Fluorescent staining of protein in SDS polyacrylamide gels by salicylaldehyde azine

As a noncovalent fluorescence probe, in this study, salicylaldehyde azine (SA) was introduced as a sensitive fluorescence‐based dye for detecting proteins both in 1D and 2D polyacrylamide electrophoresis gels. Down to 0.2 ng of single protein band could be detected within 1 h, which is similar to that of glutaraldehyde‐silver stain, but approximately four times higher than that of SYPRO Ruby fluorescent stain. Furthermore, comparative analysis of the MS compatibility of SA stain with SYPRO Ruby stain indicated that SA stain is compatible with the downstream of protein identification by LC‐MS/MS. Additionally, the probable mechanism of the SA stain was investigated by molecular docking. The results demonstrated that the interaction between SA and protein was mainly contributed by hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic forces.     

Self-constructed stable liquid crystal alignment in a monomer-liquid crystal mixture system

Here, we demonstrate excellent liquid crystal (LC) vertical alignment without using an alignment layer printing process by introducing octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS) into the LC mixture. Further, we investigated the alignment mechanism by analysing the surfaces of the substrates. The optimum concentration of OTS was found to be about 0.03 wt%, which is 1/100 of that in the previously reported polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS)–LC system. Moreover, the OTS–LC system exhibited a more stable LC alignment compared with the POSS–LC system. These differences may arise from the different strengths of surface–dopant interactions; that is, the covalent bond in the OTS–LC system and the van der Waals interactions in the POSS–LC system. We also demonstrated that the method can be used in a capillary tube, which may serve as a new method facilitating the application of LCs with curved surfaces.     

Alignment of liquid crystals induced by a photopolymerized self‐assembled film

An alignment film derived from a photopolymerized self‐assembled film may be used to orient nematic liquid crystals after irradiating the film with linearly polarized UV (LPUV). A photosensitive cationic amphiphile was first synthesized containing two double bonds and which could be polymerized by UV. A layer‐by‐layer self‐assembled multilayer film was next prepared in an aqueous solution of the cationic amphiphile and poly(sodium 4‐styrenesulphonate); the UV‐Vis spectra showed that each layer of the LBL multilayer film was uniform. When the film was irradiated by LPUV, the photosensitive double bonds underwent [2+2] cycloaddition along the vector direction of LPUV. The polarized UV‐Vis absorption spectra also provided evidence that the film was anisotropic, i.e. the photopolymerization was along a certain direction. The anisotropic film was used as an alignment layer for nematic liquid crystals, and observations under a polarizing microscope indicated that the alignment of the liquid crystals was good, as expected, and that the orientation direction of the liquid crystals was always perpendicular to the electric vector of the irradiating LPUV.     

Etching Characteristics and Mechanisms of Mo and Al2O3 Thin Films in O2/Cl2/Ar Inductively Coupled Plasmas: Effect of Gas Mixing Ratios

An investigation of etching behaviors for Mo and Al₂O₃ thin films in O₂/Cl₂/Ar inductively coupled plasmas at constant gas pressure (6 mTorr), input power (700 W) and bias power (200 W) was carried out. It was found that an increase in Ar mixing ratio for Cl₂/Ar plasma results in non-monotonic etching rates with the maximums of 160 nm/min at 60 % Ar for Mo and 27 nm/min at 20 % Ar for Al₂O₃. The addition of O₂ in the Cl₂/Ar plasma causes the non-monotonic Mo etching rate (max. 320 nm/min at 40–45 % O₂) while the Al₂O₃ etching rate decreases monotonically. The model-based analysis of etching kinetics allows one to relate the non-monotonic etching rates in Cl₂/Ar plasma to the change in the etching regime from the ion-flux-limited mode (at low Ar mixing ratios) to the neutral-flux-limited mode (for high Ar mixing ratios). In the Cl₂/O₂/Ar plasma, the non-monotonic Mo etching rate is probably due to the change in reaction probability.     

