Coexistence of multiple conformations in cysteamine monolayers on Au(111)

The structural organization, catalytic function, and electronic properties of cysteamine monolayers on Au(111) have been addressed comprehensively by voltammetry, in situ scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) in anaerobic environment, and a priori molecular dynamics (MD) simulation and STM image simulation. Two sets of voltammetric signals are observed. One peak at -(0.65-0.70) V (SCE) is caused by reductive desorption of cysteamine. The other signal, at -(0.25-0.40) V consists of a peak doublet. The pH dependence of the latter suggests that the origin is catalytic dihydrogen evolution. The doublet feature is indicative of two distinct cysteamine configurations. Cysteamine monolayer formation from initial nucleation to a highly ordered phase has been successfully observed in real time using oxygen-free in situ STM. Random cellular patterns, disordered adlayer formation accompanied by high step edge mobility, and ultimately a highly ordered (square root 3 x 4) R30 degrees lattice are observed sequentially. Pits are formed due to enclosure of the mobile edges during the adsorption process. In the highly ordered cysteamine layer, each unit has two spots with apparent 0.6 A height difference in STM images. The coverage 5.7 +/- 0.1 x 10(-10) mol cm(-2) determined by voltammetry supports that the spots represent two individual cysteamine molecules. A priori MD and density functional simulations hold other clues to the image interpretation and indicate that the NH(3)(+) groups dominate the tunneling contrast. A wide range of interface structures, showing variations in the sulfur binding site and orientation, gauche and trans conformers, and especially hydrogen-bonding interactions, are examined, from which it is concluded that the adsorbate structure is controlled by interactions with the solvent rather than with the substrate.     

Heat shock protein 27 interacts with vimentin and prevents insolubilization of vimentin subunits induced by cadmium

Vimentin is an intermediate filament that regulates cell attachment and subcellular organization. In this study, vimentin filaments were morphologically altered, and its soluble subunits were rapidly reduced via cadmium chloride treatment. Cadmium chloride stimulated three major mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs): extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and p38, and led apoptotic pathway via caspase-9 and caspase-3 activations. In order to determine whether MAPKs were involved in this cadmium-induced soluble vimentin disappearance, we applied MAPK-specific inhibitors (PD98059, SP600125, SB203580). These inhibitors did not abolish the cadmium-induced soluble vimentin disappearance. Caspase and proteosome degradation pathway were also not involved in soluble vimentin disappearance. When we observed vimentin levels in soluble and insoluble fractions, soluble vimentin subunits shifted to an insoluble fraction. As we discovered that heat-shock protein 27 (HSP27) was colocalized and physically associated with vimentin in unstressed cells, the roles of HSP27 with regard to vimentin were assessed. HSP27-overexpressing cells prevented morphological alterations of the vimentin filaments, as well as reductions of soluble vimentin, in the cadmium-treated cells. Moreover, HSP27 antisense oligonucleotide augmented these cadmium-induced changes in vimentin. These findings indicate that HSP27 prevents disruption of the vimentin intermediate filament networks and soluble vimentin disappearance, by virtue of its physical interaction with vimentin in cadmium-treated SK-N-SH cells.     

A simple route towards tubular ZnO

Thermal treatment of Zn(NH3)(4)2+ precursor in ethanol solvent led to the formation of the tubular ZnO which exhibited strong ultraviolet photoluminescence around 385 nm at room temperature; TEM images showed the hollow tubules with approximately 450 nm in diameter and approximately 4 microns in length were built up by ZnO polycrystals.     

2,6-O-二戊基-3-O-三氟乙酰β-环糊精和聚硅氧烷混合手性石英毛细管柱分离对映体

本文合成了部分烷基化三氟乙酰化的β-环糊精手性固定相(DP-TFA-β-CD),并把它与普通聚硅氧烷OV-7混合制备出了柱效高、热稳定性好的手性石英毛细管柱。与直接涂DP-TFA-β-CD相比,混合固定相能在较短分析时间内对卤代烃、醇、酯、γ-内酯、胺等对映体有更好的拆分。     

