Application of ultrasound‐assisted liquid–liquid microextraction coupled with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry for the rapid determination of synthetic cannabinoids and metabolites in biological samples

The constant emergence of new psychoactive substances is a challenge to clinical and forensic toxicologists who need to constantly update analytical techniques to detect them. A large portion of these substances are synthetic cannabinoids. The aim of this study was to develop a rapid and simple method for the determination of synthetic cannabinoids and their metabolites in urine and blood using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The method involves an ultrasound‐assisted dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction that implies a rapid procedure, giving excellent extraction efficiencies with minimal use of toxic solvents. This is followed by silylation and analysis with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The chromatographic method allows for the separation and identification of 29 selected synthetic cannabinoids and some metabolites. The method was validated on urine and blood samples with the ability to detect and quantify all analytes with satisfactory limits of detection (from 1 to 5 ng/mL), limits of quantification (5 ng/mL), and selectivity and linearity (in the range of 5–200 ng/mL). The developed assay is highly applicable to laboratories with limited instrumental availability, due to the use of efficient and low‐cost sample preparation and instrumental equipment. The latter may contribute to enhance the detection of new psychoactive substances in clinical and forensic toxicology laboratories.     

人造金刚石合成中黑色低磁金刚石的研究

 通过对合成金刚石的原材料和合成产物——石墨、Ni₇₀Mn₂₅Co₅触媒、普通人造金刚石、黑色人造金刚石、NiMnCoC熔体的磁化率测试,以及对黑色人造金刚石和普通人造金刚石破碎断面扫描电镜的对比分析,认为黑色人造金刚石形成低磁性的原因是由于合成过程中温度偏高、压力偏低,生长的金刚石质量差、裂纹多。晶体内夹杂了很多石墨与触媒包裹体,同时金刚石表面与金刚石晶体内的触媒包裹体之间形成贯穿性的裂纹。在金刚石化学提纯处理过程中,金刚石晶体内的铁磁性触媒包裹体杂质被通过裂纹进入的酸除去。因而在检测金刚石磁性时,黑色金刚石的磁性很小,呈弱磁性。     

Recent Progress in the Development of Indole-Based Compounds Active against Malaria,Trypanosomiasis and Leishmaniasis

Human protozoan diseases represent a serious health problem worldwide, affecting mainly people in social and economic vulnerability. These diseases have attracted little investment in drug discovery, which is reflected in the limited available therapeutic arsenal. Authorized drugs present problems such as low efficacy in some stages of the disease or toxicity, which result in undesirable side effects and treatment abandonment. Moreover, the emergence of drug-resistant parasite strains makes necessary an even greater effort to develop safe and effective antiparasitic agents. Among the chemotypes investigated for parasitic diseases, the indole nucleus has emerged as a privileged molecular scaffold for the generation of new drug candidates. In this review, the authors provide an overview of the indole-based compounds developed against important parasitic diseases, namely malaria, trypanosomiasis and leishmaniasis, by focusing on the design, optimization and synthesis of the most relevant synthetic indole scaffolds recently reported.     

丙交酯合成过程的理论及实验研究

采用密度泛函方法研究了丙交酯的合成过程, 优化了合成过程中可能出现的化合物的几何构型, 分析了各化合物的振动频率和偶极矩. 在B3LYP/6-31G*和B3LYP/6-311＋G*水平上进行了各化合物的能量计算, 得到了所设计的各模型反应的焓变和吉布斯自由能变. 结果表明, 所选择的各模型反应为吸热反应且近似可逆, 水的控制对丙交酯的形成很重要. 根据量化计算结果与丙交酯合成实验中不同阶段反应体系红外谱图的变化, 提出了丙交酯合成的可能机理.     

全无机钙钛矿量子点的合成、性质及发光二极管应用进展

近年来,全无机铯铅卤素钙钛矿(CsPb X 3,X=Cl,Br,I)量子点由于其色纯度高、具有可调谐的发射波长(410~760 nm)、窄的半峰宽(12~42 nm)和较高的荧光量子产率(最高可达95%以上)以及可全溶液处理等优势而受到人们的高度关注,在显示和照明领域有着较为广阔的应用前景。本文首先介绍了近年来发展起来的全无机钙钛矿量子点的液相合成方法,如高温热注射法、一步反应法、阴离子交换法和过饱和重结晶法等;其次介绍了全无机钙钛矿量子点的形貌、尺寸和晶型调控及材料组分、反应温度和杂质离子对其发光性能的影响,进而总结了无铅全无机钙钛矿量子点的研究进展;然后介绍了全无机钙钛矿量子点在发光二极管方面的应用进展;最后概述了全无机钙钛矿量子点在未来发展中存在的挑战和机遇。     

Structural Insights into the Design of Synthetic Nanobody Libraries

Single domain antibodies from camelids, or nanobodies, are a unique class of antibody fragments with several advantageous characteristics: small monomeric size, high stability and solubility and easy tailoring for multiple applications. Nanobodies are gaining increasing acceptance as diagnostic tools and promising therapeutic agents in cancer and other diseases. While most nanobodies are obtained from immunized animals of the camelid family, a few synthetic nanobody libraries constructed in recent years have shown the capability of generating high quality nanobodies in terms of affinity and stability. Since this synthetic approach has important advantages over the use of animals, the recent advances are indeed encouraging. Here we review over a dozen synthetic nanobody libraries reported so far and discuss the different approaches followed in their construction and validation, with an emphasis on framework and hypervariable loop design as critical issues defining their potential as high-class nanobody sources.