Ruthenium(II) complexes with new large-surface ligands based on electron-accepting expanded pyridiniums: insights from density functional theory

With the aim of designing new inorganic photosensitizers for photovoltaic applications, the structural and electronic properties of two Ru(II) complexes containing terpyridine-based ligands derived from expanded pyridiniums both branched—polyphenyl—and fused—polycyclic—were investigated by the means of density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT (TD-DFT). In particular, the structure and electronic absorption of the fused architectures—including the isolated ligand and its complex—were compared with those of their respective branched precursors with the aim to account for the their enhanced electronic features in the visible spectral region. The theoretical insights gained into the “large-surface” ligand and its associated complex open the route for a joint experimental and theoretical design of new inorganic photosensitizers based on fused expanded pyridiniums.     

What is the "best" atomic charge model to describe through-space charge-transfer excitations?

We investigate the efficiency of several partial atomic charge models (Mulliken, Hirshfeld, Bader, Natural, Merz-Kollman and ChelpG) for investigating the through-space charge-transfer in push-pull organic compounds with Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory approaches. The results of these models are compared to benchmark values obtained by determining the difference of total densities between the ground and excited states. Both model push-pull oligomers and two classes of "real-life" organic dyes (indoline and diketopyrrolopyrrole) used as sensitisers in solar cell applications have been considered. Though the difference of dipole moments between the ground and excited states is reproduced by most approaches, no atomic charge model is fully satisfactory for reproducing the distance and amount of charge transferred that are provided by the density picture. Overall, the partitioning schemes fitting the electrostatic potential (e.g. Merz-Kollman) stand as the most consistent compromises in the framework of simulating through-space charge-transfer, whereas the other models tend to yield qualitatively inconsistent values.     

In vitro evaluation of the anti-proliferative activities of the wood essential oils of three Cedrus species against K562 human chronic myelogenous leukaemia cells

There are four kinds of Cedar: Cedrus libani naturally occurring in Lebanon, Syria and Turkey, Cedrus atlantica in Morocco and Algeria, Cedrus brevefolia in Cyprus Island and Cedrus deodara which is distributed in Himalayan Mountains. Wood essential oils obtained from C. libani, C. atlantica and C. deodara were tested for the inhibition of K562 cell proliferation and for the induction of erythroid differentiation. The wood essential oils of C. libani, C. atlantica and C. deodara inhibited the proliferation of the K562 cell line exhibiting IC(50) values 23.38?±?1.7, 59.37?±?2.6 and 37.09?±?1.4?μg?mL(-1), respectively. Meanwhile, C. libani wood oils induced a percentage of erythroid differentiation of 15?±?2% at concentration 5?μg?mL(-1). Cedrus deodara wood oil indicated a percentage of erythroid differentiation of 20?±?2% at concentration 25?μg?mL(-1) and C. atlantica wood oils showed a percentage of erythroid differentiation of 12?±?1.8% at concentration 10?μg?mL(-1).     

Antioxidant and antiproliferative activity of Laurus nobilis L. (Lauraceae) leaves and seeds essential oils against K562 human chronic myelogenous leukaemia cells

The antioxidant and antiproliferative activities of the essential oils from Laurus nobilis leaves and seeds in relation to their composition were analysed. The most abundant components of the leaf essential oil were 1,8-cineole, 1-p-menthen-8-ethyl acetate, linalool and sabinene, while the seed oil was characterised by β-ocimene, 1,8-cineole, α-pinene and β-pinene as main constituents. Both seed and leaf essential oils exhibited a scavenging effect on the DPPH radical, with IC?? values of 66.1 and 53.5?μg?mL?1, respectively. The leaf essential oil showed the strongest antioxidant activity in the β-carotene/linoleic acid system, with an IC?? value of 35.6?μg?mL?1 after 30?min of incubation. Both leaf and seed oils inhibited proliferation of the K562 tumour cell line with IC?? values of 95 and 75?μg?mL?1, respectively. The L. nobilis leaf oil showed a percentage of erythroide differentiation of 15% at a concentration of 10?μg?mL?1. A value of 12% was found for the seed essential oil at a concentration of 50?μg?mL?1. When the oils were added to a suboptimal concentration of the commercial drug, cytosine arabinoside, a clear synergic effect was observed.     

