Difluorobora-s-diazaindacene dyes as highly selective dosimetric reagents for fluoride anions

Difluorobora-s-diazaindacene derivatives are shown to report fluoride ions selectively in acetone solutions; both absorption and emission characteristics are drastically altered, and as a result, this hitherto unknown reaction transforms the BODIPY^® class of dyes into highly selective chromogenic and dual channel fluorogenic reagents for fluoride.     

A new internal quality control chart based on biological variation

The instruments and analytical methods currently used in clinical laboratories today have better precision and stability than those used in the past. With the development of chemical and immunological methods and instrumentation technology, test precision has increased. However, the application of the Westgard multirule procedure to control sera in the Levey-Jennings chart may not be useful or cost-effective. We devised a new test-specific decision limit for accepting or rejecting runs based on the data of within-subject biological variation and prepared a control chart. We then applied these new limits and control chart to a group of tests performed in our laboratory. With the exception of the tests for albumin, total protein, and calcium, for which desirable performance standards could not be attained with the current technology and methodology, the application of these control limits was cost-effective and convenient. It is estimated that the value of healthy within-subject biological variations is constant, irrespective of the methodology, the area in which the study has been performed, and the number of subjects included in the study. We believe that control limits based on biological variation are reliable and cost-effective, and may be useful in modern and accredited laboratories.     

New Methods for the Synthesis of Imidazoline-N-Oxides

Δ³-lmidazoline-3-oxides were prepared by the reaction of corresponding aromatic Schiff bases with syn-2-bromoacetophenone oxime. 5,6-Dihydro-4H-1,2,5-oxadiazines were isolated as byproduct in some instances.     

Towards standardization of external quality assessment schemes by using bias values based on biological variation

The precision and trueness of current instruments and methods in clinical laboratories is much better than in the past. However, the z-score and other comparison variables that are currently used in external quality assessment programs are based on relative data. Thus, they may change from program to program and also change over time within the same program and consequently may not be useful or cost-effective. We therefore devised a test-specific decision limit for accepting or rejecting test results based on a combination of the data of within- and between-subject biological variations. We then applied these limits to a group of tests performed in our laboratory and compared our results with those of external quality assessment programs. In addition, we combined external and internal quality control data on the same graph and prepared a two-dimensional graph for different levels of control sera. Inspection of all results of control sera on this new graph was more useful for decision making. We concluded that the z-score is not reliable for comparisons of test results in external quality assessment. As a substitute for this currently accepted practice, we assert that control limits based on biological variation are more reliable, and can be useful in the evaluation of both external and internal quality assessments and their combination on this new graph.     

Incoherent spatial solitons in saturable nonlinear media

It is shown that partially incoherent spatial solitons are possible in saturable nonlinear media. This is demonstrated by means of an exact Gaussian solution in the case when the saturable nonlinearity is of the logarithmic type. The conditions necessary to establish these soliton states as well as their associated characteristics are discussed in detail. Pertinent examples are provided to elucidate their behavior further.     

Porous shape-persistent rylene imine cages with tunable optoelectronic properties and delayed fluorescence

A simultaneous combination of porosity and tunable optoelectronic properties, common in covalent organic frameworks, is rare in shape-persistent organic cages. Yet, organic cages offer important molecular advantages such as solubility and modularity. Herein, we report the synthesis of a series of chiral imine organic cages with three built-in rylene units by means of dynamic imine chemistry and we investigate their textural and optoelectronic properties. Thereby we demonstrate that the synthesized rylene cages can be reversibly reduced at accessible potentials, absorb from UV up to green light, are porous, and preferentially adsorb CO₂ over N₂ and CH₄ with a good selectivity. In addition, we discovered that the cage incorporating three perylene-3,4:9,10-bis(dicarboximide) units displays an efficient delayed fluorescence. Time-correlated single photon counting and transient absorption spectroscopy measurements suggest that the delayed fluorescence is likely a consequence of a reversible intracage charge-separation event. Rylene cages thus offer a promising platform that allows combining the porosity of processable materials and photochemical phenomena useful in diverse applications such as photocatalysis or energy storage.

Chiral rylene imine cages combine porosity and tunable optoelectronic properties. They adsorb CO₂ over N₂ with good selectivity and can show an efficient delayed fluorescence.