Reversible vesicle restraint in response to spatiotemporally controlled electrical signals: a bridge between electrical and chemical signaling modes

Microelectronic devices employ electrons for signaling whereas the nervous system signals using ions and chemicals. Bridging these signaling differences would benefit applications that range from biosensing to neuroprosthetics. Here, we report the use of localized electrical signals to perform an operation common to chemical signaling in the nervous system. Specifically, we employ electrical signals to restrain vesicles reversibly. We perform this operation using the stimuli-responsive aminopolysaccharide chitosan that is able to electrodeposit onto cathode surfaces in response to localized electrical stimuli. We show that surfactant-vesicles and liposomes can be co-deposited with chitosan and are entrapped (i.e., restrained) within the deposited film's matrix. Vesicle co-deposition could be controlled spatially and temporally using microfabricated wafers with independent electrode addresses. Finally, we show that vesicles restrained within the deposited chitosan matrix can be mobilized under mildly acidic conditions (pH <6.5) that resolubilize chitosan. Potentially, the ability to restrain and mobilize chemical signals that are segregated within vesicles may allow microfluidic systems to access the rich diversity offered by chemical signaling.     

A simple class of photorheological fluids: surfactant solutions with viscosity tunable by light

Photorheological (PR) fluids, i.e., those with light-tunable rheological properties, may be useful in a variety of applications, such as in sensors and microfluidic devices. Currently, the need to synthesize complex photosensitive molecules hampers the applicability of these fluids. Here, we report a simple class of PR fluids that require no special synthesis and can be easily replicated in any lab from inexpensive chemicals. The fluids consist of the cationic surfactant, cetyl trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), and the photoresponsive organic derivative, trans-ortho-methoxycinnamic acid (OMCA). Aqueous mixtures of CTAB and OMCA in basic solution self-assemble into long, wormlike micelles. Upon irradiation by UV light (<400 nm), OMCA undergoes a photoisomerization from its trans to its cis form, which alters the molecular packing at the micellar interface. The result is to transform the long micelles into much shorter entities and, in turn, the solution viscosity decreases by more than 4 orders of magnitude. Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) is used to confirm the dramatic reduction in micellar length. The extent of viscosity reduction in these PR fluids can be tuned based on the composition of the mixture as well as the duration of the irradiation.     

Highly Enantioselective Intramolecular 1,3‐Dipolar Cycloaddition: A Route to Piperidino‐Pyrrolizidines

Enantioselective catalytic intermolecular 1,3‐dipolar cycloadditions are powerful methods for the synthesis of heterocycles. In contrast, intramolecular enantioselective 1,3‐dipolar cycloadditions are virtually unexplored. A highly enantioselective synthesis of natural‐product‐inspired pyrrolidino‐piperidines by means of an intramolecular 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition with azomethine ylides is now reported. The method has a wide scope and yields the desired cycloadducts with four tertiary stereogenic centers with up to 99 % ee. Combining the enantioselective catalytic intramolecular 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition with a subsequent diastereoselective intermolecular 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition yielded complex piperidino‐pyrrolizidines with very high stereoselectivity in a one‐pot tandem reaction.     

Study on activity of radium,radon and physicochemical parameters in ground water and their health hazards around Tumkur industrial area

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry - The activity of radium (226Ra), radon (222Rn) and physicochemical parameters in ground water around study area were estimated by standard...     

Single-Molecule Redox-Targeting Reactions for a pH-Neutral Aqueous Organic Redox Flow Battery

Aqueous organic redox flow batteries (AORFBs) have received considerable attention for large-scale energy storage. Quinone derivatives, such as 9,10-anthraquinone-2,7-disulphonic acid (2,7-AQDS), have been explored intensively owing to potentially low cost and swift reaction kinetics. However, the low solubility in pH-neutral electrolytes restricts their application to corrosive acidic or caustic systems. Herein, the single molecule redox-targeting reactions of 2,7-AQDS anolyte are presented to circumvent its solubility limit in pH-neutral electrolytes. Polyimide was employed as a low-cost high-capacity solid material to boost the capacity of 2,7-AQDS electrolyte to 97 Ah L⁻¹. Through in situ FTIR spectroscopy, a hydrogen-bonding mediated reaction mechanism was disclosed. In conjunction with NaI as catholyte and nickel hexacyanoferrate as the catholyte capacity booster, a single-molecule redox-targeting reaction-based full cell with energy density up to 39 Wh L⁻¹ was demonstrated.     

Total synthesis of isofregenedadiol

The first total synthesis of isofregenedadiol, a bicyclic diterpene isolated from H. Viscosum, is reported starting from a D-(-)-pantolactone chiral pool. A one-pot quadruple reaction sequence comprising an enyne ring-closing metathesis/cross-metathesis/Diels-Alder/aromatization for the construction of a target skeleton is the highlight of the present synthesis.     

Permselectivity Replication of Artificial Glomerular Basement Membranes in Nanoporous Collagen Multilayers

Basement membranes (BMs) play important roles in many biological functions such as tissue regeneration, cancer proliferation, nutrient/drug delivery, breathing, and many others. While there are many theoretical models, adequate experimental analogs of BMs describing basic physicochemical properties of BM, such as diffusion and permselectivity are not available. Taking BMs found in glomerulus of kidneys as an example, adequate reproduction of their permselectivity requires biomimetic membranes with submicron thickness, high uniformity, nanoscale porosity, and size-selective permeability. Artificial kidney BMs were assembled from poly(acrylic acid) and collagen using layer-by-layer (LBL) assembly technology and display multiple structural similarities with glomerular BMs. Diffusional transport through the artificial BMs faithfully replicate cut-off parameters of kidney membranes. Their utilization in understanding of unique diffusion processes in kidneys, in vitro studies of blood clearance time of small drugs/nanoscale drug carriers and design of more complex organoids including live cells for cancer proliferation studies is anticipated.     

Syntheses,structures, and properties of two binuclear cadmium(II) iodides containing a bis(tridentate) Schiff base/tetradentate tripodal amine: control of coordination numbers by varying ligand matrices

Two binuclear cadmium(II) iodide compounds of the types [Cd₂(L1)(I)₄] (1) and [(L2)Cd(μ-I)CdI₃] (2) [L1 = N,N′-(bis(pyridine-2-yl)formylidene)triethylenetetramine and L2 = tris(2-aminoethyl)amine] are synthesized and characterized. X-ray structural study shows that each cadmium(II) in 1 has a distorted square pyramidal geometry with a CdN₃I₂ chromophore and that L1 behaves as a binucleating bis(tridentate) ligand bridging the metal centers with iodides remaining as terminals. In 2, one cadmium(II) adopts a distorted tetrahedral geometry with a CdI₄ chromophore surrounded by four iodides, while the other has a distorted trigonal bipyramidal environment with CdN₄I chromophore bound by four N atoms of L2 and one bridging iodide. Weak C–H···π interactions in 1 result in an infinite 1D chain; however, such weak non-covalent interactions are absent in 2. The Schiff base complex, 1, shows high-energy intraligand ¹(π–π*) fluorescence in DMF solution at room temperature, whereas compound 2 containing tripodal amine is fluorescent-inactive.     

Propargyl/methyl furanosides as potential glycosyl donors

Transfuranosylations are not well studied though many similar studies exist for transpyranosylation; herein, we report that propargyl/methyl D-ribf- and D-lyxf- give only 1,2-trans glycosides whereas D-araf- and D-xylf- result in a mixture of 1,2-trans and 1,2-cis glycosides; observed facts are rationalised by computational studies.