Enantioselective oxidation of sulfides with hydrogen peroxide catalyzed by vanadium complex of sterically hindered chiral Schiff bases

Sterically hindered chiral Schiff base ligands 4a-d were prepared from an aldehyde derived from BINOL. The vanadium complexes of the ligands catalyze an efficient, enantioselective H₂O₂-promoted sulfoxidation of alkyl aryl sulfides, and enantioselectivities as high as 98-99% ee are observed in the sulfoxidation of benzyl aryl sulfides.     

Symbol dynamic maps of spatial-temporal chaotic vibrations in a string of impact oscillators

Spatially complex, temporally chaotic dynamics of N-coupled impact oscillators connected by a string are studied experimentally using a discrete measure of the motion for each of the masses. For N=8, a binary assignment of symbols, corresponding to whether or not the masses impact an amplitude constraint, is used to code the spatial pattern as a binary number and to store its change in time in a computer. A spatial pattern return map is then used to observe the change in spatial patterns with time. Bifurcations in spatial impact patterns are observed in this experiment. An entropy measure is also used to characterize the dynamics. Numerical simulation shows behavior similar to the experimental system.     

Experimental measurement of chaotic attractors in solid mechanics(a))

In this paper a review is given of experimental techniques in chaotic dynamics of solid mechanical systems based on modern ideas of nonlinear dynamics. These methods include Poincare maps, double Poincare sections, symbol dynamics, and fractal dimension. The physical problems discussed include nonlinear elastic beams, forced motion of a string, flow-induced vibration of a rod, forced motions of a magnetic pendulum, and rigid body dynamics of a magnet and high-temperature superconductor.     

Ketalizations of aryl ω-(2-imidazolyl)alkyl ketones by glycerol and 3-mercapto-1,2-propanediol. synthesis and characterization of cis- and trans-{2-aryl-2-[ω-(2-imidazolyl)alkyl](1,3-dioxolan-4-yl and 1,3-oxathiolan-5-yl)}methanols

Aryl 2-[(2-imidazolyl)ethyl or 3-(2-imidazolyl)propyl]ketones were ketalized by glycerol or 3-mercapto-1,2-propanediol in boiling benzene in the presence of 4-toluenesulfonic acid to provide the title compounds. The aryl substituents are 4-chloro-, 4-bromo-, 4-fluoro-, or 2,4-dichlorophenyl. While aryl (2-imidazolyl)methyl ketones condensed with glycerol to form cis- and trans-{2-aryl-2-[(2-imidazolyl)methyl]-4-(hydroxymethyl)}-1,3-dioxolanes, related condensations with 3-mercapto-1,2-propanediol, under similar, or even more stringent reaction conditions, produced no 1,3-oxathiolane analogs, with the starting ketones being recovered. Separation and structure determination of these racemic cis and trans isomeric products are described. The structure of these stereoisomers was established by means of ¹H and ¹³C nmr correlation and nOe experiments. Selective methylation of the N-unsubstituted 2-imidazolyl alcohols with one equivalent sodium hydride and methyl iodide provided the corresponding N-methyl alcohols in excellent yields. With excess benzoyl chloride, N-unsubstituted 2-imidazolyl alcohols were initially converted to O, N-dibenzoates from which the N-benzoyl group was easily cleaved by ammonium hydroxide in ethanol to provide benzoate esters.     

Colorimetric anion chemosensor based on 2-aminobenzimidazole: naked-eye detection of biologically important anions

We synthesized a novel colorimetric anion chemosensor bearing benzimidazole motifs as recognition sites in the pods of the receptor. The addition of tetrabutylammonium salts of F⁻ or AcO⁻ to the solution of receptor caused dramatic color changes from colorless to yellow, which was clearly visible to the naked eye. The receptor showed no significant changes on addition of other anions such as Cl⁻, Br⁻, I⁻, NO₃⁻, and H₂PO₄⁻.     

