A missing high-spin molecule in the family of cyanido-bridged heptanuclear heterometal complexes, [(LCu(II))₆Fe(III)(CN)₆]3+, and its Co(III) and Cr(III) analogues, accompanied in the crystal by a novel octameric water cluster

Three isostructural cyanido-bridged heptanuclear complexes, [{Cu(II)(saldmen)(H?O)}?{M(III)(CN)?}]-(ClO?)?·8H?O (M= Fe(III) 2; Co(III), 3; Cr(III) 4), have been obtained by reacting the dinuclear copper(II) complex, [Cu?(saldmen)?(μ-H?O)(H?O)?](ClO?)?·2H?O 1, with K?[Co(CN)?], K?[Fe(CN)?], and K?[Cr(CN)?], respectively (Hsaldmen is the Schiff base resulting from the condensation of salicylaldehyde with N,N-dimethylethylenediamine). A unique octameric water cluster, with bicyclo[2,2,2]octane-like structure, is sandwiched between the heptanuclear cations in 2, 3 and 4. The cryomagnetic investigations of compounds 2 and 4 reveal ferromagnetic couplings of the central Fe(III) or Cr(III) ions with the Cu(II) ions (J(CuFe) = +0.87 cm?1, J(CuCr) = +30.4 cm?1). The intramolecular Cu···Cu exchange interaction in 3, across the diamagnetic cobalt(III) ion, is -0.3 cm?1. The solid-state 1H-NMR spectra of compounds 2 and 3 have been investigated.     

Identification and evaluation of small molecule pan-caspase inhibitors in Huntington's disease models

Huntington's Disease (HD) is characterized by?a mutation in the huntingtin (Htt) gene encoding an expansion of glutamine repeats on the N terminus of the Htt protein. Numerous studies have identified Htt proteolysis as a critical pathological event in HD postmortem human tissue and mouse HD models, and proteases known as caspases have emerged as attractive HD therapeutic targets. We report the use?of the substrate activity screening method against caspase-3 and -6 to identify three novel, pan-caspase inhibitors that block proteolysis of Htt at caspase-3 and -6 cleavage sites. In HD models these irreversible inhibitors suppressed Hdh(111Q/111Q)-mediated toxicity and rescued rat striatal and cortical neurons from cell death. In this study, the identified nonpeptidic caspase inhibitors were used to confirm the role of caspase-mediated Htt proteolysis in HD. These results further implicate caspases as promising targets for HD therapeutic development.     

Determination of organophosphorous flame retardants in fish tissues by matrix solid-phase dispersion and gas chromatography

Organophosphate esters (OPEs), utilized as flame retarding agents and/or plasticizers, are almost ubiquitous in environmental compartments, and biota and foods could be contaminated by bioaccumulation or during the treatment processes. A multiresidue method is proposed for the determination of 13 OPEs in fish tissues: analytes were simultaneously extracted and purified using the matrix solid phase dispersion technique and then determined by gas chromatography with nitrogen–phosphorus detection. The main parameters affecting extraction yield and selectivity, such as the type of dispersant material, clean-up co-sorbent, rinse and elution solvents, were evaluated to obtain lipid-free extracts and quantitative recoveries for OPEs. Under optimal conditions, 0.5 g of samples was dispersed with 2 g Florisil and 1 g anhydrous sodium sulphate and transferred to a solid phase extraction cartridge containing 1 g alumina. The lipids were removed using 5 mL n-hexane/dichloromethane (1:1) and analytes were recovered with 10 mL n-hexane/acetone (6:4) and directly analysed. The method developed provided recoveries between 70 and 110% for different kinds of fish, and the day-to-day variability was between 1 and 9%. This procedure constitutes the first analytical method for the analysis of OPEs in a food matrix and it is applicable to analyse a large number of samples to evaluate the occurrence and sources of OPEs in biota and foods.     

Binuclear complexes for aerobic oxidation of primary alcohols and carbohydrates

The influence of electron-donating and electron-accepting properties of three pentadentate ligands was determined in connection with the aerobic oxidation ability of the corresponding binuclear copper(II) complexes for benzyl and allyl alcohols; additionally, the catalytic performance of their palladium and platinum analogs was characterized under comparable conditions. Quantitative aerobic oxidation of benzyl alcohol at 40 °C was achieved with a binuclear copper(II) complex—TEMPO catalyst in 2.5 h, while the regioselective aerobic oxidation of underivatized methyl-β-d-glucopyranoside was accomplished in about 35% yield at 60 °C after 24 h.     

