Bioelectrochemical Magnetic Immunosensing of Trichloropyridinol: A Potential Insecticide Biomarker

A fast, simple and sensitive bioelectrochemical magnetic immunosensing method is developed to monitor a potential insecticide biomarker, trichloropyridinol (TCP), in environmental sample. A magnet/glassy carbon (MGC) working electrode was used to accumulate immunocomplex associated magnetic beads and separate free and unbound reagents after liquid phase competitive immunoreaction among TCP antibody coated magnetic beads, TCP analyte and horseradish peroxidase (HRP) labeled TCP. The activity of HRP tracers was monitored by square‐wave voltammetry (SWV) by scanning electrocactive enzymatic product in the presence of 3,3′,5,5′‐tetramethylbenzidine dihydrochloride and hydrogen peroxide (TMB‐H₂O₂) substrate solution. The electrochemical signal of enzymatic product was greatly enhanced by dual accumulation events: magnetic accumulation of enzyme tracers bound magnetic beads and constant potential accumulation of enzymatic product. The voltammetric characteristics of substrate and enzymatic product were investigated, and the parameters of SWV analysis and immunoassay were optimized. Under the optimal conditions the immunosensor was used to measure as low as 5 ng L^?1 (ppt) TCP, which is 50‐fold lower than the value indicated by the manufacture of the TCP RaPID Assay kit (0.25 μg/L, colorimetric detection). The performance of the developed immunosensing system was successfully evaluated with river water samples spiked with TCP, indicating this convenient and sensitive technique offers great promise for decentralized environmental application. This technique could be readily used for detection of other environmental contaminants by developing specific antibodies against the contaminants and are expected to open new opportunities for environmental monitoring and public health.     

Thermal conductivity measurements on ferrofluids

The thermal conductivity of a number of ferrofluids consisting of colloidally dispersed Fe₃O₄ particles in diester, hydrocarbon, water and fluorcarbon carriers have been measured at 38°C. The variation in thermal conductivity with particle concentration is well described by Tareef's equation (1940). This has enabled the ratio of the physical to magnetic size to be determined and compared with estimates of the ratio obtained from electron micrographs and magnetic measurements.The fit between theory and experiment is particularly good for hydrocarbon carrier fluids giving the ratio of solid to magnetic radiusR _i/R _m=1.24±0.03 compared with the value obtained from magnetic data and electron micrographs of 1.19±0.07. The corresponding value from the fluids with a diester carrier ranges between 1.1<R _d/R _m<1.3 which is again consistent with microscopy and magnetic data.The application of a magnetic field of 0.1 T had no noticeable effect on the thermal conductivities of ferrofluids.     

Characterization of CNS disorders and evaluation of therapy using structural and functional MRI

Modern drug development requires technologies that allow rapid translation from the preclinical to the clinical stage. It is obvious that non-invasive imaging modalities such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) will play a central role in this regard. This article reviews the use of structural and functional MRI readouts for characterization of central nervous system (CNS) disorders and evaluation of the efficacy of potential CNS drugs. Examples comprise dementia of Alzheimer's type, cerebral ischemia, and neuroinflammation covering both clinical and preclinical aspects. In these examples MRI has been used to obtain relevant structural information on brain atrophy, on the location and extent of ischemic brain areas, and on the number and distribution of demyelinated plaques. These structural data are complemented by readouts assessing the functional consequences associated with the pathomorphological changes. In the last decade, MRI has evolved into a standard tool for the development of CNS drugs. With regard to target-specific/molecular imaging applications MRI is limited by its inherently low sensitivity; complementary imaging modalities utilizing optical and radionuclear reporter systems will thus be required.     

