Suzuki Cross-Coupling Reaction with Genetically Encoded Fluorosulfates for Fluorogenic Protein Labeling

A palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction with aryl halide functionalities has recently emerged as a valuable tool for protein modification. Herein, a new fluorogenic modification methodology for proteins, with genetically encoded fluorosulfate-l -tyrosine, which exhibits high efficiency and biocompatibility in bacterial cells as well as in aqueous medium, is described. Furthermore, the cross-coupling of 4-cyanophenylboronic acid on green fluorescent protein was shown to possess a unique fluorogenic property, which could open up the possibility of a responsive “off/on” switch with great potential to enable spectroscopic imaging of proteins with minimal background noise. Taken together, a convenient and efficient catalytic system has been developed that may provide broad utilities in protein visualization and live-cell imaging.     

High-frequency asymptotics in inverse scattering by ellipsoids

A triaxial ellipsoid of unknown position, size and orientation is located somewhere in space. High-frequency asymptotics for the scattering amplitude and the sojourn time for the travelling of a high-frequency acoustic plane wave are utilized to determine the position of a supporting plane for the ellipsoid. We describe a method that identifies the coordinates of the centre, the three semiaxes, and the three angles of the ellipsoid from the knowledge of nine sojourn times corresponding to nine directions of excitation. The method is independent of boundary conditions, it is applicable to any restricted non-zero-measure angle of observation, and leads to numerics that avoid elliptic integrals. A priori information about the location of the ellipsoid reduces the number of measurements to six, while the corresponding algorithm demands the solution of a linear system and the inversion of a dyadic.     

Four new anthraquinones from a soil actinomycete Streptomyces sp. WS-13394 and their bioactivities

Further chemical study of secondary metabolites from the soil actinomycete Streptomyces sp. WS-13394 resulted in the isolation of four new alkylated anthraquinone analogues (5–8). Their structures were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analysis, including HR-ESI-MS, 1D and 2D NMR. The new compounds, together with analogues obtained before (1–4), were tested for their in vitro cytotoxicity against Huh-7 and SGC-7901.     

Crystal structural characterization of three chlorosalicylato titanocene compounds

Abstract  Three chlorosalicylato titanocene compounds, namely [(MeCp)₂Ti(O,O′)(OCC₆H₃-5-Cl)]₂ (1), [(MeCp)₂Ti(O,O′)(OCC₆H₂-3,5-Cl₂)] (2) and [(MeCp)₂Ti(O,O′)(OCC₆H-3,5,6-Cl₃)] (3) have been synthesized via the reaction of (MeCp)₂TiCl₂ [MeCp = η⁵-(CH₃)C₅H₄] with the corresponding substituted chlorosalicylic acids in aqueous-organic systems in high yields and characterized by elemental analysis, IR and ¹H NMR spectra. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis shows that geometries at titanium (IV) atoms are distorted tetrahedrons and the exhibited frameworks are constructed through weak interactions, which are H-bonding, π–π stacking and C–H···π interactions. Additional weak interactions, such as Cl···Cl interactions in compound 1, are also present, which help to form and stabilize crystalline materials. It is noticeable that the discriminating framework structures of three compounds due to their weak interactions existing conspicuous changes which result from the number of chlorine atoms on substituted chlorosalicylates. Graphical Abstract  Three to four coordinated chlorosalicylato titanocene compounds, [(MeCp)₂Ti(O,O′)(OCC₆H₃-5-Cl)]₂ (1), [(MeCp)₂Ti(O,O′)(OCC₆H₂-3,5-Cl₂)] (2) and [(MeCp)₂Ti(O,O′)(OCC₆H-3,5,6-Cl₃)] (3) have been synthesized in aqueous-organic system in high yields. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis shows that geometries at titanium (IV) atoms are distorted tetrahedrons and the exhibited frameworks are constructed through weak interactions. The number of chlorine atoms on substituted chlorosalicylates has an effect on their framework structures.      

