Caesium carbonate supported on hydroxyapatite‐encapsulated Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 nanocrystallites as a novel magnetically basic catalyst for the one‐pot synthesis of pyrazolo[1,2‐b]phthalazine‐5,10‐diones

A novel nanomagnetic basic catalyst of caesium carbonate supported on hydroxyapatite‐coated Ni_0.5Zn_0.5Fe₂O₄ magnetic nanoparticles (Ni_0.5Zn_0.5Fe₂O₄@HAP‐Cs₂CO₃) was prepared. This new catalyst was fully characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, transmission and scanning electron microscopy, X‐ray diffraction and vibrating sample magnetometry techniques, and then the catalytic activity of this catalyst was investigated in the synthesis of 1H‐pyrazolo[1,2‐b]phthalazine‐5,10‐dione derivatives. Also, Ni_0.5Zn_0.5Fe₂O₄@HAP‐Cs₂CO₃ could be reused at least five times without significant loss of activity and could be recovered easily by applying an external magnet. Thus, the developed nanomagnetic catalyst is potentially useful for the green and economic production of organic compounds. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

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.     

Formation of long range ordered arrangement of quantum dots with the help of lateral centripetal flow

A simple “chimney” method was used to eliminate the voids in an arrangement of quantum dots sized 2 nm on a solid substrate, which resulted in a large well ordered superlattice of area in the order more than 1 μm². Based on the principle of speeding up the interparticle interaction of nanoparticles to overcome the particle-substrate one, a lateral centripetal force originated from a glass tube acting as a chimney in a simple evaporation device is imposed. This method allows the packing process to be controlled in a mechanical force field, that is, with the same nanogold dispersion different patterns on a substrate—from separate dots to an ordered compact monolayer or even a multilayer structure—could be easily obtained.     

四苯硼钠-甲苯胺蓝缔合物纳米微粒体系减色效应研究

在PH4.0醋酸-醋酸钠介质中，甲苯胺蓝在600nm处有一个吸收峰，随着四苯硼钠浓度的增大甲苯胺蓝在600nm处吸收峰降低，颜色减弱，这是由于甲苯胺蓝-四苯硼钠缔合物分子间存在较强的疏水作用及分子间作用力，聚集形成纳米微粒所致，甲苯胺蓝-四苯硼钠纳米微粒体系亦在600mm处有1个吸收峰，在400mm、470mm和580mm处产生3共振散射峰，其中400mm和580mm为甲苯胺蓝-四苯硼钠复合纳米微粒产生的特征共振散射峰，这也表明有纳米微粒存在，丙酮浓度的影响实验结果等表明，纳米微粒的形成是产生其减色效应的原因。     

Target-triggered inhibiting oxidase-mimicking activity of platinum nanoparticles for ultrasensitive colorimetric detection of silver ion

The development of efficient methods for the detection of hazardous and toxic elements is extremely important for environmental security and public health. In this work, we developed a facile colorimetric assaying system for Ag⁺ detection in aqueous solution. Chitosan-stabilized platinum nanoparticles (Ch-PtNPs) were synthesized and severed as an artificial oxidase to catalyze the oxidation of the substrate 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) and generate color signal. In the presence of Ag⁺, due to the strong metallophilic interactions between Ag⁺ and Pt²⁺ on the surface of Ch-PtNPs, Ag⁺ can weaken the affinity to the substrates and inactivate the catalytic activity of Ch-PtNPs, leading to decreased absorbance signal to varying degrees depending on Ag⁺ amount. Combing the specific binding between Ch-PtNPs and Ag⁺ with signal amplification procedure based on the Ch-PtNPs-catalyzed TMB oxidation, a sensitive, selective, simple, cost-effective, and rapid detection method for Ag⁺ can be realized. Ag⁺ ions in tap and lake waters have been successfully detected. We ensured that the proposed method can be a potential alternative for Ag⁺ determination in environmental samples.     

