Bombyx mori Silk Fibroin Regeneration in Solution of Lanthanide Ions: A Systematic Investigation

Silk Fibroin (SF) obtained from Bombyx mori is a very attractive biopolymer that can be useful for many technological applications, from optoelectronics and photonics to biomedicine. It can be processed from aqueous solutions to obtain many scaffolds. SF dissolution is possible only with the mediation of chaotropic salts that disrupt the secondary structure of the protein. As a consequence, recovered materials have disordered structures. In a previous paper, it was shown that, by modifying the standard Ajisawa’s method by using a lanthanide salt, CeCl3, as the chaotropic agent, it is possible to regenerate SF as a fibrous material with a very ordered structure, similar to that of the pristine fiber, and doped with Ce+3 ions. Since SF exhibits a moderate fluorescence which can be enhanced by the incorporation of organic molecules, ions and nanoparticles, the possibility of doping it with lanthanide ions could be an appealing approach for the development of new photonic systems. Here, a systematic investigation of the behavior of degummed SF in the presence of all lanthanide ions, Ln+3, is reported. It has been found that all lanthanide chlorides are chaotropic salts for solubilizing SF. Ln+3 ions at the beginning and the end of the series (La+3, Pr+3, Er+3, Tm+3, Yb+3, Lu+3) favor the reprecipitation of fibrous SF as already found for Ce+3. In most cases, the obtained fiber preserves the morphological and structural features of the pristine SF. With the exception of SF treated with La+3, Tm+3, and Lu+3, for all the fibers re-precipitated a concentration of Ln+3 between 0.2 and 0.4% at was measured, comparable to that measured for Ce+3-doped SF

Bombyx mori Silk Fibroin Regeneration in Solution of Lanthanide Ions: A Systematic Investigation

Silk Fibroin (SF) obtained from Bombyx mori is a very attractive biopolymer that can be useful for many technological applications, from optoelectronics and photonics to biomedicine. It can be processed from aqueous solutions to obtain many scaffolds. SF dissolution is possible only with the mediation of chaotropic salts that disrupt the secondary structure of the protein. As a consequence, recovered materials have disordered structures. In a previous paper, it was shown that, by modifying the standard Ajisawa’s method by using a lanthanide salt, CeCl3, as the chaotropic agent, it is possible to regenerate SF as a fibrous material with a very ordered structure, similar to that of the pristine fiber, and doped with Ce+3 ions. Since SF exhibits a moderate fluorescence which can be enhanced by the incorporation of organic molecules, ions and nanoparticles, the possibility of doping it with lanthanide ions could be an appealing approach for the development of new photonic systems. Here, a systematic investigation of the behavior of degummed SF in the presence of all lanthanide ions, Ln+3, is reported. It has been found that all lanthanide chlorides are chaotropic salts for solubilizing SF. Ln+3 ions at the beginning and the end of the series (La+3, Pr+3, Er+3, Tm+3, Yb+3, Lu+3) favor the reprecipitation of fibrous SF as already found for Ce+3. In most cases, the obtained fiber preserves the morphological and structural features of the pristine SF. With the exception of SF treated with La+3, Tm+3, and Lu+3, for all the fibers re-precipitated a concentration of Ln+3 between 0.2 and 0.4% at was measured, comparable to that measured for Ce+3-doped SF

How do cardiologists select patients for dual antiplatelet therapy continuation beyond 1 year after a myocardial infarction? Insights from the EYESHOT Post-MI Study

Background: Current guidelines suggest to consider dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) continuation for longer than 12 months in selected patients with myocardial infarction (MI). Hypothesis: We sought to assess the criteria used by cardiologists in daily practice to select patients with a history of MI eligible for DAPT continuation beyond 1 year. Methods: We analyzed data from the EYESHOT Post-MI, a prospective, observational, nationwide study aimed to evaluate the management of patients presenting to cardiologists 1 to 3 years from the last MI event. Results: Out of the 1633 post-MI patients enrolled in the study between March and December 2017, 557 (34.1%) were on DAPT at the time of enrolment, and 450 (27.6%) were prescribed DAPT after cardiologist assessment. At multivariate analyses, a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with multiple stents and the presence of peripheral artery disease (PAD) resulted as independent predictors of DAPT continuation, while atrial fibrillation was the only independent predictor of DAPT interruption for patients both at the second and the third year from MI at enrolment and the time of discharge/end of the visit. Conclusions: Risk scores recommended by current guidelines for guiding decisions on DAPT duration are underused and misused in clinical practice. A PCI with multiple stents and a history of PAD resulted as the clinical variables more frequently associated with DAPT continuation beyond 1 year from the index MI

Molecular and Supramolecular Architectures of Organic Semiconductors for Field Effect Transistor Devices and Sensors: a Synthetic Chemical Perspective

Organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) are key devices in organic electronics, and their performances largely depend on molecular structure and solid-state organization of the π-conjugated compounds used as semiconductors. This microreview reports several examples of materials for OFET devices and sensors, which have been selected to highlight the basic criteria of molecular design together with the synthetic logic driving the development of organic semiconductors. Versatile synthetic methodologies enable to optimize properties by tailoring molecular structures and functionalization, thus playing a key role in the progress of OFET technology, and more in general of organic electronics, which is emphasized in the discussion

Organometallic chemistry directed towards the synthesis of electroactive materials: stereoselective routes to extended polyconjugated systems

Various synthetic methodologies involving organometallic reagents and leading to conjugated oligomers and polymers are presented. Polyenes and oligomers of poly(paraphenylenevinylene) with well-defined length of the conjugated system were prepared by straightforward synthetic procedures based upon organometallic derivatives of silicon or boron. Fluorinated oligo(para-phenylenes) containing up to five aromatic rings were easily obtained by homocoupling reaction promoted by copper(I) thiophenecarboxylate. The Stille cross-coupling reaction was applied to the synthesis of poly(para-phenylenevinylene) polymers with various substituents on the aromatic rings. Some relevant electro-optical properties of these materials are also discussed

Synthesis of electroluminescent conjugated polymers for OLEDs

This chapter discusses the most important synthetic routes to the main classes of electroluminescent -conjugated polymers, highlighting advantages and limitations of the different methods in terms of versatility, stereo- and regioselectivity, efficiency. The discussion covers not only the synthesis of basic classes of polymers such as polyarylenes, poly(arylenevinylene)s, poly(aryleneethynylene)s, but describes routes to systems with more complex structures, including multifunctional copolymers and coordination polymers

Synthesis of electroluminescent conjugated polymers for OLEDs

This chapter discusses the most important synthetic routes to the main classes of electroluminescent -conjugated polymers, highlighting advantages and limitations of the different methods in terms of versatility, stereo- and regioselectivity, efficiency. The discussion covers not only the synthesis of basic classes of polymers such as polyarylenes, poly(arylenevinylene)s, poly(aryleneethynylene)s, but describes routes to systems with more complex structures, including multifunctional copolymers and coordination polymers

Direct Arylations via C–H Bond Functionalization of 1,2,3-Triazoles by a Reusable Pd/C Catalyst Under Solvent-Free Conditions

Fully substituted triazoles are synthesized by a sustainable direct arylation reaction performed under solvent-free conditions and in the presence of a recyclable Pd/C heterogeneous catalyst. Exclusion of air as well as anhydrous conditions are not required, enabling a convenient synthesis of 1,4,5-trisubstituted 1,2,3-triazoles and 1,2,3-triazole-fused isoindolines starting from 1,4-disubstituted 1,2,3-triazoles, easily prepared via click chemistry, and functionalized aryl iodides