Bacterial cellulose/poly(ethylene glycol) composite: characterization and first evaluation of biocompatibility

Bacterial cellulose (BC)/poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) composite was prepared by immersing wet BC pellicle in PEG aqueous solution followed by freeze-drying process. The product looks like a foam structure. The morphology of BC/PEG composite was examined by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and compared with pristine BC. SEM images showed that PEG molecules was not only coated on the BC fibrils surface but also penetrated into BC fiber networks. It has very well interconnected porous network structure and large aspect surface. The composite was also characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectrum, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and tensile test. It was found that the presence of PEG affected the preferential orientation of the (1[`1]0 1bar{1}0 ) plane during the drying process of BC pellicle, which in turn decrease the crystallinity of dried BC. The TGA result showed that the thermal stability was improved from 263 to 293 °C, which might be associated with strong interaction between BC and PEG. Tensile test results indicate that the Young’s modulus and tensile strength tend to decrease. Biocompatibility of composite was preliminarily evaluated by cell adhesion studies using 3T3 fibroblast cells. The cells incubated with BC/PEG scaffolds for 48 h were capable of forming cell adhesion and proliferation, which showed much better biocompatibility than the pure BC. The prepared BC/PEG scaffolds can be used for wound dressing or tissue-engineering scaffolds.     

The immobilization of Cytochrome c on MWNT–PAMAM–Chit nanocomposite incorporated with DNA biocomposite film modified glassy carbon electrode for the determination of nitrite

A novel and sensitive biosensor was developed for the determination of nitrite. Firstly, multi-walled carbon nanotubes–poly(amidoamine)–chitosan (MWNT–PAMAM–Chit) nanocomposite along with the incorporation of DNA was used to modify the glassy carbon electrode. Then the immobilization of Cyt c was accomplished using electrochemical deposition method by consecutive cyclic voltammetry (CV) scanning in a neutral Cyt c solution. CV behaviors of the modified electrodes showed that the MWNT–PAMAM–Chit nanocomposite is a good platform for the immobilization of DNA and Cyt c in order, at the same time, an excellent promoter for the electron transfer between Cyt c and the electrode. At high potential, the immobilized Cyt c could be further oxidized into highly reactive Cyt c π-cation by two-step electrochemical oxidation, which could oxidize NO₂ ⁻ into NO₃ ⁻ in the solution. Therefore, a nitrite biosensor based on the biocatalytic oxidation of the immobilized Cyt c was fabricated, which showed a fast response to nitrite (less than 5 s). The linear range of 0.2–80 μM and a detection limit of 0.03 μM was obtained. Finally, the application in food analysis using sausage as testing samples was also investigated.     

Density Functional Theory Study of the Interaction between Guanine and Catechin

The interacting patterns and mechanism of the catechin and guanine have been investigated with the density functional theory B3LYP method by 6‐31G* basis set. Fourteen stable structures for the catechin‐guanine complexes have been found which form two hydrogen bonds at least. The results indicate that the complexes are mainly stabilized by the hydrogen bonding interactions. At the same time, the number and strength of hydrogen bond play a co‐determinant parts in the stability of the complexes which can form two or more hydrogen bonds. Theories of atoms in molecules (AIM) and natural bond orbital (NBO) have been adopted to investigate the hydrogen bonds involved in all systems. The interaction energies of all complexes have been corrected for basis set superposition error (BSSE), ranging from ?38.86 to ?14.56 kJ/mol. The results showed that the hydrogen bonding contributes to the interaction energies dominantly. The corresponding bonds stretching motions in all complexes are red‐shifted relative to that of the monomer, which is in agreement with experimental results.     

A new flavonoid from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Macrothelypteris torresiana</Emphasis>

A new flavonoid, 5,7-dihydroxy-2-(1-hydroxy-2,6-dimethoxy-4-oxo-cyclohex)-chromen-4-one (1), was isolated from the roots of Macrothelypteris torresiana (Gaud.) Ching. (Thelypteridaceae). The structure of the product was identified on the basis of detailed spectral analysis, including X-ray structure analysis.     

Raman reporter-coated gold nanorods and their applications in multimodal optical imaging of cancer cells

We report the preparation of a kind of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) tags and explore their applications in multifunctional optical imaging of cancer cells. The proposed nanoparticles (SERS tags) are prepared by connecting dye molecules directly onto the surfaces of gold nanorods through Au–S or Au–N interactions. The dye molecules are used as Raman reporters, while gold nanorods are used as enhanced materials due to their localized surface plasmon resonance effect. Multilayered polymers are further coated onto the surfaces of the nanoparticles to reach better stability and biocompatibility. Gold nanorods with different aspect ratios and different dye molecules conjugated are compared in order to achieve the diversity of SERS tags and find out the optimized condition of SERS tags with the highest signal intensity. Our experiments show that the resulting nanoparticles, which are uptaken by cancer cells, can provide not only dark field cells images but also multiplexing SERS images.     

