Synthesis,structural characterization and in vitro cytotoxic activity of novel polymeric triorganotin(IV) complexes of urocanic acid

Two novel triorganotin carboxylate complexes of the biologically active urocanic acid have been synthesized and characterized. Elemental analysis, melting point, spectroscopic techniques – IR, ¹H, ¹³C and ¹¹⁹Sn NMR – mass spectrometry and X‐ray diffraction studies have been used for structural characterization. Crystal structures of the tin(IV) derivatives show that urocanic acid acts as a bridging bidentate ligand through its imidazole nitrogen atom and its carboxylic group, producing a polymeric one‐dimensional chain. The molecular structures of the complexes, catena‐poly‐tri(n‐butyl)tin(IV) 3‐(3H‐imidazol‐4‐yl)prop‐2‐enoate (1) and catena‐poly‐triphenyltin(IV) 3‐(3H‐imidazol‐4‐yl)prop‐2‐enoate (2), present a distorted trigonal–bipyramidal configuration. This is further confirmed by ¹¹⁹Sn NMR in the solid state. The tin(IV) derivatives form double‐stranded ribbons via N―H^…O―H bonds. Nevertheless, the compounds are essentially monomeric in solution, with a tetrahedral configuration as observed by ¹¹⁹Sn NMR in solution. The cytotoxic activity of the titled compounds has been tested against six human cell lines and the corresponding IC₅₀ values are reported. Both tin(IV) compounds have a high to very high in vitro cytotoxic activity against the tumor cell lines K562, HCT‐15 and MCF‐7. Compound 1 is 86 times more active than cisplatin in the HTC‐15 cell line. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Oscillatory melting temperature of the vortex smectic phase in layered superconductors

We report on transport measurements of YBa 2Cu 3O (7-delta) single crystals with different oxygen contents in the geometry B, J ||ab (J perpendicularB). Our data show that the vortices become confined between the Cu-O planes below a well-defined temperature at which the effective size 2xi of the vortex core is approximately equal to the period of the Cu-O layers. This confinement strongly increases the vortex liquid freezing temperature. A new melting line is found separating a vortex liquid and a smectic phase, which shows an oscillatory field dependence reflecting differences between commensurate and incommensurate smectic states.     

