Clickable Periodic Mesoporous Organosilicas: Synthesis,Click Reactions,and Adsorption of Antibiotics

Pharmaceutical antibiotics are not easily removed from water by conventional water‐treatment technologies and have been recognized as new emerging pollutants. Herein, we report the synthesis of clickable azido periodic mesoporous organosilicas (PMOs) and their use as adsorbents for the adsorption of antibiotics. Ethane‐bridged PMOs, functionalized with azido groups at different densities, were synthesized by the co‐condensation of 1,2‐bis(trimethoxysilyl)ethane (BTME) and 3‐azidopropyltrimethoxysilane (AzPTMS), in the presence of nonionic‐surfactant triblock‐copolymer P123, in an acidic medium. Four different alkynes were conjugated to azide‐terminated PMOs by means of an efficient click reaction. The clicked PMOs showed improved adsorption capacity (241 μg g^?1) for antibiotics (ciprofloxacin hydrochloride) compared with azido‐functionalized PMOs because of the enhanced π–π stacking interactions. These results indicate that click reactions can introduce multifunctional groups onto PMOs, thus demonstrating the great potential of PMOs for environmental applications.     

A pyridoxal-based chemosensor for visual detection of copper ion and its application in bioimaging

A pyridoxal-based chemosensor was synthesized by reacting hydrazine hydrate and pyridoxal hydrochloride in ethanol and characterized by NMR and ESI-MS.The optical properties of the compound were investigated in a methanol:HEPES solution.The compound displayed selectivity for Cu2+,as evidenced by a colorless to yellow color change,which was characterized using UV–vis spectroscopy.The fluorescence of the compound can be quenched only by Cu2+,accompanying by a color change from blue to colorless.Furthermore,it can be used in bioimaging.     

Structure,Antibacterial Activity and Theoretical Study of the Forming Mechanism of Compound [(5-Methyl-3-oxo-2-phenyl-1H-pyrazol-4-yl)-thiophen-2-yl-methylene] Thiosemicarbazide

A new thiosemicarbazone compound derived from 1-phenyl-3-methyl-4-(2-thenoyl) pyrazolone-5(HPMTP) and thiosemicarbazide has been synthesized and characterized by IR, HNMR, MS, elemental analysis, UV and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The compound crystallizes in monoclinic system, Cc space group with a = 7.5925(8), b = 20.263(2), c = 11.4669(13) ,  = 107.825(8)°, V = 1679.5(3) 3, Z = 4, R = 0.0316 and wR = 0.0687. The results of antibacterial activity test against Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis indicate that the compound possesses the same antibacterial activity as the contrast(Norfloxacin). Theoretical study of the forming mechanism to the title compound at the RHF/6-31G(d) level shows that there are two steps. The distal amino group of thiosemicarbazide is added to the 4-carbonyl group of HPMTP which forms TM. Then a dehydration reaction occurs in TM and generates a stable product PC.     

Synthesis,chiroptical properties of a helical polyacetylene derivative carrying urea moieties

A novel phenylacetylene derivative containing urea groups was synthesized and polymerized with a Rh catalyst to give the corresponding polymer, poly（1） with moderate number-average molecular weights. The poly（1） was soluble in toluene, CHCI3, CH2C12, THF, DMF, and DMSO, but insoluble in hexane, diethyl ether and MeOH. The specific rotation and circular dichroism （CD） spectroscopic studies revealed that poly（1） took predominantly one-handed helical structures. The presence of intramolecular hydrogen bonding was confirmed by liquid-state IR spectroscopy. The helicity of poly（1） could be tuned by temperature and anion. The helical conformation of the polymer was stable against Br but susceptible to F.     

Enhanced Expression of GCRV VP6 in CIK Cells by Relative Sequence Optimization

Efficient expression of target protein is one of strategies for gene therapy or vaccine design. Many studies showed that codon optimization could enhance the expression of target proteins. In this paper, a target sequence of about 1.26 kb encoding the major capsid protein VP6 of grass carp reovirus (GCRV) and an optimized counterpart were synthesized and inserted into vectors for expressing VP6. The final constructs (named as pcDV6G and pcDV6YG) were transfected in Ctenopharyngodon idellus kidney (CIK) cells. The fluorescence analysis and the Western blot results showed that the gene fragment was transfected and expressed in CIK cells successfully. Although the qRT-PCR results showed no difference at the messenger RNA (mRNA) levels between the different versions of vp6 in the indicated stages, the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) results showed that the protein level of VP6 expressed by pcDV6YG was higher than that by pcDV6G in the indicated hours. Taken together, these results suggest that the enhanced expression of GCRV VP6 in CIK cells by relative sequence optimization may be a good choice for making DNA vaccine against GCRV.     

