In vivo application of intestinal pH measurement using 2',7'-bis(carboxyethyl)-5,6-carboxyfluorescein (BCECF) fluorescence imaging

Measurement of gastrointestinal intramucosal pH (pHim) has been recognized as an important factor in the detection of hypoxia-induced dysfunctions. However, current pH measurement techniques are limited in terms of time and spatial resolutions. A major advance in accurate pH measurement was the development of the ratiometric fluorescent indicator dye, 2',7'-bis(carboxyethyl)-5,6-carboxyfluorescein (BCECF). This study aimed to set up and validate a fluorescence imaging technique to measure in vivo the intramucosal pH (pHim) of the intestine. The intestine was inserted into an optical chamber placed under a microscope. Animals were injected intravenously with the pH-sensitive fluorescent dye BCECF. Fluorescence was visualized by illuminating the intestine alternately at 490 and 470 nm. The emitted fluorescence was directed to an intensified camera. The ratio of emitted fluorescence at excitation wavelengths of 490 and 470 nm was measured, corrected and converted to pHim by constructing a calibration curve. The pHim controls were performed with a pH microelectrode and were correlated with venous blood gas sampling. Results show that pHim is determined with an accuracy of +/- 0.07 pH units and a response time of 1 min. In conclusion pHim mapping of rat intestine can be obtained by fluorescence imaging using BCECF. This technology could be easily adapted for endoscopic pH measurements.     

Determination of organophosphate and carbamate pesticides based on enzyme inhibition using a pH-sensitive fluorescence probe

A flow injection system for the determination of organophosphate and carbamate pesticides is described. A sensitive fluorescence probe was synthesized and used as the pH indicator to detect the inhibition of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE). The percentage inhibition of enzyme activity is correlated to the pesticide concentration. Several parameters influencing the performance of the system are discussed. The detection limits of 3.5, 50, 12 and 25 μg/l for carbofuran, carbaryl, paraoxon and dichlorvos, in pure water, respectively were achieved with an incubation time of 10 min. A complete cycle of analysis, including incubation time, took 14 min. The detection system has been applied to the determination of carbofuran in spiked vegetable juices (Chinese cabbage and cole), achieving recovery values between 93.2 and 107% for Chinese cabbage juice and 108 and 118% for cole juice at the different concentration levels assayed.     

Preparation and Characterization of pH-sensitive Hydrogel Film of Chitosan/Poly(acrylic acid) Copolymer

A hydrogel film of chitosan/poly(acrylic acid) (CS/PAAc) copolymer with the property of pH sensitivity, was prepared by irradiating the chitosan film, which was then swelled by aqueous AAc solutions of different concentrations. The effects of the feed ratio of chitosan and AAc on the properties of the hydrogels, such as swelling ratio and pH-sensitivity, were determined. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy was applied in the attenuated total reflectance (ATR) mode for analyzing the structure change of the hydrogels after the treatment in buffer solutions of different pHs.     

Characterization of phase separation of polystyrene/poly(vinyl methyl ether) blends using fluorescence

We have investigated the fluorescence emission spectra of pyrene and anthracene dyes covalently bonded to polystyrene (PS) upon phase separation from poly(vinyl methyl ether) (PVME). The specific chemical structure of the fluorescent labels is found to affect the measured phase separation temperature T_S, with fluorophores covalently attached in closer proximity to the PS backbone identifying phase separation a few degrees earlier. The sharp increase in fluorescence intensity upon phase separation that occurs for all fluorophores with little change in spectral shape is consistent with a mechanism of static fluorescence quenching resulting from the specific interaction with a nearby quenching molecular unit. Based on recent work that has identified a weak hydrogen bond occurring between the aromatic hydrogens of PS and the ether oxygen of PVME, we believe a similar weak hydrogen bond is likely occurring between the PVME oxygen and the aromatic dyes providing a local (few nanometer) sensitivity to phase separation. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys, 2011     

Synthesis, crystal structure, electrochemical and fluorescence studies of a novel Zn(II)-fluorophore, 1,10-phenanthroline-5,6-dione (phen-dione)

