DNA-based magnetic nanoparticle assembly acts as a magnetic relaxation nanoswitch allowing screening of DNA-cleaving agents

Monodisperse magnetic nanoparticles conjugated with complementary oligonucleotide sequences self-assemble into stable magnetic nanoassemblies resulting in a decrease of the spin-spin relaxation times (T2) of neighboring water protons. When these nanoassemblies are treated with a DNA cleaving agent, the nanoparticles become dispersed, switching the T2 of the solution back to original values. These qualities render the developed nanoparticles and their nanoassemblies as magnetic relaxation switches capable of screening for DNA-cleaving compounds by magnetic resonance methods such as MRI and NMR.     

Mini-emulsion solvent evaporation: a simple and versatile way to magnetic nanosensors

Magnetic optical sensor particles were prepared using a mini-emulsion solvent evaporation (MESE) technique. The resulting nanoparticles (NPs) have diameters around 100?nm and relatively narrow size distribution (PDI < 0.2). Incorporation of probes for oxygen or pH resulted in magnetic sensor particles for bioprocess monitoring and imaging applications. The MESE technique yields sensing NPs in higher quantities than obtained by a previously reported nanoprecipitation method, and the size of the NPs is smaller than that of particles made by spray-drying of sensor cocktails. Moreover, the technique is flexible in terms of polymers, solvents and indicators used in that it may be applied??at least in principle??to numerous combinations of two-phase systems.     

Relationship between the excited state relaxation paths of rhodopsin and isorhodopsin

The pigment Isorhodopsin, an analogue of the visual pigment Rhodopsin, is investigated via quantum-mechanics/molecular-mechanics computations based on an ab initio multiconfigurational quantum chemical treatment. The limited <5 kcal mol(-1) error found for the spectral parameters allows for a nearly quantitative analysis of the excited-state structure and reactivity of its 9-cis-retinal chromophore. We demonstrate that, similar to Rhodopsin, Isorhodopsin features a shallow photoisomerization path. However, the structure of the reaction coordinate appears to be reversed. In fact, while the coordinate still corresponds to an asynchronous crankshaft motion, the dominant isomerization component involves a counterclockwise, rather than clockwise, twisting of the 9-cis bond. Similarly, the minor component involves a clockwise, rather than counterclockwise, twisting of the 11-trans bond. Ultimately, these results indicate that Rhodopsin and Isorhodopsin relax along a common excited-state potential energy valley starting from opposite ends. The fact that the central and lowest energy region of such valley runs along a segment of the intersection space between the ground and excited states of the protein explains why the pigments decay at distinctive conical intersection structures.     

The thermoelastic properties and structural relaxation of magnetic liquids

The kinetic equations for one-and two-particle distribution functions were used to study the thermoelastic properties of magnetic liquids in the presence of an external not uniform magnetic field. Dynamic equations for the heat conductivity coefficient λ(ω) and thermal elastic modulus Z(ω) over a wide reduced frequency range were obtained. The asymptotic behavior of λ(ω) and Z(ω) was studied at low and high frequencies; the results were in agreement with those obtained for classic liquids by the method of molecular dynamics. The λ(ω) and Z(ω) values were calculated for a magnetic liquid based on kerosene and Fe₃O₄ magnetic particles. The numerical data on transfer coefficients and elastic properties of magnetic liquids were on the whole in agreement with the general conclusions of the statistical theory of liquids.     

Immunoliposomes and their targets

Immunoliposomes have been actively studied over the past two decades. However, researcher’s attention has still been limited to intensive preclinical trials and no one immunoliposomal formulation has passed clinical trials. This fact can be explained by a fear of complications, when mouse monoclonal antibodies are used as delivery vehicles. The situation has radically changed over the past few years. Nonimmunogenic single-chain antibodies have become an accessible research tool. Moreover, antibodies can be easily modified and conjugated with liposomes. Therefore, a vigorous breakthrough in the field of development of newgeneration immuno-liposomal formulations for oncological practice can be expected.     

One-pot synthesis of magnetic nanoparticles assembled on polysiloxane rod and their response to magnetic field

Rod-like assembled magnetite (Fe₃O₄) nanoparticles (NPs) were successfully synthesized in a one-pot process using a polysiloxane template derived from a dialkoxysilane. The assembly was constructed using the thiol-ene click reaction between thiol groups on the polysiloxane chain and allyl groups on Fe₃O₄ NPs. The thiol-containing polysiloxane chain and the allyl-containing Fe₃O₄ NPs were synthesized by the hydrolysis–condensation of 3-mercaptopropyl(dimethoxy)methylsilane and iron (III) allylacetylacetonate, respectively. Fe₃O₄ NPs of around 5 nm were uniformly dispersed on the siloxane rods and exhibited neither remanent magnetization nor coercivity. A fluid containing a dispersion of rod-like assembled Fe₃O₄ NPs showed yield stress even without the application of an external magnetic field, whereas spherical Fe₃O₄ NPs exhibited no yield stress. The rod-like assembled Fe₃O₄ NPs on anisotropic siloxane clearly exhibited typical magnetorheological behavior.     

