Comparative studies of nontoxic and toxic amyloids interacting with membrane models at the air-water interface

Many in vitro studies have pointed out the interaction between amyloids and membranes, and their potential involvement in amyloid toxicity. In a previous study, we generated a yeast toxic mutant (M8) of the harmless model amyloid protein HET-s((218-289)). In this study, we compared the self-assembling process of the nontoxic wild-type (WT) and toxic (M8) protein at the air-water interface and in interaction with various phospholipid monolayers (DOPE, DOPC, DOPI, DOPS and DOPG). We first demonstrate using ellipsometry measurements and polarization-modulated infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (PMIRRAS) that the air-water interface promotes and modifies the assembly of WT since an amyloid-like film was instantaneously formed at the interface with an antiparallel β-sheet structuration instead of the parallel β-sheet commonly observed for amyloid fibers generated in solution. The toxic mutant (M8) behaves in a similar manner at the air-water interface or in bulk, with a fast self-assembling and an antiparallel β-sheet organization. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images established the fibrillous morphology of the protein films formed at the air-water interface. Second, we demonstrate for the first time that the main driving force between this particular fungus amyloid and membrane interaction is based on electrostatic interactions with negatively charged phospholipids (DOPG, DOPI, DOPS). Interestingly, the toxic mutant (M8) clearly induces perturbations of the negatively charged phospholipid monolayers, leading to a massive surface aggregation, whereas the nontoxic (WT) exhibits a slight effect on the membrane models. This study allows concluding that the toxicity of the M8 mutant could be due to its high propensity to interact with membranes.     

酚醛树脂包覆氧化天然石墨作为锂离子电池负极材料

天然石墨经过浓硫酸氧化处理,酚醛树脂包覆并高温碳化后形成具有核壳结构的碳包覆氧化天然石墨复合材料.采用扫描电子显微镜(SEM),透射电子显微镜(TEM),X射线衍射(XRD),激光显微拉曼光谱(Raman)等检测技术对氧化处理以及酚醛树脂热解碳包覆前后天然石墨材料的结构与形貌进行分析与表征.结果表明,氧化处理与适量的酚醛树脂热解碳包覆有效修复了天然石墨表面的一些缺陷结构,使其表面更为光滑.电化学测试结果显示,经过氧化处理与酚醛树脂热解碳包覆后天然石墨材料电化学性能得到明显提高.酚醛树脂包覆量为9%时,复合材料表现出最好的电化学性能,其首次放电比容量为434.0mAh·g-1,40次循环后,放电比容量保持在361.6mAh·g-1,而未经处理的天然石墨放电比容量仅为332.3mAh·g-1.该改性方法有效提高了天然石墨材料的比容量,对其进一步应用具有重要意义.     

Synthesis of PbSeTe single ternary alloy and core/shell heterostructured nanocubes

We report a robust method for synthesis of monodisperse PbSeTe single ternary alloy and core/shell heterostructured nanocubes, respectively. The key synthetic strategy to produce such different classes of nanocubes is to precisely control the time of reaction and successive growth. The crystallinity, shape/size distributions, structural characteristics, and compositions of as-prepared nanocubes, both ternary alloy and core/shell, were carefully studied. A plausible growth mechanism for developing each type of lead chalcogenide nanocubes is proposed. These delicately designed PbSeTe nanoscale architectures offer tunable compositions in PbSeTe ternary alloy and nano-interfaces in core/shell nanocubes, which are the critical factors in controlling thermal conductivity for applications in thermoelectrics.     

