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The role of polymer side chains in conferring selectivity to a sensing organic thin-film transistor is investigated. The responses of both polymer-based transistor and quartz crystal microbalance sensors are evaluated and compared.

Silver nanophases are routinely used as bioactive additives in commercial products. Besides their antimicrobial activity, nanosafety issues regarding the application of (silver-based) nanoantimicrobials should be considered, as well. In this study, we modified polyurethane foams, typically employed in air filtration and stuffing, by photodeposited silver nanoparticles for preparing hybrid materials (Ag-PU) with antibacterial properties. The composite materials were characterized in terms of morphology, surface chemical composition, ionic release in contact media, bioactivity, as well as whole nanoparticle release. Cytocompatibility was also assessed on 3T3 mouse fibroblasts. The proposed systematic approach allows for defining suitable composite final properties, in terms of bioactivity and safety, by properly tuning the deposition parameters.

The aim of the present work was to compare the mucoadhesive and efflux pump P-glycoprotein (P-gp) interacting properties of chitosan (CS)- and glycolchitosan (GCS)-based thiomers and corresponding unmodified parent polymers. For this purpose, the glycol chitosan-N-acetyl-cysteine (GCS-NAC) and glycol chitosan-glutathione (GCS-GSH) thiomers were prepared under simple and mild conditions. Their mucoadhesive characteristics were studied by turbidimetric and zeta potential measurements. The P-gp interacting properties were evaluated measuring the effects of thiolated- and unmodified-polymers on the bidirectional transport (BA/AB) of rhodamine-123 across Caco-2 cells as well as in the calcein-AM and ATPase activity assays. Although all the thiomers and unmodified polymers showed optimal-excellent mucoadhesive properties, the best mucoadhesive performances have been obtained by CS and CS-based thiomers. Moreover, it was found that the pretreatment of Caco-2 cell monolayer with GCS-NAC or GCS restores Rho-123 cell entrance by inhibiting P-gp activity. Hence, GCS-NAC and GCS may constitute new biomaterials useful for improving the bioavailability of P-gp substrates.

A Functional Bio-Interlayer Organic Field-Effect Transistor (FBI-OFET) sensor, embedding a streptavidin protein capturing layer, capable of performing label-free selective electronic detection of biotin at 3 part per trillion (mass fraction) or 15 pM, is proposed here. The response shows a logarithmic dependence spanning over 5 orders of magnitude of analyte concentration. The optimization of the FBI analytical performances is achieved by depositing the capturing layer through a controllable Layer-by-Layer (LbL) assembly, while an easy processable spin-coating deposition is proposed for potential low-cost production of equally highly performing sensors. Furthermore, a Langmuirian adsorption based model allows rationalizing the analyte binding process to the capturing layer. The FBI-OFET device is shown to operate also with an antibody interlayer as well as with an ad hoc designed microfluidic system. These occurrences, along with the proven extremely high sensitivity and selectivity, open to FBI-OFETs consideration as disposable electronic strip-tests for assays in biological fluids requiring very low detection limits.

An efficient and highly sustainable Ullmann-type homocoupling of bromo- and chloroarenes, including the more challenging electron-rich chloroarenes (e.g., 4-chloroanisole), catalyzed by in situ generated Pd colloids, is carried out in aqueous medium under relatively mild conditions (temperatures ranging from 40 to 90 degrees C). Glucose is used as a clean and renewable reductant, while tetrabutylammonium hydroxide (TBAOH) acts as base, surfactant, and phase-transfer agent, creating a favorable environment for the catalyst. Pd nanoparticle sizes, morphology, and chemical composition are ascertained by TEM and XPS analyses.

Heck reaction of aryl iodides and activated aryl bromides catalyzed by copper bronze in tetrabutylammonium bromide as solvent and tetrabutylammonium acetate as base was developed. The effective catalysts are Cu nanoparticles deriving from the reaction of iodobenzene with copper bronze. These nanoparticles are very stable in tetraalkylammonium salts, are easily recycled, and can be stored for months without a loss of catalytic efficiency. [reaction: see text]

A solid-phase microextraction (SPME) method, coupled to liquid chromatography with diode array UV detection (LC-UV/DAD), for the simultaneous determination of cyclopiazonic acid, mycophenolic acid, tenuazonic acid, and ochratoxin A is described. Chromatographic separation was achieved on a propylamino-bonded silica gel stationary phase using acetonitrile/methanol/ammonium acetate buffer mixture (78:2:20, v/v/v) as mobile phase. SPME adsorption and desorption conditions were optimized using a silica fiber coated with a 60 microm thick polydimethylsiloxane/divinylbenzene film. Estimated limits of detection and limits of quantitation ranged from 3 to 12 ng/mL and from 7 to 29 ng/mL, respectively. The method has been applied to cornflake samples. Samples were subjected to a preliminary short sonication in MeOH/2% KHCO(3) (70:30, v/v); the mixture was evaporated to near dryness and reconstituted in 1.5 mL of 5 mM phosphate buffer (pH 3) for SPME followed by LC-UV/DAD. The overall procedure had recoveries (evaluated on samples spiked at 200 ng/g level) ranging from 74 +/- 4 to 103 +/- 9%. Samples naturally contaminated with cyclopiazonic and tenuazonic acids were found; estimated concentrations were 72 +/- 9 and 25 +/- 6 ng/g, respectively.

Reaction of the catalyst 1 or Pd(OAc)(2) with tetrabutylammonium acetate, dissolved in tetrabutylammonium bromide, leads to a fast formation of Pd nanoparticles which efficiently catalyze the stereospecific reaction of cinnamates with aryl halides to give beta-aryl-substituted cinnamic esters. The role of tetrabutylammonium acetate is crucial in determining the formation of nanoparticles and stereospecificity of the C-C coupling process.