Evaluation of carbonic anhydrase and paraoxonase inhibition activities and molecular docking studies of highly water-soluble sulfonated phthalocyanines

The investigation of carbonic anhydrase and paraoxonase enzyme inhibition properties of water-soluble zinc and gallium phthalocyanine complexes ( 1 and 2 ) are reported for the first time. The binding of p-sulfonylphenoxy moieties to the phthalocyanine structure favors excellent solubilities in water, as well as providing an inhibition effect on carbonic anhydrase (CA) I and II isoenzymes and paraoxonase (PON1) enzyme. According to biological activity results, both complexes inhibited hCA I, hCA II, and PON1. Whereas 1 and 2 showed moderate hCA I and hCA II (off-target cytosolic isoforms) inhibitory activity (Ki values of 26.09 µM and 43.11 µM for hCA I and 30.95 µM and 33.19 µM for hCA II, respectively), they exhibited strong PON1 (associated with high-density lipoprotein [HDL]) inhibitory activity (Ki values of 0.37 µM and 0.27 µM, respectively). The inhibition kinetics were analyzed by Lineweaver–Burk double reciprocal plots. It revealed that 1 and 2 were noncompetitive inhibitors against PON1, hCA I, and hCA II. These complexes can be more advantageous than other synthetic CA and PON inhibitors due to their water solubility. Docking studies were carried out to examine the interactions between hCA I, hCA II, and PON1 inhibitors and metal complexes at a molecular level and to predict binding energies.     

Highly improved electrocatalytic oxidation of dimethylamine borane on silver nanoparticles modified polymer composite electrode

Dimethylamine borane (DMAB) is a promising fuel alternative for fuel cell applications. In this work cyclic voltammetric behavior of DMAB was investigated on the polymerized aminophenol film decorated with Ag nanoparticles in alkaline media. The polymer film was formed on the glassy carbon electrode by electrochemical technique and then, the surface was modified with Ag nanoparticles. The surface of the modified electrode was identified by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy techniques. The developed electrode has displayed high electrocatalytic activity for DMAB oxidation in alkaline media depending on the supporting electrolyte concentration. Experimental parameters such as cycle number used in electropolymerization of p-aminophenol, deposition of Ag nanoparticles and supporting electrolyte were optimized.     

Self-Reciprocal Irreducible Polynomials Over Finite Fields

We classify monic self-reciprocal irreducible polynomials over finite fields in terms of their orders. We also study the weights of these polynomials.     

Analytical representations of the Mössbauer recoilless fraction,Debye-Waller factors,lattice energies,and heat capacities

Simple analytical expansions are given for the recoilless fraction in Mössbauer spectroscopy, the Debye-Waller factor in X-ray scattering, and the lattice energy and heat capacity of solids. While this problem has been discussed in an earlier paper [1], computer technology has now advanced to the point that direct evaluations of the simple expansions of these quantities are useful for quick curve fitting to experimental data at any desired temperature, and these expansions are easier to evaluate than using graphs to estimate recoilless fractions and Debye temperatures. We compare this approach with a polynomial expansion in terms of Bernoulli numbers, which has only a limited domain of convergence. We explicitly evaluate the convergence of these Debye integral expansions as a function of the number of terms used and the time required.This work was prepared with the support of the U.S. Department of Energy, Grant No. DE-FG02-85 ER 45199.     

Check Character Systems Using Quasigroups: II

In this part of the article we continue to research check character systems with one check character over quasigroups under check equations which have one permutation. These systems always detect all single errors (i.e. errors in only one component of a code word) and can detect some other errors arising during transmission of data. We study check character systems over T-quasigroups. These quasigroups are isotopic to abelian groups and generalize the well-known class of medial quasigroups. We establish some properties of a T-quasigroup so that the check character systems over it are able to detect transpositions, jump transpositions, twin errors and jump twin errors. We also give some models of T-quasigroups, which satisfy all of the required properties for detection of errors of each of the considered types. Communicated by: P. Wild     

The development of information storage materials — How microscopy can help?

The response of giant magnetoresistance (GMR) devices depends critically on the film microstructure, with parameters such as layer thickness and interfacial abruptness being crucial. This paper presents results obtained using high resolution electron microscopy (HREM), chemical mapping and atom probe microanalysis. Local variations in the magnetic properties are induced by the microstructure and also when the films are patterned to form small elements. These lead to changes in the magnetization reversal mechanism. Some results of the studies of the magnetization reversal carried out using in situ in Lorentz transmission electron microscopy (LTEM) magnetizing experiments are also included.     

Peak effect studies in single crystals CeRu2 and 2H-NbS2

We have studied the peak effect (PE) phenomenon in single crystals of weakly pinned superconductors CeRu₂ and 2H-NbS₂. 2H-NbS₂ is iso-structural and iso-electronic to 2H-NbSe₂, whose similarity with CeRu₂ as regards the PE representing the order-to-disorder transformation of the flux line lattice was claimed some time ago. We report on the step change in equilibrium magnetization across the peak effect in CeRu₂. We also present the vortex phase diagram of 2H-NbS₂ obtained from the magnetization data, and compare the PE phenomenon in 2H-NbS₂ and 2H-NbSe₂.     

Determination of arsenic in high-purity copper by flameless atomic-absorption spectrophotometry

Arsenic is separated from an ammoniacal solution containing 1 g or less of copper(II) by co-precipitation with ferric hydroxide. The precipitate is dissolved in nitric acid, the solution almost neutralized with ammonia, made up to volume and the As determined by flameless atomic-absorption spectrophotometry. Less than 0.5 ppm can be determined.     

Interactions of poly(amidoamine) dendrimers with Survanta lung surfactant: the importance of lipid domains

The interaction of generation 5 (G5) and 7 (G7) poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimers with mica-supported Survanta bilayers is studied with atomic force microscopy (AFM). In these experiments, Survanta forms distinct gel and fluid domains with differing lipid composition. Nanoscale defects are induced by the PAMAM dendrimers. The positively charged dendrimers remove lipid from the fluid domains at a significantly greater rate than for the gel domains. Dendrimer accumulation on lipid edges and terraces preceding lipid removal has been directly imaged. Immediately following lipid removal, the mica surface is clean, indicating that lipid defects are not induced by dendrimers binding to the mica substrate and displacing the lipid.