Anti-PrP<Superscript>C</Superscript> monoclonal antibody infusion as a novel treatment for cognitive deficits in an alzheimer's disease model mouse

Background  

Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is the most common of the conformational neurodegenerative disorders characterized by the conversion of a normal biological protein into a β-sheet-rich pathological isoform. In AD the normal soluble Aβ (sAβ) forms oligomers and fibrils which assemble into neuritic plaques. The most toxic form of Aβ is thought to be oligomeric. A recent study reveals the cellular prion protein, PrP^C, to be a receptor for Aβ oligomers. Aβ oligomers suppress LTP signal in murine hippocampal slices but activity remains when pretreated with the PrP monoclonal anti-PrP antibody, 6D11. We hypothesized that targeting of PrP^C to prevent Aβ oligomer-related cognitive deficits is a potentially novel therapeutic approach. APP/PS1 transgenic mice aged 8 months were intraperitoneally (i.p.) injected with 1 mg 6D11 for 5 days/week for 2 weeks. Two wild-type control groups were given either the same 6D11 injections or vehicle solution. Additional groups of APP/PS1 transgenic mice were given either i.p. injections of vehicle solution or the same dose of mouse IgG over the same period. The mice were then subjected to cognitive behavioral testing using a radial arm maze, over a period of 10 days. At the conclusion of behavioral testing, animals were sacrificed and brain tissue was analyzed biochemically or immunohistochemically for the levels of amyloid plaques, PrP^C, synaptophysin, Aβ40/42 and Aβ oligomers.     

Lines Avoiding Unit Balls in Three Dimensions

Let B be a set of n unit balls in ℝ³. We show that the combinatorial complexity of the space of lines in ℝ³ that avoid all the balls of B is O(n^3+ε), for any ε > 0. This result has connections to problems in visibility, ray shooting, motion planning, and geometric optimization.     

The antispermatogenic activity of some phenylbismuth(III) O,O′‐dialkyldithiophosphates

Ten dialkyldithiophosphate derivatives of phenylbismuth(III) of the type, Ph_(3–n)Bi[S(S)P(OR)₂]_n [where n = 1; R = Me( 1 ), Et( 2 ), Pri( 3 ), Prⁿ( 4 ) and Buⁿ( 5 ); n = 2; R = Me( 6 ), Et( 7 ), Prⁱ( 8 ), Prⁿ( 9 ) and Buⁿ( 10 )] have been synthesized by the reactions of triphenylbismuth(III) with corresponding dialkyldithiophosphoric acids in 1:1 and 1:2 stoichiometric ratios, respectively, in stirred benzene solution. The newly synthesized brown colored compounds, 1–10 have been characterized by elemental analyses, molecular weight measurements, IR and NMR (¹H, ¹³C and ³¹P) spectral studies. The ligand diethyldithiophosphoric acid, [(C₂H₅O)₂P(S)SH], and its organobismuth(III) derivatives, compounds 2 and 7 were administered to adult male rats by oral gavage at the dose of 25 mg per kg body weight per day, for 60 days, and their effects were evaluated and compared for changes in testicular morphology, circulatory concentrations of testosterone, FSH and LH, sperm dynamics, fertility index and testicular cell population dynamics. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Exclusive hadronic processes and color transparency

We review the current status of high energy exclusive processes and color transparency.     

All Solid State Chromium(III) Selective Potentiometric Sensor Based on 2‐(1‐(2‐((3‐(2‐Hydroxyphenyl)‐1H‐pyrozol‐1‐yl)methyl)benzyl)‐1H‐pyrazol‐3‐yl)phenol

