Binding of sulfonamides to erythrocyte proteins and possible drug-drug interaction

The mode of binding of sulfonamides to erythrocyte proteins and possible drug-drug interaction between those compounds in erythrocytes resulting in changes in tissue levels were studied in rats using zonisamide (a novel antiepileptic agent possessing a sulfonamide group), several other sulfonamides and some antiepileptics without a sulfonamide group. In Michaelis-Menten plottings, the sulfonamide was found to be concentrated into erythrocytes in vitro and in vivo in a saturable high-affinity mode and in a linear low-affinity mode at ordinary therapeutic plasma levels through a simple diffusion process. Concentration in erythrocytes was affected by the presence of albumin in the extracellular medium. The cellular sulfonamide was readily replaced by extracellular sulfonamides in vitro. Even in vivo, erythrocyte levels of zonisamide were lowered by administration of other sulfonamides, although the plasma and tissue levels were not significantly changed since the plasma and tissue compartments of zonisamide were large relative to the erythrocyte compartment at ordinary therapeutic dose levels of zonisamide in animals and man. Therefore, disposition of zonisamide was not significantly influenced by other sulfonamides, but it is suggested that drug-drug interaction affecting the tissue levels may occur for a combination of sulfonamides with extremely different affinities for erythrocytes and low therapeutic plasma levels.     

Highly efficient methods for metacyclophane synthesis

Highly efficient methods for synthesizing metacyclophanes such as 2,6-bridged pyrones and pyridines are described. 4-Hydroxy-2-pyrone derivative 3 bridged at the 3 and 6-positions is readily available. This compound was transformed into 2,6-bridged 4-pyrone 4 on heating in ethanol or in hydrochloric acid. Heating 4 with ammonia or methylamine afforded the corresponding 2,6-bridged 4-pyrone 7 or 8. These pyridones were synthesized directly from 3 by treatment with ammonia or methylamine. These methods have a wide applicability to the bridge length of metacyclophane; compounds with a short bridge (n=8) as well as long bridge (n=18) are synthesized in satisfactory yields.     

Polymerization of allyl esters of unsaturated acids. VII. Copolymerization of methyl allyl maleate and fumarate with styrene

Radical copolymerizations of methyl allyl maleate (MAM) and methyl allyl fumarate (MAF) with styrene (St) are carried out in bulk using AIBN as an initiator at 60°C, and their copolymerization behaviors are compared in detail. The different rate features are observed with each other; thus in the MAF-St copolymerization the rate was quite enhanced and, also, the maximum rate was found at the molar ratio of 1:1 in the monomer feed, whereas no maximum phenomenon of the rate was apparent for the MAM—St copolymerization. The copolymerizability of MAF with St was quite high, whereas that of MAM was very poor. The cyclization of MAM or MAF was hindered by the highly reactive St monomer. These results are discussed in terms of the formation of the charge—transfer complex between MAF and St and, furthermore, the cyclocopolymerization kinetics involving the 17 elementary reactions as the propagation reactions.     

Global aspect of steady-states for competitive-diffusive systems with homogeneous Dirichlet conditions

This paper is concerned with the competitive-diffusive systems

$\text{u}{}_{\mathrm{t}}\text{=d}{}_{\mathrm{l}}\text{u}{}_{\mathrm{xx}}\text{+(a}{}_{\mathrm{l}}\text{?b}{}_{\mathrm{l}}\text{u?c}{}_{\mathrm{l}}\text{v)u}\text{v}{}_{\mathrm{t}}\text{=d}{}_2\text{v}{}_{\mathrm{xx}}\text{+(a}{}_2\text{?b}{}_2\text{u?c}{}_2\text{u)v}\text{(x, t) ? (0, 1) × (0, ∞)}$

, with homogeneous Dirichlet boundary conditions. From a global bifurcation view point, the dependency of steady-states on the parameters a_i, b_i, c_i and d_i (i = 1, 2) is investigated. In particular, bifurcation of coexist ence solutions amd their stabilities are our main interests.     

Cation and pressure effects on the electrochemistry of 12-tungstocobaltate and 12-tungstophosphate ions in acidic aqueous solution

The effects of supporting electrolytes and of pressure on the electrode reactions of the aqueous CoW(12)O(40)(5-/6-) couple at 25 degrees C are reported, together with limited data on PW(12)O(40)(3-)/4-) and PW(12)O(40)(4-/5-). The half-wave potentials E(1/2) for the CoW(12) couple become moderately more positive with increasing electrolyte concentration and cationic charge, and also in the sequences Li(+) approximately Na(+) < NH(4)(+) < or = H(+) < K(+) < Rb(+) < Cs(+) and Na(+) < Mg(2+) < Ca(2+) < Eu(3+). The mean diffusion coefficients for CoW(12) with the 1:1 electrolytes are independent of electrolyte concentration and rise only slightly from Li(+) to Cs(+), averaging (2.4 +/- 0.3) x 10(-6) cm(2) s(-1). Neither the volumes of activation for diffusion Delta V(diff)(++) (average -0.9 +/- 1.1 cm(3) mol(-1)) nor the electrochemical cell reaction volumes Delta V(Ag/AgCl) (average -22 +/- 2 cm(3) mol(-1)) for the CoW(12) couple show significant dependence on electrolyte identity or concentration. For the PW(12)(3-/4-) and PW(12)(4-/5-) couples, Delta V(Ag/AgCl) = -14 and -26 cm(3) mol(-1), respectively, suggesting a dependence on Delta(z(2)) (z = ionic charge number) as predicted by the Born-Drude-Nernst theory of electrostriction of solvent, but comparison with Delta V(Ag/AgCl) for CoW(12) and other anion-anion couples shows that the Born-Drude-Nernst approach fails in this context. For aqueous electrode reactions of CoW(12), as for other anionic couples such as cyanometalates, the standard rate constants k(el) show specific cation catalysis (Na(+) < K(+) < Rb(+) < Cs(+)), and Delta V(el++) is invariably positive, in the presence of supporting electrolytes. For the heavier group 1 cations, Delta V(el++) is particularly large (10-15 cm(3) mol(-1)), consistent with a partial dehydration of the cation to facilitate catalysis of the electron-transfer process. The positive values of Delta V(el++) for the CoW(12) couple cannot be attributed to rate control by solvent dynamics, which would lead to Delta V(el++) < or = Delta V(diff++), i.e., to negative or zero Delta V(el++) values. These results stand in sharp contrast to those for aqueous cationic couples, for which k(el) shows relatively little influence of the nature of the counterion and Delta V(el++) is always negative.     

