3D-QSAR and docking studies of estrogen compounds based on estrogen receptor β

Close attention has been paid to estrogen compounds because these chemicals may pose a serious threat to the health of humans and wildlife. Estrogen receptor (ER) exists as two subtypes, ERα and ERβ. The difference in amino acids sequence of the binding sites of ERα and ERβ might lead to a result that some synthetic estrogens and naturally occurring steroidal ligands have different relative affinities and binding modes for ERα and ERβ. In this investigation, comparative molecular similarity indices analysis...     

A novel piezoelectric quartz crystal immnuosensor based on hyperbranched polymer films for the detection of α-Fetoprotein

This paper reports a novel piezoelectric quartz crystal immnuosensor based on hyperbranched polymer films for the detection of α-Fetoprotein. In this strategy, the sensing interfaces consist of a primary cystamine monolayer assembled onto Au electrodes associated with the piezoelectric quartz crystal. The monolayer is further modified with a new hyperbranched polymer which was synthesized through direct polycondensation of monomer 5-[3-(4-aminophenyl) propionylamino] isophthalic acid. The detection performances of resulting immunosensor were investigated by use of the antibody-antigen model system of α-Fetoprotein (AFP), an important indicator in the diagnosis of clinical cancers. The analytical technique is characterised through the investigation of different methods of assembling the monolayers used as supports, as well as by comparing two different types of supports. It was found that the developed sensing interface could perform more effectively in antibody-antigen binding and consequently increased the sensitivity of the whole piezoelectric immunosensor. Moreover, the method should also be useful for the construction of other kind of immunosensors.     

A novel one-pot synthesis of α-keto-1,3,4-oxadiazole derivatives based on isocyanide-Nef reaction

Various α-keto-1,3,4-oxadiazole derivatives were synthesized through a sequential intermolecular dehydrochlorination/intramolecular aza-Wittig reaction of carboxylic acids and imidoyl chloride intermediates, which were generated by isocyanide-Nef reaction of acyl chlorides and (N-isocyanimine) triphenylphosphorane (1) in CH₂Cl₂ at room temperature.     

A novel, simple, colorimetric receptor based on 2′,4′-dinitrophenylhydrazone for acetate ion in organic medium

A novel 1,3-di(2′,4′-dinitrophenylhydrazone)-5-nitrobenzene receptor has been synthesized by simple steps with good yields. The anion recognition properties were studied by ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy. The results showed that the receptor had a higher affinity to F^?, CH₃COO^? and H₂PO ₄ ^? , but no evident binding with Cl^?, Br^?, and I^?. Upon addition of the three former anions to the receptors in dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) at 298.2 ± 0.1 K, the solution exhibited an obvious color change from yellow to mauve that could be observed by the naked eye, thus the receptor could act as a fluoride ion sensor even in the presence of other halide ions. The UV-Vis data indicates that a 1:1 stoichiometry complex formed through hydrogen-bonding interactions between receptor and anions. The hydrogen bond between phenylhydrazone –NH and acetate or fluoride anion was determined on the basis of ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments.     

Quantitative structure-activity relationship of compounds binding to estrogen receptor β based on heuristic method

Estrogen compounds may pose a serious threat to the health of humans and wildlife.The estrogen receptor (ER) exists as two subtypes,ERβ and ERβ.Compounds might have different relative affinities and binding modes for ERβ and ERβ.In this study,the heuristic method was performed on 31 compounds binding to ERβ to select 5 variances most related to the activity (LogRBA) from 1524 variances,which were then employed to develop the best model with the significant correlation and the best predictive power (r2 = 0.8...     

