Some results about zero‐cycles on abelian and semi‐abelian varieties

In this short note we extend some results obtained in [7]. First, we prove that for an abelian variety A with good ordinary reduction over a finite extension of with p an odd prime, the Albanese kernel of A is the direct sum of its maximal divisible subgroup and a torsion group. Second, for a semi‐abelian variety G over a perfect field k, we construct a decreasing integral filtration of Suslin's singular homology group, , such that the successive quotients are isomorphic to a certain Somekawa K‐group.     

Vacuum-assisted headspace solid phase microextraction: Improved extraction of semivolatiles by non-equilibrium headspace sampling under reduced pressure conditions

A new headspace solid-phase microextraction (HSSPME) procedure carried out under vacuum conditions is proposed here where sample volumes commonly used in HSSPME (9 mL) were introduced into pre-evacuated commercially available large sampling chambers (1000 mL) prior to HSSPME sampling. The proposed procedure ensured reproducible conditions for HSSPME and excluded the possibility of analyte losses. A theoretical model was formulated demonstrating for the first time the pressure dependence of HSSPME sampling procedure under non equilibrium conditions. Although reduced pressure conditions during HSSPME sampling are not expected to increase the amount of analytes extracted at equilibrium, they greatly increase extraction rates compared to HSSPME under atmospheric pressure due to the enhancement of evaporation rates in the presence of an air-evacuated headspace. The effect is larger for semivolatiles whose evaporation rates are controlled by mass transfer resistance in the thin gas film adjacent to the sample/headspace interface. Parameters that affect HSSPME extraction were investigated under both vacuum and atmospheric conditions and the experimental data obtained were used to discuss and verify the theory. The use of an excessively large headspace volume was also considered. The applicability of Vac-HSSPME was assessed using chlorophenols as model compounds yielding linearities better than 0.9915 and detection limits in the low-ppt level. The repeatability was found to vary from 3.1 to 8.6%.     

Parameterization of Org27569: An allosteric modulator of the cannabinoid CB1 G protein‐coupled receptor

The cannabinoid CB₁ receptor is a class A G protein‐coupled receptor (GPCR) that is the most widely expressed GPCR in the brain. Many GPCRs contain allosteric binding sites for endogenous and/or synthetic ligands, which are topographically distinct from the agonist‐binding site that is known as the orthosteric site. While both endogenous and synthetic ligands that act at the CB₁ orthosteric site have been known for some time, compounds that act at a CB₁ allosteric site have only recently been discovered. The most studied of these is 5‐chloro‐3‐ethyl‐1H‐indole‐2‐carboxylic acid [2‐(4‐piperidin‐1‐ylphenyl)ethyl]amide (Org27569). Because allosteric ligands are thought to act through conformational changes in the receptor that are transmitted from the allosteric to the orthosteric site, computational studies of the structural and dynamic interactions of Org27569 with the CB₁ receptor are crucial to achieve a molecular level understanding of the basis of action of this important new class of compounds. To date, such computational studies have not been possible due to the lack of a complete set of molecular mechanics force field parameters for Org27569. Here, we present the development of missing CHARMM force field parameters for Org27569 using previously published methods and the validation and application of these new parameters using normal mode analysis and molecular dynamics simulations combined with experimental infrared measurements. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem, 2011     

Cloning and Characterization of a Biotic-Stress-Inducible Glutathione Transferase from Phaseolus vulgaris

Glutathione transferases (GSTs, EC 2.5.1.18) are ubiquitous proteins in plants that play important roles in stress tolerance and in the detoxification of toxic chemicals and metabolites. In this study, we systematically examined the catalytic diversification of a GST isoenzyme from Phaseolus vulgaris (PvGST) which is induced under biotic stress treatment (Uromyces appendiculatus infection). The full-length cDNA of this GST isoenzyme (termed PvGSTU3-3) with complete open reading frame, was isolated using RACE-RT and showed that the deduced amino acid sequence shares high homology with the tau class plant GSTs. PvGSTU3-3 catalyzes several different reactions and exhibits wide substrate specificity. Of particular importance is the finding that the enzyme shows high antioxidant catalytic function and acts as hydroperoxidase, thioltransferase, and dehydroascorbate reductase. In addition, its K _m for GSH is about five to ten times lower compared to other plant GSTs, suggesting that PvGSTU3-3 is able to perform efficient catalysis under conditions where the concentration of reduced glutathione is low (e.g., oxidative stress). Its ability to conjugate GSH with isothiocyanates may provide an additional role for this enzyme to act as a regulator of the released isothiocyanates from glucosinolates as a response of biotic stress. Molecular modeling showed that PvGSTU3-3 shares the same overall fold and structural organization with other plant cytosolic GSTs, with major differences at their hydrophobic binding sites (H-sites) and some differences at the level of C-terminal domain and the linker between the C- and N-terminal domains. PvGSTU3-3, in general, exhibits restricted ability to bind xenobiotics in a nonsubstrate manner, suggesting that the biological role of PvGSTU3-3, is restricted mainly to the catalytic function. Our findings highlight the functional and catalytic diversity of plant GSTs and demonstrate their pivotal role for addressing biotic stresses in Phaseolus vulgaris.     

