Graphene Nanocomposites Based Electrochemical Sensing Platform for Simultaneous Detection of Multi-drugs

Three reduced graphene oxide nanocomposites were employed to achieve the simultaneous electrochemical determination of multi-drugs including acetaminophen (ACTM), carbendazim (CB) and ciprofloxacin (CFX). All nanocomposite modified electrodes showed improved current responses for three drugs. Notably cauliflower-like platinum nanoparticles decorated reduced graphene oxide modified electrode (or Pt−RGO/GCE) exhibited the best performance in terms of electrochemical stability. Using Pt−RGO/GCE, the linear detect ranges of 30–120 μM, 25–115 μM and 10–25 μM, and detection limit values of 3.49, 2.96, and 1.53 μM were achieved for ACTM, CB and CFX respectively. The electrode was further used for the successful determination of above drugs in tap and river water using differential pulse voltammetry. From the obtained results, we believe that Pt-RGO/GCE is highly promising for the fabrication of robust electrochemical sensors for simultaneously determining ACTM, CB and CFX or similar types of drugs in the future.     

Observation of a charmoniumlike state produced in association with a J/psi in e+e- annihilation at sqrt[s] approximately equal to 10.6 GeV

We report the first observation of a charmoniumlike state recoiling from the J/psi in the inclusive process e+e- -->J/psi+anything at a mass of (3.943+/-0.006+/-0.006) GeV/c{2}. We also observe the decay of this state into D*D[over ] and determine its intrinsic width to be less than 52 MeV/c{2} at the 90% C.L. These results are obtained from a 357 fb{-1} data sample collected with the Belle detector near the Upsilon(4S) resonance, at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e+e- collider.     

Novel Method for the Fabrication of a Charge‐Transfer Complex Crystal by Photoirradiation

A novel method for the fabrication of a charge‐transfer complex crystal was developed. Photoirradiation of a solution of TPP[Co(tbp)(CN)₂] and TPP[Co(Pc)(CN)₂] (tbp=tetrabenzoporphyrin, Pc=phthalocyanine, TPP=tetraphenylphosphonium) gave a molecular conducting crystal of a charge‐transfer complex TPP[Co(tbp)(CN)₂]₂, which was produced by the process in which the photoexcited electron in tbp was transferred from the LUMO of tbp to that of Pc.     

Photochemical Behavior of Single‐Walled Carbon Nanotubes in the Presence of Propylamine

This report describes the photochemical behavior of single‐walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) in the presence of propylamine. The SWNTs are characterized by absorption and Raman spectroscopy. The spectral changes due to photoirradiation indicate that reactions occur predominantly with the metallic SWNTs and small‐diameter SWNTs. The detection of amine radicalcation species by ESR spectroscopy reveals photoinduced electron transfer from the amine to the excited SWNTs. After exposure of the photoirradiated SWNTs to air, the characteristic spectra were recovered, except for that of the small‐diameter SWNTs. The results suggest that, after photoreduction of the SWNTs, subsequent selective sidewall functionalization of the small‐diameter SWNTs occurs.     

Efficient deanilidation of phosphoranilidates by the use of nitrites and acetic anhydride

Reagent systems of sodium– and tetrabutylammonium nitrite–acetic anhydride were proved to be extremely efficient for the deanilidation of nucleoside 3′-phosphoranilidates, whose reactions were rapid with the former and instant with the latter. It was further found that the reagent system is applicable to oligonucleotide synthesis provided that the exocyclic amino groups of 2′-deoxyadenosine, 2′-deoxyguanosine, and 2′-deoxycytidine were protected by succinylation.     

Distribution of aquatic plants and absorption of radionuclides by plants through the leaf surface in brackish Lake Obuchi, Japan, bordered by nuclear fuel cycle facilities

We investigated the distribution of aquatic plants and the absorption of radionuclides by them in the brackish Lake Obuchi, Japan, which is bordered by nuclear fuel cycle facilities. We studied 5 species of submerged plants: Zannichellia palustris, Ruppia maritima, Potamogeton pectinatus, Zostera japonica, and Z. marina. The plants contained many elements, including radionuclides. The concentrations of ²³⁸U, ¹³⁷Cs, and ⁹⁰Sr in Z. marina were 11.3-12.4, 0.000-0.144, and 0.151-0.202 Bq^.kg^-1 dw, respectively. Those in Z. japonica were 5.2-8.8, 0.000-0.267, and 0.081-0.175 Bq^.kg^-1 dw, respectively. The concentrations of these radionuclides in the plants tended to be higher in higher-salinity regions than in lower-salinity regions of the lake. We found a close relationship between photosynthetic activity and the absorption of stable Sr by plants in the laboratory. Salinity, illumination, and water temperature influenced the photosynthetic activity of the plants and the consequent absorption of elements.     

Proteome analysis of Oncorhynchus species during embryogenesis

To understand the molecular mechanisms underlying normal and abnormal development of two salmonids, masu salmon (Oncorhynchus masou) and rainbow trout (O. mykiss), we used two-dimensional (2-D) electrophoresis to construct a series of 2-D maps during the embryonic period. We identified all visible protein spots on the 2-D map by assigning numbers for masu salmon and rainbow trout, and we determined N-terminal sequences of proteins for one hundred of the spots, that appear at very high concentrations in the whole embryos of masu salmon and rainbow trout. We also characterized embryonic stages according to the periods of appearance of spots. Most of the N-terminal sequences were identical or at least highly similar to partial sequences reported for vitellogenin (Vtg) of O. mykiss. A potential proteolytic processing of Vtg for rainbow trout is discussed in relation to the time of appearance and relative position of Vtg fragments within the complete protein sequence.     

Rare-earth doped III-nitride semiconductors for semiconductor spintronics

InGaGdN layers and InGaGdN/GaN superlattice (SL) structures were grown by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. InGaGdN layers exhibited photoluminescence emission at room temperature and its peak wavelength was red-shifted with the increase of In composition. Clear hysteresis and saturation were observed in the magnetization versus magnetic field curves at room temperature for the InGaGdN layers. Si co-doping into InGaGdN layers increased the electron carrier concentration and enhanced the magnetization. In the InGaGdN/GaN SL samples, enhanced magnetization was also observed. Si doping into wide bandgap GaN layers in these SL structures further increased the magnetization, where InGaGdN layers were not doped with Si. All these results can be understood with the carrier-mediated ferromagnetism.