Synthesis of Isoindolinones by Palladium-Catalyzed Carbonylative Cyclization of 2-Bromobenzaldehyde with Diamines

2-Bromobenzaldehyde reacts with diamines under carbon monoxide in the presence of a catalytic amount of a palladium complex to afford the corresponding tricyclic isoindolinones in fair to good yields.     

Constitutive stabilization of hypoxia-inducible factor alpha selectively promotes the self-renewal of mesenchymal progenitors and maintains mesenchymal stromal cells in an undifferentiated state

With the increasing use of culture-expanded mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) for cell therapies, factors that regulate the cellular characteristics of MSCs have been of major interest. Oxygen concentration has been shown to influence the functions of MSCs, as well as other normal and malignant stem cells. However, the underlying mechanisms of hypoxic responses and the precise role of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (Hif-1α), the master regulatory protein of hypoxia, in MSCs remain unclear, due to the limited span of Hif-1α stabilization and the complex network of hypoxic responses. In this study, to further define the significance of Hif-1α in MSC function during their self-renewal and terminal differentiation, we established adult bone marrow (BM)-derived MSCs that are able to sustain high level expression of ubiquitin-resistant Hif-1α during such long-term biological processes. Using this model, we show that the stabilization of Hif-1α proteins exerts a selective influence on colony-forming mesenchymal progenitors promoting their self-renewal and proliferation, without affecting the proliferation of the MSC mass population. Moreover, Hif-1α stabilization in MSCs led to the induction of pluripotent genes (oct-4 and klf-4) and the inhibition of their terminal differentiation into osteogenic and adipogenic lineages. These results provide insights into the previously unrecognized roles of Hif-1α proteins in maintaining the primitive state of primary MSCs and on the cellular heterogeneities in hypoxic responses among MSC populations.     

Copper complexes of two isomeric NS2-macrocycles

Two isomeric NS₂-macrocycles incorporating a xylyl group at ortho (o -L) and meta (m -L) positions were employed and their copper complexes (1?C5) were prepared and structurally characterized. The copper(II) nitrate complexes [Cu(L)(NO₃)₂] (1: L = o -L, 2: L = m -L) for both ligands were isolated. In each case, the copper center is five-coordinated with a distorted square pyramidal geometry. Despite the overall geometrical similarity, 1 and 2 show the different ligand conformation due to the discriminated packing pattern. Reaction of o -L with copper(II) perchlorate afforded complex 3 containing two independent complex cations [Cu(o -L)(H₂O)(DMF)(ClO₄)]⁺ and [Cu(o -L)(H₂O)(DMF)]²⁺; the coordination geometry of the former is a distorted octahedron while the latter shows a distorted square pyramidal arrangement. In the reactions of copper(I) halides (I or Br), o -L gave a mononuclear complex [Cu(o-L)I] (4) with a distorted tetrahedral geometry, while m -L afforded a unique exodentate 2:1 (ligand-to-metal) complex [trans-Br₂Cu(m-L)₂] (5) adopting a trans-type square-planar arrangement.     

A method to determine quasi-steady state in constant voltage mode isotachophoresis

Identification of the steady state is very challenging in isotachophoresis (ITP); especially in complex microgeometries, such as dog-leg channels or cross-channel junctions. In this work, an elastic matching method is applied to determine the quasi-steady state in microscale ITP. In the elastic matching method, the similarity between two profiles is calculated by comparing intensity distribution of two images or profiles. To demonstrate this similarity-based analysis technique for ITP, a constant voltage mode ITP model is developed and applied to a five-component ITP system. Hydrochloric acid and caproic acid are used as the leader and terminator, respectively, while histidine is used as the counter-ion. Two sample components, acetic acid and benzoic acid, are separated under the action of an applied electric field in both straight and dog-leg microchannels. This analysis shows that conductivity profiles provide a better measure to determine the quasi-steady state in an ITP process. For a straight microchannel, the quasi-steady state is achieved in less than a minute with a total potential drop of 100?V in a 2?cm long channel. In a straight channel, a true steady state can be achieved for ITP with appropriate countercurrent flow where stationary zones are formed, but the time it takes to reach the steady state is much longer than the without counter flow case. The numerical results indicate that a steady state cannot be reached in a dog-leg microchannel because of sample dispersion and refocusing at and near the intersections and at the branch channels. However, the elastic matching method can be used to determine the quasi-steady state in a dog-leg microchannel.     

