Combined approach for high-throughput preparation and analysis of plasma samples from exposure studies

In drug discovery today, drug exposure is determined in preclinical efficacy and safety studies and drug effects are related to measured concentrations rather than to the administered dose. This leads to a strong increase in the number of bioanalytical samples, demanding the development of higher throughput methods to cope with the increased workload. Here, a combined approach is described for the high-throughput preparation and liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) analysis of drug levels in plasma samples from the preclinical efficacy and safety studies, i.e. exposure studies. Appropriate pharmacokinetic (PK) compartmental models were fitted to data from PK screening studies in the rat, which were subsequently used to simulate the expected plasma concentrations of the respective exposure studies. Information on the estimated drug concentrations was used to dilute the samples to appropriate concentration levels. A Tecan Genesis RSP liquid handling system was utilized to perform automated plasma sample preparation including serial dilution of standard solutions, dilution of plasma samples, addition of internal standard solution and precipitation with acetonitrile. This robotic sample preparation process permitted two studies of 1-96 samples each to be run simultaneously. To ensure the performance of this method the accuracy and precision for diazepam were examined. Two novel drugs were used to illustrate the suggested approach. In conclusion, our method for sample preparation of exposure samples, based on the combined use of PK simulations, a liquid handling system and a fast LC/MS/MS method, increased the throughput more than three times and minimized the errors, while maintaining the required accuracy and precision.     

Parallel synthesis of indolylquinones and their cell-based insulin mimicry

A synthetic route to bis-indolyldihydroxybenzoquinones was adapted for parallel organic synthesis. The route involves selective conjugate addition of an indole to dichlorobenzoquinone promoted by Br?nsted acid, followed by a Lewis acid-promoted conjugate addition of a second indole and a final hydrolysis. Methods for high-throughput purification of the products of this synthesis were also developed. Using these methods, we prepared a library whose structures are based on asterriquinone natural products, which have a wide range of biological activities. In this report, the activities of the library members in activation of the insulin receptor on mammalian cells were examined. Novel compounds were discovered that fall outside earlier developed structure-activity relationships for insulin mimics, supporting the value of systematic investigation (inspired by Nature) for the discovery of novel biologically active molecules.     

Effects of structural properties of silicon carbide-derived carbons on their electrochemical double-layer capacitance in aqueous and organic electrolytes

High surface area silicon carbide-derived carbons (Si-CDCs) synthesized by chlorination of beta silicon carbide (βSiC) with two different particle sizes (6 μm and 50 nm) show different porosities with graphitic structure. Transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy and argon (Ar) and carbon dioxide (CO₂) sorption analyses are used to examine the textural properties of the Si-CDCs. The results show that the particle size of the precursor affects the surface area and porosity of carbons. Furthermore, an additional heat treatment of the Si-CDC with 50-nm particle size for 24 h at 1,000 °C results in a collapse of the pore structure and reduces the surface area. The capacitive behaviours are investigated in H₂SO₄ and in tetraethyl ammonium tetrafluoroborate (TEABF₄)/acetonitrile (AN). The electrochemical performance of the Si-CDCs is influenced by the particle size, surface area, pore volume and pore size distribution. The Si-CDCs exhibit capacitances in 1 M H₂SO₄ of up to 179 F g^?1 and very stable charge–discharge performance over 5,000 cycles. This study shows the crucial importance of ultramicropores less than 1 nm combined with nanosized particles for achieving high capacitance in aqueous electrolyte. Moreover, the graphitic degree at the surface of the Si-CDCs enhances considerably the rate capability and stability in both electrolytes.     

Synthesis and cytotoxicity of 28-carboxymethoxy lupane triterpenoids. Preference of 28-O-acylation over 28-O-alkylation of betulin by ethyl bromoacetate

28-Carboxymethoxy lupane tritepenoids 3 and 4 were synthesized by alkylation of betulin with the THP protected 2-hydroxyethyl iodide followed by oxidation and reduction.Direct reaction of betulin (5) or betulone (10) with ethyl bromoacetate led to 28-O-acylation, instead of 28-O-alkylation.The targeted compounds 3 and 4 were not cytotoxic at the highest concentrationtested (75 mmol/L), suggesting that elongation of the chain length at the 28-position in both betulinic acid (1) and betulonic acid (2)was detrimental to the cytotoxicity.The acylation products 28-O-bromoacetates (8a, 8b and 11) and 28-O-methoxyacetate 13exhibited cytotoxicity against several cancer cell lines tested.     

Double-layer capacitance of waste coffee ground activated carbons in an organic electrolyte

Using ZnCl₂ activation we prepared a series of carbon electrodes from waste coffee grounds to study the effect of mesopores on double-layer capacitance in a tetraethyl ammonium tetrafluoroborate/acetonitrile electrolyte. The activated carbon with the largest mesopore volume achieved an energy density of 34 Wh kg^?1 at low current loads, and significantly retained an energy density of 16.5 Wh kg^?1 and specific capacitance of more than 100 F g^?1 at fast charge–discharge rates (20 A g^?1). The effect of mesopores on capacitance at fast charge–discharge rates is discussed.     

Transition state analogue discrimination by related purine nucleoside phosphorylases

Transition state analogues of PNP, the Immucillins and DADMe-Immucillins, were designed to match transition state features of bovine and human PNPs, respectively. The inhibitors with or without the hydroxyl and hydroxymethyl groups of the substrate demonstrate that inhibitor geometry mimicking that of the transition state confers binding affinity discrimination. This finding is remarkable since crystallographic analysis indicates complete conservation of active site residues and contacts to ligands in human and bovine PNPs.     

Coherent storage of photoexcited triplet states using 29Si nuclear spins in silicon

Pulsed electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy of the photoexcited, metastable triplet state of the oxygen-vacancy center in silicon reveals that the lifetime of the m(s)=±1 sublevels differs significantly from that of the m(s)=0 state. We exploit this significant difference in decay rates to the ground singlet state to achieve nearly ~100% electron-spin polarization within the triplet. We further demonstrate the transfer of a coherent state of the triplet electron spin to, and from, a hyperfine-coupled, nearest-neighbor (29)Si nuclear spin. We measure the coherence time of the (29)Si nuclear spin employed in this operation and find it to be unaffected by the presence of the triplet electron spin and equal to the bulk value measured by nuclear magnetic resonance.