A Convenient Approach to the Synthesis of Dialkyl 5‐Oxo‐1,2‐dihydro‐5H‐chromeno [4,3‐b]pyridine‐2,3‐dicarboxylates

Coumarin and its analogs are considered privileged scaffolds in the current synthetic and pharmacological research. The chemical behavior of enaminocarbaldehydes of the coumarin moiety under intramolecular Wittig reaction conditions in the presence of triphenylphosphine and dimethyl or diethyl acetylenedicarboxylates has been studied, resulting in the isolation of a series of dimethyl and diethyl 5‐oxo‐1,2‐dihydro‐5H‐chromeno[4,3‐b]pyridine‐2,3‐dicarboxylates in good to high yields.     

Novel adamantane-bearing anilines and properties of their supramolecular complexes with β-cyclodextrin

Several novel anilines bearing 1-adamantyl substituents that are useful for drug modification were synthesised from the corresponding 1-adamantyl (nitrophenyl) ketones. The host–guest systems of these prepared ligands with β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) were studied using electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry, NMR spectroscopy, titration calorimetry and semi-empirical calculations. The complexes with 1:1 stoichiometry were found to predominantly exist as pseudorotaxane-like threaded structures with the adamantane cage sitting deep in the cavity of β-CD close to the wider rim. Such geometry was observed for all examined amines and is independent of their structure and/or presence of protic substituents.     

Sensitive routine liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry method for serum estradiol and estrone without derivatization

The need for a routinely applicable assay to measure low estradiol levels in adult men, postmenopausal women, and young adolescents was recently discussed in an Endocrine Society position statement. Our aim was to develop a sensitive liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry method for estradiol and estrone in human serum without the need for derivatization or extended extraction protocols. After protein precipitation of serum with a mixture of methanol/acetonitrile (85/15) (v/v) containing isotopic internal standards (17β-estradiol-16,16,17-d ₃ and estrone-2,3,4-¹³C), we quantified estradiol and estrone by two-dimensional liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry with electrospray ionization in the negative mode monitoring 5?×?271.20→145.00 (17β-estradiol) and 269.20→145.00 (estrone). Sensitivity was increased by using fluoride and summation of 5 identical transitions for estradiol. Our method was analytically validated, compared against direct immunoassays using serum of 25 adult men, and clinically tested by measuring samples of 3 men at baseline and after chemical castration, 30 postmenopausal women and 15 patients receiving aromatase inhibitors. Total imprecision was below 20 % for the low quality controls. Limit of quantification was 1.3 ng/L (4.8 pmol/L) for estradiol and 1.2 ng/L (4.4 pmol/L) for estrone. Estradiol in Certified Reference Material BCR-576 was within specified uncertainty limits. No significant ion suppression or interference was observed. Our method showed modest correlation with direct immunoassay for estradiol (r ²?=?0.64) but no correlation for estrone (r ²?=?0.12). Patient sample results were within expected ranges. In conclusion, we developed a routinely applicable liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry method for estradiol and estrone measurement which is sensitive enough for use in men, postmenopausal women, and young adolescents.

Oriented SrFe12O19 thin films prepared by chemical solution deposition

Thin films of SrFe₁₂O₁₉ (SrM) were prepared from a solution of iron and strontium alkoxides through the chemical solution deposition method on both amorphous (glassy SiO₂), and single crystal substrates (Si(100), Si(111), Ag(111), Al₂O₃(001), MgO(111), MgAl₂O₄(111), SrTiO₃(111)) substrates. The process of crystallization was investigated by means of powder diffraction, atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Magnetization measurements, ferromagnetic and nuclear magnetic resonance were used for evaluation of anisotropy in the films. Whilst amorphous substrates enabled growth of randomly oriented SrM phase, use of single crystal substrates resulted in samples with different degree of oriented growth. The most pronounced oriented growth was observed on SrTiO₃(111). A detailed inspection revealed that growth of SrM phase starts through the breakup of initially continuous film into isolated grains with expressive shape anisotropy and hexagonal habit. A continuous film with epitaxial relations to the substrate was produced by repeating recoating and annealing.     

