Pharmacokinetics of the nitroxide PCA measured by in vivo EPR

PCA (2,2,5,5-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl-3-carboxylic acid) is a relatively stable free radical which has been shown to be useful as a contrast agent for nuclear magnetic resonance imaging and as an imaging/spectroscopy agent for EPR. In an effort to determine the role of the liver and kidney in the pharmacokinetics of PCA, using low frequency in vivo EPR spectroscopy, we followed the clearance of PCA after intravenous injection in mice: under normal conditions, with a restricted blood supply to the kidneys, after exposure to an acute hepatotoxin CCl₄, and after exposure to lipopolysaccharide (endotoxin). The observed pharmacokinetics fit a two-component model. The fast component was dramatically affected when the renal vessels were restricted, while CCl₄ and endotoxin had a smaller but significant effect. The half times of the slow components were not significantly different (p>0.05) in the groups treated by renal blood flow occlusion, CCl₄, or LPS, compared with the control group. In conclusion, we find that the pharmacokinetics of PCA need to be completely described in term of a two component model: the fast component of the decay is mainly due to the elimination by the kidneys and also is affected by the time for the initial distribution; the slow component is related to the bioreduction of the nitroxide. In addition to the liver other tissues can also effectively metabolize PCA. The effect of oxygen on the rate of metabolism is modest at most.     

Electron-transfer polymers. XXXIV. Redox polyurethanes from p-benzoquinone-2,5-diols and diisocyanates

It is possible to prepare polyurethanes from p-benzoquinone-diols and diisocyanates by using dibutyltin diacetate catalyst at room temperature or below, since the benzoquinone group does not react with isocyanate under these conditions. This permits preparation of new redox polymers. In preparing the polyurethanes excess isocyanate groups must be destroyed at the end of the reaction time in order to prevent crosslinking during work-up. These polymers are readily reduced by aqueous hydrosulfite. Good viscosity numbers are obtained; and, in general, upon reduction the viscosity increases over that of the oxidized form. There is no evidence of crosslinking. When oxidized and reduced forms of these polymers are mixed there is no evidence of charge transfer.     

Simple preparation of iron stabilized carboxonium ions. Concurrent complexation,rearrangement and alcohol addition to terminal acetylenes

CpFe(CO)₂[C(OEt)R]BF₄ complexes can be prepared by reaction of CpFe(CO)₂(isobutylene)BF₄ with monoalkylated acetylenes in methylene chloride/ethanol solutions. Methyl propiolate yields methyl trans-2-ethoxy-acrylate, in a reaction catalytic in CpFe(CO)₂(isobutylene)BF₄, and internal acetylenes can be transformed to CpFe(CO)₂(vinyl ether)BF₄ complexes.     

Second-order nonlinear optical properties of the Ag(111)/electrolyte interface in the presence of self-assembled monolayers containing conjugated pi systems. I. Alpha-functionalized terthiophene films on Ag(111)

The nonlinear optical properties of self-assembled monolayers obtained from bonding two different alpha-functionalized terthiophenes (alpha-T3) to (111) silver electrode surfaces have been investigated using second harmonic generation (SHG). The two (alpha-T3) compounds used were functionalized with alkane chains of different lengths (C8 and C4), and each was terminated with a thiol anchoring group. A nitrile group was attached to the terminal thiophene ring of the (alpha-T3) compound with the C4 chain. The orientation of the polarization of the incident beam was changed systematically and gradually between "p" and "s" orientation and the SH signal (isotropic and anisotropic contributions) analyzed in both directions ("P" and "S"). The symmetry of the system was reduced by the presence of the adlayers from C3v to C3. The dependence on the applied potential and the incident wavelength has also been studied. The relative magnitudes and phases of the various second-order tensor elements have been estimated and compared with the values for a bare surface. A resonance process in the (alpha-T3) pi moiety has been investigated, and from this, the effective "band-gap" energies of the organic semiconductor SAMs (i.e., the energy difference between the pi-pi bands) have been estimated.     

Contact atomic structure and electron transport through molecules

Using benzene sandwiched between two Au leads as a model system, we investigate from first principles the change in molecular conductance caused by different atomic structures around the metal-molecule contact. Our motivation is the variable situations that may arise in break junction experiments; our approach is a combined density functional theory and Green function technique. We focus on effects caused by (1) the presence of an additional Au atom at the contact and (2) possible changes in the molecule-lead separation. The effects of contact atomic relaxation and two different lead orientations are fully considered. We find that the presence of an additional Au atom at each of the two contacts will increase the equilibrium conductance by up to two orders of magnitude regardless of either the lead orientation or different group-VI anchoring atoms. This is due to a resonance peak near the Fermi energy from the lowest energy unoccupied molecular orbital. In the nonequilibrium properties, the resonance peak manifests itself in a negative differential conductance. We find that the dependence of the equilibrium conductance on the molecule-lead separation can be quite subtle: either very weak or very strong depending on the separation regime.     

