Interaction of tetrandrine with human serum albumin: a fluorescence quenching study.

The interaction of tetrandrine with human serum albumin (HSA) was studied by measuring fluorescence quenching spectra, synchronous fluorescence spectra and ultra-violet spectra. The fluorescence quenching spectra of HSA in the presence of tetrandrine showed that tetrandrine quenched the fluorescence of HSA. The quenching constants of tetrandrine on HSA were determined using the Stern-Volmer equation. Static quenching and non-radiation energy transfer were the two main reasons leading to the fluorescence quenching of HSA by tetrandrine. According to the F?rster theory of non-radiation energy transfer, the binding distances (r) and the binding constants (K(A)) were obtained. The thermodynamic parameters obtained in this study revealed that the interaction between tetrandrine and HSA was mainly driven by a hydrophobic force. The conformational changes of HSA were investigated by synchronous spectrum studies.     

The mechanism of thermal decomposition of Co(NO3)2 · 2H2O

The mechanism of thermal decomposition of Co(NO₃)₂ · 2H₂O was found to involve stages in which Co(NO₃)₃ and Co₂O₃ · H₂O are formed both of which decompose to Co₃O₄. During the process, the total cobalt enters the +3 oxidation state, which is consistent with the results reported by Mehandjiev [2].

---

Zusammenfassung Es wurde gefunden, daß der Zersetzungsmechanismus von Co(NO₃)₂ · 2H₂O Schritte umfaßt, bei denen Co(NO₃)₃ sowie Co₂O₃ · H₂O gebildet werden, beides weiterzerfallend zu Co₃O₄. Während des Vorganges erreicht das Gesamtkobalt die Oxidationsstufe +3, was mit Ergebnissen von Mehandjiev übereinstimmt [2].

---

, , CO₃O₄. , .

     

Homolytic C-H and N-H bond dissociation energies of strained organic compounds

High-level computations at G3, CBS-Q, and G3B3 levels were conducted, and good-quality C-H and N-H bond dissociation energies (BDEs) were obtained for a variety of saturated and unsaturated strained hydrocarbons and amines for the first time. From detailed NBO analyses, we found that the C-H BDEs of hydrocarbons are determined mainly by the hybridization of the parent compound, the hybridization of the radical, and the extent of spin delocalization of the radical. The ring strain has a significant effect on the C-H BDE because it forces the parent compound and radical to adopt certain undesirable hybridization. A structure-activity relationship equation (i.e., BDE (C-H) = 61.1-227.8 (p(parent)% - 0.75)(2) + 152.9 (p(radical)% - 1.00)(2) + 40.4 spin) was established, and it can predict the C-H BDEs of a variety of saturated and unsaturated strained hydrocarbons fairly well. For the C-H BDEs associated with the bridgehead carbons of the highly rigid strained compounds, we found that the strength of the C-H bond can also be predicted from the H-C-C bond angles of the bridgehead carbon. Finally, we found that N-H BDEs show less dependence on the ring strain than C-H BDEs.     

A zwitterion of 1,5‐bis­(2‐hydroxy­benzamido)‐3‐aza­pentane: a two‐dimensional hydrogen‐bonding network involving dimers

The title compound, 2‐{N‐[2‐(2‐hydroxy­benzamido)ethyl­ammonio­ethyl]amino­carbon­yl}phenolate, C₁₈H₂₁N₃O₄, crystallizes in a zwitterionic form as a result of inter­molecular proton transfer and possesses a negatively charged phenolate group and a protonated amino group. The 2‐hydroxy­benzamide and 2‐(amino­carbonyl)­phenolate moieties attached to the two ends of the C—C—N—C—C backbone adopt a cis conformation in relation to this backbone. All N‐ and O‐bound H atoms are involved in hydrogen‐bond formation; the zwitterions are first linked into head‐to‐tail dimers, which are further organized into a two‐dimensional network parallel to the crystallographic bc plane.     

Rational design of an “all-in-one” phototheranostic

We report here porphodilactol derivatives and their corresponding metal complexes. These systems show promise as “all-in-one” phototheranostics and are predicated on a design strategy that involves controlling the relationship between intersystem crossing (ISC) and photothermal conversion efficiency following photoexcitation. The requisite balance was achieved by tuning the aromaticity of these porphyrinoid derivatives and forming complexes with one of two lanthanide cations, namely Gd³⁺ and Lu³⁺. The net result led to a metalloporphodilactol system, Gd-trans-2, with seemingly optimal ISC efficiency, photothermal conversion efficiency and fluorescence properties, as well as good chemical stability. Encapsulation of Gd-trans-2 within mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN) allowed its evaluation for tumour diagnosis and therapy. It was found to be effective as an “all-in-one” phototheranostic that allowed for NIR fluorescence/photoacoustic dual-modal imaging while providing an excellent combined PTT/PDT therapeutic efficacy in vitro and in vivo in 4T1-tumour-bearing mice.

