Study of Langmuir and Langmuir-Blodgett films of odorant-binding protein/amphiphile for odorant biosensors

To make ultrathin films for the fabrication of artificial olfactory systems, odorant biosensors, we have investigated mixed Langmuir and Langmuir-Blodgett films of odorant-binding protein/amphiphile. Under optimized experimental conditions (phosphate buffer solution, pH 7.5, OBP-1F concentration of 4 mg L(-1), target pressure 35 mN m(-1)), the mixed monolayer at the air/water interface is very stable and has been efficiently transferred onto gold supports, which were previously functionalized by self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) with 1-octadecanethiol (ODT). Atomic force microscopy and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy were used to characterize mixed Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films before and after contact with a specific odorant molecule, isoamyl acetate. AFM phase images show a higher contrast after contact with the odorant molecule due to the new structure of the OBP-1F/ODA LB film. Non-Faradaic electrochemical spectroscopy (EIS) is used to quantify the effect of the odorant based on the electrical properties of the OBP-1F/ODA LB film, as its resistance strongly decreases from 1.18 MOmega (before contact) to 25 kOmega (after contact).     

Molecular simulation of electrolytes in nanopores

Behaviour of electrolytes confined in cylindrical and slit pores are studied by computer simulations at the molecular level. Previous equilibrium and structural properties obtained by Monte Carlo techniques using the restrictive primitive model are discussed. Transport properties are calculated by the canonical molecular dynamics technique for ions with Lennard–Jones cores. Assuming an external electric potential, the chemical potential of individual ions can be balanced without the need for a grand canonical procedure. The mobility of the counterion is affected by the surface charge density. At a high surface charge, the mean square axial displacement of the counterion calculated is lower than the bulk value due to its high concentration near the charged wall.     

Preparation and basic physical properties of BiTeI single crystals

A modified Bridgman method is described, which makes it possible to prepare homogeneous BiTeI crystals using excess iodine. At room temperature the values of the electrical conductivity of the crystals range around 2000 ^–1 cm^–1, the Hall constant value about 0·09 cm^–3 coul^–1, the Seebeck coefficient about 50 V K^–1. In connection with the assumption of super-stoichiometric iodine content we expect there exist point defects in the crystals, where Te atoms are replaced with I atoms, which gives rise to electric conductivity. On the basis of the temperature dependence of the electron mobility one can suppose a mixed mechanism of the scattering of the free carriers by the acoustic branch of lattice vibrations and by ionized impurities.     

New [g]-fused [1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-c]pyrimidines: Synthesis of pyrido[3,2-e] and [4,3-e][1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-c]pyrimidine,pyrimido[5,4-e][1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-c]pyrimidine and [1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-c]pteridine derivatives

A number of 2-aryl-substituted pyrido[3,2-e] and [4,3-e][1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-c]pyrimidines and [1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-c]pteridines 11,12a,b,e , their corresponding 5-carbonyl derivatives 7,8a,b,e and some pyrimido[5,4-e][1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-c]pyrimidin-5-ones 7,8c,d have been synthesized, according to different pathways. The new tricyclic heterocycles were prepared with the aim of studying their possible benzodiazepine receptors affinity.     

The influence of the shape of Au nanoparticles on the catalytic current of fructose dehydrogenase

Graphite electrodes were modified with triangular (AuNTrs) or spherical (AuNPs) nanoparticles and further modified with fructose dehydrogenase (FDH). The present study reports the effect of the shape of these nanoparticles (NPs) on the catalytic current of immobilized FDH pointing out the different contributions on the mass transfer–limited and kinetically limited currents. The influence of the shape of the NPs on the mass transfer–limited and the kinetically limited current has been proved by using two different methods: a rotating disk electrode (RDE) and an electrode mounted in a wall jet flow-through electrochemical cell attached to a flow system. The advantages of using the wall jet flow system compared with the RDE system for kinetic investigations are as follows: no need to account for substrate consumption, especially in the case of desorption of enzyme, and studies of product-inhibited enzymes. The comparison reveals that virtually identical results can be obtained using either of the two techniques. The heterogeneous electron transfer (ET) rate constants (k_S) were found to be 3.8 ± 0.3 s⁻¹ and 0.9 ± 0.1 s⁻¹, for triangular and spherical NPs, respectively. The improvement observed for the electrode modified with AuNTrs suggests a more effective enzyme-NP interaction, which can allocate a higher number of enzyme molecules on the electrode surface.

