In situ observation of protein-adsorbed stearic acid monolayer by Brewster angle microscopy and fluorescence microscopy

A fluorescence probe, fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC), was introduced to proteins, and the morphology of protein-adsorbed stearic acid monolayer was observed by fluorescence microscopy and Brewster angle microscopy (BAM) in order to analyze images. At a low protein concentration, the surface pressure increased as shown by a sigmoidal curve. A number of stripe patterns in the BAM images increased and the shapes became clear with increasing concentration of proteins. Simultaneously, the size of circular islands also became small, and finally disappeared. These results suggest that the very large stripe patterns in the BAM image show the assembly of both proteins and stearic acid molecules, and small circular islands show only the stearic acid molecules. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The ̅K N → π Σ decay threshold effect in 3He(in-flight K –, n) reaction spectrum

The formation of a deeply-bound K?? ^–? pp state by the ³He(in-flight K? ^–, n) reaction is investigated theoretically in a distorted-wave impulse approximation using the Green’s function method. The expected inclusive and semi-exclusive spectra at $p_{K^-} = 1.0$ GeV/c and $\theta_n = 0^{\circ}$ are calculated for the forthcoming J-PARC E15 experiment. We discuss these spectra with some K? ^–-“pp” optical potentials, taking into account the energy-dependence of the imaginary part of the potentials by a phase space suppression factor.     

One‐Pot Formation of Large Macrocycles with Modifiable Peripheries and Internal Cavities

The shape of things to come : Aromatic oligohydrazide macrocycles with planar backbones enforced by three‐center hydrogen bonds are formed in high yield from monomeric diacid chlorides and dihydrazides. Macrocycles consisting of six meta‐linked pyridine and benzene residues have an internal cavity of about 10 Å diameter, while those with alternating meta‐ and para‐linked benzene residues are larger and contain multiple convergent sites (see picture).

     

Cell culture and life support system for microbioreactor and bioassay

A microchip-based cell culture system was developed and a primary culture of rat hepatocytes was realized in the system. The microchip was made of glass plates and had a microchannel and a microculture flask inside. The flask inner surface was coated using collagen solution; then FBS and DMEM were added successively. Rat hepatocytes suspended in a medium was introduced into the microchip and incubated at 37 degrees C in a humidified atmosphere with 5% CO(2). Because of the shortage of dissolved oxygen, the cultured cells in the microchip resulted in a significant decrease in viability. To overcome this, a continuous medium flow oxygen and nutrition supplying system was designed and constructed. The system realized good cell growth for at least 4 days. Liver-specific functions, such as the synthesis of albumin and urea from hepatocytes were confirmed.     

Sequence-specific association in aqueous media by integrating hydrogen bonding and dynamic covalent interactions

Oligoamide strands that associate in a sequence-specific fashion into hydrogen-bonded duplexes in nonpolar solvents were converted into disulfide cross-linked duplexes in aqueous media. Thus, by incorporating trityl-protected thiol groups, which allows the reversible formation of disulfide bonds, into the oligoamide strands, only duplexes consisting of complementary hydrogen-bonding sequences were formed in aqueous solution as well as in methanol. The sequence-specific cross-linking of oligoamide strands was confirmed by MALDI-TOF, reverse-phase HPLC, and by isolating a cross-linked duplex. This study demonstrates that the sequence-specificity characteristic of multiply hydrogen-bonded systems can be extended into competitive media through the interplay of H-bonding and reversible covalent interactions, based on which a new class of molecular associating and ligating units that are compatible with both polar and nonpolar environments can be conveniently obtained.     

Cellular uptake of a fluorescent vanadyl sulfonylcalix[4]arene

Vanadyl bearing calix[4]arene ligands have undergone evaluation against several cell lines, and show varying degrees of toxicity. For vanadyl complexed to a sulfonylcalix[4]arene, monitoring of the strong blue fluorescence revealed slow uptake kinetics. The complex is exclusively found in the cytoplasm of the cells and uptake is not due to active endocytotic mechanisms.     

Highly reactive meso-like positions of dipyrihexaphyrin

The meso-like position of a pyridine-containing porphyrin analogue structurally related to amethyrin was found to be highly reactive to undergo addition of alcohols, amines and hydrogen cyanide at room temperature under neutral conditions.     

Efficient synthesis of aminomethylated azaindoles and corresponding pyrrole-fused derivatives by copper-catalyzed domino multicomponent coupling and cyclization

Efficient methods for the synthesis of aminomethylated azaindole derivatives via domino copper-catalyzed multicomponent coupling and cyclization have been developed. Using various secondary amines and aldehydes, N-substituted 3-ethynyl-4-aminopyridine was converted to substituted azaindoles in moderate to excellent yields. By use of a 3,4-diaminopyridine derivative bearing two alkynyl groups, the corresponding pyrrole-fused azaindoles were synthesized by controlled stepwise cyclization.     

Hexahomotrioxacalix[3]arene derivatives as ionophores for molecular recognition of dopamine, serotonin and phenylethylamine

The lower rim functionalized hexahomotrioxacalix[3]arene derivatives cone-3 and cone-5 bearing three benzyl and three N,N-diethyl-2-aminoethoxy groups, respectively, were synthesized from triol 1. Their complexation with 2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)ethylamine (dopamine), 5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin), and 2-phenylethylamine (phenethylamine), which have biologically important activities, has been studied by (1)H-NMR spectroscopy. The chemical shifts of the aromatic protons of the host and guest molecules and the up-field shifts of the ethyl protons of the guest molecules strongly suggest the formation of inclusion complexes in solution. The formation of the host-guest complexes is assisted by a hydrogen bond and/or an electrostatic interaction between the host and ammonium ion (RNH(3)(+)) of the guest. The structures of receptors cone-3 and cone-5 have been determined by X-ray crystallography.     

Can a linearly polarized light beam polarize atomic spin?

Lax et al. [Phys. Rev. 11 (1975) 1365] discovered that a light beam in vacuum is not a transverse wave but does have a longitudinal field component. We investigate atomic and molecular electric dipole transitions induced by such a light beam, in particular, linearly polarized in a transverse plane. We derive the selection rules and the transition rates for various quantization axes using the paraxial approximation up to the first order of 1/kw, where k is the wave number and w is the transverse size of the light beam. The light beam is able to yield atomic spin polarization in the direction perpendicular to both the optical axis and the transverse electric field, and its magnitude is approximately 1/kw times that generated by a circularly polarized light wave with the similar intensity.