Photocontrolled Multidirectional Differentiation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells on an Upconversion Substrate

The effective guidance of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) differentiation on a substrate by near‐infrared (NIR) light is particularly attractive for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. However, most of current substrates cannot control multidirectional differentiation of MSCs like natural tissues. Herein, a photocontrolled upconversion‐based substrate was designed and constructed for guiding multidirectional differentiation of MSCs. The substrate enables MSCs to maintain their stem‐cell characteristics due to the anti‐adhesive effect of 4‐(hydroxymethyl)‐3‐nitrobenzoic acid modified poly(ethylene glycol) (P1) attached on the upconversion substrate. Upon NIR irradiation, the P1 is released from the substrate by photocleavage. The detachment of P1 can change cell–matrix interactions dynamically. Moreover, MSCs cultured on the upconversion substrate can be specifically induced to differentiate to adipocytes or osteoblasts by adjusting the NIR laser. Our work provides a new way of using NIR‐based upconversion substrate to modulate the multidirectional differentiation of MSCs.     

Electrochemical Reduction of Carbon Dioxide to Methanol on Hierarchical Pd/SnO2 Nanosheets with Abundant Pd–O–Sn Interfaces

Electrochemical conversion of CO₂ into fuels using electricity generated from renewable sources helps to create an artificial carbon cycle. However, the low efficiency and poor stability hinder the practical use of most conventional electrocatalysts. In this work, a 2D hierarchical Pd/SnO₂ structure, ultrathin Pd nanosheets partially capped by SnO₂ nanoparticles, is designed to enable multi‐electron transfer for selective electroreduction of CO₂ into CH₃OH. Such a structure design not only enhances the adsorption of CO₂ on SnO₂, but also weakens the binding strength of CO on Pd due to the as‐built Pd–O–Sn interfaces, which is demonstrated to be critical to improve the electrocatalytic selectivity and stability of Pd catalysts. This work provides a new strategy to improve electrochemical performance of metal‐based catalysts by creating metal oxide interfaces for selective electroreduction of CO₂.     

Amorphous CoSnO3@rGO nanocomposite as an efficient cathode catalyst for long-life Li-O2 batteries

An amorphous CoSnO₃@rGO nanocomposite fabricated using a surfactant-assisted assembly method combined with thermal treatment served as a catalyst for non-aqueous lithium-oxygen (Li-O₂) batteries. In contrast to the specific surface area of the bare CoSnO₃ nanoboxes (104.3 m² g^–1), the specific surface area of the CoSnO₃@rGO nanocomposite increased to approximately 195.8 m² g^–1 and the electronic conductivity also improved. The increased specific surface area provided more space for the deposition of Li₂O₂, while the improved electronic conductivity accelerated the decomposition of Li₂O₂. Compared to bare CoSnO₃, the overpotential reduced by approximately 20 and 60 mV at current densities of 100 and 500 mA g^?1 when CoSnO₃@rGO was used as the catalyst. A Li-O₂ battery using a CoSnO₃@rGO nanocomposite as the cathode catalyst cycled indicated a superior cyclic stability of approximately 130 cycles at a current density of 200 mA g^–1 with a limited capacity of 1000 mAh g^–1, which is 25 cycles more than that of the bare amorphous CoSnO₃ nanoboxes.     

Modeling liquid-liquid interface level in a horizontal three-phase separator with a bucket and weir

The flow behavior in a three-phase separator with a bucket and weir was analyzed, and a theoretical equation for calculating the liquid-liquid interface level (H_H) in gravity separation zone was derived. The analysis indicates that the H_H increases as the flow rate and the density ratio of heavy to light liquid increase, and decreases linearly with increasing height difference between heavy and light liquid overflow weirs. The calculated H_H under different operating conditions is in good agreement with the experimental. With the proposed equation, the thicknesses of heavy and light liquid layers can be calculated, and then the minimum lengths of two phase layers required for separation can be determined separately. From the minimum lengths it can be clearly indicated that the governing step of liquid-liquid separation is in heavy or light liquid layers, hence the sizing of the separator can be optimized.     

