The antiapoptotic effect of low-dose UVB irradiation in NIH3T3 cells involves caspase inhibitions

UVB irradiation is a well-known apoptosis induction factor. However, we have previously found that low doses of UVB irradiation inhibited apoptosis induced by both serum starvation and lack of extracellular matrix, involving a significant inhibition of caspase-3/7 activation. In this study, we report on the relationship between the UVB-induced anti-apoptotic effect and caspase-3/7 inhibition by reactive oxygen species (ROS). The UVB-induced antiapoptotic effect was partially prevented by an antioxidant agent, N-acetylcysteine. A ROS-generating agent, menadione and a pro-oxidant agent, H2O2 also showed an effect that was similar to the UVB-induced antiapoptotic effect, indicating that ROS contributed to the antiapoptotic effect. UVB irradiation significantly suppressed caspase-3/7 activation, which was caused by the inhibition of proteolysis and not by the inhibition of enzymatic activity itself. The prevention of proteolysis was also confirmed by both the following results: one is the inhibition of in vitro caspase-3/7 and -9 activation in cell lysates exposed to UVB in the presence of cytochrome c and dATP, which was caused by the production of ROS, and the other is the inhibition of in vitro caspase-3/7 activation in the presence of active caspase-9. These results showed that the inhibition of the caspase cascade downstream mitochondria by ROS production, leading to a significant inhibition of caspase-3/7 activation, was one of the causes of the antiapoptotic effect by small doses of UVB irradiation.     

The first ammonium aromatic diselenoates: stable heavy congeners of aromatic carboxylic acid salts

Ammonium aromatic diselenoates were synthesized by reacting aromatic diselenoic acid 2-(trimethylsilyl)ethyl esters derived from aluminum 2-(trimethylsilyl)ethyl selenolate with aromatic selenoic acid O-methyl esters with ammonium fluorides. The results of molecular structure analysis and NMR studies of ammonium salts supported the double-bond character between the carbon atom and selenium atoms.     

Nonylphenol Polyethoxylates Degraded by Three Different Wavelengths of UV and Their Genotoxic Change—Detected by Generation of γ‐H2AX

UV rays in sunlight are an important factor in the degradation of chemicals. In this study, we investigated the degradation of nonionic surfactants, nonylphenol polyethoxylates (NPEOs) with 10 or 70 ethylene oxide (EO) units using UVA, B and C, and their genotoxic change based on phosphorylation of histone H2AX (γ‐H2AX), a marker of DNA damage. NPEOs were degraded dependent on the energy of UV, that is, UVC having the highest energy was most effective, whereas UVA having the lowest energy caused little change. The EO side chain of NPEO(70) was broken near the benzene ring by UV, producing NPEOs with a shortened EO chain (around 10 units). The generation of γ‐H2AX reflected the pattern of degradation; shortening of the EO chain changed NPEO(70) into an inducer for γ‐H2AX, and degradation of NPEO(10) attenuated the genotoxicity. The γ‐H2AX generated by NPEO(10) and UV‐degraded NPEO(70) was independent of the cell cycle. The formation of DNA double strand breaks detected by gel electrophoresis was consistent with the results for γ‐H2AX. These results suggested that UV rays can make NPEOs harmless or genotoxic according to the degradation of the EO side chain, the effects being dependent on wavelength.     

Electric conductivities of 1:1 electrolytes in liquid methanol along the liquid-vapor coexistence curve up to the critical temperature. I. NaCl, KCl, and CsCl solutions

The molar conductivities Lambda of NaCl, KCl, and CsCl in liquid methanol were measured in the concentration range of (0.3-2.0) x 10(-3) mol dm(-3) and the temperature range of 60-240 degrees C along the liquid-vapor coexistence curve. The temperature range corresponds to the solvent density range of (2.78-1.55)rhoc, where rhoc = 0.2756 g cm(-3) is the critical density of methanol. The concentration dependence of Lambda at each temperature and density (pressure) has been analyzed by the Fuoss-Chen-Justice equation to obtain the limiting molar conductivity Lambda0 and the molar association constant KA. For all the electrolytes studied, Lambda0 increased almost linearly with decreasing density at densities above 2.0rhoc, while the opposite tendency was observed at lower densities. The relative contribution of the nonhydrodynamic effect on the translational friction coefficient zeta was estimated in terms of Deltazeta/zeta, where the residual friction coefficient Deltazeta is the difference between zeta and the Stokes friction coefficient zetaS. At densities above 2.0rhoc, Deltazeta/zeta increased with decreasing density though zeta and Deltazeta decrease, and the tendencies are common for all the ions studied. The density dependences of zeta and Deltazeta/zeta were explained well by the Hubbard-Onsager (HO) dielectric friction theory based on the sphere-in-continuum model. At densities below 2.0rhoc, however, the experimental results cannot be explained by the HO theory.     

