Bismuth silicate glass containing heavy metal oxide as a promising radiation shielding material

Optical and FTIR spectroscopic measurements and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) properties have been utilized to investigate and characterize the given compositions of binary bismuth silicate glasses. In this work, it is aimed to study the possibility of using the prepared bismuth silicate glasses as a good shielding material for γ-rays in which adding bismuth oxide to silicate glasses causes distinguish increase in its density by an order of magnitude ranging from one to two more than mono divalent oxides. The good thermal stability and high density of the bismuth-based silicate glass encourage many studies to be undertaken to understand its radiation shielding efficiency. For this purpose a glass containing 20% bismuth oxide and 80% SiO₂ was prepared using the melting–annealing technique. In addition the effects of adding some alkali heavy metal oxides to this glass, such as PbO, BaO or SrO, were also studied. EPR measurements show that the prepared glasses have good stability when exposed to γ-irradiation. The changes in the FTIR spectra due to the presence of metal oxides were referred to the different housing positions and physical properties of the respective divalent Sr²⁺, Ba²⁺ and Pb²⁺ ions. Calculations of optical band gap energies were presented for some selected glasses from the UV data to support the probability of using these glasses as a gamma radiation shielding material. The results showed stability of both optical and magnetic spectra of the studied glasses toward gamma irradiation, which validates their irradiation shielding behavior and suitability as the radiation shielding candidate materials.     

Dissecting heterogeneous molecular chaperone complexes using a mass spectrum deconvolution approach

Small heat-shock proteins (sHSPs) are molecular chaperones that prevent irreversible aggregation through binding nonnative target proteins. Due to their heterogeneity, these sHSP:target complexes remain poorly understood. We present a nanoelectrospray mass spectrometry analysis algorithm for estimating the distribution of stoichiometries comprising a polydisperse ensemble of oligomers. We thus elucidate the organization of complexes formed between sHSPs and different target proteins. We find that binding is mass dependent, with the resultant complexes reflecting the native quaternary architecture of the target, indicating that protection happens early in the denaturation. Our data therefore explain the apparent paradox of how variable complex morphologies result from the generic mechanism of protection afforded by sHSPs. Our approach is applicable to a range of polydisperse proteins and provides a means for the automated and accurate interpretation of mass spectra derived from heterogeneous protein assemblies.     

Facile and simple synthesis of some new polyfunctionally heterocyclic derivatives incorporating 2‐imino‐2H‐chromene moiety

1,2‐Dihydro‐2‐imino‐6‐(2‐imino‐2H‐chromen‐3‐yl)‐1,4‐diphenyl‐pyridine‐3‐carbonitrile 4 has been synthesized and reacted with ethyl cyanoacetate to yield the new 5‐amino‐1,7‐dihydro‐2‐(2‐imino‐2H‐chromen‐3‐yl)‐7‐oxo‐1,4‐diphenyl‐1,8‐naphthyridine‐6‐carbonitrile 6 , which consider a good and available starting intermediate for synthesis of series of functionalized chromenes. So, the compound 6 was utilized as a key for the synthesis of some new pyrimido[5,4‐c][1,8]naphthyridinones, pyrido[2,3‐c][1,6]naphthyridinones, triazolo[3′,4′:1,6]triazino][5,4‐c][1,8]naphthyridinones, triazolo[2′,3′:1,6]pyrimido[4,5‐c][1,8]naphthyridinones, triazepino[6,5‐c][1,8]naphthyridinone, and triazino[5,4‐c][1,8]naphthyridinones. The structures of these compounds were established by elemental analysis, IR, MS, and NMR spectral analysis. J. Heterocyclic Chem., (2012).     

Efficient synthesis of pyrimido[5,4‐c]pyridazines and of thiino[2,3‐d]pyrimidines based on an aza‐wittig reaction/heterocyclization strategy

A simple one‐pot and efficient method is described for the synthesis of pyrimido[5,4‐c]pyridazines 5 and of thiino[2,3‐d] pyrimidines 15 by a domino process involving an aza‐Wittig reaction/heterocyclization. The iminophosphorane 2 reacted with phenylisocyanate, followed by heterocyclization on addition of amines to give the corresponding guanidine intermediates 4 . The guanidine intermediates were cyclized in the presence of catalytic amount of sodium ethoxide to pyrimido[5,4‐c]pyridazines 5 . Similarly, iminophosphorane 12 reacted with phenylisocyanate and amines to give thiino[2,3‐d]pyrimidines 15 in moderate yields. Furthermore, pyridazino[4,3‐d]oxazines 10 and thiino[2,3‐d]oxazines 19 were synthesized by the intremolecular aza‐Wittig reaction of phosphazenes 2 and 12 , respectively, with acid chlorides followed by heterocylization via imidoyl chloride intermediates. J. Heterocyclic Chem., (2012).     

NADH oxidation using modified electrodes based on lactate and glucose dehydrogenase entrapped between an electrocatalyst film and redox catalyst-modified polymers

We have developed a simple and efficient method for the enhanced loading of silver nanoparticles onto carbon nanospheres, and how this method can be used to design an electrochemical sensor for hydrogen peroxide (HP). A glassy carbon electrode was modified with hemoglobin, carbon nanospheres, and by enhanced loading of silver nanoparticles onto the carbon nanospheres via spontaneous polymerization of dopamine. The hemoglobin exhibits a remarkable electrocatalytic activity for the reduction of HP. The electrochemical response to HP is linear range in the 1.0–147.0?μM concentration range, with a detection limit of 0.3?μM at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3.

