52/2007

Mobile Metal Atoms
New class of lithium-rich solids with unusually high lithium mobility (PDF)

Li₆PS₅X: A Class of Crystalline Li-Rich Solids With an Unusually High Li⁺ Mobility

Hans-Jörg Deiseroth, Universität Siegen (Germany)

51/2007

Hydrogen Storage for Cars?
A Zippy Triple: Ternary hydride with autocatalytic reaction mechanism gives off hydrogen faster and at lower temperature (PDF)

A Self-Catalyzing Hydrogen Storage Material

Jun Yang, Ford Motor Company, Dearborn (USA)

50/2007

Polymerization From the Individual Molecule’s Point of View
Following radical polymerization with single-molecule spectroscopy of fluorescing probes (PDF)

Radical Polymerization Tracked by Single Molecule Spectroscopy

Johan Hofkens, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Heverlee (Belgium)

49/2007

Nanorings
Variable nanocomposites: Small, rigid DNA rings with a gap for the incorporation of functional molecules (PDF)

DNA Minicircles with Gaps for Versatile Functionalization

Bild / Picture (2.2 MB)

Michael Famulok, Universität Bonn (Germany)

48/2007

String of Fullerene Pearls
Components made of fullerenes and fullerene receptors line up to form short chains (PDF)

Self-Organization of Electroactive Materials: A Head-to-Tail Donor–Acceptor Supramolecular Polymer

Nazario Martín, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (Spain)

47/2007

Nanoswitches Toggled by Light
Ultrafast electron microscopy reveals switchable nanochannels in materials (PDF)

Controlled Nanoscale Mechanical Phenomena Discovered with Ultrafast Electron Microscopy

Ahmed H. Zewail, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena (USA)

46/2007

Two-faced Miniatures
New method for the production of defined microparticles with three-dimensional nanopatterns (PDF)

A Route to Three-Dimensional Structures in a Microfluidic Device: Stop-Flow Interference Lithography

Edwin L. Thomas, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge (USA)

45/2007

Tailored for Optical Applications
Coordination polymers as materials with very high birefringence (PDF)

Highly Birefringent Materials Designed Using Coordination-Polymer Synthetic Methodology

Daniel B. Leznoff, Simon Fraser University (Canada)

44/2007

Ripe Fruit Preferred
Chlorophyll breakdown in ripening apples and pears produces highly active antioxidants (PDF)

Colorless Tetrapyrrolic Chlorophyll Catabolites in Ripening Fruit Are Effective Antioxidants

Bernhard Kräutler, Universität Innsbruck (Austria)

43/2007

A Hairpin To Fight HIV
Hairpin-shaped mimetics imitate the helical protein that plays a role in the spread of HIV (PDF)

Design of β-Hairpin Peptidomimetics That Inhibit Binding of α-Helical HIV-1 Rev Protein to the Rev Response Element RNA

John A. Robinson, Universität Zürich (Switzerland)

42/2007

How Does the Antitumor Drug Get to the Cell Nucleus?
Copper transporter plays an unexpected role in the absorption of cisplatin (PDF)

Interaction between Platinum Complexes and a Methionine Motif Found in Copper Transport Proteins

Giovanni Natile, Università degli Studi di Bari (Italy)

41/2007

Platinum-Rich Shell, Platinum-Poor Core
New class of catalyst for fuel cells beats pure platinum by a mile (PDF)

Efficient Oxygen Reduction Fuel Cell Electrocatalysis on Voltammetrically Dealloyed Pt-Cu-Co Nanoparticles

Peter Strasser, University of Houston (USA)

40/2007

Contrast Agent Trials in Swine
New near-infrared contrast agent reveals bone- and breast-cancer-related microcalcifications (PDF)

Synthesis of Conjugatable Bisphosphonates for Molecular Imaging of Large Animals

John V. Frangioni, Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard Medical School, Boston (USA)

39/2007

Splitting Water with Sunlight
Semiconductor acts as photocatalyst, storage, and separator for hydrogen and oxygen from water (PDF)