New coumarin-urea based receptor for anions: a selective off–on fluorescence response to fluoride

A novel fluorosensor for anions, 1,11-bis(4-methylcoumarin-7-yl)-6-methyl-1,3,6,9,11-pentaazaundeca-2,10-dione (L), which contains two coumarin–urea units spaced by a flexible diethylenetriamine fragment, was easily prepared in 65% yield by a one-pot two-step procedure. The binding ability of L toward several anions (G) was evaluated by ¹H NMR, UV–vis, and fluorescence titration. It was found that L forms stable [LG] and [LG₂] species in both DMSO and CH₃CN solvents. Furthermore, the fluorescence emission of L in the visible range (400 nm) is affected by the presence of anions; it is quenched by acetate, chloride, and pyrophosphate while it is enhanced by fluoride. Thus, this novel fluorosensor provides a selective off–on response to the presence of fluoride in solution.     

A comparison of analytical methods for the quantification of a reactive β-cyclodextrin fixed onto cotton yarns

Cotton yarns bobbins were treated in a water bath with different concentrations of a reactive β-cyclodextrin derivative. To quantify the amount of cyclodextrin fixed on the fiber different analytical methods were tested but none of them was reliable enough in the concentration range under investigation. Therefore, a new analytical method, fast and effective, was developed. From the measurement of cyclodextrin bath exhaustion, the amount of cyclodextrin chemically fixed and that physically adsorbed on the textile substrate was estimated. Two washing cycles were carried out to investigate the cyclodextrin washing fastness.     

Sensitive determination of 17β-estradiol in river water using a graphene based electrochemical sensor

In this study, a novel material for the electrochemical determination of 17β-estradiol using an electrode based on reduced graphene oxide and a metal complex porphyrin has been applied to environmental monitoring. The electrochemical profile of the proposed electrode was analyzed by differential pulse voltammetry, which showed a shift of the oxidation peak potential of 17β-estradiol to 150 mV in a less positive direction compared to the bare reduced graphene oxide electrode. DPV experiments were performed in PBS at pH 7.0 to determine 17β-estradiol without any previous step of extraction, cleanup, or derivatization, in the range of 0.1–1.0 μmol L⁻¹ with a detection limit archived at 5.3 nmol L⁻¹ (1.4 μg L⁻¹). The proposed sensor was successfully applied in the determination of 17β-estradiol in a river water sample without any purification step and was successfully analyzed under the standard addition method. All the obtained results were in agreement with those from the HPLC procedure.     

A novel quantification method for analysis of twenty natural amino acids in human serum based on N-phosphorylation labeling using reversed-phase liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry

A novel method based on the strategy of N-phosphorylation labeling is described for quantification of twenty natural amino acids in human serum by reversed-phase liquid chromatography–electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (RP-LC/ESI-MS). The derivatization reaction was easily performed in one-pot reaction under mild conditions within 30 min. The reaction mixture was then evaporated to dryness, redissolved, desalted by C18 SPE. The twenty N-phosphoryl amino acids were separated on an RP-C18 column within 20 min by isocratic elution (0.1% formic acid–acetonitrile, v/v 7:3). At the same time, multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) MS enabled quantitation of twenty natural amino with the LOD of 0.0005–0.15 μM and LOQ of 0.0020–0.5 μM in human serum. The linear range was from 0.025 to 25 μM (except Cys and Trp) with R > 0.99. The recovery range was determined to be 85.5–117.4% with the relative standard deviation (RSD) in the range of 1.3–13.9%. All twenty amino acids were successfully detected in human serum samples with the concentration from 5.7 to 577.9 μM, which indicates potential of the developed method for determination of amino acids in complex biological samples, hence for screening of amino acid metabolite related diseases.     

