Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Magic”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 1,009 records · Page 56Linked to original sources

Monitoring of the ethionamide pro-drug activation in mycobacteria by (1)H high resolution magic angle spinning NMR.

In this study, we use HRMAS NMR as a non-invasive technique to monitor the in vivo metabolism of a xenobiotic. The antituberculosis Ethionamide is a pro-drug that has to be activated in mycobacteria before inhibiting its cellular target. The use of (1)H HRMAS NMR has allowed to detect a metabolite (ETH*) of the drug directly in living bacteria, even with a spectrometer operating at the relatively low magnetic field of 300MHz. We show that metabolism monitoring of an unlabelled drug at a therapeutically relevant concentration as low as 5mug/ml is within reach of the technique. (1)H HRMAS NMR in combination with diffusion filtering leads to the conclusion that the metabolite is located inside the intact cells. The comparison of the metabolite NMR signature with that of synthetic molecules proves the non-identity of ETH* with the ETH derivatives described previously in the literature.

Biotransformation↗

HIS & HERS, magic magnesium and the ballet of protein synthesis.

The peptidyl transferase center of the ribosome is literally the mother of all protein enzymes, yet it was only recently that the content of its active site was found to be RNA and not protein. This review focuses on how this RNA enzyme orients its substrates and promotes the chemical reaction that is center stage in protein synthesis.

Catalysis↗

Comparisons of the interactions between two analytes and two structurally similar chiral stationary phases using high-performance liquid chromatography, suspended-state high-resolution magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance and solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

A study of the retention behaviour of the enantiomers (R)- and (S)-1,1'-binaphthyl-2,2'-diol as well as (+) and t-)-O,O'-dibenzoyl-tartaric acid was performed using the two chiral stationary phases (CSPs) Kromasil-DMB and Kromasil-TBB. Detailed information about the interactions between the analytes and the two CSPs was obtained from suspended-state HR/MAS transferred NOESY NMR experiments as well as suspended-state HR/MAS 1H NMR titration experiments. Good correlation between the suspended-state HR/MAS NMR experiments and the corresponding HPLC experiments was obtained. This shows that suspended-state HR/MAS NMR as well as solid-state CP/MAS NMR spectroscopy can be used to investigate interactions between stationary phases and analytes under conditions that are similar to those used in HPLC.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid↗

Levels in the interpretive optimisation of selectivity in high-performance liquid chromatography: a magical mystery tour.

Interpretive approaches for selectivity optimisation, which are those supported by retention models, are able to exploit efficiently the capabilities of the chromatographic system. The resolution of a mixture is usually faced in a first trial by looking for a unique experimental condition, able to resolve all compounds in the sample. If this is not possible, the problem can be outlined with less ambitious aims, focusing on only some compounds. In an extreme case, a single analyte can be individually optimised. Current strategies that give answer to the different goals pursued in the analysis, which are classified as total, partial and specific, are reviewed. Optimisation oriented to deconvolution, useful in case of partial coelution, and robust measurements of resolution, are also outlined. The steps recognised in any chromatographic optimisation procedure, and some fundamentals and tools used in optimisation approaches for isocratic and gradient elution are commented to explain different strategies. Examples of increasing complexity are supplied to explain the problematic arose, and the convenience in applying a certain methodology. Details on the mathematical treatment for each particular optimisation strategy are also given.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists↗

Working memory: imaging the magic number four.

Many brain regions have been implicated in memory performance, but the relationship between memory capacity and neural activity has not been clear. Recent studies show that activity in the posterior parietal cortex increases with working memory load, implicating this region in the storage of representations in visual memory.

Brain Mapping↗

Morphological and chemical analysis of magic mushrooms in Japan.

Morphological and toxicological analyses were performed on hallucinogenic mushrooms that are currently circulated in Japan. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) indicated a three-dimensional microstructures in the mushrooms. The complementary use of SEM with an optical microscope was effective for observing characteristic tissues, such as basidiomycetes, spores, cystidia and basidia. Hallucinogenic alkaloids were extracted with methanol and determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with a UV detector set at 220 nm. The psilocin/psilocybin contents in Psilocybe cubensis were in the range of 0.14-0.42%/0.37-1.30% in the whole mushroom (0.17-0.78%/0.44-1.35% in the cap and 0.09-0.30%/0.05-1.27% in the stem), respectively. The hallucinogenic alkaloids in Copelandia were 0.43-0.76%/0.08-0.22% in the whole mushroom (0.64-0.74%/0.02-0.22% in the cap and 0.31-0.78%/0.01-0.39% in the stem). It thus appears that P. cubensis is psilocybin-rich, whereas Copelandia is psilocin-rich.

