Rapid prototyping of polymer microsystems via excimer laser ablation of polymeric moulds

This study presents a novel method for rapid prototyping of polymer microsystems. The method is based on excimer laser ablation of a thermally and mechanically stable polymer, such as PEEK (poly-ether-ether-ketone). A negative of the desired microsystem is laser machined in PEEK, which can then be used directly for hot embossing or injection moulding of a series of prototypes. This approach is very rapid and considerably cheaper than more traditional approaches to toolmaking, while still performing well in terms of reproduction of tool dimensions. The reduction in time and cost for a master tool using this method opens up new possibilities for testing small series in the R&D phase of a microsystem. Finally, two particular applications of the technique are presented.     

Spectrophotometric and direct-reading methods for the analysis of gas phase peroxyacetic acid

A new method for the determination of peroxyacetic acid (PAA) in gas phase samples is described. It is based on the oxidation of ABTS (2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline)-6-sulfonate) by PAA with formation of a radical cation which is characterized by four strong absorption maxima between 405 nm and 810 nm. These allow for sensitive spectrophotometric determination of the peracid. The selectivity of the method towards hydrogen peroxide is strongly dependent on the sampling method used. Impinger sampling and sampling based on the use of coated solid sorbents (test tubes) was performed. Limits of detection are 10(-8) mol, limits of quantification are 5 x 10(-8) mol, the linear range consists of 1.5 concentration decades in both cases. Using ABTS-coated test tubes above 1 x 10(-7) mol, direct reading of the results is possible and may be used as rapid screening method for the PAA concentration.     

Synthesis,crystal structure,and magnetic properties of mu-hydroxo-bis[pentakis(acetonitrile)chromium(III)] tetrafluoroborate: an acetonitrile analogue to "acid rhodo"

The reaction of [Cr(NCCH(3))(6)](2+) with dioxygen in acetonitrile (MeCN) solution acidified with HBF(4) gave red crystals of the binuclear complex [(CH(3)CN)(5)Cr(OH)Cr(NCCH(3))(5)](BF(4))(5) (1). From the X-ray crystal structure of 1, the Cr-O-Cr angle was found to be 147.5(2) degrees. Magnetic susceptibility measurements of 1 showed an antiferromagnetic coupling between the two chromium(III) centers with a triplet energy J = 35.9(1) cm(-1). On redissolution of 1 in MeCN, the hydroxo bridge was deprotonated, and a green solution of the complex [(CH(3)CN)(5)CrOCr(NCCH(3))(5)](4+) formed. The electronic absorption spectrum of this solution is very similar to the spectrum of the classical complex [(H(3)N)(5)CrOCr(NH(3))(5)](4+) with intense bands in the UV and near-UV region. From the temperature dependence of the absorption spectrum near 12900 cm(-1), the triplet energy J was found to be 1067(19) cm(-1). The acidity of the hydroxo bridge in 1 is very high with an acid dissociation constant K(a) > 1 M.     

Metal ion catalysis of natural products transformations. Novel aldopentose disproportionation reactions catalyzed by rhodium(III)

The detailed stoichiometry of the reaction between the aldopentoses, ribose, arabinose, lyxose, and xylose, and the cis rhodium(III) complex of the macrocyclic tetraamine ligand rac-5,5,7,12,12,14-hexamethyl-1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane in weakly acidic aqueous solution has been studied by 13C NMR, using deuterium- and carbon-13-labeled substrates. The overall process is a catalytic disproportionation reaction, in which two aldopentose molecules are transformed into the corresponding alditol and aldonolactone, both with an unchanged configuration around carbon atoms 2, 3, and 4. The mechanism of this reaction is suggested to involve coordination of a hydrated and an unhydrated substrate molecule through their carbon-1 bound oxygen atoms followed by a hydride shift from the hydrated to the unhydrated substrate. This disproportionation process is subsequently followed by aquation of the reaction product to give the free alditol and a mixture of the aldonic acid and the corresponding aldonolactone. Concurrently with the aquation reaction, incorporation of solvent hydrogen at the carbon-1 atom of the alditol is also observed for the rhodium-coordinated alditol reaction product.     

