Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor (MIF) and Its Homologue D-Dopachrome Tautomerase (DDT) Inversely Correlate with Inflammation in Discoid Lupus Erythematosus

Discoid Lupus Erythematosus (DLE) is a chronic cutaneous disease of unknown etiology and of immunoinflammatory origin that is characterized by inflammatory plaques and may lead to disfiguring scarring and skin atrophy. Current treatments are limited, with a large proportion of patients either poorly or not responsive, which makes DLE an unmet medical need. Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is the prototype of a pleiotropic family of cytokine that also includes the recently discovered homologue D-dopachrome tautomerase (DDT) or MIF2. MIF and DDT/MIF-2 exert several biological properties, primarily, but not exclusively of a proinflammatory nature. MIF and DDT have been suggested to play a key role in the pathogenesis of several autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis and type 1 diabetes, as well as in the development and progression of certain forms of cancers. In the present study, we have performed an immunohistochemistry analysis for the evaluation of MIF in DLE lesions and normal skin. We found high levels of MIF in the basal layer of the epidermis as well as in the cutaneous appendage (eccrine glands and sebocytes) of normal skin. In DLE lesions, we observed a significant negative correlation between the expression of MIF and the severity of inflammation. In addition, we performed an analysis of MIF and DDT expression levels in the skin of DLE patients in a publicly available microarray dataset. Interestingly, while these in silico data only evidenced a trend toward reduced levels of MIF, they demonstrated a significant pattern of expression and correlation of DDT with inflammatory infiltrates in DLE skins. Overall, our data support a protective role for endogenous MIF and possibly DDT in the regulation of homeostasis and inflammation in the skin and open up novel avenues for the treatment of DLE.     

Hexayne Amphiphiles and Bolaamphiphiles

Oligoynes with two or more conjugated carbon–carbon triple bonds are useful precursors for carbon-rich nanomaterials. However, their range of applications has so far been severely limited by the challenging syntheses, particularly in the case of oligoynes with functional groups. Here, we report a universal synthetic approach towards both symmetric and unsymmetric, functionalized hexaynes through the use of a modified Eglinton–Galbraith coupling and a sacrificial building block. We demonstrate the versatility of this approach by preparing hexaynes functionalized with phosphonic acid, carboxylic acid, ammonium, or thiol head groups, which serve as neutral, cationogenic, or anionogenic interfacially active groups. We show that these hexaynes are carbon-rich amphiphiles or bolaamphiphiles that self-assemble at liquid–liquid interfaces, on solid surfaces, as well as in aqueous media.     

Stabilization of the Oxidation State +IV in Siloxide-Supported Terbium Compounds

The synthesis of lanthanides other than cerium in the oxidation state +IV has remained a desirable but unmet target until recently, when two examples of Tb^IV with saturated coordination spheres were isolated. Here we report the third example of an isolated molecular complex of terbium(IV), where the supporting siloxide ligands do not saturate the coordination sphere. The fully characterized six-coordinate complex [Tb^IV(OSiPh₃)₄(MeCN)₂], 2 -Tb^Ph, shows high stability and the labile MeCN ligands can be replaced by phosphinoxide ligands. Computational studies suggest that the stability is due to a strong π(O−Tb) interaction which is stronger than in the previously reported Tb^IV complexes. Cyclic-voltammetry experiments demonstrate that non-binding counterions contribute to the stability of Tb^IV in solution by destabilizing the +III oxidation state, while alkali ions promote Tb^IV/Tb^III electron transfer.     

Metallocenic copolymers of ethylene and 5,7‐dimethylocta‐1,6‐diene: Structural characterization and mechanical behavior

The relationship between the structure and mechanical properties has been established for several copolymers of ethylene and 5,7‐dimethylocta‐1,6‐diene synthesized with a metallocene catalyst. A dependence on the composition and polymerization temperature has been found. The branches cannot be incorporated into the orthorhombic crystal lattice, and consequently, structural parameters such as the crystallinity and crystal size are considerably affected as the 5,7‐dimethylocta‐1,6‐diene content increases in the copolymers. The viscoelastic relaxations have been analyzed and compared with those exhibited by high‐density polyethylene (HDPE). The β relaxation does not appear in HDPE and is exclusively seen in the copolymers. As the 5,7‐dimethylocta‐1,6‐diene content rises, the intensity of this process is increased, and its location is shifted to a lower temperature up to comonomer contents of approximately 6–8 mol % in the copolymers. On the other hand, the α mechanism associated with motion within the crystalline regions is also moved to a lower temperature and its intensity is diminished as the 5,7‐dimethylocta‐1,6‐diene molar fraction increases in the copolymers. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 3797–3808, 2004     

Addition reaction of vinylic reagents, derived from alpha-chloroenones, to carbonyl compounds promoted by samarium diiodide

A new samarium diiodide-promoted addition reaction of vinylsamarium reagents, derived from (Z)-alpha-chloro-alpha,beta-unsaturated phenones 1, to both ketones (in THF) and aldehydes (in acetonitrile) led to (Z)-2-(1-hydroxyalkyl)-2,3-unsaturated ketones in good yield. These transformations took place with total or very high inversion of the stereochemistry of the C-C double bond of the starting chloroenone, producing the Z diastereoisomer. A new methodology to prepare SmI(2) in acetonitrile by sonic treatment of 1,2-diiodoethane with Sm powder is also described. A mechanism to explain this transformation is proposed.     

