C-terminal processing of yeast Spt7 occurs in the absence of functional SAGA complex

Background  

Spt7 is an integral component of the multi-subunit SAGA complex that is required for the expression of ~10% of yeast genes. Two forms of Spt7 have been identified, the second of which is truncated at its C-terminus and found in the SAGA-like (SLIK) complex.     

Validation of a liquid chromatographic method for determination of tacrolimus in pharmaceutical dosage forms

An accurate, simple, and reproducible liquid chromatographic method was developed and validated for the determination of tacrolimus in capsules. The analysis is performed at room temperature on a reversed-phase C18 column with UV detection at 210 nm. The mobile phase is methanol-water (90 + 10) at a constant flow rate of 0.8 mL/min. The method was validated in terms of linearity, precision, accuracy, and specificity by forced decomposition of tacrolimus, using acid, base, water, hydrogen peroxide, heat, and light. The response was linear in the range of 0.09-0.24 mg/mL (r2 = 0.9997). The relative standard deviation values for intra- and interday precision studies were 1.28 and 2.91%, respectively. Recoveries ranged from 98.06 to 102.52%.     

Simultaneous determination of chlorpheniramine maleate and dexamethasone in a tablet dosage form by liquid chromatography

An accurate, simple, reproducible, and sensible liquid chromatographic method was developed and validated for the determination of chlorpheniramine maleate and dexamethasone in a tablet formulation. The analysis was performed at room temperature on a reversed-phase C18 column with UV detection at 254 nm. The mobile phase consisted of 7.5 mM monobasic potassium phosphate in methanol-water (62.5 + 37.5) at a constant flow rate of 1 mL/min. The method was validated in terms of linearity, precision, accuracy, and specificity by forced decomposition of chlorpheniramine maleate and dexamethasone initiated by using acid, base, water, hydrogen peroxide, heat, and light. The response was linear in the ranges of 0.04-0.12 and 0.006-0.016 mg/mL for chlorpheniramine maleate (r2 = 0.9999) and dexamethasone (r2 = 0.9994), respectively. The relative standard deviation values for intra- and interday precision studies were 2.39 and 2.02, respectively, for chlorpheniramine maleate and 2.39 and 1.25, respectively, for dexamethasone. Recoveries ranged from 95.07 to 101.95% for chlorpheniramine maleate and from 97.75 to 102.10% for dexamethasone.     

Electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometric method for the determination of vanadium in diesel and asphaltene prepared as detergentless microemulsions

A method based on electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry for the determination of vanadium in diesel and asphalthene fractions is proposed. In order to avoid analyte losses observed at the microgram per liter range for metal traces in organic solutions, diesel samples were stabilized as detergentless microemulsions by mixing with propan-1-ol and nitric acid solution. The solid asphaltene oil fraction was separated and dissolved in dichloromethane before mixing these solution with propan-1-ol and nitric acid solution. Wall atomization as well as no modifier was used. For diesel, aqueous analytical solutions could be used for calibration. For asphaltene, calibration was performed with analytical solutions prepared at the dichloromethane+propan-1-ol+nitric acid medium, spiked with inorganic standard solution. Linear ranges up to 200 μg l⁻¹ were observed, as well as limit of detection of 5 μg l⁻¹ and 4 μg g⁻¹ for diesel and asphaltene, respectively. Good recoveries were obtained for V-cyclohexanebutyrates spiked diesel samples, as well as coherent results for the asphaltene fraction of the NIST 1634c (trace elements in fuel oil) certified reference material.     

Antiviral Properties of the NSAID Drug Naproxen Targeting the Nucleoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 Coronavirus

There is an urgent need for specific antiviral treatments directed against SARS-CoV-2 to prevent the most severe forms of COVID-19. By drug repurposing, affordable therapeutics could be supplied worldwide in the present pandemic context. Targeting the nucleoprotein N of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus could be a strategy to impede viral replication and possibly other essential functions associated with viral N. The antiviral properties of naproxen, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that was previously demonstrated to be active against Influenza A virus, were evaluated against SARS-CoV-2. Intrinsic fluorescence spectroscopy, fluorescence anisotropy, and dynamic light scattering assays demonstrated naproxen binding to the nucleoprotein of SARS-Cov-2 as predicted by molecular modeling. Naproxen impeded recombinant N oligomerization and inhibited viral replication in infected cells. In VeroE6 cells and reconstituted human primary respiratory epithelium models of SARS-CoV-2 infection, naproxen specifically inhibited viral replication and protected the bronchial epithelia against SARS-CoV-2-induced damage. No inhibition of viral replication was observed with paracetamol or the COX-2 inhibitor celecoxib. Thus, among the NSAID tested, only naproxen combined antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties. Naproxen addition to the standard of care could be beneficial in a clinical setting, as tested in an ongoing clinical study.     

1,3-Dipolar cycloaddition reactions. Regioselective synthesis of heterocycles and theoretical studies

We report a 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction between a oxazolium 5-oxide derivative with chloroacrylonitrile or ethyl propiolate as dipolarophiles, in order to obtain substituted pyrrolizidines. Experimentally we found that the reaction is regiospecific with chloroacrylonitrile and regioselective with ethyl propiolate. The secondary attractive orbital interactions from the Frontier Molecular Orbital Theory, the differences in stability of the possible biradical intermediaries postulated for the reaction and some hindrance effects, explain the regioselectivity observed experimentally.