Sample records for nanoparticles modified glassy

  1. Amperometric sensing of hydrogen peroxide using glassy carbon electrode modified with copper nanoparticles

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Sophia, J.; Muralidharan, G., E-mail: muraligru@gmail.com

    2015-10-15

    In this paper, fabrication of glassy carbon electrode (GCE) modified with nano copper particles is discussed. The modified electrode has been tested for the non-enzymatic electrochemical detection of hydrogen peroxide (H{sub 2}O{sub 2}). The copper nanoparticles (Cu NPs) were prepared employing a simple chemical reduction method. The presence of Cu NPs was confirmed through UV–visible (UV–vis) absorption spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The size and morphology of the particles were investigated using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The electrochemical properties of the fabricated sensor were studied via cyclic voltammetry (CV), chronoamperometry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The electrochemical sensor displayedmore » excellent performance features towards H{sub 2}O{sub 2} detection exhibiting wide linear range, low detection limit, swift response time, good reproducibility and stability.« less

  2. Impedimetric PSA aptasensor based on the use of a glassy carbon electrode modified with titanium oxide nanoparticles and silk fibroin nanofibers.

    PubMed

    Benvidi, Ali; Banaei, Maryam; Tezerjani, Marzieh Dehghan; Molahosseini, Hosein; Jahanbani, Shahriar

    2017-12-14

    This article describes an impedimetric aptasensor for the prostate specific antigen (PSA), a widely accepted prostate cancer biomarker. A glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was modified with titanium oxide nanoparticles (TiO 2 ) and silk fibroin nanofiber (SF) composite. The aptasensor was obtained by immobilizing a PSA-binding aptamer on the AuNP-modified with 6-mercapto-1-hexanol. The single fabrication steps were characterized by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The assay has two linear response ranges (from 2.5 fg.mL -1 to 25 pg.mL -1 , and from 25 pg.mL -1 to 25 ng.mL -1 ) and a 0.8 fg.mL -1 detection limit. After optimization of experimental conditions, the sensor is highly selective for PSA over bovine serum albumin and lysozyme. It was successfully applied to the detection of PSA in spiked serum samples. Graphical abstract Schematic of the fabrication of an aptasensor for the prostate specific antigen (PSA). It is based on the use of a glassy carbon electrode modified with gold nanoparticles and titanium oxide-silk fibroin. The immobilization process of aptamer and interaction with PSA were followed by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy technique.

  3. The Enhanced Photo-Electrochemical Detection of Uric Acid on Au Nanoparticles Modified Glassy Carbon Electrode

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shi, Yuting; Wang, Jin; Li, Shumin; Yan, Bo; Xu, Hui; Zhang, Ke; Du, Yukou

    2017-07-01

    In this work, a sensitive and novel method for determining uric acid (UA) has been developed, in which the glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was modified with electrodeposition Au nanoparticles and used to monitor the concentration of UA with the assistant of visible light illumination. The morphology of the Au nanoparticles deposited on GCE surface were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and the nanoparticles were found to be well-dispersed spheres with the average diameter approaching 26.1 nm. A series of cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) measurements have revealed that the introduction of visible light can greatly enhance both the strength and stability of response current due to the surface plasmon resonance (SPR). Specifically, the DPV showed a linear relationship between peak current and UA concentration in the range of 2.8 to 57.5 μM with the equation of I pa (μA) = 0.0121 c UA (μM) + 0.3122 ( R 2 = 0.9987). Herein, the visible light illuminated Au/GCE possesses a potential to be a sensitive electrochemical sensor in the future.

  4. Electrochemical synthesis of gold nanoparticles on the surface of multi-walled carbon nanotubes with glassy carbon electrode and their application

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Song, Y. Z.; Li, X.; Song, Y.; Cheng, Z. P.; Zhong, H.; Xu, J. M.; Lu, J. S.; Wei, C. G.; Zhu, A. F.; Wu, F. Y.; Xu, J.

    2013-01-01

    Gold nanoparticles on the surface of multi-walled carbon nanotubes with glassy carbon electrode were prepared using electrochemical synthesis method. The thin films of gold Nanoparticles/multi-walled carbon nanotubes were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, and cyclic voltammetry. Electrochemical behavior of adrenaline hydrochloride at gold nanoparticles/multi-walled carbon nanotube modified glassy carbon electrode was investigated. A simple, sensitive, and inexpensive method for determination of adrenaline hydrochloride was proposed.

  5. Ultrasensitive Determination of Piroxicam at Diflunisal-Derived Gold Nanoparticle-Modified Glassy Carbon Electrode

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shaikh, Tayyaba; uddin, SiraJ; Talpur, Farah N.; Khaskeli, Abdul R.; Agheem, Muhammad H.; Shah, Muhammad R.; Sherazi, Tufail H.; Siddiqui, Samia

    2017-10-01

    We present a simple and green approach for synthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNps) using analgesic drug diflunisal (DF) as capping and stabilizing agent in aqueous solution. Characterization of the synthesized diflunisal-derived gold nanoparticles (DF-AuNps) was performed by ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, revealing the surface plasmon absorption band at 520 nm under optimized experimental conditions. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy established the effective interaction of the capping agent with the AuNps. Topographical features of the synthesized DF-AuNps were assessed by atomic force microscopy (AFM), revealing average particle height of 29 nm to 32 nm. X-ray diffractometry was used to study the crystalline nature, revealing that the synthesized DF-AuNps possessed excellent crystalline properties. The synthesized DF-AuNps were employed to modify the surface of glassy carbon electrode (GCE) for selective determination of piroxicam (PX) using differential pulse voltammetry technique. The fabricated Nafion/DF-AuNps/GCE sensor exhibited high sensitivity compared with bare GCE. The current response of the fabricated sensor was found to be linear in the PX concentration range of 0.5 μM to 50 μM, with limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) of 50 nM and 150 nM, respectively. The proposed sensor was successfully utilized for sensitive and rapid determination of PX in human serum, urine, and pharmaceutical samples.

  6. Amperometric ascorbic acid sensor based on doped ferrites nanoparticles modified glassy carbon paste electrode.

    PubMed

    Dimitrijević, Teodora; Vulić, Predrag; Manojlović, Dragan; Nikolić, Aleksandar S; Stanković, Dalibor M

    2016-07-01

    In this study, a novel electrochemical sensor for quantification of ascorbic acid with amperometric detection in physiological conditions was constructed. For this purpose, cobalt and nickel ferrites were synthesized using microwave and ultrasound assistance, characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), and used for modification of glassy carbon paste electrode (GCPE). It was shown that introducing these nanoparticles to the structure of GCPE led to increasing analytical performance. Co ferrite modified GCPE (CoFeGCPE) showed better characteristics toward ascorbic acid sensing. The limit of detection (LOD) obtained by sensor was calculated to be 0.0270 mg/L, with linear range from 0.1758 to 2.6010 mg/L. This sensor was successfully applied for practical analysis, and the obtained results demonstrated that the proposed procedure could be a promising replacement for the conventional electrode materials and time-consuming and expensive separation methods. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. SiC nanoparticles-modified glassy carbon electrodes for simultaneous determination of purine and pyrimidine DNA bases.

    PubMed

    Ghavami, Raouf; Salimi, Abdollah; Navaee, Aso

    2011-05-15

    For the first time a novel and simple electrochemical method was used for simultaneous detection of DNA bases (guanine, adenine, thymine and cytosine) without any pretreatment or separation process. Glassy carbon electrode modified with silicon carbide nanoparticles (SiCNP/GC), have been used for electrocatalytic oxidation of purine (guanine and adenine) and pyrimidine bases (thymine and cytosine) nucleotides. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques were used to examine the structure of the SiCNP/GC modified electrode. The modified electrode shows excellent electrocatalytic activity toward guanine, adenine, thymine and cytosine. Differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) was proposed for simultaneous determination of four DNA bases. The effects of different parameters such as the thickness of SiC layer, pulse amplitude, scan rate, supporting electrolyte composition and pH were optimized to obtain the best peak potential separation and higher sensitivity. Detection limit, sensitivity and linear concentration range of the modified electrode toward proposed analytes were calculated for, guanine, adenine, thymine and cytosine, respectively. As shown this sensor can be used for nanomolar or micromolar detection of different DNA bases simultaneously or individually. This sensor also exhibits good stability, reproducibility and long lifetime. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. An amperometric hydrogen peroxide biosensor based on Co3O4 nanoparticles and multiwalled carbon nanotube modified glassy carbon electrode

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kaçar, Ceren; Dalkiran, Berna; Erden, Pınar Esra; Kiliç, Esma

    2014-08-01

    In this work a new type of hydrogen peroxide biosensor was fabricated based on the immobilization of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) by cross-linking on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) modified with Co3O4 nanoparticles, multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and gelatin. The introduction of MWCNTs and Co3O4 nanoparticles not only enhanced the surface area of the modified electrode for enzyme immobilization but also facilitated the electron transfer rate, resulting in a high sensitivity of the biosensor. The fabrication process of the sensing surface was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Amperometric detection of hydrogen peroxide was investigated by holding the modified electrode at -0.30 V (vs. Ag/AgCl). The biosensor showed optimum response within 5 s at pH 7.0. The optimized biosensor showed linear response range of 7.4 × 10-7-1.9 × 10-5 M with a detection limit of 7.4 × 10-7. The applicability of the purposed biosensor was tested by detecting hydrogen peroxide in disinfector samples. The average recovery was calculated as 100.78 ± 0.89.

  9. A novel enzymatic glucose sensor based on Pt nanoparticles-decorated hollow carbon spheres-modified glassy carbon electrode

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Luhana, Charles; Bo, Xiang-Jie; Ju, Jian; Guo, Li-Ping

    2012-10-01

    A new glucose biosensor was developed based on hollow carbon spheres decorated with platinum nanoparticles (Pt/HCSs)-modified glassy carbon electrode immobilized with glucose oxidase (GOx) with the help of Nafion. The Pt nanoparticles were well dispersed on the HCSs with an average size of 2.29 nm. The detection of glucose was achieved via electrochemical detection of the enzymatically liberated H2O2 at +0.5 V versus Ag/AgCl at physiologic pH of 7.4. The Pt/HCSs-modified electrode exhibited excellent electrocatalytic activities toward both the oxidation and reduction of H2O2. The glucose biosensor showed good electrocatalytic performance in terms of high sensitivity (4.1 μA mM-1), low detection limit (1.8 μM), fast response time <3 s, and wide linear range (0.04-8.62 mM). The apparent Michaelis-Menten constant ( K m) and the maximum current density ( i max) values for the biosensor were 10.94 mM and 887 μA cm-2 respectively. Furthermore, this biosensor showed an acceptable reproducibility and high stability. The interfering signals from ascorbic acid and uric acid at concentration levels normally found in human blood were not much compared with the response to glucose. Blood serum samples were also tested with this biosensor and a good recovery was achieved for the two spiked serum samples.

  10. para-Sulfonatocalix[6]arene-modified silver nanoparticles electrodeposited on glassy carbon electrode: preparation and electrochemical sensing of methyl parathion.

    PubMed

    Bian, Yinghui; Li, Chunya; Li, Haibing

    2010-05-15

    In this paper, a new electrochemical sensor, based on modified silver nanoparticles, was fabricated using one-step electrodeposition approach. The para-sulfonatocalix[6]arene-modified silver nanoparticles coated on glassy carbon electrode (pSC(6)-Ag NPs/GCE) was characterized by attenuated total reflection IR spectroscopy (ATR-IR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), etc. The pSC(6) as the host are highly efficient to capture organophosphates (OPs), which dramatically facilitates the enrichment of nitroaromatic OPs onto the electrochemical sensor surface. The combination of the host-guest supramolecular structure and the excellent electrochemical catalytic activities of the pSC(6)-Ag NPs/GCE provides a fast, simple, and sensitive electrochemical method for detecting nitroaromatic OPs. In this work, methyl parathion (MP) was used as a nitroaromatic OP model for testing the proposed sensor. In comparison with Ag NPs-modified electrode, the cathodic peak current of MP was amplified significantly. Differential pulse voltammetry was used for the simultaneous determination of MP. Under optimum conditions, the current increased linearly with the increasing concentration of MP in the range of 0.01-80microM, with a detection limit of 4.0nM (S/N=3). The fabrication reproducibility and stability of the sensor is better than that of enzyme-based electrodes. The possible underlying mechanism is discussed.

  11. Fabrication, characterisation and voltammetric studies of gold amalgam nanoparticle modified electrodes.

    PubMed

    Welch, Christine M; Nekrassova, Olga; Dai, Xuan; Hyde, Michael E; Compton, Richard G

    2004-09-20

    The tabrication, characterisation, and electroanalytical application of gold and gold amalgam nanoparticles on glassy carbon electrodes is examined. Once the deposition parameters for gold nanoparticle electrodes were optimised, the analytical utility of the electrodes was examined in CrIII electroanalysis. It was found that gold nanoparticle modified (Au-NM) electrodes possess higher sensitivity than gold macroelectrodes. In addition, gold amalgam nanoparticle modified (AuHg-NM) electrodes were fabricated and characterised. The response of those electrodes was recorded in the presence of important environmental analytes (heavy metal cations). It was found AuHg-NM electrodes demonstrate a unique voltammetric behaviour and can be applied for electroanalysis when enhanced sensitivity is crucial.

  12. Gold nanoparticles embedded electropolymerized thin film of pyrimidine derivative on glassy carbon electrode for highly sensitive detection of l-cysteine.

    PubMed

    Kannan, Ayyadurai; Sevvel, Ranganathan

    2017-09-01

    This paper demonstrates the fabrication of novel gold nanoparticles incorporated poly (4-amino-6-hydroxy-2-mercaptopyrimidine) (Nano-Au/Poly-AHMP) film modified glassy carbon electrode and it is employed for highly sensitive detection of l-cysteine (CYS). The modified electrode was characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). SEM images of modified electrode revealed the homogeneous distribution of gold nanoparticles on poly (4-amino-6-hydroxy-2-mercaptopyrimidine) thin film modified glassy carbon electrode. The modified electrode was successfully utilized for highly selective and sensitive determination of l-cysteine at physiological pH7.0. The present electrochemical sensor successfully resolved the voltammetric signals of ascorbic acid (AA) and l-cysteine with peak separation of 0.510V. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of larger peak separation between AA and CYS. Wide linear concentration ranges (2μM-500μM), low detection limit (0.020μM), an excellent reproducibility and stability are achieved for cysteine sensing with this Nano-Au/Poly-AHMP/GCE. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Hydrogen peroxide biosensor based on hemoglobin immobilized at graphene, flower-like zinc oxide, and gold nanoparticles nanocomposite modified glassy carbon electrode.

    PubMed

    Xie, Lingling; Xu, Yuandong; Cao, Xiaoyu

    2013-07-01

    In this work, a highly sensitive hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) biosensor based on immobilization of hemoglobin (Hb) at Au nanoparticles (AuNPs)/flower-like zinc oxide/graphene (AuNPs/ZnO/Gr) composite modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was constructed, where ZnO and Au nanoparticles were modified through layer-by-layer onto Gr/GCE. Flower-like ZnO nanoparticles could be easily prepared by adding ethanol to the precursor solution having higher concentration of hydroxide ions. The Hb/AuNPs/ZnO/Gr composite film showed a pair of well-defined, quasi-reversible redox peaks with a formal potential (E(0)) of -0.367 V, characteristic features of heme redox couple of Hb. The electron transfer rate constant (k(s)) of immobilized Hb was 1.3 s(-1). The developed biosensor showed a very fast response (<2 s) toward H2O2 with good sensitivity, wide linear range, and low detection limit of 0.8 μM. The fabricated biosensor showed interesting features, including high selectivity, acceptable stability, good reproducibility, and repeatability along with excellent conductivity, facile electron mobility of Gr, and good biocompatibility of ZnO and AuNPs. The fabrication method of this biosensor was simple and effective for determination of H2O2 in real samples with quick response, good sensitivity, high selectivity, and acceptable recovery. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Flower-Like Nanoparticles of Pt-BiIII Assembled on Agmatine Sulfate Modified Glassy Carbon Electrode and Their Electrocatalysis of H2O2

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xiao, Mingshu; Yan, Yuhua; Feng, Kai; Tian, Yanping; Miao, Yuqing

    2015-04-01

    A new electrochemical technique to detect hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) was developed. The Pt nanoparticles and BiIII were subsequently assembled on agmatine sulfate (AS) modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) and the prepared GCE-AS-Pt-BiIII was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with result showing that the flower-like nanostructure of Pt-BiIII was yielded. Compared with Pt nanoparticles, the flower-like nanostructure of Pt-BiIII greatly enhanced the electrocatalysis of GCE-AS-Pt-BiIII towards H2O2, which is ascribed to more Pt-OH obtained on GCE-AS-Pt-BiIII surface for the presence of BiIII. Based on its high electrocatalysis, GCE-AS-Pt-BiIII was used to determine the content of H2O2 in the sample of sheet bean curd with standard addition method. Meantime, its electrocatalytic activity also was studied.

  15. Electrochemical Detection of Ultratrace (Picomolar) Levels of Hg2+ Using a Silver Nanoparticle-Modified Glassy Carbon Electrode.

    PubMed

    Suherman, Alex L; Ngamchuea, Kamonwad; Tanner, Eden E L; Sokolov, Stanislav V; Holter, Jennifer; Young, Neil P; Compton, Richard G

    2017-07-05

    Ultratrace levels of Hg 2+ have been quantified by undertaking linear sweep voltammetry with a silver nanoparticle-modified glassy carbon electrode (AgNP-GCE) in aqueous solutions containing Hg 2+ . This is achieved by monitoring the change in the silver stripping peak with Hg 2+ concentration resulting from the galvanic displacement of silver by mercury: Ag(np) + 1/2Hg 2+ (aq) → Ag + (aq) + 1/2Hg(l). This facile and reproducible detection method exhibits an excellent linear dynamic range of 100.0 pM to 10.0 nM Hg 2+ concentration with R 2 = 0.982. The limit of detection (LoD) based on 3σ is 28 pM Hg 2+ , while the lowest detectable level for quantification purposes is 100.0 pM. This method is appropriate for routine environmental monitoring and drinking water quality assessment since the guideline value set by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for inorganic mercury in drinking water is 0.002 mg L -1 (10 nM).

  16. Electrocatalytic activity of spots of electrodeposited noble-metal catalysts on carbon nanotubes modified glassy carbon.

    PubMed

    Chen, Xingxing; Eckhard, Kathrin; Zhou, Min; Bron, Michael; Schuhmann, Wolfgang

    2009-09-15

    A strategy for the screening of the electrocatalytic activity of electrocatalysts for possible application in fuel cells and other devices is presented. In this approach, metal nanoclusters (Pt, Au, Ru, and Rh and their codeposits) were prepared using a capillary-based droplet-cell by pulsed electrodeposition in a diffusion-restricted viscous solution. A glassy carbon surface was modified with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) by electrophoretic accumulation and was used as substrate for metal nanoparticle deposition. The formed catalyst spots on the CNT-modified glassy carbon surface were investigated toward their catalytic activity for oxygen reduction as a test reaction employing the redox competition mode of scanning electrochemical microscopy (RC-SECM). Qualitative information on the electrocatalytic activity of the catalysts was obtained by varying the potential applied to the substrate; semiquantitative evaluation was based on the determination of the electrochemically deposited catalyst loading by means of the charge transferred during the metal nanoparticle deposition. Qualitatively, Au showed the highest electrocatalytic activity toward the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in phosphate buffer among all investigated single metal catalysts which was attributed to the much higher loading of Au achieved during electrodeposition. Coelectrodeposited Au-Pt catalysts showed a more positive onset potential (-150 mV in RC-SECM experiments) of the ORR in phosphate buffer at pH 6.7. After normalizing the SECM image by the charge during the metal nanocluster deposition which represents the mass loading of the catalyst, Ru showed a higher electrocatalytic activity toward the ORR than Au.

  17. Voltammetric behavior of dopamine at a glassy carbon electrode modified with NiFe(2)O(4) magnetic nanoparticles decorated with multiwall carbon nanotubes.

    PubMed

    Ensafi, Ali A; Arashpour, B; Rezaei, B; Allafchian, Ali R

    2014-06-01

    Voltammetric behavior of dopamine was studied on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) modified-NiFe(2)O(4) magnetic nanoparticles decorated with multiwall carbon nanotubes. Impedance spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry were used to characterize the behavior of dopamine at the surface of modified-GCE. The modified electrode showed a synergic effect toward the oxidation of dopamine. The oxidation peak current is increased linearly with the dopamine concentration (at pH7.0) in wide dynamic ranges of 0.05-6.0 and 6.0-100μmolL(-1) with a detection limit of 0.02μmolL(-1), using differential pulse voltammetry. The selectivity of the method was studied and the results showed that the modified electrode is free from interference of organic compounds especially ascorbic acid, uric acid, cysteine and urea. Its applicability in the determination of dopamine in pharmaceutical, urine samples and human blood serum was also evaluated. The proposed electrochemical sensor has appropriate properties such as high selectivity, low detection limit and wide linear dynamic range when compared with that of the previous reported papers for dopamine detection. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. A Highly Sensitive Oligonucleotide Hybridization Assay for Klebsiella pneumoniae Carbapenemase with the Probes on a Gold Nanoparticles Modified Glassy Carbon Electrode.

    PubMed

    Pan, Hong-zhi; Yu, Hong- Wei; Wang, Na; Zhang, Ze; Wan, Guang-Cai; Liu, Hao; Guan, Xue; Chang, Dong

    2015-01-01

    To develop a new electrochemical DNA biosensor for determination of Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase, a highly sensitive and selective electrochemical biosensor for DNA detection was constructed based on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) modified with gold nanoparticles (Au-nano). The Au-nano/GCE was characterized by scanning electromicroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The hybridization detection was measured by differential pulse voltammetry using methylene blue as the hybridization indicator. The dynamic range of detection of the sensor for the target DNA sequences was from 1 × 10(-11) to 1 × 10(-8) M, with an LOD of 1 × 10(-12) M. The DNA biosensor had excellent specificity for distinguishing complementary DNA sequence in the presence of non-complementary and mismatched DNA sequence. The Au-nano/GCE showed significant improvement in electrochemical characteristics, and this biosensor was successfully applied for determination of K. pneumoniae.

  19. Electrocatalytic oxidation of hydrazine and hydroxylamine by graphene oxide-Pd nanoparticle-modified glassy carbon electrode.

    PubMed

    Lee, Eunhee; Kim, Daekun; You, Jung-Min; Kim, Seul Ki; Yun, Mira; Jeon, Seungwon

    2012-12-01

    Pd nanoparticle catalysts supported by thiolated graphene oxide (tGO) on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE), and denoted as tGO-Pd/GCE, are used in this study for the electrochemical determination of hydroxylamine and hydrazine. The physicochemical properties of tGO-Pd were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). They showed strong catalytic activity toward the oxidation of hydroxylamine and hydrazine. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and amperometry were used to characterize the sensors' performances. The detection limits of hydroxylamine and hydrazine by tGO-Pd/GCE were 0.31 and 0.25 microM (s/n = 3), respectively. The sensors' sensitivity, selectivity, and stability were also investigated.

  20. Sensitive voltammetric determination of chloramphenicol by using single-wall carbon nanotube-gold nanoparticle-ionic liquid composite film modified glassy carbon electrodes.

    PubMed

    Xiao, Fei; Zhao, Faqiong; Li, Jiangwen; Yan, Rui; Yu, Jingjing; Zeng, Baizhao

    2007-07-16

    A novel composite film modified glassy carbon electrode has been fabricated and characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and voltammetry. The composite film comprises of single-wall carbon nanotube (SWNT), gold nanoparticle (GNP) and ionic liquid (i.e. 1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate), thus has the characteristics of them. The resulting electrode shows good stability, high accumulation efficiency and strong promotion to electron transfer. On it, chloramphenicol can produce a sensitive cathodic peak at -0.66 V (versus SCE) in pH 7.0 phosphate buffer solutions. Parameters influencing the voltammetric response of chloramphenicol are optimized, which include the composition of the film and the operation conditions. Under the optimized conditions, the peak current is linear to chloramphenicol concentration in the range of 1.0x10(-8)-6.0x10(-6) M, and the detection limit is estimated to be 5.0x10(-9) M after an accumulation for 150 s on open circuit. The electrode is applied to the determination of chloramphenicol in milk samples, and the recoveries for the standards added are 97.0% and 100.3%. In addition, the electrochemical reaction of chloramphenicol and the effect of single-wall carbon nanotube, gold nanoparticle and ionic liquid are discussed.

  1. Electrochemiluminescence of luminol at the titanate nanotubes modified glassy carbon electrode.

    PubMed

    Xu, Guifang; Zeng, Xiaoxue; Lu, Shuangyan; Dai, Hong; Gong, Lingshan; Lin, Yanyu; Wang, Qingping; Tong, Yuejin; Chen, Guonan

    2013-01-01

    A new strategy for the construction of a sensitive and stable electrochemiluminescent platform based on titanate nanotubes (TNTs) and Nafion composite modified electrode for luminol is described, TNTs contained composite modified electrodes that showed some photocatalytic activity toward luminol electrochemiluminescence emission, and thus could dramatically enhance luminol light emission. This extremely sensitive and stable platform allowed a decrease of the experiment electrochemiluminescence luminol reagent. In addition, in luminol solution at low concentrations, we compared the capabilities of a bare glassy carbon electrode with the TNT composite modified electrode for hydrogen peroxide detection. The results indicated that compared with glassy carbon electrode this platform was extraordinarily sensitive to hydrogen peroxide. Therefore, by combining with an appropriate enzymatic reaction, this platform would be a sensitive matrix for many biomolecules.

  2. Synthesis of netlike gold nanoparticles using ampicillin as a stabilizing reagent and its application

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Song, Y.Z., E-mail: singyuanzhi@sina.com; Zhou, J.F.; Song, Y., E-mail: songyang@mail.buct.edu.cn

    Graphical abstract: Electrochemical deposition of netlike gold nanoparticles (GNPs) on the surface of glassy carbon electrode and preparation of netlike GNPs in aqueous solution using ampicillin as a stabilizing reagent were proposed. The catalytic properties of netlike gold nanoparticles on the glassy carbon electrode for dopamine were demonstrated. The results indicate that the netlike gold nanoparticle modified electrode has an excellent repeatability and reproducibility. Display Omitted Highlights: ► Synthesis of netlike gold nanoparticles using ampicillin as a stabilizing reagent. ► Excellent repeatability and reproducibility of netlike gold nanoparticle modified glassy carbon electrode. ► The catalytic properties of netlike gold nanoparticlemore » for dopamine. -- Abstract: Electrochemical deposition of netlike gold nanoparticles on the surface of glassy carbon electrode and preparation of netlike GNPs in aqueous solution using ampicillin as a stabilizing reagent were proposed. The netlike gold nanoparticles were characterized by scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, infrared spectrometer, UV spectrophotometer, powder X-ray diffractometer and electrochemical analyzer. The catalysis of the netlike gold nanoparticles on the glassy carbon electrode for dopamine was demonstrated. The results indicate that the gold nanoparticle modified electrode has an excellent repeatability and reproducibility.« less

  3. Glassy carbon electrodes sequentially modified by cysteamine-capped gold nanoparticles and poly(amidoamine) dendrimers generation 4.5 for detecting uric acid in human serum without ascorbic acid interference.

    PubMed

    Ramírez-Segovia, A S; Banda-Alemán, J A; Gutiérrez-Granados, S; Rodríguez, A; Rodríguez, F J; Godínez, Luis A; Bustos, E; Manríquez, J

    2014-02-17

    Glassy carbon electrodes (GCE) were sequentially modified by cysteamine-capped gold nanoparticles (AuNp@cysteamine) and PAMAM dendrimers generation 4.5 bearing 128-COOH peripheral groups (GCE/AuNp@cysteamine/PAMAM), in order to explore their capabilities as electrochemical detectors of uric acid (UA) in human serum samples at pH 2. The results showed that concentrations of UA detected by cyclic voltammetry with GCE/AuNp@cysteamine/PAMAM were comparable (deviation <±10%; limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) were 1.7×10(-4) and 5.8×10(-4) mg dL(-1), respectively) to those concentrations obtained using the uricase-based enzymatic-colorimetric method. It was also observed that the presence of dendrimers in the GCE/AuNp@cysteamine/PAMAM system minimizes ascorbic acid (AA) interference during UA oxidation, thus improving the electrocatalytic activity of the gold nanoparticles. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Synthesis and characterization of manganese diselenide nanoparticles (MnSeNPs): Determination of capsaicin by using MnSeNP-modified glassy carbon electrode.

    PubMed

    Sukanya, Ramaraj; Sakthivel, Mani; Chen, Shen-Ming; Chen, Tse-Wei; Al-Hemaid, Fahad M A; Ajmal Ali, M; Elshikh, Mohamed Soliman

    2018-06-02

    A new type of manganese diselenide nanoparticles (MnSeNPs) was synthesized by using a hydrothermal method. Their surface morphology, crystallinity and elemental distribution were characterized by using transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy which scrutinize the formation of the NPs. The NPs were coated on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry were applied to study the electroanalytical properties towards the oxidation of the food additive capsaicin. The modified GCE displays lower charge transfer resistance (R ct  = 29.52 Ω), a larger active surface area (0.089 cm 2 /g, and more efficient electrochemical oxidation of capsaicin compared to a MnS 2 /GCE and a bare GCE. The oxidation peak potential is 0.43 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) which is lower than that of previously reported GCEs. The sensor has a detection limit as low as 0.05 μM and an electrochemical sensitivity of 2.41 μA μM -1  cm -2 . The method was applied to the determination of capsaicin in pepper samples. Graphical abstract Electrochemical determination of capsaicin in pepper extract by using MnSeNPs modified electrode.

  5. Fuel blends: Enhanced electro-oxidation of formic acid in its blend with methanol at platinum nanoparticles modified glassy carbon electrodes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    El-Deab, Mohamed S.; El-Nagar, Gumaa A.; Mohammad, Ahmad M.; El-Anadouli, Bahgat E.

    2015-07-01

    The current study addresses, for the first time, the enhanced direct electro-oxidation of formic acid (FA) at platinum-nanoparticles modified glassy carbon (nano-Pt/GC) electrode in the presence of methanol (MeOH) as a blending fuel. This enhancement is probed by: (i) the increase of the direct oxidation current of FA to CO2 (Ipd, dehydrogenation pathway), (ii) suppressing the dehydration pathway (Ipind, producing the poisoning intermediate CO) and (iii) a favorable negative shift of the onset potential of Ipd with increasing the mole fraction of MeOH in the blend. Furthermore, the charge of the direct FA oxidation in 0.3 M FA + 0.3 M MeOH blend is by 14 and 21times higher than that observed for 0.3 M FA and 0.3 M MeOH, respectively. MeOH is believed to adsorb at the Pt surface sites and thus disfavor the "non-faradaic" dissociation of FA (which produces the poisoning CO intermediate), i.e., MeOH induces a high CO tolerance of the Pt catalyst. The enhanced oxidation activity indicates that FA/MeOH blend is a promising fuel system.

  6. Electrochemical DNA biosensor based on a glassy carbon electrode modified with gold nanoparticles and graphene for sensitive determination of Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase.

    PubMed

    Pan, Hong-zhi; Yu, Hong-wei; Wang, Na; Zhang, Ze; Wan, Guang-cai; Liu, Hao; Guan, Xue; Chang, Dong

    2015-11-20

    We describe the fabrication of a sensitive electrochemical DNA biosensor for determination of Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC). The highly sensitive and selective electrochemical biosensor for DNA detection was constructed based on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) modified with gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) and graphene (Gr). Then Au-NPs/Gr/GCE was characterized by scanning electro microscope (SEM), cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The hybridization detection was measured by diffierential pulse voltammetry (DPV) using methylene blue (MB) as the hybridization indicator. The dynamic range of detection of the sensor for the target DNA sequences was from 1 × 10(-12) to 1 × 10(-7)mol/L, with a detection limit of 2 × 10(-13)mol/L. The DNA biosensor had excellent specificity for distinguishing complementary DNA sequence in the presence of non-complementary and mismatched DNA sequence. The results demonstrated that the Au-NPs/Gr nanocomposite was a promising substrate for the development of high-performance electrocatalysts for determination of KPC. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Simple flow injection for determination of sulfite by amperometric detection using glassy carbon electrode modified with carbon nanotubes-PDDA-gold nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Amatatongchai, Maliwan; Sroysee, Wongduan; Chairam, Sanoe; Nacapricha, Duangjai

    2015-02-01

    A new approach is presented for sensitive and selective measurement of sulfite (SO3(2-)) in beverages based on a simple flow injection system with amperometric detection. In this work, the sulfite sensor was a glassy carbon electrode modified with multiwall carbon nanotubes-poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride)-gold nanoparticles composites (CNTs-PDDA-AuNPs/GC). Electrochemical oxidation of sulfite with this electrode was first studied in 0.1M phosphate buffer (pH 7.0) using cyclic voltammetry. The results indicated that the CNTs-PDDA-AuNPs/GC electrode possesses electrocatalytic activity for the oxidation of sulfite with high sensitivity and selectivity. Sulfite was quantified using amperometric measurement with the new sensor at +0.4V vs Ag/AgCl in conjunction with flow injection. The linear working range for the quantitation of sulfite was 2-200 mg L(-1) (r(2)=0.998) with a detection limit of 0.03 mg L(-1) (3σ of blank) and an estimated precision of 1.5%.The proposed method was successfully applied to the determination of sulfite in fruit juices and wines with a sample throughput of 23 samples per hour. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Glassy aging with modified Kohlrausch-Williams-Watts form

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Sen Gupta, Bhaskar; Das, Shankar P.

    2007-12-15

    In this paper, we address the question of whether aging in the nonequilibrium glassy state is controlled by the equilibrium {alpha}-relaxation process, which occurs at temperatures above T{sub g}. Recently, Lunkenheimer et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 95, 055702 (2005)] proposed a model for the glassy aging data of dielectric relaxation using a modified Kohlrausch-Williams-Watts form exp[-(t{sub age}/{tau}{sub age}){sup {beta}{sub age}}]. The aging time t{sub age} dependence of the relaxation time {tau}{sub age} is defined by these authors through a functional relation involving the corresponding frequency {nu}(t{sub age})=1/(2{pi}{tau}{sub age}), but the stretching exponent {beta}{sub age} is the same as {beta}{sub {alpha}},more » the {alpha}-relaxation stretching exponent. We present here an alternative functional form for {tau}{sub age}(t{sub age}) directly involving the relaxation time itself. The proposed model fits the data of Lunkenheimer et al. perfectly with a stretching exponent {beta}{sub age} different from {beta}{sub {alpha}}.« less

  9. Electrocatalytic simultaneous determination of ascorbic acid, uric acid and L-Cysteine in real samples using quercetin silver nanoparticles-graphene nanosheets modified glassy carbon electrode

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zare, Hamid R.; Jahangiri-Dehaghani, Fahime; Shekari, Zahra; Benvidi, Ali

    2016-07-01

    By immobilizing of quercetin at the surface of a glassy carbon electrode modified with silver nanoparticles and graphene nanosheets (Q-AgNPs-GNs-GCE) a new sensor has been fabricated. The cyclic voltammogram of Q-AgNPs-GNs-GCE shows a stable redox couple with surface confined characteristics. Q-AgNPs-GNs-GCE demonstrated a high catalytic activity for L-Cysteine (L-Cys) oxidation. Results indicated that L-Cys peak potential at Q-AgNPs-GNs-GCE shifted to less positive values compared to GNs-GCE or AgNPs-GCE. Also, the kinetic parameters such as the electron transfer coefficient,, and the heterogeneous electron transfer rate constant, k‧, for the oxidation of L-Cys at the Q-AgNPs-GNs-GCE surface were estimated. In differential pulse voltammetric determination, the detection limit of L-Cys was obtained 0.28 μM, and the calibration plots were linear within two ranges of 0.9-12.4 μM and 12.4-538.5 μM of L-Cys. Also, the proposed modified electrode is used for the simultaneous determinations of ascorbic acid (AA), uric acid (UA), and L-Cys. Finally, this study has demonstrated the practical analytical utility of the sensor for determination of AA in vitamin C tablet, L-Cys in a milk sample and UA in a human urine sample.

  10. Aryl Diazonium Chemistry for the Surface Functionalization of Glassy Biosensors.

    PubMed

    Zheng, Wei; van den Hurk, Remko; Cao, Yong; Du, Rongbing; Sun, Xuejun; Wang, Yiyu; McDermott, Mark T; Evoy, Stephane

    2016-03-14

    Nanostring resonator and fiber-optics-based biosensors are of interest as they offer high sensitivity, real-time measurements and the ability to integrate with electronics. However, these devices are somewhat impaired by issues related to surface modification. Both nanostring resonators and photonic sensors employ glassy materials, which are incompatible with electrochemistry. A surface chemistry approach providing strong and stable adhesion to glassy surfaces is thus required. In this work, a diazonium salt induced aryl film grafting process is employed to modify a novel SiCN glassy material. Sandwich rabbit IgG binding assays are performed on the diazonium treated SiCN surfaces. Fluorescently labelled anti-rabbit IgG and anti-rabbit IgG conjugated gold nanoparticles were used as markers to demonstrate the absorption of anti-rabbit IgG and therefore verify the successful grafting of the aryl film. The results of the experiments support the effectiveness of diazonium chemistry for the surface functionalization of SiCN surfaces. This method is applicable to other types of glassy materials and potentially can be expanded to various nanomechanical and optical biosensors.

  11. Aryl Diazonium Chemistry for the Surface Functionalization of Glassy Biosensors

    PubMed Central

    Zheng, Wei; van den Hurk, Remko; Cao, Yong; Du, Rongbing; Sun, Xuejun; Wang, Yiyu; McDermott, Mark T.; Evoy, Stephane

    2016-01-01

    Nanostring resonator and fiber-optics-based biosensors are of interest as they offer high sensitivity, real-time measurements and the ability to integrate with electronics. However, these devices are somewhat impaired by issues related to surface modification. Both nanostring resonators and photonic sensors employ glassy materials, which are incompatible with electrochemistry. A surface chemistry approach providing strong and stable adhesion to glassy surfaces is thus required. In this work, a diazonium salt induced aryl film grafting process is employed to modify a novel SiCN glassy material. Sandwich rabbit IgG binding assays are performed on the diazonium treated SiCN surfaces. Fluorescently labelled anti-rabbit IgG and anti-rabbit IgG conjugated gold nanoparticles were used as markers to demonstrate the absorption of anti-rabbit IgG and therefore verify the successful grafting of the aryl film. The results of the experiments support the effectiveness of diazonium chemistry for the surface functionalization of SiCN surfaces. This method is applicable to other types of glassy materials and potentially can be expanded to various nanomechanical and optical biosensors. PMID:26985910

  12. A glassy carbon electrode modified with poly(2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine) for simultaneous detection of dihydroxybenzene isomers.

    PubMed

    Lopa, Nasrin Siraj; Rahman, Md Mahbubur; Jang, Hohyoun; Sutradhar, Sabuj Chandra; Ahmed, Faiz; Ryu, Taewook; Kim, Whangi

    2017-12-06

    2,4-Dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH) was electropolymerized on the surface of an anodized glassy carbon electrode by cyclic voltammetry. The anodized electrode has a highly electroactive surface due to the creation of chemically functionalized graphitic nanoparticles, and this facilitates the formation of poly-DNPH via radical polymerization. Poly-DNPH displays excellent redox activity due to the presence of nitro groups on its backbone. These catalyze the electro-oxidation of hydroquinone (HQ) and catechol (CT). The peak-to-peak separation is around 109 mV, while a bare GCE cannot resolve the peaks (located at 165 and 274 mV vs. Ag/AgCl). Sensitivity is also enhanced to ∼1.20 and 1.19 μA·cm -2 ·μM -1 , respectively. The sensor has a linear response that covers the 20-250 μM concentration range for both HQ and CT, with 0.75 and 0.76 μM detection limits, respectively, at simultaneous detection. Commonly present species do not interfere. Graphical abstract A novel conducting poly(2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine)-modified anodized glassy carbon electrode (pDNPH/AGCE) was developed by electrochemical method. The electro-catalytic activity of pDNPH/AGCE sensor was investigated for the selective and simultaneous electrochemical detection of hydroquinone (HQ) and catechol (CT), which revealed high sensitivities and low detection limits with excellent stability.

  13. Nanoparticles modified with multiple organic acids

    DOEpatents

    Cook, Ronald Lee [Lakewood, CO; Luebben, Silvia DeVito [Golden, CO; Myers, Andrew William [Arvada, CO; Smith, Bryan Matthew [Boulder, CO; Elliott, Brian John [Superior, CO; Kreutzer, Cory [Brighton, CO; Wilson, Carolina [Arvada, CO; Meiser, Manfred [Aurora, CO

    2007-07-17

    Surface-modified nanoparticles of boehmite, and methods for preparing the same. Aluminum oxyhydroxide nanoparticles are surface modified by reaction with selected amounts of organic acids. In particular, the nanoparticle surface is modified by reactions with two or more different carboxylic acids, at least one of which is an organic carboxylic acid. The product is a surface modified boehmite nanoparticle that has an inorganic aluminum oxyhydroxide core, or part aluminum oxyhydroxide core and a surface-bonded organic shell. Organic carboxylic acids of this invention contain at least one carboxylic acid group and one carbon-hydrogen bond. One embodiment of this invention provides boehmite nanoparticles that have been surface modified with two or more acids one of which additional carries at least one reactive functional group. Another embodiment of this invention provides boehmite nanoparticles that have been surface modified with multiple acids one of which has molecular weight or average molecular weight greater than or equal to 500 Daltons. Yet, another embodiment of this invention provides boehmite nanoparticles that are surface modified with two or more acids one of which is hydrophobic in nature and has solubility in water of less than 15 by weight. The products of the methods of this invention have specific useful properties when used in mixture with liquids, as filler in solids, or as stand-alone entities.

  14. Nanoparticles modified with multiple organic acids

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Luebben, Silvia DeVito (Inventor); Cook, Ronald Lee (Inventor); Wilson, Carolina (Inventor); Meiser, Manfred (Inventor); Myers, Andrew William (Inventor); Smith, Bryan Matthew (Inventor); Elliott, Brian John (Inventor); Kreutzer, Cory (Inventor)

    2007-01-01

    Surface-modified nanoparticles of boehmite, and methods for preparing the same. Aluminum oxyhydroxide nanoparticles are surface modified by reaction with selected amounts of organic acids. In particular, the nanoparticle surface is modified by reactions with two or more different carboxylic acids, at least one of which is an organic carboxylic acid. The product is a surface modified boehmite nanoparticle that has an inorganic aluminum oxyhydroxide core, or part aluminum oxyhydroxide core and a surface-bonded organic shell. Organic carboxylic acids of this invention contain at least one carboxylic acid group and one carbon-hydrogen bond. One embodiment of this invention provides boehmite nanoparticles that have been surface modified with two or more acids one of which additional carries at least one reactive functional group. Another embodiment of this invention provides boehmite nanoparticles that have been surface modified with multiple acids one of which has molecular weight or average molecular weight greater than or equal to 500 Daltons. Yet, another embodiment of this invention provides boehmite nanoparticles that are surface modified with two or more acids one of which is hydrophobic in nature and has solubility in water of less than 15 by weight. The products of the methods of this invention have specific useful properties when used in mixture with liquids, as filler in solids, or as stand-alone entities.

  15. Label-Free Electrochemical Detection of Vanillin through Low-Defect Graphene Electrodes Modified with Au Nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Gao, Jingyao; Yuan, Qilong; Ye, Chen; Guo, Pei; Du, Shiyu; Lai, Guosong; Yu, Aimin; Jiang, Nan; Fu, Li; Lin, Cheng-Te; Chee, Kuan W A

    2018-03-25

    Graphene is an excellent modifier for the surface modification of electrochemical electrodes due to its exceptional physical properties and, for the development of graphene-based chemical and biosensors, is usually coated on glassy carbon electrodes (GCEs) via drop casting. However, the ease of aggregation and high defect content of reduced graphene oxides degrade the electrical properties. Here, we fabricated low-defect graphene electrodes by catalytically thermal treatment of HPHT diamond substrate, followed by the electrodeposition of Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) with an average size of ≈60 nm on the electrode surface using cyclic voltammetry. The Au nanoparticle-decorated graphene electrodes show a wide linear response range to vanillin from 0.2 to 40 µM with a low limit of detection of 10 nM. This work demonstrates the potential applications of graphene-based hybrid electrodes for highly sensitive chemical detection.

  16. A 3D Microfluidic Chip for Electrochemical Detection of Hydrolysed Nucleic Bases by a Modified Glassy Carbon Electrode

    PubMed Central

    Vlachova, Jana; Tmejova, Katerina; Kopel, Pavel; Korabik, Maria; Zitka, Jan; Hynek, David; Kynicky, Jindrich; Adam, Vojtech; Kizek, Rene

    2015-01-01

    Modification of carbon materials, especially graphene-based materials, has wide applications in electrochemical detection such as electrochemical lab-on-chip devices. A glassy carbon electrode (GCE) modified with chemically alternated graphene oxide was used as a working electrode (glassy carbon modified by graphene oxide with sulphur containing compounds and Nafion) for detection of nucleobases in hydrolysed samples (HCl pH = 2.9, 100 °C, 1 h, neutralization by NaOH). It was found out that modification, especially with trithiocyanuric acid, increased the sensitivity of detection in comparison with pure GCE. All processes were finally implemented in a microfluidic chip formed with a 3D printer by fused deposition modelling technology. As a material for chip fabrication, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene was chosen because of its mechanical and chemical stability. The chip contained the one chamber for the hydrolysis of the nucleic acid and another for the electrochemical detection by the modified GCE. This chamber was fabricated to allow for replacement of the GCE. PMID:25621613

  17. A 3D microfluidic chip for electrochemical detection of hydrolysed nucleic bases by a modified glassy carbon electrode.

    PubMed

    Vlachova, Jana; Tmejova, Katerina; Kopel, Pavel; Korabik, Maria; Zitka, Jan; Hynek, David; Kynicky, Jindrich; Adam, Vojtech; Kizek, Rene

    2015-01-22

    Modification of carbon materials, especially graphene-based materials, has wide applications in electrochemical detection such as electrochemical lab-on-chip devices. A glassy carbon electrode (GCE) modified with chemically alternated graphene oxide was used as a working electrode (glassy carbon modified by graphene oxide with sulphur containing compounds and Nafion) for detection of nucleobases in hydrolysed samples (HCl pH = 2.9, 100 °C, 1 h, neutralization by NaOH). It was found out that modification, especially with trithiocyanuric acid, increased the sensitivity of detection in comparison with pure GCE. All processes were finally implemented in a microfluidic chip formed with a 3D printer by fused deposition modelling technology. As a material for chip fabrication, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene was chosen because of its mechanical and chemical stability. The chip contained the one chamber for the hydrolysis of the nucleic acid and another for the electrochemical detection by the modified GCE. This chamber was fabricated to allow for replacement of the GCE.

  18. Simultaneous voltammetric determination of dopamine and epinephrine in human body fluid samples using a glassy carbon electrode modified with nickel oxide nanoparticles and carbon nanotubes within a dihexadecylphosphate film.

    PubMed

    Figueiredo-Filho, Luiz C S; Silva, Tiago A; Vicentini, Fernando C; Fatibello-Filho, Orlando

    2014-06-07

    A simple and highly selective electrochemical method was developed for the single or simultaneous determination of dopamine (DA) and epinephrine (EP) in human body fluids using a glassy carbon electrode modified with nickel oxide nanoparticles and carbon nanotubes within a dihexadecylphosphate film using square-wave voltammetry (SWV) or differential-pulse voltammetry (DPV). Using DPV with the proposed electrode, a separation of ca. 360 mV between the peak reduction potentials of DA and EP present in binary mixtures was obtained. The analytical curves for the simultaneous determination of dopamine and epinephrine showed an excellent linear response, ranging from 7.0 × 10(-8) to 4.8 × 10(-6) and 3.0 × 10(-7) to 9.5 × 10(-6) mol L(-1) for DA and EP, respectively. The detection limits for the simultaneous determination of DA and EP were 5.0 × 10(-8) mol L(-1) and 8.2 × 10(-8) mol L(-1), respectively. The proposed method was successfully applied in the simultaneous determination of these analytes in human body fluid samples of cerebrospinal fluid, human serum and lung fluid.

  19. Fabrication of Amine-Modified Magnetite-Electrochemically Reduced Graphene Oxide Nanocomposite Modified Glassy Carbon Electrode for Sensitive Dopamine Determination

    PubMed Central

    He, Quanguo; Liu, Jun; Liu, Xiaopeng; Li, Guangli; Chen, Dongchu; Deng, Peihong; Liang, Jing

    2018-01-01

    Amine-modified magnetite (NH2–Fe3O4)/reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite modified glassy carbon electrodes (NH2–Fe3O4/RGO/GCEs) were developed for the sensitive detection of dopamine (DA). The NH2-Fe3O4/RGO/GCEs were fabricated using a drop-casting method followed by an electrochemical reduction process. The surface morphologies, microstructure and chemical compositions of the NH2–Fe3O4 nanoparticles (NPs), reduced graphene oxide (RGO) sheets and NH2–Fe3O4/RGO nanocomposites were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-Ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The electrochemical behaviors of DA on the bare and modified GCEs were investigated in phosphate buffer solution (PBS) by cyclic voltammetry (CV). Compared with bare electrode and RGO/GCE, the oxidation peak current (ipa) on the NH2–Fe3O4/RGO/GCE increase significantly, owing to the synergistic effect between NH2–Fe3O4 NPs and RGO sheets. The oxidation peak currents (ipa) increase linearly with the concentrations of DA in the range of 1 × 10−8 mol/L – 1 × 10−7 mol/L, 1 × 10−7 mol/L – 1 × 10−6 mol/L and 1 × 10−6 mol/L – 1 × 10−5 mol/L. The detection limit is (4.0 ± 0.36) ×10−9 mol/L (S/N = 3). Moreover, the response peak currents of DA were hardly interfered with the coexistence of ascorbic acid (AA) and uric acid (UA). The proposed NH2–Fe3O4/RGO/GCE is successfully applied to the detection of dopamine hydrochloride injections with satisfactory results. Together with low cost, facile operation, good selectivity and high sensitivity, the NH2–Fe3O4/RGO/GCEs have tremendous prospects for the detection of DA in various real samples. PMID:29584682

  20. Electrochemical behavior of an antiviral drug acyclovir at fullerene-C(60)-modified glassy carbon electrode.

    PubMed

    Shetti, Nagaraj P; Malode, Shweta J; Nandibewoor, Sharanappa T

    2012-12-01

    Electrochemical oxidation of acyclovir at fullerene-C(60)-modified glassy carbon electrode has been investigated using cyclic and differential pulse voltammetry. In pH 7.4 phosphate buffer, acyclovir showed an irreversible oxidation peak at about 0.96V. The cyclic voltammetric results showed that fullerene-C(60)-modified glassy carbon electrode can remarkably enhance electrocatalytic activity towards the oxidation of acyclovir. The electrocatalytic behavior was further exploited as a sensitive detection scheme for the acyclovir determination by differential pulse voltammetry. Effects of anodic peak potential (E(p)/V), anodic peak current (I(p)/μA) and heterogeneous rate constant (k(0)) have been discussed. Under optimized conditions, the concentration range and detection limit were 9.0×10(-8) to 6.0×10(-6)M and 1.48×10(-8)M, respectively. The proposed method was applied to acyclovir determination in pharmaceutical samples and human biological fluids such as urine and blood plasma as a real sample. This method can also be employed in quality control and routine determination of drugs in pharmaceutical formulations. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Poly(amidosulfonic acid) modified glassy carbon electrode for determination of isoniazid in pharmaceuticals.

    PubMed

    Yang, Gongjun; Wang, Cunxiao; Zhang, Rui; Wang, Chenying; Qu, Qishu; Hu, Xiaoya

    2008-06-01

    Amidosulfonic acid was electropolymerized by cyclic voltammetry onto the surface of glassy carbon electrode (GCE) to fabricate the chemically modified electrode, which showed high stability, good selectivity and reproducibility for determination of isoniazid. The modified electrode showed an excellent electrocatalytical effect on the oxidation of isoniazid. Under the optimum conditions, there was a good linear relationship between anodic peak current and isoniazid concentration in the range of 5.0 x 10(-8)- 1.0 x 10(-5) M, and a detection limit of 1.0 x 10(-8) M (S/N = 3) was obtained after 120 s at the accumulation potential of - 0.2 V (vs. SCE). This developed method had been applied to the direct determination of isoniazid in injection and tablet samples with satisfactory results.

  2. Immobilization of Ni-Pd/core-shell nanoparticles through thermal polymerization of acrylamide on glassy carbon electrode for highly stable and sensitive glutamate detection.

    PubMed

    Yu, Huicheng; Ma, Zhenzhen; Wu, Zhaoyang

    2015-10-08

    The preparation of a persistently stable and sensitive biosensor is highly important for practical applications. To improve the stability and sensitivity of glutamate sensors, an electrode modified with glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH)/Ni-Pd/core-shell nanoparticles was developed using the thermal polymerization of acrylamide (AM) to immobilize the synthesized Ni-Pd/core-shell nanoparticles onto a glassy carbon electrode (GCE). The modified electrode was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry (CV), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Electrochemical data showed that the prepared biosensor had remarkably enhanced electrocatalytic activity toward glutamate. Moreover, superior reproducibility and excellent stability were observed (relative average deviation was 2.96% after continuous use of the same sensor for 60 times, and current responses remained at 94.85% of the initial value after 60 d). The sensor also demonstrated highly sensitive amperometric detection of glutamate with a low limit of detection (0.052 μM, S/N = 3), high sensitivity (4.768 μA μM(-1) cm(-2)), and a wide, useful linear range (0.1-500 μM). No interference from potential interfering species such as l-cysteine, ascorbic acid, and l-aspartate were noted. The determination of glutamate levels in actual samples achieved good recovery percentages. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Highly sensitive and selective detection of dopamine based on hollow gold nanoparticles-graphene nanocomposite modified electrode.

    PubMed

    Zhu, Wencai; Chen, Ting; Ma, Xuemei; Ma, Houyi; Chen, Shenhao

    2013-11-01

    Highly dispersed hollow gold-graphene (HAu-G) nanocomposites were synthesized by a two-step method. The immobilization of hollow gold nanoparticles (HAu NPs) onto the surface of graphene sheets was achieved by mixing an aqueous solution of HAu NPs with a poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone)-functionalized graphene dispersion at room temperature. A glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was modified with the nanocomposites, and the as-prepared modified electrode displayed high electrocatalytic activity and extraordinary electronic transport properties. Amperometric detection of dopamine (DA) performed with the HAu-G modified electrode exhibits a good linearity between 0.08 and 600 μM with a low detection limit of 0.05 μM (S/N=3) and also possesses good reproducibility and operational stability. The interference of ascorbic acid (AA) and uric acid (UA) can be excluded when using differential pulse voltammetric technique. In addition, this type of modified electrode can also be applied to the determination of DA content in dopamine hydrochloride injection. It is obvious that the HAu-G modified electrode provides a new way to detect dopamine sensitively and selectively. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. 40 CFR 721.10119 - Siloxane modified silica nanoparticles (generic).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Siloxane modified silica nanoparticles... Specific Chemical Substances § 721.10119 Siloxane modified silica nanoparticles (generic). (a) Chemical... as siloxane modified silica nanoparticles (PMN P-05-673) is subject to reporting under this section...

  5. 40 CFR 721.10119 - Siloxane modified silica nanoparticles (generic).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Siloxane modified silica nanoparticles... Specific Chemical Substances § 721.10119 Siloxane modified silica nanoparticles (generic). (a) Chemical... as siloxane modified silica nanoparticles (PMN P-05-673) is subject to reporting under this section...

  6. 40 CFR 721.10119 - Siloxane modified silica nanoparticles (generic).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Siloxane modified silica nanoparticles... Specific Chemical Substances § 721.10119 Siloxane modified silica nanoparticles (generic). (a) Chemical... as siloxane modified silica nanoparticles (PMN P-05-673) is subject to reporting under this section...

  7. 40 CFR 721.10119 - Siloxane modified silica nanoparticles (generic).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 32 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Siloxane modified silica nanoparticles... Specific Chemical Substances § 721.10119 Siloxane modified silica nanoparticles (generic). (a) Chemical... as siloxane modified silica nanoparticles (PMN P-05-673) is subject to reporting under this section...

  8. 40 CFR 721.10119 - Siloxane modified silica nanoparticles (generic).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 32 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Siloxane modified silica nanoparticles... Specific Chemical Substances § 721.10119 Siloxane modified silica nanoparticles (generic). (a) Chemical... as siloxane modified silica nanoparticles (PMN P-05-673) is subject to reporting under this section...

  9. Interplay between local dynamics and mechanical reinforcement in glassy polymer nanocomposites

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Holt, Adam P.; Bocharova, Vera; Cheng, Shiwang

    The modification of polymer dynamics in the presence of strongly interacting nanoparticles has been shown to significantly change themacroscopic properties above the glass transition temperature of polymer nanocomposites (PNCs). However, much less attention has been paid to changes in the dynamics of glassy PNCs. Analysis of neutron and light scattering data presented herein reveals a surprising enhancement of local dynamics, e.g., fast picosecond and secondary relaxations, in glassy PNCs accompanied with a strengthening of mechanical modulus. Here we ascribe this counter-intuitive behavior to the complex interplay between chain packing and stretching within the interfacial layer formed at the polymer-nanoparticle interface.

  10. Interplay between local dynamics and mechanical reinforcement in glassy polymer nanocomposites

    DOE PAGES

    Holt, Adam P.; Bocharova, Vera; Cheng, Shiwang; ...

    2017-11-17

    The modification of polymer dynamics in the presence of strongly interacting nanoparticles has been shown to significantly change themacroscopic properties above the glass transition temperature of polymer nanocomposites (PNCs). However, much less attention has been paid to changes in the dynamics of glassy PNCs. Analysis of neutron and light scattering data presented herein reveals a surprising enhancement of local dynamics, e.g., fast picosecond and secondary relaxations, in glassy PNCs accompanied with a strengthening of mechanical modulus. Here we ascribe this counter-intuitive behavior to the complex interplay between chain packing and stretching within the interfacial layer formed at the polymer-nanoparticle interface.

  11. Electrical properties of carbon nanotubes modified GaSe glassy system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Khan, Hana; Khan, Zubair M. S. H.; Islam, Shama; Rahman, Raja Saifu; Husain, M.; Zulfequar, M.

    2018-05-01

    In this paper we report the investigation of the effect of Carbon Nanotubes (CNT) addition on the electrical properties of GaSe Glassy system. Dielectric constant and dielectric loss of GaSe glassy system are found to increase on CNT addition. The conductivity of GaSe glasy systems is also found to increase on CNT addition. This behavior is attributed to the excellent conduction properties of Carbon Nanotube.

  12. Glucose biosensing using glassy carbon electrode modified with polyhydroxy-C60, glucose oxidase and ionic-liquid.

    PubMed

    Yang, Tian; Yang, Xiao-Lu; Zhang, Yu-Shuai; Xiao, BaoLin; Hong, Jun

    2014-01-01

    Direct electrochemistry of glucose oxidase (GOD) was achieved when an ionic liquid/GOD-Polyhydroxy-C60 functional membrane was confined on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE). The cyclic voltammograms (CVs) of the modified GCE showed a pair of redox peaks with a formal potential (E°') of - 329 ± 2 mV. The heterogeneous electron transfer constant (k(s)) was 1.43 s-1. The modified GCE response to glucose was linear in the range from 0.02 to 2.0 mM. The detection limit was 1 μM. The apparent Michaelis-Menten constant (K(m)(app)) was 1.45 mM.

  13. Increased cellular uptake of peptide-modified PEGylated gold nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    He, Bo; Yang, Dan; Qin, Mengmeng; Zhang, Yuan; He, Bing; Dai, Wenbing; Wang, Xueqing; Zhang, Qiang; Zhang, Hua; Yin, Changcheng

    2017-12-09

    Gold nanoparticles are promising drug delivery vehicles for nucleic acids, small molecules, and proteins, allowing various modifications on the particle surface. However, the instability and low bioavailability of gold nanoparticles compromise their clinical application. Here, we functionalized gold nanoparticles with CPP fragments (CALNNPFVYLI, CALRRRRRRRR) through sulfhydryl PEG to increase their stability and bioavailability. The resulting gold nanoparticles were characterized with transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), UV-visible spectrometry and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and the stability in biological solutions was evaluated. Comparing to PEGylated gold nanoparticles, CPP (CALNNPFVYLI, CALRRRRRRRR)-modified gold nanoparticles showed 46 folds increase in cellular uptake in A549 and B16 cell lines, as evidenced by the inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES). The interactions between gold nanoparticles and liposomes indicated CPP-modified gold nanoparticles bind to cell membrane more effectively than PEGylated gold nanoparticles. Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) was used to measure interactions between nanoparticles and the membrane. TEM and uptake inhibitor experiments indicated that the cellular entry of gold nanoparticles was mediated by clathrin and macropinocytosis. Other energy independent endocytosis pathways were also identified. Our work revealed a new strategy to modify gold nanoparticles with CPP and illustrated the cellular uptake pathway of CPP-modified gold nanoparticles. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Electrochemical Determination of Caffeine Content in Ethiopian Coffee Samples Using Lignin Modified Glassy Carbon Electrode.

    PubMed

    Amare, Meareg; Aklog, Senait

    2017-01-01

    Lignin film was deposited at the surface of glassy carbon electrode potentiostatically. In contrast to the unmodified glassy carbon electrode, an oxidative peak with an improved current and overpotential for caffeine at modified electrode showed catalytic activity of the modifier towards oxidation of caffeine. Linear dependence of peak current on caffeine concentration in the range 6 × 10 -6 to 100 × 10 -6  mol L -1 with determination coefficient and method detection limit (LoD = 3 s/slope) of 0.99925 and 8.37 × 10 -7  mol L -1 , respectively, supplemented by recovery results of 93.79-102.17% validated the developed method. An attempt was made to determine the caffeine content of aqueous coffee extracts of Ethiopian coffees grown in four coffee cultivating localities (Wonbera, Wolega, Finoteselam, and Zegie) and hence to evaluate the correlation between users preference and caffeine content. In agreement with reported works, caffeine contents (w/w%) of 0.164 in Wonbera coffee; 0.134 in Wolega coffee; 0.097 in Finoteselam coffee; and 0.089 in Zegie coffee were detected confirming the applicability of the developed method for determination of caffeine in a complex matrix environment. The result indicated that users' highest preference for Wonbera and least preference for Zegie cultivated coffees are in agreement with the caffeine content.

  15. 40 CFR 721.10120 - Siloxane modified alumina nanoparticles (generic).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... nanoparticles (generic). 721.10120 Section 721.10120 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... Specific Chemical Substances § 721.10120 Siloxane modified alumina nanoparticles (generic). (a) Chemical... as siloxane modified alumina nanoparticles (PMN P-05-687) is subject to reporting under this section...

  16. 40 CFR 721.10120 - Siloxane modified alumina nanoparticles (generic).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... nanoparticles (generic). 721.10120 Section 721.10120 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... Specific Chemical Substances § 721.10120 Siloxane modified alumina nanoparticles (generic). (a) Chemical... as siloxane modified alumina nanoparticles (PMN P-05-687) is subject to reporting under this section...

  17. 40 CFR 721.10120 - Siloxane modified alumina nanoparticles (generic).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... nanoparticles (generic). 721.10120 Section 721.10120 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... Specific Chemical Substances § 721.10120 Siloxane modified alumina nanoparticles (generic). (a) Chemical... as siloxane modified alumina nanoparticles (PMN P-05-687) is subject to reporting under this section...

  18. 40 CFR 721.10120 - Siloxane modified alumina nanoparticles (generic).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... nanoparticles (generic). 721.10120 Section 721.10120 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... Specific Chemical Substances § 721.10120 Siloxane modified alumina nanoparticles (generic). (a) Chemical... as siloxane modified alumina nanoparticles (PMN P-05-687) is subject to reporting under this section...

  19. 40 CFR 721.10120 - Siloxane modified alumina nanoparticles (generic).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... nanoparticles (generic). 721.10120 Section 721.10120 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... Specific Chemical Substances § 721.10120 Siloxane modified alumina nanoparticles (generic). (a) Chemical... as siloxane modified alumina nanoparticles (PMN P-05-687) is subject to reporting under this section...

  20. Electrochemical Determination of TNT, DNT, RDX, and HMX with Gold Nanoparticles/Poly(Carbazole-Aniline) Film-Modified Glassy Carbon Sensor Electrodes Imprinted for Molecular Recognition of Nitroaromatics and Nitramines.

    PubMed

    Sağlam, Şener; Üzer, Ayşem; Erçağ, Erol; Apak, Reşat

    2018-06-19

    Since nitroaromatic- and nitramine-type energetic materials, mostly arising from military activities, are persistent pollutants in soil and groundwater, on-site sensing of these hazardous chemicals has gained importance. A novel electrochemical sensor was designed for detecting nitroaromatic- and nitramine-type energetic materials, relying on gold nanoparticles (Au nano ), modified glassy carbon (GC) electrode coated with nitro-energetic memory-poly(carbazole-aniline) copolymer (Cz- co-ANI) film (e.g., TNT memory-GC/P(Cz- co-ANI)-Au nano modified electrode). Current was recorded against concentration to build the calibration curves that were found to be linear within the range of 100-1000 μg L -1 for 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) and 2,4-dinitrotoluene (DNT): 50-1000 μg L -1 for 1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazacyclohexane (RDX) and octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine (HMX). The corresponding limits of detection were 25 μg L -1 for TNT, 30 μg L -1 for DNT, and 10 μg L -1 for both RDX and HMX, using nitro-energetic memory-GC/P(Cz- co-ANI)-Au nano electrodes. These electrodes were used separately, and specific determinations were made in various mixtures of nitro-energetic materials. The developed method could be efficiently used in electroanalyzing nitroaromatics and nitramines in military explosives (i.e., comp B, octol, and comp A5). The sensor electrodes were specific for the tested nitro-energetic compounds and did not respond to paracetamol-caffeine-based analgesic drug, acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin), sweetener, and sugar that can be used as camouflage materials in passenger belongings. The developed method was statistically validated against the standard LC-MS reference method in contaminated clay soil samples containing TNT and RDX explosives.

  1. Electrochemical determination of dopamine and ascorbic acid at a novel gold nanoparticles distributed poly(4-aminothiophenol) modified electrode.

    PubMed

    Gopalan, Anantha Iyengar; Lee, Kwang-Pill; Manesh, Kalayil Manian; Santhosh, Padmanabhan; Kim, Jun Heon; Kang, Jae Soo

    2007-03-15

    A modified electrode is fabricated by embedding gold nanoparticles into a layer of electroactive polymer, poly(4-aminothiophenol) (PAT) on the surface of glassy carbon (GC) electrode. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) is performed to deposit PAT and concomitantly deposit Au nanoparticles. Field emission transmission electron microscopic image of the modified electrode, PAT-Au(nano)-ME, indicates the presence of uniformly distributed Au nanoparticles having the sizes of 8-10nm. Electrochemical behavior of the PAT-Au(nano)-ME towards detection of ascorbic acid (AA) and dopamine (DA) is studied using CV. Electrocatalytic determination of DA in the presence of fixed concentration of AA and vice versa, are studied using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). PAT-Au(nano)-ME exhibits two well defined anodic peaks at the potential of 75 and 400mV for the oxidation of AA and DA, respectively with a potential difference of 325mV. Further, the simultaneous determination of AA and DA is studied by varying the concentration of AA and DA. PAT-Au(nano)-ME exhibits selectivity and sensitivity for the simultaneous determination of AA and DA without fouling by the oxidation products of AA or DA. PAT and Au nanoparticles provide synergic influence on the accurate electrochemical determination of AA or DA from a mixture having any one of the component (AA or DA) in excess. The practical analytical utilities of the PAT-Au(nano)-ME are demonstrated by the determination of DA and AA in dopamine hydrochloride injection and human blood serum samples.

  2. A novel lable-free electrochemical immunosensor for carcinoembryonic antigen based on gold nanoparticles-thionine-reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite film modified glassy carbon electrode.

    PubMed

    Kong, Fen-Ying; Xu, Mao-Tian; Xu, Jing-Juan; Chen, Hong-Yuan

    2011-10-15

    In this paper, gold nanoparticle-thionine-reduced graphene oxide (GNP-THi-GR) nanocomposites were prepared to design a label-free immunosensor for the sensitive detection of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). The nanocomposites with good biocompatibility, excellent redox electrochemical activity and large surface area were coated onto the glassy carbon electrode (GCE) surface and then CEA antibody (anti-CEA) was immobilized on the electrode to construct the immunosensor. The morphologies and electrochemistry of the formed nanocomposites were investigated by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectrometry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and cyclic voltammetry (CV). CV and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) studies demonstrated that the formation of antibody-antigen complexes decreased the peak current of THi in the GNP-THi-GR nanocomposites. The decreased currents were proportional to the CEA concentration in the range of 10-500 pg/mL with a detection limit of 4 pg/mL. The proposed method was simple, fast and inexpensive for the determination of CEA at very low levels. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Simultaneous electrochemical detection of dopamine and ascorbic acid using an iron oxide/reduced graphene oxide modified glassy carbon electrode.

    PubMed

    Peik-See, Teo; Pandikumar, Alagarsamy; Nay-Ming, Huang; Hong-Ngee, Lim; Sulaiman, Yusran

    2014-08-19

    The fabrication of an electrochemical sensor based on an iron oxide/graphene modified glassy carbon electrode (Fe3O4/rGO/GCE) and its simultaneous detection of dopamine (DA) and ascorbic acid (AA) is described here. The Fe3O4/rGO nanocomposite was synthesized via a simple, one step in-situ wet chemical method and characterized by different techniques. The presence of Fe3O4 nanoparticles on the surface of rGO sheets was confirmed by FESEM and TEM images. The electrochemical behavior of Fe3O4/rGO/GCE towards electrocatalytic oxidation of DA was investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) analysis. The electrochemical studies revealed that the Fe3O4/rGO/GCE dramatically increased the current response against the DA, due to the synergistic effect emerged between Fe3O4 and rGO. This implies that Fe3O4/rGO/GCE could exhibit excellent electrocatalytic activity and remarkable electron transfer kinetics towards the oxidation of DA. Moreover, the modified sensor electrode portrayed sensitivity and selectivity for simultaneous determination of AA and DA. The observed DPVs response linearly depends on AA and DA concentration in the range of 1-9 mM and 0.5-100 µM, with correlation coefficients of 0.995 and 0.996, respectively. The detection limit of (S/N = 3) was found to be 0.42 and 0.12 µM for AA and DA, respectively.

  4. Gelatin modified lipid nanoparticles for anti- viral drug delivery.

    PubMed

    K S, Joshy; S, Snigdha; Kalarikkal, Nandakumar; Pothen, Laly A; Thomas, Sabu

    2017-10-01

    The major challenges to clinical application of zidovudine are its moderate aqueous solubility and relative short half-life and serious side effects due to frequent administrations. We investigated the preparation of zidovudine-loaded nanoparticles based on lipids which were further modified with the polymer gelatin. Formulation and stability of the modified nanoparticles were analysed from the physico-chemical characterizations. The interactions of nanoparticles with blood components were tested by haemolysis and aggregation studies. The drug content and entrapment efficiencies were assessed by UV analysis. The effect of nanoparticles on protein adsorption was assessed by native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). In vitro release studies showed a sustained release profile of zidovudine. In vitro cytotoxicity and cellular uptake of the zidovudine-loaded nanoparticles were performed in MCF-7 and neuro 2a brain cells. The enhanced cellular internalization of drug loaded modified nanoparticles in both the cell lines were revealed by fluorescence microscopy. Hence the present study focuses on the feasibility of zidovudine-loaded polymer modified lipid nanoparticles as carriers for safe and efficient HIV/AIDS therapy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. A label-free electrochemical impedance immunosensor based on AuNPs/PAMAM-MWCNT-Chi nanocomposite modified glassy carbon electrode for detection of Salmonella typhimurium in milk.

    PubMed

    Dong, Jing; Zhao, Han; Xu, Minrong; Ma, Qiang; Ai, Shiyun

    2013-12-01

    A sensitive and stable label-free electrochemical impedance immunosensor for the detection of Salmonella typhimurium was developed by immobilising anti-Salmonella antibodies onto the gold nanoparticles and poly(amidoamine)-multiwalled carbon nanotubes-chitosan nanocomposite film modified glassy carbon electrode (AuNPs/PAMAM-MWCNT-Chi/GCE). Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and cyclic voltammetry (CV) were used to verify the stepwise assembly of the immunosensor. Co-addition of MWCNT, PAMAM and AuNPs greatly enhanced the sensitivity of the immunosensor. The immobilisation of antibodies and the binding of Salmonella cells to the modified electrode increased the electron-transfer resistance (Ret), which was directly measured with EIS using [Fe(CN)6](3-/4-) as a redox probe. A linear relationship of Ret and Salmonella concentration was obtained in the Salmonella concentration range of 1.0×10(3) to 1.0×10(7) CFU mL(-1) with a detection limit of 5.0×10(2) CFU mL(-1). Additionally, the proposed method was successfully applied to determine S. typhimurium content in milk samples with satisfactory results. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Oral Delivery of DMAB-Modified Docetaxel-Loaded PLGA-TPGS Nanoparticles for Cancer Chemotherapy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Hongbo; Zheng, Yi; Tian, Ge; Tian, Yan; Zeng, Xiaowei; Liu, Gan; Liu, Kexin; Li, Lei; Li, Zhen; Mei, Lin; Huang, Laiqiang

    2011-12-01

    Three types of nanoparticle formulation from biodegradable PLGA-TPGS random copolymer were developed in this research for oral administration of anticancer drugs, which include DMAB-modified PLGA nanoparticles, unmodified PLGA-TPGS nanoparticles and DMAB-modified PLGA-TPGS nanoparticles. Firstly, the PLGA-TPGS random copolymer was synthesized and characterized. DMAB was used to increase retention time at the cell surface, thus increasing the chances of particle uptake and improving oral drug bioavailability. Nanoparticles were found to be of spherical shape with an average particle diameter of around 250 nm. The surface charge of PLGA-TPGS nanoparticles was changed to positive after DMAB modification. The results also showed that the DMAB-modified PLGA-TPGS nanoparticles have significantly higher level of the cellular uptake than that of DMAB-modified PLGA nanoparticles and unmodified PLGA-TPGS nanoparticles. In vitro, cytotoxicity experiment showed advantages of the DMAB-modified PLGA-TPGS nanoparticle formulation over commercial Taxotere® in terms of cytotoxicity against MCF-7 cells. In conclusion, oral chemotherapy by DMAB-modified PLGA-TPGS nanoparticle formulation is an attractive and promising treatment option for patients.

  7. Simultaneous Electrochemical Detection of Dopamine and Ascorbic Acid Using an Iron Oxide/Reduced Graphene Oxide Modified Glassy Carbon Electrode

    PubMed Central

    Peik-See, Teo; Pandikumar, Alagarsamy; Nay-Ming, Huang; Hong-Ngee, Lim; Sulaiman, Yusran

    2014-01-01

    The fabrication of an electrochemical sensor based on an iron oxide/graphene modified glassy carbon electrode (Fe3O4/rGO/GCE) and its simultaneous detection of dopamine (DA) and ascorbic acid (AA) is described here. The Fe3O4/rGO nanocomposite was synthesized via a simple, one step in-situ wet chemical method and characterized by different techniques. The presence of Fe3O4 nanoparticles on the surface of rGO sheets was confirmed by FESEM and TEM images. The electrochemical behavior of Fe3O4/rGO/GCE towards electrocatalytic oxidation of DA was investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) analysis. The electrochemical studies revealed that the Fe3O4/rGO/GCE dramatically increased the current response against the DA, due to the synergistic effect emerged between Fe3O4 and rGO. This implies that Fe3O4/rGO/GCE could exhibit excellent electrocatalytic activity and remarkable electron transfer kinetics towards the oxidation of DA. Moreover, the modified sensor electrode portrayed sensitivity and selectivity for simultaneous determination of AA and DA. The observed DPVs response linearly depends on AA and DA concentration in the range of 1–9 mM and 0.5–100 μM, with correlation coefficients of 0.995 and 0.996, respectively. The detection limit of (S/N = 3) was found to be 0.42 and 0.12 μM for AA and DA, respectively. PMID:25195850

  8. A highly efficient nano-cluster artificial peroxidase and its direct electrochemistry on a nano complex modified glassy carbon electrode.

    PubMed

    Hong, Jun; Wang, Wei; Huang, Kun; Yang, Wei-Yun; Zhao, Ying-Xue; Xiao, Bao-Lin; Gao, Yun-Fei; Moosavi-Movahedi, Zainab; Ghourchian, Hedayatollah; Moosavi-Movahedi, Ali Akbar

    2012-01-01

    A nano-cluster with highly efficient peroxide activity was constructed based on nafion (NF) and cytochrome c (Cyt c). UV-Vis spectrometry and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) methods were utilized for characterization of the nano-structured enzyme or artificial peroxidase (AP). The nano-cluster was composed of a Chain-Ball structure, with an average ball size of about 40 nm. The Michaelis-Menten (K(m)) and catalytic rate (k(cat)) constants of the AP were determined to be 2.5 ± 0.4 µM and 0.069 ± 0.001 s(-1), respectively, in 50 mM PBS at pH 7.0. The catalytic efficiency of the AP was evaluated to be 0.028 ± 0.005 µM(-1) s(-1), which was 39 ± 5% as efficient as the native horseradish peroxidase (HRP). The AP was also immobilized on a functional multi-wall carbon nanotube (MWNCTs)-gold colloid nanoparticles (AuNPs) nano-complex modified glassy carbon (GC) electrode. The cyclic voltammetry of AP on the nano complex modified GC electrode showed a pair of well-defined redox peaks with a formal potential (E°') of -45 ± 2 mV (vs. Ag/AgCl) at a scan rate of 0.05 V/s. The heterogeneous electron transfer rate constant (k(s)) was evaluated to be 0.65 s(-1). The surface concentration of electroactive AP on GC electrode (Γ) was 7 × 10(-10) mol cm(-2). The apparent Michaelis-Menten constant (K(m)(app)) was 0.23 nM.

  9. Investigation of follicular and non-follicular pathways for polyarginine and oleic acid modified nanoparticles

    PubMed Central

    Hayden, Patrick; Singh, Mandip

    2013-01-01

    Purpose The aim of the current study was to investigate the percutaneous permeation pathways of cell penetrating peptide modified lipid nanoparticles and oleic acid modified polymeric nanoparticles. Methods Confocal microscopy was performed on skin cultures (EpiDermFT™) for modified and un-modified nanoparticles. Differential stripping was performed following in vitro skin permeation of Ibuprofen (Ibu) encapsulated nanoparticles to estimate Ibu levels in different skin layers and receiver compartment. The hair follicles (HF) were blocked and in vitro skin permeation of nanoparticles was then compared with unblocked HF. The surface modified nanoparticles were investigated for response on allergic contact dermatitis (ACD). Results Surface modified nanoparticles showed a significant higher (p < 0.05) in fluorescence in EpiDermFT™ cultures compared to controls. The HF play less than 5% role in total nanoparticle permeation into the skin. The Ibu levels were significantly high (p<0.05) for surface modified nanoparticles compared to controls. The Ibu levels in skin and receiver compartment were not significantly different when HF were open or closed. Modified nanoparticles showed significant improvement in treatment of ACD compared to solution. Conclusions Our studies demonstrate that increased skin permeation of surface modified nanoparticles is not only dependent on a follicular pathway but also occur through non-follicular pathway(s). PMID:23187866

  10. In Situ Determination of Bisphenol A in Beverage Using a Molybdenum Selenide/Reduced Graphene Oxide Nanoparticle Composite Modified Glassy Carbon Electrode.

