Publications by authors named "Yolanda Diaz"

This study focuses on the stereoselective syntheses of 1-deoxysphingosine analogues as potential inhibitors of sphingosine kinase (SphK), particularly targeting its isoforms SphK1 and SphK2, which are implicated in cancer progression and therapy resistance. The research builds on previous work by designing a series of analogues featuring systematic structural modifications like the incorporation of a triazole ring, varying degrees of fluorination, and different head groups (, guanidino, -methylamino, and ,-dimethylamino). These modifications aimed to enhance polar and hydrophobic interactions especially with SphK2.

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Dihydroceramide desaturase 1 (Des1) catalyzes the formation of a CC double bond in dihydroceramide to furnish ceramide. Inhibition of Des1 is related to cell cycle arrest and programmed cell death. The lack of the Des1 crystalline structure, as well as that of a close homologue, hampers the detailed understanding of its inhibition mechanism and difficults the design of new inhibitors, thus making Des1 a strategic target.

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Background: Diaphragm fiber atrophy has been evidenced after short periods of mechanical ventilation (MV) and related to critical illness-associated diaphragm weakness. Atrophy is described as a decrease in diaphragm fiber cross-sectional area (CSA) in human diaphragm biopsy, but human samples are still difficult to obtain in clinics. In recent years, ultrasound has become a useful tool in intensive care to evaluate diaphragm anatomy.

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Sphingosine kinase (SphK), which catalyzes the transfer of phosphate from ATP to sphingosine (Sph) generating sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) has emerged as therapeutic target since the discovery of connections of S1P with cancer progress. So far, most effort has focused on the development of inhibitors of SphK1, and selective inhibitors of SphK2 have been much less explored. Here, we describe the syntheses of new sphingosine derivatives bearing a tetrasubstituted carbon atom at C-2, dimethylhydrazino or azo moieties in the polar head, and alkane, alkene or alkyne moieties as linkers between the polar ahead and the fatty tail.

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Purpose: To use classification tree analysis to identify risk factors for nonsurvival in a neurological patients with subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) and to propose a clinical model for predicting of mortality.

Methods: Prospective study of SAH admitted to a Critical Care Department and Stroke Unit over a 2-year period. Middle region of pro-ADM plasma levels (MR-proADM) was measured in EDTA plasma within the first 24 hours of hospital admission using the automatic immunofluorescence test.

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A general protocol for the enantioselective synthesis of 3-heterosubstituted-2-amino-1-ols was developed based on metal- free intramolecular regio- and stereoselective diene aziridination and regioselective opening. Kinetic resolution of the resulting (1'-NR R and 1'-SR)-4-oxazolidinones was performed using ABCs organocatalysts, expanding the application of this methodology.

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Sphingosine analogues with a rigid triazole moiety in the aliphatic chain and systematic modifications in the polar head and different degrees of fluorination at the terminus of the alkylic chain were synthesized from a common alkynyl aziridine key synthon. This key synthon was obtained by enantioselective organocatalyzed aziridination and it was subsequently ring opened in a regioselective manner in acidic medium. Up to 16 sphingosine analogues were prepared in a straightforward manner.

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The preparation of well-defined d- and d- glycosides represents a synthetic challenge due to the limited configurational availability of starting materials and the laborious synthesis of homogeneous 2-deoxy-β-glycosidic linkages, in particular that of the sugar-steroid motif, which represents the "stereoselective determining step" of the overall synthesis. Herein we describe the use of 2-deoxy-2-iodo-glycopyranosyl sulfoxides accessible from widely available d-xylose and d-ribose monosaccharides as privileged glycosyl donors that permit activation at very low temperature. This ensures a precise kinetic control for a complete 1,2- stereoselective glycosylation of particularly challenging steroidal aglycones.

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Regio- and stereoselective oxyamination of dienes through a tandem rhodium-catalysed aziridination-nucleophilic opening affords racemic oxazolidinone derivatives, which undergo a kinetic resolution acylation process with amidine-based catalysts (ABCs) to achieve s values of up to 117. This protocol was applied to the enantioselective synthesis of sphingosine.

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Acyclic nucleoside phosphonates have been prepared in a straightforward manner and in high yields by an enantioselective palladium-catalyzed allylic substitution involving nucleic bases as nucleophiles followed by cross-metathesis reaction with diethyl allylphosphonate.

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Herein we present a chemical approach for the ready preparation of d-sarmentosyl donors enabling the first total synthesis and structure validation of cardenolide N-1, a challenging 2,6-dideoxy-3-O-methyl-β-d-xylo-hexopyranoside extracted from Nerium oleander twigs that displays anti-inflammatory properties and cell growth inhibitory activity against tumor cells. The strategy highlights the synthetic value of the sequential methodology developed in our group for the synthesis of 2-deoxyglycosides. Key steps include Wittig-Horner olefination of a d-xylofuranose precursor, [I]-induced 6-endo cyclization, and 1,2-trans stereoselective glycosylation.

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A formal enantioselective synthesis of nectrisine, a potent α-glucosidase inhibitor, was carried out starting from butadiene monoepoxide through a synthetic sequence involving enantioselective allylic substitution, cross-metathesis, dihydroxylation, and cyclization.

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Pyranoid-type glycomimetics having a cis-1,2-fused glucopyranose-2-alkylsulfanyl-1,3-oxazoline (Glc-PSO) structure exhibit an unprecedented specificity as inhibitors of mammalian β-glucosidase. Notably, their inhibitory potency against human β-glucocerebrosidase (GCase) was found to be strongly dependent on the nature of aglycone-type moieties attached at the sulfur atom. In the particular case of ω-substituted hexadecyl chains, an amazing influence of the terminal group was observed.

