A Restudy of Direct Chelatometric Titration of Vanadium(IV) with N-Benzoyl-N-phenylhydroxylamine as Indicator

This paper restudies the method of direct chelatometric titration of V(IV) with N-benzoyl-N-phenylhydroxylamine (BPHA) as indicator. The indicator functions entirely differently from indicators hitherto used in chelatometry. The solution contains two independent systems – the indicator and the titrand-titrant system – without any color changing species. The BPHA-V(V) chelate once formed as the result of aerial oxidation constitutes the indicator system and does not react with EDTA. Its color therefore remains unchanged throughout titration. It is not a metallochromic indicator. Its function is that of color-screening. The color of the titrant system deepens during titration, but does not change. The end-point is indicated by one color completely covering up the other. Hence, this method is of purely empirical nature.Received July 5, 2002; accepted February 11, 2003 Published online July 16, 2003     

The Role of Carnitine Acyltransferases in the Maintenance of Cell Function

Summary. Carnitine acyltransferases catalyse equilibria between acyl-CoA esters and the respective acylcarnitines. Therefore, they act not only as pathway enzymes, but also as modulators of acyl-CoA concentrations within individual sub-cellular compartments. Because acyl-CoA esters are potent biologically active metabolites, carnitine acyltransferase activities are potentially able to affect a diverse range of physiological processes, ranging from insulin secretion, to appetite control, and insulin sensitivity of tissues. The distinctive subcellular distributions of the different types of carnitine acyltransferases also enables them to participate in the transfer of acyl moieties across intracellular membranes, and of particular acylcarnitine esters across the plasma membrane and into the plasma. Pharmacological strategies that make use of these properties to improve cell function are discussed.     

Syntheses and Properties of Two Heterocyclically Substituted Hypericin Derivatives: 10,11-Dibenzothiazolyl-10,11-didemethylhypericin and 10,11-Dibenzoxazolyl-10,11-didemethylhypericin

Summary. The syntheses of the two heterocyclically substituted title hypericin derivatives were achieved starting either from 6-benzothiazolyl-tri-O-methyl-6-demethylemodin or 6-benzoxazolyl-tri-O-methyl-6-demethylemodin. The use of microwave assisted synthesis for the preparation of these anthraquinone synthons and the chemical as well as photochemical properties of the corresponding unique hypericin derivatives, which might constitute new photodynamic therapy agents, are reported. The tautomeric and stereochemical aspects of these hypericin derivatives were investigated by means of semiempirical calculations (AM1).     

Investigation of the species-specific degradation behaviour of methylmercury and ethylmercury under microwave irradiation

The degradation behaviour of methylmercury (MeHg) under microwave irradiation is investigated, as is the (different) degradation behaviour of ethylmercury (EtHg) under similar irradiation. A simple and highly sensitive SPME-GC-pyrolysis-AFS system was used to analyse the aqueous MeHg and EtHg standard solutions after derivatization with sodium tetraphenylborate (NaBPh₄). Samples were irradiated in a microwave digester at microwave powers ranging from 20 to 160 W for durations of 2 to 10 min. The different tolerances towards microwave treatment of the two organomercury species were evident. Practically no degradation was experienced for MeHg for up to 8 minutes of irradiation at 120 W or for up to 4 minutes at 160 W. Significant analyte loss was observed for EtHg after 2 minutes at 40 W of microwave power. Awarded a Poster Prize on the occasion of the European Winter Conference on Plasma Spectrochemistry, February 2005, Budapest, Hungary     

Electrochromic and structural characteristics of mesoporous WO<Subscript>3</Subscript> films prepared by a sol-gel method

The preparation of electrochromic films of mesoporous tungsten trioxide from tungstic acid and tungstic hexaethoxide precursors with the addition of an organic stabiliser via a sol-gel method is reported. These films have been structurally characterised and both the film morphology and crystalline composition of the films were found to be significantly dependent on the temperature at which the films were annealed and upon the choice of precursor. Films annealed at lower temperatures consisted of amorphous and hexagonal tungsten trioxide, whereas films annealed above 500 °C comprised solely of monoclinic WO₃. The electrochromic activity of the films was found to be equally dependent on method of preparation, and both the composition and the structure of the WO₃ films were shown to clearly influence the colouration efficiency of the films.Dedicated to Zbigniew Galus on the occasion of his 70^th birthday.     