Investigating brain tumor differentiation with diffusion and perfusion metrics at 3T MRI using pattern recognition techniques

The aim of this study was to evaluate the contribution of diffusion and perfusion MR metrics in the discrimination of intracranial brain lesions at 3T MRI, and to investigate the potential diagnostic and predictive value that pattern recognition techniques may provide in tumor characterization using these metrics as classification features. Conventional MRI, diffusion weighted imaging (DWI), diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and dynamic-susceptibility contrast imaging (DSCI) were performed on 115 patients with newly diagnosed intracranial tumors (low-and- high grade gliomas, meningiomas, solitary metastases). The Mann–Whitney U test was employed in order to identify statistical differences of the diffusion and perfusion parameters for different tumor comparisons in the intra-and peritumoral region. To assess the diagnostic contribution of these parameters, two different methods were used; the commonly used receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis and the more sophisticated SVM classification, and accuracy, sensitivity and specificity levels were obtained for both cases. The combination of all metrics provided the optimum diagnostic outcome. The highest predictive outcome was obtained using the SVM classification, although ROC analysis yielded high accuracies as well. It is evident that DWI/DTI and DSCI are useful techniques for tumor grading. Nevertheless, cellularity and vascularity are factors closely correlated in a non-linear way and thus difficult to evaluate and interpret through conventional methods of analysis. Hence, the combination of diffusion and perfusion metrics into a sophisticated classification scheme may provide the optimum diagnostic outcome. In conclusion, machine learning techniques may be used as an adjunctive diagnostic tool, which can be implemented into the clinical routine to optimize decision making.     

2-step nilpotent Lie groups of higher rank

We construct a family of simply connected 2-step nilpotent Lie groups of higher rank such that every geodesic lies in a flat. These are as Riemannian manifolds irreducible and arise from real representations of compact Lie algebras. Moreover we show that groups of Heisenberg type do not even infinitesimally have higher rank. Received: 2 July 2001 / Revised version: 19 October 2001     

Synthesis of (R)-dihydropyridones as key intermediates for an efficient access to piperidine alkaloids

The efficient transformation of D-glucal to (2R)-hydroxymethyldihydropyridinone 5 in seven steps and 35 % overall yield is reported. Dihydropyridone 5 constitutes a versatile chiral building block for the synthesis of various piperidine alkaloids. In this regard, 5 was converted to piperidinol 13 and piperidinone 15, that may be further elaborated for the syntheses of (+)-desoxoprosophylline (1) and deoxymannojirimycin (3) or D-mannolactam (4), respectively.     

Strong antiferromagnetic coupling in doubly N,O oximato-bridged dinuclear copper(II) complexes

The use of di-2-pyridyl ketone oxime, (py)pkoH, and phenyl 2-pyridyl ketone oxime, ppkoH, in copper(II) hexafluoroacetylacetonate chemistry is reported. The reaction of CuCl₂·2H₂O with one and two equivalents of ppkoH and Na(hfac), respectively, in CH₂Cl₂ affords the dinuclear complex [Cu₂(hfac)₂(ppko)₂] (1) in excellent yield. The replacement of ppkoH by (py)pkoH gives the isostructural compound [Cu₂(hfac)₂{(py)pko}₂] (2) in good yield. The Cu^II atoms in both 1 and 2 are doubly bridged by the oximate groups of two η¹:η¹:η¹:μ₂ ppko⁻ and (py)pko⁻ ligands, respectively. The bridging Cu–(R–NO)–Cu′ units are not planar, with the torsion angles being 23.2° (1) and 20.3° (2). A bidentate chelating hfac⁻ ligand completes five-coordination at each square pyramidal metal ion. The hfac⁻-free reaction system CuCl₂·2H₂O/(py)pkoH/NEt₃ (1:2:1) gives instead the mononuclear complex [CuCl{(py)pko}{(py)pkoH}] (3) in very good yield. The Cu^II atom is coordinated by two N,N′-bidentate (py)pko⁻/(py)pkoH chelates and a monodentate chloride anion resulting in a distorted square pyramidal geometry around the metal center. Variable-temperature, solid-state dc magnetic studies were carried out on the representative dinuclear complex 1 in the 2.0–300 K range. The data indicate a very strong antiferromagnetic exchange interaction and a resulting S = 0 ground state, which is well isolated from the S = 1 excited state. The J value of −720 cm⁻¹ was derived from the fitting of the experimental data using the Hamiltonian H = −J(S₁ · S₂).