Biosynthesis of Au nanoparticles using olive leaf extract: 1st Nano Updates

The biological synthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) of various shapes (triangle, hexagonal, and spherical) using hot water olive leaf extracts as reducing agent is reported. The size and the shape of Au nanoparticles are modulated by varying the ratio of metal salt and extract in the reaction medium. Only 20 min were required for the conversion into gold nanoparticles at room temperature, suggesting a reaction rate higher or comparable to those of nanoparticles synthesis by chemical methods. The variation of the pH of the reaction medium gives AuNPs nanoparticles of different shapes. The nanoparticles obtained are characterized by UV–Vis spectroscopy, photoluminescence, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), FTIR spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis. The TEM images showed that a mixture of shapes (triangular, hexagonal and spherical) structures was formed at lower leaf broth concentration and high pH, while smaller spherical shapes were obtained at higher leaf broth concentration and low pH.     

Synthesis of certain 2-substituted-1H-benzimidazole derivatives as antimicrobial and cytotoxic agents

A series of 2-substituted-1H-benzimidazole derivatives were synthesized and evaluated for antimicrobial, antifungal and cytotoxic activities. The results showed that all tested compounds showed potent antimicrobial activity against some species of Gram-negative bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi) and fungi (Candida albicans) with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) lower than 0.016 μg/mL. In contrast, all tested compounds were inactive against Staphylococcus aureus (Gram-positive bacterium). The final targets were also tested for their antitumor activity in vitro on cervical carcinoma (HeLa) cell line. Eight of the test compounds displayed more potent cytotoxic effect than doxorubicin at nanomolar concentrations. Compounds 2c and 3c exerted the strongest cytoyoxic effect with IC(50) 15 and 13 nM, respectively.     

Resolution of chiral phosphate, phosphonate, and phosphinate esters by an enantioselective enzyme library

An array of 16 enantiomeric pairs of chiral phosphate, phosphonate, and phosphinate esters was used to establish the breadth of the stereoselective discrimination inherent within the bacterial phosphotriesterase and 15 mutant enzymes. For each substrate, the leaving group was 4-hydroxyacetophenone while the other two groups attached to the phosphorus core consisted of an asymmetric mixture of methyl, methoxy, ethyl, ethoxy, isopropoxy, phenyl, phenoxy, cyclohexyl, and cyclohexoxy substituents. For the wild-type enzyme, the relative rates of hydrolysis for the two enantiomers ranged from 3 to 5.4 x 10(5). Various combinations of site-specific mutations within the active site were used to create modified enzymes with alterations in their enantioselective properties. For the single-site mutant enzyme, G60A, the stereoselectivity is enhanced relative to that of the wild-type enzyme by 1-3 orders of magnitude. Additional mutants were obtained where the stereoselectivity is inverted relative to the wild-type enzyme for 13 of the 16 pairs of enantiomers tested for this investigation. The most dramatic example was obtained for the hydrolysis of 4-acetylphenyl methyl phenyl phosphate. The G60A mutant preferentially hydrolyzes the SP-enantiomer by a factor of 3.7 x 10(5). The I106G/F132G/H257Y mutant preferentially hydrolyzes the RP-enantiomer by a factor of 9.7 x 10(2). This represents an enantioselective discrimination of 3.6 x 10(8) between these two mutants, with a total of only four amino acid changes. The rate differential between the two enantiomers for any given mutant enzyme is postulated to be governed by the degree of nonproductive binding within the enzyme active site and stabilization of the transition state. This hypothesis is supported by computational docking of the high-energy, pentavalent form of the substrates to modeled structures of the mutant enzyme; the energies of the docked transition-state analogues qualitatively capture the enantiomeric preferences of the various mutants for the different substrates. These results demonstrate that the catalytic properties of the wild-type phosphotriesterase can be exploited for the kinetic resolution of a wide range of phosphate, phosphonate, and phosphinate esters and that the active site of this enzyme is remarkably amenable to structural perturbations via amino acid substitution.     

A convenient and facile synthesis of pyridine,pyridazine, pyrimido‐[4,5‐c]pyridazine,pyrido[3,4‐c]pyridazine, 1,6‐naphthyridine and phthalazine derivatives

Ethyl 2‐arylhydrazono‐3‐butyrates 2 reacted with 2‐cyano‐N‐(4‐methylphenyl) acetamide 1a and 2‐cyano‐N‐(thiazol‐2‐yl)acetamide 1b to give the pyridinedione, 4 and pyridazine 5 derivatives in 3:1 ratio. The products 4 and 5 have been transformed into different phthalazine, pyrimido[4,5‐c]‐pyridazine, pyrido[3,4‐c]pyridazine and 1,6‐naphthyridine derivatives. The chemical structures have been confirmed by analytical and spectral analysis.     

Synthesis, reactions, and biological activity of 1,4-benzothiazine derivatives

Abstract  

6,7-Dimethoxy-2H-1,4-benzothiazin-3(4H)-one reacts with dimethylformamide dimethylacetal (DMF-DMA) to give the novel enaminone 2-(dimethylaminomethylene)-6,7-dimethoxy-2H-1,4-benzothiazin-3(4H)-one. The reaction of the latter with various active methylene compounds afforded pyrido[3,2-b][1,4]benzothiazines. Also, coupling of the enaminone with diazotized aniline derivatives gave 2-(arylhydrazono)-6,7-dimethoxy-2H-1,4-benzothiazin-3(4H)-ones. Spectral data indicated that the latter compounds exist predominantly in the hydrazone tautomeric form. In addition, coupling of the enaminone with diazotized heterocyclic amines afforded tetra- and pentaheterocyclic ring systems. The antitumor and antimicrobial activity of some of the synthesized compounds was screened.