Construction of dsDNA biosensor based on dendritic SiO2 nanoparticle and investigation on its interaction with benzo[a]pyrene

In this work, a new dsDNA biosensor was constructed to monitor the interaction of DNA and benzo[a]pyrene (BaP). Firstly, dendritic SiO₂ nanoparticles were synthesized by silanization of SiO₂ nanoparticles with (??-(methacryloyloxy)propyl) trimethoxysilane and polymerization with acrylic acid. Then, due to the rich carboxyl groups of these nanoparticles, they were associated with the amino groups of a self-assembly membrane formed on the gold electrode by a sulfur-containing compound, 5-amino-3-mercapto-1,2,4-triazole. Finally, dsDNA was immobilized on the electrode surface by static adsorption with the aid of metallic ion. The whole immobilization steps were characterized by cyclic voltammogram and electrochemical impedance spectrum. After that, using methylene blue as a probe, the interaction of BaP with dsDNA was investigated. A linear relationship between the percentages of current decrease with the logarithm of BaP concentrations was found in the range from 0.33 to 133???M.     

Knockout reaction mechanism studied by 6He projectile

Knockout reaction experiment was carried out by using the ⁶He beams at 61.2 MeV/u impinging on a CH₂ target. The α core fragments at forward angles were detected in coincidence with the recoiled protons at larger angles. From this exclusive measurement the valence nucleon knockout mechanism and the core knockout mechanism can be distinguished by the relation between the polar angles of the core fragments and the recoiled protons, respectively. It is demonstrated that the core knockout mechanism may result in some strong contamination to the real invariant mass spectrum.

     

High‐Loading Nano‐SnO2 Encapsulated in situ in Three‐Dimensional Rigid Porous Carbon for Superior Lithium‐Ion Batteries

Tin oxide nanoparticles (SnO₂ NPs) have been encapsulated in situ in a three‐dimensional ordered space structure. Within this composite, ordered mesoporous carbon (OMC) acts as a carbon framework showing a desirable ordered mesoporous structure with an average pore size (≈6 nm) and a high surface area (470.3 m² g^?1), and the SnO₂ NPs (≈10 nm) are highly loaded (up to 80 wt %) and homogeneously distributed within the OMC matrix. As an anode material for lithium‐ion batteries, a SnO₂@OMC composite material can deliver an initial charge capacity of 943 mAh g^?1 and retain 68.9 % of the initial capacity after 50 cycles at a current density of 50 mA g^?1, even exhibit a capacity of 503 mA h g^?1 after 100 cycles at 160 mA g^?1. In situ encapsulation of the SnO₂ NPs within an OMC framework contributes to a higher capacity and a better cycling stability and rate capability in comparison with bare OMC and OMC ex situ loaded with SnO₂ particles (SnO₂/OMC). The significantly improved electrochemical performance of the SnO₂@OMC composite can be attributed to the multifunctional OMC matrix, which can facilitate electrolyte infiltration, accelerate charge transfer, and lithium‐ion diffusion, and act as a favorable buffer to release reaction strains for lithiation/delithiation of the SnO₂ NPs.     

Adsorption of SO2 and chlorobenzene on activated carbon

Activated carbon is very effective for simultaneous removal of multiple pollutants. The adsorption of SO₂ and chlorobenzene modeling of VOCs on activated carbon was investigated in a fixed-bed reactor by four kinds of activated carbon. The results show that the SO₂ adsorption is affected by the BET surface and basic functional groups as C=O and π–π* groups of the carbon, while the chlorobenzene adsorption is strongly affected by the carbon pore structure, with the micropore volume deciding the adsorption amount and larger pores increasing the adsorption rate. The chlorobenzene adsorption is little affected by the chemical properties of activated carbon as the O/C ratio detected by XPS. The effect of SO₂ on the chlorobenzene adsorption was investigated, with the results showing the SO₂ seriously restricts the individual chlorobenzene adsorption and this effect becomes smaller in the presence of O₂. The adsorption products were analyzed by TPD-MS and the initial decomposition temperatures are 380 K for chlorobenzene and 500 K for SO₂, showing that SO₂ is much more stable adsorbed than chlorobenzene. The changes of the carbon functional groups that the CO₂ desorption peak emerges at 700 K and decreases at 1000 K with the chlorobenzene adsorption, were observed by TPD-MS, indicating that the lactone and quinone groups on the carbon are likely to combine with the chlorobenzene and form weakly chemisorbed chlorobenzene.     

Investigation on activating individual living monocytic U937 cell by interleukin-6 using Raman tweezers

We investigate the activation of living monocytic U937 cells induced by interleukin-6 （IL-6） at the single cell level. We employ home-built Raman tweezers to measure the Raman spectra of living U937 cells with and without IL-6 at the single cell level. Raman peaks of amide III, amide I, DNA backbone, as well as guanine and adenine in U937 cells, change at 1312, 1652, 1090, and 1576 cm ？1 , respectively, shortly after IL-6 is added in the medium. The change is a dynamic temporal process. In the activation process of U937 cells induced by IL-6, the protein signals recover in 20 min, while the nucleic acid signals continue to increase for 20 min. The results reveal that the biochemical cascades of activation in signal transduction induced by IL-6 can be investigated in situ at the single cell level.     

Multi-carrier transport properties in p-type ZnO thin films

By the aid of temperature- and magnetic-field-dependent Hall effect measurements, we have extracted the multi-carrier transport information in N-doped and N–In codoped p- ZnO thin films grown on Si substrates through mobility spectrum analysis. It is found that owing to the compensation between free electrons and holes, the two-dimensional hole gas from ZnO/Si interface layers becomes determinant and results in the high p-type conductivity and high hole mobility in the ZnO samples. Compared with N-doping, the N–In codoping introduces many In donors and increases acceptor incorporation, as well as enhancing the free hole mobility due to the short-range dipole-like scattering.