Functionalized Self-Assembled Monolayers on Gold as Binding Matrices for the Screening of Antibody-Antigen Interactions

Two different types of -substituted alkanethiol/disulfide compounds have been used to prepare monolayer architectures on gold serving as platforms for the immobilization of receptor probe molecules – antibodies. These are: (i) carboxylic acid alkanethiols post-reacted with amino biotin to generate streptavidin surfaces, and (ii) N-hydroxysuccinimide-terminated disulfide surfaces. The properties of the monolayers, with and without attached receptor probe molecules, were analysed using infrared spectroscopy, ellipsometry, fluorescence scanning and atomic force microscopy. Several experimental parameters, such as condensation reagents, additives, probe and target concentrations and immobilization time, were systematically varied to determine the dynamic range and to optimize the sensitivity and signal-to-noise ratio of the biochip platforms. Fluorescence screening using Cy5-labelled antigens finally demonstrated that both surfaces could be successfully employed to immobilize the antibodies. The pros and cons of the two approaches are also discussed.Received November 15, 2002; accepted March 25, 2003 Published online July 28, 2003     

A kinetic approach to homogeneous Ziegler type polymerization. Steady state

In this paper we present a kinetic approach to the analysis of steady-state homogeneous Ziegler-Natta polymerization activity data. The influence of the number of monomeric species that are coordinated to the active site on the apparent rate law is discussed and the equations are fitted to the experimental results.     

Synthesis,Conformation, and Metabolism of a Selenium Bilirubin

Summary. A symmetrical C(10)-selena-bilirubin analog, 8,12-bis(2-carboxyethyl)-7,13-dimethyl-2,3,17,18-tetraethyl-10-selenabiladiene-ac-1,19(21H,24H)-dione was synthesized from 8-(2-carboxyethyl)-2,3-diethyl-7-methyl-(10H)-dipyrrin-1-one in one step by reaction with diselenyl dichloride. The selena-rubin exhibited UV-vis and NMR spectroscopic properties similar to those of the parent mesobilirubin, and like bilirubin and mesobilirubin, it adopts an intramolecularly hydrogen-bonded conformation, shaped like a ridge-tile but with a steeper pitch. The longer C–Se bond lengths (2.2Å) and smaller bond angles at C–Se–C (88°), as compared to C–CH₂–C (1.5Å, 106°), lead to an interplanar angle between the two dipyrrinones of only 72°, which is considerably less than that of bilirubin (100°) and close to that (74°) of its 10-thia-rubin analog. Despite the conformational distortion, the sensitivity of Se toward oxidation and the typically weak C–Se bond, the selena-rubin is metabolized in normal rats, like bilirubin, to acyl glucuronides, which are secreted into bile. In mutant (Gunn) rats lacking bilirubin glucuronosyl transferase (UGT1A1), glucuronide or other metabolites of the selena-rubin were not detected in bile, demonstrating the importance of hepatic glucuronidation for its biliary excretion.     

Preparation and Chemical and Biological Studies of the Novel Complex μ-1,4,5-triphenyl-1,3,4-triazole-2-thiolate-bis[dichlorotriethylphosphineplatinum(II)]a

The mesoionic compound, 1,4,5-triazole-2-thiolate, is a versatile ligand, capable of binding metal centres in different ways. The present study shows how it reacts with the bridging platinum(II) complex μ-dichlorobis[(chlorotriethylphosphineplatinum(II)], [Pt₂(PEt₃)₂Cl₄], originating a bimetallic complex. Both the sulphur atom and nitrogen 3 behave as basic sites, coordinating different platinum centres. An interesting isomerization process, shown by ³¹P{¹H} n.m.r. spectroscopy, occurs at the S-bonded platinum moiety, resulting in a fluxional behaviour of the complex. It is also shown to target CT-DNA with moderate binding affinity.To the memory of Dr. Wagner M. Teles (1971–2004).     

Determining consanguinity by oligonucleotide fingerprinting with (GTG)5/(CAC)5

Simple tandemly organized (GTG)n/(CAC)n sequences are spread throughout the human chromosomes. The most informative DNA fingerprints for the testing of pedigrees and/or paternity were obtained with the simple triplet repeat probe (GTG)5 or its complement (CAC)5. These hypervariable simple-repeat fragments are stably inherited in a Mendelian fashion. Using these highly discriminating probes, all human individuals could, theoretically, be differentiated, except for genetically identical monozygotic twins. Examples from actual case work are reported and pertinent advantages of this methodology are discussed.