Biaxial nematic phase in model bent-core systems

We determine the bifurcation phase diagrams with isotropic (I), uniaxial (N(U)) and biaxial (N(B)) nematic phases for model bent-core mesogens using Onsager-type theory. The molecules comprise two or three Gay-Berne interacting ellipsoids of uniaxial and biaxial shape and a transverse central dipole. The Landau point is found to turn into an I-N(B) line for the three-center model with a large dipole moment. For the biaxial ellipsoids, a line of Landau points is observed even in the absence of the dipoles.     

Gold nanoparticle chemiresistors operating in biological fluids

Functionalised gold nanoparticle (Au(NP)) chemiresistors are investigated for direct sensing of small organic molecules in biological fluids. The principle reason that Au(NP) chemiresistors, and many other sensing devices, have limited operation in biological fluids is due to protein and lipid fouling deactivating the sensing mechanism. In order to extend the capability of such chemiresistor sensors to operate directly in biofluids, it is essential to minimise undesirable matrix effects due to protein and lipidic components. Ultrafiltration membranes were investigated as semi-permeable size-selective barriers to prevent large biomolecule interactions with Au(NP) chemiresistors operating in protein-loaded biofluids. All of the ultrafiltration membranes protected the Au(NP) chemiresistors from fouling by the globular biomolecules, with the 10 kDa molecular weight cut-off size being optimum for operation in biofluids. Titrations of toluene in different protein-loaded fluids indicated that small molecule detection was possible. A sensor array consisting of six different thiolate-functionalised Au(NP) chemiresistors protected with a size-selective ultrafiltration membrane successfully identified, and discriminated the spoilage of pasteurised bovine milk. This proof-of-principle study demonstrates the on-chip protein separation and small metabolite detection capability, illustrating the potential for this technology in the field of microbial metabolomics. Overall, these results demonstrate that a sensor array can be protected from protein fouling with the use of a membrane, significantly increasing the possible application areas of Au(NP) chemiresistors ranging from the food industry to health services.     

Thermal properties of potassium bis(oxalato)diaquochromates(III) in solid state. Trans–cis isomerization of the [Cr(C2O4)2(OH2)2]? complex ion in aqueous solutions

The thermal decomposition of trans-K[Cr(C₂O₄)₂(OH₂)₂]·3H₂O and cis-K[Cr(C₂O₄)₂(OH₂)₂] has been studied using the TG–MS technique. The measurements were carried out in an argon atmosphere over the temperature range of 293–873 K. The influence of the complex structures and configurational geometry on the stability of the transition products and the pathways of thermal transformations has been discussed. Furthermore, the kinetics of the isomerization reactions of the [Cr(C₂O₄)₂(OH₂)₂]⁻ complex ion catalyzed by five different metal ions: Be²⁺, Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, Sr²⁺ and Ba²⁺ have been studied. The isomerization reactions were studied in aqueous solution at five various temperatures (283–303 K), at constant concentration of metal ions (C = 0.1 M) and the constant ionic strength of solution (Na⁺, NO₃ ⁻) I = 2.4 M. The rates of the isomerization reaction were determined spectrophotometrically by monitoring of absorbance changes at 410 nm.     

Detection of Prunus Necrotic Ringspot Virus in Plant Extracts with Impedimetric Immunosensor based on Glassy Carbon Electrode

This paper concerns the development of an immunosensor for detection of Prunus necrotic ringspot virus (PNRSV) in plant extracts. The immunosensor fabrication consists of successive modification steps of glassy carbon electrodes: (i) creation of COOH groups, (ii) covalent immobilization of protein A with EDC/NHS coupling reaction, (iii) immobilization of anti‐PNRSV IgG polyclonal antibody, (iiii) filling free spaces with BSA. Each step was controlled with cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The immunosensor was applied for the determination of the PNRSV virus in extracts from cucumber leaves using EIS technique. It was capable of discriminating between samples consisting of extracts from healthy plants and consisting of leaf extracts from infected plants diluted 10 000 times with extract from healthy plants.     

Electrochemical and Biological Studies on Reactivity of [VO(oda)(H2O)2], [Co(oda)(H2O)2]·H2O,and [Ni(oda)­(H2O)3]·1.5H2O Towards Superoxide Free Radicals

The reactivity of superoxide free radicals (O₂ ^{· –}) generated electrochemically towards the oxydiacetate metal complexes, namely [VO(oda)(H₂O)₂], [Co(oda)(H₂O)₂] · H₂O, and [Ni(oda)(H₂O)₃] · 1.5H₂O (oda = oxydiacetate) was examined by cyclic voltammetry. The measurements were carried out in DMSO solution using a platinum electrode. Based on the height of the anodic peak E_a that corresponds to electrochemical oxidation O₂ ^{· –} → O₂ + e, in the absence and in the presence of the compounds in the mixture, their O₂ ^{· –} scavenge ability was assessed. The influence of the type of the complex was briefly discussed. H₂O₂ was used to induce cellular injury in a mouse hippocampal cell line (HT22). The cytoprotection of chemical compounds was tested at the mitochondrial (MTT test) and plasma membrane level (LDH leakage). Dose‐dependent effect (10 and 100 μM of the complex) of investigated compounds was observed.     

