Effect of OH internal torsion on the OH-stretching spectrum of cis,cis-HOONO

We show that a simple two-dimensional vibrational model can explain most of the features observed in the first and second OH-stretching overtone region of the room temperature cis,cis-HOONO spectrum. The model uses ab initio calculated parameters and includes the OH-stretching mode coupled to the internal torsion of the OH group.     

Tricarbonyl complexes of rhenium(I) and technetium(I) with thiourea derivatives

fac-[M(CO)₃X₃]²⁻ complexes (M=Re, X=Br; M=Tc, X=Cl) react with thiourea derivatives under formation of stable rhenium(I) and technetium(I) complexes. The composition of the products can be controlled by the steric requirements of the ligands and their ability to form chelates.The products of reactions with tetramethylthiourea, Me₄tu (I), N,N-diethylthiocarbamoylbenzamidine, H₂Et₂tcb (II), and morpholinylthiocarbamoylbenzamidine, H₂morphtcb (III), have been studied by X-ray crystallography showing that the products belong to three different structural types. A mononuclear complex of the composition fac-[Re(CO)₃Br(Me₄tu)₂] has been isolated with tetramethylthiourea, whereas the thiocarbamoylbenzamidines deprotonate and act as N,S-chelating ligands. This results in the formation of a dimeric [Tc(CO)₃(HEt₂tcb-N,S)]₂ complex with a central, almost square Tc₂S₂ unit and a monomeric compound of the composition [Tc(CO)₃(Hmorphtcb-N,S)(H₂morphtcb-S)]. The latter compound contains a neutral, S-bonded morpholinylthiocarbamoylbenzamidine in the unusual imine form in addition to a chelate-bonded Hmorphtcb⁻ ligand.     

A study of the Arrhenius behavior of the co-precipitation of radium, barium and strontium sulfate

Co-precipitation of radium, barium and strontium is an important process in many contexts, such as uranium mining, oil extraction and in the safety assessment of a final repository for used nuclear fuel. Co-precipitation to a solid solution is possible since radium, barium and strontium act as chemical analogues. In this work the co-precipitation of radium, barium and strontium was studied and the kinetic behavior of the co-precipitation process was investigated. It was shown that radium, barium and strontium co-precipitate congruently and that the precipitation followed an Arrhenius behavior and the Arrhenius parameters for the systems was determined. When studying the differences of the Arrhenius constants by using a student t test (95 % confidence interval) it was observed that the only significant difference in the activation energy, E _a, is between radium and barium and between radium and strontium respectively, the pure strontium having the larger activation energy in comparison. This is most likely coupled to the metal ion size; since the hydration waters are more strongly bound, which leads to them having a slower exchange rate, which in turn effects the rate of co-precipitation to the metal these reactions will be slower.     

Susceptibility to Effects of UVB Irradiation on Induction of Contact Sensitivity, Relevance of Number and Function of Langerhans Cells and Epidermal Macrophages

Sensitization on skin exposed to acute low-dose UVB irradiation separates normal humans into two phenotypically distinct groups: One group, following sensitization on UVB-irradiated skin, develops contact sensitivity, designated UVB resistant (UVB-R) and the second group, following sensitization on UVB-irradiated skin, fails to develop contact sensitivity, designated UVB susceptible (UVB-S). To investigate whether UVB susceptibility in humans is related to antigen-presenting activity in the skin we studied the effect of UVB irradiation on the number and function of the epidermal antigen-presenting cells in volunteers identified as UVB-R and UVB-S. Single cell suspensions of epidermal cells from control skin and skin exposed to 3 minimal erythema doses (MED) of UVB 3 days previously were stained for Langerhans cells (CD1a+HLA-DR+) and epidermal macrophages (CD1a-HLA-DR+). The UVB exposure of the skin significantly decreased the percentage of Langerhans cells (UVB-R: n = 7, P < 0.02, UVB-S: n = 6, P < 0.03) and increased the percentage of epidermal macrophages (UVB-R: n = 7, P < 0.03, UVB-S: n = 6, P < 0.03) however to the same degree in both the UVBR and the UVB-S group. To study the effect on Langerhans cell alloreactivity, epidermal cells were harvested immediately after UVB irradiation. However, in both UVB-R and UVB-S subjects the Langerhans cell alloreactivity was blocked to the same degree immediately after UVB irradiation compared to nonirradiated epidermal cells. To determine the effect of UVB irradiation on epidermal macrophages, epidermal cells were harvested 3 days after UVB irradiation. Irradiated epidermal cells from both UVB-R and UVB-S subjects demonstrated a strong antigen-presenting capacity compared to epidermal cells from control skin leading to activation of T cells that mainly secrete interferon (1FN)-γ and not interleukin (IL)-4. In conclusion we found that UVB susceptibility was not correlated with the number of Langerhans cells or epidermal macrophages in the skin at the same time of sensitization. Neither was it correlated with the capacity of Langerhans cells nor UVB-induced epidermal macrophages to activate T cells in vitro.     

