Induction of a High-Yield Lovastatin Mutant of Aspergillus terreus by 12C6+ Heavy-Ion Beam Irradiation and the Influence of Culture Conditions on Lovastatin Production Under Submerged Fermentation

Heavy-ion beams, possessing a wide mutation spectrum and increased mutation frequency, have been used effectively as a breeding method. In this study, the heavy-ion beams generated by the Heavy-Ion Research Facility in Lanzhou were used to mutagenize Aspergillus terreus CA99 for screening high-yield lovastatin strains. Furthermore, the main growth conditions as well as the influences of carbon and nitrogen sources on the growth and the lovastatin production of the mutant and the original strains were investigated comparatively. The spores of A. terreus CA99 were irradiated by 15, 20, 25, and 30 Gy of 80 MeV/u (12)C(6+) heavy-ion beams. Based on the lovastatin contents in the fermentation broth, a strain designated as A. terreus Z15-7 has been selected from the clone irradiated by the heavy-ion beam. When compared with the original strain, the content of lovastatin in the fermentation broth of A. terreus Z15-7 increased 4-fold. Moreover, A. terreus Z15-7 efficiently used the carbon and nitrogen sources for the growth and production of lovastatin when compared to the original strain. The maximum yield of lovastatin, 916.7 μg/ml, was obtained as A. terreus Z15-7 was submerged cultured in the chemically defined medium supplemented with 3% glycerol as a carbon source, 1% corn meal as an organic nitrogen source, and 0.2% sodium nitrate as an inorganic nitrogen source at 30 °C in the shake flask. The result shows that heavy-ion beam irradiation is an effective method for the mutation breeding of lovastatin production of A. terreus.     

Deprotonative metalation of chloro- and bromopyridines using amido-based bimetallic species and regioselectivity-computed CH acidity relationships

A series of chloro- and bromopyridines have been deprotometalated by using a range of 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidino-based mixed lithium-metal combinations. Whereas lithium-zinc and lithium-cadmium bases afforded different mono- and diiodides after subsequent interception with iodine, complete regioselectivities were observed with the corresponding lithium-copper combination, as demonstrated by subsequent trapping with benzoyl chlorides. The obtained selectivities have been discussed in light of the CH acidities of the substrates, determined both in the gas phase and as a solution in THF by using the DFT B3LYP method.     

Small Pd nanoparticles supported in large pores of mesocellular foam: an excellent catalyst for racemization of amines

Highly dispersed palladium nanoparticles (1–2 nm) supported in large‐pore mesocellular foam (MCF; 29 nm) were synthesized. The Pd‐nanocatalyst/MCF system was characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), powder X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The performance of the Pd nanocatalyst obtained was examined for amine racemization. The Pd nanocatalyst showed higher activity and selectivity toward racemization of (S)‐1‐phenylethyl amine than any other amine racemization catalyst reported so far and it could be reused several times. Our data from TEM and XRD suggest a restructuring of the Pd nanocatalyst from amorphous to crystalline and an increase in Pd nanocatalyst size during the racemization reaction. This led to an unexpected increase of activity after the first use. The Pd nanocatalyst obtained can be integrated with other resolving processes of racemic organic compounds to increase the yield of chiral organic products.     

Nickel-catalyzed, cascade cycloadditions of 1-ethynyl-8-halonaphthalenes with nitriles: synthesis, structure, and physical properties of new pyrroloarenes

The reaction of 1-ethynyl-8-halonaphthalenes 1 with nitriles in the presence of the catalytic system [NiBr(2)(dppe)]/Zn (dppe=1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane) is found to produce unusual pyrroloarenes 2. The carbon-nitrogen triple bond in nitrile is activated twice, and five new bonds are formed in a one-pot transformation, which causes a pyrrole and two six-membered rings to be generated simultaneously. The scope and limitations of this reaction are examined. Similarly, alkyl-bridged diynes also furnish the corresponding polycycles. Diaryl-substituted cycloadducts 2 (R(1)=Ar) are fluxional, because of the restriction in rotation of the aryl groups. The rotational barrier is studied by performing (1)H NMR experiments at various temperatures. The structures of several compounds are determined by X-ray crystallographic analysis. The photophysical and electrochemical properties of the pyrroloarenes are also investigated.     

