A study on the condition for differential electrophoretic transport at a channel entrance

Electrophoretic differential transport of ionic species in a solution moving from a large reservoir into a small channel is investigated numerically. The system setup is similar to the experiments of Polson, Savin, and Hayes (J. Microcol. Sep. 2000, 12, 98), where the bulk flow into a fused-silica capillary was driven by a pressure differential. A critical condition for achieving the defined differential transport near the channel entrance is found and this condition is solely determined by a dimensionless parameter when the geometry of the system is prescribed. This dimensionless parameter is the ratio between the electrophoretic migration velocity of the species based on the apparent electric intensity and the centerline fluid velocity of the fully developed channel flow. Species concentration distributions are also computed for various conditions. A separation technique can be derived from the experimental condition where a targeted division of species can be created at the channel entrance.     

Sigma and pi contributions to the induced magnetic field: indicators for the mobility of electrons in molecules

The authors discuss the role of the sigma and pi contributions to the induced magnetic field for simple hydrocarbons containing a double or a triple bond, as well as for benzene and cyclobutadiene. While the magnetic field induced by the sigma electrons is short-ranged, the pi system is responsible for the formation of long-range cones. These cones influence the chemical shift of atoms by additional shielding (for aromatic) or deshielding (for antiaromatic molecules) contributions. While the hydrogen atoms of benzene are found to lie within the deshielded region of the magnetic field induced by the pi electrons, they are shielded by the total induced magnetic field. The induced magnetic field of the pi electrons support Pople's model on the basis of first-principles calculations.     

Investigation of the effects of the local environment on the surface-enhanced Raman spectra of striped gold/silver nanorod arrays

The effects of the local environment on surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectra utilizing gold, silver, and gold/silver striped nanorod array substrates was investigated. The arrays were fabricated using an electrochemical metal deposition into an anodic aluminum oxide template. The analyte chosen for this study was p-nitroso-N,N-dimethylaniline (p-NDMA), which has an electronic structure that is highly sensitive to its surrounding environment. Changes in the peak positions and peak ratios were used to probe the influence of water and the striping pattern on the SERS signal of p-NDMA. We present the results of the fabrication and characterization of the nanorod array substrates, as well as SERS spectra of p-NDMA in both polar and nonpolar environments and SERS spectra on a variety of striped nanorod arrays. The Raman data suggests that the p-NDMA molecule exists in a more polarized state when bound to the gold as compared to the silver rods. We have attempted to use these differences to determine whether the SERS signal predominantly arises from the tips of the rods or from the interior of the array.     

Towards a bio-based industry: benign catalytic esterifications of succinic acid in the presence of water

The biorefinery of the future will need to integrate bioconversion and appropriate low environmental impact chemical technologies (Green Chemistry) so as to produce a wide range of products from biomass in an economically effective and environmentally acceptable manner. The challenge for chemists is to develop chemistry that works with fermentation-derived dilute, aqueous mixtures of oxygenated chemicals (platform molecules) rather than the petroleum-derived non-aqueous, non-oxygenated feedstocks we have been working with for 50+ years and to avoid energy intensive and wasteful concentration and purification steps. Here we show that a new family of tuneable mesoporous carbonaceous catalysts derived from starch can be used to accomplish efficient chemistry in aqueous solution. Our new aqueous catalytic chemistry relies on the ability to adjust the surface properties including the hydrophobicity-hydrophilicity balance of mesoporous Starbons by carbonisation at different temperatures (250-750 degrees C). Simple treatment of these materials with sulfuric acid then provides a series of porous solid acids that can function under a range of conditions including dilute aqueous solution. The reactions of succinic acid (platform molecule) in aqueous alcohol demonstrate the outstanding activities of these new catalysts.     

Experimental and computational thermochemical study of 2- and 3-thiopheneacetic acid methyl esters

Thiophene-based compounds have widespread use in modern drug design, biodiagnostics, electronic and optoelectronic devices, and conductive polymers. The present study reports an experimental and computational thermochemical study on the relative stabilities of 2- and 3-thiopheneacetic acid methyl esters. The enthalpies of combustion and vaporization were measured by a rotating-bomb combustion calorimeter, Calvet microcalorimetry, and correlation gas chromatography, and the gas-phase enthalpies of formation at T=298.15 K were determined. Standard ab initio molecular orbital calculations at the G3 level were performed, and a theoretical study of the molecular and electronic structure of the compounds studied was carried out. Calculated enthalpies of formation, using atomization and isodesmic reactions are in very good agreement with the experimental results.     

