Mechanisms for Tuning Engineered Nanomaterials to Enhance Radiation Therapy of Cancer.

Engineered nanomaterials that produce reactive oxygen species on exposure to X- and gamma-rays used in radiation therapy offer promise of novel cancer treatment strategies. Similar to photodynamic therapy but suitable for large and deep tumors, this new approach where nanomaterials acting as sensitizing agents are combined with clinical radiation can be effective at well-tolerated low radiation doses. Suitably engineered nanomaterials can enhance cancer radiotherapy by increasing the tumor selectivity and decreasing side effects. Additionally, the nanomaterial platform offers therapeutically valuable functionalities, including molecular targeting, drug/gene delivery, and adaptive responses to trigger drug release. The potential of such nanomaterials to be combined with radiotherapy is widely recognized. In order for further breakthroughs to be made, and to facilitate clinical translation, the applicable principles and fundamentals should be articulated. This review focuses on mechanisms underpinning rational nanomaterial design to enhance radiation therapy, the understanding of which will enable novel ways to optimize its therapeutic efficacy. A roadmap for designing nanomaterials with optimized anticancer performance is also shown and the potential clinical significance and future translation are discussed

Precipitation of spherical calcium carbonate particles in the gas-liquid system

CaC03 strącano podczas karbonatyzacji roztworu zawierającego CaCl2, i trietanoloaminę (TEA). Dla stężeń TEA w zakresie od 0,1 do 0,25 mol/dm otrzymano kuliste cząstki kalcytu z niewielką domieszką cząstek sześciennych o średniej średnicy około 17µm. Mieszane cząstki kalcytu i waterytu były wytwarzane, gdy stężenie TEA wynosiło 0,3 mol/dm3. Wielościenne cząstki kalcytu o średniej średnicy 6µm otrzymywano podczas precypitacji prowadzonej z roztworu TEA wcześniej nasyconego C02.Calcium carbonate was precipitated during carbonation of solution containing CaCl33. A mixture of calcite and vaterite was formed when the concentration of TEA was 0.3 mol/dm3. Polyhedral calcite particles with the diameter of 6 µm were obtained in TEA solution previously saturated with C02

Precipitation of calcium carbonate particles in a gas-liquid system in the presence of selected saccharides

Węglan wapnia strącano podczas karbonatyzacji roztworów zawierającego chlorku wapnia i amoniak. Procesy prowadzono w roztworach o pH powyżej 9. Jako dodatki wpływające na przebieg precypitacji stosowano glukozę lub sacharozę o stężeniach 15, 30 i 60 mM. Najwolniej precypitacja przebiegała, gdy roztwór zawierał najniższe stężenie glukozy. Wzrost stężenia badanych sacharydów skutkował skróceniem czasu precypitacji. Otrzymane cząstki CaCO3 były mieszaniną waterytu i kalcytu, a dodatek sacharydów spowodował zwiększenie zawartości kalcytu w produktach.Calcium carbonate was precipitated during carbonation of solutions containing calcium chloride and ammonia. The processes were carried out at pH above 9. Glucose or sucrose at concentrations of 15, 30 and 60 mM were used as additives intluencing the course of precipitation. The slowest precipitation was observed in the solution containing the lowest glucose concentration. The increase of saccharides concentration resulted in a shorter precipitation time. The CaCO3 particles consisted of a mixture of vaterite and calcite, and the saccharides addition increased the calcite content in products

The quantitative and qualitative changes of sugars in sour cherry fruit subjected to osmo-convective drying