钒化合物的靶点蛋白及其生物效应

作为一种生物相关的金属元素,基于钒的金属化合物在糖尿病、癌症、阿尔茨海默症、神经炎症等疾病的治疗方面表现出独特的潜在应用价值。现阶段研究表明,钒发挥其生物活性主要源于钒酸根作为磷酸根类似物对细胞内磷酸转移反应的影响,及钒在细胞内经氧化还原转化产生的活性氧物质对相关信号通路的调节;而钒化合物与细胞内靶点蛋白的相互作用亦被认为是发挥其治疗作用的关键因素。本文就钒的化学性质、钒化合物与血清蛋白的结合、钒化合物对细胞内效应靶点蛋白及其作用通路的调控、细胞内金属药物靶点蛋白分析鉴定等几方面,对近年来取得的相关研究的进展进行综述,以系统性阐释钒化合物用于疾病治疗的生物活性机制,并对进一步揭示钒化合物作用机理的探索方向及其药用前景进行展望。     

Oriented immobilization of antibodies and their fragments on modified silicon for the production of nanosensors

Different methods for the covalent immobilization of specific antibodies and their fragments on a silicon surface with the subsequent formation of immune complexes that consist of an immobilized monoclonal antibody, an antigen molecule, and a molecule of a second monoclonal antibody labeled with gold nanoparticles have been studied. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA), which is a molecular biomarker for prostate cancer, was used as an antigen. A covalent conjugate of the fragments of PSA-specific antibodies with gold nanoparticles has been obtained using the thiol groups of the antibodies. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used for the registration of immune complexes on the surface. The high resolution of the method made it possible to detect individual immune complexes by the presence of gold nanoparticles and to calculate their number. A new method for the chemical modification of silicon by 3-aminopropyltrimetoxysilane (APTMS) and a bifunctional reagent 1,4-phenylene diisothiocyanate (PDITC) has been developed. This method provides a uniform distribution of antigen-binding centers and their availability for the formation of immune complexes. The developed immobilization method is promising for the formation of a biospecific biosensor layer based on silicon nanowires.     

Synthesis and magnetic relaxation properties of a porous glass magnetic microcarrier

The reaction of formation of magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles from aqueous solutions of Fe(+2,+3) salts was studied under homo- and heterophase conditions of capillary-porous bodies by the nuclear magnetic resonance relaxometry method. Magnetic composites based on Bio-Glas porous glasses were obtained by precipitation of iron oxide nanoparticles in pores ranging in size from 50 to 250 nm. The magnetic relaxation rate of water protons during the heterophase precipitation reaction was examined.     

The magnetic field and temperature dependences of proton spin-lattice relaxation in proteins

The nuclear magnetic relaxation dispersion profiles of lyophilized globular proteins were measured in the frequency range of 10 kHz-30 MHz at temperatures from 156 to 302 K. The existent theory of proton relaxation in immobilized protein systems was critically tested and expended to include contributions of rapid motions of protein side-chain groups. The new theory takes into account the strong coupling between the side-chain protons and the protein backbone, when correlation function cannot be written as a product of the contributions. The measurements showed that while the relaxation rate constant of the protein backbone protons is a linear function of the absolute temperature the side-chain groups exhibit an exponential temperature dependence corresponding to an activated process. Measurements carried out on simple homopolypeptides, polyglycine and polyalanine, provide strong support of the proposed new theory.     

Anomalous relaxation of a twisted cell under an external magnetic field: The nearly homogeneous relaxation

We report experimental and theoretical investigations of the dynamic behaviour of a π/2 twisted NLC layer in a magnetic field. When a magnetic field H is applied in the layer plane at a suitable angle β with respect to the easy axis on the first surface, the relaxation towards the equilibrium texture occurs through a slow decay of unstable textures. Depending on the values of H and β, the relaxation of the system can be nearly homogeneous or strongly inhomogeneous. In this paper we restrict our attention to the case where the relaxation occurs in a nearly homogeneous way. The theoretical relaxation time τw of the unstable textures is found to depend strongly on the angle β and on the amplitude of the magnetic field. The experimental dependence of τw on H and β is found to be in good agreement with the theoretical predictions. The relaxation process is extremely sensitive to small dishomogeneities of the director easy alignment on the surfaces. From the measured relaxation we are able to estimate a spread of 0.3° on the surface easy axes at a planar anchored SiO surface.     