Gold nanoparticle-enhanced surface plasmon resonance measurement with a highly sensitive quantification for human tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-2

Two different methods for the quantification of human tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-2 (TIMP-2) were developed using surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and gold nanoparticles for signal enhancement. The first method, a competitive assay, used TIMP-2 immobilized to the sensor surface and the inactive form of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (proMMP-2) (EC 3.4.24.24) adsorbed to gold nanoparticles. The sensor signals resulting from the interaction of MMP-2-gold nanoparticles with immobilized TIMP-2 were inversely proportional to the amounts of TIMP-2 of the sample. The measuring range for TIMP-2 was about 15–180 pM. The second method, a one-step sandwich assay, used proMMP-2 immobilized to the sensor surface and an anti-TIMP-2 monoclonal antibody coupled to gold nanoparticles. The lower detection limit of this assay format was 0.5 pM of TIMP-2. The binding signals were highly reproducible up to 100 pM of the inhibitor. The improvements obtained in TIMP-2 quantification over already existing tests could contribute to a better understanding and diagnosis of diseases like cancer.     

Ab initio and DFT studies on tautomerism of indazole in gaseous and aqueous phases

Electronic structure of optimized Ge₅, Ge₁₇, Ge₅–O and Ge₅ embedded in SiO₂ nanoparticles have been studied by density functional theory to find out the effect of cluster size and Ge–O bond(s) on the optical energy gap between LUMO and HOMO. It was found that the optical energy gap depends on both cluster size and the number of Ge–O bonds nonlinearly. The optical energy gap was found to be in visible light range when the Ge₅ nanoparticle has been embedded in SiO₂ matrix.     

In Situ Processing of Nano Crystalline Oxide Particles/Polymer Hybrid

Nano sized crystalline particles/polymer hybrids were synthesized form designed metal-organic precursors. The newly developed method is composed of the synthesis of organic matrix by polymerization and the in situ nucleation and growth of crystalline oxide particles in the organic matrix below 100°C. The design of metal-organic precursor modified with polymerizable ligand and the selection of reaction conditions does influence the size and crystallinity of ceramic particles in organic matrix. The nano-sized magnetic particle/polymer hybrid exhibits the interesting feature of superparamagnetism and quantum size effect. The crystalline particles of BaTiO₃/, PbTiO₃/, and KNbO₃/polymer hybrids behave to be dielectric and show the typical electro-rheological behavior.     

Electrooxidation Mechanism of Methanol at Pt-Ru Catalyst Modified GC Electrode in Electrolytes with Different pH Using Electrochemical and SERS Techniques

The electrochemical and in-situ surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy （SERS） techniques were used to investigate the electrooxidation behavior of methanol in acidic, neutral and alkaline media at a Pt-Ru nanoparticle modified glassy carbon （Pt-Ru/GC） electrode. The results showed that methanol could be dissociated spontaneously at the Pt-Ru/GC electrode to produce a strongly adsorbed intermediate, CO. It was found that CO could be oxidized more easily in the alkaline medium than in the acidic and neutral media. The peak potential of methanol oxidation was shifted from 0.663 and 0.708 V in the acidic and neutral media to -0.030 V in the alkaline medium, which is due to that the adsorption strength of CO on the Pt surface in the alkaline medium is weaker than that in the acidic and neutral media. The final product of the methanol oxidation is CO2. However, in the alkaline medium, CO2 produced would form CO3^2- and HCO3^- resulting in the decrease in the alkaline concentration and then in the decrease in the performance of DMFC. Therefore, the performance of the alkaline DMFC is not Stable.     

Norvancomycin-capped silver nanoparticles: Synthesis and antibacterial activities against E. coli

The synthesis of norvancomycin (NVan)-capped silver nanoparticles (Ag@NVan) and their notable in vitro antibacterial activities against E. coli, a Gram-negative bacterial strain (GNB), are reported here. Mercaptoacetic acid-stabilized spherical silver nanoparticles with a diameter of 16±4 nm are prepared by a simple chemical reaction. The formation process of the silver nanoparticles is investigated by UV-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). NVan is then grafted to the terminal carboxyl of the mercaptoacetic acid in the presence of N-(3-Dimethylaminopropyl)-N′-ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride (EDAC). The TEM images of single bacteria treated with Ag@NVan show that plenty of Ag@NVan aggregate in the cell wall of E. coli. A possible antibacterial mechanism is proposed that silver nanoparticles may help destroy the stability of the outer membrane of E. coli, which makes NVan easier to bind to the nether part of the peptidoglycan structure. The antibacterial activities of silver nanoparticles on their own, together with the rigid polyvalent interaction between Ag@NVan and cell wall, enables Ag@NVan to be an effective inhibitor of GNB. This kind of bionanocomposites might be used as novel bactericidal materials and we also provide an effective synthesis method for preparing functional bioconjugated nanoparticles here. Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 50373036) and Fok Ying Tung Education Foundation (Grant No. J20040212)