Silver Nanoparticles Modified by Carbosilane Dendrons and PEG as Delivery Vectors of Small Interfering RNA.

The fact that cancer is one of the leading causes of death requires researchers to create new systems of effective treatment for malignant tumors. One promising area is genetic therapy that uses small interfering RNA (siRNA). These molecules are capable of blocking mutant proteins in cells, but require specific systems that will deliver RNA to target cells and successfully release them into the cytoplasm.

Synthesis and Biological Activity of -acyl Anabasine and Cytisine Derivatives with Adamantane, Pyridine and 1,2-Azole Fragments.

A series of -acyl derivatives of anabasine and cytisine were prepared, to discover novel, natural product-based medicinal agents. All synthesized compounds were tested for antimicrobial, antifungal, antiviral and analgesic activity. The most pronounced antibacterial activity was shown by the compounds with isoxazole fragments, while the adamantane derivatives showed the greatest antiviral effect.

Development and Investigation of Hierarchically Structured Thin-Film Nanocomposite Membranes from Polyamide/Chitosan Succinate Embedded with a Metal-Organic Framework (Fe-BTC) for Pervaporation.

Thin-film composite membranes (TFC) obtained by the formation of a selective layer on a porous membrane-substrate via interfacial polymerization (IP) are indispensable for separation procedures in reverse osmosis, nanofiltration, pervaporation, and gas separation. Achieving high selectivity and permeability for TFC membranes is still one of the main challenges in membrane science and technology. This study focuses on the development of thin film nanocomposite (TFN) membranes with a hierarchically structured polyamide (PA)/chitosan succinate (ChS) selective layer embedded with a metal-organic framework of iron 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylate (Fe-BTC) for the enhanced pervaporation dehydration of isopropanol.

Synthesis of Aromatic Polyimides Based on 3,4'-Oxydianiline by One-Pot Polycondensation in Molten Benzoic Acid and Their Application as Membrane Materials for Pervaporation.

A series of aromatic polyimides based on the asymmetrical diamine 3,4'-oxydianiline and various tetracarboxylic acid dianhydrides, both "rigid" and "flexible" structure, have been synthesized using the original method of one-pot high-temperature catalytic polycondensation in molten benzoic acid. The synthesized polyimides were investigated using fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) and H NMR spectroscopy, gel permeation chromatography (GPC), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), thermomechanical analysis (TMA) and wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS). It was found that the synthesized polyimides, depending on the used dianhydride, are characterized by different solubility in organic solvent and molten benzoic acid, molecular weight, glass transition temperature (Tg) from 198 to 270 °C, an amorphous or semi crystalline structure with the degree of crystallinity from 41 to 52%.

Quantitative High-Field NMR- and Mass Spectrometry-Based Fatty Acid Sequencing Reveals Internal Structure in Ru-Catalyzed Deuteration of Docosahexaenoic Acid.

Ru-based catalysis results in highly unsaturated fatty acid (HUFA) ethyl esters (EE) deuterated to various extents. The products carry H (D) mainly at their -allylic positions, where they are resistant to autoxidation compared to natural HUFA and are promising as neurological and retinal drugs. We characterized the extent of deuteration at each allylic position of docosa-4,7,10,13,16,19-hexaenoic acid deuterated to completion at -allylic and allylic positions (D-DHA) by two-dimensional (2D) and high-field (600 and 950 MHz) NMR.

Crystal structure and Hirshfeld surface analysis of -{[5-(4-methyl-phen-yl)-1,2-oxazol-3-yl]meth-yl}-1-phenyl--(prop-2-en-1-yl)methane-sulfonamide.

In the title compound, CHNOS, the 1,2-oxazole ring makes the dihedral angles of 9.16 (16) and 87.91 (17)°, respectively, with the toluene and phenyl rings, while they form a dihedral angle of 84.

Introducing a new 7-ring fused diindenone-dithieno[3,2-:2',3'-]thiophene unit as a promising component for organic semiconductor materials.

