Laser induced breakdown spectroscopy of germane plasma induced by IR CO2 pulsed laser

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) in germane (GeH₄), initially at room temperature and pressures ranging from 2 to 10 kPa, was studied using a high-power transverse excitation atmospheric (TEA) CO₂ laser (λ=10.653 μm, τ _FWHM=64 ns and power densities ranging from 0.28 to 5.52 GW cm⁻²). The strong emission spectrum of the generated plasma is mainly due to electronic relaxation of excited Ge, H and ionic fragments Ge⁺, Ge²⁺ and Ge³⁺. The weak emission is due to molecular bands of H₂. Excitation temperatures of 8100±300 K and 23,500±2500 K were estimated by Ge atomic and Ge⁺ singly ionized lines, respectively. Electron number densities of the order of (0.7–6.2)×10¹⁷ cm⁻³ were deduced from the Stark broadening of several atomic Ge lines. The characteristics of the spectral emission intensities from different species have been investigated as functions of the germane pressure and laser irradiance. Optical breakdown threshold intensities in germane at 10.653 μm have been determined. The mechanism of initiation of the laser-induced plasma in germane has been analyzed.     

Gene Cloning,Expression, and Characterization of Recombinant Aerolysin from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aeromonas hydrophila</Emphasis>

Aerolysin is a significant virulent toxin protein secreted by Aeromonas hydrophila; it produces deep wound infections and hemorrhagic septicemia. The complete aerolysin gene (1,482 bp) was amplified from A. hydrophila. Furthermore, it was cloned and expressed into Escherichia coli BL21(DE3) codon plus RP cells using 0.5 mM IPTG for induction. The protein size was 54 kDa as estimated by SDS-PAGE, and it was purified by Ni–NTA affinity chromatography. Anti-His antibodies were used to characterize the expressed aerolysin by Western blotting and showed hemolytic activity with fish red blood cells. Aerolysin may be used as immunoassays for earlier control of A. hydrophila and is also compatible for vaccination.     

Improvement of the minimum detectable energy of a recoil-proton spectrometer based on a silicon telescope

A recoil-proton spectrometer based on a monolithic silicon telescope coupled to a polyethylene converter was recently proposed and discussed in the literature. The device consists of a ΔE and an E-stage detector (about 2 μm and 500 μm in thickness, respectively) made out of a single silicon wafer and separated by a highly-doped layer acting as a common electrode.The detection system allowed continuous neutron spectra to be measured down to about 400 keV by discriminating against the contribution of low-LET radiation generated by photons from the distribution of the energy deposited in the E stage. This discrimination was carried out by selecting detected particles, event-by-event, with a ΔE ? E correlation. At neutron energies lower than 400 keV recoil-protons cannot reach the E stage owing to the thickness of the ΔE stage and therefore the discrimination failed.In order to further reduce the minimum detectable energy, an improved detection system, which also accounts for the energy deposited by recoil-protons in the ΔE stage, was studied and tested. The new set-up permits the total energy deposited in the telescope to be measured directly by collecting the charge carriers, generated in both stages, at the deep common electrode. The capability of reproducing continuous neutron spectra was also verified by irradiating the improved set-up with neutrons generated by protons striking a thick beryllium target at INFN – Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro (Legnaro, Italy). The agreement of the unfolded spectra with literature data was satisfactory at energies higher than about 200 keV.     

Crystal structures of 2,6- and 3,5-dichlorobenzoic acids: nonbonded Cl ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ Cl contacts

The crystal structures of 2,6-dichlorobenzoic acid (1) and 3,5-dichlorobenzoic acid (2) were obtained by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Crystallization of 1 occurred in the centrosymmetric triclinic space group P1 (No. 2) with a = 7.2678(9), b = 9.8543(8), and c = 11.8290(11) Å = 95.000(7), = 104.262(10), and = 102.128(8); and Z = 4. Crystallization of 2 occurred in the monoclinic centrosymmetric space group P2₁/n (No. 14) with a = 3.7812(3), b = 13.996(2), and c = 14.514(2) Å = 95.183(8); and Z = 4. Chlorine substituents of four dimeric molecules of 2 formed square channels, ca. 3.54 Å on a side, which run parallel to the crystallographic a axis. Monomers of 1 and 2 formed centrosymmetric dimers via near-linear hydrogen bonds. Details of the structures and spectroscopic results are presented and discussed.     

