@misc{XieHuangTitiricietal.2014, author = {Xie, Zai-Lai and Huang, Xing and Titirici, Maria-Magdalena and Taubert, Andreas}, title = {Mesoporous graphite nanoflakes via ionothermal carbonization of fructose and their use in dye removal}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-99427}, year = {2014}, abstract = {The large-scale green synthesis of graphene-type two-dimensional materials is still challenging. Herein, we describe the ionothermal synthesis of carbon-based composites from fructose in the iron-containing ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrachloridoferrate(III), [Bmim][FeCl4] serving as solvent, catalyst, and template for product formation. The resulting composites consist of oligo-layer graphite nanoflakes and iron carbide particles. The mesoporosity, strong magnetic moment, and high specific surface area of the composites make them attractive for water purification with facile magnetic separation. Moreover, Fe3Cfree graphite can be obtained via acid etching, providing access to fairly large amounts of graphite material. The current approach is versatile and scalable, and thus opens the door to ionothermal synthesis towards the larger-scale synthesis of materials that are, although not made via a sustainable process, useful for water treatment such as the removal of organic molecules.}, language = {en} } @misc{BechiHerterMcKennaetal.2014, author = {Bechi, Beatrice and Herter, Susanne and McKenna, Shane and Riley, Christopher and Leimk{\"u}hler, Silke and Turner, Nicholas J. and Carnell, Andrew J.}, title = {Catalytic bio-chemo and bio-bio tandem oxidation reactions for amide and carboxylic acid synthesis}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-99414}, year = {2014}, abstract = {A catalytic toolbox for three different water-based one-pot cascades to convert aryl alcohols to amides and acids and cyclic amines to lactams, involving combination of oxidative enzymes (monoamine oxidase, xanthine dehydrogenase, galactose oxidase and laccase) and chemical oxidants (TBHP or CuI(cat)/H2O2) at mild temperatures, is presented. Mutually compatible conditions were found to afford products in good to excellent yields.}, language = {en} } @misc{MayerUciechowskiMeyeretal.2014, author = {Mayer, Lena S. and Uciechowski, Peter and Meyer, S{\"o}ren and Schwerdtle, Tanja and Rink, Lothar and Haase, Hajo}, title = {Differential impact of zinc deficiency on phagocytosis, oxidative burst, and production of pro-inflammatory cytokines by human monocytes}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-99405}, year = {2014}, abstract = {Zinc deficiency has a fundamental influence on the immune defense, with multiple effects on different immune cells, resulting in a major impairment of human health. Monocytes and macrophages are among the immune cells that are most fundamentally affected by zinc, but the impact of zinc on these cells is still far from being completely understood. Therefore, this study investigates the influence of zinc deficiency on monocytes of healthy human donors. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells, which include monocytes, were cultured under zinc deficient conditions for 3 days. This was achieved by two different methods: by application of the membrane permeable chelator N,N,N0´,N0´-tetrakis-(2-pyridylmethyl)ethylenediamine (TPEN) or by removal of zinc from the culture medium using a CHELEX 100 resin. Subsequently, monocyte functions were analyzed in response to Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus pneumoniae. Zinc depletion had differential effects. On the one hand, elimination of bacterial pathogens by phagocytosis and oxidative burst was elevated. On the other hand, the production of the inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-a and interleukin (IL)-6 was reduced. This suggests that monocytes shift from intercellular communication to basic innate defensive functions in response to zinc deficiency. These results were obtained regardless of the method by which zinc deficiency was achieved. However, CHELEX-treated medium strongly augmented cytokine production, independently from its capability for zinc removal. This side-effect severely limits the use of CHELEX for investigating the effects of zinc deficiency on innate immunity.}, language = {en} } @misc{WęcławskiTasiorHammannetal.2014, author = {Węcławski, Marek K. and Tasior, Mariusz and Hammann, Tommy and Cywiński, Piotr J. and Gryko, Daniel T.