Generalized Hirshfeld Partitioning with Oriented and Promoted ProatomsSCI北大核心CSCD

In this study, we show how to generalize Hirshfeld partitioning methods to possibly include non-spherical proatom densities. While this generalization is numerically challenging(requiring global optimization of a large number of parameters), it is conceptually appealing because it allows the proatoms to be pre-polarized, or even promoted, to a state that more closely resembles the atom in a molecule. This method is based on first characterizing the convex set of proatom densities associated with the degenerate ground states of isolated atoms and atomic ions. The preferred orientation of the proatoms' densities are then obtained by minimizing the information–theoretic distance between the promolecular and molecular densities. If contributions from excited states(and not just degenerate ground states) are included in the convex set, this method can describe promoted atoms. While the procedure is intractable in general, if one includes only atomic states that have differing electron-numbers and/or spins, the variational principle becomes a simple convex optimization with a single unique solution.     

A low-cost,fast, disposable and sensitive biosensor study: flow injection analysis of glucose at poly-methylene blue-modified pencil graphite electrode

In this work, firstly methylene blue (MB) was electropolymerized onto pencil graphite electrode (PGE) surface for the electrocatalytic oxidation of NADH. Cyclic voltammograms show that oxidation potential of NADH at Poly-MB/PGE shifted to negative direction about 300 mV compared with bare PGE. These results indicate that Poly-MB/PGE exhibits a good electrocatalytic activity toward NADH oxidation. Then, a glucose biosensor study was performed based on the determination of enzymatically generated NADH by glucose dehydrogenase (GDH) which immobilized onto Poly-MB/PGE using glutaraldehyde cross-linking procedure. The biosensing of glucose in flow injection analysis (FIA) system was performed at GDH/Poly-MB/PGE for the first time. The electrocatalytic oxidation currents of enzymatically produced NADH obtained from FI amperometric current–time curves recorded at + 200 mV and in phosphate buffer solution at pH 7.0 containing 1.0 M KCl were linearly related to the concentration of glucose. Linear calibration plots are obtained in the concentration range from 0.01 to 1.0 mM. The limit of detection (LOD) was found to be 4.0 µM. A fast, sensitive, low-cost and disposable glucose biosensor was constructed in FIA system using GDH/Poly-MB/PGE; therefore, it might provide a new perspective for the fabrication of biosensor of other compounds such as glutamate, lactate and alcohol.     

Isolation and characterization of four novel β-Sitosteryl esters from Salvadora persica Linn.

Salvadora persica is virtuous to have a variety of phytoconstituents responsible for many biological activities some of them identified particularly while some are still to be acknowledged. A number of steroidal, glycosidic, terpenoids, saponins and functional esters are reported till date. The present study deals with extraction, isolation, and characterisation of four novel steroidal esters by systematic cold extraction of S. persica. The extracted phytoconstituents were characterised by sophisticated spectral UV, IR, NMR and MS, techniques. The reported four new β-Sitosteryl esters SP-2, 3, 5 and 6 were extracted and reported for the first time.     

An alternative method for the evaluation of docking performance: RSR vs RMSD

A new assessment criterion for docking poses is proposed in which experimental electron density is taken into account when evaluating the ability of docking programs to reproduce experimentally observed binding modes. Three docking programs (Gold, Glide, and Fred) were used to generate poses for a set of 88 protein-ligand complexes for which the crystal structure is known. The new criterion is based on the real space R-factor (RSR), which measures how well a group of atoms-in our case the ligand-fits the experimental electron density by comparing that density to the expected density, calculated from the model (i.e., the predicted ligand pose). The RSR-based measure is compared to the traditional criterion, the root-mean-square distance (RMSD) between the docking pose and the binding configuration in the crystallographic model. The results highlight several shortcomings of the RMSD criterion that do not affect the RSR-based measure. Examples illustrate that the RSR-derived approach allows a more meaningful a posteriori assessment of docking methods and results. Practical implications for docking evaluations and for methodological development work in this field are discussed.     

