Complexes with biologically active ligands. Part 11. Synthesis and carbonic anhydrase inhibitory activity of metal complexes of 4,5-disubstituted-3-mercapto-1,2,4-triazole derivatives

Complexes containing five 4,5-disubstituted-3-mercapto-1,2,4-triazoles and Zn(II), Hg(II) and Cu(I) were synthesized and characterized by standard procedures (elemental analysis; IR, electronic and NMR spectroscopy, conductimetry and TG analysis). Both the thione as well as the thiolate forms of the ligands were evidenced to interact with the metal ions in the prepared complexes. The original mercaptans and their metal complexes behave as inhibitors of three carbonic anhydrase (CA) isozymes, CA I, II and IV, but did not lower intraocular pressure in rabbits in animal models of glaucoma.     

Telocytes’ Role in Modulating Gut Motility Function and Development: Medical Hypotheses and Literature Review

This review article explores the telocytes’ roles in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), presenting the mechanisms and hypotheses related to epithelial regeneration, progressive fibrosis, and dysmotility as a consequence of TCs’ reduced or absent number. Based on the presented mechanisms and hypotheses, we aim to provide a functional model to illustrate TCs’ possible roles in the normal and pathological functioning of the digestive tract. TCs are influenced by the compression of nearby blood vessels and the degree of fibrosis of the surrounding tissues and mediate these processes in response. The changes in intestinal tube vascularization induced by the movement of the food bowl, and the consequent pH changes that show an anisotropy in the thickness of the intestinal tube wall, have led to the identification of a pattern of intestinal tube development based on telocytes’ ability to communicate and modulate surrounding cell functions. In the construction of the theoretical model, given the predictable occurrence of colic in the infant, the two-layer arrangement of the nerve plexuses associated with the intestinal tube was considered to be incompletely adapted to the motility required with a diversified diet. There is resulting evidence of possible therapeutic targets for diseases associated with changes in local nerve tissue development.     

Synthesis and dielectric characterization of Ba0.6Sr0.4TiO3 ferroelectric ceramics

Ferroelectric ceramics Ba_0.6Sr_0.4TiO₃ (BST 40) were prepared, by solid-state reaction in the temperature range 1210-1450 °C. Maximum values of the ceramic densities were around 94% of their theoretical value. X-ray diffraction techniques (XRD) and scanning electron spectroscopy (SEM) were used to analyze the structure and the surface morphology of ceramics. Rounded, well defined or abnormal granular growth was observed in the SEM images, vs. sintering conditions and purity of the raw materials. In all samples, BST 40 ceramic is the major phase, but there are also present small amounts of secondary phases, as revealed in XRD diffraction patterns. Permittivity and dielectric loss measurements were performed in the temperature range − 150 to + 150 °C, and 150 Hz-5 MHz frequency values. Permittivity values rising from 1200 to 12,500, with increasing sintering temperatures, were recorded. Narrow and well defined transition peaks were noticed at higher sintering temperatures. Curie temperature was around 2 °C, for samples with the mentioned composition. Permittivity and losses vs. frequency show different behavior whether BST ceramics are in polar or non-polar state and with the distance toward phase transition. Microwave measurements performed at room temperature have shown lower values of permittivity, compared with similar data at low frequency, and dielectric losses lower than 1% at 0.7 GHz. The sintering conditions (temperatures, sintering time, etc.) and purity of the raw materials lead to important changes of transition temperatures in the polymorphic diagram, which we have built—for the other Ba1−xSrxTiO3 compositions (x = 0.25-0.90) sintered at 1260 °C for 2 h.     

