Golf ball-assisted electrospray ionization of mass spectrometry for the determination of trace amino acids in complex samples

During the electrospray ionization (ESI) process, ions move through a heated capillary aperture to be detected on arrival at a mass analyzer. However, the ESI process creates an ion plume, which expands into an ion cloud with an area larger than that of the heated capillary aperture, significantly contributing to an ion loss of 50% due to coulombic repulsion. The use of DC and RF fields to focus ions from the ion source into the vacuum chamber has been proposed in the literature, but the improvement of ion transmission efficiency is limited. To improve ion transmission, in this study we propose a novel method using a home-made golf ball positioned between the ion source and the inlet of the mass analyzer to hydrodynamically focus the ions passing through the golf ball. The ion plume produced by the ESI process passes through the golf ball will reduce the size of the ion cloud then be focused and most of them flowed into the mass analyzer. Therefore, the sensitivity will be improved, the aim of this investigation is to study the enhancing of the signal using golf ball-assisted electrospray ionization liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to determine 20 trace amino acids in complex samples, including tea, urine and serum. The results showed that the analytical performance of the determination of the 20 amino acids in tea, urine and serum samples using the home-made golf ball-assisted ESI source is better than that of a commercial ESI source. The signal intensities of the 20 amino acids were enhanced by factors of 2–2700, 11–2525, and 31–342680 in oolong tea, urine and serum analyses, respectively. The precision of the proposed method ranged from 1–9%, 0.4–9% and 0.4–8% at low, medium and high concentration levels of amino acids, respectively. The home-made golf ball-assisted ESI source effectively increased the signal intensity and enhanced the ion transmission efficiency and is also an easy, convenient and economical device. This technique can be applied to the analysis of trace compounds in complex matrices.     

Reconstruction of physics objects at the Circular Electron Positron Collider with Arbor

After the Higgs discovery, precise measurements of the Higgs properties and the electroweak observables become vital for the experimental particle physics. A powerful Higgs/Z factory, the Circular Electron Positron Collider (CEPC) is proposed. The Particle Flow oriented detector design is proposed to the CEPC and a Particle Flow algorithm, Arbor is optimized accordingly. We summarize the physics object reconstruction performance of the Particle Flow oriented detector design with Arbor algorithm and conclude that this combination fulfills the physics requirement of CEPC.     

Study of three rotating radio transients with FAST

Rotating radio transients(RRATs) are peculiar astronomical objects whose emission mechanism remains under investigation.In this paper, we present observations of three RRATs, J1538+2345, J1854+0306 and J1913+1330, carried out with the Fivehundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope(FAST). Specifically, we analyze the mean pulse profiles and temporal flux density evolutions of the RRATs. Owing to the high sensitivity of FAST, the derived burst rates of the three RRATs are higher than those in previous reports. RRAT J1854+0306 exhibited a time-dynamic mean pulse profile, whereas RRAT J1913+1330 showed distinct radiation and nulling segments on its pulse intensity trains. The mean pulse profile variation with frequency is also studied for RRAT J1538+2345 and RRAT J1913+1330, and the profiles at different frequencies could be well fitted with a cone-core model and a conal-beam model, respectively.     

Large‐Area Aminated‐Graphdiyne Thin Films for Direct Methanol Fuel Cells

A two‐dimensional (2D) carbon nanofilm with uniform artificial nanopores is an ideal material to ultimately suppress the fuel permeation in the proton exchange membrane fuel cells. Graphdiyne has great mechanical strength, high dimensional stability, and controllable nanopores, and has good prospects to play this crucial role. It is found that graphdiyne nanofilm with amino groups and natural nanopores can be easily prepared with high integrity. The aminated graphdiyne has good compatibility with the Nafion matrix owing to the acid–base interaction between them. The excellent comprehensive properties of graphdiyne in selectivity, dimensional stability, and integrity effectively improve the power performance and stability of fuel cells at wide temperature. Our results can be developed into a universal method that can easily realize the selective separation of ions and small molecules, and open a new way for the emerging applications in green energy.     

Super‐heptazethrene

The challenging synthesis of a laterally extended heptazethrene molecule, the super‐heptazethrene derivative SHZ‐CF3 , is reported. This molecule was prepared using a strategy involving a multiple selective intramolecular Friedel–Crafts alkylation followed by oxidative dehydrogenation. Compound SHZ‐CF3 exhibits an open‐shell singlet diradical ground state with a much larger diradical character compared with the heptazethrene derivatives. An intermediate dibenzo‐terrylene SHZ‐2H was also obtained during the synthesis. This study provides a new synthetic method to access large‐size quinoidal polycyclic hydrocarbons with unique physical properties.     

