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J Fick

Publications and source records attributed to J Fick.

13 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2007

Density depletion at solid-liquid interfaces: a neutron reflectivity study.

Neutron reflectivity experiments conducted on self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) against polar (water) and nonpolar (organic) liquid phases reveal further evidence for a density reduction at hydrophobic-hydrophilic interfaces. The density depletion is found at the interface between hydrophobic dodecanethiol (C12) and hexadecanethiol (C16) SAMs and water and also between hydrophilic SAMs (C12/C11OH) and nonpolar fluids. The results show that the density deficit of a fluid in the boundary layer is not unique to aqueous solid-liquid interfaces but is more general and correlated with the affinity of the liquid to the solid surface. In water the variation of pH has only minor influence, while different electrolytes taken from the Hofmeister series seem to increase the depletion. On hydrophobic SAMs an increase in density depletion with temperature was observed, in agreement with Monte Carlo simulations performed on corresponding model systems. The increase in the water density depletion layer is governed by two effects: the surface energy difference between water and the substrate and the chemical potential of the aqueous phase.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2006

Spectroscopic characterization of omega-substituted biphenylthiolates on gold and their use as substrates for "on-top" siloxane SAM formation.

Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of omega-substituted biphenylthiolates (omega-MBP) on gold were characterized by spectral ellipsometry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (IRRAS), and vibrational sum frequency generation spectroscopy (VSFG). The vibrational studies of the SAMs were supported by an ab initio frequency analysis at HF/6-31G and BP86/6-31G levels, yielding an assignment of all relevant spectral features in the range from 3500 to 1200 cm(-1). We were able to demonstrate that hydroxy-terminated MBP (HMBP) SAMs are basically featureless in the range of the CH stretching vibrations. Accordingly, the adsorption of a SAM of octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS) on top of this model surface could be studied. A red shift of the C-O stretching vibration from 1281 to 1264 cm(-1) was observed during the chemisorption of OTS, thus allowing for a quantification of the number of OTS molecules involved in surface binding of OTS, which was found to be about 26% on average.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2005

Interaction of self-assembled monolayers of oligo(ethylene glycol)-terminated alkanethiols with water studied by vibrational sum-frequency generation.

Vibrational sum-frequency generation (VSFG) was used to investigate the conformational changes in self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of (1-mercaptoundec-11-yl) hexa(ethylene glycol) monomethylether (EG6-OMe) on gold when exposed to liquid water. VSFG spectra of the EG6-OMe SAMs were recorded before, during, and after exposure of the films to water and after a subsequent evacuation step. While in contact with water the entire ethylene glycol chains are found in a random, solvated state, after removal from the fluid water molecules remain absorbed only at the terminal groups of the film giving rise to distinct conformational changes. After evacuation, the structure of the EG6-OMe SAM reverts to its original state, indicating that water has been removed from the monolayer. Our findings support recent ab initio calculations and Monte Carlo simulations on the interaction of ethylene glycol-terminated monolayers with water.

Absorption↗
PubMed2004

Swelling behavior of self-assembled monolayers of alkanethiol-terminated poly(ethylene glycol): a neutron reflectometry study.

The swelling behavior of alkanethiol-terminated poly(ethylene glycol) with an average molecular weight of 2180 Da (i.e., approximately 45 ethylene glycol, EG, units) in contact with water was investigated by neutron reflectometry as a function of the morphology of the PEG-SH layer. Amorphous films at a low grafting density show significant swelling with an increase of the film thickness from approximately 25 A in the dry state to approximately 70 A in contact with D2O, which corresponds to a total water uptake of approximately 38 mass %. In contrast, quasi-crystalline monolayers exhibit only a small amount of water penetrating into the film (approximately 8 mass %) with a corresponding change of the layer thickness from approximately 110 to approximately 125 A. The water uptake per EG unit corresponds to the literature value of 1.5 for the amorphous layer and to only 0.25 in the case of the quasi-crystalline film.

Letter↗
PubMed2004

Class separation of buildings with high and low prevalence of SBS by principal component analysis.