    PubMed

    Shi, Rongguang; Liang, Jing; Zhao, Zongshan; Liu, Yi; Liu, Aifeng

    2018-05-22

    Due to the endocrine disturbing effects of bisphenol A (BPA) on organisms, rapid detection has become one of the most important techniques for monitoring its levels in the aqueous solutions associated with plastics and human beings. In this paper, a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) modified with molybdenum selenide/reduced graphene oxide (MoSe₂/rGO) was fabricated for in situ determination of bisphenol A in several beverages. The surface area of the electrode dramatically increases due to the existence of ultra-thin nanosheets in a flower-like structure of MoSe₂. Adding phosphotungstic acid in the electrolyte can significantly enhance the repeatability (RSD = 0.4%) and reproducibility (RSD = 2.2%) of the electrode. Under the optimized condition (pH = 6.5), the linear range of BPA was from 0.1 μM⁻100 μM and the detection limit was 0.015 μM (S/ N = 3). When using the as-prepared electrode for analyzing BPA in beverage samples without any pretreatments, the recoveries ranged from 98⁻107%, and the concentrations were from below the detection limit to 1.7 μM, indicating its potential prospect for routine analysis of BPA.

  11. Novel Signal-Amplified Fenitrothion Electrochemical Assay, Based on Glassy Carbon Electrode Modified with Dispersed Graphene Oxide

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Limin; Dong, Jinbo; Wang, Yulong; Cheng, Qi; Yang, Mingming; Cai, Jia; Liu, Fengquan

    2016-03-01

    A novel signal-amplified electrochemical assay for the determination of fenitrothion was developed, based on the redox behaviour of organophosphorus pesticides on a glassy carbon working electrode. The electrode was modified using graphene oxide dispersion. The electrochemical response of fenitrothion at the modified electrode was investigated using cyclic voltammetry, current-time curves, and square-wave voltammetry. Experimental parameters, namely the accumulation conditions, pH value, and volume of dispersed material, were optimised. Under the optimum conditions, a good linear relationship was obtained between the oxidation peak current and the fenitrothion concentration. The linear range was 1-400 ng·mL-1, with a detection limit of 0.1 ng·mL-1 (signal-to-nose ratio = 3). The high sensitivity of the sensor was demonstrated by determining fenitrothion in pakchoi samples.

  12. Electrocatalytic oxidation of 2-mercaptoethanol using modified glassy carbon electrode by MWCNT in combination with unsymmetrical manganese (II) Schiff base complexes

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Mohebbi, Sajjad, E-mail: smohebbi@uok.ac.ir; Eslami, Saadat

    2015-06-15

    Highlights: • High electocatalytic efficiency and stability of modified hybrid electrode GC/MWCNTs/MnSaloph. • Direct reflection of catalytic activity of manganese complexes on electrocatalytic oxidation of 2-ME. • Decreasing overpotential and increasing catalytic peak current toward oxidation of 2-ME. • Deposition of range of novel substituted N{sub 2}O{sub 2} Saloph complexes of manganese(II) on GCE/MWCNT. • Enhancement of electrocatalytic oxidation activity upon electron donating substitutions on the Saloph. - Abstract: The performance of modified hybrid glassy carbon electrode with composite of carbon nanotubes and manganese complexes for the electrocatalytic oxidation of 2-mercaptoethanol is developed. GC electrode was modified using MWCNT andmore » new N{sub 2}O{sub 2} unsymmetrical tetradentate Schiff base complexes of manganese namely Manganese Saloph complexes 1-5, with general formula Mn[(5-x-4-y-Sal)(5-x′-4-y′-Sal) Ph], where x, x′ = H, Br, NO{sub 2} and y, y′ = H, MeO. Direct immobilization of CNT on the surface of GCE is performed by abrasive immobilization, and then modified by manganese(II) complexes via direct deposition method. These novel modified electrodes clearly demonstrate the necessity of modifying bare carbon electrodes to endow them with the desired behavior and were identified by HRTEM. Also complexes were characterized by elemental analyses, MS, UV–vis and IR spectroscopy. Modified hybrid GC/MWCNT/MnSaloph electrode exhibits strong and stable electrocatalytic activity towards the electrooxidation of 2-mercaptoethanol molecules in comparison with bare glassy carbon electrode with advantages of very low over potential and high catalytic current. Such ability promotes the thiol’s electron transfer reaction. Also, electron withdrawing substituent on the Saloph was enhanced electrocatalytic oxidation activity.« less

  13. Non-enzymatic detection of glucose using poly(azure A)-nickel modified glassy carbon electrode.

    PubMed

    Liu, Tong; Luo, Yiqun; Zhu, Jiaming; Kong, Liyan; Wang, Wen; Tan, Liang

    2016-08-15

    A simple, sensitive and selective non-enzymatic glucose sensor was constructed in this paper. The poly(azure A)-nickel modified glassy carbon electrode was successfully fabricated by the electropolymerization of azure A and the adsorption of Ni(2+). The Ni modified electrode, which was characterized by scanning electron microscope, cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectra and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements, respectively, displayed well-defined current responses of the Ni(III)/Ni(II) couple and showed a good activity for electrocatalytic oxidation of glucose in alkaline medium. Under the optimized conditions, the developed sensor exhibited a broad linear calibration range of 5 μM-12mM for quantification of glucose and a low detection limit of 0.64μM (3σ). The excellent analytical performance including simple structure, fast response time, good anti-interference ability, satisfying stability and reliable reproducibility were also found from the proposed amperometric sensor. The results were satisfactory for the determination of glucose in human serum samples as comparison to those from a local hospital. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Polymer modified glassy carbon electrode for the electrochemical determination of caffeine in coffee.

    PubMed

    Amare, Meareg; Admassie, Shimelis

    2012-05-15

    4-Amino-3-hydroxynaphthalene sulfonic acid (AHNSA) was electropolymerized on a glassy carbon electrode. The deposited film showed electrocatalytic activity towards the oxidation of caffeine. The polymer-modified electrode showed high sensitivity, selectivity and stability in the determination of caffeine in coffee. The peak current increased linearly with the concentration of caffeine in the range of 6 × 10(-8) to 4 × 10(-5) mol L(-1), with a detection limit of 1.37 × 10(-7) mol L(-1) (LoD = 3δ/slope). Analysis of caffeine in coffee was affected neither by sample matrices nor by structurally similar compounds. Recoveries ranging between 93.75 ± 2.32 and 100.75 ± 3.32 were achieved from coffee extracts indicating the applicability of the developed method for real sample analyses. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Detection of Guanine and Adenine Using an Aminated Reduced Graphene Oxide Functional Membrane-Modified Glassy Carbon Electrode

    PubMed Central

    Li, Di; Yang, Xiao-Lu; Xiao, Bao-Lin; Geng, Fang-Yong; Hong, Jun; Sheibani, Nader; Moosavi-Movahedi, Ali Akbar

    2017-01-01

    A new electrochemical sensor based on a Nafion, aminated reduced graphene oxide and chitosan functional membrane-modified glassy carbon electrode was proposed for the simultaneous detection of adenine and guanine. Fourier transform-infrared spectrometry (FTIR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and electrochemical methods were utilized for the additional characterization of the membrane materials. The prepared electrode was utilized for the detection of guanine (G) and adenine (A). The anodic peak currents to G and A were linear in the concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 120 μM and 0.2 to 110 μM, respectively. The detection limits were found to be 0.1 μM and 0.2 μM, respectively. Moreover, the modified electrode could also be used to determine G and A in calf thymus DNA. PMID:28718793

  16. A novel highly selective and sensitive detection of serotonin based on Ag/polypyrrole/Cu2O nanocomposite modified glassy carbon electrode.

    PubMed

    Selvarajan, S; Suganthi, A; Rajarajan, M

    2018-06-01

    A silver/polypyrrole/copper oxide (Ag/PPy/Cu 2 O) ternary nanocomposite was prepared by sonochemical and oxidative polymerization simple way, in which Cu 2 O was decorated with Ag nanoparticles, and covered by polyprrole (PPy) layer. The as prepared materials was characterized by UV-vis-spectroscopy (UV-vis), FT-IR, X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with EDX, high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Sensing of serotonin (5HT) was evaluated electrocatalyst using polypyrrole/glassy carbon electrode (PPy/GCE), polypyrrole/copper oxide/glassy carbon electrode (PPy/Cu 2 O/GCE) and silver/polypyrrole/copper oxide/glassy carbon electrode (Ag/PPy/Cu 2 O/GCE). The Ag/PPy/Cu 2 O/GCE was electrochemically treated in 0.1MPBS solution through cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). The peak current response increases linearly with 5-HT concentration from 0.01 to 250 µmol L -1 and the detection limit was found to be 0.0124 μmol L -1 . It exhibits high electrocatalytic activity, satisfactory repeatability, stability, fast response and good selectivity against potentially interfering species, which suggests its potential in the development of sensitive, selective, easy-operation and low-cost serotonin sensor for practical routine analyses. The proposed method is potential to expand the possible applied range of the nanocomposite material for detection of various concerned electro active substances. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Thiolated chitosan-modified PLA-PCL-TPGS nanoparticles for oral chemotherapy of lung cancer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jiang, Liqin; Li, Xuemin; Liu, Lingrong; Zhang, Qiqing

    2013-02-01

    Oral chemotherapy is a key step towards `chemotherapy at home', a dream of cancer patients, which will radically change the clinical practice of chemotherapy and greatly improve the quality of life of the patients. In this research, three types of nanoparticle formulation from commercial PCL and self-synthesized d-α-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate (PLA-PCL-TPGS) random copolymer were prepared in this research for oral delivery of antitumor agents, including thiolated chitosan-modified PCL nanoparticles, unmodified PLA-PCL-TPGS nanoparticles, and thiolated chitosan-modified PLA-PCL-TPGS nanoparticles. Firstly, the PLA-PCL-TPGS random copolymer was synthesized and characterized. Thiolated chitosan greatly increases its mucoadhesiveness and permeation properties, thus increasing the chances of nanoparticle uptake by the gastrointestinal mucosa and improving drug absorption. The PLA-PCL-TPGS nanoparticles were found by FESEM that they are of spherical shape and around 200 nm in diameter. The surface charge of PLA-PCL-TPGS nanoparticles was reversed from anionic to cationic after thiolated chitosan modification. The thiolated chitosan-modified PLA-PCL-TPGS nanoparticles have significantly higher level of the cell uptake than that of thiolated chitosan-modified PLGA nanoparticles and unmodified PLA-PCL-TPGS nanoparticles. In vitro cell viability studies showed advantages of the thiolated chitosan-modified PLA-PCL-TPGS nanoparticles over Taxol® in terms of cytotoxicity against A549 cells. It seems that the mucoadhesive nanoparticles can increase paclitaxel transport by opening tight junctions and bypassing the efflux pump of P-glycoprotein. In conclusion, PLA-PCL-TPGS nanoparticles modified by thiolated chitosan could enhance the cellular uptake and cytotoxicity, which revealed a potential application for oral chemotherapy of lung cancer.

  18. Thiolated chitosan-modified PLA-PCL-TPGS nanoparticles for oral chemotherapy of lung cancer

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Oral chemotherapy is a key step towards ‘chemotherapy at home’, a dream of cancer patients, which will radically change the clinical practice of chemotherapy and greatly improve the quality of life of the patients. In this research, three types of nanoparticle formulation from commercial PCL and self-synthesized d-α-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate (PLA-PCL-TPGS) random copolymer were prepared in this research for oral delivery of antitumor agents, including thiolated chitosan-modified PCL nanoparticles, unmodified PLA-PCL-TPGS nanoparticles, and thiolated chitosan-modified PLA-PCL-TPGS nanoparticles. Firstly, the PLA-PCL-TPGS random copolymer was synthesized and characterized. Thiolated chitosan greatly increases its mucoadhesiveness and permeation properties, thus increasing the chances of nanoparticle uptake by the gastrointestinal mucosa and improving drug absorption. The PLA-PCL-TPGS nanoparticles were found by FESEM that they are of spherical shape and around 200 nm in diameter. The surface charge of PLA-PCL-TPGS nanoparticles was reversed from anionic to cationic after thiolated chitosan modification. The thiolated chitosan-modified PLA-PCL-TPGS nanoparticles have significantly higher level of the cell uptake than that of thiolated chitosan-modified PLGA nanoparticles and unmodified PLA-PCL-TPGS nanoparticles. In vitro cell viability studies showed advantages of the thiolated chitosan-modified PLA-PCL-TPGS nanoparticles over Taxol® in terms of cytotoxicity against A549 cells. It seems that the mucoadhesive nanoparticles can increase paclitaxel transport by opening tight junctions and bypassing the efflux pump of P-glycoprotein. In conclusion, PLA-PCL-TPGS nanoparticles modified by thiolated chitosan could enhance the cellular uptake and cytotoxicity, which revealed a potential application for oral chemotherapy of lung cancer. PMID:23394588

  19. Soft landing of bare PtRu nanoparticles for electrochemical reduction of oxygen.

    PubMed

    Johnson, Grant E; Colby, Robert; Engelhard, Mark; Moon, Daewon; Laskin, Julia

    2015-08-07

    Magnetron sputtering of two independent Pt and Ru targets coupled with inert gas aggregation in a modified commercial source has been combined with soft landing of mass-selected ions to prepare bare 4.5 nm diameter PtRu nanoparticles on glassy carbon electrodes with controlled size and morphology for electrochemical reduction of oxygen in solution. Employing atomic force microscopy (AFM) it is shown that the nanoparticles bind randomly to the glassy carbon electrode at a relatively low coverage of 7 × 10(4) ions μm(-2) and that their average height is centered at 4.5 nm. Scanning transmission electron microscopy images obtained in the high-angle annular dark field mode (HAADF-STEM) further confirm that the soft-landed PtRu nanoparticles are uniform in size. Wide-area scans of the electrodes using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) reveal the presence of both Pt and Ru in atomic concentrations of ∼9% and ∼33%, respectively. Deconvolution of the high energy resolution XPS spectra in the Pt 4f and Ru 3d regions indicates the presence of both oxidized Pt and Ru. The substantially higher loading of Ru compared to Pt and enrichment of Pt at the surface of the nanoparticles is confirmed by wide-area analysis of the electrodes using time-of-flight medium energy ion scattering (TOF-MEIS) employing both 80 keV He(+) and O(+) ions. The activity of electrodes containing 7 × 10(4) ions μm(-2) of bare 4.5 nm PtRu nanoparticles toward the electrochemical reduction of oxygen was evaluated employing cyclic voltammetry (CV) in 0.1 M HClO4 and 0.5 M H2SO4 solutions. In both electrolytes a pronounced reduction peak was observed during O2 purging of the solution that was not evident during purging with Ar. Repeated electrochemical cycling of the electrodes revealed little evolution in the shape or position of the voltammograms indicating high stability of the nanoparticles supported on glassy carbon. The reproducibility of the nanoparticle synthesis and deposition was

  20. Direct Electrodeposition of Gold Nanoparticles on Glassy Carbon Electrode for Selective Determination Catechol in the Presence of Hydroquinone.

    PubMed

    Jayakumar, C; Magdalane, C Maria; Kaviyarasu, K; Kulandainathan, M Anbu; Jeyaraj, Boniface; Maaza, M

    2018-07-01

    A simple and reliable voltammetric sensor for simultaneous determination of Catechol (CT) and Hydroquinone (HQ) was developed by electrodepositing the gold nanoparticles on the surface of the Glassy Carbon Electrode (GCE). The cyclic voltammograms in a mixed solution of CT and HQ have shown that the oxidation peaks become well resolved and were separated by 110 mV, although the bare GCE gave a single broad oxidation peak. Moreover, the oxidation peak currents of both CT and HQ were remarkably increased three times in comparison with the bare GCE. This makes gold nanoparticles deposited GCE a suitable candidate for the determination of these isomers. In the presence of 1 mM HQ isomer, the oxidation peak currents of differential pulse voltammograms are proportional to the concentration of CT in the range of 21 μM to 323 μM with limit of detection 3.0 μM (S/N = 3). The proposed sensor has some important advantages such as low cost, ease of preparation, good stability and high reproducibility.

  1. Amperometric biosensor based on glassy carbon electrode modified with long-length carbon nanotube and enzyme

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Furutaka, Hajime; Nemoto, Kentaro; Inoue, Yuki; Hidaka, Hiroki; Muguruma, Hitoshi; Inoue, Hitoshi; Ohsawa, Tatsuya

    2016-05-01

    An amperometric biosensor based on a glassy carbon electrode modified with long-length multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and enzyme nicotinamide-adenine-dinucleotide-dependent glucose dehydrogenase (GDH) is presented. We demonstrate the effect of the MWCNT length on the amperometric response of the enzyme biosensor. The long length of MWCNT is 200 µm (average), whereas the normal length of MWCNT is 1 µm (average). The response of the long MWCNT-GDH electrode is 2 times more sensitive than that of the normal-length MWCNT-GDH electrode in the concentration range from 0.25-35 mM. The result of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements suggest that the long-length MWCNT-GDH electrode formed a better electron transfer network than the normal-length one.

  2. Platinum nanoparticles decorated dendrite-like gold nanostructure on glassy carbon electrodes for enhancing electrocatalysis performance to glucose oxidation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jia, Hongmei; Chang, Gang; Lei, Ming; He, Hanping; Liu, Xiong; Shu, Honghui; Xia, Tiantian; Su, Jie; He, Yunbin

    2016-10-01

    Platinum nanoparticles decorated dendrite-like gold nanostructure, bimetal composite materials on glassy carbon electrode (Pt/DGNs/GC) for enhancing electrocatalysis to glucose oxidation was designed and successfully fabricated by a facile two-step deposition method without any templates, surfactants, or stabilizers. Dendrite-like gold nanostructure was firstly deposited on the GC electrode via the potentiostatic method, and then platinum nanoparticles were decorated on the surface of gold substrate through chemical reduction deposition. X-ray diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) were applied to characterize the evolution of morphology and structure of the as-prepared Pt/DGNs/GC. Based on electrochemical measurements such as cyclic voltammetry, linear voltammetry and chronoamperometry, Pt/DGNs/GC exhibited significantly enhanced electrocatalytic performance to glucose oxidation compared those of pure dendrite-like Au nanoparticles in our previous report. Controlling chemical reduction deposition time, the amount of platinum nanoparticles on Au surface could be regulated, which further tuned electrocatalytic properties toward glucose oxidation. The dendrite-like gold surface partially covered by platinum nanoparticles dramatically enhanced the electrocatalytic performance for the oxidation of glucose because of excellent synergetic effects between gold and platinum species and the increased electrochemical active area from Pt nanoparticles loading. The non-enzymatic glucose biosensor based on Pt/DGNs/GC showed a rapid respond time (within 2 s), wide linear range (from 0.1 mM to 14 mM), low detection limit (0.01 mM), supernal sensitivity (275.44 μA cm-2 mM-1, R = 0.993), satisfactory reproducibility and good stability for glucose sensing. It was demonstrated that Pt/DGNs/GC could work as promising candidate for factual non-enzymatic glucose detection.

  3. Characterization of MWCNT/Nanoclay Binary Nanoparticles Modified Composites and Fatigue Performance Evaluation of Nanoclay Modified Fiber Reinforced Composites

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2014-04-21

    modified with binary nanoparticles consist of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and nanoclays together. First, epoxy SC-15 resin was reinforced...modified with binary nanoparticles consist of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and nanoclays together. First, epoxy SC-15 resin was reinforced with...7 2.2.1 Carbon Nanotube

  4. Determination of fenitrothion in water using a voltammetric sensor based on a polymer-modified glassy carbon electrode.

    PubMed

    Amare, Meareg; Abicho, Samuel; Admassie, Shimelis

    2014-01-01

    A glassy carbon electrode (GCE) modified with poly(4-amino-3-hydroxynaphthalene sulfonic acid) (poly-AHNSA) was used for the selective and sensitive determination of fenitrothion (FT) organophosphorus pesticide in water. The electrochemical behavior of FT at the bare GCE and the poly-AHNSA/GCE were compared using cyclic voltammetry. Enhanced peak current response and shift to a lower potential at the polymer-modified electrode indicated the electrocatalytic activity of the polymer film towards FT. Under optimized solution and method parameters, the adsorptive stripping square wave voltammetric reductive peak current of FT was linear to FT concentration in the range of 0.001 to 6.6 x 10(-6) M, and the LOD obtained (3delta/m) was 7.95 x 10(-10) M. Recoveries in the range 96-98% of spiked FT in tap water and reproducible results with RSD of 2.6% (n = 5) were obtained, indicating the potential applicability of the method for the determination of trace levels of FT in environmental samples.

  5. Soft Landing of Bare PtRu Nanoparticles for Electrochemical Reduction of Oxygen

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Johnson, Grant E.; Colby, Robert J.; Engelhard, Mark H.

    2015-08-07

    Magnetron sputtering of two independent Pt and Ru targets coupled with inert gas aggregation in a modified commercial source has been combined with soft landing of mass-selected ions to prepare bare 4.5 nm diameter PtRu alloy nanoparticles on glassy carbon electrodes with controlled size and morphology for electrochemical reduction of oxygen in solution. Employing atomic force microscopy (AFM) it is shown that the nanoparticles bind randomly to the glassy carbon electrode at a relatively low coverage of 7 x 104 ions µm-2 and that their average height is centered at 4 nm. Scanning transmission electron microscopy images obtained in themore » high-angle annular dark field mode (STEM-HAADF) further confirm that the soft-landed PtRu alloy nanoparticles are uniform in size and have a Ru core decorated with small regions of Pt on the surface. Wide-area scans of the electrodes using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) reveal the presence of both Pt and Ru in relative atomic concentrations of ~9% and ~33%, respectively. Deconvolution of the high energy resolution XPS spectra in the Pt4f and Ru3d regions indicates the presence of both oxidized Pt and Ru. The substantially higher loading of Ru compared to Pt and enrichment of Pt at the surface of the alloy nanoparticles is confirmed by wide-area analysis of the electrodes using time-of-flight medium energy ion scattering (TOF-MEIS) employing both 80 keV He+ and O+ ions. The activity of electrodes containing 7 x 104 ions µm-2 of bare 4.5 nm PtRu nanoparticles toward the electrochemical reduction of oxygen was evaluated employing cyclic voltammetry (CV) in 0.1 M HClO4 and 0.5 M H2SO4 solutions. In both electrolytes a pronounced reduction peak was observed during O2 purging of the solution that was not evident during purging with Ar. Repeated electrochemical cycling of the electrodes revealed little evolution in the shape or position of the voltammograms indicating high stability of the alloy nanoparticles supported on

  6. Electrodeposition of gold nanoparticles on aryl diazonium monolayer functionalized HOPG surfaces.

    PubMed

    González, M C R; Orive, A G; Salvarezza, R C; Creus, A H

    2016-01-21

    Gold nanoparticle electrodeposition on a modified HOPG surface with a monolayer organic film based on aryl diazonium chemistry has been studied. This organic monolayer is electrochemically grown with the use of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), a radical scavenger. The electrodeposition of gold on this modified surface is highly favored resulting in an AuNP surface density comparable to that found on glassy carbon. AuNPs grow only in the areas covered by the organic monolayer leaving free clean HOPG zones. A progressive mechanism for the nucleation and growth is followed giving hemispherical AuNPs, homogeneously distributed on the surface and their sizes can be well controlled by the applied electrodeposition potential. By using AFM, C-AFM and electrochemical measurements with the aid of two redox probes, namely Fe(CN)6(4-)/Fe(CN)6(3-) and dopamine, relevant results about the electrochemical modified surface as well as the gold nanoparticles electrodeposited on them are obtained.

  7. Biopolymer protected silver nanoparticles on the support of carbon nanotube as interface for electrocatalytic applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Satyanarayana, M.; Kumar, V. Sunil; Gobi, K. Vengatajalabathy

    2016-04-01

    In this research, silver nanoparticles (SNPs) are prepared on the surface of carbon nanotubes via chitosan, a biopolymer linkage. Here chitosan act as stabilizing agent for nanoparticles and forms a network on the surface of carbon nanotubes. Synthesized silver nanoparticles-MWCNT hybrid composite is characterized by UV-Visible spectroscopy, XRD analysis, and FESEM with EDS to evaluate the structural and chemical properties of the nanocomposite. The electrocatalytic activity of the fabricated SNP-MWCNT hybrid modified glassy carbon electrode has been evaluated by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance analysis. The silver nanoparticles are of size ˜35 nm and are well distributed on the surface of carbon nanotubes with chitosan linkage. The prepared nanocomposite shows efficient electrocatalytic properties with high active surface area and excellent electron transfer behaviour.

  8. Direct electrochemistry of glucose oxidase and glucose biosensing on a hydroxyl fullerenes modified glassy carbon electrode.

    PubMed

    Gao, Yun-Fei; Yang, Tian; Yang, Xiao-Lu; Zhang, Yu-Shuai; Xiao, Bao-Lin; Hong, Jun; Sheibani, Nader; Ghourchian, Hedayatollah; Hong, Tao; Moosavi-Movahedi, Ali Akbar

    2014-10-15

    Direct electrochemistry of glucose oxidase (GOD) was achieved when GOD-hydroxyl fullerenes (HFs) nano-complex was immobilized on a glassy carbon (GC) electrode and protected with a chitosan (Chit) membrane. The ultraviolet-visible absorption spectrometry (UV-vis), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and circular dichroism spectropolarimeter (CD) methods were utilized for additional characterization of the GOD, GOD-HFs and Chit/GOD-HFs. Chit/HFs may preserve the secondary structure and catalytic properties of GOD. The cyclic voltammograms (CVs) of the modified GC electrode showed a pair of well-defined quasi-reversible redox peaks with the formal potential (E°') of 353 ± 2 mV versus Ag/AgCl at a scan rate of 0.05 V/s. The heterogeneous electron transfer constant (ks) was calculated to be 2.7 ± 0.2s(-1). The modified electrode response to glucose was linear in the concentrations ranging from 0.05 to 1.0mM, with a detection limit of 5 ± 1 μM. The apparent Michaelis-Menten constant (Km(app)) was 694 ± 8 μM. Thus, the modified electrode could be applied as a third generation biosensor for glucose with high sensitivity, selectivity and low detection limit. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Highly selective determination of dopamine in the presence of ascorbic acid and serotonin at glassy carbon electrodes modified with carbon nanotubes dispersed in polyethylenimine.

    PubMed

    Rodríguez, Marcela C; Rubianes, María D; Rivas, Gustavo A

    2008-11-01

    We report the highly selective and sensitive voltammetric dopamine quantification in the presence of ascorbic acid and serotonin by using glassy carbon electrodes modified with a dispersion of multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) in polyethylenimine, PEI (GCE/MWCNT-PEI). The electrocatalytic activity of the MWCNT deposited on the glassy carbon electrode has allowed an important decrease in the overvoltages for the oxidation of ascorbic acid and dopamine, making possible a clear definition of dopamine, serotonin and ascorbic acid oxidation processes. The sensitivities for dopamine in the presence and absence of 1.0 mM ascorbic acid and serotonin were (2.18 +/- 0.03) x 10(5) microAM(-1) (r = 0.9998); and (2.10 +/- 0.07) x 10(5) miroAM(-1) (r=0.9985), respectively, demonstrating the excellent performance of the GCE/MWCNT-PEI. The detection limit for dopamine in the mixture was 9.2 x 10(-7) M. The R. S. D. for the determination of 50 microM dopamine using four different electrodes was 3.9% when modified with the same MWCNT/PEI dispersion, and 4.6% when using four different dispersions. The modified electrode has been successfully applied for recovery assays of dopamine in human blood serum. Therefore, the new sensor represents an interesting and promising alternative for the electrochemical quantification of neurotransmitters and other analytes of clinical interest.

  10. Construction of an electrochemical sensor based on the electrodeposition of Au-Pt nanoparticles mixtures on multi-walled carbon nanotubes film for voltammetric determination of cefotaxime.

    PubMed

    Shahrokhian, Saeed; Rastgar, Shokoufeh

    2012-06-07

    Mixtures of gold-platinum nanoparticles (Au-PtNPs) are fabricated consecutively on a multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNT) coated glassy carbon electrode (GCE) by the electrodeposition method. The surface morphology and nature of the hybrid film (Au-PtNPs/MWCNT) deposited on glassy carbon electrodes is characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and cyclic voltammetry (CV) techniques. The modified electrode is used as a new and sensitive electrochemical sensor for the voltammetric determination of cefotaxime (CFX). The electrochemical behavior of CFX is investigated on the surface of the modified electrode using linear sweep voltammetry (LSV). The results of voltammetric studies exhibited a considerable improvement in the oxidation peak current of CFX compared to glassy carbon electrodes individually coated with MWCNT or Au-PtNPs. Under the optimized conditions, the modified electrode showed a wide linear dynamic range of 0.004-10.0 μM with a detection limit of 1.0 nM for the voltammetric determination of CFX. The modified electrode was successfully applied for the accurate determination of trace amounts of CFX in pharmaceutical and clinical preparations.

  11. Pd nanoparticle-modified electrodes for nonenzymatic hydrogen peroxide detection

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Jue; Chen, Xue-jiao; Liao, Kai-ming; Wang, Guang-hou; Han, Min

    2015-08-01

    A hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) sensor based on Pd nanoparticles (NPs) and glassy carbon electrodes (GCEs) is fabricated. Pd NPs are deposited on GCEs by using a gas phase cluster beam deposition technique. The NP-deposited electrodes show enhanced electrocatalytic activity in reduction of H2O2. The electrode with an optimized NP coverage of 85 % has a high selective and stable nonenzymatic sensing ability of H2O2 with a low detection limit (3.4 × 10-7 M), high sensitivity (50.9 μA mM-1), and a wide linear range (from 1.0 × 10-6 to 6.0 × 10-3 M). The reduction peak potential of the electrode is close to -0.12 V, which enables high selective amperometric detection of H2O2 at a low applied potential.

  12. Structure of Hydrophobically Modified Phytoglycogen Nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Atkinson, John; Nickels, Jonathan; Dutcher, John; Katsaras, John

    Phytoglycogen is a highly branched, polysaccharide nanoparticle produced by some varieties of plants including sweet corn. These particles are attractive candidates for cosmetic, industrial and biomedical applications. Many of these applications result from phytoglycogen's unique interaction with water: (1) high solubility; (2) low viscosity and high stability in aqueous dispersions; and (3) a remarkable capacity to sequester and retain water. Neutron scattering measurements of native phytoglycogen revealed that the particles have uniform size, uniform radial particle density, and a high level of hydration. Hydrophobically modifying the outer surface of the hydrophilic nanoparticles opens up new applications in food and biomedicine, such as solubilizing and stabilizing bioactive compounds. One such modification is octenyl succinate anhydride (OSA), where the hydrophobicity can be tuned by adjusting the degree of substitution. I will present the results of small angle neutron scattering (SANS) measurements of aqueous dispersions of OSA-modified phytoglycogen with two different degrees of modification. Contrast series SANS measurements have yielded information about the radial density profile, providing insight into the nature of the chemical modification of the particles.

  13. EDTA assisted synthesis of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles for electrochemical sensing of uric acid.

    PubMed

    Kanchana, P; Sekar, C

    2014-09-01

    Hydroxyapatite nanoparticles have been synthesized using EDTA as organic modifier by a simple microwave irradiation method and its application for the selective determination of uric acid (UA) has been demonstrated. Electrochemical behavior of uric acid at HA nanoparticle modified glassy carbon electrode (E-HA/GCE) has been investigated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), cyclic voltammetry (CV), linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) and amperometry. The E-HA modified electrode exhibits efficient electrochemical activity towards uric acid sensing without requiring enzyme or electron mediator. Amperometry studies revealed that the fabricated electrode has excellent sensitivity for uric acid with the lowest detection limit of 142 nM over a wide concentration range from 1 × 10(-7) to 3 × 10(-5)M. Moreover, the studied E-HA modified GC electrode exhibits a good reproducibility and long-term stability and an admirable selectivity towards the determination of UA even in the presence of potential interferents. The analytical performance of this sensor was evaluated for the detection of uric acid in human urine and blood serum samples. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  14. Biopolymer protected silver nanoparticles on the support of carbon nanotube as interface for electrocatalytic applications

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Satyanarayana, M.; Kumar, V. Sunil; Gobi, K. Vengatajalabathy, E-mail: drkvgobi@gmail.com, E-mail: satyam.nitw@gmail.com

    In this research, silver nanoparticles (SNPs) are prepared on the surface of carbon nanotubes via chitosan, a biopolymer linkage. Here chitosan act as stabilizing agent for nanoparticles and forms a network on the surface of carbon nanotubes. Synthesized silver nanoparticles-MWCNT hybrid composite is characterized by UV-Visible spectroscopy, XRD analysis, and FESEM with EDS to evaluate the structural and chemical properties of the nanocomposite. The electrocatalytic activity of the fabricated SNP-MWCNT hybrid modified glassy carbon electrode has been evaluated by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance analysis. The silver nanoparticles are of size ∼35 nm and are well distributed on the surface ofmore » carbon nanotubes with chitosan linkage. The prepared nanocomposite shows efficient electrocatalytic properties with high active surface area and excellent electron transfer behaviour.« less

  15. One-Step Electrochemical Fabrication of Reduced Graphene Oxide/Gold Nanoparticles Nanocomposite-Modified Electrode for Simultaneous Detection of Dopamine, Ascorbic Acid, and Uric Acid

    PubMed Central

    Lee, Chang-Seuk; Yu, Su Hwan; Kim, Tae Hyun

    2017-01-01

    Here, we introduce the preparation of the hybrid nanocomposite-modified electrode consisting of reduced graphene oxide (RGO) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) using the one-step electrochemical method, allowing for the simultaneous and individual detection of dopamine (DA), ascorbic acid (AA), and uric acid (UA). RGO/AuNPs nanocomposite was formed on a glassy carbon electrode by the co-reduction of GO and Au3+ using the potentiodynamic method. The RGO/AuNPs nanocomposite-modified electrode was produced by subjecting a mixed solution of GO and Au3+ to cyclic sweeping from −1.5 V to 0.8 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) at a scan rate 10 mV/s for 3 cycles. The modified electrode was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, contact angle measurement, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry. Voltammetry results confirm that the RGO/AuNPs nanocomposite-modified electrode has high catalytic activity and good resolution for the detection of DA, AA, and UA. The RGO/AuNPs nanocomposite-modified electrode exhibits stable amperometric responses for DA, AA, and UA, respectively, and its detection limits were estimated to be 0.14, 9.5, and 25 μM. The modified electrode shows high selectivity towards the determination of DA, AA, or UA in the presence of potentially active bioelements. In addition, the resulting sensor exhibits many advantages such as fast amperometric response, excellent operational stability, and appropriate practicality. PMID:29301209

  16. Fluorescence imaging of the nanoparticles modified with indocyanine green

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gareev, K. G.; Babikova, K. Y.; Postnov, V. N.; Naumisheva, E. B.; Korolev, D. V.

    2017-11-01

    The comparative research of silica, the magnetite and magnetite-silica nanoparticles modified with fluorescent dyes using gas-phase and liquid-phase methods was conducted. At the content of fluorescent dye comparable in size a particular spectrophotometric method, nanoparticles with fluorescein have up to 1000 times larger overall luminous efficiency. It is revealed that magnetic nanoparticles are characterized by a smaller light efficiency in comparison with silica particles, at the same time particles of a magnetite are most effective at modification with fluorescein, and magnetite-silica particles - at modification with indocyanine green.

  17. Indirect determination of sulfite using a polyphenol oxidase biosensor based on a glassy carbon electrode modified with multi-walled carbon nanotubes and gold nanoparticles within a poly(allylamine hydrochloride) film.

    PubMed

    Sartori, Elen Romão; Vicentini, Fernando Campanhã; Fatibello-Filho, Orlando

    2011-12-15

    The modification of a glassy carbon electrode with multi-walled carbon nanotubes and gold nanoparticles within a poly(allylamine hydrochloride) film for the development of a biosensor is proposed. This approach provides an efficient method used to immobilize polyphenol oxidase (PPO) obtained from the crude extract of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.). The principle of the analytical method is based on the inhibitory effect of sulfite on the activity of PPO, in the reduction reaction of o-quinone to catechol and/or the reaction of o-quinone with sulfite. Under the optimum experimental conditions using the differential pulse voltammetry technique, the analytical curve obtained was linear in the concentration of sulfite in the range from 0.5 to 22 μmol L(-1) with a detection limit of 0.4 μmol L(-1). The biosensor was applied for the determination of sulfite in white and red wine samples with results in close agreement with those results obtained using a reference iodometric method (at a 95% confidence level). Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Glassy carbon electrode modified with polyanilne/ethylenediamine for detection of copper ions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Patil, Harshada K.; Deshmukh, Megha A.; Bodkhe, Gajanan A.; Shirsat, Mahendra D.

    2018-05-01

    Increasing water pollution is having high concern, since it creates the threats to all leaving organisms of existence. Industrial sewages have not only polluted the main stream lines of water, also the ground level water is having serious contaminations. Heavy metal ions are the pollutants which are not degradable and can be accumulated on living things ultimately the excess accumulation results into the serious concerns. Therefore, it is necessary to develop the sensors which can detect the heavy metal ions up to its maximum contamination limits. Conducting polymers are the materials which possess large application spectra. This investigation reports the electrochemically synthesized polyaniline (PANI) for modification of glassy carbon electrode (GCE). Ethylenediamine (EDA) - chelating ligand used for the modification of polyaniline so as to inculcate the selectivity toward copper ions Cu (II). The electrochemical cyclic voltammetry (CV) was used for the study of redox characteristics of PANI and influence of EDA modification. The result of CV has shown the reduced oxidation and reduction peak currents after modification indicating the domination of EDA. GCE modified with PANI/EDA was then employed for the detection of divalent copper ions and have shown the affinity toward Cu ions. The detection limit achieved was equal to 10mg/lit.

  19. An Easily Fabricated Electrochemical Sensor Based on a Graphene-Modified Glassy Carbon Electrode for Determination of Octopamine and Tyramine

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Yang; Zhang, Meiqin; Wei, Qianhui; Gao, Yongjie; Guo, Lijuan; Al-Ghanim, Khalid A.; Mahboob, Shahid; Zhang, Xueji

    2016-01-01

    A simple electrochemical sensor has been developed for highly sensitive detection of octopamine and tyramine by electrodepositing reduced graphene oxide (ERGO) nanosheets onto the surface of a glassy carbon electrode (GCE). The electrocatalytic oxidation of octopamine and tyramine is individually investigated at the surface of the ERGO modified glassy carbon electrode (ERGO/GCE) by using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). Several essential factors including the deposition cycle of reduced graphene oxide nanosheets and the pH of the running buffer were investigated in order to determine the optimum conditions. Furthermore, the sensor was applied to the quantification of octopamine and tyramine by DPV in the concentration ranges from 0.5 to 40 μM and 0.1 to 25 μM, respectively. In addition, the limits of detection of octopamine and tyramine were calculated to be 0.1 μM and 0.03 μM (S/N = 3), respectively. The sensor showed good reproducibility, selectivity and stability. Finally, the sensor successfully detected octopamine and tyramine in commercially available beer with satisfactory recovery ranges which were 98.5%–104.7% and 102.2%–103.1%, respectively. These results indicate the ERGO/GCE based sensor is suitable for the detection of octopamine and tyramine. PMID:27089341

  20. Sensitizing of pyrene fluorescence by β-cyclodextrin-modified TiO2 nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Shown, Indrajit; Ujihara, Masaki; Imae, Toyoko

    2010-12-15

    TiO(2) nanoparticles were synthesized by hydrolysis of tetraisopropyl orthotitanate in an aqueous solution of cyclodextrin. The β-cyclodextrin-modified spherical TiO(2) nanoparticles were water-dispersible and had an average particle diameter of 4.4 ± 1 nm. Pyrene fluorescence was enhanced by increasing the concentration of β-cyclodextrin-modified TiO(2) nanoparticle and the sensitization effect was triply stronger than the case of the β-cyclodextrin only. The increase in a concentration of host (β-cyclodextrin) changes its microenvironment for guest (pyrene), that is, the interaction of pyrene with apolar cavity of β-cyclodextrin increases, resulting in enhancement of fluorescence. The sensitization behavior of pyrene fluorescence in the presence of TiO(2) nanoparticles occurs from the increase in the extinction coefficient of pyrene, demonstrating the charge transfer between pyrene and metal oxide nanoparticle. Crown Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. A voltammetric determination of caffeic acid in red wines based on the nitrogen doped carbon modified glassy carbon electrode.

    PubMed

    Karikalan, Natarajan; Karthik, Raj; Chen, Shen-Ming; Chen, Hsi-An

    2017-04-05

    We reported an electrochemical determination of caffeic acid (CA) based on the nitrogen doped carbon (NDC). The described sensor material was prepared by the flame synthesis method, which gave an excellent platform for the synthesis of carbon nanomaterials with the hetero atom dopant. The synthesized material was confirmed by various physical characterizations and it was further characterized by different electrochemical experiments. The NDC modified glassy carbon electrode (NDC/GCE) shows the superior electrocatalytic performance towards the determination of CA with the wide linear concentration range from 0.01 to 350 μM. It achieves the lowest detection limit of 0.0024 μM and the limit of quantification of 0.004 μM. The NDC/GCE-CA sensor reveals the good selectivity, stability, sensitivity and reproducibility which endorsed that the NDC is promising electrode for the determination of CA. In addition, NDC modified electrode is applied to the determination of CA in red wines and acquired good results.

  2. Comparison of impedimetric detection of DNA hybridization on the various biosensors based on modified glassy carbon electrodes with PANHS and nanomaterials of RGO and MWCNTs.

    PubMed

    Benvidi, Ali; Tezerjani, Marzieh Dehghan; Jahanbani, Shahriar; Mazloum Ardakani, Mohammad; Moshtaghioun, Seyed Mohammad

    2016-01-15

    In this research, we have developed lable free DNA biosensors based on modified glassy carbon electrodes (GCE) with reduced graphene oxide (RGO) and carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) for detection of DNA sequences. This paper compares the detection of BRCA1 5382insC mutation using independent glassy carbon electrodes (GCE) modified with RGO and MWCNTs. A probe (BRCA1 5382insC mutation detection (ssDNA)) was then immobilized on the modified electrodes for a specific time. The immobilization of the probe and its hybridization with the target DNA (Complementary DNA) were performed under optimum conditions using different electrochemical techniques such as cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The proposed biosensors were used for determination of complementary DNA sequences. The non-modified DNA biosensor (1-pyrenebutyric acid-N- hydroxysuccinimide ester (PANHS)/GCE), revealed a linear relationship between ∆Rct and logarithm of the complementary target DNA concentration ranging from 1.0×10(-16)molL(-1) to 1.0×10(-10)mol L(-1) with a correlation coefficient of 0.992, for DNA biosensors modified with multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and reduced graphene oxide (RGO) wider linear range and lower detection limit were obtained. For ssDNA/PANHS/MWCNTs/GCE a linear range 1.0×10(-17)mol L(-1)-1.0×10(-10)mol L(-1) with a correlation coefficient of 0.993 and for ssDNA/PANHS/RGO/GCE a linear range from 1.0×10(-18)mol L(-1) to 1.0×10(-10)mol L(-1) with a correlation coefficient of 0.985 were obtained. In addition, the mentioned biosensors were satisfactorily applied for discriminating of complementary sequences from noncomplementary sequences, so the mentioned biosensors can be used for the detection of BRCA1-associated breast cancer. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  3. Sustained release and permeation of timolol from surface-modified solid lipid nanoparticles through bioengineered human cornea.

    PubMed

    Attama, A A; Reichl, S; Müller-Goymann, C C

    2009-08-01

    The aim of the study was to formulate and evaluate surface-modified solid lipid nanoparticles sustained delivery system of timolol hydrogen maleate, a prototype ocular drug using a human cornea construct. Surface-modified solid lipid nanoparticles containing timolol with and without phospholipid were formulated by melt emulsification with high-pressure homogenization and characterized by particle size, wide-angle X-ray diffraction, encapsulation efficiency, and in vitro drug release. Drug transport studies through cornea bioengineered from human donor cornea cells were carried out using a modified Franz diffusion cell and drug concentration analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography. Results show that surface-modified solid lipid nanoparticles possessed very small particles (42.9 +/- 0.3 nm, 47.2 +/- 0.3 nm, 42.7 +/- 0.7 nm, and 37.7 +/- 0.3 nm, respectively for SM-SLN 1, SM-SLN 2, SM-SLN 3, and SM-SLN 4) with low polydispersity indices, increased encapsulation efficiency (> 44%), and sustained in vitro release compared with unmodified lipid nanoparticles whose particles were greater than 160 nm. Permeation of timolol hydrogen maleate from the surface-modified lipid nanoparticles across the cornea construct was sustained compared with timolol hydrogen maleate solution in distilled water. Surface-modified solid lipid nanoparticles could provide an efficient way of improving ocular bioavailability of timolol hydrogen maleate.

  4. Photogeneration of singlet oxygen by the phenothiazine derivatives covalently bound to the surface-modified glassy carbon

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Blacha-Grzechnik, Agata; Piwowar, Katarzyna; Krukiewicz, Katarzyna; Koscielniak, Piotr; Szuber, Jacek; Zak, Jerzy K.

    2016-05-01

    The selected group of four amine-derivatives of phenothiazine was covalently grafted to the glassy carbon surface in the four-step procedure consisting of the electrochemical reduction of the diazonium salt followed by the electrochemical and chemical post-modification steps. The proposed strategy involves the bonding of linker molecule to which the photosensitizer is attached. The synthesized organic layers were characterized by means of cyclic voltammetry, XPS and Raman Spectroscopy. It was shown that the phenothiazines immobilized via proposed strategy retain their photochemical properties and are able to generate 1O2 when activated by the laser radiation. The effectiveness of in situ singlet oxygen generation by those new solid photoactive materials was determined by means of UVVis spectroscopy. The reported, covalently modified solid surfaces may find their application as the singlet oxygen photogenerators in the fine chemicals' synthesis or in the wastewater treatment.

  5. Enhanced amperometric detection of metronidazole in drug formulations and urine samples based on chitosan protected tetrasulfonated copper phthalocyanine thin-film modified glassy carbon electrode.

    PubMed

    Meenakshi, S; Pandian, K; Jayakumari, L S; Inbasekaran, S

    2016-02-01

    An enhanced electrocatalytic reduction of metronidazole antibiotic drug molecule using chitosan protected tetrasulfonated copper phthalocyanine (Chit/CuTsPc) thin-film modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) has been developed. An irreversible reduction occurs at -0.47V (vs. Ag/AgCl) using Chit/CuTsPc modified GCE. A maximum peak current value is obtained at pH1 and the electrochemical reduction reaction is a diffusion controlled one. The detection limit is found to be 0.41nM from differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) method. This present investigation method is adopted for electrochemical detection of metronidazole in drug formulation and urine samples by using DPV method. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Surface modified PLGA nanoparticles for brain targeting of Bacoside-A.

    PubMed

    Jose, S; Sowmya, S; Cinu, T A; Aleykutty, N A; Thomas, S; Souto, E B

    2014-10-15

    The present paper focuses on the development and in vitro/in vivo characterization of nanoparticles composed of poly-(D,L)-Lactide-co-Glycolide (PLGA) loading Bacoside-A, as a new approach for the brain delivery of the neuroprotective drug for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders (e.g. Alzheimer Disease). Bacoside-A-loaded PLGA nanoparticles were prepared via o/w emulsion solvent evaporation technique. Surface of the nanoparticles were modified by coating with polysorbate 80 to facilitate the crossing of the blood brain barrier (BBB), and the processing parameters (i.e. sonication time, the concentration of polymer (PLGA) and surfactant (polysorbate 80), and drug-polymer ratio) were optimized with the aim to achieve a high production yield. Brain targeting potential of the nanoparticles was evaluated by in vivo studies using Wistar albino rats. The nanoparticles produced by optimal formulation were within the nanosized range (70-200 nm) with relatively low polydispersity index (0.391 ± 1.2). The encapsulation efficiency of Bacoside-A in PLGA nanoparticles was 57.11 ± 7.11%, with a drug loading capacity of 20.5 ± 1.98%. SEM images showed the spherical shape of the PLGA nanoparticles, whereas their low crystallinity was demonstrated by X-ray studies, which also confirmed no chemical interactions between the drug and polymer molecules. The in vitro release of Bacoside-A from the PLGA nanoparticles followed a sustained release pattern with a maximum release of up to 83.04 ± 2.55% in 48 h. When compared to pure drug solution (2.56 ± 1.23 μg/g tissue), in vivo study demonstrated higher brain concentration of Bacoside-A (23.94 ± 1.74 μg/g tissue) suggesting a significant role of surface coated nanoparticles on brain targeting. The results indicate the potential of surface modified PLGA nanoparticles for the delivery of Bacoside-A to the brain. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Gold nanoparticles modified electrode via simple electrografting of in situ generated mercaptophenyl diazonium cations for development of DNA electrochemical biosensor.

    PubMed

    Li, Feng; Feng, Yan; Dong, Pingjun; Yang, Limin; Tang, Bo

    2011-01-15

    A novel protocol for development of DNA electrochemical biosensor based on gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was proposed, which was carried out by the self-assembly of AuNPs on the mercaptophenyl film (MPF) via simple electrografting of in situ generated mercaptophenyl diazonium cations. The resulting MPF was covalently immobilized on GCE surface via C-C bond with high stability, which was desirable in fabrication of excellent performance biosensors. Probe DNA was self-assembled on AuNPs through the well-known Au-thiol binding. The recognition of fabricated DNA electrochemical biosensor toward complementary single-stranded DNA was determined by differential pulse voltammetry with the use of Co(phen)(3)(3+) as the electrochemical indicator. Taking advantage of amplification effects of AuNPs and stability of MPF, the developed biosensor could detect target DNA with the detection limit of 7.2×10(-11) M, which also exhibits good selectivity, stability and regeneration ability for DNA detection. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Photocatalytic, antimicrobial activities of biogenic silver nanoparticles and electrochemical degradation of water soluble dyes at glassy carbon/silver modified past electrode using buffer solution.

    PubMed

    Khan, Zia Ul Haq; Khan, Amjad; Shah, Afzal; Chen, Yongmei; Wan, Pingyu; Khan, Arif Ullah; Tahir, Kamran; Muhamma, Nawshad; Khan, Faheem Ullah; Shah, Hidayat Ullah

    2016-03-01

    In the present research work a novel, nontoxic and ecofriendly procedure was developed for the green synthesis of silver nano particle (AgNPs) using Caruluma edulis (C. edulis) extract act as reductant as well as stabilizer agents. The formation of AgNPs was confirmed by UV/Vis spectroscopy. The small and spherical sizes of AgNPs were conformed from high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) analysis and were found in the range of 2-10nm, which were highly dispersion without any aggregation. The crystalline structure of AgNPs was conformed from X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. For the elemental composition EDX was used and FTIR helped to determine the type of organic compounds in the extract. The potential electrochemical property of modified silver electrode was also studied. The AgNPs showed prominent antibacterial motion with MIC values of 125 μg/mL against Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus while 250 μg/mL against Escherichia coli. High cell constituents' release was exhibited by B. subtilis with 2 × MIC value of silver nanoparticles. Silver nanoparticles also showed significant DPPH free radical scavenging activity. This research would have an important implication for the synthesis of more efficient antimicrobial and antioxidant agent. The AgNP modified electrode (GC/AgNPs) exhibited an excellent electro-catalytic activity toward the redox reaction of phenolic compounds. The AgNPs were evaluated for electrochemical degradation of bromothymol blue (BTB) dyes which showed a significant activity. From the strong reductive properties it is obvious that AgNPs can be used in water sanitization and converting some organic perilous in to non-hazardous materials. The AgNPs showed potential applications in the field of electro chemistry, sensor, catalyst, nano-devices and medical. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Surface-modified silk hydrogel containing hydroxyapatite nanoparticle with hyaluronic acid-dopamine conjugate.

    PubMed

    Kim, Hyung Hwan; Park, Jong Bo; Kang, Min Ji; Park, Young Hwan

    2014-09-01

    Silk fibroin/hydroxyapatite (SF/HAp) composite hydrogels were fabricated in this study, having different HAp contents (0-33 wt%) in SF matrix hydrogel. Surface modification of HAp nanoparticle with hyaluronic acid (HA)-dopamine (DA) conjugate improved a dispersibility of HAp in aqueous SF solution due to its negatively charged surface and therefore, fabrication of the SF composite hydrogel having HAp nanoparticles inside could be possible. Zeta potential of surface-modified HAP was examined by ELS. It demonstrates that surface of HAp was well modified to a negative charge with HA-DA. Morphological structure of SF hydrogel containing surface-modified HAp was examined by FE-SEM for analyzing pore structure of hydrogel and deposition of HAp nanoparticle in SF hydrogel. It was found that HAp nanoparticles were uniformly deposited on the pore wall of SF hydrogel. Structural characteristics of SF/HAp composite hydrogel was performed using X-ray diffraction and FT-IR analysis. It was found that β-sheet crystal conformation of SF was significantly influenced by the HAp content during gelation of a mixture of SF and HAp. As a result of MTT assay, the SF/HAp composite hydrogel showed excellent cell proliferation ability. Therefore, it is expected that SF hydrogel containing HAp nanoparticles has a high potential as bone regeneration scaffold. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Spontaneous synthesis of gold nanoparticles on gum arabic-modified iron oxide nanoparticles as a magnetically recoverable nanocatalyst.

    PubMed

    Wu, Chien-Chen; Chen, Dong-Hwang

    2012-06-19

    A novel magnetically recoverable Au nanocatalyst was fabricated by spontaneous green synthesis of Au nanoparticles on the surface of gum arabic-modified Fe3O4 nanoparticles. A layer of Au nanoparticles with thickness of about 2 nm was deposited on the surface of gum arabic-modified Fe3O4 nanoparticles, because gum arabic acted as a reducing agent and a stabilizing agent simultaneously. The resultant magnetically recoverable Au nanocatalyst exhibited good catalytic activity for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol with sodium borohydride. The rate constants evaluated in terms of pseudo-first-order kinetic model increased with increase in the amount of Au nanocatalyst or decrease in the initial concentration of 4-nitrophenol. The kinetic data suggested that this catalytic reaction was diffusion-controlled, owing to the presence of gum arabic layer. In addition, this nanocatalyst exhibited good stability. Its activity had no significant decrease after five recycles. This work is useful for the development and application of magnetically recoverable Au nanocatalyst on the basis of green chemistry principles.

  11. Spontaneous synthesis of gold nanoparticles on gum arabic-modified iron oxide nanoparticles as a magnetically recoverable nanocatalyst

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    A novel magnetically recoverable Au nanocatalyst was fabricated by spontaneous green synthesis of Au nanoparticles on the surface of gum arabic-modified Fe3O4 nanoparticles. A layer of Au nanoparticles with thickness of about 2 nm was deposited on the surface of gum arabic-modified Fe3O4 nanoparticles, because gum arabic acted as a reducing agent and a stabilizing agent simultaneously. The resultant magnetically recoverable Au nanocatalyst exhibited good catalytic activity for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol with sodium borohydride. The rate constants evaluated in terms of pseudo-first-order kinetic model increased with increase in the amount of Au nanocatalyst or decrease in the initial concentration of 4-nitrophenol. The kinetic data suggested that this catalytic reaction was diffusion-controlled, owing to the presence of gum arabic layer. In addition, this nanocatalyst exhibited good stability. Its activity had no significant decrease after five recycles. This work is useful for the development and application of magnetically recoverable Au nanocatalyst on the basis of green chemistry principles. PMID:22713480

  12. Nano-particle modified stationary phases for high-performance liquid chromatography.

    PubMed

    Nesterenko, Ekaterina P; Nesterenko, Pavel N; Connolly, Damian; He, Xiaoyun; Floris, Patrick; Duffy, Emer; Paull, Brett

    2013-08-07

    This review covers the latest developments and applications of nano-materials in stationary phase development for various modes of high-performance liquid chromatography. Specific attention is placed upon the development of new composite phases, including the synthetic and immobilisation strategies used, to produce either encapsulated nano-particles, or surface attached nano-particles, layers, coatings and other structures. The resultant chromatographic applications, where applicable, are discussed with comment upon enhanced selectivity and/or efficiency of the nano-particle modified phases, where such effects have been identified. In the main this review covers developments over the past five years and is structured according to the nature of the nano-particles themselves, including carbonaceous, metallic, inorganic, and organopolymer based materials.

  13. Adsorption stripping voltammetry of phenol at Nafion-modified glassy carbon electrode in the presence of surfactants.

    PubMed

    Yi, H; Wu, K; Hu, S; Cui, D

    2001-12-24

    In this paper, a new voltammetric method for the determination of phenol is described. In pH 8.00 phosphate buffer and in the presence of long-chain cationic surfactant-cetyltrimethylammonium bromide-phenol has a very sensitive oxidation peak at 0.47 V (vs. SCE) on the Nafion-modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE). The experimental parameters, such as supporting electrolyte and pH values, amounts of Nafion, varieties and concentration of surfactants, accumulation potential and time, as well as scan rate were optimized. The peak current is linear with the concentration of phenol in the range from 8x10(-9) to 1x10(-5) M, and the detection limit is 1x10(-9) M after being accumulated at -0.50 V (vs. SCE) for 3 min. Trace levels of phenol in water samples were determined by using this voltammetric method, the average recovery was calculated to be 99.56%.

  14. Surface-modified nanoparticles as anti-biofilm filler for dental polymers

    PubMed Central

    Zaltsman, Nathan; Ionescu, Andrei C.; Weiss, Ervin I.; Brambilla, Eugenio; Beyth, Shaul

    2017-01-01

    The objective of the study was to synthesis silica nanoparticles modified with (i) a tertiary amine bearing two t-cinnamaldehyde substituents or (ii) dimethyl-octyl ammonium, alongside the well-studied quaternary ammonium polyethyleneimine nanoparticles. These were to be evaluated for their chemical and mechanical properties, as well for antibacterial and antibiofilm activity. Samples were incorporated in commercial dental resin material and the degree of monomer conversion, mechanical strength, and water contact angle were tested to characterize the effect of the nanoparticles on resin material. Antibacterial activity was evaluated with the direct contact test and the biofilm inhibition test against Streptococcus mutans. Addition of cinnamaldehyde-modified particles preserved the degree of conversion and compressive strength of the base material and increased surface hydrophobicity. Quaternary ammonium functional groups led to a decrease in the degree of conversion and to low compressive strength, without altering the hydrophilic nature of the base material. In the direct contact test and the anti-biofilm test, the polyethyleneimine particles exhibited the strongest antibacterial effect. The cinnamaldehyde-modified particles displayed antibiofilm activity, silica particles with quaternary ammonium were ineffective. Immobilization of t-cinnamaldehyde onto a solid surface via amine linkers provided a better alternative to the well-known quaternary ammonium bactericides. PMID:29244848

  15. A Silver Nanoparticle-Modified Evanescent Field Optical Fiber Sensor for Methylene Blue Detection

    PubMed Central

    Luo, Ji; Yao, Jun; Lu, Yonggang; Ma, Wenying; Zhuang, Xuye

    2013-01-01

    A silver nanoparticle-modified evanescent field optical fiber sensor based on a MEMS microchannel chip has been successfully fabricated. Experimental results show that the sensor response decreases linearly with increasing concentration of analyte. Over a range of methylene blue concentrations from 0 to 0.4 μmol/mL, the sensor response is linear (R = 0.9496). A concentration variation of 0.1 μmol/mL can cause an absorbance change of 0.402 dB. Moreover, the optical responses of the same sensing fiber without decoration and modified with silver nanoparticles have also been compared. It can be observed that the output intensity of the Ag nanoparticle-modified sensor is enhanced and the sensitivity is higher. Meanwhile, the absorbance spectra are found to be more sensitive to concentration changes compared to the spectra of the peak wavelength. PMID:23519353

  16. An electrochemical sensor for homocysteine detection using gold nanoparticle incorporated reduced graphene oxide.

    PubMed

    Rajaram, Rajendran; Mathiyarasu, Jayaraman

    2018-05-30

    In this work, we report a methodology for the quantification of Homocysteine (HcySH) at neutral pH (pH-7.0) using Au nanoparticles incorporated reduced graphene oxide (AuNP/rGO/GCE) modified glassy carbon electrode. The modified electrode was characterized using SEM and XRD techniques. The electrode exhibited a typical behavior against the standard redox probe [Fe(CN) 6 ] 3-/4- and resulted in 0.06 V peak to peak potential value. The modified electrode exhibited electrocatalytic activity towards electrochemical biosensing of HcySH, which is established using voltammetric studies. HcySH oxidation peak potential is observed at 0.12 V on AuNP/rGO/GCE which is 0.7 V cathodic than bare glassy carbon electrode (0.82 V). The large peak potential shift observed is reasoned as the interaction of SH group of HcySH with the gold nanoparticles and the electrocatalytic property of reduced graphene oxide that enhances the electrochemical detection at reduced overpotential. Further, successive addition of HcySH showed a linear increment in the sensitivity within the concentration range of 2-14 mM. From an amperometric protocol, the limit of detection is found as 6.9 μM with a sensitivity of 14.8 nA/μM. From a set of cyclic voltammetric measurements, it is observed that the electrode produces a linear signal on the concentration of HcySH in the presence of hydrogen peroxide. Thus it can be concluded that the matrix can detect HcySH even in the presence of hydrogen peroxide. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Adsorptive Behavior and Voltammetric Determination of Hydralazine Hydrochloride at A Glassy Carbon Electrode Modified with Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes

    PubMed Central

    Khodadadian, Mehdi; Jalili, Ronak; Bahrami, Mohammad Taher; Bahrami, Gholamreza

    2017-01-01

    An electroanalytical method has been introduced for highly sensitive determination of hydralazine hydrochloride (Hy-HCl) based on its oxidation at a glassy carbon electrode modified with multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT/GCE). Studies showed that the electrochemical oxidation of Hy-HCl was accompanied by adsorption and highly sensitive responses could be achieved by adsorptive stripping voltammetry. The electrooxidation of Hy-HCl at MWCNT/GCE occurred at ~32 mV which was lower than that observed at bare GCE (~52 mV). The optimum working conditions for determination of the drug using differential-pulse adsorptive stripping voltammetry (DPAdSV) were established. The method exhibited linear responses to Hy-HCl in the concentration range 10-220 nM with a detection limit of 2.7 nM. The proposed method was successfully applied to the determination of this compound in pharmaceutical dosage forms. PMID:29552043

  18. A molecular dynamics study of cooling rate during solidification of metal nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shibuta, Yasushi; Suzuki, Toshio

    2011-01-01

    The effect of the cooling rate on the solidification behavior of metal nanoparticles is investigated by molecular dynamics simulation. The structure of molybdenum nanoparticles varies with the cooling rate. That is, single-crystalline, polycrystalline then glassy nanoparticles are obtained as the cooling rate is increased from 2.0 × 10 10 to 1.0 × 10 13 K/s. The solidification point decreases with increasing cooling rate then drops rapidly at a cooling rate on the order of 10 12 K/s. These results are summarized in a continuous cooling transformation (CCT) diagram, in which regions corresponding the liquid, single-crystalline, polycrystalline and glassy structures appear.

  19. Multiscale simulations of PS-SiO2 nanocomposites: from melt to glassy state.

    PubMed

    Mathioudakis, I G; Vogiatzis, G G; Tzoumanekas, C; Theodorou, D N

    2016-09-28

    The interaction energetics, molecular packing, entanglement network properties, segmental dynamics, and elastic constants of atactic polystyrene-amorphous silica nanocomposites in the molten and the glassy state are studied via molecular simulations using two interconnected levels of representation: (a) a coarse-grained one, wherein each polystyrene repeat unit is mapped onto a single "superatom" and the silica nanoparticle is viewed as a solid sphere. Equilibration at all length scales at this level is achieved via connectivity-altering Monte Carlo simulations. (b) A united-atom (UA) level, wherein the polymer chains are represented in terms of a united-atom forcefield and the silica nanoparticle is represented in terms of a simplified, fully atomistic model. Initial configurations for UA molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are obtained by reverse mapping well-equilibrated coarse-grained configurations. By analysing microcanonical UA MD trajectories, the polymer density profile is studied and the polymer is found to exhibit layering in the vicinity of the nanoparticle surface. An estimate of the enthalpy of mixing between polymer and nanoparticles, derived from the UA simulations, compares favourably against available experimental values. The dynamical behaviour of polystyrene (in neat and filled melt systems) is characterized in terms of bond orientation and dihedral angle time autocorrelation functions. At low concentration in the molten polymer matrix, silica nanoparticles are found to cause a slight deceleration of the segmental dynamics close to their surface compared to the bulk polymer. Well-equilibrated coarse-grained long-chain configurations are reduced to entanglement networks via topological analysis with the CReTA algorithm, yielding a slightly lower density of entanglements in the filled than in the neat systems. UA melt configurations are glassified by MD cooling. The elastic moduli of the resulting glassy nanocomposites are computed through an

  20. Simulation studies of glassy nanoclusters

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bowles, Richard

    2015-03-01

    Glassy materials are amorphous solids usually formed by rapidly cooling a liquid below its equilibrium freezing temperature, trapping the particles in a liquid-like structure at the glass transition temperature. While appearing throughout nature and industry, these systems continue to challenge the way we think about the dynamics and thermodynamics of condensed matter and a fundamental understanding of the glass state remains elusive. This talk describes molecular simulation studies of glassy behaviour in binary Lennard-Jones nanoclusters. We show that the relaxation dynamics of the clusters is nonuniform and the core of the cluster goes through a glass transition at higher temperatures than at the surface. As the nanoclusters are cooled, they also exhibit a fragile-strong crossover in their dynamics and we explore how this phenomena is linked to the potential energy landscape of the clusters. Finally, we compare the properties of nanoclusters formed through vapour condensation, directly to the glassy state, with those of glassy clusters formed through traditional supercooling. The condensation clusters are shown to form ultra-stable glassy states analogous to the ultra-stable glasses formed by thin film vapour deposition onto a cold substrate. In all, our work suggests that nanoscale clusters exhibit some unique glassy features, while also offering potential insights into the fundamental nature of the glass transition.

  1. Enhancement of Thermal Damage to Adenocarcinoma Cells by Iron Nanoparticles Modified with MUC1 Aptamer.

    PubMed

    Guo, Fangqin; Hu, Yan; Yu, Lianyuan; Deng, Xiaoyuan; Meng, Jie; Wang, Chen; Yang, Xian-Da

    2016-03-01

    Hyperthermia cancer treatment is an adjunctive therapy that aims at killing the tumor cells with excessive heat that is usually generated by metal contrasts exposed to alternating magnetic field. The efficacy of hyperthermia is often limited by the heat damage to normal tissue due to indiscriminate distribution of the metal contrasts within the body. Tumor-targeting metal contrasts may reduce the toxicity of hyperthermia and improve the efficacy of thermotherapy against cancer. MUC1 is a glycoprotein over expressed in most adenocarcinomas, and represents an attractive therapeutic target. In this study, a MUC1 aptamer is conjugated with iron nanoparticles to construct adenocarcinoma-targeting metal contrasts. DNA hybridization studies confirmed that the aptamers were conjugated to the iron nanoparticles. Importantly, more aptamer-modified nanoparticles attached to the MUC1-positive cancer cells compared with the unmodified nanoparticles. Moreover, aptamer-modified nanoparticles significantly enhanced the targeted hyperthermia damage to MUC1-positive cancer cells in vitro (p < 0.05). The results suggest that MUC1 aptamer-modified metal particles may have potential in development of targeted hyperthermia therapy against adenocarcinomas.

  2. Interfacial electron transfer of glucose oxidase on poly(glutamic acid)-modified glassy carbon electrode and glucose sensing.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Xuechou; Tan, Bingcan; Zheng, Xinyu; Kong, Dexian; Li, Qinglu

    2015-11-15

    The interfacial electron transfer of glucose oxidase (GOx) on a poly(glutamic acid)-modified glassy carbon electrode (PGA/GCE) was investigated. The redox peaks measured for GOx and flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) are similar, and the anodic peak of GOx does not increase in the presence of glucose in a mediator-free solution. These indicate that the electroactivity of GOx is not the direct electron transfer (DET) between GOx and PGA/GCE and that the observed electroactivity of GOx is ascribed to free FAD that is released from GOx. However, efficient electron transfer occurred if an appropriate mediator was placed in solution, suggesting that GOx is active. The PGA/GCE-based biosensor showed wide linear response in the range of 0.5-5.5 mM with a low detection limit of 0.12 mM and high sensitivity and selectivity for measuring glucose. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Chitosan nanoparticles as a modified diclofenac drug release system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Duarte Junior, Anivaldo Pereira; Tavares, Eraldo José Madureira; Alves, Taís Vanessa Gabbay; de Moura, Márcia Regina; da Costa, Carlos Emmerson Ferreira; Silva Júnior, José Otávio Carréra; Ribeiro Costa, Roseane Maria

    2017-08-01

    This study evaluated a modified nanostructured release system employing diclofenac as a drug model. Biodegradable chitosan nanoparticles were prepared with chitosan concentrations between 0.5 and 0.8% ( w/ v) by template polymerization method using methacrylic acid in aqueous solution. Chitosan-poly(methacrylic acid) (CS-PMAA) nanoparticles showed uniform size around 50-100 nm, homogeneous morphology, and spherical shape. Raw material and chitosan nanoparticles were characterized by thermal analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), confirming the interaction between chitosan and methacrylic acid during nanoparticles preparation. Diclofenac sorption on the chitosan nanoparticles surface was achieved by incubation in water/ethanol (1:1) drug solution in concentrations of 0.5 and 0.8 mg/mL. The diclofenac amount sorbed per gram of CS-PMAA nanoparticles, when in a 0.5 mg/mL sodium diclofenac solution, was as follows: 12.93, 15, 20.87, and 29.63 mg/g for CS-PMAA nanoparticles 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, and 0.8% ( w/ v), respectively. When a 0.8 mg/mL sodium diclofenac solution was used, higher sorption efficiencies were obtained: For CS-PMAA nanoparticles with chitosan concentrations of 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, and 0.8% ( w/ v), the sorption efficiencies were 33.39, 49.58, 55.23, and 67.2 mg/g, respectively. Diclofenac sorption kinetics followed a second-order kinetics. Drug release from nanoparticles occurred in a period of up to 48 h and obeyed Korsmeyer-Peppas model, which was characterized mainly by Fickian diffusion transport. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

  4. Adsorption of environmental pollutants using magnetic hybrid nanoparticles modified with β-cyclodextrin

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Niejun; Zhou, Lilin; Guo, Jun; Ye, Qiquan; Lin, Jin-Ming; Yuan, Jinying

    2014-06-01

    Graft through strategy was utilized to coat magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles with poly(glycidyl methacrylate) using ordinary radical polymerization and then β-cyclodextrin was linked onto the surface of nanoparticles. With these nanoparticles modified with cyclodextrin groups, adsorption of two model environmental pollutants, bisphenol A and copper ions, was studied. Host-guest interactions between cyclodextrin and aromatic molecules had a great contribution to the adsorption of bisphenol A, while multiple hydroxyls of cyclodextrin also helped the adsorption of copper ions. These magnetic nanoparticles could be applied in the elimination, enrichment and detection of some environmental pollutants.

  5. Microwave-assisted synthesis of graphene modified CuO nanoparticles for voltammetric enzyme-free sensing of glucose at biological pH values.

    PubMed

    Foroughi, Faranak; Rahsepar, Mansour; Hadianfard, Mohammad Jafar; Kim, Hasuck

    2017-12-18

    The effect of graphene nanosheets on the glucose sensing performance of CuO powders was investigated. CuO and graphene-modified CuO nanoparticles (NPs) were fabricated by microwave-assisted synthesis and characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The material was placed on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) which then was characterized by cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry with respect to the capability of sensing glucose both at pH 13 and pH 7.4. The results revealed that the modified GCE has a fast and selective linear response to glucose at pH 13 that covers the 0.21 μM to 12 mM concentration range, with a 0.21 μM low detection limit. The presence of graphene nanosheets results in an improved sensitivity which is to 700 μA mM -1  cm -2 . In solution of pH 7.4, the respective data are a linear analytical range from 5 to 14 mM; a 5 μM LOD and a sensitivity of 37.63 μA mM -1  cm -2 at working potential of -0.05 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) and scan rate of 50 mV s -1 . Ascorbic acid, dopamine, uric acid, sucrose, maltose and fructose do not interfere. Graphical abstract ᅟ.

  6. Ultra-sensitive film sensor based on Al2O3-Au nanoparticles supported on PDDA-functionalized graphene for the determination of acetaminophen.

    PubMed

    Li, Jianbo; Sun, Weiyan; Wang, Xiaojiao; Duan, Huimin; Wang, Yanhui; Sun, Yuanling; Ding, Chaofan; Luo, Chuannan

    2016-08-01

    An electrochemical sensor of acetaminophen based on poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDDA)-functionalized reduced graphene-loaded Al2O3-Au nanoparticles coated onto glassy carbon electrode (Al2O3-Au/PDDA/reduced graphene oxide (rGO)/glass carbon electrode (GCE)) were prepared by layer self-assembly technique. The as-prepared electrode-modified materials were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The electrocatalytic performances of Al2O3-Au/PDDA/rGO-modified glassy carbon electrode toward the acetaminophen were investigated by cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry. The modified electrodes of graphene oxide (GO)/GCE, PDDA/rGO/GCE, and Al2O3-Au/PDDA/rGO/GCE were constructed for comparison and learning the catalytic mechanism. The research showed Al2O3-Au/PDDA/rGO/GCE having good electrochemical performance, attributing to the synergetic effect that comes from the special nanocomposite structure and physicochemical properties of Al2O3-Au nanoparticles and graphene. A low detection limit of 6 nM (S/N = 3) and a wide linear detection range from 0.02 to 200 μM (R (2) = 0.9970) was obtained. The preparation of sensor was successfully applied for the detection of acetaminophen in commercial pharmaceutical pills. Graphical abstract Schematic diagram of synthesis of Al2O3-Au/PDDA/rGO/GCE.

  7. Structural and electrical study of ZrO{sub 2} nanoparticles modified with surfactants

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Sidhu, Gaganpreet Kaur; Kumar, Rajesh, E-mail: rajeshbaboria@gmail.com; Tripathi, S. K.

    2015-06-24

    Zirconia ceramic is one of the most investigated materials for its outstanding mechanical properties and ionic conduction properties, due to its high oxygen ion conduction. In order to achieve novel properties of zirconia nanoparticles, nanoparticles of zirconia are modified by using two different surfactants (SDS and CTAB) were prepared by in-situ method using zirconia/surfactant dispersions. Zirconia nanoparticles with surfactant (SDS or CTAB) were synthesized by hydrothermal method. The structural and optical properties of Zirconia/surfactant nanoparticles were investigated comprehensively by X-Ray diffraction (XRD), and electrical measurements. XRD highlights the crystalline behavior of nanoparticles.

  8. Hydrophobically Modified Glycol Chitosan Nanoparticles for Targeting Breast Cancer Microcalcification Using Alendronate Probes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vishnu, Kamalakannan

    In 2016, invasive breast cancer was diagnosed in about 246,660 women and 2,600 men. An additional 61,000 new cases of in situ breast cancer was diagnosed in women. Microcalcifications are most common abnormalities detected by mammography for breast cancer, present in about 30% of all malignant breast lesions. Tumor specific biomarkers are used for targeting these abnormalities. Nanoparticles with multimodal and combinatorial therapies and conjunction of bio-ligands for specific molecular targeting using surface modifications effectually deliver a variety of drugs and are simultaneously used to image tumor progression. Alendronate, a germinal bisphosphonate conjugation as a targeting ligand would improve the nanoparticle's direct binding to hydroxyapatite (HA) mimicking calcified spots in breast cancer lesions. In this study, the hydrophobically modified glycol chitosan (HGC) micelle was modified with alendronate surface functionalization using a biotin-avidin interaction to improve the nanomicelle's calcification targeting ability. Biotinylated, avidinlyated hydrophobically modified iv glycol chitosan particles were linked to biotinylated alendronate via a strong biotin-avidin linkage. Cyanine 3, a red fluorescent dye was conjugated to the amine groups on HGC for visualization of micelles. The size of the nanoparticles measured was 254.0 +/- 0.43 nm and 209.7 +/- 1.0 nm for Cy3- BHGCA and Cy3-BHGCA-BALN nanoparticles respectively. The average surface charge was measured to be +26.9 +/- 0.19 mV and +27.68 +/- 0.20 mV for Cy3-BHGCA and Cy3-BHGCA- BALN nanoparticles respectively. Binding affinity using hydroxyapatite (HA) revealed that both Cy3 BHGCA BALN and Cy3 BHGCA nanoparticles displayed 95% binding in 24 hours. However, the biotin quenched nanoparticle Cy3 BHGCAB displayed 68% binding in 24 hours. The synthesis and binding chemistry was verified using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR).

  9. Electrochemical sensor based on molecularly imprinted membranes at platinum nanoparticles-modified electrode for determination of 17β-estradiol.

    PubMed

    Yuan, Lihua; Zhang, Jun; Zhou, Ping; Chen, Jiaxing; Wang, Ruoyu; Wen, Tingting; Li, Yun; Zhou, Xuemin; Jiang, Huijun

    2011-11-15

    In this paper, an electrochemical sensor for 17β-estradiol (E2) based on the molecular imprinting polymer (MIP) membranes had been constructed. 6-mercaptonicotinic acid (MNA) and E2 were first assembled on the surface of platinum nanoparticles-modified glassy carbon electrode (PtNPs/GCE) by the formation of Pt-S bonds and hydrogen-bonding interactions, and subsequently the polymer membranes were formed by electropolymerization. Finally, a novel molecularly imprinted sensor (MIS) was obtained after removal of E2. Experimental parameters such as deposition time, scan cycles, pH value and accumulation condition were optimized. Under optimal conditions, the MIS exhibited a large adsorption capacity and high selectivity. A good linearity was obtained in the range of 3.0×10(-8)-5.0×10(-5)molL(-1) (r=0.996) with an estimated detection limit of 1.6×10(-8)molL(-1). MIS had been successfully used to analyze E2 in water samples without complex pretreatment. Meanwhile, the average recoveries were higher than 93.9% with RSD<3.7%. All results above reveal that MIS is an effective electrochemical technique to determine E2 real-time in complicated matrix. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Modified surface of titanium dioxide nanoparticles-based biosensor for DNA detection

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nadzirah, Sh.; Hashim, U.; Rusop, M.

