An online nano‐LC‐ESI‐FTICR‐MS method for comprehensive characterization of endogenous fragments from amyloid β and amyloid precursor protein in human and cat cerebrospinal fluid

Amyloid precursor protein (APP) is the precursor protein to amyloid β (Aβ), the main constituent of senile plaques in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Endogenous Aβ peptides reflect the APP processing, and greater knowledge of different APP degradation pathways is important to understand the mechanism underlying AD pathology. When one analyzes longer Aβ peptides by low‐energy collision‐induced dissociation tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS), mainly long b‐fragments are observed, limiting the possibility to determine variations such as amino acid variants or post‐translational modifications (PTMs) within the N‐terminal half of the peptide. However, by using electron capture dissociation (ECD), we obtained a more comprehensive sequence coverage for several APP/Aβ peptide species, thus enabling a deeper characterization of possible variants and PTMs. Abnormal APP/Aβ processing has also been described in the lysosomal storage disease Niemann–Pick type C and the major large animal used for studying this disease is cat. By ECD MS/MS, a substitution of Asp7 → Glu in cat Aβ was identified. Further, sialylated core 1 like O‐glycans at Tyr10, recently discovered in human Aβ (a previously unknown glycosylation type), were identified also in cat cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). It is therefore likely that this unusual type of glycosylation is common for (at least) species belonging to the magnorder Boreoeutheria. We here describe a detailed characterization of endogenous APP/Aβ peptide species in CSF by using an online top‐down MS‐based method. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

High-performance liquid chromatographic determination of oligomeric procyanidins from dimers up to the hexamer in hawthorn

An HPLC method using UV diode array detection was developed for analysing procyanidins qualitatively and quantitatively up to the hexameric level in hawthorn samples. The analysed compounds included procyanidin dimers B-2, B-4 and B-5, procyanidin trimers C-1, epicatechin-(4beta-->8)-epicatechin-(4beta-->6)-epicatechin and epicatechin-(4beta-->6)-epicatechin-(4beta-->8)-epicatechin, a tetramer D-1 and a pentamer E-1 both consisting of (-)-epicatechin units linked through C-4beta/C-8 bonds. The concentrations of two unknown tetramers and a hexamer F were also quantified. The oligomeric procyanidins (OPs) were specifically determined due to the development of a method for isolating them from hawthorn during sample preparation. The pattern of oligomeric procyanidins in the leaves, flowers and fruits was similar, but the concentrations varied depending on the part of the plant. The concentration in leaves was 1.6%, in flowers 1.2% and in fruits 0.2% of the dry mass. The method was validated with respect to repeatability, recovery, linearity, and sensitivity. The repeatability for the quantitative analytical method of all the OPs in leaves was 7.7%, in flowers 8.8%, and in fruits 12.3%. The recovery of the main OPs ranged from 91 to 97%. The correlation coefficients of calibration curves were between 0.997 and 1.000. The limits of quantitation for different procyanidin standards were 0.05-0.12 mg/ml, when 10 microl of each standard solution was injected into the HPLC.     

Comparison of chromatographic ion-exchange resins IV. Strong and weak cation-exchange resins and heparin resins

A comparative study was performed on heparin resins and strong and weak cation exchangers to investigate the pH dependence, efficiency, binding strength, particle size distribution, static and dynamic capacity, and scanning electron microscopy pictures of chromatographic resins. The resins tested include: Heparin Sepharose FF, SP Sepharose FF, CM Sepharose FF, Heparin Toyopearl 650 m, SP Toyopearl 650 m, CM Toyopearl 650 m, Ceramic Heparin HyperD M, Ceramic S HyperD 20, and Ceramic CM HyperD F. Testing was performed with four different proteins: anti-FVII Mab (IgG), aprotinin, lysozyme, and myoglobin. Dependence of pH on retention was generally very low for proteins with high isoelectric point (pI), though some decrease of retention with increasing pH was observed for CM Ceramic HyperD F and S Ceramic HyperD 20. Binding of anti-FVII Mab with pI < 7.5 was observed on several resins at pH 7.5. Efficiency results show the expected trend of increasing dependence of the plate height with increasing flow rate of Ceramic HyperD resins followed by Toyopearl 650 m resins and the highest flow dependence of the Sepharose FF resins corresponding to their pressure resistance. Determination of particle size distribution by two independent methods, coulter counting and SEM, was in good agreement. Binding strength of cation-exchange resins as a function of ionic strength varies depending on the protein. Binding and elution at high salt concentration may be performed with Ceramic HyperD resins, while binding and elution at low salt concentration may be performed with model proteins on heparin resins. Employing proteins with specific affinity for heparin, a much stronger binding is observed, however, some cation exchangers may still be good substitutions for heparin resins. Dynamic capacity at 10% breakthrough compared to static capacity measurements and dynamic capacity displays that approximately 40-80% of the total available capacity is utilized during chromatographic operation depending on flow rate. A general good agreement was obtained between results of this study and data obtained by others. Results of this study may be used in the selection of resins for testing during protein purification process development.     

