Effect of shear on human insulin in zinc suspension

Human insulin in zinc suspension was used as a model protein to test the effect of shear on the settling rate of proteins, a possible inference for protein denaturation. The rate of settling was determined directly in a spectropho-tometer. Shear effects are important in retaining the activity of proteins and are present in bubble, foam, and droplet protein fractionation processes. A sim pletest, such as that conducted here, mayeven be useful for monitoring changes in protein structure caused by commercial shipping of the protein. The settling ratefor insulin was continously monitored in theoriginal bottle by spectrophotometric absorbance changes as a function of time. A settling curve was determined following each shear experiment, which included shaking the “worked” insulin solution in a vortex mixer for different lengths of time. It was determined, when comparing long shaking times with short ones, that the initial settling rate was less for the long-term shaking of the insulin samples and greater for the short-term shaking. The secondary effects of light and heat, along with shaking, a pparently did not produce differences from shaking alone.     

Four-dimensional density and energy density functional

The relations based on an external one-electron operator V( r ) are examined from two view-points, i.e., from the Hohenberg–Kohn approach and the four-dimensional density concept introduced by Wilson and Frost, and extensively studied by Parr and Politzer. The object being to obtain, with the help of the Hellmann–Feynman theorem, new formulas for the energy of atoms and molecules, and to discuss the construction of the universal energy density functional on the basis of the four-dimensional density.     

Development of Molecular Mechanics Torsion Parameters for alpha,beta-Cyclopropyl Ketones and Conformational Analysis of Bicyclo[m.1.0]alkan-2-ones

Conformations of cyclopropyl methyl ketone have been studied using ab initio methods in an effort to quantify the effects of conjugative overlap between the cyclopropane ring and an adjacent ketone carbonyl. Results were comparable with previous experimental and theoretical studies. Cyclopropyl methyl ketone exhibits a global energy minimum in the s-cis conformer and a local energy minimum near the s-trans conformer. The potential energy curve obtained was used to derive torsion parameters which were employed in molecular mechanics studies of the conformations of the set of bicyclo[m.1.0]alkan-2-ones having larger ring sizes from five- to 16-membered. Similar conformations for the cyclopropyl ketone substructure are observed for all the medium and large ring systems examined. Possible synthetic ramifications of local conformational anchoring by this functional group array are discussed.     

Characterization of tri-o-methylcellulose by one- and two-dimensional NMR methods

Tri-O-methylcellulose was prepared from partially O-methylated cellulose and its chemical shifts (¹H and ¹³C), and proton coupling constants were assigned using the following NMR methods: (1) One-dimensional ¹H and ¹³C spectra of the title compound were used to assign functional groups and to compare with literature data; (2) double quantum filtered proton–proton correlation spectroscopy (¹H, ¹H DQF-COSY) was used to assign the chemical shifts of the network of 7 protons in the anhydroglucose portion of the repeat unit; (3) the heteronuclear single-quantum coherence (HSQC) spectrum was used to establish connectivities between the bonded protons and carbons; (4) the heteronuclear multiple-bond correlation (HMBC) spectrum was used to connect the hydrogens of the methyl ethers to their respective sugar carbons; (5) the combination of HSQC and HMBC spectra was used to assign the ¹³C shifts of the methyl ethers; (6) all spectra were used in combination to verify the assigned chemical shifts; (7) first-order proton coupling constants data (J_H,H in Hz) were obtained from the resolution-enhanced proton spectra. The NMR spectra of tri-O-methylcellulose and other cellulose ethers do not resemble the spectra of similarly substituted cellobioses. Although the ¹H and ¹³C shifts and coupling constants of 2,3,6-tri-O-methylcellulose closely resemble those of methyl tetra-O-methyl-β-D -glucoside, there are differences with regard to the chemical shifts and the order of appearances of the resonating nuclei of the methyl ether appendages and the proton at position 4 in the pyranose ring. H4 in tri-O-methylcellulose is deshielded by the acetal system comprising the β-1→4 linkage, and it resonates downfield. H4 in the permethylated glucoside is not as deshielded by the equitorial O-methyl group at C4, and it resonates upfield. The order of appearance of the ¹H and ¹³C resonances in the spectra of the tri-O-methylcellulose repeat unit (from upfield to downfield) are H2 < H3 < H5 < H6a < H3a < H2a < pro R H6B < H4 < pro S H6A ≪ H1 and C6a < C3a < C2a < C6 < C5 < C4 < C2 < C3 ≪ C1, respectively. Close examination of the pyranose ring coupling constants of the repeat unit in tri-O-methylcellulose supports the ⁴C₁ arrangement of the glucopyranose ring. Examination of the proton coupling constants about the C5-C6 bond (J_5,6A and J_5,6B) in the nuclear Overhauser effect difference spectra revealed that the C6 O-methyl group is predominantly in the gauche gauche conformation about the C5-C6 bond for the polymer in solution. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.* J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 4019–4032, 1999     

