Vibrational Spectroscopic and Mechanical Investigation of Carbon Nanotube-Reinforced Styrene-Butadiene Rubbers

This paper reports investigations carried out on elastomeric matrices based on a styrene-butadiene copolymer filled with multiwall carbon nanotubes. Stress-strain measurements of the composites demonstrate that carbon nanotubes bring significantly improvements in the mechanical properties with regard to the pure polymer. Raman spectroscopy, which is one of the most extensively employed methods for the characterization of carbon materials, has been applied for the analysis of the dependence of the Raman spectra on the nanotube content and on application of an uniaxial deformation. The results reveal a negligible stress transfer suggesting a weak interface between the tubes and the polymer chains.     

Convergent procedure for the synthesis of trifluoromethyl-containing N-(pyridinyl-triazolyl)pyrimidin-2-amines

This study describes a simple and efficient procedure to synthesize a novel series of fourteen 4-substituted N-(5-pyridinyl-1H-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl)-6-(trifluoromethyl)pyrimidin-2-amines, where the 4-substituents are H, CH₃, C₆H₅, 4-FC₆H₄, 4-CH₃C₆H₄, 4-CH₃OC₆H₄ and 2-Furyl; from the cyclocondensation reaction of N-[5-(pyridinyl)-1H-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl]guanidines with 4-alkoxy-4-alkyl(aryl/heteroaryl)-1,1,1-trifluoroalk-3-en-2-ones. The reactions were carried out in ethanol under reflux for 18 h and led to 40-68% yields. N-(Pyridyl-triazolyl)guanidine precursors were further obtained from reactions of cyanoguanidine with nicotinic or isonicotinic acid hydrazides and the halogenated enones from trifluoroacetylation of enolethers or acetals.     

A new diorganozinc-based enantioselective access to truncated d-ribo-phytosphingosine

The use of a trans α,β-epoxyaldehyde as a precursor of d-ribo-phytosphingosines was studied. The highly stereoselective alkylation of the aldehyde with a diorganozinc reagent was ensured through double asymmetric induction. The regioselective opening of the epoxide in turn gives access to an azide from which a C₁₀ phytosphingosine can be easily prepared.     

Mechanical, electrical and spectroscopic investigations of carbon nanotube-reinforced elastomers

This paper reports investigations carried out on elastomeric matrices filled with multiwall carbon nanotubes. A comparison with carbon black-filled polymers is also made. The state of dispersion of the fillers in the polymer matrix is evaluated through transmission electron and atomic force microscopies. Stress–strain measurements of the composites demonstrate that carbon nanotubes bring significant improvements in the mechanical properties with regard to the pure polymer. Infrared and Raman spectroscopies are shown to bring molecular insights into the structure/property correlations. Electrical properties of the filled materials are also analyzed in order to determine the so-called percolation threshold and the insulator–conductor transition corresponding to the formation of an interconnected filler network throughout the matrix.     

Asymmetry of calmodulin revealed by peptide binding

The binding of amphiphilic peptides to calmodulin has been studied using fluorescence energy transfer techniques. Calmodulin has no tryptophan residues but possesses two tyrosines (at positions 99 and 138) in the C-terminal half of the protein. The peptides have a single tryptophan which serves as energy acceptor for the protein tyrosine fluorescence. For the binding of mastoparan or peptide Baa17, with a tryptophan at position 3, the observed quenching of the tyrosine fluorescence of over a factor of 2 corresponds to an average tyrosine-trytophan distance of less than 14 Å. These results indicate that the peptides binds preferentially with the tryptophan in the C-terminal half of the protein.     

Asymptotically linear fractional Schrödinger equations

By exploiting a variational technique based upon projecting over the Poho?aev manifold, we prove existence of positive solutions for a class of nonlinear fractional Schrödinger equations having a nonhomogenous nonautonomous asymptotically linear nonlinearity.     

Mitochondrial mode of action of a thymidine-based cisplatin analogue breaks resistance in cancer cells

Cisplatin analogue complexes with platinum(II) and palladium(II) starting from 3',5'-diamino-3',5'-dideoxy-thymidines were synthesized, both with the D-erythro- and D-threo configurations. Complexes of the general formula [MCl(2)L] were obtained and characterized. NMR spectroscopic measurements and single crystal X-ray structure analysis showed that the metal centers are coordinated to the ligands by the amino groups in 3'- and 5'-positions and not through the thymine moiety. All ligands and complexes showed no significant in vitro activities except thymiplatin (cis-dichloro(3',5'-diamino-3',5'-dideoxy-D-threo-thymidine)platinum(II)). Detailed in vitro studies on the apoptosis pathway in lymphoma (BJAB), leukemia (NALM-6), and melanoma cells (Mel-HO) as well as on transfected or resistant cell lines were carried out. Thymiplatin significantly induced an apoptotic response, which was found to be associated with the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential and with caspase activation. The activity was shown to be independent of Fas-associated protein with death domain (FADD), but dependent on Bcl-2 expression. As a consequence, for thymiplatin a mitochondrial mode of action could be assigned. Moreover, the compound showed activity in cells resistant to common drugs, such as daunorubicin and vincristin, and showed synergistic effects with doxorubicin, vincristin, cytarabin, and daunorubicin.     

Kinetics of Nitroxide Mediated Radical Polymerization of Styrene with Unimolecular Initiators

Summary: This study examined the kinetics of nitroxide-mediated radical polymerization of styrene with unimolecular (alkoxyamine) initiators. Control of polymerization rate and polymer molecular weight in unimolecular nitroxide-mediated radical polymerization was studied by looking at the effects of the three main factors: initiator concentration, temperature, and initiator molecular weight on polymerization rate, molecular weight and polydispersity. In addition, the behavior of the unimolecular initiating systems was compared to that of the corresponding bimolecular system. The effective TEMPO concentration and degree of self-initiation of styrene were proved to be significant in dictating magnitudes of molecular weight averages and widths of molecular weight distribution.