Enhanced photoactivity of CdS nanorods by MXene and ZnSnO3: Application in photoelectrochemical biosensor for the effect of environmental pollutants on DNA hydroxymethylation in wheat tissues

The photoactivity of CdS nanorods was greatly improved by amino functionalized accordion-like MXene and spherical ZnSnO₃. MXene possesses good electron transfer capability and ZnSnO₃ presents matched energy band with CdS, which deeply accelerate the electron transfer and prevent the recombination of photogenerated electron-hole pair, leading to a strong photoelectrochemical (PEC) response. Taking the merit of the improved photoactivity of CdS nanorods, a novel PEC biosensor was constructed for DNA hydromethylation detection based on immune recognition of target molecule, where 5-hydroxymethyl-2′-deoxycytidine triphosphate (5hmdCTP) was employed as detect target, CdS/MXene was used as photoactive material, and ZnSnO₃ was adopted as signal amplification unit. Under enzymatic covalent reaction of –CH₂OH of 5hmdCTP with –NH₂ of MXene, 5hmdCTP was specifically recognized and captured. Then, taking advantages of the covalent reaction between phosphate group of 5hmdCTP and ZnSnO₃, the signal amplification unit was captured. Under the optimum conditions, this PEC biosensor presents wide linear range of 0.008–100 nM and low detection limit of 4.21 pM (3σ). The applicability of the developed method was evaluated by investigating the effect of Cd²⁺ and perfluorohexane compound pollutant on 5-hydroxymethylcytosine content in the genomic DNA of the roots and leaves of wheat seedlings.     

Fluorometric determination of microRNA based on strand displacement amplification and rolling circle amplification

The authors describe a fluorometric assay for microRNA. It is based on two-step amplification involving (a) strand displacement replication and (b) rolling circle amplification. The strand displacement amplification system is making use of template DNA (containing a sequence that is complementary to microRNA-21) and nicking enzyme sites. After hybridization, the microRNA strand becomes extended by DNA polymerase chain reaction and then cleaved by the nicking enzyme. The DNA thus produced acts as a primer in rolling circle amplification. Then, the DNA probe SYBR Green II is added to bind to ssDNA to generate a fluorescent signal which increases with increasing concentration of microRNA. The method has a wide detection range that covers the10 f. to 0.1 nM microRNA concentration range and has a detection limit as low as 1.0 fM. The method was successfully applied to the determination of microRNA-21 in the serum of healthy and breast cancer patients.

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Graphical abstract Schematic of a fluorometric microRNA assay based on two-step amplification involving strand displacement replication and rolling circle amplification. DNA probe SYBR Green II is then bound to ssDNA to generate a fluorescent signal which increases with increasing concentration of microRNA.

     

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ARTIFICIAL AND COMMERCIAL PIPES IN TRANSITION ZONE1)

管路沿程损失是教学中要讲的内容。其中在过渡粗糙区,人工管和商业管的沿程损失系数存在差异。本文对此差异做了初步分析。从学生对此差异的理解和表面粗糙度的含义两方面探讨了表面粗糙度对此差异的影响。量化探讨表面粗糙度在过渡粗糙区的作用仍是个问题。     

Enzyme-based electrochemical biosensor for sensitive detection of DNA demethylation and the activity of DNA demethylase

A novel electrochemical method is developed for detection of DNA demethylation and assay of DNA demethylase activity. This method is constructed by hybridizing the probe with biotin tagged hemi-methylated complementary DNA and further capturing streptavidin tagged alkaline phosphatase (SA-ALP) to catalyze the hydrolysis reaction of p-nitrophenyl phosphate. The hydrolysate of p-nitrophenol (PNP) is then used as electrochemical probe for detecting DNA demethylation and assaying the activity of DNA demethylase. Demethylation of target DNA initiates a degradation reaction of the double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) by restriction endonuclease of BstUI. It makes the failed immobilization of ALP, resulting in a decreased electrochemical oxidation signal of PNP. Through the change of this electrochemical signal, the DNA demethylation is identified and the activity of DNA demethylase is analyzed with low detection limit of 1.3 ng mL⁻¹. This method shows the advantages of simple operation, cheap and miniaturized instrument, high selectivity. Thus, it provides a useful platform for detecting DNA demethylation, analyzing demethylase activity and screening inhibited drug.     

Aptamer based voltammetric determination of ampicillin using a single-stranded DNA binding protein and DNA functionalized gold nanoparticles

An aptamer based method is described for the electrochemical determination of ampicillin. It is based on the use of DNA aptamer, DNA functionalized gold nanoparticles (DNA-AuNPs), and single-stranded DNA binding protein (ssDNA-BP). When the aptamer hybridizes with the target DNA on the AuNPs, the ssDNA-BP is captured on the electrode surface via its specific interaction with ss-DNA. This results in a decreased electrochemical signal of the redox probe Fe(CN)₆ ^3? which is measured best at a voltage of 0.188 mV (vs. reference electrode). In the presence of ampicillin, the formation of aptamer-ampicillin conjugate blocks the further immobilization of DNA-AuNPs and ssDNA-BP, and this leads to an increased response. The method has a linear reposne that convers the 1 pM to 5 nM ampicillin concentration range, with a 0.38 pM detection limit (at an S/N ratio of 3). The assay is selective, stable and reproducible. It was applied to the determination of ampicillin in spiked milk samples where it gave recoveries ranging from 95.5 to 105.5%.

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Graphical abstract Schematic of a simple and sensitive electrochemical apta-biosensor for ampicillin detection. It is based on the use of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), DNA aptamer, DNA functionalized AuNPs (DNA-AuNPs), and single-strand DNA binding protein (SSBP).

