An intraindividual study of the characteristics of erythema induced by bath and oral methoxsalen photochemotherapy and narrowband ultraviolet B

We compared the characteristics of psoralen and ultraviolet A (PUVA) erythema in skin photosensitized by bath or oral methoxsalen in 20 subjects. Erythema was assessed visually and with a reflectance instrument at 24 h intervals for 7 days. In addition, narrowband ultraviolet B (TL-01 UVB) erythema was examined in 19 of these subjects at 4, 8, 12, 24, 48 and 72 h and in another nine subjects at 12, 15, 18, 21 and 24 h. Both bath and oral PUVA exhibited broad erythemal peaks beyond 72 h. For topical PUVA the lowest minimal phototoxic dose (MPD) occurred at 120 and 144 h (P = 0.01 and 0.03 compared with 72 h). Oral PUVA erythema peaked earlier at 96 h: the MPD was significantly lower at 96, 120 and 144 h compared with 72 h (P = 0.001, 0.01 and 0.02, respectively). At 120 h, bath PUVA had a significantly steeper slope compared with oral PUVA. The TL-01 UVB minimal erythema dose was significantly lower at 12 h compared with 24 h (P = 0.019). The majority of subjects were at maximal erythema at 12 h (22 of 28) and 15 h (eight of nine). Our results suggest that peak erythema for bath PUVA, oral PUVA and TL-01 UVB occurs at 120, 96 and 12-15 h, respectively.     

Microfluidics: from dynamic lattices to periodic arrays of polymer disks

We used coupling of flow and geometric confinement to assemble emulsion droplets in two-dimensional gliding lattices with a high degree of order and symmetry. Highly monodisperse discoid droplets with circular shapes were generated in a microfluidic flow-focusing device. Originally, close-packed lattices formed from these circular discoid droplets. Progressive confinement led to the gradual deformation of the circular disks: first, they elongated in the direction parallel to the direction of flow and then transformed into hexagons. Assembly driven by the combination of flow and confinement also allowed for the formation of lattices from droplets with a bimodal size distribution. We used photopolymerization of the monomer droplets to trap the lattice structure in the solid state and produce highly periodic arrays of solid polymer disks.     

Polyvinyl pyridines as flocculating agents

Summary High molecular weight poly 2- and 4-vinyl pyridines were synthesized by ionic polymerisation and their flocculation efficiency tested against kaolin and silica dispersions at pH 3. Low additions of the polymers, around 3 parts per 10₃ parts solid, destabilize the dispersions and clarify silica dispersions to a remarkable extent; however, over-addition of polymer leads to partial restabilization. The flocculation efficiency improves with increase of solids content, especially with clay dispersions. Flocculation efficiency increases with polymer molecular weight, especially over the lower part of the range covered, but is relatively independent of pH in the range 2–4. Quaternization of poly(4-vinyl pyridine) with bromobutane produces a good flocculant for aqueous silica dispersions in which the degree of restabilization on over-dosing depends on the KCI content. TheN-oxide derivatives of the vinyl pyridine polymers do not affect the colloidal stability of silica dispersions. The observations are interpreted in terms of bridging flocculation by the cationic polymer molecules between anionic surface sites on the solid particles.     

Ultrathin polymer film formation by collision-induced cross-linking of adsorbed organic molecules with hyperthermal protons

A new synthetic approach for the formation of ultrathin polymer films with customizable properties was developed. In this approach, the kinematic nature of proton collisions with simple organic molecules condensed on a substrate is exploited to break C-H bonds preferentially. The subsequent recombination of carbon radicals gives a cross-linked polymer thin film, and the selectivity of C-H cleavage preserves the chemical functionalities of the precursor molecules. The nature and validity of the method are exemplified with theoretical results from ab initio molecular dynamics calculations and experimental evidence from a variety of characterization techniques. Its applicability is demonstrated by the synthesis of ultrathin polymer films with precursor molecules such as dotriacontane, docosanoic acid, poly(acrylic acid) oligomer, and polyisoprene. The approach is fundamentally different from conventional chemical synthesis as it involves an unusual mix of physical and chemical processes including charge exchange, projectile penetration, kinematics, collision-induced dissociation, inelastic energy transfer, chain transfer, and chain cross-linking.     

