Use of 1H/23Na and 1H/31P double frequency tuned birdcage coils to study in vivo carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity in rats.

In vivo 1H and 23Na magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) techniques were used to study CCl4-induced acute hepatotoxicity in rats in situ. One or two hours following exposure to CCl4, a localized edematous region was detected in the liver by 1H MRI. The CCl4-induced edema was localized in a region surrounding the hepatic portal vein. With the use of a 23Na/1H double frequency tuned bird-cage imaging coil an increase in Na+ ion flux was also observed in the same region as the edematous region detected by 1H-MRI. Pretreatment with alpha-phenyl-tert-butyl nitrone (PBN), a free radical spin trap, 30 min prior to CCl4 exposure, was found to reduce the CCl4-induced edematous response in the liver observed in either 1H or 23Na-NMR images. Inhibition of the CCl4-induced edematous response in rat liver by PBN demonstrates that free radical intermediates, arising from the metabolism of CCl4, are possibly the key causal agents in the initiation of the edematous response. In addition, with the use of a 31P/1H double frequency tuned bird-cage imaging/spectroscopy coil, localized 31P spectra (ISIS) were obtained from the regions of CCl4-induced "tissue damage" observed in the 1H-MRI images. The most notable changes observed from the 31P spectra were an increase in inorganic phosphate (Pi) and a decrease in hepatocytosolic pH in the CCl4-treated rat livers in comparison to saline-treated control livers.     

Copper-mediated nucleophilic radiobromination of aryl boron precursors: Convenient preparation of a radiobrominated PARP-1 inhibitor

The copper-mediated nucleophilic radiobromination of aryl boron precursors with a radiobromide ion is a novel radiolabeling method that is efficient and robust. High radiochemical conversion (RCC) was observed using a variety of solvents, temperatures and catalysts. The reaction is also clean and is feasible for purification to obtain high chemical and radiochemical purity. This method provides a very useful route for the preparation of radiobrominated pharmaceuticals, including a radiobromine labeled PARP-1 inhibitor, and it is a valuable addition to the family of copper-mediated radiolabeling processes.     

Low voltage and high transmittance transflective blue-phase liquid crystal display with opposite polar electrodes

A single-cell-gap transflective polymer-stabilised blue-phase liquid crystal display with opposite polar pixel electrodes on an etched substrate is proposed. In the proposed structure, the space between common electrodes is adopted as transmissive region, and the space above the common electrode is adopted as reflective region. By optimising the electrode parameters of the transmissive and reflective regions, well-matched voltage-dependent transmittance and reflectance curves can be obtained. In addition, the device has good performances of low operating voltage (~3.2 V), high optical efficiency and a wide viewing angle.     

Synthesis of furo[3,2-c]coumarins via I2/TBHP-mediated reaction of 4-hydroxycoumarins with terminal alkynes

An efficient I₂/TBHP-mediated process for the formation of furo[3,2-c]coumarins from readily available materials has been developed. This process for the formation of furo[3,2-c]coumarins is quite environmental friendly and atom-economical.     

Suppression of self-pulsing in an erbium-doped fiber laser

We propose a scheme whereby the self-pulsation that commonly occurs in an erbium-doped fiber laser can be suppressed. The scheme consists of the addition of a low-power laser as an auxiliary pump. The required auxiliary pump power is only a few percent of the output lasing power. There is reasonable agreement between experimental and theoretical results.     

COMPARISON OF PHOTOTRAP COMPLEXES FROM CHROMATOPHORES OF RHODOSPIRILLUM RUBRUM, RHODOPSEUDOMONAS SPHEROIDES, AND THE R-26 MUTANT OF RHODOPSEUDOMONAS SPHEROIDES*

Abstract— After dissolution of the membrane structure of chromatophores from Rhodospirillum rubrum, Rhodopseudomonas spheroides , and the R-26 mutant of Rhodopseudomonas spheroides , active phototrap complexes from each have been purified by a column electrophoresis procedure. Phospholipids and transition metals were well separated from the phototrap complex in all three systems. The purified R. rubrum phototrap complex retained a full complement of antenna bacteriochlorophyll and carotenoid pigments which had nearly the same absorbance spectra as in the intact cell, and which delivered absorbed light energy to the phototrap with just as high efficiency as in the intact cell. Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) disc gel electrophoresis using Tris buffer showed that these preparations often contained only two prominent polypeptides of 30,000 ± 2000 and 12,000 ± 4000 mol. wt., and a lesser amount of a third polypeptide of 21,000 ± 2000 mol. wt.
The phototrap complexes prepared from the wild type and the R-26 mutant of R. spheroides were similar, in that a partial separation from antenna pigments occurred during column electrophoresis. Both complexes had prominent polypeptides of 24,000 ± 2000 and 21,000 ± 2000 mol. wt., but no polypeptide of 30,000 mol. wt remained after electrophoresis. A third major polypeptide occurred with a mol. wt. of about 12,000 but seemed identifiable with an incompletely separated antenna pigment fraction. The phototrap complex prepared from the R-26 mutant had a typical reaction center spectrum.
In the case of wild type R. spheroides purification, two distinct protein-pigment complexes separated. Although the absorbance of the bacteriochlorophyll and carotenoid pigments were little changed from those of the in vivo system, different polypeptides in the two fractions were observed by SDS disc gel electrophoresis; only one fraction seemed to be intimately related with the phototrap complex.     

