On energy bounds derived from the conjugate eigenvalue problem

An upper bound for E₀, which has been derived from the conjugate eigenvalue problem by Hall, is discussed. It is emphasized that the bound is only guaranteed when V is negative-definite. An alternative bound is presented which is free from this restriction, and the underlying iterative procedure is given. Hall's result is generalized to admit internuclear distances, and the theory is illustrated by a one-dimensional system with delta-function potentials. Some disadvantages of the approach are mentioned.     

Mining combinatorial data in protein sequences and structures

Combinatorial searches of structural and physical chemical properties involving the components of libraries of dipeptide, tripeptide and tetra peptide fragments were carried out in the Protein Data Bank and the SwissProt databases. The properties investigated are structural propensities, co localization of peptide fragments in protein sequences, interactions between peptide fragments in close structural proximity and the participation of physical chemical profiles in the distribution of structural motifs among peptide fragments. The results obtained for each combinatorial search in the study are classified according to the structural motifs alpha-helix, beta-sheet, reverse turn I and reverse turn II. The application of combinatorial data mined in protein databases to the design of new peptide libraries is discussed. The present findings have implications for the study of protein structure which are also discussed.     

Ultra-resolution imaging of a self-assembling biomolecular system using robust carbon nanotube AFM probes

Nanoscale structural features of a novel self-assembling DNA based nanostructure have been resolved. Image data is of sufficient resolution to allow molecular orientation and the effect of surface adsorption to be characterized. This has been achieved using AFM with probes employing carbon nanotubes attached via a thin film of plasma polymerized hexane. This presents the nanotube with a highly hydrophobic coating to which it can adsorb, increasing production success and probe robustness.     

Study of acid pyridine-3-carboxylic acid dodecatungstenphosphate of the composition (C6NO2H5)2H[PW12O40]·2H2O

Acid pyridine-3-carboxylic acid dodecatungstenphosphate (C₆NO₂H₅)₂H[PW₁₂O₄₀]·2H₂O is synthesized. The compound is studied by chemical analysis, IR spectroscopy, X-ray crystallography, and thermogravimetry. The compound is found to crystallize at 290 K in a hexagonal crystal system (space group \(R\bar 3\) ) (I) with the unit cell parameters: a = 33.015(6) Å, c = 12.010(2) Å, γ = 120°, V = 11337(4) ų, Z = 9. When the temperature decreases to 100 K, a phase transition is observed leading to an increase in symmetry to \(R\bar 3m\) (II), with the unit cell parameters: a = 33.072(1) Å, c = 24.234(1) Å, γ = 120°, V = 22955(2) ų, Z = 18.     

Insights into the Synthesis of Steroidal A‐Ring Olefins

The classical synthesis, followed by purification of the steroidal A‐ring Δ¹‐olefin, 5α‐androst‐1‐en‐17‐one ( 5 ), from the Δ¹‐3‐keto enone, (5α,17β)‐3‐oxo‐5‐androst‐1‐en‐17‐yl acetate ( 1 ), through a strategy involving the reaction of Δ¹‐3‐hydroxy allylic alcohol, 3β‐hydroxy‐5α‐androst‐1‐en‐17β‐yl acetate ( 2 ), with SOCl₂, was revisited in order to prepare and biologically evaluate 5 as aromatase inhibitor for breast cancer treatment. Surprisingly, the followed strategy also afforded the isomeric Δ²‐olefin 6 as a by‐product, which could only be detected on the basis of NMR analysis. Optimization of the purification and detection procedures allowed us to reach 96% purity required for biological assays of compound 5 . The same synthetic strategy was applied, using the Δ⁴‐3‐keto enone, 3‐oxoandrost‐4‐en‐17β‐yl acetate ( 8 ), as starting material, to prepare the potent aromatase inhibitor Δ⁴‐olefin, androst‐4‐en‐17‐one ( 15 ). Unexpectedly, a different aromatase inhibitor, the Δ^3,5‐diene, androst‐3,5‐dien‐17‐one ( 12 ), was formed. To overcome this drawback, another strategy was developed for the preparation of 15 from 8 . The data now presented show the unequal reactivity of the two steroidal A‐ring Δ¹‐ and Δ⁴‐3‐hydroxy allylic alcohol intermediates, 3β‐hydroxy‐5α‐androst‐1‐en‐17β‐yl acetate ( 2 ) and 3β‐hydroxyandrost‐4‐en‐17β‐yl acetate ( 9 ), towards SOCl₂, and provides a new strategy for the preparation of the aromatase inhibitor 12 . Additionally, a new pathway to prepare compound 15 was achieved, which avoids the formation of undesirable by‐products.     

