1,720,961 research outputs found
Adsorption and release of ampicillin antibiotic from ordered mesoporous silica
Full text linkIn this work the adsorption and the release of ampicillin - a β-lactam penicillin-like antibiotic - from MCM-41, SBA-15, and (amino functionalized) SBA-15-NH2 ordered mesoporous silica (OMS) materials were investigated. The silica matrices differ for their pore size (SBA-15 vs. MCM-41) mainly, and also for surface charge (SBA-15 and MCM-41, vs. SBA-15-NH2). OMS samples were characterized through small-angle X-rays scattering (SAXS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), N2 adsorption–desorption isotherms, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and potentiometric titrations. The quantification of immobilized and released ampicillin was monitored by mean of UV–Vis spectroscopy. Experimental adsorption isotherms evidenced that ampicillin's loading is not related to the pore size (dBJH) of the adsorbent. Indeed the maximal loadings were 237 mg/g for SBA-15 (dBJH = 6.5 nm), 278 mg/g for MCM-41 (dBJH = 2.2 nm), and 333 mg/g for SBA-15-NH2 (dBJH = 5.6 nm). Loading seems, instead, to be related to the surface charge density (σ) of the sorbent surface. Indeed, at pH 7.4 ampicillin drug is negatively charged and likely prefers to interact with SBA-15-NH2 (σSBA-15-NH2 = +0.223 C m−2) rather than the slightly negatively charged silicas (σSBA-15 = −0.044 C m−2 and σMCM-41 = −0.033 C m−2). Similarly, ampicillin release is affected by interfacial interactions. Indeed, we found a burst release from pure silica samples (SBA-15 and MCM-41), whereas a sustained one from SBA-15-NH2 sample. We explain this behavior as a result of an attractive interaction between the protonated amino group of SBA-15-NH2 and the negatively charged carboxylate group of ampicillin. In summary, in order to obtain a sustained drug release, the chemical nature of the matrix's surface plays a role which is more important than its textural features. SBA-15-NH2 matrix is hence a suitable candidate for local sustained release of antibiotic drugs
Re(I) derivatives functionalized with thioether crowns containing the 1,10-phenanthroline subunit as a new class of chemosensors
No full textA series of luminescent fac-[Re(CO)3(L)(NN)]+ complexes, where L is a pyridine or an imidazole and NN is
the 1,10-phenanthroline subunit of mixed donor pentadentate thioether crowns have been synthesised
and their luminescence properties have been analysed. Then, heterometallic Re(I)/Au(I) complexes, with
the Au(I) fragment bonded directly to the imidazole ligand, and heterometallic Re(I)/Ag(I) complexes, with
the silver fragment coordinating the S-donor thioether linker of the rings have also been prepared.
Analysis of their luminescence properties showed a considerable blue shift of the emission maxima for
the Re(I)/Ag(I) derivatives, upon coordination of the silver centre to the S-donor atoms of the aliphatic
chain of the macrocyclic units
Silica-Modified Electrodes for Electrochemical Detection of Malachite Green
No full textNew silica-modified glassy carbon electrodes prepared with three different sorts of ordered mesoporous silica (OMS) were characterized and tested for the electrochemical detection of Malachite Green (MG). The electrodes were prepared by drop casting using silica suspensions and, for stability sake, a Nafion coating was deposited on the electrode top by the same technique. Square wave anodic stripping voltammetry was used to investigate the effect of various experimental parameters (deposition time, solution pH, silica type and concentration) on the performance of the modified electrodes. The best electrode (GC/MCM-41-NH2/Nafion) with detection limit 0.36Î1⁄4M, sensitivity 0.164±0.003A/M; linear domain 1-6Î1⁄4M was applied to detect MG in a commercial product commonly used as biocide in aquaria for ornamental fish
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Mesoporous silica nanoparticles functionalized with hyaluronic acid and chitosan biopolymers. Effect of functionalization on cell internalization
Full text linkMesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs), based on the MCM-41 matrix, were functionalized with amino groups, and then with hyaluronic acid (HA) or chitosan (CHIT) to fabricate bioactive conjugates. The role of the functional groups toward cytotoxicity and cellular uptake was investigated using 3T3 mouse fibroblast cells. A very high biocompatibility of MSN-NH2, MSN-HA and MSN-CHIT matrices was assessed through the MTS biological assay and Coulter counter evaluation. No significant differences in cytotoxicity data arise from the presence of different functional groups in the investigated MSNs. Fluorescence microscopy experiments performed using fluorescein isothiocyanate-conjugated MSN-NH2, MSN-HA, and MSN-CHIT, and transmission electron microscopy experiments performed on slices of the investigated systems embedded in epoxy resins give evidence of significant differences due to type of functionalization in terms of cellular uptake and stability of the particles in the biological medium. MSN-NH2 and MSN-HA conjugates are easily internalized, the uptake of the HA-functionalized MSNs being much higher than that of the -NH2-functionalized MSNs. Differently, MSN-CHIT conjugates tend to give large aggregates dispersed in the medium or localized at the external surface of the cell membranes. Both fluorescence microscopy and TEM images show that the MSNs are distributed in the cytoplasm of the cells in the case of MSN-NH2 and MSN-HA, whereas only a few particles are internalized in the case of MSN-CHIT. Flow cytometry experiments confirmed quantitatively the selectively high cellular uptake of MSN-HA particle
