INAA determination of selenium via77mSe in plasma,semen and hair samples from beef and dairy bulls

Interest in the element selenium with respect to its biological significance has been steadily increasing for the last ten years. Neutron activation analysis has long been used for the accurate determination of selenium in biological samples usually via⁷⁵Se. More recently activation analysts having access to high flux reactors with rapid delivery pneumatic tube facilities; have successfully employed^77mSe. This approach, which is much faster, is particularly well suited to the Missouri University Research Reactor (MURR). The specific interest concerning bulls has to do with the involvement of selenium in the reproductive system. Selenium analysis methodology and data on plasma, semen and 22 tissues from both beef and dairy bulls are presented.     

Magnet assisted fabrication of microtubule arrays

Magnetic fields were used to fashion permanently aligned microtubule arrays allowing formation of highly ordered platforms for assembly, separation, and single molecule motor studies.     

Oxazaphospholidine-oxide as an efficient ortho-directing group for the diastereoselective deprotonation of ferrocene

[reaction: see text] Ortho-lithiation of (2R,4S,5R)-3,4-dimethyl-2-ferrocenyl-5-phenyl[1,3,2]oxazaphospholidine 2-oxide 2 was carried out with diastereoselectivity of >99%, affording a new and efficient way for introducing planar chirality into the ferrocene backbone. Various electrophiles were used to quench the lithiated species, showing the wide applicability of the new ortho-directing group and its potential to generate ligands for use in asymmetric catalysis.     

Radical Cyclisation of α‐Halo Aluminium Acetals: A Mechanistic Study

α‐Bromo aluminium acetals are suitable substrates for Ueno–Stork‐like radical cyclisations affording γ‐lactols and acid‐sensitive methylene‐γ‐lactols in high yields. The mechanistic study herein sets the scope and limitation of this reaction. The influence of the halide (or chalcogenide) atom X (X=Cl, Br, I, SPh, SePh) in the precursors α‐haloesters, as well as influence of the solvent and temperature was studied. The structure of the aluminium acetal intermediates resulting from the reduction of the corresponding α‐haloesters has been investigated by low‐temperature ¹³C‐INEPT diffusion‐ordered NMR spectroscopy (DOSY) experiments and quantum calculations, providing new insights into the structures of these thermally labile intermediates. Oxygen‐bridged dimeric structures with a planar Al₂O₂ ring are proposed for the least hindered aluminium acetals, while monomeric structures seem to prevail for the most hindered species. A comparison against the radical cyclisation of aluminium acetals derived from allyl and propargyl alcohols with the parent Ueno–Stork has been made at the BHandHLYP/6‐311++G(d,p) level of theory, highlighting mechanistic similarities and differences.     

Time-resolved detection of the CF3 photofragment using chirped QCL radiation

This paper demonstrates how a quantum cascade laser (QCL) in its intrapulse mode can provide a simple method for probing the products of a photolysis event. The system studied is the 266 nm photodissociation of CF3I with the CF3 fragments subsequently detected using radiation at approximately 1253 cm(-1) generated by a pulsed QCL. The tuning range provided by the frequency down-chirp of the QCL operated in its intrapulse mode allows a approximately 1 cm(-1) segment of the CF3 nu3 band to be measured following each photolysis laser pulse. Identification of features within this spectral region allows the CF3 ( v = 0) number density to be calculated as a function of pump-probe delay, and consequently the processes which populate and deplete this quantum state may be examined. Rate constants for the population cascade from higher vibrational levels into the v = 0 state, k 1, and for the recombination of the CF3 radicals to form C2F6, k2, are measured. The returned values of k1 = (2.3 +/- 0.34) x 10(-12) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1) and k2 = (3.9 +/- 0.34) x 10(-12) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1) are found to be in good agreement with reported literature values.     