Agaricales↗

Antibodies and gene therapy: teaching old 'magic bullets' new tricks.

The emergence of recombinant technologies has revolutionized the selection and production of monoclonal antibodies, allowing the design of fully human antibodies of any specificity and for diverse purposes. Recombinant antibodies can be engineered with optimized properties, such as antigen-binding affinity, molecular architecture and dimerization state, and fused with a vast array of effector moieties to enhance their tumor-targeting ability and potency. The use of gene therapy methods offers additional benefits by achieving sustained and effective concentrations of therapeutic antibodies directly at points of target intervention. This compensates for the rapid blood clearance of antibody fragments and could make the antibody less immunogenic and better tolerated. Furthermore, genetic approaches provide antibody molecules with new functions in unexpected scenarios: expression of antibody domains in precise intracellular locations and grafting of new binding activities to engineered cells. The relevance of these and other emerging concepts for antibody-based cancer therapy is discussed.

Antibodies, Bispecific↗

Medicinal and magic plants from a public market in northeastern Brazil.

Markets are public spaces in which many kinds of products are sold, as well as places of cultural information exchange. These spaces are distinctive for each given culture or society as they represent small-scale reproductions of that region's cultural and biological diversity. We carried out ethnobotanical studies in an important traditional market in the city of Recife (Pernambuco, northeastern Brazil) in two distinct years, 1995 and 2002. Our objectives were to compare the taxonomic richness of the plants being sold there in these different years, to investigate differences between the species' relative importance, and to present descriptions of their main uses. Considering the lack of ethnobotanical studies in these markets and the great methodological difficulties in gaining access to this type of information, we discuss the limitations of this kind of study and offer suggestions to deal with specific problems. Semi-structured interviews with the plant vendors were carried out in the market, along with other data-collection and analysis techniques common to ethnobotanical studies. A total of 136 species were recorded--an increase of 58 species between the two study periods--with significant differences among the proportions of families, genera, and species (p<0.05). Despite differences in the relative importance of species found in both surveys, there was an underlying trend maintaining the same species of greatest importance. Our data suggest that markets conserve their basic repertoire while at the same time act as open and dynamic systems that is enriched by adding new plants and their respective use-indications.

Anti-Infective Agents↗

Detection of natural abundance 1H-13C correlations of cholesterol in its membrane environment using a gradient enhanced HSQC experiment under high resolution magic angle spinning.

The quality and signal to noise ratio of a J-based HETCOR performed on a standard MAS probe have been compared with a gradient enhanced HSQC performed on a HR-MAS probe at 500 MHz. The sample selected was cholesterol, inserted at 30 mol% in acyl chain deuterated phospholipids (DMPC-d54), at a temperature where the bilayer is in a liquid crystalline phase (310 K). It is representative of any rigid molecule undergoing fast axial diffusion in a bilayer as the main movement. After optimization of the spinning rate and carbon decoupling conditions, it is shown that the ge-HSQC/MAS approach is far superior to the more conventional J-HETCOR/MAS in terms of signal to noise ratio, and that it allows the detection of all the natural abundance cross peaks of cholesterol in a membrane environment. Clear differences between the 1H and 13C chemical shifts of cholesterol in a membrane and in chloroform solution were thus revealed.

Carbon Isotopes↗

Structure determination of aligned systems by solid-state NMR magic angle spinning methods.

Single crystal rotational echo double resonance (REDOR) experiments can be used to determine the three-dimensional orientation of heteronuclear bond vectors in an amino acid, as well as the crystal's orientation relative to the rotor fixed frame (RFF). We also demonstrate that for samples uniaxially aligned along the rotor axis, the polar tilt angle of a bond vector relative to the RFF can be measured by use of an analytical expression that describes the REDOR curve for that system. These bond orientations were verified by X-ray indexing of the single crystal sample, and were shown to be as accurate as +/- 1 degrees .

Alanine↗