High- and low-energy collisionally activated decompositions of octaethylporphyrin and its metal complexes

High-energy (HE) and low-energy (LE) collisionally activated decompositions of octaethylporphyrin (OEP) and its metal complexes (ZnOEP and CuOEP) depend on whether the precursor is produced by electrospray ionization as protonated molecules or by fast atom bombardment as radical cations or protonated molecules. LE activation leads to such simple product-ion spectra that a complete picture of fragmentation emerges only after nine stages of tandem mass spectrometry (MS⁹). HE activation, on the other hand, gives product-ion spectra that afford an integrated view of all the decomposition channels in a single MS/MS experiment. These results are the basis of a recommendation that OEP is an appropriate model compound for investigating energy effects in the collisional activation of organic and bioorganic molecule ions.     

Flow analysis-hydride generation-gas phase derivative molecular absorption spectrophotometric determination of antimony in oral homeopathic products ("AntimoniumTartaricum") formulated under alcoholic medium

In this work, a flow analysis-hydride generation-gas phase derivative molecular absorption-(UV) spectrophotometric method has been developed for the direct determination of antimony in aqueous and hydro-alcoholic samples. Antimony (III) from undiluted samples is directly transformed into the gaseous stibine (SbH₃) form by on-line reaction with sodium tetrahydroborate (NaBH₄) in acidic medium (HCl). The gaseous phase generated is separated from the liquid phase using a commercial gas-liquid separator, and swept - with the help of a carrier gas (N₂) stream - into a quartz gas cell (10 cm pathlength); where the corresponding absorption spectrum is acquired in a continuous mode over the 190-300 nm wavelength range, using a conventional spectrophotometer. A derivative strategy was selected in order to avoid the strong spectral interference of the ethanol vapor on the gaseous SbH₃ absorption spectrum. In this way, the peak height at 223 nm of the second order derivative spectrum appears as a clear, clean and interference free analytical signal, which allows the direct determination of antimony. The recovery values obtained from homeopathic formulations (prepared in alcoholic medium) spiked with know amounts of antimony ranged between 97.5 and 103%. The method provides a dynamic range from 0.20 to 30 mg Sb l⁻¹. The precision (RDS), evaluated by replicate analysis (n = 5) of samples and standard solution containing between 2.5 and 15 mg Sb l⁻¹ was in all cases lower than 1.2%. The proposed method was applied to the determination of antimony in commercial homeopathic products (“Antimonium Tartaricum”) prepared in hydro-alcoholic medium; and showed to be simple, precise, and accurate.     

Synthesis of 8-methyl-2-azainosine and related nucleosides

The synthesis of 6-methyl-7-(β-D-ribofuranosyl)imidazo[4,5-d]-v-triazin-4-one (8-methyl-2-azainosine ( 2) ) and 6-methyl-7-(β-D-glucopyranosyl)imidazo[4,5-d]-v-triazin-4-one ( 5 ) by diazotization of 5-amino-1-(β-D-ribofuranosyl)-2-methylimidazole-4-carboxamide ( 1 ) and diazotization of 5-amino-1-(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-β-D-glucopyranosyl)-2-methylimidazole-4-carboxamide ( 3 ), followed by deacetylation of the resulting compound 4 , is described. The preparation of 6-methyl-5-(β-D-ribofuranosyl)imidazo[4,5-d]-v-triazin-4-one ( 10 ) and 6-methyl-5-(β-D-glucopyranosyl)imidazo[4,5-d]-v-triazin-4-one ( 11 ) by glycosylation of 6-methylimidazo[4,5-d]-v-triazin-4-one (8-methyl-2-azahypoxanthine, ( 7) ) is also described. Structural assignments were made on basis of analytical and ¹H-nmr and uv spectral data.     

Suitability of hollow fibre liquid-phase microextraction for the determination of acidic pharmaceuticals in wastewater by liquid chromatography-electrospray tandem mass spectrometry without matrix effects

The applicability of hollow fibre liquid-phase microextraction (LPME), as an alternative to solid-phase extraction (SPE), for the extraction/enrichment of acidic drugs (e.g. ibuprofen, clofibric acid, bezafibrate, etc.) from water samples prior to the determination by LC-ESI-MS-MS has been evaluated. After LPME method optimisation, it was found that this technique can provide very clean extracts, which do not lead to signal suppression during LC-ESI-MS-MS analysis of the analytes. The limits of quantification (0.5-42 ng/L) are suitable for the analysis of these drugs in wastewater. However repeatability needs to been improved (intra-day R.S.D. = 3.4-32%), which may be expected by automation and the development of commercially available devices and fibres specially prepared for analytical purposes. The method was finally applied to wastewater samples (treated and untreated) and results comparable to SPE were obtained.