Spontaneous edge <Emphasis Type="Italic">E</Emphasis> × <Emphasis Type="Italic">B</Emphasis> sheared flow development studies in the TJ-II stellarator

The influence of plasma density and edge gradients in the development of perpendicular sheared flow has been investigated in the plasma edge region of the TJ-II stellarator. It has been experimentally observed that the generation of spontaneous perpendicular sheared flow (i.e. the naturally occurring shear layer) requires a minimum plasma density or gradient. It has been found that there is a coupling between the onset of sheared flow development and an increase in the level of plasma edge turbulence; once sheared flow is fully developed the level of fluctuations and turbulent transport slightly decreases whereas edge gradients and plasma density increase. The resulting shearing rate is close to the one required to trigger a transition to improved confinement regimes with reduction of edge turbulence, showing that spontaneous sheared flows and fluctuations keep themselves near marginal stability. Presented at the Workshop “Electric Fields, Structures and Relaxation in Edge Plasmas”, Tarragona, Spain, July 3–4, 2005.     

Ground state isomerism in betacarboline hydrogen bond complexes: The charge transfer nature of its large Stokes shifted emission

The hydrogen bonding and excited state proton transfer reactions between betacarboline, 9H-pyrido[3,4-b]indole, BC, and 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoropropan-2-ol, HFIP, have been studied in the aprotic solvents cyclohexane and toluene by absorption, steady state and time resolved fluorescence measurements. On the basis of these results and those of previous works (Refs. [A. Sánchez-Coronilla, C. Carmona, M.A. Muñoz, M. Balón, Chem. Phys., 327 (2006) 70] and [A. Sánchez-Coronilla, M. Balón, M.A. Muñoz, C. Carmona, Chem. Phys. 344 (2008) 72]) two main fundamental conclusions can be drawn on the photophysical behaviour of BC. Thus, it is shown, for the first time, that the non-cyclic double hydrogen bond complexes formed through both nitrogen atoms of BC, DHB, can suffer, in their ground state, an isomerisation process. These adducts acquire a quinoid structure in cyclohexane, but maintain a dipolar zwitterionic structure in toluene. Moreover, it is concluded that the observed large Stokes shifted emission, around 520 nm, is not due, as it has been so far generally accepted, to the emission of a BC zwitterionic phototautomer, but to the intramolecular charge transfer, ICT, excited state emissions of the DHB hydrogen bond adducts.     

Determination of pentachlorophenol and tribromophenol in sawdust by ultrasound-assisted extraction and MEKC

An ultrasonic bar-assisted extraction and CE separation procedure for the determination of pentachlorophenol (PCP) and 2,4,6-tribromophenol (TBP) residues in sawdust was developed and applied. For this purpose, micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography (MEKC) was used and compared with a GC/MS methodology. This methodology allowed the quantification of PCP and TBP in a concentration range of 2.5-12.0 mg/kg for TBP and 2.8-12.0 mg/kg for PCP. Different sample treatment processes were evaluated in order to extract these compounds from sawdust. Better results were obtained when the residues were extracted with ultrasound-assisted hexane, filtered, evaporated, dissolved in Na(2)CO(3), and injected into the CE equipment. The optimal option for GC/MS was extraction with Na(2)CO(3 )followed by a derivation using acetic anhydride and liquid-liquid extraction with hexane. This method allowed the quantification of TBP and PCP in sawdust in a concentration range of 0.19-12.00 mg/kg and 0.14-12.00 mg/kg, respectively. The CE method was compared with the GC/MS as reference method. The results were shown to be statistically similar by both methods for PCP as well as for TBP.     

Molecular dynamics simulation of the reaction of hydration of formaldehyde using a potential based on solute-solvent interaction energy components

Molecular dynamics simulations of aqueous solutions at infinite dilution of the reaction of water with formaldehyde, H(2)O + H(2)CO --> H(2)C(OH)(2), were performed using Lennard-Jones 12-6-1 potentials to describe the solute-solvent interactions, and TIP3P to describe the water-water interactions. The Morokuma decomposition scheme of ab initio interaction energies at the SCF level and the dispersion component at MP2 level were used to reproduce the molecular parameters of the solute-water interaction potential. The results show that the functions that use the EX-PL-DIS-ES interaction model to describe the solvation of the reactant and product systems lead to good values of the reaction (DeltaG) and activation (DeltaG(#)) free energy as compared with those from using AMBER-derived parameters, and with the available theoretical and experimental data.     

Molecular simulation of the hydration of ethene to ethanol using ab initio potentials and free energy curves

Molecular dynamics simulations of aqueous solutions at infinite dilution of the reaction of water with ethene: H2O + CH2CH2 --> CH3CH2OH were performed using Lennard-Jones 12-6-1 potentials to describe the solute-solvent interactions, and TIP3P to describe the water-water interactions. The Morokuma decomposition scheme of ab initio interaction energies at the SCF level and the dispersion component at the MP2 level were used to reproduce the molecular parameters of the solute-water interaction potentials. The results show that the functions that use the EX-PL-DIS-ES interaction model to describe the solvation of the reactant, transition state, and product systems lead to good values of the reaction (Delta G) and acceptable values of the activation (Delta G#) free energy as compared with those from using AMBER-derived parameters, using the available theoretical and experimental data as referents.     

