Molecular fluorescence excitation-emission matrices relevant to tissue spectroscopy

In vivo and ex vivo studies of fluorescence from endogenous and exogenous molecules in tissues and cells are common for applications such as detection or characterization of early disease. A systematic determination of the excitation-emission matrices (EEM) of known and putative endogenous fluorophores and a number of exogenous fluorescent photodynamic therapy drugs has been performed in solution. The excitation wavelength range was 250-520 nm, with fluorescence emission spectra collected in the range 260-750 nm. In addition, EEM of intact normal and adenomatous human colon tissues are presented as an example of the relationship to the EEM of constituent fluorophores and illustrating the effects of tissue chromophore absorption. As a means to make this large quantity of spectral data generally available, an interactive database has been developed. This currently includes EEM and also absorption spectra of 35 different endogenous and exogenous fluorophores and chromophores and six photosensitizing agents. It is intended to maintain and extend this database in the public domain, accessible through the Photochemistry and Photobiology website (http://www.aspjournal. com/).     

Cumulative indices for Spectrochima Acta, Part A and Spectrochimica Acta, Part B

This article is an electronic publication in Spectrochimica Acta Electronica (SAE), a section of Spectrochimica Acta, Part B (SAB). The hardcopy text is accompanied by an electronic archive, stored on the SAE homepage at http://www.elsevier.nl/locate/sabe. The archive contains data, index and program files. The main article discusses the bibliographical purpose of the program and data files. A collective index for Spectrochimica Acta for volumes since it was split into Parts A and B, and continuing through 1991 for SAA and 1997 for SAB, is presented in DBF format, along with rudimentary data entry and access software.     

Observation of selenium-77 nuclear magnetic resonance in octaneselenol-protected gold nanoparticles

We report the first observation of 77Se nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) in octaneselenol-protected Au nanoparticles of an average particle size of 2.5 nm. The 77Se NMR characteristics observed, i.e., broad line shape, fast nuclear spin-lattice, and spin-spin relaxation rates, which are reminiscent of 13C NMR of CO on transition metal surfaces, strongly suggest that Se becomes metallic upon binding to the Au nanoparticle surfaces.     

Filtered backprojection for the reconstruction of a high-resolution (4,2)D CH3-NH NOESY spectrum on a 29 kDa protein

Projection-reconstruction (PR) NMR enables rapid collection of multidimensional NMR data. NOESY represents a particularly difficult challenge for currently existing reconstruction algorithms, as it requires the quantitative reconstruction of an unknown number of peaks, at full sensitivity. We have demonstrated the successful application of PR-NMR to NOESY by determining the 4D methyl/amide NOESY spectrum of a 29 kDa protein, human carbonic anhydrase II, from 2D projections, using filtered backprojection for reconstruction. Compared with a 3D control spectrum, all expected peaks were faithfully reconstructed, with correct volumes and with no artifacts. Filtered backprojection thus provides a way to obtain high-resolution 4D NOESY data in the time required for conventional 3D data collection.     

Design and characterization of libraries of molecular fragments for use in NMR screening against protein targets

We have designed four generations of a low molecular weight fragment library for use in NMR-based screening against protein targets. The library initially contained 723 fragments which were selected manually from the Available Chemicals Directory. A series of in silico filters and property calculations were developed to automate the selection process, allowing a larger database of 1.79 M available compounds to be searched for a further 357 compounds that were added to the library. A kinase binding pharmacophore was then derived to select 174 kinase-focused fragments. Finally, an additional 61 fragments were selected to increase the number of different pharmacophores represented within the library. All of the fragments added to the library passed quality checks to ensure they were suitable for the screening protocol, with appropriate solubility, purity, chemical stability, and unambiguous NMR spectrum. The successive generations of libraries have been characterized through analysis of structural properties (molecular weight, lipophilicity, polar surface area, number of rotatable bonds, and hydrogen-bonding potential) and by analyzing their pharmacophoric complexity. These calculations have been used to compare the fragment libraries with a drug-like reference set of compounds and a set of molecules that bind to protein active sites. In addition, an analysis of the overall results of screening the library against the ATP binding site of two protein targets (HSP90 and CDK2) reveals different patterns of fragment binding, demonstrating that the approach can find selective compounds that discriminate between related binding sites.     