Interactions between bovine serum albumin and mesoporous silica nanoparticles functionalized with biopolymers
Full text linkBiomedical application of nanoparticles is largely associated to their fate in biological media which, in turn, is related to their surface properties. Surface functionalization plays a key role in determining biodegradation, cytotoxicity and biodistribution through interactions which may be mediated by the macromolecules occurring in biological media. A typical example is given by several proteins which lead to the formation of coated nanoparticles referred as protein corona. In this work we focus on mesoporous silica nanoparticles which, due to their intrinsic textural features, show potential as carriers for sustained drug release. Mesoporous silica nanoparticles functionalized by different biopolymers such as hyaluronic acid and chitosan were synthesized and characterized through small angle X-rays scattering, thermal analysis, and infrared spectroscopy. Biopolymer-coated mesoporous silica nanoparticles were used to investigate the interaction with bovine serum albumin, and to point out the role of different biopolymer coating. Gold-conjugated-bovine serum albumin was used to gain evidence on the occurrence of surface bound proteins enabling direct observation by transmission electron microscopy. Our findings provide insights on how different biopolymers affect the formation of a protein corona around functionalized mesoporous silica nanoparticles
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis
Full text linkWe provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis
Functional ordered mesoporous silica in nanomedicine: target and drug delivery systems.
Full text linkOrdered mesoporous materials (OMMs) are characterized by high surface area (up to 1000 m2/g), high pore volume (1-3 cm3/g) and narrow pore size (2-30 nm) distribution. Recently, mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs), a subclass of OMMs, have had great development as nanocarriers for drug delivery, particularly for cancer treatment. The research activity of my PhD work was aimed to study SBA-15 and MCM-41 mesoporous silica samples for biomedical applications. The texture and the structure of the synthesized materials were characterized through N2 adsorption/desorption isotherms, SAXS, and TEM. The functionalization of the mesoporous silica samples was verified by means of Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). DLS and ELS were used to determinate hydrodynamic diameter and zeta potential of the studied systems under different conditions. The PhD thesis focused on different aspects of the use of OMMs, particularly MSNs, as drug nanocarriers.
In the first paper how different features of OMMs (surface area, pore size and surface charge) can affect the adsorption and release of drugs was investigated. Ampicillin, a penicillin-like -lactam antibiotic was loaded on MCM-41, SBA-15, and amino-functionalized SBA-15, then its release in simulated physiological conditions was studied. This study demonstrated that to obtain a sustained drug release, the chemical nature of the matrix’s surface plays a role which is more important than its textural features. SBA-15-NH2 matrix is a suitable candidate as depot system for local sustained release of ampicillin.
Common target systems have the disadvantage that the targeting molecule can be recognized by several receptors. A possible strategy to solve this issue was investigated in the second paper. The targeting molecule was hidden by preparing a double sequential targeting system. To this purpose a double target system was synthesized. Alendronate was used as a tissue target to recognize a diseased bone, and an encrypted cellular target, Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) was used to improve the internalization in human osteosarcoma cells (collaboration with Universidad Complutense de Madrid). This preliminary study showed the efficacy of the double target systems. The next step could be the functionalization of MSNs with the previously described systems for the synthesis of a smart target systems usable as a carrier for anticancer drugs against bone cancer.
In the third paper, the effect of surface charge on the internalization of MCM-41-type MSNs, functionalized with chitosan (CHIT) and hyaluronic acid (HA) biopolymers, on 3T3 mouse fibroblast cells was then investigated. The opposite surface charge of the biopolymer-functionalized MSNs (negative for MSN-HA and positive for MSN-CHIT) gave a different interaction with BSA, used as a model protein to investigate the formation of the protein corona (forth paper). Finally, in the fifth paper, MSNs were functionalized with HA samples having three different molecular weights (HAS, HAM, and HAL). The effect of HA molecular weight on the internalization of HA-MSNs particles on HeLa cells was evaluated. These last studies showed the importance of the external functionalization on the interaction between MSNs and the components of body fluids, that change their surface properties. These changes as well as the polymer’s features (i.e. the molecular weight) are able to modulate the cellular uptake.
The obtained results highlight the importance of the physico-chemical phenomena occurring at the nano-biointerface for the future use of functionalized OMMs and MSNs in nanomedicine. The present findings confirm that these nanocarriers are very promising matrices for the obtainment of targeting drug delivery systems for cancer treatment
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