Flexible,Miniaturized Sensing Probes Inspired by Biofuel Cells for Monitoring Synaptically Released Glutamate in the Mouse Brain

Chemical biomarkers in the central nervous system can provide valuable quantitative measures to gain insight into the etiology and pathogenesis of neurological diseases. Glutamate, one of the most important excitatory neurotransmitters in the brain, has been found to be upregulated in various neurological disorders, such as traumatic brain injury, Alzheimer's disease, stroke, epilepsy, chronic pain, and migraines. However, quantitatively monitoring glutamate release in situ has been challenging. This work presents a novel class of flexible, miniaturized probes inspired by biofuel cells for monitoring synaptically released glutamate in the nervous system. The resulting sensors, with dimensions as low as 50 by 50 μm, can detect real-time changes in glutamate within the biologically relevant concentration range. Experiments exploiting the hippocampal circuit in mice models demonstrate the capability of the sensors in monitoring glutamate release via electrical stimulation using acute brain slices. These advances could aid in basic neuroscience studies and translational engineering, as the sensors provide a diagnostic tool for neurological disorders. Additionally, adapting the biofuel cell design to other neurotransmitters can potentially enable the detailed study of the effect of neurotransmitter dysregulation on neuronal cell signaling pathways and revolutionize neuroscience.     

Influence of HF2- geometry on magnetic interactions elucidated from polymorphs of the metal-organic framework [Ni(HF2)(pyz)2]PF6 (pyz = pyrazine)

A tetragonal polymorph of [Ni(HF(2))(pyz)(2)]PF(6) (designated β) is isomorphic to its SbF(6)-congener at 295 K and features linear Ni-FHF-Ni pillars. Enhancements in the spin exchange (J(FHF) = 7.7 K), Néel temperature (T(N) = 7 K), and critical field (B(c) = 24 T) were found relative to monoclinic α-PF(6). DFT reveals that the HF(2)(-) bridges are significantly better mediators of magnetic exchange than pyz (J(pyz)), where J(FHF) ≈ 3J(pyz), thus leading to quasi-1D behavior. Spin density resides on all atoms of the HF(2)(-) bridge whereas N-donor atoms of the pyz ring bear most of the density.     

Interpenetrating three-dimensional diamondoid lattices and antiferromagnetic ordering (T(c) = 73 K) of Mn(II)(CN)2

Thermolysis of either the 3-D, bridged-layered [NEt(4)]Mn(II)(3)(CN)(7) or 2-D, layered [NEt(4)](2)Mn(II)(3)(CN)(8) forms Mn(II)(CN)(2). Rietveld analysis of the high-resolution synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction data determined that Mn(II)(CN)(2) is cubic [a = 6.1488(3) ?] (space group = Pn3m) consisting of two independent, interpenetrating networks having the topology of the diamond lattice. Each tetrahedrally coordinated Mn(II) is bonded to four orientationally disordered cyanide ligands. Mn(II)(CN)(2) magnetically orders as an antiferromagnet with a T(c) = 73 K determined from the peak in d(χT)/dT. Exchange coupling estimated via the mean field Heisenberg model from the transition temperature (J/k(B) = -4.4 K) and low temperature magnetic susceptibility of the ordered phase (J/k(B) = -7.2 K) indicate that Mn(II)(CN)(2) experiences weak antiferromagnetic coupling. The discrepancy between those estimates is presumably due to local anisotropy at the Mn(II) sites arising from the CN orientational disorder or interactions between the interpenetrating lattices.     

Non-Prussian blue structures and magnetic ordering of Na2Mn(II)[Mn(II)(CN)6] and Na2Mn(II)[Mn(II)(CN)6]·2H2O

The aqueous reaction of Mn(II) and NaCN leads to the isolation of the 3-D Prussian blue analogue (PBA) Na(2)Mn[Mn(CN)(6)]·2H(2)O (1·H(2)O), which under careful dehydration forms 1. 1·H(2)O is monoclinic [P2(1)/n, a = 10.66744(32) ?, b = 7.60223(23) ?, c = 7.40713(22) ?, β = 92.4379(28)°], while 1 is rhombohedral [R ?3, a = 6.6166(2) ?, c = 19.2585(6) ?], and both structures are atypical for PBAs, which are typically face centered cubic. Most notably, the average ∠Mn-N-C angles are 165.3(3)° and 142.4(4)° for 1·H(2)O and 1, respectively, which are significantly reduced from linearity. This is attributed to the ionic nature of high-spin Mn(II) accommodating a reduced ∠Mn-N-C to minimize void space. Both 1 and 1·H(2)O magnetically order as ferrimagnets below their ordering temperature, T(c), of 58 and 30 K, respectively, as determined from the average of several independent methods. 1 and 1·H(2)O are hard magnets with 5 K coercive fields of 15,300 and 850 Oe, and remnant magnetizations of 9075 and 102 emu·Oe/mol, respectively. These data along with previous T(c)'s reported for related materials reveal that T(c) increases as the ∠Mn-N-C deviates further from linearity. Hence, the bent cyanide bridges play a crucial role in the superexchange mechanism by increasing the coupling via shorter Mn(II)···Mn(II) separations, and perhaps an enhanced overlap.