Water Exchange on [Ln(DO3A)(H2O)2] and [Ln(DTTA-Me)(H2O)2](-) Studied by Variable Temperature, Pressure, and Magnetic Field NMR.

Water exchange kinetics of [Ln(L)(H2O)2](x) complexes (Ln = Pr, Nd, Dy, Tm, and Yb; L = DO3A and DTTA-Me) were studied by (17)O NMR spectroscopy as a function of temperature, pressure, and frequency and by (1)H nuclear magnetic relaxation dispersion. Water exchange rate constants of both complexes show a maximum at dysprosium. Water exchange on negatively charged complexes of the acyclic DTTA-Me ligand is much faster than on the neutral complexes of the macrocyclic DO3A. Small activation volumes |ΔV(⧧)| < 1 cm(3) mol(-1) measured for water exchange on [Ln(DO3A)(H2O)2] indicate an interchange type of mechanism (I) for the lanthanide complexes studied. In the case of [Ln(DTTA-Me)(H2O)2](-), a change in mechanism is detected from a dissociative mechanism (D, ΔV(⧧) = 7 cm(3) mol(-1)) for complexes with larger ions (Pr to Gd) to an interchange mechanism (Id, I; ΔV(⧧) = +1.8 and +0.4 cm(3) mol(-1)) for complexes with smaller ions (Dy and Tm).

Evaluation of Water Exchange Kinetics on [Ln(AAZTAPh-NO2)(H2O)q](x) Complexes Using Proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance.

Water exchange kinetics on [Ln(AAZTAPh-NO2)(H2O)q](-) (Ln = Gd(3+), Dy(3+), or Tm(3+)) were determined by (1)H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements. The number of inner-sphere water molecules was found to change from two to one when going from Dy(3+) to Tm(3+). The calculated water exchange rate constants obtained by variable-temperature proton transverse relaxation rates are 3.9 × 10(6), 0.46 × 10(6), and 0.014 × 10(6) s(-1) at 298 K for Gd(3+), Dy(3+), and Tm(3+), respectively. Variable-pressure measurements were used to assess the water exchange mechanism. The results indicate an associative and dissociative interchange mechanism for Gd(3+) and Dy(3+) complexes with ΔV(⧧) values of -1.4 and 1.9 cm(3) mol(-1), respectively. An associative activation mode (Ia or A mechanism) was obtained for the Tm(3+) complex (ΔV(⧧) = -5.6 cm(3) mol(-1)). Moreover, [Dy(AAZTAPh-NO2)(H2O)2](-) with a very high transverse relaxivity value was found as a potential candidate for negative contrast agents for high-field imaging applications.

Gd(DOTAlaP): exploring the boundaries of fast water exchange in gadolinium-based magnetic resonance imaging contrast agents.

Here, we describe the synthesis of the single amino acid chelator DOTAlaP and four of its derivatives. The corresponding gadolinium(III) complexes were investigated for their kinetic inertness, relaxometric properties at a range of fields and temperatures, water exchange rate, and interaction with human serum albumin (HSA). Derivatives with one inner-sphere water (q = 1) were determined to have a mean water residency time between 8 and 6 ns in phoshate-buffered saline at 37 °C. The corresponding europium complexes were also formed and used to obtain information on the hydration number of the corresponding coordination complexes. Two complexes capable of binding HSA were also synthesized, of which one, Gd(5b), contains no inner-sphere water, while the other derivative, Gd(4b), is a mixture of ca. 15% q =1 and 85% q = 0. In the presence of HSA, the latter displayed a very short mean water residency time (τM(310) = 2.4 ns) and enhanced relaxivity at intermediate and high fields. The kinetic inertness of Gd(4b) with respect to complex dissociation was decreased compared to its DOTAla analogue but still 100-fold more inert than [Gd(BOPTA)(H2O)](2-). Magnetic resonance imaging in mice showed that Gd(4b) was able to provide 38% better vessel to muscle contrast compared to the clinically used HSA binding agent MS-325.

Proposed Pathway Linking Respiratory Infections with Depression.

Depression is one of the most important causes of disability and loss of useful life of people around the world. Acute respiratory infection caused a large number of severe illnesses and deaths of the world and most of these due to viral infections, which is estimated more than 80% of respiratory infections. Detection of viruses by immune pathogen recognition receptors activates the intracellular signaling cascade and eventually cause produces interferons. Inflammatory process begins with secretion of interferons and the expression of interferon-stimulated genes. One of the most important of these genes is indoleamine-pyrrole 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO), which plays a major role in tryptophan catabolism. IDO is an intracellular monomeric enzyme that is also responsible for breaking down and consuming tryptophan in the Kynurenine pathway. Increased inflammation has been linked to decrease tryptophan concentrations and increase kynurenine levels. We tried to explain the role of inflammation by viral respiratory infections in causing depression.

Sorptive thin film microextraction followed by direct solid state spectrofluorimetry: A simple, rapid and sensitive method for determination of carvedilol in human plasma.

