Role of a cyclopentadienyl ligand in a heteroleptic alkoxide precursor in atomic layer deposition.

Alkoxide precursors have been highlighted for depositing carbon-free films, but their use in Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) often exhibits a non-saturated growth. This indicates no self-limiting growth due to the chain reaction of hydrolysis or ligand decomposition caused by ß-hydride elimination. In the previous study, we demonstrated that self-limiting growth of ALD can be achieved using our newly developed precursor, hafnium cyclopentadienyl tris(N-ethoxy-2,2-dimethyl propanamido) [HfCp(edpa)3]. To elucidate the growth mechanism and the role of cyclopentadienyl (Cp) ligand in a heteroleptic alkoxide precursor, herein, we compare homoleptic and heteroleptic Hf precursors consisting of N-ethoxy-2,2-dimethyl propanamido (edpa) ligands with and without cyclopentadienyl ligand-hafnium tetrakis(N-ethoxy-2,2-dimethyl propanamido) [Hf(edpa)4] and HfCp(edpa)3. We also investigate the role of a Cp ligand in growth characteristics. By substituting an alkoxide ligand with a Cp ligand, we could modify the surface reaction during ALD, preventing undesired reactions. The last remaining edpa after Hf(edpa)4 adsorption can undergo a hydride elimination reaction, resulting in surface O-H generation. In contrast, Cp remains after the HfCp(edpa)3 adsorption. Accordingly, we observe proper ALD growth with self-limiting properties. Thus, a comparative study of different ligands of the precursors can provide critical clues to the design of alkoxide precursors for obtaining typical ALD growth with a saturation behavior.

Curcumol metabolized by rat liver S9 fraction and orally administered in mouse suppressed the proliferation of colon cancer in vitro and in vivo.

Following 3R (reduction, refinement, and replacement) principles, we employed the rat liver S9 fraction to mimic liver metabolism of curcumol having high in vitro IC50 on cancer cells. In HCT116 and HT29 colon cancer cells, the metabolites of curcumol by S9 fraction exerted more enhanced activity in inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis via regulating the expression of cyclin D1, CDK1, p21, PARP and Bcl-2 than curcumol. In addition, oral administration of curcumol at 4 mg/kg BW significantly suppressed the development of colon tumor induced by azoxymethane/dextran sulfate sodium, and induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in tumor tissues. In mass analysis, curcumenol and curzerene were identified as the metabolites of curcumol by S9 fraction metabolism. Taken together, curcumol metabolites showed the enhanced suppressive effect on colon cancer, suggesting that S9 fraction can be considered as simple, fast, and bio-mimicking platform for the screening of chemical libraries on different chronic diseases.

Cycloastragenol inhibits adipogenesis and fat accumulation in vitro and in vivo through activating Hedgehog signaling.

In this study, we investigated the effect of cycloastragenol (CAG), a triterpenoid isolated from Astragalus membranaceus roots, on regulating the adipogenesis and fat accumulation in vitro and in vivo. During the adipogenesis of 3T3-L1 cells, CAG inhibited lipid accumulation and the expression of key adipogenic factors, proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) and CCAAT enhancer binding protein α (C/EBPα) and increased the expression of Gli1, a key mediator in Hedgehog (Hh) signaling. In HFD-induced animal experiment, CAG significantly reduced body weight gain without affecting brown fat weight. In addition, CAG regulated the expression of PPARγ, C/EBPα, and Gli1 in visceral white adipose tissue (vWAT). We also confirmed the inhibitory effect of CAG on specifically targeting white adipose tissue (WAT) formation in stromal vascular fraction (SVF) cell differentiation. Taken together, these results suggest that CAG may be a potent phytochemical preventing adipogenesis and obesity via Hh signaling. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10068-023-01403-0.

Amidoxime-Containing Zr and Hf Atomic Layer Deposition Precursors for Metal Oxide Thin Films.