    2018-05-01

    A new technique was used to develop a simple and selective picoammeter DNA biosensor for identification of E. coli O157:H7. This biosensor was fabricated from titanium dioxide nanoparticles that was synthesized by sol-gel method and spin-coated on silicon dioxide substrate via spinner. 3-Aminopropyl triethoxy silane (APTES) was used to modify the surface of TiO2. Simple surface modification approach has been applied; which is single dropping of APTES onto the TiO2 nanoparticles surface. Carboxyl modified probe DNA has been bind onto the surface of APTES/TiO2 without any amplifier element. Electrical signal has been used as the indicator to differentiate each step (surface modification of TiO2 and probe DNA immobilization). The I-V measurements indicate extremely low current (pico-ampere) flow through the device which is 2.8138E-10 A for pure TiO2 nanoparticles, 2.8124E-10 A after APTES modification and 3.5949E-10 A after probe DNA immobilization.

  11. Hyaluronic acid-modified zirconium phosphate nanoparticles for potential lung cancer therapy.

    PubMed

    Li, Ranwei; Liu, Tiecheng; Wang, Ke

    2017-02-01

    Novel tumor-targeting zirconium phosphate (ZP) nanoparticles modified with hyaluronic acid (HA) were developed (HA-ZP), with the aim of combining the drug-loading property of ZP and the tumor-targeting ability of HA to construct a tumor-targeting paclitaxel (PTX) delivery system for potential lung cancer therapy. The experimental results indicated that PTX loading into the HA-ZP nanoparticles was as high as 20.36%±4.37%, which is favorable for cancer therapy. PTX-loaded HA-ZP nanoparticles increased the accumulation of PTX in A549 lung cancer cells via HA-mediated endocytosis and exhibited superior anticancer activity in vitro. In vivo anticancer efficacy assay revealed that HA-ZP nanoparticles possessed preferable anticancer abilities, which exhibited minimized toxic side effects of PTX and strong tumor-suppression potential in clinical application.

  12. Monodisperse magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles modified with water soluble polymers for the diagnosis of breast cancer by MRI method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rezayan, Ali Hossein; Mousavi, Majid; Kheirjou, Somayyeh; Amoabediny, Ghasem; Ardestani, Mehdi Shafiee; Mohammadnejad, Javad

    2016-12-01

    In this study, magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) were synthesized via co-precipitation method. To enhance the biocompatibility and colloidal stability of the synthesized nanoparticles, they were modified with carboxyl functionalized PEG via dopamine (DPA) linker. Both modified and unmodified Fe3O4 nanoparticles exhibited super paramagnetic behavior (particle size below 20 nm). The saturation magnetization (Ms) of PEGdiacid-modified Fe3O4 was 45 emu/g, which was less than the unmodified Fe3O4 nanoparticles (70 emu/g). This difference indicated that PEGdiacid polymer was immobilized on the surface of Fe3O4 nanoparticles successfully. To evaluate the efficiency of the resulting nanoparticles as contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), different concentration of MNPs and different value of echo time TE were investigated. The results showed that by increasing the concentration of the nanoparticles, transverse relaxation time (T2) decreased, which subsequently resulted in MR signal enhancement. T2-weighted MR images of the different concentration of MNPs in different value of echo time TE indicated that MR signal intensity increased with increase in TE value up to 66 and then remained constant. The cytotoxicity effect of the modified and unmodified nanoparticles was evaluated in three different concentrations (12, 60 and 312 mg l-1) on MDA-MB-231 cancer cells for 24 and 48 h. In both tested time (24 and 48 h) for all three samples, the modified nanoparticles had long life time than unmodified nanoparticles. Cellular uptake of modified MNPs was 80% and reduced to 9% by the unmodified MNPs.

  13. Interaction and cellular uptake of surface-modified carbon dot nanoparticles by J774.1 macrophages

    PubMed Central

    Thoo, Lester; Fahmi, Mochamad Z; Zulkipli, Ihsan N; Keasberry, Natasha

    2017-01-01

    Carbon dot (Cdot) nanoparticles are an emerging class of carbon nanomaterials with a promising potential for drug delivery and bio imaging applications. Although the interaction between Cdots and non-immune cell types has been well studied, Cdot interactions with macrophages have not been investigated. Exposure of Cdot nanoparticles to J774.1 cells, a murine macrophage cell line, resulted in minimal toxicity, where notable toxicity was only seen with Cdot concentrations higher than 0.5 mg/ml. Flow cytometric analysis revealed that Cdots prepared from citric acid were internalized at significantly higher levels by macrophages compared with those prepared from bamboo leaves. Interestingly, macrophages preferentially took up phenylboronic acid (PB)-modified nanoparticles. By fluorescence microscopy, strong blue light-specific punctate Cdot fluorescence resembling Cdot structures in the cytosolic space was mostly observed in J774.1 macrophages exposed to PB-modified nanoparticles and not unmodified Cdot nanoparticles. PB binds to sialic acid residues that are overexpressed on diseased cell surfaces. Our findings demonstrate that PB-conjugated Cdots can be taken up by macrophages with low toxicity and high efficiency. These modified Cdots can be used to deliver drugs to suppress or eliminate aberrant immune cells such as macrophages associated with tumors such as tumor-associated macrophages. PMID:29204100

  14. Aptamer-modified nanoparticles and their use in cancer diagnostics and treatment.

    PubMed

    Reinemann, Christine; Strehlitz, Beate

    2014-01-06

    Aptamers are single-stranded deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) or ribonucleic acid (RNA) oligonucleotides, which are able to bind their target with high selectivity and affinity. Owing to their multiple talents, aptamers combined with nanoparticles are nanosystems well qualified for the development of new biomedical devices for analytical, imaging, drug delivery and many other medical applications. Because of their target affinity, aptamers can direct the transport of aptamer-nanoparticle conjugates. The binding of the aptamers to the target "anchors" the nanoparticle-aptamer conjugates at their site of action. In this way, nanoparticle-based bioimaging and smart drug delivery are enabled, especially by use of systematically developed aptamers for cancer-associated biomarkers. This review article gives a brief overview of recent relevant research into aptamers and trends in their use in cancer diagnostics and therapy. A concise description of aptamers, their development and functionalities relating to nanoparticle modification is given. The main part of the article is dedicated to current developments of aptamer-modified nanoparticles and their use in cancer diagnostics and treatment.

  15. One-step electrodeposition of graphene loaded nickel oxides nanoparticles for acetaminophen detection.

    PubMed

    Liu, Gui-Ting; Chen, Hui-Fen; Lin, Guo-Ming; Ye, Ping-ping; Wang, Xiao-Ping; Jiao, Ying-Zhi; Guo, Xiao-Yu; Wen, Ying; Yang, Hai-Feng

    2014-06-15

    An electrochemical sensor of acetaminophen (AP) based on electrochemically reduced graphene (ERG) loaded nickel oxides (Ni2O3-NiO) nanoparticles coated onto glassy carbon electrode (ERG/Ni2O3-NiO/GCE) was prepared by a one-step electrodeposition process. The as-prepared electrode was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The electrocatalytic properties of ERG/Ni2O3-NiO modified glassy carbon electrode toward the oxidation of acetaminophen were analyzed via cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). The electrodes of Ni2O3-NiO/GCE, ERG/GCE, and Ni2O3-NiO deposited ERG/GCE were fabricated for the comparison and the catalytic mechanism understanding. The studies showed that the one-step prepared ERG/Ni2O3-NiO/GCE displayed the highest electro-catalytic activity, attributing to the synergetic effect derived from the unique composite structure and physical properties of nickel oxides nanoparticles and graphene. The low detection limit of 0.02 μM (S/N=3) with the wide linear detection range from 0.04 μM to 100 μM (R=0.998) was obtained. The resulting sensor was successfully used to detect acetaminophen in commercial pharmaceutical tablets and urine samples. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Biosensor based on tyrosinase immobilized on a single-walled carbon nanotube-modified glassy carbon electrode for detection of epinephrine

    PubMed Central

    Apetrei, Irina Mirela; Apetrei, Constantin

    2013-01-01

    A biosensor comprising tyrosinase immobilized on a single-walled carbon nanotube-modified glassy carbon electrode has been developed. The sensitive element, ie, tyrosinase, was immobilized using a drop-and-dry method followed by cross-linking. Tyrosinase maintained high bioactivity on this nanomaterial, catalyzing the oxidation of epinephrine to epinephrine-quinone, which was electrochemically reduced (−0.07 V versus Ag/AgCl) on the biosensor surface. Under optimum conditions, the biosensor showed a linear response in the range of 10–110 μM. The limit of detection was calculated to be 2.54 μM with a correlation coefficient of 0.977. The repeatability, expressed as the relative standard deviation for five consecutive determinations of 10−5 M epinephrine solution was 3.4%. A good correlation was obtained between results obtained by the biosensor and those obtained by ultraviolet spectrophotometric methods. PMID:24348034

  17. Aptamer based label free thrombin assay based on the use of silver nanoparticles incorporated into self-polymerized dopamine.

    PubMed

    Xu, Qingjun; Wang, Guixiang; Zhang, Mingming; Xu, Guiyun; Lin, Jiehua; Luo, Xiliang

    2018-04-13

    The authors describe an electrochemical aptasensor for thrombin that is based on the use of a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) modified with polydopamine that is loaded with silver nanoparticles (PDA/AgNPs). The use of AgNPs improves the conductivity of the film and increases the surface area of the GCE. PDA was deposited on the GCE via self-polymerization, and the thrombin binding aptamer was grafted onto the PDA-modified GCE by a single step reaction. Residual electrode surface was blocked with 6-mercapto-1-hexanol. On exposure to thrombin, the electrochemical impedance of the modified electrode increases gradually. Response is linear in the 0.1 pM to 5.0 nM thrombin concentration range, and the limit of detection is as low as 36 fM. The method is selective and capable of detecting thrombin in diluted human serum. In our perception, such a GCE modified with AgNP in a PDA matrix may be applied to many other analytes for which appropriate aptamers are available. Graphical abstract Schematic of an electrochemical aptasensor for sensitive and selective thrombin detection based on the use of a self-polymerized polydopamine film loaded with silver nanoparticles.

  18. Electrochemical behavior and voltammetric determination of acetaminophen based on glassy carbon electrodes modified with poly(4-aminobenzoic acid)/electrochemically reduced graphene oxide composite films.

    PubMed

    Zhu, Wencai; Huang, Hui; Gao, Xiaochun; Ma, Houyi

    2014-12-01

    Poly(4-aminobenzoic acid)/electrochemically reduced graphene oxide composite film modified glassy carbon electrodes (4-ABA/ERGO/GCEs) were fabricated by a two-step electrochemical method. The electrochemical behavior of acetaminophen at the modified electrode was investigated by means of cyclic voltammetry. The results indicated that 4-ABA/ERGO composite films possessed excellent electrocatalytic activity towards the oxidation of acetaminophen. The electrochemical reaction of acetaminophen at 4-ABA/ERGO/GCE is proved to be a surface-controlled process involving the same number of protons and electrons. The voltammetric determination of acetaminophen performed with the 4-ABA/ERGO modified electrode presents a good linearity in the range of 0.1-65 μM with a low detection limit of 0.01 μM (S/N=3). In the case of using the 4-ABA/ERGO/GCE, acetaminophen and dopamine can be simultaneously determined without mutual interference. Furthermore, the 4-ABA/ERGO/GCE has good reproducibility and stability, and can be used to determine acetaminophen in tablets. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Carbon-encapsulated nickel-cobalt alloys nanoparticles fabricated via new post-treatment strategy for hydrogen evolution in alkaline media

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Guo, Hailing; Youliwasi, Nuerguli; Zhao, Lei; Chai, Yongming; Liu, Chenguang

    2018-03-01

    This paper addresses a new post-treatment strategy for the formation of carbon-encapsulated nickel-cobalt alloys nanoparticles, which is easily controlled the performance of target products via changing precursor composition, calcination conditions (e.g., temperature and atmosphere) and post-treatment condition. Glassy carbon electrode (GCE) modified by the as-obtained carbon-encapsulated mono- and bi-transition metal nanoparticles exhibit excellent electro-catalytic activity for hydrogen production in alkaline water electrolysis. Especially, Ni0.4Co0.6@N-Cs800-b catalyst prepared at 800 °C under an argon flow exhibited the best electrocatalytic performance towards HER. The high HER activity of the Ni0.4Co0.6@N-Cs800-b modified electrode is related to the appropriate nickel-cobalt metal ratio with high crystallinity, complete and homogeneous carbon layers outside of the nickel-cobalt with high conductivity and the synergistic effect of nickel-cobalt alloys that also accelerate electron transfer process.

  20. Negotiation of intracellular membrane barriers by TAT-modified gold nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Krpetić, Zeljka; Saleemi, Samia; Prior, Ian A; Sée, Violaine; Qureshi, Rumana; Brust, Mathias

    2011-06-28

    This paper contributes to the debate on how nanosized objects negotiate membrane barriers inside biological cells. The uptake of peptide-modified gold nanoparticles by HeLa cells has been quantified using atomic emission spectroscopy. The TAT peptide from the HIV virus was singled out as a particularly effective promoter of cellular uptake. The evolution of the intracellular distribution of TAT-modified gold nanoparticles with time has been studied in detail by TEM and systematic image analysis. An unusual trend of particles disappearing from the cytosol and the nucleus and accumulating massively in vesicular bodies was observed. Subsequent release of the particles, both by membrane rupture and by direct transfer across the membrane boundary, was frequently found. Ultimately, near total clearing of particles from the cells occurred. This work provides support for the hypothesis that cell-penetrating peptides can enable small objects to negotiate membrane barriers also in the absence of dedicated transport mechanisms.

  1. Polyelectrolyte-modified cowpea mosaic virus for the synthesis of gold nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Aljabali, Alaa A A; Evans, David J

    2014-01-01

    Polyelectrolyte surface-modified cowpea mosaic virus (CPMV) can be used for the templated synthesis of narrowly dispersed gold nanoparticles. Cationic polyelectrolyte, poly(allylamine) hydrochloride, is electrostatically bound to the external surface of the virus capsid. The polyelectrolyte-coated CPMV promotes adsorption of aqueous gold hydroxide anionic species, prepared from gold(III) chloride and potassium carbonate, that are easily reduced to form CPMV-templated gold nanoparticles. The process is simple and environmentally benign using only water as solvent at ambient temperature.

  2. Effect of Surface-Modified TiO2 Nanoparticles on the Anti-Ultraviolet Aging Performance of Foamed Wheat Straw Fiber/Polypropylene Composites

    PubMed Central

    Xuan, Lihui; Han, Guangping; Wang, Dong; Cheng, Wanli; Gao, Xun; Chen, Feng; Li, Qingde

    2017-01-01

    Surface modification and characterization of titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles and their roles in thermal, mechanical, and accelerated aging behavior of foamed wheat straw fiber/polypropylene (PP) composites are investigated. To improve the dispersion of nanoparticles and increase the possible interactions between wheat straw fiber and the PP matrix, the surface of the TiO2 nanoparticles was modified with ethenyltrimethoxy silane (A171), a silane coupling agent. The grafting of A171 on the TiO2 nanoparticles’ surface was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The wheat straw fibers treated with A171 and modified TiO2 nanoparticles were characterized by FTIR and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). FTIR spectra confirmed that the organic functional groups of A171 were successfully grafted onto the TiO2 nanoparticles and wheat straw fibers, and the modified TiO2 nanoparticles were adsorbed onto the wheat straw fibers. Thermogravimetric analysis showed that a higher thermal stability of the wheat straw fiber was obtained with the modified TiO2 nanoparticles. The flexural, tensile, and impact properties were improved. A higher ultraviolet (UV) stability of the samples treated with modified TiO2 nanoparticles was exhibited by the study of the color change and loss in mechanical properties. PMID:28772816

  3. Heavy-metal detectors based on modified ferrite nanoparticles

    PubMed Central

    Klekotka, Urszula; Wińska, Ewelina; Zambrzycka-Szelewa, Elżbieta; Satuła, Dariusz

    2018-01-01

    In this work, we analyze artificial heavy-metal solutions with ferrite nanoparticles. Measurements of adsorption effectiveness of different kinds of particles, pure magnetite or magnetite doped with calcium, cobalt, manganese, or nickel ions, were carried out. A dependence of the adsorption efficiency on the composition of the inorganic core has been observed. Ferrites surfaces were modified by phthalic anhydride (PA), succinic anhydride (SA), acetic anhydride (AA), 3-phosphonopropionic acid (3-PPA), or 16-phosphohexadecanoic acid (16-PHDA) to compare the adsorption capability of the heavy metals Cd, Cu and Pb. The obtained nanoparticles were structurally characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Mössbauer spectroscopy. The amounts of Cd, Cu and Pb were measured out by atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) as comparative techniques. The performed study shows that SA linker appears to be the most effective in the adsorption of heavy metals. Moreover, regarding the influence of the composition of the inorganic core on the detection ability, the most effective ferrite Mn0.5Fe2.5O4 was selected for discussion. The highest heavy-metal adsorption capability and universality was observed for SA as a surface modifier. PMID:29600137

  4. Heavy-metal detectors based on modified ferrite nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Klekotka, Urszula; Wińska, Ewelina; Zambrzycka-Szelewa, Elżbieta; Satuła, Dariusz; Kalska-Szostko, Beata

    2018-01-01

    In this work, we analyze artificial heavy-metal solutions with ferrite nanoparticles. Measurements of adsorption effectiveness of different kinds of particles, pure magnetite or magnetite doped with calcium, cobalt, manganese, or nickel ions, were carried out. A dependence of the adsorption efficiency on the composition of the inorganic core has been observed. Ferrites surfaces were modified by phthalic anhydride (PA), succinic anhydride (SA), acetic anhydride (AA), 3-phosphonopropionic acid (3-PPA), or 16-phosphohexadecanoic acid (16-PHDA) to compare the adsorption capability of the heavy metals Cd, Cu and Pb. The obtained nanoparticles were structurally characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Mössbauer spectroscopy. The amounts of Cd, Cu and Pb were measured out by atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) as comparative techniques. The performed study shows that SA linker appears to be the most effective in the adsorption of heavy metals. Moreover, regarding the influence of the composition of the inorganic core on the detection ability, the most effective ferrite Mn 0.5 Fe 2.5 O 4 was selected for discussion. The highest heavy-metal adsorption capability and universality was observed for SA as a surface modifier.

  5. Raman gas sensing of modified Ag nanoparticle SERS

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Myoung, NoSoung; Yoo, Hyung Keun; Hwang, In-Wook

    2014-03-01

    Recent progress in modified Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) using Ag nanoparticles makes them promising optical technique for direct gas sensing of interest. However, SERS has been shown to provide sub ppb level detection of the compounds in the vapor phase. The major problem with the sensitivity scaling-up was in the development of fabrication technology for stability and reproducibility of SERS substrates. We report an optimization of 1-propanethiol coated multiple Ag nanoparticle layers on SiO2 substrate as well as new records of real-time, simultaneous vapor phase detection of toluene and 1-2 dichlorobenzene by the radiation of fiber optic coupled 785 nm diode laser and spectrograph. Multiple depositions of Ag NPs were loaded on SiO2 and soaked in 1-propanethiol solution for 24 hours to modify the surface into hydrophobic due to the characteristics of vapor phase of our interests. Raman bands at 1003 cm-1 and 1130 cm-1 for toluene and 12DCB, respectively were compared to 1089 cm-1 and each gas concentration in 1000 mL flask were calculated as a function of each vapor phase ratio. The saturation of toluene and 12DCB were limited only by 800 ppm and the detectable range was 0.6-800 ppm.

  6. Apparently enhanced magnetization of Cu(I)-modified γ-Fe2O3 based nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Qiu, Xiaoyan; He, Zhenghong; Mao, Hong; Zhang, Ting; Lin, Yueqiang; Liu, Xiaodong; Li, Decai; Meng, Xiangshen; Li, Jian

    2017-11-01

    Using a chemically induced transition method in FeCl2 solution, γ-Fe2O3 based magnetic nanoparticles, in which γ-Fe2O3 crystallites were coated with FeCl3ṡ6H2O, were prepared. During the synthesis of the γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles Cu(I) modification of the particles was attempted. According to the results from both magnetization measurements and structural characterization, it was judged that a magnetic silent "dead layer", which can be attributed to spin disorder in the surface of the γ-Fe2O3 crystallites due to breaking of the crystal symmetry, existed in the unmodified particles. For the Cu(I)-modified sample, the CuCl thin layer on the γ-Fe2O3 crystallites incurred the crystal symmetry to reduce the spin disorder, which "awakened" the "dead layer" on the surface of the γ-Fe2O3 crystallites, enhancing the apparent magnetization of the Cu(I)-modified nanoparticles. It was determined that the surface spin disorder of the magnetic crystallite could be related to the coating layer on the crystallite, and can be modified by altering the coating layer to enhance the effective magnetization of the magnetic nanoparticles.

  7. Covalent immobilization of invertase on PAMAM-dendrimer modified superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Uzun, K.; Çevik, E.; Şenel, M.; Sözeri, H.; Baykal, A.; Abasıyanık, M. F.; Toprak, M. S.

    2010-10-01

    In this study, polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimer was synthesized on the surface of superparamagnetite nanoparticles to enhance invertase immobilization. The amount of immobilized enzyme on the surface-hyperbranched magnetite nanoparticle was up to 2.5 times (i.e., 250%) as much as that of magnetite nanoparticle modified with only amino silane. Maximum reaction rate ( V max) and Michaelis-Menten constant ( K m) were determined for the free and immobilized enzymes. Various characteristics of immobilized invertase such as; the temperature activity, thermal stability, operational stability, and storage stability were evaluated and results revealed that stability of the enzyme is improved upon immobilization.

  8. Enhanced intracellular delivery and controlled drug release of magnetic PLGA nanoparticles modified with transferrin.

    PubMed

    Cui, Yan-Na; Xu, Qing-Xing; Davoodi, Pooya; Wang, De-Ping; Wang, Chi-Hwa

    2017-06-01

    Owing to the presence of multidrug resistance in tumor cells, conventional chemotherapy remains clinically intractable. To enhance the therapeutic efficacy of chemotherapeutic agents, targeting strategies based on magnetic polymeric nanoparticles modified with targeting ligands have gained significant attention in cancer therapy. In this study, we synthesized transferrin (Tf)-modified poly(D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles (PLGA NPs) loaded with paclitaxel (PTX) and superparamagnetic nanoparticle (MNP) using a solid-in-oil-in-water solvent evaporation method, followed by Tf adsorption on the surface of NPs. The Tf-modified magnetic PLGA NPs were characterized in terms of particle morphology and size, magnetic properties, encapsulation efficiency and drug release. Furthermore, the cytotoxicity and cellular uptake of the drug-loaded magnetic PLGA NPs were evaluated in both MCF-7 breast cancer and U-87 glioma cells in vitro. We found that Tf-modified PTX-MNP-PLGA NPs showed the highest cytotoxicity effect and cellular uptake efficiency under Tf receptor mediation in both MCF-7 and U-87 cells compared to unmodified PLGA NPs and free PTX. The cellular uptake efficiency of Tf-modified magnetic PLGA NPs appeared to be facilitated by the applied magnetic field, but the difference did not reach statistical significance. This study illustrates that this proposed formulation can be used as one new alternative treatment for patients bearing inaccessible tumors.

  9. Enhanced intracellular delivery and controlled drug release of magnetic PLGA nanoparticles modified with transferrin

    PubMed Central

    Cui, Yan-na; Xu, Qing-xing; Davoodi, Pooya; Wang, De-ping; Wang, Chi-Hwa

    2017-01-01

    Owing to the presence of multidrug resistance in tumor cells, conventional chemotherapy remains clinically intractable. To enhance the therapeutic efficacy of chemotherapeutic agents, targeting strategies based on magnetic polymeric nanoparticles modified with targeting ligands have gained significant attention in cancer therapy. In this study, we synthesized transferrin (Tf)-modified poly(D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles (PLGA NPs) loaded with paclitaxel (PTX) and superparamagnetic nanoparticle (MNP) using a solid-in-oil-in-water solvent evaporation method, followed by Tf adsorption on the surface of NPs. The Tf-modified magnetic PLGA NPs were characterized in terms of particle morphology and size, magnetic properties, encapsulation efficiency and drug release. Furthermore, the cytotoxicity and cellular uptake of the drug-loaded magnetic PLGA NPs were evaluated in both MCF-7 breast cancer and U-87 glioma cells in vitro. We found that Tf-modified PTX-MNP-PLGA NPs showed the highest cytotoxicity effect and cellular uptake efficiency under Tf receptor mediation in both MCF-7 and U-87 cells compared to unmodified PLGA NPs and free PTX. The cellular uptake efficiency of Tf-modified magnetic PLGA NPs appeared to be facilitated by the applied magnetic field, but the difference did not reach statistical significance. This study illustrates that this proposed formulation can be used as one new alternative treatment for patients bearing inaccessible tumors. PMID:28552909

  10. Uptake Mechanism of ApoE-Modified Nanoparticles on Brain Capillary Endothelial Cells as a Blood-Brain Barrier Model

    PubMed Central

    Wagner, Sylvia; Zensi, Anja; Wien, Sascha L.; Tschickardt, Sabrina E.; Maier, Wladislaw; Vogel, Tikva; Worek, Franz; Pietrzik, Claus U.; Kreuter, Jörg; von Briesen, Hagen

    2012-01-01

    Background The blood-brain barrier (BBB) represents an insurmountable obstacle for most drugs thus obstructing an effective treatment of many brain diseases. One solution for overcoming this barrier is a transport by binding of these drugs to surface-modified nanoparticles. Especially apolipoprotein E (ApoE) appears to play a major role in the nanoparticle-mediated drug transport across the BBB. However, at present the underlying mechanism is incompletely understood. Methodology/Principal Findings In this study, the uptake of the ApoE-modified nanoparticles into the brain capillary endothelial cells was investigated to differentiate between active and passive uptake mechanism by flow cytometry and confocal laser scanning microscopy. Furthermore, different in vitro co-incubation experiments were performed with competing ligands of the respective receptor. Conclusions/Significance This study confirms an active endocytotic uptake mechanism and shows the involvement of low density lipoprotein receptor family members, notably the low density lipoprotein receptor related protein, on the uptake of the ApoE-modified nanoparticles into the brain capillary endothelial cells. This knowledge of the uptake mechanism of ApoE-modified nanoparticles enables future developments to rationally create very specific and effective carriers to overcome the blood-brain barrier. PMID:22396775

  11. Uptake mechanism of ApoE-modified nanoparticles on brain capillary endothelial cells as a blood-brain barrier model.

    PubMed

    Wagner, Sylvia; Zensi, Anja; Wien, Sascha L; Tschickardt, Sabrina E; Maier, Wladislaw; Vogel, Tikva; Worek, Franz; Pietrzik, Claus U; Kreuter, Jörg; von Briesen, Hagen

    2012-01-01

    The blood-brain barrier (BBB) represents an insurmountable obstacle for most drugs thus obstructing an effective treatment of many brain diseases. One solution for overcoming this barrier is a transport by binding of these drugs to surface-modified nanoparticles. Especially apolipoprotein E (ApoE) appears to play a major role in the nanoparticle-mediated drug transport across the BBB. However, at present the underlying mechanism is incompletely understood. In this study, the uptake of the ApoE-modified nanoparticles into the brain capillary endothelial cells was investigated to differentiate between active and passive uptake mechanism by flow cytometry and confocal laser scanning microscopy. Furthermore, different in vitro co-incubation experiments were performed with competing ligands of the respective receptor. This study confirms an active endocytotic uptake mechanism and shows the involvement of low density lipoprotein receptor family members, notably the low density lipoprotein receptor related protein, on the uptake of the ApoE-modified nanoparticles into the brain capillary endothelial cells. This knowledge of the uptake mechanism of ApoE-modified nanoparticles enables future developments to rationally create very specific and effective carriers to overcome the blood-brain barrier.

  12. A sustained release formulation of chitosan modified PLCL:poloxamer blend nanoparticles loaded with optical agent for animal imaging

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ranjan, Amalendu P.; Zeglam, Karim; Mukerjee, Anindita; Thamake, Sanjay; Vishwanatha, Jamboor K.

    2011-07-01

    The objective of this study was to develop optical imaging agent loaded biodegradable nanoparticles with indocynanine green (ICG) using chitosan modified poly(L-lactide-co-epsilon-caprolactone) (PLCL):poloxamer (Pluronic F68) blended polymer. Nanoparticles were formulated with an emulsification solvent diffusion technique using PLCL and poloxamer as blend-polymers. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and chitosan were used as stabilizers. The particle size, shape and zeta potential of the formulated nanoparticles and the release kinetics of ICG from these nanoparticles were determined. Further, biodistribution of these nanoparticles was studied in mice at various time points until 24 h following intravenous administration, using a non-invasive imaging system. The average particle size of the nanoparticles was found to be 146 ± 3.7 to 260 ± 4.5 nm. The zeta potential progressively increased from - 41.6 to + 25.3 mV with increasing amounts of chitosan. Particle size and shape of the nanoparticles were studied using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) which revealed the particles to be smooth and spherical in shape. These nanoparticles were efficiently delivered to the cytoplasm of the cells, as observed in prostate and breast cancer cells using confocal laser scanning microscopy. In vitro release studies indicated sustained release of ICG from the nanoparticles over a period of seven days. Nanoparticle distribution results in mice showing improved uptake and accumulation with chitosan modified nanoparticles in various organs and slower clearance at different time points over a 24 h period as compared to unmodified nanoparticles. The successful formulation of such cationically modified nanoparticles for encapsulating optical agents may lead to a potential deep tissue imaging technique for tumor detection, diagnosis and therapy.

  13. Simultaneous determination of caffeine and paracetamol by square wave voltammetry at poly(4-amino-3-hydroxynaphthalene sulfonic acid)-modified glassy carbon electrode.

    PubMed

    Tefera, Molla; Geto, Alemnew; Tessema, Merid; Admassie, Shimelis

    2016-11-01

    Poly(4-amino-3-hydroxynaphthalene sulfonic acid)-modified glassy carbon electrode (poly(AHNSA)/GCE) was prepared for simultaneous determination of caffeine and paracetamol using square-wave voltammetry. The method was used to study the effects of pH and scan rate on the voltammetric response of caffeine and paracetamol. Linear calibration curves in the range of 10-125μM were obtained for both caffeine and paracetamol in acetate buffer solution of pH 4.5 with a correlation coefficient of 0.9989 and 0.9986, respectively. The calculated detection limits (S/N=3) were 0.79μM for caffeine and 0.45μM for paracetamol. The effects of some interfering substances in the determination of caffeine and paracetamol were also studied and their interferences were found to be negligible which proved the selectivity of the modified electrode. The method was successfully applied for the quantitative determination of caffeine and paracetamol in Coca-Cola, Pepsi-Cola and tea samples. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Glassy carbon electrode modified with carbon black for sensitive estradiol determination by means of voltammetry and flow injection analysis with amperometric detection.

    PubMed

    Smajdor, Joanna; Piech, Robert; Ławrywianiec, Martyna; Paczosa-Bator, Beata

    2018-03-01

    A voltammetric method for fast and sensitive estradiol determination using carbon black modified glassy carbon electrode (CBGC) is proposed. The use of carbon black as a modifying layer led to obtain low detection limit (9.2·10 -8  mol L -1 for a preconcentration time of 60 s) and stability of registered signals (measured as RSD is 1.3%, n = 7, estradiol concentration 0.5·10 -6  mol L -1 ). Cyclic voltammetry study revealed that in phosphate media estradiol suffers irreversible one-proton and one-electron oxidation process. Under the optimum conditions, estradiol calibration curve was linear in the concentration range from 0.15·10 -6 to 3.5·10 -6  mol L -1 . The proposed method enable to determine estradiol content in different pharmaceutical formulation with good recovery. Amperometric measurements of estradiol were performed as well to indicate the possibility of its fast and accurate determination under the flow conditions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Nanomolar determination of 4-nitrophenol based on a poly(methylene blue)-modified glassy carbon electrode.

    PubMed

    Giribabu, Krishnamoorthy; Suresh, Ranganathan; Manigandan, Ramadoss; Munusamy, Settu; Kumar, Sivakumar Praveen; Muthamizh, Selvamani; Narayanan, Vengidusamy

    2013-10-07

    A poly(methylene blue)-modified glassy carbon electrode (PMB/GCE) was fabricated by electropolymerisation of methylene blue on a GCE and further utilized to investigate the electrochemical determination of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) by cyclic voltammetry (CV), differential pulse voltammetry and chronocoulometry. The morphology of the PMB on GCE was examined using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). An oxidation peak of 4-NP at the PMB modified electrode was observed at 0.28 V, and in the case of bare GCE, no oxidation peak was observed, which indicates that PMB/GCE exhibits a remarkable effect on the electrochemical determination of 4-NP. Due to this remarkable effect of PMB/GCE, a sensitive and simple electrochemical method was proposed for the determination of 4-NP. The effect of the scan rate and pH was investigated to determine the optimum conditions at which the PMB/GCE exhibits a higher sensitivity with a lower detection limit. Moreover, kinetic parameters such as the electron transfer number, proton transfer number and standard heterogeneous rate constant were calculated. Under optimum conditions, the oxidation current of 4-NP is proportional to its concentration in the range of 15-250 nM with a correlation coefficient of 0.9963. The detection limit was found to be 90 nM (S/N = 3). The proposed method based on PMB/GCE is simple, easy and cost effective. To further confirm its possible application, the proposed method was successfully used for the determination of 4-NP in real water samples with recoveries ranging from 97% to 101.6%. The interference due to sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, copper, zinc, iron, sulphate, carbonate, chloride, nitrate and phosphate was found to be almost negligible.

  16. Modified Polymeric Nanoparticles Exert In Vitro Antimicrobial Activity Against Oral Bacteria.

    PubMed

    Toledano-Osorio, Manuel; Babu, Jegdish P; Osorio, Raquel; Medina-Castillo, Antonio L; García-Godoy, Franklin; Toledano, Manuel

    2018-06-14

    Polymeric nanoparticles were modified to exert antimicrobial activity against oral bacteria. Nanoparticles were loaded with calcium, zinc and doxycycline. Ions and doxycycline release were measured by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer and high performance liquid chromatography. Porphyromonas gingivalis , Lactobacillus lactis , Streptoccocus mutans , gordonii and sobrinus were grown and the number of bacteria was determined by optical density. Nanoparticles were suspended in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) at 10, 1 and 0.1 mg/mL and incubated with 1.0 mL of each bacterial suspension for 3, 12, and 24 h. The bacterial viability was assessed by determining their ability to cleave the tetrazolium salt to a formazan dye. Data were analyzed by ANOVA and Scheffe’s F ( p < 0.05). Doxycycline doping efficacy was 70%. A burst liberation effect was produced during the first 7 days. After 21 days, a sustained release above 6 µg/mL, was observed. Calcium and zinc liberation were about 1 and 0.02 µg/mL respectively. The most effective antibacterial material was found to be the Dox-Nanoparticles (60% to 99% reduction) followed by Ca-Nanoparticles or Zn-Nanoparticles (30% to 70% reduction) and finally the non-doped nanoparticles (7% to 35% reduction). P. gingivalis , S. mutans and L. lactis were the most susceptible bacteria, being S. gordonii and S. sobrinus the most resistant to the tested nanoparticles.

  17. Ultra-smooth glassy graphene thin films for flexible transparent circuits

    PubMed Central

    Dai, Xiao; Wu, Jiang; Qian, Zhicheng; Wang, Haiyan; Jian, Jie; Cao, Yingjie; Rummeli, Mark H.; Yi, Qinghua; Liu, Huiyun; Zou, Guifu

    2016-01-01

    Large-area graphene thin films are prized in flexible and transparent devices. We report on a type of glassy graphene that is in an intermediate state between glassy carbon and graphene and that has high crystallinity but curly lattice planes. A polymer-assisted approach is introduced to grow an ultra-smooth (roughness, <0.7 nm) glassy graphene thin film at the inch scale. Owing to the advantages inherited by the glassy graphene thin film from graphene and glassy carbon, the glassy graphene thin film exhibits conductivity, transparency, and flexibility comparable to those of graphene, as well as glassy carbon–like mechanical and chemical stability. Moreover, glassy graphene–based circuits are fabricated using a laser direct writing approach. The circuits are transferred to flexible substrates and are shown to perform reliably. The glassy graphene thin film should stimulate the application of flexible transparent conductive materials in integrated circuits. PMID:28138535

  18. Acute and subchronic toxicity analysis of surface modified paclitaxel attached hydroxyapatite and titanium dioxide nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Venkatasubbu, Gopinath Devanand; Ramasamy, S; Gaddam, Pramod Reddy; Kumar, J

    2015-01-01

    Nanoparticles are widely used for targeted drug delivery applications. Surface modification with appropriate polymer and ligands is carried out to target the drug to the affected area. Toxicity analysis is carried out to evaluate the safety of the surface modified nanoparticles. In this study, paclitaxel attached, folic acid functionalized, polyethylene glycol modified hydroxyapatite and titanium dioxide nanoparticles were used for targeted drug delivery system. The toxicological behavior of the system was studied in vivo in rats and mice. Acute and subchronic studies were carried out. Biochemical, hematological, and histopathological analysis was also done. There were no significant alterations in the biochemical parameters at a low dosage. There was a small change in alkaline phosphatase (ALP) level at a high dosage. The results indicate a safe toxicological profile.

  19. Heterogeneous enantioselective hydrogenation of beta-keto esters using chirally modified supported Ni nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Acharya, Sushma

    Enantioselective heterogeneous catalysis is an important and rapidly expanding research area. The two most heavily researched examples of this type of catalysis are the enantioselective hydrogenation of α-keto-esters over Pt-based catalysts and the enantioselective hydrogenation of β-keto-esters over Ni-based catalysts. These enantioselective surface reactions are controlled by the presence of adsorbed chiral molecules i.e. tartaric acid on the surface of the metal component of the catalyst. The work presented in this thesis focuses on two parts, the synthesis of pure nickel nanoparticles and enantioselective behavior of the modified nickel nanoparticles. The works on the synthesis of pure nickel nanoparticles were carried out using two methods, the reverse microemulsion and the reduction method. It was discovered that the reverse microemulsion method produced nickel oxide nanoparticles, whereas the reduction method produced pure nickel nanoparticles. Chiral modifications of Raney nickel (RNi) and C-supported catalysts were studied. The catalysts were employed in enantioselective hydrogenation of methyl acetoacetate (MAA) to (R) - and (S)-enantiomers of methyl 3-hydroxybutyrate (MHB). The effects of modification and hydrogenation parameters such as concentration of modifier temperature, pressure and solvent on the enantioselectivity of MAA hydrogenation were discussed. For RNi methanol was found to be the best solvent, with tartaric acid concentration 0.2 mol/L for achieving the highest enantiomeric excess under 8 bar at 70 oC. Characteristic features of the in-situ modification of Raney nickel and C-supported Ni were also evaluated and the results obtained were compared with the conventional (pre-modification) approach. Parameters for the conventional and in-situ methods were optimised in a series of experiments for both types of catalysts. The in-situ modified catalyst was found more active for both RNi and C-supported catalysts with 98 % and 42% enantiomeric

  20. Enzymatic biosensor based on entrapment of d-amino acid oxidase on gold nanofilm/MWCNTs nanocomposite modified glassy carbon electrode by sol-gel network: Analytical applications for d-alanine in human serum.

    PubMed

    Shoja, Yalda; Rafati, Amir Abbas; Ghodsi, Javad

    2017-05-01

    Sensing and determination of d-alanine is studied by using an enzymatic biosensor which was constructed on the basis of d-amino acid oxidase (DAAO) immobilization by sol-gel film onto glassy carbon electrode surface modified with nanocomposite of gold nanofilm (Au-NF) and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). The Au-NF/MWCNT nanocomposite was prepared by applying the potentiostatic technique for electrodeposition of Au-NF on the MWCNT immobilized on glassy carbon electrode surface. The modified electrode is investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) and cyclic voltammetry(CV) techniques. The linear sweep voltammetry was used for determination of d-alanine and the results showed an excellent linear relationship between biosensor response and d-alanine concentration ranging from 0.25μM to 4.5μM with correction coefficient of 0.999 (n=20). Detection limit for the fabricated sensor was calculated about 20nM (for S/N=3) and sensitivity was about 56.1μAμM -1 cm -2 . The developed biosensor exhibited rapid and accurate response to d-alanine, a good stability (4 weeks) and an average recovery of 98.9% in human serum samples. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Hydrophobically modified polysaccharide-based on polysialic acid nanoparticles as carriers for anticancer drugs.

    PubMed

    Jung, Bom; Shim, Man-Kyu; Park, Min-Ju; Jang, Eun Hyang; Yoon, Hong Yeol; Kim, Kwangmeyung; Kim, Jong-Ho

    2017-03-30

    This study presented the development of hydrophobically modified polysialic acid (HPSA) nanoparticles, a novel anticancer drug nanocarrier that increases therapeutic efficacy without causing nonspecific toxicity towards normal cells. HPSA nanoparticles were prepared by 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-carbodiimide (EDC)/N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) coupling between N-deacetylated polysialic acid (PSA) and 5β-cholanic acid. The physicochemical characteristics of HPSA nanoparticles (zeta-potential, morphology and size) were measured, and in vitro cytotoxicity and cellular uptake of PSA and HPSA nanoparticles were tested in A549 cells. In vivo cancer targeting of HPSA nanoparticles was evaluated by labeling PSA and HPSA nanoparticles with Cy5.5, a near-infrared fluorescent dye, for imaging. HPSA nanoparticles showed improved cancer-targeting ability compared with PSA. Doxorubicin-loaded HPSA (DOX-HPSA) nanoparticles were prepared using a simple dialysis method. An analysis of the in vitro drug-release profile and drug-delivery behavior showed that DOX was effectively released from DOX-HPSA nanoparticles. In vivo cancer therapy with DOX-HPSA nanoparticles in mice showed antitumor effects that resembled those of free DOX. Moreover, DOX-HPSA nanoparticles had low toxicity toward other organs, reflecting their tumor-targeting property. Hence, HPSA nanoparticles are considered a potential nanocarrier for anticancer agents. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Hydrogen peroxide sensing using ultrathin platinum-coated gold nanoparticles with core@shell structure.

    PubMed

    Li, Yongxin; Lu, Qiufang; Wu, Shengnan; Wang, Lun; Shi, Xianming

    2013-03-15

    Ultrathin platinum-coated gold (Pt@Au) nanoparticles with core@shell structure have been developed by under-potential deposition (UPD) redox replacement technique. A single UPD Cu replacement with Pt(2+) produced a uniform Pt monolayer on the surface of gold nanoparticles, which are immobilized on glassy carbon electrode (GCE) surface based on electrostatic interaction. The ultrathin Pt@Au nanoparticles were confirmed by cyclic voltammetry and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Voltammetry and amperometric methodologies were used to evaluate the electrocatalytic activity of the Pt@Au nanoparticles modified electrode towards the reduction of hydrogen peroxide under the physiological condition. The present results show that ultrathin Pt coating greatly enhances the electrocatalytic activity towards the reduction of hydrogen peroxide, which can be utilized to fabricate the hydrogen peroxide sensor. Chronoamperometric experiments showed that at an applied potential of 0.08 V (vs. Ag/AgCl), the current reduction of hydrogen peroxide was linear to its concentration in the range of 1-450 μΜ, and the detection limit was found to be 0.18 μM (signal-to-noise ratio, S/N=3). Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Electrocatalytic Oxidation of Ascorbic Acid Using a Poly(aniline-co-m-ferrocenylaniline) Modified Glassy Carbon Electrode

    PubMed Central

    Chairam, Sanoe; Sriraksa, Worawit; Amatatongchai, Maliwan; Somsook, Ekasith

    2011-01-01

    A poly(aniline-co-m-ferrocenylaniline) was successfully synthesized on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) by electrochemical copolymerization using a scan potential range from −0.3 to +0.9 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) in 0.5 M H2SO4 containing 30% acetonitrile (ACN), 0.1 M aniline (Ani) and 0.005 M m-ferrocenyaniline (m-FcAni). The field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) and electrochemical methods were used to characterize the poly(Ani-co-m-FcAni) modified electrode. The poly(Ani-co-m-FcAni)/GCE exhibited excellent electrocatalytic oxidation of ascorbic acid (AA) in citrate buffer solution (CBS, pH 5.0). The anodic peak potential of AA was shifted from +0.55 V at the bare GCE to +0.25 V at the poly(Ani-co-m-FcAni)/GCE with higher current responses than those seen on the bare GCE. The scan number at the 10th cycle was selected as the maximum scan cycle in electrochemical polymerization. The limit of detection (LOD) was estimated to be 2.0 μM based on the signal-to-noise ratio (S/N = 3). The amperometric responses demonstrated an excellent selectivity for AA determination over glucose (Glu) and dopamine (DA). PMID:22346636

  4. Evaluation of in-vitro cytotoxicity and cellular uptake efficiency of zidovudine-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles modified with Aloe Vera in glioma cells.

    PubMed

    K S, Joshy; Sharma, Chandra P; Kalarikkal, Nandakumar; Sandeep, K; Thomas, Sabu; Pothen, Laly A

    2016-09-01

    Zidovudine loaded solid lipid nanoparticles of stearic acid modified with Aloe Vera (AV) have been prepared via simple emulsion solvent evaporation method which showed excellent stability at room temperature and refrigerated condition. The nanoparticles were examined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), which revealed the overlap of the AV absorption peak with the absorption peak of modified stearic acid nanoparticles. The inclusion of AV to stearic acid decreased the crystallinity and improved the hydrophilicity of lipid nanoparticles and thereby improved the drug loading efficacy of lipid nanoparticles. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) imaging revealed that, the average particle size of unmodified (bare) nanoparticles was 45.66±12.22nm and modified solid lipid nanoparticles showed an average size of 265.61±80.44nm. Solid lipid nanoparticles with well-defined morphology were tested in vitro for their possible application in drug delivery. Cell culture studies using C6 glioma cells on the nanoparticles showed enhanced growth and proliferation of cells without exhibiting any toxicity. In addition, normal cell morphology and improved uptake were observed by fluorescence microscopy images of rhodamine labeled modified solid lipid nanoparticles compared with unmodified nanoparticles. The cellular uptake study suggested that these nanoparticles could be a promising drug delivery system to enhance the uptake of antiviral drug by brain cells and it could be a suitable drug carrier system for the treatment of HIV. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Acute and subchronic toxicity analysis of surface modified paclitaxel attached hydroxyapatite and titanium dioxide nanoparticles

    PubMed Central

    Venkatasubbu, Gopinath Devanand; Ramasamy, S; Gaddam, Pramod Reddy; Kumar, J

    2015-01-01

    Nanoparticles are widely used for targeted drug delivery applications. Surface modification with appropriate polymer and ligands is carried out to target the drug to the affected area. Toxicity analysis is carried out to evaluate the safety of the surface modified nanoparticles. In this study, paclitaxel attached, folic acid functionalized, polyethylene glycol modified hydroxyapatite and titanium dioxide nanoparticles were used for targeted drug delivery system. The toxicological behavior of the system was studied in vivo in rats and mice. Acute and subchronic studies were carried out. Biochemical, hematological, and histopathological analysis was also done. There were no significant alterations in the biochemical parameters at a low dosage. There was a small change in alkaline phosphatase (ALP) level at a high dosage. The results indicate a safe toxicological profile. PMID:26491315

  6. Design and preparation of bi-functionalized short-chain modified zwitterionic nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Hu, Fenglin; Chen, Kaimin; Xu, Hong; Gu, Hongchen

    2018-05-01

    (FBS). The modified nanoparticles can also be successfully functionalized with a specific antibody for CLEIA assay with a prominent bio-detection performance even in 50% FBS. In this paper, we also investigated an unexpectedly fast hydrolysis behavior of NHS-activated carboxylic groups within the pure short-chain zwitterionic molecule that led to no protein binding in the short-chain zwitterion modified nanoparticle. Our findings pave a new way for the designing of high performance bio-carriers, demonstrating their strong potential as a robust platform for diagnosis and therapy. Copyright © 2018 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Thermal dewetting behavior of polystyrene composite thin films with organic-modified inorganic nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Kubo, Masaki; Takahashi, Yosuke; Fujii, Takeshi; Liu, Yang; Sugioka, Ken-ichi; Tsukada, Takao; Minami, Kimitaka; Adschiri, Tadafumi

    2014-07-29

    The thermal dewetting of polystyrene composite thin films with oleic acid-modified CeO2 nanoparticles prepared by the supercritical hydrothermal synthesis method was investigated, varying the nanoparticle concentration (0-30 wt %), film thickness (approximately 50 and 100 nm), and surface energy of silanized silicon substrates on which the composite films were coated. The dewetting behavior of the composite thin films during thermal annealing was observed by an optical microscope. The presence of nanoparticles in the films affected the morphology of dewetting holes, and moreover suppressed the dewetting itself when the concentration was relatively high. It was revealed that there was a critical value of the surface energy of the substrate at which the dewetting occurred. In addition, the spatial distributions of nanoparticles in the composite thin films before thermal annealing were investigated using AFM and TEM. As a result, we found that most of nanoparticles segregated to the surface of the film, and that such distributions of nanoparticles contribute to the stabilization of the films, by calculating the interfacial potential of the films with nanoparticles.

  8. Brain Localization and Neurotoxicity Evaluation of Polysorbate 80-Modified Chitosan Nanoparticles in Rats

    PubMed Central

    Yuan, Zhong-Yue; Hu, Yu-Lan; Gao, Jian-Qing

    2015-01-01

    The toxicity evaluation of inorganic nanoparticles has been reported by an increasing number of studies, but toxicity studies concerned with biodegradable nanoparticles, especially the neurotoxicity evaluation, are still limited. For example, the potential neurotoxicity of Polysorbate 80-modified chitosan nanoparticles (Tween 80-modified chitosan nanoparticles, TmCS-NPs), one of the most widely used brain targeting vehicles, remains unknown. In the present study, TmCS-NPs with a particle size of 240 nm were firstly prepared by ionic cross-linking of chitosan with tripolyphosphate. Then, these TmCS-NPs were demonstrated to be entered into the brain and specially deposited in the frontal cortex and cerebellum after systemic injection. Moreover, the concentration of TmCS-NPs in these two regions was found to decrease over time. Although no obvious changes were observed for oxidative stress in the in vivo rat model, the body weight was found to remarkably decreased in a dose-dependent manner after exposure to TmCS-NPs for seven days. Besides, apoptosis and necrosis of neurons, slight inflammatory response in the frontal cortex, and decrease of GFAP expression in the cerebellum were also detected in mouse injected with TmCS-NPs. This study is the first report on the sub-brain biodistribution and neurotoxicity studies of TmCS-NPs. Our results provide new insights into the toxicity evaluation of nanoparticles and our findings would help contribute to a better understanding of the neurotoxicity of biodegradable nanomaterials used in pharmaceutics. PMID:26248340

  9. Brain Localization and Neurotoxicity Evaluation of Polysorbate 80-Modified Chitosan Nanoparticles in Rats.

    PubMed

    Yuan, Zhong-Yue; Hu, Yu-Lan; Gao, Jian-Qing

    2015-01-01

    The toxicity evaluation of inorganic nanoparticles has been reported by an increasing number of studies, but toxicity studies concerned with biodegradable nanoparticles, especially the neurotoxicity evaluation, are still limited. For example, the potential neurotoxicity of Polysorbate 80-modified chitosan nanoparticles (Tween 80-modified chitosan nanoparticles, TmCS-NPs), one of the most widely used brain targeting vehicles, remains unknown. In the present study, TmCS-NPs with a particle size of 240 nm were firstly prepared by ionic cross-linking of chitosan with tripolyphosphate. Then, these TmCS-NPs were demonstrated to be entered into the brain and specially deposited in the frontal cortex and cerebellum after systemic injection. Moreover, the concentration of TmCS-NPs in these two regions was found to decrease over time. Although no obvious changes were observed for oxidative stress in the in vivo rat model, the body weight was found to remarkably decreased in a dose-dependent manner after exposure to TmCS-NPs for seven days. Besides, apoptosis and necrosis of neurons, slight inflammatory response in the frontal cortex, and decrease of GFAP expression in the cerebellum were also detected in mouse injected with TmCS-NPs. This study is the first report on the sub-brain biodistribution and neurotoxicity studies of TmCS-NPs. Our results provide new insights into the toxicity evaluation of nanoparticles and our findings would help contribute to a better understanding of the neurotoxicity of biodegradable nanomaterials used in pharmaceutics.

  10. Detection of telomerase on upconversion nanoparticle modified cellulose paper.

    PubMed

    Wang, Faming; Li, Wen; Wang, Jiasi; Ren, Jinsong; Qu, Xiaogang

    2015-07-25

    Herein we report a convenient and sensitive method for the detection of telomerase activity based on upconversion nanoparticle (UCNP) modified cellulose paper. Compared with many solution-phase systems, this paper chip is more stable and easily stores the test results. What's more, the low background fluorescence of the UCNPs increases the sensitivity of this method, and the low telomerase levels in different cell lines can clearly be discriminated by the naked eye.

  11. Cu nanoparticles incorporated polypyrrole modified GCE for sensitive simultaneous determination of dopamine and uric acid.

    PubMed

    Ulubay, Sükriye; Dursun, Zekerya

    2010-01-15

    Cu nanoparticles have been electrochemically incorporated polypyrrole film that was used for modification of the glassy carbon electrode surface. The performance of the electrode has been characterized by cyclic voltammetry and atomic force microscopy. The electrode has shown high electrocatalytic activity towards the oxidation of dopamine (DA) and uric acid (UA) simultaneously in a phosphate buffer solution (pH 7.00). The electrocatalytic oxidation currents of UA and DA were found linearly related to concentration over the range 1x10(-9) to 1x10(-5)M for UA and 1x10(-9) to 1x10(-7)M for DA using DPVs method. The detection limits were determined as 8x10(-10)M (s/n=3) for UA and 8.5x10(-10)M (s/n=3) for DA at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3.

  12. Preparation of folate-modified pullulan acetate nanoparticles for tumor-targeted drug delivery.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Hui-zhu; Li, Xue-min; Gao, Fu-ping; Liu, Ling-rong; Zhou, Zhi-min; Zhang, Qi-qing

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this work was to develop a novel nano-carrier with targeting property to tumor. In this study, pullulan acetate (PA) was synthesized by the acetylation of pullulan to simplify the preparation technique of nanoparticles. Folic acid (FA) was conjugated to PA in order to improve the cancer-targeting activity. The products were characterized by proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H NMR) spectroscopy. Epirubicin-loaded nanoparticles were prepared by a solvent diffusion method. The loading efficiencies and EPI content increased with the amount of triethylamine (TEA) increasing in some degree. FPA nanoparticles could incorporate more epirubicin than PA nanoparticles. The folate-modified PA nanoparticles (FPA/EPI NPs) exhibited faster drug release than PA nanoparticles (PA/EPI NPs) in vitro. Confocal image analysis and flow cytometry test revealed that FPA/EPI NPs exhibited a greater extent of cellular uptake than PA/EPI NPs against KB cells over-expressing folate receptors on the surface. FPA/EPI NPs also showed higher cytotoxicity than PA/EPI NPs. The cytotoxic effect of FPA/EPI NPs to KB cells was inhibited by an excess amount of folic acid, suggesting that the binding and/or uptake were mediated by the folate receptor.

  13. Reinforcement effect of soy protein nanoparticles in amine-modified natural rubber latex

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Mechanical properties of natural rubber reinforced with soy protein nanoparticles are useful for various rubber applications. However, the properties is further improved by improving interactions between soy protein and rubber. A novel method is used to modify particle surface of natural rubber late...

  14. Optical tracking of organically modified silica nanoparticles as DNA carriers: A nonviral, nanomedicine approach for gene delivery

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Roy, Indrajit; Ohulchanskyy, Tymish Y.; Bharali, Dhruba J.; Pudavar, Haridas E.; Mistretta, Ruth A.; Kaur, Navjot; Prasad, Paras N.

    2005-01-01

    This article reports a multidisciplinary approach to produce fluorescently labeled organically modified silica nanoparticles as a nonviral vector for gene delivery and biophotonics methods to optically monitor intracellular trafficking and gene transfection. Highly monodispersed, stable aqueous suspensions of organically modified silica nanoparticles, encapsulating fluorescent dyes and surface functionalized by cationic-amino groups, are produced by micellar nanochemistry. Gel-electrophoresis studies reveal that the particles efficiently complex with DNA and protect it from enzymatic digestion of DNase 1. The electrostatic binding of DNA onto the surface of the nanoparticles, due to positively charged amino groups, is also shown by intercalating an appropriate dye into the DNA and observing the Förster (fluorescence) resonance energy transfer between the dye (energy donor) intercalated in DNA on the surface of nanoparticles and a second dye (energy acceptor) inside the nanoparticles. Imaging by fluorescence confocal microscopy shows that cells efficiently take up the nanoparticles in vitro in the cytoplasm, and the nanoparticles deliver DNA to the nucleus. The use of plasmid encoding enhanced GFP allowed us to demonstrate the process of gene transfection in cultured cells. Our work shows that the nanomedicine approach, with nanoparticles acting as a drug-delivery platform combining multiple optical and other types of probes, provides a promising direction for targeted therapy with enhanced efficacy as well as for real-time monitoring of drug action. nonviral vector | ORMOSIL nanoparticles | confocal microscopy

  15. Constitutive modeling of glassy shape memory polymers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Khanolkar, Mahesh

    The aim of this research is to develop constitutive models for non-linear materials. Here, issues related for developing constitutive model for glassy shape memory polymers are addressed in detail. Shape memory polymers are novel material that can be easily formed into complex shapes, retaining memory of their original shape even after undergoing large deformations. The temporary shape is stable and return to the original shape is triggered by a suitable mechanism such heating the polymer above a transition temperature. Glassy shape memory polymers are called glassy because the temporary shape is fixed by the formation of a glassy solid, while return to the original shape is due to the melting of this glassy phase. The constitutive model has been developed to capture the thermo-mechanical behavior of glassy shape memory polymers using elements of nonlinear mechanics and polymer physics. The key feature of this framework is that a body can exist stress free in numerous natural configurations, the underlying natural configuration of the body changing during the process, with the response of the body being elastic from these evolving natural configurations. The aim of this research is to formulate a constitutive model for glassy shape memory polymers (GSMP) which takes in to account the fact that the stress-strain response depends on thermal expansion of polymers. The model developed is for the original amorphous phase, the temporary glassy phase and transition between these phases. The glass transition process has been modeled using a framework that was developed recently for studying crystallization in polymers and is based on the theory of multiple natural configurations. Using the same frame work, the melting of the glassy phase to capture the return of the polymer to its original shape is also modeled. The effect of nanoreinforcement on the response of shape memory polymers (GSMP) is studied and a model is developed. In addition to modeling and solving boundary

  16. Synthesis and immobilization of Ag(0) nanoparticles on diazonium modified electrodes: SECM and cyclic voltammetry studies of the modified interfaces.

    PubMed

    Noël, Jean-Marc; Zigah, Dodzi; Simonet, Jacques; Hapiot, Philippe

    2010-05-18

    A versatile method was used to prepare modified surfaces on which metallic silver nanoparticles are immobilized on an organic layer. The preparation method takes advantage, on one hand, of the activated reactivity of some alkyl halides with Ag-Pd alloys to produce metallic silver nanoparticles and, on the other hand, of the facile production of an anchoring polyphenyl acetate layer by the electrografting of substituted diazonium salts on carbon surfaces. Transport properties inside such modified layers were investigated by cyclic voltammetry, scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) in feedback mode, and conducting AFM imaging for characterizing the presence and nature of the conducting pathways. The modification of the blocking properties of the surface (or its conductivity) was found to vary to a large extent on the solvents used for surface examination (H(2)O, CH(2)Cl(2), and DMF).

  17. Application of neural networks with novel independent component analysis methodologies to a Prussian blue modified glassy carbon electrode array.

    PubMed

    Wang, Liang; Yang, Die; Fang, Cheng; Chen, Zuliang; Lesniewski, Peter J; Mallavarapu, Megharaj; Naidu, Ravendra

    2015-01-01

    Sodium potassium absorption ratio (SPAR) is an important measure of agricultural water quality, wherein four exchangeable cations (K(+), Na(+), Ca(2+) and Mg(2+)) should be simultaneously determined. An ISE-array is suitable for this application because its simplicity, rapid response characteristics and lower cost. However, cross-interferences caused by the poor selectivity of ISEs need to be overcome using multivariate chemometric methods. In this paper, a solid contact ISE array, based on a Prussian blue modified glassy carbon electrode (PB-GCE), was applied with a novel chemometric strategy. One of the most popular independent component analysis (ICA) methods, the fast fixed-point algorithm for ICA (fastICA), was implemented by the genetic algorithm (geneticICA) to avoid the local maxima problem commonly observed with fastICA. This geneticICA can be implemented as a data preprocessing method to improve the prediction accuracy of the Back-propagation neural network (BPNN). The ISE array system was validated using 20 real irrigation water samples from South Australia, and acceptable prediction accuracies were obtained. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Electrochemical DNA biosensor based on poly(2,6-pyridinedicarboxylic acid) modified glassy carbon electrode for the determination of anticancer drug gemcitabine.

    PubMed

    Tığ, Gözde Aydoğdu; Zeybek, Bülent; Pekyardımcı, Şule

    2016-07-01

    In this study, a simple methodology was used to develop a new electrochemical DNA biosensor based on poly(2,6-pyridinedicarboxylic acid) (P(PDCA)) modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE). This modified electrode was used to monitor for the electrochemical interaction between the dsDNA and gemcitabine (GEM) for the first time. A decrease in oxidation signals of guanine after the interaction of the dsDNA with the GEM was used as an indicator for the selective determination of the GEM via differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). The guanine oxidation peak currents were linearly proportional to the concentrations of the GEM in the range of 1-30mgL(‒1). Limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were found to be 0.276mgL(‒1) and 0.922mgL(‒1), respectively. The reproducibility, repeatability, and applicability of the analysis to pharmaceutical dosage forms and human serum samples were also examined. In addition to DPV method, UV-vis and viscosity measurements were utilized to propose the interaction mechanism between the GEM and the dsDNA. The novel DNA biosensor could serve for sensitive, accurate and rapid determination of the GEM. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Efficient removal of pathogenic bacteria and viruses by multifunctional amine-modified magnetic nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Zhan, Sihui; Yang, Yang; Shen, Zhiqiang; Shan, Junjun; Li, Yi; Yang, Shanshan; Zhu, Dandan

    2014-06-15

    A novel amine-functionalized magnetic Fe3O4-SiO2-NH2 nanoparticle was prepared by layer-by-layer method and used for rapid removal of both pathogenic bacteria and viruses from water. The nanoparticles were characterized by TEM, EDS, XRD, XPS, FT-IR, BET surface analysis, magnetic property tests and zeta-potential measurements, respectively, which demonstrated its well-defined core-shell structures and strong magnetic responsivity. Pathogenic bacteria and viruses are often needed to be removed conveniently because of a lot of co-existing conditions. The amine-modified nanoparticles we prepared were attractive for capturing a wide range of pathogens including not only bacteriophage f2 and virus (Poliovirus-1), but also various bacteria such as S. aureus, E. coli O157:H7, P. aeruginosa, Salmonella, and B. subtilis. Using as-prepared amine-functionalized MNPs as absorbent, the nonspecific removal efficiency of E. coli O157:H7 or virus was more than 97.39%, while it is only 29.8% with Fe3O4-SiO2 particles. From joint removal test of bacteria and virus, there are over 95.03% harmful E. coli O157:H7 that can be removed from mixed solution with polyclonal anti-E. coli O157:H7 antibody modified nanoparticles. Moreover, the synergy effective mechanism has also been suggested. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Properties of Ag nanoparticles prepared by modified Tollens' process with the use of different saccharide types

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Michalcová, Alena; Machado, Larissa; Marek, Ivo; Martinec, Marek; Sluková, Marcela; Vojtěch, Dalibor

    2018-02-01

    Silver nanoparticles are well known for their catalytic and antimicrobial properties. In their production, the modified Tollens' process using saccharides as reduction agents is very popular. In this paper, the possibility of silver nanoparticles reduction by fructose, glucose, galactose, mannose, maltose, lactose and saccharose is shown. The size of successfully prepared nanoparticles was 16-70 nm depending on the saccharide type. The influence of NaOH and NH3 presence in reaction mixture on size of nanoparticles was described. Surprisingly good results were obtained using saccharose that is, however, known as non-reducing disaccharide.

  1. Folic acid-modified soy protein nanoparticles for enhanced targeting and inhibitory.

    PubMed

    Cheng, Xu; Wang, Xin; Cao, Zhipeng; Yao, Weijing; Wang, Jun; Tang, Rupei

    2017-02-01

    Soy protein isolate (SPI) was hydrolyzed by compound enzymes to give water soluble low molecular soy protein (SP). SP and folic acid (FA) modified SP was polymerized with N-3- acrylamidophenylboronic acid (APBA) monomer in aqueous solution to give SP nanoparticles (SP NPs) and FA modified nanoparticles (FA-SP NPs), respectively. These NPs display excellent stability in different conditions, and have a uniform spherical shape with a diameter around of 200nm. Doxorubicin (DOX) was then successfully loaded into SP and FA-SP NPs with a desirable loading content of 13.33% and 16.01%, respectively. The cellular uptake and cytotoxicity of DOX-loaded SP NPs and FA-SP NPs were investigated using the two-dimensional (2D) monolayer cell model and three-dimensional (3D) multicellular spheroids (MCs). In vivo, tumor accumulation and growth inhibitory were then examined using H22 tumor-bearing mice. All these results demonstrated that conjugation of FA can efficiently enhance SP-based NPs' tumor accumulation and antitumor effect. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Immobilization of Ag nanoparticles/FGF-2 on a modified titanium implant surface and improved human gingival fibroblasts behavior.

    PubMed

    Ma, Qianli; Mei, Shenglin; Ji, Kun; Zhang, Yumei; Chu, Paul K

    2011-08-01

    The objective of this study was to form a rapid and firm soft tissue sealing around dental implants that resists bacterial invasion. We present a novel approach to modify Ti surface by immobilizing Ag nanoparticles/FGF-2 compound bioactive factors onto a titania nanotubular surface. The titanium samples were anodized to form vertically organized TiO(2) nanotube arrays and Ag nanoparticles were electrodeposited onto the nanotubular surface, on which FGF-2 was immobilized with repeated lyophilization. A uniform distribution of Ag nanoparticles/FGF-2 was observed on the TiO(2) nanotubular surface. The L929 cell line was used for cytotoxicity assessment. Human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs) were cultured on the modified surface for cytocompatibility determination. The Ag/FGF-2 immobilized samples displayed excellent cytocompatibility, negligible cytotoxicity, and enhanced HGF functions such as cell attachment, proliferation, and ECM-related gene expression. The Ag nanoparticles also exhibit some bioactivity. In conclusion, this modified TiO(2) nanotubular surface has a large potential for use in dental implant abutment. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  3. Effect of linoleic-acid modified carboxymethyl chitosan on bromelain immobilization onto self-assembled nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tan, Yu-long; Liu, Chen-guang; Yu, Le-jun; Chen, Xi-guang

    2008-06-01

    Hydrogel nanoparticles could be prepared by using linoleic acid (LA) modified carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS) after sonication. Bromelain could be loaded onto nanoparticles of LA-CMCS. Factors affecting the activity of the immobilized enzyme, including temperature, storage etc., were investigated in this study. The results showed that the stability of bromelain for heat and storage was improved after immobilization on nanoparticles. The Michaelis constant ( K m) of the immobilized enzyme was smaller than that of free enzyme, indicating that the immobilization could promote the stability of the enzyme and strengthen the affinity of the enzyme for the substrate.

  4. Cure kinetics, morphologies, and mechanical properties of thermoplastic/MWCNT modified multifunctional glassy epoxies prepared via continuous reaction methods

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cheng, Xiaole

    The primary goal of this dissertation is to develop a novel continuous reactor method to prepare partially cured epoxy prepolymers for aerospace prepreg applications with the aim of replacing traditional batch reactors. Compared to batch reactors, the continuous reactor is capable of solubilizing and dispersing a broad range of additives including thermoplastic tougheners, stabilizers, nanoparticles and curatives and advancing epoxy molecular weights and viscosities while reducing energy consumption. In order to prove this concept, polyethersulfone (PES) modified 4, 4'-diaminodiphenylsulfone (44DDS)/tetraglycidyl-4, 4'-diaminodiphenylmethane (TGDDM) epoxy prepolymers were firstly prepared using both continuous reactor and batch reactor methods. Kinetic studies confirmed the chain extension reaction in the continuous reactor is similar to the batch reactor, and the molecular weights and viscosities of prepolymers were readily controlled through reaction kinetics. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) confirmed similar cured network morphologies for formulations prepared from batch and continuous reactors. Additionally tensile strength, tensile modulus and fracture toughness analyses concluded mechanical properties of cured epoxy matrices produced from both reactors were equivalent. Effects of multifunctional epoxy compositions on thermoplastics phase-separated morphologies were systematically studied using a combination of AFM with nanomechanical mapping, spectroscopic and calorimetric techniques to provide new insights to tailor cured reaction induced phase separation (CRIPS) in multifunctional epoxy blend networks. Furthermore, how resultant crosslinked glassy polymer network and phase-separated morphologies correlated with mechanical properties are discussed in detail. Multiwall carbon nanotube (MWCNT)/TGDDM epoxy prepolymers were further prepared by combining the successful strategies for advancing epoxy chemistries and dispersing nanotubes using the continuous reactor

  5. Electrochemical reduction of nalidixic acid at glassy carbon electrode modified with multi-walled carbon nanotubes.

    PubMed

    Patiño, Yolanda; Pilehvar, Sanaz; Díaz, Eva; Ordóñez, Salvador; De Wael, Karolien

    2017-02-05

    The aqueous phase electrochemical degradation of nalidixic acid (NAL) is studied in this work, using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) as instrumental techniques. The promotional effect of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) on the performance of glassy carbon electrodes is demonstrated, being observed that these materials catalyze the NAL reduction. The effect of surface functional groups on MWCNT -MWCNT-COOH and MWCNT-NH 2 -was also studied. The modification of glassy carbon electrode (GCE) with MWCNT leads to an improved performance for NAL reduction following the order of MWCNT>MWCNT-NH 2 >MWCNT-COOH. The best behavior at MWCNT-GCE is mainly due to both the increased electrode active area and the enhanced MWCNT adsorption properties. The NAL degradation was carried out under optimal conditions (pH=5.0, deposition time=20s and volume of MWCNT=10μL) using MWCNT-GCE obtaining an irreversible reduction of NAL to less toxic products. Paramaters as the number of DPV cycles and the volume/area (V/A) ratio were optimized for maximize pollutant degradation. It was observed that after 15 DPV scans and V/A=8, a complete reduction was obtained, obtaining two sub-products identified by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Two Glass Transitions Associated to Different Dynamic Disorders in the Nematic Glassy State of a Non-Symmetric Liquid Crystal Dimer Dopped with γ-Alumina Nanoparticles

    PubMed Central

    Diez-Berart, Sergio; López, David O.; Salud, Josep; Diego, José Antonio; Sellarès, Jordi; Robles-Hernández, Beatriz; de la Fuente, María Rosario; Ros, María Blanca

    2015-01-01

    In the present work, the nematic glassy state of the non-symmetric LC dimer α-(4-cyanobiphenyl-4′-yloxy)-ω-(1-pyrenimine-benzylidene-4′-oxy) undecane is studied by means of calorimetric and dielectric measurements. The most striking result of the work is the presence of two different glass transition temperatures: one due to the freezing of the flip-flop motions of the bulkier unit of the dimer and the other, at a lower temperature, related to the freezing of the flip-flop and precessional motions of the cyanobiphenyl unit. This result shows the fact that glass transition is the consequence of the freezing of one or more coupled dynamic disorders and not of the disordered phase itself. In order to avoid crystallization when the bulk sample is cooled down, the LC dimer has been confined via the dispersion of γ-alumina nanoparticles, in several concentrations.

  7. VAPOR PHASE MERCURY SORPTION BY ORGANIC SULFIDE MODIFIED BIMETALLIC IRON-COPPER NANOPARTICLE AGGREGATES

    EPA Science Inventory

    Novel organic sulfide modified bimetallic iron-copper nanoparticle aggregate sorbent materials have been synthesized for removing elemental mercury from vapor streams at elevated temperatures (120-140 °C). Silane based (disulfide silane and tetrasulfide silane) and alkyl sulfide ...

  8. Palladium nanoparticles deposited on graphene and its electrochemical performance for glucose sensing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mijowska, Ewa; Onyszko, Magdalena; Urbas, Karolina; Aleksandrzak, Malgorzata; Shi, Xiaoze; Moszyński, Dariusz; Penkala, Krzysztof; Podolski, Jacek; El Fray, Mirosława

    2015-11-01

    This paper reports on the fabrication and characterization of glucose oxidase (GOx) immobilized onto a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) modified with reduced graphene oxide/palladium nanocomposite (RGO-Pd). Characterization tools showed well dispersed uniform Pd nanoparticles on a partly reduced graphene oxide surface. Cyclic voltammetry demonstrated successful immobilization of GOx on RGO-Pd modified GCE (GCE-RGO-Pd) using covalent bonding of GOx with RGO-Pd (RGO-Pd-GOx). Therefore, it was used as an electrochemical biosensor of glucose. RGO-Pd-GOx exhibited good electrocatalysis toward glucose in different glucose concentrations (from 2 to 10 mM, which includes the blood glucose levels of both normal and diabetic persons) with O2 saturated phosphate buffer solution (PBS) at pH 7.4. The system showed a linear increase in current at potential -0.085 V in the concentration range examined, with a correlation coefficient of 0.996. The sensitivity of the biosensor was 41.3 μA cm-2 mM-1, suggesting that RGO-Pd-GOx-modified GCE could be a potential candidate as a glucose sensor.

  9. Preparation and characterization of APTES modified magnetic MMT capable of using as anisotropic nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Yingjun; Chen, Hua; Wu, Jie; He, Qin; Li, Yintao; Yang, Wenbin; Zhou, Yuanlin

    2018-07-01

    Montmorillonite (MMT) based anisotropic magnetic nanoparticles (Fe3O4/APTES/MMT) with high anisotropy and reliable magnetism were prepared by using Fe3O4 as magnetic nanoparticles and γ-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (ATPES) as modifier. The characterization indicated that the interactions between Fe3O4 nanoparticles and MMT in Fe3O4/APTES/MMT were stronger than that of directly deposited on to MMT (Fe3O4-MMT) because APTES was chemically bonded to both Fe3O4 and MMT. Fe3O4/APTES/MMT had a greater Ms value (25.16 emu/g) than Fe3O4-MMT (23.71 emu/g). Also, ultrasonication was used to test the interactions between Fe3O4 and MMT. With 30 min of ultrasonication, the amount of Fe3O4 nanoparticles on the surface of Fe3O4/APTES/MMT was more than that of Fe3O4-MMT, and Fe3O4/APTES/MMT had a faster magnetic response to a magnetic field than that of Fe3O4-MMT because of enhanced interactions between Fe3O4 and MMT in Fe3O4/APTES/MMT. In addition, Fe3O4 nanoparticles were densely immobilized onto Fe3O4/APTES/MMT with a smaller average diameter, and the distribution of Fe3O4 nanoparticles on the surface of MMT was more uniform than that of Fe3O4-MMT. Fe3O4/APTES/MMT possessed stable and high magnetism, in ease of orientation and recycling in the magnetic field, and this makes it a promising candidate as anisotropic nanoparticles for use in preparing anisotropic inorganic/polymer composites and anisotropic adsorbents used in wastewater treatment. Finally, the mechanism of ATPES-modified magnetic MMT was investigated.

  10. Multidentate zwitterionic chitosan oligosaccharide modified gold nanoparticles: stability, biocompatibility and cell interactions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Xiangsheng; Huang, Haoyuan; Liu, Gongyan; Zhou, Wenbo; Chen, Yangjun; Jin, Qiao; Ji, Jian

    2013-04-01

    Surface engineering of nanoparticles plays an essential role in their colloidal stability, biocompatibility and interaction with biosystems. In this study, a novel multidentate zwitterionic biopolymer derivative is obtained from conjugating dithiolane lipoic acid and zwitterionic acryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine to the chitosan oligosaccharide backbone. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) modified by this polymer exhibit remarkable colloidal stabilities under extreme conditions including high salt conditions, wide pH range and serum or plasma containing media. The AuNPs also show strong resistance to competition from dithiothreitol (as high as 1.5 M). Moreover, the modified AuNPs demonstrate low cytotoxicity investigated by both MTT and LDH assays, and good hemocompatibility evaluated by hemolysis of human red blood cells. In addition, the intracellular fate of AuNPs was investigated by ICP-MS and TEM. It showed that the AuNPs are uptaken by cells in a concentration dependent manner, and they can escape from endosomes/lysosomes to cytosol and tend to accumulate around the nucleus after 24 h incubation but few of them are excreted out of the cells. Gold nanorods are also stabilized by this ligand, which demonstrates robust dispersion stability and excellent hemocompatibility. This kind of multidentate zwitterionic chitosan derivative could be widely used for stabilizing other inorganic nanoparticles, which will greatly improve their performance in a variety of bio-related applications.Surface engineering of nanoparticles plays an essential role in their colloidal stability, biocompatibility and interaction with biosystems. In this study, a novel multidentate zwitterionic biopolymer derivative is obtained from conjugating dithiolane lipoic acid and zwitterionic acryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine to the chitosan oligosaccharide backbone. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) modified by this polymer exhibit remarkable colloidal stabilities under extreme conditions including high salt

  11. Determination of heavy metals in mussel and oyster samples with tris (2,2‧-bipyridyl) ruthenium (II)/graphene/Nafion® modified glassy carbon electrodes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Palisoc, Shirley T.; Uy, Donald Jans S.; Natividad, Michelle T.; Lopez, Toni Beth G.

    2017-11-01

    Tris (2,2‧-bipyridyl)ruthenium(II)/graphene/Nafion® modified glassy carbon electrodes (GCEs) were fabricated using the drop coating method. The modified electrode was used as the working electrode in differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) for the determination of lead, cadmium, and copper in mussel and oyster samples. The concentration of Tris (2,2‧-bipyridyl) ruthenium (II) and graphene were varied while those of Nafion®, methanol, and ethanol were held constant in the coating solution. The morphology and elemental composition of the fabricated electrodes were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) was done to investigate the reversibility and stability of the modified electrodes. The modified electrode with the best figures of merit was utilized for the detection of copper (Cu2+), lead (Pb2+) and cadmium (Cd2+) via DPV. This was the electrode modified with 4 mg [Ru (bpy)3]2+ and 3 mg graphene. The anodic current and metal concentration showed linear relationship in the range of 48 ppb-745 ppb for Pb2+, 49 ppb-613 ppb for Cd2+, and 28 ppb-472 ppb for Cu2+. The limits of detection for lead, cadmium, and copper were 48 ppb, 49 ppb, and 28 ppb, respectively. Results from atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) were compared with those measured with DPV. Lead, cadmium, and copper were in mussels, oysters, and sea water. In addition, DPV was able to detect other metals such as zinc, iron, tin and mercury in sea water samples and some samples of oysters.

  12. Shock-wave studies of anomalous compressibility of glassy carbon

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Molodets, A. M., E-mail: molodets@icp.ac.ru; Golyshev, A. A.; Savinykh, A. S.

