Effects of Heavy Iodine Atoms and π-Expanded Conjugation on Charge Transfer Dynamics in Carboxylic Acid BODIPY Derivatives as Triplet Photosensitizers

Borondipyrromethene (BODIPY) chromophores are composed of a functional-COOH group at meso position with or without a biphenyl ring, and their compounds with heavy iodine atoms at −2, −6 positions of the BODIPY indacene core were synthesized. The photophysical properties of the compounds were studied with steady-state absorption and fluorescence measurements. It was observed that the absorption band is significantly red-shifted, and fluorescence signals are quenched in the presence of iodine atoms. In addition to that, it was indicated that the biphenyl ring does not affect the spectral shifting in the absorption as well as fluorescence spectra. In an attempt to investigate the effect of π-expanded biphenyl moieties and heavy iodine atoms on charge transfer dynamics, femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy measurements were carried out in the environment of the tetrahydrofuran (THF) solution. Based on the performed ultrafast pump-probe spectroscopy, BODIPY compounds with iodine atoms lead to intersystem crossing (ISC) and ISC rates were determined as 150 ps and 180 ps for iodine BODIPY compounds with and without π-expanded biphenyl moieties, respectively. According to the theoretical results, the charge transfer in the investigated compounds mostly appears to be intrinsic local excitations, corresponding to high photoluminescence efficiency. These experimental findings are useful for the design and study of the fundamental photochemistry of organic triplet photosensitizers.     

Folic‐Acid‐Modified Conducting Polymer: Electrochemical Detection of the Cell Attachment

Here, postfunctionalization and bioapplication of a π‐conjugated polymer named 4‐[4H‐dithieno(3,2‐b:2′,3′‐d)pyrrol‐4‐yl]aniline (DTP‐aryl‐NH₂) are reported, which is successfully synthesized via electropolymerization onto the glassy carbon electrode. Folic acid (FA) is used to modify the amino functional polymer via N‐(3‐dimethylaminopropyl)‐N′‐ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride/N‐hydroxysuccinimide chemistry for the further steps. The selective adhesion of folate receptor positive cells on the surface is followed by the electrochemical methods. Cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy have been used to characterize stepwise modification of the electroactive surface. After optimization studies such as scan rate during the polymer deposition, FA amount for the efficient surface targeting, incubation time with the cells etc., analytical characterization is carried out. The surface morphologies at each step are imaged by using fluorescence microscopy.

     

Heavy metal removal from aqueous solution by Pseudevernia furfuracea (L.) Zopf

The present study was carried out in a batch system using a lichen (Pseudevernia furfuracea (L.) Zopf) for the sorption of nickel(II) and copper(II) ions from water. Particularly, the effect of pH, contact time and temperature were considered. Pseudevernia furfuracea exhibited nickel(II) and copper(II) uptake of 49.87 and 60.83 mg/g at an initial pH of 4 and 5-6 at 35 degrees C respectively. Both the Freundlich and Langmuir adsorption models were suitable for describing the biosorption of nickel(II) and copper(II) by the biosorbent. Biosorption showed pseudo first order rate kinetics for nickel and copper ions. Using the equilibrium constant values obtained at 25 and 35 degrees C, the thermodynamics properties of the biosorption (deltaG degrees, deltaH degrees and deltaS degrees) were determined. The biosorption of nickel(II) and copper(II) onto Pseudevernia furfuracea was found to be endothermic.     

Studies on the synthesis of the azocino[4,3‐b]indole framework and related compounds

An efficient method for the synthesis of C‐4 position alkylated azocino[4,3‐b]indole 13 and 18 is described. Reduction of compounds 5, 6, 7 and 8 yielded the corresponding alcohols. Compounds 5, 6, 7 and 8 were synthesized through several steps starting from 1 . The resulting alcohols underwent acid catalyzed ring closure to give tetracyclic azocino[4,3‐b]indole 9, 10, 11 and 12 . Finally, compounds 9 and 17 were alkylated at C‐4 position to the corresponding products 13 and 18 . The structure of the compounds 13 and 18 has been confirmed by X‐ray single crystal analysis.     

Characterization of paraben substituted cyclotriphosphazenes,and a DNA interaction study with a real-time electrochemical profiling based biosensor

Microchimica Acta - This paper describes an amperometric method for studying DNA-drug candidate interactions. It uses an automatted electrochemical biosensor (MiSens®) based on real-time...     

