Aldehyde ,-dimethylhydrazone-based fluorescent substrate for peroxidase-mediated assays.

Numerous assays based on peroxidase activity have been developed for the detection of analytes due to the various optical peroxidase substrates. However, most substrates are sensitive to light and pH and are over-oxidized in the presence of excess HO. In this study, 2-((6-methoxynaphthalen-2-yl)methylene)-1,1-dimethylhydrazine (MNDH), a fluorescent peroxidase substrate prepared from naphthalene-based aldehyde ,-dimethylhydrazone, was developed.

Supra-threshold vibration applied to the foot soles enhances jump height under maximum effort.

Previous studies have shown that absence or reduction of cutaneous sensory feedback can diminish human motor performance under maximum effort. However, it has not been explored whether any appropriate intervention in the cutaneous sensory input can augment the output motor performance, particularly in motor tasks such as jumping that involve the kinematic chain of the entire body. Using shoes with active vibrating insoles, we applied mechanical vibration to the soles of 20 young and healthy adults and evaluated the change in the jump height and muscle activation using within-participants repeated measures.

Shoes with active insoles mitigate declines in balance after fatigue.

Fatigue can induce postural instability and even lead to falls. However, most current methods to delay or reduce fatigue require long preparatory time, or large and expensive equipment. We propose a convenient method to alleviate postural instability due to fatigue.

RGO-Coated TiO Microcones for High-Rate Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Reduced graphene oxide (RGO)-coated TiO microcones have been synthesized via simple anodization and cyclic voltammetry for use in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Microcones had a perpendicularly oriented hollow core, an anatase structure, and a high surface area, allowing higher capacity than other nanosized TiO structures. TiO has low electrical conductivity, leading to the limitation of fast charging and high capacity; however, this was improved by the application of an RGO coating in this work.

A highly sensitive gold nanoparticle-based colorimetric probe for pyrophosphate using a competition assay approach.

In this study, a mixture of [Zn(2)(1,3-bis[bis(2-pyridylmethyl)aminomethyl]benzene)](4+) ([Zn(2)(BBPAB)](4+)) and 11-mercaptoundecylphosphoric acid functionalized gold nanoparticles (Phos-AuNPs) is shown to be a highly sensitive colorimetric probe that can easily detect pyrophosphate (PPi) at less than 200 nM with the naked eye.

A simple, fast, and easy assay for transition metal-catalyzed coupling reactions using a paper-based colorimetric iodide sensor.

A paper-based colorimetric iodide sensor (PBCIS) that consists of filter paper treated with starch and an oxidant is developed. It has been employed as a protocol to obtain the extent of conversion of aryl iodides in C-C, C-N, C-O and C-S bond formations, including polymer-supported Heck reactions, by transition metal catalysts such as palladium, nickel and copper.

Gold nanoparticle-assisted delivery of small, highly structured RNA into the nuclei of human cells.

Previous studies have shown that functionalized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) can be used as a general platform for loading and delivering DNA oligonucleotides and short hairpin RNA to living systems. Here, we report the ability of functionalized AuNP to deliver RNA aptamers into the nuclei of human cells. An in vitro-synthesized RNA aptamer specific to the β-catenin protein was delivered into the HepG2 human cell line more efficiently via functionalized AuNP than liposome-based delivery, and resulted in nearly complete inhibition of β-catenin binding to the p50 subunit of NF-κB in the nucleus.

Inhibition of xenograft tumor growth in mice by gold nanoparticle-assisted delivery of short hairpin RNAs against Mcl-1L.

A prerequisite for the therapeutic use of small RNAs is the development of a method that can deliver them into animals. Previous studies have shown the capability of functionalized gold nanoparticles to serve as a general platform for loading and delivering DNA oligonucleotides and short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) into cultured human cells. Here, we report the ability of the gold nanoparticle-assisted gene delivery system (AuNP-GDS) to deliver shRNA to a xenograft tumor in a mouse model.

A colorimetric selective sensing probe for calcium ions with tunable dynamic ranges using cytidine triphosphate stabilized gold nanoparticles.

Cytidine triphosphate (CTP) stabilized-Au nanoparticles (CTP-AuNPs) allow a quantitative assay of Ca(2+) down to a concentration of 10(-4) M with high selectivity towards Ca(2+) ions over various metal ions including Mg(2+) and the detection range of this probe also can be easily tuned by changing the concentration of CTP.

Modulation of biological processes in the nucleus by delivery of DNA oligonucleotides conjugated with gold nanoparticles.

The development of a method that can efficiently deliver nucleic acids into the nucleus of living systems remains one of the key challenges for experimental and therapeutic use of nonbiological gene delivery agents. In the current study, we demonstrate a functionalized gold nanoparticle (AuNP) that can serve as a universal carrier for the delivery of DNA oligonucleotides (oligos) into the nucleus. We designed various types of DNA oligos to redirect alternative splicing of pre-mRNAs, such as MCL-1 and BCL-6, and to sequester transcriptional factors, including estrogen receptor α and p53.

Delivery of shRNA using gold nanoparticle-DNA oligonucleotide conjugates as a universal carrier.

The efficient delivery of nucleic acids into mammalian cells is a central aspect of research involving cell biology and medical applications, including the clinical treatment of genetic disorders. We report an efficient small hairpin RNA (shRNA) delivery system that utilizes a single species of gold nanoparticle-DNA oligonucleotide conjugate (AuNP-DNA oligo) as a universal carrier. In vitro synthesized shRNA that is specific to the p53 gene was efficiently delivered into HEK293 and HeLa human cell lines using an AuNP-DNA oligo.

A functionalized gold nanoparticles-assisted universal carrier for antisense DNA.

In this study, single-stranded DNA functionalized gold nanoparticles (AuNP GDS) were proved to be efficient gene delivery systems for oligo antisense DNAs specific to any gene of interest without affecting normal cell physiology.