Analizowano zmiany zawartości składników cukrowych w trakcie odwadniania osmotycznego wiśni w celu określenia proporcji między zawartością cukrów w produkcie końcowym a ilością cukrów pochodzących naturalnie z surowca. Owoce ośmiu odmian wiśni poddawano odwadnianiu osmotycznemu w 60-procentowym roztworze sacharozy i suszono konwekcyjnie. Analizę ilościową i jakościową cukrów wykonano metodą HPLC w surowcu mrożonym, odwodnionym oraz w suszu. Dominującymi cukrami w surowcu była glukoza (46–61%) i fruktoza (34–39%). Wiśnie zawierały też 12–20% sorbitolu. Proces odwadniania spowodował przyrosty fruktozy oraz spadki zawartości sorbitolu; zmiany zawartości glukozy nie były jednoznaczne. W sezonie 2009 w owocach odwadnianych stwierdzono obecność 2–20 g·100 g–1 s.s. sacharozy, która podczas suszenia konwekcyjnego w całości uległa hydrolizie. Zmiany pozostałych składników na etapie suszenia były relatywnie niewielkie. W ogólnym ilościowym bilansie składników cukrowych stwierdzono zaledwie 11-procentowy wzrost ich zawartości w suszu w stosunku do surowca, wykazano natomiast znaczące zmiany składu jakościowego. Z surowca tracony był sorbitol na rzecz znacznego wzrostu zawartości fruktozy.Osmotic treatment of plant tissue prior to drying results in a water content reduction that shortens drying time. Simultaneously, the infused osmotic agent modifi es the taste profi le of the treated tissue. In the case of sour cherries, osmotic dehydration causes an improvement in sensory characteristics, which enables direct consumption of dried product. Among different osmotic agents, sucrose has shown to be one of the most popular, as not only does it display the above characteristic, but additionally has been found to have a protective effect on bioactive compound retention. Unfortunately, recent literature seams to focus on the negative connection between high sugar consumption and the development of chronic diseases. In respect of this, trials have been undertaken to ascertain the precise qualitative and quantitative changes in sugar components provoked by osmotic dehydration in sour cherry tissue during osmo-dried fruit production. Additionally, the proportion between added and native sugar content was calculated. Fruits of 8 cultivars of sour cherries collected in 2009 and 2010 seasons were subjected to osmotic treatment (60° Brix sucrose solution, 1 hour at 40°C) and then convectively dried for 8 hours (3 m·s–1, 60°C). At each stage of processing (raw material, osmo-treated fruit, dried fruit) the precise analyses of sucrose, glucose, fructose and sorbitol contents were carried with using the HPLC method. Experiments were performed in two technological repetitions for both seasons. Irrespectively of cultivar and season glucose was quantifi ed as the predominant sugar component accounting for 46–61%. The second abundant was fructose ranging between 34–39%. The sour cherry fruit contained also substantial amount of sorbitol (12–20%). As it was expected, the applied osmotic dehydration treatment led to signifi cant changes in sugar components pattern. During 1 hour process the fructose contents increased (13–91%), which was associated with simultaneous sorbitol losses (64–85%). At this stage the signifi cant decrease of glucose/fructose ratio was observed. Further convective drying stage hardly affected sugar component composition, excluding losses of small sucrose amounts found in the osmo-treated samples form 2009 season trials. Although 60° Brix sucrose solution was used as the osmotic agent for pre-drying treatment, no sucrose in the fi nal dried fruit products were found. From the results of the experiments undertaken it can be confi rmed that on average, only 11% more sugar was present in dried product than in the raw material form. What must be noted, however, are the substantial changes in singular sugar constituents proportions, especially when it is considered from the dietetic point of view. Irrespectively of season and cultivar investigated, during the process, the sorbitol (known for its reduced caloric content and laxative properties) was drastically lowered, while the fructose amount signifi cantly increased

Calcium carbonate particles formation in a gas-liquid system with organic additives

Otrzymywano węglan wapnia w reakcji CO2 z Ca(OH)2. Do mieszaniny reakcyjnej dodawano glikol etylenowy, glicerol lub n-butanol. Cząstki CaCO3 strącane w obecności substancji organicznych były mniejsze niż powstałe w wyniku procesu prowadzonego tylko w mieszaninie reagentów w wodzie. Najmniejsze cząstki CaCO3 otrzymywano w obecności glicerolu, wówczas średnia średnica cząstek wynosiła 3,1 μm dla reakcji prowadzonej w układzie gaz - roztwór, a 4,6 μm w układzie gaz - zawiesina.Calcium carbonate particles were obtained as a result of CO2 with Ca(OH)2 reaction Ethylene glycol, glycerol or n-butanol were added to reaction mixture. CaCO2, particles in case of precipitation with organic compounds were smaller than those obtained in the process conducted without additives. The finest CaCO3crystals were formed if glycerol was added. In such case the mean diameter of CaCO3 particles was equal to 3.1 μm, if reaction took place in the gas — solution system, and 4.6 μm in the gas — suspension system

Influence of ethylene glycol on the size of calcium carbonate crystals precipitated in an air-lift reactor

Prowadzono precypitację węglanu wapnia w reakcji ditlenku węgla z wodorotlenkiem wapnia w obecności glikolu etylenowego. Zaobserwowano, że przeciętna wielkość kryształów CaCO3 w punkcie końcowym precypitacji malała od około 4 do 2,8 μm, o ile stężenie glikolu etylenowego w mieszaninie reakcyjnej wzrastało do 15% obj. Natomiast wzrost stężenia glikolu etylenowego do 20% obj. skutkował wzrostem kryształów CaCO3.Calcium carbonte precipitation was investigated during carbon dioxide and calcium hydroxide reaction occurring in the presence of ethylene glycol. It was observed that the mean size of CaCO3 crystals at the end point of precipitation diminished from 4 to 2.8 μm if the ethylene glycol concentration in the reaction mixture increased up to 15% vol. However the further increase up to 20% vol. of ethylene glycol concentration resulted in the increase of CaCO3 crystal size