Polyelectrolyte/Gold Nanoparticle Nanotubes Incorporating Doxorubicin-Loaded Liposomes.

Anticancer agent doxorubicin-loaded liposomes (DoxLs) were drawn spontaneously into nanotubes comprising multilayers of polyelectrolytes and gold nanoparticles (PAuNTs). We describe a unique structure of PAuNTs incorporating DoxLs (DoxL-PAuNT). The number of DoxLs adsorbed on the tube interior surface was ascertained as 2.

Surface toughness of silicon nitride bioceramics: I, Raman spectroscopy-assisted micromechanics.

Indentation micro-fracture is revisited as a tool for evaluating the surface toughness of silicon nitride (Si3N4) bioceramics for artificial joint applications. Despite being unique and practical from an experimental perspective, a quantitative assessment of surface fracture toughness using this method is challenging. An improved method has been developed, consisting of coupling indentation with confocal (spatially resolved) Raman piezo-spectroscopy.

Surface toughness of silicon nitride bioceramics: II, Comparison with commercial oxide materials.

Raman microprobe-assisted indentation, a micromechanics method validated in a companion paper, was used to compare the surface toughening behaviors of silicon nitride (Si3N4) and alumina-based bioceramics employed in joint arthroplasty (i.e., monolithic alumina, Al2O3, and yttria-stabilized zirconia (ZrO2)-toughened alumina, ZTA).