Carboxylic fused furans for amino acid fluorescent labelling

Four carboxylic fused furans are presented as new fluorescent labels for the amino and hydroxyl functions of organic molecules. Various representative l-amino acids were chosen as models, labelled at their N-terminus and also at their side-chain. Fluorescent derivatives were obtained in high yields, and their absorption and emission properties were studied.     

Dielectric relaxation of polystyrene with side-chain- and chain-end-labels

Polystyrenes with different concentrations of side groups with cyano groups were prepared and complex dielectric constants were measured in the range of the glass transition temperature and the frequency range of 10^–2–10⁷ Hz.The GPC and DSC measurements showed that the molecular weight of these polystyrenes was about 10500 g/mole and the glass transition temperatures were 89.5°C for all samples.The dielectric relaxation spectra obtained for the side group polystyrene labels and also the chain-end polystyrene labels prepared before [9] were analyzed to find out the degree of coupling of the chain-end and side-group labels with the cooperative reorientation of the polymeric matrix. The analysis of the spectra was carried out using the analysis method developed by Mansour and Stoll [6].The results obtained showed that both end- and side-group labels are strongly coupled with the segmental reorientation and relax with relaxation times longer than that of the segments.The value of logf _m = (logf _m(label)) – logf _m(matrix)) was obtained from the recently designed comparison diagram suggested by Mansour and Stoll [6, 14]. The value of logf _m depends on the label length in the case of chain-end labels.It was surprising to find that the side groups relax slower than the segments by only 0.9 decades. These results obtained implied that the label relaxes through a multistep relaxation mechanism of the side and end groups and not through a diffusion mechanism of the whole chain. In addition, the effective lengths of the relaxing units were determined using the empirical equation obtained before in the case of rodlike molecules in polyisoprene [7].     

The characteristic fragment ions and visualization of cationic starches on pulp fiber using ToF‐SIMS

Time‐of‐flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF‐SIMS) was used to investigate the distribution of cationic starch on pulp fiber. To identify the characteristic fragment ions of the cationic starches, deuterium‐labeled cationic starches were prepared and analyzed using ToF‐SIMS. The starch 2‐hydroxypropyltrimethylammonium chloride derivative generated characteristic fragments at m/z 58 and 59, which were identified as [H₂C?N(CH₃)₂]⁺ and [N(CH₃)₃]^+·, respectively. The fragmentation patterns were also suggested. From the imaging analysis, the adsorption of the cationic starch on fibers was uneven on individual fibers, as well as between fibers. This may have been on account of fiber morphology and structure. On examining scanning electron microscope (SEM) images, the quaternary ammonium starch derivative (QS) did not penetrate the fiber. No migration of cationic starch was observed under various drying conditions. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A New 4.0-Generation Dendrimer Phosphorescence Labeling Reagent and Its Application to Determination of Trace Alkaline Phosphatase by Affinity Adsorption Solid Substrate-room Temperature Phosphorimetry

A Triton X-100-4.0G-D （4.0G-D refers to a 4.0-generation dendrimer） was brought forward as a new phosphorescence labeling reagent. Two types of specific affinity adsorption （AA） reactions （direct method and sandwich method） were carried out between the labeling product of Triton X-100-4：0G-D-Wheat germ agglutinin （WGA） and alkaline phosphatase （ALP）, the product of AA reaction preserved the good characteristics of room temperature phosphorescence （RTP） of 4.0G-D and △Ip of the product was proportional to the content of ALP. According to the fact stated above, a new method for the determination of trace ALP by affinity adsorption solid substrate-room temperature phosphorimetry （AA-SS-RTP） was established on the basis of WGA labeled with the Triton X-100-4.0G-D. The detection limits were 0.20 ag·spot^-1 （corresponding concentration： 5.0×10^-16 g·mL^-1, namely 5.0×10^-18 mol·L^-1） for a direct method and 0.14 ag·spot^-1 （corresponding concentration： 3.5×10^-16 g·mL^-1, namely 3.5×10^-18 mol·L^-1） for a sandwich method, respectively. For their high sensitivity, good repeatability and high accuracy, the direct method and sandwich method have been successfully appfied to determine the content of ALP in human serum, and the results were coincided with the clinical detection results of the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method by the Zhangzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Meanwhile, the mechanism for the determination of trace ALP by AA-SS-RTP was discussed.     

