Rapid Detection of Five Estrogens Added Illegally to Dietary Supplements by Combining TLC with Raman Imaging Microscope

Estrogens added illegally to dietary supplements are hazardous to human health. Traditional detection and analysis methods have many limitations, and we have developed an assay that combines thin-layer chromatography with Raman imaging microscopy (TLC-RIM). The five estrogens (estrone, estradiol, estriol, ethinyl estradiol, and diethylstilbestrol) were initially separated by TLC, then detected by area scanning Raman imaging with a 532 nm laser under a microscope. Raman spectra were obtained for each estrogen, which were used for detecting estrogen illegally added to botanical dietary supplements. The LOD of each estrogen was 0.4, 1.0, 0.8, 0.2, and 0.2 mg/mL, respectively. The matrix in the real sample did not interfere with the detection of estrogens. The method was fast, sensitive, stable, specific, and reliable.     

The Potential Antidepressant Action of Duloxetine Co-Administered with the TAAR1 Receptor Agonist SEP-363856 in Mice

Here, we explored the possible interaction between duloxetine and SEP-363856 (SEP-856) in depression-related reactions. The results showed that oral administration of duloxetine showed powerful antidepressant-like effects in both the forced swimming test (FST) and the suspension tail test (TST). SEP-856 orally administered alone also exerted an antidepressant-like effect in FST and TST, especially at doses of 0.3, 1, and 10 mg/kg. In addition, duloxetine (15 mg/kg) and SEP-856 (15 mg/kg) both showed antidepressant-like effects in the sucrose preference test (SPT). Most importantly, in the above experiments, compared with duloxetine alone, the simultaneous use of duloxetine and SEP-856 caused a more significant antidepressant-like effect. It is worth noting that doses of drug combination in FST and TST did not change the motor activities of mice in the open-field test (OFT). Thus, duloxetine and SEP-856 seem to play a synergistic role in regulating depression-related behaviors and might be beneficial for refractory depression.     

A Simple Hydrothermal Method for the Growth of ZnO Crystals

ZnO microstructures have been grown from zinc chloride (ZnCl₂) and ammonia solution at 100 °C for 1 – 24 hours. X‐ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope and field‐emission scanning microscope were utilized to investigate the structural properties and morphology of the ZnO crystals. Structural investigations show that phase‐pure hexagonal structure ZnO has been successfully synthesized, and the hexagonal structure ZnO can be achieved in solutions with an appropriate range of concentrations. Under our experimental conditions, several different morphologies of ZnO structures were obtained, including flower‐like and bar flower‐like. The relationship between the morphology and experimental conditions are discussed.     

一种蓝色聚合物激光材料

聚合物作为一种有机发光材料,由于在平板显示和光电子器件中的良好应用前景而受到广泛研究［１～２］．近年来,一个重要进展是在聚合物中观测到了受激发射（简称Ｐｏｌｙ－ｍｅｒ激光）现象［３～６］．Ｐｏｌｙｍｅｒ激光最早是在溶液中实现的［３～４］．作为一种新型...     

单层2H-MoTe2光电效应的理论研究

材料的禁带宽度是影响光电探测器探测范围的重要因素.单层2H-MoTe2因具有合适的禁带宽度引起了科研人员广泛的研究兴趣.本文基于非平衡态格林函数-密度泛函理论,采用第一性原理方法,研究了单层2H-MoTe2的光电效应.结果表明:在线性偏振光照射下,MoTe2产生的光电流函数与唯象理论相吻合;在光子能量范围1.6～1.8...     

Optical pattern simulations for closed cylinders of liquid crystals

Abstract

Optical patterns for the polarizing microscope textures of closed cylinders of liquid crystals (CCLCs) are studied by the Jones vector formulation. The simulated director configuration diagram of a CCLC with normal orientation at the walls contains four kinds of stable director configurations. The resulting texture under some approximations depends only on phase shifts. The patterns are characterized by dark brushes that coincide with the directions of the crossed polarizers. Additionally, there are concentric circle fringes. For the ring defect structure, the centre region of the cylinder exhibits a black extinction. However, this is not distinguishable as between the hyperbolic and radial structures for both the point and the ring defect patterns. Comparing the observed patterns with the simulated ones, we find that the dark cross brushes and the centre black extinction of simulated patterns are similar to those that are observed. However, the concentric circle fringes of the observed pattern are not in accordance with the simulated pattern.     

Surface anchoring energy and the first order Fréedericksz transition of a NLC cell

Many authors have suggested new forms to describe the surface anchoring energy of the liquid crystal-wall interface, replacing the Rapini-Papoular (RP) formula g s = (1/2) A sin2 theta. If the RP function is considered as the primary approximation, and a lowest order modification is included, then the surface anchoring energy can be represented by g s = (1/2) A sin2 theta(1 + zeta sin2 theta). zeta characterizes the modification to the RP formula and varies for the different energy forms. It is well known that the RP formula predicts a second order Freedericksz transition. This paper points out that the transition can be first order if the modification is taken into account, in which case at the threshold point the tilt angle of the director at the middle layer of the cell, thetam, is finite. The conditions for the existence of the first order transition are obtained; zeta < 0 is required for a first order transition. The approximate expression of the threshold field is also given.     

Poly(methyl methacrylate‐co‐pentaerythritol tetraacrylate‐co‐butyl methacrylate)‐g‐polystyrene: Synthesis and high oil‐absorption property

Well‐defined high oil‐absorption resin was successfully prepared via living radical polymerization on surface of polystyrene resin‐supported N‐chlorosulfonamide group utilizing methyl methacrylate and butyl methacrylate as monomers, ferric trichloride/iminodiacetic acid (FeCl₃/IDA) as catalyst system, pentaerythritol tetraacrylate as crosslinker, and L ‐ascorbic acid as reducing agent. The polymerization proceeded in a “living” polymerization manner as indicated by linearity kinetic plot of the polymerization. Effects of crosslinker, catalyst, macroinitiator, reducing agent on polymerization and absorption property were discussed in detail. The chemical structure of sorbent was determined by FTIR spectrometry. The oil‐absorption resin shows a toluene absorption capacity of 21 g g^?1. The adsorption of oil behaves as pseudo‐first‐order kinetic model rather than pseudo‐second‐order kinetic model. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2013     

Multireference calculations on low-lying states and the X~3 Π_u -~3 Π_g absorption spectra of indium dimers

Multireference configuration interaction calculations are carried out on 11 Λ-S low-lying electronic states of indium dimers. The states are investigated with spin-orbit pseudopotentials via the state-interacting method, and characterized by fitted spectroscopic constants based on computed potential energy curves. The vibrational structures of the double-potential well 0+g (I) ( 3 Σ g ) state are also analyzed. The experimentally observed absorption spectrum centred at ～ 13000cm-1 is simulated and assigned to X 3 Πu (v=0)-3Πg transition according to the present ab initio calculations on transition energies and dipole moment functions.     

Diethyl phenylphosphonite contributing to solid electrolyte interphase and cathode electrolyte interphase for lithium metal batteries

Lithium metal batteries have obtained increasing interest due to their high specific capacity.Nonetheless,the growth of lithium dendrites brings safety risks to...