We report here porphodilactol derivatives and their corresponding metal complexes as “all-in-one” phototheranostics by controlling the relationship between intersystem crossing (ISC) and photothermal conversion efficiency following photoexcitation.     

Topography of the free-energy landscape probed via mechanical unfolding of proteins

Single-molecule experiments in which proteins are unfolded by applying mechanical stretching forces generally force unfolding to proceed along a reaction coordinate that is different from that in chemical or thermal denaturation. Here we simulate the mechanical unfolding and refolding of a minimalist off-lattice model of the protein ubiquitin to explore in detail the slice of the multidimensional free-energy landscape that is accessible via mechanical pulling experiments. We find that while the free-energy profile along typical "chemical" reaction coordinates may exhibit two minima, corresponding to the native and denatured states, the free energy G(z) is typically a monotonic function of the mechanical coordinate z equal to the protein extension. Application of a stretching force along z tilts the free-energy landscape resulting in a bistable (or multistable) free energy G(z)-fz probed in mechanical unfolding experiments. We construct a two-dimensional free-energy surface as a function of both chemical and mechanical reaction coordinates and examine the coupling between the two. We further study the refolding trajectories after the protein has been prestretched by a large force, as well as the mechanical unfolding trajectories in the presence of a large stretching force. We demonstrate that the stretching forces required to destabilize the native state thermodynamically are larger than those expected on the basis of previous experimental estimates of G(z). This finding is consistent with the recent experimental studies, indicating that proteins may refold even in the presence of a substantial stretching force. Finally, we show that for certain temperatures the free energy of a polyprotein chain consisting of multiple domains is a linear function of the chain extension. We propose that the recently observed "slow phase" in the refolding of proteins under mechanical tension may be viewed as downhill diffusion in such a linear potential.     

Thiazolium-mediated multicomponent reactions: a facile synthesis of 3-aminofuran derivatives

[reaction: see text] A facile synthesis of highly functionalized 3-aminofuran derivatives by the multicomponent reactions of thiazolium salts, aldehydes, and DMAD is described.     

π -Type and σ -type cation- π complexes of atomic cations

MP2/6-31+G* calculations were performed on the cation- complexes of ethylene, cyclobutadiene and benzene with a number of atomic cations. It was found that except B⁺ all the atomic cations form -type cation- complexes with ethylene. On the other hand, with cyclobutadiene Li⁺, N⁺, Na⁺, P⁺ and K⁺ form -type complexes, whereas H⁺, F⁺, and Cl⁺ form covalent -type complexes. With benzene Li⁺, B⁺, Na⁺, Al⁺, and K⁺ form -type complexes whereas H⁺, F⁺, and Cl⁺ form -type complexes. It was concluded that the driving force to form the -type complex is chemical bonding, and that for metal cations to form -type complexes is non-covalent interaction.     

An in vitro Study on Transition from NO-Hemoglobin to Methemoglobin： Oxygen Effect

The nitrosyl-hemoglobin (HbNO) is the carrier of nitric oxide (NO) which is the important messenger molecule displaying multiple physiologic and pathophysiologic roles. However it is still not clear for the fate of HbNO molecules during the venous-arterial transit. In this letter, the HbNO transition in vitro was studied by using the electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra. It was found that HbNO molecules were stable when oxygen did not exist in the system but not stable in aerobic conditions. The absorption spectra further revealed that the methemoglobin (metHb) was the product of HbNO in aerobic environment, showing that the HbNO changed to metHb when there were enough oxygen molecules in the system.     

Distribution of fallout radionuclides through soil surface layer

The distribution of¹³⁷Cs through soil layers has been investigated by field sampling. The investigation deals with¹³⁷Cs concentration found after the Chernobyl accident. The relationship between important soil characteristics, total precipitation and cesium distribution are analyzed. Cesium is strongly sorbed in the top soil layer and its migration downward is limited. Measurements performed over a 3-year period revealed that approximately 20–38 per cent of total¹³⁷Cs is located in the upper soil layer.