Shot noise sets the limit of quantification in electrochemical measurements

Detection of single molecules, particles, and rapid redox events is a challenge of electrochemical investigations and requires either an amplification strategy or significant averaging for the electrochemical current to exceed the noise level. We consider the minimum number of electrons required to reach the limit of quantification in these electrochemical measurements. A survey of the literature indicates that the state-of-the-art limit in current detection for different types of measurements (e.g. voltammetry, single-molecule redox cycling, ion channel recordings of single molecules, metal nanoparticle collision, and phase nucleation) is independent of the nature of the measurement and increases linearly with reciprocal response time, Δt^?1, over ～5 orders of magnitude (from ～10 to ～10⁶ s^?1). We demonstrate that the practical limit of quantification requires cumulative measurement of ～2100 electrons during Δt and is determined by statistics of counting electrons, that is, the shot noise in the current.     

Effects of Lead on Temporal Response Properties of Retinal Ganglion Cells in Developing Rats

Neonatal rats have taken in lead, during the period from their parturition to their weaning, from the milk of dams fed with water containing 0.2% lead acetate solutions. The alterations in the temporal response properties of retinal ganglion cells in adult rats (90 days) following the lead exposure at their developing stage have been studied. The results of this investigation demonstrate that the lead exposure in neonatal rats causes decreases in the optimal temporal frequency, bandwidth at half amplitude, temporal resolution and response phase of the retinal ganglion cells in adult rats. Compared with the sustained cells, the transient cells have a much greater alteration in temporal response properties.     

Palladium-catalyzed direct coupling reaction of propargylic alcohols with arylboronic acids

The direct coupling of propargylic alcohols with arylboronic acids has been achieved using palladium catalyst. Various propargylic alcohols and arylboronic acids can be coupled to afford the corresponding allenic and propargylic arenes, which are selectively produced depending on the substituent on the propargylic alcohol, respectively.     

微流控芯片技术在生命科学研究中的应用

微流控芯片最初起源于分析化学领域,是一种采用精细加工技术,在数平方厘米的基片,制作出微通道网络结构及其它功能单元,以实现集微量样品制备、进样、反应、分离及检测于一体的快速、高效、低耗的微型分析实验装置.随着微电子及微机械制作技术的不断进步,近年来微流控芯片技术发展迅猛,并开始在化学、生命科学及医学器件等领域发挥重要作用.本文首先简单介绍了微流控芯片制作材料和工艺,然后主要阐述了其在蛋白质分离、免疫分析、DNA分析和测序、细胞培养及检测等方面的应用进展.     

Photovoltaic and spectral properties of tetraphenyloporphyrin and metallotetraphenyloporphyrin dyes

Spectroscopical properties and photocurrent (or photovoltage) of tetraphenyloporphyrins and metallotetraphenyloporphyrins in nematic liquid crystal have been studied. Photoelectric response has been measured in an electrochemical cell made of the semitransparent semiconducting and golden electrodes with porphyrin dyes embedded in liquid crystal. Fluorescence, time-resolved luminescence in microsecond time scale and photoacoustic spectra have also been measured. The competition between radiative, non-radiative processes and charge transfer is discussed. It has been shown that effectivity of porphyrins for photocurrent generation depends on the presence/absence of central metal in the macrocycle of porphyrin skeleton and the kind of metal. The schematic model of the contributions of the dye molecule and semiconducting electrode in the electron transfer process is shown.     

Molecular Basis of the Dynamic Strength of the Sialyl Lewis X—Selectin Interaction

The selectins are Ca²⁺‐dependent cell adhesion molecules that facilitate the initial attachment of leukocytes to the vascular endothelium by binding to a carbohydrate moiety as exemplified by the tetrasaccharide, sialyl Lewis X (sLeX). An important property of the selectin‐sLeX interaction is its ability to withstand the hydrodynamic force of the blood flow. Herein, we used single‐molecule dynamic force spectroscopy (DFS) to identify the molecular determinants within sLeX that give rise to the dynamic properties of the selectin/sLeX interaction. Our atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurements revealed that the unbinding of the selectin/sLeX complexes involves overcoming at least two activation barriers. The inner barrier, which determines the dynamic response of the complex at high forces, is governed by the interaction between the Fuc residue of sLeX and a Ca²⁺ ion chelated to the lectin domain of the selectin molecule, whereas the outer activation barrier can be attributed to interactions involving the sialic acid residue of sLeX. Due to their steep inner activation barriers, the selectin‐sLeX complexes are less sensitive to high pulling forces. Hence, besides its contribution to the bond energy, the Ca²⁺ ion also grants the selectin–sLeX complexes a tensile strength that is crucial for the selectin‐mediated rolling of leukocytes.     

