Structure/property comparisons of chemistries based on renewable 1,3-propanediol and petroleum-derived alkylene oxides.

Structure/property comparisons were made of chemistries based on renewable 1,3-propanediol (PDO)- versus petroleum-based alkylene oxides as well as comparisons of the respective polyethers, emulsifiers, and cosmetic formulations based on these feedstocks. Green Chemistry Principles were applied in the manufacture of polyethylene glycol (PEG)-free renewable PDO-based oligomers and PDO-based fatty acid ester emulsifiers. Sustainable cosmetic products formulated with renewable PDO-based emulsifiers gave equivalent performance in sensory and moisturization evaluations compared to those formulated with the petroleum-derived PEG-based emulsifiers.

Influence of cations on the complexation yield of DOTATATE with yttrium and lutetium: a perspective study for enhancing the 90Y and 177Lu labeling conditions.

The DOTA macrocyclic ligand can form stable complexes with many cations besides yttrium and lutetium. For this reason, the presence of competing cationic metals in yttrium-90 and lutetium-177 chloride solutions can dramatically influence the radiolabeling yield. The aim of this study was to evaluate the coordination yield of yttrium- and lutetium-DOTATATE complexes when the reaction is performed in the presence of varying amounts of competing cationic impurities. In the first set of experiments, the preparation of the samples was performed by using natural yttrium and lutetium (20.4 nmol). The molar ratio between DOTATATE and these metals was 1 to 1. Metal competitors (Pb(2+), Zn(2+), Cu(2+), Fe(3+), Al(3+), Ni(2+), Co(2+), Cr(3+)) were added separately to obtain samples with varying molar ratio with respect to yttrium or lutetium (0.1, 0.5, 1, 2 and 10). The final solutions were analyzed through ultra high-performance liquid chromatography with an UV detector. In the second set of experiments, an amount of (90)Y or (177)Lu chloride (6 MBq corresponding to 3.3 and 45 pmol, respectively) was added to the samples, and a radio-thin layer chromatography analysis was carried out. The coordination of Y(3+) and Lu(3+) was dramatically influenced by low levels of Zn(2+), Cu(2+) and Co(2+). Pb(2+) and Ni(2+) were also shown to be strong competitors at higher concentrations. Fe(3+) was expected to be a strong competitor, but the effect on the incorporation was only partly dependent on its concentration. Al(3+) and Cr(3+) did not compete with Y(3+) and Lu(3+) in the formation of DOTATATE complexes.

Housekeeping genes in cancer: normalization of array data.

Biological maintenance of cells under variable conditions should affect gene expression of only certain genes while leaving the rest unchanged. The latter, termed "housekeeping genes," by definition must reflect no change in their expression levels during cell development, treatment, or disease state anomalies. However, deviations from this rule have been observed. Using DNA microarray technology, we report here variations in expression levels of certain housekeeping genes in prostate cancer and a colorectal cancer gene therapy model system. To highlight, differential expression was observed for ribosomal protein genes in the prostate cancer cells and beta-actin in treated colorectal cells. High-throughput differential gene expression analysis via microarray technology and quantitative PCR has become a common platform for classifying variations in similar types of cancers, response to chemotherapy, identifying disease markers, etc. Therefore, normalization of the system based on housekeeping genes, such as those reported here in cancer, must be approached with caution.

Apolipoprotein E4 and tau allele frequencies among Choctaw Indians.

Apolipoprotein genotyping and tau haplotyping were carried out on a series of cases with dementia and controls from the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. Both the Apolipoprotein E4 allele frequency and the tau H2 haplotype frequency were low in the Choctaw compared with Caucasians and there was the possibility that the association between dementia and the E4 allele was weaker than in Caucasians.