Surface chemical bonding states and ferroelectricity of Ce-doped BiFeO<Subscript>3</Subscript> thin films prepared by sol–gel process

Bi_1−x Ce _x FeO₃ (x = 0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.15 and 0.20) (BCFO) thin films were deposited on Pt/TiN/Si₃N₄/Si substrates by sol–gel technique. Crystal structures, surface chemical compositions and bonding states of BCFO films were investigated by X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), respectively. Compared to BiFeO₃ (BFO) counterparts, the fitted XPS narrow-scan spectra of Bi 4f_7/2, Bi 4f_5/2, Fe 2p_3/2, Fe 2p_1/2 and O 1s peaks for Bi_0.8Ce_0.2FeO₃ film shift towards higher binding energy regions by amounts of 0.33, 0.29, 0.43, 0.58 and 0.49 eV, respectively. Dielectric constants and loss tangents of the BCFO (x = 0, 0.1 and 0.2) film capacitors are 159, 131, 116, 0.048, 0.041 and 0.035 at 1 MHz, respectively. Bi_0.8Ce_0.2FeO₃ film has a higher remnant polarization (P _r = 2.04 μC/cm²) than that of the BFO (P _r = 1.08 μC/cm²) at 388 kV/cm. Leakage current density of the Bi_0.8Ce_0.2FeO₃ capacitor is 1.47 × 10⁻⁴ A/cm² at 388 kV/cm, which is about two orders of magnitude lower than that of the BFO counterpart. Furthermore, Ce cations are feasibly substituted for Bi³⁺ in the Bi_0.8Ce_0.2FeO₃ matrix, possibly resulting in the enhanced ferroelectric properties for the decreased grain sizes and the reduced oxygen vacancies.     

Surface plasmon resonance biosensor for highly sensitive detection of microRNA based on DNA super-sandwich assemblies and streptavidin signal amplification

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play an important regulatory role in cells and dysregulation of miRNA has been associated with a variety of diseases, making them a promising biomarker. In this work, a novel biosensing strategy has been developed for label-free detection of miRNA using surface plasmon resonance (SPR) coupled with DNA super-sandwich assemblies and biotin–strepavidin based amplification. The target miRNA is selectively captured by surface-bound DNA probes. After hybridization, streptavidin is employed for signal amplification via binding with biotin on the long DNA super-sandwich assemblies, resulting in a large increase of the SPR signal. The method shows very high sensitivity, capable of detecting miRNA at the concentration down to 9 pM with a wide dynamic range of 6 orders of magnitude (from 1 × 10⁻¹¹ M to 1 × 10⁻⁶ M) in 30 min, and excellent specificity with discriminating a single base mismatched miRNA sequence. This biosensor exhibits good reproducibility and precision, and has been successfully applied to the detection of miRNA in total RNA samples extracted from human breast adenocarcinoma MCF-7 cells. It, therefore, offers a highly effective alternative approach for miRNA detection in biomedical research and clinical diagnosis.     

Multiple ligand detection and affinity measurement by ultrafiltration and mass spectrometry analysis applied to fragment mixture screening

Binding affinity of a small molecule drug candidate to a therapeutically relevant biomolecular target is regarded the first determinant of the candidate's efficacy. Although the ultrafiltration-LC/MS (UF-LC/MS) assay enables efficient ligand discovery for a specific target from a mixed pool of compounds, most previous analysis allowed for relative affinity ranking of different ligands. Moreover, the reliability of affinity measurement for multiple ligands with UF-LC/MS has hardly been strictly evaluated. In this study, we examined the accuracy of K_d determination through UF-LC/MS by comparison with classical ITC measurement. A single-point K_d calculation method was found to be suitable for affinity measurement of multiple ligands bound to the same target when binding competition is minimized. A second workflow based on analysis of the unbound fraction of compounds was then developed, which simplified sample preparation as well as warranted reliable ligand discovery. The new workflow implemented in a fragment mixture screen afforded rapid and sensitive detection of low-affinity ligands selectively bound to the RNA polymerase NS5B of hepatitis C virus. More importantly, ligand identification and affinity measurement for mixture-based fragment screens by UF-LC/MS were in good accordance with single ligand evaluation by conventional SPR analysis. This new approach is expected to become a valuable addition to the arsenal of high-throughput screening techniques for fragment-based drug discovery.     

