pH-sensitive paramagnetic liposomes for MRI: assessment of stability in blood

The pH-dependent stability of dipalmitoyl phosphatidyl ethanolamine/palmitic acid (DPPE/PA) liposomal GdDTPA-BMA was investigated in human blood and after exposure to selected blood components. Relaxometry, visual observations and cryo-transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM) were employed for the assessment of stability. The liposomes were stable in buffer at physiological pH and the T(1)-relaxivity (r(1)) of the system was significantly lowered compared to that of non-liposomal GdDTPA-BMA, which could be explained by an exchange limited relaxation process. Lowering the pH, however, gave a marked increase in r(1), due to liposome aggregation and subsequent leakage of GdDTPA-BMA. After a few minutes incubation in human blood the liposomes were destabilised and leaky at both high and low pH, and blood components likely to cause the instability were studied. Physiological level of Na(+) (150 mM) did not affect the relaxometric behavior of the liposomes at pH 7.4, but shifted the pH-r(1) profile laterally to higher pH-values compared to a level of 50 mM Na(+). Increased screening of the surface charges and, concomitantly, a lowering of the energy-barrier against aggregation is a plausible explanation for this phenomenon. In contrast, both Ca(2+) and Mg(2+) (physiological level, both 2 mM) caused massive aggregation of the liposomes and leakage of contents, and were therefore much more detrimental to the stability of the liposomes than a physiological level of Na(+). This could be due to the higher screening ability of divalent cations, but aggregation could also be induced through an inter-liposomal "bridging" effect. Physiological level of both Na(+) and Ca(2+) caused less leakage than for lower Na(+) concentration (50 mM Na(+) and 2 mM Ca(2+)), probably due to competition for the negative surface charges. Albumin also destabilised the liposomes, and it was shown to be due to an interaction between albumin and PA in the liposomal membrane.     

Transients from a mixture of [(R(O)Sn)2C(CH3)2]2 and (RCl2Sn)2C(CH3)2 [R = (SiMe3)2CH]: an identification in situ by 1D 119Sn and 2D 1H?119Sn HMQC NMR spectroscopy and electrospray mass spectrometry

The reaction of the 2,2‐bis(organodichlorostannyl)propane [(Me₃Si)₂CH(Cl₂)Sn]₂CMe₂ (A) with the corresponding organotin oxide {[(Me₃Si)₂CH(O)Sn]₂CMe₂}₂ (B) does not provide the corresponding normally expected tetraorganodistannoxane {[(Me₃Si)₂CH(Cl)SnCMe₂Sn(Cl)CH(SiMe₃)₂]O}_n but a complex reaction mixture. One major product, namely the 2,4,6,8‐tetraorgano‐2,6‐dichloro‐1,5,9‐trioxa‐2,4,6,8‐tetrastannabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane derivative [(Me₃Si)₂CHSnCMe₂Sn(Cl)CH(SiMe₃)₂]₂O₃ (C) was identified in situ by 2D ¹H? ¹¹⁹Sn and ¹H? ¹³C heteronuclear multiple quantum coherence and heteronuclear multiple bond correlation NMR spectroscopy as well as electrospray mass spectrometry. Compound C is proposed to be in equilibrium with an ionic species C′, the cation of which has an adamantane‐type structure. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Continuous cellobiose hydrolysis using self-immobilized β-glucosidase fromAspergillus phoenicis QM 329 in a fluidized-bed reactor

Aspergillus phoenicis QM 329 was grown in the shape of beads in shake flasks and in an air-lift fermentor. The production of β-glucosidase started when the carbon source, glucose, was consumed. The β-glucosidase activity was retained in the beads at a pH below 6.0. The influence of bead diameter on enzyme activity and the pH and temperature optima for cellobiose hydrolysis has been studied. The enzyme-containing beads were used in a fluidized-bed reactor for continuous cellobiose hydrolysis, and a productivity of 2.0 g/L-h at a substrate conversion of 76% was obtained. The self-immobilized β- glucosidase is a stable and reusable enzyme with a half-life of 700 h when operating at 50°C and pH 4.8.

     

On the distributions corresponding to bounded operators in the Weyl quantization

Using properties of an integral transform giving directly the matrix elements of a quantum mechanical operator from the corresponding classical function, we restrict the class of distributions corresponding to bounded operators. As a consequence, we can exhibit a class of functions yielding trace-class operators, and give a bound on their trace-norm.Wetenschappelijk medewerker bij het Interuniversitair Institut voor Kernwetenschappen (in het kader van het navorsingsprojekt 21 EN)     

Über die Addition von Schwefel und Selen an Isonitrile

Zusammenfassung Die aus der Addition von Schwefel und Selen an nach verschiedenen Methoden dargestellte Isonitrile resultierenden Isothio- und Isoselenocyanate werden durch Behandlung mit Aminen und Hydrazin-Verbindungen in guten Ausbeuten in die entsprechenden Thio- bzw. Selenoharnstoffe und- semicarbazide übergeführt.     

Stereoselective synthesis of photoreactive peptidomimetic gamma-secretase inhibitors

The first asymmetric synthesis of novel, potent photoreactive gamma-secretase inhibitors 2 and 3 has been accomplished. Two stereoselective methods for the preparation of lactone 9 are described. Protected benzophenone intermediate 19 is prepared via an aldol-elimination reaction followed by a PtO(2)-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation. Two routes leading from 19 to compounds 2 and 3 are evaluated. The application of 3 as an activity-based probe has been demonstrated by localizing gamma-secretase activity in the plasma membrane of intact cells.