Effect of surfactant on electrokinetic properties of polyindole/TiO2-conducting nanocomposites in aqueous and nonaqueous media

In this study, polyindole (PIN)/TiO₂ nanocomposites were synthesized with and without the presence of sodium dodecylsulfate, anionic surfactant, with two different PIN contents. The synthesized materials were subjected to various characterizations namely: particle size, apparent density, conductivity, dielectric constants, magnetic susceptibility, elemental analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. Characterization results revealed the successful preparations of PIN/TiO₂ hybrid nanocomposites. Electrokinetic properties of all the materials were determined by zeta (ζ)-potential measurements in aqueous and nonqueous media. Effects of pH, temperature, presence of various electrolytes, and surfactants on electrokinetic properties of the materials were examined.     

Influence of the metal electronic properties on the sum-frequency generation spectra of dodecanethiol self-assembled monolayers on Pt (111), Ag (111) and Au (111) single crystals

Infrared-visible sum-frequency generation (SFG) spectroscopy is performed at different visible wavelengths between 450 and 650 nm in order to investigate the interaction between metallic substrates (Pt, Ag and Au) and 1-dodecanethiol self-assembled monolayers. We show that such measurements provide a means to study the electronic properties of metals as well as the interference phenomena between the SFG signals from the adsorbate and the substrate. The common features of the three interfaces are the vibration modes of the terminal methyl groups. However, these resonances appear as peaks for Pt (111) and as dips in the case of Ag (111). Their shape is not modified when the visible wavelength is tuned between 450 and 650 nm. Moreover, the metal sum-frequency generation contribution is slightly modified in that spectral range. For Au (111) samples, the sum-frequency generation spectrum drastically evolves with the visible wavelength: the peak resonant sum-frequency generation signal at 450 nm becomes rather dip-shaped at 650 nm. The non-linear response of gold is also enhanced when the wavelength associated with the sum-frequency process is close to 480 nm. These results are interpreted on the basis of the metal electronic properties that are responsible for the non-resonant contribution to the SFG signal. Received: 15 October 2001 / Revised version: 27 March 2002 / Published online: 6 June 2002     

Liquid-membrane electrode sensitive to ammonia and aliphatic amines based on 1-[(2-oxyphenyl)iminomethly]-2-oxybenzene-O,O',N-ammin-nickel(II) complex

In this study, an ammonia-gas-sensing liquid-state membrane electrode based on 1-[(2-oxyphenyl)iminomethyl]-2-oxybenzene-O,O',N-ammin-nickel(II) (Ni(II)-Schiff base) as an ionophore was developed. This membrane electrode gave a very good performance and exhibited linear response with near-Nernstian slope of 50.7+/-0.5 mV per decade, within a concentration range of 1.0x10(-1)-1.0x10(-3) M. The electrode performance depends on the pH of the test solution and the optimum pH range was 10.0-11.5. The effect of concentration of internal solutions in the electrode was also investigated. The selectivity properties of the electrode towards aliphatic amines at a pH value of 10.2 were investigated with the mixed-solution method. Furthermore, the response time and lifetime of the electrode prepared were determined.     

Kinetics study of amine cleavage reactions of various resin-bound thiophenol esters from marshall linker

The kinetics of cleavage reactions of seven resin-bound thiophenol esters with three amines has been studied by single-bead FTIR. The reactivity of these seven thiophenol esters was dependent on their structures and could be summarized as follows: 5-benzimidazolecarboxylic thiophenol ester > alkyl thiophenol ester > aromatic thiophenol ester. The reactivity of three amines was summarized as follows: n-butylamine > 3,4-dimethoxyphenethylamine > 1-piperonylpiperazine. The rate of the cleavage reaction increased 2-fold per 10 degrees C rise in reaction temperature. Oxidation of the thiophenol linker increased the rate of the cleavage reaction by 580-fold.     

