Photoacclimation in spathiphyllum

We studied photoacclimation in Spathiphyllum grown at an irradiance of 40 or 420 micromol/m2 s (LL or HL, respectively). All parameters studied responded to acclimation. Leaves at LL, in contrast to HL, were thinner and oriented perpendicular to the incident light, had more chlorophyll per g f w, fewer stomata on the upper leaf surface and a reduced layer of mesophyll cells. Their chloroplasts at HL had wider grana with less thylakoids per granum, and better organized photosystems than at LL. PSI and PSII activities per mg chlorophyll ( Vmax ), and PSI and PSII content (total activity per g f w), were lower at LL than at HL and so was the light requirement for saturation of the PSI or PSII partial photoreactions, suggesting that fewer photosystems with larger antenna size prevail at LL, but many more with smaller antenna size at HL. Analysis of chlorophyll distribution among the thylakoid pigment-protein complexes showed less antenna chlorophyll serving PSII (CPa+LHCP1+LHCP3) than that serving PSI (CPIa+CPI+LHCP2) at LL as compared to HL, and thus a lower PSII/PSI ratio at LL, in agreement with the general finding that LL plants, with larger PSII antenna size, have lower PSII/PSI ratio. The increase in PSI antenna size at LL was correlated with the increase in the distribution of chlorophyll in pigment-protein complexes serving PSI, and a very large chlorophyll/protein molar ratio in the isolated CPI complex. On the other hand, the PSII antenna chlorophyll (CPa+LHCP1+LHCP3) on a g f w basis, and the chlorophyll a/b ratio remained more or less constant at LL or HL. This may reflect our finding that Spathiphyllum contains mainly the 27 kDa inner LHCII antenna protein, the size of which remains unaffected by photoacclimation. The increase in the distribution of chlorophyll in pigment-protein complexes serving PSII at HL, therefore, reflects the higher population of PSII at HL. Very high PSI activity was found at HL, which we attribute to the highly organized small in size PSI.     

Salvinicins A and B, new neoclerodane diterpenes from Salvia divinorum

[reaction: see text] Two new neoclerodane diterpenes, salvinicins A (4) and B (5), were isolated from the dried leaves of Salvia divinorum. The structures of these compounds were elucidated by spectroscopic techniques, including (1)H and (13)C NMR, NOESY, HMQC, and HMBC. The absolute stereochemistry of these compounds was assigned on the basis of single-crystal X-ray crystallographic analysis of salvinicin A (4) and a 3,4-dichlorobenzoate derivative of salvinorin B.     

Luminescent Sensing with Quantum Dots

Summary This review highlights recent advances in the use of quantum dots (QD’s) as luminescent sensors. The bulk of the study concentrates on systems that possess organic ligands bound to the surface of QD’s. These ligands vary from low molecular weight thiols to larger molecules such as maltose binding protein. All have one thing in common: when a target analyte binds to the ligand/receptor, a perturbation of the system occurs, that registers itself as a change in the luminescence intensity of the QD. Two main mechanisms are prevalent in controlling the luminescent intensity in such systems. The first is Photoinduced Electron Transfer (PET) and the second energy transfer. This review looks at current sensors that operate by using these mechanisms. Two component systems are also investigated where a quencher is first added to a solution of the QD, followed by addition of the target analyte that interacts with the quencher to influence the luminescence intensity.     

Oxidative demetalation of cyclohexadienyl ruthenium(II) complexes: a net Ru-mediated dearomatization

[reaction: see text] An experimentally simple method for the demetalation of spirocyclic cyclohexadienylruthenium(II) complexes has been developed. Treatment of an alkoxy-substituted cyclohexadienyl complex with CuCl(2) affords either azaspiro[4.5]decane derivatives or heavily functionalized tetrahydroisoquinolines. The former reaction manifold completes a net Ru-mediated dearomatization as the organometallic starting materials are prepared from (eta(6)-arene)Ru(II) precursors. Both of these heterocyclic products are well suited for further synthetic elaboration.     

