Liquid crystalline behaviour of hydrazide derivatives containing alkoxyazobenzene

Two series of dissymmetric hydrazide derivatives containing alkoxyazobenzene with nitro terminal group and octyloxy terminal group, N-4-alkoxyphenyl-N′-4-((4-nitrophenyl)azophenyl) benzohydrazide (Bn-NO₂, n indicates the number of carbon atoms) and N-4-octyloxyphenyl-N′-4-((4-octyloxyphenyl)azophenyl) benzohydrazide (B8-B8), were designed and synthesised, and their liquid crystalline properties were investigated by means of differential scanning calorimetry, polarised optical microscopy and wide-angle X-ray diffraction. It was found that B8-B8 with octyloxy terminal chains displayed monolayer smectic C phase, whereas Bn-NO₂ with nitro terminal group displayed SmA_d phase, and intermolecular hydrogen bonding was confirmed as the driving force. In addition, the effect of hydrogen bonding, dipole–dipole interactions and steric hindrance effect on the liquid crystalline structures were also discussed.     

Dynamic Changes in Xylanases and β-1,4-Endoglucanases Secreted by Aspergillus niger An-76 in Response to Hydrolysates of Lignocellulose Polysaccharide

Aspergillus niger is an effective secretor of glycoside hydrolases that facilitate the saprophytic lifestyle of the fungus by degrading plant cell wall polysaccharides. In the present study, a series of dynamic zymography assays were applied to quantify the secreted glycoside hydrolases of A. niger cultured in media containing different carbon sources. Differences in the diversity and concentrations of polysaccharide hydrolysates dynamically regulated the secretion of glycoside hydrolases. The secretion of β-1,4-endoglucanase isozymes was observed to lag at least 24 h behind, rather than coincide with, the secretion of xylanase isozymes. Low concentrations of xylose could induce many endoxylanases (such as Xyn1/XynA, Xyn2, and Xyn3/XynB). High concentrations of xylose could sustain the induction of Xyn2 and Xyn3/XynB but repress Xyn1/XynA (GH10 endoxylanase), which has a broad substrate specificity, and also triggers the low-level secretion of Egl3/EglA, which also has a broad substrate specificity. Mixed polysaccharide hydrolysates sustained the induction of Egl1, whereas the other β-1,4-endoglucanases were sustainably induced by the specific polysaccharide hydrolysates released during the hydrolysis process (such as Egl2 and Egl4). These results indicate that the secretion of glycoside hydrolases may be specifically regulated by the production of polysaccharide hydrolysates released during the process of biomass degradation.     

Double emulsion-templated microspheres with flow-through pores at micrometer scale

Two different polymers, poly(vinylbenzyl chloride) and poly(methyl methecrylate-2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate), were respectively employed as the major component of the particle material and amphiphilic polymer methoxy poly (ethylene glycol)-b-poly (D, L-lactide) was employed as an essential additive. Gigaporous microspheres which possess flow-through pores which range from submicron to micron scale were prepared by two-step emulsification, emulsion ripening, and solvent extraction. Parameters on the final morphology were particularly investigated, including the polymer component, emulsion ripening time, and osmotic gradient. The formation mechanism of gigapores was also discussed with consideration of evolution behavior of the double emulsion system. The evolution process was proved crucial to control the final pore structure. Such kind of gigaporous microspheres could be further exploited as a promising chromatographic media for the purification of bioproducts.     

The impact of nitrogen fertilizers on degradation and leaching of chlorotoluron in soil

Abstract

This study presents the developed and applied methods for the determination of carbendazim in environmental samples originating from several field studies.

For water samples sample pretreatment consisted of a solid phase extraction (SPE) on cartridges packed with 200 mg SDB-1. In case of solid samples the performance of microwave assisted solvent extraction (MASE) and classical ultrasonic extraction with acetone-ethyl acetate were studied. The latter technique was selected because of the reduced time of manual operations. Instrumental analysis of extracts of water samples was performed on-line with coupled column reversed phase liquid chromatography (LC/LC) and UV detection (280 nm) allowing to assay carbendazim to a level of at least 0.1 μg/l. Improved column life time was obtained by performing the favorable LC separation of carbendazim at high pH on newly developed 5 μm Extend-pH bidentate C18 material.

The combination of a short column packed with 5 μm Inertsil ODS-5 and a mobile phase at low pH material was most adequate as the regards the robust and fast processing of extracts of solid samples and allowed in most cases the screening of carbendazim in soils and sediments to a level of 10μg/kg.

The developed procedures yield overall recoveries for carbendazim of 101, 80 and 71 % in water (levels, 0.1—1.2 μg/l: n=12), soil (levels, 10 and 100 μg/kg; n=22) and sediments (levels, 10 and 100 μg/kg; n=11), respectively, with a repeatability and reproducibility below 7 % for all method/matrix combinations. Soil samples with aged residues (level, 100 μg/kg; n=10) provided an overall recovery of 71% and no significant decrease of carbendazim was observed during nine weeks of storage in the refrigerator.     