Goniodilactone and gomoheptenolactone,two novel cytotoxic styryllactones from the leaves of Goniothalamus cheliensis

Two novel styryllactones,goniodilactone（1） and gonioheptenolactone（2）,were isolated from the leaves of Goniothalamus cheliensis Hu.Their structures were determined on the basis of spectroscopic data as well as X-ray crystallography analysis. Compounds 1 and 2 exhibited significant cytotoxicities in a panel of human cancer cells,including DU-145,PC-3,MCF-7,A-549, KB and KBvin,with GI₅₀S in the range of 1.29-4.56μg/mL.     

Incompatible reaction evaluation and accident investigation of various acids in chemical industries

This article covers the incompatible properties of nitric acid (HNO₃) with formic acid (CH₂O₂), and more generally with various acids such as sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄), hydrochloric acid (HCl), and acetic acid (C₂H₄O₂). Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was employed to determine the thermal hazard such as heat of decomposition (ΔH _d), exothermic onset temperature (T ₀), etc., in various acids. T ₀ of HNO₃ and CH₂O₂ were determined as 50 °C using DSC. Thus it has been observed that HNO₃ mixed with CH₂O₂ should be prohibited during transportation, storage, and use. And more generally, process safety engineers and operator must take care to handle tanker and storage tank of typical acids in the transportation, storage, and manufacturing process. It is clear that there exists a need to follow and enforce in the chemical industries safety data sheets, globally harmonized system of classification and labeling of chemicals of United Nations (UN), education of safety and health, emergency response system, and process safety management. It is the aim of the present study concerning HNO₃ with various acids.     

Ligand‐Functionalization of BPEI‐Coated YVO4:Bi3+,Eu3+ Nanophosphors for Tumor‐Cell‐Targeted Imaging Applications

In this study, surface‐functionalized, branched polyethylenimine (BPEI)‐modified YVO₄:Bi³⁺,Eu³⁺ nanocrystals (NCs) were successfully synthesized by a simple, rapid, solvent‐free hydrothermal method. The BPEI‐coated YVO₄:Bi³⁺,Eu³⁺ NCs with high crystallinity show broad‐band excitation in the λ=250 to 400 nm near‐ultraviolet (NUV) region and exhibit a sharp‐line emission band centered at λ=619 nm under excitation at λ=350 nm. The surface amino groups contributed by the capping agent, BPEI, not only improve the dispersibility and water/buffer stability of the BPEI‐coated YVO₄:Bi³⁺,Eu³⁺ NCs, but also provide a capability for specifically targeted biomolecule conjugation. Folic acid (FA) and epidermal growth factor (EGF) were further attached to the BPEI‐coated YVO₄:Bi³⁺,Eu³⁺ NCs and exhibited effective positioning of fluorescent NCs toward the targeted folate receptor overexpressed in HeLa cells or EGFR overexpressed in A431 cells with low cytotoxicity. These results demonstrate that the ligand‐functionalized, BPEI‐coated YVO₄:Bi³⁺, Eu³⁺ NCs show great potential as a new‐generation biological luminescent bioprobe for bioimaging applications. Moreover, the unique luminescence properties of BPEI‐coated YVO₄:Bi³⁺,Eu³⁺ NCs show potential to combine with a UVA photosensitizing drug to produce both detective and therapeutic effects for human skin cancer therapy.     

Computational Study of the Substitution Effect on the Mechanism for the Gold(I)‐Catalyzed Ring Expansions of Unactivated Alkynylcyclopropanes

The ring expansion reactions of unactivated alkynylcyclopropanes X‐C≡C‐C₃H₅ → X‐C=C₄H₅ (X = H, F, Cl, Me, OMe, NMe₂, CMe₃) were examined using the density functional theory calculations. All of the structures were completely optimized at the B3LYP/6‐311++G** level of theory. For clarify the effect of the cationic gold(I), we also added AuPH₃⁺ as the catalyst into the system and the structures for Au were calculated at the B3LYP/LANL2DZ level of theory. The main finding of this work is that the singlet‐triplet splitting of X‐C≡C‐C₃H₅ play an important role in determining the kinetic and thermodynamic stability of the unactivated ring expansion reactions. When X‐C≡C‐C₃H₅ with a smaller singlet‐triplet splitting is utilized, the reaction has a smaller activation energy and a larger exothermicity.