Semiclassical approach to collision-induced emission in the presence of intense laser radiation: An aspect in the study of cooperative chemical and optical pumping

Collion-induced emission in molecular systems in an intense laser field is studied using the semiclassical approach, with a view towards cooperative chemical and optical pumping in laser production. The formalism is developed with the electronic-field representation, which treats collision and radiative interaction on the same footing. Electronic-field surfaces can be regarded as forming spectra for spontaneous emission; and particular emission events can be accounted for by propagating classical trajectories on emission electronic-field surfaces. Pre-emission loss from the excited state is dealt with by propagating classical trajectories on a loss surface along a complex contour of emission branch points. This loss surface is derived on the basis of localized radiative couplings between electronic-field states and provides a framework to treat the general problem of discrete state-continuum interactions. The formalism is applied to a two-state, collinear exponential model to compute S-matrix elements and transition probabilities between asymptotic states.     

Evolution of physics-based methodology for exploring the conformational energy landscape of proteins

The evolution of our physics-based computational methods for determining protein conformation without the introduction of secondary-structure predictions, homology modeling, threading, or fragment coupling is described. Initial use of a hard-sphere potential captured much of the structural properties of polypeptide chains, and subsequent more refined force fields, together with efficient methods of global optimization provide indications that progress is being made toward an understanding of the interresidue interactions that underlie protein folding.     

Determination of crude protein in animal feed, forage, grain, and oilseeds by using block digestion with a copper catalyst and steam distillation into boric acid: collaborative study

A collaborative study was conducted to evaluate the repeatability and reproducibility of an extension of AOAC Official Method 991.20, Nitrogen (Crude) in Milk, to animal feed, forage (plant tissue), grain, and oilseed materials. Test portions are digested in an aluminum block at 420 degrees C in sulfuric acid with potassium sulfate and a copper catalyst. Digests are cooled and diluted, and concentrated sodium hydroxide is added to neutralize the acid and make the digest basic; the liberated ammonia is distilled by using steam distillation. The liberated ammonia is trapped in a weak boric acid solution and titrated with a stronger standardized acid, hydrochloric acid; colorimetric endpoint detection is used. Fourteen blind samples were sent to 13 collaborators in the United States, Denmark, Sweden, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Recoveries of nitrogen from lysine, tryptophan, and acetanilide were 86.8, 98.8, and 100.1%, respectively. The within-laboratory relative standard deviation (RSDr, repeatability) ranged from 0.40 to 2.38% for crude protein. The among-laboratories (including within-) relative standard deviation (RSD(R), reproducibility) ranged from 0.44 to 2.38%. It is recommended that the method be adopted First Action by AOAC INTERNATIONAL. A lower concentration (1% H3BO3) of trapping solution was compared with the concentration specified in the original protocol (4% H3BO3) and was found comparable for use in an automatic titration system in which titration begins automatically as soon as distillation starts. The Study Directors recommend that 1% H3BO3 as an optional alternative to 4% boric acid trapping solution be allowed for automatic titrators that titrate throughout the distillation.     

Photolithographic synthesis of peptoids

We describe a novel photolithographic approach to the synthesis of peptoids (oligo-N-substituted glycines). This strategy enables the construction of a spatially addressable peptoid microarray, thus providing a potentially powerful tool for the discovery of protein ligands.     

Polycarboxyhydrazides with ferrocenylene groups in the main chain

Polycarboxyhydrazides essentially of the type \documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$ \rlap{--} [{\rm C}_{10} {\rm H}_8 {\rm Fe}\hbox{---}{\rm CONHNHCO}\rlap{--}]_n $\end{document} are synthesized by low-temperature solution condensation of 1,1′-di(chlorocarbonyl) ferrocene with hydrazine or 1, 1′-ferrocenedicarboxyhydrazide and hexamethylphosphoramide as solvent. In an analogous manner the polycondensation of 1, 1′-di(chlorocarbonyl)ferrocene with oxalyldihydrazide leads to polyhydrazides essentially possessing the structure \documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$ \rlap{--} [{\rm C}_{10} {\rm H}_8 {\rm Fe}\hbox{---}{\rm CONHNHCO}\hbox{---}{\rm CONHNHCO}\rlap{--}]_n $\end{document}. Both polymer types exhibit inherent viscosities (0.08–0.19 dl./g.) considerably lower than reported for analogous aliphatic or benzene-aromatic polyhydrazides. This behavior points to premature chain termination via heterobridging imide groups as a result of the welldocumented tendency of appropriately substituted ferrocene compounds to undergo intramolecular cyclization. In addition, elemental analytical and spectroscopic evidence, coupled with the failure of both polymer types to undergo cyclodehydration to the corresponding 1,3,4-oxadiazole polymers upon heat treatment, suggests some structural irregularities in the aliphatic connecting segments arising from ferrocenoylation of secondary amino groups with resultant branching. With the polyhydrazide prepared from 1, 1′-di(chlorocarbonyl)ferrocene and 1, 1′-ferrocenedicarboxyhydrazide it is shown spectroscopically that treatment with alkali results in conversation of the nonconjugated hydrazide structure of the connecting segments into the polyconjugated tautomeric enol form comprising azine groups.