Latest ArticlesRacemic [18F]FBFP ([18F]1) proved to be a potent σ1 receptor radiotracer with superior imaging properties. The pure enantiomers of unlabeled compounds (S)- and (R)-1 and the corresponding iodonium ylide precursors were synthesized and characterized. The two enantiomers (S)-1 and (R)-1 exhibited comparable high affinity for σ1 receptors and selectivity over σ2 receptors. The Ca2+ fluorescence assay indicated that (R)-1 behaved as an antagonist and (S)-1 as an agonist for σ1 receptors. The 18F-labeled enantiomers (S)- and (R)-[18F]1 were obtained in > 99% enantiomeric purity from the corresponding enantiopure iodonium ylide precursors with radiochemical yield of 24.4% ± 2.6% and molar activity of 86-214 GBq/µmol. In ICR mice both (S)- and (R)-[18F]1 displayed comparable high brain uptake, brain-to-blood ratio, in vivo stability and binding specificity in the brain and peripheral organs. In micro-positron emission tomography (PET) imaging studies in rats, (S)-[18F]1 exhibited faster clearance from the brain than (R)-[18F]1, indicating different brain kinetics of the two enantiomers. Both (S)- and (R)-[18F]1 warrant further evaluation in primates to translate a single enantiomer with more suitable kinetics for imaging the σ1 receptors in humans.
Considering that cathode of microbial electrochemical system (MES) is a good electrons source for methane production via direct/indirect electron transfer to electroactive microorganisms, and that Fe(0) is also a confirmed electron donor for some electroactive microorganisms through metal-microbe direct electron transfer (DET), Fe(0)-cathode was equipped into an MES digester to enhance cathodic methane production. The results of this study indicated that the potential DET participator, Clostridium possibly obtained electrons directly from Fe(0)-cathode via metal-microbe electrons transfer, then transferred electrons directly to the definite DET participators, Methanosarcina/Methanothrix via microbe-microbe electrons transfer for CH4 production. In addition, Methanobacterium is another specially enriched methanogen on Fe(0)-cathode, which might obtain electrons directly from Fe(0)-cathode to produce CH4 via metal/electrode-microbe DET. The increment of conductivity of cathodic sludge in Fe(0)-cathode MES digester (R1) further confirmed the enrichment of electroactive microorganisms participating in DET process. As a consequence, a higher CH4 production (1205–1508 mL/d) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal (79.0%-93.8%) were achieved in R1 compared with graphite-cathode MES digester (R2, 720–1090 mL/d and 63.6%-85.6%) and the conventional anaerobic digester (R3, 384–428 mL/d and 35.2%-41.0%). In addition, energy efficiency calculated indicated that the output energy of CH4 production was 8.16 folds of electricity input in Fe(0)-cathode MES digester.
Two-dimensional (2D) covalent organic framework nanosheets (CONs) are attracting increasing research attention because of their unique properties derived from their ultrathin thickness, high surface-to-volume atomic ratio, and extremely large surface area. 2D CONs can provide high transport pathways for charge carriers (e.g., electrons, holes and ions) through either the conjugated skeletons or the open channels. Therefore, they have shown great potential in energy related applications. In this review, we firstly introduce the recent developments and characteristics of 2D CONs by focusing on the two typical synthetic methods, i.e., top-down and bottom-up methods. Then, the energy-related applications in energy storage and conversion of 2D CONs are summarized. Finally, we give our personal views on the challenges and perspectives for the future research of 2D CONs and their composites.
The nitrogen-doped carbon derived from graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) has been widely deployed in activating peroxymonosulfate (PMS) to remove organic pollutants. However, the instability of g-C3N4 at high temperature brings challenges to the preparation of materials. The nitrogen-doped graphitic carbon nanosheets (N-GC750) were synthesized by magnesium thermal denitrification. Magnesium undergoes the displacement reaction with small molecules produced by the pyrolysis of g-C3N4, thereby effectively fixing carbon on the in-situ template of Mg3N2 and avoiding direct product volatilization. N-GC750 exhibited excellent performance during the PMS activation process and bisphenol A (BPA, 0.2 g/L) could be thoroughly removed in 30 min. A wide range of pH (3–11), temperature (10–40 ℃) and common anions were employed in studying the impact on system. Additionally, N-GC750 showed satisfactory reusability in cycle tests and promising applicability in real water samples. Quenching experiments and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) measurements indicated that singlet oxygen was the main active species coupled with partial electron transfer in N-GC750/PMS system. Furtherly, the oxidation products were identified, and their ecotoxicity was evaluated. This work is expected to provide a reference for the feasibility of preparing g-C3N4 derived carbon materials and meaningful for PMS activation.
High performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry is one of the most commonly used strategies for lipid analysis. The development of versatile chromatographic stationary phases to meet the increasing demands for separation of complex lipids is very important. Styrene-maleic acid (SMA) copolymer is an amphiphilic polymer, which has been proven to have the ability to solubilize lipid molecules of various structures. In this study, styrene-maleic anhydride copolymer coated silica was first prepared by the thiol-ene click reaction. With l-cysteine hydrochloride or dodecanol as the post-modification reagents, Sil-SMA-amino acid and Sil-SMA-dodecanol stationary phase materials were further successfully fabricated via nucleophilic ring-opening reaction. The Fourier-transform infrared, thermogravimetric analysis, and elemental analysis results confirmed the two stationary phase materials were successfully prepared. Furthermore, both the Sil-SMA-dodecanol column and the Sil-SMA-amino acid column possessed reversed-phase/hydrophilic interaction/ion exchange mixed-mode retention mechanisms. The column efficiency of the Sil-SMA-derivatives columns reached 77,300 N/m. Based on the mixed-mode retention characteristics, the Sil-SMA-derivatives columns achieved both the lipid classes and species separation via a single column. The Sil-SMA-amino acid column was further successfully used to separate lipid extract from gastric cancer cell membrane. All these results demonstrated that the SMA-based stationary phase materials have a good potential for use in lipid separation.
