Dramatic specific-ion effect in supramolecular hydrogels

We report on a pronounced specific-ion effect on the intermolecular and chiral organization, supramolecular structure formation, and resulting materials properties for a series of low molecular weight peptide-based hydrogelators, observed in the presence of simple inorganic salts. This effect was demonstrated using aromatic short peptide amphiphiles, based on fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl (Fmoc). Gel-phase materials were formed due to molecular self-assembly, driven by a combination of hydrogen bonding and π-stacking interactions. Pronounced morphological changes were observed by atomic force microscopy (AFM) for Fmoc-YL peptide, ranging from dense fibrous networks to spherical aggregates, depending on the type of anions present. The gels formed had variable mechanical properties, with G'?values between 0.8?kPa and 2.4?kPa as determined by rheometry. Spectroscopic analysis provided insights into the differential mode of self-assembly, which was found to be dictated by the hydrophobic interactions of the fluorenyl component, with comparable H-bonding patterns observed in each case. The efficiency of the anions in promoting the hydrophobic interactions and thereby self-assembly was found to be consistent with the Hofmeister anion sequence. Similar effects were observed with other hydrophobic peptides, Fmoc-VL and Fmoc-LL. The effect was found to be less pronounced for a less hydrophobic peptide, Fmoc-AA. To get more insights into the molecular mechanism, the effect of anions on sol-gel equilibrium was investigated, which indicates the observed changes result from the specific-ion effects on gels structure, rather than on the sol-gel equilibrium. Thus, we demonstrate that, by simply changing the ionic environment, structurally diverse materials can be accessed providing an important design consideration in nanofabrication via molecular self-assembly.     

Evaluating Atmospheric pressure Solids Analysis Probe (ASAP) mass spectrometry for the analysis of low molecular weight synthetic polymers

Atmospheric pressure Solids Analysis Probe (ASAP) mass spectrometry has facilitated the ionisation of oligomers from low molecular weight synthetic polymers, poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG: M(n) = 1430) and poly(styrene) (PS: M(n) = 1770), directly from solids, providing a fast and efficient method of identification. Ion source conditions were evaluated and it was found that the key instrument parameter was the ion source desolvation temperature which, when set to 600 °C was sufficient to vapourise the heavier oligomers for ionisation. PS, a non-polar polymer that is very challenging to analyse by MALDI or ESI without the aid of metal salts to promote cationisation, was ionised promptly by ASAP resulting in the production of radical cations. A small degree of in-source dissociation could be eliminated by control of the instrument ion source voltages. The fragmentation observed through in-source dissociation could be duplicated in a controlled manner through Collision-Induced Dissociation (CID) of the radical cations. PEG, which preferentially ionises through adduction with alkali metal cations in MALDI and ESI, was observed as a protonated molecular ion by ASAP. In-source dissociation could not be eliminated entirely and the fragmentation observed resulted from cleavage of the C-C and C-O backbone bonds, as opposed to only C-O bond cleavage observed from tandem mass spectrometry.     

Adsorption of Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate to Colloidal Titanium Dioxide: An Electrophoretic Fingerprinting Investigation

The adsorption of sodium dodecyl sulfate to colloidal titanium dioxide was investigated using the electrophoretic fingerprinting approach. An electrophoretic fingerprint is a contour diagram of the observed electrophoretic mobility as a function of the bulk solution pH and plambda, the log of the bulk solution conductivity. Surfactant adsorption was observed to be strong under acidic conditions, as illustrated in the dramatic changes in the electrophoretic fingerprints. Electrokinetic data were compared with adsorption isotherm data obtained by a depletion method and good qualitative agreement was found. The observed pH changes associated with surfactant adsorption suggested ligand exchange as a possible mechanism of adsorption. Electrophoretic fingerprinting was shown to be a powerful means of examining surfactant adsorption to colloidal particles. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.     

