Structural and spectroscopic studies of nickel(II) complexes with a library of Bis(oxime)amine-containing ligands

A library of tripodal amine ligands with two oxime donor arms and a variable coordinating or noncoordinating third arm has been synthesized, including two chiral ligands based on l-phenylalanine. Their Ni(II) complexes have been synthesized and characterized by X-ray crystallography, UV-vis absorption, circular dichroism, and FTIR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and room-temperature magnetic susceptibility. At least one crystal structure is reported for all but one Ni/ligand combination. All show a six-coordinate pseudo-octahedral coordination geometry around the nickel center, with the bis(oxime)amine unit coordinating in a facial mode. Three distinct structure types are observed: (1) for tetradentate ligands, six-coordinate monomers are formed, with anions and/or solvent filling out the coordination sphere; (2) for tridentate ligands, six-coordinate monomers are formed with Ni(II)(NO(3))(2), with one monodentate and one bidentate nitrate filling the remaining coordination positions; (3) for tridentate ligands, six-coordinate, bis(mu-Cl) dimers are formed with Ni(II)Cl(2), with one terminal and two bridging chlorides filling the coordination sphere. The UV-vis absorption spectra of the complexes show that the value of 10 Dq varies according to the nature of the third arm of the ligand. The trend based on the third arm follows the order alkyl/aryl < amide < carboxylate < alcohol < pyridyl < oxime.     

Gelatin—Hyaluronic Acid Hydrogels with Tuned Stiffness to Counterbalance Cellular Forces and Promote Cell Differentiation

Cells interact mechanically with their environment, exerting mechanical forces that probe the extracellular matrix (ECM). The mechanical properties of the ECM determine cell behavior and control cell differentiation both in 2D and 3D environments. Gelatin (Gel) is a soft hydrogel into which cells can be embedded. This study shows significant 3D Gel shrinking due to the high traction cellular forces exerted by the cells on the matrix, which prevents cell differentiation. To modulate this process, Gel with hyaluronic acid (HA) has been combined in an injectable crosslinked hydrogel with controlled Gel–HA ratio. HA increases matrix stiffness. The addition of small amounts of HA leads to a significant reduction in hydrogel shrinking after cell encapsulation (C2C12 myoblasts). We show that hydrogel stiffness counterbalanced traction forces of cells and this was decisive in promoting cell differentiation and myotube formation of C2C12 encapsulated in the hybrid hydrogels.

     

Application of CdSe–PVK Nanocomposite as a Hole Transport Layer for OLEDs

An organic light‐emitting diode was fabricated using cadmium selenide (CdSe)/poly(N‐vinylcarbazole) nanocomposite as the hole transport layer (HTL). The CdSe nanoparticles (NPs) with a mean crystallite size of 6.2 nm were prepared by high‐energy ball milling. Based on the current–voltage curves, the threshold voltage (V _th) of the composite diode was found to be ~1.3 ± 0.1 V lower than that of the diode without CdSe, with a significant increase in the current density for the composite diode. Moreover, the electroluminescence (EL) properties (luminous flux, emittance, and intensity) of the diode were found to be enhanced by ~16% with respect to those of the diode without CdSe. The decrease of the threshold voltage and the increase of the current density and the EL were due to the CdSe NPs that operate as hole trap centers in the HTL.     

Organic thin-film transistors based on carbonyl-functionalized quaterthiophenes: high mobility N-channel semiconductors and ambipolar transport

New carbonyl-functionalized quaterthiophenes, 5, 5' '-diheptanoyl-2,2':5',2' ':5' ',2' '-quaterthiophene (DHCO-4T), 5, 5' '-diperfluorohexylcarbonyl-2,2':5',2' ':5' ',2' '-quaterthiophene (DFHCO-4T), and 2,7-[bis-(5-perfluorohexylcarbonylthien-2-yl)]-4H-cyclopenta[2,1-b:3,4-b']-dithiophen-4-one (DFHCO-4TCO) have been synthesized and characterized. Field-effect transistors fabricated with these materials exhibit high electron mobilities both in a vacuum (up to 0.6 cm2 V-1 s-1) and in air (up to 0.02 cm2 V-1 s-1) and very high Ion:Ioff currents ratios (>107). DHCO-4T is the first organic material exhibiting excellent ambipolar transport (mue/muh up to 0.1/0.01 cm2 V-1 s-1, (Ion:Ioff)e/(Ion:Ioff)h up to 107/108 for the same device) over a broad range of deposition temperatures. These materials are therefore promising for organic complementary circuits.     

Synthesis and thermal stability of hydrotalcites containing manganese

The hydrotalcite based upon manganese known as charmarite Mn₄Al₂(OH)₁₂CO₃·3H₂O has been synthesised with different Mn/Al ratios from 4:1 to 2:1. Impurities of manganese oxide, rhodochrosite and bayerite at low concentrations were also produced during the synthesis. The thermal stability of charmarite was investigated using thermogravimetry. The manganese hydrotalcite decomposed in stages with mass loss steps at 211, 305 and 793 °C. The product of the thermal decomposition was amorphous material mixed with manganese oxide. A comparison is made with the thermal decomposition of the Mg/Al hydrotalcite. It is concluded that the synthetic charmarite is slightly less stable than hydrotalcite.     

