Activity of microemulsion-based nanoparticles at the human bio-nano interface: concentration-dependent effects on thrombosis and hemolysis in whole blood

Background: Although microemulsion-based nanoparticles (MEs) may be useful for drug delivery or scavenging, these benefits must be balanced against potential nanotoxicological effects in biological tissue (bio-nano interface). We investigated the actions of assembled MEs and their individual components at the bio-nano interface of thrombosis and hemolysis in human blood. Methods: Oil-in-water MEs were synthesized using ethylbutyrate, sodium caprylate, and pluronic F-68 (ME4) or F-127 (ME6) in 0.9% NaCl_w/v. The effects of MEs or components on thrombosis were determined using thrombo-elastography, platelet contractile force, clot elastic modulus, and platelet counting. For hemolysis, ME or components were incubated with erythrocytes, centrifuged, and washed for measurement of free hemoglobin by spectroscopy. Results and conclusions: The mean particle diameters (polydispersity index) for ME6 and ME4 were 23.6 ± 2.5 nm (0.362) and 14.0 ± 1.0 nm (0.008), respectively. MEs (0, 0.03, 0.3, 3 mM) markedly reduced the thromboelastograph maximal amplitude in a concentration-dependent manner (49.0 ± 4.2, 39.0 ± 5.6, 15.0 ± 8.7, 3.8 ± 1.3 mm, respectively), an effect highly correlated (r2 = 0.94) with similar changes caused by pluronic surfactants (48.7 ± 10.9, 30.7 ± 15.8, 20.0 ± 11.3, 2.0 ± 0.5) alone. Neither oil nor sodium caprylate alone affected the thromboelastograph. The clot contractile force was reduced by ME (27.3 ± 11.1–6.7 ± 3.4 kdynes/cm², P = 0.02, n = 5) whereas the platelet population not affected (175 ± 28–182 ± 23 10⁶/ml, P = 0.12, n = 6). This data suggests that MEs reduced platelet activity due to associated pluronic surfactants, but caused minimal changes in protein function necessary for coagulation. Although pharmacological concentrations of sodium caprylate caused hemolysis (EC₅₀ = 213 mM), MEs and pluronic surfactants did not disrupt erythrocytes. Knowledge of nanoparticle activity and potential associated nanotoxicity at this bio-nano interface enables rational ME design for in vivo applications.     

Characterization of Metallo Bis(terpyridine) Diblock Polymers by Nonaqueous Capillary Zone Electrophoresis

A method of nonaqueous capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) has been developed to characterize block (co)polymers of poly(ethylene oxide) and poly(styrene) containing metallo bis(terpyridine) complexes as bridging units. Specific CZE separation conditions had to be applied, with barium perchlorate dissolved in N-methylformamide (NMF) as background electrolyte and OV-1701-OH deactivated capillaries. For detection UV absorption was measured at a wavelength of 316 nm. Metallo diblock polymers with molecular weights up to 30,000 Da could be analyzed by the proposed nonaqueous CZE method. Experiments performed with polymeric compounds containing Fe, Ni or Ru as central metal ions showed that their electrophoretic mobilities were independent of the type of metal ion. Therefore, the data on the size of the polymeric compounds could be obtained using just one set of calibration standards. Polydispersities of the samples calculated from the experimental results were in correlation with the polydispersities of the polymers used in the synthesis of the metallo diblock polymers. Several polymeric samples contained metallo mono(terpyridine) complexes as impurities. These by-products could be separated from the main product. With symmetrical diblock polymers only one by-product was detected, while with an asymmetric diblock polymer two types of mono-complexes were found. The amount of the mono-complexes present as impurities was dependent on the type of central metal ion (Ni > Fe >> Ru).     

Sterically stabilized emulsion polymerization of styrene: Pseudo‐semicontinuous approach

The sterically stabilized emulsion polymerization of styrene initiated by a water‐soluble initiator at different temperatures has been investigated. The rate of polymerization (R_p) versus conversion curve shows the two non‐stationary‐rate intervals typical for the polymerization proceeding under non‐stationary‐state conditions. The shape of the R_p versus conversion curve results from two opposite effects—the increased number of particles and the decreased monomer concentration at reaction loci as the polymerization advances. At elevated temperatures the monomer emulsion equilibrates to a two‐phase or three‐phase system. The upper phase is transparent (monomer), and the lower one is blue colored, typical for microemulsion. After stirring such a multiphase system and initiation of polymerization, the initial coarse polymer emulsion was formed. The average size of monomer/polymer particles strongly decreased up to about 40% conversion and then leveled off. The initial large particles are assumed to be highly monomer‐swollen particles formed by the heteroagglomeration of unstable polymer particles and monomer droplets. The size of the “highly monomer” swollen particles continuously decreases with conversion, and they merge with the growing particles at about 40–50% conversion. The monomer droplets and/or large highly monomer‐swollen polymer particles also serve as a reservoir of monomer and emulsifier. The continuous release of nonionic (hydrophobic) emulsifier from the monomer phase increases the colloidal stability of primary particles and the number of polymer particles, that is, the particle nucleation is shifted to the higher conversion region. Variations of the square and cube of the mean droplet radius with aging time indicate that neither the coalescence nor the Ostwald ripening is the main driving force for the droplet instability. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 804–820, 2003     

