Immobilised artificial membrane chromatography coupled with molecular probing. Mimetic system for studying lipid-calcium interactions in nutritional mixtures

Immobilised artificial membrane (IAM) chromatography was utilised to study the interactions of usual membrane probes with grafted phosphatidylcholine silica support, in relation to the presence of calcium ions introduced in the mobile phase as they are present in nutritional mixtures. IAM acts as a mimetic membrane of lipid emulsion globules, a major component of nutritional mixtures. The tested probes were 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (DPH), 9-diethylamino-5H-benzo[alpha]phenoxazine-5-one or nile red (NR) and 2-(p-toluidinyl)naphtalene-6-sulfonate (TNS). For each probe, partition coefficients and thermodynamic parameters of transfer from the mobile phase to the IAM stationary phase have been measured. Our results suggested that the interactions of neutral probes (i.e. DPH and NR) with phosphatidylcholine are driven by hydrophobic forces. Addition of calcium chloride to the mobile phase slightly decreased the retention of these neutral probes and dramatically increased that of anionic TNS. Moreover, an enthalpy-entropy compensation study revealed that the mechanism of interaction between TNS and IAM is independent of the calcium concentration. Results argued for the existence of electrostatic repulsion forces exerted by IAM phase towards anionic TNS. Addition of calcium ions into the mobile phase led to the establishment of an ionic double layer at the zwitterionic stationary phase surface weakening the electrostatic barrier and increasing TNS retention. Consequently, it was demonstrated that IAM appears as a suitable model to get a better insight on the lipid-calcium interactions taking place in nutritional mixtures.     

MALDI-TOF MS analysis of soluble PEG based multi-step synthetic reaction mixtures with automated detection of reaction failure

Macromolecules of tunable solubility, used to mimic inert insoluble materials while maintaining solution conditions, allowed the performance of efficient supported organic chemistry and facilitated in situ reaction monitoring. To satisfy the high throughput requirements of automated synthetic processes, organic syntheses carried out on bifunctional polyethylene glycol polymers (PEG(3400)-OH) were monitored step-by-step by matrix assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). A protocol was designed to control the ionization mechanism of such polymers exhibiting high affinity for alkali metal cations. Automated, rapid, and reliable data interpretation was performed by an in-house developed visual basic application relying on the sodiated ion accurate monoisotopic mass measurement. The methodology was illustrated through the monitoring of a six-step synthetic scheme.     

Sequential aza-Baylis-Hillman/ring closing metathesis/aromatization as a novel route for the synthesis of substituted pyrroles

A new route to diverse 2-substituted-3-methoxycarbonyl pyrroles has been developed. Diverse SES protected alpha-methylene beta-aminoesters were obtained by a 3-component aza-Baylis-Hillman reaction. Diversity arose from the aryl aldehydes which can be used in this reaction. N-Alkylation with allyl bromide under mild conditions provided the corresponding dienes. These substituted dienes were cyclized by ring closing metathesis at room temperature or under microwave-activation with Grubbs-type II catalyst to yield SES-protected pyrroline intermediates. The final pyrroles were obtained by base-promoted dehydrodesulfinylation/aromatization. The scope of each of these reactions was explored.     

Two-photon microscopy and spectroscopy of lanthanide bioprobes.

The linear and non-linear photophysical properties of tris-dipicolinate europium and terbium complexes (absorption, emission, lifetime, luminescence induced by two-photon absorption) are studied in the crystalline state as well as in protein derivative crystals and compared to those in solution. Upon laser irradiation at 532 nm, luminescence of terbium is induced by a two-photon antenna effect, whereas luminescence of europium results from one-photon absorption in forbidden f-f transitions. Finally, linear and two-photon microscopy imaging experiments on biological and bio-inspired crystals are performed. These first proof-of-concept experiments open the way for the development of time-resolved non-linear microscopy that should combine the advantages of lanthanide luminescence (long lifetime, sharp emission bands, insensitivity to oxygen) with those of confocal biphotonic excitation (near-IR excitation, 3D resolution and reduced photodamage).     

Investigation of the competitive rate of derivatization of several secondary amines with phenylisocyanate (PHI), hexamethylene-1,6-diisocyanate (HDI), 4,4'-methylenebis(phenyl isocyanate) (MDI) and toluene diisocyanate (TDI) in liquid medium

The stabilization of the isocyanate (NCO) groups during workplace sampling is necessary for their subsequent laboratory analysis. Most derivatization reagents are secondary amines. By carrying out a test in which two secondary amines are added to an isocyanate, the relative rates of these reactions can be evaluated. This evaluation is known for a monoisocyanate, phenylisocyanate (PHI), but is being developed for diisocyanates. This study deals with the relative reactivity (RR) of four diisocyanates: hexamethylene 1,6-diisocyanate (HDI), 4,4'-methylenebis(phenyl isocyanate) (MDI), and the ortho and para isomers of toluene diisocyanate (TDI) in addition to PHI, with four secondary amines: 1-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine (MOPIP), 9-(N-methylaminomethyl)anthracene (MAMA), 1-(9-anthracenylmethyl)piperazine (MAP), and dibutylamine (DBA). These competitive derivatization reactions are studied in three reaction solvents, namely acetonitrile, toluene, and acetonitrile doped with water (1% v/v). The results show that the order of reactivity, which doesn't change with the isocyanate as well as with the solvent used, is the following: DBA > MAP > MOPIP > MAMA. The relative difference in reactivity is a function of both the isocyanate and the solvent used. Hindered aromatic diisocyanates (TDI and MDI) show a greater difference in reactivity with the derivatization agents. These differences in reactivity are also modified by the solvent used. For example, larger differences are observed in acetonitrile than in toluene, but the introduction of water to acetonitrile, which does not affect the reaction yield, makes these differences smaller.     