In this article, we discuss the synthesis of eight novel zirconium and hafnium complexes containing amidoxime ligands as potential precursors for atomic layer deposition (ALD). Two amidoximes, viz., (E)-N'-hydroxy-N,N-dimethylacetimidamide (mdaoH) and (Z)-N'-hydroxy-N,N-dimethylpivalimidamide (tdaoH), along with their Zr and Hf homoleptic complexes, Zr(mdao)4 (1), Hf(mdao)4 (2), Zr(tdao)4 (3), and Hf(tdao)4 (4) were prepared. We further synthesized heteroleptic compounds with different physical properties by introducing cyclopentadienyl (Cp) ligand, namely, CpZr(mdao)3 (5), CpHf(mdao)3 (6), CpZr(tdao)3 (7), and CpHf(tdao)3 (8). Thermogravimetric analysis was used for the assessment of the evaporation characteristics of complexes 1, 2, 5, and 6, and it revealed multistep weight losses with high residues. On the other hand, the thermogravimetric analysis curves of complexes 3, 4, 7, and 8 comprising tdao ligands revealed single-step weight losses with moderate residues. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies of complexes 1, 3, and 7 showed that all of the complexes have monomeric molecular structures. Complex 7 exhibited a low melting point (75 °C), good volatility, and high thermal stability compared with other complexes. Therefore, an atomic layer deposition process for the growth of ZrO2 was developed by using ZrCp(tdao)3 (7) as a novel precursor.

Novel Volatile Heteroleptic Barium Complexes Using Tetradentate Ligand and ß-Diketonato Ligand.

Novel barium heteroleptic complexes were synthesized through the substitution of the bis(trimethylsilyl)amide of Ba(btsa)2·2DME with aminoalkoxide and ß-diketonate ligands. Compounds [Ba(ddemap)(tmhd)]2 (1) and [Ba(ddemmp)(tmhd)]2 (2) were obtained and analyzed through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance, thermogravimetric analysis, and elemental analysis (ddemapH = 1-(dimethylamino)-5-((2-(dimethylamino)ethyl) (methyl)amino)pentan-3-ol and ddemmpH = 1-(dimethylamino)-5-((2-(dimethylamino)ethyl) (methyl)amino)-3-methylpentan-3-ol). In single-crystal X-ray crystallography, complex 1 exhibited a dimeric structure with µ2-O bonds of the ddemap ligand. All complexes exhibited high volatility and could be sublimed under reduced pressure (0.5 Torr) at 160 °C, indicating that these complexes are promising candidates as atomic layer deposition or chemical vapor deposition precursors for the growth of barium-containing thin films.

Synthesis of Mononuclear Strontium Complexes with Polyether and ß-Diketonato Ligands.

Strontium ß-diketonate complexes were synthesized by the substitution reaction of the bis(trimethylsilyl) amide of Sr(btsa)2·2DME with an ethereal group and ß-diketonate ligands. The compounds [Sr(tmge)(btsa)]2 (1), [Sr(tod)(btsa)]2 (2), Sr(tmgeH)(tfac)2 (3), Sr(tmgeH)(acac)2 (4), Sr(tmgeH)(tmhd)2 (5), Sr(todH)(tfac)2 (6), Sr(todH)(acac)2 (7), Sr(todH)(tmhd)2 (8), Sr(todH)(hfac)2 (9), Sr(dmts)(hfac)2 (10), [Sr(mee)(tmhd)2]2 (11), and Sr(dts)(hfac)2·DME (12) were obtained and analyzed by various techniques, including FT-IR, NMR, TGA (thermogravimetric analyses), and elemental analysis. Complexes 1, 3, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 were further structurally confirmed by single-crystal X-ray crystallography, where complexes 1 and 11 showed dimeric structures with µ2-O bonds of ethereal groups or tmhd ligands, and complexes 3, 8, 9, 10, and 12 displayed monomeric structures. Interestingly, compounds 10 and 12, which preceded trimethylsilylation of the coordinating ethereal alcohols such as tmhgeH and meeH in the presence of HMDS as by-products due to highly increasing acidity of them, originated from electron-withdrawing two hfac ligands.

Amidoxime-Containing Ti Precursors for Atomic Layer Deposition of TiN Thin Films with Suppressed Columnar Microstructure.

This paper reports the synthesis of three novel titanium complexes containing amidoxime ligands as potential precursors for titanium nitride (TiN) thin films fabricated using atomic layer deposition (ALD). A series of ligands, viz., N'-methoxy-N-methylacetimidamide (mnnoH), N'-ethoxy-N-methylacetimidamide (ennoH), and N'-methoxy-N-methylbenzimidamide (pnnoH), were successfully synthesized and used to produce Ti(mnno)(NMe2)3 (4), Ti(enno)(NMe2)3 (5), and Ti(pnno)(NMe2)3 (6). Thermogravimetric analysis curves of complexes 4-6 revealed a single-step weight loss up to 200 °C. Pyrolysis occurred beyond 200 °C. Among the three new complexes, 5 was liquid at room temperature. Therefore, TiN was synthesized by ALD using Ti(enno)(NMe2)3 (5) as a novel precursor. A TiN thin film was deposited from the Ti(enno)(NMe2)3 (5) precursor and NH3 plasma, and self-limiting growth was achieved by varying the injection/purge duration. TiN thin film growths were observed with a growth per cycle (GPC) of 0.05-0.13 nm·cy-1 at deposition temperatures between 150 and 300 °C, while the measured resistivity was as low as 420 µΩ·cm. The high reactivity of the precursor promotes nucleation, resulting in TiN thin films with smooth, good step coverage and preferentially orientated microstructure.

