Stress Degradation Behavior of Desipramine Hydrochloride and Development of Suitable Stability-Indicating LC Method

A simple reverse phase liquid chromatographic method was developed for the quantitative determination of desipramine hydrochloride and its related impurities in bulk drugs which is also stability-indicating. During the forced degradation at hydrolysis, oxidative, photolytic and thermal stressed conditions, the degradation results were only observed in the oxidative stress condition. The blend of the degradation product and potential impurities were used to optimize the method by an YMC Pack Pro C₁₈ stationary phase. The LC method employs a linear gradient elution with the water–acetonitrile–trifluoroacetic acid as mobile phase. The flow rate was 1.0 mL min⁻¹ and the detection wavelength 215 nm. The stressed samples were quantified against a qualified reference standard and the mass balance was found close to 99.0% (w/w) when the response of the degradant was considered to be equal to the analyte (i.e. desipramine). The developed RP-LC method was validated in agreement with ICH requirements.

     

Facial symmetry in protein self-assembly

Amyloids are self-assembled protein architectures implicated in dozens of misfolding diseases. These assemblies appear to emerge through a "selection" of specific conformational "strains" which nucleate and propagate within cells to cause disease. The short Abeta(16-22) peptide, which includes the central core of the Alzheimer's disease Abeta peptide, generates an amyloid fiber which is morphologically indistinguishable from the full-length peptide fiber, but it can also form other morphologies under distinct conditions. Here we combine spectroscopic and microscopy analyses that reveal the subtle atomic-level differences that dictate assembly of two conformationally pure Abeta(16-22) assemblies, amyloid fibers and nanotubes, and define the minimal repeating unit for each assembly.     

The design of polyvalent therapeutics

This article reviews recent developments in the design of polyvalent ligands for in vivo applications. Topics discussed include the design of polyvalent inhibitors of toxins and viruses, the use of polyvalency for targeted drug delivery and imaging, and applications of polyvalency for enhancing or suppressing immune responses.     

A near-infrared emissive Al sensing platform for specific detection in solution,cells and probing DNase activity

A new tricarbocyanine-based chemosensor exhibited a dramatic Al³⁺-specific fluorescence turn-on response in the near-infrared (NIR) region. The receptor was found to be highly selective towards Al³⁺ over other metal ions in physiological condition. The sensor was non-toxic and could thus be employed as an imaging probe for detecting intracellular Al³⁺ in live cells. Interestingly, upon interaction with DNA in solution, the L–Al³⁺ ensemble rendered tracking of DNase activity in solution through a systematic reduction in the fluorescence emission intensity.     

Role of Interfacial Viscosity and pH in L-Phenylalanine,L-Tryptophan Molecular Rotors

Protein folding involves the aminoacid sequence to come forth and form an energy minimized structure. Recently molecular crowding leading to increase in viscosity is said to be one of the major concerns affecting protein folding. Many external fluorescent probes are used to detect such increases in viscosity. Since most of the protein sequences contain L-Phe and L-Trp, in this study we have used these aminoacids as probes to detect changes in viscosity. This study will help to advance the knowledge on molecular crowding effects in protein folding.     

Strategy for Better Ordering in Diblock Copolymer Based Nanocomposites

A simple approach to improve the structural ordering in block copolymer/nanoparticle nanocomposites is presented. It is to blend a small molecular weight homopolymer with the composites, which can uniformly swell the preferred domain where the nanoparticles locate and increase the conformational entropy of the domain. Consequently, the interfaces between the block copolymer domains become smooth that improves the long range order in the nanocomposites. Furthermore, the uniform swelling of the preferred domain by the homopolymer will allow higher loading of nanoparticles without adversely affecting the long range order.

     

Investigations on the phase transition of Mn-doped BaTiO<Subscript>3</Subscript> multifunctional ferroelectric ceramics through Raman,dielectric, and magnetic studies