ESR investigation on the phase transitions of DPPC vesicles in presence of high concentrations of Li+, Na+, K+ and Cs+

The partition of the spin label TEMPO in the hydrophobic region of di-palmitoyl-phosphatidylcholine unilamellar vesicles has been used to investigate the influence of high concentration (up 3M) of Li⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, and Cs⁺ on the phase transitions at 20–60°C. All of the above salts increase the permeation of TEMPO. The efficiency of monovalent cations in inducing the partition of the spin label in the hydrophobic environment of the bilayer increases in the order: Cs⁺+++. The disappearing of the pretransition and the downward shift of the main phase transition temperature from 37°C to 33.5°C is related to the increased permeation of TEMPO into the bilayer. The presence of salts in the bulk solution disturbs the hydration of the zwitterionic polar head of the DPPC molecules and changes the electrical interaction between the polar groups of the bilayer. This reduces the packing density of the lipid molecules and promotes the permeation of TEMPO.     

Synthesis and Photochromic Properties of Azido Analogues ofSpiropyran and Spirooxazine as Nucleic Acid Labeling Reagent

A series of photo active azido analogues have been synthesized and their photochromic properties have also been investigated by UV-Vis spectrum. It will be used for the rapid and reliable preparation of large amounts of stable, non-radioactive labeled DNA and RNA hybridization probes. And it is supposed to be easily detected for its photochromic properties.     

Fluorescence derivatisation of amino acids in short and long-wavelengths

3-(Naphthalen-1-ylamino)propanoic acid was coupled to the amino group of the main and lateral chains of various amino acids in order to evaluate its applicability as a fluorescent derivatising reagent. The resulting amino acid derivatives are strongly fluorescent with a maximum emission of about 415 nm. Condensation of these derivatives with 5-ethylamino-4-methyl-2-nitrosophenol hydrochloride resulted in the corresponding blue benzo[a]phenoxazinium conjugates, also revealing strong fluorescence in ethanol and water at physiological pH and good quantum yields, but with emission wavelengths between 644 and 657 nm, which was preferable in biological assays.     

EPR spin probe and spin label studies of some low molecular and polymer micelles

The rotational mobility of spin probes of different shape and size in low molecular and polymer micelles has been studied. Several probes having nitroxide fragment localized either in the vicinity of micelle interface or in the hydrocarbon core have been used. Upon increasing the number of carbon atoms in hydrocarbon chain of detergent from 7 to 13 (sodium alkyl sulfate micelles) or from 12 to 16 (alkyltrimethylammonium bromide micelles) the rotational mobility of spin probes is decreased by the factor 1.5–2.0. The spin probe rotational mobility in polymer micelles (the complexes of alkyltrimethylammonium bromides and polymethacrylic or polyacrylic acids) is less than mobility in free micelles of the same surfactants. The study of EPR-spectra of spin labeled polymethacrylic acid (PMA) indicated that formation of water soluble complexes of polymer and alkyltrimethylammonium bromides in alkaline solutions (pH 9) does not affect the polymer segmental mobility. On the other hand, the polymer complexes formation in slightly acidic water solution (pH 6) breaks down the compact PMA conformation, thus increasing the polymer segmental mobility. Possible structures of polymer micelles are discussed.     

Novel Water Soluble Fluorescent Trimethine Indocyanines Containing N-ρ-Carboxybenzyl Group

Indocyanine dyes as fluorescent labeling reagents have been used in bioanalysis1,2. Arylsulfonate indocyanine dyes 1d and 1e developed by Waggoner A. S. et al.3,4 have excellent fluorescent properties combined with good aqueous solubility, are a new generation of fluorescent label compounds for proteins, oligonucleotides and other compounds containing hydroxyl, mercaptol or primary amine groups5. However, photostability of these dyes has been a problem. Z. G. YAO et al.6 reported that p…     

Dielectric relaxation of ball-like labels in polyisoprene

Ball-like molecules with strong dipoles (labels) were mixed with synthetic polyisoprene (IR305) in low concentrations (<1%) and measured dielectrically in the frequency range 10^–2–10⁷ Hz and the temperature range –70–0°C (glass relaxation region). Calorimetric measurements showed that this type of label has a plasticizing effect on the polymeric matrix. The dielectric measurements showed that these ball-like molecules relax through cooperative rotations with the polymeric segments and at the same relaxation frequency. In addition, the label molecules showed a high-frequency local relaxation process. The relaxation strength ratio of the local process (X _local) to the total relaxation strength of the label was found to be dependent on the volume as well as on the shape of the label. A comparison between the relaxation behaviors of the ball-and rod-like molecules, having the same volume, showed that the length of the label is also an important parameter for the determination of the local contribution as well as of the cooperative relaxation mechanism of the label. The label relaxation process is discussed in relation to the molecular packing of the host polymer.