前言:化学热力学专刊

<正>化学热力学是物理化学和热力学的一个重要分支学科,其利用热力学原理研究物质体系中的化学现象和规律,根据物质体系的宏观可测性质和热力学函数关系判断体系的稳定性、变化方向和变化的程度.学科交叉发展对化学热力学不断提出新的、更高的要求,化学热力学研究目前已涵盖溶液化学热力学、热化学、相平衡、热分析、统计热力学与分子模拟、生物化学热力学、材料化学热力学、绿色化学热力学、胶体界面化学热力学、能源化学热力学等方向.发展化学热力学理论、方法和手段,解决多年来一直没有解决的重要化学热力学难题,     

前言

<正>化学热力学是物理化学的重要分支学科.化学热力学应用热力学原理研究物质体系中的化学现象和规律,依据体系的宏观可测性质和热力学函数关系判断体系的稳定性、变化的方向和变化的程度.相平衡、化学平衡、热平衡、分子构象的稳定性、分子间的聚集与解离平衡等许多重要问题都需要用化学热力学的原理和方法进行判断和解决.化学热力学的主要特点是具有坚实的理论基础,其原理具有高度的可靠性和普适性,因此对理论研究和实际应用都有重要指导意义.化学热力学的研究范畴决定了它与化学乃至化学学科以外的其     

化学热力学中微积分的引入及其意义

从微积分在化学热力学理论中的应用角度出发,介绍微积分是如何被引入到化学热力学中。归纳了化学热力学状态函数的数学特性,讨论了一些重要基本概念的联系和区别,指出了微积分在化学热力学理论建立过程中的重要意义,并结合一些实例介绍了微积分原理和方法在化学热力学中的应用。     

非平衡非线性化学

概述了非平衡非线性化学的主要研究内容和最新进展,着重介绍了各种非平衡非线性化学现象以及与之有关的非平衡态热力学理论和非线性化学动力理论;介绍一些典型的理论方法和实验手段以及涨落化学的概念;讨论了非平衡非线性化学研究的意义以及与其它科学尤其是生物学的联系。     

“门控”分子

近年来＂门控＂机制被广泛应用于笼状分子包合物领域.本文从实验和理论计算角度对现有的三种门控机制——热力学控制、氧化还原控制和光化学控制在主客体化学中的应用做出了论述,集中讨论了Rebek,Baji,Deshayes以及Houk实验组的工作.     

对"燃料电池物理及化学性能的有限时间热力学分析法”的讨论

近期在本刊发表的"燃料电池物理及化学性能的有限时间热力学分析法”一文[1],将近20多年来新发展的有限时间热力学理论用于化学过程的研究,是很有意义的,特别是在研究中考虑了化学反应不可逆性和传热不可逆性,更值得提倡和重视.但文献[1]的结果是不正确的,主要对系统和有关环境的总熵产生率计算有问题,概念上有错误.     

非平衡化学反应的热力学

化学现象是由反应速率表征的,只有在非平衡条件下化学反应过程才会呈现出非零的反应速率.因此化学现象本身是一种非平衡现象,化学热力学应属于非平衡态热力学(也称不可逆过程热力学)的范畴.但是传统的化学热力学主要限于研究平衡态和可逆过程,其主要原因是长期以来整个非平衡态热力学缺乏一个较为令人满意的理论.但在最近二、三十年间非平衡态热力学取得了巨大的进展.本文简要讨论与化学反应有关的非平衡态热力学的进展.     

“全国第二届化学传感器暨第四届离子电极学术交流会”在湖南召开

会议于1988年9月16日至22日举行。共92个单位160名代表参加。会议共收到论文230篇,录用187篇,其内容涉及化学传感器和离子选择电极的发展趋势;各种新的化学传感器的研制;化学传感器的基础理论研究和热力学研究等方面的应用;生物敏传感器和药物电极的研究;化学传感器在国民经济各个领域中的应以及微机化和智能化测量仪器的研制。     

