Serum estradiol measurement by solid-phase chemiluminescence immunoassay and direct radioimmunoassay

Estradiol017β is determined in serum extracts by solid-phase chemiluminescence immunoassay. The results are compared with those obtained from unextracted serum in routine conditions with a commercial radioimmunoassay (r.i.a.) kit. For the chemiluminescence procedure, a purified monoclonal antibody to estradiol-6-carboxymethyloxime/bovine serum albumin and the homologous chemiluminescent marker conjugate estradiol-6-carboxymethyloxime aminobutylethylisoluminol are used. Bound and free ligand are separated by washing and simple centrifugation. Results obtained by the chemiluminescence assay (y) and by r.i.a. (x) on 170 serum specimens from women during ovulation induction showed good correlation (y = 1.01x ? 16 with r = 0.95). The methods are similar in selectivity, detection limit (ca. 10 ng l^?1) and precision (interassay relative standard deviation, 8–13%).     

Electroenzymatic reactions. Investigation of a reductive dehalogenase by means of electrogenerated redox cosubstrates

As an illustration of how cyclic voltammetry can be used to unravel the mechanisms and kinetics of redox enzymes, the reductive dechlorination of trichloroethylene and tetrachloroethylene by a typical reductive dehalogenase, the tetrachloroethene reductive dehalogenase of Sulfurospirillum multivorans (formerly called Dehalospirillum multivorans), was investigated by means of several electrochemically generated cosubstrates. They comprised the monocation and the neutral form of methylviologen, the neutral form of benzylviologen, and cobaltocene. Cyclic voltammetry is used to produce the active form of the cosubstrate under controlled potential conditions. It shows large plateau-shaped catalytic responses, which are used to measure the kinetics of the enzymatic reaction as a function of the substrate and cosubstrate concentrations. The variation of the rate constant for the cosubstrate reaction with its standard potential shows the transition between two asymptotic behaviors, one in which the reaction is under diffusion control and the other in which it is under counter-diffusion control. Simple fitting of this plot allows an estimation of the standard potential of the electron acceptor center in the enzyme (E degrees = -0.57 V vs NHE).     

Oligomérisation anionique de l'ethylène. I. Etude cinétique

A kinetic study of ethylene oligomerization in hexane, in the presence of n-BuLi–TMEDA complexes, allowed us to suggest a new mechanism for anionic ethylene oligomerization. n-BuLi and n-Bu(CH₂CH₂)Li species have the same reactivity. The RLi–TMEDA complex in a 1-to-1 stoichiometry is the active species. The following kinetic equation has been established: It reflects the intervention of associated species (n-BuLi–TMEDA)₂ as well as the influence of the concentration of the complexing agent on the kinetics of oligomerization.     

Thin film platinum cuff electrodes for neurostimulation: in vitro approach of safe neurostimulation parameters

Thin film technology takes more and more importance in the development of biomedical devices dedicated to functional neurostimulation. Our research about the design of implant neurostimulating electrode is oriented toward thin film cuff electrodes based on a polyimide substrate covered by a chromium/gold/Pt film. The chromium/gold sputtered film serves as adhesion layer and current collector whereas platinum acts as an electrochemical actuator. The electrode surface has been designed to obey safe stimulation criteria (i.e. chemically inert noble metal, low electrode-electrolyte impedance, high electrochemical reversibility, high corrosion stability). The electrochemical behaviour of such platinum electrodes has been assessed and compared to a foil of platinum. Extensive in vitro characterisations of the both electrode types were carried out using AFM, SEM and electrochemical techniques. The role of enhanced surface roughness enabling high double layer capacitances to be achieved was clearly highlighted. The obtained results are discussed, with particular reference to thin film electrodes stability under in vitro electrical stimulation in NaCl 0.9% (physiological serum). Therefore, these thin film devices showed reversible PtOH formation and decomposition making them potentially attractive for the fabrication of implant stimulation cuff electrodes.     

Preparation and analysis of oligonucleotides containing the c4'-oxidized abasic site and related mechanistic probes

The C4'-oxidized abasic site (C4-AP) is produced by a variety of DNA damaging agents. This alkali labile lesion can exist in up to four diastereomeric cyclic forms, in addition to the acyclic keto-aldehyde. Synthetic oligonucleotides containing the lesion were prepared from a stable photochemical precursor. Chemical integrity of the lesion containing oligonucleotides was probed using phosphodiesterase lability. Analysis of the 3',5'-phosphate diester of the monomeric lesion released from single diastereomers of photolabile precursors by 1H NMR indicates that isomerization of the hemiacetal and/or hemiketal is rapid. The syntheses and characterization of oligonucleotides containing configurationally stable analogues of C4-AP, which serve as mechanistic probes for deciphering the structural basis of the biochemical and biological effects of the C4'-oxidized abasic lesion, are also described.     

