Slant Submanifolds of Para-Hermitian Manifolds

In this paper, we introduce the notion of slant submanifolds of a para-Hermitian manifold. We study their first properties and present a whole gallery of examples.     

A simple but effective dual redox and fluorescent ion pair receptor based on a ferrocene-imidazopyrene dyad

The ferrocene-imidazopyrene dyad, bearing the imidazole ring as the only receptor site, acts as a redox and optical molecular sensor for ion pairs, exhibiting an easily detectable signal change in the redox potential of the ferrocene/ferrocinium redox couple and in the emission spectrum. Perturbation of the emission spectrum follows the order Pb(2+) > Hg(2+) > Zn(2+) for cations and H(2)PO(4)(-) > AcO(-) for anions.     

Characterization of galactooligosaccharides derived from lactulose

Galactooligosaccharides are non-digestible carbohydrates with potential ability to modulate selectively the intestinal microbiota. In this work, a detailed characterization of oligosaccharides obtained by transgalactosylation reactions of the prebiotic lactulose, by using β-galactosidases of different fungal origin (Aspergillus oryzae, Aspergillus aculeatus and Kluveromyces lactis), is reported. Oligosaccharides of degree of polymerization (DP) up to 6 were detected and quantified by HPLC-ESI MS from a complex mixture produced by transgalactosylation reaction with A. oryzae (GOSLuAo), whereas only carbohydrates up to DP4 and DP5 were found for those obtained from the reaction with β-galactosidases from K. lactis (GOSLuKl) and A. aculeatus (GOSLuAa), respectively. Disaccharides (galactosyl-galactoses and galactosyl-fructoses) and trisaccharides were characterised in the three mixtures by GC-MS as their trimethylsilyl oximes. Galactosyl- and digalactosyl-glycerols were produced during the transgalactosylation reaction of lactulose with β-galactosidases from A. aculeatus and K. lactis, due to the presence of glycerol as enzyme stabiliser.     

Ferrocene-based heteroditopic receptors displaying high selectivity toward lead and mercury metal cations through different channels

The synthesis and electrochemical, optical, and ion-sensing properties of ferrocene-imidazophenazine dyads are presented. Dyad 4 behaves as a highly selective chemosensor molecule for Pb(2+) cations in CH(3)-CN/H(2)O (9:1). The emission spectrum (λ(exc) = 317 nm) undergoes an important chelation-enhanced fluorescence effect (CHEF = 47) in the presence of Pb(2+) cations, a new low-energy band appeared at 502 nm, in its UV/vis spectrun, and the oxidation redox peak is anodically shifted (ΔE(1/2) = 230 mV). The presence of Hg(2+) cations also induced a perturbation of the redox potencial although in less extension than those found with Pb(2+) cations. Dyad 7, bearing two fused pyridine rings, has shown its ability for sensing Hg(2+) cations selectively through three channels: electrochemical, optical, and fluorescent; the oxidation redox peak is anodically shifted (ΔE(1/2) = 200 mV), a new low-energy band of the absorption spectrum appeared at 485 nm, and the emission spectrum (λ(exc) = 340 nm) is red-shifted by 32 nm accompanied by a remarkable chelation-enhanced fluorescent effect (CHEF = 165). Linear sweep voltammetry revealed that Cu(2+) cations induced oxidation of the ferrocene unit in both dyads. (1)H NMR studies have been carried out to obtain information about the molecular sites which are involved in the binding process.     

Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors: X-ray crystallographic studies for the binding of N-substituted benzenesulfonamides to human isoform II

N-substituted benzenesulfonamides, incorporating the N-amino-, N-hydroxy- and N-methoxy-moieties at the sulfonamide zinc binding group, have been investigated as CAIs by means of inhibition and structural studies, unraveling interesting aspects related to their inhibition mechanism.     

Time resolved spectroscopy of 2-(dimethylamine)fluorene. Solvent effects and photophysical behavior

The effect of different solvents on the fluorescent properties of 2-(dimethylamine)fluorene (DAF) were studied. In aprotic solvents we detected a strongly emissive intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) state that decayed by intersystem crossing to triplet. In proton-accepting solvents DAF exhibits in the excited state an intramolecular proton transfer. An ionized species is postulated, which simultaneously twists to a rotated conformation in the excited state. Thus, the specific solvent interactions supplement but do not replace the twist mechanism and accompany the charge transfer accepted as the prerequisite for twisted intramolecular charged transfer (TICT) state formation.     

Absorption and emission spectra of fluorescent silica nanoparticles from TD-DFT/MM/PCM calculations

A multi-scale computational protocol, which combines Quantum Mechanics and Molecular Mechanics (QM/MM) calculations with the polarisable continuum model (PCM), has been used to study the tetramethylrhodamine isothiocyanate (TRITC) fluorophore, embedded in three different environments, namely in water, on an amorphous silica surface and covalently encapsulated in a silica nanoparticle (C dot). Absorption and emission spectra have been simulated by using TD-B3LYP/PCM calculations, performed on the TRITC ground and excited state geometries, optimized at the QM/MM level. The results are in good agreement with experimental data confirming the caging effect played by the silica shell on the mobility of the TRITC molecule when covalently encapsulated in silica nanoparticles. This could result in a decrease of the nonradiative decay rate and thus an increase of the quantum yield of the molecule.     

Influence of the alkyl and alkoxy side chains on the electronic structure and charge-transport properties of polythiophene derivatives

Density Functional Theory has been used to study the structural, electronic and charge-transport properties of two regio-regular head-to-tail polythiophene derivatives, i.e. poly(3-hexyl-thiophene), P3HT, and poly(3-oxyhexyl-thiophene), P3OHT. The effect of substituents on the electronic structure was analyzed by means of bandwidth, bandgap, effective mass, total and partial densities of states and crystal orbital overlap populations. Electronic couplings were estimated from band diagrams as the splitting of the valence band. The neutral and cationic states of isolated oligomers were optimized using the supercell approximation. The hole-transfer rates and mobilities were evaluated according to Marcus's theory. Results provide a compelling illustration of the effect of side chains on the crystal packing, electronic structure and charge-transport properties. Thus, the hole mobility calculated for the alkyl derivative was 0.15 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) (experimental mobility is 0.10 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1)), while the alkoxy derivative has a theoretical mobility of 0.49 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1). The obtained results hopefully could motivate experimentalists to try out P3OHT for an improved charge carrier mobility.