Preparation of ZnO colloids by aggregation of the nanocrystal subunits

Colloidal ZnO particles with narrow size distribution were prepared via a sol-gel process by base-catalyzed hydrolysis of zinc acetate. The morphology of ordered arrays of the particles was recorded by SEM. SEM also reveals that these uniform particles were composed of tiny ZnO subunits (singlets) sized of several nanometers. The size of the singlets, which is confirmed by X-ray diffraction and UV-vis absorption spectra, increases as the aging time is prolonged. The size-selective formation of colloids by aggregation of nanosized subunits is proposed to consist of two-stage growth by nucleation of nanosized crystalline primary particles and their subsequent aggregation into polycrystalline secondary colloids. The aggregates are all spherical because the internal rearrangement processes are fast enough. The ZnO colloids, i.e., the aggregates, tend to self-assemble into well-ordered hexagonal close-packed structures. Room-temperature photoluminescence was characterized for green and aged ZnO.     

Affinity Chromatography of Insulin with a Heptapeptide Ligand Selected from Phage Display Library

A heptapeptide phage display library was screened with insulin to find its ligands for affinity chromatography. The peptide was synthesized and coupled to EAH Sepharose 4B (5.4 mol mL^–1 bed). Then, insulin chromatography was carried out with mobile phases of different pH values and by the addition of urea and ethylene glycol. It was found that electrostatic interactions were predominant for the affinity binding, and hydrogen bonding might also contribute somewhat to the affinity. Finally, frontal analysis was performed and the dynamic binding capacity of the affinity column for insulin at 50% breakthrough was estimated at 60.6 mg mL^–1 bed, which was about two times higher than the theoretical binding capacity of the monomeric insulin. The result suggests that insulin was bound in dimer state in a stoichiometric relationship with the coupled peptide, indicating the high binding efficiency of the peptide ligand for insulin.     

Iron chelation properties of an extracellular siderophore exochelin MN

The coordination chemistry of an extracellular siderophore produced by Mycobacterium neoaurum, exochelin MN (ExoMN), is reported along with its pK(a) values, Fe(III) and Fe(II) chelation constants, and aqueous solution speciation as determined by spectrophotometric and potentiometric titration techniques. Exochelin MN is of particular interest as it can efficiently transport iron into pathogenic M. leprae, which is responsible for leprosy, in addition to its own parent cells. The Fe(III) coordination properties of ExoMN are important with respect to understanding the Fe(III) acquisition and uptake mechanism in pathogenic M. leprae, as the siderophores from this organism are very difficult to isolate. Exochelin MN has two hydroxamic acid groups and an unusual threo-beta-hydroxy-l-histidine available for Fe(III) chelation. The presence of threo-beta-hydroxy-l-histidine gives rise to a unique mode of Fe(III) coordination. The pK(a) values for the two hydroxamic acid moieties, the histidine imidazole ring and the alkylammonium groups on ExoMN, correspond well with the literature values for these moieties. Proton-dependent Fe(III)- and Fe(II)-ExoMN equilibrium constants were determined using a model involving sequential protonation of the Fe(III)- and Fe(II)-ExoMN complexes. These data were used to develop a model whereby deprotonation reactions on the surface of the complex in the second coordination shell result in first coordination shell isomerization. The overall formation constants were calculated: log beta(110) = 39.12 for Fe(III)-ExoMN and 16.7 for Fe(II)-ExoMN. The calculated pFe value of 31.1 is one of the highest among all siderophores and their synthetic analogues and indicates that ExoMN is thermodynamically capable of removing Fe(III) from transferrin. The E(1/2) for the Fe(III)ExoMN/Fe(II)ExoMN(-) couple was determined to be -595 mV from quasi-reversible cyclic voltammograms at pH = 10.8, and the pH-dependent E(1/2) profile was used to determine the Fe(II)-ExoMN protonation constants.     

DMF-甲醇体系粘度与核磁共振化学位移的同时关联

提出了一个基于局部组成概念上的核磁共振模型. 利用该模型和以前别人提出的局部组成型粘度方程, 成功地同时关联属于传递性质的粘度数据和属于波谱性质的核磁共振化学位移数据，关联所得到化学位移的平均绝对偏差小于0.0072，粘度的平均绝对偏差小于0.0006 mPa•s，结果表明提出的局部组成模型是合理的.     

Kinetics of the degradation of polystyrene in supercritical acetone

The kinetic analysis of the degradation of polystyrene (PS) in supercritical acetone has been studied using the nonisothermal weight loss technique with heating rates of 3, 5 and 7 °C/min. The weight loss data according to degradation temperature have been analyzed using the integral method based on Arrhenius form to obtain the kinetic parameters such as apparent activation energy and overall reaction order. The kinetic parameters obtained from this work were also compared with those of the thermal degradation of PS in nitrogen atmosphere. From this work, it was found that the activation energies of PS degradation in supercritical acetone were 73.3-200.7 kJ/mol and lower than those of the thermal degradation in nitrogen atmosphere.     