    2016-02-15

    The physico-mechanical properties of amorphous glassy carbon are investigated under shock compression up to 10 GPa. Experiments are carried out on the continuous recording of the mass velocity of compression pulses propagating in glassy carbon samples with initial densities of 1.502(5) g/cm{sup 3} and 1.55(2) g/cm{sup 3}. It is shown that, in both cases, a compression wave in glassy carbon contains a leading precursor with amplitude of 0.135(5) GPa. It is established that, in the range of pressures up to 2 GPa, a shock discontinuity in glassy carbon is transformed into a broadened compression wave, and shock waves are formedmore » in the release wave, which generally means the anomalous compressibility of the material in both the compression and release waves. It is shown that, at pressure higher than 3 GPa, anomalous behavior turns into normal behavior, accompanied by the formation of a shock compression wave. In the investigated area of pressure, possible structural changes in glassy carbon under shock compression have a reversible character. A physico-mechanical model of glassy carbon is proposed that involves the equation of state and a constitutive relation for Poisson’s ratio and allows the numerical simulation of physico-mechanical and thermophysical properties of glassy carbon of different densities in the region of its anomalous compressibility.« less

  13. Graphene Reinforced Glassy Carbon (GRGC) Beam Windows

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Renomeron, Lynda L.

    Secondary particle beams require beam windows that isolate the target (usually in air) from the primary particle beam vacuum. Advanced beam window solutions are needed that can withstand anticipated increases in beam power and intensity that will result in higher thermal shock on the window and increased oxidative erosion rates on the air-side caused by increased temperatures. Carbon-based windows, in particular, glassy carbon windows are of interest to minimize interaction with the beam. The attractive properties of glassy carbon are: 1. Low atomic number 2. Low thermal expansion 3. High strength and low Young's modulus 4. Low gas permeability andmore » low outgassing for ultrahigh vacuum use The one liability of glassy carbon is its low thermal conductivity, nominally 5 W/mK, which will exacerbate temperature rise, oxidation, and thermal shock concerns as beam powers increase. TA&T proposes the development of graphene reinforced glassy carbon (GRGC) composites to increase the thermal conductivity and address this Achilles heel of glassy carbon. Graphene as a reinforcing phase has shown the capability to increase the thermal conductivity of the matrix material by up to two orders of magnitude. For beam windows this would substantially increase heat spreading away from the beam zone of the window and improve thermal shock resistance, and reduce maximum temperature and air-side oxidation of the window. Increased thermal conductivity would also improve the effectiveness of edge-cooling schemes to minimize temperature increase. In the Phase I effort, graphene oxide (GO) particles were dispersed into glassy carbon precursor at different content levels and cast into solid shapes. The goal was to determine the effect of graphene concentration on the mechanical properties (flexure strength), and thermal (thermal conductivity). The Phase I results indicated that addition of graphene did have a significant effect on thermal conductivity; however the microstructural

  14. In Vivo Neural Recording and Electrochemical Performance of Microelectrode Arrays Modified by Rough-Surfaced AuPt Alloy Nanoparticles with Nanoporosity

    PubMed Central

    Zhao, Zongya; Gong, Ruxue; Zheng, Liang; Wang, Jue

    2016-01-01

    In order to reduce the impedance and improve in vivo neural recording performance of our developed Michigan type silicon electrodes, rough-surfaced AuPt alloy nanoparticles with nanoporosity were deposited on gold microelectrode sites through electro-co-deposition of Au-Pt-Cu alloy nanoparticles, followed by chemical dealloying Cu. The AuPt alloy nanoparticles modified gold microelectrode sites were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), cyclic voltammetry (CV) and in vivo neural recording experiment. The SEM images showed that the prepared AuPt alloy nanoparticles exhibited cauliflower-like shapes and possessed very rough surfaces with many different sizes of pores. Average impedance of rough-surfaced AuPt alloy nanoparticles modified sites was 0.23 MΩ at 1 kHz, which was only 4.7% of that of bare gold microelectrode sites (4.9 MΩ), and corresponding in vitro background noise in the range of 1 Hz to 7500 Hz decreased to 7.5 μVrms from 34.1 μVrms at bare gold microelectrode sites. Spontaneous spike signal recording was used to evaluate in vivo neural recording performance of modified microelectrode sites, and results showed that rough-surfaced AuPt alloy nanoparticles modified microelectrode sites exhibited higher average spike signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of 4.8 in lateral globus pallidus (GPe) due to lower background noise compared to control microelectrodes. Electro-co-deposition of Au-Pt-Cu alloy nanoparticles combined with chemical dealloying Cu was a convenient way for increasing the effective surface area of microelectrode sites, which could reduce electrode impedance and improve the quality of in vivo spike signal recording. PMID:27827893

  15. Physicochemical properties and in vitro cytotoxicity of iron oxide-based nanoparticles modified with antiangiogenic and antitumor peptide A7R

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Niescioruk, Anna; Nieciecka, Dorota; Puszko, Anna K.; Królikowska, Agata; Kosson, Piotr; Perret, Gerard Y.; Krysinski, Pawel; Misicka, Aleksandra

    2017-05-01

    Superparamagnetic iron oxide-based nanoparticles (SPIONs) are promising carriers as targeted drug delivery vehicles, because they can be guided to their target with the help of an external magnetic field. Functionalization of nanoparticles' surface with molecules, which bind with high affinity to receptors on target tissue significantly facilitates delivery of coated nanoparticles to their targeted site. Here, we demonstrate conjugation of an antiangiogenic and antitumor peptide ATWLPPR (A7R) to SPIONs modified with sebacic acid (SPIONs-SA). Successful conjugation was confirmed by various analytical techniques (FTIR, SERS, SEM-EDS, TEM, TGA). Cell cytotoxicity studies, against two cell lines (HUVEC and MDA-MB-231) indicated that SPIONs modified with A7R reduced HUVEC cell viability at concentrations higher than 0.01 mg Fe/mL, in comparison to cells that were exposed to either the nanoparticles modified with sebacic acid or A7R peptide solely, what might be partially caused by a process of internalization.

  16. Diazonium Chemistry for the Bio-Functionalization of Glassy Nanostring Resonator Arrays

    PubMed Central

    Zheng, Wei; Du, Rongbing; Cao, Yong; Mohammad, Mohammad A.; Dew, Steven K.; McDermott, Mark T.; Evoy, Stephane

    2015-01-01

    Resonant glassy nanostrings have been employed for the detection of biomolecules. These devices offer high sensitivity and amenability to large array integration and multiplexed assays. Such a concept has however been impaired by the lack of stable and biocompatible linker chemistries. Diazonium salt reduction-induced aryl grafting is an aqueous-based process providing strong chemical adhesion. In this work, diazonium-based linker chemistry was performed for the first time on glassy nanostrings, which enabled the bio-functionalization of such devices. Large arrays of nanostrings with ultra-narrow widths down to 10 nm were fabricated employing electron beam lithography. Diazonium modification was first developed on SiCN surfaces and validated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Similarly modified nanostrings were then covalently functionalized with anti-rabbit IgG as a molecular probe. Specific enumeration of rabbit IgG was successfully performed through observation of downshifts of resonant frequencies. The specificity of this enumeration was confirmed through proper negative control experiments. Helium ion microscopy further verified the successful functionalization of nanostrings. PMID:26263989

  17. Diazonium Chemistry for the Bio-Functionalization of Glassy Nanostring Resonator Arrays.

    PubMed

    Zheng, Wei; Du, Rongbing; Cao, Yong; Mohammad, Mohammad A; Dew, Steven K; McDermott, Mark T; Evoy, Stephane

    2015-07-30

    Resonant glassy nanostrings have been employed for the detection of biomolecules. These devices offer high sensitivity and amenability to large array integration and multiplexed assays. Such a concept has however been impaired by the lack of stable and biocompatible linker chemistries. Diazonium salt reduction-induced aryl grafting is an aqueous-based process providing strong chemical adhesion. In this work, diazonium-based linker chemistry was performed for the first time on glassy nanostrings, which enabled the bio-functionalization of such devices. Large arrays of nanostrings with ultra-narrow widths down to 10 nm were fabricated employing electron beam lithography. Diazonium modification was first developed on SiCN surfaces and validated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Similarly modified nanostrings were then covalently functionalized with anti-rabbit IgG as a molecular probe. Specific enumeration of rabbit IgG was successfully performed through observation of downshifts of resonant frequencies. The specificity of this enumeration was confirmed through proper negative control experiments. Helium ion microscopy further verified the successful functionalization of nanostrings.

  18. Optimization and characterization of high pressure homogenization produced chemically modified starch nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Ding, Yongbo; Kan, Jianquan

    2017-12-01

    Chemically modified starch (RS4) nanoparticles were synthesized through homogenization and water-in-oil mini-emulsion cross-linking. Homogenization was optimized with regard to z-average diameter by using a three-factor-three-level Box-Behnken design. Homogenization pressure (X 1 ), oil/water ratio (X 2 ), and surfactant (X 3 ) were selected as independent variables, whereas z-average diameter was considered as a dependent variable. The following optimum preparation conditions were obtained to achieve the minimum average size of these nanoparticles: 50 MPa homogenization pressure, 10:1 oil/water ratio, and 2 g surfactant amount, when the predicted z-average diameter was 303.6 nm. The physicochemical properties of these nanoparticles were also determined. Dynamic light scattering experiments revealed that RS4 nanoparticles measuring a PdI of 0.380 and an average size of approximately 300 nm, which was very close to the predicted z-average diameter (303.6 nm). The absolute value of zeta potential of RS4 nanoparticles (39.7 mV) was higher than RS4 (32.4 mV), with strengthened swelling power. X-ray diffraction results revealed that homogenization induced a disruption in crystalline structure of RS4 nanoparticles led to amorphous or low-crystallinity. Results of stability analysis showed that RS4 nanosuspensions (particle size) had good stability at 30 °C over 24 h.

  19. Use of hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin/polyethylene glycol 400, modified Fe3O4 nanoparticles for congo red removal.

    PubMed

    Yu, Lan; Xue, Weihua; Cui, Lei; Xing, Wen; Cao, Xinli; Li, Hongyu

    2014-03-01

    Fe3O4 nanoparticles were modified with Hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) and Polyethylene glycol 400 (PEG400) by a facile one-pot homogeneous precipitation method, and were used as a novel nano-adsorbent for the removal of congo red (CR) from aqueous solutions. The polymer-modified composites were characterized by FTIR, TEM, TGA, XRD and VSM, and showed excellent adsorption efficiency for CR. The value of the maximum adsorption capacity calculated according to the Langmuir isotherm model were 1.895g/g, which are much high and about 19 times that of Fe3O4 nanoparticles. Desorption study further indicates the good regeneration ability of the nanocomposites. The results suggest that the HP-β-CD/PEG400-modified Fe3O4 nanoparticles is a promising adsorbent for CR removal from aqueous solutions, and it is easily recycled owing to its large specific surface area and unique magnetic responsiveness. Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Organically Modified Silica Nanoparticles Are Biocompatible and Can Be Targeted to Neurons In Vivo

    PubMed Central

    Kumar, Rajiv; Iacobucci, Gary J.; Kuznicki, Michelle L.; Kosterman, Andrew; Bergey, Earl J.; Prasad, Paras N.; Gunawardena, Shermali

    2012-01-01

    The application of nanotechnology in biological research is beginning to have a major impact leading to the development of new types of tools for human health. One focus of nanobiotechnology is the development of nanoparticle-based formulations for use in drug or gene delivery systems. However most of the nano probes currently in use have varying levels of toxicity in cells or whole organisms and therefore are not suitable for in vivo application or long-term use. Here we test the potential of a novel silica based nanoparticle (organically modified silica, ORMOSIL) in living neurons within a whole organism. We show that feeding ORMOSIL nanoparticles to Drosophila has no effect on viability. ORMOSIL nanoparticles penetrate into living brains, neuronal cell bodies and axonal projections. In the neuronal cell body, nanoparticles are present in the cytoplasm, but not in the nucleus. Strikingly, incorporation of ORMOSIL nanoparticles into the brain did not induce aberrant neuronal death or interfered with normal neuronal processes. Our results in Drosophila indicate that these novel silica based nanoparticles are biocompatible and not toxic to whole organisms, and has potential for the development of long-term applications. PMID:22238611

  1. Ag Nanoparticles-Modified 3D Graphene Foam for Binder-Free Electrodes of Electrochemical Sensors.

    PubMed

    Han, Tao; Jin, Jianli; Wang, Congxu; Sun, Youyi; Zhang, Yinghe; Liu, Yaqing

    2017-02-16

    Ag nanoparticles-modified 3D graphene foam was synthesized through a one-step in-situ approach and then directly applied as the electrode of an electrochemical sensor. The composite foam electrode exhibited electrocatalytic activity towards Hg(II) oxidation with high limit of detection and sensitivity of 0.11 μM and 8.0 μA/μM, respectively. Moreover, the composite foam electrode for the sensor exhibited high cycling stability, long-term durability and reproducibility. These results were attributed to the unique porous structure of the composite foam electrode, which enabled the surface of Ag nanoparticles modified reduced graphene oxide (Ag NPs modified rGO) foam to become highly accessible to the metal ion and provided more void volume for the reaction with metal ion. This work not only proved that the composite foam has great potential application in heavy metal ions sensors, but also provided a facile method of gram scale synthesis 3D electrode materials based on rGO foam and other electrical active materials for various applications.

  2. Ag Nanoparticles-Modified 3D Graphene Foam for Binder-Free Electrodes of Electrochemical Sensors

    PubMed Central

    Han, Tao; Jin, Jianli; Wang, Congxu; Sun, Youyi; Zhang, Yinghe; Liu, Yaqing

    2017-01-01

    Ag nanoparticles-modified 3D graphene foam was synthesized through a one-step in-situ approach and then directly applied as the electrode of an electrochemical sensor. The composite foam electrode exhibited electrocatalytic activity towards Hg(II) oxidation with high limit of detection and sensitivity of 0.11 µM and 8.0 µA/µM, respectively. Moreover, the composite foam electrode for the sensor exhibited high cycling stability, long-term durability and reproducibility. These results were attributed to the unique porous structure of the composite foam electrode, which enabled the surface of Ag nanoparticles modified reduced graphene oxide (Ag NPs modified rGO) foam to become highly accessible to the metal ion and provided more void volume for the reaction with metal ion. This work not only proved that the composite foam has great potential application in heavy metal ions sensors, but also provided a facile method of gram scale synthesis 3D electrode materials based on rGO foam and other electrical active materials for various applications. PMID:28336878

  3. Immobilization of magnetic nanoparticles onto conductive surfaces modified by diazonium chemistry.

    PubMed

    Ktari, Nadia; Quinson, Jonathan; Teste, Bruno; Siaugue, Jean-Michel; Kanoufi, Frédéric; Combellas, Catherine

    2012-08-28

    Core-shell γ-Fe(2)O(3)@SiO(2) nanoparticles (NPs) substituted by PEG and NH(2) groups may be immobilized on metal surfaces (glassy carbon or gold) substituted by 4-carboxyphenyl groups through electrostatic interactions. Such immobilization is evidenced by (i) IRRAS owing to the Si-O band, (ii) SEM images, which show that the surface coverage by the NPs is nearly 100%, and (iii) the NPs film thickness measured by ellipsometry or AFM, which corresponds to about one NPs monolayer. Such NPs film is permeable to redox probes, which allows us to propose electrochemical methods based on direct or local measurements as a way to inspect the NPs assembly steps through their ability to alter mass and charge transfer. This process also applies to patterned polystyrene surfaces, and selective immobilization of NPs substituted by amino groups was carried out onto submillimeter patterns obtained by local oxidation. Biological applications are then expected for hyperthermia activation of the NPs to trigger cellular death. Finally, some tests were performed to further derivatize the immobilized NPs onto surfaces through either a covalent bond or electrostatic interactions. Future work will be dedicated to the recovery of such Janus NPs from the substrate surface.

  4. Electrochemical Determination of Chlorpyrifos on a Nano-TiO₂Cellulose Acetate Composite Modified Glassy Carbon Electrode.

    PubMed

    Kumaravel, Ammasai; Chandrasekaran, Maruthai

    2015-07-15

    A rapid and simple method of determination of chlorpyrifos is important in environmental monitoring and quality control. Electrochemical methods for the determination of pesticides are fast, sensitive, reproducible, and cost-effective. The key factor in electrochemical methods is the choice of suitable electrode materials. The electrode materials should have good stability, reproducibility, more sensitivity, and easy method of preparation. Mercury-based electrodes have been widely used for the determination of chlorpyrifos. From an environmental point of view mercury cannot be used. In this study a biocompatible nano-TiO2/cellulose acetate modified glassy carbon electrode was prepared by a simple method and used for the electrochemical sensing of chlorpyrifos in aqueous methanolic solution. Electroanalytical techniques such as cyclic voltammetry, differential pulse voltammetry, and amperometry were used in this work. This electrode showed very good stability, reproducibility, and sensitivity. A well-defined peak was obtained for the reduction of chlorpyrifos in cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry. A smooth noise-free current response was obtained in amperometric analysis. The peak current obtained was proportional to the concentration of chlorpyrifos and was used to determine the unknown concentration of chlorpyrifos in the samples. Analytical parameters such as LOD, LOQ, and linear range were estimated. Analysis of real samples was also carried out. The results were validated through HPLC. This composite electrode can be used as an alternative to mercury electrodes reported in the literature.

  5. Development of a nanoparticle-based surface-modified fluorescence assay for the detection of prion proteins.

    PubMed

    Henry, James; Anand, Ashish; Chowdhury, Mustafa; Coté, Gerard; Moreira, Rosana; Good, Theresa

    2004-11-01

    A nanoparticle-based immunoassay for the detection of recombinant bovine prion protein (PrP) was developed as a step in the development of screening tools for the prevention of the spread of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies. The assay is based on the competitive binding between PrP and a peptide-fluorophore to a nanoparticle-labeled antibody which is specific for a conserved prion sequence. The fluorophore, when bound to the antibody, is subject to surfaced-modified fluorescence, enabling detection of changes in the concentration of bound fluorophore in the presence of prion protein. Important factors considered during the development of the assay were ease of use, robustness, and detection level. The effects of pH and nanoparticle conjugation chemistry on surface-modified fluorescence observed in the assay were explored. Effects of concentrations of antibody and fluorophore on reproducibility and detection limits were examined. At present, the detection limits of the system are approximately equal to the antibody-peptide fluorophore equilibrium dissociation constant, which is near one nanomolar concentration. Improved assay performance could be obtained by optimization of the nanoparticle surface resonance effects. The simplicity of the assay and ease of use may make the type of assay described in this report attractive for screening purposes in the food industry.

  6. Surface analysis of gold nanoparticles functionalized with thiol-modified glucose SAMs for biosensor applications.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Spampinato, Valentina; Parracino, Mariaantonietta; La Spina, Rita; Rossi, Francois; Ceccone, Giacomo

    2016-02-01

    In this work, Time of Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (ToF-SIMS), Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) have been used to characterize the surface chemistry of gold substrates before and after functionalization with thiol-modified glucose self-assembled monolayers and subsequent biochemical specific recognition of maltose binding protein (MBP). The results indicate that the surface functionalization is achieved both on flat and nanoparticles gold substrates thus showing the potential of the developed system as biodetection platform. Moreover, the method presented here has been found to be a sound and valid approach to characterize the surface chemistry of nanoparticles functionalized with large molecules. Both techniques were proved to be very useful tools for monitoring all the functionalization steps, including the investigation of the biological behaviour of the glucose-modified particles in presence of the maltose binding protein.

  7. Electrocatalytic oxidation and determination of insulin at nickel oxide nanoparticles-multiwalled carbon nanotube modified screen printed electrode.

    PubMed

    Rafiee, Banafsheh; Fakhari, Ali Reza

    2013-08-15

    Nickel oxide nanoparticles modified nafion-multiwalled carbon nanotubes screen printed electrode (NiONPs/Nafion-MWCNTs/SPE) were prepared using pulsed electrodeposition of NiONPs on the MWCNTs/SPE surface. The size, distribution and structure of the NiONPs/Nafion-MWCNTs were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and x-ray diffraction (XRD) and also the results show that NiO nanoparticles were homogeneously electrodeposited on the surfaces of MWCNTs. Also, the electrochemical behavior of NiONPs/Nafion-MWCNTs composites in aqueous alkaline solutions of insulin was studied by cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). It was found that the prepared nanoparticles have excellent electrocatalytic activity towards insulin oxidation due to special properties of NiO nanoparticles. Cyclic voltammetric studies showed that the NiONPs/Nafion-MWCNTs film modified SPE, lowers the overpotentials and improves electrochemical behavior of insulin oxidation, as compared to the bare SPE. Amperometry was also used to evaluate the analytical performance of modified electrode in the quantitation of insulin. Excellent analytical features, including high sensitivity (1.83 μA/μM), low detection limit (6.1 nM) and satisfactory dynamic range (20.0-260.0 nM), were achieved under optimized conditions. Moreover, these sensors show good repeatability and a high stability after a while or successive potential cycling. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Curcumin modified silver nanoparticles for highly efficient inhibition of respiratory syncytial virus infection

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yang, Xiao Xi; Li, Chun Mei; Huang, Cheng Zhi

    2016-01-01

    Interactions between nanoparticles and viruses have attracted increasing attention due to the antiviral activity of nanoparticles and the resulting possibility to be employed as biomedical interventions. In this contribution, we developed a very simple route to prepare uniform and stable silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) with antiviral properties by using curcumin, which is a member of the ginger family isolated from rhizomes of the perennial herb Curcuma longa and has a wide range of biological activities like antioxidant, antifungal, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects, and acts as reducing and capping agents in this synthetic route. The tissue culture infectious dose (TCID50) assay showed that the curcumin modified silver nanoparticles (cAgNPs) have a highly efficient inhibition effect against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection, giving a decrease of viral titers about two orders of magnitude at the concentration of cAgNPs under which no toxicity was found to the host cells. Mechanism investigations showed that cAgNPs could prevent RSV from infecting the host cells by inactivating the virus directly, indicating that cAgNPs are a novel promising efficient virucide for RSV.Interactions between nanoparticles and viruses have attracted increasing attention due to the antiviral activity of nanoparticles and the resulting possibility to be employed as biomedical interventions. In this contribution, we developed a very simple route to prepare uniform and stable silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) with antiviral properties by using curcumin, which is a member of the ginger family isolated from rhizomes of the perennial herb Curcuma longa and has a wide range of biological activities like antioxidant, antifungal, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects, and acts as reducing and capping agents in this synthetic route. The tissue culture infectious dose (TCID50) assay showed that the curcumin modified silver nanoparticles (cAgNPs) have a highly efficient inhibition

  9. Modified denatured lysozyme effectively solubilizes fullerene c60 nanoparticles in water

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Siepi, Marialuisa; Politi, Jane; Dardano, Principia; Amoresano, Angela; De Stefano, Luca; Monti, Daria Maria; Notomista, Eugenio

    2017-08-01

    Fullerenes, allotropic forms of carbon, have very interesting pharmacological effects and engineering applications. However, a very low solubility both in organic solvents and water hinders their use. Fullerene C60, the most studied among fullerenes, can be dissolved in water only in the form of nanoparticles of variable dimensions and limited stability. Here the effect on the production of C60 nanoparticles by a native and denatured hen egg white lysozyme, a highly basic protein, has been systematically studied. In order to obtain a denatured, yet soluble, lysozyme derivative, the four disulfides of the native protein were reduced and exposed cysteines were alkylated by 3-bromopropylamine, thus introducing eight additional positive charges. The C60 solubilizing properties of the modified denatured lysozyme proved to be superior to those of the native protein, allowing the preparation of biocompatible highly homogeneous and stable C60 nanoparticles using lower amounts of protein, as demonstrated by dynamic light scattering, transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy studies. This lysozyme derivative could represent an effective tool for the solubilization of other carbon allotropes.

  10. Mediatorless solar energy conversion by covalently bonded thylakoid monolayer on the glassy carbon electrode.

    PubMed

    Lee, Jinhwan; Im, Jaekyun; Kim, Sunghyun

    2016-04-01

    Light reactions of photosynthesis that take place in thylakoid membranes found in plants or cyanobacteria are among the most effective ways of utilizing light. Unlike most researches that use photosystem I or photosystem II as conversion units for converting light to electricity, we have developed a simple method in which the thylakoid monolayer was covalently immobilized on the glassy carbon electrode surface. The activity of isolated thylakoid membrane was confirmed by measuring evolving oxygen under illumination. Glassy carbon surfaces were first modified with partial or full monolayers of carboxyphenyl groups by reductive C-C coupling using 4-aminobenzoic acid and aniline and then thylakoid membrane was bioconjugated through the peptide bond between amine residues of thylakoid and carboxyl groups on the surface. Surface properties of modified surfaces were characterized by cyclic voltammetry, contact angle measurements, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Photocurrent of 230 nA cm(-2) was observed when the thylakoid monolayer was formed on the mixed monolayer of 4-carboxylpheny and benzene at applied potential of 0.4V vs. Ag/AgCl. A small photocurrent resulted when the 4-carboxyphenyl full monolayer was used. This work shows the possibility of solar energy conversion by directly employing the whole thylakoid membrane through simple surface modification. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. MIP-graphene-modified glassy carbon electrode for the determination of trimethoprim.

    PubMed

    da Silva, Hélder; Pacheco, João G; Magalhães, Júlia M C S; Viswanathan, Subramanian; Delerue-Matos, Cristina

    2014-02-15

    A novel sensitive electrochemical sensor was developed by electropolymerization of pyrrole (PY) and molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) which was synthesized onto a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) in aqueous solution using cyclic voltammetry in the presence of Trimethoprim (TMP) as template molecules. Furthermore, a previous electrode modification was performed by deposition of a suspension of graphene on the electrode's surface. The performance of the imprinted and non-imprinted (NIP) films was evaluated by impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and cyclic voltammetry (CV) of a ferric solution. The molecularly imprinted film exhibited a high selectivity and sensitivity toward TMP. The sensor presented a linear range, between peak current intensity and logarithm of TMP concentration between 1.0 × 10(-6) and 1.0 × 10(-4)M. The results were accurate (with recoveries higher than 94%), precise (with standard deviations less than 5%) and the detection limit was 1.3 × 10(-7)M. The new sensor is selective, simple to construct and easy to operate. The MIP sensor was successfully applied to quantify TMP in urine samples. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Physicochemical properties of surface charge-modified ZnO nanoparticles with different particle sizes

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Kyoung-Min; Choi, Mun-Hyoung; Lee, Jong-Kwon; Jeong, Jayoung; Kim, Yu-Ri; Kim, Meyoung-Kon; Paek, Seung-Min; Oh, Jae-Min

    2014-01-01

    In this study, four types of standardized ZnO nanoparticles were prepared for assessment of their potential biological risk. Powder-phased ZnO nanoparticles with different particle sizes (20 nm and 100 nm) were coated with citrate or L-serine to induce a negative or positive surface charge, respectively. The four types of coated ZnO nanoparticles were subjected to physicochemical evaluation according to the guidelines published by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. All four samples had a well crystallized Wurtzite phase, with particle sizes of ∼30 nm and ∼70 nm after coating with organic molecules. The coating agents were determined to have attached to the ZnO surfaces through either electrostatic interaction or partial coordination bonding. Electrokinetic measurements showed that the surface charges of the ZnO nanoparticles were successfully modified to be negative (about −40 mV) or positive (about +25 mV). Although all the four types of ZnO nanoparticles showed some agglomeration when suspended in water according to dynamic light scattering analysis, they had clearly distinguishable particle size and surface charge parameters and well defined physicochemical properties. PMID:25565825

  13. Gold nanoparticles-decorated silver-bipyridine nanobelts for the construction of mediatorless hydrogen peroxide biosensor.

    PubMed

    Boujakhrout, Abderrahmane; Díez, Paula; Sánchez, Alfredo; Martínez-Ruíz, Paloma; Pingarrón, José M; Villalonga, Reynaldo

    2016-11-15

    Au nanoparticles modified with 4-mercaptopyridine and 6-mercapto-1-hexanol were used as coordination agents to prepare a novel hybrid nanomaterial with Ag:4,4'-bipyridine nanobelts. This nanohybrid was employed to modify glassy carbon electrodes and to construct a horseradish peroxidase-based mediatorless amperometric biosensor for H2O2. The electrode, poised at -100mV, exhibited a rapid response within 4s and a linear calibration range from 90pM to 6.5nM H2O2. The biosensor showed a high sensitivity of 283A/Mcm(2) and a very low detection limit of 45pM at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3. The enzyme biosensor showed high stability when stored at 4°C under dry conditions, retaining over 96% and 78% of its initial activity after 15 and 30days of storage at 4°C, respectively. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Preparation of glucose sensors using gold nanoparticles modified diamond electrode

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fachrurrazie; Ivandini, T. A.; Wibowo, W.

    2017-04-01

    A glucose sensor was successfully developed by immobilizing glucose oxidase (GOx) at boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrodes. Prior to GOx immobilization, the BDD was modified with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). To immobilize AuNPs, the gold surface was modified to nitrogen termination. The characterization of the electrode surface was performed using an X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and a scanning electron microscope, while the electrochemical properties of the enzyme electrode were characterized using cyclic voltammetry. Cyclic voltammograms of the prepared electrode for D-glucose in phosphate buffer solution pH 7 showed a new reduction peak at +0.16 V. The currents of the peak were linear in the concentration range of 0.1 M to 0.9 M, indicated that the GOx-AuNP-BDD can be applied for electrochemical glucose detection.

  15. Synthesis and characterization of hollow magnetic nanospheres modified with Au nanoparticles for bio-encapsulation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Seisno, Satoshi; Suga, Kent; Nakagawa, Takashi; Yamamoto, Takao A.

    2017-04-01

    Hollow magnetic nanospheres modified with Au nanoparticles were successfully synthesized. Au/SiO2 nanospheres fabricated by a radiochemical process were used as templates for ferrite templating. After the ferrite plating process, Au/SiO2 templates were fully coated with magnetite nanoparticles. Dissolution of the SiO2 core lead to the formation of hollow magnetic nanospheres with Au nanoparticles inside. The hollow magnetic nanospheres consisted of Fe3O4 grains, with an average diameter of 60 nm, connected to form the sphere wall, inside which Au grains with an average diameter of 7.2 nm were encapsulated. The Au nanoparticles immobilized on the SiO2 templates contributed to the adsorption of the Fe ion precursor and/or Fe3O4 seeds. These hollow magnetic nanospheres are proposed as a new type of nanocarrier, as the Au grains could specifically immobilize biomolecules inside the hollow sphere.

  16. Silymarin-Loaded Nanoparticles Based on Stearic Acid-Modified Bletilla striata Polysaccharide for Hepatic Targeting.

    PubMed

    Ma, Yanni; He, Shaolong; Ma, Xueqin; Hong, Tongtong; Li, Zhifang; Park, Kinam; Wang, Wenping

    2016-02-29

    Silymarin has been widely used as a hepatoprotective drug in the treatment of various liver diseases, yet its effectiveness is affected by its poor water solubility and low bioavailability after oral administration, and there is a need for the development of intravenous products, especially for liver-targeting purposes. In this study, silymarin was encapsulated in self-assembled nanoparticles of Bletilla striata polysaccharide (BSP) conjugates modified with stearic acid and the physicochemical properties of the obtained nanoparticles were characterized. The silymarin-loaded micelles appeared as spherical particles with a mean diameter of 200 nm under TEM. The encapsulation of drug molecules was confirmed by DSC thermograms and XRD diffractograms, respectively. The nanoparticles exhibited a sustained-release profile for nearly 1 week with no obvious initial burst. Compared to drug solutions, the drug-loaded nanoparticles showed a lower viability and higher uptake intensity on HepG2 cell lines. After intravenous administration of nanoparticle formulation for 30 min to mice, the liver became the most significant organ enriched with the fluorescent probe. These results suggest that BSP derivative nanoparticles possess hepatic targeting capability and are promising nanocarriers for delivering silymarin to the liver.

  17. Highly sensitive and rapid detection of acetylcholine using an ITO plate modified with platinum-graphene nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Chauhan, Nidhi; Narang, Jagriti; Jain, Utkarsh

    2015-03-21

    Determining the concentrations of acetylcholine (ACh) and choline (Ch) is clinically important. ACh is a neurotransmitter that acts as a key link in the communication between neurons in the spinal cord and in nerve skeletal junctions in vertebrates, and plays an important role in transmitting signals in the brain. A bienzymatic sensor for the detection of ACh was prepared by co-immobilizing choline oxidase (ChO) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) on graphene matrix/platinum nanoparticles, and then electrodepositing them on an ITO-coated glass plate. Graphene nanoparticles were decorated with platinum nanoparticles and were electrodeposited on a modified ITO-coated glass plate to form a modified electrode. The modified electrode was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) studies. The optimum response of the enzyme electrode was obtained at pH 7.0 and 35 °C. The response time of this ACh-sensing system was shown to be 4 s. The linear range of responses to ACh was 0.005-700 μM. This biosensor exhibits excellent anti-interferential abilities and good stability, retaining 50% of its original current even after 4 months. It has been applied for the detection of ACh levels in human serum samples.

  18. Water clustering in glassy polymers.

    PubMed

    Davis, Eric M; Elabd, Yossef A

    2013-09-12

    In this study, water solubility and water clustering in several glassy polymers, including poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), poly(styrene) (PS), and poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP), were measured using both quartz spring microbalance (QSM) and Fourier transform infrared-attenuated total reflectance (FTIR-ATR) spectroscopy. Specifically, QSM was used to determine water solubility, while FTIR-ATR spectroscopy provided a direct, molecular-level measurement of water clustering. The Flory-Huggins theory was employed to obtain a measure of water-polymer interaction and water solubility, through both prediction and regression, where the theory failed to predict water solubility in both PMMA and PVP. Furthermore, a comparison of water clustering between direct FTIR-ATR spectroscopy measurements and predictions from the Zimm-Lundberg clustering analysis produced contradictory results. The failure of the Flory-Huggins theory and Zimm-Lundberg clustering analysis to describe water solubility and water clustering, respectively, in these glassy polymers is in part due to the equilibrium constraints under which these models are derived in contrast to the nonequilibrium state of glassy polymers. Additionally, FTIR-ATR spectroscopy results were compared to temperature-dependent diffusivity data, where a correlation between the activation energy for diffusion and the measured water clustering was observed.

  19. Non-Equilibrium Water-Glassy Polymer Dynamics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Davis, Eric; Minelli, Matteo; Baschetti, Marco; Sarti, Giulio; Elabd, Yossef

    2012-02-01

    For many applications (e.g., medical implants, packaging), an accurate assessment and fundamental understanding of the dynamics of water-glassy polymer interactions is of great interest. In this study, sorption and diffusion of pure water in several glassy polymers films, such as poly(styrene) (PS), poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), poly(lactide) (PLA), were measured over a wide range of vapor activities and temperatures using several experimental techniques, including quartz spring microbalance (QSM), quartz crystal microbalance (QCM), and time-resolved Fourier transform infrared-attenuated total reflectance (FTIR-ATR) spectroscopy. Non-Fickian behavior (diffusion-relaxation phenomena) was observed by all three techniques, while FTIR-ATR spectroscopy also provides information about the distribution of the states of water and water transport mechanisms on a molecular-level. Specifically, the states of water are significantly different in PS compared to PMMA and PLA. Additionally, a purely predictive non-equilibrium lattice fluid (NELF) model was applied to predict the sorption isotherms of water in these glassy polymers.

  20. Electrochemical determination of estrogenic compound bisphenol F in food packaging using carboxyl functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes modified glassy carbon electrode.

    PubMed

    Wang, Xin; Yang, Lijun; Jin, Xudong; Zhang, Lei

    2014-08-15

    A simple and highly sensitive electroanalytical method for the determination of bisphenol F (BPF) was developed, which was carried out on multi-walled carbon nanotubes-COOH (MWCNT-COOH) modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). The results showed that MWCNT-COOH remarkably enhanced the oxidation of BPF, which improved the anodic peak current of BPF significantly. The mechanism was oxidation of BPF lose electrons on the electrode surface via adsorption-controlled process, electrode reaction is the two electrons/two protons process. Under the optimised conditions, the oxidation peak current was proportional to BPF concentration the range from 0.12 to 6.01 μg mL(-1). The detection limit was 0.11 μg mL(-1) (S/N=3), and the relative standard deviation (R.S.D.) was 3.5% (n=9). Moreover, the MWCNT-COOH/GCE electrode showed good reproducibility, stability and anti-interference. Therefore, the proposed method was successfully applied to determine BPF in food packing and the results were satisfactory. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Surface Analysis of Gold Nanoparticles Functionalized with Thiol-Modified Glucose SAMs for Biosensor Applications

    PubMed Central

    Spampinato, Valentina; Parracino, Maria Antonietta; La Spina, Rita; Rossi, Francois; Ceccone, Giacomo

    2016-01-01

    In this work, Time of Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (ToF-SIMS), Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) have been used to characterize the surface chemistry of gold substrates before and after functionalization with thiol-modified glucose self-assembled monolayers and subsequent biochemical specific recognition of maltose binding protein (MBP). The results indicate that the surface functionalization is achieved both on flat and nanoparticles gold substrates thus showing the potential of the developed system as biodetection platform. Moreover, the method presented here has been found to be a sound and valid approach to characterize the surface chemistry of nanoparticles functionalized with large molecules. Both techniques were proved to be very useful tools for monitoring all the functionalization steps, including the investigation of the biological behavior of the glucose-modified particles in the presence of the maltose binding protein. PMID:26973830

  2. Colloidally stable surface-modified iron oxide nanoparticles: Preparation, characterization and anti-tumor activity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Macková, Hana; Horák, Daniel; Donchenko, Georgiy Viktorovich; Andriyaka, Vadim Ivanovich; Palyvoda, Olga Mikhailovna; Chernishov, Vladimir Ivanovich; Chekhun, Vasyl Fedorovich; Todor, Igor Nikolaevich; Kuzmenko, Oleksandr Ivanovich

    2015-04-01

    Maghemite (γ-Fe2O3) nanoparticles were obtained by co-precipitation of Fe(II) and Fe(III) chlorides and subsequent oxidation with sodium hypochlorite and coated with poly(N,N-dimethylacrylamide-co-acrylic acid) [P(DMAAm-AA)]. They were characterized by a range of methods including transmission electron microscopy (TEM), elemental analysis, dynamic light scattering (DLS) and zeta potential measurements. The effect of superparamagnetic P(DMAAm-AA)-γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles on oxidation of blood lipids, glutathione and proteins in blood serum was detected using 2-thiobarbituric acid and the ThioGlo fluorophore. Finally, mice received magnetic nanoparticles administered per os and the antitumor activity of the particles was tested on Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) in male mice line C57BL/6 as an experimental in vivo metastatic tumor model; the tumor size was measured and the number of metastases in lungs was determined. Surface-modified γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles showed higher antitumor and antimetastatic activities than commercial CuFe2O4 particles and the conventional antitumor agent cisplatin.

  3. DNA/nickel oxide nanoparticles/osmium(III)-complex modified electrode toward selective oxidation of l-cysteine and simultaneous detection of l-cysteine and homocysteine.

    PubMed

    Sharifi, Ensiyeh; Salimi, Abdollah; Shams, Esmaeil

    2012-08-01

    The modification of glassy carbon (GC) electrode with electrodeposited nickel oxide nanoparticles (NiOxNPs) and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is utilized as a new efficient platform for entrapment of osmium (III) complex. Surface morphology and electrochemical properties of the prepared nanocomposite modified electrode (GC/DNA/NiOxNPs/Os(III)-complex) were investigated by FESEM, cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy techniques. Cyclic voltammetric results indicated the excellent electrocatalytic activity of the resulting electrode toward oxidation of l-cysteine (CySH) at reduced overpotential (0.1 V vs. Ag/AgCl). Using chronoamperometry to CySH detection, the sensitivity and detection limit of the biosensor are obtained as 44 μA mM(-1) and 0.07 μM with a concentration range up to 1000 μM. The electrocatalytic activity of the modified electrode not only for oxidation of low molecular-mass biothiols derivatives such as, glutathione, l-cystine, l-methionine and electroactive biological species ( dopamine, uric acid, glucose) is negligible but also for very similar biothiol compound (homocysteine) no recognizable response is observed at the applied potential window. Furthermore, the simultaneous voltammetric determination of l-cysteine and homocysteine compounds without any separation or pretreatment process was reported for the first time in this work. Finally, the applicability of sensor for the analysis of CySH concentration in complex serum samples was successfully demonstrated. Highly selectivity, excellent electrocatalytic activity and stability, remarkable antifouling property toward thiols and their oxidation products, as well as the ability for simultaneous detection of l-cysteine and homocysteine are remarkably advantageous of the proposed DNA based biosensor. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Impacts of bridging complexation on the transport of surface-modified nanoparticles in saturated sand

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The transport of polyacrylic acid capped cadmium telluride (CdTe) quantum dots (QDs) and carboxylate-modified latex (CML) nanoparticles (NPs) was studied in packed columns at various electrolyte concentrations and cation types. The breakthrough curves (BTCs) of QDs and CML NPs in acid-treated Accus...

  5. Enhanced Gene and siRNA Delivery by Polycation-Modified Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles Loaded with Chloroquine

    PubMed Central

    Bhattarai, Shanta Raj; Muthuswamy, Elayaraja; Wani, Amit; Brichacek, Michal; Castañeda, Antonio L.; Brock, Stephanie L.

    2014-01-01

    Purpose To prepare mesoporous silica-based delivery systems capable of simultaneous delivery of drugs and nucleic acids. Methods The surface of mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN) was modified with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethylmethacrylate) (PDMAEMA) or poly (2-(diethylamino)ethylmethacrylate) (PDEAEMA). The particles were then loaded with a lysosomotropic agent chloroquine (CQ) and complexed with plasmid DNA or siRNA. The ability of the synthesized particles to deliver combinations of CQ and nucleic acids was evaluated using luciferase plasmid DNA and siRNA targeting luciferase and GAPDH. Results The results show a slow partial MSN dissolution to form hollow silica nanoparticles in aqueous solution. The biological studies show that polycation-modified MSN are able to simultaneously deliver CQ with DNA and siRNA. The co-delivery of CQ and the nucleic acids leads to a significantly increased transfection and silencing activity of the complexes compared with MSN not loaded with CQ. Conclusion PEGylated MSN modified with polycations are promising delivery vectors for combination drug/nucleic acid therapies. PMID:20730557

  6. Immobilization of Magnetic Nanoparticles onto Amine-Modified Nano-Silica Gel for Copper Ions Remediation

    PubMed Central

    Elkady, Marwa; Hassan, Hassan Shokry; Hashim, Aly

    2016-01-01

    A novel nano-hybrid was synthesized through immobilization of amine-functionalized silica gel nanoparticles with nanomagnetite via a co-precipitation technique. The parameters, such as reagent concentrations, reaction temperature and time, were optimized to accomplish the nano-silica gel chelating matrix. The most proper amine-modified silica gel nanoparticles were immobilized with magnetic nanoparticles. The synthesized magnetic amine nano-silica gel (MANSG) was established and characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM). The feasibility of MANSG for copper ions’ remediation from wastewater was examined. MANSG achieves a 98% copper decontamination from polluted water within 90 min. Equilibrium sorption of copper ions onto MANSG nanoparticles obeyed the Langmuir equation compared to the Freundlich, Temkin, Elovich and Dubinin-Radushkevich (D-R) equilibrium isotherm models. The pseudo-second-order rate kinetics is appropriate to describe the copper sorption process onto the fabricated MANSG. PMID:28773583

  7. Hyperdiffusive dynamics in Newtonian nanoparticle fluids [Hyperdiffusive dynamics in equilibrated nanoparticle fluids

    DOE PAGES

    Srivastava, Samanvaya; Agarwal, Praveen; Mangal, Rahul; ...

    2015-09-24

    Hyperdiffusive relaxations in soft glassy materials are typically associated with out-of-equilibrium states, and non-equilibrium physics and aging are often invoked in explaining their origins. Here, we report on hyperdiffusive motion in a model, equilibrium soft material comprised of single-component polymer-tethered-nanoparticles. In these materials, polymer mediated interactions lead to strong nanoparticle correlations, hyperdiffusive relaxations, and unusual variations of properties with temperature. Our experimental observations complement the current hypothesis that hyperdiffusive relaxations in soft materials require the material to exist in out–of–equilibrium states capable of driving structural rearrangements. Lastly, we propose alternatively that hyperdiffusive relaxations in our materials can arise naturally frommore » volume fluctuations brought about by equilibrium thermal forces.« less

  8. A very low potential electrochemical detection of L-cysteine based on a glassy carbon electrode modified with multi-walled carbon nanotubes/gold nanorods.

    PubMed

    Silva, Francisco de Assis dos Santos; da Silva, Monique Gabriella Angelo; Lima, Phabyanno Rodrigues; Meneghetti, Mario Roberto; Kubota, Lauro Tatsuo; Goulart, Marilia Oliveira Fonseca

    2013-12-15

    A nanohybrid platform built with multi-walled carbon nanotubes and gold nanorods, prepared via a cationic surfactant-containing seed-mediated sequential growth process, in aqueous solution, on a glassy carbon substrate has been successfully developed to be used in the electrocatalytic oxidation of L-cysteine (Cys). The nanohybrid was characterized by transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy and electrochemical measurements. Cyclic voltammetry results had shown that the modified electrode allows the oxidation of Cys at a very low anodic potential (0.00 V vs. Ag/AgCl). The kinetic constant kcat for the catalytic oxidation of Cys was evaluated by chronoamperometry and provided a value of 5.6×10(4) L mol(-1) s(-1). The sensor presents a linear response range from 5.0 up to 200.0 µmol L(-1), detection limit of 8.25 nmol L(-1) and a sensitivity of 120 nA L µmol(-1). Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Diffusion of liquid polystyrene into glassy poly(phenylene oxide) characterized by DSC

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Linling; Wang, Xiaoliang; Zhou, Dongshan; Xue, Gi

    2013-03-01

    We report a diffusion study on the polystyrene/poly(phenylene oxide) (PS/PPO) mixture consisted by the PS and PPO nanoparticles. Diffusion of liquid PS into glassy PPO (l-PS/g-PPO) is promoted by annealing the PS/PPO mixture at several temperatures below Tg of the PPO. By tracing the Tgs of the PS-rich domain behind the diffusion front using DSC, we get the relationships of PS weight fractions and diffusion front advances with the elapsed diffusion times at different diffusion temperatures using the Gordon-Taylor equation and core-shell model. We find that the plots of weight fraction of PS vs. elapsed diffusion times at different temperatures can be converted to a master curve by Time-Temperature superposition, and the shift factors obey the Arrhenius equation. Besides, the diffusion front advances of l-PS into g-PPO show an excellent agreement with the t1/2 scaling law at the beginning of the diffusion process, and the diffusion coefficients of different diffusion temperatures also obey the Arrhenius equation. We believe the diffusion mechanism for l-PS/g-PPO should be the Fickean law rather than the Case II, though there are departures of original linearity at longer diffusion times due to the limited liquid supply system. Diffusion of liquid polystyrene into glassy poly(phenylene oxide) characterized by DSC

  10. Crystallization of the glassy grain boundary phase in silicon nitride ceramics

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Drummond, Charles H., III

    1991-01-01

    The role was studied of the intergranular glassy phase in silicon nitride as-processed with yttria as a sintering aid. The microstructure, crystallization, and viscosity of the glassy phase were areas studied. Crystallization of the intergranular glassy phase to more refractory crystalline phases should improve the high temperature mechanical properties of the silicon nitride. The addition of a nucleating agent will increase the rate of crystallization. The measurement of the viscosity of the glassy phase will permit the estimation of the high temperature deformation of the silicon nitride.

  11. New model system in radiation cryochemistry:. hyperquenched glassy water

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bednarek, Janusz; Plonka, Andrzej; Hallbrucker, Andreas; Mayer, Erwin

    1999-08-01

    Radicals generated by high-energy irradiation of liquid water, short-lived at ambient temperature, can be studied at cryogenic temperatures after irradiating water and dilute aqueous solutions in their glassy states which can be obtained by so-called hyperquenching of the liquids at cooling rates of ˜10 6-10 7 K s -1. In the glassy states of hyperquenched dilute aqueous solutions there is no problem with phase separation and radiolysis of glassy water is quite distinct from radiolysis of polycrystalline ice obtained from liquid water on slow-cooling in liquid nitrogen.

  12. Deposition of gold nano-particles and nano-layers on polyethylene modified by plasma discharge and chemical treatment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Švorčík, V.; Chaloupka, A.; Záruba, K.; Král, V.; Bláhová, O.; Macková, A.; Hnatowicz, V.

    2009-08-01

    Polyethylene (PE) was treated in Ar plasma discharge and then grafted from methanol solution of 1,2-ethanedithiol to enhance adhesion of gold nano-particles or sputtered gold layers. The modified PE samples were either immersed into freshly prepared colloid solution of Au nano-particles or covered by sputtered, 50 nm thick gold nano-layer. Properties of the plasma modified, dithiol grafted and gold coated PE were studied using XPS, UV-VIS, AFM, EPR, RBS methods and nanoindentation. It was shown that the plasma treatment results in degradation of polymer chain, creation of excessive free radicals and conjugated double bonds. After grafting with 1,2-ethanedithiol the concentration of free radicals declined but the concentration of double bonds remained unchanged. Plasma treatment changes PE surface morphology and increases surface roughness too. Another significant change in the surface morphology and roughness was observed after deposition of Au nano-particles. The presence of Au on the sample surface after the coating with Au nano-particles was proved by XPS and RBS methods. Nanoindentation measurements shown that the grafting of plasma activated PE surface with dithiol increases significantly adhesion of sputtered Au nano-layer.

  13. Preparation of transition metal nanoparticles and surfaces modified with (CO)polymers synthesized by RAFT

    DOEpatents

    McCormick, III., Charles L.; Lowe, Andrew B.; Sumerlin, Brent S.

    2006-11-21

    A new, facile, general one-phase method of generating thio-functionalized transition metal nanoparticles and surfaces modified by (co)polymers synthesized by the RAFT method is described. The method includes the stops of forming a (co)polymer in aqueous solution using the RAFT methodology, forming a colloidal transition metal precursor solution from an appropriate transition metal; adding the metal precursor solution or surface to the (co)polymer solution, adding a reducing agent into the solution to reduce the metal colloid in situ to produce the stabilized nanoparticles or surface, and isolating the stabilized nanoparticles or surface in a manner such that aggregation is minimized. The functionalized surfaces generated using these methods can further undergo planar surface modifications, such as functionalization with a variety of different chemical groups, expanding their utility and application.

  14. Preparation of transition metal nanoparticles and surfaces modified with (co)polymers synthesized by RAFT

    DOEpatents

    McCormick, III, Charles L.; Lowe, Andrew B [Hattiesburg, MS; Sumerlin, Brent S [Pittsburgh, PA

    2011-12-27

    A new, facile, general one-phase method of generating thiol-functionalized transition metal nanoparticles and surfaces modified by (co)polymers synthesized by the RAFT method is described. The method includes the steps of forming a (co)polymer in aqueous solution using the RAFT methodology, forming a colloidal transition metal precursor solution from an appropriate transition metal; adding the metal precursor solution or surface to the (co)polymer solution, adding a reducing agent into the solution to reduce the metal colloid in situ to produce the stabilized nanoparticles or surface, and isolating the stabilized nanoparticles or surface in a manner such that aggregation is minimized. The functionalized surfaces generated using these methods can further undergo planar surface modifications, such as functionalization with a variety of different chemical groups, expanding their utility and application.

  15. Multifunctional organically modified silica nanoparticles for chemotherapy, adjuvant hyperthermia and near infrared imaging.

    PubMed

    Nagesetti, Abhignyan; McGoron, Anthony J

    2016-11-01

    We report a novel system of organically modified silica nanoparticles (Ormosil) capable of near infrared fluorescence and chemotherapy with adjuvant hyperthermia for image guided cancer therapy. Ormosil nanoparticles were loaded with a chemotherapeutic, Doxorubicin (DOX) and cyanine dye, IR820. Ormosil particles had a mean diameter of 51.2±2.4 nanometers and surface charge of -40.5±0.8mV. DOX was loaded onto Ormosil particles via physical adsorption (FDSIR820) or covalent linkage (CDSIR820) to the silanol groups on the Ormosil surface. Both formulations retained DOX and IR820 over a period of 2 days in aqueous buffer, though CDSIR820 retained more DOX (93.2%) compared to FDSIR820 (77.0%) nanoparticles. Exposure to near infrared laser triggered DOX release from CDSIR820. Uptake of nanoparticles was determined by deconvolution microscopy in ovarian carcinoma cells (Skov-3). CDSIR820 localized in the cell lysosomes whereas cells incubated with FDSIR820 showed DOX fluorescence from the nucleus indicating leakage of DOX from the nanoparticle matrix. FDSIR820 nanoparticles showed severe toxicity in Skov-3 cells whereas CDSIR820 particles had the same cytotoxicity profile as bare (No DOX and IR820) Ormosil particles. Furthermore, exposure of CDSIR820 nanoparticles to Near Infrared laser at 808 nanometers resulted in generation of heat (to 43°C from 37°C) and resulted in enhanced cell killing compared to Free DOX treatment. Bio-distribution studies showed that CDSIR820 nanoparticles were primarily present in the organs of Reticuloendothelial (RES) system. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Investigation of Industrial Polyurethane Foams Modified with Antimicrobial Copper Nanoparticles

    PubMed Central

    Sportelli, Maria Chiara; Picca, Rosaria Anna; Ronco, Roberto; Bonerba, Elisabetta; Tantillo, Giuseppina; Pollini, Mauro; Sannino, Alessandro; Valentini, Antonio; Cataldi, Tommaso R.I.; Cioffi, Nicola

    2016-01-01

    Antimicrobial copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) were electrosynthetized and applied to the controlled impregnation of industrial polyurethane foams used as padding in the textile production or as filters for air conditioning systems. CuNP-modified materials were investigated and characterized morphologically and spectroscopically, by means of Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). The release of copper ions in solution was studied by Electro-Thermal Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (ETAAS). Finally, the antimicrobial activity of freshly prepared, as well as aged samples—stored for two months—was demonstrated towards different target microorganisms. PMID:28773665

  17. Isolation and characterisation of nanoparticles from tef and maize starch modified with stearic acid.

    PubMed

    Cuthbert, Wokadala O; Ray, Suprakas S; Emmambux, Naushad M

    2017-07-15

    Nanoparticles were isolated from tef and maize starch modified with added stearic acid after pasting at 90°C for 130min. This was followed by thermo-stable alpha-amylase hydrolysis of the paste. The resultant residues were then characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), dynamic laser scattering particle size distribution (DLPSD), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). XRD and DSC showed that the isolated residues consisted of amylose-lipid complexes. These complexes were type II with melting temperature above 104°C. DLPSD, AFM and HRTEM showed that the isolated tef and maize starch residues consisted of nanoparticles which became more distinct with increased hydrolysis time. The isolated tef and maize nanoparticles had distinct particles of about 3-10nm and 2.4-6.7nm, respectively and the yield was about 24-30%. The results demonstrated that distinct (physically separate) nanoparticles of less than 10nm can be isolated after formation during pasting of tef and maize starch with stearic acid. The production and isolation of the nanoparticles uses green chemistry principles and these nanoparticles can be used in food and non-food systems as nanofillers. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. A glassy carbon electrode modified with cerium phosphate nanotubes for the simultaneous determination of hydroquinone, catechol and resorcinol.

    PubMed

    Li, Zhen; Yue, Yuhua; Hao, Yanjun; Feng, Shun; Zhou, Xianli

    2018-03-12

    A nafion film containing cerium phosphate nanotubes was pasted onto a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) to obtain a sensor for hydroquinone (HQ). The morphologies and components of the coating were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive spectroscopy. Cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) showed the specific surface of the electrode to be significantly increased and the electron transfer rate to be accelerated. The modified GCE was applied to the determination of hydroquinone (HQ) via DPV. The oxidation current increases linearly in the 0.23 μM to 16 mM HQ concentration range which is as wide as five orders of magnitude. The limit of detection is 0.12 μM (based on a signal-to-noise ratio of 3), and the sensitivity is 1.41 μA·μM -1  cm -2 . The method was further applied to the simultaneous determination of HQ, catechol and resorcinol. The potentials for the three species are well separated (20, 134, and 572 mV vs SCE). Average recoveries from (spiked) real water samples are between 95.2 and 107.0%, with relative standard deviations of 0.9~2.7% (for n = 3) at three spiking levels. The method was validated by independent assays using HPLC. Graphical abstract ᅟ.

  19. Nanoparticles Affect PCR Primarily via Surface Interactions with PCR Components: Using Amino-Modified Silica-Coated Magnetic Nanoparticles as a Main Model.

    PubMed

    Bai, Yalong; Cui, Yan; Paoli, George C; Shi, Chunlei; Wang, Dapeng; Shi, Xianming

    2015-06-24

    Nanomaterials have been widely reported to affect the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). However, many studies in which these effects were observed were not comprehensive, and many of the proposed mechanisms have been primarily speculative. In this work, we used amino-modified silica-coated magnetic nanoparticles (ASMNPs, which can be collected very easily using an external magnetic field) as a model and compared them with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs, which have been studied extensively) to reveal the mechanisms by which nanoparticles affect PCR. We found that nanoparticles affect PCR primarily by binding to PCR components: (1) inhibition, (2) specifity, and (3) efficiency and yield of PCR are impacted. (1) Excess nanomaterials inhibit PCR by adsorbing to DNA polymerase, Mg(2+), oligonucleotide primers, or DNA templates. Nanoparticle surface-active groups are particularly important to this effect. (2, a) Nanomaterials do not inhibit nonspecific amplification products caused by false priming as previously surmised. It was shown that relatively low concentrations of nanoparticles inhibited the amplification of long amplicons, and increasing the amount of nanoparticles inhibited the amplification of short amplicons. This concentration phenomenon appears to be the result of the formation of "joints" upon the adsorption of ASMNPs to DNA templates. (b) Nanomaterials are able to inhibit nonspecific amplification products due to incomplete amplification by preferably adsorbing single-stranded incomplete amplification products. (3) Some types of nanomaterials, such as AuNPs, enhance the efficiency and yield of PCR because these types of nanoparticles can adsorb to single-stranded DNA more strongly than to double-stranded DNA. This behavior assists in the rapid and thorough denaturation of double-stranded DNA templates. Therefore, the interaction between the surface of nanoparticles and PCR components is sufficient to explain most of the effects of nanoparticles on PCR.

  20. Development of Cy5.5-Labeled Hydrophobically Modified Glycol Chitosan Nanoparticles for Protein Delivery

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chin, Amanda

    Therapeutic proteins are often highly susceptible to enzymatic degradation, thus restricting their in vivo stability. To overcome this limitation, delivery systems designed to promote uptake and reduce degradation kinetics have undergone a rapid shift from macro-scale systems to nanomaterial based carriers. Many of these nanomaterials, however, elicit immune responses and may have cytotoxic effects both in vitro and in vivo. The naturally derived polysaccharide chitosan has emerged as a promising biodegradable material and has been utilized for many biomedical applications; nevertheless, its function is often constrained by poor solubility. Glycol chitosan, a derivative of chitosan, can be hydrophobically modified to impart amphiphilic properties that enable the self-assembly into nanoparticles in aqueous media at neutral pH. This nanoparticle system has shown initial success as a therapeutic agent in several model cell culture systems, but little is known about its stability against enzymatic degradation. Therefore, the goal of this research was to investigate the resistance of hydrophobically modified glycol chitosan against enzyme-catalyzed degradation using an in vivo simulated system containing lysozyme. To synthesize the nanoparticles, hydrophobic cholanic acid was first covalently conjugated to glycol chitosan using of N-(3-Dimethylaminopropyl)-N'-ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC) and N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS). Conjugates were purified by dialysis, lyophilized, and ultra-sonicated to form nanoparticles. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy confirmed the binding of 5beta-cholanic acid to the glycol chitosan. Particle size and stability over time were determined with dynamic light scattering (DLS), and particle morphology was evaluated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The average diameter of the nanoparticles was approximately 200 nm, which remained stable at 4°C for up to 10 days. Additionally, a near infrared fluorescent (NIRF) dye

  1. Synthesis of water soluble chitosan stabilized gold nanoparticles and determination of uric acid

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lanh Le, Thi; Khieu Dinh, Quang; Hoa Tran, Thai; Nguyen, Hai Phong; Le Hien Hoang, Thi; Hien Nguyen, Quoc

    2014-06-01

    Gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) have been successfully synthesized by utilizing water soluble chitosan as reducing and stabilizing agent. The colloidal Au-NPs were characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results showed that the colloidal Au-NPs had a plasmon absorption band with maximum wavelength in the range of 520-526 nm and the diameters were about 8-15 nm. In addition, a new Au-NPs-modified electrode was fabricated by self-assembling Au-NPs to the surface of the L-cysteine-modified glassy carbon electrode (Au-NPs/L-Cys/GCE). The Au-NPs-modified electrode showed an excellent character for electro-catalytic oxidization of uric acid (UA) in 0.1 mol L-1 phosphate buffer solution (pH 3.2). Using differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry (DP-ASV), a high selectivity for determination of UA has been explored for the Au-NPs-modified electrode. DP-ASV peak currents of UA increased linearly with their concentration at the range of 2.0 × 10-6 to 4.0 × 10-5 mol L-1 with the detection limit of 2.7 × 10-6 mol L-1 for UA. The proposed method was applied for the detection of UA in human urine and serum samples with satisfactory results.

  2. Plastic flow modeling in glassy polymers

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Clements, Brad

    2010-12-13

    Glassy amorphous and semi-crystalline polymers exhibit strong rate, temperature, and pressure dependent polymeric yield. As a rule of thumb, in uniaxial compression experiments the yield stress increases with the loading rate and applied pressure, and decreases as the temperature increases. Moreover, by varying the loading state itself complex yield behavior can be observed. One example that illustrates this complexity is that most polymers in their glassy regimes (i.e., when the temperature is below their characteristic glass transition temperature) exhibit very pronounced yield in their uniaxial stress stress-strain response but very nebulous yield in their uniaxial strain response. In uniaxial compression,more » a prototypical glassy-polymer stress-strain curve has a stress plateau, often followed by softening, and upon further straining, a hardening response. Uniaxial compression experiments of this type are typically done from rates of 10{sup -5} s{sup -1} up to about 1 s{sup -1}. At still higher rates, say at several thousands per second as determined from Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar experiments, the yield can again be measured and is consistent with the above rule of thumb. One might expect that that these two sets of experiments should allow for a successful extrapolation to yet higher rates. A standard means to probe high rates (on the order of 105-107 S-I) is to use a uniaxial strain plate impact experiment. It is well known that in plate impact experiments on metals that the yield stress is manifested in a well-defined Hugoniot Elastic Limit (HEL). In contrast however, when plate impact experiments are done on glassy polymers, the HEL is arguably not observed, let alone observed at the stress estimated by extrapolating from the lower strain rate experiments. One might argue that polymer yield is still active but somehow masked by the experiment. After reviewing relevant experiments, we attempt to address this issue. We begin by first presenting our

  3. Local Charge Injection and Extraction on Surface-Modified Al2O3 Nanoparticles in LDPE.

    PubMed

    Borgani, Riccardo; Pallon, Love K H; Hedenqvist, Mikael S; Gedde, Ulf W; Haviland, David B

    2016-09-14

    We use a recently developed scanning probe technique to image with high spatial resolution the injection and extraction of charge around individual surface-modified aluminum oxide nanoparticles embedded in a low-density polyethylene (LDPE) matrix. We find that the experimental results are consistent with a simple band structure model where localized electronic states are available in the band gap (trap states) in the vicinity of the nanoparticles. This work offers experimental support to a previously proposed mechanism for enhanced insulating properties of nanocomposite LDPE and provides a powerful experimental tool to further investigate such properties.

  4. Nickel hydroxide nanoparticles-reduced graphene oxide nanosheets film: layer-by-layer electrochemical preparation, characterization and rifampicin sensory application.

    PubMed

    Rastgar, Shokoufeh; Shahrokhian, Saeed

    2014-02-01

    Electrochemical deposition, as a well-controlled synthesis procedure, has been used for subsequently layer-by-layer preparation of nickel hydroxide nanoparticle-reduced graphene oxide nanosheets (Ni(OH)2-RGO) on a graphene oxide (GO) film pre-cast on a glassy carbon electrode surface. The surface morphology and nature of the nano-hybrid film (Ni(OH)2-RGO) was thoroughly characterized by scanning electron and atomic force microscopy, spectroscopy and electrochemical techniques. The modified electrode appeared as an effective electro-catalytic model for analysis of rifampicin (RIF) by using linear sweep voltammetry (LSV). The prepared modified electrode exhibited a distinctly higher activity for electro-oxidation of RIF than either GO, RGO nanosheets or Ni(OH)2 nanoparticles. Enhancement of peak currents is ascribed to the fast heterogeneous electron transfer kinetics that arise from the synergistic coupling between the excellent properties of RGO nanosheets (such as high density of edge plane sites, subtle electronic characteristics and attractive π-π interaction) and unique properties of metal nanoparticles. Under the optimized analysis conditions, the modified electrode showed two oxidation processes for rifampicin at potentials about 0.08 V (peak I) and 0.69 V (peak II) in buffer solution of pH 7.0 with a wide linear dynamic range of 0.006-10.0 µmol L(-1) and 0.04-10 µmol L(-1) with a detection limit of 4.16 nmol L(-1) and 2.34 nmol L(-1) considering peaks I and II as an analytical signal, respectively. The results proved the efficacy of the fabricated modified electrode for simple, low cost and highly sensitive medicine sensor well suited for the accurate determinations of trace amounts of rifampicin in the pharmaceutical and clinical preparations. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Silver-nanoparticles-modified biomaterial surface resistant to staphylococcus: new insight into the antimicrobial action of silver

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Jiaxing; Li, Jinhua; Guo, Geyong; Wang, Qiaojie; Tang, Jin; Zhao, Yaochao; Qin, Hui; Wahafu, Tuerhongjiang; Shen, Hao; Liu, Xuanyong; Zhang, Xianlong

    2016-01-01

    Titanium implants are widely used clinically, but postoperative implant infection remains a potential severe complication. The purpose of this study was to investigate the antibacterial activity of nano-silver(Ag)-functionalized Ti surfaces against epidemic Staphylococcus from the perspective of the regulation of biofilm-related genes and based on a bacteria-cell co-culture study. To achieve this goal, two representative epidemic Staphylococcus strains, Staphylococcus epidermidis (S. epidermidis, RP62A) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus, USA 300), were used, and it was found that an Ag-nanoparticle-modified Ti surface could regulate the expression levels of biofilm-related genes (icaA and icaR for S. epidermidis; fnbA and fnbB for S. aureus) to inhibit bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation. Moreover, a novel bacteria-fibroblast co-culture study revealed that the incorporation of Ag nanoparticles on such a surface can help mammalian cells to survive, adhere and spread more successfully than Staphylococcus. Therefore, the modified surface was demonstrated to possess a good anti-infective capability against both sessile bacteria and planktonic bacteria through synergy between the effects of Ag nanoparticles and ion release. This work provides new insight into the antimicrobial action and mechanism of Ag-nanoparticle-functionalized Ti surfaces with bacteria-killing and cell-assisting capabilities and paves the way towards better satisfying the clinical needs. PMID:27599568

  6. Disconnecting structure and dynamics in glassy thin films

    PubMed Central

    Sussman, Daniel M.; Cubuk, Ekin D.; Liu, Andrea J.

    2017-01-01

    Nanometrically thin glassy films depart strikingly from the behavior of their bulk counterparts. We investigate whether the dynamical differences between a bulk and thin film polymeric glass former can be understood by differences in local microscopic structure. Machine learning methods have shown that local structure can serve as the foundation for successful, predictive models of particle rearrangement dynamics in bulk systems. By contrast, in thin glassy films, we find that particles at the center of the film and those near the surface are structurally indistinguishable despite exhibiting very different dynamics. Next, we show that structure-independent processes, already present in bulk systems and demonstrably different from simple facilitated dynamics, are crucial for understanding glassy dynamics in thin films. Our analysis suggests a picture of glassy dynamics in which two dynamical processes coexist, with relative strengths that depend on the distance from an interface. One of these processes depends on local structure and is unchanged throughout most of the film, while the other is purely Arrhenius, does not depend on local structure, and is strongly enhanced near the free surface of a film. PMID:28928147

  7. Enhanced removal of As (V) from aqueous solution using modified hydrous ferric oxide nanoparticles

    PubMed Central

    Huo, Lijuan; Zeng, Xibai; Su, Shiming; Bai, Lingyu; Wang, Yanan

    2017-01-01

    Hydrous ferric oxide (HFO) is most effective with high treatment capacity on arsenate [As(V)] sorption although its transformation and aggregation nature need further improvement. Here, HFO nanoparticles with carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) or starch as modifier was synthesized for the purpose of stability improvement and As(V) removal from water. Comparatively, CMC might be the optimum stabilizer for HFO nanoparticles because of more effective physical and chemical stability. The large-pore structure, high surface specific area, and the non-aggregated nature of CMC-HFO lead to increased adsorption sites, and thus high adsorption capacities of As(V) without pre-treatment (355 mg·g−1), which is much greater than those reported in previous studies. Second-order equation and dual-mode isotherm model could be successfully used to interpret the sorption kinetics and isotherms of As(V), respectively. FTIR, XPS and XRD analyses suggested that precipitation and surface complexation were primary mechanisms for As(V) removal by CMC modified HFO nanoparticles. A surface complexation model (SCM) was used to simulate As adsorption over pH 2.5–10.4. The predominant adsorbed arsenate species were modeled as bidentate binuclear surface complexes at low pH and as monodentate complexes at high pH. The immobilized arsenic remained stable when aging for 270 d at room temperature. PMID:28098196

  8. Enhanced removal of As (V) from aqueous solution using modified hydrous ferric oxide nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Huo, Lijuan; Zeng, Xibai; Su, Shiming; Bai, Lingyu; Wang, Yanan

    2017-01-01

    Hydrous ferric oxide (HFO) is most effective with high treatment capacity on arsenate [As(V)] sorption although its transformation and aggregation nature need further improvement. Here, HFO nanoparticles with carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) or starch as modifier was synthesized for the purpose of stability improvement and As(V) removal from water. Comparatively, CMC might be the optimum stabilizer for HFO nanoparticles because of more effective physical and chemical stability. The large-pore structure, high surface specific area, and the non-aggregated nature of CMC-HFO lead to increased adsorption sites, and thus high adsorption capacities of As(V) without pre-treatment (355 mg·g-1), which is much greater than those reported in previous studies. Second-order equation and dual-mode isotherm model could be successfully used to interpret the sorption kinetics and isotherms of As(V), respectively. FTIR, XPS and XRD analyses suggested that precipitation and surface complexation were primary mechanisms for As(V) removal by CMC modified HFO nanoparticles. A surface complexation model (SCM) was used to simulate As adsorption over pH 2.5-10.4. The predominant adsorbed arsenate species were modeled as bidentate binuclear surface complexes at low pH and as monodentate complexes at high pH. The immobilized arsenic remained stable when aging for 270 d at room temperature.

  9. In vitro evaluation of the L-peptide modified magnetic lipid nanoparticles as targeted magnetic resonance imaging contrast agent for the nasopharyngeal cancer.

    PubMed

    Chen, Yung-Chu; Min, Chia-Na; Wu, Han-Chung; Lin, Chin-Tarng; Hsieh, Wen-Yuan

    2013-11-01

    The purpose of this study was to analyze the encapsulation of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPION) by the lipid nanoparticle conjugated with the 12-mer peptides (RLLDTNRPLLPY, L-peptide), and the delivery of this complex into living cells. The lipid nanoparticles employed in this work were highly hydrophilic, stable, and contained poly(ethylene-glycol) for conjugation to the bioactive L-peptide. The particle sizes of two different magnetic lipid nanoparticles, L-peptide modified (LML) and non-L-peptide modified (ML), were both around 170 nm with a narrow range of size disparity. The transversal relaxivity, r2, for both LML and ML nanoparticles were found to be significantly higher than the longitudinal relaxivity r1 (r2/r1 > 20). The in vitro tumor cell targeting efficacy of the LML nanoparticles were evaluated and compared to the ML nanoparticles, upon observing cellular uptake of magnetic lipid nanoparticles by the nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells, which express cell surface specific protein for the L-peptide binding revealed. In the Prussian blue staining experiment, cells incubated with LML nanoparticles indicated much higher intracellular iron density than cells incubated with only the ML and SPION nanoparticles. In addition, the MTT assay showed the negligible cell cytotoxicity for LML, ML and SPION nanoparticles. The MR imaging studies demonstrate the better T2-weighted images for the LML-nanoparticle-loaded nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells than the ML- and SPION-loaded cells.

  10. Photocatalytic performance of Ag doped SnO2 nanoparticles modified with curcumin

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vignesh, K.; Hariharan, R.; Rajarajan, M.; Suganthi, A.

    2013-07-01

    Visible light active Ag doped SnO2 nanoparticles modified with curcumin (Cur-Ag-SnO2) have been prepared by a combined precipitation and chemical impregnation route. The optical properties, phase structures and morphologies of the as-prepared nanoparticles were characterized using UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectra (UV-vis-DRS), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The surface area was measured by Brunauer. Emmett. Teller (B.E.T) analysis. Compared to bare SnO2, the surface modified photocatalysts (Ag-SnO2 and Cur-Ag-SnO2) showed a red shift in the visible region. The photocatalytic activity was monitored via the degradation of rose bengal (RB) dye and the results revealed that Cur-Ag-SnO2 shows better photocatalytic activity than that of Ag-SnO2 and SnO2. The superior photocatalytic activity of Cur-Ag-SnO2 could be attributed to the effective electron-hole separation by surface modification. The effect of photocatalyst concentration, initial dye concentration and electron scavenger on the photocatalytic activity was examined in detail. Furthermore, the antifungal activity of the photocatalysts and the reusability of Cur-Ag-SnO2 were tested.

  11. Simultaneous determination of L-ascorbic acid, dopamine and uric acid with gold nanoparticles-β-cyclodextrin-graphene-modified electrode by square wave voltammetry.

    PubMed

    Tian, Xianqing; Cheng, Changming; Yuan, Hongyan; Du, Juan; Xiao, Dan; Xie, Shunping; Choi, Martin M F

    2012-05-15

    Graphene decorated with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs-β-CD-Gra) has been synthesized by in situ thermal reduction of graphene oxide and HAuCl(4) with β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) under alkaline condition. The AuNPs-β-CD-Gra product was well characterized by infrared spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, and selected area electron diffraction. This material was used to fabricate an AuNPs-β-CD-Gra-modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) which showed excellent electro-oxidation of l-ascorbic acid (AA), dopamine (DA) and uric acid (UA) in 0.10 M NaH(2)PO(4)-HCl buffer solution (pH 2.0) by square wave voltammetry (SWV). Three well-resolved oxidation peaks of AA and DA and UA were obtained. The AuNPs-β-CD-Gra/GCE exhibits linear responses to AA, DA and UA in the ranges 30-2000, 0.5-150 and 0.5-60 μM, respectively. The detection limits (based on S/N=3 and preconcentration time=3.0 min) for AA, DA and UA are 10, 0.15 and 0.21 μM, respectively. The AuNPs-β-CD-Gra/GCE has been successfully applied to determine UA in human urine with satisfactory results. Our work provides a simple, convenient and green route to synthesize AuNPs on Gra which is potentially useful in electroanalysis. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. A comparative study for adsorption of lysozyme from aqueous samples onto Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles using different ionic liquids as modifier.

    PubMed

    Kamran, Sedigheh; Absalan, Ghodratollah; Asadi, Mozaffar

    2015-12-01

    In this paper, nanoparticles of Fe3O4 as well as their modified forms with different ionic liquids (IL-Fe3O4) were prepared and used for adsorption of lysozyme. The mean size and the surface morphology of the nanoparticles were characterized by TEM, XRD and FTIR techniques. Adsorption studies of lysozyme were performed under different experimental conditions in batch system on different modified magnetic nanoparticles such as, lysozyme concentration, pH of the solution, and contact time. Experimental results were obtained under the optimum operational conditions of pH 9.0 and a contact time of 10 min when initial protein concentrations of 0.05-2.0 mg mL(-1) were used. The isotherm evaluations revealed that the Langmuir model attained better fits to the equilibrium data than the Freundlich model. The maximum obtained adsorption capacities were 370.4, 400.0 500.0 and 526.3 mg of lysozyme for adsorption onto Fe3O4 and modified magnetic nanoparticles by [C4MIM][Br], [C6MIM][Br] and [C8MIM][Br] per gram of adsorbent, respectively. The Langmuir adsorption constants were 0.004, 0.019, 0.024 and 0.012 L mg(-1) for adsorptions of lysozyme onto Fe3O4 and modified magnetic nanoparticles by [C4MIM][Br], [C6MIM][Br] and [C8MIM][Br], respectively. The adsorption capacity of lysozyme was found to be dependent on its chemical structure, pH of the solution, temperature and type of ionic liquid as modifier. The applicability of two kinetic models including pseudo-first order and pseudo-second order model was estimated. Furthermore, the thermodynamic parameters were calculated. Protein could desorb from IL-Fe3O4 nanoparticles by using NaCl solution at pH 9.5 and was reused.

  13. [In vitro early detection of amyloid plaques in Alzheimer's disease by Pittsburgh compound B-modified magnetic nanoparticles].

    PubMed

    Zeng, J Q; Wu, J Q; Li, M H; Wang, P J

    2017-11-07

    Objective: To construct magnetic nanoparticles targeting β-amyloid (Aβ) plaques, the pathological biomarker of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and to study their binding capability in vitro . Methods: Superparamagnetic nanoparticles Mn(0.6)Zn(0.4)Fe(2)O(4) (MZF) were coated with amphiphilic star-block copolymeric micelles and modified with Aβ-specific probe Pittsburgh compound B (PiB) to construct a novel magnetic nanoparticle MZF-PiB, which specifically targeted amyloid plaques. Transmission electron microscope was used to study the morphological features of MZF-PiB. Superparamagnetism of MZF-PiB was assessed by its r(2) relaxation rate by using 3.0 T MRI scanner. Cytotoxic test was applied to determine biosafety of MZF-PiB nanoparticles in differentiated human neuroblastoma cells (SH-SY5Y) and Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK). In vitro binding tests were conducted via immunohistochemistry on 6-month old AD mice brain sections. Differences of cell viability between groups were compared with one-way analysis of variance. Results: MZF-PiB nanoparticles were successfully constructed. Transmission electron microscope images showed that the nanoparticles were about 100 nm in size. The r(2) relaxation rate was 163.11 mMS(-1). No differences were found in cell viability of SH-SY5Y and MDCK incubated with MZF-PiB suspension for 24 h or 48 h when compared with those of untreated cells ( F =2.336, 2.539, 0.293, 1.493, all P >0.05). In vitro binding tests indicated that the MZF-PiB were specifically bound to amyloid plaques. The smallest size of detected plaques was 27 μm. Conclusion: PiB-modified nanoparticles targeting Aβ are biologically safe and highly superparamagnetic, possessing the capability to detect amyloid plaques early in vitro and the potential for early diagnosis of AD.

