Nature of plant stimulators in the production ofAcetobacter xylinum (“tea fungus”) biofilm used in skin therapy

Caffeine and related xanthines were identified as potent stimulators for the bacterial cellulose production in A. xylinum. These compounds are present in several plants whose infusions are useful as culture-medium supplements for this acetobacterium.

The proposed target for these native purine-like inhibitory substances is the novel diguanyl nucleotide phosphodiesterase(s) that participate(s) in the bacterial cellulogenic complex.

A better understanding of this feature of A. xylinum physiology may facilitate the preparation of bacterial cellulose pellicles, which are applied as a biotechnological tool in the treatment of skin burns and other dermal injuries.

     

Mechanism of action of 4-hydroxymethyl-1,6,8-trimethylfuro[2,3-h]quinolin-2(1H)-one, a very active angular furocoumarin-like sensitizer

The molecular structure of 1,4,6,8-tetramethylfuro[2,3-h]quinolin-2(1H)-one (FQ), a recent furocoumarin-like photosensitizer, has been modified with the aim of reducing its strong genotoxicity, by replacing the methyl group at 4 position with a hydroxymethyl one, and so obtaining 4-hydroxymethyl-1,6,8-trimethylfuro[2,3-h]quinolin-2(1H)-one (HOFQ). This modification gave rise to a strong reduction of lipophilicity and dark interaction with DNA. The formation of monoadducts (MA) was deeply affected, whereas the induction of bifunctional adducts between DNA and proteins (DPC(L>0)) was replaced by an efficient production of DNA-protein cross-links at zero length (DPC(L=0)), probably via guanine damage. Because of its angular molecular structure, HOFQ does not form interstrand cross-links (ISC): therefore, DPC(L=0) and MA represent the main lesions induced by HOFQ in DNA. In comparison with FQ (which induces MA and DPC(L>0)) and 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP) (MA, ISC, DPC(L>0)), HOFQ seems to be a more selective agent. In fact, contrary to FQ and 8-MOP, HOFQ, together with a noticeable antiproliferative activity, shows low levels of point mutations in bacteria and of clastogenic effects in mammalian cells. HOFQ is also an efficient apoptosis inducer, especially in comparison with 8-MOP, when tested at equitoxic experimental conditions; this property might be correlated with the complete HOFQ inability of inducing skin erythemas, a well-known side effect of classic furocoumarin photosensitization.     

Ozone interaction with conjugated polymers—II. Polyphenylacetylene

Free-standing films of cis-transoidal polyphenylacetylene, when treated with ozonized air at 1–2% by weight O₃ concentration, undergo a cis-trans isomerization induced by ozone as shown by electronic spectra. Moreover, the presence of the radical cation of polyphenylacetylene can be observed during ozone addition. The cis-trans isomerization is also confirmed by FT-IR spectra of polyphenylacetylene ozonized in solution. Hydroperoxidic groups, as well as peroxidic and aldehydic, are observed by FT-IR spectroscopy on ozonized polyphenylacetylene; in addition, ozonide groups are clearly present. The kinetics of ozonization of cis-transoid and trans-cisoid polyphenylacetylene was followed by electronic spectroscopy. The curves obtained as a function of ozonization time have a characteristic sigmoid shape. Polyphenylacetylene reacts more slowly with ozone than with the isolated double bonds of cis-1,4-polyisoprene, and thus it cannot act as an antiozonant.     

Experiences in the measurement of RBC-bound IgG as markers of cell age

An immunologically mediated pathway has been largely accepted to be one of the mechanisms involved in the clearance of senescent or prematurely damaged RBC. According to this pathway, RBC removal is mediated by binding of naturally occurring IgG to clustered integral membrane proteins, followed by complement deposition. The validation of an immunoenzymatic method for the detection of RBC-bound autologous IgG is presented. The use of RBC-bound IgG as an index related to red cell age was evaluated by measuring IgG binding in RBC treated with the clustering agent ZnCl2, in density fractionated RBC and in a selected group of patients expected to have an altered RBC life span. The immunoenzymatic method for IgG detection resulted to be reproducible (CV = 3.4%). IgG binding to in vitro clustered RBC was found to be enhanced to a very great extent, about 20 times higher with respect to untreated RBC. A slight but significant increase (about 1.8-fold) in membrane-bound IgG was observed in the highest density fraction of normal RBC, which constituted 1% of the total cells. A significantly greater number of RBC-bound IgG was measured in splenectomized beta-thalassemia intermedia patients and in subjects with secondary decreases in the C3 complement fraction concentration.     

Use of the diphasic dialysis as a new extraction procedure in the determination of enrofloxacin and ciprofloxacin in egg

We have developed a new method for the analysis of the fluoroquinolones enrofloxacin and ciprofloxacin in eggs using a diphasic dialysis procedure as extraction and purification method. High pressure liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) was used for the confirmatory determination of these compounds. The method was found to be linear between 10 and 800 ng g⁻¹ for enrofloxacin, and between 20 and 1600 ng g⁻¹ for ciprofloxacin. The recovery percentages were in the 70-104% range for enrofloxacin, and 55-97% for ciprofloxacin. The assay described was repeatable and reproducible with a limit of quantitation of 2 and 4 ng g⁻¹ for enrofloxacin and ciprofloxacin from egg, respectively.     

