An imaging pH optode for cell studies based on covalent attachment of 8-hydroxypyrene-1,3,6-trisulfonate to amino cellulose acetate films

The objective of this study was to create a thin film optode for fast pH measurements that meets the requirements for imaging pH-responses from cells as well as for a future hybrid design for detection of multiple analytes simultaneously. The sensor is based on the covalent attachment of 8-hydroxypyrene-1,3,6-trisulfonate (HPTS) to a film forming cellulose acetate material through a sulfonamide linkage. The synthesis routes of the cellulose material and regio-specific covalent attachment of the dye are described in detail. The sensor was sterilized in two different ways and showed excellent biocompatibility with Chinese hamster ovary cells. Imprints from cells and μm thin cell extensions were visualized when altering pH of the surrounding solution. The sensor was tested together with time-dependent sigmoidal calibrations giving pH determinations with an exceptional precision and accuracy during measurement within pH 6-8. The precision of the optode, calculated as pooled S.D. (n = 8) according to IUPAC recommendations between pH 6.641 and 7.742 was 0.0029. The accuracy was significantly better than the electrode used as reference during the measurements. The response time (0-95%) was 100 s between pH 6.641 and 7.742 and the reverse response (95-0%) was 80 s. The sensor shows great potential for extra-cellular pH determination over time during cell growth and pharmacological exposure.     

Re-investigation of ortho-metalated N,N-dialkylbenzylamine complexes of rare-earth metals. First structurally characterized arylates of neodymium and gadolinium Li[LnAr4]

The influence of the ether ligand in [LnCl₃(solv)_n], solv = THF, DME; n = 1–3 in reactions with ortho-lithiated dimethyl-benzylamine Li(dmba) has been studied. An improved protocol towards homoleptic tris-aryl complexes of the type [Ln(dmba)₃], Ln = Y, Er and Yb has been developed and molecular structures of these complexes have been established by X-ray crystallography. For the first time stable homoleptic lithium ate-complexes of the type Li[Ln(dmba)₄] (Ln = Gd, Nd) have been isolated and structurally characterized. The success in their synthesis strongly depends on the choice of the appropriate [LnCl₃(solv)_n] precursor, such as [GdCl₃(dme)₂], [NdCl₃(dme)], and THF-free reaction conditions. Factors influencing on possible degradation pathways of lanthanide tris-aryl complexes with dmba-type ligands are discussed.     

Cyclization of peptide b9 ions

The product ion mass spectra obtained by CID of the b₉ ions derived by loss of neutral alanine from the MH⁺ ion of the peptides Tyr(Ala)₉, (Ala)₄Tyr(Ala)₅, and (Ala)₈TyrAla are essentially identical, indicative of full cyclization reaction to a common intermediate before fragmentation. This leads to abundant nondirect sequence ions in the product ion mass spectra of the b₉ ions. The product ion mass spectra of the b₈ ions from the first two peptides also are essentially identical. The fragmentation of the MH⁺ ions also leads to low intensity nondirect sequence ions in the product ion mass spectra. N-terminal acetylation blocks the cyclization and eliminates nondirect sequence fragment ions in the product ion mass spectra.     

Electro‐Optic (E‐O) Molecular Glasses

This Focus Review describes molecular glasses as a new class of materials for nonlinear optical (NLO) applications, especially for electro‐optic (E‐O) devices. Examples of E‐O molecular glasses are reviewed with a focus on the molecular design of NLO chromophores and solid‐state engineering of molecular glasses. Molecular glasses based on dendrimers of multiple chromophores, molecular glass blends of chromophores, and molecular glasses based on reversible self‐assembly of chromophores are introduced as promising architectures to prepare morphologically stable molecular glasses with large E‐O activities and improved material properties for device applications. Future directions to fully exploit the potential of molecular glasses for NLO materials are presented.     

Rhombus filtrations and Rauzy algebras

Peach introduced rhombal algebras associated to quivers given by tilings of the plane by rhombi. We develop general techniques to analyze rhombal algebras, including a filtration by what we call rhombus modules. We introduce a way to relate the infinite-dimensional rhombal algebra corresponding to a complete tiling of the plane to finite-dimensional algebras corresponding to finite portions of the tiling. Throughout, we apply our general techniques to the special case of the Rauzy tiling, which is built in stages reflecting an underlying self-similarity. Exploiting this self-similar structure allows us to uncover interesting features of the associated finite-dimensional algebras, including some of the tree classes in the stable Auslander-Reiten quiver.     

Embedding some Riemann surfaces into $${\mathbb {C}^2}$$ with interpolation

We prove that several types of open Riemann surfaces, including the finitely connected planar domains, embed properly into such that the values on any given discrete sequence can be arbitrarily prescribed. Kutzschebauch supported by Schweizerische Nationalfonds grant 200021-107477/1.     

Asymptotic behavior of the Kobayashi metric in the normal direction

In this paper we construct a pseudoconvex domain in \({\mathbb{C}}^3\) where the Kobayashi metric does not blow up at a rate of one over distance to the boundary in the normal direction.     

A two-phase obstacle-type problem for the <Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis>-Laplacian

We study the so-called two-phase obstacle-type problem for the p-Laplacian when p is close to 2. We introduce a new method to obtain the optimal growth of the function from branch points, i.e. two-phase points in the free boundary where the gradient vanishes. As a by-product we can locally estimate the (n − 1)-Hausdorff-measure of the free boundary for the special case when p > 2. This research project is a part of the ESF program Global. E. Lindgren has been supported by grant KAW 2005.0098 from the Knut and Alice Wallenberg foundation.     

On Twisted Fourier Analysis and Convergence of Fourier Series on Discrete Groups

We study norm convergence and summability of Fourier series in the setting of reduced twisted group C ^*-algebras of discrete groups. For amenable groups, Følner nets give the key to Fejér summation. We show that Abel-Poisson summation holds for a large class of groups, including e.g. all Coxeter groups and all Gromov hyperbolic groups. As a tool in our presentation, we introduce notions of polynomial and subexponential H-growth for countable groups w.r.t. proper scale functions, usually chosen as length functions. These coincide with the classical notions of growth in the case of amenable groups.