Effect of gramicidin on phospholipid-modified monolayers and on ion transfer at a liquid-liquid interface.

The interaction of hybrid lipid/gramicidin A (gA) monolayers with dextran sulfate (DS) and the effect of this interaction on ion transfer at a liquid-liquid interface is reported. The interfacial and physicochemical properties are studied with Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) and electrochemical techniques. The results obtained from compression isotherms demonstrate that the interactions between the different species in the hybrid monolayer vary according to the chemical nature of the lipid (hydrocarbon region and charge of the head group). Interfacial capacitance measured with AC voltammetry indicates that the DS chains form a rather flat and compact layer when adsorbed to either zwitterionic or negatively charged phospholipid monolayers, and that calcium, even at low concentrations, interacts with the monolayers. These results are successfully described by a model based on the solution of the Poisson-Boltzmann equation in the interfacial region. Ion transfer and interactions with the lipid/gA/DS-modified monolayers were also studied with electrochemical techniques. Admittance data show that although the studied ions are not using gA channels for the transfer through the lipid membranes, the incorporation of gA in the lipid domain and the adsorption of DS at the interface have a significant effect on ion transfer across the monolayers. This effect can be explained as a consequence of the modified surface charge and of the compactness of the lipid domain due to its interaction with gA and to calcium and DS adsorption at the interface. The ion-transfer rate, therefore, depends on the composition of the monolayer and the chemical nature of the ion.     

Essential oil composition and biological activity from Artemisia caerulescens subsp. densiflora (Viv.) Gamisans ex Kerguélen & Lambinon (Asteraceae), an endemic species in the habitat of La Maddalena Archipelago

The purpose of this study was to investigate the composition of the essential oil obtained from a population of Artemisia caerulescens subsp. densiflora growing in Razzoli, an island in the La Maddalena Archipelago (Sardinia, Italy). A. caerulescens sups. densiflora Viv. (Asteraceae), a wild herb, seldom studied in the Mediterranean, represents one of the many rare endemic species growing in North Sardinia. The essential oil composition was analysed by means of GC/MS analysis, which showed davana ethers as the major volatile components, accounting together for 17.5%, followed by (E)-nerolidol (4.5%), β-oplopenone (3.3%), cis-sabinene hydrate (5.2%) and terpinen-4-ol (4.7%). The oil was tested for antioxidant activity by means of DPPH test, inhibition of lipid oxidation test and hypochlorous acid test, which showed a quite interesting scavenger capacity. For the first time, we reported the cytotoxic activity of the essential oil of A. caerulescens subsp. densiflora, against three human tumour cell lines (A375, MDA-MB231 and HCT116), with IC₅₀ values in the range 5.20–7.61 μg/mL, which deserved further studies to support its use as chemopreventive agent. Finally, the antimicrobial activity of the essential oil, displayed on a panel of human pathogens, was very low.     

High temperature electro-optical degradation of InGaN/GaN HBLEDs

This paper presents a study of the high temperature degradation of high brightness light emitting diodes (HBLEDs) on gallium nitride. Two different families of devices, from two leading manufacturers, have been submitted to thermal stress: during treatment, the optical and electrical characteristics of the devices have been analyzed. Degradation modes detected after stress have been (i) operating voltage increase, (ii) output power decrease, (iii) modifications of the spectral properties. The degradation of the electrical and optical characteristics of the devices were found to have different kinetics: this fact indicates that optical power (OP) loss is not strongly related to the degradation of the electrical parameters of the LEDs. On the other hand, spectral analysis indicated that OP loss is strongly related to the decrease of the phosphors-related yellow emission band. Microscopic analysis showed that this effect can be ascribed to the carbonization of the package and phosphorous material. A degradation of the transparency of the top-side ohmic contact has been also detected after stress: these mechanisms are thought to be responsible for the detected OP decrease. OP decay process has been found to be thermally activated, with activation energy equal to 1.5 eV.     

Site‐Selective Self‐Assembly of Colloidal Photonic Crystals

A scalable method for site‐selective, directed self‐assembly of colloidal opals on topologically patterned substrates is presented. Here, such substrate contains optical waveguides which couple to the colloidal crystal. The site‐selectivity is achieved by a capillary network, whereas the self‐assembly process is based on controlled solvent evaporation. In the deposition process, a suspension of colloidal microspheres is dispensed on the substrate and driven into the desired crystallization sites by capillary flow. The method has been applied to realize colloidal crystals from monodisperse dielectric spheres with diameters ranging from 290 to 890 nm. The method can be implemented in an industrial wafer‐scale process.     

