Synthesis and characterization of poly(1-vinyl-1,2,4-triazole) (PVTri)-barium hexaferrite nanocomposite

We present a method for the fabrication of PVTri-BaFe₁₂O₁₉ nanocomposites by in-situ polymerization of PVTri in the presence of synthesized BaFe₁₂O₁₉ nanoparticles. Nanoparticles, polymer and nanocomposite were analyzed by XRD, FTIR, TGA, TEM, NMR, GPC and conductivity techniques for structural and physicochemical characteristics. Crystallographic analysis revealed the phase as hexaferrite and X-ray line profile fitting yielded a crystallite size of 17±5 nm. Conjugation of PVTri to nanoparticle surface was assessed to be via carbonyl groups on the polymer. TG analysis revealed that 45 wt% of nanocomposite is inorganic phase (BaFe₁₂O₁₉). It was found out that the ac conductivity of nanocomposite under a certain frequency increases with temperature.     

Enhanced Ratiometric pH Sensing Using SNAFL-2 on Silver Island Films: Metal-enhanced Fluorescence Sensing

We have explored the opportunities for enhanced ratiometric pH sensing using the well-known carboxy seminaphthofluorescein (SNAFL-2) and silver island films (SiFs). Our results show that the metallic surfaces can provide up to a 40-fold increase in probe fluorescence intensity as compared to nonmetallic surfaces with the same probe coverage. However, while the S/N is significantly better for pH sensing, the emission wavelength ratiometric values are similar to that obtained in solution, due to the fact that the emission of both the acidic and basic forms of the probe are enhanced to similar extents. To the best of our knowledge this is the first report of enhanced ratiometric fluorescence sensing on metallic surfaces.     

Optical characterization of the silicon photodiodes for the establishment of national radiometric standards

Optical properties of the silicon photodiodes are investigated in the visible spectral regime. Non-linearity measurement standard was established by using Hamamatsu S1337-11 type windowless silicon photodiode whose non-linearity value was found to be better than 6×10⁻⁵ at photocurrent level of 10⁻⁹ to 10⁻⁴ A. Temperature effects on the spectral responsivity for S1337-11, S1337-1010BQ and S1227-1010BQ type photodiodes were analyzed between 20°C and 40°C at 488.1, 514.7 and 632.8 nm vacuum wavelengths. The spatial uniformities of the responsivity for three type photodiodes are performed with a laser beam having 1 mm diameter by using home made two-axis micro translation system. Results of the reflectance measurements for three elements of reflection-based trap detectors were compared with the predicted values obtained from Fresnel equations.     

Reference intervals of serum folate and vitamin B12 developed from data of healthy subjects

 In this study the reference intervals for folate and vitamin B₁₂ were estimated according to the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards Approved Guideline C28-A and International Federation of Clinical Chemistry recommendations. The study included 155 women and 124 men between ages 18–40. The health status was confirmed by history, physical examination and a questionnaire. The central 95% reference intervals of serum folate and vitamin B12 for women, determined non-parametrically, were found to be 3.9–18.1 ng/ml and 101–666.7 pg/ml, respectively. The reference values of serum folate and vitamin B12 for men were also found to be 2,5–17.6 ng/ml and 100–699.57 pg/ml, respectively. We did not observe subclass differences between females and males. Received: 15 April 2000 · Accepted: 15 April 2000     

A practical analytical quality report on the effect of carotenemia on neonatal bilirubin levels

 The effect of haematocrit and β-carotene levels on the serum total bilirubin measurement in two analytical methods was studied as an example of the impact of practical analytical quality in medical decision making. The precision characteristics of the two methods were very similar. Based upon the significant difference in the correlation coefficient in a method comparison study before and after 20% trimming of the data, an interference effect study was performed. Haemoglobin (expressed as haematocrit) and β-carotene were the substances studied to explain the observed differences. The bilirubin test results from the Wako bilirubinometer were easily affected (n=19;X(S): 13.83±2.43;t=–6.17;P=0.000) and more elevated than in the Vitros dry chemistry systems (n=18;X(S): 12.72±2.21;t=–2.48;P=0.017), due to the presence of β-carotene (>200 μg/dl).     

