Principal component analysis of the effects of wavefunction modification on the electrostatic potential of indole

The molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) of the indole molecule was calculated in a three‐dimensional grid in which the molecule was centered at the origin. To evaluate the dependence of MEP on the type of calculation, semiempirical, ab initio, and density functional theory methods with different basis sets were employed. The data matrix generated by these calculations was analyzed by principal component analysis (PCA). The appearance of outliers and the effect of wavefunction modifications such as the introduction of electron correlations and diffuse functions were highlighted by the use of PCA. The spatial localization of such effects around the molecule was possible from the loadings values associated with the graphical analysis of the grid points. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2005     

Optical sensors based on hybrid DNA/conjugated polymer complexes

Single-stranded DNA (ss-DNA) can specifically bind to various targets, including a complementary ss-DNA, ions, proteins, drugs, and so forth. When binding takes place, the oligonucleotide probe often undergoes a conformational transition. This conformational change of the negatively charged ss-DNA can be detected by using a water-soluble, cationic polythiophene derivative, which transduces the complex formation into an optical (colorimetric or fluorometric) signal without any labeling of the probe or the target. This simple and rapid methodology has enabled the specific and sensitive detection of nucleic acids and human thrombin. This new biophotonic tool can easily be applied to the detection of various other biomolecules and is also useful in the high-throughput screening of new drugs.     

Determination of manganese in brain samples by slurry sampling graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry

A simple procedure for the determination of manganese in different sections of human brain samples by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry has been developed. Brain sections included cerebellum, hypothalamus, frontal cortex, vermix and encephalic trunk. Two sample preparation procedures were evaluated, namely, slurry sampling and microwave-assisted acid digestion. Brain slurries (2% w/v) could be prepared in distilled, de-ionized water, with good stability for up to 30 min. Brain samples were also digested in a domestic microwave oven using 5 ml of concentrated HNO₃. A mixed palladium+magnesium nitrate chemical modifier was used for thermal stabilization of the analyte in the electrothermal atomizer up to pyrolysis temperatures of 1300 °C, irrespective of the matrix. Quantitation of manganese was conducted in both cases by means of aqueous standards calibration. The detection limits were 0.3 and 0.4 ng ml⁻¹ for the slurry and the digested samples, respectively. The accuracy of the procedure was checked by comparing the results obtained in the analysis of slurries and digested brain samples, and by analysis of the NIST Bovine Liver standard reference material (SRM 1577a). The ease of slurry preparation, together with the conventional set of analytical and instrumental conditions selected for the determination of manganese make such methodology suitable for routine clinical applications.     

Synthesis and anticonvulsant activity of new fluorinated N-phenyl- and N-benzyl-2-azaspiro[4.4]nonane- and [4.5]decane-1,3-dione derivatives: Part III

A series of N-phenyl- and N-benzyl-2-azaspiro[4.4]nonane- and [4.5]decane-1,3-diones containing a fluoro or trifluoromethyl substituents at the aryl ring was synthesized and tested for their anticonvulsant activity in the maximal electroshock (MES) and subcutaneous metrazole (sc.Met) tests. Among them, the most active were N-benzyl derivatives with fluoro and trifluoromethyl substituents especially at position-2 of the aryl moiety. The introduction of the phenyl ring at the imide nitrogen atom resulted in less active compounds. The results obtained showed that incorporation of fluoro or trifluoromethyl substituents increased the anticonvulsant activity in comparison to respective chloro, methoxy or methyl analogues. Crystallographically obtained conformation for one active and two inactive derivatives with trifluoromethyl substituents at position-2 or -3 of phenyl ring were initially used for molecular electrostatic potentials (MEP) calculation. The MEP distribution at carbonyl oxygen atoms was different for active and inactive molecules.     

密度泛函理论和从头算方法对富勒烯分子静电势的比较研究

分别在Hartree-Fock和密度泛函B3LYP理论下,用6-31G*基组研究了C60和C70分子的静电势,比较了这方法计算得到上述分子静电势值的大小,静电势图形和静电势差值曲线,分析了富勒烯的电子相关效应.     

Dynamic light-scattering analysis of the electrostatic interaction of hexahistidine-tagged cytochrome P450 enzyme with semiconductor quantum dots.

Currently, there is great interest in the development of methods suitable for determining the stoichiometry of biomolecules attached to nanoparticles. We describe the use of the dynamic light-scattering technique (DLS) to determine the stoichiometry of the protein cytochrome P450(BSbeta) attached to CdS and CdSe quantum dots (QDs). The enzyme-conjugated QDs have different diffusion characteristics compared to the QD and enzyme precursors, expressed in their size, scattering intensity as well as zeta-potential values. The significant enhancement of the scattering intensity of QDs observed upon conjugation with the P450(BSbeta) due to the refractive-index increment and the systematic variation in zeta potential resulting from charge neutralization of the anionic QDs by the cationic histidine-tagged P450(BSbeta) have been used for stoichiometry determination.     

结合三维静电势参数研究二取代苯的定量结构－疏水性关系

对含有常见取代基的92个二取代苯化合物进行了结构优化和静电势及其导出参数的计算,运用多元线性回归方法对化合物的疏水常数与分子的结构参数进行了关联.结果表明,分子表面负静电势的加和ΣV－S、分子空间内最负的静电势Vmin、表面最大静电势Vs,max以及分子体积V、极性表面积APS和分子的偶极密度μ/V这六个参数,可以很好地用于表达这些化合物疏水性与分子结构间的定量关系,而不用具体考虑分子中极性基团间的相互作用.用建立起来的QSPR(quantitative structure-property relationship)关系式对111个类似化合物的疏水性进行了预测,获得了满意的结果.     

静电自组装聚电解质/有机染料插层蒙脱土光致变色纳米复合膜

从构筑静电自组装聚电解质／有机染料插层蒙脱土光致变色纳米复合膜所必需 的基本纳米构件--有机染料插层蒙脱土光致变色纳米复合物的设计出发，制备了具有光致 变色功能的蒙脱土／阳离子偶氮染料（GTL）均插层纳米复合物现，插人蒙脱土层 间的GTL热稳定性大幅度提高．由于GTL在纳米受限空间的超分子有序结构共轭，使 偶氮基发生了高达91 nm的显著红移．使用该插层纳米复合物构件与阳离子聚电解 质（PDAC）通过静电自组装得到了生长均匀、排列规整有序的光致变色聚电解质／ 阳离子偶氮染料插层蒙脱土纳米复合膜.     

Functional Polyoxometalate Thin Films via Electrostatic Layer-by-Layer Self-Assembly

Polyoxometalates (POMs) comprise a structurally diverse class of inorganic transition metal oxygen clusters which—owing to their unique electronic properties—hold promise for a host of technological applications such as electrochromic windows, sensors, or heterogeneous catalysts, prototypic examples of which will be briefly exemplified. The integration of POMs into functional architectures and devices, however, necessitates the development of general methods that allow positioning these clusters in well-defined supramolecular architectures, thin films, or mesophases. This short review highlights recent advances in the preparation of composite multilayers fabricated by electrostatic layer-by-layer self-assembly (ELSA) of POMs and a variety of water-soluble cationic species, including transition metal complexes, cationic surfactants, polycations and bipolar pyridine.