Modular Synthetic Approach to Carboranyl‒Biomolecules Conjugates

The development of novel, tumor-selective and boron-rich compounds as potential agents for use in boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) represents a very important field in cancer treatment by radiation therapy. Here, we report the design and synthesis of two promising compounds that combine meta-carborane, a water-soluble monosaccharide and a linking unit, namely glycine or ethylenediamine, for facile coupling with various tumor-selective biomolecules bearing a free amino or carboxylic acid group. In this work, coupling experiments with two selected biomolecules, a coumarin derivative and folic acid, were included. The task of every component in this approach was carefully chosen: the carborane moiety supplies ten boron atoms, which is a tenfold increase in boron content compared to the l-boronophenylalanine (l-BPA) presently used in BNCT; the sugar moiety compensates for the hydrophobic character of the carborane; the linking unit, depending on the chosen biomolecule, acts as the connection between the tumor-selective component and the boron-rich moiety; and the respective tumor-selective biomolecule provides the necessary selectivity. This approach makes it possible to develop a modular and feasible strategy for the synthesis of readily obtainable boron-rich agents with optimized properties for potential applications in BNCT.     

A Photoluminescent Ag10Cu6 Cluster Stablized by a PNNP Ligand and Phenylacetylides Selectively and Reversibly Senses Ammonia in Air and Water

A photoluminescent bimetallic cluster [Ag₁₀Cu₆(bdppthi)₂(C≡CPh)₁₂(MeOH)₂(H₂O)](ClO₄)₄ ( 1 , bdppthi=N,N’-bis(diphenylphosphanylmethyl)-tetrahydroimidazole} was synthesized from the PNNP type ligand bdppthi generated in-situ. Upon excitation at 365 nm, 1 exhibited strong phosphorescent emission at 630 nm, which was selectively quenched by NH₃ in air or water. The sensing of NH₃ was rapid and recoverable, with detection limits of 53 ppm (v/v) in N₂ and 21 μmol/L (0.36 ppm, w/w) for NH₃ ⋅ H₂O in water. Cluster 1 could potentially serve as a bifunctional chemical sensor for the efficient detection of ammonia in waste-gas and waste-water.     

介绍一个与材料相关的研究型综合化学实验——壳聚糖的制备与表征

在中国科学技术大学夏季学期的研究型实验课程"化学科研基础训练"中开设"壳聚糖的制备与表征"综合实验,以龙虾壳为原料,通过除蛋白、脱盐、脱色、脱乙酰等一系列反应,制备得到目标产物壳聚糖。运用红外光谱、核磁共振仪、黏度法、滴定等对产品的结构及性能进行表征。     

Molecular structure,vibrational spectroscopic and chemical reactivity of nematogenic p-n-alkylbenzoic acids: A comparative computational analysis

Molecular structure and vibrational spectroscopic studies of higher homologous series nematogenic p-n-alkylbenzoic acids (nBAC) that have 6 (6BAC) and 7 (7BAC) carbon atoms in the alkyl chain have been investigated using the Density Functional Becke3-Lee-Yang-Parr (B3LYP) level with the basis set 6-31++G (d.p) and Hartree Fock (HF) with the same basis set. The observed vibrational spectra has been resolved and assigned in detail for comparision with both the molecules. These results indicate that DFT and HF values are slightly different at both the levels. A comparision of chemical reactivity such as HOMO (E_H), LUMO (E_L) energies, energy gap (E_g), ionization energy (I), electron affinity (A), electro negativity (χ), chemical hardness (η), electronic chemical potential (μ), electrophilicity index (ω), and softness (S) has been made. It has been observed that the decrement has occurred in the energy band gap value of isolated molecule with increment in alkyl chain length. This provides valuable information regarding enhancing the stability of liquid crystal materials by maintaining the conductivity.     