Polymeric pH indicators immobilized PVA membranes for optical sensors of high basicity based on a kinetic process

Two kinds of polymeric pH indicators PPF (phenolphthalein-formaldehyde product) and CPF (o-cresolphthalein-formaldehyde product) immobilized cross-linked poly(vinyl alcohol) membranes (PPF-PVA and CPF-PVA) for optical intermittent determination of high basicity ([OH⁻] = 1-8 M) based on a kinetic process were developed. In our previous work, we had demonstrated that PPF-PVA and CPF-PVA could perform the determination of high pH values from pH 10.0 to 14.0. Here the discoloring kinetic behaviors of PPF-PVA and CPF-PVA were compared with those of free phenolphthalein, o-cresolphthalein and thymolphthalein. Experimental results and theoretical analysis indicated that the response behaviors of the optodes’ membranes in concentrated NaOH solutions were diffusion-independent and still complied with the pseudo-first-order kinetics. In addition, two data analysis methods for determination were presented. One was directly based on the reduced absorbance; the other was based on the discoloring kinetic constant. It was found that the latter could perform a rapid (60 s) and reliable (relative standard deviation: 2.6%) determination for high basicity. These kinds of optodes can be used repeatedly when they are immersed in low-pH solutions to regain the protonated form after each determination.     

Reversible replication between ordered mesoporous silica and mesoporous carbon

Highly ordered mesoporous silica can be regenerated from a mesoporous carbon CMK-3 that is a negative replica of mesoporous silica SBA-15, indicating reversible replication between carbon and inorganic materials.     

Radioactivity contents in building materials used in Hong Kong

The radioactivity contents in building materials used in Hong Kong were measured to determine the sources of the high indoor radon concentrations observed in local buildings. The radium contents and the radon emanation coefficients of different building materials were measured by high resolution γ-ray spectroscopy using germanium detectors. The radon exhalation rates were measured using scintillation cells by circulating the exhaled radon from building materials and obtaining the initial growth rates. The radium content and the radon exhalation rates of concrete and bricks used in Hong Kong were found to be higher than those in some other countries, resulting in high indoor radon concentrations probably due to the high radioactivity contents in the aggregates, granitic in nature, used in building materials.     

High levels of soluble herpes virus entry mediator in sera of patients with allergic and autoimmune diseases

Herpes virus entry mediator (HVEM) is a newly discovered member of the tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR) superfamily that has a role in herpes simplex virus entry, in T cell activation and in tumor immunity. We generated mAb against HVEM and detected soluble HVEM (SHVEM) in the sera of patients with various autoimmune diseases. HVEM was constitutively expressed on CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells, CD19(+) B cells, CD14(+) monocytes, neutrophils and dendritic cells. In three-way MLR, mAb 122 and 139 were agonists and mAb 108 had blocking activity. An ELISA was developed to detect sHVEM in patient sera. sHVEM levels were elevated in sera of patients with allergic asthma, atopic dermatitis and rheumatoid arthritis. The mAbs discussed here may be useful for studies of the role of HVEM in immune responses. Detection of soluble HVEM might have diagnostic and prognostic value in certain immunological disorders.     

Ethanol Washing Effect on Textural Properties of the Sodium Silicate-Derived Silica Xerogel

This study deals with the use of ethanol as washing solvent in the preparation of the silica gels from sodium silicate in order to enhance the textural properties, especially surface area. We here examined the effect of ethanol-washing on surface area, micro- and mesopore volume, and average pore size. The silica xerogels prepared from sodium silicate solution exhibited an extremely high surface area of 1139 m2/g by washing their hydrogels with ethanol. Compared to water-washed xerogels, ethanol-washed xerogels showed higher surface areas, total pore volumes, and larger average pore sizes. Unlike the surface area of water-washed xerogel, that of the ethanol-washed xerogel was not affected by the silica concentration of initial solution. This study indicates that the textural properties of sodium silicate-derived xerogels are further enhanced by using ethanol as washing solvent.     

Oxygen evolution reaction: a perspective on a decade of atomic scale simulations

Multiple strategies to overcome the intrinsic limitations of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) have been proposed by numerous research groups. Despite the substantial efforts, the driving force required for water oxidation is largely making the reaction inefficient. In the present work, we collected published studies involving DFT calculations for the OER, with the purpose to understand why the progress made so far, for lowering the overpotential of the reaction, is relatively small. The data revealed that the universal scaling relationship between HO* and HOO* intermediates is still present and robust, despite the variety in methods and structures used for calculating the binding energies of the intermediates. On the other hand, the data did not show a clear trend line regarding the O* binding. Our analysis suggested that trends in doped semiconducting oxides behave very differently from those in other oxides. This points towards a computational challenge in describing doped oxides in a realistic manner. We propose a way to overcome these computational challenges, which can be applied to simulations corresponding to doped semiconductors in general.

Multiple strategies to overcome the intrinsic limitations of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) have been proposed by numerous research groups.