Updating a chiral separation strategy for non-acidic drugs with capillary electrochromatography applicable for both chlorinated and non-chlorinated polysaccharide selectors

A generic strategy for the chiral separation of non-acidic pharmaceuticals was updated to complete an approach defined earlier. The selected chiral stationary phases are all polysaccharide selectors, chlorinated, and non-chlorinated, namely Lux(?) Amylose 2, Chiralcel(?) OD-RH, Lux(?) Cellulose 4, and Chiralpak(?) AD-RH. In this study, the screening step of a strategy defined earlier was updated and the optimization steps were re-evaluated for the applied chiral stationary phases. These screening and optimization conditions were studied by analyzing 20 pharmaceuticals at different organic modifier contents, temperatures, or applied voltages. The proposed chiral separation strategy was then evaluated with a test set of 19 non-acidic drugs. Seventeen compounds (89.5%) of the latter set could be resolved of which eight (42%) were baseline separated. The strategy thus proved to be applicable on compounds different from those used for its development.     

Enantioselectivity of monolithic silica stationary phases immobilized with different concentrations cellulose tris (3,5-dimethylphenylcarbamate), analyzed with different mobile phases in capillary electrochromatography

The 3,5-dimethylphenylcarbamate derivatives of cellulose bearing 3-(triethoxysilyl)propyl residues were immobilized in a capillary format onto a monolithic silica support by intermolecular polycondensation of the triethoxysilyl groups. The resulting columns were used for chiral separations using capillary electrochromatography. The effects of the synthesizing solvent, the selector coating procedure, the chiral selector concentration onto the silica monolith and the mobile phase pH value, on the separation of enantiomers were studied. The column-to-column reproducibility and stability also were evaluated. A test set of 14 chiral substances, including acidic, neutral, bifunctional and basic compounds, was used to investigate the effects of the factors mentioned above. Twelve pairs of enantiomers showed enantioselectivity at some of the different conditions tested. The column-to-column repeatability was satisfactory, and the prepared columns were stable under the adopted analysis conditions.     

Quality control of Citri reticulatae pericarpium: exploratory analysis and discrimination

Extracts of Citri reticulatae pericarpium (PCR) are commonly used in the Traditional Chinese Medicine. The quality control of PCR is currently performed by single marker analysis, which can hardly describe the complexity of such natural samples. In this study, a fingerprint methodology for PCR based on high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was developed and validated. A total of 69 fingerprints of authenticated PCR samples, commercial PCR samples, mixed peel samples, and other Citrus peels were recorded. Exploratory data analysis allowed optimizing the extraction procedure and detecting mixed peel samples. Once the optimizations were performed and the method validated, discrimination between the authentic PCR samples and all other samples was performed by p-Discriminant Partial Least Squares. The established model was able to differentiate between classes with a high reliability for each sample. Furthermore, evaluation of the score and loading plots of the model indicated nobiletin, tangeretin, naringin and hesperidin as important markers for the quality control of PCR.     

Improved variable reduction in partial least squares modelling based on predictive-property-ranked variables and adaptation of partial least squares complexity

The calibration performance of partial least squares for one response variable (PLS1) can be improved by elimination of uninformative variables. Many methods are based on so-called predictive variable properties, which are functions of various PLS-model parameters, and which may change during the variable reduction process. In these methods variable reduction is made on the variables ranked in descending order for a given variable property. The methods start with full spectrum modelling. Iteratively, until a specified number of remaining variables is reached, the variable with the smallest property value is eliminated; a new PLS model is calculated, followed by a renewed ranking of the variables. The Stepwise Variable Reduction methods using Predictive-Property-Ranked Variables are denoted as SVR-PPRV. In the existing SVR-PPRV methods the PLS model complexity is kept constant during the variable reduction process. In this study, three new SVR-PPRV methods are proposed, in which a possibility for decreasing the PLS model complexity during the variable reduction process is build in. Therefore we denote our methods as PPRVR-CAM methods (Predictive-Property-Ranked Variable Reduction with Complexity Adapted Models). The selective and predictive abilities of the new methods are investigated and tested, using the absolute PLS regression coefficients as predictive property. They were compared with two modifications of existing SVR-PPRV methods (with constant PLS model complexity) and with two reference methods: uninformative variable elimination followed by either a genetic algorithm for PLS (UVE-GA-PLS) or an interval PLS (UVE-iPLS). The performance of the methods is investigated in conjunction with two data sets from near-infrared sources (NIR) and one simulated set. The selective and predictive performances of the variable reduction methods are compared statistically using the Wilcoxon signed rank test. The three newly developed PPRVR-CAM methods were able to retain significantly smaller numbers of informative variables than the existing SVR-PPRV, UVE-GA-PLS and UVE-iPLS methods without loss of prediction ability. Contrary to UVE-GA-PLS and UVE-iPLS, there is no variability in the number of retained variables in each PPRV(R) method. Renewed variable ranking, after deletion of a variable, followed by remodelling, combined with the possibility to decrease the PLS model complexity, is beneficial. A preferred PPRVR-CAM method is proposed.     

Chromatographic separation techniques and data handling methods for herbal fingerprints: a review

As herbal medicines have an important position in health care systems worldwide, their current assessment and quality control are a major bottleneck. Over the past decade, major steps were taken not only to improve the quality of the herbal products but also to develop analytical methods ensuring their quality. Nowadays, chromatographic fingerprinting is the generally accepted technique for the assessment and quality control of herbal products. This paper briefly considers the evolution of the regulations and guidelines on the quality control of herbal medicines, and reviews the established analytical techniques for herbal fingerprinting with an emphasis on the most recent developments, such as miniaturized techniques, new stationary phases, analysis at high temperatures and multi-dimensional chromatography. Accessory to the new analytical techniques, the chemometric data handling techniques applied are discussed. Chemometrics provide scientists with useful tools in understanding the huge amounts of data generated by the analytical advances and prove to be valuable for quality control, classification and modelling of, and discrimination between herbal fingerprints.     

A framework and algorithms for circular drawings of graphs

In this paper, we present a framework and two linear time algorithms for obtaining circular drawings of graphs. The first technique produces circular drawings of biconnected graphs and finds a zero crossing circular drawing if one exists. The second technique finds multiple embedding circle drawings. Techniques for the reduction of edge crossings are also discussed. Results of experimental studies are included.     

The rectangle intersection problem revisited

We take another look at the problem of intersecting rectangles with parallel sides. For this we derive a one-pass, time optimal algorithm which is easy to program, generalizes tod dimensions well, and illustrates a basic duality in its data structures and approach.The work of the first author was supported by the DAAD (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst) and carried out while visiting McMaster University as a postdoctoral fellow. The work of the second author was supported by a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Grant No. A-7700.     

Baryon exchange in the reaction π−p → N10π0 at 9 GeV/c and 12 GeV/c

In π^?p interactions at 9 GeV/c and 12 GeV/c, the forward production of N¹1680 and N¹1520 has been observed with features of nucleon exchange. The production of Δ1232 is strongly suppressed.     

The stereospecific synthesis of leukotriene A4 (LTA4), 5-epi-LTA4, 6-epi-LTA4 and 5-epi,6-epi-LTA4

The stereospecific syntheses of the four isomers of 6-formyl-5,6-epoxy hexanoic acid methyl ester $\text{8}$, $\text{15}$, $\text{23}$ and $\text{30}$ from Z-deoxy-D-ribose have allowed the preparation of methyl esters of LTA₄, $\text{1}$, and its three unnatural isomers.