Effect of photothermal therapy on breast tumor vascular contents: noninvasive monitoring by near-infrared spectroscopy

The goal of this study was to investigate the effect of photothermal laser irradiation on rat breast tumor (DMBA-4) vascular contents. An 805-nm diode laser was used in our experiment with a power density ranging from 0.32 to 1.27 W/cm2. The dynamic changes of oxygenated hemoglobin and total hemoglobin concentrations, delta[HbO2] and delta[Hb]total, in rat tumors during photothermal irradiation were noninvasively monitored by a near-infrared spectroscopy system. A multichannel thermal detection system was also used simultaneously to record temperatures at different locations within the tumors. Our experimental results showed that: (1) photoirradiation did have the ability to induce hyperthermic effects inside the rat breast tumors in a single exponential trend; (2) the significant changes (P < 0.005) of delta[HbO2] and delta[Hb]total in response to a low dosage of laser irradiation (0.32 W/cm2) have a single exponential increasing trend, similar to that seen in the tumor interior temperature; and (3) the increase in magnitude of delta[HbO2] is nearly two times greater than that of delta[Hb]total, suggesting that photoirradiation may enhance tumor vascular oxygenation. The last observation may be important to reveal the hidden mechanism of photoirradiation on tumors, leading to improvement of tumor treatment efficiency.     

Design of molecular two-photon probes for in vivo imaging. 2H-Benzo[h]chromene-2-one derivatives

2H-Benzo[h]chromene-2-one derivatives showing appreciable water solubility, significant two-photon cross sections, high photostability, cell permeability, low toxicity, and ability to be converted to a protein TP probe have been developed by incorporating all of the needed functions within a small molecule.     

Fullerenols revisited as stable radical anions

The first exhaustive purification and characterization of the much-studied "fullerenols", prepared by reaction of C(60) in toluene with an oxygenated, aqueous NaOH solution using tetrabutylammonium hydroxide as a phase transfer catalyst, has been performed. The resulting fullerenol is not simply polyhydroxylated C(60) but rather is a structurally and electronically complex C(60) radical anion with a molecular formula of Na(+)(n)[C(60)O(x)(OH)(y)](n)(-) (where n = 2-3, x = 7-9, and y = 12-15) for three different, but identical, preparations. Surprisingly, Na(+)-fullerenol is paramagnetic, exhibiting mu(B) values in aqueous solution of 1.9-2.1 B.M. at 0.5 T and 300 K and R(1) proton relaxivities of 0.55-0.77 mM(-1)s(-1) at 20 MHz and 40 degrees C, values both slightly higher than those expected for a pure S = 1/2 spin system. ESR studies (ESE-FS and 2D nutation) of frozen aqueous solutions at 1.5 and 5.0 K establish that Na(+)-fullerenol is mainly S = 1/2 with a minor, but significant, component of S = 1. Thus, this is the first report to characterize these widely studied, water-soluble fullerenols as stable radical anions. The stability of the S = 1/2 Na(+)-fullerenol radical is likely due to a highly derivatized C(60) surface that protects a cyclopentadienyl radical center on the fullerene.     

Studies of tetracene- and pentacene-based organic thin-film transistors fabricated by the neutral cluster beam deposition method

The neutral cluster beam deposition (NCBD) method has been applied to produce and characterize organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs) based upon tetracene and pentacene molecules as active layers. Organic thin films were prepared by the NCBD method on hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS)-untreated and -pretreated silicon dioxide (SiO2) substrates at room temperature. The surface morphology and structures for the tetracene and pentacene thin films were examined by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The measurements demonstrate that the weakly bound and highly directional neutral cluster beams are efficient in producing high-quality single-crystalline thin films with uniform, smooth surfaces and that SiO2 surface treatment with HMDS enhances the crystallinity of the pentacene thin-film phase. Tetracene- and pentacene-based OTFTs with the top-contact structure showed typical source-drain current modulation behavior with different gate voltages. Device parameters such as hole carrier mobility, current on/off ratio, threshold voltage, and subthreshold slope have been derived from the current-voltage characteristics together with the effects of surface treatment with HMDS. In particular, the high field-effect room-temperature mobilities for the HMDS-untreated OTFTs are found to be comparable to the most widely reported values for the respective untreated tetracene and pentacene thin-film transistors. The device performance strongly correlates with the surface morphology, and the structural properties of the organic thin films are discussed.     

