A single microcystin in a toxic Microcystis bloom from the river Río de la Plata (Argentina)

Microcystis is one of the most common bloom-forming cyanobacteria genera in diverse ecosystems. More than 80% of its strains are toxic, mainly due to their ability to produce metabolites known as microcystins (MC). Here we report on a M. aeruginosa bloom that appeared in the summer of 2001 at a site of the Río de la Plata, within the city of Buenos Aires. The symptoms in mice indicated that the bloom was hepatotoxic. LC-PDA analysis revealed a similar high concentration (0.9–1?mg?g^–1?d w) of just one MC in the bloom biomass during the 3-month study period. During this period most of the MC (ca. 98 %) was found intracellularly, and the content remained almost the same. The molecular mass of the bloom MC was 1036?Da, as deduced from LC-ESI-MS data. Fragment ion analysis by LC-IT-MS-MS allowed identifying 6 out of the 7 amino acids, as well as their position in the molecule. The molecular mass of the unidentified amino acid residue was 155?Da. According to the data obtained, the MC under study was MC-XR, X representing the unidentified amino acid. This is the first report both on the characterisation of MCs in an urban site of the Río de la Plata waters, and on an Argentinean bloom exhibiting only one MC variant.     

Paçäeëeèèe èçotoèob kèeëopoäa pekthÔèkaèèeіі Moëekóëÿphoão kèeëopoäa

Es wurde eine Laboreinrichtung zur kontiniuerlichen Aktivierungsanalyse strömender, Flüssigkeiten entworfen und gebaut. Die Einrichtung bestecht aus dem Vorratsbehälter für die Probelösung, der Aktivierungskammer, einer Pu-Be-Neutronenquelle, der Meβkammer, der Meβeinrichtung, einer Laborpumpe und einem Strömungsmesser. Die vorläufigen Versuche bewiesen, daβ mit der gebauten Einrichtung die Bestimmung von Vanadium, Silber and Kobalt möglich ist.     

Ageing of AgCl/Cd nuclear track detectors monitored by luminescence spectroscopy

Abstract

Solid-state nuclear track detectors, made of Cd doped AgCl crystals, are commonly prepared by rolling into the form of thin foils. Subsequent long-term relaxation is however needed to obtain good quality tracks. The present communication shows for the first time that this detector “ageing” is reflected in lowtemperature (77 K) luminescence spectra. Maximum of the emission band shows a slow (lasting for ～ 100 hours) blue shift, the magnitude of which (as much as 25 nm) depends on the compression ratio caused by the rolling. The shift is believed to be due to the rearrangement of Cd⁺⁺ ions around freshly introduced dislocations. This finding opens the possibility of monitoring non-destructively the process of detector ageing and to determine the minimum time required for saturation.     

An unusual substitution reaction of an aromatic sulfonic group based on 3-carbonyl-4-phenolsulfonic acid

An unusual substitution reaction of an aromatic sulfonic group based on 3-carbonyl-4-phenolsulfonic acid was discovered in a diazo-coupling process.The reaction occurred under mild reaction conditions (pH 8.0-9.0.0-5 C,solvent:water) within a short reaction time(1h).A plausible substitution reaction mechanism by phenol-ketone resonance was proposed.     

Pathways of liquefied petroleum gas pyrolysis in hydrogen plasma:A density functional theory study

A density functional theory(DFT) study has been conducted in this work to investigate the pyrolysis pathways of propane and n-butane,which are the main components of liquefied petroleum gas(LPG),for better understanding the pyrolysis behavior of LPG in hydrogen thermal plasma. Over 60 possible reactions are considered.The reaction enthalpies and activation energies of these reactions are calculated and analyzed with a Gaussian method of B3LYP and basic set of 6-31G(d,p).A most possible reaction pathway is brought up.According to this reaction pathway, the main products of LPG pyrolysis are acetylene,ethylene,methane,ethane and extra hydrogen.Acetylene mainly comes from the pyrolysis of propylene and ethylene,and hydrogen ion reactions are the main source of extra hydrogen gas.Active H·radicals are found to play a very important role in many reactions,and they can remarkably lower the energies needed for reactions.     

Hiv-1 Specific Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors: why are Tsao-Nucleosides so Unique?

1. INTRODUCTION

AIDS will still be one of the most important challenges for the Scientific Community in the approaching new century. Since the identification, in 1983-84,^1,2 of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) as the etiological agent of AIDS, significant progress has been made in the treatment of HIV-infected patients. This has been in part due to the discovery and clinical use of an increasing number of anti-HIV drugs. However, while highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART)³ approaches have reduced the morbidity and mortality, the intertwined problems of drug induced viral resistance, poor compliance with complex regimens and therapy failure continue. Therefore, there remains a pressing need for the development of new antiviral agents that can be used not only as first line therapeutic candidates, but also in the antiretroviral-experienced patient population.     

Cytotoxic and NF-κB inhibitory sesquiterpene lactones from Piptocoma rufescens

Six new (1-6) and eight known germacranolide-type sesquiterpene lactones, along with several known phenylpropanol coumarates and methylated flavonoids, were isolated from the leaves of Piptocoma rufescens, collected in the Dominican Republic. The new compounds were identified by analysis of their spectroscopic data, with the molecular structure of 3 being established by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The absolute configurations of the sesquiterpene lactones isolated were determined from their CD and NOESY NMR spectra, together with the analysis of Mosher ester reactions. Bioassay screening results showed the majority of the sesquiterpene lactones isolated (1-13) to be highly cytotoxic toward the HT-29 human colon cancer cell line, with the most potent compound being 15-deoxygoyazensolide (10, IC(50), 0.26 μM). In addition, several of the sesquiterpene lactones exhibited NF-κB (p65) inhibitory activity.     

Directed ortho-lithiation of unprotected diphenylphosphinic acids

Directed ortho lithiation of diphenylphosphinic acid and subsequent electrophilic trapping provides mono ortho-functionalized derivatives including enantiopure γ-aminophosphinic acids in moderate yields. Copper catalyzed coupling of the ortho anion leads to biphenyl-2,2′-diylbis(phenylphosphinic acid), a phosphorus analogue of biphenyl-2,2′-dicarboxylic acid. Preliminary studies of the metal-binding abilities of this O,O-chelating ligand towards a series of metal cations are included.