Chemical fractionation in the solar system

The cosmochemical and geochemical history of planetary material is reflected in relative and absolute abundances of two groups of trace elements; siderophiles and volatiles. Many of these elements can be determined at the requires levels only by radiochemical neutron activation analysis. The abundance patterns of elements in chondritic meteorites result from condensation processes in the solar nebula. The composition of planetisimals which bombarded the Moon is characterized from trace elements in lunar breccias, and is also related to nebula processes. Trace elements in anorthosites and basalts from Earth and Moon suggest that the Moon is refractory-rich and volatile-poor relative to the Earth.     

Analysis of 19-norandrosterone in human urine by gas chromatography–isotope-dilution mass spectrometry: method adopted by LGC for participation in the Comité Consultatif pour la Quantité de Matière (CCQM) Pilot Study P68

The method used at LGC for analysis of “total” 19-norandrosterone (19-norandrosterone glucuronide plus “free” 19-norandrosterone) in urine for the Comité Consultatif pour la Quantité de Matière Pilot Study (CCQM-P68) is described. The analytical method used was a modified version of the method developed at the National Measurement Institute of Australia, which used a hydrolysis and derivatisation procedure first described by the German Sports University. This method is routinely used by World Anti-Doping Agency-accredited laboratories for sports drug testing. The main modifications made to the method were the use of 19-norandrosterone glucuronide as a calibration standard and 19-norandrosterone glucuronide-d4 as an isotopically labelled internal standard, and the use of a bench-top quadrupole gas chromatograph–mass spectrometer. The results produced by LGC (2.14 ± 0.15 ng g⁻¹ expanded uncertainty, coverage factor k = 2) were in excellent agreement with those from other participating national metrology institutes and thus further validates the exact-matching isotope-dilution mass spectrometric procedures used at LGC for a wide range of reference measurement applications, including measurement of ng g⁻¹ levels of steroids in a biological matrix.     

A one-step synthesis of γ-pyrones

The potassium enolate of 4-methoxy-3-buten-2-one reacts with acid chlorides anhydrides and acylimidazoles by C-acylation and $\text{in situ}$ cyclization to afford 2-substituted γ-pyrones directly.     

Addition of grignard reagents to aryl acid chlorides: an efficient synthesis of aryl ketones

[chemical reaction: see text]. Direct addition of Grignard reagents to acid chlorides in the presence of bis[2-(N,N-dimethylamino)ethyl] ether proceeds selectively to provide aryl ketones in high yields. A possible tridentate interaction between Grignard reagents and bis[2-(N,N-dimethylamino)ethyl] ether moderates the reactivity of Grignard reagents, preventing the newly formed ketones from nucleophilic addition by Grignard reagents.     

Fragmentation of N-linked glycans with a matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization ion trap time-of-flight mass spectrometer

N-Linked glycans were ionized from several matrices with a Shimadzu-Biotech AXIMA-QIT matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization quadrupole ion trap time-of-flight mass spectrometer. [M+Na]+ ions were produced from all matrices and were accompanied by varying amounts of in-source fragmentation products. The least fragmentation was produced by 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid and the most by alpha-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid and 6-aza-2-thiothymine. Sialic acid loss was extensive but could be prevented by formation of methyl esters. Fragmentation produced typical low-energy-type spectra dominated by ions formed by glycosidic cleavages. MS(n) spectra (n = 3 and 4) were used to probe the pathways leading to the major diagnostic ions. Thus, for example, an ion that was formed by loss of the core GlcNAc residues and the 3-antenna was confirmed as being formed by a B/Y rather than a C/Z mechanism. The proposed structures of several cross-ring cleavage ions were confirmed and it was shown that MS3 spectra could be obtained from as little as 10 fmol of glycan.     

Treatment of the transplantable FANFT induced bladder tumors with the purpurin SnET2 and red light emitted by a pulsed frequency doubled Nd:YAG laser

Photodynamic therapy of transplantable N-[4-(5-nitro-2-furyl)-2-thiazolyl] formamide-induced tumors engrafted onto Fischer CDF (F-344)/CrlBR rats that had been sensitized with the photosensitizer tin (ll) etiopurpurin dichloride was performed in combination with visible light (approximately equal to 660 nm) emitted by either a continuous wave argon-dye laser or a pulsed, frequency-doubled Nd:Yag laser. Tumor control was assessed either by tumor dry-weight 12 days after treatment or by the palpatory absence of tumor at 60 days after treatment. Both laser sources were effective in creating the desired photodynamic effect. This study demonstrates the potential for the use of a solid-state pulsed laser for photodynamic therapy when used in combination with the tumor sensitizer tin (ll) etiopurpurin dichloride.     

High-performance liquid chromatographic analysis of vancomycin in plasma, bone, atrial appendage tissue and pericardial fluid

Solid-phase extraction coupled with reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography and UV detection was employed for the analysis of the antibiotic vancomycin in patient plasma, bone, atrial appendage, and pericardial fluid. Vancomycin was quantitated in samples from patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Calibrations were linear in the range 3-100 micrograms/ml vancomycin; the lower limit of detection was approximately 3 micrograms/ml in fluids with an absolute limit of detection in bone samples of 0.75 microgram per injection.     

METALLOPURPURINS and LIGHT: EFFECT ON TRANSPLANTABLE RAT BLADDER TUMORS and MURINE SKIN

Purpurins are modified chlorins with photodynamic properties. Their strong absorption in the red region of the visible spectrum makes them candidates for use in photodynamic cancer therapy. A series of metal derivatives of the free base purpurins have been synthesized and shown to cause tumor necrosis in transplantable tumors when exposed to visible light. In the following set of experiments, the effects of two metallo-derivatives (tin and zinc) of two purpurins, octaethylpurpurin (NT2) and etiopurpurin (ET2), and light on the N-[4-(5-nitro-2-furyl)-2-thiazolyl] formamide transplantable tumors in Fischer CDF(F344)/CrlBr rats were studied. The photodynamic activity was assessed by a short term assay using tumor dry weight 12 days after purpurin-PDT as a criterion of response. From these experiments it appears that SnET2 greater than SnNT2 greater than ZnET2 greater than ZnNT2 in photodynamic activity. SnET2 was further characterized by attempting to determine the time interval after systemic injection at which maximum therapeutic effect occurred. These studies shown that 24 h after metallopurpurin injection was the optimum time for treatment of tumors with visible light. In a final set of experiments, the effect of solar light on the skin of hairless mice injected with SnET2 was found to be much less injurious than with hematoporphyrin derivative.