A poly acrylate-ethylene glycol (PA-EG) thin film is introduced for the first time as a novel polar sorbent for sorptive extraction method coupled directly to solid-state spectrofluorimetry without the necessity of a desorption step. The structure, polarity, fluorescence property and extraction performance of the developed thin film were investigated systematically. Carvedilol was used as the model analyte to evaluate the proposed method. The entire procedure involved one-step extraction of carvedilol from plasma using PA-EG thin film sorptive phase without protein precipitation. Extraction variables were studied in order to establish the best experimental conditions. Optimum extraction conditions were the followings: stirring speed of 1000 rpm, pH of 6.8, extraction temperature of 60 °C, and extraction time of 60 min. Under optimal conditions, extraction of carvedilol was carried out in spiked human plasma; and the linear range of calibration curve was 15-300 ng mL(-1) with regression coefficient of 0.998. Limit of detection (LOD) for the method was 4.5 ng mL(-1). The intra- and inter-day accuracy and precision of the proposed method were evaluated in plasma sample spiked with three concentration levels of carvedilol; yielding a recovery of 91-112% and relative standard deviation of less than 8%, respectively. The established procedure was successfully applied for quantification of carvedilol in plasma sample of a volunteer patient. The developed PA-EG thin film sorptive phase followed by solid-state spectrofluorimetric method provides a simple, rapid and sensitive approach for the analysis of carvedilol in human plasma.

Determination of Carvedilol Enantiomers in Pharmaceutical Dosages by SBSE-HPLC Based on Diastereomer Formation.

A sensitive, selective and simple method for the simultaneous determination of carvedilol enantiomers in aqueous solution has been developed using stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) followed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with ultraviolet (UV) detection. This method is based on the reaction of carvedilol enantiomers with (-)-menthyl chloroformate (MCF) after extraction by the SBSE method to produce diastereomeric derivatives. The separation was achieved by use of a C18 analytical column and the influence of mobile phase composition on the enantioseparation of carvedilol was studied. The applicability of two sorptive phases, poly(methyl methacrylate/ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate) (PA-EG) and polydimethylsiloxane, were tested for extraction of carvedilol enantiomers from aqueous samples. The obtained results showed excellent linear dynamic ranges and precisions for each of them. The least limit of detection for (S)- and (R)-carvedilol obtained 8 and 11 µg L(-1), respectively, using the PA-EG sorptive phase. Inter- and intra-mean recoveries were also satisfactory, ranging from 98 to 103%, with coefficient of variation in the range of 1-5% at three fortified levels using a PA-EG coated stir bar. The proposed SBSE (PA-EG)-MCF derivatization-HPLC-UV method was successfully applied to enantioselective analysis of carvedilol in water and pharmaceutical dosages, confirming the application of this method.

Ion release and surface oxide composition of AISI 316L, Co-28Cr-6Mo, and Ti-6Al-4V alloys immersed in human serum albumin solutions.

The long-term weight loss, ion release, and surface composition of 316L, Co-28Cr-6Mo and Ti-6Al-4V alloys were investigated in a simulated body environment. The samples were immersed in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) solutions with various human serum albumin (HSA) concentrations for 8, 14, and 22 weeks. The specimens initially lost weight up to 14 weeks and then slightly gained weight. The analysis of the released ions was performed by induced coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES). The results revealed that the precipitation of the dissolved Fe and Co could cause the weight gain of the 316L and Co-28Cr-6Mo alloys. The surface chemistry of the specimens was determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The XPS analysis of Co-28Cr-6Mo alloy showed that the interaction of Mo with HSA is different from Mo with bovine serum albumin (BSA). This was also observed for Na adsorption into the oxide layer of Ti-6Al-4V alloy in the presence of HSA and BSA.

Hyaluronic acid (HA) presentation as a tool to modulate and control the receptor-mediated uptake of HA-coated nanoparticles.

The natural turnover of free hyaluronic acid (HA) is predominantly based on its CD44-mediated internalisation in leukocytes. In a phagocytic cell model (RAW 264.7 murine macrophages) we here provide conclusive evidence that this receptor-mediated mechanism endocytosis is responsible also of the uptake of materials where HA is used as a coating agent, in this case chitosan/triphosphate nanoparticles on whose surface HA is electrostatically adsorbed. Alginate-coated nanoparticles were used as a control and they appeared to undergo a qualitatively similar endocytic process, which was mediated by a different scavenging receptor yet to be identified. In this general picture, an important, modulating role appears to be played by how receptors can cluster around individual nanoparticles. The CD44 slow representation (24-48 h) enforces a limit in the amount of available HA internalisation receptors; therefore a higher affinity, and hence a higher degree of clustering, would yield a lower number of internalised nanoparticles. HA presentation can be varied by acting on nanoparticle structure/morphology, and our data suggest that a better presentation may be linked to both higher affinity and lower capacity/uptake rate. Paradoxically, this result would suggest that particles with a lower affinity for CD44 may allow a more efficient HA-mediated delivery of payloads.