A reagentless and disposable electronic genosensor: from multiplexed analysis to molecular logic gates

Reagentless, sensitive and multiplexed analysis of gyrB and K-ras gene biomarkers is achieved based on the proximity changes of two different redox-tags to the electrode surface upon DNA hybridizations, and the presence of the two gene biomarkers also acts as inputs and activates the logic gate.     

Tunable photocatalytic selectivity of TiO2 films consisted of flower-like microspheres with exposed {001} facets

TiO(2) films composed of flower-like TiO(2) microspheres with exposed {001} facets were synthesized by a simple one-pot hydrothermal method and exhibited tunable photocatalytic selectivity towards decomposition of azo dyes in water by modifying the surface of TiO(2) microspheres as well as by varying the degree of etching of {001} facets.     

A robust near infrared luminescent ytterbium metal-organic framework for sensing of small molecules

The first near-infrared luminescent ytterbium metal-organic framework has been realized for the highly selective and sensitive sensing of small molecules.     

Photoreactive gold(I) macrocycles with diphosphine and trans,trans-muconate ligands

A pair of trans,trans-muconate ligands have been successfully aligned in two novel Au(I) macrocycles by design from phosphino metal precursors that undergo photochemical cycloaddition reactions quantitatively, resulting in the formation of cyclooctadiene derivatives.     

Precursor-directed fungal generation of novel halogenated chaetoglobosins with more preferable immunosuppressive action

Precursor-fed cultivation of endophytic Chaetomium globosum 1C51 afforded nine novel "unnatural" halogenated chaetoglobosins including those with more preferable immunosuppressive activity.     

Ternary phase diagrams of DNTF and TNAZ and their eutectics

The eutectic ternary phase diagrams of some typical volatilizable energetic materials have been investigated by high pressure differential scanning calorimeter (PDSC). The ternary H–X phase diagrams for TNT/TNAZ/DNTF (TTD) and TNAZ/DNTF/RDX (TDR) systems were constructed by the correlation of the apparent fusion heat with the composition (H–X method). And, the ternary T–X phase diagrams (the temperature dependence on composition) for the two ternary systems were constructed by calculating from the data of the five T–X binary phase diagrams. The eutectic compositions (mol%) of TTD and TDR ternary systems were obtained to be 52.3/27.3/20.4 (H–X method), 53.2/25.8/21.0 (T–X method) and 54.9/39.6/5.5 (H–X method), 55.1/42.2/2.7 (T–X method), respectively. The eutectic temperatures of the ternary systems were obtained by PDSC determination and T–X method calculation to be 76.5 and 76.7 °C, 47.5 and 50.2 °C, respectively. It is shown that the results obtained by two methods are in agreement and the error in measuring or calculating eutectic compositions and temperatures for the two ternary systems are within allowable ranges of ±3 mol% and ±3 °C, respectively. Moreover, by means of constructing two ternary H–X phase diagrams with different fixed composition of a component and comparing the apparent fusion heat of eutectics with calculated one, the results obtained from H–X method for TTD system were proved. The results showed that the gasification or volatilization of easy volatile materials could be efficiently restrained by high pressure atmosphere, and the perfectly and ideally H–X ternary phase diagrams can be constructed. In comparison with T–X method, H–X method has as a virtue of being quick and simple, especially on constructing ternary phase diagram.     

Functional mixed metal-organic frameworks with metalloligands

Immobilization of functional sites within metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) is very important for their ability to recognize small molecules and thus for their functional properties. The metalloligand approach has enabled us to rationally immobilize a variety of different functional sites such as open metal sites, catalytic active metal sites, photoactive metal sites, chiral pore environments, and pores of tunable sizes and curvatures into mixed metal-organic frameworks (M'MOFs). In this Minireview, we highlight some important functional M'MOFs with metalloligands for gas storage and separation, enantioselective separation, heterogeneous asymmetric catalysis, sensing, and as photoactive and nanoscale drug delivery and biomedical imaging materials.     

Bis(5,7‐dimethyl‐8‐hydroxyquinolinato)platinum(II) Complex for Efficient Organic Heterojunction Solar Cells

Organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells using metal(II) (Pt, Pd, Cu, and Ni) chelates of 8‐hydroxyquinoline (Hq) or 5,7‐dimethyl‐8‐hydroxy‐quinoline (HMe₂q) as an electron donor were fabricated by vacuum deposition. The bis(5,7‐dimethyl‐8‐hydroxyquinolinato)platinum(II) [Pt(Me₂q)₂]‐based OPVs showed the best performance with an open voltage (V_OC) of 0.42 V, a short circuit current density (J_SC) of 14.8 mA cm^?2, and a maximum power conversion efficiency (η_P) of 2.4 %. The X‐ray single‐crystal structures together with the grazing incidence X‐ray diffraction (GIXRD) data of thin film samples reveal that the peripheral methyl substituent(s) and platinum(II) ion are essential for the high degree of film crystallinity resulting in improved performance of the as‐fabricated field‐effect transistors (FETs) and OPV cells.     

Theoretical Analysis of the Detailed Mechanism of Native Chemical Ligation Reactions

The method of native chemical ligation between an unprotected peptide α‐thioester and an N‐terminal cysteine–peptide to give a native peptide in aqueous solution is one of the most effective peptide ligation methods. In this work, a systematic theoretical study was carried out to fully understand the detailed mechanism of ligation. It was found that for the conventional native chemical ligation reaction between a peptide thioalkyl ester and a cysteine in combination with an added aryl thiol as catalyst, both the thiol‐thioester exchange step and the transthioesterification step proceed by an anionic concerted S_N2 displacement mechanism, whereas the intramolecular rearrangement proceeds by an addition–elimination mechanism, and the rate‐limiting step is the thiol‐thioester exchange step. The theoretical method was then extended to study the detailed mechanism of the auxiliary‐mediated peptide ligation between a peptide thiophenyl ester and an N‐2‐mercaptobenzyl peptide in which both the thiol‐thioester exchange step and intramolecular acyl‐transfer step proceed by a concerted S_N2‐type displacement mechanism. The energy barrier of the thiol‐thioester exchange step depends on the side‐chain steric hindrance of the C‐terminal amino acid, whereas that of the acyl‐transfer step depends on the side‐chain steric hindrance of the N‐terminal amino acid.