Chemistry of 1,2,4-trioxanes relevant to their mechanism of action. Part 1: Reaction with Fe(II) salts

Reactions of 6-(1′-phenylvinyl)-1,2,4-trioxanes 2-5, with FeCl₂·4H₂O, FeBr₂, and a combination of hemin (bovine) and reduced glutathione (GSH) under various conditions have been studied.     

Chimeric (aeg-pyrrolidine)PNAs: synthesis and stereo-discriminative duplex binding with DNA/RNA

The design and facile conversion of naturally occurring 4-hydroxyproline to all four diastereomers of thymine pyrrolidine PNA monomer, (2R,4S)-adenine, -guanine and -cytosine monomers and their incorporation into duplex forming PNA oligomers is reported. The interesting results of the hybridization studies with complementary DNA/RNA sequences in either parallel or antiparallel orientation reveal the stereochemistry-dependent DNA vs. RNA discriminations and parallel/antiparallel orientation selectivity.     

CO2 laser-induced interaction between sulfur hexafluoride and carbon disulfide

Interaction between carbon disulfide and sulfur hexafluoride is excited by cw CO₂ laser radiation and has been investigated for different ratios over a pressure range from 3.1 to 34.6 kPa. The reaction yields sulfur tetrafluoride, sulfur, carbon, thiocarbonyl fluoride, tetrafluoromethane and hexafluoroethane, the ratio of these latter products is dependent on the partial pressure of sulfur hexafluoride in the initial CS₂-SF₆ mixture. Interaction is considered to include both the SF₆-sensitized decomposition of carbon disulfide and reaction between sulfur hexafluoride and carbon disulfide.     

Development of a novel quality by design–enabled stability-indicating HPLC method and its validation for the quantification of nirmatrelvir in bulk and pharmaceutical dosage forms

A systematic and novel quality by design–enabled, rapid, simple, and economic stability–indicating HPLC method for quantifying nirmatrelvir (NMT) was successfully developed and validated. An analytical target profile (ATP) was established, and critical analytical attributes (CAAs) were allocated to meet the ATP requirements. The method used chromatographic separation using a Purosphere column with a 4.6 mm inner diameter × 250 mm (2.5 μm). The analysis occurred at 50°C with a flow rate of 1.2 mL/min and detection at 220 nm. A 10 μL sample was injected, and the mobile phase consisted of two components: mobile phase A, containing 0.1% formic acid in water (20%), and mobile phase B, containing 0.1% formic acid in acetonitrile (80%). The diluent was prepared by mixing acetonitrile and water at a 90:10 v/v ratio. The retention time for the analyte was determined to be 2.78 min. Accuracy exceeded 99%, and the correlation coefficient was greater than 0.999. The validated HPLC method was characterized as precise, accurate, and robust. Significantly, NMT was found to be susceptible to alkaline, acidic, and peroxide conditions during forced degradation testing. The stability-indicating method developed effectively separated the degradation products formed during stress testing, underlining its effectiveness in stability testing and offering accuracy, reliability, and sensitivity in determining NMT.     

Si/C Phases from the IR Laser-induced Decomposition of Silacyclobutane and 1,3-Disilacyclobutane

CO₂ laser-induced infrared multiphoton decomposition (IRMPD) and SF₆ photosensitized decomposition (LPD) of silacyclobutane (SCB) and 1,3-disilacyclobutane (DSCB) in the gas phase results in the very efficient deposition of Si/C/H and SiC materials, and it is inferred that the process is dominated by formation of transient silene; silene rearrangement to methylsilylene; silene and methylsilylene dehydrogenation; and polymerization of SiCH_n (n < 4) species. The deposits are sensitive to oxygen. Decomposition and SiC formation are favoured with IRMPD experiments conducted with high-energy fluxes. The laser technique is promising for low-temperature chemical vapour deposition of amorphous SiC.