Novel Azobenzene-Functionalized Polyelectrolytes of Different Substituted Head Groups 2: Control of Surface Wetting in Self-Assembled Multilayer Films

A novel set of light-responsive polyelectrolytes has been developed and studied, to control and tune surface wettability by introducing various types of substituted R head-groups of azo polyelectrolytes in self-assembled multilayer (SAMU) films. As part of a larger project to develop polymer surfaces where one can exert precise control over properties important to proteins and cells in contact, photo-reversibly, we describe here how one can tune quite reliably the contact angle of a biocompatible SAMU, containing a photo-reversible azo chromophore for eventual directed cell growth. The azo polyelectrolytes described here have different substituted R head-group pairs of shorter-ionized hydrophilic COOH and SO₃H, shorter non-ionized hydrophobic H and OC₂H₅, and larger non-ionized hydrophobic octyl C₈H₁₇ and C₈F₁₇, and were employed as polyanions to fabricate the SAMU onto silicon substrates by using the counter-charge polycation PDAC. The prepared SAMU films were primarily characterized by measurement of their contact angles with water. The surface wetting properties of the thin films were found to be dependent on the type of substituted R-groups of the azo polyelectrolytes through their degree of ionization, size, hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity, solubility, conformation, and inter-polymeric association and intra-polymeric aggregation. All these factors appeared to be inter-related, and influenced variations in hydrophobic/hydrophilic character to different extents of aggregates/non-aggregates in solution because of solvation effects of the azo polyanions, and were thus manifested when adsorbed as thin films via the SAMU deposition process. For example, one interesting observation is significantly higher contact angles of 79° for SAMU films of larger octyl R groups of PAPEA-C₈F₁₇ and PAPEA-C₈H₁₇ than for others with contact angles of 64° observed for non-polar R-groups of OC₂H₅ and H. Furthermore, lower contact angle values of 59° for SAMU films with polar R-groups of COOH and SO₃H relative to that of non-polar R-groups are in accordance with their expected order of the hydrophilicity or hydrophobicity. It is possible that the large octyl groups are more effective in shielding the ionic functional groups on the substrate surface, and contributed less to the water drop-molecule interactions with ionic groups of the PDAC and/or AA groups. In addition, higher hydrophobicity of the SAMU films may be due to the incorporation of bulky and hydrophobic groups in these polyelectrolytes, which can produce aggregates on the surfaces of the SAMU films. Through understanding and controlling the complex aggregation behavior of the different substituted R-groups of these azo polyelectrolytes, and hence their adsorption on substrates, it appears possible to finely tune the surface energy of these biocompatible films over a wide range, enhance the photo-switching capabilities of the SAMU films, and tailor other surface properties for the development and application of new devices in diverse areas of microfluidics, specialty coatings, sensors, and biomedical sciences.     

Miscellaneous applications of ferrocene‐based peptides/amides

This article provides a critical review of the different applications of ferrocene‐based peptides/amides in biological as well as in non‐biological systems. Ferrocene‐based peptides/amides find many applications in different fields such as materials science, medicine, organic synthesis, bio‐organometallic and biological chemistry, asymmetric catalysis, nonlinear optics, in polymer science as redox active polymers and dendrimers, in molecular recognition as biosensors and in electrochemistry). Extensive research is being done on ferrocene‐based peptides/amides but we will highlight the various applications of ferrocene‐based peptides/amides for the period 2006–2010. The main factors that govern the potential biological and non‐biological applications are an electroactive core, a conjugated linker that can act as a chromophore and lower the oxidation potential of the ferrocene part, an amino acid or peptide derivative that can interact with other molecules via hydrogen bonding or any secondary bonding, and symmetric and asymmetric substitution on the ferrocene moiety. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Performance evaluation of k 0-instrumental neutron activation analysis and flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry in the characterization of various types of alloys

Certified alloys of Ni–Cu based, Fe based and Cu–Sn based were analysed by semi-absolute, standardless k ₀-instrumental neutron activation analysis (k ₀-INAA) and flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry (FAAS) aiming at evaluating their comparative performances. In k ₀-INAA measurements, the irradiations were performed at miniaturized neutron source reactor having thermal neutron flux of about 1 × 10¹² cm^?2 s^?1. The experimentally optimized parameters for INAA suggested a maximum of three irradiations for the quantification of 21 elements within 5 days. The same experiments also produced quantitative results of 13 elements not reported in the certificates of the reference materials. AAS was, however, unable to determine any of those elements. Accuracy of the two techniques was assessed by comparing their average root mean squared errors. The data analysis concluded that k ₀-INAA had better sensitivity and accuracy than FAAS.     

