achieve balance in the solution with a concentration of 1 mg/ml, and the maximum amount of a sorbed antibiotic reached 43 mg/g. The drug release in vitro at 37 °C in PBS with pH 7.4 and 2.0 was prolonged. Various models were used to describe the release mechanism, the best of which was Ritger-Peppas with a diffusion exponent value ranging from 0.743 to 0.830, which explains the drug release mainly through non-Fickian diffusional release. The cephalexin-loaded OBC showed high antimicrobial activity against Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli and Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus. The structure and properties of the resulting highly oxidized cellulose make it an excellent candidate as a drug delivery carrier with prolonged antimicrobial drug release characteristics.

     

[2 + 2] Photodimerization of the acenaphthylene ruthenium complex [(C5Me4CH2OMe)Ru(η6-C12H8)]+

The [2 + 2] photodimerization of the complex [(C₅Me₄CH₂OMe)Ru(η⁶-C₁₂H₈)]⁺ under visible-light irradiation leads to a mixture of the head-to-head heptacyclene products [(μ-η⁶: η⁶-C₂₄H₁₆)Ru₂(C₅Me₄CH₂OMe)₂]²⁺ (syn- and anti-) with the predominant formation of the syn-isomer; the structures of both isomers were established by X-ray diffraction analysis.     

Synthesis of New Heteroatomic Podands from Ethyl 2-[(2-Aminophenylamino)Methylidene]-3-Oxoalkanoates and Thiophene-2,5-Dicarboxaldehyde

Condensation of two moles of ethyl 2-[(2-aminophenylamino)methylidene]-3-oxo-3-(polyfluoroalkyl)propionates with 2,5-thiophene-dicarboxaldehyde results in new heteroatomic podands. X-ray data showed that in the solid state these molecules arrange in two independent chelating fragments of b-amino enone type, thiophene fragment being a spacer.     

Ultrathin functional films of titanium(IV) oxide

Chemistry and physics of thin semiconducting layers of various types are subjects of intense research. Especially when nanotechnology methods such as self-assembly are involved, amazing structural and/or functional properties may appear. Also modern physical methods using variously organized plasma arrangements are able to produce uniform structures with distinctive functionality. In this review, based virtually on our own work, discussions on the preparation, structure, morphology, and function of titanium(IV) oxide nanoscopic thin films are presented. It was shown that structurally and functionally similar titanium(IV) oxide films can be prepared via completely different preparation techniques. Function tests were arranged as “primary”, covering the assessment of the light induced charge separation efficiency, and “secondary”, based on photocatalytic surface oxidations.