Locating hydrogen atoms in single crystal and uniaxially aligned amino acids by solid-state NMR

We demonstrate a novel method to locate hydrogen atoms in amino acids, which involves measuring the C(alpha)H(alpha) bond vector geometry through orientationally dependent dipolar coupling frequencies measured by Lee-Goldburg cross polarization (LGCP). A 2D LGCP experiment is used to measure the polar angle of the C(alpha)H(alpha) bond vector in a single crystal of the model compound L-alanine. It is also demonstrated that by coupling the 13C(alpha)1H(alpha) LGCP experiment to a 13C(alpha)15N REDOR experiment, one can determine the complete three-dimensional geometry of the C(alpha)H(alpha) and C(alpha)N vectors in a single crystal. These measurements allow for location of hydrogen atoms in crystalline biological macromolecules.     

Cluster fusion-fission dynamics in the Singapore stock exchange

In this paper, we investigate how the cross-correlations between stocks in the Singapore stock exchange (SGX) evolve over 2008 and 2009 within overlapping one-month time windows. In particular, we examine how these cross-correlations change before, during, and after the Sep–Oct 2008 Lehman Brothers Crisis. To do this, we extend the complete-linkage hierarchical clustering algorithm, to obtain robust clusters of stocks with stronger intracluster correlations, and weaker intercluster correlations. After we identify the robust clusters in all time windows, we visualize how these change in the form of a fusion-fission diagram. Such a diagram depicts graphically how the cluster sizes evolve, the exchange of stocks between clusters, as well as how strongly the clusters mix. From the fusion-fission diagram, we see a giant cluster growing and disintegrating in the SGX, up till the Lehman Brothers Crisis in September 2008 and the market crashes of October 2008. After the Lehman Brothers Crisis, clusters in the SGX remain small for few months before giant clusters emerge once again. In the aftermath of the crisis, we also find strong mixing of component stocks between clusters. As a result, the correlation between initially strongly-correlated pairs of stocks decay exponentially with average life time of about a month. These observations impact strongly how portfolios and trading strategies should be formulated.     

Determination of conditional stability constants for some divalent transition metal ion‐EDTA complexes by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

Conditional stability constants of coordination complexes comprising divalent transition metals, Cu²⁺, Ni²⁺, Zn²⁺, Co²⁺, and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) were determined utilizing electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. The deviation of signal response of a reference complex was monitored at addition of a second metal ion. The conditional stability constant for the competing metal was then determined through solution equilibria equations. The method showed to be applicable to a system where Co²⁺ and Zn²⁺ competed for EDTA at pH 5. When Cu²⁺ and Ni²⁺ competed for EDTA, the equilibrium changed over time. This change was shown to be affected in rate and size by the type of organic solvent added. In this work, 30% of either methanol or acetonitrile was used. It was found that if calibration curves are prepared for both metal complexes in solution and the measurements are repeated with sufficient time space, any change in equilibrium of sample solutions will be discovered. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Fabrication and characterization of TEOS-based silica aerogels prepared using rapid supercritical extraction

Silica aerogels were prepared using the precursor tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) via a rapid supercritical extraction (RSCE) method. Multiple consistent batches of monolithic TEOS-based aerogels were fabricated via an 8-h RSCE process. Fabricating TEOS-based aerogels with an RSCE method offers some distinct advantages. One advantage is the relative simplicity of the RSCE approach: liquid precursors are mixed and poured into a metal mold in a hydraulic hot-press, where gelation, aging and extraction of liquid from the pores occur. The precursor recipe employs TEOS, ethanol, water, oxalic acid to catalyze hydrolysis, and ammonia to catalyze the subsequent polycondensation reactions. Another advantage is that reaction of TEOS to form sol gels yields ethanol as a byproduct. A process that releases ethanol, rather than methanol (as in tetramethylorthosilicate (TMOS)-based aerogels) may be more appealing for commercial applications, involving scale-up of the process. The significantly lower cost of TEOS, compared to TMOS, is a considerable advantage. The TEOS-based RSCE aerogels are mesoporous and optically translucent, have bulk densities of 0.099(±0.003) g/cm³ and surface areas of 460(±10) m²/g. Signals observed in infrared and Raman spectra of the aerogels are consistent with Si–O framework bonds. Using scanning electron microscopy imaging, the surface morphology of the aerogel samples was imaged at magnifications up to 150 kX.     

