Identification,Characterization and Antihypertensive Effect In Vivo of a Novel ACE-Inhibitory Heptapeptide from Defatted Areca Nut Kernel Globulin Hydrolysates

The areca (Areca catechu L.) nut kernel (ANK) is a good potential protein source for its high protein content of 9.89–14.62 g/100 g and a high yield of around 300,000 tons per year in China. However, utilization of the areca nut kernel is limited. To expand the usage of ANK in pharmaceutical or foods industries, areca nut kernel globulin was extracted and angiotensin-I converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition peptides were prepared and identified using gel chromatography, reversed phase HPLC separation, UPLC-ESI-MS/MS analysis and in silico screening. Finally, a novel ACE-inhibitory heptapeptide (Ala–Pro–Lys–Ile–Glu–Glu–Val) was identified and chemically synthesized. The combination pattern between APKIEEV and ACE, and the inhibition kinetics, antihypertensive effect and endothlein-1 inhibition activity of APKIEEV were studied. The results of the molecular docking demonstrated that APKIEEV could bind to four active sites (not the key active sites) of ACE via short hydrogen bonds and demonstrated high ACE-inhibitory activity (IC₅₀: 550.41 μmol/L). Moreover, APKIEEV exhibited a significantly lowering effect on both the systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure of spontaneously hypertensive rats, and had considerable suppression ability on intracellular endothelin-1. These results highlight the potential usage of APKIEEV as ingredients of antihypertensive drugs or functional foods.     

Enhanced Oral Absorption of Icaritin by Using Mixed Polymeric Micelles Prepared with a Creative Acid-Base Shift Method

The purpose of this study was to develop mixed polymeric micelles with high drug loading capacity to improve the oral bioavailability of icaritin with Soluplus^® and Poloxamer 407 using a creative acid-base shift (ABS) method, which exhibits the advantages of exclusion of organic solvents, high drug loading and ease of scaling-up. The feasibility of the ABS method was successfully demonstrated by studies of icaritin-loaded polymeric micelles (IPMs). The prepared IPMs were characterized to have a spherical shape with a size of 72.74 ± 0.51 nm, and 13.18% drug loading content. In vitro release tests confirmed the faster release of icaritin from IPMs compared to an oil suspension. Furthermore, bioavailability of icaritin in IPMs in beagle dogs displayed a 14.9-fold increase when compared with the oil suspension. Transcellular transport studies of IPMs across Caco-2 cell monolayers confirmed that the IPMs were endocytosed in their intact forms through macropinocytosis, clathrin-, and caveolae-mediated pathways. In conclusion, the results suggested that the mixed micelles of Soluplus^® and Poloxamer 407 could be a feasible drug delivery system to enhance oral bioavailability of icaritin, and the ABS method might be a promising technology for the preparation of polymeric micelles to encapsulate poorly water-soluble weakly acidic and alkaline drugs.     

Synthesis and Single Crystal Structures of N-Substituted Benzamides and Their Chemoselective Selenation/Reduction Derivatives

A series of N-aryl-N-(2-oxo-2-arylethyl) benzamides and cinnamides has been prepared. The reaction of the benzamides with Woollins’ reagent, a highly efficient chemoselective selenation/reduction reagent, gave the corresponding N-aryl-N-(arylenethyl) benzoselenoamides in good yields. Five representative single crystal X-ray structures are discussed.     

端粒酶活性检测研究进展

端粒酶活性检测方法经过近30年的不断改革与发展,取得了巨大突破。该文重点综述了近3年的端粒酶活性检测方法,其中包括化学反应发光法、电化学法、荧光分析法、比色法等,旨在更加全面地了解目前端粒酶活性检测的研究进展,为设计新的端粒酶活性检测方法和克服端粒酶活性检测方法在临床试验中的挑战提供思路。     

Recent Development of DNA-modified AIEgen Probes for Biomedical Application

A variety of DNA-based probes are utilized for the detections of multiple analytes and DNA nanotechnology has been thriving for recent decades and achieving numerous nanostructures,mainly focusing on DNA morphology modulation and multifunctional systems engineered into to the complicated works.Among the numerous detections,fluorescence method is a non-invasive,highly selective and sensitive means for varieties of applications,but their emissions are often compromised by the aggregation-caused quenching(ACQ)effect,which weakens their applications.The aggregation induced emission luminogens(AIEgens)are created with non emissive or weakly emissive in a low concentration but emit strong fluorescence in a high concentration with aggregated states.Herein,numerous functionalized AIEgens have been emerged and used for detection and imaging and DNA-modified AIEgen probes are introduced.In this vein,here we report the progress on DNA-modified AIEgen probes in recent years and highlight their conjugation strategies including covalent bonding,electrostatic interaction and their applications of biosensing.Moreover,multiple DNA strands are needed to introduce into the DNA-modified AIEgen probes for more purposes.At the end,some challenges are mentioned to discuss the new trend of DNA-modified AIEgen probes.     

