Polymorphic forms of lupane triterpenoid betulonic aldehyde (betulonal)

The lupane triterpenoid betulonic aldehyde [also known as betulonal; systematic name: lup‐20(29)‐en‐28‐al‐3‐one, C₃₀H₄₆O₂] is a product of betulin oxidation. Crystals were obtained from hexane [form (I)] and dimethyl sulfoxide [form (II)] solutions. Forms (I) and (II) are both orthorhombic. The molecular geometric parameters in the two forms are similar, but the structures are different with respect to the crystal packing. Polymorph (I) contains two independent molecules in the asymmetric unit, while polymorph (II) contains only one molecule, which has a disordered aldehyde group [the disorder ratio is 0.769 (4):0.231 (4)]. In each molecule, the six‐membered rings have chair conformations, whereas the cyclopentane ring in each molecule adopts an envelope conformation. All the rings in the lupane nucleus are trans‐fused. The extended structures of both polymorphs are stabilized by weak intermolecular C—H...O and van der Waals interactions. Weak intramolecular C—H...O interactions are also observed.     

Nondislocation origin of GaAs nanoindentation pop-in event

The present Letter demonstrates a pop-in event that is caused by a nanoindentation-induced phase transformation in GaAs, and not accompanied by any dislocation nucleation. Our computer simulations reveal the appearance of the new phase, documented by the structural correlation functions and visualization of the atomic positions. This challenges the orthodox view that the initial pop-in event reflects nucleation of dislocations or their movement, and has a bearing on materials where dislocation activity is not present.     

The photoacoustic spectroscopic investigations of the surface preparation of ZnSe crystals

This paper presents results of the photoacoustic (PA) spectral studies of a series of ZnSe crystals with differently prepared surfaces. All samples exhibited the surface absorption connected with defects states located on their surfaces. The quality of the surface preparation is expressed by the surface absorption coefficient spectra of the samples times the thickness of a damaged layer. In this paper both theoretical and experimental photoacoustic amplitude and phase spectra as also the corresponding computed surface and volume optical absorption coefficient spectra of the samples with differently prepared surfaces are presented and discussed. This is the first attempt of the quantitative evaluation of the surface quality of the samples from the photoacoustic experimental spectra.     

Contents to volume 19

Miscellanea

Contents to volume 19     

The hydrogen‐bonding network in deacetyl­cephalothin

The structural analysis of deacetyl­cephalothin [systematic name: (6R,7R)‐3‐hydroxy­methyl‐8‐oxo‐7‐(2‐thio­phen‐2‐yl­acetyl­amino)‐5‐thia‐1‐aza­bicyclo­[4.2.0]oct‐2‐ene‐2‐carboxylic acid], C₁₄H₁₄N₂O₅S₂, shows that the geometry of the central bicyclic moiety is close to the geometry exhibited by other biologically active cephalosporin antibiotics. The mol­ecules are arranged in a helical chain running parallel to the 2₁ axis via a strong O—H⋯O hydrogen bond. The main helices are zipped together via N—H⋯O inter­actions, forming infinite layers. The supramolecular architecture is stabilized by O—H⋯S and C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds.     

Cryopreservation by encapsulation of Gentiana spp cell suspensions maintains regrowth, embryogenic competence and DNA content

A reliable technique for cryopreservation by encapsulation was developed for two suspension cultures of gentian species (Gentiana tibetica and G. cruciata) of different ages and embryogenic potential. The effect of water content, aggregate size and the subculture time on viability was determined by the 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) test. Regrowth of a proembryogenic mass (PEM) on agar, liquid or agar/liquid media was assayed by measuring the increase in biomass. A water content of 24-30% (fresh weight basis) after 5-6 h dehydration of encapsulated cells of gentians yielded the highest survival (68% for G. tibetica and 83% for G. cruciata) after cryopreservation. Regardless of species, aggregate size and subculture time, the lowest PEM survival was 44%. These parameters did not influence the survival of G. tibetica PEM, but the survival of G. cruciata was higher when the smaller aggregates were cryopreserved on the 5th day of culture. Agar/liquid culture caused the greatest biomass increase. Cryopreservation did not affect the characteristics of suspension cultures and their regrowth after thawing, nor the number and dynamics of somatic embryos formed. Flow cytometry showed that cryopreservation did not change the genome size of the PEMs or regenerants.     

