Micranoic acids A and B: two new octanortriterpenoids from Schisandra micrantha

Two novel octanortriterpenoids, micranoic acids A (1) and B (2), along with three known compounds, kadsuric acid (3), 3beta-hydroxy-lanost-9(11),24(25)-dien-26-oic acid (4) and schizandronic acid (5), were isolated from the leaves and stems of Schisandra micrantha. The structures of 1 and 2 were determined by 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic analysis. Micranoic acids A and B represent a new group of triterpenes in which the entire C-17 side chain has lost. This is the first report of octanortriterpenoids isolated from the family Schisandraceae.     

The study and characterization of nucleosides by mass spectrometry—I: The mass spectra of pyrimidine 2,2′-anhydronucleosides and their derivatives

The mass spectra of 2,2′-anhydrouridine, 2,2′-anhydrothymidine and 2,2′-anhydro-4-thiouridine are reported. The acetyl, trifluoroacetyl, trityl, pivaloyl and trimethylsilyl ether derivatives were also studied. Deuterium labeling in acetyl and trimethylsilyl groups aided characterization of many ions in the spectra, as well as helping to clarify hydrogen migration processes. The anhydronucleosides and their derivatives are readily distinguished from natural nucleosides by the presence of an ion containing the base moiety plus the anhydro-ring plus one hydrogen atom from the rest of the molecule. As for natural nucleosides the [base + H]⁺ and [base + 2H]⁺ ions are usually prominent, but in contrast to natural nucleosides, ions characteristic of the sugar moiety do not retain the 2′-oxygen atom (i.e. the oxygen atom of the anhydro-ring). The mass spectra of deuterium labeled derivatives suggest a test for the presence of a 3′-O-acetyl function (the O-acetyl group is lost from the molecular ion much more readily from the 3′- than from the 5′-carbon atom). The trimethylsilyl derivatives showed evidence in their mass spectra for migration of trimethylsilyl groups in addition to hydrogen atoms.     

Molecular dynamics simulation of the structural configuration of binary colloidal monolayers

Molecular dynamics simulations of binary colloidal monolayers, i.e., monolayers consisting of mixtures of two different particle sizes, are presented. In the simulations, the colloid particles are located at an oil-water interface and interact via an effective dipole-dipole potential. In particular, the influence of the particle ratio on the configurations of the binary monolayers is investigated for two different relative interaction strengths between the particles, and the pair correlation functions corresponding to the binary monolayers are calculated. The simulations show that the binary monolayers can only form two-dimensional crystals for certain particle ratios, for example, 2:1, 6:1, etc., while, for example, for a particle ratio of 7:1 the monolayers are found to be in a disordered, glassy state. The calculations also reveal that in analogy to the Wigner lattice the configurations are very sensitive to the relative interaction strength between the particles but not to the absolute magnitude of the interaction strength, even when particle size effects are taken into account. Consequently, it is argued that a comparison between the calculated configurations and actual binary particle monolayer systems could provide useful information on the relative interaction strength between large and small particles. Possible mechanisms giving rise to disparities in the interaction strength between large and small particles are described briefly.     

UV-ENHANCED REACTIVATION IN MAMMALIAN CELLS: INCREASE BY CAFFEINE

Abstract— It has been reported that caffeine decreases UV-enhanced reactivation of UV-irradiated Herpes simplex virus in CV-1 monkey kidney cells. That occurred when there was no delay between cell irradiation and virus infection. In the present study, virus infection was delayed following cell irradiation to allow an 'induction'period separate from the 'expression'period which occurs during the virus infection. Thus, the effects of caffeine on 'induction'and 'expression'could be determined separately. Caffeine increased the expression of UV-enhanced reactivation, while causing a small decrease in the 'induction'of enhanced reactivation.     

Skin Necrosis due to Photodynamic Action of Benzoporphyrin Depends on Circulating Rather than Tissue Drug Levels: Implications for Control of Photodynamic Therapy

In an ideal world, photodynamic therapy (PDT) of abnormal tissue would reliably spare the surrounding normal tissue. Normal tissue responses set the limits for light and drug dosimetry. The threshold fluence for necrosis (TFN) was measured in normal skin following intravenous infusion with a photosensitizer, benzoporphyrin derivative monoacid ring A (BPD-MA) Verteporfin as a function of drug dose (0.25-2.0 mg/kg), wavelength of irradiation (458 and 690 nm) and time interval (0–5h) between drug administration and irradiation. The BPD-MA levels were measured in plasma and skin tissue to elucidate the relationship between TFN, drug kinetics and biodistribution. The PDT response of normal skin was highly reproducible. The TFN for 458 and 690 nm wavelengths was nearly identical and the estimated quantum efficiency for skin response was equal at these two wavelengths. Skin phototoxicity, quantified in terms of 1/ TFN, closely correlated with the plasma pharmacokinetics rather than the tissue pharmacokinetics and was quadratically dependent on the plasma drug concentration regardless of the administered drug dose or time interval between drug and light exposure. This study strongly suggests that noninvasive measurements of the circulating drug level at the time of light treatment will be important for setting optimal light dosimetry for PDT with liposomal BPD-MA, a vascular photosensitizer.     

