Facile synthesis of intra-nanogap enhanced Raman tags with different shapes.

Hot spot engineering in plasmonic nanostructures plays a significant role in surface enhanced Raman scattering for bioanalysis and cell imaging. However, creating stable, reproducible, and strong SERS signals remains challenging due to the potential interference from surrounding chemicals and locating SERS-active analytes into hot-spot regions. Herein, we developed a straightforward approach to synthesize intra-gap nanoparticles encapsulating 4-nitrobenzenethiol (4-NBT) as a reporter molecule within these gaps to avoid outside interference.

Super-Resolution SERS Spectral Bioimaging.

Advances in nanotechnology enable the detection of trace molecules from the enhanced Raman signal generated at the surface of plasmonic nanoparticles. We have developed technology to enable super-resolution imaging of plasmonic nanoparticles, where the fluctuations in the surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) signal can be analyzed with localization microscopy techniques to provide nanometer spatial resolution of the emitting molecule's location. Additional work now enables the super-resolved SERS image and the corresponding spectrum to be acquired simultaneously.

Infrared Reflection-Absorption Spectroscopy of α-Keto Acids at the Air-Water Interface: Effects of Chain Length and Headgroup on Environmentally Relevant Surfactant Films.

A variety of organic surfactants are found at air-water interfaces in natural environments, including on the surfaces of aqueous aerosols. The structure and morphology of these organic films can have profound impacts on material transfer between the gas and condensed phases, the optical properties of atmospheric aerosol, and chemical processing at air-water interfaces. Combined, these effects can have significant impacts on climate via radiative forcing, but our understanding of organic films at air-water interfaces is incomplete.

A dual grafted fluorinated hydrocarbon amine weak anion exchange resin polymer for adsorption of perfluorooctanoic acid from water.

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is a persistent and recalcitrant organic contaminant of exceptional environmental concern, and its removal from water has increasingly attracted global attention due to its wide distribution and strong bioaccumulation. Adsorption is considered an effective technique for PFOA removal and more efficient PFOA sorbents are still of interest. This study developed a dual grafted fluorinated hydrocarbon amine weak anion exchange (WAX) polymeric resin (Sepra-WAX-KelF-PEI) for PFOA removal from water.

Enhanced Recovery After Surgery in Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology: A Pilot Study.

Study Objective: Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols have been successfully implemented in adult gynecology as well as adult and pediatric colorectal and urologic surgery with reduction in narcotic use, complications, return to the system (RTS), length of stay (LOS), and improved patient satisfaction. There are no studies evaluating the use of ERAS in pediatric and adolescent gynecology (PAG). The goals of this study are to present initial patient outcomes using ERAS in PAG patients undergoing intra-abdominal gynecologic surgery to prove efficacy, patient satisfaction, and decreased narcotic use.

PagP activation in the outer membrane triggers R3 core oligosaccharide truncation in the cytoplasm of Escherichia coli O157:H7.

The Escherichia coli outer membrane phospholipid:lipid A palmitoyltransferase PagP is normally a latent enzyme, but it can be directly activated in outer membranes by lipid redistribution associated with a breach in the permeability barrier. We now demonstrate that a lipid A myristate deficiency in an E. coli O157:H7 msbB mutant constitutively activates PagP in outer membranes.