A method of proving non-unitarity of representations of p-adic groups I

In this paper we exhibit a new method of proving non-unitarity of representations, based on semi simplicity of unitarizable representations. Non-unitarity is proved for a half of all irreducible representations of classical p-adic groups whose infinitesimal character is the same as the infinitesimal character of a generalized Steinberg representation (as defined in Tadić, Am J Math 120:159–210, 1998). Only the Steinberg representation and its Aubert dual are expected to be unitary here. In this way we partially generalize a result of Casselman to the case of classical groups. Our argument is completely different from Casselman’s argument (which is hard to extend to this case). It requires a very limited knowledge of the inducing cuspidal representation.     

Phospholipid Bilayers as Molecular Models for Drug-Cell Membrana Interactions. The Case of the Antiinflamatory Drug Diclofenac

Phospholipids are amphipatic molecules with long hydrophobic acyl chains and zwitterionic polar heads which assemble into different types of molecular aggregates. The most relevant is the bilayer because of its relation with cell membranes, which are very complex entities. For this reason, simpler molecular models based on phospholipids bilayers are widely used. We have determined the bilayer structure of phospholipids located in the outer and inner monolayers of most cell membranes, and use them as molecular models to study the way different chemicals of biological interest interact with cell membranes. We present the results of our studies on the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac, from which little is known about its effects on human erythrocytes. This report presents the following evidence that diclofenac interacts with the human red cell membrane: a) X-ray diffraction and fluorescence spectroscopy of phospholipids bilayers show that diclofenac interacts with a class of lipids found in the outer moiety of the erythrocyte membrane; b) in isolated unsealed human erythrocyte membranes the drug induced a disordering effect on the acyl chains of the membrane lipid bilayer; c) in scanning electron microscopy studies on human erythrocytes it was observed that the drug induced morphological changes different from their normal biconcave shape.     

Ab initio and anion photoelectron studies of Rhn (n = 1 − 9) clusters

We present an analysis of Na-He collisional profiles at high density and very low temperature in a unified line shape semi-classical theory which contains the impact as well the quasistatic limits. Clearly understanding the variation of shape of the two fine-structure components of the 3s?3p line with increasing helium density allows us to understand experimental spectra of a Na atom attached to He nanodroplets. We compare our collisional approach to path integral Monte Carlo calculations using the same ab initio Na-He molecular potentials.     

Intramolecular chalcogen-tin interactions in (o-MeE-C6H4)CH2SnPh3-nCln (E = S, O; n = 0, 1, 2), characterized by X-ray diffraction and 119Sn solution and solid-state NMR

Organotin(IV) compounds of the type (o-MeE-C6H4)CH2SnPh3-nCln were synthesized, E = O, n = 0 (1), n = 1 (2), n = 2 (3) and E = S, n = 0 (4), n = 1 (5), n = 2 (6). The complexes exhibit significant trigonal bipyramidal pentacoordination at tin as a consequence of intramolecular Sn-O (1-3) and Sn-S (4-6) interactions upon substitution of the phenyl groups by chloro groups. The intramolecular Sn-O distances in 1, 2, and 3 are 83%, 75%, and 79% of the sum of the van der Waals radii. The equivalent Sn-S values for 4, 5, and 6 are 90%, 73%, and 71%, respectively. The geometry of compound 3 is complicated by intermolecular dimerization via bridging chlorines creating a distorted octahedral geometry at tin. The related dichloro sulfur compound 6 also exhibits an intermolecular association in the form of Sn-Cl-H hydrogen bonding leading to a polymeric structure in the solid state. CPMAS 119Sn NMR spectroscopy suggests that the intramolecular Sn-E interactions persist in solution and also facilitated the discovery of a new crystalline form of 4, 4', that contains a Sn-S distance which is 95% the sum of the van der Waals radii.     

