Brillouin light scattering study of polymeric glassy sulfur

We present here a study of the acoustic dynamics of polymeric glassy sulfur. The data have been collected in the GHz frequency range by means of Brillouin light scattering for different scattering geometries. The choice of the experimental setup allows us to obtain information on the refractive index, n, that comes out to be close to that corresponding to the high temperature polymeric liquid phase. The longitudinal acoustic excitations have been investigated as a function of temperature from deep into the glassy state up to the glass transition temperature. The temperature dependence of the sound velocity is compared to the one measured in the liquid phase. We find that the sound velocity of the glass can be linearly extrapolated from that of the polymeric liquid measured in the THz frequency range with inelastic X-ray scattering.     

Fluorescent Probe ABM and Estimation of Immune State in Patients with Different Pathologies (Review Article)

The fluorescent probe ABM (3-aminobenzanthrone derivative) one of the fluorescent probes synthesized in Riga Technical University proved to be an excellent, independent model for studying cell membranes. In our work we have investigated the possibility of using the fluorescent probe ABM for detection of immune state in patients with different pathologies. There is a strong correlation among all studied ABM spectral parameters, immunological characteristics, clinical and laboratory investigations of the all observed patients groups. The obtained results suggest that ABM spectral parameters in cell suspension reflect the alterations of the cellular mechanisms of immunity. Therefore fluorescent method could be used as preliminary screening test in immune diagnostics instead of more expensive, time consuming methods (subset detection, radioisotope method etc.) used as routine in clinics. Spectral parameters of ABM reflect a wide range of interrelated (interdependent) characteristics of cells (physico-chemical state and microviscosity of membrane, proliferating and lipid metabolic activity of cells, distribution of cells among subsets). The observed change of the studied parameters reflects alterations of the cellular mechanisms of immunity which is a main focus for its application as preliminary screening test in immune diagnostics. The fluorescence based method is sensitive, less expensive and time consuming, technically simple and convenient.     

New β-carotene-xylan complexes: preparation and characterization

Cellulose - The study aimed to propose a new system based on xylan for β-carotene delivery into aqueous environments. The xylan fraction of low molecular weight of...     

Cationic photopolymerization of 1,3-di(9-carbazolyl)-2-propanol glycidyl ether

An absorbance probe method was used for the investigation of photolysis of cationic photoinitiators. The rates of the photolysis of diphenyliodonium hexafluorophosphate (DPIH), diphenyliodonium tetrafluoroborate (DPIB), di(tert-butylphenyl)iodonium tetrafluoroborate (DTIB), di(tert-butylphenyl)iodonium bromate (DTIBr), triphenylsulfonium hexafluorophosphate (TPS) and cyclopropyldiphenylsulfonium tetrafluoroborate (CPS) were studied in the presence of acid indicator quinaldine red (QR) in acetonitrile. Diphenyliodonium hexafluorophosphate and triphenylsulfonium hexafluorophosphate showed the highest photolysis rate. Photopolymerization of 1,3-di(9-carbazolyl)-2-propanol glycidyl ether (DCPGE) initiated with the iodonium and sulfonium salts in bulk and in solution was studied. It was established that the highest initial rate of polymerization is characteristic of DCPGE photopolymerization initiated with DPIH and TPS in bulk. The oligomers of DCPGE of number average molecular weight ( [`(M<sub>n</sub>)]\overline{M_n} ) ranging from 710 to 1220 were obtained in these reactions in bulk and those with [`(M_n)]\overline{M_n} ranging from 1300 to 1600 were obtained in solution.     

Cationic photopolymerization of 1,3-di(9-carbazolyl)-2-propanol glycidyl ether

An absorbance probe method was used for the investigation of photolysis of cationic photoinitiators. The rates of the photolysis of diphenyliodonium hexafluorophosphate (DPIH), diphenyliodonium tetrafluoroborate (DPIB), di(tert-butylphenyl)iodonium tetrafluoroborate (DTIB), di(tert-butylphenyl)iodonium bromate (DTIBr), triphenylsulfonium hexafluorophosphate (TPS) and cyclopropyldiphenylsulfonium tetrafluoroborate (CPS) were studied in the presence of acid indicator quinaldine red (QR) in acetonitrile. Diphenyliodonium hexafluorophosphate and triphenylsulfonium hexafluorophosphate showed the highest photolysis rate. Photopolymerization of 1,3-di(9-carbazolyl)-2-propanol glycidyl ether (DCPGE) initiated with the iodonium and sulfonium salts in bulk and in solution was studied. It was established that the highest initial rate of polymerization is characteristic of DCPGE photopolymerization initiated with DPIH and TPS in bulk. The oligomers of DCPGE of number average molecular weight ( ) ranging from 710 to 1220 were obtained in these reactions in bulk and those with ranging from 1300 to 1600 were obtained in solution. Correspondence: Ruta Lazauskaite, Juozas V. Grazulevicius, Department of Organic Technology, Kaunas University of Technology, Radvilenu plentas 19, LT-50254 Kaunas, Lithuania.     

