Structural characterization of native high-methoxylated pectin using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and ultraviolet matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Comparative use of 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid and nor-harmane as UV-MALDI matrices

The successful analysis by ultraviolet matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UV-MALDI-TOF MS) of native and hydrolyzed high-methoxylated pectin samples is described. In order to find the optimal conditions for UV-MALDI-TOF MS analysis several experimental variables were studied such as: different UV-MALDI matrices (nor-harmane, 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid), sample preparation methods (mixture, sandwich), inorganic salt addition (doping salts, NaCl, KCl, NH(4)Cl), ion mode (positive, negative), linear and reflectron mode, etc. nor-Harmane has never been used as a UV-MALDI matrix for the analysis of pectins but its use avoids pre-treatment of the sample, such as an enzymatic digestion or an acid hydrolysis, and there is no need to add salts, making the analysis easier and faster. This study suggested an alternative way of analyzing native high-methoxylated pectins, with UV-MALDI-TOF MS, by using nor-harmane as the matrix in negative ion mode. The analysis by (1)H and (13)C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy of the native and hydrolyzed pectin is also briefly described.     

Structure and conformational properties of N-pentafluorosulfur(sulfuroxide difluoride imide) SF5N=S(O)F2: vibrational analysis, gas electron diffraction, and quantum chemical calculations

The molecular structure and conformational properties of N-pentafluorosulfur(sulfuroxide difluoride imide), SF5N=S(O)F2, have been studied by vibrational spectroscopy (IR (gas) and Raman (liquid)), by gas electron diffraction (GED), and by quantum chemical calculations (MP2 and B3LYP with (6-31G(d) and 6-311+G(2df) basis sets). According to GED, the prevailing conformer possesses a syn structure (N-SF5 bond synperiplanar with respect to the bisector of the SF2 group). Splitting of the symmetric N=S=O stretching vibration in gas and liquid spectra demonstrates the presence of a second conformer (11(5)%) with anticlinal orientation of the N-SF5 bond according to quantum chemical calculations. The geometric structure, conformational properties, and vibrational frequencies are well reproduced by quantum chemical calculations.     

Volatile Compounds of Lemon and Grapefruit IntegroPectin

An HS-SPME GC-MS analysis of the volatile compounds adsorbed at the outer surface of lemon and grapefruit pectins obtained via the hydrodynamic cavitation of industrial waste streams of lemon and grapefruit peels in water suggests important new findings en route to understanding the powerful and broad biological activity of these new pectic materials. In agreement with the ultralow degree of esterification of these pectins, the high amount of highly bioactive α-terpineol and terpinen-4-ol points to limonene (and linalool) decomposition catalyzed by residual citric acid in the citrus waste peel residue of the juice industrial production.     

Using Room Temperature Phosphorescence of Gold(I) Complexes for PAHs Sensing

The synthesis of two new phosphane-gold(I)–napthalimide complexes has been performed and characterized. The compounds present luminescent properties with denoted room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) induced by the proximity of the gold(I) heavy atom that favors intersystem crossing and triplet state population. The emissive properties of the compounds together with the planarity of their chromophore were used to investigate their potential as hosts in the molecular recognition of different polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Naphthalene, anthracene, phenanthrene, and pyrene were chosen to evaluate how the size and electronic properties can affect the host:guest interactions. Stronger affinity has been detected through emission titrations for the PAHs with extended aromaticity (anthracene and pyrene) and the results have been supported by DFT calculation studies.     

New Oxaliplatin-Pyrophosphato Analogs with Improved In Vitro Cytotoxicity

Two new Pt(II)-pyrophosphato complexes containing the carrier ligands cis-1,3-diaminocyclohexane (cis-1,3-DACH) and trans-1,2-diamine-4-cyclohexene (1,2-DACHEX), variants of the 1R,2R-diaminocyclohexane ligand present in the clinically used Pt-drug oxaliplatin, have been synthesized with the aim of developing new potential antitumor drugs with high bone tropism. The complexes are more stable at physiological pH than in acid conditions, with Na₂[Pt(pyrophosphato)(cis-1,3-DACH)] (1) slightly more stable than [Pt(dihydrogenpyrophosphato)(1,2-DACHEX)] (2). The greater reactivity at acidic pH ensures a greater efficacy at the tumor site. Preliminary NMR studies indicate that 1 and 2 react slowly with 5’-GMP (used as a model of nucleic acids), releasing the pyrophosphate ligand and affording the bis 5’-GMP adduct. In vitro cytotoxicity assays performed against a panel of four human cancer cell lines have shown that both compounds are more active than oxaliplatin. Flow cytometry studies on HCT116 cells showed that the pyrophosphato compounds with the non-classical 1,3- and 1,4-diaminocyclohexane ligands (1 and 4) are the most capable to induce cells’ death by apoptosis and necrosis.     