SPOCC-194, a new high functional group density PEG-based resin for solid-phase organic synthesis

A novel polymer matrix for solid-phase synthesis, SPOCC(194) resin (1), was designed featuring a backbone of homogeneous tetraethylene glycol (TEG(194)) macromonomer linked by quaternary carbon junctions and terminating in primary alcohol functionality. Beaded SPOCC(194) resin was effectively prepared by suspension polymerization of oxetanylated TEG macromonomer 5 in stirred silicon oil. Mechanically stable and inert to a diverse range of reaction conditions, SPOCC(194) possessed a high hydroxyl group loading (0.9-1.2 mmol/g) for substrate attachment and swelled effectively ( approximately 2-4 mL/g) in a variety of organic and aqueous solvents. Developed for solid-phase synthesis at high reactant concentrations for driving organic and aqueous reactions to completion, SPOCC(194) exhibited high functional group density (mmol/mL) similar to that of low-loaded aminomethylated polystyrene-divinylbenzene copolymer (PS-1%DVB) yet significantly higher than that of PEGA(1900), SPOCC(1500), and TentaGel S. High-resolution MAS NMR spectra of Fmoc-derivatized SPOCC(194) indicate that monitoring of functional group transformation is possible. Moreover, by employment of a nonaromatic resin-linker combination, electrophilic chemistry, such as Lewis acid catalyzed glycosylation and Friedel-Crafts acylation, was selectively performed on substrate bound to SPOCC(194) resin. Such properties make SPOCC(194) resin a promising new polymer matrix for the support-bound construction of small organic molecules by parallel and combinatorial synthesis and the scavenging of solution-phase reactants or byproducts.     

Photoelectron and Auger spectra of xenon (VIII) in solid perxenates

The chemical shift of core shell ionization energies in various perxenates relative to gaseous xenon is strongly compensated by interatomic relaxation. This effect is even more clear-cut on the Auger signals moving in the opposite direction of a (Hartree + Madelung) potential model.     

Photodynamic therapy of superficial basal cell carcinoma with 5-aminolevulinic acid with dimethylsulfoxide and ethylendiaminetetraacetic acid: a comparison of two light sources

The aim of this prospective randomized study was to compare the clinical and cosmetic outcome of superficial basal cell carcinomas (BCC), using either laser or broadband halogen light, in photodynamic therapy with topical 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA). A total of 83 patients with 245 superficial BCC were included in the study. Standard treatment involved 15 min of local pretreatment with 99% dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) before topical application of 20% ALA with DMSO (2%) and ethylendiaminetetraacetic acid (2%) as cofactors for 3 h before light exposure with either laser or a broadband lamp (BL). A complete response was achieved in 95 lesions (86%) in the laser group and 110 lesions (82%) in the BL group 6 months after treatment. Of these, 80 lesions (84%) in the laser group and 101 lesions (92%) in the lamp group were independently evaluated to have an excellent or good cosmetic post-treatment score. No serious adverse events were reported. This study shows that there is no statistical significant difference in cure the rate (P = 0.49) and the cosmetic outcome (P = 0.075) with topical application of a modified ALA-cream between light exposure from a simple BL with continuous spectrum (570-740 nm) or from a red-light laser (monochromatic 630 nm). Cost and safety are further elements in favor of the BL in this setting.     

Analysis of precision of activation-analysis methods

The precision of an activation-analysis method prescribes the estimation of the precision of a single analytical result. The adequacy of these estimates to account for the observed variation between duplicate results from the analysis of different samples and materials, is tested by the statistic T, which is shown to be approximated by a chi(2) distribution. Application of this test to the results of determinations of manganese in human serum by a method of established precision, led to the detection of airborne pollution of the serum during the sampling process. The subsequent improvement in sampling conditions was shown to give not only increased precision, but also improved accuracy of the results.     

Beta-sheet preferences from first principles

The natural amino acids have different preferences of occurring in specific types of secondary protein structure. Simulations are performed on periodic model beta-sheets of 14 different amino acids, at the level of density functional theory, employing the generalized gradient approximation. We find that the statistically observed beta-sheet propensities correlate very well with the calculated binding energies. Analysis of the calculations shows that the beta-sheet propensities are determined by the local flexibility of the individual polypeptide strands.     

Preparation temperature dependence of size and polydispersity of alkylthiol monolayer protected gold clusters

The influence of preparation temperature on the size and size distribution of dodecylthiol monolayer protected gold clusters was studied. The monolayer protected clusters (MPCs) were synthesized by two different variations of the Brust-Schiffrin procedure. In all of the experiments, the stoichiometry of the reactants dodecylthiol, HAuCl(4), and sodium borohydride was kept constant, while the temperature was varied in the range of -18 to +90 degrees C. Two series were performed in which an aqueous solution of NaBH(4) was either added over 30 s or all in one portion. The size and size distribution of the MPCs were determined by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). It has been demonstrated that in general the MPC size increases with elevated preparation temperatures.