Exploring the persistence of the fluorinated thiolate 2,3,5,6-S(CFH-4) motif to establish π-π stacking in metal complexes: a crystal engineering perspective.

π-π stacking interactions are versatile because they are involved in many processes, such as protein folding, DNA stacking, and drug recognition. However, from the point of view of crystal engineering, there is an incipient knowledge of its exploitation. A comparison of these interactions with hydrogen bonds shows a huge difference in their employment as a reliable non-covalent interaction.

New copolymers as hosts of ribosomal RNA.

Functionalized copolymers were synthesized and are proposed as hosts of RNA. The copolymers are based on carboxymethyl cellulose and poly-(ethylene glycol)-OH. These copolymers were functionalized with two amino acids, either lysine or histidine, through amide bond formation.

The use of counting beads to improve the classification of fast breathing in low-resource settings: a multi-country review.

To decrease child mortality due to common but life-threatening illnesses, community health workers (CHWs) are trained to assess, classify and treat sick children. For pneumonia, CHWs are trained to count the respiratory rate of a child with cough and/or difficulty breathing, and determine whether the child has fast breathing or not based on how the child's breath count relates to age-specific respiratory rate cut-off points. International organizations training CHWs to classify fast breathing realized that many of them faced challenges counting and determining how the respiratory rate relates to age-specific cut-off points.

Gold nanoparticles as efficient antimicrobial agents for Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhi.

Background: It is imperative to eliminate bacteria present in water in order to avoid problems in healthy. Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhi bacteria are two common pollutants and they are developing resistance to some of the most used bactericide. Therefore new biocide materials are being tested.

Thermokinetic study of the rehydration process of a calcined MgAl-layered double hydroxide.

The rehydration process of a calcined MgAl-layered double hydroxide (LDH) with a Mg/Al molar ratio of 3 was systematically analyzed at different temperatures and relative humidity. Qualitative and quantitative experiments were done. In the first set of samples, the temperature or the relative humidity was varied, fixing the second variable.

Structural and textural evolution during folding of layers of layered double hydroxides.

Layers of a layered double hydroxide, containing aluminum 4-fold coordinated, were partially folded in order to obtain a fibrous hydrotalcite-like compound. The hydrotalcite layers, in the presence of an anionic surfactant (sodium dodecyl sulfate) after hydrothermal treatment for 2 weeks, acquire a mesoporous-like arrangement. The transformation was monitored by techniques sensitive to structural and textural properties.

Cesium leaching from gamma-irradiated CsA and CsX zeolites.

The present study discusses the effect of gamma-irradiation on Cs+-exchanged X and A zeolites. The incorporation of Cs+ ions into A and X zeolites was performed using three different cesium salts (chloride, nitrate or acetate). Cs+ ions immobilized into the vitrified zeolites by thermal treatment are located in different sites of the zeolite networks.

II. Cesium leaching in CsA and CsX zeolites: use of blocking agents to inhibit the cesium cation mobility.

Cesium-exchanged A and X zeolites were loaded with cesium acetate species and thermally treated in order to inhibit the mobility of exchangeable cesium cations. The proposed procedure seems to block the cavities channels avoiding the releasing of cesium cations under the leaching conditions. The cesium impregnated species did not induce strong structural modifications if they are used in small amounts (0.

Structural evolution of phosphated alumina during sol-gel synthesis.

Phosphated alumina gels were prepared by the sol-gel method. Gels were aged from 1 to 8 days in air. Gel structure evolution, as time went on, was followed by 27Al magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance, X-ray diffraction, and small-angle X-ray scattering.

Characterization of enamel with variable caries risk.

Small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) have been used to look at enamel from nine premolars, three each from individuals in low, medium and high risk caries groups. Only SAXS was able to detect consistent differences between any of the groups. In enamel from the high caries risk group, the micropores between the hydroxyapatite crystals were laminar.

Passivation of the calcite surface with phenylmalonate and benzylmalonate ions.

We explored the affinity of calcite to adsorbed organic molecules as an approach to the conservation of cultural heritage built of marble and limestone. The utilization of phenylmalonic and benzylmalonic acids provided a hydrophobic adsorptive interface, adequate to prevent processes of aqueous weathering. Samples of marble powder (polycrystalline calcite) were impregnated with solutions of phenylmalonic and benzylmalonic acid at three concentrations (5 x 10(-2), 5 x 10(-3), and 5 x 10(-4) M) and different pH values (6.

Passivation of the calcite surface with malonate ion.

Samples of polycrystalline calcite were impregnated with solutions of malonic acid of three concentrations (5 x 10(-2), 5 x 10(-3) , and 5 x 10(-4) M) and different pH values (6.00, 7.00, and 8.