A sensitive and quantitative technique for detecting autophagic events based on lysosomal delivery

We sought to develop a sensitive and quantitative technique capable of monitoring the entire flux of autophagy involving fusion of lysosomal membranes. We observed the accumulation inside lysosomal compartments of Keima, a coral-derived acid-stable fluorescent protein that emits different-colored signals at acidic and neutral pHs. The cumulative fluorescent readout can be used to quantify autophagy at a single time point. Remarkably, the technique led us to characterize an autophagy pathway in Atg5-deficient cells, in which conventional LC3-based autophagosome probes are ineffective. Due to the large Stokes shift of Keima, this autophagy probe can be visualized in conjunction with other green-emitting fluorophores. We examined mitophagy as a selective autophagic process; time-lapse imaging of mitochondria-targeted Keima and GFP-Parkin allowed us to observe simultaneously Parkin recruitment to and autophagic degradation of mitochondria after membrane depolarization.     

Highly luminescent complexes [Mo6X8(n-C3F7COO)6]2- (X=Br, I)

New complexes (Bu(4)N)(2)[Mo(6)X(8)(n-C(3)F(7)COO)(6)] (X = Br, I) display extraordinarily bright long-lived red phosphorescence both in solution and solid phases, with the highest emission quantum yields and the longest emission lifetimes among hexanuclear metal cluster complexes of Mo, W and Re, hitherto reported.     

Direct synthesis of fluorescent 1,3a,6a-triazapentalene derivatives via click-cyclization-aromatization cascade reaction

An efficient and versatile method was established for the preparation of 1,3a,6a-triazapentalenes. The 1,3a,6a-triazapentalene skeleton without an additional fused ring system was discovered to be a compact and highly fluorescent chromophore, which exhibited various interesting fluorescent properties such as a noteworthy correlation of luminescent wavelength with the Hammett σ(p) value and a strongly positive solvatofluorochromism.     

Observations of surface modifications induced by the multiple pulse irradiation using a soft picosecond x-ray laser beam

To study the interactions between picosecond soft x-ray laser (SXRL) beams and material surfaces, gold (Au), copper (Cu), and silicon (Si) surfaces were irradiated with SXRL pulses having a wavelength of 13.9 nm and a duration of ～7 ps. Following irradiation, the surfaces of the substrates were observed using a scanning electron microscope and an atomic force microscope. With single pulse irradiation, ripple-like structures were formed on the Au and Cu surfaces. These structures were different from previously investigated conical structures formed on an Al surface. In addition, it was confirmed that the development of modified structures, i.e., growth of hillocks on the Au and Cu surfaces, was observed after multiple SXRL pulse exposures. However, on the Si surface, deep holes that seemed to be melted structures induced by the accumulation of multiple pulses of irradiations were found. Therefore, it was concluded that SXRL beam irradiation of various material surfaces causes different types of surface modifications, and the changes in the surface behaviors are attributed to the differences in the elemental properties, such as the attenuation length of x-ray photons.     

Wellposedness of abstract Cauchy problems for second order differential equations

This paper concerns the abstract Cauchy problem (ACP) for an evolution equation of second order in time. LetA be a closed linear operator with domainD(A) dense in a Banach spaceX. We first characterize the exponential wellposedness of ACP onD(A ^k+1),k teN. Next let {C(t);t teR} be a family of generalized solution operators, on [D(A ^k)] toX, associated with an exponentially wellposed ACP onD(A ^k+1). Then we define a new family {T(t); Ret>0} by the abstract Weierstrass formula. We show that {T(t)} forms a holomorphic semigroup of class (H _k) onX. Research of the second-named author was partially supported by Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (No. 63540139), Ministry of Education, Science and Culture.     

Molecular probe for a fluorous medium: long-lived phosphorescence of alpha-diketones in perfluoromethylcyclohexane at room temperature.

We found that alpha-diketones (2,3-butanedione (BD) and 1-phenyl-1,2-propanedione (PPD)) were very suitable luminescence probes for studying the properties of a perfluorinated solvent (i.e., fluorous solvent; perfluoromethylcyclohexane (PFMC)), since these compounds were soluble in PFMC and showed long-lived phosphorescence even at room temperature. The phosphorescence lifetime (tau(p)) of BD in PFMC (650 micros) was much longer than that in cyclohexane (CH, 270 micros). The longer tau(p) value of BD in PFMC was ascribed to the variation of the intersystem crossing rate constant (k(isc)) from the excited triplet state (T1) to the ground state (S0) with the solvent. Some possible reasons for the change in k(isc) were discussed in terms of solute-solvent interactions. Furthermore, by utilizing phosphorescence quenching of BD by pyrene, we, determined a rate constant of the diffusion-controlled reaction in PFMC. Characteristic behaviors of mixing/separation processes between PFMC and a common organic solvent observed by Schlieren photographs were also reported.     

A new synthesis of 7-substituted 2,3-bis(alkylthio)naphth[1,8-bc]-azepines using the tris(alkylthio)cyclopropenyl cation

7-Substituted 2,3-bis(isopropylthio)naphth[1,8-bc]azepines 3a-c were synthesized in good yields by the reactions of 5-substituted 1-naphthylamines 2a-c with tris(isopropylthio)cyclopropenylium perchlorate ( 1 ) in acetonitrile under reflux. This reaction proceeds through the facile ring opening of 1 , followed by the intermediary formation of iminium salts 5a-c and then intramolecular cyclization.     

Quantitative analysis of original and powdered rocks and mineral inclusions by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

Direct analysis of rocks by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry is described. Both powdered standard rocks and the original rocks were analysed and the results agreed with each other in spite of the difference in the surface states. Microprobe analysis of biotite in granite JG1 was also done directly with a focused laser beam and the results obtained were very close to the solution values given by the conventional aqueous method using biotite separated from an original rock. For quantitative analysis, the measured signal intensity was normalized either by the ablated weight or the barium signal intensity. Forty-two major and minor elements (two of them being used as internal standards) in twelve standard rocks fromt the igneous rock series of the Geological Survey of Japan were determined successfully.