New carbasugars from Streptomyces lincolnensis

Two new carbasugars (9 and 10) were isolated from Streptomyces lincolnensis DSM 40355 along with streptol (valienol, 8), gabosine I (valienone, 14), and glucosylglycerate. The reported ¹H and ¹³C assignments are based on 1D (¹H, ¹³C, 1D‐TOCSY, homodecoupling) and 2D (gCOSY, J‐resolved, TOCSY, ROESY, gHSQC, gHMBC) NMR techniques and electrospray ionization FT mass spectrometry (ESI FTMS). Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Experimental Study of Nitrogen Oxides and Ozone Generation by Corona-Like Dielectric Barrier Discharge with Airflow in a Magnetic Field

We investigated nitrogen monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and ozone generation for corona-like dielectric barrier discharge in a stationary magnetic field with airflow. The magnetic field was produced by the permanent magnet. We showed that nitrogen monoxide could be easily generated at relatively low voltages, by application of a magnetic field on the hollow needle to mesh with a dielectric barrier discharge. For higher voltages generation of nitrogen monoxide falls to zero, and generation of nitrogen dioxide and ozone with increasing voltage increases. We also demonstrated that simultaneous application of the magnetic field with airflow through the needle electrode affects the transition of the discharge from the high to the low voltage regime. This transition is accompanied by important changes in the production of nitrogen oxides and ozone. Changes in the discharge regime are reflected by changes in the voltage–current waveforms. The obtained results could be interesting for various biomedical applications or bacterial decontamination of surfaces.     

Origin of the nonadhesive properties of fibrinogen matrices probed by force spectroscopy

The deposition of a multilayered fibrinogen matrix on various surfaces results in a dramatic reduction of integrin-mediated cell adhesion and outside-in signaling in platelets and leukocytes. The conversion of a highly adhesive, low-density fibrinogen substrate to the nonadhesive high-density fibrinogen matrix occurs within a very narrow range of fibrinogen coating concentrations. The molecular events responsible for this transition are not well understood. Herein, single-cell and molecular force spectroscopy were used to determine the early steps in the formation of nonadhesive fibrinogen substrates. We show that the adsorption of fibrinogen in the form of a molecular bilayer coincides with a several-fold reduction in the adhesion forces generated between the AFM tip and the substrate as well as between a cell and the substrate. The subsequent deposition of new layers at higher coating concentrations of fibrinogen results in a small additional decrease in adhesion forces. The poorly adhesive fibrinogen bilayer is more extensible under an applied tensile force than is the surface-bound fibrinogen monolayer. Following chemical cross-linking, the stabilized bilayer displays the mechanical and adhesive properties characteristic of a more adhesive fibrinogen monolayer. We propose that a greater compliance of the bi- and multilayer fibrinogen matrices has its origin in the interaction between the molecules forming the adjacent layers. Understanding the mechanical properties of nonadhesive fibrinogen matrices should be of importance in the therapeutic control of pathological thrombosis and in biomaterials science.     

Pseudotetrahedral d(0), d(1), and d(2) metal-oxo cores within a tris(alkoxide) platform

Low-coordinate first-row metal complexes of d(0) [vanadium(V)], d(1) [chromium(V)], and d(2) [chromium(IV)] assume the unusual ligand field of a pseudotetrahedron when supported by a tripodal tBu(2)(Me)CO(-) alkoxide framework. Structural, spectroscopic, and reactivity studies, supported by density functional theory calculations, indicate that the d electrons in the chromium(V) and -(IV) oxo complexes reside in metal-oxygen antibonding orbitals, engendering disparate reactivity of the metal-oxo, depending on the number of d electrons present.     

