Electrochemical probe DNA design in PCR amplicon sequence for the optimum detection of microbiological diseases

Direct electrochemical genosensor was developed for the detection of a probe sequence relative position in a PCR amplicon for the optimum detection of bacterial and microbiological diseases, in this study. The genosensor relies on a label-free electrochemical detection. The amino-linked inosine modified (guanine-free) coequal capture probes which were chosen from different parts of a PCR amplicon, immobilized on to disposable pencil graphite electrodes (PGE) by electrostatically and covalently. As a model case Hepatitis B virus (HBV) genome amplicon was used for the detection and specification. Hybridization was occurred after surface coverage with denatured amplicons. After hybridization, optimum probe sequence position was identified by using the differences between the responses of guanine oxidation signals. The results of this study might have a great convenience for the microbiological diseases detection applications such as DNA micro arrays.     

Secondary‐Ion Mass Spectrometry of Genetically Encoded Targets

Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) is generally used in imaging the isotopic composition of various materials. It is becoming increasingly popular in biology, especially for investigations of cellular metabolism. However, individual proteins are difficult to identify in SIMS, which limits the ability of this technology to study individual compartments or protein complexes. We present a method for specific protein isotopic and fluorescence labeling (SPILL), based on a novel click reaction with isotopic probes. Using this method, we added ¹⁹F‐enriched labels to different proteins, and visualized them by NanoSIMS and fluorescence microscopy. The ¹⁹F signal allowed the precise visualization of the protein of interest, with minimal background, and enabled correlative studies of protein distribution and cellular metabolism or composition. SPILL can be applied to biological systems suitable for click chemistry, which include most cell‐culture systems, as well as small model organisms.     

Photocatalytic decomposition of textile dyestuffs by photosensitive metal oxide catalysts

Textile azo dyes are one of the pollutants in waste water that adversely affect human and environmental health. Removal of these chemicals from wastewater is important for eco-system and human health. In this study, Bi₂O₃ nanoflakes and ZnO were synthesized by the co-precipitation method. Adsorption and photocatalytic degradation reactions were carried out to remove dyes (Victoria blue (VB) and Malachite green (MG)) from wastewater with the photocatalysts. In order to improve the activity of catalysts, cetyltrimethylammoniumbromide (CTAB) was added as a surfactant to pure oxide structures, and Bi₂O₃-CTAB and ZnO-CTAB catalysts were prepared. The structural and morphological properties of these catalysts were determined by BET, XRD, DRS, FTIR, and SEM analysis. It was found that the activity of the catalyst was improved by adding surfactant to the Bi₂O₃. The total mineralization of VB dye was completed in 60 min under sunlight with Bi₂O₃-CTAB catalyst. However, the degradation of the MG dye with the same catalyst under UV-C irradiation could be completed in 120 min.     

Fluctuations of pulses scattered by a layer of randomly inhomogeneous medium

We consider the problem of backscattering of a pulsed signal by a layer of a medium with random fluctuations of parameters. Various types of pulses are considered. The problem is solved using the method of statistical modeling. The statistical properties of fluctuations of the reflected signal are studied. Pacific Oceanology Institute, Far-East Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences Russia. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 42, No. 4, pp. 383–394, February 1999.     

Syntheses,spectral, thermal and structural characterization of dinuclear and polynuclear copper(II) orotate complexes, [Cu2(HOr)2(H2O)4] and [Cu(μ-HOr)(ba)2]n

The novel catena-poly-μ-orotatobis(butylamine)copper(II), [Cu(μ-HOr)(ba)₂]_n (1), and diaqua(orotato)copper(II), [Cu₂(HOr)₂(H₂O)₄] (2), complexes have been prepared and characterized by elemental analysis, magnetic measurements, FT-IR spectroscopy, EPR spectroscopy, thermal analysis and X-ray diffraction. Both complexes crystallize in the monoclinic space group, C2/c in 1 and P2₁/n in 2. In the complexes, the copper(II) ion is chelated by a deprotonated pyrimidine nitrogen atom and a carboxylate oxygen atom of the orotate. While the coordination sphere around Cu(II) is completed by two N atoms from butylamine groups and a carboxylic O atom in the axial position from a neighboring molecule in 1, the square-planar environment of Cu(II) is completed by two water atoms and one axial position is occupied by the carbonyl oxygen atom from the symmetry related molecule in 2. The coordination sphere should be described as a square pyramid and (4+1)-geometry in 1 and 2, respectively. While complex 1 shows a polymeric arrangement, compound 2 has a dimeric arrangement. The non-covalent Cu(II)-π binding force is very important for stabilizing the crystal structure of 2. The thermal decomposition of the complexes has been predicted by the help of thermal analysis (TG, DTG and DTA).     

Synthesis,characterization and catalytic activity of Pd(II) complexes with N‐allyl functionalized imidazol‐2‐ylidenes in Suzuki–Miyaura reaction

A series of Pd–N‐heterocyclic carbene (Pd–NHC) complexes were synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis and spectroscopic methods. In addition, the molecular structures of 3c and 4c were determined by X‐ray diffraction studies. Finally, the performance of complexes 3 and 5 were studied on Suzuki–Miyaura reactions of phenylboronic acid with aryl bromides. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.