The shape of gold nanoparticles has a crucial effect on the catalytic current related to the oxidation of D-(-)-fructose to 5-keto-D-(-)-fructose occurring at the FDH-modified electrode surface. In particular, AuNTrs have a higher effect compared with the spherical one.

     

Synthesis and luminescence behaviour of novel heterodecanuclear silver(I)-rhenium(I) alkynyl complexes. X-ray crystal structures of [Ag6(mu-dppm)4[mu3-C[triple bond]CC[triple bond]C-Re(Me2bpy)(CO)3]4](PF6)2 and [Ag6(mu-dppm)4[mu3-C[triple bond]CC[triple bond]C-Re(Br2phen)(CO)3]4](PF6)2

A novel series of luminescent heterodecanuclear mixed-metal alkynyl complexes, [Ag6(mu-dppm)4[mu3-C[triple bond]CC[triple bond]C-Re(N--N)(CO)3]4](PF6)2, (N--N = tBu2bpy, Me2bpy, phen, Br2phen), have been successfully synthesized; the X-ray crystal structures of [Ag6(mu-dppm)4[mu3-C[triple bond]CC[triple bond]C-Re(Me2bpy)(CO)3]4](PF6)2 and [Ag6(mu-dppm)4[mu3-C[triple bond]CC[triple bond]C-Re(Br2phen)(CO)3]4](PF6)2 have also been determined.     

Chemical Studies of Formosan Cobra (Naja Naja Atra) Venom: Part III. N-Terminal Amino Acid Analysis of Some Purified Protein Components by DNP and DNS Methods

N-Terminal amino acid residues of Fractions IX, X, and XII were reinvestigated by DNP and DNS methods with two-dimensional polyamide thin-layer chromatography. It was found that our previous work¹ had been erroneously concluded. By the present work, it was obvious that all three fractions had Leu as their N-terminal amino acid residues.     

Intercalating lithium into the lattice of silver nanoparticles boosts catalytic hydrogenation of carbon–oxygen bonds

Coinage metal nanoparticles with high dispersion can serve as highly efficient heterogeneous catalysts. However, owing to their low melting point, poor thermal stability remains a major obstacle towards their application under reaction conditions. It is a common practice to use porous inorganic templates such as mesoporous silica SBA-15 to disperse Ag nanoparticles (NPs) against aggregation but their stability is far from satisfactory. Here, we show that the catalytic activity for hydrogenation of dimethyl oxalate (DMO) to methyl glycolate (MG) over Ag NPs dispersed on SBA-15 silica can be further promoted by incorporation of alkali metal ions at small loading, which follows the inverse order of their cationic size: Li⁺ > Na⁺ > K⁺ > Rb⁺. Among these, 5Ag₁–Li_0.05/SBA-15 can double the MG yield compared to pristine 5Ag/SBA-15 under identical conditions with superior thermal stability. Akin to the effect of an ionic surfactant on stabilization of a micro-emulsion, the cationic charge of an alkali metal ion can maintain dispersion and modulate the surface valence of Ag NPs. Interstitial Li in the octahedral holes of the face center packed Ag lattice is for the first time confirmed by X-ray pair distribution function and electron ptychography. It is believed that this interstitial-stabilization of coinage metal nanoparticles could be broadly applicable to multi-metallic nanomaterials for a broad range of C–O bond activating catalytic reactions of esters.

Coinage metal nanoparticles with high dispersion can serve as highly efficient heterogeneous catalysts.     

Electron spin-spin contact interaction in many-electron atoms

A general formulation has been developed for the evaluation of the total electron spin-spin contact interaction in many-electron atoms, including both the intra- and inter-shell contributions. Calculations have been carried out, using existing analytical Hartree-Fock functions, for the positive ions, neutral systems, and negative ions for all the atoms from He to Kr.

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Zusammenfassung Es wird ein allgemeiner Formalismus zur Berechnung der gesamten Elektronen-Spin-Spin-Kontakt-Wechselwirkung in Vielelektronen-Atomen angegeben, der sowohl die Anteile der Wechselwirkung innerhalb einer Schale als auch zwischen einzelnen Schalen berücksichtigt. Berechnungen wurden unter Benutzung vorhandener analytischer Hartree-Fock-Funktionen für die positiven Ionen, die neutralen Systeme und die negativen Ionen aller Atome von He bis Kr durchgeführt.

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This work has been supported in part by the National Research Council of Canada.