Miniaturized sample preparation and separation methods for environmental and drug analyses.

Miniaturized extraction and separation media have been successfully developed from precisely controlled technologies. In this article, recent developments in these high performance analytical methods, such as miniaturized sample preparation methods and the coupling of these techniques with microscale separation systems, have been reviewed, along with some applications to environmental and biological analysis. The advantage of the miniaturization is not only for the environmental compatibility but also for the developments of the high performance analytical systems. Down-sizing also makes it possible to investigate and introduce various compounds and materials as novel media (such as tailor-made materials and devices) in separation science. As a typical example of the novel miniaturized sample preparation system, the applications of fibrous materials for microcolumn liquid-phase separation methods are described.     

AMPHIPHILIC COPOLYMERS AS MEDIA FOR LIGHT-INDUCED ELECTRON TRANSFER–I. ELECTROSTATIC EFFECT ON THE FORWARD REACTION AS STUDIED BY FLUORESCENCE QUENCHING

Abstract— Fluorescence quenching of amphiphilic copolymers, poly(9-vinylphenanthrene-co-sodium 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonate) (APh) and poly(9-vinylphenanthrene-co-3-methacrylamidopropyltrimethylammonium methyl sulfate) (QPh), in aqueous solution, was studied using methyl viologen (MV²⁺) or 4,4'-bipyridinium-1, 1'-bis(trimethylenesulfonate) (SPV) as oxidative quenchers. The fluorescence of the excited phenanthrene groups in APh was found to be efficiently quenched by MV²⁺. The apparent second-order rate constant for the quenching, k_q, ranged in the magnitude of 10¹¹ -10¹²M^-1 s^-1, which are well beyond the diffusion-controlled limit. This is presumably due to an increase of the effective concentration of MV²⁺ around the fluorophore in the copolymer resulting from electrostatic attraction between MV²⁺ and anionic segments of APh. This strong electrostatic interaction also favors the formation of ground-state EDA (electron donor acceptor) complex between the phenanthrene residue and MV²⁺. Such striking behaviors were not observed with the related model compound. Unexpectedly, the quenching with SPV, a zwitterionic quencher, was also enhanced in the polymer system (k_q= 2–6 × 10¹⁰M^-1 s^-1), suggesting the presence of some attractive interaction between APh and SPV. Contrary to the APh system, the fluorescence quenching of the corresponding cationic polymer (QPh) with MV²⁺ was strongly diminished (k_q= 5 × 10⁸M^-1 s^-1). This indicates that the polycation of QPh effectively prevents the access of MV²⁺ to the polymer.     

Competitive formation of 10- and 7-membered hydrogen-bonded rings of proline-containing model peptides

Intramolecularly hydrogen-bonded structures of proline-containing model peptides with a sequence of N-tert-butoxycarbonyl-prolyl-Xaa-NHCH3 [Xaa = Gly (glycyl), Ala (alanyl), Phe (phenylalanyl), Leu (leucyl), Ile (isoleucyl), and Val (valyl)] were studied by proton nuclear magnetic resonance and infrared spectroscopy. Variation of chemical shifts of amide protons with composition change of DMSO-d6/CDCl3 mixed solvents were found to be a good measure of intramolecular hydrogen bonding of peptides in CDCl3 solution. It has been shown that 10- and 7-membered hydrogen-bonded rings, which should have the beta- and gamma-turn like structures in proteins, respectively, form competitively with each other. It is suggested that the equilibrium between the two hydrogen-bonded rings is determined by steric hindrance due to a side chain of the Xaa residue. Free energies for formation of the 10- and 7-membered hydrogen-bonded rings, deltaG10 and deltaG7, were estimated from the solvent composition-dependent change of the chemical shifts. A good correlation between deltaG10 and the occurrence frequencies of residues Xaa at the (i + 2)th position for the beta-turns in proteins has been found.     

