Superconductivity and unconventional density waves in vanadium-based kagome materials AV3Sb5

Recently, the discovery of vanadium-based kagome metal AV₃Sb₅ (A= K, Rb, Cs) has attracted great interest in the field of superconductivity due to the coexistence of superconductivity, non-trivial surface state and multiple density waves. In this topical review, we present recent works of superconductivity and unconventional density waves in vanadium-based kagome materials AV₃Sb₅. We start with the unconventional charge density waves, which are thought to correlate to the time-reversal symmetry-breaking orders and the unconventional anomalous Hall effects in AV₃Sb₅. Then we discuss the superconductivity and the topological band structure. Next, we review the competition between the superconductivity and charge density waves under different conditions of pressure, chemical doping, thickness, and strains. Finally, the experimental evidence of pseudogap pair density wave is discussed.     

Calcium-based coordination polymers from a solvothermal synthesis of HKUST-1 in 3D printed autoclaves

A mixed-metal 1D coordination polymer [CaCu(HBTC)₂(H2O)₈]_n (where H₃BTC – benzene-1,3,5-tric arboxylic acid) was obtained in a solvothermal synthesis of a well-known copper-containing metal–organic framework [Cu₃(BTC)₂(H₂O)₃]_n (HKUST-1) in autoclaves 3D-printed from commercial polypropylene. This material was a source of calcium ions, apparently, leaking from a colorant (calcium carbonate) promoted by glacial acetic acid as a modulator used to produce large single crystals of HKUST-1. This finding was confirmed by elemental analysis and a model experiment that resulted in a new calcium-based 1D coordination polymer [Ca(H₂BTC)₂(H₂O)₅]_n under the same solvothermal conditions with no copper or calcium salts put into a 3D-printed autoclave.     

新型多孔材料用作色谱手性固定相

手性固定相是色谱法分离分析手性化合物的关键。近年来,随着材料科学的迅速发展,越来越多的新型手性材料被作为色谱固定相用于手性分离分析。本文综述了近5年来液相色谱、气相色谱和毛细管电色谱领域的新型手性固定相的研究进展,重点总结了基于手性多孔材料的新型手性固定相研究,最后对手性固定相的研究进行了总结与展望。     

Ionic liquid-functional MCM-41 as a high effective catalyst for the synthesis of isatylidene malononitrile via Knoevenagel condensation

Ionic liquid functional MCM-41 was synthesized, characterized and used as heterogeneous catalyst for the Knoevenagel condensation of isatins with malononitrile. A series of corresponding isatylidene malononitrile were obtained in high isolated yield (96–99%) at room temperature in a short time. The heterogeneous catalyst can be easily recovered by centrifugation and showed almost no loss of activity over 10 recycle experiments. At the same time, the gram-scale experiments showed excellent yields and provided a highly effective method for scale up applications.     

A novel UPLC–MS/MS method for simultaneous quantification of trigonelline, 4-hydroxyisoleucine,and diosgenin from Trigonella foenum-graecum extract: Application to pharmacokinetic study in healthy and type 2 diabetic rats

Trigonelline (TR), 4-hydroxyisoleucine (4-HI), and diosgenin (DG) are the main bioactives of the purified standardized extract of the popular plant Trigonella foenum-graecum L. (TFG), and it has been proven effective for the treatment of various diseases. However, to the best of our knowledge, no study has investigated the pharmacokinetic parameters of purified standardized T. foenum-graecum extract in normal and diabetic Wistar rats. The present study has developed and validated a rapid, reliable, and sensitive simultaneous ultra-performance liquid chromatography MS method to estimate these bioactives. The chromatographic separation was achieved using methanol, acetonitrile, and 0.1% formic acid with the ideal gradient flow system on a BEH Shield RP 18 column. A positive electrospray ionization mode was selected to estimate m/z values of TR (138.14 > 94.63), 4-HI (148.19 > 74.08), and DG (415.54 > 271.33). The method was robust and reproducible over the linearity range of 60–5000, 6–5000, and 15–5000 ng/mL for TR, 4-HI, and DG, respectively. Using this novel validated method, we investigated the pharmacokinetic parameters of bioactives using Phoenix WinNonlin version 8.0 (Certera) in normal and diabetic rats. The assay was successfully applied for the estimation of pharmacokinetic parameters using noncompartmental analysis. This investigation shows that the absorption rate increased, whereas distribution and elimination processes slowed down in diabetic rats compared with normal rats.     