Synthesis, structural characterization and Li ion conductivity of a new vanado-molybdate phase, LiMg3VMo2O12

A new vanado-molybdate LiMg₃VMo₂O₁₂ has been synthesized, the crystal structure determined an ionic conductivity measured. The solid solution Li_2−zMg_2+zV_zMo_3−zO₁₂ was investigated and the structures of the z=0.5 and 1.0 compositions were refined by Rietveld analysis of powder X-ray (XRD) and powder neutron diffraction (ND) data. The structures were refined in the orthorhombic space group Pnma with a∼5.10, b∼10.4 and c∼17.6 Å, and are isostructural with the previously reported double molybdates Li₂M₂(MoO₄)₃ (M=M²⁺, z=0). The structures comprise of two unique (Li/Mg)O₆ octahedra, (Li/Mg)O₆ trigonal prisms and two unique (Mo/V)O₄ tetrahedra. A well-defined 1:3 ratio of Li⁺:Mg²⁺ is observed in octahedral chains for LiMg₃VMo₂O₁₂. Li⁺ preferentially occupies trigonal prisms and Mg²⁺ favours octahedral sheets. Excess V⁵⁺ adjacent to the octahedral sheets may indicate short-range order. Ionic conductivity measured by impedance spectroscopy (IS) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) measurements show the presence of a phase transition, at 500-600 °C, depending on x. A decrease in activation energy for Li⁺ ion conductivity occurs at the phase transition and the high temperature structure is a good Li⁺ ion conductor, with σ=1×10⁻³-4×10⁻² S cm⁻¹ and E_a=0.6 to 0.8 eV.     

An approximate block Newton method for coupled iterations of nonlinear solvers: Theory and conjugate heat transfer applications

A new, approximate block Newton (ABN) method is derived and tested for the coupled solution of nonlinear models, each of which is treated as a modular, black box. Such an approach is motivated by a desire to maintain software flexibility without sacrificing solution efficiency or robustness. Though block Newton methods of similar type have been proposed and studied, we present a unique derivation and use it to sort out some of the more confusing points in the literature. In particular, we show that our ABN method behaves like a Newton iteration preconditioned by an inexact Newton solver derived from subproblem Jacobians. The method is demonstrated on several conjugate heat transfer problems modeled after melt crystal growth processes. These problems are represented by partitioned spatial regions, each modeled by independent heat transfer codes and linked by temperature and flux matching conditions at the boundaries common to the partitions. Whereas a typical block Gauss–Seidel iteration fails about half the time for the model problem, quadratic convergence is achieved by the ABN method under all conditions studied here. Additional performance advantages over existing methods are demonstrated and discussed.     

Trehalose click polymers inhibit nanoparticle aggregation and promote pDNA delivery in serum

Herein, three new glycopolymers have been synthesized via "click polymerization" to promote nucleic acid delivery in the presence of biological media containing serum. These structures were designed to contain a trehalose moiety to promote biocompatibility, water solubility, and stability against aggregation, amide-triazole groups to enhance DNA binding affinity, and an oligoamine unit to facilitate DNA encapsulation, phosphate neutralization, and interactions with cell surfaces. A 2,3,4,2',3',4'-hexa-O-acetyl-6,6'-diazido-6,6'-dideoxy-D-trehalose (4) monomer was polymerized via copper(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition with a series of dialkyne-amide comonomers that contain either one, two, or three Boc-protected secondary amines (7a, 7b, or 7c, respectively). After deprotection, three water-soluble polycations (9a, 9b, or 9c) were obtained with similar degrees of polymerization (n = 56-61) to elucidate the role of amine number on nucleic acid binding, complex formation, stability, and cellular delivery. Gel electrophoresis and ethidium bromide experiments showed that 9a-9c associated with plasmid DNA (pDNA) and formed complexes (polyplexes) at N/P ratios dependent on the amine number. TEM experiments revealed that 9a-9c polyplexes were small (50-120 nm) and had morphologies (spherical and rodlike) associated with the polymer chain stiffness. Dynamic light scattering studies in the presence of media containing serum demonstrated that 9c polyplexes had a low degree of flocculation, whereas 9a and 9b polyplexesd aggregate rapidly. Further biological studies revealed that these structures were biocompatible and deliver pDNA into HeLa cells. Particularly, 9c polyplexes promoted high delivery efficacy and gene expression profiles in the presence of serum.     

