Photocatalysis of chloroform degradation by μ-dichlorotetrachlorodipalladate(II)

Unlike other chlorometallate complexes that catalyze the photodecomposition of haloalkanes through photodissociation of a chlorine atom, both and catalyze chloroform decomposition through a process that appears to involve C-H bond breakage from an excited state association complex with chloroform. This would account for the greatly retarded rate of decomposition in CDCl₃ and for the generation of CCl₄ as a side product. In chloroform, and are in slow equilibrium with each other. The rate for the conversion of - in chloroform at 23 °C obeys the expression (0.03 M⁻¹ s⁻¹) [][Cl⁻]. The equilibrium constant, K = [][Cl⁻]²/[]², was estimated to be 3 × 10⁻³ M in CHCl₃.     

Effect of magnesium chloride (2:1 electrolyte) on the aqueous solution behavior of some saccharides over the temperature range of 288.15-318.15 K: a volumetric approach

Infinite-dilution standard partial molar volumes, , for various mono-, di-, and trisaccharides, and their derivatives (methyl glycosides) at molalities ranging from 0.04 to 0.12 mol kg⁻¹ in aqueous solutions of magnesium chloride of 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 mol kg⁻¹, have been evaluated over a range of temperatures from 288.15 to 318.15 K by density measurements employing a vibrating-tube densimeter. These data have been utilized to determine the corresponding standard partial molar volumes of transfer, , of saccharides and methyl glycosides from water to aqueous magnesium chloride solutions. The values have been found to be positive, and their magnitudes increase with an increasing concentration of magnesium chloride in all cases. Partial molar expansion coefficients, and second derivatives thereof, have been estimated. The magnitude of values increases with an increase in temperature, indicating that hydration effects in solutions are strongly sensitive to temperature. Pair and higher order volumetric interaction coefficients (V_AB, V_ABB) have also been obtained from values by using the McMillan-Mayer theory. The various parameters have been discussed in terms of the solute (saccharide or methyl glycoside)-co-solute (magnesium chloride) interactions and are thus used to understand the mixing effects due to these interactions. These results have been compared with those earlier reported in the presence of electrolytes. An attempt is made to interpret the volumetric properties data in terms of the stereochemistry of the solutes.     

Trypanosoma cruzi: Biodistribution of technetium-99m pertechnetate in infected rats

With the aim of investigating the biodistribution of technetium-99 m pertechnetate () in rats infected with Y strain of Tripanosoma Cruzi, at the peak of parasitemia, (14th day of infection), we injected Wistar rats with 0.1 ml of (3.7 MBq). After 60 min, the percentage of radioactivity per gram was counted in several isolated organs and blood, using a gamma counter (1470 Wizard, PerkinElmer Finland). The uptake of increased significantly in blood and decreased in the colon of infected animals (p < 0.05). A significant reduction in serum iron and red blood cells and a significant increase in total proteins, leukocytes and lymphocytes in the infected rats were observed, compared with controls (p < 0.05). A reduction in muscle layer thickness of the colon and mononuclear inflammation were observed. These results conclusively demonstrate that T. cruzi infection would be associated with changes in the biodistribution of and in colon morphology, with potential clinical implications.     

In situ spectroelectrochemical investigation of Pt(II/IV) oxidation in aqueous solution using X-ray absorption spectroscopy

The oxidation from to in HCl aq. was studied in situ by combining electrochemistry with XAFS spectroscopy. During the oxidation of , isosbestic points were observed in Pt L_III and L_II XANES spectra as a function of time, indicating that the Pt(II/IV) redox equilibrium is the only reaction in the system. The Pt L_III and L_II X-ray absorption edge energies of the initial Pt^IICl₄²⁻ are 11562.9 and 13271.8 eV, respectively, while those of the electrolyzed species are 11564.6 and 13273.7 eV which are identical with those of a reference sample. The coordination of the electrolyzed species was characterized by structural parameters derived from the EXAFS curve fit, and identified to .     

