Gold Nanocage Assemblies for Selective Second Harmonic Generation Imaging of Cancer Cell

Second harmonic generation (SHG) imaging using near infrared laser light is the key to improving penetration depths, leading to biological understanding. Unfortunately, currently SHG imaging techniques have limited capability due to the poor signal‐to‐noise ratio, resulting from the low SHG efficiency of available dyes. Targeted tumor imaging over nontargeted tissues is also a challenge that needs to be overcome. Driven by this need, in this study, the development of two‐photon SHG imaging of live cancer cell lines selectively by enhancement of the nonlinear optical response of gold nanocage assemblies is reported. Experimental results show that two‐photon scattering intensity can be increased by few orders of magnitude by just developing nanoparticle self‐assembly. Theoretical modeling indicates that the field enhancement values for the nanocage assemblies can explain, in part, the enhanced nonlinear optical properties. Our experimental data also show that A9 RNA aptamer conjugated gold nanocage assemblies can be used for targeted SHG imaging of the LNCaP prostate cancer cell line. Experimental results with the HaCaT normal skin cell lines show that bioconjugated nanocage‐based assemblies demonstrate SHG imaging that is highly selective and will be able to distinguish targeted cancer cell lines from other nontargeted cell types. After optimization, this reported SHG imaging assay could have considerable application for biology.     

A thermogravimetric study of the alunites of sodium, potassium and ammonium

Thermogravimetry in tandem with mass spectrometry has been used to characterise the thermal decomposition of synthetic alunites of potassium, sodium and ammonium. Three mechanisms of decomposition are observed (a) dehydration, (b) dehydroxylation and (c) desulphation. The thermal decomposition of the three alunites is different. For NH₄-alunite, an additional process of de-ammoniation is observed which occurs simultaneously with dehydration. Dehydroxylation takes place in a series of four steps. De-sulphation occurs for K-alunite at 680 °C in a single step in comparison with Na and NH₄ alunites where de-sulphation is observed in a series of four steps. The temperature of desulphation is cation dependent. The thermal decomposition is not completed until around 800 °C.     

Short communication controlling LC-SPE-NMR systems

There are several stages of the LC-SPE-NMR process that should be monitored closely to ensure an efficient isolation and concentration of the target analyte, for instance analyte break-through and compound transfer from the LC-SPE to the NMR probe. In this study, analyte break-through monitoring was performed with a UV detector and a mass spectrometer placed after the SPE unit. Easy break-through was a problem when attempting multiple trapping of various compounds using C18 SPE cartridges with the original commercial system. However, on lowering the flow rate over the SPE system and using SPE cartridges packed with porous carbon, the number of trappings possible increased five-fold. To increase control over the on-line SPE-NMR transfer, a gradient pump-UV system was used to elute compounds trapped on an SPE to an NMR probe. The analyte band was placed in the active volume of the probe by a stop-flow mechanism. The modified LC-SPE system was also coupled with off-line NMR analysis for determination of a degradation product of the insecticide monuron, present in the low ppm range.     

Temperature effect during humid ageing on interfaces of glass and carbon fibers reinforced epoxy composites

Weight change behavior of fiber-reinforced polymer composites in humid and thermal environments appears to be a complex phenomena. The state of fiber/matrix interface is believed to influence the nature of diffusion modes. A significant weakening often appears at the interface during the hygrothermal ageing. It effects the moisture uptake kinetics and also the reduction of mechanical properties. The importance of temperature at the time of conditioning plays an important role in environmental degradation of such composite materials. An attempt has been made here to evaluate the deleterious effect of temperature on shear strength of carbon/epoxy and glass/epoxy composites during hygrothermal conditionings. Mechanical tests were conducted at room temperature to assess the effectiveness of the relaxation process in the nullification of environmentally-induced damage in the composites.     

