Hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), which is necessary for the preparation of gold nanorods (NRs), was extracted from a NR solution into a chloroform phase containing phosphatidylcholine (PC). After three extractions, the zeta potential of the NRs remained positive, but its magnitude decreased from +67 +/- 1 to +15 +/- 1 mV. Transmission electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis indicated that the NRs were passivated with PC. The PC layer on the NR surface contributed to the prevention of NR aggregation. The PC-passivated NRs showed low cytotoxicity in comparison with twice-centrifuged NRs. It was shown that a negligible amount of CTAB was dispersed in the NR solution after the extraction. The extraction using a chloroform phase containing PC was found to be a convenient way of replacing the CTAB with alternative capping agents such as PC. This is a key technique for preparing functional NRs that can have practical applications.

Vascular calcification (VC) is highly prevalent in aging, diabetes mellitus, and chronic kidney disease (CKD). VC is a strong predictor of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in the CKD population. Complex pathological mechanisms are involved in the development of VC, including osteochondrogenic differentiation and apoptosis of vascular smooth muscle cells, instability and release of extracellular vesicles loaded calcium and phosphate, and elastin degradation. Elevated serum phosphate is a late manifestation of CKD, and has been shown to accelerate mineral deposition in both the vessel wall and heart valves. α-Klotho and fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) are emerging factors in CKD-mineral and bone disorder (CKD-MBD) and are thought to be involved in the pathogenesis of uremic VC. There are discordant reports regarding the biomedical effects of FGF23 on VC. In contrast, mounting evidence supports a well-supported protective role for α-Klotho on VC. Further studies are warranted to elucidate potential roles of FGF23 and α-Klotho in VC and to determine where and how they are synthesized in normal and disease conditions. A thorough systemic evaluation of the biomedical interplay of phosphate, FGF23, and α-Klotho may potentially lead to new therapeutic options for patients with CKD-MBD.

Combination of chemical reduction of tetrachloroaurate by ascorbic acid and subsequent ultraviolet photoirradiation resulted in the quick generation of gold nanorods quantitatively, with appreciable shape changes as the reaction proceeds.

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Articles you may be interested inRealization of In0.75Ga0.25As two-dimensional electron gas bilayer system for spintronics devices based on Rashba spin-orbit interaction J. Appl. Phys. 112, 113711 (2012); 10.1063/1.4766749 Molecular beam epitaxy of high mobility In 0.75 Ga 0.25 As for electron spin transport applications Growth-temperature optimization for low-carrier-density In 0.75 Ga 0.25 As -based high electron mobility transistors on InP Amounts of spontaneous spin splittings were estimated from low-temperature magnetoresistances in two-dimensional electron gases created at In 0.75 Ga 0.25 As/In 0.75 Al 0.25 As heterojunctions under a gate bias. Typical sheet electron densities and mobilities in the raw wafers were ϳ1.0ϫ10 12 /cm 2 and 2 -5ϫ10 5 cm 2 /V s at 1.5 K, respectively. A maximum spin-orbit coupling constant ␣ zero of ϳ30 (ϫ10 Ϫ12 eV m) was obtained for the van der Pauw sample. In gated Hall-bar samples, a decrease in the ␣ zero value with decreasing gate voltage (V g ) was first confirmed in a normal heterojunction. The main origin for such a large ␣ zero , which is a few times larger than any previously reported, was found to be a structure-dependent so-called interface contribution in the Rashba term.

Pulsed near-infrared laser irradiation induced release of plasmid DNA immobilized on gold nanorods without structural degradation, by selective excitation of longitudinal plasmon oscillation.

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The nanostructured assembly of porphyrin and gold nano-particles exhibits distinct enhancement of photocurrents from porphyrin in the longer wavelength region, where the localized plasmon resonance was responsible