BaTiO₃ (BTO) and BaTi_1?xMn_xO₃ (x?=?0.25, 0.50, 0.75?mol%) ceramic materials have been prepared by the sol–gel combustion method. X-ray diffraction (XRD) has been carried out to characterize the phase purity and crystal structure of the prepared compounds, and all XRD patterns suggest tetragonal structure with the phase group of P4mm. The variation in the estimated lattice parameters confirms the incorporation of Mn atoms at Ti site of BTO. Raman spectroscopy studies under various temperatures suggest a phase transition from tetragonal to cubic phase at ~433?K, identified by a distinct Raman mode at 308?cm^?1. As Raman modes are getting softened by Mn doping, phase transition temperature of the Mn-doped compounds is significantly decreased from 473?K (x?=?0%) to 433?K (x?=?0.75%). Dielectric properties such as permittivity and dielectric loss as the function of frequency under various temperatures have two distinct dielectric anomalies (i) at 393?K associated to tetragonal to cubic phase transition and (ii) at 550?K due to oxygen vacancy defect in the samples. Observation of weak ferromagnetism at 2, 300, and 400?K in the M (H) and ZFC-FC curve, suppose its origin due to an intriguing exchange interaction between Mn and oxygen vacancies.

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A Carbon Electrode Functionalized by a Tricopper Cluster Complex: Overcoming Overpotential and Production of Hydrogen Peroxide in the Oxygen Reduction Reaction

A study of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) on a screen printed carbon electrode surface mediated by the tricopper cluster complex Cu₃(7‐N‐Etppz(CH₂OH)) dispersed on electrochemically reduced carbon black, where 7‐N‐Etppz(CH₂OH) is the ligand 3,3′‐(6‐(hydroxymethyl)‐1,4‐diazepane‐1,4‐diyl)bis(1‐(4‐ethyl piperazin‐1‐yl)propan‐2‐ol), is described. Onset oxygen reduction potentials of about 0.92 V and about 0.77 V are observed at pH 13 and pH 7 vs. the reversible hydrogen electrode, which are comparable to the best values reported for any synthetic copper complex. Based on half‐wave potentials (E_1/2), the corresponding overpotentials are about 0.42 V and about 0.68 V, respectively. Kinetic studies indicate that the trinuclear copper catalyst can accomplish the 4 e^? reduction of O₂ efficiently and the ORR is accompanied by the production of only small amounts of H₂O₂. The involvement of the copper triad in the O₂ activation process is also verified.     

Crystal and molecular structures of 1,4-dihydro-6-methyl-5-N,N-diethylcarbamoyl-4-phenyl-2(3H)-pyrimidinethione (1) and 1,4-dihydro-6-methyl-5-N-methyl carbamoyl-4-(2′-nitrophenyl)-2(3H)-pyrimidinethione hemihydrate (2)

The crystal structure of 1,4-dihydro-6-methyl-5-N,N-diethylcarbamoyl-4-phenyl-2(3H)-pyrimidinethione, C₁₆ H ₂₁ N ₃OS (1), is monoclinic, space group P2₁/n, a = 6.818(1), b = 13.211(2), c = 18.807(3) Å, = 99.53(1)°, V = 1670.6(4) ų, Z = 4 and d _cal = 1.206 Mg/m³, R = 0.042 (wR = 0.119) for 190 parameters and 2560 observations with I 2(I) and 1,4-dihydro-6-methyl-5-N-methyl carbamoyl-4-(2-nitrophenyl)-2(3H)-pyrimidinethione hemihydrate, C₁₃ H ₁₄N₄O₃S 0.5H₂O, (2), is triclinic, space group P1, a = 7.513(1), b = 14.381(2), c = 15.506(2)Å, = 114.95(2), = 98.11(1), = 93.55(1)°, V = 1490.0(3) ų, Z = 4 and d _cal = 1.406 Mg/m³, R = 0.062 (wR = 0.165) for 388 parameters and 3094 observations with I 2(I).The compound 2 crystallized having two molecules in the asymmetric unit, which can be regarded as monohydrated dimers, and forming a hydrate. The conformation of the central heterocyclic ring (1,4-dihydropyrimidine) in both compounds was found to be close to a half-chair conformation. The 2-nitrophenyl substituent in 2 is in the axial synperiplanar orientation. In both compounds, the conformation of the 3-substituted carbamoyl group appears to be influenced by hydrogen bonding with anticlinal orientation observed for carbonyl groups serving as hydrogen bonding acceptors.     

Nonlinear hydromagnetic flow and heat transfer over a surface stretching with a power-law velocity

 Nonlinear hydromagnetic flow and heat transfer over a surface stretching with a power-law velocity is analysed. A special form of the magnetic field is chosen to obtain similarity equations. Resulting equations are numerically solved using Runge–Kutta shooting method. Values of skin-friction and rate of heat transfer are obtained and the effect of magnetic field, stretching parameter and Prandtl number over these are discussed. Received on 2 May 2001 / Published online: 29 November 2001