Asymmetric dinuclear copper(I) complexes of bis-(2-(2-pyridyl)ethyl)-2-(N-toluenesulfonylamino)ethylamine with short copper-copper distances

Addition of two equivalents of CuCl to deprotonated bis-(2-(2-pyridyl)ethyl)-2-(N-toluenesulfonylamino)ethylamine (PETAEA) and its derivatives yielded new types of dinuclear Cu(I) complexes, Cu(mu-PETAEA)CuCl, Cu(mu-PEMAEA)CuCl, and Cu(mu-PENAEA)CuCl (PEMAEA is the 4-methoxyphenyl derivative of PETAEA and PENAEA is the 4-nitrophenyl derivative), exhibiting a four coordinate N(4)Cu center, a two coordinate NCuCl center, and a metal-metal distance within the range of 2.6572(8) to 2.6903(3) A. Analysis of the covalent radii for four coordinate and two coordinate copper(I), the acute copper-nitrogen-copper angles, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations suggest a weak attraction between the two copper atoms. The complexes apparently formed in a two-step process with the formation of the tetracoordinate mononuclear complex preceding the coordination of a second equivalent of CuCl to the lone pair of the sulfonamidate ligand.     

Sequential injection analysis (SIA)-chemiluminescence determination of indomethacin using tris[(2,2'-bipyridyl)]ruthenium(III) as reagent and its application to semisolid pharmaceutical dosage forms

Automated sequential injection (SIA) method for chemiluminescence (CL) determination of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug indomethacin (I) was devised. The CL radiation was emitted in the reaction of I (dissolved in aqueous 50% v/v ethanol) with intermediate reagent tris(2,2′-bipyridyl)ruthenium(III) (Ru(bipy)₃³⁺) in the presence of acetate. The Ru(bipy)₃³⁺ was generated on-line in the SIA system by the oxidation of 0.5 mM tris(2,2′-bipyridyl)ruthenium(II) (Ru(bipy)₃²⁺) with Ce(IV) ammonium sulphate in diluted sulphuric acid. The optimum sequence, concentrations, and aspirated volumes of reactant zones were: 15 mM Ce(IV) in 50 mM sulphuric acid 41 μL, 0.5 mM Ru(bipy)₃²⁺ 30 μL, 0.4 M Na acetate 16 μL and I sample 15 μL; the flow rates were 60 μL s⁻¹ for the aspiration into the holding coil and 100 μL s⁻¹ for detection. Calibration curve relating the intensity of CL (peak height of the transient CL signal) to concentration of I was curvilinear (second order polynomial) for 0.1–50 μM I (r = 0.9997; n = 9) with rectilinear section in the range 0.1–10 μM I (r = 0.9995; n = 5). The limit of detection (3σ) was 0.05 μM I. Repeatability of peak heights (R.S.D., n = 10) ranged between 2.4% (0.5 μM I) and 2.0% (7 μM I). Sample throughput was 180 h⁻¹. The method was applied to determination of 1 to 5% of I in semisolid dosage forms (gels and ointments). The results compared well with those of UV spectrophotometric method.     

Study of substrate inhibition by electrophoretically mediated microanalysis in partially filled capillary

Substrate inhibition is a common phenomenon in enzyme kinetics. We report here for the first time its study by a combination of the electrophoretically mediated microanalysis (EMMA) methodology with a partial filling technique. In this setup, the part of capillary is filled with the buffer best for the enzymatic reaction whereas, the rest of the capillary is filled with the background electrolyte optimal for separation of substrates and products. In the case of haloalkane dehalogenase, a model enzyme selected for this study, the enzymatic reaction was performed in 20 mM glycine buffer (pH 8.6) whereas 20 mM beta-alanine-hydrochloric acid buffer (pH 3.5) was used as a background electrolyte in combination with direct detection at 200 nm. The whole study was performed on poorly soluble brominated substrate--1,2-dibromoethane. As a result it was first necessary to find the compromise between the concentrations of the enzyme and the substrate preserving both the adequate sensitivity of the assay and at the same time the attainable substrate solubility. By means of the developed EMMA methodology we were able to determine the Michaelis constant (K(M)) as well as the substrate inhibition constant (K(SI)). The value of K(M) and K(SI) obtained were 7.7+/-2.5 mM and 1.1+/-0.4 mM, respectively. Observation of the substrate inhibition of haloalkane dehalogenase by 1,2-dibromoethane is in accordance with previous literature data.     

HPLC-ICP-MS and HPLC-ES-MS/MS characterization of synthetic seleno-arsenic compounds

Various toxicological and metabolic interactions have been reported to exist between arsenic and selenium. In the present study, synthetic seleno-arsenic compounds, potentially suitable for probing metabolic interactions between these two elements, were prepared and tentatively characterized by using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)–electrospray tandem mass spectrometry and HPLC–inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. In analogy to the recently identified thio-arsenic species, which can be prepared from their corresponding oxo-arsenic species via reaction with H₂S, the seleno-arsenic compounds were also derived from oxo-arsenic compounds via reaction with H₂Se. Figure H₂Se bubbled into solutions containing oxo‐arsenosugars converts them into their seleno‐arsenosugar analogues.     

