Synthesis,characterization, and micellization of an epoxy‐based amphiphilic diblock copolymer of ϵ‐caprolactone and glycidyl methacrylate by enzymatic ring‐opening polymerization and atom transfer radical polymerization

Amphiphilic diblock copolymer polycaprolactone‐block‐poly(glycidyl methacrylate) (PCL‐b‐PGMA) was synthesized via enzymatic ring‐opening polymerization (eROP) and atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). Methanol first initiated eROP of ?‐caprolactone (?‐CL) in the presence of biocatalyst Novozyme‐435 under anhydrous conditions. The resulting monohydroxyl‐terminated polycaprolactone (PCL–OH) was subsequently converted to a bromine‐ended macroinitiator (PCL–Br) for ATRP by esterification with α‐bromopropionyl bromide. PCL‐b‐PGMA diblock copolymers were synthesized in a subsequent ATRP of glycidyl methacrylate (GMA). A kinetic analysis of ATRP indicated a living/controlled radical process. The macromolecular structures were characterized for PCL–OH, PCL–Br, and the block copolymers by means of nuclear magnetic resonance, gel permeation chromatography, and infrared spectroscopy. Differential scanning calorimetry and wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction analyses indicated that the copolymer composition (?‐CL/GMA) had a great influence on the thermal properties. The well‐defined, amphiphilic diblock copolymer PCL‐b‐PGMA self‐assembled into nanoscale micelles in aqueous solutions, as investigated by dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 5037–5049, 2007     

Radiation patterns of electric dipole antenna in the presence of a biisotropic sphere

Analytic expressions of the dyadic Green's function of an arbitrary electric current source embedded in a general biisotropic sphere are presented at first, and the radiation characteristics of an electric dipole antenna placed on the surface of a biisotropic sphere lens are examined. The effects of the electric-and the magnetic-coefficients ( _e and _m ) of biisotropic medium on the radiation patterns of electric dipole antenna are investigated in detail.     

A NEW ONE-STEP REDUCTIVE N-ALKYLATION OF AMINO ACIDS AND THEIR ESTERS

The reductive alkylation of amine with carbonyl compounds usingsodium hydrogen telluride has been investigated in recent years.Application of this method to the synthesis of N-alkyl derivativesof biologically important amino acids and their esters is described.     

X射线荧光光谱(XRF)法测定绿泥石中镁、铝、硅、磷、钾、钙、钛、铁元素含量

建立了X射线荧光光谱法测定绿泥石中镁、铝、硅、磷、钾、钙、钛、铁元素含量的快速分析方法。以标准物质及标准物质与基准试剂氧化镁、氧化钙人工混合配制标样的方法建立标准工作曲线,重点讨论了熔剂和脱模剂的选取。最佳熔样条件：采用8.0g四硼酸锂和偏硼酸锂混合熔剂(质量比67: 33)+0.8g样品并添加溴化锂作为脱模剂,熔样温度1100℃,熔样时间10min。该方法相对标准偏差(n=12)均小于5.57%,绿泥石样品测定结果与化学法一致,硅酸盐标准物质测定结果均满足不确定度要求。     

Non-covalent reconfigurable microgel colloidosomes with a well-defined bilayer shell

Microgels are extremely interfacially active and are widely used to stabilize emulsions. However, they are commonly used to stabilize oil-in-water emulsions due to their intrinsic hydrophilicity and initially dispersed in water. In addition, there have been no attempts to control microgel structural layers that are formed at the interface and as a result it limits applications of microgel in advanced materials. Here, we show that by introducing octanol into poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-methacrylic acid) (PNIPAM-co-MAA) microgels, octanol-swollen microgels can rapidly diffuse from the initially dispersed oil phase onto the water droplet surface. This facilitates the formation of microgel-laden interfacial layers with strong elastic responses and also generates stable inverse water-in-oil Pickering emulsions. These emulsions can be used as templates to produce microgel colloidosomes, herein termed ‘microgelsomes’, with shells that can be fine-tuned from a particle monolayer to a well-defined bilayer. The microgelsomes can then be used to encapsulate and/or anchor nanoparticles, proteins, vitamin C, bio-based nanocrystals or enzymes. Moreover, the programmed release of these substances can be achieved by using ethanol as a trigger to mediate shell permeability. Thus, these reconfigurable microgelsomes with a microgel-bilayer shell can respond to external stimuli and demonstrate tailored properties, which offers novel insights into microgels and promise wider application of Pickering emulsions stabilized by soft colloids.