The crystal structure of 1,10-phenanthroline-5,6-dione ligand with Zn(II), tris(1,10-phenanthroline-5,6-dione)zinc(II) hexafluorophosphate, [Zn(phen-dione)₃](PF₆)₂, is reported. The complex was characterized by elemental analysis, IR, ¹H NMR, electronic absorption spectroscopies, cyclic voltammetry and X-ray crystallography. Yellow crystals of [Zn(phen-dione)₃](PF₆)₂ were formed by ether diffusion into an acetonitrile solution of the complex. The title complex crystallized in monoclinic crystal system (Z = 2) with space groups of P2 ₁, a = 12.0299(15) Å, b = 14.5306(19) Å, c = 13.1879(17) Å, β = 94.058(2)º and V = 2299.5(5) ų. The structure was refined by using 10048 independent reflections, with I > 2σ(I) to an R factor of 0.0490. Single-crystal structure showed that the coordination geometry around the Zn(II) was a distorted octahedron. The complex showed an intense fluorescence band at visible region (690 nm) in CH₃CN with an excitation wavelength of 310 nm at 25.0 ± 0.1 ºC. Cyclic voltammogram of the title complex showed two quasi-reversible reduction couples at negative potential, which were assigned to the consecutive reduction of phen-dione ligand to phen-semiquinonate and phen-diolate respectively by analogy to other phen-dione complexes at scan rate 200 mV s^-1.     

Pharmacokinetics of ICG and HPPH-car for the detection of normal and tumor tissue using fluorescence, near-infrared reflectance imaging: a case study

We present in vivo fluorescent, near-infrared (NIR), reflectance images of indocyanine green (ICG) and carotene-conjugated 2-devinyl-2-(1-hexyloxyethyl) pyropheophorbide (HPPH-car) to discriminate spontaneous canine adenocarcinoma from normal mammary tissue. Following intravenous administration of 1.0 mg kg-1 ICG or 0.3 mg kg-1 HPPH-car into the canine, a 25 mW, 778 nm or 70 mW, 660 nm laser diode beam, expanded by a diverging lens to approximately 4 cm in diameter, illuminated the surface of the mammary tissue. Successfully propagating to the tissue surface, ICG or HPPH-car fluorescence generated from within the tissue was collected by an image-intensified, charge-coupled device camera fitted with an 830 or 710 nm bandpass interference filter. Upon collecting time-dependent fluorescence images at the tissue surface overlying both normal and diseased tissue volumes, and fitting these images to a pharmacokinetic model describing the uptake (wash-in) and release (wash-out) of fluorescent dye, the pharmacokinetics of fluorescent dye was spatially determined. Mapping the fluorescence intensity owing to ICG indicates that the dye acts as a blood pool or blood persistent agent, for the model parameters show no difference in the ICG uptake rates between normal and diseased tissue regions. The wash-out of ICG was delayed for up to 72 h after intravenous injection in tissue volumes associated with disease, because ICG fluorescence was still detected in the diseased tissue 72 h after injection. In contrast, HPPH-car pharmacokinetics illustrated active uptake into diseased tissues, perhaps owing to the overexpression of LDL receptors associated with the malignant cells. HPPH-car fluorescence was not discernable after 24 h. This work illustrates the ability to monitor the pharmacokinetic delivery of NIR fluorescent dyes within tissue volumes as great as 0.5-1 cm from the tissue surface in order to differentiate normal from diseased tissue volumes on the basis of parameters obtained from the pharmacokinetic models.     

Ensemble and single-molecule fluorescence spectroscopy of a calcium-ion indicator dye

The spectroscopic properties of Calcium Green 2 (CG-2), a dual-fluorophore Ca(2+) indicator dye, were characterized by a combination of steady state and time-resolved ensemble spectroscopic measurements, molecular mechanics calculations and single-molecule fluorescence spectroscopy. It was found that in Ca(2+) free solutions, CG-2 exists primarily as a highly quenched intramolecular dimer, but when bound to Ca(2+), the molecule adopts an extended, fluorescent conformation. The difference in emission properties of these two CG-2 conformations is explained in terms of simple exciton theory. Through single-molecule fluorescence measurements, we have shown that the bulk increase in ensemble fluorescence intensity correlates with a simple statistical increase in the number of fluorescent molecules in solution. In addition, we have also observed that the majority of CG-2 molecules photobleach in a single step, despite the molecule possessing two distinct fluorophores. A small fraction of molecules photobleach in multiple steps or show a series of transitions between emissive and nonemissive fluorescent states ("blinking"). We rationalize these photophysical phenomena using a simple model based on dipole-dipole F?rster coupling between fluorophores in conjunction with irreversible photodamage to one of the constituent chromophores.     

