Review: Aptamers in microfluidic chips

This review, covering reports published from 2002 to August 2010, shows how aptamers have made significant contributions in the improvements of microfluidic chips for affinity extraction, separations and detections. Furthermore, microfluidic chip methods for studying aptamer-target interactions and performing aptamer selections have also been summarized. Accordingly, research vacancies and future development trends in these areas are discussed.     

Latent ruthenium olefin metathesis catalysts featuring a phosphine or an N-heterocyclic carbene ligand

The synthesis and characterization of latent 18-electron ruthenium benzylidene complexes (PCy₃)((^κN,O)-picolinate)₂RuCHPh (5) and (H₂IMes)((^κN,O)-picolinate)₂RuCHPh (6) are described. Both complexes appear as two isomers. The ratio between the isomers is dependent on l-type ligand. The complexes are inactive in ring-closing metathesis and ring-opening metathesis polymerization reactions even at elevated temperatures in the absence of stimuli. Upon addition of HCl, complexes 5 and 6 become highly active in olefin metathesis reactions. The advantage of the latent catalysts is demonstrated in the ring-opening metathesis polymerization of dicyclopentadiene, where the latency of 6 assures adequate mixing of catalyst and monomer before initiation. Trapping experiments suggests that the acid converts the 18-electron complexes into their corresponding highly olefin metathesis active 14-electron benzylidenes.     

Structure alterations in microporous (Mg,Fe)2Al4Si5O18 crystals induced by energetic heavy-ion irradiation

The microporous framework structure of (Mg_1−xFe_x)₂Al₄Si₅O₁₈ (=cordierite) has been subject to a comparative study on the effect of structural alterations originating from exposure to high-energy heavy ions. Oriented samples (with x=0.061, 0.122, and 0.170) were irradiated with swift ¹²⁴Xe, ¹⁹⁷Au and ⁹⁶Ru ions with 11.1 MeV per nucleon energy and fluences of 1×10¹² and 1×10¹³ ions/cm². Irradiated and non-irradiated samples were investigated by means of X-ray diffraction, Mössbauer spectroscopy and optical absorption spectroscopy. Structural investigations reveal an essentially unchanged Al,Si ordering, which appears to be unaffected by irradiation. The most remarkable macroscopic change is the ion-beam induced colouration, which could be assigned to electronic charge transfer transitions involving the Fe cations. Mössbauer spectra indicate an increased amount of ^[4]Fe³⁺ for the irradiated sample. The most noticeable structural alteration concerns irradiation-induced dehydration of extra-framework H₂O, which is accompanied by a reduction in the molar volume by ∼0.2 vol%.     

Laser induced fluorescence and photochemical derivatization for trace determination of camptothecin

Laser-excited fluorescence was used for the selective determination of camptothecin in samples containing anti-cancer camptothecin-analogs (irinotecan and topotecan). The selectivity of the method was based on the UV photochemical derivatization in basic solution which increased the analyte fluorescence (337/450 nm) and eliminated fluorescence from the two campthotecin-analogs. The influence of UV exposure time and sodium hydroxide concentration was studied using an experimental design. Limit of detection was 4 × 10⁻¹⁰ mol L⁻¹ with linear fluorescence response up to 1 × 10⁻⁶ mol L⁻¹. Average recoveries of camptothecin (added to the samples to simulate a contamination) were 92 ± 4 and 94 ± 6% (n = 3) respectively in irinotecan and topotecan based pharmaceuticals.     

Review on recent and advanced applications of monoliths and related porous polymer gels in micro-fluidic devices

This review critically summarises recent novel and advanced achievements in the application of monolithic materials and related porous polymer gels in micro-fluidic devices appearing within the literature over the period of the last 5 years (2005-2010). The range of monolithic materials has developed rapidly over the past decade, with a diverse and highly versatile class of materials now available, with each exhibiting distinct porosities, pore sizes, and a wide variety of surface functionalities. A major advantage of these materials is their ease of preparation in micro-fluidic channels by in situ polymerisation, leading to monolithic materials being increasingly utilised for a larger variety of purposes in micro-fluidic platforms. Applications of porous polymer monoliths, silica-based monoliths and related homogeneous porous polymer gels in the preparation of separation columns, ion-permeable membranes, preconcentrators, extractors, electrospray emitters, micro-valves, electrokinetic pumps, micro-reactors and micro-mixers in micro-fluidic devices are discussed herein. Procedures used in the preparation of monolithic materials in micro-channels, as well as some practical aspects of the micro-fluidic chip fabrication are addressed. Recent analytical/bioanalytical and catalytic applications of the final micro-fluidic devices incorporating monolithic materials are also reviewed.     

