Preheating of a target by laser radiation through plasma and polymer aerogel

Processing of X-ray and optical streak-camera images after brightness amplification 5 proves unambiguously the existence of a preheating of the foil in two-layer targets (polymer aerogel plus Al foil). We observed this effect earlier at the accuracy limit of the experiment. Preheating may be explained by the initial transmission of laser radiation by an inhomogeneous plasma and aerogel remnants. The fraction of laser energy that passed through a microheterogeneous plasma to the foil or shell is small in comparison with the total energy in the pulse, but it comes to the target (foil or shell) at the initial period of the laser pulse and can be significantly affected by the dynamics of plasma and the efficiency of spherical cryogenic thermonuclear targets.     

A sensitive and specific liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry method for quantification of nevirapine and its five metabolites and their pharmacokinetics in baboons

A highly sensitive and specific LC‐MS/MS assay was developed and validated to quantify nevirapine (NVP) and its five metabolites [2‐, 3‐, 8‐, 12‐hydroxyl NVP (OHNVP) and 4‐carboxyl NVP (CANVP)] simultaneously in baboon serum and the assay was used to characterize their pharmacokinetic studies of an oral‐dose escalation study in baboon. The lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) for NVP and its four hydroxyl nevirapine metabolites was 1.0 ng/mL and for 4‐CANVP was 5.0 ng/mL. The between‐run and within‐run precisions and accuracies at four quality control concentrations (1, 5, 50 and 500 ng/mL) were evaluated in baboon serum with less than 14% variation and 93–114% accuracies (n = 6), except for the LLOQ for 2‐OHNVP, which had an accuracy of 115.8% for between‐run validation. The pharmacokinetics of NVP and its five metabolites in non‐pregnant baboons by a single‐dose escalation study were also profiled. The major metabolites detected were 4‐CANVP and 12‐OHNVP. 3‐OHNVP and 2‐OHNVP were the minor metabolites with only a trace amount of 2‐OHNVP detected in some pharmacokinetic samples. No 8‐OHNVP was observed in all of the pharmacokinetic samples. In addition, the fragmentation for the four hydroxyl metabolite isomers is also discussed. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Coelenterazine-v ligated to Ca2+-triggered coelenterazine-binding protein is a stable and efficient substrate of the red-shifted mutant of Renilla muelleri luciferase

It has been shown that the coelenterazine analog, coelenterazine-v, is an efficient substrate for a reaction catalyzed by Renilla luciferase. The resulting bioluminescence emission maximum is shifted to a longer wavelength up to 40 nm, which allows the use of some “yellow” Renilla luciferase mutants for in vivo imaging. However, the utility of coelenterazine-v in small-animal imaging has been hampered by its instability in solution and in biological tissues. To overcome this drawback, we ligated coelenterazine-v to Ca²⁺-triggered coelenterazine-binding protein from Renilla muelleri, which apparently functions in the organism for stabilizing and protecting coelenterazine from oxidation. The coelenterazine-v bound within coelenterazine-binding protein has revealed a greater long-term stability at both 4 and 37 °C. In addition, the coelenterazine-binding protein ligated by coelenterazine-v yields twice the total light over free coelenterazine-v as a substrate for the red-shifted R. muelleri luciferase. These findings suggest the possibility for effective application of coelenterazine-v in various in vitro assays.     

The role of medium radiation dose on microbiological safety and shelf-life of some traditional soups

Irradiation at medium doses in combination with cryogenic condition along the process to ensure the safety, quality and to extend the shelf-life of prepared meals have been investigated. Semi-concentrated black, ox-tail, chicken vegetable and chicken sweet corn soups were individually packed in a dry laminate pouch of PET 12 μ/LDPE adh.2 μ/Al–foil 7 μ/LDPE adh/LLDPE (C₄) 50 μ under vacuum followed by freezing for 24 h at −18 °C prior to irradiation with doses of 1, 3, 5 and 7 kGy at cryogenic condition (−79 °C), respectively. Both the non-irradiated and irradiated prepared meals were then stored in refrigerator at 5±2 °C. Non-irradiated and the irradiated samples at 1 kGy were mostly damaged after a week of storage. Gamma irradiation at doses of 5–7 kGy for the soups could reduce microbial load by about 2–3 log cycles, respectively, without affecting the physical–chemical parameters and palatability within 2–3 months while the unirradiated samples could only withstand for 1 month storage time.     

