Quantitative Detection for Porphyromonas gingivalis in Tooth Pocket and Saliva by Portable Electrochemical DNA Sensor Linked with PCR

Here, a quantitative electrochemical analysis of periodontal bacteria in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and saliva by direct polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is presented. The electrochemical measurement was performed by mixing with PCR products and electrochemical indicator (bisbenzimidazole trihydrochloride). The peak current of indicator is reduced due to slower diffusion when the dye intercalates into the amplified DNA, and the degree of reduction in the peak current is correlates with the quantity of amplified DNA. Therefore, a quantitative analysis is possible by using our electrochemical method at the end point of PCR. In the GCF testing, The number of Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg) detected by our electrochemical method at the end point of PCR were almost same compared with that were calculated by the conventional method of quantitative real? time PCR. In the saliva testing, the relationship between number of Pg in saliva and average pocket depth, and age‐dependence were also clearly observed. Since the saliva sample is obtained in a non‐invasive manner, this method is useful for the primary screening of periodontal disease. Moreover, our detection method is simple and uses a hand‐held potentiostat making it suitable for development of an on‐site periodontal diagnosis system.     

Copper–Oxygen Dynamics in the Tyrosinase Mechanism

The dinuclear copper enzyme, tyrosinase, activates O₂ to form a (μ-η²:η²-peroxido)dicopper(II) species, which hydroxylates phenols to catechols. However, the exact mechanism of phenolase reaction in the catalytic site of tyrosinase is still under debate. We herein report the near atomic resolution X-ray crystal structures of the active tyrosinases with substrate l -tyrosine. At their catalytic sites, CuA moved toward l -tyrosine (CuA1 → CuA2), whose phenol oxygen directly coordinates to CuA2, involving the movement of CuB (CuB1 → CuB2). The crystal structures and spectroscopic analyses of the dioxygen-bound tyrosinases demonstrated that the peroxide ligand rotated, spontaneously weakening its O−O bond. Thus, the copper migration induced by the substrate-binding is accompanied by rearrangement of the bound peroxide species so as to provide one of the peroxide oxygen atoms with access to the phenol substrate's ϵ carbon atom.     

Optimization of SIMS analytical parameters for water content measurement of olivine

Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) has a wide range of applications in Earth Science research, thanks to its high precision and sensitivity, and its capacity in direct insitu micromeasurement. The technique is operated in ultra-high vacuum (UHV) conditions, especially for the measurement of volatiles such as hydrogen, or the water content in nominally anhydrous minerals (NAMs). To minimize the water background and obtain accurate and precise water contents in NAMs (eg, olivine) critical parameters such as presputtering time, field aperture (FA), dynamic transfer on/off, and primary beam current intensity were investigated for a CAMECA IMS 1280-HR system. When the chamber vacuum reaches approximately 2 × 10⁻⁹ mbar, we set the DTOS OFF, raster size to 50 μm and primary beam current to 5 nA, and used 2000 μm FA and 170-second presputtering time. Consequently, an approximately 1.2 ppmw water background and 3.6 ppmw limit of detection (LOD) were yielded, from analyzing the San Carlos olivine. Meanwhile, the water content and homogeneity of a range of olivine minerals were characterized for potential use as reference materials for SIMS water content measurement. Olivine water content calibration curve was also established by comparing the Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) results with the SIMS-measured ¹⁶O¹H⁻/¹⁶O⁻ ratios. Accuracy and precision of water content measurement were estimated to be better than approximately 10% in this study.     

Total synthesis of ecteinascidin 743

The total synthesis of ecteinascidin 743 (1), an extremely potent antitumor agent, has been accomplished. The synthesis features Ugi's 4CC reaction, intramolecular Heck reaction, phenol-aldehyde cyclization, and acid-induced intramolecular sulfide formation.     

Underquaternized anion exchange resins as covalent scavengers

The use of partially quaternized, chloromethylated polystyrene as a covalent scavenger of cholate ion in aqueous media has been demonstrated. The ability of such polymers to scavenge organic anions by covalent as well as by ionic means has important implications in the areas of medicinal and environmental chemistry, which are briefly discussed.     

Enantioselective Addition of Allylic Trimethoxysilanes to Aldehydes Catalyzed by p-Tol-BINAP small middle dotAgF

Catalytic asymmetric allylation of aldehydes with allylic trimethoxysilanes was achieved with the p-Tol-BINAP small middle dotAgF complex as catalyst [Eq. (a); p-Tol-BINAP=2,2'-bis(di-p-tolylphosphanyl)-1,1'-binaphthyl)]. High anti and enantioselectivities were obtained in the reaction with crotyltrimethoxysilane, irrespective of the configuration at the double bond.     

Giant two-photon absorption due to excitonic molecule

The direct excitation of excitonic molecule due to the two-photon absorption process is shown to be strongly enhanced because of two effects of the resonance and the giant oscillator strength as known for the bound exciton. Then it is pointed out that the existence of the excitonic molecule can be confirmed also by this two-photon absorption spectroscopy. We discuss also the property of the excitonic molecules highly excited by this method.     

Anisotropic excitonic molecules in CdS and CdSe

Luminescence lines due to excitonic molecules are observed in CdS and CdSe. The line shape is analyzed by taking account of the broadening due to elastic collision. It is pointed out that the anisotropy of the effective hole masses makes the molecular binding energies much larger than evaluated by using the geometrical means of the hole masses.     

Reactive barium-promoted Reformatsky-type reaction of alpha-chloroketones with aldehydes

A Reformatsky-type aldol reaction of alpha-chloroketones with aldehydes has been achieved using reactive barium as a low-valent metal in THF; this one-pot process is more effective for obtaining the desired beta-hydroxy ketones in high yields than the stepwise process in which barium enolates are prepared prior to the reaction with aldehydes.     

Luminescence channels of manganese-doped spinel

Two independent luminescence channels are observed from manganese-doped spinel Mn:MgAl₂O₄. The luminescence around 520 nm is assigned to transition from the lowest electronic excited state ⁴T₁ to the ground state ⁶A₁ of Mn²⁺ (3d)⁵ ion by analyzing the excitation spectrum and electron spin resonance measurement. The emission at 650 nm is triggered by the band edge excitation and is assigned similarly to the charge-transfer process associated with the manganese ion.