水性涂料用聚丙烯酸酯微乳液的合成及其表征

低污染、低能耗的乳液涂料在建筑涂料中得到了广泛应用,具有核壳结构的聚合物乳液对胶膜的力学性能有较大的改善[1],微米(或纳米)级乳液具有优异的成膜性能,两者均是近年来高分子材料科学中发展十分迅速的新领域[2]。但微乳液聚合时乳化剂用量大,单体含量少。本文采用阴非离子复合乳化剂体系,单体预乳化工艺,种子乳液聚合法,通过正交实验优化聚合工艺参数及体系配方,合成了纳米级聚丙烯酸酯微乳液。并对乳液聚合物的粒径及分布、热性能、分子量及分布、结构等进行了表征。1　实验部分1 1　主要原料及乳液表征苯乙烯(St)、甲基丙烯酸甲…     

超细Sr2CeO4 粉体微乳液-高温法制备条件的正交试验及其发光性能研究

本文首先利用正交试验确定了微乳液-高温法合成蓝色发光Sr₂CeO₄超细粉体的最佳制备条件。接着研究了最佳条件下制备的Sr₂CeO₄超细粉体的性能。场发射扫描电镜(FE-SEM)显示，在850 ℃、900 ℃、1 000 ℃或者更高温度下退火4 h制备的粉体的形状分别呈球状、梭状和球状，平均粒径分别在100 nm左右和1 μm以内。X射线粉末衍射数据分析表明，该超细粉体属于正交晶系。室温下的光致发光光谱显示，该粉体的激发光谱有3个激发峰，主峰分别位于262 nm、281 nm和341 nm，而其发射光谱只呈现出1个发射峰，主峰位于约470 nm。与高温固相制备方法相比，微乳液-高温法可以在较低温度下制备出超细的粉体，而且它不但在262 nm处出现了一个新的激发峰，主激发峰和发射峰的位置也分别蓝移了大约30 nm和12 nm。     

棒状钡铁氧体的反相微乳法制备

A rodlike barium ferrite precursor with an average size of 0.72～19.6 μm and aspect ratio of 2.6～8.3 has been successfully prepared in an inverse microemulsion consisting of isooctane, cetanyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB), n-C₄H₉OH and water with ammonia and ammonium oxalate as precipitants. On sintering at 780(C, the rodlike precursor particles could be transformed into rodlike particles of barium ferrite(BaFe₁₂O₁₉) with the average size and aspect ratio of 0.69～18.2 μm and 2.3～5.8, respectively. The effect of volume ratio of aqueous phase to oleic phase, the starting concentrations of metal ions and the starting concentration ratios of metal ions to precipitants were investigated.     

增敏双波长光度法同时测定底泥中的铜和铬

在pH6．4的磷酸二氢钾-磷酸氢二钾缓冲液和CIMAJB、正丁醇、正庚烷组成的微乳液的介质中，水杨基荧光酮与铜（Ⅱ）、铬（Ⅵ）的显色体系灵敏度都有很大提高，选择了合适的测定波长，利用双波长解方程组法同时测定了底泥中的铜和铬。结果令人满意。     

微乳液增敏光度法测定中草药中微量硒

研究了在非离子微乳液介质中,硫氰酸盐罗丹明B 明胶体系分光光度法测定微量硒的方法。实验表明,当微乳液组成为V(OP乳化剂) +V(正戊醇) +V(正庚烷) +V(水) =1 5 0 +0 1 1+0 41 +97 98时,体系的表观摩尔吸收系数达1 3 0 1×1 0 6 L·mol- 1·cm- 1,灵敏度比在OP溶液中有显著提高,使该法成为少有的超高灵敏度测定硒的光度法之一。Se (Ⅳ)含量在0～0 0 5 μg·mL- 1范围内符合比耳定律,对0 0 2 μg·mL- 1Se(Ⅳ)平行测定1 1次,测得相对标准偏差为0 945 %。应用于中草药中微量硒的测定结果令人满意     

Selenium Nanoparticles Prepared from Reverse Microemulsion Process

Selenium nanoparticles were prepared by a reverse microemulsion system. Sodium selenosulfate was used as selenium source. The results showed that hydrochloric acid concentration and reaction temperature had great influence on the morphology of products. The crystalline selenium nanowires and amorphous selenium nanorods were obtained in given condition.     

A hybrid nonaqueous electrochemical supercapacitor using nano-sized iron oxyhydroxide and activated carbon

A beta-iron oxyhydroxide (FeOOH) was synthesized via a hydrolyzing route and investigated as a lithium intercalation host. It delivers a capacity of about 170 mAh/g and exhibits good cycling performance when charged/discharged in the voltage range from 1.6 V to 3.3 V. For the first time we have confirmed that FeOOH is suitable for using it as a negative electrode for hybrid electrochemical supercapacitor assembled with an activated carbon positive electrode in 1.0 M LiPF₆ ethylene carbonate/dimethyl carbonate (EC/DMC, 1:2 in volume) solution. The cell reveals a slightly sloping voltage profile from 0 V to 2.8 V and gives an estimated specific energy of 45 Wh/kg based on the total weight of two electrode materials, approximately two times of carbon/carbon electrochemical double layer capacitors. The hybrid supercapacitor shows a good cycling performance, it remains approximately 96% of initial capacity after 800 cycles at a charge/discharge rate of 4 C. The capacitor also shows a desirable rate capability, even at 10 C discharge rate, it holds 80% of capacity compared with that at 1 C discharge rate.