Highly anisotropic distribution of iron nanoparticles within MCM-41 Mesoporous Silica

Electron microscopy techniques are used to visualize the spatial distribution of iron nanoparticles inside a mesoporous MCM-41 molecular sieve. Direct observation of the iron oxide nanoparticles by STEM-HAADF imaging reveals a highly non-uniform spatial distribution inside the mesopores. These particles are retained in the pores after a reduction treatment unlike the behavior found in other similar systems. It is found that thermal treatments induce changes in its morphology, creating nanowires from particle strings.     

Solubilty and dissolution studies of antifungal drug:hydroxybutenyl-β-cyclodextrin complexes

The solubilities of voriconazole, ketoconazole, and clotrimazole with and without hydroxybutenyl-β-cyclodextrin (HBenBCD) in aqueous media were examined. The solubility of these antifungal drugs was significantly improved by complexation with HBenBCD. Both the pH and the type of buffer used to adjust the medium pH had a very significant effect on drug solubilities and the apparent binding constants of the drug:cyclodextrin complexes. Additionally, the stereochemistry of tartrate buffers was found to influence both the electrostatic interaction between drug and tartrate as well as complexation of the drug-tartrate aggregate by HBenBCD. We also compared the solubilization of these antifungal drugs by HBenBCD to other cyclodextrin derivatives with different substituents under identical experimental conditions and found that the amount of drug solubilized was in some cases influenced strongly by the nature of the cyclodextrin. Solid antifungal drug:HBenBCD complexes were prepared and their dissolution profiles were obtained which showed that HBenBCD improved both the rate of dissolution and the amount of drug dissolved.     

Synthesis of some oxadiazole derivatives of d-mannose

The syntheses of 2-methyl-5-[1′,2′,3′,4′,5′-penta-O-benzoyl-D-manno-pentitol-1′-yl]-1,3,4-oxadiazole and 5-methyl-3-[1′,2′,3′,4′,5′-penta-O-benzoyl-D-manno-pentitol-1-′yl]-1,2,4-oxadiazole, as well as their intermediate products, are described. Their ¹H and ¹³C nmr and ms spectra are presented and their preferential conformation in solution are proposed.     

Formation and characterization of self-organized TiO2 nanotube arrays by pulse anodization

This paper describes TiO2 nanotube arrays prepared by anodic oxidation of Ti substrates using pulse voltage waveforms. Voltages were pulsed between 20 and -4 V or between 20 and 0 V with varying durations from 2 to 16 s at the lower limit of the pulse waveform. Ammonium fluoride or sodium fluoride (and mixtures of both) was used as the electrolyte with or without added medium modifier (glycerol, ethylene glycol, or poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG 400)) in these experiments. The pulse waveform was optimized to electrochemically grow TiO2 nanotubes and chemically etch their walls during its cathodic current flow regime. The resultant TiO2 nanotube arrays showed a higher quality of nanotube array morphology and photoresponse than samples grown via the conventional continuous anodization method. Films grown with a 20 V/-4 V pulse sequence and pulse duration of 2 s at its negative voltage limit afforded a superior photoresponse compared to other pulse durations. Specifically, the negative voltage limit of the pulse (-4 V) and its duration promote the adsorption of NH4+ species that in turn inhibits chemical attack of the growing oxide nanoarchitecture by the electrolyte F- species. The longer the period of the pulse at the negative voltage limit, the thicker the nanotube walls and the shorter the nanotube length. At variance, with 0 V as the low voltage limit, the longer the pulse duration, the thinner the oxide nanotube wall, suggesting that chemical attack by fluoride ions is not counterbalanced by NH3/NH4+ species adsorption, unlike the interfacial situation prevailing at -4 V. Finally, the results from this study provide useful evidence in support of existing mechanistic models for anodic growth and self-assembly of oxide nanotube arrays on the parent metal surface.     

Nanomicrointerface to read molecular potentials into current-voltage based electronics

Molecular potentials are unreadable and unaddressable by any present technology. It is known that the proper assembly of molecules can implement an entire numerical processing system based on digital or even analogical computation. In turn, the outputs of this molecular processing unit need to be amplified in order to be useful. We have developed a nanomicrointerface to read information encoded in molecular level potentials and to amplify this signal to microelectronic levels. The amplification is performed by making the output molecular potential slightly twist the torsional angle between two rings of a pyridazine, 3,6-bis(phenylethynyl) (aza-OPE) molecule, requiring only fractions of kcal/mol energies. In addition, even if the signal from the molecular potentials is not enough to turn the ring or even if the angles are the same for different combinations of outputs, still the current output yields results that resemble the device as a field effect transistor, providing the possibility to reduce channel lengths to the range of just 1 or 2 nm. The slight change in the torsional angle yields readable changes in the current through the aza-OPE biased by an external applied voltage. Using ab initio methods, we computationally demonstrate the amplification of molecular potential signals into currents that can be read by standard circuits.     

