pH-regulated formation of amyloid-like beta-sheet assemblies from polyglutamate grafted polyallylamine

A novel artificial protein with simple primary structure, poly(gamma-methyl-L-glutamate)-grafted polyallylamine, has been prepared and the resultant peptide has shown a unique property of pH-regulated conformation and morphology.     

Efficient synthesis of isoplagiochin D, a macrocyclic bis(bibenzyls), by utilizing an intramolecular Suzuki-Miyaura reaction

Isoplagiochin D, a highly strained macrocyclic bis(bibenzyls) with two biaryl units isolated from the liverwort Pladiochila fruticosa, was prepared in 10.6% overall yield for the 11 steps by an efficient synthetic approach involving the construction of two bibenzyl and one biaryl units using Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons and Suzuki-Miyaura protocols.     

Structural, textural, and electronic properties of a nanosized mesoporous ZnxTi1-xO2-) solid solution prepared by a supercritical drying route

Mesoporous nanosized TiO2 and Zn(x)Ti(1-x)O(2-x) solid solution having a Zn content below 10 mol % with a particles size between 13 and 17 nm are prepared by a template-free sol-gel method followed by high-temperature supercritical drying in 2-propanol. The structural, textural, and electronic properties of the obtained nanomaterials are methodically investigated by using XRD, SEM, TEM, ED, HREM, EDX, ICP-OES, N(2) adsorption-desorption, Raman spectroscopy, and diffuse reflectance UV-vis spectroscopy. It is shown that the proposed synthesis technique leads to the formation of a Zn(x)Ti(1-x)O(2-x) solid solution based on the anatase crystal structure rather than a two-phase sample. High-resolution electron microscopy and electron diffraction indicate that the distribution of zinc atoms over the anatase structure does not lead to a considerable deformation of the crystal structure.     

Reaction of sulphoximides with diazomalonate in the presence of Cu-salt : A new synthesis and stereochemistry of optically active oxosulphonium ylides

Sulphoximides (Ia–Ie) were found to react with dimethyl diazomalonate (DDM) in the presence of a catalytic amount of Cu-salts affording the corresponding oxosulphonium ylides in moderate yields. The reaction did not proceed at all under irradiation of UV light. (?)-Methylphenyloxosulphonium bis(methoxycarbonyl)-methylide ((?)-IIb) was obtained from (+)-(S)-methylphenylsulphoximide ((+)-(S)-Ib) together with (?)-(S)-methyl phenyl sulphoxide ((?)-(S)-IIIb) by this reaction. Hydrolysis of (?)-IIb gave (+)-methylphenyloxosulphonium methoxycarbonylmethylide ((+)-IIf) which was converted to (?)-(S)-IIIb upon treatment with dibenzoylethylene. Stereochemical cycle starting from (+)-(S)-Ib to (?)-(S)-IIIb was established and the absolute configurations of both ylides, (?)-IIb and (+)-IIf were assigned as (R)-configuration. The stereochemical courses, namely from (+)-(S)-Ib or (?)-(S)-IIIb to (?)-(R)-IIb or (+)-(R)-IIf to (?)-(S)-IIIb were determined as retention processes. The optical purities of the oxosulphonium ylides obtained from both reactions, (+)-(S)-Ib→(?)-(R)-IIb and (?)-(S)-IIIb→(?)-(R)-IIb, were almost equal. These results indicate that the mechanism of the reaction of sulphoximides with carbenes (or carbenoids) involves the initial formation of the sulphoxides which react subsequently with carbenes to afford the final products.     

Direct transformation of ice VII′ to low-density amorphous ice

Vibrational spectra reveal that ice VII′ transforms to low-density amorphous ice (LDA) at low temperature on release of pressure to ambient pressure and low temperature. The measurements were obtained using in situ Raman spectroscopy of samples of ice VII′ as a function of pressure at 135 K. The observation of this direct decompression-induced VII′-LDA transition complements the previously observed pressure-induced reversible transition between LDA and high-density amorphous ice (HDA) at 120–140 K and the temperature-induced amorphization of metastable ice VII and ice VIII at 0.1 MPa.     

