Detecting small lung tumors in mouse models by refractive-index microradiology

Refractive-index (phase-contrast) radiology was able to detect lung tumors less than 1 mm in live mice. Significant micromorphology differences were observed in the microradiographs between normal, inflamed, and lung cancer tissues. This was made possible by the high phase contrast and by the fast image taking that reduces the motion blur. The detection of cancer and inflammation areas by phase contrast microradiology and microtomography was validated by bioluminescence and histopathological analysis. The smallest tumor detected is less than 1 mm(3) with accuracy better than 1 × 10(-3) mm(3). This level of performance is currently suitable for animal studies, while further developments are required for clinical application.     

Fabrication of single crystal CuGaS2 nanorods by X-ray irradiation

CuGaS(2) nanorods were synthesized by irradiating the precursor solution with intense X-rays. The products are single crystal nanorods with preferential [220] growth and a uniform size distribution. We also report on the photoresponse of drop-cast films of these nanorods.     

Silicon-induced ene-type reaction in the thermal conversion of enolates to beta-silyl enones with molecular dioxygen

Reaction of alkyl, acetoxy, and silyl enol ethers of 3-(organosilyl)cyclohexanone with molecular dioxygen in toluene at 110 degrees C produced the corresponding conjugated enones in yields up to 88% yield. The reaction of the same type failed on replacement of the silyl group at the C-3 position with an isopropyl group. These results indicate the existence of an unprecedented silicon-induced ene-type reaction. Its reaction mechanism, generality, limitations, and exceptions are discussed.     

Photo-induced DNA cleavage by (heterocyclo)carbonyl oxime esters of anthraquinone

Various (heterocyclo)carbonyl mono-oxime esters of anthraquinone were synthesized, which exhibited an ability for DNA cleavage upon UV irradiation. Their structure-activity relationship was established, in which the most potent compound was anthraquinone O-9-(1,3-benzothiazole-2-carbonyl)oxime (4j). It can produce radical species and nick DNA at the concentration as low as 1.0 μM.     

Simple dose rate measurements for a very high synchrotron X‐ray flux

Dose measurements based on methylene blue (MB) bleaching, widely used for ultraviolet light, can also be applied to X‐rays including very high flux levels. This method has been tested by using both MB bleaching and Fricke dosimetry for a conventional monochromatic X‐ray source and then for `white‐beam' synchrotron radiation. The results show that MB bleaching dosimetry can easily measure X‐ray doses up to at least 10⁵ Gy s^?1, as long as the MB concentration is sufficiently high. This condition can be verified from the deviations from linearity of the bleaching versus exposure time.     

X-ray microscopy and tomography detect the accumulation of bare and PEG-coated gold nanoparticles in normal and tumor mouse tissues

We demonstrate that, with appropriate staining, high-resolution X-ray microscopy can image complicated tissue structures--cerebellum and liver--and resolve large or small amounts of Au nanoparticles in these tissues. Specifically, images of tumor tissue reveal high concentrations of accumulated Au nanoparticles. PEG (poly(ethylene glycol)) coating is quite effective in enhancing this accumulation and significantly modifies the mechanism of uptake by reticuloendothelial system (RES) organs.     

Symmetry preservation in a new noncentrosymmetric lattice comprised of acentric POM clusters residing in bowls of Cs(+)-based half SOD β-cage

In light of ever growing interests in noncentrosymmetric materials, a fascinating reticular chemistry is illustrated via the structure of a new family of solids where the acentric symmetry of the well-known [V(4+)(14)As(3+)(8)O(42)Cl](5-) POM cluster is manifested through the network construction of counter cations featuring slabs of Cs(+)-based half SOD β-cages.     

Synthesis and Structure of Bismuth(III)-Containing Noncentrosymmetric Phosphates, Cs(3)KBi(2)M(4)(PO(4))(6)Cl (M = Mn, Fe). Monoclinic (Cc) and Tetragonal (P4(3)) Polymorphs Templated by Chlorine-Centered Cl(Bi(2)Cs) Acentric Units

Single crystals of three new noncentrosymmetric (NCS) phosphates, α (1) and β (2) forms of Cs(3)KBi(2)Mn(4)(PO(4))(6)Cl and α-Cs(3)KBi(2)Fe(4)(PO(4))(6)Cl (3), were grown in a reactive CsCl/KCl molten-salt media. Their structures were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction methods showing that the α form crystallizes in the space group Cc (No. 9), which is in one of the 10 NCS polar crystal classes, m (2/m) while the β form crystallizes in P4(3) (No. 78) of another polar class, 4 (4/m). The unit cell parameters of the α form can be approximately correlated with that of the β form via the 3 × 3 orientation matrix [0.5, 0.5, 0; -0.5, 0.5, 0; 0, 0, 2 sin β]. The structures of these otherwise complicated phosphates exhibit two types of channels with circular and elliptical windows where the Cl-centered Cl(Bi(2)Cs) acentric unit is located. The neighboring acentric units are arranged in a parallel fashion in the α form, resulting in the monoclinic (Cc) lattice, but "antiparallel" in the β form, thus giving the tetragonal (P4(3)) unit cell. 1-3 feature the compatible M-O-P unit that contains four crystallographically independent MO(x) (x = 4, 5) polyhedra, which are connected to the Cl(Bi(2)Cs) acentric unit through one short and one long M(II)···Cl bond. The compositions of 1 and 2 consist of three Mn(2+) (d(5)) and one Mn(3+) (d(4)) per formula unit and that of 3 has three Fe(2+) (d(6)) and one Fe(3+) (d(5)). Bond valence sums reveal that, in the α phase, the trivalent site adopts distorted tetrahedral M(1)(3+)O(4) coordination and, in the β phase, distorted trigonal-bipyramidal M(4)(3+)O(5). Thus far, the iron phase has only been isolated in the α form presumably because of little extra stabilization energy gain if the Fe(2+) d(6) ion were to occupy the M(1)O(4) site. The possible origins pertaining to the structural differences in the α and β forms are discussed.     

Characterization of gold/PMMA hybrid nanomaterials synthesized by hard X-ray synchrotron radiation

In this study,new types of hybrid gold poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) nanomaterials are synthesized.Both PMMA spheres coated with gold nanoparticles and gold nanoparticles coated with PMMA can be synthesized using different ratios of HAuCl4 and MMA precursors,by exposing the mixtures to hard X-ray synchrotron radiation without the use of a reducing agent.According to the photochemical mechanism,gold nanoparticles will precipitate from a solution of HAuCl4 on exposure to synchrotron radiation,followed by the synthesis of PMMA by the polymerization of MMA monomers.These reactions can result in the formation of two different types of new hybrid nanomaterials.When a 1:1 volume ratio of HAuCl4 to MMA is used,we obtain PMMA spheres coated with gold nanoparticles.When a 10:1 ratio of HAuCl4 and MMA is used,we obtain gold nanoparticles coated with PMMA.The hybrid gold/PMMA nanostructures are characterized by transmission electron microscopy,elemental analysis,dynamic-light scattering analysis,gel permeation chromatography and Raman spectroscopy.The hybrid nanomateriais have potential application in the fields of biosensors and drug delivery.