BRCA1 mutation screening using restriction endonuclease fingerprinting-single-strand conformation polymorphism in an automated capillary electrophoresis system

Efficient mutation scanning techniques are needed for the rapid detection of novel disease-associated mutations and rare-sequence variants of putative importance. The large size of the breast cancer 1 gene (BRCA1) and the many mutations found throughout its entire coding sequence make screening for mutations in this gene particularly challenging. We have developed a method for screening exon 11 of the BRCA1 gene based on restriction enzyme digestion of fluorescence-labeled polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products followed by single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) using an automated capillary electrophoresis system, denoted capillary restriction endonuclease fingerprinting (REF)-SSCP electrophoresis. Using this strategy on a control set of samples, we were able to detect 17 of 18 known sequence alterations. The method was then applied to screen 73 Norwegian females with family histories of breast and/or ovarian cancer. A total of 172 sequence alterations were detected, including substitutions, insertions, and deletions. One novel substitution of unknown function was identified. Sequencing of all samples negative in the capillary REF-SSCP system gave no additional mutations confirming the high sensitivity of the described methodology. Capillary REF-SSCP electrophoresis appeared as a technically convenient technique, requiring amplification of fewer PCR fragments than traditional SSCP. The novel strategy allows high-throughput mutation scanning without radioactive labeling and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE).     

Cyclodextrin Solubilization of the Antibacterial Agents Triclosan and Triclocarban: Effect of Ionization and Polymers

The natural β-cyclodextrin (βCD) and its complexes have limited solubility in aqueous solutions. This low aqueous solubility, as well as low aqueous solubility of the guest molecule (i.e. triclosan or triclocarban (TCC)), can result in low complexation efficiency (CE). The purpose of this study was to enhance the apparent intrinsic solubility (S ₀) of the guest molecule and its βCD complexes through ionization and addition of auxiliary compounds such as polymers, amino acids and metal ions. Both triclosan (pK _a 7.9) and TCC (pK _a 12.7) are weak acids. Addition of ethanol to the complexation medium enhanced S ₀ of both triclosan and TCC but at the same time ethanol lowered the stability constant (K _c ) of their βCD complexes resulting in overall lowering of CE. Addition of small amount of water-soluble polymers enhanced the βCD solubilization of both guests, and addition lysine enhanced the solubilization of TCC. Ionization of triclosan resulted in significant enhancement of CE and enhanced triclosan release from tablets containing triclosan/βCD complex. The effect of ionization was not as pronounced in the case of TCC.This revised version was published online in July 2005 with a corrected issue number.     

Pair populations and effective valencies from ab initio SCF and spin-coupled wave functions

A recently proposed pair population scheme is investigated for ab initio SCF and spin-coupled wave functions. All the required expressions are rederived, in very compact form, and efficient computational schemes are presented for their evaluation. As representative examples of different types of bonding, pair populations and related quantities are examined for H₂, LiH, BeH, CH₄, H₂O, and B₂H₆. Various “effective valencies” are also considered. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Sparing the ortho‐position in nucleophilic aromatic substitution‐specific displacement of the 4‐SePh group in 2,4‐bis(phenylseleno)nitrobenzene

Upon treatment of o‐ and p‐(phenylseleno)nitrobenzenes with sodium methoxide quantitative exchange reactions took place, affording the corresponding methoxynitrobenzenes. Upon reaction between 2,4‐bis(phenylseleno)nitrobenzene 2 and sodium methoxide, an unusual regiopure formation of 4‐methoxy‐2‐(phenylseleno)nitrobenzene 3 was observed. This product remained unreactive toward an excess of sodium methoxide, thus preventing the formation of 2,4‐dimethoxynitrobenzene 6 . The nature of the reactants and of the intermediate Meisenheimer complexes was examined by synthetic investigations, x‐ray crystallography, and DFT calculations. We found that the observed selectivity can be understood in terms of traditional resonance considerations. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 20:101–108, 2009; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/hc.20519     

Cycloserine fatty acid derivatives as prodrugs: synthesis, degradation and in vitro skin permeability

Various 4,5-dihydroisoxazol-3-yl fatty acid ester derivatives of cycloserine were synthesized to improve skin permeation of cycloserine. The ester derivatives were prepared by using the tert-butoxycarbonyl (t-Boc) protection strategy. The 4,5-dihydroisoxazol-3-yl esters were readily hydrolysed in an aqueous buffer solution, and the degradation profiles showed both specific acid and specific base catalysis. In 50% human serum the formation of cycloserine was observed, but enzymatic catalysis was limited. Delivery through hairless mouse skin was investigated, and the apparent permeability coefficient was measured based on the flux of cycloserine into the receptor phase. The skin permeation of cycloserine across the hairless mouse skin was increased up to 20-fold by the fatty acid esters. The 4,5-dihydroisoxazol-3-yl fatty acid esters of cycloserine can therefore be considered as new topical prodrugs with the potential use in treatment of various skin infections.     

Expansion of the spin-coupled wavefunction in Slater determinants

Summary The expansion of the spin-coupled wavefunction in Slater determinants constructed from nonorthogonal spin-orbitals is discussed. It proves possible to generate from cofactors of the appropriate overlap matrix all the density matrices, up to fourth order, required for the variational optimization of the wavefunction. The computational effort inherent in this super-cofactor strategy scales in a very acceptable manner with the number of electrons.     

Nonorthogonal weights of modern VB wavefunctions. Implementation and applications within CASVB

The CASVB approach is a recent development in modern valence bond theory which aims to provide easily visualized, highly accurate representations of very general types of CASSCF wavefunctions. Fully variational optimization may also be performed for quite general types of modern valence bond wavefunction. Numerous definitions of nonorthogonal weights are used to investigate the role of contributions from various types of ‘ionic’ configurations, taking hexatriene and N₂S₂ as illustrative examples. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.