Multiplexed Determination of Fertility-related Hormones in Saliva Using Amperometric Immunosensing

This paper reports a dual immunosensor for the simultaneous determination of two important fertility-related hormones: 17β-estradiol, E2, and follicle-stimulating hormone, FSH. The implemented method involves direct competitive (E2) or sandwich-type (FSH) immunoassays carried out on magnetic microparticles (MBs) and amperometric detection at screen-printed dual carbon electrodes (SPdCEs) involving the hydroquinone (HQ)/H₂O₂ system. The developed immune platform demonstrates LOD values of 6.88 pg mL⁻¹ and 0.11 mIU mL⁻¹ for E2 and FSH standards, respectively and usefulness for the determination in saliva samples collected from different volunteers, giving results in agreement with the conventional ELISA methodologies.     

Xylanase contribution to the efficiency of cellulose enzymatic hydrolysis of barley straw

In this study, different enzyme preparations available from Novozymes were assessed for their efficiency to hydrolyze lignocellulosic materials. The enzyme mixture was evaluated on a pretreated cellulose-rich material, and steam-exploded barley straw pretreated under different temperatures (190, 200, and 210 degrees C, respectively) in order to produce fermentable sugars. Results show that xylanase supplementation improves initial cellulose hydrolysis effectiveness of water-insoluble solid fraction from all steam-exploded barley straw samples, regardless of the xylan content of substrate. The mixture constituted by cellulase: beta-glucosidase: endoxylanase of the new kit for lignocellulose conversion at a ratio 10:1:5% ([v/w], enzyme [E]/substrate [S]) provides the highest increment of cellulose conversion in barley straw pretreated at 210 degrees C, for 10 min.     

Nanostructured progesterone immunosensor using a tyrosinase-colloidal gold-graphite-Teflon biosensor as amperometric transducer

A novel progesterone immunosensor using a colloidal gold-graphite-Teflon-tyrosinase composite biosensor as amperometric transducer is reported. A sequential competitive configuration between the analyte and progesterone labelled with alkaline phosphatase (AP) was used. Phenyl phosphate was employed as the AP-substrate and the enzyme reaction product, phenol, was oxidized by tyrosinase to o-quinone, which is subsequently reduced at −0.1 V at the biocomposite electrode. Variables such as the concentration of phenyl phosphate, the amount of antibody attached to the electrode surface, immersion time in a 2% BSA solution, working pH and incubation times in progesterone and AP conjugate were optimized. A linear calibration graph for progesterone was obtained between 0 and 40 ng mL⁻¹ with a slope value of −82.3 nA ng⁻¹ mL, and a detection limit of 0.43 ng mL⁻¹. The time needed to reach the steady-state current from the addition of phenyl phosphate was 30-40 s. These analytical characteristics improve substantially those reported for other progesterone immunosensors. A lifetime of 14 days with no need to apply any regeneration procedure was also achieved. The usefulness of the immunosensor was evaluated by determining progesterone in milk samples spiked with the analyte at 5.0 and 1.5 ng mL⁻¹ concentration levels. Following a very simple procedure, involving only sample dilution, mean recoveries (n = 7) of 98 ± 3% and 99 ± 3%, respectively, were obtained.     

Assignment of absolute configuration on the basis of the conformational effects induced by chiral derivatizing agents: the 2-arylpyrrolidine case

A novel approach for determining the absolute configuration of a chiral compound is proposed. The methodology is based on the distinct conformational effects imposed on a chiral substrate by each enantiomer of a chiral derivatizing agent. As a proof of concept, it is shown that the absolute configuration of 2-arylpyrrolidines can easily be determined by inspection of the multiplicity of the NMR signal of the methine proton of the pyrrolidine ring in the corresponding Mosher's amides.     

Synthetic approaches to heterocyclic ligands for Gd-based MRI contrast agents

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) methods are currently used in the clinic for the non invasive detection and characterization of a wide variety of pathologies. Increases in the diagnostic efficiency of MRI have been helped by both the design of dedicated MR sequences revealing specific aspects of the pathology and by the development of more sensitive and selective Contrast Agents (CAs), capable of more precisely delineating the borderline regions. In the present review we focus on the synthetic strategies used to obtain MRI CAs containing heterocyclic rings.     

