Zero-sum constrained stochastic games with independent state processes

We consider a zero-sum stochastic game with side constraints for both players with a special structure. There are two independent controlled Markov chains, one for each player. The transition probabilities of the chain associated with a player as well as the related side constraints depend only on the actions of the corresponding player; the side constraints also depend on the player’s controlled chain. The global cost that player 1 wishes to minimize and that player 2 wishes to maximize, depend however on the actions and Markov chains of both players. We obtain a linear programming formulations that allows to compute the value and saddle point policies for this problem. We illustrate the theoretical results through a zero-sum stochastic game in wireless networks in which each player has power constraints     

Selective fluorescence quenching of 2,3-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]oct-2-ene by nucleotides

[reaction: see text] The fluorescence quenching of 2,3-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]oct-2-ene (DBO) by nucleotides has been studied. The quenching mechanism was analyzed on the basis of deuterium isotope effects, tendencies for exciplex formation, and the quenching efficiency in the presence of a molecular container (cucurbit[7]uril). Exciplex-induced quenching appears to prevail for adenosine, cytidine, and uridine, while hydrogen abstraction becomes competitive for thymidine and guanosine. Compared to other fluorescent probes, DBO responds very selectively to the type of nucleotide.     

Purification of S1 nuclease from Aspergillus oryzae by recycling isoelectric focusing

We describe the purification of a single-strand nuclease from Aspergillus oryzae using the first commercial prototype of an instrument (RF3TM) designed by Milan Bier et al. for preparative-scale isoelectric focusing. Protein separation takes place entirely in solution, with shear-stabilized laminar flow counteracting convective disturbances generated by the electric field. Conditions for isoelectric focusing were determined by focusing fractions with nuclease activity, following chromatography on DEAE-Sepharose, in analytical gels containing carrier ampholytes. The separation was then scaled up to process larger quantities of protein in the RF3. When partially-purified protein (250 mg, 6700 U/mg) was focused in pH 3-4 carrier ampholytes. 67% of the activity was recovered in pooled peak fractions with a specific activity of 54,000 U/mg protein. Overall, 82% of the activity loaded on the RF3 was recovered. Eliminating two steps prior to isoelectric focusing, and increasing the protein load from 250 mg to 1.2 g, produced an enzyme with a nearly four-fold increase in specific activity (from 4000 U/mg protein to 15,000 U/mg protein) but with unacceptable color. Our results indicate that a high quality enzyme can be prepared in quantity when heat denaturation and ammonium sulfate precipitation are included prior to isoelectric focusing.     

Generation and fate of free radicals of Δ2-oxazolin-5-ones

The reaction of Δ² -oxazolin-5-ones 1a and 1b with nickel peroxide in benzene produces the corresponding 4,4-dehydrodimers 5a and 5b as the main products in yields over 75%. Under the same conditions, the 2-aryl -4-methyl - Δ²-oxazolin-5-ones 1c, 1d and 1e yield five products. In the case of 1c, the constituents of the product mixture were separated and identified as two 4,4-dehydrodimers ( meso and d] pair isomers) 5c and 5c', (40.7%), 2,4-dehydrodimer 6c (34.9%), acetylanisoylimide 8c (8.5%) and anisamide (15.9%). Adequate mechanistic schemes are discussed to account for the products formed.     

Manganese,cobalt and nickel complexes with a novel 17-membered macrocycle containing an N5 donor set

Summary The synthesis of a new macrocycle containing phenanthroline and pyridine subunits is described. The reaction of 2,9-bis(hydrazone)-1,10-phenanthroline with 2,6-bis-(bromomethyl) pyridine in the presence of Mn^II, Co^II or Ni^II ion templates leads to the isolation, in high yield, of the seven-coordinate complexes [M(L³)Br₂] (L³ = 4,5, 6,7,8,9-phenanthrolino-14,15,16-pyridino-1,2,5,8,11,12,15 heptaazacycloheptadecane,2,10-diene). The compounds were characterized by physical measurements, which indicated that in all the complexes the ligand is acting as a pentadentate N₅ chelating agent.     

The Forwarding Indices of Random Graphs

A routing R of a graph G is a set of n(n ? 1) elementary paths R(u, v) specified for all ordered pairs (u, v) of vertices of G. The vertex-forwarding index ξ(G) of G, is defined by Where ξ(G, R) is the maximum number of paths of the routing R passing through any vertex of G and the minimum is taken over all the routings of G. Let G_p denote the random graph on n vertices with edge probability p and let m = np. It is proved among other things that, under natural growth conditions on the function p = p(n), the ratio Tends to 1 in probability as n tends to infinity.     

Production of hybrid 16-membered macrolides by expressing combinations of polyketide synthase genes in engineered Streptomyces fradiae hosts

Combinations of the five polyketide synthase (PKS) genes for biosynthesis of tylosin in Streptomyces fradiae (tylG), spiramycin in Streptomyces ambofaciens (srmG), or chalcomycin in Streptomyces bikiniensis (chmG) were expressed in engineered hosts derived from a tylosin-producing strain of S. fradiae. Surprisingly efficient synthesis of compounds predicted from the expressed hybrid PKS was obtained. The post-PKS tailoring enzymes of tylosin biosynthesis acted efficiently on the hybrid intermediates with the exception of TylH-catalyzed hydroxylation of the methyl group at C14, which was efficient if C4 bore a methyl group, but inefficient if a methoxyl was present. Moreover, for some compounds, oxidation of the C6 ethyl side chain to an unprecedented carboxylic acid was observed. By also expressing chmH, a homolog of tylH from the chalcomycin gene cluster, efficient hydroxylation of the 14-methyl group was restored.     

Synthesis of a conformationally locked version of puromycin amino nucleoside

[reaction: see text] A conformationally locked carbocyclic version of puromycin amino nucleoside was synthesized via Mitsunobu coupling of a 3-azido-substituted carbocyclic moiety with 6-chloropurine without interference from the azido group reacting with triphenylphosphine. The requisite 3-azido-substituted carbocyclic pseudosugar was prepared by a double inversion of configuration at C3' (nucleoside numbering) involving a nucleophilic displacement with azide.     

Total synthesis of lansiumamides A and B and alatamide

The total syntheses of lansiumamide A, lansiumamide B and alatamide have been completed taking advantage of the dihalo-olefination of N-formylimides. The syntheses are convergent, flexible and allow for the generation of analogues not accessible through other routes.     

Understanding the Chloride Affinity of Barbiturates for Anion Receptor Design

Due to their potential binding sites, barbituric acid (BA) and its derivatives have been used in metal coordination chemistry. Yet their abilities to recognize anions remain unexplored. In this work, we were able to identify four structural features of barbiturates that are responsible for a certain anion affinity. The set of coordination interactions can be finely tuned with covalent decorations at the methylene group. DFT-D computations at the BLYP-D3(BJ)/aug-cc-pVDZ level of theory show that the C−H bond is as effective as the N−H bond to coordinate chloride. An analysis of the electron charge density at the C−H⋅⋅⋅Cl⁻ and N−H⋅⋅⋅Cl⁻ bond critical points elucidates their similarities in covalent character. Our results reveal that the special acidity of the C−H bond shows up when the methylene group moves out of the ring plane and it is mainly governed by the orbital interaction energy. The amide and carboxyl groups are the best choices to coordinate the ion when they act together with the C−H bond. We finally show how can we use this information to rationally improve the recognition capability of a small cage-like complex that is able to coordinate NaCl.