On the Protein Fibrillation Pathway: Oligomer Intermediates Detection Using ATR-FTIR Spectroscopy

Oligomeric intermediates on the pathway of amyloid fibrillation are suspected as the main cytotoxins responsible for amyloid-related pathogenicity. As they appear to be a part of the lag phase of amyloid fibrillation when analyzed using standard methods such as Thioflavin T (ThT) fluorescence, a more sensitive method is needed for their detection. Here we apply Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) in attenuated total reflectance (ATR) mode for fast and cheap analysis of destabilized hen-egg-white lysozyme solution and detection of oligomer intermediates of amyloid fibrillation. Standard methods of protein aggregation analysis— Thioflavin T (ThT) fluorescence, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and 8-anilinonaphthalene-1-sulphonic acid (ANS) fluorescence were applied and compared to FTIR spectroscopy data. Results show the great potential of FTIR for both, qualitative and quantitative monitoring of oligomer formation based on the secondary structure changes. While oligomer intermediates do not induce significant changes in ThT fluorescence, their secondary structure changes were very prominent. Normalization of specific Amide I region peak intensities by using Amide II peak intensity as an internal standard provides an opportunity to use FTIR spectroscopy for both qualitative and quantitative analysis of biological samples and detection of potentially toxic oligomers, as well as for screening of efficiency of fibrillation procedures.     

Preparation of modified multi‐walled carbon nanotubes as a reinforcement for epoxy shape‐memory polymer composites

Effectively improving the mechanical properties and thermal resistance of epoxy shape‐memory polymers (ESMPs) without affecting their shape‐memory performance is necessary to expand these polymers in practical applications. In this article, modified multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were prepared and used as efficient reinforcement for enhancing the comprehensive properties of ESMPs. Increases of nearly 289% to 444% for impact strength and 112% to 184% for tensile force were obtained by adding only 0.1 to 1 wt% epoxy‐modified MWCNTs. The addition of unmodified and carboxyl‐modified MWCNTs was also investigated but showed less impact on the mechanical properties of the ESMPs than epoxy‐modified MWCNTs. Thermogravimetry analysis (TGA) and dynamic mechanical analyses (DMA) showed that less than 1 wt% modified MWCNTs can enhance the heat resistance of ESMPs greatly. Although the shape recovery time for composite materials increased upon adding the MWCNTs, the entire recovery time was still less than 1 minute, and the shape recovery rate was relatively high, nearly 100%.     

直流电晕充电下环氧树脂表面电位衰减特性的研究

介质材料表面电荷的积累和衰减行为是制约众多高压直流电力设备研制的关键因素. 薄片状介质试样的表面电荷密度与表面电位近似呈线性关系, 因此常通过表面电位衰减行为研究表面电荷的衰减特性. 基于电晕充电、表面电荷沉积和脱陷、介质体内单极性电荷输运等3个物理过程, 建立表面电位动态响应的物理模型. 通过计算环氧树脂的表面电位衰减行为, 得到栅极电压、相对介电常数和体电导率等对其表面电位衰减特性的影响. 栅极电压越高, 表面电位的衰减速度越快; 环氧树脂材料参数典型值(相对介电常数3.93, 体电导率10^-14 S· m^-1)下, 归一化表面电位的衰减速率随时间变化的曲线可拟合为分段幂函数, 其中, 分段幂函数的特征时间、指数系数与栅极电压分别呈幂函数和线性变化关系. 相对介电常数越大, 表面电位的衰减速度越慢; 环氧树脂相对介电常数典型范围(3–4)内, 表面电位衰减时间常数由1720 s增大到2540 s, 两者呈线性关系. 体电导率越大, 表面电位的衰减速度越快; 环氧树脂体电导率典型范围(10^-15–10^-13 S· m^-1)内, 表面电位衰减时间常数由24760 s 减小到260 s, 两者呈幂函数变化关系.     

Reaction of OH radical and ozone with methyl salicylate – a DFT study

A theoretical study on the reaction mechanism of methyl salicylate (MeSA), a green leaf volatile organic compound with OH radical and ozone, has been carried out using density functional theory methods using B3LYP, M06‐2X and MPW1K functionals with 6‐311++G(d,p) basis set. The atmospheric degradation pathways of MeSA with OH radical are studied under two different pathways, viz. H‐atom abstraction and electrophilic addition of OH radical. The hydrogen abstraction from –OH group is found to be the dominant reaction channel with small barrier height. Likewise, the electrophilic addition of OH radicals at the para position of MeSA is found to be favourable rather than the ortho and meta positions because of the small barrier height. However, the reaction of MeSA with respect to the addition of O₃ is initiated only through the cycloaddition to the C?C bond, resulting in primary ozonide. The Arrhenius plot for most of the addition reaction shows positive temperature dependence, while for the abstraction reaction, it exhibits negative temperature dependence over the temperature range of 278–350 K. The calculated theoretical rate constants are in good agreement with available experimental data. Overall, the addition of both OH radical and ozone possesses ability to degrade MeSA, but slower when compared with the Cl radical. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

环氧灌浆材料在莞惠城际轨道工程GZH-5标渗漏水治理中的应用

针对当前聚氨酯灌浆材料在渗漏水治理中存在的问题,提出了依靠堵水环氧灌浆材料和高渗透环氧灌浆材料进行渗漏水治理的新思路。环氧类灌浆材料既能够对混凝土裂缝等缺陷进行修复,也能够封堵渗漏水,希望修复后的缺陷能够保持和恢复混凝土结构的耐久性。     