A vertically paired electrode for redox cycling and its application to immunoassays.

An electrochemical immunoassay based on the redox cycling method was presented using vertically paired electrodes (VPEs), which were fabricated using poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) as an electrode material and parylene-C as a dielectric layer. For the application to immunoassays, different electrochemical properties of PEDOT:PSS were analyzed for the redox reaction of 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB, the chromogenic substrate for enzyme-immunoassays) at different pH conditions, including the conductivity (σ), electron transfer rate constant (kapp), and double-layer capacitance (Cdl). The influencing factors on the sensitivity of redox cycling based on VPE based on PEDOT:PSS were analyzed for the redox reaction of TMB, such as the electrode gap and number of electrode pairs. Computer simulation was also performed for the redox cycling results based on VPEs, which had limitations in fabrication, such as VPEs with an electrode gap of less than 100 nm and more than five electrode pairs. Finally, the redox cycling based on VPE was applied to the medical diagnosis of human hepatitis-C virus (hHCV) using a commercial ELISA kit. The sensitivity of the redox cycling method for the medical diagnosis of hHCV was compared with conventional assay methods, such as TMB-based chromogenic detection, luminol-based chemiluminescence assay, and a rapid test kit (lateral flow immunoassay).

Carbon electrode obtained via pyrolysis of plasma-deposited parylene-C for electrochemical immunoassays.

In this study, parylene-C films from plasma deposition as well as thermal deposition were pyrolyzed to prepare a carbon electrode for application in electrochemical immunoassays. Plasma deposition could prepare parylene-C in a faster deposition rate and more precise control over the thickness in comparison with the conventional thermal deposition. To analyze the influence of the deposition method, the crystal and electronic structures of the pyrolyzed parylene-C films obtained via both deposition methods were compared using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. For application as a carbon electrode in immunoassays, the electrochemical properties of the pyrolyzed carbon films from two both deposition methods were analyzed, including the double layer capacitance (2.10 µF cm-2 for plasma deposition and 2.20 µF cm-2 for thermal deposition), the apparent electron transfer rate (approximately 1.1 × 10-3 cm s-1 for both methods), and the electrochemical window (approximately -1.0 ∼ 2.1 V for both methods). Finally, the applicability of the pyrolyzed carbon electrode from parylene-C was demonstrated for the diagnosis of human hepatitis-C using various amperometric methods, such as cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry, square-wave voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry.

Capacitive biosensor based on vertically paired electrodes for the detection of SARS-CoV-2.

Vertically paired electrodes (VPEs) with multiple electrode pairs were developed for the enhancement of capacitive measurements by optimizing the electrode gap and number of electrode pairs. The electrode was fabricated using a conductive polymer layer of PEDOT:PSS instead of Ag and Pt metal electrodes to increase the VPE fabrication yield because the PEDOT:PSS layer could be effectively etched using a reactive dry etching process. In this study, sensitivity enhancement was realized by decreasing the electrode gap and increasing the number of VPE electrode pairs. Such an increase in sensitivity according to the electrode gap and the number of electrode pairs was estimated using a model analyte for an immunoassay. Additionally, a computer simulation was performed using VPEs with different electrode gaps and numbers of VPE electrode pairs. Finally, VPEs with multiple electrode pairs were applied for SARS-CoV-2 nucleoprotein (NP) detection. The capacitive biosensor based on the VPE with immobilized anti-SARS-CoV-2 NP was applied for the specific detection of SARS-CoV-2 in viral cultures. Using viral cultures of SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and CoV-strain 229E, the limit of detection (LOD) was estimated to satisfy the cutoff value (dilution factor of 1/800) for the medical diagnosis of COVID-19, and the assay results from the capacitive biosensor were compared with commercial rapid kit based on a lateral flow immunoassay.

Novel Heteroleptic Tin(II) Complexes Capable of Forming SnO and SnO2 Thin Films Depending on Conditions Using Chemical Solution Deposition.

