This review gives an emerging outlook on the advantages and unique responsiveness of weak polyelectrolyte based systems that can enable their widespread use in potential applications. Copyright © 2020, Sharma and Sundaramurthy; licensee Beilstein-Institut.Ag-based plasmonic nanostructures were manufactured by thermal annealing of thin metallic films. Structure and morphology were studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). SEM images show that the formation of nanostructures is influenced by the initial layer thickness as well as the temperature and the time of annealing. The Ag 3d and Ag 4d XPS spectra are characteristic of nanostructures. The quality of the nanostructures, in terms of their use as plasmonic platforms, is reflected in the UV-vis absorption spectra. The absorption spectrum is dominated by a maximum in the range of 450-500 nm associated with the plasmon resonance. As the initial layer thickness increases, an additional peak appears around 350 nm, which probably corresponds to the quadrupole resonance. For calculations leading to a better illustration of absorption, scattering and overall absorption of light in Ag nanoparticles, the Mie theory is employed. Absorbance and the distribution of the electromagnetic field around the nanostructures are calculated by finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulations. For calculations a novel approach based on modelling the whole sample with a realistic shape of the nanoparticles, instead of full spheres, was used. This led to a very good agreement with the experiment. Copyright © 2020, Kozioł et al.; licensee Beilstein-Institut.A number of bacterial glycans are specific markers for the detection and the serological identification of microorganisms and are also widely used as antigenic components of vaccines. The use of gold nanoparticles as carriers for glyco-epitopes is becoming an important alternative to the traditional conjugation with proteins and synthetic polymers. In this study, we aimed to prepare and evaluate in vivo glyco-gold nanoparticles (glyco-GNPs) bearing the terminal-branched hexaarabinofuranoside fragment (Ara6) of arabinan domains of lipoarabinomannan and arabinogalactan, which are principal polysaccharides of the cell wall of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of tuberculosis.  https://www.selleckchem.com/products/sn-001.html  In particular, we were interested whether the antibodies generated against Ara6-GNPs would recognize the natural saccharides on the cell surface of different mycobacterial strains. Two synthetic Ara6 glycosides with amino-functionalized spacer aglycons differing in length and hydrophilicity were directly conjugated with spherical gold nanoparticles (d = 15 nm) to give two sets of glyco-GNPs, which were used for the immunization of rabbits. Dot assays revealed cross-reactions between the two obtained antisera with the hexaarabinofuranoside and the 2-aminoethyl aglycon used for the preparation of glyco-GNPs. Both antisera contained high titers of antibodies specific for Mycobacteria as shown by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using M. bovis and M. smegmatis cells as antigens while there was only a weak response to M. phlei cells and no interaction with E. coli cells. The results obtained suggest that glyco-GNPs are promising agents for the generation of anti-mycobacterial antibodies. Copyright © 2020, Burygin et al.; licensee Beilstein-Institut.In the vast majority of studies on semiconductor particles ligands or capping agents are used that bind to the surface of the particles covering them with an electrically insulating shell. Since the transport of charge carriers and/or energy across interfaces is desirable for a variety of applications, the use of π-conjugated ligands becomes increasingly interesting. Among them are compounds that react to external stimuli. Molecular switches in particular are fascinating because the properties of the interfaces can be potentially adjusted as required. However, there is debate about how the properties of such special ligands are influenced by the presence of a semiconductor and vice versa. Here ammonium-modified azobenzene compounds were selected as prototypes for molecular switches and organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites as semiconductor materials. The class of ammonium-lead-halide phases as prototypes is peculiar because, in addition to the surface functionalization of 3D crystals, organic compounds can acttween the chromophore and the perovskite phase. Copyright © 2020, Fillafer et al.; licensee Beilstein-Institut.We are presenting a case of hypokalemic paralysis in a patient who presented to the emergency department (ED) with a unique clinical picture that did not fully fit with other causes of periodic paralysis (hypokalemic periodic paralysis, thyrotoxic periodic paralysis, hyperkalemic periodic paralysis, and Anderson syndrome). The patient presented to the ED complaining of two days of severe flaccid paralysis in both legs and left arm; his right arm was completely normal. Initially, he was treated as a stroke alert patient and had head and spine computed tomography (CT) scans and both showed no acute pathologic changes. Initial labs showed a potassium level of 1.9 and a magnesium level of 1.8. Electrocardiography (EKG) showed prolonged QTc of 534 ms. The patient was admitted to the ICU and started on intravenous and oral potassium replacement. Over the next 24 hours, he started to regain his muscle power gradually until it came back to his baseline. Repeat EKG also showed QTc back to normal. We compared our patient's initial presentation to other published case reports with periodic paralysis and found that his initial presentation was different than other published cases. Copyright © 2020, Katabi et al.The pituitary gland is an uncommon site of tumor metastasis in the brain, comprising only 1% of all intracranial metastasis. Large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) is similarly rare, accounting for only 3% of all lung malignancies in adults. We describe a case of LCNEC of lung origin that metastasized to the pituitary gland. The pituitary lesion was found during the workup for a metastatic LCNEC of lung origin in the ovary. Initially thought to be a pituitary adenoma, interval growth of the lesion during imaging follow-up raised clinical suspicion of a second metastatic site. The patient underwent endoscopic resection and pathological examination confirmed the pituitary lesion to be from the lung primary. Post-operatively, the patient developed signs and symptoms of diabetes insipidus that was adequately treated with DDAVP. The patient underwent postoperative radiotherapy one month after the surgery and a repeat MRI at the 12-month follow-up demonstrates no progression of the pituitary lesion. Copyright © 2020, Hu et al.