A Titanium Disilicide Derived Semiconducting Catalyst for Water Splitting under Solar Radiation—Reversible Storage of Oxygen and Hydrogen

Martin Demuth, Max-Planck-Institut für Bioanorganische Chemie, Mülheim an der Ruhr (Germany)

38/2007

Mass Spectrometry of Living Subjects
New sampling method allows direct mass-spectrometric analysis of the skin’s surface (PDF)

Neutral Desorption Sampling of Living Objects for Rapid Analysis by Extractive Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry

Renato Zenobi, ETH Zürich (Switzerland)

37/2007

Swirled to the Left or Right?
Nanofibers align in stirred liquid (PDF)

Spectroscopic Visualization of Vortex Flows Using Dye-Containing Nanofibers

Takuzo Aida, University of Tokyo (Japan)

36/2007

XXL Cages
Organometallic lattice with unusually large pores can house gases and ferrocene molecules (PDF)

Crystal Structure and Guest Uptake of a Mesoporous Metal-Organic Framework Containing Cages of 3.9 and 4.7nm in Diameter

Jaheon Kim, Soongsil University, Seoul (Korea)

35/2007

Nano Dandelions
Bundles of cysteine–lead nanowires spread into highly oriented structures (PDF)

Facile Shape-Controlled Synthesis of Well-Aligned Nanowire Architectures in Binary Aqueous Solution

Figure 5

Xiu-Ping Yan, Nankai University, Tianjin (China)

34/2007

Natural Insecticide Re-Created in the Lab
Success after 22 years of research: synthesis of azadirachtin (PDF)

Synthesis of Azadirachtin: A Long but Successful Journey / A Relay Route for the Synthesis of Azadirachtin

Steven V. Ley, University of Cambridge (UK)

33/2007

Nanoreactors for Reaction Cascades
Nanoscopic bubbles with plastic membrane and built-in enzymes for multistep one-pot reactions (PDF)

Positional Assembly of Enzymes in Polymersome Nanoreactors for Cascade Reactions

Jan C. M. van Hest, Radboud University, Nijmegen (The Netherlands)

32/2007

From Microscopy to Nanoscopy
Photoswitchable rhodamine amides for high-resolution optical 3D far-field microscopy (PDF)

Photochromic Rhodamines Provide Nanoscopy with Optical Sectioning

Stefan W. Hell, Max-Planck-Institut für Biophysikalische Chemie, Göttingen (Germany)

31/2007

Molecule with a Split Personality
Porphyrinoid switches back and forth between Hückel and Möbius topologies (PDF)

Expanded Porphyrin with a Split Personality: A Hückel–Möbius Aromaticity Switch

Lechosław Latos-Grażyński, Uniwersytet Wrocławski, Wrocław (Poland)

30/2007

Switchable Adhesive
Gel- and polymer-coated surfaces stick together and separate in response to an environmental stimulus (PDF)

Controlling Network–Brush Interactions to Achieve Switchable Adhesion

Mark Geoghegan, University of Sheffield (UK)

29/2007

Coming Soon: Protein Synthesis Without Amino Acids?
Polypeptide synthesis done differently: cobalt-catalyzed copolymerization of imines and CO (PDF)

Metal-Catalyzed Copolymerization of Imines and CO: A Non-Amino Acid Route to Polypeptides

Huailin Sun, Nankai University, Tianjin (China)

28/2007

Chameleon for Optoelectronics
Optical semiconductors made of magnetic particles change their color depending on magnetic field strength (PDF)

Highly Tunable Superparamagnetic Colloidal Photonic Crystals

Yadong Yin, University of California, Riverside (USA)

27/2007

Nano Wagon Wheels
Researchers synthesize molecule shaped like a wagon wheel (PDF)

Molecularly Defined Shape-Persistent 2D Oligomers: The Covalent-Template Approach to Molecular Spoked Wheels

Sigurd Höger, Universität Bonn (Germany)

26/2007

Microscale Chemical Factory
Flow-through multistep synthesis (PDF)