基于箭形累积损伤的裂纹尖端力学:奇异性分级和多尺度分段

在适度的空间和时间尺度组合下,裂纹既可在几个月中蠕变几个纳米,也能在几秒钟内扩展10km.虽然裂纹的尖端没有实际的质量,但是它能通过激活周围的物质而处于高能量状态.依赖于材料的损伤方向,激活质量的减少和增加可发生在尺度转变之前或之后.每个尺度区的分段阈值被假定为与裂纹尖端速度的平方a~2和激活质量密度M的乘积有关:W=M_(↓↑)a_(↑↓)~2和D=M~(↓↑)a_(↑↓)~2.W和D分别被称为直接吸收和自耗散能量密度.正如下标/上标符号所示,激活的质量密度M_(↓↑)和M~(↓↑)与裂纹尖端速度a变化趋势相反,既可增加也可减少.a~2和M的互补效应隐含着常用于宇宙物理学建模的膨胀和/或收缩的物理过程.在用于尺度敏感的裂纹尖端的行为时,激活的质量密度有相同的解释.分段时的多尺度可以由…皮观、纳观、微观和宏观…组成.因此,形象地说,材料损伤过程可以通过裂纹扩展过程中非均匀的总体和局部能量的传递来模拟.疲劳裂纹扩展引起的材料损伤被用来阐释由大到小和由慢到快的尺度/时间序,热力学中的冷→热和有序→无序转换.这一过程正巧与宇宙演化的箭形方向相反,宇宙演化遵循小→大和快→慢,而热力学相反,遵循热→冷和无序→有序.为了表示由损伤萌生所造成的类裂缝型缺陷的不均匀性,提出了一个被称为裂纹尖端力学(crack tip mechanics,CTM)的新模式.涉及的范围是模拟原子列之间的界面裂纹或连续体中分叉的切口.假如需要的话,尺寸和时间的范围可以复盖从皮观到宏观甚至更大.虽然采用疲劳裂纹来说明CTM的基本原理,在宇宙物理学背景中与直接吸收和自耗散相关的膨胀和收缩的情况可以描述裂纹周围激活质量的行为,它们可看为能量的汇或源.奇异性被用来捕获能量的源或汇的特性,物理上,两者作为界面的一部分,从数学上看则是不连续的线的一部分.能量从一种形式变为另一种形式取决于能量吸收或耗散的箭形损伤时间,这之中牵涉到尺度分段和奇异性强度的联合应用.材料组分随时间的劣化是根据指定的设计寿命导出的,从而使材料的响应与加载率的时间历史匹配.2024-T3铝板的皮观/纳观/微观/宏观开裂模型用来说明什么地方可以增加结构的寿命部分.皮观/纳观/微观/宏观/结构系统的性能随时间劣化可以用9个尺度转变物理参数来描述:纳观/微观区有3个(μ_(na/mi)~*,σ_(na/mi)~*,d_(na/mi)~*),微观/宏观区有3个(μ_(mi/ma)~*,σ_(mi/ma)~*,d_(mi/ma)~*),皮观/纳观区有3个(μ_(pi/na)~*,σ_(pi/na)~*,d_(pi/na)~*).下标pi,na,mi,ma和struc分别表示皮观、纳观、微观、宏观和结构.只要知道两个相连的尺度敏感参数,在较低尺度的时间相关的局部物理参数就完成了分析连续体的形式论,虽然它们并不需要用实验来知道.更具体地说,根据皮观→纳观→微观→宏观分别有1.25/1.00/0.75/0.50的λ奇异性强度,皮观裂纹、纳观裂纹、微观裂纹和宏观裂纹的转变特征是从时间箭形的指定的寿命预期来确定的.附加的0.25强度的奇异性可用于结构元件.回想起来,λ=0.5相应于断裂力学中的应力分量与r~(0.5)成反比,r是与宏观裂纹尖端的距离.微观裂纹、纳观裂纹和皮观裂纹分别赋予r~(-0.75),r~(-1.0),r~(-1.25)的奇异性.箭形时间(以年为单位)取决于问题的定义.设备的关键部件可用1.5~±/2.5~±/3.5~±/5.5~±寿命分布和总寿命为13~±年(a)的皮观/纳观/微观/宏观尺度来设计运行.上标±表示多于或少于实际运行的时间.累进损伤被假定为发生在皮观→纳观→微观→宏观方向.同样的方案用于20年总寿命的2024-T3铝板的疲劳损伤,按照1.5~±/2.5~±/3.5~±/5.5~±/7.0~±的方式将它的寿命分布在皮观、纳观、微观、宏观和结构的尺度上,这样的指定只是满足在每个尺度范围内损伤内部材料结构所用的能量匹配,因此可以强制执行在总寿命的跨度内精确的时间相关的材料性能劣化过程.     

Synthesis of Novel Chiral Diol Ligands for the Enantioselective Reactions

The chiral diols ((,(,((,((-Tetraaryl-1,3-dioxolane-4,5-dimethanols) have been used for the formation of cyclic titanates and similar derivatives of Mg, Al and Zr. These complexes of oxophilic metal centers were employed in catalytic and stiochiometric enantioselective reactions such as enantioselective addition reactions of carbon-centered nucleophiles to aldehydes1, [2+2] cycloadditions2, and Diels-Alder reactions3. So far, the two hydrogen atoms of all this type of diols are in trans form…     

Pattern formation and morphology evolution in Langmuir monolayers

We present a study of how patterns formed by Langmuir monolayer domains of a stable phase, usually solid or liquid condensed, propagate into a metastable one, usually liquid expanded. During this propagation, the interface between the two phases moves as the metastable phase is transformed into the more stable one. The interface becomes unstable and forms patterns as a result of the competition between a chemical potential gradient that destabilizes the interface on one hand and line tension that stabilizes the interface on the other. During domain growth, we found a morphology transition from tip splitting to side branching; doublons were also found. These morphological features were observed with Brewster angle microscopy in three different monolayers at the water/air interface: dioctadecylamine, ethyl palmitate, and ethyl stearate. In addition, we observed the onset of the instability in round domains when an abrupt lateral pressure jump is made on the monolayer. Frequency histograms of unstable wavelengths are consistent with the linear-instability dispersion relation of classical free-boundary models. For the case of dendritic morphologies, we measured the radius of the dendrite tip as a function of the dendrite length as well as the spacing of the side branches along a dendrite. Finally, a possible explanation of why Langmuir monolayers present this kind of nonequilibrium growth patterns is presented. In the steady state, the growth behavior is determined by Laplace's equation in the particle density with specific boundary conditions. These equations are equivalent to those used in the theory of morphology diagrams for two-dimensional diffusional growth, where morphological transitions of the kind observed here have been predicted.     