NO-induced activation mechanism of the heme-regulated eIF2alpha kinase

The heme-regulated eukaryotic initiation factor 2alpha (eIF2alpha) kinase (HRI), which is found primarily in reticulocytes, contains an N-terminal heme-binding domain (NT-HBD). Binding of NO to the heme iron of the NT-HBD of HRI activates its eIF2alpha kinase activity, thus inhibiting the initiation of translation in reticulocyte lysate. The EPR spectrum of the NO-bound NT-HBD showed several derivative-shaped lines around g = 2.00, which is one of the well-documented signature patterns of a six-coordinate NO complex with histidine as the axial ligand. This is in sharp contrast to that of another prototypical NO-sensor protein, soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC), in which the NO binding to the heme iron disrupts the iron-histidyl bond forming a five-coordinate NO. The NO-mediated activation of HRI is, therefore, not triggered by the cleavage of the iron-histidyl bond. As evidenced by the resonance Raman spectra, two inactive forms of HRI, the ferrous ligand-unbound and the CO-bound states of the NT-HBD, contain a six-coordinate complex as found for the NO complex, indicating that the replacement of the sixth ligand of the heme iron is not sufficient to trigger the activation of HRI. Because the configuration of liganded NO is different from that of liganded CO, we propose that specific interactions between liganded NO and surrounding amino acid residues, which would not be formed in the CO complex, are responsible for the NO-induced activation of HRI.     

Synthesis,structure and some properties of a new polyalcohol

A new polyalcohol (CH₂CH₂CH(OH))_n was synthesized from 1:1 ethylene/carbon monoxide alternating copolymer (polyketone) by reduction with sodium borohydride. Some structural and chemical properties are described.     

Control of photobleaching in photodynamic therapy using the photodecarbonylation reaction of ruthenium phthalocyanine complexes via stepwise two-photon excitation

In this study, we have investigated the photochemical properties and photodynamic effects of ruthenium phthalocyanine (RuPc(CO)(Py)) and naphthalocyanine (RuNc(CO)(Py)) complexes. When a nanosecond-pulsed laser is used, the photodecarbonylation of our Ru complexes efficiently proceeds via stepwise two-photon excitation, while the reaction yields are negligibly small when a continuous-wave (CW) laser is employed. The pulsed laser selective photodecarbonylation decreases the Q-band absorbance, which satisfies what the photodynamic therapy (PDT) requires of the photobleaching. For RuPc(CO)(Py), the photochemical reactions including both the photodecarbonylation and just photobleaching occur in HeLa cells in vitro. Toxicity and phototoxicity tests indicate that our RuPc(CO)(Py) and RuNc(CO)(Py) complexes in concentrations of 0.3-1 microM and 1-2 microM, respectively, are applicable as PDT agents. The phototoxicity is consistent with the photochemical properties of these complexes, namely, excited triplet lifetimes (10 and 4.8 micros for the Pc and Nc complexes, respectively) and singlet oxygen yields (0.48 and 0.35 for the Pc and Nc complexes, respectively). On the basis of these results, we propose a novel concept for achieving a greater depth of necrosis in PDT as follows: (1) PDT of upper cellular layers using CW-laser irradiation; (2) efficient photobleaching in upper cellular layers using pulsed dye-laser irradiation, which results in an increase in the therapeutic depth of red light; (3) PDT directed toward deeper tumor tissues using CW laser irradiation. In addition, these Ru complexes are promising as CO release agents for investigative biochemistry.     

Enantioselective formal synthesis of (−)-aurantioclavine using Pd-catalyzed cascade cyclization and organocatalytic asymmetric aziridination

The enantioselective formal synthesis of (?)-aurantioclavine is described. The core tricyclic skeleton was synthesized using a Pd-catalyzed Heck insertion–allylic amination cascade. The stereocenter was constructed by a highly enantioselective organocatalytic asymmetric aziridination reaction.     

Preparation and characterization of gel electrolyte with bacterial cellulose coated with alternating layers of chitosan and alginate for electric double-layer capacitors

Research on Chemical Intermediates - A novel gel electrolyte has been prepared using bacterial cellulose (BC) coated with chitosan (CTS) and alginate (Alg) layers, which contain...