A novel π-conjugated molecule, is reported, which is fused, rigid, and planar, featuring the electron-rich dithieno[3,2-:2',3'-]thiophene (DTT) unit in the core of the structure. Adjacent to the electron-donating DTT core, there are indenone units with electron-withdrawing keto groups. To enable solubility in common organic solvents, the fused system is flanked by ethylhexylthiophene groups.

Development of High Flux Nanocomposite Polyphenylsulfone/Oxidized Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes Membranes for Ultrafiltration Using the Systems with Critical Solution Temperatures.

The study deals with the investigation of the effect of the modification of polyphenylsulfone (PPSU) flat sheet membranes for ultrafiltration using oxidized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (O-MWCNT) in order to enhance membrane permeability and antifouling performance. The effect of O-MWCNT loading to the PPSU-polyethylene glycol (PEG-20,000, M = 20,000 g·mol)-polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP K-30, M = 40,000 g·mol)-N-methy-2-pyrrolidinone (NMP) colloid systems on the phase state and viscosity was studied. It was found that PPSU-PEG-20,000-PVP K-30-O-MWCNT-NMP colloid systems feature a gel point (T = 35-37 °C) and demixing temperature (T = 127-129 °C) at which two bulk phases are formed and a polymer system delaminates.

Novel Thin Film Nanocomposite Membranes Based on Chitosan Succinate Modified with Fe-BTC for Enhanced Pervaporation Dehydration of Isopropanol.

The application of environmentally friendly and energy-efficient membrane processes allows improvement the ecological safety and sustainability of industrial production. However, the effective application of membrane processes requires novel high-performance thin film composite (TFC) membranes based on biopolymers to solve environmental problems. In this work for the first time novel thin film nanocomposite (TFN) membranes based on biopolymer chitosan succinate (ChS) modified with the metal organic framework iron 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylate (Fe-BTC) were developed for enhanced pervaporation dehydration.

Modification of Thin Film Composite PVA/PAN Membranes for Pervaporation Using Aluminosilicate Nanoparticles.

The effect of the modification of the polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) selective layer of thin film composite (TFC) membranes by aluminosilicate (AlO·SiO) nanoparticles on the structure and pervaporation performance was studied. For the first time, PVA-AlO·SiO/polyacrylonitrile (PAN) thin film nanocomposite (TFN) membranes for pervaporation separation of ethanol/water mixture were developed via the formation of the selective layer in dynamic mode. Selective layers of PVA/PAN and PVA-AlO·SiO/PAN membranes were formed via filtration of PVA aqueous solutions or PVA-AlO·SiO aqueous dispersions through the ultrafiltration PAN membrane for 10 min at 0.

Quinine Esters with 1,2-Azole, Pyridine and Adamantane Fragments.

An efficient method of producing quinine derivatives via reaction of acylation with 4,5-dichloroisothiazole-3-, 5-arylisoxazole-3-, adamantane- and hydrochlorides of pyridine-3- and pyridine-4-carbonyl chlorides was developed. All synthesized compounds were tested for antiviral, antimicrobial and analgesic activity. The most pronounced antibacterial activity was shown by the compounds , , and with isoxazole and pyridine fragments.

Crystal structure and Hirshfeld surface analysis of 5-(5-phenyl-1,2-oxazol-3-yl)-1,3,4-thia-diazol-2-amine.

The title compound, CHNOS, crystallizes with two independent mol-ecules in the asymmetric unit. In the crystal, the N-H⋯N and C-H⋯N hydrogen bonds connect the mol-ecules, generating double layers parallel to the (001) plane. The layers are joined by C-H⋯π inter-actions to form a three-dimensional supra-molecular structure.

Deuterated Arachidonic Acid Ameliorates Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Lung Damage in Mice.