Mechanism of Calcium Ion Precipitation from Hard Water Using Pulsed Spark Discharges

Direct pulsed spark discharge treatment was found to be able to induce the precipitation of calcium ions in supersaturated hard water (Yang et al. in Water Res 44:3659, 2010). The present study investigated possible pathways for the plasma-induced precipitation. Both UV and reactive species were found not the major factors that stimulate the precipitation in present setup. A transient hot-wire method was used to investigate the effect of plasma-induced local micro-heating. Approximately 15% drop in the calcium-ion concentration was observed, indicating that the local micro-heating effect could be the major contributing factor. Additionally, a nanosecond pulsed corona discharge was used to investigate the non-thermal effect of plasma, and a maximum 7% drop in the calcium hardness was observed. Calcite with rhombohedron morphology was observed in both cases, similar to the structure observed in the spark discharge treatment case, indicating that calcium-ion precipitation process could be attributed to both the thermal and non-thermal effects produced by the plasma.     

Dramatic Specific‐Ion Effect in Supramolecular Hydrogels

We report on a pronounced specific‐ion effect on the intermolecular and chiral organization, supramolecular structure formation, and resulting materials properties for a series of low molecular weight peptide‐based hydrogelators, observed in the presence of simple inorganic salts. This effect was demonstrated using aromatic short peptide amphiphiles, based on fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl (Fmoc). Gel‐phase materials were formed due to molecular self‐assembly, driven by a combination of hydrogen bonding and π‐stacking interactions. Pronounced morphological changes were observed by atomic force microscopy (AFM) for Fmoc‐YL peptide, ranging from dense fibrous networks to spherical aggregates, depending on the type of anions present. The gels formed had variable mechanical properties, with G′ values between 0.8 kPa and 2.4 kPa as determined by rheometry. Spectroscopic analysis provided insights into the differential mode of self‐assembly, which was found to be dictated by the hydrophobic interactions of the fluorenyl component, with comparable H‐bonding patterns observed in each case. The efficiency of the anions in promoting the hydrophobic interactions and thereby self‐assembly was found to be consistent with the Hofmeister anion sequence. Similar effects were observed with other hydrophobic peptides, Fmoc‐VL and Fmoc‐LL. The effect was found to be less pronounced for a less hydrophobic peptide, Fmoc‐AA. To get more insights into the molecular mechanism, the effect of anions on sol–gel equilibrium was investigated, which indicates the observed changes result from the specific‐ion effects on gels structure, rather than on the sol–gel equilibrium. Thus, we demonstrate that, by simply changing the ionic environment, structurally diverse materials can be accessed providing an important design consideration in nanofabrication via molecular self‐assembly.     

Femtosecond intermolecular electron transfer in condensed systems

We have investigated the ultrafast intermolecular electron transfer (ET) from an electron-donating solvent (aniline (AN) or N, N-dimethylaniline (DMA)) to an excited dye molecule (oxazines (Nile blue and oxazine 1) or coumarins). A non-exponential time dependence was observed in AN and can be explained by solvent reorientation and nuclear motion of the reactants. However, in DMA, a single exponential process was observed for Nile blue (160 fs) and oxazine 1 (280 fs), which can be explained by assuming that the rate of ET is limited mainly by ultrafast nuclear motion. A clear substituent effect on intermolecular ET was observed for the 7-aminocoumarins. When the alkyl chain on the 7-amino group is extended and a hexagonal ring with the benzene moiety is formed, the rate of ET is reduced by three orders of magnitude. This effect can be explained by a change in the free energy difference of the reaction and by the vibrational motion of the amino group.     

First observation of the B1A1 state of SiH2 and SiD2 radicals by optical-optical double resonance spectroscopy

The B1A1 state of SiH2 and SiD2 was observed by the optical-optical double resonance technique for the first time. The electronic band origin of the B state of SiD2 was determined to be 27 214.11 cm(-1). A very clear exclusive behavior depending on the even/odd value of the bending vibrational quantum number was observed in the spectra, representing a quasilinear behavior of the B state. The barrier height to linearity was estimated to be approximately 125 cm(-1) by the quasilinear analysis of the bending vibrational level structure of SiD2.     