The Anti-Inflammatory Effect of a γ-Lactone Isolated from Ostrich Oil of Struthio camelus (Ratite) and Its Formulated Nano-Emulsion in Formalin-Induced Paw Edema

The ostrich oil of Struthio camelus (Ratite) found uses in folk medicine as an anti-inflammatory in eczema and contact dermatitis. The anti-inflammatory effect of a γ-lactone (5-hexyl-3H-furan-2-one) isolated from ostrich oil and its formulated nano-emulsion in formalin-induced paw edema was investigated in this study. Ostrich oil was saponified using a standard procedure; the aqueous residue was fractionated, purified, and characterized as γ-lactone (5-hexyl-3H-furan-2-one) through the interpretation of IR, NMR, and MS analyses. The γ-lactone was formulated as nano-emulsion using methylcellulose (MC) for oral solubilized form. The γ-lactone methylcellulose nanoparticles (γ-lactone-MC-NPs) were characterized for their size, shape, and encapsulation efficiency with a uniform size of 300 nm and 59.9% drug content. The γ-lactone was applied topically, while the formulated nanoparticles (NPs) were administered orally to rats. A non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (diclofenac gel) was used as a reference drug for topical use and ibuprofen suspension for oral administration. Edema was measured using the plethysmograph method. Both γ-lactone and γ-lactone-MC-NPs showed reduction of formalin-induced paw edema in rats and proved to be better than the reference drugs; diclofenac gel and ibuprofen emulsion. Histological examination of the skin tissue revealed increased skin thickness with subepidermal edema and mixed inflammatory cellular infiltration, which were significantly reduced by the γ-lactone compared to the positive control (p-value = 0.00013). Diuretic and toxicity studies of oral γ-lactone-MC-NPs were performed. No diuretic activity was observed. However, lethargy, drowsiness, and refusal to feeding observed may limit its oral administration.     

Reversible Hydride Migration from C5Me5 to RhI Revealed by a Cooperative Bimetallic Approach

The use of cyclopentadienyl ligands in organometallic chemistry and catalysis is ubiquitous, mostly due to their robust spectator role. Nonetheless, increasing examples of non-innocent behaviour are being documented. Here, we provide evidence for reversible intramolecular C−H activation at one methyl terminus of C₅Me₅ in [(η-C₅Me₅)Rh(PMe₃)₂] to form a new Rh−H bond, a process so far restricted to early transition metals. Experimental evidence was acquired from bimetallic rhodium/gold structures in which the gold center binds either to the rhodium atom or to the activated Cp* ring. Reversibility of the C−H activation event regenerates the Rh^I and Au^I monometallic precursors, whose cooperative reactivity towards polar E−H bonds (E=O, N), including the N−H bonds in ammonia, can be understood in terms of bimetallic frustration.     

Uniformization of conformal involutions on stable Riemann surfaces

Let S be a closed Riemann surface of genus g. It is well known that there are Schottky groups producing uniformizations of S (Retrosection Theorem). Moreover, if τ: S → S is a conformal involution, it is also known that there is a Kleinian group K containing, as an index two subgroup, a Schottky group G that uniformizes S and so that K/G induces the cyclic group 〈τ〉. Let us now assume S is a stable Riemann surface and τ: S → S is a conformal involution. Again, it is known that S can be uniformized by a suitable noded Schottky group, but it is not known whether or not there is a Kleinian group K, containing a noded Schottky group G of index two, so that G uniformizes S and K/G induces 〈τ〉. In this paper we discuss this existence problem and provide some partial answers: (1) a complete positive answer for genus g ≤ 2 and for the case that S/〈τ〉 is of genus zero; (2) the existence of a Kleinian group K uniformizing the quotient stable Riemann orbifold S/〈τ〉. Applications to handlebodies with orientation-preserving involutions are also provided.     

Theoretical study of the neutral hydrolysis of methyl formate via a concerted and stepwise water-assisted mechanism using free-energy curves and molecular dynamics simulation

A procedure previously described by us is used for the theoretical study of chemical reactions in solution by means of molecular dynamics simulation, with solute–solvent interaction potentials LJ (12-6-1) derived from ab initio quantum calculations. We apply the procedure to the case of the neutral hydrolysis of methyl formate, HCOOCH₃ + 3H₂O → HCOOH + CH₃OH + 2H₂O in aqueous solution, via concerted and stepwise water-assisted mechanisms. We use the solvent as reaction coordinate, and the free-energy curves for the calculation of the activation energies. The theoretical calculation for the thermodynamics of this hydrolysis reaction in aqueous solution, assisted by three water molecules, is in agreement with the available experimental information. In particular our study gives values of ΔG ^≠ = 28.88 and 28.17 kcal/mol for the concerted and stepwise mechanisms, close to the experimental activation barrier of 28.8 kcal/mol, and a significant improvement over the values of 48.05 and 45.66 kcal/mol found in another similar study using the PCM model.     

Applied biological and physicochemical activity of isoquinoline alkaloids: oxoisoaporphine and boldine

The aim of this study was to determine the electronic influence of substituent groups and annelated rings such as oxazole-oxazinone on the physicochemical and photoprotection, antioxidant capacity, toxicity and singlet oxygen photosensitization biological properties of isoquinoline alkaloid frameworks. Thus, oxoisoaporphine derivatives 1-5 and 3-azaoxoisoaporphine (6), some of them with phenolic structures, did not present any antioxidant capacity, possibly either by formation of keto-enol tautomerism species or the formation of unstable free radicals. Due to the singlet oxygen quantum yields (F_D) near to unity, and greater photostability than phenalenone, oxoisoaporphines 4-6 may be considered as photosensitizers for singlet oxygen production and can be used as new universal study tools. The biological application as antibacterial agents is an important and possible tool in the study of compounds with low cytotoxicity and high reactivity in antineoplastic chemotherapy. On the other hand, when boldine and its annelated derivatives B1-4 are irradiated, a photoprotector effect is observed (SPF = 2.35), even after 30 minutes of irradiation. They also act as photoprotectors in cell fibroblast cultures. No hemolysis was detected for boldine hydrochloride and its salts without irradiation. In solutions irradiated before incubation (at concentrations over 200 ppm) photoproducts were toxic to the nauplii of Artemia salina.