Analysis of the degree of nematic ordering within dense aqueous dispersions of charged anisotropic colloids by 23Na NMR spectroscopy

Aqueous dispersions of Laponite, a synthetic clay neutralized by sodium counterions, are used as a model of charged anisotropic colloids to probe the influence of the shape of the particle on their organization within a macroscopic nematic phase. Because of the large fraction of condensed sodium counterions in the vicinity of the clay particle, (23)Na NMR is a sensitive probe of the nematic ordering of the clay dispersions. We used line shape analysis of the (23)Na NMR spectra and measurements of the Hahn echo attenuation to quantify the degree of alignment of the individual clay particles along a single nematic director. As justified by simple dynamical simulations of the interplay between the sodium quadrupolar relaxation and its diffusion through the porous network limited by the surface of the clay particles, we probe the degree of ordering within these clay nematic dispersions by measuring the variation of the apparent (23)Na NMR relaxation rates as a function of the macroscopic orientation of the clay dispersion within the magnetic field.     

Towards a less biased dissolution of chitosan

The dissolution of polysaccharides is notoriously challenging, especially when one needs a “true” solution. Factors influencing chitosan's solubility include composition, also known as degree of acetylation (DA). The dissolution of chitosan was investigated by visual observation, size-exclusion chromatography (SEC), pressure mobilization (PM), free-solution capillary electrophoresis (CE) and real-time solution-state NMR spectroscopy. Aqueous HCl dissolves around 15% more chitosan than the commonly used aqueous acetic acid (AcOH), however aggregates were detected in SEC suggesting incomplete dissolution. Significant deacetylation of chitosan over the period needed for dissolution at high temperature was observed by NMR spectroscopy in DCl by about 20% of the initial DA value. Accurate DA determination by NMR spectroscopy may thus be possible only in the solid state (with a precision within 1% on the DA % scale above a DA of 10%). Overall a compromise between maximum solubilization and minimum degradation is required in attempting to obtain a “true” solution of chitosan. The completeness of the dissolution may be more influenced by the average DA than by molar mass.     

Fully automated electrophoretically mediated microanalysis for CYP1A1 activity monitoring optimized by multivariate approach

In this study, a fully automated incapillary system was developed to monitor the activity of CYP1A1 (Cytochrome P450, family 1, subfamily A, polypeptide 1) in physiological conditions. Ethoxycoumarin, the selected substrate, undergoes an inline bioreaction in the presence of CYP1A1 supersomes and Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate reduced as cofactor, giving rise to hydroxycoumarin, the product that was assayed. The optimization of the experimental conditions was supported by the application of a design of experiment, providing a better understanding of electrophoretic mixing parameters that influence the metabolic reactions. The results obtained in optimal conditions were compared not only to those achieved after offline metabolization but also with liver microsomes. Finally, inhibition studies were conducted showing an important decrease of hydroxycoumarin formation using apigenin as CYP1A1 potent inhibitor. This study demonstrates the usefulness of our inline system for the fully automated in vitro metabolism studies and the screening of new CYP1A1 inhibitors.     

Relation between the ion size and pore size for an electric double-layer capacitor

The research on electrochemical double layer capacitors (EDLC), also known as supercapacitors or ultracapacitors, is quickly expanding because their power delivery performance fills the gap between dielectric capacitors and traditional batteries. However, many fundamental questions, such as the relations between the pore size of carbon electrodes, ion size of the electrolyte, and the capacitance have not yet been fully answered. We show that the pore size leading to the maximum double-layer capacitance of a TiC-derived carbon electrode in a solvent-free ethyl-methylimmidazolium-bis(trifluoro-methane-sulfonyl)imide (EMI-TFSI) ionic liquid is roughly equal to the ion size (approximately 0.7 nm). The capacitance values of TiC-CDC produced at 500 degrees C are more than 160 F/g and 85 F/cm(3) at 60 degrees C, while standard activated carbons with larger pores and a broader pore size distribution present capacitance values lower than 100 F/g and 50 F/cm(3) in ionic liquids. A significant drop in capacitance has been observed in pores that were larger or smaller than the ion size by just an angstrom, suggesting that the pore size must be tuned with sub-angstrom accuracy when selecting a carbon/ion couple. This work suggests a general approach to EDLC design leading to the maximum energy density, which has been now proved for both solvated organic salts and solvent-free liquid electrolytes.     

Detection of secondary biomarker of met-eGH as a strategy to screen for somatotropin misuse in horseracing

Since the Australian commercialisation of the recombinant equine growth hormone (reGH) in 1998 (EquiGen-5), Bresagen), this reGH, which differs only from eGH by an additional methionine at the N-terminal end (met-eGH), is worldwide suspected to be administered to racehorses as a doping agent. Indeed, the use of this biological drug is considered as a threat to horseracing since it acts both on growth, development or reproductive functions, and on the improvement of performances. In this work, we describe two reliable techniques based on surface plasmon resonance biosensor immunoassay (SPR-BIA) and solid-phase enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) as new, rapid and efficient long-term screening methods applicable to horseracing antidoping analysis. The ELISA and SPR-BIA tests were applied to octanoic acid purified IgGs from serum/plasma samples collected on two thoroughbreds treated with recombinant equine growth hormone for a period of two weeks. The first kinetic study of serum/plasma antibodies raised as a consequence of recombinant equine growth hormone administrations, which allows the detection from eight days up to 200 days after the beginning of the treatment, was performed. In order to trace the occurrence of anti-reGH antibodies in routine analysis and to monitor the animal level exposure to this forbidden molecule, a random population study was conducted on 233 post-race horses.