On Defining Sets of Full Designs with Block Size Three

A defining set of a t-(v, k, λ) design is a subcollection of its blocks which is contained in no other t-design with the given parameters, on the same point set. A minimal defining set is a defining set, none of whose proper subcollections is a defining set. The spectrum of minimal defining sets of a design D is the set {|M| | M is a minimal defining set of D}. We show that if a t-(v, k, λ) design D is contained in a design F, then for every minimal defining set d _D of D there exists a minimal defining set d _F of F such that \({d_D = d_F\cap D}\). The unique simple design with parameters \({{\left(v,k, {v-2\choose k-2}\right)}}\) is said to be the full design on v elements; it comprises all possible k-tuples on a v set. Every simple t-(v, k, λ) design is contained in a full design, so studying minimal defining sets of full designs gives valuable information about the minimal defining sets of all t-(v, k, λ) designs. This paper studies the minimal defining sets of full designs when t = 2 and k = 3. Several families of non-isomorphic minimal defining sets of these designs are found. For given v, a lower bound on the size of the smallest and an upper bound on the size of the largest minimal defining set are given. The existence of a continuous section of the spectrum comprising approximately v values is shown, where just two values were known previously.     

Ruthenium(II)-NHC-catalyzed (NHC = perhydrobenzimidazol-2-ylidene) alkylation of amines using the hydrogen borrowing methodology under solvent-free conditions

Transition Metal Chemistry - New ruthenium(II) complexes with N-heterocyclic carbene ligand were synthesized by transmetalation reactions between silver(I) N-heterocyclic carbene complexes and...     

Phase separation behavior of whey protein isolate particle dispersions in the presence of xanthan

In this study, phase separation of colloidal whey protein isolate (WPI) particle dispersions was studied using a rod-like polysaccharide xanthan. Effects of different xanthan concentration, particle volume fraction, and temperature were analyzed by visual observations, turbidity measurements, and particle mobility tracking method. Particle mobility was determined using a diffusing wave spectroscopy (DWS) set up. Xanthan concentration was kept low in order not to increase the viscosity of dispersions, so that the phase separation could be observed easily. Visual observations showed that there was a minimum concentration of xanthan to induce phase separation at a constant particle volume fraction, and xanthan concentration was found to have an important effect on the degree of phase separation. The temperature was also found to have an effect on depletion mechanism. Phase separation was mainly a result of different sizes of WPI particles, and xanthan induced the depletion interaction between WPI particles, as supported by the data obtained from DWS. The results of this study explained both the mechanism and the stability range of particle dispersions in the presence of xanthan, which is important for the design of stable systems, including colloidal particles.     

Investigation of the Lipophilicity of 2-Benzoylpyridine-Thiosemicarbazone Based on the Ion Transfer across the Liquid/Liquid Interface

The ion transfer reaction of 2-benzoylpyridine-thiosemicarbazone (HL), which has antimicrobial and antifungal properties and anticancer activity, has been studied to determine its lipophilicity by cyclic voltammetry at the water/1,2-dichloroethane (1,2-DCE) interface. The physicochemical parameters such as standard partition coefficient (lgP_I) and the standard Gibbs energy of transfer ( ) of the protonated form of the ligand were measured as a function of pH in aqueous phase. The protonated form of the ligand exhibited reversible or quasi-reversible voltammograms at the 1,2-DCE in the range of pH 1–5. The protonation constants of the ligand, pK_a1 and pK_a2, were determined spectrophotometrically and were found to be 12.14 and 3.24, respectively. The standard Gibbs energy of transfer ( ) and the partition coefficient of neutral species (lgP_N) were also determined by the shake-flask method. The standard Gibbs energy of transfer of this compound across the water/1,2-DCE interface was evaluated as the quantitative measure of its lipophilicity. The difference between lgP_I and lgP_N was related to the degree of charge delocalization and was used to evaluate qualitatively the lipophilicity of the ligand.     

Spectroscopic and computational insights into second-sphere amino-acid tuning of substrate analogue/active-site interactions in iron(III) superoxide dismutase

In this study, the mechanism by which second-sphere residues modulate the structural and electronic properties of substrate-analogue complexes of the Fe-dependent superoxide dismutase (FeSOD) has been explored. Both spectroscopic and computational methods were used to investigate the azide (N3(-)) adducts of Fe(3+)SOD (N3-Fe(3+)SOD) and its Q69E mutant, as well as Fe(3+)-substituted MnSOD (N3-Fe(3+)(Mn)SOD) and its Y34F mutant. Electronic absorption, circular dichroism, and magnetic circular dichroism spectroscopic data reveal that the energy of the dominant N3(-)-->Fe(3+) ligand-to-metal charge transfer (LMCT) transition decreases in the order N3-Fe(3+)(Mn)SOD>N3-Fe(3+)SOD>Q69E N3-Fe(3+)SOD. Intriguingly, the LMCT transition energies correlate almost linearly with the Fe(3+/2+) reduction potentials of the corresponding Fe(3+)-bound SOD species in the absence of azide, which span a range of approximately 1 V (see the preceding paper). To explore the origin of this correlation, combined quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) geometry optimizations were performed on complete enzyme models. The INDO/S-CI computed electronic transition energies satisfactorily reproduce the experimental trend in LMCT transition energies, indicating that the QM/MM optimized active-site models are reasonable. Density functional theory calculations on these experimentally validated active-site models reveal that the differences in spectral and electronic properties among the four N 3(-) adducts arise primarily from differences in the hydrogen-bond network involving the conserved second-sphere Gln (mutated to Glu in Q69E FeSOD) and the solvent ligand. The implications of our findings with respect to the mechanism by which the second-coordination sphere modulates substrate-analogue binding as well as the catalytic properties of FeSOD are discussed.     

Polymer encapsulated and stabilised blue-phase liquid crystal droplets

Polymer-encapsulated–polymer-stabilised blue-phase liquid crystals (LCs) are investigated. Encapsulated droplets are formed in a polyvinyl alcohol solution by emulsification, and blue-phase (BP) LCs in the droplets are stabilised via the polymerisation of reactive monomers to extend the BP temperature range. Polymer stabilised droplets are found to cause the expansion of the BP temperature range from 53°C to below 0°C. The effects of composition on droplet formation and the electro-optical behaviour and morphological properties of these droplets are reported.     

Synthesis,Spectroscopic, and Dyeing Properties of New Azo and Bisazo Dyes Derived from 5‐Pyrazolones

This study is in continuation of our work related to 5‐pyrazolones aimed at synthesizing new heterocycles with dyeing and anticipated biological properties. Compounds 1 and 2 ; 1‐methyl‐ or 1‐(2,4‐dimethylphenyl)‐3‐phenyl‐1H‐pyrazol‐5(4H)‐one, 3 ; 1‐methyl‐5‐oxo‐3‐phenyl‐4,5‐dihydro‐1H‐pyrazole‐4‐carbaldehyde and 4 ; 2‐(1‐methyl‐5‐oxo‐3‐phenyl‐1H‐pyrazol‐4(5H)‐ylidene)‐3‐phenylthiazolidin‐5‐one were prepared and subjected to diazotation with aromatic amines and diamines. New azo ( 1a – c , 2a, b , 3a , b , 4a , c ) and bisazo dyes ( 2c , d , 4b ) were obtained, and their structures were confirmed by spectroscopic and analytical methods. In addition, UV–vis measurements, dyeing performance, and fastness tests were carried out for all compounds.