Effective PET and ICT switching of boradiazaindacene emission: a unimolecular, emission-mode, molecular half-subtractor with reconfigurable logic gates

[reaction, structure: see text] We report a unimolecular system functioning as a combinatorial logic circuit for half-subtractor. The emission characteristics can be modulated by chemical inputs, and when followed at two different wavelengths, two functionally integrated logic gates XOR and INHIBIT are obtained. Both logic gates function in the emission mode, and with very large differences in the signal intensity allowing unequivocal assignment of logic-0 and logic-1.     

Ion sensing coupled to resonance energy transfer: a highly selective and sensitive ratiometric fluorescent chemosensor for Ag(I) by a modular approach

We report a novel dimeric boradiazaindacene dye which can be converted in one step to an efficient resonance energy transfer (RET) dyad. In addition, if this modification is done with appropriate ligands, RET can be coupled to ion sensing. The utility of this approach is demonstrated in a highly selective, emission ratiometric chemosensor for Ag(I).     

On constructing a Green’s function for a semi-infinite beam with boundary damping

The main aim of this paper is to contribute to the construction of Green’s functions for initial boundary value problems for fourth order partial differential equations. In this paper, we consider a transversely vibrating homogeneous semi-infinite beam with classical boundary conditions such as pinned, sliding, clamped or with a non-classical boundary conditions such as dampers. This problem is of important interest in the context of the foundation of exact solutions for semi-infinite beams with boundary damping. The Green’s functions are explicitly given by using the method of Laplace transforms. The analytical results are validated by references and numerical methods. It is shown how the general solution for a semi-infinite beam equation with boundary damping can be constructed by the Green’s function method, and how damping properties can be obtained.     

Thermoelectric properties of stannite-phase CuZn2AS4 (CZAS; A=Al,Ga and In) nanocrystals for solar energy conversion applications

The current study aimed to comprehensively investigate structural, electronic, optical and transport properties of quaternary semiconductor CuZn₂AS₄ (CZAS; A=Al, Ga and In) nanocrystals (NCs). Based on energy considerations, the stannite structure (I-42m; No. 121) is found to be more stable than the kesterite (I-4; No.82) and wurtzite (P6₃mc; No.186) type structures. By means of hybrid functional calculations, these nanocrystals have direct band gap of 0.81–1.71 eV with a high absorption coefficient of >10⁴ cm^?1, which are well-suited for use in solar energy-conversion applications. Some of the latest advances in applications of these nanocrystals in thermoelectric applications are also highlighted in the current study. It is observed that transport coefficients of these materials are found to be nearly direction independent and isotropic. All three samples are p-type conductors at room temperature. Especially, the Seebeck coefficient of CuZn₂AlS₄ is even larger than that of CuZn₂GaS₄ and CuZn₂InS₄ under the studied carrier concentration and temperature region. The maximum figure of merit (ZT) reaches 0.982 (0.977), 0.984 (0.974) and 0.53 (0.955) for p-type (n-type) CuZn₂AlS₄, CuZn₂GaS₄, and CuZn₂InS₄, respectively, at 300 K. The high Seebeck coefficients, high figure of merit and low thermal conductivities make these systems good candidates for high-efficiency thermoelectric conversion applications.     

Protonated Dipeptide Losses from b 5 and b 4 Ions of Side Chain Hydroxyl Group Containing Pentapeptides

In this study, C-terminal protonated dipeptide eliminations were reported for both b ₅ and b ₄ ions of side chain hydroxyl group (–OH) containing pentapeptides. The study utilized the model C-terminal amidated pentapeptides having sequences of XGGFL and AXVYI, where X represents serine (S), threonine (T), glutamic acid (E), aspartic acid (D), or tyrosine (Y) residue. Upon low-energy collision-induced dissociation (CID) of XGGFL (where X?=?S, T, E, D, and Y) model peptide series, the ions at m/z 279 and 223 were observed as common fragments in all b ₅ and b ₄ ion (except b ₄ ion of YGGFL) mass spectra, respectively. By contrast, peptides, namely S_MeGGFL-NH₂ and E_OMeGGFL-NH₂, did not show either the ion at m/z 279 or the ion at m/z 223. It is shown that the side chain hydroxyl group is required for the possible mechanism to take place that furnishes the protonated dipeptide loss from b ₅ and b ₄ ions. In addition, the ions at m/z 295 and 281 were detected as common fragments in all b ₅ and b ₄ ion (except b ₄ ion of AYVYI) mass spectra, respectively, for AXVYI model peptide series. The MS⁴ experiments exhibited that the fragment ions at m/z 279, 223, 295, and 281 entirely reflect the same fragmentation behavior of [M?+?H]⁺ ion generated from commercial dipeptides FL-OH, GF-OH, YI-OH, and VY-OH. These novel eliminations reported here for b ₅ and b ₄ ions can be useful in assigning the correct and reliable peptide sequences for high-throughput proteomic studies.

