Theoretical studies of dissociative phosphoryl transfer in interconversion of phosphoenolpyruvate to phosphonopyruvate: solvent effects, thio effects, and implications for enzymatic reactions

The conversion of phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) to phosphonopyruvate (P-pyr) is catalyzed by PEP mutase via a dissociative mechanism. In this work, we investigate the uncatalyzed reaction using ab initio methods, density functional theory, and the semiempirical MNDO/d method. Comparisons of geometries and relative energies of stationary points (minima and transition states) with density functional results indicate that the semiempirical method is reasonably accurate. Solvent effects are examined using implicit solvent models, including the recently extended smooth conductor-like screening model. Due to the large negative charge carried by the system, solvation is found to drastically alter the location and energy of stationary points along the dissociative reaction pathways. The influence of substituting a nonbridging phosphoryl oxygen by sulfur (thio effects) was also investigated. Implications of these results for the enzymatic reaction are discussed.     

Effect of the homogeneity of the column set on the performance of a simulated moving bed unit. I. Theory

Although it is impossible to manufacture identical columns for use in a simulated moving bed (SMB) process, theoretical studies assume that all the columns in an SMB unit have identical characteristics. In practice, calculations in modeling and optimization studies are made with the average values of each column parameter set. In this report, the effects on SMB process performance caused by column-to-column fluctuations of the parameters are discussed. As a first step, we show how the differences in porosity of the columns may be taken into account with a revised set of separation conditions. Reductions in the purity of the extract and the raffinate streams are quantitatively related to the column-to-column fluctuations of the retention times of the two components arising from these porosity differences. For the sake of simplicity, the discussion first addresses the case of a four-column SMB operating under linear conditions. Then, the scope is extended to the cases of SMB units incorporating several columns in each section and to SMB units operating under nonlinear conditions.     

铁氰化锰修饰玻碳电极的制备及其电化学性能

A thin film of manganese hexacyanoferrate （MnHCF） was electrochemically formed on a glassy carbon （GC） electrode to prepare a chemically modified electrode （CME）. The mechanism of film formation of MnHCF and its growth process were investigated in detail by cyclic voltammetry. The results show that the stoichiometric composition of MnHCF is Mn^ⅢFe^Ⅲ（CN）6, an analogue of prussian yellow. There exist three clear-cut stages in the whole modification process and the last stage is indispensable to the fabrication of homogenized, stable MnHCF film and must last for an appropriate time. The surface morphology of MnHCF/GC electrode was characterized by scanning electron microscopy （SEM）, which further verified the effective deposition of MnHCF film on GC. The kinetic constants of MnHCF/GC electrode process were also evaluated. The resulting MnHCF film modified electrode presented good stability and high electrocatalytic activity toward the oxidation of H2O2, indicating that MnHCF film possesses function of catalase and can be expected for analytical purposes.     

Heat shock protein 27 interacts with vimentin and prevents insolubilization of vimentin subunits induced by cadmium

Vimentin is an intermediate filament that regulates cell attachment and subcellular organization. In this study, vimentin filaments were morphologically altered, and its soluble subunits were rapidly reduced via cadmium chloride treatment. Cadmium chloride stimulated three major mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs): extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and p38, and led apoptotic pathway via caspase-9 and caspase-3 activations. In order to determine whether MAPKs were involved in this cadmium-induced soluble vimentin disappearance, we applied MAPK-specific inhibitors (PD98059, SP600125, SB203580). These inhibitors did not abolish the cadmium-induced soluble vimentin disappearance. Caspase and proteosome degradation pathway were also not involved in soluble vimentin disappearance. When we observed vimentin levels in soluble and insoluble fractions, soluble vimentin subunits shifted to an insoluble fraction. As we discovered that heat-shock protein 27 (HSP27) was colocalized and physically associated with vimentin in unstressed cells, the roles of HSP27 with regard to vimentin were assessed. HSP27-overexpressing cells prevented morphological alterations of the vimentin filaments, as well as reductions of soluble vimentin, in the cadmium-treated cells. Moreover, HSP27 antisense oligonucleotide augmented these cadmium-induced changes in vimentin. These findings indicate that HSP27 prevents disruption of the vimentin intermediate filament networks and soluble vimentin disappearance, by virtue of its physical interaction with vimentin in cadmium-treated SK-N-SH cells.     

