EPR study of melanin-protein interaction: photoinduced free radicals and progressive microwave power saturation.

The photo-induction of free radicals in synthetic L-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA) melanin in the presence of bovine serum albumin (BSA) was studied by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. By monitoring the signal intensities and progressive microwave power saturation it was shown that L-DOPA melanin in solution behaves as a single macromolecule, interacting with BSA and molecular oxygen. In the absence of oxygen, the EPR signal of L-DOPA melanin was homogeneously broadened; the magnetic interaction with oxygen induced inhomogeneous broadening. In aqueous solution, the presence of BSA decreased the accessibility of oxygen to paramagnetic centres in the melanin. On UV-visible illumination, the presence of BSA modified the rates of formation and decay of photoinduced free radicals, resulting in a net enhancement of the EPR signal compared with that observed in pure L-DOPA melanin.     

Benzoyl(acetylacetonato)nickel(II) complexes containing tertiary phosphine ligands. Their synthesis,dynamic behavior in solution,and decarbonylation

Carbon monoxide is readily inserted into the phenyl—nickel bond of PhNi(acac)(PR₃)_n to give benzoylnickel complexes, PhCONi(acac)PR₃ (R = Ph, Et, cyclo-C₆H₁₁), which were characterized by elemental analysis, IR and NMR spectroscopy, as well as chemical reactions. The reactions of the benzoylnickel complexes with methyl iodide and alcohols give acetophenone and corresponding benzoates, respectively, accompanied by some decomposition reactions. The solid benzoylnickel complexes when heated at elevated temperatures are decarbonylated and biphenyl, benzophenone and carbon monoxide are liberated. The dynamic behavior of the acac ligand in acetone solution was studied and the activation parameters for the acac exchange reactions were obtained. The decarbonylation reaction of the benzoyl complex PhCONi(acac)PPh₃ in acetone was studied by NMR, and found to be first order in the benzoylnickel complex.     

Syntheses and degradations of fluorinated heterocyclics III. Perfluoroalkyl and perfluoroalkylether-1,3,4-oxadiazoles

2,5-Bis(perfluoro-n-heptyl)-, 2-perfluoroalkylether-5-perfluoro-n-heptyl-, and 2,5-bisperfluoroalkylether-1,3,4-oxadiazoles were synthesized and characterized. 2,5-Bis(perfluoro-n-heptyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole was thermally and hydrolytically stable at 325°C; however, in the presence of air, degradation took place at 235°C. The perfluoroalkylether analogue exhibited thermal and hydrolytic stability at 325°C; it was found to be unaffected by Jet-A fuel and air at 235°C. At 325°C in air some degradation occured as evidenced by volatiles production, oxygen consumption, and 96% starting material recovery.     

Separation of gallic acid from Cornus officinalis Sieb. et Zucc by high-speed counter-current chromatography

Gallic acid was separated from a n-butanol extract of the fruit of Cornus officinalis Sieb. et Zucc by high-speed countercurrent chromatography in two steps using two solvent systems composed of ethyl-acetate-ethanol n-butanol-water (5:1.8:6, v/v/v) and ethyl acetate-ethanol-water (5:0.5:6, v/v/v) successively. From 1 g of n-butanol extract the method produced 60 mg of gallic acid at a purity of 97%.     

PI Mtoyoura: a new PI M subtype found by separator and hybrid isoelectric focusing

In the course of a population study of alpha 1-antitrypsin polymorphism by separator isoelectric focusing, a variant phenotype having a somewhat narrower spacing than PI M1M3 was observed in a Japanese blood donor. Family studies by hybrid isoelectric focusing in a carrier ampholyte-supplemented immobilized pH gradient from 4.35-4.65 revealed that the products of the responsible gene, PI*Mtoyoura, were extremely close but slightly cathodal to those of PI*M1. The difference in isoelectric point between them corresponded to the resolving limit of isoelectric focusing. For this reason, although the propositus' father was deduced to have the genotype PI*M1/PI*Mtoyoura, the products of these two genes failed to form a double band pattern. Thus, the gene frequency for PI*Mtoyoura was unknown. These findings, however, indicate that a further microheterogeneity in the PI M subtype exists at least in the Japanese.     

