Polymer nano- and microspheres with bumpy and chain-segregated surfaces

Reported is a novel and simple method for the preparation of polymer spheres bearing hemispherical surface bumps where one type of polymer chains concentrates. The method is used to produce spheres with a diameter between approximately 30 and approximately 500 nm. Spheres with chain-segregated bumpy surfaces may find applications in drug delivery and other areas.     

Parallel iterative reaction path optimization in ab initio quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical modeling of enzyme reactions

The determination of reaction paths for enzyme systems remains a great challenge for current computational methods. In this paper we present an efficient method for the determination of minimum energy reaction paths with the ab initio quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical approach. Our method is based on an adaptation of the path optimization procedure by Ayala and Schlegel for small molecules in gas phase, the iterative quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical (QM/MM) optimization method developed earlier in our laboratory and the introduction of a new metric defining the distance between different structures in the configuration space. In this method we represent the reaction path by a discrete set of structures. For each structure we partition the atoms into a core set that usually includes the QM subsystem and an environment set that usually includes the MM subsystem. These two sets are optimized iteratively: the core set is optimized to approximate the reaction path while the environment set is optimized to the corresponding energy minimum. In the optimization of the core set of atoms for the reaction path, we introduce a new metric to define the distances between the points on the reaction path, which excludes the soft degrees of freedom from the environment set and includes extra weights on coordinates describing chemical changes. Because the reaction path is represented by discrete structures and the optimization for each can be performed individually with very limited coupling, our method can be executed in a natural and efficient parallelization, with each processor handling one of the structures. We demonstrate the applicability and efficiency of our method by testing it on two systems previously studied by our group, triosephosphate isomerase and 4-oxalocrotonate tautomerase. In both cases the minimum energy paths for both enzymes agree with the previously reported paths.     

Microwave investigation of the CO-CH4 van der Waals complex

Rotational spectra of eight isotopomers of the weakly bound van der Waals complex CO-CH4 were recorded in the frequency range from 4 to 19 GHz using a pulsed molecular beam Fourier transform microwave spectrometer. For the isotopomers containing methane monomers of Td symmetry, namely, 12C16O-12CH4, 12C16O-13CH4, 12C16O-12CD4, 13C16O-12CH4, and 13C18O-12CH4, three rotational progressions were observed that correlate to the jm=0, 1, and 2 rotational levels of free methane. For those containing partially deuterated methane monomers with C3V symmetry, namely, 12C16O-12CH3D and 12C16O-12CHD3, only two progressions were recorded, correlating to the jk=0(0) and 1(1) rotational levels of free CH3D and CHD3, respectively. The van der Waals bond distance R, intermolecular stretching frequency nus, and the corresponding stretching force constant ks were derived from the obtained spectroscopic results. The results obtained for the jm=0 ground state are compared to the previous infrared and millimeter wave data. A 17O nuclear quadrupole coupling constant was determined from the resolved hyperfine structure of 13C17O-12CH4 and was used to obtain angular information about the carbon monoxide subunit. A Coriolis interaction was deduced from the irregular spectral pattern involving levels with jm=1. Qualitative information about the extent of the perturbation was obtained from a comparison of spectroscopic constants of different isotopomers.     

LC Determination of Curcumin in Dog Plasma for a Pharmacokinetic Study

A rapid, simple, and sensitive high-performance liquid chromatographic method for quantification of curcumin in dog plasma has been developed and validated. After addition of the internal standard (berberine), plasma was acidified and extracted with ethyl acetate. Analysis was performed on a C₁₈ column. The mobile phase was acetonitrile–5% acetic acid, 52:48 (v/v) and the flow rate 1.0 mL min^?1. The eluent was monitored at 425 nm. Chromatographic separation was achieved in less than 7 min and the calibration plot was linear over the concentration range 2–128 ng mL^?1. Intra- and inter-assay variability were less than 7.3%. The accuracy ranged from 98.7 to 105.0%. The method was successfully applied to a pharmacokinetic study of curcumin in dogs.     

水相中乙醇对胶体泡沫性质的影响

用不同比例的水-乙醇混合物作水相制备了胶体泡沫（CLA）,实验观察并测定了CLA的形态、粒径分布、半衰期、Zeta电位、水相溶液的粘度和水相/油相之间的界面张力等性质.结果表明，水相中加入乙醇会影响CLA的稳定性和粒径大小,但对CLA的Zeta电位影响不大.乙醇对CLA稳定性的影响主要是由于乙醇分子嵌入到界面膜中导致膜的强度变化以及水相粘度发生变化导致CLA粒子间隙的排液过程发生变化.     