Ruthenium(II) complexes possessing the η-p-cymene ligand

Complexes possessing a soft donor η⁶-arene and hard donor acetylacetonate ligand, [(η⁶-p-cymene)Ru(κ²-O,O-acac-μ-CH)]₂[OTf]₂ (1) (OTf = trifluoromethanesulfonate; acac = acetylacetonate) and {Ar′ = 3,5-(CF₃)-C₆H₃}, were prepared and fully characterized. The lability of the μ-CH linkage for complex 1 and the THF ligand of 2 allow access to the unsaturated cation [(η⁶-p-cymene)Ru(κ²-O,O-acac)]⁺. The reaction of with KTp {Tp = hydridotris(pyrazolyl)borate} produces . The azide complex forms upon reaction of with N₃Ar (Ar = p-tolyl), and reaction of with CHCl₃ at 100 °C yields the chloride-bridged binuclear complex . The details of solid-state structures of [(η⁶-p-cymene)Ru(κ²-O,O-acac-μ-CH)]₂[OTf]₂ (1), and are disclosed.     

Maillard reaction of ribose 5-phosphate generates superoxide and glycation products for bovine heart cytochrome c reduction

Ribose 5-phosphate (R5P) is a sugar known to undergo the Maillard reaction (glycation) at a rapid rate. In a reaction with the lysines of bovine heart cytochrome c, R5P generates superoxide () that subsequently reduces ferri-cytochrome c to ferro-cytochrome c. The rate equation for the observed cytochrome c reduction is first order in respect to cytochrome c and half order in respect to R5P. The addition of amines to the cytochrome c-R5P system greatly increases the generation with rates of approximately 1.0 μM min⁻¹ being observed with millimolar levels of R5P and amine at 37 °C. Pre-incubation of R5P with the amine prior to cytochrome c addition further enhances the rate of cytochrome c reduction approximately twofold for every 30 min of incubation. While clearly accounting for a portion of the reduction of cytochrome c, is not the sole reductant of the system as the use of superoxide dismutase only partially limits cytochrome c reduction, and the contribution of proportionally decreases with longer amine-R5P incubation times. The remainder of the cytochrome c reduction is attributed to either the Amadori product or a cross-linked Schiff base created when a Maillard reaction-derived dicarbonyl compound(s) reacts with the amine. It is believed that these compounds directly transfer electrons to ferri-cytochrome c and subsequently become stable free-radical cations. ATP, a putative regulator of cytochrome c activity, does not inhibit electron transport from or the cross-linked Schiff base but does prevent R5P from reacting with surface lysines to generate superoxide. The spontaneous reaction between R5P and amines could serve as an alternative system for generating in solution.     

Kinetics and mechanism of the oxidation of oxalic acid by tetrachloroaurate(III) ion

The oxidation of oxalic acid by tetrachloroaurate(III) ion in 0.005 ? [HClO₄] ? 0.5 mol dm⁻³ is first order in and a fractional order in [oxalic acid], the reactive entities being AuCl₃(OH)⁻ and ions. The pseudo first-order rate, k_obs, with respect to [Au(III)], is retarded by increasing [H⁺] and [Cl⁻]. The retardation by H⁺ ion is caused by the dissociation equilibrium . A mechanism in which a substitution complex, is formed from AuCl₃(OH)⁻ and ions prior to its rate limiting disproportionation into products is suggested. The rate limiting constant, k, has been evaluated and its activation parameters are reported. The equilibrium constant K₁ for the formation of the substitution complex and its thermodynamic parameters are also reported.     

