Bailey Montoya (riflekite9)

When imaging cells, nuclear counterstaining is imperative; however, many commercial nuclear-staining dyes based on nucleic acid intercalation result in nonspecific signals in the cytoplasm. Here, we propose a new strategy that stains the nucleus with high specificity by in situ formation of DNA-templated copper nanoparticles (CuNPs). We demonstrated that genomic DNA in the nucleus enabled rapid formation of highly fluorescent CuNPs immediately following addition of a copper ion source and ascorbate as a reducing agent. Moreover, we found that RNA and mitochondrial DNA, largely responsible for nonspecific cytoplasmic signals from commercial nuclear-staining dyes, did not mediate the formation of the highly fluorescent CuNPs, resulting in highly specific nuclear staining at a reduced cost relative to commercially available methods. Furthermore, we verified the compatibility of the proposed method with other fluorescence-labeling techniques. These results demonstrated the efficacy of this method and its promise as a powerful tool for cell imaging.We demonstrate the fabrication of Li-containing ("lithicone") thin films prepared via molecular layer deposition (MLD) using lithium tert-butoxide and ethylene glycol. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy reveals that the stoichiometry of the lithicone is Li1.5C2O1.8 (H omitted), with C-O-Li moieties present in the film. The bonding environment of lithicone is distinct from that of lithium carbonate or MLD alucone films. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements show that annealed lithicone films exhibit room temperature ionic conductivity of 3.6-5 × 10-8 S cm-1 with an activation energy of ∼0.6 eV. The lithicone MLD process provides a pathway to further develop hybrid inorganic-organic Li-ion conducting materials for future battery applications.The development of lanthanide based coordination polymer and metal-organic framework (CPs and MOFs) nanomaterials as novel functional (e.g. luminescent and magnetic) materials has attracted significant attention in recent times. This is in part due to the wide, but yet unique coordination requirements that the f-metal ions possess, as well as their attractive physical properties, which are often transferred to the bulk material. Hence, there is no surprise, that the design, synthesis and characterisation of lanthanide based CP/MOF materials (featuring either 'pure' lanthanides, or a mixture of both f- and d-metal ions) for applications in gas and small molecule absorption, storage, conversion/catalysis, chemical sensing, bio-imaging, drug delivery, etc. has been a prominent feature in the scientific literature. In this review, we give a selected overview of some of the recent developments in the area of Ln CP/MOF based nanomaterials for sensing, optical materials and bio-medicine research, as well as making reference to some more established examples, with the view of introducing, particularly to new researchers to the field, the powerful and attractive features of lanthanide based materials.Exploring highly effective and low-cost non-noble metal-based electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is critical for renewable energy conversion and metal-air batteries. Herein, a novel and high-efficient OER catalyst was reported with nitrogen-doped oxide/sulfide heterostructures (named N-NiCo2S4/CoO microsphere). The N-NiCo2S4/CoO microsphere was synthesized by annealing NiCo-BTC MOF to a multi-layered hollow structure of NiCo2O4 microspheres, followed by the direct vulcanization in the presence of NH4HCO3, resulting in an oxide/sulfide heterojunction. Benefiting from the nitrogen doping, the abundant multi-layered hollow heterostructure and the interfaces between multiple components, the N-NiCo2S4/CoO microsphere exhibited excellent OER activity with a low overpotential of 227 mV at 10 mA cm-2. The Zn-air battery based on the N-NiCo2S4/CoO + Pt/C catalyst displayed excellent cycling stability after 900 cycles at a large current densit