Proteomics and bioinformatics strategies to design countermeasures against infectious threat agents

The potential devastation resulting from an intentional outbreak caused by biological warfare agents such as Brucella abortus and Bacillus anthracis underscores the need for next generation vaccines. Proteomics, genomics, and systems biology approaches coupled with the bacterial ghost (BG) vaccine delivery strategy offer an ideal approach for developing safer, cost-effective, and efficacious vaccines for human use in a relatively rapid time frame. Critical to any subunit vaccine development strategy is the identification of a pathogen's proteins with the greatest potential of eliciting a protective immune response. These proteins are collectively referred to as the pathogen's immunome. Proteomics provides high-resolution identification of these immunogenic proteins using standard proteomic technologies, Western blots probed with antisera from infected patients, and the pathogen's sequenced and annotated genome. Selected immunoreactive proteins can be then cloned and expressed in nonpathogenic Gram-negative bacteria. Subsequently, a temperature shift or chemical induction process is initiated to induce expression of the PhiX174 E-lysis gene, whose protein product forms an E tunnel between the inner and outer membrane of the bacteria, expelling all intracellular contents. The BG vaccine system is a proven strategy developed for many different pathogens and tested in a complete array of animal models. The BG vaccine system also has great potential for producing multiagent vaccines for protection to multiple species in a single formulation.     

Platinum(II) complexes of 8-quinolylmethylphosphonates: Synthesis,characterization and antitumour activity

A series of novel platinum(II) complexes of diethyl (8-dqmp) and monoethyl (8-Hmqmp) ester of 8-quinolylmethylphosphonic acid has been prepared and studied. It was shown that molecular or ionic complexes could be isolated by reaction of these organophosphorus ligands with [PtX₄]²⁻ (X = Cl, Br), depending on the acidity of the reaction solution. In the neutral medium diester formed dihalide adducts, trans-[Pt(8-dqmp)₂X₂] (1 and 2), with N-bonded ligand through the quinoline nitrogen. Under acidic conditions (pH < 3) both ligands gave the quinolinium salt complexes [LH]₂[PtX₄] (3 and 4, L = 8-dqmp; 7 and 8, L = 8-Hmqmp), with protonated quinoline ligand as cation and tetrahalidoplatinate complex as anion. By heating in methanol complexes 3 and 4 were converted into the corresponding dimeric hexahalidodiplatinum complexes, [8-Hdqmp]₂[Pt₂X₆] (5 and 6). The chelate complex [Pt(8-mqmp)₂] (9), with monoester ligand bonded through the quinoline nitrogen and the deprotonated phosphonic acid oxygen and forming two seven-membered {N, O} chelate rings, was obtained in neutral and basic media by reaction of platinum(II) halides either with sodium or hydrochloride salt of this monoester. The complexes were identified and characterized by elemental and thermogravimetric analyses, conductometric measurements, and by spectroscopic studies. In vitro antitumour activity of complexes was evaluated against the human epidermoid KB and murine leukaemia L1210 cell lines. These results were compared with those obtained for the palladium(II) complexes of the same phosphonate ligands and with those of platinum(II) and palladium(II) complexes of diethyl and monoethyl 2-quinolylmethylphosphonate, in order to correlate the structural and biological properties of quinoline-based aminophosphonate compounds.     

Setup of an Ultrasonic-Assisted Extraction to Obtain High Phenolic Recovery in Crataegus monogyna Leaves