Surface states of titanium dioxide nanoparticles modified with enediol ligands

Control of surface states of titanium dioxide nanoparticles using 2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)ethylamine (dopamine) and 3,4-dihydrophenylacetic acid, which act as ligands to the undercoordinated surface sites (carrier traps), is demonstrated by electrochemical techniques. The deepest traps were found to be most reactive and are selectively removed by the addition of the ligands which enhances the kinetics of electron accumulation in the film. Furthermore, a shift in the Fermi level to more positive potentials was detected for electrodes modified with the negatively charged ligand (3,4-dihydrophenylacetic acid) compared to that of electrodes modified with the positively charged ligand (dopamine). The presence of the negative charge on the ligand also contributed to the underpotential of hydrogen evolution on 3,4-dihydrophenylacetic acid-modified electrodes.     

The diffraction of elastic waves by an imperfect fusion bond

We consider diffraction by a semi-infinite crack located alonga fusion interface between two differing elastic media. Twotypes of crack, namely open and partially closed cracks, areinvestigated. An open crack is modelled by a stress-free contactboundary condition and a partially closed crack is modelledby a spring contact boundary condition. For the latter, thejump in the stress across the crack is assumed to be proportionalto the jump in the displacement across the crack. This situationarises in, for example, a K-weld where the fine grain of theparent material (for example, ferritic or forged austeniticsteel) is in stark contrast with the coarse-grained weld metal(for example, austenitic weld metal). In the metal weld thedirection of the grain axis varies through the metal. However,diffraction is a local phenomenon and so the austenitic steelis assumed to have a zonal axis so that it may be modelled bya transversely isotropic composite. The ferritic or forged austeniticsteel will be modelled as an isotropic material.     

Lactoferrin and Its Derived Peptides: An Alternative for Combating Virulence Mechanisms Developed by Pathogens

Due to the emergence of multidrug-resistant pathogens, it is necessary to develop options to fight infections caused by these agents. Lactoferrin (Lf) is a cationic nonheme multifunctional glycoprotein of the innate immune system of mammals that provides numerous benefits. Lf is bacteriostatic and/or bactericidal, can stimulate cell proliferation and differentiation, facilitate iron absorption, improve neural development and cognition, promote bone growth, prevent cancer and exert anti-inflammatory and immunoregulatory effects. Lactoferrin is present in colostrum and milk and is also produced by the secondary granules of polymorphonuclear leukocytes, which store this glycoprotein and release it at sites of infection. Lf is also present in many fluids and exocrine secretions, on the surfaces of the digestive, respiratory and reproductive systems that are commonly exposed to pathogens. Apo-Lf (an iron-free molecule) can be microbiostatic due to its ability to capture ferric iron, blocking the availability of host iron to pathogens. However, apo-Lf is mostly microbicidal via its interaction with the microbial surface, causing membrane damage and altering its permeability function. Lf can inhibit viral entry by binding to cell receptors or viral particles. Lf is also able to counter different important mechanisms evolved by microbial pathogens to infect and invade the host, such as adherence, colonization, invasion, production of biofilms and production of virulence factors such as proteases and toxins. Lf can also cause mitochondrial and caspase-dependent regulated cell death and apoptosis-like in pathogenic yeasts. All of these mechanisms are important targets for treatment with Lf. Holo-Lf (the iron-saturated molecule) can contain up to two ferric ions and can also be microbicidal against some pathogens. On the other hand, lactoferricins (Lfcins) are peptides derived from the N-terminus of Lf that are produced by proteolysis with pepsin under acidic conditions, and they cause similar effects on pathogens to those caused by the parental Lf. Synthetic analog peptides comprising the N-terminus Lf region similarly exhibit potent antimicrobial properties. Importantly, there are no reported pathogens that are resistant to Lf and Lfcins; in addition, Lf and Lfcins have shown a synergistic effect with antimicrobial and antiviral drugs. Due to the Lf properties being microbiostatic, microbicidal, anti-inflammatory and an immune modulator, it represents an excellent natural alternative either alone or as adjuvant in the combat to antibiotic multidrug-resistant bacteria and other pathogens. This review aimed to evaluate the data that appeared in the literature about the effects of Lf and its derived peptides on pathogenic bacteria, protozoa, fungi and viruses and how Lf and Lfcins inhibit the mechanisms developed by these pathogens to cause disease.