Antiradical Activity and Mechanism of Coumarin-Chalcone Hybrids: Theoretical Insights.

In view of the multifunctional features of coumarins and chalcones, coumarin-chalcone hybrids have attracted much attention in recent years. Herein, the free radical scavenging activities of a series of coumarin-chalcone hybrids were investigated using the density functional theory (DFT) method. Three main reaction mechanisms were explored: hydrogen atom transfer (HAT), electron transfer followed by proton transfer (SET-PT), and sequential proton loss electron transfer (SPLET). Thermodynamic descriptors associated with these mechanisms were calculated in the gas phase and solvents. The results demonstrate that the predicted antioxidant efficiencies are generally in accordance with the experimental results. HAT is proposed as the thermodynamically favored mechanism in the gas phase and nonpolar solution, while SPLET is preferred in polar media. Our results indicate that compound MPHCC possesses potential for inactivating free radicals via double HAT and double SPLET mechanisms depending upon the polarity of environment. In addition, the SPLHAT mechanism provides an alternative pathway to HAT and SPLET for radical scavenging by MPHCC and OPHCC. The results confirmed the crucial role of hydroxyl groups on the chalcone moiety in trapping radicals. 4'-OH in the catechol group is proposed as the primary target for radical attack.

Copper-organic cationic ring with an inserted arsenic-vanadium polyanionic cluster for efficient catalytic Cr(VI) reduction using formic acid.

Polyanionic cluster [ß-As8V14O42(H2O)](4-) is well embedded in a large porous eight-membered cationic ring of the copper ligand, giving a stable host-guest supramolecular system. The assembly exhibits an efficient heterogeneous catalytic performance for the reduction of Cr(VI) using formic acid at ambient temperature.

TDDFT study on the photophysical properties of coumarinyl chalcones and sensing mechanism of a derived fluorescent probe for hydrogen sulfide.

Coumarin-chalcone hybrids have attracted much attention in recent years due to their important optical properties. Herein, the photophysical properties of a series of coumarinyl chalcones and the sensing mechanism for H2S of a related fluorescent probe CC-DNP were investigated using density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) methods. The predicted spectral properties agree well with the experimental results, which allowed an assignment of the spectra. Our calculations successfully clarified the experimental observed fluorescence "off-on" effect and the fluorescent quenching mechanism of the probe. The results revealed that the first excited state (S1) of the probe CC-DNP is a dark state with obvious charge transfer from coumarin unit to 2,4-dinitrophenyl (DNP) moiety, which results in the fluorescence quenching via the nonradiative photoinduced electron transfer (PET) process. On the other hand, the excited state S1 in the thiolysis product CC-OH decayed directly to S0, and thus the fluorescence is recovered.

Antioxidant activity and mechanism of dihydrochalcone C-glycosides: Effects of C-glycosylation and hydroxyl groups.

Dihydrochalcones (DHCs), an important subgroup of flavonoids, have recently received much attention due to their diverse biological activities. In contrast to their O-glycosides, understanding of the antioxidant property and mechanism of DHC C-glycosides remains limited. Herein, the free radical scavenging activity and mechanism of two representative C-glycosyl DHCs, aspalathin (ASP) and nothofagin (NOT) as well as their aglycones, 3-hydroxyphloretin (HPHL) and phloretin (PHL) were evaluated using the density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The results revealed the crucial role of sugar moiety on the conformation and the activity. The o-dihydroxyl in the B-ring and the 2',6'-dihydroxyacetophenone moiety were found significant in determining the activity. Our results showed that hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) is the dominant mechanism for radical-trapping in the gas and benzene phases, while the sequential proton loss electron transfer (SPLET) is more preferable in the polar environments. Also, the results revealed the feasibility of the double HAT and double SPLET as well as the SPLHAT mechanisms, which provide alternative pathways to trap radical for the studied DHCs. These results could deepen the understanding of the antiradical activity and mechanism of DHCs, which will facilitate the design of novel efficient antioxidants.

Computational study on the antioxidant property of coumarin-fused coumarins.

Fused coumarins recently attracted strong scientific interest due to their potent pharmacological activities. In this study, density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed to evaluate the antiradical activities of a series of coumarin-fused coumarins. By calculating the thermodynamic parameters, three primary mechanisms including hydrogen atom transfer (HAT), electron transfer followed by proton transfer (SET-PT) and sequential proton loss electron transfer (SPLET) were examined. It was found that in the gas and benzene phases, the studied compounds prefer to undergo HAT mechanism, while SPLET is more favored in polar media. The results also reveal the possibility of double HAT and double SPLET mechanisms for compound CC-6. Interestingly, a new polycyclic compound was generated by forming a new C5-O5' bond during the second HAT process at the 5'-OH in CC-6-R6 radical. In addition, the SPLHAT mechanism is proposed as a competitive pathway for radical scavenging by CC-4, CC-5 and CC-6.

Correlating nanoscale titania structure with toxicity: a cytotoxicity and inflammatory response study with human dermal fibroblasts and human lung epithelial cells.