Study on tumor affinity of technetium-99m-labeled radiopharmaceuticals. (2) 99mTc-Sn-diphosphonate (99mTc-EHDP), 99mTc-Sn-dimercaptosuccinic acid (99mTc-DMSA), and 99mTc-Sn-diethyl stilbestrol diphosphate (99mTc-DSDP)]

The authors have examined the tumor affinity of various 99mTc-labelled radiopharmaceuticals to Ehrlich's tumor for the purpose of delineating positively human malignant neoplasm. This paper includes biologic distributions of 99mTc-Sn-diphosphonate (99mTc-EHDP), 99mTc-Sn-dimercaptosuccinic acid (99mTc-DMSA) and 99mTc-Sn-diethyl stilbestrol diphosphate (99mTc-DSDP, 99mTc-Honvan) as the second report on the tumor affinity to the Ehrlich-bearing mice. (a) Tumor concentration of 99mTc-EHDP was lowest and the positive delineation of implanted tumor with 99mTc-EHDP was poorest in sequential images, though the active accumulation to some soft tissue maglinant neoplasms, the breast cancer and the thyroid cancer, has been reported. (b) Tumor concentration and tumor to blood ratio of 99mTc-DMSA were not so high on the contrary of our expectation that 197Hg-DMSA may show the high tumor concentration and the high tumor to blood ratio like 197Hg chlormerodrin as same renal scanning radiopharmaceuticals. (c) Tumor concentration of 99mTc-DSDP was highest. Tumor to blood concentration ratio, however, was lower than that of the above mentioned radiopharmaceuticals but tumor to liver ratio and/or tumor to lung ratio was over 1.0 at the earlier time. Biologic distribution of 99mTc-DSDP was similar to that of 32P labeled DSDP and then it is presumed that 99mTc is labeled at phosphate ester of DSDP which is dephospholytated immediately by phospholylase in vivo following the intravenous injection. Therefore, it may be assumed that the accumulation mechanism of 99mTc-DSDP to Ehrlich's tumor is related to the phospholylase activity in neoplasms but is not known precisely.     

Relationship between kinetic chain length and radical polymerization rate

In the copolymerization of monomers M₁ and M₂ which form polymer radicals of chain length n of N¹_n with electron on a M₁ type and N²_n with one on a M₂ type, it is assumed that the specific rates of termination between N¹_n and N¹_n and N¹_s, N¹_n and N²_s, and N²_n and N²_s are k_α(ns)^?a, k_β(ns)^?a, and k_γ(ns)^?a, respectively, where k_α, k_β, and k_γ are the rate constants of reaction between segment radicals in the respective termination, and a is constant. The relation between kinetic chain length n? and polymerization rate R_p is derived as: 1/n? = 1/n?₀ + const. (R_p)^A(a), where n?₀ is the kinetic chain length of the polymer formed by transfer and A (a) is unity (predominance of transfer) and 1/(1–2a) (no transfer). In the copolymerization between methyl methacrylate (M₁) and styrene (M₂) at 60°C, when R_p → 0, k_r12/k₁₂ + k_r21/k₂₁ = 5.9× 10^?5 is obtained, where k_r12 and k_r21 are the rate constants of transfer of N¹ to M₂ and N² to M₁, and k₁₂ and k₂₁ are the rate constants of propagation of N¹ to M₂ and N² to M₁. In the absence of transfer, the a value is found to be 0.065 ± 0.008, from the relation between n? and R_p, regardless of the monomer composition. Such a value is also estimated by setting b = 0.72 in a = 0.153 (2b–1), where b is the constant in the Mark-Houwink equation. Further, the value of k_β is found to be 1.18 × 10⁹l./mole-sec, which is comparable with the diffusion-controlled rate of reaction between small molecules. The rate of reaction between segment radicals is fivefold larger than the polymer-polymer termination when transfer predominates.     

Application of preparative high-speed counter-current chromatography for separation of methyl gallate from Acer truncatum Bunge

Preparative separation of methyl gallate in leaves extract of Acer truncatum Bunge was conducted using high-speed counter-current chromatography (HSCCC) with a solvent system composed of ethyl acetate-ethanol-water at volume ratios of 5:1:5 (v/v/v). In a single operation, 57.5 mg of methyl gallate was obtained from 120 mg of the extract. HPLC analyses of the counter-current chromatography (CCC) fraction revealed that the methyl gallate was having over 97% purity. Its structure was identified by 1H NMR and 13C NMR.     

Radiation-induced solid-state polymerization of trioxane under high pressure

The in-source polymerization of trioxane in the solid state was investigated over a wide range of temperature and pressure, i.e., from 30 to 140°C and up to 7000 kg/cm², respectively. In the polymerization that was carried out slightly below the melting point under pressure, the higher the pressure, the higher the rate of polymerization. It was confirmed that the maximum rate of solid-state polymerization of trioxane occurs near the melting points, even under elevated pressure. The rate of polymerization decreased with increasing pressure at constant temperature. The shape of the time–conversion curves may be classified into two types, i.e., one which is typical of high pressure and low temperature, and the other which is typical of low pressure and high temperature. Changes in the shape of the conversion—intrinsic viscosity curves occurred coincidentally. Thus, three regions for the different “polymerization characteristic” were determined as functions of polymerization temperature and pressure. Explanations are given for the above-mentioned polymerization characteristic.