Isomorphous substitutions of rare earth elements for calcium in synthetic hydroxyapatites

Polycrystalline hydroxyapatites Ca(10-x)REE(x)(PO(4))(6)(OH)(2-x)O(x) were synthesized and studied by X-ray powder diffraction, infrared absorption, diffuse-reflectance spectroscopy, and thermogravimetry. The solubility limits x(max) of rare earth elements (REE) in Ca hydroxyapatites decreases with an increasing REE atomic number from x(max) = 2.00 for La, Pr, and Nd to x(max) = 0.20 for Yb at 1100 °C. Refinements of X-ray diffraction patterns by the Rietveld method show that REE atoms substitute for Ca preferentially at the Ca(2) sites of the apatite structure. The substitution decreases the Ca(2)-O(4) atomic distances in the calcium coordination polyhedra and increases the Ca(2)-O(1,2,3) distances. This observation shows that interatomic distances depend not only on radii of the ions involved in the substitution but also on their charges.     

Picture change error correction of radon atom electron density

The importance of the picture change error (PCE) correction in the quasirelativistic electron density of radon atom is presented. PCE correction is considered for the infinite order two-component (IOTC) and second order Douglas-Kroll-Hess (DKH2) wave functions. Implementation details of PCE correction of electron density are outlined. The result section presents the radial distributions of electron density ρ(r) and the 4πr(2)ρ(r) function of the radon atom in the nuclear region. The PCE corrected and contaminated DKH2, IOTC electron densities are presented and compared with the Dirac-Coulomb Hamiltonian and nonrelativistic electron densities. Besides, some additional effects in electron density and SCF energy are considered, such as spin-orbit coupling, the inclusion of the Gaunt term, and the finite nucleus model effects. The effects of p(2)Vp(2) and p(2)ρ(r)p(2) analytic integral classes within IOTC Hamiltonian and PCE correction of IOTC electron density are considered.     

Assembly of the Au-diphosphine helical cage molecules via alkynyl-μ4-methylydine ligand transformation

The assembly of the gold(I)-diphosphine cages occurs via unprecedented transformation of the alkynyls into the μ(4)-methylydine ligands under basic conditions. These compounds demonstrate the equilibrium between the P?M helical isomers and serve as hosts to accommodate small molecules (CH(2)Cl(2) and CS(2)).     

Meta nitration of thiacalixarenes

Nitration of thiacalix[4]arene, immobilized in the 1,3-alternate conformation, leads regioselectively to meta-substituted products. Depending on the reaction conditions, mono- and dinitro-derivatives can be isolated in acceptable yields. This unique substitution pattern is inaccessible in classical calixarene chemistry, and yields inherently chiral compounds, which makes thiacalixarenes very attractive as building blocks or molecular scaffolds.     

Controlling soliton refraction in optical lattices

We show in the framework of the 1D nonlinear Schr?dinger equation that the value of the refraction angle of a fundamental soliton beam passing through an optical lattice can be controlled by adjusting either the shape of an individual waveguide or the relative positions of the waveguides. In the case of the shallow refractive index modulation, we develop a general approach for the calculation of the refraction angle change. The shape of a single waveguide crucially affects the refraction direction due to the appearance of a structural form factor in the expression for the density of emitted waves. For a lattice of scatterers, wave-soliton interference inside the lattice leads to the appearance of an additional geometric form factor. As a result, the soliton refraction is more pronounced for the disordered lattices than for the periodic ones.     

Synthesis of magnesium dicyclopentadienide catalyzed by titanium and vanadium derivatives

Synthesis of magnesium dicyclopentadienide from metal and cyclopentadiene in THF is effectively catalyzed by the derivatives of vanadium and titanium. The kinetics of the synthesis, as well as thermodynamic parameters of reagents adsorption on the magnesium surface, have been determined. The process catalyzed by titanium derivatives is accompanied by the quantitative hydrogenation of cyclopentadiene to cyclopentene whereas the catalysis by vanadium derivatives leads to hydrogen gas evolution. A number of reaction intermediates including Cp₂TiCl, Cp₂TiH₂MgCl, Cp₂Ti(cyclo‐C₅H₇) and Cp₂V, were identified by the electron spin resonance method. The equilibrium constants, enthalpies and entropies of adsorption of metal halides on the magnesium surface were calculated. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.