Preparation of ZnO Nanoparticles: Structural Study of the Molecular Precursor

The structure of zinc acetate derived precursor currently used in the sol-gel synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles is described. The reaction products obtained before and after reflux of ethanolic zinc acetate solution have been studied by UV-Vis, photoluminescence, FTIR and EXAFS at the Zn K edge. EXAFS results evidence for both precursor solutions a change from the octahedral coordination sphere of oxygen atoms characteristic of the solid zinc acetate dihydrate compound into a four-fold environment. The EXAFS spectra of precursor solutions can be satisfactorily reproduced using the molecular structure reported for Zn₄O(Ac)₆ (Ac = COOCH₃). UV-Vis and FTIR measurements are also in agreement with the formation of this oligomeric precursor. The structural modification is more pronounced after reflux at 80°C, because the increase of the Zn₄O(Ac)₆ amount and the formation of nearly 3.0 nm sized ZnO nanoparticle.     

A study of carboxylic-modified mesoporous silica in controlled delivery for drug famotidine

A series of pure silica MSU and carboxylic-modified MSU materials were prepared. The formation of mesoporous silica materials with terminal carboxylic groups on pore surface was performed by the acid-catalyzed hydrolysis of cyano to carboxylic. Then their potential applications in controlled drug delivery carriers were investigated. Drug famotidine was selected as a model molecule out of the consideration of the terminal amino groups in its molecule. The adsorption experiments show significant adsorption of famotidine on the carboxylic-modified MSU materials. And, the functionalization level of carboxylic groups has been found to be the key factor affecting the adsorption capacities of the modified MSU materials for famotidine. Subsequently, three kinds of release fluids, including simulated gastric medium, simulated intestinal medium, and simulated body fluid, were used to test the famotidine release rate from the carboxylic-modified MSU material. Obvious delayed effect has been observed for the famotidine release from the carboxylic-modified mesoporous silica material under the in vitro assays.     

Polymer-protected palladium nanoparticles. Morphologies and catalytic selectivities

Colloidal palladium nanocatalysts prepared by in situ reductions of palladium chloride were immobilized and protected by either of two water-soluble polymers. The particle sizes and size distributions of the palladium colloids were determined by transmission electron microscopy. Their selectivities as catalysts were determined by comparing the extents of hydrogenation of carefully chosen pairs of small-molecule olefins. There was found to be high hydrogenation selectivity with regard to cyclic vs. noncyclic olefins. Selectivity was relatively low, however, among olefins that differed only in size (such as hexene vs. octene), or olefins differing only with regard to the positions of the double bonds (such as 1-octene vs. 3-octene). Selectivity could be improved by careful choice of the immobilizing polymer, and by its use at relatively high concentrations.     

Silver nanoparticles dispersed within amphiphilic star-block copolymers as templates for plasmon band materials

Formation of silver nanoparticles has been developed based on a template technique. Amphiphilic star-block copolymers employed as single molecule template, utilizing the coordination of Ag⁺ ions with carboxyl groups in the core of the star-block copolymer. Silver nanoparticles have been prepared by the addition of chemical reductant, e.g., NaBH₄. The solution of the resultant nanosphere composites showed yellow due to the surface plasmon resonance. These composites were soluble in organic solvents, because hydrophobic corona of the star-block copolymer protected the fabricated silver nanoparticles from aggregation.     

Determination of binding constants and stoichiometries for platinum anticancer drugs and serum transport proteins by capillary electrophoresis using the Hummel-Dreyer method

A CE method has been developed to evidence and quantitatively characterize the interaction between platinum-based antitumor drugs and human serum proteins. This method is a variant of affinity CE modified regarding both experimental setup and data treatment so as to measure the peaks (or vacancies) that correspond to the bound drug when it slowly binds to the protein. Using the formalism of the Hummel-Dreyer method and cisplatin and oxaliplatin as test compounds, a protocol for determining albumin and transferrin binding constants and stoichiometries, including (and distinguished by) 48 hours of incubation of the reaction mixture, was elaborated. Relative affinities of drugs toward different proteins in aqueous solution at physiological pH, chloride concentration, and temperature were compared in terms of overall binding constants and numbers of drug molecules attached to the protein. The results indicate that both platinum drugs bind to albumin more strongly than to transferrin, supporting the concept that the albumin fraction is a major drug supply route for chemotherapeutical needs. From a comparison with the binding parameters measured previously for cisplatin by other methods, conclusions were drawn about the validity of CE as a simple and convenient method for assaying protein-drug reactions with slow kinetics.     

溶剂热法制备纳米氧化镍及其表征

以乙酰丙酮镍、油酸、油胺为原料，十八烯为溶剂，聚乙烯吡咯烷酮为表面活性剂，采用溶剂热法，在不同反应条件制备了纳米级氧化镍材料.通过X射线衍射（X-ray diffraction，XRD）、透射电子显微镜（Transmission electron microscope，TEM）、紫外-可见光吸收光谱（Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy，UV-Vis）光谱分析以及塔菲尔（Tafel）测试考察了反应物比例、保温时间、表面活性剂（PVP）、油胺的量对产物微结构、粒径、形貌、光学以及电化学活性性能的影响.实验结果表明：在反应物n[Ni（acac）₂]∶n（OA）=1∶2、添加剂PVP质量分数为1.66%、油胺物质的量为30 mmol、200℃下保温8 h时，可获得粒径约为30～40 nm纯相氧化镍，具有最佳电化学活性，交换电流密度为J₀=1.23×10^-2 mA·cm^-2.     

含金属纳米粒子的层层自组装及单壁碳纳米管的催化生长

利用层间的静电吸附作用，重氮树脂和不同种类的含金属纳米粒子被依次吸附到硅片表面形成层层自组装膜。通过改变自组装膜的层数可以控制纳米粒子在表面吸附的量，同时利用重氮树脂的光敏特性可以实现纳米粒子在表面的图案化排布。以这些纳米粒子为催化剂，研究了单壁碳纳米管在硅片表面的化学气相沉积生长。     

基于前景理论的药品质量安全监管演化博弈分析

现有药品质量安全监管的相关研究多从理性假设出发探讨政府与企业的互动机理,鲜有考虑企业质量安全意识的有限理性,导致模型对现实的解释能力不足。运用前景理论,通过价值函数和权重函数构建演化博弈的收益前景矩阵,研究了政府和药品生产企业的博弈过程,得到了影响企业质量安全意识的约束条件及因素。同时,研究了上市许可持有人质量激励、惩罚机制对药品生产企业质量安全意识的影响。研究结果表明:过度自信、风险偏好等是影响企业质量安全意识的重要因素;上市许可持有人的质量激励与惩罚能否发挥作用取决于企业的风险态度;在质量激励、惩罚条件下,上市许可持有人需加大监督或惩罚力度来改善企业的质量安全意识。     

A genetic algorithm for the automated generation of molecules within constraints

Summary A genetic algorithm has been designed which generates molecular structures within constraints. The constraints may be any useful function, for example an enzyme active site, a pharmacophore or molecular properties from pattern recognition or rule-induction analyses. The starting point may be random or may utilise known molecules. These are modified to grow into families of structures which, using the evolutionary operators of selection, crossover and mutation evolve to better fit the constraints. The basis of the algorithm is described together with some applications in lead generation, 3D database construction and drug design. Genetic algorithms of this type may have wider applications in chemistry, for example in the design and optimisation of new polymers, materials (e.g. superconducting materials) or synthetic enzymes.