Efficient assembly of multi-walled carbon nanotube-CdSe/ZnS quantum dot hybrids with high biocompatibility and fluorescence property

CdSe/ZnS core-shell quantum dots (QDs) were efficiently tethered onto polyamidoamine dendrimer-modified multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) by covalent linkage and mercapto-mediated assembly. The obtained MWCNT-QD hybrids were both photophysically and morphologically characterized. The QDs are well-distributed on single nanotube surface in high density and the assembly of QDs onto MWCNTs does not change the fluorescence emission wavelength of QDs but significantly decreases the emission density. Cytotoxicity of MWCNT-QD hybrids to HeLa cells and their fluorescence property in living cell system were evaluated in detail. The hybrids show a little effect on cell viability even at very high concentration (100 μg mL(-1)). Moreover, they possess intense red fluorescence signal under optical fluorescence microscopy and good fluorescence stability over 72-h exposure in living cell system.     

Preparation and in vitro properties of redox-responsive polymeric nanoparticles for paclitaxel delivery

Rice-like polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) composed of a new redox-responsive polymer, poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(lactic acid) (MPEG-SS-PLA), were prepared to carry paclitaxel (PTX) for glutathione (GSH)-regulated drug delivery. The PTX-loaded MPEG-SS-PLA NPs were fabricated using an optimized oil-in-water emulsion/solvent evaporation method. The size and morphology of the prepared NPs were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The SEM results demonstrate that the NPs were dispersed as individual particles and were rice-shaped. The PTX loading efficiency, in vitro release, and stability of the NPs were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The HPLC results revealed that the NPs released almost 90% PTX within 96 h when GSH presented at intracellular concentrations, whereas only a very small PTX amount was released at plasma GSH levels. The in vitro cytotoxicities of the NPs against A549, MCF-7, and HeLa carcinoma cells were assessed using a standard methyl thiazolyl tetrazoliun (MTT) assay. The MTT assay results show that the NPs caused concentration- and time-dependent changes in cell viability. To investigate the cellular uptake of the PTX-loaded NPs, visual endocytosis assay was performed using the fluorescent dye coumarin-6 as a model drug. The endocytosis assay results reveal rapid penetration and intracellular accumulation of coumarin-6-loaded NPs, as well as rapid coumarin-6 dispersion from the NPs. Overall, these findings establish that the NPs containing the synthesized redox-responsive polymer MPEG-SS-PLA can be used as potential carrier systems for antitumor drug delivery.     

Sequential microfluidic droplet processing for rapid DNA extraction

This work describes a novel droplet-based microfluidic device, which enables sequential droplet processing for rapid DNA extraction. The microdevice consists of a droplet generation unit, two reagent addition units and three droplet splitting units. The loading/washing/elution steps required for DNA extraction were carried out by sequential microfluidic droplet processing. The movement of superparamagnetic beads, which were used as extraction supports, was controlled with magnetic field. The microdevice could generate about 100 droplets per min, and it took about 1 min for each droplet to perform the whole extraction process. The extraction efficiency was measured to be 46% for λ-DNA, and the extracted DNA could be used in subsequent genetic analysis such as PCR, demonstrating the potential of the device for fast DNA extraction.     

Syntheses, structures and luminescent properties of a series of 3D lanthanide coordination polymers with tripodal semirigid ligand

Reactions of the tripodal bridging ligand 5-(4-carboxy-phenoxy)-isophthalic acid (abbreviated as H₃cpia) with lanthanide salts lead to the formation of a family of different coordination polymers, that is, [Ln(cpia)(H₂O)₂]_n·nH₂O (Ln=Ce (1), Pr (2), Nd (3), Sm (4), Eu (5), Gd (6), Dy (7), Er (8), Tm (9) and Y (10)) in the presence of formic acid or diethylamine, which are characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectrum, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), XRPD spectrum and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Compounds 1-10 are isostructural and exhibit three-dimensional microporous frameworks. Furthermore, the photoluminescent properties of 4, 5 and 7 have been studied in detail.     

Differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetric determination of Cd and Pb at a bismuth glassy carbon electrode modified with Nafion, poly(2,5-dimercapto-1,3,4-thiadiazole) and multiwalled carbon nanotubes

A simple, cheap, and nonpolluting method was developed for the cloud point extraction of gold (Au) and palladium (Pd). It is based on the complexation reaction of Au and Pd with 1-phenyl-3-methyl-4-benzoyl-5-pyrazolone (PMBP) and micelle mediated extraction of the complex using the non-ionic surfactant poly(ethylene glycol) mono-p-nonylphenyl ether (PONPE 7.5). Under the optimized experimental conditions, the enrichment factors are 16 and 17 for Au and Pd, respectively, for 15?mL of preconcentrated solution. The limits of detection are 3.8???g?L^?1 and 1.8???g?L^?1 for Au and Pd, respectively. The relative standard deviations are 1.4% for Au and 0.6% for Pd (n?=?11). The method was successfully applied to the determination of Au and Pd in certified reference materials and mine samples.

Identification and quantification of nucleosides and nucleobases in Geosaurus and Leech by hydrophilic-interaction chromatography

A simple hydrophilic-interaction chromatography (HILIC) method was developed for the identification and quantification of 14 nucleosides and nucleobases, namely cytosine, uracil, cytidine, guanine, hypoxanthine, xanthine, uridine, thymine, inosine, guanosine, thymidine, 2′-deoxyadenosine, 2′-deoxyinosine and 2′-deoxyuridine in two traditional Chinese medicines, Geosaurus and Leech. The separation was achieved on a TSKgel Amide-80 column (150 mm × 2.0 mm, 3.0 μm) with a mixture of acetonitrile and 10 mM aqueous ammonium acetate as the mobile phase at a flow rate of 0.2 mL/min. The temperature was set at 30 °C and UV detection wavelength was set at 260 nm. All calibration curves showed good linearity (R² > 0.9957) within the test ranges. The overall intra- and inter-day RSD ranged from 0.4 to 3.4% and from 0.7 to 3.3%, respectively. The LOD and LOQ were in the range of 0.07-30.49 ng/mL and 0.26-60.98 ng/mL, respectively. The repeatability of the method was in the range of 2.2-5.8% for Geosaurus and 1.4-5.5% for Leech. The recoveries of the samples were in the range of 91.4-100.9% for Geosaurus, and 91.9-99.3% for Leech. The established method was applied successfully for the analysis of nucleosides and nucleobases in 22 commercially available samples collected from different regions in China and Japan. Our data showed that HILIC had advantages as a useful tool for the study of the bioactive components in Geosaurus and Leech as well as their quality control, and could therefore be used for the determination of the analytes in pharmaceutical products and biological fluids.     

Determination of linear alkylbenzene sulfonates by ion-pair solid-phase extraction and high-performance liquid chromatography

In this paper, the potential use of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) as solid phase extraction (SPE) adsorbent was evaluated for preconcentration of linear alkylbenzene sulfonates (LAS) using ion-pair (IP)-SPE with tetrabutylammonium hydroxide (TBAH). The LAS homologues present in the aqueous sample were ion-paired with TBAH and the solution was passed through the MWCNT cartridges. The analytes retained in the cartridge were eluted with methanol and the concentrated methanol extract was analysed by HPLC-UV. In order to obtain the satisfactory recovery of LAS homologues, various parameters including the type and amount of the ion-pair reagents, the desorption and enrichment conditions such as the effect of eluent and its volume, pH, the flow rate, the ultrasonic time of sample, and the volume of sample solution were systematically optimized. Under the optimal conditions, LAS homologues could be easily extracted by the proposed SPE cartridge. The favorable limits of detection (LOD) for LAS homologues were in the range from 0.02 to 0.03 μg L⁻¹, and the relative standard deviations (RSDs) were 1.55-2.54% for 10 μg L⁻¹ LAS (n = 6). The proposed method has been successfully applied for the analysis of LAS homologues in aqueous environmental samples. A comparison study with ion-pair solid extraction on MWCNTs, C8 and C18 as adsorbents for LAS demonstrated that ion pair-based solid extraction on MWCNTs adsorbent was advantageous over C8 and C18, the widely used traditional adsorbents.     