  14. Dopamine and uric acid electrochemical sensor based on a glassy carbon electrode modified with cubic Pd and reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite.

    PubMed

    Wang, Jin; Yang, Beibei; Zhong, Jiatai; Yan, Bo; Zhang, Ke; Zhai, Chunyang; Shiraishi, Yukihide; Du, Yukou; Yang, Ping

    2017-07-01

    A cubic Pd and reduced graphene oxide modified glassy carbon electrode (Pd/RGO/GCE) was fabricated to simultaneously detect dopamine (DA) and uric acid (UA) by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and different pulse voltammetry (DPV) methods. Compared with Pd/GCE and RGO/GCE, the Pd/RGO/GCE exhibited excellent electrochemical activity in electrocatalytic behaviors. Performing the Pd/RGO/GCE in CV measurement, the well-defined oxidation peak potentials separation between DA and UA reached to 145mV. By using the differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) technique, the calibration curves for DA and UA were found linear with the concentration range of 0.45-421μM and 6-469.5μM and the detection limit (S/N =3) were calculated to be 0.18μM and 1.6μM, respectively. Furthermore, the Pd/RGO/GCE displayed high selectivity when it was applied into the determination of DA and UA even though in presence of high concentration of interferents. Additionally, the prepared electrochemical sensor of Pd/RGO/GCE demonstrated a practical feasibility in rat urine and serum samples determination. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. SPM investigation of local aging effects in glassy polymers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Crider, Philip

    2005-03-01

    We investigate the cooperative and heterogeneous nature of glassy dynamics by nanometer-scale probing in a glassy polymer, Polyvinyl-Actetate (PVAc), with a Scanning Force Microscope (SFM). Using ultra-high-vacuum (UHV) Scanning Capacitive Force Microscopy techniques, nanometer-scale capacitive responses are probed. Dielectric relaxation near the glass transition is investigated, and scanning capabilities are utilized to analyze spatial response on a nanometer scale. The results of these studies may yield insight into the understanding of temperature-dependent cooperative length scales, local aging properties, and energy landscape properties of evolving dipole clusters on a mesoscopic scale. Results are used to test the validity and relevance of current models of glassy dynamics.

  16. Preparation of platinum modified titanium dioxide nanoparticles with the use of laser ablation in water.

    PubMed

    Siuzdak, K; Sawczak, M; Klein, M; Nowaczyk, G; Jurga, S; Cenian, A

    2014-08-07

    We report on the preparation method of nanocrystalline titanium dioxide modified with platinum by using nanosecond laser ablation in liquid (LAL). Titania in the form of anatase crystals has been prepared in a two-stage process. Initially, irradiation by laser beam of a titanium metal plate fixed in a glass container filled with deionized water was conducted. After that, the ablation process was continued, with the use of a platinum target placed in a freshly obtained titania colloid. In this work, characterization of the obtained nanoparticles, based on spectroscopic techniques--Raman, X-ray photoelectron and UV-vis reflectance spectroscopy--is given. High resolution transmission electron microscopy was used to describe particle morphology. On the basis of photocatalytic studies we observed the rate of degradation process of methylene blue (MB) (a model organic pollution) in the presence of Pt modified titania in comparison to pure TiO2--as a reference case. Physical and chemical mechanisms of the formation of platinum modified titania are also discussed here. Stable colloidal suspensions containing Pt modified titanium dioxide crystalline anatase particles show an almost perfect spherical shape with diameters ranging from 5 to 30 nm. The TiO2 nanoparticles decorated with platinum exhibit much higher (up to 30%) photocatalytic activity towards the degradation of MB under UV illumination than pure titania.

  17. Electrochemical and in vitro neuronal recording characteristics of multi-electrode arrays surface-modified with electro-co-deposited gold-platinum nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Kim, Yong Hee; Kim, Ah Young; Kim, Gook Hwa; Han, Young Hwan; Chung, Myung-Ae; Jung, Sang-Don

    2016-02-01

    In order to complement the high impedance electrical property of gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) we have performed electro-co-deposition of gold-platinum nanoparticles (Au-Pt NPs) onto the Au multi-electrode array (MEA) and modified the Au-Pt NPs surface with cell adhesive poly-D-lysine via thiol chemistry based covalent binding. The Au-Pt NPs were analyzed to have bimetallic nature not the mixture of Au NPs and Pt NPs by X-ray diffraction analysis and to have impedance value (4.0 × 10(4) Ω (at 1 kHz)) comparable to that of Pt NPs. The performance of Au-Pt NP-modified MEAs was also checked in relation to neuronal signal recording. The noise level in Au-Pt NP-modified MEAs was lower than in that of Au NP-modified MEA.

  18. 3D-Printed Fluidic Devices for Nanoparticle Preparation and Flow-Injection Amperometry Using Integrated Prussian Blue Nanoparticle-Modified Electrodes

    PubMed Central

    Bishop, Gregory W.; Satterwhite, Jennifer E.; Bhakta, Snehasis; Kadimisetty, Karteek; Gillette, Kelsey M.; Chen, Eric; Rusling, James F.

    2015-01-01

    A consumer-grade fused filament fabrication (FFF) 3D printer was used to construct fluidic devices for nanoparticle preparation and electrochemical sensing. Devices were printed using poly(ethylene terephthalate) and featured threaded ports to connect polyetheretherketone (PEEK) tubing via printed fittings prepared from acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS). These devices included channels designed to have 800 × 800 µm2 square cross sections and were semitransparent to allow visualization of the solution-filled channels. A 3D-printed device with a Y-shaped mixing channel was used to prepare Prussian blue nanoparticles (PBNPs) under flow rates of 100 to 2000 µL min−1. PBNPs were then attached to gold electrodes for hydrogen peroxide sensing. 3D-printed devices used for electrochemical measurements featured threaded access ports into which a fitting equipped with reference, counter, and PBNP-modified working electrodes could be inserted. PBNP-modified electrodes enabled amperometric detection of H2O2 in the 3D-printed channel by flow-injection analysis, exhibiting a detection limit of 100 nM and linear response up to 20 µM. These experiments show that a consumer-grade FFF printer can be used to fabricate low-cost fluidic devices for applications similar to those that have been reported with more expensive 3D-printing methods. PMID:25901660

  19. Modified kinetics of enzymes interacting with nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Díaz, Sebastián. A.; Breger, Joyce C.; Malanoski, Anthony; Claussen, Jonathan C.; Walper, Scott A.; Ancona, Mario G.; Brown, Carl W.; Stewart, Michael H.; Oh, Eunkeu; Susumu, Kimihiro; Medintz, Igor L.

    2015-08-01

    Enzymes are important players in multiple applications, be it bioremediation, biosynthesis, or as reporters. The business of catalysis and inhibition of enzymes is a multibillion dollar industry and understanding the kinetics of commercial enzymes can have a large impact on how these systems are optimized. Recent advances in nanotechnology have opened up the field of nanoparticle (NP) and enzyme conjugates and two principal architectures for NP conjugate systems have been developed. In the first example the enzyme is bound to the NP in a persistent manner, here we find that key factors such as directed enzyme conjugation allow for enhanced kinetics. Through controlled comparative experiments we begin to tease out specific mechanisms that may account for the enhancement. The second system is based on dynamic interactions of the enzymes with the NP. The enzyme substrate is bound to the NP and the enzyme is free in solution. Here again we find that there are many variables , such as substrate positioning and NP selection, that modify the kinetics.

  20. Application of nickel zinc ferrite/graphene nanocomposite as a modifier for fabrication of a sensitive electrochemical sensor for determination of omeprazole in real samples.

    PubMed

    Afkhami, Abbas; Bahiraei, Atousa; Madrakian, Tayyebeh

    2017-06-01

    In the present study, a simple and highly sensitive sensor for the determination of omeprazole based on nickel-zinc ferrite/graphene modified glassy carbon electrode is reported. The morphology and electro analytical performance of the fabricated sensor were characterized with X-ray diffraction spectrometry, Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, scanning electron microscopy, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, differential pulse voltammetry and operation of the sensor. Results were compared with those achieved at the graphene modified glassy carbon electrode and bare glassy carbon electrode. Under the optimized experimental conditions, linear response was over the range of 0.03-100.0µmolL -1 . The lower detection limit was found to be 0.015µmolL -1 . The effect of different interferences on the anodic current response of OMZ was investigated. By measuring the concentrations of omeprazole in plasma and pharmaceutical samples, the practical application of the modified electrode was evaluated. This revealed that the nickel-zinc ferrite/graphene modified glassy carbon electrode shows excellent analytical performance for the determination of omeprazole with a very low detection limit, high sensitivity, and very good accuracy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Enantiomeric separations of chiral pharmaceuticals using chirally modified tetrahexahedral Au nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shukla, N.; Yang, D.; Gellman, A. J.

    2016-06-01

    Tetrahexahedral (THH, 24-sided) Au nanoparticles modified with D- or L-cysteine (Cys) have been used as enantioselective separators of the chiral pharmaceutical propranolol (PLL) in solution phase. Polarimetry has been used to measure the rotation of linearly polarized light by solutions containing mixtures of PLL and Cys/THH-Au NPs with varying enantiomeric excesses of each. Polarimetry yields clear evidence of enantiospecific adsorption of PLL onto the Cys/THH-Au NPs. This extends prior work using propylene oxide as a test chiral probe, by using the crystalline THH Au NPs with well-defined facets to separate a real pharmaceutical. This work suggests that chiral nanoparticles, coupled with a density separation method such as centrifugation, could be used for enantiomeric purification of real pharmaceuticals. A simple robust model developed earlier has also been used to extract the enantiospecific equilibrium constants for R- and S-PLL adsorption onto the D- and L-Cys/THH-Au NPs.

  2. Doxorubicin-loaded glycyrrhetinic acid modified recombinant human serum albumin nanoparticles for targeting liver tumor chemotherapy.

    PubMed

    Qi, Wen-Wen; Yu, Hai-Yan; Guo, Hui; Lou, Jun; Wang, Zhi-Ming; Liu, Peng; Sapin-Minet, Anne; Maincent, Philippe; Hong, Xue-Chuan; Hu, Xian-Ming; Xiao, Yu-Ling

    2015-03-02

    Due to overexpression of glycyrrhetinic acid (GA) receptor in liver cancer cells, glycyrrhetinic acid modified recombinant human serum albumin (rHSA) nanoparticles for targeting liver tumor cells may result in increased therapeutic efficacy and decreased adverse effects of cancer therapy. In this study, doxorubicin (DOX) loaded and glycyrrhetinic acid modified recombinant human serum albumin nanoparticles (DOX/GA-rHSA NPs) were prepared for targeting therapy for liver cancer. GA was covalently coupled to recombinant human serum albumin nanoparticles, which could efficiently deliver DOX into liver cancer cells. The resultant GA-rHSA NPs exhibited uniform spherical shape and high stability in plasma with fixed negative charge (∼-25 mV) and a size about 170 nm. DOX was loaded into GA-rHSA NPs with a maximal encapsulation efficiency of 75.8%. Moreover, the targeted NPs (DOX/GA-rHSA NPs) showed increased cytotoxic activity in liver tumor cells compared to the nontargeted NPs (DOX/rHSA NPs, DOX loaded recombinant human serum albumin nanoparticles without GA conjugating). The targeted NPs exhibited higher cellular uptake in a GA receptor-positive liver cancer cell line than nontargeted NPs as measured by both flow cytometry and confocal laser scanning microscopy. Biodistribution experiments showed that DOX/GA-rHSA NPs exhibited a much higher level of tumor accumulation than nontargeted NPs at 1 h after injection in hepatoma-bearing Balb/c mice. Therefore, the DOX/GA-rHSA NPs could be considered as an efficient nanoplatform for targeting drug delivery system for liver cancer.

  3. Enhanced permeability of blood-brain barrier and targeting function of brain via borneol-modified chemically solid lipid nanoparticle.

    PubMed

    Song, Hui; Wei, Man; Zhang, Nan; Li, He; Tan, Xiaochuan; Zhang, Yujia; Zheng, Wensheng

    2018-01-01

    The incidence of central nervous system disease has increased in recent years. However, the transportation of drug is restricted by the blood-brain barrier, contributing to the poor therapeutic effect in the brain. Therefore, the development of a new brain-targeting drug delivery system has become the hotspot of pharmacy. Borneol, a simple bicyclic monoterpene extracted from Dryobalanops aromatica , can direct drugs to the upper body parts according to the theory of traditional Chinese medicine. Dioleoyl phosphoethanolamine (DOPE) was chemically modified by borneol as one of the lipid materials of solid lipid nanoparticle (SLN) in the present study. The borneol-modified chemically solid lipid nanoparticle (BO-SLN/CM), borneol-modified physically solid lipid nanoparticle (BO-SLN/PM), and SLN have similar diameter (of about 87 nm) and morphological characteristics. However, BO-SLN/CM has a lower cytotoxicity, higher cell uptake, and better blood-brain barrier permeability compared with BO-SLN/PM and SLN. BO-SLN/CM has a remarkable targeting function to the brain, while BO-SLN/ PM and SLNs are concentrated at the lung. The present study provides an excellent drug delivery carrier, BO-SLN/CM, having the application potential of targeting to the brain and permeating to the blood-brain barrier.

  4. Thermodynamic behavior of glassy state of structurally related compounds.

    PubMed

    Kaushal, Aditya Mohan; Bansal, Arvind Kumar

    2008-08-01

    Thermodynamic properties of amorphous pharmaceutical forms are responsible for enhanced solubility as well as poor physical stability. The present study was designed to investigate the differences in thermodynamic parameters arising out of disparate molecular structures and associations for four structurally related pharmaceutical compounds--celecoxib, valdecoxib, rofecoxib, and etoricoxib. Conventional and modulated temperature differential scanning calorimetry were employed to study glass forming ability and thermodynamic behavior of the glassy state of model compounds. Glass transition temperature of four glassy compounds was in a close range of 327.6-331.8 K, however, other thermodynamic parameters varied considerably. Kauzmann temperature, strength parameter and fragility parameter showed rofecoxib glass to be most fragile of the four compounds. Glass forming ability of the compounds fared similar in the critical cooling rate experiments, suggesting that different factors were determining the glass forming ability and subsequent behavior of the compounds in glassy state. A comprehensive understanding of such thermodynamic facets of amorphous form would help in rationalizing the approaches towards development of stable glassy pharmaceuticals.

  5. Electrochemical detection of dopamine in the presence of ascorbic acid using graphene modified electrodes.

    PubMed

    Kim, Yang-Rae; Bong, Sungyool; Kang, Yeon-Joo; Yang, Yongtak; Mahajan, Rakesh Kumar; Kim, Jong Seung; Kim, Hasuck

    2010-06-15

    Dopamine plays a significant role in the function of human metabolism. It is important to develop sensitive sensor for the determination of dopamine without the interference by ascorbic acid. This paper reports the synthesis of graphene using a modified Hummer's method and its application for the electrochemical detection of dopamine. Electrochemical measurements were performed at glassy carbon electrode modified with graphene via drop-casting method. Cyclic voltammogram of ferri/ferrocyanide redox couple at graphene modified electrode showed an increased current intensity compared with glassy carbon electrode and graphite modified electrode. The decrease of charge transfer resistance was also analyzed by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The capacity of graphene modified electrode for selective detection of dopamine was confirmed in a sufficient amount of ascorbic acid (1 mM). The observed linear range for the determination of dopamine concentration was from 4 microM to 100 microM. The detection limit was estimated to be 2.64 microM. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Dewetting of polymer thin films on modified curved surfaces: preparation of polymer nanoparticles with asymmetric shapes by anodic aluminum oxide templates.

    PubMed

    Liu, Chih-Ting; Tsai, Chia-Chan; Chu, Chien-Wei; Chi, Mu-Huan; Chung, Pei-Yun; Chen, Jiun-Tai

    2018-04-18

    We study the dewetting behaviors of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) thin films coated in the cylindrical nanopores of anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) templates by thermal annealing. Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of n-octadecyltrichlorosilane (ODTS) are introduced to modify the pore surfaces of the AAO templates to induce the dewetting process. By using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the dewetting-induced morphology transformation from the PMMA thin films to PMMA nanoparticles with asymmetric shapes can be observed. The sizes of the PMMA nanoparticles can be controlled by the original PMMA solution concentrations. The dewetting phenomena on the modified nanopores are explained by taking into account the excess intermolecular interaction free energy (ΔG). This work opens a new possibility for creating polymer nanoparticles with asymmetric shapes in confined geometries.

  7. Direct electrochemistry and electrocatalytic behavior of hemoglobin entrapped in Ag@C nanocables/gold nanoparticles nanocomposites film.

    PubMed

    Hu, Xiao-Wei; Mao, Chang-Jie; Song, Ji-Ming; Niu, He-Lin; Zhang, Sheng-Yi; Cui, Rong-Jing

    2012-10-01

    Direct electrochemistry of hemoglobin (Hb) was successfully fabricated by immobilizing Hb on the nanocomposites containing of Ag@C nanocables and Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE). The immobilized Hb retained its biological activity and shown high catalytic activities to the reduction of H2O2 by circular dicroism (CD) spectrum, fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectrum and cyclic voltammetry (CV). Experimental conditions such as scan rate and pH Value were studied and optimized. The results indicated that the resulting biosensor are linear to the concentrations of H2O2 in the ranges of 6.67 x 10(-7)-2.40 x 10(5) M, and the detection limit is 2.02 x 10(-7) M. The electrochemical biosensor has also high stability and good reproducibility.

  8. Soft Landing of Bare Nanoparticles with Controlled Size, Composition, and Morphology

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Johnson, Grant E.; Colby, Robert J.; Laskin, Julia

    2015-01-01

    A kinetically-limited physical synthesis method based on magnetron sputtering and gas aggregation has been coupled with size-selection and ion soft landing to prepare bare metal nanoparticles on surfaces with controlled coverage, size, composition, and morphology. Employing atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), it is demonstrated that the size and coverage of bare nanoparticles soft landed onto flat glassy carbon and silicon as well as stepped graphite surfaces may be controlled through size-selection with a quadrupole mass filter and the length of deposition, respectively. The bare nanoparticles are observed with AFM to bind randomly to the flat glassymore » carbon surface when soft landed at relatively low coverage (1012 ions). In contrast, on stepped graphite surfaces at intermediate coverage (1013 ions) the soft landed nanoparticles are shown to bind preferentially along step edges forming extended linear chains of particles. At the highest coverage (5 x 1013 ions) examined in this study the nanoparticles are demonstrated with both AFM and SEM to form a continuous film on flat glassy carbon and silicon surfaces. On a graphite surface with defects, however, it is shown with SEM that the presence of localized surface imperfections results in agglomeration of nanoparticles onto these features and the formation of neighboring depletion zones that are devoid of particles. Employing high resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy in the high angular annular dark field imaging mode (STEM-HAADF) and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) it is demonstrated that the magnetron sputtering/gas aggregation synthesis technique produces single metal particles with controlled morphology as well as bimetallic alloy nanoparticles with clearly defined core-shell structure. Therefore, this kinetically-limited physical synthesis technique, when combined with ion soft landing, is a versatile complementary method for preparing a wide

  9. Tannic acid-modified silver nanoparticles for wound healing: the importance of size

    PubMed Central

    Orlowski, Piotr; Zmigrodzka, Magdalena; Tomaszewska, Emilia; Ranoszek-Soliwoda, Katarzyna; Czupryn, Monika; Antos-Bielska, Malgorzata; Szemraj, Janusz; Celichowski, Grzegorz; Grobelny, Jaroslaw

    2018-01-01

    Introduction Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have been shown to promote wound healing and to exhibit antimicrobial properties against a broad range of bacteria. In our previous study, we prepared tannic acid (TA)-modified AgNPs showing a good toxicological profile and immunomodulatory properties useful for potential dermal applications. Methods In this study, in vitro scratch assay, antimicrobial tests, modified lymph node assay as well as a mouse splint wound model were used to access the wound healing potential of TA-modified and unmodified AgNPs. Results TA-modified but not unmodified AgNPs exhibited effective antibacterial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli and stimulated migration of keratinocytes in vitro. The tests using the mouse splint wound model showed that TA-modified 33 and 46 nm AgNPs promoted better wound closure, epithelialization, angiogenesis and formation of the granulation tissue. Additionally, AgNPs elicited expression of VEGF-α, PDGF-β and TGF-β1 cytokines involved in wound healing more efficiently in comparison to control and TA-treated wounds. However, both the lymph node assay and the wound model showed that TA-modified AgNPs sized 13 nm can elicit strong inflammatory response not only during wound healing but also when applied to the damaged skin. Conclusion TA-modified AgNPs sized >26 nm promote wound healing better than TA-modified or unmodified AgNPs. These findings suggest that TA-modified AgNPs sized >26 nm may have a promising application in wound management. PMID:29497293

  10. Pt/glassy carbon model catalysts prepared from PS-b-P2VP micellar templates.

    PubMed

    Gu, Yunlong; St-Pierre, Jean; Ploehn, Harry J

    2008-11-04

    Poly(styrene)-block-poly(2-vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P2VP) diblock copolymer was used as a micellar template to fabricate arrays of Pt nanoparticles on mica and glassy carbon (GC) supports. Polymer micellar deposition yields Pt nanoparticles with tunable particle size and surface number density on both mica and GC. After deposition of precursor-loaded micelles onto GC, oxygen plasma etching removes the polymer shell, followed by thermal treatment with H2 gas to reduce the Pt. Etching conditions were optimized to maximize removal of the polymer while minimizing damage to the GC. Arrays of Pt nanoparticles with controlled size and surface number density can be prepared on mica (for particle size characterization) and GC to make Pt/GC model catalysts. These model catalysts were characterized by tapping mode atomic force microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry to measure activity for oxidation of carbon monoxide or methanol. Cyclic voltammetry results demonstrate the existence of a correlation between Pt particle size and electrocatalytic properties including onset potential, tolerance of carbonaceous adsorbates, and intrinsic activity (based on active Pt area from CO stripping voltammetry). Results obtained with Pt/GC model catalysts duplicate prior results obtained with Pt/porous carbon catalysts therefore validating the synthesis approach and offering a new, tunable platform to study catalyst structure and other effects such as aging on proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) reactions.

  11. Glassy composition for hermetic seals

    DOEpatents

    Wilder, Jr., James A.

    1980-01-01

    The invention relates to a glassy composition adaptable for sealing to aluminum-based alloys to form a hermetically-sealed insulator body. The composition may either be employed as a glass or, after devitrifying heat treatment, as a glass-ceramic.

  12. Comparison of magnetic carboxymethyl chitosan nanoparticles and cation exchange resin for the efficient purification of lysine-tagged small ubiquitin-like modifier protease.

    PubMed

    Li, Junhua; Zhang, Yang; Shen, Fei; Yang, Yanjun

    2012-10-15

    A fusion tag that can be purified by the cheap ion-exchanger based on the ionic binding force may provide a cost-effective scheme over other affinity fusion tags. Small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) protease derived from Saccharomyces cerevisiae was fused with a poly lysine tag containing 10 lysine residues at its C-terminus and then expressed in Escherichia coli. The ionic binding force provided by the ploy lysine tag allowed the selective recovery of the small ubiquitin-like modifier protease from recombinant E. coli cell extracts. A preliminary comparative study of the adsorption and elution of poly lysine tagged SUMO protease on Amberlite Cobalamion and magnetite carboxymethyl chitosan nanoparticles was performed. Amberlite Cobalamion and magnetite nanoparticles had the similar elution profile due to the common functional groups - carboxyl groups. The maximum dynamic adsorption capacity of Amberlite Cobalamion and magnetite nanoparticles reached 36.8 and 211.4 mg/g, respectively. The lysine-tagged protease can be simply purified by magnetite nanoparticles from cell extracts with higher purity than that by Amberlite Cobalamion. The superparamagnetic nanoparticles possess the advantages of highly specific, fast and excellent binding of a larger amount of lysine tagged SUMO modifier protease, and it is also easier to separate from the crude biological process liquors compared with the conventional separation techniques of polycationic amino acids fusion proteins. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Solubility of gases and liquids in glassy polymers.

    PubMed

    De Angelis, Maria Grazia; Sarti, Giulio C

    2011-01-01

    This review discusses a macroscopic thermodynamic procedure to calculate the solubility of gases, vapors, and liquids in glassy polymers that is based on the general procedure provided by the nonequilibrium thermodynamics for glassy polymers (NET-GP) method. Several examples are presented using various nonequilibrium (NE) models including lattice fluid (NELF), statistical associating fluid theory (NE-SAFT), and perturbed hard sphere chain (NE-PHSC). Particular applications illustrate the calculation of infinite-dilution solubility coefficients in different glassy polymers and the prediction of solubility isotherms for different gases and vapors in pure polymers as well as in polymer blends. The determination of model parameters is discussed, and the predictive abilities of the models are illustrated. Attention is also given to the solubility of gas mixtures and solubility isotherms in nanocomposite mixed matrices. The fractional free volume determined from solubility data can be used to correlate solute diffusivities in mixed matrices.

  14. Amperometric cholesterol biosensor based on the direct electrochemistry of cholesterol oxidase and catalase on a graphene/ionic liquid-modified glassy carbon electrode.

    PubMed

    Gholivand, Mohammad Bagher; Khodadadian, Mehdi

    2014-03-15

    Cholesterol oxidase (ChOx) and catalase (CAT) were co-immobilized on a graphene/ionic liquid-modified glassy carbon electrode (GR-IL/GCE) to develop a highly sensitive amperometric cholesterol biosensor. The H2O2 generated during the enzymatic reaction of ChOx with cholesterol could be reduced electrocatalytically by immobilized CAT to obtain a sensitive amperometric response to cholesterol. The direct electron transfer between enzymes and electrode surface was investigated by cyclic voltammetry. Both enzymes showed well-defined redox peaks with quasi-reversible behaviors. An excellent sensitivity of 4.163 mA mM(-1)cm(-2), a response time less than 6s, and a linear range of 0.25-215 μM (R(2)>0.99) have been observed for cholesterol determination using the proposed biosensor. The apparent Michaelis-Menten constant (KM(app)) was calculated to be 2.32 mM. The bienzymatic cholesterol biosensor showed good reproducibility (RSDs<5%) with minimal interference from the coexisting electroactive compounds such as ascorbic acid and uric acid. The CAT/ChOx/GR-IL/GCE showed excellent analytical performance for the determination of free cholesterol in human serum samples. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. An Electrochemical DNA Sensing System Using Modified Nanoparticle Probes for Detecting Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

    PubMed

    Sakamoto, Hiroaki; Amano, Yoshihisa; Satomura, Takenori; Suye, Shin-Ichiro

    2017-01-01

    We have developed a novel, highly sensitive, biosensing system for detecting methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The system employs gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), magnetic nanoparticles (mNPs), and an electrochemical detection method. We have designed and synthesized ferrocene- and single-stranded DNA-conjugated nanoparticles that hybridize to MRSA DNA. Hybridized complexes are easily separated by taking advantage of mNPs. A current response could be obtained through the oxidation of ferrocene on the AuNP surface when a constant potential of +250 mV vs. Ag/AgCl is applied. The enzymatic reaction of L-proline dehydrogenase provides high signal amplification. This sensing system, using a nanoparticle-modified probe, has the ability to detect 10 pM of genomic DNA from MRSA without amplification by the polymerase chain reaction. Current responses are linearly related to the amount of genomic DNA in the range of 10-166 pM. Selectivity is confirmed by demonstrating that this sensing system could distinguish MRSA from Staphylococcus aureus (SA) DNA.

  16. Surface-modified solid lipid nanoparticles for oral delivery of docetaxel: enhanced intestinal absorption and lymphatic uptake

    PubMed Central

    Cho, Hyun-Jong; Park, Jin Woo; Yoon, In-Soo; Kim, Dae-Duk

    2014-01-01

    Docetaxel is a potent anticancer drug, but development of an oral formulation has been hindered mainly due to its poor oral bioavailability. In this study, solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) surface-modified by Tween 80 or D-alpha-tocopheryl poly(ethylene glycol 1000) succinate (TPGS 1000) were prepared and evaluated in terms of their feasibility as oral delivery systems for docetaxel. Tween 80-emulsified and TPGS 1000-emulsified tristearin-based lipidic nanoparticles were prepared by a solvent-diffusion method, and their particle size distribution, zeta potential, drug loading, and particle morphology were characterized. An in vitro release study showed a sustained-release profile of docetaxel from the SLNs compared with an intravenous docetaxel formulation (Taxotere®). Tween 80-emulsified SLNs showed enhanced intestinal absorption, lymphatic uptake, and relative oral bioavailability of docetaxel compared with Taxotere in rats. These results may be attributable to the absorption-enhancing effects of the tristearin nanoparticle. Moreover, compared with Tween 80-emulsified SLNs, the intestinal absorption and relative oral bioavailability of docetaxel in rats were further improved in TPGS 1000-emulsified SLNs, probably due to better inhibition of drug efflux by TPGS 1000, along with intestinal lymphatic uptake. Taken together, it is worth noting that these surface-modified SLNs may serve as efficient oral delivery systems for docetaxel. PMID:24531717

  17. The feasibility of using magnetic nanoparticles modified as gene vector.

    PubMed

    Chen, D; Tang, Q; Xue, W; Wang, X

    2010-06-01

    To evaluate the feasibility of using magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) as gene vector and the effect of magnetic field on efficiency of transfection. Magnetic nanoparticles were prepared by controlling some chemical reaction parameters through a partially reduction precipitation method with ferric chloride aqueous solution as precursor material. The surface of particles was modified by polyethyleneimine (PEI) agents. The appearance, the size distribution, structure and phase constitute of MNPs were characterized by Transmission electron microscope (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD); the potential of absorbing DNA of MNPs was analysed by electrophoresis. Transfection was determined by delivering reporter gene, PGL2-control encoding luciferase, to different cell lines using MNPs-PLL as vector. The effect of magnetic field on the efficiency of transfection was determined using Nd-Fe-B permanent magnet. Foreign gene could be delivered to various cell lines by MNPs-PLL and expressed with high efficiency but the transfection efficiency and time course varied in the different cell lines studied. Magnetic field could enhance the efficiency of transfection by 5-10 fold. MNPs- PLL can be used as a novel non-viral gene vector in vitro, which offers a basis for gene delivery in vivo.

  18. Uptake of Retinoic Acid-Modified PMMA Nanoparticles in LX-2 and Liver Tissue by Raman Imaging and Intravital Microscopy.

    PubMed

    Yildirim, Turgay; Matthäus, Christian; Press, Adrian T; Schubert, Stephanie; Bauer, Michael; Popp, Jürgen; Schubert, Ulrich S

    2017-10-01

    A primary amino-functionalized methyl methacrylate-based statistical copolymer is covalently coupled with retinoic acid (RA) and a fluorescent dye (DY590) in order to investigate the feasibility of the RA containing polymeric nanoparticles for Raman imaging studies and to study the possible selectivity of RA for hepatic stellate cells via intravital microscopy. Cationic nanoparticles are prepared by utilizing the nanoprecipitation method using modified polymers. Raman studies show that RA functional nanoparticles can be detectable in all tested cells without any need of additional label. Moreover, intravital microscopy indicates that DY590 is eliminated through the hepatobiliary route but not if used as covalently attached tracing molecule for nanoparticles. However, it is a suitable probe for sensitive detection of polymeric nanoparticles. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  19. Novel electrochemical immune sensor based on Hep-PGA-PPy nanoparticles for detection of α-Fetoprotein in whole blood.

    PubMed

    Xu, Tingting; Chi, Bo; Gao, Jian; Chu, Meilin; Fan, Wenlu; Yi, Meihui; Xu, Hong; Mao, Chun

    2017-07-18

    A simple and accurate immune sensor for quantitative detection of α-Fetoprotein (AFP) was developed based on the immobilization of antigen on the surface of Hep-PGA-PPy nanoparticles modified glassy carbon electrodes (GCE). The obtained Hep-PGA-PPy nanoparticles were characterized by fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectra and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). And the blood compatibility of Hep-PGA-PPy nanoparticles was investigated by in vitro coagulation tests, hemolysis assay and whole blood adhesion tests. Combining the conductive property of polypyrrole (PPy) and the biocompatibility of heparin (Hep), the Hep-PGA-PPy nanoparticles could improve not only the anti-biofouling effect the electrode, but also improved the electrochemical properties of the immune sensor. Under optimal conditions, the proposed immune sensor could detect AFP in a linear range from 0.1 to 100 ng mL -1 with a detection limit of 0.099 ng mL -1 at the signal-to-noise ratio of 3, and it also possessed good reproducibility and storage stability. Furthermore, the detection of AFP in five human blood samples also showed satisfactory accuracy with low relative errors. Thus, the developed immune sensor which showed acceptable reproducibility, selectivity, stability and accuracy could be potentially used for the detection of whole blood samples directly. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  20. XAFS study of copper and silver nanoparticles in glazes of medieval middle-east lustreware (10th-13th century)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Padovani, S.; Puzzovio, D.; Sada, C.; Mazzoldi, P.; Borgia, I.; Sgamellotti, A.; Brunetti, B. G.; Cartechini, L.; D'Acapito, F.; Maurizio, C.; Shokoui, F.; Oliaiy, P.; Rahighi, J.; Lamehi-Rachti, M.; Pantos, E.

    2006-06-01

    It has recently been shown that lustre decoration of medieval and Renaissance pottery consists of silver and copper nanoparticles dispersed in the glassy matrix of the ceramic glaze. Here the findings of an X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) study on lustred glazes of shards belonging to 10th and 13rd century pottery from the National Museum of Iran are reported. Absorption spectra in the visible range have been also measured in order to investigate the relations between colour and glaze composition. Gold colour is mainly due to Ag nanoparticles, though Ag+, Cu+ and Cu2+ ions can be also dispersed within the glassy matrix, with different ratios. Red colour is mainly due to Cu nanoparticles, although some Ag nanoparticles, Ag+ and Cu+ ions can be present. The achievement of metallic Cu and the absence of Cu2+ indicate a higher reduction of copper in red lustre. These findings are in substantial agreement with previous results on Italian Renaissance pottery. In spite of the large heterogeneity of cases, the presence of copper and silver ions in the glaze confirms that lustre formation is mediated by a copper- and silver-alkali ion exchange, followed by nucleation and growth of metal nanoparticles.

  1. Design of an inhalable dry powder formulation of DOTAP-modified PLGA nanoparticles loaded with siRNA.

    PubMed

    Jensen, Ditte Krohn; Jensen, Linda Boye; Koocheki, Saeid; Bengtson, Lasse; Cun, Dongmei; Nielsen, Hanne Mørck; Foged, Camilla

    2012-01-10

    Matrix systems based on biocompatible and biodegradable polymers like the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved polymer poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide acid) (PLGA) are promising for the delivery of small interfering RNA (siRNA) due to favorable safety profiles, sustained release properties and improved colloidal stability, as compared to polyplexes. The purpose of this study was to design a dry powder formulation based on cationic lipid-modified PLGA nanoparticles intended for treatment of severe lung diseases by pulmonary delivery of siRNA. The cationic lipid dioleoyltrimethylammoniumpropane (DOTAP) was incorporated into the PLGA matrix to potentiate the gene silencing efficiency. The gene knock-down level in vitro was positively correlated to the weight ratio of DOTAP in the particles, and 73% silencing was achieved in the presence of 10% (v/v) serum at 25% (w/w) DOTAP. Optimal properties were found for nanoparticles modified with 15% (w/w) DOTAP, which reduced the gene expression with 54%. This formulation was spray-dried with mannitol into nanocomposite microparticles of an aerodynamic size appropriate for lung deposition. The spray-drying process did not affect the physicochemical properties of the readily re-dispersible nanoparticles, and most importantly, the in vitro gene silencing activity was preserved during spray-drying. The siRNA content in the powder was similar to the theoretical loading and the siRNA was intact, suggesting that the siRNA is preserved during the spray-drying process. Finally, X-ray powder diffraction analysis demonstrated that mannitol remained in a crystalline state upon spray-drying with PLGA nanoparticles suggesting that the sugar excipient might exert its stabilizing effect by sterical inhibition of the interactions between adjacent nanoparticles. This study demonstrates that spray-drying is an excellent technique for engineering dry powder formulations of siRNA nanoparticles, which might enable the local

  2. Destructive Clustering of Metal Nanoparticles in Chalcogenide and Oxide Glassy Matrices.

    PubMed

    Shpotyuk, M V; Shpotyuk, O I; Cebulski, J; Kozyukhin, S

    2016-12-01

    The energetic χ-criterion is developed to parameterize difference in the origin of high-order optical non-linearity associated with metallic atoms (Cu, Ag, Au) embedded destructively in oxide- and chalcogenide glasses. Within this approach, it is unambiguously proved that covalent-bonded networks of soft semiconductor chalcogenides exemplified by binary As(Ge)-S(Se) glasses differ essentially from those typical for hard dielectric oxides like vitreous silica by impossibility to accommodate pure agglomerates of metallic nanoparticles. In an excellence according to known experimental data, it is suggested that destructive clustering of nanoparticles is possible in Cu-, Ag-, and Au-ion-implanted dielectric oxide glass media, possessing a strongly negative χ-criterion. Some recent speculations trying to ascribe equally this ability to soft chalcogenide glasses despite an obvious difference in the corresponding bond dissociation energies have been disclosed and criticized as inconclusive.

  3. Glassy dynamics of landscape evolution

    PubMed Central

    Ortiz, Carlos P.; Jerolmack, Douglas J.

    2018-01-01

    Soil creeps imperceptibly downhill, but also fails catastrophically to create landslides. Despite the importance of these processes as hazards and in sculpting landscapes, there is no agreed-upon model that captures the full range of behavior. Here we examine the granular origins of hillslope soil transport by discrete element method simulations and reanalysis of measurements in natural landscapes. We find creep for slopes below a critical gradient, where average particle velocity (sediment flux) increases exponentially with friction coefficient (gradient). At critical gradient there is a continuous transition to a dense-granular flow rheology. Slow earthflows and landslides thus exhibit glassy dynamics characteristic of a wide range of disordered materials; they are described by a two-phase flux equation that emerges from grain-scale friction alone. This glassy model reproduces topographic profiles of natural hillslopes, showing its promise for predicting hillslope evolution over geologic timescales. PMID:29686102

  4. Voltammetric sensor for buzepide methiodide determination based on TiO2 nanoparticle-modified carbon paste electrode.

    PubMed

    Kalanur, Shankara S; Seetharamappa, Jaldappagari; Prashanth, S N

    2010-07-01

    In this work, we have prepared nano-material modified carbon paste electrode (CPE) for the sensing of an antidepressant, buzepide methiodide (BZP) by incorporating TiO2 nanoparticles in carbon paste matrix. Electrochemical studies indicated that the TiO2 nanoparticles efficiently increased the electron transfer kinetics between drug and the electrode. Compared with the nonmodified CPE, the TiO2-modified CPE greatly enhances the oxidation signal of BZP with negative shift in peak potential. Based on this, we have proposed a sensitive, rapid and convenient electrochemical method for the determination of BZP. Under the optimized conditions, the oxidation peak current of BZP is found to be proportional to its concentration in the range of 5 x 10(-8) to 5 x 10(-5)M with a detection limit of 8.2 x 10(-9)M. Finally, this sensing method was successfully applied for the determination of BZP in human blood serum and urine samples with good recoveries. 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. An electrochemical genosensor for Salmonella typhi on gold nanoparticles-mercaptosilane modified screen printed electrode.

    PubMed

    Das, Ritu; Sharma, Mukesh K; Rao, Vepa K; Bhattacharya, B K; Garg, Iti; Venkatesh, V; Upadhyay, Sanjay

    2014-10-20

    In this work, we fabricated a system of integrated self-assembled layer of organosilane 3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxy silane (MPTS) on the screen printed electrode (SPE) and electrochemically deposited gold nanoparticle for Salmonella typhi detection employing Vi gene as a molecular marker. Thiolated DNA probe was immobilized on a gold nanoparticle (AuNP) modified SPE for DNA hybridization assay using methylene blue as redox (electroactive) hybridization indicator, and signal was monitored by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) method. The modified SPE was characterized by cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and atomic force microscopy (AFM) method. The DNA biosensor showed excellent performances with high sensitivity and good selectivity. The current response was linear with the target sequence concentrations ranging from 1.0 × 10(-11) to 0.5 × 10(-8)M and the detection limit was found to be 50 (± 2.1)pM. The DNA biosensor showed good discrimination ability to the one-base, two-base and three-base mismatched sequences. The fabricated genosensor could also be regenerated easily and reused for three to four times for further hybridization studies. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Graphite felt modified with bismuth nanoparticles as negative electrode in a vanadium redox flow battery.

    PubMed

    Suárez, David J; González, Zoraida; Blanco, Clara; Granda, Marcos; Menéndez, Rosa; Santamaría, Ricardo

    2014-03-01

    A graphite felt decorated with bismuth nanoparticles was studied as negative electrode in a vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB). The results confirm the excellent electrochemical performance of the bismuth modified electrode in terms of the reversibility of the V(3+) /V(2+) redox reactions and its long-term cycling performance. Moreover a mechanism that explains the role that Bi nanoparticles play in the redox reactions in this negative half-cell is proposed. Bi nanoparticles favor the formation of BiHx , an intermediate that reduces V(3+) to V(2+) and, therefore, inhibits the competitive irreversible reaction of hydrogen formation (responsible for the commonly observed loss of Coulombic efficiency of VRFBs). Thus, the total charge consumed during the cathodic sweep in this electrode is used to reduce V(3+) to V(2+) , resulting in a highly reversible and efficient process. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  7. Hydrophobically modified glycol chitosan nanoparticles-encapsulated camptothecin enhance the drug stability and tumor targeting in cancer therapy.

    PubMed

    Min, Kyung Hyun; Park, Kyeongsoon; Kim, Yoo-Shin; Bae, Sang Mun; Lee, Seulki; Jo, Hyung Gon; Park, Rang-Woon; Kim, In-San; Jeong, Seo Young; Kim, Kwangmeyung; Kwon, Ick Chan

    2008-05-08

    To prepare a water-insoluble camptothecin (CPT) delivery carrier, hydrophobically modified glycol chitosan (HGC) nanoparticles were constructed by chemical conjugation of hydrophobic 5beta-cholanic acid moieties to the hydrophilic glycol chitosan backbone. Insoluble anticancer drug, CPT, was easily encapsulated into HGC nanoparticles by a dialysis method and the drug loading efficiency was above 80%. CPT-encapsulated HGC (CPT-HGC) nanoparticles formed nano-sized self-aggregates in aqueous media (280-330 nm in diameter) and showed sustained release of CPT for 1 week. Also, HGC nanoparticles effectively protected the active lactone ring of CPT from the hydrolysis under physiological condition, due to the encapsulation of CPT into the hydrophobic cores in the HGC nanoparticles. The CPT-HGC nanoparticles exhibited significant antitumor effects and high tumor targeting ability towards MDA-MB231 human breast cancer xenografts subcutaneously implanted in nude mice. Tumor growth was significantly inhibited after i.v. injection of CPT-HGC nanoparticles at doses of 10 mg/kg and 30 mg/kg, compared to free CPT at dose of 30 mg/kg. The significant antitumor efficacy of CPT-HGC nanoparticles was attributed to the ability of the nanoparticles to show both prolonged blood circulation and high accumulation in tumors, as confirmed by near infrared (NIR) fluorescence imaging systems. Thus, the delivery of CPT to tumor tissues at a high concentration, with the assistance of HGC nanoparticles, exerted a potent therapeutic effect. These results reveal the promising potential of HGC nanoparticles-encapsulated CPT as a stable and effective drug delivery system in cancer therapy.

  8. A Genetically Modified Tobacco Mosaic Virus that can Produce Gold Nanoparticles from a Metal Salt Precursor

    PubMed Central

    Love, Andrew J.; Makarov, Valentine V.; Sinitsyna, Olga V.; Shaw, Jane; Yaminsky, Igor V.; Kalinina, Natalia O.; Taliansky, Michael E.

    2015-01-01

    We genetically modified tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) to surface display a characterized peptide with potent metal ion binding and reducing capacity (MBP TMV), and demonstrate that unlike wild type TMV, this construct can lead to the formation of discrete 10–40 nm gold nanoparticles when mixed with 3 mM potassium tetrachloroaurate. Using a variety of analytical physicochemical approaches it was found that these nanoparticles were crystalline in nature and stable. Given that the MBP TMV can produce metal nanomaterials in the absence of chemical reductants, it may have utility in the green production of metal nanomaterials. PMID:26617624

  9. Fe3O4 nanoparticles modified by CD-containing star polymer for MRI and drug delivery.

    PubMed

    Cha, Ruitao; Li, Juanjuan; Liu, Yang; Zhang, Yifan; Xie, Qian; Zhang, Mingming

    2017-10-01

    Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles with ultrasmall sizes show good T 1 or T 1 +T 2 contrast abilities, and have attracted considerable interest in the field of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents. For effective biomedical applications, the colloidal stability and biocompatibility of the Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles need to be improved without reducing MRI relaxivity. In this paper, star polymers were used as coating materials to modify Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles in view of their dense molecular architecture with moderate flexibility. The star polymer was composed of a β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) core and poly(2-(dimethylamino) ethyl methacrylate) (PDMAEMA) arms. Meanwhile, reduced glutathione (GSH), as a model drug, was also associated with the star polymer. Thus, a new platform for simultaneous diagnosis and treatment was achieved. Compared to the Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles coated with linear polymers, the Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles coated with star polymers (Fe 3 O 4 @GCP) possessed higher GSH association capacity and better stability in serum-containing solution. GSH could be released from Fe 3 O 4 @GCP nanoparticles in response to pH value of the solution. Since the sulfhydryl group on GSH is able to combine free radicals, Fe 3 O 4 @GCP nanoparticles exhibited less cytotoxicity compared to the Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles without including GSH. Furthermore, the nanoparticles could also serve as good T 1 MRI contrast agent, and the MRI relaxivity of Fe 3 O 4 @GCP nanoparticles did not decrease after coated with the star polymer. These results indicate that the precisely designed Fe 3 O 4 @GCP nanoparticles could be used as a versatile promising theranostic nano-platform. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticle Delivery of Chemically Modified siRNA Against TWIST1 Leads to Reduced Tumor Burden

    PubMed Central

    Finlay, James; Roberts, Cai M.; Dong, Juyao; Zink, Jeffrey I.; Tamanoi, Fuyuhiko; Glackin, Carlotta A.

    2015-01-01

    Growth and progression of solid tumors depends on the integration of multiple pro-growth and survival signals, including the induction of angiogenesis. TWIST1 is a transcription factor whose reactivation in tumors leads to epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT), including increased cancer cell stemness, survival, and invasiveness. Additionally, TWIST1 drives angiogenesis via activation of IL-8 and CCL2, independent of VEGF signaling. In this work, results suggest that chemically modified siRNA against TWIST1 reverses EMT both in vitro and in vivo. siRNA delivery with a polyethyleneimine-coated mesoporous silica nanoparticle (MSN) led to reduction of TWIST1 target genes and migratory potential in vitro. In mice bearing xenograft tumors, weekly intravenous injections of the siRNA-nanoparticle complexes resulted in decreased tumor burden together with a loss of CCL2 suggesting a possible anti-angiogenic response. Therapeutic use of TWIST1 siRNA delivered via MSNs has the potential to inhibit tumor growth and progression in many solid tumor types. Chemically modified siRNA against TWIST1 was complexed to cation-coated mesoporous silica nanoparticles and tested in vitro and in vivo. In cell culture experiments, siRNA reduced expression of TWIST1 and its target genes, and reduced cell migration. In mice, injections of the siRNA-nanoparticle complex led to reduced tumor weight. Data suggest that diminished tumor burden was the result of reduced CCL2 expression and angiogenesis following TWIST1 knockdown. PMID:26115637

  11. Modified bamboo rayon-copper nanoparticle composites as antibacterial textiles.

    PubMed

    Teli, M D; Sheikh, Javed

    2013-10-01

    In the current study the bamboo rayon fabric grafted with acrylamide was utilized as a backbone to immobilize copper nanoprticles. The grafted bamboo rayon was first treated with CuSO4 followed by chemical reduction. The modified product was characterized using FTIR, TGA and SEM. The characteristic color developed after reduction was measured spectrophotometrically. The grafted bamboo rayon with Cu nanoparticles was then evaluated for antibacterial activity against both gram positive and gram negative bacteria and the durability of their antibacterial activity after washing. The product showed antibacterial activity against both types of bacterias which was found to be durable till 50 washes. The material can be claimed as suitable candidate for medical textile applications to prevent cross-infections. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. One pot synthesis of dandelion-like polyaniline coated gold nanoparticles composites for electrochemical sensing applications.

    PubMed

    Lu, Zhiwei; Dai, Wanlin; Liu, Baichen; Mo, Guangquan; Zhang, Junjun; Ye, Jiaping; Ye, Jianshan

    2018-04-18

    In this work, we report a facile and green strategy for one pot and in-situ synthesis of a dandelion-like conductive polyaniline coated gold nanoparticle nanocomposites (Au@PANI). The Au@PANI was characterized by SEM, TEM, XRD, TGA, FTIR, UV-vis and conductivity measurement, respectively. Newly-designed Au@PANI materials possessed a significantly high conductivity and strong adsorption capability. Thus, the Au@PANI modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was utilized for construct a novel electrochemical sensor for the simultaneous assay of Pb 2+ and Cu 2+ using square wave anodic stripping voltammetry (SWASV). Under the optimized conditions, an excellent electrochemical response in the simultaneous of Pb 2+ and Cu 2+ with detection limit of 0.003 and 0.008 μM (S/N = 3), respectively. Moreover, the prepared sensors realized an excellent reproducibility, repeatability and long term stability, as well as reliable practical assays in real water samples. Besides, the possible formation mechanism and sensing mechanism of Au@PANI nanocomposites have been discussed in detail. We believe this study provides a novel method of fabrication of noble metal nanoparticles decorated conducting polymer materials for the electrochemical sensing applications. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Evaluation of grapevine as a host for the glassy-winged sharpshooter

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Grapevine was evaluated as a feeding and oviposition host for the glassy-winged sharpshooter. Two sets of experiments were conducted. The first set compared performance and preference of glassy-winged sharpshooter females for grapevine (cv. Chardonnay) versus cowpea (Vigna unguiculata cultivar black...

  14. Green synthesis of gold nanoparticles for trace level detection of a hazardous pollutant (nitrobenzene) causing Methemoglobinaemia.

    PubMed

    Emmanuel, R; Karuppiah, Chelladurai; Chen, Shen-Ming; Palanisamy, Selvakumar; Padmavathy, S; Prakash, P

    2014-08-30

    The present study involves a green synthesis of gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) using Acacia nilotica twig bark extract at room temperature and trace level detection of one of the hazardous materials, viz. nitrobenzene (NB) that causes Methemoglobinaemia. The synthesis protocol demonstrates that the bioreduction of chloroauric acid leads to the formation of Au-NPs within 10min, suggesting a higher reaction rate than any other chemical methods involved. The obtained Au-NPs have been characterized by UV-vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy. The electrochemical detection of NB has been investigated at the green synthesized Au-NPs modified glassy carbon electrode by using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). The Au-NPs modified electrode exhibits excellent reduction ability toward NB compared to unmodified electrode. The developed NB sensor at Au-NPs modified electrode displays a wide linear response from 0.1 to 600μM with high sensitivity of 1.01μAμM(-1)cm(-2) and low limit of detection of 0.016μM. The modified electrode shows exceptional selectivity in the presence of ions, phenolic and biologically coactive compounds. In addition, the Au-NPs modified electrode exhibits an outstanding recovery results toward NB in various real water samples. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Glassy dynamics of landscape evolution.

    PubMed

    Ferdowsi, Behrooz; Ortiz, Carlos P; Jerolmack, Douglas J

    2018-05-08

    Soil creeps imperceptibly downhill, but also fails catastrophically to create landslides. Despite the importance of these processes as hazards and in sculpting landscapes, there is no agreed-upon model that captures the full range of behavior. Here we examine the granular origins of hillslope soil transport by discrete element method simulations and reanalysis of measurements in natural landscapes. We find creep for slopes below a critical gradient, where average particle velocity (sediment flux) increases exponentially with friction coefficient (gradient). At critical gradient there is a continuous transition to a dense-granular flow rheology. Slow earthflows and landslides thus exhibit glassy dynamics characteristic of a wide range of disordered materials; they are described by a two-phase flux equation that emerges from grain-scale friction alone. This glassy model reproduces topographic profiles of natural hillslopes, showing its promise for predicting hillslope evolution over geologic timescales. Copyright © 2018 the Author(s). Published by PNAS.

  16. Physicochemical properties of protein-modified silver nanoparticles in seawater

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhong, Hangyue

    2013-10-01

    This study investigated the physicochemical properties of silver nanoparticles stabilized with casein protein in seawater. UV?vis spectrometry, dynamic light scattering (DLS), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were applied to measure the stability of silver nanoparticles in seawater samples. The obtained results show an increased aggregation tendency of silver nanoparticles in seawater, which could be attributed its relatively high cation concentration that could neutralize the negatively charges adsorbed on the surface of silver nanoparticles and reduce the electrostatic repulsion forces between nanoparticles. Similarly, due to the surface charge screening process, the zeta potential of silver nanoparticles in seawater decreased. This observation further supported the aggregation behavior of silver nanoparticles. This study also investigated the dissolution of silver nanoparticles in seawater. Result shows that the silver nanoparticle dissolution in DI water is lower than in seawater, which is attributed to the high Cl? concentration present in seawater. As Cl? can react with silver and form soluble AgCl complex, dissolution of silver nanoparticles was enhanced. Finally, this study demonstrated that silver nanoparticles are destabilized in seawater condition. These results may be helpful in understanding the environmental risk of discharged silver nanoparticles in seawater conditions.

  17. Development of Modified Titanium Nitride Nanoparticles as Potential Contrast Material for Photoacoustic Imaging

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2014-05-10

    based on modified fullerenes , carbon nanotubes and gold nanoparticles (including nanocages and nanorods) were very recently reported.4 Nevertheless, this...ratios of 1:1.6 and 1:16, in order to form an onion- like core-shell structure, containing TiN core and shells of TPP (inner shell) and chitosan (outer...These results nicely correlate with the cells viability results and the formation of the ROS is most likely the cause of the cells death (Figure 24

  18. A biosensor for cholesterol based on gold nanoparticles-catalyzed luminol electrogenerated chemiluminescence.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Meihe; Yuan, Ruo; Chai, Yaqin; Chen, Shihong; Zhong, Huaan; Wang, Cun; Cheng, Yinfeng

    2012-02-15

    A novel cholesterol biosensor was prepared based on gold nanoparticles-catalyzed luminol electrogenerated chemiluminescence (ECL). Firstly, l-cysteine-reduced graphene oxide composites were modified on the surface of a glassy carbon electrode. Then, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were self-assembled on it. Subsequently, cholesterol oxidase (ChOx) was adsorbed on the surface of AuNPs to construct a cholesterol biosensor. The stepwise fabrication processes were characterized with cyclic voltammetry and atomic force microscopy. The ECL behaviors of the biosensor were also investigated. It was found that AuNPs not only provided larger surface area for higher ChOx loading but also formed the nano-structured interface on the electrode surface to improve the analytical performance of the ECL biosensor for cholesterol. Besides, based on the efficient catalytic ability of AuNPs to luminol ECL, the response of the biosensor to cholesterol was linear range from 3.3 μM to 1.0 mM with a detection limit of 1.1 μM (S/N=3). In addition, the prepared ECL biosensor exhibited satisfying reproducibility, stability and selectivity. Taking into account the advantages of ECL, we confidently expect that ECL would have potential applications in biotechnology and clinical diagnosis. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Novel one-pot facile technique for preparing nanoparticles modified with hydrophilic polymers on the surface via block polymer-assisted emulsification/evaporation process.

    PubMed

    Kanakubo, Yurie; Ito, Fuminori; Murakami, Yoshihiko

    2010-06-15

    In this paper, we describe the novel facile technique for preparing surface-modified nanoparticles via newly developed amphiphilic block polymer-assisted emulsification/evaporation process. The effects of both organic solvents (the dispersed phase) and stabilizer in the external continuous phase on the stability of o/w emulsion was firstly investigated to clarify the optimal conditions for stable emulsification/evaporation processes. We found that the organic solvent mixture having a density adjusted to be 1.00 g/cm(3) gave the highly stable o/w emulsion. Under the optimal conditions, the relatively monodisperse poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-modified poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) nanoparticle was obtained and characterized. The introduction of PEG to the particle surface was suggested by the fact that the diameter and zeta potential of the particle increased as the amount of added block polymer increased. The facile method presented in this paper can be a universal tool for modifying the surface of nanoparticles, even though reactive groups are not present on the surface. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Electrochemical determination of Sudan I in food samples at graphene modified glassy carbon electrode based on the enhancement effect of sodium dodecyl sulphonate.

    PubMed

    Ma, Xinying; Chao, Mingyong; Wang, Zhaoxia

    2013-06-01

    This paper describes a novel electrochemical method for the determination of Sudan I in food samples based on the electrochemical catalytic activity of graphene modified glassy carbon electrode (GMGCE) and the enhancement effect of an anionic surfactant: sodium dodecyl sulphonate (SDS). Using pH 6.0 phosphate buffer solution (PBS) as supporting electrolyte and in the presence of 1.5 × 10(-4)mol L(-1) SDS, Sudan I yielded a well-defined and sensitive oxidation peak at a GMGCE. The oxidation peak current of Sudan I remarkably increased in the presence of SDS. The experimental parameters, such as supporting electrolyte, concentration of SDS, and accumulation time, were optimised for Sudan I determination. The oxidation peak current showed a linear relationship with the concentrations of Sudan I in the range of 7.50 × 10(-8)-7.50 × 10(-6)mol L(-1), with the detection limit of 4.0 × 10(-8)mol L(-1). This new voltammetric method was successfully used to determine Sudan I in food products such as ketchup and chili sauce with satisfactory results. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Separation of pharmacologically active nitrogen-containing compounds on silica gels modified with 6,10-ionene, dextran sulfate, and gold nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ioutsi, A. N.; Shapovalova, E. N.; Ioutsi, V. A.; Mazhuga, A. G.; Shpigun, O. A.

    2017-12-01

    New stationary phases for HPLC are obtained via layer-by-layer deposition of polyelectrolytes and studied: (1) silica gel modified layer-by-layer with 6,10-ionene and dextran sulfate (Sorbent 1); (2) silica gel twice subjected to the above modification (Sorbent 2); and (3) silica gel modified with 6,10-ionene, gold nanoparticles, and dextran sulfate (Sorbent 3). The effect the content of the organic solvent in the mobile phase and the concentration and pH of the buffer solution have on the chromatographic behavior of several pharmacologically active nitrogen-containing compounds is studied. The sorbents are stable during the process and allow the effective separation of beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, alpha-agonists, and antihistamines. A mixture of caffeine, nadolol, tetrahydrozoline, pindolol, orphenadrine, doxylamine, carbinoxamine, and chlorphenamine is separated in 6.5 min on the silica gel modified with 6,10-ionene, gold nanoparticles, and dextran sulfate.

  2. Optimized synthesis of glycyrrhetinic acid-modified chitosan 5-fluorouracil nanoparticles and their characteristics

    PubMed Central

    Cheng, Mingrong; Chen, Houxiang; Wang, Yong; Xu, Hongzhi; He, Bing; Han, Jiang; Zhang, Zhiping

    2014-01-01

    The nanoparticle drug delivery system, which uses natural or synthetic polymeric material as a carrier to deliver drugs to targeted tissues, has a broad prospect for clinical application for its targeting, slow-release, and biodegradable properties. Here, we used chitosan (CTS) and hepatoma cell-specific binding molecule glycyrrhetinic acid to synthesize glycyrrhetinic acid-modified chitosan (GA-CTS). The synthetic product was confirmed by infrared (IR) spectra and hydrogen-1 nuclear magnetic resonance. The GA-CTS/5-fluorouracil (5-FU) nanoparticles were synthesized by combining GA-CTS and 5-FU and conjugating 5-FU onto the GA-CTS nanomaterial. The central composite design was performed to optimize the preparation process as CTS:tripolyphosphate sodium (TPP) weight ratio =5:1, 5-FU:CTS weight ratio =1:1, TPP concentration =0.05% (w/v), and cross-link time =50 minutes. GA-CTS/5-FU nanoparticles had a mean particle size of 193.7 nm, a polydispersity index of 0.003, a zeta potential of +27.4 mV, and a drug loading of 1.56%. The GA-CTS/5-FU nanoparticle had a protective effect on the drug against plasma degrading enzyme, and provided a sustained release system comprising three distinct phases of quick, steady, and slow release. Our study showed that the peak time, half-life time, mean residence time and area under the curve of GA-CTS/5-FU were longer or more than those of the 5-FU group, but the maximum concentration (Cmax) was lower. We demonstrated that the nanoparticles accumulated in the liver and have significantly inhibited tumor growth in an orthotropic liver cancer mouse model. PMID:24493926

  3. Development of antibody-modified chitosan nanoparticles for the targeted delivery of siRNA across the blood-brain barrier as a strategy for inhibiting HIV replication in astrocytes.

    PubMed

    Gu, Jijin; Al-Bayati, Karam; Ho, Emmanuel A

    2017-08-01

    RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated gene silencing offers a novel treatment and prevention strategy for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. HIV was found to infect and replicate in human brain cells and can cause neuroinfections and neurological deterioration. We designed dual-antibody-modified chitosan/small interfering RNA (siRNA) nanoparticles to deliver siRNA across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) targeting HIV-infected brain astrocytes as a strategy for inhibiting HIV replication. We hypothesized that transferrin antibody and bradykinin B2 antibody could specifically bind to the transferrin receptor (TfR) and bradykinin B2 receptor (B2R), respectively, and deliver siRNA across the BBB into astrocytes as potential targeting ligands. In this study, chitosan nanoparticles (CS-NPs) were prepared by a complex coacervation method in the presence of siRNA, and antibody was chemically conjugated to the nanoparticles. The antibody-modified chitosan nanoparticles (Ab-CS-NPs) were spherical in shape, with an average particle size of 235.7 ± 10.2 nm and a zeta potential of 22.88 ± 1.78 mV. The therapeutic potential of the nanoparticles was evaluated based on their cellular uptake and gene silencing efficiency. Cellular accumulation and gene silencing efficiency of Ab-CS-NPs in astrocytes were significantly improved compared to non-modified CS-NPs and single-antibody-modified CS-NPs. These results suggest that the combination of anti-Tf antibody and anti-B2 antibody significantly increased the knockdown effect of siRNA-loaded nanoparticles. Thus, antibody-mediated dual-targeting nanoparticles are an efficient and promising delivery strategy for inhibiting HIV replication in astrocytes. Graphical abstract Graphic representation of dual-antibody-conjugated chitosan nanoparticles for the targeted delivery of siRNA across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) for inhibiting HIV replication in astrocytes. a Nanoparticle delivery to the BBB and penetration. b Tf

  4. Water treatment with exceptional virus inactivation using activated carbon modified with silver (Ag) and copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Shimabuku, Quelen Letícia; Arakawa, Flávia Sayuri; Fernandes Silva, Marcela; Ferri Coldebella, Priscila; Ueda-Nakamura, Tânia; Fagundes-Klen, Márcia Regina; Bergamasco, Rosangela

    2017-08-01

    Continuous flow experiments (450 mL min -1 ) were performed in household filter in order to investigate the removal and/or inactivation of T4 bacteriophage, using granular activated carbon (GAC) modified with silver and/or copper oxide nanoparticles at different concentrations. GAC and modified GAC were characterized by X-ray diffractometry, specific surface area, pore size and volume, pore average diameter, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, zeta potential and atomic absorption spectroscopy. The antiviral activity of the produced porous media was evaluated by passing suspensions of T4 bacteriophage (∼10 5  UFP/mL) through filters. The filtered water was analyzed for the presence of the bacteriophage and the release of silver and copper oxide. The porous media containing silver and copper oxide nanoparticles showed high inactivation capacity, even reaching reductions higher than 3 log. GAC6 (GAC/Ag0.5%Cu1.0%) was effective in the bacteriophage inactivation, reaching 5.53 log reduction. The levels of silver and copper released in filtered water were below the recommended limits (100 ppb for silver and 1000 ppb for copper) in drinking water. From this study, it is possible to conclude that activated carbon modified with silver and copper oxide nanoparticles can be used as a filter for virus removal in the treatment of drinking water.

  5. Influence of Poly(vinylpyrrolidone) concentration on properties of silver nanoparticles manufactured by modified thermal treatment method

    PubMed Central

    Saion, Elias; Gharibshahi, Elham; Shaari, Abdul Halim; Matori, Khamirul Amin

    2017-01-01

    Very narrow and pure silver nanoparticles were synthesized by modified thermal treatment method via oxygen and nitrogen flow in succession. The structural and optical properties of the calcined silver nanoparticles at 600°C with diverse Poly(vinylpyrrolidone) concentrations varied from 2% to 4% were studied by means of different techniques. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was used to monitor the production of pure Ag nanoparticles at a given Poly(vinylpyrrolidone) concentration. The X-ray powder diffraction spectra are evidence for the transformation of the amorphous sample at 30°C to the cubic crystalline nanostructures at the calcination temperatures for all Poly(vinylpyrrolidone) concentrations. The transmission electron microscopy images showed the creation of spherical silver nanoparticles with the average particle size decreased by increasing Poly(vinylpyrrolidone) concentrations from 4.61 nm at 2% to 2.49 nm at 4% Poly(vinylpyrrolidone). The optical properties were investigated by means of UV–vis absorption spectrophotometer, which showed an increase in the conduction band of Ag nanoparticles with increasing Poly(vinylpyrrolidone) concentrations from 2.83 eV at 2% Poly(vinylpyrrolidone) to 2.94 eV at 4% Poly(vinylpyrrolidone) due to decreasing particle size. This was due to less attraction between conduction electrons and metal ions for smaller particle size corresponding to fewer atoms that made up the metal nanoparticles. PMID:29045414

  6. Carbon nanostructured films modified by metal nanoparticles supported on filtering membranes for electroanalysis.

    PubMed

    Paramo, Erica; Palmero, Susana; Heras, Aranzazu; Colina, Alvaro

    2018-02-01

    A novel methodology to prepare sensors based on carbon nanostructures electrodes modified by metal nanoparticles is proposed. As a proof of concept, a novel bismuth nanoparticle/carbon nanofiber (Bi-NPs/CNF) electrode and a carbon nanotube (CNT)/gold nanoparticle (Au-NPs) have been developed. Bi-NPs/CNF films were prepared by 1) filtering a dispersion of CNFs on a polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE) filter, and 2) filtering a dispersion of Bi-NPs chemically synthesized through this CNF/PTFE film. Next the electrode is prepared by sticking the Bi-NPs/CNF/PTFE film on a PET substrate. In this work, Bi-NPs/CNF ratio was optimized using a Cd 2+ solution as a probe sample. The Cd anodic stripping peak intensity, registered by differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry (DPASV), is selected as target signal. The voltammograms registered for Cd stripping with this Bi-NPs/CNF/PTFE electrode showed well-defined and highly reproducible electrochemical. The optimized Bi-NPs/CNF electrode exhibits a Cd 2+ detection limit of 53.57 ppb. To demonstrate the utility and versatility of this methodology, single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) were selected to prepare a completely different electrode. Thus, the new Au-NPs/SWCNT/PTFE electrode was tested with a multiresponse technique. In this case, UV/Vis absorption spectroelectrochemistry experiments were carried out for studying dopamine, demonstrating the good performance of the Au-NPs/SWCNT electrode developed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Pressure-induced transformations in computer simulations of glassy water.

    PubMed

    Chiu, Janet; Starr, Francis W; Giovambattista, Nicolas

    2013-11-14

    Glassy water occurs in at least two broad categories: low-density amorphous (LDA) and high-density amorphous (HDA) solid water. We perform out-of-equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations to study the transformations of glassy water using the ST2 model. Specifically, we study the known (i) compression-induced LDA-to-HDA, (ii) decompression-induced HDA-to-LDA, and (iii) compression-induced hexagonal ice-to-HDA transformations. We study each transformation for a broad range of compression/decompression temperatures, enabling us to construct a "P-T phase diagram" for glassy water. The resulting phase diagram shows the same qualitative features reported from experiments. While many simulations have probed the liquid-state phase behavior, comparatively little work has examined the transitions of glassy water. We examine how the glass transformations relate to the (first-order) liquid-liquid phase transition previously reported for this model. Specifically, our results support the hypothesis that the liquid-liquid spinodal lines, between a low-density and high-density liquid, are extensions of the LDA-HDA transformation lines in the limit of slow compression. Extending decompression runs to negative pressures, we locate the sublimation lines for both LDA and hyperquenched glassy water (HGW), and find that HGW is relatively more stable to the vapor. Additionally, we observe spontaneous crystallization of HDA at high pressure to ice VII. Experiments have also seen crystallization of HDA, but to ice XII. Finally, we contrast the structure of LDA and HDA for the ST2 model with experiments. We find that while the radial distribution functions (RDFs) of LDA are similar to those observed in experiments, considerable differences exist between the HDA RDFs of ST2 water and experiment. The differences in HDA structure, as well as the formation of ice VII (a tetrahedral crystal), are a consequence of ST2 overemphasizing the tetrahedral character of water.

  8. Pressure-induced transformations in computer simulations of glassy water

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chiu, Janet; Starr, Francis W.; Giovambattista, Nicolas

    2013-11-01

    Glassy water occurs in at least two broad categories: low-density amorphous (LDA) and high-density amorphous (HDA) solid water. We perform out-of-equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations to study the transformations of glassy water using the ST2 model. Specifically, we study the known (i) compression-induced LDA-to-HDA, (ii) decompression-induced HDA-to-LDA, and (iii) compression-induced hexagonal ice-to-HDA transformations. We study each transformation for a broad range of compression/decompression temperatures, enabling us to construct a "P-T phase diagram" for glassy water. The resulting phase diagram shows the same qualitative features reported from experiments. While many simulations have probed the liquid-state phase behavior, comparatively little work has examined the transitions of glassy water. We examine how the glass transformations relate to the (first-order) liquid-liquid phase transition previously reported for this model. Specifically, our results support the hypothesis that the liquid-liquid spinodal lines, between a low-density and high-density liquid, are extensions of the LDA-HDA transformation lines in the limit of slow compression. Extending decompression runs to negative pressures, we locate the sublimation lines for both LDA and hyperquenched glassy water (HGW), and find that HGW is relatively more stable to the vapor. Additionally, we observe spontaneous crystallization of HDA at high pressure to ice VII. Experiments have also seen crystallization of HDA, but to ice XII. Finally, we contrast the structure of LDA and HDA for the ST2 model with experiments. We find that while the radial distribution functions (RDFs) of LDA are similar to those observed in experiments, considerable differences exist between the HDA RDFs of ST2 water and experiment. The differences in HDA structure, as well as the formation of ice VII (a tetrahedral crystal), are a consequence of ST2 overemphasizing the tetrahedral character of water.

  9. Synthesis and Stability of Iron Nanoparticles for Lunar Environment Studies

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hung, Ching-cheh; McNatt, Jeremiah

    2009-01-01

    Simulant of lunar dust is needed when researching the lunar environment. However, unlike the true lunar dust, today s simulants do not contain nanophase iron. Two different processes have been developed to fabricate nanophase iron to be used as part of the lunar dust simulant: (1) Sequentially treating a mixture of ferric chloride, fluorinated carbon, and soda lime glass beads at about 300 C in nitrogen, at room temperature in air, and then at 1050 C in nitrogen. The product includes glass beads that are grey in color, can be attracted by a magnet, and contain alpha-iron nanoparticles (which seem to slowly lose their lattice structure in ambient air during a period of 12 months). This product may have some similarity to the lunar glassy regolith that contains Fe(sup 0). (2) Heating a mixture of carbon black and a lunar simulant (a mixed metal oxide that includes iron oxide) at 1050 C in nitrogen. This process simulates lunar dust reaction to the carbon in a micrometeorite at the time of impact. The product contains a chemically modified simulant that can be attracted by a magnet and has a surface layer whose iron concentration increased during the reaction. The iron was found to be alpha-iron and Fe3O4 nanoparticles, which appear to grow after the fabrication process, but stabilizes after 6 months of ambient air storage.

  10. Modifying mesoporous silica nanoparticles to avoid the metabolic deactivation of 6-mercaptopurine and methotrexate in combinatorial chemotherapy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Wenjing; Fang, Chenjie; Wang, Xiaozhu; Chen, Yuxi; Wang, Yaonan; Feng, Wei; Yan, Chunhua; Zhao, Ming; Peng, Shiqi

    2013-06-01

    Mesoporous silica nanoparticles with amino and thiol groups (MSNSN) were prepared and covalently modified with methotrexate and 6-mercaptopurine to form 6-MP-MSNSN-MTX. In the presence of DTT, 6-MP-MSNSN-MTX gradually releases 6-MP. In rat plasma, 6-MP-MSNSN-MTX effectively inhibits the metabolic deactivation of 6-MP and MTX. 6-MP-MSNSN-MTX could be an agent for long-acting chemotherapy.Mesoporous silica nanoparticles with amino and thiol groups (MSNSN) were prepared and covalently modified with methotrexate and 6-mercaptopurine to form 6-MP-MSNSN-MTX. In the presence of DTT, 6-MP-MSNSN-MTX gradually releases 6-MP. In rat plasma, 6-MP-MSNSN-MTX effectively inhibits the metabolic deactivation of 6-MP and MTX. 6-MP-MSNSN-MTX could be an agent for long-acting chemotherapy. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Experimental details of the synthesis and in vitro and in vivo assays. See DOI: 10.1039/c3nr00227f

  11. A single-step aerosol process for in-situ surface modification of nanoparticles: Preparation of stable aqueous nanoparticle suspensions.

    PubMed

    Sapra, Mahak; Pawar, Amol Ashok; Venkataraman, Chandra

    2016-02-15

    Surface modification of nanoparticles during aerosol or gas-phase synthesis, followed by direct transfer into liquid media can be used to produce stable water-dispersed nanoparticle suspensions. This work investigates a single-step, aerosol process for in-situ surface-modification of nanoparticles. Previous studies have used a two-step sublimation-condensation mechanism following droplet drying, for surface modification, while the present process uses a liquid precursor containing two solutes, a matrix lipid and a surface modifying agent. A precursor solution in chloroform, of stearic acid lipid, with 4 %w/w of surface-active, physiological molecules [1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC), 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-(1'-rac-glycerol)-sodium salt (DPPG) or 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-[methoxy (polyethylene glycol) 2000]-ammonium salt (DPPE-PEG)] was processed in an aerosol reactor at a low gas temperatures. The surface modified nanoparticles were characterized for morphology, surface composition and suspension properties. Spherical, surface-modified lipid nanoparticles with median mobility diameters in the range of 105-150nm and unimodal size distributions were obtained. Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR) measurements confirmed the presence of surface-active molecules on external surfaces of modified lipid nanoparticles. Surface modified nanoparticles exhibited improved suspension stability, compared to that of pure lipid nanoparticles for a period of 30days. Lowest aggregation was observed in DPPE-PEG modified nanoparticles from combined electrostatic and steric effects. The study provides a single-step aerosol method for in-situ surface modification of nanoparticles, using minimal amounts of surface active agents, to make stable, aqueous nanoparticle suspensions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. D-Glucose as a modifying agent in gelatin/collagen matrix and reservoir nanoparticles for Calendula officinalis delivery.

    PubMed

    Lam, P-L; Kok, S H-L; Bian, Z-X; Lam, K-H; Tang, J C-O; Lee, K K-H; Gambari, R; Chui, C-H

    2014-05-01

    Gelatin/Collagen-based matrix and reservoir nanoparticles require crosslinkers to stabilize the formed nanosuspensions, considering that physical instability is the main challenge of nanoparticulate systems. The use of crosslinkers improves the physical integrity of nanoformulations under the-host environment. Aldehyde-based fixatives, such as formaldehyde and glutaraldehyde, have been widely applied to the crosslinking process of polymeric nanoparticles. However, their potential toxicity towards human beings has been demonstrated in many previous studies. In order to tackle this problem, D-glucose was used during nanoparticle formation to stabilize the gelatin/collagen-based matrix wall and reservoir wall for the deliveries of Calendula officinalis powder and oil, respectively. In addition, therapeutic selectivity between malignant and normal cells could be observed. The C. officinalis powder loaded nanoparticles significantly strengthened the anti-cancer effect towards human breast adenocarcinoma MCF7 cells and human hepatoma SKHep1 cells when compared with the free powder. On the contrary, the nanoparticles did not show significant cytotoxicity towards normal esophageal epithelial NE3 cells and human skin keratinocyte HaCaT cells. On the basis of these evidences, D-glucose modified gelatin/collagen matrix nanoparticles containing C. officinalis powder might be proposed as a safer alternative vehicle for anti-cancer treatments. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. A Functional Iron Oxide Nanoparticles Modified with PLA-PEG-DG as Tumor-Targeted MRI Contrast Agent.

    PubMed

    Xiong, Fei; Hu, Ke; Yu, Haoli; Zhou, Lijun; Song, Lina; Zhang, Yu; Shan, Xiuhong; Liu, Jianping; Gu, Ning

    2017-08-01

    Tumor targeting could greatly promote the performance of magnetic nanomaterials as MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) agent for tumor diagnosis. Herein, we reported a novel magnetic nanoparticle modified with PLA (poly lactic acid)-PEG (polyethylene glycol)-DG (D-glucosamine) as Tumor-targeted MRI Contrast Agent. In this work, we took use of the D-glucose passive targeting on tumor cells, combining it on PLA-PEG through amide reaction, and then wrapped the PLA-PEG-DG up to the Fe 3 O 4 @OA NPs. The stability and anti phagocytosis of Fe 3 O 4 @OA@PLA-PEG-DG was tested in vitro; the MRI efficiency and toxicity was also detected in vivo. These functional magnetic nanoparticles demonstrated good biocompatibility and stability both in vitro and in vivo. Cell experiments showed that Fe 3 O 4 @OA@PLA-PEG-DG nanoparticles exist good anti phagocytosis and high targetability. In vivo MRI images showed that the contrast effect of Fe 3 O 4 @OA@PLA-PEG-DG nanoparticles prevailed over the commercial non tumor-targeting magnetic nanomaterials MRI agent at a relatively low dose. The DG can validly enhance the tumor-targetting effect of Fe 3 O 4 @OA@PLA-PEG nanoparticle. Maybe MRI agents with DG can hold promise as tumor-targetting development in the future.

  14. Amplified detection of streptomycin using aptamer-conjugated palladium nanoparticles decorated on chitosan-carbon nanotube.

    PubMed

    Aghajari, Rozita; Azadbakht, Azadeh

    2018-04-15

    A streptomycin-specific aptamer was used as a receptor molecule for ultrasensitive quantitation of streptomycin. The glassy carbon (GC) electrode was modified with palladium nanoparticles decorated on chitosan-carbon nanotube (PdNPs/CNT/Chi) and aminated aptamer against streptomycin. Modification of the sensing interface was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDS), wavelength-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (WDX), cyclic voltammetry (CVs), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The methodologies applied for designing the proposed biosensor are based on target-induced conformational changes of streptomycin-specific aptamer, leading to detectable signal change. Sensing experiments were performed in the streptomycin concentration range from 0.1 to 1500 nM in order to evaluate the sensor response as a function of streptomycin concentration. Based on the results, the charge transfer resistance (R ct ) values increased proportionally to enhanced streptomycin content. The limit of detection was found to be as low as 18 pM. The superior selectivity and affinity of aptamer/PdNPs/CNT/Chi modified electrode for streptomycin recognition made it favorable for versatile applications such as streptomycin analysis in real samples. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Combined use of vancomycin-modified Ag-coated magnetic nanoparticles and secondary enhanced nanoparticles for rapid surface-enhanced Raman scattering detection of bacteria.