Oxidation of steroidal diols and triols with air/NaH

Abstract  

The unusual air oxidation of steroidal triols and diols in the presence of sodium hydride in THF is described. The initial oxidation product, ketone or aldehyde, frequently undergoes further transformations in the reaction medium. The course of the reaction depends on the stereochemistry of the substrate. For example, oxidation of (20R)-20-hydroxymethyl-6β-methoxy-3α,5α-cyclopregnane-16β,17α-diol with air/NaH afforded 6β-methoxy-23,24,25,26,27-pentanor-3α,5α-cyclofurostane-16α,17α-diol in 60% yield whereas similar reaction of (20R)-20-hydroxymethyl-6β-methoxy-3α,5α-cyclopregnane-16α,17α-diol gave 6β-methoxy-D-homo-16a-oxa-3α,5α-cycloandrostan-16-one in 30% yield. The objective of this preliminary study was to select alcohols susceptible to air/NaH oxidation and to establish the effect of conditions on the course of the reaction.     

The kinetics of gasification of char derived from sewage sludge

Gasification of char derived from sewage sludge was studied under different oxidizing atmospheres containing CO₂, O₂ or H₂O. The gasification tests were carried out in thermobalance at different temperatures and oxidizing reagent concentrations. The most efficient were the gaseous mixtures containing oxygen. The reaction took place at temperature 400–500 °C, whilst in the case of CO₂ and steam much higher temperatures (700–900 °C) were necessary to complete the conversion. Two rate models for gas–solid reaction were applied to describe the effect of char conversion on reaction rate. The shrinking core model for reaction-controlled regime was found to be the best for predicting the rate of char gasification in CO₂ and O₂ atmosphere. The experimental data for steam gasification of the char were fitted best by the first-order kinetics. The kinetic parameters estimated from the experimental data are in accordance with the literature for lignocellulosic char gasification and are the first published for sewage sludge char gasification.     

Investigations of ternary complexes of Co(II) and Ni(II) with oxydiacetate anion and 1,10-phenanthroline or 2,2′-bipyridine in solutions

Potentiometric (PT) and conductometric (CT) titration methods have been used to determine the stoichiometry and formation constants in water for a series of ternary complexes of Co(II) and Ni(II) involving the oxydiacetate anion (ODA) and 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) or 2,2′-bipyridine (bipy) ligands, namely [Co(ODA)(phen)(H₂O)], [Co(ODA)(bpy)(H₂O)], [Ni(ODA)(phen)(H₂O)] and [Ni(ODA)(bpy)(H₂O)]. The ternary complex formation process was found to take place in a stepwise manner in which the oxydiacetate ligand acts as a primary ligand and the phen or bipy ligands act as auxiliary ones. The stability of the ternary complexes formed is discussed in the relation to the corresponding binary ones. Furthermore, the kinetics of the substitution reactions of the aqua ligands in the coordination sphere of the Ni-ODA and Co-ODA complexes to phen or bipy were studied by the stopped-flow method. The kinetic measurements were performed in the 288–303 K temperature range, at a constant concentration of phen or bipy and at seven different concentrations of the binary complexes (4–7 mM). The influence of experimental conditions and the kind of the auxiliary ligands (phen/bipy) on the substitution rate was discussed.      

Inverting the G‐Tetrad Polarity of a G‐Quadruplex by Using Xanthine and 8‐Oxoguanine

G‐quadruplexes are four‐stranded nucleic acid structures that are built from consecutively stacked guanine tetrad (G‐tetrad) assemblies. The simultaneous incorporation of two guanine base lesions, xanthine (X) and 8‐oxoguanine (O), within a single G‐tetrad of a G‐quadruplex was recently shown to lead to the formation of a stable G?G?X?O tetrad. Herein, a judicious introduction of X and O into a human telomeric G‐quadruplex‐forming sequence is shown to reverse the hydrogen‐bond polarity of the modified G‐tetrad while preserving the original folding topology. The control exerted over G‐tetrad polarity by joint X?O modification will be valuable for the design and programming of G‐quadruplex structures and their properties.     

The photochemistry of thymidylyl-(3'-5')-5-methyl-2'-deoxycytidine in aqueous solution

The photochemistry of the dinucleoside monophosphate thymidylyl-(3'-5')-5-methyl-2'-deoxycytidine (Tpm5dC) has been studied in aqueous solution using both 254 nm and UV-B radiation. A variety of dinucleotide photoproducts containing 5-methylcytosine (m5C) have been isolated and characterized. These include two cyclobutane dimers (CBD) (the cis-syn [c,s]and trans-syn forms), a (6-4) adduct and its related Dewar isomer, and two isomers of a product in which the m5C moiety was converted into an acrylamidine. Small amounts of thymidylyl-(3'-5')-thymidine (TpT) were also formed, presumably as a secondary photoreaction product. In addition, a photoproduct was characterized in which the m5C moiety was lost, thus generating 3'-thymidylic acid esterified with 2'-deoxyribose at the 5-hydroxyl on the sugar moiety. The c,s CBD of Tpm5dC readily undergoes deamination to form the corresponding CBD of TpT. The kinetics of this deamination process has been studied; the corresponding enthalpy and entropy of activation for the reaction have been evaluated at pH 7.4 as being, respectively, 73.4 kJ/mol and -103.5 J/K mol. Deamination was not observed for the other characterized photoproducts of Tpm5dC.