Self-assembly of rectangles and prisms via a molecular "clip"

Aromatic molecular "clips" bearing two symmetrically bound platinum moieties have been prepared. The molecular "clip" 4 readily self-assembled with linear linkers such as 4,4'-bipyridyl, 1,4-bis[2-(4-isocyano-3,5-diisopropylphenyl)ethynyl]benzene, and nicotinic acid to form molecular rectangles. The overall dimensions of the rectangle 7 were 7.3 Angstroms x 15.3 Angstroms. The molecular "clip" also self-assembled with tritopic pyridyl and isocyanide ligands to form trigonal prismatic frameworks. The characterization of the supramolecules by multinuclear NMR, electrospray mass spectrometry, and X-ray crystal structures is also reported.     

An anomalous reaction of 10-chloro-5H-benzoxazolo[3,2-a]quinolin-5-one with sodium diethyl malonate to form 9-chloro-8-ethoxy-12-hydroxy-5H-dibenz[c,f]quinolizin-5-one

Treatment of 10-chloro-5H-benzoxazole[3,2-a]quinolin-5-one (I) with an excess of sodium diethyl malonate at 190° for 3 hours in hexamethylphosphoramide gave, in 38% yield, 9-chloro-8-ethoxy-12-hydroxy-5H-dibenz[c,f]quinolizin-5-one (IV) which, on heating with acetic anhydride, afforded monoacetylated product, V. A possible reaction mechanism for the novel ring expansion reaction is suggested.     

The Use of Versatile Distribution Families in Some Stochastic Inventory Calculations

Previous works on stochastic inventory problems have often assumed that an item's lead time demand follows a "convenient" distribution such as the normal, the γ or the Weibull. First, this paper argues that these convenient distributions may be overly restrictive and unrealistic, and points out the versatility and realism of using four-parameter distributions of the Pearson's and the Schmeiser-Deutsch's systems. Second, using these four-parameter distributions, this paper presents practical `manual" methods for computing the stock-out probability, reorder level and expected lost sales of an inventory item and for solving the lot-size reorder-point model. Some of these methods are actually simpler than the ones developed previously for the more restrictive distributions.     

Doing Something about the Future

This paper is concerned with the need for more interdisciplinary, systems oriented, research directed towards major problems encountered by decision makers in industry and government; a need which is more difficult to meet in the face of traditional methods of organising knowledge and research. It emphasises the need to acknowledge the true complexity of the problems and the interactive nature of any effective research procedure. As an illustration, both of the need and the problems involved in meeting it, the development of a new program of research into problems of Management and Technology at the International Institute of Applied Systems Analysis, which is supported by seventeen nations of all political complexions, is analysed. The implication is that we can do something about the future, but we must be prepared to do.     

Teaching Operational Research Technique

Good technique, i.e. competence in carrying out operational research, is as vital for the practitioner to acquire as competence in the traditional ‘techniques’. It is suggested that universities should teach students how to conduct simple projects prior to alerting them to more sophisticated methodological issues.As an aid to this task, the traditional five or six parts of an operational research project are broken down and extended into 39 steps, and regrouped into three phases. Also, five skills are identified as being conceptually essential to "good" operational research, which students can develop through tackling suitable case studies.     

Viability of the antigen determines whether DNA or urocanic acid act as initiator molecules for UV-induced suppression of delayed-type hypersensitivity

UV radiation suppresses the immune response, and UV-induced immune suppression contributes to UV-induced photocarcinogenesis. For UV-induced immune suppression to occur, electromagnetic energy (i.e. UV radiation) must be converted to a biological signal. Two photoreceptors have been identified in the skin that serves this purpose, epidermal DNA and trans-urocanic acid (UCA). Although compelling evidence exists to support a role for each pathway (UV-induced DNA damage or photoisomerization of UCA) in UV-induced immune suppression, it is not clear what determines which photoreceptor pathway is activated. To address this question, we injected UV-irradiated mice with a monoclonal antibody with specificity for cis-UCA or applied liposomes containing DNA repair enzymes to the skin of UV-irradiated mice. The effect that each had on UV-induced suppression of delayed-type hypersensitivity was measured. We asked whether the light source used (FS-40 sunlamps vs solar-simulated UV radiation) altered whichever pathway of immune suppression was activated. Different doses of UV radiation and the viability of the antigen were also considered. Neither the dose of UV nor the light source had any influence on determining which pathway was activated. Rather, we found that the viability of the antigen was the critical determinant. When live antigens were used, UV-induced immune suppression was blocked with monoclonal anti-cis-UCA but not with T4 endonuclease V-containing liposomes. The reverse was observed when formalin-fixed or killed antigens were used. Our findings indicate that antigen viability dictates which photoreceptor pathway predominates after UV exposure.     

