Supramolecular nanopatterns self-assembled by adenine-thymine quartets at the liquid/solid interface

By means of scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), we have observed for the first time well-ordered supramolecular nanopatterns formed by mixing two complementary DNA bases: adenine (A) and thymine (T), respectively, at the liquid/solid interface. By mixing A and T at a specific mixing molar ratio, cyclic structures that were distinctly different from the structures observed by the individual base molecules separately were formed. From an interplay between the STM findings and self-consistent charge density-functional based tight-binding (SCC-DFTB) calculation method, we suggest formation of A-T-A-T quartets constructed on the basis of A-T base pairing. The formation of the A-T-A-T quartets opens new avenues to use DNA base pairing as a way to form nanoscale surface architecture and biocompatible patterned surfaces particularly via host-guest complexation that might be suitable for drug design, where the target can be trapped inside the cavities of the molecular containers.     

The collisions of two ion acoustic solitary waves in a magnetized nonextensive plasma

Using the extended Poincaré-Lighthill-Kuo (EPLK) method, the interaction between two ion acoustic solitary waves (IASWs) in a multicomponent magnetized plasma (including Tsallis nonextensive electrons) has been theoretically investigated. The analytical phase shifts of the two solitary waves after interaction are estimated. The proposed model leads to rarefactive solitons only. The effects of colliding angle, ratio of number densities of (positive/negative) ions species to the density of nonextensive electrons, ion-to-electron temperature ratio, mass ratio of the negative-to-positive ions and the electron nonextensive parameter on the phase shifts are investigated numerically. The present results show that these parameters have strong effects on the phase shifts and trajectories of the two IASWs after collision. Evidently, this model is helpful for interpreting the propagation and the oblique collision of IASWs in magnetized multicomponent plasma experiments and space observations.     

Study of pediatric brain development using magnetic resonance imaging of anisotropic diffusion

The properties of water diffusion in human brain tissue can be characterized by diffusion tensors computed from diffusion weighted magnetic resonance images. Since these properties are strongly determined by the structural and geometrical characteristics of the tissue, the maturation process of white matter and gray matter tissue can be expected to be reflected in these images and derived tensor quantities. The purpose of this work was therefore to study the development of pediatric brain in terms of changes occurring in the observed diffusion behavior. Echo planar diffusion tensor imaging was performed on 22 (10 females and 12 males) full term newborn and infant patients, diagnosed in retrospect as neurologically healthy. The subjects were subdivided in three age categories. A number of quantities based on the diffusion images were calculated for each tissue type and age category, and the ability of these quantities to provide sensitive and consistent information about the tissue differences and evolution was evaluated. The results clearly illustrate that the rotationally invariant quantities (e.g., the highest diffusivity, anisotropy ratio and volume ratio) are superior to the rotationally variant ones (e.g., ADCs measured along the three axes of the magnet) often used in the clinic. On the basis of the anisotropy ratio and the volume ratio indices, a correlation between the white matter maturation and the evolution of the diffusion anisotropy could be established. The same quantities did not exhibit any age dependence for the gray matter tissues.     

Synthesis and Antimicrobial Activity of New 1,2,3‐Triazolopyrimidine Derivatives and Their Glycoside and Acyclic Nucleoside Analogs

New [1,2,4‐oxadiazolyl]methyl‐3H‐[1,2,3]triazolo[4,5‐d]pyrimidin derivatives were synthesized starting from N′‐Hydroxy‐1‐naphthimidamide. The N‐substituted acyclic nucleoside analogs as well as the substituted glycosides were also prepared by reaction with the corresponding reagents. The antimicrobial results indicated that most of the tested compounds exhibited moderate to high antimicrobial activity whereas few compounds were found to exhibit little or no activity against the tested microorganisms.     

Synthesis and antimicrobial activity of substituted [(pyrazol‐4‐yl)methylene]hydrazono‐2,3‐dihydrothiazoles and their sugar derivatives

A number of new [(pyrazol‐4‐yl)methylene]hydrazono‐2,3‐dihydrothiazole derivatives, their sugar hydrazones and N‐glycosides were synthesized. Furthermore, N‐substituted oxygenated alkyl and hydroxyl derivatives and 1,3,4,‐oxadiazoline acyclic nucleoside analogs were prepared. The newly synthesized compounds were tested for their antimicrobial activities and showed moderate to high inhibition activities. J. Heterocyclic Chem., (2012).     

A Versatile Synthesis,PM3‐Semiempirical,Antibacterial, and Antitumor Evaluation of Some Bioactive Pyrazoles

This research work describes the synthesis and biological properties of some novel isolated or fused heterocyclic ring systems with pyrazole, for example; enaminones containing pyrazolone ring photochromic functional unit, 4‐[(4‐chlorophenylamino)methylene]‐3‐methyl‐1‐phenyl‐1H‐pyrazol‐5(4H)‐one (3) and some analogous derivatives 4, 9, and 10, also as pyrazolo[3,4‐b]pyridine, pyrazolo[3,4‐b]quinoline, pyrazolo[3′,4′:4,5]thieno[2,3‐c]pyrazoline and pyrazolo[3,4‐c]pyrazole were synthesized and characterized. Newly synthesized compounds were characterized by IR, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, mass spectral data and quantum mechanical calculations. Selected products were tested for their antibacterial and antitumor agents.     

