Characterization of the spherical intermediates and fibril formation of hCT in HEPES solution using solid-state 13C-NMR and transmission electron microscopy.

Human calcitonin (hCT) is a 32-amino acid peptide hormone that contains an intrachain disulfide bridge between Cys1 and Cys7 and a proline amide at the C-terminus. hCT tends to associate to form a fibril precipitate of the same type as amyloid fibrils, and hence has been studied as a model of amyloid fibril formation. The fibrillation process in N-(2-hydroxyethyl)piperazine-N'-2-ethanesulfonic acid (HEPES) solution was examined using transmission electron microscopy.

Thermosensitive, soft glassy and structural colored colloidal array in ionic liquid: colloidal glass to gel transition.

A novel soft material comprising thermosensitive poly(benzyl methacrylate)-grafted silica nanoparticles (PBnMA-g-NPs) and the ionic liquid (IL), 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethane sulfonyl)amide ([C(2)mim][NTf(2)]), was fabricated. The thermosensitive properties were studied over a wide range of particle concentrations and temperatures. PBnMA-g-NPs in the IL underwent the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) phase transition at lower temperatures with a broader transition temperature range as compared to the free PBnMA solution.

Soft glassy colloidal arrays in an ionic liquid: colloidal glass transition, ionic transport, and structural color in relation to microstructure.

The colloidal glass transition, ionic transport, and optical properties of soft glassy colloidal arrays (SGCAs) that consist of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)-grafted silica nanoparticles (PMMA-g-NPs) and a room-temperature ionic liquid, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethane sulfonyl)amide ([C(2)mim][NTf(2)]), were investigated. At lower particle concentrations, PMMA-g-NPs were well-suspended in the IL without any aggregation or sedimentation, and the dilute suspensions showed liquid-like behavior. However, above a certain particle concentration, the suspensions became solidified and exhibited different structural colors depending on the particle concentrations.

A soft glassy colloidal array in ionic liquid, which exhibits homogeneous, non-brilliant and angle-independent structural colours.

A soft glassy colloidal array that was prepared from polymer-grafted silica particles and an ionic liquid showed homogeneous, non-brilliant, angle-independent structural colours.

Nanocomposite ion gels based on silica nanoparticles and an ionic liquid: ionic transport, viscoelastic properties, and microstructure.

The dispersion of silica nanoparticles made an ionic liquid, 1-ethyl-3-methyl imidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)amide ([C(2)mim][NTf(2)]), gelled even by the addition of 2-3 wt %, due to the formation of interconnected particulate silica networks in [C(2)mim][NTf(2)]. The ionic transport and viscoelastic properties of these nanocomposite ion gels were investigated in relation to the microstructure. Despite their solid-like behavior, the nanocomposite ion gels exhibited a high ionic conductivity of approximately 10(-2) S cm(-1) at 30 degrees C, which is comparable to that of neat [C(2)mim][NTf(2)].

Prosthecobacter fluviatilis sp. nov., which lacks the bacterial tubulin btubA and btubB genes.

Leptothrix cholodnii is a sheathed bacterium often found in metal-rich and oligotrophic aquatic environments. A bacterial strain that is able to degrade the NaOH-treated sheath of L. cholodnii was isolated.

Colloidal stability of bare and polymer-grafted silica nanoparticles in ionic liquids.

The colloidal stability of bare and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)-grafted silica nanoparticles was studied in 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium ([C(n)mim])-based ionic liquids (ILs) with different anionic structures. The theoretical estimation of the colloidal interaction between monodispersed bare silica particles by using the Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek theory indicates that bare silica particles cannot be stabilized and they rapidly form aggregates in all the ILs used in this study. The instability of bare silica particles was experimentally confirmed by dynamic light scattering measurement and in situ transmission electron microscopy observations by utilizing the negligible vapor pressure of ILs.