Additional cytotoxic substances isolated from the sponge-derived Gymnascella dankaliensis

A continuous investigation of secondary metabolites produced by the sponge-derived fungus, Gymnascella dankaliensis, has yielded a new polyketide tyrosine derivative, dankastatin C (3) and the known steroid, demethylincisterol A₃ (4), which was originally found from a Homaxinella marine sponge. The stereostructure of the new compound has been determined based on the analysis of 1D and 2D NMR data. Dankastatin C (3) showed potent cell growth inhibitory activity against the murine P388 cell line.     

Phosphate Removal from Aqueous Solution by an Effective Clay Composite Material

Adsorption is an effective treatment process for removing phosphorus and thus controlling eutrophication. In this study, a clay composite material called Al–dolomite–montmorillonite (Al–DM) was prepared and characterized. Al–DM performed well with respect to phosphate removal, with its performance depending on the Al–DM loading, contact time, initial phosphorus concentration and initial solution pH. Adsorption mechanisms were investigated by conducting batch tests on phosphate adsorption using the Al–DM. The adsorption process fitted both the pseudo-second-order kinetics model and the intra-particle diffusion model. The Langmuir, Freundlich and BET models all adequately described the adsorption isotherm data. Thermodynamic studies showed that the adsorption process was endothermic and spontaneous in nature. Al–DM is an effective adsorbent for phosphate removal mainly due to its hierarchical porous structures as shown by characterization with SEM and EDS. Chemical changes occurring before and after adsorption in a water environment indicated that Al–DM had little negative effect on water quality.     

Microstructure,Tribological Behavior,and Corrosion-Resistant Performance of Bonded MoS2 Solid Lubricating Film Filled with Nano-LaF3

The anti-friction and wear-resistant performances of bonded MoS₂ solid lubricating films filled with nano-LaF₃ filler were investigated under in drying wear conditions, the corrosion-resistant performances of bonded lubricating films was evaluated according to ASTM-B117, and the characteristics of the bonded lubricating films were examined by TEM and elemental x-ray map. The wear-resistant performance of the bonded lubricating films filled with nano-LaF₃ filler increases with increasing content of nano-LaF₃ filler within a content range between 0 and 5 wt%, whereas the bonded lubricating films filled with 0.5–1 wt% micro-LaF₃ filler exhibit the better wear-resistant performances. The incorporation of both nano-LaF₃ and micro-LaF₃ filler leads the increase of the coefficient of friction of the bonded lubricating films. The LaF₃ filler can improve the corrosion-resistant performance of the bonded MoS₂ solid lubricating films, whereas the incorporation of nano-LaF₃ filler is more effective to improve the corrosion-resistant performance of the bonded lubricating films than micro-LaF₃ filler. The improvement in the wear-resistant and corrosion-resistant performances of the bonded lubricating films by the incorporation of the nano-LaF₃ filler is attributed to the strengthened interfacial bonding among the nano-LaF₃ and the MoS₂ lubricant and the polymeric matrix. However, a too high mass fraction of the nano-LaF₃ filler in the bonded lubricating films will increase surface and interface defects, and lead the worsening of corrosion-resistant performance of the bonded lubricating films.     

Direct Blue 71 staining as a destaining‐free alternative loading control method for Western blotting

In Western blotting, a suitable loading control is indispensable for correcting errors in the total amount of loaded protein. Immunodetection of housekeeping proteins and total protein staining have traditionally been used as loading control methods. Direct Blue 71 (DB71) staining—a novel, sensitive, dye‐binding staining method compatible with immunodetection—may offer advantages over these traditional loading control methods. Three common neuroscientific samples (human plasma, human oligodendrocytes, and rat brain) were employed to assess DB71 staining as a loading control method for Western blotting. DB71, CBB, one traditional housekeeping protein, and one protein of interest were comparatively assessed for reliability and repeatability and linear dynamic range over 2.5–40 μg of protein loaded. DB71's effect on the reliability and repeatability and linear dynamic range of immunoreaction were also assessed. Across all three sample types, DB71 was either equivalent or superior to CBB and housekeeping protein‐based methods in terms of reliability and repeatability and linear dynamic range. Across all three sample types, DB71 staining did not impair the reliability and repeatability or linear dynamic range of immunoreaction. Our results demonstrate that the DB71 staining can be used as a destaining‐free alternative loading control method for Western blotting.     

