Ratiometric Detection of microRNA Using Hybridization Chain Reaction and Fluorogenic Silver Nanoclusters

miRNA (miR)-155 is a potential biomarker for breast cancers. We aimed at developing a nanosensor for miR-155 detection by integrating hybridization chain reaction (HCR) and silver nanoclusters (AgNCs). HCR serves as an enzyme-free and isothermal amplification method, whereas AgNCs provide a built-in fluorogenic detection probe that could simplify the downstream analysis. The two components were integrated by adding a nucleation sequence of AgNCs to the hairpin of HCR. The working principle was based on the influence of microenvironment towards the hosted AgNCs, whereby unfolding of hairpin upon HCR has manipulated the distance between the hosted AgNCs and cytosine-rich toehold region of hairpin. As such, the dominant emission of AgNCs changed from red to yellow in the absence and presence of miR-155, enabling a ratiometric measurement of miR with high sensitivity. The limit of detection (LOD) of our HCR-AgNCs nanosensor is 1.13 fM in buffered solution. We have also tested the assay in diluted serum samples, with comparable LOD of 1.58 fM obtained. This shows the great promise of our HCR-AgNCs nanosensor for clinical application.     

Infrared Spectroscopy of Size-Selected Hydrated Carbon Dioxide Radical Anions CO2.−(H2O)n (n=2–61) in the C−O Stretch Region

Understanding the intrinsic properties of the hydrated carbon dioxide radical anions CO₂^.−(H₂O)_n is relevant for electrochemical carbon dioxide functionalization. CO₂^.−(H₂O)_n (n=2–61) is investigated by using infrared action spectroscopy in the 1150–2220 cm⁻¹ region in an ICR (ion cyclotron resonance) cell cooled to T=80 K. The spectra show an absorption band around 1280 cm⁻¹, which is assigned to the symmetric C−O stretching vibration ν_s. It blueshifts with increasing cluster size, reaching the bulk value, within the experimental linewidth, for n=20. The antisymmetric C−O vibration ν_as is strongly coupled with the water bending mode ν₂, causing a broad feature at approximately 1650 cm⁻¹. For larger clusters, an additional broad and weak band appears above 1900 cm⁻¹ similar to bulk water, which is assigned to a combination band of water bending and libration modes. Quantum chemical calculations provide insight into the interaction of CO₂^.− with the hydrogen-bonding network.     

Marine biological reference materials for methylmercury: analytical methodologies used in certification

Summary The methylmercury concentrations in three existing marine biological certified reference materials — TORT-1, DORM-1 and DOLT-1 — are determined by gas chromatography with electron capture detection, cold vapour atomic absorption spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry after selective isolation of methylmercury. Two such procedures were used. These and the three analytical techniques are evaluated and compared. The certified methylmercury concentrations are: TORT-1, 0.128 ± 0.014; DORM-1, 0.731±0.060; and DOLT-1, 0.080 ± 0.011 g Hg/g dry weight.

---

Meeresbioligische Referenzmaterialien für Methylquecksilber: Analytische Methoden der Zertifizierung

     

Competition between pi and non-pi cation-binding sites in aromatic amino acids: a theoretical study of alkali metal cation (Li+, Na+, K+)-phenylalanine complexes

To understand the cation-pi interaction in aromatic amino acids and peptides, the binding of M(+) (where M(+) = Li(+), Na(+), and K(+)) to phenylalanine (Phe) is studied at the best level of density functional theory reported so far. The different modes of M(+) binding show the same order of binding affinity (Li(+)>Na(+)>K(+)), in the approximate ratio of 2.2:1.5:1.0. The most stable binding mode is one in which the M(+) is stabilized by a tridentate interaction between the cation and the carbonyl oxygen (O[double bond]C), amino nitrogen (--NH(2)), and aromatic pi ring; the absolute Li(+), Na(+), and K(+) affinities are estimated theoretically to be 275, 201, and 141 kJ mol(-1), respectively. Factors affecting the relative stabilities of various M(+)-Phe binding modes and conformers have been identified, with ion-dipole interaction playing an important role. We found that the trend of pi and non-pi cation bonding distances (Na(+)-pi>Na(+)-N>Na(+)-O and K(+)-pi>K(+)-N>K(+)-O) in our theoretical Na(+)/K(+)-Phe structures are in agreement with the reported X-ray crystal structures of model synthetic receptors (sodium and potassium bound lariat ether complexes), even though the average alkali metal cation-pi distance found in the crystal structures is longer. This difference between the solid and the gas-phase structures can be reconciled by taking the higher coordination number of the cations in the lariat ether complexes into account.     

On-chip continuous monitoring of motile microorganisms on an ePetri platform

Self-imaging Petri dish platforms with microscopy resolution, which we term 'ePetri', can significantly streamline cell cultures and/or other longitudinal biological studies. In this paper, we demonstrate high-resolution imaging and long-term culture of motile microorganisms in a specialized ePetri platform by taking advantage of the inherent motion. By applying a super-resolution algorithm to a set of low-resolution images of the microorganisms as they move across the sensing area of a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor chip, we can render an improved-resolution image of the microorganisms. We perform a longitudinal study of Euglena gracilis cultured in an ePetri platform, and image-based analysis on the motion and morphology of the cells. As a miniaturized and automated culture monitoring platform, this ePetri technology can greatly improve studies and experiments with motile microorganisms.     

Microwave‐assisted Chemical Reactions

Microwave (MW) radiation has been used in chemical analysis and chemical synthesis. MW heating under controlled conditions offers distinct advantages over conventional heating. The reactions are carried out in environmentally clean and safe solvents and in many cases, reactions can be carried out under solvent‐free conditions. This method of synthesis has grown rapidly and found its use in various sectors. This paper reviews some of the reactions that have been accelerated with higher yields under MW irradiation. The application of MW‐assisted synthesis in the medicinal and pharmaceutical industries will be emphasized.     

Dissociations of Complexes Between Monovalent Metal Ions and Aromatic Amino Acid or Histidine

The fragmentations of [AA + M]⁺ complexes, where AA = Phe, Tyr, Trp, or His, and M is a monovalent metal (Li, Na, or Ag), have been exhaustively studied through collision-induced dissociation (CID) and through deuterium labeling. Dissociations of the Li- and Ag-containing complexes gave a large number of fragment ions; by contrast, the sodium/amino acid complexes have lower binding energies, and dissociation resulted in much simpler spectra, with loss of the entire ligand dominating. Unambiguous assignments of these fragment ions were made and formation mechanisms are proposed. Of particular interest are fragmentations in which the charge was retained on the organic fragment and the metal was lost, either as a metal hydride (AgH) or hydroxide (LiOH) or as the silver atom (Ag^?).