A comparative study of the processes of generation of singlet oxygen upon irradiation of aqueous preparations on the basis of chlorin e6 and coproporphyrin III

The photosensitizing ability of an agent based on chlorin e6 (Photoditazin), which is used for photodynamic diagnosis and therapy, is compared with that of a new preparation on the basis of coproporphyrin III in the environment of a phosphate buffer and a simulated biological environment (albumin solution). The efficiency of singlet-oxygen production was estimated by EPR spectroscopy and spectroscopy in the UV and visible ranges with the use of “chemical traps” of singlet oxygen. By irradiating drugs with LED emission centered at λ_max = 520 nm, we determined the quantum yield of singlet-oxygen production in a buffer solution; the obtained values are 0.60 and 0.37 for chlorine and coproporphyrin, respectively. The steady-state concentration of singlet oxygen upon irradiation of solutions of the studied photosensitizers with concentrations of 12–43 μМ and the density of radiation power within the 6–96 W/cm² region was found to be in the region of 10¹⁰–10¹¹ molecules/cm³. It is shown that the introduction into the solution of egg albumin (0.1%) reduces the sensitizing properties of the two drugs by two to three times, while the efficiencies of the preparations with respect to singlet-oxygen production become almost identical (0.19 and 0.17).     

Synthesis of Arylglyoxylic Acids and Their Collision-Induced Dissociation

Abstract

A variety of substituted arylglyoxylic acids (2a?g) were synthesized via oxidation of the corresponding aryl-methylketones (1a–e) using selenium dioxide or Friedel–Crafts acylation of phenol (3) with ethyl chlorooxoacetate and further transformations. It was found that the arylglyoxylic acids (2) undergo facile unimolecular dissociation with loss of carbon monoxide to give the corresponding arylcarboxylic acids (7) under collisionally induced mass spectrometric conditions.     

Thermoplastic starch films: DOE and O2PLS methodology for optimization and increased understanding of polymer processing

The combined effect of a plasticiser (glycerol) and a cross-linking agent (borax) on the mechanical properties of commercially extruded thermoplastic hydroxypropylated starch films was examined. The use of Design of Experiment (DOE) was demonstrated and used to predict and optimise formulations for a given set of material properties. As an extension to DOE, Orthogonal 2 Partial Least Squares (O2PLS) provided insight into joint correlations between the machine and transverse direction mechanical properties. Specific information regarding individual measurements or samples was also obtained with this analysis. O2PLS identified unique variables in individual compositions that were potentially incorrect measurements, or processing defects, which in turn can be used to aid quality control or processing optimisation with regards to DOE. Overall, DOE and O2PLS showed that within a starch borax-glycerol blend, borax increased mechanical strength and enhanced creep and recovery, whilst glycerol increased elongation and decreased modulus. There were competing interactions between the two dependent on concentration, and variation between machine and transverse properties was due to the extrusion induced molecular orientation of amylose. The optimum concentrations of borax and glycerol needed to achieve higher elongation, tensile strength, modulus and creep recovery than a control was found to be approximately 0.5% and 10%, respectively.     

Existence of time lag in crystalline to smectic A (K–SmA) phase transition of 4-decyl-4-biphenylcarbonitrile (10CB) liquid crystal

This study explores the presence of time lag in crystalline to smectic A (K–SmA) phase transition of 4-decyl-4-biphenylcarbonitrile (10CB) liquid crystal. A non-isothermal heating and cooling study were performed for 10CB liquid crystal using calorimetric technique where heating scan was performed from 250 to 350 K, and cooling scan was performed from 350 to 250 K. A clear difference in K–SmA phase transition was observed between heating and cooling scans. An attracting inclination effect in K–SmA transition was observed on cooling which is completely absent on heating. The inclination of the K–SmA transition peak increases and shows an existence of time lag during cooling, whereas other family member shows no effect i.e., 8CB. K–SmA peak shows a lower enthalpy with higher activation when compared with 8CB. The presence of time lag and increase in activation can be explained in terms of the density and nature of the material.     

UVphotolysis of the binary mixtures of VOCs in dry nitrogen stream

Summary The effect of H/Cl atomic ratio on the relative contribution of direct photolysis and reactions based on •Cl radical to the photodecomposition of chlorinated methanes was investigated in their binary mixtures.</o:p>     

N-heterocyclic carbenes: Reaction to give anilines

The attempted synthesis of bis(NHC)palladium complexes via the direct reaction of an imidazolium salt with palladium acetate results in the formation of a mixed NHC/aniline complex. The route by which the aniline is formed has not been completely elucidated, but it does originally derive from an imidazolium salt.     

The use of a secondary cathode to analyse solid non-conducting samples with direct current glow discharge mass spectrometry: potential and restrictions

A direct current glow discharge mass spectrometer has been used to analyse solid non-conducting samples: glass, polycarbonate, marble, aluminium oxide and Teflon. This is made possible by the use of a so-called secondary cathode. The methodology of this concept is investigated and analytical figures of merit are presented.     

Reorganizing freshman business mathematics I: background and philosophy

This article is the first of the two-part discussion of thedevelopment of a new Freshman Business Mathematics (FBM) courseat our college. Part I of the article describes the backgroundand history behind the course, and provides a theoretical frameworkfor the design of the course. This design involves studentsin learning and applying mathematics to real world problemsusing common business tools, in this case spreadsheets. Thisnew course is centered on the concept of building and interpretingmodels of data, but touches on many topics in statistics, pre-calculusand calculus.     

Monitoring the zinc affinity of the metallo-β-lactamase CphA by automated nanoESI-MS

Metallo-beta-lactamases are zinc containing enzymes that are able to hydrolyze and inactivate beta-lactam antibiotics. The subclass B2 enzyme CphA of Aeromonas hydrophila is a unique metallo-beta-lactamase because it degrades only carbapenems efficiently and is only active when it has one zinc ion bound. A zinc titration experiment was used to study the zinc affinity of the wild-type and of several mutant CphA enzymes. It shows that a second Zn(2+) is also bound at high ion concentrations. All samples were analyzed using mass spectrometry in combination with an automated nanoESI source. The metal-free enzyme has a bimodal charge distribution indicative of two conformational states. A completely folded enzyme is detected when the apo-enzyme has bound the first zinc. Intensity ratios of the different enzyme forms were used to deduce the zinc affinities. CphA enzymes mutated in metal ligands show decreased zinc affinity compared to wild-type, especially D120 mutants.