Transfection mediated by gemini surfactants: engineered escape from the endosomal compartment

The structure of the lipoplex formed from DNA and the sugar-based cationic gemini surfactant 1, which exhibits excellent transfection efficiency, has been investigated in the pH range 8.8-3.0 utilizing small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-TEM). Uniquely, three well-defined morphologies of the lipoplex were observed upon gradual acidification: a lamellar phase, a condensed lamellar phase, and an inverted hexagonal (H(II)) columnar phase. Using molecular modeling, we link the observed lipoplex morphologies and physical behavior to specific structural features in the individual surfactant, illuminating key factors in future surfactant design, viz., a spacer of six methylene groups, the presence of two nitrogens that can be protonated in the physiological pH range, two unsaturated alkyl tails, and hydrophilic sugar headgroups. Assuming that the mechanism of transfection by synthetic cationic surfactants involves endocytosis, we contend that the efficacy of gemini surfactant 1 as a gene delivery vehicle can be explained by the unprecedented observation of a pH-induced formation of the inverted hexagonal phase of the lipoplex in the endosomal pH range. This change in morphology leads to destabilization of the endosome through fusion of the lipoplex with the endosomal wall, resulting in release of DNA into the cytoplasm.     

Efficient and practical Ag-catalyzed cycloadditions between arylimines and the Danishefsky diene

An efficient Ag-catalyzed method for asymmetric addition of the Danishefsky diene to various aryl imines to afford cycloadducts in > or =89% ee and > or =85% isolated yield is reported. Reactions are effected with 0.1-1 mol % catalyst (4 degrees C), and the chiral ligand is readily prepared from commercially available materials, including the inexpensive i-Leu. These catalytic asymmetric cycloadditions can be carried out without the use of solvent or with undistilled THF in air. A first generation supported chiral catalyst that effectively promotes the cycloaddition reaction and can be recycled (five cycles) is described.     

Syntheses of seven-membered rings: ruthenium-catalyzed intramolecular [5+2] cycloadditions

The Ru-catalyzed intramolecular [5+2] cycloaddition of cyclopropylenynes is investigated with respect to the regio- and diastereoselectivity as well as the functional group compatibility of the reaction. Evidence for the mechanism as occurring through a ruthenacyclopentene intermediate is elucidated from 1) the study of the diastereoselectivity of the cycloaddition; 2) the effect of variation of substituents on the regioselectivity of cyclopropyl bond cleavage in 1,2-trans- and 1,2-cis-disubstituted cyclopropanes and 3) examples that clearly do not involve ruthenacyclohexene as intermediates as products still incorporate the cyclopropyl moiety. The scope and limitations of the Ru-catalyzed cycloaddition are discussed and compared with the Rh-catalyzed reaction. The potential power of this methodology towards natural product total synthesis is demonstrated by the formation of several polycyclic systems with the chosen reaction conditions and readily available cyclopropylenyne substrates.     

Ternary and tetrahedral symmetry in hybrid fluorides, fluoride carbonates and carbonates

Tren amine cations and carbonate anions adopt a ternary symmetry while tetra amine cations are tetrahedral. The symmetry of these constitutive ions influences strongly the nature of the solids which crystallise from solutions. Large fluorinated aluminate polyanions with tetrahedral symmetry appear in the presence of tren amine, while infinite chains of AlF₆ octahedra are observed with tetra amine and that noncentrosymmetric structures are frequently encountered in rare earth fluoride carbonates.     

MIL-50, an open-framework GaPO with a periodic pattern of small water ponds and dry rubidium atoms: a combined XRD,NMR, and computational study

A new fluorinated gallium phosphate, MIL-50, has been synthesized under mild hydrothermal conditions using 1,6-diaminohexane. The chemical formula of MIL-50 is Rb(2)Ga(9)(PO(4))(8)(HPO(4))(OH)F(6).2N(2)C(6)H(18).7H(2)O. The structure is a network of hexameric units of Ga(3)(PO(4))(3)F(2) and Ga(3)(PO(4))(2)(HPO(4))F(3) via corner sharing. It creates a three-dimensional open-framework delimiting 6- and 18-ring channels running along the c axis. The diprotonated 1,6-diaminohexane and water molecules are trapped within the 18-ring pores, whereas the rubidium cations reside in the 6-ring ones. A double quantum (31)P NMR experiment and partial charge calculations indicate that water molecules are present under the form of periodic small clusters, lowering the multiplicity of one phosphorus site, P3. Though water hops within the clusters, the motion leaves the water pattern periodic. Rubidium is so tightly embedded into the framework that water moving in the large 18-ring channels does not reach it, leaving it therefore dry. The crystal framework may be ascribed to the orthorhombic space group Cmc2(1) (n degrees 36), a = 32.1510(2), b = 17.2290(3), c = 10.2120(1) A. The periodic water pattern has a different symmetry than that of the framework. A method has been devised to superpose the two sublattices that coexist in the same unit cell in order to have full occupancy of each site and to perform Madelung summations. This original method is of general interest for most zeolitic materials exhibiting a different symmetry for the framework and the template sublattices.