Incorporating solvent and ion screening into molecular dynamics using the finite-difference Poisson–Boltzmann method

The finite difference method for solving the Poisson–Boltzmann equation is used to calculate the reaction field acting on a macromolecular solute due to the surrounding water and ions. Comparisons with analytical test cases indicate that the solvation forces can be calculated rapidly and accurately with this method. These forces act to move charged solute atoms towards the solvent where they are better solvated, and to screen interactions between charges. A way of combining such calculations with conventional molecular dynamics force fields is proposed which requires little modification of existing molecular dynamics programs. Simulations on the alanine dipeptide show that solvent forces affect the conformational dynamics by reducing the preference for internal H-bonding forms, increasing the R-alpha helix preference and reducing transition barriers. These solvent effects are similar to previous explicit solvent simulations, but require little more computation than vacuum simulations. The method should scale up with little increase in computational cost to larger molecules such as proteins and nucleic acids.     

Complexing processes in M(II)-dithiomalonamide-diacetyl triple systems (M= Ni,Cu) in ethanol solution and in a metal(II)hexacyanoferrate(II) gelatin-immobilized matrix materials

The complexing processes in the M ^II -dithiomalonamide-diacetyl triple system (M=Ni, Cu) occuring in the nickel(II)- and copper(II)hexacyanoferrate(II) gelatin-immobilized matrix in contact with aqueous alkaline solutions (pH~12) containing dithiomalonamide and diacetyl at room temperature, and between MCl₂, dithiomalonamide and diacetyl in EtOH solutions upon heating to$80°C, have been studied. In the Ni ^II -dithiomalonamide-diacetyl system, template synthesis occurs in EtOH solution but does not occur in the gelatin-immobilized matrix, whereas in the Cu ^II -dithiomalonamide-diacetyl system, template synthesis occurs in the gelatin-immobilized matrix but not in EtOH solution. Dithiomalonamide and diacetyl are the ligand synthons in the processes indicated.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">In vitro</Emphasis> inhibitory effect of polyoxometalates on human tumor cells

H₇[NiV₁₃O₃₈] was synthesized from K₇[NiV₁₃O₃₈] using an ion exchange method. Then Pr₂H[NiV₁₃O₃₈] was obtained by double decomposition of H₇[NiV₁₃O₃₈] with Pr₂(CO₃)₃. The actual amount of praseodymium measured by elemental analysis coincides with the designed amount of praseodymium in Pr₂H[NiV₁₃O₃₈]. The i.r. spectra suggested that the [NiV₁₃O₃₈]^7– anion did not collapse after the ion exchange and double decomposition. The ⁵¹V n.m.r. spectrum of Pr₂H[NiV₁₃O₃₈] showed four peaks and their ratio of the relative intensity was 4:4:4:1. This result agrees with the chemical environment of V atoms in the [NiV₁₃O₃₈]^7– anion. In vitro antitumor activities of polyoxometalates on several human tumor cells have been investigated using the MTT method. Pr₂H[NiV₁₃O₃₈] is the most effective polyoxometalate tested in this study for inhibiting KB cell. Pr₂H[NiV₁₃O₃₈] also showed remarkable inhibitory effect on some other tumor cells: HCT, Bel, B₁₆, BCAP and ESCL cells. These results indicate that Pr₂H[NiV₁₃O₃₈] is a potent broad spectrum antitumor agent. The structure type of polyoxometalates greatly influences their antitumor activity: the order of structure type for inhibiting KB cell is: [NiV₁₃O₃₈]^7–>[Mo₇O₂₄]^6–>Anderson structure Keggin structure Dawson structure. Moreover, the nature of the polyatom in the polyoxometalates also greatly influences their antitumor activity: the polyatom order for inhibiting KB cell is: V>Mo W. On the other hand, the nature of the counter cation and the heteroatom in the polyoxometalates exerted a relatively small influence on the inhibitory effect against the KB cell, although the praseodymium salt of [NiV₁₃O₃₈]^7– showed a higher antitumor activity than its potassium salt.     

Photodissociation tandem mass spectrometry at 266 nm of an aliphatic peptide derivatized with phenyl isothiocyanate and 4-sulfophenyl isothiocyanate

Photodissociation (PD) tandem mass spectra have been obtained at 266 nm for the protonated molecules of a tryptic peptide, ASHLGLAR, and of its phenyl isothiocyanate and 4-sulfophenyl isothiocyanate derivatives, generated by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization. Derivatization with the aromatic chromophores greatly reduced the intensity of the laser required for efficient PD. Major fragment ions observed in the three spectra are quite similar. General features of the PD tandem mass spectra and their potential utility for analytical purposes are discussed.