Quantitative analysis of photoelectron angular distribution of single-domain organic monolayer film: NTCDA on GeS(0 0 1)

Angle-resolved photoelectron spectra were measured for a single-domain monolayer film of naphthalene-1,4,5,8-tetracarboxylic dianhydride (NTCDA) prepared on a cleaved GeS(0 0 1) surface using synchrotron radiation. The observed photoelectron angular distributions were analyzed by a calculation using the single-scattering approximation combined with molecular orbital calculation. With the help of the low-energy electron diffraction pattern, the structure of the NTCDA monolayer on GeS(0 0 1) was estimated quantitatively.     

Effects of dipole moment, linkers, and chromophores at side chains on long-range electron transfer through helical peptides

Octadecapeptides carrying a ferrocene moiety at the molecular terminal were self-assembled on gold, and long-range electron transfer from the ferrocene moiety to gold was investigated by electrochemical methods. Effects on electron transfer of dipole moment of helical peptides, linkers connecting the peptide to gold, and chromophores introduced into the side chains were discussed. Cyclic voltammetry of the monolayers in an aqueous solution revealed that long-range electron transfer over 40 A occurred along the peptide molecule. Chronoamperometry showed that the long-range electron transfer should be ascribed to a hopping mechanism with use of amide groups as hopping sites. Electron transfer through the long peptide was not significantly accelerated by the dipole moment. However, the linker remarkably affected electron transfer depending on whether it was a methylene chain or a phenylene group, suggesting that local electron transfer between gold and the peptides should be the slowest step to determine the overall rate. Pyrenyl groups introduced into the side chains in the middle of the peptide molecule did not noticeably change electron transfer, probably because pyrenyl groups were too distant to allow direct electron transfer between them. Electrostatic potential profiles across the peptide monolayers were also calculated to explain reasonably the several interesting features in the present peptide systems.     

Comparison of PAMAM-Au and PPI-Au nanocomposites and their catalytic activity for reduction of 4-nitrophenol

Dendrimer-Au nanocomposites are prepared in aqueous solutions using poly(amidoammine)dendrimers (PAMAM) (generation 2, 3, and 5) and poly(propyleneimine)dendrimers (PPI)(generation 2, 3, and 4) by wet chemical NaBH(4) method. The Au nanoparticles thus obtained are 2-4 nm in diameter for both dendrimers and no generation dependence on the particle size is observed, whereas the generations of the dendrimers are increased as stabilization of Au-nanoparticles is achieved with lower dendrimer concentrations. Studies of the reduction reaction of 4-nitrophenol using these nanocomposites show that the rate constants for the PAMAM dendrimers (generations 2 and 3) are higher than those for the PPI dendrimers (generations 2 and 3), while a distinct difference in the rate constants is not seen for the PAMAM dendrimer (generation 5) or the PPI dendrimer (generation 4). In addition, the rate constants for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol involving all the dendrimers decrease with increases in dendrimer concentrations.     

Determination of conjugated bile acids in human urine by high-performance liquid chromatography with chemiluminescence detection.

A qualitative and quantitative analysis of the conjugated 1 beta- and 6 alpha-hydroxy bile acids, including common bile acids, in human urine using high-performance liquid chromatography with chemiluminescence detection is described. After extraction of urine with C18 silica cartridges, the bile acids were separated into non-conjugated, glycine, taurine and sulphate fractions by ion-exchange chromatography on a lipophilic gel. Solvolysis of the sulphate was carried out by treatment with trifluoroethanol in acetone containing hydrochloric acid, and the liberated amino acid conjugates were fractionated again. The individual bile acids were separated on a reversed-phase C18 column (Bile Pak II), with detection by an immobilized 3 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase enzyme reactor and chemiluminescence reaction of the generated NADH using 1-methoxy-5-methylphenazinium methylsulphate-isoluminol-microperoxidase system. The assay method showed the detection limits ranging from 8 to 250 pmol for the bile acids tested. Analysis of urine samples obtained from newborns, non-pregnant women and women in late pregnancy showed a large difference in bile acid composition and conjugation mode, suggesting that bile acid metabolism is different during fetal and neonatal periods.