Pyrene-Terminated Tin Sulfide Clusters: Optical Properties and Deposition on a Metal Surface

Herein, we present the synthesis of two pyrene-functionalized clusters, [(R^pyrSn)₄S₆]⋅2 CH₂Cl₂ ( 4 ) and [(R^pyrSn)₄Sn₂S₁₀]⋅n CH₂Cl₂ (n=4, 5 a ; n=2, 5 b ; R^pyr=CMe₂CH₂C(Me)N-NC(H)C₁₆H₉), both of which form in reactions of the organotin sulfide cluster [(R^NSn)₄S₆] ( C ; R^N=CMe₂CH₂C(Me)N-NH₂) with the well-known fluorescent dye 1-pyrenecarboxaldehyde ( B ). In contrast, reactions using an organotin sulfide cluster with another core structure, [(R^NSn)₃S₄Cl] ( A ), leads to formation of small molecular fragments, [(R^pyrCl₂Sn)₂S] ( 1 ), (pyren-1-ylmethylene)hydrazine ( 2 ), and 1,2-bis(pyren-1-ylmethylene)hydrazine ( 3 ). Besides synthesis and structures of the new compounds, we report the influence of the inorganic core on the optical properties of the dye, which was analyzed exemplarily for compound 5 a via absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy. This cluster was also used for exploring the potential of such non-volatile clusters for deposition on a metal surface under vacuum conditions.     

Asymptotic results for finite superpositions of Ornstein–Uhlenbeck processes

A model of intermittency based on superposition of Lévy driven Ornstein–Uhlenbeck processes is studied in [6 Grahovac, D., Leonenko, N., Sikorskii, A., and Te?niak, I. 2016. Intermittency of superpositions of Ornstein–Uhlenbeck type processes. J. Stat. Phys. 165:390–408.[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]]. In particular, as shown in Theorem 5.1 in that paper, finite superpositions obey a (sample path) central limit theorem under suitable hypotheses. In this paper we prove large (and moderate) deviation results associated with this central limit theorem.     

A Novel MS-Cleavable Azo Cross-Linker for Peptide Structure Analysis by Free Radical Initiated Peptide Sequencing (FRIPS)

The chemical cross-linking/mass spectrometry (MS) approach is a growing research field in structural proteomics that allows gaining insights into protein conformations. It relies on creating distance constraints between cross-linked amino acid side chains that can further be used to derive protein structures. Currently, the most urgent task for designing novel cross-linking principles is an unambiguous and automated assignment of the created cross-linked products. Here, we introduce the homobifunctional, amine-reactive, and water soluble cross-linker azobisimidoester (ABI) as a prototype of a novel class of cross-linkers. The ABI-linker possesses an innovative modular scaffold combining the benefits of collisional activation lability with open shell chemistry. This MS-cleavable cross-linker can be efficiently operated via free radical initiated peptide sequencing (FRIPS) in positive ionization mode. Our proof-of-principle study challenges the gas phase behavior of the ABI-linker for the three amino acids, lysine, leucine, and isoleucine, as well as the model peptide thymopentin. The isomeric amino acids leucine and isoleucine could be discriminated by their characteristic side chain fragments. Collisional activation experiments were conducted via positive electrospray ionization (ESI) on two Orbitrap mass spectrometers. The ABI-mediated formation of odd electron product ions in MS/MS and MS³ experiments was evaluated and compared with a previously described azo-based cross-linker. All cross-linked products were amenable to automated analysis by the MeroX software, underlining the future potential of the ABI-linker for structural proteomics studies.

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Graphical Abstract ?

     

Closure,Defeasibility and Conclusive Reasons

It is argued, on the basis of new counterexamples, that neither knowledge nor epistemic justification (or “epistemic rationality”) can reasonably be thought to be closed under logical implication. The argument includes an attempt to reconcile the fundamental intuitions of the opposing parties in the debate.

On the rationality of moduli spaces of pointed curves

Motivated by several recent results on the geometry of the modulispaces of stable curves of genus g with n marked points, we determine the birational structureof these spaces for small values of g and n by exploiting suitableplane models of a general curve. More precisely, _g,n is shownto be rational for g = 2 and 1 n 12, g = 3 and 1 n 14, g= 4 and 1 n 15, and g = 5 and 1 n 12     

Stable bundles and the first eigenvalue of the Laplacian

In this article we study the first eigenvalue of the Laplacian on a compact manifold using stable bundles and balanced bases. Our main result is the following: Let M be a compact Kähler manifold of complex dimension n and E a holomorphic vector bundle of rank r over M. If E is globally generated and its Gieseker point T_e is stable, then for any Kähler metric g on M\(\lambda _1 (M,g) \leqslant \frac{{4\pi h^0 (E)}}{{r(h^0 (E) - r)}} \cdot \frac{{\left\langle {C_1 (E) \cup [\omega ]^{n - 1} ,[M]} \right\rangle }}{{(n - 1)!vol(M,[\omega ])}}\) where ω = ω_g is the Kähler form associated to g.By this method we obtain, for example, a sharp upper bound for λ₁ of Kähler metrics on complex Grassmannians.     