Derivatives of 2,4-diamino-6-methylpteridine

Eighteen derivatives of 2,4-diamino-6-methylpteridine related to methotrexate and aminopterin have been prepared from 6-(bromomethyl)-2,4-pteridinediamine by nucleophilic displacement reactions. None of these compounds showed any antileukemic acitivity.     

The structures of 5-methyl-5-phenyl-5H-dibenzo[b,f] silepin and its saturated analog

The structures of 5-methyl-5-phenyl-5H-dibenzo[b,f] silepin (I) and 5-methyl- 5-phenyl-1O,11-dihydro-5H-dibenzo [b,f] silepin (II) have been determined from three-dimensional X-ray data collected by counter methods. I crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Pnam with a 7.596(3), b 18.102(5) and c 12.190(2) Å; observed and calculated densities (Z = 4) are 1.17 and 1.18 g cm^?3, respectively. II crystallizes in the monoclinic space group $\text{P}\text{2}{}_1\text{c}$ with a 11.115(3), b 7.920(3), c 20.765(5) Å and β 111.71(2)°; observed and calculated densities (Z = 4) are 1.17 g cm^?3. Anisotropic refinement of nonhydrogen atoms, with hydrogen atoms included at fixed ideal locations, gave conventional R-factors of 4.5% (I) and 5.0% (II). Compound I exhibits the boat conformation for the tricyclic framework and is located on a crystallographically required mirror plane. Com- pound II has the expected folded boat conformation. The torsion angle about the 10,11-bond is 0.0° for I, a crystallographic symmetry requirement, and 89.9° for II. Mean SiC bond distances are 1.863 Å(I) and 1.875 Å(II). The dihedral angles between the planar benzo groups are 129.7° (I) and 137.2° (II); introduc- tion of unsaturation at the 10,11-position decreases the dihedral angle in the tri- cyclic system, i.e., the tricyclic system is more bent.     

Algebraic structure of fermion density matrices. II

The properties of the algebraic structure of fermion density matrices are studied. The algebraic structure of a density matrix leads to a more varied and detailed classification scheme than that offered by the usual shell structure approach. Investigation of the algebraic structure of fermion density matrices by the methods of algebraic topology leads to a classification scheme based on Betti numbers.     

On the red shift of OH stretching region vibrations in ice and water

The nature of the red shift of frequencies of the fundamental modes, v₁ and v₃, in the OH stretching region of the vibrational spectrum of ice (and, possibly, in water) under H-bonding formation is explained in the framework of the continuum approach for the one-dimensional infinite chain of water molecules represented as dipolar and polarizable OH oscillators vibrating in the definite force field. The explicit expressions in the form of the generalized cnoidal nonlinear waves describing these fundamental modes and obtained as the solutions of the nonlinear Klein–Gordon equation of motion, and their red shifts that are consistent with experimental observations, are presented.