Preparation of Monodomain Liquid Crystal Elastomers and Liquid Crystal Elastomer Nanocomposites

LCEs are shape-responsive materials with fully reversible shape change and potential applications in medicine, tissue engineering, artificial muscles, and as soft robots. Here, we demonstrate the preparation of shape-responsive liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) and LCE nanocomposites along with characterization of their shape-responsiveness, mechanical properties, and microstructure. Two types of LCEs — polysiloxane-based and epoxy-based — are synthesized, aligned, and characterized. Polysiloxane-based LCEs are prepared through two crosslinking steps, the second under an applied load, resulting in monodomain LCEs. Polysiloxane LCE nanocomposites are prepared through the addition of conductive carbon black nanoparticles, both throughout the bulk of the LCE and to the LCE surface. Epoxy-based LCEs are prepared through a reversible esterification reaction. Epoxy-based LCEs are aligned through the application of a uniaxial load at elevated (160 °C) temperatures. Aligned LCEs and LCE nanocomposites are characterized with respect to reversible strain, mechanical stiffness, and liquid crystal ordering using a combination of imaging, two-dimensional X-ray diffraction measurements, differential scanning calorimetry, and dynamic mechanical analysis. LCEs and LCE nanocomposites can be stimulated with heat and/or electrical potential to controllably generate strains in cell culture media, and we demonstrate the application of LCEs as shape-responsive substrates for cell culture using a custom-made apparatus.     

鬼臼素衍生物Vp—16和Vm—26合成副产物之结构和机理研究

本文报导了以4′-去甲表鬼臼素-4-β-D-葡萄糖甙分别与二甲醇缩乙醛和噻吩甲醛反应合成抗肿瘤药物依托泊甙(Vp-16)和替尼泊甙(Vm-26)中得到的两个主要副产物Vp-x和Vm-x的结构鉴定,并对其反应机理进行了探讨。     

Development of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens as a high-level recombinant protein expression system

Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology - Bacillus amyloliquefaciens K11 is a hyperproducer of extracellular neutral protease, which can produce recombinant homologous protein...     

In search of potent and selective inhibitors of neuronal nitric oxide synthase with more simple structures

In certain neurodegenerative diseases damaging levels of nitric oxide (NO) are produced by neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS). It, therefore, is important to develop inhibitors selective for nNOS that do not interfere with other NOS isoforms, especially endothelial NOS (eNOS), which is critical for proper functioning of the cardiovascular system. While we have been successful in developing potent and isoform-selective inhibitors, such as lead compounds 1 and 2, the ease of synthesis and bioavailability have been problematic. Here we describe a new series of compounds including crystal structures of NOS-inhibitor complexes that integrate the advantages of easy synthesis and good biological properties compared to the lead compounds. These results provide the basis for additional structure–activity relationship (SAR) studies to guide further improvement of isozyme selective inhibitors.