A study of enhanced ion formation from metal‐semiconductor complexes in atmospheric pressure laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry

The study of the key parameters impacted surface‐assisted laser desorption/ionization‐mass spectrometry is of broad interest. In previous studies, it has been shown that surface‐assisted laser desorption/ionization‐mass spectrometry is a complex process depending on multiple factors. In the presented study, we showed that neither porosity, light absorbance nor surface hydrophobicity alone influence the enhancement phenomena observed from the hybrid metal‐semiconductor complexes versus individual targets, but small changes in the analyte attaching to the target significantly affect laser desorption ionization‐efficiency. By means of Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy, it was revealed that the formation of an amorphous analyte layer after drying on a solid substrate was essential for the enhanced laser desorption ionization‐signal observed from the hybrid metal‐semiconductor targets, and the crystallization properties of the analyte appeared as a function of the substrate. Obtained results were used for the screening of regular and lactose‐free milk samples through the hybrid metal‐semiconductor target. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

双靶向CdTe量子点的制备及其在细胞标记中的应用

以巯基乙酸和巯基乙酰肼为稳定剂,制备了酸度敏感型CdTe量子点。经与抗体链接,该量子点具备酸度敏感、免疫识别双重靶向功能。经荧光光谱分析、透射电镜图像及细胞免疫成像证明,抗体已成功链接于量子点表面,且该量子点具有酸度敏感及抗体识别的双重靶向功能,可以实现对肿瘤细胞的特异性标记。     

Four‐State Molecular Shuttling of [2]Rotaxanes in Response to Acid/Base and Alkali‐Metal Cation Stimuli

In this study, we synthesized [2]rotaxanes possessing three recognition sites—a dialkylammonium, an alkylarylamine, and a tetra(ethylene glycol) stations—in their dumbbell‐like axle component and dibenzo[24]crown‐8 (DB24C8) as their macrocyclic component. These [2]rotaxanes behaved as four‐state molecular shuttles: i) under acidic conditions, the DB24C8 unit encircled both the dialkylammonium and alkylarylammonium stations; ii) under neutral conditions, the dialkylammonium unit was the predominant station for the DB24C8 component; iii) under basic conditions, when both ammonium centers were deprotonated, the alkylarylamine unit became a suitable station for the DB24C8 component; and iv) under basic conditions in the presence of an alkali‐metal cation, the tetra(ethylene glycol) unit recognized the DB24C8 component through cooperative binding of the alkali‐metal ion. In addition, we observed that the [2]rotaxanes exhibited selective recognition for metal cations. These shuttling motions of the macrocyclic component proceeded reversibly.     

Carbazole-Based Colorimetric Anion Sensors

Owing to their strong carbazole chromophore and fluorophore, as well as to their powerful and convergent hydrogen bond donors, 1,8-diaminocarbazoles are amongst the most attractive and synthetically versatile building blocks for the construction of anion receptors, sensors, and transporters. Aiming to develop carbazole-based colorimetric anion sensors, herein we describe the synthesis of 1,8-diaminocarbazoles substituted with strongly electron-withdrawing substituents, i.e., 3,6-dicyano and 3,6-dinitro. Both of these precursors were subsequently converted into model diamide receptors. Anion binding studies revealed that the new receptors exhibited significantly enhanced anion affinities, but also significantly increased acidities. We also found that rear substitution of 1,8-diamidocarbazole with two nitro groups shifted its absorption spectrum into the visible region and converted the receptor into a colorimetric anion sensor. The new sensor displayed vivid color and fluorescence changes upon addition of basic anions in wet dimethyl sulfoxide, but it was poorly selective; because of its enhanced acidity, the dominant receptor-anion interaction for most anions was proton transfer and, accordingly, similar changes in color were observed for all basic anions. The highly acidic and strongly binding receptors developed in this study may be applicable in organocatalysis or in pH-switchable anion transport through lipophilic membranes.     

α-Trifluoromethyl Chalcones as Potent Anticancer Agents for Androgen Receptor-Independent Prostate Cancer

α-Trifluoromethyl chalcones were prepared and evaluated for their antiproliferative activities against androgen-independent prostate cancer cell lines as well as five additional types of human tumor cell lines. The most potent chalcone 5 showed superior antitumor activity in vivo with both oral and intraperitoneal administration at 3 mg/kg. Cell-based mechanism of action studies demonstrated that 5 induced cell accumulation at sub-G1 and G2/M phases without interfering with microtubule polymerization. Furthermore, several cancer cell growth-related proteins were identified by using chalcone 5 as a bait for the affinity purification of binding proteins.     

Calix[4]arene-Based Triple-Stranded Metallohelicate in Water

The title complex is a triple-stranded metallohelicate organized by the self-assembly of 5,17-difunctionalized calix[4]arenes and metal cations with octahedral coordination geometry. Due to hydrophilic triethylene glycol chains on the lower rim of the calix[4]arene, the metallohelicate can encapsulate cationic guests in water. NMR and UV-vis titration experiments reveal that the metallohelicate captures a pyridinium guest with an alanine derivative to form a host-guest complex with a host-guest ratio of 1 : 1. CD spectroscopy confirms the bias of the P- and M-helical sense of the metallohelicate by the captured guest. The metallohelicate captures two molecules of dicationic N,N’-dimethyl-DABCO and monocationic N-methyl quinuclidine, exhibiting a positive allosteric effect. ¹H NMR titration experiments indicate that the bound guests are in close proximately to the aromatic rings of the ligands. Molecular mechanics calculations based on the UV-vis and NMR observations suggest that the first guest preorganizes the conformation of the metallohelicate to facilitate access of the second guest to the cavity.     

