Strategies in boosting photosensitization for biomedical applications

Science China Chemistry -     

Non-hemolytic α-AApeptides as antimicrobial peptidomimetics

We report a new class of peptide mimetics, α-AApeptides, that display broad-spectrum activity against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria and fungi. With non-hemolytic activity, resistance to protease hydrolysis, and easy sequence programmability, α-AApeptides may emerge as a novel class of antibiotics.     

非对称铺层复合材料层合板质量优化设计

复合材料广泛应用于航空航天等领域,追求轻量化设计已经成为研究重点。对复合材料层合板质量优化设计,可以减少层合板的纤维用量,减小层合板的质量,降低成本。首先研究复合材料层合板在承受轴向载荷时,产生的形变量、应力示意图,分析容易发生失效部位;以层合板铺层厚度为设计变量,最大应变、铺层比例等为约束条件,最小化层合板质量为优化目标,对碳纤维复合材料层合板铺层厚度等设计变量进行优化,利用强度理论对优化结果进行校核,结合力学试验对比分析优化前后层合板力学性能。结果表明:碳纤维复合材料层合板经过优化后,总质量减轻约16.7%,优化后的层合板满足复合材料强度理论,实验结果与软件仿真具有一致性,说明优化方法是合理可靠的。     

AIEgens in cell-based multiplex fluorescence imaging

Fluorescence imaging is an important branch of bioimaging. It is non-invasive and provides superior spatial and temporal resolution during the real-time monitoring of biological samples of interest. Although the spatial resolution limit of optical microscopes is about 200 nm, due to the diffraction limit, with the application of super-resolution fluorescence microscopy technologies this limit has been pushed below 30 nm. This makes it feasible to visualize biological structures in subcellular levels and to monitor subcellular biological processes in real time. However, due to the complexity of the biological structure and components within cells, simultaneous staining and monitoring multiple intracellular components with different coloured fluorophores is often needed during multiplex imaging, to better understand biological processes. Aggregation-induced emission luminogens(AIEgen) and AIEgen based nanoparticles(NPs) have presented many advantages in fluorescence imaging, with strong potential for biological science and nano-medicine. Herein this review, we focus on the advantages of AIEgen and AIEgen NP in cell-based fluorescence imaging, and the latest advances of AIEgens in cell-based multiplex imaging are summarized and discussed. The future perspectives are proposed.     

Non-isothermal thermogravimetric analysis of pyrolysis kinetics of four oil shales using Sestak–Berggren method

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - In this study, the non-isothermal pyrolysis method was used to investigate the pyrolysis characteristics of oil shale from four areas: namely Nongan,...     

Multiplexed imaging detection of live cell intracellular changes in early apoptosis with aggregation-induced emission fluorogens

Apoptosis is an important process for maintaining tissue homeostasis and eliminating abnormal cells in multicellular organisms. Abnormality in apoptosis often leads to severe diseases such as cancers. Better understanding of its mechanisms and processes is therefore important. Accompanying molecular biology events of apoptosis is a series of cellular morphology changes: nucleus condensation, cell shrinkage and rounding, cell surface blebbing, dynamic blebbing, apoptotic membrane protrusions and nucleus fragmentations and finally, the formation and release of apoptotic bodies. It is difficult to detect cellular changes in the early phase of apoptosis due to the subtle changes at this phase. In the current study, we induced apoptosis in HeLa cells with H₂O₂ and used nuclear dye Hoechst 33258, mitochondria, lysosome and cytoplasmic protein specific aggregation-induced emission fluorogens (AIEgens), TPE-Ph-In, 2M-DABS and BSPOTPE to successfully perform live cell multiplexed imaging to investigate early apoptosis cellular events. We showed the gradual dissipation of mitochondria membrane potential until it is nondetectable by TPE-Ph-In. Increased mitophagy detected by TPE-Ph-In and 2M-DABS, condensed nucleus detected by Hoechst 33258, increased permeability and/or reduced integrity of nuclear membrane, and increased intracellular vesicles detected by 2M-DABS are some of the early events of apoptosis.     

Efficient and highly selective cyclization induced by Lewis acid to generate 2-hydroxyl-α-cyclogeraniol

A cyclization reaction of the hydroxyl-protected geraniol epoxide induced by the different Lewis acids to generate 2-hydroxyl-α-cyclogeraniol has been explored. Compared with the previous methods, this method enhances the production and selectivity of this reaction without the consumption of a large amount of solvent. Also, the coordination of the metal with two oxygen atoms of hydroxyl groups might be crucial for the reaction is first addressed.     

Melting temperature and enthalpy variations of phase change materials (PCMs): a differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis

Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis is a standard thermal analysis technique used to determine the phase transition temperature, enthalpy, heat of fusion, specific heat and activation energy of phase change materials (PCMs). To determine the appropriate heating rate and sample mass, various DSC measurements were carried out using two kinds of PCMs, namely N-octadecane paraffin and calcium chloride hexahydrate. The variations in phase transition temperature, enthalpy, heat of fusion, specific heat and activation energy were observed within applicable heating rates and sample masses. It was found that the phase transition temperature range increased with increasing heating rate and sample mass; while the heat of fusion varied without any established pattern. The specific heat decreased with the increase of heating rate and sample mass. For accuracy purpose, it is recommended that for PCMs with high thermal conductivity (e.g. hydrated salt) the focus will be on heating rate rather than sample mass.     

Time Evolution of the Time-Dependent Harmonic Oscillator

The time evolution of the time-dependent harmonic oscillator is studied by a sequence of unitary transformations and the exact evolving state for the system is obtained. A specific model of frequency variation for the time-dependent harmonic oscillator is discussed as an illustrative example.     

光原锰（Ⅲ）卟啉二甲酯与有机碱配位还原反应研究

实验表明,Mn(Ⅲ)卟啉对理解血红蛋白的催化反应很有意义。Mn(Ⅲ)卟啉突出的性质是配位还原性,尤其与有机碱的反应。等研究了四苯基卟啉锰(Ⅲ)(TPPMn(Ⅲ)Cl)与有机碱的配位还原反应。本文部分作者曾研究过(β-硝基)四苯基卟啉锰(Ⅲ),((β-NO_2)TPP Mn(Ⅲ)Cl)、四(对硝基)苯基卟啉锰(Ⅲ)(TNPPMn(Ⅲ)Cl)和邻(二