胶原／磷酰胆碱复合膜的制备和性能研究

用静电纺丝-溶液浇注法制备胶原／聚2-甲基丙烯酰氧基乙基磷酰胆碱（pMPC）双层复合膜。用核磁共振波谱仪（NMR）、傅里叶变换红外光谱仪（FTIR）、热重分析仪（TG／DTG）分别表征了pMPC的化学结构、胶原／pMPC分子间的相互作用和共混相容性,用环境扫描电子显微镜（SEM）、X射线光电子能谱仪（XPS）、静态接触...     

Tunable synthesis of propylene glycol ether from methanol and propylene oxide under ambient pressure

A series of basic and acidic ionic liquids, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hydroxide (BMIMOH), 1-acetyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (AcMIMCl) and AcMIMCl-FeCl₃, or analogues of AcMIMCl, namely 1-potassium acetate-3-methylimidazolium chloride (KAcMIMCl), 1-potassium (sodium, ammonium) acetate-3-methylimidazolium hydroxides (KAcMIMOH, NaAcMIMOH and NH₄AcMIMOH), were prepared and used as catalysts for catalytic synthesis of propylene glycol ether via reaction of propylene oxide (PO) with methanol under mild reaction conditions. KAcMIMOH exhibited outstanding catalytic performance with 94.2% of conversion of PO and 99.1% of selectivity to 1-methoxy-2-propanol (MP-2) at 60°C and ambient pressure for 4 h. However, AcMIMCl-FeCl₃ showed a good catalysis performance with high selectivity to 2-methoxy-1-propanol (MP-1). The tunable synthesis of MP-2 or MP-1 catalyzed by basic compound KAcMIMOH or acidic ionic liquid AcMIMCl-FeCl₃ was realized.     

Palladium-catalyzed Coupling between Aryl Halides and Trimethylsilylacetylene Assisted by Dimethylaminotrimethyltin

Palladium‐catalyzed coupling between aryl halides, especially less reactive ones or N‐heteroaryls, and trimethylsilylacetylene in the presence of dimethylaminotrimethyltin generated the coupled products in high yields. The reaction does not need CuI and base as auxiliary agents.     

Hafnium(Ⅳ) bis(perfluorooctanesulfonyl)imide complex catalyzed direct amidomethylation for the synthesis of 1-(arylamido)-methyl-2-naphthols in fluorous medium

Hafnium(Ⅳ) bis(perfluorooctanesulfonyl)imide complex is found to be an efficient catalyst for the multicomponent condensation ofβ-naphthol,aromatic aldehydes and urea or amides in perfluorodecalin to afford the corresponding substituted amidomethyl naphthols in good yields.The remarkable features of this new procedure are high yields,shorter reaction times, reusability of catalyst and simple work-up procedures.     

Extraction tool and matrix effects on arsenic speciation analysis in cell lines

Arsenic glutathione (As–GSH) complexes have been suggested as possible metabolites in arsenic (As) metabolism. Extensive research has been performed on the toxicological and apoptotic effects of As, while few reports exist on its metabolism at the cellular level due to the analytical challenges. In this study, an efficient extraction method for arsenicals from cell lines was developed. Evaluation of extraction tools; vortex, ultrasonic bath and ultrasonic probe and solvents; water, chemicals (methanol and trifluoroacetic acid), and enzymes (pepsin, trypsin and protease) was performed. GSH effect on the stability of As–GSH complexes was studied. Arsenic metabolites in dimethylarsino glutathione (DMA(GS)) incubated multiple myeloma cell lines were identified following extraction. Intracellular GSH concentrations of myeloma cell lines were imitated in the extraction media and its corresponding effect on the stability and distribution of As metabolites was studied. An enhancement in both extraction recoveries and time efficiency with the use of the ultrasonic probe was observed. Higher stabilities for the As species in water, pepsin and trypsin were obtained. The presence of 0.5 mM GSH in the extraction media (PBS, pH 7.4) could not stabilize the As–GSH complexes compared to the 5 mM GSH, where high stabilization of the complexes was observed over a 5 day storage study. Finally, the speciation analysis of the DMA(GS) culture incubated cell lines in the presence or absence of GSH revealed the important role GSH plays in the preservation of DMA(GS) identity. Hence, caution is required during the extraction of arsenicals especially the As–GSH complexes, since their identification is highly dependent on GSH concentration.