2,5—双（4—羟基苯亚甲基）环戊酮中双电荷离子存在的串联质谱证据

应用串联质谱的碰撞诱导解离和联动扫描技术，研究了２，５－双（４－羟基苯亚甲基）环戊酮的质谱解离特征，提供了双电荷离子存在的实验证据。进一步对双电荷离子（ｍ／ｚ１４６）的碰撞诱导解离碎裂进行了讨论。     

Thermal characterization and thermal degradation of poly(norbornene-2,3-dicarboxylic acid dialkyl esters) synthesized by vinyl addition polymerization

The thermal properties and degradation behaviors of poly(norbornene-2,3-dicarboxylic acid dialkyl esters) (PNB-dialkyl esters) (alkyl = Me (PNB-Me), Et (PNB-Et), Pr (PNB-Pr), and Bu (PNB-Bu)) were investigated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) in dynamic conditions and by infrared (IR) spectroscopy. The PNB-dialkyl esters show good thermal stability up to 350 °C, and the thermal stability decreases in the order Me > Et > Pr > Bu with the increase in size of side chain. The effect of side-chain size on the thermal degradation behaviors of PNB-dialkyl esters is evidenced by one-step thermal degradation profile for PNB-Me while two-step thermal degradation profile for PNB-Et, PNB-Pr, and PNB-Bu. Transformation is deduced to undergo β-hydrogen elimination and formation of anhydride group in the first stage of thermal degradation reaction according to TGA and IR results for PNB-Et, PNB-Pr, and PNB-Bu. The apparent activation energy and thermal degradation model of PNB-dialkyl esters are estimated by means of Ozawa-Flynn-wall method and Phadnis-Deshpande method, respectively.     

Separation of Sulfonylurea Herbicides and Determination of Bensulfuron-methyl Residues in Tapwater by HPTLC

JPC – Journal of Planar Chromatography – Modern TLC - In this work we have studied the separation of a mixture of the sulfonylurea herbicides (metsulfuron-methyl, chlorsulfuron,...     

Quantitative measurement of collagen methylation by capillary electrophoresis

Collagen methylation has been exploited in various applications involving living cells. We have observed correlation between the collagen methylation with the rate of cell proliferation in three-dimensional (3-D) microenvironment. To quantify the degree of collagen methylation, we have developed a capillary zone electrophoresis method. Using a polyvinyl alcohol-coated fused-silica capillary and UV detection at 200 nm, we have optimized pH and separated the native collagen into three major bands in phosphate buffer (50 mM, pH 2.5) with 0.05% hydroxypropylmethylcellulose. Under these conditions, the methylated collagens were separated into four major bands, which changed with different methylation reaction conditions. We propose an index to quantify the degree of collagen methylation that also correlates with their effects on cell proliferation.     

取代苯酚中共振增强的分子内氢键

根据晶体结构资料，计算了59个邻位取代苯酚中分子内氢键的几何．在STO－3G水平上计算了一些分子中原子部分电荷．结果表明，酚基氧与苯环上碳之间的键长，酚基上氢原子的部分电荷，酚基所在位置处的苯环环内角与取代苯酚的酸常数pKa均有近似线性关系，当邻位上存在硝基或羰基时，内氢键由于共振而得到显著的增强，据此可说明这一类酚的显著酸性     

Mixed micellar medium for the spectrophotometric determination of molybdenum in molybdenum/tungsten mixtures

Effects of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and/or nonylphenoxypolyethoxyethanol (OP) on the absorption spectra of the complexes of molybdenum and tungsten with bromopyrogallol red (BPR) were studied. Based on these effects, a mixture of CTAB and OP was thus selected as a medium for the selective and sensitive determination of Mo in Mo/W binary mixtures. Under the optimum conditions, Beer's law was obeyed over the range 0.06-0.8 mug ml(-1) Mo with molar absorptivity being 1.3x10(5) l mol(-1) cm(-1) and detection limit 0.025 mug ml(-1). For 1.0 mug Mo, at least 20 mug W did not interfere in the determination of Mo with average recovery and relative standard deviation being 99.5% and <2%, respectively. The method developed maintained the features of simplicity and rapidity and, moreover, its selectivity and sensitivity enhanced greatly due to the use of CTAB/OP mixed micellar medium. When coupled with a compatible concentration method, the proposed method could be used for the determination of trace Mo in natural waters.