A fluorescent molecular imaging probe with selectivity for soluble tau aggregated protein

Soluble forms of aggregated tau misfolded protein, generally termed oligomers, are considered to be the most toxic species of the different assembly states that are the pathological components of neurodegenerative disorders. Therefore, a critical biomedical need exists for imaging probes that can identify and quantify them. We have designed and synthesized a novel fluorescent probe, pTP-TFE for which binding and selectivity profiles towards aggregated tau and Aβ proteins were assessed. Our results have shown pTP-TFE to be selective for early forms of soluble tau aggregates, with high affinity of dissociation constants (K_d) = 66 nM, and tenfold selectivity over mature tau fibrils. Furthermore, we found that pTP-TFE is selective for tau over Aβ aggregates and had good cell permeability. This selectivity of pTP-TFE towards early forms of aggregated tau protein ex vivo was also supported with studies on human brain tissue containing tau and Aβ pathology. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first fluorescent molecule to be reported to have this form of selectivity profile, which suggests that pTP-TFE is a unique probe candidate for imaging-based detection of early stages of Alzheimer''s disease and other tauopathies.

pTP-TFE imaging probe can distinguish soluble tau aggregated proteins from other aggregated proteins enabling earlier detection of neurodegenerative diseases.     

Polymer blends—I. Mechanical and morphological behaviour of polyethylene/polyvinyl chloride blends

As part of a fundamental study of the behaviour of mixed plastics during reprocessing and in service, blends of low density polyethylene (LDPE) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) have been investigated. It was found that Young's modulus increased steadily from pure LDPE to pure PVC whereas both tensile strength at break and elongation at break passed through a minimum at about 5% PVC. Optical and scanning electron microscope studies have related this mechanical behaviour to morphological changes in the two phase system under stress.     

Synthesis of tetrahydrofurans via silicon promoted Pummerer type reaction

A novel, unprecedented transformation of δ-hydroxysulfoxides into substituted tetrahydrofurans by a silicon promoted Pummerer type reaction is disclosed. The transformation is shown to be general and is brought about under very mild reaction conditions. The products with the sulfide group at the anomeric carbon provide a suitable handle to carry out further transformations.     

Atomic absorption spectrometric and potentiometric microdetermination of the nitro and nitroso groups in organic compounds

New simple, rapid, accurate, and selective methods are described for microdetermination of the nitro and nitroso groups in organic compounds. These are based on reduction with cadmium metal and 0.05 M HCl whereby 6 and 4 equivalents of the cadmium ions are released per nitro and nitroso groups, respectively. The cadmium ions are measured by atomic absorption spectrometry at 228.8 nm, potentiometrically by titration with EDTA using the cadmium ion selective electrode, and visually by EDTA titration using Eriochrome Black T indicator. Results with an average recovery of 98% and a mean standard deviation of 1.3% are obtainable and no interferences are caused by many nitrogen, oxygen, and sulfur functional groups.     

Indirect potentiometric titration of sulphamethoxazole in the presence of trimethoprim in co-trimazole tablets using copper based mercury film electrode

A simple and rapid indirect potentiometric titration of sulphamethoxazole in the presence of trimethoprim contained in co-trimazole tablets is described. The method is based on the formation of a complex of sulphamethoxazole with a known excess of silver ions and the titration of unreacted silver ion potentiometrically using an inexpensive lab-made copper based mercury film electrode (CBMFE). The titration conditions have been optimized for the determination of 1.0-10.0 mg of sulphamethoxazole in pure and dosage forms. The precision and accuracy of the method have been assessed by the application of lack of fit test and other statistical methods. Overall mean recovery and relative standard deviations obtained were 99.88% and 1.32% (n=7) respectively. No interference was caused by other excipients present in pharmaceutical dosage forms. The application of this method for sulphamethoxazole assay in the presence of trimethoprim in tablets was validated by the comparison of results obtained by the proposed method with that of the British Pharmacopoeia (BP) method using F- and t-statistical tests of significance.     

Selective kinetic determination of pyridoxal-5'-phosphate with an ammonia gas-sensing electrode

The coenzyme pyridoxal-5'-phosphate (PLP) is deiermined by in situ measurement of the rate of ammonia production using a potentiometric gas-sensing membrane electrode. It is shown that the initial rate of ammonia liberation from L-tryptophan by action of tryptophanase apoenzyme and the coenzyme can be linearly related to PLP levels in the nanogram range with minimal interference from related compounds. Calibration data for the 1 × 10^-7–2.5 × 10^-6 M range for PLP yielded a least-squares equation of rate (mV min^-1) = (0.64 ± 0.01) C — 0.01 ± 0.02 with a standard error of 0.02 mV min^-1, where concentration, C, is expressed in units of 10^-7 mol l^-1.     

Determination of Br,Rb, Cs,Sc and Na in various plant leaves located in an urban park by neutron activation analysis

In order to determine the effect of airborne emission of trace elements, e.g. Br, Rb Cs, Sc and Na on roadside ecosystem, concentrations were determined in different species of plants from an urban park at Lahore. For monitoring purpose attention was paid to the leaves ofSapindus mukorossis, Alstonia scholaris andDiospyros embryopteris. Different varieties of tissues were found to have different concentration of trace elements when compared among themselves. The concentration of trace element deposition was compared with the values reported in literature. Significant pollution was observed.     

Bis­(ethyl­enedi­amine)copper(II) bis(O,O′‐diethyl di­thio­phosphate)

In the structure of the title compound, [Cu^II­(en)₂][(EtO)₂P(S)S]₂ (en is ethyl­ene­di­amine) or [Cu(C₂H₈N₂)₂](C₄H₁₀O₂PS₂)₂, the Cu atom lies on a center of inversion and is coordinated in a slightly distorted square coordination geometry by four N atoms from two ethyl­enedi­amine mol­ecules. The diethyl di­thio­phosphate moieties, (EtO)₂P(S)S^?, act as counter‐anions.     

Probing the intrinsic electronic structure of the cubane [4Fe-4S] cluster: nature's favorite cluster for electron transfer and storage

The cubane [4Fe-4S] is the most common multinuclear metal center in nature for electron transfer and storage. Using electrospray, we produced a series of gaseous doubly charged cubane-type complexes, [Fe4S4L4]2- (L = -SC2H5, -SH, -Cl, -Br, -I) and the Se-analogues [Fe4Se4L4]2- (L = -SC2H5, -Cl), and probed their electronic structures with photoelectron spectroscopy and density functional calculations. The photoelectron spectral features are similar among all the seven species investigated, revealing a weak threshold feature due to the minority spins on the Fe centers and confirming the low-spin two-layer model for the [4Fe-4S](2+) core and its "inverted level scheme". The measured adiabatic detachment energies, which are sensitive to the terminal ligand substitution, provide the intrinsic oxidation potentials of the [Fe4S4L4]2- complexes. The calculations revealed a simple correlation between the electron donor property of the terminal thiolate as well as the bridging sulfide with the variation of the intrinsic redox potentials. Our data provide intrinsic electronic structure information of the [4Fe-4S] cluster and the molecular basis for understanding the protein and solvent effects on the redox properties of the [4Fe-4S] active sites.     

Modular and stereoselective formal synthesis of MeBmt, an unusual amino acid constituent of cyclosporin A

A convergent, flexible and stereoselective formal synthesis of MeBmt, the nonproteinogenic amino acid constituent of cyclosporin A is disclosed. The sulfinyl moiety has been exploited as the internal nucleophile to stereo- and regioselectively functionalize an allylic carbamate.