Fluorescence and aggregation behavior of poly(amidoamine) dendrimers peripherally modified with aromatic chromophores: the effect of dendritic architectures

PAMAM dendrimers of the zeroth to fifth generation (G0-5) have been peripherally modified with phenyl, naphthyl, pyrenyl, and dansyl chromophores. Their fluorescence behaviors are strongly affected by the dendritic architectures at different generations. These dendrimers modified with hydrophobic chromphores can self-organize into vesicular aggregates at the low generations G0-3 in water. The size and aggregation number of these vesicles decrease with increasing generation from G0 to G3. Critical aggregation concentration determined by fluorescence spectroscopy reveals that these aggregates can be favorably formed in the order of G3 > G2 > G1. In contrast to the vesicles made from traditional amphiphilic compounds, these dendrimer-based vesicles are very adhesive due to the H-bonding interaction and entanglement of dendritic branches located in the outer layer. A large number of multivesicle assemblies, i.e., "twins" and "quins" consisting of two and five vesicles, were clearly identifiable with transmission electron (TEM) and atomic force microscopy. For the dendrimers with peripheral pyrenyl chromophores, triangle-like vesicles were observed in water. The hydrophobic interphase thickness of the vesicular bilayer is ca. 2.0-3.2 nm determined by fluorescence resonance energy transfer methods, which agrees well with the thickness directly observed with TEM.     

Study on the Dynamics of Blending of Glucomannan with Carrageenan and Guaran Gum

In order to prove up the interaction between konjac glucomannan (KGM) and other amyloses, by using KGM, guaran gum and carrageenan as materials, their blending in different external conditions was modeled by means of molecular dynamics (MD) method. The result showed that 323 K was a significant turning point for the formation of hydrogen bond, and KGM and guaran gum were just juxtaposed together via intermolecular hydrogen bond; but with the addition of carrageenan, KGM, guaran gum and carrageenan were spirally twisted together, and when their blending proportion is 3:2:9 the combination was the most compact. Moreover, the research result has provided the sequent studies afterwards on amyloses with some references.     

The embedding of meta-tetra(hydroxyphenyl)-chlorin into silica nanoparticle platforms for photodynamic therapy and their singlet oxygen production and pH-dependent optical properties

This study relates to nanoparticle (NP) platforms that attach to tumor cells externally and only deliver singlet oxygen for photodynamic therapy (PDT) while conserving the embedded photosensitizers (PS). As a model, we demonstrate the successful embedding of the PS meta‐tetra(hydroxyphenyl)‐chlorin (m‐THPC) in NP that are based on a sol–gel silica matrix and also show its positive effect on the singlet oxygen production. The embedding of m‐THPC inside silica NP is accomplished by a modified Stöber sol–gel process, in which (3‐aminopropyl)‐triethoxysilane is introduced during the reaction. Singlet oxygen delivery by the targetable photodynamic NP exceeds that from free PS molecules. In the physiological pH range, there is no significant pH‐induced decrease in the fluorescence of m‐THPC embedded in silica NP, which might otherwise affect the efficiency of PDT.     

273.15 K下Li2B4O7-LiCl-H2O体系热力学性质的等压研究及离子作用模型

用等压法研究了273.15 K下Li₂B₄O₇-LiCl-H₂O体系不同质量摩尔浓度分数的等压平衡浓度和水活度; 计算了LiCl和Li₂B₄O₇混合盐溶液的渗透系数等热力学性质. 用273.15 K下的实验数据对Pitzer离子相互作用模型进行了参数化研究, 拟合求取了273.15 K下Pitzer离子相互作用参数, 用获得的参数计算了LiCl和Li₂B₄O₇在Li₂B₄O₇-LiCl-H₂O体系中的活度系数. 273.15 K下由相应的Pitzer模型计算的渗透系数值与实验结果一致. 这对完善含锂、硼盐湖卤水体系的热力学模型具有重要意义.     

Synthesis of conducting polyaniline using novel anionic Gemini surfactant as micellar stabilizer

The Gemini surfactant 9B-4-9B containing sodium sulfonate as hydrophilic head group was synthesized based on nonylphenol and characterized by FTIR, ¹H NMR spectroscopy and the surface tension measurement. The CMC and C₂₀ of the 9B-4-9B were smaller than that of sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate and sodium dodecylsulfate, respectively, indicating excellent efficiency of micelle formation and reduced surface tension. Conducting polyaniline salts were synthesized by chemical oxidative micellar polymerization of aniline in water firstly using Gemini surfactant 9B-4-9B as the micelle stabilizer and ammonium peroxydisulfate as the oxidant at 0 °C. The stable polyaniline dispersions have been obtained when the molar ratio of the 9B-4-9B to aniline was equal to or above 0.5 used in the polymerization system. The obtained granular polyaniline particles with the size of 1-2 μm were characterized by FTIR, UV-Vis, SEM, WAXD and conductivity measurement.     

