Pulsed photothermal phase-shift spectroscopy for weak absorption measurement

A novel photothermal phase-shift spectroscopy configuration based on the retro-reflected beam interference has been developed and its operational principle is described. The weak absorption measurement ability of this technique is experimentally proven with a water/ethanol solution of standard Pyronine G dye and the limit of detection is found to be 1.8 x 10(-6) absorbance. Potential applications of the technique are discussed.     

Characterization of N-terminal processing of group VIA phospholipase A<Subscript>2</Subscript> and of potential cleavage sites of amyloid precursor protein constructs by automated identification of signature peptides in LC/MS/MS analyses of proteolytic digests

Dysregulation of proteolytic processing of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) contributes to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's Disease, and the Group VIA phospholipase A(2) (iPLA(2)beta) is the dominant PLA(2) enzyme in the central nervous system and is subject to regulatory proteolytic processing. We have identified novel N-terminal variants of iPLA(2)beta and previously unrecognized proteolysis sites in APP constructs with a C-terminal 6-myc tag by automated identification of signature peptides in LC/MS/MS analyses of proteolytic digests. We have developed a Signature-Discovery (SD) program to characterize protein isoforms by identifying signature peptides that arise from proteolytic processing in vivo. This program analyzes MS/MS data from LC analyses of proteolytic digests of protein mixtures that can include incompletely resolved components in biological samples. This reduces requirements for purification and thereby minimizes artifactual modifications during sample processing. A new algorithm to generate the theoretical signature peptide set and to calculate similarity scores between predicted and observed mass spectra has been tested and optimized with model proteins. The program has been applied to the identification of variants of proteins of biological interest, including APP cleavage products and iPLA(2)beta, and such applications demonstrate the utility of this approach.     

Comparison of one-, two-, and three-dimensional iron phosphates containing ethylenediamine

A new two-dimensional (2d) iron phosphate, (C₂N₂H₁₀)Fe₂O(PO₄)₂, has been synthesized under hydrothermal conditions in the system of FeCl₃-H₃PO₄-C₂N₂H₈-H₂O. The crystal data is: space group P2₁/c, a=10.670(1) Å, b=10.897(1) Å, c=9.918(1) Å, β=105.632(1)°, Z=4. The layered structure consists of double sheet layers, of composition Fe₂O(PO₄)₂, built from FeO₅ trigonal bipyramids and PO₄ tetrahedra. The amine holds the layers together via H-bonding. The study of the magnetic properties reveals two magnetic transitions at 160 and 30 K with spin-glass-like behavior below 160 K. By varying the hydrothermal conditions, three other iron phosphates were synthesized: the one-dimensional (1d) (C₂N₂H₁₀)Fe(HPO₄)₂(OH)·H₂O, the 2d (C₂N₂H₁₀)Fe₂(PO₄)₂(OH)₂, and the three-dimensional (3d) (C₂N₂H₁₀)₂Fe₄O(PO₄)₄·H₂O. The 1d compound can be used as the starting reagent in the synthesis of both the 2d compound and the 3d lipscombite Fe₃(PO₄)₂(OH)₂ due to the similar building blocks in their structures. In the 3d phosphate (C₂N₂H₁₀)₂Fe₄O(PO₄)₄·H₂O, manganese can substitute for half of the iron atoms. Magnetic study shows ordering transitions at about 30 K, however, manganese substitution depresses the magnetic ordering temperature.     

Preparation of Y2Ba4Cu7O15-δ Superconductor without High Oxygen Pressure

The synthesis of bulk Y₂Ba₄Cu₇O_15-δ superconductor at atmospheric oxygen pressure via solid state sintering is reported. Temperature ranging from 860 to 890 °C as well as time interval over 2 to 15 days were used to investigate the formation of the Y₂Ba₄Cu₇O_15-δ phase. A time-temperature profile characterizing the conditions for the preparation of Y₂Ba₄Cu₇O_15-δ phase suggests the optimal condition to be sintering at 890 °C for over 10 days. Detailed results of X-ray diffraction, electrical resistivity, iodometric titration and magnetization measurements are described.     

