The microenvironment in polymer solids with added plasticizers. An attempt to measure the size and distribution of free volume in poly(methyl methacrylate) solids

Various amounts of n-alkylbenzenes (C_n: C₆H₅-C_nH_2n+1 (n = 3-16)) were doped into poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) films, and the emission and thermal properties of each film were measured in detail together with their solid-state ¹³C NMR spectra. The aim of the present work was to estimate the size distribution of free volume in amorphous regions of polymer solids heavily doped with plasticizers by using C_n as models of a plasticizer. The excimer fluorescence yields of C_n in PMMA were found to depend on both the amount of C_n and the length of the alkyl chains of C_n, although the fluorescence spectra of all of the C_ns in dilute fluid solution were almost the same. The quantitative analysis showed: (1) C_n with n ? 12 induces a phase separation in PMMA, in which almost all of the C_n molecules are in a separated phase, and thus they cannot penetrate regions in which PMMA chains are aggregated. This means that C_n with n ? 12 cannot enlarge the space between PMMA chains. (2) Smaller C_n (n < 11) can enter free volumes between PMMA chains that correspond to their molecular size, but they can enlarge them only to a limited extent. Thus, the amount by which plasticization can increase the free volume of PMMA is limited by the size of the dopant and the inherent free volume of the polymer matrix. (3) The efficiency of excimer formation was found to reveal the maximum amount of C_n that could fit in the free volume of PMMA. Thus our fluorescence measurements showed that PMMA solids that were plasticized to their limit had a free volume that was larger than the volume occupied by all the conformers of C₅ and smaller than the volume occupied by almost all the conformers of C₁₂. In conclusion, we were able to obtain information on plasticization and to demonstrate a method of monitoring microenvironments in polymer solids after they have been doped with plasticizers.     

Anti-babesial compounds from Curcuma xanthorrhiza

Anti-babesial ingredients, (12R)- and (12S)-12,13-dihydro-12,13-dihydroxyxanthorrhizols, were isolated from Curcuma xanthorrhiza. The structures were established by the extensive NMR techniques. The assignments of (1)H NMR data of (12R)-12,13-dihydro-12,13-dihydroxyxanthorrhizol was revised, and (12S)-12,13-dihydro-12,13-dihydroxyxanthorrhizol was isolated as a pure form for the first time. The IC(50) of the active compounds were compared with that of commercial drug, diminazene aceturate (Ganaseg). IC(50) values of Ganaseg, (12R)-, and (12S)-12,13-dihydro-12,13-dihydroxyxanthorrhizols were 0.6 microg mL(-1), 8.3 microg mL(-1) and 11.6 microg mL(-1), respectively.     

Optical nanosensor design with uniform pore geometry and large particle morphology

Appropriate design of nanosensors for optically selective, sensitive sensing systems is needed for naked-eye detection of pollutants for environmental cleanup of toxic heavy-metal ions. Mesostructured materials with two- or three-dimensional (2D or 3D) geometries and large particle morphologies show promise as probe carriers, and can therefore be used to reproducibly fabricate uniformly packed nanosensors. This is the first report on the effects of significant key properties of the mesostructured carriers, such as morphology, geometry, and pore shape, on the functionality of optical nanosensor designs. Such mesostructured sensors with superior physical characteristics can be used as components in sensing systems with excellent stability and sensitivity, and with rapid detection response. The nanosensor design can enhance the selectivity even at low concentrations of the pollutant target ions (nanomolar level). Among the nanosensors developed here, the large pore-surface grains of highly ordered 3D monoliths (HOM) exhibited a high adsorption capability of the Pyrogallol Red probe and high accessibility to analyte ion transport, leading to possible naked-eye detection of Sb(III) ions at concentrations as low as 10(-9) mol dm(-3) and at a wide detection range of 0.5 ppb to 3 ppm. A key finding in our study was that our mesostructured nanosensor designs retained highly efficient sensitivity without a significant increase in kinetic hindrance, despite the slight decrease of the specific activity of the electron acceptor/donor strength of the probe functional group after several regeneration/reuse cycles. The results, in general, indicate that large-scale reversibility of optical nanosensors is feasible in such metal-ion sensing systems.     

Formation and stabilization model of the 42-mer Abeta radical: implications for the long-lasting oxidative stress in Alzheimer's disease

Amyloid fibrils mainly consist of 40-mer and 42-mer peptides (Abeta40, Abeta42). Abeta42 is believed to play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease because its aggregative ability and neurotoxicity are considerably greater than those of Abeta40. The neurotoxicity of Abeta peptides involving the generation of free radicals is closely related to the S-oxidized radical cation of Met-35. However, the cation's origin and mechanism of stabilization remain unclear. Recently, structural models of fibrillar Abeta42 and Abeta40 based on systematic proline replacement have been proposed by our group [Morimoto, A.; et al. J. Biol. Chem. 2004, 279, 52781] and Wetzel's group [Williams, A. D.; et al. J. Mol. Biol. 2004, 335, 833], respectively. A major difference between these models is that our model of Abeta42 has a C-terminal beta-sheet region. Our biophysical study on Abeta42 using electron spin resonance (ESR) suggests that the S-oxidized radical cation of Met-35 could be generated by the reduction of the tyrosyl radical at Tyr-10 through a turn structure at positions 22 and 23, and stabilized by a C-terminal carboxylate anion through an intramolecular beta-sheet at positions 35-37 and 40-42 to form a C-terminal core that would lead to aggregation. A time-course analysis of the generation of radicals using ESR suggests that stabilization of the radicals by aggregation might be a main reason for the long-lasting oxidative stress of Abeta42. In contrast, the S-oxidized radical cation of Abeta40 is too short-lived to induce potent neurotoxicity because no such stabilization of radicals occurs in Abeta40.     