Synthesis and DNA studies of a copper(II) complex of 5,6-dihydro-5,6-epoxy-1,10-phenanthroline

A new copper(II) complex, [Cu(epoxy)(phen)(NO₃)](NO₃)·H₂O (epoxy = 5,6-dihydro-5,6-epoxy-1,10-phenanthroline, phen = 1,10-phenanthroline), has been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, IR and UV–vis spectroscopy, and single crystal X-ray diffraction. The complex crystallized in a monoclinic system with space group P21/n, a = 13.3199(8) Å, b = 11.2917(7) Å, c = 16.0832(9) Å, α = 90°, β = 107.827(4)°, and γ = 90°. The complex cation possesses a distorted octahedral geometry, with Jahn–Teller distortion occurring in the CuN₄O₂ core. The binding interaction with calf thymus DNA (CT–DNA) was investigated by UV–vis and fluorescence spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and viscometry. The results support a partially intercalative binding mode. Efficient cleavage of plasmid DNA by the complex was observed by gel electrophoresis.     

Characterization of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) in the East China Sea in autumn using excitation-emission matrix (EEM) fluorescence and parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC)

Samples of chromophoric dissolved organic matter(CDOM)in the East China Sea in autumn(October in 2011)were analyzed by excitation emission matrix(EEM)fluorescence spectroscopy combined with parallel factor analysis(PARAFAC).Three terrestrial humic-like components(C1,C2 and C3)and one protein-like component(C4)were identified.Based on spatial distributions,as well as relationships with salinity,the following assignments were made.The three humic-like components(C1,C2 and C3)showed conservative mixing behavior and came mainly from riverine input.The protein-like component(C4)was considered a combination of autochthonous production and terrestrial inputs and a biologically labile component.Path analysis of samples from the middle and bottom layers revealed that the causal effects on C1 were 78.46%for salinity,and 21.54%for apparent oxygen utilization(AOU);those on C2 were 76.43%for salinity,and 23.57%for AOU;those on C3 were70.49%for salinity,7.01%for Chl-a,and 22.50%for AOU;those on C4 were 55.54%for salinity,14.6%for Chl-a,and29.86%for AOU in middle layer;and those on C4 were 57.37%for salinity,29.02%for Chl-a,and 13.61%for AOU in bottom layer.Results indicated that CDOM in the East China Sea was mainly affected by terrestrial inputs,and microbial activities also played a key role in biogeochemical processes of CDOM.The application of the EEM-PARAFAC model presented a unique opportunity to observe compositional changes in CDOM in the East China Sea.In addition,the humification index(HIX)suggested that CDOM from the East China Sea was less stable and stayed shorter in the environment.     

2’,7’-二氯-5(6)-羧基荧光素的合成及其荧光性能研究

以偏苯三酸酐、4-氯间苯二酚为原料,在ZnCl2催化下反应得到2',7'-二氯-5(6)-羧基荧光素混合物,并用柱色谱进行异构体分离.对取代基团对其荧光性能影响的研究发现,顶环上引入氯使其最大荧光激发波长和荧光发射波长发生红移,荧光强度有所增加;底环上引入羧基,其Stokes位移和荧光量子产率略有降低,但该活性基团的引入将更有利于对生物体进行检测.由此表明,2',7'-二氯-5(6)-羧基荧光素有望用于荧光探针.     

Oxygen diffusion in poly(dimethyl siloxane) using fluorescence quenching. II. Filled samples

The method of fluorescence quenching has been used to measure the transport properties of oxygen in poly(dimethyl siloxane) (PDMS) filled with small weight fractions of fumed silica. The experimental results show that the diffusion coefficient of oxygen and the pre-exponential term in the Arrhenius relationship are reduced, but the activation energy is not affected. In the pressure and temperature ranges used in these experiments, the diffusion coefficient was found to be independent of both the oxygen and fluorophor concentrations. A discussion concerning the effect of fillers on the pre-exponential term is presented.     

