Cation-Responsive Fluorescence Of Dansyl-Labeled Polyanions Bearing Crown Ether Units

Anionic polymers bearing both crown ether units and Dansyl units were prepared by radical terpolymerization of the corresponding monomers, and the effect of cations on the fluorescence properties of the polymers was studied in aqueous media. The fluorescence peaks of the polymers are observed at 500–527 nm. The fluorescence quantum yields () of the polymers were found to be 6.3 × 10^–3–4.0 × 10^–1, depending on the polymer structure. On the addition of alkali metal cations, the fluorescence intensity increases in the order LiCl < NaCl < KCl < RbCl < CsCl. The polymer which has almost-equimolar amounts of crown ether groups and–COOH groups shows the highest responsiveness to the cations added. The structure of the anionic moieties in polymers strongly affects the cation-responsive fluorescence. The mechanism for the cation-induced changes in fluorescence is discussed.     

Interaction between dyes and polyelectrolytes. XI. Photoreduction of methylene blue bound to potassium polystyrenesulfonate

The effect of potassium polystyrenesulfonate (PSSK) on the quantum yield (Φ) in the photoreduction of methylene blue (MB) by allylthiourea was investigated. MB was bound to PSSK in monomeric, dimeric, or slightly aggregated form, depending on the polyanion–dye ratio (P/D). At a relatively lower P/D in which most MB molecules were bound to PSSK in dimeric or slightly aggregated form, the value of Φ was smaller than that at a P/D of zero. On the other hand, at a higher P/D, in which most MB molecules were bound to PSSK in monomeric form, the value of Φ was larger than that at a P/D of zero. It was suggested that the lower reactivity of dimeric or slightly aggregated MB on PSSK was caused by the length of its lifetime which is shorter than that of the monomeric form. It was also suggested that the increase in Φ at higher P/D was caused by the decreased deactivation of the triplet excited MB by the ground-state MB.     

Spatiotemporal laser inactivation of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors using synthetic small-molecule probes

A malachite green-conjugated inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (MGIP(3)) induces specific inactivation of IP(3) receptor (IP(3)R) in tissue samples upon laser irradiation. To verify potential usefulness of the method for studies of cellular Ca(2+) signaling, we conducted laser inactivation at the single-cell level and show that IP(3)R was inactivated with extremely high spatiotemporal resolution. In the presence of MGIP(3), the Ca(2+) release function of IP(3)R in single B lymphoma cells decayed exponentially with increasing duration of laser irradiation with a time constant of 3.4 s. Moreover, by confining laser irradiation to a spatially distinct region of differentiated PC12 cells, subcellular inactivation of IP(3)R was attained, as revealed by a loss of local Ca(2+) signal. Such real-time inactivation of IP(3)R only within a subcellular region may provide a powerful method for investigating spatiotemporal dynamics of Ca(2+) signaling.     

Laser speckle analysis on correlation between gelation and phase separation in aqueous methyl cellulose solutions

Structure formation by coupling between formation of crosslinking points and liquid–liquid phase separation was investigated for aqueous methyl cellulose solution by small‐angle X‐ray scattering (SAXS) and light scattering (LS) techniques. The sol–gel phase diagram and the SAXS results suggested that the liquid–liquid phase separation occurred before gelation. By LS measurements, the structure due to the liquid–liquid phase separation was directly observed. By applying speckle analysis on the LS profiles, it was suggested that the gelation and the phase separation strongly coupled each other: the increase in the apparent molecular weight by crosslinking induced the liquid–liquid phase separation. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 48: 168–174, 2010     

Three New Resin Glycosides and a New Tetrahydropyran Derivative from the Seeds of <i>Quamoclit pennata</i>

Three new resin glycosides, quamoclins V (1), VI (2), and VII (3) and a new tetrahydropyran derivative, quamopyran (4), were isolated from the seeds of Quamoclit pennata BOJER (Convolvulaceae). The chemical structures of these compounds were determined primarily on the basis of spectroscopic data. The carboxyl group of the aglycone, 11S-convolvulinolic acid, of 1 and 2 was linked intermoleculary with a hydroxy group of the sugar moiety to form a macrocyclic ester structure, as in already known jalapins, and 3 was an acylated glycosidic acid methyl ester. All of the sugar moieties of 1-3 were acylated by one 2S-methylbutyric acid. Compound 4 was a diketone having a tetrahydropyran ring.     

