Encapsulation Preserves Antioxidant and Antidiabetic Activities of Cactus Acid Fruit Bioactive Compounds under Simulated Digestion Conditions

Cactus acid fruit (Xoconostle) has been studied due its content of bioactive compounds. Traditional Mexican medicine attributes hypoglycemic, hypocholesterolemic, anti-inflammatory, antiulcerogenic and immunostimulant properties among others. The bioactive compounds contained in xoconostle have shown their ability to inhibit digestive enzymes such as α-amylase and α-glucosidase. Unfortunately, polyphenols and antioxidants in general are molecules susceptible to degradation due to storage conditions, (temperature, oxygen and light) or the gastrointestinal tract, which limits its activity and compromises its potential beneficial effect on health. The objectives of this work were to evaluate the stability, antioxidant and antidiabetic activity of encapsulated extract of xoconostle within double emulsions (water-in-oil-in-water) during storage conditions and simulated digestion. Total phenols, flavonoids, betalains, antioxidant activity, α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition were measured before and after the preparation of double emulsions and during the simulation of digestion. The ED40% (treatment with 40% of xoconostle extract) treatment showed the highest percentage of inhibition of α-glucosidase in all phases of digestion. The inhibitory activity of α-amylase and α-glucosidase related to antidiabetic activity was higher in microencapsulated extracts than the non-encapsulated extracts. These results confirm the viability of encapsulation systems based on double emulsions to encapsulate and protect natural antidiabetic compounds.     

Non‐Lithography Hydrodynamic Printing of Micro/Nanostructures on Curved Surfaces

A key issue of micro/nano devices is how to integrate micro/nanostructures with specified chemical components onto various curved surfaces. Hydrodynamic printing of micro/nanostructures on three‐dimensional curved surfaces is achieved with a strategy that combines template‐induced hydrodynamic printing and self‐assembly of nanoparticles (NPs). Non‐lithography flexible wall‐shaped templates are replicated with microscale features by dicing a trench‐shaped silicon wafer. Arising from the capillary pumped function between the template and curved substrates, NPs in the colloidal suspension self‐assemble into close‐packed micro/nanostructures without a gravity effect. Theoretical analysis with the lattice Boltzmann model reveals the fundamental principles of the hydrodynamic assembly process. Spiral linear structures achieved by two kinds of fluorescent NPs show non‐interfering photoluminescence properties, while the waveguide and photoluminescence are confirmed in 3D curved space. The printed multiconstituent micro/nanostructures with single‐NP resolution may serve as a general platform for optoelectronics beyond flat surfaces.     

In‐situ preparation of porous monolithic polymer inside hollow fiber as a micro‐solid phase extraction device for glucocorticoids in cosmetics

Glucocorticoids have a certain whitening effect on the skin. However, frequent and long‐term use of cosmetics including glucocorticoids is harmful to health. Herein, we proposed a novel micro‐solid phase extraction method for the detection of prednisolone acetate, prednisone, and prednisolone in cosmetics coupled with high‐performance liquid chromatography. In this method, porous monolithic polymer micro‐extraction bars were prepared by “one‐step, one‐pot” in situ photopolymerization combined with sacrificial support in hollow fiber under water atmosphere. The crucial factors such as pH of sample solution, extraction, and elution times that influence micro‐extraction were optimized and found to be 9.0, 2 h, and 32 min, respectively. Under the optimum experimental conditions, the linear range of the calibration curves were from 5.0 to 2000 µg/L with correlation coefficients (R²) between 0.9922 and 0.9996. The limit of detection and limit of quantification were 1.5 µg/L and 5.0 µg/L, respectively, and the recoveries were found to be in range of 69.0–113.3%. The analysis of precision for intraday and interday were less than 10.40 and 10.59%. The device has been successfully achieved photopolymerization under water atmosphere. The results indicated that this method is simple, accurate, and satisfactory for the pretreatment and determination of glucocorticoids in complex cosmetics samples.     

A rapid MCM‐41 dispersive micro‐solid phase extraction coupled with LC/MS/MS for quantification of ketoconazole and voriconazole in biological fluids

A rapid dispersive micro‐solid phase extraction (D‐μ‐SPE) combined with LC/MS/MS method was developed and validated for the determination of ketoconazole and voriconazole in human urine and plasma samples. Synthesized mesoporous silica MCM‐41 was used as sorbent in d ‐μ‐SPE of the azole compounds from biological fluids. Important D‐μ‐SPE parameters, namely type desorption solvent, extraction time, sample pH, salt addition, desorption time, amount of sorbent and sample volume were optimized. Liquid chromatographic separations were carried out on a Zorbax SB‐C₁₈ column (2.1 × 100 mm, 3.5 μm), using a mobile phase of acetonitrile–0.05% formic acid in 5 mm ammonium acetate buffer (70:30, v /v). A triple quadrupole mass spectrometer with positive ionization mode was used for the determination of target analytes. Under the optimized conditions, the calibration curves showed good linearity in the range of 0.1–10,000 μg/L with satisfactory limit of detection (≤0.06 μg/L) and limit of quantitation (≤0.3 μg/L). The proposed method also showed acceptable intra‐ and inter‐day precisions for ketoconazole and voriconazole from urine and human plasma with RSD ≤16.5% and good relative recoveries in the range 84.3–114.8%. The MCM‐41‐D‐μ‐SPE method proved to be rapid and simple and requires a small volume of organic solvent (200 μL); thus it is advantageous for routine drug analysis.     

