Porous Microstructured Surfaces with pH‐Triggered Antibacterial Properties

New antibacterial films are designed with the capability to reversibly regulate their killing and repelling functions in response to variations in environmental pH. These systems consist of porous polystyrene surfaces as the main components and a copolymer bearing pH‐sensitive thiazole and triazole groups as the minor components. These pH‐sensitive groups, located on the surfaces, can be partially protonated at acidic pH levels, increasing the positive charge density of the surfaces and their antibacterial activity. Similarly, their bacterial adhesion and killing efficiencies in response to changes in pH are evaluated by analyzing the bacterial viability of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria on the surfaces under acidic and neutral pH values. It is demonstrated that after only 1 h of incubation with the bacterial suspension in acidic conditions, the surfaces killed the bacteria, while at pH = 7.4, some of the adhered bacteria are removed. Furthermore, the surface topography exerts an important role by intensifying this response.     

Separation of carbohydrates on electrophoresis microchips with controlled electrolysis

This study reports the separation of fructose, galactose, glucose, lactose and sucrose on glass microchip electrophoresis (ME) devices using a microfluidic platform adapted with external reservoirs for controlling the electrolysis phenomenon. The connections between external reservoirs and microfluidic platform were performed by saline bridges created using silicone tubing filled with BGE. The separation conditions were optimized and the best results were achieved using a BGE containing 75 mmol/L NaOH and 15 mmol/L trisodium phosphate. Electrophoretic separations were monitored using a capacitively coupled contactless conductivity detection system. The controlled electrolysis has successfully allowed the application of a higher voltage on the separation channel promoting the baseline separation of five carbohydrates within 180 s with great run‐to‐run repeatability (RSD < 1%). The achieved efficiencies ranged from 45 000 ± 6000 to 70 000 ± 3000 plates/m demonstrating a performance better than ME devices without controlled electrolysis. The proposed system offered good linearity from 1 to 10 mmol/L and LODs between 150 and 740 μmol/L. The use of external tubes for controlling the electrolysis phenomenon on ME devices has solved common problems associated to run‐to‐run repeatability and analytical reliability required for routine and quantitative analysis.     

Preparation of a capillary isoelectric focusing column with monolithic immobilized pH gradient and its application on protein separation based on an online capillary isoelectric focusing platform

In the presence of methanol and n‐decanol as porogens, a partially filled capillary monolithic column was prepared by in situ reaction of glycidyl methacrylate and poly (ethylene glycol) diacrylate. Then, Pharmalyte 3–10 was immobilized on this column in order to obtain a capillary isoelectric focusing (cIEF) column with monolithic immobilized pH gradient (M‐IPG). In addition, an online self‐built platform for protein separation was established on account of the introduction of a cross‐shaped unit and two short‐off valves. In this platform, a cross‐shaped unit was not only used to join the M‐IPG column and a six‐way injection valve (1.5 μL sample loop), but also to supply a volume pool of anode buffer so that the process of injection, focusing and mobilization of samples could be sequentially performed. The short‐off valve in the tee unit or cross‐shaped unit could be used to control the direction of the fluid flow. Using this online cIEF platform and under the optimized conditions, 7‐proteins mixture could be separated and a good linear correlation between pI values and migration times was obtained by the M‐IPG column. Meanwhile, based on the online cIEF platform, human serum proteins and a mixture of Hb A and Hb A_1c have been successfully resolved with the newly developed M‐IPG column.     

A pH optical and fluorescent sensor based on rhodamine modified on activated cellulose paper

A rhodamine‐based colorimetric and fluorescent pH chemosensor ( RhA ) was designed and synthesized via a coupling reaction between rhodamine ethylenediamine and succinic anhydride. RhA showed excellent pH response in aqueous solutions. In addition, common cations (Na⁺, K⁺, Ag⁺, Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, Pb²⁺, Co²⁺, Ni²⁺, Cu²⁺, Zn²⁺, Cd²⁺, Hg²⁺, Al³⁺, Cr³⁺, Fe³⁺, Au³⁺, Pt²⁺, and Ru²⁺) did not interfere with the pH response. As it has the potential to be used as a portable pH sensor, RhA was immobilized on activated cellulose paper using N,N'‐dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCC) and N,N'‐dimethylpyridin‐4‐amine (DMAP) as the coupling reagent to obtain a composite pH sensor ( CP‐RhA ). CP‐RhA was characterized by ATR‐FTIR, UV–vis, and fluorescence spectroscopy, and by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). CP‐RhA showed a rapid response in the pH range 1–8 through color and fluorescence changes. DFT calculations showed a blue‐shifted spectrum in the protonated form compared to the neutral form. Moreover, the pH sensor paper could be reused by dipping in NaOH. Thus, our work demonstrates the potential of the rhodamine dye composite for visualizing pH changes in real systems.     

