Combining selection valve and mixing chamber for nanoflow gradient generation: Toward developing a liquid chromatography cartridge coupled with mass spectrometer for protein and peptide analysis

Toward developing a micro HPLC cartridge, we have recently built a high-pressure electroosmotic pump (EOP). However, we do not recommend people to use this pump to deliver an organic solvent directly, because it often makes the pump rate unstable. We have experimented several approaches to address this issue, but none of them are satisfactory. Here, we develop an innovative approach to address this issue. We first create an abruption (a dead-volume) within a fluid conduit. We then utilize an EOP to withdraw, via a selection valve, a train of eluent solutions having decreasing eluting power into the fluid conduit. When these solutions are further aspirated through the dead-volume, these solutions are partially mixed, smoothening concentration transitions between two adjacent eluent solutions. As these solutions are pushed back, through the dead-volume again, a smooth gradient profile is formed. In this work, we characterize this scheme for gradient formation, and we incorporate this approach with a high-pressure EOP, a nanoliter injection valve, and a capillary column, yielding a micro HPLC system. We then couple this micro HPLC with an electrospray ionization – mass spectrometer for peptide and protein separations and identifications.     

Global existence and bounds for blow‐up time in a class of nonlinear pseudo‐parabolic equations with a memory term

In this article, we consider the initial boundary value problem for a class of nonlinear pseudo‐parabolic equations with a memory term: Under suitable assumptions, we obtain the local and global existence of the solution by Galerkin method. We prove finite‐time blow‐up of the solution for initial data at arbitrary energy level and obtain upper bounds for blow‐up time by using the concavity method. In addition, by means of differential inequality technique, we obtain a lower bound for blow‐up time of the solution if blow‐up occurs.     

Feasibility study of iron mineral separation from red mud by high gradient superconducting magnetic separation

The disposal of bayer red mud tailings now seriously threats the environment safety. Reduction and recycling of red mud is now an urgent work in aluminum industry. High gradient superconducting magnetic separation (HGSMS) system was applied to separate the extreme fine RM particles (<100 μm) into high iron content part and low iron content part. Two sorts of RM were fed in the HGSMS. The iron oxide contents in concentrates were about 65% and 45% when RM 1# and RM 2# were fed respectively. Meanwhile, the residues contained 52.0% or 14.1% iron oxide in residues after eight separation stages when RM 1# and RM 2# were fed respectively. The mass recovery of iron concentrates was about 10% after once separation process regardless of RM 1# or RM 2# was fed. Extreme fine particles (<10 μm) could be captured in the HGSMS. Intergrowth of Fe and other elements is disadvantages for iron mineral separation from RM by HGSMS. Some improvement should be studied to enhance the efficiency of iron separation. It is possible for HGSMS to separate RM into high iron content part and low iron content part, the former part could be used in iron-making furnace and the later part could be recycling to sintering process for alumina production or used as construction material.     

Fire properties of silylated α‐zirconium phosphate composites based on polystyrene

α‐zirconium phosphate (ZrP) (prepared by both reflux and hydrothermal methods) is silylated with chlorotrimethylsilane and characterized by X‐ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Polystyrene/silylated‐ZrP composites show higher thermal stability as the ZrP content increases. Cone calorimetry suggests that the reduction of the peak heat release rate of polystyrene (PS)/ZrP composites does not increase as the ZrP loading increases; the aspect ratio of ZrP has little effect in fire performance of PS/ZrP composites. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Triazole and Benzotriazole Derivatives as Novel Inhibitors for p90 Ribosomal S6 Protein Kinase 2： Synthesis, Molecular Docking and SAR Analysis

A series of triazole and benzotriazole derivatives as novel p90 ribosomal S6 protein kinase 2 （RSK2） inhibitors were designed and synthesized. The in vitro activities against RSK2 were evaluated, and among 14 compounds, compounds 5, 6, 11, 12, 13 and 14 exhibited enzyme IC50 values of 8.91, 2.86, 3.19, 3.05, 4.49 and 2.09 μmol/L re- spectively. The proposed binding modes were simulated using molecular docking method, and the docking results coupled with the stmcture-activi1：y relationship （SAR） analysis indicated that all these active compounds bound to the RSK2 ATP binding site at NTKD, and the electron-donating groups on the 4-position of phenyl were the deter- minant point for the inhibitory activity.     