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The reaction of dienyl carbamates with PhI(OR)2 in the presence of rhodium catalysts affords vinyl aziridines which are in situ regio- and stereoselectively opened to afford oxyamination products resulting from a selective S(N)2 (Rh2(OAc)4/PhI(OPiv)2) or S(N)2' (Rh2(OPiv)4/PhI(OAc)2) opening. The scope and limitations of this tandem process are described.

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A novel fluorinated ligand, the anionic PhB(CH2P(p-CF3C6H4)2)3 (PhBP3 (p-CF3Ph)), has been synthesized and characterized, as well as its corresponding thallium, copper, and silver derivatives. The presence of fluorine atoms in the ligand structure induced the desired effect of enhancing electrophilic character at the metal center, without promoting substantial changes in the ligand skeleton compared with the parent ligand PhB(CH2PPh2)3(-) (PhBP3). Olefin aziridination and C-H amidation reactions have been induced with those complexes as catalyst precursors.

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The preparation of challenging 2-deoxy-2-iodo-β-D-allo precursors of 2-deoxy-β-D-ribo-hexopyranosyl units and other analogues is reported using a robust olefination-cyclization-glycosylation sequence. Here, we particularly focus on tuning the stereoelectronic properties of the alkenyl sulfides intermediates in order to improve the diastereoselectivity of the cyclization step and, hence, the efficiency of the overall transformation. Phosphine oxides with the general formula Ph2P(O)CH2SR (R = t-Bu, Cy, p-MeOPh, 2,6-di-ClPh, and 2,6-di-MePh) were easily synthesized and subsequently used in the olefination reaction with 2,3,5-tri-O-benzyl-D-ribose and -D-arabinose.

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In Cuba, alcohol is an important contributor to morbidity, mortality and social problems. The foundation of Cuba's universal primary health care coverage, family doctor-and-nurse offices play a critical role in prevention, early detection and treatment of alcohol abuse. Los Palacios Municipality of the westernmost province of Pinar del Río, Cuba, is a socially complex, periurban area where alcohol abuse and alcoholism have been identified as important health problems.

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Carbocyclic nucleosides are nucleoside analogues in which the furanosidic moiety has been replaced by a carbocycle. Several members of this family have been isolated from natural sources and include a 5-membered ring carbocycle. The aim of this review is to examine critically the different methodologies for the enantioselective construction of 3- to 6-membered rings, with a particular focus on 5-membered rings and their modifications.

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A series of conformationally locked N-glycosides having a cis-1,2-fused pyranose-1,3-oxazoline-2-thione structure and bearing different substituents at the exocyclic sulfur has been prepared. The polyhydroxylated bicyclic system was built in only three steps by treatment of the corresponding readily available 1,2-anhydrosugar with KSCN using TiO(TFA)(2) as catalyst, followed by S-alkylation and acetyl deprotection. In vitro screening against several glycosidase enzymes showed highly specific inhibition of mammalian β-glucosidase with a marked dependence of the potency upon the nature of the exocyclic substituent.

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4,6-Di-O-protected glucal and allal derivatives react with MCPBA to afford manno- and allo-1-O-m-chlorobenzoate derivatives, respectively, as a result of a syn epoxidation directed by the allylic hydroxyl group, and consecutive ring-opening by m-ClBzOH. When glucal and allal derivatives are fully protected, initial epoxidation proceeds mainly anti to the allylic group to give, after ring-opening, the corresponding pyranosyl chlorobenzoates. Stereoselectivity in the reaction of fully protected galactal derivatives was complete, although only a moderate increase in the syn epoxidation product was observed in 4,6- and 3,4-di-O-protected derivatives.

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Background: Vaginitis is a common complaint in primary care. In uncomplicated candidal vaginitis, there are no differences in effectiveness between oral or vaginal treatment. Some studies describe that the preferred treatment is the oral one, but a Cochrane's review points out inconsistencies associated with the report of the preferred way that limit the use of such data.

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Herein, we describe a mild and efficient Zn(II)-mediated electrophilic selenocyclization reaction of readily available and stable 3,4-O-isopropylidene-protected hydroxyalkenyl sulfides to 2-deoxy-2-phenylselenenyl-1-thio-glycosides. This material was transformed into a 2-phenylselenenyl glycal in a controlled manner using an activation-elimination sequence.

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Novel cis-1,2-fused 1,3-oxathiolan-, 1,3-oxaselenolan-, and 1,3-oxazolidin-2-imine carbohydrate derivatives have been prepared by treatment of the corresponding 1,2-anhydrosugars with potassium thiocyanate, potassium selenocyanate, and sodium cyanamide, respectively. The procedure is compatible with several protecting groups such as acyl, benzyl, and silyl and also with sugars of different configurations.

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Preliminary results for the synthesis of two new adenophostin analogues incorporating 3''- and 4''-methylenecarboxylate surrogate groups are presented. The synthesis involves the preparation of 3''- and 4''-methylenecarboxylate glucose derivatives by a radical allylation-oxidative cleavage approach, their conversion into thioglycoside precursors, and stereoselective glycosylation of a suitable adenosine derivative. The glycosylations proceeded with excellent stereoselectivity, only the alpha product was detected, and in good yields.

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