In situ sensing of salinity in oriented lipid multilayers by surface X-ray scattering

The influence of LiCl solutions on liposomal and surface-supported phosphatidylcholine/water systems (dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) and 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoylphosphatidylcholine (POPC), respectively) has been studied by small-angle X-ray techniques. In liposomal dispersions of DPPC, an osmotically stressed liquid-crystalline phase, denoted as Lalpha osm, forms readily after rapid mixing with salt solutions. The transition from Lalpha -->Lalpha osm proceeds in two steps. The first step takes place within seconds and is due to water diffusion from the liposome into the bulk solution. The second, slower process (minutes) can be attributed to the relaxation of initially deformed intermediate liposomes into spherical ones. In experiments with aligned lipid bilayers supported on silicon wafers, it was possible to reproducibly exchange different concentrations of LiCl solutions on a single sample and to determine the lattice changes by time-resolved X-ray scattering at grazing incidence. Independently of the deposition technique (spray- or spin-coating, respectively), none of the investigated POPC samples displayed an osmotically stressed liquid-crystalline phase. While liposomes can be considered nearly defect-free, supported bilayer stacks show a high abundance of defects, such as oily streaks typical of the Lalpha phase. Thus, the alkali ions are free to diffuse into the interbilayer water regions and to cause a slight increase of the bilayer separation (about 1 Angstroms). It is concluded that low to medium concentrations of Li+ ions partially screen the attractive van der Waals force between adjacent membrane layers. However, upon annealing the defect regions or regions of high curvature in the oriented lipid matrix, e.g. by low amounts of oleyl alcohol (OA), the system is able to sense osmotic stress upon addition of a salt solution.     

Metal oxides composite electrode with high areal capacitance formed by thermal oxidation of stainless steel mesh

Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry - The motivation of this study is to understand the usability of annealed stainless steel mesh obtained by a straightforward method for energy storage...     

Applicability of alkanet (Alkanna tinctoria) extract for the histological staining of liver tissue

Staining of tissue is a significant process in histotechnology and staining techniques are used in the examination and diagnosis of diseases. The increase of international awareness for the environment, ecology, and health directed people to reduce toxic effluents and stop usage of dangerous chemical dyes. The present trend throughout the world is shifting towards to use of natural products over their synthetic alternatives. Therefore, in this study, the dyeing ability of alkanet plant on the cells of unstained sections taken from Wistar rat liver was investigated. The extract of Alkanna tinctoria contain naphthaquinone group of dyestuff. Chemical characterization of A. tinctoria extract was performed with HPLC-TOF/MS and UV spectra analysis, respectively. Different metal salts were used in the staining processes in order to obtain different colors. In the staining of without adding mordant (metal salt) to the extract, pale brown staining was obtained in the cytoplasm. Light pink color was obtained with the addition of CuSO₄ mordant. Dark pink-red color was achieved by adding alum, and also NiSO₄ was added for light purple staining. The staining of cytoplasm of different cells in liver tissue was achieved successfully with the extract of A. tinctoria and different colors were obtained using various mordants.     

Experimental and DFT studies of ethyl N′-3-(1H-imidazol-1-yl) propylcarbamoyl benzohydrazonate monohydrate

The Imidazole compound, Ethyl N′-3-(1H-imidazol-1-yl) propylcarbamoyl benzohydrazonate monohydrate, has been synthesized and characterized by IR, NMR, electronic spectroscopy, and X-ray single-crystal determination. Molecular geometry from X-ray experiment of the title compound in the ground state has been compared using the density functional method (B3LYP) with 6-31G+(d) basis set. To determine conformational flexibility, molecular energy profile of the title compound was obtained by DFT calculations with respect to two selected degrees of torsional freedom, which were varied from −180° to +180° in steps of 10°. Besides, molecular electrostatic potential (MEP), natural bond orbitals (NBO), frontier molecular orbitals (FMO), and thermodynamic properties were performed at B3LYP/6-31G+(d) level of theory.     