Homochiral conglomerates and racemic crystals in two dimensions: tartaric acid on Cu(110)

Two-dimensional lattice structures formed by racemic tartaric acid on a single crystalline Cu(110) surface have been studied and compared with the enantiopure lattices. At low coverage, the doubly deprotonated bitartrate species is separated into two-dimensional conglomerates showing opposite enantiomorphism. At higher coverage, however, a singly deprotonated monotartrate species forms a heterochiral, racemic crystal lattice. While the enantioseparated bitartrate system undergoes decomposition at the same temperature as the enantiopure system, the racemic monotartrate lattice has a lower thermal stability than the enantiopure lattice of identical periodicity and surface density. At monolayer saturation coverage, the pure enantiomers form a denser lattice than the racemate. This is in contrast to the three-dimensional tartaric acid crystals, where the racemate crystallizes in a lattice of higher density, which is also more thermally stable than the enantiopure tartaric acid crystals.     

On-line Micro Solid-Phase Extraction of Clodinafop Propargyl from Water,Soil and Wheat Samples Using Electrospun Polyamide Nanofibers

An on-line extraction/determination set up was designed for micro solid-phase extraction of clodinafop propargyl from water, soil and wheat samples using electrospun polyamide nanofiber mats. The prepared mats were packed in a stainless steel tube which conveniently acted as a high-performance liquid chromatography injection loop. Influential parameters affecting the extraction efficiency were optimized using a distilled water sample fortified with 25 μg L^?1 of clodinafop propargyl. An enrichment factor of 440 was achieved for clodinafop propargyl indicating the ability of the whole procedure. Under the optimum conditions, the linearity for the analyte was in the range of 6–700 μg L^?1, while a limit of detection and limit of quantification of 2 and 6 μg L^?1 were achieved, respectively. The intra-day and inter-day RSD% at the concentration level of 25 μg L^?1 were 4.6 and 9.3 %, respectively. To investigate the matrix effect, the developed method was applied to the analysis of real water samples including paddy and river waters as well as the wheat and soil samples. The relative recovery percentages for the spiked samples were in the range of 63–95 %.     

铯改性的沸石Y上醇类和胺类的氰乙基化反应SaraZamanian,AliNematiKharat简

Zeolite Y modified by cesium and magnesium ions was prepared by ion-exchange and impregnation methods, and its activity in the cyanoethylation of aliphatic and aromatic alcohols and amines was investigated. During the preparation of some samples, the transformation of zeolite Y into a pollucite-type phase occurred. This phase exhibited good activity in the cyanoethylation of aliphatic alcohols. The prepared solids modified by the impregnation method were more active than the ion-exchanged solids. The activities of the catalysts, in contrast to other basic solids, were scarcely affected by the presence of air or moisture. A correlation between catalyst basicity and catalytic activity is discussed. The catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction, volumetric nitrogen adsorption surface area measurement, and CO₂ temperature-programmed desorption. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that the particles of the modified nanocatalysts were < 40 nm. The reaction of acrylonitrile with linear alcohols in the presence of the catalysts was accelerated by microwave irradiation.     

In situ acetylation dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction followed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry for the simultaneous determination of musks,triclosan and methyl-triclosan in wastewaters

A rapid and environmental-friendly analytical method for the simultaneous analysis of different personal care products (PCPs) namely synthetic musks (nitro-, polycyclic and macrocyclic musks) and the disinfectant triclosan (TCS) and its transformation product methyl-TCS in wastewater samples has been developed. The method combines dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction with in situ aqueous derivatisation using acetic anhydride (Ac2O) prior to ?gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis. Several parameters affecting both extraction and derivatisation efficiency (e.g. type and volume of extractor and dispersive solvents, volume of derivatising reagent, etc.) were optimised to achieve reliable conditions. Validation of the method for all compounds under study showed good linearity with coefficient of correlation > 0.9947. Limits of quantification (LOQs) ranged between 2 and 72 ng/L for musks and 28 and 31 ng/L for TCS and methyl-TCS, respectively. Accuracy, expressed as the average recoveries, ranged between 76% and 87%, and precision, expressed in terms of intraday repeatability (%RSD), was better than 13% for all analytes. The application of the method to the analysis of 24 wastewater samples enabled the detection of all the target PCPs at concentration levels up to 2.7 μg/L, being galaxolide (HHCB) and tonalide (AHTN) the more prevalent, present in 88% and 46% of the samples, respectively.     

Photobiomodulation Affects Key Cellular Pathways of all Life‐Forms: Considerations on Old and New Laser Light Targets and the Calcium Issue

After 50 years of studies on photobiomodulation (PBM), there is still so much to investigate to understand the laser light‐nonplant cells interactions. The current scientific knowledge allows to say that the phenomena induced by PBM are based on cellular pathways that are the key points of cell life. The mitochondria chromophores, also present on the bacterial membrane, the calcium channels, ion that regulates the life‐and‐death cellular processes, as well as the TRP family, whose genes have been found in protozoa and suggest that its basic mechanism evolved long before the appearance of animals, seem to be elective targets in photobiomodulatory events by wavelengths from 600 up to 980 nm. The ambiguous resulting cellular communication way, mediated by ATP, ROS and/or calcium, leads to cell manipulation, which modifies its metabolism and whose response connects all life‐forms from bacteria to vertebrates. Because of the Giano‐Bifronte features of ROS and calcium, as well as the fine balance of energetic mitochondrial processes, whose alteration is responsible for several diseases, the PBM can show unpredictable results and it requires scrupulous approach to avoid cellular damages. However, when carefully applied, PBM is able to improve nonhealthy cell's responses and represents a reliable support in human and veterinary medicine.