Hawthorn leaves are a rich source of phenolic compounds that possess beneficial activities for human health. Ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE) is an extraction technique frequently used for the isolation of phenolic compounds in plants. Thus, in this study, a Box–Behnken design was used to optimize UAE conditions such as the percentage of acetone, the extraction time and solvent-to-solid ratio (v/w) in order to obtain the maximum content of total compounds by Folin–Ciocalteu and the maximum in vitro antioxidant activity by DPPH, ABTS and FRAP assays in Crataegus monogyna leaves. The optimum conditions to obtain the highest total phenolic content and antioxidant activities were 50% acetone, 55 min and 1/1000 (w/v). A total of 30 phenolic compounds were identified and quantified in C. monogyna leaf extract obtained at these optimum UAE conditions. HPLC-MS allows the identification and quantification of 19 phenolic compounds and NP-HPLC-FLD analyses showed the presence of 11 proanthocyanidins. According to the results, the most concentrated phenolic compounds in C. monogyna leaf extract obtained at optimum UAE conditions were phenolic acid derivatives such as protocatechuic acid-glucoside, dihydroxy benzoic acid pentoside and chlorogenic acid, flavones such as 2″-O-rhamnosyl-C-hexosyl-apigenin, flavonols such as hyperoside and isoquercetin and proanthocyanidins such as monomer and dimer. As a result, the optimized UAE conditions could be used to obtain an extract of C. monogyna leaves enriched with phenolic compounds.     

An asymptotic approximation of Wallis’ sequence

An asymptotic approximation of Wallis’ sequence W(n) = Π _k=1 ⁿ 4k ²/(4k ² − 1) obtained on the base of Stirling’s factorial formula is presented. As a consequence, several accurate new estimates of Wallis’ ratios w(n) = Π _k=1 ⁿ (2k−1)/(2k) are given. Also, an asymptotic approximation of π in terms of Wallis’ sequence W(n) is obtained, together with several double inequalities such as, for example,

Approximation of Composition and Temperature Dependent Heat Conductivity and Optimization of Thermoelectric Energy Conversion in Silicon–Germanium Alloys

We analyze the efficiency as thermoelectric energy converter of a silicon–germanium alloy with composition and temperature dependent heat conductivity. The dependency on composition is determined by a non-linear regression method (NLRM), while the dependency on temperature is approximated by a first-order expansion in the neighborhood of three reference temperatures. The differences with respect to the case of thermal conductivity depending on composition only are pointed out. The efficiency of the system is analyzed under the assumption that the optimal energy conversion corresponds to the minimum rate of energy dissipated. The values of composition and temperature which minimize such a rate are calculated as well.     

New Insight on Phenolic Composition and Evaluation of the Vitamin C and Nutritional Value of Smoothies Sold on the Spanish Market

Fruits and vegetables are a source of a wide range of nutrients, including bioactive compounds. These compounds have great biological activity and have been linked to the prevention of chronic non-communicable diseases. Currently, the food industry is developing new products to introduce these compounds, whereby smoothies are becoming more popular among consumers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the nutritional quality and the polyphenol and vitamin C content of smoothies available on the Spanish market. An evaluation of the nutritional information and ingredients was carried out. The phenolic compounds were determined by HPLC-ESI-TOF-MS; the vitamin C content was quantified using HPLC-UV/VIS; and the antioxidant activity was analyzed by DPPH and FRAP. Among all of the ingredients of the smoothies, coconut and banana have shown a negative impact on the polyphenol content of the smoothies. In contrast, ingredients such as orange, mango, and passion fruit had a positive correlation with the vitamin C content. Moreover, apple and red fruits showed the highest positive correlations with most of the phenolic acids, flavonoids, total phenolic compounds, and antioxidant activities. In addition, a clustering analysis was performed, and four groups were clearly defined according to the bioactive composition determined here. This research is a precious step for the formulation of new smoothies and to increase their polyphenol quality.     

Green Solvents for Eco-Friendly Synthesis of Dimethindene: A Forward-Looking Approach

Dimethindene is a selective histamine H₁ antagonist and is commercially available as a racemate. Upon analyzing the synthetic pathways currently available for the industrial preparation of dimethindene, we set up a sustainable approach for the synthesis of this drug, switching from petroleum-based volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to eco-friendly solvents, such as 2-methyltetrahydrofuran (2-MeTHF) and cyclopentyl methyl ether (CPME) belonging to classes 3 and 2, respectively. Beyond decreasing the environmental impact of the synthesis (E-factor: 24.1–54.9 with VOCs; 12.2–22.1 with 2-MeTHF or CPME), this switch also improved the overall yield of the process (from 10% with VOCs to 21–22% with 2-MeTHF or CPME) and remarkably simplified the manual operations, working under milder conditions. Typical metrics applied at the first and second pass, according to the CHEM21 metrics toolkit, were also calculated for the whole synthetic procedure of dimethindene, and the results were compared with those of the classical procedure.     

