On the microstructures of ethyl acetate/monoolein/water

A phase diagram, describing the behavior of the polar lipid monoolein (MO), water, and ethyl acetate (EtAc), is here presented as well as results from small angle X-ray scattering. MO is found to have a solubility of 60 wt.% in EtAc at 20 °C. No macroscopic aggregation of MO can, initially, be detected in the binary MO/EtAc solution even though MO forms solid crystals in concentrated samples when times goes by. In case of the ternary system small amounts of water, mainly bound to the lipid head groups, can be incorporated in the liquid EtAc/MO phase as water has a limited solubility in EtAc. For EtAc/water mass ratios below 2/3 EtAc is present into the reversed bicontinuous cubic and lamellar phases present in the binary MO/water system. To conclude, EtAc is mainly partitioned to the lipid membranes, with minor effects on spontaneous curvature. Hence, simple EtAc-addition has an effect similar to dehydration. For EtAc/water ratios above 2/3 the liquid crystalline phases dissolve. The phase behavior is here discussed in view of related phase behaviors for water-miscible solvent/MO/water systems. For instance, an interpretation of the swelling behavior of the sponge phase (L₃), present in the water-miscible solvent(s)/MO/water systems, shows that solvents partitioned to the polar domains strongly increases the spontaneous curvature of the MO-films. The reason is probably weaker hydrophobic interactions in interfacial regions. As expected, in case of water-miscible solvents, the ternary phase behaviors can be understood by consider water and water-miscible solvent as one “mixed solvent”.     

A simplified integral equation for adsorption of gas mixtures on heterogeneous surfaces

Summary The multiple integral representing the overall isotherm for adsorption of gas mixtures on heterogeneous surfaces is transformed to a single integral, which is promising for predicting the mixed-gas adsorption by means of single-gas adsorption parameters. This transformation is possible when the adsorption energies of components for various adsorption sites show a certain type of correlation.

---

Eine vereinfachte Integralgleichung für die Adsorption von Gasmischungen auf heterogenen Oberflächen

Zusammenfassung Das multiple Integral, das die Adsorption von Gasmischungen auf heterogenen Oberflächen darstellt, wurde zu einem einfachen Integral transformiert, das zur Voraussage der Adsorption von Gasgemischen mittels der Einzelgas-Adsorptionsparameter geeignet sein sollte. Diese Transformation ist dann möglich, wenn die Adsorptionsenergien der Komponenten einem bestimmten Korrelationstyp angehören.

     

Quantitative Structure–Retention Relationships as Useful Tool to Characterize Chromatographic Systems and Their Potential to Simulate Biological Processes

Quantitative structure–retention relationships (QSRR) date back to the 1970s and are associated with the evolution of modern Chromatography, while in conjunction with quantitative structure–property relationships (QSPR), they make part of the QSAR discipline. The present review offers a survey of QSRR from a medicinal chemistry point of view, highlighting the merits of this approach in exploiting the friendly chromatographic techniques for the establishment of the physico chemical profiling of drug and drug candidates. It starts with a short overview on QSRR methodology concerning molecular representation, statistical tools and model validation. It continues focusing on the major recent achievements of QSRR with regard to the characterization of chromatographic systems and thereupon to the improvement of stationary phases and to experimental design, while emphasizing their application in drug design. The inter-relation of retention with lipophilicity, a property of paramount interest in drug action and the merit of biomimetic chromatography and of MEEKC systems to simulate essential pharmacokinetic properties are commented under the insights offered by QSRR, in conjunction with QSPR. Characteristic examples are discussed.     

About the synthesis of N-1-substituted 3-aminopyrroles. A comparison

A general method for the preparation of 3-amino-1-methylpyrroles in excellent yields is reported. The key step involves the N-methylation of the nitro derivatives 2 , under phase transfer catalysis conditions.     

A 3D QSAR approach to the search for geometrical similarity in a series of nonpeptide angiotensin II receptor antagonists

Summary A 3D QSAR methodology based on the combined use of conformational analysis and chemometrics was applied to perform a comparative analysis of the 3D conformational features of 13 nonpeptide angiotensin II receptor antagonists showing different levels of binding affinity. Conformational analysis by using a molecular mechanics MM2 method was carried out for each of these structures to obtain conformational minima. These minima were described by ten interatomic distances which define the relative spatial disposition of five significant atoms belonging to relevant functional groups present in all the 13 molecules. The structure-activity relationship between the interatomic distances and the biological activity was then assessed by using chemometric methods (cluster analysis, principal component analysis, classification methods). With our indirect approach based on the search for geometrical similarity it was possible, even though structural information on the receptor active site was lacking, to identify the 3D geometrical requirements for the binding affinity of nonpeptide angiotensin II receptor inhibitors.     

New [g]-fused [1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-c]pyrimidines: Synthesis of pyrido[3,2-e] and [4,3-e][1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-c]pyrimidine,pyrimido[5,4-e][1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-c]pyrimidine and [1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-c]pteridine derivatives

A number of 2-aryl-substituted pyrido[3,2-e] and [4,3-e][1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-c]pyrimidines and [1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-c]pteridines 11,12a,b,e , their corresponding 5-carbonyl derivatives 7,8a,b,e and some pyrimido[5,4-e][1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-c]pyrimidin-5-ones 7,8c,d have been synthesized, according to different pathways. The new tricyclic heterocycles were prepared with the aim of studying their possible benzodiazepine receptors affinity.     

The baculovirus display technology--an evolving instrument for molecular screening and drug delivery

High throughput screening is a core technology in drug discovery. During the past decade, several strategies have been developed to screen (poly)peptide libraries for diverse applications including disease diagnosis and profiling, imaging, as well as therapy. The recently established baculovirus display vector system (BDVS) represents a eukaryotic screening platform that combines the positive attributes of both cell and virus-based display approaches, allowing presentation of complex polypeptides on cellular and viral surfaces. Compared to microbial display systems, the BDVS has the advantage of correct protein folding and post-translational modifications similar to those in mammals, facilitating expression and analysis of proteins with therapeutic interest. The applicability of the system is further expanded by the availability of genetically engineered insect cell lines capable of performing e.g. mammalianized glycosylation in combination with high level of expression. In addition to insect cells, baculovirus can mediate delivery and expression of heterologous genes in a broad spectrum of primary and established mammalian cells. Currently, a variety of baculovirus-based assays aiming at routine high throughput identification of agents targeting cell surface receptors or studies on ligand-receptor interactions are under construction. Here, the advancements and future prospects of the baculovirus display technologies with emphasis on molecular screening and drug delivery applications using insect cell display, mammalian cell display, and virion display are described.     

Dinuclear Ru(II) complexes of bis-(dipyrid-2'-yl)triazine (bis-dpt) ligands as efficient electron reservoirs

A planar bis-dipyrid-2'-yltriazine (bis-dpt) bridging ligand forms dinuclear Ru(II) complexes able to store up to eight electrons upon electrochemical reduction.