Multistep Continuous-Flow Microchemical Synthesis involving Multiple Reactions and Separations

Klavs F. Jensen, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge (USA)

25/2007

Bioelectronics
Progress toward drug screening with a cell–transistor biosensor (PDF)

Recombinant Serotonin Receptor on a Transistor as a Prototype for Cell-Based Biosensors

Peter Fromherz, Max Planck Institute for Biochemistry, Martinsried (Germany)

24/2007

Emulsion with a Round-Trip Ticket
Oil-in-water to water-in-oil and back: double inversion of emulsions using nanoparticles and surfactants (PDF)

Double Inversion of Emulsions by Using Nanoparticles and Dichain Surfactants

Bernard P. Binks, University of Hull (UK)

23/2007

Progress Toward an Antitumor Vaccine
Thioether acts as an immunologically suitable connector between an antitumor antigen and a carrier protein (PDF)

Synthetic Vaccines of Tumor-Associated Glycopeptide Antigens by Immune-Compatible Thioether Linkage to Bovine Serum Albumin

Horst Kunz, Universität Mainz (Germany)

22/2007

Coming Soon: Blood Vessels from a Test Tube?
Controlled layered structures from living cells and an extracellular matrix (PDF)

Fabrication of Cellular Multilayers with Nanometer-Sized Extracellular Matrix Films

Mitsuru Akashi, Osaka University (Japan)

21/2007

Better Insight into Brain Anatomical Structures
Manganese oxide nanoparticles as contrast agents for brain magnetic resonance imaging (PDF)

Development of a T₁ Contrast Agent for Magnetic Resonance Imaging Using MnO Nanoparticles

Taeghwan Hyeon, Seoul National University (Korea)

20/2007

Fingerprint instead of Blood Sample
Antibody tests on fingerprints to detect drugs and diseases (PDF)

"Intelligent" Fingerprinting: Simultaneous Identification of Drug Metabolites and Individuals with Antibody-Functionalized Nanoparticles

David A. Russell, University of East Anglia, Norwich (UK)

19/2007

Revealing Photographs of DNA
Smile! Ultrasensitive DNA detection with photographic paper (PDF)

DNA Photography: An Ultrasensitive DNA-Detection Method Based on Photographic Techniques

Thomas Carell, Ludwigs-Maximilians-Universität München (Germany)

18/2007

Molecular Rendezvous Caught on Camera
Scientists watch on the atomic level how individual molecules recognize each other (PDF)

Tracking the Chiral Recognition of Adsorbed Dipeptides at the Single-Molecule Level

Magalí Lingenfelder, Max-Planck-Institut für Festkörperforschung, Stuttgart (Germany)

17/2007

Gene Lab To Go
Reasonably priced and battery-driven: a pocket PCR device (PDF)

A Pocket-Sized Convective PCR Thermocycler

Victor M. Ugaz, Texas A&M University, College Station (USA)

16/2007

Scent Prediction
Lily of the valley fragrance: electronic surface structure determines interactions with scent receptors (PDF)

Prediction of Perception: Probing the hOR17-4 Olfactory Receptor Model with Silicon Analogues of Bourgeonal and Lilial

Reinhold Tacke, Universität Würzburg (Germany)

15/2007

Fascinating Spider Silk
Genetically engineered spider silk proteins lead to a better understanding of the spinning process (PDF)

The Amphiphilic Properties of Spider Silks Are Important for Spinning

Thomas Scheibel, Technische Universität München, Garching (Germany)

14/2007

Golden Nano-Dumbbells
Selective binding of gold nanoparticles to the ends of rod-shaped viruses (PDF)

Self-Assembly of Metal–Virus Nanodumbbells

Alexander M. Bittner, Max-Planck-Institut für Festkörperforschung, Stuttgart (Germany)

13/2007

For Clean Air
Porous manganese oxide garnished with gold nanoparticles removes volatile organic compounds from air and breaks them down (PDF)

Mesostructured Manganese Oxide/Gold Nanoparticle Composites for Extensive Air Purification

