Simultaneous measurement of endogenous cortisol,cortisone, dehydroepiandrosterone,and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate in nails by use of UPLC–MS–MS

Steroid hormone concentrations are mostly determined by using different body fluids as matrices and applying immunoassay techniques. However, usability of these approaches may be restricted for several reasons, including ethical barriers to invasive sampling. Therefore, we developed an ultra-performance LC–MS–MS method for high-throughput determination of concentrations of cortisol, cortisone, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), and DHEA sulfate (DHEAS) in small quantities of human nails. The method was validated for linearity, limits of detection and quantification, recovery, intra and interassay precision, accuracy, and matrix effect. Samples from 10 adult women were analyzed to provide proof-of-principle for the method’s applicability. Calibration curves were linear (r ² > 0.999) in the ranges 10–5000 pg mg⁻¹ for cortisol, cortisone, and DHEAS, and 50–5000 pg mg⁻¹ for DHEA. Limits of quantification were 10 pg mg⁻¹ for cortisol, cortisone, and DHEAS, and 50 pg mg⁻¹ for DHEA. The sensitivity and specificity of the method were good, and there was no interference with the analytes. Mean recovery of cortisol, cortisone, DHEA, and DHEAS was 90.5%, 94.1%, 84.9%, and 95.9%, respectively, with good precision (coefficient of variation <14% for all analytes) and accuracy (relative error (%) −8.3% to 12.2% for all analytes). The median (pg mg⁻¹, range) hormone concentrations were 69.5 (36–158), 65 (32–133), 212 (50–1077), and 246 (115–547) for cortisol, cortisone, DHEA, and DHEAS, respectively. This method enables measurement of cortisol, cortisone, DHEA, and DHEAS in small quantities of human nails, leading to the development of applications in endocrinology and beyond.     

An electrochemical investigation of novel optically active poly(amide-imide)s based on natural amino acids using multi-wall carbon nanotubes paste electrode

The main aim of this research was to study the electrochemical behavior of novel optically active poly(amide-imide)s (PAIs). Polycondensation reactions of a 3,5-diamino-N-(4-hydroxyphenyl)benzamide with different synthetic diacid chlorides derivatives based on natural amino acids resulted in preparation of five different aromatic–aliphatic PAIs. These polymers were characterized by Fourier transform infrared, proton nuclear magnetic resonance, and elemental analyses. Also, we used electrochemical impedance spectroscopy for the evaluation of these novel optically active PAIs for the first time. Presence of p-substituted phenol groups in the structure of these polymers has been used for electrochemical investigation. Results showed that the oxidation currents in five diverse polymers were affected by their structures. In addition, the influence of carbon nanotubes on the oxidation of phenolic groups was studied using carbon paste matrix in an aqueous buffer solution (pH 7.0).

     

Hydrocarbon production rates in Fischer-Tropsch synthesis over a Fe/Cu/La/Si catalyst

The detailed kinetics of Fischer-Tropsch synthesis over an industrial Fe/Cu/La/Si catalyst was studied in a continuous spinning basket reactor under the conditions relevant to industrial operations. Reaction rate equations were derived on the basis of Langmuir-Hinshelwood-Hougen-Watson type models for Fischer-Tropsch synthesis based on possible reactions sets originated from the carbide, enolic and combined enol/carbide mechanisms. Kinetic model candidates were evaluated by the global optimization of kinetic parameters, which were realized by first minimization of multi-response objective functions with conventional Levenberg-Marquardt method. It was found that an enolic mechanism based model could produce a good fit of the experimental data. The activation energy for paraffin formation is 95 kJ·mol^?1 which is smaller than that for olefin formation (121 kJ·mol^?1).     

Synthesis, characterization, and single crystal X-ray structures of [CoIII((BA)2en)(thiobenzamide)2]PF6 and [CoIII(acacen)(thiobenzamide)2]ClO4 and their solvatochromic properties

New cobalt(III) complexes of two tetradentate Schiff base ligands, acacen = bis(acetylacetone)ethylenediimine dianion and (BA)₂en = bis(benzoylacetone)-ethylenediimine dianion, with two axial thiobenzamide (tb) ligands have been synthesized by solid state methods and characterized by elemental analyses, IR, UV–Vis, and ¹H-NMR spectroscopy. Both complexes show solvatochromism in a variety of solvents. The crystal and molecular structures of (1) and (2) were determined by X-ray crystallography. The structure (1) contains two independent [Co^III((BA)₂en)(tb)₂]⁺ complexes, two independent PF₆ anions, and one well ordered ethyl acetate solvent molecule per asymmetric unit. In contrast, the structure (2) contains two independent [Co^III(acacen)(tb)₂]⁺ complexes of C₂ symmetry, a disordered ClO₄ group and disordered toluene molecules. The octahedral coordination of Co(III) is distorted and the Schiff base ligands (ONNO donors) coordinate the cobalt ion in four equatorial positions, and the two axial positions are occupied by S-bonded thiobenzamide molecules. Intramolecular N–H···O hydrogen bonds donated by the thiobenzamide molecules add to the stability of the complexes in the solid state. The IR, UV–Vis, and ¹H-NMR spectra of the two complexes and their solvatochromic properties are also discussed. The compounds exhibit LLCT mediated by the metal center. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Synthesis of a new class of azathia crown macrocycles containing two 1,2,4-triazole or two 1,3,4-thiadiazole rings as subunits

A series of new 1,2/1,3-bis[o-(N-methylidenamino-5-aryl-3-thiol-4H-1,2,4-triazole-4-yl)phenoxy]alkane derivatives 3a-d and bis[o-(N-methylidenamino-2-thiol-1,3,4-thiadiazole-5-yl)phenoxy]alkanes 6a-c were prepared by condensation of 4-amino-5-(aroyl)-4H-1,2,4-triazole-3-thiols 2a-b or 2-amino-5-mercapto-1,3,4-thiadiazole with bis-aldehydes 1a-c. Further reaction of compounds 3a-d and 6a-c with dibromoalkanes afforded the new macrocycles 5a-f and 8a-d. The cyclization does not require high dilution techniques and provides the expected azathia macrocycles in good yields, ranging from 55% to 68%.     

