STUDIES OF ADHESION OF METAL PARTICLES TO SILICA PARTICLES BASED ON ZETA POTENTIAL MEASUREMENTS

The zeta-potentials of silica, copper, platinum and gold particles have been measured as a function of pH. The isoelectric points were found to be at pH 3.0, 5.8, 3.0 and 3.5, respectively. In the pH range 3.0 to 5.8 copper and silica particles are oppositely charged and accordingly the coating of silica with copper particles could be demonstrated. In the case of gold and platinum the sign of the charge is such that direct adhesion to silica particles cannot be expected and this was also demonstrated in the case of platinum.     

The selectivity of electrosynthesised polymer membranes depends on the electrode dimensions: implications for biosensor applications

A biosensor selectivity coefficient defined for poly(o-phenylenediamine) electrosynthesised onto Pt microdisks and cylinders was unexpectedly found to change as the scale of the electrodes decreased, mainly due to enhanced permeability of a ubiquitous interference species in biological systems, ascorbic acid.     

A millimeter wavelength radiation source using a dual gratingresonator

A novel means of producing coherent radiation by passing an electron through a dual-grating resonator is presented, The observed radiation is in accordance with the Smith-Purcell dispersion relation for a single grating. Feedback is provided by a second grating. Experiments carried out at beam energies from 30-55 keV produced radiation at wavelengths from 6 to 0.75 mm. Power measurement were used to clarify the grating beam interaction, Indications are that operation could be easily extended to shorter wavelengths to provide an inexpensive and compact radiation source in the far-infrared     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-arachidonoyl glycine,an abundant endogenous lipid,potently drives directed cellular migration through GPR18, the putative abnormal cannabidiol receptor

Background  

Microglia provide continuous immune surveillance of the CNS and upon activation rapidly change phenotype to express receptors that respond to chemoattractants during CNS damage or infection. These activated microglia undergo directed migration towards affected tissue. Importantly, the molecular species of chemoattractant encountered determines if microglia respond with pro- or anti-inflammatory behaviour, yet the signaling molecules that trigger migration remain poorly understood. The endogenous cannabinoid system regulates microglial migration via CB₂ receptors and an as yet unidentified GPCR termed the 'abnormal cannabidiol' (Abn-CBD) receptor. Abn-CBD is a synthetic isomer of the phytocannabinoid cannabidiol (CBD) and is inactive at CB₁ or CB₂ receptors, but functions as a selective agonist at this G_i/o-coupled GPCR. N-arachidonoyl glycine (NAGly) is an endogenous metabolite of the endocannabinoid anandamide and acts as an efficacious agonist at GPR18. Here, we investigate the relationship between NAGly, Abn-CBD, the unidentified 'Abn-CBD' receptor, GPR18, and BV-2 microglial migration.     

Impact of a conformationally restricted receptor on the BF2 chelated azadipyrromethene fluorosensing platform

Conformational control of the receptor-fluorophore orientation of BF2 chelated azadipyrromethene sensors reveals two photophysically different modes of analyte triggered fluorescence switching both of which exhibit large off-on fluorescence intensity responses to the light input-output of the sensors in the visible red spectral region.