Miniaturized flow-injection-analysis (μFIA) system with on-line chemiluminescence detection based on the luminol-hypochlorite reaction for the determination of ammonium in river water

A miniaturized flow-injection-analysis system constructed from glass and polydimethylsiloxane was employed for the determination of ammonium in river water. The sample was filtered and delivered to the reactor chip electro-osmotically using a disposable fritted capillary, while reagents were delivered to the system by gravity. Ammonia was mixed with the hypochlorite, to form a monochloramine. Once the alkaline luminol (3-aminophthalhydrazide) was delivered to the system, it was oxidized by the unconsumed hypochlorite emitting a bright blue light (λ _max?～?440?nm) that was detected using a miniaturized photomultiplier tube (PMT) located directly under the chip. The calibration model for ammonium standards was linear up to 0.1?µg?mL^?1 (y?=??8.96x?+?1.02; correlation coefficient, r ²?=?0.9715) over a working range of 0.0–0.5?µg?mL^?1. A detection limit of 10?±?6?µg?mL^?1 was achieved with a precision value of (RSD ≤ 6.4%), for n?=?5. A direct and standard addition method were used to determine the concentration of ammonium in a river-water sample (from the Humber Estuary, UK) which was found to be 0.075?±?0.005?µg?mL^?1, with a precision value of (RSD?≤?3.7%), for n?=?9. The results obtained showed good agreement with the average concentration 0.065?µg?mL^?1 (provided by the local environmental agency), for the analysis of ammonia at different sample points on the estuary.     

A novel formula for location of double bond in alkenyl acetates and alcohols based on mass spectral data of dimethyl disulfide derivatives

A new formula was presented for locating double bond position in dodecenols, tetrade-cenols, hexadecenols and their acetates, based on mass spectral data of dimethyl disulfide derivatives. In this procedure, molecular ion and base peak ion were utilized as characteristic parameters to identify the positional isomers. The method was tested with mass spectra of 25 dimethyl disulflde derivatives of mono-unsaturated acetates and alcohols, and the original double-bond position in each isomer was located unambiguously.     

A simple method for determining water content in organic solvents based on cobalt(Ⅱ)complexes

A method to determine water content in organic solvents was developed based on the color change of cobalt(Ⅱ) nitrate in different solvents.The color-change mechanism and optimal conditions for determining the water content were investigated.The results showed that there was a good linear relationships between the absorbance of cobalt(Ⅱ) complexes in organic solvents and water contents withγin 0.9989～0.9994.This method has the advantages of low cost,good reproducibility,good sensitivity,simple in operation,fast in detection,friendly to the environment and no limitation on linear range for determining water content.It was used to determine water in samples with a satisfactory recovery in 97.81%～101.24%.     

A photoelectrochemical immunosensor based on Au-doped TiO2 nanotube arrays for the detection of α-synuclein

α‐Synuclein (α‐SYN) is a very important neuronal protein that is associated with Parkinson’s disease. In this paper, we utilized Au‐doped TiO₂ nanotube arrays to design a photoelectrochemical immunosensor for the detection of α‐SYN. The highly ordered TiO₂ nanotubes were fabricated by using an electrochemical anodization technique on pure Ti foil. After that, a photoelectrochemical deposition method was exploited to modify the resulting nanotubes with Au nanoparticles, which have been demonstrated to facilitate the improvement of photocurrent responses. Moreover, the Au‐doped TiO₂ nanotubes formed effective antibody immobilization arrays and immobilized primary antibodies (Ab₁) with high stability and bioactivity to bind target α‐SYN. The enhanced sensitivity was obtained by using {Ab₂‐Au‐GOx} bioconjugates, which featured secondary antibody (Ab₂) and glucose oxidase (GOx) labels linked to Au nanoparticles for signal amplification. The GOx enzyme immobilized on the prepared immunosensor could catalyze glucose in the detection solution to produce H₂O₂, which acted as a sacrificial electron donor to scavenge the photogenerated holes in the valence band of TiO₂ nanotubes upon irradiation of the other side of the Ti foil and led to a prompt photocurrent. The photocurrents were proportional to the α‐SYN concentrations, and the linear range of the developed immunosensor was from 50 pg mL^?1 to 100 ng mL^?1 with a detection limit of 34 pg mL^?1. The proposed method showed high sensitivity, stability, reproducibility, and could become a promising technique for protein detection.     

