Self-focusing in two-color collinear optical Kerr measurements

We performed the femtosecond two-color collinear optical Kerr shutter (OKS) measurements in a thick Kerr medium. The time-resolved OKS signals showed a multi-peak structure and a large broadening with respect to that for non-collinear. By measuring the time-resolved OKS signals in the sample at different powers, we demonstrated that the abnormal profile of the OKS signals was mainly attributed to self-focusing and re-focusing of the pump beam in the Kerr medium and the group velocity difference between the pump and the probe beams.     

Polarisation properties of comet NEAT C/2001 Q4

Comets exhibit high (up to 25 %) amount of optical polarization when they are observed through ground based or space telescopes. These polarizations are caused due to the scattering of cometary dust. The observed linear polarisation of comets is generally a function of the wavelength of incident light (λ), the scattering angle (θ), the geometrical shape and size of the particle and the composition of dust particles in terms of the complex values of the refractive index. The scattering properties of cometary dust will help to know the nature of cometary dust. In the present work, the observed linear polarization data of Comet NEAT are studied through simulations using Ballistic Particle-Cluster Aggregate (BPCA) and Ballistic Cluster-Cluster Aggregate (BCCA). Using Superposition T-matrix code, the best-fitting values of complex refractive indices are calculated which can well fit the observed polarization data of Comet NEAT C/2001 Q4. The best fitting values of complex refractive indices coming out from the present analysis correspond to mixture of both silicates and organics.     

PtRuAgCoNi高熵合金纳米颗粒高效电催化氧化5-羟甲基糠醛

5-羟甲基糠醛(HMF)的电催化氧化被认为是合成2,5-呋喃二甲酸(FDCA)最环保、经济和有效的方法之一,它可作为聚呋喃二甲酸乙二醇酯(PEF)的生物基前体。在这项工作中,我们通过低温溶剂热法合成了PtRuAgCoNi高熵合金纳米颗粒,并在不改变颗粒结构和组成的情况下进行了简易的处理以去除表面活性剂。负载在碳载体上的合金纳米催化剂无论是否含有表面活性剂在HMF电催化氧化为FDCA的过程中都表现出比商业Pt/C更好的催化性能。且表面活性剂的去除可以进一步提高其电催化性能,表明高熵合金纳米粒子在电催化和绿色化学中具有广阔的应用前景。     

A Universal DNA Aptamer that Recognizes Spike Proteins of Diverse SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern

We report on a unique DNA aptamer, denoted MSA52, that displays universally high affinity for the spike proteins of wildtype SARS-CoV-2 as well as the Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Epsilon, Kappa, Delta and Omicron variants. Using an aptamer pool produced from round 13 of selection against the S1 domain of the wildtype spike protein, we carried out one-round SELEX experiments using five different trimeric spike proteins from variants, followed by high-throughput sequencing and sequence alignment analysis of aptamers that formed complexes with all proteins. A previously unidentified aptamer, MSA52, showed K_d values ranging from 2 to 10 nM for all variant spike proteins, and also bound similarly to variants not present in the reselection experiments. This aptamer also recognized pseudotyped lentiviruses (PL) expressing eight different spike proteins of SARS-CoV-2 with K_d values between 20 and 50 pM, and was integrated into a simple colorimetric assay for detection of multiple PL variants. This discovery provides evidence that aptamers can be generated with high affinity to multiple variants of a single protein, including emerging variants, making it well-suited for molecular recognition of rapidly evolving targets such as those found in SARS-CoV-2.     

