Novel methyl helianthrones as photosensitizers: synthesis and biological evaluation

A combination of light, oxygen and a photosensitizer is used to induce death of cancer cells by photodynamic therapy. In this study, we have synthesized several new methyl helianthrone derivatives and compared their phototoxicity with that of hypericin. In contrast to hypericin, methyl helianthrones are soluble in aqueous solutions and have a broad range of light absorbance, which allows the use of polychromatic light. Structural modifications of methyl helianthrone demonstrated that substitution of hydrogen atoms of methyl helianthrone at Positions 2 and 5 with Br atoms or methylation of its phenolic hydroxyls, significantly increases the corresponding singlet oxygen quantum yield and their phototoxicity toward alphaT3-1, M2R and LNCaP cells. The phototoxicity of some of these compounds was similar to that of hypericin. Methyl helianthrones, like hypericin, accumulated mainly in the perinuclear region as evident by confocal microscopy. Irradiation of cells pretreated with methyl helianthrone derivatives generates intracellular reactive oxygen species and lipid free radicals, as shown by a fluorescentic probe and electron paramagnetic resonance methods, respectively. The phototoxicity of these methyl helianthrones as well as their ability to oxidize membrane lipids were significantly decreased on addition of specific Type-II inhibitors, suggesting the involvement of singlet oxygen as the main oxidant.     

THE EFFECT OF LIPOSOMES'' MEMBRANE COMPOSITION ON THE BINDING OF THE PHOTOSENSITIZERS HPD AND PHOTOFRIN II

Abstract— Photofrin II (PF-II) is the commercial name of the active photosensitizer which is used in photodynamic therapy of cancer. The effect of the composition of lipid membranes on the binding of PF-II was studied and compared to hematoporphyrin derivative (Hpd), which is a complex mixture of porphyrins and from which PF-II is separated. We find that increasing the content of cholesterol in the bilayer decreases the partitioning of PF-II into the bilayer, similar to what we have found earlier with Hpd. However, inserting DMPC or DPPC into the membrane, which was shown to decrease the binding of Hpd, causes the opposite trend with PF-H. A membrane fluidizer such as benzyl alcohol also has different effects on the membrane binding of Hpd and PF-II. The rate of binding of PF-II to a lipid membrane is about 10 times lower than that of Hpd. These results as well as I^- quenching of the fluorescence of the two porphyrins indicate that PF-II is immersed less homogeneously and deeper in the bilayer than Hpd. The unique additive-dependent binding of PF-II to lipid membranes calls for care in using Hpd as a model photosensitizer.     

Tetragonal low-temperature structure of LiAl

The cubic face-centered structure of LiAl (, at ) transforms into a tetragonal body-centered structure (I4₁/amd, , at ). This first-order phase transition at about during heating is probably the reason for the so-called “ anomalies” in some physical properties like specific heat, electrical resistivity and nuclear-spin lattice relaxation. This transition seems to be correlated with the composition Li:Al of the alloy and the amount of Li vacancies.     

Short-chain reactive probes as tools to unravel the Pseudomonas aeruginosa quorum sensing regulon

In recent years, the world has seen a troubling increase in antibiotic resistance among bacterial pathogens. In order to provide alternative strategies to combat bacterial infections, it is crucial deepen our understanding into the mechanisms that pathogens use to thrive in complex environments. Most bacteria use sophisticated chemical communication systems to sense their population density and coordinate gene expression in a collective manner, a process that is termed “quorum sensing” (QS). The human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa uses several small molecules to regulate QS, and one of them is N-butyryl-l-homoserine lactone (C₄-HSL). Using an activity-based protein profiling (ABPP) strategy, we designed biomimetic probes with a photoreactive group and a ‘click’ tag as an analytical handle. Using these probes, we have identified previously uncharacterized proteins that are part of the P. aeruginosa QS network, and we uncovered an additional role for this natural autoinducer in the virulence regulon of P. aeruginosa, through its interaction with PhzB1/2 that results in inhibition of pyocyanin production.

