Charge regulation phenomenon predicted from the modeling of polypeptide electrophoretic mobilities as a relevant mechanism of amyloid‐beta peptide oligomerization

Electrophoretic mobilities of amyloid‐beta (1‐40) and (1‐42) peptides and their aggregates are modeled to study the amyloidogenic pathway associated with Alzheimer´s Disease. The near molecule pH generated by the intraparticle charge regulation phenomenon during the oligomerization of amyloid‐beta (1‐40) and (1‐42) peptides is evaluated and discussed as a relevant mechanism supporting the “amyloid cascade hypothesis” proposed in the literature. A theoretical framework associated with the oligomerization of amyloid‐beta peptides including simple scaling laws and the consideration of electrokinetic and hydrodynamic global properties of oligomers is presented. The central finding is the explanation of the near molecule pH change toward the pI when the oligomerization number increases. These results allow one to rationalize consecutive physical stages that validate the amyloid cascade hypothesis. Concluding remarks involving mainly the effects of pair and intraparticle charge regulation phenomena on the amyloidogenic pathway with some suggestions for future research are provided.     

Incubation with Cu(II) and Zn(II) salts enhances MALDI‐TOF mass spectra of amyloid‐beta and α‐synuclein toward in vivo analysis

Insoluble senile plaque aggregates are indicative of Alzheimer's disease pathology. A similar phenomenon occurs in Parkinson's disease with the build‐up of Lewy bodies. The analysis of senile plaques, and other brain samples, from Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease patients by matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry has advantages but also presents obstacles because of the nature of the processes utilized in isolation procedures and storage. Salts, buffers, and detergents necessary in the isolation of biological species may cause adducts and ion suppression that convolute the spectra obtained. We previously determined that amyloid‐beta from isolated senile plaque deposits fragment similarly to the synthetic 40 and 42 amino acid peptide when analyzed by matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry. In addition, α‐synuclein also fragments predictably by in‐source decay. This provides information that may be applied to the identification and localization of amyloid‐beta and α‐synuclein in senile plaques and intact tissue sections. Ion suppression must still be accounted for when analyzing biological samples, which makes identifying fragments at lower abundance difficult. The addition of certain transition‐metal salts (Cu(II), Zn(II)) to the sample prior to analysis serves to “clean” the spectra and allow the peptide fragments produced to be observed with a much higher signal to noise and occasionally, improved resolution. We present a systematic study of incubation with different metal salts and their impact on the quality of the spectra, as well as the role of the binding of the metals to the model biological compounds, obtained for synthetic amyloid‐beta, synthetic α‐synuclein, and isolated senile plaques. The optimized sample preparation methods presented will provide for simpler and more thorough identification of these biologically relevant species in human‐derived samples.     

Effect of different reaction parameters on the conductivity and dielectric properties of polyaniline synthesized electrochemically and modeling of conductivity against reaction parameters through regression analysis

The polyaniline (PAni) is prepared electrochemically from an aqueous solution of aniline and HCl in a single compartment electrochemical cell. Different PAni samples obtained by varying monomer concentration, acid concentration, applied potential, reaction time, and reaction temperature are subjected to conductivity and dielectric tests. The degree of crystallinity, d‐spacing, interchain separation, and crystallite size are determined form X‐ray analysis, the oxidation state is determined from infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis, and the doping level is estimated from TGA analysis for all the PAni samples synthesized under different conditions. All these structural properties are correlated with electrical properties. The whole result reveals that all the aforementioned reaction parameters affect the structural properties, which in turn affect the electrical properties of PAni. The mathematical model correlations between conductivity and reaction parameters are established from the regression analysis for individual variables as well as for all the variables together. These relationships give the conductivity as an output when we input the value of reaction variables. The output obtained from the model relations found in well agreement with the experimental results under identical conditions. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 45: 2046–2059, 2007     

Green micellar HPLC analysis of three angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitors in their mixtures with hydrochlorothiazide and modeling of their retention behavior by fitting to Foley's model

