Design and synthesis of skeletal analogues of gambierol: attenuation of amyloid-β and tau pathology with voltage-gated potassium channel and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor implications

Gambierol is a potent neurotoxin that belongs to the family of marine polycyclic ether natural products and primarily targets voltage-gated potassium channels (K(v) channels) in excitable membranes. Previous work in the chemistry of marine polycyclic ethers has suggested the critical importance of the full length of polycyclic ether skeleton for potent biological activity. Although we have previously investigated structure-activity relationships (SARs) of the peripheral functionalities of gambierol, it remained unclear whether the whole polycyclic ether skeleton is needed for its cellular activity. In this work, we designed and synthesized two truncated skeletal analogues of gambierol comprising the EFGH- and BCDEFGH-rings of the parent compound, both of which surprisingly showed similar potency to gambierol on voltage-gated potassium channels (K(v)) inhibition. Moreover, we examined the effect of these compounds in an in vitro model of Alzheimer's disease (AD) obtained from triple transgenic (3xTg-AD) mice, which expresses amyloid beta (Aβ) accumulation and tau hyperphosphorylation. In vitro preincubation of the cells with the compounds resulted in significant inhibition of K(+) currents, a reduction in the extra- and intracellular levels of Aβ, and a decrease in the levels of hyperphosphorylated tau. In addition, pretreatment with these compounds reduced the steady-state level of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor subunit 2A without affecting the 2B subunit. The involvement of glutamate receptors was further suggested by the blockage of the effect of gambierol on tau hyperphosphorylation by glutamate receptor antagonists. The present study constitutes the first discovery of skeletally simplified, designed polycyclic ethers with potent cellular activity and demonstrates the utility of gambierol and its synthetic analogues as chemical probes for understanding the function of K(v) channels as well as the molecular mechanism of Aβ metabolism modulated by NMDA receptors.     

Synthesis of Bimodal PVC Latexes by Emulsion Polymerization: An Experimental and Modeling Study

The onset and extent of secondary particle formation in the seeded emulsion polymerization of vinyl chloride were investigated by performing a series of seeded polymerizations at different concentrations of seed latex and surfactant. It was found that, in general, both the onset and the extent of secondary particle formation are determined not only by the rate of homogeneous nucleation, but also by the rates of particle coagulation. A comparison of methods to compute the evolution of the particle size distribution in vinyl chloride emulsion polymerization was also carried out. For growth processes, the widely-used pseudo-bulk model gives correct answers. For processes involving particle formation, on the other hand, this model cannot be used because it neglects, among others, the effects of nucleation and coagulation on the radical number distribution. To surmount this problem, we propose to use the zero-one-two model, for which the full population balance equations are given here.     

Size,Charge, and Stability of Fully Serine‐Based Catanionic Vesicles: Towards Versatile Biocompatible Nanocarriers

Vesicles based on mixed cationic and anionic surfactants (catanionic vesicles) offer a number of advantageous colloidal features over conventional lipid‐based vesicles, namely spontaneity in formation, long‐term stability, and easy modulation of size and charge. If biocompatibility is added through rational design of the chemical components, the potential for biorelated applications further emerges. Here, we report for the first time on two catanionic vesicle systems in which both ionic amphiphiles are derivatized from the same amino acid—serine—with the goal of enhancing aggregate biocompatibility. Phase behavior maps for a mixture with chain length symmetry, 12Ser/12‐12Ser, and another with asymmetry, 16Ser/8‐8Ser, are presented, for which regions of vesicles, micelles, and coexisting aggregates are identified. For the asymmetric mixture, detailed phase behavior and microstructure characterization have been carried out based on surface tension, light microscopy, cryo‐SEM, cryo‐TEM, and dynamic light scattering analysis. Vesicles are found with tunable mean size, pH, and zeta potential. Changes in aggregate shape with varying composition and the effect of preparation methods and aging on vesicle features and stability have been investigated in detail. The results are discussed in the light of self‐assembly models and related catanionic systems reported before. A versatile system of robust vesicles is thus presented for potential applications.     