    PubMed

    Wang, Chongwen; Gu, Bing; Liu, Qiqi; Pang, Yuanfeng; Xiao, Rui; Wang, Shengqi

    2018-01-01

    Pathogenic bacteria have always been a significant threat to human health. The detection of pathogens needs to be rapid, accurate, and convenient. We present a sensitive surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) biosensor based on the combination of vancomycin-modified Ag-coated magnetic nanoparticles (Fe 3 O 4 @Ag-Van MNPs) and Au@Ag nanoparticles (NPs) that can effectively capture and discriminate bacterial pathogens from solution. The high-performance Fe 3 O 4 @Ag MNPs were modified with vancomycin and used as bacteria capturer for magnetic separation and enrichment. The modified MNPS were found to exhibit strong affinity with a broad range of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. After separating and rinsing bacteria, Fe 3 O 4 @Ag-Van MNPs and Au@Ag NPs were synergistically used to construct a very large number of hot spots on bacteria cells, leading to ultrasensitive SERS detection. The dominant merits of our dual enhanced strategy included high bacterial-capture efficiency (>65%) within a wide pH range (pH 3.0-11.0), a short assay time (<30 min), and a low detection limit (5×10 2 cells/mL). Moreover, the spiked tests show that this method is still valid in milk and blood samples. Owing to these capabilities, the combined system enabled the sensitive and specific discrimination of different pathogens in complex solution, as verified by its detection of Gram-positive bacterium Escherichia coli , Gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus , and methicillin-resistant S. aureus . This method has great potential for field applications in food safety, environmental monitoring, and infectious disease diagnosis.

  16. Glycyrrhetinic acid-modified chitosan nanoparticles enhanced the effect of 5-fluorouracil in murine liver cancer model via regulatory T-cells

    PubMed Central

    Cheng, Mingrong; Xu, Hongzhi; Wang, Yong; Chen, Houxiang; He, Bing; Gao, Xiaoyan; Li, Yingchun; Han, Jiang; Zhang, Zhiping

    2013-01-01

    Modified chitosan nanoparticles are a promising platform for drug, such as 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), gene, and vaccine delivery. Here, we used chitosan and hepatoma cell-specific binding molecule glycyrrhetinic acid (GA) to synthesize glycyrrhetinic acid-modified chitosan (GA-CTS). The synthetic product was confirmed by infrared spectroscopy and hydrogen nuclear magnetic resonance. By combining GA-CTS and 5-FU, we obtained a GA-CTS/5-FU nanoparticle, with a particle size of 193.7 nm, drug loading of 1.56%, and a polydispersity index of 0.003. The GA-CTS/5-FU nanoparticle provided a sustained-release system comprising three distinct phases of quick, steady, and slow release. In vitro data indicated that it had a dose- and time-dependent anticancer effect. The effective drug exposure time against hepatic cancer cells was increased in comparison with that observed with 5-FU. In vivo studies on an orthotropic liver cancer mouse model demonstrated that GA-CTS/5-FU significantly inhibited cancer cell proliferation, resulting in increased survival time. The antitumor mechanisms for GA-CTS/5-FU nanoparticle were possibly associated with an increased expression of regulatory T-cells, decreased expression of cytotoxic T-cell and natural killer cells, and reduced levels of interleukin-2 and interferon gamma. PMID:24187487

  17. Carbon nanotube modified glassy carbon electrode for electrochemical oxidation of alkylphenol ethoxylate.

    PubMed

    Patiño, Yolanda; Díaz, Eva; Lobo-Castañón, María Jesús; Ordóñez, Salvador

    2018-06-01

    Electrochemical oxidation of an emerging pollutant, 2-(4-methylphenoxy)ethanol (MPET), from water has been studied by cyclic voltammetry (CV). Multiwall carbon nanotubes glassy carbon electrodes (MWCNT-GCE) were used as working electrode due to their extraordinary properties. The oxidation process is irreversible, since no reduction peaks were observed in the reverse scan. The electrocatalytic effect of MWCNT was confirmed as the oxidation peak intensity increases in comparison to bare-GCE. The effect of functional groups on MWCNT was also studied by MWCNT functionalized with NH 2 (MWCNT-NH 2 ) and COOH (MWCNT-COOH) groups. The oxidation peak current decreases in the following order: MWCNT > MWCNT-NH 2 > MWCNT-COOH. Taking into account the normalized peak current, MWCNT-NH 2 exhibits the best results due to its strong interaction with MPET. Under optimal conditions (pH = 5.0 and volume of MWCNT = 10 μL), degradation was studied for MWCNT-GCE and MWCNT-NH 2 -GCE. A complete MPET removal was observed using MWCNT-GCE after four CV cycles, for a volume/area (V/A) ratio equal to 19. In the case of MWCNT-NH 2 -GCE, the maximum MPET removal was close to 90% for V/A = 37, higher than that obtained for MWCNT-GCE at the same conditions (≈80%). In both cases, no organic by-products were detected.

  18. Controllably annealed CuO-nanoparticle modified ITO electrodes: Characterisation and electrochemical studies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Tong; Su, Wen; Fu, Yingyi; Hu, Jingbo

    2016-12-01

    In this paper, we report a facile and controllable two-step approach to produce indium tin oxide electrodes modified by copper(II) oxide nanoparticles (CuO/ITO) through ion implantation and annealing methods. After annealing treatment, the surface morphology of the CuO/ITO substrate changed remarkably and exhibited highly electroactive sites and a high specific surface area. The effects of annealing treatment on the synthesis of CuO/ITO were discussed based on various instruments' characterisations, and the possible mechanism by which CuO nanoparticles were generated was also proposed in this work. Cyclic voltammetric results indicated that CuO/ITO electrodes exhibited effective catalytic responses toward glucose in alkaline solution. Under optimal experimental conditions, the proposed CuO/ITO electrode showed sensitivity of 450.2 μA cm-2 mM-1 with a linear range of up to ∼4.4 mM and a detection limit of 0.7 μM (S/N = 3). Moreover, CuO/ITO exhibited good poison resistance, reproducibility, and stability properties.

  19. The superconducting state parameters of glassy superconductors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vora, Aditya M.

    2011-11-01

    We present theoretical investigations of the superconducting state parameters (SSPs), i.e. the electron-phonon coupling strength, λ, Coulomb pseudopotential, μ*, transition temperature, Tc, isotope effect exponent, α, and effective interaction strength, N0V, of glassy superconductors by employing Ashcroft's well know empty core model potential for the first time using five screening functions proposed by Hartree (H), Taylor, Ichimaru-Utsumi (IU), Farid et al and Sarkar et al. The Tc obtained from the H and IU screening functions is found to be in excellent agreement with available experimental data. Also, the present results confirm the superconducting phase in bulk metallic glass superconductors. A strong dependency of the SSPs of the glassy superconductors on the 'Z' valence is found.

  20. Peptide Modified ZnO Nanoparticles as Gas Sensors Array for Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)

    PubMed Central

    Mascini, Marcello; Gaggiotti, Sara; Della Pelle, Flavio; Di Natale, Corrado; Qakala, Sinazo; Iwuoha, Emmanuel; Pittia, Paola; Compagnone, Dario

    2018-01-01

    In this work a peptide based gas sensor array based of ZnO nanoparticles (ZnONPs) has been realized. Four different pentapeptides molecularly modeled for alcohols and esters having cysteine as a common spacer have been immobilized onto ZnONPs. ZnONPs have been morphologically and spectroscopically characterized. Modified nanoparticles have been then deposited onto quartz crystal microbalances (QCMs) and used as gas sensors with nitrogen as carrier gas. Analysis of the pure compounds modeled demonstrated a nice fitting of modeling with real data. The peptide based ZnONPs had very low sensitivity to water, compared to previously studied AuNPs peptide based gas sensors allowing the use of the array on samples with high water content. Real samples of fruit juices have been assayed; stability of the signal, good repeatability, and discrimination ability of the array was achieved. PMID:29713626

  1. Peptide Modified ZnO Nanoparticles as Gas Sensors Array for Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs).

    PubMed

    Mascini, Marcello; Gaggiotti, Sara; Della Pelle, Flavio; Di Natale, Corrado; Qakala, Sinazo; Iwuoha, Emmanuel; Pittia, Paola; Compagnone, Dario

    2018-01-01

    In this work a peptide based gas sensor array based of ZnO nanoparticles (ZnONPs) has been realized. Four different pentapeptides molecularly modeled for alcohols and esters having cysteine as a common spacer have been immobilized onto ZnONPs. ZnONPs have been morphologically and spectroscopically characterized. Modified nanoparticles have been then deposited onto quartz crystal microbalances (QCMs) and used as gas sensors with nitrogen as carrier gas. Analysis of the pure compounds modeled demonstrated a nice fitting of modeling with real data. The peptide based ZnONPs had very low sensitivity to water, compared to previously studied AuNPs peptide based gas sensors allowing the use of the array on samples with high water content. Real samples of fruit juices have been assayed; stability of the signal, good repeatability, and discrimination ability of the array was achieved.

  2. Peptide modified ZnO nanoparticles as gas sensors array for volatile organic compounds (VOCs)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mascini, Marcello; Gaggiotti, Sara; Della Pelle, Flavio; Di Natale, Corrado; Qakala, Sinazo; Iwuoha, Emmanuel; Pittia, Paola; Compagnone, Dario

    2018-04-01

    In this work a peptide based gas sensor array based of ZnO nanoparticles (ZnONPs) has been realized. Four different pentapeptides molecularly modelled for alcohols and esters having cysteine as a common spacer have been immobilized onto ZnONPs. ZnONPs have been morphologically and spectroscopically characterized. Modified nanoparticles have been then deposited onto quartz crystal microbalances (QCMs) and used as gas sensors with nitrogen as carrier gas. Analysis of the pure compounds modelled demonstrated a nice fitting of modelling with real data. The peptide based ZnONPs had very low sensitivity to water, compared to previously studied AuNPs peptide based gas sensors allowing the use of the array on samples with high water content. Real samples of fruit juices have been assayed; stability of the signal, good repeatability and discrimination ability of the array was achieved.

  3. Effects of MgO modified β-TCP nanoparticles on the microstructure and properties of β-TCP/Mg-Zn-Zr composites.

    PubMed

    Zheng, H R; Li, Z; You, C; Liu, D B; Chen, M F

    2017-03-01

    The mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of magnesium alloy composites were improved by the addition of MgO surface modified tricalcium phosphate ceramic nanoparticles (m-β-TCP). Mg-3Zn-0.8Zr composites with unmodified (MZZT) and modified (MZZMT) nanoparticles were produced by high shear mixing technology. Effects of MgO m-β-TCP nanoparticles on the microstructure, mechanical properties, electrochemical corrosion properties and cytocompatibility of Mg-Zn-Zr/β-TCP composites were investigated. After hot extrusion deformation and dynamic recrystallization, the grain size of MZZMT was the half size of MZZT and the distribution of m-β-TCP particles in the matrix was more uniform than β-TCP particles. The yield tensile strength (YTS), ultimate tensile strength (UTS), and corrosion potential (Ecorr) of MZZMT were higher than MZZT; the corrosion current density (I corr ) of MZZMT was lower than MZZT. Cell proliferation of co-cultured MZZMT and MZZT composite samples were roughly the same and the cell number at each time point is higher for MZZMT than for MZZT samples.

  4. Block Copolymer as a Surface Modifier to Monodisperse Patchy Silica Nanoparticles for Superhydrophobic Surfaces.

    PubMed

    Lou, Shuo; Wang, Junzheng; Yin, Xiaohong; Qu, Wenxiu; Song, Yuexiao; Xin, Feng; Qaraah, Fahim Abdo Ali

    2018-06-18

    Monodisperse patchy silica nanoparticles (PSNPs) less than 100 nm are prepared based on the seed-regrowth method using a poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)-poly(propylene oxide) (PPO)-PEO-type block copolymer as a surface modifier. Well-defined patches are controllably synthesized through area-selective deposition of silica onto the surface of seeds. After colloidal PSNPs are further modified with trimethylchlorosilane, the advancing and receding contact angles of water for PSNPs are 168 ± 2° and 167 ± 2°, respectively. The superhydrophobic and transparent coatings on the various types of substrates are obtained by a simple drop-casting procedure. Additionally, almost the same superhydrophobicity can be achieved by using colloidal PSNPs via redispersing the powder of superhydrophobic PSNPs in ethanol.

  5. The effects of bacteria-nanoparticles interface on the antibacterial activity of green synthesized silver nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Ahmad, Aftab; Wei, Yun; Syed, Fatima; Tahir, Kamran; Rehman, Aziz Ur; Khan, Arifullah; Ullah, Sadeeq; Yuan, Qipeng

    2017-01-01

    Neutralization of bacterial cell surface potential using nanoscale materials is an effective strategy to alter membrane permeability, cytoplasmic leakage, and ultimate cell death. In the present study, an attempt was made to prepare biogenic silver nanoparticles using biomolecules from the aqueous rhizome extract of Coptis Chinensis. The biosynthesized silver nanoparticles were surface modified with chitosan biopolymer. The prepared silver nanoparticles and chitosan modified silver nanoparticles were cubic crystalline structures (XRD) with an average particle size of 15 and 20 nm respectively (TEM, DLS). The biosynthesized silver nanoparticles were surface stabilized by polyphenolic compounds (FTIR). Coptis Chinensis mediated silver nanoparticles displayed significant activity against E. coli and Bacillus subtilus with a zone of inhibition 12 ± 1.2 (MIC = 25 μg/mL) and 18 ± 1.6 mm (MIC = 12.50 μg/mL) respectively. The bactericidal efficacy of these nanoparticles was considerably increased upon surface modification with chitosan biopolymer. The chitosan modified biogenic silver nanoparticles exhibited promising activity against E. coli (MIC = 6.25 μg/mL) and Bacillus subtilus (MIC = 12.50 μg/mL). Our results indicated that the chitosan modified silver nanoparticles were promising agents in damaging bacterial membrane potential and induction of high level of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). In addition, these nanoparticles were observed to induce the release of the high level of cytoplasmic materials especially protein and nucleic acids into the media. All these findings suggest that the chitosan functionalized silver nanoparticles are efficient agents in disrupting bacterial membrane and induction of ROS leading to cytoplasmic leakage and cell death. These findings further conclude that the bacterial-nanoparticles surface potential modulation is an effective strategy in enhancing the antibacterial potency of silver nanoparticles

  6. Highly active, bi-functional and metal-free B4C-nanoparticle-modified graphite felt electrodes for vanadium redox flow batteries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jiang, H. R.; Shyy, W.; Wu, M. C.; Wei, L.; Zhao, T. S.

    2017-10-01

    The potential of B4C as a metal-free catalyst for vanadium redox reactions is investigated by first-principles calculations. Results show that the central carbon atom of B4C can act as a highly active reaction site for redox reactions, due primarily to the abundant unpaired electrons around it. The catalytic effect is then verified experimentally by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) tests, both of which demonstrate that B4C nanoparticles can enhance the kinetics for both V2+/V3+ and VO2+/VO2+ redox reactions, indicating a bi-functional effect. The B4C-nanoparticle-modified graphite felt electrodes are finally prepared and tested in vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs). It is shown that the batteries with the prepared electrodes exhibit energy efficiencies of 88.9% and 80.0% at the current densities of 80 and 160 mA cm-2, which are 16.6% and 18.8% higher than those with the original graphite felt electrodes. With a further increase in current densities to 240 and 320 mA cm-2, the batteries can still maintain energy efficiencies of 72.0% and 63.8%, respectively. All these results show that the B4C-nanoparticle-modified graphite felt electrode outperforms existing metal-free catalyst modified electrodes, and thus can be promising electrodes for VRFBs.

  7. ELECTROCHEMICAL DETERMINATION OF HYDROGEN SULFIDE AT CARBON NANOTUBE MODIFIED ELECTRODES. (R830900)

    EPA Science Inventory

    Carbon nanotube (CNT) modified glassy carbon electrodes exhibiting a strong and stable electrocatalytic response towards sulfide are described. A substantial (400 mV) decrease in the overvoltage of the sulfide oxidation reaction (compared to ordinary carbon electrodes) is...

  8. Determination of morphological characteristics of metallic nanoparticles based on modified Maxwell-Garnett fitting of optical responses

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Battie, Y., E-mail: yann.battie@univ-lorraine.fr; Resano-Garcia, A.; En Naciri, A.

    2015-10-05

    A modified effective medium theory (MEMT) is introduced to determine morphological characteristics and the volume fraction of colloidal metallic nanoparticles. By analyzing the optical absorption spectra of gold nanoparticles (NPs), this model is used to determine the distribution of prolate and oblate NPs and to demonstrate the presence of spherical NPs. In addition to interband transition, the model takes into account the longitudinal and transversal surface plasmon resonances. The results predicted by the MEMT theory were found to be in very good agreement with the shape distributions obtained by transmission electron microscopy. We found that fitting optical absorption spectra usingmore » MEMT provides a robust tool for measuring the shape and concentration of metallic NPs.« less

  9. Resonance light-scattering spectrometric study of interaction between enzyme and MPA-modified CdTe nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Juan; Li, Minjie; Tang, Jieli; Li, Xiaozhou; Zhang, Hanqi; Zhang, Yihua

    2008-08-01

    This paper described a novel assay of enzyme based on the measurement of enhanced resonance light-scattering (RLS) signals resulting from the electrostatic and coordination interaction of functionalized CdTe nanoparticles with enzyme. The CdTe nanoparticles which were modified with 3-mercaptocarboxylic acid (MPA) have abundant carboxylic groups ( sbnd COOH). So the nanoparticles are water-soluble, stable and biocompatible. At pH 8.3 phosphate buffered saline (PBS), the RLS signals of functionalized nano-CdTe are greatly enhanced by bromelain and papain in the region of 220-800 nm characterized by the peak around 318-314 nm, respectively. The optimization conditions of the reaction were also examined and selected. Under the selected conditions, the enhanced RLS intensity is linearly proportional to the concentration of bromelain and papain. The liner range is (0.09-0.9) × 10 -6 mol/L for bromelain and (0.048-0.702) × 10 -6 mol/L for papain. The influences of some foreign substances were also examined. This method can be applied to the determination of enzyme.

  10. Temperature and frequency response of conductivity in Ag2S doped chalcogenide glassy semiconductor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ojha, Swarupa; Das, Anindya Sundar; Roy, Madhab; Bhattacharya, Sanjib

    2018-06-01

    The electric conductivity of chalcogenide glassy semiconductor xAg2S-(1-x)(0.5S-0.5Te) has been presented here as a function of temperature and frequency. Formation of different nanocrystallites has been confirmed from X-ray diffraction study. It is also noteworthy that average size of nanocrystallites decreases with the increase of dislocation density. Dc conductivity data have been interpreted using Mott's model and Greaves's model in low and high temperature regions respectively. Ac conductivity above the room temperature has been analyzed using Meyer-Neldel (MN) conduction rule. It is interestingly noted that Correlated Barrier Hopping (CBH) model is the most appropriate conduction mechanism for x = 0.35, where pairs of charge carrier are considered to hop over the potential barrier between the sites via thermal activation. To interpret experimental data for x = 0.45, modified non-overlapping small polaron tunnelling (NSPT) model is supposed to be appropriate model due to tunnelling through grain boundary. The conductivity spectra at various temperatures have been analyzed using Almond-West Formalism (power law model). Scaling of conductivity spectra reveals that electrical relaxation process of charge carriers (polaron) is temperature independent but depends upon the composition of the present chalcogenide glassy system.

  11. Multifunctional PEG modified DOX loaded mesoporous silica nanoparticle@CuS nanohybrids as photo-thermal agent and thermal-triggered drug release vehicle for hepatocellular carcinoma treatment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wu, Lingjie; Wu, Ming; Zeng, Yongyi; Zhang, Da; Zheng, Aixian; Liu, Xiaolong; Liu, Jingfeng

    2015-01-01

    The combination of a multi-therapeutic mode with a controlled fashion is a key improvement in nanomedicine. Here, we synthesized polyethylene glycol (PEG)-modified doxorubicin (DOX)-loaded mesoporous silica nanoparticle (MSN) @CuS nanohybrids as efficient drug delivery carriers, combined with photothermal therapy and chemotherapy to enhance the therapeutic efficacy on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The physical properties of the nanohybrids were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), N2 adsorption and desorption experiments and by the Vis-NIR absorption spectra. The results showed that the doxorubicin could be stored in the inner pores of mesoporous silica nanoparticles; the CuS nanoparticles, which are coated on the surface of a mesoporous silica nanoparticle, could serve as efficient photothermal therapy (PTT) agents; the loaded drug release could be easily triggered by NIR irradiation. The combination of the PTT treatment with controlled chemotherapy could further enhance the cancer ablation ability compared to any of the single approaches alone. Hence, the reported PEG-modified DOX-loaded mesoporous silica nanoparticle@CuS nanohybrids might be very promising therapeutic agents for HCC treatment.

  12. Facile hydrothermal preparation of titanium dioxide decorated reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite

    PubMed Central

    Chang, Betty Yea Sze; Huang, Nay Ming; An’amt, Mohd Nor; Marlinda, Abdul Rahman; Norazriena, Yusoff; Muhamad, Muhamad Rasat; Harrison, Ian; Lim, Hong Ngee; Chia, Chin Hua

    2012-01-01

    A simple single-stage approach, based on the hydrothermal technique, has been introduced to synthesize reduced graphene oxide/titanium dioxide nanocomposites. The titanium dioxide nanoparticles are formed at the same time as the graphene oxide is reduced to graphene. The triethanolamine used in the process has two roles. It acts as a reducing agent for the graphene oxide as well as a capping agent, allowing the formation of titanium dioxide nanoparticles with a narrow size distribution (~20 nm). Transmission electron micrographs show that the nanoparticles are uniformly distributed on the reduced graphene oxide nanosheet. Thermogravimetric analysis shows the nanocomposites have an enhanced thermal stability over the original components. The potential applications for this technology were demonstrated by the use of a reduced graphene oxide/titanium dioxide nanocomposite-modified glassy carbon electrode, which enhanced the electrochemical performance compared to a conventional glassy carbon electrode when interacting with mercury(II) ions in potassium chloride electrolyte. PMID:22848166

  13. Determination of mutagenic amines in water and food samples by high pressure liquid chromatography with amperometric detection using a multiwall carbon nanotubes-glassy carbon electrode.

    PubMed

    Bueno, Ana María; Marín, Miguel Ángel; Contento, Ana María; Ríos, Ángel

    2016-02-01

    A chromatographic method, using amperometric detection, for the sensitive determination of six representative mutagenic amines was developed. A glassy carbon electrode (GCE), modified with multiwall carbon nanotubes (GCE-CNTs), was prepared and its response compared to a conventional glassy carbon electrode. The chromatographic method (HPLC-GCE-CNTs) allowed the separation and the determination of heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs) classified as mutagenic amines by the International Agency for Research of Cancer. The new electrode was systematically studied in terms of stability, sensitivity, and reproducibility. Statistical analysis of the obtained data demonstrated that the modified electrode provided better sensitivity than the conventional unmodified ones. Detection limits were in the 3.0 and 7.5 ng/mL range, whereas quantification limits ranged between 9.5 and 25.0 ng/mL were obtained. The applicability of the method was demonstrated by the determination of the amines in several types of samples (water and food samples). Recoveries indicate very good agreement between amounts added and those found for all HAAs (recoveries in the 92% and 105% range). Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Square-wave adsorptive stripping voltammetric determination of nanomolar levels of bezafibrate using a glassy carbon electrode modified with multi-walled carbon nanotubes within a dihexadecyl hydrogen phosphate film.

    PubMed

    Ardila, Jorge Armando; Oliveira, Geiser Gabriel; Medeiros, Roberta Antigo; Fatibello-Filho, Orlando

    2014-04-07

    A highly sensitive method for bezafibrate determination using a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) modified with multi-walled carbon nanotubes within a dihexadecyl hydrogen phosphate film based on square-wave adsorptive stripping voltammetry (SWAdSV) is proposed. The electrochemical behaviour of bezafibrate has been studied by cyclic voltammetry, showing an irreversible anodic peak at a potential of 1.09 V in 0.1 mol L(-1) phosphate buffer solution (pH 2.0). A study of the scan rate showed that the oxidation of bezafibrate is an adsorptive-controlled process, involving the transfer of two electrons and two protons per molecule. The analytical curve was linear over a bezafibrate concentration range from 50 to 910 nmol L(-1), with a detection limit of 16 nmol L(-1). This analytical method was successfully applied for benzafibrate determination in pharmaceutical formulations, with results showing good agreement with those obtained using a comparative spectrophotometric method, and has the potential for field application.

  15. Cadmium removal from water using thiolactic acid-modified titanium dioxide nanoparticles.

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Skubal, L. R.; Meshkov, N. K.; Rajh, T.

    2002-05-31

    This study investigated the use of titanium dioxide (TiO{sub 2}) nanoparticles to remove aqueous cadmium from simulated wastewaters. Nanosized (45 A) colloids of anatase TiO{sub 2} were synthesized through the controlled hydrolysis of TiCl4 and their surfaces modified with the bidental chelating agent thiolactic acid (TLA). Colloids were introduced into 65 ppm cadmium-laden waters, and the suspensions were purged aerobically, anoxically with an inert gas, or by a sequential aerobic/anoxic purge. Suspensions were illuminated with 253.7 nm light. In each experiment, samples were taken from the reactor, filtered, and the filtrates analyzed by atomic absorption spectroscopy for residual cadmium. Resultsmore » from the aerobic experiments exhibited minimal (approximately 10%) removal of the cadmium from solution and no reduction of the metal on either the modified or the unmodified colloid. Anoxic results were more promising, showing no cadmium reduction on the unmodified colloid but a 40% adsorption and reduction (from a +2 valence state to elemental cadmium as determined by methyl viologen tests) of cadmium on TLA-modified colloid in the presence of light. Results from the mixed atmospheric conditions fared the best and demonstrated that in the absence of light, approximately 20% of aqueous cadmium was sorbed to the modified colloid via a Freundlich adsorption isotherm. Upon illumination, greater than 90% of cadmium was removed by both adsorption and reduction processes onto the TLA-modified TiO{sub 2}. These removal and reduction processes were catalytic in nature. Results from this study are significant because to date, no other research in the literature has been able to accomplish cadmium removal and reduction using TiO{sub 2}.« less

  16. Combined use of vancomycin-modified Ag-coated magnetic nanoparticles and secondary enhanced nanoparticles for rapid surface-enhanced Raman scattering detection of bacteria

    PubMed Central

    Pang, Yuanfeng; Xiao, Rui; Wang, Shengqi

    2018-01-01

    Background Pathogenic bacteria have always been a significant threat to human health. The detection of pathogens needs to be rapid, accurate, and convenient. Methods We present a sensitive surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) biosensor based on the combination of vancomycin-modified Ag-coated magnetic nanoparticles (Fe3O4@Ag-Van MNPs) and Au@Ag nanoparticles (NPs) that can effectively capture and discriminate bacterial pathogens from solution. The high-performance Fe3O4@Ag MNPs were modified with vancomycin and used as bacteria capturer for magnetic separation and enrichment. The modified MNPS were found to exhibit strong affinity with a broad range of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. After separating and rinsing bacteria, Fe3O4@Ag-Van MNPs and Au@Ag NPs were synergistically used to construct a very large number of hot spots on bacteria cells, leading to ultrasensitive SERS detection. Results The dominant merits of our dual enhanced strategy included high bacterial-capture efficiency (>65%) within a wide pH range (pH 3.0–11.0), a short assay time (<30 min), and a low detection limit (5×102 cells/mL). Moreover, the spiked tests show that this method is still valid in milk and blood samples. Owing to these capabilities, the combined system enabled the sensitive and specific discrimination of different pathogens in complex solution, as verified by its detection of Gram-positive bacterium Escherichia coli, Gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus, and methicillin-resistant S. aureus. Conclusion This method has great potential for field applications in food safety, environmental monitoring, and infectious disease diagnosis. PMID:29520142

  17. Photo-cured PMMA/PEI core/shell nanoparticles surface-modified with Gd-DTPA for T1 MR imaging.

    PubMed

    Ratanajanchai, Montri; Lee, Don Haeng; Sunintaboon, Panya; Yang, Su-Geun

    2014-02-01

    Herein, we introduced amine-functionalized core-shell nanoparticles (Polymethyl methacrylate/Polyethyleneimine; PMMA/PEI) with surface primary amines (3.15×10(5) groups/particle) and uniform size distribution (150-200nm) that were prepared by one-step photo-induced emulsion polymerization. Further PEI-surface was modified with diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA) and introduced with Gd(III). The modified particles possessing DTPA can entrap a high content of Gd(III) ions of over 5.5×10(4)Gd/particle with stable chelation (no release of free Gd) at least 7h. The Gd-DTPA-conjugated core-shell nanoparticles (PMMA/PEI-DTPA-Gd NPs) enhanced the MRI intensity more than Primovist (a commercial hepatic contrast agent). Moreover, the PMMA/PEI-DTPA-Gd NPs showed non-cytotoxicity up to 250μM in normal liver cells. Thus, in vitro data suggested the PMMA/PEI-DTPA-Gd NPs is promising delivery system as a superior MRI contrast agent, especially for hepatic lesion targeted MR imaging. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Ionic liquid-functionalized carbon nanoparticles-modified cathode for efficiency enhancement in polymer solar cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Xiaohong; Yang, Jiaxiang; Lu, Jiong; Manga, Kiran Kumar; Loh, Kian Ping; Zhu, Furong

    2009-09-01

    The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and {6,6}-phenyl C61-butyric acid methylester (PCBM)-based polymer solar cells was increased using an ionic liquid-functionalized carbon nanoparticles (ILCNs) thin film-modified cathode. The PCE of P3HT:PCBM based-polymer solar cells with a conventional aluminum (Al)-only cathode was increased by 20%-30% when the identical devices were made with an ILCNs-modified Al cathode, but its PCE was 10% lower than that of devices with LiF/Al cathode, measured under AM1.5G illumination of 100 mW/cm2. The ILCN interlayer approach, however, offers practical advantages to LiF in terms of its solution-processability, which is compatible with low cost, large area, and flexible solar cell fabrication.

  19. Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles Decorated Graphene Nanosheets for Selective Detection of Dopamine.

    PubMed

    Nayak, Pranati; Santhosh, P N; Ramaprabhu, S

    2015-07-01

    The fabrication of a novel amperometric biosensor based on selective determination of dopamine (DA) using nafion coated cerium oxide nanoparticles (NPs) decorated graphene nanosheets (CeO2-HEG-nafion) as a transducer candidate is reported. Graphene was synthesized by hydrogen exfoliation technique. Decoration of CeO2NPs over graphene nanosheets was done by chemical reduction method. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) study shows the enhanced electron transfer kinetics of the composite compared to HEG modified and bare glassy carbon electrode (GCE). The response of the composite towards dopamine displays a lower oxidation potential of 0.23 V and a high oxidation current. The sensor exhibits linearity from 10 µM to 780 µM with a detection limit of 1 µM. In the presence of nafion, it shows excellent selectivity for coexisting interference species like Ascorbic acid (AA) and Uric acid (UA). The excellent performance of the biosensor can be attributed to large active surface area, enhanced electron transfer kinetics and high catalytic activity of the composite.

  20. Elucidation of stabilizing oil-in-water Pickering emulsion with different modified maize starch-based nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Ye, Fan; Miao, Ming; Jiang, Bo; Campanella, Osvaldo H; Jin, Zhengyu; Zhang, Tao

    2017-08-15

    The aim of present study was to study the medium-chain triacylglycerol-in-water (O/W) Pickering emulsion stabilized using different modified starch-based nanoparticles (octenylsuccinylation treated soluble starch nanoparticle, OSA-SSNP, and insoluble starch nanoparticle, ISNP). The major factors for affecting the system stability, rheological behaviour and microstructure of the emulsions were also investigated. The parameters of the O/W emulsions stabilized by OSA-SSNP or ISNP were selected as follows: 3.0% of starch nanoparticles concentration, 50% of MCT fraction and 7.0 of system pH. The rheological properties indicated that both emulsions displayed shear-thinning behaviour as a non-Newtonian fluid. For OSA-SSNP, the viscosities of the emulsion were higher than those of ISNP throughout shear rate range for the same condition. The plot of droplet size distribution for emulsion stabilized OSA-SSNP appeared as a single narrow peak, whereas a broader droplet size distribution with bimodal pattern was observed for emulsion stabilized ISNP. The microscopy results showed that both OSA-SSNP and ISNP were adsorbed at oil-water interface to form a barrier film and retard the phase separation. When emulsion was stored for 30d, no phase separation was detected for O/W emulsion, revealing high stability of emulsion stabilized by both OSA-SSNP and ISNP. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Surface-modified multifunctional MIP nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Moczko, Ewa; Poma, Alessandro; Guerreiro, Antonio; Perez de Vargas Sansalvador, Isabel; Caygill, Sarah; Canfarotta, Francesco; Whitcombe, Michael J.; Piletsky, Sergey

    2013-04-01

    The synthesis of core-shell molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles (MIP NPs) has been performed using a novel solid-phase approach on immobilised templates. The same solid phase also acts as a protective functionality for high affinity binding sites during subsequent derivatisation/shell formation. This procedure allows for the rapid synthesis, controlled separation and purification of high-affinity materials, with each production cycle taking just 2 hours. The aim of this approach is to synthesise uniformly sized imprinted materials at the nanoscale which can be readily grafted with various polymers without affecting their affinity and specificity. For demonstration purposes we grafted anti-melamine MIP NPs with coatings which introduce the following surface characteristics: high polarity (PEG methacrylate); electro-activity (vinylferrocene); fluorescence (eosin acrylate); thiol groups (pentaerythritol tetrakis(3-mercaptopropionate)). The method has broad applicability and can be used to produce multifunctional imprinted nanoparticles with potential for further application in the biosensors, diagnostics and biomedical fields and as an alternative to natural receptors.The synthesis of core-shell molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles (MIP NPs) has been performed using a novel solid-phase approach on immobilised templates. The same solid phase also acts as a protective functionality for high affinity binding sites during subsequent derivatisation/shell formation. This procedure allows for the rapid synthesis, controlled separation and purification of high-affinity materials, with each production cycle taking just 2 hours. The aim of this approach is to synthesise uniformly sized imprinted materials at the nanoscale which can be readily grafted with various polymers without affecting their affinity and specificity. For demonstration purposes we grafted anti-melamine MIP NPs with coatings which introduce the following surface characteristics: high polarity

  2. Optimization of caseinate-coated simvastatin-zein nanoparticles: improved bioavailability and modified release characteristics.

    PubMed

    Ahmed, Osama A A; Hosny, Khaled M; Al-Sawahli, Majid M; Fahmy, Usama A

    2015-01-01

    The current study focuses on utilization of the natural biocompatible polymer zein to formulate simvastatin (SMV) nanoparticles coated with caseinate, to improve solubility and hence bioavailability, and in addition, to modify SMV-release characteristics. This formulation can be utilized for oral or possible depot parenteral applications. Fifteen formulations were prepared by liquid-liquid phase separation method, according to the Box-Behnken design, to optimize formulation variables. Sodium caseinate was used as an electrosteric stabilizer. The factors studied were: percentage of SMV in the SMV-zein mixture (X1), ethanol concentration (X2), and caseinate concentration (X3). The selected dependent variables were mean particle size (Y1), SMV encapsulation efficiency (Y2), and cumulative percentage of drug permeated after 1 hour (Y3). The diffusion of SMV from the prepared nanoparticles specified by the design was carried out using an automated Franz diffusion cell apparatus. The optimized SMV-zein formula was investigated for in vivo pharmacokinetic parameters compared with an oral SMV suspension. The optimized nanosized SMV-zein formula showed a 131 nm mean particle size and 89% encapsulation efficiency. In vitro permeation studies displayed delayed permeation characteristics, with about 42% and 85% of SMV cumulative amount released after 12 and 48 hours, respectively. Bioavailability estimation in rats revealed an augmentation in SMV bioavailability from the optimized SMV-zein formulation, by fourfold relative to SMV suspension. Formulation of caseinate-coated SMV-zein nanoparticles improves the pharmacokinetic profile and bioavailability of SMV. Accordingly, improved hypolipidemic activities for longer duration could be achieved. In addition, the reduced dosage rate of SMV-zein nanoparticles improves patient tolerability and compliance.

  3. Optimization of caseinate-coated simvastatin-zein nanoparticles: improved bioavailability and modified release characteristics

    PubMed Central

    Ahmed, Osama AA; Hosny, Khaled M; Al-Sawahli, Majid M; Fahmy, Usama A

    2015-01-01

    The current study focuses on utilization of the natural biocompatible polymer zein to formulate simvastatin (SMV) nanoparticles coated with caseinate, to improve solubility and hence bioavailability, and in addition, to modify SMV-release characteristics. This formulation can be utilized for oral or possible depot parenteral applications. Fifteen formulations were prepared by liquid–liquid phase separation method, according to the Box–Behnken design, to optimize formulation variables. Sodium caseinate was used as an electrosteric stabilizer. The factors studied were: percentage of SMV in the SMV-zein mixture (X1), ethanol concentration (X2), and caseinate concentration (X3). The selected dependent variables were mean particle size (Y1), SMV encapsulation efficiency (Y2), and cumulative percentage of drug permeated after 1 hour (Y3). The diffusion of SMV from the prepared nanoparticles specified by the design was carried out using an automated Franz diffusion cell apparatus. The optimized SMV-zein formula was investigated for in vivo pharmacokinetic parameters compared with an oral SMV suspension. The optimized nanosized SMV-zein formula showed a 131 nm mean particle size and 89% encapsulation efficiency. In vitro permeation studies displayed delayed permeation characteristics, with about 42% and 85% of SMV cumulative amount released after 12 and 48 hours, respectively. Bioavailability estimation in rats revealed an augmentation in SMV bioavailability from the optimized SMV-zein formulation, by fourfold relative to SMV suspension. Formulation of caseinate-coated SMV-zein nanoparticles improves the pharmacokinetic profile and bioavailability of SMV. Accordingly, improved hypolipidemic activities for longer duration could be achieved. In addition, the reduced dosage rate of SMV-zein nanoparticles improves patient tolerability and compliance. PMID:25670883

  4. Reflectometric measurement of n-hexane adsorption on ZnO2 nanohybrid film modified by hydrophobic gold nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sebők, Dániel; Csapó, Edit; Ábrahám, Nóra; Dékány, Imre

    2015-04-01

    Zinc-peroxide/poly(styrenesulfonate) nanohybrid thin films (containing 20 bilayers: [ZnO2/PSS]20, d ∼ 500 nm) were prepared using layer-by-layer (LbL) method. The thin film surface was functionalized by different surface modifying agents (silanes, alkylthiols and hydrophobized nanoparticles). Based on the experimental results of quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) and contact angle measurements (as prequalifications) the octanethiol covered gold nanoparticles (OT-AuNPs) were selected for further vapour adsorption studies. Reflectometric interference spectroscopy (RIfS) was used to measure n-hexane vapour adsorption on the original and modified nanohybrid films in a gas flow platform. The thin film provides only the principle of the measurement (by interference phenomenon), the selectivity and hydrophobicity is controlled and enhanced by surface functionalization (by dispersion interaction between the alkyl chains). The interference pattern shift (Δλ) caused by the increase of the optical thickness of the thin film due to vapour adsorption was investigated. It was found that due to the surface functionalization by hydrophobic nanoparticles the effect of water vapour adsorption decreased significantly, while for n-hexane opposite tendency was observed (the effective refractive index and thus the interference pattern shift increased drastically). The correlation between QCM technique and optical method (RIfS) was specified: linear specific adsorbed amount vs. wavelength shift calibration curves were determined in the pr = 0-0.4 relative vapour pressure range. The thin film is suitable for sensorial application (e.g. volatile organic compound/VOC sensor).

  5. Biomedical Properties Study of Modified Chitosan Nanoparticles for Drug Delivery Systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Saboktakin, Mohammad Reza

    2013-09-01

    The purpose of this review is to discuss and summarize some of the interesting findings and applications of modified chitosan (MCS) and their derivatives in different areas of drug delivery. This review highlights the important applications of MCS in the design of various novel delivery systems like liposomes, microspheres, microcapsules, and nanoparticles. In addition to their well-known effects on drug solubility and dissolution, bioavailability, safety, and stability, their uses as recipients in drug formulation are also discussed. This review also focuses on various factors influencing inclusion complex formation because an understanding of the same is necessary for proper handling of these versatile materials. Some important considerations in selecting MCS in drug formulation such as their commercial availability, regulatory status, and patent status are also summarized.

  6. Glassy nature and glass-to-crystal transition in the binary metallic glass CuZr

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wei, Zi-Yang; Shang, Cheng; Zhang, Xiao-Jie; Liu, Zhi-Pan

    2017-06-01

    The prediction for the stability of glassy material is a key challenge in physical science. Here, we report a theoretical framework to predict the glass stability based on stochastic surface walking global optimization and reaction pathway sampling. This is demonstrated by revealing for the first time the global potential energy surface (PES) of two systems, CuZr binary metallic glass and nonglassy pure Cu systems, and establishing the lowest energy pathways linking glassy/amorphous structures with crystalline structures. The CuZr system has a significant number of glassy structures on PES that are ˜0.045 eV /atom above the crystal structure. Two clear trends are identified from global PES in the glass-to-crystal transition of the CuZr system: (i) the local Zr-Cu coordination (nearest neighbor) increases, and (ii) the local Zr bonding environment becomes homogeneous. This allows us to introduce quantitative structural and energetics conditions to distinguish the glassy structures from the crystalline structures. Because of the local Zr-Cu exchange in the glass-to-crystal transition, a high reaction barrier (>0.048 eV /atom ) is present to separate the glassy structures and the crystals in CuZr. By contrast, the Cu system, although it does possess amorphous structures that appear at much higher energy (˜0.075 eV /atom ) with respect to the crystal structure, has very low reaction barriers for the crystallization of amorphous structures, i.e. <0.011 eV /atom . The quantitative data on PES now available from global optimization techniques deepens our understanding on the microscopic nature of glassy material and might eventually facilitate the design of stable glassy materials.

  7. Predicting Cell Association of Surface-Modified Nanoparticles Using Protein Corona Structure - Activity Relationships (PCSAR).

    PubMed

    Kamath, Padmaja; Fernandez, Alberto; Giralt, Francesc; Rallo, Robert

    2015-01-01

    Nanoparticles are likely to interact in real-case application scenarios with mixtures of proteins and biomolecules that will absorb onto their surface forming the so-called protein corona. Information related to the composition of the protein corona and net cell association was collected from literature for a library of surface-modified gold and silver nanoparticles. For each protein in the corona, sequence information was extracted and used to calculate physicochemical properties and statistical descriptors. Data cleaning and preprocessing techniques including statistical analysis and feature selection methods were applied to remove highly correlated, redundant and non-significant features. A weighting technique was applied to construct specific signatures that represent the corona composition for each nanoparticle. Using this basic set of protein descriptors, a new Protein Corona Structure-Activity Relationship (PCSAR) that relates net cell association with the physicochemical descriptors of the proteins that form the corona was developed and validated. The features that resulted from the feature selection were in line with already published literature, and the computational model constructed on these features had a good accuracy (R(2)LOO=0.76 and R(2)LMO(25%)=0.72) and stability, with the advantage that the fingerprints based on physicochemical descriptors were independent of the specific proteins that form the corona.

  8. Impact of protein modification on the protein corona on nanoparticles and nanoparticle-cell interactions.

    PubMed

    Treuel, Lennart; Brandholt, Stefan; Maffre, Pauline; Wiegele, Sarah; Shang, Li; Nienhaus, G Ulrich

    2014-01-28

    Recent studies have firmly established that cellular uptake of nanoparticles is strongly affected by the presence and the physicochemical properties of a protein adsorption layer around these nanoparticles. Here, we have modified human serum albumin (HSA), a serum protein often used in model studies of protein adsorption onto nanoparticles, to alter its surface charge distribution and investigated the consequences for protein corona formation around small (radius ∼5 nm), dihydrolipoic acid-coated quantum dots (DHLA-QDs) by using fluorescence correlation spectroscopy. HSA modified by succinic anhydride (HSAsuc) to generate additional carboxyl groups on the protein surface showed a 3-fold decreased binding affinity toward the nanoparticles. A 1000-fold enhanced affinity was observed for HSA modified by ethylenediamine (HSAam) to increase the number of amino functions on the protein surface. Remarkably, HSAsuc formed a much thicker protein adsorption layer (8.1 nm) than native HSA (3.3 nm), indicating that it binds in a distinctly different orientation on the nanoparticle, whereas the HSAam corona (4.6 nm) is only slightly thicker. Notably, protein binding to DHLA-QDs was found to be entirely reversible, independent of the modification. We have also measured the extent and kinetics of internalization of these nanoparticles without and with adsorbed native and modified HSA by HeLa cells. Pronounced variations were observed, indicating that even small physicochemical changes of the protein corona may affect biological responses.

  9. Antibody modified gold nanoparticles for fast and selective, colorimetric T7 bacteriophage detection.

    PubMed

    Lesniewski, Adam; Los, Marcin; Jonsson-Niedziółka, Martin; Krajewska, Anna; Szot, Katarzyna; Los, Joanna M; Niedziolka-Jonsson, Joanna

    2014-04-16

    Herein, we report a colorimetric immunosensor for T7 bacteriophage based on gold nanoparticles modified with covalently bonded anti-T7 antibodies. The new immunosensor allows for a fast, simple, and selective detection of T7 virus. T7 virions form immunological complexes with the antibody modified gold nanoparticles which causes them to aggregate. The aggregation can be observed with the naked eye as a color change from red to purple, as well as with a UV-vis spectrophotometer. The aggregate formation was confirmed with SEM imaging. Sensor selectivity against the M13 bacteriophage was demonstrated. The limit of detection (LOD) is 1.08 × 10(10) PFU/mL (18 pM) T7. The new method was compared with a traditional plaque test. In contrast to biological tests the colorimetric method allows for detection of all T7 phages, not only those biologically active. This includes phage ghosts and fragments of virions. T7 virus has been chosen as a model organism for adenoviruses. The described method has several advantages over the traditional ones. It is much faster than a standard plaque test. It is more robust since no bacteria-virus interactions are utilized in the detection process. Since antibodies are available for a large variety of pathogenic viruses, the described concept is very flexible and can be adapted to detect many different viruses, not only bacteriophages. Contrary to the classical immunoassays, it is a one-step detection method, and no additional amplification, e.g., enzymatic, is needed to read the result.

  10. Chitosan nanoparticles and their Tween 80 modified counterparts disrupt the developmental profile of zebrafish embryos.

    PubMed

    Yuan, Zhongyue; Li, Ying; Hu, Yulan; You, Jian; Higashisaka, Kazuma; Nagano, Kazuya; Tsutsumi, Yasuo; Gao, Jianqing

    2016-12-30

    Chitosan nanoparticles (CS-NPs) and their Tween 80 modified counterparts (TmCS-NPs) are among the most commonly used brain-targeted vehicles. However, their potential developmental toxicity is poorly understood. In this study, zebrafish embryos are introduced as an in vivo platform. Both NPs showed a dose-dependent increase in developmental toxicity (decreased hatching rate, increased mortality and incidences of malformation). Neurobehavioral changes included decreased spontaneous movement in TmCS-NP treated embryos and hyperactive effect in CS-NP treated larvae. Both NPs remarkably inhibited axonal development of primary and secondary motor neurons, and affected the muscle structure. Overall, this study demonstrated that CS-NPs and TmCS-NPs could affect embryonic development, disrupt neurobehavior of zebrafish larvae and affect muscle and neuron development, suggesting more attention on biodegradable chitosan nanoparticles. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Magnetic state and phase composition of carbon-encapsulated Co@C nanoparticles according to 59Co, 13C NMR data and Raman spectroscopy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mikhalev, K. N.; Germov, A. Yu; Uimin, M. A.; Yermakov, A. E.; Konev, A. S.; Novikov, S. I.; Gaviko, V. S.; Ponosov, Yu S.

    2018-05-01

    59Co, 13C NMR spectra, magnetization and Raman spectra of Co@C nanoparticles encapsulated in carbon have been analyzed. It has been shown that the cores of the nanoparticles consist of metallic cobalt with FCC structure and perhaps the carbide of cobalt Co3C. Carbon shell have been characterized as a highly defective structure similar to amorphous or glassy-like carbon, however, it may include a small amount of the carbon nanotubes.

  12. Free-Volume Nanostructurization in Ga-Modified As2Se3 Glass.

    PubMed

    Shpotyuk, Ya; Ingram, A; Shpotyuk, O; Dziedzic, A; Boussard-Pledel, C; Bureau, B

    2016-12-01

    Different stages of intrinsic nanostructurization related to evolution of free-volume voids, including phase separation, crystalline nuclei precipitation, and growth, were studied in glassy As2Se3 doped with Ga up to 5 at. %, using complementary techniques of positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray analysis. Positron lifetime spectra reconstructed in terms of a two-state trapping model testified in favor of a native void structure of g-As2Se3 modified by Ga additions. Under small Ga content (below 3 at. %), the positron trapping in glassy alloys was dominated by voids associated with bond-free solid angles of bridging As2Se4/2 units. This void agglomeration trend was changed on fragmentation with further Ga doping due to crystalline Ga2Se3 nuclei precipitation and growth, these changes being activated by employing free volume from just attached As-rich glassy matrix with higher content of As2Se4/2 clusters. Respectively, the positron trapping on free-volume voids related to pyramidal AsSe3/2 units (like in parent As2Se3 glass) was in obvious preference in such glassy crystalline alloys.

  13. Single Nanoparticle Translocation Through Chemically Modified Solid Nanopore

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tan, Shengwei; Wang, Lei; Liu, Hang; Wu, Hongwen; Liu, Quanjun

    2016-02-01

    The nanopore sensor as a high-throughput and low-cost technology can detect single nanoparticle in solution. In the present study, the silicon nitride nanopores were fabricated by focused Ga ion beam (FIB), and the surface was functionalized with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane to change its surface charge density. The positively charged nanopore surface attracted negatively charged nanoparticles when they were in the vicinity of the nanopore. And, nanoparticle translocation speed was slowed down to obtain a clear and deterministic signal. Compared with previous studied small nanoparticles, the electrophoretic translocation of negatively charged polystyrene (PS) nanoparticles (diameter ~100 nm) was investigated in solution using the Coulter counter principle in which the time-dependent nanopore current was recorded as the nanoparticles were driven across the nanopore. A linear dependence was found between current drop and biased voltage. An exponentially decaying function ( t d ~ e -v/v0 ) was found between the duration time and biased voltage. The interaction between the amine-functionalized nanopore wall and PS microspheres was discussed while translating PS microspheres. We explored also translocations of PS microspheres through amine-functionalized solid-state nanopores by varying the solution pH (5.4, 7.0, and 10.0) with 0.02 M potassium chloride (KCl). Surface functionalization showed to provide a useful step to fine-tune the surface property, which can selectively transport molecules or particles. This approach is likely to be applied to gene sequencing.

  14. Cell-Penetrating Peptide-Modified Gold Nanoparticles for the Delivery of Doxorubicin to Brain Metastatic Breast Cancer.

    PubMed

    Morshed, Ramin A; Muroski, Megan E; Dai, Qing; Wegscheid, Michelle L; Auffinger, Brenda; Yu, Dou; Han, Yu; Zhang, Lingjiao; Wu, Meijing; Cheng, Yu; Lesniak, Maciej S

    2016-06-06

    As therapies continue to increase the lifespan of patients with breast cancer, the incidence of brain metastases has steadily increased, affecting a significant number of patients with metastatic disease. However, a major barrier toward treating these lesions is the inability of therapeutics to penetrate into the central nervous system and accumulate within intracranial tumor sites. In this study, we designed a cell-penetrating gold nanoparticle platform to increase drug delivery to brain metastatic breast cancer cells. TAT peptide-modified gold nanoparticles carrying doxorubicin led to improved cytotoxicity toward two brain metastatic breast cancer cell lines with a decrease in the IC50 of at least 80% compared to free drug. Intravenous administration of these particles led to extensive accumulation of particles throughout diffuse intracranial metastatic microsatellites with cleaved caspase-3 activity corresponding to tumor foci. Furthermore, intratumoral administration of these particles improved survival in an intracranial MDA-MB-231-Br xenograft mouse model. Our results demonstrate the promising application of gold nanoparticles for improving drug delivery in the context of brain metastatic breast cancer.

  15. Surface-modified multifunctional MIP nanoparticles

    PubMed Central

    Moczko, Ewa; Poma, Alessandro; Guerreiro, Antonio; de Vargas Sansalvador, Isabel Perez; Caygill, Sarah; Canfarotta, Francesco; Whitcombe, Michael J.; Piletsky, Sergey

    2015-01-01

    The synthesis of core-shell molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles (MIP NPs) has been performed using a novel solid-phase approach on immobilised templates. The same solid phase also acts as protective functionality for high affinity binding sites during subsequent derivatisation/shell formation. This procedure allows for the rapid synthesis, controlled separation and purification of high-affinity materials, with each production cycle taking just 2 hours. The aim of this approach is to synthesise uniformly-sized imprinted materials at the nanoscale which can be readily grafted with various polymers without affecting their affinity and specificity. For demonstration purposes we grafted anti-melamine MIP NPs with coatings which introduce the following surface characteristics: high polarity (PEG methacrylate); electro-activity (vinyl ferrocene); fluorescence (eosin acrylate); thiol groups (pentaerythritol tetrakis(3-mercaptopropionate)). The method has broad applicability and can be used to produce multifunctional imprinted nanoparticles with potential for further application in the biosensors, diagnostics and biomedical fields and as an alternative to natural receptors. PMID:23503559

  16. Surface-modified multifunctional MIP nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Moczko, Ewa; Poma, Alessandro; Guerreiro, Antonio; Perez de Vargas Sansalvador, Isabel; Caygill, Sarah; Canfarotta, Francesco; Whitcombe, Michael J; Piletsky, Sergey

    2013-05-07

    The synthesis of core-shell molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles (MIP NPs) has been performed using a novel solid-phase approach on immobilised templates. The same solid phase also acts as a protective functionality for high affinity binding sites during subsequent derivatisation/shell formation. This procedure allows for the rapid synthesis, controlled separation and purification of high-affinity materials, with each production cycle taking just 2 hours. The aim of this approach is to synthesise uniformly sized imprinted materials at the nanoscale which can be readily grafted with various polymers without affecting their affinity and specificity. For demonstration purposes we grafted anti-melamine MIP NPs with coatings which introduce the following surface characteristics: high polarity (PEG methacrylate); electro-activity (vinylferrocene); fluorescence (eosin acrylate); thiol groups (pentaerythritol tetrakis(3-mercaptopropionate)). The method has broad applicability and can be used to produce multifunctional imprinted nanoparticles with potential for further application in the biosensors, diagnostics and biomedical fields and as an alternative to natural receptors.

  17. Silver Nanoparticle Modified Electrode Covered by Graphene Oxide for the Enhanced Electrochemical Detection of Dopamine

    PubMed Central

    Shin, Jae-Wook; Kim, Kyeong-Jun; Yoon, Jinho; Jo, Jinhee; El-Said, Waleed Ahmed; Choi, Jeong-Woo

    2017-01-01

    Several neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease have become a serious impediment to aging people nowadays. One of the efficient methods used to monitor these neurological disorders is the detection of neurotransmitters such as dopamine. Metal materials, such as gold and platinum, are widely used in this electrochemical detection method; however, low sensitivity and linearity at low dopamine concentrations limit the use of these materials. To overcome these limitations, a silver nanoparticle (SNP) modified electrode covered by graphene oxide for the detection of dopamine was newly developed in this study. For the first time, the surface of an indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode was modified using SNPs and graphene oxide sequentially through the electrochemical deposition method. The developed biosensor provided electrochemical signal enhancement at low dopamine concentrations in comparison with previous biosensors. Therefore, our newly developed SNP modified electrode covered by graphene oxide can be used to monitor neurological diseases through electrochemical signal enhancement at low dopamine concentrations. PMID:29186040

  18. Silver Nanoparticle Modified Electrode Covered by Graphene Oxide for the Enhanced Electrochemical Detection of Dopamine.

    PubMed

    Shin, Jae-Wook; Kim, Kyeong-Jun; Yoon, Jinho; Jo, Jinhee; El-Said, Waleed Ahmed; Choi, Jeong-Woo

    2017-11-29

    Several neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease have become a serious impediment to aging people nowadays. One of the efficient methods used to monitor these neurological disorders is the detection of neurotransmitters such as dopamine. Metal materials, such as gold and platinum, are widely used in this electrochemical detection method; however, low sensitivity and linearity at low dopamine concentrations limit the use of these materials. To overcome these limitations, a silver nanoparticle (SNP) modified electrode covered by graphene oxide for the detection of dopamine was newly developed in this study. For the first time, the surface of an indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode was modified using SNPs and graphene oxide sequentially through the electrochemical deposition method. The developed biosensor provided electrochemical signal enhancement at low dopamine concentrations in comparison with previous biosensors. Therefore, our newly developed SNP modified electrode covered by graphene oxide can be used to monitor neurological diseases through electrochemical signal enhancement at low dopamine concentrations.

  19. Silicon-tin oxynitride glassy composition and use as anode for lithium-ion battery

    DOEpatents

    Neudecker, Bernd J.; Bates, John B.

    2001-01-01

    Disclosed are silicon-tin oxynitride glassy compositions which are especially useful in the construction of anode material for thin-film electrochemical devices including rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, electrochromic mirrors, electrochromic windows, and actuators. Additional applications of silicon-tin oxynitride glassy compositions include optical fibers and optical waveguides.

  20. Phytic acid/graphene oxide nanocomposites modified electrode for electrochemical sensing of dopamine.

    PubMed

    Wang, Donglei; Xu, Fei; Hu, Jiajie; Lin, Meng

    2017-02-01

    An electrochemical sensor for determining dopamine was developed by modifying phytic acid/graphene oxide (PA/GO) nanocomposites onto a glassy carbon electrode (GCE). PA functionalized GO was prepared by an ultra-sonication method. Subsequently, the PA/GO nanocomposites were drop-casted on a glassy carbon substrate. The structural feature of the PA/GO modified GCE was confirmed by attenuated total reflection infrared (ATR-IR) spectroscopy. The proposed electrochemical sensor was applied to detect various concentrations of DA by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). The PA/GO/GCE was considered to be highly sensitive to DA in the range of 0.05-10μM. In addition, the PA/GO/GCE demonstrated high electrochemical selectivity toward DA in the presence of ascorbic acid (AA) and uric acid (UA). The prepared electrochemical DA sensor was applied for detection of DA in dopamine hydrochloride injection and spiked samples of human urine with satisfactory results. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Dye-doped silica-based nanoparticles for bioapplications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nhung Tran, Hong; Nghiem, Thi Ha Lien; Thuy Duong Vu, Thi; Tan Pham, Minh; Van Nguyen, Thi; Trang Tran, Thu; Chu, Viet Ha; Thuan Tong, Kim; Thuy Tran, Thanh; Le, Thi Thanh Xuan; Brochon, Jean-Claude; Quy Nguyen, Thi; Nhung Hoang, My; Nguyen Duong, Cao; Thuy Nguyen, Thi; Hoang, Anh Tuan; Hoa Nguyen, Phuong

    2013-12-01

    This paper presents our recent research results on synthesis and bioapplications of dye-doped silica-based nanoparticles. The dye-doped water soluble organically modified silicate (ORMOSIL) nanoparticles (NPs) with the size of 15-100 nm were synthesized by modified Stöber method from methyltriethoxysilane CH3Si(OCH3)3 precursor (MTEOS). Because thousands of fluorescent dye molecules are encapsulated in the silica-based matrix, the dye-doped nanoparticles are extremely bright and photostable. Their surfaces were modified with bovine serum albumin (BSA) and biocompatible chemical reagents. The highly intensive luminescent nanoparticles were combined with specific bacterial and breast cancer antigen antibodies. The antibody-conjugated nanoparticles can identify a variety of bacterium, such as Escherichia coli O157:H7, through antibody-antigen interaction and recognition. A highly sensitive breast cancer cell detection has been achieved with the anti-HER2 monoclonal antibody-nanoparticles complex. These results demonstrate the potential to apply these fluorescent nanoparticles in various biodetection systems.

  2. Delivery of phytochemical thymoquinone using molecular micelle modified poly(D, L lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ganea, Gabriela M.; Fakayode, Sayo O.; Losso, Jack N.; van Nostrum, Cornelus F.; Sabliov, Cristina M.; Warner, Isiah M.

    2010-07-01

    Continuous efforts have been made in the development of potent benzoquinone-based anticancer drugs aiming for improved water solubility and reduced adverse reactions. Thymoquinone is a liposoluble benzoquinone-based phytochemical that has been shown to have remarkable antioxidant and anticancer activities. In the study reported here, thymoquinone-loaded PLGA nanoparticles were synthesized and evaluated for physico-chemical, antioxidant and anticancer properties. The nanoparticles were synthesized by an emulsion solvent evaporation method using anionic molecular micelles as emulsifiers. The system was optimized for maximum entrapment efficiency using a Box-Behnken experimental design. Optimum conditions were found for 100 mg PLGA, 15 mg TQ and 0.5% w/v poly(sodium N-undecylenyl-glycinate) (poly-SUG). In addition, other structurally related molecular micelles such as poly(sodium N-heptenyl-glycinate) (poly-SHG), poly(sodium N-undecylenyl-leucinate) (poly-SUL), and poly(sodium N-undecylenyl-valinate) (poly-SUV) were also examined as emulsifiers. All investigated molecular micelles provided excellent emulsifier properties, leading to maximum optimized TQ entrapment efficiency, and monodispersed particle sizes below 200 nm. The release of TQ from molecular micelle modified nanoparticles was investigated by dialysis and reached lower levels than the free drug. The antioxidant activity of TQ-loaded nanoparticles, indicated by IC50 (mg ml - 1 TQ for 50% 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activity), was highest for poly-SUV emulsified nanoparticles (0.030 ± 0.002 mg ml - 1) as compared to free TQ. In addition, it was observed that TQ-loaded nanoparticles emulsified with poly-SUV were more effective than free TQ against MDA-MB-231 cancer cell growth inhibition, presenting a cell viability of 16.0 ± 5.6% after 96 h.

  3. Interaction of PLGA and trimethyl chitosan modified PLGA nanoparticles with mixed anionic/zwitterionic phospholipid bilayers studied using molecular dynamics simulations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Novak, Brian; Astete, Carlos; Sabliov, Cristina; Moldovan, Dorel

    2012-02-01

    Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) is a biodegradable polymer. Nanoparticles of PLGA are commonly used for drug delivery applications. The interaction of the nanoparticles with the cell membrane may influence the rate of their uptake by cells. Both PLGA and cell membranes are negatively charged, so adding positively charged polymers such as trimethyl chitosan (TMC) which adheres to the PLGA particles improves their cellular uptake. The interaction of 3 nm PLGA and TMC-modified-PLGA nanoparticles with lipid bilayers composed of mixtures of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylserine lipids was studied using molecular dynamics simulations. The free energy profiles as function of nanoparticles position along the normal direction to the bilayers were calculated, the distribution of phosphatidylserine lipids as a function of distance of the particle from the bilayer was calculated, and the time scale for particle motion in the directions parallel to the bilayer surface was estimated.

  4. Mild in situ growth of platinum nanoparticles on multiwalled carbon nanotube-poly (vinyl alcohol) hydrogel electrode for glucose electrochemical oxidation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Shumin; Zheng, Yudong; Qiao, Kun; Su, Lei; Sanghera, Amendeep; Song, Wenhui; Yue, Lina; Sun, Yi

    2015-12-01

    This investigation describes an effective strategy to fabricate an electrochemically active hybrid hydrogel made from platinum nanoparticles that are highly dense, uniformly dispersed, and tightly embedded throughout the conducting hydrogel network for the electrochemical oxidation of glucose. A suspension of multiwalled carbon nanotubes and polyvinyl alcohol aqueous was coated on glassy carbon electrode by electrophoretic deposition and then physically crosslinked to form a three-dimensional porous conductive hydrogel network by a process of freezing and thawing. The network offered 3D interconnected mass-transport channels (around 200 nm) and confined nanotemplates for in situ growth of uniform platinum nanoparticles via the moderate reduction agent, ascorbic acid. The resulting hybrid hydrogel electrode membrane demonstrates an effective method for loading platinum nanoparticles on multiwalled carbon nanotubes by the electrostatic adsorption between multiwalled carbon nanotubes and platinum ions within porous hydrogel network. The average diameter of platinum nanoparticles is 37 ± 14 nm, which is less than the particle size by only using the moderate reduction agent. The hybrid hydrogel electrode membrane-coated glassy carbon electrode showed excellent electrocatalytic activity and good long-term stability toward glucose electrochemical oxidation. The glucose oxidation current exhibited a linear relationship with the concentration of glucose in the presence of chloride ions, promising for potential applications of implantable biofuel cells, biosensors, and electronic devices.

  5. Design of a new nanocomposite between bismuth nanoparticles and graphene oxide for development of electrochemical sensors.

    PubMed

    Bindewald, Eduardo H; Schibelbain, Arthur F; Papi, Maurício A P; Neiva, Eduardo G C; Zarbin, Aldo J G; Bergamini, Márcio F; Marcolino-Júnior, Luiz H

    2017-10-01

    This study describes a new route for preparation of a nanocomposite between graphene oxide (GO) and bismuth nanoparticles (BiNPs) and its evaluation as modifier electrode for development of electrochemical sensors. BiNPs were synthesized under ultrasound conditions using Bi(NO 3 ) 3 as metal precursor and ascorbic acid (AA) as reducing agent/passivating. Some experimental parameters of BiNPs synthesis such as Bi 3+ :AA molar ratio and reaction time were conducted aiming the best voltammetric performance of the sensor. Glassy carbon electrodes (GCE) were modified by drop-casting with the BiNPs dispersions and anodic stripping voltammetry measurements were performed and revealed an improvement in the sensitivityfor determination of Cd(II) and Pb(II) compared to an unmodified electrode. The best electrochemical response was obtained for a BiNPs synthesis with Bi 3+ :AA molar ratio of 1:6 and reaction time of 10min, which yielded Bi metallic nanoparticles with average size of 5.4nm confirmed by XRD and TEM images, respectively. GO was produced by graphite oxidation using potassium permanganate and exfoliated with an ultrasound tip. GO-BiNPs nanocomposite was obtained by a simple mixture of GO and BiNPs dispersions in water and kept under ultrasonic bath for 1h. GCE were modified with a nanocomposite suspension containing 0.3 and 1.5mgmL -1 of GO and BiNPs in water, respectively. Under optimized conditions, the proposed nanocomposite was evaluated on the voltammetric determination of Pb (II) and Cd (II), leading to a linear response range between 0.1 and 1.4μmolL -1 for both cations, with limit of detection of 30 and 27nmolL -1 , respectively. These results indicate the great potential of the GO-BiNPs nanocomposite for improving the sensitivity of voltammetric procedures. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Graphitization of Glassy Carbon after Compression at Room Temperature

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shiell, T. B.; McCulloch, D. G.; McKenzie, D. R.; Field, M. R.; Haberl, B.; Boehler, R.; Cook, B. A.; de Tomas, C.; Suarez-Martinez, I.; Marks, N. A.; Bradby, J. E.

    2018-05-01

    Glassy carbon is a technologically important material with isotropic properties that is nongraphitizing up to ˜3000 °C and displays complete or "superelastic" recovery from large compression. The pressure limit of these properties is not yet known. Here we use experiments and modeling to show permanent densification, and preferred orientation occurs in glassy carbon loaded to 45 GPa and above, where 45 GPa represents the limit to the superelastic and nongraphitizing properties of the material. The changes are explained by a transformation from its s p2 rich starting structure to a s p3 rich phase that reverts to fully s p2 bonded oriented graphite during pressure release.

  7. The viscoelastic behavior of notched glassy polymers

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Crook, R. A.; Letton, Alan

    1993-01-01

    In the bulk, glassy polymers exhibit a nonlinear viscoelastic response during deformation. Stress or strain induced damage (i.e. crazing, microshear banding) results in the production of nonrecoverable work and observed nonlinearity. Stress or strain dependent shift factors have been used to mathematically model the mechanical behavior of these polymers. Glassy polymers that have been notched, may exhibit very different load displacement response compared to the same material under bulk deformation. If a sharp notch is introduced into the body then loaded, the load displacement trace may appear to be single-valued in the absence of viscoelasticity and crack growth. This suggests the volume of damaged material is small compared to the overall dimensions of the specimen. The ability to produce a single-valued load-load-line displacement trace through the use of the Correspondence Principle may prove to be useful for fracture of viscoelastic materials.

  8. Scalable Synthesis of Cholesteric Glassy Liquid Crystals

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Wallace, Jason U.; Shestopalov, Alexander; Kosc, Tanya

    2018-03-08

    Capable of non-absorbing circular polarization of unpolarized incident light, cholesteric glassy liquid crystals consisting of hybrid chiral-nematic pendants to volume-excluding cores are potentially useful for the fabrication of various robust optical devices. As illustrated in this study, the well-oriented glassy film of enantiomeric Bz3ChN, with a glass transition at 73 oC and a cholesteric-to-isotropic transition at 295 oC, exhibits a selective reflection band centered at approximately 410 nm, an exceptional set of properties well suited for optical device exploration. To enable sustainable, large-scale synthesis of this material class for widespread applications, a productive strategy has been established, requiring a meremore » three-step scheme with an overall yield, atom economy, and reaction mass efficiency at 34, 33 and 12 %, respectively. While amenable to improvements, the resultant green chemistry metrics are encouraging as the first attempt.« less

  9. The Erevan howardite: Petrology of glassy clasts and mineral chemistry

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Nazarov, M. A.; Ariskin, A. A.

    1993-01-01

    The Erevan howardite is a polymict regolith breccia containing xenoliths of carbonaceous chondrites. In this work, we studied glassy clasts, which could be considered as primary quenched melts, and mineral chemistry of the breccia. The study reveals that the Erevan howardite consists of common rocks of the HED suite. However, unique glassy clasts, which are present in some eucritic melts, were identified. The mineral chemistry and the simulation of crystallization of the melts suggest that the compositions of the melts reflect those of some primary lithologies of EPB.

  10. Electrochemical glucose biosensor based on nickel oxide nanoparticle-modified carbon paste electrode.

    PubMed

    Erdem, Ceren; Zeybek, Derya Koyuncu; Aydoğdu, Gözde; Zeybek, Bülent; Pekyardımcı, Sule; Kılıç, Esma

    2014-08-01

    In the present work, we designed an amperometric glucose biosensor based on nickel oxide nanoparticles (NiONPs)-modified carbon paste electrode. The biosensor was prepared by incorporation of glucose oxidase and NiONPs into a carbon paste matrix. It showed good analytical performances such as high sensitivity (367 μA mmolL(-1)) and a wide linear response from 1.9×10(-3) mmolL(-1) to 15.0 mmolL(-1) with a limit of detection (0.11 μmolL(-1)). The biosensor was used for the determination of glucose in human serum samples. The results illustrate that NiONPs have enormous potential in the construction of biosensor for determination of glucose.

  11. Human serum albumin nanoparticles modified with apolipoprotein A-I cross the blood-brain barrier and enter the rodent brain.

    PubMed

    Zensi, Anja; Begley, David; Pontikis, Charles; Legros, Celine; Mihoreanu, Larisa; Büchel, Claudia; Kreuter, Jörg

    2010-12-01

    Nanoparticles made of human serum albumin (HSA) and modified with apolipoproteins have previously been shown to transport drugs, which normally do not enter the brain, across the blood-brain barrier (BBB). However the precise mechanism by which nanoparticles with different apolipoproteins on their surface can target to the brain, as yet, has not been totally elucidated. In the present study, HSA nanoparticles with covalently bound apolipoprotein A-I (Apo A-I) as a targetor for brain capillary endothelial cells were injected intravenously into SV 129 mice and Wistar rats. The rodents were sacrificed after 15 or 30 min, and their brains were examined by transmission electron microscopy. Apo A-I nanoparticles could be found inside the endothelial cells of brain capillaries as well as within parenchymal brain tissue of both, mice and rats, whereas control particles without Apo A-I on their surface did not cross the BBB during our experiments. The maintenance of tight junction integrity and barrier function during treatment with nanoparticles was demonstrated by perfusion with a fixative containing lanthanum nitrate as an electron dense marker for the permeability of tight junctions.

  12. A non-enzymatic amperometric hydrogen peroxide sensor based on iron nanoparticles decorated reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite.

    PubMed

    Amanulla, Baishnisha; Palanisamy, Selvakumar; Chen, Shen-Ming; Velusamy, Vijayalakshmi; Chiu, Te-Wei; Chen, Tse-Wei; Ramaraj, Sayee Kannan

    2017-02-01

    A simple and facile green process was used for the synthesis of iron nanoparticles (FeNPs) decorated reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanocomposite by using Ipomoea pes-tigridis leaf extract as a reducing and stabilizing agent. The as-prepared rGO/FeNPs nanocomposite was characterized by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The nanocomposite was further modified on the glassy carbon electrode and used for non-enzymatic sensing of hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ). Cyclic voltammetry results reveal that rGO/FeNPs nanocomposite has excellent electro-reduction behavior to H 2 O 2 when compared to the response of FeNPs and rGO modified electrodes. Furthermore, the nanocomposite modified electrode shows 9 and 6 folds enhanced reduction current response to H 2 O 2 than that of rGO and FeNPs modified electrodes. Amperometric method was further used to quantify the H 2 O 2 using rGO/FeNPs nanocomposite, and the response was linear over the concentration ranging from 0.1μM to 2.15mM. The detection limit and sensitivity of the sensor were estimated as 0.056μM and 0.2085μAμM -1 cm -2 , respectively. The fabricated sensor also utilized for detection of H 2 O 2 in the presence of potentially active interfering species, and found high selectivity towards H 2 O 2 . Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Extracellular biosynthesis of gadolinium oxide (Gd2O3) nanoparticles, their biodistribution and bioconjugation with the chemically modified anticancer drug taxol

    PubMed Central

    Khan, Shadab Ali; Gambhir, Sanjay

    2014-01-01

    Summary As a part of our programme to develop nanobioconjugates for the treatment of cancer, we first synthesized extracellular, protein-capped, highly stable and well-dispersed gadolinium oxide (Gd2O3) nanoparticles by using thermophilic fungus Humicola sp. The biodistribution of the nanoparticles in rats was checked by radiolabelling with Tc-99m. Finally, these nanoparticles were bioconjugated with the chemically modified anticancer drug taxol with the aim of characterizing the role of this bioconjugate in the treatment of cancer. The biosynthesized Gd2O3 nanoparticles were characterized by UV–vis spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS). The Gd2O3–taxol bioconjugate was confirmed by UV–vis spectroscopy and fluorescence microscopy and was purified by using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). PMID:24778946

  14. Deactivation of photocatalytically active ZnO nanoparticle and enhancement of its compatibility with organic compounds by surface-capping with organically modified silica

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cao, Zhi; Zhang, Zhijun

    2011-02-01

    Tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) and dimethyldiethoxysilane (DEDMS) were used as co-precursors to prepare organically modified silica (ormosil) via sol-gel process. The resultant ormosil was adopted for surface-capping of ZnO nanoparticle, where methyl (organic functional group) and silica (inorganic component) were simultaneously introduced onto the surface of the nanoparticles for realizing dual surface-modification. The ormosil-capped ZnO nanoparticle showed strong hydrophobicity and good compatibility with organic phases, as well as effectively decreased photocatalytic activity and almost unchanged ultraviolet (UV)-shielding ability. More importantly, the comprehensive properties of ormosil-capped ZnO nanoparticle could be manipulated by adjusting the molar ratio of TEOS to DEDMS during sol-gel process. This should help to open a wider window to better utilizing the unique and highly attractive properties such as high UV-shielding ability and high-visible light transparency of ZnO nanoparticle in sunscreen cosmetics.

  15. Polymeric nanoparticles of cholesterol-modified glycol chitosan for doxorubicin delivery: preparation and in-vitro and in-vivo characterization.

    PubMed

    Yu, Jing-Mou; Li, Yong-Jie; Qiu, Li-Yan; Jin, Yi

    2009-06-01

    Polymeric nanoparticles have been extensively studied as drug carriers. Chitosan and its derivatives have attracted significant attention in this regard but have limited application because of insolubility in biological solution. In this work, we attempted to utilize cholesterol-modified glycol chitosan (CHGC) self-aggregated nanoparticles to increase aqueous solubility, and to reduce side effects and enhance the antitumour efficacy of the anticancer drug doxorubicin. Methods CHGC nanoparticles were loaded with doxorubicin by a dialysis method, and their characteristics were determined by transmission electron microscopy examination, light-scattering study, in-vitro drug-release study, pharmacokinetic study in rats and in-vivo antitumour activity in mice. The resulting doxorubicin-loaded CHGC nanoparticles (DCNs) formed self-assembled aggregates in aqueous medium. From the observation by transmission electron microscopy, DCNs were almost spherical in shape. The mean diameters of these nanoparticles determined by dynamic light scattering were in the range of 237-336 nm as the doxorubicin-loading content increased from 1.73% to 9.36%. In-vitro data indicated that doxorubicin release from DCNs was much faster in phosphate-buffered saline at pH 5.5 than at pH 6.5 and 7.4, and the release rate was dependent on the loading content of doxorubicin in these nanoparticles. It was observed that DCN-16 (drug loaded content: 9.36%) exhibited prolonged circulation time in rat plasma and showed higher antitumour efficacy against S180-bearing mice than free doxorubicin. These results indicated that CHGC nanoparticles had potential as a carrier for insoluble anticancer drugs in cancer therapy.

  16. Impedimetric detection of cocaine by using an aptamer attached to a screen printed electrode modified with a dendrimer/silver nanoparticle nanocomposite.

    PubMed

    Roushani, Mahmoud; Shahdost-Fard, Faezeh

    2018-03-12

    The authors describe a highly sensitive method for the aptamer (Apt) based impedimetric determination of cocaine. The surface of a screen-printed electrode (SPE) was modified with a nanocomposite of dendrimer and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). The cocaine-binding Apt was attached to a dendrimer/AgNP/SPE surface, forming a sensitive layer for the determination of cocaine. The incubation with the analyte resulted in the formation of a cocaine/Apt complex on the electrode surface. As a consequence, folding and conformational change in the aptamer structure was induced, this resulting in a change in the impedimetric signal. The aptaassay exhibits highly efficient sensing characteristics with a good linearity of 1 fmol L -1 to 100 nmol L -1 (with two linear ranges) and a limit of detection (LOD) of 333 amol L -1 . Its excellent specificity and high sensitivity suggest that this kind of aptamer-based assay may be applied to detect other targets in this field. Graphical Abstract Designing of an aptaassay via immobilization of a functionalized aptamer with silver nanoparticle (AgNPs-Apt) on the modified screen-printed electrode (SPE) with dendrimer/silver nanoparticle nanocomposite (Den-AgNPs) for impedimetric detection of cocaine.