Preparation of hybrid microcapsules and application to self‐healing agent

It was tried to prepare hybrid microcapsules composed of porous inorganic particles and epoxy resin shell and to apply to the self‐healing agent. A water soluble imidazole of gelation promoting agent as the core material was microencapsulated in the porous inorganic particles, which were coated with epoxy resin. The porous inorganic particles were prepared with the interfacial reaction between sodium silicate and calcium ion in the (W/O) dispersion. In the experiment, the concentration of sodium silicate and the mixing speed to form the (W/O) dispersion were mainly changed. The porous inorganic particles were immersed in the aqueous solution dissolving imidazole and then, added in the corn oil dissolving epoxy resin to be microencapsulated with gelated epoxy resin. The hybrid microcapsules containing imidazole with the mean diameters from 200 to 400 µm were able to be prepared and to induce the gelation reaction of epoxy resin by breaking the hybrid microcapsule shell due to heating. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synthesis of an adhesion‐enhancing polysiloxane containing epoxy groups for addition‐cure silicone light emitting diodes encapsulant

Addition‐cure silicone resin is considered as a good choice for light emitting diodes (LEDs); however, it has very poor adhesion to the substrate, which limits its practical application. A novel polysiloxane with self‐adhesion ability and higher refractive index for the encapsulating of high‐power LEDs is prepared and characterized. This polysiloxane containing vinyl groups, phenyl groups, and epoxy groups was synthesized by a sol‐gel condensation process from methacryloxy propyl trimethoxyl silane, γ‐(2,3‐epoxypropoxy)propytrimethoxysilane, and diphenylsilanediol under the catalysis of an anion exchange resin. Then, the resin‐type encapsulation material was prepared by hydrosilylation of methylphenyl hydrogen‐containing silicone resin and the newly synthesized polysiloxane material. The novel polysiloxane was characterized by ¹H‐NMR and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. On the basis of higher refractive index, higher transparency, excellent thermal stability, and appropriate hardness, as well as good adhesive strength between the encapsulating material and the LED lead frame (polyphthalamide), the curable silicone resin‐type encapsulation material can be used as an encapsulant for LEDs. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Reinforcing epoxy resin through covalent integration of functionalized graphene nanosheets

A chemically converted graphene/epoxy (EP) resin nanocomposite has been developed through the use of the functionalized graphene nanosheets (FGNs). The FGNs were prepared via the reaction of amines with alkylcarboxyl groups attached to the graphite oxides in the course of a dicarboxylic acid acyl peroxide treatment. FGNs/EP composites were prepared by dissolving the FGNs in organic solvent followed by mixing with EP and curing agent. In this composite, the FGNs were able to create molecular entanglement with EP matrix by taking advantage of the reactions between amine groups of FGNs and EP groups of EP, thus the FGNs could be covalently integrated into the EP matrix and became part of the cross‐linked network structure rather than just a separated component. Great enhancement in the mechanical properties of the epoxy composite, such as the ultimate tensile strength and toughness, had been achieved with small loading (0.1 wt%) of FGNs by 17.0% and 262.2%, respectively. However, the FGNs reinforced EP composites showed a slight decrease in glass transition temperature (Tg). Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

液态丙烯腈低聚物修复聚丙烯腈基碳纤维微孔缺陷

提出一种全新的缺陷修复的方法,即将聚丙烯腈基(PAN)碳纤维T300在液态丙烯腈低聚物(LAN)中浸渍后,再进行预氧化和碳化热处理,可以将T300的拉伸强度提高25%.应用二维小角X射线散射(SAXS)法可以计算出LAN修复缺陷前后T300微孔缺陷的长度(L)、横截面尺寸(lp)、取向角(Beq)、相对体积(Vrel)的变化,结果表明碳纤维的拉伸性能越好,微孔的长度、取向角、相对体积含量越小.T300拉伸性能的提高是由于缺陷修复的结果.应用BET比表面积法、扫描电子显微镜(SEM)表征LAN修复缺陷前后T300的比表面积以及表面形貌的变化,结果表明,T300在LAN中浸渍并经过预氧化和碳化热处理,比表面积变小,表面缺陷明显减少.进一步验证LAN对碳纤维中的微孔缺陷具有修复作用.应用X射线光电子能谱(XPS)法表征LAN修复前后T300表面化学成分的变化,结果表明,LAN修复后含氧官能团(C―OH,C=O,HO―C=O)显著增加,有利于增强碳纤维与树脂基体之间的相互作用,从而提高碳纤维的力学性能.     

Significance of Branching for Transfection: Synthesis of Highly Branched Degradable Functional Poly(dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) by Vinyl Oligomer Combination

A series of degradable branched PDMAEMA copolymers were investigated with the linear PDMAEMA counterpart as gene‐delivery vectors. The branched PDMAEMA copolymers were synthesized by controlled radical cross‐linking copolymerization based on the “vinyl oligomer combination” approach. Efficient degradation properties were observed for all of the copolymers. The degree of branching was found to have a big impact on performance in transfection when tested on different cell types. The product with the highest degree of branching and highest degree of functionality had a superior transfection profile in terms of both transfection capability and the preservation of cell viability. These branched PDMAEMA copolymers show high potential for gene‐delivery applications through a combination of the simplicity of their synthesis, their low toxicity, and their high performance.