Activity characterization of 192Ir brachytherapy wires

Summary The radionuclide ¹⁹²Ir has been increasingly used as a brachytherapy source and manufactured in different geometry forms (thin wires, hairpins, needles or point sources). A procedure for the characterization of the activity content of ¹⁹²Ir wire sources was developed in order to establish the secondary standard activity measurement system based on the ionization chamber set up at Brazilian National Laboratory for Ionizing Radiation Metrology (LNMRI). Firstly, the ion current of the ionization chamber is measured and, subsequently, the activity is determined in a destructive analysis. This procedure enables obtaining the calibration factor for wire sources that can be used for further activity determination of similar sources in a non-destructive analysis. Accurate activity determination is needed for dosimetric measurements and for helping the manufacturers to improve its quality control programs.     

Selenium redox cycling in the protective effects of organoselenides against oxidant-induced DNA damage

The biological role of selenium is a subject of intense current interest, and the antioxidant activity of selenoenzymes is now known to be dependent upon redox cycling of selenium within their active sites. Exogenously supplied or metabolically generated organoselenium compounds, capable of propagating a selenium redox cycle, might therefore supplement natural cellular defenses against the oxidizing agents generated during metabolism. We now report evidence that selenium redox cycling can enhance the protective effects of organoselenium compounds against oxidant-induced DNA damage. Phenylaminoethyl selenides were found to protect plasmid DNA from peroxynitrite-mediated damage by scavenging this powerful cellular oxidant and forming phenylaminoethyl selenoxides as the sole selenium-containing products. The redox properties of these organoselenoxide compounds were investigated, and the first redox potentials of selenoxides in the literature are reported here. Rate constants were determined for the reactions of the selenoxides with cellular reductants such as glutathione (GSH). These kinetic data were then used in a MatLab simulation, which showed the feasibility of selenium redox cycling by GSH in the presence of the cellular oxidant, peroxynitrite. Experiments were then carried out in which peroxynitrite-mediated plasmid DNA nick formation in the presence or absence of organoselenium compounds and GSH was monitored. The results demonstrate that GSH-mediated redox cycling of selenium enhances the protective effects of phenylaminoethyl selenides against peroxynitrite-induced DNA damage.     

Azametallacycles from Ag(I)- or Cu(II)-promoted coupling reactions of dialkylcyanamides with oximes at Pt(II)

The dialkylcyanamide complexes cis-[PtCl(NCNR(2))(PPh(3))(2)][BF(4)] 1 and cis-[Pt(NCNR(2))(2)(PPh(3))(2)][BF(4)](2) 2 (R = Me or Et) have been prepared by treatment of a CH(2)Cl(2) solution of cis-[PtCl(2)(PPh(3))(2)] with the appropriate dialkylcyanamide and one or two equivalents of Ag[BF(4)], respectively. Compounds 2 can also be obtained from 1 by a similar procedure. Their reaction with oximes, HON=CR'R' ' (R'R' ' = Me(2) or C(4)H(8)), in CH(2)Cl(2) and in the presence of Ag[BF(4)] or Cu(CH(3)COO)(2), leads to the novel type of azametallacycles cis-[Pt(NH=C(ON=CR'R")-NR2)(PPh3)2][BF4]2 4 upon an unprecedented coupling of the organocyanamides with oximes, in a process that proceeds via the mixed oxime-organocyanamide species cis-[Pt(NCNR(2))(HON=CR'R' ')(PPh(3))(2)][BF(4)](2) 3, and is catalyzed by either Ag(+) or Cu(2+) which activate the ligating organocyanamide by Lewis acid addition to the amide group. In contrast, in the organonitrile complexes cis-[Pt(NCR)(2)(PPh(3))(2)][BF(4)](2) 5 (R = C(6)H(4)OMe-4 or Et), obtained in a similar way as 2 (but by using NCR instead of the cyanamide), the ligating NCR is not activated by the Lewis acid and does not couple with the oximes. The spectroscopic properties of those complexes are reported along with the molecular structures of 2b (R = Et), 4a1 (R = Me, R'R' ' = Me(2)), and 4b1 (R = Et, R'R' ' = Me(2)), as established by X-ray crystallography which indicates that in the former complex the amide-N-atoms are trigonal planar, whereas in the latter (4a1 and 4b1) the five-membered rings are planar with a localized N=C double bond (imine group derived from the cyanamide) and the exocyclic amide and alkylidene groups (in 4b1) are involved in two intramolecular H-bonds to the oxygen atom of the ring.     

