Charge transport in a polypeptide chain

Charge transport is one important example of signal transduction in a protein which is responsible for action at a distance, and is a fundamental process in biochemical action. A model is presented in which electronic effects interact with motional processes to combine into a bifunctional model. This model is investigated with new detailed molecular dynamics calculations and successfully explains such action at a distance. Received 1st February 2002 / Received in final form 26 May 2002 Published online 13 September 2002     

Analysis of CCD moiré pattern for micro-range measurements using the wavelet transform

A new approach based on the moiré theory and wavelet transform (WT) is proposed for measuring the micro-range distance between a charge-couple-device (CCD) camera and a two-dimensional reference grating. The micro-range distance is determined by measuring the pitch of the moiré pattern image, which is digitized by a CCD camera. A one-dimensional WT algorithm is applied to estimate the pitch of the moiré pattern. Experimental results prove that this technique is very efficient and highly accurate. The moiré range finder is an economic technique for measuring a micro-range distance.     

Synthesis,and Antimycobacterial and Cytotoxic Evaluation of Certain Fluoroquinolone Derivatives

Certain 1‐ethyl‐ and 1‐aryl‐6‐fluoro‐1,4‐dihydroquinol‐4‐one derivatives were synthesized and evaluated for antimycobacterial and cytotoxic activities. Preliminary results indicated that, for 1‐aryl‐6‐fluoroquinolones, both 7‐(piperazin‐1‐yl)‐ and 7‐(4‐methylpiperazin‐1‐yl) derivatives, 9b and 11a , are able to completely inhibit the growth of M. tuberculosis at a concentration of 6.25 μg/ml, while the 7‐[4‐(2‐oxo‐2‐phenylethyl)piperazin‐1‐yl] derivative 13 exhibits only 31% growth inhibition at the same concentration. For 1‐ethyl‐6‐fluoroquinolones, both 7‐[4‐(2‐oxopropyl)piperazin‐1‐yl]‐ and 7‐[4‐(2‐oxo‐2‐phenylethyl)piperazin‐1‐yl]‐derivatives, 2a and 2b , respectively, show complete inhibition, while their 2‐iminoethyl and substituted phenyl counterparts 3a and 2c are less active. In addition, the 6,8‐difluoro derivative was a more‐favorable inhibitor than its 6‐fluoro counterpart ( 2b vs. 2d ). These results deserve full attention especially because 2a, 2b, 9b , and 11a are non‐cytotoxic at a concentration of 100 μM . Furthermore, compound 9b proved to be a potent anti‐TB agent with selective index (SI)>40 and an EC₉₀ value of 5.75 μg/ml.     

Large-time behavior of perturbed diffusion markov processes with applications to the second eigenvalue problem for fokker-planck operators and simulated annealing

We study the large-time behavior and rate of convergence to the invariant measures of the processes dX (t)=b(X) (t)) dt + (X (t)) dB(t). A crucial constant appears naturally in our study. Heuristically, when the time is of the order exp( – )/² , the transition density has a good lower bound and when the process has run for about exp( – )/², it is very close to the invariant measure. LetL =(²/2) – U · be a second-order differential operator on ^d. Under suitable conditions,L ^z has the discrete spectrum

Determination of ephedrine alkaloids by capillary electrophoresis

A simple and rapid method for the simultaneous determination of six ephedrine alkaloids (ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, norephedrine, norpseudoephedrine, methylephedrine and methylpseudoephedrine) in Ephedrae herba by capillary electrophoresis was developed. A buffer solution that contained 0.005 M barium hydroxide and 0.02 M isoleucine and adjusted to pH 10.0 with ammonia solution was found to be the most suitable electrolyte for this separation. The contents of the six alkaloids in the crude drug of Ephedrae herba could be easily determined.     

Hypervalent Iodine(III) Sulfonate Mediated Synthesis of Imidazo[1,2‐a]pyridines

A direct and efficient method for the conversion of alkyl aryl ketones to imidazo[1,2‐α]pyridines has been developed based on initial formation of α‐organosulfonyloxy ketones and their subsequent cyclocondensation by 2‐aminopyridines in one‐pot conditions.     

Synthesis of Imidazo[2,1‐a]isoquinolines from α‐Tosyloxyketones and 1‐Aminoisoquinoline in Ionic Liquid Solvent

The room temperature ionic liquid n‐butylpyridinium tetrafluoroborate (BPyBF₄) is used as a ‘green’ recyclable alternative to classical molecular solvents for the cyclocondensation of α‐tosyloxyketones with 1‐aminoisoquinoline to prepare imidazo[2,1‐a]isoquinolines in good yields.     

Synthesis,photophysical and electrochemical studies of di-2-pyridyl ketone complexes of rhodium(III)

Complexes of rhodium(III) with di-2-pyridyl ketone (dpk), Rh(dpk)(MeCN)Cl₃ (1) and cis-[Rh(dpk)₂Cl₂]⁺ (2), have been successfully prepared and characterized. At low temperature (77 K), complex (2) in EtOH/MeOH (4:1, v/v) shows a broad, symmetric and structureless red emission with a microsecond lifetime and, hence, is assigned as the dd* phosphorescence. Electrochemical data, including cyclic voltammetry, normal pulse voltammetry, triple pulse voltammetry and controlled potential electrolysis, have been obtained for the two dpk complexes of rhodium(III) in MeCN. On the basis of analysis of the electrochemical (1,2) and luminescence data (2), electron transfer mechanisms are proposed. For complex (1), two reduction processes occur at the metal-localized orbitals with elimination of chlorides during the first reduction step. This is followed by a one-electron reduction at the metal. For complex (2), three electrons are transferred to the metal in two successive reduction steps accompanied by elimination of two chlorides. After these two reduction steps another one-electron reduction occurs at the dpk ligand.     

Temporal Response of SERS to the Potential for 4-Cyanopyridine Adsorbed on Ag Electrode

Time-resolved surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) was applied to study the response of Raman bands from 4-cyanopyridine (PyCN) adsorbed on a Ag electrode to variation of the potential; the temporal resolution was 0.1 s. The response of the SERS signals of PyCN was instantaneous to the oxidation potential of Ag electrode. However, delay of the SERS signals was observed while AgCl was reducing. The decay and growth of the SERS bands look place within 1 s in the cases of desorption and adsorption of PyCN on the electrode. It took much longer for PyCN to alter from one adsorption geometry to another on the electrode.     

Photolysis of NSAIDs. Part 3: Structural elucidation of photoproducts of tolmetin in methanol

A sample of 10 mM tolmetin in methanol was photo-irradiated with a Hanovia 200 W high-pressure quartz Hg lamp for four days. In total, eight photoproducts were observed from the HPLC chromatogram. Three major photoproducts were separated, and their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods. The structures of all photoproducts were further determined by LC-ESI-MS. A reaction scheme of tolmetin was proposed.