New Ca2+ fluoroionophores based on the BODIPY fluorophore

Calcium (Ca(2+)) fluoroionophores are useful in cell-based functional assays of G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) activation or ion channel modulation. In this paper we describe new calcium probes that improve or overcome certain deficiencies in existing probes. These new fluoroionophores are based on acylation of amino-BAPTA [BAPTA = glycine, N,N'-(1,2-ethanediyl-bis(oxy-2,1-phenylene)) bis(N-(carboxymethyl))] with fluorescent BODIPY(R) propionates [BODIPY = 4,4-difluoro-5,7-dimethyl- 4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene]. The resulting probes show high affinity to aqueous calcium solutions, and respond to calcium binding with significant fluorescence increases. The BODIPY fluorophores are uncharged and their fluorescence is pH-insensitive. The wide range of excitation/emission wavelength choices available within the BODIPY fluorophore series allows several different colors of new calcium indicators to be prepared. Cell permeable versions respond well with increasing fluorescence intensities in live cells after calcium influx.     

Analysis of organic volatile impurities in pharmaceutical excipients by static headspace capillary gas chromatography

A systematic approach for the identification and quantification of organic volatile impurities (OVIs) in pharmaceutical excipients is described. Analytical procedures utilizing static headspace capillary gas chromatography coupled with flame-ionization and MS detection techniques were developed for the analysis of toxic ICH class 1 solvents and US Pharmacopeia OVIs at sub-ppm levels, and commonly used organic solvents in a wide range of concentrations. Chromatographic conditions and headspace parameters for the methods were optimized for separation, sensitivity, and speed. The proposed methodologies were demonstrated to be selective, accurate, and reproducible, and were successfully applied to the rapid screening of OVIs in typical excipients.     

Electrophoretic analysis and purification of fluorescent single-walled carbon nanotube fragments

Arc-synthesized single-walled carbon nanotubes have been purified through preparative electrophoresis in agarose gel and glass bead matrixes. Two major impurities were isolated: fluorescent carbon and short tubular carbon. Analysis of these two classes of impurities was done. The methods described may be readily extended to the separation of other water-soluble nanoparticles. The separated fluorescent carbon and short tubule carbon species promise to be interesting nanomaterials in their own right.     

Diazonamide synthesis studies: use of Negishi coupling to fashion diazonamide-related biaryls with defined axial chirality

The syntheses of a bis indole and an indole salicylate with the required axial chirality for diazonamide A are reported. Atropselectivity in these biaryl systems is enforced by an sp(3) stereogenic center in a lactone tether in both cases. [structure: see text]     

Simultaneous determination of PCDDs, PCDFs, PCBs and PBDEs in food

Established and comprehensively validated methodology for the analysis of PCDDs, PCDFs and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in food, animal feed and other matrices is presented. The method achieves the analytical standards of EU protocols (2002/69/EC and 2002/70/EC) that are used to determine the compliance of food and animal feed to maximum permissible levels of chlorinated dioxins in these commodities. The methodology provides WHO–TEQ data for dioxins and PCBs as well as individual concentrations for toxic PCDD/F congeners and >50 commonly occurring PCBs. In addition, the methodology allows the simultaneous determination of individual polybrominated diphenylether (PBDE) congeners. A wide range of ¹³Carbon-labelled surrogates allow accurate internal standardisation, and measurements are carried out using high resolution GC coupled to high resolution mass spectrometry except for mono-, tetra, ortho-substituted PCBs where unit resolution mass spectrometry can be used instead. Evidence of internal as well as external validation through the frequent use of reference materials, and successful participation in international inter-comparison exercises over many years is presented. A large number of different food types have been analysed for dioxins and PCBs using this methodology over several years and typical congener profiles for various food matrices are discussed.     

Synthesis and characterization of mononuclear zinc aryloxide complexes supported by nitrogen/sulfur ligands possessing an internal hydrogen bond donor