Hydrogen Gas Sensing of High Electrical Conducting-P2O5-SiO2 Glasses Prepared by Sol-Gel Process

High proton-conducting P₂O₅-SiO₂ glass was applied to the electrolyte of the hydrogen concentration cell for hydrogen gas sensing. 5P₂O₅·95SiO₂ glass was prepared using the sol-gel method and its electrical conductivity and electromotive force were measured at 50°C as a function of both the ambient humidity and hydrogen gas concentration. The electrical conductivities increased with increasing humidity and reached 10^–2 S/cm at 90% relative humidity. The electromotive force of the hydrogen concentration cell, where the glass was used as a membrane, showed good Nernstian response to hydrogen pressure in the high relative humidity region.     

Polymerization of allyl esters of unsaturated acids. V. Cyclopolymerization of methyl allyl fumarate

The kinetics of radical polymerization of methyl allyl fumarate (MAF) is discussed in terms of cyclopolymerization and compared with the polymerization results of methyl allyl maleate (MAM) as a cis isomer. In the polymerization of MAF, the rate and degree of polymerization were quite enhanced compared with MAM, and gelation occurred at low conversion. The content of the unreacted allylic double bonds of the MAF polymer was quite large; whereas those of the unreacted fumaric double bonds and the cyclic structural units showed reverse tendencies. Only a slight presence of a five-membered ring was observed in the MAF polymer. The cyclization constants K_A and K_V, the ratios of the rate constants of the unimolecular cyclization reaction to those of the bimolecular propagation reaction of the uncyclized allylic and fumaric radicals, were estimated to be 2.73 and 1.48 mole/liter, respectively. These values suggest the great difference in the cyclopolymerization behavior between two isomeric monomers. These results are discussed in detail in connection with the high reactivity of the fumaric double bond compared to the maleic double bond. In addition, the formation mode and the sequence distribution of the structural units of the polymer produced are discussed on the basis of these analytical results. Thus, for the MAF polymer obtained in the bulk polymerization, about 60% of the cyclic structure can be formed via the intramolecular attack of the uncyclized fumaric radical on the allylic double bond, as opposed to the case of MAM via the predominant intramolecular attack (ca. 90%) of the uncyclized allylic radical on the maleic double bond; these results and the low probability for the succession of cyclic structures and the rather high probability of a vinyl-to-vinyl addition are presented.     

Synthesis of substituted polymethylenes by radical polymerization of N,N,N′,N′-tetraalkylfumaramides and their characterization

Radical polymerization of N,N,N′,N′-tetraalkylfumaramides (TRFAm) bearing methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, isopropyl, and isobutyl groups as N-substituents (TMFAm, TEFAm, TnPFAm, TIPFAm, and TIBFAm, respectively) was investigated. In the polymerization of TEFAm initiated with 1,1′-azobiscyclohexane-1-carbonitrile (ACN) in benzene, the polymerization rate (R_p) was expressed as follows: R_p = k [ACN]^0.28 [TEFAm]^1.26, and the overall activation energy was 102.1 kJ/mol. The introduction of a bulky alkyl group into N-substituent of TRFAm decreased the R_p in the following order: TMFAm > TEFAm > TnPFAm > TIBFAm > TIPFAm ～ 0. The relative reactivities of these monomers were also investigated in radical copolymerization with styrene (St) and methyl methacrylate (MMA). In copolymerization of TRFAm (M₂) with St (M₁), monomer reactivity ratios were determined to be r₁ = 1.07 and r₂ = 0.20 for St–TMFAm, and r₁ = 1.88 and r₂ = 0.11 for St–TEFAm, from which Q₂ and e₂ values were estimated to be 0.35 and 0.44 for TMFAm, and 0.19 and 0.47 for TEFAm, respectively. The other TRFAm were also copolymerized with St, but copolymerization with MMA gave polymers containing a small amount of TRFAm units. The polymer from TRFAm consists of a less-flexible poly(N,N-dialkylaminocarbonylmethylene) structure. The solubility and thermal property of the polymers were also investigated.     

Site-selective RNA cleavage by DNA bearing a base pair-mimic nucleoside

We have synthesized the deoxyadenosine derivative tethering a phenyl group (X), which mimics the Watson-Crick A/T base pair. The RNA/DNA hybrid duplexes containing X in the middle of the DNA sequence showed a similar thermal stability regardless of the ribonucleotide species (A, G, C, or U) opposite to X, probably because of the phenyl group stacking inside of the duplex accompanied by the opposite ribonucleotide base flipped in an extrahelical position. The RNA strand hybridized with the DNA strand bearing X was cleaved on the 3'-side of the ribonucleotide opposite to X in the presence of MgCl2, and the RNA sequence to be cleaved was not restricted. The site-specific RNA hydrolysis suggests that the DNA strand bearing X has the advantage of the site-selective base flipping in the target sequence and the development of a "universal deoxyribozyme" to exclusively cleave a target RNA sequence.