Fingerprints of Phalaenopsis Tissues in Growth and Spike Induction Periods—A Solid‐state 13C NMR Approach

Solid‐state Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (ss‐NMR) ¹³C single‐pulse excitation spectroscopy in combination with the magic‐angle spinning (MAS) technique was applied to a series of Phalaenopsis tissues, including the leaf, sheath, stem, and root, at different growth and spiking periods. Compared with{¹H}/¹³C cross‐polarization MAS spectra, the ¹³C single‐pulse excitation MAS spectra displayed very distinct spectral patterns, recognizable as fingerprints of the tissues studied. ¹Here, we demonstrate that solid‐state ¹³C single‐pulse excitation NMR spectroscopy provides a direct and robust analytical tool for studying the various tissues of Phalaenopsis in different growth and spiking induction periods.     

Bis-tridentate IrIII Phosphors Bearing Two Fused Five-Six-Membered Metallacycles: A Strategy to Improved Photostability of Blue Emitters

Iridium complexes bearing chelating cyclometalates are popular choices as dopant emitters in the fabrication of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). In this contribution, we report a series of blue-emitting, bis-tridentate Ir^III complexes bearing chelates with two fused five-six-membered metallacycles, which are in sharp contrast to the traditional designs of tridentate chelates that form the alternative, fused five-five metallacycles. Five Ir^III complexes, Px-21 – 23 , Cz-4 , and Cz-5 , have been synthesized that contain a coordinated dicarbene pincer chelate incorporating a methylene spacer and a dianionic chromophoric chelate possessing either a phenoxy or carbazolyl appendage to tune the coordination arrangement. All these tridentate chelates afford peripheral ligand–metal–ligand bite angles of 166–170°, which are larger than the typical bite angle of 153–155° observed for their five-five-coordinated tridentate counterparts, thereby leading to reduced geometrical distortion in the octahedral frameworks. Photophysical measurements and TD-DFT studies verified the inherent transition characteristics that give rise to high emission efficiency, and photodegradation experiments confirmed the improved stability in comparison with the benchmark fac-[Ir(ppy)₃] in degassed toluene at room temperature. Phosphorescent OLED devices were also fabricated, among which the carbazolyl-functionalized emitter Cz-5 exhibited the best performance among all the studied bis-tridentate phosphors, showing a maximum external quantum efficiency (EQE_max) of 18.7 % and CIE_x,y coordinates of (0.145, 0.218), with a slightly reduced EQE of 13.7 % at 100 cd m⁻² due to efficiency roll-off.     

An algorithm for the calculation of the electrostatic repulsion between surface coated with a charge membrane

We propose a numerical procedure for the calculation of the electrostatic repulsion force between two identical, parallel surfaces immersed in anab electrolyte solution. These surfaces are coated with an ion-penetrable membrane carrying fixed charges. The amount of fixed charges is governed by the dissociation of the functional groups in the membrane phase. The effect of pH on the degree of dissociation of these functional groups is taken into account. The difficulty of extensive use of Jacobi elliptic function in the numerical treatment of Poisson-Boltzmann equation can be circumvented by resorting to the present algorithm.     

Effect of model organic compounds on square-wave voltammetric stripping analysis at the Nafion/chelating agent mercury film electrodes

The effect of various organic compounds on the Nafion/chelating agent mercury film electrodes (NCAMFEs) in square-wave anodic-stripping voltammetry (SWASV) is explored. Two chelating agents used to prepare the NCAMFEs are dimethylglyoxime and 2,2'-bipyridyl. Triton X-100, sodium dodecyl sulfate, albumin, gelatin, starch, camphor, and humic acid are used as model organic compounds, while cadmium, lead, and copper are used as test metal ions. The NCAMFEs are considerably more resistant to organic interferences than the Nafion-coated mercury film electrode. The implications of these interferences for the reliability and feasibility of stripping measurements using the NCAMFEs in real samples are discussed. Results presented for untreated urine and natural water samples demonstrate the analytical utility of the NCAMFEs in SWASV.     