Usefulness of cyclodextrin media for the determination of α-cypermethrin by photochemically induced fluorescence: analytical applications to natural waters

The photochemically induced fluorescence (PIF) spectral properties of α-cypermethrin in organic solvents (hexane, dichloromethane, acetonitrile, ethanol) and in cyclodextrin aqueous solutions (β-CD and 2-hydroxypropyl-β-CD, 2-HP-β-CD) were investigated. The photolysis kinetics of α-cypermethrin were evaluated in the various media. The PIF signal was found to be significantly enhanced in the CD media relative to the organic solvents. The stoichiometry and the formation constants of the α-cypermethrin inclusion complexes formed with the CDs were determined. The analytical performances of the PIF method were improved in the presence of HP-β-CD relative to the other media, and a CD-enhanced PIF analytical method was developed. The limits of detection and limits of quantification ranged, respectively, between 6 and 98 ng/mL and between 24 and 343 ng/mL, depending on the medium. Application to the analysis of tap water and Senegal natural water samples collected close to agricultural areas and spiked with α-cypermethrin yielded satisfactory recoveries going from about 77% to 98%. An interference study of foreign species, including pesticides and inorganic ions likely to be present in natural waters, was also carried out. Figure Photolysis reaction of α-cypermethrin in presence of HP-β-CD     

Validation of ELISA methods for search and quantification of β-n-methylamino-l-alanine in water and fish tissue

Water basins with low hydrodynamic activities can promote the growth and increase in algal biomass due to eutrophication, and toxic cyanobacteria species might then produce metabolites hazardous to human health. Over the last decade, a neurotoxic non-protein amino acid, (2S)-2-amino-3-(methylamino) propanoic acid, known as β-N-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA), has become of particular interest because it has been hypothesised to be involved in progressive human neurodegenerative pathologies. This toxin can be found both in algal cells and free in water, as well as in some foods of aquatic and terrestrial origin. Analytical methods used for BMAA are often based on chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry, although these techniques involve long and expensive analysis. As the availability of a faster and cheaper screening method would be useful, we tested the only available Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay kit for BMAA evaluation and validated methods to verify their reliability for the analysis of water and fish muscle. For both matrices, we determined adequate selectivity and repeatability (relative standard deviation < 6%), with recoveries from 70% to 83% at the tested spiking levels; the methods were also robust. These data appear in contrast to a previous evaluation carried out on the same kit in 2013, although this might depend on an improvement to the kit performance. We can conclude that a preliminary determination of BMAA in water, and also in fish tissue after an adequate extraction procedure, can be performed efficiently with the tested kit, which provides for easier monitoring of this dangerous toxin.     

Dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction based on ionic liquid in combination with high-performance liquid chromatography for the determination of bisphenol A in water

A method termed dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction (DLLME) coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography-variable wavelength detection (HPLC-VWD) was developed. DLLME-HPLC-VWD is a method for determination of bisphenol A (BPA) in water samples. In this microextraction method, several parameters such as extraction solvent volume, sample volume, disperser solvent, ionic strength, pH, and disperser volume were optimised with the aid of interactive orthogonal array and a mixed level experiment design. First, an orthogonal array design was used to screen the significant variables for the optimisation. Second, the significant factors were optimised by using a mixed level experiment. Under the optimised extraction conditions (extraction solvent: ionic liquid [C₆MIM][PF₆], 60 µL; dispersive solvent: methanol, 0.4 mL; and pH = 4.0), the performance of the established method was evaluated. The response linearity of the method was observed in a range of 0.002–1.0 mg L^?1 (three orders of magnitude) with correlation coefficient (R ²) of 0.9999. The repeatability of this method was 4.2–5.3% for three different BPA levels and the enrichment factors were above 180. The extraction recovery was about 50% for the three different concentrations with 3.4–6.4% of RSD. Limit of detection of the method was 0.40 µg L^?1 at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3. In addition, the relative recovery of sample of Songhua River, tap water and barrel-drain water at different spiked concentration levels was ranged 95.8–103.0%, 92.6–98.6% and 87.2–95.3%, respectively. Compared with other extraction technologies, there have been the following advantages of quick, easy operation, and time-saving for the present method.     