在线标准加入火焰原子吸收光谱法测定钮扣电池中铅和镉

应用火焰原子吸收光谱(FAAS)法测定了钮扣电池中铅和镉的含量,对测定条件作了较详细的研究。用在线双毛细管标准加入法消除了基体的干扰。按所述方法测定电池样品中铅和镉,测定结果的RSD依次为3.58%和5.87%,铅和镉的浓度水平分别为5.4×10-3%和2.3×10-4%(质量分数),回收率结果为93.0%~100.1%(铅)和95.0%~101.0%(镉)。     

Novel trichothecanes, paecilomycine A, B, and C, isolated from entomopathogenic fungus, Paecilomyces tenuipes

Paecilomycine A (1), B (2), and C (3) were isolated from cultivated fruiting bodies of Paecilomyces tenuipes (Isaria japonica), which is a popular entomopathogenic fungus used in folk medicine and health foods in China, Korea, and Japan. The structures of 1-3 were deduced from their spectroscopic data and their absolute configurations were elucidated by preparing their MPA esters. Compound 1 showed activity in the neurotrophic factor biosynthesis in glial cells.     

Pre-irradiation induced grafting of styrene into crosslinked and non-crosslinked polytetrafluoroethylene films for polymer electrolyte fuel cell applications. II: Characterization of the styrene grafted films

Crosslinked and non-crosslinked polytetrafluoroethylene films (RX-PTFE and V-PTFE films, respectively) were irradiated by γ-ray and then grafted with styrene in liquid phase. Microscope FT-IR spectroscopy, TGA, solid state ¹³C CP/MAS and high resolution HS/MAS NMR spectroscopy, wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) study were used to get the structural information of the styrene grafted RX-PTFE and V-PTFE films. From microscope FT-IR spectra of the grafted RX-PTFE films, the “grafting front mechanism” was proved. TGA analysis showed that the grafted films have a small degradation step and two main degradation steps. In the ¹³C CP/MAS NMR spectra of the non-grafted films, there are no signal due to the absence of the hydrogen atom. While in the spectra of the grafted films, there are signals attributed to the polystyrene grafts. In the ¹³C HS/MAS NMR spectra of the grafted films, the relative intensity of the peaks attributed to the polystyrene grafts increased while the relative intensity of the peak attributed to PTFE matrix decreased with the increase in the DOG. From WAXD patterns, the intensity of the crystalline peak decrease with the increase in the DOG. The grafted films were sulfonated by chlorosulfonic acid and the results of highest IEC value exceeded 3.0. Those results will be reported in the near future.     

BaCe0.8Ho0.2O3-a陶瓷的性质与应用

Ceramic BaCe0.8Ho0.2O3-α with orthorhombic perovskite structure was prepared by conventional solid state reaction, and its conductivity and ionic transport number were measured by ac impedance spectroscopy and gas concentration cell methods in the temperature range of 600-1000 ℃ in wet hydrogen and wet air, respectively. Using the ceramics as solid electrolyte and porous platinum as electrodes, the hydrogen-air fuel cell was constructed, and the cell performance at temperature from 600-1000 ℃ was examined. The results indicate that the specimen was a pure protonic conductor with the protonic transport number of 1 at temperature from 600-900 ℃ in wet hydrogen, a mixed conductor of proton and electron with the protonic transport number of 0.99 at 1000 ℃. The electronic conduction could be neglected in this case, thus the total conductivity in wet hydrogen was approximately regarded as protonic conductivity. In wet air, the specimen was a mixed conductor of proton, oxide ion and electron hole. The protonic transport numbers were 0.01-0.09, and the oxide-ionic transport numbers were 0.27-0.32. The oxide ionic conductivity was increased with the increase of temperature, but the protonic conductivity displayed a maximum at 900 ℃, due to the combined increase in mobility and depletion of the carriers. The fuel cell could work stably. At 1000 ℃, the maximum short-circuit current density and power output density were 346 mA/cm^2 and 80 mW/cm^2, respectively.