In-water reactivity of nucleosides and nucleotides: one-step preparation and biological evaluation of novel ferrocenyl-derivatives

The reactivity in water of a series of nucleosides and nucleotides towards ferrocenemethanol was investigated. Several adducts incorporating the ferrocenemethyl moiety into the heterocyclic base were isolated and their activity was tested against HIV-1, HBV, YFV, BVDV and several bacteria. However, none of the new compounds showed significant antiviral activity nor cytotoxicity. The reaction with ferrocenemethanol of the model dinucleotide ^5′dCpdG^3′, for a direct comparison of the behaviour of purine versus pyrimidine bases, is also discussed.     

Analysis of heavy metals in atmospheric particulate by ion chromatography

Cu, Ni, Zn, Co, Fe+2, Mn, Cd, Fe+3 and Pb are easily separated and detected in isocratic mode by ion chromatography with post-column derivatization using a bifunctional ion-exchange column and an eluent formed by oxalic acid (28 mM) and sodium nitrate (250 mM). The separation is optimised by using a suggested sample solution containing a given concentration of chloride. Detection limits were 10-15 ppb for all the metals except for cadmium and lead, for which detection limits of 30 and 60 ppb were found, respectively. The method was tested on an atmospheric particulate certified sample. The measured values were in good agreement with certified values. Real samples of atmospheric particulate from industrial and urban sites were analysed and the results are discussed.     

Optimisation of the formulation of a bubble bath by a chemometric approach market segmentation and optimisation

The optimisation of the formulation of a commercial bubble bath was performed by chemometric analysis of Panel Tests results. A first Panel Test was performed to choose the best essence, among four proposed to the consumers; the best essence chosen was used in the revised commercial bubble bath. Afterwards, the effect of changing the amount of four components (the amount of primary surfactant, the essence, the hydratant and the colouring agent) of the bubble bath was studied by a fractional factorial design. The segmentation of the bubble bath market was performed by a second Panel Test, in which the consumers were requested to evaluate the samples coming from the experimental design. The results were then treated by Principal Component Analysis. The market had two segments: people preferring a product with a rich formulation and people preferring a poor product. The final target, i.e. the optimisation of the formulation for each segment, was obtained by the calculation of regression models relating the subjective evaluations given by the Panel and the compositions of the samples. The regression models allowed to identify the best formulations for the two segments ofthe market.     

A radioanalytical method for the determination of Pb(II) with the use of a chelating cellulose filter

A functionalized cellulose filter, with iminodiacetate chelating units, has been characterized for the uptake of ultratrace Pb(II) (1 to 10^–6 mg · ^–1) with the use of²¹⁰Pb. The different behaviour in batch and in flow-through experiments has been observed both in the rate of metal uptake, as well as in the relative yield of metal recovery. Flow-through uptake appeared to be a faster process and to occur with higher % yield in the entire range investigated. A radioanalytical method for the determination of Pb(II) in liquid samples (10 to 10^–2 mg · ^–1) has been developed, based on the measurement of the²¹⁰Pb activity exchanged between a iminodiacetic acid filter loaded with²¹⁰Pb and the solution under analysis. Results and interferences are considered and discussed.     

Determination of Absolute Configuration of Acyclic 1,2‐Diols with [Mo2(OAc)4], Part 2: New Structural Evidence toward a Rationale of the Method: What Remains of [Mo2(OAc)4] in DMSO Solution?

The nature of the CD-active species obtained by mixing dimolybdenum tetraacetate and a chiral 1,2-diol in DMSO has been studied by different techniques (1D and 2D (1)H NMR, CD, UV/Vis) with two substrates, (R)-phenyl-1,2-ethanediol (1) and (R,R)-butane-2,3-diol (2). The diol/dimolybdenum adducts have diagnostic CD spectra whose sign correlates with the absolute configuration of the organic substrate. It is demonstrated that, in DMSO solution, the acetate ligands of [Mo(2)(OAc)(4)] dissociate to a large extent under the action of the dissolved water, yielding acetic acid and a polyhydrated dimolybdenum species. Addition of a 1,2-diol leads to chelation with formation of one main active species for 2 and two for 1, all with 1:1 stoichiometries at diol/dimolybdenum molar ratios less than 1.5. Only a small fraction (less than 20 %) of the 1,2-diol is bound. The structures of the active complexes are estimated on the basis of NMR spectra, by correlating the observed chemical shifts with the quadruple bond diamagnetic anisotropy. In the predominating complexes for 1 and 2, the 1,2-diol moiety bridges the Mo(2) core forming a six-membered ring.     