A new heteroleptic complex series of tin was synthesized by the salt metathesis reaction of SnX2 (X = Cl, Br, and I) with aminoalkoxide and various N-alkoxy-functionalized carboxamide ligands. The complexes, [ClSn(dmamp)]2 (1), [BrSn(dmamp)]2 (2), and [ISn(dmamp)]2 (3), were prepared from the salt metathesis reaction of SnX2 with one equivalent of dmamp; [Sn(dmamp)(empa)]2 (4), [Sn(dmamp)(mdpa)]2 (5), and [Sn(dmamp)(edpa)]2 (6) were prepared via the salt metathesis reaction using complex 2 with one equivalent of N-alkoxy-functionalized carboxamide ligand. Complexes 1-5 displayed dimeric molecular structures with tin metal centers interconnected by µ2-O bonding via the alkoxy oxygen atom. The molecular structures of complexes 1-5 showed distorted trigonal bipyramidal geometries with lone pair electrons in the equatorial position. Using complex 6 as a tin precursor, SnO x films were deposited by chemical solution deposition (CSD) and subsequent post-deposition annealing (PDA) at high temperatures. SnO and SnO2 films were selectively obtained under controlled PDA atmospheres of argon and oxygen, respectively. The SnO films featured a tetragonal romarchite structure with high crystallinity and a preferred growth orientation along the (101) plane. They also exhibited a lower transmittance of >52% at 400 nm due to an optical band gap of 2.9 eV. In contrast, the SnO2 films exhibited a tetragonal cassiterite crystal structure and an extremely high transmittance of >97% at 400 nm was observed with an optical band gap of 3.6 eV.

Group IV Transition Metal (M = Zr, Hf) Precursors for High-κ Metal Oxide Thin Films.

This paper describes the synthesis of eight novel zirconium and hafnium complexes containing N-alkoxy carboxamidate-type ligands, as potential precursors for metal oxides and atomic layer deposition (ALD) for HfO2. A series of ligands, viz., N-ethoxy-2,2-dimethylpropanamide (edpaH), N-ethoxy-2-methylpropanamide (empaH), and N-methoxy-2,2-dimethylpropanamide (mdpaH), were used to afford complexes Zr(edpa)4 (1), Hf(edpa)4 (2), Zr(empa)4 (3), Hf(empa)4 (4), Zr(mdpa)4 (5), Hf(mdpa)4 (6), ZrCp(edpa)3 (7), and HfCp(edpa)3 (8). Thermogravimetric analysis curves assessed for the evaporation characteristics of complexes 1-8 revealed single-step weight losses with low residues, except for the mdpa-containing complexes. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies of 1, 2, 5, and 6 revealed that all the complexes have monomeric molecular structures, with the central metal ion surrounded by eight oxygen atoms from the four bidentate alkoxyalkoxide ligands. Among the complexes prepared, 8 exhibited a low melting point (64 °C), good volatility (1 Torr at 112 °C), high thermal stability, and excellent endurance over 6 weeks at 120 °C. Therefore, an ALD process for the growth of HfO2 was developed using HfCp(edpa)3 (8) as a novel precursor. Furthermore, the HfO2 film exhibited a low capacitance equivalent oxide thickness of ∼1.5 nm, with Jg as low as ∼3 × 10-4 A/cm2 at Vg -1 V in a metal-insulator-semiconductor capacitor (Au/HfO2/p-Si).

Liquid Metal-Based Soft Electronics for Wearable Healthcare.

Wearable healthcare devices have garnered substantial interest for the realization of personal health management by monitoring the physiological parameters of individuals. Attaining the integrity between the devices and the biological interfaces is one of the greatest challenges to achieving high-quality body information in dynamic conditions. Liquid metals, which exist in the liquid phase at room temperatures, are advanced intensively as conductors for deformable devices because of their excellent stretchability and self-healing ability. The unique surface chemistry of liquid metals allows the development of various sensors and devices in wearable form. Also, the biocompatibility of liquid metals, which is verified through numerous biomedical applications, holds immense potential in uses on the surface and inside of a living body. Here, the recent progress of liquid metal-based wearable electronic devices for healthcare with respect to the featured properties and the processing technologies is discussed. Representative examples of applications such as biosensors, neural interfaces, and a soft interconnection for devices are reviewed. The current challenges and prospects for further development are also discussed, and the future directions of advances in the latest research are explored.