Nicotine ingested from smoking exerts neuroprotection and developmental neurotoxicity in central nervous system. It can produce several changes of cognitive behaviors through regulating the release of different neurotransmitters in the brain. However, the effects of nicotine exposure or withdrawal on neurotransmitter metabolism of hippocampus are still unclear. In this study, we real-time evaluated the dynamic alterations in neurotransmitter metabolism of hippocampal neuronal (HT22) cells induced by nicotine exposure and withdrawal at relevant exposure levels of smoking and secondhand smoke by using a microfluidic chip-coupled with liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (MC-LC-MS) system. We found HT22 cells mainly released related neurotransmitters of tryptophan and choline metabolism, both nicotine exposure and withdraw altered its neurotransmitters and their metabolites release. Exposure to nicotine mainly altered the secretion of serotonin, kynurenic acid, choline and acetylcholine of HT22 cells to improve hippocampal dependent cognition, and the change are closely related to the dose and duration of exposure. Moreover, the altered metabolites could rapidly recover after nicotine withdrawal, but picolinic acid was elevated. MC-LC-MS system used in present study showed a greater advantage to detect unstable metabolites than conventional method by using in vitro model, and the results of dynamic alterations of neurotransmitter metabolism induced by nicotine might provide a potential targets for drug development of neuroprotection or cognitive improvement.
Aggregation-induced emission (AIE) based luminescent materials are generating intensive interest due to their unique fluorescence in the aggregation state. Herein we report a strategy of dynamic covalent chemistry (DCC) controlled AIE luminogens for the regulation of multicolor emission in reversible covalent polymer networks. Tetraphenylethene derived ring-chain tautomers were prepared, and the emission was readily controlled through multimode, such as changing the solvent, adding the base, and dynamic covalent reactions with amines. Moreover, the construction of dynamic covalent cross-linked luminescent hydrogels with tunable fluorescent, self-healing, and mechanical properties, was realized. The combination of AIE and aggregation-caused quenching (ACQ) fluorophores in the polymer network further enabled the realization of a multicolor modulator, including white emission, in both solution and gel states. The strategies and results presented should find utility in dynamic assemblies, polymer networks, chemical sensing, and responsive materials.
The thermal decomposition of AgNO3 is known to produce metallic Ag, but single-atomic dispersion is hard to achieve instead of the aggregation state of nanoparticles. Herein, we develop an efficient approach to thermally generate and stabilize single Ag atoms via the coordination effect. Two desired Co-Ag phosphonates [Ag2ⅠCo2Ⅲ(notpH3)2(NO3)]X [X = NO3− (1) or ClO4− (2)] were synthesized by solid-phase grinding method or solution crystallization. Both crystal structures reveal slightly different packing arrangements of various lattice anions and identical one-dimensional (1-D) coordination chains, formed in each case by the coordination of Ag(Ⅰ) to the metalloligand Co(notpH3) and NO3− anion. The number of Ag(Ⅰ) ions connected to each NO3− anion reduces from 5 in bulk AgNO3 to 2 in compounds 1 and 2, leading to the AgNO3 component stepwise decomposition at a lower temperature (< 300 ℃). During the thermal decomposition, the changes of supermolecular structures and Ag oxidation states were monitored by PXRD, IR and XAFS measurements. The most interesting finding is that 1 and 2 can retain chain structures and harvest Ag(0) atoms in the chain by controlling decomposition temperatures (220 ℃ for 1 and 254 ℃ for 2).
Dendrite growth in lithium-ion batteries may bring thermal run-away especially at high current densities, which remains the major bottleneck to implement safe and fast charging for portable electronic devices or electronical vehicles. Designing dendrite inhibition separators with proper pore size is considered to be one of the most promising strategies to guarantee the battery safety. However, due to the impossible observation of lithium-ion distribution under separator by experiments, the underlying dendrite inhibition mechanism is still not fully understood. Here, we apply the phase-field model, which takes the separator phase into account to construct the electrochemical system total free energy, to study the ion re-distribution behavior of porous separator and understand the pore size inhibition effect on lithium dendrite. The numerical results indicate that separator with smaller pore size is beneficial to smoother electrodeposition, since the lithium-ion concentration on the electrode surface is more uniform under denser separator pores, when their sizes is larger than the critical nucleus. The proposed model could capture the physicochemical process of electrodeposition under multiphase structures, so it could also be used to explore dendrite growth under composite electrodes and composite solid electrolytes.
Understanding the impact of substituents on the quantum interference effect at single molecule scale is of great importance for the design of molecular devices. In this work, three platinum(Ⅱ) complexes with –H, –NH2 and –NO2 groups on conductive backbones were designed and synthesized. Single-molecule conductance, which was measured using scanning tunnelling microscope break junction (STM-BJ) technique, demonstrated a conductance freeze phenomenon under the variation of substituents. Theoretical study revealed that, despite the electronic effect of the substituents shifting the energy level of molecular orbital, the quantum interference effect vanished the influence of electronic effect on the conductance and eventually leaded to the conductance freeze.