Fast analysis of triterpenoids in Ganoderma lucidum spores by ultra‐performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry

A rapid and reliable method was established for simultaneous determination of main triterpenoids in Ganoderma lucidum spores using ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (UPLC‐TQ‐MS). The established method was validated in terms of linearity, sensitivity, precision, accuracy and stability, and was successfully applied to determine the contents of 10 main triterpenoids in different batches of G. lucidum spores. The analysis results showed that moderate levels of triterpenoids were found in G. lucidum spores. In addition, a MS full scan with a daughter ion scan experiment was performed to identify the potential derivatives of triterpenoids present in G. lucidum spores. As a result, a total of 22 triterpenoids from different G. lucidum spores were unequivocally or tentatively identified via comparisons with authentic standards and literatures. This method provides both qualitative and quantitative results without the need for repetitive UPLC‐MS analyses, thereby increasing efficiency and productivity, making it suitable for high‐throughput applications. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Evolution of downsized crescent-shaped dune in wind tunnel experiment

The migration of a downsized crescent-shaped dune was investigated in a wind tunnel experiment.Quantified upwind influx and vertical oscillation of the sand bed were introduced to modulate the saturation level of the sand flux above the dune surface to affect dune evolution.The evolution was recorded by top-view photography and then abstracted as the evolution of self-defined characteristic quantities using a digital image processing algorithm.The results showed that,in contrast to the case for spanwise quantities,the evolution of streamwise quantities corresponds to a linear increase in the modulation magnitude more positively and in a monotonic and convergent manner.In contrast with quantities on the windward face,the changes in quantities with respect to the horns were nonmonotonic with time and almost uncorrelated with the variation in modulation strength,which reveals the distinctiveness of leeside evolution.     

New insights into water‐soluble and water‐coordinated copper 15‐metallacrown‐5 gadolinium complexes designed for high‐field magnetic resonance imaging applications

The development of contrast agents specifically designed for high‐field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is required because the relaxation efficiency of classic Gd(III) contrast agents significantly decreases with increasing magnetic field strengths. With an idea of exploring the unique structure of lanthanide (Ln) 15‐MC‐5 metallacrowns, we developed a series of water‐soluble Gd(III) aqua‐complexes, bearing aminohydroxamate (glycine, α‐alanine, α‐phenylalanine and α‐tyrosine) ligands, with increasing number of water molecules directly coordinated to the Gd(III) ion: Gd(H₂O)₄[15‐MC_Cu(II)Glyha‐5](Cl)₃ ( 1 (Gd)), Gd(H₂O)₄[15‐MC_Cu(II)Alaha‐5](Cl)₃ ( 2 (Gd)), Gd(H₂O)₃[15‐MC_{Cu(II)Phalaha}‐5](Cl)₃ ( 3 (Gd)) and Gd(H₂O)₃[15‐MC_Cu(II)Tyrha‐5](Cl)₃ ( 4 (Gd)). In these systems, the Ln(III) central ion is coordinated by five oxygen donor atoms of the ligands and three or four inner‐sphere water molecules. The X‐ray crystal structure of metallacrown Ln(H₂O)_3,4[15‐MC_Cu(II)Rha‐5]³⁺ agrees with density functional theory predictions. The calculations demonstrate that the exchange of coordinated water molecules can proceed easily, resulting in increased relaxivity parameters. The longitudinal relaxivities (r₁) of 1 (Gd)– 4 (Gd) in water at ultrahigh magnetic field of 9.4 T were determined to be 11.5, 14.8, 13.9 and 12.2 mM^?1 s^?1, respectively. The ability to increase the number of Ln(III) inner‐sphere water molecules up to four, the planar metallacrown structure and the rich hydration shell due to strong hydrogen bonds between the [15‐MC‐5] moiety and bulk water molecules provide new opportunities for potential MRI applications.     

福建省首届大学生化学实验邀请赛无机及分析化学实验试题解析

介绍了福建省首届大学生化学实验邀请赛无机及分析化学实验的命题思路、试题原题及评分规则,并对实验中存在的问题及成绩进行了总结分析。     

Magnetic‐based picolinaldehyde–melamine copper complex for the one‐pot synthesis of hexahydroquinolines via Hantzsch four‐component reactions

A picolinaldehyde–melamine copper complex was loaded on a magnetic Fe₃O₄ core, so that it contained 0.33 mmol of Cu per gram, and was used as an efficient catalyst. The as‐synthesized catalyst was characterized using various techniques, including Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction, energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, vibrating sample magnetometry and thermogravimetric analysis. The catalyst was used to activate the raw materials in the synthesis of hexahydroquinoline derivatives in one‐pot four‐component reactions. Low reaction time (minutes versus half an hour), solvent‐free condition and magnetically separable catalyst are some salient features of the developed catalyst. Also, the optimum amount of catalyst and temperature were determined as 0.07 g and 87.6 °C, respectively, which were obtained using response surface methodology and optimization techniques.     

