Carbon-nanotube-based saturable absorbers for near infrared solid state lasers

We demonstrate the passive mode-locking of a diode-pumped Nd⁺³:YAG (central wavelength: 1.32 μm; pulse duration: 50 ps; output energy: up to 70 μJ) laser using a polymer film containing single-wall carbon nanotubes. The mode-locking regime is stable at a pump repetition rate of up to 1 kHz. We also investigate the temporal evolution of the light-induced absorption change of the polymer film containing carbon nanotubes in the spectral range of 1.3–1.5 μm by femtosecond time-resolved pump-probe measurements. The measurements reveal that light-induced transmission exhibits fast and slow components that last 280 fs and more than 10 ps, respectively. The third-order susceptibility of the polymer film containing single wall carbon nanotubes is as high as 10⁻¹¹ esu.     

Asymptotic stability and stabilizability of special classes of discrete-time positive switched systems

In this paper we consider discrete-time positive switched systems, switching among autonomous subsystems, characterized either by monomial matrices or by circulant matrices. Necessary and sufficient conditions are provided guaranteeing either (global uniform) asymptotic stability or stabilizability (i.e. the possibility of driving to zero the state trajectory corresponding to any initial state by resorting to some switching sequence). Such conditions lead to simple algorithms that allow to easily detect, under suitable conditions, whether a given positive switched system is not stabilizable.     

Mapping the binding site topology of amyloid protein aggregates using multivalent ligands

A key process in the development of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer''s and Parkinson''s diseases is the aggregation of proteins to produce fibrillary aggregates with a cross β-sheet structure, amyloid. The development of reagents that can bind these aggregates with high affinity and selectivity has potential for early disease diagnosis. By linking two benzothiazole aniline (BTA) head groups with different length polyethylene glycol (PEG) spacers, fluorescent probes that bind amyloid fibrils with low nanomolar affinity have been obtained. Dissociation constants measured for interaction with Aβ, α-synuclein and tau fibrils show that the length of the linker determines binding affinity and selectivity. These compounds were successfully used to image α-synuclein aggregates in vitro and in the post-mortem brain tissue of patients with Parkinson''s disease. The results demonstrate that multivalent ligands offer a powerful approach to obtain high affinity, selective reagents to bind the fibrillary aggregates that form in neurodegenerative disease.

Multivalent ligands offer a powerful approach to obtain high affinity reagents to bind the aggregates that form in neurodegenerative disease. Selectivity for different proteins was achieved by using different linkers to connect the head groups.     

Structural and Spectral Study of Nickel(II) Complexes of Pyridyl bis{3‐piperidyl‐, bis{hexamethyleneiminyl‐, bis{N(4)‐diethyl‐, and bis{N(4)‐dipropylthiosemicarbazones}

Pyridyl bis(N(4)‐substituted thiosemicarbazones), in which the substituents replacing the NH₂ group on the thiosemicarbazone moieties are piperidyl, H₂Plpip; hexamethyleneiminyl, H₂Plhexim; diethylamino, H₂Pl4DE; and dipropylamino, H₂Pl4DP, have been synthesized. These bis(thiosemicarbazones) and their nickel(II) complexes have been characterized with IR, electronic, mass, and ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectra. Crystal structures have been solved for H₂Plpip and all four nickel(II) complexes. H₂Plpip does not possess hydrogen bonding between the thiosemicarbazone moieties, but is in the Z isomeric form with intramolecular hydrogen bonding from both thiosemicarbazone moieties to pyridine nitrogen atoms. The nickel(II) complexes possess square‐planar N₂S₂ (i. e., imine nitrogen and thiolato sulfur atoms) centers and the two pyridine ring nitrogen atoms are not coordinated.     

Therapeutic Potential of Highly Selective A3 Adenosine Receptor Ligands in the Central and Peripheral Nervous System

Ligands of the G_i protein-coupled adenosine A₃ receptor (A₃R) are receiving increasing interest as attractive therapeutic tools for the treatment of a number of pathological conditions of the central and peripheral nervous systems (CNS and PNS, respectively). Their safe pharmacological profiles emerging from clinical trials on different pathologies (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis and fatty liver diseases) confer a realistic translational potential to these compounds, thus encouraging the investigation of highly selective agonists and antagonists of A₃R. The present review summarizes information on the effect of latest-generation A₃R ligands, not yet available in commerce, obtained by using different in vitro and in vivo models of various PNS- or CNS-related disorders. This review places particular focus on brain ischemia insults and colitis, where the prototypical A₃R agonist, Cl-IB-MECA, and antagonist, MRS1523, have been used in research studies as reference compounds to explore the effects of latest-generation ligands on this receptor. The advantages and weaknesses of these compounds in terms of therapeutic potential are discussed.     