Femtosecond primary charge separation in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 photosystem I

The ultrafast (< 100 fs) conversion of delocalized exciton into charge-separated state between the primary donor P700 (bleaching at 705 nm) and the primary acceptor A₀ (bleaching at 690 nm) in photosystem I (PS I) complexes from Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 was observed. The data were obtained by application of pump-probe technique with 20-fs low-energy pump pulses centered at 720 nm. The earliest absorbance changes (close to zero delay) with a bleaching at 690 nm are similar to the product of the absorption spectrum of PS I complex and the laser pulse spectrum, which represents the efficiency spectrum of the light absorption by PS I upon femtosecond excitation centered at 720 nm. During the first ∼ 60 fs the energy transfer from the chlorophyll (Chl) species bleaching at 690 nm to the Chl bleaching at 705 nm occurs, resulting in almost equal bleaching of the two forms with the formation of delocalized exciton between 690-nm and 705-nm Chls. Within the next ∼ 40 fs the formation of a new broad band centered at ∼ 660 nm (attributed to the appearance of Chl anion radical) is observed. This band decays with time constant simultaneously with an electron transfer to A₁ (phylloquinone). The subtraction of kinetic difference absorption spectra of the closed (state P700⁺A₀A₁) PS I reaction center (RC) from that of the open (state P700A₀A₁) RC reveals the pure spectrum of the P700⁺A₀⁻ ion-radical pair. The experimental data were analyzed using a simple kinetic scheme: An* [(PA₀)*A₁ P⁺A₀⁻A₁] P⁺A₀A₁⁻, and a global fitting procedure based on the singular value decomposition analysis. The calculated kinetics of transitions between intermediate states and their spectra were similar to the kinetics recorded at 694 and 705 nm and the experimental spectra obtained by subtraction of the spectra of closed RCs from the spectra of open RCs. As a result, we found that the main events in RCs of PS I under our experimental conditions include very fast (< 100 fs) charge separation with the formation of the P700⁺A₀⁻A₁ state in approximately one half of the RCs, the ∼ 5-ps energy transfer from antenna Chl* to P700A₀A₁ in the remaining RCs, and ∼ 25-ps formation of the secondary radical pair P700⁺A₀A₁⁻.     

Applicability of new spin trap agent, 2-diphenylphosphinoyl-2-methyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-pyrrole N-oxide, in biological system

Electron spin resonance using spin-trapping is a useful technique for detecting direct reactive oxygen species, such as superoxide (). However, the widely used spin trap 2,2-dimethyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-pyrrole N-oxide (DMPO) has several fundamental limitations in terms of half-life and stability. Recently, the new spin trap 2-diphenylphosphinoyl-2-methyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-pyrrole N-oxide (DPhPMPO) was developed by us. We evaluated the biological applicability of DPhPMPO to analyze in both cell-free and cellular systems. DPhPMPO had a larger rate constant for and formed more stable spin adducts for than DMPO in the xanthine/xanthine oxidase (X/XO) system. In the phorbol myristate acetate-activated neutrophil system, the detection potential of DPhPMPO for was significantly higher than that of DMPO (k_DMPO = 13.95 M⁻¹ s⁻¹, k_DPhPMPO = 42.4 M⁻¹ s⁻¹). These results indicated that DPhPMPO is a potentially good candidate for trapping in a biological system.     

Dinuclear gold(III) pyrazolato complexes - Synthesis, structural characterization and transformation to their trinuclear gold(I) and gold(I/III) analogues

The reaction of AuCl₃py with Na(pz∗) (pz∗ = pyrazolato, or substituted pyrazolato anion) yields stable dinuclear [cis-Au^IIICl₂(μ-pz∗)]₂ complexes. In the presence of a base, the latter undergo reduction with concomitant transformation of the dinuclear -structure to trinuclear Au^I, Au^III (containing trans Au^IIICl₂-centres) and species.     

The BK channel accessory β1 subunit determines alcohol-induced cerebrovascular constriction

Ethanol-induced inhibition of myocyte large conductance, calcium- and voltage-gated potassium (BK) current causes cerebrovascular constriction, yet the molecular targets mediating EtOH action remain unknown. Using BK channel-forming (cbv1) subunits from cerebral artery myocytes, we demonstrate that EtOH potentiates and inhibits current at lower and higher than ∼15 μM, respectively. By increasing cbv1’s apparent -sensitivity, accessory BK β₁ subunits shift the activation-to-inhibition crossover of EtOH action to <3 μM , with consequent inhibition of current under conditions found during myocyte contraction. Knocking-down KCNMB1 suppresses EtOH-reduction of arterial myocyte BK current and vessel diameter. Therefore, BK β₁ is the molecular effector of alcohol-induced BK current inhibition and cerebrovascular constriction.     