Influence of the preparation procedure on the properties of polyaniline based magnetic composites

A versatile process for the preparation of composite films consisting of magnetite (Fe₃O₄) nanoparticles embedded in a polyaniline (PANI) matrix is reported. Spectroscopic properties of polyaniline matrix (PANI-EB), polyaniline protonated with camphor sulfonic acid (PANI-CSA_0.5) PANI-ES and PANI/Fe₃O₄-CSA_0.5 composites were studied, both in the state of the solutions of m-cresol and in thin films processed from the same solvents. The results of these studies indicate that m-cresol can be used for PANI/Fe₃O₄ composite preparation. Such films show both reasonably high electrical conductivity and magnetic permeability. A controlled application of a magnetic field during the casting process resulted in the formation of the materials with an unusual combination of magnetic and transport properties. The obtained films show the behavior that can be explained by the presence of both ferromagnetic and paramagnetic phases. The superparamagnetic contribution, if any, is very small. Application of the external magnetic field during fabrication of the composites stimulates creation of the aggregates of magnetic particles which, although keeps conductivity at a relatively high level, leads to a small decrease of the conductivity value.     

Structure and Magnetic Properties of Nickel–Zinc Ferrite Nanoparticles Prepared by Glass Crystallization Method

Summary. The magnetic and microstructure properties of Fe₂O₃–0.4NiO–0.6ZnO–B₂O₃ glass system, which was subjected to heat treatment in order to induce a magnetic crystalline phase (Ni_0.4Zn_0.6-Fe₂O₄ crystals) within the glass matrix, were investigated. DSC measurement was performed to reveal the crystallization temperature of the prepared glass sample. The obtained samples, produced by heat treatment at 765°C for various times (1, 1.5, 2, and 3 h), were characterized by X-ray diffraction, IR spectra, transmission electron microscopy, and vibrating sample magnetometer. The results indicated the formation of spinel Ni–Zn ferrite in the glass matrix. Particles of the ferrite with sizes ranging from 28 to 120 nm depending on the sintering time were observed. The coercivity values for different heat-treatment samples were found to be in the range from 15.2 to 100 Oe. The combination of zinc content and sintering times leads to samples with saturation magnetization ranging from 12.25 to 17.82 emu/g.     

Two new tetranuclear complexes of the macrocyclic oxamide [MCu3] (M = Cd, Mn, macrocyclic oxamide = 1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotradecanne-2,3-dione): syntheses, spectra and magnetic properties

Two new tetranuclear complexes of macrocyclic oxamide [Cd(CuL)₃](NO₃)₂·2.5H₂O 1, [Mn(CuL)₃(OH)₂](ClO₄)₂·Mn(H₂O)₆·4.5H₂O 2 (L = 1,4,8,11-tatraazacyclotradecanne-2,3-dione) have been synthesized, structurally characterized and preliminary investigated by magnetic studies. The structures of the title complexes consist of a tetranuclear units MCu₃ (M = Cd, Mn), the packing diagram shows two-dimensional and three-dimensional system through intermolecular weak interactions. The temperature-dependent magnetic susceptibilities of complex 2 were analyzed by an approximate treatment leading to J = −33 cm⁻¹, g_Cu = 2.10, g_Mn = 1.95 indicating antiferromagnetic exchange between Cu(II) and Mn(II) ions.     

CeAgAs2 — a New Derivative of the HfCuSi2 Type of Structure: Synthesis,Crystal Structure and Magnetic Properties

Single crystals of CeAgAs₂ have been obtained by chemical transport reactions starting from a pre‐reacted powder sample. The crystal structure was solved using X‐ray diffraction (space group Pmca, No. 57, a = 5.7586(4) Å, b = 5.7852(4) Å, c = 21.066(3) Å, Z = 8) and refined to a residual of R(F) = 0.029 for 46 refined parameters and 1020 reflections. The structure of CeAgAs₂ represents a new distorted and ordered variant of the HfCuSi₂ type. The characteristic feature of this structure are infinite cis‐trans chains of As atoms with As—As distances of 2.563(1) Å and 2.601(1) Å. CeAgAs₂ is paramagnetic (μ_eff = 2.37 μ_B, θ = —10.5(2) K), with antiferromagnetic ordering at 5.5(2) K and exhibits a metamagnetic transition starting at 4.6 kOe and T = 1.8 K.     

