Self-assembly of class II hydrophobins on polar surfaces

Hydrophobins are structural proteins produced by filamentous fungi that are amphiphilic and function through self-assembling into structures such as membranes. They have diverse roles in the growth and development of fungi, for example in adhesion to substrates, for reducing surface tension to allow aerial growth, in forming protective coatings on spores and other structures. Hydrophobin membranes at the air-water interface and on hydrophobic solids are well studied, but understanding how hydrophobins can bind to a polar surface to make it more hydrophobic has remained unresolved. Here we have studied different class II hydrophobins for their ability to bind to polar surfaces that were immersed in buffer solution. We show here that the binding under some conditions results in a significant increase of water contact angle (WCA) on some surfaces. The highest contact angles were obtained on cationic surfaces where the hydrophobin HFBI has an average WCA of 62.6° at pH 9.0, HFBII an average of 69.0° at pH 8.0, and HFBIII had an average WCA of 61.9° at pH 8.0. The binding of the hydrophobins to the positively charged surface was shown to depend on both pH and ionic strength. The results are significant for understanding the mechanism for formation of structures such as the surface of mycelia or fungal spore coatings as well as for possible technical applications.     

Ultrastrong coupling regime and plasmon polaritons in parabolic semiconductor quantum wells

Ultrastrong coupling is studied in a modulation-doped parabolic potential well coupled to an inductance-capacitance resonant circuit. In this system, in accordance to Kohn's theorem, strong reduction of the energy level separation caused by the electron-electron interaction compensates the depolarization shift. As a result, a very large ratio of 27% of the Rabi frequency to the center resonance frequency as well as a polariton gap of width 2π × 670 GHz are observed, suggesting parabolic quantum wells as the system of choice in order to explore the ultrastrong coupling regime.     

Scattering measurements from a dissolving bubble

A laboratory-scale study on acoustic scattering from a single bubble undergoing dissolution in undersaturated fresh water is presented. Several experiments are performed with the acoustic source driven with five-cycle tone bursts, center frequency of 120 kHz, to insonify a single bubble located on axis of the combined beam of the set of transducers. The bubble is placed on a fine nylon thread located in the far field of the transducer set, arranged in bistatic configuration, in a tank filled with undersaturated water. Backscattered waveforms from the bubble target are acquired every few seconds for several hours until the bubble has completely dissolved, and detailed dissolution curves are produced from the acoustic data. The rate of bubble dissolution is calculated using the solution developed by Epstein and Plesset [J. Chem. Phys. 18, 1505-1509 (1950)]. The results of the experiments performed are in agreement with the calculations.     

Modeling Unsaturated Flow in Absorbent Swelling Porous Media: Part 1. Theory

The flow and deformation processes in swelling porous media are modeled for absorbent hygiene products (e.g., diapers, wipes, papers etc.). The first part of the article derives the fundamental equations for the hysteretic unsaturated flow, liquid absorption, and large deformation. The final set of model equations consists of balance equations of mobile and absorbed (immobile) liquid combined with a series of constitutive relationships. The resulting equation system is strongly nonlinear and requires advanced numerical strategies for solving. The second part of the article focuses on numerical solution and presents simulation results for 2D and 3D applications.     

Liquid Chromatographic Analysis of Various Formulations Containing Emtricitabine

A gradient liquid chromatographic (LC) method for control of emtricitabine (FTC) was validated for the analysis of FTC formulations (capsules and oral solution) and fixed-dose-combination tablets containing FTC [FTC combined with tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) and FTC combined with TDF and efavirenz (EFV)]. The method is based on the purity test recently prescribed in the International Pharmacopoeia and uses a Hypersil BDS C18 column (25 cm × 4.6 mm i.d.), 5 μm kept at a temperature of 35 °C. Other reversed-phase columns were also investigated. The mobile phases for gradient elution consist of acetonitrile, phosphate buffer and water. The flow rate is 1.0 mL min⁻¹ and UV detection is performed at 280 nm. The method is capable of separating the main components from one another, from the inactive ingredients and from the main degradation products. The method was validated with respect to accuracy, precision, sensitivity and linearity for each component and the solution media were optimized. Finally, commercial FTC capsules, FTC oral solution, FTC/TDF tablets and FTC/TDF/EFV tablets were examined.

     

DERIVATIVES OF 4-CHLORO-3,5-DINITROBENZOTRIFLUORIDE V. SYNTHESIS OF 4,6-DINITRO-2,8-BIS(TRIFLUOROMETHYL) PHENOTHIAZINE (1), ISOPROPYL 2,6-DINITRO-4-TRIFLUOROMETHYLPHENYL SULFIDE (2) AND BIS(2,6-DINITRO-4-TRIFLUOROMETHYLPHENYL) DISULFIDE (3)

Abstract

The reaction of potassium isopropyl dithiocarbonate with 4-chloro-3,5-dinitrobenzotrifluoride in dimethylformamide at 25–30°C afforded the titled phenothiazine (1) and sulfide (2). The reaction of bis(2,6-dinitro-4-trifluoromethylphenyl)-sulfide or the above halogen compound with sodium hydrosulfide in the same solvent at 80–90°C furnished 1. At 25–30°C the latter reaction afforded the titled disulfide (3). Possible mechanisms and supporting nmr, ir and mass spectral data are discussed.     

Elastic proton-proton scattering: Excitation functions from 0.45 to 2.5 GeV

Excitation functions of the differential cross sections dσ/dgw, analyzing powers A_N and spin correlation parameters A_NN, A_SS and A_SL have been measured with internal targets at the Cooler Synchrotron COSY. Data were taken continously during the acceleration and deceleration of the internal beam for kinetic energies between 450 and 2500 MeV and scattering angles 30° σ_cm 90°. Details of the experimental method are presented. The results provide excitation functions and angular distributions of high precision and internal consistency. No evidence for narrow structures are found. Upper limits on the coupling of narrow resonances to elastic scattering in the mass range √s = 2.2…2.8 GeV are deduced. The data have significant impact on phase shift solutions.