Monitoring molecules such as adenosine (Ado) and inosine (Ino) in the central nervous system has enabled the field of neuroscience to correlate molecular concentrations dynamics to neurological function, behavior, and disease. In vivo sampling techniques are commonly used to monitor these dynamics; however, many techniques are limited by the sensitivity and sample volume requirements of currently available detection methods. Here, we present a novel capillary electrophoresis-laser-induced fluorescence detection (CE-LIF) method that analyzes Ado and Ino by derivatization with 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid to form fluorescent trinitrophenylated complexes of Ado (TNP-Ado) and Ino (TNP-Ino).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAggregation colloids that possess an aromatic pseudophase in an aqueous system could provide new avenues of research including micellar catalysis, aqueous remediation, and emulsion polymerization studies. The apparent aggregation of two macrocyclic surfactants, hexakis (2,3-O-dibenzyl-6-O-sulfobutyl) cyclomaltohexaose (DBSBA) and heptakis (2,3-O-dibenzyl-6-O-sulfobutyl) cyclomaltoheptaose (DBSBB), was investigated using diffusion ordered nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy (DOSY), conductivity, and pyrene fluorescence techniques. These amphiphiles were found to possess near spherical symmetry at critical micelle concentrations of approximately 0.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAn effective route to N-Boc-protected aromatic sphingosine analogues is accomplished. The strategy is based on the diastereoselective amination of enantioenriched trans-γ,δ-unsaturated β-hydroxyesters to establish anti,N-Boc-α-hydrazino-β-hydroxyesters. Nonreductive E1cB elimination is essential for the successful N-N bond cleavage of hydrazine while preserving the trans double bond.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDetermination of the charged state distributions of partially- and fully-substituted sulfoalkylated cyclodextrins was achieved using hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC). HILIC analysis of a spiked sample of the partially sulfopropylated cyclodextrins was achieved using a gradient to baseline resolve the charged states from -1 to -14. The fully-substituted CDs yielded a major peak with some trace impurities and the partially-substituted sulfopropylated cyclodextrins showed a wide range of charge states present in the mixture.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe fluorescent properties of a trinitrophenylated Meisenheimer complex of adenosine (TNP-Ado) in water were examined in the presence of alpha-, beta-, and gamma-cyclodextrins (CDs). The TNP-Ado complex exhibits minimal fluorescence in water, whereas addition of 10 mM alpha-CD, beta-CD, and gamma-CD enhances fluorescence by factors of 2, 7, and 110, respectively. The large enhancement by gamma-CD is attributed to its larger hydrophobic cavity, which is able to accommodate the TNP moiety of TNP-Ado.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFReindeer (Rangifer tarandus) eat and utilize lichens as an important source of energy and nutrients in winter. Lichens synthesize and accumulate a wide variety of phenolic secondary compounds, such as usnic acid, as a defense against herbivores and to protect against damage by UV-light in solar radiation. We have examined where and to what extent these phenolic compounds are degraded in the digestive tract of the reindeer, with particular focus on usnic acid.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe increase in our understanding of D-amino acid function and distribution in mammals is in many ways a result of the initial development of sensitive enantioselective separation strategies that allow for quantification in real biological samples. This article reviews progress on the development of chiral selective separation and detection of D-amino acids including enzyme-based microbiosensors, GC/MS, HPLC/fluorescence, HPLC/MS-MS, cEKC/fluorescence, and MEKC/fluorescence. Only methods capable of analyzing D-isomers in biological matrices are given here and significant effort is made to highlight approaches that offer speed, resolution, high sensitivity, and versatility.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFD-serine and L-glutamate play crucial roles in excitotoxicity through N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor coactivation, but little is known about the temporal profile of efflux during cerebral ischemia. We utilized a newly designed brain slice microperfusion device coupled offline to capillary electrophoresis laser-induced fluorescence to monitor dynamic efflux of endogenous D-ser and L-glu in response to oxygen glucose deprivation (OGD) in single acute hippocampus slices. Efflux profiles with 2-min temporal resolution in response to 24-min OGD show that efflux of D-ser slightly precedes efflux of L-glu by one 2-min sampling interval.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe quantitative determination of usnic acid (UA), perlatolic acid (PA), and atranorin (AT) in Alaska lichens by micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC) is reported. The background electrolyte (BGE) included sodium docecyl sulfate (SDS), and beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD) in a high-pH borate buffer. The presence of beta-CD in the buffer significantly decreases peak width, especially for UA, as it decreases migration time for both UA and PA.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA capillary electrophoresis method with laser-induced fluorescence detection for the chiral separation of cyanobenz[f]isoindole (CBI) derivatives of amino acids was developed and optimized. The enantioseparations are accomplished with sulfated beta-CD (S-beta-CD) as chiral selector at low pH and reverse polarity. BGE conditions were optimized for CBI-serine and then applied to other CBI-amino acids.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA highly anionic cyclomaltooligosaccharide (cyclodextrin, CD) derivative containing sulfopropyl functional groups on the primary face of the CD was synthesized. Heptakis(2,3-di-O-methyl)cyclomaltoheptaose [heptakis(2,3-di-O-methyl)-beta-cyclodextrin] was reacted with 1,3-propane sultone and potassium hydride (KH) in anhydrous tetrahydrofuran in the presence of 18-crown-6 to yield highly substituted potassium heptakis(2,3-di-O-methyl-6-O-sulfopropyl)cyclomaltoheptaose [heptakis(KSPDM)-beta-CD] with an average degree of substitution (DSCE) of 6.9 as determined by inverse detection capillary electrophoresis (CE).
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