Metabolomics techniques applied in the investigation of phenolic acids from the agro-industrial by-product of Carapa guianensis Aubl

Processing of Carapa guianensis seeds to obtain oil on an industrial scale generates a significant amount of by-product, approximately 66% w/w, which is called cake and is a potential source of biomolecules, including simple phenolic structures. For this reason, studies were carried out on the chemical profiles of hydrolyzed extract from this agro-industrial by-product through High Performance Thin-Layer Chromatography (HPTLC) and Gas Chromatography coupled to Mass Spectrometry (GC–MS). These techniques were used to detect metabolic classes and/or groups, and to identify, for the first time, thirteen simple phenolic acids in this by-product. The sample antioxidant capacity was determined by methods of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH)and 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS⁺) radicals direct sequestration. The hydrolyzed fraction showed a total of 63.47% in the relative abundance of the total of compounds, standing out: p-hydroxybenzoic acid (39.19%) and protocatechuic acid (3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid) (5.62%), both from hydroxybenzoic acids and 3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)lactic acid, (7.76%) hydroxycinnamic acids derivatives. In these results, the fraction rich in simple phenolic acids was obtained, attributing the prominent behavior of this matrix antioxidant activity, expressed by (IC₅₀: of 16.42 µg/mL and 6.52 µg/mL for DPPH and ABTS⁺ radicals, respectively). The research demonstrated an alternative to applicability that involves sustainability from agro-industrial. These techniques were used to detect metabolic classes and/or groups, and to identify, for the first time, thirteen simple phenolic acids in this by-product, generating a process capable of converting biomass into a bioproduct, consisting of bioactive compounds, in addition to adding value to the industrial chain.     

ZnO nanowire lines and bundles: Template-deformation-guided alignment for patterned field-electron emitters

One-dimensional ZnO materials have been promising for field-emission (FE) application, but how to facially control the alignment of ZnO emitters is still a great challenge especially for patterned display application. Here, we report the fabrication of novel ZnO nanowire (NW) line and bundle arrays for patterned field-electron emitters. The effects of PS template size and heating time on the resulted ZnO nanoarrays were systematically studied. The deformation degree of PS templates was controlled and hence utilized to adjust the alignment of electrochemically deposited ZnO arrays. It was found that the length of NW lines and the density of NW bundles can effectively tuned by the PS template heating time. The optimal FE performance with turn-on electric field as low as of 4.4 V μm⁻¹ and the field-enhancement factor as high as of 1450 were achieved through decreasing the screening effect among the patterned field-electron emitters.     

Yield enhancement of elliptical high harmonics driven by bicircular laser pulses

We theoretically investigate the yield enhancement of elliptical high harmonics in the interaction of molecules with bicircular laser pulses by solving the time-dependent Schrödinger equation. It is shown that by adjusting the relative intensity ratio of the two bicircular field components in specific ranges the yield of the molecular high harmonics for the plateau and cutoff regions can be respectively enhanced. To analyze this enhancement phenomenon, we calculate the weights of the electron classical trajectories. Additionally, we also study the ellipticity distribution of harmonics for different intensity ratios. We find that these enhanced harmonics are elliptically polarized, which we mainly attribute to the recombination dipole moment of the major weighted trajectories. These enhanced elliptical extreme ultraviolet and soft x-ray radiations may serve as essential tools for exploring the ultrafast dynamics in magnetic materials and chiral media.     

Generalized Jacobi spectral Galerkin method for fractional pantograph differential equation

This work is concerned with the extension of the Jacobi spectral Galerkin method to a class of nonlinear fractional pantograph differential equations. First, the fractional differential equation is converted to a nonlinear Volterra integral equation with weakly singular kernel. Second, we analyze the existence and uniqueness of solutions for the obtained integral equation. Then, the Galerkin method is used for solving the equivalent integral equation. The error estimates for the proposed method are also investigated. Finally, illustrative examples are presented to confirm our theoretical analysis.     

熵的一种通俗教法

熵如力、能量和动量一样是物理学中一个重要概念,若能用一种通俗易懂的方法设计熵的教学,对文科物理的教学有重要意义.为此本文提出了一种通俗的熵的教法,这一教法不需要学生学习热力学第二定律也可以建立熵的概念.具体教学设计如下:通过日常生活例子引入熵的概念(也就是玻尔兹曼熵),设计两个例子让学生会计算熵,通过具体问题的讨论让学生充分理解熵的意义,通过一个实例由玻尔兹曼熵引入克劳修斯熵公式,设计一个演示实验强化教学效果,将熵与环境保护联系起来融入人文情怀,最后还强调了熵计算的不同层次.教学设计完全采用基于问题学习(PBL)的教学模式.