The conformational preferences of γ-lactam and its role in constraining peptide structure

Summary The conformational constraints imposed by -lactams in peptides have been studied using valence force field energy calculations and flexible geometry maps. It has been found that while cyclisation restrains the of the lactam, non-bonded interactions contribute to the constraints on of the lactam. The -lactam also affects the (,) of the residue after it in a peptide sequence. For an l-lactam, the ring geometry restricts to about-120°, and has two minima, the lowest energy around-140° and a higher minimum (5 kcal/mol higher) at 60°, making an l--lactam more favourably accommodated in a near extended conformation than in position 2 of a type II -turn. The energy of the +60° minimum can be lowered substantially until it is more favoured than the-140° minimum by progressive substitution of bulkier groups on the amide N of the l--lactam. The (,) maps of the residue succeeding a -lactam show subtle differences from those of standard N-methylated residues. The dependence of the constraints on the chirality of -lactams and N-substituted -lactams, in terms of the formation of secondary structures like -turns is discussed and the comparison of the theoretical conformations with experimental results is highlighted.     

Synthesis and properties of [CoCp*(2,5-PC4tBu2H2)]: the first monophosphacobaltocene

The reduction of the phosphacobaltocenium salt [CoCp*(2,5-PC(4)tBu(2)H(2))](+)[BPh(4)](-) (3; Cp*=pentamethylcyclopentadienyl) by magnesium in tetrahydrofuran (THF) furnishes the stable air-sensitive phosphacobaltocene [CoCp*(2,5-PC(4)tBu(2)H(2))] (4) in yields of up to 80 %. The crystal structure of 4 shows long Co-C(alpha) and short C(alpha)-C(beta)bonds in the phospholyl ligand, consistent with a semi-occupied molecular orbital (SOMO) having a" symmetry. A combined Amsterdam density functional (ADF)/photoelectron spectroscopic study, which confirms this assignment, gives ionisation energies (IE) of 5.02 eV from the SOMO and 8.89 eV from the phosphorus "lone pair". A comparison of cyclovoltammograms for 3 and the corresponding cyclopentadienyl complex [CoCp*(1,3-C(5)tBu(2)H(3))](+) [BPh(4)](-)(5) shows that replacing a CH group by an sp(2) phosphorus atom results in an anodic first reduction potential shift of 0.29 V.     

Dinitro and quinodimethane derivatives of terthiophene that can be both oxidized and reduced. Crystal structures,spectra, and a method for analyzing quinoid contributions to structure

Two new oligothiophenes, the dinitro compound 3',4'-dibutyl-5,5' '-dinitro-2,2':5',2' '-terthiophene (1) and the quinodimethane 3',4'-dibutyl-5,5' '-bis(dicyanomethylene)-5,5' '-dihydro-2,2':5',2' '-terthiophene (2), have been synthesized and studied with electrochemistry, UV-vis-NIR-IR spectroscopy, ESR, and X-ray crystallography. These compounds, designed to be both electron and hole carriers, show redox properties that are unusual for oligothiophenes. Cyclic voltammetry and spectroelectrochemistry demonstrated that each compound could be oxidized to a cation radical and reduced to an anion radical and dianion. The spectra of 2 and its three redox partners were analyzed in terms of a limiting structure in which the neutral 2 has orbitals corresponding to those of a substituted-terthiophene dication. Compound 1 crystallizes with the thiophene rings held in an unusual nonplanar, cisoid configuration in face-to-face pi-stacks, with a spacing between molecules of 3.65 A. The C-C bond lengths of the outer nitro-substituted rings have quinoid character. Compound 2 crystallizes with the thiophene rings in a planar, transoid configuration. The molecules are held in pi-stacks formed from pi-dimers with a spacing between molecules of 3.47 and 3.63 A. The C-C bond distances of the thiophene rings of 1 and 2 and other oligomers were analyzed by a principal component analysis. The analysis found that 93% of the structural variance resided in one principal component related to the quinoid structure of the oligothiophene moiety. The analysis reliably demonstrated a quinoid contribution to the structure of 1. This method should be applicable to understanding the structure of other conjugated molecules in which quinoid structures contribute.     

