Calorimetric and SEM studies of PHB–PET polymeric blends

PHB [poly (3-hydroxybutyrate)], post-consumer soft-drink bottles poly (ethylene terephthalate) PET (herein named PET-R) and PHBPET-R (blends of PHB and PET-R in several compositions) samples were evaluated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) in order to verify their thermal properties and porosity according to amounts of PET-R added the blends. The DSC curve showed that the solvents used to solve the polymer mixture cause changes in the thermal behavior of PET-R films and in PHBPET-R blends. SEM studies of the PHBPET-R blends show that with a gradual mass increase of PET-R, there are gradual increases in the porosity of the films.     

Ring expansion of functionalized octahydroindoles to enantiopure cis-decahydroquinolines

A new synthetic entry to enantiopure cis-decahydroquinolines is reported. Endo and exo derivatives of cis-1-benzyl-2-(hydroxymethyl)octahydroindol-6-one ethylene acetal undergo ring enlargement upon treatment with TFAA and then Et3N (thermodynamic conditions) to give enantiopure 1-benzyl-3-hydroxydecahydroquinolin-7-one derivatives in 77 and 82% yield, respectively. For 2-(1-hydroxyethyl) analogues, the best synthetic result is obtained from the (2S,1'R) endo isomer, which under kinetic reaction conditions (MsCl, THF, -20 degrees C, then AgOAc at rt ) gives the expanded product in 54% yield.     

Sex differences in the relationship between white matter microstructure and impulsivity in adolescents

Rapid maturational brain changes occur during adolescence--a time associated with risk-taking behaviors and improvements in cognition. The present study examined the relationship between white matter (WM) microstructure, impulsive behavior and response inhibition in female and male adolescents. Twenty-one healthy adolescents underwent diffusion tensor imaging using a 3.0-T magnetic resonance imaging system. Impulse control was assessed using the Bar-On Emotional Quotient Inventory, Youth Version. Response inhibition was assessed using the Stroop Color-Word Interference Test. Fractional anisotropy (FA), a measure of WM coherence, and trace, a measure of overall diffusivity, were determined from voxels manually placed in the midline and in the left and right forward-projecting arms of the genu and the splenium of the corpus callosum. Sex-specific differences were observed for the relationship between FA and impulsive behavior in the right anterior callosum for males and in the splenium for females. Males, compared to females, displayed significantly higher FA in the left WM region. Although trace was not associated with impulse control, trace in the genu (for females) and splenium (males and females) was associated with Stroop performance. Regional differences in trace also were evident, with lower values in the splenium observed than in all other regions. Although the latter significantly improved with age, no sex differences in impulse control or in Stroop performance were detected. The present findings provide supporting evidence for sex-related differences in the development of WM microstructure during adolescence. These data further suggest a neurobiological mechanism underlying some of the emotional and cognitive changes commonly observed in males versus females during the adolescent period.     

Enantioselective total synthesis of (S)-bisoranjidiol, an axially chiral bisanthraquinone

The first enantioselective total synthesis of the bisanthraquinone (S)-bisoranjidiol and an unnatural regioisomer has been accomplished. Key features of the synthesis include the asymmetric oxidative biaryl coupling of a hindered 8-substituted 2-naphthol, selective para-quinone formation, and regioselective tandem Diels-Alder/aromatization reactions.     

Synthesis of enantiopure cis-decahydroquinolines from homotyramines by Birch reduction and aminocyclization

Birch reduction of homotyramines with a syn-β-amino alcohol unit followed by acid treatment of formed dihydroanisole derivatives gives polysubstituted enantiopure cis-decahydroquinolines. The stereoselectivity of the process differs if the hydroxyl group is free or protected. The procedure allows the synthesis of 7-oxodecahydroquinolines embodying four stereogenic centres with the same relative configuration as that of lepadins F and G.     

Coeffective and de Rham cohomologies of symplectic manifolds

We discuss the relation of the coeffective cohomology of a symplectic manifold with the topology of the manifold. A bound for the coeffective numbers is obtained. The lower bound is got for compact Kähler manifolds, and the upper one for non-compact exact symplectic manifolds. A Nomizu's type theorem for the coeffective cohomology is proved. Finally, the behaviour of the coeffective cohomology under deformations is studied.     

Crystal and molecular structure of (+)-6,7∶8,9∶10,11-tri-O-isopropylidene-2,3-dideoxy-d-arabino-l-allo-undec-2-enono-1,4-lactone,C20H30O9

The crystal structure of the title lactone, C₂₀H₃₀O₉, a potential precursor of uncommon 11-carbon sugar derivatives, has been determined by single-crystal diffraction methods. The compound crystallizes in the orthorhombic space groupP2₁2₁2₁ witha=15.581(3),b=14.047(2),c=9.888(2) Å, andZ=4. The structure was solved by direct methods and refined by full-matrix least-squares toR=0.054. The absolute configuration of the seven stereogenic carbon atoms was deduced as 4R, 5R, 6R, 7R, 8S, 9R, 10R, being (R)-(+)-glyceraldehyde its progenitor. An intramolecular O-HO hydrogen bond is present. Weak interaction C-HO links the molecules in sheets parallel to the (100) plane.