Unfolding and Aggregation of Myoglobin Can Be Induced by Three Hours’ Exposure to Mobile Phone Microwaves: A FTIR Spectroscopy Study

The effects of 3 hours’ exposure to mobile phone microwaves at 1765 MHz at the power density around 800 mW/m² on the secondary structure of myoglobin in D₂O solution were investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. A significant shift to lower frequencies of the amide I vibration was observed after exposure. Furthermore, a significant increasing of the β-sheet components with respect to the α-helix content after exposure was highlighted after applying Fourier self-deconvolution analysis in the amide I region. These results led to the conclusion that mobile phone microwaves induce unfolding of myoglobin and formation of aggregates.     

The retraction constant in some Banach spaces

We give new sharper estimations for the retraction constant in some Banach spaces.     

Computation of acidity constants of a polyprotic acid from nuclear magnetic resonance or u.v.-visible spectrophotometric data

A least-squares program in BASIC is presented for the rigorous calculation of the equilibrium parameters in the dissociation of a polyprotic acid H_qA and of the spectra of all the individual species at equilibrium. The behaviour of the program is discussed for a simulated case involving n.m.r, and for a spectrophotometric study of eriochrome black T.     

Synthesis, Characterization, and Crystal Structures of New Dications Bearing the -Se-Se- Bridge

Starting from 1,3-dimethyl-4-imidazoline-2-selone (1), 1,2-bis(2-selenoxo-3-methyl-4-imidazolinyl-2-)ethane (3) and 1,3-dimethylimidazolidine-2-selone (4), the following six compounds, [(C(5)H(8)N(2)Se-)(2)](2+).2Br(-) (I), [(C(5)H(8)N(2)Se-)(2)](2+).2I(-) (II), [(C(5)H(8)N(2)Se-)(2)](2+).Cl(-).I(3)(-) (III) [(C(5)H(10)N(2)Se-)(2)](2+).Br(-).IBr(2)(-) (IV), [(C(5)H(7)N(2)Se-)(2)](2+).I(3)(-).(1)/(2)I(4)(-) (V) and [(C(5)H(7)N(2)Se-)(2)](2+).2I(-).CH(3)CN (VI), in which the selenium compounds are oxidized to dications bearing the uncommon -Se-Se- bridge, have been prepared, and I-V crystallographically characterized. I and III were obtained by reacting 1 with IBr and ICl respectively, while II was obtained by reduction of previously described hypervalent selenium compound of 1 (5) bearing the I-Se-I group with elemental tellurium. These three compounds contain the same [(C(5)H(8)N(2)Se-)(2)](2+) dication balanced by two bromides in I, two iodides in II, and Cl(-) and I(3)(-) in III. However, on the basis of the Se-Cl bond length of 2.778(5) ?, III can also be considered as formed by the [(C(5)H(8)N(2)Se-)(2)Cl](+) cation, with I(3)(-) as counterion. Similarly to III, compound IV, which was obtained by reacting 4 with IBr, can be considered as formed by [(C(5)H(10)N(2)Se-)(2)Br](+) cations and IBr(2)(-) anions. As in II, compound V has been prepared by reduction of the hypervalent selenium compound of 3 (6) bearing two I-Se-I groups with elemental tellurium. In V, the [(C(5)H(7)N(2)Se-)(2)](2+) cation is balanced by I(3)(-) and half I(4)(2-) anions. The structural data show that all the cations are very similar, with Se-Se bond lengths ranging from 2.409(2) to 2.440(2) ?. FT-IR and FT-Raman spectra of I-VI allow one to identify two bands around 230 +/- 10 and 193 +/- 5 cm(-1) that are common to all compounds. These bands are generally strong in the FT-Raman and weak in the FT-IR spectra and should contain a contribution of the nu(Se-Se) stretching vibration. The spectra are also in good agreement with the structural features of the polyhalide anions present in the crystals. Crystallographic data are as follows: I is monoclinic, space group P2(1), with a = 9.849(6) ?, b = 11.298(5) ?, c = 7.862(6) ?, beta = 106.44(2) degrees, Z = 2, and R = 0.0362; II is monoclinic, space group P2(1), with a = 8.063(6) ?, b = 11.535(5) ?, c = 10.280(5) ?, beta = 107.13(2) degrees, Z = 2, and R = 0.0429, III is monoclinic, space group P2(1)/n, with a = 10.431(7) ?, b = 18.073(5) ?, c = 11.223(6) ?, beta = 100.76(2) degrees, Z = 4, and R = 0.0490; IV is monoclinic, space group P2(1)/n, with a = 10.298(5) ?, b = 18.428(7) ?, c = 11.475(6) ?, beta = 104.10(4) degrees, Z = 4, and R = 0.0300; V is triclinic, space group P&onemacr;, with a = 7.456(6) ?, b = 11.988(5) ?, c = 12.508(5) ?, alpha = 79.32(2) degrees, beta = 85.49(2) degrees, gamma = 80.62(2) degrees, Z = 2, and R = 0.0340.     

