The influence of water content, cooling and warming rate upon survival of embryonic axes of Poncirus trifoliata (L.)

The present study investigated the relative contributions of water content and non-equilibrium cooling and warming rates to the survival of cryopreserved axes of recalcitrant P. trifoliata seeds. Reducing water contents from 1.7 and 0.26 g water per g dry mass is believed to increase cytoplasmic viscosity. Cooling to -196 degree C was done at rates averaging between 0.17 and 1300 degree C per second, and warming at 600 or 1.35 degree C per second. Survival was assessed after 4 weeks in vitro. Rapid warming resulted in higher survival and normal development of axes at all water contents. The effects of cooling rate were dependent on the water content of axes. Cooling rates resulting in >70 percent normal development ranged between 0.17 and about 1300 degree C per second for axes at a water content of 0.26 g water per g dry mass narrowing with increasing hydration to an apparent optimum at about 686 degree C per second in axes at 0.8 g water per g dry mass At 1.7 g water per g dry mass, axes cooled at 0.17 degree C per second yielded nearly 40 percent normal development, whereas faster cooling was deleterious. Results are interpreted in the context of the effect of water content on cytoplasmic viscosity and the rate of intracellular ice formation. At low water contents, the high intracellular viscosity slows ice crystallization making survival independent of cooling rate. At higher water contents, the reduced viscosity requires faster cooling to prevent ice crystal damage. The ability to cool rapidly with increasing hydration is balanced with an increasing limitation to dissipate heat fast enough to prevent severe damage.     

Polymer-supported pyridine-bis(oxazoline). Application to ytterbium-catalyzed silylcyanation of benzaldehyde

[reaction: see text] Terminal acetylenes containing hydroxy and carboxylic acid groups were subjected to Sonogashira coupling with 4-bromo-2,6-bis[(R)-4-phenyloxazolin-2-yl]pyridine and the resulting pybox derivatives were immobilized on Tentagel resins. Ytterbium(III) chloride complexes of the polymeric ligands catalyzed the addition of trimethylsilyl cyanide to benzaldehyde with 80-81% ee. The ligands were reused more than 30 times without any loss in selectivity or activity, and the metal complexes could be recovered and reused at least four times, although with slightly decreasing activity.     

Synthesis and functionalization study of hierarchical ZnO nanowires for potential nitroaromatic sensing applications

In this work, we synthesize hierarchical ZnO nanowires in a customized atmospheric CVD furnace and investigate their surface modification behavior for prospective nitroaromatic sensing applications. The morphology and crystal structure of pristine nanowires are characterized through FE-SEM, TEM, X-ray diffraction and EDAX studies. Photoluminescence behavior of pristine nanowires is also reported. Surface modification behavior of synthesized nanowires on a ZnO–oleic acid system is studied by utilizing Raman and FT-IR spectroscopy. Based on these findings, 1-pyrenebutyric acid (PBA) has been identified as an appropriate fluorescent receptor for sensing p-nitrophenol. Fluorescence quenching experiments on a PBA–p-nitrophenol system are reported and a detection limit of up to 28 ppb is envisaged for PBA-grafted ZnO nanowire-based optical sensor.     

Multivalency as a Chemical Organization and Action Principle

Multivalent interactions can be applied universally for a targeted strengthening of an interaction between different interfaces or molecules. The binding partners form cooperative, multiple receptor–ligand interactions that are based on individually weak, noncovalent bonds and are thus generally reversible. Hence, multi‐ and polyvalent interactions play a decisive role in biological systems for recognition, adhesion, and signal processes. The scientific and practical realization of this principle will be demonstrated by the development of simple artificial and theoretical models, from natural systems to functional, application‐oriented systems. In a systematic review of scaffold architectures, the underlying effects and control options will be demonstrated, and suggestions will be given for designing effective multivalent binding systems, as well as for polyvalent therapeutics.     

The diameter of paired-domination vertex critical graphs

In this paper we continue the study of paired-domination in graphs introduced by Haynes and Slater (Networks 32 (1998), 199–206). A paired-dominating set of a graph G with no isolated vertex is a dominating set of vertices whose induced subgraph has a perfect matching. The paired-domination number of G, denoted by γ _pr(G), is the minimum cardinality of a paired-dominating set of G. The graph G is paired-domination vertex critical if for every vertex v of G that is not adjacent to a vertex of degree one, γ _pr(G − v) < γ _pr(G). We characterize the connected graphs with minimum degree one that are paired-domination vertex critical and we obtain sharp bounds on their maximum diameter. We provide an example which shows that the maximum diameter of a paired-domination vertex critical graph is at least 3/2 (γ _pr(G) − 2). For γ _pr(G) ⩽ 8, we show that this lower bound is precisely the maximum diameter of a paired-domination vertex critical graph. The first author was supported in part by the South African National Research Foundation and the University of KwaZulu-Natal, the second author was supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.     

A two-compartment model interacting with dynamic drugs

By combining the total cell evolution curve and a two-compartment model interacting with dynamic anti-cancer agents, the evolution of subpopulations has been analytically obtained and investigated in this work.     

Effect of geometry on magnetization distortion in closed-circuit magnetic measurements

The effect of specimen geometry on magnetization distortion in closed-circuit measurements is reported in this letter. The degree of the distortion increases as the ratio of length to diameter (L/D) of specimen decreases, and the distortion can reduce the magnetization values as much as 42% when the applied magnetic field is 24 kOe and the L/D is 0.28. The type of magnetic material also affects the distortion. Although the phenomenon seems to be similar to the “image effect” that occurs in open-circuit measurements, reports of this effect in closed-circuit measurements have not been found in the literature. Further research effort, including 3D computer modeling, for understanding this magnetic phenomenon is underway and will be reported later.     

Self-Organization of Magnetic Nanoparticles and Inclusion of Hydrogen by Borohydride Reduction

 Different structures of the interglobular space or voids between self-organized nanoparticles lead to differences in the measurable magnetic properties of single-domain particle chains of similar composition, grain size, and amorphous structure of the single globules. The volumes and radii of nanoparticles obtained by application of a magnetic field (3 to 15 nm) are larger than those determined without application of a magnetic field during the borohydride reduction process. Two types of hydrogen containing nanotubes with diameters of up to 2 (small-size containers) and 5 nm (large-size containers) are produced using as a driving force the domain wall formation energy between ferromagnetic nanoparticles with quantum size effected dimensions prepared by this reduction method at room temperature and ambient atmosphere. Nanoscale hydrogen containers can be used instead of MeH nanoparticle electrodes as perfect energy charge transfer media of high efficiency (close to 100%) using Li ion electrolytes. No influence on the electrode temperature and no participation of OH⁻ and H₂O in the main charge/discharge transfer reactions were observed.