Molecule motion at polymer brush interfaces from single‐molecule experimental perspectives

Polymer brushes have been widely used as functional surface coatings for broad applications including antifouling, energy storage, and lubrications. Understanding the molecule dynamics at polymer brush interfaces is important in unraveling the structure–property relationships in these materials and establishing a new materials design paradigm of novel functional polymer thin films with efficient interfacial transport. By applying modern fluorescence‐based single‐molecule spectroscopic and microscopic techniques, molecule dynamics at varied polymer brush interfaces have been experimentally investigated in recent years. New insights are given to the understandings of some unique and unusual materials properties of polymer brush thin films. This review summarizes some recent studies of molecular diffusion at polymer brush interfaces, highlights some new understandings of the interfacial properties of polymer brushes, and discusses future research opportunities in this field. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci. Part B: Polym. Phys. 2014 , 52, 85–103     

Determination of gadolinium-based MRI contrast agents in biological and environmental samples: A review

The development of analytical methods and strategies to determine gadolinium and its complexes in biological and environmental matrices is evaluated in this review.     

Recent Progress on Manganese-Based Nanostructures as Responsive MRI Contrast Agents

Manganese-based nanostructured contrast agents (CAs) entered the field of medical diagnosis through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) some years ago. Although some of these Mn-based CAs behave as classic T₁ contrast enhancers in the same way as clinical Gd-based molecules do, a new type of Mn nanomaterials have been developed to improve MRI sensitivity and potentially gather new functional information from tissues by using traditional T₁ contrast enhanced MRI. These nanomaterials have been designed to respond to biological environments, mainly to pH and redox potential variations. In many cases, the differences in signal generation in these responsive Mn-based nanostructures come from intrinsic changes in the magnetic properties of Mn cations depending on their oxidation state. In other cases, no changes in the nature of Mn take place, but rather the nanomaterial as a whole responds to the change in the environment through different mechanisms, including changes in integrity and hydration state. This review focusses on the chemistry and MR performance of these responsive Mn-based nanomaterials.     

InSb红外探测器芯片粘接工艺研究

基于InSb红外探测器的封装特点,采用正交试验法研究了芯片粘接过程中基板平整度、粘接剂抽真空时间、配胶时间、固化条件等工艺参数对芯片性能及可靠性的影响。通过计算极差和方差分析了各因素对芯片可靠性的影响大小。结果表明,固化条件对粘接后芯片的性能影响最大,其次是配胶时间,而抽真空时间和基板平整度影响相对较小。针对极差分析得出的较优参数组合和较差参数组合,利用X射线衍射(XRD)研究了不同参数组合对晶片粘接的应力大小,所得结果与正交试验一致。     

Complexation of gadolinium(III) ions on top of nanometre-sized magnetoliposomes

The complex of diethylenetriaminepentaacetate (DTPA) with the paramagnetic gadolinium ion [Gd(III)] is a well-known blood pool contrast agent for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). To obtain MRI pictures from other anatomical structures, for instance from tissues containing cells with phagocytic activity, larger colloidal complexes have to be constructed. Therefore, in view of modifying the physiological behaviour, the DTPA chelate was first hydrophobized by covalently linking it to phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), and the resulting conjugate was then incorporated into nanometre-sized, sonicated phospholipid vesicles. Qualitative information on the affinity of the PE–DTPA derivative for Gd(III) ions was derived from competition experiments using the dye Arsenazo. Furthermore, it was found that only the membranotropic adducts residing in the outer shell of the vesicle bilayer are accessible to the lanthanide ion. The vesicular particulate was also used as a vehicle to transport PE–DTPA into the coating of so-called magnetoliposomes which consist of nanometre-sized iron oxide cores onto which a phospholipid bilayer is strongly chemisorbed. After loading the resulting structures with Gd(III), this new type of magnetoliposome may offer unique potentialities as a novel bi-label MRI contrast medium.