Nanocrystalline titanium dioxide (nano-TiO(2)) is an important material used in commerce today. When designed appropriately it can generate reactive species (RS) quite efficiently, particularly under ultraviolet (UV) illumination; this feature is exploited in applications ranging from self-cleaning glass to low-cost solar cells. In this study, we characterize the toxicity of this important class of nanomaterials under ambient (e.g., no significant light illumination) conditions in cell culture. Only at relatively high concentrations (100 microg/ml) of nanoscale titania did we observe cytotoxicity and inflammation; these cellular responses exhibited classic dose-response behavior, and the effects increased with time of exposure. The extent to which nanoscale titania affected cellular behavior was not dependent on sample surface area in this study; smaller nanoparticlulate materials had effects comparable to larger nanoparticle materials. What did correlate strongly to cytotoxicity, however, was the phase composition of the nanoscale titania. Anatase TiO(2), for example, was 100 times more toxic than an equivalent sample of rutile TiO(2). The most cytotoxic nanoparticle samples were also the most effective at generating reactive oxygen species; ex vivo RS species generation under UV illumination correlated well with the observed biological response. These data suggest that nano-TiO(2) samples optimized for RS production in photocatalysis are also more likely to generate damaging RS species in cell culture. The result highlights the important role that ex vivo measures of RS production can play in developing screens for cytotoxicity.

Solvothermal synthesis and characterization of anatase TiO2 nanocrystals with ultrahigh surface area.

Phase-pure, ultrafine nanocrystalline anatase with high specific surface area (up to 250 m(2) g(-1)) was obtained upon injection of a titanium alkoxide precursor into ethanol with designed volume of water under mild solvothermal conditions (<200 degrees C, 2 h). Primary particle sizes were tuned by adjusting various reaction parameters, with the smallest grain sizes occurring at low temperatures (140-150 degrees C), low initial alkoxide concentrations, and intermediate hydrolysis ratios (r identical with[H2O]/[Ti(OR)4]=5-10). Additionally, variations in the reaction temperature result in changes in particle morphology and distribution, with high-temperature samples exhibiting bimodal distributions of small spherical and larger cubic particles that suggest grain growth via Ostwald ripening. A crystalline product with high thermal stability and specific surface area up to 5 times that of commercial nano-titania can be obtained at a relatively low temperature of 150 degrees C. The physical properties of the titania samples obtained in this study suggest they might be well suited for catalytic applications.

All-in-one light-tunable borated phosphors with chemical and luminescence dynamical control resolution.

Single-composition white-emitting phosphors with superior intrinsic properties upon excitation by ultraviolet light-emitting diodes are important constituents of next-generation light sources. Borate-based phosphors, such as NaSrBO3:Ce(3+) and NaCaBO3:Ce(3+), have stronger absorptions in the near-ultraviolet region as well as better chemical/physical stability than oxides. Energy transfer effects from sensitizer to activator caused by rare-earth ions are mainly found in the obtained photoluminescence spectra and lifetime. The interactive mechanisms of multiple dopants are ambiguous in most cases. We adjust the doping concentration in NaSrBO3:RE (RE = Ce(3+), Tb(3+), Mn(2+)) to study the energy transfer effects of Ce(3+) to Tb(3+) and Mn(2+) by comparing the experimental data and theoretical calculation. The vacuum-ultraviolet experimental determination of the electronic energy levels for Ce(3+) and Tb(3+) in the borate host regarding the 4f-5d and 4f-4f configurations are described. Evaluation of the Ce(3+)/Mn(2+) intensity ratios as a function of Mn(2+) concentration is based on the analysis of the luminescence dynamical process and fluorescence lifetime measurements. The results closely agree with those directly obtained from the emission spectra. Density functional calculations are performed using the generalized gradient approximation plus an on-site Coulombic interaction correction scheme to investigate the forbidden mechanism of interatomic energy transfer between the NaSrBO3:Ce(3+) and NaSrBO3:Eu(2+) systems. Results indicate that the NaSrBO3:Ce(3+), Tb(3+), and Mn(2+) phosphors can be used as a novel white-emitting component of UV radiation-excited devices.

Cloning and characterization of purine nucleoside phosphorylase in Escherichia coli and subsequent ribavirin biosynthesis using immobilized recombinant cells.

With improved enzymatic activity and easy accessibility, the recombinant purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNPase) could be a very promising alternative for nucleoside biosynthesis. In our work, the deoD gene encoding PNPase was successfully cloned from Escherichia coli MG1665 and overexpressed in E. coli BL 21(DE3). After optimization of expression conditions including temperature, induction timing and isopropyl-thio-ß-D-galactoside (IPTG) concentration, over 70% of expressed total protein was His-tagged PNPase, in the soluble and functional form. Followed assays indicated that the recombinant enzyme exhibited similar substrate specificity and pH preference as the wild type PNPase. Furthermore, the immobilization technology was applied to develop the possible application of recombinant enzyme. Agar from four different polymer carriers was selected as a suitable matrix for whole recombinant cell entrapment. Subsequent enzyme assays, kinetic analysis and stability evaluation of free and immobilized recombinant cells were compared. The results indicated that although the immobilization process reduced the substrate affinity and catalytic efficiency of recombinant cells, it could significantly enhance the stability and reusability of these cells. Finally, the immobilized whole cell biocatalyst was applied to produce ribavirin, as a model nucleoside synthesis reaction. The obtained relative high productivity of ribavirin and quick reaction time suggested the great potential and feasibility of immobilized PNPase in efficient and valuable industrial utilizations.

Analytical ultracentrifugation for characterizing nanocrystals and their bioconjugates.

Analytical ultracentrifugation (AU) provides a general way to probe the polydispersity of nanoparticles and the formation of bioconjugates in solution. Unconjugated gold nanocrystals show sedimentation coefficient distributions that are in agreement with size distributions as measured by TEM. AU is sensitive to the size/shape changes elicited by conjugation, in this case to lactose repressor (LacI). AU data reveal saturating protein concentrations for conjugates that correspond to the measured stoichiometry of the complex under these conditions.