Synthesis, structures and ab initio studies of selenium and tellurium bis(carbodithioates and carbothioates)

A series of selenium and tellurium bis(carbodithioates and carbothioates) were synthesized. X-Ray structure analysis revealed that Se(SSCC(6)H(4)OMe-2)(2), Te(SSCC(6)H(4)OMe-2)(2) and Te(SSCC(6)H(4)Me-4)(2) have trapezoidal-planar configuration of ES(4) (E = Se, Te) and despite the larger atomic radii, the C=S···Te distances in Te(SSCC(6)H(4)OMe-2)(2) are comparable to those in the corresponding selenium derivatives Se(SSCC(6)H(4)OMe-2)(2). Molecular-orbital calculations performed on compounds E(E'SCR)(2) (E = S, Se, Te; E' = O, S; R = Me, Ph, C(6)H(4)OMe-2) showed that the syn-conformers of Se(SSCR)(2) and Te(SSCR)(2) are more stable than the corresponding anti-ones, while, in the case of carbothioic acid derivatives, E(SOCR)(2) showed that their anti-conformers are all more stable than the corresponding syn-ones. Natural bond orbital (NBO) analyses of these dithio-compounds revealed that two types of orbital interactions, n(S(1))→σ*(E-S(2)) and n(O)→σ*(E-S(2)), play a role in the bonding of E[S(2)S(1)CC(6)H(4)OMe-2](2) (E = Se, Te) and the former play a particularly predominant role.     

A facile synthesis of potassium selenocarboxylates and their oxidation with XeF2 to diacyl diselenides: An X‐ray structural analysis of di(4‐methoxybenzoyl) diselenide

Several potassium selenocarboxylates were synthesized in moderate to good yields by the direct reaction of acyl chlorides with potassium selenide. The potassium salts were readily oxidized with XeF₂ to give diacyl diselenides in quantitative yields. The structure of di(4‐methoxybenzoyl) diselenide was established by X‐ray diffraction analysis. Intramolecular interactions between the carbonyl oxygen and the selenium that is connected to the opposite carbonyl group were observed. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 10: 373–379, 1999     

Atomically Precise Alloy Nanoclusters

Metal nanoclusters (NCs) have a particle size of about one nanometer, which makes them the smallest unit that can give a function to a substance. In addition, metal NCs possess physical and chemical properties that are different from those of the corresponding bulk metals. Metal NCs with such characteristics are expected to be important for use in nanotechnology. Research on the precise synthesis of metal NCs and elucidation of their physical/chemical properties and functions is being actively conducted. When metal NCs are alloyed, it is possible to obtain further various electronic and geometrical structures and functions. Thus, research on alloy NCs has become a hot topic in the study of metal NCs and the number of publications on alloy NCs has increased explosively in recent years. Such publications have provided much insight into the effects of alloying on the electronic structure and function of metal NCs. However, the rapid increase in knowledge has made it difficult for researchers (especially those new to the field) to grasp all of it. Therefore, in this review, we summarize the reported chemical composition, geometrical structure, electronic structure, and physical and chemical properties of Au_n−xM_x(SR)_m, Ag_n−xM_x(SR)_m, Au_n−xM_x(PR₃)_l(SR)_m, and Ag_n−xM_x(PR₃)_l(SR)_m (Au=gold, Ag=silver, M=heteroatom, PR₃=phosphine, and SR=thiolate) NCs. This review is expected to help researchers understand the characteristics of alloy NCs and lead to clear design guidelines to develop new alloy NCs with intended functions.     

Molecular recognition in a supramolecular hydrogel to afford a semi-wet sensor chip

This communication describes a new molecular recognition chip using a semi-wet microenvironment provided by a self-assembled hydrogel. On the basis of the evidence that the molecular recognition capability of artificial chemosensors are practically retained even in the hydrogel compared to those in aqueous solution, we miniaturized the functionalized hydrogel to produce an unprecedented molecular recognition chip. We believe that the present noncovalent immobilization method is generally applicable to many chemosensors, which leads to a unique semi-wet sensor chip suitable to convenient and high-throughput assay to plural analytes.     

Rhodium(I)/Chiral Diene‐Catalyzed Enantioselective Addition of Boronic Acids to N‐Unsubstituted Isatin‐Derived Ketimines

Enantioselective addition of boronic acids to N‐unsubstituted isatin‐derived ketimines was realized using rhodium(I)/chiral diene catalysts. The reactions can be performed in the presence of catalytic amounts of a base to give adducts in high yield with high enantioselectivity. Preliminary mechanistic information including a computational model to explain the observed enantioselectivity is also provided.