小麦秸秆发酵产生的真菌Pleurotus ostreatus IBL-02锰过氧化物酶的溶胶-凝胶固定化及其催化污水脱色(英文)

Solid state bio-processing of wheat straw was carried out through an indigenous fungal strain Pleurotus ostreatus IBL-02 under pre-optimized fermentation conditions. The maximum activity, 692±12 U/mL, of the industrially important manganese peroxidase (MnP) enzyme was recorded after five days of still culture incubation. The crude MnP was 2.1-fold purified with a specific activity of 860 U/mg after purification on a Sephadex-G-100 gel column. On native and SDS-PAGE electrophoresis gels, the purified MnP fraction was a single homogenous band of 45 kDa. An active fraction of MnP was immobilized using hydrophobic sol-gel entrapment comprising tetramethoxysilane (T) and propyltrimethoxysilane (P) at different T:P molar ratios. Characterization revealed that after 24 h incubation at varying pH and temperatures, the MnP fraction immobilized at a T:P ratio of 1:2 in the sol-gel retained 82% and 75% of its original activity at pH4 and 70 ℃, respectively. The optimally active fraction at a 1:2 T:P ratio was tested against MnSO4 as a substrate to determine the kinetic catalytic constants KM and Vmax . To explore the industrial applicability of P. ostreatus IBL-02 MnP, both the free and immobilized MnP were used for the decolorization of four different textile industrial effluents. A maximum of 100% decolorization was achieved for the different textile effluents within the shortest time period. A lower KM , higher Vmax , hyper-activation, and enhanced acidic and thermal resistance up to 70 ℃ were the novel catalytic features of the sol-gel immobilized MnP, suggesting that it may be a potential candidate for biotechnological applications particularly for textile bioremediation purposes.     

Synthesis,spectroscopic characterization,X-ray crystal structure,biological screening and catalytic studies of organotin(IV) carboxylates of 3-(4-cyanophenyl) acrylic acid

A series of six organotin(IV) carboxylates [Me₂SnL₂] (1), [n-Bu₂SnL₂] (2), [n-Oct₂SnL₂] (3), [Me₃SnL] (4), n-Bu₃SnL (5) and [Ph₃SnL] (6), where L = 3-(4-cyanophenyl) acrylic acid have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, FT-IR and NMR (¹H, ¹³C). The complex (4) was also analyzed by single crystal X-ray analysis which showed distorted trigonal bipyramidal geometry with polymeric bridging behavior. The complexes 1–6 were screened for antimicrobial activities and cytotoxicity. The results showed significant activity with few exceptions. The catalytic activity of complexes was assessed in transesterification reaction of Brassica campestris oil (triglycerides) to produce biodiesel (fatty acid methyl esters). The results showed that triorganotin(IV) complexes exhibited good catalytic activity than their di-analogues.     

In vitro dielectrophoresis of HEK cell migration for stimulating chronic wound epithelialization

This article describes a dielectrophoresis (DEP)-based simulation and experimental study of human epidermal keratinocyte (HEK) cells for wounded skin cell migration toward rapid epithelialization. MyDEP is a standalone software designed specifically to study dielectric particles and cell response to an alternating current (AC) electric field. This method demonstrated that negative dielectrophoresis (N_DEP) occurs in HEK cells at a wide frequency range in highly conductive medium. The finite element method was used to characterize particle trajectory based on DEP and drag force. The performance of the system was assessed using HEK cells in a highly conductive EpiLife suspending medium. The DEP experiment was performed by applying sinusoidal wave AC potential at the peak-to-peak voltage of 10 V in a tapered aluminum microelectrode array from 100 kHz to 1 MHz. We experimentally observed the occurrence of NDEP, which attracted HEK cells toward the local electric field minima in the region of interest. The DIPP-MotionV software was used to track cell migration in the prerecorded video via an automatic marker and estimate the average speed and acceleration of the cells. The results showed that HEK cell migration was accomplished approximately at 6.43 μm/s at 100 kHz with 10 V, and F_DEP caused the cells to migrate and align at the target position, which resulted in faster wound closures because of the application of an electric field frequency to HEK cells in random locations.     

Effects of high hydrostatic pressure on secondary structure and emulsifying behavior of sweet potato protein

In this study, secondary structures of sweet potato protein (SPP) after high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) treatment (200–600?MPa) were evaluated and emulsifying properties of emulsions with HHP-treated SPP solutions in different pH values (3, 6, and 9) were investigated. Circular dichroism analysis confirmed the modification of the SPP secondary structure. Surface hydrophobicity increased at pH 3 and decreased at 6 and 9. Emulsifying activity index at pH 6 increased with an increase in pressure, whereas emulsifying stability index increased at pH 6 and 9. Oil droplet sizes decreased, while volume frequency distribution of the smaller droplets increased at pH 3 and 6 with the HHP treatment. Emulsion viscosity increased at pH 6 and 9 and pseudo-plastic flow behaviors were not altered for all emulsions produced with HHP-treated SPP. These results suggested that HHP could modify the SPP structure for better emulsifying properties, which could increase the use of SPP emulsion in the food industry.     

Mycotoxins: Simultaneous Detection of Zearalenone and Citrinin by Voltammetry on Edge Plane Pyrolytic Graphite Electrode

Mycotoxins are highly toxic compounds often found in the food. It is of paramount importance to have analytical technique for point‐of‐care on‐spot detection for authorised personnel to immediately take the action required. Electrochemistry offers the portability for miniaturized sensor of mycotoxins. Here we show that edge‐plane pyrolytic electrode offers excellent selectivity and sensitivity towards simultaneous detection of zearalenone and citrinin. This will have a great impact for point‐of‐care mycotoxin detection.     

Stability-Indicating Densitometric High-Performance Thin-Layer Chromatographic Method for the Quantitative Analysis of Biomarker Naringin in the Leaves and Stems of Rumex vesicarius L.

JPC – Journal of Planar Chromatography – Modern TLC - A simple, sensitive, and stability-indicating high-performance thinlayer chromatography (HPTLC)-densitometric method was developed...