Search

Singing is a cultural universal and an important part of modern society, yet many people fail to sing in tune. Many possible causes have been posited to explain poor singing abilities; foremost among these are poor perceptual ability, poor motor control, and sensorimotor mapping errors. To help discriminate between these causes of poor singing, we conducted 5 experiments testing musicians and nonmusicians in pitch matching and judgment tasks. Experiment 1 introduces a new instrument called a slider, on which participants can match pitches without using their voice. Pitch matching on the slider can be directly compared with vocal pitch matching, and results showed that both musicians and nonmusicians were more accurate using the slider than their voices to match target pitches, arguing against a perceptual explanation of singing deficits. Experiment 2 added a self-matching condition and showed that nonmusicians were better at matching their own voice than a synthesized voice timbre, but were still not as accurate as on the slider. This suggests a timbral translation type of mapping error. Experiments 3 and 4 demonstrated that singers do not improve over multiple sung responses, or with the aid of a visual representation of pitch. Experiment 5 showed that listeners were more accurate at perceiving the pitch of the synthesized tones than actual voice tones. The pattern of results across experiments demonstrates multiple possible causes of poor singing, and attributes most of the problem to poor motor control and timbral-translation errors, rather than a purely perceptual deficit, as other studies have suggested.

Background: Somatostatin inhibits gall bladder contraction. Impaired gall bladder emptying is associated with gall bladder stone formation. The incidence of cholecystolithiasis is high in patients treated with a somatostatin agonist octreotide, which predominantly interacts with somatostatin receptor subtype 2 (SSTR2). Therefore, it is believed that SSTR2 regulates gall bladder contraction; however, evidence has not been provided. Here, we evaluate the effects of SSTR1-SSTR5-selective agonists on egg yolk-induced gall bladder contraction in mice., Methods: Homozygous deletion of SSTR2 and SSTR5 was generated by cross-mating of SSTR2(-/-) with SSTR5(-/-) mice. Mice of different genotypes were injected with SSTR1-5-selective agonists or octreotide 15 min before induction of gall bladder emptying by egg yolk. One hour later, gall bladders were removed and weighed., Key Results: Egg yolk-reduced gall bladder weights in all mice, irrespective of their genotype. Octreotide was the most potent inhibitor of gall bladder emptying in wild-type mice. In contrast, agonists with high selectivity for SSTR2 or SSTR5 inhibited gall bladder emptying by approximately 50-60%, whereas SSTR1-, SSTR3- and SSTR4-selective agonists failed to influence gall bladder contraction. In SSTR2(-/-) mice, octreotide and an SSTR5-selective agonist inhibited gall bladder emptying by approximately 50%, whereas SSTR2-selective agonists were inactive. Octreotide inhibited gall bladder emptying in SSTR5(-/-) mice by approximately 50%, without any effect in SSTR2(-/-)/SSTR5(-/-) mice., Conclusions & Inferences: Our study provides evidence for the role of SSTR2 and SSTR5 in regulating gall bladder emptying in mice.

Preparation and screening of mixture libraries based on a 2-arylindole scaffold resulted in the discovery of potent ligands for a variety of G-protein coupled receptors.

Resistance to carbapenem antibiotics in gram-negative bacteria is due, in part, to expression of a wide spectrum metallo-beta-lactamase, which renders the drug inactive. Biphenyl tetrazoles containing 3-n-butyl-1-phenylpyrazole-5-carboxylates or the corresponding 5-ethyl esters were found to inhibit metallo-beta-lactamases as well as renal dehydropeptidase I to a lesser extent.

The tetradecapeptide somatostatin is widely distributed throughout the body and is thought to be involved with a variety of regulatory functions. Recently, five human somatostatin receptors (hSSTR1-5) have been cloned and characterized. Several selective peptidal agonists of the hSSTR receptors are known, and we sought to apply this information to the design of novel non-peptide small molecule ligands for each receptor. Initial computational methods identified a 200 nM murine SSTR2 active compound via a database search of our sample collection. A combinatorial library was designed around the structural class of the compound with the goal of rapidly developing this initial lead into the desired subtype-selective small molecules in order to characterize the pharmacology of each of the receptor subtypes. The library was synthesized using the resin-archive, iterative deconvolution format. The total number of unique compounds in the library was expected to be 131,670, present in 79 mixtures of 1330 or 2660 compounds per mixture. Through sequences of screening and mixture deconvolution, the components of selective and highly active (Ki = 50 pM to 200 nM) non-peptide small molecule ligands for somatostatin subtypes 1, 2, 4, and 5 were identified. In addition to discovering compounds with the desired activity and selectivity, useful structure/activity information was generated which can be used in the design of new compounds and second-generation combinatorial libraries.

Nonpeptide agonists of each of the five somatostatin receptors were identified in combinatorial libraries constructed on the basis of molecular modeling of known peptide agonists. In vitro experiments using these selective compounds demonstrated the role of the somatostatin subtype-2 receptor in inhibition of glucagon release from mouse pancreatic alpha cells and the somatostatin subtype-5 receptor as a mediator of insulin secretion from pancreatic beta cells. Both receptors regulated growth hormone release from the rat anterior pituitary gland. The availability of high-affinity, subtype-selective agonists for each of the somatostatin receptors provides a direct approach to defining their physiological functions.

A new methodology for the construction of combinatorial libraries is described. The approach, termed dendrimer-supported combinatorial chemistry (DCC), centers on the use of dendrimers as soluble supports. Salient features of DCC include solution phase chemistry, homogeneous purification, routine characterization of intermediates, and high support loadings. To demonstrate the feasibility of DCC, single compounds and a small combinatorial library were prepared via the Fischer indole synthesis. Excellent product yields and purities were obtained, and dendrimer-protected intermediates could be routinely analyzed by 1H and 13C NMR and by mass spectrometry. The results indicate that DCC is a general and efficient strategy for the generation of combinatorial libraries.