Facile synthesis of rhodamine-based highly sensitive and fast responsive colorimetric and off-on fluorescent reversible chemosensors for Hg2+: preparation of a fluorescent thin film sensor

Fluorescence-active chemosensors (L1-L4), comprising a rhodamine scaffold and a pseudo azacrown cation-binding subunit, have been proposed and characterized as a fluorescent chemosensor for Hg(2+). An on-off type fluorescent enhancement was observed by the formation of the ring-opened amide form of the rhodamine moiety, which was induced by the interactions between Hg(2+) and the chemosensor. Upon the addition of Hg(2+), an overall emission change of 350-fold was observed, and the selectivity was calculated to be 300 times higher than Cu(2+) for receptors L2-L4. A polymeric thin film can be obtained by doping poly(methyl methacrylate) or PMMA with chemosensor L2. Such a thin film sensor can be used to detect Hg(2+) with high sensitivity and can be recovered using diluted NaOH.     

Measurement of the length of the a helical section of a peptide directly using atomic force microscopy.

Using atomic force microscopy (AFM), the length of the alpha-helix structure of poly-L-lysine was investigated by stretching the peptide directly, one molecule at a time. In the absence of urea, many rupturing points that seemed to be due to the breaking of some hydrogen bonds were observed in force-extension curves, while these points were never observed in the presence of 8 M urea. In the presence of 0.4 or 1.6 M urea, both force-extension curve types were observed. Total peptide elongation for each condition was calculated from force-extension curves reflecting the alpha-helix rupturing process. The experimental value of total elongation divided by the theoretical value of total alpha-helix elongation yields the alpha-helix content. This value was compatible with circular dichroism (CD) measurement results. This suggests that peptide conformation and content of the alpha-helix on a single molecule scale can be investigated by direct mechanical measurement using atomic force microscopy.     

Irradiance dependence of the He-Ne laser-induced protection against UVC radiation in E. coli strains

He-Ne laser pre-irradiation-induced protection against UVC damage was investigated in wild-type E. coli K12 strain AB1157 and its isogenic DNA repair mutant strains. At a dose of 7 kJ/m(2), pre-irradiation was observed to induce protection in recA proficient strains (AB1157 and uvrA(-) AB1886) at both the irradiances investigated (2 and 100 W/m(2)). However, at the same dose (7 kJ/m(2)), while no protection was observed at 100 W/m(2) in the recA(-) strain, some protection appeared to be there at 2 W/m(2). Mechanistic studies carried out on these strains at the two irradiances suggest that, whereas the protection observed at 100 W/m(2) is mediated by singlet oxygen, that observed at 2 W/m(2) is not. Further, the fact that protection at 100 W/m(2) was observed only in recA proficient strains suggests that it may arise due to the induction of DNA repair processes controlled by the recA gene. The latter may arise due to the oxidative stress produced by singlet oxygen generated by He-Ne laser irradiation. In contrast, the protection observed at 2 W/m(2) appears to be independent of the DNA repair proficiency of the strain.     

The Use of Buffers in the Determination of Fluoride by an Ion-Selective Electrode at Low Concentrations and in the Presence of Aluminum

Abstract

The influence of the composition of buffer solutions on fluoride analyses by the fluoride ion selective electrode was studied. Residual fluoride content of reagents was observed to restrict the use of some buffers and reagents in low-level work. The optimum pH for low-level fluoride determinations was found to be around 5, which can be maintained by a sodium acetate-acetic acid buffer. Of the complexing agents studied, citrate was observed to be the most efficient masking agent for aluminum, but this ability depended strongly on ligand concentration. Citrate was also effective in masking iron (III) and magnesium ions. Tris (hydroxymethyi) aminomethane showed a similar ability to complex aluminum at a pH around 8. However, at this pH the hydroxyde ion interferes in fluoride analysis below 0.1 ppm [fbar].     

Curing of liquid epoxy resin in plasma discharge

Epoxy resins in the solid state, liquid state and during polymerisation were treated by microwave oxygen plasma and analysed by FTIR spectra. Curing, etching and oxidation kinetics of epoxy resin were observed. In the liquid resin and polymerising mixture the effect of structure modification was observed more intensively than in the case of solid sample due to a mixing process. A modification of bulk layers of liquid epoxy resin was observed under plasma action. The polymerisation reaction of epoxy resin with amine hardening agent can be released in plasma discharge at low pressure.     