  17. Enhanced photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue by metal-modified silicon nanowires

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Brahiti, N., E-mail: dihiabrahiti@yahoo.fr; Université Mouloud MAMMERI de TiziOuzou, Département de Physique, Bastos; Hadjersi, T., E-mail: hadjersi@gmx.com

    2015-02-15

    Highlights: • SiNWs modified with Pd, Au and Pt were used as photocatalysts to degrade MB. • Yield of photodegardation increases with UV irradiation time. • SiNWs modified with Pd nanoparticles show the best photocatalytic activity. • A degradation of 97% was obtained after 200 min of UV irradiation. - Abstract: Silicon nanowires (SiNWs) modified with Au, Pt and Pd nanoparticles were used as heterogeneous photocatalysts for the photodegradation of methylene blue in water under UV light irradiation. The modification of SiNWs was carried out by deposition of metal nanoparticles using the electroless metal deposition (EMD) technique. The effect ofmore » metal nanoparticles deposition time on the photocatalytic activity was studied. It was found that the photocatalytic activity of modified SiNWs was enhanced when the deposition time of metal nanoparticles was increased. In addition of modified SiNWs with Pt, Au and Pd nanoparticles, oxidized silicon substrate (Ox-Si), oxidized silicon nanowires (Ox-SiNWs) and hydrogen-terminated silicon nanowires (H-SiNWs) were also evaluated for the photodegradation of methylene blue.« less

  18. Modifying mesoporous silica nanoparticles to avoid the metabolic deactivation of 6-mercaptopurine and methotrexate in combinatorial chemotherapy.

    PubMed

    Wang, Wenjing; Fang, Chenjie; Wang, Xiaozhu; Chen, Yuxi; Wang, Yaonan; Feng, Wei; Yan, Chunhua; Zhao, Ming; Peng, Shiqi

    2013-07-21

    Mesoporous silica nanoparticles with amino and thiol groups (MSNSN) were prepared and covalently modified with methotrexate and 6-mercaptopurine to form 6-MP-MSNSN-MTX. In the presence of DTT, 6-MP-MSNSN-MTX gradually releases 6-MP. In rat plasma, 6-MP-MSNSN-MTX effectively inhibits the metabolic deactivation of 6-MP and MTX. 6-MP-MSNSN-MTX could be an agent for long-acting chemotherapy.

  19. Cadmium removal from simulated groundwater using alumina nanoparticles: behaviors and mechanisms.

    PubMed

    Koju, Neel Kamal; Song, Xin; Wang, Qing; Hu, Zhihao; Colombo, Claudio

    2018-05-07

    Cadmium (Cd), one of the most toxic contaminants in groundwater, can cause a severe threat to human health and ecological systems. In this study, alumina nanoparticles were synthesized and tested for high-efficiency Cd removal from simulated groundwater. Furthermore, the synthesized alumina nanoparticles were successfully modified using negatively charged glycerol, to alleviate the challenge of its low mobility in groundwater for the Cd removal. The maximum removal efficiency of both synthesized and glycerol-modified alumina nanoparticles were more than 99%. The sorption isotherm and kinetic data of both synthesized and glycerol-modified alumina nanoparticles were best fitted to the Freundlich model and the pseudo-second-order model, respectively, indicating that the sorption of Cd ions occurs on heterogeneous surfaces of both alumina nanoparticles via the chemisorption mechanism. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and energy dispersive X-ray analysis revealed the presence of Cd peak in both sorbents after contact with Cd. In addition, the FTIR analyses demonstrated that hydroxyl group participated in the sorption of Cd on both synthesized and glycerol-modified alumina nanoparticles, while other glycerol associated groups contributed to the removal of Cd ions by the glycerol-modified alumina nanoparticles. It was concluded that Cd removal by synthesized and glycerol-modified alumina nanoparticles were mainly due to ion exchange and electrostatic attraction, respectively. Desorption experiment suggested that both alumina nanoparticles are effective and practically significant sorbents to remediate Cd from contaminated groundwater. However, the stronger bond between Cd and glycerol-modified alumina, plus its potential of higher mobility due to the negative charge on the surface, warrant glycerol-modified alumina nanoparticles a better performance in remediating Cd contaminated groundwater than that of the synthesized alumina nanoparticles. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier

  20. Development of the Ni-based Metallic glassy bipolar plates for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yamaura, S.; Yokoyama, M.; Kimura, H. M.; Inoue, A.

    2009-01-01

    Alloy optimization in the Ni80-xCrxP16B4 (x = 9-30 at%) alloy system was conducted in order to achieve low Tg, Tx and a large ΔTx. From this study, the Ni65Cr15P16B4 glassy alloy was found to be the optimal alloy. The static and potentiodynamic corrosion behaviours of this alloy were measured. As a result of polarization measurements, it was found that the current density of the non-polished glassy alloy sample was smaller than that of a SUS316L sample. By contrast, the current density of the surface-polished glassy sample was slightly larger than that of the SUS316L sample in the voltage range of 0.3-0.8 V. A bipolar plate was successfully produced by hot-pressing the glassy alloy sheet in a supercooled liquid state. The I-V characteristics of a single cell with the glassy bipolar plates were measured.

  1. Optical and mechanical behaviors of glassy silicone networks derived from linear siloxane precursors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jang, Heejun; Seo, Wooram; Kim, Hyungsun; Lee, Yoonjoo; Kim, Younghee

    2016-01-01

    Silicon-based inorganic polymers are promising materials as matrix materials for glass fiber composites because of their good process ability, transparency, and thermal property. In this study, for utilization as a matrix precursor for a glass-fiber-reinforced composite, glassy silicone networks were prepared via hydrosilylation of linear/pendant Si-H polysiloxanes and the C=C bonds of viny-lterminated linear/cyclic polysiloxanes. 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy was used to determine the structure of the cross-linked states, and a thermal analysis was performed. To assess the mechanical properties of the glassy silicone networks, we performed nanoindentation and 4-point bending tests. Cross-linked networks derived from siloxane polymers are thermally and optically more stable at high temperatures. Different cross-linking agents led to final networks with different properties due to differences in the molecular weights and structures. After stepped postcuring, the Young's modulus and the hardness of the glassy silicone networks increased; however, the brittleness also increased. The characteristics of the cross-linking agent played an important role in the functional glassy silicone networks.

  2. Voltammetric pH sensing using carbon electrodes: glassy carbon behaves similarly to EPPG.

    PubMed

    Lu, Min; Compton, Richard G

    2014-09-21

    Developing and building on recent work based on a simple sensor for pH determination using unmodified edge plane pyrolytic graphite (EPPG) electrodes, we present a voltammetric method for pH determination using a bare unmodified glassy carbon (GC) electrode. By exploiting the pH sensitive nature of quinones present on carbon edge-plane like sites within the GC, we show how GC electrodes can be used to measure pH. The electro-reduction of surface quinone groups on the glassy carbon electrode was characterised using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and optimised with square-wave voltammetry (SWV) at 298 K and 310 K. At both temperatures, a linear correlation was observed, corresponding to a 2 electron, 2 proton Nernstian response over the aqueous pH range 1.0 to 13.1. As such, unmodified glassy carbon electrodes are seen to be pH dependent, and the Nernstian response suggests its facile use for pH sensing. Given the widespread use of glassy carbon electrodes in electroanalysis, the approach offers a method for the near-simultaneous measurement and monitoring of pH during such analyses.

  3. Flow injection amperometric detection of insulin at cobalt hydroxide nanoparticles modified carbon ceramic electrode.

    PubMed

    Habibi, Esmaeil; Omidinia, Eskandar; Heidari, Hassan; Fazli, Maryam

    2016-02-15

    Cobalt hydroxide nanoparticles were prepared onto a carbon ceramic electrode (CHN|CCE) using the cyclic voltammetry (CV) technique. The modified electrode was characterized by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The results showed that CHN with a single-layer structure was uniformly electrodeposited on the surface of CCE. The electrocatalytic activity of the modified electrode toward the oxidation of insulin was studied by CV. CHN|CCE was also used in a homemade flow injection analysis system for insulin determination. The limit of detection (signal/noise [S/N] = 3) and sensitivity were found to be 0.11 nM and 11.8 nA/nM, respectively. Moreover, the sensor was used for detection of insulin in human serum samples. This sensor showed attractive properties such as high stability, reproducibility, and high selectivity. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Scalable Synthesis of Cholesteric Glassy Liquid Crystals

    DOE PAGES

    Wallace, Jason U.; Shestopalov, Alexander; Kosc, Tanya; ...

    2018-03-15

    Capable of non-absorbing circular polarization of unpolarized incident light, cholesteric glassy liquid crystals consisting of hybrid chiral-nematic pendants to volume-excluding cores are potentially useful for the fabrication of various robust optical devices. As illustrated in this study, the well-oriented glassy film of enantiomeric Bz3ChN, with a glass transition at 73 °C and a cholesteric-to-isotropic transition at 295 °C, exhibits a selective reflection band centered at approximately 410 nm, an exceptional set of properties well suited for optical device exploration. To enable sustainable, large-scale synthesis of this material class for widespread applications, a productive strategy has been established, requiring a meremore » three-step scheme with an overall yield, atom economy, and reaction mass efficiency at 34%, 33% and 12%, respectively. Lastly, while amenable to improvements, the resultant green chemistry metrics are encouraging as the first attempt.« less

  5. Photocatalytic removal of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) using carbon-modified titanium oxide nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shaban, Yasser A.; El Sayed, Mohamed A.; El Maradny, Amr A.; Al Farawati, Radwan Kh.; Al Zobidi, Mosa I.; Khan, Shahed U. M.

    2016-03-01

    In this work, the sonicated sol-gel method was used for synthesizing carbon-modified titanium oxide nanoparticles. Carbon incorporation was achieved by using titanium (IV) isopropoxide as a titanium and carbon-containing precursor. The photocatalytic efficiency of the synthesized photocatalyst was assessed by examining the photocatalytic removal of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from aqueous solution. For comparison, unmodified (regular) titanium dioxide (n-TiO2) was used as a reference catalyst. To confirm the carbon incorporation in CM-n-TiO2 nanoparticles, energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) analysis was used. Significantly, the bandgap energy was found to be reduced from 2.99 eV for n-TiO2 to 1.8 eV for CM-n-TiO2, which in turn improved the performance of CM-n-TiO2 toward the photocatalytic removal of PCBs. The effects of CM-n-TiO2 loading, PCBs concentration, and pH of the solution on the photodegradation rate of PCBs were investigated. The highest removal rate was found to be at pH 5 and CM-n-TiO2 loading of 0.5 g L-1. According to Langmuir-Hinshelwood model, the photodegradation of PCBs using CM-n-TiO2 followed a pseudo-first order reaction kinetics.

  6. Galactose Derivative-Modified Nanoparticles for Efficient siRNA Delivery to Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

    PubMed

    Huang, Kuan-Wei; Lai, Yu-Tsung; Chern, Guann-Jen; Huang, Shao-Feng; Tsai, Chia-Lung; Sung, Yun-Chieh; Chiang, Cheng-Chin; Hwang, Pi-Bei; Ho, Ting-Lun; Huang, Rui-Lin; Shiue, Ting-Yun; Chen, Yunching; Wang, Sheng-Kai

    2018-05-29

    Successful siRNA therapy requires suitable delivery systems with targeting moieties such as small molecules, peptides, antibodies, or aptamers. Galactose (Gal) residues recognized by the asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGPR) can serve as potent targeting moieties for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells. However, efficient targeting to HCC via galactose moieties rather than normal liver tissues in HCC patients remains a challenge. To achieve more efficient siRNA delivery in HCC, we synthesized various galactoside derivatives and investigated the siRNA delivery capability of nanoparticles modified with those galactoside derivatives. In this study, we assembled lipid/calcium/phosphate nanoparticles (LCP NPs) conjugated with eight types of galactoside derivatives and demonstrated that phenyl β-d-galactoside-decorated LCP NPs (L4-LCP NPs) exhibited a superior siRNA delivery into HCC cells compared to normal hepatocytes. VEGF siRNAs delivered by L4-LCP NPs downregulated VEGF expression in HCC in vitro and in vivo and led to a potent antiangiogenic effect in the tumor microenvironment of a murine orthotopic HCC model. The efficient delivery of VEGF siRNA by L4-LCP NPs that resulted in significant tumor regression indicates that phenyl galactoside could be a promising HCC-targeting ligand for therapeutic siRNA delivery to treat liver cancer.

  7. Enhanced physicochemical properties of chitosan/whey protein isolate composite film by sodium laurate-modified TiO2 nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Wei; Chen, Jiwang; Chen, Yue; Xia, Wenshui; Xiong, Youling L; Wang, Hongxun

    2016-03-15

    Chitosan/whey protein isolate film incorporated with sodium laurate-modified TiO2 nanoparticles was developed. The nanocomposite film was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry, and investigated in physicochemical properties as color, tensile strength, elongation at break, water vapor permeability and water adsorption isotherm. Our results showed that the nanoparticles improved the compatibility of whey protein isolate and chitosan. Addition of nanoparticles increased the whiteness of chitosan/whey protein isolate film, but decreased its transparency. Compared with binary film, the tensile strength and elongation at break of nanocomposite film were increased by 11.51% and 12.01%, respectively, and water vapor permeability was decreased by 7.60%. The equilibrium moisture of nanocomposite film was lower than binary film, and its water sorption isotherm of the nanocomposite film fitted well to Guggenheim-Anderson-deBoer model. The findings contributed to the development of novel food packaging materials. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Mesquite Gum as a Novel Reducing and Stabilizing Agent for Modified Tollens Synthesis of Highly Concentrated Ag Nanoparticles

    PubMed Central

    Moreno-Trejo, Maira Berenice; Sánchez-Domínguez, Margarita

    2016-01-01

    The synthesis that is described in this study is for the preparation of silver nanoparticles of sizes ranging from 10 nm to 30 nm with a defined shape (globular), confirmed by UV-vis, SEM, STEM and DLS analysis. This simple and favorable one-step modified Tollens reaction does not require any special equipment or other stabilizing or reducing agent except for a solution of purified mesquite gum, and it produces aqueous colloidal dispersions of silver nanoparticles with a stability that exceeds three months, a relatively narrow size distribution, a low tendency to aggregate and a yield of at least 95% for all cases. Reaction times are between 15 min and 60 min to obtain silver nanoparticles in concentrations ranging from 0.1 g to 3 g of Ag per 100 g of reaction mixture. The proposed synthetic method presents a high potential for scale-up, since its production capacity is rather high and the methodology is simple. PMID:28773938

  9. A systems approach to designing next generation vaccines: combining α-galactose modified antigens with nanoparticle platforms

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Phanse, Yashdeep; Carrillo-Conde, Brenda R.; Ramer-Tait, Amanda E.; Broderick, Scott; Kong, Chang Sun; Rajan, Krishna; Flick, Ramon; Mandell, Robert B.; Narasimhan, Balaji; Wannemuehler, Michael J.

    2014-01-01

    Innovative vaccine platforms are needed to develop effective countermeasures against emerging and re-emerging diseases. These platforms should direct antigen internalization by antigen presenting cells and promote immunogenic responses. This work describes an innovative systems approach combining two novel platforms, αGalactose (αGal)-modification of antigens and amphiphilic polyanhydride nanoparticles as vaccine delivery vehicles, to rationally design vaccine formulations. Regimens comprising soluble αGal-modified antigen and nanoparticle-encapsulated unmodified antigen induced a high titer, high avidity antibody response with broader epitope recognition of antigenic peptides than other regimen. Proliferation of antigen-specific CD4+ T cells was also enhanced compared to a traditional adjuvant. Combining the technology platforms and augmenting immune response studies with peptide arrays and informatics analysis provides a new paradigm for rational, systems-based design of next generation vaccine platforms against emerging and re-emerging pathogens.

  10. Determination of anionic surface active agents using silica coated magnetite nanoparticles modified with cationic surfactant aggregates.

    PubMed

    Pena-Pereira, Francisco; Duarte, Regina M B O; Trindade, Tito; Duarte, Armando C

    2013-07-19

    The development of a novel methodology for extraction and preconcentration of the most commonly used anionic surface active agents (SAAs), linear alkylbenzene sulfonates (LAS), is presented herein. The present method, based on the use of silica-magnetite nanoparticles modified with cationic surfactant aggregates, was developed for determination of C10-C13 LAS homologues. The proposed methodology allowed quantitative recoveries of C10-C13 LAS homologues by using a reduced amount of magnetic nanoparticles. Limits of detection were in the range 0.8-1.9μgL(-1) for C10-C13 LAS homologues, while the repeatability, expressed as relative standard deviation (RSD), ranged from 2.0 to 3.9% (N=6). Finally, the proposed method was successfully applied to the analysis of a variety of natural water samples. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Electrochemical immunosensor for ethinylestradiol using diazonium salt grafting onto silver nanoparticles-silica-graphene oxide hybrids.

    PubMed

    Cincotto, Fernando H; Martínez-García, Gonzalo; Yáñez-Sedeño, Paloma; Canevari, Thiago C; Machado, S A S; Pingarrón, José M

    2016-01-15

    This work describes the preparation of an electrochemical immunosensor for ethinylestradiol (EE2) based on grafting of diazonium salt of 4-aminobenzoic acid onto a glassy carbon electrode modified with silver nanoparticles/SiO2/graphene oxide hybrid followed by covalent binding of anti-ethinylestradiol (anti-EE2) to activated carboxyl groups. A competitive immunoassay was developed for the determination of the hormone using peroxidase-labeled ethinylestradiol (HRP-EE2) and measurement of the amperometric response at -200mV in the presence of hydroquinone (HQ) as redox mediator. The calibration curve for EE2 exhibited a linear range between 0.1 and 50ng/mL (r(2)=0.996), with a detection limit of 65pg/mL. Interference studies with other hormones related with EE2 revealed the practical specificity of the developed method for the analyte. A good reproducibility, with RSD=4.5% (n=10) was also observed. The operating stability of a single bioelectrode modified with anti-EE2 was maintained at least for 15 days when it was stored at 4°C under humid conditions between measurements. The developed immunosensor was applied to the analysis of spiked urine with good results. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Modified ferrite core-shell nanoparticles magneto-structural characterization

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Klekotka, Urszula; Piotrowska, Beata; Satuła, Dariusz; Kalska-Szostko, Beata

    2018-06-01

    In this study, ferrite nanoparticles with core-shell structures and different chemical compositions of both the core and shell were prepared with success. Proposed nanoparticles have in the first and second series magnetite core, and the shell is composed of a mixture of ferrites with Fe3+, Fe2+ and M ions (where M = Co2+, Mn2+ or Ni2+) with a general composition of M0.5Fe2.5O4. In the third series, the composition is inverted, the core is composed of a mixture of ferrites and as a shell magnetite is placed. Morphology and structural characterization of nanoparticles were done using Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Infrared spectroscopy (IR). While room temperature magnetic properties were measured using Mössbauer spectroscopy (MS). It is seen from Mössbauer measurements that Co always increases hyperfine magnetic field on Fe atoms at RT, while Ni and Mn have opposite influences in comparison to pure Fe ferrite, regardless of the nanoparticles structure.

  13. Thermodynamic Modeling of Gas Transport in Glassy Polymeric Membranes.

    PubMed

    Minelli, Matteo; Sarti, Giulio Cesare

    2017-08-19

    Solubility and permeability of gases in glassy polymers have been considered with the aim of illustrating the applicability of thermodynamically-based models for their description and prediction. The solubility isotherms are described by using the nonequilibrium lattice fluid (NELF) (model, already known to be appropriate for nonequilibrium glassy polymers, while the permeability isotherms are described through a general transport model in which diffusivity is the product of a purely kinetic factor, the mobility coefficient, and a thermodynamic factor. The latter is calculated from the NELF model and mobility is considered concentration-dependent through an exponential relationship containing two parameters only. The models are tested explicitly considering solubility and permeability data of various penetrants in three glassy polymers, PSf, PPh and 6FDA-6FpDA, selected as the reference for different behaviors. It is shown that the models are able to calculate the different behaviors observed, and in particular the permeability dependence on upstream pressure, both when it is decreasing as well as when it is increasing, with no need to invoke the onset of additional plasticization phenomena. The correlations found between polymer and penetrant properties with the two parameters of the mobility coefficient also lead to the predictive ability of the transport model.

  14. Thermodynamic Modeling of Gas Transport in Glassy Polymeric Membranes

    PubMed Central

    Minelli, Matteo; Sarti, Giulio Cesare

    2017-01-01

    Solubility and permeability of gases in glassy polymers have been considered with the aim of illustrating the applicability of thermodynamically-based models for their description and prediction. The solubility isotherms are described by using the nonequilibrium lattice fluid (NELF) (model, already known to be appropriate for nonequilibrium glassy polymers, while the permeability isotherms are described through a general transport model in which diffusivity is the product of a purely kinetic factor, the mobility coefficient, and a thermodynamic factor. The latter is calculated from the NELF model and mobility is considered concentration-dependent through an exponential relationship containing two parameters only. The models are tested explicitly considering solubility and permeability data of various penetrants in three glassy polymers, PSf, PPh and 6FDA-6FpDA, selected as the reference for different behaviors. It is shown that the models are able to calculate the different behaviors observed, and in particular the permeability dependence on upstream pressure, both when it is decreasing as well as when it is increasing, with no need to invoke the onset of additional plasticization phenomena. The correlations found between polymer and penetrant properties with the two parameters of the mobility coefficient also lead to the predictive ability of the transport model. PMID:28825619

  15. Poloxamer surface modified trimethyl chitosan nanoparticles for the effective delivery of methotrexate in osteosarcoma.

    PubMed

    Li, Shenglong; Xiong, Yuyuan; Zhang, Xiaojing

    2017-06-01

    The present work is an effort to explore the poloxamer-modified trimethyl chitosan (TMC) encapsulated MTX for osteosarcoma treatment in order to improve the therapeutic efficacy and minimize severe toxicity associated with the clinical usage of MTX. The methotrexate-loaded pluronic-chitosan nanoparticles (MTCN) was nanosized and exhibited a controlled release of drug from the carrier system. The MTCN showed higher accumulation in cell cytoplasm region evident by the high red fluorescence indicating its uptake through energy-dependent endocytosis process. MTCN exhibited the increased cytotoxicity in MG63 cells compared free MTX due to its enhanced cellular uptake. Especially, MTCN exhibited a superior apoptosis effect with bright chromatin condensation and nuclear fragmentation was observed and showed remarkably higher apoptosis (∼48%) compared to that of free drug. The results of this investigation clearly demonstrate that the poloxamer-modified trimethyl chitosan (TMC) seems to have a great potential as a drug carrier in cancer chemotherapy. The present research work offers immense scope for further exploitation of poloxamer-modified trimethyl chitosan (TMC) in future for the development of nanoparticulate drug delivery system for cancer chemotherapy. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

  16. Wear resistance of WC/Co HVOF-coatings and galvanic Cr coatings modified by diamond nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kandeva, M.; Grozdanova, T.; Karastoyanov, D.; Assenova, E.

    2017-02-01

    The efforts in the recent 20 years are related to search of ecological solutions in the tribotechnologies for the replacement of galvanic Cr coatings in the contact systems operating under extreme conditions: abrasion, erosion, cavitation, corrosion, shock and vibration loads. One of the solutions is in the composite coatings deposited by high velocity gas-flame process (HVOF). The present paper presents comparative study results for mechanical and tribological characteristics of galvanic Cr coatings without nanoparticles, galvanic Cr coatings modified by diamond nanoparticles NDDS of various concentration 0.6; 10; 15 и 20% obtained under three technological regimes, and composite WC-12Co coating. Comparative results about hardness, wear, wear resistance and friction coefficient are obtained for galvanic Cr-NDDS and WC-12Co coatings operating at equal friction conditions of dry friction on abrasive surface. The WC-12Co coating shows 5.4 to 7 times higher wear resistance compared to the galvanic Cr-NDDS coatings.

  17. Facile Preparation of a Platinum Silicide Nanoparticle-Modified Tip Apex for Scanning Kelvin Probe Microscopy.

    PubMed

    Lin, Chun-Ting; Chen, Yu-Wei; Su, James; Wu, Chien-Ting; Hsiao, Chien-Nan; Shiao, Ming-Hua; Chang, Mao-Nan

    2015-12-01

    In this study, we propose an ultra-facile approach to prepare a platinum silicide nanoparticle-modified tip apex (PSM tip) used for scanning Kelvin probe microscopy (SKPM). We combined a localized fluoride-assisted galvanic replacement reaction (LFAGRR) and atmospheric microwave annealing (AMA) to deposit a single platinum silicide nanoparticle with a diameter of 32 nm on the apex of a bare silicon tip of atomic force microscopy (AFM). The total process was completed in an ambient environment in less than 3 min. The improved potential resolution in the SKPM measurement was verified. Moreover, the resolution of the topography is comparable to that of a bare silicon tip. In addition, the negative charges found on the PSM tips suggest the possibility of exploring the use of current PSM tips to sense electric fields more precisely. The ultra-fast and cost-effective preparation of the PSM tips provides a new direction for the preparation of functional tips for scanning probe microscopy.

  18. Plasmonic gold nanoparticles modified titania nanotubes for antibacterial application

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Li, Jinhua; Zhou, Huaijuan; Qian, Shi

    Close-packed TiO{sub 2} nanotube arrays are prepared on metallic Ti surface by electrochemical anodization. Subsequently, by magnetron sputtering, Au nanoparticles are coated onto the top sidewall and tube inwall. The Au@TiO{sub 2} systems can effectively kill Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli in darkness due to the existence of Au nanoparticles. On the basis of classical optical theories, the antibacterial mechanism is proposed from the perspective of localized surface plasmon resonance. Respiratory electrons of bacterial membrane transfer to Au nanoparticles and then to TiO{sub 2}, which makes bacteria steadily lose electrons until death. This work provides insights for the better understandingmore » and designing of noble metal nanoparticles-based plasmonic heterostructures for antibacterial application.« less

  19. Preparation of SiO2/(PMMA/Fe3O4) from monolayer linolenic acid modified Fe3O4 nanoparticles via miniemulsion polymerization.

    PubMed

    He, Lei; Li, Zhiyang; Fu, Jing; Deng, Yan; He, Nongyue; Wang, Zhifei; Wang, Hua; Shi, Zhiyang; Wang, Zunliang

    2009-10-01

    SiO2/(PMMA/Fe3O4) composite particles were prepared from linolenic acid (LA) instead of oleic acid (OA) modified Fe3O4 nanoparticles by miniemulsion polymerization. LA has three unsaturated double bonds with which it can polymerizate more easily than OA. And coating Fe3O4 with polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) polymer beforehand can prevent magnetic nanoparticles from the aggregation that usually comes from the increasing of ionic strength during the hydrolyzation of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) by the steric hindrance. Finally, the resulting PMMA/Fe3O4 nanoparticles were coated with silica, forming SiO2/(PMMA/Fe3O4) core-shell structure particles. The sizes of nanoparticles with core-shell structure were in the range from 300 to 600 nm. The nanoparticles were spherical particles and had consistent size. The result of magnetic measurement showed that the composite particles had superparamagnetic property.

  20. Regulation of the catalytic behavior of pullulanases chelated onto nickel (II)-modified magnetic nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Wang, Jianfeng; Liu, Zhongmei; Zhou, Zhemin

    2017-06-01

    Chelating of pullulanases onto nickel (II)-modified magnetic nanoparticles results in one-step purification and immobilization of pullulanase, and facilitates the commercial application of pullulanase in industrial scale. To improve the catalytic behavior, especially the operational stability, of the nanocatalyst in consecutive batch reactions, we prepared various iminodiacetic acid-modified magnetic nanoparticles differed in surface polarity and spacer length, on which the His6-tagged pullulanases were chelated via nickel ions, and then studied the correlation between the MNPs surface property and the corresponding catalyst behavior. When pullulanases were chelated onto the surface-modified MNPs, the thermostability of all pullulanase derivatives were lower than that of free counterpart, being not relevant to the protein orientation guided by the locality of the His6-tag, but related to the MNPs basal surface polarity and the grafted spacer length. After chelating of pullulanases onto MNPs, there were changes observed in the pH-activity profile and the apparent Michaelis constant toward pullulan. The changing tendencies were mainly dependent on the His6-tagged pullulanase orientation, and the changing extents were tuned by the spacer length. The reusability of pullulanase immobilized by N-terminal His6-tag was higher than that of pullulanase immobilized by C-terminal His6-tag. Moreover, the reusability of the immobilized pullulanase tested increased till grafting polyether amine-400 as spacer-arm, therefore the N-terminal His6-tagged pullulanase chelating MNPs grafted polyether amine-400 gave the best reusability, which retained 60% of initial activity after 18 consecutive cycles with a total reaction time of 9h. Additionally, the correlation analysis of the catalyst behaviors indicated that the reusability was independent from other catalytic properties such as thermostability and substrate affinity. All the results revealed that the catalyst behavior can be

  1. Gd2O3 nanoparticles stabilized by hydrothermally modified dextrose for positive contrast magnetic resonance imaging

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Babić-Stojić, Branka; Jokanović, Vukoman; Milivojević, Dušan; Požek, Miroslav; Jagličić, Zvonko; Makovec, Darko; Arsikin, Katarina; Paunović, Verica

    2016-04-01

    Gd2O3 nanoparticles of a few nm in size and their agglomerates dispersed in dextrose derived polymer template were synthesized by hydrothermal treatment. The produced nanosized material was investigated by TEM, FTIR spectroscopy, SQUID measurements and NMR relaxometry. Biological evaluation of this material was done by crystal violet and MTT assays to determine the cell viability. Longitudinal and transverse NMR relaxivities of water diluted Gd2O3 nanoparticle dispersions measured at the magnetic field of 1.5 T, estimated to be r1(Gd2O3)=9.6 s-1 mM-1 in the Gd concentration range 0.1-30 mM and r2(Gd2O3)=17.7 s-1 mM-1 in the lower concentration range 0.1-0.8 mM, are significantly higher than the corresponding relaxivities measured for the standard contrast agent r1(Gd-DTPA)=4.1 s-1 mM-1 and r2(Gd-DTPA)=5.1 s-1 mM-1. The ratio of the two relaxivities for Gd2O3 nanoparticles r2/r1=1.8 is suitable for T1-weighted imaging. Good MRI signal intensities of the water diluted Gd2O3 nanoparticle dispersions were recorded at lower Gd concentrations 0.2-0.8 mM. The Gd2O3 samples did not exert any significant cytotoxic effects at Gd concentrations of 0.2 mM and below. These properties of the produced Gd2O3 nanoparticles in hydrothermally modified dextrose make them promising for potential application in MRI for the design of a positive MRI contrast agent.

  2. Effects of different surface modifying agents on the cytotoxic and antimicrobial properties of ZnO nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Esparza-González, S C; Sánchez-Valdés, S; Ramírez-Barrón, S N; Loera-Arias, M J; Bernal, J; Meléndez-Ortiz, H Iván; Betancourt-Galindo, R

    2016-12-01

    Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) have received considerable attention in the medical field because of their antibacterial properties, primarily for killing and reducing the activity of numerous microorganisms. The purpose of this study was to determine whether surface-modified ZnO NPs exhibit different properties compared with unmodified ZnO. The antimicrobial and cytotoxic properties of modified ZnO NPs as well as their effects on inflammatory cytokine production were evaluated. ZnO NPs were prepared using a wet chemical method. Then, the surfaces of these NPs were modified using 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) as modifying agents via a chemical hydrolysis method. According to infrared spectroscopy analysis (FTIR), the structure of the ZnO remained unchanged after modification. Antibacterial assays demonstrated that APTES modification is more effective at inducing an antimicrobial effect against Gram-negative bacteria than against Gram-positive bacteria. Cytotoxicity studies showed that cell viability was dose-dependent; moreover, pristine and APTES-modified ZnO exhibited low cytotoxicity, whereas DMSO-modified ZnO exhibited toxicity even at a low NP concentration. An investigation of inflammatory cytokine production demonstrated that the extent of stimulation was related to the ZnO NP concentration but not to the surface modification, except for IFN-γ and IL-10, which were not detected even at high NP concentrations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Playback interference of glassy-winged sharp shooter communication

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Animal communication is vital to reproduction, particularly for securing a mate. Insects commonly communicate by exchanging vibrational signals that are transmitted through host plants. The glassy-winged sharpshooter (GWSS), Homalodisca vitripennis, is an important vector of Xylella fastidiosa, a pl...

  4. Mating interference of glassy-winged sharpshooters, Homalodisca vitripennis

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Animal signaling is a complex behavior that is influenced by abiotic and biotic factors of the environment. Glassy-winged sharpshooters (GWSS), Homalodisca vitripennis (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), primarily use vibrational signaling for courtship. Because GWSS is a major pest, transmitting the plant ...

  5. Glassy selenium at high pressure: Le Chatelier's principle still works

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Brazhkin, V. V.; Tsiok, O. B.

    2017-10-01

    Selenium is the only easily vitrified elementary substance. Numerous experimental studies of glassy Se (g -Se) at high pressures show a large spread in the data on the compressibility and electrical resistivity of g -Se. Furthermore, H. Liu et al. [Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 105, 13229 (2008), 10.1073/pnas.0806857105] have arrived at the surprising conclusion that the volume of glass increases during pressure-induced crystallization. We have performed high-precision measurements of the specific volume and electrical resistivity of glassy selenium (g -Se) at high hydrostatic pressures up to 9 GPa. The measured bulk modulus at normal pressure is B =(9.0 5 ±0.15 ) GPa and its pressure derivative is BP'=6.4 ±0.2 . In the pressure range P <3 GPa, glassy selenium has an anomalously large negative second derivative of the bulk modulus. The electrical resistivity of g -Se decreases almost exponentially with increasing pressure and reaches 20 Ω cm at a pressure of 8.75 GPa. The inelastic behavior and weak relaxation of the volume for g -Se begin at pressures above 3.5 GPa; the volume and logarithm of the electrical resistivity relax significantly (logarithmically with the time) at pressures above 8 GPa. Bulk measurements certainly indicate that the volume of g -Se glass in the crystallization pressure range is larger than the volumes of both appearing crystalline phases (by 2% and 4%). Therefore, the "volume expansion phenomenon" suggested in [H. Liu et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 105, 13229 (2008), 10.1073/pnas.0806857105] is not observed, and the pressure-induced crystallization of glassy selenium is consistent with the laws of thermodynamics.

  6. Glassy materials for lithium batteries: electrochemical properties and devices performances

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Duclot, Michel; Souquet, Jean-Louis

    Amorphous or glassy materials may be used as electrolyte or electrode materials for lithium primary or secondary batteries. A first generation proceeded from classical coin cells in which the organic electrolyte was replaced by a high lithium conductive glassy electrolyte. The solid components were assembled under isostatic pressure. The main advantages of such cells are a good storage stability and ability to operate until 200°C. Nevertheless, the high resistivity of the glassy electrolyte below room temperature and a limited depth for charge and discharge cycles makes these cells not competitive compared to conventional lithium-ion batteries. More promising, are the thin films solid state microbatteries realised by successive depositions of electrodes and electrolyte. The low resistance of the electrolyte amorphous layer allows cycling at temperatures as low as -10°C. The total thickness of thin film batteries, including packaging is less than 100 μm. A capacity of about 100 μAh cm -2 with over 10 4 charge-discharge cycles at 90% in depth of discharge is well suited for energy independent smart cards or intelligent labels, which represent for these devices a large and unrivalled market.

  7. High content analysis provides mechanistic insights on the pathways of toxicity induced by amine-modified polystyrene nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Anguissola, Sergio; Garry, David; Salvati, Anna; O'Brien, Peter J; Dawson, Kenneth A

    2014-01-01

    The fast-paced development of nanotechnology needs the support of effective safety testing. We have developed a screening platform measuring simultaneously several cellular parameters for exposure to various concentrations of nanoparticles (NPs). Cell lines representative of different organ cell types, including lung, endothelium, liver, kidney, macrophages, glia, and neuronal cells were exposed to 50 nm amine-modified polystyrene (PS-NH2) NPs previously reported to induce apoptosis and to 50 nm sulphonated and carboxyl-modified polystyrene NPs that were reported to be silent. All cell lines apart from Raw 264.7 executed apoptosis in response to PS-NH2 NPs, showing specific sequences of EC50 thresholds; lysosomal acidification was the most sensitive parameter. Loss of mitochondrial membrane potential and plasma membrane integrity measured by High Content Analysis resulted comparably sensitive to the equivalent OECD-recommended assays, allowing increased output. Analysis of the acidic compartments revealed good cerrelation between size/fluorescence intensity and dose of PS-NH2 NPs applied; moreover steatosis and phospholipidosis were observed, consistent with the lysosomal alterations revealed by Lysotracker green; similar responses were observed when comparing astrocytoma cells with primary astrocytes. We have established a platform providing mechanistic insights on the response to exposure to nanoparticles. Such platform holds great potential for in vitro screening of nanomaterials in highthroughput format.

  8. Time resolved study of cell death mechanisms induced by amine-modified polystyrene nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Fengjuan; Bexiga, Mariana G.; Anguissola, Sergio; Boya, Patricia; Simpson, Jeremy C.; Salvati, Anna; Dawson, Kenneth A.

    2013-10-01

    Positively charged polymers and nanoparticles (NPs) can be toxic to cells in various systems. Using human astrocytoma cells, we have previously shown that 50 nm amine-modified polystyrene NPs damage mitochondria and induce cell death by apoptosis. Here we provide comprehensive details of the cellular events occurring after exposure to the NPs in a time-resolved manner. We demonstrate that the accumulation of NPs in lysosomes plays a central role in the observed cell death, leading to swelling of the lysosomes and release of cathepsins into the cytosol, which ultimately propagates the damage to the mitochondria with subsequent activation of apoptosis. This is accompanied and sustained by other events, such as increasing ROS levels and autophagy. Using various inhibitors, we also show the interplay between apoptosis and autophagy as a response to NP accumulation in lysosomes.Positively charged polymers and nanoparticles (NPs) can be toxic to cells in various systems. Using human astrocytoma cells, we have previously shown that 50 nm amine-modified polystyrene NPs damage mitochondria and induce cell death by apoptosis. Here we provide comprehensive details of the cellular events occurring after exposure to the NPs in a time-resolved manner. We demonstrate that the accumulation of NPs in lysosomes plays a central role in the observed cell death, leading to swelling of the lysosomes and release of cathepsins into the cytosol, which ultimately propagates the damage to the mitochondria with subsequent activation of apoptosis. This is accompanied and sustained by other events, such as increasing ROS levels and autophagy. Using various inhibitors, we also show the interplay between apoptosis and autophagy as a response to NP accumulation in lysosomes. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: additional analysis of flow cytometry results, western blots and experiments with cathepsin inhibitors. See DOI: 10.1039/c3nr03249c

  9. Stable, fast and high-energy-density LiCoO2 cathode at high operation voltage enabled by glassy B2O3 modification

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhou, Aijun; Wang, Weihang; Liu, Qin; Wang, Yi; Yao, Xu; Qing, Fangzhu; Li, Enzhu; Yang, Tingting; Zhang, Long; Li, Jingze

    2017-09-01

    In this work, commercial LiCoO2 is modified with a glassy B2O3 by solution mixing with H3BO3 followed by post-calcination in order to enhance its high-voltage electrochemical performance. The glassy B2O3 coating/additive is believed to serve as an effective physiochemical buffer and protection between LiCoO2 and liquid electrolyte, which can suppress the high-voltage induced electrolyte decomposition and active material dissolution. During the early cycling and due to the electrochemical force, the as-coated B2O3 glasses which have 3D open frameworks tend to accommodate some mobile Li+ and form a more chemically-resistant and ion-conductive lithium boron oxide (LBO) interphase as a major component of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI), which consequently enables much easier Li+ diffusion/transfer at the solid-liquid interfaces upon further cycling. Due to the synergetic effects of B2O3 coating/modification, the high-voltage capacity and energy density of the B2O3-modified LiCoO2 cathode are promisingly improved by 35% and 30% after 100 cycles at 1 C within 3.0-4.5 V vs. Li/Li+. Meanwhile, the high-rate performance of the B2O3-modified electrode is even more greatly improved, showing a capacity of 105 mAh g-1 at 10 C while the bare electrode has dropped to no more than 30 mAh g-1 under this rate condition.

  10. A sensitive determination of terbutaline in pharmaceuticals and urine samples using a composite electrode based on zirconium oxide nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Baytak, Aysegul Kutluay; Teker, Tugce; Duzmen, Sehriban; Aslanoglu, Mehmet

    2016-10-01

    An accurate and precise determination of terbutaline has been carried out using a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) modified with a composite of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and nanoparticles of zirconium oxide (ZrO2NPs). Energy dispersive X-ray and scanning electron microscopic techniques were utilized for the characterization of the composite layer. Terbutaline exhibited a broad oxidation peak at 770mV on a GCE. However, MWCNTs/GCE presented an electrocatalytic effect toward the oxidation of terbutaline with a better anodic peak at 660mV. Furthermore, the electrochemical behavior of terbutaline has greatly been improved at a GCE modified with a composite of MWCNTs and nanoparticles of ZrO2. The ZrO2NPs/MWCNTs/GCE exhibited a sharp anodic wave at 645mV with a large enhancement of the current response for terbutaline. Square wave voltammetry (SWV) was performed for the determination of terbutaline at ZrO2NPs/MWCNTs/GCE. A linear plot was obtained for the current responses of terbutaline against concentrations in the range of 10-160nM yielding a detection limit of 2.25nM (based on 3Sb/m). Improved voltammetric behavior, long-time stability and good reproducibility were obtained for terbutaline at the proposed electrode. A mean recovery of 101.2% with an RSD% of 1.9 was obtained for the analysis of the drug formulation. The accurate and precise quantification of terbutaline makes the ZrO2NPs/MWCNTs/GCE system of great interest for monitoring its therapeutic use. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Surface modified gold nanoparticles for SERS based detection of vulnerable plaque formations (Conference Presentation)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Matthäus, Christian; Dugandžić, Vera; Weber, Karina; Cialla-May, Dana; Popp, Jürgen

    2017-02-01

    Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide. Atherosclerosis is closely related to the majority of these diseases, as a process of thickening and stiffening of the arterial walls through accumulation of lipids, which is a consequence of aging and life style. Atherosclerosis affects all people in some extent, but not all arterial plaques will necessarily lead to the complications, such as thrombosis, stroke and heart attack. One of the greatest challenges in the risk assessment of atherosclerotic depositions is the detection and recognition of plaques which are unstable and prone to rupture. These vulnerable plaques usually consist of a lipid core that attracts macrophages, a type of white blood cells that are responsible for the degradation of lipids. It has been hypothesized that the amount of macrophages relates to the overall plaque stability. As phagocytes, macrophages also act as recipients for nanoscale particles or structures. Administered gold nanoparticles are usually rabidly taken up by macrophages residing within arterial walls and can therefore be indirectly detected. A very sensitive strategy for probing gold nanoparticles is by utilizing surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). By modifying the surface of these particles with SERS active labels it is possible to generate highly specific signals that exhibit sensitivity comparable to fluorescence. SERS labeled gold nanoparticles have been synthesized and the uptake dynamics and efficiency on macrophages in cell cultures was investigated using Raman microscopic imaging. The results clearly show that nanoparticles are taken up by macrophages and support the potential of SERS spectroscopy for the detection of vulnerable plaques. Acknowledgements: Financial support from the Carl Zeiss Foundation is highly acknowledged. The project "Jenaer Biochip Initiative 2.0" (03IPT513Y) within the framework "InnoProfile Transfer - Unternehmen Region" is supported by the Federal Ministry of

  12. pH-Sensitive O6-Benzylguanosine Polymer Modified Magnetic Nanoparticles for Treatment of Glioblastomas.

    PubMed

    Stephen, Zachary R; Gebhart, Rachel N; Jeon, Mike; Blair, Allison A; Ellenbogen, Richard G; Silber, John R; Zhang, Miqin

    2017-01-18

    Nanoparticle-mediated delivery of chemotherapeutics has demonstrated potential in improving anticancer efficacy by increasing serum half-life and providing tissue specificity and controlled drug release to improve biodistribution of hydrophobic chemotherapeutics. However, suboptimal drug loading, particularly for solid core nanoparticles (NPs), remains a challenge that limits their clinical application. In this study we formulated a NP coated with a pH-sensitive polymer of O 6 -methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) inhibitor analog, dialdehyde modified O 6 -benzylguanosine (DABGS) to achieve high drug loading, and polyethylene glycol (PEG) to ameliorate water solubility and maintain NP stability. The base nanovector consists of an iron oxide core (9 nm) coated with hydrazide functionalized PEG (IOPH). DABGS and PEG-dihydrazide were polymerized on the iron oxide nanoparticle surface (IOPH-pBGS) through acid-labile hydrazone bonds utilizing a rapid, freeze-thaw catalysis approach. DABGS polymerization was confirmed by FTIR and quantitated by UV-vis spectroscopy. IOPH-pBGS demonstrated excellent drug loading of 33.4 ± 5.1% by weight while maintaining small size (36.5 ± 1.8 nm). Drug release was monitored at biologically relevant pHs and demonstrated pH dependent release with maximum release at pH 5.5 (intracellular conditions), and minimal release at physiological pH (7.4). IOPH-pBGS significantly suppressed activity of MGMT and potentiated Temozolomide (TMZ) toxicity in vitro, demonstrating potential as a new treatment option for glioblastomas (GBMs).

  13. Comment on ``Glassy Potts model: A disordered Potts model without a ferromagnetic phase''

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Carlucci, Domenico M.

    1999-10-01

    We report the equivalence of the ``glassy Potts model,'' recently introduced by Marinari et al. and the ``chiral Potts model'' investigated by Nishimori and Stephen. Both models do not exhibit any spontaneous magnetization at low temperature, differently from the ordinary glass Potts model. The phase transition of the glassy Potts model is easily interpreted as the spin-glass transition of the ordinary random Potts model.

  14. [Preparation and performance characterization of gold nanoparticles modified chiral capillary electrochromatography stationary phase].

    PubMed

    Xiong, Lele; Li, Ruijun; Ji, Yibing

    2017-07-08

    Gold nanoparticles (GNPs, 15 nm) were prepared and introduced to amino groups derived silica monolithic column. Bovine serum albumin (BSA) was immobilized via covalent modification method onto the carboxylic functionalized GNPs to afford chiral stationary phase (CSP) for enantioseparation. GNPs were well dispersed and successfully incorporated onto the columns with the contents as high as 17.18% by characterization method such as transmission electron microscopy (TEM), ultraviolet (UV)-visible absorption spectra and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The preparation conditions of the BSA modified CSP were optimized and 10% (v/v) 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) and 15 g/L BSA were selected as appropriate reaction conditions. The enantioseparation performance of the BSA modified CSP has been investigated by capillary electrochromatography (CEC). Enantiomers of tryptophan, ephedrine and atenolol were resolved, and the baseline separation of tryptophan was achieved. Meanwhile, the influences of pH value, buffer concentrations and applied voltages used on the chiral separation were studied, and the optimal separation conditions were 10 mmol/L phosphate buffer at pH 7.4 and 15 kV applied voltages. In comparison with the BSA modified CSP prepared by physical adsorption, the CSP prepared by covalent modification method had better separation results, and the analytes could be separated directly without pre-column derivatization. In addition, the prepared BSA modified CSP exhibited good run to run repeatability with relative standard deviations (RSDs) of the migration times and selectivity factors not more than 2.3% and 0.96%, respectively. This work offers a good thinking for modification with other proteins or other types of chiral selectors.

  15. Acid-sensitive sheddable PEGylated, mannose-modified nanoparticles increase the delivery of betamethasone to chronic inflammation sites in a mouse model

    PubMed Central

    O’Mary, Hannah L.; Aldayel, Abdulaziz M.; Valdes, Solange A.; Naguib, Youssef W.; Li, Xu; Salvady, Karun; Cui, Zhengrong

    2017-01-01

    Inflammation is implicated in a host of chronic illnesses. Within these inflamed tissues, the pH of the microenvironment is decreased and immune cells, particularly macrophages, infiltrate the area. Additionally, the vascular integrity of these sites is altered with increased fenestrations between endothelial cells. These distinctive properties may be exploited to enhance targeted delivery of anti-inflammatory therapies. Using a mouse model of chronic inflammation, we previously showed that acid-sensitive sheddable PEGylation increases the distribution and retention of nanoparticles in chronic inflammation sites. Here we demonstrated that surface modification of the acid-sensitive sheddable PEGylated nanoparticles with mannose, a ligand to mannose receptors present in chronic inflammation sites, significantly increases the targeted delivery of the nanoparticles to these areas. Furthermore, we showed that the acid-sensitive sheddable PEGylated, mannose-modified nanoparticles are able to significantly increase the delivery of betamethasone-21-acetate (BA), a model anti-inflammatory compound, to chronic inflammation sites as compared to free BA. These results highlight the ability to engineer formulations to target chronic inflammation sites by exploiting the microenvironment of these regions. PMID:28463518

  16. Acid-Sensitive Sheddable PEGylated, Mannose-Modified Nanoparticles Increase the Delivery of Betamethasone to Chronic Inflammation Sites in a Mouse Model.

    PubMed

    O'Mary, Hannah L; Aldayel, Abdulaziz M; Valdes, Solange A; Naguib, Youssef W; Li, Xu; Salvady, Karun; Cui, Zhengrong

    2017-06-05

    Inflammation is implicated in a host of chronic illnesses. Within these inflamed tissues, the pH of the microenvironment is decreased and immune cells, particularly macrophages, infiltrate the area. Additionally, the vascular integrity of these sites is altered with increased fenestrations between endothelial cells. These distinctive properties may be exploited to enhance targeted delivery of anti-inflammatory therapies. Using a mouse model of chronic inflammation, we previously showed that acid-sensitive sheddable PEGylation increases the distribution and retention of nanoparticles in chronic inflammation sites. Here we demonstrated that surface modification of the acid-sensitive sheddable PEGylated nanoparticles with mannose, a ligand to mannose receptors present in chronic inflammation sites, significantly increases the targeted delivery of the nanoparticles to these areas. Furthermore, we showed that the acid-sensitive sheddable PEGylated, mannose-modified nanoparticles are able to significantly increase the delivery of betamethasone-21-acetate (BA), a model anti-inflammatory compound, to chronic inflammation sites as compared to free BA. These results highlight the ability to engineer formulations to target chronic inflammation sites by exploiting the microenvironment of these regions.

  17. Magnetically modified bioсells in constant magnetic field

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Abramov, E. G.; Panina, L. K.; Kolikov, V. A.; Bogomolova, E. V.; Snetov, V. N.; Cherepkova, I. A.; Kiselev, A. A.

    2017-02-01

    Paper addresses the inverse problem in determining the area, where the external constant magnetic field captures the biological cells modified by the magnetic nanoparticles. Zero velocity isolines, in area where the modified cells are captured by the magnetic field were determined by numerical method for two locations of the magnet. The problem was solved taking into account the gravitational field, magnetic induction, density of medium, concentration and size of cells, and size and magnetization of nanoparticles attached to the cell. Increase in the number of the nanoparticles attached to the cell and decrease in the cell' size, enlarges the area, where the modified cells are captured and concentrated by the magnet. Solution is confirmed by the visible pattern formation of the modified cells Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

  18. Fabrication of Metal Nanoparticle-Modified Screen Printed Carbon Electrodes for the Evaluation of Hydrogen Peroxide Content in Teeth Whitening Strips

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Popa, Adriana; Abenojar, Eric C.; Vianna, Adam; Buenviaje, Czarina Y. A.; Yang, Jiahua; Pascual, Cherrie B.; Samia, Anna Cristina S.

    2015-01-01

    A laboratory experiment in which students synthesize Ag, Au, and Pt nanoparticles (NPs) and use them to modify screen printed carbon electrodes for the electroanalysis of the hydrogen peroxide content in commercially available teeth whitening strips is described. This experiment is designed for two 3-h laboratory periods and can be adapted for…

  19. Spatial and mesoscopic fluctuations in glassy dynamics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chamon, Claudio C.; Cugliandolo, Leticia F.

    2004-05-01

    One of the striking properties of a glassy system is that many material properties depend on its age, i.e., the time since the system entered its glassy phase. In this this talk we shall review some recent progress (work in collaboration with H. E. Castillo, P. Charbonneau, J. L. Iguain, M. P. Kennett, D. R. Reichman and M. Sellitto) in understanding local aging, through the study of local observable quantities, which reveal that there are spatial heterogeneities and fluctuations in the aging process of macroscopic systems. We show that a number of universal properties are shared by many non-equilibrium systems, both with and without quenched disorder, such as the 3D Edwards-Anderson model and some kinetically constrained non-interacting 2D and 3D spin models, for example. Similar scaling relations are found for mesoscopic sample-to-sample fluctuations of global quantities in small size systems. We discuss how the emergence of a symmetry in aging systems, time-reparametrization invariance, could be responsible for the observed universal behavior of the local and mesoscopic non-equilibrium fluctuations.

  20. Shear-transformation-zone theory of linear glassy dynamics.

    PubMed

    Bouchbinder, Eran; Langer, J S

    2011-06-01

    We present a linearized shear-transformation-zone (STZ) theory of glassy dynamics in which the internal STZ transition rates are characterized by a broad distribution of activation barriers. For slowly aging or fully aged systems, the main features of the barrier-height distribution are determined by the effective temperature and other near-equilibrium properties of the configurational degrees of freedom. Our theory accounts for the wide range of relaxation rates observed in both metallic glasses and soft glassy materials such as colloidal suspensions. We find that the frequency-dependent loss modulus is not just a superposition of Maxwell modes. Rather, it exhibits an α peak that rises near the viscous relaxation rate and, for nearly jammed, glassy systems, extends to much higher frequencies in accord with experimental observations. We also use this theory to compute strain recovery following a period of large, persistent deformation and then abrupt unloading. We find that strain recovery is determined in part by the initial barrier-height distribution, but that true structural aging also occurs during this process and determines the system's response to subsequent perturbations. In particular, we find by comparison with experimental data that the initial deformation produces a highly disordered state with a large population of low activation barriers, and that this state relaxes quickly toward one in which the distribution is dominated by the high barriers predicted by the near-equilibrium analysis. The nonequilibrium dynamics of the barrier-height distribution is the most important of the issues raised and left unresolved in this paper.

  1. Humid Heat Autoclaving of Hybrid Nanoparticles Achieved by Decreased Nanoparticle Concentration and Improved Nanoparticle Stability Using Medium Chain Triglycerides as a Modifier.

    PubMed

    Gou, Jingxin; Chao, Yanhui; Liang, Yuheng; Zhang, Ning; He, Haibing; Yin, Tian; Zhang, Yu; Xu, Hui; Tang, Xing

    2016-09-01

    Humid heat autoclaving is a facile technique widely used in the sterilization of injections, but the high temperature employed would destroy nanoparticles composed of biodegradable polymers. The aim of this study was to investigate whether incorporation of medium chain triglycerides (MCT) could stabilize nanoparticles composed of poly (ethylene glycol)-b-polycaprolactone (PEG-b-PCL) during autoclaving (121°C, 10 min). Polymeric nanoparticles with different MCT contents were prepared by dialysis. Block copolymer degradation was studied by GPC. The critical aggregation concentrations of nanoparticles at different temperatures were determined using pyrene fluorescence. The size, morphology and weight averaged molecular weight of pristine/autoclaved nanoparticles were studied using DLS, TEM and SLS, respectively. Drug loading content and release profile were determined using RP-HPLC. The protecting effect of MCT on nanoparticles was dependent on the amount of MCT incorporated. Nanoparticles with high MCT contents, which assumed an emulsion-like morphology, showed reduced block copolymer degradation and particle disassociation after incubation at 100°C for 24 h. Nanoparticles with high MCT content showed the lowest critical aggregation concentration (CAC) under either room temperature or 60°C and the lowest particle concentration among all samples. And the particle size, drug loading content, physical stability and release profile of nanoparticles with high MCT contents remained nearly unchanged after autoclaving. Incorporation of high amount of MCT changed the morphology of PEG-b-PCL based nanoparticles to an emulsion-like structure and the nanoparticles prepared could withstand autoclaving due to improved particle stability and decreased particle concentration caused by MCT incorporation.

  2. Dithiothreitol-Regulated Coverage of Oligonucleotide-Modified Gold Nanoparticles To Achieve Optimized Biosensor Performance.

    PubMed

    Liang, Pingping; Canoura, Juan; Yu, Haixiang; Alkhamis, Obtin; Xiao, Yi

    2018-01-31

    DNA-modified gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are useful signal-reporters for detecting diverse molecules through various hybridization- and enzyme-based assays. However, their performance is heavily dependent on the probe DNA surface coverage, which can influence both target binding and enzymatic processing of the bound probes. Current methods used to adjust the surface coverage of DNA-modified AuNPs require the production of multiple batches of AuNPs under different conditions, which is costly and laborious. We here develop a single-step assay utilizing dithiothreitol (DTT) to fine-tune the surface coverage of DNA-modified AuNPs. DTT is superior to the commonly used surface diluent, mercaptohexanol, as it is less volatile, allowing for the rapid and reproducible controlling of surface coverage on AuNPs with only micromolar concentrations of DTT. Upon adsorption, DTT forms a dense monolayer on gold surfaces, which provides antifouling capabilities. Furthermore, surface-bound DTT adopts a cyclic conformation, which reorients DNA probes into an upright position and provides ample space to promote DNA hybridization, aptamer assembly, and nuclease digestion. We demonstrate the effects of surface coverage on AuNP-based sensors using DTT-regulated DNA-modified AuNPs. We then use these AuNPs to visually detect DNA and cocaine in colorimetric assays based on enzyme-mediated AuNP aggregation. We determine that DTT-regulated AuNPs with lower surface coverage achieve shorter reaction times and lower detection limits relative to those for assays using untreated AuNPs or DTT-regulated AuNPs with high surface coverage. Additionally, we demonstrate that our DTT-regulated AuNPs can perform cocaine detection in 50% urine without any significant matrix effects. We believe that DTT regulation of surface coverage can be broadly employed for optimizing DNA-modified AuNP performance for use in biosensors as well as drug delivery and therapeutic applications.

  3. Duplex-imprinted nano well arrays for promising nanoparticle assembly

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Xiangping; Manz, Andreas

    2018-02-01

    A large area nano-duplex-imprint technique is presented in this contribution using natural cicada wings as stamps. The glassy wings of the cicada, which are abundant in nature, exhibit strikingly interesting nanopillar structures over their membrane. This technique, with excellent performance despite the nonplanar surface of the wings, combines both top-down and bottom-up nanofabrication techniques. It transitions micro-nanofabrication from a cleanroom environment to the bench. Two different materials, dicing tape with an acrylic layer and a UV optical adhesive, are used to make replications at the same time, thus achieving duplex imprinting. The promise of a large volume of commercial manufacturing of these nanostructure elements can be envisaged through this contribution to speeding up the fabrication process and achieving a higher throughput. The contact angle of the replicated nanowell arrays before and after oxygen plasma was measured. Gold nanoparticles (50 nm) were used to test how the nanoparticles behaved on the untreated and plasma-treated replica surface. The experiments show that promising nanoparticle self-assembly can be obtained.

  4. Observation of glassy state relaxation during annealing of frozen sugar solutions by X-ray computed tomography.

    PubMed

    Nakagawa, Kyuya; Tamiya, Shinri; Do, Gabsoo; Kono, Shinji; Ochiai, Takaaki

    2018-06-01

    Glassy phase formation in a frozen product determines various properties of the freeze-dried products. When an aqueous solution is subjected to freezing, a glassy phase forms as a consequence of freeze-concentration. During post-freezing annealing, the relaxation of the glassy phase and the ripening of ice crystals (i.e. Ostwald ripening) spontaneously occur, where the kinetics are controlled by the annealing and glass transition temperatures. This study was motivated to observe the progress of glassy state relaxation separate from ice coarsening during annealing. X-ray computed tomography (CT) was used to observe a frozen and post-freezing annealed solutions by using monochromatized X-ray from the synchrotron radiation. CT images were successfully obtained, and the frozen matrix were analyzed based on the gray level values that were equivalent to the linear X-ray attenuation coefficients of the observed matters. The CT images obtained from rapidly frozen sucrose and dextrin solutions with different concentrations gave clear linear relationships between the linear X-ray attenuation coefficients values and the solute concentrations. It was confirmed that the glassy state relaxation progressed as increasing annealing time, and this trend was larger in the order of the glass transition temperature of the maximally freeze-concentrated phase. The sucrose-water system required nearly 20 h of annealing time at -5 °C for the completion of the glassy phase relaxation, whereas dextrin-water systems required much longer periods because of their higher glass transition temperatures. The trends of ice coarsening, however, did not perfectly correspond to the trends of the relaxation, suggesting that the glassy phase relaxation and Ostwald ripening would jointly control the ice crystal growth/ripening kinetics, and the dominant mechanism differed by the annealing stage. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Synthesis of Magnetite Nanoparticles and Its Application As Electrode Material for the Electrochemical Oxidation of Methanol

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shah, Muhammad Tariq; Balouch, Aamna; Panah, Pirah; Rajar, Kausar; Mahar, Ali Muhammad; Khan, Abdullah; Jagirani, Muhammad Saqaf; Khan, Humaira

    2018-06-01

    In this study, magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles were synthesized by a simple and facile chemical co-precipitation method at ambient laboratory conditions. The synthesized Fe3O4 nanostructures were characterized for their morphology, size, crystalline structure and component analysis using field emission scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction and electron dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. The Fe3O4 nanoparticles showed semi-spherical geometry with an average particle diameter up to 14 nm. The catalytic properties of Fe3O4 nanoparticles were evaluated for electrochemical oxidation of methanol. For this purpose, the magnetite NPs were coated on the surface of an indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode and used as a working electrode in the electrochemical oxidation of methanol. The effect of potential scan rate, the concentration of methanol, the volume of electrolyte and catalyst (Fe3O4 NPs) deposition volume was studied to get high peak current densities for methanol oxidation. The stability and selectivity of the fabricated electrode (Fe3O4/ITO) were also assessed during the electrochemical process. This study revealed that the Fe3O4/ITO electrode was highly stable and selective towards methanol electrochemical oxidation in basic (KOH) media. Bare ITO and Fe3O4 NPs modified glassy (Fe3O4/GCE) electrodes were also tested in the electro-oxidation study of methanol, but their peak current density responses were very low as compared to the Fe3O4/ITO electrode, which showed high electrocatalytic activity towards methanol oxidation under similar conditions. We hope that Fe3O4 nanoparticles (NPs) will be an alternative for methanol oxidation as compared to the expensive noble metals (Pt, Au, and Pd) for energy generation processes.

  6. Dynamic shear rheology of colloidal suspensions of surface-modified silica nanoparticles in PEG

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Swarna; Pattanayek, Sudip Kumar; Ghosh, Anup Kumar

    2018-03-01

    The present work illustrates the effect of surface modification of silica nanoparticles (500 nm) with 3-(glycidoxypropyl)trimethoxy silane which was carried out at different reaction times. The suspensions prepared from modified and unmodified silica nanoparticles were evaluated for their shear rate-dependent viscosity and strain-frequency-dependent modulus. The linear viscoelastic moduli, viz., storage modulus and loss modulus, were compared with those of nonlinear moduli. The shear-thickened suspensions displayed strain thinning at low-frequency smaller strains and a strong strain overshoot at higher strains, characteristics of a continuous shear thickening fluids. The shear-thinned suspension, conversely, exhibited a strong elastic dominance at smaller strains, but at higher strains, its strain softened observed in the steady shear viscosity plot indicating characteristics of yielding material. Considering higher order harmonic components, the decomposed elastic and viscous stress revealed a pronounced elastic response up to 10% strain and a high viscous damping at larger strains. The current work is one of a kind in demonstrating the effect of silica surface functionalization on the linear and nonlinear viscoelasticity of suspensions showing a unique rheological fingerprint. The suspensions can thus be predicted through rheological studies for their applicability in energy absorbing and damping materials with respect to their mechanical properties.

  7. Surface-enhanced Raman scattering spectroscopy of explosive 2,4-dinitroanisole using modified silver nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Xu, Zhonghou; Hao, Jumin; Braida, Washington; Strickland, David; Li, Fasheng; Meng, Xiaoguang

    2011-11-15

    2,4-Dinitroanisole (DNAN) is being used as a replacement for 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) as a less-sensitive melt-cast medium explosive than TNT. In this paper, we studied the surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) analysis of DNAN using Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs) modified by L-cysteine methyl ester hydrochloride. Due to the formation of a Meisenheimer complex between DNAN and the modifier, the modified AgNPs can detect 20 μg/L (0.2 ng) and 0.1 mg/L (1 ng) DNAN in deionized water and aged tap water, respectively. Three other chemicals (L-cysteine, N-acetyl-L-cysteine, and L-cysteine ethyl ester hydrochloride) were used as AgNPs modifiers to study the mechanism of the SERS of DNAN. It was confirmed that the amino group of L-cysteine methyl ester hydrochloride was the active group and that the methyl ester group significantly contributed to the high SERS sensitivity of DNAN. In order to further test the mechanism of Meisenheimer complex formation, the effect of anions and cations present in natural water on the SERS of DNAN was studied. It was found that CO(3)(2-), Cl(-), and K(+) at 100 mg/L did not negatively affect the SERS of 10 mg/L DNAN, while SO(4)(2-), Na(+), Mg(2+), and Ca(2+) at 100 mg/L significantly quenched the SERS of 10 mg/L DNAN. The negative effect of the bivalent cations could be offset by SO(4)(2-).

  8. Anomalous glassy dynamics in simple models of dense biological tissue

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sussman, Daniel M.; Paoluzzi, M.; Marchetti, M. Cristina; Manning, M. Lisa

    2018-02-01

    In order to understand the mechanisms for glassy dynamics in biological tissues and shed light on those in non-biological materials, we study the low-temperature disordered phase of 2D vertex-like models. Recently it has been noted that vertex models have quite unusual behavior in the zero-temperature limit, with rigidity transitions that are controlled by residual stresses and therefore exhibit very different scaling and phenomenology compared to particulate systems. Here we investigate the finite-temperature phase of two-dimensional Voronoi and Vertex models, and show that they have highly unusual, sub-Arrhenius scaling of dynamics with temperature. We connect the anomalous glassy dynamics to features of the potential energy landscape associated with zero-temperature inherent states.

  9. Enhanced chemiluminescence-based detection on gold substrate after electrografting of diazonium precursor-coated gold nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Houmed Adabo, Ali; Zeggari, Rabah; Mohamed Saïd, Nasser; Bazzi, Rana; Elie-Caille, Céline; Marquette, Christophe; Martini, Matteo; Tillement, Olivier; Perriat, Pascal; Chaix, Carole; Boireau, Wilfrid; Roux, Stéphane

    2016-04-01

    Since it was demonstrated that nanostructured surfaces are more efficient for the detection based on the specific capture of analytes, there is a real need to develop strategies for grafting nanoparticles onto flat surfaces. Among the different routes for the functionalization of a surface, the reduction of diazonium salts appears very attractive for the covalent immobilization of nanoparticles because this method does not require a pre-treatment of the surface. For achieving this goal, gold nanoparticles coated by precursor of diazonium salts were synthesized by reduction of gold salt in presence of mercaptoaniline. These mercaptoaniline-coated gold nanoparticles (Au@MA) were successfully immobilized onto various conducting substrates (indium tin oxide (ITO), glassy carbon (GC) and gold electrodes with flat terraces) after addition of sodium nitrite at fixed potential. When applied onto the gold electrodes, such a grafting strategy led to an obvious enhancement of the luminescence of luminol used for the biodetection. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Quantifying glassy and crystalline basalt partitioning in the oceanic crust

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Moore, Rachael; Ménez, Bénédicte

    2016-04-01

    The upper layers of the oceanic crust are predominately basaltic rock, some of which hosts microbial life. Current studies of microbial life within the ocean crust mainly focus on the sedimentary rock fraction, or those organisms found within glassy basalts while the potential habitability of crystalline basalts are poorly explored. Recently, there has been recognition that microbial life develops within fractures and grain boundaries of crystalline basalts, therefore estimations of total biomass within the oceanic crust may be largely under evaluated. A deeper understanding of the bulk composition and fractionation of rocks within the oceanic crust is required before more accurate estimations of biomass can be made. To augment our understanding of glassy and crystalline basalts within the oceanic crust we created two end-member models describing basalt fractionation: a pillow basalt with massive, or sheet, flows crust and a pillow basalt with sheeted dike crust. Using known measurements of massive flow thickness, dike thickness, chilled margin thickness, pillow lava size, and pillow lava glass thickness, we have calculated the percentage of glassy versus crystalline basalts within the oceanic crust for each model. These models aid our understanding of textural fractionation within the oceanic crust, and can be applied with bioenergetics models to better constrain deep biomass estimates.

  11. UV-Vis-Induced Degradation of Phenol over Magnetic Photocatalysts Modified with Pt, Pd, Cu and Au Nanoparticles

    PubMed Central

    Wysocka, Izabela; Trzciński, Konrad; Łapiński, Marcin; Nowaczyk, Grzegorz; Zielińska-Jurek, Anna

    2018-01-01

    The combination of TiO2 photocatalyst and magnetic oxide nanoparticles enhances the separation and recoverable properties of nanosized TiO2 photocatalyst. Metal-modified (Me = Pd, Au, Pt, Cu) TiO2/SiO2@Fe3O4 nanocomposites were prepared by an ultrasonic-assisted sol-gel method. All prepared samples were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) analysis, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) method, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), Mott-Schottky analysis and photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL). Phenol oxidation pathways of magnetic photocatalysts modified with Pt, Pd, Cu and Au nanoparticles proceeded by generation of reactive oxygen species, which oxidized phenol to benzoquinone, hydroquinone and catechol. Benzoquinone and maleic acid were products, which were determined in the hydroquinone oxidation pathway. The highest mineralization rate was observed for Pd-TiO2/SiO2@Fe3O4 and Cu-TiO2/SiO2@Fe3O4 photocatalysts, which produced the highest concentration of catechol during photocatalytic reaction. For Pt-TiO2/SiO2@Fe3O4 nanocomposite, a lack of catechol after 60 min of irradiation resulted in low mineralization rate (CO2 formation). It is proposed that the enhanced photocatalytic activity of palladium and copper-modified photocatalysts is related to an increase in the amount of adsorption sites and efficient charge carrier separation, whereas the keto-enol tautomeric equilibrium retards the rate of phenol photomineralization on Au-TiO2/SiO2@Fe3O4. The magnetization hysteresis loop indicated that the obtained hybrid photocatalyst showed magnetic properties and therefore could be easily separated after treatment process. PMID:29316667

  12. A Novel Nanofilm Sensor Based on Poly-(Alizarin Red)/Fe3O4 Magnetic Nanoparticles-Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes Composite Material for Determination of Nitrite.

    PubMed

    Qu, Jianying; Dong, Ying; Yong, Wang; Lou, Tongfang; Du, Xueping; Qu, Jianhang

    2016-03-01

    Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles were synthesized by chemical co-precipitation with sodium citrate as surfactant and were characterized by FT-IR spectrometer, X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. A novel nitrite sensor was fabricated by electropolymerization of alizarin red on the surface of glassy carbon electrode modified with Fe3O4-multiwalled carbon nanotubes composite nanofilm. Under the optimal experimental conditions, it was showed that the proposed sensor exhibited good electrocatalytic activity to the oxidation of nitrite, and the peak current increased linearly with the nitrite concentration from 9.64 x 10(-6) mol x L(-1) to 1.30 x 10(-3) mol x L(-1) (R = 0.9976) with a detection limit of 1.19 x 10(-6) mol x L(-1) (S/N = 3). This sensor showed excellent sensitivity, wide linear range, stability and repeatability for nitrite determination with potential applications.

  13. Modifying Si-based consolidants through the addition of colloidal nano-particles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ksinopoulou, E.; Bakolas, A.; Moropoulou, A.

    2016-04-01

    The modification of silicon-based stone consolidants has been the subject of many scientific studies aiming to overcome the commonly reported drawbacks of these materials, such as the tendency to shrink and crack during drying. The addition of nano-particle dispersions into silica matrix has been found to enhance their effectiveness in several ways. Objective of the current research was to study the preparation of particle-modified consolidants (PMC), consisting of an ethyl silicate matrix (TEOS) loaded with colloidal silica (SiO2) nano-particles and oxide titania (TiO2) particles. The effect of the polyacrylic acid on the dispersion stability was also investigated, by varying its concentration into PMC samples. The prepared materials were allowed to dry in two different relative humidity environments and then evaluated based on their stability in the sol phase, the aggregation sizes, determined through dynamic light scattering, the % solids content and their morphological characteristics, observed via scanning electron microscopy (SEM-EDAX). Mercury intrusion porosimetry was also applied to investigate the microstructural characteristics and differences between the prepared consolidants. Significant role in the final form of the material is played by both the initial molar ratios in the mixtures, as well as the conditions where the drying and aging takes place. Based on the results, the three-component PMCs appear to be promising in stone consolidation, as they show a reduction in cracking and shrinkage during drying and a more porous network, compared with the siliceous material, or the two-component TEOS-SiO2 formulation.

  14. Development of a Hydrogen Peroxide Sensor Based on Screen-Printed Electrodes Modified with Inkjet-Printed Prussian Blue Nanoparticles

    PubMed Central

    Cinti, Stefano; Arduini, Fabiana; Moscone, Danila; Palleschi, Giuseppe; Killard, Anthony J.

    2014-01-01

    A sensor for the simple and sensitive measurement of hydrogen peroxide has been developed which is based on screen printed electrodes (SPEs) modified with Prussian blue nanoparticles (PBNPs) deposited using piezoelectric inkjet printing. PBNP-modified SPEs were characterized using physical and electrochemical techniques to optimize the PBNP layer thickness and electroanalytical conditions for optimum measurement of hydrogen peroxide. Sensor optimization resulted in a limit of detection of 2 × 10−7 M, a linear range from 0 to 4.5 mM and a sensitivity of 762 μA·mM−1·cm−2 which was achieved using 20 layers of printed PBNPs. Sensors also demonstrated excellent reproducibility (<5% rsd). PMID:25093348

  15. Synthesis, characterization, and protein labeling of difunctional magnetic nanoparticles modified with thiazole orange dye

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fei, Xuening; Zhu, Huifang; Zhou, Jianguo; Yu, Lu

    2014-03-01

    A dual functional nanoparticle was designed and synthesized by encapsulating magnetic core inside silica particles and subsequently a thiazole orange (TO) dye derivative was modified on the surface of the nanoparticles. The obtained particles were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscope, Uv-Vis spectrophotometer, fluorescence spectrophotometer, transmission electron microscope, dynamic light scattering, etc. The size of preliminary magnetic particles is ca. 7 nm, but after coating a silica layer and dye, the size of particles is increased to ca. 60 nm. The hydrodynamic diameter, water dispersibility, and zeta potential were also determined. The hydrodynamic diameter of particles with silica and dye is 65.2 and 70.5 nm, respectively, with positive zeta potential (25.1, 38.5 mV). Furthermore magnetic properties of the particles were measured and the experimental results suggested that it could meet the requirement of application as magnetic resonance imaging agent. Finally to verify the availability of the particles as fluorescent labeling, protein labeling experiment was performed using bovine serum albumin (BSA) protein and the results showed that the dual functional particle has higher affinity with BSA than TO molecule itself.

  16. Sex determination based on amelogenin DNA by modified electrode with gold nanoparticle.

    PubMed

    Mazloum-Ardakani, Mohammad; Rajabzadeh, Nooshin; Benvidi, Ali; Heidari, Mohammad Mehdi

    2013-12-15

    We have developed a simple and renewable electrochemical biosensor based on carbon paste electrode (CPE) for the detection of DNA synthesis and hybridization. CPE was modified with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), which are helpful for immobilization of thiolated bioreceptors. AuNPs were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of thiolated single-stranded DNA (SH-ssDNA) of the amelogenin gene was formed on CPE. The immobilization of the probe and its hybridization with the target DNA was optimized using different experimental conditions. The modified electrode was characterized by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and cyclic voltammetry (CV). The electrochemical response of ssDNA hybridization and DNA synthesis was measured using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) with methylene blue (MB) as an electroactive indicator. The new biosensor can distinguish between complementary and non-complementary strands of amelogenin ssDNA. Genomic DNA was extracted from blood and was detected based on changes in the MB reduction signal. These results demonstrated that the new biosensor could be used for sex determination. The proposed biosensor in this study could be used for detection and discrimination of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products of amelogenin DNA. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Superparamagnetic poly(methyl methacrylate) nanoparticles surface modified with folic acid presenting cell uptake mediated by endocytosis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Feuser, Paulo Emilio; Jacques, Amanda Virtuoso; Arévalo, Juan Marcelo Carpio; Rocha, Maria Eliane Merlin; dos Santos-Silva, Maria Claudia; Sayer, Claudia; de Araújo, Pedro H. Hermes

    2016-04-01

    The encapsulation of superparamagnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) in polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) with modified surfaces can improve targeted delivery and induce cell death by hyperthermia. The goals of this study were to synthesize and characterize surface modified superparamagnetic poly(methyl methacrylate) with folic acid (FA) prepared by miniemulsion polymerization (MNPsPMMA-FA) and to evaluate their in vitro cytotoxicity and cellular uptake in non-tumor cells, murine fibroblast (L929) cells and tumor cells that overexpressed folate receptor (FR) β, and chronic myeloid leukemia cells in blast crisis (K562). Lastly, hemolysis assays were performed on human red blood cells. MNPsPMMA-FA presented an average mean diameter of 135 nm and a saturation magnetization (Ms) value of 37 emu/g of iron oxide, as well as superparamagnetic behavior. The MNPsPMMA-FA did not present cytotoxicity in L929 and K562 cells. Cellular uptake assays showed a higher uptake of MNPsPMMA-FA than MNPsPMMA in K562 cells when incubated at 37 °C. On the other hand, MNPsPMMA-FA showed a low uptake when endocytosis mechanisms were blocked at low temperature (4 °C), suggesting that the MNPsPMMA-FA uptake was mediated by endocytosis. High concentrations of MNPsPMMA-FA showed hemocompatibility when incubated for 24 h in human red blood cells. Therefore, our results suggest that these carrier systems can be an excellent alternative in targeted drug delivery via FR.

  18. Detection of squamous carcinoma cells using gold nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dai, Wei-Yun; Lee, Sze-tsen; Hsu, Yih-Chih

    2015-03-01

    The goal of this study is to use gold nanoparticle as a diagnostic agent to detect human squamous carcinoma cells. Gold nanoparticles were synthesized and the gold nanoparticle size was 34.3 ± 6.2 nm. Based on the over-expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) biomarkers in squamous carcinoma cells, we hypothesized that EGFR could be a feasible biomarker with a target moiety for detection. We further modified polyclonal antibodies of EGFR on the surface of gold nanoparticles. We found selected squamous carcinoma cells can be selectively detected using EGFR antibody-modified gold nanoparticles via receptor-mediated endocytosis. Cell death was also examined to determine the survival status of squamous carcinoma cells with respect to gold nanoparticle treatment and EGFR polyclonal antibody modification.

