Detection of mutant p53 using field-effect transistor biosensor

We assessed the abilities of wild p53 and mutant p53 proteins to interact with the consensus DNA-binding sequence using a MOSFET biosensor. This is the first report in which mutant p53 has been detected on the basis of DNA-protein interaction using a FET-type biosensor. In an effort to evaluate the performance of this protocol, we constructed the core domain of wild p53 and mutant p53 (R248W), which is DNA-binding-defective. After the immobilization of the cognate DNA to the sensing layer, wild p53 and mutant p53 were applied to the DNA-coated gate surface, and subsequently analyzed using a semiconductor analyzer. As a consequence, a significant up-shift in drain current was noted in response to wild p53, but not mutant p53, thereby indicating that sequence-specific DNA-protein interactions could be successfully monitored using a field-effect-based biosensor. These data also corresponded to the results obtained using surface plasmon resonance (SPR) measurements. Taken together, our results show that a FET-type biosensor might be promising for the monitoring of mutant p53 on the basis of its DNA-binding activity, providing us with very valuable insights into the monitoring for diseases, particularly those associated with DNA-protein binding events.     

Thermal annealing effects on the dynamic photoresponse properties of Al-doped ZnO nanowires network

In this study, UV photodetectors based on a network of aluminium-doped zinc oxide (AZO) nanowires were manufactured at a low cost; for this purpose, a fast and simple fabrication process that involved dropping nanowires dispersion solution was employed instead of the conventional e-beam lithography process that is used to manufacture single nanowire–based UV photodetectors. It was demonstrated that nanowire network–based UV photodetectors provide a much faster UV photoresponse than conventional single nanowire–based UV photodetectors. The fast UV photoresponse of the fabricated UV photodetector can be attributed to the fact that the potential barriers formed in the nanowire network junctions effectively block the flow of electrons during the process of photocurrent decay. Furthermore, the UV photoresponse under illumination by a 254 nm UV source was studied as a function of the annealing temperature of the AZO nanowires network at a bias of 5 V. The fabricated UV photodetector showed the fastest response of 2 s to UV illumination in air when the sample was annealed in air for 1 h at 300 °C.     

SYNTHESIS OF MELEZITOSE DERIVATIVES

The reactivity of melezitose hydroxyls is studied during tritylation in pyridine. Some novel derivatives of melezitose are prepared. An acetyl is transferred from the 4- to the 6-position after detritylation of 3 and 4. The structures of the products are proved by elemental analysis; ¹ H, ¹³ C, and ¹ H- ¹ H COSY NMR spectra;IR spectra; and fast-atom bombardment mass spectrometry.     

Predicting melting temperature directly from protein sequences

Proteins of both hyperthermophilic and mesophilic microorganisms generally constitute from the same 20 amino acids; however, the extent of thermal tolerance of any given protein is an inherent property of its amino acid sequence. The present study is the first to report a rapid method for predicting Tm (melting temperature), the temperature at which 50% of the protein is unfolded, directly from protein sequences (the Tm Index program is available at http://tm.life.nthu.edu.tw/). We examined 75 complete microbial genomes using the Tm Index, and the analysis clearly differentiated hyperthermophilic from mesophilic microorganisms on this global genomic basis. These results are consistent with the previous hypothesis that hyperthermophiles express a greater number of high Tm proteins compared with mesophiles. The Tm Index will be valuable for modifying existing proteins (enzymes, protein drugs and vaccines) or designing novel proteins having a desired melting temperature.     

大气声传播通道的声源当量估计方法

提出了一种基于大气声传播通道的爆炸声源能量估计方法,通过将计算大气声学的传播能量分布结果与大气中传播的声压幅度衰减模型相结合,使用平流层通道与热层通道传播损失能量比例作为修正量,提高了对爆炸声源能量的估计精度。在多次地面爆炸实验得到的数据中,使用观测距离800 km以上且同时存在平流层通道与热层通道的次声接收信号,对比了平流层顶风速修正的能量估计方法与该文提出的基于大气声传播通道的能量估计方法。实验结果验证了相对于传统风速修正的能量估计方法,该方法可显著降低估计误差。     