Crystal structures,Hirshfeld analysis,and energy framework analysis of two differently 3′-substituted 4-methylchalcones: 3′-(N=CHC6H4-p-CH3)-4-methylchalcone and 3′-(NHCOCH3)-4-methylchalcone

Two crystal structures of chalcones, or 1,3-diarylprop-2-en-1-ones, are presented; both contain a p-methyl substitution on the 3-Ring, but differ with respect to the m-substitution on the 1-Ring. Their systematic names are (2E)-3-(4-methylphenyl)-1-(3-{[(4-methylphenyl)methylidene]amino}phenyl)prop-2-en-1-one (C₂₄H₂₁NO) and N-{3-[(2E)-3-(4-methylphenyl)prop-2-enoyl]phenyl}acetamide (C₁₈H₁₇NO₂), which are abbreviated as 3′-(N=CHC₆H₄-p-CH₃)-4-methylchalcone and 3′-(NHCOCH₃)-4-methylchalcone, respectively. Both chalcones represent the first reported acetamide-substituted and imino-substituted chalcone crystal structures, adding to the robust library of chalcone structures within the Cambridge Structural Database. The crystal structure of 3′-(N=CHC₆H₄-p-CH₃)-4-methylchalcone exhibits close contacts between the enone O atom and the substituent arene ring, in addition to C…C interactions between the substituent arene rings. The structure of 3′-(NHCOCH₃)-4-methylchalcone exhibits a unique interaction between the enone O atom and the 1-Ring substituent, contributing to its antiparallel crystal packing. In addition, both structures exhibit π-stacking, which occurs between the 1-Ring and R-Ring for 3′-(N=CHC₆H₄-p-CH₃)-4-methylchalcone, and between the 1-Ring and 3-Ring for 3′-(NHCOCH₃)-4-methylchalcone.     

Transition metal-catalyzed ring-opening copolymerization of silicon-bridged [1]ferrocenophanes and sila- or disilacyclobutanes: Synthesis of poly(ferrocenylsilane)-poly(carbosilane) random copolymers

The first examples of poly(ferrocenylsilane)-poly(carbosilane) random copolymers have been prepared via the transition metal-catalyzed ring-opening copolymerization of silicon-bridged [1]ferrocenophanes and disila- or benzosilacyclobutane.     

Ammonium N‐(6‐amino‐3,4‐di­hydro‐3‐methyl‐5‐nitro­so‐4‐oxopyrimidin‐2‐yl)­glycinate monohydrate forms hydrogen‐bonded bilayers

In the title compound, NH₄⁺·C₇H₈N₅O₄⁻·H₂O, the independent components are linked into bilayers by an extensive series of two‐centre N—H⃛O hydrogen bonds [H⃛O = 1.85–1.96 Å, N⃛O = 2.776 (2)–2.840 (2) Å and N—H⃛O = 149–172°], and by asymmetric three‐centre N—H⃛(O)₂, O—H⃛(N,O) and O—H⃛(O)₂ hydrogen bonds.     

N‐(6‐Amino‐3,4‐di­hydro‐3‐methyl‐5‐nitro­so‐4‐oxopyrimidin‐2‐yl)‐(S)‐glutamic acid: a three‐dimensional framework structure built from O—H⃛O,N—H⃛O and O—H⃛N hydrogen bonds

The title compound, C₁₀H₁₃N₅O₆, exhibits a highly polarized molecular–electronic structure and the conformation is influenced by two intramolecular N—H⃛O hydrogen bonds. The mol­ecules are linked into a single framework by hydrogen bonds of types O—H⃛O [O—H = 1.22, H⃛O = 1.38, O⃛O = 2.558 (6) Å and O—H⃛O = 160°], N—H⃛O [H⃛O = 2.26, N⃛O = 2.866 (6) Å and N—H⃛O = 126°] and O—H⃛N [O—H = 1.26, H⃛N = 1.56, O⃛N = 2.811 (6) Å and O—H⃛N = 170°]. The substructure generated by the O—H⃛O and N—H⃛O hydrogen bonds takes the form of a double helix.     

Pyrazolato Ligands towards Gold(I) Derivatives with Aurophilic Interactions: X‐Ray Structure of Bis[3,5‐(dibutoxyphenyl)‐1H‐pyrazolato‐κN1]bis(triphenylphosphine)digold(Au⋅⋅⋅Au)([Au(pz)(PPh3)]2; RC4H9?O?C6H4)

A crossed ‘torch' structure and a short Au⋅⋅⋅Au contact was established by X‐ray analysis for the dimeric complex [Au(pz)(PPh₃)]₂ (pz=3,5‐disubstituted pyrazolato, RC_nH_2n+1 O C₆H₄, n=4; 1 ). The complex is a representative member of a new well‐characterized family of derivatives containing the pyrazolato ligand in an uncommon monodentate coordination form. In addition, 1 is luminescent in the solid state at 77 K.