Study of PEG--PLA/Eudragit S100 Blends on the Nanoencapsulation of Indigo Carmine Dye and Application in Controlled Release.

A nanocapsule shell of poly(ethylene glycol)--poly(d,l-lactic acid) (PEG--PLA) mixed with anionic Eudragit S100 (90/10% w/w) was previously used to entrap and define the self-assembly of indigo carmine (IC) within the hydrophilic cavity core. In the present work, binary blends were prepared by solution mixing at different PEG--PLA/Eudragit S100 ratios (namely, 100/0, 90/10, 75/25, and 50/50% w/w) to elucidate the role of the capsule shell in tuning the encapsulation of the anionic dye (i.e.

Molecular self-assembly under nanoconfinement: indigo carmine scroll structures entrapped within polymeric capsules.

Molecular self-assembly forms structures of well-defined organization that allow control over material properties, affording many advanced technological applications. Although the self-assembly of molecules is seemingly spontaneous, the structure into which they assemble can be altered by carefully modulating the driving forces. Here we study the self-assembly within the constraints of nanoconfined closed spherical volumes of polymeric nanocapsules, whereby a mixture of polyester-polyether block copolymer and methacrylic acid methyl methacrylate copolymer forms the entrapping capsule shell of nanometric dimensions.

Ultrasound-induced and MRI-monitored CuO nanoparticles release from micelle encapsulation.

Copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) have anticancer and antimicrobial activities. Moreover, they have a contrast enhancing effect in both MRI and ultrasound. Nonetheless, encapsulation is needed to control their toxic side effects and a mechanism for release on demand is required.

Copper oxide nanoparticles inhibit pancreatic tumor growth primarily by targeting tumor initiating cells.

Cancer stem cells, also termed tumor initiating cells (TICs), are a rare population of cells within the tumor mass which initiate tumor growth and metastasis. In pancreatic cancer, TICs significantly contribute to tumor re-growth after therapy, due to their intrinsic resistance. Here we demonstrate that copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO-NPs) are cytotoxic against TIC-enriched PANC1 human pancreatic cancer cell cultures.

Copper oxide loaded PLGA nanospheres: towards a multifunctional nanoscale platform for ultrasound-based imaging and therapy.

Copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO-NPs) are increasingly becoming the subject of investigation exploring their potential use for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Recent work has demonstrated their anticancer potential, as well as contrast agent capabilities for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and through-transmission ultrasound. However, no capability of CuO-NPs has been demonstrated using conventional ultrasound systems, which, unlike the former, are widely deployed in the clinic.

Copper oxide nanoparticles as contrast agents for MRI and ultrasound dual-modality imaging.

Multimodal medical imaging is gaining increased popularity in the clinic. This stems from the fact that data acquired from different physical phenomena may provide complementary information resulting in a more comprehensive picture of the pathological state. In this context, nano-sized contrast agents may augment the potential sensitivity of each imaging modality and allow targeted visualization of physiological points of interest (e.

Synthesis of a Trisubstituted 1,4-Diazepin-3-one-Based Dipeptidomimetic as a Novel Molecular Scaffold.

We describe two routes for the synthesis of a trisubstituted 1,2,5-hexahydro-3-oxo-1H-1,4-diazepine ring (DAP), a novel, conformationally constrained, seven-membered dipeptidomimetic ring system. The linear precursor for the model DAPs, targeted for conformational analysis studies, was obtained by reductive alkylation of tert-butyl alaninate or phenylalaninate by N-Boc-alpha-amino-gamma-oxo-N,N-dimethylbutyramide. Acetylation of the newly formed secondary amine followed by acidolytic deprotection of the amino and carboxyl terminal protecting groups and subsequent diphenylphosphorazidate-mediated ring formation yielded the blocked model DAPs.