A Multitarget Gold(I) Complex Induces Cytotoxicity Related to Aneuploidy in HCT‐116 Colorectal Carcinoma Cells

A novel alkynyl phosphane gold(I) complex (trimethylphosphane)(3‐(1,3‐dimethylxanthine‐7‐yl)prop‐1‐yn‐1‐yl)gold(I) 1 displayed mutiple biological activites including selective proliferation inhibitory, anti‐metastatic, and anti‐angiogenic effects. The complex also induced effects related to aneuploidy in HCT‐116 colon carcinoma cells, which might be mainly ascribed to the dysfunction of mitochondrial bioenergetics and downregulation of glycolysis. Induction of aneuploidy beyond a critical level can provide an effective strategy to target cancer, in particular colorectal tumours with a low tolerance of aneuploidy, and could be of relevance for 1 and other metallodrugs.     

Universality of the three-body parameter for Efimov states in ultracold cesium

We report on the observation of triatomic Efimov resonances in an ultracold gas of cesium atoms. Exploiting the wide tunability of interactions resulting from three broad Feshbach resonances in the same spin channel, we measure magnetic-field dependent three-body recombination loss. The positions of the loss resonances yield corresponding values for the three-body parameter, which in universal few-body physics is required to describe three-body phenomena and, in particular, to fix the spectrum of Efimov states. Our observations show a robust universal behavior with a three-body parameter that stays essentially constant.     

Di­aqua­tetrakis­(pyridine‐2,6‐di­carbox­ylato‐κ2O2,O6)­tetrakis(μ‐pyridine‐3,5‐di­carboxyl­ic acid‐κ2N:O)tetracopper(II): a copper complex with tetrameric molecular units

Crystals of the title tetramer, [Cu₄(C₇H₃NO₄)₄(C₇H₅NO₄)₄(H₂O)₂], were synthesized hydro­thermally at 433 K. The triclinic structure consists of tetrameric molecular species, which interact via strong hydrogen bonds. The Cu^II ions are distributed equally between one square‐pyramidal site and one octahedral site distorted by the Jahn–Teller effect. This coordination complex exhibits the peculiarity of having Cu^II ions linked to both the 2,6‐ and the 3,5‐isomers of pyridine­di­carboxyl­ic acid.     

Plasmon resonance microsensor for droplet analysis

Microscale fiber tip sensors based on the plasmon resonance are reported. The fabrication process derived from our previous approach for manufacturing near-field scanning optical microscopy probes has been optimized for sensing applications. A typical tip sensor is a tapered fiber 400 microm in length, coated with a nanoporous thin silver film. The miniaturized geometry of the sensor allows detection in a single droplet of liquid solution (approximately 20 microl). The tip sensor is sensitive for refractive indices between 1.33 and 1.40 with a sensitivity of at least 3 x 10(-4) refractive index unit (RIU)/nm. The Raman scattering enhancement through these microsensors demonstrates the important role played by the localized plasmon resonance. The sensors' linear response covers a large region, interesting for biosensing in aqueous environments such as biomedical applications.     

Exchange of Methyl‐ and Azobenzene‐Terminated Alkanethiols on Polycrystalline Gold Studied by Tip‐Enhanced Raman Mapping

Mixed thiol self‐assembled monolayers (SAMs) presenting methyl and azobenzene head groups were prepared by chemical substitution from the original single‐component n‐decanethiol or [4‐(phenylazo)phenoxy]hexane‐1‐thiol SAMs on polycrystalline gold substrates. Static contact‐angle measurements were carried out to confirm a change in the hydrophobicity of the functionalized surfaces following the exchange reaction. The mixed SAMs presented contact‐angle values between those of the more hydrophobic n‐decanethiol and the more hydrophilic [4‐(phenylazo)phenoxy]hexane‐1‐thiol single‐component SAMs. By means of tip‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS) mapping experiments, it was possible to highlight that molecular replacement takes place easily and first at grain boundaries: for two different mixed SAM compositions, TERS point‐by‐point maps with <50 nm step sizes showed different spectral signatures in correspondence to the grain boundaries. An example of the substitution extending beyond grain boundaries and affecting flat areas of the gold surface is also shown.     

