Simple power supply for power load controlled isoelectric focusing

The power supply for IEF based on features of the Cockcroft‐Walton voltage multiplier (CW VM) is described in this work. The article describes a design of the IEF power supply, its electric characteristics, and testing by IEF analysis. A circuit diagram of the power supply included two opposite charged branches (each consisting of four voltage doublers). The designed CW VM was powered by 230 V/50 Hz alternate current and it generated up to 5 kV and 90 mW at the output. Voltage and current characteristics of the power supply were measured by known load resistances in the range from 10 kΩ to 1 GΩ, which is a common resistance range for IEF strip geometry. Further, the power supply was tested by a separation of a model mixture of colored pI markers using a 175 × 3 × 0.5 mm focusing bed. Automatically limited power load enabled analysis of samples without previous optimization of the focusing voltage or electric current time courses according to sample composition. Moreover, the developed power supply did not produce any intrinsic heat and was easy to set up with cheap and commonly available parts.     

Concise Synthesis of (3Z)-Dodecen-12-olide,Pheromone Component of the Emerald Ash Borer

Emerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire, is an invasive insect that has killed millions of ash trees in Canada and the USA. (3Z)-Dodecen-12-olide is a known female-produced pheromone of this insect, and a concise, three-step synthesis of a 2:1 blend of (3Z)-dodecen-12-olide and (3E)-dodecen-12-olide starting from commercially available (2-carboxyethyl)triphenylphosphonium bromide and 10-bromo-1-decene is described. The key steps in this synthesis are a lithium-salt-free Wittig reaction and an intramolecular S_N2 esterification. Both of these macrocyclic lactones are behaviorally active toward EAB, and the 2:1 blend whose synthesis is described here has the potential to be a detection agent, mating disruptor, or mass trapping agent, which could be used in the control of EAB.     

Amide Moieties Modulate the Antimicrobial Activities of Conjugated Oligoelectrolytes against Gram-negative Bacteria

Cationic conjugated oligoelectrolytes (COEs) are a class of compounds that can be tailored to achieve relevant in vitro antimicrobial properties with relatively low cytotoxicity against mammalian cells. Three distyrylbenzene-based COEs were designed containing amide functional groups on the side chains. Their properties were compared to two representative COEs with only quaternary ammonium groups. The optimal compound, COE2−3C−C3-Apropyl , has an antimicrobial efficacy against Escherichia coli with an MIC=2 μg mL⁻¹, even in the presence of human serum albumin low cytotoxicity (IC₅₀=740 μg mL⁻¹) and minimal hemolytic activity. Moreover, we find that amide groups increase interactions between COEs and a bacterial lipid mimic based on calcein leakage assay and allow COEs to readily permeabilize the cytoplasmic membrane of E. coli. These findings suggest that hydrogen bond forming moieties can be further applied in the molecular design of antimicrobial COEs to further improve their selectivity towards bacteria.     

In silico and in vitro assessment of androgen receptor antagonists

There is a growing concern for male reproductive health as studies suggest that there is a sharp increase in prostate cancer and other fertility related problems. Apart from lifestyle, pollutants are also known to negatively affect the reproductive system. In addition to many other compounds that have been shown to alter androgen signaling, several environmental pollutants are known to disrupt androgen signaling via binding to androgen receptor (AR) or indirectly affecting the androgen synthesis. We analyzed here the molecular mechanism of the interaction between the human AR Ligand Binding Domain (hAR-LBD) and two environmental pollutants, linuron (a herbicide) and procymidone (a pesticide), and compared with the steroid agonist dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and well-known hAR antagonists bicalutamide and enzalutamide. Using molecular docking and dynamics simulations, we showed that the co-activator interaction site of the hAR-LBD is disrupted in different ways by different ligands. Binding free energies of the ligands were also ordered in increasing order as follows: linuron, procymidone, DHT, bicalutamide, and enzalutamide. These data were confirmed by in vitro assays. Reporter assay with MDA-kb2 cells showed that linuron, procymidone, bicalutamide and enzalutamide can inhibit androgen mediated activation of luciferase activity. Gene expression analysis further showed that these compounds can inhibit the expression of prostate specific antigen (PSA) and microseminoprotein beta (MSMB) in prostate cell line LNCaP. Comparative analysis showed that procymidone is more potent than linuron in inhibiting AR activity. Furthermore, procymidone at 10 μM dose showed equivalent and higher activity to AR inhibitor enzalutamide and bicalutamide respectively.     

