Distortion product otoacoustic emissions: cochlear-source contributions and clinical test performance

It has been proposed that the clinical accuracy of distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) is affected by the interaction of distortion and reflection sources contributing to the response. This study evaluated changes in dichotomous-decision test performance and threshold-prediction accuracy when DPOAE source contribution was controlled. Data were obtained from 205 normal and impaired ears with L(2) ranging from 0 to 80 dB SPL and f(2)=2 and 4 kHz. Data were collected for control conditions (no suppressor, f(3)) and with f(3) presented at three levels that previously had been shown to reduce the reflection-source contribution. The results indicated that controlling source contribution with a suppressor did not improve diagnostic accuracy (as reflected by relative operating characteristic curve area) and frequently resulted in poorer test performance compared to control conditions. Likewise, correlations between DPOAE and behavioral thresholds were not strengthened when using the suppressors to control source contribution. While improvements in test accuracy were observed for a subset of subjects (normal ears with the smallest DPOAEs and impaired ears with the largest DPOAEs), the lack of improvement for the larger, unselected subject group suggests that DPOAEs should be recorded in the clinic without attempting to control the source contribution with a suppressor.     

Dramatic size effects and evidence of structural isomers in the reactions of rhodium clusters, Rhn+/-, with nitrous oxide

The reactions of gas phase rhodium clusters, Rhn+/- (n<30), with nitrous oxide, N2O, have been investigated under single collision conditions by Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry. The only significant reaction observed is the sequential generation of oxides. Absolute rate constants for the reactions of all clusters have been determined and, in the case of the cationic clusters especially, they exhibit large fluctuations as a function of cluster size with local minima observed for n=5, 19, 28. Striking similarities are observed with the variation in rate constants for these clusters in reactions with small hydrocarbons (C. Adlhart and E. Uggerud, J. Chem. Phys., 2005, 123, 214709). Corresponding size effects are also observed but are less marked in the reactions of the anionic clusters. The reactions of several clusters exhibit marked deviations from simple pseudo-first-order kinetics suggesting the presence of multiple isomeric forms: Rh11+, Rh12+ and Rh8- exhibit characteristic biexponential decays which are interpreted in terms of the existence of different structural forms of the cluster which have markedly different reactivity. By contrast, Rh6+, Rh7+ and Rh8+ show rates which apparently increase with time, probably due to collisional activation. Thermalisation of the clusters prior to reaction by exposure to pulses of argon results in changes to the kinetics of these anomalous systems which can be explained in terms of collision induced isomerisation.     

A quinoline based bis-urea receptor for anions: a selective receptor for hydrogen sulfate

A dipodal bis-urea receptor has been synthesized from the reaction of 8-amino quinoline and 1,4-phenylene diisocyanate in dichloromethane, and the anion binding ability of the receptor has been studied using fluoride, chloride, bromide, iodide, perchlorate, nitrate, dihydrogen phosphate and hydrogen sulfate by UV-Vis titrations in DMSO. The results show that the receptor binds each of the anions with a 1:1 stoichiometry, showing high affinity and moderate selectivity for hydrogen sulfate among the anions studied. Ab initio calculations based on density functional theory (DFT) suggest that an anion (X(-)) is bonded within the cleft formed by the two arms of the receptor through two NH...X(-) and two aromatic CH...X(-) interactions. The results from solution and theoretical studies suggest that binding is predominantly influenced by hydrogen bonding interactions and the basicity of anions.     

The effects of ligand variation on enantioselective hydrogenation catalysed by RuH2(diphosphine)(diamine) complexes

Density functional theory calculations have been used to investigate the hydrogenation of acetophenone (ACP) catalysed by the RuH(2)(diphosphine)(diamine) complexes with emphasis on the effect of the structure of the diphosphine and diamine ligands on the enantioselectivity. The computed reaction coordinate diagrams of RuH(2)(diphosphine)[(S,S)-DPEN] catalysed reactions with different (S)-diphosphine ligands (XylBINAP, TolBINAP, and BINAP) show that the presence of two methyl groups in the meta position is critical to obtaining a high difference in activation energy for the reaction pathways associated with the (R)- and (S)-alcohols, and consequently high enantioselectivity. The effect of the diamine structure while keeping the TolBINAP and XylBINAP fixed has also been analysed. To enhance the enantioselectivity of the TolBINAP system, the addition of two methyl groups and the removal of a phenyl group of the diamine (DMAPEN) offer the necessary steric interactions. We conclude by reporting a correlation between the enantiomeric excess and the difference in the computed activation energies of the two most favourable (S) and (R) reaction pathways, which shows that the computational procedure adopted could be used to predict the enantiomeric excess of ketone hydrogenation reactions catalysed by the Noyori-type catalysts, and assist in the choice of ligand when optimising the enantiomeric excess.     

Diisocyanoarene-linked pentacarbonylvanadate(I-) ions as building blocks in a supramolecular charge-transfer framework assembled through noncovalent π-π and contact ion interactions

Three synthetic routes to the unusual supramolecular complex ([Cp(2)Co](2)[{(OC)(5)V}(2)(μ-1,4-CNC(6)Me(4)NC)])(∞), which was crystallographically characterized, are presented. The dianion [{(OC)(5)V}(2)(μ-1,4-CNC(6)Me(4)NC)](2-) constitutes the first subvalent organometallics featuring a diisocyanoarene linker.     

Defining a Polymethine Dye for Fluorescence Anisotropy Applications in the Near‐Infrared Spectral Range

Fluorescence anisotropy in the near‐infrared (NIR) spectral range is challenging because of the lack of appropriate NIR fluorescent labels. We have evaluated polymethine fluorescent dyes to identify a leading candidate for NIR anisotropy applications. The NIR dye LS601 demonstrated low fluorescence anisotropy values (r) as a result of its relatively long fluorescent lifetime 1.3 ns. The r value of LS601 unbound and coupled to biological macromolecules was found to have a sufficient dynamic range from 0.24 to 0.37, demonstrating the feasibility of fluorescence anisotropy in the NIR. The viability of fluorescence anisotropy using a NIR label was demonstrated by characterization of dye–protein conjugates. These results open the door to a number of applications in drug discovery, fluorescence anisotropy imaging and contrast agent development.     

Photochemically amplified detection of molecular recognition events: an ultra-sensitive fluorescence turn-off binding assay

Amplified fluorescence quenching methodology based on massive autocatalytic photo-unmasking of a dual function sensitizer-quencher is developed and adopted for photoassisted ultra-sensitive detection of molecular recognition events. The resulting binding assay, based on a molecular recognition-triggered photo-amplified cascade with concomitant decrease of fluorescence is validated with the biotin-avidin pair, achieving attomolar detection.