Elementary Graphs with Respect to <Emphasis Type="Italic">f</Emphasis>-Parity Factors

This note concerns the f-parity subgraph problem, i.e., we are given an undirected graph G and a positive integer value function \({f : V(G) \rightarrow \mathbb{N}}\), and our goal is to find a spanning subgraph F of G with deg _F ≤ f and minimizing the number of vertices x with \({\deg_F(x) \not\equiv f(x) \, {\rm mod} \, {2}}\) . First we prove a Gallai–Edmonds type structure theorem and some other known results on the f-parity subgraph problem, using an easy reduction to the matching problem. Then we use this reduction to investigate barriers and elementary graphs with respect to f-parity factors, where an elementary graph is a graph such that the union of f-parity factors form a connected spanning subgraph.     

Accurate measurement of long-range heteronuclear coupling constants from undistorted multiplets of an enhanced CPMG-HSQMBC experiment

Here, we present a modified CPMG-HSQMBC experiment which is capable to reduce the detrimental phase twists in the "long-range" connectivity multiplets caused by proton-proton couplings. We demonstrate that concerted CPMG pulse trains applied on both nuclei in the starting CPMG-INEPT transfer step can considerably be improved by composite pi pulses that compensate for pulse imperfections and off-resonance effects. Experimental optimization of the interpulse delay within the CPMG cycle was found to be crucial in order to achieve the best possible "decoupling" of homonuclear coupling modulation.     

Application of the Systems Chemistry Approach on the Ammonolysis of 1-Ethoxycarbonyl- and 1-Phenoxycarbonyl-3-(2-thienyl)oxindoles. A Method to Predict Reactivity

The routine prediction of the reactivity of a complex, multifunctional molecule is a challenging and time-consuming procedure. In the last step of the synthesis of the well-known drug substance tenidap, a nonexpected difference was observed between the reactivities of two closely related carbamate moieties, the N-ethoxycarbonyl and the N-phenoxycarbonyl group. A detailed kinetic study, necessitating a significant computational effort, is described in the present paper for this reaction step. On the other hand, the systems chemistry concept, by analyzing the details of the electronic structure and the connections between functional groups in a fast and simple way, is also able to answer this question using various "-icity" parameters (aromaticity, carbonylicity, olefinicity). The complete systems chemistry approach involves all these conjugativicity parameters, while its further simplified version is based on only one key parameter, which is carbonylicity in the present case. The above methods were compared in terms of their predictive power. The results show that the systems chemistry concept, even its one-parameter version, is applicable for the characterization of this challenging reactivity issue.     

Improved preparative-scale. continuous, free-flow electrophoretic separation of the enantiomers of terbutaline utilizing equal-but-opposite enantiomer mobilities.

The factors that influence yield and product purity in the continuous, preparative-scale electrophoretic separation of the enantiomers of terbutaline when using the principle of equal-but-opposite effective mobilities were studied. The sodium salt of heptakis-6-sulfato-beta-cyclodextrin was used as the resolving agent, in acidic, isopropanol-containing background electrolytes, in the continuous, free-flow, preparative electrophoretic instrument, the Octopus. By matching the linear velocity of the feed solution to that of the background electrolyte, lateral hydrodynamic dispersion was minimized resulting in a nonelectrophoresed feed band that was only three fractions (about 3 mm) wide as it exited the 0.5 m long separation channel. The multiple of residence time and applied potential was also optimized, constrained by migration of the front of heptakis-6-sulfato-beta-cyclodextrin out of the separation zone, leading to the recovery of 95% of both enantiomers in better than 99.99% purity, at a production rate of 0.1 mg/h.     

