Genistein activates endothelial nitric oxide synthase in broiler pulmonary arterial endothelial cells by an Akt-dependent mechanism

Deregulation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) plays an important role in the development of multiple cardiovascular diseases. Our recent study demonstrated that genistein supplementation attenuates pulmonary arterial hypertension in broilers by restoration of endothelial function. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanism by using broiler pulmonary arterial endothelial cells (PAECs). Our results showed that genistein stimulated a rapid phosphorylation of eNOS at Ser(1179) which was associated with activation of eNOS/NO axis. Further study indicated that the activation of eNOS was not mediated through estrogen receptors or tyrosine kinase inhibition, but via a phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt-dependent signaling pathway, as the eNOS activity and related NO release were largely abolished by pharmacological inhibitors of PI3K or Akt. Thus, our findings revealed a critical function of Akt in mediating genistein-stimulated eNOS activity in PAECs, partially accounting for the beneficial effects of genistein on the development of cardiovascular diseases observed in animal models.     

Integration of paper-based microfluidic devices with commercial electrochemical readers

The combination of simple Electrochemical Micro-Paper-based Analytical Devices (EμPADs) with commercially available glucometers allows rapid, quantitative electrochemical analysis of a number of compounds relevant to human health (e.g., glucose, cholesterol, lactate, and alcohol) in blood or urine.     

Synthesis,reactivity and structural characterization of lanthanide hydroxides stabilized by a carbon-bridged bis(phenolate) ligand

The synthesis of lanthanide hydroxo complexes stabilized by a carbon-bridged bis(phenolate) ligand 2,2’-methylene-bis(6-tert-butyl-4-methylphenoxo) (MBMP²⁻) was described, and their reactivity toward phenyl isocyanate was explored. Reactions of (MBMP)Ln(C₅H₅)(THF)₂ with a molar equiv. of water in THF at −78 °C afforded the bis(phenolate) lanthanide hydroxides as dimers [{(MBMP)Ln(μ-OH)(THF)₂}₂] [Ln = Nd (1), Yb (2)] in high yields. Complexes 1 and 2 reacted with phenyl isocyanate in THF, after workup, to give the desired O−H addition products, [(MBMP)Ln(μ-η¹:η²-O₂CNHPh)(THF)₂]₂ [Ln = Nd (3), Yb (4)] in excellent isolated yields. These complexes were well characterized, and the molecular structures of complexes 2 to 4 were determined by X-ray crystallography. The ytterbium atom in complex 2 is coordinated to six oxygen atoms to form a distorted octahedral geometry, whereas each metal center in complexes 3 and 4 is seven-coordinated, and the coordination geometry can be best described as a distorted pentagonal bipyramid.     

磁性纳米颗粒在生物医学领域中的应用

磁性纳米颗粒作为一种新型纳米材料,在许多领域,特别是在生物医药、生物工程等方面具有广阔的应用前景.本文着重论述了近年来磁性纳米颗粒在生物分离、靶向给药、热疗以及磁共振成像对比剂等方面的应用,并对其应用前景进行了展望.     

In situ SIMS analysis and reactions of surfaces prepared by soft landing of mass-selected cations and anions using an ion trap mass spectrometer

Mass-selected polyatomic cations and anions, produced by electrosonic spray ionization (ESSI), were deposited onto polycrystalline Au or fluorinated self-assembled monolayer (FSAM) surfaces by soft landing (SL), using a rectilinear ion trap (RIT) mass spectrometer. Protonated and deprotonated molecules, as well as intact cations and anions generated from such molecules as peptides, inorganic catalysts, and fluorescent dyes, were soft-landed onto the surfaces. Analysis of the modified surfaces was performed in situ by Cs⁺ secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) using the same RIT mass analyzer to characterize the sputtered ions as that used to mass select the primary ions for SL. Soft-landing times as short as 30 s provided surfaces that yielded good quality SIMS spectra. Chemical reactions of the surfaces modified by SL were generated in an attached reaction chamber into which the surface was transferred under vacuum. For example, a surface on which protonated triethanolamine had been soft landed was silylated using vapor-phase chlorotrimethylsilane before being returned still under vacuum to the preparation chamber where SIMS analysis revealed the silyloxy functionalization. SL and vapor-phase reactions are complementary methods of surface modification and in situ surface analysis by SIMS is a simple way to characterize the products produced by either technique.     

