Abstract:In this study, we report a novel and facile colorimetric assay based on silver citrate-coated [email protected] nanoparticles ([email protected]) as a chemosensor for the naked-eye detection of morphine (MOR). The developed optical sensing approach relied on the aggregation of [email protected] NPs upon exposure to morphine, which led to an evident color variation from light-yellow to brown. [email protected] NPs have been prepared by two different protocols, using high- and low-power ultrasonic irradiation. The sonochemical method was essential for the sensing properties of the resulting nanoparticles. This facile sensing method has several advantages including excellent stability, selectivity, prompt detection, and cost-effectiveness.Keywords: ultrasonic irradiation; morphine; [email protected] NPs; colorimetric method; naked eye detection; chemosensor
download The Girl from the Naked Eye
If most people see the cluster as a six-star pattern, why is it called the Seven Sisters? The reason is that the sky looked different in ancient times when the name was made up. Back then, naked-eyed observers could instantly see seven stars of the cluster. Over time, one of them disappeared from view. Our ancestors noticed and reflected it in myths, which we will discuss later.
The Greek myth is the most popular version of the story. According to it, the Pleiades were daughters of the titan Atlas and the nymph Pleione. After a chance encounter with the sisters, the hunter Orion fell in love and started chasing them. Zeus decided to protect the girls from the unwanted attention and turned the sisters into doves, so they could fly up and become the stars. Before ascending to the sky, one of the sisters, Merope, was married to a mortal, King Sisyphus. When the gods condemned him to roll a boulder forever, she was so ashamed of him that she hid her face and disappeared from the night sky.
He remembers one man by name, Zylinski, from Gdansk. A red-and-blue tattoo covered his back, Eve handing Adam the apple, the tree arching over them, the coiling serpent. "Gorgeous," he remembers, "really beautiful." A work of art. He saw it three times: once when the man removed his shirt and turned his back; again through the camera's eye, which he could not help adjusting carefully to capture all the detail. And then, maybe a month later, a friend who worked the crematorium said he had something [End Page 67] interesting. A large square of skin, tanned. The tree, the naked woman making her offering to the naked man. "I saw it," says the photographer.
"Sisters," continued the strange woman, "I have formed apurpose. Though I am one of the six inner, and so properlyshould confine myself to training girls, yet, first because Iwish it, secondly, because I am the only one of you six youngand prepossessing enough to do so, I intend to be an actormyself in this drama. I am now applying to enter an associationof nurses. I shall want some assistance from you in theway of introductions and references, oh, ingenious Eliza! and thenI'll start the game myself."
"Not yet," Catherine replied. "I have not come across thesort of girl I want in London. I wish to find a young girlwhom I can educate for our work from the very beginning. Iam going to the North to-morrow, to my own country, for aweek, I have an idea that though I have failed in London Ishall succeed there. It may be a foolish fancy, but I thinksomething will come of it. The temper of our Northern people[39]is better adapted for this work than that of the flightySoutherners. But now I must show you the results of my lastexperiment."
She was well aware that she was far from being so ugly asher stepmother had made out. She knew that many a gentlemanwould stop to buy a flower from a pretty girl like herself,who would pass a plain woman unnoticed. Oh, yes, she knewthat.
At eleven o'clock Hudson knew Mary's history, but he was asfar as ever from her. He was accustomed to shy, to bold, tocoquettish, to silly, to mercenary, women, to almost every sortof girl, and knew how to manage them: but before this girl hewas lost.
She knew that appearances were against a young girl comingout of a barrister's chambers at 10 a.m.; and not till she waswell out of the Temple, and away from the glances of the lawyers,[67]porters, and laundresses did she collect her wits and walkwith due calmness of mien.
This women awed Mary. There was something in thatflashing thought-reading eye, lofty pale brow, and curt masterfulspeech, that compelled her to tell the truth. Was it thatthe head of the Secret Society was possessed of some mesmericinfluence that gave her this strange power over other women?Anyhow, by dint of a few carefully chosen questions, she extractedfrom Mary her whole story, even to the fact of herhaving passed the previous night in the Temple, though thegirl had firmly intended to preserve this secret from all.
"But don't you feel it yourself sometimes, Susan?" asked thegirl in wonder. "Don't you feel dreadful, when you pass by allthese crowds of happy people, and think that if they only knewwhat you were they would loathe you, and tear you to pieces?[114]It is horrible to me to be separated from all the world by sucha barrier as that of our Aim. Never to approach them, neverto know their little joys, and hopes, and affections. They seemonly foolish to our eyes, but how detestable would we appear intheirs if they only knew."