Selective photobleaching of chlorophylls and carotenoids in photosystem I particles under high-light treatment

Photosystem I particles (PSI-200) isolated from spinach leaves were studied by means of absorbance, 77K fluorescence and resonance Raman (RR) spectroscopy. The aim was to obtain better insight into the changes of the pigment spectral properties in those particles during prolonged exposure to high-light intensities and to reveal the involvement of these pigments in the photoprotection of the PSI. During prolonged exposure to high-light intensities of spinach PSI particles, a loss of a significant amount of photosynthetic pigments was observed. It was shown that various pigments exhibited different susceptibility to photodamage. In addition to bleaching of chlorophyll a (Chl a), bleaching of carotenoids was also clearly observed. RR technique allowed us to recognize the type and conformation of photobleached carotenoid molecules. Raman data revealed a nearly full photobleaching of the long-wavelength lutein molecules. The observed similar bleaching rate of the lutein molecules and the most-red shifted long-wavelength Chl a, located in the antenna membrane protein Lhca4, suggested that these molecules are located closely. Our results showed that the photobleached antenna pigments and especially luteins and the most long-wavelength absorbing chlorophylls are involved in photoprotection of PSI core complex.     

A Magnetically Drivable Nanovehicle for Curcumin with Antioxidant Capacity and MRI Relaxation Properties

Curcumin possesses wide‐ranging anti‐inflammatory and anti‐cancer properties and its biological activity can be linked to its potent antioxidant capacity. Superparamagnetic maghemite (γ‐Fe₂O₃), called surface‐active maghemite nanoparticles (SAMNs) were surface‐modified with curcumin molecules, due to the presence of under‐coordinated Fe^III atoms on the nanoparticle surface. The so‐obtained curcumin‐modified SAMNs (SAMN@curcumin) had a mean size of 13±4 nm. SAMN@curcumin was characterized by transmission and scanning electron microscopy, UV/Vis, FTIR, and Mössbauer spectroscopy, X‐ray powder diffraction, bulk susceptibility (SQUID), and relaxometry measurements (MRI imaging). The high negative contrast proclivity of SAMN@curcumin to act as potential contrast agent in MRI screenings was also tested. Moreover, the redox properties of bound curcumin were probed by electrochemistry. SAMN@curcumin was studied in the presence of different electroactive molecules, namely hydroquinone, NADH and ferrocyanide, to assess its redox behavior. Finally, SAMN@curcumin was electrochemically probed in the presence of hydrogen peroxide, demonstrating the stability and reactivity of bound curcumin.     

Surface modification of oxidized cellulose haemostat by argon plasma treatment

In this paper we focused on cold plasma treatment of oxidized cellulose haemostat. Oxidized cellulose was modified in inert argon plasma. The changes of surface composition were examined by XPS and FTIR. Surface morphology of fibres was studied by SEM. Gravimetry was used to study ablation and water absorption. Antibacterial effect of pristine and plasma treated samples was examined by growth of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus epidermidis. Behaviour of pristine and plasma treated samples in water, physiological saline solution and phosphate buffered saline was observed by changes in the pH of their solutions. Modification of oxidized cellulose by inert argon plasma caused significant changes in the chemical composition of its surface layers as well as changes in morphology of those layers while maintaining or improving the antibacterial properties. We found out that modification by inert argon plasma improves the properties necessary for haemostatic function of oxidized cellulose.     

OR and the management of electronic services

This review paper is meant to provide some insight to the relation between operations research and the management of electronic services. We use the term electronic services, within the broader e-business context, to refer to any service that is delivered to the customer via electronic means, mainly the Internet as a new channel to communicate with customers, but also through mobile and other digital communications. During the last years we have experienced an explosion in the development of electronic services, which is creating abundant opportunities for operations research (OR) applications, required to empower several types of technology-mediated interactions, exploit the large-scale digital data sources, and automate the recurring operational decisions. In this paper we summarise the various aspects in which operations research may support the management of electronic services, taking into account the different characteristics of alternative electronic media, such as the Internet, mobile communications, interactive television etc.     

Contact mechanics of nanometer-scale molecular contacts: correlation between adhesion, friction, and hydrogen bond thermodynamics

Using a scanning force microscope, adhesion forces have been measured between carboxylic acid terminated self-assembled monolayers in different nonpolar solvents or in two-component liquid mixtures consisting of a polar solvent (ethyl acetate or acetone) in heptane. The adhesion forces measured in pure acetone and ethyl acetate were small (0.24 nN) but increased logarithmically as the concentration of the polar solvent decreased to reach a maximum value (2.77 nN), equal to that measured in pure heptane, and for lower concentrations of polar solvent, the adhesion force remained constant. This behavior is identical to that observed for association constants measured for the formation of 1:1 H-bonded complexes between dilute solutes in solvent mixtures. The transition between the solvent-dependent and -independent regimes occurs at a polar solvent concentration corresponding to 1/K(S), where K(S) is the equilibrium constant for solvation of a carboxylic acid by the polar solvent in heptane. A simple model, in which the solvation of the carboxylic acid groups may be estimated by considering the concentration and polarity of functional groups in the liquid, accurately predicts values of K(S) that were found to correlate very well with the observed solvent-dependence of the adhesion force. Friction-load relationships were measured using friction-force microscopy. In pure acetone and ethyl acetate, a linear friction-load relationship was observed, in agreement with Amontons' law. However, as the concentration of polar solvent was reduced, a nonlinear relationship was observed and the friction-load relationship was found to fit the Derjaguin-Müller-Toporov (DMT) model for single asperity contacts. For pure heptane and a range of other nonpolar liquids with identical dielectric constants, the friction-load relationship was described by DMT mechanics. Exceptionally, for perfluorodecalin, Johnson-Kendall-Roberts mechanics was observed. These observations may be rationalized by treating the friction force as the sum of load-dependent and shear contributions. Under conditions of low adhesion, where the carboxylic acid surface is solvated by polar solvent molecules, the shear term is negligible and the sliding interaction is dominated by load-dependent friction. As the degree of solvation of the carboxylic acid groups decreases and the adhesion force increases, the shear friction contribution increases, dominating the interaction for media in which the adhesion force is greater than ca. 0.6 nN.