Improvement of kinetics,yield, and colloidal stability of biogenic gold nanoparticles using living cells of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Euglena gracilis</Emphasis> microalga

Recent years have witnessed a boom in the biosynthesis of a large variety of nanomaterials using different biological resources among which algae-based entities have been gaining much more attention within the community of material scientists worldwide. In our previously published findings, we explored some factors that governed the biofabrication of gold nanoparticles using living cultures of microalgae, such as the utilized microalgal genera, the phylum they belong to, and the impact of tetrachloroauric acid concentrations on the ability of these strains to perform the biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles once in contact with these cations. As a follow-up, we present in this paper an improvement of the features of bioproduced gold colloids using living cells of Euglena gracilis microalga when this species is grown under either mixotrophic or autotrophic conditions, i.e., exposed to light and grown in an organic carbon-enriched culture medium versus under autotrophic conditions. As an outcome to this alteration, the growth rate of this photosynthetic microorganism is multiplied 7–8 times when grown under mixotrophic conditions compared to autotrophic ones. Therefore, the yield, the kinetics, and the colloidal stability of the biosynthesized gold nanoparticles are dramatically enhanced. Moreover, the shape and the size of the as-produced nano-objects via this biological method are affected. In addition to round-shaped gold nanoparticles, particular shapes, such as triangles and hexagons, appear. These findings add up to the amassed knowledge toward the design of photobioreactors for the scalable and sustainable production of interesting nanomaterials.     

Ground states and flux configurations of the two-dimensional Falicov-Kimball model

The Falicov-Kimball model is a lattice model of itinerant spinless fermions (electrons) interacting by an on-site potential with classical particles (ions). We continue the investigations of the crystalline ground states that appear for various filling of electrons and ions for large coupling. We investigate the model for square as well as triangular lattices. New ground states are found and the effects of a magnetic flux on the structure of the phase diagram are studied. The flux phase problem where one has to find the optimal flux configurations and the nuclei configurations is also solved in some cases. Finally we consider a model where the fermions are replaced by hard-core bosons. This model also has crystalline ground states. Therefore their existence does not require the Pauli principle, but only the on-site hard-core constraint for the itinerant particles.     

Assignment of the 1H and 13C NMR Chemical Shifts of (3,4-Dihydro-2H-pyran-5-yl)-oxo-acetic Acid Methyl Ester Using the Two Dimensional HMBC Technique

The identification of (3, 4-dihydro-2H-pyran-5-yl)-oxo-acetic acid methyl ester has been realized by combination of two dimensional HETCOR and HMBC techniques. ¹³C and ¹H chemical shifts asignements are described.     

Laser–Induced Fluorescence Detection of Carbamates Traces in Water

The absorption and fluorescence spectra of carbaryl (CB), carbofuran (CF) and carbendazim (MBC) have been studied. Fluorescence lifetime and fluorescence quantum yields are also reported as well as the influence of pH, solvent and presence of humic acids on fluorescence. The limit of detection (LD) of the three compounds has been measured by direct analysis by laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) using a pulsed YAG laser with an Optical Parametric Oscillator (OPO) as excitation source and an Intensified Charged Coupled Device (ICCD) camera for the fluorescence detection. Instrumental LD found for CB, for MBC and for CF are respectively 4, 50 and 1000 ng L⁻¹. In tap water, the LD obtained is 800 ng L⁻¹ for MBC and 20,000 ng L⁻¹ for CF. For CB, the use of a time shift between excitation and emission allows to reach a LD of 20 ng L⁻¹ in tap water.     

FLUORESCENCE AND PHOTOCHEMISTRY OF OLIGOCYTIDYLIC AND POLYCYTIDYLIC ACIDS IN AQUEOUS SOLUTION

Abstract —In addition to the monomer-like fluorescence, a long-wavelength emission (Λ^max_em= 410 nm) has been detected in the dinucleoside 5'-5' pyrophosphate (CppC) at room temperature. This emission looks very similar to that previously reported for the acidic forms of Poly C (Poly C. Poly C⁺ and Poly I. Poly C. Poly C⁺). Only the monomer-like emission (Λ^max_em= 330 nm) can be detected in neutral Poly C, acidic CppC, and the neutral or protonated forms of the dinucleoside phosphate CpC.A correlation between the room temperature fluorescence of oligo and polycytidylic acids and their photochemical behaviour is found. Irradiation of all the polymeric samples at both neutral and acid pH results in the formation of minor photoproducts. They have been characterized by their absorbance (in the range 300–400 nm) and their fluorescence spectra. The same product is obtained in all cases where the monomer-like fluorescence only is detected. Distinct products are formed in neutral CppC and in the acidic Poly C forms.
The results are discussed with respect to the conformation of the oligo and polycytidylic acids and possible relationships between the 410–420 nm emission and adduct formation. An excimer is proposed as a common, intermediate excited state in both radiative deactivation and adduct formation in neutral CppC and the acidic Poly C forms.     

Etude quantitative de la distinction entre une liaison de covalence et une liaison de coordination: les molecules de borazane et d'aminoborane

Résumé On propose un exemple quantitatif de la distinction entre une liaison de covalence et une liaison de coordination; cette différenciation, fondée sur les propriétés de la molécule une fois formée, semble très nette pour les énergies de liaison, les populations de recouvrement et les charges des groupes; en particulier, un critère récent, proposé par deux des auteurs, est remarquablement vérifié. Enfin, on essaie de préciser la signification des symboles chimiques traditionnels.

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Quantitative studies of the difference between a covalence and a coordination bond: The molecules of amine-borane and aminoborane

An illustration of the distinction between these two types of chemical bonds is proposed, which is based on the properties of the molecule once built. Bond energies, overlap populations and group charges vary considerably from one compound to the other; more, a recent criterion given by two of the authors seems to be particularly suitable for describing the character of the bond. Lastly, one tries to give an explicit signification to the usual chemical symbols.

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Zusammenfassung Es wird ein quantitatives Beispiel der Unterscheidung zwischen einer kovalenten und einer koordinativen Bindung angegeben, die auf den Eigenschaften des vorliegenden Moleküls beruht. Sie erscheint sehr günstig für die Bindungsenergien, die Überlagerungspopulationen und die Gruppenladungen. Insbesondere wird ein Kriterium, das kürzlich von zwei der Autoren angegeben wurde, gut verifiziert. Schließlich wird versucht, die üblichen chemischen Symbole zu präzisieren.

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Les auteurs tiennent à remercier très vivement M. M. Berthier et Millié d'avoir mis à leur disposition le programme de localisation indispensable à ce travail, ainsi que Mademoiselle Le Guen et le C.I.R.C.E. pour la réalisation des calculs sur l'ordinateur IBM 360-75.     

Polymérisation anionique de l'isoprène: Nature de la paire d'ions et stéréospécificité

With accumulated HR-NMR spectra of anionic polyisoprenes, it has been possible to study the influence of the nature of the propagating species on the microstructure of the obtained polymers If free ions are responsible for the propagation, the microstructure (1,4-: 25%, 1,2-: 33%, 3,4-: 42%) does not depend on the nature of the cations. But with contact ion pairs, the different addition modes are governed by the size of the alkali metal counterions. Mechanisms of anionic propagations via diene–cation coordination are proposed.