Characterization of supported membranes on topographically patterned polymeric elastomers and their applications to microcontact printing

This article describes the fluorescence microscopy and imaging ellipsometry-based characterization of supported phospholipid bilayer formation on elastomeric substrates and its application in microcontact printing of spatially patterned phospholipid bilayers. Elastomeric stamps, displaying a uniformly spaced array of square wells (20, 50, and 100 mum linear dimensions), are prepared using poly(dimethyl)siloxane from photolithographically derived silicon masters. Exposing elastomeric stamps, following UV/ozone-induced oxidation, to a solution of small unilamellar phospholipid vesicles results in the formation of a 2D contiguous, fluid phospholipid bilayers. The bilayer covers both the elevated and depressed regions of the stamp and exhibits a lateral connectivity allowing molecular transport across the topographic boundaries. Applications of these bilayer-coated elastomeric stamps in microcontact printing of lipid bilayers reveal a fluid-tearing process wherein the bilayer in contact regions selectively transfers with 75-90% efficiency, leaving behind unperturbed patches in the depressed regions of the stamp. Next, using cholera-toxin binding fluid POPC bilayers that have been asymmetrically doped with ganglioside Gm1 ligand in the outer leaflets, we examine whether the microcontact transfer of bilayers results in the inversion of the lipid leaflets. Our results suggest a complex transfer process involving at least partial bilayer reorganization and molecular re-equilibration during (or upon) substrate transfer. Taken together, the study sheds light on the structuring of lipid inks on PDMS elastomers and provides clues regarding the mechanism of bilayer transfer. It further highlights some important differences in stamping fluid bilayers from the more routine applications of stamping in the creation of patterned self-assembled monolayers.     

Catalyst free synthesis of mono- and disubstituted pyrimidines from O-acyl oximes

Transition-metal or iodine catalyzed transformations of O-acyl oximes to various N-heterocycles are well established. Herein, we report a catalyst free, oxime carboxylate based, three-component condensation method to access mono- and disubstituted pyrimidines. A broad range of substituted pyrimidines were prepared in moderate to excellent yields. Control experiments reveal that in situ generated formamidine is the key intermediate.     

Copper- and ligand-free Sonogashira reaction catalyzed by Pd(0) nanoparticles at ambient conditions under ultrasound irradiation

The Sonogashira reaction proceeds at ambient temperature (30 degrees C) in acetone or room-temperature ionic liquid, 1,3-di-n-butylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([bbim]BF4), as solvent under ultrasound irradiation to give enhanced reaction rates, excellent chemoselectivity, and high yields in the absence of a copper cocatalyst and a phosphine ligand. TEM analysis showed the formation of stable, crystalline, and polydispersed Pd(0) nanoparticles as catalyst for the reaction.     

Antiproliferative effect of isolated isoquinoline alkaloid from Mucuna pruriens seeds in hepatic carcinoma cells

The present study was undertaken to investigate the antiproliferative action of isolated M1 (6,7-dimethoxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline-3-carboxylic acid) from Mucuna pruriens seeds using human hepatic carcinoma cell line (Huh-7 cells). Initially, docking studies was performed to find out the binding affinities of M1 to caspase-3 and 8 enzymes. Later, cytotoxic action of M1 was measured by cell growth inhibition (MTT), followed by caspase-3 and 8 enzymes assay colorimetrically. Our results collectively suggested that M1 had strong binding affinity to caspase-8 in molecular modelling. M1 possessed antiproliferative activity on Huh-7 cells (EC₅₀ = 13.97 μM) and also inhibited the action of caspase-8 enzyme, signified process of apoptosis. M1 was active against Huh-7 cells that may be useful for future hepatic cancer treatment.     

Lipid lateral mobility and membrane phase structure modulation by protein binding

Using a combination of fluorescence correlation and infrared absorption spectroscopies, we characterize lipid lateral diffusion and membrane phase structure as a function of protein binding to the membrane surface. In a supported membrane configuration, cholera toxin binding to the pentasaccharaide headgroup of membrane-incorporated GM1 lipid alters the long-range lateral diffusion of fluorescently labeled probe lipids, which are not involved in the binding interaction. This effect is prominently amplified near the gel-fluid transition temperature, Tm, of the majority lipid component. At temperatures near Tm, large changes in probe lipid diffusion are measured at average protein coverage densities as low as 0.02 area fraction. Spectral shifts of the methylene symmetric and asymmetric stretching modes in the lipid acyl chain confirm that protein binding alters the fraction of lipid in the gel phase.     

