Dynamic-mechanical properties and melting points of some aliphatic and partially aromatic polyamides

Some aliphatic and partially aromatic polyamides have been prepared from hexamethylene diamine and the following dicarboxylic acids: deca-, octa-, hexa-methylenedicarboxylic, p-carboxymethylphenoxyacetic, p-carboxyethylphenoxyacetic, p-phenylenedipropionic, p-phenylenediacetic, p-carboxymethoxyphenoxyacetic, β(p-carboxymethyl)phenylpropionic.The dynamic-mechanical properties at 110 Hz have been measured between ?140° and about 200. Three relaxation processes α β and γ have been found: only the main transition α appreciably depends on chemical structure.The influences of the length of repeating unit and of in-chain substitution on melting points, crystallinity and the dynamic-mechanical α transition have been investigated. The results have been discussed in terms of chain flexibility, chain packing and intermolecular forces.     

Extending optogenetics to a Ca(2+)-selective channel

Many cellular processes are regulated by Ca(2+) signaling. In this issue of Chemistry & Biology, Pham et?al. have developed a photo-activated protein, LOVS1K, which enables the generation of local or global Ca(2+) signals through binding to the Ca(2+)-specific membrane channel Orai.     

A support for the identification of non-tryptic peptides based on low resolution tandem and sequential mass spectrometry data: The INSPIRE software

A simple software, to be used as an aid in the identification of non-tryptic peptides based on low resolution (3D-ion trap) tandem (MS/MS) and sequential (MS³) mass spectrometry data, is presented.     

Effects of annealing on crystallinity and phase behaviour of PET/PC block copolymers

The effects of the annealing on the properties of PET/PC block copolymers, obtained by reactive blending in the presence of different catalysts and for different mixing times, have been studied. The annealing, performed in conditions that promote the crystallization, has been used to better understand the role of block length in determining the phase behaviour. The copolymers characterized by blocks with molecular weight larger than 8000 are able to reorganize towards more ordered domains. This rearrangement maintains the phase separation, as two crystalline phases are present before and after annealing, due to the immiscibility of long blocks. In copolymers characterized by blocks with molecular weight equal to about 2500, that is the higher limit for the miscibility in the amorphous state in PET/PC block copolymers studied in this work, the rearrangement of the chains during annealing causes a phase separation leading to two crystalline phases. Only in the copolymers with molecular weight of blocks lower than 1500, the very short block length hinders the crystallization: therefore, only in this case a phase separation does not take place after annealing.     

Complete wetting of curved microscopic channels

We have measured the adsorption of argon films on arrays of microscopic nonlinear cusps and of semicircular channels. In the former case, we observe a distinct crossover from a planarlike to a geometry dependent growth behavior near liquid-vapor bulk coexistence, characterized by a growth exponent chi equal to -0.96+/-0.04 in very good agreement with the predictions of a recent scaling theory [C. Rascon and A. O. Parry, J. Chem. Phys. 112, 5175 (2000)]. The crossover location is also consistent with theory. Instead, on the concave channels we find a much steeper growth near saturation that may signal the formation of two menisci at both sides of the channel bottom.     

MRI-guided neutron capture therapy by use of a dual gadolinium/boron agent targeted at tumour cells through upregulated low-density lipoprotein transporters

The upregulation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) transporters in tumour cells has been exploited to deliver a sufficient amount of gadolinium/boron/ligand (Gd/B/L) probes for neutron capture therapy, a binary chemio-radiotherapy for cancer treatment. The Gd/B/L probe consists of a carborane unit (ten B atoms) bearing an aliphatic chain on one side (to bind LDL particles), and a Gd(III)/1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane monoamide complex on the other (for detection by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)). Up to 190 Gd/B/L probes were loaded per LDL particle. The uptake from tumour cells was initially assessed on cell cultures of human hepatoma (HepG2), murine melanoma (B16), and human glioblastoma (U87). The MRI assessment of the amount of Gd/B/L taken up by tumour cells was validated by inductively coupled plasma-mass-spectrometric measurements of the Gd and B content. Measurements were undertaken in vivo on mice bearing tumours in which B16 tumour cells were inoculated at the base of the neck. From the acquisition of magnetic resonance images, it was established that after 4-6 hours from the administration of the Gd/B/L-LDL particles (0.1 and 1 mmol kg(-1) of Gd and (10)B, respectively) the amount of boron taken up in the tumour region is above the threshold required for successful NCT treatment. After neutron irradiation, tumour growth was followed for 20 days by MRI. The group of treated mice showed markedly lower tumour growth with respect to the control group.     

Efficient electron transfer through a triazole link in ruthenium(II) polypyridine type complexes

Spectroscopic, electrochemical and theoretical characterisations of photoactive systems readily assembled via click-chemistry show an efficient bi-directional charge shift through the triazole link.     

Asymmetric synthesis of ethoxydienamines in superbasic medium mediated by chiral sulfinyl group

The direct addition of metalated alkoxydiene 2, obtained from α,β-unsaturated acetal 1 through a LIC-KOR-promoted conjugated elimination reaction, to enantiopure sulfinimines 3 (both R and SN-sulfinyl imines) afforded N-sulfinyl alkoxydienyl amines 4 with high diastereoselectivity. Functionalized enantiopure alkoxydienyl amines 5 were then easily obtained upon the selective removal of the chiral auxiliary under mild conditions. Moreover, the further hydrolysis of the alkoxydienyl moiety gave access to protected enantiopure β-keto amines 7.     

Synthesis of beta‐proline like derivatives and their evaluation as sodium channel blockers

A simple and convenient procedure for the preparation of beta‐proline like derivatives in their racemic and optically active forms has been reported. The compounds have been screened for their potential activity as sodium channel blockers.