Characterization and comparison of Cm(III) and Eu(III) complexed with 2,6-di(5,6-dipropyl-1,2,4-triazin-3-yl)pyridine using EXAFS, TRFLS, and quantum-chemical methods

The complexation of Cm(III) and Eu(III) with 2,6-di(5,6-dipropyl-1,2,4-triazin-3-yl)pyridine (n-C3H7-BTP) in nonaqueous organic solution is studied with extended X-ray absorption spectroscopy. Bond lengths are the same in both complexes. Quantum-chemical calculations performed at different levels support this finding. On the other hand, the Cm.(n-C3H7-BTP)3 complex is formed at much lower ligand-to-metal concentration ratio than the Eu.(n-C3H7-BTP)3 complex, as shown by time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy. This is in good agreement with n-C3H7-BTP's high selectivity for trivalent actinides over lanthanides in liquid-liquid extraction.     

Complexometric titration of copper (II) using chromotropic acid dioxime as a metal indicator

Summary Chromotropic acid dioxime forms purple coloured complexes with copper in the p_H ranges 5.82 to 6.45 and 7.25 to 8.05 respectively which are less stable than the Cu^II-EDTA complex. On titrating these solutions with EDTA, the purple coloured complexes turn colourless or yellow at the end point. These titrations give satisfactory results in the temperature ranges 20 to 70° C and 20 to 50° C respectively. In acid medium, the titration of copper can be carried out in the presence of magnesium and alkaline earths, but zinc, cadmium, nickel, cobalt, aluminium and iron(III) interfere. The latter two elements can be masked by sodium fluoride. In ammoniacal medium, zinc, cadmium, cobalt, nickel, lead, magnesium and alkaline earths interfere.

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Zusammenfassung Chromotropsäuredioxim bildet mit Kupfer im p_H-Bereich 5,82 bis 6,45 und 7,25–8,05 purpurrot gefärbte Komplexe, die weniger stabil sind als der Kupfer-ÄDTA-Komplex. Bei der Titration solcher Lösungen mit ÄDTA ergibt sich am Endpunkt ein Farbumschlag nach Farblos bzw. Gelb. Bei Temperaturen von 20–70°C bzw. 20–50°C werden gute Ergebnisse erzielt. Die Kupferbestimmung in saurem Medium kann in Gegenwart von Magnesium und Erdalkalien durchgeführt werden; Störungen werden verursacht durch Zink, Cadmium, Nickel, Kobalt, Aluminium und Eisen(III), wobei die beiden letzten jedoch mit Natriumfluorid maskiert werden können. Die Titration in ammoniakalischem Medium wird durch Zink, Cadmium, Kobalt, Nickel, Blei, Magnesium und die Erdalkalien gestört.

     

Complexometric titration of copper(II) using nitrosochromotropic acid as a new metal indicator

Summary Nitrosochromotropic acid gives a violet coloured soluble complex with Cu^II in ammonium chloride-ammonium hydroxide buffer solution, which is less stable than Cu^II-EDTA complex. When microquantities of Cu^II solution containing 1 or 2 drops of nitrosochromotropic acid in the ph range 7.25 to 8.00, are titrated with EDTA, a sharp colour change from violet to orange occurs at the end point. The method of titration can be carried out from 20° to 40° C, but the copper complex dissociates at higher temperature and gives low results. The separation of Zn²⁺, Cd²⁺, Co²⁺, Ni²⁺, Pb²⁺ and alkaline earths, is necessary as they interfere in the titrations with EDTA.

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Zusammenfassung Nitrosochromotropsäure bildet mit Kupfer(II) in Ammoniumchlorid-Ammoniak-Pufferlösung einen violett gefärbten löslichen Komplex, der weniger stabil ist als der Kupfer(II)-ÄDTA-Komplex. Mikromengen Kupfer(II) können imph-Bereich von 7,25–8,00 unter Zusatz von 1–2 Tropfen Nitrosochromotropsäurelösung als Indicator mit ÄDTA-Lösung titriert werden, wobei am Endpunkt ein scharfer Umschlag von Violett nach Orange erfolgt. Die Temperatur der Lösung soll 20–40° C betragen; bei höherer Temperatur erhält man zu niedrige Werte, da der Kupferkomplex dann dissoziiert. Zn²⁺, Cd²⁺, Co²⁺, Ni²⁺, Pb²⁺ und Erdalkalien müssen vor der Titration abgetrennt werden.