Hyperlayer hollow-fiber flow field-flow fractionation of cells

Interest in low-cost, analytical-scale, highly efficient and sensitive separation methods for cells, among which bacteria, is increasing. Particle separation in hollow-fiber flow field-flow fractionation (HF FlFFF) has been recently improved by the optimization of the HF FIFFF channel design. The intrinsic simplicity and low cost of this HF FlFFF channel allows for its disposable usage. which is particularly appealing for analytical bio-applications. Here, for the first time, we present a feasibility study on high-performance, hyperlayer HF FIFFF of micrometer-sized bacteria (Escherichia coli) and of different types of cells (human red blood cells, wine-making yeast from Saccharomyces cerevisiae). Fractionation performance is shown to be at least comparable to that obtained with conventional, flat-channel hyperlayer FIFFF of cells, at superior size-based selectivity and reduced analysis time.     

Synthesis, characterization and protein adsorption behaviors of PLGA/PEG di-block co-polymer blend films

A series of poly(D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA)/poly(ethyleneglycol) (PEG) di-block copolymers were synthesized by ring-opening polymerization of D,L-lactide and glycolide with different molecular weights of monomethoxy polyethyleneglycol (mPEG) 750, 2000 and 5000 as an initiator. The bulk properties of these co-polymers were characterized by using 1H NMR spectroscopy, gel permeation chromatography, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA) results, in which the blend films with the di-block copolymers showed increasing surface oxygen atomic percentage with increasing PEG chain length, indicate that PEG chain segment in the di-block copolymers is surface oriented and enriched onto the surface of the blend films. The extent of protein adsorption onto the surface of these blend films was studied, using iodine radio-labeled human serum albumin, gamma globulin and human growth hormone. The protein adsorption amount was reduced for the blend films prepared with PLGA/PEG 750 and 2000 di-block copolymers, but increased to a great extent for PLGA/PEG 5000 di-block copolymer. This is due to the increased water uptake capacity of the blend film, which absorbed more protein molecules into a swollen polymer matrix in addition to surface adsorption.     

Resveratrol derivatives potently induce apoptosis in human promyelocytic leukemia cells

Resveratrol has been shown to possess antioxidant and anticancer activities, but little is known on the effect of resveratrol derivatives. Recently we have isolated resveratrol and its dimers and trimers from peony (Paeonia lactiflora) seeds, and reported their strong antioxidant and cytotoxic activity. In the present study, we have evaluated cellular effects of resveratrol derivatives; viniferin, gnetin H, and suffruticosol B on the proliferation and apoptosis in HL-60 cells in vitro. All resveratrol and its derivatives reduced viability of HL-60 cells in a dose-dependent manner with their IC(50) values of 20-90 microM. Ascending orders of IC(50) values were suffruticosol B, gnetin H, viniferin and resveratrol respectively. HL-60 cells treated with the four stilbenes exhibited the distinct morphological changes characteristics of cell apoptosis such as chromatin condensation, apoptotic bodies, and DNA fragmentations. A time-dependent histogram of the cellular DNA analyzed by flow cytometry revealed a rapid increase in subdiploid cells and a concomitant decrease in diploid cells exposed to 100 microM resveratrol for 0-24 h. Cells treated with 25 microM of resveratrol, viniferin, gnetin H, and suffruticosol B for 24 h resulted in increment of sub-G1 population by 51, 5, 11 and 59%, respectively. Treatment of cells with 0-20 microM resveratrol for 5 h produced a concentration-dependent decrease in cytochrome P450 (CYP) 1B1 mRNA levels. Suffruticosol B also suppressed CYP1B1 gene expression. These results demonstrated that resveratrol oligomers also strongly suppressed HL-60 cell proliferation, and induced DNA damage. In addition, CYP1B1 gene supression may suggest an involvement in the resveratrol-induced apoptosis in HL-60 cells.     

Adsorption of atomic hydrogen on single-walled carbon nanotubes

We have investigated atomic and electronic structures of hydrogen-chemisorbed single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) by density functional calculations. We have searched for relative stability of various hydrogen adsorption geometries with coverage. The hydrogenated SWCNTs are stable with coverage of H/C, theta >/= 0.3. The circular cross sections of nanotubes are transformed to polygonal shapes with different symmetries upon hydrogen adsorption. We find that the band gap in carbon nanotubes can be engineered by varying hydrogen coverage, independent of the metallicity of carbon nanotubes. This is explained by the degree of sp(3) hybridization.