Kinetics for the Reaction between Potassium Ferricyanide and Cobalt Chloride in Aqueous Solution and Microemulsion

The kinetics for the reaction between potassium ferricyanide (K₃Fe(CN)₆) and cobalt chloride (CoCl₂) in aqueous solution and water/bis(2-ethylhexyl) sodium sulfosuccianate (AOT)/isooctane microemulsions were studied by three-wavelength spectrophotometry at 298.2 K. The second-order rate constants (k₂) were calculated from the time dependence of the concentration of reactant K₃Fe(CN)₆. The result showed that the reaction rates in water/AOT/isooctane microemulsions were slower than that in the aqueous solution, and k₂ decreased with molar ratio (ω) of water to AOT in microemulsions, which was interpreted by the transition state theory and confirmed that the reaction took place at the interfaces of the microemulsion water pools.     

Surface-Modified Sb2S3 Nanoparticles and Their Tribological Behaviors in Liquid Paraffin

Sb₂S₃ nanoparticles surface-modified with S-tetradecyl N, N-dihydroxyethyl dithiocarbamate (C₁₄DTC-Sb₂S₃) have been synthesized via extraction of Sb₂S₃ colloidal particles from ethylene glycol into toluene in the presence of C₁₄DTC. The obtained products were characterized by high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM) and Fourier transformation infrared (FTIR), and their tribological behaviors as an additive in liquid paraffin were investigated using a four-ball tribometer. The results show that C₁₄DTC-Sb₂S₃ nanoparticles can significantly improve the friction reduction, anti-wear, and load-carrying properties of base oils. The preliminary lubrication mechanism was discussed based on the SEM and XPS investigation of the rubbed surfaces.     

Migration study of iodine in Beishan granite by a column method

The fate and migration behavior of radionuclides in environment are influenced by a series of physical and chemical processes such as advection, hydrodynamic dispersion (including mechanical dispersion and molecular diffusion), retention, chemical reaction and so on. In this study, the migration of ¹²⁵I^? in Beishan granite and the potential retention of iodine by silver halide additives were investigated by a pulse injection column method. All breakthrough curves were analyzed according to the analytical solution of transport equation and the dispersion coefficient (D), and first-order sorption constant (k) were obtained. For conservative nuclide, the dispersion behavior is only related to the dispersion medium. Silver halides were proved having sorption ability for ¹²⁵I^? in the order of AgCl > AgBr > AgI. The transport of iodine in the crushed granite column can be adequately described by the advection–dispersion equation with a first-order, irreversible sorption term. The pulse injection column method can be used as a fast method to evaluate the sorption or retention ability of solid phase.     

Synthesis and mesomorphism of 4,4'-bis(omega-hydroxyalkoxy)-alpha-methylstilbenes

A homologous series of 4,4'-bis(omega-hydroxyalkoxy)-alpha-methylstilbenes, denoted HAMS-n, has been synthesized. Here n is the carbon atom length of the peripheral n-alkyl chain; in this work n = 2 to 8 and 11. The composition, microstructure, thermal properties, and mesomorphism of the homologues were determined using elemental analysis, ¹H NMR, FTIR, DSC, wide angle X-ray diffraction, and polarizing optical microscopy with a heating stage. The influence of the length and the even/odd numbers of methylene units of the peripheral chains on the variants of mesomorphism and the stability of mesophases, as well as on their transition temperatures, are discussed. The homologues with n = 8 and 11 were enantiotropic monomorphic, CrG (or CrH). The odd homologues showed monotropic trimorphism on cooling, while the even homologues exhibited enantiotropic trimorphism. A pronounced even/odd effect on the melting temperatures was observed.     

Surface Performance and Cytocompatibility Evaluation of Acrylic Acid-Mediated Carboxymethyl Chitosan Coating on Poly(tetrafluoroethylene-co-hexafluoropropylene)

To improve the biocompatibility of poly(tetrafluoroethylene-co-hexafluoropropylene) (FEP) film, a technique based on Ar plasma pretreatment and UV-induced grafting polymerization was used to immobilize carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS) on the FEP film surfaces. Initially Ar plasma was used to treat FEP film. Then, plasma treated FEP film was modified via UV-induced grafting polymerization with hydrophilic acrylic acid (AAc) monomer. The following immobilization of CMCS on the FEP-pAAc surface was carried out via an amidation reaction. The change of chemical composition and surface morphology of FEP film were characterized by attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Results of water contact angles measurement showed that the hydrophilicity of the surface has improved significantly after surface modification. Furthermore, methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay and cell morphology analysis confirmed that mouse fibroblasts (L929 cells) attachment and proliferation were improved remarkably on the modified FEP surface. These results suggest that CMCS were successfully employed to surface engineering FEP film, and enhanced its cell biocompatibility. The approach presented here may be exploited for surface modification of biomaterials.