Arachidonic acid (ARA) is a major component of lipid bilayers as well as the key substrate for the eicosanoid cascades. ARA is readily oxidized, and its non-enzymatic and enzymatic oxidation products induce inflammatory responses in nearly all tissues, including lung tissues. Deuteration at bis-allylic positions substantially decreases the overall rate of ARA oxidation when hydrogen abstraction is an initiating event.

Deuterated polyunsaturated fatty acids inhibit photoirradiation-induced lipid peroxidation in lipid bilayers.

Lipid peroxidation (LPO) plays a key role in many age-related neurodegenerative conditions and other disorders. Light irradiation can initiate LPO through various mechanisms and is of importance in retinal and dermatological pathologies. The introduction of deuterated polyunsaturated fatty acids (D-PUFA) into membrane lipids is a promising approach for protection against LPO.

Record efficiency of 1000 nm electroluminescence from a solution-processable host-free OLED.

New ytterbium complexes K(Solv)[Yb(L)] (Solv = ethanol and/or water) with 2-tosylaminobenzylidene-aryloylhydrazones (HL, aryloyl = benzoyl; HL, aryloyl = 2-naphthoyl) demonstrated high solubility and hole mobility ( 2.6 × 10 cm V s), while their electron mobility and PLQY were different. The substitution of a benzoyl substituent with naphthoyl resulted in a significant increase of the electron mobility (6.

Synthesis of silver nanoparticles by sonogalvanic replacement on aluminium powder in sodium polyacrylate solutions.

The process of the formation of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) via the method of galvanic replacement (GR) of Ag with aluminum powder in sodium polyacrylate (NaPA) solutions in the ultrasonic (US) field has been studied. It was observed, that the yellow colloidal solutions of stabilized AgNPs with the absorption maximum at ∼ 410 nm were obtained under the application of US power by 20 W and frequency by 20 kHz in the wide range of AgNO and NaPA concentrations (0.1 - 0.

Development of Antifouling Polysulfone Membranes by Synergistic Modification with Two Different Additives in Casting Solution and Coagulation Bath: Synperonic F108 and Polyacrylic Acid.

This study deals with the development of antifouling ultrafiltration membranes based on polysulfone (PSF) for wastewater treatment and the concentration and purification of hemicellulose and lignin in the pulp and paper industry. The efficient simple and reproducible technique of PSF membrane modification to increase antifouling performance by simultaneous addition of triblock copolymer polyethylene glycol-polypropylene glycol-polyethylene glycol (Synperonic F108, M =14 × 10 g mol) to the casting solution and addition of polyacrylic acid (PAA, M = 250 × 10 g mol) to the coagulation bath is proposed for the first time. The effect of the PAA concentration in the aqueous solution on the PSF/Synperonic F108 membrane structure, surface characteristics, performance, and antifouling stability was investigated.

Efficient target cleavage by Type V Cas12a effectors programmed with split CRISPR RNA.

CRISPR RNAs (crRNAs) that direct target DNA cleavage by Type V Cas12a nucleases consist of constant repeat-derived 5'-scaffold moiety and variable 3'-spacer moieties. Here, we demonstrate that removal of most of the 20-nucleotide scaffold has only a slight effect on in vitro target DNA cleavage by a Cas12a ortholog from Acidaminococcus sp. (AsCas12a).

Antimicrobial Properties and Cytotoxic Effect of Imidazolium Geminis with Tunable Hydrophobicity.

Antimicrobial, membranotropic and cytotoxic properties of dicationic imidazolium surfactants of n-s-n (Im) series with variable length of alkyl group (n = 8, 10, 12, 14, 16) and spacer fragment (s = 2, 3, 4) were explored and compared with monocationic analogues. Their activity against a representative range of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, and also fungi, is characterized. The relationship between the biological activity and the structural features of these compounds is revealed, with the hydrophobicity emphasized as a key factor.

"Green" Synthesis of Metallic Nanoparticles by Sonoelectrochemical and Sonogalvanic Replacement Methods.