Separation of terbutaline enantiomers in capillary electrophoresis with neutral cyclodextrin-type chiral selectors and investigation of the structure of selector-selectand complexes using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

The major goal of this study was to determine the affinity pattern of the terbutaline (TB) enantiomers toward α-, β-, γ-, and heptakis(2,3-di-O-acetyl)-β-cyclodextrins and using NMR spectroscopy for the understanding of the fine mechanisms of interaction between the cyclodextrins (CD) and TB enantiomers. It was shown once again that CE in combination with NMR spectroscopy represents a sensitive tool to study the affinity patterns and structure of CD complexes with chiral guests. Opposite affinity patterns of TB enantiomers toward native α- and β-CDs were associated with significant differences between the structure of the related complexes in solution. In particular, the complex between TB enantiomers and α-CD was of the external type, whereas an inclusion complex was formed between TB enantiomers and β-CD. One of the possible structures of the complex between TB and heptakis(2,3-di-O-acetyl)-β-CD (HDA-β-CD) was quite similar to that of TB and β-CD, although the chiral recognition pattern and enantioselectivity of TB complexation with these two CDs were very different.     

A Convergent Total Synthesis of the Death Cap Toxin α‐Amanitin

The toxic bicyclic octapeptide α‐amanitin is mostly found in different species of the mushroom genus Amanita, with the death cap (Amanita phalloides) as one of the most prominent members. Due to its high selective inhibition of RNA polymerase II, which is directly linked to its high toxicity, particularly to hepatocytes, α‐amanitin received an increased attention as a toxin‐component of antibody‐drug conjugates (ADC) in cancer research. Furthermore, the isolation of α‐amanitin from mushrooms as the sole source severely restricts compound supply as well as further investigations, as structure–activity relationship (SAR) studies. Based on a straightforward access to the non‐proteinogenic amino acid dihydroxyisoleucine, we herein present a robust total synthesis of α‐amanitin providing options for production at larger scale as well as future structural diversifications.     

Aldehyde oxidase assay by capillary electrophoresis: From off‐line,online up to immobilized enzyme reactor

Capillary electrophoresis is a modern separation technique characterized by many benefits, which qualify it also for enzyme assays and the study of enzyme kinetics during drug development. Homogeneous or heterogeneous approaches can be followed for the enzymatic incubation. In this study, an immobilization procedure of aldehyde oxidase on magnetic particles was developed considering their integration with capillary electrophoresis. A number of magnetic nano/microparticle types were tested for this purpose, showing that aldehyde oxidase was most active when immobilized on bare silica magnetic nanoparticles. Primarily, the reusability of the enzyme immobilized on bare silica nanoparticles was tested. Three consecutive incubations with substrate could be performed, but the activity considerably dropped after the first incubation. One reason could be an enzyme detachment from the nanoparticles, but no release was detected neither at 4°C nor at 37°C during 5 h. The drop in enzymatic activity observed in consecutive incubations, could also be due to inactivation of the enzyme over time at given temperature. For the immobilized enzyme stored at 4°C, the activity decreased to 83% after 5 h, in contrast with a steep decrease at 37°C to 37%.     

Boron‐Containing Probes for Non‐optical High‐Resolution Imaging of Biological Samples

Boron has been employed in materials science as a marker for imaging specific structures by electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) or secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). It has a strong potential in biological analyses as well; however, the specific coupling of a sufficient number of boron atoms to a biological structure has proven challenging. Herein, we synthesize tags containing closo‐1,2‐dicarbadodecaborane, coupled to soluble peptides, which were integrated in specific proteins by click chemistry in mammalian cells and were also coupled to nanobodies for use in immunocytochemistry experiments. The tags were fully functional in biological samples, as demonstrated by nanoSIMS imaging of cell cultures. The boron signal revealed the protein of interest, while other SIMS channels were used for imaging different positive ions, such as the cellular metal ions. This allows, for the first time, the simultaneous imaging of such ions with a protein of interest and will enable new biological applications in the SIMS field.     

甘油氧化的光谱电化学傅里叶变换衰减全反射谱红外光谱薄膜流动池中硼酸镍层厚度的优化

在碱性甘油电氧化反应中,利用电化学傅里叶变换衰减全反射谱红外光谱法,研究了薄膜流动池中滴注硼酸镍催化剂负载量对玻碳电极性能的影响.连续操作的径向流动池包括一个位于内反射元件上方50μm的钻孔电极,可实现红外光谱分析.这是在确定条件下对电催化剂进行简便和可重复筛选的一个适合的方法,同时还提供了对复杂反应(如甘油氧化)产物选择性的检测.通过对泵送电解液进行更耗时的定量高效液相色谱分析,结果表明,衰减全反射红外光谱法可快速鉴定产物.在层流条件下,水中使用0.1 M甘油和1 M KOH,流速为5μL min-1时,甘油转化率较高.转化率和选择性取决于催化剂的负载量,负载量又决定了催化剂层的厚度和粗糙度.由于在更粗糙的膜中停留时间更长有利于再吸附和C-C键断裂,因此当负载量最高达210μg cm-2时,甘油转化率为73％且甲酸选择性接近80％.当最低负载量为13μg cm-2时,甘油转化率达到63％,甲酸选择性降至60％,相应地,C2物种(如乙醇酸盐)选择性较高,为8％.因此,只有催化剂负载量较低时才能形成几微米厚度范围内的薄膜,此时才适合进行优质催化剂的筛选.