Application of microcrystalline cellulose as an efficient and cheap sorbent for the extraction of metoprolol from plasma and wastewater before HPLC–MS/MS determination

A dispersive solid-phase extraction method based on a new sorbent has been performed on plasma and wastewater samples to determine metoprolol by high-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. In this study, the analyte was adsorbed from the samples onto microcrystalline cellulose as a green and efficient sorbent and then eluted for use in the determination step. In the mass spectrometer, the analyte was detected in the positive mode and selectivity of the analysis was increased by sequential mass analysis through multiple reaction monitoring. All of the effective parameters in the extraction of metoprolol from plasma and wastewater were optimized. Under optimal conditions the method was linear in the ranges of 1–1,000 and 0.1–1,000 ng/ml in plasma and wastewater samples, respectively. The detection limits of the method were 0.30 and 0.03 ng/ml in plasma and wastewater samples, respectively. The data showed that the method provides low detection limit, wide linear range, good precision and high extraction recovery. Finally several plasma and wastewater samples were successfully analyzed using the method. The use of a small amount of a green and inexpensive sorbent and a low volume of plasma without the need for further pretreatment steps are the main advantages of the method.     

A gadolinium-based magnetic ionic liquid for supramolecular dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction followed by HPLC/UV for the determination of favipiravir in human plasma

Favipiravir is a potential antiviral medication that has been recently licensed for Covid-19 treatment. In this work, a gadolinium-based magnetic ionic liquid was prepared and used as an extractant in dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction (DLLME) of favipiravir in human plasma. The high enriching ability of DLLME allowed the determination of favipiravir in real samples using HPLC/UV with sufficient sensitivity. The effects of several variables on extraction efficiency were investigated, including type of extractant, amount of extractant, type of disperser and disperser volume. The maximum enrichment was attained using 50 mg of the Gd-magnetic ionic liquid (MIL) and 150 μl of tetrahydrofuran. The Gd-based MIL could form a supramolecular assembly in the presence of tetrahydrofuran, which enhanced the extraction efficiency of favipiravir. The developed method was validated according to US Food and Drug Administration bioanalytical method validation guidelines. The coefficient of determination was 0.9999, for a linear concentration range of 25 to 1.0 × 10⁵ ng/ml. The percentage recovery (accuracy) varied from 99.83 to 104.2%, with RSD values (precision) ranging from 4.07 to 11.84%. The total extraction time was about 12 min and the HPLC analysis time was 5 min. The method was simple, selective and sensitive for the determination of favipiravir in real human plasma.     

Polymer 4D printing: Advanced shape-change and beyond

4D printing is an exciting branch of additive manufacturing. It relies on established 3D printing techniques to fabricate objects in much the same way. However, structures which fall into the 4D printed category have the ability to change with time, hence the “extra dimension.” The common perception of 4D printed objects is that of macroscopic single-material structures limited to point-to-point shape change only, in response to either heat or water. However, in the area of polymer 4D printing, recent advancements challenge this understanding. A host of new polymeric materials have been designed which display a variety of wonderful effects brought about by unconventional stimuli, and advanced additive manufacturing techniques have been developed to accommodate them. As a result, the horizons of polymer 4D printing have been broadened beyond what was initially thought possible. In this review, we showcase the many studies which evolve the very definition of polymer 4D printing, and reveal emerging areas of research integral to its advancement.     

一种新型双吡啶悬臂Mn(Ⅱ)配合物的合成、晶体结构及DNA结合能力研究

通过3,3′-((乙烷-1,2-二基双(2-甲基吡啶杂氮二基)双(亚甲基))双(2-羟基-5-甲基苯甲醛)与2-羟基-1,3-丙二胺的缩合反应得到一种具有双吡啶悬臂的双核锰配合物。通过X射线单晶衍射确定了该配合物结构,结果显示其分子式为[Mn₂(C₃₇H₄₃N₆O₆)]·(ClO₄)₂。该配合物属于单斜晶系,P2₁/c空间群,晶胞参数为:a=1.096 50(19) nm, b=1.419 5(3) nm, c=3.109 4(5) nm, β=108.153(5)°。进一步分析表明两个二价锰离子分别与(N_amine)₂(N_imine)₂O₃和(N_imine)₂O₄体系配位,它们与配位原子形成的几何构型分别是十面体和扭曲的八面体。两个中心锰离子距离为0.331 6 nm,由酚氧原子和醋酸根共同桥联。另外,本文也利用伏安法和黏度法对该配合物与小牛胸腺DNA的结合能力进行研究,实验结果表明它们之间的结合方式为弱的插入作用。