3Σu−-3Σu+ coupling in the O2B3Σu− predissociation

The role of $\text{B}{}^3\text{Σ}{}_{\mathrm{u}}{}^{\mathrm{?}}\text{-2}{}^3\text{Σ}{}_{\mathrm{u}}{}^{\mathrm{+}}$ spin-orbit mixing in the O₂ Schumann-Runge predissociation is investigated. The $\text{2}{}^3\text{Σ}{}_{\mathrm{u}}{}^{\mathrm{+}}$ state is found to cross the $\text{B}{}^3\text{Σ}{}_{\mathrm{u}}{}^{\mathrm{?}}$ state near 2.0 Å with an interaction matrix element of approximately 55 cm^?1. This state contributes to the widths of the Bv ≥ 6 levels, but introduces only small level shift perturbations. When the partial widths due to the ${}^3\text{Σ}{}_{\mathrm{u}}{}^{\mathrm{?}}\text{-}{}^3\text{Σ}{}_{\mathrm{u}}{}^{\mathrm{+}}$ interaction are added to the previously calculated widths due to the ⁵Π_u, ³Π_u, and ¹Π_u states, reasonable agreement is obtained with experimental measurements on O¹⁶O¹⁶ and O¹⁸O¹⁸. The possibility of non-Lorentzian line profiles and the dependence of the width on rotational quantum number is investigated. The approximation of the spin-orbit matrix element by its value at the crossing point is shown to be a good approximation for calculating the second difference perturbations.     

Long-range nature of feshbach molecules in bose-einstein condensates

We discuss the long-range nature of the molecules produced in recent experiments on molecular Bose-Einstein condensation. The properties of these molecules depend on the full two-body Hamiltonian and not just on the states of the system in the absence of interchannel couplings. The very long-range nature of the state is crucial to the efficiency of production in the experiments. Our many-body treatment of the gas accounts for the full binary physics and describes properly how these molecular condensates can be directly probed.     

Photoassociative formation of ultracold polar KRb molecules

We investigate the effectiveness of creating polar ground-state KRb molecules by two-color photoassociative spectroscopy. In this process the molecules are formed from ultra-cold samples of K and Rb. Focusing on spin-polarized atoms we show that an effective pathway exists. In addition, we investigate the stability of the polar molecules in the presence of a thermal black-body radiation field.Received: 11 June 2004, Published online: 19 October 2004PACS: 32.80.Pj Optical cooling of atoms; trapping - 34.20.Cf Interatomic potentials and forces - 33.70.Ca Oscillator and band strengths, lifetimes, transition moments, and Franck-Condon factors - 34.50.-s Scattering of atoms and molecules     

Predissociation of the Schumann-Runge bands of O2

The predissociation line broadening in the Schumann-Runge bands of O₂ is interpreted through an ab initio calculation of the pertinent repulsive potential energy curves and spin-orbit matrix elements. The ab initio results provide an overall qualitative picture of the predissociation which is further refined through a detailed comparison of calculated level shifts and widths with experimental data. The position of the dominant repulsive curve is also deduced by a deperturbation of the level shift in the second vibrational difference. The predissociation is dominated by the ⁵Π_u state crossing the $\text{B}{}^3\text{Σ}{}_{\mathrm{u}}{}^{\mathrm{?}}$ state around 1.875 Å with a spin-orbit matrix element of 65 cm^?1. The ¹Π_u and ³Π_u states have small spin-orbit matrix elements and play only minor roles in the predissociation. The calculated and experimental widths are in good agreement for low and high vibrational levels. The apparent experimental widths between v = 5 and 11 are shown to be inconsistent with the theoretical analysis, the difference probably being due to line blending.