Analyses of oxyanion materials by prompt gamma activation analysis

Prompt gamma activation analysis (PGAA) has been used to analyze metal ion oxyanion materials that have multiple applications, including medicine, materials, catalysts, and electronics. The significance for the need for accurate, highly sensitive analyses for the materials is discussed in the context of quality control of end products containing the parent element in each material. Applications of the analytical data for input to models and theoretical calculations related to the electronic and other properties of the materials are discussed.     

Specificity of immobilized porcine pepsin in H/D exchange compatible conditions

Statistical analysis of data from 39 proteins (13 766 amino acid residues) digested with immobilized porcine pepsin under conditions compatible with hydrogen/deuterium (H/D) exchange (<1 degrees C, <30 s) was performed to examine pepsin cleavage specificity. The cleavage of pepsin was most influenced by the amino acid residue at position P1. Phe and Leu are favored residues each with a cleavage probability greater than 40%. His, Lys, Arg, or Pro residues prohibit cleavage when found at the P1 position. Pro also cannot be at position P2 (cleavage probability <0.3%). Occupation of the P3 position by His, Lys, or Arg, or occupation of the P2' position by Pro, also leads to very little cleavage (cleavage probability <1.7%). The average cleavage probability over the entire data set was 13.6%, which is slightly lower than the value previously obtained by Powers et al. (14.8%). This is due, in part, to the larger protein sizes used in the current study. While the specificity of pepsin was similar to that previously observed, higher selectivity was observed in the present study due to less experimental variation in the conditions used to generate our database.     

Pulsed electron nuclear double resonance studies of carotenoid oxidation in Cu(II)-substituted MCM-41 molecular sieves

Carotenoid (Car) radical intermediates formed upon catalytic or photooxidation of lutein (I), 7'-apo-7',7'-dicyano-beta-carotene (II), and lycopene (III) inside Cu(II)-MCM-41 molecular sieves were studied by pulsed electron nuclear double resonance (ENDOR) spectroscopies. The Davies and Mims ENDOR spectra (15-20 K) were simulated using the hyperfine coupling constants predicted by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The DFT calculations revealed that upon chemical oxidation, carotenoid radical cations (Car*+) are formed, whereas carotenoid neutral radicals (#Car*) are produced by proton loss (indicated by #) from the radical cation. This loss is to first order independent of polarity or hydrogen bonding for carotenoids I, II, or III inside Cu(II)-MCM-41 molecular sieves.     

Graphs with the Strong Havel–Hakimi Property

The Havel–Hakimi algorithm iteratively reduces the degree sequence of a graph to a list of zeroes. As shown by Favaron, Mahéo, and Saclé, the number of zeroes produced, known as the residue, is a lower bound on the independence number of the graph. We say that a graph has the strong Havel–Hakimi property if in each of its induced subgraphs, deleting any vertex of maximum degree reduces the degree sequence in the same way that the Havel–Hakimi algorithm does. We characterize graphs having this property (which include all threshold and matrogenic graphs) in terms of minimal forbidden induced subgraphs. We further show that for these graphs the residue equals the independence number, and a natural greedy algorithm always produces a maximum independent set.     

Green Silver and Gold Nanoparticles: Biological Synthesis Approaches and Potentials for Biomedical Applications

The nanomaterial industry generates gigantic quantities of metal-based nanomaterials for various technological and biomedical applications; however, concomitantly, it places a massive burden on the environment by utilizing toxic chemicals for the production process and leaving hazardous waste materials behind. Moreover, the employed, often unpleasant chemicals can affect the biocompatibility of the generated particles and severely restrict their application possibilities. On these grounds, green synthetic approaches have emerged, offering eco-friendly, sustainable, nature-derived alternative production methods, thus attenuating the ecological footprint of the nanomaterial industry. In the last decade, a plethora of biological materials has been tested to probe their suitability for nanomaterial synthesis. Although most of these approaches were successful, a large body of evidence indicates that the green material or entity used for the production would substantially define the physical and chemical properties and as a consequence, the biological activities of the obtained nanomaterials. The present review provides a comprehensive collection of the most recent green methodologies, surveys the major nanoparticle characterization techniques and screens the effects triggered by the obtained nanomaterials in various living systems to give an impression on the biomedical potential of green synthesized silver and gold nanoparticles.     

Integration of functional myotubes with a Bio-MEMS device for non-invasive interrogation

We have developed a biological micro-electromechanical system (Bio-MEMS) device consisting of surface-modified microfabricated silicon cantilevers and an AFM detection apparatus for the study of cultured myotubes. With this system we are able to selectively stimulate the myotubes as well as report on a variety of physiological properties of the myotubes in real time and in a high-throughput manner. This system will serve as the foundation for future work integrating multiple tissue types for the creation of Bio-MEMS analogues of complex tissues and biological circuits.     

Monitoring the Air Influence on Cement–Lime Mortar Hydration Using Low-Field Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Relaxometry

In the present study, we investigate the relationship between the nuclear magnetic resonance relaxation rate and the hydration time in two types of masonry cement-lime mortar. The studies are performed with the mortars both in an enclosed and a standard atmosphere to monitor the air influence on cement-lime mortar hydration and setting. The constituents of the investigated mortar samples are: cement, slaked lime, sand and water. They were mixed to achieve a flow spread of 10?cm. These types of mortars are usually suitable for historical masonry maintenance, but they can also be used for modern buildings, or even for concrete structures coatings to prevent concrete carbonation. All nuclear magnetic resonance relaxation experiments were performed at 20?°C using a low-field nuclear magnetic resonance instrument operable at 20?MHz proton resonance frequency. A slowing down of the hydration kinetics is demonstrated for the samples kept in closed atmosphere conditions. The results contribute to the understanding of cement–lime mortar hydration, carbonation and setting under closed atmosphere conditions.     

Extraction of kinetic freeze-out properties and effect of resonance decays

We present STAR results from identified particle spectra measured in $\sqrt {s_{NN} } = 62.4$ GEV Au-Au collisions. Particle production and system dynamics are compared to results at $\sqrt {s_{NN} } = 200$ GeV. We extract kinetic and chemical freeze-out parameters using blast wave model parametrization and statistical model. We discuss the effect of resonance decays on the extracted kinetic freeze-out parameters.     

Synthesis of aromatic pyrazolo[4,5-b]pyridine derivatives

Cyclocondensation of chalcones with 5-amino-3-methyl-1-phenylpyrazole leads to the formation of 2,4-diaryl-5-methyl-7-phenyl-3,4-dihydropyrazolo-[4,5-b]pyridines, which undergo aromatization upon treatment with N-bromosuccinimide.Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 9, pp. 1247–1251, September, 1987.