Positive chemical ionization triple‐quadrupole mass spectrometry and ab initio computational studies of the multi‐pathway fragmentation of phthalates

We report the first positive chemical ionization (PCI) fragmentation mechanisms of phthalates using triple‐quadrupole mass spectrometry and ab initio computational studies using density functional theories (DFT). Methane PCI spectra showed abundant [M + H]⁺, together with [M + C₂H₅]⁺ and [M + C₃H₅]⁺. Fragmentation of [M + H]⁺, [M + C₂H₅]⁺ and [M + C₃H₅]⁺ involved characteristic ions at m/z 149, 177 and 189, assigned as protonated phthalic anhydride and an adduct of phthalic anhydride with C₂H₅⁺ and C₃H₅⁺, respectively. Fragmentation of these ions provided more structural information from the PCI spectra. A multi‐pathway fragmentation was proposed for these ions leading to the protonated phthalic anhydride. DFT methods were used to calculate relative free energies and to determine structures of intermediate ions for these pathways. The first step of the fragmentation of [M + C₂H₅]⁺ and [M + C₃H₅]⁺ is the elimination of [R? H] from an ester group. The second ester group undergoes either a McLafferty rearrangement route or a neutral loss elimination of ROH. DFT calculations (B3LYP, B3PW91 and BPW91) using 6‐311G(d,p) basis sets showed that McLafferty rearrangement of dibutyl, di(‐n‐octyl) and di(2‐ethyl‐n‐hexyl) phthalates is an energetically more favorable pathway than loss of an alcohol moiety. Prominent ions in these pathways were confirmed with deuterium labeled phthalates. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A Simulation of an Anion‐Induced Adsorption of Metal Ions in Pseudopolarography Using a Thin Mercury Film Covered Rotating Disk Electrode

A theory of the influence of anion‐induced adsorption of metal ions in pseudopolarography using the thin mercury film covered rotating disk electrode is developed. The model is developed assuming that the metal ion is forming several labile complexes with the ligand which is present in a great excess, and that only one complex species is adsorbed following a linear isotherm. The results obtained assuming steady‐state conditions are compared with the simulation of transient processes using Galerkin and finite difference methods. It is shown that the adsorption of metal complexes on the disk electrode surface does not prevent the determination of the stability constants.     

胆甾醇修饰羟基喹啉锌的聚集诱导荧光蓝移

用稳态光谱以及皮秒瞬态荧光光谱研究了新型有机电致发光分子胆甾醇修饰羟基喹啉锌(Zn(ChQ)2)的聚集诱导荧光蓝移性质. 在Zn(ChQ)2的极性溶剂溶液中, 分子激发后会发生从胆甾醇基团向喹啉环的光致电子转移, 转移后形成了“扭转的分子内电荷转移态”作为新的荧光发射态. 而在薄膜态中, 分子由于聚集产生空间位阻, 不能形成新的荧光发射态, 相对于极性溶剂中, 产生聚集荧光增强效应, 荧光发射峰会蓝移, 发射强度会增强. 在薄膜态中, 全波长上的超快荧光衰减说明存在分子间光致能量转移过程.     

Non‐parametric permutation test for the discrimination of float glass samples based on LIBS spectra

Laser‐induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) coupled with non‐parametric permutation based hypothesis testing is demonstrated to have good performance in discriminating float glass samples. This type of pairwise sample comparison is important in manufacturing process quality control, forensic science and other applications where determination of a match probability between two samples is required. Analysis of the pairwise comparisons between multiple LIBS spectra from a single glass sample shows that some assumptions required by parametric methods may not hold in practice, motivating the adoption of a non‐parametric permutation test. Without rigid distributional assumptions, the permutation test exhibits excellent discriminating power while holding the actual size of Type I error at the nominal level. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

顺,反式环丙烷衍生物异构体的区分

在化学电离条件下，研究了４种顺、反式环丙烷衍生物与丙酮和醋酸乙烯酸乙烯酯的分子离子反应。异构体１，２的丙酮ＣＩ谱及其加合离子「Ｍ＋Ｈ＋Ａ」的ＣＩＤ谱都 可以区分该对异构体。化合物２，３和４可以和质子化丙酮及质子化二聚体发生加合反应，但化合物１仅能与质子化丙酮发生加合反应。在醋酸乙烯酯的ＣＩ谱中，观察到４个化合物的质子化二聚体，其中异构体１，２的质子化二聚体的ＣＩＤ谱也能反映它们立体结构的差异。