Ruthenium-catalyzed formation of aryl(diphenyl)phosphine oxides by reactions of propargylic alcohols with diphenylphosphine oxide

1,1-Diaryl-1-penten-4-yn-3-ols react with diphenylphosphine oxide in the presence of a thiolate-bridged diruthenium complex as a catalyst and give high yields of aryl(diphenyl)phosphine oxide products via an initial substitution followed by a cyclization at the produced allene intermediate. [reaction: see text]     

Fe K‐Edge X‐ray Absorption Fine Structure Determination of γ‐Al2O3‐Supported Iron‐Oxide Species

The structure of FeO_x species supported on γ‐Al₂O₃ was investigated by using Fe K‐edge X‐ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) and X‐ray diffraction (XRD) measurements. The samples were prepared through the impregnation of iron nitrate on Al₂O₃ and co‐gelation of aluminum and iron sulfates. The dependence of the XRD patterns on Fe loading revealed the formation of α‐Fe₂O₃ particles at an Fe loading of above 10 wt %, whereas the formation of iron‐oxide crystals was not observed at Fe loadings of less than 9.0 wt %. The Fe K‐edge XAFS was characterized by a clear pre‐edge peak, which indicated that the Fe?O coordination structure deviates from central symmetry and that the degree of Fe?O?Fe bond formation is significantly lower than that in bulk samples at low Fe loading (<9.0 wt %). Fe K‐edge extended XAFS oscillations of the samples with low Fe loadings were explained by assuming an isolated iron‐oxide monomer on the γ‐Al₂O₃ surface.     

Sample enrichment by using monolithic precolumns in microcolumn liquid chromatography

An on-line sample enrichment system was designed using monolithic precolumns in microcolumn LC. The monolithic ODS capillary columns were prepared via in situ sol-gel processes. The enrichment efficiency of the monolithic columns was tested by using phthalates as the analytes. The relative standard deviations (n = 6) for the retention time, peak area and peak height were between 0.4 and 1.2%, 0.9 and 5.5% and 0.4 and 3.9%, respectively. The system was linear (R2 > 0.99) within the working sample concentration and sample volume ranges. Comparing to 0.2 microl injection with a typical sample injector, the theoretical plate number of a same separation column was increased by 3-6-fold when the precolumn unit was used for sample injection. The recoveries of the analytes were between 88 and 120%, and the sample volume that could be injected into the system was increased up to 5000-fold. The limits of detection were improved by more than 2000-fold and were between 0.21 and 0.87 ng ml(-1) even with a UV absorbance detector. This system was applied to the determination of phthalates contained in laboratory distilled water and tap water samples.     

强碱阴离子交换树脂及碱性洗脱剂的离子排阻/阴离子交换色谱法同时测定NH4+ ，NO2-和NO3-（英文）

Ion-exclusion/anion-exchange chromatography(IEC/AEC) on a combination of a strongly basic anion-exchange resin in the OH——form with basic eluent has been developed.The separation mechanism is based on the ion-exclusion/penetration effect for cations and the anion-exchange effect for anions to anion-exchange resin phase.This system is useful for simultaneous separation and determination of ammonium ion(NH+4),nitrite ion(NO-2),and nitrate ion(NO-3) in water samples.The resolution of analyte ions can be manipulated by changing the concentration of base in eluent on a polystyrene-divinylbenzene based strongly basic anion-exchange resin column.In this study,several separation columns,which consisted of different particle sizes,different functional groups and different anion-exchange capacities,were compared.As the results,the separation column with the smaller anion-exchange capacity(TSKgel Super IC-Anion) showed well-resolved separation of cations and anions.In the optimization of the basic eluent,lithium hydroxide(LiOH) was used as the eluent and the optimal concentration was concluded to be 2 mmol/L,considering the resolution of analyte ions and the whole retention times.In the optimal conditions,the relative standard deviations of the peak areas and the retention times of NH+4,NO-2,and NO-3 ranged 1.28%-3.57% and 0.54%-1.55%,respectively.The limits of detection at signal-to-noise of 3 were 4.10 μmol/L for NH+4,1.87 μmol/L for NO-2 and 2.83 μmol/L for NO-3.     

Structure and dewetting behavior of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane-filled polystyrene thin films

Polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) meets increasing interest as a building unit for inorganic-organic hybrid materials. The incorporation of cyclopentyl-substituted POSS (CpPOSS) into polystyrene (PS) thin films led to an inhibition of dewetting. In this paper, the dispersion state of CpPOSS in the CpPOSS/PS hybrid films and, furthermore, the relationships between the structure and dewetting inhibition effect are discussed. Structural analysis of the hybrid films revealed that CpPOSS segregated to the film surface and crystallized. The segregation of CpPOSS to the surface changes the surface free energy and spreading coefficient of the film. Interfacial structure was also roughened by the segregation of CpPOSS, which can contribute to the inhibition of dewetting by pinning the contact line of the PS film with the substrate. The inhibition of dewetting can be attributed to the modification of the film surface and interface by the segregation of CpPOSS.