Detection of caffeine and its main metabolites for early diagnosis of Parkinson's disease using micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography

Caffeine (CA) is a common xanthine alkaloid found in tea leaves, coffee beans, and other natural plants, and is the most widely used psychotropic substance in the world. Accumulating evidence suggests that low plasma levels of CA and its metabolites may serve as reliable diagnostic markers for early Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. In this study, we demonstrated a new MEKC method for determining CA and its three main downstream metabolites, paraxanthine (PX), theobromine (TB), and theophylline (TP), in human plasma. Plasma samples were collected, and analyzed using MEKC, after SPE. The running buffer was composed of 35 mM phosphate, pH of 10.5, and 25 mM SDS. The separation voltage was 15 kV and the detection wavelength was at 210 nm. Under the optimum conditions, four distinct analytes were completely separated and detected in less than 12 min. Method limits of detection were as low as 7.5 ng/mL for CA, 5.0 ng/mL for TB, and 4.0 ng/mL for both PX and TP. The recoveries were between 88.0% and 105.9%. This method was successfully applied to 27 human plasma samples. The results indicate that the plasma concentrations of the four analytes are significantly lower in patients with early PD than in control subjects (p < 0.05). The area under curve was improved to 0.839 when CA and its three main metabolites were included, suggesting that MEKC testing of CA, TP, TB, and PX may serve as a potential method for early diagnosis of PD.     

Improved Thin‐Film Transistor Performance Through a Melt of Poly(para‐phenyleneethynylene)

The performance of polymer field‐effect transistors (PFETs) based on short rigid rod semiconducting poly(2,5‐didodecyloxy‐p‐phenyleneethynylene) (D‐OPPE) is highlighted. The controlled heating and cooling of thin films of D‐OPPE allows for a recrystallization from the melt, boosting the performance of D‐OPPE‐based transistors. The improved film properties induced by controlled annealing lead to a hole field‐effect mobility around 0.014 cm² V⁻¹ s⁻¹, an on/off ratio of 10⁶, a sub‐threshold swing of 3 V dec⁻¹ and a threshold voltage of −35 V, employing a poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) gate dielectric. Thus, PFETs out of D‐OPPE compete now with spin‐coated, polycrystalline poly(3‐hexylthiophene)‐based PFETs.

     

Photo‐Induced Anomalous Deformation of Poly(N‐Isopropylacrylamide) Gel Hybridized with an Inorganic Nanosheet Liquid Crystal Aligned by Electric Field

Poly‐(N‐isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPA) hydrogel films doped with uniaxially aligned liquid crystalline (LC) nanosheets adsorbed with a dye are synthesized and its anomalous photothermal deformation is demonstrated. The alignment of the nanosheet LC at the cm‐scale is easily achieved by the application of an in‐plane or out‐of‐plane AC electric field during photo‐polymerization. A photoresponsive pattern is printable onto the gel with μm‐scale resolution by adsorption of the dye through a pattern‐holed silicone rubber. When the gel is irradiated with light, only the colored part is photothermally deformed. Interestingly, the photo‐irradiated gel shows temporal expansion along one direction followed by anisotropic shrinkage, which is an anomalous behavior for a conventional PNIPA gel.

     

γ辐照引发无皂乳液聚合法一步合成Ag-聚4-乙烯基吡啶杂化微凝胶

无机-聚合物纳米复合材料是将聚合物与一种或多种无机纳米粒子复合而成的一种材料,它同时具有无机纳米粒子和聚合物的优良特性,在许多重要技术领域具有广泛的应用前景.近20年来,无机-聚合物纳米复合材料的制备及应用备受关注[1~6].包括杂化微凝胶在内的纳米复合微球是无机-聚合     

NMR确定手性α-羟基酮的绝对构型

本文采用该方法将α 羟基酮分别与(R)和(S)-2-甲氧基-2-苯基-2-三氟甲基乙酸(MTPA)反应, 得到(S)和(R)-Mosher酯, 再分别测定其 1H NMR谱, 通过计算化学位移差值确定其绝对构型.     

Theoretical studies on the role of pi-electron delocalization in determining the conformation of N-benzylideneaniline with three types of LMO basis sets