Simultaneous extraction and determination of fluoroquinolones,tetracyclines and sulfonamides antibiotics in soils using optimised solid phase extraction chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

An analytical method was developed for the simultaneous extraction and determination of 18 fluoroquinolones (FQs), tetracyclines (TCs) and sulfonamides (SAs) antibiotics from soils using solid phase extraction and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The soils were extracted by different solvents with the help of mechanical shaking and ultrasonic treatment at 59?kHz, followed by a strong anion exchange (SAX) cartridge to clean up soil samples and a hydrophilic lipophilic balance (HLB) cartridge as enrichment. The method was evaluated by testing the following variables: extraction solvents, the type of SPE cartridges, solvent volumes, initial spiking levels and soil types (silty clay loam and clay loam soils). The soil extraction method was validated using these two types of soils, representing two typical agricultural soils in northern China. For 2?g soil, the extraction steps with the mixture of potassium phosphate buffer and acetonitrile (ACN) (1/1, v/v, pH 3.2) provided satisfactory recoveries. In the clay loam soil, the recoveries of all the compounds were from 56% to 89% at the spiking level of 50?µg?kg^?1 soil, and from 69% to 97% at the spiking level of 200?µg?kg^?1 soil, respectively. Recoveries in silty clay loam soil were similar to that in clay loam. The method was successfully employed using soil samples collected from a farmland and afforestion area irrigated with sewage in northern China. The result indicates that trace antibiotics in sewage may accumulate in soil irrigated by river water containing sewage.     

Determination of trace amounts of chromium (VI) by flow injection analysis with chemiluminescence detection

A new sensitive chemiluminescence (CL) method combined with continuous flow injection analysis is described for the determination of Cr(VI). Strong CL signals were generated by Cr(VI)-catalysed oxidation of gallic acid in the presence of potassium permanganate and hydrogen peroxide. Effects of reagent concentrations, temperature, pH, flow rates, mixing coil length and mixing flow sequences on the chemiluminescence intensity were studied. Under the optimised experimental conditions, the relationship between the logarithm of concentration (log?C) of Cr(VI) and the logarithm of intensity (log?I) is linear over the range of 2?×?10^?11 – 5?×?10^?4?mol?L^?1, with the detection limit (3σ) of 4?×?10^?12?mol?L^?1. Relative standard deviation of ten measurements of 1?×?10^?9?mol?L^?1 Cr(VI) is 1.7%. This flow injection analysis (FIA) system proved to be able to analyse up to 40 samples h^?1. Effects of various interferences possibly present in the water samples were investigated. Most cations and anions, as well as organic compounds, did not interfere with the determination of Cr(VI) in water samples. The experimental results obtained for chromium in reference materials were also in good agreement with the certified values.     

近红外光谱结合化学计量学评价胚胎发育潜能

使用近红外光谱分析方法测量培养后的胚胎培养液,结合偏最小二乘判别分析对胚胎发育潜能进行评价,鉴别具有妊娠能力与不具妊娠能力的胚胎。为了提高模型的判别能力,消除无信息变量对模型稳定性影响,分别采用基于蒙特卡罗的无信息变量消除法(MC-UVE)、竞争性自适应加权抽样法(CARS)与基于变量稳定性的竞争性自适应加权抽样法(SCARS),对光谱进行波长选择。结果表明,与采用全谱74%的正判率相比较,采用这3种波长选择方法,模型独立检验集的正判率分别提高至74.24%,77.12%与80.10%,建模使用变量数降至50以内。比较发现,SCARS的模型优化能力和稳定性均好于MC-UVE和CARS方法。采用近红外光谱结合化学计量学方法预测胚胎的发育潜能是可行的。     

酸碱解聚玉米秸秆分子结构的实验研究

以玉米秸秆为研究对象,分别采用5%H2SO4和5%NaOH溶液对秸秆进行解聚处理,并对解聚前后秸秆结构、化学组成、热稳定性等进行分析和表征。结果表明,与未处理前相比,经酸或碱解聚处理后,秸秆纤维结晶度由51.8%分别提高到63.5%和67.0%,秸秆中大部分半纤维素和部分木质素组分被脱除,半纤维素由29.10%分别降至7.02%和6.86%,木质素由38.12%分别降至32.21%和16.52%,而纤维素则由31.54%分别升至60.54%和76.15%。经酸碱处理后,秸秆表面形态结构变得疏松,出现小孔和裂缝,降解温度达到350℃,热稳定性能增加。上述结果说明,稀酸或稀碱均对玉米秸秆分子结构有一定程度的解聚作用,但就解聚溶出木质素而言,稀碱的解聚溶出效果要优于稀酸的。     

Synthesis, crystal, molecular, and electronic structures of hydride carbonyl ruthenium(II) complexes with pseudohalide ligands

Two pseudohalide hydride carbonyl ruthenium(II) complexes with formulae: [RuH(N₃)(CO)(PPh₃)₃] (1) and [RuH(NCO)(CO)(PPh₃)₃] (2) have been synthesized by the reactions of [RuHCl(CO)(PPh₃)₃] with sodium azide or sodium cyanate, respectively, and are compared with the previously described thiocyanate analog [RuH(NCS)(CO)(PPh₃)₃]. The molecular structures of the new compounds were determined by X-ray crystallography and their spectroscopic properties have been studied. Based on the crystal structures, computational investigations have been carried out in order to determine the electronic structures of the complexes. The electronic spectra were calculated with the use of time-dependent DFT methods, and the electronic spectra of the transitions were correlated with the molecular orbitals of the complexes.     

The importance of molecular complexity in the design of screening libraries

The one-dimensional model of Hann et al. (J Chem Inf Comput Sci 41(3):856–864) has been extended to include reverse binding and wrap-around interaction modes between the protein and ligand to explore the complete combinatorial matrix of molecular recognition. The cumulative distribution function of the Maxwell–Boltzmann distribution has been used to calculate the probability of measuring the sensitivity of the interactions as the asymptotic limits of the distribution better describe the behavior of the interactions under experimental conditions. Based on our model, we hypothesized that molecules of lower complexity are preferred for target based screening campaigns, while augmenting such a library with moieties of moderate complexities maybe better suited for phenotypic screens. The validity of the hypothesis has been assessed via the analysis of the hit rate profiles for four ChemBL datasets for enzymatic and phenotypic screens.