A 2D Wavy Parquet Architecture Based on the Biphenyl-3,3’,4,4’-tetracarboxylic Acid and Bis(2-benzimidazole)alkanes Ligands

A double-T-shaped ligand (H4BPTC) and bis(2-benzimidazole)alkanes as the spacers have been firstly used to direct the assembly of a 2D coordination polymer with wavy parquet network topology, [Zn(BPTC)0.5(H2C2EIm)(H2O)]n (1, C24H18ZnN4O5, Mr = 507.79, H4BPTC = biphenyl-3,3',4,4'-tetracarboxylic acid, H2C2EIm = 2,2'-(1,2-ethanediyl)-bis(1H-benzi- midazole), which was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The crystal belongs to the monoclinic system, space group P21/n with a = 1.1844(5), b = 1.4019(5), c = 1.4026(5) nm, β = 108.359(5)°, V = 2.2104(15) nm3, Z = 4, Dc = 1.526 g/cm3, μ(MoKα) = 1.156 mm-1, F(000) = 1040, S = 1.038, the final R = 0.0427 and wR = 0.0793 for 3834 reflections with I > 2σ(I). The compound units are linked through BPTC ligands into a wavilness parquet 2D layer and further connected into a 3D framework via π-π packing interactions between the adjacent H2C2EIm ligands and weak N-H…O hydrogen bonding between uncoordinated carboxylate and the nitrogen atoms of H2C2EIm as well as the free water molecules.     

“One pot” homogeneous synthesis of thermoplastic cellulose acetate-graft-poly(l-lactide) copolymers from unmodified cellulose

Using native cellulose as the starting material, cellulose acetate-graft-ploy (l-lactide) (CA-g-PLA) copolymers were successfully synthesized by “one-pot” process in an ionic liquid 1-allyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (AmimCl). In this process, cellulose was first reacted with acetic anhydride, yielding cellulose acetate (CA), and then ring opening graft copolymerization of l-lactide was carried out from the residual hydroxyl groups of CA in the same solution using 4-dimethylaminopridine (DMAP) as the catalyst. Both acetyl and ploy (l-lactide) contents in CA-g-PLA copolymers could be well controlled by changing reaction conditions. The structures and thermal properties of CA-g-PLA copolymers were characterized. The glass transition temperature T_g of copolymers decreased with increasing PLA content. Compared to the pure PLA and cellulose-graft-PLA copolymers, the CA-g-PLA copolymers possessed better thermo mechanical properties in a temperature range of 60–130 °C. When the molar substitution of PLA (MS_PLA) was above 1.71, the CA-g-PLA copolymers exhibited thermoplastic behavior and could be processed by conventional thermal processing methods, such as injection molding and melt spinning.     

Effect of Axial Ligands on the Molecular Configurations,Stability, Reactivity,and Photodynamic Activities of Silicon Phthalocyanines

To demonstrate the effect of axial ligands on the structure–activity relationship, a series of axially substituted silicon phthalocyanines (SiPcs) have been synthesized with changes to the axial ligands. The reactivity of the axial ligand upon shielding by the phthalocyanine ring current, along with their stability, photophysical, and photodynamic therapy (PDT) activities were compared and evaluated for the first time. As revealed by single‐crystal XRD analysis, rotation of the axial ? OMe ligands was observed in SiPc 3 , which resulted in two molecular configurations coexisting synchronously in both the solid and solution states and causing a split of the phthalocyanine α protons in the ¹H NMR spectra that is significantly different from all SiPcs reported so far. The remarkable photostability, good singlet oxygen quantum yield, and efficient in vitro photodynamic activity synergistically show that compound 3 is one of the most promising photosensitizers for PDT.     

铀酰与羧酸和肟基类配体相互作用的理论研究

深入了解各种功能基团与铀酰离子的络合行为有助于设计和开发高效海水提铀吸附剂. 本工作通过密度泛函理论(DFT)方法系统地研究了两种典型铀酰络合配体吡啶-2,6-二羧酸(H₂DPA)和戊二酰偕亚胺二肟(H₂A)与铀酰离子及碳酸根离子形成的配合物的结构、成键性质以及热力学稳定性. 研究结果表明, 所有配合物中, 配体与铀酰离子之间具有不同强度的共价相互作用. 由于H₂A配位时发生了质子重排, 而且配体的解离能较高, 使其更难与[UO₂(CO₃)₃]^4-发生取代反应, 因此H₂DPA配体是海水提铀中一种潜在的有效配体. 本工作的相关研究结果为海水提铀中高效吸附基团的设计和开发提供了理论线索.