Thermochemistry of 2- and 3-acetylthiophenes: calorimetric and computational study

The relative stabilities of 2- and 3-acetylthiophenes have been evaluated by experimental thermochemistry and the results compared to high-level ab initio calculations. The enthalpies of combustion, vaporization, and sublimation were measured by rotating-bomb combustion calorimetry, Calvet microcalorimetry, correlation gas chromatography, and Knudsen effusion techniques and the gas-phase enthalpies of formation, at T = 298.15 K, were determined. Standard ab initio molecular orbital calculations at the G2 and G3 levels were performed, and a theoretical study on the molecular and electronic structures of the compounds studied has been conducted. Calculated enthalpies of formation using atomization and isodesmic reactions are compared with the experimental data. Experimental and theoretical results show that 2-acetylthiophene is thermodynamically more stable than the 3-isomer. A comparison of the substituent effect of the acetyl group in benzene and thiophene rings has been carried out.     

Phytochemical Characterization and Bioactivity of Asparagus acutifolius: A Focus on Antioxidant,Cytotoxic, Lipase Inhibitory and Antimicrobial Activities

The phytochemical composition of leaves, stems, pericarps and rhizomes ethanolic extracts of Asparagus acutifolius were characterized by HPLC-DAD-MS. A. acutifolius samples contain at least eleven simple phenolics, one flavonon, two flavonols and six steroidal saponins. The stem extracts showed the highest total phenolic acid and flavonoid contents, where cafeic acid and rutin were the main compounds. No flavonoids were detected in the leaf, pericarp or rhizome while caffeic acid and ferulic acid were the predominant. Steroidal saponins were detected in the different plant parts of A. acutifolius, and the highest contents were found in the rhizome extracts. The stem extracts exhibited the highest antioxidant activity against 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and the highest 2,2-azino-bis (3 ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) scavenging activity was found in the pericarp extracts. The rhizome and leaf extracts showed a potent cytotoxic activity against HCT-116 and HepG2 cell lines. Moreover, the pericarp and rhizome extracts revealed a moderate lipase inhibitory activity. The leaf and rhizome extracts were screened for their antimicrobial activity against human pathogenic isolates. The leaf extract exhibited a powerful inhibitory activity against all the bacteria and fungi tested.     

Prediction and Validation of a Druggable Site on Virulence Factor of Drug Resistant Burkholderia cenocepacia**

Burkholderia cenocepacia is an opportunistic Gram-negative bacterium that causes infections in patients suffering from chronic granulomatous diseases and cystic fibrosis. It displays significant morbidity and mortality due to extreme resistance to almost all clinically useful antibiotics. The bacterial lectin BC2L-C expressed in B. cenocepacia is an interesting drug target involved in bacterial adhesion and subsequent deadly infection to the host. We solved the first high resolution crystal structure of the apo form of the lectin N-terminal domain (BC2L-C-nt) and compared it with the ones complexed with carbohydrate ligands. Virtual screening of a small fragment library identified potential hits predicted to bind in the vicinity of the fucose binding site. A series of biophysical techniques and X-ray crystallographic screening were employed to validate the interaction of the hits with the protein domain. The X-ray structure of BC2L-C-nt complexed with one of the identified active fragments confirmed the ability of the site computationally identified to host drug-like fragments. The fragment affinity could be determined by titration microcalorimetry. These structure-based strategies further provide an opportunity to elaborate the fragments into high affinity anti-adhesive glycomimetics, as therapeutic agents against B. cenocepacia.     

Chemistry and anti-herpes simplex virus type 1 evaluation of 4-substituted-1H-1,2,3-triazole-nitroxyl-linked hybrids

Molecular Diversity - HSV disease is distributed worldwide. Anti-herpesvirus drugs are a problem in clinical settings, particularly in immunocompromised individuals undergoing herpes simplex virus...