Pyrolysis of poly(phenylene vinylene)s with polycaprolactone side chains

The thermal degradation characteristics of a new macromonomer poly(-caprolactone) with central 4,4′-dicarbaldehyde terphenyl moieties and poly(phenylene vinylene)s with well defined (-caprolactone), (PPV/PCL) as lateral substituents were investigated via direct pyrolysis mass spectrometry. The unexpectedly high thermal stability of the macromonomer was attributed to intermolecular acetylation of benzaldehyde yielding a hemiacetal and causing a crosslinked structure during the pyrolysis. Increased thermal stability of the PCL chains was detected for all samples. The increase in stability of PCL chains was much more pronounced than was detected for poly(p-phenylene)-graft-poly(-caprolactone) copolymer (PPP/PCL); the upward temperature shift was about 100 °C for PPV/PCL and only 20 °C for PPP/CL. This pronounced effect may be due to higher thermal stability of PPV compared to PPP and the decrease in steric hindrance for PPV with PCL side chains.     

Voltammetric Determination of Favipiravir Used as an Antiviral Drug for the Treatment of Covid-19 at Pencil Graphite Electrode

This work describes the sensitive voltammetric determination of favipiravir (FAV) based on its reduction for the first time with a low-cost and disposable pencil graphite electrode (PGE). In addition, the determination of FAV was also performed based on its oxidation. Differential pulse (DP) voltammograms recorded in 0.5 M H₂SO₄ for the reduction of FAV show that peak currents increase linearly in the range of 1.0 to 600.0 μM with a limit of detection of 0.35 μM. The acceptable recovery values (98.9–106.0 %) obtained from a pharmaceutical tablet, real human urine, and artificial blood serum samples spiked with FAV confirm the high accuracy of the proposed method.     

Formation and shear-induced processing of quantum dot colloidal assemblies in a multiphase microfluidic chip

The controlled self-assembly of polymer-stabilized quantum dots (QDs) into mesoscale aqueous spherical assemblies termed quantum dot compound micelles (QDCMs) using a two-phase gas-segmented microfluidic reactor is described. Self-assembly is initiated by the fast mixing of water (approximately 1 s) with a blend solution of polystyrene-coated QDs and amphiphilic polystyrene-block-poly(acrylic acid) stabilizing chains via chaotic advection within liquid plugs moving through a sinusoidal channel. Subsequent recirculating flow within a post-formation channel subjects the dynamic QDCMs to shear-induced processing, controlled via the flow rate and channel length, before a final quench into pure water. During processing, larger QDCMs within the initial population undergo breakup into smaller particles, resulting in smaller mean particle sizes, smaller relative standard deviations, and more skewed distribution shapes, as the overall shear exposure is increased. For these cases, shear-induced size reduction is sufficient to dominate surface tension-driven growth.     

Generation of Haploid Spermatids on Silk Fibroin-Alginate-Laminin-Based Porous 3D Scaffolds

In vitro production of sperm is a desirable idea for fertility preservation in azoospermic men and prepubertal boys suffering from cancer. In this study, a biocompatible porous scaffold based on a triad mixture of silk fibroin (SF), alginate (Alg), and laminin (LM) is developed to facilitate the differentiation of mouse spermatogonia stem cells (SSCs). Following SF extraction, the content is analyzed by SDS-PAGE and stable porous 3D scaffolds are successfully prepared by merely Alg, SF, and a combination of Alg-SF, or Alg-SF-LM through freeze-drying. Then, the biomimetic scaffolds are characterized regarding the structural and biological properties, water absorption capacity, biocompatibility, biodegradability, and mechanical behavior. Neonatal mice testicular cells are seeded on three-dimensional scaffolds and their differentiation efficiency is evaluated using real-time PCR, flow cytometry, immunohistochemistry. Blend matrices showed uniform porous microstructures with interconnected networks, which maintained long-term stability and mechanical properties better than homogenous structures. Molecular analysis of the cells after 21 days of culture showed that the expression of differentiation-related proteins in cells that are developed in composite scaffolds is significantly higher than in other groups. The application of a composite system can lead to the differentiation of SSCs, paving the way for a novel infertility treatment landscape in the future.     

The Fermi-Walker Derivative on the Spherical Indicatrix of a Space Curve

In this paper Fermi-Walker derivative and Fermi-Walker parallelism and non-rotating frame concepts are given along the spherical indicatrix of a curve in E ³. First, we consider a curve in Euclid space and investigate the Fermi-Walker derivative along the tangent. The concepts which Fermi-Walker derivative are analyzed along its tangent. Then, the Fermi-Walker derivative and its theorems are analyzed along the principal normal indicatrix and the binormal indicatrix of any curve in E ³.