Competitive Algorithms for Relaxed List Update and Multilevel Caching

We study relaxed list update problem (RLUP), in which access requests are made to items stored in a list. The cost to access the jth item x_j is c_j, where c_i ≤ c_{i + 1} for all i. After the access, x_j can be repeatedly swapped, at no cost, with any item that precedes it in the list. This problem was introduced by Aggarwal et al. (1987, “Proc. 19th Symp. Theory of Computing,” pp. 305–313) as a model for the management of hierarchical memory that consists of a number of caches of increasing size and access time. They also proved that a version of LRU is C-competitive, for some C, for a restricted class of cost functions. We give an efficient offline algorithm that computes the optimal strategy for RLUP. We also show an elegant characterization of work functions for RLUP. We prove that move-to-front (MTF) is optimally competitive for RLUP with any cost function. An interesting feature of the proof is that it does not involve any estimates on the competitive ratio. Finally, we give a lower bound on the competitive ratio of online algorithms for RLUP.     

Encapsulation of α-Pinene in Delivery Systems Based on Liposomes and Cyclodextrins

The essential oil component α-pinene has multiple biological activities. However, its application is limited owing to its volatility, low aqueous solubility, and chemical instability. For the aim of improving its physicochemical properties, α-pinene was encapsulated in conventional liposomes (CLs) and drug-in-cyclodextrin-in-liposomes (DCLs). Hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin/α-pinene (HP-β-CD/α-pinene) inclusion complexes were prepared in aqueous solution, and the optimal solubilization of α-pinene occurred at HP-β-CD:α-pinene molar ratio of 7.5:1. The ethanol-injection method was applied to produce different formulations using saturated (Phospholipon 90H) or unsaturated (Lipoid S100) phospholipids in combination with cholesterol. The size, the phospholipid and cholesterol incorporation rates, the encapsulation efficiency (EE), and the loading rate (LR) of α-pinene were determined, and the storage stability of liposomes was assessed. The results showed that α-pinene was efficiently entrapped in CLs and DCLs with high EE values. Moreover, Lipoid S100 CLs displayed the highest LR (22.9 ± 2.2%) of α-pinene compared to the other formulations. Both carrier systems HP-β-CD/α-pinene inclusion complex and Lipoid S100 CLs presented a gradual release of α-pinene. Furthermore, the DPPH radical scavenging activity of α-pinene was maintained upon encapsulation in Lipoid S100 CLs. Finally, it was found that all formulations were stable after three months of storage at 4 °C.     

The properties of weak and strong dihydrogen-bonded D-H...H-A complexes.

The properties of six dihydrogen-bonded (DHB) dimers with the BeH2 molecule as a proton acceptor were calculated by MP2, CCSD(T) and B3LYP methods. The structural, energetic and spectroscopic parameters are presented and analyzed in terms of their possible correlation with the interaction energy and the intermolecular H...H separation. The symmetry-adapted perturbation theory (SAPT) calculations were performed to gain more insight into the nature of the H...H interactions. The studied complexes are divided into three groups based on the calculated intermolecular distances and the interaction energies which range from approximately -1 to -42 kJ mol(-1). The analysis of the interaction energy components indicates that, in contrast to conventional hydrogen bonds, the induction energy is the most important term in the BeH2NH4+ complex. On the other hand, there is no sharp boundary between the DHB complexes classified as hydrogen bonded and van der Waals systems. The complexation-induced changes in vibrational frequencies and in proton shielding constants show a relationship with the interaction energy. The values of the 2hJXH and 3hJBeX coupling constants correlate well with the interaction energy and with the intermolecular distance.     

Effect of structural disorder on magnetic frustrations in the Fe80Nb6B14 amorphous alloy

The paper presents measurements of magnetic frustrations for the Fe₈₀Nb₆B₁₄ amorphous alloy preliminary annealed for 1 h at temperatures ranging from 300 to 770 K in comparison with other parameters characterizing structural relaxation. It was shown that annealing out of free volume and internal stresses cause a reduction in number of frustrated states observed in the range 400>T>50 K. In the range 2<T<50 K additional frustrations due to iron clusters or nanograins were detected.