Publications

Abstract The quenching of the fluorescence of excitation emission matrices (EEM) of two samples of dissolved organic matter (DOM) [fulvic acid from a dam water (FA) and a commercial humic acid (HA)], provoked by the metal ions Cu(II), UO22+, Fe(III) and Hg(II), was studied by principal component analysis (PCA) and multivariate curve resolution with alternating least squares (MCR-ALS). PCA of the individual EEM, sets of EEM and the sequential analysis of EEM allows the determination of the number of components that provoke linearly independent variations in the EEM and to assess the trend and stability of the quenching process. Four and three components were detected in the EEM of FA and HA, respectively. Some of these components show quenching in the presence of the studied metal ions and other are not affected. Also, the occurrence of scattering due to hydrolysis of metal ions is detected in the PCA sequential analysis of EEM as function of the metal ion concentration. Excitation and emission spectra and quenching profiles were extracted from EEM using MCR-ALS with non-negativity constraints. Stability constants between FA and HA with the studied metal ions were estimated by a modified Stern-Volmer equation.

Abstract The factors that affect trihalomethane (THM) (chloroform, bromodichloromethane, chlorodibromomethane and bromoform) formation from the chlorination of aqueous solutions of hydrophobic fulvic acids (FA) were investigated in a prototype laboratorial simulation using factorial analysis. This strategy involved a fractional factorial design (16 plus 5 center experiments) of five factors (fulvic acids concentration, chlorine dose, temperature, pH and bromide concentration) and a Box Behnken design (12 plus 3 center experiments) for the detailed analysis of three factors (FA concentration, chlorine dose and temperature). The concentration of THM was determined by headspace analysis by GC-ECD. The most significant factors that affect the four THM productions were the following: chloroform-FA concentration and temperature; bromodichloromethane-FA concentration and chlorine dose; chlorodibromomethane-chlorine dose; and, bromofonn-chlorine dose and bromide concentration. Moreover, linear models were obtained for the four THM concentrations in the disinfection solution as function of the FA concentration, chlorine dose and temperature, and it was observed that the complexity of the models (number of significant factors and interactions) increased with increasing bromine atoms in the THM. Also, this study shows that reducing the FA concentration the relative amount of bromated THM increases.

Abstract The standard (p degrees = 0.1 MPa) molar enthalpies of formation of 2-chloro-4-nitrophenol, 4-chloro-2-nitrophenol, and 4-chloro-3-nitrophenol in the solid phase, Delta H-f degrees(m)(cr), at T = 298.15 K, were derived from the standard molar enthalpies of combustion measured by rotating-bomb combustion calorimetry, in oxygen. Enthalpies of fusion of the solid compounds were measured by differential scanning calorimetry. The standard molar enthalpies of sublimation, at T = 298.15 K, were measured by Calvet microcalorimetry. Summing the obtained Delta H-f degrees(m) (cr) and Delta H-g(cr)degrees(m) values, it was possible to derive the values of the standard molar enthalpies of formation in the gaseous phase, at T = 298.15 K: Delta H-f degrees(m)(4-chloro-3-nitrophenol, g) = -(108.8 +/- 3.7) kJ.mol(-1). Density functional theory calculations were also performed for all possible chloronitrophenol isomers using the B3LYP functional and the 6-31G** basis set. These calculations allowed the estimation of the standard molar enthalpies of formation in the gaseous phase for all isomers including those not studied experimentally. Identical DFT calculations were also carried out for the respective phenoxyl radicals and phenoxide anions which allowed the estimation of the O-H homolytic bond dissociation energies and gas-phase acidities.

Abstract The standard (p degrees = 0.1 MPa) molar energies of combustion in oxygen, at T = 298.15 K, of four 1,3-benzodioxole derivatives (5-oxoethyl-1,3-benzodioxole, 5-cyano-1,3-benzodioxole, 5-nitro-1,3-benzodioxole, and 5-methyl-1,3-benzodioxole) were measured by static bomb calorimetry. The standard molar enthalpies of vaporization or of sublimation, at T = 298.15 K, were measured by Calvet microcalorimetry. Combining these results, the standard molar enthalpies of formation of the compounds in the gas phase, at T = 298.15 K, have been calculated: 5-oxoethyl-1,3-benzodioxole (-319.3 +/- 2.8) kJ.mol(-1); 5-cyano-1,3-benzodioxole (-23.2 +/- 2.2) kJ.mol(-1); 5-nitro-1,3-benzodioxole (-176.0 +/- 3.2) kJ.mol(-1) and 5-methyl-1,3-benzodioxole (-184.7 +/- 3.5) kJ.mol(-1). The most stable geometries of all the compounds were obtained using the density functional theory with the B3LYP functional and two basis sets: 6-31G** and 6-311G**. The nonplanarity of the molecules was analyzed in terms of the anomeric effect, which is believed to arise from the interaction between a nonbonded oxygen p(pi) orbital and the empty orbital sigma*(CO) involving the other oxygen atom. Calculations were performed to obtain estimates of the enthalpies of formation of all the substituted benzodioxoles using appropriate isodesmic reactions. There is good agreement between theoretical and experimental results. This agreement allows us to estimate the enthalpies of formation of some 1,3-benzodioxole derivatives whose experimental study was impossible.