Anil K. Sinha, Toyota Central R&D Labs, Nagakute-cho (Japan)

12/2007

Laying Microscale Tiles
Microcrystalline monolayers: Laying by hand is superior to self-assembly methods (PDF)

Manual Assembly of Microcrystal Monolayers on Substrates

Kyung Byung Yoon, Sogang University, Seoul (Korea)

11/2007

Rings Made of Little Rods
Water droplets as templates: gold nanorods self-assemble into rings (PDF)

Rings of Nanorods

Eugene R. Zubarev, Rice University, Houston, TX (USA)

10/2007

Progress toward Artificial Photosynthesis?
Direct activation with graphitic carbon nitride makes carbon dioxide accessible for chemical synthesis (PDF)

Metal-Free Activation of CO₂ by Mesoporous Graphitic Carbon Nitride

Markus Antonietti, Max Planck Institute for Colloids and Interfaces, Potsdam (Germany)

09/2007

Little Rafts Battle Anthrax
Higher effectiveness: microdomains enriched with anthrax inhibitors float on liposomes (PDF)

Raftlike Polyvalent Inhibitors of the Anthrax Toxin: Modulating Inhibitory Potency by Formation of Lipid Microdomains

Ravi S. Kane, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy (USA)

08/2007

Peanut-Shaped Nanostructures
Anisotropic palladium sulfide–cobalt sulfide–palladium sulfide nanoparticles (PDF)

Anisotropically Phase-Segregated Pd-Co-Pd Sulfide Nanoparticles Formed by Fusing Two Co-Pd Sulfide Nanoparticles

Toshiharu Teranishi, University of Tsukuba (Japan)

07/2007

Batten Down the Hatches Against HIV
Carbon nanotubes transport gene therapy drug into T-cells known to block HIV from entering cells in vitro (PDF)

siRNA Delivery into Human T Cells and Primary Cells with Carbon-Nanotube Transporters

Hongjie Dai, Stanford University (USA)

06/2007

Volcanoes and Nanotechnology
Etna produces catalyst: direct synthesis of carbon nanotubes with volcanic rock (PDF)

Natural Lavas as Catalysts for Efficient Production of Carbon Nanotubes and Nanofibers

Dang Sheng Su, Fritz-Haber-Institut der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Berlin (Germany)

05/2007

Navigable Nanotransport
Direct synthesis of hollow nanoscopic spheres with tailored surfaces (PDF)

Direct Synthesis of Polymer Nanocapsules with a Noncovalently Tailorable Surface

Kimoon Kim, Pohang University of Science and Technology (Republic of Korea)

04/2007

Diagnosis by Patterned Paper
Reasonably priced, quick, and practical: Photoprinted paper supports simultaneous microscale diagnostic tests (PDF)

Patterned Paper as a Platform for Inexpensive, Low-Volume, Portable Bioassays

George M. Whitesides, Harvard University, Cambridge (USA)

03/2007

Light-Emitting Diodes for Night-Vision Displays
Redder than Red: Porphyrin complex used as doping agent in highly efficient infrared-light-emitting diodes (PDF)

Highly Efficient, Near-Infrared Electrophosphorescence from a Pt–Metalloporphyrin Complex

Mark E. Thompson, University of Southern California, Los Angeles (USA)

02/2007

Lead with a Poisonous Electron Shield
A free pair of electrons may be the source of lead’s toxicity (PDF)

Is an Electronic Shield at the Molecular Origin of Lead Poisoning? A Computational Modeling Experiment

Olivier Parisel, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris VI (France)

01/2007

The Future of Energy Supply
Challenges and Opportunities (PDF)

The Future of Energy Supply—Challenges and Opportunities

Vincenzo Balzani, Università di Bologna

01/2007

Nanoscale Cubes and Spheres
Uniform porous silicon oxide nano-objects formed by controlled disassembly of a lattice structure (PDF)

Shaping Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles by Disassembly of Hierarchically Porous Structures

Andreas Stein, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis (USA)