Enhancing local luminescence in a hollow ZnO microcolumn by antiresonant reflecting.

Hollow ZnO microcolumns with size induced photoluminescence and cathodoluminescence properties were prepared by a thermal chemical vapor transport and condensation method. It was found that the luminescence emission could be confined in the nano-sized hollow core and the wavelength dependent light intensity could be influenced by the geometric structure of the ZnO microcolumn, which can act as a hollow optical waveguide. Based on the antiresonant reflection in the optical waveguide, we established a theoretical model to address the field enhancement in the hollow ZnO microcolumn, which systematically clarifies the influence of the geometric structure of the microcolumn on the field enhancement. We report for the first time, the enhanced emission of the near ultraviolet light (working wavelength of 385 nm) along the axial direction of the ZnO microcolumn. The corresponding microsized light emitter has also been obtained. Experiments agree well with both theoretical predictions and computer simulations based on the finite-difference time-domain method with perfectly matched layer boundary conditions. These findings provide valuable information for the application of ZnO micro- and nanostructures in optoelectronic devices.

Si-doped ceramic Al4O4C nanowires: full-color emission and optical waveguide behavior.

The increasing prosperity of the photonics field has hastened the development of several sub-disciplines, with the aim to create advanced photonic devices, produce photonic circuits and eventually enable all-optical communication. This development has resulted in the demand for micro-nano-sized functional units with specific space dimensions (1D &2D) for subwavelength photon operation purposes. The fundamental task involves a search for available semiconductor materials as micro-nano light sources and optical interconnections; in this regard, finding a white-light source is the most challenging task because typical band-band emission is not possible in the single phase. Using current approaches, which rely on surface-state emission and the integration of various emission components, it is impossible to achieve single-phase, single-unit components with specific space dimensions. Here, we achieved continuous full-color (ultraviolet to red) emission by engineering a single Al4O4C nanowire with Si doping, which created impurity levels in the bandgap and conduction band. High light propagation performance was also observed when blue, green and red lasers were coupled into a single nanowire using a tapered optical fiber. This novel 1D nanostructure is an excellent candidate for use in future photonic circuits as a white-light source or interconnection component.

Formation of glycidyl methacrylate-DNA adducts in vivo.

In in vivo test, rats were orally administrated with glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) at respective doses of 250 mg/kg, 125 mg/kg and 62.5 mg/kg, 31.25 mg/kg and solvent as control for 14 days. DNA adducts produced in the liver, kidney, blood and testis were analyzed by RP-HPLC and nuclease P1 mediated 32P-postlabelling method. Results showed that several potential GMA-DNA adducts were formed in various organs (4 adducts in blood, 3 adducts in liver and kidney, 1 adduct in testis). A linear dose-response relationship was observed within certain dose levels. The relative adduct labeling values failed to further increase any more when the concentration went up to 125 mg/kg. The order of adduct level with GMA was kidney, liver, blood and testis. The GMA adduct N3-methacrylate-2-hydroxypropyl-dCMP was found in kidney, liver and blood. These results indicated that GMA could react with negatively charged centers on DNA and form GMA-DNA adducts. If carcinogen induced DNA damage exceeds the ability of repair systems, gene mutation is induced. Therefore, study on molecular mechanism of gene mutation induced by DNA adducts is not only an important part of chemical-carcinogenesis, but also provides information on critical biomarkers for monitoring human exposure to genetic toxins.

Role of dNTPs in mutagenesis.

The induced mutation frequency by alkylating mutagen glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) and N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) was investigated with or without perturbation of deoxyribonucleoside triphosphate (dNTP) pools; the influence of short treatment at different concentrations of GMA or MNNG on dNTP pools was also explored. The results indicated that the induced mutation frequency increased greatly at high dosages of mutagen (GMA approximately 64 micrograms/ml, MNNG approximately 8 micrograms/ml) and the perturbation on dNTP pools was carried out before the treatment of mutagen; the short treatment with mutagen could induce distinct fluctuations of dNTP pools, but different mutagen might have different effects on dNTP pools. According to the results of the present study and other reports in literature, we conclude that dNTP pools may be the targets of alkylating mutagens and the fluctuations of dNTP pools are closely associated with mutagenesis.

Role of deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates (dNTPs) in cell transformation.

Deoxyribonucleoside triphosphate (dNTP) pools were measured in normal BALB/c3T3 cells, transformation-treated cells and transformed cells with reverse-phase HPLC. The fluctuation of dNTP pools was similar after transformation treatment with alkylating mutagen glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) or Nmethyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG). However, the gap between deoxyguanosine triphosphate + deoxyadenosine triphosphate (dGTP + dATP) pools and deoxythymidine triphosphate + deoxycytidine triphosphate (dTTP + dCTP) pools was greatly intensified. The measurements also indicated that the dNTP pools in transformed cells were quite different from those in normal cells. The results suggested that dNTP pools may play an important role in cell transformation.