"Excellent; but she is different from all I have ever seen.She shows none of the nervousness, the more or less concealed[119]repugnance, all other girls exhibit at the commencement of thisunpleasant training."
For the love she felt for Mary was of a kind not very uncommonamong women, especially when one of the two is of amore masculine nature than the other. It was as the deeptender love of a strong man for a weak timid girl. It was alove accompanied by passionate jealousy. This demon ofjealousy now possessed Catherine. She choked with rage andvexation. "What!" she reflected, "this man, this miserabledrunkard, has robbed me of Mary's affections! The gross ingratitudeof the girl too, and her deceit!" She rememberedMary's story about the barrister's kindness to her when she firstran away from home. Doubtlessly she had been holdingclandestine meetings ever since. This accounted for thetreacherous girl's melancholy of late.
It moved to tears the most callous of her nurses, hardened to[196]pitiful sights, to see how grateful the girl was for every littleattention. In an imbecile way, she would fondle and strokewith her thin hand anyone who performed some slight servicefor her. Her eyes swam with love as they followed the movementsof all those kind people. All the passions and sorrowsand fears seemed to have departed from the weakened mind,leaving only this gentle love.
The girl was propped up on pillows, and there were wrapsaround her to protect her from the spring wind. She wasevidently in a state of convalescence from a serious illness; and,indeed, she still seemed so fragile that one would have said shewas hardly likely to see the ripened fruit of the blossoms thatmade the apple orchard beyond the garden look so lovely onthat early spring day.
Mrs. White was a truly religious woman, and Dr. Duncan,thinking it well, if only from a physical point of view, to divertthe girl's thoughts into ways of consolation, had hinted to hissister that Mary had been educated by an atheist, and so mostprobably herself entertained rather strange opinions on the subjectof religion.
So, too, did Mrs. White fear Catherine. She knew how devotedMary was to her aunt, how thoroughly she believed inher wisdom and goodness, and she also knew from her brotherwhat objectionable views Catherine held on the subject of religionand morals. She felt how perilous it must be for a young girlto have faith in such a teacher.
"These people have been spoiling Mary with their religionand sentimental nonsense," thought Catherine as she observedthe girl. "She has been brought round to feel a horror for ourwork. She wishes to be absolved from her duty, and she is afraidof my anger if she asks me to free her."
Catherine was so overjoyed at finding her suspicions with regardto Mary's love affairs unfounded, that she now said a gooddeal more than she really meant. She never for a moment entertainedthe idea of freeing Mary. The girl would be far toouseful to the Society, for the carrying out of that scheme thatwas dearer to the woman than was even the happiness of herdarling. But it was well, she thought, to humour her now thatshe was ill. It would hasten her recovery to remove this weight[225]of anxiety from her for the time. When this weakness waspassed the girl would see clearly again, be brave once more, andreturn to her allegiance.
But after Catherine had gone a few yards across the lawn,the girl awoke suddenly from her stupefaction. She took twoor three rapid steps in the direction of the retreating figure,then feeling her strength fail her she stood still, and stretchingout her arms, shrieked out, "Stop! stop! stop!"
Mary must die! Looking at it from every point of view, shecould see no other way out of the difficulty. The girl couldnot be a wife and a baby-murderer, or even an innocent accompliceof baby-murderers at the same time. Yes, Mary mustdie! But Catherine could not trust herself. She could notlook at Mary's case with an unbiassed mind. Her great hateand love of the girl prevented her from considering the questionmerely as it affected the interests, the safety of the SecretSociety. She felt this keenly, so, as she above all things desiredto act with strict justice, and knew that her present moodmight as readily drive her to undue leniency as to unnecessarysternness, she determined to leave the judgment of Mary entirelyin the hands of the other sisters of the Inner Circle. Shewould put the whole case before them: she would abide by theirunimpassioned verdict.
Sister Eliza, after a little thought said, "I quite agree withSister Susan. This is the only really safe method before us,and there is absolutely no risk in it if we work carefully. It istrue that you alone, Sister Catherine, have sufficient influenceover the girl to bring her to London. It will be well for youto write to her. I should suggest you tell her that, seeinghow her views have altered for good, you have decided toabsolve her from her vows. Ask her to come up and stay withyou for a few weeks. Write in affectionate terms. She is sureto come, and she will do so for none else." 2ff7e9595c
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