Preparation ,Structural Characterization and Luminescent Property of Binucleasr Silver（Ⅰ）Complex Formed by Benzotriazole and 1—Hydroxymethyl Benzotriazole

Dinuclear silver (I) six‐membered ring complex [Ag₂ (bta)₂ ‐(hmbta)₂] (ClO₄)₂ (3) has been synthesized by the reaction of benzotriazole (bta) (1) and 1‐hydroxymethyl benzotriazole (hmbta) (2) with Ag (CH₃CN)₄ClO₄. The structures of compound 2 and Complex 3 have been studied by single crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis. The change of luminescent intensity of 1, 2 and 3 was reported. Compound 2 crystallizes in the monoclinic system with space group P2 (1)/c, a = 0.7655 (10) nm, b = 1.0126 (14) nm, c =0.9502 (13) nm, β = 95.07 (2)°, V = 0.7337 (17) nm³ and Z = 4. Complex 3 crystallizes in the triclinic system with space group P1, a = 0.73611 (18) nm, b = 0.9152 (2) nm, c = 1.2277 (3) nm, β = 87.170 (5)°, V = 0.8221 (3) nm³ and Z = 1. The main structural feature of complex 3 is a symmetric dinuclear six‐membered ring formed by two silver (I) atoms and four N‐atoms from two benzotriazoles. The second structural feature of complex 3 is the τ‐τ stacking interaction between two adjacent molecular planes, which forms the two‐dimentional layer structure. Besides, compared with 2, the luminescent intensity of complex 3 shows a remarkable enhancement.     

Cell detection based on protein array using modified glass slides

A protein array for cell detection was fabricated by spotting different antibodies on modified glass slides. Glass slides were modified to allow antibodies to be immobilized on it and to selectively bind antigens. Antibodies were specially selected with the cells to be detected as targets, which permitted target cells in samples to bind specifically to the array with little nonspecific binding. Results can be obtained by directly putting the samples onto the array for 1 h or a little longer to let the cells specifically interact with the antibodies. After washing the unbound samples away, images were observed with a microscope and captured with a CCD camera. The assessment of antibody-cell binding was evaluated by capturing red blood cells (RBCs) in human blood with blood group antibodies (anti-A and anti-B). Blood group antibodies were spotted on the modified glass slide and kept at 4<.deg> degrees C overnight for immobilization. Human blood samples diluted to different concentrations were used to examine the sensitivity and specificity of the method.     

Extraction and characterization of adenovirus

A new methodology for the extraction and characterization of proteins from Coomassie-stained sodium dodecylsulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) has been described. The utility of this methodology was demonstrated in the characterization of adenovirus proteins. The key steps in the extraction and destaining process involve washing the excised band with a combination of solvents that include 10% acetic acid, acetonitrile, methanol, and formic acid:water:isopropanol mixture. By using this procedure, we determined adenovirus proteins with molecular weights ranging from 10,000 to 110,000 Da by MALDI-MS, obtaining a detection limit of approximately 6 pmol. Parallel experiments were successfully carried out to analyze adenovirus proteins from Cu-stained gels. It was observed that increase in laser intensity resulted in significant improvements in the quality of MALDI mass spectra for the analysis of inefficiently destained proteins from Cu-stained gels.     

Graft copolymerization of methyl acrylate onto potato starch initiated by ceric ammonium nitrate

A study was made of the ceric ammonium nitrate (CAN) initiated graft copolymerization of methyl acrylate (MA) onto potato starch. The variables affecting the graft were investigated. The optimums have been obtained; they are the concentrations of MA, CAN, and nitric acid (HNO₃) (1.08, 5.0 × 10^?3, and 0.081 mol/L, respectively). The reaction temperature is ca. 50°C and the reaction time is 2 h. The molecular weight of grafted poly(methylacrylate) has been determined. On the basis of experimental results, the mechanism of grafting has been explored, a new kinetic equation of the graft copolymerization is established: R_p = Kk_d [STOH] [Ce⁴⁺] + Kk_pk_d/k_t[STOH][M], where K, k_d, k_p, and k_t are constants. The equation fits the results of experiments. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

碳酸氢铵制纯碱的研究

本文对“中间盐”复分解制碱法进行了研究。“中间盐”的加入不能使两个三盐共饱和点在干盐图上发生明显的移动,但能使三盐介稳平衡点的介稳期延长,从而使得用碳酸氢铵和食盐通过复分解制碱成为可能。