金属表面结构的变角XPS特征

采用仅改变阳极高压以获得不同激发光子流强的变角Ｘ光激发电子能谱（ＸＰＳ），研究Ａｌ、Ｆｅ、Ｃｕ、Ｔａ及Ｗ中光电子峰的表面结构效应。实验结果表明，在面心立方的Ａｌ及体心立方的Ｔａ和Ｗ中均显示表面结构产生的衍射效应，而在Ｆｅ和Ｃｕ中未出现表面结构效应；所出现表面结构效应的差异与阳极高压及光子流的能量有紧密的关系。同时，在实验高压范围内存在一个产生表面结构效应的阳极电压阈值。文中就观察到的表面结构效应之差异的可能机制进行了初步探讨。     

Tracer diffusion in colloidal gels

Computer simulations were done of the mean square displacement (MSD) of tracer particles in colloidal gels formed by diffusion or reaction limited aggregation of hard spheres. The diffusion coefficient was found to be determined by the volume fraction accessible to the spherical tracers (phi a) independent of the gel structure or the tracer size. In all cases, critical slowing down was observed at phi a approximately 0.03 and was characterized by the same scaling laws reported earlier for tracer diffusion in a Lorentz gas. Strong heterogeneity of the MSD was observed at small phi a and was related to the size distribution of pores.     

A Simple Approach Toward Solution of the Problems of Signal Instability and Interferences Observed with Spectrophotofluorometers

Abstract

Unexpected fluorescence signal changes observed by analysts are frequently due to lamp instability and interferences from other equipment near the fluorometer; The addition of a constant voltage transformer between the line and the power supply is an inexpensive and simple procedure to provide long term stability of the lamp, which leads to more reliable use of the fluorometer. Interference problems were significantly reduced by adding a filter system to the instrument.

The problem of long term stability and interferences from nearby electronic instrumentation are frequently observed by individuals using spectrophotofluorometers. Unexpected fluorescence intensity differences for samples which are believed to contain similar quantities of an analyte are an outward manifestation of these problems, which may lead to the incorrect report of the concentration of the compound of interest. We have observed such difficulties in a study of the effect of solvent composition on the luminescence of tyrosine and tryptophan (which will be reported separately) and would like to report our difficulties and the remedies to the problem, We feel that this situation is quite widespread, based on informal discussions with other individuals.

The observed fluorescence signal due to a given solution was found to vary quite drastically (up to ± 20%) as a cuvet containing an identical sample was placed in the sample chamber at various times during a day. In some cases, such drastic changes could be observed with measurements taken 15 minutes apart. The changes were not due to solute decomposition, solvent interaction with the solute, photochemical decomposition or thermal decomposition of the solute, as these changes were not reproducible, and appeared to be independent of the solute and the solvent composition.

A block of MgO was placed in the sample compartment and the fluorometer was set up for front surface emission measurement, so that the refleactance could be monitored over a period of time. The reflectance intensity therefore mirrored the lamp intensity, and any change in lamp intensity would appear as a change in the reflectance observed as a function of time. It was observed that random changes in intensity did take place, with such changes occurring over a very short time period. The reflectance intensity changes were quite random with respect to time, and individual shifts were often as much as ± 10%.

When we turned the Xe lamp off and placed a flashlight bulb powered by a 6V lantern battery in the sample chamber, the light measured by the photomultiplier did not exhibit any abrupt changes over a period of 16 hours. This confirmed that the changes in signal intensity observed with the various samples and the reflectance experiments were due to changes in the intensity of the xenon lamp. It was determined that variations in the observed reflectance could be correllated with variations in line voltage.

Our instrument is used in a large laboratory with a number of other instruments within 5 meters. We observe that noise from “external sources” was bothersome, especially on higher amplification steps of the photomultiplier amplifier. In general, the variation in signal was ± 3% full scale at the highest amplification.

We report below our solutions to the problems described above as we feel that our solutions are of interest to those using spectrophotofluorometers.     