Raman microscopy of synthetic goudeyite (YCu6(AsO4)2(OH)6 x 3H2O)

Raman microscopy has been used to study the molecular structure of a synthetic goudeyite (YCu(6)(AsO(4))(3)(OH)(6) x 3H(2)O). These types of minerals have a porous framework similar to that of zeolites with a structure based upon (A(3+))(1-x)(A(2+))(x)Cu(6)(OH)(6)(AsO(4))(3-x)(AsO(3)OH)(x). Two sets of AsO stretching vibrations were found and assigned to the vibrational modes of AsO(4) and HAsO(4) units. Two Raman bands are observed in the region 885-915 and 867-870 cm(-1) region and are assigned to the AsO stretching vibrations of (HAsO(4))(2-) and (H(2)AsO(4))(-) units. The position of the bands indicates a C(2v) symmetry of the (H(2)AsO(4))(-) anion. Two bands are found at around 800 and 835 cm(-1) and are assigned to the stretching vibrations of uncomplexed (AsO(4))(3-) units. Bands are observed at around 435, 403 and 395 cm(-1) and are assigned to the nu(2) bending modes of the HAsO(4) (434 and 400 cm(-1)) and the AsO(4) groups (324 cm(-1)).     

Unique asymmetric (CuII4) double-stranded helicate from a hexadentate piperazine-based ligand: ligand conformation isomerism upon coordination

In methanol, the reaction of Cu(ClO(4))(2).6H(2)O and a sterically constrained piperazine imine phenol ligand (H(2)L), in the presence of NEt(3), affords a novel tetranuclear copper(II) complex of formula [Cu(II)(4)(mu(3)-L)(2)(mu-OH)(2)(H(2)O)(2)](ClO(4))(2).H(2)O (1). The X-ray structure of this complex shows an elongated Cu(4) quasi-tetrahedron coordinated to two hexadentate chair-(e,a)-mu(3)-piperazine bridging ligands. Variable-temperature magnetic studies show an S(t) = 0 spin ground state resulting from antiferromagnetic interactions between Cu(II) ions within the complex.     

Raman spectroscopy of uranyl rare earth carbonate kamotoite-(Y)

Raman spectroscopy at 298 and 77K has been used to study the mineral kamotoite-(Y), a uranyl rare earth carbonate mineral of formula Y(2)(UO(2))(4)(CO(3))(3)(OH)(8).10-11H(2)O. The mineral is characterised by two Raman bands at 1130.9 and 1124.6 cm(-1) assigned to the nu(1) symmetric stretching mode of the (CO(3))(2-) units, while those at 1170.4 and 862.3 cm(-1) (77K) to the deltaU-OH bending vibrations. The assignment of the two bands at 814.7 and 809.6 cm(-1) is difficult because of the potential overlap between the symmetric stretching modes of the (UO(2))(2+) units and the nu(2) bending modes of the (CO(3))(2-) units. Only a single band is observed in the 77K spectrum at 811.6 cm(-1). One possible assignment is that the band at 814.7 cm(-1) is attributable to the nu(1) symmetric stretching mode of the (UO(2))(2+) units and the second band at 809.6 cm(-1) is due to the nu(2) bending modes of the (CO(3))(2-) units. Bands observed at 584 and 547.3 cm(-1) are attributed to water librational modes. An intense band at 417.7 cm(-1) resolved into two components at 422.0 and 416.6 cm(-1) in the 77K spectrum is assigned to an Y(2)O(2) stretching vibration. Bands at 336.3, 286.4 and 231.6 cm(-1) are assigned to the nu(2) (UO(2))(2+) bending modes. U-O bond lengths in uranyl are calculated from the wavenumbers of the uranyl symmetric stretching vibrations. The presence of symmetrically distinct uranyl and carbonate units in the crystal structure of kamotoite-(Y) is assumed. Hydrogen-bonding network related to the presence of water molecules and hydroxyls is shortly discussed.     