A dimer of α‐ and β‐dihydro­arte­misinin: bis­(3,6,9‐trimethyl‐3,12‐epidioxy‐3,4,5,5a,6,7,8,8a,9,10‐deca­hydro‐12H‐pyrano[4,3‐j][1,2]­benzo­dioxepin‐10‐yl) ether

The title compound, C₃₀H₄₆O₉, prepared from a mixture of α‐ and β‐dihydro­artemisinin, has α‐ and β‐arteether moieties linked via an –O– bridge, so that the mol­ecule is asymmetric about the bridge. The endoperoxide bridges of the parent compounds have been retained in each half of the ether‐bridged dimer. The rings exhibit chair and twist–boat conformations.     

蛋白质组学在人乳蛋白质研究中的应用

人乳是新生儿最理想的天然食物，蛋白质是人乳中最主要的营养成分之一。随着蛋白质组学技术的发展，利用蛋白质组学的方法研究人乳蛋白质也取得了一些研究成果。本文综述了近年来蛋白质组学技术在人乳蛋白质研究中的应用，分别从人乳蛋白质的组成研究、动态变化、人乳与其他来源乳汁的蛋白质差异比较、人乳磷酸化蛋白和糖基化蛋白研究、人乳内源肽的研究及人乳蛋白与疾病等几个方面进行了阐述。蛋白质组学技术使人乳蛋白质的研究进入了微量营养研究的时代，人乳蛋白质组学的研究成果将为母婴健康提供更好的保障。     

Crosslinking polydopamine/cellulose nanofibril composite aerogels by metal coordination bonds for significantly improved thermal stability,flame resistance,and thermal insulation properties

Cellulose nanofibril (CNF) aerogels have attracted great interests in recent years due to the low cost, sustainability and biocompatibility of raw CNF. However, the poor thermal stability and flammable feature of CNF aerogels have limited their wider applications. In this paper, polydopamine/CNF composite aerogels with good comprehensive properties are fabricated by modification of CNF with polydopamine and metal coordination bonds crosslinking. The microstructure and properties of composite aerogels are thoroughly characterized by a variety of tests. It is found that the microstructure of aerogels are more regular and the compressive strength of aerogels are enhanced by the incorporation of polydopamine and Fe³⁺ crosslinking. Importantly, the thermal stability and flame resistance of aerogels are significantly improved, which permit the application of composite aerogels in high-temperature thermal insulation. In addition, the reversible characteristic of metal coordination bonds allows the water induced healing of fractured composite aerogels. This study is expected to provide information for future development of green and high-performance aerogels.

Graphic abstract

     

Synthesis and Properties of Polyetherketones Containing Sulfide and Phthalazinone

High molecular weight copoly(ether ketone)s (PEK) based on 4-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-1-phthalazinone (DHPZ)/4,4′-thiobisphenol (TBP)/4,4′-diflourodiphenylketone (DFK) were prepared by nucleophilic substitution polycondensation. The copolymers were characterized by FT- and ^1H-NMR. Thermal properties and solubility of copolymers were studied.     

Nd-Fe-B alloy-densified agarose gel for expanded bed adsorption of proteins

Novel dense composite adsorbents for expanded bed adsorption of protein have been fabricated by coating 4% agarose gel onto Nd-Fe-B alloy powder by a water-in-oil emulsification method. Two composite matrices, namely Nd-Fe-B alloy-densified agarose (NFBA) gels with different size distributions and densities, NFBA-S (50-165 microm, 1.88 g/ml) and NFBA-L (140-300 microm, 2.04 g/ml), were produced. Lysozyme was used as a model protein to test the adsorption capacity and kinetics for the NFBA gels modified by Cibacron blue 3GA (CB-NFBA gels). Liquid-phase dispersion behavior in the expanded beds was examined by measurements of residence time distributions, and compared with that of Streamline SP (Amersham-Pharmacia Biotech, Sweden). The dependence of axial mixing in the expanded beds on flow velocity, bed expansion degree. settled bed height, and viscosity of liquid phase was investigated. Breakthrough curves of lysozyme in the expanded beds of the CB-NFBA gels were also examined. The dynamic binding capacity at 5% breakthrough was 23.3 mg/ml matrix for the CB-NFBA-S gels, and 16.7 mg/ml matrix for the CB-NFBA-L, at a flow velocity of 220 cm/h. The results indicate that the NFBA gels are promising for expanded bed adsorption of proteins.