Self‐Assembled Silver–Gold Nanoisland Films on Glass for SERS Applications

We present a study of resonant optical properties of gold‐protected silver nanoisland films. Silver nanoislands were grown on a glass substrate using out‐diffusion technique, the growth was followed by the deposition of nanometer‐thick gold coatings. Scanning electron microscopy and optical spectroscopy were used to characterize morphology and extinction spectra of the grown combined silver–gold nanostructures. Micro Raman spectroscopy of the combined nanoislands has demonstrated their signal enhancement factor exceeding that one of the initial silver nanoislands.     

Computation and conversion of brain pH values obtained with two algorithms of phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy data analysis

The intracellular brain pH in phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy is calculated using the chemical shift between the inorganic phosphate and phosphocreatine with the Henderson–Hasselbalch equations. Researchers use various mathematical formulas that have different parameters and get various results for the same input data as a consequence. Thus, the aim of this article was to determine the mathematical formulas that allow the conversion of the pH values obtained by the most popular analysis methods to each other. To determine the relationships between pH results and the applied mathematical formula, the pH values were calculated using two algorithms for the theoretical chemical shift values. The pH results were compared with each other using the appropriate t-tests. Mathematical formulas were designed to simplify the conversion of pH values obtained by two data analysis methods to each other. The pH values with were obtained this way did not differ significantly from the pH values calculated directly from the given formula. The computed mathematical formulas will make it possible to simplify pH conversions without knowing the chemical shift between inorganic phosphate and phosphocreatine but only basing on the final pH values obtained by one of the formulas.     

Resonance Raman spectroscopy as a probe of the crystallite size of MoS2 nanoparticles

Irregularly shaped and inorganic fullerene-like MoS₂ compounds were characterized by Resonance Raman spectroscopy using an exciting line at 633 nm. It was shown that the relative intensity of the longitudinal acoustic mode at 226 cm⁻¹ and its overtone strongly depends on the MoS₂ crystallite size but not on the size of the particles made of agglomerated crystallites. This technique appeared as a promising probe to characterize in situ very small crystallites that are not observed by XRD.     

Two new aromadendrane sesquiterpenes from Verticillium psalliotae

The chemical constituents of the fungus Verticillium psalliotae were studied. Two new aromadendrane sesquiterpenes inonotin M (1) and inonotin N (2) were isolated from the EtOAc extract of the fungal culture broth. The structures of compounds were elucidated mainly by HRESIMS experiments, and 1D, 2D-NMR spectroscopy analysis.     

Coordination compounds of some transition metal ions with new Schiff base ligand derived from dibenzoyl methane. Structural characterization,thermal behavior,molecular structure,antimicrobial, anticancer activity and molecular docking studies

Series of Cr(III), Mn(II), Fe(III), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), Zn(II) and Cd(II) complexes were prepared with tetradentate Schiff base ligand derived by condensation of 2‐aminophenol with dibenzoylmethane. The novel Schiff base H₂L (2–2′‐((1Z,1Z’)‐(1,3‐diphenyl propane‐1,3 diylidene) bis (azanylylidene) diphenol) and its binary metal complexes were characterized by physicochemical procedures i.e. elemental analysis, FT‐IR, UV–Vis, thermal analyses (TGA/DTG), mass spectrometry, magnetic susceptibility and conductometric measurements. On the basis of these studies, an octahedral geometry for all these complexes was proposed expect Ni(II) complex which had tetrahedral geometry. Molar conductivity values revealed that the complexes were electrolytes except Mn(II), Zn(II) and Cd(II) complexes were non electrolytes. The ligand bound to the metal ions via two azomethine N and two phenolic OH as indicated from the IR and ¹H NMR spectral study. The molecular and electronic structures of H₂L and its zinc complex were optimized theoretically and the quantum chemical parameters were calculated. The antimicrobial activity against a number of bacterial organisms as Streptococcus pneumonia, Bacillus Subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli and fungi as Aspergillus fumigates, Syncephalastrum racemosum, Geotricum candidum and Candida albicans by disk diffusion method were screened for the Schiff base and its complexes. The Cd(II) complex has potent antimicrobial activity. Anticancer activity of the Schiff base ligand and its metal complexes were evaluated in human cancer (MCF‐7 cells viability). The Cr(III) complex exhibited higher activity than other complexes and ligand. Molecular docking was used to predict the binding between Schiff base ligand (H₂L) and its Zn(II) complex and the receptors of RNA of amikacin antibiotic (4P20) and human‐DNA‐Topo I complex (1SC7). The docking study provided useful structural information for inhibition studies.     

A Wall Effect in the Photothermal Beam Deflection Response of Infrared-Absorbing Gases

FTIR photothermal beam deflection (PBD) spectroscopy was used to record PBD spectra of IR-absorbing gases in presence of IR-absorbing and non-absorbing solids. The presence of the solid, IR-absorbing or not, causes asymmetry at the juncture of the IR and probe laser     

Infrared Observation of the Effects of Aqueous Oxidizing Agents on the Functional Groups on Carbon Surfaces

FTIR photothermal beam deflection spectroscopy (PBDS) was used to record infrared spectra of medium-temperature carbons before and after they had been subjected to treatments with aqueous HNO₃ or H₂O₂ solution. Changes in the functional groups present on the carbon surfaces can be clearly observed.     

Expanding the Topological Landscape by a G-Column Flip of a Parallel G-Quadruplex

Canonical G-quadruplexes can adopt a variety of different topologies depending on the arrangement of propeller, lateral, or diagonal loops connecting the four G-columns. A novel intramolecular G-quadruplex structure is derived through inversion of the last G-tract of a three-layered parallel fold, associated with the transition of a single propeller into a lateral loop. The resulting (3+1) hybrid fold features three syn⋅anti⋅anti⋅anti G-tetrads with a 3’-terminal all-syn G-column. Although the ability of forming a duplex stem-loop between G-tracts seems beneficial for a propeller-to-lateral loop rearrangement, unmodified G-rich sequences resist folding into the new (3+1) topology. However, refolding can be driven by the incorporation of syn-favoring guanosine analogues into positions of the fourth G-stretch. The presented hybrid-type G-quadruplex structure as determined by NMR spectroscopy may provide for an additional scaffold in quadruplex-based technologies.