Synthesis of a soluble fullerene-rotaxane incorporating a furamide template

The synthesis of a fullerene-rotaxane is described. The thread is constituted by a C₆₀ unit, which acts as a stopper, functionalized with a solubilizing side chain by 1,3 dipolar cycloaddition. The rotaxane is assembled by hydrogen bond-assisted synthesis using a fumaramide template.     

Processes in a Nickel-Zinc Battery with a Negative Electrode Containing a Calcium Hydroxide Additive

The influence exerted by a calcium hydroxide additive introduced into the negative electrode on the serviceability of a sealed nickel-zinc battery with a nickel oxide electrode fabricated from spherical nickel hydroxide on a foamed-nickel support was studied.__________Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Khimii, Vol. 78, No. 3, 2005, pp. 428–432.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Arkhangel’skaya, Krasnobryzhii, Kas’yan, Loginova, Vinogradova.     

Thermal properties of a molecule in a constrained state

The thermal properties of a dye molecule (guest) inside the cavity of a host amylose helix were studied by TGA, DSC, and Thermal Desorption MS. The results show that the degradation temperature of dye shifts to a higher temperature by approximately 20°C.     

Controlled release from a nanocarrier entrapped within a microcarrier

This study illustrates the entrapment of the dye molecule fluorescein sodium salt (FSS) by hydrogel nanoparticles, which are in turn confined inside a water-in-oil-in-water double-emulsion globule, and its subsequent release by the action of the competing agent hydrochloric acid (HCl). Thus, a "double carrier" concept is being introduced in which a nanoscale delivery vehicle is being transported by a microscale delivery vehicle in order to simultaneously take advantage of both systems. This may facilitate storage and handling while protecting the active substance and improving its action upon application.     

Intermolecular communication on a liposomal membrane: enzymatic amplification of a photonic signal with a gemini peptide lipid as a membrane-bound artificial receptor

A supramolecular system that can activate an enzyme through photo-isomerization was constructed by using a liposomal membrane scaffold. The design of the system was inspired by natural signal transduction systems, in which enzymes amplify external signals to control signal transduction pathways. The liposomal membrane, which provided a scaffold for the system, was prepared by self-assembly of a photoresponsive receptor and a cationic synthetic lipid. NADH-dependent L-lactate dehydrogenase, the signal amplifier, was immobilized on the liposomal surface by electrostatic interactions. Recognition of photonic signals by the membrane-bound receptor induced photo-isomerization, which significantly altered the receptor's metal-binding affinity. The response to the photonic signal was transmitted to the enzyme by Cu(2+) ions. The enzyme amplified the chemical information through a catalytic reaction to generate the intended output signal.     

Effective spring description of a bubble or a droplet interacting with a particle

It is shown that the interaction of a particle with a liquid drop or a gas bubble may be quantitatively described over the whole distance regime by treating the fluid interface as a Hookean spring. An algorithm suitable for analyzing atomic force microscopy data suitable for a calculator or a spread-sheet is given and applied to data for oil drops.     

Design of a coupled bioluminescent assay for a recombinant pyruvate kinase from a thermophilic Geobacillus

A simple and rapid method using coupled bioluminescent assay was developed to determine level of ADP. ADP is involved in many biological reactions and ADP assay can be used for assaying some reactions universally by monitoring ADP formation or depletion. ADP analysis involves incubation of ADP or extracts containing ADP with pyruvate kinase (PK) and PEP. The ATP formed by this reaction is determined by measuring the intensity of the initial light flash produced when luciferin-luciferase preparation injected into the reaction mixture. In regard to the main role of the PK in this assay, the gene of PK from a Geobacillus species has been cloned in expression vector pET28a (+), sequenced and overexpressed in Escherichia coli. Recombinant protein was purified using Ni-NTA column and then the purified PK was used in a coupled bioluminescent assay for ADP measurement. Kinetic properties of PK are determined according to a bioluminescent assay using firefly luciferase.     

Production of a positron microprobe using a transmission remoderator.

