Confining Iron Oxide Nanocubes inside Submicrometric Cavities as a Key Strategy To Preserve Magnetic Heat Losses in an Intracellular Environment.

The design of magnetic nanostructures whose magnetic heating efficiency remains unaffected at the tumor site is a fundamental requirement to further advance magnetic hyperthermia in the clinic. This work demonstrates that the confinement of magnetic nanoparticles (NPs) into a sub-micrometer cavity is a key strategy to enable a certain degree of nanoparticle motion and minimize aggregation effects, consequently preserving the magnetic heat loss of iron oxide nanocubes (IONCs) under different conditions, including intracellular environments. We fabricated magnetic layer-by-layer (LbL) self-assembled polyelectrolyte sub-micrometer capsules using three different approaches, and we studied their heating efficiency as obtained in aqueous dispersions and after internalization by tumor cells.

Low molecular weight ε-caprolactone-p-coumaric acid copolymers as potential biomaterials for skin regeneration applications.

ε-caprolactone-p-coumaric acid copolymers at different mole ratios (ε-caprolactone:p-coumaric acid 1:0, 10:1, 8:1, 6:1, 4:1, and 2:1) were synthesized by melt-polycondensation and using 4-dodecylbenzene sulfonic acid as catalyst. Chemical analysis by NMR and GPC showed that copolyesters were formed with decreasing molecular weight as p-coumaric acid content was increased. Physical characteristics, such as thermal and mechanical properties, as well as water uptake and water permeability, depended on the mole fraction of p-coumaric acid.

Thermoresponsive Iron Oxide Nanocubes for an Effective Clinical Translation of Magnetic Hyperthermia and Heat-Mediated Chemotherapy.

The use of magnetic nanoparticles in oncothermia has been investigated for decades, but an effective combination of magnetic nanoparticles and localized chemotherapy under clinical magnetic hyperthermia (MH) conditions calls for novel platforms. In this study, we have engineered magnetic thermoresponsive iron oxide nanocubes (TR-cubes) to merge MH treatment with heat-mediated drug delivery, having in mind the clinical translation of the nanoplatform. We have chosen iron oxide based nanoparticles with a cubic shape because of their outstanding heat performance under MH clinical conditions, which makes them benchmark agents for MH.

Facile transformation of FeO/FeO core-shell nanocubes to FeO via magnetic stimulation.

Here, we propose the use of magnetic hyperthermia as a means to trigger the oxidation of FeO/FeO core-shell nanocubes to FeO phase. As a first relevant consequence, the specific absorption rate (SAR) of the initial core-shell nanocubes doubles after exposure to 25 cycles of alternating magnetic field stimulation. The improved SAR value was attributed to a gradual transformation of the FeO core to FeO, as evidenced by structural analysis including high resolution electron microscopy and Rietveld analysis of X-ray diffraction patterns.

Abundance correction for mass discrimination effects in polymer mass spectra.

Rationale: Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOFMS) is frequently used to analyze homo- and copolymers, i.e. for computing copolymer fingerprints.

Synthesis of Highly Fluorescent Copper Clusters Using Living Polymer Chains as Combined Reducing Agents and Ligands.

We present the synthesis of colloidally stable ultrasmall (diameter of 1.5 ± 0.6 nm) and fluorescent copper clusters (Cu-clusters) exhibiting outstanding quantum efficiencies (up to 67% in THF and approximately 30% in water).

Zwitterionic Nanofibers of Super-Glue for Transparent and Biocompatible Multi-Purpose Coatings.

Here we show that macrozwitterions of poly(ethyl 2-cyanoacrylate), commonly called Super Glue, can easily assemble into long and well defined fibers by electrospinning. The resulting fibrous networks are thermally treated on glass in order to create transparent coatings whose superficial morphology recalls the organization of the initial electrospun mats. These textured coatings are characterized by low liquid adhesion and anti-staining performance.

COCONUT—An Efficient Tool for Estimating Copolymer Compositions from Mass Spectra.

The accurate characterization of synthetic polymer sequences represents a major challenge in polymer science. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) is frequently used for the characterization of copolymer samples. We present the COCONUT software for estimating the composition distribution of the copolymer.

Plasmonic copper sulfide nanocrystals exhibiting near-infrared photothermal and photodynamic therapeutic effects.

Recently, plasmonic copper sulfide (Cu2-xS) nanocrystals (NCs) have attracted much attention as materials for photothermal therapy (PTT). Previous reports have correlated photoinduced cell death to the photothermal heat mechanism of these NCs, and no evidence of their photodynamic properties has been reported yet. Herein we have prepared physiologically stable near-infrared (NIR) plasmonic copper sulfide NCs and analyzed their photothermal and photodynamic properties, including therapeutic potential in cultured melanoma cells and a murine melanoma model.

Small but powerful: co-assembly of polyether-based triblock terpolymers into sub-30 nm micelles and synergistic effects on cellular interactions.

We introduce a versatile ABC triblock terpoly- mer platform based on poly(ethylene oxide)-block-poly(allyl glycidyl ether)-block-poly(tert-butyl glycidyl ether) (PEO-b-PAGE-b-PtBGE) and subsequent functionalization of the PAGE segment with thiogalactose (hydroxyl), cysteamine (amino), and 2-mercaptopropionic acid (carboxy) by thiol-ene chemistry. These materials are used to prepare core-shell-corona micelles with a PtBGE core, a PAGE shell, and a PEO corona and sizes below 30 nm in aqueous media. We investigate the influence of different functional groups on micelle formation and cellular uptake.