Small amplitude chimeras for coupled clocks

Nonlinear Dynamics - We report the arise of small amplitude chimera states in three coupled pendulum clocks suspended on an oscillating base. Two types of chimeras are identified and described by...     

Classification of amino acids and oligopeptides with the use of multi-mode chemical images obtained with ion selective electrode array

The analysis of amino acids and oligopeptides as important bioanalytes is a significant task in medical diagnostics and proteomic research and currently it is based on chromatographic and electrophoretic methods. In this paper, an approach based on sensor array coupled with titration is proposed for effective recognition of 5 amino acids and 4 oligopeptides. It is shown, that the increase of information gained during measurements of sensors’ signals in various pH allows for capturing more data on interaction of amino acids and oligopeptides with various polymeric membranes of potentiometric electrodes used in the array, and that leads to the lowering of classification errors in partial least squares analysis.     

Optically Active T-Butylphenylphosphinothioic Acid: Synthesis,Selected Structural Studies and Applications as a Chiral Solvating Agent

Abstract

Synthesis, structural studies and the use of the (?)-(S)- and (+)-(R) enantiomers of t-butylphenylphosphinothioic acid as a chiral solvating agent for the determination of enantiomeric purity is discussed. Systems that are the most extensively studied are emphasized.     

Miniaturized tools and devices for bioanalytical applications: an overview

This article presents an overview of various miniaturized devices and technologies developed by our group. Innovative, fast and cheap procedures for the fabrication of laboratory microsystems based on commercially available materials are reported and compared with well-established microfabrication techniques. The modules fabricated and tested in our laboratory can be used independently or they can be set up in different configurations to form functional measurement systems. We also report further applications of the presented modules e.g. disposable poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) microcuvettes, fibre optic detectors, potentiometric sensors platforms, microreactors and capillary electrophoresis (CE) microchips as well as integrated microsystems e.g. double detection microanalytical systems, devices for studying enzymatic reactions and a microsystem for cell culture and lysis.     

Gramicidin A channel in a matrix from a semifluorinated surfactant monolayer

Gramicidin A, a polypeptide antibiotic forming transmembrane ion channels, has been incorporated into a Langmuir monolayer formed by a semifluorinated alkane (SFA). In this work, partially fluorinated tetracosane, perfluorohexyloctadecane (F6H18), has been applied, aiming at finding a suitable matrix for gramicidin A to be transferred onto solid support for a biosensor design. For this purpose, the physiological conditions were of special interest (mixed monolayers containing low gramicidin proportion and the surface pressure of 30 mN/m). Mixed monolayers of gramicidin and SFA were found to be miscible within the whole range of mole fractions. A very significant increase of the stability of SFA monolayer has been found in the presence of gramicidin, even at such a low proportion as X(gramicidin) = 0.1, which is reflected in a 3.5-fold increase of the collapse pressure value of mixed monolayer as compared to the film from pure SFA. This interesting phenomenon has been interpreted as being due to the existence of a strong dipole-dipole interaction between both film-forming molecules. Opposite sign of the measured electric surface potential for gramicidin and SFA, resulting from different directions of the dipole moment vectors in both film molecules, implies that the ordered, antiparallel orientation of the dipole moments in the mixed gramicidin/SFA system can be responsible for its extremely high stability.     

Theoretical study of cobalt and nickel complexes involved in methyl transfer reactions: structures,redox potentials and methyl binding energies

Structural Chemistry - Cobalamins, cobalt glyoximate complexes and nickel complexes with Triphos (bis(diphenylphosphinoethyl)phenylphosphine) and PPh2CH2CH2SEt ligands were studied with the...     

Polypyrrole-coated cotton textile as adsorbent of methylene blue dye

Pollution caused by organic dyes is of serious environmental and health concern to the population. Dyes are widely used in textile coloring applications. In the present work, cotton textile was coated with a conducting polymer, polypyrrole (PPy), in situ during the oxidative polymerization of pyrrole. The resulting materials were utilized as easily separated and recyclable adsorbent for the removal of methylene blue (MB) as a model of cationic dyes in alkaline solutions. It showed also some affinity to remove Acid Green 25 as an anionic dye in acidic medium. The adsorption was assessed by monitoring the decrease in dye concentration by UV–Visible absorption spectroscopy. The influence of various parameters such as initial dye concentration, contact time, pH, temperature, and adsorbent dose on the adsorption process was studied. The pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Freundlich isotherm model were found to describe the adsorption process. The thermodynamic study revealed that the adsorption of MB by PPy was feasible, spontaneous, and exothermic process. Investigation of the substrate regeneration revealed that PPy deposited on cotton textile can be reused for dye adsorption several times with good efficiency and it allows for the recovery of MB for recycling purposes.     

Adsorption of water vapour from humid air in carbon molecular sieves: carbosieve S-III and carboxens 569, 1000 and 1001

The adsorption of water vapour in carbon molecular sieves (CMS) used to determine volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in air was investigated. The CMS mass in the trap was found not to affect the mass of retained water under conditions of incomplete saturation of the adsorbent bed with water. Thus, the restrictions commonly imposed on the CMS mass are not necessary. The usefulness of four different CMSs to sample large volumes of humid air was estimated. Carboxen 1000 exhibited the best performance. To assess the magnitude of CMS mass in the trap in dependence on the volume, the relative humidity and the temperature of the sample, the use of a novel parameter, called the water vapour interference factor, was suggested.     

Highly Porous Silica Monoliths from Ethyl (L)-Lactate Modified Silanes

Summary. A new type of silica precursor was synthesized by (trans)alkoxylation of alkoxy- and chlorosilanes with ethyl (L)-lactate. This novel ethyl lactate modified silane was hydrolyzed and condensed in the presence of a non-ionic surfactant – poly(ethylene oxide)–poly(propylene oxide)–poly(ethylene oxide) triblock copolymer (P123) – to give monolithic silica gels. The wet gels were dried using two different drying techniques resulting in crack-free monoliths: a) supercritical drying with CO₂ to yield a porous inorganic material and b) surface silylation with trimethylchlorosilane to yield an inorganic–organic nanocomposite material. The obtained porous gels were characterized by different techniques including thermal analysis, nitrogen sorption, and electron microscopy (TEM, SEM).