Lupane Pentacyclic Triterpenes Isolated from Stems and Branches of Maytenus imbricata (Celastraceae)

Four lupane pentacyclic triterpenes were isolated from the hexane extract of stems and branches of Maytenus imbricata Mart. ex Reissek : 3‐oxolup‐20(30)‐en‐29‐al ( 1 ), 30‐hydroxylup‐20(29)‐en‐3‐one ( 2 ), (11α)‐11‐hydroxylup‐20(29)‐en‐3‐one ( 3 ), and (3β)‐lup‐20(30)‐ene‐3,29‐diol ( 4 ). The structural identification of 1 – 4 was achieved by ¹H‐ and ¹³C‐NMR techniques, including 2D experiments (HSQC, HMBC, and NOESY).     

Determination of manganese and zinc in powdered chocolate samples by slurry sampling using sequential multi-element flame atomic absorption spectrometry

In the present work, a slurry sampling flame atomic absorption spectrometric method to determine directly manganese and zinc in powdered chocolate samples is proposed. The optimization step was performed using univariate methodology involving the following factors: nature and concentration of the acid solution, sonication time, and particle size. The established conditions led to the use of a sample mass of 150 mg, 2.0 mol L^− 1 nitric acid solution, sonication time of 15 min, and a slurry volume of 50 mL. This method allows the determination of manganese and zinc with detection limit of 52 and 61 ng g^− 1, respectively, and a precision expressed as relative standard deviation (RSD) of 2.6% and 3.2% (both, n = 10) for contents of manganese and zinc of 52.4 and 100.0 μg g^− 1, respectively. The proposed method was applied for determination of manganese and zinc in five powdered chocolate samples. In these, the manganese content varied from 42.8 to 52.7 and from 88.6 to 102.4 μg g^− 1 of zinc. The analytical results were compared with the results obtained by analysis of these samples after digestion using open vessel and acid bomb digestion procedures and determination using FS-FAAS. The statistical comparison by t-test (95% confidence level) showed no significant difference between these results.     

Synthesis of amberlite XAD-2-PC resin for preconcentration and determination of trace elements in food samples by flame atomic absorption spectrometry

A new chelating sorbent has been developed using Amberlite XAD-2 resin anchored with pyrocatechol through –N=C– group. This sorbent, characterised by elemental analysis and infrared (IR) spectra, was used as packing for the minicolumn in an on-line system preconcentration system for cadmium, cobalt, copper and nickel determination. Metal ions were sorbed in the minicolumn, from which it could be eluted directly to the nebulizer–burner system of the flame atomic absorption spectrometer (FAAS). Elution of all metals from minicolumn can be made with 0.50 mol L^− 1 HCl or HNO₃. The enrichment factors obtained were 16 (Cd), 24 (Co), 15 (Cu) and 19 (Ni), for 60 s preconcentration time, and 39 (Cd), 69 (Co), 36 (Cu) and 41 (Ni), if used 180 s preconcentration time. Under the optimum conditions, the proposed procedure allowed the determination of cadmium, cobalt, copper and nickel with detection limits of 0.31, 0.32, 0.39 and 1.64 μg L^− 1, respectively, when used preconcentration periods of 180 s. The accuracy of the developed procedure was sufficient and evaluated by the analysis of the certified reference materials NIST 1515 apple leaves and NIST 1570a spinach leaves. The method was applied to the analysis of food samples (spinach, black tea and rice flour).     

