Temperature dependence of the microwave properties of aqueous solutions of ethylene glycol between +15 degrees C and -70 degrees C.

The values of the dielectric constant and of the loss tangent for samples of 0 m (distilled H₂O), 1 m, 2 m, 3 m, 4 m, 5 m, 10 m, and 100% ethylene glycol were determined over the temperature range of +15 °C to ?70 °C. An operating frequency of 1.40 GHz to 1.55 GHz was used, allowing the results to be applied directly to both 0.915 GHz and 2.450 GHz studies. Strong temperature and concentration dependencies were found; low concentration solutions tended to behave similarly to water, while higher concentration solutions were more independent. Peak values and discontinuities occurred at different temperatures, depending on concentration. Five molar ethylene glycol was indicated as a near optimum concentration based on toxicity, cryoprotection, and microwave power absorption considerations. A study of blends of cryoprotectants is suggested.     

间断性低氧对大鼠腓肠肌介电性能的影响

目的：在40Hz～110MHz频率范围观察间断性低氧暴露4周大鼠离体腓肠肌细胞介电性能的改变。方法：采用低压氧舱建立模拟低氧模型,雄性SD大鼠随机分为间断低氧组和正常对照组。利用Agilent 4294A阻抗分析仪测量了离体大鼠腓肠肌的交流阻抗,通过频域介电谱、Cole—Cole图、介电损耗因子频谱、电导率虚部频谱和介电损耗角正切频谱的数据分析,观察间断性低氧暴露对大鼠离体腓肠肌细胞介电性能的影响。结果：间断性低氧暴露4周大鼠腓肠肌的介电常数（εL,εh）降低,介电增量△ε减小,绝缘性降低;低频电导率κL升高,高频电导率κh降低,电导率增量△κ降低;特征频率（f1,f2）增加;介电损失峰值ε”peak、电导率虚部峰值κ”peak和损耗角正切峰值婶谳均降低。结论：间断性低氧暴露致骨骼肌细胞介电性能降低,但其特征频率增加。     

Dielectric changes in hyaluronate solutions at microwave frequencies as a function of concentration,system pH,and temperature

The dielectric response of human umbilical cord hyaluronic acid in various environments has been studied at microwave frquencies using a resonant microwave cavity as a probe. Both the real and imaginary parts of complex dielectric constant and the loss tangent for hyaluronate solutions are obtained by utilizing equations for perturbation of a resonant cavity. Dielectric changes at room temperature have been observed in aqueous solutions of hyaluronic acid as a function of concentration ranging from 0 to 350 mg/ml. The data indicate the existence of ordered phases in hyaluronate solutions at selective concentrations, that is, exhibiting lyotropic-type transitions. Hyaluronate solutions at 1.5 and 3 mg/ml concentrations have been studied at various pH in the range of 6–8 and at constant ionic strength 0.1. A temperature-dependent transition in hyaluronate solution of 120 mg/ml concentration has been observed at physiological temperature. It is shown that this temperature-dependent behavior can be related to the orientational polarizability term in the Debye theory of polar molecules in liquids.     

Time-domain reflectrometry studies of water binding and structural flexibility in chymotrypsin

Time-domain dielectric spectroscopy has been employed to probe the hydration properties and structural flexibility of chymotrypsin (EC 3.4.21.1). The dielectric properties of the hydrated protein above 100 MHz have been used to identify two categories of protein-bound water, the first being irrotationally bound to the protein with a second, relatively weakly bound, having a rotational freedom comparable with that of normal bulk water. A dielectric dispersion observed, centred at 12 MHz, has been attributed to the relaxation of the polar components of the protein structure. This dielectric loss became increasingly significant above a transition in the hydration dependence, where water is relatively weakly bound to the chymotrypsin. This is discussed in terms of the formation of water clusters on the protein surface which screen electrostatic interactions between protein-charged groups.     