Affinity of the highly preorganized ligand PDA (1,10-phenanthroline-2,9-dicarboxylic acid) for large metal ions of higher charge. A crystallographic and thermodynamic study of PDA complexes of thorium(IV) and the uranyl(VI) ion

The hydrothermal synthesis and structures of [UO2(PDA)] (1) and [Th(PDA)2(H2O)2].H2O (2) (PDA = 1,10-phenanthroline-2,9-dicarboxylic acid) are reported. 1 is orthorhombic, Pnma, a = 11.1318(7) A, b = 6.6926(4) A, c = 17.3114(12) A, V = 1289.71(14), Z = 4, R = 0.0313; 2 is triclinic, P1, a = 7.6190(15) A, b = 10.423(2) A, c = 17.367(4) A, alpha = 94.93(3) degrees , beta = 97.57(3) degrees , gamma = 109.26(3) degrees , V = 1278.3(4) A (3), Z = 2, R = 0.0654. The local geometry around the U in 1 is a pentagonal bipyramid with the two uranyl oxygens occupying the apical positions. The donor atoms in the plane comprise the four donor atoms from the PDA ligand (average U-N = 2.558 and U-O = 2.351 A) with the fifth site occupied by a bridging carboxylate oxygen from a neighboring UO2/PDA individual. The PDA ligand in 1 is exactly planar, with the U lying in the plane of the ligand. The latter planarity, as well as the near-ideal U-O and U-N bond lengths, and O-U-N and N-U-N bond angles within the chelate rings of 1 suggest that PDA binds to the uranyl cation in a low-strain manner. In 2, there are two PDA ligands bound to the Th (average Th-N = 2.694 and Th-O = 2.430 A) as well as two water molecules (Th-O = 2.473 and 2.532 A) to give the Th a coordination number of 10. The PDA ligands in 2 are bowed, with the Th lying out of the plane of the ligand. Molecular mechanics calculations suggest that the distortion of the PDA ligands in 2 arises because of steric crowding. UV spectroscopic studies of solutions containing 1:1 ratios of PDA and Th(4+) in 0.1 M NaClO4 at 25 degrees C indicate that log K1 for the Th(4+)/PDA complex is 25.7(9). The latter result confirms the previous prediction that complexes of PDA with metal ions of higher charge and an ionic radius of about 1.0 A such as Th(IV) would have remarkably high log K1 values with PDA. The origins of this very high stability are discussed in terms of a synergy between the pyridyl and the carboxylate donor groups of PDA. Metal ions of high charge normally bond poorly with pyridyl donors in aqueous solution because such metal ions require donor groups that are able to disperse charge to the solvent via hydrogen-bonding, which pyridyl groups are unable to do. In PDA, the carboxylates fulfill this need and so enable the high donor strength of the pyridyl groups of PDA to become apparent in the high log K1 for Th(IV) with PDA.     

Metal ion complexing properties of the highly preorganized ligand 2,9-bis(hydroxymethyl)-1,10-phenanthroline: a crystallographic and thermodynamic study

