The Silk Textile Embedded in Silk Fibroin Composite: Preparation and Properties

Silk reinforced silk-fibroin-based composites were prepared by embedding of silk textile into regenerated silk fibroin(RSF)matrix. The breaking stress and breaking strain of the composites were found 37.7 MPa and 71.1% respectively at(95 ± 5)% RH.Morphological analysis was carried out to observe fracture behavior of the samples. The in vitro biodegradation test showed that the composite degraded slowly and lost 70% weight at the end of 168 h. Moreover, compared with RSF pure film, the composite kept strength and toughness much longer time. In conclusion, this composite has the potential for more accurate cytology research and biomedical tests in the future.     

Two novel iridoid derivatives isolated from Phlomis likiangensis

The extract of the aerial and underground parts of Phlomis likiangensis afforded two new iridoid derivatives, namely as phloloside H (1) and phloline (2), along with four known compounds (3–6), and compound 2 was a novel normonoterpene. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic studies and chemical methods. Six compounds were assayed for cytotoxic, antibacterial and antioxidative activities, but were either inactive or very weakly active.     

Copper-promoted Chan-Lam coupling between enaminones and aryl boronic acids

A novel copper-promoted N-arylation of enaminones with aromatic boronic acids has been developed, which provides an efficient way to synthesize N-aryl enaminones with a broad substrate scope and excellent functional group compatibility. The N-aryl enaminones could be converted into a series of highly valuable building blocks and bioactive compounds. Notably, in comparison with traditional methods, this alternative approach provides accesses to N-aryl enaminones bearing multiple aromatic rings.     

A Multiresidue Method for Simultaneous Determination of 116 Pesticides in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma</Emphasis> Using Modified QuEChERS Coupled with Gas Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry and Census 180 Batches of Sample from Yunnan Province

A method was established for the simultaneous determination of 116 pesticide residues in Notoginseng Radix et Rhizome with a combination of the modified QuEChERS method and GC–MS/MS. The sample was extracted with acetonitrile, cleaned up by primary–secondary amine and octadecyl-modified silica (C18) sorbents and determined by GC–MS/MS in multireaction monitoring mode. Matrix-matched calibration coupled with internal standard method was applied to compensate for the matrix effect and to quantify the pesticides. The results of all the 116 pesticides showed good linearity in the respective linear range with correlation coefficients (r²) > 0.99. The method limits of quantification were between 0.01 and 0.05 mg kg^?1. The recoveries were between 64.3 and 119.4%, with RSD values typically lower than 18.3% at three spiked levels of 0.05, 0.10 and 0.20 mg kg^?1. The validated methodology is easy, fast, highly accurate, reliable and sensitive for monitoring and quantification of the 116 pesticide residues in Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma. In 180 batches of real samples, 11 pesticides were detected and among these quintozene and cyfluthrin were in excess of the standard of European Union maximum residue level for herbs.     

Glass microstructure evaluations using high temperature mechanical spectroscopy measurements

This paper compares the microstructures of several glasses by measuring the Young’s modulus and internal friction as a function of temperature, using the impulse excitation technique (IET). IET is based on the analysis of the resonant vibration of a solid material sample, induced by an impulse excitation. IET determines the mechanical resonant frequencies (f_r) from which the elastic moduli can be calculated, and for each f_r the corresponding internal friction (Q⁻¹). It was found that the stiffness of quartz and borosilicate glasses increases with temperature. The stiffness of soda-lime and alumino-silicate glasses decreases with the increase of temperature. The change of stiffness of quartz and alumino-silicate glasses during heat-treatment is reversible, but that of borosilicate and soda-lime glasses is not. Explanations for the irreversibility are suggested based on the Q⁻¹-features of the glasses. Diffusion of network modifier ions in the glass network holes is proposed to cause a non-reversible stiffness change, whereas localised anelastic relaxation of network modifier ions leads to a reversible stiffness change.     

Self-assembly in transition metal complexes: structural characterization of a copper histamine nitrate [Cu(II)(him)2(NO3)2]

A new monomeric copper (II) complex with histamine (him), [Cu(II)(him)₂(No₃)₂], has been prepared by the reaction of Cu(NO₃)₂ with histaminium dichloride and its structure was determined by x-ray crystallography. The complex crystallizes in the triclinic system, space group with a = 5.7238(4), b = 8.7094(7), c = 9.2481(11) Å, = 69.693(8), = 73.242(7), = 71.050(7)°, V = 400.84(6) ų, and Z = 1. The structure consists of discrete [Cu(II)(him)₂(NO₃)₂] molecules in which the metal atom is centrosymmetrically coordinated by two histamine ligands forming an equatorial plane with Cu–N(imidazole ring) being 2.032(2) and Cu–N(NH₂ group) being 2.023(2) Å. Two O atoms from nitrate anions coordinate on the elongated axial positions with Cu–O being 2.549(2) Å. In the crystal structure, the molecules are organized by hydrogen bonds forming a two-dimensional network.     

One step cascade synthesis of 4,5-disubstituted-1,2,3-(NH)-triazoles

A Lewis base-catalyzed three-component cascade reaction was developed for the synthesis of 4,5-disubstituted-1,2,3-(NH)-triazoles. More than 25 new (NH)-triazoles were prepared in good to excellent yields under mild conditions. The availability of the C-4 vinyl group allows easy conversion into other triazole derivatives.     

On the nonlinear matrix equation

Based on fixed point theorems for monotone and mixed monotone operators in a normal cone, we prove that the nonlinear matrix equation always has a unique positive definite solution. A conjecture which is proposed in [X.G. Liu, H. Gao, On the positive definite solutions of the matrix equation X^s±A^TX^-tA=I_n, Linear Algebra Appl. 368 (2003) 83–97] is solved. Multi-step stationary iterative method is proposed to compute the unique positive definite solution. Numerical examples show that this iterative method is feasible and effective.     

Theoretical investigation on dual fluorescence and intramolecular charge transfer of 5-phenyl-5H-phenanthridin-6-one

Quantum-chemical calculations with the time-dependent density function theory (TDDFT) have been carried out for 5-phenyl-5H-phenanthridin-6-one (PP). For this molecule, dual fluorescence and in- tramolecular charge transfer (ICT) were experimentally observed. The B3LYP functional with 6-311 G (2d, p) basis set has been used for the theoretical calculations. The solvent effects have been described within the polarizable continuum model (PCM). Ground-state geometry optimization reveals that the phenyl/phenanthridinone dihedral angle equals 90.0°, a nearly perpendicular structure. Vertical ab- sorption energy calculations characterize the lower singlet excited states both in gas phase and in solvents. It can be found that the lower excited states have locally excitation (LE) feature. Through constructing the potential energy curves of both isolated and solvated systems describing the LE→ICT reaction and fluorescence emission, we obtain the enthalpy difference ΔH between the LE and ICT states, energy barrier Ea, and energy difference δEFC, indicating the structural changes taking place during the ICT reaction. Potential curve and calculated emission energies for both isolated and sol- vated systems show a dual fluorescence phenomenon, consisting of a LE emission band and a red-shifted ICT band. Our calculations including the solvent effects indicate that the dual fluorescence is brought about by the change in molecular structure connected with the planarization of the twisted N-phenylphenanthridinone during the ICT reaction.     

Conjugated polyelectrolyte-DNA complexes for multi-color and one-tube SNP genotyping assays

The complexes of a cationic conjugated polymer with DNA are designed as new platforms for homogeneous, sensitive and facile fluorescence assays for SNP genotyping, which interface with single-base extension, multi-step FRET and optical amplification properties of conjugated polymers.