Miscibility study in the blends of novel poly (styrene-co-4-vinylphenyldimethylsilanol) and poly (n-butyl methacrylate)

The miscibility of poly (styrene-co-4-vinylphenyldimethylsilanol) (ST-VPDMS) and poly (n-butyl methacrylate) (PBMA) blends has been investigated by means of DSC and FT-IR spectroscopy. It was found that miscible blends were formed only for the copolymers containing 9–34 mol % 4-vinylphenyldimethylsilanol (VPDMS). The glass transition behavior of the miscible blends was analyzed by recently proposed equations in terms of the physical meaning of the fitting parameters. The results of FT-IR study were found to be fully consistent with the observation of the miscibility window obtained from glass transition temperature measurements. Quantitative information concerning intermolecular hydrogen bond interaction in the carbonyl stretching vibration region of the miscible blends was obtained by curve-fitting method. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Liquid‐Free Lithium–Oxygen Batteries

Non‐aqueous lithium–oxygen batteries are considered as most advanced power sources, albeit they are facing numerous challenges concerning almost each cell component. Herein, we diverge from the conventional and traditional liquid‐based non‐aqueous Li–O₂ batteries to a Li–O₂ system based on a solid polymer electrolyte (SPE‐) and operated at a temperature higher than the melting point of the polymer electrolyte, where useful and most applicable conductivity values are easily achieved. The proposed SPE‐based Li‐O₂ cell is compared to Li–O₂ cells based on ethylene glycol dimethyl ether (glyme) through potentiodynamic and galvanostatic studies, showing a higher cell discharge voltage by 80 mV and most significantly, a charge voltage lower by 400 mV. The solid‐state battery demonstrated a comparable discharge‐specific capacity to glyme‐based Li–O₂ cells when discharged at the same current density. The results shown here demonstrate that the safer PEO‐based Li–O₂ battery is highly advantageous and can potentially replace the contingent of liquid‐based cells upon further investigation.     

High-pressure DSC study on the hydriding and dehydriding of Mg/C nanocomposites

High-pressure DSC was applied to study the hydriding and dehydriding behavior of Mg 95 mass%–C 5 mass% composites, synthesized by ball milling with two different kinds of carbon additives (activated carbon derived from apricot stones AS and from bean pods BP) and magnesium with different particle sizes. The composites containing finer magnesium experience absorption capacity deterioration with hydriding/dehydriding cycling, but for the Mg–AS, this worsening is in lower degree compared to Mg–BP. The activated carbon derived from the AS, used for the composites preparation, has more pronounced positive effect on the hydrogen sorption characteristics of magnesium (with both finer and coarser particles), compared with the carbon derived from BP, due to its better protection of the Mg surface from oxidation and particles agglomeration during hydriding/dehydriding cycling.     

Synthesis of Enantiomeric Aminoalkylcarbamoylphosphonates and Their Evaluation as Dual‐Action Anticancer MMP and Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitors

Carbamoylphosphonates (CPOs) have recently been identified as extracellular in vivo active inhibitors of the cancer and metastasis‐promoting extracellular enzymes, carbonic anhydrases (CAs) IX and XII, and matrix metalloproteinase‐2 (MMP‐2). This article describes the stereoselective synthesis and the evaluation of the biological properties of a pair of enantiomeric aminoalkylcarbamoylphosphonates, which have been enantioselectively synthesized from l ‐serine, using functional group‐transformations. The structures of the enantiomeric products have been determined by X‐ray crystallography. The enantiomeric purities of compounds have been confirmed by chiral shift reagent NMR experiments and by circular dichroism. In vitro evaluation of the CPOs synthesized revealed that they possess micromolar IC₅₀ inhibitory action against CAIX and CAXII. The two enantiomers as well as the racemic or optically inactive ones do not differ by any significant extent from previously reported CPOs’ CA inhibitory values. On the other hand, MMPs inhibitory activities are rather weak; only MMP‐2 showed a notable IC₅₀ value.     

Signal Propagation in Multi‐Layer DNAzyme Cascades Using Structured Chimeric Substrates

Signal propagation through enzyme cascades is a critical component of information processing in cellular systems. Although such systems have potential as biomolecular computing tools, rational design of synthetic protein networks remains infeasible. DNA strands with catalytic activity (DNAzymes) are an attractive alternative, enabling rational cascade design through predictable base‐pair hybridization principles. Multi‐layered DNAzyme signaling and logic cascades are now reported. Signaling between DNAzymes was achieved using a structured chimeric substrate (SCS) that releases a downstream activator after cleavage by an upstream DNAzyme. The SCS can be activated by various upstream DNAzymes, can be coupled to DNA strand‐displacement devices, and is highly resistant to interference from background DNA. This work enables the rational design of synthetic DNAzyme regulatory networks, with potential applications in biomolecular computing, biodetection, and autonomous theranostics.     

