Development of Core-Shell Nanoparticle Drug Delivery Systems Based on Biomimetic Mineralization

Among various drug-delivery systems, core-shell nanoparticles have many advantages. Inspired by nature, biomimetic synthesis has emerged as a new strategy for making core-shell nanoparticles in recent years. Biomimetic mineralization is the process by which living organisms produce minerals based on biomolecule templating that leads to the formation of hierarchically structured organic–inorganic materials. In this minireview, we mainly focus on the synthesis of core-shell nanoparticle drug-delivery systems by biomimetic mineralization. We review various biomimetic mineralization methods for fabricating core-shell nanoparticles including silica-based, calcium-based and other nanoparticles, and their applications in drug delivery. We also summarize strategies for drug loading in the biomolecule-mineralized core-shell NPs. Current challenges and future directions are also discussed.     

Encapsulation and Ostwald Ripening of Au and Au–Cl Complex Nanostructures in Silica Shells

We report a general template strategy for rational fabrication of a new class of nanostructured materials consisting of multicore shell particles. Our approach is demonstrated by encapsulating Au or Pt nanoparticles in silica shells. Other superstructures of these hollow shells, like dimers, trimers, and tetramers can also be formed by nanoparticle‐mediated self‐assembly. We have also used the as‐prepared multicore Au–silica hollow particles to perform the first studies of Ostwald ripening in confined microspace, in which chloride was found to be an efficient mediating ligand. After treatment with aqua regia, Au–Cl complex is formed inside the shell, and is found to be very active under in situ transmission electron microscopy observations while confined in a microcell. This aspect of the work is expected to motivate further in situ studies of confined crystal growth.     

结构形式对椭圆扁管管内传热与流阻性能影响

利用数值模拟方法结合场协同理论,对直椭圆扁管、单向螺旋椭圆扁管和变向螺旋椭圆扁管管内传热与流动情况进行了数值模拟计算和理论分析,比较研究了不同的Re、Pr下,3种椭圆扁管的管内传热与流阻特性。结果表明,单向螺旋椭圆扁管和变向螺旋椭圆扁管与直椭圆扁管相比有很好的强化传热性能,而变向螺旋椭圆扁管要比单向螺旋椭圆扁管的强化传热性能更好。在管内流体具有高Pr及低Re的条件下,2种螺旋椭圆扁管的强化传热效果显著,可作为很好的强化传热元件应用于工程实际中。     

Method for Preparation of Semiconductor Quantum‐Rod Lasers in a Cylindrical Microcavity

An efficient method for preparation of semiconductor quantum rod films for robust lasing in a cylindrical microcavity is reported. A capillary tube, serving as the laser cavity, is filled with a solution of nanocrystals and irradiated with a series of intense nanosecond laser pulses to produce a nanocrystal film on the capillary surface. The films exhibit intense room‐temperature lasing in whispering‐gallery modes that develop at the film–capillary interface as corroborated from the spacing detected for the lasing modes. Good lasing stability is observed at moderate pump powers. The method was applied successfully to several quantum‐rod samples of various sizes.     

Development of geometrically exact new shell elements based on general curvilinear co‐ordinates

In the present study first‐order shear deformable shell finite elements based on general curvilinear co‐ordinates are proposed. For the development of the present shell elements, a partial mixed variational functional with independently assumed strains is provided in order to avoid the severe locking troubles known as transverse shear and membrane lockings. Bubble functions are included in the shape function of displacement to improve the performance of the developed element. The proposed assumed strain four‐ and nine‐node elements based on the general tensor shell theory provide an efficient linkage framework for shell surface modelling and finite element analysis. In the several benchmark problems, the present shell elements with exact geometric representations demonstrate their performance compared to previously reported results. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Range of the Applicability of the Wilkins Method to the Investigation of the Dynamic Stress-Strain State of Anisotropic Elastic Axisymmetric Shells

The exactness and stability of the Wilkins method in the investigation of the stress-strain state of axisymmetric anisotropic elastic shells, including thick-walled ones, have been studied for different values of artificial viscosity, pulse load rise and fall time, and different deformation process durations. A comparison of numerical calculations, performed by means of an application software package developed by V. A. Romashchenko on the basis of the Wilkins method, with experimental results, known numerical data, and with calculations using the computation kernel LS-DYNA 3D has been carried out.     

Efficient mixed Timoshenko–Mindlin shell elements

The precise representation of rigid body motions in the displacement patterns of curved Timoshenko–Mindlin (TM) shell elements is considered. This consideration requires the development of the strain–displacement relationships of the TM shell theory with regard to their consistency with the rigid body motions. For this purpose a refined TM theory of multilayered anisotropic shells is elaborated. The effects of transverse shear deformation and bending‐extension coupling are included. The fundamental unknowns consist of five displacements and eight strains of the face surfaces of the shell, and eight stress resultants. On the basis of this theory the simple and efficient mixed models are developed. The elemental arrays are derived using the Hu–Washizu mixed variational principle. Numerical results are presented to demonstrate the high accuracy and effectiveness of the developed 4‐node shell elements and to compare their performance with other finite elements reported in the literature. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Potential use of phenolic antioxidants on peanut to control growth and aflatoxin B1 accumulation by Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus

Food‐grade antioxidants: butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), propyl paraben (PP) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) (10 and 20 mmol g^?1) and all the mixtures of these chemicals were tested for inhibitory activity on the growth of and aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁) accumulation by Aspergillus parasiticus and A. flavus on irradiated (7 kGy) peanut grains. Also, the influence of these treatments was evaluated in different water conditions (0.982, 0.955, 0.937a_w) at 11 and 35 days of incubation at 28 °C. Water activity (a_w) affected the fungal growth, no fungal development was observed at the highest stress water condition (0.937a_w). Butylated hydroxyanisole at 10 mmol g^?1 level and all the mixtures with PP and/or BHT were significantly effective (P = 0.05) in increasing lag phase and reducing growth rate and colony forming units per gram of peanut of both Aspergillus section Flavi strains and AFB₁ accumulation. The application of BHA at concentrations of 20 mmol g^?1 alone or with PP and/or BHT totally inhibited fungal growth at 11 and 35 days of incubation. The results suggest that the addition of these chemical mixtures on peanut grains at low levels has potential to impact synergically on the control of Aspergillus section Flavi. Copyright © 2007 Society of Chemical Industry     

管内装元件强化传热的技术经济评价

提出了一种管内装元件强化传热的技术经济评价方法，此方法综合考虑了强化换热器管内传热膜系数的提高和管内流体阻力的增大，与普通的管壳式换热器相比，所带来的投资费用和使用费用变化，这个变化量可用净现值增量△NPV来表示。根据△NPV值来评价强化传热技术，从而为强化传热技术的开发和推广及进行决策提供指导。