Non-Direct Sequence Ions in the Tandem Mass Spectrometry of Protonated Peptide Amides—an Energy-Resolved Study

The fragmentation reactions of the MH⁺ ions of Leu-enkephalin amide and a variety of heptapeptide amides have been studied in detail as a function of collision energy using a QqToF beam type mass spectrometer. The initial fragmentation of the protonated amides involves primarily formation of b_n ions, including significant loss of NH₃ from the MH⁺ ions. Further fragmentation of these b_n ions occurs following macrocyclization/ring opening leading in many cases to b_n ions with permuted sequences and, thus, to formation of non-direct sequence ions. The importance of these non-direct sequence ions increases markedly with increasing collision energy, making peptide sequence determination difficult, if not impossible, at higher collision energies.

Radioactivity measurements in epiphytic lichens of Uludağ Mountain in Western Anatolia

Activity concentrations of gross-β, naturally occurring ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th, ²¹⁰Pb, ⁷Be and anthropogenic ¹³⁷Cs in epiphytic lichens collected from Uluda? Mountain are presented and discussed with the aim of evaluating potential usability of lichens as a biomonitor. The activity concentrations of gross-β, ¹³⁷Cs, ⁴⁰K, ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th, ²¹⁰Pb and ⁷Be in the lichen samples were found to be in the range of 177–707, 4.05–94.26, 86–211, below detection limit (BDL)—19.2, BDL—14.0, 229–872, and 72.1–220.7 Bq kg^?1 in dry weight, respectively. ¹³⁷Cs content in collected epiphytic lichens was in descending order: Parmelia sulcata > Lobaria pulmonaria > Pseudevernia furfuracea > Usnea filipendula. The best biomonitor for ¹³⁷Cs among the lichen species used in this study was determined as Parmelia sulcata. Pearson’s correlation coefficient was calculated between ¹³⁷Cs and ⁴⁰K activity concentrations using a statistical package program (SPSS ver. 17.0) and a negative correlation value (R = ?0,323, p = 0,222) was obtained. The highest ²²⁶Ra and ²³²Th activity concentrations were found in Bo?azova Yaylas? which has a geological structure including granitic rocks. It was found that ¹³⁷Cs and ⁷Be activity concentrations in species demonstrated an inverse behaviour. The effect of mean annual precipitation and temperature on ⁷Be activity concentration was determined using multi regression analysis. Also, correlations between the ¹³⁷Cs and ⁷Be, and ⁴⁰K and ⁷Be were investigated.     

Evaluation of Pomegranate (Punica Granatum L.) Pulps for the Removal of Copper(II) Ions: Kinetic,Equilibrium, and Desorption Studies

Pomegranate pulp has been used as novel adsorbent for removing Cu(II) ions from aqueous solution. The optimum conditions for removal of Cu(II) ions were found to be pH 5.32, biosorbent dose 0.1 g, contact time 120 minutes, initial concentration 50 mg/L, and temperature 30°C. The kinetic data were well fitted to the pseudo-second-order model. The biosorption process agreed with the Langmuir isotherm model. Maximum monolayer biosorption capacity was 7.30 mg/g. Thermodynamic parameters suggest that the biosorption process is spontaneous and exothermic. Desorption studies were carried out with different desorbing agents.      

Determination of radiological hazard parameters and radioactivity concentrations in bauxite samples: the case of the Sutlegen Mine Region (Antalya,Turkey)

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry - Iron phosphate glasses with melting temperatures of?~?1300 °C were developed to immobilize spent nuclear fuels. The...     

Potassium Sensing by Using a Newly Synthesized Squaraine Dye in Sol-Gel Matrix

Squaraines are a group of fluorescent dyes and pigments derived from squaric acid and dialkylanilines well known in applications such as photoreceptors, organic solar cells, optical recording media, and non-linear optics. Their very promising spectral properties, long wavelength absorption and emission, and high absorptivity and quantum yields have not been exploited so far in relation to optical sensor design. They exhibit excellent solubility in sol-gel matrices, and the ligand is an integral part of the fluorophore system, which makes the molecule a fluoroionophore. In this work, potassium-sensing agent, bis[4-N-(1-aza-4,7,10,13,16-pentaox acyclooctadecyl)-3,5-dihydroxyphenyl] squaraine has been used for potassium sensing in a sol-gel matrix. The spectrofluorimetric response of dye-doped tetraethyl ortosilicate (TEOS) film after exposure to certain concentrations of K⁺ has been investigated, and 62% of relative signal change was achieved. The dynamic working range of the sensor membrane has been found between 10^–9 and 10^–6 M K⁺, in other terms from nanomolar to micromolar levels, which is an advantage over flame emission spectroscopy, in view of detection limit. The sensor is fully reversible within the dynamic range and the response time (₉₀) is found to be 2 min under batch conditions. The cross-sensitivity of the molecule to Na⁺, Ba²⁺, Ca²⁺, and NH⁺ ₄ was also tested in separate solutions.