dl‐Aspartic Acid‐Mediated Hydrothermal Synthesis of β‐ZnS Microspheres and Their Optical Properties

ZnS hollow microspheres were synthesized by a dl ‐aspartic acid mediated hydrothermal route. dl ‐aspartic acid plays an important role as crystal growth soft template, which regulates the release of Zn²⁺ ions for the formation of ZnS hollow spheres. The formation of these hollow spheres was mainly attributed to an Ostwald ripening process. The products were characterized by X‐ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), electron diffraction (ED), UV/Vis spectroscopy (UV), and photoluminescence (PL). The shells of the microspheres were composed of ZnS quantum dots (QDs) with the average size of 2.31 nm. The average microspheres diameter is 0.5–3.5 μm. The shell thickness of the hollow sphere is ≈?300 nm. The optical bandgap energy increased significantly compared to the bulk ZnS material due to the strong quantum confinement effect. Two strong emissions at ≈?425 nm and ≈?472 nm in the photoluminescence (PL) spectrum of ZnS hollow microspheres indicate strong quantum confinement because of the presence of QDs.     

基于冠心病心肌缺血血瘀证小型猪血清核磁共振代谢组学的研究

通过左冠状动脉前降支放置Ameriod环制备冠心病慢性心肌缺血动物模型,并结合冠脉造影等方法确立中医血瘀证证候,采用现代核磁共振(NMR)和模式识别技术,分析冠心病心肌缺血血瘀证模型与假手术组小型猪4星期血清的共振氢谱,及相应代谢物谱群的变化,开展中医血瘀证候学的研究.结果显示,该方法制备的模型4星期后确立为稳定的冠心...     

Ionic liquid mediated sol-gel sorbents for hollow fiber solid-phase microextraction of pesticide residues in water and hair samples

An ionic liquid mediated sol-gel sorbents for hollow fiber solid-phase microextraction (HF-SPME) was developed for extraction of the pesticides: diazinon, fenitrothion, malathion, fenvalerate, phosalone and tridemorph from human hair and water samples. The analytes were subsequently analyzed with high performance liquid chromatography and diode array detection (HPLC-DAD). Preliminary experiments were carried out in order to study experimental conditions for pesticides' extraction from spiked hair and water samples with HF-SPME using hollow fiber-supported ionic liquid mediated sol-gel sorbent. The sol-gel nanocomposites were reinforced with nanoparticles such as carboxylic functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (COOH-MWCNTs), amino functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (NH(2)-MWCNTs), nano SiO(2), nano TiO(2) and nano MgO comparatively to promote extraction efficiency. In this device, the innovative solid sorbents were developed by the sol-gel method via the reaction of tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) with 2-amino-2-hydroxymethyl-propane-1,3-diol (TRIS). In the basic condition (pH 10-11), the gel growth process in the presence of ionic liquid and nanoparticles was initiated. Then, the sol was injected into a polypropylene hollow fiber segment for in situ gelation process. Parameters affecting the efficiency of HF-SPME were thoroughly investigated. Linearity was observed over a range of 0.01-25,000 ng/mL with detection limits between 0.004 and 0.095 ng/mL for the pesticides in the aqueous matrices and 0.003-0.080 ng/mL in the hair matrices. The relative recoveries in the real samples ranged from 82.0% to 94.0% for the pesticides store seller's hair and the work researchers' hair. Results are showing the great possibilities of HF-SPME-HPLC-PDA for analysis of pesticides in biological and environmental samples.     

A three-dimensional hierarchical nanoporous PdCu alloy for enhanced electrocatalysis and biosensing

Nanoporous copper (NPC) obtained by dealloying CuAl alloy is used as both three-dimensional template and reducing agent for the fabrication of nanoporous PdCu alloy with hollow ligaments by a simple galvanic replacement reaction with H₂PdCl₄ aqueous solution. Electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction characterizations demonstrate that after the replacement reaction, the ligaments become hollow tubular structure and the ligament shell is also comprised of small pores and nanoparticles with a typical size of ∼4 nm (third order porosity). The as-prepared nanotubular mesoporous PdCu alloy (NM-PdCu) structure exhibits remarkably improved electrocatalytic activity towards the oxidation of formic acid and H₂O₂ compared with nanoporous Pd (NP-Pd), and can be used for sensitive electrochemical sensing applications. After coupled with glucose oxidase (GOx), the enzyme modified NM-PdCu electrode can sensitively detect glucose over a wide linear range (0.5–20 mM).     

Synthesis and application of a novel solid-phase microextraction adsorbent: Hollow fiber supported carbon nanotube reinforced sol–gel for determination of phenobarbital

A novel solid-phase microextraction technique using a hollow fiber-supported sol–gel combined with multi-walled carbon nanotubes was employed in the determination of phenobarbital in wastewater. In this new technique, a silica-based, organic–inorganic polymer containing functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) was prepared with sol–gel technology via the reaction of tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) with an acidic catalyst (HCl). This sol was injected into a polypropylene hollow fiber segment for in situ gelation. This device operated in direct immersion sampling mode. The experimental setup is simple and affordable, and the device is disposable, so there is no risk of cross-contamination or carry-over. Parameters affecting extraction such as pH of the aqueous solution, ageing and extraction times, aqueous sample volume, agitation speed and carbon nanotube amount were optimized. Linearity was observed over a range of 0.50–5000 ng mL⁻¹, with an estimation coefficient (r²) higher than 0.982. The limit of detection (LOD) was 0.32 ng mL⁻¹ (n = 5), and repeatability (RSD% = 2.9) was from the average of three levels of analyte concentrations (1, 1000 and 4500 ng mL⁻¹) with three replicates for each within a single day. Finally, a pre-concentration factor of 2100 was obtained for phenobarbital.     

