纳米通道单分子检测低噪音电流放大器系统的研究

研制了一种新型微电流放大器系统,用于检测琢-Hemolysin生物蛋白纳米通道在单分子检测实验中所产生的微弱电流信号(<100 pA)。在1 mol/L KCl、10 mmol/L Tris-HCl,1 mmol/L EDTA的缓冲液(pH 8.0)中测定了DNA-PEG-DNA交联物与纳米通道的穿越和碰撞信号。实验中使用3 kHz贝塞尔滤波器和100 kHz模数转换器来对电流进行采样。结果表明,此放大器系统能够有效降低电流记录过程中的噪音,有利于分辨待测物分子与纳米通道作用所产生的较小阻断的电流信号(<10 pA)。     

Injectable,Interconnected, High‐Porosity Macroporous Biocompatible Gelatin Scaffolds Made by Surfactant‐Free Emulsion Templating

High‐porosity interconnected, thermoresponsive macroporous hydrogels are prepared from oil‐in‐water high internal phase emulsions (HIPEs) stabilized by gelatin‐graft‐poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide). PolyHIPEs are obtained by gelling HIPEs utilizing the thermoresponsiveness of the copolymer components. PolyHIPEs properties can be controlled by varying the aqueous phase composition, internal phase volume ratio, and gelation temperature. PolyHIPEs respond to temperature changes experienced during cell seeding, allowing fibroblasts to spread, proliferate, and penetrate into the scaffold. Encapsulated cells survive ejection of cell‐laden hydrogels through a hypodermic needle. This system provides a new strategy for the fabrication of safe injectable biocompatible tissue engineering scaffolds.

     

Bioinspired Synthesis of Well‐Ordered Layered Organic–Inorganic Nanohybrids: Mimicking the Natural Processing of Nacre by Mineralization of Block Copolymer Templates

The unique mechanical performance of nacre, the pearly internal layer of shells, is highly dependent on its complex morphology. Inspired by the structure of nacre, the fabrication of well‐ordered layered inorganic–organic nanohybrids is presented herein. This biomimetic approach includes the use of a block copolymer template, consisting of hydrophobic poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) lamellae covered with hydrophilic poly(methacrylic acid) (PMAA), to direct silica (SiO₂) mineralization. The resulting PVDF/PMAA/SiO₂ nanohybrid material resembles biogenic nacre with respect to its well‐ordered and layered nanostructure, alternating organic–inorganic phases, macromolecular template, and mild processing conditions.

     

Nafion covered core–shell structured Fe3O4@graphene nanospheres modified electrode for highly selective detection of dopamine

Nafion covered core–shell structured Fe₃O₄@graphene nanospheres (GNs) modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was successfully prepared and used for selective detection dopamine. Firstly, the characterizations of hydro-thermal synthesized Fe₃O₄@GNs were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Raman spectroscopy. Then Fe₃O₄@GNs/Nafion modified electrode exhibited excellent electrocatalytic activity toward the oxidations of dopamine (DA). The interference test showed that the coexisted ascorbic acid (AA) and uric acid (UA) had no electrochemical interference toward DA. Under the optimum conditions, the broad linear relationship was obtained in the experimental concentration from 0.020 μM to 130.0 μM with the detection limit (S/N = 3) of 0.007 μM. Furthermore, the core–shell structured Fe₃O₄@GNs/Nafion/GCE was applied to the determination of DA in real samples and satisfactory results were got, which could provide a promising platform to develop excellent biosensor for detecting DA.     

Formation of the Main Cores Present in Natural Products by Tandem Additions

A rapid route to 5,5‐ and 5,6‐ bicyclic systems is provided by an 1,3‐alkyl‐shift process mediated by a hypervalent iodine reagent on aromatics. The structures obtained contain several unsaturations with different behaviors and reactivities. Such diversity allows further elaborations for the rapid formation of compact systems present in a variety of natural products. The potential for further transformations has been demonstrated by performing a double Michael addition. This cyclization process is regio‐ and stereoselective due to the presence of a former benzylic substituent. Furthermore, an extension of this approach has been accomplished on indole derivatives.     

Optimization of Experimental Parameters to Explore Small‐Ligand/Aptamer Interactions through Use of 1H NMR Spectroscopy and Molecular Modeling

Aptamers constitute an emerging class of molecules designed and selected to recognize any given target that ranges from small compounds to large biomolecules, and even cells. However, the underlying physicochemical principles that govern the ligand‐binding process still have to be clarified. A major issue when dealing with short oligonucleotides is their intrinsic flexibility that renders their active conformation highly sensitive to experimental conditions. To overcome this problem and determine the best experimental parameters, an approach based on the design‐of‐experiments methodology has been developed. Here, the focus is on DNA aptamers that possess high specificity and affinity for small molecules, L ‐tyrosinamide, and adenosine monophosphate. Factors such as buffer, pH value, ionic strength, Mg²⁺‐ion concentration, and ligand/aptamer ratio have been considered to find the optimal experimental conditions. It was then possible to gain new insight into the conformational features of the two ligands by using ligand‐observed NMR spectroscopic techniques and molecular mechanics.     

Insights into the Complexity of Weak Intermolecular Interactions Interfering in Host–Guest Systems

The recognition properties of heteroditopic hemicryptophane hosts towards anions, cations, and neutral pairs, combining both cation–π and anion–π interaction sites, were investigated to probe the complexity of interfering weak intermolecular interactions. It is suggested from NMR experiments, and supported by CASSCF/CASPT2 calculations, that the binding constants of anions can be modulated by a factor of up to 100 by varying the fluorination sites on the electron‐poor aromatic rings. Interestingly, this subtle chemical modification can also reverse the sign of cooperativity in ion‐pair recognition. Wavefunction calculations highlight how short‐ and long‐range interactions interfere in this recognition process, suggesting that a disruption of anion–π interactions can occur in the presence of a co‐bound cation. Such molecules can be viewed as prototypes for examining complex processes controlled by the competition of weak interactions.     

Synthesis of Small‐Sized,Porous, and Low‐Toxic Magnetite Nanoparticles by Thin POSS Silica Coating

In this communication, we report the synthesis of small‐sized (<10 nm), water‐soluble, magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) coated with polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSS), which contain either polyethylene glycol (PEG) or octa(tetramethylammonium) (OctaTMA) as functional groups. The POSS‐coated MNPs exhibit superparamagnetic behavior with saturation magnetic moments (51–53 emu g^?1) comparable to silica‐coated MNPs. They also provide good colloidal stability at different pH and salt concentrations, and low cytotoxicity to MCF‐7 human breast epithelial cells. The relaxivity data and magnetic resonance (MR) phantom images demonstrate the potential application of these MNPs in bioimaging.