Interaction of nobiletin with human serum albumin studied using optical spectroscopy and molecular modeling methods

The binding of nobiletin to human serum albumin (HSA) was investigated by fluorescence, UV-vis, FT-IR, CD, and molecular modeling. Fluorescence data revealed the presence of a single class of binding site on HSA and its binding constants (K) at four different temperatures (289, 296, 303 and 310 K) were 4.054, 4.769, 5.646 and 7.044×10⁴ M⁻¹, respectively. The enthalpy change (ΔH⁰) and the entropy changes (ΔS⁰) were calculated to be 1.938 kJ mol⁻¹ and 155.195 J mol⁻¹ K⁻¹ according to the Van’t Hoff equation. The binding average distance, r, between the donor (HSA) and the acceptor (nobiletin) was evaluated and found to be 2.33 nm according to the Förster's theory of non-radiation energy transfer. Changes in the CD and FT-IR spectra were observed upon ligand binding along with a significant degree of tryptophan fluorescence quenching on complex formation. Computational mapping of the possible binding sites of nobiletin revealed the molecule to be bound in the large hydrophobic cavity of subdomain IIA.     

Preparation and spectroscopic properties of Nb2O5 nanorods

Nb₂O₅ nanorods have been prepared using water/ethanol media. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV-visible absorption and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The as-prepared Nb₂O₅ nanorods appeared to be single pseudohexagonal (TT-Nb₂O₅) phase. From the photoluminescence spectrum, two emission bands at 407 and 496 nm, respectively, were observed. The origin of the luminescence was discussed in detail.     

Surface plasmon sensor with gold film deposited on a two-dimensional colloidal crystal

A sensor based on surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of plasmonic crystals fabricated via a colloidal-crystal-assisted templating method is studied. Plasmonic crystals are prepared by depositing a thin gold (Au) layer onto a two-dimensional array of polystyrene spheres self-assembled on a quartz substrate. The enhanced transmission as a result of the SPR of Au plasmonic crystals, which are immersed in different ambient liquids, are measured and compared with that of polystyrene (PS) microsphere templates of different sizes, both before and after removal of Au nanoprisms formed on the quartz substrate through pores among the spheres. It is found that the measured sensitivities exhibit a linear dependence on the refractive index of the surrounding medium and are linked to coupling effects between SPRs on the corrugated Au film and nanoislands. The feasibility of the SPR system in molecular monolayer detection is further demonstrated through a formation of alkanethiolate self-assembled monolayers on the Au film surface, which causes a 4 nm red-shift of the main SPR. PACS  07.07.Df; 73.20.Mf; 78.66.-w; 81.16.Dn     

Cascaded Optical Buffer Based on Nonlinear Polarization Rotation in Semiconductor Optical Amplifiers

A cascaded buffer based on nonlinear polarization rotation in semiconductor optical amplifiers is proposed, which is suitable for fast reconfiguration of buffering time at picoseconds. With the proposed buffer, sixty different buffer times are demonstrated at 2.5Gb/s.     

Biocompatibility of nitrogen-doped multiwalled carbon nanotubes with murine fibroblasts and human hematopoietic stem cells

Journal of Nanoparticle Research - Workers are increasingly exposed to nanoparticles, mostly via inhalation. Respiratory protection is recommended as an additional control measure. Particulate...     

Modelling,performance improvement and emission reduction of large two-stroke diesel engine using multi-zone combustion model

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - The main energy source in marine industry is fossil fuel. Diesel engines are main power supply in sea transport at present times and will also be in...     

Development of a Glassy Carbon Electrode Modified with Graphene/Au Nanoparticles for Determination of Acetaminophen in Pharmaceutical Preparation

Russian Journal of Electrochemistry - A graphene/Au nanoparticles composite modified glassy carbon electrode (GR/AuNPs/GCE) was developed. Electrochemical behavior of acetaminophen (ACOP) at this...     

Reactions of aldehyde with collagen: a DFT study

Structural Chemistry - The reaction mechanisms of several amino acids (Asn, Gln, Arg, His, and Lys) in the collagen with aldehyde were studied using density functional theory method. Based on the...     

Efficient two-photon absorption of CdSe-CdS/ZnS core-multishell quantum dots under the excitation of near-infrared femtosecond pulsed laser

We report that two-photon absorption (TPA) properties of semiconductor CdSe-core CdS/ZnS-multishell quantum dots (QDs) in toluene under excitation of femtosecond laser at 800 nm. The results show efficient TPA process and large TPA cross section of three types of size QDs, which is 1900, 5710, and 16060 GM (1 GM = 10⁻⁵⁰ cm⁴ s photon⁻¹), respectively. TPA cross section dramatically increases with increased core size, showing a strong size-dependence effect. Furthermore, two-photon excitation (TPE) fluorescence intensity not only depends on TPA capacity, but also relies on improved quantum yield resulting from passivation of QD surface by different coated monolayers (MLs). These facts in combination with the narrow fluorescence bandwidth make these QDs as promising probes for multicolor two-photon microscopy.