An ab initio study of excited state molecular electrostatic potential maps and other related properties of 5-fluorouracil: a comparative study with uracil

A facile synthesis of strong near infrared fluorescent layered double hydroxide nanovehicles with an anticancer drug for tumor optical imaging and therapy

In this work, a new multifunctional nanovehicle for tumor optical imaging and therapy was developed using Y2O3:Er(3+),Yb(3+) nanoparticles as near infrared fluorescent nanophosphors, and MgAl-layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanosheets as anticancer drug nanovehicles. Monodispersed Y2O3:Er(3+),Yb(3+) nanophosphors were readily synthesized by the urea assisted homogenous precipitation method. Hierarchically structured LDH nanosheets intercalated with an anticancer drug, fluorouracil (5FU), were deposited on the surface of Y2O3:Er(3+),Yb(3+)@SiO2 by a simple precipitation method followed by hydrothermal treatment. The resultant Y2O3:Er(3+),Yb(3+)@SiO2@LDH-5FU nanovehicles exhibit strong red upconversion fluorescence under the excitation of a 980 nm laser, which allows tracking of the nanovehicles after localization in cancer cells. A better anticancer efficiency was obtained over the nanovehicles than the free drug which can be attributed to their positively charged surfaces for favorable interaction with the negatively charged cell membranes. The multifunctional nanovehicles designed in this work are expected to be promising material candidates for simultaneous tumor optical imaging and therapy.

Electronic Spectra, Excited State Structures and Interactions of Nucleic Acid Bases and Base Assemblies: A Review

A comprehensive review of recent theoretical and experimental advances in the singlet electronic transitions, excited state structures and dynamics of nucleic acid bases (NABs) and base assemblies are presented. It is well known that NABs absorb ultraviolet radiation, but the absorbed energy is efficiently dissipated in the form of ultrafast internal conversion processes believed to occur in the subpicosecond time scale and, therefore, enabling NABs highly photostable. It is not known how much evolutionary role was played in evolving these molecules and the ultimate selection by nature as genetic materials, but it is well accepted that survival-of-fittest prevails. Recently, significant efforts have been continuously paid to understand the mechanism of electronic excitation deactivation, but universally acceptable mechanism is still elusive. However, recent investigations reveal that electronic excited state geometries of DNA bases are usually nonplanar and this structural nonplanarity may facilitate nonradiative deactivation. Investigation of excited state structures is challenging and, therefore, it is not surprising that despite the impressive theoretical and computational advances, this research area is still hampered by the methodological and computational limitations. Further, stacking has significant influence on the emission properties of molecules. The 2-aminopurine, a fluorescent adenine derivative frequently used in studying DNA dynamics, shows significant attenuations in fluorescence quantum yield when incorporated in the DNA. Theoretical and computational bottlenecks limit a thorough theoretical understanding of effect of stacking interactions on the excited state dynamics of NABs. Despite these limitations the investigations of excited state properties are progressing in the right direction and our better understanding of excited state structure and dynamics of NABs and nucleic acids may help to design preventive strategy for radiation induced illness and photostable materials.