A high-temperature structure for Ta2O5 with modulations by TiO2 substitution

Solid solutions in the series (1−x)Ta₂O₅−xTiO₂ with x=0.0-0.1 were prepared by high-temperature ceramic processing methods, and the crystal structure was determined at room temperature by transmission electron microscopy, electron diffraction and high-resolution lattice imaging. A structural model is proposed for the oxygen-deficient tantalum oxide (Ta₂O₅) phase with high TiO₂ doping level (x=0.08). The model is based on edge sharing of an oxygen octahedron-hexagonal bi-pyramid-octahedron molecular building block unit that repeats four times per unit cell. Electron diffraction reveals a monoclinic distortion from a pseudo-tetragonal model structure that is modulated primarily along 〈110〉. The modulation length varies with increasing TiO₂ content. Furthermore, by quantitative HREM analysis and matching of lattice images by simulation, it is shown that the modulation is associated with small ionic displacements in specific lattice planes that coincide with Ta ions in the model structure coordinated by oxygen hexagonal bi-pyramids. Based on this evidence, it is suggested that the modulation comes from a replacement of Ta with Ti ions, and the loss of inversion symmetry in the modulated structure is related to the dielectric properties of the material.     

Studies of reactions of o-xylylene-α,α′-dihalides with palladium complexes and the catalytic synthesis of 3-isochromanone

Homogeneous catalysis by palladium complexes with phosphorus(III) ligands of the carbonylation of o-xylylene dihalides in the presence of water to form 3-isochromanone has been studied. Triphenylphosphine was found to provide the most effective catalyst, and by-products and intermediates of systems containing this ligand have been investigated. 2-Indanone is one by-product but is unstable to decomposition under catalytic conditions. Excess PPh₃ is necessary to prolong activity of the catalyst but is also transformed to bis-phosphonium compound [o-C₆H₄(CH₂PPh₃)₂]X₂ (X = Cl or Br); this quaternization has been investigated and the structure of the bromide salt determined by X-ray diffraction. An unstable oxidative addition product of Pd(PPh₃)₄ was detected as a probable intermediate and related to the previously reported but catalytically-inactive complex trans-Pd(o-CH₂C₆H₄CH₂Cl)Cl(PMe₃)₂, which has been structurally characterized by X-ray diffraction in this work.     

Magnetic,spectroscopic and biological properties of copper(II) complexes of the tridentate ligand, α-N-methyl-S-methyl-β-N-(2-pyridyl)methylenedithiocarbazate(NNS) and the X-ray crystal structure of the [Cu(NNS)I2] complex

Copper(II) complexes of general formula, Cu(NNS)X ₂ · nH₂O (NNS = the 2-formylpyridine Schiff base of N-methyl-S-methyldithiocarbazate; X = Cl^–, Br^–, I^–, NCS^–; n = 0, 2) have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis and by magnetic and spectroscopic techniques. Based on magnetic and spectroscopic data, a monomeric five-coordinate square-pyramidal structure is assigned to these complexes. The crystal and molecular structure of [Cu(NNS)I₂] has been determined by X-ray diffraction. The complex has a monomeric square-pyramidal structure with the ligand coordinated to the copper(II) ion via the pyridine nitrogen atom, the azomethine nitrogen atom and the thione sulfur atom. The fourth and fifth coordination sites are occupied by the iodide ligands. Antimicrobial tests indicate that Schiff base is inactive against the bacteria, Bacillus subtilis (mutant defective DNA repair), Pseudomonas aeruginosa, methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis (wild type) and weakly active against the fungi, Candida albicans, Candida lypolytica, Saccharomyces cereviseae and Aspergillus ochraceous but its copper(II) complexes, Cu(NNS)X ₂ are strongly active against these organisms. A cytotoxicity study of the compounds against leukemic and cervical cancer cells showed that the Schiff base is inactive, but the complexes, [Cu(NNS)I₂] and [Cu(NNS)(NCS)₂] · 2H₂O exhibit significant activity against cervical cancer cells with CD₅₀ values of 4.8 and 4.2 g, respectively.