Adsorption of 2-methylbenzoic acid onto MCM-41 mesoporous material: kinetics and equilibrium studies

Ordered mesoporous molecular sieves are widely studied as alternative materials in areas where sorptive and catalytic applications are required. MCM-41 type mesoporous material was tested as sorbent of 2-methylbenzoic acid (MBA), an aromatic carboxylic acid selected as model molecule for adsorption studies on mesoporous silicas. Adsorption kinetic studies of MBA on MCM-41 type materials were carried out using ethanol solutions at different MBA concentrations. Experimental results followed Langmuir isotherm model showing large adsorption capacity (3.5?g/g). Two kinetic models, the pseudo first- and second-order, were selected to describe the adsorption process and to determine the best model fitting with the experimental data. Kinetic parameters for each kinetic equation were calculated and discussed. It was shown that the MBA adsorption process onto MCM-41 material could be described by the pseudo-second-order equation and that the MCM-41 performs as a suitable adsorbent material.     

Biocompatible Poly(L‐lactide)/MWCNT Nanocomposites: Morphological Characterization,Electrical Properties,and Stem Cell Interaction

The promising perspectives of PLLA‐based nanostructured biomaterials and their relevance in tissue engineering are reported. Nanocomposites based on PLLA and MWCNTs are developed with an MWCNT content ranging from 0 to 3 wt%. The electrical properties show a percolation threshold within a range of 0.21–0.33 wt% MWCNTs, and the conductivity increases by six orders of magnitude. The surface structure shows changes with the carbon nanotube concentration. The functional role of MWCNTs incorporation in terms of interactions with adult stem cells suggests that PLLA/MWCNT nanocomposites are suitable substrates for primary stem cell culture.

     

Symmetry results for overdetermined problems on convex domains via Brunn–Minkowski inequalities

We consider some well-posed Dirichlet problems for elliptic equations set on the interior or the exterior of a convex domain (examples include the torsional rigidity, the first Dirichlet eigenvalue, and the electrostatic capacity), and we add an overdetermined Neumann condition which involves the Gauss curvature of the boundary. By using concavity inequalities of Brunn–Minkowski type satisfied by the corresponding variational energies, we prove that the existence of a solution implies the symmetry of the domain. This provides some new characterizations of spheres, in models going from solid mechanics to electrostatics.     

Quantitative-competitive polymerase chain reaction coupled with slab gel and capillary electrophoresis for the detection of roundup ready soybean and maize

The aim of the present study was to develop a quantitative-competitive PCR (QC-PCR) method to detect DNA from transgenic herbicide-resistant (roundup ready, RR) soybean and maize. Since no QC-PCR system for the quantification of RR maize had been published at the time of writing, a specific competitor DNA for transgenic event was developed. For the QC-PCR of RR-soybean, a commercially available competitor was employed. These internal standards were calibrated by coamplifying with mixtures containing RR-soybean and maize DNAs. The calibrated QC-PCR systems were applied to certified RR-soybean and maize flour mixtures in order to demonstrate their suitability not only for the quantification of the glyphosate resistance traits in DNA matrices, but also in practically relevant samples. In addition, a special focus of the present work was to compare the detection of QC-PCR products by slab gel and CGE with UV detection. CGE permitted the precise detection of transgenic events also below the equivalence points; while in slab gel electrophoresis, due to the low sensitivity the quantification of genetically modified DNA was allowed only at the equivalence point.     

Stereoselective hydroazidation of amino enones: synthesis of the ritonavir/lopinavir core

[reaction: see text] The base-catalyzed hydroazidation of alpha'-amino alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones with in situ generated hydrazoic acid was found to proceed with high stereoselectivity in favor of the syn product. The stereoselectivity is controlled by the configuration of the enone and syn/anti ratios up to 7:1 were obtained with secondary and tertiary amines at low temperature. By this route the diamino alcohol core of HIV-PR inhibitors ritonavir and lopinavir was synthesized in 37% yield from phenylalanine.