Sequence-specific recognition and cooperative dimerization of N-terminal aromatic peptides in aqueous solution by a synthetic host

This article describes the selective recognition and noncovalent dimerization of N-terminal aromatic peptides in aqueous solution by the synthetic host compound, cucurbit[8]uril (Q8). Q8 is known to bind two aromatic guests simultaneously and, in the presence of methyl viologen, to recognize N-terminal tryptophan over internal and C-terminal sequence isomers. Here, the binding of Q8 to aromatic peptides in the absence of methyl viologen was studied by isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), (1)H NMR spectroscopy, and X-ray crystallography. The peptides studied were of sequence X-Gly-Gly, Gly-X-Gly, and Gly-Gly-X (X = Trp, Phe, Tyr, and His). Q8 selectively binds and dimerizes Trp-Gly-Gly (1) and Phe-Gly-Gly (4) with high affinity (ternary K = 10(9)-10(11) M(-)(2)); binding constants for the other 10 peptides were too small to be measured by ITC. Both peptides bound in a stepwise manner, and peptide 4 bound with positive cooperativity. Crystal structures of Q8.1 and Q8.4(2) reveal the basis for selective recognition as simultaneous inclusion of the hydrophobic aromatic side chain into the cavity of Q8 and chelation of the proximal N-terminal ammonium group by carbonyl groups of Q8. The peptide sequence selectivity and positively cooperative dimerization reported here are, to the best of our knowledge, unprecedented for synthetic hosts in aqueous solution. Specific peptide recognition and dimerization by synthetic hosts such as Q8 should be important in the study of dimer-mediated biochemical processes and for the separation of peptides and proteins.     

Stabilization of coordinated carbonate in aqueous acidic solution: steric inhibition of protonation in Co(III) complexes containing chelated carbonate

The synthesis, characterization, X-ray crystal structures, and reactivity in aqueous acidic solution of the Co(III) carbonate complexes [Co(tpa)(O2CO)]ClO4.H2O, [Co(Me-tpa)(O2CO)]ClO4.0.5H2O, [Co(Me2-tpa)(O2CO)]ClO4.0.5H2O, and [Co(Me3-tpa)(O2CO)]ClO4 are reported (tpa = tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine; Me-tpa, Me2-tpa, and Me3-tpa are derivatives of tpa containing one, two, and three 6-methylpyridyl rings, respectively). The complexes display very different spectroscopic and 59Co NMR properties, consistent with the decreasing ligand field strength of the tripodal amine ligands in the order tpa > Me-tpa > Me(2)-tpa > Me3-tpa. X-ray structural data show an increase in the average Co-N bond distances as the number of methyl groups on the tripodal amine ligand increases, and this is the result of steric interactions between the methyl groups and the carbonate ligand and between the methyl groups themselves. Rate data for the acid hydrolysis of [Co(tpa)(O2CO)]+ (I = 1.0 M (NaClO4), 25.0 degrees C) over the [HClO4] range of 0.10-1.0 M are consistent with a previously proposed mechanism involving protonation of the carbonate ligand prior to ring-opening, but the equilibrium constant for protonation is smaller in this case than those obtained previously, as is the equilibrium constant for proton transfer from the exo to the endo O atoms. Comparative rate data ([HCl] = 6.0 M, 25.0 degrees C) for the four complexes show that those containing methylated ligands undergo acid hydrolysis between 25 and 90 times more slowly than [Co(tpa)(O2CO)]+ under the same conditions, and it is proposed that this rate difference is a result of steric factors. Inspection of space-filling diagrams shows that one of the endo oxygen atoms is significantly sterically hindered by the methyl groups of the tripodal amine ligands, thus inhibiting protonation at this site and leading to slower observed rates of hydrolysis. The results obtained in this study are consistent with the endo oxygen atoms being the mechanistically important site of protonation in the acid hydrolysis of metal complexes containing chelated carbonate.     

The $${\textit{SU}}(2)$$-character variety of the closed surface of genus 2

We study the symplectic geometry of the \({\text {SU}}(2)\)-representation variety of the compact oriented surface of genus 2. We use the Goldman flows to identify subsets of the moduli space with corresponding subsets of \({\mathbb {P}}^3(\mathbb {C})\). We also define and study two antisymplectic involutions on the moduli space and their fixed point sets.