Mechanisms of acid decomposition of dithiocarbamates. 3. Aryldithiocarbamates and the torsional effect

The acid decomposition of some p-substituted aryldithiocarbamates (arylDTCs) was observed in 20% aqueous ethanol at 25 degrees C, mu = 1.0 (KCl, for pH > 0). The pH-rate profiles showed a dumbell shape with a plateau where the observed first-order rate constant k(obs) was equal to k(o), the rate constant of the decomposition of the dithiocarbamic acid species. The acid dissociation constants of the dithiocarbamic acids (pK(a)) and their conjugate acids (pK(+)) were calculated from the pH-rate profiles. Comparatively, k(o) was more than 10(4)-fold faster than alkyldithiocarbamates (alkDTCs) with similar pK(N) (the acid dissociation constant of the parent amine). It was observed that the values of pK(a) and pK(+)were 5 and 8 units of pK, respectively, higher than the expected values from the pK(N) of alkylDTCs. The higher values were attributed to the inhibition of the delocalization of the nitrogen electron pair into the benzene ring because of the strong electron withdrawal effect of the thiocarbonyl group. Comparison of the activation parameters showed that the rate acceleration was due to a decrease in the enthalpy of activation. Proton inventory indicated the existence of a multiproton transition state, and it was consistent with an S to N proton transfer through a water molecule. There are two hydrogens contributing to a secondary SIE, and there are also two protons that are being transferred at the transition state to form a zwitterion followed by fast C-N bond cleavage. The mechanism could also be a concerted asynchronic process where the N-protonation is more advanced than the C-N bond breakdown. The kinetic barrier is similar to the torsional barrier of thioamides, suggesting that the driving force to reach the transition state is the needed torsion of the C-N bond that inhibits the resonance with the thiocarbonyl group and the aromatic moiety, increasing the basicity of the nitrogen and making the proton transfer thermodynamically favorable.     

The decomposition of the oxalate precursor and the stability and reduction of the YBa2Cu4O8 superconductor studied by TG coupled with FTIR and by XRD

The 124 superconductor YBa₂Cu₄O₈ was prepared from the oxalate precursor Y₂(C₂O₄)₃. ·4BaC₂O₄·8CuC₂O₄·xH₂O at one atmosphere oxygen pressure. In O₂ the precursor decomposes in one step at 300°C and more gradually (300°–600°C) in Ar. The stability of the superconductor is strongly dependent on the gas atmosphere: in O₂ and in air there is no significant weight change as long as the temperature does not exceed 800°C, whereas in a 1% O₂-99%N₂ mixture decomposition starts at about 670°C with the formation of CuO and YBa₂Cu₃O_x withx<7. The reduction of YBa₂Cu₄O₈ in a 5% H₂-95% Ar mixture takes place in at least four major steps with formation of products such as Y₂O₃, BaO, Cu₂O, Cu, BaY₂O₄ and Ba₄Y₂O₇.     

Zinc(II), cadmium(II) and mercury(II) halide pyrrolidine-2-thione complexes

Summary White crystalline complexes of general formula ML₂X₂, where M = Zn, Cd, Hg; X = Cl, 13r, I and L = pyrrolidine-2-thione, were prepared and studied by i.r. spectroscopy in the 4000-200 cm^–1 range. Evidence for coordination of the ligand to the metal through sulphur was found in each case. The previous assignment of the band present in the ligand at 1110 cm^–1 to the(CS) fundamental is discussed.This work was supported by the National Research Council (C.N.R.) of Italy.     

Synthesis of conjugated polyrotaxanes

A series of conjugated polyrotaxane insulated molecular wires are synthesised by aqueous Suzuki polymerisation, using hydrophobic binding to promote threading of the cyclodextrin units. These polyrotaxanes have conjugated polymer cores based on poly(para-phenylene), polyfluorene, and poly(diphenylene-vinylene), threaded through 0.9-1.6 cyclodextrins per repeat unit. Bulky naphthalene-3,6-disulfonate endgroups prevent the macrocycles from slipping off the conjugated polymer chains. Dialysis experiments show that the cyclodextrins become unthreaded only if smaller stoppers are used. MALDI TOF mass spectra detect oligomers with up to ten threaded cyclodextrins, and reveal the presence of some defects that result for oxidative homo-coupling of boronic acids. Weight-average molecular weights were determined by analytical ultracentrifugation, demonstrating that step-growth polymerisation is efficient enough to achieve degrees of polymerisation up to approximately 20 repeat units (84 para-phenylenes). The fluorescence spectra of these polyrotaxanes indicate that the presence of the threaded cyclodextrin macrocycles reduces the flexibility of the conjugated polymer pi-systems. Both the solution and the solid-state photoluminescence quantum yields are enhanced upon threading of the conjugated polyaromatic cores through alpha- or beta-cyclodextrins, and the emission spectra of the polyrotaxanes are blue-shifted compared to the corresponding unthreaded polymers. The greater weight of the 0-0 transition in the emission spectra, as well as the smaller Stokes shift, indicate that the polyrotaxanes are more rigid than the unthreaded polymers.     

Solidification of metallic tin in dispersed phase

Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and particle size measurements were carried out on disproportionation products of pure SnO to investigate the fusion and solidification behaviour of Sn droplets and their catalytic nucleation on Sn oxides. If disproportionation reaction takes place at T ≥ 798 K, the products are metallic Sn and SnO₂; but for 523 < T < 798 K, SnO₂ is replaced by an intermediate oxide (IO) Sn_xO_(1+x). On melting, samples with IO show a drop of melting point of metallic tin due to Gibbs–Thomson effect; no lowering of melting point was observed in samples with SnO₂. On the other hand, if solidification occurs in the presence of IO, Tin droplets always displayed three distinct exothermic solidification peaks, but if it takes place in the presence of SnO₂, only one exothermic peak is observed. Undercooling values and contact angles were determined for each of the heterogeneous nucleation processes. The different behaviour of metallic Tin droplets was related to the different lattice symmetry of SnO₂ and IO, which act as nucleation catalysts.