Trypanosoma cruzi: Immunological predictors of benznidazole efficacy during experimental infection

C3H/HeN male mice were infected with a lethal population of Trypanosoma cruzi and treated with benznidazole (Bz). Parasitemia, body weight and survival rate were registered during the therapy with significant improvement for T. cruzi-infected Bz-treated animals. Besides, flow cytometry resulted a useful method to discriminate between cured animals from those not cured by monitoring IgG₁ bound to live trypomastigotes levels. At the end of Bz therapy, the LT splenocyte compartment was studied for activation/memory cell surface markers ( and ). Cytofluorometric analysis showed that T. cruzi-infected untreated mice increased their activated LT numbers and this effect was completely abolished only in cured mice at the end of Bz administration. The same behavior was observed for the memory LT subpopulation correlating to an effector memory () displayed by T. cruzi infection. Bz treatment was able to modulate the immunological response by reducing the deleterious effect of the acute phase in all T. cruzi-infected mice.     

Heterodimetallic Pd-based carboxylate-bridged complexes: Synthesis and structure of single-crystalline Pd-M (M = Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Nd, Eu, Ce) acetates

A series of crystalline Pd^II-based heterodimetallic acetate-bridged complexes containing the transition (Mn^II, Co^II, Ni^II, Cu^II), post-transition (Zn^II) and rare-earth (Ce^IV, Nd^III, Eu^III) metals were synthesized starting from Pd₃(OOCMe)₆ and the complementary metal(II, III) acetates. The crystal and molecular structures of the binuclear Pd^IIM^II(μ-OOCMe)₄L (M = Mn, Co, Ni, Zn; L = H₂O, MeCN), trinuclear and tetranuclear (M = Nd, Eu) and complexes were established by X-ray diffraction.     

Anation kinetics of pentacyanoaquachromate(III) by thiocyanate and azide

The kinetics of the reaction of Cr(CN)₅(H₂O)²⁻ with NCS⁻ and were studied at pH 5.0 and at pH 6.3-7.0, respectively, as a function of the temperature between 25.0 and 55.0 °C, and at various ionic strengths. Anation occurs in competition with aquation of CN⁻, with rate constants that exhibit less-than-first-order dependence on the concentration of the entering anions. The results are interpreted in terms of ligand interchange in a context of association of the two reacting anions mediated by the Na⁺ or Ca²⁺ counterions. The degree of aggregation depends mainly on the total cationic charge rather than on the ionic strength, and is ca. 2-fold larger for than for NCS⁻. Within the associated species, is a better entering ligand than NCS⁻ by a factor of 4.5. The Cr(CN)₅(NCS)³⁻ and Cr(CN)₅(N₃)³⁻ complexes were also synthesized, and the rates of aquation of NCS⁻ and were measured at pH 5.0 and between 55.0 and 80.0 °C, over the same range of ionic strengths. The ionic strength enhances the anation rates but has little effect on the aquation rates. The average activation enthalpies of the interchange step are 80 ± 3 and 76 ± 3 kJ mol⁻¹ for entry of NCS⁻ and , respectively. Those of the corresponding aquation reactions are 94 ± 4 and 107 ± 4 kJ mol⁻¹. Within error limits, all ΔH^‡ values are independent of the ionic strength. The results are consistent with an I_d mechanism for substitution in Cr(CN)₅X^z− complexes.     