Semisynthetic Derivatives of Selected Amaryllidaceae Alkaloids as a New Class of Antimycobacterial Agents

The search for novel antimycobacterial drugs is a matter of urgency, since tuberculosis is still one of the top ten causes of death from a single infectious agent, killing more than 1.4 million people worldwide each year. Nine Amaryllidaceae alkaloids (AAs) of various structural types have been screened for their antimycobacterial activity. Unfortunately, all were considered inactive, and thus a pilot series of aromatic esters of galanthamine, 3-O-methylpancracine, vittatine and maritidine were synthesized to increase biological activity. The semisynthetic derivatives of AAs were screened for their in vitro antimycobacterial activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Ra and two other mycobacterial strains (M. aurum, M. smegmatis) using a modified Microplate Alamar Blue Assay. The most active compounds were also studied for their in vitro hepatotoxicity on the hepatocellular carcinoma cell line HepG2. In general, the derivatization of the original AAs was associated with a significant increase in antimycobacterial activity. Several pilot derivatives were identified as compounds with micromolar MICs against M. tuberculosis H37Ra. Two derivatives of galanthamine, 1i and 1r, were selected for further structure optimalization to increase the selectivity index.     

Synthesis and characterization of two novel tin(IV) compounds containing 12‐membered metallarings

12‐Chloro‐12‐n‐butyl‐1,11‐dioxa‐4,8‐ dithia‐12‐stannacyclododecane ( 3a ) and 12‐chloro‐ 12‐n‐butyl‐1,4,8,11‐tetrathia‐12‐stannacyclododecane ( 3b ) have been prepared by reacting n‐butyltin trichloride with 1,11‐dioxa‐4,8‐dithiaundecane and 1,4,8,11‐tetrathiaundecane, respectively. Complexes 3a,b were characterized by elemental analyses, IR, electron impact mass spectrometry, and multinuclear NMR (¹H, ¹³C, and ¹¹⁹Sn). The spectroscopic data are consistent with bonding of the ligands through both sulfur and oxygen atoms in 3a and through all sulfur atoms in 3b to the Sn(IV) center. We suggest hexacoordination around the Sn atoms. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 15:451–453, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/hc.20040     

The unitarizability of the Aubert dual of strongly positive square integrable representations

Under a natural assumption, which holds in the generic case, we prove in this paper that, for the classical p-adic groups, the Aubert dual of an irreducible, strongly positive square-integrable representation (in the sense of Mœgl., in-Tadić classification), is unitarizable. In this way, for this important class of representations, we verify the conjecture which states that the Aubert involution preserves unitarity.     

Are the mixtures of homologous surfactants ideal?

The interaction between homologous surfactants in mixed micelles was studied by the Regular Solution Theory of mixed micelles. The interaction is independent of the nature of the polar head groups and attractive and the interaction parameter betaM depends linearly on the difference in chain length DeltanC. The interaction becomes ideal at DeltanC=0.75+/-0.06. Above DeltanC approximately 5, the dependence remains linear but the slope increased 2.7 times. The phenomenon is explained as the effect of the reduction of the hydrocarbon/water micelle interface and a better packing of the chains in the micelle core, caused by the inclusion of a shorter homologous surfactants. This reduction can be more effective when DeltanC>or=5.     

Light-induced flipping of a conserved glutamine sidechain and its orientation in the AppA BLUF domain

The AppA BLUF domain is a blue light photoreceptor containing flavin. Conserved glutamine 63 is necessary for the photocycle of the protein, and its side chain has been proposed to flip in response to blue light illumination. Recently published crystal structures of AppA WT and the AppA mutant C20S describe contradictory conclusions regarding the orientation of the conserved glutamine 63 side chain in the dark. Here, we present evidence from NMR spectroscopy confirming light-induced flipping of the glutamine side chain to form a strong hydrogen bond between the glutamine 63 side chain carbonyl group and the tyrosine 21 side chain hydroxyl proton in the light-induced state. Our conclusions are consistent with published data from UV/vis absorbance and FTIR spectroscopy, as well as the crystal structure of AppA WT.