Several series of 2,4-dihydro-2,4,5-trisubstituted-3H-1,2,4-triazol-3-ones with acidic sulfonamide replacements of tetrazole at the 2'-position of the biphenyl-4-ylmethyl side chain at N4 were prepared and tested as angiotensin II (AII) antagonists. Preferred substituents on the triazolinone ring were n-butyl at C5 and 2-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl at N2. Subnanomolar IC50 values at the AT1 receptor subtype were observed for a variety of acylsulfonamides, including aroyl, heteroaroyl, and cycloalkylcarbonyl derivatives. Certain other acidic sulfonamides, such as sulfonylcarbamates and disulfimides also displayed high affinity for the AT1 receptor. In addition, AT2 binding for some of these compounds was increased by as much as 1000-fold over the corresponding tetrazole (e.g., AT2 IC50 17 nM for the tert-butyl sulfonylcarbamate 92). When evaluated for inhibition of the AII pressor response, the benchmark benzoylsulfonamide 9 (L-159,913) was efficacious in several species and was superior to losartan (1a) in conscious rhesus monkeys. Several subsequent analogues, including the 2-chlorobenzoyl (18), (3-chlorothiophene-2-yl)carbonyl (51), ((S)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropyl)carbonyl (80), and tert-butoxycarbonyl (92) derivatives, were highly effective in rats, surpassing 9 and losartan in duration of action and/or potency. Compound 18 (L-162,223) displayed very prolonged AII antagonism in the rat model (> 24 h at 1 mg/kg iv). At 1 mg/kg po in rats, 18 and 92 (L-162,234) produced 85-87% peak inhibition of the AII pressor response with duration exceeding 6 h. The identification of triazolinone-based sulfonamide derivatives combining high AT1 affinity, considerably enhanced AT2 potency, and favorable in vivo properties provides insights relevant to the design of dual AT1/AT2 receptor antagonists.

Two series of potential angiotensin II antagonists derived from carboxyl-functionalized "diazole" heterocycles have been prepared and evaluated. Initially, a limited investigation of 4-arylimidazole-5-carboxylates led to 2-n-butyl-4-(2-chlorophenyl)-1-[[2'-(1H-tetrazol-5-yl)biphenyl-4-y l] methyl]-1H-imidazole-5-carboxylic acid (12b), which was found to be a highly potent antagonist of the rabbit aorta AT1 receptor (IC50 0.55 nM). In conscious, normotensive rats, 12b at 0.1 mg/kg iv inhibited the pressor response to AII by 88%, with a duration of > 6 h. More extensively studied was an isosteric series of 3-alkyl-4-[[2'-(1H-tetrazol-5-yl)biphenyl-4-yl]methyl]-1H-pyrazole -5- carboxylates bearing aryl, alkyl, or aralkyl substituents at N1. These compounds were available in highly regioselective fashion via condensation of a substituted hydrazine hydrochloride with a 2-(methoxyimino)-4-oxoalkanoate intermediate. In vitro, the most potent pyrazolecarboxylic acids had n-butyl at C3 and were substituted at N1 by such groups as 2,6-dichlorophenyl (19h), 2-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl (19k), benzyl (19t), and phenethyl (19u), all with IC50 values of 0.18-0.24 nM. Although less potent in the receptor assay, 3-n-propylpyrazolecarboxylic acids were at least as effective as their butyl counterparts in vivo. Several of the pyrazolecarboxylic acid derivatives demonstrated potent, long-lasting oral activity in rats. At 1 mg/kg po, the 1-benzyl-3-butyl (19t), 1-(2,6-dichlorophenyl)-3-propyl (19v), 3-propyl-1-(2,2,2-trifluoroethyl) (19y), and 1-benzyl-3-propyl (19z) analogues all gave > or = 75% inhibition of the AII pressor response in the rat model, with duration of action > 23 h.

By a variety of synthetic routes, we have synthesized a series of 3,4,5-trisubstituted 4H-1,2,4-triazoles and a related series of 3H-imidazo[1,2-b][1,2,4]triazoles and evaluated them in vitro and in vivo as angiotensin II (AII) antagonists. Principal efforts focused on triazoles bearing an n-alkyl substitutent at C3 and a 4-[(2-carboxybenzoyl)amino]benzyl, (2'-carboxybiphenyl-4-yl)methyl, or [2'-(1H-tetrazol-5-yl)biphenyl-4-yl]methyl side chain at N4. Among numerous variations at C5, benzylthio groups gave the best potency. Particularly noteworthy was 3-n-butyl-5-[(2-carboxybenzyl)thio]-4-[[2'-(1H-tetrazol-5-yl )biphenyl-4 - yl]methyl]-4H-1,2,4-triazole (71, IC50 1.4 nM), which blocked the AII pressor response in conscious rats at 0.3 mg/kg iv with a duration of action of approximately 6 h, similar to that of DuP 753. Although 71 was active orally only at a 10-fold higher dose level, good oral bioavailability was demonstrated for a monoacidic analogue 62. Most potent among the bicyclic derivatives was 2-n-butyl-5,6-dimethyl-3-[[2'-(1H-tetrazol-5-yl)biphenyl-4-yl]meth yl]- 3H-imidazo[1,2-b][1,2,4]triazole (93, IC50 7.8 nM). The effects of hydrophobic, hydrogen-bonding, and ionic interactions with the AT1 receptor are considered.