A Tri‐copper(II) Complex Displaying DNA‐Cleaving Properties and Antiproliferative Activity against Cancer Cells

A new disubstituted terpyridine ligand and the corresponding tri‐copper(II) complex have been prepared and characterised. The binding affinity and binding mode of this tri‐copper complex (as well as the previously reported mono‐ and di‐copper analogues) towards duplex DNA were determined by using UV/Vis spectroscopic titrations and fluorescent indicator displacement (FID) assays. These studies showed the three complexes to bind moderately (in the order of 10⁴ M ^?1) to duplex DNA (ct‐DNA and a 26‐mer sequence). Furthermore, the number of copper centres and the nature of the substituents were found to play a significant role in defining the binding mode (intercalative or groove binding). The nuclease potential of the three complexes was investigated by using circular plasmid DNA as a substrate and analysing the products by agarose‐gel electrophoresis. The cleaving activity was found to be dependent on the number of copper centres present (cleaving potency was in the order: tri‐copper>di‐copper>mono‐copper). Interestingly, the tri‐copper complex was able to cleave DNA without the need of external co‐reductants. As this complex displayed the most promising nuclease properties, cell‐based studies were carried out to establish if there was a direct link between DNA cleavage and cellular toxicity. The tri‐copper complex displayed high cytotoxicity against four cancer cell lines. Of particular interest was that it displayed high cytotoxicity against the cisplatin‐resistant MOLT‐4 leukaemia cell line. Cellular uptake studies showed that the tri‐copper complex was able to enter the cell and more importantly localise in the nucleus. Immunoblotting analysis (used to monitor changes in protein levels related to the DNA damage response pathway) and DNA‐flow cytometric studies suggested that this tri‐copper(II) complex is able to induce cellular DNA damage.     

A new algorithm for extended nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations of mixed flow

In this work, we develop a new algorithm for nonequilibrium molecular dynamics of fluids under planar mixed flow, a linear combination of planar elongational flow and planar Couette flow. To date, the only way of simulating mixed flow using nonequilibrium molecular dynamics techniques was to impose onto the simulation box irreversible transformations. This would bring the simulation to an end as soon as the minimum lattice space requirements were violated. In practical terms, this meant repeating the short simulations to improve statistics and extending the box dimensions to increase the total simulation time. Our method, similar to what has already been done for pure elongational flow, allows a cuboid box to deform in time following the streamlines of the mixed flow and, after a period of time determined by the elongational field, to be mapped back and recover its initial shape. No discontinuity in physical properties is present during the mapping and the simulation can, in this way, be extended indefinitely. We also show that the most general form of mixed flow, in which the angle between the expanding (or contracting) direction and the velocity gradient axis varies, can be cast in a so-called canonical form, in which the angle assumes values that are multiples of π (when a mixed flow exists), by an appropriate choice of the field parameters.     

Lewis and Brønsted multifunctionality: an unusual heterocycle from the reaction of bis(pentafluorophenyl)borinic acid with nitriles

The combination of Lewis and Br?nsted acidity as well as Lewis basicity in (C6F5)2BOH results in a remarkable reactivity towards organonitriles to give novel heterocyclic compounds containing a BOBOCN six-membered ring.     

Synchronization in large directed networks of coupled phase oscillators

We study the emergence of collective synchronization in large directed networks of heterogeneous oscillators by generalizing the classical Kuramoto model of globally coupled phase oscillators to more realistic networks. We extend recent theoretical approximations describing the transition to synchronization in large undirected networks of coupled phase oscillators to the case of directed networks. We also consider the case of networks with mixed positive-negative coupling strengths. We compare our theory with numerical simulations and find good agreement.     

A diastereoselective radical cyclization approach to substituted quinuclidines

A new, concise, and flexible approach to novel quinuclidines has been developed, which employs a phosphorus hydride mediated radical addition/cyclization reaction in the key step. 1,7-Diene 5 reacts with diethyl thiophosphite in an efficient and diastereoselective radical addition/cyclization reaction to give trisubstituted piperidines 4ab. Piperidines 4ab are subsequently converted into 2,5-disubstituted quinuclidines using S(N)2-type cyclizations. Finally, the resulting quinuclidines are shown to undergo novel Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons-type (HWE-type) reactions to give unsaturated quinuclidines 21a and 21b, which have structures similar to that of (-)-quinine 1.     

Selective patterning of Si-based biosensor surfaces using isotropic silicon etchants

Ultra-sensitive, label-free biosensors have the potential to have a tremendous impact on fields like medical diagnostics. For the majority of these Si-based integrated devices, it is necessary to functionalize the surface with a targeting ligand in order to perform specific biodetection. To do this, silane coupling agents are commonly used to immobilize the targeting ligand. However, this method typically results in the bioconjugation of the entire device surface, which is undesirable. To compensate for this effect, researchers have developed complex blocking strategies that result in selective patterning of the sensor surface. Recently, silane coupling agents were used to attach biomolecules to the surface of silica toroidal biosensors integrated on a silicon wafer. Interestingly, only the silica biosensor surface was conjugated. Here, we hypothesize why this selective patterning occurred. Specifically, the silicon etchant (xenon difluoride), which is used in the fabrication of the biosensor, appears to reduce the efficiency of the silane coupling attachment to the underlying silicon wafer. These results will enable future researchers to more easily control the bioconjugation of their sensor surfaces, thus improving biosensor device performance.     

Analysis of a Polynomial System Arising in the Design of an Optical Lattice Filter Useful in Channelization

In this work, we consider design questions for an active optical lattice filter, which is being manufactured at the University of Texas at Dallas, and which has proven to be useful in the signal processing task of RF channelization. The filter can be described by a linear, discrete time state space model. The controlling agents, the gains, are embedded in the matrices intervening in this state space model. Consequently, techniques from linear feedback control theory do not apply. We concentrate on the question of finding real valued gains so that the A matrix of the state space model has a prescribed characteristic polynomial. We find that three of the coefficients can be arbitrarily picked, but that the remaining are constrained by these and the other system parameters. Our techniques use methods from constructive algebraic geometry.     

Infrared absorption by collisional H2-He complexes at temperatures up to 9000 K and frequencies from 0 to 20,000 cm(-1)

Quantum chemical methods have been used elsewhere to obtain the potential energy surface (PES) and the induced dipole surface (IDS) of H(2)-He collisional complexes at eight different H-H bond distances, fifteen atom-molecule separations, and 19 angular orientations each [X. Li, A. Mandal, E. Miliordos, and K. L. C. Hunt, J. Chem. Phys. 136, 044320 (2012)]. An atom-molecule state-to-state scattering formalism is employed, which couples the collisional molecular complex to the electromagnetic radiation field. In this way, we obtain theoretical collision-induced absorption (CIA) spectra of H(2)-He complexes for frequencies from 0 to 20,000 cm(-1) and temperatures up to 9000 K. The work is based on the fundamental theory and is motivated by current research of certain astronomical objects, such as cool white dwarf stars, cool main sequence stars, M dwarfs, exoplanets, so-called "first" stars. We compare our theoretical results to existing laboratory measurements of CIA spectra; very close agreement of theory and measurement is observed. We also discuss similar previous theoretical efforts.