DNA-templated assembly of droplet-derived PEG microtissues

Patterning multiple cell types is a critical step for engineering functional tissues, but few methods provide three-dimensional positioning at the cellular length scale. Here, we present a "bottom-up" approach for fabricating multicellular tissue constructs that utilizes DNA-templated assembly of 3D cell-laden hydrogel microtissues. A flow focusing-generated emulsion of photopolymerizable prepolymer is used to produce 100 μm monodisperse microtissues at a rate of 100 Hz (10(5) h(-1)). Multiple cell types, including suspension and adherently cultured cells, can be encapsulated into the microtissues with high viability (~97%). We then use a DNA coding scheme to self-assemble microtissues "bottom-up" from a template that is defined using "top-down" techniques. The microtissues are derivatized with single-stranded DNA using a biotin-streptavidin linkage to the polymer network, and are assembled by sequence-specific hybridization onto spotted DNA microarrays. Using orthogonal DNA codes, we achieve multiplexed patterning of multiple microtissue types with high binding efficiency and >90% patterning specificity. Finally, we demonstrate the ability to organize multicomponent constructs composed of epithelial and mesenchymal microtissues while preserving each cell type in a 3D microenvironment. The combination of high throughput microtissue generation with scalable surface-templated assembly offers the potential to dissect mechanisms of cell-cell interaction in three dimensions in healthy and diseased states, as well as provides a framework for templated assembly of larger structures for implantation.     

Adsorption Kinetic Characteristics of H2S on Activated Carbon

This study compared H₂S adsorption kinetic parameters in both grain adsorption and column adsorption systems. Results indicated that when the nondimensional mass transfer parameter for adsorption column design was included, the axial dispersion (Pe > 1, < 1) and external film resistance (B 1) could be neglected, the fluid viscosity effect was small (Sc = 0.76), and the adsorbate affinity was fine (). Surface and pore diffusion controlled the adsorbent and fluid mass transfer. In addition, spent activated carbon could be treated by a thermal process and then impregnated with NaOH. After the pretreatment, the spent activated carbon could be used for H₂S adsorption. Furthermore, we also propose that the H₂S adsorption reaction on the carbon is due to the formation of sulfur crystals.     

Efficient total synthesis of pulchellalactam,a CD45 protein tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor

A new approach to a CD45 protein tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor, pulchellalactam, is described. The key step of the sequence involves addition and elimination of an enolic lactam in a single step and 70% yield, employing an organocuprate reagent. The resulting alpha,beta-unsaturated lactam could be condensed with isobutyraldehyde to produce Z-pulchellalactam or converted into siloxypyrrole, which was subjected to the BF(3) x Et(2)O-promoted coupling reaction with isobutyraldehyde to afford E-pulchellalactam after E1-cB elimination and TFA deprotection. This first total synthesis afforded Z-pulchellalactam in six steps and 32% overall yield from Boc-glycine. The same sequence of reactions could also be applied to the liquid- or solid-phase synthesis of trifunctionalized pulchellalactam derivatives.     

Analytical expressions for the electrical potential near planar, cylindrical, and spherical surfaces for symmetric electrolytes

The conjecture of Tuinier (J. Colloid Interface Sci. 258 (2003) 45) for the electrical potentials near a cylindrical surface and near a spherical surface under the conditions of symmetric electrolyte and large scaled radius are derived by solving the corresponding Poisson-Boltzmann equation. The surface charge density-surface potential relations for these surfaces are also derived under the conditions of constant surface potential. We show that the level of surface charge density for planar, cylindrical, and spherical surfaces follows the order spherical surface > cylindrical surface > planar surface.     

Self-assembled shells composed of colloidal particles: fabrication and characterization

We construct shells with tunable morphology and mechanical response with colloidal particles that self-assemble at the interface of emulsion droplets. Particles self-assemble to minimize the total interfacial energy, spontaneously forming a particle layer that encapsulates the droplets. We stabilize these layers to form solid shells at the droplet interface by aggregating the particles, connecting the particles with adsorbed polymer, or fusing the particles. These techniques reproducibly yield shells with controllable properties such as elastic moduli and breaking forces. To enable diffusive exchange through the particle shells, we transfer them into solvents that are miscible with the encapsulant. We characterize the mechanical properties of the shells by measuring the response to deformation by calibrated microcantilevers.