Formation Mechanism of Epitaxial Palladium–Platinum Core–Shell Nanocatalysts in a One‐Step Supercritical Synthesis

The scarcity of platinum group metals provides a strong incentive to optimize the catalytic activity and stability, e.g., through nanoalloys or core–shell nanoparticles. Here, time‐resolved X‐ray total scattering and transmission electron microscopy characterization are used to study the formation of palladium–platinum core–shell nanoparticles under solvothermal conditions. It is shown that Pd rapidly forms small (5–10 nm), disordered primary particles, which agglomerate and crystallize when reaching 20–25 nm. The primary Pd particles provide nucleation sites for Pt, and, with extended reaction time, the Pd cores become fully covered with Pt shells. The observed core–shell material is surprising when considering the Pt–Pd phase diagram and relative surface energies, but it can be rationalized through the kinetics of precursor conversion. To bridge the gap between scientific studies and industrial demand for large‐scale production, the synthesis process is successfully transferred to a continuous flow supercritical reactor providing a simple scalable and green process for production of bimetallic nanocatalysts.     

Simultaneous determination of ten amphetamine designer drugs in human whole blood by capillary electrophoresis with diode array detection

In recent years, a number of new designer drugs have entered the illicit drug market. The methylenedioxyderivatives of amphetamine represent the largest group of designer drugs. This paper describes a method for screening for and simultaneously quantifying 10 2,5-methylenedioxy-derivatives of amphetamine and phenethylamine in human whole blood, using capillary electrophoresis (CE) with diode array detection (DAD). Using an aqueous pH 2.5 phosphate buffer, CE analysis gave peaks with good symmetry and reproducible migration times. Under these experimental conditions, the 10 amphetamines were resolved in 15 min and without interference from biological matrices (blood). Their identification by migration time was confirmed by their UV spectra recorded with a DAD (190-350 nm). The main advantages of the present method lie in its simplicity, clean and reliable extraction from human whole blood and simultaneous detection and quantification by CE-DAD. The applicability of the method was demonstrated by analysis of in vivo rat blood samples. The method was validated according to international guidelines.     

Oxygen adsorption on β-quartz model surfaces: some insights from density functional theory calculations and semiclassical time-dependent dynamics

The O/β-quartz interaction is described by combining our time-dependent semiclassical approach to atom-molecule/surface scattering with first-principles electronic structure calculations at the DFT (PBE0) level of accuracy. In particular, the O, O(2) interaction potentials with an on-top Si atom and its nearest O atom both localized over three different silica clusters have been calculated as a function of the oxygen-silica approaching distance. The calculated DFT potential energy surface has been used in semiclassical trajectory calculations to investigate the sticking and inelastic reflection of oxygen atoms from a model β-quartz surface. The collisional mechanism, including the role played by the phonon dynamics, is brought to light and accurate sticking probabilities are calculated at five impact energies in the range [0.05-0.8] eV and T(S) = 1000 K. The different catalytic response of β-quartz and β-cristobobalite to the atomic oxygen flux is also discussed and highlighted.     

Evidence of orbital reconstruction at interfaces in ultrathin La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 films

Linear dichroism (LD) in x-ray absorption, diffraction, transport, and magnetization measurements on thin La(0.7)Sr(0.3)MnO(3) films grown on different substrates, allow identification of a peculiar interface effect, related just to the presence of the interface. We report the LD signature of preferential 3d-e(g)(3z(2)-r(2)) occupation at the interface, suppressing the double exchange mechanism. This surface orbital reconstruction is opposite to that favored by residual strain and is independent of dipolar fields, the chemical nature of the substrate and the presence of capping layers.     

Differentiation of human bone marrow stem cells into cells with a neural phenotype: diverse effects of two specific treatments

Background  

It has recently been demonstrated that the fate of adult cells is not restricted to their tissues of origin. In particular, it has been shown that bone marrow stem cells can give rise to cells of different tissues, including neural cells, hepatocytes and myocytes, expanding their differentiation potential.