Neutron activation analysis of gold and iridium in steel

A method of determination of trace gold and iridium in steel is presented. The samples were preconcentrated with an anion exchanger. The chemical recoveries were determined by an isotope tracer technique using¹⁹⁸Au and¹⁹²Ir.     

LC-ESI-MS Determination of Bilobalide and Ginkgolides in Canine Plasma

A sensitive and selective method using liquid chromatography with electrospray ionization mass spectrometric detection was developed for the quantification of bilobalide and ginkgolides in canine plasma. The analytes were extracted with diethyl ether-dichloromethane-isopropanol (6:3:1, v/v) after spiking the samples with daidzein (internal standard). The lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) of the method was 2.5 μg L⁻¹ for ginkgolide B and 10.0 μg L⁻¹ for bilabolide, ginkgolide A and ginkgolide C. The accuracy of the method was within 15% of the actual values over a wide range of plasma concentrations. The intra-day and inter-day precision was better than 15% (R.S.D.). Finally, the LC-ESI-MS method was successfully applied to study the pharmacokinetics of ginkgolides and bilabolide after administration of Ginkgo biloba extracts to dogs.     

Synthesis, dual fluorescence, and fluoroionophoric behavior of dipyridylaminomethylstilbenes

The synthesis, dual fluorescence, and fluoroionophoric behavior of two donor-sigma spacer-acceptor (D-s-A) compounds, trans-4-(N,N-bis(2-pyridyl)amino)methylstilbene (1H) and trans-4-(N,N-bis(2-pyridyl)amino)methyl-4'-cyanostilbene (1CN), are reported and compared to that of trans-4-(N,N-bis(2-pyridyl)amino)methyl-4'-(N,N-dimethylamino)stilbene (1DPA). To gain insights into the dual fluorescence properties for 1H and 1CN in polar but not in nonpolar solvents, model compounds resulting from a replacement of the stilbene group by alkyl (2R) or xylyl (2X) groups or from a replacement of the dipyridylamino (dpa) group by dianisoleamino (3AA), diethylamino (3EE), methylanilino (3MP), or diphenylamino (3PP) groups also have been investigated. In addition to 1H and 1CN, all four compounds of 3 display dual fluorescence. The locally excited (LE) fluorescence mainly results from the stilbene group and the ICT fluorescence from the through-bond interactions between the amino donor and the stilbene acceptors. In the presence of transition metal ions such as Zn(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), and Cd(II), the ICT processes are switched from dpa (D) --> stilbene (A) in 1H and 1CN to stilbene (D) --> dpa/metal ion (A) in their complexes. Whereas the ICT states for the complexes are generally nonfluorescent, an exception was found for the case of 1H/Zn(II). As a result, substituent-dependent fluoroionophoric behavior has been demonstrated by 1H, 1CN, and 1DPA in response to Zn(II).     

Confirmation of eprinomectin, moxidectin, abamectin, doramectin, and ivermectin in beef liver by liquid chromatography/positive ion atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry

A liquid chromatographic (LC) multiresidue screening procedure was developed for determination of eprinomectin, moxidectin, abamectin, doramectin, and ivermectin in beef liver at 0, 25, 50, and 100 ppb levels. A procedure using low resolution LC/atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) mass spectrometry (MS) was developed with further purification steps added to the quantitative LC method to confirm residues. Acetonitrile extracts of liver, prior to derivatization for LC analysis, were further purified by using a C8 solid-phase extraction cartridge and an alumina-B cartridge. The purified extract was analyzed by injection into an LC/positive ion APCI MS. Identity of the compound was confirmed by comparison of its retention time and relative intensity data with those of a standard or recovery from a fortified control liver sample. Anthelmintic drugs in acetonitrile extracts of liver containing eprinomectin, moxidectin, abamectin, doramectin, and ivermectin at 25 ppb, the lowest level of fortification used in the LC determinative method, were successfully confirmed.     

New pavine N-oxide alkaloids from the stem bark of Cryptocarya chinensis Hemsl

Three new pavine N-oxide alkaloids, (-)-isocaryachine-N-oxide B, (+)-caryachine-N-oxide, (-)-caryachine-N-oxide, and a new isoquinoline alkaloid, 6,7-methylenedioxy-N-methylisoquinoline together with 11 known alkaloids were isolated and characterized from the stem bark of Cryptocarya chinensis. The structures of the isolated compounds were determined by spectral methods. The stereochemistry of pavine-N-oxide alkaloids is also discussed.