Highly selective all solid state electrochemical sensor based on a synthesized compound i.e. 2‐(1‐(2‐((3‐(2‐hydroxyphenyl)‐1H‐pyrozol‐1‐yl)methyl)benzyl)‐1H‐pyrazol‐3‐yl)phenol (I) as an ionophore has been prepared and investigated for the selective quantification of chromium(III) ions. The effect of various plasticizers, viz. dibutyl phosphonate (DBP), dibutyl(butyl) phosphonate (DBBP), nitrophenyl octyl ether (NPOE), tris‐(2‐ethylhexyl)phosphonate (TEP), tri‐butyl phosphonate (TBP), dioctyl phthalate (DOP), dioctyl sebacate (DOS), benzyl acetate (BA) and acetophenone (AP) along with anion excluders NaTPB (sodium tetraphenyl borate) and KClTPB (potassium(tetrakis‐4‐chlorophenyl)borate was also studied. The optimum composition of the best performing membrane contained (I):KClTPB:NPOE:PVC in the ratio 15 : 3 : 40 : 42 w/w. The sensor exhibited near Nernstian slope of 20.1±0.2 mV/decade of activity in the working concentration range of 1.2×10^?7–1.0×10^?1 M, and in a pH range of 3.8–4.5. The sensor exhibited a fast response time of 10 s and could be used for about 5 months without any considerable divergence in potentials. The proposed sensor showed very good selectivity over most of the common cations including Na⁺, Li⁺, K⁺, Cu²⁺, Sr²⁺, Ni²⁺, Co²⁺, Ba²⁺, Hg²⁺, Pb²⁺, Zn²⁺, Cs⁺, Mg²⁺, Cd²⁺, Al³⁺, Fe³⁺and La³⁺. The activity of Cr(III) ions was successfully determined in the industrial waste samples by using this sensor.     

Efficient Preparation of Biologically Important 1,2-Amino Alcohols

An efficient three-step methodology developed for the preparation of 1,2-amino alcohols. In the first step a rapid coupling between bromoketones and potassium phthalimide in ionic liquid produced α-phthalimido ketones in quantitative yields, which is followed by a facile reduction using NaCNBH₃ in acetic acid to give corresponding phthalimido alcohols and finally effecting hydrazinolysis in water at 60 °C to yield biologically important 1,2-amino alcohols.     

Triphenylantimony(v) Derivatives of 2,2-Disubstituted Benzothiazoline Ligands: Synthetic and Spectroscopic Studies

The reactions of triphenylantimony(v) isopropoxide with 2,2-disubstituted benzothiazolines in a 1:2 molar ratio in refluxing benzene solution yielded the corresponding triphenylantimony(v) derivatives (1–5) of the type Ph₃Sb[SC₆H₄N: C(R)CH₂C(O)R']₂, [Where, R═CH₃, R'═CH₃(1); R═CH₃, R'═C₆H₅(2); R═CH₃, R'═4-CH₃C₆H₄(3); R═CH₃, R'═4-ClC₆H₄(4); and R═CF₃, R'═C₆H₅(5)]. All of these newly synthesized derivatives have been characterized by elemental analyses and molecular weight measurements as well as IR and NMR [¹H and ¹³C] spectral studies. On the basis of spectral data, seven-coordination around central antimony atom has been assigned to these derivatives.     

Synthesis and Antimicrobial Activities of Novel Series of 1-((4-Methyl-2-Substituted Thiazol-5-yl)Methyleneam INO)-2-Substituted Isothiourea Derivatives

A novel series of 1-((4-methyl-2-substituted thiazol-5-yl)methyleneamino)-2-substituted isothiourea derivatives was synthesized by alkylation of (Z/E)-1-((4-methyl-2-substituted thiazol-5-yl)methylene)thiosemicarbazide with alkylhalide in acetone. All the newly synthesized compounds were characterized by spectral (IR, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, and mass spectrometry) methods. The newly synthesized compounds were screened for in vitro antimicrobial activity. Most of the compounds show moderate to excellent antimicrobial activity.

[Supplementary materials are available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition of Phosphorus, Sulfer, and Silicon and the Related Elements for the following free supplemental files: Additional figures and tables.]     

Development of Poly(ethylene glycol) Based Amphiphilic Copolymers for Controlled Release Delivery of Carbofuran

The formation of micelles in a solvent that is selective for one of the blocks is one of the most important and useful properties of block copolymers. We had synthesized copolymers of polyethylene glycol and various dimethyl esters, which self assemble into nano micellar aggregates in aqueous media. In the present work, we have utilized these nano micelles for the encapsulation of carbofuran, [2,3–dihydro-2,2-dimethylbenzofuran-7-yl methylcarbamate], a systemic insecticide-nematicide, for the development of controlled release formulation.