Polyphenols from Dichrostachys cinerea Fruits Anti-Inflammatory,Analgesic, and Antioxidant Capacity in Freund’s Adjuvant-Induced Arthritic Rat Model

Dichrostachys cinerea (L.) Wigth & Arn. (DC) is widely used in traditional medicine against several inflammatory diseases, especially rheumatoid arthritis, because of its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. This study aimed to characterize the polyphenol-rich DC fruit extracts and investigate the analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant effects in a rat inflammation model induced by complete Freund’s adjuvant (CFA). Water and ethanolic extracts were characterized using liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (LC-MS), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The polyphenol-rich extracts were administered in three different concentrations for 30 days. Pain threshold, thermal hyperalgesia, edema, and serum biomarkers specific to inflammatory processes or oxidative stress were evaluated. Both extracts were rich in polyphenolic compounds, mainly flavan-3-ols, proanthocyanidins, and flavone glycosides, which had important in vitro antioxidant capacity. DC fruit extracts administration had the maximum antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects after one day since the CFA injection and showed promising results for long-term use as well. The measurement of pro-inflammatory cytokines, cortisol, and oxidative stress parameters showed that DC extracts significantly reduced these parameters, being dose and extract-type dependent. These results showed potential anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antioxidative properties and revealed the necessity of using a standardized polyphenolic DC extract to avoid result variability.     

Stabilization of foams with inorganic colloidal particles

Wet foams are used in many important technologies either as end or intermediate products. However, the thermodynamic instability of wet foams leads to undesired bubble coarsening over time. Foam stability can be drastically improved by using particles instead of surfactants as foam stabilizers, since particles tend to adsorb irreversibly at the air-water interface. Recently, we presented a novel method for the preparation of high-volume particle-stabilized foams which show neither bubble growth nor drainage over more than 4 days. The method is based on the in-situ hydrophobization of initially hydrophilic particles to enable their adsorption on the surface of air bubbles. In-situ hydrophobization is accomplished through the adsorption of short-chain amphiphiles on the particle surface. In this work, we illustrate how this novel method can be applied to particles with various surface chemistries. For that purpose, the functional group of the amphiphilic molecule was tailored according to the surface chemistry of the particles to be used as foam stabilizers. Short-chain carboxylic acids, alkyl gallates, and alkylamines were shown to be appropriate amphiphiles to in-situ hydrophobize the surface of different inorganic particles. Ultrastable wet foams of various chemical compositions were prepared using these amphiphiles. The simplicity and versatility of this approach is expected to aid the formulation of stable wet foams for a variety of applications in materials manufacturing, food, cosmetics, and oil recovery, among others.     

The CK2 alpha/CK2 beta interface of human protein kinase CK2 harbors a binding pocket for small molecules

The Ser/Thr kinase CK2 (previously called casein kinase 2) is composed of two catalytic chains (CK2 alpha) attached to a dimer of noncatalytic subunits (CK2 beta). CK2 is involved in suppression of apoptosis, cell survival, and tumorigenesis. To investigate these activities and possibly affect them, selective CK2 inhibitors are required. An often-used CK2 inhibitor is 5,6-dichloro-1-beta-D-ribofuranosylbenzimidazole (DRB). In a complex structure with human CK2 alpha, DRB binds to the canonical ATP cleft, but additionally it occupies an allosteric site that can be alternatively filled by glycerol. Inhibition kinetic studies corroborate the dual binding mode of the inhibitor. Structural comparisons reveal a surprising conformational plasticity of human CK2 alpha around both DRB binding sites. After local rearrangement, the allosteric site serves as a CK2 beta interface. This opens the potential to construct molecules interfering with the CK2 alpha/CK2 beta interaction.     

CrCl2-promoted stereospecific and stereoselective alkyl- and silylcyclopropanation of alpha,beta-unsaturated amides

An efficient chromium-promoted alkyl- or silylcyclopropanation of alpha,beta-unsaturated amides is described. These reactions can be carried out on (E)- or (Z)-alpha,beta-enamides in which the C-C double bond is di-, or trisubstituted. This process takes place with total stereospecificity and the new stereogenic center is generated with high or total stereoselectivity. Some synthetic applications of the obtained silylcyclopropyl amides are also reported. Two mechanisms based on the generation of carbenoid or carbene complexes have been proposed to explain this cyclopropanation reaction.