Short-chain reactive probes can be used as tools to shed new light on virulence mechanisms in bacterial pathogens.     

Transitions between disordered phases in supercooled liquid silicon

We have investigated the transitions between disordered phases in supercooled liquid silicon using computer simulations. The thermodynamic properties were directly obtained from the free energy, which was computed using the recently proposed reversible scaling method. The calculated free energies of the crystalline and liquid phases of silicon at zero pressure, obtained using the environment dependent interatomic potential, are in excellent agreement with the available experimental data. The results show that, at zero pressure, a weak first-order liquid-liquid transition occurs at 1135 K and a continuous liquid-amorphous transition takes place at 843 K. These results are consistent with the existence of a second critical point for the liquid-liquid transition at a negative pressure.     

Kobalt(III)ammin-derivate einiger Reineckesalz-Analoga mit Xylidinen

Zusammenfassung Es wurden 34 neue Komplexsalze durch doppelte Umsetzung aus wäßr.-alkohol. Lösungen der folgenden Reineckeat-Analoga: [Cr(NCS)₄(m-xylidin)₂]^–, [Cr(NCS)₄(p-xyl)₂]^– und Hexammin-, Monoacido-pentammin- und Diacido-tetramminkobalt(III)-komplexsalze erhalten. Es wurden in einigen Fällen Unterschiede in physiko-chemischen Eigenschaften, wie Farbtönung, Kristallform, Löslichkeit und papierchromatographischeR _f-Werte, bei den stellungsisomeren Salzen vom Typus: Kation · [Cr(NCS)₄(xyl)₂] und auch bei den Koordinationsisomerpaaren: [Co(DH)₂(m-xyl)₂] [Cr(NCS)₄(p-xyl)₂] und [Co(DH)₂(p-xyl)₂] [Cr(NCS)₄(m-xyl)₂] usw. beobachtet.

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Cobalt(III)ammine derivatives of some reineckate analogues with xylidines

34 new complex salts were prepared by double conversion of the reineckate analogues [Cr(NCS)₄(m-xylidine)₂]^–, [Cr(NCS)₄(p-xyl)₂]^–, with the hexammine-, monoacido-pentammine- and diacidotetrammine-complexes of Co(III). In some of the position and coordination isomeres differences of the standard physico-chemical properties, i.e. color, crystal form, solubility and paper chromatographyR _f-values were observed.

     

Bispectral KP solutions and linearization of Calogero-Moser particle systems

Rational and soliton solutions of the KP hierarchy in the subgrassmannianGr ₁ are studied within the context of finite dimensional dual grassmannians. In the rational case, properties of the tau function, , which are equivalent to bispectrality of the associated wave function, , are identified. In particular, it is shown that there exists a bound on the degree of all time, variables in if and only if is a rank one bispectral wave function. The action of the bispectral involution, , in the generic rational case is determined explicitly in terms of dual grassmannian parameters. Using the correspondence between rational solutions, and particle systems, it is demonstrated that is a linearizing map of the Calogero-Moser particle system and is essentially the map introduced by Airault, McKean and Moser in 1977 [2].Research supported by NSA Grant MDA904-92-H-3032     