Determination of Synthetic Phenolic Antioxidants in Vegetable Oil and Oil-Enriched Foods by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with Electrochemical Detection

Three synthetic phenolic antioxidants, tertiary butyl hydroquinone, butylated hydroxytoluene, and butylated hydroxyanisole, were determined in vegetable oil and oil-enriched food by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with electrochemical detection. The separation was achieved using a reverse-phase column and gradient elution with methanol and 1% acetic acid. The limits of detection and quantification of the analytes were 2–120 lower, higher than those obtained by diode-array detection. The recoveries were 103.3% for tertiary butyl hydroquinone, 97.3% for butylated hydroxyanisole, and 95.2% for butylated hydroxytoluene. The results showed that HPLC with electrochemical detection is suitable for the quantification of low concentrations of phenolic antioxidants in vegetable oil and oil-enriched food with high sensitivity and accuracy.     

Metal sulfide: An efficient promoter for the synthesis of 2-mercaptobenzothiazoles from 2-haloanilines and carbon disulfide

A convenient method has been developed for the preparation of a variety of 2-mercaptobenzothiazoles from 2-haloanilines and CS₂ mediated by metal sulfide. In this reaction, 2-haloanilines reacted with CS₂ in the presence of Na₂S?·?9H₂O to form 2-mercaptobenzothiazoles. Na₂S?·?9H₂O functioned both as an activator of CS₂ and as a base. Furthermore, NMR analysis was used to identify the different reaction mechanisms of 2-haloanilines and CS₂ mediated by Na₂S or 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene (DBU), which demonstrated that Na₂S interacted only with CS₂, while DBU reacted with both 2-iodoaniline and CS₂.     

Carbon dots doped with heteroatoms for fluorescent bioimaging: a review

Carbon dots (CDs) possess superior fluorescent properties in that they do not blink, are biocompatible, chemically inert, have small size and well tunable photoluminescence (PL), can be easily functionalized with biomolecules, and can be multi-photon excited to give up-converted PL. This review (with 141 refs.) summarizes recent progress in the field of imaging using carbon dots doped with heteroatoms (X-CDs). Following an introduction, we discuss top-down and bottom-up strategies for synthesis and methods for surface modification. We also compare the differences in synthesis for undoped CDs and X-CDs. Specifically, CDs doped with heteroelemets nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, selenium, boron and silicium are treated. We then discuss method for determination of the properties (particle size, ZP), how doping affects fluorescence (spectra, quantum yields, decay times), and how dopants affect upconversion (UC, anti-Stokes luminescence). We finally review the progress made in fluorescent imaging of cells tissue, and other biomatter. This review also gives new hints on how to use synthetic methods for tuning the structure of X-CDs, how doping affects properties, and how to achieve new bioimaging applications.

Open image in new window

Graphical abstract Carbon dots doped with heteroatoms (X-CDs) are a kind of fluorescent nanomaterials that display bright fluorescence, high quantum yield, photostability, biocompatibility and low toxicity. Hence, they possess large potential for both in-vitro and in-vivo bioimaging.

     

电感耦合等离子体原子发射光谱法测定植物中钾、钠、钙和镁

采用硝酸–高氯酸湿法消解或硝酸–双氧水微波消解植物样品,以电感耦合等离子体原子发射光谱法同时测定样品溶液中钾、钠、钙和镁含量。用该法测定灌木枝叶和茶叶标准样品,测定值均在标准值范围内,测定结果的相对标准偏差为0.45%~4.05%(n=8)。钾、钠、钙、镁的加标回收率分别为94.4%~107.6%,92.6%~107.9%,93.7%~105.4%,92.9%~107.2%。该方法操作简便,测量精密度和准确度完全满足植物中钾、钠、钙和镁含量的测定要求。     

Intermolecular H···O═C bonds induced 2D self‐assembly of thiophene based diketopyrrolopyrrole derivative

Compounds with diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP) and thiophene moieties have attracted considerable attention because of their promising charge transport properties. The molecular conformation and self‐assembly of 2,5‐dihexadecyl‐3,6‐di(thiophen‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐dihydropyrrolo[3,4‐c]pyrrole‐1,4‐dione (TDPP‐C16) molecule have been investigated by scanning tunneling microscopy and density functional theory alculation. The TDPP‐C16 molecules adsorb with their optimized S‐shaped conformation and form a zipper‐like pattern on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite surface. R and S rotated structures are observed. The nanostructure is dominated by intermolecular double hydrogen bonds between C═O of the DPP units and hydrogen atom of thiophene rings in the neighboring molecules in each row. Atomic force microscopy and density functional theory calculation also display the existence of strong intermolecular hydrogen bonding. The results provide molecular evidence for the intermolecular interactions of the surface structure, which could benefit to the design of the organic semiconducting materials and understanding of underlying principle of charge transfer process. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.