In this study, we were able to separate buildings with high and low prevalence of sick building syndrome (SBS) using principal component analysis. The prevalence of SBS was defined by the presence of at least one typical skin, mucosal and general (headache and fatigue) symptom. Data from the Swedish Office Illness Study describing the presence and level of chemical compounds in outdoor, supply, and room air, respectively, were evaluated together with information about the buildings in six models. When all data were included the most complex model was able to separate 71% of the high prevalence buildings from the low prevalence buildings. The most important variable that separates the high prevalence buildings from the low prevalence buildings was a more frequent occurrence or a higher concentration of compounds with shorter retention time in the high prevalence buildings. Elevated relative humidity in supply and room air and higher levels of total volatile organic compounds in outdoor and supply air were more common in high prevalence buildings. Ten building variables also contributed to the separation of the two classes of low and high prevalence buildings.

Air Pollutants↗
PubMed2001

Ozone removal in the sampling of parts per billion levels of terpenoid compounds: an evaluation of different scrubber materials.

Some reactive volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are prone to degradation during sampling in an ozone-rich environment. A wide variety of different chemicals have been used to remove the ozone prior to sampling, but the possibility of interference by such chemicals with the sampled VOCs has not been thoroughly examined. In the present investigation, the retention/degradation of four terpenes (alpha-pinene, beta-pinene, 3-carene, and limonene) and isoprene together with some of their oxidation products (alpha-pinene oxide, nopinone, 4-acetyl-1-methylcyclohexene (AMCH), methylglyoxal, and methacrolein) has been studied, using various ozone-removing chemicals in an attempt to evaluate their potential as ozone scrubbers in the sampling of ambient air. The chemicals included in this first screening and their ozone-removing capacity are as follows: KI, MnO2, and Na2SO3 removed ozone for more than 24 h when exposed to 73-78 ppb (150-160 microg/m3) at a sampling flow rate of 500 mL/min. Silanized poly(1,4-phenylene sulfide) (PFS) removed ozone for 5 h, unsilanized PFS removed ozone for 1 h and 50 min, and Na2S2O3 removed ozone for 20 min. The recovery of the selected compounds with the different scrubbers was >95% for all compounds for KI; >95% for the terpenes oxidation products; >90% for the terpenes and isoprene for PFS; >90% for the terpenes and isoprene for MnO2 on copper nets, Na2SO3, and Na2S2O3; and <90% for the terpenes and isoprene for carulite (a commercial mixture between MnO2, CuO, and Al2O3), CuO, and indigo carmine.

Air Pollutants↗
PubMed1995

The extent of heterocellular communication mediated by gap junctions is predictive of bystander tumor cytotoxicity in vitro.

Herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSV-tk)/ganciclovir (GCV) viral-directed enzyme prodrug gene therapy causes potent, tumor-selective cytotoxicity in animal models in which HSV-tk gene transduction is limited to a minority of tumor cells. The passage of toxic molecules from HSV-tk+ cells to neighboring HSV-tk- cells during GCV therapy is one mechanism that may account for this "bystander" cytotoxicity. To investigate whether gap junction-mediated intercellular coupling could mediate this bystander effect, we used a flow cytometry assay to quantitate the extent of heterocellular coupling between HSV-tk+ murine fibroblasts and both rodent and human tumor cell lines. Bystander tumor cytotoxicity during GCV treatment in a coculture assay was highly correlated (P < 0.001) with the extent of gap junction-mediated coupling. These findings show that gap junction-mediated intercellular coupling contributes to the in vitro bystander effect during HSV-tk/GCV therapy and that retroviral transduction of tumor cells is not required for bystander cytotoxicity.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Constitutional p53 mutations associated with brain tumors in young adults.

Identification of patients at risk for developing brain tumors is important for the development of preventative strategies. Because individuals with germline p53 mutations may be at increased risk, we examined DNA from brain tumor-derived cell lines and malignant and normal nervous system tissue for p53 gene mutations using the single strand conformation polymorphism assay and direct sequencing of polymerase chain reaction-amplified DNA. We found mutations in the p53 gene in eight of 22 adult glioma tissue specimens and germline mutations in two of these eight patients. In contrast, mutation of the p53 gene was not detectable in either 16 glial tumors occurring in children, glial tumor tissue from three unrelated glioblastoma multiforme patients with a familial history of cancer, or in benign meningiomas. One constitutional p53 mutation was a G to T transversion at codon 154, and the second was a C to T transition at codon 256. Both patients with germline mutations developed glioblastoma multiforme before the age of 31, although the median age for glioma patients is above 50. These findings suggest that p53 germline mutations may identify a subset of young adults predisposed to the development of high-grade astrocytic tumors.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Gene therapy for diseases of the nervous system.

