Smart Magnetic Nanocarriers for Multi-Stimuli On-Demand Drug Delivery.

In this study, we report the realization of drug-loaded smart magnetic nanocarriers constituted by superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles encapsulated in a dual pH- and temperature-responsive poly (N-vinylcaprolactam-co-acrylic acid) copolymer to achieve highly controlled drug release and localized magnetic hyperthermia. The magnetic core was constituted by flower-like magnetite nanoparticles with a size of 16.4 nm prepared by the polyol approach, with good saturation magnetization and a high specific absorption rate.

Microwave-Assisted Vacuum Synthesis of TiO Nanocrystalline Powders in One-Pot, One-Step Procedure.

A new method for fast and simple synthesis of crystalline TiO nanoparticles with photocatalytic activity was developed by carrying out a classic sol-gel reaction directly under vacuum. The use of microwaves for fast heating of the reaction medium further reduces synthesis times. When the solvent is completely removed by vacuum, the product is obtained in the form of a powder that can be easily redispersed in water to yield a stable nanoparticle suspension, exhibiting a comparable photocatalytic activity with respect to a commercial product.

Evaluation of the new Sysmex UF-5000 fluorescence flow cytometry analyser for ruling out bacterial urinary tract infection and for prediction of Gram negative bacteria in urine cultures.

Background: We evaluated the new flow cytometer UF-5000 with a blue semiconductant laser as a screening tool for ruling out urine samples negative for UTI and its ability to predict Gram negatives in culture.

Methods: Flow cytometry and microbiological analysis were performed on 2719 urine samples, sent to our microbiology laboratory with a request for urine culture.

Results: UF-5000 showed a very good performance in the screening process.

Magnetism and spin dynamics of novel encapsulated iron oxide superparamagnetic nanoparticles.

Encapsulated Fe3O4 nanoparticles of average diameters d = 12 nm are obtained by coprecipitation, in the presence of 2-methoxyethanol hemiester of poly(maleic anhydride-alt-butyl vinyl ether) 5% grafted with poly(ethylene glycol) (VP-MAG nanoparticles). A complete characterization of nude and encapsulated nanoparticles through structural techniques (namely XRD, TEM, SEM), Raman spectroscopy and magnetic measurements has been performed. These nanoparticles compared with commercial compounds (ENDOREM®) present superparamagnetic behavior and nuclear relaxivities that make them promising as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents (CAs).

Gold nanoparticles induce cytotoxicity in the alveolar type-II cell lines A549 and NCIH441.

Background: During the last years engineered nanoparticles (NPs) have been extensively used in different technologies and consequently many questions have arisen about the risk and the impact on human health following exposure to nanoparticles. Nevertheless, at present knowledge about the cytotoxicity induced by NPs is still largely incomplete. In this context, we have investigated the cytotoxicity induced by gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), which differed in size and purification grade (presence or absence of sodium citrate residues on the particle surface) in vitro, in the human alveolar type-II (ATII)-like cell lines A549 and NCIH441.

Synthesis and coating of cobalt ferrite nanoparticles: a first step toward the obtainment of new magnetic nanocarriers.

Monodisperse and stable cobalt ferrite (CoFe2O4) nanoparticles (5.4 nm) have been produced, coated with mono- and difunctional phosphonic and hydroxamic acids, and fully characterized (using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), dynamic light scattering (DLS), IR spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) measurements). Cobalt leakage of the coated nanoparticles has been also studied.