Physico-Chemical Properties of Laponite®/Polyethylene-oxide Based Composites

This review aims to provide a literature overview as well as the authors’ personal account to the studies of Laponite® (Lap)/Polyethylene-oxide (PEO) based composite materials and their applications. These composites can be prepared over a wide range of their mutual concentrations, they are highly water soluble, and have many useful physico-chemical properties. To the readers’ convenience, the contents are subdivided into different sections, related with consideration of PEO properties and its solubility in water, behavior of Lap systems(structure of Lap-platelets, properties of aqueous dispersions of Lap and aging effects in them), analyzing ofproperties LAP/PEO systems, Lap platelets-PEO interactions, adsorption mechanisms, aging effects, aggregation and electrokinetic properties. The different applications of Lap/PEO composites are reviewed. These applications include Lap/PEO based electrolytes for lithium polymer batteries, electrospun nanofibers, environmental, biomedical and biotechnology engineering. Both Lap and PEO are highly biocompatible with living systems and they are non-toxic, non-yellowing, and non-inflammable. Medical applications of Lap/PEO composites in bio-sensing, tissue engineering, drug delivery, cell proliferation, and wound dressings are also discussed.     

Noninvasive optical characterization of hydrogels

This paper presents results based on concentration quenching of fluorescence polarization (cqfp), which demonstrate the feasibility of using cqfp to measure changes in hydrogel-membrane hydration. This is accomplished by binding fluorescent molecules to the hydrogel matrix, and showing that the fluorescence polarization is a monotonic function of fluorophore concentration. Films based on crosslinked 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate containing lissamine side groups (10⁻⁴-10⁻⁷ mol/l) were mounted in a special cell which provided an aqueous environment, and in which polarized fluorescence could be measured. An argon-ion laser provided polarized excitation at 488nm, and the polarized fluorescent emission was detected. The correlation between the fluorescence polarization and the bound dye concentration was found to correspond to the theoretically expected behavior.     

N-alkyl-C-polyfluoroalkyl-C-chlorosulfinimides RFC(Cl)SN?R

The N-alkyl-C-polyfluoroalkyl-C-chlorosulfinimides R_FC(Cl)SN R have been investigated. Some aspects of their thermal stability and their [3 + 2] and [3 + 1] cycloaddition reactions have been examined.     

The Development of Pharmacophore Models for the Search of New Natural Inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 Spike RBD–ACE2 Binding Interface

To date, some succeeding variants of SARS-CoV-2 have become more contagious. This virus is known to enter human cells by binding the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of spike protein with the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), the latter being a membrane protein that regulates the renin–angiotensin system. Since the host cell receptor plays a critical role in viral entry, inhibition of the RBD–ACE2 complex is a promising strategy for preventing COVID-19 infection. In the present communication, we propose and utilize an approach based on the generation of a complex of pharmacophore models and subsequent Induced Fit Docking (IFD) to identify potential inhibitors of the main binding sites of the Omicron SARS-CoV-2 RBD(S1)–ACE2 complex (PDB ID: 7T9L) among a number of natural products of various types and origins. Several natural compounds have been found to provide a high affinity for the receptor of interest. It is expected that the present results will stimulate further research aimed at the development of specialized drugs against this virus.     

Recent Advances in the Synthesis and Biomedical Applications of Heterocyclic NO-Donors

Nitric oxide (NO) is a key signaling molecule that acts in various physiological processes such as cellular metabolism, vasodilation and transmission of nerve impulses. A wide number of vascular diseases as well as various immune and neurodegenerative disorders were found to be directly associated with a disruption of NO production in living organisms. These issues justify a constant search of novel NO-donors with improved pharmacokinetic profiles and prolonged action. In a series of known structural classes capable of NO release, heterocyclic NO-donors are of special importance due to their increased hydrolytic stability and low toxicity. It is no wonder that synthetic and biochemical investigations of heterocyclic NO-donors have emerged significantly in recent years. In this review, we summarized recent advances in the synthesis, reactivity and biomedical applications of promising heterocyclic NO-donors (furoxans, sydnone imines, pyridazine dioxides, azasydnones). The synthetic potential of each heterocyclic system along with biochemical mechanisms of action are emphasized.     

Observables in 3d gravity and geodesic algebras

The algebra of quantum geodesics obtained by quantizing the coordinates of the Teichmller spaces is the quantumso _q(m) algebra by Nelson and Regge. Presented at the 9th Colloquium “Quantum Groups and Integrable Systems”, Prague, 22–24 June 2000.     

On Some Variants of Theorems of Schur and Baer

A well-known theorem of I. Schur states that if G is a group and G/ζ(G) is finite then G′ is finite. We obtain an analogue of this, and theorems due to R. Baer and P. Hall, for groups G that have subgroups A of Aut(G) such that A/Inn(G) is finite.     

Where to place a hole to achieve a maximal escape rate

A natural question of how the survival probability depends upon a position of a hole was seemingly never addressed in the theory of open dynamical systems. We found that this dependency could be very essential. The main results are related to the holes with equal sizes (measure) in the phase space of strongly chaotic maps. Take in each hole a periodic point of minimal period. Then the faster escape occurs through the hole where this minimal period assumes its maximal value. The results are valid for all finite times (starting with the minimal period) which is unusual in dynamical systems theory where typically statements are asymptotic when time tends to infinity. It seems obvious that the bigger the hole is the faster is the escape through that hole. Our results demonstrate that generally it is not true, and that specific features of the dynamics may play a role comparable to the size of the hole.