Morphology of dry lignins and size and shape of dissolved kraft lignin particles by X-ray scattering

Lignin is a highly branched polymer consisting of phenylpropane units, and it is one of the ingredients of the supporting matrix in plant cell walls. The morphology of several lignins extracted from plant cell walls using different methods was studied by small-angle and ultra-small-angle X-ray scattering. A power-law type intensity was observed for the dry lignins, but on the basis of the power-law exponent the fractal approach often applied to lignins is not fully justified. However, the intensity of kraft lignin did show a power law with surface fractal dimension D(s) = 2.7 +/- 0.1. The specific surface area of the lignins ranged from about 0.5 to 60 m(2)/g with 20% relative accuracy. The radius of gyration was determined from small-angle X-ray scattering data for aqueous solutions of kraft lignin. The shape of the particles in NaCl and NaOH solutions was found to be elongated. The particles were about 1-3 nm thick, while the length (5-9 nm) depended on the solvent and on the lignin concentration. The size of these primary particles was approximately the same as the size of the pores in the fractal aggregates of the dry kraft lignin. Their size was determined to be about 3.5 nm.     

Aluminum orthovanadate (AlVO4): synthesis and characterization by (27)Al and 51V MAS and MQMAS NMR spectroscopy

Polycrystalline samples of AlVO(4) have been prepared by two methods of synthesis and characterized by (27)Al and (51)V MAS NMR spectroscopy at 14.1 T. The MAS NMR spectra clearly reveal that essentially pure samples with minor impurities of V(2)O(5) and alumina have been obtained. From these samples, (27)Al quadrupole coupling parameters and isotropic chemical shifts as well as the magnitudes and relative orientations of the (51)V quadrupole coupling and chemical shift tensors have been determined with high precision for AlVO(4). These data have been obtained from a combined analysis of multiple-quantum (MQ) MAS NMR spectra and MAS NMR spectra of the central and satellite transitions. The (27)Al and (51)V NMR data show that the asymmetric unit for AlVO(4) contains three isolated VO(4) tetrahedra, one pentacoordinated Al site, and two AlO(6) octahedra. This is in agreement with the supposition that AlVO(4) is isostructural with FeVO(4) and with a recent structure refinement for AlVO(4) based on powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) data. The favorable agreement between the refined crystal structure from powder XRD and the NMR parameters is apparent from a convincing correlation between experimental (51)V quadrupole tensor elements and calculated (51)V electric field gradient tensor elements obtained by the point-monopole approach. An assignment of the (27)Al NMR data is obtained from similar calculations of the (27)Al electric field gradients and by estimation of the distortion of the AlO(6) octahedra.     

Multiresidue method for the gas-chromatographic analysis of some polychlorinated and polybrominated pollutants in biological samples

Summary A multiresidue method for the analysis of a number of chlorinated and brominated organic compounds in biological samples has been developed. The method includes gas-chromatographic analysis of hexachlorinated and hexabrominated benzenes (HCB and HBB), polychlorinated and polybrominated biphenyls (PCB and PBB), polychlorinated phenols (PCP), guaiacols (PCG), paraffins (CP) and naphthalenes (PCN), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) and the pesticides DDT, polychlorinated terpenes (PCC or toxaphene), chlordanes, hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCH), aldrin and dieldrin. The use of charcoal column in the clean-up procedure makes it also possible to analyze the planar PCB congeners (pPCB). Cod muscle samples were spiked with 10 and 50 times the detection levels of the compounds to be analyzed. The mean recoveries, relative to internal standards, for 40 compounds or compound groups were between 51 and 120%.     

Profiling of multiple signal pathway activities by multiplexing antibody and GFP-based translocation assays

Multiplexing of GFP based and immunofluorescence translocation assays enables easy acquisition of multiple readouts from the same cell in a single assay run. Immunofluorescence assays monitor translocation, phosphorylation, and up/down regulation of endogenous proteins. GFP-based assays monitor translocation of stably expressed GFP-fusion proteins. Such assays may be multiplexed along (vertical), across (horizontal), and between (branch) signal pathways. Examples of these strategies are presented: 1) The MK2-GFP assay monitors translocation of MK2-GFP from the nucleus to the cytoplasm in response to stimulation of the p38 pathway. By applying different immunofluorescent assays to the MK2 assay, a multiplexed HCA system is created for deconvolution of p38 pathway activation including assay readouts for MK2, p38, NFkappaB, and c-Jun. 2) A method for evaluating GPCR activation and internalization in a single assay run has been established by multiplexing GFP-based internalization assays with immunofluorescence assays for downstream transducers of GPCR activity: pCREB (cAMP sensor), NFATc1 (Ca(2+) sensor), and ERK (G-protein activation). Activation of the AT1 receptor is given as an example. 3) Cell toxicity readouts can be linked to primary readouts of interest via acquisition of secondary parameters describing cellular morphology. This approach is used to flag cytotoxic compounds and deselect false positives. The ATF6 Redistribution assay is provided as an example. These multiplex strategies provide a unique opportunity to enhance HCA data quality and save time during drug discovery. From a single assay run, several assay readouts are obtained that help the user to deconvolute the mode of action of test compounds.     

