Interactions between temperature-sensitive hydrogel microspheres and granulocytes

Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) has a low critical solution temperature (LCST) at 32°C in water and the hydrophilicity changes through the LCST. The microspheres whose surface was composed of PNIPAM exhibited phase transition behavior around 32°C. Therefore, the interactions between PNIPAM micropheres and granulocytes depended on the temperature. That is, the oxygen consumption and active oxygen production by cells in contact with PNIPAM-containing microspheres and adhesion of the microspheres to the cell surface were more enhanced above the LCST of PNIPAM than below it, whereas no significant temperature dependence of cell–microspheres interaction was observed in nonthermosensitive microsphere systems. It was suggested that the function of cells could be controlled with temperature using the temperature-sensitive microspheres.     

FLAVIN-PHOTOSENSITIZED MONOMERIZATION OF DIMETHYLTHYMINE CYCLOBUTANE DIMER IN THE PRESENCE OF MAGNESIUM PERCHLORATE

We have investigated the photosensitized monomerization of the cis,syn -cyclobutane dimer of 1,3-di-methylthymine using riboflavin tetraacetate and a 5-deazaflavin derivative as photosensitizer. Although little monomerization of the dimer is induced by photoexcitation of the flavins in the absence of any additives, the flavins can function as an efficient photosensitizer in the presence of magnesium perchlorate. Mechanistic studies involving spectroscopic, quantum-yield and flash-photolysis measurements demonstrated that the photosensitized monomerization exclusively proceeds through electron transfer from the dimer to the triplet flavins complexed with Mg²⁺. The effects of magnesium perchlorate are compared with those on the chloranil-photosensitized monomerization and also with the effects of HClO₄ on the flavin-photosensitized reaction.     

Synthesis, stereochemistry, and circular dichroism of optically active o-substituted diphenyl sulphilimines and related compounds

Optically active o-substituted diphenyl N-substituted sulphilimines are readily synthesised by the reaction of the corresponding sulphides and t-butyl hypochlorite in the presence of l-menthol and amide anions. (−)-N-p-Tolylsulphonylsulphilimines (1, 2) obtained were converted to the corresponding (−)-N-unsubstituted sulphilimines (8, 9) by treating them with concentrated sulphuric acid. When (−)-S-o-anisyl S-phenyl N-(unsubstituted) sulphilimine (8) was treated with acylating agents or acrylonitrile, the corresponding optically active (−)-N-substituted sulphilimines were prepared with complete retention at sulphur. The absolute configuration of (−)-S-o-anisyl S-phenyl N-p-tolylsulphonylsulphilimine (1) was determined by converting it to (+)-S-o-anisyl sulphoxide (17). CD curves of (−)-o-substituted diarylsulphilimines exhibited a negative Cotton effect at around 270–285 nm, which was assigned to (S)-configuration at sulphur by comparing with the analogous sulphoxides. The substituent on the imino group of the sulphilimine gave no appreciable effect on the CD behavior and the lack of substituent effect was considered to be due to the semi-polar character of the S(IV)-N bond. Unusual effect of o-methoxy group on the CD curves was discussed in connection with solvent effect. Mechanism of this asymmetric synthesis has been investigated, and it has become apparent that the diastereomeric menthoxysulphonium chloride was an excess of (RR)-configuration was formed initially and the amide anion attacks the S atom of the salt with net inversion.     

Cellulose Synthesized by Acetobacter Xylinum in the Presence of Acetyl Glucomannan

Acetobacter xylinum was cultured in Hestrin-Schramm medium (control medium) and Hestrin-Schramm medium containing acetyl glucomannan (mannan medium). Loose bundles of the cellulose microfibrils are formed in the mannan medium in contrast to the normal ribbons being produced in the control medium. Rapid-freeze and substitution method followed by metal-shadowing revealed the droplet-like structures around the microfibril synthesized in the mannan medium. The cellulose synthesized in the mannan medium was stained heavily by the periodic acid-thiocarbohydrazide-silver proteinate (PATAg) method, while the cellulose synthesized in the control medium was not stained. X-ray diffractometry and FT-IR spectroscopy indicated that the addition of mannan induced a change in the crystal structure from the algal-bacterial type to the cotton-ramie type. Thus the presence of acetyl glucomannan in the medium prevents the assembly of cellulose microfibrils and changes the crystal structure of cellulose.     