     

Oxygen diffusion in poly(dimethyl siloxane) using fluorescence quenching. I. Measurement technique and analysis

The transport properties of oxygen in poly(dimethyl siloxane) have been measured using the method of quenching of fluorescence. This paper discusses the uniqueness of this method and its use in measuring the diffusion coefficient of oxygen in unfilled PDMS. The results show (1) a large value for the diffusion coefficient of oxygen in pure PDMS at 25°C, D = 3.55 × 10^?5 cm²/s, (2) a low value of the acitivation energy, E_D = 4.77 kcal/mole, which was not temperature dependent in the ranges evaluated, and (3) a large value of the preexponential term, D₀ = 0.115 cm²/s. The diffusion coefficient was found to be independent of both the oxygen concentration and fluorophor concentration in the pressure and temperature ranges used in these experiments. The import of these experiments lies in their application to a unique biomedical oxygen sensor which is fast, sensitive, and does not consume oxygen.     

Benzidoles. Synthesis of (5,6-benzindol-3-yl)-acetamidines

Various compounds derived from the nitrile group were synthesized by conventional methods by carrying out consecutive transformations of (1-acetyl-5,6-benzindol-3-yl)acetonitrile.Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 1, pp. 57–61, January, 1991.     

Ex vivo fluorescence imaging of normal and malignant urothelial cells to enhance early diagnosis

Urinary cytology is a noninvasive and unconstraining technique for urothelial cancer diagnosis but lacks sensitivity for detecting low-grade lesions. In this study, the fluorescence properties of classical Papanicolaou-stained urothelial cytological slides from patients or from cell lines were monitored to investigate metabolic changes in normal and tumoral cells. Time- and spectrally-resolved fluorescence imaging was performed at the single cell level to assess the spectral and temporal properties as well as the spatial distribution of the fluorescence emitted by urothelial cells. The results reveal quite different fluorescence distributions between tumoral urothelial cells, characterized by a perimembrane fluorescence localization, and the normal cells which exhibit an intracellular fluorescence. This is not caused by differences in the fluorescence emission of the endogenous fluorophores NAD(P)H, flavoproteins or porphyrins but by various localization of the EA 50 Papanicolaou stain as revealed by both the spectral and time-resolved parameters. The present results demonstrate that the use of single-cell endofluorescence emission of Papanicolaou-stained urothelial cytological slides can allow an early ex vivo diagnosis of low-grade bladder cancers.     

Improved method for the determination of 5,6-dihydroxytryptamine and 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine in tissue using high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection.

A liquid chromatographic method with electrochemical detection is described for the determination of the 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) neurotoxins 5,6-dihydroxytryptamine (5,6-DHT) and 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine (5,7-DHT) in rat brain tissue. This method has also been used for the determination of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid, homovanillic acid and 5-HT in other tissue samples. The method is based on extraction of the indoles from brain samples with perchloric acid followed by reversed-phase liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. The detection limit is 1 ng per 100 mg of tissue. This paper describes a quick and reliable method of assaying the 5-HT neurotoxins 5,6-DHT and 5,7-DHT in brain tissue, which is improved compared to currently available assays.     

Characterization,thermal and fluorescence study of Mn(II) and Pd(II) Schiff base complexes

2-[(pyridin-2-ylmethylidene)amino]-6-aminopyridine (L¹), 2-[(2-furylmethylene)]phenylenediamine (L²) and their Mn(II) and Pd(II) complexes have been synthesized as potential photoactive materials, and their structures were elucidated using a variety of physicochemical techniques. The molar conductance data reveal that all complexes are nonionic in nature. Theoretical calculations were computed using the density functional theory, where the B3LYP functional was employed. The experimental results and the calculated parameters revealed a square planar and octahedral geometry around Pd(II) and Mn(II), respectively, in which the ligands coordinate to the metal ions as a bidentate manner. The thermal decomposition of the complexes has been studied. The catalytic activity of the complexes toward hydrogen peroxide decomposition reaction was investigated at 35 and 55 °C. In addition, the synthesized ligands, in comparison with their metal complexes, were screened for their antibacterial activity.