In vivo optical properties of normal canine prostate at 732 nm using motexafin lutetium-mediated photodynamic therapy

The optical properties (absorption [mu(a)], transport scattering [mu('s)] and effective attenuation [mu(eff)] coefficients) of normal canine prostate were measured in vivo using interstitial isotropic detectors. Measurements were made at 732 nm before, during and after motexafin lutetium (MLu)-mediated photodynamic therapy (PDT). They were derived by applying the diffusion theory to the in vivo peak fluence rates measured at several distances (3, 6, 9, 12 and 15 mm) from the central axis of a 2.5 cm cylindrical diffusing fiber (CDF). Mu(a) and mu('s) varied between 0.03-0.58 and 1.0-20 cm(-1), respectively. Mu(a) was proportional to the concentration of MLu.Mu(eff) varied between 0.33 and 4.9 cm(-1) (mean 1.3 +/- 1.1 cm(-1)), corresponding to an optical penetration depth (8 = 1/(mu(eff)) of 0.5-3 cm (mean 1.3 +/- 0.8 cm). The mean light fluence rate at 0.5 cm from the CDF was 126 +/- 48 mW/cm2 (N = 22) when the total power from the fiber was 375 mW (150 mW/cm). This study showed significant inter- and intraprostatic differences in the optical properties, suggesting that a real-time dosimetry measurement and feedback system for monitoring light fluences during treatment should be advocated for future PDT studies. However, no significant changes were observed before, during and after PDT within a single treatment site.     

The effect of surface dipoles and of the field generated by a polarization gradient on the repulsive force

Double-layer and hydration interactions have been coupled into a single set of equations because both are dependent on the polarization of the water molecules. The coupled equations involve the electric fields generated by the surface charge and surface dipoles, as well as the field due to the neighboring dipoles in water. The dipoles on the surface are generated through the counterions' binding to sites of opposite charge. The equations obtained were employed to explain the restabilization observed experimentally at large ionic strengths for colloidal particles on which protein molecules were adsorbed. Polar molecules adsorbed on a charged surface of colloidal particle can generate a field either in the same direction as that generated by the charge or in the opposite direction. The effect of the sign of the dipole of the adsorbed polar molecules on the interaction between surfaces was also examined.     

Harmonic theory of thermal two-photon absorption in benzene

A correlation function formalism is applied to compute the two-photon absorption spectrum of benzene. Using harmonic Hamiltonians for the ground and excited electronic states, we find that the theory agrees qualitatively with the experimentally observed sparsity of the thermal two-photon absorption spectrum as compared with the single-photon absorption spectrum. An expression for the average vibrational energy in the excited state is derived. We find that cooling of the nascent vibrational energy in the electronically excited state is not as extensive in the two-photon absorption process as compared to the single-photon case.     

Thermally reversible linking of halide-containing polymers by potassium dicyclopentadienedicarboxylate

A novel crosslinker for thermally reversible covalent (TRC) linking of halide-containing polymers is suggested. Chlorine-containing polymers such as chloromethylstyrene copolymers, chlorinated polypropylene, polyvinylchloride, chlorinated polyisoprene, and polyepichlorohydrin were crosslinked with potassium dicyclopentadienedicarboxylate (KDCPDCA). The crosslinker was prepared by reacting potassium ethoxide with dicyclopentadienedicarboxylic acid. Because of the low solubility of KDCPDCA in organic solvents, a phase transfer catalyst, benzyltrimethyl-ammonium bromide, was employed for the crosslinking reaction. The crosslinking reaction occurred at a higher rate in a polar solvent, such as dimethylformamide, than in a nonpolar one, such as toluene, and was affected by the nature of the chlorine-containing polymer. Some of the polymers crosslinked even at room temperature. The chain-extending reaction between KDCPDCA and a α,ω-dihalide compound such as α,α′-dichloro-p-xylene, 1,4-dichlorobutane, or 1,4-dibromobutane also was carried out to obtain linear oligomers. The IR spectra indicated that the crosslinking and chain-extending reactions were based on the esterification between the halide carbon bonds of the polymer and the COOK groups of KDCPDCA. The flowability at 195 °C and solubility on heating in a dichlorobenzen-maleic compound mixture of the crosslinked polymers indicated that the TRC crosslinking occurred via the reversible Diels–Alder cyclopentadiene/dicyclopentadiene conversion as long as the polymer was thermally stable and did not contain olefinic CC bonds. The TRC linking also was confirmed by the rapid decrease of the specific viscosity of the obtained linear oligomers on heating. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 4390–4401, 1999     

Acylphosphonamidates and α-hydroxyiminophosphonamidates. Synthesis of N-acylphosphordiamidates by Beckmann rearrangement. Crystal structure of (E)-α-hydroxyiminobenzyl-1-pyrrolidinylphosphinate

Reaction of methyl benzoylphosphonochloridate (3) with a secondary or primary series of amines yielded methyl benzoylphosphonamidates, 4a-e. The latter compounds reacted with hydroxylamine to yield a-hydroxyiminobenzylphosphonamidates (5a-e), largely as (E)-isomers. The structure of methyl (E)-a-hydroxyimino-benzyl-1-pyrrolidinylphosphinate (5b) was determined by single-crystal X-ray crystallography. Heating oximes 5a-e in boiling toluene caused them to undergo Beckmann rearrangement to N-benzoylphosphordiamidates 6a-e. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.