NMR‐based analysis of structure of heteroleptic triple‐decker (phthalocyaninato) (porphyrinato) lanthanides in solutions

A novel approach for the structural analysis of heteroleptic triple‐decker (porphyrinato)(phthalocyaninato) lanthanides(III) in solutions is developed. The developed approach consists in molecular mechanics (MM+) optimization of the geometry of the complex taking into account the lanthanide‐induced shift (LIS) datasets. LISs of the resonance peaks in ¹H NMR spectra of a series of symmetric complexes [An₄P]Ln[(15C5)₄Pc]Ln[An₄P], where An₄P^2? is 5,10,15,20‐tetrakis(4‐methoxyphenyl)porphyrinato‐dianion, [(15C5)₄Pc]^2? is 2,3,9,10,16,17,24,25‐tetrakis(15‐crown‐5)phthalocyaninato‐dianion and Ln = La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, are analyzed. Analysis of LISs showed two sets of protons in the molecule with opposite signs of shift. Two‐nuclei analysis of LISs testifies isostructurality of the whole series of investigated complexes in solution despite contraction of the lanthanide ions. Model‐free separation of contact and dipolar contributions of LISs was performed with one‐nucleus technique and did not show changes in contact and dipolar terms within the investigated series. MM+ optimization of the molecular structure allowed the interpretation of features of LIS for each particular group of protons. Parameterization of MM + ‐optimized model of molecule with values of structure‐dependent dipolar contributions of LIS allows the development of the precise structural model of the triple‐decker complex in solution. This approach allows the determination of the geometry and structure of the sandwich macrocyclic tetrapyrrolic complexes together with conformational analysis of flexible peripheral substituents in solutions. The developed method can be applied with minor modifications for the determination of structural parameters of other types of lanthanides(III) complexes with tetrapyrrolic ligands and also supramolecular systems based on them. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Metal-Assisted and Microwave-Accelerated Evaporative Crystallization

We describe a platform technology, called metal-assisted and microwave-assisted evaporative crystallization (MA-MAEC), based on the combined use of silver nanoparticles and microwave heating for selective and rapid crystallization of small molecules. In this regard, the crystallization of a model small molecule (glycine) was achieved in several seconds. Glycine crystals grown on silver nanostructures with and without microwave heating were found to be larger than those grown on blank glass slides. The MA-MAEC technique has the potential to selectively grow the desired polymorphs of small molecules "on-demand" in a fraction of the time as compared to the conventional evaporative crystallization.     

Temperature and magnetic field responsive hyaluronic acid particles with tunable physical and chemical properties

We report the preparation and characterization of thiolated-temperature-responsive hyaluronic acid-cysteamine-N-isopropyl acrylamide (HA-CYs-NIPAm) particles and thiolated-magnetic-responsive hyaluronic acid (HA-Fe-CYs) particles. Linear hyaluronic acid (HA) crosslinked with divinyl sulfone as HA particles was prepared using a water-in-oil micro emulsion system which were then oxidized HA-O with NaIO₄ to develop aldehyde groups on the particle surface_. HA-O hydrogel particles were then reacted with cysteamine (CYs) which interacted with aldehydes on the HA surface to form HA particles with cysteamine (HA-CYs) functionality on the surface. HA-CYs particles were further exposed to radical polymerization with NIPAm to obtain temperature responsive HA-CYs-NIPAm hydrogel particles. To acquire magnetic field responsive HA composites, magnetic iron particles were included in HA to form HA-Fe during HA particle preparation. HA-Fe hydrogel particles were also chemically modified. The prepared HA-CYs-NIPAm demonstrated temperature dependent size variations and phase transition temperature. HA-CYs-NIPAm and HA-Fe-CYs particles can be used as drug delivery vehicles. Sulfamethoxazole (SMZ), an antibacterial drug, was used as a model drug for temperature-induced release studies from these particles.     

Exact and explicit solutions to the discrete nonlinear Schrödinger equation with a saturable nonlinearity

We analyze the discrete nonlinear Schrödinger equation with a saturable nonlinearity through the (G^′/G)-expansion method to present some improved results. Three types of analytic solutions with arbitrary parameters are constructed; hyperbolic, trigonometric, and rational which have not been explicitly computed before.