Optimal photosensitizers for photodynamic therapy of infections should kill bacteria but spare neutrophils

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) for localized microbial infections exerts its therapeutic effect both by direct bacterial killing and also by the bactericidal effects of host neutrophils stimulated by PDT. Therefore, PDT-induced damage to neutrophils must be minimized, while direct photoinactivation of bacteria is maintained to maximize the therapeutic efficacy of antimicrobial PDT in vivo. However, there has been no study in which the cytocidal effect of PDT on neutrophils was investigated. In this study, the cytocidal effects of PDT on neutrophils were evaluated using different antimicrobial photosensitizers to find suitable candidate photosensitizers for antimicrobial PDT. PDT on murine peripheral-blood neutrophils was performed in vitro using each photosensitizer at a concentration that exerted a maximum bactericidal effect on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, and morphological alteration and viability of neutrophils were studied. Most neutrophils were viable (>80%) after PDT using toluidine blue-O (TB) or methylene blue (MB), while neutrophils showed morphological change and their viabilities were decreased (<70%) after PDT using other photosensitizers (erythrosine B, rose bengal, crystal violet, Photofrin, new methylene blue and Laserphyrin). These results suggest that PDT using TB or MB can preserve host neutrophils while exerting a significant therapeutic effect on in vivo localized microbial infection.     

Photo- and thermal curing of tri-functional methacrylate with degradable property

Tri-functional methacrylate (MA3) having thermally degradable tertiary ester linkages was synthesized by a convergent approach. When the MA3 film containing a thermal initiator and a photoacid generator was heated under nitrogen atmosphere, it became insoluble. The thermally cured MA3 became soluble after irradiated and followed by baking at 120 °C. Acid catalyzed decomposition of the tertiary ester linkages of the MA3 moiety occurred at lower temperatures than non-catalyzed one. A mechanism for the photo- or thermal curing and photoassisted-thermal degradation was studied by FT-IR, ¹H NMR, TGA, MS, and SEC analyses.     

New reaction model for O-O bond formation and O2 evolution catalyzed by dinuclear manganese complex

A new mechanism of the oxygen evolving reaction catalyzed by [H(2)O(terpy)Mn(μ-O)(2)Mn(terpy)OH(2)](3+) is proposed by using density functional theory. This proton coupled electron transfer (PCET) model shows reasonable barriers. Because in experiments excess oxidants (OCl(-) or HSO(5)(-)) are required to evolve oxygen from water, we considered the Mn(2) complex neutralized by three counterions. Structure optimization made the coordinated OCl(-) withdraw a H(+) from the water ligand and produces the reaction space for H(2)O(2) formation with the deprotonated OH(-) ligand. The reaction barrier for the H(2)O(2) formation from OH(-) and protonated OCl(-) depends significantly on the system charge and is 14.0 kcal/mol when the system is neutralized. The H(2)O(2) decomposes to O(2) during two PCET processes to the Mn(2) complex, both with barriers lower than 12.0 kcal/mol. In both PCET processes the spin moment of transferred electrons prefers to be parallel to that of Mn 3d electrons because of the exchange interaction. This model thus explains how the triplet O(2) molecule is produced.     

Time-domain observation of the spinmotive force in permalloy nanowires

The spinmotive force associated with a moving domain wall is observed directly in Permalloy nanowires using real time voltage measurements with proper subtraction of the electromotive force. Whereas the wall velocity exhibits nonlinear dependence on magnetic field, the generated voltage increases linearly with the field. We show that the sign of the voltage reverses when the wall propagation direction is altered. Numerical simulations explain quantitatively these features of spinmotive force and indicate that it scales with the field even in a field range where the wall motion is no longer associated with periodic angular rotation of the wall magnetization.