Alkyl dehydrogenation in iridium tri-cyclopentyl phosphines

The iridium cyclooctadiene complex incorporating a tricyclopentyl phosphine ligand (PCyp₃), Ir(η²:η²-C₈H₁₂)(PCyp₃)Cl, has been prepared. Removal of the chloride from this complex using in CH₂Cl₂/arene solvent results in dehydrogenation (C-H activation followed by β-H transfer) of one of the alkyl phosphine rings and formation of the complexes (X = H, F) which contain a hybrid phosphine-alkene ligand. These complexes are formed alongside another product (5-20% yield) that has been identified as , which can be prepared in high yield by an alternative, and slightly modified, route. This complex is with a minor isomer that has been tentatively identified as , which results from allylic C-H activation of cyclooctadiene. Addition of H₂ to and its isomer in arene solvent (C₆H₅X, X = F, H) forms the dihydrido η⁶-arene Ir(III) complexes . In contrast, hydrogenation in CH₂Cl₂ alone results in the formation of in which the anion is now acting as a ligand through one of its aryl rings. The fluorobenzene complex can be cleanly converted to by addition of the hydrogen acceptor tert-butylethene (tbe).     

Endothelium negatively modulates the vascular relaxation induced by nitric oxide donor, due to uncoupling NO synthase

Nitrosyl ruthenium complexes have been characterized as nitric oxide (NO) donors that induce relaxation in the denuded rat aorta. There are some differences in their vascular relaxation mechanisms compared with sodium nitroprusside. This study investigates whether the endothelium could interfere with the [Ru(terpy)(bdq)NO]³⁺-TERPY-induced vascular relaxation, by analyzing the maximal relaxation (Emax) and potency (pD₂) of TERPY. Vascular reactivity experiments showed that the endothelium negatively modulates (pD₂: 6.17 ± 0.07) the TERPY relaxation in intact rat aortic rings compared with the denuded rat aorta (pD₂: 6.65 ± 0.07). This effect is abolished by a non-selective NO-synthase (NOS) inhibitor L-NAME (pD₂: 6.46 ± 0.10), by the superoxide anion () scavenger TIRON (pD₂: 6.49 ± 0.08), and by an NOS cofactor BH₄ (pD₂: 6.80 ± 0.10). The selective dye for (DHE) shows that TERPY enhances concentration in isolated endothelial cells (intensity of fluorescence (IF):11258.00 ± 317.75) compared with the basal concentration (IF: 7760.67 ± 381.50), and this enhancement is blocked by L-NAME (IF: 8892.33 ± 1074.41). Similar results were observed in vascular smooth muscle cells (concentration of superoxide after TERPY: 2.63 ± 0.17% and after TERPY + L-NAME: −4.63 ± 0.14%). Considering that TERPY could induce uncoupling NOS, thus producing , we have also investigated the involvement of prostanoids in the negative modulation of the endothelium. The non-selective cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitor indomethacin and the selective tromboxane (TXA₂) receptor antagonist SQ29548 reduce the effect of the endothelium on TERPY relaxation (pD₂ INDO: 6.80 ± 0.17 and SQ29548: 6.85 ± 0.15, respectively). However, a selective prostaglandin F_2α receptor antagonist (AH6809) does not change the endothelium effect. Moreover, TERPY enhances the concentration of TXA₂ stable metabolite (TXB₂), but this effect is blocked by L-NAME and TIRON. The present findings indicate that TERPY induces uncoupling of eNOS, enhancing concentration. This enhancement in concentration induces COX activation, producing TXA₂, which negatively modulates the rat aorta relaxation induced by the NO donor TERPY.     

Kinetic studies of the reduction of hexaaquacobalt(III) perchlorate by a cobaloxime, [Co(dmgBF2)2(H2O)2]

The reaction of with Co(dmgBF₂)₂(H₂O)₂ in 1.0 M HClO₄/LiClO₄ was found to be first-order in both reactants and the [H⁺] dependence of the second-order rate constant is given by k_2obs = b/[H⁺], b at 25 °C is 9.23 ± 0.14 × 10² s⁻¹. The [H⁺] dependence at lower temperatures shows some saturation effect that allowed an estimate of the hydrolysis constant for as K_a = 9.5 × 10⁻³ M at 10 and 15 °C. Marcus theory and the known self-exchange rate constant for Co(OH₂)₅OH^2+/+ were used to estimate an electron self-exchange rate constant of k₂₂ = 1.7 × 10⁻⁴ M⁻¹ s⁻¹ for .