  19. Isotopically modified silver nanoparticles to assess nanosilver bioavailability and toxicity at environmentally relevant exposures

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Croteau, Marie-Noële; Dybowska, Agnieszka D.; Luoma, Samuel N.; Misra, Superb K.; Valsami-Jones, Eugenia

    2014-01-01

    A major challenge in understanding the environmental implications of nanotechnology lies in studying nanoparticle uptake in organisms at environmentally realistic exposure concentrations. Typically, high exposure concentrations are needed to trigger measurable effects and to detect accumulation above background. But application of tracer techniques can overcome these limitations. Here we synthesised, for the first time, citrate-coated Ag nanoparticles using Ag that was 99.7 % 109Ag. In addition to conducting reactivity and dissolution studies, we assessed the bioavailability and toxicity of these isotopically modified Ag nanoparticles (109Ag NPs) to a freshwater snail under conditions typical of nature. We showed that accumulation of 109Ag from 109Ag NPs is detectable in the tissues of Lymnaea stagnalis after 24-h exposure to aqueous concentrations as low as 6 ng L–1 as well as after 3 h of dietary exposure to concentrations as low as 0.07 μg g–1. Silver uptake from unlabelled Ag NPs would not have been detected under similar exposure conditions. Uptake rates of 109Ag from 109Ag NPs mixed with food or dispersed in water were largely linear over a wide range of concentrations. Particle dissolution was most important at low waterborne concentrations. We estimated that 70 % of the bioaccumulated 109Ag concentration in L. stagnalis at exposures –1 originated from the newly solubilised Ag. Above this concentration, we predicted that 80 % of the bioaccumulated 109Ag concentration originated from the 109Ag NPs. It was not clear if agglomeration had a major influence on uptake rates.

  20. Amperometric L-lysine biosensor based on carboxylated multiwalled carbon nanotubes-SnO2 nanoparticles-graphene composite

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kaçar, Ceren; Erden, Pınar Esra; Kılıç, Esma

    2017-10-01

    A novel matrix, carboxylated multiwalled carbon nanotubes-tin oxide nanoparticles-graphene-chitosan (c-MWCNTs-SnO2-GR-CS) composite, was prepared for biosensor construction. Lysine oxidase (LOx) enzyme was immobilized covalently on the surface of c-MWCNTs-GR-SnO2-CS composite modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) using N-ethyl-N‧-(3-dimethyaminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC) and N-hydroxyl succinimide (NHS). Effects of electrode composition and buffer pH on biosensor response were investigated to optimize the working conditions. The biosensor exhibited wide linear range (9.9 × 10-7 M-1.6 × 10-4 M), low detection limit (1.5 × 10-7 M), high sensitivity (55.20 μA mM-1 cm-2) and fast amperometric response (<25 s) at +0.70 V vs. Ag/AgCl. With good repeatability and long-term stability, the c-MWCNTs-SnO2-GR-CS based biosensor offered an alternative for L-lysine biosensing. The practical applicability of the biosensor in two dietary supplements has also been addressed.

  1. Broadband nanoindentation of glassy polymers: Part II. Viscoplasticity

    Treesearch

    Joseph E. Jakes; Rod S. Lakes; Don S. Stone

    2012-01-01

    The relationship between hardness and flow stress in glassy polymers is examined. Materials studied include poly(methylmethacrylate), polystyrene, and polycarbonate. Properties are strongly rate dependent, so broadband nanoindentation creep (BNC) is used to measure hardness across a broad range of indentation strain rates (10-4 to 10 s

  2. Synthesis and characterization of Ag+ ion conducting glassy electrolytes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chandra, Angesh; Bhatt, Alok; Chandra, Archana

    2013-07-01

    Synthesis and characterization of new Ag+ ion conducting glassy systems: x[0.75AgI:0.25AgC1]: (1 - x)[Ag2O:P2O5], where 0.1 < x < 1 in molar weight fraction, are reported. The present glassy electrolytes have been synthesized by melt-quench technique using a high-speed twin roller-quencher. An alternate host salt: "quenched [0.75AgI:0.25AgC1] mixed system/solid solution", has been used in place of the traditional host AgI. The compositional dependence conductivity studies on the glassy systems: x[0.75AgI:0.25AgC1]:(1 - x)[Ag2O:P2O5] as well as xAgI:(1 - x)[Ag2O:P2O5] prepared identically, indicated that the composition at x = 0.75 exhibited the highest room temperature conductivity (σ ~ 5.5 x 10-3 S cm-1). The composition: 0.75[0.75AgI:0.25AgC1]:0.25[Ag2O:P2O5] has been referred to as optimum conducting composition (OCC). The some basic ion transport parameters viz. ionic conductivity (σ), ionic mobility (μ), mobile ion concentration (n), ionic drift velocity (vd), ion transference number (tion) and activation energy (Ea) values have been characterized with the help of various experimental techniques. A solid state battery was fabricated and its basic cell parameters calculated.

  3. A novel approach to construct a horseradish peroxidase|hydrophilic ionic liquids|Au nanoparticles dotted titanate nanotubes biosensor for amperometric sensing of hydrogen peroxide.

    PubMed

    Liu, Xiaoqiang; Feng, Heqing; Zhao, Ruoxia; Wang, Yanbing; Liu, Xiuhua

    2012-01-15

    The direct electrochemistry of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) on a novel sensing platform modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) has been achieved. This sensing platform consists of Nafion, hydrophilic room-temperature ionic liquid (RTIL) and Au nanoparticles dotted titanate nanotubes (GNPs-TNTs). The composite of RTIL and GNPs-TNTs was immobilized on the electrode surface through the gelation of a small amount of HRP aqueous solution. The composite was characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) and infrared spectroscopy (IR). UV-Vis and IR spectroscopy demonstrated that HRP in the composite could retain its native secondary structure and biochemical activity. The HRP-immobilized electrode was investigated by cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry. The results from both techniques showed that the direct electron transfer between the nanocomposite modified electrodes and heme in HRP could be realized. The biosensor responded to H(2)O(2) in the linear range from 5×10(-6) to 1×10(-3) mol L(-1) with a detection limit of 2.1×10(-6) mol L(-1) (based on the S/N=3). Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. DNA nanoparticles with core-shell morphology.

    PubMed

    Chandran, Preethi L; Dimitriadis, Emilios K; Lisziewicz, Julianna; Speransky, Vlad; Horkay, Ferenc

    2014-10-14

    Mannobiose-modified polyethylenimines (PEI) are used in gene therapy to generate nanoparticles of DNA that can be targeted to the antigen-presenting cells of the immune system. We report that the sugar modification alters the DNA organization within the nanoparticles from homogenous to shell-like packing. The depth-dependent packing of DNA within the nanoparticles was probed using AFM nano-indentation. Unmodified PEI-DNA nanoparticles display linear elastic properties and depth-independent mechanics, characteristic of homogenous materials. Mannobiose-modified nanoparticles, however, showed distinct force regimes that were dependent on indentation depth, with 'buckling'-like response that is reproducible and not due to particle failure. By comparison with theoretical studies of spherical shell mechanics, the structure of mannobiosylated particles was deduced to be a thin shell with wall thickness in the order of few nanometers, and a fluid-filled core. The shell-core structure is also consistent with observations of nanoparticle denting in altered solution conditions, with measurements of nanoparticle water content from AFM images, and with images of DNA distribution in Transmission Electron Microscopy.

  5. Urea impedimetric biosensing using electrospun nanofibers modified with zinc oxide nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Migliorini, Fernanda L.; Sanfelice, Rafaela C.; Mercante, Luiza A.; Andre, Rafaela S.; Mattoso, Luiz H. C.; Correa, Daniel. S.

    2018-06-01

    Reliable analytical techniques to evaluate dairy products, including milk, are of outmost importance to ensure food safety against contaminants. Among possible substances employed as adulterants in milk, urea raises deep concern due to its harmful effects to consumer's health. In the present study, a biosensing platform was developed to be applied in the electrochemical detection of urea. The sensing platform was fabricated using polymeric electrospun nanofibers of polyamide 6 (PA6) and polypyrrole (PPy) deposited onto fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) electrodes, which were then modified with zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO). This material showed excellent properties for the immobilization of urease enzyme, conferring the FTO/PA6/PPy/ZnO/urease electrode high sensitivity for urea detection within the concentration range between 0.1 and 250 mg dL-1 with a limit of detection of 0.011 mg dL-1. The results achieved evidence the potential of electrospun nanofibers-based electrodes for applications in biosensors aiming at dairy products analysis.

  6. Sensitive and Facile Electrochemiluminescent Immunoassay for Detecting Genetically Modified Rapeseed Based on Novel Carbon Nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Gao, Hongfei; Wen, Luke; Wu, Yuhua; Yan, Xiaohong; Li, Jun; Li, Xiaofei; Fu, Zhifeng; Wu, Gang

    2018-05-23

    A highly sensitive electrochemiluminescent (ECL) immunoassay targeting PAT/ bar protein was facilely developed for genetically modified (GM) rapeseed detection using carbon nanoparticles (CNPs) originally prepared from printer toner. In this work, CNPs linked with antibody for PAT/ bar protein were used to modify a working electrode. After an immunoreaction between the PAT/ bar protein and its antibody, the immunocomplex formed on the electrode receptor region resulted in an inhibition of electron transfer between the electrode surface and the ECL substance, thus led to a decrease of ECL response. Under the optimal conditions, the ECL responses linearly decreased as the increase of the PAT/ bar protein concentration and the GM rapeseed RF3 content in the ranges of 0.10-10 ng/mL and 0.050-1.0%, with the limits of detection of 0.050 ng/mL and 0.020% (S/N = 3). These results open a facile, sensitive, and rapid approach for the safety control of agricultural GM rape.

  7. Nafion/lead nitroprusside nanoparticles modified carbon ceramic electrode as a novel amperometric sensor for L-cysteine.

    PubMed

    Razmi, H; Heidari, H

    2009-05-01

    This work describes the electrochemical and electrocatalytic properties of carbon ceramic electrode (CCE) modified with lead nitroprusside (PbNP) nanoparticles as a new electrocatalyst material. The structure of deposited film on the CCE was characterized by energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The cyclic voltammogram (CV) of the PbNP modified CCE showed two well-defined redox couples due to [Fe(CN)5NO](3-)/[Fe(CN)5NO](2-) and Pb(IV)/Pb(II) redox reactions. The modified electrode showed electrocatalytic activity toward the oxidation of L-cysteine and was used as an amperometric sensor. Also, to reduce the fouling effect of L-cysteine and its oxidation products on the modified electrode, a thin film of Nafion was coated on the electrode surface. The sensor response was linearly changed with L-cysteine concentration in the range of 1 x 10(-6) to 6.72 x 10(-5)mol L(-1) with a detection limit (signal/noise ratio [S/N]=3) of 0.46 microM. The sensor sensitivity was 0.17 microA (microM)(-1), and some important advantages such as simple preparation, fast response, good stability, interference-free signals, antifouling properties, and reproducibility of the sensor for amperometric determination of L-cysteine were achieved.

  8. Mesoporous TiO2 and copper-modified TiO2 nanoparticles: A case study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ajay Kumar, R.; Vasavi Dutt, V. G.; Rajesh, Ch.

    2018-02-01

    In this paper we report the synthesis of mesoporous titanium dioxide (M-TiO2) nanoparticles (NPs) and copper (Cu)-modified M-TiO2 NPs by the hydrothermal method at relatively low temperatures using cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as a template. In order to get ordered spherical particles and better interaction between cationic and anionic precursor, we have used titanium isopropoxide (TTIP) as titanium source and CTAB as surfactant. The process of modification by copper to M-TiO2 follows the impregnation method. The change in structural and optical properties of NPs were estimated using different characterization techniques like X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, Brunner-Emmett-Teller curve and UV-Vis absorption analysis. M-TiO2 and Cu-modified M-TiO2 exhibit pure anatase crystalline phase and shows no evidence of CuO formation. Nitrogen adsorption-desorption hysteresis reveals that the material is mesoporous. Several samples synthesized at different process temperature were further studied in order to make them suitable for a wide range of applications.

  9. Preconcentration and Spectrophotometric Determination of a Naphthalene Analog of Medetomidine Using Modified Maghemite Nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Maddah, B.; Hosseini, F.; Ahmadi, M.; Rajabi, A. Asghar; Beik-Mohammadlood, Z.

    2016-05-01

    A novel and sensitive extraction procedure using sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) modified maghemite nanoparticles (MNPs) as an efficient solid phase has been developed for removal, preconcentration, and spectrophotometric determination of trace amounts of a naphthalene analog of dexmedetomidine (4-(1-(na phthalene-1-yl)ethyl)-1Himidazole, NMED). The MNPs were obtained by a coprecipitation method, and their surfaces were furthermore modified by SDS. The size and morphological properties of the synthesized MNPs were determined by X-ray diffraction analysis, FT-IR, vibrating sample magnetometry, and scanning electron microscopy. NMED was adsorbed at pH 3.0. The adsorbed drug was then desorbed and determined by spectrophotometry at 280 nm. The calibration graph was linear in the range 1 × 10-6-1 × 10-4 mol/L of NMED with a correlation coefficient of 0.989. The detection limit of the method for NMED determination was 3.7 × 10-7 mol/L. The method was successfully applied to the determination of NMED in human urine samples.

  10. Graphene oxide-mediated electrochemistry of glucose oxidase on glassy carbon electrodes.

    PubMed

    Castrignanò, Silvia; Valetti, Francesca; Gilardi, Gianfranco; Sadeghi, Sheila J

    2016-01-01

    Glucose oxidase (GOD) was immobilized on glassy carbon electrodes in the presence of graphene oxide (GO) as a model system for the interaction between GO and biological molecules. Lyotropic properties of didodecyldimethylammonium bromide (DDAB) were used to stabilize the enzymatic layer on the electrode surface resulting in a markedly improved electrochemical response of the immobilized GOD. Transmission electron microscopy images of the GO with DDAB confirmed the distribution of the GO in a two-dimensional manner as a foil-like material. Although it is known that glassy carbon surfaces are not ideal for hydrogen peroxide detection, successful chronoamperometric titrations of the GOD in the presence of GO with β-d-glucose were performed on glassy carbon electrodes, whereas no current response was detected upon β-d-glucose addition in the absence of GO. The GOD-DDAB-GO system displayed a high turnover efficiency and substrate affinity as a glucose biosensor. The simplicity and ease of the electrode preparation procedure of this GO/DDAB system make it a good candidate for immobilizing other biomolecules for fabrication of amperometric biosensors. © 2015 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  11. Novel lectin-modified poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate) mucoadhesive nanoparticles of carvedilol: preparation and in vitro optimization using a two-level factorial design.

    PubMed

    Varshosaz, Jaleh; Moazen, Ellaheh

    2014-08-01

    Carvedilol used in cardiovascular diseases has systemic bioavailability of 25-35%. The objective of this study was production of lectin-modified poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate) (PEVA) as mucoadhesive nanoparticles to enhance low oral bioavailability of carvedilol. Nanoparticles were prepared by the emulsification-solvent evaporation method using a two-level factorial design. The studied variables included the vinyl acetate content of the polymer, drug and polymer content. Surface modification of PEVA nanoparticles with lectin was carried out by the adsorption method and coupling efficiency was determined using the Bradford assay. Mucoadhesion of nanoparticles was studied on mucin. The particle size, polydispersity index, zeta potential, drug loading and drug release from nanoparticles were studied. The morphology of nanoparticles and crystalline status of the entrapped drug were studied by SEM, DSC and XRD tests, respectively. Results showed the most effective factor on particle size and zeta potential was the interaction of polymer and drug content while, drug loading efficiency and mucoadhesion were more affected by the interaction of polymer type and drug content. Drug concentration was the most effective variable on the drug release rate. The drug was in amorphous state in nanoparticles. The optimum nanoparticles obtained by 45 mg of copolymer contained 12% vinyl acetate/4.3 ml of organic phase and drug concentration of 37.5 wt% of polymer.

  12. Isotopically modified nanoparticles for enhanced detection in bioaccumulation studies

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Misra, S.K.; Dybowska, A.; Berhanu, D.; Croteau, M.-N.; Luoma, S.N.; Boccaccini, A.R.; Valsami-Jones, E.

    2012-01-01

    This work presents results on synthesis of isotopically enriched (99% 65Cu) copper oxide nanoparticles and its application in ecotoxicological studies. 65CuO nanoparticles were synthesized as spheres (7 nm) and rods (7 ?? 40 nm). Significant differences were observed between the reactivity and dissolution of spherical and rod shaped nanoparticles. The extreme sensitivity of the stable isotope tracing technique developed in this study allowed determining Cu uptake at exposure concentrations equivalent to background Cu concentrations in freshwater systems (0.2-30 ??g/L). Without a tracer, detection of newly accumulated Cu was impossible, even at exposure concentrations surpassing some of the most contaminated water systems (>1 mg/L). ?? 2011 American Chemical Society.

  13. Effective reduction in the nanoparticle sizes of NiO obtained via the pyrolysis of nickel malonate precursor modified using oleylamine surfactant

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lontio Fomekong, Roussin, E-mail: lonforou@yahoo.fr; Institut de la Matière Condensée et des Nanosciences, Université Catholique de Louvain, Croix du Sud 1, 1348 Louvain-La-Neuve; Ngolui Lambi, John

    2016-09-15

    Nickel oxide nanoparticles were synthesized via thermal decomposition of two precursors, the first, a simple nickel malonate and the second, a nickel malonate modified by oleylamine, a surfactant, both having been synthesized by precipitation. While FTIR, TGA and ToF-SIMS were used to characterize the two precursors and to show the presence of oleylamine in the modified precursor, XRD, SEM, TEM and BET were employed to investigate the structure, the morphology and the specific surface area of the decomposition products obtained after pyrolysis. The results showed that the modification of nickel malonate by oleylamine was effective. The XRD results, which showedmore » a cubic structure for the NiO obtained, suggest with SEM an important particle size reduction (at least 54%) when oleylamine was used to modify the nickel malonate precursor. The SEM images also showed a well-defined spherical nanoparticle morphology in both cases, not affected by the presence of oleylamine. The TEM also confirmed the reduction of particle size and their spherical nature but at the same time showed that, in the presence of oleylamine, there was no agglomeration resulting in a more uniform particle size distribution. The specific surface area of the NiO obtained by the oleylamine-modified precursor was 4.7 times larger than that obtained with the regular precursor. This again confirms the particle size reduction. - Highlights: • Nickel malonate precursor has been synthesized by precipitation method. • This precursor was successfully modified by a surfactant (oleylamine). • NiO was identified as the decomposition products of the previous precursors. • Oleylamine has provoked around 54% of particle size reduction of the NiO.« less

  14. Broadband nanoindentation of glassy polymers: Part I Viscoelasticity

    Treesearch

    Joesph E. Jakes; Rod S. Lakes; Don S. Stone

    2012-01-01

    Protocols are developed to assess viscoelastic moduli from unloading slopes in Berkovich nanoindentation across four orders of magnitude in time scale (0.01-100 s unloading time). Measured viscoelastic moduli of glassy polymers poly(methyl methacrylate), polystyrene, and polycarbonate follow the same trends with frequency (1/unloading time) as viscoelastic moduli...

  15. Electrochemical Determination of Food Preservative Nitrite with Gold Nanoparticles/p-Aminothiophenol-Modified Gold Electrode.

    PubMed

    Üzer, Ayşem; Sağlam, Şener; Can, Ziya; Erçağ, Erol; Apak, Reşat

    2016-08-02

    Due to the negative impact of nitrate and nitrite on human health, their presence exceeding acceptable levels is not desired in foodstuffs. Thus, nitrite determination at low concentrations is a major challenge in electroanalytical chemistry, which can be achieved by fast, cheap, and safe electrochemical sensors. In this work, the working electrode (Au) was functionalized with p-aminothiophenol (p-ATP) and modified with gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) to manufacture the final (Au/p-ATP-Aunano) electrode in a two-step procedure. In the first step, p-ATP was electropolymerized on the electrode surface to obtain a polyaminothiophenol (PATP) coating. In the second step, Au/p-ATP-Aunano working electrode was prepared by coating the surface with the use of HAuCl₄ solution and cyclic voltammetry. Determination of aqueous nitrite samples was performed with the proposed electrode (Au/p-ATP-Aunano) using square wave voltammetry (SWV) in pH 4 buffer medium. Characteristic peak potential of nitrite samples was 0.76 V, and linear calibration curves of current intensity versus concentration was linear in the range of 0.5-50 mg·L(-1) nitrite with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.12 mg·L(-1). Alternatively, nitrite in sausage samples could be colorimetrically determined with high sensitivity by means of p-ATP‒modified gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and naphthylethylene diamine as coupling agents for azo-dye formation due to enhanced charge-transfer interactions with the AuNPs surface. The slopes of the calibration lines in pure NO₂(-) solution and in sausage sample solution, to which different concentrations of NO₂(-) standards were added, were not significantly different from each other, confirming the robustness and interference tolerance of the method. The proposed voltammetric sensing method was validated against the colorimetric nanosensing method in sausage samples.

  16. Electrochemical Determination of Food Preservative Nitrite with Gold Nanoparticles/p-Aminothiophenol-Modified Gold Electrode

    PubMed Central

    Üzer, Ayşem; Sağlam, Şener; Can, Ziya; Erçağ, Erol; Apak, Reşat

    2016-01-01

    Due to the negative impact of nitrate and nitrite on human health, their presence exceeding acceptable levels is not desired in foodstuffs. Thus, nitrite determination at low concentrations is a major challenge in electroanalytical chemistry, which can be achieved by fast, cheap, and safe electrochemical sensors. In this work, the working electrode (Au) was functionalized with p-aminothiophenol (p-ATP) and modified with gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) to manufacture the final (Au/p-ATP-Aunano) electrode in a two-step procedure. In the first step, p-ATP was electropolymerized on the electrode surface to obtain a polyaminothiophenol (PATP) coating. In the second step, Au/p-ATP-Aunano working electrode was prepared by coating the surface with the use of HAuCl4 solution and cyclic voltammetry. Determination of aqueous nitrite samples was performed with the proposed electrode (Au/p-ATP-Aunano) using square wave voltammetry (SWV) in pH 4 buffer medium. Characteristic peak potential of nitrite samples was 0.76 V, and linear calibration curves of current intensity versus concentration was linear in the range of 0.5–50 mg·L−1 nitrite with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.12 mg·L−1. Alternatively, nitrite in sausage samples could be colorimetrically determined with high sensitivity by means of p-ATP‒modified gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and naphthylethylene diamine as coupling agents for azo-dye formation due to enhanced charge-transfer interactions with the AuNPs surface. The slopes of the calibration lines in pure NO2− solution and in sausage sample solution, to which different concentrations of NO2− standards were added, were not significantly different from each other, confirming the robustness and interference tolerance of the method. The proposed voltammetric sensing method was validated against the colorimetric nanosensing method in sausage samples. PMID:27490543

  17. Magnetic dynamic properties of electron-doped La(0.23)Ca(0.77)MnO3 nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Dolgin, B; Puzniak, R; Mogilyansky, D; Wisniewski, A; Markovich, V; Jung, G

    2013-02-20

    Magnetic properties of basically antiferromagnetic La(0.23)Ca(0.77)MnO(3) particles with average sizes of 12 and 60 nm have been investigated in a wide range of magnetic fields and temperature. Particular attention has been paid to magnetization dynamics through measurements of the temperature dependence of ac-susceptibility at various frequencies, the temperature and field dependence of thermoremanent and isothermoremanent magnetization originating from nanoparticles shells, and the time decay of the remanent magnetization. Experimental results and their analysis reveal the major role in magnetic behaviour of investigated antiferromagnetic nanoparticles played by the glassy component, associated mainly with the formation of the collective state formed by ferromagnetic clusters in frustrated coordination at the surfaces of interacting antiferromagnetic nanoparticles. Magnetic behaviour of nanoparticles has been ascribed to a core-shell scenario. Magnetic transitions have been found to play an important role in determining the dynamic properties of the phase separated state of coexisting different magnetic phases.

  18. A novel sensor made of Antimony Doped Tin Oxide-silica composite sol on a glassy carbon electrode modified by single-walled carbon nanotubes for detection of norepinephrine.

    PubMed

    Wang, Zhao; Wang, Kai; Zhao, Lu; Chai, Shigan; Zhang, Jinzhi; Zhang, Xiuhua; Zou, Qichao

    2017-11-01

    In this study, we designed a novel molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP), Antimony Doped Tin Oxide (ATO)-silica composite sol, which was made using a sol-gel method. Then a sensitive and selective imprinted electrochemical sensor was constructed with the ATO-silica composite sol on a glassy carbon electrode modified by single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs). The introduction of SWNTs increased the sensitivity of the MIP sensor. The surface morphology of the MIP and MIP/SWNTs were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the optimal conditions for detection were determined. The oxidative peak current increased linearly with the concentration of norepinephrine in the range of 9.99×10 -8 M to 1.50×10 -5 M, as detected by cyclic voltammetry (CV), the detection limit was 3.33×10 -8 M (S/N=3). In addition, the proposed electrochemical sensors were successfully applied to detect the norepinephrine concentration in human blood serum samples. The recoveries of the sensors varied from 99.67% to 104.17%, indicating that the sensor has potential for the determination of norepinephrine in clinical tests. Moreover, the imprinted electrochemical sensor was used to selectively detect norepinephrine. The analytical application was conducted successfully and yielded accurate and precise results. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  19. New β-Cyclodextrin Entrapped in Polyethyleneimine Film-Modified Electrodes for Pharmaceutical Compounds Determination

    PubMed Central

    Fritea, Luminţa; Tertiş, Mihaela; Cristea, Cecilia; Săndulescu, Robert

    2013-01-01

    The electrochemical behavior of ascorbic acid and uric acid on glassy carbon bare electrodes and ones modified with β-cyclodextrin entrapped in polyethyleneimine film has been investigated using square wave voltammetry. The electrode modification was achieved in order to separate the voltammetric peaks of ascorbic acid and uric acid when present in the same solution. On the modified electrodes the potential of the oxidation peak of the ascorbic acid was shifted to more negative values by over 0.3 V, while in the case of uric acid, the negative potential shift was about 0.15 V compared to the bare glassy carbon electrode. When the two compounds were found together in the solution, on the bare electrode only a single broad signal was observed, while on the modified electrode the peak potentials of these two compounds were separated by 0.4 V. When the uric acid concentration remained constant, the peak intensity of the ascorbic acid is increased linearly with the concentration (r2 = 0.996) and when the ascorbic acid concentration remains constant, the peak intensity of the uric acid increased linearly with the concentration (r2 = 0.992). FTIR measurements supported the formation of inclusion complexes. In order to characterize the modification of the electrodes microscopic studies were performed. The modified electrodes were successfully employed for the determination of ascorbic acid in pharmaceutical formulations with a detection limit of 0.22 μM. PMID:24287544

  20. F-doped VO2 nanoparticles for thermochromic energy-saving foils with modified color and enhanced solar-heat shielding ability.

    PubMed

    Dai, Lei; Chen, Shi; Liu, Jianjun; Gao, Yanfeng; Zhou, Jiadong; Chen, Zhang; Cao, Chuanxiang; Luo, Hongjie; Kanehira, Minoru

    2013-07-28

    F-doped VO2 (M1) nanoparticles were prepared via one-pot hydrothermal synthesis. The F-doping can minimise the size of the VO2 (M1) nanoparticles, induce a homogeneous size distribution and effectively decrease the phase transition temperature to 35 °C at 2.93% F in VO2. VO2 smart glass foils obtained by casting these nanoparticles exhibit excellent thermochromism in the near-infrared region, which suggests that these foils can be used for energy-efficient glass. Compared to a pure VO2 foil, the 2.93% F-doped VO2 foil exhibits an increased solar-heat shielding ability (35.1%) and a modified comfortable colour, while still retaining an excellent solar modulation ability (10.7%) and an appropriate visible transmittance (48.7%). The F-doped VO2 foils are the first to simultaneously meet the requirements of a reduced phase transition temperature, diluted colour and excellent thermochromic properties, and these properties make the further improved F-doped VO2 foils suitable for commercial applications in energy efficient glass.

  1. Development of electrochemical folic acid sensor based on hydroxyapatite nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Kanchana, P; Sekar, C

    2015-02-25

    We report the synthesis of hydroxyapatite (HA) nanoparticles (NPs) by a simple microwave irradiation method and its application as sensing element for the precise determination of folic acid (FA) by electrochemical method. The structure and composition of the HA NPs characterized using XRD, FTIR, Raman and XPS. SEM and EDX studies confirmed the formation of elongated spherical shaped HA NPs with an average particle size of about 34 nm. The HA NPs thin film on glassy carbon electrode (GCE) were deposited by drop casting method. Electrocatalytic behavior of FA in the physiological pH 7.0 was investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV), linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) and chronoamperometry. The fabricated HA/GCE exhibited a linear calibration plot over a wide FA concentration ranging from 1.0×10(-7) to 3.5×10(-4) M with the detection limit of 75 nM. In addition, the HA NPs modified GCE showed good selectivity toward the determination of FA even in the presence of a 100-fold excess of ascorbic acid (AA) and 1000-fold excess of other common interferents. The fabricated biosensor exhibits good sensitivity and stability, and was successfully applied for the determination of FA in pharmaceutical samples. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Development of electrochemical folic acid sensor based on hydroxyapatite nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kanchana, P.; Sekar, C.

    2015-02-01

    We report the synthesis of hydroxyapatite (HA) nanoparticles (NPs) by a simple microwave irradiation method and its application as sensing element for the precise determination of folic acid (FA) by electrochemical method. The structure and composition of the HA NPs characterized using XRD, FTIR, Raman and XPS. SEM and EDX studies confirmed the formation of elongated spherical shaped HA NPs with an average particle size of about 34 nm. The HA NPs thin film on glassy carbon electrode (GCE) were deposited by drop casting method. Electrocatalytic behavior of FA in the physiological pH 7.0 was investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV), linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) and chronoamperometry. The fabricated HA/GCE exhibited a linear calibration plot over a wide FA concentration ranging from 1.0 × 10-7 to 3.5 × 10-4 M with the detection limit of 75 nM. In addition, the HA NPs modified GCE showed good selectivity toward the determination of FA even in the presence of a 100-fold excess of ascorbic acid (AA) and 1000-fold excess of other common interferents. The fabricated biosensor exhibits good sensitivity and stability, and was successfully applied for the determination of FA in pharmaceutical samples.

  3. Permeation of Mixed Penetrants through Glassy Polymer Membranes.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1985-03-15

    and LOPE. Also, ESCA was used in conjunction with plasma etching to determine the effects of the gas phase fluorine concentration and fluorination...at 35 3C. ARD-AISS5 65 PERMEATION OF MIXED PENETRANTS THROUGH GLASSY POLYMER 213 MENBRANES (U) NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIV AT RALEIGH R T CHERN ET AL. 15

  4. Thermodynamics of water sorption in high performance glassy thermoplastic polymers

    PubMed Central

    Scherillo, Giuseppe; Petretta, Mauro; Galizia, Michele; La Manna, Pietro; Musto, Pellegrino; Mensitieri, Giuseppe

    2014-01-01

    Sorption thermodynamics of water in two glassy polymers, polyetherimide (PEI) and polyetheretherketone (PEEK), is investigated by coupling gravimetry and on line FTIR spectroscopy in order to gather information on the total amount of sorbed water as well as on the different species of water molecules absorbed within the polymers, addressing the issue of cross- and self-interactions occurring in the polymer/water systems. Water sorption isotherms have been determined at temperatures ranging from 30 to 70°C while FTIR spectroscopy has been performed only at 30°C. The experimental analysis provided information on the groups present on the polymer backbones involved in hydrogen bonding interactions with absorbed water molecules. Moreover, it also supplied qualitative indications about the different “populations” of water molecules present within the PEEK and a quantitative assessment of these “populations” in the case of PEI. The results of the experimental analysis have been interpreted using an equation of state theory based on a compressible lattice fluid model for the Gibbs energy of the polymer-water mixture, developed by extending to the case of out of equilibrium glassy polymers a previous model intended for equilibrium rubbery polymers. The model accounts for the non-equilibrium nature of glassy polymers as well as for mean field and for hydrogen bonding interactions, providing a satisfactory quantitative interpretation of the experimental data. PMID:24860802

  5. Targeted sonodynamic therapy using protein-modified TiO2 nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Ninomiya, Kazuaki; Ogino, Chiaki; Oshima, Shuhei; Sonoke, Shiro; Kuroda, Shun-ichi; Shimizu, Nobuaki

    2012-05-01

    Our previous study suggested new sonodynamic therapy for cancer cells based on the delivery of titanium dioxide (TiO(2)) nanoparticles (NPs) modified with a protein specifically recognizing target cells and subsequent generation of hydroxyl radicals from TiO(2) NPs activated by external ultrasound irradiation (called TiO(2)/US treatment). The present study first examined the uptake behavior of TiO(2) NPs modified with pre-S1/S2 (model protein-recognizing hepatocytes) by HepG2 cells for 24h. It took 6h for sufficient uptake of the TiO(2) NPs by the cells. Next, the effect of the TiO(2)/US treatment on HepG2 cell growth was examined for 96 h after the 1 MHz ultrasound was irradiated (0.1 W/cm(2), 30s) to the cells which incorporated the TiO(2) NPs. Apoptosis was observed at 6h after the TiO(2)/US treatment. Although no apparent cell-injury was observed until 24h after the treatment, the viable cell concentration had deteriorated to 46% of the control at 96 h. Finally, the TiO(2)/US treatment was applied to a mouse xenograft model. The pre-S1/S2-immobilized TiO(2) (0.1mg) was directly injected into tumors, followed by 1 MHz ultrasound irradiation at 1.0 W/cm(2) for 60s. As a result of the treatment repeated five times within 13 days, tumor growth could be hampered up to 28 days compared with the control conditions. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Electrochemically assisted fabrication of size-exclusion films of organically modified silica and application to the voltammetry of phospholipids.

    PubMed

    Mehdi, B Layla; Rutkowska, Iwona A; Kulesza, Pawel J; Cox, James A

    2013-06-01

    Modification of electrodes with nm-scale organically modified silica films with pores diameters controlled at 10- and 50-nm is described. An oxidation catalyst, mixed-valence ruthenium oxide with cyano crosslinks or gold nanoparticles protected by dirhodium-substituted phosophomolybdate (AuNP-Rh 2 PMo 11 ), was immobilized in the pores. These systems comprise size-exclusion films at which the biological compounds, phosphatidylcholine and cardiolipin, were electrocatalytically oxidized without interference from surface-active concomitants such as bovine serum albumin. 10-nm pores were obtained by adding generation-4 poly(amidoamine) dendrimer, G4-PAMAM, to a (CH 3 ) 3 SiOCH 3 sol. 50-nm pores were obtained by modifying a glassy carbon electrode (GC) with a sub-monolayer film of aminopropyltriethoxylsilane, attaching 50-nm diameter poly(styrene sulfonate), PSS, spheres to the protonated amine, transferring this electrode to a (CH 3 ) 3 SiOCH 3 sol, and electrochemically generating hydronium at uncoated GC sites, which catalyzed ormosil growth around the PSS. Voltammetry of Fe(CN) 6 3- and Ru(NH 3 ) 6 3+ demonstrated the absence of residual charge after removal of the templating agents. With the 50-nm system, the pore structure was sufficiently defined to use layer-by-layer electrostatic assembly of AuNP-Rh 2 PMo 11 therein. Flow injection amperometry of phosphatidylcholine and cardiolipin demonstrated analytical utility of these electrodes.

  7. Nanomedicine strategy for optimizing delivery to outer hair cells by surface-modified poly(lactic/glycolic acid) nanoparticles with hydrophilic molecules

    PubMed Central

    Wen, Xingxing; Ding, Shan; Cai, Hui; Wang, Junyi; Wen, Lu; Yang, Fan; Chen, Gang

    2016-01-01

    Targeted drug delivery to outer hair cells (OHCs) in the cochlea by nanomedicine strategies forms an effective therapeutic approach for treating hearing loss. Surface chemistry plays a deciding role in nanoparticle (NP) biodistribution, but its influence on such distribution in the cochlea remains largely unknown. Herein, we report the first systematic comparison of poly(lactic/glycolic acid) nanoparticles (PLGA NPs) with or without surface modification of hydrophilic molecules for optimizing the delivery to OHCs both in vitro and in vivo. NPs that were surface modified with poloxamer 407 (P407), chitosan, or methoxy poly(ethylene glycol) and the unmodified NPs were highly biocompatible with L929 and House Ear Institute-organ of Corti 1 cells as well as cochlear tissues. Interestingly, among all the examined NPs, P407-PLGA NPs showed the greatest cellular uptake and prominent fluorescence in cochlear imaging. More importantly, we provide novel evidence that the surface-modified NPs reached the organ of Corti and were transported into the OHCs at a higher level. Together, these observations suggest that surface modification with hydrophilic molecules will allow future clinical applications of PLGA NPs, especially P407-PLGA NPs, in efficient hearing loss therapy. PMID:27877041

  8. Sensitive detection of hydroxylamine at a simple baicalin carbon nanotubes modified electrode.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Hongfang; Zheng, Jianbin

    2012-05-15

    A baicalin multi-wall carbon nanotubes (BaMWCNT) modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) for the sensitive determination of hydroxylamine was described. The BaMWCNT/GCE with dramatic stability was firstly fabricated with a simple adsorption method. And it showed excellent catalytic activity toward the electrooxidation of hydroxylamine. The amperometric response at the BaMWCNT/GCE modified electrode increased linearly to hydroxylamine concentrations in the range of 0.5 μM to 0.4mM with a detection limit of 0.1 μM. The modified electrode was applied to detection hydroxylamine in the tap water, and the average recovery for the standards added was 96.0%. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Visible light assisted photodecolorization of eosin-Y in aqueous solution using hesperidin modified TiO2 nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vignesh, K.; Suganthi, A.; Rajarajan, M.; Sakthivadivel, R.

    2012-03-01

    Hesperidin a flavanoid, modified TiO2 nanoparticles (Hes-TiO2) was synthesized to improve the visible light driven photocatalytic performance of TiO2. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-vis-DRS), FT-IR, powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The photocatalytic activity of Hes-TiO2 was investigated based on the decolorization of eosin-Y under visible light irradiation. Hes-TiO2 showed high efficiency for the decolorization of eosin-Y. The influences of various reaction parameters like effect of pH, catalyst dosage and initial dye concentration on the photocatalytic efficiency were investigated. The adsorption of eosin-Y on Hes-TiO2 was found favorable by the Langmuir approach. The removal percentage of chemical oxygen demand (COD) was determined to evaluate the mineralization of eosin-Y during photodecolorization. Based on the intermediates obtained in the GC-MS spectroscopic technique, a probable degradation mechanism has been proposed.

  10. Cyclodextrin-Modified Porous Silicon Nanoparticles for Efficient Sustained Drug Delivery and Proliferation Inhibition of Breast Cancer Cells.

    PubMed

    Correia, Alexandra; Shahbazi, Mohammad-Ali; Mäkilä, Ermei; Almeida, Sérgio; Salonen, Jarno; Hirvonen, Jouni; Santos, Hélder A

    2015-10-21

    Over the past decade, the potential of polymeric structures has been investigated to overcome many limitations related to nanosized drug carriers by modulating their toxicity, cellular interactions, stability, and drug-release kinetics. In this study, we have developed a successful nanocomposite consisting of undecylenic acid modified thermally hydrocarbonized porous silicon nanoparticles (UnTHCPSi NPs) loaded with an anticancer drug, sorafenib, and surface-conjugated with heptakis(6-amino-6-deoxy)-β-cyclodextrin (HABCD) to show the impact of the surface polymeric functionalization on the physical and biological properties of the drug-loaded nanoparticles. Cytocompatibility studies showed that the UnTHCPSi-HABCD NPs were not toxic to breast cancer cells. HABCD also enhanced the suspensibility and both the colloidal and plasma stabilities of the UnTHCPSi NPs. UnTHCPSi-HABCD NPs showed a significantly increased interaction with breast cancer cells compared to bare NPs and also sustained the drug release. Furthermore, the sorafenib-loaded UnTHCPSi-HABCD NPs efficiently inhibited cell proliferation of the breast cancer cells.

  11. Sensitive Adsorptive Voltammetric Method for Determination of Bisphenol A by Gold Nanoparticle/Polyvinylpyrrolidone-Modified Pencil Graphite Electrode

    PubMed Central

    Yaman, Yesim Tugce; Abaci, Serdar

    2016-01-01

    A novel electrochemical sensor gold nanoparticle (AuNP)/polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) modified pencil graphite electrode (PGE) was developed for the ultrasensitive determination of Bisphenol A (BPA). The gold nanoparticles were electrodeposited by constant potential electrolysis and PVP was attached by passive adsorption onto the electrode surface. The electrode surfaces were characterized by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The parameters that affected the experimental conditions were researched and optimized. The AuNP/PVP/PGE sensor provided high sensitivity and selectivity for BPA recognition by using square wave adsorptive stripping voltammetry (SWAdSV). Under optimized conditions, the detection limit was found to be 1.0 nM. This new sensor system offered the advantages of simple fabrication which aided the expeditious replication, low cost, fast response, high sensitivity and low background current for BPA. This new sensor system was successfully tested for the detection of the amount of BPA in bottled drinking water with high reliability. PMID:27231912

  12. Effects of nymphal diet and adult feeding on allocation of resources to glassy-winged sharpshooter egg production

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The glassy-winged sharpshooter is an invasive insect capable of transmitting the bacterial pathogen Xylella fastidiosa. Pre-oviposition periods of laboratory reared glassy-winged sharpshooters are variable. Here, two questions were addressed: does nymphal diet affect pre-oviposition period and how d...

  13. Loss of halogens from crystallized and glassy silicic volcanic rocks

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Noble, D.C.; Smith, V.C.; Peck, L.C.

    1967-01-01

    One hundred and sixty-four F and Cl analyses of silicic welded tuffs and lavas and glass separates are presented. Comparison of the F and Cl contents of crystallized rocks with those of nonhydrated glass and hydrated glassy rocks from the same rock units shows that most of the halogens originally present were lost on crystallization. An average of about half of the F and four-fifths of the Cl originally present was lost. Analyses of hydrated natural glasses and of glassy rocks indicate that in some cases significant amounts of halogens may be removed from or added to hydrated glass through prolonged contact with ground water. The data show that the original halogen contents of the groundmass of a silicic volcanic rock can be reliably determined only from nonhydrated glass. ?? 1967.

  14. Synthesis and applications of novel silver nanoparticle structures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dukes, Kyle

    The field of nanotechnology is rapidly expanding across disciplines as each new development is realized. New exciting technologies are being driven by advances in the application of nanotechnology; including biochemical, optical, and semiconductors research. This thesis will focus on the use of silver nanoparticles as optical labels on cells, methods of forming different small structures of silver nanoparticles, as well as the use of silver nanoparticles in the development of a photovoltaic cell. Silver nanoparticles have been modified with self-assembled monolayers of hydroxyl-terminated long chain thiols and encapsulated with a silica shell. The resulting core-shell nanoparticles were used as optical labels for cell analysis using flow cytometry and microscopy. The excitation of plasmon resonances in nanoparticles results in strong depolarized scattering of visible light permitting detection at the single nanoparticle level. The nanoparticles were modified with neutravidin via epoxide-azide coupling chemistry and biotinylated antibodies targeting cell surface receptors were bound to the nanoparticle surface. The nanoparticle labels exhibited long-term stability under physiological conditions without aggregation or silver ion leaching. Labeled cells exhibited two orders of magnitude enhancement of the scattering intensity compared to unlabeled cells. Dimers of silver nanoparticles have been fabricated by first immobilizing a monolayer of single silver nanoparticles onto poly(4-vinylpyridine) covered glass slides. The monolayer was then exposed to adenine, which has two amines which will bind to silver. The nanoparticle monolayer, now modified with adenine, is exposed to a second suspension of nanoparticles which will bind with the amine modified monolayer. Finally, a thin silica shell is formed about the structure via solgel chemistry to prevent dissolution or aggregation upon sonication/striping. Circular arrays of silver nanoparticels are developed using a

  15. Quercetin-Based Modified Porous Silicon Nanoparticles for Enhanced Inhibition of Doxorubicin-Resistant Cancer Cells.

    PubMed

    Liu, Zehua; Balasubramanian, Vimalkumar; Bhat, Chinmay; Vahermo, Mikko; Mäkilä, Ermei; Kemell, Marianna; Fontana, Flavia; Janoniene, Agne; Petrikaite, Vilma; Salonen, Jarno; Yli-Kauhaluoma, Jari; Hirvonen, Jouni; Zhang, Hongbo; Santos, Hélder A

    2017-02-01

    One of the most challenging obstacles in nanoparticle's surface modification is to achieve the concept that one ligand can accomplish multiple purposes. Upon such consideration, 3-aminopropoxy-linked quercetin (AmQu), a derivative of a natural flavonoid inspired by the structure of dopamine, is designed and subsequently used to modify the surface of thermally hydrocarbonized porous silicon (PSi) nanoparticles. This nanosystem inherits several advanced properties in a single carrier, including promoted anticancer efficiency, multiple drug resistance (MDR) reversing, stimuli-responsive drug release, drug release monitoring, and enhanced particle-cell interactions. The anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) is efficiently loaded into this nanosystem and released in a pH-dependent manner. AmQu also effectively quenches the fluorescence of the loaded DOX, thereby allowing the use of the nanosystem for monitoring the intracellular drug release. Furthermore, a synergistic effect with the presence of AmQu is observed in both normal MCF-7 and DOX-resistant MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Due to the similar structure as dopamine, AmQu may facilitate both the interaction and internalization of PSi into the cells. Overall, this PSi-based platform exhibits remarkable superiority in both multifunctionality and anticancer efficiency, making this nanovector a promising system for anti-MDR cancer treatment. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  16. Voltammetric determination of the Escherichia coli DNA using a screen-printed carbon electrode modified with polyaniline and gold nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Shoaie, Nahid; Forouzandeh, Mehdi; Omidfar, Kobra

    2018-03-12

    The authors describe an electrochemical assay for fast detection of Escherichia coli (E. coli). It is based on a dual signal amplification strategy and the use of a screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE) whose surface was modified with a polyaniline (PANI) film and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) via cyclic voltammetry (CV). In the next step, avidin was covalently immobilized on the PANI/AuNP composite on the SPCE surface. Subsequently, the biotinylated DNA capture probe was immobilized onto the PANI/AuNP/avidin-modified SPCE by biotin-avidin interaction. Then, DNA of E.coli, digoxigenin-labeled DNA detector probe and anti-digoxigenin-labeled horseradish peroxidase (HRP) were placed on the electrode. 3,3',5,5'-Tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) and H 2 O 2 solution were added and the CV electrochemical signal was generated at a potential of -0.1 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) and a scan rate 50 mV.s -1 . The assay can detect 4 × 10 6 to 4 CFU of E. coli without DNA amplification. The biosensor is highly specific over other pathogens including Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis, Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus haemolyticus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. It can be concluded that this genosensor has an excellent potential for rapid and accurate diagnosis of E.coli inflicted infections. Graphical Abstract Schematic of an electrochemical E. coli genosensor based on sandwich assay on a polyaniline/gold nanoparticle-modified screen printed carbon electrode (SPCE). The biosensor can detect 4 × 10 6 to 4 CFU of E. coli without DNA amplification.

  17. Ultrasonic activated efficient synthesis of chromenes using amino-silane modified Fe3O4 nanoparticles: A versatile integration of high catalytic activity and facile recovery

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Safari, Javad; Zarnegar, Zohre

    2014-08-01

    An efficient synthesis of 2-amino-4H-chromenes is achieved by one pot three component coupling reaction of aldehyde, malononitrile, and resorcinol using amino-silane modified Fe3O4 nanoparticles (MNPs-NH2) heterogeneous nanocatalyst under sonic condition. The attractive advantages of the present process are mild reaction conditions, short reaction times, easy isolation of products, good yields and simple operational procedures. Combination of the advantages of ultrasonic irradiation and magnetic nanoparticles provides important methodology to carry out catalytic transformations.

  18. Equation of state of heated glassy carbon

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Sekine, Toshimori; Ahrens, Thomas J.

    1991-01-01

    New Hugoniot data are presented for glassy carbon preheated to 1550 K and shocked to 20 GPa. The high-temperature Hugoniot is very similar to the principal Hugoniot. This results argues against the diffusional mechanism for the shock-induced transformaton of amorphous carbon to diamond, although the present results are obviously limited to below 20 GPa. This study provides the first Higoniot data for carbon preheated to significantly high temperatures.

  19. MIPs-graphene nanoplatelets-MWCNTs modified glassy carbon electrode for the determination of cardiac troponin I.

    PubMed

    Ma, Ya; Shen, Xiao-Lei; Wang, Hai-Shui; Tao, Jia; Huang, Jian-Zhi; Zeng, Qiang; Wang, Li-Shi

    2017-03-01

    An electrochemical sensor with high selectivity in addition to sensitivity was developed for the determination of cardiac troponin I (cTnI), based on the modification of cTnI imprinted polymer film on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE). The sensor was fabricated by layer-by-layer assembled graphene nanoplatelets (GS), multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), chitosan (CS), glutaraldehyde (GA) composites, which can increase the electronic transfer rate and the active surface area to capture a larger number of antigenic proteins. MWCNTs/GS based imprinted polymers (MIPs/MWCNTs/GS) were synthesized by means of methacrylic acid (MAA) as the monomer, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) as the cross linker α,α'-azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as the initiator and cTnI as the template. In comparison with conventional methods, the proposed electrochemical sensor is highly sensitive for cTnI, providing a better linear response range from 0.005 to 60 ng cm -3 and a lower limit of detection (LOD) of 0.0008 ng cm -3 under optimal experimental conditions. In addition, the electrochemical sensor exhibited good specificity, acceptable reproducibility and stability. Moreover, satisfactory results were obtained in real human serum samples, indicating that the developed method has the potential to find application in clinical detection of cTnI as an alternative approach. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Multi-pesticides residue analysis of grains using modified magnetic nanoparticle adsorbent for facile and efficient cleanup.

    PubMed

    Liu, Zhenzhen; Qi, Peipei; Wang, Xiangyun; Wang, Zhiwei; Xu, Xiahong; Chen, Wenxue; Wu, Liyu; Zhang, Hu; Wang, Qiang; Wang, Xinquan

    2017-09-01

    A facile, rapid sample pretreatment method was developed based on magnetic nanoparticles for multi-pesticides residue analysis of grains. Magnetite (Fe 3 O 4 ) nanoparticles modified with 3-(N,N-diethylamino)propyltrimethoxysilane (Fe 3 O 4 -PSA) and commercial C18 were selected as the cleanup adsorbents to remove the target interferences of the matrix, such as fatty acids and non-polar compounds. Rice was used as the representative grain sample for method optimization. The amount of Fe 3 O 4 -PSA and C18 were systematically investigated for selecting the suitable purification conditions, and the simultaneous determination of 50 pesticides and 8 related metabolites in rice was established by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Under the optimal conditions, the method validation was performed including linearity, sensitivity, matrix effect, recovery and precision, which all satisfy the requirement for pesticides residue analysis. Compared to the conventional QuEChERS method with non-magnetic material as cleanup adsorbent, the present method can save 30% of the pretreatment time, giving the high throughput analysis possible. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Discovery and in vivo evaluation of novel RGD-modified lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles for targeted drug delivery.

    PubMed

    Zhao, Yinbo; Lin, Dayong; Wu, Fengbo; Guo, Li; He, Gu; Ouyang, Liang; Song, Xiangrong; Huang, Wei; Li, Xiang

    2014-09-29

    In the current study, the lipid-shell and polymer-core hybrid nanoparticles (lpNPs) modified by Arg-Gly-Asp(RGD) peptide, loaded with curcumin (Cur), were developed by emulsification-solvent volatilization method. The RGD-modified hybrid nanoparticles (RGD-lpNPs) could overcome the poor water solubility of Cur to meet the requirement of intravenous administration and tumor active targeting. The obtained optimal RGD-lpNPs, composed of PLGA (poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid))-mPEG (methoxyl poly(ethylene- glycol)), RGD-polyethylene glycol (PEG)-cholesterol (Chol) copolymers and lipids, had good entrapment efficiency, submicron size and negatively neutral surface charge. The core-shell structure of RGD-lpNPs was verified by TEM. Cytotoxicity analysis demonstrated that the RGD-lpNPs encapsulated Cur retained potent anti-tumor effects. Flow cytometry analysis revealed the cellular uptake of Cur encapsulated in the RGD-lpNPs was increased for human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). Furthermore, Cur loaded RGD-lpNPs were more effective in inhibiting tumor growth in a subcutaneous B16 melanoma tumor model. The results of immunofluorescent and immunohistochemical studies by Cur loaded RGD-lpNPs therapies indicated that more apoptotic cells, fewer microvessels, and fewer proliferation-positive cells were observed. In conclusion, RGD-lpNPs encapsulating Cur were developed with enhanced anti-tumor activity in melanoma, and Cur loaded RGD-lpNPs represent an excellent tumor targeted formulation of Cur which might be an attractive candidate for cancer therapy.

  2. Hg(2+) detection using a disposable and miniaturized screen-printed electrode modified with nanocomposite carbon black and gold nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Cinti, Stefano; Santella, Francesco; Moscone, Danila; Arduini, Fabiana

    2016-05-01

    A miniaturized screen-printed electrode (SPE) modified with a carbon black-gold nanoparticle (CBNP-AuNP) nanocomposite has been developed as an electrochemical sensor for the detection of inorganic mercury ions (Hg(2+)). The working electrode surface has been modified with nanocomposite constituted of CBNPs and AuNPs by an easy drop casting procedure that makes this approach extendible to an automatable mass production of modified SPEs. Square wave anodic stripping voltammetry (SWASV) was adopted to perform Hg(2+) detection, revealing satisfactory sensitivity and detection limit, equal to 14 μA ppb(-1) cm(-2) and 3 ppb, respectively. The applicability of the CBNP-AuNP-SPE for the determination of inorganic mercury has been assessed in river water by a simple filtration and acidification of the sample as well as in soil by means of a facile acidic extraction procedure assisted by ultrasound.

  3. Structure and Entanglement Factors on Dynamics of Polymer-Grafted Nanoparticles

    DOE PAGES

    Liu, Siqi; Senses, Erkan; Jiao, Yang; ...

    2016-04-15

    Nanoparticles functionalized with long polymer chains at low graft density are interesting systems to study structure–dynamic relationships in polymer nanocomposites since they are shown to aggregate into strings in both solution and melts and also into spheres and branched aggregates in the presence of free polymer chains. Our work investigates structure and entanglement effects in composites of polystyrene-grafted iron oxide nanoparticles by measuring particle relaxations using X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy. And for particles within highly ordered strings and aggregated systems, they experience a dynamically heterogeneous environment displaying hyperdiffusive relaxation commonly observed in jammed soft glassy systems. Furthermore, particle dynamics ismore » diffusive for branched aggregated structures which could be caused by less penetration of long matrix chains into brushes. These results suggest that particle motion is dictated by the strong interactions of chains grafted at low density with the host matrix polymer.« less

  4. Understanding soft glassy materials using an energy landscape approach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hwang, Hyun Joo; Riggleman, Robert A.; Crocker, John C.

    2016-09-01

    Many seemingly different soft materials--such as soap foams, mayonnaise, toothpaste and living cells--display strikingly similar viscoelastic behaviour. A fundamental physical understanding of such soft glassy rheology and how it can manifest in such diverse materials, however, remains unknown. Here, by using a model soap foam consisting of compressible spherical bubbles, whose sizes slowly evolve and whose collective motion is simply dictated by energy minimization, we study the foam's dynamics as it corresponds to downhill motion on an energy landscape function spanning a high-dimensional configuration space. We find that these downhill paths, when viewed in this configuration space, are, surprisingly, fractal. The complex behaviour of our model, including power-law rheology and non-diffusive bubble motion and avalanches, stems directly from the fractal dimension and energy function of these paths. Our results suggest that ubiquitous soft glassy rheology may be a consequence of emergent fractal geometry in the energy landscapes of many complex fluids.

  5. Plasma-Functionalized Polytetrafluoroethylene Nanoparticles for Improved Wear in Lubricated Contact

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Sharma, Vinay; Timmons, Richard; Erdemir, Ali

    Plasma-functionalized polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) nanoparticles were employed to evaluate their utility in improving the lubrication property of a group III mineral oil with a significantly low amount of zinc dialkyl dithiophosphate (ZDDP). The particles were coated with two consecutive films; the initial coating contained silica to enhance amorphous glassy tribofilm formation, followed by a methacrylate film to protect the silica coating and enhance dispersibility in the oil. The functionalized nanoparticles were evaluated for their tribological performance using a high-frequency reciprocating rig, in a cylinder-on-flat configuration. The oil formulations containing ZDDP (350 ppm phosphorus level) and the functionalized nanoparticles resulted in dramaticmore » reductions in the friction coefficient and overall wear compared to the samples containing nonfunctionalized PTFE nanoparticles, ZDDP (350 ppm P), and samples devoid of nanoparticles but containing ZDDP with a 700 ppm P treat rate. XPS and XANES spectroscopy were employed to characterize the tribological films formed on the test samples. The samples with functionalized particles and ZDDP clearly exhibited tribofilms with Si- and F-doped polyphosphates of Zn coupled with the presence of ZnS at the metal-tribofilm interface. On the other hand, oils without the functionalized nanoparticles have oxides of Fe and to a lesser extent short-chain phosphates of Zn. The overall results suggest that the synergism between plasma-coated PTFE nanoparticles and ZDDP contributed to the development of protective tribofilms even at reduced amount of phosphorus in the oil. This new method of employing nanoparticles to deliver novel antifriction and antiwear chemistries at the tribological interfaces stands out as a promising approach to further reduce P levels in oils without compromising friction and wear performance.« less

  6. Direct electron transfer of Phanerochaete chrysosporium cellobiose dehydrogenase at platinum and palladium nanoparticles decorated carbon nanotubes modified electrodes.

    PubMed

    Bozorgzadeh, Somayyeh; Hamidi, Hassan; Ortiz, Roberto; Ludwig, Roland; Gorton, Lo

    2015-10-07

    In the present work, platinum and palladium nanoparticles (PtNPs and PdNPs) were decorated on the surface of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) by a simple thermal decomposition method. The prepared nanohybrids, PtNPs-MWCNTs and PdNPs-MWCNTs, were cast on the surface of spectrographic graphite electrodes and then Phanerochaete chrysosporium cellobiose dehydrogenase (PcCDH) was adsorbed on the modified layer. Direct electron transfer between PcCDH and the nanostructured modified electrodes was studied using flow injection amperometry and cyclic voltammetry. The maximum current responses (Imax) and the apparent Michaelis-Menten constants (K) for the different PcCDH modified electrodes were calculated by fitting the data to the Michaelis-Menten equation and compared. The sensitivity towards lactose was 3.07 and 3.28 μA mM(-1) at the PcCDH/PtNPs-MWCNTs/SPGE and PcCDH/PdNPs-MWCNTs/SPGE electrodes, respectively, which were higher than those measured at the PcCDH/MWCNTs/SPGE (2.60 μA mM(-1)) and PcCDH/SPGE (0.92 μA mM(-1)). The modified electrodes were additionally tested as bioanodes for biofuel cell applications.

  7. A highly sensitive electrochemical biosensor for catechol using conducting polymer reduced graphene oxide-metal oxide enzyme modified electrode.

    PubMed

    Sethuraman, V; Muthuraja, P; Anandha Raj, J; Manisankar, P

    2016-10-15

    The fabrication, characterization and analytical performances were investigated for a catechol biosensor, based on the PEDOT-rGO-Fe2O3-PPO composite modified glassy carbon (GC) electrode. The graphene oxide (GO) doped conducting polymer poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) was prepared through electrochemical polymerization by potential cycling. Reduction of PEDOT-GO was carried out by amperometric method. Fe2O3 nanoparticles were synthesized in ethanol by hydrothermal method. The mixture of Fe2O3, PPO and glutaraldehyde was casted on the PEDOT-rGO electrode. The surface morphology of the modified electrodes was studied by FE-SEM and AFM. Cyclic voltammetric studies of catechol on the enzyme modified electrode revealed higher reduction peak current. Determination of catechol was carried out successfully by Differential Pulse Voltammetry (DPV) technique. The fabricated biosensor investigated shows a maximum current response at pH 6.5. The catechol biosensor exhibited wide sensing linear range from 4×10(-8) to 6.20×10(-5)M, lower detection limit of 7×10(-9)M, current maxima (Imax) of 92.55µA and Michaelis-Menten (Km) constant of 30.48µM. The activation energy (Ea) of enzyme electrode is 35.93KJmol(-1) at 50°C. There is no interference from d-glucose and l-glutamic acid, ascorbic acid and o-nitrophenol. The PEDOT-rGO-Fe2O3-PPO biosensor was stable for at least 75 days when stored in a buffer at about 4°C. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Development of amperometric lysine biosensors based on Au nanoparticles/multiwalled carbon nanotubes/polymers modified Au electrodes.

    PubMed

    Chauhan, Nidhi; Singh, Anamika; Narang, Jagriti; Dahiya, Swati; Pundir, C S

    2012-11-07

    The construction of two amperometric l-lysine biosensors is described in this study. The construction comprises the covalent immobilization of lysine oxidase (LOx) onto nanocomposite composed of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and carboxylated multiwalled carbon nanotubes (c-MWCNT), decorated on (i) polyaniline (PANI) and (ii) poly 1,2 diaminobenzene (DAB), electrodeposited on Au electrodes. The biosensors were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) studies. The optimum response (current) was observed within 2 s at pH 7.0 and 25 °C for LOx/AuNPs/c-MWCNT/PANI/Au, and 4 s at pH 7.0 and 30 °C for LOx/AuNPs/c-MWCNT/DAB/Au electrodes. There was a linear relationship between current and lysine concentration ranging from 5.0 to 600 μM for LOx/AuNPs/c-MWCNT/PANI/Au with a detection limit of 5.0 μM, and 20 to 600 μM for the LOx/AuNPs/c-MWCNT/DAB/Au electrode with a detection limit of 20 μM. The PANI modified electrode was in good agreement with the standard HPLC method, with a better correlation (r = 0.992) compared to the DAB modified electrode (r = 0.986). These observations revealed that the PANI modified Au electrode was better than the DAB modified electrode, and hence it was employed for the determination of lysine in milk, pharmaceutical tablets and sera. The PANI modified electrode showed a half life of 120 days, compared to that of 90 days for the DAB modified electrode, after their 100 uses, when stored at 4 °C.

  9. A novel signal-off electrochemiluminescence biosensor for the determination of glucose based on double nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Liu, Linlin; Ma, Qiang; Li, Yang; Liu, ZiPing; Su, Xingguang

    2015-01-15

    In this work, a novel facile signal-off electrochemiluminescence (ECL) biosensor has been developed for the determination of glucose based on the integration of chitosan (CHIT), CdTe quantum dots (CdTe QDs) and Au nanoparticles (Au NPs) on the glassy carbon electrode (GCE). Chitosan displays high water permeability, hydrophilic property, strong hydrogel ability and good adhesion to load the double nanoparticles to the glassy carbon electrode surfaces. Au NPs are efficient glucose oxidase (GOx)-mimickess to catalytically oxidize glucose, similar to the natural process. Upon the addition of glucose, the Au NPs catalyzed glucose to produce gluconic acid and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) based on the consumption of dissolved oxygen (O2), which resulted in a quenching effect on the ECL emission. Therefore, the determination of glucose could be achieved by monitoring the signal-off ECL biosensor. Under the optimum conditions, the ECL intensity of CdTe QDs and the concentration of glucose have a good linear relationship in the range of 0.01-10 mmol L(-1). The limit of detection for glucose was 5.28 μmol L(-1) (S/N=3). The biosensor showed good sensitivity, selectivity, reproducibility and stability. The proposed biosensor has been employed for the detection of glucose in human serum samples with satisfactory results. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Mesomorphic glass nanocomposites made of metal alkanoates and nanoparticles as emerging nonlinear-optical materials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Garbovskiy, Y.; Klimusheva, G.; Mirnaya, T.

    2016-09-01

    Mesomorphic metal alkanoates is very promising yet overlooked class of nonlinear-optical materials. Metal alkanoates can exhibit a broad variety of condensed states of matter including solid crystals, plastic crystals, lyotropic and thermotropic ionic liquid crystals, liquids, mesomorphic glasses, and Langmuir-Blodgett films. Glass-forming properties of metal alkanoates combined with their use as nano-reactors and anisotropic host open up simple and efficient way to design various photonic nanomaterials. Despite very interesting physics, the experimental data on optical and nonlinearoptical properties of such materials are scarce. The goal of the present paper is to fill the gap by discussing recent advances in the field of photonic materials made of metal alkanoates, organic dyes, and nanoparticles. Optical and nonlinear-optical properties of the following materials are reviewed: (i) mesomorphic glass doped with organic dyes; (ii) smectic glass composed of cobalt alkanoates; (iii) semiconductor nanoparticles embedded in a glassy host; (iv) metal nanoparticles - glass (the cobalt octanoate) nanocomposites.

  11. Hydrophilization of Magnetic Nanoparticles with Modified Alternating Copolymers. Part 1: The Influence of the Grafting

    PubMed Central

    Bronstein, Lyudmila M.; Shtykova, Eleonora V.; Malyutin, Andrey; Dyke, Jason C.; Gunn, Emily; Gao, Xinfeng; Stein, Barry; Konarev, Peter V.; Dragnea, Bogdan; Svergun, Dmitri I.

    2010-01-01

    Iron oxide nanoparticles (NPs) with a diameter 21.6 nm were coated with poly(maleic acid-alt-1-octadecene) (PMAcOD) modified with grafted 5,000 Da poly(ethyelene glycol) (PEG) or short ethylene glycol (EG) tails. The coating procedure utilizes hydrophobic interactions of octadecene and oleic acid tails, while the hydrolysis of maleic anhydride moieties as well as the presence of hydrophilic PEG (EG) tails allows the NP hydrophilicity. The success of the NP coating was found to be independent of the degree of grafting which was varied between 20 and 80% of the –MacOD-units, but depended on the length of the grafted tail. The NP coating and hydrophilization did not occur when the modified copolymer contained 750 Da PEG tails independently of the grafting degree. To explain this phenomenon the micellization of the modified PMAcOD copolymers in water was analyzed by small angle x-ray scattering (SAXS). The PMAcOD molecules with the grafted 750 Da PEG tails form compact non-interacting disk-like micelles, whose stability apparently allows for no interactions with the NP hydrophobic shells. The PMAcOD containing the 5,000 Da PEG and EG tails form much larger aggregates capable of an efficient coating of the NPs. The coated NPs were characterized using transmission electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, ζ-potential measurements, and thermal gravimetry analysis. The latter method demonstrated that the presence of long PEG tails in modified PMAcOD allows the attachment of fewer macromolecules (by a factor of ~20) compared to the case of non-modified or EG modified PMAcOD, emphasizing the importance of PEG tails in NP hydrophilization. The NPs coated with PMAcOD modified with 60% (towards all –MAcOD- units) of the 5,000 PEG tails bear a significant negative charge and display good stability in buffers. Such NPs can be useful as magnetic cores for virus-like particle formation. PMID:21221425

  12. Enhanced antifouling and antibacterial properties of poly (ether sulfone) membrane modified through blending with sulfonated poly (aryl ether sulfone) and copper nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Jingjing; Xu, Ya'nan; Chen, Shouwen; Li, Jiansheng; Han, Weiqing; Sun, Xiuyun; Wu, Dihua; Hu, Zhaoxia; Wang, Lianjun

    2018-03-01

    A series of novel blend ultrafiltration (UF) membranes have been successfully prepared from commercial poly (ether sulfone), lab-synthesized sulfonated poly (aryl ether sulfone) (SPAES, 1 wt%) and copper nanoparticles (0 ∼ 0.4 wt%) via immersion precipitation phase conversion. The micro-structure and separation performance of the membranes were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and cross-flow filtration experiments, respectively. Sodium alginate, bovine serum albumin and humic acid were chosen as model organic foulants to investigate the antifouling properties, while E. coil was used to evaluate the antibacterial property of the fabricated membranes. By the incorporation with SPAES and copper nanoparticles, the hydrophilicity, antifouling and antibacterial properties of the modified UF membranes have been profoundly improved. At a copper nanoparticles content of 0.4 wt%, the PES/SPAES/nCu(0.4) membrane exhibited a high pure water flux of 193.0 kg/m2 h, reaching the smallest contact angle of 52°, highest flux recovery ratio of 79% and largest antibacterial rate of 78.9%. Furthermore, the stability of copper nanoparticles inside the membrane matrix was also considerably enhanced, the copper nanoparticles were less than 0.08 mg/L in the effluent during the whole operation.

  13. Simultaneous determination of hydroquinone and catechol at gold nanoparticles mesoporous silica modified carbon paste electrode.

    PubMed

    Tashkhourian, J; Daneshi, M; Nami-Ana, F; Behbahani, M; Bagheri, A

    2016-11-15

    A new electrochemical sensor based on gold nanoparticles mesoporous silica modified carbon paste electrode (AuNPs-MPS) was developed for simultaneous determination of hydroquinone and catechol. Morphology and structure of the AuNPs-MPS were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The electrochemical behavior of hydroquinone and catechol were investigated using square wave voltammetry and the results indicate that the electrochemical responses are improved significantly at the modified electrode. The observed oxidative peaks separation of about 120mV made possible the simultaneous determination of hydroquinone and catechol in their binary-mixture. Under the optimized condition, a linear dynamic range of 10.0μM-1.0mM range for hydroquinone with the detection limit of 1.2μM and from 30.0μM-1.0mM for catechol with the detection limit of 1.1μM were obtained. The applicability of the method was demonstrated by the recovery studies of hydroquinone and catechol in spiked tap water samples. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Preparation and Relaxation of Very Stable Glassy States of a Simulated Liquid

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jack, Robert L.; Hedges, Lester O.; Garrahan, Juan P.; Chandler, David

    2011-12-01

    We prepare metastable glassy states in a model glass former made of Lennard-Jones particles by sampling biased ensembles of trajectories with low dynamical activity. These trajectories form an inactive dynamical phase whose “fast” vibrational degrees of freedom are maintained at thermal equilibrium by contact with a heat bath, while the “slow” structural degrees of freedom are located in deep valleys of the energy landscape. We examine the relaxation to equilibrium and the vibrational properties of these metastable states. The glassy states we prepare by our trajectory sampling method are very stable to thermal fluctuations and also more mechanically rigid than low-temperature equilibrated configurations.

  15. Characterization of a Self-Assembled Monolayer of 1-Thio-β-D-Glucose with Electrochemical Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy Using a Nanoparticle Modified Gold Electrode.

    PubMed

    Smith, Scott R; Seenath, Ryan; Kulak, Monika R; Lipkowski, Jacek

    2015-09-15

    Preparation of a nanoparticle modified gold substrate designed for characterization of hydrophilic self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of 1-thio-β-D-glucose (TG) with electrochemical surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (EC-SERS) is presented. Citrate stabilized gold nanoparticles were deposited on a polycrystalline gold electrode and subjected to an electrochemical desorption procedure to completely remove all traces of adsorbed citrate. Complete desorption of citrate was confirmed by recording cyclic voltammetry curves and SERS spectra. The citrate-free nanoparticle modified gold electrode was then incubated in a 1 mg mL(-1) aqueous solution of TG for 16 h prior to being characterized by EC-SERS. The SERS spectra confirmed that at potentials more negative than -0.10 V vs SCE thioglucose forms a monolayer in which the majority of the molecules preserve their lactol ring structure and only a small fraction of molecules appear to be oxidized. At potentials more positive than -0.10 V, the oxidation of TG molecules becomes prominent, and at potentials more positive than 0.20 V vs SCE, the monolayer of TG consists chiefly of oxidized product. The SERS spectra collected in the double layer region suggest the SAM of TG is well hydrated and hence can be used for hydrophilic modifications of a gold surface.

  16. Folic acid-conjugated soybean protein-based nanoparticles mediate efficient antitumor ability in vitro.

    PubMed

    Yao, Weijing; Zha, Qian; Cheng, Xu; Wang, Xin; Wang, Jun; Tang, Rupei

    2016-11-23

    In this study, soy protein isolate was hydrolyzed by compound enzymes to give aqueous soy protein with low molecular weights. Folic acid modified and free soy protein nanoparticles were successfully prepared by a desolvation method as target-specific drug delivery, respectively. Ultraviolet spectrophotometry demonstrated that folic acid was successfully grafted onto soy protein. The shape and size of folic acid modified soy protein nanoparticles were detected by transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscope, and dynamic light scattering. In addition, a series of characteristics including kinetic stability, pH stability, and time stability were also performed. Doxorubicin was successfully loaded into folic acid modified soy protein nanoparticles, and the encapsulation and loading efficiencies were 96.7% and 23%, respectively. Doxorubicin-loaded folic acid modified soy protein nanoparticles exhibited faster drug release rate than soy protein nanoparticles in PBS solution (pH = 5). The tumor penetration and antitumor experiments were done using three-dimensional multicellular tumor spheroids as the in vitro model. The results proved that folic acid modified soy protein nanoparticles display higher penetration and accumulation than soy protein nanoparticles, therefore possessing efficient growth inhibitory ability against multicellular tumor spheroids. © The Author(s) 2016.

  17. Anti-transferrin receptor-modified amphotericin B-loaded PLA-PEG nanoparticles cure Candidal meningitis and reduce drug toxicity.

    PubMed

    Tang, Xiaolong; Liang, Yong; Zhu, Yongqiang; Xie, Chunmei; Yao, Aixia; Chen, Li; Jiang, Qinglin; Liu, Tingting; Wang, Xiaoyu; Qian, Yunyun; Wei, Jia; Ni, Wenxuan; Dai, Jingjing; Jiang, Zhenyou; Hou, Wei

    2015-01-01

    Fatal fungal infections in central nervous system (CNS) can occur through hematogenous spread or direct extension. At present, hydrophobic amphotericin B (AMB) is the most effective antifungal drug in clinical trials. However, AMB is hydrophobic and therefore penetrates poorly into the CNS, and therapeutic levels of AMB are hard to achieve. The transferrin receptor (TfR/CD71) located at the blood-brain barrier mediates transferrin transcytosis. In order to enhance the receptor-mediated delivery of AMB into CNS with therapeutic level, an anti-TfR antibody (OX26)-modified AMB-loaded PLA (poly[lactic acid])-PEG (polyethylene glycol)-based micellar drug delivery system was constructed. The prepared OX26-modified AMB-loaded nanoparticles (OX26-AMB-NPs) showed significant reduction of CNS fungal burden and an increase of mouse survival time. In conclusion, OX26-AMB-NPs represent a promising novel drug delivery system for intracerebral fungal infection.

  18. Electrodeposition of gold-platinum alloy nanoparticles on ionic liquid-chitosan composite film and its application in fabricating an amperometric cholesterol biosensor.

    PubMed

    Safavi, Afsaneh; Farjami, Fatemeh

    2011-01-15

    An electrodeposition method was applied to form gold-platinum (AuPt) alloy nanoparticles on the glassy carbon electrode (GCE) modified with a mixture of an ionic liquid (IL) and chitosan (Ch) (AuPt-Ch-IL/GCE). AuPt nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electrochemical methods. AuPt-Ch-IL/GCE electrocatalyzed the reduction of H(2)O(2) and thus was suitable for the preparation of biosensors. Cholesterol oxidase (ChOx) was then, immobilized on the surface of the electrode by cross-linking ChOx and chitosan through addition of glutaraldehyde (ChOx/AuPt-Ch-IL/GCE). The fabricated biosensor exhibited two wide linear ranges of responses to cholesterol in the concentration ranges of 0.05-6.2 mM and 6.2-11.2 mM. The sensitivity of the biosensor was 90.7 μA mM(-1) cm(-2) and the limit of detection was 10 μM of cholesterol. The response time was less than 7 s. The Michaelis-Menten constant (K(m)) was found as 0.24 mM. The effect of the addition of 1 mM ascorbic acid and glucose was tested on the amperometric response of 0.5 mM cholesterol and no change in response current of cholesterol was observed. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Glucose Biosensor Based on a Glassy Carbon Electrode Modified with Polythionine and Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes

    PubMed Central

    Tang, Wenwei; Li, Lei; Wu, Lujun; Gong, Jiemin; Zeng, Xinping

    2014-01-01

    A novel glucose biosensor was fabricated. The first layer of the biosensor was polythionine, which was formed by the electrochemical polymerisation of the thionine monomer on a glassy carbon electrode. The remaining layers were coated with chitosan-MWCNTs, GOx, and the chitosan-PTFE film in sequence. The MWCNTs embedded in FAD were like “conductive wires” connecting FAD with electrode, reduced the distance between them and were propitious to fast direct electron transfer. Combining with good electrical conductivity of PTH and MWCNTs, the current response was enlarged. The sensor was a parallel multi-component reaction system (PMRS) and excellent electrocatalytic performance for glucose could be obtained without a mediator. The glucose sensor had a working voltage of −0.42 V, an optimum working temperature of 25°C, an optimum working pH of 7.0, and the best percentage of polytetrafluoroethylene emulsion (PTFE) in the outer composite film was 2%. Under the optimised conditions, the biosensor displayed a high sensitivity of 2.80 µA mM−1 cm−2 and a low detection limit of 5 µM (S/N = 3), with a response time of less than 15 s and a linear range of 0.04 mM to 2.5 mM. Furthermore, the fabricated biosensor had a good selectivity, reproducibility, and long-term stability, indicating that the novel CTS+PTFE/GOx/MWCNTs/PTH composite is a promising material for immobilization of biomolecules and fabrication of third generation biosensors. PMID:24816121

  20. Glucose biosensor based on a glassy carbon electrode modified with polythionine and multiwalled carbon nanotubes.

    PubMed

    Tang, Wenwei; Li, Lei; Wu, Lujun; Gong, Jiemin; Zeng, Xinping

    2014-01-01

    A novel glucose biosensor was fabricated. The first layer of the biosensor was polythionine, which was formed by the electrochemical polymerisation of the thionine monomer on a glassy carbon electrode. The remaining layers were coated with chitosan-MWCNTs, GOx, and the chitosan-PTFE film in sequence. The MWCNTs embedded in FAD were like "conductive wires" connecting FAD with electrode, reduced the distance between them and were propitious to fast direct electron transfer. Combining with good electrical conductivity of PTH and MWCNTs, the current response was enlarged. The sensor was a parallel multi-component reaction system (PMRS) and excellent electrocatalytic performance for glucose could be obtained without a mediator. The glucose sensor had a working voltage of -0.42 V, an optimum working temperature of 25°C, an optimum working pH of 7.0, and the best percentage of polytetrafluoroethylene emulsion (PTFE) in the outer composite film was 2%. Under the optimised conditions, the biosensor displayed a high sensitivity of 2.80 µA mM(-1) cm(-2) and a low detection limit of 5 µM (S/N = 3), with a response time of less than 15 s and a linear range of 0.04 mM to 2.5 mM. Furthermore, the fabricated biosensor had a good selectivity, reproducibility, and long-term stability, indicating that the novel CTS+PTFE/GOx/MWCNTs/PTH composite is a promising material for immobilization of biomolecules and fabrication of third generation biosensors.