Laser Ablation-Generated Crystalline Selenium Nanoparticles Prevent Damage of DNA and Proteins Induced by Reactive Oxygen Species and Protect Mice against Injuries Caused by Radiation-Induced Oxidative Stress.

With the help of laser ablation, a technology for obtaining nanosized crystalline selenium particles (SeNPs) has been created. The SeNPs do not exhibit significant toxic properties, in contrast to molecular selenium compounds. The administration of SeNPs can significantly increase the viabilities of SH-SY5Y and PCMF cells after radiation exposure. The introduction of such nanoparticles into the animal body protects proteins and DNA from radiation-induced damage. The number of chromosomal breaks and oxidized proteins decreases in irradiated mice treated with SeNPs. Using hematological tests, it was found that a decrease in radiation-induced leukopenia and thrombocytopenia is observed when selenium nanoparticles are injected into mice before exposure to ionizing radiation. The administration of SeNPs to animals 5 h before radiation exposure in sublethal and lethal doses significantly increases their survival rate. The modification dose factor for animal survival was 1.2. It has been shown that the introduction of selenium nanoparticles significantly normalizes gene expression in the cells of the red bone marrow of mice after exposure to ionizing radiation. Thus, it has been demonstrated that SeNPs are a new gene-protective and radioprotective agent that can significantly reduce the harmful effects of ionizing radiation.

Development and application of photoconversion fluoropolymer films for greenhouses located at high or polar latitudes.

To convert and store energy in the process of photosynthesis, plants primarily use quanta of the red and blue parts of the spectrum. At high latitudes, the average daily intensity of red and blue parts of the spectrum is not very high; for many crops cultivated under greenhouse conditions, it reaches the sufficient level only on clear summer days. The problem of insufficient illumination in greenhouses is usually solved with artificial light sources. This article describes a technology for the manufacture of photoconversion fluoropolymer films for greenhouses. The fluoropolymer films described in the paper make use of original gold nanoparticles and nanoparticles with fluorescence in the blue or red region of the spectrum. In the polymer film, nanoparticles aggregate in the form of "beads", which enhances the field of the optical wave. The film photoconverts UV and violet light into blue and red light. Gold nanoparticles also partially convert energy in the green region of the spectrum (not used by plants) into heat, which is also important for agriculture at high latitudes. In addition, impregnation of gold nanoparticles into fluoropolymer significantly increases the lifetime of the film. The films described in the paper can significantly increase the productivity of greenhouses located at high latitudes. Plants cultivated under the films have more chlorophyll and a higher intensity of photosynthesis - although their system of distance stress signals is, to a certain degree, suppressed.

New Nanostructured Carbon Coating Inhibits Bacterial Growth, but Does Not Influence on Animal Cells.

An electrospark technology has been developed for obtaining a colloidal solution containing nanosized amorphous carbon. The advantages of the technology are its low cost and high performance. The colloidal solution of nanosized carbon is highly stable. The coatings on its basis are nanostructured. They are characterized by high adhesion and hydrophobicity. It was found that the propagation of microorganisms on nanosized carbon coatings is significantly hindered. At the same time, eukaryotic animal cells grow and develop on nanosized carbon coatings, as well as on the nitinol medical alloy. The use of a colloidal solution as available, cheap and non-toxic nanomaterial for the creation of antibacterial coatings to prevent biofilm formation seems to be very promising for modern medicine, pharmaceutical and food industries.

Colloidal crystal formation at the "Nafion-water" interface.

In our recent work [Bunkin et al. Water 2013, 4, 129-154] it was first obtained that the water layer, having a size of several tens of micrometers and being adjacent to the swollen Nafion interface, is characterized by enhanced optical density; the refractive index of water at the interface is 1.46. Furthermore, the birefringence effect was observed in this layer. To explain these results, it has been hypothesized that because of "disentangling" of charged polymer chains from the Nafion surface toward the bulk of water, a photonic crystal close to the surface is formed [Bunkin et al. Water 2013, 4, 129-154]. In this paper, we describe experiments with laser-stimulated luminescence from dry and swollen Nafion. It was shown in the experiment with dry Nafion that the apparatus function of our experimental setup (Green's function) is well-described by a Gaussian profile. It was obtained that a highly concentrated colloidal suspension of Nafion particles with a steep spatial boundary is formed in the water layer adjacent to the interface. The volume density of the Nafion particles as a function of the distance from the Nafion interface was found. These findings can be considered indirect confirmation of the previously formulated photonic crystal hypothesis [Bunkin et al. Water 2013, 4, 129-154].