Local environments and lithium adsorption on the iron oxyhydroxides lepidocrocite (gamma-FeOOH) and goethite (alpha-FeOOH): a 2H and 7Li solid-state MAS NMR study

2H and 7Li MAS NMR spectroscopy techniques were applied to study the local surface and bulk environments of iron oxyhydroxide lepidocrocite (gamma-FeOOH). 2H variable-temperature (VT) MAS NMR experiments were performed, showing the presence of short-range, strong antiferromagnetic correlations, even at temperatures above the Néel temperature, T(N), 77 K. The formation of a Li+ inner-sphere complex on the surface of lepidocrocite was confirmed by the observation of a signal with a large 7Li hyperfine shift in the 7Li MAS NMR spectrum. The effect of pH and relative humidity (RH) on the concentrations of Li+ inner- and outer-sphere complexes was then explored, the concentration of the inner sphere complex increasing rapidly above the point of zero charge and with decreasing RH. Possible local environments of the adsorbed Li+ were identified by comparison with other layer-structured iron oxides such as gamma-LiFeO2 and o-LiFeO2. Li+ positions of Li+-sorbed and exchanged goethite were reanalyzed on the basis of the correlations between Li hyperfine shifts and Li local structures, and two different binding sites were proposed, the second binding site only becoming available at higher pH.     

Cyclization reactions of 1-[3'-hydroxy-2'-(hydroxymethyl)prop-1'-enyl]pyrimidine nucleobases: intramolecular Michael additions to the C(5)=C(6) bonds and intramolecular dehydrations

The tendency of a series of acyclic nucleoside analogues 1a-f to undergo intramolecular cyclization reactions was investigated. All compounds, when treated with NaOD, were in equilibrium with the bicyclic compounds 2a-f, arising from Michael addition of a hydroxy group to the C(5)=C(6) bonds. Derivatives of 2,4-pyrimidinediones (1a,b) had the highest tendency to undergo intramolecular Michael addition when treated with triethylamine, whereas the cyclization of 4-amino-2-pyridones (1c-f) proceeded best with acid. The exocyclic double bond of was essential for the cyclization to occur. Commonly used N-protecting groups as the benzoyl- and the dibutylaminomethylene group enhanced cyclization. Under acidic anhydrous conditions 1b and 1e cyclized to the 2,4'-anhydro compounds 1b and 1e.     

Synthesis of 2‐Isoxazolines: Enantioselective and Racemic Methods Based on Conjugate Additions of Oximes

The formation of 3‐unsubstituted 2‐isoxazolines by means of condensation reactions between α,β‐unsaturated aldehydes and oximes proceeds readily in the presence of catalytic amounts of anilinium salts. Mechanistically, the process involves a fast conjugate addition of the oxime and a slower intramolecular oxime‐transfer reaction. The rate of oxime transfer was found to correlate with the acidity of the catalyst. This finding enabled us to discover an enantioselective process in which the fragile conjugate‐addition product generated in the first stage is rapidly cyclized into the stable isoxazoline under acidic conditions, with conservation of enantiomeric excess. In summary, herein we describe synthetically useful protocols for accessing 3‐unsubstituted 2‐isoxazolines in both the enantioselective and racemic manner. The mechanism of the condensation reaction catalyzed by the anilinium salt was also investigated by NMR spectroscopy experiments in which the effect of differently substituted aldehydes and oximes as well as water on the reaction rate was studied. The results point to the rate‐limiting elimination of water from the 3‐hydroxy‐2‐isoxazolidine intermediate.     

Fluorinated amino acids: compatibility with native protein structures and effects on protein-protein interactions

Fluorinated analogues of the canonical α-L-amino acids have gained widespread attention as building blocks that may endow peptides and proteins with advantageous biophysical, chemical and biological properties. This critical review covers the literature dealing with investigations of peptides and proteins containing fluorinated analogues of the canonical amino acids published over the course of the past decade including the late nineties. It focuses on side-chain fluorinated amino acids, the carbon backbone of which is identical to their natural analogues. Each class of amino acids--aliphatic, aromatic, charged and polar as well as proline--is presented in a separate section. General effects of fluorine on essential properties such as hydrophobicity, acidity/basicity and conformation of the specific side chains and the impact of these altered properties on stability, folding kinetics and activity of peptides and proteins are discussed (245 references).