热解析进样气相色谱法测定车间空气中的丙烯酸正丁酯

建立了一种车间空气中丙烯酸正丁酯的测定方法。丙烯酸正丁酯经活性炭吸附后,利用热解析仪解析后直接注入气相色谱仪,氢火焰检测器进行检测。选用高容量、强极性的DB–INNOWAX毛细管色谱柱,以氮气为流动相,流量为1.0 m L/min。丙烯酸正丁酯的质量浓度在1.0~20 mg/m3内与色谱峰面积呈现良好的线性关系,线性相关系数为0.995。丙烯酸正丁酯的检出限为1.0 mg/m3,测定结果的相对标准偏差小于3.0%(n=11),样品加标回收率为99.5%。热解析比溶剂解析法操作简单,避免了较长时间的溶剂洗脱过程,同时减少了样品处理过程中样品的损失。该方法可用于车间空气中丙烯酸丁酯的快速检测。     

Preparation of a weak anion exchange/hydrophobic interaction dual‐function mixed‐mode chromatography stationary phase for protein separation using click chemistry

In this study, 3‐diethylamino‐1‐propyne was covalently bonded to the azide‐silica by a click reaction to obtain a novel dual‐function mixed‐mode chromatography stationary phase for protein separation with a ligand containing tertiary amine and two ethyl groups capable of electrostatic and hydrophobic interaction functionalities, which can display hydrophobic interaction chromatography character in a high‐salt‐concentration mobile phase and weak anion exchange character in a low‐salt‐concentration mobile phase employed for protein separation. As a result, it can be employed to separate proteins with weak anion exchange and hydrophobic interaction modes, respectively. The resolution and selectivity of the stationary phase were evaluated in both hydrophobic interaction and ion exchange modes with standard proteins, respectively, which can be comparable to that of conventional weak anion exchange and hydrophobic interaction chromatography columns. Therefore, the synthesized weak anion exchange/hydrophobic interaction dual‐function mixed‐mode chromatography column can be used to replace two corresponding conventional weak anion exchange and hydrophobic interaction chromatography columns to separate proteins. Based on this mixed‐mode chromatography stationary phase, a new off‐line two‐dimensional liquid chromatography technology using only a single dual‐function mixed‐mode chromatography column was developed. Nine kinds of tested proteins can be separated completely using the developed method within 2.0 h.     

Polymorphism of NaVO2F2: a P21/c superstructure with pseudosymmetry of P21/m in the subcell

The ADDSYM routine in the program PLATON [Spek (2015). Acta Cryst. C 71 , 9–18] has helped researchers to avoid structures of (metal–)organic compounds being reported in an unnecessarily low symmetry space group. However, determination of the correct space group may get more complicated in cases of pseudosymmetric inorganic compounds. One example is NaVO₂F₂, which was reported [Crosnier‐Lopez et al. (1994). Eur. J. Solid State Inorg. Chem. 31 , 957–965] in the acentric space group P2₁ based on properties but flagged by ADDSYM as (pseudo)centrosymmetric P2₁/m within default distance tolerances. Herein a systematic investigation reveals that NaVO₂F₂ exists in at least four polymorphs: P2₁, (I), P2₁/m, (II), P2₁/c, (III), and one or more low‐temperature ones. The new centrosymmetric modification, (III), with the space group P2₁/c has a similar atomic packing geometry to phase (I), except for having a doubled c axis. The double‐cell of phase (III) arises from atomic shifts from the glide plane c at (x, , z). With increasing temperature, the number of observed reflections decreases. The odd l reflections gradually become weaker and, correspondingly, all atoms shift towards the glide plane, resulting in a gradual second‐order transformation of (III) into high‐temperature phase (II) (P2₁/m) at below 493 K. At least one first‐order enantiotropic phase transition was observed below 139 K from both the single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction and the differential scanning calorimetry analyses. Periodic first‐principles calculations within density functional theory show that both P2₁/c superstructure (III) and P2₁ substructure (I) are more stable than P2₁/m structure (II), and that P2₁/c superstructure (III) is more stable that P2₁ substructure (I).     