On-line cysteine modification for protein analysis: new probes for electrochemical tagging nanospray mass spectrometry

A series of electrogenerated selective electrophiles based on substituted benzoquinones has been characterized as tags for l-cysteine and cysteine residues in proteins. The electrophiles are generated electrochemically from the corresponding hydroquinones. It is shown from mass spectrometry analysis that the electrogenerated benzoquinone can tag the biomolecules. The rate constants pertaining to the addition of l-cysteine onto the electrogenerated benzoquinones have been determined using electrochemical techniques. The substitution patterns have been unraveled leading to the assessment of site-specific rate constants. It is shown that the rate constants are primarily dependent on the electronic nature of the substituents as expressed by the Hammett substitution constant. The apparent tagging yields observed for l-cysteine in nanospray mass spectrometry experiments do not correspond to the yields expected from the electrochemical study, as the ionisation efficiencies are highly dependent on the tag. Finally, the on-line tagging has been tested using β-lactoglobulin A and myoglobin. Based on these results, it is concluded that the tagging reaction is selective towards cysteine when it takes place in the nanospray interface. The results show that the methodology presented can be used for a rapid characterization and identification of reactive sites in biomolecules.     

Protein adsorption in static microsystems: effect of the surface to volume ratio

A numerical model for the adsorption kinetics of proteins on the walls of a microchannel has been developed using the finite element method (FEM) to address the coupling with diffusion phenomena in the restricted microchannel volume. Time evolutions of the concentration of one species are given, both in solution and on the microchannel walls. The model illustrates the adsorption limitation sometimes observed when the microdimensions of these systems induce a global depletion of the bulk solution. A new non-dimensional parameter is introduced to predict the final value of the coverage of any microsystem under static adsorption. A working curve and a criteria (h/K[Gamma](max) > 10) are provided in order to choose, for given adsorption characteristics, the value of the volume-to-surface ratio (i.e. the channel height h) avoiding depletion effects on the coverage (relative coverage greater than 90% of the theoretical one). Simulations were compared with confocal microscopy measurements of IgG antibody adsorption on the walls of a PET microchannel. The fit of the model to the experimental data show that the adsorption is under apparent kinetic control.     

Monitoring of troponin release from cardiomyocytes during exposure to toxic substances using surface plasmon resonance biosensing

Troponin T (TnT) is a useful biomarker for studying drug-induced toxicity effects on cardiac cells. We describe how a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensor was applied to monitor the release of TnT from active HL-1 cardiomyocytes in vitro when exposed to cardiotoxic substances. Two monoclonal human TnT antibodies were compared in the SPR immunosensor to analyse the TnT release. The detection limit of TnT was determined to be 30 ng/ml in a direct assay set-up and to be 10 ng/ml in a sandwich assay format. Exposure of the cardiomyocytes to doxorubicin, troglitazone, quinidine and cobalt chloride for periods of 6 and 24 h gave significant SPR responses, whereas substances with low toxicity showed insignificant effects (ascorbic acid, methotrexate). The SPR results were verified with a validated immunochemiluminescence method which showed a correlation of r ² = 0.790.     

Basis set limits of the second order Moller-Plesset correlation energies of water, methane, acetylene, ethylene, and benzene

We report second order Moller-Plesset (MP2) and MP2-F12 total energies on He, Ne, Ar, H(2)O, CH(4), C(2)H(2), C(2)H(4), and C(6)H(6), using the correlation consistent basis sets, aug-cc-pVXZ (X=D-7). Basis set extrapolation techniques are applied to the MP2 and MP2-F12/B methods. The performance of the methods is tested in the calculations of the atoms, He, Ne, and Ar. It is indicated that the two-point extrapolation of MP2-F12/B with the basis sets (X=5,6) is the most reliable. Similar accuracy is obtained using two-point extrapolated conventional MP2 with the basis sets (X=6,7). For the molecules investigated the valence MP2 correlation energy is estimated within 1 mE(h).