Spectroscopic studies and X-ray crystal structures of charge-transfer complexes of 1,4,7-trithiacyclononane with diiodine

1,4,7-Trithiacyclononane ([9]aneS₃) reacts with molecular diiodine in CH₂Cl₂ to form a 1:1 adduct. The formation constant and the thermodynamic parameters of this adduct have been determined by UV-visible spectra of several solutions at the temperatures of 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35°C. The ¹³C NMR spectra show that adducts with higher ligand/diiodine molar ratios are formed. Two neutral charge-transfer molecular compounds having formula 2[9]aneS₃ · 4I₂ ( I ) and [9]aneS₃ · 3I₂ · ( II ) have been obtained as crystals. The crystals of I are triclinic (a = 8.498(2) Å, b = 13.984(4) Å, c = 14.898(6) Å, α = 65.57(2)°, γ = 89.19(2)°, γ = 81.26(2)°, Z = 2, space group P1; R = 0.025) and contain units formed by two [9]aneS₃ molecules connected by a diiodine molecule; one [9]aneS₃ binds two other diiodine molecules, while the second binds only one other diiodine molecule. The crystals of II are monoclinic (a = 13.810(2) Å, b = 9.829(4) Å, c = 16.198(6) Å, β = 113.41(2)°, Z = 4, space group P2₁/c; R = 0.019) and contain molecules of [9]aneS₃ binding three diiodine molecules. FT-Raman spectra in the characteristic v(I–I) region, carried out on the solid adducts, are discussed in comparison with the structural parameters.     

Introducing Water and Deep Eutectic Solvents in Organosodium Chemistry: Chemoselective Nucleophilic Functionalizations in Air

Advancing the development of perfecting the use of polar organometallics in bio-inspired solvents, we report on the effective generation in batch of organosodium compounds, by the oxidative addition of a C−Cl bond to sodium, a halogen/sodium exchange, or by direct sodiation, when using sodium bricks or neopentylsodium in hexane as sodium sources. C(sp³)-, C(sp²)-, and C(sp)-hybridized alkyl and (hetero)aryl sodiated species have been chemoselectively trapped (in competition with protonolysis), with a variety of electrophiles when working “on water”, or in biodegradable choline chloride/urea or L-proline/glycerol eutectic mixtures, under hydrous conditions and at room temperature. Additional benefits include a very short reaction time (20 s), a wide substrate scope, and good to excellent yields (up to 98 %) of the desired adducts. The practicality of the proposed protocol was demonstrated by setting up a sodium-mediated multigram-scale synthesis of the anticholinergic drug orphenadrine.     

Ligand-Free Pd-Catalyzed Reductive Mizoroki-Heck Reaction Strategy for the One-Pot Synthesis of Functionalized Oxygen Heterocycles in Deep Eutectic Solvents

A Deep Eutectic Solvent, choline chloride/glycerol (1 : 2 mol mol⁻¹), proved to be an effective and sustainable reaction medium to promote telescoped, one-pot Mizoroki-Heck cross-coupling/reduction processes between 2,3-dihydrofuran or 3,4-dihydro-2H-pyran and several (hetero)aryl halides to easily access valuable 2-(hetero)aryl tetrahydrofuran (THF) or tetrahydropyran derivatives in up to 95 % yield. Notably, the whole transformation takes place under aerobic conditions, in the absence of additional ligands, and with a good substrate scope. The practicability of the method is also exemplified by the sustainable synthesis of two key THF derivatives, which are side chains of pharmacologically relevant inhibitors of Kv1.2 channel.