Observation of amide anions in solution by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

Negative quasimolecular ions of aromatic carboxylic acid amides have been observed unexpectedly under electrospray ionization conditions. Hypothetically, deprotonation of either carboxamide or carboximidic acid tautomers can produce anions with equivalent resonance structures, the stability of which is affected by conjugated aromatic substituents. In this study, a series of meta and para substituted benzamides were analyzed using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry in aqueous methanolic solutions. The degree of ionization was found to be pH dependent and was enhanced by electron-withdrawing substituents and suppressed by electron-donating groups. The observed effect on apparent acidity can be accounted for by resonance stabilization.     

Optimization of NH3 Decomposition by Control of Discharge Mode in a Rotating Arc

In this study, the characteristic behavior of a rotating arc was investigated. Various modes, depending on the electric power supplied, can be observed in a rotating arc. Each mode produces different discharge characteristics and thermal environments and, accordingly, chemical processes hosted in the plasma reaction volume can be controlled differently in each mode. General thermal to non-thermal transitions observed in a gliding arc are based on the longitudinal expansion of the arc column. In a rotating arc, the reverse transition or non-thermal to thermal transition can be hosted by controlling the reactor geometry. The reverse transition can be achieved by self-adjustment of the arc column where longitudinal expansion of the arc column is confined. The reverse transition enhances the conversion efficiency of electric power to thermal energy. Then, optimization of thermal activation was obtained by controlling the mode of operation, and it was verified using the NH₃ decomposition reaction.     

Biochemical characterization of an in-house Coccidioides antigen: perspectives for the immunodiagnosis of coccidioidomycosis

The objective of this study was to evaluate the reactivity of an in-house antigen, extracted from a strain of C. posadasii isolated in northeastern Brazil, by radial immunodiffusion and Western blotting, as well as to establish its biochemical characterization. The protein antigen was initially extracted with the use of solid ammonium sulfate and characterized by 1-D electrophoresis. Subsequently, it was tested by means of double radial immunodiffusion and Western blotting. A positive reaction was observed against the antigen by both immunodiagnostic techniques tested on sera from patients suffering from coccidioidomycosis. Besides this, two immunoreactive protein bands were observed and were revealed to be a β-glucosidase and a glutamine synthetase after sequencing of the respective N-terminal regions. Our in-house Coccidioides antigen can be promising as a quick and low-cost diagnostic tool without the risk of direct manipulation of the microorganism.     

The radiation degradation of a nanotube-polyimide nanocomposite

The radiation degradation of a nanotube-polyimide nanocomposite was studied. Radiation chemistry was observed that was not present in the unmodified polymer or in the imbedded single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) themselves. The tensile properties were found to be improved by the addition of SWNTs in the unirradiated materials, and no deterioration in these properties with irradiation was observed. The SWNTs were found to have a detrimental effect on the optical properties however. The transparency of the composite was degraded significantly faster by electron-beam radiation than the neat polymer was. This may make the SWNT/polyimide composites unsuitable for some space applications. Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) measurements determined that the SWNTs interfere with the radical chemistry in the irradiated materials. This could be due to energy dissipation by the SWNT network, preventing the formation of radical species, or alternatively, preferential reaction or termination of radicals by the nanotubes. FT-Raman spectroscopy was found to be a very useful tool for examining SWNTs embedded at low concentrations. It revealed no signs of SWNT degradation up to 10 MGy.     

Electrochemical Detection of Protons Produced in an Electrode Reaction Using Interdigitated Microarray Electrodes

This work describes the use of interdigitated array electrodes (IDAE) for proton detection. Methanol electrooxidation in sulfuric acid solution was exemplified. Reduction currents originating in the reaction product generated by methanol electrooxidation on a Pt generator electrode were observed at the Pt collector electrode, the potential of which was fixed in the hydrogen evolution region. In order to reduce the background current of hydrogen evolution, an Hg‐plated Pt collector electrode was fabricated. Compared to the Pt collector electrode, the reduction current observed at the Hg collector electrode was extremely small. The product detected was found to be a proton from the current responses observed at Pt and Hg collector electrodes.