Electronic structure of neutral and monoanionic tris(benzene-1,2-dithiolato)metal complexes of molybdenum and tungsten

The reaction of 3 equiv of the ligand 2-mercapto-3,5-di-tert-butylaniline, H2[LN,S], or 3,5-di-tert-butyl-1,2-benzenedithiol, H2[LS,S], with 1 equiv of [MoO2(acac)2] or WCl6 (acac=acetonylacetate(1-)) in methanol or CCl4 afforded the diamagnetic neutral complexes [MoV(LN,S)2(L*N,S)]0 (1), [MoV(LS,S)2(L*S,S)] (2), and [WV(LS,S)2(L*S,S)] (3), where (L*N,S)- and (L*S,S)- represent monoanionic pi-radical ligands (Srad=1/2), which are the one-electron oxidized forms of the corresponding closed-shell dianions (LN,S)2- and (LS,S)2-. Complexes 1-3 are trigonal-prismatic members of the electron-transfer series [ML3]z (z=0, 1-, 2-). Reaction of 2 and 3 with [N(n-Bu)4](SH) in CH2Cl2 under anaerobic conditions afforded paramagnetic crystalline [N(n-Bu)4][MoV(LS,S)3] (4) and [N(n-Bu)4][WV(LS,S)3] (5). Complexes 1-5 have been characterized by X-ray crystallography. S K-edge X-ray absorption and infrared spectroscopy prove that a pi-radical ligand (L*S,S)- is present in neutral 2 and 3, whereas the monoanions [MV(LS,S)3]- contain only closed-shell dianionic ligands. These neutral species have previously been incorrectly described as [MVI(L)3]0 complexes with a MoVI or WVI (d0) central metal ion; they are, in fact MV (d1) (M=Mo, W) species: [MoV(LS,S)2(L*S,S)] and [WV(LS,S)2(L*S,S)] with a diamagnetic ground state St=0, which is generated by intramolecular, antiferromagnetic coupling between the MV (d1) central ion (SM=1/2) and a ligand pi radical (L*S,S)- (Srad=1/2).     

Electronic structures of tris(dioxolene)chromium and tris(dithiolene)chromium complexes of the electron-transfer series [Cr(dioxolene)(3)](z) and [Cr(dithiolene)(3)](z) (z = 0, 1-, 2-, 3-). A combined experimental and density functional theoretical study

From the reaction mixture of 3,6-di-tert-butylcatechol, H2[3,6L(cat)], [CrCl3(thf)3], and NEt3 in CH3CN in the presence of air, the neutral complex [CrIII(3,6L*(sq))3] (S = 0) (1) was isolated. Reduction of 1 with [Co(Cp)2] in CH2Cl2 yielded microcrystals of [Co(Cp)2][CrIII(3,6L*(sq))2(3,6L(cat))] (S = 1/2) (2) where (3,6L*(sq)(1-) is the pi-radical monoanionic o-semiquinonate of the catecholate dianion (3,6Lcat)(2-). Electrochemistry demonstrated that both species are members of the electron-transfer series [Cr(3,6LO,O)]z (z = 0, 1-, 2-, 3-). The corresponding tris(benzo-1,2-dithiolato)chromium complex [N(n-Bu)4][CrIII(3,5L*S,S)2(3,5LS,S)] (S = 1/2) (3) has also been isolated; (3,5LS,S)(2-) represents the closed-shell dianion 3,5-di-tert-butylbenzene-1,2-dithiolate(2-), and (3,5L*S,S)(1-) is its monoanionic pi radical. Complex 3 is a member of the electron-transfer series [Cr(3,5L(S,S))3]z (z = 0, 1-, 2-, 3-). It is shown by Cr K-edge and S K-edge X-ray absorption, UV-vis, and EPR spectroscopies, as well as X-ray crystallography, of 1 and 3 that the oxidation state of the central Cr ion in each member of both electron-transfer series remains the same (+III) and that all redox processes are ligand-based. These experimental results have been corroborated by broken symmetry density functional theoretical calculations by using the B3LYP functional.     

Characterization of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on silicon substrate comparative with polymer substrate for Escherichia coli O157:H7 detection

This article presents the characterization of two substrates, silicon and polymer coated with gold, that are functionalized by mixed self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) in order to efficiently immobilize the anti-Escherichia coli O157:H7 polyclonal purified antibody.A biosurface functionalized by SAMs (self-assembled monolayers) technique has been developed. Immobilization of goat anti-E. coli O157:H7 antibody was performed by covalently bonding of thiolate mixed self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) realized on two substrates: polymer coated with gold and silicon coated with gold. The F(ab′)₂ fragments of the antibodies have been used for eliminating nonspecific bindings between the Fc portions of antibodies and the Fc receptor on cells. The properties of the monolayers and the biofilm formatted with attached antibody molecules were analyzed at each step using infrared spectroscopy (FTIR-ATR), atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and cyclic voltammetry (CV). In our study the gold-coated silicon substrates approach yielded the best results.These experimental results revealed the necessity to investigate each stage of the immobilization process taking into account in the same time the factors that influence the chemistry of the surface and the further interactions as well and also provide a solid basis for further studies aiming at elaborating sensitive and specific immunosensor or a microarray for the detection of E. coli O157:H7.