Possible conformational change within the desolvated and cationized sBBI/trypsin non-covalent complex during the collision-induced dissociation process

Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) has become an analytical technique widely used for the investigation of non-covalent protein-protein and protein-ligand complexes due to the soft desolvation conditions that preserve the stoichiometry of the interacting partners. Dissociation studies of solvated or desolvated complexes (in the source and in the collision cell, respectively) allow access to information on protein conformation and localization of the metal ions involved in protein structure stabilization and biological activity. The complex of bovine trypsin and small soybean Bowman-Birk inhibitor (sBBI) was studied by ESI-MS to determine changes occurring within the complex during its transfer from droplets to the gas phase independently of the ion polarity. Under collision-induced dissociation (CID) conditions, unexpected binding of the Ca(2+) ion (cofactor of native trypsin) to the inhibitor molecule was observed within the desolvated sBBI/trypsin/Ca(2+) complex (with a 1:1:1 stoichiometry). This formal gas-phase migration of the calcium ion from trypsin to the inhibitor may be related to conformational rearrangements in the solvent-free and likely collapsed complex. However, under conditions leading to the increase in complex charge state, the appearance of the cationized trypsin molecule was detected during complex dissociation, thus reflecting different pathways of the evolution of complex conformation.     

Accounting for matrix effects of pesticide residue liquid chromatography/electrospray ionisation mass spectrometric determination by treatment of background mass spectra with chemometric tools

Matrix effect (ME) – ionisation suppression or enhancement – in liquid chromatography/electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry (LC/ESI‐MS) is caused by matrix components co‐eluting with the analytes. ME has a complex and not fully understood nature. ME is also highly variable from sample to sample making it difficult to compensate for. In this work it was studied whether the background ion signals in scanned mass spectra of the LC effluent at the retention time of the analyte offer some insight into the presence and extent of matrix effect. Matrix effects for six pesticides – thiabendazole, carbendazime, methomyl, aldicarb, imazalil and methiocarb – in garlic and onion samples used in the study varied from 1% (suppression 99%) to 127% (enhancement 27%) depending on the pesticide and sample. Also standards in solvent and solvent blanks were included in the study. The ions most strongly varying from sample to sample – and therefore best describing the changes in sample composition and ME – were selected for quantification according to principal component analysis (PCA) for all six pesticides under study. These ions were used to account for ME via partial least‐squares (PLS) regression. The calibration set was constructed from 19 samples and standards and the obtained calibration function was validated with seven samples and standards. The average errors from the test set were from 0.05 to 0.27 mg/kg for carbendazim and imazalil, respectively (the respective average pesticide concentrations were 0.22 and 0.88 mg/kg). The PLS results were significantly more accurate compared to the conventional solvent calibration resulting in average errors from 0.07 to 0.69 mg/kg for carbendazime and methiocarb, respectively. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles using diatoms—silica-gold and EPS-gold bionanocomposite formation

Novel synthesis of gold nanoparticles, EPS-gold, and silica-gold bionanocomposites by biologically driven processes employing two diatom strains (Navicula atomus, Diadesmis gallica) is described. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electron diffraction analysis (SAED) revealed a presence of gold nanoparticles in the experimental solutions of the diatom culture mixed with tetrachloroaureate. Nature of the gold nanoparticles was confirmed by X-ray diffraction studies. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and TEM showed that the nanoparticles were associated with the diatom frustules and extracellular polysaccharides (EPS) excreted by the diatom cells. Due to its accessibility, simplicity, and effectiveness, this method of nanocomposites preparation has great importance for possible future applications.     

Numerical analysis of the effects of carrier dynamics on the switch-on and gain-switching of quantum dot lasers

A systematic analysis of the influence of the capture, inter-level relaxation and exciton dephasing time constants on the dynamic behavior of quantum dot Fabry-Perot semiconductor lasers is done taking into account the lasing from the ground and excited states. The simulation results show that the carrier time constants studied influence significantly the static characteristic of the laser, its switch-on response and the pulses generated by gain-switching.     

Charge transport in polyaniline doped with 3-nitro-1,2,4-triazol-5(4H)-one

Polyaniline (PANI) base was protonated in aqueous solutions of an organic acid, 3-nitro-1,2,4-triazol-5(4H)-one (NTO). The temperature dependence of DC conductivity of PANI-NTO seems to correspond to the theory of variable range hopping (VRH) in three dimensions. The frequency dependence of AC conductivity also reflects the hopping nature of mobile charges. The activation energy for the polymers with protonation degree above 0.12 remains constant with increasing dopant concentration and DC conductivity. The value of this constant may correspond to the energy needed for the ionization of dopant counterion. The fit of the electric relaxation function to the stretched exponential function ϕ(t) = exp[−(t/τ)^β] gives the stretch parameter β about 0.35, which shows that the distribution of relaxation times is broad and indicates a high inhomogeneity in the distribution of a dopant.