Advances in molecular biology and recombinant DNA technologies have contributed to our understanding of the molecular basis of many diseases. Now the possibility of gene transfer into normal cells to produce a gene product of therapeutic potential, or into diseased cells to correct the pathologic alteration, promises to revolutionize medical practice. In contemporary medicine, many therapeutic strategies focus on the link between a biochemical deficiency and the ensuing disorder. The treatment of noninfectious disease is often based on replacement therapy; medication is given to compensate for biochemical defects and to prevent or reverse the progression of disease. Although conventional therapies seldom alter the fundamental cause of a disease, gene therapy potentially could correct, at a molecular level, the genetic abnormalities contributing to its pathogenesis. Treatment directed at specific molecular alterations associated with the development of neurologic disease provides expectations of more effective and less toxic therapy. The development of gene therapy for nervous system tumors has progressed rapidly and may be prototypical in the development of therapies for inherited and acquired disorders of the nervous system. We describe possible strategies for using gene therapy to treat nervous system disorders, and we review recent advances in gene therapy for nervous system tumors.

Chromosome Aberrations↗
PubMed1982

Fluorescence of intramolecular and intermolecular interactions of aminonaphthyl-sulfonate with nucleotides.

Fluorescence studies of the intramolecular and intermolecular interactions between aminonaphthylsulfonate and nucleotides of uracil or adenine are described. The fluorescence originates solely from the naphthyl moiety and is intramolecularly quenched by the base, uracil being more effective than adenine. The enzymatic splitting of the molecule into a nucleoside monophosphate and the pyrophosphate product of the aminonaphthylsulfonate removes the intramolecular quenching and, especially in the case of uracil, a drastic increase of the fluorescence intensity results. The intact molecule exists predominantly in the folded form except in cases where electrostatic repulsion exceeds the stacking attraction. This is borne out by the pH dependence and the existence of a pronounced solvent-isotope effect of the fluorescence quantum yield for the uracil derivative at basic pH. At pH values above the pK of the enol proton of the uracil base the fluorescent properties of the intact and phosphodiesterase-digested molecules are very similar. The intermolecular interactions between 1-aminonaphthalene-5-sulfonate with AMP and UMP can be explained on the basis of dynamic quenching (collisional quenching) without any significant participation of ground-state complexes (static quenching). The interaction of the pyrophosphate adduct of 1-aminonaphthalene-5-sulfonate with UMP can best be explained by invoking two interacting nucleotide species: the free nucleotide and a sodium-nucleotide complex.

Adenine Nucleotides↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Comparison of gadopentetate dimeglumine and albumin-(Gd-DTPA)30 for microvessel characterization in an intracranial glioma model.

To compare the performance of macromolecular albumin gadolinium-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (Gd-DTPA)30 and low molecular weight gadopentetate dimeglumine for microvessel characterization, we examined an intracranial 9L glioma model in which increased angiogenesis, hypervascularity, and hyperpermeability mimic characteristics of clinical malignant brain tumors. Dynamic MRI data were analyzed using a bidirectional, two-compartment kinetic model to extract quantitative estimates for fractional blood volume (fBV) and permeability surface area product (PS). Three criteria were used for comparison of contrast agent performance: (a) tumor conspicuity, defined as the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR); (b) dynamic range of differential permeability estimates between tumor and normal brain; (c) reasonableness of blood volume estimates. Gadopentetate was superior to macromolecular albumin-(Gd-DTPA)30 for detection of 9L brain gliomas and for measurements of hyperpermeability.

Albumins↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Modification and application of a Pelorus Mark III stereotactic system for CT-guided brain biopsy in 50 dogs.

The Pelorus Mark III Stereotactic System is a commercially available device for CT-guided stereotactic brain biopsy in people. With relatively minor modifications, this device was used to safely and accurately perform CT-guided stereotactic brain biopsies in 50 dogs with intracranial lesions. Modifications were necessary to accommodate a 90 degree shift in orientation of the canine head compared to the human head during the imaging phase of the procedure, and to facilitate other phases of the biopsy procedure that are affected by the uneven and variable topography of the canine skull. Description of a typical CT-guided brain biopsy procedure in dogs using the modified Pelorus Mark III Stereotactic System is provided. Accuracy of biopsy needle placement was determined by comparing the x, y and z coordinates of the biopsy target site with the actual coordinates of the needle tip on CT images. Mean needle placement error was 3.5 +/- 1.6 mm. Needle placement error was not significantly related to operator experience, dog size (body weight), or needle path length, however, needle placement error was significantly affected by lesion location.

Animals↗