}, title = {From π-expanded coumarins to π-expanded pentacenes}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-98822}, pages = {4}, year = {2014}, abstract = {The synthesis of two novel types of π-expanded coumarins has been developed. Modified Knoevenagel bis-condensation afforded 3,9-dioxa-perylene-2,8-diones. Subsequent oxidative aromatic coupling or light driven electrocyclization reaction led to dibenzo-1,7-dioxacoronene-2,8-dione. Unparalleled synthetic simplicity, straightforward purification and superb optical properties have the potential to bring these perylene and coronene analogs towards various applications.}, language = {en} } @misc{PlehnMegowMay2014, author = {Plehn, Thomas and Megow, J{\"o}rg and May, Volkhard}, title = {Concerted charge and energy transfer processes in a highly flexible fullerene-dye system}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-98791}, pages = {10}, year = {2014}, abstract = {Photoinduced excitation energy transfer and accompanying charge separation are elucidated for a supramolecular system of a single fullerene covalently linked to six pyropheophorbide-a dye molecules. Molecular dynamics simulations are performed to gain an atomistic picture of the architecture and the surrounding solvent. Excitation energy transfer among the dye molecules and electron transfer from the excited dyes to the fullerene are described by a mixed quantum-classical version of the F{\"o}rster rate and the semiclassical Marcus rate, respectively. The mean characteristic time of energy redistribution lies in the range of 10 ps, while electron transfer proceeds within 150 ps. In between, on a 20 to 50 ps time-scale, conformational changes take place in the system. This temporal hierarchy of processes guarantees efficient charge separation, if the structure is exposed to a solvent. The fast energy transfer can adopt the dye excitation to the actual conformation. In this sense, the probability to achieve charge separation is large enough since any dominance of unfavorable conformations that exhibit a large dye-fullerene distance is circumvented. And the slow electron transfer may realize an averaging with respect to different conformations. To confirm the reliability of our computations, ensemble measurements on the charge separation dynamics are simulated and a very good agreement with the experimental data is obtained.}, language = {en} } @misc{deCarvalhoMetzlerCherstvy2014, author = {de Carvalho, Sidney J. and Metzler, Ralf and Cherstvy, Andrey G.}, title = {Critical adsorption of polyelectrolytes onto charged Janus nanospheres}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-98783}, pages = {12}, year = {2014}, abstract = {Based on extensive Monte Carlo simulations and analytical considerations we study the electrostatically driven adsorption of flexible polyelectrolyte chains onto charged Janus nanospheres. These net-neutral colloids are composed of two equally but oppositely charged hemispheres. The critical binding conditions for polyelectrolyte chains are analysed as function of the radius of the Janus particle and its surface charge density, as well as the salt concentration in the ambient solution. Specifically for the adsorption of finite-length polyelectrolyte chains onto Janus nanoparticles, we demonstrate that the critical adsorption conditions drastically differ when the size of the Janus particle or the screening length of the electrolyte are varied. We compare the scaling laws obtained for the adsorption-desorption threshold to the known results for uniformly charged spherical particles, observing significant disparities. We also contrast the changes to the polyelectrolyte chain conformations close to the surface of the Janus nanoparticles as compared to those for simple spherical particles. Finally, we discuss experimentally relevant physico-chemical systems for which our simulations results may become important. In particular, we observe similar trends with polyelectrolyte complexation with oppositely but heterogeneously charged proteins.}, language = {en} } @misc{SchottKretzschmarAckeretal.2014, author = {Schott, Juliane and Kretzschmar, Jerome and Acker, Margret and Eidner, Sascha and Kumke, Michael Uwe and Drobot, Bj{\"o}rn and Barkleit, Astrid and Taut, Steffen and Brendler, Vinzenz and Stumpf, Thorsten}, title = {Formation of a Eu(III) borate solid species from a weak Eu(III) borate complex in aqueous solution}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-98774}, pages = {13}, year = {2014}, abstract = {In the presence of polyborates (detected by 11B-NMR) the formation of a weak Eu(III) borate complex (lg β11 ∼ 2, estimated) was observed by time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy (TRLFS). This complex is a precursor for the formation of a solid Eu(III) borate species. The formation of this solid in solution was investigated by TRLFS as a function of the total boron concentration: the lower the total boron concentration, the slower is the solid formation. The solid Eu(III) borate was characterized by IR spectroscopy, powder XRD and solid-state TRLFS. The determination of the europium to boron ratio portends the existence of pentaborate units in the amorphous solid.