Protein Biochips with Three-Dimensional Hydrogel or Polymer Brush Elements for the Detection of Human Serum Immunoglobulin E Specific to Inhalation Allergens.

The development of rapid analysis of human serum for the presence of allergen-specific Immunoglobulin E (IgE) is currently important. Consequently, we developed two types of three-dimensional (3D) protein biochips. The first one is a 3D hydrogel biochip containing hydrogel droplets with protein molecules (allergens, immunoglobulins and others).

Optimized Method for the Synthesis of Alkyne-Modified 2'-Deoxynucleoside Triphosphates.

A general approach is presented for synthesizing alkyne-modified nucleoside triphosphates via the Sonogashira cross-coupling reaction of unprotected halogenated 2'-deoxynucleoside, followed by monophosphorylation and the reaction of the corresponding phosphoromorpholidate with tributylammonium pyrophosphate. A highly efficient approach for the milligram-scale synthesis of base-modified nucleoside triphosphates with an amino acid-like side chain was developed. The present chemical method outweighs the other reported methods of a base-modified nucleoside triphosphates synthesis in terms of it being a protection-free strategy, the shortening of reaction steps, and increased yields (about 70%).

Liver Cancer Incidence in Kazakhstan: Fifteen-Year Retrospective Study.

Objective: The aim is to study the trends of liver cancer (LC) incidence in the regional context in Kazakhstan.

Methods: The retrospective study was done using descriptive and analytical methods of oncoepidemiology. The extensive, crude and age-specific incidence rates are determined according to the generally accepted methodology used in sanitary statistics.

Photoinduced Transition from Quasi-Two-Dimensional Ruddlesden-Popper to Three-Dimensional Halide Perovskites for the Optical Writing of Multicolor and Light-Erasable Images.

Optical data storage, information encryption, and security labeling technologies require materials that exhibit local, pronounced, and diverse modifications of their structure-dependent optical properties under external excitation. Herein, we propose and develop a novel platform relying on lead halide Ruddlesden-Popper phases that undergo a light-induced transition toward bulk perovskite and employ this phenomenon for the direct optical writing of multicolor patterns. This transition causes the weakening of quantum confinement and hence a reduction in the band gap.

Stokes and Anti-Stokes Luminescent Rare-Earth-Doped Tantalum Oxide Nanoparticles.

Doping of nano- and microparticles of oxides with rare earth elements (REEs) is used to fine-tune their structural, optical, and electrochemical properties. On the way to establish the structure-property relationship, we dope tantalum oxide (TaO) particles with REEs to study their effect on the oxide structure and luminescence. TaO is highly perspective in medicine, catalysis, and optics, but its crystal structure is insufficiently studied.

Elastic Gallium Phosphide Nanowire Optical Waveguides-Versatile Subwavelength Platform for Integrated Photonics.

Emerging technologies for integrated optical circuits demand novel approaches and materials. This includes a search for nanoscale waveguides that should satisfy criteria of high optical density, small cross-section, technological feasibility and structural perfection. All these criteria are met with self-assembled gallium phosphide (GaP) epitaxial nanowires.

New Approach toward Dual-Emissive Organic-Inorganic Hybrids by Integrating Mn(II) and Cu(I) Emission Centers in Ionic Crystals.

Inorganic-organic hybrid luminescent materials have received great attention for their potential applications in a wide range of clean/renewable energy-related areas, including photovoltaics and solid-state lighting. Herein, we present a unique and general "Mn + Cu" approach by blending two earth-abundant luminogenic metals, manganese and copper, within a single ionic structure to construct a remarkable family of low-cost and multifunctional hybrid materials featuring dual emission, as well as triboluminescence and second-harmonic generation response. The novel hybrid materials are made of diphosphine dioxide-chelated [Mn(O∧O)] cations and various anionic [CuI] clusters, ensuring manifestation of dual phosphorescence streamed from octahedral Mn ions (605-648 nm) and iodocuprate anions (480-728 nm).

Femtosecond Laser-Assisted Formation of Hybrid Nanoparticles from Bi-Layer Gold-Silicon Films for Microscale White-Light Source.

It is very natural to use silicon as a primary material for microelectronics. However, silicon application in nanophotonics is limited due to the indirect gap of its energy band structure. To improve the silicon emission properties, it can be combined with a plasmonic part.

Single GaP nanowire nonlinear characterization with the aid of an optical trap.

Semiconductor nanowires exhibit numerous capabilities to advance the development of future optoelectronic devices. Among the III-V material family, gallium phosphide (GaP) is an attractive platform with low optical absorption and high nonlinear susceptibility, making it especially promising for nanophotonic applications. However, investigation of single nanostructures and their waveguiding properties remains challenging owing to typically planar experimental arrangements.

Multicolor Phenylenediamine Carbon Dots for Metal-Ion Detection with Picomolar Sensitivity.

Carbon dots keep attracting attention in multidisciplinary fields, motivating the development of new compounds. Phenylenediamine CH(NH) dots are known to exhibit colorful emission, which depends on size, composition, and the functional surface groups, forming those structures. While quite a few fabrication protocols have been developed, the quantum yield of phenylenediamine dots still does not exceed 50% owing to undesired fragment formation during carbonization.