Correlating second harmonic optical responses of single Ag nanoparticles with morphology

Femtosecond laser excited second harmonic (SH) activity from single Ag nanoparticles is reported. A correlation of SH single-particle measurements with high-resolution imaging of particle morphology by TEM was achieved by creating position markers on an optical and electron transparent substrate (Si3N4 thin film, approximately 100 nm). We compared the SH activity of single Ag nanoparticles (nanospheres versus nanorods) and cluster structures (composed of two or multiple particles, e.g., dimers and trimers). The direct correlation of single-particle structures and SH activity, spectral and power dependence, strongly suggests one-photon resonant driven nonlinear oscillator response mechanism.     

Bis induces growth inhibition and differentiation of HL-60 cells via up-regulation of p27

Bis (Bag-3, CAIR), a Bcl-2-interacting protein, promotes the anti-apoptotic activity of Bcl-2 and increased levels of Bis have been observed in several disease models. The involvement of Bcl-2 and some Bcl-2-binding proteins in differentiation has recently been reported. However, the relevance of Bis to cellular differentiation remains unknown. The findings herein show that Bis expression is up-regulated during the differentiation of HL-60 cells. To investigate the effect of Bis expression on differentiation, we established Bis-overexpressing HL-60 cells (HL-60-bis). HL-60-bis cells have a low nuclear: cytoplasmic ratio and indented nucleus in Wright- Giemsa staining, and an increased expression of CD11b in immunofluorescence study, indicating the promotion of differentiation. The overexpression of Bis also resulted in a retarded cell growth rate, accompanied by the accumulation of HL-60 cells at the G0/G1 phase of the cell cycle, which was sustained during the differentiation process. Western blot analysis revealed that the expression of p27, a representative inducer of cell cycle arrest at the G1 phase, was increased 2.5-fold in HL-60-bis cells compared to HL-60-neo cells. These results suggest that the Bis induced growth inhibition of HL-60 cells promotes G0/G1 phase arrest via up-regulation of p27, which seems to be a prerequisite for differentiation. Further studies will be required to define the exact roles of Bis on cellular differentiation more precisely.     

Effects of double substitution on the thermodynamic stabilities of nitrogen radicals

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Dissolution nature of the lithium hydroxide by water molecules

The structures, stabilities, thermodynamic quantities, dissociation energies, infrared spectra, and electronic properties of LiOH hydrated by up to seven water molecules are investigated by using the density-functional theory and the M?ller-Plesset second-order perturbation theory (MP2). Further accurate analysis based on the coupled-cluster theory with singles, doubles, and perturbative triples excitations agrees with the MP2 results. The Li-OH stretch mode significantly shifts with the increase of water molecules, and it eventually disappears upon dissociation. It is revealed that seven water molecules are needed for the stable dissociation of LiOH (as a completely dissociated conformation), in contrast to the cases of RbOH and CsOH which require four and three water molecules, respectively.     

Gas chromatographic determination of aldicarb and its metabolites in urine

A method is described for the determination of aldicarb and its metabolites (the sulphoxide and sulphone) in urine by gas chromatography with flame photometric detection (GC-FPD). The sample was concentrated with a column containing activated charcoal and Florisil, and then eluted with dichloromethane-acetone (1:1, v/v). The aldicarb and aldicarb sulphoxide in the eluate solution were oxidized to aldicarb sulphone and the total sulphone concentration was determined by GC-FPD after extraction with dichloromethane and clean-up with an activated charcoal column. The detection limit was 0.0024 mg/l. The mean recoveries from spiked urine in the range 0.04-0.12 mg/l were 90.9%, 86.6%, 92.6% for aldicarb, aldicarb sulphoxide and aldicarb sulphone, respectively.     

Flammability studies of 3-methyl pyridine/water system

In industrial processes, information on the safety property of chemicals is essentially crucial for safe handling during unit operations. Ensuring the safe use of combustible or flammable substances in processes is unlikely without detailed investigations of their flammability characteristics and related hazards. We studied 3-methyl pyridine (3-picoline), e.g., flammability limits (LFL/UFL), maximum explosion pressure (P _max), maximum explosion pressure rise (dP/dt)_max, minimum oxygen concentration (MOC), vapor deflagration index (K _g), and characterized the influence of inert steam (H₂O) on critical parameters for 3-picoline/water mixtures at 270°C, 1 atm, various oxygen concentrations, and vapor mixing ratios (100/0, 30/70, 10/90 and 5/95 vol.%) with a 20-L-Apparatus in simulated conditions, respectively. The results showed that the flammability characteristics of 3-picoline_(aq) all increased with the oxygen concentration. However, as the composition of inert steam increased, the flammability parameters and the degree of fire and explosion hazards were significantly reduced, instead. This study elucidated the flammability properties of 3-picoline mixed with inert steam. The conclusions could be applied to proactively prevent the relevant processes from incurring fire and explosion accidents.