Design and synthesis of a new fluorescent probe for cascade detection of Zn2+ and H2PO4− in water and targeted imaging of living cells

Design and synthesis of new fluorescence probes with good water‐solubility is of great importance to better understanding the significant role of ions which are related to biology and the environment. As important ions, zinc ion (Zn²⁺) and dihydrogen phosphate ion (H₂PO₄^?) display essential roles in living systems, and quantitative detection of these ions in water is still a challenge. In order to consider the significant role of the galactose moiety in the design of a water‐soluble fluorescence sensor, herein, we have developed a novel probe, Gal‐AQTF, for the cascade detection of Zn²⁺ and H₂PO₄^? with excellent selectivity in water. Through the introduction of the galactose moiety onto the sensor AQTF, which has been reported earlier by us, the water‐solubility, cell compatibility and targeting ability were enhanced. Gal‐AQTF has been successfully applied in the imaging of the living cells of HepG2 and A549, and illustrated good selectivity for the HepG2 cells which overly express the asialoglycoprotein (ASGP) receptor.     

Temperature dependence of dielectric constant at 10 GHz of Na-DNA gels

Permittivity ε′ and dielectric loss ε″ of aqueous Na-DNA gels have been measured at 10 GHz in the temperature interval ?15 to + 45°C. The experimental results are analyzed in terms of a three-component equation (Na-DNA, interfacial water, bulk water) and yield a value of 35 water molecules/nucleotide interacting with DNA. According to theoretical and experimental data the presence of strongly bonded and weakly bonded water is considered. The modified water exhibits a mean dielectric relaxation time two-or threefold greater than that of bulk water.     

Photoluminescence and piezoelectric behaviour of Y2Zr2O7 pyrochlore‐based multifunctional materials and the influence of Eu3+ and Sm3+

Y₂Zr₂O₇‐doped with Eu³⁺ and Sm³⁺ phosphors were prepared for the first time as multifunctional smart materials using a solid‐state reaction method at 1400^oC. Thermal behaviour, crystal structure, surface morphology, and elemental analysis were characterized using thermogravimetric (TG) and differential thermal (DTA) analyses, X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope equipped with energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (SEM‐EDX). Experimental results revealed that both phosphors have a pyrochlore structure with a cubic crystal system. Photoluminescence properties were also measured and red emission was observed from Y_1.90Eu_0.10Zr₂O₇ and Y_1.90Sm_0.10Zr₂O₇ phosphors. Dielectric constant, loss tangent, piezoelectric charge constant, and Curie temperature of all the samples were determined using an LCR‐meter, d₃₃‐meter, and TG/DTA. Eu doping in Y₂Zr₂O₇ resulted in a high dielectric constant (9.61) and low loss tangent (1.67%) values, whereas high piezoelectric charge constant (0.68 pC/N) and high Curie temperature (820°C) could be obtained using Sm‐doped Y₂Zr₂O₇.     

Alternating current studies of charge carrier transport in lipid bilayers. Pentachlorophenol in lecithin-cholesterol membranes.

Surface and interior electrical properties of lecithin-cholesterol bilayer membranes treated with the uncoupler pentachlorophenol have been determined on the basis of a.c. measurements over a wide range of frequencies (0.02 to 1000 kHZ). The method used depends on accurately determining the resistance of the aqueous solution in series with each individual membrane by extrapolating admittance data into infinite frequency. Loss tangent vs. frequency curves are corrected by subtracting out a loss contribution which is present in untreated membranes and is due, presumably, to dielectric relaxation. The results, which are useful below 100 kHZ, can be fitted to loss tangent curves computed for a three-element equivalent circuit consisting of frequency independent conductance-capacitance pairs, arranged in series to represent surface and interior properties of membranes. Interior conductances agree with net conductances obtained from d.c. measurements. The pH and concentration dependence of surface conductance is consistent with a scheme of transport in which a fixed number of surface binding sites are filled preferentially with neutral pentachlorophenol molecules, which in turn dissociate to supply protons to the aqueous phase. Surface capacitances range from 15 to 90 times that of interior capacitance and show a systematic increase with pentachlorophenol concentration at high pH, and a decrease with concentration at low pH.     