The oscillation frequency of a quartz resonator in contact with liquid

A simple relationship is derived which expresses the change in oscillation frequency of a quartz crystal in contact with a fluid in terms of material parameters of the fluid and the quartz. The relationship is Δf = ?f^{$\text{3}\text{2}$}₀(η_L?_L/πμ_Q?_Q)^{$\text{1}\text{2}$}, where f₀ is the oscillation frequency of the free (dry) crystal, η_L and ?_L are the absolute viscosity and density of the liquid, respectively, and μ_Q and ?_Q are the elastic modulus and density of the quartz. This relation is obtained from a simple physical model which couples the shear wave in the quartz to a damped shear wave in the fluid. Quantitative comparisons with two test cases, aqueous solutions of glucose and ethanol at various concentrations, demonstrate the accuracy of this model.     

Two new tetranuclear complexes of the macrocyclic oxamide [MCu3] (M = Cd, Mn, macrocyclic oxamide = 1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotradecanne-2,3-dione): syntheses, spectra and magnetic properties

Two new tetranuclear complexes of macrocyclic oxamide [Cd(CuL)₃](NO₃)₂·2.5H₂O 1, [Mn(CuL)₃(OH)₂](ClO₄)₂·Mn(H₂O)₆·4.5H₂O 2 (L = 1,4,8,11-tatraazacyclotradecanne-2,3-dione) have been synthesized, structurally characterized and preliminary investigated by magnetic studies. The structures of the title complexes consist of a tetranuclear units MCu₃ (M = Cd, Mn), the packing diagram shows two-dimensional and three-dimensional system through intermolecular weak interactions. The temperature-dependent magnetic susceptibilities of complex 2 were analyzed by an approximate treatment leading to J = −33 cm⁻¹, g_Cu = 2.10, g_Mn = 1.95 indicating antiferromagnetic exchange between Cu(II) and Mn(II) ions.     

Ion-exchanger colorimetry-II microdetermination of chromium in natural waters

Ion-exchanger colorimetry for chromium(VI) with 1,5-diphenylcarbohydrazide has been developed for the determination of chromium at mug/l. concentrations in natural water samples. About 90% of the chromium(VI) in a 1-litre sample solution is concentrated in 200-400 mesh Dowex 50W-X4 resin within half an hour. It is possible to obtain higher sensitivity by employing a larger amount of sample solution. Total chromium can be determined by oxidizing chromium(III) to chromium(VI) with ceric sulphate.     

Synthetic study of optically active 3-azabicyclo[3.3.0]octane-2,6,8-tricarboxylic acid

Synthesis of (1R,2S,5S,6R,8S)-3-azabicyclo[3.3.0]octane-2,6,8-tricarboxylic acid (2) from trans-4-hydroxy-L-proline (5) was attempted. A Diels-Alder reaction of 3,4-dehydroproline derivative 9 and cyclopentadiene afforded a single stereoisomer 11. The Diels-Alder adduct was smoothly converted to the hydrochloride of 2 (24) via RuO(4) oxidation. Although some racemization of the material or product was observed during the synthetic processes, the amino acid 24 proved to be optically pure.     

Development and prevalidation of a method for phenol determination by solid-phase spectrophotometry

A simple, sensitive and rapid solid-phase spectrophotometric procedure was developed for the determination of traces of phenol with 4-aminoantipyrine as a reagent (AAP-SPS), and the optimal experimental conditions were established. This method was performed by sorption and direct absorbance measurements of the product phenol-AAP sorbed on the anion-exchanger Dowex 1-X4 (0.2 g) at 495 nm (absorption maximum) and 700 nm (non-absorption wavelength). The sensitivity offered by the AAP-SPS procedure was higher by a factor of 40 compared with the respective conventional spectrophotometric method. Metrological characteristics were established using a prevalidation strategy. The AAP-SPS procedure is characterized by a linear calibration function in the working range of 0.05–0.50 μmol, low standard deviation of procedure (±0.012), low limit of determination (0.021 μmol), and favorable random (±0.85 to ±11.27%) and systematic deviations (−4.55 to +11.50%). Moreover, the accuracy of the system investigated by the recovery test is acceptable (99–102%). Favorable working and performance characteristics make the new SPS method ideal for phenol monitoring in pharmaceutical preparations as well as other matrices.     

Elucidation of solid-state complexation in ground mixtures of cholic acid and guest compounds

The solid-state complexation between cholic acid (CA) and either methyl p-hydroxybenzoate (MPB) or ibuprofen (IBP) was investigated. Powder X-ray diffractometry, IR spectroscopy and thermal analysis suggested the complex formation between CA and MPB as well as between CA and IBP by co-grinding method. The stoichiometry of CA-MPB was 1 : 1 while that of CA-IBP was 2 : 1, reflecting the effect of guest size on complex formation. The guest compounds were assumed to be included in the channel of complexes formed by hydrogen bonds among CA molecules.