Application of an integrated microchip system with capillary array electrophoresis to optimization of enzymatic reactions

In this work, a combination of complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) microchip system with capillary array electrophoresis (CAE) is demonstrated as a system for optimizing conditions for enzymatic reaction. Dimethylacridinone (DDAO)-phosphate substrate and alkaline phosphatase conjugate were selected for the enzymatic reaction, which was applicable to the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique. Laser-induced fluorometry with a miniature semiconductor laser was used to detect the enzymatic products. The speed of the enzymatic reaction between the DDAO-phosphate and the alkaline phosphatase conjugate was investigated as a function of reaction time. The microchip-CAE detection system could determine the pH condition and the concentration of enzyme that are suitable for rapid and low-cost analysis. This result shows the feasibility of using the microchip-CAE system for application to miniaturized screening systems.     

Metastasis-suppressor KAI1/CD82 induces homotypic aggregation of human prostate cancer cells through Src-dependent pathway

To investigate the functional role of KAI1/CD82, a metastasis suppressor for human prostate cancer, in the regulation of homotypic cell adhesion, we transfected KAI1 cDNA into DU 145 human prostate cancer cells and established stable transfectant clones with high KAI1/CD82 expression. The KAI1 transfectant cells exhibited significantly increased homotypic cell aggregation in comparison with the control transfectant cells. This aggregation of the KAI1 transfectants was further enhanced upon exposure to anti-CD82 antibody, suggesting that KAI1/CD82 may be involved in the intracellular signaling for the cell adhesion. Among several signal pathway inhibitors tested, PP1, an inhibitor of Src family kinases, significantly suppressed homotypic aggregation of the KAI1 transfectant cells. Ligation of KAI1/CD82 with anti-CD82 antibody increased endogenous Src kinase activity of the KAI1 transfectant cells. When different types of src expression constructs were retransfected into the KAI1-transfected DU 145 cells, kinase-negative mutant src transfectant cells exhibited much lower homotypic aggregation than the mock cells transfected with an empty vector. Moreover, homotypic aggregation of the mutant src transfectant cells was not enhanced by KAI1/CD82 ligation with anti- CD82 antibody. These results suggest that Src mediates the intracellular signaling pathway of KAI1/CD82 for the induction of homotypic adhesion of human prostate cancer cells.     

果蔬中L—抗坏血酸的示波计时电位K3Fe（CN）6滴定法研究

本文报导的方法是在南京大学高鸿教授研究的K_3Fe(CN)_6示波极谱滴定法(在PH8的K_2HPO_4—KH_2PO_4—KBr底液中,用0.04660mol/LK_3Fe(CN)_6标准溶液对纯抗坏血酸测定)的基础上,考虑到L—抗坏血酸(以下简称V_e)在碱性、中性介质中稳定性差,如用于V_e含量很微的果蔬测定,对结果影响大。本文改为H_2C_2O_4—KBr的酸性介质作底液,用     

Enantioselective Addition of Iodine Azide to α,β-Unsaturated Carboxylic Acid Derivatives

The addition of iodine azide to chiral conjugated N-enoyl-sultam or α,β-unsaturated N-acyloxazolidinones generated two asymmetric centers at C(α) and C(β) with high π-face differentiation and regioselectivity. The diastereomerically pure product was easily obtained by crystallization with purity up to 94% de. The structure of 2a was determined by X-ray diffraction analysis which also indicated that B and 4 are reactive conformations.     

Synthesis of 8,9-dialkoxy-substituted tetrahydrobenz[h] isoquinolines

6,7-Dimethoxy-2-naphthylethylamine, prepared by the diborane reduction of 6,7-dimethoxy-2-naphtlialeneacetamide, underwent a Pictet-Spengler cyclization to form 8,9-dimethoxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydrobenz[h]isoquinoline. This compound is identical with that obtained by reduction of the corresponding dihydrobenzisoquinoline prepared from formamide cyclization. 6,7-Dialkoxy-2-naphthaleneacetic acids, the key intermediates for the preparation of these amides, were obtained from 6,7-dialkoxy-2-acetonaphthones by a modified Willgerodt reaction.