Senescent Tumor Cells Build a Cytokine Shield in Colorectal Cancer.

Cellular senescence can either support or inhibit cancer progression. Here, it is shown that intratumoral infiltration of CD8+ T cells is negatively associated with the proportion of senescent tumor cells in colorectal cancer (CRC). Gene expression analysis reveals increased expression of C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 12 (CXCL12) and colony stimulating factor 1 (CSF1) in senescent tumor cells. Senescent tumor cells inhibit CD8+ T cell infiltration by secreting a high concentration of CXCL12, which induces a loss of CXCR4 in T cells that result in impaired directional migration. CSF1 from senescent tumor cells enhance monocyte differentiation into M2 macrophages, which inhibit CD8+ T cell activation. Neutralization of CXCL12/CSF1 increases the effect of anti-PD1 antibody in allograft tumors. Furthermore, inhibition of CXCL12 from senescent tumor cells enhances T cell infiltration and results in reducing the number and size of tumors in azoxymethane (AOM)/dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced CRC. These findings suggest senescent tumor cells generate a cytokine barrier protecting nonsenescent tumor cells from immune attack and provide a new target for overcoming the immunotherapy resistance of CRC.

Microbial biosensor for Salmonella using anti-bacterial antibodies isolated from human serum.

In this work, we present a novel microbial biosensor for Salmonella based on impedance spectrometry by using isolated antibodies against a specific bacterial strain from human serum. Anti-Salmonella (or BL21(DE3)) antibodies were isolated from human serum using S. enteritidis (or BL21(DE3)) and the mutant strain ClearColi. After the purification steps, the purification yield of the antibodies was calculated to be 0.2 %. From the FACS analysis, the isolated anti-Salmonella antibodies were estimated to have more than 6-fold higher binding affinity for S. enteritidis compared to antibodies against other kinds of Gram-negative bacterial strains, including HB101, ClearColi, JM110, DH5α, and BL21(DE3). Finally, the anti-Salmonella antibodies isolated herein were used for bacterial detection using electrochemical biosensors based on impedance spectrometry and the Rct value of the antibodies was estimated for S. enteritidis from the Nyquist plot. The limit of detection of the isolated anti-Salmonella antibodies was estimated to be 1.0 × 103 cells/mL for S. enteritidis and 1.0 × 106 cells/mL for BL21(DE3), respectively.

Diagnosis of severe sepsis using phospholipids enzymatic assay based on cyclic voltammetry.

In this work phospholipid quantification was carried out using an enzymatic assay based on cyclic voltammetry of the condensation product of N-ethyl-N-(2-hydroxy-3-sulfopropyl)-3,5-dimethoxyaniline sodium salt (DAOS) and 4-aminoantipyrine (4-AP) with a graphite electrode. For the optimization of electrochemical measurement for the product, electrochemical properties such as the electrochemical window, double layer capacitance (Cdl) and electron transfer rate (kapp) were analyzed for a graphite-electrode and Au-electrode. The phospholipid enzymatic assay based the on electrochemical measurement using the graphite electrode was applied to the diagnosis of sepsis for sera from healthy volunteers (n = 16), patients with systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS, n = 16) and severe sepsis patients (n = 24). Finally, the phospholipid quantification results from the electrochemical measurement were statistically compared with the conventional method based on optical density measurement.

The Extent of Late Gadolinium Enhancement Can Predict Adverse Cardiac Outcomes in Patients with Non-Ischemic Cardiomyopathy with Reduced Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction: A Prospective Observational Study.

OBJECTIVE: The clinical course of an individual patient with heart failure is unpredictable with left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF) only. We aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR)-derived myocardial fibrosis extent and to determine the cutoff value for event-free survival in patients with non-ischemic cardiomyopathy (NICM) who had severely reduced LVEF. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Our prospective cohort study included 78 NICM patients with significantly reduced LV systolic function (LVEF < 35%). CMR images were analyzed for the presence and extent of late gadolinium enhancement (LGE). The primary outcome was major adverse cardiac events (MACEs), defined as a composite of cardiac death, heart transplantation, implantable cardioverter-defibrillator discharge for major arrhythmia, and hospitalization for congestive heart failure within 5 years after enrollment. RESULTS: A total of 80.8% (n = 63) of enrolled patients had LGE, with the median LVEF of 25.4% (19.8-32.4%). The extent of myocardial scarring was significantly higher in patients who experienced MACE than in those without any cardiac events (22.0 [5.5-46.1] %LV vs. 6.7 [0-17.1] %LV, respectively, p = 0.008). During follow-up, 51.4% of patients with LGE ≥ 12.0 %LV experienced MACE, along with 20.9% of those with LGE ≤ 12.0 %LV (log-rank p = 0.001). According to multivariate analysis, LGE extent more than 12.0 %LV was independently associated with MACE (adjusted hazard ratio, 6.71; 95% confidence interval, 2.54-17.74; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: In NICM patients with significantly reduced LV systolic function, the extent of LGE is a strong predictor for long-term adverse cardiac outcomes. Event-free survival was well discriminated with an LGE cutoff value of 12.0 %LV in these patients.

