Superhydrophobic surfaces with low and high adhesion made from mixed (hydrocarbon and fluorocarbon) 3,4‐propylenedioxythiophene monomers

This work concerns new superhydrophobic surfaces, generated by replacing long fluorocarbon chains, which bioaccumulate, with short chains whilst at the same time retaining oleophobic properties. Here, is described the synthesis of novel 3,4‐propylenedioxythiophene derivatives containing both a short fluorocarbon chain (perfluorobutyl) and a hydrocarbon chain of various lengths (ethyl, butyl and hexyl). Superhydrophobic (θ_water > 150°) surfaces with good oleophobic properties (60° > θ_hexadecane > 80°) have been obtained by electrodeposition using cyclic voltammetry. Surprisingly, the lowest hystereses and sliding angles (Lotus effect) are obtained with the shortest alkyl chains due to the presence of microstructures made of nanofibers on the surfaces, whereas, the longest alkyl chains leads to nanosheets with high adhesion (Petal effect). Such materials are potential candidates for biomedical applications. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2014 , 52, 782–788     

Determining ProGRP and isoforms in lung and thyroid cancer patient samples: comparing an MS method with a routine clinical immunoassay

This paper compares two methods to determine the tumor marker progastrin-releasing peptide (ProGRP): as routine assay, the automated time-resolved immunofluorometric assay (TR-IFMA), which allows total ProGRP determination; and the immunocapture liquid chromatography selected reaction monitoring mass spectrometry (LC–SRM-MS) method, which additionally allows isoform differentiation. The investigation included 60 serum samples from patients suffering from various cancer diseases which may cause elevated ProGRP levels (small cell lung carcinoma; SCLC, non-small cell lung carcinoma; NCLC; and medullary thyroid cancer; MTC, as well as some with unspecific diagnosis). The two methods showed good correlation (R ²?=?0.887). However, the MS method determines the total ProGRP concentration systematically approximately 30 % lower than the TR-IFMA, implying that the absolute values generated by the methods are not interchangeable. The MS method gives additional information about isoform levels in the samples, providing novel insight into isoform expression on the protein level.     

Use of Organic Solvents as Additives in Inductively Coupled Argon Plasma with Atomic Emission Spectrometric Detection

Abstract

The effect of nitric acid/organic aerosols on the emission intensity of metals from the first row transition series, plus Cd and Pb was investigated. The addition of organic solvents to reference solutions diminished the aerosol mean drop size, by reducing the surface tension of the solutions. Correlation between signal intensity and BEC with the main physical characteristics (surface tension and viscosity) of the nitric acid/acetic acid and nitric acid/alcohol solutions was studied. Analytical curves (0–2.0 fig ml^?1) were evaluated using a matrix matching procedure, and detection limits indicated an improvement (ca 40%) in analytical performance as well as in linearity, sensitivity and precision.     

Unveiling Photodeactivation Pathways for a New Iridium(III) Cyclometalated Complex

We report the synthesis and characterization of a neutral heteroleptic Ir^III complex bearing 6‐fluoro‐2‐phenylbenzo[d]thiazole as cyclometalating ligand and (Z)‐6‐(9H‐carbazol‐9‐yl)‐5‐hydroxy‐2,2‐dimethylhex‐4‐en‐3‐one as ancillary ligand. The photodeactivation mechanisms have been elucidated through extensive density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The active role of metal‐centered (³MC) triplet excited states in the nonradiative deactivation pathways is, for first time, confirmed in such complexes.