Hollow fiber liquid phase microextraction as a preconcentration and clean-up step after pressurized hot water extraction for the determination of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in sewage sludge

A method for the quantitative determination of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in sewage sludge was developed and validated. The target compounds were extracted using pressurized hot water extraction (PHWE) and then purified and preconcentrated by three-phase hollow fiber liquid phase microextraction (HF-LPME) followed by LC–ESI-MS analysis. The PHWE was optimized with regard to the pH of solvent as well as other operational parameters. The optimum conditions were 0.01 M NaOH as the extraction solvent, temperature of 120 °C, pressure of 100 bar, static time 5 min, 5 cycles, flush volume 90% and purge time 60 s. Spike recoveries for sludge samples spiked at 200 ng g⁻¹ were in the range of 101–109% but for the native drugs in non-spiked sludge samples, recoveries were 38.9%, 59.8%, 90.3% and 47.8% for ketoprofen, naproxen, diclofenac and ibuprofen, respectively. Donor phase pH, ionic strength and extraction time were optimized for HF-LPME after PHWE. The optimum conditions were 2 h extraction at pH 1.5 without salt addition. Enrichment factors in the range of 947–1213 times were achieved (extraction recoveries were 23.6–30.3%) for HF-LPME after PHWE. The matrix effect on the ionization of drugs in LC–ESI-MS was also investigated. The results show that there is a smaller matrix effect (−8.9% to +14.6%) in comparison with other published values obtained using solid phase extraction (SPE) for clean-up after pressurized liquid extraction (PLE). Method detection limits (MDLs) and method quantification limits (MQLs) for different drugs were in the range of 0.4–3.7 ng g⁻¹ and 1.5–12.2 ng g⁻¹ in dried sludge samples, respectively. The characteristics of the proposed method were compared with those of other published works. The considerably lower ion suppression/enhancement and minimum use of organic solvents (a few microliters of di-n-hexyl ether) in the sample preparation step are two highlighted advantages of the proposed method in comparison with previously published works. The method was applied to determine NSAIDs in sewage sludge from Källby wastewater treatment plant (Lund, Sweden) in April, June, August and October 2010. The highest concentration level was recorded for ibuprofen in the April sewage sludge sample (588 ng g⁻¹) and all of the selected NSAIDs were detected in all the samples analyzed.     

Cytoprotective Mechanisms of DJ-1: Implications in Cardiac Pathophysiology

DJ-1 was originally identified as an oncogene product while mutations of the gene encoding DJ-1/PARK7 were later associated with a recessive form of Parkinson’s disease. Its ubiquitous expression and diversity of function suggest that DJ-1 is also involved in mechanisms outside the central nervous system. In the last decade, the contribution of DJ-1 to the protection from ischemia-reperfusion injury has been recognized and its involvement in the pathophysiology of cardiovascular disease is attracting increasing attention. This review describes the current and gaps in our knowledge of DJ-1, focusing on its role in regulating cardiovascular function. In parallel, we present original data showing an association between increased DJ-1 expression and antiapoptotic and anti-inflammatory markers following cardiac and vascular surgical procedures. Future studies should address DJ-1’s role as a plausible novel therapeutic target for cardiovascular disease.     

Guided surface modes in a hollow slab waveguide with a left-handed material substrate or cover

The structural dispersion characteristics of guided surface modes in a hollow slab waveguide with a left-handed material substrate or cover are investigated. Dispersion relation is derived by using normalized parameters, and universal dispersion curves have been obtained analytically, by solving transcendental dispersion equations in a reverse way. Existence condition, mode degeneracy and other dispersion properties of guided surface modes have been discussed for different ? or μ of three layers for this substrate or cover layer.     

A review of: “Principles of the Theory of Light-Matter Interaction by F. B. Apmasevich Published by “Nauka i Technika” Publishing House,Minsk, USSR, 1977 (455 pp,in Russian).”

During plasma spectrum investigation in a discharge tube with hollow cathode, the conventional flat bottom of which is replaced with a conical one⁽¹⁾, an increase of the line intensity of the cathode material, as well as of the introduced sample, is observed ^(2,3,4); at the same time, the lines of the buffer gas change weakly (mostly decrease) their intensity.     

A Modified Version of the Grimm's Glow Discharge Lamp for Use as a Demountable Hollow Cathode Emission Source. III. Blackening as a Function of Discharge Parameters

Abstract

The influence of anode distance from hollow cathode on the blackening? of spectral lines excited by means of the modified Grimm's lamp was investigated for three representative cathodic materials, i.e. aluminium, copper and graphite using argon as the carrier gas. On the basis of the experimental results as well as voltage-current characteristic curves at distances of 7, 15, 20, 25 and 33 mm, it was possible to conclude that the optimal sets of discharge parameters for all the materials investigated are based on an electrode distance of 20-25 mm. In the case of copper a distance of 33 mm was also found to be highly suitable. An increase in the emission of copper lines at the largest anodic length with increasing pressure of the noble gas was also observed, in contrast with the behavior of the same element at shorter distances. A tentative interpretation of the phenomenon is given.