Inverse W/O Pickering emulsions and reconfigurable microgelsomes with a well-defined bilayer structure are prepared from octanol-swollen PNIPAM-co-MAA microgels and the combination of binary microgels, which promise wider application of soft colloids.     

A Comprehensive Review of Rosmarinic Acid: From Phytochemistry to Pharmacology and Its New Insight

Polyphenolic acids are the widely occurring natural products in almost each herbal plant, among which rosmarinic acid (RA, C₁₈H₁₆O₈) is well-known, and is present in over 160 species belonging to many families, especially the Lamiaceae. Aside from this herbal ingredient, dozens of its natural derivatives have also been isolated and characterized from many natural plants. In recent years, with the increasing focus on the natural products as alternative treatments, a large number of pharmacological studies have been carried out to demonstrate the various biological activities of RA such as anti-inflammation, anti-oxidation, anti-diabetes, anti-virus, anti-tumor, neuroprotection, hepatoprotection, etc. In addition, investigations concerning its biosynthesis, extraction, analysis, clinical applications, and pharmacokinetics have also been performed. Although many achievements have been made in various research aspects, there still exist some problems or issues to be answered, especially its toxicity and bioavailability. Thus, we hope that in the case of natural products, the present review can not only provide a comprehensive understanding on RA covering its miscellaneous research fields, but also highlight some of the present issues and future perspectives worth investigating later, in order to help us utilize this polyphenolic acid more efficiently, widely, and safely.     

A Novel Gelatin-Based Sustained-Release Molluscicide for Control of the Invasive Agricultural Pest and Disease Vector Pomacea canaliculata

Pomacea canaliculata, one of the 100 most destructive invasive species in the world, and it is an important intermediate host of Angiostrongylus cantonensis. The molluscicides in current use are an effective method for controlling snails. However, most molluscicides have no slow-release effect and are toxic to nontarget organisms. Thus, these molluscicides cannot be used on a large scale to effectively act on snails. In this study, gelatin, a safe and nontoxic substance, was combined with sustained-release molluscicide and was found to reduce the toxicity of niclosamide to nontarget organisms. We assessed the effects of gelatin and molluscicide in controlling P. canaliculata snails and eggs. The results demonstrated that the niclosamide retention time with 1.0% and 1.5% gelatin sustained-release agents reached 20 days. Additionally, the mortality rate of P. canaliculata and their eggs increased as the concentration of the niclosamide sustained-release agents increased. The adult mortality rate of P. canaliculata reached 50% after the snails were exposed to gelatin with 0.1 mg/L niclosamide for 48 h. The hatching rate of P. canaliculata was only 28.5% of the normal group after the treatment was applied. The sustained-release molluscicide at this concentration was less toxic to zebrafish, which means that this molluscicide can increase the safety of niclosamide to control P. canaliculata in aquatic environments. In this study, we explored the safety of using niclosamide sustained-release agents with gelatin against P. canaliculata. The results suggest that gelatin is an ideal sustained-release agent that can provide a foundation for subsequent improvements in control of P. canaliculata.     

Precise electro-reduction of alkyl halides for radical defluorinative alkylation

Reported here is a precise electro-reduction strategy for radical defluorinative alkylation towards the synthesis of gem-difluoroalkenes from α-trifluoromethylstyrenes. According to the redox-potential difference of the radical precursors, direct or indirect electrolysis is respectively adopted to realize the precise reduction. An easy-to-handle, catalyst-and metal-free condition is developed for the reduction of alkyl radical precursors that are generally easier to be reduced than α-trifluorome...     

On the non-symmetric planar aligned NLC cell

The planar aligned nematic liquid crystal cell with different anchoring for the two substrates (i.e. a non-symmetric NLC cell) is investigated by an analytical method. We deduce the basic equations and the boundary conditions of the tilt angle θ of the LC director. Expressions for threshold and saturation magnetic field are obtained, and numerical results of these two quantities with variation in anchoring parameters of the two substrates are given. A symmetry breaking parameter Δ is introduced and the relations between Δ and applied field, as well as the two sets of anchoring parameters are discussed in detail. A feasible experimental plan for measurement of anchoring strengths of a series of different substrates is proposed.