Stable hydrocarbon diradical, an analogue of trimethylenemethane

Hydrocarbon diradical 1, a new stable, 3-fold symmetric analogue of trimethylenemethane (TMM) with no heteroatom perturbation, is prepared and studied. Such diradicals should provide new building blocks for high-spin hydrocarbon polyradicals with very strong net ferromagnetic coupling. Magnetic studies (SQUID) and EPR spectroscopy indicate that 1 in tetrahydrofuran-d8 (THF-d8) possesses a triplet (S = 1) ground state, with strong ferromagnetic coupling. After annealing at room temperature, the EPR spectra of 1 (approximately 0.02 M in frozen THF-d8) consist of a single narrow resonance (deltaH(pp) < 1 G), and intermolecular antiferromagnetic coupling is increased by 1 order of magnitude. This behavior is consistent with the presence of exchange narrowing, thus suggesting aggregation of 1 in THF-d8. Blue solutions of 1 in THF-d8 possess a strong UV-vis absorption band at lambda(max) approximately 640 nm. Diradical 1 in THF-d8 is stable (or persistent) at room temperature, with no detectable decomposition for at least 2 days.     

Novel quinone-fused corroles

Gallium(III)(pyridine) complex of 5,10,15-tris(pentafluorophenyl)corrole-3-carbaldehyde was used as a precursor of an azomethine ylide, which was trapped in 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions with quinones. Besides the expected dehydrogenated 1,3-dipolar cycloadducts, novel quinone-fused corrole derivatives were also obtained in moderate yields.     

Feasibility of using direct determination of cadmium and lead in fresh meat by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry for screening purposes

A method for the direct determination of cadmium and lead in fresh meat for screening purposes is proposed using electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry. The fresh meat samples were homogenized, weighed directly onto solid sampling platforms and introduced into a transversely heated solid sampling graphite tube. The main challenges associated with this procedure, such as weighing errors and optimization of the temperature program were investigated in detail. Calibration was performed against aqueous standards and two modifiers were investigated: 0.05% Pd + 0.03% Mg + 0.05% Triton X-100 and 0.01% Pd + 10% NH₄NO₃ + 0.05% Triton X-100. The former one is recommended due to the higher pyrolysis temperature obtained for cadmium and the better limits of detection of 1.9 μg kg^− 1 for lead and 0.13 μg kg^− 1 for cadmium, based on 10 mg of sample mass. The results obtained for cadmium and lead in two certified reference materials were statistically not different from the certified values on a 95% confidence level, indicating that calibration against aqueous standards is suitable for this application. In order to evaluate weighing errors the fresh samples were dried (at 60 °C) to constant weight; the results obtained with fresh and dried samples were in agreement, taking the loss of weight into consideration for the latter ones. The average relative standard deviation of 14% is in concordance with the results of others using fresh meat. Comparison with the digestion method adopted by the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture shows no significant differences between the results at the 95% confidence level. This study shows that direct analysis of fresh meet can be applied as a rapid routine screening procedure for residue control in products of animal origin, helping the implementation and maintenance of sanitary control.     

Method development for the determination of cadmium in fertilizer samples using high-resolution continuum source graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry and slurry sampling

