A realistic coronary artery phantom for particle image velocimetry

Myocardial infarction results from the rupture of an atherosclerotic plaque, which occurs in response to both mechanical stress and inflammatory processes. In order experimentally observe flow into atherosclerotic coronary artery morphologies, a novel technique for molding realistic compliant phantom featuring injection-molded inclusions and multiple layers has been developed. This transparent phantom allows for particle image velocimetry (PIV) flow analysis and can supply experimental data to validate computational fluid dynamics algorithms and hypothesis.     

Structural Characterization of Some Acylisoxazolone Extractants

From IR, UV, ³¹P, ¹H, and ¹³C NMR spectroscopic data, it is shown that the three 3-phenyl-4-acyl-isoxazol-5-ones, HPXI (HPBI, HPTI, and HPtbBI with acyl-, benzoyl-, toluoyl-, and para-(tert-butyl)benzoyl-, respectively), promising extractants of actinides, appear under the same major tautomeric forms, both in the solid and in solutions in various solvents: the diketo-enamine form in methanol, a -ketoenolic form in the solid, and in chloroform, benzene, and toluene. The radiocrystallographic structures of HPTI and HPtbBI have been determined. They appear as 3-phenyl-4-(-hydroxybenzylidene)isoxazol-5-ones, forming intramolecular chelates through H-bonds. -Aryl interactions might influence the relative positions of the -ketoenolic oxygen atoms and, hence, the bite angle and the cone angle of these ligands. Spectroscopic data give evidence of strong TOPO–HPXI interactions (TOPO: tri-n-octylphosphine oxide) in toluene, of the same order of magnitude for the three acylisoxazolones, in the order: HPBI > HPTI > HPtbBI.     

Extraction of cobalt(II) and nickel(II) with mixtures of 1-phenyl-3-methyl-4-benzoyl-pyrazol-5-one (HPMBP) and tri-n-octylamine (TOA)

The extraction of Co(II) with mixtures of 1-phenyl-3-methyl-4-benzoyl-pyrazol-5-one ((H)PMBP) and tri-n-octylamine (TOA) is investigated in order to explore the influence of diluents and inorganic anions with synergistic acidic extractant + liquid anion exchanger systems. Although it is proved that the same species [HTOA]⁺ [Co(PMBP)₃]^? is extracted from various inorganic media, with toluene as the diluent, the presence of ClO₄^? SO₄^2? or Cl^? anion modifies the distribution of the anions which are associated to (HTOA)⁺ in the organic phase, leading to different synergistic equilibria; with Cl^? or SO₄^2?: $\text{CO(PMBP)}{}_2$ + $\text{(HTOA}{}^{\mathrm{+}}$,PMBP^?) ?$\text{(HTOA}{}^{\mathrm{+}}$,Co(PMBP)₃^? (log K = 6.10) and with ClO₄^? : $\text{Co(PMBP)}{}_2$ + $\text{HPMBP}$ + $\text{(HTOA}{}^{\mathrm{+}}$,ClO₄^? ? $\text{(HTOA}{}^{\mathrm{+}}$,Co(PMBP)₃^? + H⁺ + ClO₄^? (log K = 2.34) The same synergistic equilibrium is observed for the extraction of Ni(II) from ClO₄^? medium, with a comparable value of the constant (log K = 2.45). The synergistic effect is cancelled in n-octanol.     

A simple, high-resolution method for establishing DNA binding affinity and sequence selectivity.

Full details of the development of a simple, nondestructive, and high-throughput method for establishing DNA binding affinity and sequence selectivity are described. The method is based on the loss of fluorescence derived from the displacement of ethidium bromide or thiazole orange from the DNA of interest or, in selected instances, the change in intrinsic fluorescence of a DNA binding agent itself and is applicable for assessing relative or absolute DNA binding affinities. Enlisting a library of hairpin deoxyoligonucleotides containing all five base pair (512 hairpins) or four base pair (136 hairpins) sequences displayed in a 96-well format, a compound's rank order binding to all possible sequences is generated, resulting in a high-resolution definition of its sequence selectivity using this fluorescent intercalator displacement (FID) assay. As such, the technique complements the use of footprinting or affinity cleavage for the establishment of DNA binding selectivity and provides the information at a higher resolution. The merged bar graphs generated by this rank order binding provide a qualitative way to compare, or profile, DNA binding affinity and selectivity. The 96-well format assay (512 hairpins) can be conducted at a minimal cost (presently ca. $100 for hairpin deoxyoligonucleotides/assay with ethiduim bromide or less with thiazole orange), with a rapid readout using a fluorescent plate reader (15 min), and is adaptable to automation (Tecan Genesis Workstation 100 robotic system). Its use in generating a profile of DNA binding selectivity for several agents including distamycin A, netropsin, DAPI, Hoechst 33258, and berenil is described. Techniques for establishing binding constants from quantitative titrations are compared, and recommendations are made for use of a Scatchard or curve fitting analysis of the titration binding curves as a reliable means to quantitate the binding affinity.     

