Hyperpolarization of Amino Acids in Water Utilizing Parahydrogen on a Rhodium Nanocatalyst

NMR offers many possibilities in chemical analysis, structural investigations, and medical diagnostics. Although it is broadly used, one of NMR spectroscopies main drawbacks is low sensitivity. Hyperpolarization techniques enhance NMR signals by more than four orders of magnitude allowing the design of new contrast agents. Parahydrogen induced polarization that utilizes the para-hydrogen's singlet state to create enhanced signals is of particular interest since it allows to produce molecular imaging agents within seconds. Herein, we present a strategy for signal enhancement of the carbonyl ¹³C in amino acids by using parahydrogen, as demonstrated for glycine and alanine. Importantly, the hyperpolarization step is carried out in water and chemically unmodified canonical amino acids are obtained. Our approach thus offers a high degree of biocompatibility, which is crucial for further application. The rapid sample hyperpolarization (within seconds) may enable the continuous production of biologically useful probes, such as metabolic contrast agents or probes for structural biology.     

A Zinc(II) Photocage Based on a Decarboxylation Metal Ion Release Mechanism for Investigating Homeostasis and Biological Signaling

Metal ion signaling in biology has been studied extensively with ortho‐nitrobenzyl photocages; however, the low quantum yields and other optical properties are not ideal for these applications. We describe the synthesis and characterization of NTAdeCage, the first member in a new class of Zn²⁺ photocages that utilizes a light‐driven decarboxylation reaction in the metal ion release mechanism. NTAdeCage binds Zn²⁺ with sub‐pM affinity using a modified nitrilotriacetate chelator and exhibits an almost 6 order of magnitude decrease in metal binding affinity upon uncaging. In contrast to other metal ion photocages, NTAdeCage and the corresponding Zn²⁺ complex undergo efficient photolysis with quantum yields approaching 30 %. The ability of NTAdeCage to mediate the uptake of ⁶⁵Zn²⁺ by Xenopus laevis oocytes expressing hZIP4 demonstrates the viability of this photocaging strategy to execute biological assays.     

Visualizing Microglia with a Fluorescence Turn‐On Ugt1a7c Substrate

Microglia, the brain‐resident macrophage, are involved in brain development and contribute to the progression of neural disorders. Despite the importance of microglia, imaging of live microglia at a cellular resolution has been limited to transgenic mice. Efforts have therefore been dedicated to developing new methods for microglia detection and imaging. Using a thorough structure–activity relationships study, we developed CDr20, a high‐performance fluorogenic chemical probe that enables the visualization of microglia both in vitro and in vivo. Using a genome‐scale CRISPR‐Cas9 knockout screen, the UDP‐glucuronosyltransferase Ugt1a7c was identified as the target of CDr20. The glucuronidation of CDr20 by Ugt1a7c in microglia produces fluorescence.     

A calibrated model of local food system of Hawaii: What are the economic implications of the state's food goals and policies?

We develop a fully calibrated positive mathematical programming model for Hawaii's local food systems—which captures the production and the consumer sides of the market. Then we use the model to assess two proposed policies—a general excise tax (GET) exemption on locally produced foods, and an investment in agricultural infrastructure. For the GET exemption case, our results indicate an economic gain of $118 per $100 cost. On the other hand, an investment in 1,200 acres of land injected to support local production may generate an economic gain of up to $357 per $100 annual cost of the investment. However, these estimates should be considered preliminary, and thus viewed with caution. Although the model is used to capture Hawaii's local food systems, we believe that our model is generalizable and can be adopted by other economies to assess their respective food localization policies. Recommendations for Resource Managers

• Local food policies need to be based on quantitative terms instead of mere armchair speculation because often their potential outcomes may vary significantly.

• The current modeling framework demonstrates the potential of using positive mathematical programming (PMP) in capturing the intricacies of local food systems. However, this exploratory exercise should be viewed as preliminary in nature and the ensuing results were taken with caution because many important factors such as labor availability may have been left out.

• Thus, further model refinements are necessary to better capture the complexities of local food systems such as farm heterogeneity, availability of farm labor, water availability, and interisland transportation of farm products in the case of Hawaii.

