Nanoparticle assembly on patterned "plus/minus" surfaces from electrospray of colloidal dispersion

Selective deposition of metal (Au) and oxide (SiO2) nanoparticles with a size range of 10-30 nm on patterned silicon-silicon oxide substrate was performed using the electrospray method. Electrical charging characteristics of particles produced by the electrospray and patterned area created by contact charging of the electrical conductor with non- or semi-conductors were investigated. Colloidal droplets were electrosprayed and subsequently dried as individual nanoparticles which then were deposited on substrates, and observed using field emission-scanning electron microscopy. The number of elementary charge units on particles generated by the electrospray was 0.4-148, and patterned area created by contact charging contained sufficient negative charges to attract multiple charged particles. Locations where nanoparticles were (reversibly) deposited depended on voltage polarity applied to the spraying colloidal droplet and the substrate, and the existence of additional ions such as those from a stabilizer.     

Tuning of band gaps for a two-dimensional piezoelectric phononic crystal with a rectangular lattice

In this paper, the elastic wave propagation in a two-dimensional piezoelectric phononic crystal is studied by considering the mechanic-electric coupling. The generalized eigenvalue equation is obtained by the relation of the mechanic and electric fields as well as the Bloch-Floquet theorem. The band structures of both the in-plane and anti-plane modes are calculated for a rectangular lattice by the planewave expansion method. The effects of the lattice constant ratio and the piezoelectricity with different filling fractions are analyzed. The results show that the largest gap width is not always obtained for a square lattice. In some situations, a rectangular lattice may generate larger gaps. The band gap characteristics are influenced obviously by the piezoelectricity with the larger lattice constant ratios and the filling fractions.     

The kinetics of the thermal pyridine dissociation of pyridine[N,N′-ethylenebis(salicylideneaminato)]-alkylcobalt(III) in the solid state. Kinetic trans effect of alkyl group

The thermal behavior of RCo(salen)py (R = Me, Et, nPr, iPr, n-Bu, iBu; salen = N,N′-ethylenebis(salicylideneaminate) dianion; py = pyridine) has been investigated by means of TG, DSC, and isothermal weight-loss measurements. These complexes dissociate 1 mol of pyridine per mole of complex in the temperature range 365–445 K, which is followed by the dissociation of the alkyl group. Kinetic analysis has revealed that the pyridine dissocation reactions fit the contracting disc equation. The electronic nature of the alkyl group has been found to affect the kinetic stability of the Co(III)-alkyl bonding; the more electron-donating group labilizes the Co(III)-py bonding. A linear correlation has been observed between the inductive substitution constants of alkyl groups and the pyridine-dissociation rates at 400 K.     

Preconcentration of antimony(III) from water with thionalide loaded on glass beads with the aid of collodion

2-Mercapto-N-2-naphthylacetamide (thionalide) loaded on glass beads with the aid of collodion is used for preconcentration of microgram levels of antimony(III) from aqueous solution. Antimony is quantitatively retained on the loaded beads from 0.4–0.8 mol l^?1 hydrochloric acid solutions; equilibration is achieved within 1 min. The retention capacity of the beads is 0.2 μml Sb g^?1 at 0.6 mol l^?1 hydrochloric acid. The maximum flow rate for quantitative retention is 1.27 ml min^?1 cm^?2. Antimony retained on the column is completely eluted with 10 ml of 6.0 mol l^?1 hydrochloric acid at flow rates<1.9 ml min^?1 cm^?2.     

Simultaneous determination of preservatives in beverages,vinegar, aqueous sauces,and quasi-drug drinks by stir-bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) and thermal desorption GC-MS

A method for the simultaneous determination of seven preservatives - sorbic acid, benzoic acid, and p-hydroxybenzoic acid ethyl, isopropyl, propyl, isobutyl, and butyl esters - in beverages, vinegar, aqueous sauces, and quasi-drug drinks has been developed using the stir-bar sorptive extraction technique then thermal desorption GC-MS analysis. The extraction conditions - pH, sample volume, extraction temperature, salt addition, and extraction time - were examined. d5-Benzoic acid and p-hydroxybenzoic acid sec-butyl ester were added as surrogate internal standards to compensate for the effect of sample matrix and coexisting analytes on the sorptive extraction. The linearity of the method was good over the concentration range from 1 to 1000 microg mL(-1) for sorbic acid, 10-1000 microg mL(-1) for benzoic acid, and 0.1-100 microg mL(-1) for p-hydroxybenzoic acid ethyl, isopropyl, propyl, isobutyl, and butyl esters, and the correlation coefficients were higher than 0.9984. The limit of detection ranged from 0.015 to 3.3 microg mL(-1). The recoveries (95-105%) and precision (RSD: 0.86-6.0%) of the method were examined by analyzing a sparkling soft drink, white wine, red wine, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, and quasi-drug drink samples fortified at the 5 to 50 microg mL(-1) level.     

