Preparation of biotinylated glyconanoparticles via a photochemical process and study of their bioconjugation to streptavidin

We report here the preparation of novel biotinylated glyconanoparticles from well-defined biotinylated glycopolymers and poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) synthesized via the reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization process. The in situ reduction of the biotinylated glycopolymers, PNIPAAm, poly(ethylene glycol), and HAuCl4 via a photochemical process resulted in the formation of biotinylated gold nanoparticles. The multifunctional biotinylated glyconanoparticles were then evaluated for their bioconjugation toward streptavidin using UV-vis spectroscopy and surface plasmon resonance (SPR). The biotinylated nanoparticles underwent aggregation in the presence of streptavidin as revealed by spectrophotometry, which indicates the accessibility of the biotin for conjugation. These results were further confirmed by surface plasmon resonance even in the case of surface-immobilized streptavidin.     

Solvent Effect on Cocaine and Methyl Benzoate Phosphorescence

In polar, nonhydrogen-bonding solvents, cocaine's phosphorescence differs from that of its model compound, methyl benzoate, in what can be attributed to an amine-benzoate charge transfer interaction and both compounds exhibit long wavelength bands not present in nonpolar media.     

Chemoenzymatic synthesis of the trans-dihydrodiol isomers of monosubstituted benzenes via anti-benzene dioxides

Enantiopure cis-2,3-dihydrodiols, available from dioxygenase-catalysed cis-dihydroxylation of monosubstituted benzene substrates, have been used as synthetic precursors of the corresponding trans-3,4-dihydrodiols. The six-step chemoenzymatic route from cis-dihydrodiol precursors, involving acetonide, tetraol, dibromodiacetate and diepoxide intermediates, and substitution of vinyl bromide and iodide atoms, has been used in the synthesis of ten trans-dihydrododiol derivatives of substituted benzenes. The general applicability of the method has been demonstrated by its use in the synthesis of both enantiomers of the trans-1,2-and 3,4-dihydrodiol derivatives of toluene.     

New exact solutions and conservation laws of a class of Kuramoto Sivashinsky (KS) equations

Lie symmetry method is used to perform detailed analysis on a class of KS equations. It is shown that the Lie algebra of the equation spanned by the vector fields of dilations in time and space are lost as a result of the linearity of the equation when n = 1. Symmetry reductions are carried out using each member of the optimal system. The reduced equations are further studied to obtain certain general solutions. Moreover, the conserved vectors are obtained through the application of Noether's theorem.     

Fasciculide-A,a New Sesquiterpene Lactone from Vernonia Fasciculata Michx

A new sesquiterpene lactone, fasciculide-A, was isolated from the chloroform extract of the leaves of Vernonia fasciculata Michx. The structure of fasciculide-A, 1, is deduced by interpretation of the spectroscopic data.     

The Dimension Subgroup Conjecture

For each n 4 there exists a finite 2-group G_n such that itsnth dimension subgroup does not coincide with its nth lowercentral subgroup. This settles the dimension subgroup conjecturenegatively for all n4.     

Reduction of silver ions to silver with polyaniline/poly(vinyl alcohol) cryogels and aerogels

The macroporous conducting polymer cryogels were prepared by the oxidation of aniline hydrochloride in the frozen aqueous solutions of poly(vinyl alcohol) at ? 24 °C. Corresponding polyaniline aerogels supported with poly(vinyl alcohol) have been obtained after thawing of cryogels followed by freeze-drying. Silver was deposited on the composites using the ability of polyaniline to reduce silver ions after the immersion in silver nitrate solutions. Swollen cryogels were coated only on the surface with macroscopic silver particles due to the closed-pore structure in cryogels and limited penetration of silver ions into macropores. The diffusion of silver ions to freeze-dried aerogels was better and further improved by vacuum treatment. Silver microcubes were produced in the pores, the weight fraction of silver in dry composites being typically several per cent, a maximum 13 wt%. The conductivity of the aerogels compressed to pellets depended on the processing and the highest value was 0.27 S cm^?1. The aerogels containing silver were characterized in detail with Raman spectroscopy.     

Synthesis of monodisperse biotinylated p(NIPAAm)-coated iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles and their bioconjugation to streptavidin

We describe here the synthesis of 10 nm, monodisperse, iron oxide nanoparticles that we have coated with temperature-sensitive, biotinylated p(NIPAAm) (b-PNIPAAm). The PNIPAAm was prepared by the reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer polymerization (RAFT), and one end was biotinylated with a PEO maleimide-activated biotin to form a stable thioether linkage. The original synthesized iron oxide particles were stabilized with oleic acid. They were dispersed in dioxane, and the oleic acid molecules were then reversibly exchanged with a mixture of PNIPAAm and b-PNIPAAm at 60 degrees C. The b-PNIPAAm-coated magnetic nanoparticles were found to have an average diameter of approximately 15 nm by dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy. The ability of the biotin terminal groups on the b-PNIPAAm-coated nanoparticles to interact with streptavidin was confirmed by fluorescence and surface plasmon resonance. It was found that the b-PNIPAAm-coated iron oxide nanoparticles can still bind with high affinity to streptavidin in solution or when the streptavidin is immobilized on a surface. We have also demonstrated that the binding of the biotin ligands on the surface of the temperature-responsive magnetic nanoparticles to streptavidin can be turned on and off as a function of temperature.     

Rapid synthesis of gold nanorods using a one-step photochemical strategy

Rapid synthesis of gold nanorods of controlled dimensions is one of the desired aspects of nanotechnology as a result of the potential of these nanomaterials for biomedical applications. The synthesis of gold nanorods has been achieved using a photoinitiator as an instant source of ketyl radicals, which allows the synthesis of gold nanorods in minutes. This is the first report providing a one-step synthesis of nanorods of controlled dimensions in 20-30 min using photoinitiator I-2959 as a source of ketyl radicals. Furthermore, the role of UV intensity, the concentration of silver ions, and the presence of cosolvents and a cosurfactant have been studied in detail in an effort to produce nanorods with controlled dimensions in higher yields. The role of acetone in nanorod synthesis has been explored in detail, and it has been demonstrated that, for the photochemical synthesis of nanorods using a photoinitiator, acetone is not a critical component and can be replaced by other water-miscible solvents, thus the successful synthesis of nanorods in tetrahydrofuran (THF) has been demonstrated. It has also been found that a cosurfactant and an organic solvent are not required for the synthesis of nanorods; however, their presence is found to improve the monodispersity of nanorod samples, in addition to providing a higher yield.     

The determination, in forensic toxicology, of metallic poisons by paper chromatography

Summary Precipitation of ThFe(CN)₆ from a solution of thorium nitrate with potassium ferrocyanide at varius concentrations has been carried out for the estimation of thorium. The precipitate was filtered and the excess of ferrocyanide was titrated with standard ceric sulphate solution. The amount of potassium ferrocyanide thus used was obtained and the amount of thorium calculated.Having established by the physico-chemical methods that the formula for thorium ferrocyanide is ThFe(CN)₆, under all conditions, it has now become possible to estimate thorium volumetrically by the ferrocyanide method.