Improvements in monitoring the N-terminal valine adduct in human globin after exposure to sulfur mustard and synthesis of reference chemicals

The N-terminal valine adduct (HETE-Val) in globin is believed to behave as a long-lived biomarker after exposure to sulfur mustard (HD). Development of a highly sensitive method for monitoring HETE-Val, particularly at low HD exposure levels or for retrospective detection, would be a significant achievement. In this study, by improving the sample preparation method, a sensitive NCI-GC/MS method was established for the analysis of HETE-Val in globin after HD exposure. To optimize and investigate the sample preparation method, all the relevant HETE-Val chemicals were synthesized, purified, and characterized. By carrying out optimized solid phase extraction (SPE) cleanup followed by modified Edman degradation results in a low detection level and clean baseline. The minimum detectable exposure level of human blood (in vitro) to HD is 20 nmol/L (S/N > 3). The interday and intraday precisions of the proposed method were found to be acceptable with less than a 15% relative standard deviation (RSD). A nearly linear dose-effect relationship was observed between HETE-Val and a HD exposure concentration range of 0.1-120 μmol/L. The percentage of HD that reacted with N-terminal valine in globin obtained from human blood (in vitro) was quantified using the proposed method.     

钛纳米管负载锰催化剂的低温选择性催化还原脱硝性能

采用水热法合成了钛纳米管（TiNT）,以400℃焙烧后得到的TiO₂纳米管为载体,采用浸渍法制备了MnO_x/TiNT催化剂,用于低温NH₃选择性催化还原脱NO反应（SCR）。BET、TEM、XRD及TG测试表明,经过400℃焙烧之后的钛纳米管主要成分为锐钛矿型TiO₂,所制备的催化剂活性组分分散性较好。在模拟烟气条件下,考察了锰负载量、空速、O₂含量、氨氮比及进口NO浓度对MnO_x/TiNT的SCR催化性能的影响。在150℃、\[NH₃\]/\[NO\]比为1.2、O₂浓度为3%、NO浓度为0.06%、空速GHSV为23613.8h^-1、Mn的负载量为5%~15%的条件下,NO的转化率达到95%以上。反应气氛中单独通入水会造成催化剂的活性下降;切断H₂O,催化剂的活性可以恢复至初始水平。温度越高,催化剂抗水性能越好,而且水存在情况下的抗硫性能优于其单独抗硫性能。再次切断H₂O和SO₂,催化剂的活性逐渐上升,但不能恢复到初始水平。     

N-{4-{N-甲基-N-[2-羟基-3-(2,4-二氧代-1,2,3,4-四氢嘧啶-5-基)氨基]丙基}氨基-3-溴}苯甲酰基-L-谷氨酸二乙酯及其衍生物的合成

报道了N-{4-{N-甲基-N-[2-羟基-3-(2,4-二氧代-1,2,3,4-四氢嘧啶-5-基)氨基]丙基}氨基-3-溴}苯甲酰基-L-谷氨酸二乙酯及其衍生物的简便合成方法. 分别以4-氨基苯甲酸乙酯和4-氨基苯甲酰基-L-谷氨酸二乙酯为起始物, 经甲基化、烯丙基化、溴羟基化、环氧化、开环、脱保护等反应首次合成了6个新型5-取代氨基嘧啶类化合物, 并通过¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR 和MS对其化学结构进行了表征. 初步生物活性结果表明, 苯环侧链的L-谷氨酸酯部分是此类化合物抑制人重组二氢叶酸还原酶的必需结构.