Synergistic effects of cerium phosphate and intumescent flame retardant on EPDM/PP composites

An intumescent flame retardant system composed of ammonium polyphosphate (APP) and pentaerythritol (PER) was used for flame retarding ethylene–propylene–diene‐modified elastomer (EPDM)/polypropylene (PP) blends. Cerium phosphate (CeP) was synthesized and the effect on flame retardancy and thermal stability of EPDM/PP composites based on intumescent flame retardant (IFR) were studied by limiting oxygen index (LOI), UL‐94, and thermogravimetic analysis (TGA), respectively. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR) were used to analyze the morphological structure and the component of the residue chars formed from the EPDM/PP composites, and the mechanical properties of the materials were also studied. The addition of CeP to the EPDM/PP/APP/PER composites gives better flame retardancy than that of EPDM/PP/APP/PER composites. TGA and RT‐FTIR studies indicated that an interaction occurs among APP, PER, and EPDM/PP. The incorporation of CeP improved the mechanical properties of the materials. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Study on tribological behaviors of short glass fiber and polytetrafluoroethylene reinforced polycarbonate composites via a d‐optimal mixture design

This study analyzed variations of tribological behaviors that depend on the injection molding techniques during the blending of short glass fiber (SGF) and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) reinforced polycarbonate (PC) composites. The proposed planning of blending experiments is to use a D‐optimal mixture design (DMD). The tribological behaviors of friction coefficient and wear mass loss were selected for discussion. Nine experimental runs, based on a DMD method, utilized to train the back‐propagation neural network (BPNN) and then the simulated annealing algorithm (SAA) approach is applied to search for an optimal mixture ratio setting. In addition, the result of BPNN integrating SAA was also compared with response surface methodology (RSM) approach. The results of confirmation experiment show that DMD, RSM, and BPNN integrating SAA method are effective tools for the optimization of reinforced process. Furthermore, the scanning electron microscope (SEM) images show that the abundant debris are peeled off from the matrix materials and predominant delamination mechanisms and plastic deformation are shown on the worn surface after tribological behavior tests. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Chain extension of adipic acid and (or) succinic acid/butanediol polyesters with 2,2′‐(1,4‐phenylene)‐bis(2‐oxazoline) and adipoylbiscaprolactamate combined chain extenders

This paper provided an easy and flexible method to synthesize high molecular weight polyesters by polycondensation and chain extension. Low molecular weight polybutylene adipate, polybutylene succinate, and poly(butylene succinate‐co‐butylene adipate) (PBSA) were synthesized through melt condensation polymerization from adipic acid and/or succinic acid with butanediol. The prepolyesters obtained had different amount of ? COOH and ? OH terminal groups. Chain extension of them was carried out at 180–240°C using 2,2′‐(1,4‐phenylene)‐bis(2‐oxazoline) and adipoyl biscaprolactamate as combined chain extenders. The influencing factors of the chain extension were studied. At the optimal conditions, chain‐extended polybutylene adipate with M_n up to 39,100, polybutylene succinate with intrinsic viscosity of 0.99 dl/g, and PBSA with intrinsic viscosity from 0.73 to 0.81 dl/g were synthesized. The chain‐extended polyesters were characterized by IR spectrum, ¹H NMR spectrum, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), wide angle X‐ray scattering, and tensile test. The thermal analysis showed that chain extension often led to slight decrease of the regularity, the crystallinity, and the melting point. This deterioration of the properties is not harmful enough to impair their thermal properties and obstruct them from being used as biodegradable thermoplastics. The TGA showed that the chain‐extended polyesters were stable with initial decomposition temperature over 354.7°C. The tensile strength of the chain extended PBS and PBSAs with butylene adipate units less than 20 mol% was in the range of 18.95–31.22 MPa. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

模糊有界变差函数全变差的积分表示与距离导数

定义和讨论了模糊数值函数的距离导数,给出了模糊有界变差函数全变差的积分表示.发现模糊绝对连续函数是几乎处处距离可导的,距离导数的积分等于其原函数的总变差,从而给出了模糊有界变差函数全变差的积分表示.     

Artificial-epitope mapping for CK-MB assay

A quantitative method using artificial antibody to detect creatine kinases was developed. Linear epitope sequences were selected based on an artificial-epitope mapping strategy. Nine different MIPs corresponding to the selected peptides were then fabricated on QCM chips. The subtle conformational changes were also recognized by these chips.     

Synthesis of Fe3O4@poly(methylmethacrylate-co-divinylbenzene) magnetic porous microspheres and their application in the separation of phenol from aqueous solutions

A simple strategy to fabricate magnetic porous microspheres of Fe(3)O(4)@poly(methylmethacrylate-co-divinylbenzene) was demonstrated. The magnetic microspheres, consisting of polymer-coated iron oxide nanoparticles, were synthesized by the modified suspension polymerization of methacrylate and divinylbenzene in the presence of a magnetic fluid. The morphology and the properties of the magnetic porous microspheres were examined by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, superconducting quantum interference device, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetry, and X-ray powder diffraction. The pore size distribution and the specific surface area of the microspheres were measured by nitrogen sorption and mercury porosimetry technique. As predicted from the previous knowledge, the magnetic porous microspheres possessed a high specific surface area using n-hexane as a porogen. It was further found that the amounts of divinylbenzene and methacrylate, the ratio of porogens, and the dosage of ferrofluids affect the specific surface area of the microspheres. Furthermore, the microspheres were applied to remove phenol from aqueous solutions. The results showed that the microspheres had a high adsorption capacity for phenol and a high separation efficiency due to their porous structure, polar groups, and superparamagnetic characteristic.