A novel dicationic phenoxaphosphino-modified Xantphos-type ligand: a ligand for highly active and selective, biphasic, rhodium catalysed hydroformylation in ionic liquids

A highly active and regioselective catalyst obtained from a novel dicationic ligand (1) and Rh(CO)2(acac) for hydroformylation of 1-hexene and 1-octene in ionic liquids is reported. Optimisation studies of various reaction parameters led to an unprecedentedly active (TOFs > 6200 mol mol(-1) h(-1), T= 100 degrees C), selective (l/b ratios > 40) and stable hydroformylation procedure. No catalyst leaching (Rh-loss < 0.07% of initial rhodium intake, P-loss < 0.4% of the initial phosphorus intake) or losses in performance could be measured during 1-octene hydroformylation recycle experiments in 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate. At low catalyst loadings activities and regioselectivities competitive with one-phase catalysis in conventional solvents were observed. At high catalyst loadings the system is extremely stable and has a long shelf-life as a result of the formation of stable, if inactive rhodium dimers.     

Chromatographic and column stability at pH 7 of a C18 dimethylurea polar stationary phase

Chromatographic evaluations of a C18 dimethylurea phase in 150 mm x 3.9 mm HPLC columns were performed using the Tanaka and Engelhardt test mixtures. The applicability of the new C18 dimethylurea phase was also evaluated with a mixture of some herbicides and their metabolites. An artificial aging procedure was also performed by passing a potassium phosphate mobile phase buffered at pH 7.0 through C18 50 mm x 3.9 mm dimethylurea columns. The column stability was evaluated by means of the chromatographic parameters obtained for the separation of some compounds from the Neue test mixture, using apolar, polar and highly basic analytes.     

Development of a rapid and specific assay for detection of busulfan in human plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry

A sensitive and specific assay for detection of busulfan in human plasma was developed. The assay is based on rapid isolation of busulfan by liquid-liquid extraction with ethyl acetate, and detection by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrospray ionization and tandem mass spectrometry. 1,6-Bis(methanesulfonyloxy)hexane, a synthesized analogue of busulfan, was used as the internal standard (IS). The acquisition was performed in the multiple reaction monitoring mode; busulfan and the IS were detected with no interferences from plasma matrix. The method was linear over the range 5-2500 ng mL(-1), with r2 > 0.99 and a run time of only 3.5 min. The intra- and inter-assay precisions were in the ranges 2.1-11.9% and 3.2-10.1%, respectively, and the intra- and inter-assay accuracies were 92.2-107.6% and 94.7-104.1%, respectively. The absolute recoveries were 82.0% (20 ng mL(-1)), 90.6% (1000 ng mL(-1)) and 80.0% (2000 ng mL(-1)) for busulfan, and 89.1% for the IS (1000 ng mL(-1)). The limits of detection and quantification were 2 and 5 ng mL(-1), respectively. The validated method was successfully applied to analyze plasma samples obtained from six adults receiving doses of 1 mg kg(-1) in a conditioning regimen prior to bone marrow transplantation. A marked intra-patient variation in busulfan concentrations during the steady state was observed, which limits the application of pharmacokinetic modeling and suggests that continuous therapeutic monitoring is necessary for adequate individualized dosing. In this regard, the present assay brings important advantages relative to other methods described in the literature, i.e., it is highly specific and simple to perform, with a rapid chromatographic run time (3.5 min), and the whole procedure can be completed in 4-5 h, which would permit dose corrections after the third dose allowing earlier and better dosing adjustments towards the target level of busulfan.     

Effects in high-performance liquid chromatography of a high pH in the mobile phase on poly(methyloctylsiloxane) immobilized by gamma-radiation on titanium-grafted silica

Effects of high-pH environments on a stationary phase prepared by gamma-radiation immobilization of poly(methyloctylsiloxane) on titanium-grafted silica were investigated by HPLC testing with standard sample mixtures. The HPLC parameters indicate good stationary phase stability to 10000 column volumes each of mobile phases with pH of 7, 9 and 12. At pH 13, the efficiency decreases slowly, although reasonably good separations are still possible until increasing flow resistance no longer allows easy passage of the mobile phase.