Topology: a unique dimension in protein engineering

Controlling protein topology has been a long standing challenge to go beyond their linear configuration defined by the translation mechanism of cellular machinery. In this mini-review, we focus on the topological diversity in proteins and review the major categories of protein topologies known to date, including branched/star proteins, circular proteins, lasso proteins, knotted proteins, and protein catenanes. The discovery of these topologically complex natural proteins and their synthetic pathways, the rational design and recombinant synthesis of artificial topological proteins and their biophysical studies, are summarized and discussed with regard to their general features and broad implications. The complexity of protein topology is recognized and the routes to diverse protein topologies are illustrated. We believe that topology engineering is an important way to modify protein properties without alternating their native sequences and shall bring in valuable dynamic features central to the creation of artificial protein machinery.     

A Natural Glycyrrhizic Acid‐Tailored Light‐Responsive Gelator

The construction of stimuli‐responsive materials by using naturally occurring molecules as building blocks has received increasing attention owing to their bioavailability, biocompatibility, and biodegradability. Herein, a symmetrical azobenzene‐functionalized natural glycyrrhizic acid (trans‐ GAG ) was synthesized and could form stable supramolecular gels in DMSO/H₂O and MeOH/H₂O. Owing to trans–cis isomerization, this gel exhibited typical light‐responsive behavior that led to a reversible gel–sol transition accompanied by a variation in morphology and rheology. Additionally, this trans‐ GAG gel displayed a distinct injectable self‐healing property and outstanding biocompatibility. This work provides a simple yet rational strategy to fabricate stimuli‐responsive materials from naturally occurring, eco‐friendly molecules.     

New cyclometalated transition-metal based photosensitizers for singlet oxygen generation and photodynamic therapy

The aim of this review article is to introduce recent studies on an emergent class of singlet oxygen photosensitizers of potential applications to the photodynamic therapy,with a primary focus on the cyclometalated transition-metal complexes.Singlet oxygen photosensitization performances of various cyclometalated Ir and Pt scaffolds are reviewed,and the general photophysical properties of relevant systems and the mechanisms of singlet oxygen production via photo-sensitization are also briefly discussed.Thus far,investigations of singlet oxygen sensitization by such Ir and Pt complexes are mainly carried out in organic solvents and under non-physiological conditions,while some research efforts have been made at examining the feasibility of applying pertinent cyclometalated complexes to photodynamic therapy.     

A Long‐Lived Mononuclear Cyclopentadienyl Ruthenium Complex Grafted onto Anatase TiO2 for Efficient CO2 Photoreduction

This work shows a novel artificial donor–catalyst–acceptor triad photosystem based on a mononuclear C₅H₅‐RuH complex oxo‐bridged TiO₂ hybrid for efficient CO₂ photoreduction. An impressive quantum efficiency of 0.56 % for CH₄ under visible‐light irradiation was achieved over the triad photocatalyst, in which TiO₂ and C₅H₅‐RuH serve as the electron collector and CO₂‐reduction site and the photon‐harvester and water‐oxidation site, respectively. The fast electron injection from the excited Ru²⁺ cation to TiO₂ in ca. 0.5 ps and the slow backward charge recombination in half‐life of ca. 9.8 μs result in a long‐lived D⁺–C–A^? charge‐separated state responsible for the solar‐fuel production.     

Incorporation of liquid crystalline triphenylene derivative in bulk heterojunction solar cell with molybdenum oxide as buffer layer for improved efficiency

We report efficient bulk heterojunction solar cells fabricated by inserting a discotic triphenylene derivative into poly (3-hexylthiophene): [6, 6]- phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester. A layer of molybdenum oxide was inserted between anode and active layer. Power conversion efficiency of 2.0% was achieved for these photovoltaic solar cells containing self-organised discotic liquid crystals in the active layer under one sun condition. The influence of varying the thickness of liquid crystal layer and annealing on these solar cells was also studied. Post annealing the bulk heterojunction devices with discotic liquid crystal layer of thickness 20 nm in them yielded an open circuit voltage of 0.41 V, short circuit current density of 17.0 mA cm^?2, a Fill factor of 0.35 and power conversion efficiency of 2.5%.     

