Chemical Studies of Formosan Cobra (Naja Naja Atra) Venom: Part III. N-Terminal Amino Acid Analysis of Some Purified Protein Components by DNP and DNS Methods

N-Terminal amino acid residues of Fractions IX, X, and XII were reinvestigated by DNP and DNS methods with two-dimensional polyamide thin-layer chromatography. It was found that our previous work¹ had been erroneously concluded. By the present work, it was obvious that all three fractions had Leu as their N-terminal amino acid residues.     

Synthesis and Characteristics of a New Fluorogenic Substrate for Horseradish Peroxidase

N,N′-Dicyanomethyl-o-phenylenediamine was synthesized with a 90% yield by a reaction ofo-phenylenediamine with chloroacetonitrile in triethylamine. Our experimental results showed that it was the effective fluorogenic substrate for horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and hemin. TheK_mfor the HRP system was 48 μM,and that for hemin was 1.3 μM.Properties of the substrate were evaluated from the detection limits of enzymes and H₂O₂. The linear ranges for the determination of HRP and hemin were 21–150 pMand 2–20 nM,respectively. The linear range for the determination of H₂O₂using HRP or hemin was 18–140 and 60–1000 nM,respectively. The structural elucidation of the fluorescent product using NMR and mass spectral techniques was proposed to be 1,2-dihydro-2-imido-imidazo[1,2-a] quinoxaline. Based on the product structure and earlier reports, the possible reaction mechanism of HRP and the substrate was also proposed, i.e., two steps for ring closures, one step of isomerization, and a final step of oxidative dehydrogenation.     

Detection of a biomarker for Alzheimer's disease from synthetic and clinical samples using a nanoscale optical biosensor

A nanoscale optical biosensor based on localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) spectroscopy has been developed to monitor the interaction between the antigen, amyloid-beta derived diffusible ligands (ADDLs), and specific anti-ADDL antibodies. Using the sandwich assay format, this nanosensor provides quantitative binding information for both antigen and second antibody detection that permits the determination of ADDL concentration and offers the unique analysis of the aggregation mechanisms of this putative Alzheimer's disease pathogen at physiologically relevant monomer concentrations. Monitoring the LSPR-induced shifts from both ADDLs and a second polyclonal anti-ADDL antibody as a function of ADDL concentration reveals two ADDL epitopes that have binding constants to the specific anti-ADDL antibodies of 7.3 x 10(12) M(-1) and 9.5 x 10(8) M(-1). The analysis of human brain extract and cerebrospinal fluid samples from control and Alzheimer's disease patients reveals that the LSPR nanosensor provides new information relevant to the understanding and possible diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease.     

On the Mavroyannis–Stephen relativistic long-range interaction energy term between optically active molecules

The relativistic long-range intermolecular interaction energy term of Mavroyannis and Stephen is estimated for some amino acids by using optical rotatory dispersion data and for hexahelicene by using theoretical values of excitation energies and rotational strengths. The result shows that the interaction energy may be significant for the interaction between some essentially dissymmetric chromophores such as hexahelicene, but that it is unimportant for other cases.     

Synthesis, dual fluorescence, and fluoroionophoric behavior of dipyridylaminomethylstilbenes

The synthesis, dual fluorescence, and fluoroionophoric behavior of two donor-sigma spacer-acceptor (D-s-A) compounds, trans-4-(N,N-bis(2-pyridyl)amino)methylstilbene (1H) and trans-4-(N,N-bis(2-pyridyl)amino)methyl-4'-cyanostilbene (1CN), are reported and compared to that of trans-4-(N,N-bis(2-pyridyl)amino)methyl-4'-(N,N-dimethylamino)stilbene (1DPA). To gain insights into the dual fluorescence properties for 1H and 1CN in polar but not in nonpolar solvents, model compounds resulting from a replacement of the stilbene group by alkyl (2R) or xylyl (2X) groups or from a replacement of the dipyridylamino (dpa) group by dianisoleamino (3AA), diethylamino (3EE), methylanilino (3MP), or diphenylamino (3PP) groups also have been investigated. In addition to 1H and 1CN, all four compounds of 3 display dual fluorescence. The locally excited (LE) fluorescence mainly results from the stilbene group and the ICT fluorescence from the through-bond interactions between the amino donor and the stilbene acceptors. In the presence of transition metal ions such as Zn(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), and Cd(II), the ICT processes are switched from dpa (D) --> stilbene (A) in 1H and 1CN to stilbene (D) --> dpa/metal ion (A) in their complexes. Whereas the ICT states for the complexes are generally nonfluorescent, an exception was found for the case of 1H/Zn(II). As a result, substituent-dependent fluoroionophoric behavior has been demonstrated by 1H, 1CN, and 1DPA in response to Zn(II).     

Hydrogen bonding and π–π stacking in 6‐hydroxy­biochanin A monohydrate

In the lattice of the title compound (systematic name: 5,6,7‐trihydroxy‐4′‐meth­oxy­isoflavone monohydrate), C₁₆H₁₂O₆·H₂O, the isoflavone mol­ecules are linked into chains through R₄³(17) motifs composed via O—H⋯O and C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds. Centrosymmetric R₄²(14) motifs assemble the chains into sheets. Hydrogen‐bonding and aromatic π–π stacking inter­actions lead to the formation of a three‐dimensional network structure.     

The Effect of Alkane Chain Length on the Liquid–Liquid Critical Temperatures of Oligostyrene/Linear-Alkane Mixtures

Summary. Upper critical solution temperatures (UCSTs) for liquid–liquid demixing in a set of mixtures of linear alkanes (pentane (N ₁=5) to pentacontane (N ₁=50)) with an oligostyrene (1241amu, N ₂=12) are reported. We find strong correlation between the Hildebrand solubility parameters of the alkanes and the UCST. Correlations are developed which enable predictions concerning the miscibility of mixtures of compounds with longer chains.