Highly improved crystallization behavior of poly(L‐lactide) induced by a novel nucleating agent: substituted‐aryl phosphate salts

In this work, a novel nucleating agent (NA) based on substituted‐aryl phosphate salts was introduced into poly(L‐Lactide) (PLLA). The nonisothermal and isothermal crystallization behaviors of nucleated PLLA samples were investigated through differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), wide angle X‐ray diffraction, and polarized optical microscope (POM). Furthermore, the effect of annealing treatment on the cold crystallization behaviors of nucleated samples was also investigated. The results show that the crystallization of PLLA, whether for the melt crystallization (including nonisothermal and isothermal crystallization process) or for the cold crystallization (including the cold crystallization occurring during the DSC heating process and during the annealing process), is greatly dependent upon the content of NA. At relatively lower NA content (≤0.1 wt%), the nucleation effect of NA is inconspicuous, however, at higher NA content (≥0.2 wt%), it exhibits great nucleation effect for the crystallization of PLLA. Further results show that the double endothermic peak of PLLA depends on the temperature applied for the crystallization. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Detection of Chemical Warfare Nerve Agents via a Beckmann Fragmentation of Aldoxime

Abstract

A new (E)-pyrene-1-carbaldehyde O-tert-butyldimethylsilyl oxime 3 was synthesized for the detection of chemical warfare nerve agents, O-isopropyl methylphosphonofluoridate (GB) and O-pinacolyl methylphosphonofluoridate (GD). ¹H NMR spectrum showed that the tert-butyldimethylsilyl (TBDMS) group was deprotected using TBAF and the oximate supernucleophile was made. Upon addition of chemical warfare agents (GB and GD) (50 mol%), the reaction was completely finished within 5 min and also the color change of reaction mixture was observed under a hand-held UV lamp with the naked eye.     

Quantitative microfluidic biomolecular analysis for systems biology and medicine

In the postgenome era, biology and medicine are rapidly evolving towards quantitative and systems studies of complex biological systems. Emerging breakthroughs in microfluidic technologies and innovative applications are transforming systems biology by offering new capabilities to address the challenges in many areas, such as single-cell genomics, gene regulation networks, and pathology. In this review, we focus on recent progress in microfluidic technology from the perspective of its applications to promoting quantitative and systems biomolecular analysis in biology and medicine.     

Synthesis of monodisperse oligocarbazoles-functionalized anthracenes with intense blue-emitting

New well-defined monodisperse oligocarbazoles-functionalized anthracenes An-OCZn (n = 1, 2, 3) have been synthesized through Suzuki cross-coupling reaction of the brominated oligocarbazoles and 9,10-bis(4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-1,3,2-dioxaborolan-2-yl)anthracene. They show good solubility in organic solvents, including dichloromethane, chloroform, toluene, ethyl acetate, and tetrahydrofuran. It should be noted that, in the case of An-OCZn, the formation of the excimer based on anthracene unit is suppressed completely due to the introduction of oligocarbazoles in 9,10-position of anthracene so that an intense blue-emitting has been afforded. In addition, the obtained An-OCZn exhibit good electrochemical and thermal stabilities. Thus, the oligocarbazoles-functionalized anthracenes can be a class of promising candidates for novel blue-emitting materials employed in OLEDs or related devices.     

体积排阻色谱-电感耦合等离子体质谱分析富硒大米含硒蛋白组成

建立体积排阻色谱-电感耦合等离子体质谱(SEC-HPLC-ICP-MS)联用技术分析富硒大米含硒蛋白组成方法。通过水提、盐提、碱提和醇提方法提取,并用丙酮沉淀蛋白,硒的回收率分别为9.6%,16.8%,48.2%和14.9%,纯化后的蛋白结合硒的量由大到小依次为碱溶谷蛋白>球蛋白>醇溶蛋白>清蛋白。蛋白液经SEC-HPLC-ICP-MS检测,通过蛋白色谱峰(λ=280 nm)和ICP-MS硒峰(78Se)对比分析,利用分子量标准曲线测定出4类蛋白中含硒蛋白的分子量。结果表明,富硒大米中清蛋白和醇溶蛋白并不是硒的主要存在蛋白。硒主要存在于>7 kDa的碱溶谷蛋白和球蛋白,其中碱溶含硒蛋白主要组分F1分子量为199.8 kDa。     

A quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics study on the hydrolysis mechanism of New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase-1

New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase-1 (NDM-1) has emerged as a major global threat to human health for its rapid rate of dissemination and ability to make pathogenic microbes resistant to almost all known β-lactam antibiotics. In addition, effective NDM-1 inhibitors have not been identified to date. In spite of the plethora of structural and kinetic data available, the accurate molecular characteristics of and details on the enzymatic reaction of NDM-1 hydrolyzing β-lactam antibiotics remain incompletely understood. In this study, a combined computational approach including molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulations and quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics calculations was performed to characterize the catalytic mechanism of meropenem catalyzed by NDM-1. The quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics results indicate that the ionized D124 is beneficial to the cleavage of the C–N bond within the β-lactam ring. Meanwhile, it is energetically favorable to form an intermediate if no water molecule coordinates to Zn2. Moreover, according to the molecular dynamics results, the conserved residue K211 plays a pivotal role in substrate binding and catalysis, which is quite consistent with previous mutagenesis data. Our study provides detailed insights into the catalytic mechanism of NDM-1 hydrolyzing meropenem β-lactam antibiotics and offers clues for the discovery of new antibiotics against NDM-1 positive strains in clinical studies.     

Cellulose polymorphism study with sum-frequency-generation (SFG) vibration spectroscopy: identification of exocyclic CH2OH conformation and chain orientation

Sum-frequency-generation (SFG) vibration spectroscopy is a technique only sensitive to functional groups arranged without centrosymmetry. For crystalline cellulose, SFG can detect the C6H₂ and intra-chain hydrogen-bonded OH groups in the crystal. The geometries of these groups are sensitive to the hydrogen bonding network that stabilizes each cellulose polymorph. Therefore, SFG can distinguish cellulose polymorphs (I_β, II, III_I and III_II) which have different conformations of the exocyclic hydroxymethylene group or directionalities of glucan chains. The C6H₂ asymmetric stretching peaks at 2,944 cm^?1 for cellulose I_β and 2,960 cm^?1 for cellulose II, III_I and III_II corresponds to the trans-gauche (tg) and gauche-trans (gt) conformation, respectively. The SFG intensity of the stretch peak of intra-chain hydrogen-bonded O–H group implies that the chain arrangement in cellulose crystal is parallel in I_β and III_I, and antiparallel in II and III_II.