Inherent chirality dominates the visible/near-ultraviolet CD spectrum of rhodopsin

The visible (alpha) and near-UV (beta) CD bands of rhodopsin have been studied extensively, but their source(s) have never been definitively established. Do they result from the intrinsic chirality of the polyene chromophore of the protonated Schiff base of retinal (retPSB) or from the coupling of the transitions of this chromophore with those of protein groups? We have calculated the contributions of these two mechanisms to the CD of rhodopsin. The intrinsic CD of the retPSB chromophore was calculated using time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) and, for comparison, the semiempirical ZINDO method. First-order perturbation theory was used to calculate the effects of coupling of the retPSB transitions with the pi pi* transitions of the aromatic chromophores and the pi pi* and n pi* transitions of the peptide groups in rhodopsin. Calculations were performed for eight structures based upon the two molecules in the asymmetric unit of four crystal structures. The most reliable results were obtained from TDDFT calculations on the structure of Okada et al. (J. Mol. Biol. 2004, 342, 571), PDB 1U19. Averaging over the two molecules in the asymmetric unit, the intrinsic rotational strengths are 0.62 +/- 0.00 DBM (Debye-Bohr magneton) and 0.90 +/- 0.03 DBM for the alpha- and beta-bands, respectively. The contributions from coupling with protein groups are, respectively, -0.32 +/- 0.05 and -0.01 +/- 0.03 DBM. Our results show that the visible/near-UV CD bands of rhodopsin are determined by the intrinsic chirality of the retPSB chromophore and that the contributions of coupling with the protein are significantly smaller for the alpha-band and negligible for the beta-band.     

Characterization of Diastereomeric Equilibria of Pseudotetrahedral Bis[(R or S)-N-1-(Ar)Ethylsalicylaldiminato-κ2N,O]zinc(II) with Λ/Δ-Chirality-At-Metal Induction

A family of bis[(R or S)-N-1-(Ar)ethylsalicylaldiminato-κ²N,O]-Δ/Λ-zinc(II) {Ar=C₆H₅ (ZnRL¹ or ZnSL¹), p-CH₃OC₆H₄ (ZnRL² or ZnSL²) and p-ClC₆H₄ (ZnRL³ or ZnSL³)} compounds was synthesized and investigated by multiple methods. They feature Λ/Δ-chirality-at-metal induction along the pseudo-C₂ axis of the molecules. The chirality induction is quantitative in the solid state, explored by X-ray crystallography and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), where R or S-ligated complexes diastereoselectively yield Λ or Δ-configuration at the metal. On the other hand, Λ and Δ-diastereomers co-exist in solution. The Λ⇆Δ equilibrium is solvent- and temperature-dependent. Electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra confirm the existence of a diastereomeric excess of Λ-ZnRL¹⁻³ or Δ-ZnSL¹⁻³ in solution. DSC analysis reveals thermally induced irreversible phase transformation from a crystalline solid to an isotropic liquid phase. ECD spectra were reproduced by DFT geometry optimizations and time-dependent DFT (TD-DFT) calculations, providing ultimate proof of the dominant chirality atmetal in solution.     

Strong overcrowding in dimethyl 2‐(dimethylamino)terephthalate

The molecular structure of the title compound, C₁₂H₁₅NO₄, has several features related to steric hindrance due to the ester and dimethylamine groups being located ortho with respect to one another. In particular, the carbonyl group of the ester is not coplanar with the ring, the amine N atom is in a pyramidal arrangement [the N atom is 0.2161 (12) Å from the three C atoms to which it is bonded] and the C atom of the adjacent ester group lies 0.3784 (14) Å out of the plane of the aromatic ring. The deformations found in the X‐ray structure have been confirmed by ab initio quantum mechanical calculations.     

Effect of Composition of Lung Biomimetic Niche on the Mesenchymal Stem Cell Differentiation toward Alveolar Type II Pneumocytes

Pulmonary niche dynamically orchestrates the signals, such as proliferation or differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), which allows inducing tissue repair. Lung niche includes extracellular matrix (ECM), comprising hyaluronic acid (HA) and collagen (COLL), and several types of MSCs. Impaired ECM, in lung pathologies, makes the promising therapies based on MSCs ineffective, as it results in a reduced attachment and homing of MSCs, precluding their differentiation and viability. To overcome this problem, in this study a pulmonary biomimetic niche based on HA and COLL hydrogel is developed, with the specific aim to elucidate the role of COLL and HA/COLL semi-interpenetrating polymer networks (SIPNs) in directing the differentiation of MSCs into Alveolar Type II (ATII) cells. The effect of low (L), medium (M), and high (H) molecular weight (MW) HA is investigated, both like structural component of the SIPNs hydrogel and like trophic factor in cell culture media solution. HA in the culture media significantly improves surfactant protein (SP)-C expression (≈2 ng mL⁻¹), without showing difference in the MW tested, compared to control only (≈1 ng mL⁻¹). Furthermore, LMWHA/COLL hydrogel promotes the SPC expression (approximately two times) compared to COLL, MMWHA/COLL, and HMWHA/COLL hydrogels.