Luminescent chemosensors based on semiconductor quantum dots

Semiconductor quantum dots are inorganic nanoparticles with unique photophysical properties. In particular, their huge one- and two-photon absorption cross sections, tunable emission bands and excellent photobleaching resistances are stimulating the development of luminescent probes for biomedical imaging and sensing applications. Indeed, electron and energy transfer processes can be designed to switch the luminescence of semiconductor quantum dots in response to molecular recognition events. On the basis of these operating principles, the presence of target analytes can be transduced into detectable luminescence signals. In fact, luminescent chemosensors based on semiconductor quantum dots are starting to be developed to detect small molecules, monitor DNA hybridization, assess protein-ligand complementarities, test enzymatic activity and probe pH distributions. Although fundamental research is still very much needed to understand further the fundamental factors regulating the behavior of these systems and refine their performance, it is becoming apparent that sensitive probes based on semiconductor quantum dots will become invaluable analytical tools for a diversity of applications in biomedical research.     

Outer-Membrane Protease (OmpT) Based E. coli Sensing with Anionic Polythiophene and Unlabeled Peptide Substrate

E. coli and Salmonella are two of the most common bacterial pathogens involved in foodborne and waterborne related deaths. Hence, it is critical to develop rapid and sensitive detection strategies for near-outbreak applications. Reported is a simple and specific assay to detect as low as 1 CFU mL⁻¹ of E. coli in water within 6 hours by targeting the bacteria's surface protease activity. The assay relies on polythiophene acetic acid (PTAA) as an optical reporter and a short unlabeled peptide (LL37_FRRV) previously optimized as a substrate for OmpT, an outer-membrane protease on E. coli. LL37_FRRV interacts with PTAA to enhance its fluorescence while also inducing the formation of a helical PTAA-LL37_FRRV construct, as confirmed by circular dichroism. However, in the presence of E. coli LL37_FRRV is cleaved and can no longer affect the conformations and optical properties of PTAA. This ability to distinguish between an intact and cleaved peptide was investigated in detail using LL37_FRRV sequence variants.     

Consistent empirical physical formulas for potential energy curves of 38–66Ti isotopes by using neural networks

Nuclear shape transition has been actively studied in the past decade. In particular, the understanding of this phenomenon from a microscopic point of view is of great importance. Because of this reason, many works have been employed to investigate shape phase transition in nuclei within the relativistic and nonrelativistic mean field models by examining potential energy curves (PECs). In this paper, by using layered feed-forward neural networks (LFNNs), we have constructed consistent empirical physical formulas (EPFs) for the PECs of ^38–66Ti calculated by the Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov (HFB) method with SLy4 Skyrme forces. It has been seen that the PECs obtained by neural network method are compatible with those of HFB calculations.     

Optimization of the Parameters of the Magnetic Filtration Process Using Response Surface Methodology

In this study, we aimed at optimizing the parameters which govern the separation efficiency in the magnetic filtration of magnetizable dispersed particles from a water medium. Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to determine the influence of the process parameters. Also, the optimal processing conditions were determined in order to reduce the external magnetic field strength, diameter of the filter matrix elements, and filter length to a safe level. A three-level central composite design (CCRD) involving the variables, such as external magnetic field strength (148–282 kA/m), diameter of the filter elements (0.005–0.011 m), and the filter length (0.01–0.10 m) was developed for this purpose. Data obtained from the RSM was subjected to the analysis of variance (ANOVA) using a second-order polynomial equation, which provided the optimized process conditions as 298 kA/m for external magnetic field strength, 0.0015 m for diameter of the filter elements, and 0.095 m for the filter length. The separation efficiency was optimized for magnetic filtration of micron sized particles that can be magnetized in an external magnetic field and the value was found to be 97%.     

FEM modelling of the time-harmonic dynamical stress field problem for a pre-stressed plate-strip resting on a rigid foundation

In this paper, the FEM modelling of the time-harmonic dynamical stress field problem for the pre-stressed plate-strip with finite length resting on a rigid foundation is developed. The mathematical formulation of the considered problem is made by the use of the equations and relations of the Three-dimensional Linearized Theory of Elastic Waves in Initially Stressed Bodies. The proposed modelling is tested on the concrete problems as an example. The numerical results testing the validity of the developed FEM modelling are presented. Moreover, the numerical results attained for the various values of the problem parameters are also presented.