Tunable nonreciprocal metasurfaces based on a nonlinear quasi-bound state in the continuum.

Nonreciprocal devices are essential and crucial in optics for source protection and signal separation. A hybrid grating system consisting of a silicon grating, a graphene layer, and a silicon waveguide layer is employed to create a high-Q quasi-BIC (bound state in the continuum). Then, the high-Q properties of the quasi-BIC are harnessed to enhance the third-order nonlinear effect of silicon, thereby improving the nonreciprocal characteristics of the device. The nonreciprocal transmittance ratio of the device can be tunable by adjusting the graphene Fermi energy level, achieving tunability ranging from 0.0865 to 30.57 dB. It also enables the best performance of the device over a wider range of frequency bands. This study provides a new, to the best of our knowledge, method for designing tunable nonreciprocal devices with a wide range of potential applications.

Intervalley Scattering Induced Terahertz Field Enhancement in Graphene Metasurface.

Terahertz (THz) field enhancement has significant applications in high-resolution imaging, next-generation wireless communications, and networking. In this work, we experimentally demonstrate a graphene metasurface for THz field enhancement that is based on the intervalley scattering theory. Each meta-atom of the metasurface is composed of one split-ring resonator (SRR) embedded in one graphene patch. The experimental results show that, by electrically adjusting the conductivity of the graphene patch, the THz field through the entire sample is enhanced by 23 times and the transmission amplitude at 0.47 THz decreases 8.4 dB. Moreover, the maximum phase difference at 0.43 THz reaches 88°. The experiment shows good agreement with simulation. This study paves a way for exploring THz-matter interactions and nonlinear optics.

Tunable slow light device based on a graphene metasurface.

Slow light devices have significant applications in memory, switching, and quantum optics. However, the design and fabrication of slow light devices with large tunable group delay are still challenging. Here, a graphene-based slow light device that can electrically modulate the group delay of terahertz (THz) waves is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. The unit cell of the device consists of a U-shaped metal resonator and an Ω-shaped metal resonator, with three graphene ribbons embedded between the two resonators. Under electrical stimuli, a relatively high amplitude modulation depth of 74% is achieved and the maximum transmission amplitude is as high as 0.7 at the transmission peak of 0.6 THz. Most importantly, the maximum group delay variation reaches 5 ps at 0.76 THz and the maximum group delay amplitude is as high as 8.8 ps. The experiment shows good agreement with simulation. This study paves a new way for developing novel switchable nanophotonic devices and slow light devices.

Terahertz phase modulator based on a metal-VO2 reconfigurable metasurface.

Actively controlling the phase of a terahertz (THz) wave is of great significance for beaming, tunable focusing, and holography. We present a THz phase modulator based on an electrically triggered vanadium dioxide (V O 2) reconfigurable metasurface. The unit cell of the device consists of two split-ring resonators embedded with a V O 2 ribbon. By electrically triggering the insulator-to-metal transition of V O 2, the resonance mode and resonance intensity of the unit cell can be dynamically controlled. The simulation results show that the structure can achieve a phase shift of about 360° in the range of 1.03-1.13 THz, and the reflection amplitude can reach 80%. The device has potential applications in THz imaging, radar, broadband wireless communications, and array phase control.

Pegylated wortmannin and 17-hydroxywortmannin conjugates as phosphoinositide 3-kinase inhibitors active in human tumor xenograft models.

Phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) is an important target for cancer chemotherapy due to the deregulation of its signaling pathway in a wide spectrum of human tumors. Wortmannin and its analogues are potent PI3K inhibitors whose therapeutic use has been impeded by inherent defects such as instability and toxicity. Pegylation of wortmannin and 17-hydroxywortmannin gives rise to conjugates with improved properties, including a higher therapeutic index. Pegylated 17-hydroxywortmannin (8, PWT-458) has been selected for further development.

Structural characterization of the tobramycin-piperacillin reaction product formed at pH 6.0.

Tobramycin is an aminoglycoside antibiotic that loses a significant amount of activity in the presence of Zosyn at pH 6. As part of our investigation into ways to improve the compatibility of tobramycin with Zosyn (which contains piperacillin and tazobactam in an 8:1 ratio buffered at pH 6 by sodium citrate) by lowering the pH, we identified the reaction product of tobramycin and piperacillin at pH 6.0 and the order of the pK(a) values of tobramycin. The structure of the main reaction product of tobramycin and piperacillin at pH 6.0 was determined by 2D NMR to be the product of 3″-NH(2) reacting with the ß-lactam of piperacillin. The order of the pK(a) values of the nitrogens of tobramycin was determined by (1)H and (15)N NMR titrations to be 6'-NH(2)>2'-NH(2)>1-NH(2)≈3″-NH(2)>3-NH(2). At pH 4.0, the reaction between tobramycin and Zosyn was almost negligible for a period of up to 2 h. The pH can be lowered by adding an acid such as HCl or citric acid to Zosyn to make a pH 4.0 buffer.

Facile conversion of tetracycline antibiotics to 4,11a-bridged derivatives via oxidative mannich cyclization.

Treatment of a variety of tetracyclines (tigecycline, minocycline, tetracycline and doxycycline) with Ag(2)CO(3)/EDTA or Hg(OAc)(2) cleanly gave the 4,11a-bridged derivatives in high yields. The reactions proceeded through a novel, intramolecular Mannich cyclization of an iminium species generated by oxidation of the tertiary dimethylamino group at C(4) by Ag(I) or Hg(II). Tetracyclines without 5-OH-substitution (tigecycline, tetracycline and minocycline) gave the 4-OH-substituted, 4,11a-bridged compound, whereas doxycycline gave the 4-dimethylamino-substituted, 4,11a-bridged product. In the case of tetracycline, the 4,11a-bridged compound can equilibrate further to a 4,6-bridged hemiketal. Some of the bridged compounds underwent a novel decarboxylation--rearrangement sequence under acidic conditions to give tricyclic, open chain 1,4-quinoid compounds.