Dynamic kinetic resolution of racemic tropic acid ethyl ester and its derivatives

The dynamic kinetic resolution of racemic mixtures of tropic acid ethyl ester under substrate racemizing conditions was studied using lipase PS with a ruthenium catalyst. Isopropenyl acetate was used as an acyl donor, since it was found to be compatible with both catalysts; this resulted in an efficient dynamic kinetic resolution. With this process, a variety of racemic tropic acid ethyl esters were transformed to optically active acetoxy-2-arylpropionic acid ethyl esters with 60-88% yields and 53-92% ee.     

FREQUENCY OF ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION-INDUCED MUTATION AT THE hprt LOCUS IN REPAIR-PROFICIENT MURINE FIBROBLASTS TRANSFECTED WITH THE denV GENE OF BACTERIOPHAGE T4

Abstract— Thc frequency of spontaneous and ultraviolet radiation (UVR)-induced mutation at the hprt locus was determined in control and denV-transfected, repair-proficient murine fibroblasts. Control cells removed an average of 25% of pyrimidine dimers induced by exposure to 150 J/m²UVR from an FS40 sunlamp within 24 h; under the same conditions of induction and repair, denV-transfected cells removed an average of 71% of pyrimidine dimers. Control cells were somewhat more resistant than denV-transfected cells to killing by UVR. The average frequency of spontancous mutation at the hprt locus for control and denV-transfected cells was 3 and 15 6-thioguanine (6-TG)-resistant colonies per 10⁶ surviving cells, respectively; there was no statistically significant difference between control and dcnV-transfected cells. However, after exposure to 75 or 150 J/m² UVR, denV-transfected cells had a significantly lower frequency of mutation to 6-TG resistance. After exposure to a fluence of 75 J/m², the average frequency of UVR-induced mutation at the hprt locus was 166 mutant colonies per lo^h surviving cells for control cells and 92 mutant colonies for denV-transfectcd cells; after 150 J/m², control cells had 205 6-TG-resistant colonies per 10⁶ cells, while dmV-transfected cclls had 61 mutant colonies. These results demonstrate that UVR-induced pyrimidine dimers are mutagenic photoproducts in mammalian cells.     

The two-photon excitation cross section of 6MAP, a fluorescent adenine analogue

6MAP is a fluorescent analogue of adenine that undergoes Watson-Crick base pairing and base stacking in double-stranded DNA. The one-photon absorption spectrum of 6MAP is characterized by a maximum around 330 nm with moderate quantum yield fluorescence centered at about 420 nm. To take advantage of this probe for confocal and single-molecule microscopy, it would be advantageous to be able to excite the analogue via two photons. We report the first determination of the two-photon excitation cross section and spectrum for 6MAP from 614 to 700 nm. The power dependence of the fluorescence indicates that emission results from the absorption of two photons. The one-photon and two-photon emission line shapes are identical within experimental error. A study of the concentration dependence of the fluorescence yield for one-photon excitation shows no measurable quenching up to about 5 microM. The maximum in the two-photon excitation spectrum gives a two-photon cross section, delta(TPE), of 3.4 +/- 0.1 Goeppert-Mayer (G.M.) at 659 nm, which correlates well with the one-photon absorption maximum. This compares quite favorably with cross sections of various naturally fluorescent biological molecules such as flavins and nicotiamide. In addition, we have also obtained the two-photon-induced fluorescence emission spectrum of quinine sulfate. It is approximately the same as that for one-photon excitation, suggesting that two-photon excitation of quinine sulfate may be used for calibration purposes.     

On the lower Markov spectrum

C. Hightower found two infinite sequences of gaps in the Markov spectrum, ( _n , _n ) and ( _n , _n ) with _n and _n both Markov elements, converging to . This paper exhibits Markov elements _n ^* and _n ^* such that, for alln 1, ( _n ^* , _n ) and ( _{n n} ^* ) are gaps in the Markov spectrum. Other results include showing that, for alln 1, _n is completely isolated, while the other endpoints of the gaps are limit points in the Markov spectrum.     

An investigation of preservice teachers’ use of guess and check in solving a semi open-ended mathematics problem

Open-ended problems have been regarded as powerful tools for teaching mathematics. This study examined the problem solving of eight mathematics/science middle-school teachers. A semi-structured interview was conducted with (PTs) after completing an open-ended triangle task with four unique solutions. Of particular emphasis was how the PTs used a specific heuristic strategy. The results showed that the primary strategy PTs employed in attempting to solve the triangle problem task was guess and check; however, from the PTs’ reflections, we found there existed misapplications of guess and check as a systematic problem-solving strategy. In order to prepare prospective teachers to effectively teach, teacher educators should pay more attention to the mathematical proficiency of PTs, particularly their abilities to systematically and efficiently use guess and check while solving problems and explain their solutions and reasoning to middle-school students.