酸碱解聚玉米秸秆分子结构的实验研究

以玉米秸秆为研究对象,分别采用5%H2SO4和5%NaOH溶液对秸秆进行解聚处理,并对解聚前后秸秆结构、化学组成、热稳定性等进行分析和表征。结果表明,与未处理前相比,经酸或碱解聚处理后,秸秆纤维结晶度由51.8%分别提高到63.5%和67.0%,秸秆中大部分半纤维素和部分木质素组分被脱除,半纤维素由29.10%分别降至7.02%和6.86%,木质素由38.12%分别降至32.21%和16.52%,而纤维素则由31.54%分别升至60.54%和76.15%。经酸碱处理后,秸秆表面形态结构变得疏松,出现小孔和裂缝,降解温度达到350℃,热稳定性能增加。上述结果说明,稀酸或稀碱均对玉米秸秆分子结构有一定程度的解聚作用,但就解聚溶出木质素而言,稀碱的解聚溶出效果要优于稀酸的。     

New Reactions of N‐tert‐Butylimines; Formation of N‐Heterocycles by Methyl Radical Elimination on Flash Vacuum Thermolysis of N‐Benzylidene‐ and N‐(2‐Pyridylmethylidene)‐tert‐butylamines

Thermal reactions of N‐benzylidene‐ and N‐(2‐pyridylmethylidene)‐tert‐butylamines ( 5 and 13 ) under FVT conditions have been investigated. Unexpectedly, at 800 °C, compound 5 yields 1,2‐dimethylindole and 3‐methylisoquinoline. In the reaction of 13 at 800 °C, 3‐methylimidazo[1,5‐a]pyridine was obtained as the major product. Mechanisms of these reactions have been proposed on the basis of DFT calculations. Furthermore, UV‐photoelectron spectroscopy combined with FVT has been applied for direct monitoring and characterization of the thermolysis products in situ.     

电场对金属串配合物M3(dpa)4Cl2 (M=Co,Rh, Ir; dpa=dipyridylamide)结构的影响

应用密度泛函理论PBE0 方法研究具有分子导线潜在应用的金属串配合物M₃(dpa)₄Cl₂ (1: M=Co, 2: M=Rh, 3: M=Ir; dpa=dipyridylamide)在电场作用下的几何和电子结构. 结果表明: 配合物基态均是二重态. 1和2的M₃⁶⁺金属链形成三中心三电子σ键, 3 中M₃⁶⁺形成三中心四电子σ键且存在弱的δ键. 随金属原子周期数增大其M―M键增强、LUMO与HOMO能隙减小、金属原子的反铁磁耦合减弱以至消失且自旋密度向配体的离域增强. 在Cl4→Cl5 电场作用下, 低电势端的M3－Cl5 键缩短, 高电势端的M2―Cl4 键增长, M―M平均键长略为缩短, M―M键增强, 有利于分子线的电子传递; 分子能量降低, 偶极矩线性增大. 低电势端Cl5的负电荷向高电势端Cl4 转移, 且3 中金属原子的正电荷由高电势端向低电势端的转移较明显, 自旋电子由低电势端向高电势端金属原子移动, 但桥联配体dpa^-与M和Cl 所在的分子轴间没有电荷转移. 电场使LUMO与HOMO能隙减小, 有利于分子的电子输运. 随金属原子周期数增大, 电场作用下M―M平均键长变化减小, LUMO、HOMO的能级交错现象减少.     

Tighter uncertainty principles for periodic signals in terms of frequency

In this study, we propose some new uncertainty principles for periodic signals with sharper lower bounds than those in the existing ones. The improved lower bounds, in particular, are related to the frequency of the signal. Three examples are employed to demonstrate sharpness of the new uncertainty principles. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Signal moments for the short‐time Fourier transform associated with Hardy–Sobolev derivatives

The short‐time Fourier transform has been shown to be a powerful tool for non‐stationary signals and time‐varying systems. This paper investigates the signal moments in the Hardy–Sobolev space that do not usually have classical derivatives. That is, signal moments become valid for non‐smooth signals if we replace the classical derivatives by the Hardy–Sobolev derivatives. Our work is based on the extension of Cohen's contributions to the local and global behaviors of the signal. The relationship of the moments and spreads of the signal in the time, frequency and short‐time Fourier domain are established in the Hardy–Sobolev space. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Palladium‐Catalyzed C(sp3)?H Activation: A Facile Method for the Synthesis of 3,4‐Dihydroquinolinone Derivatives

3,4‐Dihydroquinolinones were synthesized by the palladium‐catalyzed, oxidative‐addition‐initiated activation and arylation of inert C(sp³) H bonds. Pd(OAc)₂ and P(o‐tol)₃ were used as the catalyst and ligand, respectively, to improve the efficiency of the reaction. A further advantage of this reaction is that it could be performed in air. A relatively rare seven‐membered palladacycle was proposed as a key intermediate of the catalytic cycle.