A new polyether ladder compound produced by the dinoflagellate Karenia brevis.

A new ladder-frame polyether compound containing five fused ether rings was isolated from laboratory cultures of the marine dinoflagellate Karenia brevis. This compound, named brevenal, and its dimethyl acetal derivative both competitively displace brevetoxin from its binding site in rat brain synaptosomes. Significantly, these compounds are also nontoxic to fish and antagonize the toxic effects of brevetoxins in fish.

Polyaniline-coated nanoelectrospray emitters: performance characteristics in the negative ion mode.

The increasing tendency to miniaturize analytical techniques has resulted in the widespread use of nanoelectrospray ionization mass spectrometry. A new polyaniline-coated nanoelectrospray emitter has shown increasing promise as a more durable and stable alternative to traditional metal-coated emitters. In this report, the utility of polyaniline-coated nanoelectrospray emitters in the negative ion mode is investigated.

Noncovalent dimerization of paclitaxel in solution: evidence from electrospray ionization mass spectrometry.

Paclitaxel, a unique antimitotic chemotherapy agent that inhibits cell division by binding to microtubules and prevents them from "depolymerizing," has received widespread interest because of its efficacy in fighting certain types of cancer, including breast and ovarian cancer. Paclitaxel undergoes aggregation at millimolar concentrations in both aqueous media and solvents of low polarity (mimicking hydrophobic environments). Its aggregation may have impact on its aqueous stability and its ability to stabilize microtubules.