Electrical properties of hydrated collagen. I. Dielectric properties

The effect of water on the low-frequency (10²-10⁵ H_z) complex permittivitv of native, sold-state collagen has been investigated experimentally. Measurements at ambient temperature show that dry collagen exhibits essentially no frequency or temperature dependence. As water is absorbed, both dielectric constant and loss factor increase simultaneously and rise sharply upward at a hydration level which may be associated with the completion of the primary absorption layer as determined from independent water absorption studies. The behaviour is qualitatively identical to that observed for other proteins and related materials. Temperature-dependent measurements made under vacuum conditions in the range ?196°C to +100°C are characteristic of the dielectric properties of the water in the sample. Dehydration produced by successive temperature recycling to the maximum temperature effectively eliminates any temperature or frequency dependence. A maximum in the temperature-dependent curves is found at about +40°C and is explained as the superposition of two processes: (1) the transition of water molecules from bound to free states, and (2) the difffusion of water molecules out of the system. The dielectric constant of dry collagen, after desorption at ambient temperature, is about 4.5. Desorption at elevated temperatures reduced the room temperature value to about 2.3 and the liquid nitrogen temperature value to a number indistinguishable from the optical value of n² = 2.16.     

Kidney model for study of electromagnetic thawing.

The rationale for using electromagnetic heating techniques, such as in the microwave frequency range (2450 MHz), to thaw large organs after cryopreservation is that this technique, in contrast to numerous others, has been shown to yield functioning dog kidneys which had been frozen to ?20 °C and even to ?80 °C. The development of equipment specifically designed to thaw dog and human kidneys must be based upon knowledge of the fundamental interaction of the biomaterial (volume and shape), the radiation frequency, and the electrical properties (dielectric constant and loss tangent) of the biomaterial. The electrical properties of the organ will be partially determined by the choice of cryoprotectant and its concentration. The electrical properties will change with temperature and with the ratio of liquid to solid water. A model which predicts the influence of these parameters is given. The values of the electrical properties of tissue generally were up to an order of magnitude greater in the thawed state than in the frozen state.     

An Apparatus for the Measurement of Leaf Dielectric Properties in the High Frequency Region

An instrument is described which permits measurements of a combinationof the dielectric constant and dielectric loss of leaves tobe made over a relatively small area of a leaf. The instrumentreadings have been shown to correlate with the water contentof filter paper, and reasonably well with the water contentof leaf tissue. Results obtained from leaves when their transpirationrate was increased are given.     

Changes in the dielectric properties of water in yeast cells during their death

The dielectric properties of living and dead unicellular microorganisms (yeast) were studied in the microwave range, and the general regularities and differences were revealed. The effect of temperature on the dielectric properties of yeast cells has been studied. The dielectric parameters of water fractions contained in yeast cells were estimated using the refraction model.     

Electrophysical methods of monitoring biosynthesis

Electrophysical devices with standard sensors were used for measuring the principal electrophysical parameters of raw materials, microbiological suspension and biopreparations: their dielectric constant, tangent of dielectric loss angle, specific conductivity and duration of dielectric relaxation of the medium. The obtained characteristics proved ot be rather informative for monitoring different technological parameters of the biosynthesis. The applicability of electrophysical methods in monitoring the process of biosynthesis was substantiated with examples. The electrophysical methods provide a simple and reliable way of monitoring the technological parameters in technical microbiology.     

The Effects of Hydrostatic Pressure on Living Aquatic Organisms IV. Recovery and Pressure Experimentation on Deep-sea Animals

Capture of living deep-sea animals is reviewed. The conditions for the successful recovery of living animals from the deep-sea are elaborated with examples. Control of pressure, temperature, or both, appears to be a prerequisite for the capture of living deep-sea animals. Deep-sea animals (archibenthal) show a loss of the R₁ response in comparison with their shallow-water counterparts. Genuine deep-sea animals have now been recovered in a living state suitable for experimentation from the High Arctic.     