The synthesis and characterization of copper(II)–<Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis>-aminosalicylate complexes with diamine ligands

The complexes were synthesized by the reaction between sodium salt of p-aminosalicylic acid (PAS) and Cu(II) for 1 and corresponding ethylenediamine (en) or its derivatives for 2–6. The complexes were characterized by using elemental analyses, FT-IR, UV–Vis, magnetic moment measurements, and thermal analyses techniques. In complex 1[Cu₂(PA)₄(H₂O)₂], two Cu(II) ions were found as bridged by four μ-O:O′ p-aminosalicylato (PA) ligands, forming a cage structure, and two aqua ligands to form dinuclear square-pyramidal geometry around Cu(II) ions. In the complexes 2–6, the PA (anionic form of p-aminosalicylic acid) coordinated to Cu(II) ions as monodentate manner by using its oxygen atom of deprotonated carboxylic acid and ethylenediamine derivatives coordinated to the Cu(II) ions in bidentate manner to form mononuclear octahedral complexes [Cu(PA)₂(L)₂] (L = ethylendiamine, N,N-dimethylethylendiamine, N,N′-dimethylethylendiamine, N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylethylendiamine, and 1,3-propanediamine, for complexes 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, respectively). In all the complexes OH and NH₂ groups of PA ligands were not coordinated to metals.     

Thermal analysis characterization of PAAm-<Emphasis Type="Italic">co</Emphasis>-MC hydrogels

This paper reports the thermal characterization of polyacrylamide-co-methylcellulose hydrogels and the constituent monomers (acrylamide and methylcellulose). Polymeric materials can be used to produce hydrogels, which can be natural, synthetic, or a mixture. The hydrogels described here were obtained by free radical polymerization, in the presence of N,N′-methylene-bis-acrylamide as a cross-linker agent. Four acrylamide concentrations were used for the synthesis of hydrogels: 3.6, 7.2, 14.7, and 21.7% (w/v). The materials so obtained were analyzed by TG, DTG, DSC, and FT-IR. The TG curves of acrylamide and methylcellulose showed three mass loss events. In DSC curves, the acrylamide exhibited one melting peak at 84.5 °C, and methylcellulose indicated one exothermic event. Nevertheless, acrylamide was considered more stable than methylcellulose. The TG curves of the hydrogels exhibited three mass loss events, and on the DSC curves, three endothermic events were observed. It was verified that the different acrylamide proportions influenced the thermic behavior of hydrogels, and that the authors considered the 7.2% hydrogel a promising drug carrier system. The absorption bands were well defined, confirming the presence of the functional groups in the samples.     

Self‐Assembly of Lead Chalcogenide Nanocrystals

This review focuses on recent developments in the self‐assembly of lead chalcogenide nanocrystals into two‐ and three‐dimensional superstructures. Self‐assembly is categorized by the shapes of building blocks, including nanospheres, nanocubes, nano‐octahedra, and nanostars. In the section on nanospheres, rapid assemblies of lead chalcogenide‐based multicomponent nanocrystals with additional components, such as semiconductors, noble metals, and magnetic nanocrystals, are further highlighted. In situ self‐assembly of lead chalcogenide nanocrystals into one‐dimensional nanostructures at elevated temperatures is also covered. Each section of this paper highlights examples extracted from recent publications. Finally, relatively novel properties and applications arising from lead chalcogenide superlattices as typical examples are also discussed.     

Volatile constituents of two Hypericum species from Tunisia

The chemical composition of the essential oils obtained by hydrodistillation from the aerial parts of the Tunisian Hypericum perforatum and H. ericoides ssp. roberti was elucidated by a combination of GC and GC-MS analyses. The main constituents of the oil of H. perforatum were alpha-pinene (11.8%), alpha-ylangene (10.4%), germacrene-D (9.5%), n-octane (6.5%) and alpha-selinene (5.9%). The oil of H. ericoides ssp. roberti exhibited a higher amount of aliphatic and branched hydrocarbons and the main constituents were n-octane (29.1%), alpha-pinene (10.9%), pulegone (7.7%) and acetophenone (7%). Both qualitative and quantitative differences were observed between the studied oils. This chemical variability seems likely to result from the genetic variability, since samples of both species were collected at the same location and processed under the same conditions.     

On a multistage discrete stochastic optimization problem with stochastic constraints and nested sampling

Mathematical Programming -