Built-in piezoelectric field improved photocatalytic performance of nanoflower-like Bi2WO6 using low-power white LEDs

Photocatalysis technology has been proved to be a potential strategy for removal of organic dyes, however high-power light sources are generally necessary to initiate photocatalytic reaction. In this work, we employed an excellent photocatalyst of Bi₂WO₆ with visible light harvest and meanwhile an intrinsic ferroelectricity, which realized the efficient degradation of organic dye via the synergetic photopiezocatalysis. Through coupling the illumination by a low-power (9 W) LED and the ultrasonic vibration (120 W) by an ultrasonic cleaner, the nanoflower-like Bi₂WO₆ composed of ultrathin nanosheets showed a much more enhanced photopiezocatalysis performance for purification of organic dye than the individual photocatalysis and piezocatalysis. Furthermore, the high mineralization efficiency and the good durability of the Bi₂WO₆ catalyst were demonstrated. The possible mechanism of photopiezocatalysis was finally proposed, where the ultrasound-induced piezoelectric field in Bi₂WO₆ drove photo-generated electrons and holes to diffuse along opposite directions, consequently promoting the separation efficiency of charge carriers. This work indicates that the synergetic photopiezocatalysis by coupling irradiation and ultrasonic vibration is a promising strategy to purify organic pollutants in wastewater.     

利用高吸水树脂优化3个中学化学实验*

尝试利用高吸水树脂对“酸碱中和反应、碳酸钠和碳酸氢钠分别与稀盐酸反应、探究分子运动现象”这3个实验进行创新改进,充分利用了高吸水树脂特殊的结构作用,使3个实验的现象更加显著。改进实验操作简便,高效简洁,值得推广到一线化学课堂的演示实验或学生分组实验。     

高精度镉同位素分析样品消解方法对比研究

为考察不同消解方法的优缺点以及对不同基质样品(沉积物和大米)Cd同位素组成的影响,该文采用干法灰化法、酸提取法、微波消解法和高温高压密闭消解法等消解方法对水系沉积物(GSD)进行消解处理,比较了不同消解方法对沉积物Cd同位素组成测定的影响。随后使用微波消解法和高温高压密闭消解法对大米标准物质以及实际大米样品进行了消解。结果表明：高温高压密闭消解法所获得的沉积物Cd同位素测试结果在国内外文献报道的参考值范围内,能够满足同位素测定要求。而使用干法灰化法和酸提取法消解样品时,由于存在元素损失或消解不完全,标准物质Cd元素的回收率偏低(低至72.8%),导致同位素测试结果显著偏离真实值(Δ114/110Cd值最大偏差达0.24‰)。微波消解法处理标准物质Cd元素的回收率在96.6%~98.8%范围内,且同位素测试结果与高温高压密闭消解法结果吻合良好(Δ114/110Cd≤±0.04‰),表明微波消解法可以满足沉积物Cd同位素的测定要求,能够获得准确的Cd同位素组成数据。对大米标准物质和实际大米样品进行消解,所获得的Cd同位素测试结果与上述沉积物样品结果相同(Δ114/110Cd≤±0.04‰),进一步验证了微波消解法的可靠性,证实微波消解法可用于沉积物及植物样品(大米)Cd同位素分析的快速消解。     

基于电化学传感器检测赭曲霉毒素A的研究进展

赭曲霉毒素A(Ochratoxin A,OTA)是一种由赭曲霉、青霉菌等真菌产生的次级代谢产物,在自然界分布广泛,具有肝毒性、肾毒性、致癌、致突变作用。鉴于其危害的严重性和污染的广泛性,发展高灵敏度的OTA检测技术引起了研究者的广泛关注。该文阐述了近年来新型电化学传感技术在OTA 检测方面的发展及应用,全面综述了目前OTA电化学传感器的主要类型及其优缺点,并对其发展方向提出了展望,从而为基于OTA的电化学传感器的深入研究与应用提供了参考。