Synthesis of pyrimido[4,5-e][1,4]oxazepin-5-ones

Eighteen novel pyrimido[4,5-e][1,4]oxazepin-5-ones were prepared directly via the reaction of either ethyl 4-chloro-2-phenyl-5-pyrimidinecarboxylate (Ia) or ethyl 4-chloro-2-m-chlorophenyl-5-pyrimidinecarboxylate (Ib) with a variety of substituted 2-(alkylamino)ethanols. A typical example was the preparation of 8,9-dihydro-9-methyl-2-phenylpyrimido[4,5-e][1,4]-oxazepin-5(7H)-one (IIa) from the reaction of Ia with 2-(methylamino)ethanol. Hydrolytic cleavage of the lactone ring in IIa with sodium hydroxide solution, followed by acidification with hydrochloric acid afforded 4-[(2-hydroxyethyl)methylamino]-2-phenyl-5-pyrimidinecarboxylic acid (IV). Reactions of IIa with concentrated ammonium hydroxide or hydrazine also caused cleavage of the lactone ring, giving the corresponding amide (V) or hydrazide (VI), respectively. Structural assignments were supported by infrared and nuclear magnetic resonance spectra.     

Thieno[2,3-d]pyrimidines. I. A new method for the preparation of esters and amides of thieno[2,3-d] pyrimidine-6-carboxylic acids

A novel method for the preparation of esters and amides of thieno[2,3-d]pyrimidine-6-carb-oxylic acids was described. A typical example was the direct formation of ethyl 5-amino-2-methylthiothieno[2,3-d]pyrimidine-6-earboxylate(IIIa) from 4-chloro-2-methylthio-5-pyrimidine-carbonitrile (Ia) and ethyl mercaptoacetate in refluxing ethanol containing sodium carbonate. Displacement of the methylthio group in IIIa by various amines gave the corresponding amino derivatives. The reactions of IIIa and related compounds with acetylating agents such as acetic anhydride or chloroacetyl chloride gave various products. Treatment of 5-carbethoxy-4-chloro-2-phenylpyrimidine(IV) with methyl mercaptoacetate afforded the dechloro intermediate diester Va, which cyclized on reaction with sodium ethoxide to form methyl 5-hydroxy-2-phenylthieno-[2,3-d]pyrimidine-6-carboxylate (Vla). The synthesis was expanded to include the preparation of various new 2,4,5-trisubstituted thieno[2,3-d]pyrimidine-6-carboxylic acid esters and amides (Charts I-V).     

A highly sensitive assay for protein with dibromochloro-arsenazo-Al(3+) using resonance light scattering technique and its application

A simple, sensitive and selective method has been developed for the determination of protein using resonance light scattering (RLS) technique. The method is based on the interaction of protein and arsenazo-DBC-Al(3+) in the pH range of 5.0-7.0, which causes a substantial enhancement of the resonance scattering signal of arsenazo-DBC-Al(3+) in the wavelength range of 300-550 nm with the maximum RLS platform at 405-420 nm. With this method, 2.50-50.00 mug ml(-1) of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and 2.50-60.00 mug ml(-1) of human serum albumin (HSA) can be determined, and the detection limits, calculated three times the standard deviation (S.D.) of six blank measurements, for BSA and HSA were 123.4 and 89.6 ng ml(-1), respectively. Moreover, the method is free from interference from many amino acids and metal ions. The method, with high sensitivity, selectivity and reproducibility, was satisfactorily applied to the determination of total protein in human serum samples. Mechanism studies indicated that arsenazo-DBC-Al(3+) could bind to BSA depending mainly on electrostatic forces, which results in enhanced RLS in the arsenazo-DBC-Al(3+)-protein system.     

An improved method for the synthesis of cellulose membrane-bound peptides with free C termini is useful for PDZ domain binding studies

SPOT synthesis permits parallel synthesis and screening of thousands of cellulose membrane-bound peptides to study protein-protein interactions in a proteomic context. Recognition of C-terminal residues is one of the most common binding features of PDZ domains. Unfortunately, most solid support-bound peptide libraries lack a free C terminus due to C-terminal fixation on the solid support. To overcome this restriction, we developed a robust methodology based on our previous strategy for generating peptides with authentic C termini. To validate this improved method, we screened a human peptide library of 6223 C termini with the syntrophin PDZ domain. Furthermore, using the same library, new peptide ligands derived from membrane proteins and receptors were found for the ERBIN PDZ domain. Finally, we identified the protein kinase breakpoint cluster region, which is known as a negative regulator of cell proliferation and oncogenic transformation, as an ERBIN ligand.