Mesoscopic and microscopic investigation on poly(vinyl alcohol) hydrogels in the presence of sodium decylsulfate

The structure of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) hydrogels formed as a result of freeze/thaw treatments of aqueous solutions of the polymer (11 wt % PVA) in the freshly prepared state is analyzed through the combined use of small (SANS) and ultrasmall (USANS) angle neutron scattering techniques. The structure of these hydrogels may be described in terms of polymer rich regions, with dimensions of the order of 1-2 microm, dispersed in a water rich phase, forming two bicontinuous phases. The PVA chains in the polymer rich phase form a network where the cross-linking points are mainly crystalline aggregates of PVA having average dimensions of approximately 45 A. The structural organization of freeze/thaw PVA hydrogel membranes does not change either after rehydration of dried gels or in the presence of a tensile force. Finally, addition of surfactant micelles inside the gel provides a formulation with both hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions, which demonstrates the potential of the system for drug delivery. Both SANS and EPR measurements show that sodium decylsulfate (C10OS) micelles do not significantly interact with the PVA gel. Variation of the gel structure by the number of freeze/thaw cycles should modulate the rate of release of an active constituent, for example, in a dermal patch.     

Two-dimensional infrared spectral signatures of 3(10)- and alpha-helical peptides

Two-dimensional infrared (2D IR) spectra of Calpha-alkylated model octapeptides Z-(Aib)8-OtBu, Z-(Aib)5-L-Leu-(Aib)2-OMe, and Z-[L-(alphaMeVal)]8-OtBu have been measured in the amide I region to acquire 2D spectral signatures characteristic of 3(10)- and alpha-helical conformations. Phase-adjusted 2D absorptive spectra recorded with parallel polarizations are dominated by intense diagonal peaks, whereas 2D rephasing spectra obtained at the double-crossed polarization configuration reveal cross-peak patterns that are essential for structure determination. In CDCl3, all three peptides are of the 3(10)-helix conformation and exhibit a doublet cross-peak pattern. In 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoroisopropanol, Z-[L-(alphaMeVal)]8-OtBu undergoes slow acidolysis and 3(10)-to-alpha-helix transition. In the course of this conformational change, its 2D rephasing spectrum evolves from an elongated doublet, characteristic of a distorted 3(10)-helix, to a multiple-peak pattern, after becoming an alpha-helix. The linear IR and 2D absorptive spectra are much less informative in discerning the structural changes. The experimental spectra are compared to simulations based on a vibrational exciton Hamiltonian model. The through-bond and through-space vibrational couplings are modeled by ab initio coupling maps and transition dipole interactions. The local amide I frequency is evaluated by a new approach that takes into account the effects of hydrogen-bond geometry and sites. The static diagonal and off-diagonal disorders are introduced into the Hamiltonian through statistical models to account for conformational fluctuations and inhomogeneous broadening. The sensitivity of cross-peak patterns to different helical conformations and the chain length dependence of the spectral features for short 3(10)- and alpha-helices are discussed.     

Diffusion and residence time of hydrogen peroxide and water in crowded protein environments

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) have important functions in cell signaling and, when present at overly high levels, may cause oxidation of important biological molecules. Kinetic models to study diffusion of ROS inside of mitochondria often assume dynamics similar to that in solution. However, it is well-known that separation of proteins in the cytosol or inside of mitochondria, where ROS are most predominant, can be smaller than 1 nm. Diffusion of small molecules can be better regarded as a percolation process. In this article, we report results of diffusivity and residence of water and hydrogen peroxide in the proximity of proteins. In carrying out this study, we found some issues with the conventional way of computing residence times by means of survival time correlation functions. The main problem is that particles remaining on the surface of a protein for long times and for which one has very poor statistics contribute significantly to the short time behavior of the survival time correlation function. We mathematically describe this problem and propose methodology to overcome it.     

Oxidative degradations of the side chain of unsaturated ent-labdanes. Part I

A selective route for the degradation of the unsaturated side chain of ent-labdanes has been devised, giving two useful synthons: 2beta-acetoxy-14,15,17-trinor-ent-labdane-8,13- dione (5) and 2beta-acetoxy-14,15-dinor-ent-labd-8(17)-en-13-one (7), the use of which for the preparation of terpenylquinone derivatives shall be reported elsewhere.