Azamerone, a terpenoid phthalazinone from a marine-derived bacterium related to the genus Streptomyces (Actinomycetales)

A novel meroterpenoid, azamerone, was isolated from the saline culture of a new marine-derived bacterium related to the genus Streptomyces. Azamerone is composed of an unprecedented chloropyranophthalazinone core with a 3-chloro-6-hydroxy-2,2,6-trimethylcyclohexylmethyl side chain. The structure was rigorously determined by NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography. A possible biosynthetic origin of this unusual ring system is proposed. [structure: see text]     

Improved electrical and thermal properties of nickel silicides by using a NiCo interlayer

We have investigated the effects of a NiCo interlayer on the electrical and thermal properties of nickel silicide as a function of the annealing temperature. For the interlayered samples, 3 nm-thick NiCo(10 at.% Co) films are electron-beam evaporated on Si substrates, on which 27 nm-thick Ni films are deposited without breaking the vacuum. It is shown that all the samples exhibit a distinctive increase in the sheet resistance at temperatures above 900 ^°C. However, the NiCo interlayer sample produces the lowest sheet resistance at 900 ^\circC. X-ray diffraction results show that the Ni only and NiCo interlayer samples produce NiSi and NiSi₂ phases, while NiCo full samples give NiSi and Ni_1−xCo_xSi₂ phases. Scanning electron microscopy results exhibit that for all the samples, the surfaces become degraded with numerous arbitrarily-shaped spots, corresponding to areas uncovered by the silicides. The areal fractions of the silicides for the Ni only, NiCo full, and NiCo interlayer samples are about 57%, 72%, and 81%, respectively. The temperature dependence of the electrical properties of the silicide samples is explained in terms of the formation of resistive phases and the agglomeration of the silicide.     

Eu-doped B2O3–ZnO–PbO glass phosphor powders with?spherical shape and fine size prepared by spray pyrolysis

Eu-doped B₂O₃–ZnO–PbO glass phosphor powders with spherical shape and fine size were directly prepared by spray pyrolysis. The glass phosphor powders prepared at a temperature of 1100°C had broad XRD peak at around 28°. One glass phosphor powder was formed from one droplet at the preparation temperature range from 900 to 1100°C. The mean size of the glass phosphor powders was 0.75 μm. The glass transition temperature (T _g ) of the glass phosphor powders prepared by spray pyrolysis was 378.5°C. The excitation spectrum of the glass phosphor powders prepared at the optimum preparation temperature of 1100°C had bands at 362, 381, 392, 463, 525, and 532 nm. The glass phosphor powders had emission spectra with bands at 579, 614, and 653 nm. The glass phosphor powders with doping concentration of Eu of 7 wt% had the maximum photoluminescence intensity. The glass phosphor layer formed from the glass phosphor powders had high transparencies above 90%.     

Ultrasonic differentiation of normal versus malignant breast epithelial cells in monolayer cultures

Normal and malignant mammary epithelial cells were studied using laboratory measurements, wavelet analysis, and numerical simulations of monolayer cell cultures to determine whether microscopic breast cancer can be detected in vitro with high-frequency ultrasound. Pulse-echo waveforms were acquired by immersing a broadband, unfocused 50-MHz transducer in the growth media of cell culture well plates and collecting the first reflection from the well bottoms. The simulations included a multilayer pulse-reflection model and a model of two-dimensional arrays of spherical cells and nuclei. The results show that normal and malignant cells produce time-domain signals and spectral features that are significantly different.     

Controlled drug release applications of the inclusion complex of peracetylated-β-cyclodextrin and water-soluble drugs formed in supercritical carbon dioxide

Supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO₂) processing was performed with mixtures of CO₂-soluble peracetylated-β-cyclodextrin (PAc-β-CD) heptakis(2,3,6-tri-O-acetyl)-β-cyclodextrin, and highly water-soluble drug molsidomine (MOL) to prepare inclusion complexes of MOL and PAc-β-CD. The MOL/PAc-β-CD inclusion complex was confirmed by differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffractometry, and ¹H NMR analyses. The complexes were further investigated for their potential use in controlled drug delivery applications. The in-vitro release of MOL from the peanut oil suspensions into aqueous phase was found to be significantly retarded by the complexation with PAc-β-CD, mainly due to the hydrophobic properties associated with the PAc-β-CD.     

Disposable and compact integrated plasmonic sensor using a long-period grating

This Letter theoretically proposes and investigates an integrated plasmonic sensor that is based on a grating-assisted coupling between a surface plasmon polariton (SPP) and a dielectric waveguide (DW) mode. It consists of a glass slide with a gold film for the propagation of an SPP and a separate DW with a long-period grating. For sensing, the two parts are temporarily combined. After sensing, the former is replaceable, and so the sensor has disposability. The design procedure and analysis method for the sensor are explained. The designed sensor is shown to be very compact. Its characteristics of sensing a change of the refractive index of liquid are analyzed and discussed.     

Sodium hydrogen nitrilo­tri­acetate dihydrate

In the title compound, Na⁺·C₆H₈NO₆^?·2H₂O, the sodium ion is coordinated in a distorted octahedral manner by two carboxyl­ate O atoms and two water O atoms. Each of these water mol­ecules bridges two adjacent Na ions, resulting in two four‐membered rings of the type Na–O–Na–O.     

[5,10,15,20‐Tetrakis­(penta­fluoro­phenyl)­porphyrinato]­iron(II) benzene disolvate

The title compound, [Fe(C₄₄H₈F₂₀N₄)]·2C₆H₆, contains a four‐coordinated Fe^II atom, which lies on a center of symmetry. The porphyrin macrocycle is planar, and the Fe—N bond distances are in the range 1.9891 (13)–1.9982 (13) Å. The spin state of the Fe^II atom is intermediate (S = 1), as confirmed by NMR spectroscopy. The asymmetric unit contains two half benzene mol­ecules, each lying about an independent inversion centre; one of the benzene rings is located just below (and by inversion symmetry, another is just above) the Fe atom, where it interacts weakly with the porphyrin ring.     

Constructions of Pisot and Salem numbers with flat palindromes

This paper introduces explicit conditions for some natural family of polynomials to define Pisot or Salem numbers, and reviews related topics as well as their references.     

Structure—Activity Relationships of the Peptide Ile-Ala-Val-Pro and Its Derivatives Revealed Using the Semi-Empirical AM1 Method

Several peptides with hypocholesterinemic properties were investigated in order to reveal structure-activity relationships. The semi-empirical AM1 method and molecular dynamics were used to determine common structural properties of these peptides. A mathematical model of the structure-activity relationship was obtained. According to this model, a hydrophobic part of these peptides is a required structural element for their biological activity. The proline acts as a key component in these compounds. __________ Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 4, pp. 367–372, July–August, 2005.