基于色谱–光谱联用和斜投影法分析丹皮酚含量

将色谱–光谱仪联用(HPLC–UV)法与斜投影法结合,建立了丹皮酚含量快速分析方法。通过色谱–光谱联用采集丹皮酚结晶母液的紫外多波长光谱三维数据,构建不含丹皮酚的背景数据库以及丹皮酚光谱数据库,基于斜投影法步骤测定了批量样本中丹皮酚含量。结果表明:该方法计算结果和高效液相色谱分析结果接近,相对误差小于5.0%。测定结果的相对标准偏差为0.4%~1.0%(n=5),回收率为98.8%~101.3%。该方法快速、准确,操作简单,可为丹皮酚结晶产品及各种制剂质量控制提供可行方案。     

Stability of fully discrete schemes with interpolation-type fractional formulas for distributed-order subdiffusion equations

Two fully discrete methods are investigated for simulating the distributed-order sub-diffusion equation in Caputo’s form. The fractional Caputo derivative is approximated by the Caputo’s BDF1 (called L1 early) and BDF2 (or L1-2 when it was first introduced) approximations, which are constructed by piecewise linear and quadratic interpolating polynomials, respectively. It is shown that the first scheme, using the BDF1 formula, possesses the discrete minimum-maximum principle and nonnegativity preservation property such that it is stable and convergent in the maximum norm. The method using the BDF2 formula is shown to be stable and convergent in the discrete H ¹ norm by using the discrete energy method. For problems of distributed order within a certain region, the method is also proven to preserve the discrete maximum principle and nonnegativity property. Extensive numerical experiments are provided to show the effectiveness of numerical schemes, and to examine the initial singularity of the solution. The applicability of our numerical algorithms to a problem with solution which lacks the smoothness near the initial time is examined by employing a class of power-type nonuniform meshes.     

A facile chemical reduction method for synthesis of platinum–iron catalysts on carbon fiber papers for methanol oxidation

To enhance catalytic activity and durability for methanol oxidation reaction (MOR), we have fabricated bimetallic Pt–Fe catalysts on carbon fiber papers (denoted as Pt–Fe@CFP) by a facile chemical reduction method using iron as the precursor, ascorbic acid and sodium hypophosphite as the reductants, respectively. When ascorbic acid is using as the reductant, the Pt–Fe@CFP catalysts are composed of platinum and disordered Pt–Fe phases. The atomic ratio between Pt and Fe can be adjusted by altering deposition conditions. The Pt–Fe@CFP catalysts with Pt/Fe ratio of 1.1, which deposited with surfactant CTAB in bath at room temperature, exhibit excellent catalytic activity and stability in MOR. However, when sodium hypophosphite is employed as the reductant, the co-deposition of phosphorus would lead to a decreased catalytic performance in MOR.     

High‐order compact schemes for fractional differential equations with mixed derivatives

In this article, we consider two‐dimensional fractional subdiffusion equations with mixed derivatives. A high‐order compact scheme is proposed to solve the problem. We establish a sufficient condition and show that the scheme converges with fourth order in space and second order in time under this condition.© 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq 33: 2141–2158, 2017     

Density functional theory study of p‐chloroaniline adsorption on Pd surfaces and clusters

The adsorption mode of aromatic molecules on transition metal surfaces plays a key role in their catalytic transformation. In this study, by means of density functional theory calculations, we systematically investigate the adsorption of p‐chloroaniline on a series of Pd surfaces, including stepped surfaces, flat surfaces, and clusters. The adsorption energies of p‐chloroaniline on these substrates [Pd(221), Pd(211), Pd(111), Pd(100), Pd₁₃‐icosahedral, Pd₁₃‐cubo‐octahedron, Pd₅₅] are ?1.90, ?2.13, ?1.70, ?2.11, ?2.53, ?2.65, ?2.23 eV, respectively. Benzene ring is adsorpted on catalyst rather than amine group in p‐chloroaniline molecular. A very good linear relationship is further found between the adsorption energies of p‐chloroaniline and the d‐band center of both Pd surfaces and clusters. The lower of d‐band center of Pd models, the stronger adsorption of p‐chloroaniline on catalysts. In addition, the frontier molecular orbital and density of states analysis explain the adsorption energy sequence: cluster Pd₁₃ > stepped Pd(221) surface > flat Pd(111) surface. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.