Dielectric-Gravimetric Measurements on Fucus vesiculosus and Ascophyllum nodosum During Dehydration

Careri, G., Giansanti, A. and Fensom, D. 1986. Dielectnc-gravimetricmeasurements on Fucus vesiculosus and Ascophyllum nodosum duringdehydration.—J. exp. Bot. 37: 375–378. Samples of the marine algae Fucus vesiculosus and Ascophyllumnodosum were dehydrated between plates of a condenser so thatsimultaneous measurements of dielectric properties and rateof water loss could be made. During the desiccation process,both the evaporation rate and the dielectric properties becomezero at a critical hydration H_c, indicating that for H <H_c,the residual water must be in a tightly bound state. The absolutevalues of H_c, depend on the nature of the sample, but they arein the range 0·1–0·3, well above the hydrationlimit for active ion uptake (H=0·02). It is concludedthat, in these fucoids, living cells are maintained in the hydrationregion where water is in the bound state only. Key words: Fucus, Ascophyllwn, dielectric, dehydration     

Solvent- and salt-induced coil–helix transition of alkali metal salts of poly(L-glutamic acid) in aqueous organic solvents

The coil–helix transition has been studied for alkali metal salts of poly (L -glutamic acid) (PLG), i.e., PLGLi, -Na, -K, and -Cs, in aqueous organic solvent systems. Dependence of the transition on the solvent composition has been qualitatively discussed in terms of the solvent dielectric constant D, Gutmann's acceptor number AN, and water activity a_w. The helix formation induced by addition of alkali chlorides has also been studied. The sharpness of the transition has been interpreted as a measure of reduction of electrostatic energy of helical PLG through contact ion-pair formation between a counterion and carboxyl anion.     

The aquaporins

Water is the major component of all living cells, and efficient regulation of water homeostasis is essential for many biological processes. The mechanism by which water passes through biological membranes was a matter of debate until the discovery of the aquaporin water channels. Aquaporins are intrinsic membrane proteins characterized by six transmembrane helices that selectively allow water or other small uncharged molecules to pass along the osmotic gradient. In addition, recent observations show that some aquaporins also facilitate the transport of volatile substances, such as carbon dioxide (CO₂) and ammonia (NH₃), across membranes. Aquaporins usually form tetramers, with each monomer defining a single pore. Aquaporin-related proteins are found in all organisms, from archaea to mammals. In both uni- and multicellular organisms, numerous isoforms have been identified that are differentially expressed and modified by post-translational processes, thus allowing fine-tuned tissue-specific osmoregulation. In mammals, aquaporins are involved in multiple physiological processes, including kidney and salivary gland function. They are associated with several clinical disorders, such as kidney dysfunction, loss of vision and brain edema.     

Interrelationships between water and cell metabolism in Artemia cysts X. Microwave dielectric studies

Artemia cysts are composed of an inner mass of about 4000 cells surrounded by an acellular shell. This system can undergo cycles of hydration-dehydration without viability loss, and is a useful model for the study of intracellular water. We have measured the relative permittivity (ε′) of these cysts as a function of water content over the frequency range 0.8–70 GHz. Detailed analysis of the data for cysts containing close to 1 g H₂O/g dry weight indicates that a significant fraction of the total water in this system exhibits dielectric behavior different from that of pure water: the distribution parameter (α) for the dispersion analyzed by the Cole-Cole equation deviates from zero, and the permittivity of cyst water appears to be significantly lower than that of pure liquid.     

A ferromagnetic model for the action of electric and magnetic fields in cryopreservation

Recent discussions in the literature have questioned the ability of electromagnetic exposure to inhibit ice crystal formation in supercooled water. Here we note that strong electric fields are able to disrupt the surface boundary layer of inert air on the surface of materials, promoting higher rates of heat transport. We also note that most biological tissues contain ferromagnetic materials, both biologically precipitated magnetite (Fe₃O₄) as well as environmental contaminants that get accidentally incorporated into living systems. Although present at trace levels, the number density of these particulates is high, and they have extraordinarily strong interactions with weak, low-frequency magnetic fields of the sort involved in claims of electromagnetic cryopreservation. Magnetically-induced mechanical oscillation of these particles provides a plausible mechanism for the disruption of ice-crystal nucleation in supercooled water.