化学热力学的建立与发展概略

回顾化学热力学的发展历史,介绍化学热力学的近期研究成果,并指出理论结合实践才能使化学热力学更好地发展。     

谈谈如何设计一个化学振荡器

化学振荡现象——化学体系中的周期现象早在上一世纪就已经发现。但是,由于受经典热力学理论等的限制,始终没有引起人们的普遍重视。直到本世纪五十年代末BZ反应的发现和普利高津(I.Prigogine)不可逆热力学的建立,人们才认识到研究化学振荡反     

Optical microwell array for large scale studies of single mitochondria metabolic responses

Microsystems based on microwell arrays have been widely used for studies on single living cells. In this work, we focused on the subcellular level in order to monitor biological responses directly on individual organelles. Consequently, we developed microwell arrays for the entrapment and fluorescence microscopy of single isolated organelles, mitochondria herein. Highly dense arrays of 3-μm mean diameter wells were obtained by wet chemical etching of optical fiber bundles. Favorable conditions for the stable entrapment of individual mitochondria within a majority of microwells were found. Owing to NADH auto-fluorescence, the metabolic status of each mitochondrion was analyzed at resting state (Stage 1), then following the addition of a respiratory substrate (Stage 2), ethanol herein, and of a respiratory inhibitor (Stage 3), antimycin A. Mean levels of mitochondrial NADH were increased by 29 % and 35 % under Stages 2 and 3, respectively. We showed that mitochondrial ability to generate higher levels of NADH (i.e., its metabolic performance) is not correlated either to the initial energetic state or to the respective size of each mitochondrion. This study demonstrates that microwell arrays allow metabolic studies on populations of isolated mitochondria with a single organelle resolution.

Interaction of gold nanoparticles with mitochondria

Mitochondrion is one of the most important organelles in cells with several vital responsibilities. The consequence of a deficiency in the function of mitochondrion could result with the wide range of diseases and disorders. In this study, we investigated the feasibility of utilizing surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) to understand the mode of interaction of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) with mitochondria. The living lung cancer cells and the isolated mitochondria from these cells were treated with gold colloidal suspension for SERS experiments. The AFM images of the mitochondria confirmed that the treatment did not cause substantial damage to mitochondria. The localization of GNPs in living cells is investigated with confocal microscopy and found that GNPs form aggregates in the cytosol away from the mitochondria. However, SERS spectra obtained from isolated mitochondria and living cells indicate that GNPs escaped from the endosomes or entered into the living cell through another route may be in contact with mitochondria in a living cell. The findings of this study indicate that SERS can be used for mitochondrial research.     

Novel guanidine-containing molecular transporters based on lactose scaffolds: lipophilicity effect on the intracellular organellar selectivity

We have synthesized two lactose-based molecular transporters, each containing seven guanidine residues attached to the lactose scaffold through omega-aminocarboxylate linker chains of two different lengths, and have examined their cellular uptakes and intracellular and organellar localizations in HeLa cells, as well as their tissue distributions in mice. Both molecular transporters showed higher cellular uptake efficiencies than Arg8, and wide tissue distributions including the brain. Mitochondrial localization is of special interest because of its potential relevance to "mitochondrial diseases". Interestingly, it has been found that the intracellular localization sites of the G7 molecular transporters-namely either mitochondria or lysosomes and endocytic vesicles-are largely determined by the linker chain lengths, or their associated lipophilicities.     

Action of the transferase activity of phospholipase D on rat liver mitochondria

The action of phospholipase D on rat liver mitochondria in the presence of methanol, glycerol, and ethanolamine has been studied. The phospholipid compositions of the modified and native mitochondria have been determined. Incubation of the mitochondria with phospholipase D led to a considerable decrease in the activities of cytochrome c oxidase and NADH-cytochrome reductase.     

Capillary electrophoretic analysis of hydroxyl radicals produced by respiring mitochondria

Here, we report the use of a capillary electrophoretic method with laser-induced fluorescence detection to evaluate hydroxyl radicals produced by respiring mitochondria. The probe, hydroxyphenylfluorescein (HPF), is separated from the product, fluorescein, in under 5 min with zeptomole and attomole limits of detection for fluorescein and HPF, respectively. Purification of the probe with a C-18 SPE column is necessary to reduce the fluorescein impurity in the probe stock solution from 0.4 % to less than 0.001 %. HPF was responsive to hydroxyl radicals produced by isolated mitochondria from L6 cells, and this signal was blunted when DMSO was added to scavenge hydroxyl radicals and when carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone was added to depolarize the mitochondria. The method was used to compare hydroxyl radical levels in mitochondria isolated from brown adipose tissue of lean and obese mice. Mitochondria from obese mice produced significantly more hydroxyl radicals than those from lean mice.