New route for the synthesis of 2-thiouracil analogues of 3′-azido-2′,3′-dideoxy nucleosides

Summary Reaction of 3-azido-5-O-tert-butyldiphenylsilyl-2,3-dideoxy-D-erythro-pentofuranoside (5) with silylated 2-thiouracil and 5-alkoxy-2-thiouracils in the presence of trimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate afforded an anomeric mixture of the corresponding 3-azido-2,3-dideoxy-2-thiouridine derivatives with the -anomer as the main product. Deprotected nucleosides were obtained by treatment with tetrabutylammonium fluoride.

---

Ein neuer Weg zur Synthese von 2-Thiouracil-Analogen von 3-Azido-2,3-dideoxy-Nucleosiden

Zusammenfassung Die Reaktion von 3-Azido-5-O-tert-butyldiphenylsilyl-2,3-dideoxy-D-erythro-pentofuranosid (5) mit silyliertem 2-Thiouracil und 5-Alkoxy-2-thiouracil in Gegenwart von Trimethylsilyltrifluormethansulfonat ergab eine anomere Mischung der entsprechenden 3-Azido-2,3-dideoxy-2-thiouridin-Derivate, wobei das -Anomer das Hauptprodukt darstellte. Die ungeschützten Nucleoside wurden mittels Behandlung mit Tetrabutylammoniumfluorid erhalten.

     

Ag NMR as a tool for mechanistic studies of Ag-catalyzed reactions: evidence for in situ formation of alkyn-1-yl silver from alkynes and silver salts

[Structure: see formula]. As demonstrated by 1H, 13C, and 109Ag NMR, a pi-alkyne-Ag complex and then an alkynyl silver are in situ formed from alkyne and silver salt in conditions related to those used for Ag-catalyzed alkynylation or for Ag/Pd-catalyzed sp-sp2 cross-coupling reactions. This finding allows for a rationale of the mechanisms of these reactions.     

Sets of convergence and stability regions

This paper continues the authors' study of the convergence of dynamic iteration methods for large systems of linear initial value problems. We ask for convergence on [0, ) and show how the convergence can be reduced to a graphical test relating the splitting of the matrix to the stability properties of the discretization method.     

Determination of desoxycorticosterone acetate using tetrazoliumsalt

Summary The colorimetric procedure for the determination of desoxycorticosterone acetate described byMader andBuck was investigated. In order to obtain reproducible results the determinations should be carried out at a determined alcohol concentration and in the dark and the measurements of the colors should be made a determined interval of time after the mixing of the solutions. A procedure is proposed.

---

Zusammenfassung Das vonMader undBuck beschriebene Verfahren zur kolorimetrischen Bestimmung von Desoxycortioosteronacetat wurde nachgeprüft. Um reproduzierbare Ergebnisse zu erhalten, muß eine bestimmte Alkoholkonzentration eingehalten, die Farbreaktion bei Lichtabschluß durchgeführt und die Farbmessung nach Ablauf einer bestimmten Zeit nach dem Mischen der Lösungen vorgenommen werden. Eine genaue Arbeitsvorschrift wird mitgeteilt.

---

Résumé On étudie le dosage colorimétrique de l'acétate de désoxycorticostérone décrit parMader etBuck. Afin d'obtenir des résultats reproductibles, les dosages doivent être effectués à une concentration déterminée de l'alcool, à l'obscurité et les mesures des colorations à des intervalles de temps déterminés après le mélange des solutions. On propose un mode opératoire.

     

Thirty years of haemoglobin electrochemistry

Electrochemical investigations of the blood oxygen carrier protein include both mediated and direct electron transfer. The reaction of haemoglobin (Hb) with typical mediators, e.g., ferricyanide, can be quantified by measuring the produced ferrocyanide which is equivalent to the Hb concentration. Immobilization of the mediator within the electrode body allows reagentless electrochemical measuring of Hb. On the other hand, entrapment of the protein within layers of polyelectrolytes, lipids, nanoparticles of clay or gold leads to a fast heterogeneous electron exchange of the partially denatured Hb.     

Quasinilpotency of the operators in picard-lindelöf iteration

The superlinear convergence of Picard-Lindelöf iteration on finite time intervals is studied by considering the resolvent operator as an operator-valued entire function. The main conclusions of this paper are related to the following fact: the convergence properties of the iteration when applied to a large and sparse system are largely determined by the graph properties of the decomposition and are partly insensitive in terms of the values of the elements of the matrices.     

Laccase–gold nanoparticle assisted bioelectrocatalytic reduction of oxygen

It was found that homogeneous activity of Trametes hirsuta laccase is considerably diminished in the presence of gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs). Heterogeneous electron transfer studies revealed that Au-NPs facilitate direct electron transfer (DET) between the T1 copper site of the laccase and the surface of Au-NP modified electrodes. DET was characterized by the standard heterogeneous ET constant of 0.5 ± 0.6 s^?1 at Au-NPs with an average diameter of 50 nm. As a consequence of this a well pronounced DET based bioelectrocatalytic oxygen reduction with current densities of 5–30 µA cm^?2 has been achieved at the laccase–Au-NP modified electrodes.