Simple, stable and sensitive electrogenerated chemiluminescence detector for high-performance liquid chromatography and its application in direct determination of multiple fluoroquinolone residues in milk

A simple, stable and sensitive electrogenerated chemiluminescence (ECL) detector was developed. It was based on tris(2,2-bipyridyl)ruthenium(II) (Ru(bpy)₃²⁺) immobilized on the surface of a Pt wire with Nepem-105D ion exchange solution. The detector was prepared by inserting a Pt wire with immobilized Ru(bpy)₃²⁺ (working electrode) into a capillary tube, followed by inserting another Pt wire (counter electrode) in this tube and sealing. ECL behavior was investigated using ofloxacin as an analyte. Under optimal conditions, stable ECL intensity was obtained. This detector has been used in HPLC-ECL for the determination of multiple target fluoroquinolone residues in milk. There is no post column reagent addition, which would dilute the analytes, potentially leading to chromatographic band-broadening. The system is very simple with low dead volume, low baseline and background noise, together with high sensitivity and stability. The as-prepared ECL detector, when was used for the determination of ofloxacin, pefloxacin, enrofloxacin and difloxacin in milk, demonstrated adequate sensitivity to allow quantification of trace FQ levels in commercial milk samples. One or more of the target FQ analytes were present at levels above the LOD of the new ECL detector in each and every one of the 22 milk samples analysed.     

Molecular-glue-triggered DNA assembly to form a robust and photoresponsive nano-network

A robust and photoresponsive DNA network has been designed and constructed from branched DNA and molecular glue. The molecular glue is photoswitchable and can specifically bind to G-G mismatched double-stranded DNA. The assembly process can be reversibly controlled by manipulating the wavelength of light. The approach is flexible, allowing tuning of the size, morphology as well as the cavity of the network by variation of the molar ratio and the isotropic/anisotropic character of the branched building blocks. The assembled architectures are versatile and heat tolerant. These properties should allow the use of the network in further applications.     

Cyclopalladated Ferrocenylimine Catalyzed Chlorination of 2‐Arylbenzoxazoles

An efficient and facile protocol for palladacycle‐catalyzed chlorination of 2‐arylbenzoxazoles was developed. The results represent the first examples involving the palladacycle as the catalyst for such chlorination. This chlorination was not a ligand‐directed ortho‐C H activation, but an electrophilic substitution process at the para‐position of the nitrogen atom in the benzo ring of benzoxazole moiety, the regiochemistry of which had been confirmed by HMBC spectral analysis. The catalytic system could tolerate various halogen atoms, such as F, Cl and Br, affording the corresponding products in moderate to excellent yields.     

Global energy minimization of alanine dipeptide via barrier function methods

This paper presents an interior point method to determine the minimum energy conformation of alanine dipeptide. The CHARMM energy function is minimized over the internal coordinates of the atoms involved. A barrier function algorithm to determine the minimum energy conformation of peptides is proposed. Lennard-Jones 6-12 potential which is used to model the van der Waals interactions in the CHARMM energy equation is used as the barrier function for this algorithm. The results of applying the algorithm for the alanine dipeptide structure as a function of varying number of dihedral angles are reported, and they are compared with that obtained from genetic algorithm approach. In addition, the results for polyalanine structures are also reported.     

The method of upper and lower solutions for diffraction problems of quasilinear elliptic reaction-diffusion systems

The aim of this paper is to show the existence of solutions of the n-dimensional diffraction problem for weakly coupled quasilinear elliptic reaction-diffusion system. The coefficients of the equations under consideration are allowed to be discontinuous. We extend the method of upper and lower solutions for reaction-diffusion equations with continuous coefficients to the elliptic diffraction problem. An application of these results is given to the steady-state problem of Lotka-Volterra cooperation model with two cooperating species.     

A strong law of large numbers on the harmonic <Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis>-combination

In this paper, we establish a strong law of large numbers for the harmonic p-combinations of random star bodies. Starting from this theorem, we prove a strong law of large numbers in L _p space and provide the probabilistic version of dual Brunn-Minkowski inequality.     

DNA-templated ensemble for label-free and real-time fluorescence turn-on detection of enzymatic/oxidative cleavage of single-stranded DNA

We have demonstrated a DNA-templated small molecule ensemble that allows the label-free fluorescence turn-on detection of enzymatic or oxidative cleavage of single-stranded DNA with high sensitivity and selectivity.     

A label-free fluorescent turn-on enzymatic amplification assay for DNA detection using ligand-responsive G-quadruplex formation

A facile and general label-free assay for sensitive and selective DNA detection has been developed based on enzyme amplification and ligand-responsive quadruplex formation.