We present an environmentally friendly method for the analysis of three angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitors and hydrochlorothiazide simultaneously using a green micellar eluent for the first time. The chromatographic separation of enalapril maleate, lisinopril dihydrate, benazepril hydrochloride, and hydrochlorothiazide was implemented on an octadecyl silica column with a solution containing sodium dodecyl sulfate (0.12 M), 1‐propyl alcohol (10% v/v), triethylamine (0.3% v/v), and H₃PO₄ (0.02 M) at pH 3.6 as the mobile phase and UV detection at 210 nm. Validity of the method was confirmed and it exhibited good linearity within the ranges of 5.0–50.0 μg/mL for hydrochlorothiazide and 10.0–60.0 μg/mL for the three angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitors with a limit of detection of 0.39 to 1.15 μg/mL for all the studied drugs. The developed micellar high‐performance liquid chromatography method enables the quantification of the targeted angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitors in combined tablets with hydrochlorothiazide by isocratic elution. There is no need for special precautions to prevent broadening and splitting of their chromatographic peaks. The method fulfills the society rights for safe and green analytical methods. The retention behavior of the four studied drugs was fitted to Foley's model and their association equilibria to the micelles (K _AM) and to the surface‐modified stationary phase (K _AS) were calculated.     

Synthesis of poly(vinylene arsine)s through the ring‐collapsed radical alternating copolymerization of an organoarsenic homocycle with aliphatic acetylenes and their properties

Poly(vinylene arsine)s with no aromatic substituent ([? CH?CR? AsMe? ]_n) were prepared through a radical alternating copolymerization of acetylenic compounds having an alkyl substituent with an organoarsenic homocycle as an arsenic‐atomic biradical equivalent. The radical reaction between 1‐octyne and pentamethylcyclopentaarsine, with a catalytic amount of 2,2′‐azobisisobutyronitrile without a solvent (60 °C, 10 h), produced the corresponding poly(vinylene arsine)s (45% yield). The copolymers obtained were soluble in tetrahydrofuran, chloroform, hexane, and so on. The copolymers were characterized with ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectra. The number‐average molecular weights of the copolymers were estimated with gel permeation chromatography (chloroform and polystyrene standards) to be 6500. The copolymers showed an emission property attributable to the n–π* transition in the main chain. Irradiation by an incandescent lamp of a mixture of 1‐octyne and 1 also produced poly(vinylene arsine)s. The conversion rate of 1‐octyne during the copolymerization with 2,2′‐azobisisobutyronitrile was measured with gas chromatography analysis and was found to be much slower than that of phenylacetylene. A radical terpolymerization of cyclo‐(AsMe)₅ with 1‐octyne and styrene was carried out to yield the terpolymer. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 3604–3611, 2004     

Gemini quaternary ammonium salt cationic surfactant‐assisted hydrothermal synthesis: An effective way to tune the textural properties of zeolite and the acidity of Beta molecular sieves

Novel hierarchical Beta zeolites have been successfully synthesized via a one‐pot dual‐templates strategy utilizing gemini organic surfactant and tetraethylammonium hydroxide (TEAOH)through hydrothermal process. The influence of several parameters on the formation of hierarchical Beta zeolite, the change in acidity and a possible growth scheme were systematically investigated. The physicochemical properties of these catalysts were characterized by PXRD, BET, SEM, HRTEM SAED, TG and NH₃‐TPD techniques, and the performance as acid catalysts was verified using the transformation of EtOH as a model reaction. On one hand, WAXRD data indicated that decreasing the temperature of synthesis and increasing amounts of C_12‐6‐12 in the process of synthesis resulted in lower crystallinity of Beta zeolites due to the BEA nuclei formation and crystal growth constrained by C_12‐6‐12. On the other hand, SAXRD and HRTEM data evidenced that C_12‐6‐12 initially generated a pseudo‐ordered mesoporous phase which was then partially occupied by the zeolite. After a period of ~96 h for crystallization, the hierarchy zeolite possessing 765.7 m²·g^‐1 of Brunauer‐Emmett‐Tellerarea, and average mesopore size distribution of 3.51 nm can be synthesized, and its microporous structure has a good crystallinity and lower amounts of acid sites than that of the microporous Beta one. Furthermore, the as‐obtained hierarchical zeolite displayed lower deactivation rate mainly due to the less coke formation on the surface of catalyst. It is expected to develop more considerable potential application value for the hierarchical Beta zeolite structure in the near future.     