Preparation and properties of rare-earth containing oxide fluoride glasses

The preparation of the rare earth containing oxide fluoride glasses LnF₃ (Ln; Y through Lu)-BaF₂-AlF₃-GeO₂ in which the nominal content of LnF₃ reached 60 mol% in maximum and their basic properties such as density, refractive index and glass transition temperature were investigated and summarized in detail. Especially, in order to discuss the local structure around the rare earth ion in the glass, the Judd-Ofelt analysis (discussion with Ω parameters) of the HoF₃-BaF₂-AlF₃-GeO₂ glasses was carried out. The unique fluorescent behavior and the magnetic properties of LnF₃-BaF₂-AlF₃-GeO₂ glasses (Ln = Tb and/or Sm) were also studied.     

Magnetic resonance study on lamellar phases of ammonium perfluorooctanoate

The aggregation properties of ammonium perfluorooctanoate (NH₄-PFO) in concentrated aqueous phases have been investigated by magnetic resonance techniques and have been compared with the aggregation properties in dilute solutions. Magnetic resonance methods indicated that NH₄-PFO—water systems with surfactant concentrations below 45% (w/w) behaved as isotropic purely micellar solutions in the temperature range 285–340 K. For higher concentrations the system exhibited a rather complex structure, having both isotropic and anisotropic components. The nematic nature of the anisotropic fraction was demonstrated by ¹⁹F NMR studies. The ¹⁹F NMR and EPR of nitroxides (TempTMA⁺, 5- and 16-DXSA) inserted as paramagnetic probes into the concentrated NH₄-PFO—water systems allowed us to establish that the lamellar phase could be mechanically oriented between quartz slides. The EPR investigation also gave details concerning the dynamics of both the oriented and non-oriented structures.     

Synthesis of a new donor, BEDT-HBDST and crystal structures, electrical and magnetic properties of (BEDT-HBDST)2MX4 (M=Fe, Ga, X=Cl, Br), where BEDT-HBDST=2,5-bis(4,5-ethylenedithio-1,3-diselenol-2-ylidene)-2,3,4,5-tetrahydrothiophene

A novel conjugation-elongated bis(ethylenedithio)tetraselenafulvalene (BETS) type donor, 2,5-bis(4,5-ethylenedithio-1,3-diselenol-2-ylidene)-2,3,4,5-tetrahydrothiophene (BEDT-HBDST) and its magnetic and non-magnetic anion salts, (BEDT-HBDST)₂MX₄ (MX₄⁻=FeCl₄⁻, GaCl₄⁻, FeBr₄⁻ and GaBr₄⁻), were prepared. These four salts are isostructural and belong to the space group of P2/c. They showed semiconducting behavior with small activation energies (59-64 meV). The band structures of these salts are quasi one-dimensional and there is a midgap between the upper band and the lower band, since the degree of dimerization is significant in the stacking direction. The MX₄⁻ ions are located between the donor columns and near to the ethylenedithio moieties of the donor molecules. The magnetic susceptibilities of the FeCl₄⁻ and FeBr₄⁻ salts follow the Curie-Weiss law with Curie constants of 4.6 and 4.8 emu K mol⁻¹ (sum of the spins of S=5/2 and S=1/2) and negative Weiss temperatures of θ=−1.2 and −4.9 K, respectively, revealing a weak antiferromagnetic interaction of 3d spins of the FeCl₄⁻ and FeBr₄⁻ anions. The Fe?Fe (6.66-7.60 Å), Cl?Cl (4.81-4.82 Å) and Br?Br (4.74-4.77 Å) distances in the crystal structures of these salts are significantly long. Therefore, the direct magnetic interaction between the 3d spins of the nearest neighboring Fe³⁺ ions appears to be not readily accessible.