}, language = {en} } @misc{AzumaKuekenshoenerMaetal.2014, author = {Azuma, Yusuke and K{\"u}kensh{\"o}ner, Tim and Ma, Guangyong and Yasunaga, Jun-ichiro and Imanishi, Miki and Tanaka, Gen and Nakase, Ikuhiko and Maruno, Takahiro and Kobayashi, Yuji and Arndt, Katja Maren and Matsuoka, Masao and Futaki, Shiroh}, title = {Controlling leucine-zipper partner recognition in cells through modification of a-g interactions}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-98758}, pages = {4}, year = {2014}, abstract = {By focusing on the a-g interactions, successful design and selection were accomplished to obtain a leucine-zipper segment that discriminates the appropriate partner over another that provides very similar patterns of electrostatic interactions.}, language = {en} } @misc{SarauliXuDietzeletal.2014, author = {Sarauli, David and Xu, Chenggang and Dietzel, Birgit and Schulz, Burkhard and Lisdat, Fred}, title = {A multilayered sulfonated polyaniline network with entrapped pyrroloquinoline quinone-dependent glucose dehydrogenase}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-98744}, year = {2014}, abstract = {A feasible approach to construct multilayer films of sulfonated polyanilines - PMSA1 and PABMSA1 - containing different ratios of aniline, 2-methoxyaniline-5-sulfonic acid (MAS) and 3-aminobenzoic acid (AB), with the entrapped redox enzyme pyrroloquinoline quinone-dependent glucose dehydrogenase (PQQ-GDH) on Au and ITO electrode surfaces, is described. The formation of layers has been followed and confirmed by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), which demonstrates that the multilayer assembly can be achieved in a progressive and uniform manner. The gold and ITO electrodes subsequently modified with PMSA1:PQQ-GDH and PABMSA1 films are studied by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and UV-Vis spectroscopy which show a significant direct bioelectrocatalytical response to the oxidation of the substrate glucose without any additional mediator. This response correlates linearly with the number of deposited layers. Furthermore, the constructed polymer/enzyme multilayer system exhibits a rather good long-term stability, since the catalytic current response is maintained for more than 60\% of the initial value even after two weeks of storage. This verifies that a productive interaction of the enzyme embedded in the film of substituted polyaniline can be used as a basis for the construction of bioelectronic units, which are useful as indicators for processes liberating glucose and allowing optical and electrochemical transduction.}, language = {en} } @misc{ErmeydanCabaneGierlingeretal.2014, author = {Ermeydan, Mahmut Ali and Cabane, Etienne and Gierlinger, Notburga and Koetz, Joachim and Burgert, Ingo}, title = {Improvement of wood material properties via in situ polymerization of styrene into tosylated cell walls}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-98736}, pages = {8}, year = {2014}, abstract = {As an engineering material derived from renewable resources, wood possesses excellent mechanical properties in view of its light weight but also has some disadvantages such as low dimensional stability upon moisture changes and low durability against biological attack. Polymerization of hydrophobic monomers in the cell wall is one of the potential approaches to improve the dimensional stability of wood. A major challenge is to insert hydrophobic monomers into the hydrophilic environment of the cell walls, without increasing the bulk density of the material due to lumen filling. Here, we report on an innovative and simple method to insert styrene monomers into tosylated cell walls (i.e. -OH groups from natural wood polymers are reacted with tosyl chloride) and carry out free radical polymerization under relatively mild conditions, generating low wood weight gains. In-depth SEM and confocal Raman microscopy analysis are applied to reveal the distribution of the polystyrene in the cell walls and the lumen. The embedding of polystyrene in wood results in reduced water uptake by the wood cell walls, a significant increase in dimensional stability, as well as slightly improved mechanical properties measured by nanoindentation.}, language = {en} }