Metal ion complexing properties of the ligand 2,9-bis(hydroxymethyl)-1,10-phenanthroline (PDALC) are reported. For PDALC, the rigid 1,10-phenanthroline backbone leads to high levels of preorganization and enhanced selectivity for larger metal ions with an ionic radius of about 1.0 A that can fit well into the cleft of the ligand. Structures of PDALC complexes with two larger metal ions, Ca(II) and Pb(II), are reported. [Ca(PDALC) 2](ClO 4) 2 ( 1) is triclinic, Pi, a = 7.646(3), b = 13.927(4), c = 14.859(5) (A), alpha = 72.976(6), beta = 89.731(6), mu = 78.895(6) degrees , V = 1482.5(8) A (3), Z = 2, R = 0.0818. [Pb(PDALC)(ClO 4) 2] ( 2) is triclinic, Pi, a = 8.84380(10), b = 9.0751(15), c = 12.178(2) (A), alpha = 74.427(3), beta = 78.403(13), mu = 80.053(11) degrees , V = 915.0(2) A (3), Z = 2, R = 0.0665. In 1, the Ca(II) is eight-coordinate, with an average Ca-N of 2.501 A and Ca-O of 2.422 A. The structure of 1 suggests that Ca(II) is coordinated in a very low-strain manner in the two PDALC ligands. In 2, Pb(II) appears to be eight-coordinate, with coordination of PDALC and four O donors from perchlorates bridging between neighboring Pb atoms. The Pb has very short Pb-N bonds averaging 2.486 A and Pb-O bonds to the alcoholic groups of PDALC of 2.617 A. It is suggested that the Pb(II) has a stereochemically active lone pair situated on the Pb(II) opposite the two N donors of the PDALC, and in line with this, the Pb-L bonds become longer as one moves around the Pb from the sites of the two N donors to the proposed position of the lone pair. There are two oxygen donors from two perchlorates, nearer the N donors, with shorter Pb-O lengths averaging 2.623 A. Two oxygens from perchlorates nearer the proposed site of the lone pair form very long Pb-O bond lengths averaging 3.01 A. The Pb(II) also appears to coordinate in the cleft of PDALC in a low-strain manner. Formation constants are reported for PDALC in 0.1 M NaClO 4 at 25.0 degrees C. These show that, relative to 1,10-phenanthroline, the hydroxymethyl groups of PDALC produce a significant stabilization for large metal ions such as Cd(II) or Pb(II) that are able to fit in the cleft of PDALC but destabilize the complexes of metal ions such as Ni(II) or Cu(II) that are too small for the cleft.     

Reaction of Amino Acids,Di‐ and Tripeptides with the Environmental Oxidant NO3.: A Laser Flash Photolysis and Computational Study

Absolute rate coefficients for the reaction between the important environmental free radical oxidant NO₃^. and a series of N‐ and C‐protected amino acids, di‐ and tripeptides were determined using 355 nm laser flash photolysis of cerium(IV) ammonium nitrate in the presence of the respective substrates in acetonitrile at 298±1 K. Through combination with computational studies it was revealed that the reaction with acyclic aliphatic amino acids proceeds through hydrogen abstraction from the α‐carbon, which is associated with a rate coefficient of about 1.8×10⁶ m ^?1 s^?1 per abstractable hydrogen atom. The considerably faster reaction with phenylalanine [k=(1.1±0.1)×10⁷ m ^?1 s^?1] is indicative for a mechanism involving electron transfer. An unprecedented amplification of the rate coefficient by a factor of 7–20 was found with di‐ and tripeptides that contain more than one phenylalanine residue. This suggests a synergistic effect between two aromatic rings in close vicinity, which makes such peptide sequences highly vulnerable to oxidative damage by this major environmental pollutant.     

Assessment of the UVR protection provided by different tree species

In recent years, SunSmart campaigns have emphasized the importance of the use of shade as a strategy in the reduction of human exposure to solar UV radiation (UVR), particularly in early life with the provision of shade in schools. Trees can play an important role in shade provision, either as the main shade provider or to augment shade structures and increase UVR protection provided to the general population. A study to measure the protection provided by a range of trees common in Australian urban environments was undertaken during the summers of 2004/2005 and 2005/2006. Solar UVR beneath the trees was measured using UVR sensitive polysulphone badges positioned horizontally within the shaded area and were compared with those in full sunshine to give an indication of the protection provided. Measurements made on sunny days during the months of October to April indicated that the shade cover provided by the trees depended upon the tree species and changed with season as a result of changing foliage and sun angles. Measured protection factors ranged from 5 to 10 and were generally a maximum in the height of summer when the sun was highest in the sky and the foliage was densest.     

Conjugated polymer nanoparticles for biochemical protein kinase assay

Sensitive and reliable monitoring of kinase activity was reported by using highly efficient fluorescence resonance energy transfer of conjugated polymer nanoparticles (CPNs) to a rhodamine labelled peptide substrate.