Biophysical analysis of partially folded state of α-lactalbumin in the presence of cationic and anionic surfactants

The role of different types of interactions and their contribution in the stabilization of bovine α-lactalbumin (α-LA) molten globule in presence of cationic surfactant, hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (HTAB) and anionic surfactant, sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) have been examined using a combination of spectroscopic, light scattering and calorimetric techniques. The results correlated well with each other and were used to characterize the partially folded states of the protein both qualitatively and quantitatively. At lower concentration of the surfactants, the thermodynamic parameters obtained from UV-visible spectroscopy suggested an increased exposure of non-polar groups in HTAB while a possible restructuring of non-polar groups were indicated in SDS. The fluorescence and circular dichroism spectroscopy showed the formation of an intermediate state at various concentrations of HTAB and SDS while the lifetime measurements supported the assumption of protein-surfactant complex stability in HTAB as compared to SDS. The hydrodynamic diameter and the ζ-potential were analyzed by dynamic light scattering (DLS) which also implicated the combined influence of electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions in protein unfolding in HTAB and only hydrophobic interactions in SDS. The binding parameters for ANS obtained from isothermal titration calorimetric (ITC) measurements suggested a high stability of α-LA molten globule and the role of enthalpic and entropic contribution in the binding of ANS in HTAB. It also indicated the fragility of α-LA molten globule in SDS. The possible binding sites as well as the interactions of ANS with the partially folded protein were also studied from the thermodynamic parameters obtained from the ITC.     

New silatranes possessing urea functionality: Synthesis, characterization and their structural aspects

The present work aims at the synthesis of various novel silatranes bearing substituted urea functionality. Nucleophilic addition of various amines (morpholine, aniline, ethylenediamine and 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane) to 3-isocyanatopropyltriethoxysilane resulted in the four triethoxysilanes; N-[3-(triethoxysilyl)propyl]morpholine-4-carboxylic acid amide (1), 1-[3-(triethoxysilyl)propyl]-3-phenylurea (2), 1,2-bis{N′-[3-(triethoxysilyl)propyl]ureido}-ethane (3) and N-[3-(triethoxysilyl)propyl]-N′-[3-(triethoxysilyl)propyl]urea (4), respectively. In the presence of a base the resulting silanes undergo transesterification reaction with triethanolamine, thus forming the corresponding silatranes, N-(3-silatranylpropyl)morpholine-4-carboxylic acid amide (5), 1-(3-silatranylpropyl)-3-phenylurea (6), 1,2-Bis[N′-(3-silatranylpropyl)ureido]-ethane (7) and N-(3-silatranylpropyl)-N′-(3-silatranylpropyl)urea (8), respectively. Among these are four novel compounds (5-8), which were characterized by elemental analysis, IR, multinuclear (¹H, ¹³C and ²⁹Si) NMR and mass spectroscopy. Structures of compounds 5 and 6 were deduced by X-ray crystallography. Single crystal X-ray studies revealed distorted trigonal bipyramidal coordination about Si in 5 and 6 with Si-N bond distance of 2.121(1) Å and 2.189(2) Å, respectively.     

CFD study on rise and deformation characteristics of buoyancy-driven spheroid bubbles in stagnant Carreau model non-Newtonian fluids

The bubbles are almost ubiquitous in many chemical and processing industries; and many of the polymeric solutions obey non-Newtonian rheological characteristics. Therefore, in this work the rise and deformation characteristics of spheroid bubbles in Carreau model non-Newtonian fluids are numerically investigated using a level set method. To demonstrate the validity of the moving bubble interface, the present simulations are compared with existing numerical and experimental results available in the literature; and for these comparisons, the computational geometries are considered same as reported in corresponding literatures. The present bubble deformation characteristics are satisfactorily agreeing with their literature counterparts. After establishing the validity of the numerical solution procedure, the same method is applied to obtain the deformation characteristics of an air bubble in Carreau model non-Newtonian fluids. Further, the results in terms of the volume fraction images, streamlines, and viscosity profiles around the deforming bubbles are presented as function of the bubble rise time.     

High-pressure studies on electronic and mechanical properties of FeBO3 (B = Ti,Mn, Cr) ceramics – a first-principles study

Using the density functional theory (DFT) method, the electronic and mechanical properties of perovskites FeBO₃ (B = Ti, Mn, Cr) nanostructures were studied in the pressure range of 0–100 GPa. The band structure studies show the change in the band structure upon substitution of different B cation in FeBO₃ perovskite structure. The density of states spectrum gives the perception of change in the electronic properties of FeBO₃ with the substitution of B cation. The bulk, shear and Young's moduli were calculated and an increase in the moduli is noticed. Moreover, the hardness increases under high pressure. The high-pressure studies of FeBO₃ perovskite nanostructures are explored at atomistic level. The findings show that ductility and hardness of FeBO₃ get increased upon an increase in the applied pressure. The substitution of Ti, Mn and Cr on FeBO₃ shows a significant change in the electronic and mechanical properties.     

1,2,3-Triazolyl-tetrahydropyrimidine Conjugates as Potential Sterol Carrier Protein-2 Inhibitors: Larvicidal Activity against the Malaria Vector Anopheles arabiensis and In Silico Molecular Docking Study

Alteration of insect growth regulators by the action of inhibitors is becoming an attractive strategy to combat disease-transmitting insects. In the present study, we investigated the larvicidal effect of 1,2,3-triazolyl-pyrimidinone derivatives against the larvae of the mosquito Anopheles arabiensis, a vector of malaria. All compounds demonstrated insecticidal activity against mosquito larvae in a dose-dependent fashion. A preliminary study of the structure–activity relationship indicated that the electron-withdrawing substituent in the para position of the 4-phenyl-pyrimidinone moiety enhanced the molecules’ potency. A docking study of these derivatives revealed favorable binding affinity for the sterol carrier protein-2 receptor, a protein present in the intestine of the mosquito larvae. Being effective insecticides against the malaria-transmitting Anopheles arabiensis, 1,2,3-triazole-based pyrimidinones represent a starting point to develop novel inhibitors of insect growth regulators.     

Morphology of InN nanorods using spectroscopic Raman imaging

We report the vibrational properties of vertical and oblique InN nanorods (NRs) grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). Surface optical (SO) Raman mode at 561 cm⁻¹, belonging to E₁ symmetry [SO(E₁)], is identified along with symmetry allowed Raman modes of E₂(low), E₂(high), and E₁(LO) at 87, 489, and 589 cm⁻¹, respectively, corresponding to wurtzite InN phase. Usually, SO phonon modes arise due to breakdown of translational symmetry of surface potential at surface defects, which are attributed by the surface roughness. Intensity distribution of E₁(LO) and SO(E₁) phonon modes over a specified area have been analysed using Raman area mapping with an optical resolution of 400 nm. Imaging with E₁(LO) phonon mode, originating from the bulk of the sample, distinguishes the vertical NRs alone. We are able to resolve NR morphologies in both vertical and oblique cases with additional Raman mapping analysis of SO(E₁) phonon mode, emerging from the surface irregularities, which are confined to the tip of MBE grown NRs. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.