大环分子衍生物在人工跨膜离子通道领域中的研究进展

大环分子如环糊精、冠醚等因具备独特的空腔结构, 能够通过主-客体相互作用实现对分子、离子的特异性识别, 因此常被应用于人工跨膜离子传输系统的研究和开发. 与天然的通道蛋白相比, 大环分子具有价格低廉、性质稳定、结构易于修饰和功能化等诸多优点, 因而备受科研工作者们的关注. 本综述详细介绍了大环分子在人工离子通道领域中的研究进展, 按照不同的大环分子进行分类, 系统归纳了基于大环结构的人工跨膜通道的制备方法、结构调控以及其在生物医药领域中的潜在应用. 最后对大环类人工离子通道做了简要的总结和展望, 该综述对于发展新型人工离子通道以及发掘其潜在的应用价值具有重要意义.     

液晶分子印迹整体柱的制备及其分子识别热力学

液晶分子印迹聚合物(MIPs)因刚性液晶单体的加入而在超低交联度水平下也能印迹和识别模板分子,有效解决了传统MIPs因高交联度造成的位点包埋、结合容量低、传质慢等问题。尽管液晶MIPs具有如此独特的优势,但却面临着由于交联度的大幅度降低而导致印迹效果下降的问题。为了研究液晶MIPs的结合特性,制备具有良好印迹效果的低交联液晶MIPs,该文通过二次接枝聚合,制备了一系列不同交联度的液晶分子印迹整体柱,用高效液相色谱法研究了聚合参数与印迹整体柱亲和性的关系。实验中选用三羟甲基丙烷三甲基丙烯酸酯(TRIM)为交联剂,以甲苯和十二醇为致孔剂合成整体柱骨架,并在此基础上以(S)-萘普生为模板,加入液晶单体4-氰基苯基单环己基乙烯(CPCE)进行二次聚合接枝。实验中系统考察了流动相中乙腈比例及缓冲液pH值对色谱保留的影响,结果发现液晶单体的加入使得MIPs对萘普生保留控制机制由原来的氢键作用变为了疏水作用;通过动态吸附实验得到的突破曲线经前沿分析及对吸附等温线Langmuir、Freundlich和Scatchard分析拟合,发现交联度为15%时液晶MIPs印迹因子最大(3.78)、非均一性最强,且特异性吸附量高于非特异性吸附量。液晶MIPs的计量置换模型(SDM-R)分析表明,液晶印迹整体柱对模板分子的总亲和力(ln A=0.645)明显高于其类似物;而从空间匹配程度看,与液晶印迹整体柱空间匹配程度最高的是酮洛芬而非模板分子,但液晶印迹整体柱对酮洛芬的总亲和力(ln A=0.242)不及模板分子的一半,表明在本低交联液晶印迹系统中,空间效应不是决定印迹系统识别能力的主要因素。进一步的分离热力学研究发现,低交联液晶印迹柱的|ΔΔH|<T|ΔΔS|,而交联度为70%的非液晶MIPs柱的|ΔΔH|>T|ΔΔS|,表明液晶MIPs的分离过程是一个熵控制过程,而常规无液晶MIPs的分离过程是一个焓控制过程。上述结果表明,液晶单体的加入改变了MIPs的识别机制,适当的低交联度可显著提高液晶MIPs的识别性能,因此液晶MIPs这些特质有望使其成为新一代的MIPs。     

基于时频分帧能量熵的陶瓷制品敲击声波信号特征识别

针对现有陶瓷制品敲击声波信号特征提取方法中提取的特征代表性降低的问题,该文提出结合最大重叠离散小波包变换(MODWPT)和时频分帧能量熵的特征提取方法。首先采用MODWPT将信号分解为4层,再对每个节点的子信号分帧后计算各个节点的时频分帧能量熵,然后根据能量分布特征选择了前6个节点的时频分帧能量熵特征,最后构建随机森林分类器完成识别。将该方法和MODWPT时频分段能量熵、MODWPT归一化能量特征两种方法进行比较。实验结果表明,相比MODWPT时频分段能量熵、MODWPT归一化能量两种特征提取方法,MODWPT时频分帧能量熵能提升特征的代表性,具有更优的陶瓷制品敲击声波信号特征识别性能,其识别的F₁值达到了98.46%,相比上述两种方法分别提升F₁值3.22%、1.86%。     

阵不变量匹配主动声呐目标深度辨识

水面/水下目标深度辨识可以在主动声呐探测过程中快速筛选感兴趣目标。根据目标多径返回信号到达时间与目标深度的关联性,该文提出了基于水平线阵的主动脉冲响应匹配目标深度辨识方法,该方法利用主动信号传播特性结合阵不变量理论提取脉冲响应,并与拷贝声场匹配实现目标深度估计。在校正了目标多径回波的方位变化后,该方法提取的时域特征较为稳定,并且只在时延估计距离处进行深度搜索。通过水平阵收集的宽带实验数据,在连续的多次回波中实现了对水面/水下目标92%的辨识成功率,验证了该方法在浅海环境下的目标深度估计能力。