Correction strategy for diffusion-weighted images corrupted with motion: application to the DTI evaluation of infants' white matter

Objective

Diffusion imaging techniques such as DTI and HARDI are difficult to implement in infants because of their sensitivity to subject motion. A short acquisition time is generally preferred, at the expense of spatial resolution and signal-to-noise ratio. Before estimating the local diffusion model, most pre-processing techniques only register diffusion-weighted volumes, without correcting for intra-slice artifacts due to motion or technical problems. Here, we propose a fully automated strategy, which takes advantage of a high orientation number and is based on spherical-harmonics decomposition of the diffusion signal.

Material and methods

The correction strategy is based on two successive steps: 1) automated detection and resampling of corrupted slices; 2) correction for eddy current distortions and realignment of misregistered volumes. It was tested on DTI data from adults and non-sedated healthy infants.

Results

The methodology was validated through simulated motions applied to an uncorrupted dataset and through comparisons with an unmoved reference. Second, we showed that the correction applied to an infant group enabled to improve DTI maps and to increase the reliability of DTI quantification in the immature cortico-spinal tract.

Conclusion

This automated strategy performed reliably on DTI datasets and can be applied to spherical single- and multiple-shell diffusion imaging.     

Stereoselective palladium-catalyzed functionalization of homoallylic alcohols: a convenient synthesis of di- and trisubstituted isoxazolidines and β-amino-δ-hydroxy esters

Enantiopure, Boc-protected alkoxyamines 12 and 13, derived from the readily available homoallylic alcohols 4 via a reaction that involves either inversion or retention of configuration, undergo a diastereoselective Pd-catalyzed ring-closing carbonylative amidation to produce isoxazolidines 16/17 (≤50:1 diastereoisomer ratio (d.r.)) that can be readily converted into the N-Boc-protected esters of β-amino-δ-hydroxy acids and their γ-substituted homologues 37. The key carbonylative cyclization proceeds through an unusual syn addition of the palladium and the nitrogen nucleophile across the C=C bond (19→21), as revealed by the reaction of 15, which afforded isoxazolidine 18 with high diastereoselectivity.     

Implementation of comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography–time-of-flight mass spectrometry for the simultaneous determination of halogenated contaminants and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in fish

In the presented study, comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled to time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC?×?GC-TOFMS) was shown to be a powerful tool for the simultaneous determination of various groups of contaminants including 18 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), seven polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Since different groups of analytes (traditionally analyzed separately) were included into one instrumental method, significant time savings were achieved. Following the development of an integrated sample preparation procedure for an effective and rapid isolation of several groups of contaminants from fish tissue, the GC?×?GC-TOFMS instrumental method was optimized to obtain the best chromatographic resolution and low quantification limits (LOQs) of all target analytes in a complex mixture. Using large-volume programmable temperature vaporization, the following LOQs were achieved-PCBs, 0.01-0.25 μg/kg; PBDEs, 0.025-5 μg/kg; PAHs 0.025-0.5 μg/kg. Furthermore, several capillary column combinations (BPX5, BPX50, and Rxi-17Sil-ms in the first dimension and BPX5, BPX50, Rt-LC35, and HT8 in the second dimension) were tested during the experiments, and the optimal separation of all target analytes even of critical groups of PAHs (group (a): benz[a]anthracene, cyclopenta[cd]pyrene and chrysene; group (b): benzo[b]fluoranthene, benzo[j]fluoranthene and benzo[k]fluoranthene; group (c): dibenz[ah]anthracene, indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene and benzo[ghi]perylene) was observed on BPX5?×?BPX50 column setup. Moreover, since the determination of target analytes was performed using TOFMS detector, further identification of other non-target compounds in real life samples was also feasible.     

Highly Enantioselective Synthesis of 1,2,3‐Substituted Cyclopropanes by Using α‐Iodo‐ and α‐Chloromethylzinc Carbenoids

Herein, we report the enantio‐ and diastereoselective formation of trans‐iodo‐ and trans‐chlorocyclopropanes from α‐iodo‐ and α‐chlorozinc carbenoids by using a dioxaborolane‐derived chiral ligand. The synthetically useful iodocyclopropane building blocks were derivatized by an electrophilic trapping of the corresponding cyclopropyl lithium species or a Negishi coupling to give access to a variety of enantioenriched 1,2,3‐substituted cyclopropanes. The synthetic utility of this method was demonstrated by the formal synthesis of an HIV‐1 protease inhibitor. In addition, the related stereoselective bromocyclopropanation was also investigated. New insights about the relative electrophilicity of haloiodomethylzinc carbenoids are also presented.     