A novel fluorescence enhancing F<Superscript>−</Superscript> probe based on intermolecular energy transfer

A supramolecular fluorescent sensor of F⁻ based on intermolecular energy transfer is described. The maximum absorption wavelength of a pyrrolic compound 1 is 472 nm, which is coincident with the emission wavelength of a dipyridylamine-anthracene compound 2. In the CH₂Cl₂ solution of 1 and 2, the fluorescence of 2 was quenched because of the presence of intermolecular energy transfer from 2 to 1. When F⁻ was added to this solution, the absorption maximum wavelength of 1 shifted from 472 to 594 nm due to a deprotonation process. Simultaneously, the fluorescence of 2 was recovered because of the interruption of the intermolecular energy transfer. Based on these observations, the combination of 1 and 2 can be regarded as a novel supramolecular fluorescence enhancing F⁻ probe.     

Fast determination of β-endosulfan, α-hexachlorocyclohexane and pentachlorobenzene in the river water from northeast of China

A magnetic solid-phase extraction method for the preconcentration of three organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) from water samples has been proposed, based on magnetic phosphatidylcholine (MPC) as adsorbents. The extraction procedure was carried out in a single step by stirring the mixture of MPC and water samples. Subsequently, the MPC was collected by an external magnetic field without additional centrifugation or filtration. The analytes were desorbed from the MPC and finally analysed by gas chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. The influence of various parameters on OCPs recoveries was studied. Results show that phosphatidylcholine amount and extraction time were critical in enhancing extraction performance, and the presence of humic acid was shown to significantly reduce the extraction efficiency. The limits of detection obtained were in the range of 0.1–0.15 ng L^?1. Recoveries of spiked water samples ranged from 76.2% to 101.5% with relative standard deviations varying from 3.8% to 7.7%. The proposed method was employed for analysis of pentachlorobenzene, α-hexachlorocyclohexane and β-endosulfan in the surface water from two rivers in northeast China.     

A novel approach for fixation of β-cyclodextrin on cotton fabrics

Cyclodextrins are cyclic oligosaccharides, which form complexes with different organic substances such as drugs, odors, and etc. Due to the complexing abilities of cyclodextrins (CDs), they may also be used in textile industry as an auxiliary in washing, dyeing, and wastewater treatment. Fixation of CDs on textiles is possible using reactive derivatives of cyclodextrins or crosslinking agents. In this study we have investigated the use of polyaminocarboxylic acids (PACAs) as novel crosslinking agents for the fixation of β-CD on cotton fabrics. Fixation of β-CD on cotton fabric has been quantified by measuring the weight increase of the treated samples. The influence of the concentration of the catalyst (sodium hypophosphite) was studied, too. The presence of β-CD on the cotton has been investigated by the phenolphthalein test and host–guest complexation with organic volatile molecules: cyclohexene, chlorobenzene, cyclohexene-1-one and toluene.     

Formal synthesis of (+)-lactacystin based on a novel radical cyclisation of an α-ethynyl substituted serine

A diastereoselective 5-exo-dig radical cyclisation of the bromoamide 7 produced from the enantiopure α-ethynyl substituted amino alcohol 5 led to the pyrrolidinone 8 (2:1 α:β epimers) in 70% yield. Oxidative cleavage of the alkene bond in 8, followed by a stereoselective α-methylsulfanylation of the resulting 4-keto derivative 9, next led to the methylsulfanyl derivative 10. Finally, the pyrrolidinone derivative 10 was converted into the key intermediate 12 used previously in an enantioselective synthesis of (+)-lactacystin.