Two New Phenylpropanoid Glycosides from the Leaves and Flowers of Erica arborea

Two new phenylpropanoid glucosides, 1,2‐erythro‐1‐(3,4,5‐trimethoxyphenyl)‐2‐(β‐D ‐glucopyranosyloxy)propan‐1,3‐diol ( 1 ) and 7,8‐threo‐2′,8‐epoxysyringylglycerol‐7‐O‐α‐D ‐glucopyranoside (ericarboside; 2 ) have been isolated together with four known compounds 2′,7‐epoxysyringylglycerol‐8‐O‐β‐D ‐glucopyranoside (ficuscarpanoside B; 3 ), benzylrutinoside (hydrangeifolin; 4 ), phenethylrutinoside ( 5 ), and caffeic acid from the BuOH soluble part of the MeOH extract of the leaves and flowers of E. arborea L. Final purification of the compounds was achieved on a reversed‐phase HPLC. Their structures have been elucidated by extensive 1D‐ and 2D‐NMR, and mass spectroscopic techniques.     

Effect of the glutaraldehyde derivatives of Calix[n]arene as cross-linker reagents on lipase immobilization

Synthesis of the glutaraldehyde derivatives calix[n]arene (n = 4,6,8) (Calix[n]-GA) and using as cross-linkers for immobilization of Candida rugosa lipase (CRL) have been discussed in this paper. The amino functional calix[n]arene derivatives (Calix[n]-NH ₂) were synthesized via reduction of dinitrile, hexanitrile and octanitrile derivatives of calix[n]arenes. These amino functional calix[n]arene derivatives (Calix[n]-NH ₂) were converted to their aldehyde derivativatives with glutaraldehyde. The calix[n]arene derivatives were used in lipase immobilization in order to see the role of calix[n]arene binding site on the lipase activitiy and stability. The activity recovery of calix[n]arene-supported lipases (Calix[n]-CRL) based on the Calix[4]-CRL, Calix[6]-CRL and Calix[8]-CRL reaches to 53.5, 66.1 and 76.4%, respectively.     

Modeling and predicting binding affinity of phencyclidine‐like compounds using machine learning methods

Machine learning methods have always been promising in the science and engineering fields, and the use of these methods in chemistry and drug design has advanced especially since the 1990s. In this study, molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) surfaces of phencyclidine‐like (PCP‐like) compounds are modeled and visualized in order to extract features that are useful in predicting binding affinities. In modeling, the Cartesian coordinates of MEP surface points are mapped onto a spherical self‐organizing map (SSOM). The resulting maps are visualized using electrostatic potential (ESP) values. These values also provide features for a prediction system. Support vector machines and partial least‐squares method are used for predicting binding affinities of compounds. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Diabetes induces compositional, structural and functional alterations on rat skeletal soleus muscle revealed by FTIR spectroscopy: a comparative study with EDL muscle

Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder, characterized by abnormally high blood glucose levels due to decreased secretion or effectiveness in function of insulin. Having a role in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, skeletal muscle is affected by the absence of insulin in diabetic conditions. This current study reports the application of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy in the determination of macromolecular alterations in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rat skeletal Soleus (SOL) muscles, which highlight the promise of this technique in medical research. The results revealed that DM induced several alterations in macromolecular content and structure of slow-contracting SOL muscles. In diabetic SOL muscles, a decrease in the content of lipids, proteins and nucleic acids together with an increase in lipid order was observed. The decrease in the level of unsaturation and acyl chain length of lipids demonstrated the increased lipid peroxidation in DM. There were alterations in protein secondary structure in DM with a decrease in α-helix and β-sheet content of proteins, whereas the content of aggregated β-strands increased, which is generally seen when proteins denature. Besides, the integrity of collagen molecules was found to be decreased, demonstrating the alterations in its triple helical structure in diabetic muscles. Furthermore, the same alterations mentioned above were also observed in diabetic fast-contracting Extensor Digitorum Longus (EDL) muscles. However, having a high content of mitochondria and relying on an oxidative pathway, SOL muscle was found to be more affected by DM.