Fabrication of nanoporous nanocomposites entrapping Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles and oxidases for colorimetric biosensing

A nanostructured multicatalyst system consisting of Fe(3)O(4) magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) as peroxidase mimetics and an oxidative enzyme entrapped in large-pore-sized mesoporous silica has been developed for convenient colorimetric detection of biologically important target molecules. The construction of the nanocomposites begins with the incorporation of MNPs on the walls of mesocellular silica pores by impregnating Fe(NO(3))(3)·9H(2)O, followed by the immobilization of oxidative enzymes. Glutaraldehyde crosslinking was employed to prevent enzymes leaching from the pores and led to over 20 wt% loading of the enzyme. The oxidase in the nanocomposite generates H(2)O(2) through its catalytic action for target molecules and subsequently activates MNPs to convert selected substrates into colored products. Using this strategy, two different biosensing systems were constructed employing glucose oxidase and cholesterol oxidase and their analytical capabilities were successfully verified by colorimetrically detecting the corresponding target molecules with excellent selectivity, sensitivity, reusability, and stability. Future potential applications of this technology range from biosensors to multicatalyst reactors.     

Ultrasonically assisted in situ emulsion polymerization: a facile approach to prepare conducting copolymer/silica nanocomposites

Ultrasonically assisted in situ emulsion polymerization was used to prepare electrically conducting copolymer poly(aniline‐co‐p‐phenylenediamine) [poly(Ani‐co‐pPD)] and silica (SiO₂) nancomposites. This approach can solve problems in the dispersion and stabilization of SiO₂ nanoparticles in the copolymer matrix. It was found that the aggregation of SiO₂ nanoparticles could be reduced under ultrasonic irradiation. Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) confirmed that the resulting poly(Ani‐co‐pPD)/SiO₂ nanocomposite particles were spherical in shape, in which SiO₂ nanoparticles were well dispersed. The comonomer molecules were absorbed on the surface of SiO₂ particles and then polymerized to form core–shell nanocomposite. The incorporation of SiO₂ in the nanocomposite was supported by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR). UV‐visible spectra of the diluted colloid dispersion of nanocomposite particles were similar to those of the neat copolymer. Conductivity of nanocomposites was higher than the value obtained for the neat copolymer. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Fabrication of Light‐Guiding Core/Sheath Fibers by Coaxial Electrospinning

Light‐guiding core/sheath fibers are fabricated from two different refractive index (RI) polymers by coaxial electrospinning. The morphology and fiber diameter are analyzed with scanning electron and fluorescence microscopies. It is found that the diameter of the core and the thickness of the sheath could be varied from 100 to 400 nm by changing the concentration of the outer solution. The incorporation of a chromophore into the inner material confirmed the uniformity of the core/sheath structure in long segments of the fibers. The boundary is clearly seen: the core diameter and the thickness of the sheath are constant along the fiber axis in fluorescence images. The ejected beam is circular and light‐guided along the fiber axis as in an optical fiber.

     

Experimental study on SC RF cavities by using China large grain niobium for ILC

Large grain niobium has the potential of simplifying the production sequence and consequently reducing the cost of the superconducting RF cavities for ILC. To investigate the feasibility of fabrication and the possibility to achieve high gradient by large grain cavities, two 1.3GHz cavities were made of China large grain niobium and a series of vertical tests were carried out following several different surfaces treatment procedures. Two cavities have both reached the high gradient of more than 43MV/m repeatedly and the maximum accelerating field of 47.9MV/m has been achieved by China large grain niobium. This paper introduces the features of the fabrication and surface treatments on the large grain cavities and presents the preliminary results of the research.     

Laser-induced synthesis of BaMoO<Subscript>4</Subscript> nanocolloidal suspension and its optical properties

Pulsed laser ablation in a liquid phase was successfully employed to synthesize a barium molybdate (BaMoO₄) nanocolloidal suspension. The nanocolloidal suspension was composed of well-dispersed and horizontally assembled BaMoO₄ aggregates. The BaMoO₄ aggregates showed predominantly elliptically shaped nanorods with sizes between 100 and 200 nm. The preferential elliptical growth was rationalized from the viewpoint of the intrinsic structure of BaMoO₄. The optical properties of the prepared BaMoO₄ colloidal nanoparticles were investigated using Raman spectroscopy, UV–vis spectroscopy and photoluminescence (PL) spectrophotometry. The optical band gap was estimated by Tauc and Menth’s law. The PL emission feature was decomposed into several individual Gaussian components, which could be interpreted by a Jahn–Teller splitting effect on the [MoO₄]^2- tetrahedron of the BaMoO₄ colloidal nanoparticles. PACS  42.62.-b; 82.70.Dd; 78.55.Hx; 81.07.Wx     

SnO2 quantum dots decorated BiOI nanoflowers as a high-performance electrode material for supercapacitor application

Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry - The rational design of low-cost electrode materials with superior redox activity and high electrochemical conductivity has attracted extensive interest for...