Determination of serum methotrexate and 7-hydroxymethotrexate concentrations. Method evaluation showing advantages of high-performance liquid chromatography

The use of large doses of methotrexate (MTX), greater than 3 g/m2, for the treatment of some malignant disorders requires careful monitoring of serum concentrations. A simple and sensitive method for the separation of MTX and 7-hydroxymethotrexate (7-OH-MTX) by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is described. The method involves deproteinizing the serum sample on a Sep-Pak C18 cartridge, followed by separation on a C18 column and detection at 313 nm. The extraction efficiency of free MTX from serum is 70% and the maximum sensitivity is 2.2 X 10(-8) M. A high degree of correlation was obtained between the HPLC method of serum MTX determination and an enzyme multiplied immunoassay technique. The HPLC method separates MTX from its analogues, or drugs which may be administered concomitantly with MTX. Concentrations of MTX and 7-OH-MTX achieved over a 24-h period during high-dose therapy, (500-1000 mg/m2), and over 48 h for very-high-dose methotrexate therapy (8-12 g/m2) are described. A significant observation is the presence of 7-OH-MTX in sera of patients 6 h after commencement of infusion. This method was also utilized for monitoring cerebrospinal fluid MTX concentrations.     

Biologically important compounds as ligands: Binary and ternary complexes of 5-amino-7-hydroxy-triazolo[4,5—d]pyrimidine (“8-azaguanine”) in solution

Metal complexation equilibria in the binary complexing systems of the typeM–L [M=Cu(II), Ni(II), Co(II), Zn(II), Cd(II), and UO₂(VI);L=AZN=8-azaguanine] have been examined potentiometrically. The work has further been extended to investigating the ternary complexing systems of the typeM–A–L [A=2,2-bipyridine, 1,10-phenanthroline or nitrilotriacetic acid]. Measurements were done at 25°C and at an ionic strength of 0.1M (NaClO₄) in 50% (v/v) aqueous ethanol medium. Stabilities of the ternary complexes as compared to those of the corresponding binary complexes ofAZN are also discussed.

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Biologisch relevante Verbindungen als Liganden: Binäre und ternäre Komplexe von 5-Amino-7-hydroxy-triazolo[4,5-d]pyrimidin (8-Azaguanin) in Lösung

Zusammenfassung Es wurden Komplexierungsgleichgewichte vom binären TypM–L [M=Cu(II), Ni(II), Co(II), Zn(II), Cd(II) und UO₂(VI);L=AZN=8-Azaguanin] potentiometrisch untersucht. Die Untersuchungen wurden auf ternäre Systeme vom TypM–A–L ausgedehnt [A=2,2-Bipyridin, 1,10-Phenanthrolin oder Nitrilotriessigsäure]. Die Messungen wurden bei 25°C bei Ionenstärken von 0,1M (NaClO₄) in 50% wäßr. Ethanol durchgeführt. Die Stabilität der ternären Komplexe im Vergleich zu den entsprechenden binären wird diskutiert.

     

Total synthesis of (+)-boronolide, (+)-deacetylboronolide,and (+)-dideacetylboronolide

Total synthesis of (+)-boronolide, (+)-deacetylboronolide, and (+)-dideacetylboronolide has been achieved from a single intermediate 26, which was synthesized in 11 steps from a d-mannitol-derived intermediate 8 in an overall yield of 10%. The key steps in the synthesis are inversion of a chiral center by taking an advantage of the inherent mechanism involved in the ring closing to an epoxide via intramolecular S(N)2 reaction and lactonization of a diol using Fetizons reagent. The strategy is amenable to preparation of analogues of (+)-boronolide in sufficient amount for further screening of biological activity.     

Studies on uracils: synthesis of novel pyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidine oxides via ring transformation of isoxazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine

The reaction of isoxazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine 1 and cyanoolefins 2 in the presence of triethylamine (Et₃N) as a catalyst afforded an unprecedented one-pot synthesis of biologically important pyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidine oxides 3 in excellent yields.     

