Preparation of novel analgesics via diastereoselective nucleophilic addition to 1-dimethylamino-2-methylpentan-3-one

The diastereoselective synthesis of naphthyl amino alcohols via nucleophilic addition to racemic 1-dimethylamino-2-methylpentan-3-one was studied. The use of the appropriate experimental conditions allowed the synthesis of both diastereoisomers. The relative configurations were established via NOESY experiments.     

Whole body vibration in mountain-rescue operations

In mountain-rescue operations injured people are generally exposed to vibrations and shocks that can be potential causes of physical conditions worsening. Such vibrations can derive both from patient's body manipulations (e.g. when it is being loaded and immobilized on a stretcher) and from forces coming from the transport devices and vehicles. Despite the general feeling that during this kind of operations the levels of transmitted vibrations to the injured can be quite large and potentially dangerous, there is practically no study in literature providing reliable parameters (i.e. measurements) to support or dismiss these beliefs. This paper reports the results of a measurement campaign carried-out in order to outline, identify and quantify the excitations a human body is exposed to, during typical transportation phases related to mountain-rescue operations. The work mainly presents and discusses the experimental setup with the aim of focusing on the problems related to this kind of measurements; the results of the experimental campaign carried-out for the measurement of the vibrations undergone by a human body during a simulated rescue operation are presented and discussed as well. Such simulation includes three phases of transportation: on a hand-held stretcher, on an ambulance and on a helicopter. The work is not intended to supply a complete characterization and analysis of vibrations transmission during any rescue operation but just to provide a preliminary overview and to define a measurement method that can be applied for a more comprehensive characterization. With such aims measurements were carried out in on-field situations stated as “typical” by rescue experts and data then analyzed both with standard procedures and algorithms (e.g. ISO 2631s weighting curves) and with the commonly used statistical indexes; in the analysis it is important to be aware that standardized measurement procedures and indexes, created to verify comfort or health-risks of workers, might not fit the case of a generic patient who experienced a serious mountain accident. The work includes also a laboratory activity mainly related to mechanical characterization of the stretcher used in the field tests. The most interesting result of the study is the comparison of the vibration levels in the various rescue phases that, even when using different indicators, shows that the most critical issue is due to hand transportation despite the bad judgment usually expressed for helicopter flight.     

Role of catechin on collagen type I stability upon oxidation: a NMR approach

Abstract

The study focuses on the understanding, at molecular level, the mechanism of interaction between protein and flavonoids. Collagen and catechin interactions were investigated by NMR in solution and solid state. The effect of catechin on the stability of collagen to oxidation was also explored. Collagen was treated with two concentrations of catechin solutions. Oxidation was carried out by incubation of collagen solution with three oxidation systems: Fe(II)/H₂O₂, Cu(II)/H₂O₂, and NaOCl/H₂O₂. The effects of oxidation systems were evaluated by high resolution 1?D and 2?D proton spectroscopy and solid state NMR (¹³C CP MAS) experiments. Interactions between collagen and catechin preferentially occur between catechin B ring and the amino acids Pro and Hyp of collagen. Results showed that both iron and copper oxidation systems were able to interact with collagen by site specific attack. Moreover, catechin protects collagen proline from oxidation by metal/H₂O₂ systems, preventing copper and iron approach to collagene molecule;this behaviour was more evident for the copper/H₂O₂ system.     

Shaping Solid-State Supramolecular Cavities: Chemically Induced Accordionlike Movement of gamma-Zirconium Phosphate Containing Polyethylenoxide Pillars

The hydrophilic oxygen atoms of polyethylenoxide chains inserted as pillars in gamma-zirconium phosphate form hydrogen bonds with the acid groups of the host. As a result the pillars are almost perpendicular to the gamma layers. Upon changing the pH level of the supernatant solution the hydrogen bonds are broken and the pillars become almost perpendicular to the layers (shown schematically). Thus there is a reversible enlargement-shortening of the interlayer space.     

Diastereoselective synthesis of α-amino-β-hydroxyacids

threo-α-Dibenzylamino-?-hydroxyesters (2) have been synthesised with high diastereoselectivity through the NaBH₄ reduction of α-dibenzylamino-β-oxoesters (4) and then tranformed into threo-α-amino-β-hydroxyacids.     

Surface tension in Ising systems with Kac potentials

We consider an Ising spin system with Kac potentials in a torus of ^d,d>-2, and fix the temperature below its Lebowitz-Penrose critical value. We prove that when the Kac scaling parameter vanishes, the log of the probability of an interface becomes proportional to its area and the surface tension, related to the proportionality constant, converges to the van der Waals surface tension. The results are based on the analysis of the rate functionals for Gibbsian large deviations and on the proof that they -converge to the perimeter functional of geometric measure theory (which extends the notion of area). Our considerations include nonsmooth interfaces, proving that the Gibbsian probability of an interface depends only on its area and not on its regularity.     

The formation of highly fluorescent zinc phosphate in the presence of uranium and its application to the direct fluorimetry of uranium in aqueous media

The formation and composition of highly fluorescent zinc phosphates in the presence of traces of uranium were investigated and a direct fluorimetric determination of uranium in aqueous media was developed, based on the formation of finely dispersed and stabilized fluorescent precipitates. The standard deviation for 20 μg of uranium, in 25 ml is 5% ; with the fluorimeter described, 10^-2 μg of uranium per ml can be determined with an error of 50%. The method is very selective and can be employed for analysis of uranium in ores; it is less sensitive than conventional fluorimetry of fused alkali fluorides but is much simpler and faster. Interferences can often be eliminated by suitable masking reactions.     

Preparation of the Enantiomerically Enriched Isomers of the Odorous Cyclic Ethers Clarycet ®, Florol ®, and Rhubafuran ® by Enzymatic Catalysis

All the enantiomerically enriched stereoisomers of Clarycet ^® ( 1 ), Florol ^® ( 2 ), and Rhubafuran ^® ( 3 ) were prepared by biocatalysis routes. Their absolute configurations were established, and their olfactory properties were fully evaluated.