Hierarchical Structure‐Within‐Structure Morphologies in A2‐star‐(B‐alt‐C) Molecules

We employ dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) to examine the self‐assembly behavior of A₂‐star‐(B‐alt‐C) molecules. We successfully observe various types of hierarchical structure‐within‐structures, such as A‐formed spheres in the matrix formed by B and C alternating layers, hexagonally packed A‐formed cylinders in the matrix with B and C segregated layers, B and C alternating layers‐within‐lamellae, coaxial B and C alternating domains within hexagonally packed BC‐formed cylinders in the A‐matrix, and co‐centric BC‐alternating domains within BC‐formed spheres in the A‐matrix, by increasing the A composition. Generally speaking, the small length‐scale B and C segregated domains are in parallel to the large length‐scale structures. This hierarchical periodicity along the same axis as well as the various characteristic structures, that the A₂‐star‐(B‐alt‐C) copolymers display, are quite different from those in A‐block‐(B‐graft‐C) coil‐comb copolymers. Moreover, it is interesting to find that when the copolymer chain length increases, though the hierarchical structure type is maintained, the number of small length‐scale lamellae that can form within the large length‐scale structure increases. These hierarchical structures under various compositions are reported theoretically for the first time in the copolymer systems consisting of the alternating blocks, and are in good agreement with the most recent experimental work by Matsushita and co‐workers (Macromolecules 2007 , 40, 4023).     

Time‐Resolved Synchrotron Radiation Excited Optical Luminescence: Light‐Emission Properties of Silicon‐Based Nanostructures

The recent advances in the study of light emission from matter induced by synchrotron radiation: X‐ray excited optical luminescence (XEOL) in the energy domain and time‐resolved X‐ray excited optical luminescence (TRXEOL) are described. The development of these element (absorption edge) selective, synchrotron X‐ray photons in, optical photons out techniques with time gating coincide with advances in third‐generation, insertion device based, synchrotron light sources. Electron bunches circulating in a storage ring emit very bright, widely energy tunable, short light pulses (<100 ps), which are used as the excitation source for investigation of light‐emitting materials. Luminescence from silicon nanostructures (porous silicon, silicon nanowires, and Si–CdSe heterostructures) is used to illustrate the applicability of these techniques and their great potential in future applications.     

A new apparatus for the extraction of organic compounds from aqueous solutions

A new apparatus for the extraction of organic compounds from sea water is described. With this apparatus it is possible to extract 54 standard compounds with high recovery percentages from 9 1 of sea water with 3 ml ofn-hexane. The analysis time (about 1 h) is appreciably lower than those of the extraction methods based on RP-18 and Carbopack-B adsorption (about 15 h). Furthermore, it is possible to analyze samples without filtration. An application of this method to the analysis of Tirreno sea water is reported.     

Die Bildungswärmen von MnSi1,73, MnSi,Mn5Si3 und Mn3Si

By means of vapor pressure measurements using theTorker method (Torsion-Knudsen Effusion Recoil) as well as theKnudsen tanspiration technique in connection with a mass spectrometer, the heats of formation of the following compounds were found to be –6.5±0.7 kcal/g atom (Mn_0.366Si_0.634), –7.8±0.6 kcal/g atom (Mn_0.50Si_0.50), –7.3±0.6 kcal/g atom (Mn_0.625Si_0.375), and –6.6±0.6 kcal/g atom (Mn_0.75Si_0.25).

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Protective effects of cyanidin-3-O-beta-glucopyranoside against UVA-induced oxidative stress in human keratinocytes

Ultraviolet-A (UVA) radiation causes significant oxidative stress because it leads to the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), leading to extensive cellular damage and eventual cell death either by apoptosis or necrosis. We evaluated the protective effects of cyanidin-3-O-beta-glucopyranoside (C-3-G) against UVA-induced apoptosis and DNA fragmentation in a human keratinocyte cell line (HaCaT). Treatment of HaCaT cells with C-3-G before UVA irradiation inhibited the formation of apoptotic cells (61%) and DNA fragmentation (54%). We also investigated antioxidant properties of C-3-G in HaCaT cells against ROS formation at apoptotic doses of UVA; C-3-G inhibited hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) release (an indicator of cellular ROS formation) after UVA irradiation. Further confirmation of the potential of C-3-G to counteract UVA-induced ROS formation comes from our demonstration of its ability to enhance the resistance of HaCaT cells to the apoptotic effects of both H2O2 and the superoxide anion (O2*-), two ROS involved in UVA-oxidative stress. Furthermore, in terms of Trolox Equivalent Antioxidant Activity, C-3-G treatment led to a greater increase in antioxidant activity in the membrane-enriched fraction than in the cytosol (55% vs 19%). The protective effects against UVA-induced ROS formation can be attributed to the higher membrane levels of C-3-G incorporation. These encouraging in vitro results support further research into C-3-G (and other anthocyanins) as novel agents for skin photoprotection.     

Novel heterocycle-based two-photon absorbing dyes

[structure: see text]. The synthesis and nonlinear optical characterization of two novel heteroaromatic-based chromophores is described. The new dyes present an A-pi-D-pi-A general framework, where A is a pi-deficient heteroaromatic ring (pyridine, quinoline, benzothiazole) and D a pi-excessive pyrrolyl moiety. Both systems exhibit large two-photon absorption (TPA) values in the femtoseconds regime (TPA cross section as high as 150 x 10(-50) cm(4) s photon(-1) molecule(-1) with 150 fs laser pulses). Their TPA-based optical limiting activity is also shown.     

Structure-Reactivity Correlations in the Dissociative Hydrolysis of 2',4'-Dinitrophenyl 4-Hydroxy-X-benzenesulfonates

The hydrolysis reactions of several title esters in water at 60 degrees C follow the rate law k(obs) = (k(a) + k(b)[OH(-)])/(1 + a(H)/K(a)), where K(a) is the ionization constant of the hydroxy group of the ester and k(b) is the second-order rate constant for the S(N)2(S) attack of hydroxide ion on the ionized ester. Hammett and Br?nsted correlations are consistent with a previous proposal that the mechanism related to k(a) is dissociative. An unusual relationship between k(a) values and redox equilibrium constants for substituted quinones is found to hold: this finding further supports the dissociative nature of the pathway related to k(a).     

The Menshutkin Reaction in the Gas Phase and in Aqueous Solution: A Valence Bond Study

The recently developed (L. Song, W. Wu, Q. Zhang, S. Shaik, J. Phys. Chem. A 2004 , 108, 6017–6024) valence bond method coupled to a polarized continuum model (VBPCM) is applied to the Menshutkin reaction, NH₃+CH₃Cl→CH₃NH₃⁺+Cl^?, in the gas phase and in aqueous solution. The computed barriers and reaction energies at the level of the breathing orbital VB method (P. C. Hiberty, J. P. Flament, E. Noizet, Chem. Phys. Lett. 1992 , 189, 259), BOVB and VBPCM//BOVB, are comparable to CCSD(T) and CCSD(T)//PCM results and to experimental values in solution. The gas‐phase reaction is endothermic and leads to an ion‐pair complex via a late transition state. By contrast, the reaction in the aqueous phase is exothermic and leads to separate solvated ions as reaction products, via an early transition state. The VB calculations provide also the reactivity parameters needed to apply the valence bond state correlation diagram method, VBSCD (S. Shaik, A. Shurki, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 1999 , 38, 586). It is shown that the reactivity parameters along with their semiempirical derivations provide together a satisfactory qualitative and quantitative account of the barriers.