Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-mass spectrometry of cuticular lipid profiles can differentiate sex, age, and mating status of Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes

Malaria is a devastating mosquito-borne disease, which affects hundreds of millions of people each year. It is transmitted predominantly by Anopheles gambiae, whose females must be >10 days old to become infective. In this study, cuticular lipids from a laboratory strain of this mosquito species were analyzed using a mass spectrometry method to evaluate their utility for age, sex and mating status differentiation. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS), in conjunction with an acenaphthene/silver nitrate matrix preparation, was shown to be 100% effective in classifying A. gambiae females into 1, 7–10, and 14 days of age. MALDI-MS analysis, supported by multivariate statistical methods, was also effective in detecting cuticular lipid differences between the sexes and between virgin and mated females. The technique requires further testing, but the obtained results suggest that MALDI-MS cuticular lipid spectra could be used for age grading of A. gambiae females with precision greater than with other available methods.     

Two new compounds from Coriaria nepalensis

Two new compounds,corialins A(1) and B(2) were isolated from Coriaria nepalensis Wall.These new compounds were established as 7-hydroxy-3-[2,3-acetonide-(3-methylbutane)]coumarin(1) and 3-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-3,4,5-trihydroxy-1-(3- methyl-2-butenyl)-benzene(2),on the basis of 1D and 2D NMR techniques.     

Crystal structure and DNA binding studies of a cobalt(Ⅱ) complex containing mixed-ligands of 1,10-phenathroline and glycollic acid

A cobalt（11） complex containing mixed-ligands of 1,10-phenathroline（phen） and glycollic acid（GA）.|Co（GA）₂（phen）| was synthesized and its structure was characterized by X-ray diffraction.The interaction of the complex with DNA was investigated by electronic absorption spectra and electrochemical methods.Electronic absorption spectrum experiments showed that after interaction with DNA.the characteristic absorption peaks of |Co（GA）₂（phen）| underwent hypochromic effect as well as redshift. Also,the binding strength of 3.8×10⁴L/mol was estimated by titration method.Electrochemical assays revealed that the redox peak currents of the complex decreased obviously accompanied by a positive shift of the formal potential after association with DNA.All these results revealed that the synthesized cobalt complex bound with DNA via an intercalation mode.     

Synthesis and evaluation of nitrate derivatives of colchicine as anticancer agents

To search for more potent antitumor agent,a series of novel nitric oxide-donating colchicine(Col) derivatives(6a-f,8a and b) were synthesized by coupling nitrates with N-methyl colchiceinamide.Their cytotoxicity against four human cancer cell lines in vitro were evaluated by MTT assay.It was found that many of the derivatives displayed significant activity,particularly,compounds 6c,8a and 8b showed more potent cytotoxic activities than Col.     

Off-on-off luminescent switching of a dye containing imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline

A new acid-base fluorescent switch containing both imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]-phenanthroline and triphenylamine groups has been synthesized.Its fluorescence emissions and absorptions can be reversibiy changed through protonation/deprotonation of imidazole and amine moiety by controlling the intramolecular charge transfer(ICT) process,leading to off-on-off fluorescent molecular switching.     

Microwave-assisted synthesis of α-hydroxy aromatic ketones from α-bromo aromatic ketones in water

A reaction ofα-bromo aromatic ketones in water with microwave irradiation gave the correspondingα-hydroxy aromatic ketones in good yields.The use of microwaves was found to significantly improve yields and shorten the reaction time.This reaction afforded a very clean,convenient method for the synthesis ofα-hydroxy aromatic ketones.     

微波灰化/DUO-ICP-AES测定残渣燃料油中的铝、硅、钒

采用微波灰化技术消解残渣燃料油,用全谱直读DUO-ICP-AES同时测定残渣燃料油中的铝、硅、钒,优化了仪器工作参数和实验条件.结果表明,在质量浓度0 ～25.0 mg/L范围内铝、硅、钒的线性关系良好(r=0.999 70 ～0.999 99),检出限、回收率和相对标准偏差分别为0.005 ～0.050 mg/L、8...     

Development of novel synthetic method of carbon nanotubes from electrospun polystyrene fibers by using microwave heating

We have developed a novel synthetic method that enables us to easily synthesize metal‐capsulated carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in a laboratory by using a combined technology of electrospinning‐metallization and microwave heating. These techniques greatly shorten the time for the synthesis of the CNTs in comparison with the conventional methods. TEM analysis confirmed a successful formation of the CNTs, and the resulting CNTs were multi‐walled and found to be about 25–100 nm in diameters. The products prepared by heating at 600 and 900°C exhibited less‐developed and strongly curved CNTs, whereas the products prepared by heating at 700 and 800°C relatively well‐developed long CNTs. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Analysis of the ketosynthase-chain length factor heterodimer from the fredericamycin polyketide synthase

The pentadecaketide fredericamycin has the longest carbon chain backbone among polycyclic aromatic polyketide antibiotics whose biosynthetic genes have been sequenced. This backbone is synthesized by the bimodular fdm polyketide synthase (PKS). Here, we demonstrate that the bimodular fdm PKS as well as its elongation module alone synthesize undecaketides and dodecaketides. Thus, unlike other homologs, the fdm ketosynthase-chain length factor (KS-CLF) heterodimer does not exclusively control the backbone length of its natural product. Using sequence- and structure-based approaches, 48 CLF multiple mutants were engineered and analyzed. Unexpectedly, the I134F mutant was unable to turn over but could initiate and partially elongate the polyketide chain. This unprecedented mutant suggests that the KS-CLF heterodimer harbors an as yet uncharacterized chain termination mechanism. Together, our findings reveal fundamental mechanistic differences between the fdm PKS and its well-studied homologs.     

Droplet synthesis of well-defined block copolymers using solvent-resistant microfluidic device

Well-defined diblock copolymers were synthesized via an exothermic RAFT route by a droplet microfluidic process using a solvent-resistant and thermally stable fluoropolymer microreactor fabricated by a non-lithographic embedded template method. The resulting polymers were compared to products obtained from continuous flow capillary reactor and conventional bulk synthesis. The droplet based microreactor demonstrated superior molecular weight distribution control by synthesizing a higher molecular weight product with higher conversion and narrow polydispersity in a much shorter reaction time. The high quality of the as-synthesized block copolymer PMMA-b-PS led to a generation of micelles with a narrow size distribution that could be used as a template for well-ordered mesoporous silica with regular frameworks and high surface areas.