Multielement analysis of the hair of mining industry workers

Scalp hair samples were collected from 75 zinc mine workers at the Nakadatsu Mine in Fukui Prefecture and were subjected to instrumental neutron activation analysis for determination of Cu, Cl, Mn, Ca, Au, Br, As, Na, K, Hg, Zn and Co concentrations. For determination of Cd, atomic absorption spectrophotometry was applied to approximately a half of the samples. The results were compared with the data of inhabitants of Suginami Ward in the Tokyo Metropolitan Area. Excessive concentration in the mean values of Zn, Cu, Mn and Hg was observed in the hair of the miners as compared with the Suginami residents. On the other hand, the mean concentrations of K and Cl in the hair of the miners were lower than those of the Suginami inhabitants.     

Thermal and transport properties of copoly(γ-stearyl L-glutamate-γ-methyl L-glutamate)

Copoly(γ-stearyl L-glutamate-γ-methyl L-glutamate)s with various compositions were synthesized by ester exchange of poly(γ-methyl L-glutamate) with stearyl alcohol. The temperature dependence of the volume and helical spacing of the copolyglutamates thus prepared was examined from 0 to 100°C, observing the melting and crystallization of the long alkyl side chain attached to the polypeptide backbone. The melting temperature of the long side chain increased with increasing stearyl L-glutamate content. With increasing temperature, the α helical spacing decreased, especially with the melting of the side chain. On the other hand, the volume increased with increasing temperature and a marked increase was observed on melting. The above two phenomena were elucidated according to the structural model of the long side chain of the copolyglutamates proposed here. The transport properties, permeability coefficients were found to be considerably affected by the side-chain structure of the copolyglutamate and by the melting or crystallization of the side chain. The permeability coefficient of the copolyglutamate with 67% degree of stearylation, varied as much as two orders of magnitude before and after melting or crystallization. It was also confirmed that the permeability coefficient is controllable by the side-chain structural change of polypeptides.     

Synthesis of 1,2,9,10-tetrakis(N-phenylamino)[2.2]metacyclophane by SmI2-mediated reductive coupling of diimine

SmI₂/HMPA-mediated double reductive coupling of N,N′-(m-xylylidene)dianiline affords 1,2,9,10-tetrakis(N-phenylamino)[2.2]metacyclophane in good yield.     

Fabrication of microbial chip using collagen gel microstructure

A microbial chip was fabricated by filling the micropores on a glass substrate with collagen-embedded Escherichia coli(E. coli) cells, and characterized by scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) in a solution containing ferricyanide. The activity of the E. coli cells in the collagen gel microstructure was imaged and characterized with SECM by mapping the localized concentration of ferrocyanide produced by the respiration of the cells. The SECM-based activity measurement detected as low as approximately 100 E. coli cells. Furthermore, the optical-microscopic observation indicated that the E. coli cells on the chip proliferated during the incubation. The sequential SECM measurements were performed for the same E. coli chip to obtain the microbial growth curve for a small number of microorganisms.     

Digital photoswitching of fluorescence based on the photochromism of diarylethene derivatives at a single-molecule level

Photochromic reactions of diarylethene derivatives were detected at a single-molecule level by using a fluorescence technique. Fluorescent photoswitching molecules in which photochromic diarylethene and fluorescent bis(phenylethynyl)anthracene units are linked through an adamantyl spacer were synthesized, and switching of fluorescence upon irradiation with UV and visible light was followed in solution as well as on polymer films at the single-molecule level. Although in solution the fluorescence intensity gradually changed upon irradiation with UV and visible light, digital on/off switching between two discrete states was observed at the single-molecule level. The "on"- and "off"-times were dependent on the power of UV and visible light. When the power of UV and visible light was increased, the average on- and off-times became short in proportion to the reciprocal power of the light. The response-times were found to show distribution. The distribution of the on- and off-times is considered to reflect the difference in the micro-environment as well as conformation of the molecules.     