Gas chromatography ofγ-valerolactam andγ-valerolactone from reductive amination of butyl levulinate

Summary The-valerolactam and-valerolactone in the reductive amination products of butyl levulinate in water or alcoholic medium, after removing most of the light fractions, ammonia, and water or alcohol, have been determined by isothermal gas chromatography using phenylether or isoamyl salicylate as the internal standard. With the thermal conductivity detector, a column of 6 mm I. D., 2 m long copper tubing packed with 25% glycol adipate/chromosorb-W was used, with hydrogen as the carrier gas. The accuracy was ± 0.4% for-valerolactone and ± 0.5% for-valerolactam. Using the hydrogen flame ionization detector, a column of 3 mm I. D., 2 m long stainless steel tubing packed with 10% glycol adipate/chromosorb-W was used, with nitrogen as the carrier gas; the accuracies for-valerolactone and-valerolactam were ± 0.5% and ± 0.8% respectively.

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Zusammenfassung Unterwirft man Butyllävulinat in wäßrigem oder alkoholischem Milieu der reduktiven Aminierung, so entstehen unter anderem-Valerolactam und-Valerolacton. Diese wurden nach weitgehender Entfernung der flüchtigen Anteile (Ammoniak, Wasser oder Alkohol) durch isotherme Gaschromatographie unter Verwendung von Phenyläther oder Isoamylsalicylat als interne Standards bestimmt. Mit einem Wärmeleitfähigkeitsdetektor wurde eine 2 m lange Säule mit 6 mm i. D. aus Kupferrohr mit einer Füllung aus 25% Glykoladipat und Chromosorb W verwendet, mit Wasserstoff als Trägergas. Die Genauigkeit betrug ± 0,4% für-Valerolacton und ± 0,5% für-Valerolactam. Wurde hingegen ein Ionisierungsdetektor mit Wasserstoff-Flamme verwendet, so diente eine 2 m lange Säule mit 3 mm i. D. aus rostfreiem Stahl mit einer Füllung aus 10% Glykoladipat und Chromosorb W und Stickstoff als Trägergas. Die Genauigkeit betrug dann ± 0,5 bzw. ± 1,8%.

     

Novel cyano-containing copolymers of vinyl esters for piezoelectric materials

The synthesis of a series of novel cyano-containing copolymers is described. Alternating copolymers of acrylonitrile with vinyl esters are obtained by increasing the electrophilic character of the nitrile monomers by complexation with zinc chloride. Copolymers of methyl and ethyl α-cyanoacrylates with vinyl esters are prepared using radical initiators in the presence of 7% acetic acid as inhibitor for anionic polymerization. The copolymers of methyl α-cyanoacrylate with the vinyl esters have T_g's above 140°C. Methyl vinylidene cyanide (MVCN) copolymerizes spontaneously with para-substituted styrenes to yield copolymers with high inherent viscosities and high T_g (160°C) and the copolymer of MVCN with vinyl acetate is also synthesized. The pyroelectric constants p for these polymers were measured and the values of p for the copolymers of vinyl acetate with methyl β,β-dicyanoacrylate, methyl α-cyanoacrylate, or MVCN were in the same range as the well-studied vinylidene cyanide/vinyl acetate copolymer. A higher concentration of dipoles generally results in higher T_g's and higher pyroelectric coefficients. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

DFT explorations of tautomerism of 2-mercaptoimidazole in aqueous solution

A systematic investigation of the proton transfer in the tautomerization of 2-mercaptoimidazole was undertaken. Calculations in aqueous solution were performed using the combined supramolecular/continuum and the direct continuum models, respectively. Complexes containing one and two water molecules around the hydrophilic site of 2-mercaptoimidazole were used for the combined supramolecular/continuum calculation. DFT results predict that the barrier height for non-water-assisted intramolecular proton transfer is very high (175.8 kJ/mol). Hydrogen bonding between 2-mercaptoimidazole and the water molecule(s) will dramatically lower the barrier by the concerted multiple proton transfer mechanism. The proton transfer process through a eight-member ring formed by 2-mercaptoimidazole and two water molecules is found to be more efficient one and the calculated barrier height is reduced to ca. 72 kJ/mol.