Supramolecular Fluorescent Nanoparticles Constructed via Multiple Non‐Covalent Interactions for the Detection of Hydrogen Peroxide in Cancer Cells

Overabundance of hydrogen peroxide originating from environmental stress and/or genetic mutation can lead to pathological conditions. Thus, the highly sensitive detection of H₂O₂ is important. Herein, supramolecular fluorescent nanoparticles self‐assembled from fluorescein isothiocyanate modified β‐cyclodextrin (FITC‐β‐CD)/rhodamine B modified ferrocene (Fc‐RB) amphiphile were prepared through host–guest interaction between FITC‐β‐CD host and Fc‐RB guest for H₂O₂ detection in cancer cells. The self‐assembled nanoparticles based on a combination of multiple non‐covalent interactions in aqueous medium showed high sensitivity to H₂O₂ while maintaining stability under physiological condition. Owing to the fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) effect, addition of H₂O₂ led to obvious fluorescence change of nanoparticles from red (RB) to green (FITC) in fluorescent experiments. In vitro study showed the fluorescent nanoparticles could be efficiently internalized by cancer cells and then disrupted by endogenous H₂O₂, accompanying with FRET from “on” to “off”. These supramolecular fluorescent nanoparticles constructed via multiple non‐covalent interactions are expected to have potential applications in diagnosis and imaging of diseases caused by oxidative stresses.     

Fluorogel Elastomers with Tunable Transparency,Elasticity, Shape‐Memory,and Antifouling Properties

Omniphobic fluorogel elastomers were prepared by photocuring perfluorinated acrylates and a perfluoropolyether crosslinker. By tuning either the chemical composition or the temperature that control the crystallinity of the resulting polymer chains, a broad range of optical and mechanical properties of the fluorogel can be achieved. After infusing with fluorinated lubricants, the fluorogels showed excellent resistance to wetting by various liquids and anti‐biofouling behavior, while maintaining cytocompatiblity.     

Reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer polymerization of alkyl‐2‐cyanoacrylates: An assessment of livingness

Alkyl 2‐cyanoacrylates (CAs) are primarily used as instant adhesives, including those sold under the Loctite brand. The adhesive action can be inhibited with acid stabilizers allowing radical polymerization to be employed. The following article details the first attempted controlled/living radical polymerization of alkyl CAs: Reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization mediated by a poly(methyl methacrylate) dithiobenzoate macroRAFT agent for three different CA monomers (ethyl 2‐cyanoacrylate, n‐butyl 2‐cyanoacrylate, and 2‐phenylethyl cyanoacrylate) allowed the preparation of the first block copolymers of this challenging but commercially important monomer class. Nevertheless, GPC with UV detection indicated significant loss of the RAFT end‐group for all three CAs limiting control/living character. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017 , 55, 1397–1408     

Oxidic glasses as hosts for migrating metal ions

The results of experiments where Tl⁺ and Pb²⁺ ions are electrolysed into a sodium borate glass (35 mol% Na₂O and 50 °C) are brought up to date in order to take into account recent developments in the chemistry of borate glasses. It is first necessary to consider the unique chemistry of the oxide(-II) species in terms of its electronegativity, electronic polarisability and acid–base properties, and the significant relationship between these is discussed. It is described how the Lewis basicity of oxidic materials such as glasses can be expressed quantitatively on the optical basicity scale and how determinations are made by various experimental methods. These methods include optical spectroscopy of ‘probe’ ions such as Tl⁺ or Pb²⁺, measurement of electronic polarisability and far-infrared spectroscopic ‘rattling’ frequencies of constituent metal ions. When Pb²⁺ ions are electrolysed into the sodium borate glass, it is found that there is migration of Na⁺ ions away from and of O^2? ions towards the (lead) anode with formation of PbO. There is almost complete depletion of Na₂O in the anode region so that the composition of the glass approximates to B₂O₃. A similar process occurs to a limited degree in the case of thallium, but the Tl⁺ ions are able to penetrate more deeply into the glass. Their ultraviolet ¹S₀?→?³P₁ frequency indicates that the sites they occupy have much greater basicity than the bulk glass. The two-site model of Kamitsos proposes that in borate glasses, there are higher and lower basicity sites, and the measured optical basicity of Tl⁺ indicates occupation of the higher sites. Since it has been shown that BO₄ groups in the glass are weakly basic, it is unlikely that they are involved in the higher sites. It is discussed how the higher site basicity implies greater covalency in the interaction of the Tl⁺ ion with the oxide(-II)s that constitute the pathway, and it is suggested that this is an important factor in the electromigration process.     