The interaction of <Superscript>99m</Superscript>Tc with pyrimidine compounds

The reaction of ^99mTc of different oxidation states (+7, +4) with 2-thiouracil and 5-nitrobarbituric acid have been studied at different temperatures, pH and concentrations. The reaction mixtures have been analyzed at different times using thin layer chromatography (TLC) and a radio detector to show the peaks at the plates. ^99mTc is obtained from the Mo generators with oxidation state (+7). The use of SnCl₂ as a reducing agent gave ^99mTc with oxidation state (+4). It is very difficult to separate the complexes formed from the reactions in very small concentration. The percentage of ^99mTc and its oxidation state involved in the complexes can be determined. The labeling efficiencies (percentage of complex) in the reaction of ^99mTc⁺⁷ with 5-nitro-barbituric-acid increases mostly at pH  10. Both oxidation states of ^99mTc(+7, +4) can be detected at pH’s 4 and 10, but at pH  4, the reduced form ^99mTCO₂, is more pronounced. At pH  7 no complexes were detected and most of ^99mTc remains as ^99mTCO₄ ⁻ . By increasing the ligand concentration, the labeling efficiencies of the complex increases. For the reaction of ^99mTc of oxidation states (+4, +7) with 2-thiouracil at different temperatures and analytical times it is concluded that several complexes with different R_f values were observed in equilibrium and most of these complexes were unstable.     

Reactions of 2‐amino‐3‐cyano‐4,5,6,7‐tetrahydrobenzo[b]thiophene and 2‐amino‐3‐cyano‐4,7‐diphenyl‐5‐methyl‐4H‐pyrano[2,3‐c] pyrazole with phenylisocyanate,carbon disulfide,and thiourea

2‐Amino‐3‐cyano‐4,5,6,7‐tetrahydrobenzo[b]thiophene 1a or 2‐amino‐3‐cyano‐4,7‐di‐ phenyl‐5‐methyl‐4H‐pyrano[2,3‐c]pyrazole 2a reacted with phenylisocyanate in dry pyridine to give 2‐(3‐phenylureido)‐3‐cyanobenzo[b]thiophene 1b or 2‐disubstituted amino‐3‐cyanopyranopyrazole 2b derivative. However, when 1a and 2a were refluxed with carbon disulfide in 10% ethanolic sodium hydroxide solution, they afforded the thieno[2,3‐d]pyrimidin‐2,4‐dithione derivative 5 in the former case, 2,4‐dicyano‐1,3‐bis(dithio carboxamino)cyclobuta‐1,3‐ diene 6 and pyrazolopyranopyrido[2,3‐d]pyrimidin‐ 2,4‐dithione derivative 7 in the latter one. Treatment of 2a with thiourea in refluxing ethanol in the presence of potassium carbonate gave 2,2′‐dithiobispyrimidine derivative 9 (major) in addition to pyranopyrazole derivative 10 and 2,2′‐dithiobis ethoxypyrimidine derivative 11 in minor amounts. The structures of all products were evidenced by microanalytical and spectral data. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 16:6–11, 2005; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/hc.20070     

Performance analysis of solar powered absorption refrigeration system

The present work provides a detailed thermodynamic analysis of a 10 kW solar absorption refrigeration system using ammonia-water mixtures as a working medium. This analysis includes both first law and second law of thermodynamics. The coefficient of performance (COP), exergetic coefficient of performance (ECOP) and the exergy losses (ΔE) through each component of the system at different operating conditions are obtained. The minimum and maximum values of COP and ECOP were found to be at 110 and 200°C generator temperatures respectively. About 40% of the system exergy losses were found to be in the generator. The maximum exergy losses in the absorber occur at generator temperature of 130°C for all evaporator temperatures. A computer simulation model is developed to carry out the calculations and to obtain the results of the present study.     

Design,Synthesis, Anticancer Activity and Molecular Docking of New 1,2,3-Triazole-Based Glycosides Bearing 1,3,4-Thiadiazolyl,Indolyl and Arylacetamide Scaffolds

New 1,3,4-thiadiazole thioglycosides linked to a substituted arylidine system were synthesized via heterocyclization via click 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition. The click strategy was used for the synthesis of new 1,3,4-thiadiazole and 1,2,3-triazole hybrid glycoside-based indolyl systems as novel hybrid molecules by reacting azide derivatives with the corresponding acetylated glycosyl terminal acetylenes. The cytotoxic activities of the compounds were studied against HCT-116 (human colorectal carcinoma) and MCF-7 (human breast adenocarcinoma) cell lines using the MTT assay. The results showed that the key thiadiazolethione compounds, the triazole glycosides linked to p-methoxyarylidine derivatives and the free hydroxyl glycoside had potent activity comparable to the reference drug, doxorubicin, against MCF-7 human cancer cells. Docking simulation studies were performed to check the binding patterns of the synthesized compounds. Enzyme inhibition assay studies were also conducted for the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and the results explained the activity of a number of derivatives.