A mass spectrometric investigation on some 3-[2-(Nitroxy)alkyl]-2H-1,3-benzoxazin-4-(3H)-one derivatives

The electron ionization mass spectrometric behaviour of ten 3-[2-(nitroxy)alkyl]-2H-1,3-benzoxazin-4-(3H)-one derivatives has been studied by means of metastable ion studies. By mass-analysed ion kinetic energy spectrometry of the related molecular ions, clear differences have been evidenced between the 5-methyl derivative and the other compounds, consisting of a highly favoured loss of NO₂ radical. The same methodology has allowed easy characterization of isomeric compounds.     

Determination of naltrexone and 6 beta-naltrexol in plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography with coulometric detection

A simple and reliable reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic method with coulometric detection is described for the quantitation of naltrexone and its metabolite, 6 beta-naltrexol, in plasma samples of healthy volunteers who received orally 50 mg of naltrexone. The analytes and the internal standard, naloxone, are extracted with an octadecyl solid-phase extraction column before chromatography. The mobile phase is 0.01 M potassium phosphate (pH 3)-acetonitrile (85:15, v/v) and it is pumped at 0.8 ml/min. The coulometric detector is formed by two electrodes set at +0.20 V and +0.70 V, with a palladium reference electrode. The limit of quantitation observed was 5 ng/ml for both naltrexone and 6 beta-naltrexol. This method can be used to investigate pharmacokinetic parameters of different pharmaceutical preparations of this opioid antagonist.     

Electronic factors affecting second-order NLO properties: case study of four different push-pull bis-dithiolene nickel complexes

The paper presents a detailed experimental and theoretical study of the four mixed nickel-bisdithiolene complexes [Ni(Pr(i)(2)pipdt)(dmit)] (1b, Pr(i)(2)pipdt = 1,4-diisopropyl-piperazine-3,2-dithione; dmit = 1,3-dithiolo-2-tione-4,5-dithiolato), [Ni(R(2)pipdt)(mnt)] (2b", R = 2-ethylhexyl; mnt = maleonitriledithiolato), [Ni(Pr(i)(2)timdt)(dmit)] (3b, Pr(i)(2)timdt = 1,3-diisopropyl-imidazoline-2,4,5-trithione), and [Ni(Pr(i)(2)timdt)(mnt)] (4b), and their models. All the complexes, with common (C(2)S(2))Ni(C(2)S(2)) core and two different terminal groups, are uncharged and square-planar coordinated. Previous measurements of the first molecular hyperpolarizability indicated that some of the species are potential NLO chromophores due to the pi-delocalized character of two frontier levels (HOMO and LUMO) which is asymmetrically perturbed by the combination of one push (R(2)pipdt, R(2)timdt) with one pull ligand (dmit and mnt). The X-ray structure of complex 1b is presented and its geometry is compared with those available in the literature for the four types of complexes under study. The results of electrochemical and spectroscopic measurements (oxidation and reduction potentials, IR, dipole moment, molecular absorptivities, etc.) indicate rather different responses between the pairs of complexes 1-2 and 3-4. Hence, DFT calculations on the model compounds 1a-4a, where hydrogen atoms replace the alkyl groups of R(2)pipdt and R(2)timdt, have been carried out to correlate geometries and electronic structures. Moreover, the first molecular hyperpolarizabilities have been calculated and their components have been analyzed with the simplest two-level approximation. The derived picture highlights the different roles of the two push and pull ligands, but also the peculiar perturbation of the pi-electron density induced by the terminal CS(3) grouping of the ligand dmit.     

Comparison of the performances of a particle beam LC-MS interface obtained by standard and modified skimmers

Stainless steel skimmers were made in the technical workshop of our Department and mounted on a commercial Particle Beam interface. Their performances were compared with the standard ones, using three different compounds: benzidine, caffeine and perylene. Library searchable EI spectra were collected with a high quality match and remarkable improvements in the sensitivity were obtained (detection limit of 20 pg for perylene and benzidine), probably due to their better tightness that allowed to widen the skimmer orifices without significantly compromising the ion source vacuum. Also calibration curves showed a good linearity, in the concentration range 10-200 ng/ml.