Influence of Synthesis pH and Oxidative Strength of the Catalyzing Acid on the Morphology and Chemical Structure of Hydrothermal Carbon

A specific control of the morphology and chemical structure of hydrothermal carbon (HTC) is of crucial importance for its application, both in catalyst supports or electrochemical devices. Here we show how the morphology, that is, particles size and homogeneity, and the distribution of functional groups can be controlled by the control of the synthesis pH of the hydrothermal carbonization. A complementary analysis of liquid byproducts by HPLC provides useful information on the nature of the polymeric species produced during the poly‐condensation in the hydrothermal process and reveals the potential implementation of the process into the biorefinery concept. The acidic byproducts levulinic acid and formic acid determine the hydrothermal carbonization autocatalytically by additional supply of protons to the reaction medium. Thus, for a starting pH>3, only minor structural differences can be detected for HTC. The use of oxidizing acids favors higher yields of HTC and improves carbonization towards higher condensed carbon domains. Scaling up the process in a stirred 2 L batch reactor favors carbonization leading to higher condensed carbonaceous products. The relative trends of pH variation are maintained.     

Remarkable Structural and Electronic Features of the Complex Formed by Trimeric Copper Pyrazolate with Pentaphosphaferrocene

According to spectroscopic (NMR, IR, UV/Vis) study, the interaction of pentaphosphaferrocene [Cp*Fe(η⁵‐P₅)] with trimeric copper pyrazolate [(Cu{3,5‐(CF₃)₂Pz})₃] yields a new compound that is astonishingly stable in solution. Single‐crystal X‐ray analysis reveals unprecedented structural changes in the interacting molecules and the unique type of coordination [Cp*Fe(μ₃‐η⁵:η²,η²‐P₅){Cu(3,5‐(CF₃)₂Pz)}₃]. As a result of the 90° macrocycle folding, the copper atoms are able to behave both as a Lewis acid and as a Lewis base in the interaction with the cyclo‐P₅ ligand.     

Investigation of the resonance‐assisted hydrogen bond in model β‐diketones through localized molecular orbital analysis of the spin–spin coupling constants related to the O–H · · · O hydrogen bond

The resonance‐assisted hydrogen bond (HB) phenomenon has been studied theoretically by a localized molecular orbital (LMO) decomposition of the spin–spin coupling constants between atoms either involved or close to the O–H · · · O system of some β‐diketones and their saturated counterparts. The analysis, carried out at the level of the second‐order polarization propagator approximation, shows that the contributions in terms of LMO to the paramagnetic spin orbital and the spin dipolar Ramsey terms proof the importance of the delocalized π‐electron structure supporting the idea of the existence of the resonance‐assisted HB phenomenon phenomenon. The LMO contributions to the Fermi contact term indicate mainly the presence of the HB that may or not be linked to the π‐electrons. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Design of Fluorescent Nanocapsules as Ratiometric Nanothermometers

We have developed a novel design of optical nanothermometers that can measure the surrounding temperature in the range of 20–85 °C. The nanothermometers comprise two organic fluorophores encapsulated in a crosslinked polymethacrylate nanoshell. The role of the nanocapsule shell around the fluorophores is to form a well‐defined and stable microenvironment to prevent other factors besides temperature from affecting the dyes’ fluorescence. The two fluorophores feature different temperature‐dependent emission profiles; a fluorophore with relatively insensitive fluorescence (rhodamine 640) serves as a reference whereas a sensitive fluorophore (indocyanine green) serves as a sensor. The sensitivity of the nanothermometers depends on the type of nanocapsule‐forming lipid and is affected by the phase transition temperature. Both the fluorescence intensity and the fluorescence lifetime can be utilized to measure the temperature.     

Highly sensitive detection of five typical fluoroquinolones in low‐fat milk by field‐enhanced sample injection‐based CE in bubble cell capillary

Fluoroquinolones are a group of synthetic antibiotics with a broad activity spectrum against mycoplasma, Gram‐positive, and Gram‐negative bacteria. Due to the extensive use of fluoroquinolones in farming and veterinary science, there is a constant need in the analytical methods able to efficiently monitor their residues in food products of animal origin, regulated by Commission Regulation (European Union) no. 37/2010. Herein, field‐enhanced sample injection for sample stacking prior the CZE separation was developed inside a bubble cell capillary for highly sensitive detection of five typical fluoroquinolones in bovine milk. Ethylenediamine was proposed as the main component of BGE for the antibiotics separation. The effect of BGE composition, injection parameters, and water plug length on the field‐enhanced sample injection‐based CE with UV detection was investigated. Under the optimized conditions, described field‐enhanced sample injection‐based CE‐UV analysis of fluoroquinolones provides LODs varying from 0.4 to 1.3 ng/mL. These LOD values are much lower (from 460 to 1500 times) than those obtained by a conventional CE in a standard capillary without bubble cell. The developed method was finally applied for the analysis of fluoroquinolones in low‐fat milk from a Swiss supermarket. Sample recovery values from 93.6 to 106.0% for different fluoroquinolones, and LODs from 0.7 to 2.5 μg/kg, were achieved. Moreover, the proposed ethylenediamine‐based BGE as volatile and compatible with MS system, enabled the coupling of the field‐enhanced sample injection‐based CE with a recently introduced electrostatic spray ionization MS via an iontophoretic fraction collection interface for qualitative fluoroquinolones identification.