Dissociation equilibrium between uncharged and charged local anesthetic lidocaine in a surface-adsorbed film

The dissociation equilibrium between uncharged local anesthetic lidocaine (LC) and charged local anesthetic LC (LCH⁺) in a surface-adsorbed film was investigated by measuring the surface tension and pH of aqueous solutions of a mixture of hydrochloric acid and LC. The surface tension values decreased slightly with increasing total molality m_t at 0X₂0.5, where X₂ is the mole fraction of LC in the mixture, while they decreased rapidly with increasing m_t at 0.5<X₂1. It was shown from the pH measurements that almost all LC molecules were changed into LCH⁺ ions by protonation at 0X₂0.5 and both forms coexisted only at 0.5<X₂1. The quantities of the respective LC and LCH⁺ transferred from the aqueous solution to the adsorbed film, i.e., their surface densities, were calculated by applying the thermodynamic equations derived to the surface tension and pH data. A greater quantity of LC than LCH⁺ existed in the adsorbed film at the coexisting composition. The partitioning behavior of LC and LCH⁺ in the adsorbed film was characterized by three composition regions: (1) slight partitioning of low surface-active LCH⁺ in the region at 0X₂0.5, (2) preferential partitioning of LC at 0.5<X₂<around 0.7, and (3) negative partitioning of LCH⁺ at around 0.7X₂1. The present results clearly indicate that uncharged local anesthetics transfer into hydrophobic environments such as cell membranes more than charged ones.     

Partial molar volume of proteins studied by the three-dimensional reference interaction site model theory

The three-dimensional reference interaction site model (3D-RISM) theory is applied to the analysis of hydration effects on the partial molar volume of proteins. For the native structure of some proteins, the partial molar volume is decomposed into geometric and hydration contributions using the 3D-RISM theory combined with the geometric volume calculation. The hydration contributions are correlated with the surface properties of the protein. The thermal volume, which is the volume of voids around the protein induced by the thermal fluctuation of water molecules, is directly proportional to the accessible surface area of the protein. The interaction volume, which is the contribution of electrostatic interactions between the protein and water molecules, is apparently governed by the charged atomic groups on the protein surface. The polar atomic groups do not make any contribution to the interaction volume. The volume differences between low- and high-pressure structures of lysozyme are also analyzed by the present method.     

Synthesis of dehydroxy-trans-resorcylide by intramolecular alkylation of the protected cyanohydrin using a butadiene telomer as a building block

Dehydrroxy-trans-resorcylide ($\text{15}$) was synthesized by efficient intramolecular alkylation of the protected cyanohydrin. The butadiene telomer obtained by the palladium catalyzed reaction of butadiene with acetic acid was used as a suitable block of the carbocycle.     

Laser-induced fluorescence microscopic system using an optical parametric oscillator for tunable detection in microchip analysis

A laser-induced fluorescence microscopic system based on optical parametric oscillation has been constructed as a tunable detector for microchip analysis. The detection limit of sulforhodamine B (Ex. 520 nm, Em. 570 nm) was 0.2 mol, which was approximately eight orders of magnitude better than with a conventional fluorophotometer. The system was applied to the determination of fluorescence-labeled DNA (Ex. 494 nm, Em. 519 nm) in a microchannel and the detection limit reached a single molecule. These results showed the feasibility of this system as a highly sensitive and tunable fluorescence detector for microchip analysis.     

Direct targeting of human plasma for matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization and analysis of plasma proteins by time of flight-mass spectrometry

A method to analyze human plasma proteins without fractionation, directly applying a plasma-matrix mixture on the target plate of a matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight-mass spectrometer (MALDI-TOF-MS), has been described. Peaks of ionized plasma proteins could not be detected applying a mixture of an undiluted plasma sample and a matrix solution, but they appeared when the plasma was diluted before mixing with the matrix. Tenfold diluted plasma provided well-resolved protein peaks in the m/z range from 4000 to 30,000. The addition of a simple post-crystallization washing procedure performed on the target plate further improved the quality of mass spectra. We numbered 58 peaks in the range of 4-160 kDa and 32 out of which were assigned to the plasma protein species which have been reported. Especially high sensitivity and resolution were obtained in the region < 30 kDa, where multiple isoforms of apolipoprotein A-I, apolipoprotein A-II, apolipoprotein C-I, apolipoprotein C-II, apolipoprotein C-III, and transthyretin could be assigned. Various post-translational modifications are involved in the isoforms, e.g., proteolytic cleavage, glycosylation and chemical modifications. This method will become complementary with the present electrophoretic techniques, especially for the analysis of low-molecular-mass proteins.     

Multipoint recognition of catecholamines by hydrindacene-based receptors accompanied by the complexation-induced conformational switching

The molecular recognition of catecholamines by hydrindacene-based receptors 1 and 2, as well as the durene-based receptor 3, and the guest-induced conformational changes are reported. These receptors selectively bind adrenaline and dopamine salts through the guests' ammonium group and 3-hydroxyl group on the aromatic ring. In the case of adrenaline, an additional hydrogen bond with a benzylic hydroxyl group is formed. In 2 % CD3CN/CDCl3, the association constants are of the order of 10(4) M(-1), which is much larger than with guests without the 3-hydroxyl groups (10(3) M(-1)). The two amide groups of receptor 1 can rotate freely around the C(aromatic)--C(amide) bond, whereas the tert-amide in 2 changes between two stable conformations at a slow enough rate to allow detection by (1)H NMR spectroscopy. In the absence of a guest molecule, the syn-conformer is less stable than the anti-conformer. On complex formation with adrenaline, the syn-conformer becomes dominant due to an intramolecular dipole-reversal effect in addition to multipoint hydrogen bonding.     

Asymmetric synthesis of alpha-amino acids: indium-mediated reactions of glyoxylic oxime ether in aqueous media

The indium-mediated allylation and alkylation reactions of the Oppolzer camphorsultam derivative of glyoxylic oxime ether proceeded with excellent diastereoselectivity in aqueous media, providing a variety of enantiomerically pure alpha-amino acids.     

Extraction—spectrophotometric determination of trace amounts of iron in waters with pyrogallol red and zephiramine

The simple removal of excess of co-extracted reagent in the solvent extraction of metal complex anions with a quaternary ammonium salt greatly improves the determination of iron(II) with pyrogallol red and zephiramine. The method with pyrogallol red is suitable for the determination of trace amounts of iron in natural waters. The apparent molar absorptivities of the iron(II) complex in chloroform are 7.5×10⁴ and 10.3×10⁴ 1 mol^-1 cm^-1 at 560 and 298 nm, respectively. A large excess of reagent can be added, and the ternary complex can be completely extracted over the pH range 8.5–10. Masking agents allow most interferences to be suppressed. The method is suitable for the analysis of potable, river and sea waters.     

Aquaporin-11: A channel protein lacking apparent transport function expressed in brain

Background  

The aquaporins are a family of integral membrane proteins composed of two subfamilies: the orthodox aquaporins, which transport only water, and the aquaglyceroporins, which transport glycerol, urea, or other small solutes. Two recently described aquaporins, numbers 11 and 12, appear to be more distantly related to the other mammalian aquaporins and aquaglyceroporins.