Increased levels of multiple forms of dihydrofolate reductase in peripheral blood leucocytes of cancer patients receiving haematopoietic colony-stimulating factors: interim analysis

The precise mechanism whereby granulocytes proliferate when haematopoietic colony stimulating factors (CSFs) are used in neutropenic cancer patients is poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether these cytokines bring about leucocyte proliferation by increasing the levels of multiple forms of dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR). Blood samples were collected from 36 cancer patients (25 males and 11 females) with chemotherapy-induced neutropenia. One sample of blood from each patient was obtained before therapy either with CSF, such as granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) and granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) or with placebo, and another one at the time of resolution of neutropenia. Peripheral blood leucocytes in these blood samples were counted, separated and lysed. From lysates, cytoplasmic samples were prepared and analyzed for active DHFR by a methotrexate-binding assay and for total immunoreactive DHFR by an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. The increase in total leucocyte count (TLC) was most prominent (P < 0.005) in the CSF group and less so (P < 0.05) in the placebo group. The mean +/- SD concentration values of active DHFR before and after stimulation with GM-CSF found were to be 0.34 +/- 0.4 ng/mg protein and 0.99 +/- 0.82 ng/mg protein, respectively, and in the group treated with G-CSF, 0.24 +/- 0.32 ng/mg protein and 1.18 +/- 2.4 ng/mg protein, respectively. This increase in active DHFR after stimulation with CSF was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Similarly, concentration values of immunoreactive but nonfunctional form of DHFR (IRE) were 110 +/- 97 ng/mg protein and 605 +/- 475 ng/mg protein before and after stimulation with GM-CSF, and 115 +/- 165 ng/mg protein and 1,054 +/- 1,095 ng/ mg protein before and after stimulation with G-CSF. This increase in concentration of IRE after stimulation with GM-CSF or G-CSF was statistically significant (P < 0.005). In the control group, there was an increase in the concentration of both active DHFR and IRE after treatment with placebo. However, this was not statistically significant. Resolution of neutropenia was quicker in the groups treated with CSF compared to the control group. Results of this study indicate that colony stimulating factors (G-CSF and GM-CSF) induce white cell proliferation by increasing the levels of multiple forms of DHFR.     

Synthesis and properties of [NiCp*(2,5-tBu2PC4H2)], a 20-valence-electron phosphanickelocene

The reaction of the bulky phospholide salt Li(2,5-tBu2PC4H2) x 2THF (1; THF = tetrahydrofuran) with [NiCp*(acac)] (HCp* = pentamethylcyclopentadiene, Hacac = acetylacetone) gives the green air-sensitive phosphanickelocene [NiCp*(2,5-tBu2PC4H2)] (2) in yields of about 85%. An X-ray structural determination of 2 shows long Ni-ring bonds and "delocalised" ring P-C and C-C bonds characteristic of a classical 20-valence-electron (ve) nickelocene. The electronic structure of 2 has been clarified through a combined Amsterdam density functional (ADF) and photoelectron spectroscopic study, which indicates that the higher lying semi-occupied molecular orbital (SOMO) (-5.82 eV) has a' symmetry and that the phosphorus "lone pair" is energetically low-lying (-8.15 eV). Oxidation of phosphanickelocene 2 by AgBF4 occurs quantitatively to give the corresponding air-sensitive orange phosphanickelocenium salt [NiCp*(2,5-tBu2PC4H2)][BF4] (3). This complex has also been characterised by an X-ray crystallographic study, which reveals long Ni-C(alpha) and short C(alpha)-C(beta) bonds in the phospholyl ligand indicative of a SOMO having a' symmetry. PMe3 reacts with 2 at room temperature to provoke a ring-slip reaction that gives the 18ve complex [NiCp*eta1-(2,5-tBu2PC4H2)(PMe3)] (4), but shows no reaction with the phosphanickelocenium salt 3 under the same conditions.     

A refined fuzzy time series model for stock market forecasting

Time series models have been used to make predictions of stock prices, academic enrollments, weather, road accident casualties, etc. In this paper we present a simple time-variant fuzzy time series forecasting method. The proposed method uses heuristic approach to define frequency-density-based partitions of the universe of discourse. We have proposed a fuzzy metric to use the frequency-density-based partitioning. The proposed fuzzy metric also uses a trend predictor to calculate the forecast. The new method is applied for forecasting TAIEX and enrollments’ forecasting of the University of Alabama. It is shown that the proposed method work with higher accuracy as compared to other fuzzy time series methods developed for forecasting TAIEX and enrollments of the University of Alabama.