Light-generated paramagnetic intermediates in BLUF domains

Blue-light sensitive photoreceptory BLUF domains are flavoproteins, which regulate various, mostly stress-related processes in bacteria and eukaryotes. The photoreactivity of the flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) cofactor in three BLUF domains from Rhodobacter sphaeroides, Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 and Escherichia coli have been studied at low temperature using time-resolved electron paramagnetic resonance. Photoinduced flavin triplet states and radical-pair species have been detected on a microsecond time scale. Differences in the electronic structures of the FAD cofactors as reflected by altered zero-field splitting parameters of the triplet states could be correlated with changes in the amino-acid composition of the various BLUF domains' cofactor binding pockets. For the generation of the light-induced, spin-correlated radical-pair species in the BLUF domain from Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, a tyrosine residue near the flavin's isoalloxazine moiety plays a critical role.     

Development and validation of a UHPLC method for the determination of flavonoids in red wine

A simple and fast ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) method was developed for the identification and quantification of the following flavonoids in red wine: (+/-)-catechin, (-)-epicatechin, rutin, quercitrin, hesperidin, neohesperidin, (+/-)-naringenin, hesperetin, and chrysin. Chromatographic separation of the flavonoids was performed on a Chromolith Fast Gradient C18e column. A gradient elution was used with mobile phases consisting of 0.1% formic acid in water and acetonitrile. UV detection was performed at 280 nm. A complete separation of flavonoids was possible within 6 min. The calibration curves showed good linearity (R2 > or = 0.9990) in the selected range of each analyte; the LOD ranged between 0.06 and 0.19 microg/mL. An optimized sample preparation method utilized SPE. The Oasis HLB column with the highest recoveries was selected for the preconcentration step. This method was successfully applied to the determination of these flavonoids in the red wine samples with excellent results.     

Speed of flow of individual droplets in microfluidic channels as a function of the capillary number, volume of droplets and contrast of viscosities

Droplet microfluidic techniques offer an attractive compromise between the throughput (of i.e. reactions per second) and the number of input/output controls needed to control them. Reduction of the number of controls follows from the confinement to essentially one-dimensional flow of slugs in channels which--in turn--relies heavily on the speed of flow of droplets. This speed is a complicated function of numerous parameters, including the volume of droplets (or length L of slugs), their viscosity μ(d), viscosity μ(c) and rate of flow of the continuous phase, interfacial tension and geometry of the cross-section of the channel. Systematic screens of the impact of these parameters on the speed of droplets remain an open challenge. Here we detail an automated system that screens the speeds of individual droplets at a rate of up to 2000 experiments per hour, with high precision and without human intervention. The results of measurements in channels of square cross-section (of width w = 360 μm) for four different values of the contrast of viscosities λ = μ(d)/μ(c) = 0.3, 1, 3, and 33, wide ranges of values of the capillary number Ca ∈ (10(-4), 10(-1)), and wide ranges of lengths of droplets l = L/w∈ (0.8, 30) show that the speed of droplets depends significantly both on l and on λ. The dependence on Ca is very strong for λ > 1, while it is less important both for λ ≤ 1 and for λ ? 1.     

Activity and Diversity of Microorganisms in Root Zone of Plant Species Spontaneously Inhabiting Smelter Waste Piles

The aim was to assess plant driven changes in the activity and diversity of microorganisms in the top layer of the zinc and lead smelter waste piles. The study sites comprised two types (flotation waste—FW and slag waste—SW) of smelter waste deposits in Piekary Slaskie, Poland. Cadmium, zinc, lead, and arsenic contents in these technosols were extremely high. The root zone of 8 spontaneous plant species (FW—Thymus serpyllum, Silene vulgaris, Solidago virgaurea, Echium vulgare, and Rumex acetosa; and SW—Verbascum thapsus; Solidago gigantea, Eupatorium cannabinum) and barren areas of each waste deposit were sampled. We observed a significant difference in microbial characteristics attributed to different plant species. The enzymatic activity was mostly driven by plant-microbial interactions and it was significantly greater in soil affected by plants than in bulk soil. Furthermore, as it was revealed by BIOLOG Ecoplate analysis, microorganisms inhabiting barren areas of the waste piles rely on significantly different sources of carbon than those found in the zone affected by spontaneous plants. Among phyla, Actinobacteriota were the most abundant, contributing to at least 25% of the total abundance. Bacteria belonging to Blastococcus genera were the most abundant with the substantial contribution of Nocardioides and Pseudonocardia, especially in the root zone. The contribution of unclassified bacteria was high—up to 38% of the total abundance. This demonstrates the unique character of bacterial communities in the smelter waste.     

Rapid-Scan Electron Paramagnetic Resonance of Highly Resolved Hyperfine Lines in Organic Radicals.

X-band (ca. 9 GHz) fluid solution rapid-scan electron paramagnetic resonance spectra are reported for radicals with multiline spectra and resolution of hyperfine lines as narrow as 30 mG. Highly-resolved spectra of 3-carbamoyl-2,2,5,5-tetramethylpyrrolidin-1-yloxy, diphenylnitroxide, galvinoxyl, and perylene cation radical with excellent signal-to-noise are shown, demonstrating the capabilities of the rapid-scan technique to characterize very small, well-resolved hyperfine couplings. To acquire high resolution spectra the signal bandwidth must be less than the resonator bandwidth. Signal bandwidth is inversely proportional to linewidth and proportional to scan rate. Resonator bandwidth is inversely proportional to resonator Q. Proper selection of scan rate and resonator Q is needed to achieve resolution of closely-spaced narrow EPR lines.     

