Induction of A549 Nonsmall-Cell Lung Cancer Cells Proliferation by Photoreleased Nicotine

Caged compounds comprise the group of artificially synthesized, light-sensitive molecules that enable in situ derivation of biologically active constituents capable of affecting cells, tissues and/or biological processes upon exposure to light. Ruthenium-bispyridine (RuBi) complexes are photolyzed by biologically harmless visible light. In the present study, we show that RuBi-caged nicotine can be used as a source of free nicotine to induce proliferation of A549 nonsmall-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells by acting on nicotinic acetylcholine receptors expressed in these cells. RuBi-nicotine was photolyzed using LED light source with the spectrum matching RuBi-absorption. Photorelease of free nicotine ([Nic]_p/r) was quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). 5-s-long light exposure of 10 μm of RuBi-nicotine generated 2 μm [Nic]_p/r which enhanced A549 cell proliferation similarly to the 2 μm of plain nicotine during 72 h of cell culturing. Both RuBi-nicotine per se and its photolysis byproduct exerted no effect on A549 cells. We conclude that RuBi-nicotine can be a good source of free nicotine for inducing short- and long-term biological effects. Photolysis of RuBi-nicotine is quite effective, and can produce biologically relevant concentrations of nicotine at acceptable concentrations of the source material with the use of simple, inexpensive, and easily accessible light sources.     

Kinetics and mechanism of the hydrolysis of esters of hydroxymethylphosphonic and hydroxymethylethylphosphinic acids

Conclusions The reactivity of ethyl esters of phosphonic and phosphinic acids containing a hydroxymethyl group at the phosphorus atom in their reaction with hydroxide anion is usually high as a consequence of intramolecular catalysis of the cleavage of the ester bond involving the ionized OH group. The spontaneous hydrolysis of these esters proceeds according to a mechanism analogous to that for other alkyl esters of tetracoordinated phosphorus acids.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 9, pp. 2139–2140, September, 1985.     

Solvent effect on the rate of ester interchange of p-nitrophenyldiethylphosphate

The reaction of p-nitrophenyldiethylphosphate with sodium phenolate takes place readily in aprotic polar solvents. Bimolecular rate constants of this reaction increase with increased concentration of the phenolate in such solvents as dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), dimethylformamide (DMF), or hexamethylphosphoric amide (HMPA), but decrease in acetonitrile or acetone; this is caused by the association of sodium phenolate, and the different reactivities of free ions and ion pairs. The addition of 18-crown-6 to the reaction mixture decreases the reaction rate, because of the reduced reactivity of the complex formed by the crown ether with the phenolate ion pair.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 9, pp. 1968–1972, September, 1991.     

Synthesis and Antibacterial Activity of New Acridone Derivatives Containing an Isoxazoline Fragment

A method was developed for the preparation of N-(4-R-4,5-dihydroisoxazol-5-yl)methylacridones by the reaction of aromatic aldehyde oximes with allyl acridones. For the obtained compounds, a high inhibitory activity in relation to test strains of pathogenic microorganisms was revealed, exceeding furacilin.

     

Benzylation of tetraalkylcalix[4]resorcinols

New amphiphilic benzylated calix[4]resorcinols were synthesized by the reaction of tetra-alkylcalix[4]resorcinols with 3,5-di(tert-butyl)-4-hydroxybenzyl acetate. The reaction pathway and the type of the products formed are determined by the structure of the alkyl substituent at the lower rim of tetraalkylcalix[4]resorcinols and the nature of acid used as a catalyst of the process. Self-organization of some synthesized compounds in nonpolar media was studied.     

Special framed Morse functions on surfaces

Let M be a smooth closed orientable surface. Let F be the space of Morse functions on M and $\mathbb{F}^1$ be the space of framed Morse functions both endowed with the C ^??-topology. The space $\mathbb{F}^0$ of special framed Morse functions is defined. We prove that the inclusion mapping is a homotopy equivalence. In the case when at least x(M) + 1 critical points of each function of F are marked, the homotopy equivalences and are proved, where is the complex of framed Morse functions, is the universal moduli space of framed Morse functions, is the group of self-diffeomorphisms of M homotopic to the identity.     

Computational design of cyclic nitroxides as efficient redox mediators for dye-sensitized solar cells

Cyclic nitroxide radicals represent promising alternatives to the iodine-based redox mediator commonly used in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). To date DSSCs with nitroxide-based redox mediators have achieved energy conversion efficiencies of just over 5?% but efficiencies of over 15?% might be achievable, given an appropriate mediator. The efficacy of the mediator depends upon two main factors: it must reversibly undergo one-electron oxidation and it must possess an oxidation potential in a range of 0.600-0.850?V (vs. a standard hydrogen electrode (SHE) in acetonitrile at 25?°C). Herein, we have examined the effect that structural modifications have on the value of the oxidation potential of cyclic nitroxides as well as the reversibility of the oxidation process. These included alterations to the N-containing skeleton (pyrrolidine, piperidine, isoindoline, azaphenalene, etc.), as well as the introduction of different substituents (alkyl-, methoxy-, amino-, carboxy-, etc.) to the ring. Standard oxidation potentials were calculated using high-level ab initio methodology that was demonstrated to be very accurate (with a mean absolute deviation from experimental values of only 16?mV). An optimal value of 1.45 for the electrostatic scaling factor for UAKS radii in acetonitrile solution was obtained. Established trends in the values of oxidation potentials were used to guide molecular design of stable nitroxides with desired E(ox)°, and a number of compounds were suggested for potential use as enhanced redox mediators in DSSCs.     

Spectral and energy characteristics of stimulated globular light scattering

The experimental results on the study of energy and spectral characteristics of stimulated globular scattering (SGS) excited in synthetic opal matrices and nanocomposites on their basis are presented. It is shown that the spectral shift of the first Stokes component (SGS) with respect to the exciting laser line is controlled by the diameter of globules forming the samples under study.     

Erratum to:Study of GroEL Conformational Mobility by Cryo-Electron Microscopy and Molecular Dynamics

Crystallography Reports - An Erratum to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1134/S1063774521340058