Photoelectron spectra and ion chemistry of imidazolide

The 351.1 nm photoelectron spectrum of imidazolide anion has been measured. The electron affinity (EA) of the imidazolyl radical is determined to be 2.613 +/- 0.006 eV. Vibrational frequencies of 955 +/- 15 and 1365 +/- 20 cm(-1) are observed in the spectrum of the (2)B1 ground state of the imidazolyl radical. The main features in the spectrum are well-reproduced by Franck-Condon simulation based on the optimized geometries and the normal modes obtained at the B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) level of density functional theory. The two vibrational frequencies are assigned to totally symmetric modes with C-C and N-C stretching motions. Overtone peaks of an in-plane nontotally symmetric mode are observed in the spectrum and attributed to Fermi resonance. Also observed is the photoelectron spectrum of the anion formed by deprotonation of imidazole at the C5 position. The EA of the corresponding radical, 5-imidazolyl, is 1.992 +/- 0.010 eV. The gas phase acidity of imidazole has been determined using a flowing afterglow-selected ion tube; delta(acid)G298 = 342.6 +/- 0.4 and delta(acid)H298 = 349.7 +/- 0.5 kcal mol(-1). From the EA of imidazolyl radical and gas phase acidity of imidazole, the bond dissociation energy for the N-H bond in imidazole is determined to be 95.1 +/- 0.5 kcal mol(-1). These thermodynamic parameters for imidazole and imidazolyl radical are compared with those for pyrrole and pyrrolyl radical, and the effects of the additional N atom in the five-membered ring are discussed.     

Highly efficient and photostable photosensitizer based on BODIPY chromophore

Photosensitizers are reagents that produce reactive oxygen species upon light illumination and are commonly used to study oxidative stress or for photodynamic therapy. There are many available photosensitizers, but most have limitations, such as low photostability, structural instability, or a limited usable range of solvent conditions. Here, we describe a novel photosensitizer scaffold (2I-BDP) based on the unique characteristics of the BODIPY chromophore (i.e., high extinction coefficient, high photostability, and insensitivity to solvent environment). 2I-BDP shows stronger near-infrared singlet oxygen luminescence emission and higher photostability than the well-known photosensitizer, Rose Bengal. Unlike other photosensitizers, this scaffold is widely applicable under various conditions, including lipophilic and aqueous environments. HeLa cells loaded with 2I-BDP could be photosensitized by light illumination, demonstrating that 2I-BDP is potentially useful as a reagent for cell photosensitization, oxidative stress studies, or PDT.     

Studies on ferrocene derivatives. Part XVI: steric effects on the ligand exchange reactions of alkylferrocenes

Ligand exchange reactions of alkylferrocenes with substituted benzenes were carried out. The steric effects of substituents on the reaction were almost equal irrespective of the site of the substituents, either on the cyclopentadienyl – or the benzene ring. For benzene ring substituents, the effect on the symmetrically substituted benzenes was greater than that on the unsymmetrically substituted benzenes.     

Structure of cinerarin, a tetra-acylated anthocyanin isolated from the blue garden cineraria,

Structure of cinerarin is determined to be 3-0-(6-0-malonyl-β-D-glucopyranosyl)-7-0-(6-0-(4-0-(6-0-caffeyl-β-D-glucopyranosyl)caffeyl)-β-D-glucopyranosyl)-3′-0-(6-0-caffeyl-β-D-glucopyranosyl)delphinidin.     

Ion chemistry of 1H-1,2,3-triazole

A combination of experimental methods, photoelectron-imaging spectroscopy, flowing afterglow-photoelectron spectroscopy and the flowing afterglow-selected ion flow tube technique, and electronic structure calculations at the B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) level of density functional theory (DFT) have been employed to study the mechanism of the reaction of the hydroxide ion (HO-) with 1H-1,2,3-triazole. Four different product ion species have been identified experimentally, and the DFT calculations suggest that deprotonation by HO- at all sites of the triazole takes place to yield these products. Deprotonation of 1H-1,2,3-triazole at the N1-H site gives the major product ion, the 1,2,3-triazolide ion. The 335 nm photoelectron-imaging spectrum of the ion has been measured. The electron affinity (EA) of the 1,2,3-triazolyl radical has been determined to be 3.447 +/- 0.004 eV. This EA and the gas-phase acidity of 2H-1,2,3-triazole are combined in a negative ion thermochemical cycle to determine the N-H bond dissociation energy of 2H-1,2,3-triazole to be 112.2 +/- 0.6 kcal mol-1. The 363.8 nm photoelectron spectroscopic measurements have identified the other three product ions. Deprotonation of 1H-1,2,3-triazole at the C5 position initiates fragmentation of the ring structure to yield a minor product, the ketenimine anion. Another minor product, the iminodiazomethyl anion, is generated by deprotonation of 1H-1,2,3-triazole at the C4 position, followed by N1-N2 bond fission. Formation of the other minor product, the 2H-1,2,3-triazol-4-ide ion, can be rationalized by initial deprotonation of 1H-1,2,3-triazole at the N1-H site and subsequent proton exchanges within the ion-molecule complex. The EA of the 2H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl radical is 1.865 +/- 0.004 eV.