Cheritamine,A New N-Fatty Acyl Tryptamine and Other Constituents from the Stems of Annona cherimola

A new N-fatty acyl tryptamine, cheritamine ( 30 ), along with thirty-two compounds including nineteen benzenoids, p-hydroxybenzadehyde ( 1 ), p-hydroxybenzoic acid ( 2 ), methylparabene ( 3 ), 3-chlorobenzoic acid ( 4 ), vanillin ( 5 ), isovanillin ( 6 ), vanillic acid ( 7 ), isovanillic acid ( 8 ), methyl vanillate ( 9 ), methyl isovanillate ( 10 ), syringaldehyde ( 11 ), syringic acid ( 12 ), 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoic acid ( 13 ), trans-methyl p-coumarate ( 14 ), ferulic acid ( 15 ), p-dihydrocoumaric acid ( 16 ), 3-(4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-1,2-propanediol ( 17 ), 3,4,5 -trimethoxyphenyl-β-D-glucopyranoside ( 18 ) and thalictoside ( 19 ); one p-quinone, 2,6-dimethoxy-p-quinone ( 20 ); one purine, uridine ( 21 ); eight alkaloids, nicotinic acid ( 22 ), thalifoline ( 23 ), doryphornine ( 24 ), (–)-norstephalagine ( 25 ), (-)-romucosine ( 26 ), (+)-pronuciferine ( 27 ), (+)-norisocorydine ( 28 ) and oxoasimilobine (29) and three steroids, β-sitosterol-D-glucoside ( 31 ), stigmasterol-D-glucoside ( 32 ) and 6′-(β-sitosteryl-3-O-β-glucopyranosidyl)hexadecanoate ( 33 ), are isolated from the stems of Annona cherimola. These compounds were characterized and identified by physical and spectral evidence.     

Recombinant Expression and Characterization of an Organic-Solvent-Tolerant α-Amylase from Exiguobacterium sp. DAU5

The enzyme from halophilic microorganisms often has unique properties such as organic-solvent-tolerance. In this study, a novel organic-solvent-tolerant α-amylase gene was cloned from the mild halophile Exiguobacterium sp. DAU5. The open reading frame (ORF) of the enzyme consisted of 1,545 bp and encoded 514 amino acids, the primary sequence revealed that it belongs to the glycoside hydrolase (GH) family 13. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) showed an AmyH monomer of 57 kDa. The enzyme exhibited maximal activity at 40 °C in pH?8.5 glycine–NaOH buffer, and the activity was strongly inhibited by Zn²⁺, Cu²⁺, and Fe²⁺. The α-amylase AmyH exhibited high hydrolysis activity toward soluble starch, and the major hydrolysis products were maltose, maltotriose, and maltopentaose; the AmyH could not efficiently hydrolyze oligosaccharides smaller than maltoheptaose, nor could it act on the β-1,4 or α-1,6 glucosidic bonds in xylan or pullulan, respectively. In addition, the α-amylase exhibited better tolerance to organic solvents, as it was stable in the presence of dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), methanol, ethanol, and acetone. Base on all of these results, the enzyme could be useful for practical application in the bakery industry and in biotechnological processes that occur in the presence of organic solvents.     

Reversible Shape‐Morphing and Fluorescence‐Switching in Supramolecular Nanomaterials Consisting of Amphiphilic Cyanostilbene and Cucurbit[7]uril

We demonstrate a reversible shape‐morphing with concurrent fluorescence switching in the nanomaterials which are complexed with cucurbit[7]uril (CB[7]) in water. The cyanostilbene derivative alone forms ribbon‐like two‐dimensional (2D) nanocrystals with bright yellow excimeric emission in water (λ_em=540 nm, Φ_F=42 %). Upon CB[7] addition, however, the ribbon‐like 2D nanocrystals immediately transform to spherical nanoparticles with significant fluorescence quenching and blue‐shifting (λ_em=490 nm, Φ_F=1 %) through the supramolecular complexation of the cyanostilbene and CB[7]. Based on this reversible fluorescence switching and shape morphing, we could demonstrate a novel strategy of turn‐on fluorescence sensing of spermine and also monitoring of lysine decarboxylase activity.     

Cyano-bridged CuII-MV (M = Mo, W) bimetallic layered complexes exhibiting novel honeycomblike structures

Self-assembly of a new precursor [Cu(L)](ClO4)2 (1) (L = macrocyclic ligand) with octacyanometalates [M(CN)8]3- (M = Mo, W) produced two-dimensional cyano-bridged Cu(II)-M(V) bimetallic assemblies [Cu(L)]3n[M(CN)8]2n.6nH2O [M = Mo (2), W (3)] with novel honeycomblike structures, characterized by spectroscopic data, single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies, and magnetic measurements. The crystallographic determination reveals that compounds 2 and 3 are isostructural and crystallize in the triclinic system (P). The Cu atom in a distorted octahedral environment experiences a tetragonal elongation of apical nitrogen atoms exhibiting average Cu-Nax lengths of 2.566 Angstroms for 2 and 2.593 Angstroms for 3, which accounts for the Jahn-Teller effect of a Cu(II) ion. The Cu-NC angles are magnetically important, ranging from 135.7 to 159.2 degrees. Three types of L in the crystal lattice are observed, which are dependent on the relative positions of the pendant hydroxyl groups with respect to the CuN4 basal plane. The positions are correlated with hydrogen bonding of OH groups to neighboring atoms. The magnetic data indicate that ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic interactions between Cu(II) and M(V) through the CN linkage coexist.     

