Quantitative Structure-Toxicity Relationships Using Tops-Mode. 2. Neurotoxicity of a Non-Congeneric Series of Solvents

Abstract

Neurotoxicities of a series of solvents in rats and mice have been modeled by means of the TOPS-MODE approach. Two quantitative structure-toxicity relationship (QSTR) models were obtained explaining more than 80% of the variance in the experimental values of neurotoxicity of 45 solvents. Only one compound was detected as statistical outlier for these models. In contrast, previous models explained less than 60% of the variance in this property for 44 solvents. Finally, the contributions to neurotoxicity in rats and mice for a series of structural fragments were found. Structural characteristics of chlorinated fragments responsible for their different neurotoxicities were analyzed. The differences in neurotoxic behavior of some fragments in rats and mice were also analyzed, which could give insights on the toxicological mechanism of action of solvents studied.     

Ranking ranges in cross-efficiency evaluations

The existence of alternate optima for the DEA weights may reduce the usefulness of the cross-efficiency evaluation, since the ranking provided depends on the choice of weights that the different DMUs make. In this paper, we develop a procedure to carry out the cross-efficiency evaluation without the need to make any specific choice of DEA weights. The proposed procedure takes into consideration all the possible choices of weights that all the DMUs can make, and yields for each unit a range for its possible rankings instead of a single ranking. This range is determined by the best and the worst rankings that would result in the best and the worst scenarios of each unit across all the DEA weights of all the DMUs. This approach might identify good/bad performers, as those that rank at the top/bottom irrespective of the weights that are chosen, or units that outperform others in all the scenarios. In addition, it may be used to analyze the stability of the ranking provided by the standard cross-efficiency evaluation.     

Shedding light on the mitochondrial matrix through a functional membrane transporter

The first fluorescent probes that are actively channeled into the mitochondrial matrix by a specific mitochondrial membrane transporter in living cells have been developed. The new functional probes (BCT) have a minimalist structural design based on the highly efficient and photostable BODIPY chromophore and carnitine as a biotargeting element. Both units are orthogonally bonded through the common boron atom, thus avoiding the use of complex polyatomic connectors. In contrast to known mitochondria-specific dyes, BCTs selectively label these organelles regardless of their transmembrane potential and in an enantioselective way. The obtained experimental evidence supports carnitine–acylcarnitine translocase (CACT) as the key transporter protein for BCTs, which behave therefore as acylcarnitine biomimetics. This simple structural design can be readily extended to other structurally diverse starting F-BODIPYs to obtain BCTs with varied emission wavelengths along the visible and NIR spectral regions and with multifunctional capabilities. BCTs are the first fluorescent derivatives of carnitine to be used in cell microscopy and stand as promising research tools to explore the role of the carnitine shuttle system in cancer and metabolic diseases. Extension of this approach to other small-molecule mitochondrial transporters is envisaged.

A BODIPY derivative of carnitine enters mitochondria regardless of their membrane potential and in an enantioselective way through a specific mitochondrial membrane transporter in living cells.     

Temperature dependence of OH uptake by carbonaceous surfaces of atmospheric importance

Although OH uptake by carbonaceous surfaces is very efficient, it is thought to be negligible to affect the OH and O₃ balance in the lower troposphere. To estimate its contribution in the upper troposphere, we have studied the temperature dependence of OH uptake by carbonaceous surfaces of atmospheric importance over the temperature range from 218 to 298 K. We found that the OH uptake coefficient is weakly dependent of temperature, ranging from 0.1 to 1, as was measured under flow conditions using chemical ionization mass spectrometry. This finding was further used to estimate OH loss on carbonaceous aerosol under upper tropospheric conditions. Our calculations suggested that OH heterogeneous loss may represent a notable sink for OH in the upper troposphere, which is due to both the significantly lower diffusion limitation and weakly temperature-dependent OH uptake. The obtained results may be thus important for aerosol chemistry of the upper troposphere.     

Regiospecific Addition of Alcohols to 9-Hydroxy-and 9-Methoxy-1, 4-Anthraquinone

Conjugated addition of alcohols to 9-hydroxy-and 9-methoxy-1, 4-anthraquinone, in the presence of a strong acid and an oxidant, affords the 2-alkoxy- and 3-alkoxy-substituted regioisomer, respectively.     

Ultrasound-assisted extraction of antimony and cobalt from inorganic environmental samples using a cup-horn sonoreactor prior to their determination by electrothermal-atomic absorption spectrometry

A simple, fast and reliable method is described for the quantitative extraction of Sb and Co from inorganic environmental matrices containing variable amounts of silicates prior to their determination by electrothermal-atomic absorption spectrometry. The method is based on the ultrasound-assisted extraction of both elements using the mixture 20% v/v HF + 20% v/v HNO₃ as extractant. The extraction procedure was carried out in closed Eppendorf vials immersed in a cup-horn sonoreactor for 20?min. Once extraction has been accomplished, the supernatant liquid is separated from the solid phase and subsequently transferred into the autosampler of the instrument. A two-level full factorial design (2⁴) was applied for screening optimisation of the variables influencing the ultrasonic extraction. These variables were: sonication time; amplitude of the ultrasound energy; nitric and hydrofluoric acid concentrations. MLDs were 0.20 and 0.06?µg?·?g^?1 for Sb and Co, respectively. Between-batch precision values, expressed as relative standard deviations (n?=?3), were less than 5.5 and 9.6% for Sb and Co, respectively. The method was evaluated using a wide variety of inorganic certified reference materials, such as SRM 2702 (Marine Sediment), SRM 2782 (Industrial Sludge), BCR 176R (Fly Ash), SRM 1633b (Coal Fly Ash) SRM 2710 (Montana Soil) and SRM 2711 (Montana Soil).     

Novel Copolymers of Styrene. 12. Halogen Ring-Substituted Methyl 2-Cyano-3-Phenyl-2-Propenoates

Electrophilic trisubstituted ethylenes, halogen ring-substituted methyl 2-cyano-3-phenyl-2-propenoates, RPhCH=C(CN)CO₂CH₃ (where R is 3-Br-4-CH₃O, 5-Br-2-CH₃O, 2-F-5-CH₃, 2-F-6-CH₃, 4-F-3-CH₃, 4-F-3-PhO, 2-F-5-I, 2-F-6-I, 2-F₃C, 4-F₃C) were prepared and copolymerized with styrene. The monomers were synthesized by the piperidine catalyzed Knoevenagel condensation of ring-substituted benzaldehydes and methyl cyanoacetate, and characterized by CHN analysis, IR, ¹H and ¹³C-NMR. All the ethylenes were copolymerized with styrene (M₁) in solution with radical initiation (ABCN) at 70°C. The compositions of the copolymers were calculated from nitrogen analysis and the structures were analyzed by IR, ¹H and ¹³C-NMR. The order of relative reactivity (1/r ₁) for the monomers is 2-F-5-CH₃ (6.4) > 4-F-3-PhO (5.6) > 4-F₃C (4.8) > 3-Br-4-CH₃O (3.7) > 2-F-5-I (3.6) > 2-F₃C (2.2) > 2-F-6-I (2.1) > 5-Br-2-CH₃O (1.9) > 4-F-3-CH₃ (1.8) > 2-F-6-CH₃ (1.2). Relatively high T _g of the copolymers in comparison with that of polystyrene indicates a decrease in chain mobility of the copolymer due to the high dipolar character of the trisubstituted ethylene monomer unit. Decomposition of the copolymers in nitrogen occurred in two steps, first in the 200-500°C range with residue (2–21% wt), which then decomposed in the 500–800°C range.