A mixed-valent ruthenium-oxo oxalato cluster Na7[Ru4(mu3-O)4(C2O4)6] with potent anti-HIV activities

A structurally characterized mixed-valent tetranuclear ruthenium-oxo oxalato cluster exhibits anti-viral activities toward R5- and X4-tropic HIV-1, and possesses cytoprotective activity toward HIV-1 infected cells.     

Direct determination of acylcarnitines in amniotic fluid by column-switching liquid chromatography with electrospray tandem mass spectrometry

A direct, simple, and simultaneous determination of acylcarnitines in amniotic fluid was developed using column-switching liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS). The analytes can be assayed within 20 min without any sample preparation process, and we monitored separated acylcarnitines with positive electrospray ionization (ESI)-MS/MS. The calibration ranges of acylcarnitines were 1 to 100 nmol/L. The linearity of the method was 0.992 to 0.999, and the limits of detection at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3 were 1 nmol/L. The coefficients of variation were in the range of 5.2 to 13.3% for within-day variation and 6.7 to 11.9% for day-to-day, respectively. We detected acylcarnitines in the amniotic fluid of 22 women in the early stages of their pregnancies in the range of 2.2 to 17.2 nmol/L. The proposed method could be applied to diagnosis, monitoring, and biomedical investigations of inborn errors of the organic acid and fatty acid metabolism of the embryo.     

Size-dependent surface CO stretching frequency investigations on nanodiamond particles

In this work, the spectroscopic properties of surface functionalized nanodiamond particles are investigated via Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The functionalization of the nanodiamond surface was achieved chemically using strong acid treatment method. The size dependent C=O stretching frequency (between 1680 and 1820 cm(-1)) are studied for particle diameter sizes from the 5 to 500 nm range. The surface C=O stretching frequencies at approximately 1820 cm(-1), for large particle size (500 nm), down shifted to 1725 cm(-1) (5 nm) with decreasing particle sizes. We attributed the shift as a result of hydrogen bond formation between the COOH groups in the carboxylated nanodiamond surfaces. Particle size was characterized with dynamic light scattering method and surface morphology of the particles was investigated with scanning electron microscopy. The influence of pH value on C=O stretching frequency is also analyzed. This finding affords useful information for the studying of surface functionalized nanodiamonds with implications for their interaction with biomolecules.     

In situ and ex situ observations of the growth dynamics of single perylene nanocrystals in water

The growth dynamics of fluorescent perylene nanocrystals, which are fabricated by the reprecipitation method, was investigated using in situ and ex situ single-particle fluorescence measurements. A red shift in the emission maxima as the aging time increased was observed by single-particle fluorescence spectral measurements. The number and size of the nanocrystals increased with the increasing aging time in water. It was concluded that the metastable intermediates, such as clusters and initial nanoparticles, are relevant for the early stages of nucleation and growth of the perylene nanocrystals.     

Prevention of UV radiation-induced premature skin aging in hairless mice by the novel compound Melanocin A

Repetitive exposure of the skin to UV radiation induces various harmful changes, such as thickening, wrinkle formation, inflammation and carcinogenesis. A variety of natural compounds and synthetic compounds have been studied to determine whether they can prevent UV-induced harmful effects. In this study, we investigated the effect of a novel compound, Melanocin A, which was isolated from Eupenicillium shearii F80695, on UV-induced premature skin aging. First, we studied the effect of Melanocin A on UV-induced matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 expression in an immortalized human keratinocyte cell line, HaCaT, in vitro. Acute UV irradiation induced MMP-9 expression at both the mRNA and protein levels and Melanocin A suppressed this expression in a dose-dependent manner. We then investigated the effect of Melanocin A on UV-induced skin changes in hairless mice in vivo. Chronic exposure of hairless mouse dorsal skin to UV increased skin thickness and induced wrinkle formation and the gelatinase activities of MMP-2 and MMP-9. Moreover, Melanocin A significantly suppressed UV-induced morphologic skin changes and MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression. Taken together, these results show that Melanocin A can prevent the harmful effects of UV that lead to skin aging. Therefore, we suggest that Melanocin A should be viewed as a potential therapeutic agent for preventing and/or treating premature skin aging.     

An electrochemical cell coupled with disposable screen-printed electrodes for use in flow injection analysis.

An electrochemical cell coupled with disposable screen-printed electrodes (SPEs) that is specifically designed for use in flow injection analysis (FIA) is described in this study. The cell is made of foldable polyoxymethylene (acetal) thick platelets with the bottom portion consisting of a cavity track to drag the SPEs in position and the top portion having predrilled T-like holes to arrange the Ag/AgCl reference electrode and stainless steel inlet & outlet. An "O ring" is suitably fixed on the top of the working electrode to form a thin-layer space where the electrochemical reaction can take place. Hydrodynamic characterization was validated by using a benchmark hexacyanoferrate redox couple. The results of practical analysis of glucose in human plasma clearly demonstrate the characteristics and applicability of the proposed wall-jet electrochemical cell in FIA.     

Electrical properties of polypyrrole wires measured by scanning probe microscope

Hybrid wires composed of metal and conducting polymer (polypyrrole, Ppy) were electrochemically synthesized using a template synthesis method. We showed that the dimensions of the hybrid wires can be tailored by controlling the time of electrolysis. The electrical properties of Ppy having different lengths were measured using a scanning probe microscope (SPM) tip as an electrode without aligning the hybrid wires on a substrate. Especially, temperature-dependent characteristics of the I-V curve were determined. As we expected, the shorter the Ppy wire is, the better the current response produced. The activation energy of each Ppy wire is determined. It is confirmed that the electrical properties of a single wire of Ppy can be measured by SPM.     

Differentiation of herbs linked to "Chinese herb nephropathy" from the liquid chromatographic determination of aristolochic acids

A HPLC method was developed and applied to analyze aristolochic acids (AA-I and AA-II) in Chinese medicinal herbs. The herb samples were extracted by using ultrasonication with the extraction efficiency of better than 82%. Extracts were then filtered and injected onto a C18 column eluting under a gradient program using methanol and water-containing 0.5% acetic acid. The method with the detection limits of 1.33 ng for AA-I and 7.29 ng for AA-II per injection was successfully applied for the analysis of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and related products and differentiation of Chinese medicinal herbs that have previously been misused and caused toxicological effects. The developed protocol provided an example that analysis of selected component markers could serve for health security and quality control of TCM consumption.     

Tandem Diels-Alder cycloadditions of 2-pyrone-5-acrylates for the efficient synthesis of novel tetracyclolactones

Readily prepared from the regioselective Pd-catalyzed coupling reactions of 3,5-dibromo-2-pyrone, 3-bromo-2-pyrone-5-carboxylates undergo tandem uninterrupted sequential Diels-Alder cycloaddition reactions with allyl vinyl ethers in a highly regio- and stereoselective fashion to provide a series of novel tetracyclolactones in good yields.