Simultaneous chiral separation and determination of carvedilol and 5′-hydroxyphenyl carvedilol enantiomers from human urine by high performance liquid chromatography coupled with fluorescent detection

A sensitive and specific high performance liquid chromatography coupled with fluorescent detection (HPLC-FL) and tandem mass spectrometry detection (HPLC-MS/MS) methods for separation and determination of carvedilol (CAR) enantiomers and 5′-hydroxyphenyl carvedilol (5′-HCAR) enantiomers has been developed and validated. The analysed compounds were extracted from human urine by solid phase extraction. Good enantioseparation of the studied enantiomers was achieved on CHIRALCEL® OD-RH column using 0.05% trifluoroacetic acid and 0.05% diethylamine in water and acetonitrile in a gradient elution. The mass spectrometric data were acquired using the multiple reaction monitoring mode by positive electrospray ionisation. The method was validated over the concentration range from 25.0 ng mL^?1 to 200 ng mL^?1 for the analysed compounds. The limit of quantification varied from 14.2 ng mL^?1 to 24.2 ng mL^?1. Both the repeatability and inter-day precisions were below 10.0%, and the accuracy varied from ?13.2% to 3.77%. The extraction recoveries ranged from 79.2% to 108%. The present paper reports the method for the simultaneous determination of CAR enantiomers and their metabolite enantiomers (5′-HCAR) in human urine samples. This newly developed method was successfully used to analyse the aforementioned analytes in human urine samples obtained from patients suffering from cardiovascular disease.      

Random fluorene copolymers with on‐chain quinoxaline acceptor units

Two series of novel random polyfluorene copolymers containing quinoxaline units were prepared by stressing the coupling according to Yamamoto. The first series contains 2,3‐bis‐(4′‐tert‐butyl‐biphenyl‐4‐yl)benzo[g]quinoxaline and the second series 2,3‐bis‐(4′‐tert‐butyl‐biphenyl‐4‐yl)quinoxaline as energy accepting unit. The copolymers were identified by gel permeation chromatography, infrared spectroscopy, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Thermal properties were analyzed by thermal gravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry revealing amorphous copolymers that are stable up to 430 °C. The morphology was investigated using atomic force microscopy. The optical properties in solutions and thin films were analyzed. Furthermore, the thin film electro‐optical properties were determined in monolayer polymer light‐emitting devices. Single layer devices were built with efficiencies ranging from 0.15 to 2.0 cd/A. For the random copolymers with 5 mol % benzo[g]quinoxazoline in the polyfluorene backbone some threefold efficiency enhancement from 1.1 to 3.0 cd/A was achieved by utilizing an ultra thin interlayer of poly(9,9‐di‐n‐octylfluorene‐2,7‐diyl)‐alt‐[1,4‐phenylene‐(4‐sec‐butylphenylimino)‐1,4‐phenylene] between PEDOT:PSS and the emissive random copolymer layer. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 4773–4785, 2007     

Synthesis and pharmacological activity of urea and thiourea derivatives of 4-azatricyclo[5.2.2.0(2,6)]undec-8-ene-3,5-dione

A series of nineteen new thiourea and urea derivatives of 10-isopropyl-8-methyl-4-azatricyclo[5.2.2.0(2,6)]undec-8-ene-3,5-dione, 1-isopropyl-7-methyl-4-azatricyclo[5.2.2.0(2,6)]undec-8-ene-3,5-dione and 1,7,8,9,10-pentamethyl-4-azatricyclo[5.2.1.0(2,6)]dec-8-ene-3,5-dione have been prepared and studied by (1)H-NMR. The compound k1a (1-(1,7,8,9,10-pentamethyl-3,5-dioxo-4-aza-tricyclo[5.2.1.0(2,6)]dec-8-en-4-yl)-3-phenyl-urea) was tested for pharmacological activity on animal central nervous system (CNS). The activities of synthesized compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxicity and anti-HIV-1 activity in MT-4 cells. Antimicrobial activity of the newly obtained derivatives was tested against some Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and fungi of the Candida species.     

Polypyrrole–gold nanostructured composite,active and durable electrocatalytic material

The consequences of treatment of gold nanocrystals present in polypyrrole–gold composites and electrodeposited gold nanocrystals (PPY–Au and Au NPs) with OH radicals generated in Fenton’s reaction were investigated. Particularly, the changes in the morphology and the electrochemical properties of those materials are shown. For both materials, the etching effect was noticed. Contrary to significantly reduced catalytic activity, the changes observed in size and shape of gold nanostructures were less pronounced. In the case of PPY–Au composite material, the etching effects were less intense. Even after a 60-min radical treatment of the PPY–Au composite material, the gold–nanocrystal catalytic activity remained high. The limited dissolution of the gold nanocrystals in the PPY–Au composites, compared to bare Au NPs, can be explained by the presence of the polymer which served as a kind of protective barrier against the oxidizing agent. A decrease in the electrocatalytic properties vs. the electrooxidation of ethanol of both forms of gold nanocrystals were observed after the treatment with hydroxyl radicals.