A New Cells‐Compatible Microfluidic Device for Single Channel Recordings

We report the fabrication of a microfluidic apparatus and the realization of a sensors based on PEDOT : PSS, a biocompatible semiconductor polymer used in substitution of standard electrodes for electrophysiological studies and for detection of nanopores in membrane. This gives the possibility to study the mechanisms of ions balance and molecular transport though cell membranes. In particular the apparatus is based on two chambers connected through an aperture in a PTFE sheet where lipid bilayer are formed using Montal‐Mueller method, and the pore‐forming proteins activity is detected by polymeric electrodes. This methodology could be applied to examine different membrane proteins for the purpose of biosensing, drug screening and nanopore technologies.     

Atoms and bonds in molecules and chemical explanations

The concepts of atoms and bonds in molecules which appeared in chemistry during the nineteenth century are unavoidable to explain the structure and the reactivity of the matter at a chemical level of understanding. Although they can be criticized from a strict reductionist point of view, because neither atoms nor bonds are observable in the sense of quantum mechanics, the topological and statistical interpretative approaches of quantum chemistry (quantum theory of atoms in molecules, electron localization function and maximum probability domain) provide consistent definitions which accommodate chemistry and quantum mechanics.     

Selective Detection of Mg2+ for Sensing Applications in Drinking Water

A new series of ligands containing the 2-(2-hydroxy-3- naphthyl)-4-methylbenzoxazole (HNBO) fluorophore showed selectivity for Mg²⁺ ions, without the interference of Ca²⁺. The most promising representative L3 resulted the best performing sensor for Mg²⁺ both in solution and embedded in an all-solid-state optode, especially towards real samples of drinkable water.     

Rhodium catalyzed hydroformylation of 2-phenylsulfonylbicyclo[2.2.1] alkenes: effect of the phenylsulfonyl group

The preliminary results of the hydroformylation of 2-phenylsulfonyl substituted norbornene and norbornadiene derivatives catalyzed by the unmodified Rh(CO)₂acac system are presented. The reaction, occurring under standard oxo conditions, gives polyfunctionalized exo norbornene- and exo norbornanecarboxaldehydes. The effect of the phenylsulfonyl group has been evaluated: it has been found that the steric properties of the sulfonyl substituent, more than the electronic ones, influence the regioselectivity of the process.     

Heavy metals in marine coastal sediments: assessing sources, fluxes, history and trends

Examples are presented from the Adriatic Sea, the Ligurian Sea and the Venice Lagoon to illustrate different approaches to the study of anthropogenic metals in marine coastal sediments. These examples refer to studies of areal distribution and transport mechanisms, individuation of the sources, sediment dating, chronology of the fluxes, present and past trends. In particular, some of the findings achieved in studying the Venice Lagoon are discussed from the point of view of anthropogenic changes both in sediment composition and contaminant fluxes.     

Joint near-lossless compression and watermarking of still images for authentication and tamper localization

A system is presented to jointly achieve image watermarking and compression. The watermark is a fragile one being intended for authentication purposes. The watermarked and compressed images are fully compliant with the JPEG-LS standard, the only price to pay being a slight reduction of compression efficiency and an additional distortion that can be anyway tuned to grant a maximum preset error. Watermark detection is possible both in the compressed and in the pixel domain, thus increasing the flexibility and usability of the system. The system is expressly designed to be used in remote sensing and telemedicine applications, hence we designed it in such a way that the maximum compression and watermarking error can be strictly controlled (near-lossless compression and watermarking). Experimental results show the ability of the system to detect tampering and to limit the peak error between the original and the processed images.     

Two-gap superconductivity in the Fe-1111 superconductor LaFeAsO1−x F x : A point-contact Andreev-reflection study

Point-contact Andreev-reflection (PCAR) experiments were performed in the Fe-1111 layered superconductor LaFeAsO_0.9F_0.1 with resistive T _c ^on ∼ 27 K. The observation of two pairs of peaks in the low-temperature Andreev-reflection spectra clearly indicates the presence of two order parameters. The behavior of the two gaps as a function of temperature, obtained by fitting the conductance curves by means of the generalized two-band Blonder-Tinkham-Klapwijk model, shows some anomalies. A theoretical analysis performed within the two-band Eliashberg theory with a generic electron-boson coupling can reproduce the low-temperature value of the two gaps but generally fails in giving a satisfactory fit of their overall temperature dependence, indicating the rich and complex physics of these newly discovered superconductors.      

An Aggregating Amphiphilic Squaraine: A Light-up Probe That Discriminates Parallel G-Quadruplexes

G-quadruplexes (G4s) are peculiar DNA or RNA tertiary structures that are involved in the regulation of many biological events within mammalian cells, bacteria, and viruses. Although their role as versatile therapeutic targets has been emphasized for 35 years, G4 selectivity over ubiquitous double-stranded DNA/RNA, as well as G4 differentiation by small molecules, still remains challenging. Here, a new amphiphilic dicyanovinyl-substituted squaraine, SQgl , is reported to act as an NIR fluorescent light-up probe discriminating an extensive panel of parallel G4s while it is non-fluorescent in the aggregated state. The squaraine can form an unconventional sandwich π-complex binding two quadruplexes, which leads to a strongly fluorescent (Φ_F=0.61) supramolecular architecture. SQgl is highly selective against non-quadruplex and non-parallel G4 sequences without altering their topology, as desired for applications in selective in vivo high-resolution imaging and theranostics.     

L‐lysine and EDTA polymer mimics as resins for the quantitative and reversible removal of heavy metal ion water pollutants

Traditional precipitation methods for inorganic micropollutant removal from waters are increasingly being replaced by sorption methods based on both natural and synthetic materials. In this context, two novel effective heavy metal ions absorbers are presented. These resins, LYMA and LMT85, were crosslinked poly(amidoamine)s carrying amine and carboxyl groups in their repeating units. In particular, the LYMA‐repeating unit contains one carboxyl and two amine groups and is a mimic of L ‐lysine, whereas LMT85 contains two amine and five carboxyl groups and is a mimic of EDTA. Both resins were prepared at moderate cost by simple eco‐friendly procedures. The heavy metal ion set adopted as benchmark was Cu²⁺, Cd²⁺, Pb²⁺, Zn²⁺, Ni²⁺, and Co²⁺. LYMA proved selective for Cu²⁺ and Ni²⁺, the other ions tested being negligibly absorbed, whereas LMT85 proved capable of rapidly and quantitatively absorbing all the ions tested either singly or in mixed solution. The absorption process was reversible, and the resins were easily regenerated by acidification. The absorption of several metal ions imparted intense coloring to the resins, a feature possibly exploitable for analytical purposes. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012     

The Influence of Hydrogen Loading Temperature on the Mechanical Strength of Optical Fibers

The influence of hydrogen loading temperature on the mechanical strength of optical fibers is investigated. Fibers subjected to high-pressure hydrogen loading at different temperatures were submitted to bend tests, and the results compared with those for pristine fibers. The Weibull probability distribution function was used to analyze the data of the mechanical bending strength of the fibers. Fiber strength is reduced by the presence of hydrogen, and this decrease is greater for higher hydrogen loading temperatures. The mechanical properties of the polymers used to coat fibers are affected by the hydrogen loading process and also by the increase in temperature. However, there is no evidence of cracks formation that might allow water to penetrate to the surface of the glass. Observation using scanning electron microscopy revealed that the morphology of fractures in nonhydrogen-loaded fibers have distinct fracture characteristics to that of fibers that are hydrogen loaded at 90°C and 120°C.