Mitochondria‐Targeting,Intracellular Delivery of Native Proteins Using Biodegradable Silica Nanoparticles

Mitochondria are key organelles in mammalian cells whose dysfunction is linked to various diseases. Drugs targeting mitochondrial proteins provide a highly promising strategy for potential therapeutics. Methods for the delivery of small‐molecule drugs to the mitochondria are available, but these are not suitable for macromolecules, such as proteins. Herein, we report the delivery of native proteins and antibodies to the mitochondria using biodegradable silica nanoparticles (BS–NPs). The modification of the nanoparticle surface with triphenylphosphonium (TPP) and cell‐penetrating poly(disulfide)s (CPD) facilitated their rapid intracellular uptake with minimal endolysosomal trapping, providing sufficient time for effective mitochondrial localization followed by glutathione‐triggered biodegradation and of native, functional proteins into the mitochondria.     

Mitochondria‐Targeting,Intracellular Delivery of Native Proteins Using Biodegradable Silica Nanoparticles

Mitochondria are key organelles in mammalian cells whose dysfunction is linked to various diseases. Drugs targeting mitochondrial proteins provide a highly promising strategy for potential therapeutics. Methods for the delivery of small‐molecule drugs to the mitochondria are available, but these are not suitable for macromolecules, such as proteins. Herein, we report the delivery of native proteins and antibodies to the mitochondria using biodegradable silica nanoparticles (BS–NPs). The modification of the nanoparticle surface with triphenylphosphonium (TPP) and cell‐penetrating poly(disulfide)s (CPD) facilitated their rapid intracellular uptake with minimal endolysosomal trapping, providing sufficient time for effective mitochondrial localization followed by glutathione‐triggered biodegradation and of native, functional proteins into the mitochondria.     

The Role of Taurine in Mitochondria Health: More Than Just an Antioxidant

Taurine is a naturally occurring sulfur-containing amino acid that is found abundantly in excitatory tissues, such as the heart, brain, retina and skeletal muscles. Taurine was first isolated in the 1800s, but not much was known about this molecule until the 1990s. In 1985, taurine was first approved as the treatment among heart failure patients in Japan. Accumulating studies have shown that taurine supplementation also protects against pathologies associated with mitochondrial defects, such as aging, mitochondrial diseases, metabolic syndrome, cancer, cardiovascular diseases and neurological disorders. In this review, we will provide a general overview on the mitochondria biology and the consequence of mitochondrial defects in pathologies. Then, we will discuss the antioxidant action of taurine, particularly in relation to the maintenance of mitochondria function. We will also describe several reported studies on the current use of taurine supplementation in several mitochondria-associated pathologies in humans.     

Analysis of individual mitochondria via fluorescent immunolabeling with Anti-TOM22 antibodies

Mitochondria are responsible for maintaining a variety of cellular functions. One such function is the interaction and subsequent import of proteins into these organelles via the translocase of outer membrane (TOM) complex. Antibodies have been used to analyze the presence and function of proteins comprising this complex, but have not been used to investigate variations in the abundance of TOM complex in mitochondria. Here, we report on the feasibility of using capillary cytometry with laser-induced fluorescence to detect mitochondria labeled with antibodies targeting the TOM complex and to estimate the number of antibodies that bind to these organelles. Mitochondria were fluorescently labeled with DsRed2, while antibodies targeting the TOM22 protein, one of nine proteins comprising the TOM complex, were conjugated to the Atto-488 fluorophore. At typical labeling conditions, 94 % of DsRed2 mitochondria were also immunofluorescently labeled with Atto-488 Anti-TOM22 antibodies. The calculated median number of Atto-488 Anti-TOM22 antibodies bound to the surface of mitochondria was ～2,000 per mitochondrion. The combination of fluorescent immunolabeling and capillary cytometry could be further developed to include multicolor labeling experiments, which enable monitoring several molecular targets at the same time in the same or different organelle types.