Inclusion-exclusion: Exact and approximate

It is often required to find the probability of the union of givenn eventsA ₁ ,...,A _n . The answer is provided, of course, by the inclusion-exclusion formula: Pr(A _i )= _i – _i<j Pr(A _i A _j )±.... Unfortunately, this formula has exponentially many terms, and only rarely does one manage to carry out the exact calculation. From a computational point of view, finding the probability of the union is an intractable, #P-hard problem, even in very restricted cases. This state of affairs makes it reasonable to seek approximate solutions that are computationally feasible. Attempts to find such approximate solutions have a long history starting already with Boole [1]. A recent step in this direction was taken by Linial and Nisan [4] who sought approximations to the probability of the union, given the probabilities of allj-wise intersections of the events forj=1,...k. The developed a method to approximate Pr(A _i ), from the above data with an additive error of exp . In the present article we develop an expression that can be computed in polynomial time, that, given the sums _|S|=j Pr( _iS A _i ) forj=1,...k, approximates Pr(A _i ) with an additive error of exp . This error is optimal, up to the logarithmic factor implicit in the notation.The problem of enumerating satisfying assignments of a boolean formula in DNF formF=v _l ^m C _i is an instance of the general problem that had been extensively studied [7]. HereA _i is the set of assignments that satisfyC _i , and Pr( _iS A _i )=a _S /2ⁿ where _iS C _i is satisfied bya _S assignments. Judging from the general results, it is hard to expect a decent approximation ofF's number of satisfying assignments, without knowledge of the numbersa _S for, say, all cardinalities . Quite surprisingly, already the numbersa _S over |S|log(n+1)uniquely determine the number of satisfying assignments for F.We point out a connection between our work and the edge-reconstruction conjecture. Finally we discuss other special instances of the problem, e.g., computing permanents of 0,1 matrices, evaluating chromatic polynomials of graphs and for families of events whose VC dimension is bounded.Work supported in part by a grant of the Binational Israel-US Science Foundation.Work supported in part by a grant of the Binational Israel-US Science Foundation and by the Israel Science Foundation.     

Synthesis, crystal structure and magnetic properties of new indium rhenium and scandium rhenium oxides, In6ReO12 and Sc6ReO12

The new complex indium rhenium and scandium rhenium oxides, In₆ReO₁₂ and Sc₆ReO₁₂, have been synthesized as single phases in sealed silica tubes and by high-pressure high-temperature syntheses, and their crystal structures have been determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction.The compounds crystallize in a rhombohedral structure related to the distorted fluorite structure like Ln₆ReO₁₂ for some rare earth elements, S. G.: R-3, Z=3, a_H= 9.248(2) Å, c_H=8.720(2) Å for Sc₆ReO₁₂ and a_H=9.492(1) Å, c_H=8.933(1) Å for In₆ReO₁₂. A maximum in magnetization is observed for Sc₆ReO₁₂ at T(M_max)=1.89(2) K, whereas ferromagnetic ordering is found for In₆ReO₁₂ by a pronounced increase in the temperature dependence of magnetization at T_C=7.5(5) K. The magnetic moment per rhenium ion in In₆ReO₁₂ and Sc₆ReO₁₂ is 0.84(1) and 0.65(1) μ_B, respectively, derived from the paramagnetic regions.     

Charge separation versus recombination in dye-sensitized nanocrystalline solar cells: the minimization of kinetic redundancy

In this paper we focus upon the electron injection dynamics in complete dye-sensitized nanocrystalline metal oxide solar cells (DSSCs). Electron injection dynamics are studied by transient absorption and emission studies of DSSCs and correlated with device photovoltaic performance and charge recombination dynamics. We find that the electron injection dynamics are dependent upon the composition of the redox electrolyte employed in the device. In a device with an electrolyte composition yielding optimum photovoltaic device efficiency, electron injection kinetics exhibit a half time of 150 ps. This half time is 20 times slower than that for control dye-sensitized films covered in inert organic liquids. This retardation is shown to result from the influence of the electrolyte upon the conduction band energetics of the TiO2 electrode. We conclude that optimum DSSC device performance is obtained when the charge separation kinetics are just fast enough to compete successfully with the dye excited-state decay. These conditions allow a high injection yield while minimizing interfacial charge recombination losses, thereby minimizing "kinetic redundancy" in the device. We show furthermore that the nonexponential nature of the injection dynamics can be simulated by a simple inhomogeneous disorder model and discuss the relevance of our findings to the optimization of both dye-sensitized and polymer based photovoltaic devices.