Effect of solvent on the subnanosecond decay of the second excited singlet state of tetramethylindanethione

The S₂ → S₀ fluorescence spectra and quantum yields and the S₂ lifetimes of 2,2,3,3-tetramethylindanethione (TMIT) have been measured in several solvents using a synchronously pumped picosecond dye laser excitation system. The S₂ nonradiative decay rate is markedly solvent dependent. In inert perfluoroalkane solvents remarkably large S₂-S₀ fluorescence quantum yields (θ_f = 0.14) and long S₂ lifetimes (τ = 880 ps) are measured. Hydrocarbons are efficient excited-state quenchers.     

Polymerization and Copolymerization of Some Monomers as Adducts with β-Cyclodextrin

The feasibility of chemical bond formation, especially in the chain-transfer reaction between polymer and β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) molecules in the products of the radiation polymerization of β-CD with vinylidene chloride (VDC) its adducts has been considered. The lack of these bonds in the polymerization products of similar β-CD adducts with methyl methacrylate (MM), styrene (St), a mixture of VDC and allyl chloride (AC) and a mixture of VDC and MM (10:90 molar ratio) has been established. On the basis of the results obtained the lack of chemical bonds in the polymerization product of β-CD· VDC adduct is suggested.     

High-resolution laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry imaging of cisplatin-induced nephrotoxic side effects

Two-dimensional elemental mapping (bioimaging) via laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) was performed on 5 μm thick formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded kidney tissue sections from Cynomolgus monkeys administered with increasing pharmacological doses of cisplatin. Laterally resolved pixels of 1 μm were achieved, enabling elemental analysis on a (sub-)cellular level. Zones of high Pt response were observed in the renal cortex, where proximal tubules are present, the epithelium of which is responsible for partial reabsorption of cisplatin. Histopathological evaluation, of hematoxylin and eosin-stained serial sections, adjacent to the sections probed via LA-ICP-MS, revealed minimal to mild cisplatin-related lesions (<100 μm) in the renal cortex. Necrotic proximal tubules with sloughed epithelial cells in their lumen could be linked directly to the areas with the highest accumulation of cisplatin, indicating a direct link between cellular concentration and toxicity, thereby providing more insight into the mechanisms through which renal damage occurs.     

Mass spectrometry in drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics: Current trends and future perspectives

Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics (DMPK) is a core scientific discipline within drug discovery and development as well as post‐marketing. It helps to design and select the most promising drug candidate and obtain advanced insights on the processes that control absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion (ADME) of the final drug candidate. Mass spectrometry is one of the key technologies applied in DMPK. Therefore, the continuous advances made in the field of mass spectrometry also directly impact the way in which we investigate the ADME properties of a compound, providing us with new tools to gather more information or improve our efficiency. An overview will be given of some important current trends and future perspectives in the field.     

Organic Cage Dumbbells

Molecular dumbbells with organic cage capping units were synthesised via a multi-component imine condensation between a tri-topic amine and di- and tetra-topic aldehydes. This is an example of self-sorting, which can be rationalised by computational modelling.     

Adsorption of Ni(II) from model solutions using co-precipitated inorganic oxides

The aim of this work was to obtain an inorganic oxide system containing silica and magnesium oxide, and characterized by specific physicochemical properties, in particular well-defined adsorption parameters. The preparation process was carried out according to a co-precipitation method using solutions of sodium silicate and selected inorganic magnesium salt. The oxide system obtained (MgO·SiO₂) was used as a support (adsorbent) of nickel(II) ions, whose precursors were model solutions of nitrates. The effectiveness of the adsorption process was evaluated using many different analytical techniques, including atomic absorption spectroscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and equivalent point titration. Moreover the stability of adsorbent/adsorbate bonding was estimated. The oxide systems—adsorbents—used in the process were also analyzed according to their physicochemical properties, especially changes in adsorption parameters. The last part of the study involved evaluation of the kinetics of the adsorption process depending on time and the pH of the reaction system.     

Can η mesons have a magnetic moment?

The response of pseudoscalar and vector mesons to strong magnetic fields is studied within a simple constituent quark model using analogy with bound states of Positronium. Magnetic moments of charged vector mesons K*, D*, B* are predicted and it is found that η mesons have magnetic polarizability. In extremely strong magnetic fields, behaviour of J/Ψ mesons is discussed. We speculate on the existence of an induced magnetic moment of η meson.