Biotransformation of iminodiacetonitrile to iminodiacetic acid by Alcaligenes faecalis cells immobilized in ACA-membrane liquid-core capsules

Biotransformation of iminodiacetonitrile (IDAN) to iminodiacetic acid (IDA) was investigated with a newly isolated Alcaligenes faecalis ZJUTBX11 strain showing nitrilase activity in the immobilized form. To reduce the mass transfer resistance and to increase the toleration ability of the microorganisms to the toxic substrate as well as to enhance their ability to be reused, encapsulation of the whole cells in alginate-chitosan-alginate (ACA) membrane liquid-core capsules was attempted in the present study. The optimal pH and temperature for nitrilase activity of encapsulated A. faecalis ZJUTBX11 cells were 7.5°C and 35°C, respectively, which is consistent with free cells. Based on the Michaelis-Menten model, kinetic parameters of the conversion reaction with IDAN as the substrate were: K _m = (17.6 ± 0.3) mmol L^?1 and V _max = (97.6 ± 1.2) μmol min^?1 g^?1 of dry cell mass for encapsulated cells and (16.8 ± 0.4) mmol L^?1 and (108.0 ± 2.7) μmol min^?1 g^?1 of dry cell mass for free cells, respectively. After being recycled ten times, the whole cells encapsulated in ACA capsules still retained 90 % of the initial nitrilase activity while only 35 % were retained by free cells. Lab scale production of IDA using encapsulated cells in a bubble column reactor and a packed bed reactor were performed respectively.     

Light-Induced Chiral Iron Copper Selenide Nanoparticles Prevent β-Amyloidopathy In Vivo

The accumulation and deposition of β-amyloid (Aβ) plaques in the brain is considered a potential pathogenic mechanism underlying Alzheimer's disease (AD). Chiral l/d -Fe_xCu_ySe nanoparticles (NPs) were fabricated that interfer with the self-assembly of Aβ42 monomers and trigger the Aβ42 fibrils in dense structures to become looser monomers under 808 nm near-infrared (NIR) illumination. d -Fe_xCu_ySe NPs have a much higher affinity for Aβ42 fibrils than l -Fe_xCu_ySe NPs and chiral Cu_2−xSe NPs. The chiral Fe_xCu_ySe NPs also generate more reactive oxygen species (ROS) than chiral Cu_2−xSe NPs under NIR-light irradiation. In living MN9D cells, d -NPs attenuate the adhesion of Aβ42 to membranes and neuron loss after NIR treatment within 10 min without the photothermal effect. In-vivo experiments showed that d -Fe_xCu_ySe NPs provide an efficient protection against neuronal damage induced by the deposition of Aβ42 and alleviate symptoms in a mouse model of AD, leading to the recovery of cognitive competence.     

An Endo-Selective Epoxide-Opening Cascade for the Fast Assembly of the Polycyclic Core Structure of Marine Ladder Polyethers

The rapid synthesis of marine ladder polyethers from polyepoxide precursors (in analogy with the biosynthetic pathway hypothesized by Nakanishi) is hampered by the fact that the exo-selective epoxide-opening cyclization cascade that gives THF-type polyethers is preferred over the endo-selective cascade that gives the desired products. We found that perfluoro-tert-butanol (PFTB) cooperating with 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([EMIM]BF₄) can promote endo-selective epoxide-opening cyclization reactions of trisubstituted epoxy alcohols. Starting from readily accessible homochiral polyepoxy alcohols with a methyl group at all the endo-cyclization sites, we were able to construct polyethers up to five consecutive fused 6-, 7-, and/or 8-membered rings in one step. Notably, molecules with the 7/7/6/6 and 7/7/6/7/6 polyether frameworks of hemibrevetoxin B and brevenal, respectively, could be synthesized in 40 % and 17 % chemical yields.     

Noninvasive prenatal paternity testing by maternal plasma DNA sequencing in twin pregnancies

SNPs, combined with massively parallel sequencing technology, have proven applicability in noninvasive prenatal paternity testing (NIPPT) for singleton pregnancies in our previous research, using circulating cell-free DNA in maternal plasma. However, the feasibility of NIPPT in twin pregnancies has remained uncertain. As a pilot study, we developed a practical method to noninvasively determine the paternity of twin pregnancies by maternal plasma DNA sequencing based on a massively parallel sequencing platform. Blood samples were collected from 15 pregnant women (twin pregnancies at 9–18 weeks of gestation). Parental DNA and maternal plasma cell-free DNA were analyzed with custom-designed probes covering 5226 polymorphic SNP loci. A mathematical model for data interpretation was established, including the zygosity determination and paternity index calculations. Each plasma sample was independently tested against the alleged father and 90 unrelated males. As a result, the zygosity in each twin case was correctly determined, prior to paternity analysis. Further, the correct biological father was successfully identified, and the paternity of all 90 unrelated males was excluded in each case. Our study demonstrates that NIPPT can be performed for twin pregnancies. This finding may contribute to development in NIPPT and diagnosis of certain genetic diseases.