颗粒气体团簇行为实验研究

颗粒体系由于非弹性碰撞和摩擦等内秉的能量耗散特性,由宏观粒子形成的颗粒气体体系经常会有局部凝聚现象,这是颗粒气体体系与分子气体体系的最大区别之一.理解和预测这一现象的发生将有助于人们对远离平衡态体系的复杂现象,如有序结构、斑图和团簇形成的认知.这种局部凝聚现象可以类比于分子气体中亚稳分解形成的液滴,将气液相分离用于解释和寻求局部凝聚现象的此模型得到了分子动力学模拟的校验.但是实验的校验却由于宏观粒子运动受重力作用的影响难以在实验室中实现.作为实践十号卫星的前期实验,本文利用国家微重力实验室落塔装置,以水平激振装有不同尺寸和数目的颗粒样品,在短时微重力条件下,成功观察到颗粒气体团簇的形成;并将实验结果与颗粒气体类范德瓦耳斯气体分子相分离模型对比,由形成团簇样品的颗粒数密度条件,来实验确定了所选颗粒的恢复系数,得到直径为0.5 mm的钛珠颗粒的恢复系数在0.6—0.8之间,直径为1 mm的钛珠颗粒的恢复系数约为0.8,直径为2.5 mm的钛珠颗粒的恢复系数应大于0.8.     

Measurement of annular air-gap using active infrared thermography

The paper discusses an infrared thermography (IRT) based procedure for quantification of annular air-gap in cylindrical geometries. Different annular air-gaps are simulated using aluminum hollow cylinders and solid stainless steel inserts of varying diameters. The specimens are externally heated using a hot air-gun and the temperature of the specimens are monitored during cooling using an infrared camera. The temperature decay during the cooling cycle follows an exponential profile in all the cases where the decay constant is air-gap dependent. The rate of temperature decay is fastest for the empty cases (without inserts) and lower for smaller air-gaps. The system is analyzed using a lumped system model by measuring the temperature over a time scale significantly higher than the transition time of the lumped system. It is observed that the Biot number of the system is less than unity, allowing analysis of the system in terms of a single time constant, neglecting internal temperature transients. It is observed that the time constant of temperature decay increases with decreasing annular air-gap. An empirical relation between the inverse of time constant of temperature decay and annular air-gaps is established. Using this calibration curve, unknown air-gaps up to 20 μm could be measured with good accuracy. Applications of this newly developed technique include detection of misalignment of concentric machineries and determination of fuel-to-clad gap of nuclear reactor fuels.     

大气压冷等离子体射流灭活子宫颈癌Hela细胞

研究了大气压冷等离子体射流对子宫颈癌Hela细胞的灭活机制. 在倒置显微镜下观察不同等离子体处理条件下的细胞形态, 并通过中性红吸收测试定量测定各个条件下的细胞存活率. 将功率维持在18 W, 在900 mL/min 氩等离子体中添入氧气的百分含量分别为1%, 2%, 4% 和8%的条件下处理Hela细胞, 探讨活性气体氧气在惰性气体氩气中的百分含量对Hela癌细胞灭活效率的影响, 发现添加2%氧气时, 氩/氧等离子体灭活效果最佳, 处理180 s后细胞存活率可降至7%. 当继续添加氧超过2%时, 灭活效果逐渐减弱, 直至8%时, 其效果反而不如单纯氩等离子体. 通过测量等离子体发射光谱, 结果表明活性氧自由基在癌细胞灭活过程中可能起关键作用. 关键词： 大气压冷等离子体射流 Hela癌细胞 存活率 发射光谱