Nitroxide Derivatives for Dynamic Nuclear Polarization in Liquids: The Role of Rotational Diffusion

Polarization transfer efficiency in liquid-state dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) depends on the interaction between polarizing agents (PAs) and target nuclei modulated by molecular motions. We show how translational and rotational diffusion differently affect the DNP efficiency. These contributions were disentangled by measuring ¹H-DNP enhancements of toluene and chloroform doped with nitroxide derivatives at 0.34 T as a function of either the temperature or the size of the PA. The results were employed to analyze ¹³C-DNP data at higher fields, where the polarization transfer is also driven by the Fermi contact interaction. In this case, bulky nitroxide PAs perform better than the small TEMPONE radical due to structural fluctuations of the ring conformation. These findings will help in designing PAs with features specifically optimized for liquid-state DNP at various magnetic fields.

Toxicity of clove essential oil and its ester eugenyl acetate against Artemia salina

Abstract The production of compounds via enzymatic esterification has great scientific and technological interest due to the several inconveniences related to acid catalysis, mainly by these systems do not fit to the concept of “green chemistry”. Besides, natural products as clove oil present compounds with excellent biological potential. Bioactives compounds are often toxic at high doses. The evaluation of lethality in a less complex animal organism can be used to a monitoring simple and rapid, helping the identification of compounds with potential insecticide activity against larvae of insect vector of diseases. In this sense, the toxicity against Artemia salina of clove essential oil and its derivative eugenyl acetate obtained by enzymatic esterification using Novozym 435 as biocatalyst was evaluated. The conversion of eugenyl acetate synthesis was 95.6%. The results about the evaluation of toxicity against the microcrustacean Artemia salina demonstrated that both oil (LC50= 0.5993 µg.mL–1) and ester (LC50= 0.1178 µg.mL–1) presented high toxic potential, being the eugenyl acetate almost 5 times more toxic than clove essential oil. The results reported here shows the potential of employing clove oil and eugenyl acetate in insecticide formulations.

Persistence of slow dynamics in Tb(OETAP)2 single molecule magnets embedded in conducting polymers

The spin dynamics of Tb(OETAP)2 single ion magnets was investigated by means of muon spin relaxation (μSR) both in the bulk material as well as when the molecule is embedded into

PEDOT

PSS polymer conductor. The spin fluctuation time is characterized by a high temperature activated trend, with an energy barrier around 320 K, and by a low temperature tunneling regime. When the single ion magnet is embedded into the polymer the energy barrier only slightly decreases and the fluctuation time remains of the same order of magnitude, even at low temperature. This finding shows that these single molecule magnets preserve their characteristics which, if combined with those of the conducting polymer, result in a hybrid material of potential interest for organic spintronics.

NMR relaxation induced by iron oxide particles: testing theoretical models

Superparamagnetic iron oxide particles find their main application as contrast agents for cellular and molecular magnetic resonance imaging. The contrast they bring is due to the shortening of the transverse relaxation time T 2 of water protons. In order to understand their influence on proton relaxation, different theoretical relaxation models have been developed, each of them presenting a certain validity domain, which depends on the particle characteristics and proton dynamics. The validation of these models is crucial since they allow for predicting the ideal particle characteristics for obtaining the best contrast but also because the fitting of T 1 experimental data by the theory constitutes an interesting tool for the characterization of the nanoparticles. In this work, T 2 of suspensions of iron oxide particles in different solvents and at different temperatures, corresponding to different proton diffusion properties, were measured and were compared to the three main theoretical models (the motional averaging regime, the static dephasing regime, and the partial refocusing model) with good qualitative agreement. However, a real quantitative agreement was not observed, probably because of the complexity of these nanoparticulate systems. The Roch theory, developed in the motional averaging regime (MAR), was also successfully used to fit T 1 nuclear magnetic relaxation dispersion (NMRD) profiles, even outside the MAR validity range, and provided a good estimate of the particle size. On the other hand, the simultaneous fitting of T 1 and T 2 NMRD profiles by the theory was impossible, and this occurrence constitutes a clear limitation of the Roch model. Finally, the theory was shown to satisfactorily fit the deuterium T 1 NMRD profile of superparamagnetic particle suspensions in heavy water.

Characterization of magnetic nanoparticles from Magnetospirillum Gryphiswaldense as potential theranostics tools

We investigated the theranostic properties of magnetosomes (MNs) extracted from magnetotactic bacteria, promising for nanomedicine applications. Besides a physico-chemical characterization, their potentiality as mediators for magnetic fluid hyperthermia and contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging, both in vitro and in vivo, are here singled out. The MNs, constituted by magnetite nanocrystals arranged in chains, show a superparamagnetic behaviour and a clear evidence of Verwey transition, as signature of magnetite presence. The phospholipid membrane provides a good protection against oxidation and the MNs oxidation state is stable over months. Using an alternate magnetic field, the specific absorption rate was measured, resulting among the highest reported in literature. The MRI contrast efficiency was evaluated by means of the acquisition of complete NMRD profiles. The transverse relaxivity resulted as high as the one of a former commercial contrast agent. The MNs were inoculated into an animal model of tumour and their presence was detected by magnetic resonance images two weeks after the injection in the tumour mass.

[Chemotherapy of pulmonary carcinoma. Considerations and a proposal of a system of the evaluation of clinical course]

With absolutely no attempt to reject chemotherapy of lung cancer as useless, particularly now that extremely effective antiblastic products are available, it is however suggested that we should think carefully before adopting treatments of doubtful efficacy that may prolong the patient's life but also increase his suffering in that they produce extremely unpleasant side effects without having much influence on the basic symptoms. In such cases it may be the physician's painful duty to withhold treatment.

[Multitumoral associations. Description of 3 cases of pulmonary tumors associated with extrapulmonary malignant neoplasms]

Three inoperable cases of association of bronchopulmonary carcinoma with other malignant neoplasias with a different histological origin are described. An account is given of the treatment employed. Emphasis is placed on the relatively good response to treatment of the extrapulmonary neoplasia, and the relevant literature series are examined.

[Prevention and control fo side effects in the chemotherapy of advanced lung cancer]

The side effects of chemotherapy in lung cancer are reviewed and a methodological scheme proposed to prevent and monitor them by means of scrupulous preliminary selection. This is done by studying heart, liver and renal function, as well as by screening the patient's immunity condition. The side-effects of chemotherapy are monitored by monthly repetition of the above tests. Personal cases showing the good results obtained are reported.