A new linear bismuth coordination polymer based on 1,10‐phenanthroline‐2,9‐dicarboxylic acid: ionothermal synthesis,crystal structure and fluorescence properties

A new linear bismuth(III) coordination polymer, catena‐poly[[chloridobismuth(III)]‐μ₃‐1,10‐phenanthroline‐2,9‐dicarboxylato‐κ⁶O²:O²,N¹,N¹⁰,O⁹:O⁹], [Bi(C₁₄H₆N₂O₄)Cl]_n, has been obtained by an ionothermal method and characterized by elemental analysis, energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy, IR spectroscopy, thermal stability studies and single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction. The structure is constructed by Bi(C₁₄H₆N₂O₄)Cl fragments in which each Bi^III centre is seven‐coordinated by one Cl atom, four O atoms and two N atoms. The coordination geometry of the Bi^III cation is distorted pentagonal–bipyramidal (BiO₄N₂Cl), with one bridging carboxylate O atom and one Cl atom located in the axial positions. The Bi(C₁₄H₆N₂O₄)Cl fragments are further extended into a one‐dimensional linear polymeric structure via subsequent but different centres of symmetry (bridging carboxylate O atoms). Neighbouring linear chains are assembled via weak C—H...O and C—H...Cl hydrogen bonds, forming a three‐dimensional supramolecular architecture. Intermolecular π–π stacking interactions are observed, with centroid‐to‐centroid distances of 3.678 (4) Å, which further stabilize the structure. In addition, the solid‐state fluorescence properties of the title coordination polymer were investigated.     

核酸功能化稀土基纳米材料在生物检测中的应用

体内一些生物分子和离子的水平通常与细胞、组织、器官等结构和功能的变化相关,从而直接影响到疾病的预防、诊断和治疗,因此对体内这些物质的生物检测在医疗和健康领域具有重要的意义.基于稀土基纳米材料构建的纳米荧光探针具有灵敏度高、简单高效、抗干扰能力强等优点,在生物检测方面具有巨大的潜力.对稀土基纳米材料的核酸功能化能够进一步为纳米荧光探针提供更好的特异性识别能力和生物相容性,从而增强其在复杂样品中的生物检测能力.本综述总结了核酸功能化的稀土基纳米材料作为纳米荧光探针在生物检测领域的研究进展,简要介绍了其主要种类和性能、检测机理及检测物质,最后对该领域面临的挑战及未来的发展方向进行了展望.     

三唑类白杨素衍生物的设计、合成及其抗增殖活性研究

合成了2个系列的白杨素衍生物,采用噻唑蓝(MTT)法测试了所有化合物针对六种肿瘤细胞的体外抗增殖活性,包括MGC-803, BEL-7402, HepG2, HeLa, A549以及SGC-7901细胞.实验结果显示, 7-[1-(3-氟苯基)-1H-1,2,3-三唑-4-甲氧基]-白杨素(1c)与7-[1-(2-氯苯基)-1H-1,2,3-三唑-4-甲氧基]-白杨素(1g)针对MGC-803细胞的活性与先导化合物白杨素及阳性对照药5-氟尿嘧啶相比显著提高.因此,化合物1c与1g具有深入研究用以开发抗癌药物的潜能.     

Effect of Optical Depth on Study of Chemical Properties of Massive Star Forming Clumps

Here we present the study on chemical properties of massive star forming clumps using N\begin{document}$ _2 $\end{document}H\begin{document}$ ^+ $\end{document}(1-0), H\begin{document}$ ^{13} $\end{document}CO\begin{document}$ ^+ $\end{document}(1-0), HCN(1-0) and HN\begin{document}$ ^{13} $\end{document}C(1-0) data from the literature [Astron. Astrophys. 563 , A97 (2014)]. We found that abundances of H\begin{document}$ ^{13} $\end{document}CO\begin{document}$ ^+ $\end{document} and HN\begin{document}$ ^{13} $\end{document}C are affected by H\begin{document}$ _2 $\end{document} column densities. As the median values of these two abundances increase by nearly 10 times from stages A to B, H\begin{document}$ ^{13} $\end{document}CO\begin{document}$ ^+ $\end{document} and HN\begin{document}$ ^{13} $\end{document}C are suitable for tracing the evolution of massive star forming clumps. The order of rapidity in growth of abundances of all the four studied molecules from stages A to B, is H\begin{document}$ ^{13} $\end{document}CO\begin{document}$ ^+ $\end{document}, HCN, HN\begin{document}$ ^{13} $\end{document}C, and N\begin{document}$ _2 $\end{document}H\begin{document}$ ^+ $\end{document}, from the highest to the lowest. Our results suggest that the observing optically thin molecular lines with high angular resolution are necessary to study the chemical evolution of massive star forming clumps.