     

Biclustering Three-Dimensional Data Arrays With Plaid Models

Three-dimensional data arrays (collections of individual data matrices) are increasingly prevalent in modern data and pose unique challenges to pattern extraction and visualization. This article introduces a biclustering technique for exploration and pattern detection in such complex structured data. The proposed framework couples the popular plaid model together with tools from functional data analysis to guide the estimation of bicluster responses over the array. We present an efficient algorithm that first detects biclusters that exhibit strong deviations for some data matrices, and then estimates their responses over the entire data array. Altogether, the framework is useful to home in on and display underlying structure and its evolution over conditions/time. The methods are scalable to large datasets, and can accommodate a variety of dynamic patterns. The proposed techniques are illustrated on gene expression data and bilateral trade networks. Supplementary materials are available online.     

Organic Superbases in Recent Synthetic Methodology Research

Organic superbases are a distinct and increasingly utilized class of Brønsted base that possess properties complementary to common inorganic bases. This Concept article discusses recent applications of commercial organic superbases in modern synthetic methodologies. Examples of the advantages of organic superbases in three areas are highlighted, including the discovery of new base-catalyzed reactions, the optimization of reactions that require stoichiometric Brønsted base, and in high-throughput experimentation technology.     

New Route of Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of Carbon-Supported Nickel Phosphide (C/Ni2P) Nanocomposite

Abstract

A novel, fast, and easy method for synthesizing a carbon-supported Ni₂P nanocomposite (C/Ni₂P) is described. The process involves a reaction between a nickel salt, phosphoric acid, and a carbon source by utilizing microwave irradiation. The carbon source for the nanocomposite is from renewable supplies, namely, tannin and lignin. The method has successfully synthesized Ni₂P nanoparticles dispersed in a carbon matrix with a particle size ranging from 20 to 50 nm in diameter. During the microwave process, tannin and lignin provided a reducing environment in the microwave irradiation process. The synthesized products are characterized by several characterization methods. The method showed that phosphoric acid, which is a nontoxic compound, could be used as an alternative P source for synthesizing Ni₂P. The method is fast, easy, and an economical process to synthesize the carbon-coated Ni₂P nanocomposite.     

Exploiting Aggregation To Achieve Phase Separation in Macrocyclization

The aggregation properties of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) can be exploited in organic synthesis to control dilution effects. Through the use of solvent mixtures containing PEG₄₀₀/MeOH, macrocyclization by Glaser–Hay coupling can be conducted at high concentrations. The origin of the selectivity has been studied by using surface tension measurements, UV spectroscopy, and chemical tagging and demonstrates the dependence of the yield and selectivity on the aggregation of PEG₄₀₀ and its ability to preferentially solubilize organic substrates, resulting in a phase separation from the catalyst system.     

One-pot synthesis of chiral azetidines from chloroaldehyde and chiral amines

A variety of chiral azetidinepiperidines have been synthesized utilizing an expedient one-pot union of piperidine chloroaldehyde with chiral amines. This two step one-pot procedure provides access to an interesting set of compounds that retain the chiral purity of the starting chiral amine.     

Catalytic asymmetric addition of diethylzinc to aldehydes via chiral,non-racemic β-hydroxy and β-methoxy salicylhydrazone catalysts

(1S,2S)-Pseudoephedrine and (1S,2S)-pseudonorephedrine have been converted to their corresponding hydrazines and condensed with either o-salicylaldehyde or 2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde to afford a series of β-hydroxysalicylhydrazones that have been employed in the asymmetric addition of diethylzinc to 2-naphthaldehyde in up to 56% ee. In addition to this, the Ephedra hydrazines were also condensed with the o-hydroxyacetophenone derivative to form related hydrazones. The use of these corresponding hydrazones in the asymmetric addition reaction with the diethylzinc did not yield improved enantioselectivities. Finally, Enders’ hydrazine was used as a chiral scaffold for the synthesis of β-methoxysalicylhydrazones. These compounds were employed in the asymmetric addition of diethylzinc to a variety of aromatic aldehydes with enantiomeric excesses as high as 68% ee.