水热合成法制备CaTiO3:Re3+(Re=Eu,Dy)及发光性能

采用水热合成法合成了CaTiO₃：Re³⁺（Re=Eu,Dy）荧光粉,通过XRD（X-ray diffraction）、SEM（Scanning electron microscope）和光谱对样品进行了分析。研究发现在pH=12时,合成出的CaTiO₃：Re荧光粉结晶度和发光性能最好;SEM分析表明荧光粉颗粒尺寸在450 nm左右,分散性好;确定了稀土离子最佳浓度。在353 nm激发下,CaTiO₃：0.12Dy³⁺的发射峰分别位于485 nm（蓝）和576 nm（黄）。当Dy³⁺浓度发生变化时,两种跃迁产生的蓝黄光发射峰的强度比值（I_Y/I_B）也会发生变化,因此,可以利用这一点对CaTiO₃：Dy³⁺荧光材料的发光颜色进行调谐。     

利用二氧化碳的缓慢释放控制聚丙烯酰胺在含柠檬酸铬水溶液中的粘度

Partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM) has been widely used for water shut-off and profile control to enhance oil recovery. Herein, we reported a novel technique by which the crosslinking between HPAM and Cr³⁺ in aqueous solutions at 60 ℃ can be delayed effectively. Citric acid was selected as an organic complexing agent of Cr³⁺ so that the crosslinking between HPAM and Cr³⁺ can be prevented completely. Due to the decomposition of the bicarbonate (HCO₃^-) embedded in solution, CO₂ released from solution and the pH value of solution increased gradually. The degree of ionization of HPAM and its ability to complex with Cr³⁺ increased accordingly. When the complexation of Cr³⁺ with HPAM is stronger than that with citric acid, the viscosity of the HPAM solution increased significantly. Under the closed condition, together with the existence of potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KH₂PO₄), the release of CO₂ was very slow and the condition was highly controlled so that the ionization of HPAM was prevented initially. Furthermore, the hydrogen bonding interactions between HPAM and melamine embedded in solution previously also postponed the ionization of HPAM. As a result, the crosslinking between HPAM and Cr³⁺ can be delayed for almost one month, completely meeting the requirements for deep water shut-off and profile control to enhance oil recovery.     

CdSe/ZnS量子点在倏逝波光纤pH传感中的应用

将新型量子点荧光传感技术与光纤倏逝波传感技术相结合,发展了一种基于量子点荧光效应并结合倏逝波传导进行溶液酸碱度检测的新型传感技术,具有灵敏度高、检测速度快、便于微环境检测、可实现远程探测、实时监测和原位分析等特点。详细介绍了用于倏逝波传感的锥柱组合型光纤荧光探头的制备方法,量子点在光纤探头表面的修饰流程,光谱与强度两种光纤pH传感平台的建立,并分别从响应范围、线性度、重复性和稳定性等方面对CdSe/ZnS量子点应用于光纤pH传感进行了评价。结果表明,在pH值为2~12的范围内,CdSe/ZnS量子点的荧光光谱信号的峰位在强酸和强碱的情况下都会产生红移,且红移量随pH值的变化呈线性关系,其量子点荧光强度信号随pH值的减小呈线性降低关系,通过在强酸和强碱下交替测试的实验表明其具有较好的重复性,利用荧光强度传感平台进行实时监测的实验表明其具有较好的稳定性。因此,将CdSe/ZnS量子点用于倏逝波光纤pH传感具有可行性,在生物化学、环境监测、医学临床、食品安全等领域的pH值测量方面有着广泛的应用前景。     