Poly(butyl methacrylate-g-methoxypoly(ethylene glycol)) and poly(methyl methacrylate-g-methoxypoly(ethylene glycol)) graft copolymers: preparation and aqueous solution properties

A series of water-soluble, amphiphilic graft copolymers has been prepared by free-radical copolymerization of methoxypoly(ethylene glycol) macromonomers, with either methyl methacrylate or butyl methacrylate as the comonomers, in water/ethanol solvent mixtures. Lower molecular weight copolymers were obtained by increasing the concentration of the initiator, azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN), used in the polymerization reaction. However, the route used also led to the formation of significant quantities of tetramethylsuccinodinitrile, a toxic byproduct resulting from the cage reaction of AIBN. Static fluorescence measurements using pyrene as a probe, along with 1H NMR experiments, showed that the graft copolymers form aggregates in water at very low concentrations (approximately 0.01 g l(-1)) with the pendant hydrophilic graft chains forming a stabilizing shell around the hydrophobic backbone. An increase in the hydrophile-lipophile balance of the graft copolymers was found to lead to smaller aggregates with lower aggregation numbers and highly swollen hydrophilic shells, as revealed by small angle neutron scattering (SANS).     

Equilibrium and kinetic aspects of the uptake of poly(ethylene oxide) by copolymer microgel particles of N-isopropylacrylamide and acrylic acid

The use of microgels for controlled uptake and release has been an area of active research for many years. In this work copolymer microgels of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) and acrylic acid (AAc), containing different concentrations of AAc and also cross-linking monomer, have been prepared and characterized. These microgels are responsive to pH and temperature. As well as monitoring the equilibrium response to changes in these variables, the rates of swelling/de-swelling of the microgel particles, on changing either the pH or the temperature, have also been investigated. It is shown that the rate of de-swelling of the microgel particles containing AAc is much faster than the rate of swelling, on changing the pH appropriately. This is explained in terms of the relative mobilities of the H(+) and Na(+) ions, in and out of the particles. It was observed that the microgels containing AAc, at pH 8, de-swelled relatively slowly on heating to 50 degrees C from 20 degrees C. This is attributed to the resistance to collapse associated with the large increase in counterion concentration inside the microgel particles. The swelling and de-swelling properties of these copolymer microgels have also been investigated in aqueous poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) solutions, of different MW (2000-300 000). The corresponding absorbed amounts of PEO from solution onto the microgels have also been determined using a depletion method. The results, as a function of AAc content, cross-linker concentration, PEO MW, pH, and temperature, have been rationalized in terms of the ease and depth of penetration of the PEO chains into the various microgel particles and also the H-bonding associations between PEO and either the -COOH of the AAc moeities and/or the H of the amide groups (much weaker). Finally, the adsorption and desorption of the PEO molecules in to and out of the microgel particles have been shown to be extremely slow compared to normal diffusion time scales for polymer adsorption onto rigid surfaces.     

Self-selection in olefin cross-metathesis: the effect of remote functionality

Olefin cross-metathesis (CM) is potentially an attractive method for generating dynamic combinatorial libraries (DCLs). In order for the CM reaction to be useful for DCL production, the course of the reaction and product distribution must be relatively insensitive to functionality remote from the reacting centers. We report on the CM of a series of allyl- and homoallylamides that are strongly dependent on remote functionality. This includes an unusual example of a cis-selective CM. [Reaction: see text]     

Syntheses, structures, and reactivity of new pentamethylcyclopentadienyl-rhodium(III) and -iridium(III) 4-acyl-5-pyrazolonate complexes

New [CpM(Q)Cl] complexes (M = Rh or Ir, Cp = pentamethylcyclopentadienyl, HQ = 1-phenyl-3-methyl-4R(C=O)-pyrazol-5-one in general, in detail HQ(Me), R = CH(3); HQ(Et), R = CH(2)CH(3); HQ(Piv), R = CH(2)-C(CH(3))(3); HQ(Bn), R = CH(2)-(C(6)H(5)); HQ(S), R = CH-(C(6)H(5))(2)) have been synthesized from the reaction of [CpMCl(2)](2) with the sodium salt, NaQ, of the appropriate HQ proligand. Crystal structure determinations for a representative selection of these [CpM(Q)Cl] compounds show a pseudo-octahedral metal environment with the Q ligand bonded in the O,O'-chelating form. In each case, two enantiomers (S(M)) and (R(M)) arise, differing only in the metal chirality. The reaction of [CpRh(Q(Bn))Cl] with MgCH(3)Br produces only halide exchange with the formation of [CpRh(Q(Bn))Br]. The [CpRh(Q)Cl] complexes react with PPh(3) in dichloromethane yielding the adducts CpRh(Q)Cl/PPh(3) (1:1) which exist in solution in two different isomeric forms. The interaction of [CpRh(Q(Me))Cl] with AgNO(3) in MeCN allows generation of [CpRh(Q(Me))(MeCN)]NO(3).3H(2)O, whereas the reaction of [CpRh(Q(Me))Cl] with AgClO(4) in the same solvent yields both [CpRh(Q(Me))(H(2)O)]ClO(4) and [CpRh(Cl)(H(2)O)(2)]ClO(4); the H(2)O molecules derive from the not-rigorously anhydrous solvents or silver salts.