Ugi reaction-assisted rapid assembly of affinity-based probes against potential protein tyrosine phosphatases

The multi-component Ugi reaction has been employed to assemble a small library of affinity-based probes (AfBPs) that target potential protein tyrosine phosphatases. The probes showed good labelling of PTP1B and MptpB, and were subsequently used to label endogenous PTP1B in MCF-7 cell lysates.     

A highly enantioselective catalytic Strecker reaction of cyclic (Z)-aldimines

A range of 3H-indoles and 2H-benzo[b][1,4]thiazines smoothly undergo asymmetric Strecker reaction with ethyl cyanoformate in the presence of a Cinchona alkaloid-based thiourea catalyst at 10 °C to give structurally diverse nitrogen-containing heterocycles in good to excellent yields and with excellent ee.     

Unusual microporous polycatenane-like metal-organic frameworks for the luminescent sensing of Ln3+ cations and rapid adsorption of iodine

Two isostructural 2D → 2D parallel → 3D inclined interpenetrating polycatenane-like metal-organic frameworks were successfully constructed based on length-adjusted tricarboxylate ligands. With the merit of being microporous, IFMC-10 can serve as host for encapsulating lanthanide cations and I(2) to exhibit luminescent sensing and rapid adsorption of iodine.     

Microarray-guided discovery of two-photon (2P) small molecule probes for live-cell imaging of cysteinyl cathepsin activities

A microarray immobilized with 105 aldehyde-containing small molecules was screened against mammalian cell lysates over-expressing cathepsin L to identify two potent inhibitors, which were subsequently converted into cell-permeable probes capable of live-cell imaging of endogenous cysteinyl cathepsin activities by two-photon fluorescence microscopy.     

An unprecedented organic-inorganic hybrid based on the first {Nb10V4O40(OH)2}(12-) clusters and copper cations

An unprecedented organic-inorganic hybrid {[Cu(6)L(6)(H(2)O)(3)][Nb(10)V(4)O(40)(OH)(2)]}(2)·13H(2)O (1) (L = 1,10-phenanthroline) containing the unreported {Nb(10)V(4)O(40)(OH)(2)}(12-) building blocks has been successfully synthesized and its photoluminescent properties, IR spectra, thermogravimetric analyses and single-crystal X-ray diffraction were investigated.     

Comparative proteomic profiling of mammalian cell lysates using phosphopeptide microarrays

A library of 176 human phosphotyrosine-containing peptides was used to establish cell lysate binding profiles in a two colour microarray format. The resulting hits led to the pull-down and identification of biomarkers associated with cancer states.     

Microcalorimetry studies on the antimicrobial actions of volatile oil of dry ginger

The rate of heat output is one of the suitable measurements of metabolic activity of the organism. In this article, microcalorimetry was first applied to study the effect of volatile oil of dry ginger (ginger oil) on Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus growth. The power–time curves were plotted with a TAM air isothermal microcalorimeter. The parameters such as the growth rate constant μ, the peak-time T _p, inhibitory ratio I, and half-inhibitory concentration IC₅₀ were calculated. From the data, the relationships between μ and the concentration of ginger oil c were established. The results revealed that the μ of E. coli and S. aureus both gradually declined with the increase of the c, there were linear relationships between μ and c, and ginger oil had stronger inhibitory effect on S. aureus than on E. coli. Results obtained from our study strongly suggest that microcalorimetry is an ideal method to investigate the effect of drug on microorganism.     

A new way to increase performance of oxide electrode for oxygen reduction using grain growth inhibitor

Nickel oxide was introduced as a grain growth inhibitor into Ba_0.5Sr_0.5Co_0.8Fe_0.2O_3 − δ (BSCF) electrode to increase its activity for oxygen reduction reaction. Small amount of NiO can effectively suppress the grain growth of BSCF by spinning the grain boundary and thus increase the electrode surface area, while the particle connection is not obviously affected. Electrochemical impedance spectra of symmetric cells indicate that the electrode activity for oxygen reduction is indeed effectively improved by introducing NiO additive. At 600 °C, area specific resistance of BSCF+5wt.% NiO is about 36.5% lower than that of pure BSCF electrode. Single cell tests also demonstrate an improved cell power output by introducing NiO additive. It implies that the adoption of a sintering inhibitor may be a facile and practical way to increase electrode activity for oxygen reduction.     

Well-defined NHC–Pd(II)–Im (NHC=N-heterocyclic carbene; Im=1-methylimidazole) complex catalyzed C–N coupling of primary amines with aryl chlorides

We report herein a well-defined NHC–Pd(II)–Im (NHC=N-heterocyclic carbene; Im=1-methylimidazole) complex catalyzed C–N coupling of primary amines with aryl chlorides. Under the optimal reaction conditions, a variety of primary amines can be coupled with aryl chlorides to give the amination products in good to high yields within 4 h. It is worthy of noting here that the NHC–Pd(II)–Im complex showed especially high catalytic activity toward challenging sterically hindered substrates including both of aryl amines and aryl chlorides. In addition, alkyl amines were also proved to be suitable reaction partners to give the corresponding amination products in good to high yields.