Solid‐state nuclear magnetic resonance relaxation times in crosslinked macroporous polymer particles of divinylbenzene homopolymers

Monodisperse porous particles of poly(divinylbenzene) prepared by the activated swelling method have been investigated by solid‐state ¹³C crosspolarization magic‐angle spinning (CPMAS) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) relaxation measurements. Homopolymeric combinations of two porogens (toluene and 2‐ethylhexanoic acid) and two monomers (meta‐ and para‐divinylbenzene) were studied. Residual vinyl groups were systematically reacted with increasing amounts of bromine, producing 20 different polymers samples for which we measured crosspolarization times, T_CH, proton rotating frame spin‐lattice relaxation, T, ¹³C spin‐lattice relaxation, T, and proton spin‐lattice relaxation, T. These parameters were chosen to reflect expected changes in a wide range of frequencies of motion as a function of structure. Relative differences in the molecular mobility of the major functional groups (aromatic, vinyl and aliphatic) is related to initial reactants used, vinyl concentration, relative reactivity of vinyl groups, distribution of vinyl groups, pore structure, and degree of crosslinking. Variable temperature ¹H combined rotation and multiple pulse NMR (CRAMPS) was used to derive activation energies for selected samples via measurement of the proton spin‐lattice relaxation time, T. Irreversible thermal effects were observed in ambient temperature relaxation after heating to temperatures in the range of 393–418 K. Simple univariate statistical analyses failed to reveal consistent correlations among the known variables. However, the application of more sophisticated multivariate and neural network analyses allowed excellent structure–property predictions to be made from the relaxation time data. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 37: 1307–1328, 1999     

A series of Salen-type homodinuclear lanthanide complexes and their slow magnetic relaxation in Dy2 and Ho2

A series of homodinuclear lanthanide complexes, namely, [Ln₂(L)₂(MeOH)₂(NO₃)₂] [Ln = Gd ( 1 ), Tb ( 2 ), Dy ( 3 ), and Ho ( 4 )], were synthesized by the reaction of Salen-type ligand, namely N, N′-bis(5-bromosalicylidene)ethane-1,2-diamine (H₂L), with lanthanide salts in methanol and acetonitrile solution. The two Ln^III ions in 1 – 4 are linked by two O_phenoxo atoms of two L²⁻ ligands to build a dinuclear skeleton. The eight-coordinate Ln^III center adopts a triangular dodecahedron geometry of D_2d symmetry. Theoretical calculations revealed that antiferromagnetic interactions exist in those complexes. Dynamic magnetic properties studies indicate that the Dy₂ complex behaves as a single-molecule magnet with an anisotropy barrier of U_eff ≈ 47.68 K and a pre-exponential factor τ₀ = 3.17 × 10⁻⁶ s under a zero applied field, whereas the Ho₂ complex exhibits a fast tunneling relaxation process that is rationalized through ab initio calculations.     

Nuclear magnetic relaxation and structure of aqueous solutions

By the interpretation of the intermolecular nuclear magnetic relaxation rate of¹⁹F the orientation of the water molecules in the hydration sphere of F^– can be determined. Similarly, the orientation of the water molecules around the methyl group of propionic acid in aqueous solution has been studied. Experiments are described which give information about the nature of association of solute in aqueous solution of a number of carboxylic acids and of ethanol. The local dynamic details of the I^– ion have been investigated. Some new results are briefly descussed regarding the nuclear magnetic relaxation by quadrupole interaction in electrolyte solutions.This paper was presented at the symposium, The Physical Chemistry of Aqueous Systems, held at the University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, June 12–14, 1972, in honor of the 70th birthday of Professor H. S. Frank.     

Electrophilic natural products and their biological targets

The study of biologically active natural products has resulted in seminal contributions to our understanding of living systems. In the case of electrophilic natural products, the covalent nature of their interaction has largely facilitated the identification of their biological binding partners. In this review, we provide a comprehensive compilation of electrophilic natural products from all major chemical classes together with their biological targets. Covering Michael acceptor systems, ring-strained compounds and other electrophiles, such as esters or carbamates, we highlight representative and instructive examples for over 20 electrophilic moieties. The fruitful cooperation of natural product chemistry, medicinal chemistry and chemical biology has produced a collection of well-studied examples for how electrophilic natural products exert their biological functions that range from antibiotic to antitumor effects. Special emphasis is put on the elucidation of their respective biological targets via activity-based protein profiling, which together with the recent advancements in mass spectrometry has been crucial to the success of the field. The wealth of naturally occurring electrophilic moieties and their chemical complexity enables binding of a large variety of biological targets, such as enzymes of all classes, nonenzymatic proteins, DNA and other cellular compounds. With approximately 30,000 genes in the human genome but only 266 confirmed protein drug targets, the study of biologically active, electrophilic natural products has the potential to provide insights into fundamental biological processes and to greatly aid the discovery of new drug targets.     

The ground state tautomer in the excited state relaxation process of 3-hydroxyflavone at room temperature

Very recently, the ground state reverse proton transfer in 3-hydroxyflavone (3-HF) has been reported to take place within 30 ps by picosecond transient absorption spectroscopy by Aartsma and co-workers. Here we present evidence of intervention of a long-lived ground state tautomer involved in the excited state relaxation process of 3-HF by transient absorption and two-step laser excitation fluorescence spectroscopy.     

A bifunctional luminescent single-ion magnet: towards correlation between luminescence studies and magnetic slow relaxation processes

A new heterodinuclear [Zn(L)Dy](3+) complex, with L being a compartmental Schiff base ligand, exhibits the characteristic Dy(3+) luminescence associated with a single-ion field induced slow relaxation of the magnetisation. This complex may be considered as one of the rare examples of a bifunctional luminescent single-ion magnet.