The main features of the "green" synthesis of metallic nanoparticles (MNPs) by the sonoelectrochemical methods are manufacturability, environmental friendliness, and the possibility of controlling the geometry of the forming particles. The electrochemical reduction technique allows efficiently designing the metal nanoparticles and provides the control of the content of components of bimetallic nanoparticles, as well as minimizing the number of precursors in working solutions. Due to the generation of turbulence, microjets, and shock waves, ultrasound increases mass transfer and formation of radicals in aqueous solutions and, accordingly, accelerates the processes of nucleation and growth of MNPs.

Effect of Polyphenylsulfone and Polysulfone Incompatibility on the Structure and Performance of Blend Membranes for Ultrafiltration.

This study deals with the modification of polyphenylsulfone ultrafiltration membranes by introduction of an incompatible polymer polysulfone to the polyphenylsulfone casting solution to improve the permeability. The correlation between properties of the blend polyphenylsulfone/polysulfone solutions and porous anisotropic membranes for ultrafiltration prepared from these solutions was revealed. The blend polyphenylsulfone/polysulfone solutions were investigated using a turbidity spectrum method, optical microscopy and measurements of dynamic viscosity and turbidity.

Modification of a SERS-active Ag surface to promote adsorption of charged analytes: effect of Cu ions.

This work studies the impact of the electrostatic interaction between analyte molecules and silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) on the intensity of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). For this, we fabricated nanostructured plasmonic films by immobilization of Ag NPs on glass plates and functionalized them by a set of differently charged hydrophilic thiols (sodium 2-mercaptoethyl sulfonate, mercaptopropionic acid, 2-mercaptoethanol, 2-(dimethylamino)ethanethiol hydrochloride, and thiocholine) to vary the surface charge of the SERS substrate. We used two oppositely charged porphyrins, cationic copper(II) tetrakis(4--methylpyridyl) porphine (CuTMpyP4) and anionic copper(II) 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-sulfonatophenyl)porphine (CuTSPP4), with equal charge value and similar structure as model analytes to probe the SERS signal.

Novel High Flux Poly(m-phenylene isophtalamide)/TiO Membranes for Ultrafiltration with Enhanced Antifouling Performance.

Wide application of ultrafiltration in different industrial fields requires the development of new membranes with tailored properties and good antifouling stability. This study is devoted to the improvement of ultrafiltration properties of poly(m-phenylene isophtalamide) (PA) membranes by modification with titanium oxide (TiO) particles. The introduction of TiO particles improved membrane separation performance and increased antifouling stability and cleaning ability under UV irradiation.

Symmetry Breaking in an Excited Quadrupolar Acridine-Dione Derivative Driven by Hydrogen Bonding.

An acridine-dione derivative (3,3,11,11-tetramethyl-8,16-diphenyl-3,4,8,10,11,12,13,16-octahydroacridino[4,3-]acridine-1.9(2,5)dion) with quadrupolar motif has been synthesized and its stationary and transient spectra have been measured. Stationary absorption and fluorescence spectra as well as nonstationary spectra show no signs of symmetry breaking (SB) in aprotic solvents, even of high polarity.

Molecular Beacon DNA Probes with Fluorescein Bifluorophore.

Unlabelled: An azido-derivative of a fluorescein bifluorophore was obtained and used for the synthesis of "molecular beacon"-type oligonucleotide fluorogenic probes for RT-PCR. Eight probe variants were synthesized based on an optimized sequence: with one or two quencher residues at the 3'-end, with a single or bifluorophore fluorescein label attached to 5'-end using modifying phosphoramidites (short linker) or "click reaction" (long linker). Comparison of probes in RT-PCR showed that probes with a doubled quencher (single fluorescein on a short linker) and doubled dye on a short linker (single dye) are somewhat superior in sensitivity to a standard probe (single quencher, single dye on a short linker) by the value of ΔC = 1-2.