义工旅行动机的量表开发与验证

随着义工旅行在年轻人中的普及,不少义工组织、旅行社和旅游目的地纷纷推出义工旅行项目。然而目前的项目安排大多仿照国外,对国内年轻人的需求认识尚不明晰,学术界对这一主题的研究也相对匮乏。鉴于此,以Voluntour和EASIN义工旅行组织的参与者为研究对象,严格遵循量表开发的流程,采用探索性因子分析、3次验证性因子分析和结构方程模型检验的方法,从多个角度验证了量表的信度和效度,得到了基于中国情境的义工旅行动机量表。研究结果表明：(1）由4个维度17个测量项目组成的量表,整体结构良好,具有较好的稳定性和适用性,可成为义工旅行研究的有效测量工具;(2）义工旅行的动机维度可划分为休闲逃避、深度体验、自我服务/发展与利他四类,动机中的利他维度是区分义工旅行与背包旅行、打工度假旅行的关键属性,是年轻人选择深度休闲方式的一种体现;(3）与国外研究相比,基于中国情境的量表无保护功能与宗教参与的动机维度,且社交动机表现不突出。最后,探讨了义工旅行项目在产品开发和市场营销方面的策略。     

Modulating Cell‐Surface Receptor Signaling and Ion Channel Functions by In Situ Glycan Editing

Glycans anchored on cell‐surface receptors are active modulators of receptor signaling. A strategy is presented that enforces transient changes to cell‐surface glycosylation patterns to tune receptor signaling. This approach, termed in situ glycan editing, exploits recombinant glycosyltransferases to incorporate monosaccharides with linkage specificity onto receptors in situ. α2,3‐linked sialic acid or α1,3‐linked fucose added in situ suppresses signaling through epidermal growth factor receptor and fibroblast growth factor receptor. We also applied the same strategy to regulate the electrical signaling of a potassium ion channel–human ether‐à‐go‐go‐related gene channel. Compared to gene editing, no long‐term perturbations are introduced to the treated cells. In situ glycan editing therefore offers a promising approach for studying the dynamic role of specific glycans in membrane receptor signaling and ion channel functions.     

Study on the dynamic metabolic characteristic of main active ingredients in Danggui Buxue Decoction by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry based on in situ sequential metabolism strategy

Danggui Buxue Decoction is a classic formula for replenishing qi and nourishing blood. Despite its widespread use, its dynamic metabolism involved remains unclear. Based on the sequential metabolism strategy, blood samples from different metabolic sites were obtained via in situ closed intestine ring integrated with a jugular venous continuous blood supply technique. An ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-linear triple quadruple-Orbitrap-tandem mass spectrometry method was developed for the identification of prototypes and metabolites in rat plasma. The dynamic absorption and metabolic landscape of flavonoids, saponins, and phthalides were characterized. Flavonoids could be deglycosylated, deacetylated, demethylated, dehydroxylated, and glucuronicated in the gut and then absorbed for further metabolism. Jejunum is an important metabolic site for saponins biotransformation. Saponins that are substituted by Acetyl groups tend to lose their acetyl groups and convert to Astragaloside IV in the jejunum. Phthalides could be hydroxylated and glucuronidated in the gut and then absorbed for further metabolism. Seven components serve as crucial joints in the metabolic network and are potential candidates for the quality control of Danggui Buxue Decoction. The sequential metabolism strategy described in this study could be useful for characterizing the metabolic pathways of Chinese medicine and natural products in the digestive system.     

Unidirectional manipulation of surface plasmon polariton by dual-nanocavity in a T-shaped waveguide

A structure of two dimensional T-shaped metal-insulator-metal waveguide with dual-nanocavity is proposed. The two nanocavities located at each side of the slit on the lower metallic surface, act as band rejection filters and are capable of stopping the surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) at the resonant wavelengths. The Fabry-Perot interferometry theory and the Finite-Difference-Time-Domain method are utilized to investigate the proposed waveguide. The numerical results demonstrate the realization of miniaturized photonic devices for effectively switching the SPPs propagation between the left and right waveguides in one direction.     

Recent Advances in Analytical Applications of Nanomaterials in Liquid-Phase Chemiluminescence

Abstract

In recent years, many nanomaterials-assisted chemiluminescence (CL) systems have been developed to improve the sensitivity and to expand the scope of their analytical applications. In these new systems, nanomaterials participate in CL reactions as catalysts, labels, reductants, luminophors, or energy acceptors. This review mainly focuses on the recent analytical applications of metal nanoparticles, magnetic nanoparticles, quantum dots (QDs), and carbon-based nanomaterials (carbon nanotubes and graphene) in liquid-phase CL systems. Recent advances in electrochemiluminescence based on nanotechnology and its analytical applications, especially in immunoassay, DNA analysis, and other biological analyses, are also summarized. Finally, we discuss some critical challenges in this field and speculate about their solutions. A total of 177 references mainly in the last 5 years are included in this review.