Interactions of glutathione tripeptide with gold cluster: influence of intramolecular hydrogen bond on complexation behavior

Understanding the nature of the interaction between metal nanoparticles and biomolecules has been important in the development and design of sensors. In this paper, structural, electronic, and bonding properties of the neutral and anionic forms of glutathione tripeptide (GSH) complexes with a Au(3) cluster were studied using the DFT-B3LYP with 6-31+G**-LANL2DZ mixed basis set. Binding of glutathione with the gold cluster is governed by two different kinds of interactions: Au-X (X = N, O, and S) anchoring bond and Au···H-X nonconventional hydrogen bonding. The influence of the intramolecular hydrogen bonding of glutathione on the interaction of this peptide with the gold cluster has been investigated. To gain insight on the role of intramolecular hydrogen bonding on Au-GSH interaction, we compared interaction energies of Au-GSH complexes with those of cystein and glycine components. Our results demonstrated that, in spite of the ability of cystein to form highly stable metal-sulfide interaction, complexation behavior of glutathione is governed by its intramolecular backbone hydrogen bonding. The quantum theory of atom in molecule (QTAIM) and natural bond orbital analysis (NBO) have also been applied to interpret the nature of interactions in Au-GSH complexes. Finally, conformational flexibility of glutathione during complexation with the Au(3) cluster was investigated by means of monitoring Ramachandran angles.     

Copper-free click--a promising tool for pre-targeted PET imaging

The copper-free click (CFC) reaction has been evaluated for its potential application to in vivo pre-targeting for PET imaging. A promising biodistribution profile is demonstrated when employing [(18)F]2-fluoroethylazide ([(18)F]1) and optimisation of the CFC reaction with a series of cyclooctynes shows that reactions proceed efficiently with tantalizing opportunities for application-specific tuning.     

Fractional Flow Theory Applicable to Non-Newtonian Behavior in EOR Processes

The method of characteristics, or fractional-flow theory, is extremely useful in understanding complex Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) processes and in calibrating simulators. One limitation has been its restriction to Newtonian rheology except in rectilinear flow. Its inability to deal with non-Newtonian rheology in polymer and foam EOR has been a serious limitation. We extend fractional flow methods for two-phase flow to non-Newtonian fluids in one-dimensional cylindrical flow, where rheology changes with distance from injection well. The fractional flow curve is then a function of position and we analyze the characteristic equations for two applications—polymer and foam floods. For polymer flooding, we present a semi-analytical solution for the changing fractional flow curve where characteristics and shocks collide. The semi-analytical solution is shown to give good agreement with the finite-difference simulation thus helping us understand the development and resolution of shocks. We discuss two separate cases of foam injection with or without preflush. We observe that the fractional flow solutions are more accurate than finite-difference simulations on a comparable grid and hence the method can be used to calibrate simulators. For SAG (alternating-slug) foam injection, characteristics and shocks collide, making the fractional-flow solution complex. Nonetheless, one can solve exactly for changing mobility near the well, to greater accuracy than with conventional simulation. The fractional-flow method extended to non-Newtonian flow can be useful both for its insights for scale-up of laboratory experiments and to calibrate computer simulators involving non-Newtonian EOR. It can also be an input to streamline simulations.     

Monofluorinated aziridines in asymmetric synthesis of chiral fluorinated prop-2-yn-1-amines

Nonracemic C-fluoroaziridines were synthesized for the first time by reaction of fluorocarbene with N-diphenylmethylidene-substituted natural amino acid esters. The products were shown to be used in asymmetric synthesis of chiral fluorinated prop-2-yn-1-amines via one-pot process involving isomerization of 2-fluoroaziridines into α-fluoro imines and subsequent reaction with alkynyldifluoroborane generated in situ.     

Multiwall Carbon Nanotube‐Ionic Liquid Modified Paste Electrode as an Efficient Sensor for the Determination of Diazepam and Oxazepam in Real Samples

A carbon‐based electrode using multiwall carbon nanotube as a modifier and room temperature ionic liquid as a binder has been applied for the determination of diazepam (DZP) and oxazepam (OZP) in real samples including serum, urine and tablets. Square wave voltammetry as an appropriate electrochemical technique was applied to achieve improved limits of detection and higher sensitivities. The electrochemical studies were investigated under various experimental conditions such as pH, buffer concentration, ionic strength, deposition potential, deposition time and scan rate to achieve higher sensitivities. Linear concentration ranges for DZP and OZP were 0.02–0.76 mg L^?1 and 0.05–1.90 mg L^?1 with the detection limits of 4.1 µg L^?1 and 5.8 µg L^?1, respectively. The proposed method was successfully applied for the analysis of commercially available tablets as well as serum and urine samples and satisfactory results were obtained.     

CXCR4‐Targeted and MMP‐Responsive Iron Oxide Nanoparticles for Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging

MRI offers high spatial resolution with excellent tissue penetration but it has limited sensitivity and the commonly administered contrast agents lack specificity. In this study, two sets of iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) were synthesized that were designed to selectively undergo copper‐free click conjugation upon sensing of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) enzymes, thereby leading to a self‐assembled superparamagnetic nanocluster network with T₂ signal enhancement properties. For this purpose, IONPs with bioorthogonal azide and alkyne surfaces masked by polyethylene glycol (PEG) layers tethered to CXCR4‐targeted peptide ligands were synthesized and characterized. The IONPs were tested in vitro and T₂ signal enhancements of around 160 % were measured when the IONPs were incubated with cells expressing MMP2/9 and CXCR4. Simultaneous systemic administration of the bioorthogonal IONPs in tumor‐bearing mice demonstrated the signal‐enhancing ability of these ‘smart’ self‐assembling nanomaterials.     

Unexpected reaction of 2-amino-1,4-naphthoquinone with aldehydes: new synthesis of naphtho[2,1-d]oxazole compounds

Treatment of 3-substituted 2-amino-1,4-naphthoquinones 3 with an aldehyde in a solution of hydrobromic acid in acetic acid led to 2,4-disubstituted naphtho[2,1-d]oxazol-5-ols. The outcome of this simple conversion is even more remarkable in view of the very similar reactions reported in literature, which all give rise to completely different products. Furthermore, the acquired naphthoxazoles 5-11 could be oxidatively ring opened by means of PIFA or CAN into a series of N-acylated 2-amino-1,4-naphthoquinones. A synthetic pathway towards 2-substituted naphtho[2,3-d]oxazole-4,9-diones was also disclosed as the outcome of CAN mediated oxidation of a 4-chloronaphtho[2,1-d]oxazol-5-ol.     

Hybrid Interface Based on Carboxymethyl Cellulose/N-Doped Porous Reduced Graphene Oxide for On-Demand Electrochemical Release of Imatinib

Russian Journal of Electrochemistry - The modern drug delivery research strives to utilize novel materials and fabrication technologies for the preparation of robust drug delivery systems to combat...