Nanotextured multicrystalline Al‐BSF solar cells reaching 18% conversion efficiency using industrially viable solar cell processes

We report recent achievements in adapting industrially used solar cell processes on nanotextured surfaces. Nanostructures were etched into c‐Si surfaces by dry exothermic plasma‐less reaction of F species with Si in atmospheric pressure conditions and then modified using a short post‐etching process. Nanotextured multicrystalline wafers are used to prepare Al‐BSF solar cells using industrially feasible solar cell proc‐ essing steps. In comparison to the reference acidic textured solar cells, the nanostructured cells showed gain in short circuit current (J_sc) of up to 0.8 mA/cm² and absolute gain in conversion efficiency of up to 0.3%. The best nanotextured solar cell was independently certified to reach the conversion efficiency of 18.0%. (© 2015 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH &Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Measurement at the field scale of soil δ13C and δ15N under improved grassland

Variations in natural abundance of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) stable isotopes are widely used as tools for many aspects of scientific research. By examining variations in the ratios of heavy to light stable isotopes, information can be obtained as to what physical, chemical and biological processes may be occurring. The spatial heterogeneity of soil δ¹⁵N‐ and δ¹³C‐values across a range of scales and under different land use have been described by a number of researchers and the natural abundances of the C and N stable isotopes in soils have been found to be correlated with many factors including hydrology, topography, land use, vegetation cover and climate. In this study the Latin square sampling +1 (LSS+1) sampling method was compared with a simple grid sampling approach for δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N measurement at the field scale. A set of 144 samples was collected and analysed for δ¹⁵N and δ¹³C from a 12 × 12 grid (in a 1 ha improved grassland field in south‐west England). The dimension of each cell of the grid was approximately 11 × 6 m. The 12 × 12 grid was divided into four 6 × 6 grids and the LSS+1 sampling technique was applied to these and the main 12 × 12 grid for a comparison of sample means and variation. The LSS+1 means from the 12 × 12 grid and the four 6 × 6 grids compared well with the overall grid mean because of the low variation within the field. The LSS+1 strategy (13 samples) generated representative samples from the 12 × 12 grid, and hence would be an acceptable method for sampling similar plots for the measurement of mean isotopic composition. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Systematic generation of random networks

This paper reports the computer generation of atomic models for amorphous tetrahedrally coordinated materials. Several approaches are used and their results are intercompared in terms of careful statistical studies on each structure. The best approach is capable of automatically building large models with no included voids or dangling bonds. The strain energies are minimized for each structure implying that they represent metastable equilibrium arrangements; the radial distribution functions are in excellent agreement with experimental data. The programs developed are capable of building models which vary systematically as measured by several parameters including the ratio of five to six membered rings and the average distortion of the tetrahedra formed by near neighbors.     

Radiative decay ofJ/ψ into γ π+ π−

The radiative decayJ/ψ → γ π⁺ π^? has been studied using the 8.6 millionJ/ψ produced in the DM2 experiment at the DCIe ⁺e^? storage rings at Orsay. The π⁺ π^? mass spectrum shows a cleanf ₂ (1270) signal, and the possible presence of two other states at thef ₂ (1720) andf ₄ (2030) masses. For thef ₂ (1270), the branching ratio BR(J/ψ →γf)xBR(f→π⁺ π^?) is measured to be (7.50±0.30±1.12)×10^?4, and the spin analysis prefers theJ=2 assignment, with helicity parametersx=0.83±0.06 andy=0.01±0.06. The existence of higher mass states is discussed.     

Logarithmic asymptotics for a single-server processing distinguishable sources

We consider a single-server first-in-first-out queue fed by a finite number of distinct sources of jobs. For a large class of short-range dependent and light-tailed distributed job processes, using functional large deviation techniques we prove a large deviation principle and logarithmic asymptotics for the joint waiting time and queue lengths distribution. We identify the paths that are most likely to lead to the rare events of large waiting times and long queue lengths. A number of examples are presented to illustrate salient features of the results.