Abstract The CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein beta (C/EBPbeta) transcription factor has been associated with several cancer models. In this study, the expression of C/EBPbeta was analysed in a series of 90 gastric carcinomas (GCs). We also assessed the effect of C/EBPbeta on COX-2 expression. In normal gastric mucosa, C/EBPbeta expression was restricted to cells in the proliferative zone. In intestinal metaplasia, dysplasia, and GC of the intestinal and atypical subtypes, C/EBPbeta was over-expressed (p < 0.0001, for the association with histological type). C/EBPbeta and, Ki67, a marker of cell proliferation, were also co-expressed in primary GC. We also observed an overlap between C/EBPbeta and COX-2 expression in GC. Using GC cell lines we show that CIEBPbeta can regulate the expression of endogenous COX-2 and transactivate the promoter of the COX-2 gene, depending on its methylation status. These results suggest that C/EBPbeta may be a marker of neoplastic transformation and also play an active role in gastric tumourigenesis by regulating COX-2 expression. Copyright (c) 2006 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Abstract The standard molar enthalpies of combustion, sublimation, and formation of three nitrogen-containing heterocycles, namely, 2-benzimidazolinone, 2-benzoxazolinone and 3-indazolinone were determined calorimetrically. The standard (p degrees similar to 0.1 MPa) molar enthalpies of formation in the gas phase were derived from the standard molar enthalpies of combustion, in oxygen, at T = 298.15 K, measured by static bomb combustion calorimetry and from the standard molar enthalpies of sublimation at T 298.15 K, measured by Calvet microcalorimetry. Moller-Plesset calculations at the MP2 level and density functional calculations with the B3LYP functional and extended basis sets were also performed to determine the energetically preferred tautomeric form of the molecules. The results were qualitatively independent of the calculational level, where in general the DFT calculations were in better agreement with experiment than those from MP2. The gas and solid phase enthalpic differences between imines and amides, wherein -CH = N- is contrasted with -CONH-, have been studied and roughly constant values have been found.

Abstract The standard molar enthalpy of formation in the gas phase of 2H-1,4-benzoxazin-3(4H)-one was derived from the standard energy of combustion determined by static bomb combustion calorimetry in oxygen atmosphere and from the standard sublimation enthalpy determined by Calvet microcalorimetry. In addition, we report the results of a systematic theoretical study of the keto and enol tautomers in benzoxazinones and diones using density functional theory. The keto tautomers are computed to be more stable than the enols. Tautomerization energies are reported.

Abstract The standard (p degrees = 0.1 MPa) molar enthalpy of formation for solid benzanilide was derived from the standard molar enthalpy of combustion, in oxygen, at T = 298.15 K, measured by static bomb combustion calorimetry, and the standard molar enthalpy of sublimation, at T = 298.15 K, measured by Calvet microcalorimetry. From these experiments the standard molar enthalpy of formation of benzanilide in the gaseous phase at T = 298.15K was calculated. In addition density functional theory calculations with the B3LYP functional and a variety of basis sets have been performed for benzanilide and some auxiliary molecules.

Abstract Cancer, one of the major causes of death across the world, has shown to be a largely preventable disease, highly susceptible to modulation by dietary factors. Phenolic compounds, abundant in vegetables and fruits ubiquitous in diet, were described to play an important role as chemopreventive agents. Since conventional therapeutic and surgical approaches have not been able to control the incidence of most cancer types, the development of chemopreventive strategies is an urgent priority in public health. The current diet phenolic intake is often insufficient to protect from mutagens (either exogenous or endogenous), which leads to the need for dietary supplementation as an alternative approach. Research efforts are placing increasing emphasis on identifying the biological mechanisms and in particular the signal transduction pathways related to the chemopreventive activities of these compounds. These effects are believed to occur by the regulation of signaling pathways such as nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappa B), activator protein-1 (AP-1) or mitoacn-activated protein kinases (MAPK). Dietary polyphenols can exert their effects on these pathways separately or sequentially and in addition the occurrence of crosstalk between these pathways cannot be overlooked. By modulating cell signaling pathways, polyphenols activate cell death signals and induce apoptosis in precancerous or malignant cells resulting in the inhibition of cancer development or progression. However, regulation of cell signaling pathways by dietary polyphenols can also lead to cell proliferation/survival or inflammatory responses due to increased expression of several genes. The present review summarizes the most recent advances providing new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the promising anti carcinogenic activity of dietary polyphenols. (c) 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Abstract Methamphetamine (METH), leading to striatal dopamine (DA) nerve terminal toxicity in mammals, is also thought to induce apoptosis of striatal neurons in rodents. We investigated the acute effects induced by multiple injections of METH (4 X 5 mg/kg, i.p.) at 2-h intervals or a single injection of METH (20 mg/kg, i.p.) on terminal dopaminergic toxicity markers, including DA levels, DA turnover, and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunoreactivity in rat caudate-putamen (CPu). We further investigated whether both treatment paradigms would change Bax and activate caspase-3 expression, thus triggering striatal apoptotic mitochondria-dependent biochemical cascades. The first injection of METH (5 mg/kg, i.p.) produced a significant release of DA that peaked 30 min and stayed above control levels up to 1.5 h within CPu. In another set of experiments, rats were killed 1 and 24 h following the last injection, for tissue DA and metabolite content measurement and Western blot analysis (24 h). Multiple doses induced DA depletion and increased turnover at both endpoints. Single-dose METH reproduced these effects at 24 h; however, turnover was significantly higher than that evoked by the multiple doses at 24 h. Although both paradigms evoked similar DA depletion, however, none of the dosing regimens induced changes in TH expression at 24 h. The former paradigm produced an increase in Bax expression in CPu not sufficient to induce cleavage of caspase-3 proenzyme at 24 h. This study suggests that both paradigm induced changes in striatal dopaminergic markers that are independent of terminal degeneration and striatal apoptotic mitochondria-dependent caspase-3 driven cascade within 24 h.