Influence of peak inspiratory flow rates and pressure drops on inhalation performance of dry powder inhalers

The aim of this study was to reveal the relationship between human inspiratory flow patterns and the concomitant drops in pressure in different inhalation devices, and the influence of the devices on inhalation performance. As a model formulation for inhalers, a physically mixed dry powder composed of salbutamol sulfate and coarse lactose monohydrate was selected. The drops in pressure at 28.3?L/min of three inhalation devices, Single-type, Dual-type, and Reverse-type, was 1.0, 5.1, and 8.7?kPa, respectively. Measurements of human inspiratory patterns revealed that although the least resistant device (Single) had large inter- and intra-individual variation of peak flow rate (PFR), the coefficients of variation of PFR of the three devices were almost the same. In tests with a human inspiratory flow simulator in vitro, inhalation performance was higher, but the variation in inhalation performance in the range of human flow patterns was wider, for the more resistant device. To minimize the intra- and inter-individual variation in inhalation performance for the model formulation in this study, a formulation design that allows active pharmaceutical ingredient to detach from the carrier with a lower inhalation flow rate is needed.     

A new efficient synthesis of the biologically potent PGD2-analogue ZK118182

A highly stereoselective and practical synthetic method for ZK118182, which is chemically and metabolically stable and a biologically potent PGD₂-analogue developed by Schering AG, is reported.     

Observation of magnetic multilayers by electron holography.

Magnetic structures of Co/Cu multilayers in cross section are observed by two kinds of electron holography: a Fourier method and a phase-shifting method, which is introduced briefly. The Fourier method can easily reconstruct wave functions and is applied to many specimens, whereas the phase-shifting method requires longer time for processing, but has a higher spatial resolution that permits us to discuss fine structures. Magnetization vectors in Co layers aligning parallel and separating into two blocks with antiparallel alignment are observed. Magnetic blurring on the boundary between Co and Cu in the reconstructed phase images is larger than the estimated atomic roughness.     

Studies on nilvadipine. I. Synthesis and structure-activity relationships of 1,4-dihydropyridines containing novel substituents at the 2-position.

The synthesis of new 1,4-dihydropyridine derivatives containing novel substituent at the 2-position of the nucleus via the key intermediate 2-formyl-1,4-dihydropyridines (X), is described. The aldehydes (X) were prepared by hydrolysis of the acetals (IX) which were obtained from aryl aldehyde (V) and alkyl 4,4-dialkoxyacetoacetate (VI) by the Knoevenagel reaction and treatment with alkyl 3-aminocrotonate (VIII) according to the modified Hantzsch method. The formyl group of the aldehydes (X) was reactive enough to be converted to a variety of functional groups such as hydroxymethyl, cyano, substituted iminomethyl, carbamoyl, semicarbazone, substituted vinyl, ethynyl, and so on. In all of the novel compounds we prepared, 2-hydroxymethyl- and 2-cyano-1,4-dihydropyridines (IV and XXII) were found to possess potent activities in preliminary biological evaluations on hypotension in normotensive rats and on an increase in coronary blood flow in pentobarbital-anesthetized dogs. Optimization research in order to obtain a more potent compound was accomplished in the 2-hydroxymethyl- and 2-cyano-1,4-dihydropyridine series. We selected isopropyl 2-cyano-3-methoxycarbonyl-4-(3-nitrophenyl)-6-methyl-1,4-dihydropyridine -5-carboxylate (XXIIj) as a candidate compound for further biological evaluation studies. Fortunately, XXIIj (nilvadipine) has been accepted in clinical use for the treatment of hypertension.     

Controlling the incorporation and release of C60 in nanometer-scale hollow spaces inside single-wall carbon nanohorns

We succeeded in large-scale preparation of single-wall carbon nanohorns (SWNH) encapsulating C60 molecules in a liquid phase at room temperature using a "nano-precipitation" method, that is, complete evaporation of the toluene from a C60-SWNH-toluene mixture. The C60 molecules were found to occupy 6-36% of the hollow space inside the SWNH, depending on the initial quantity of C60. We showed that the C60 in C60@SWNHox was quickly released in toluene, and the release rate decreased by adding ethanol to toluene. Numerical analysis of the release profiles indicated that there were fast and slow release processes. We consider that the incorporation quantity and the release rate of C60 were controllable in/from SWNHs because SWNHs have large diameters, 2-5 nm.     

Frequencies of breathing vibrations of nearly spherical Ar clusters calculated by molecular dynamics

The breathing vibration of Ar _N cluster,N=13, 20, 25, 30 and 55, was investigated by use of the molecular dynamics method. The average distance \((\bar r)\) averaged over the positions of all Ar atoms with respect to the center of mass was calculated as a function of time and its frequency spectrum was derived by the Fourier transform analysis. The \(\bar r\) value was proved to be a good index of the breathing vibration in comparison with the exact breathing vibration of an Ar dense sphere. The vibrational frequency thus estimated,f _MD, was found to increase with the cluster sizen as expected.     

Selective syntheses of metalated pyridines from two different unsymmetrical acetylenes, a nitrile, and a titanium(II) alkoxide

Cyclotrimerization of two different, unsymmetrical acetylenes and p-toluenesulfonylnitrile with a divalent titanium alkoxide reagent, Ti(O-i-Pr)4/2 i-PrMgCl, yielded single pyridyltitanium compounds in a highly selective manner. These metalated pyridines were confirmed by deuteriolysis to give the corresponding deuterated pyridines and underwent iodinolysis and copper-catalyzed alkylation to demonstrate their synthetic utility. Alternatively, a different type of cyclotrimerization of an alkynamide, terminal acetylenes, and alpha-alkoxynitriles mediated by the same titanium(II) alkoxide again proceeded in a highly selective manner to give single pyridines having a titanated side chain.     

Site-selective mono-titanation of conjugated diynes with a Ti(II) alkoxide reagent. Concise preparation of stereo-defined enynes and dienynes

Conjugated diynes underwent selective mono-titanation with a Ti(II) reagent to give 1:1 diyne-titanium alkoxide complexes, which reacted with proton, aldehyde, and another acetylene to give stereo-defined enynes, enynols, and dienynes.     

Camptothecins and two new monoterpene glucosides from Ophiorrhiza liukiuensis

Two new monoterpene glucosides, demethylsecologanol and 3'-O-glucosylsenburiside II, were isolated from Ophiorrhiza liukiuensis (Rubiaceae) together with 23 known compounds, including camptothecins and beta-carboline-type alkaloids. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic analysis.