Synergistic extraction of alkaline earth cations with 3-phenyl-4-benzoyl-isoxazol-5-one and tri-n-octylphosphine oxide in toluene

The synergistic extraction of alkaline earth cations from 1M NaNO₃ aqueous solutions with 3-phenyl-4-benzoylisoxazol-5-one (HPBI) and tri-n-octylphosphine oxide (TOPO) in toluene at 25°C has been studied. The extraction efficiency follows the order Ba²⁺<Sr²⁺<Ca²⁺<Mg²⁺, which is the same as that previously observed with 1-phenyl-3-methyl-4-benzoyl-pyrazol-5-one (HPMBP). The extraction occurs at a lower pH range than with HPMBP because of the higher acidity of HPBI. The extracted species are M(PBI)₂(TOPO) _x withx=2 for M=Mg, Ca, Sr and Ba (logK _1,2,2=3.91, 1.18 and 0.29 respectively) and withx=3 for M=Sr and Ba (logK _1,2,3=3.28 and 2.07 respectively). The strong interactions which occur between HPBI and TOPO (logK _int=1.84) have been considered in the extraction constant calculations..     

Oxyanion-accelerated C2-C6 cyclization of benzannulated enyne-allenes

The cyclization of oxyanion-substituted, benzannulated enyne-allenes was found to proceed rapidly and efficiently at room temperature, producing substituted indanones and fluorenones through a C2-C6 cyclization pathway. These reactions bear close resemblance to thermal C2-C6 cyclizations of enyne-allenes previously reported by Schmittel and others, though the oxyanion-substituted cases cyclize far more rapidly, and stand in noteworthy contrast to the C2-C7 (Myers) cyclization of (Z)-1,2,4-heptatrien-6-yne, the parent enyne-allene. The rate of reaction was found to be sensitive to the size of the alkyne and allene substituents, though the electronic effects of substitution are not known. The acceleration imparted by the oxyanion substituent is consistent with the electronic stabilization of a proposed diradicaloid transition state for the C2-C6 cyclization, but the available evidence does not permit the distinction between concerted and stepwise mechanisms. Studies are ongoing to further elucidate the mechanism and expand the scope of these transformations.     

Synergistic extraction of cobalt(II) from cesium containing aqueous solutions with mixtures of 4-acyl-pyrazol-5-ols and crown ethers

The synergistic extraction of cobalt(II) from aqueous solutions loaded with cesium chloride or nitrate, with mixtures of 1-phenyl-3-methyl-4-acyl-pyrazol-5-ols (HL) [acyl = benzoyl (HPMBP), para-tert.-butyl-benzoyl (HPMB'P), stearoyl (HPMSP)] and crown ethers E = B15C5, 18C6, DC18C6, DB18C6 and DB24C8 (DC = dicyclohexano, B = benzo, DB = dibenzo), in CHCl(3), CH(2)Cl(2) and ClCH(2)CH(2)Cl, has been studied. The experimental data agree with the extracted species E(2)CsCoL(3) (E = B15C5), ECsCoL(3), (E = DB18C6) and CoL(2)E (E = DB24C8). The extraction yields follow the orders: 18C6 DC18C6 > DB18C6 > B15C5 > DB24C8, HPMBP > HPMB'P > HPMSP, and ClCH(2)CH(2)Cl > CH(2)Cl(2) > CHCl(3). In spite of the better complexation of potassium than cesium with "18C6" type crown ethers, the extraction of ECsCo (PMBP)(3) is generally higher than the EKCo(PMBP)(3) one. Except in the case of DB24C8, loading the aqueous phase with Cs(+), K(+), Sr(2+) or Ba(2+) improves the synergistic extraction of cobalt.     

Synthesis and evaluation of 1,2,8, 8a-Tetrahydrocyclopropa[c]pyrrolo[3,2-e]indol-4(5H)-one, the parent alkylation subunit of CC-1065 and the duocarmycins: impact of the alkylation subunit substituents and its implications for DNA alkylation catalysis

The synthesis of 1,2,8,8a-tetrahydrocyclopropa[c]pyrrolo[3, 2-e]indol-4(5H)-one (CPI), the parent CC-1065 and duocarmycin SA alkylation subunit, is detailed. The parent CPI alkylation subunit lacks the C7 methyl substituent of the CC-1065 alkylation subunit and the C6 methoxycarbonyl group of duocarmycin SA, and their examination permitted the establishment of the impact of these natural product substituents. The studies revealed a CPI stability comparable to the CC-1065 alkylation subunit but which was 6x more reactive than the (+)-duocarmycin SA alkylation subunit, and it displayed the inherent reaction regioselectivity (4:1) of the natural products. The single-crystal X-ray structure of (+)-N-BOC-CPI depicts a near identical stereoelectronic alignment of the cyclopropane accounting for the identical reaction regioselectivity and a slightly diminished vinylogous amide conjugation relative to (+)-N-BOC-DSA suggesting that the stability distinctions stem in part from this difference in the vinylogous amide as well as alterations in the electronic nature of the fused pyrrole. Establishment of the DNA binding properties revealed that the CPI-based agents retain the identical DNA alkylation selectivities of the natural products. More importantly, the C6 methoxycarbonyl group of duocarmycin SA was found to increase the rate (12-13x) and efficiency (10x) of DNA alkylation despite its intrinsic lower reactivity while the CC-1065 C7 methyl group was found to slow the DNA alkylation rate (4x) and lower the alkylation efficiency (ca. 4x). The greater DNA alkylation rate and efficiency for duocarmycin SA and related analogues containing the C6 methoxycarbonyl is proposed to be derived from the extended length that the rigid C6 methoxycarbonyl provides and the resulting increase in the DNA binding-induced conformational change which serves to deconjugate the vinylogous amide and activate the alkylation subunit for nucleophilic attack. The diminished properties resulting from the CC-1065 C7 methyl group may be attributed to the steric impediment this substituent introduces to DNA minor groove binding and alkylation. Consistent with this behavior, the duocarmycin SA C6 methoxycarbonyl group increases biological potency while the CC-1065 C7 methyl group diminishes it.