Microwave properties of Ba(Zn1/3Ta2/3)O3 dielectric resonators

Ba(Zn_1/3Ta_2/3)O₃ (BZT) dielectric resonators were prepared by solid-state reaction. The starting materials were BaCO₃, ZnO, and Ta₂O₅ powders with high purity. The double calcined BZT pellets were sintered in air at temperatures of 1575, 1600, 1625, and 1650 °C for 4 h. The X-ray diffraction data allowed the study of the unit cell distortion degree and the presence of the secondary phases. A long-range order with a 2:1 ratio of Ta and Zn cations on the octahedral positions of the perovskite structure was observed with the increase of the sintering temperature. The dielectric constant of BZT resonators measured around 6 GHz was between 26 and 28. High values of Q × f product (120 THz) were obtained for BZT resonators sintered at 1650 °C/4 h. The temperature coefficient of the resonance frequency exhibits positive values less than 6 ppm/°C. The achieved dielectric parameters recommend BZT dielectric resonators for microwave and millimeter wave applications.     

Compact microstrip resonators for 900 MHz frequency band

A technique to reduce the size of planar resonators is investigated using a transmission line model and a finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method. New miniaturized square microstrip resonators are proposed for 900 MHz band. The resonators offer low impedance sections leading to a better handling of power. The feasibility of compact filters using the proposed resonators is demonstrated. The input/output coupling lines of a two-pole filter have been positioned in a way that produces a filter response with transmission zeros on the both sides of the pass-band. Sharper skirts and higher out-of-band rejection are obtained for four-pole filters with cross-coupled resonators.     

Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors: inhibition of isozymes I, II and IV with heterocyclic mercaptans, sulfenamides, sulfonamides and their metal complexes

A series of sulfenamides, sulfonamides and sulfonamide metal complexes have been prepared starting from 4,5-disubstituted-3-mercapto-1,2,4-triazole derivatives. The heterocyclic mercaptans were oxidized to the corresponding sulfenamides by hypochlorite in the presence of ammonia. The sulfonamides were obtained by oxidation of sulfenamides with potassium permanganate. The Zn(II) and Cu(II) complexes of the new heterocyclic sulfonamides have been prepared via the sodium salt of the ligand. Inhibition of three carbonic anhydrase (CA) isozymes, hCA I, hCA II and bCA IV (h = human, b = bovine) with the prepared compounds has been investigated. Mercaptans were generally less inhibitory than sulfenamides, which in turn behaved as weaker inhibitors than the sulfonamides. The strongest inhibitors were the Zn(II) and Cu(II) complexes of the heterocyclic sulfonamides. Susceptibility to inhibition was generally: hCA II > bCA IV > hCA I. Although none of the obtained simple inhibitors (mercaptans, sulfenamides, sulfonamides) possessed antiglaucoma action when administered directly into the eye in experimental animals, the Zn(II) and Cu(II) complexes of some sulfonamides acted as more efficient intraocular pressure lowering agents as compared to the clinical drug dorzolamide. This constitutes an encouraging result for obtaining novel antiglaucoma drugs from this class of CA inhibitors.     

Transitions of barium strontium titanate ferroelectric ceramics for different strontium content

Ceramic based barium strontium titanate (BST) solid solutions with the formula Ba_1 − xSr_xTiO₃ are very important candidates for a wide range of device applications. Several doped (Mn and Mg) and undoped samples were prepared by standard solid-state reaction. Special emphasis was put on compositions with x = 0.35 and 0.60, with high potential for applications. The samples were sintered at temperatures in the 1200 ÷ 1260 °C range. Structural X-ray diffraction analysis preformed confirms the perovskite structure. The dielectric parameters were investigated in a wide temperature range between − 150 and 150 °C. The temperature was cyclically changed in both directions, up and down, at a rate of less than 2 °C/min. Both permittivity and dielectric loss were measured at low frequencies, 1 kHz. The peak values of the permittivity are increasing from 2000 to 4000 with the sintering temperature increase. Moreover the dielectric parameters were measured at room temperature in microwave domain (1 ÷ 2 GHz). The Curie temperature of BST samples with x = 0.35 and x = 0.6 is in agreement with the Curie point dependence on Sr content, as we have previously reported.     

Microstrip filters using new compact resonators

Compact two-pole and four-pole passband filters in 900 MHz frequency band using novel square microstrip resonators are presented. The measured filters' responses demonstrate the feasibility of selective filters using these new resonators