Crystalline order of a water/glycine film coadsorbed on the (104) calcite surface

For biomineralization processes, the interaction of the surface of calcite crystals with organic molecules is of particular importance. Especially, biologically controlled biomineralization as in exoskeletons of mollusks and echinoderms, e.g., sea urchin with single-crystal-like spines and shells,1-3 requires molecular control of seed formation and growth process. So far, experiments showing the obvious influence of organic molecules on the morphology and habit of calcite crystals have demonstrated the molecular dimension of the interaction.4-7 Details of the kinetics of growth and dissolution of mineral surfaces influenced by additives are available,8,9 but other experimental data about the structure of the organic/inorganic interface on the atomic scale are rare. On the other hand, complicated organic macromolecules which are involved in biomineralization are numerous, with only a small fraction solved in structure and function so far.10-13 Therefore, model systems have to be designed to provide a basic understanding for the interaction process.14 Using grazing incidence X-ray diffraction combined with molecular modeling techniques, we show that glycine molecules order periodically on the calcite (104) face in competition with the solvent water when exposed to an aqueous solution of the most simple amino acid. In contrast to the general concept of the charge-matching fit of organic molecules on mineral surfaces,4,14 glycine is not attached to the calcite surface directly but substitutes for water molecules in the second hydration layer.     

Characterizing turbulence in globally coupled maps with stochastic finite automata

We describe a method to discriminate between ordered and turbulent behavior in a general class of collective systems known as Globally Coupled Maps (GCM). Our method is able to discover an unknown small ordered region inside the turbulent phase of GCM parameter space. The computational nature of the method is the main novelty of our approach; it is another example of how measures based on computational notions of structure may provide new information in the study of dynamical systems.     

Bump time-frequency toolbox: a toolbox for time-frequency oscillatory bursts extraction in electrophysiological signals

Background  

oscillatory activity, which can be separated in background and oscillatory burst pattern activities, is supposed to be representative of local synchronies of neural assemblies. Oscillatory burst events should consequently play a specific functional role, distinct from background EEG activity – especially for cognitive tasks (e.g. working memory tasks), binding mechanisms and perceptual dynamics (e.g. visual binding), or in clinical contexts (e.g. effects of brain disorders). However extracting oscillatory events in single trials, with a reliable and consistent method, is not a simple task.     

Efficient three-step sequence for the deamination of α-aminoesters. Application to the synthesis of CysLT1 antagonists

A practical and efficient three-step sequence for the deamination of α-aminoesters is reported. This method is based on the NaBH₄-mediated selective reduction of α-diazoesters to α-hydrazonoesters and has been successfully applied to the deamination of several representative α-aminoesters including some l-cysteine ethyl ester derivatives, key intermediates in the synthesis of a series of CysLT1 antagonists.     

How to Build Molecules with Large Magnetic Anisotropy

Predicting single‐molecule magnets? Magnetic anisotropy, a property that plays a key role in single‐molecule magnets (SMMs), has been analyzed by using theoretical methods. Mononuclear complexes and the dependence of the magnetic anisotropy on their geometrical and electronic structure, as well as how such mononuclear complexes must be combined as building blocks to obtain polynuclear complexes with large anisotropy (see figure) are considered.

     

Dihydroxyacetone Phosphate Aldolase Catalyzed Synthesis of Structurally Diverse Polyhydroxylated Pyrrolidine Derivatives and Evaluation of their Glycosidase Inhibitory Properties

The chemoenzymatic synthesis of a collection of pyrrolidine‐type iminosugars generated by the aldol addition of dihydroxyacetone phosphate (DHAP) to C‐α‐substituted N‐Cbz‐2‐aminoaldehydes derivatives, catalyzed by DHAP aldolases is reported. L ‐Fuculose‐1‐phosphate aldolase (FucA) and L ‐rhamnulose‐1‐phosphate aldolase (RhuA) from E. coli were used as biocatalysts to generate configurational diversity on the iminosugars. Alkyl linear substitutions at C‐α were well tolerated by FucA catalyst (i.e., 40–70 % conversions to aldol adduct), whereas no product was observed with C‐α‐alkyl branched substitutions, except for dimethyl and benzyl substitutions (20 %). RhuA was the most versatile biocatalyst: C‐α‐alkyl linear groups gave the highest conversions to aldol adducts (60–99 %), while the C‐α‐alkyl branched ones gave moderate to good conversions (50–80 %), with the exception of dimethyl and benzyl substituents (20 %). FucA was the most stereoselective biocatalyst (90–100 % anti (3R,4R) adduct). RhuA was highly stereoselective with (S)‐N‐Cbz‐2‐aminoaldehydes (90–100 % syn (i.e., 3R,4S) adduct), whereas those with R configuration gave mixtures of anti/syn adducts. For iPr and iBu substituents, RhuA furnished the anti adduct (i.e., FucA stereochemistry) with high stereoselectivity. Molecular models of aldol products with iPr and iBu substituents and as complexes with the RhuA active site suggest that the anti adducts could be kinetically preferred, while the syn adducts would be the equilibrium products. The polyhydroxylated pyrrolidines generated were tested as inhibitors against seven glycosidases. Among them, good inhibitors of α‐L ‐fucosidase (IC₅₀=1–20 μM ), moderate of α‐L ‐rhamnosidase (IC₅₀=7–150 μM ), and weak of α‐D ‐mannosidase (IC₅₀=80–400 μM ) were identified. The apparent inhibition constant values (K_i) were calculated for the most relevant inhibitors and computational docking studies were performed to understand both their binding capacity and the mode of interaction with the glycosidases.