The experimental design approach to the optimization of a simple quick easy cheap effective rugged and safe method for the analysis of phytoestrogens in complex soy‐based food

The present paper deals with the multivariate optimization of an extraction‐purification strategy for the determination of phytoestrogens (daidzein, genistein, coumestrol, formononetin, and biochanin A) in soy‐based meat substitutes by high performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. For a reliable quantitation of these new concerning compounds in such a complex matrix, recovery and matrix effect must be carefully evaluated. Therefore, two sequential experimental designs were used to optimize the sample‐pretreatment of soy‐based burgers: the chosen technique was the quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged and safe methodology, which does not require any particular facility or instrumentation. Thanks to the first screening design (Plackett‐Burman), the significant factors influencing the studied responses were identified and further investigated through a response surface design (Box‐Behnken). The optimal values of the variables (volume of extraction solvent mix/sample mass ratio and two clean‐up sorbents) led to quantitative recoveries (97–104%) and low ion suppression (matrix effect 60–93%) for all analytes. This optimized method was characterized by low detection limits (0.2–1.5 ng/g) and excellent intraday precision (RSD 2–4%). It was applied to the determination of the considered compounds in several soy‐burgers from the Italian market, detecting low ng/g levels (up to 40 ng/g) of coumestrol, formononetin, and biochanin A, and high concentrations (7.9–78 µg/g) of genistein and daidzein.     

Preparation of 17β‐estradiol surface molecularly imprinted polymers and their application to the analysis of biological samples

17β‐Estradiol (E2) surface molecularly imprinted polymers have been prepared using functionalized monodispersed poly(glycidyl methacrylate‐co‐ethylene dimethacrylate) beads as a support. The resulting polymers were found to be uniform in size (5 μm), and the surfaces of the microspheres possessed large pore‐like structures. A chromatographic experiment demonstrated that the resulting microspheres exhibited high levels of recognition and selectivity toward the target molecule. The particles were employed as a novel sorbent in a molecularly imprinted SPE protocol. A method was then developed involving the combination of the pretreatment with HPLC to determine the levels of estrogen secreted from Michigan Cancer Foundation‐7 cells. The obtained results revealed that the extraction recoveries of E2 from real samples were in the range of 73.0–97.5% with RSDs of < 7.5% (n = 3). Calibration curves were established with R values > 0.9996 for concentrations in the range of 0.50–100.00 ng/mL. The LOD of this new method was 0.14 ng/mL. Compared with traditional C₁₈ SPE agents, the particles showed high selectivity and extraction efficiency for E2 in the pretreatment process. The particles could therefore be used to determine trace estrogen in biological samples with a UV detector only.     

Development and validation of a sensitive UHPLC‐MS/MS method for the simultaneous analysis of tramadol,dextromethorphan chlorpheniramine and their major metabolites in human plasma in forensic context: application to pharmacokinetics

The prerequisites for forensic confirmatory analysis by LC/MS/MS with respect to European Union guidelines are chromatographic separation, a minimum number of two MS/MS transitions to obtain the required identification points and predefined thresholds for the variability of the relative intensities of the MS/MS transitions (MRM transitions) in samples and reference standards. In the present study, a fast, sensitive and robust method to quantify tramadol, chlorpheniramine, dextromethorphan and their major metabolites, O‐desmethyltramadol, dsmethyl‐chlorpheniramine and dextrophan, respectively, in human plasma using ibuprofen as internal standard (IS) is described. The analytes and the IS were extracted from plasma by a liquid–liquid extraction method using ethyl acetate–diethyl‐ether (1:1). Extracted samples were analyzed by ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC‐ESI‐MS/MS). Chromatographic separation was performed by pumping the mobile phase containing acetonitrile, water and formic acid (89.2:11.7:0.1) for 2.0 min at a flow rate of 0.25 μL/min into a Hypersil‐Gold C₁₈ column, 20 × 2.0 mm (1.9 µm) from Thermoscientific, New York, USA. The calibration curve was linear for the six analytes. The intraday precision (RSD) and accuracy (RE) of the method were 3–9.8 and ?1.7–4.5%, respectively. The analytical procedure herein described was used to assess the pharmacokinetics of the analytes in 24 healthy volunteers after a single oral dose containing 50 mg of tramadol hydrochloride, 3 mg chlorpheniramine maleate and 15 mg of dextromethorphan hydrobromide. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.