金微/纳颗粒阵列的SERS效应研究

表面增强拉曼散射(surface-enhanced Raman scattering,简称为SERS)能够提供有机分子的指纹特征信息,且具有灵敏度高和响应时间快等优点,是一项具有发展前景的分析技术。纳米结构SERS基底是获得SERS信号的关键。本文利用简便的电沉积方法在硅片上制备大面积的金微/纳颗粒阵列。金纳米颗粒之间存在大量狭小的纳米间隙,在光激发下产生大量的SERS"热点",从而具有很高的SERS灵敏度。而且,这种金微/纳结构具有高结构稳定性和化学稳定性。该结构对浓度低至10-12 M的罗丹明6G(R6G)具有很高的SERS灵敏性,且具有很好的SERS信号均匀性。利用这种微/纳结构阵列SERS基底,实现对水中低浓度农药甲基对硫磷的成功检测。这表明我们制备的金微/纳颗粒阵列在检测环境中的毒性有机物污染物方面具有潜在的应用前景。     

THEORY OF DIELECTRIC ELASTOMERS

In response to a stimulus, a soft material deforms, and the deformation provides a function. We call such a material a soft active material （SAM）. This review focuses on one class of soft active materials： dielectric elastomers. When a membrane of a dielectric elastomer is subject to a voltage through its thickness, the membrane reduces thickness and expands area, possibly straining over 100%. The dielectric elastomers are being developed as transducers for broad applications, including soft robots, adaptive optics, Braille displays, and electric generators. This paper reviews the theory of dielectric elastomers, developed within continuum mechanics and thermodynamics, and motivated by molecular pictures and empirical observations. The theory couples large deformation and electric potential, and describes nonlinear and nonequilibrium behavior, such as electromechanical instability and viscoelasticity. The theory enables the finite element method to simulate transducers of realistic configurations, predicts the efficiency of electromechanical energy conversion, and suggests alternative routes to achieve giant voltage-induced deformation. It is hoped that the theory will aid in the creation of materials and devices.     

化学教育硕士研究生的科学本质观研究*——基于对科普微视频的分析

以构建的科学本质要素框架作为分析工具,研究学生经科普微视频分析所呈现的科学本质观。结果表明,学生无法全面、深入分析视频呈现的科学本质,反映了局限的科学本质观,而经过讨论与汇报能在一定程度上提升其科学本质观。据此,为化学教育硕士研究生的培养工作提出3点建议,即将科普微视频作为科学本质教育的素材,促进学生形成完整且深刻的科学本质观,发展学生准确抽提课程资源中的科学本质的能力。     

Atom waveguide and 1D optical lattice using a two-color evanescent light field around an optical micro/nano-fiber

We propose a two-color scheme of atom waveguides and one-dimensional （1D） optical lattices using evanescent wave fields of different transverse modes around an optical micro/nano-fiber. The atom guide potential can be produced when the optical fiber carries a red-detuned light with TE01 mode and a blue-detuned light with HEll mode, and the 1D optical lattice potential can be produced when the red-detuned light is transformed to the superposition of the TE01 mode and HE11 mode. The two trapping potentials can be transformed to each other for accurately controlling mode transformation for the red-detuned light. This might provide a new approach to realize flexible transition between the guiding and trapping states of atoms.     

用来激励高频超声换能器的电激励源

讨论了超声换能器的几种激励方法，分析了三种常用激励方法在激励高频超声换能器时的特点及其同局限性，我们雪崩ＭＡＲＸ电路制作的单极窄脉冲能地激励率高达１００ＭＨｚ的换能器并取得了较好的结果。     

Design of interdigital transducers for crack detection in plates

Interdigital transducers (IDT) for non-destructive evaluation (NDE) of cracks in plates are designed based on an analytical model established previously. Key considerations include mode selectivity, excitation strength, collimation of wave and cost. The advantage of mode selectivity of IDT over PZT patch is presented both analytically and experimentally. Effects of parameters, namely finger spacing, width, length, number of fingers, and the size of IDT, on the excitation strength and mode selectivity are considered. This led to the design of a mobile double-sided IDT as an efficient device where excitation strength is strong and focused. The device was fabricated in-house using commercially available piezoelectric ceramics and used to develop a procedure for accurate identification of the direction and extent of cracks in plates. Three aluminum plates, one with a linear deep crack, another with a piecewise linear shallower crack and the third with a curved crack, were used to illustrate the accuracy and efficiency of both the proposed device and procedure for effective NDE.