Treatment of a dinuclear zinc hydroxide complex ([(bmnpaZn)(2)(mu-OH)(2)](ClO(4))(2) (1) or [(benpaZn)(2)(mu-OH)(2)](ClO(4))(2) (2)) with excess equivalents of an aryl alcohol derivative (p-HOC(6)H(4)X; X = NO(2), CHO, CN, COCH(3), Br, H, OCH(3)) yielded the nitrogen/sulfur-ligated zinc aryloxide complexes [(bmnpa)Zn(p-OC(6)H(4)NO(2))](ClO(4)) (3), [(benpa)Zn(p-OC(6)H(4)NO(2))](ClO(4)) (4), [(benpa)Zn(p-OC(6)H(4)CHO)](ClO(4)) (5), [(benpa)Zn(p-OC(6)H(4)CN)](ClO(4)) (6), [(benpa)Zn(p-OC(6)H(4)COCH(3))](ClO(4)) x 0.5H(2)O (7), [(benpa)Zn(p-OC(6)H(4)Br)](ClO(4)) (8), [(benpa)Zn(p-OC(6)H(5))](ClO(4)) (9), and [(benpa)Zn(p-OC(6)H(5)OCH(3))](ClO(4)) (10). The solid state structures of 2, 3, 5, and 6 have been determined by X-ray crystallography. While 3 and 6 exhibit a mononuclear zinc ion possessing a distorted five-coordinate trigonal bipyramidal geometry, in 5 each zinc center exhibits a distorted six-coordinate octahedral geometry resulting from coordination of the aldehyde carbonyl oxygen of another zinc-bound aryloxide ligand, yielding a chain-type structure. Zinc coordination of the aldehyde carbonyl of 5 is indicated by a large shift (>40 cm(-)(1)) to lower energy of the carbonyl stretching vibration (nu(C[double bond]O) in solid state FTIR spectra of the complex. In the solid state structures of 3, 5, and 6, a hydrogen-bonding interaction is found between N(3)-H of the supporting bmnpa/benpa ligand and the zinc-bound oxygen atom of the aryloxide ligand (N(3)...O(1) approximately 2.78 A). Solution (1)H and (13)C NMR spectra of 3-10 in CD(3)CN and FTIR spectra in CH(3)CN are consistent with all of the aryloxide complexes having a similar solution structure, with retention of the hydrogen-bonding interaction involving N(3)-H and the oxygen atom of the zinc-coordinated aryloxide ligand. For this family of zinc aryloxide complexes, a correlation was discovered between the chemical shift position of the N(3)-H proton resonance and the pK(a) of the parent aryl alcohol. This correlation indicates that the strength of the hydrogen-bonding interaction involving the zinc-bound aryloxide oxygen is increasing as the aryloxide moiety increases in basicity.     

LIGHT-INDUCED QUENCHING OF PHOTOSYSTEM II FLUORESCENCE AT 77 K

Abstract— Light-induced quenching of the low temperature fluorescence emission from photosystem II (PS II) at 695 nm ( F ₆₉₅) has been observed in chloroplasts and whole leaves of spinach. Photosystem I (PS I) fluorescence emission at 735 nm ( F ₇₃₅) is quenched to a lesser degree but this quenching is thought to originate from PS II and is manifest in a reduced amount of excitation energy available for spillover to PS I. Differential quenching of these two fluorescence emissions leads to an increase in the F ₇₃₅/ F ₆₈₅ ratio on exposure to light at 77 K. Rewarming the sample from -196°C discharges the thermoluminescence Z-band and much of the original unquenched fluorescence is recovered. The relationship between the thermoluminescence Z-band and the quenching of the low temperature fluorescence emission ( F ₆₉₅) is discussed with respect to the formation of reduced pheophytin in the PS II reaction center at 77 K.     

Characterization of limonin glucoside metabolites from human prostate cell culture medium using high-performance liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and tandem mass spectrometry

The metabolism of limonin 17-beta-D-glucopyranoside (LG) by non-cancerous (RWPE-1) and cancerous (PC-3) human prostate epithelial cells was investigated using high-performance liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (LC/ESI-MS) with in-source fragmentation and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). During positive ion LC/ESI-MS, LG formed an abundant sodiated species ([M+Na]+) while the protonated molecule was barely observable. [M+Na]+ further fragmented into the less abundant [LARL+H]+ and a predominantly protonated aglycone molecule (limonin) due to in-source fragmentation. The major metabolite, limonin A-ring lactone (LARL), formed an abundant protonated molecule that was fragmented into a protonated molecule of limonin by loss of one molecule of water. In MS/MS by collisionally activated dissociation (CAD), LG produced the sodiated aglycone, [aglycone+Na]+, while LARL fragmented into [M+H]+ of limonin and fragment ions resulted by further loss of water, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, indicating the presence of oxygenated-ring structures. The limits of detection of LG were 0.4 and 20 fmol in selected-ion monitoring (SIM) and selected-reaction monitoring (SRM) detection, respectively.