Increase in the Intracellular Bulk Water Content in the Early Phase of Cell Death of Keratinocytes,Corneoptosis, as Revealed by 65 GHz Near-Field CMOS Dielectric Sensor

While bulk water and hydration water coexist in cells to support the expression of biological macromolecules, how the dynamics of water molecules, which have long been only a minor role in molecular biology research, relate to changes in cellular states such as cell death has hardly been explored so far due to the lack of evaluation techniques. In this study, we developed a high-precision measurement system that can discriminate bulk water content changes of ±0.02% (0.2 mg/cm³) with single-cell-level spatial resolution based on a near-field CMOS dielectric sensor operating at 65 GHz. We applied this system to evaluate the temporal changes in the bulk water content during the cell death process of keratinocytes, called corneoptosis, using isolated SG1 (first layer of stratum granulosum) cells in vitro. A significant irreversible increase in the bulk water content was observed approximately 1 h before membrane disruption during corneoptosis, which starts with cytoplasmic high Ca²⁺ signal. These findings suggest that the calcium flux may have a role in triggering the increase in the bulk water content in SG1 cells. Thus, our near-field CMOS dielectric sensor provides a valuable tool to dissect the involvement of water molecules in the various events that occur in the cell.     

Phase transition in dilute solution of poly(γ-benzyl-L-glutamate) in dichloromethane at a low temperature

The dielectric constant of solutions of poly(γ-benzyl-L -glutamate) (PBLG) in dichloromethane shows a jump near 195°K, irrespective of frequency. Therefore, the discontinuity is not a dispersion phenomenon but a phase transition in the thermodynamic sense. The transition temperature is independent of the concentration in the range from 0.01 to 10% by weight, but it increases linearly with the logarithm of the molecular weight of PBLG. The height of the jump depends strongly on frequency, concentration, and molecular weight. The viscosity also changes abruptly at 195°K. These results suggest that the PBLG molecule forms a cluster like a liquid crystal or is in a random coil state below the transition point.     

Studies on the syntheses of heterocyclic compounds. Part DCXLIV . Catalytic reduction of homoproaporphine related compounds

Hydrogenation of the homoproaporphine (IV) over platinum oxide gave a mixture of the cyclohexanols VIIa and VIIb. In contrast, reduction of IV on palladium provided the cyclo-hexanone VI, which was also obtained from VIIb by oxidation. Treatment of the cyclohexanols VIIa and VIIb under hydrogen on platinum oxide afforded the same mixture of VIIa and VIIb.     

Negative-ion counting techniques for gas chromatography—mass spectrometry

Negative-ion counting techniques for gas chromatography—electron-impact ionization quadrupole mass spectrometry (g.c.—m.s.) are described. Signal-to-noise performance is good and data acquisition is fast. Digital processing of the negative ion signals is done with an ion-counting device and data acquisition with a multi-channel analyzer. The negative-ion mass spectra from g.c.—m.s. measurements are shown for a mixture of tetrachloro-methane, 1,2,2-trichloroethane and 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane.     

Identification of the source of the crude drug Tu-zhu-ye using low-temperature plasma ashing

Tu-zhu-ye is a Korean crude drug for use as a diuretic but its plant source has not been identified. The present work has been attempted for identification of the original plant using specimens collected both at Seoul and Taegu, Korea, their mineral microstructures being examined after ashing the specimens by a low-temperature method with high-frequency oxygen plasma. A preliminary survey of the specimens with the naked eye suggested that the Tu-zhu-ye was near to Phyllostachys or its closely related bamboo species. Several specimens, namely, Phyllostachys heterocyclaMitf. var. pubescensOhwi, Phyllostachys nigraMunro var. henonisStapf, Phyllostachys bambusoidesSieb. et Zucc. and Bambusa multiplexRaeuschel were therefore ashed by the low-temperature method and the comparative microscopic studies with the resultant ashed tissues concluded that the “Tu-zhu-ye” from Seoul was perfectly identical with Phyllostachys nigraMunro var. henonisStapf. A further investigation is continued for the specimen from Taegu since it is different from any other specimens provided for the present work.     

Flame Emission Spectrometry Using Atomic Absorption Apparatus (I) Determination of Sr In Sea Water

Flame emission determination of Sr in sea water is studied using an ordinary atomic absorption apparatus. The analytical line 4607 A is used with background correction at 4616 A. The ionization is found to be negligible in air acetylene flame with sea water, and the interference of H₂SO₄ is elimentated using the higher part of the flame.     

Nonlinearity in the dynamics of photoinduced nucleation process

Coherent nonlinear dynamics of photoinduced cooperative phenomena at 0 K is studied by numerical calculations on a model of molecular crystals. We found that the photoinduced nucleation process is triggered only when a certain amount of excitation energy is supplied in a narrow part of the system; i.e., there exists the smallest size of the cluster of excited molecules which makes the nucleation possible. As a result, the portion of the cooperatively converted molecules is nonlinearly dependent on the photoexcitation strength, which has been observed in various materials.     

Theory of photoinduced phase transitions in itinerant electron systems

Theoretical progress in the research of photoinduced phase transitions is reviewed with closely related experiments. After a brief introduction of stochastic evolution in statistical systems and domino effects in localized electron systems, we treat photoinduced dynamics in itinerant-electron systems. Relevant interactions are required in the models to describe the fast and ultrafast charge-lattice-coupled dynamics after photoexcitations. First, we discuss neutral-ionic transitions in the mixed-stack charge-transfer complex, TTF-CA. When induced by intrachain charge-transfer photoexcitations, the dynamics of the ionic-to-neutral transition are characterized by a threshold behavior, while those of the neutral-to-ionic transition by an almost linear behavior. The difference originates from the different electron correlations in the neutral and ionic phases. Second, we deal with halogen-bridged metal complexes, which show metal, Mott insulator, charge-density-wave, and charge–polarization phases. The latter two phases have different broken symmetries. The charge-density-wave to charge–polarization transition is much more easily achieved than the reverse transition. This is clarified by considering microscopic charge-transfer processes. The transition from the charge-density-wave to Mott insulator phases and that from the Mott insulator to metal phases proceed much faster than those between the low-symmetry phases. Next, we discuss ultrafast, inverse spin-Peierls transitions in an organic radical crystal and alkali-TCNQ from the viewpoint of intradimer and interdimer charge-transfer excitations. Then, we study photogenerated electrons in the quantum paraelectric perovskite, SrTiO₃, which are assumed to couple differently with soft-anharmonic phonons and breathing-type high-energy phonons. The different electron–phonon couplings result in two types of polarons, a “super-paraelectric large polaron” with a quasi-global parity violation, and an “off-center-type self-trapped polaron” with only a local parity violation. The former is equivalent to a charged and conductive ferroelectric domain, which greatly enhances both the quasi-static electric susceptibility and the electric conductivity. Finally, we outline the development of time-resolved X-ray diffraction experiments, which directly accesses the dynamics of electronic, atomic and molecular motions in photoexcited materials. They are extremely useful when a three-dimensional structural long-range order is established and changes the symmetry.