Enhanced fluorescence from arrays of nanoholes in a gold film

Arrays of sub-wavelength holes (nanoholes) in gold films were used as a substrate for enhanced fluorescence spectroscopy. Seven arrays of nanoholes with distinct periodicities (distances between the holes) were fabricated. The arrays were then spin-coated with polystyrene films containing different concentrations of the fluorescent dye oxazine 720. The dye was excited via resonant extraordinary transmission of the laser source through the nanoholes. Enhanced fluorescence was observed when the geometric characteristics of the arrays allowed for an enhancement in the transmitted excitation. This enhancement occurred via surface plasmon excitation by the laser and a consequential increase in the local electromagnetic field in a sub-wavelength region at the metal-film interface. It was demonstrated that the sensitivity of the fluorescence measurement (change in signal vs change in dye concentration in the polymer film) is significantly larger at the surface plasmon resonance conditions than that obtained from equivalent films on glass substrates. Enhancement factors for the fluorescence emission were calculated for each array, with a maximum enhancement of close to 2 orders of magnitude as compared to the emission of films on glass. The results presented here indicate that arrays of nanoholes are interesting substrates for the development of fluorescence sensors based on surface plasmon resonance, as they provide a platform that allows both spatial confinement and enhancement of excitation light. Moreover, the collinear characteristics of the present optical setup, due to the resonant extraordinary transmission through the nanohole arrays, are more conducive to miniaturization and chip integration than more traditional experimental geometries.     

The first ternary tin(II) nitride: NaSnN

NaSnN with the non-centrosymmetric layered structure type of KSnAs and featuring the new layered Zintl ion [SnN]- is the first example of a ternary nitride containing Sn-N bonds, and the first example of a nitride containing formally divalent tin.     

Photocytotoxicity of a new Rh2(II,II) complex: increase in cytotoxicity upon irradiation similar to that of PDT agent hematoporphyrin

A new type of heteroleptic dirhodium complex cis-[Rh(2)(mu-O2CCH3)2-(bpy)(dppz)]2+ (3) was synthesized and its potential as a photodynamic therapy (PDT) agent was investigated. Although 27% hypochromicity of the absorption of 3 in the near-UV and visible regions is observed in the presence of duplex DNA, relative viscosity measurements reveal that the complex does not intercalate between the DNA bases. The DNA photocleavage with visible light by 3 proceeds via both oxygen dependent and independent mechanisms, and it is more efficient than that of related complexes. The increase in the cytotoxicity of 3 towards human skin cells is similar to that of hematoporphyrin, a key ingredient in a PDT drug currently in use. This feature makes this complex a useful candidate for further PDT studies.     

Niobium and tantalum tris(methimazolyl)borate complexes [M(=NC6H3iPr2-2,6)Cl2{HB(mt)3}] (M = Nb, Ta; mt = methimazolyl)

The first early transition metal tris(methimazolyl)borate com-plexes [M(=NR)Cl2{HB(mt)3}] (M = Nb, Ta; R = C6H3(i)Pr(2)-2,6; mt = methimazolyl) have been obtained from the reactions of [Nb(=NR)Cl3(DME)] or [Ta(=NR)Cl3(THF)2] (DME = dimethyl ether; THF = tetrahydrofuran) with Na[HB(mt)3] and structurally characterized, illustrating that the HB(mt)3 ligand can indeed be compatible with "hard" metals in high oxidation states.     

Tricyclic-isoxazolidine analogues via intramolecular 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions of nitrones

The tricyclic-isoxazolidine analogues tetrahydrothiochromenoisoxazoles, hexahydroisoxazolequinolines and tetrahydroisoxazolepyranopyridines were prepared by an intramolecular 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction of a nitrone with an alkene. For N-alkylated hexahydroisoxazolequinolines, reduction of the reaction time from two days to 40 min was achieved using microwave heating. The cyclization to form tetrahydroisoxazolepyranopyridines only proceeded when the alkene was substituted with an electron withdrawing group.     

Synthesis of dihydroindolizines for potential photoinduced work function alteration

Seeking to immobilize photochromophores on metallic surfaces, we have synthesized four molecules which contain both a photoresponsive dihydroindolizine (DHI) core and a sulfur containing moiety, which allow for their assembly onto gold substrates. Sonogashira, Suzuki, or Ullmann couplings are employed to generate pyridines with pendant thioacetates (or disulfides). The pyridines are condensed with spiro[2-cyclopropene-1,9′-[9H]fluorene]-2,3-dimethyl ester affording the targeted DHIs.     

Highly sensitive non‐isotopic restriction endonuclease fingerprinting of nucleotide variability in the gp60 gene within Cryptosporidium species,genotypes and subgenotypes infective to humans,and its implications

The high‐resolution analysis of genetic variation has major implications for the identification of parasites and micro‐organisms to species and subspecies as well as for population genetic and epidemiological studies. In this study, we critically assessed the effectiveness of a PCR‐based restriction endonuclease fingerprinting (REF) method for the detection of mutations in the 60 kDa glycoprotein gene (gp60) of Cryptosporidium, a genus of parasitic protists of major human and animal health importance globally. This gene displays substantial intraspecific variability in sequence, particularly in a TCA (perfect and imperfect) microsatellite region, is present as a single copy in the nuclear genome and is used widely as a marker in molecular epidemiological studies of Cryptosporidium hominis and C. parvum, the two predominant species that infect humans. The results of this study demonstrated an exquisite capacity of REF to detect nucleotide variability in the gp60 gene within each of the two species. The differentiation of genotypes/subgenotypes based on REF analysis was supported by targeted sequencing, allowing the detection of levels of variation as low as a single‐nucleotide transversion for amplicons of ∼1 kb in size. The high‐throughput potential and relatively low‐cost of REF make it a particularly useful tool for large‐scale genetic analyses of C. hominis and C. parvum. REF could also be utilized for comparative surveys of genetic variability across large nuclear genomic regions. Such analyses of Cryptosporidium in clinical and environmental samples by REF have important implications for identifying sources of infection, modes of transmission and/or possible infectivity to humans, thus assisting in the surveillance and control of cryptosporidiosis. Given its excellent mutation detection capacity, REF should find broad applicability to various single‐copy genes as well as a wide range of other protozoan and metazoan parasites. (The nucleotide sequences reported in this article are available in the GenBank database under accession numbers GU214343–GU214371).     

Biotransformation-mediated synthesis of (1S)-1-(2,6-dichloro-3-fluorophenyl)ethanol in enantiomerically pure form

An efficient four-step biotransformation-mediated synthesis of (1S)-1-(2,6-dichloro-3-fluorophenyl)ethanol in enantiomerically pure form is described. This compound is a key intermediate required for the preparation of PF-2341066, a potent inhibitor of c-Met/ALK that is currently in clinical development. The described synthesis was used to manufacture 6 kg of the title compound and can also be employed to produce the corresponding (1R)-enantiomer.     

Prime ideals and automatic continuity problems for Banach algebras

Conditions are given for Banach algebras $\text{U}$ and commutative Banach algebras $\text{B}$ which insure that every homomorphism v from $\text{U}$ into $\text{B}$ is continuous. Similar results are obtained for derivations which either map the algebra $\text{U}$ into itself or map the algebra into a suitable $\text{U}$-module.