1,2-二甲基咪唑啉的合成及表征

对1,2-二甲基咪唑啉的合成进行了详细研究. 以甲胺水溶液和2-溴乙胺氢溴酸盐(1)为原料进行反应, 在两种原料物质的量之比为5∶1, 缓缓回流12 h的条件下, 得到N-甲基乙二胺(2), N-甲基乙二胺经过乙酸化得到N-甲基-N,N′-二乙酰基乙二胺(3), 然后, N-甲基-N,N′-二乙酰基乙二胺和氧化钙在高温下关环得到1,2-二甲基咪唑啉(4). 并对所得到的产物1,2-二甲基咪唑啉经元素分析, 1H NMR, IR和GC-MS得到了表征.     

Flow-injection analysis based on a membrane separation module and a bulk acoustic wave impedance sensor – determination of the volatile acidity of fermentation products

A novel flow-injection analysis (FIA) system has been developed for the rapid determination of the volatile acidity of some fermentation products like vinegars and juices. The proposed method is based on the diffusion of volatile acids, mainly acetic acid, across a PTFE gas-permeable membrane from an acid stream into an alkaline stream, and the acids trapped in the acceptor solution are determined online by a bulk acoustic wave impedance sensor based on changes in the conductivity of the solution. It exhibited a linear frequency response up to 10 mmol · L^–1 acetic acid with a detection limit of 50 μmol · L^–1, and the precision was better than 1% (RSD) at a through-put of 72 h^–1. The effects of operating voltage for the detector, cell constant of the electrode, composition of acceptor stream, flow rates and temperature on the FIA performance were also investigated. Received: 2 June 1997 / Revised: 7 July 1997 / Accepted: 12 July 1997     

Alloyed semiconductor quantum dots: tuning the optical properties without changing the particle size

Alloyed semiconductor quantum dots (cadmium selenium telluride) with both homogeneous and gradient internal structures have been prepared to achieve continuous tuning of the optical properties without changing the particle size. Our results demonstrate that composition and internal structure are two important parameters that can be used to tune the optical and electronic properties of multicomponent, alloyed quantum dots. A surprising finding is a nonlinear relationship between the composition and the absorption/emission energies, leading to new properties not obtainable from the parent binary systems. With red-shifted light emission up to 850 nm and quantum yields up to 60%, this new class of alloyed quantum dots opens new possibilities in band gap engineering and in developing near-infrared fluorescent probes for in vivo molecular imaging and biomarker detection.     

镧掺杂水滑石材料的热分解过程研究

采用共沉淀法制备了系列La掺杂改性的含Cu类水滑石,高温焙烧得到其衍生混合氧化物材料,并用XRD,TG-DSC,FT-IR等对材料进行表征.结果表明,前驱物XRD图谱呈典型的水滑石衍射特征且颗粒结晶良好;经800℃焙烧后,掺杂La2O3含量为5.1%的样品仅有Mg1-xFexO晶相出现,说明La的掺杂提高了材料的高温稳定性,混合氧化物中的Cu离子呈高分散状态.     

Novel poly(butylene succinate-co-lactic acid) copolyesters: Synthesis, crystallization, and enzymatic degradation

A series of aliphatic biodegradable poly(butylene succinate-co-dl-lactide) (PBSLA) copolyesters were synthesized with the aim of improving the degradation rate of poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) by incorporation of dl-oligo(lactic acid) (OLA) into the PBS molecular chains. The composition and sequential structure of the aliphatic copolyesters were investigated by proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H NMR) spectroscopy. The crystallization behaviors, the crystal structure and morphology of the copolyesters were investigated by using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) and polarizing optical microscopy (POM), respectively. The results indicate that the crystallization of the copolyesters was restricted by the incorporation of lactide (LA) units, which further tuned the mechanical properties of the copolyesters. The copolyesters could form complete spherulites and exhibit the same crystal structure as that of PBS. Enzymatic study indicated that the copolyesters with higher content of LA units degraded faster, and the degradation began in the amorphous regions and then in the crystalline regions. The morphology and the resulting degradation products of the copolyesters were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and ¹H NMR analysis during the degradation process.