Investigation of mass attenuation coefficients of water, concrete and bakelite at different energies using the FLUKA Monte Carlo code

The mass attenuation coefficients of water, bakelite and concrete sample defined in the simulation package were obtained using the FLUKA Monte Carlo code at 59.5, 80.9, 140.5, 356.5, 661.6, 1173.2 and 1332.5 keV photon energies. The results for the mass attenuation coefficients obtained by simulation have been compared with experimental and the theoretical ones and good agreement has been observed. The results indicate that this process can be followed to determine the data on the attenuation of gamma-rays with the several energies in other materials. Also, the deposited energy by 661.6 keV photons at several thicknesses of each media was determined as being an important data for radiation shielding studies.     

Ink‐Jet Microdispensing for the Formation of Gradients of Immobilised Enzyme Activity

Summary: The integration of gradients of enzyme activity in microstructured biosensor arrays enables intrinsic on‐line quality control of biosensor performance. Multiple sensor elements with different compositions and hence varying responses for the same analyte are evaluated as a basis for improving data reliability. The formation of glucose oxidase/polymer microstructures using a piezo microdispenser and their examination by scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) are used to demonstrate the feasibility of this approach.

Optical microscope image of grids obtained by dispensing of 1 mg/mL GOx and 2 mg/mL Vinnapas® mixture.     

Regioselectivity of Friedel-Crafts acylation of aromatic compounds with several cyclic anhydrides

The Friedel-Crafts acylations of various aromatic compounds with cyclic anhydrides such as 2-(p-substituted phenyl)butanedioic, 3-phenylpentanedioic and homophathlic anhydrides were carried out under various conditions in order to obtain informations about the regioselectivity of the ring opening of the cyclic anhydrides and about the possible reaction pathways in the acylations.     

Mechanical properties of single motor molecules studied by three-dimensional thermal force probing in optical tweezers.

A new method combining three-dimensional (3D) force measurements in an optical trap with the analysis of thermally induced (Brownian) position fluctuations of a trapped probe was used to investigate the mechanical properties of a single molecule, the molecular motor kinesin. One kinesin molecule attached to the probe was bound in a rigorlike state to one microtubule. The optical trap was kept weak to measure the thermal forces acting on the probe, which were mainly counterbalanced by the kinesin tether. The stiffness of kinesin during stretching and compression with respect to its backbone axis were measured. Our results indicate that a section of kinesin close to the motor domain is the dominating element in the flexibility of the motor structure. The experiments demonstrate the power of 3D thermal fluctuation analysis to characterize mechanical properties of individual motor proteins and indicate its usefulness to study single molecule in general     

Predicted binding rate of new cephalosporin antibiotics by a 3D-QSAR method: a new approach

Abstract  

Antibiotics are chemotherapeutic agents with activity against microorganisms, for example bacteria, fungi, or protozoa, used for the treatment of many types of diseases. Binding of antibiotics to serum proteins in human plasma is a major determinant of their pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic behavior and, consequently, can affect their systemic distribution in the body. Here, the predicted binding rates of ceftazidime and 13 other pharmacological agents classified as antibiotics to plasma proteins (percentage fraction bound; PFB) were evaluated by use of 3D-QSAR models. We attempted to establish the contribution of hydrogen bond donor/acceptor and hydrophobic properties supplied by electrostatic fields to the PFB. Significant cross-validated correlation q ² (0.5–0.7) and the fitted correlation r ² (0.7–0.97) coefficients revealed that these models have reasonable power to predict the design 19 new antibiotics using ceftazidime as template, these compounds being our suggestion for further studies.     

CaL-B a highly selective biocatalyst for the kinetic resolution of furylbenzthiazole-2-yl-ethanols and acetates

A highly stereoselective enzymatic kinetic resolution of novel various substituted racemic furylbenzthiazole-2-yl-ethanols and their acetates has been developed. Both processes, the enzymatic acylation of the racemic alcohols and the enzymatic methanolysis of racemic acetates yielded highly enantiomerically enriched (ee >98%) resolution product, when CaL-B was used as a biocatalyst in acetonitrile. The absolute configuration of the obtained (R)-(+)-1-(5-(4-chlorobenzo[d]thiazol-2-yl)furan-2-yl)ethanol was determined by a detailed ¹H NMR study of rac- and (+)-1-(5-(4-chlorobenzo[d]thiazol-2-yl)furan-2-yl)ethanol Mosher derivatives.     

New N-aryloxy-phthalimide derivatives. Synthesis,physico-chemical properties,and QSPR studies

Starting from N-hydroxyphthalimide 1 and the reactive fluoro- or chloro-nitroaryl derivatives 2, 3 and 4a-e (2-chloro-3,5-dinitropyridine; 3, NBD-chloride; 4a, 1-fluoro-2,4-dinitrobenzene; 4b, picryl chloride; 4c, 4-chloro-3,5-dinitrobenzotrifluoride; 4d, 2-chloro-3,5- dinitrobenzotrifluoride; 4e, 4-chloro-3,5-dinitrobenzoic acid) the corresponding N-(2-nitroaryloxy)-phthalimide derivatives 5a-e, or 6 and 7 were obtained and characterized by IR, UV-Vis ¹H-NMR and ¹³C-NMR spectroscopy. The TLC behavior and the hydrophobicity of these derivatives have been experimentally evaluated by R_M0 parameters (using RP-TLC). The experimental R_M0 parameters were compared with the calculated partition coefficient, log P. A QSPR study was also performed to establish possible correlations between the structure and physical properties (λ_max and R_M0) of compounds 5a-e, 6, and 7.      

<Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-Alkoxy-3,5-dinitro-4-aminobenzoic acid derivatives with controlled physico-chemical properties

Starting from 4-chloro-3,5-dinitrobenzoic acid 1, compounds 2–10 (N-alkoxy-3,5-dinitro-4-aminobenzoic acid esters where alkoxy stands for methoxy, carboxymethoxy, triphenylmethoxy, or corresponding amides) have been obtained, from which compounds 3–5 and 7–10 are new, and for the known compounds 2 and 6 the synthetic procedure has been improved. The new derivatives have been characterized by appropriate means (IR, UV–Vis, ¹H- and ¹³C-NMR, fluorescence) and their properties were studied. Thus, depending on their structure, the compounds have acid properties, fluorescence and complexing properties with alkaline cations.     

High-resolution submicron patterning of self-assembled monolayers using a molecular fluorine laser at 157 nm

Using a molecular fluorine laser at 157 nm wavelength, submicron patterning of organosilane self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) is demonstrated utilizing mask-contact photolithography. An organosilane, namely, octadecyltrimethoxysilane [ODS, CH(3)(CH(2))(17)Si(OCH(3))(3)], SAM is chemisorbed onto Si substrates covered with a 2 nm thick oxide layer and subsequently patterned using the laser. The optical path of the laser beam and the photomask-sample space are evacuated and then backfilled and purged with nitrogen during laser firing. The resulting pattern is investigated using various measurement techniques. The scanning probe microscopy images show that patterns are transferred to the SAM-covered Si substrates and that 500 nm features are successfully photoprinted in this way.