     

A novel photoelectrochemical biosensor for protein kinase activity assay based on phosphorylated graphite-like carbon nitride

Protein kinases are general and significant regulators in the cell signaling pathway, and it is still greatly desired to achieve simple and quick kinase detection. Herein, we develop a simple and sensitive photoelectrochemical strategy for the detection of protein kinase activity based on the bond between phosphorylated peptide and phosphorylated graphite-like carbon nitride (P-g-C₃N₄) conjugates triggered by Zr⁴⁺ ion coordination. Under optimal conditions, the increased photocurrent is proportional to the protein kinase A (PKA) concentration ranging from 0.05 to 50 U/mL with a detection limit of 0.077 U/mL. Moreover, this photoelectrochemical assay can be also applied to quantitative analysis of kinase inhibition. The results indicated that the IC₅₀ value (inhibitor concentration producing 50% inhibitor) for ellagic acid was 9.1 μM. Moreover, the developed method is further applied to detect PKA activity in real samples, which contains serum from healthy person and gastric cancer patients and breast tissue from healthy person and breast cancer patients. Therefore, the established protocol provides a new and simple tool for assay of kinase activity and its inhibitors with low cost and high sensitivity.     

Design,Synthesis and Antitumor Activity of Novel 6,7-Dimethoxyquinazoline Derivatives Containing Diaryl Urea Moiety

A series of 6,7-dimethoxyquinazoline derivatives connected by diaryl urea scaffolds was designed, synthesized and their in vitro antitumor activities were evaluated. Most of them showed an excellent potency against the four tested cancer cell lines as compared with sorafenib. Particularly, a promising compound 20 was identified, which showed the most potent antitumor activities with IC₅₀ values of 0.08, 0.09, 0.16 and 0.19 μmol/L against H460, HT-29, MKN-45 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines, respectively. The structure-activity relationship(SAR) analysis indicated that compounds with dimethylamino or diethylamino group at the C4 position of 6,7-dimethoxyquinazoline moiety exhibited superior activities than compounds bearing morpholino groups.     

沉水植物对受重金属镉、锌污染的水体底泥的修复效果

为了探究常见沉水植物对水体底泥中重金属污染的富集效果,选取浙江水域较为常见的3种沉水植物苦草（Vallisneria natans （Lour.） Hara）、黑藻（Hydrilla verticillata（Linn.f.） Royle）、金鱼藻（Ceratophyllum demersum L.）,在模拟天然水体环境中,将3种沉水植物培养在含有重金属Cd、Zn的底泥中生长一个生活周期.依据沉水植物对重金属Cd、Zn的富集量和生物-沉积物生物富集因子（biota-sediment accumulation factor,BSAF）等指标,筛选出对2种重金属元素富集效果较好的沉水植物,为受重金属污染底泥生态修复的植物选择提供一定的参考.结果表明：3种沉水植物对重金属Cd、Zn的耐受性均较强,同时对重金属Cd、Zn都有较高的富集能力,生物富集因子大于1,对底泥中的Cd、Zn均具有较好的祛除效果;由相关分析可知,3种沉水植物体中的Cd、Zn的质量分数与其根部底泥中Cd、Zn的质量分数呈极显著的负相关（p<0.01）,因此这3种植物均可作为重金属Cd、Zn污染的修复物种.苦草对重金属Cd、Zn的富集量及BSAF均大于黑藻和金鱼藻,对重金属Cd的富集量分别达到了黑藻和金鱼藻的1.90和3.02倍.因此可考虑苦草作为水体底泥Cd、Zn复合污染生态修复的先锋物种.     

Determination aminopyrine in pharmaceutical formulations based on APTS-Fe3O4 nanoparticles modified glassy carbon electrode

In this work, 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane modified Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles (ATPS-Fe₃O₄) were used to modify glassy carbon electrode for aminopyrine determination. ATPS-Fe₃O₄ showed obviously catalytic activity and adsorptivity towards aminopyrine oxidation proven by the increased oxidation peak current and the decreased oxidation peak potential. The best analytical response was obtained by immobilizing 8 μL 3 mg/mL APTS-Fe₃O₄ dispersion with an accumulation time of 200 s at −0.2 V in 0.1 M phosphate buffer solution (pH 9.0). The oxidation peak current of aminopyrine showed linear relationship with its concentration in the range from 0.5 to 100 and 100 to 1600 μM. The detection limit was 0.1 μM (S/N = 3). The proposed method showed satisfactory repeatability and anti-interference ability. The fabricated electrode was successfully applied to determine aminopyrine in pharmaceutical formulations.     

Electrochemical oxidation behavior of 2,4-dinitrophenol at hydroxylapatite film-modified glassy carbon electrode and its determination in water samples

Hydroxylapatite (HAP)-modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was fabricated and used to investigate the electrochemical oxidation behavior of 2,4-dinitrophenol (2,4-DNP) by cyclic voltammetry, differential pulse voltammetry, and chronocoulometry. The oxidation peak current of 2,4-DNP at the modified electrode was obviously increased compared with the bare GCE, indicating that HAP exhibits a remarkable enhancement effect on the electrochemical oxidation of 2,4-DNP. Based on this, a sensitive and simple electrochemical method was proposed for the determination of 2,4-DNP. The effects of HAP concentration, accumulation time, accumulation potential, pH, and scan rate were examined. Under optimal conditions, the oxidation peak current of 2,4-DNP was proportional to its concentration in the range from 2.0 × 10⁻⁶ to 6.0 × 10⁻⁴ M with a correlation coefficient of 0.9987. The detection limit was 7.5 × 10⁻⁷ M (S/N = 3). The proposed method was further applied to determine 2,4-DNP in water samples with recoveries from 96.75% to 106.50%.