Synthesis of Immunosuppressive Neoglycoproteins: Bovine Serum Albumin Coupled with 8-(Hydrazino-Carbonyl)Octyl 4- Or 6-O-α-D-Mannopyranosyl-α-D-Mannopyranoside

Abstract

Recombinant cytokines generated by bacteria, especially E. coli, are nonglycosylated. To investigate the effects of carbohydrates on their activities, we attempted to develop new cytokines by introduction of carbohydrates. As a model we synthesized neoglycoproteins in which potential immunoregulatory carbohydrates were coupled to bovine serum albumin(BSA). Mannose dimers with C9 spacer, Manα1-6Man, which is reported to be immunosuppressive, and a reference substance Manα1-4Man were synthesized as follows. Benzylidenation of 8-(methoxycarbonyl)octyl α-D-mannopyranoside (10), followed by acetylation and cleavage of the benzylidene acetal, gave a glycosyl acceptor (13) with a free hydroxyl group in the C-4 position. Glycosylation of 13 with acetobromomannose (8), followed by debenzylation, deacetylation, and hydrazidation, gave 8-(hydrazinocarbonyl)octyl 4-O-α-D-mannopyranosyl-α-D-mannopyranoside (1). Total yield of 1 from 10 was 25.1%. Tritylation of 10, followed by acetylation and detritylation, gave a glycosyl acceptor (18) with a free hydroxyl group in the C-6 position. Analogous condensation of 18 with 8, followed by deacetylation and hydrazidation, gave 8-(hydrazinocarbonyl)octyl 6-O-α-D-mannopyranosyl-α-D-mannopyranoside (2). Total yield of 2 from 10 was 22.9%. These mannose dimers were coupled to BSA by the acyl azide method. Using the antibodies against the mannose dimers, an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was established to measure the small amount of mannose dimers coupled to proteins. These two neoglycoproteins appeared to inhibit the antigen-specific human T cell proliferation over 100 fold more efficiently than free mannose dimers.     

Selectable one-dimensional or two-dimensional gas chromatography–mass spectrometry with simultaneous olfactometry or element-specific detection

A novel selectable one-dimensional (¹D) or two-dimensional (²D) gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (selectable ¹D/²D GC–MS) system with selective detection was developed by using capillary flow technology and low thermal mass GC (LTM-GC). The main advantages of this system are the simple and fast selection of ¹D GC–MS or ²D GC–MS operation without any instrumental set-up change (e.g.²D GC–MS can be run just after ¹D GC–MS run), and simultaneous mass spectrometric and olfactometry or element-specific detection for both ¹D and ²D separation to assure selection of a heart-cut region and correct identification of compounds of interest. The feasibility and benefit of the proposed system with selective detection, e.g. olfactometry, nitrogen phosphorus detection (NPD), and pulsed flame photometric detection (PFPD), was demonstrated with an identification of trace amounts of aroma components in beverages (beer and coffee). Using stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) and selectable ¹D/²D GC–Olfactometry/MS on a beer sample, β-damascenone could be determined at 1.9 ng mL⁻¹ (RSD 3.1%, n = 6) as a potent aroma compound. In a coffee sample, two odor active compounds were clearly resolved from a 4.2 s heart-cut and were assigned probable identifications as 4,5-dimethyl thiazole and dimethyl trisulfide based on a NIST library search, dual linear retention indices (dual LRI) and elemental information obtained by SBSE in combination with selectable ¹D/²D GC–NPD/PFPD/MS.     

Propagation behavior of Love waves in a functionally graded half-space with initial stress

The propagation behavior of Love waves in a functionally graded material layered non-piezoelectric half-space with initial stress is taken into account. The Wentzel–Kramers–Brillouin (WKB) technique is adopted for the theoretical derivations. The analytical solutions are obtained for the dispersion relations and the distributions of the mechanical displacement and stress along the thickness direction in the layered structure. First, these solutions are used to study the effects of the initial stress on the dispersion relations and the group and phase velocities, then the influences of the initial stress on the distributions of the mechanical displacement and shear stresses along the thickness direction are discussed in detail. Numerical results obtained indicate that the phase velocity of the Love waves increases with the increase in the magnitude of the initial tensile stress, while decreases with the increase in the magnitude of the initial compression stress. The effects on the dispersion relations of the Love wave propagation are negligible as the magnitudes of the initial stress are less than 100 MPa. Some other results are obtained for the distributions of field quantities along thickness direction. The results obtained are not only meaningful for the design of functionally graded structures with high performance but also effective for the evaluation of residual stress distribution in the layered structures.     

Control of the morphology of nanostructured particles prepared by the spray drying of a nanoparticle sol

The control of the morphology of nanostructured particles prepared by the spray drying of nanoparticle sol was investigated experimentally and the results are qualitatively explained based on available theory. A theoretical analysis indicates that the structural stability of the droplet and the hydrodynamic effects during the drying process play important roles in controlling the morphology of the resulting particles. The size of the sol in the droplet, droplet size, viscosity of droplet, drying temperature, gas flow rate, and addition of surfactant are all crucial parameters that affect the morphology of particles. Experimentally, nanostructured silica particles were prepared from a nanosize silica sol under various preparation conditions. Doughnut-shaped particles can be produced when the droplet size is large, in conjunction with high temperature, high gas flow rate and in the presence of an added surfactant. Appropriate choice of the spray drying method permits control of the particle size and shape, ranging from spheres to ellipsoids as well as doughnut-shaped particles by varying the preparation conditions. The results open a new route to controlling the formation of a wide variety of nanostructured particles.     

Dual low thermal mass gas chromatography–mass spectrometry for fast dual-column separation of pesticides in complex sample

A method is described for fast dual-column separation of pesticides by use of dual low thermal mass gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (dual LTM-GC–MS) with different temperature programming. The method can provide two total ion chromatograms with different separation on DB-5 and DB-17 in a single run, which allows improved identification capability, even with short analysis time (<17 min). Also simultaneous detection with MS and elemental selective detector, e.g. pulsed flame photometric detection (PFPD) was evaluated for fast dual-column separation of 82 pesticide mixtures including 27 phosphorus pesticides. Dual LTM-GC–MS/PFPD was applied to analysis of pesticides in a brewed green tea sample with dual stir bar sorptive extraction method (dual SBSE).