Fundamental imaging properties of transillumination laser computed tomography based on coherent detection imaging method.

The coherent detection imaging (CDI) method uses the optical heterodyne detection technique. CW and single frequency lasers having long coherence lengths are used to exploit the maximum advantages of heterodyne detection, such as high directionality, selectivity and sensitivity. The CDI method based on optical heterodyne detection enables selective filtering of the directional coherence-retaining emergent photons, which leads to image reconstruction from projections, similar to X-ray computed tomography (CT). So far we have demonstrated the advantages and capabilities of the measurement technique for transillumination optical computed tomography in biomedicine. Here, we investigate the fundamental imaging properties of CDI method, such as its high directionality and quantitativeness, with preliminary physical phantom experiments. The results show that the CDI method satisfies the requirements for CT reconstruction under the first order approximation, and enables quantitative measurements in the sense that the relationship between estimated and actual concentration retains a satisfactory linearity.     

High-Performance Thin-Layer Chromatographic Analysis of Bicalutamide in Bulk Drug and Liposomes

JPC – Journal of Planar Chromatography – Modern TLC - A sensitive, accurate, precise, and specific high-performance thinlayer chromatographic (HPTLC) method for analysis of bicalutamide...     

Voltammetric determination of the anti-cancer drug nilutamide using a screen-printed carbon electrode modified with a composite prepared from β-cyclodextrin,gold nanoparticles and graphene oxide

The authors describe an electrochemical method for the determination of the anti-cancer drug nilutamide. The method is based on the use of a composite prepared from β-cyclodextrin, gold nanoparticles and graphene oxide (β-CD-AuNP/GO). An alkaline solution of glucose was used as a reducing agent to reduce the gold ions, rather than citric acid and a harmful reducing agent such as hydrazine and sodium borohydride. The structure and surface morphology of the β-CD-AuNP/GO composite was characterized by Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. A screen printed carbon electrode was modified with the nanocomposite, and the resulting electrode used as a disposable sensor for the determination of nilutamide by differential pulse voltammetry. Best operated at a working voltage of 0.43 V (vs Ag/AgCl), it exhibits excellent electrocatalytic activity and a detection limit as low as 0.4 nM. The sensor was applied to the determination of nilutamide in (spiked) human serum, as well as in a tablet, where it displays good recovery and accuracy. The sensor is repeatable, reproducible, stable and selective even in the presence of other aromatic nitro compounds.

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Graphical abstract An electrochemical method for the determination of the anti-cancer drug nilutamide is described. A screen printed carbon electrode is modified with the nanocomposite prepared from β-cyclodextrin, gold nanoparticles and graphene oxide (β-CD-AuNP/GO). Best operated at a working voltage of 0.43 V (vs Ag/AgCl), it exhibits excellent electrocatalytic activity and a detection limit as low as 0.4 nM. The sensor was applied to the determination of nilutamide in (spiked) human serum and a tablet where it displays good recovery and accuracy.

     

Studies on evaporated titanium oxide thin films for oxygen gas detection

Present work deals with the preparation of TiO₂ thin films of different thicknesses by PVD technique using an electron beam and to characterize the films for oxygen gas detection. The films were characterized using optical transmission measurements, XRD and atomic force microscopy. From the spectral data, the extinction, absorption coefficient and refractive index of the films are evaluated and reported. The optical band gap energy varies between 3 and 3.68 eV. The XRD pattern confirms the formation of polycrystalline anatase structure of Titanium with preferred orientation of (110) plane. The AFM images indicate the presence of coarse and fine grains with uniform as well as smooth surfaces over the entire range of the analyzed surface. Response characteristics of TiO₂ thin films for oxygen gas detection are studied, which indicate a low response time of 120 seconds and high sensitivity of 16 at the operating temperature 450 °C. Paper presented at the 2nd International Conference on Ionic Devices, Anna University, Chennai, India, Nov. 28–30, 2003.     

Boryl (Hetero)aryne Precursors as Versatile Arylation Reagents: Synthesis through CH Activation and Orthogonal Reactivity

(Pinacolato)boryl ortho‐silyl(hetero)aryl triflates are presented as a new class of building blocks for arylation. They demonstrate unique versatility by delivering boronate or (hetero)aryne reactivity chemoselectively in a broad range of transformations. This approach enables the unprecedented postfunctionalization of fluoride‐activated (hetero)aryne precursors, for example, as substrates in transition‐metal catalysis, and offers valuable new possibilities for aryl boronate postfunctionalization without the use of specialized protecting groups.     

Spontaneous Reconstitution of Functional Transmembrane Proteins During Bioorthogonal Phospholipid Membrane Synthesis

Transmembrane proteins are critical for signaling, transport, and metabolism, yet their reconstitution in synthetic membranes is often challenging. Non‐enzymatic and chemoselective methods to generate phospholipid membranes in situ would be powerful tools for the incorporation of membrane proteins. Herein, the spontaneous reconstitution of functional integral membrane proteins during the de novo synthesis of biomimetic phospholipid bilayers is described. The approach takes advantage of bioorthogonal coupling reactions to generate proteoliposomes from micelle‐solubilized proteins. This method was successfully used to reconstitute three different transmembrane proteins into synthetic membranes. This is the first example of the use of non‐enzymatic chemical synthesis of phospholipids to prepare proteoliposomes.     

Carbon Dots: The Newest Member of the Carbon Nanomaterials Family

Carbon nanomaterials have been extensively researched in the past few years owing to their interesting properties. The massive research efforts resulted in the emergence of carbon dots, which belong to the carbon nanomaterials family. Carbon dots (C‐dots) have garnered the attention of researchers mainly due to their convenient availability from organic as well as inorganic materials and also due to the novel properties they exhibit. C‐Dots have been said to overcome the era of quantum dots, referring to their levels of toxicity and biocompatibility. In this review, we focus on the discovery of C‐dots, their structure and composition, surface passivation to enhance their optical properties, the various synthetic methods used, their applications in different areas, and future perspectives. Emphasis has been given to greener approaches for the synthesis of C‐dots in order to make them cost effective as well as to improve their biocompatibility.     

Transformation of hydrophobic surface into superhydrophobic surface by interfacial flower like silver films

Fabrication of superhydrophobic surface was achieved by electroless deposition of silver film and subsequent immersion into a mixture of stearic acid and cysteamine. The resultant superhydrophobic surface with flower and fall‐leaves like structure showed lotus leaf effect with the water contact angle of about 154° making copper surface water repellant. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Colloidal synthesis of magnetic CuCr2S4 nanocrystals and nanoclusters

Nanocrystals and nanoclusters of the room-temperature magnetic spinel CuCr(2)S(4) have been synthesized using a facile solution-based method. The synthesis involves hot injection of an excess of 1-dodecanethiol (1-DDT) into a boiling coordinating solvent containing CuCl(2) and CrCl(3)·6H(2)O. Using octadecylamine (ODA) as a solvent yields cube-shaped nanocrystals with an average size of 20 ± 2 nm, while with oleylamine (OLA), nanoclusters with an average size of 31 ± 2.5 nm are obtained. In both cases, powder X-ray diffraction patterns confirmed the formation of the pure spinel phase without any impurities. While the synthesized powders are superparamagnetic near room temperature, they exhibit ferromagnetic behavior at lower temperatures, with magnetization (M(S)) values of 30 emu/g (1.63 μ(B)/f.u.) and 33 emu/g (1.79 μ(B)/f.u.) for the ODA- and OLA-capped nanocrystals and nanoclusters, respectively, at 5 K.