PHOTOSENSITIZATION WITH BACTERIOCHLORINS

Abstract— Biophysical and photobiological properties of a group of bacteriochlorins were compared with efficacy of these products for photodynamic therapy of murine tumors. Predictive factors for selective photosensitization in vivo include affinity binding to lipoproteins greater than albumin, extinction coefficient at the wavelength of irradiation and tumor/skin distribution. Efficacy was correlated with circulating plasma levels of the different sensitizers but not with the photodynamic therapy response in cell culture.     

Sol-Gel Processing of PbZrO3 Thin Films

PbZrO₃ (PZ) thin films have been prepared by 2-methoxyethanol route from lead oxide or lead acetate and zirconium n-butoxide. The use of lead oxide as lead source and the seeding layer of TiO₂ on Pt/TiO₂/SiO₂/Si substrate facilitate the formation of the perovskite phase.     

Gradient elution capillary electrochromatography and hyphenation with nuclear magnetic resonance

Coupling of gradient capillary electrochromatography (gradient CEC) and capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) with nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) was performed using a recently developed capillary NMR interface. This technique was applied for the analysis of pharmaceuticals and food. An analgesic was investigated using isocratic and gradient continuous-flow CEC-NMR. Comparison of the results demonstrated the superiority of gradient CEC over isocratic CEC. Aspartame and caffeine, both ingredients of soft beverages, were separated and analyzed by continuous flow CZE-NMR. The order of elution could be reversed by altering the pH. This reversal led to an increased sample concentration in the NMR detection cell, thus allowing the acquisition of a totally correlated spectroscopy (TOCSY) two-dimensional (2-D) spectrum of the synthetic peptide aspartame.     

Biotechnology for production of fuels,chemicals, and materials from biomass

Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology - Biological systems can convert renewable resources, including lignocellulosic biomass, starch crops, and carbon dioxide, into fuels, chemicals, and...     

Parallel mixing of photolithographically defined nanoliter volumes using elastomeric microvalve arrays

Portable microfluidic systems provide simple and effective solutions for low-cost point-of-care diagnostics and high-throughput biomedical assays. Robust flow control and precise fluidic volumes are two critical requirements for these applications. We have developed a monolithic polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microdevice that allows for storing and mixing subnanoliter volumes of aqueous solutions at various mixing ratios. Filling and mixing is controlled via two integrated PDMS microvalve arrays. The volumes of the microchambers are entirely defined by photolithography, hence volumes from picoliter to nanoliter can be fabricated with high precision. Because the microvalves do not require an energy input to stay closed, fluid can be stored in a highly portable fashion for several days. We have confirmed the mixing precision and predictability using fluorescence microscopy. We also demonstrate the application of the device for calibrating fluorescent calcium indicators. Due to the biocompatibility of PDMS, the device will have broad applications in miniaturized diagnostic assays as well as basic biological studies.     

Correlation between Site ll-Specific Human Serum Albumin (HSA) Binding Affinity and Murine in vivo Photosensitizing Efficacy of Some Photofrin Components

Human serum albumin (HSA) is one of the key components in human blood that may influence drug distribution. As such, it is important to know the affinity of any drug for albumin. Previously, Photofrina mixture of monomeric, dimeric and oligomeric porphyrins, has been subjected to HSA binding studies. However, due to its complex nature, binding studies on Photofrin or other hematoporphyrin derivatives with HSA are inconclusive. In this report, the binding properties of some components (dimers and trimers) of Photofrin® and the relationship between murine photosensitizing efficacy and those binding properties were investigated. The interaction of these porphyrins with HSA was investigated by direct ultrafiltration and fluorescent titration techniques with fluorescent probes such as dansyl-L-proline (DP), which is known to interact selectively with site II on HSA. Porphyrins also were tested for antitumor activity in a mouse model following intravenous administration and exposure to laser light. Together, the results suggest that the photosensitizers that were preferentially bound to site II of HSA were most effective at controlling murine tumor regrowth     

Thermal decomposition of Cd(CH3COO)2·2H2O studied by a coupled TG-DTA-MS method

The thermal decomposition of cadmium acetate dihydrate in helium and in air atmosphere has been investigated by means of a coupled TG-DTA-MS method combined with X-ray diffraction analysis. Dehydration of Cd(CH₃COO)₂·2H₂O is a two-stage process with Cd(CH₃COO)₂·H₂O as intermediate. The way of Cd(CH₃COO)₂ decomposition strongly depends on the surrounding gas atmosphere and the rate of heating. CdO, acetone and CO₂ are the primary products of decomposition in air. In helium decomposition goes by two parallel and consecutive reactions in which intermediates, Cd and CdCO₃, are formed. Metallic cadmium oxidizes and cadmium carbonate decomposes giving CdO. Some of the metallic cadmium, depending on the heating rate and the concentration of oxygen, evaporates. Acetone is partially oxidized in secondary reactions with oxygen. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

An Asymmetric Edge-Sharing Bioctahedral Complex: (η2-DAniF)MoIII(μ-DAniF)2(μ-O,Cl)MoVCl2 (DAniF=N,N′-di-p-anisylformamidinate)

A novel asymmetric, edge-sharing bioctahedral complex with formamidinato ligands ( ²-DAniF)Mo(-DAniF)₂(-O,Cl)MoCl₂, 1, (DAniF=N,N-di-p-anisylformamidinate) has been isolated as a byproduct from the preparation of the dimolybdenum(II,III) compound Mo₂(DAniF)₃Cl₂. An X-ray crystallographic study shows that the structure consists of edge-sharing bioctahedra, with the shared edge defined by the vector joining the: -O and -Cl ligands. Compound 1 is best formulated as a mixed-valent Mo^IIIMo^V compound, the Mo(V) ion being that with the two terminal Cl^– ligands. The cyclic voltammogram of 1 shows a reversible reduction at –0.472 V and a reversible oxidation at 1.028 V vs. the Ag/AgCl reference electrode, while the absorption spectrum of 1 reveals an intense low energy absorption at 523 nm ( _max=12 500) which is attributed to an intervalence charge transfer transition. Crystallographic data for 1 are as follows: a=13.387(1) Å, b=15.500(2) Å, c=21.855(2) Å, =98.786(2)°, V=4481.8(8) ų, P2₁/c, R1 (wR2)=0.082 (0.177).