Assignment of Relative Configuration of Desoxypropionates by 1H NMR Spectroscopy: Method Development,Proof of Principle by Asymmetric Total Synthesis of Xylarinic Acid A and Applications

The determination of the relative configuration of 1,3‐dimethyl‐substituted alkyl chains is possible by interpretation of ¹H NMR shift differences. Additionally, assignments are feasible in a variety of deuterated solvents, because the corresponding shift differences are not significantly influenced by the solvent. The trends for Δδ values depending on functional groups adjacent to the stereogenic centers are shown. Based on a thorough comparison with literature data, the relative configuration of natural products can be predicted. For this purpose, we derived an empirical rule for the ranges in which Δδ values usually occur. Furthermore, we were able to proof the validity of our method by the successful prediction of the relative configuration for the polyketide natural product xylarinic acid A, which was confirmed by the asymmetric total synthesis of its enantiomer. Based on the proposed simple analysis of published ¹H NMR data and the determination of the relevant chemical‐shift differences, we predicted the relative configurations of several previously unassigned natural products.     

Rapid testing of clopidogrel resistance by genotyping of CYP2C19 and CYP2C9 polymorphisms using denaturing on-chip capillary electrophoresis

Antiplatelet therapy is a cornerstone of cardiovascular treatment in patients with coronary artery disease and after myocardial infarction. Clopidogrel has become a popular antiplatelet agent due to its fast action and low frequency of adverse effects. Kinetics of clopidogrel metabolism is driven by enzymatic activity of the Cytochrome P450 system. Genotyping of CYP2C19 and CYP2C9 polymorphisms allows to identify slow metabolizers showing resistance to clopidogrel therapy. Today, a number of PCR-based techniques for single nucleotide polymorphism genotyping directed at clopidogrel resistance polymorphisms are in use. Here, we describe a new alternative genotyping approach combining the separation power of denaturing capillary electrophoresis with the analysis speed and ease of use of Bioanalyzer chipCE platform. Using an upgraded heater control, we present an optimization for allele separation of CYP2C19 I331V, CYP2C9 R144C, and CYP2C9 I359L polymorphisms employing run temperatures of up to 55°C. We demonstrate rapid and accessible approach to reproducible clopidogrel resistance with feasibility and low cost.     

Controlled Anchoring of (Phenylureido)sulfonamide-Based Receptor Moieties: An Impact of Binding Site Multiplication on Complexation Properties

The repetition of urea-based binding units within the receptor structure does not only lead to monomer properties multiplication. As confirmed by spectroscopic studies, UV-Vis and ¹H-NMR in classical or competitive titration mode, the attachment to a carrier allocates the active moieties to mutual positions predetermining the function of the whole receptor molecule. Bivalent receptors form self-aggregates. Dendritic receptors with low dihydrogen phosphate loadings offer a cooperative complexation mode associated with a positive dendritic effect. In higher dihydrogen phosphate concentrations, the dendritic branches act independently and the binding mode changes to 1:1 anion: complexation site. Despite the anchoring, the dendritic receptors retain the superior efficiency and selectivity of a monomer, paving the way to recyclable receptors, desirable for economic and ecological reasons.     

Adsorption of Toluene and Water over Cationic-Exchanged Y Zeolites: A DFT Exploration

In this study, density functional theory (DFT) calculations have been performed to investigate the adsorption mechanisms of toluene and water onto various cationic forms of Y zeolite (LiY, NaY, KY, CsY, CuY and AgY). Our computational investigation revealed that toluene is mainly adsorbed via π–interactions on alkalis exchanged Y zeolites, where the adsorbed toluene moiety interacts with a single cation for all cases with the exception of CsY, where two cations can simultaneously contribute to the adsorption of the toluene, hence leading to the highest interaction observed among the series. Furthermore, we find that the interaction energies of toluene increase while moving down in the alkaline series where interaction energies are 87.8, 105.5, 97.8, and 114.4 kJ/mol for LiY, NaY, KY and CsY, respectively. For zeolites based on transition metals (CuY and AgY), our calculations reveal a different adsorption mode where only one cation interacts with toluene through two carbon atoms of the aromatic ring with interaction energies of 147.0 and 131.5 kJ/mol for CuY and AgY, respectively. More importantly, we show that water presents no inhibitory effect on the adsorption of toluene, where interaction energies of this latter were 10 kJ/mol (LiY) to 47 kJ/mol (CsY) higher than those of water. Our results point out that LiY would be less efficient for the toluene/water separation while CuY, AgY and CsY would be the ideal candidates for this application.     

Enantioselective Synthesis of Complex Fused Heterocycles through Chiral Phosphoric Acid Catalyzed Intramolecular Inverse-Electron-Demand Aza-Diels–Alder Reactions

A stable asymmetric intramolecular Povarov reaction has been established to provide an efficient method to access structurally diverse trans,trans-trisubstituted tetrahydrochromeno[4,3-b]quinolines in high stereoselectivities of up to >99:1 diastereomeric ratio and 99 % enantiomeric excess, without any purification step. Additionally, to facilitate large-scale application of this method, a low catalyst loading protocol was employed, 0.2 mol % chiral phosphoric acid, which provided the cycloadducts without any loss in yield and enantioselectivity. Theoretical studies revealed that the reaction occurred through a sequential Mannich reaction and an intramolecular Friedel–Crafts reaction, wherein the phosphoric acid acted as a bifunctional catalyst to activate the para-phenolic dienophile and N-2-hydroxy-2-azadiene simultaneously.