A novel reaction between benzothiazoles and diaroylacetylenes in the presence of Meldrum’s acid: ring expansion of benzothiazoles to functionalized 1,4-benzothiazines

A novel and efficient ring expansion of benzothiazoles to functionalized 1,4-benzothiazines is described. The reactive 1:1 zwitterionic intermediates formed by addition of benzothiazoles to diaroylacetylenes were trapped with Meldrum’s acid under mild reaction conditions to produce 2-[2-hydroxy-2-aryl-2H-1,4-benzothiazin-3(4H)-yliden]-1-aryl-1-ethanones in excellent yields.     

Bio-Based Nanocomposites of Cellulose Acetate and Nano-Clay with Superior Mechanical Properties

Summary: Bio-based nanocomposites were manufactured by melt intercalation of nanoclays and cellulose acetate (CA) with and without plasticizer. Glycerol triacetate (triacetin) as plasticizer up to 30 mass%, and different types of organo-modified and unmodified montmorillonites (MMTs) as filler were used. X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), were used to study clay dispersion, intercalation/exfoliation, and structure of the composites. XRD and TEM revealed very good dispersion and exfoliation of modified clay throughout the CA matrix. While for unmodified clay agglomeration and poor dispersion but an intercalated structure was observed. The mechanical properties of injection moulded test bars were determined by a tensile experiment giving tensile strength, Young's modulus and elongation at break. Adding plasticizer facilitated the processing and up to 20 mass%, increased the tensile strength, Young's modulus and elongation at break as well. Higher amount of plasticizer diminished the tensile properties except elongation showing a slight increase. In all plasticized composites, organo-modified clay improved the tensile strength and at the same time, young's modulus and elongation almost remained constant. On the other hand, plasticized CA compounded with unmodified clay revealed lower properties. In a particular case, compounding of unplasticized CA with unmodified clay resulted in superior mechanical properties with a novel structure. So that, in optimum percentage –5 mass%- of unmodified clay, tensile strength and young's modulus increased significantly by 335% and 100%, to 178 MPa and 8.4 GPa, respectively. This is a dramatic improvement in strength and stiffness of CA. Adding organo-modified clay resulted in a little improvement in tensile properties. SEM pictures of the optimum composite showed a core/shell structure with high orientation in the shell part. It is supposed that this behaviour is caused by the interaction between CA hydroxyl groups and free cations existing in the galleries of unmodified clay.     

Synthesis and biological activity of Magnesium(II) complexes of heptaaza Schiff base macrocyclic ligands; 1H and 13C chemical shifts computed by the GIAO-DFT and CSGT-DFT methodologies

Two new pendant armed Schiff base macrocyclic complexes, [MgL¹](ClO₄)₂ (1), and [MgL²](ClO₄)₂ (2), have been prepared via cyclocondensation of 2,6-diformylpyridine and 2,6-diacetylpyridine with two hexadentate hexaamines, ten and tmen, in the presence of Mg(II) ion. The ligands are 15-membered pentaaza macrocycles having two 2-aminoethyl pendant arms. The newly prepared complexes are investigated by IR, ¹H NMR, ¹³C{¹H} NMR, DEPT(135), COSY(H, H) and HMQC spectroscopic methods. The antimicrobial screening of newly prepared complexes, 1 and 2, as well as previously prepared similar complexes, [MgL³](ClO₄)₂ (3) and [MgL⁴](ClO₄)₂ (4), against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and candidia albicans showed that the macrocyclic complexes of Mg(II) containing 15-membered pentaaza ring (1, 2 and 3) have no activity. Where as the compound 4, which contain 16-membered pentaaza ring, had remarkable inhibition zone on the culture of S. aureus and E. coli as compared with standard drugs. The ¹H and ¹³C chemical shieldings of gas phase complexes were also studied by the gauge independent atomic orbital (GIAO) and continuous set of gauge transformations (CSGT) methods at the level of density functional theory (DFT). The computed ¹³C chemical shifts are in reasonably good agreement with the experimental data.     

Synthesis and coordination chemistry of new tetradentate N2S2 donor Schiff-base ligand ca2-dapte: Mononuclear and dinuclear copper(I) complexes [Cu(ca2dapte)]ClO4 and [{Cu(PPh3)(X)}2(ca2dapte)] (X = I and Br)

A mononuclear copper(I) complex, [Cu(ca₂dapte)]ClO₄ (1), and two dinuclear copper(I) complexes, [{Cu(PPh₃)(X)}₂(ca₂dapte)] (X = I (2) and Br (3)), of a new tetradentate N₂S₂ donor Schiff-base ligand ca₂dapte have been prepared (ca₂dapte = N,N′-bis(trans-cinnamaldehyde)-1,2-di(o-iminophenylthio)ethane). These compounds have been characterized by elemental analyses (CHN), FT-IR, UV–Vis and ¹H NMR spectroscopy. The crystal structures of these copper(I) complexes have been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The coordination geometry around Cu(I) centers in these complexes is a distorted tetrahedron. The ca₂dapte is coordinated to Cu(I) as a tetradentate ligand in 1, while it acts as a bis-bidentate bridging ligand in 2 and 3.