Aroma composition of red wines by different extraction methods and Gas Chromatography-SIM/MASS spectrometry analysis

One hundred and one volatile compounds, reported in literature as powerful odorants of wine, were quantified by Gas Chromatography-Selective Ion Monitoring/Mass Spectrometry (GC-SIM/MS) in Primitivo, Aglianico, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon red wines. Wine samples were extracted by 3 different extraction methods: 1) separation of the alcoholic fraction from the aqueous phase by salting-out and subsequent extraction by liquid-liquid micro-extraction with 1,1,2-trichlorotrifluoroethane (Freon 113); 2) extraction by liquid-liquid micro-extraction with dichloromethane; 3) solid phase extraction (SPE cartridge: 800 mg of LiChrolut EN resin) with pentane-dichloromethane (20:1) and dichloromethane. The selection of the ion fragments used for quantification was directly performed on a red wine sample. For each compound the area of the corresponding peak was normalized respect to the peak of the internal standard and then interpolated in a calibration curve obtained analysing a model wine solution (water, ethanol, tartaric acid and known amounts of analytes and of internal standard). The methods showed a good linearity: r2>0.990, except for farnesol (isomer a and c), octanal, decanal, furaneol and phenylacetic acid with 0.966 < or = r2 < or = 0.990. The 7 most powerful odorants were: beta-damascenone, acetaldehyde, maltol, ethyl 2-methylbutanoate, ethyl 3-methylbutanoate, 3-methylbutanoic acid and acetal; 7 other slightly less important were: ethyl hexanoate, ethyl acetate, 1-octen-3-ol, butanoic acid, rose oxide, furaneol and sotolon. The Aglianico wines were characterised by the major fermentation compounds (esters, fatty acids and 2-phenylethanol), beta-damascenone, beta-ionone and linalool. The Primitivo wines were characterized by furaneol, methoxypyrazine, gamma-nonalactone and acetaldehyde, while Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot wines principally by cask derivates (vanillin, (Z) 3-methyl-gamma-octalactone [(Z) wiskylactone], maltol and eugenol), some aldehydes and 3-isopropyl-2-methoxypyrazine.     

C-terminal processing of yeast Spt7 occurs in the absence of functional SAGA complex

Background  

Spt7 is an integral component of the multi-subunit SAGA complex that is required for the expression of ~10% of yeast genes. Two forms of Spt7 have been identified, the second of which is truncated at its C-terminus and found in the SAGA-like (SLIK) complex.     

Simultaneous diastereo- and enantioseparation of farnesoid X receptor (FXR) agonists with a quinine carbamate-based chiral stationary phase

In the frame of a project aimed at finding non-steroidal farnesoid X receptor (FXR) agonists, we identified 4-(2,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-3,6-dimethyl-1-(2-tolyl)-4,8-dihydro-1H-pyrazole[3,4-e][1,4]thiazepin-7-one (1) as a hit endowed with FXR activity. Most of the compounds synthesised during the hit-to-lead optimisation work were characterised by the presence of two chiral centres and were therefore obtained as mixtures of anti(±)- and syn(±)-diastereoisomers. A restricted sub-set of species harboured with a carboxylic acid group on the distal phenyl ring of the biphenyl (a(±)5 (A1) and s(±)5 (S1)) or the phenoxyphenyl (a(±)6 (A2) and s(±)6 (S2)) moiety at C-4 position of the pyrazole[3,4-e][1,4]thiazepin-7-one core, resulted in suitable diastereo- and enantioresolution with a quinine (QN) carbamate-derived chiral stationary phase (CSP). Differently from the compounds usually analysed with QN-based CSPs, the couples A1/S1 and A2/S2 were atypical selectands, in which the two chiral carbon atoms reside at a remote position with respect to the carboxylic function, the main “point of attack” to the CSP. We produced evidence that the scarcely employed normal-phase (NP) eluent systems represent the elective choice for achieving the simultaneous diastereo- and enantioseparation of this class of compounds over the usually preferred reversed-phase (RP) and polar-organic (PO) modes of elution. Indeed, after the optimisation of the eluent composition, NP conditions allowed to obtain profitable enantioselectivity profiles, along with excellent diastereoselectivity levels (α(A1)?=?1.07, R _S(A1)?=?1.15; α(S1)?=?1.09, R _S(S1)?=?1.47; α(A2)?=?1.08, R _S(A2)?=?1.31; and α(S2)?=?1.06, R _S(S2)?=?1.18). The optimised NP methods are suitable for simultaneously providing information on the diastereo- and enantiopurity of the investigated compounds.