The role of monomers and dimers in the reduction of ruthenium(II) complexes of redox-active tetraazatetrapyridopentacene ligand

A combination of electrochemistry, spectroelectrochemistry, and 1H NMR has been used to study the reduction and solution speciation in acetonitrile of two mononuclear Ru complexes containing the redox-active 9,11,20,22-tetraazatetrapyrido [3,2-a:2',3'-c:3' ',2' '-l:2' ',3' '-n]pentacene (tatpp) ligand. These complexes, [(bpy)2Ru(tatpp)][PF6]2 (1[PF6]2), and [(phen)2Ru(tatpp)][PF6]2 (2[PF6]2) (where bpy is 2,2'-bipyridine and phen is 1,10-phenanthroline), form pi-pi stacked dimers (e.g., pi-{1}24+ and pi-{2}24+) in solution as determined by 1H NMR studies in an extended concentration range (90 - 5000 microM) as well as via simulation of the electrochemical data. The dimerization constant for 12+ in acetonitrile is 2 x 10(4) M(-1) as determined from the NMR data. Slightly higher dimerization constants (8 x 10(4) M(-1)) were obtained via simulation of the electrochemical data and are attributed to the presence of the supporting eletrolyte. Electrochemical and spectroelectrochemical data show that the pi-pi stacked dimers are electroreduced in two consecutive steps at -0.31 and -0.47 V vs Ag/AgCl, which is assigned to the uptake of one electron by each tatpp ligand in pi-{1}24+ to give first pi-{1}23+and then pi-{1}22+. At potentials negative of -0.6 V, the electrochemical data reveal two different reaction pathways depending on the complex concentration in solution. At low concentrations (< or =20 microM), the next electroreduction occurs on a monomeric species (e.g., [(bpy)2Ru(tatpp)]+/0) showing that the doubly reduced pi-pi dimer (pi-{1}22+ and pi-{2}22+) dissociates into monomers. At high concentrations (> or =100 microM), reduction of pi-{1}22+ or pi-{2}22+ induces another dimerization reaction, which we attribute to the formation of a sigma-bond between the radical tatpp ligands and is accompanied by the appearance of a new peak in the absorption spectrum at 535 nm. This new sigma-dimer can undergo one additional tatpp based reduction to form sigma-{1}20 or sigma-{2}20, in which the tatpp-bridged assembly is the site of all four reductions. Finally, potentials negative of -1.2 V result in the electroreduction of the bpy or phen ligands for complexes 12+ or 22+, respectively. For the latter complex 22+, this process is accompanied by the formation of an electrode adsorbed species.     

Theoretical study of global and local reactivities of coumarin and its hydroxylated derivatives

Coumarins are bioactive substances of the benzo‐α‐pyrone family, which have shown antioxidant, antiviral, anti‐inflammatory and antitumor activities, among others. 7‐Hydroxycoumarin and 6,7‐dihydroxycoumarin (esculetin) are two coumarin derivatives that have been reported to exhibit antitumor activity, but the action mechanism underlying this activity remains unknown. In this work, to elucidate this mechanism, a theoretical study of the local and global electronic reactivity properties of a series of hydroxylated and dihydroxylated coumarin derivatives with possible antitumor action is performed using Density Functional Theory in aqueous solution. The substitution by one or two hydroxyl groups in the benzene ring of coumarin produces better charge‐donor than charge‐acceptor compounds. All the studied compounds are generally stable in water and exhibit permanent polarization in the solvent. With one hydroxyl substitution, 7‐hydroxycoumarin is the most polar and polarizable derivative, whereas 5,7‐dihydroxycoumarin is the most polar and polarizable compound with two hydroxyl substitutions. 5,7‐Dihydroxycoumarin is suggested to possess antitumor activity. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

On examples in mathematical thinking and learning

The importance of examples and exemplification in mathematical thinking, learning and teaching, is well recognized by mathematicians, epistemologists and mathematics educators. In the collection of papers on these topics presented in this issue, we aim to contribute to the debate on this theme, proposing original studies carried out from different approaches and perspectives, and linked to other relevant topics within mathematics education.     

Quark loop model of radiative meson decays

Radiative meson decays are computed from quark loop anomalies, taking into account the SU(3) splitting of the quark masses. Predicted rates for ?→ηγ,K ^*→Kγ, and η→ππγ are brought into satisfactory agreement with experiment. Formulas are given for the radiative decay rates of charmed las are given for the radiative decay rates of charmed mesons, and a mechanism suggested for suppression of the radiative decays of mesons containing a charmed quark.