A controlled release system composed of mesoporous silica nanoparticles with covalently bound dipalmitoyl moieties supporting phosphorylated lipids has been successfully synthesized and characterized. This MSN system demonstrates controlled release of fluorescein molecules under disulfide reducing conditions. Flow cytometry analyses confirm increased biocompatibility of the resulting lipid bilayer MSNs (LB-MSNs) from nonfunctional MSNs. Fluorescently labeled LB-MSNs are examined via confocal fluorescent microscopy ex vivo and were found to enter both normal and cancer cell lines. The LB-MSNs presented here have potential to be used as rapid and diverse functionalized, stable liposome analogues for drug delivery.

We present the synthesis of four new solution-processable, fluorescent poly(arylenevinylene)s containing benzobisoxazole and fluorene moieties. Two different moieties (cis-and trans-benzobisoxazole) and two different alkyl substituents (octyl and 3,7-dimethyloctyl) were used to study the impact of the structure on the electronic, optical, and thermal properties of these polymers. The polymers were characterized using UV-visible and fluorescence spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). All of the polymers possess moderate molecular weights, good solubility in aprotic organic solvents, high fluorescence quantum efficiencies in dilute solutions, and high electron affinities. Cyclic voltammetry revealed quasi-reversible reduction for these polymers. Solutionprocessed light-emitting diodes using dilute blends of the polymer in a poly(N-vinyl carbazole) matrix gave blue emission with luminous efficiencies of up to 1 Cd/A at ∼470 nm which is very promising for deep blueemitting polymer LEDs.

A series of MCM-41-type mesoporous silica nanoparticle (MSN) materials with different morphologies (spherical and tubular) and sizes but similar surface and pore properties were synthesized and characterized. The effect of particle morphology on human red blood cell (RBC) membrane integrity was evaluated using flow cytometry, UV-Vis spectroscopy, confocal fluorescence and electron microscopy.Although the hemolytic activity was miniscule at higher nanoparticle concentrations for MSN with spherical geometry (up to 500 mg mL 21 ), electron microscopy results showed significant occurrences of RBC spiculation, indicating damage to the plasma membrane. However, no evidence for particle embedment or internalization was found in all the geometries and particle concentrations tested. We envisage that complete hemocompatibility studies of varied nanoparticle morphologies would provide important guidelines when considering the overall toxicity of these nanodevices in vivo.

Abstract. Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) have been proposed as drug delivery devices for approximately 15 years. The history of in vitro studies has been promising, demonstrating that MSNs have the capability for stimulus-responsive controlled release, good cellular uptake, cell specific targeting, and the ability to carry a variety of cargoes from hydrophobic drug molecules to imaging agents. However, the translation of the in vitro findings to in vivo conditions has been slow. Herein, we review the current state-of-the-art in the use of MSN for systemic drug delivery in vivo and provide critical insight into the future of MSNs as systemic drug delivery devices and directions that should be undertaken to improve their practicality.

Three new donor–acceptor conjugated polymers were synthesized by combining electron-donating 3-octylthiophenes with various electron-accepting benzobisazoles. The influence of the structural differences of the three benzobisazoles on the electrochemical, optical, and photovoltaic properties of the polymers composed from them was investigated. According to our results, changing the arrangement of the oxygen atoms of the benzobisoxzoles from the cis to trans orientation slightly stabilized both the HOMO and LUMO levels, whereas replacing the oxygen atoms in trans-BBO with sulfur atoms only stabilized the HOMO level. Bulk heterojunction photovoltaic devices were fabricated by using the copolymers as electron donors and PC71BM ([6,6]-phenyl C71-butyric acid methyl ester). It was found that open-circuit voltages (V ocs) as high as 0.86 V, and power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) up to 1.14%, were obtained under simulated AM 1.5 solar irradiation of 100 mW/cm2. Field-effect transistors based on these polymers exhibited hole mobilities as high as of 4.9 × 10–3 cm2/(V s) with the trans-BBO polymer giving the best performance in both devices.