High-throughput chemistry toward complex carbohydrates and carbohydrate-like compounds

In the area of peptide and nucleic acid chemistry and biology, high-throughput synthesis has played an important role in providing useful small-molecule-based chemical probes in understanding the structure and function relationships. The past several years, there has been a constant rise in interest toward understanding the biological roles and functions of another important class of biomolecules, i.e., carbohydrates and carbohydrate conjugates. Although at early stages, in recent years, several groups have developed high-throughput synthetic methods to obtain complex carbohydrates or carbohydrate-like small-molecules. The present review article summarizes some of these developments.     

Effect of discontinuous boundary conditions on finite-difference solutions

If one is solving a Laplace differential equation by the standard 5-point or 9-point difference approximation, a discontinuity of the boundary values will cause the approximate solution to be in error in the interior. The amount and nature of these errors is discussed, and it is shown that a properly chosen 9-point approximation yields greater accuracy than a 5-point approximation for certain problems of this type.     

Computational study of turbulent laminar patterns in couette flow

Turbulent-laminar patterns near transition are simulated in plane Couette flow using an extension of the minimal-flow-unit methodology. Computational domains are of minimal size in two directions but large in the third. The long direction can be tilted at any prescribed angle to the streamwise direction. Three types of patterned states are found and studied: periodic, localized, and intermittent. These correspond closely to observations in large-aspect-ratio experiments.     

Os(VIII)-catalysed oxidation of sulfides by sodium salt of N-chlorobenzenesulfonamide

Catalytic activity of Os(VIII) in the oxidation of some twenty organic sulfides with sodium salt of N-chlorobenzenesulfonamide (CAB) has been investigated in alkaline (pH8.7) t-butanol–water (1:1 v/v) medium. Significant retarding influence of [OH⁻] on the reactivity is exhibited. The catalysed reaction is strongly accelerated in the presence of Hg(II). Imperfections are observed in the linear Hammett relationship in the case of –NO₂ substituents.     

Raman spectroscopic investigation on the microenvironment of the liver tissues of Zebrafish (Danio rerio) due to titanium dioxide exposure

Nano titanium dioxide (nTiO₂), generally considered to be toxicologically inert, is manufactured in large quantities and extensively applied in consumer products. The small size and large surface area endow them with an active group or intrinsic toxicity. Advances in instrumentation are making Raman spectroscopy the tool of choice for an increasing number of (bio) chemical applications. One of the great advantages of this technique is its ability to provide information on the concentration, structure and interaction of biochemical molecules in their microenvironments within intact cells and tissues, non-destructively. Zebrafish (Danio rerio), one of the most important vertebrate model organisms used in developmental biology, are increasingly used in biomedical research, particularly as a model of human disease. In the present work, an attempt is made to study the effect of titanium dioxide, both nano and bulk, on the microenvironment of the liver tissues of Zebrafish using FT-Raman spectroscopy. The results of the present study suggest that TiO₂ exposure demonstrate a marked influence on the microenvironments of the liver tissues of Zebrafish. A shift to a higher wavenumber and an increase in the intensity of the band at ∼1087 cm⁻¹ in the TiO₂ exposed tissues suggest that some of the conformational changes resulting from the alkali recovery process takes place due to TiO₂ exposure. The decreased intensity ratio (I₃₂₂₀/I₃₄₀₀) observed in the titanium-exposed tissues suggests a decreased water domain size, which could be interpreted in terms of weaker hydrogen-bonded molecular species of water in the TiO₂ exposed tissues. The observed shift of COO⁻ bands to higher frequencies shows the disruption of salt bridges as a result of a change in the oppositely charged partners and due to the enhanced random coil conformation. The variation in the intensity ratio of the tyrosyl doublet (I₈₅₈/I₈₂₅) indicates variation in the hydrogen bonding of the phenolic hydroxyl group due to TiO₂ exposure. The results further suggest that the microenvironments are greatly altered due to titanium nano exposure when compared to titanium bulk. In conclusion, the results indicate that FT-Raman spectroscopy might be a useful tool for rapid assessment of nano particle biological interactions.     

Finite-difference solution of Poisson's equation in rectangles of arbitrary proportions

The recently devised sixth order method for solving difference analogues of Poisson's equation affords much economy of computing effort if squares can be used for the grid elements. However, some developments result in rectangles with one side an irrational multiple of the other, for which the grid elements cannot be squares. A method is presented for handling this situation.

---

Zusammenfassung Die vor kurzem hergeleitete Methode sechster Ordnung für die Lösung der Poissonschen Differentialgleichung analogen Differenzengleichungen führt zu grosser Ökonomie im Rechenaufwand, falls man Quadrate für die Netzelemente benutzen kann. In gewissen Situationen hat man es jedoch mit Rechtecken zu tun, deren eine Seite ein irrationales Vielfaches der anderen Seite ist, für die die Netzelemente also keine Quadrate sein können. Eine Methode zur Handhabung solcher Situationen wird angegeben.

---

---

The author wishes to acknowledge the sponsorship of the United States Army under Contract No. DAAG29-75-C-0024 and of the Science Research Council under grant B/RG 4121 at Brunel University.     

Effect of discontinuous boundary conditions on finite-difference solutions

If one is solving a Laplace differential equation by the standard 5-point or 9-point difference approximation, a discontinuity of the boundary values will cause the approximate solution to be in error in the interior. The amount and nature of these errors is discussed, and it is shown that a properly chosen 9-point approximation yields greater accuracy than a 5-point approximation for certain problems of this type.

---

Zusammenfassung Wenn man die Laplace'sche Differentialgleichung mit den üblichen Differenzenverfahren mit 5 oder 9 Stützstellen löst, dann erzeugt eine Unstetigkeit in den Randwerten einen gewissen Fehler der Näherungsfunktion im Innern. Die Grösse und das Verhalten dieser Fehler werden untersucht und es wird gezeigt, dass bei gewissen Problemen dieser Art eine zweckmässig gewählte Approximation mit 9 Stützstellen höhere Genauigkeit gibt als eine Approximation mit 5 Stützstellen.

---

---

Sponsored by the United States Army under Contract No. DAAG29-75-C-0024.