The determination of cadmium (Cd) in fertilizers is of major interest, as this element can cause growth problems in plants, and also affect animals and humans. High-resolution continuum source graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (HR-CS GF AAS) with charge-coupled device (CCD) array detection overcomes several of the limitations encountered with conventional line source AAS, especially the problem of accurate background measurement and correction. In this work an analytical method has been developed to determine Cd in fertilizer samples by HR-CS GF AAS using slurry sampling. Both a mixture of 10 μg Pd + 6 μg Mg in solution and 400 μg of iridium as permanent modifier have been investigated and aqueous standards were used for calibration. Pyrolysis and atomization temperatures were 600 °C and 1600 °C for the Pd-Mg modifier, and 500 °C and 1600 °C for Ir, respectively. The results obtained for Cd in the certified reference material NIST SRM 695 (Trace Elements in Multi-Nutrient Fertilizer) of 16.7 ± 1.3 μg g⁻¹ and 16.4 ± 0.75 μg g⁻¹ for the Pd-Mg and Ir modifier, respectively, were statistically not different from the certified value of 16.9 ± 0.2 μg g⁻¹ on a 95% confidence level; however, the results obtained with the Ir modifier were significantly lower than those for the Pd-Mg modifier for most of the samples. The characteristic mass was 1.0 pg for the Pd-Mg modifier and 1.1 pg Cd for the Ir modifier, and the correlation coefficients (R²) of the calibration were > 0.99. The instrumental limits of detection were 7.5 and 7.9 ng g⁻¹, and the limits of quantification were 25 and 27 ng g⁻¹ for Pd-Mg and Ir, respectively, based on a sample mass of 5 mg. The cadmium concentration in the investigated samples was between 0.07 and 5.5 μg g⁻¹ Cd, and hence below the maximum value of 20 μg g⁻¹ Cd permitted by Brazilian legislation.     

Investigation of artifacts caused by deuterium background correction in the determination of phosphorus by electrothermal atomization using high-resolution continuum source atomic absorption spectrometry

The artifacts created in the measurement of phosphorus at the 213.6-nm non-resonance line by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry using line source atomic absorption spectrometry (LS AAS) and deuterium lamp background correction (D₂ BC) have been investigated using high-resolution continuum source atomic absorption spectrometry (HR-CS AAS). The absorbance signals and the analytical curves obtained by LS AAS without and with D₂ BC, and with HR-CS AAS without and with automatic correction for continuous background absorption, and also with least-squares background correction for molecular absorption with rotational fine structure were compared. The molecular absorption due to the suboxide PO that exhibits pronounced fine structure could not be corrected by the D₂ BC system, causing significant overcorrection. Among the investigated chemical modifiers, NaF, La, Pd and Pd + Ca, the Pd modifier resulted in the best agreement of the results obtained with LS AAS and HR-CS AAS. However, a 15% to 100% higher sensitivity, expressed as slope of the analytical curve, was obtained for LS AAS compared to HR-CS AAS, depending on the modifier. Although no final proof could be found, the most likely explanation is that this artifact is caused by a yet unidentified phosphorus species that causes a spectrally continuous absorption, which is corrected without problems by HR-CS AAS, but which is not recognized and corrected by the D₂ BC system of LS AAS.     

广义Bethe树上奇偶马尔可夫链场上的若干极限性质

通过构造两个非负鞅证明了一个强极限定理,然后把它应用到本文所定义的广义Bethe树上的奇偶马尔可夫链场上,从而获得了此马氏链场上的一类强极限定理.     

New In Vitro-In Silico Approach for the Prediction of In Vivo Performance of Drug Combinations

Pharmacokinetic (PK) studies improve the design of dosing regimens in preclinical and clinical settings. In complex diseases like cancer, single-agent approaches are often insufficient for an effective treatment, and drug combination therapies can be implemented. In this work, in silico PK models were developed based on in vitro assays results, with the goal of predicting the in vivo performance of drug combinations in the context of cancer therapy. Combinations of reference drugs for cancer treatment, gemcitabine and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), and repurposed drugs itraconazole, verapamil or tacrine, were evaluated in vitro. Then, two-compartment PK models were developed based on the previous in vitro studies and on the PK profile reported in the literature for human patients. Considering the quantification parameter area under the dose-response-time curve (AUC_effect) for the combinations effect, itraconazole was the most effective in combination with either reference anticancer drugs. In addition, cell growth inhibition was itraconazole-dose dependent and an increase in effect was predicted if itraconazole administration was continued (24-h dosing interval). This work demonstrates that in silico methods and AUC_effect are powerful tools to study relationships between tissue drug concentration and the percentage of cell growth inhibition over time.