Generalised Couette flow of two immiscible viscous fluids with heat transfer using Brinkman model

The present study deals with generalised Couette flow of two viscous, incompressible, immiscible fluids with heat transfer in presence of heat source through two straight parallel horizontal walls. The lower wall is bounded below, by a naturally permeable material of high porosity and the flow inside the porous medium is assumed to be of moderate permeability, modelled by Brinkman equation. The flow domain is divided into three zones to obtain analytical solutions of the momentum and energy equations. To link various flow regions, appropriate matching conditions have been used. The effects of permeability parameter, Reynolds number and viscous parameter on velocity field and the effects of Reynolds number, viscous parameter, permeability parameter, constant heat source and Brinkman number on temperature distribution in different zones are discussed graphically. The mass flow rate, skin-friction factor and rates of heat transfer at the upper boundary and porous interface are discussed with the help of tables.     

Photochemical C2-C6 cyclization of enyne-allenes: detection of a fulvene triplet diradical in the laser flash photolysis

A series of enyne-allenes, with and without benzannulation at the ene moiety and equipped with aromatic and carbonyl groups as internal triplet sensitizer units at the allene terminus, was synthesized. Both sets, the cyclohexenyne-allenes and benzenyne-allenes, underwent thermal C(2)-C(6) cyclization exclusively to formal ene products. In contrast, the photochemical C(2)-C(6) cyclization of enyne-allenes provided formal Diels-Alder and/or ene products, with higher yields for the benzannulated systems. A raise of the temperature in the photochemical cyclization of enyne-allene 1b' led to increasing amounts of the ene product in relation to that of the formal Diels-Alder product. Laser flash photolysis at 266 and 355 nm as well as triplet quenching studies for 1b,b' indicated that the C(2)-C(6) cyclization proceeds via the triplet manifold. On the basis of a density functional theory (DFT) study, a short-lived transient (tau = 30 ns) was assigned as a triplet allene, while a long-lived transient (tau = 33 micros) insensitive to oxygen was assigned as fulvene triplet diradical. An elucidation of the reaction mechanism using extensive DFT computations allowed rationalization of the experimental product ratio and its temperature dependence.     

A Central Limit Theorem for linear random fields

A Central Limit Theorem is proved for linear random fields when sums are taken over union of finitely many disjoint rectangles. The approach does not rely upon the use of Beveridge-Nelson decomposition and the conditions needed are similar in nature to those given by Ibragimov for linear processes. When specializing this result to the case when sums are being taken over rectangles, a complete analogue of the Ibragimov result is obtained for random fields with a lot of uniformity.     

Dependency of Cellular Decision Making in Physiology and Influence of Preceding Growth Conditions

Events from the past growth conditions influence the course of physiology, and it gets reflected in the present cell behaviour. During this process, cells acquire a metabolic option which carries signature of the past, and it dictates the performance in the present situation. Study uses Escherichia coli as a sample organism wherein three scenarios of preceding growth conditions were created with varying nutritional status and pre-treatment strategies. This exercise leads to different seed cultures, which were subjected to growth using the four different substrates. The different seed culture behaviours were analysed by observing the respirometric rate of the seed culture and were followed by growth dynamics with different substrates. These two data sets were independently analysed by three-way ANOVA to arrive at strategic coupling of programming conditions to relate the available (respirometric rates) and executable physiology (growth kinetics).     

Iron Sulfido Derivatives of the Fullerenes C(60) and C(70)

Toluene solutions of C(60) react upon UV irradiation with Fe(2)S(2)(CO)(6) to give C(60)[S(2)Fe(2)(CO)(6)](n)() where n = 1-6. C(60)[S(2)Fe(2)(CO)(6)](n)() where n = 1-3 have been isolated and characterized. Crystallographic studies of C(60)S(2)Fe(2)(CO)(6) show that the S-S bond of the Fe(2) reagent is cleaved to give a dithiolate with idealized C(2)(v)() symmetry. The addition occurred at a 6,6 fusion, and the metrical details show that the Fe(2) portion of the molecule resembles C(2)H(4)S(2)Fe(2)(CO)(6). IR spectroscopic measurements indicate that the Fe(2)(CO)(6) subunits in the multiple-addition species (n > 1) interact only weakly. UV-vis spectra of the adducts show a shift to shorter wavelength with addition of each S(2)Fe(2)(CO)(6) unit. Photoaddition of the phosphine complex Fe(2)S(2)(CO)(5)(PPh(3)) to C(60) gave C(60)[S(2)Fe(2)(CO)(5)(PPh(3))](n)(), where n = 1-3. (31)P{(1)H} NMR studies show that the double adduct consists of multiple isomers. Photoaddition of Fe(2)S(2)(CO)(6) to C(70) gave a series of adducts C(70)[S(2)Fe(2)(CO)(6)](n)() where n = 1-4. HPLC analyses show one, four, and three isomers for the adducts, respectively.