pH响应的包覆超顺磁性纳米颗粒的γ-聚谷氨酸二级结构研究

用傅里叶红外光谱法(FTIR)定量研究了pH对包覆超顺磁性纳米颗粒的γ-聚谷氨酸(γ-PGA)二级结构变化的影响。结合傅里叶去卷积技术和二阶导数法对原始谱带(酰胺Ⅰ带)进行高斯拟合,计算了二级结构的相对百分含量。红外结果显示:pH变化影响γ-PGA的二级结构。γ-聚谷氨酸磁性纳米微球中γ-PGA的β-折叠和β-转角的总含量很大,达65％以上,而α-螺旋和无规卷曲的含量则比较少。随着pH值的增大,β-折叠的含量逐渐减少相反β-转角的含量逐渐增大。γ-PGA二级结构变化与γ-聚谷氨酸磁性纳米微球在水溶液的稳定性有关。考察了γ-聚谷氨酸纳米微球的zeta电位随pH的变化。结果表明,pH为10.2时zeta电位出现极小值,其绝对值最大,颗粒稳定性最好。     

Comprehensive Insight into Chemical Stability of Important Antidiabetic Drug Vildagliptin Using Chromatography (LC-UV and UHPLC-DAD-MS) and Spectroscopy (Mid-IR and NIR with PCA)

During forced degradation, the intrinsic stability of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) could be determined and possible impurities that would occur during the shelf life of the drug substance or the drug product could be estimated. Vildagliptin belongs to relatively new oral antidiabetic drugs named gliptins, inhibiting dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP-4) and prolonging the activities of the endogenous incretin hormones. At the same time, some gliptins were shown as prone to degradation under specific pH and temperature conditions, as well as in the presence of some reactive excipients. Thus, forced degradation of vildagliptin was performed at high temperature in extreme pH and oxidative conditions. Then, selective LC-UV was used for quantitative determination of non-degraded vildagliptin in the presence of its degradation products and for degradation kinetics. Finally, identification of degradation products of vildagliptin was performed using an UHPLC-DAD-MS with positive ESI. Stability of vildagliptin was also examined in the presence of pharmaceutical excipients, using mid-IR and NIR with principal component analysis (PCA). At 70 °C almost complete disintegration of vildagliptin occurred in acidic, basic, and oxidative media. What is more, high degradation of vildagliptin following the pseudo first-order kinetics was observed at room temperature with calculated k values 4.76 × 10⁻⁴ s⁻¹, 3.11 × 10⁻⁴ s⁻¹, and 1.73 × 10⁻⁴ s⁻¹ for oxidative, basic and acidic conditions, respectively. Next, new degradation products of vildagliptin were detected using UHPLC-DAD-MS and their molecular structures were proposed. Three degradants were formed under basic and acidic conditions, and were identified as [(3-hydroxytricyclo- [3.3.1.13,7]decan-1-yl)amino]acetic acid, 1-{[(3-hydroxytricyclo[3.3.1.13,7]decan-1-yl)amino]acetyl}-pyrrolidine-2-carboxylic acid and its O-methyl ester. The fourth degradant was formed in basic, acidic, and oxidative conditions, and was identified as 1-{[(3-hydroxytricyclo[3.3.1.13,7]-decan-1-yl)amino]acetyl}pyrrolidine-2-carboxamide. When stability of vildagliptin was examined in the presence of four excipients under high temperature and humidity, a visible impact of lactose, mannitol, magnesium stearate, and polyvinylpirrolidone was observed, affecting-NH- and CO groups of the drug. The obtained results (kinetic parameters, interactions with excipients) may serve pharmaceutical industry to prevent chemical changes in final pharmaceutical products containing vildagliptin. Other results (e.g., identification of new degradation products) may serve as a starting point for qualifying new degradants of vildagliptin as it is related to substances in pharmacopoeias.     

银胶溶液pH值对结晶紫的表面增强拉曼光谱增强效果的影响

通过NaBH4还原AgNO3制得银溶胶, 分析了结晶紫溶液表面增强拉曼光谱随银胶溶液pH值减小而逐渐减弱的机理。其原因是当加入酸改变银胶溶液pH值时, 在静电力作用下H+聚集在粗糙且存在偶电层(Ag+─负吸附质)的银胶表面, 使胶体中存在的表面等离子体共振吸附态的光吸收源随着H+浓度的增加逐渐减弱。并且H+与结晶紫的竞争作用又使结晶紫与银颗粒之间的吸附数量减少, 最终使结晶紫SERS强度随着pH值减小而逐渐减弱。我们测得银胶溶液的紫外──可见吸收光谱吸收峰强度随着pH值减小而逐渐减弱, 证明了分析的正确性。