Actuated plasmonic nanohole arrays for sensing and optical spectroscopy applications.

Herein, we report a new approach to rapidly actuate the plasmonic characteristics of thin gold films perforated with nanohole arrays that are coupled with arrays of gold nanoparticles. The near-field interaction between the localized and propagating surface plasmon modes supported by the structure was actively modulated by changing the distance between the nanoholes and nanoparticles and varying the refractive index symmetry of the structure. This approach was applied by using a thin responsive hydrogel cushion, which swelled and collapsed by a temperature stimulus.

Compact Grating-Coupled Biosensor for the Analysis of Thrombin.

A compact optical biosensor for direct detection of thrombin in human blood plasma (HBP) is reported. This biosensor platform is based on wavelength spectroscopy of diffraction-coupled surface plasmons on a chip with a periodically corrugated gold film that carries an antifouling thin polymer layer consisting of poly[(-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide)--(carboxybetaine methacrylamide)] (poly(HPMA--CBMAA)) brushes. This surface architecture provides superior resistance to nonspecific and irreversible adsorption of abundant compounds in the analyzed HBP samples in comparison to standard surface modifications.

Correction: New Insight into Metal Ion-Driven Catalysis of Nucleic Acids by Influenza PA-Nter.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

New Insight into Metal Ion-Driven Catalysis of Nucleic Acids by Influenza PA-Nter.

PA subunit of influenza RNA-dependent RNA polymerase deserves constantly increasing attention due to its essential role in influenza life cycle. N-terminal domain of PA (PA-Nter) harbors endonuclease activity, which is indispensable in viral transcription and replication. Interestingly, existing literature reports on in vitro ion preferences of the enzyme are contradictory.

[AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) as therapeutic target].

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is one of the major energy sensor at both: cellular and whole body level. It exists as heterotrimer containing three subunits: the catalytic α subunit, β and regulatory γ. AMPK is localized both in the cytoplasm and in the nucleus.