Partition coefficients for the SAMPL5 challenge using transfer free energies

SAMPL challenges (Mobley et al. in J Comput Aided Mol Des 28:135–150, 2014; Skillman in J Comput Aided Mol Des 26:473–474, 2012; Geballe in J Comput Aided Mol Des 24:259–279, 2010; Guthrie in J Phys Chem B 113:4501–4507, 2009) provide excellent opportunities to assess theoretical approaches on new data sets with a goal of gaining greater insight towards protein and ligand modeling. In the SAMPL5 experiment, cyclohexane–water partition coefficients were determined using a vertical solvation scheme in conjunction with the SMD continuum solvent model. Several DFT functionals partnered with correlation consistent basis sets were evaluated for the prediction of the partition coefficients. The approach chosen for the competition, a B3PW91 vertical solvation scheme, yields a mean absolute deviation of 1.9 logP units and performs well at estimating the correct hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity for the full SAMPL5 molecule set.     

Postprandial metabolomics: A pilot mass spectrometry and NMR study of the human plasma metabolome in response to a challenge meal

The study of postprandial metabolism is relevant for understanding metabolic diseases and characterizing personal responses to diet. We combined three analytical platforms – gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) – to validate a multi-platform approach for characterizing individual variation in the postprandial state. We analyzed the postprandial plasma metabolome by introducing, at three occasions, meal challenges on a usual diet, and 1.5 years later, on a modified background diet. The postprandial response was stable over time and largely independent of the background diet as revealed by all three analytical platforms. Coverage of the metabolome between NMR and GC-MS included more polar metabolites detectable only by NMR and more hydrophobic compounds detected by GC-MS. The variability across three separate testing occasions among the identified metabolites was in the range of 1.1–86% for GC-MS and 0.9–42% for NMR in the fasting state at baseline. For the LC-MS analysis, the coefficients of variation of the detected compounds in the fasting state at baseline were in the range of 2–97% for the positive and 4–69% for the negative mode. Multivariate analysis (MVA) of metabolites detected with GC-MS revealed that for both background diets, levels of postprandial amino acids and sugars increased whereas those of fatty acids decreased at 0.5 h after the meal was consumed, reflecting the expected response to the challenge meal. MVA of NMR data revealed increasing postprandial levels of amino acids and other organic acids together with decreasing levels of acetoacetate and 3-hydroxybutanoic acid, also independent of the background diet. Together these data show that the postprandial response to the same challenge meal was stable even though it was tested 1.5 years apart, and that it was largely independent of background diet. This work demonstrates the efficacy of a multi-platform metabolomics approach followed by multivariate and univariate data analysis for a broad-scale screen of the individual metabolome, particularly for studies using repeated measures to determine dietary response phenotype.     

Chlorobis(nitrato‐O,O')(tetraethylene glycol dimethyl ether)neodymium(III), [NdCl(NO3)2(tetraglyme)]: A Novel Heteroleptic Complex

In the crystal structure of [NdCl(NO₃)₂(tetraglyme)] (triclinic, P1, Z = 2, a = 7.814(1); b = 7.9832(9); c = 15.322(2) Å; α = 87.38(1); β = 84.88(1); γ = 79.83(1)°), neodymium is ten coordinate with two transoid chelating nitrate ligands, a chlorine and the five oxygen atoms of the tetraglyme ligand in an irregular array.     

Das gemischtvalente ternäre Oxoferrat(II,III) K3[Fe2O4] – eine aufgefüllte Variante des K2[Fe2O4]‐Typs

The Mixed‐Valent Oxoferrate(II,III) K₃[Fe₂O₄] – A Stuffed Variant of the K₂[Fe₂O₄] Type of Structure K₃[Fe₂O₄] has been obtained by tempering “Cs₃K₃CdO₄” in sealed Fe containers (36 d at 450–480 °C) as dark red transparent single crystals of rectangular shape. The structure determination (IPDS diffractometer data, MoKα, 1891 collected reflections, 234 symmetry independent, R1 = 0.033, wR2 = 0.088) confirms the space group Fddd; a = 596.11(9), b = 1140.3(1), c = 1717.9(3) pm; Z = 8. K₃[Fe₂O₄] exhibits a structure with [FeO₄] tetrahedra connected via corners leading to a three‐dimensional network closely related to the KFeO₂ type of structure. From the oxidation at 520 °C of iron metal with KO₂ in the presence of Na₂O black single crystal of K₂[Fe₂O₄] have been obtained. K₂[Fe₂O₄] crystallizes in the space group Pbca with Z = 8 and a = 559.18(7), b = 1122.1(1), c = 1592.8(2) pm (IPDS diffractometer data, MoKα, collected refelctions: 9543, 1213 symmetry independent, R1 = 0.043, wR2 = 0.102).     

Ylide mediated polymerization of methacrylates and acrylates in the presence of tetraphenylphosphonium cation 3

Triphenylmethide tetraphenylphosphonium (TPM, TPP) or methylisobutyrate tetraphenylphosphonium (MIB, TPP) formed by ion exchange reactions of TPP chloride(TPPCl) with the TPM or MB potassium salts in THF, initiate the living polymerization of MMA producing PMMA's with narrow MW distributions (below 1.3) at ambient temperatures.     

Highly Valuable Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids from Microalgae: Strategies to Improve Their Yields and Their Potential Exploitation in Aquaculture

Microalgae have a great potential for the production of healthy food and feed supplements. Their ability to convert carbon into high-value compounds and to be cultured in large scale without interfering with crop cultivation makes these photosynthetic microorganisms promising for the sustainable production of lipids. In particular, microalgae represent an alternative source of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), whose consumption is related to various health benefits for humans and animals. In recent years, several strategies to improve PUFAs’ production in microalgae have been investigated. Such strategies include selecting the best performing species and strains and the optimization of culturing conditions, with special emphasis on the different cultivation systems and the effect of different abiotic factors on PUFAs’ accumulation in microalgae. Moreover, developments and results obtained through the most modern genetic and metabolic engineering techniques are described, focusing on the strategies that lead to an increased lipid production or an altered PUFAs’ profile. Additionally, we provide an overview of biotechnological applications of PUFAs derived from microalgae as safe and sustainable organisms, such as aquafeed and food ingredients, and of the main techniques (and their related issues) for PUFAs’ extraction and purification from microalgal biomass.