Structure of New 2-Oxo-2,8-dihydro-[l,2,4]oxadiazolo-[2,3-a]pyrimidinecarbamates

The structure of new 2-oxo-2,8-dihydro-[l,2,4]oxadiazolo-[2,3-a]pyrimidine-carbamates 1 was established by correlating the IR. and NMR. data with these of analogous compounds. A X-ray crystallographic analysis of 1c gave an unequivocal proof of structural assignment.     

Synthesis,Structure, and Stability of Cs4ZrO4

The colorless Cs₄ZrO₄ is obtained from the reaction of stoichiometric proportions of Cs, CsO₂, and finely divided ZrO₂ in a sealed Ag container at 400–650°C for several days. Regrinding and re-reaction provide a single phase sample. The compound is monoclinic (P2₁/c, Z = 4, a = 7.172 (1) Å, b = 19.907 (1) Å, c = 7.157 (1) Å, β = 113.1 (1)Å, R = 0.032) and isostructural with Cs₄PbO₄, with isolated ZrO₄^4? tetrahedra (d(Zr–O) = 1.97 Å). The compound decomposes to Cs₂ZrO₃ (a) in the presence of excess oxygen or CsO₂, (b) in high vacuum near 275°C, or (c) in a sealed container at about 730 ± 10°C.     

Magnetic nanoparticle assemblies on denatured DNA show unusual magnetic relaxivity and potential applications for MRI

Denatured (substantially single-stranded) herring sperm DNA acts as a template for the preparation of magnetic nanowires, forming stable aqueous suspensions, which exhibit unprecedentedly high relaxivity at low field, suggesting that the material may be a potentially useful reagent for MRI.     

Carbon nanohorns grown from ruthenium nanoparticles

A nanoscale ruthenium/gold bimetallic cluster of clusters has been used as a molecular precursor to produce pure ruthenium nanoparticles (seeds) as catalysts for the growth of carbon nanohorns (CNHs).     

Evaluation of the immobilized artificial membrane phosphatidylcholine: Drug discovery column for high-performance liquid chromatographic screening of drug–membrane interactions

Chromatographic retention factors (k′) of a series of eight β-adrenoceptor antagonist compounds (β-adrenolytic drugs) were determined employing an immobilized artificial membrane column (IAM.PC.DD). The influence of mobile phase pH, ionic strength, and organic modifier composition was studied in order to examine column performance. After the IAM.PC.DD columns were exposed to approximately 7000 column volumes of a 0.01 M PBS mobile phase, five out of six columns tested showed significant peak broadening and decreased k′ values indicative of premature column failure. The data suggested that the immobilized phospholipids stationary phase was removed by the 0.01 M PBS mobile phase. The β-adrenolytic drug's log k′_IAM values obtained with an IAM.PC.DD column were compared to an ^esterIAM.PC.MG column for predicting drug membrane interactions. For the linear regression analysis between log k′_IAM and the logarithm of the n-octanol–water partition coefficients (r_IAM.PC.DD=0.8710 vs. r_IAM.PC.MG=0.9538), the C₁₈ HPLC retention factors (r_IAM.PC.DD=0.8408 vs. r_IAM.PC.MG=0.9380), the liposome partition coefficients (r_IAM.PC.DD=0.8887 vs. r_IAM.PC.MG=0.9187), and various pharmacokinetic parameters, significantly better correlations were obtained with the ^esterIAM.PC.MG column than the IAM.PC.DD column.     

The co-stacking of a planar metal complex and a novel 1,3-dithiole: The synthesis and crystal structure of [Pt(mnt)(CNMe)2]·(NC)2C2S2

The reaction of [NBu₄ⁿ]2Cu(mnt)₂] with [Pt(CNMe)₄][PF₆]₂ gives [Pt(mnt)(CNMe)₂]·(NC)₂C₂S₂CNMe, an X-ray study of which reveals co-stacking of neutral planar metal and organic molecules.