Binding of hydrogen bonding solutes at liquid–vapour interfaces of molecular fluids

We have calculated the potential of mean force (PMF) for the transfer of a solute molecule across a liquid–vapour interface for four different systems: (a) one methanol molecule in water, (b) one water molecule in methanol, (c) one acetonitrile molecule in water and (d) one water molecule in acetonitrile by means of constrained molecular dynamics simulations. A minimum of the PMF is found near the Gibbs dividing surface for methanol and acetonitrile solutes although the degree of surface activity is found to be somewhat different due, in part, to varying hydrogen bonding nature of these two solutes.     

Syntheses and thermal reactivities of tetradentate metalloenediynes of Cu(II) and Zn(II)

The syntheses and Bergman cyclization temperatures of disubstituted tetradentate enediyne ligands based on a dibenzylethylenediamine backbone are reported relative to the corresponding Cu(II) and Zn(II) analogues. For these compounds, the R-groups dimethylamine (dma), pyridine (py), quinoline (quin), and 3-oxypyridine (pyO) have been symmetrically and asymmetrically incorporated at the alkyne termini positions directly (0:0) or via a methylene spacer (1:0, 0:1, 1:1). Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) reveals that all Cu(II) complexes are monomeric with near axial symmetry and g-values (g(x) approximately 2.04, g(y) approximately 2.09 g(z) approximately 2.25) representative of tetragonal Cu(II) geometries. The hyperfine splitting parameter A(z) values are approximately 170 x 10(-)(4) cm(-)(1), which is consistent with distorted 4-coordinate, or weakly 6-coordinate, structures. In contrast, solution conductivity measurements show that Zn(II) complexes with rigid py or quin ligands (e.g., py-py 0:0, py-quin 0:0) behave as 1:4 electrolytes indicative of dimeric, bridging enediyne structures. Consequently, these Zn(II) complexes have very high Bergman cyclization temperatures (>290 degrees C), while their less rigid, 1:1 analogues (<185 degrees C) and monomeric Cu(II) counterparts (110-136 degrees C) have markedly lower cyclization temperatures. The results underscore the important consequences metal center structure plays in influencing Bergman cyclization temperatures of metalloenediynes.     

Preparation of a novel 16-DPA-P2S5 adduct and its application as a masked α,β-unsaturated ketone in [4+2]cycloaddition reactions

The reaction of 16-DPA with P₄S₁₀ in refluxing benzene afforded a novel adduct 16-DPA-P₂S₅ instead of the expected thione. The adduct undergoes [4+2]cycloaddition with alkyne dienophiles to afford steroidal (17,16-c)pyrans.     

Simulations of a weakly conducting droplet under the influence of an alternating electric field

We investigate the electrohydrodynamics of an initially spherical droplet under the influence of an external alternating electric field by conducting axisymmetric numerical simulations using a charge-conservative volume-of-fluid based finite volume flow solver. The mean amplitude of shape oscillations of a droplet subjected to an alternating electric field for leaky dielectric fluids is similar to the steady-state deformation under an equivalent root mean squared direct electric field for all possible electrical conductivity ratio and permittivity ratio of the droplet to the surrounding fluid. In contrast, our simulations for weakly conducting media show that this equivalence between alternating and direct electric fields does not hold for . Moreover, for a range of parameters, the deformation obtained using the alternating and direct electric fields is qualitatively different, that is, for low and high , the droplet becomes prolate under alternating electric field but deforms to an oblate shape in the case of the equivalent direct electric field. A parametric study is conducted by varying the time period of the applied alternating electric field, the permittivity and the electrical conductivity ratios. It is observed that while increasing has a negligible effect on the deformation dynamics of the droplet for , it enhances the deformation of the droplet when for both alternating and direct electric fields. We believe that our results may be of immense consequence in explaining the morphological evolution of droplets in a plethora of scenarios ranging from nature to biology.     

Electron-muon mass ratio and the masses of their neutrinos

In this note, we arrange equal mass for all the four leptons,e,, and their neutrinos through their coupling to a Higg's quartet. In addition, the electron and muon are coupled to the left handed and right handed Higgs doublets. This is a pseudo scalar coupling. This enables these charged leptons to attain different masses. Their masses are arranged to be proportional to their neutrino mass. The mass of the electron or muon neutrino turns out to be 6.3 eV.