基于现场总线的高隔离度可调直流电源嵌入式控制器设计

模块级联是用于绝缘实验所需的高性能对称双极型矩形波脉冲电源的一种方法,为实现级联,需要有能够协调工作的高隔离度直流电源。设计出嵌入到各电源的板级嵌入式控制器BEC,使各BEC作为从节点利用RS485接口和ModBus协议与嵌入式主控制器EHC构成一个主从式现场总线网络,并在主节点EHC的控制下协调工作。利用BEC内的STM32F103C8处理器产生隔离DC-DC桥的互补PWM控制信号和高隔离输出电压,并进行电流和输出电压的隔离检测。由基于电流切换的变参数增量式数字PI算法来确定脉冲宽度值,产生Buck调压电路的闭环PWM控制信号,实现输出电压的调压和稳压控制。实验结果表明该嵌入式控制器能够满足级联式对称双极型矩形波脉冲电源对高隔离度可调直流电源的需要。     

稀有气体卤化物准分子激光器工作气体实时补给技术

为延长稀有气体卤化物准分子激光器工作气体使用寿命,在原有供气设备基础上增加了工作气体实时补给技术.该技术采用FPGA控制系统将逐步提高放电电压、补充卤素气体和更换部分混合气体等操作有效组合起来.随着激光脉冲能量的下降,逐步提高放电电压;当放电电压达到最大值时,开始补充卤素气体,并恢复放电电压;当补充卤素气体效果不明显时,更换部分混合工作气体.将该技术应用于医用型ArF准分子激光器中进行实验研究,结果表明:在没有使用工作气体实时补给技术的情况下,激光器累计工作14.38 h后,输出单脉冲激光能量下降了17.2％;采用工作气体实时补给技术后,激光器输出能量下降速率明显降低,累计工作14.38 h,其单脉冲能量下降率能控制在3％范围内.因此,采用该技术可延长激光器工作气体的使用寿命、提高输出激光能量稳定性、减少停机次数并降低运行成本.     

NMR波谱仪集中优化管理模式

论述了核磁中心采用的相对集中管理模式.集中管理模式主要体现在上样辅助、中央供气、数据集中上传与下载3个方面.另外,还提出了未来可以从集中供高纯N2和LN22个方面进一步改善中心的集中管理模式,从而能够更好的优化测试效率和工作环境.     

Mass spectrometrical and quantum‐chemical study of pentafluorophenylhydrazones

Twenty‐one pentafluorphenylhydrazones have been analyzed by means of tandem mass spectrometry (ESI MS/MS) conditions to compare their fragmentations with those ones obtained from quantum‐chemical calculations of the hydrazone moiety depending on the substitution from the aldehyde site. The hydrazone N–N bond is disrupted under such conditions, and these results are in accordance with the facts that an electron‐rich particle, such as an anion and or radical in a solution, can cause this disruption and simultaneous defluorination in para‐position of the hydrazone part of the molecule.     

质子治疗装置动态电源控制系统研发

针对质子治疗装置中主环动态电源多平台能量的引出需求,研制了基于开源平台的高速实时动态电源控制系统,该控制系统以开源平台Beaglebone作为顶层硬件接口,以现场可编程逻辑门阵列(FPGA)为核心的控制器作为底层硬件接口,采用分布式的实验物理及工业控制系统(EPICS)进行远程控制。该系统可实时传输任意动态电源的输出参考电流波形数据,并结合定时系统与联锁系统,控制动态电源按预设电流波形进行输出,并实现多平台能量的引出。实验结果显示该控制系统能实现每秒最高十万条指令传输,百万次数据传输零误码率。同时,该系统结构灵活、扩展性强,可作为通用控制平台。     

Effects of ultrasound on Microcystis aeruginosa cell destruction and release of intracellular organic matter

Harmful algal blooms negatively impact ecosystems and threaten drinking water sources. One potential method to effectively counteract algal blooms is ultrasonication. However, ultrasonication can easily lead to the release of intracellular organic matter (IOM). The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the destruction of algal cells and IOM release at different ultrasound frequencies. Microcystis aeruginosa cells were ultrasonicated at 20 kHz with an intensity of 0.038 W/mL, 740 kHz with an intensity of 0.113 W/mL, and 1120 kHz with an intensity of 0.108 W/mL. The IOM release was detected by fluorescence spectroscopy in addition to the more commonly used haemocytometry and optical density. After ultrasonication for 15 min, the removal rate of algal cells reached 10.5% at 20 kHz, 9.46% at 740 kHz, and 35.4% at 1120 kHz. The 20 kHz and 740 kHz ultrasound caused local damage to algal cells and then disrupted them, whereas the 1120 kHz ultrasound directly disrupted most algal cells. The extracellular organic matter (EOM), which was increased by ultrasonication, mainly consisted of protein-like compounds, chlorophyll, and a small amount of humic-like substances. Gas vacuoles had been destructed before the cells were broken, as indicated by the decrease of cell size and the wrinkles on the cell surface. Moreover, the removal of algae cells while upholding integrity is more conducive to the safety of the water environment.