Iron overload: accuracy of in-phase and out-of-phase MRI as a quick method to evaluate liver iron load in haematological malignancies and chronic liver disease.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this prospective study was to evaluate the accuracy of in-phase and out-of-phase imaging to assess hepatic iron concentration in patients with haematological malignancies and chronic liver disease. METHODS: MRI-based hepatic iron concentration (M-HIC, µmol g(-1)) was used as a reference standard. 42 patients suspected of having iron overload and 12 control subjects underwent 1.5 T in- and out-of-phase and M-HIC liver imaging. Two methods, semi-quantitative visual grading made by two independent readers and quantitative relative signal intensity (rSI) grading from the signal intensity differences of in-phase and out-of-phase images, were used. Statistical analyses were performed using the Spearman and Kruskal-Wallis tests, receiver operator curves and κ coefficients. RESULTS: The correlations between M-HIC and visual gradings of Reader 1 (r = 0.9534, p < 0.0001) and Reader 2 (r = 0.9456, p < 0.0001) were higher than the correlations of the rSI method (r = 0.7719, p < 0.0001). There was excellent agreement between the readers (weighted κ = 0.9619). Both visual grading and rSI were similar in detecting liver iron overload: rSI had 84.85% sensitivity and 100% specificity; visual grading had 85% sensitivity and 100% specificity. The differences between the grades of visual grading were significant (p < 0.0001) and the method was able to distinguish different degrees of iron overload at the threshold of 151 µmol g(-1) with 100% positive predictive value and negative predictive value. CONCLUSION: Detection and grading of liver iron can be performed reliably with in-phase and out-of-phase imaging. Liver fat is a potential pitfall, which limits the use of rSI.

Mass spectrometric studies on small open-chain piperazine-containing ligands and their transition metal complexes.

Electrospray ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry was used to characterize the complexes formed between open-chain piperazine-containing ligands and transition metal salts (Cobalt, Copper, Zinc, and Cadmium as chlorides, nitrates, and acetates). Only single-charged complexes were observed, formed of one ligand (L) and mainly one metal ion (M). Since the net charge of the complexes was one, a counterion (X) was attached to some of the complexes, with formation of [L + M + X]+ complexes, and a proton was lost from others, as in [L - H + M]+ complexes. In most cases the composition of the complexes was more dependent on the ligand than the metal salt. Collision-induced dissociation measurements showed that complexes with related composition often differed in structure, or that interactions between the ligand and the metal ion were not alike. The metal ion influenced considerably the fragmentation pathways of the ligands, so that the fragmentation products could be used to deduce the binding sites of the metal. The variations observed in fragmentation behavior of complexes possessing the same ligand but different metal ions can mostly be explained by the ionic radius and electronic configuration of the metal ion. The results indicated a preference of the piperazine ring of the coordinated ligand for the boat conformation.

Mass spectrometric studies on pyridine-piperazine-containing ligands and their complexes with transition metals formed in solution.

Electrospray ionization (ESI) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) methods were used to study open-chain piperazine-containing ligands (L) and their complexes formed with transition-metal salts. ESI and MALDI measurements were performed with a Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR) and a time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometer, respectively. Only singly charged complexes, between one ligand and one or several metal ions, were formed in the ESI measurements. Because the net charge was always one, one or several counterions were attached to the complex. Under ESI conditions, the complexes formed between the ligands and metal (Co, Ni, Cu, and Cd) salts were [L + M + X](+), [L + H + M + X(2)](+) and [L + M(2) + X(3)](+) (M = metal ion, X = counterion). In collision induced dissociation reactions the [L + H + M + X(2)](+) complexes easily eliminated one proton and one counterion. Fragmentation pathways were more dependent on the metal ion than the ligand, and elimination of the second counterion occurred with one proton from copper and nickel complexes and with one proton and one hydrogen from cobalt complexes. Differences in the fragmentation of the complexes could be due to electronic configuration of the metal ion. In the MALDI measurements the ratio between the [L + H](+) and [L - H](+) ions varied with the matrix. Fragmentation of the ligands through elimination of 2-methylpyridine end groups occurred with the aromatic matrices containing carboxylic acid and hydroxyl substituents. Ionization of the complexes was not successful with MALDI as the matrix molecules were also attached to the complexes.

Synthesis and antimicrobial activity of the symmetric dimeric form of Temporin A based on 3-N,N-di(3-aminopropyl)amino propanoic acid as the branching unit.

Dimeric derivative of antimicrobial peptide amide Temporin A (TA) was synthesized by using a new branching unit 3-N,N-di(3-aminopropyl)amino propanoic acid (DAPPA), which allows building of the parallelly symmetric alpha-helical structures. Antimicrobial effect of the original peptide amide, its monomeric carboxy (TAc) and novel dimeric (TAd) analogues were tested against Staphylococcus aureus (Gram-positive) and Escherichia coli (Gram-negative). Both TA and TAd completely inhibited the growth of S. aureus at the concentrations of 5 and 10 microM, respectively, whereas TAc did not show any inhibitory activity. The activities of TAc, TA and TAd correlate directly with the net charges of the molecules, +1, +2 and +4, respectively. Interestingly, TAd displayed antibacterial effect against E. coli at a concentration of 10 microM, where as monomeric TA did not show any activity at concentration as high as 20 microM. The results indicate that the novel structural modification improves the antibacterial properties of Temporin A especially towards Gram-negative bacteria.