Recent advances in electric analysis of cells in microfluidic systems

Microfluidics offers an ideal platform to integrate cell-based assays with electric measurements. The technological advances in microfluidics, microelectronics, electrochemistry, and electrophysiology have greatly inspired the development of microfluidic/electric devices that work with a low number of cells or single cells. The applications of these microfluidic systems range from the detecting of cell culture density to the probing of cellular functions at the single-cell level. In this review, we introduce the recent advances in the electric analysis of cells on a microfluidic platform, specifically related to the quantification and monitoring of cells in static solution, on-chip patch-clamp measurement, and examination of flowing cells. We also point out future directions and challenges in this field. Figure Different microfluidic devices applied to electrical analysis of cells     

A scheme for rapid prediction of cooperativity in hydrogen bond chains of formamides,acetamides, and N‐methylformamides

A scheme is proposed in this article to predict the cooperativity in hydrogen bond chains of formamides, acetamides, and N‐methylformamides. The parameters needed in the scheme are derived from fitting to the hydrogen bonding energies of MP2/6‐31+G** with basis set superposition error (BSSE) correction of the hydrogen bond chains of formamides containing from two to eight monomeric units. The scheme is then used to calculate the individual hydrogen bonding energies in the chains of formamides containing 9 and 12 monomeric units, in the chains of acetamides containing from two to seven monomeric units, in the chains of N‐methylformamides containing from two to seven monomeric units. The calculation results show that the cooperativity predicted by the scheme proposed in this paper is in good agreement with those obtained from MP2/6‐31+G** calculations by including the BSSE correction, demonstrating that the scheme proposed in this article is reasonable. Based on our scheme, a cooperativity effect of almost 240% of the dimer hydrogen bonding energy in long hydrogen bond formamide chains, a cooperativity effect of almost 190% of the dimer hydrogen bonding energy in long hydrogen bond acetamide chains, and a cooperativity effect of almost 210% of the dimer hydrogen bonding energy in long hydrogen bond N‐methylformamide chains are predicted. The scheme is further applied to some heterogeneous chains containing formamide, acetamide, and N‐methylformamide. The individual hydrogen bonding energies in these heterogeneous chains predicted by our scheme are also in good agreement with those obtained from Møller‐Plesset calculations including BSSE correction. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem, 2010     

Thiophene‐S,S‐dioxidized Indophenine: A Quinoid‐Type Building Block with High Electron Affinity for Constructing n‐Type Polymer Semiconductors with Narrow Band Gaps

Three thiophene‐S,S‐dioxidized indophenine (IDTO) isomers, 3 a (E,E,E), 3 b (Z,E,E), and 3 c (Z,E,Z), were synthesized by oxidation of an indophenine compound. 3 b and 3 c could be converted into the most‐stable 3 a by heating at 110 °C. An IDTO‐containing conjugated polymer, PIDTOTT, was prepared using 3 a as a comonomer through a Stille coupling reaction, and it possesses a narrow band gap and low energy levels. In organic field effect transistors (OFETs), PIDTOTT exhibited unipolar n‐type semiconductor characteristics with unexpectedly high electron mobility (up to 0.14 cm² V^?1 s^?1), despite its rather disordered chain packing.     

Photoinduced Transformation between Charge Carrier and Spin Carrier in Polymers

By dynamical simulations, we show a transforming process between neutral soliton （spin carrier） and charged soliton （charge carrier） in polymers via photo-excitation, taking a polaron as the transitional bridge. It is photoinduced transformation between spin carrier and charge carrier. In this way, we demonstrate an access for polymers to be applied to spintronics.     

La0.67Ba0.33MnO3薄膜的激光辐照效应研究

利用脉冲激光沉积技术在LaAlO₃（00l）单晶衬底上制备了La_067Ba_033MnO₃薄膜,研究了CO₂激光辐照对La_067Ba_033MnO₃薄膜的微结构和磁电性能的影响.结果表明,经激光辐照后,La_067Ba_033MnO₃薄膜的结晶性增强,薄膜应变减小;薄膜表面形貌由“岛状”结构变为“平原"结构,且粗糙度大大降低;同时,薄膜的饱和磁化强度、铁磁居里温度、金属—绝缘态转变温度和磁电阻增大,而矫顽场和电阻率减小.根据对传统退火效应的分析和理论计算,认为激光辐照导致的表面微结构的变化以及薄膜的氧含量和均匀性的提高对La_067Ba_033MnO₃薄膜的磁电性能的改善与优化密切相关. 关键词： 庞磁电阻 激光辐照 脉冲激光溅射沉积     

Chiral susceptibility and chiral phase transition in Nambu–Jona-Lasinio model

We give a general relation between the chiral susceptibility and the thermodynamical potential and a relation between the chiral susceptibility and the condition for furcations to appear in the Wigner solution(s) in the Nambu–Jona-Lasinio (NJL) model. We find that the chiral susceptibility is a quantity able to represent the appearance of furcation in the solution(s) of the gap equation and the concavo–convexity of the thermodynamical potential in the NJL model. It indicates that the chiral susceptibility can identify the stability of the states and the chiral phase transition in NJL model. We propose that analyzing the chiral susceptibility may play an important role in studying the chiral phase transition in approaches superior to the NJL model.