Determination of metoprolol enantiomers in human urine by GC-MS using (−)-α-methoxy-α-(trifluoromethyl)phenylacetyl chloride as a chiral derivatizing agent

Summary A method for the assay of R-(+)- and S-(−)- metoprolol in human urine has been developed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The method involved purification by liquid-liquid extraction and derivatization with N-methyl-N-(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide to form an O-silyl ether, followed by subsequent chiral derivatization with (−)-α-methoxy-α-(trifluoromethyl)phenylacetyl chloride to form diastereomeric amide. The reaction was rapid and the diastereomeric derivatives were well resolved. Quantitation was performed by selected-ion monitoring of fragment ions of the diastereomers in electron impact ionization mode. No racemization was found during the reaction. The detection limit was 0.5 ng·mL⁻¹. The intra-day variation ranged between 0.38 and 7.86% in relation to the measured concentration and inter-day variation was 2.26–8.06%. The method has been applied to the determination of R-(+)-and S-(−)- metoprolol in human urine from healthy volunteers dosed with racemic metoprolol tartrate.     

Polarographische Bestimmung des Pyridoxols in pharmazeutischen Präparaten

Zusammenfassung Es wird eine neue polarographische Methode zur direkten Bestimmung des Pyridoxols in Injektionspräparaten und Tabletten beschrieben. Die ausgearbeitete Methode beruht auf der polarographischen Reduktion des Pyridoxolmoleküls im Milieu von Ammoniak-Ammoniumchlorid-Puffern und weiter auf der Bildung einer katalytischen Stufe des Pyridoxols in Veronalpuffern. Die polarographische Methode ist rascher und in manchen Fällen genauer und empfindlicher als die bisher in Gebrauch stehenden Methoden. Die Anwesenheit der in den Präparaten laufend vorkommenden Begleitstoffe des Pyridoxols stört nicht die polarographische Bestimmung. Die Methode kann auch zur Bestimmung des 3-Hydroxy-4-methoxymethyl-5-oxymethyl-2-methylpyridins benutzt werden, das ein Zwischenprodukt bei der Pyridoxolerzeugung ist.

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Summary A new polarographic method is described for the direct determination of pyridoxol in injection preparations and tablets. This method is based on the polarographic reduction of the pyridoxol in ammonia-ammonium chloride buffer medium and also on the formation of a catalytic stage of the pyridoxol in veronal buffers. The polarographic method is faster and in many cases more accurate and more sensitive than the methods now in use. The presence of the materials which always accompany the pyridoxol in the preparations does not interfere with the polarographic determination. The method can likewise be used for determining 3-hydroxy-4-methoxymethyl-5-oxymethyl-2-methylpyridine, which is an intermediate product in the manufacture of pyridoxol.

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Résumé On décrit une nouvelle méthode polarographique pour le dosage direct du pyridoxol dans les préparations pour injections et dans les comprimés. La méthode élaborée repose sur la réduction polarographique de la molécule de pyridoxol dans le milieu tampon ammoniaque-chlorure d'ammonium, et, en outre, sur la formation d'une phase catalytique du pyridoxol dans les tampons au véronal. La méthode polarographique est plus rapide et dans de nombreux cas plus exacte et plus sensible que les méthodes utilisées jusqu'ici. La présence d'impuretés existant couramment dans les préparations à côté du pyridoxol ne gêne pas le dosage polarographique. On peut aussi utiliser la méthode pour le dosage de l'hydroxy-3 méthoxyméthyl-4 oxyméthyl-5 méthyl-2 pyridine, substance intermédiaire dans la préparation du pyridoxol.

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Herrn Dr.P. Zuman danken wit für Ratsehläge bei der Abfassung dieser Arbeit.     

Separately harmonic and subharmonic functions

Let u(x, y) be defined in B ₁×B ₂ where B ₁ ^m and B ₂ ⁿ , and assume that u(x, ·) harmonic for every fixed x and u(·, y) is subharmonic for every fixed y. We show that if u(·, y) is, in addition, C ² for each y then u is subharmonic in B ₁×B ₂ in both variables jointly.