To understand the role of pi-electron delocalization in determining the conformation of the NBA (Ph-N==CH-Ph) molecule, the following three LMO (localized molecular orbital) basis sets are constructed: a LFMO (highly localized fragment molecular orbital), an NBO (natural bond orbital), and a special NBO (NBO-II) basis sets, and their localization degrees are evaluated with our suggesting index D(L). Afterward, the vertical resonance energy DeltaE(V) is obtained from the Morokuma's energy partition over each of three LMO basis sets. DeltaE(V) = DeltaE(H) (one electron energy) + DeltaE(two) (two electron energy), and DeltaE(two) = DeltaE(Cou) (Coulomb) + DeltaE(ex) (exchange) + DeltaE(ec) (or SigmaDeltaE(n)) (electron correction). DeltaE(H) is always stabilizing, and DeltaE(Cou) is destabilizing for all time. In the case of the LFMO basis set, DeltaE(Cou) is so great that DeltaE(two) > |DeltaE(H)|. Therefore, DeltaE(V) is always destabilizing, and is least destabilizing at about the theta = 90 degrees geometry. Of the three calculation methods such as HF, DFT, and MPn (n = 2, 3, and 4), the MPn method provides DeltaE(V) with the greatest value. In the case of the NBO basis set, on the contrary, DeltaE(V) is stabilizing due to DeltaE(Cou) being less destabilizing, and it is most stabilizing at a planar geometry. The LFMO basis set has the highest localization degree, and it is most appropriate for the energy partition. In the NBA molecule, pi-electron delocalization is destabilization, and it has a tendency to distort the NBA molecular away from its planar geometry as far as possible.     

New ferrocene-containing structures: Poly(silyl ester)s

Two new polymeric structures containing ferrocene units along the chains, namely poly(silyl ester)s, have been synthesized and characterized: a geminal poly(silyl ester) (g-PSE) and one having a disiloxane spacer between the silyl ester groups (s-PSE). The condensation polymerization of AA/BB monomer systems in solution was used in both cases as preparation method involving a silicon-containing diol, (diphenylsilane diol or 1,3-bis(hydroxy)-tetramethyldisiloxane), and 1,1′-di(chlorocarbonyl)ferrocene. The polymers were investigated by differential pulse voltammetry in order to evaluate the redox behavior. Due to the presence of the silyl ester groups in the chain, these polymers are hydrolytically degradable.     

Unsymmetrical complexes containing the linear tetraphosphine ligand DPPEPM

The tetraphosphine DPPEPM reacts with [PtMe₂(cod)] to produce [PtMe₂(DPPEPM-PP)] (1) in near quantitative yield. On standing in solution, the free P atoms become oxidized to give [PtMe₂(DPPEPM(O)₂-PP)] (1a), which has been characterized by X-ray crystallography. In contrast, reactions of DPPEPM with [MCl₂(cod)] (M = Pd, Pt) yield ionic products of the form [M(DPPEPM-PP)₂]MCl₄ (3, 4). When a solution of the platinum complex was allowed to stand, crystals of [Pt(μ-Cl)(μ-DPPEPM)₂]Cl₃ (5) were obtained. In a third set of reactions, treatment of [PtClR(cod)] (R = Me, Ph) or [PdClMe(cod)] with DPPEPM gives species of the type [MR(DPPEPM-PPP)]Cl (6-8), in which one of the internal P atoms is uncoordinated. Reactions of [PtR₂(DPPEPM-PP)] with or [MCl₂(cod)] (M = Pd, Pt), or of [PtR(DPPEPM-PPP)]Cl with [MCl₂(cod)], lead to unsymmetrical bimetallic complexes. [PtMe₂(μ-DPPEPM)PdCl₂] (11) and [PtClPh(μ-DPPEPM)PdCl₂] (14) have been characterized crystallographically. Trimetallic complexes of the form [{PtR₂(μ-DPPEPM)}₂M][MCl₄] (M = Pd, Pt, 15-17) are produced by reaction of [PtR₂(DPPEPM-PP)] with [MCl₂(cod)].     

Coadsorption of carbofuran and lead at the water/silica interface. Possible impact on environment

Despite its extremely weak adsorption at the water/silica interface, carbofuran can, however, induce the coadsorption of metallic salts, like, for example, lead nitrate, and thus enhance its adsorption. We quantitatively studied this phenomenon with a depletion method and under concentration conditions close to the environmental ones. Heavy metal salt was found to positively adsorb, whereas carbofuran relative adsorption is generally slightly negative. This study provides evidence that considering these facts is of paramount importance in environmental prospects. To cite this article: G. Elmanfe et al., C. R. Chimie 9 (2006).     

Laser technology application: Deformation and elastic recovery of semi-crystalline polymers

The elastic deformation-recovery and mechanical properties of semi-crystalline polymers (HDPE, LDPE and their blends) were investigated. An optoelectronic technique based on a laser beam was used to analyze the behavior of the samples under radial stress. The laser technology showed that the recovery process develops in two stages. The first one is governed by the elastic component and the second and slower one is controlled by the inelastic component of the material. At low deformation, the overall recovery is attributed to the development of structural micro-domains generated when shearing the amorphous segments of the polymer. The radial Young modulus was also determined and compared to unidirectional measurements. At low deformation both techniques provide very similar values; nevertheless, the radial Young modulus departs significantly from the unidirectional one when increasing the number of cycles of deformation-recovery.