PROPERTIES OF SOME SETS OF SEQUENCES DEFINED BY A MODULUS FUNCTION

In this article, the author introduces the generalized difference paranormed sequence spaces c （△v^m, f, p, q, s）, c0 （△v^m, f, p, q, s）, and l∞ （△v^m, f, p, q, s） defined over a seminormed sequence space （X, q）. The author also studies their properties like completeness, solidity, symmetricitv, etc.     

4‐Methylcarbazole‐3‐carboxylic acid

The title compound, C₁₄H₁₁NO₂, consists of a carbazole skeleton with carboxyl­ic acid and methyl groups at positions 3 and 4, respectively. Molecules are linked about inversion centres by O—H?O hydrogen bonds [O?O 2.620 (3) Å] to form centrosymmetric dimers.     

An investigation of electrorheological properties of calcium carbonate suspensions in silicone oil

In this study, electrorheological behavior of suspensions prepared from 0.9 and 5.0 µm calcium carbonate particulates, dispersed in insulating silicone oil medium was investigated. Sedimentation stabilities of suspensions (c = 5 wt %) prepared using these calcium carbonate powders were determined to be 6 and 4 days, respectively. Electrorheological activity of all the suspensions was observed to increase with increasing electric field strength, concentration and decreasing shear rate. Shear stress of calcium carbonate suspensions increased linearly with increasing concentrations of the particles and with the applied electric field strength. Electric field viscosity of all the suspensions was decreased sharply with increasing shear rate and particle size, showing a typical shear thinning non-Newtonian visco-elastic behavior. Effects of elevated temperature and polar promoter onto electrorheological activity of calcium carbonate/silicone oil system were also investigated.__________From Kolloidnyi Zhurnal, Vol. 67, No. 2, 2005, pp. 268–273.Original English Text Copyright © 2005 by Yilmaz, Ünal, Yavuz.This article was submitted by the authors in English.     

Immobilization of fumarase and malate dehydrogenase on agarose efficiency of activity as a function of the enzyme ratio

Two enzymes, L-malate dehydrogenase, L-malate: NAD⁺ oxidoreductase (EC 1.1.1.37) and fumarase, L-malate hydrolyase (EC 4.2.1.2) were immobilized on a (Sepharose 4B) resin by the cyanogen bromide method. Studies showed that the matrix-immobilized fumarase retains the same characteristics as the free enzyme, while the matrix-immobilized malate dehydrogenase has reduced activity. The activity of the coupled enzymes is more enzymeconcentration dependent than the free enzymes, and at a ratio of 0.3 (fumarase: malate dehydrogenase) the simultaneously coupled immobilized enzymes become a better catalytic system. Individually immobilized enzymes, mixed to form a coupled system, yielded the poorest catalytic action.     

Colour and lighting in hospital design

Little information or guidance has been available to assist the development of a hospital's visual environment. A report on lighting and colour design schemes, accessible to non professionals with responsibility for refurbishment strategies, was required by NHS Estates. Firstly, 20 hospitals were audited to establish a picture of current practice and to identify key issues where colour design could broadly enhance the environment for patients, staff and visitors. Critical areas were outlined in this report, where colour design can be utilised and applied, for the benefit of all users, from ambience to essential legal requirements such as colour contrast for the visually impaired.Provision of staff relaxation rooms that are different in terms of colour and lux levels from immediate work spaces, or thoughtfully designed areas for patients awaiting intensive treatment, have been shown to have some beneficial effects on a sense of well being. Colour and design have not been established as a definite cure for sickness and ill health, but certainly monotony and poor conditions in premises that have not been refurbished with any care, have had a detrimental affect on recovery rates and staff morale. The realisation that a well balanced and attractive environment is of major importance to patients’ health is, in no way new; Florence Nightingale observed that ‘a variety of form and brilliance of colour in the objects presented to patients are an actual means of recovery’.     

Generalized difference sequence spaces on seminormed space defined by Orlicz functions

In this paper we define the sequence space ℓ _M (Δ ^m , p, q, s) on a seminormed complex linear space by using an Orlicz function. We study its different algebraic and topological properties like solidness, symmetricity, monotonicity, convergence free etc. We prove some inclusion relations involving ℓ _M (Δ ^m , p, q, s).