Fast and Facile Etching of Gold Nanorods by N-Halosuccinimides: Toward Multicolorimetric Identification and Quantification of 20 Natural Amino Acids.

Gold nanorods (AuNRs) have recently become fascinating chromophores in the field of colorimetric sensing because of their eye-catching rainbow colors along with the high dimensionality of their optical profile. The etching of AuNRs using an analyte-sensitive oxidizing agent is particularly an attractive tool not only for adjusting their plasmonic behavior through altering their aspect ratio but also for correlating the observed signal with the identity and concentration of the analyte. However, the deployment of this strategy in the field of sensing has been seriously hindered by various factors ranging from slow etching kinetics and the need for nonambient temperatures to low degrees of controllability along with the high toxicity of the etchants.

Nanoplasmonic Decoration of Sacrificial Bacteria: Directing Interparticle Coupling Toward Multiplex Analysis of Antiseptic Alcohols.

Engineering interparticle plasmon coupling through controlling the assembly of plasmonic NPs onto the surface of sacrificial substrates is quite promising for establishing inherently absent selectivity or sensitivity toward a particular analyte. Herein, we introduce a robust sensor array strategy based upon the assembly of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) on the cysteamine-modified surface of two Gram-positive probiotic bacteria, i.e.

Self-assembled graphene-based microfibers with eclectic optical properties.

The construction of graphene-based microfibers with reinforced mechanical and electrical properties has been the subject of numerous researches in recent years. However, the fabrication of graphene-based fibers with remarkable optical features still remains a challenge and has not been addressed so far. This paper aims to report a series of flexible self-assembled fibers, synthesized through a few-minute sonication of thermally oxidized graphene oxide nanosheets, so-called Nanoporous Over-Oxidized Graphene (NOG), in an acidic medium.

Betulin and its derivatives as novel compounds with different pharmacological effects.

Betulin (B) and Betulinic acid (BA) are natural pentacyclic lupane-structure triterpenoids which possess a wide range of pharmacological activities. Recent evidence indicates that B and BA have several properties useful for the treatment of metabolic disorders, infectious diseases, cardiovascular disorders, and neurological disorders. In the current review, we discuss B and BA structures and derivatives and then comprehensively explain their pharmacological effects in relation to various diseases.