Ketoprofen enantioseparation with a Cinchona alkaloid based stationary phase: Enantiorecognition mechanism and release studies

With the present contribution, we demonstrate that the baseline separation of ketoprofen enantiomers can be successfully achieved (α = 1.09; R_S = 1.60) in the reversed‐phase mode of elution with a commercially available anion‐exchange‐based chiral stationary phase, incorporating the quinine 2,6‐diisopropylphenyl carbamate derivative as the enantioresolving unit. Focused modification of the eluent composition indicated a stereoselective role of hydrophobic and π–π interactions between the selector and selectand units, besides the prime ionic intermolecular interaction. The mechanistic hypotheses based on the chromatographic data were confirmed by in silico molecular dynamic simulations, which allowed us to establish the network of selector–selectand interactions underlying the stereorecognition process at a molecular level. The validated method was successfully used to evaluate the drug content and release profile of ketoprofen‐loaded polymeric film, showing drug homogeneous distribution into the film and no preferential interactions between the polymer and one of the enantiomers, with the racemate released at each time point.     

MR imaging of caveolin gene-specific alterations in right ventricular wall thickness

Caveolin-1 and caveolin-3 are expressed in the mammalian heart. Mice deficient in caveolin 1 or 3 exhibit cardiac abnormalities including left ventricular hypertrophy and reduced fractional shortening. Cardiac imaging technologies such as transthoracic echocardiography and cardiac-gated magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are effective tools for the study of left ventricular morphology and function in mice; however, there has not been widespread use of these technologies in studies of right ventricular morphology. In particular, right ventricular wall thickness has been difficult to assess using cardiac imaging technologies. We report here the use of centerline analysis of cardiac-gated MR images to more accurately determine right ventricular wall thickness in the mouse heart. Right ventricular wall thickness was evaluated in Cav-1 null, Cav-3 null and Cav-1/3 null mice, as well as wild-type control mice. Using this technique, we find that caveolin null mice exhibit significant thickening of the right ventricular wall as compared with age-matched wild-type controls. Interestingly, right ventricular wall thickening is greatest in the Cav-1/3 null mice. Furthermore, significant right ventricular wall thickening is also seen in the Cav-1 null mice. Histological analyses revealed right ventricular hypertrophy consistent with the imaging results. These studies demonstrate the utility of MRI in determining right ventricular wall thickness and underscore the severity of the right ventricular hypertrophy in caveolin null mice.     

Determination of furaneol (4-hydroxy-2,5-dimethyl-3(2H)-furanone) in some wines from Italian native grapes by Gas-Chromatography-SIM/MASS spectrometry

Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis by Selective Ion Monitoring (SIM) was applied to quantify 4-Hydroxy-2,5-dimethyl-3(2H)-furanone (HDMF) in both red and white wines obtained from some Italian cultivar of Vitis vinifera. Wines were extracted by liquid-liquid extraction performed with 1,1,2-trichlorotrifluoroethane (Freon 113). The ion m/z 128 was used for quantification while the ion m/z 129 as qualifier. Precision, linearity and accuracy of the method resulted satisfactory. Results showed a significant variation in the concentration of furaneol in wine with grape variety. Generally, HDMF concentrations in white wines were lower than in red wines. Among white wines, Chardonnay resulted characterized by the highest concentration of HDMF. Among red wines the highest concentrations of HDMF were detected in Primitivo and Refosco varieties.