Detection of Alzheimer's tau protein using localised surface plasmon resonance-based immunochip

In this study, we present the detection of tau protein, at room temperature, using a multi-spot localised surface plasmon resonance (LSPR)-based immunochip. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of an immunochip for tau protein. The detection method includes fabrication of a gold-capped nanoparticle LSPR chip, formation and functionalisation of a self-assembled monolayer (SAM), immobilisation of a suitable linker, effective blocking of non-specific adsorption, immobilisation of a monoclonal anti-tau antibody (tau-mAb), and finally, the optimum conditions for the immuno-reaction between tau-mAb and the antigen were determined. The method has a high performance, enables detection of tau at 10pg/mL, lower than the cut-off value of 195pg/mL (for AD) for tau protein in cerebral spinal fluid (CSF). Further, we demonstrated selectivity of the technique by showing that the introduction of bovine serum albumin (BSA), perhaps the most abundant protein component in serum and CSF, does not interfere with the detection of tau. This method also offers a potential platform for studying tau interactions with other proteins and/or potential drug candidates and could also be easily adapted for detecting phosphorylated tau and other AD biomarkers.     

Optimization of SIMS analytical parameters for water content measurement of olivine

Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) has a wide range of applications in Earth Science research, thanks to its high precision and sensitivity, and its capacity in direct insitu micromeasurement. The technique is operated in ultra-high vacuum (UHV) conditions, especially for the measurement of volatiles such as hydrogen, or the water content in nominally anhydrous minerals (NAMs). To minimize the water background and obtain accurate and precise water contents in NAMs (eg, olivine) critical parameters such as presputtering time, field aperture (FA), dynamic transfer on/off, and primary beam current intensity were investigated for a CAMECA IMS 1280-HR system. When the chamber vacuum reaches approximately 2 × 10⁻⁹ mbar, we set the DTOS OFF, raster size to 50 μm and primary beam current to 5 nA, and used 2000 μm FA and 170-second presputtering time. Consequently, an approximately 1.2 ppmw water background and 3.6 ppmw limit of detection (LOD) were yielded, from analyzing the San Carlos olivine. Meanwhile, the water content and homogeneity of a range of olivine minerals were characterized for potential use as reference materials for SIMS water content measurement. Olivine water content calibration curve was also established by comparing the Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) results with the SIMS-measured ¹⁶O¹H⁻/¹⁶O⁻ ratios. Accuracy and precision of water content measurement were estimated to be better than approximately 10% in this study.     

Controlled growth for synthesizing a compact mordenite membrane

Controlling the growth of zeolite crystals on a porous alumina support is essential for preparing a compact zeolite membarne. First, mordenite seed crystals applied on a nonporous -alumina disk were grown and morphological change of mordenite crystals were observed in the course of growth. Then, mordenite membranes were synthesized on a porous -alumina tube under the same conditions employed in the study using the alumina disks. We found that seed crystal growth was widely controllable by changing water content in reaction solution, which resulted in better control of the morphology of mordenite crystals for synthesizing a thin compact mordenite membrane. Separation properties for mordenite membranes were studied in water–hydrogen binary system at 473 K with 10 kPa of water partial pressure, where no capillary condensation was expected in non-zeolitic pores. Separation factor for a mordenite membrane with a few defects was poor; however, a defect-free mordenite membrane prepared under a suitable condition highly separated steam from hydrogen.     

Synthesis and structural, electrochemical, and stacking properties of conical molecules possessing buckyferrocene on the apex

A series of conical molecules featuring a [60]fullerene/ferrocene hybrid and five aralkyl side chains (Fe[C60{C6H4-(OCO-C6H3-(OR)2-3,4)-4}5]Cp) have been synthesized and examined for their structural and electrochemical properties as well as their ability to form supramolecular structures in crystals and liquid crystals. When the R group on the side is a methyl group, the compound forms crystals in which the dipolar conical molecules are stacked head-to-tail to form a columnar structure. When the R group is as long as a C18H38 group, the compound forms liquid crystals. Oxidation of the liquid crystalline compound by an aminium salt [(4-BrC6H4)3N][SbCl6] produces the corresponding paramagnetic Fe(III) compound that also exhibits liquid crystalline properties.     

Electric field dependent photocurrent generation in a thin-film organic photovoltaic device with a [70]fullerene-benzodifuranone dyad

A [70]fullerene-benzodifuranone acceptor dyad synthesized by a Ag?-mediated coupling reaction was used to construct a thin-film organic solar cell. The fullerene and the benzodifuranone dye in the dyad have close-lying LUMO levels in the range of 3.7-3.9 eV, so that energy transfer from the dye to the fullerene can take place. A p-n heterojunction photovoltaic device consisting of a tetrabenzoporphyrin and a [70]fullerene-benzodifuranone dyad showed a weak but discernible contribution from light absorption of the dyad to the photocurrent under both a positive and a negative effective bias. These results indicate that the benzodifuranone moiety attached to the acceptor contributes to light-harvesting by energy transfer.     

Selective flow-injection determination of methanol in the presence of ethanol based on a multi-enzyme system with chemiluminescence detection

A highly selective flow-injection system was developed for the determination of methanol. The system consisted of three immobilized enzymes with luminol chemiluminescence detection. First, methanol was oxidized in the presence of alcohol oxidase to yield formaldehyde and hydrogen peroxide. The hydrogen peroxide produced was then destroyed by catalase. The formaldehyde formed in the first stage was further oxidized by NAD⁺-formaldehyde dehydrogenase. The NADH formed was oxidized by 1-methoxy-5-methylphenazinium methylsulphate (1-MPMS), and finally the reduced 1-MPMS was spontaneously oxidized and hydrogen peroxide was produced. The concentration of the hydrogen peroxide produced, which was proportional to the initial concentration of methanol, was determined by luminol chemiluminescence. The determination range was from 0.1 to 100 mg l⁻¹ and the response time was less than 2 min per sample with a relative standard deviation of less than 3%. The system showed good selectivity for methanol; the response was ca. 50 times higher than for ethanol.     

A divergent synthesis of dihydropyridazinones,N‐substituted dihydropyrazoles,and O‐substituted pyrazoles

Dihydropyridazinones 4a , 4b , N‐substituted dihydropyrazoles 5b , 5c , 5d , and O‐substituted pyrazoles 6a , 6b , 6c , 6d have been synthesized starting from spirocyclopropanepyrazole derivative 2 . Treatment of 2 with α‐chloro esters, e.g., methyl chloroacetate, ethyl chloroacetate, isopropyl chloroacetate, and tert‐butyl chloroacetate, in potassium carbonate/sodium iodide system caused ring opening and subsequent C‐ or N‐attack nucleophilic substitution to give the corresponding dihydropyridazinones 4a , 4b and N‐substituted dihydropyrazoles 5b , 5c , 5d . On the other hand, in the absence of sodium iodide, O‐substituted pyrazoles 6a , 6b , 6c , 6d were obtained from 2 via an O‐attack nucleophilic substitution. J. Heterocyclic Chem., 2011.