A New Oxygen Containing Pyclen-Type Ligand as a Manganese(II) Binder for MRI and 52Mn PET Applications: Equilibrium,Kinetic, Relaxometric,Structural and Radiochemical Studies

A new pyclen-3,9-diacetate derivative ligand (H₂3,9-OPC2A) was synthesized possessing an etheric O-atom opposite to the pyridine ring, to improve the dissociation kinetics of its Mn(II) complex (pyclen = 3,6,9,15-tetraazabicyclo(9.3.1)pentadeca-1(15),11,13-triene). The new ligand is less basic than the N-containing analogue (H₂3,9-PC2A) due to the non-protonable O-atom. In spite of its lower basicity, the conditional stability of the [Mn(3,9-OPC2A)] (pMn = −log(Mn(II)), c_L = c_Mn(II) = 0.01 mM. pH = 7.4) remains unaffected (pMn = 8.69), compared to the [Mn(3,9-PC2A)] (pMn = 8.64). The [Mn(3,9-OPC2A)] possesses one water molecule, having a lower exchange rate with bulk solvents (k_ex²⁹⁸ = 5.3 ± 0.4 × 10⁷ s⁻¹) than [Mn(3,9-PC2A)] (k_ex²⁹⁸ = 1.26 × 10⁸ s⁻¹). These mild differences are rationalized by density-functional theory (DFT) calculations. The acid assisted dissociation of [Mn(3,9-OPC2A)] is considerably slower (k₁ = 2.81 ± 0.07 M⁻¹ s⁻¹) than that of the complexes of diacetates or bisamides of various 12-membered macrocycles and the parent H₂3,9-PC2A. The [Mn(3,9-OPC2A)] is inert in rat/human serum as confirmed by ⁵²Mn labeling (nM range), as well as by relaxometry (mM range). However, a 600-fold excess of EDTA (pH = 7.4) or a mixture of essential metal ions, propagated some transchelation/transmetalation in 7 days. The H₂3,9-OPC2A is labeled efficiently with ⁵²Mn at elevated temperatures, yet at 37 °C the parent H₂3,9-PC2A performs slightly better. Ultimately, the H₂3,9-OPC2A shows advantageous features for further ligand designs for bifunctional chelators.     

Erd?s-Szekeres theorem with forbidden order types

According to the classical Erd?s-Szekeres theorem, every sufficiently large set of points in general position in the plane contains a large subset in convex position. Parallel to the Erd?s-Hajnal problem in graph-Ramsey theory, we investigate how large such subsets must a configuration contain if it does not have any sub-configuration belonging to a fixed order type.     

Sensitivity- and Gradient-Enhanced Hetero (ω1) Half-Filtered TOCSY Experiment for Measuring Long-Range Heteronuclear Coupling Constants

An enhanced version of the X(ω₁) half-filtered TOCSY experiment for measurement of long-range heteronuclear coupling constants is proposed which yields high-quality spectra with substantially increased sensitivity and resolution. The modified method features gradient-enhanced X filtering sequences, broadband homonuclear decoupling duringt₁, optional¹J_XHscaling in theF₁domain, and gradient coherence selection in combination with the sensitivity-enhanced protocol for the TOCSY transfer. These modifications extend the applicability of the method—coupling constants can be measured accurately for natural abundance samples at low concentrations and for compounds yielding complex spectra. Computer-aided analysis of E.COSY-type multiplets is applied for the determination of heteronuclear long-range coupling constants.     

Direct elemental analysis of cancer cell lines by total reflection X-ray fluorescence

The elemental content of Cu, Fe and Zn in two human adenocarcinoma cell lines was investigated by total reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF) spectrometry. Cancer cells were sedimented directly to the quartz plates using a modified cytospin slide holder setup. Special glass stands and caps were also constructed to hold the quartz plates with the cells during the vapour-phase microwave assisted digestion. The method was validated by analysis of certified reference materials. The signal-to-noise ratio was optimized by washing the cells with different solutions. The technique was applied to the determination of Cu, Fe and Zn content of HT-29 and HCA-7 colorectal adenocarcinoma cell lines. Dry mass of the centrifuged cells were determined and the elemental analysis data reported for the two cell lines were referred either to cell numbers, to the total protein content or to the dry mass.