A production method for a positron microprobe using a beta+-decay radioisotope (22Na) source has been investigated. When a magnetically guided positron beam was extracted from the magnetic field, the combination of an extraction coil and a magnetic lens enabled us to focus the positron beam by a factor of 10 and to achieve a high transport efficiency (71%). A 150-nm-thick Ni(100) thin film was mounted at the focal point of the magnetic lens and was used as a remoderator for brightness enhancement in a transmission geometry. The remoderated positrons were accelerated by an electrostatic lens and focused on the target by an objective magnetic lens. As a result, a 4-mm-diameter positron beam could be transformed into a microprobe of 60 microm or less with 4.2% total efficiency. The S parameter profile obtained by a single-line scan of a test specimen coincided well with the defect distribution. This technique for a positron microprobe is available to an accelerator-based high-intensity positron source and allows 3-dimensional vacancy-type defect analysis and a positron source for a transmission positron microscope.     

Study of a nanocomposite based on a conducting polymer: polyaniline

A simple way to obtain a conducting nanocomposite is described, and the conducting particles are characterized. Core-shell particles [polystyrene-polyaniline (PANI)] have been obtained by the dispersion process from three types of polystyrene latexes: a no-cross-linked core stabilized by a nonylphenolethoxylate (NP40) and two cross-linked cores stabilized by NP40 and a mixture NP40/Surfamid (a surfactant bearing an amide group). The surface of these particles has been extensively characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), atomic force microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. A maximum coverage of 94% was obtained for the high PANI content as revealed by XPS analysis. A better coverage was obtained for the cross-linked polystyrene latex stabilized by the Surfamid. The amide group of this surfactant allows the H-bonding formation with the PANI backbone and, thus, improves the conductivity. It was shown that a uniform coverage of the core particles was not required to ensure a good conductivity.     

Site-directed regiocontrolled synthesis of a 'head-to-head' photodimer via a single-crystal-to-single-crystal transformation involving a linear template

Co-crystallisation of 1,8-naphthalenedicarboxylic acid (1,8-nap) with trans-1-(3-pyridyl)-2-(4-pyridyl)ethylene (3,4-bpe) gives a discrete molecular solid-state assembly, 2(3,4-bpe).2(1,8-nap) 1, that is held together by four O-H...N hydrogen bonds wherein the diacid directs a regiocontrolled [2 + 2] photodimerization; the reaction occurs by way of a single-crystal-to-single-crystal transformation.     

Squeezing a helium nanodroplet with a Rydberg electron

We have investigated, by means of density functional theory, the structure of a "scolium", that is, an electron circulating around a positively charged 4He nanodroplet, temporarily prevented from neutralization by the helium-electron repulsion. The positive ion core resides in the center of the nanodroplet where, as a consequence of electrostriction, a strong increase in the helium density with respect to its bulk value occurs. The electron enveloping the 4He cluster exerts an additional electrostatic pressure which further increases the local 4He density around the ion core. We argue that under such pressure, sufficiently small 4He nanodroplets may turn solid. The stability of a scolium with respect to electron-ion recombination is investigated.     

Controlling a recognition-mediated reaction using a pH switch

The selective recognition-mediated reaction between a nitrone bearing a urea recognition site and a maleimide bearing a proton switchable recognition site can be turned 'on' and 'off' by the addition of base and acid respectively.     

Intermolecular Communication on a Liposomal Membrane: Enzymatic Amplification of a Photonic Signal with a Gemini Peptide Lipid as a Membrane‐Bound Artificial Receptor

A supramolecular system that can activate an enzyme through photo‐isomerization was constructed by using a liposomal membrane scaffold. The design of the system was inspired by natural signal transduction systems, in which enzymes amplify external signals to control signal transduction pathways. The liposomal membrane, which provided a scaffold for the system, was prepared by self‐assembly of a photoresponsive receptor and a cationic synthetic lipid. NADH‐dependent L ‐lactate dehydrogenase, the signal amplifier, was immobilized on the liposomal surface by electrostatic interactions. Recognition of photonic signals by the membrane‐bound receptor induced photo‐isomerization, which significantly altered the receptor’s metal‐binding affinity. The response to the photonic signal was transmitted to the enzyme by Cu²⁺ ions. The enzyme amplified the chemical information through a catalytic reaction to generate the intended output signal.     