Supramolecular Arrangement and DFT analysis of Zinc(II) Schiff Bases: An Insight towards the Influence of Compartmental Ligands on Binding Interaction with Protein

We report, for the first time, a detailed crystallographic study of the supramolecular arrangement for a set of zinc(II) Schiff base complexes containing the ligand 2,6-bis((E)-((2-(dimethylamino)ethyl)imino)methyl)-4-R-phenol], where R=methyl/tert-butyl/chloro. The supramolecular study acts as a pre-screening tool for selecting the compartmental ligand R of the Schiff base for effective binding with a targeted protein, bovine serum albumin (BSA). The most stable hexagonal arrangement of the complex [Zn − Me] (R=Me) stabilises the ligand with the highest FMO energy gap (ΔE=4.22 eV) and lowest number of conformations during binding with BSA. In contrast, formation of unstable 3D columnar vertebra for [Zn − Cl] (R=Cl) tend to activate the system with lowest FMO gap (3.75 eV) with highest spontaneity factor in molecular docking. Molecular docking analyses reported in terms of 2D LigPlot+ identified site A, a cleft of domains IB, IIIA and IIIB, as the most probable protein binding site of BSA. Arg144, Glu424, Ser428, Ile455 and Lys114 form the most probable interactions irrespective of the type of compartmental ligands R of the Schiff base whereas Arg185, Glu519, His145, Ile522 act as the differentiating residues with ΔG=−7.3 kcal mol⁻¹.     

Determination of the rare earths, yttrium and scandium in silicate rocks and four new geological reference materials by electrothermal atomization from graphite and tantalum surfaces

An improved graphite furnace atomic-absorption method has been developed for the determination of Sc, Y and the rare-earth elements in silicate rocks and related materials. The method, which involves the separation of the lanthanides by ion-exchange followed by their determination by electrothermal atomization, with use of an automatic sampling device, is more rapid than a previous method based on separation by co-precipitation with calcium oxalate and hydrous ferric oxide followed by normal injection of the solution into the furnace. Greater sensitivity (~ 10-40-fold) for La, Ce, Pr, Gd, Tb and Lu is also achieved by using a tantalum foil-lined graphite furnace instead of a pyrolytically-coated furnace. Results obtained for five international reference rock samples, NIM-G, SCo-1, MAG-1, SDC-1 and BHVO-1, are compared with those obtained previously by the oxalate-hydrous oxide co-precipitation method and with other published values. Results are given for four new Canadian iron-formation reference materials, FeR-1 to FeR-4.     

Oxalato and Chlorooxalato Derivatives of MoIV

A free acid Mo(C₂O₄H)(OH)₃(H₂O) has been prepared. The corresponding K⁺, NH₄⁺ and Pb²⁺ salts have been synthesized. Starting from this, some chloro-oxalato derivatives were prepared. All the compounds are characterised by chemical and physico-chemical studies and their structures are proposed.     

Construction and application of an electrochemical sensor based on graphene-MXene nanocomposites for baicalin detectionEI北大核心CSCD

Redox graphene-MXene(rGO-MXene) nanocomposites were prepared by ion polymerization and used to construct a highly sensitive electrochemical sensor for baicalin(BA) detection. The synergistic effect of rGO and MXene increased the specific surface area and electron transport capacity of the electrode, and significantly enhanced the electrochemical response of BA. The cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry were used to investigate the electrochemical behavior of BA on the sensor. Under the optimal conditions, the peak current exhibited a good linear relationship with BA concentration in the range of 0. 05-10 μmol / L, and the limit of detection was as low as 28 nmol / L. The method was applied to analyze traditional Chinese medicine preparations containing baicalin, such as Qingkailing Capsule and Sanhuang Tablets with good accuracy and spiked recovery. The results were highly consistent with those of high performance liquid chromatography, providing a technical means for the rapid and sensitive detection of traditional Chinese medicine preparations. © 2022, Youke Publishing Co.,Ltd. All rights reserved.     

新型样品前处理材料在环境污染物分析检测中的研究进展

针对复杂样品的分析和痕量目标物的检测,样品前处理是必不可少的,高效的样品前处理技术不仅可以去除或减小样品基质干扰而且能够实现分析物的富集,提高分析检测的准确性和灵敏度.近年来,固相萃取、磁分散固相萃取、枪头固相萃取、搅拌棒萃取、固相微萃取等高效的样品前处理技术已在环境污染物分析检测中获得广泛关注,萃取效率主要取决于萃取...