Estimation of 99mTc-dimercaptosuccinic acid renal uptake using single photon emission computed tomography

Renal function was assessed by measurement of 99mTc-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) uptake by the kidney based on the transsectional tomographic image obtained by single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). The renal uptake was expressed as percentage of the total radioactivity detected in the kidney, the volume of which was measured by convolution method, against the amount dosed. Absorption was corrected by GE-STAR method using cut off level of 42%. In order to determine normal range, measurement was made for 40 kidneys of each of 10 male and female volunteers confirmed of having normal kidneys both morphologically and functionally. The average volume of the kidney was 220.4 ml for the right and 239.3 ml for the left for males, and 205.9 ml and 236.5 ml, respectively for females. The renal uptake of radioactivity (at 2 h after injection), was 26.8% for the right and 27.6% for the left for males, with corresponding figures for females being 26.4% and 27.9%, respectively. Distribution range of renal volume and renal uptake was obtained by bivariate analysis with 90% and 95% probability. From these results, our method of renal function determination based on renal uptake of 99mTc-DMSA obtained from renal transactional tomogram by SPECT is considered to be accurate and potentially useful for clinical purpose.     

Two-stage optimization of a supramolecular catalyst for catalytic asymmetric hydroboration

Systematic changes, first to the structure of the catalyst scaffold and then to the ligating groups, are used to fine tune supramolecular catalysts to achieve high regioselectivity (95-98%) and high enantioselectivity (94-97% ee) across a series of meta-substituted styrenes varying in electronic character.     

A rotating disk electrode study on catalytic activity of iron(II) phthalocyanine-modified electrodes for oxygen reduction in acidic media

Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry - Catalytic activity of monometric metal macrocycles for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) was investigated using rotating disk electrode voltammetry in acidic...     

Preparation of novel phosphor using intercalation of tobermorite

The emission intensity of phosphors is often subject to concentration quenching after doping of the activator in the host crystal rises above a certain limit. This study describes the preparation of novel phosphors based on tobermorite that do not exhibit concentration quenching. In the preparation of phosphors, Eu³⁺ ions are exchanged with intercalated Ca²⁺ ions within the tobermorite by dipping in EuCl₃ solution. The emission intensity of the Eu³⁺ doped tobermorite increased with increasing Eu/Ca atomic ratio and attained a maximum value of 8.6% for a Eu/Ca atomic ratio of 0.22. Heating of the phosphor at 800 °C resulted in a three-fold improvement in emission intensity.     

A Redox-Responsive Ferrocene-Based Capsule Displaying Unusual Encapsulation-Induced Charge-Transfer Interactions

A ferrocene-based capsule is spontaneously and quantitatively formed in water by the assembly of bent amphiphiles carrying two ferrocene units. The disassembly and assembly of the new organometallic capsule, with a well-defined and highly condensed ferrocene core, are demonstrated by chemical redox stimuli in a fully reversible fashion under ambient conditions. In contrast to previously reported multiferrocene assemblies, only the present capsule efficiently encapsulates typical organic/inorganic dyes as well as electron-accepting molecules in water. As a result, unusual host-guest charge-transfer (CT) interactions, displaying relatively wide absorption bands in the visible to near-infrared region (λ=650–1350 nm), are observed upon the encapsulation of acceptors (i.e., chloranil and TCNQ). The resultant encapsulation-induced CT interactions can be released by a redox stimulus through the disassembly of the capsule.     

Rapid Isolation of the Trichoderma Strain with Higher Degrading Ability of a Filter Paper and Superior Proliferation Characteristics Using Avicel Plates and the Double-Layer Selection Medium

The cost of cellulase is still a problem for bioethanol production. As the cellulase of Trichoderma reesei is applicable for producing ethanol from cellulosic materials, the cellulase productivity of this fungus should be increased. Therefore, we attempted to develop a system to isolate the strain with higher degrading ability of a filter paper and superior proliferation characteristics among the conidia treated with the mitotic arrester, colchicine. When green mature conidia of T. reesei RUT C-30 were swollen, autopolyploidized, and incubated in the double-layer selection medium containing Avicel, colonies appeared on the surface earlier than the original strain. When such colonies and the original colony were incubated on the Avicel plates, strain B5, one of the colonies derived from the colchicine-treated conidia, showed superior proliferation characteristics. Moreover, when strain B5 and the original strain were compared in the filter paper degrading ability and the cellulose hydrolyzing activity, strain B5 was also superior to the original strain. It was suspected that superior proliferation characteristics of strain B5 reflects higher filter paper degrading ability. Thus, we concluded that the Trichoderma strain with higher degrading ability of a filter paper and superior proliferation characteristics can be isolated using Avicel plates and the double-layer selection medium.     

Generation of acidity of silica monolayer by network of SI-O-SI on alumina

Structures of materials deposited from various Si alkoxides on alumina were determined based on gravimetry, product analysis and coverage measurement. The activity for double-bond isomerization of l-butene was observed over the silica monolayer with a network of siloxanes (Si-O-Si) deposited from Si(OCH₃)₄ at 493 and 593 K. However, the isolated silica species deposited from Si(OCH₃)₄ at low temperatures (≤ 423 K) and those deposited from Si(OCH₃)_n(CH₃)_4-n (n ≥ 3) showed almost no activity. Based on these findings, the species — Al-O-SiOH in the network of Si-O-Si was suggested to be the Bronsted acid site.     

Modulation of the pharmacological activities of secretory phospholipase A2 from Crotalus durissus cascavella induced by naringin

In this work we have characterized the action of the naringin, a flavonoid found in grapefruit and known for its various pharmacological effects, which include antioxidant blood lipid lowering and anticancer activity, on the structure and biochemical activities of a secretory phospholipase A (sPLA2) from Crotalus durissus cascavella, an important protein involved in the releasinge of arachidonic acid in phospholipid membranes. sPLA2 was incubated with naringin (mol:mol) at 37 °C and a discrete reduction in the UV scanning signal and a modification of the circular dichroism spectra were observed after treatment with naringin, suggesting modifications of the secondary structure of the protein. This flavonoid was able to decrease enzymatic activity and some pharmacological effects, such as myonecrosis, platelet aggregation, and neurotoxic activity caused by sPLA2, however, the inflammatory effect was not affected by naringin. In addition, small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) data were collected for sPLA2 and naringin-treated sPLA2 to evaluate possible modifications of the protein structure. These structural investigations have shown that sPLA2 is an elongated dimer in solution and after treatment with naringin a conformational change in the dimeric configuration was observed. Our results suggest that structural modification may be correlated with the loss of enzymatic activity and alterations in pharmacological properties.     

Direct antigen detection from immunoprecipitated beads using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry; a new method for immunobeads-mass spectrometry (iMS)

One-step detection of biological molecules is one of the principal techniques for clinical diagnosis, and the potential of mass spectrometry for biomarker detection has been a promising new approach in the field of medical sciences. We demonstrate here a new and high-sensitivity method that we termed immunobeads-mass spectrometry (iMS), which combines conventional immunoprecipitation and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). The key feature of iMS is the MS-compatible condition of immunoprecipitation using detergents with a monosaccaride-C8 alkyl chain or a disaccharide-C10 alkyl chain, and the minimized number of steps required for high-sensitivity detection of target peptides in serum or biological fluid. This was achieved by optimizing the wash buffer and subjecting the immunobeads directly to MALDI-TOF MS analysis. Using this method, we showed that 1 fmol of amyloid beta peptide spiked in serum was readily detectable, demonstrating the powerful tool of iMS as a biomarker detection method.