Improvement of Contact Tracing with Citizen’s Distributed Risk Maps

The rapid spread of COVID-19 has demonstrated the need for accurate information to contain its diffusion. Technological solutions are a complement that can help citizens to be informed about the risk in their environment. Although measures such as contact traceability have been successful in some countries, their use raises society’s resistance. This paper proposes a variation of the consensus processes in directed networks to create a risk map of a determined area. The process shares information with trusted contacts: people we would notify in the case of being infected. When the process converges, each participant would have obtained the risk map for the selected zone. The results are compared with the pilot project’s impact testing of the Spanish contact tracing app (RadarCOVID). The paper also depicts the results combining both strategies: contact tracing to detect potential infections and risk maps to avoid movements into conflictive areas. Although some works affirm that contact tracing apps need 60% of users to control the propagation, our results indicate that a 40% could be enough. On the other hand, the elaboration of risk maps could work with only 20% of active installations, but the effect is to delay the propagation instead of reducing the contagion. With both active strategies, this methodology is able to significantly reduce infected people with fewer participants.     

DNA interactions and anticancer screening of copper(II) complexes of <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-(methylpyridin-2-yl)-amidino-<Emphasis Type="Italic">O</Emphasis>-methylurea

Cu(II) complexes of the tridentate ligand N-(methylpyridin-2-yl)-amidino-O-methylurea (L), namely [Cu(L)Cl₂] and [Cu(L)ClO₄]ClO₄, have been investigated for interactions with DNA by spectroscopic methods and viscosity measurements. Both complexes bind to DNA through non-intercalative interactions. [Cu(L)Cl₂] (K _b = 2.81 × 10⁵ M^?1) shows similar DNA-binding potential to [Cu(L)ClO₄]ClO₄ (K _b = 1.57 × 10⁵ M^?1). Investigation of the chemical nuclease properties toward plasmid pBR322 DNA by gel electrophoresis and atomic force microscopy (AFM) suggests that both complexes are able to cleave the supercoiled form (Form I) to the nicked (Form II) and linear forms (Form III) through an oxidative pathway. The possible reactive oxygen species have been investigated by the use of scavengers, indicating that hydroxyl radicals may be involved in the DNA cleavage mechanism. Both of these complexes show similar activities against selected human cancer cell lines.     

The Representation Type of Determinantal Varieties

This work is entirely devoted to construct huge families of indecomposable arithmetically Cohen-Macaulay (resp. Ulrich) sheaves \(\mathcal {E}\) of arbitrary high rank on a general standard (resp. linear) determinantal scheme \(X\subset \mathbb {P}^{n}\) of codimension c ≥ 1, n ? c ≥ 1 and defined by the maximal minors of a t × (t + c?1) homogeneous matrix \(\mathcal {A}\). The sheaves \(\mathcal {E}\) are constructed as iterated extensions of sheaves of lower rank. As applications: (1) we prove that any general standard determinantal scheme \(X\subset \mathbb {P}^{n}\) is of wild representation type provided the degrees of the entries of the matrix \(\mathcal {A}\) satisfy some weak numerical assumptions; and (2) we determine values of t, n and n ? c for which a linear standard determinantal scheme \(X\subset \mathbb {P}^{n}\) is of wild representation type with respect to the much more restrictive category of its indecomposable Ulrich sheaves, i.e. X is of Ulrich wild representation type.     

Insights for diastereoselective synthesis of cyclic α-sulfinyl and sulfanyl oximes

The comparison in several reaction conditions for synthesis of nonracemic α-methylsulfinylation of 3,4-dihydronaphthalen-1(2H)-one was achieved. The sulfanylation reactions of 3,4-dihydronaphthalen-1(2H)-one-O-methyloxime and 2-(methylsulfinyl)-3,4-dihydronaphthalen-1(2H)-one-O-methyloxime by homogenous reaction medium are reported. The products were obtained in good yields and de. The yields, diastereoselectivity and theoretical calculations to all obtained compounds to support the experimental data are compared and discussed.     

Synthesis,Crystal Structure,and Catalytic Properties of Porous 3d‐4f Heterometallic Coordination Polymers Constructed from Pyrazine‐2,3‐dicarboxylic Acid

Reactions of pyrazine‐2,3‐dicarboxylic acid (H₂pzdc), cobalt nitrate and lanthanide (Ln) oxide under hydrothermal conditions result in four new 3d‐4f heterometal coordination polymers, namely, [Ln₂Co(pzdc)₄(H₂O)₆] · 2H₂O [Ln = La ( 1 ), Pr ( 2 ), Eu ( 3 ) and Gd ( 4 )]. All compounds were characterized by elemental analysis, infrared spectroscopy, thermal gravimetric analysis, and X‐ray diffraction. The compounds exhibit a three‐dimensional (3D) brick‐like structure with rectangular‐shaped nano‐scale channels along a axis direction, made up of wave‐like layers containing [Ln(pzdc)]⁺ units, which are connected by one‐dimensional (1D) chain of [Co(pzdc)₂]^2–. The catalytic properties of compounds 1 and 3 were investigated in the synthesis of cyanohydrins at room temperature under solventless conditions. They showed similar catalytic activities with very high conversions of benzaldehyde and high selectivity towards cyanohydrin. The control experiment without addition of the coordination polymers only reached 16 % conversion. Other aldehydes could also be converted totally under shorter reaction times also with very high selectivities for the corresponding cyanohydrins. Compound 1 could also be recycled in another catalytic cycle.