Amplified spontaneous emission and gain in highly concentrated Rhodamine-doped peptide derivative.

Bioinspired fluorescence, being widely explored for imaging purposes, faces challenges in delivering bright biocompatible sources. While quite a few techniques have been developed to reach this goal, encapsulation of high-quantum yield fluorescent dyes in natural biological forms suggest achieving superior light-emitting characteristics, approaching amplified spontaneous emission and even lasing. Here we compare gain capabilities of highly concentrated Rhodamine B solutions with a newly synthesized biocompatible peptide derivative hybrid polymer/peptide material, RhoB-PEG1300-F6, which contains the fluorescent covalently bound dye.

Golden Vaterite as a Mesoscopic Metamaterial for Biophotonic Applications.

Mesoscopic photonic systems with tailored optical responses have great potential to open new frontiers in implantable biomedical devices. However, biocompatibility is typically a problem, as engineering of optical properties often calls for using toxic compounds and chemicals, unsuitable for in vivo applications. Here, a unique approach to biofriendly delivery of optical resonances is demonstrated.

Luminescent Erbium-Doped Silicon Thin Films for Advanced Anti-Counterfeit Labels.

The never-ending struggle against counterfeit demands the constant development of security labels and their fabrication methods. This study demonstrates a novel type of security label based on downconversion photoluminescence from erbium-doped silicon. For fabrication of these labels, a femtosecond laser is applied to selectively irradiate a double-layered Er/Si thin film, which is accomplished by Er incorporation into a silicon matrix and silicon-layer crystallization.

Auxiliary Optomechanical Tools for 3D Cell Manipulation.

Advances in laser and optoelectronic technologies have brought the general concept of optomechanical manipulation to the level of standard biophysical tools, paving the way towards controlled experiments and measurements of tiny mechanical forces. Recent developments in direct laser writing (DLW) have enabled the realization of new types of micron-scale optomechanical tools, capable of performing designated functions. Here we further develop the concept of DLW-fabricated optomechanically-driven tools and demonstrate full-3D manipulation capabilities over biological objects.

Biological Kerker Effect Boosts Light Collection Efficiency in Plants.

Being the polymorphs of calcium carbonate (CaCO), vaterite and calcite have attracted a great deal of attention as promising biomaterials for drug delivery and tissue engineering applications. Furthermore, they are important biogenic minerals, enabling living organisms to reach specific functions. In nature, vaterite and calcite monocrystals typically form self-assembled polycrystal micro- and nanoparticles, also referred to as spherulites.

Non-Mie optical resonances in anisotropic biomineral nanoparticles.

The optical properties of nanoparticles have attracted continuous attention owing to their high fundamental and applied importance across many disciplines. A recently emerged field of all-dielectric nanophotonics employs optically induced electric and magnetic Mie resonances in dielectric nanoparticles with a high refractive index. This property allows obtaining additional valuable degrees of freedom to control the optical responses of nanophotonic structures.

Optical Manipulation along an Optical Axis with a Polarization Sensitive Meta-Lens.

The ability to manipulate small objects with focused laser beams opens a broad spectrum of opportunities in fundamental and applied studies, for which precise control over mechanical path and stability is required. Although conventional optical tweezers are based on refractive optics, the development of compact trapping devices that could be integrated within fluid cells is in high demand. Here, a plasmonic polarization-sensitive metasurface-based lens, embedded within a fluid, is demonstrated to provide several stable trapping centers along the optical axis.

Microwave platform as a valuable tool for characterization of nanophotonic devices.

The rich potential of the microwave experiments for characterization and optimization of optical devices is discussed. While the control of the light fields together with their spatial mapping at the nanoscale is still laborious and not always clear, the microwave setup allows to measure both amplitude and phase of initially determined magnetic and electric field components without significant perturbation of the near-field. As an example, the electromagnetic properties of an add-drop filter, which became a well-known workhorse of the photonics, is experimentally studied with the aid of transmission spectroscopy measurements in optical and microwave ranges and through direct mapping of the near fields at microwave frequencies.

Fabrication of Hybrid Nanostructures via Nanoscale Laser-Induced Reshaping for Advanced Light Manipulation.

Ordered hybrid nanostructures for nanophotonics applications are fabricated by a novel approach via femtosecond laser melting of asymmetric metal-dielectric (Au/Si) nanoparticles created by lithographical methods. The approach allows selective reshaping of the metal components of the hybrid nanoparticles without affecting the dielectric ones and is applied for tuning of the scattering properties of the hybrid nanostructures in the visible range.

Dual-channel spontaneous emission of quantum dots in magnetic metamaterials.

Metamaterials, artificial electromagnetic media realized by subwavelength nano-structuring, have become a paradigm for engineering electromagnetic space, allowing for independent control of both electric and magnetic responses of the material. Whereas most metamaterials studied so far are limited to passive structures, the need for active metamaterials is rapidly growing. However, the fundamental question on how the energy of emitters is distributed between both (electric and magnetic) interaction channels of the metamaterial still remains open.