Rapid Analysis of Bacterial Contamination in Platelets without Pre-Enrichment Using Pig Serum-Derived Antibodies.

As the shelf life of platelets collected from donated blood is very short, approximately 5 days, the determination of bacterial contamination in platelets has become necessary. In this study, rapid analysis of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial contamination in platelet samples was presented without pre-enrichment using pig serum-derived antibodies against the outer membrane proteins (OMP) of Gram-negative bacteria and antibodies against lipoteichoic acid (LTA) on the surface of Gram-positive bacteria. The anti-OMP antibodies against Gram-negative bacteria were isolated using sequential incubation with (1) the modified Gram-negative bacteria ClearColi, which lacks lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on the outer membrane, and (2) the Gram-positive bacteriaBacillus subtilis to filter away nonspecifically bound proteins from ClearColi. The anti-lipoteichoic acid (LTA) antibodies against Gram-positive bacteria were isolated using sequential incubation with (1) the Gram-positive bacteriaB. subtilis and (2) the Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli BL21 to filter away nonspecifically bound proteins fromB. subtilis. The feasibility of using the antibodies isolated from pig serum against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria was demonstrated using flow cytometry. Finally, detection of the contamination of platelets with Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria using the impedance immunosensor based on these isolated antibodies was successfully demonstrated.

Synthesis and characterization of novel zinc precursors for ZnO thin film deposition by atomic layer deposition.

A novel series of zinc complexes, [EtZn(dab)]2 (1), [EtZn(damb)]2 (2), [EtZn(damp)]2 (3), and [EtZn(dadb)]2 (4), were prepared via single-step substitution. Further, these were analyzed by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), elemental analysis, single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The X-ray crystallography analysis revealed that all complexes exist as dimeric structures with distorted tetrahedral geometry having zinc centers that are interconnected via µ2-O bonding of the aminoalkoxy oxygen atom. TGA and thermal analysis of the complexes showed high volatilities and stabilities at sublimation temperatures of 70, 95, 90, and 105 °C at 0.5 Torr for the respective compounds. Precursor 3 was successfully used for ZnO thin film deposition by ALD. A growth rate per cycle (GPC) of 0.125 nm per cycle was obtained at 200 °C and XPS analysis confirmed the growth of highly pure ZnO films without carbon and nitrogen impurities, while XRD analysis revealed the deposition of reasonably crystalline films. Additionally, the high transmittance and wide bandgap of the films are suitable for optoelectronic applications.

Application of a thermophoretic immunoassay in the diagnosis of lupus using outer membrane particles from E. coli.

Thermophoresis is the physical diffusion of molecules from hot to cold induced by a thermal gradient. Thermophoresis has been used to evaluate the interaction of biomolecules in solution. In this study, the outer membrane from E. coli was isolated and used to produce OM particles with a diameter of approximately 100 nm. These prepared OM particles were applied in a thermophoretic immunoassay. First, outer membrane (OM) particles with lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and anti-LPS antibodies were used as a model to demonstrate proof of concept and the difference in E. coli thermophoresis was explained by the changes in the molecular surface area (A) and effective charge (σeff). The hydrodynamic size of the molecules was measured as a changing parameter, molecular surface area (A), by dynamic laser scattering (DLS), and the zeta potential was measured as a changing parameter of effective charge (σeff) and then evaluated by the Soret equation. Using the hydrodynamic size and zeta potential values, the interaction between the antigen (OM particle with LPS) and antibody (anti-LPS antibodies) could be monitored and the results were fitted to the thermophoretic immunoassay using the Soret coefficient and equation. Finally, this OM-based immunoassay was applied to the medical diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus. Here, OM particles with Ro and La proteins were used to analyze the autoantibodies in patient and control sera. Thermophoretic immunoassay results were also compared to the fitted analysis using hydrodynamic size and zeta potential values and the Soret coefficient and equation.