Impedance of a passive iron electrode in a solution containing a reducing agent

Frequency dependences of impedance of a passive iron electrode in 0.5 M Na₂SO₄ solutions with and without 0.01 M K₄[Fe(CN)₆] are obtained by a pulsed method and the Fourier transform. At 1–1000 Hz, the results in 0.5 M Na₂SO₄ satisfactorily agree with our previous results obtained by a lock-in method. With the [Fe(CN)₆]^4- ions present, the impedance decreases faster at lower frequencies. The impedance of the oxide film/solution interface relaxes longer the film impedance. These conclusions are similar to those obtained earlier.Translated from Elektrokhimiya, Vol. 41, No. 1, 2005, pp. 97–101.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Klyuev, Rotenberg, Batrakov.To the Centennial of B.N. Kabanov.     

Chaperone-assisted translocation of a polymer through a nanopore

Using Langevin dynamics simulations, we investigate the dynamics of chaperone-assisted translocation of a flexible polymer through a nanopore. We find that increasing the binding energy ε between the chaperone and the chain and the chaperone concentration N(c) can greatly improve the translocation probability. Particularly, with increasing the chaperone concentration a maximum translocation probability is observed for weak binding. For a fixed chaperone concentration, the histogram of translocation time τ has a transition from a long-tailed distribution to a gaussian distribution with increasing ε. τ rapidly decreases and then almost saturates with increasing binding energy for a short chain; however, it has a minimum for longer chains at a lower chaperone concentration. We also show that τ has a minimum as a function of the chaperone concentration. For different ε, a nonuniversal dependence of τ on the chain length N is also observed. These results can be interpreted by characteristic entropic effects for flexible polymers induced by either the crowding effect from a high chaperone concentration or the intersegmental binding for the high binding energy.     

Orientation of a nanocylinder at a fluid interface

A nanocylinder placed on a fluid interface can assume an end-on or side-on orientation, or it can immerse itself in the surrounding bulk phases. Any of these orientations can satisfy a mechanical force balance when the particle is small enough that gravitational effects are negligible. The orientation is determined by the surface energies of the fluid-solid, fluid-vapor, and vapor-solid surfaces. A comparison of the energy of each state allows phase diagrams to be defined in terms of the scaled aspect ratio x=2L/pir and the contact angle thetao, where L and r denote the nanocylinder length and radius, respectively. Line tension can also influence the orientations by changing the equilibrium contact angle theta and by increasing the energetic cost of the contact line. Phase diagrams accounting for positive line tensions Sigma are also constructed. These phase diagrams can be divided into two classes. In the first, over some range of x and Sigma, nanocylinders can be driven from side-on to end-on orientations with increasing Sigma. This transition terminates at a triple point where the side-on, end-on, and immersed energies are the same. In the second class, there is no triple point and, for a range of Sigma values, nanocylinders of all aspect ratios x prefer an end-on orientation. In all cases, for high enough Sigma, line tension drives a wetting transition similar to that already noted in the literature for spherical particles. The zero line tension predictions are compared favorably to experiment, in which functionalized gold nanowires made by template synthesis are spread at aqueous-gas interfaces, immobilized using a gel-fixation technique, and observed by scanning electron microscopy. The small aspect ratio particles (disks) were in an end-on configuration, while the longer nanowires were in a side-on orientation, in agreement with the theory.     

Evolution of a fungal ecosystem in a water distribution system to a positive bacterial biofilm subsequent to a treatment using essential oils

The present study aims to demonstrate the direct link between the microbial ecosystem of drinking water distribution systems and animal health in pig breeding. Based on a survey over 18 months, a treatment using essential oils proved to be efficient in increasing piglet health and zootechnical performance. Water pipe biofilms were monitored by laser scanning confocal microscopy, while zootechnical performance and health cost data were collected from professional organisations. In two representative monitored herds, it was observed that the drinking water distribution pipes, initially fouled by fungi, were replaced by a bacterial film while both veterinary costs and the total feed conversion ratio decreased. Essential oils may thus provide an efficient and sustainable alternative to the massive use of antibiotics for transforming an initial detrimental ecosystem to a positive biofilm.