Reductive Alkylation Causes the Formation of a Molten Globule-Like Intermediate Structure in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Geobacillus zalihae</Emphasis> Strain T1 Thermostable Lipase

A thermostable lipase from Geobacillus zalihae strain T1 was chemically modified using propionaldehyde via reductive alkylation. The targeted alkylation sites were lysines, in which T1 lipase possessed 11 residues. Far-UV circular dichroism (CD) spectra of both native and alkylated enzyme showed a similar broad minimum between 208 and 222 nm, thus suggesting a substantial amount of secondary structures in modified enzyme, as compared with the corresponding native enzyme. The hydrolytic activity of the modified enzymes dropped drastically by nearly 15-fold upon chemical modification, despite both the native and modified form showed distinctive α-helical bands at 208 and 222 nm in CD spectra, leading us to the hypothesis of formation of a molten globule (MG)-like structure. As cooperative unfolding transitions were observed, the modified lipase was distinguished from the native state, in which the former possessed a denaturation temperature (T _m) in lower temperature range at 61 °C while the latter at 68 °C. This was further supported by 8-anilino-1-naphthalenesulfonic acid (ANS) probed fluorescence which indicated higher exposure of hydrophobic residues, consequential of chemical modification. Based on matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) analysis, a small number of lysine residues were confirmed to be alkylated.     

Cycloaddition reactions: a controlled approach for carbon nanotube functionalization

Controlled functionalization of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) through the use of cycloaddition reactions is described. By employing various cycloaddition reactions, a wide range of molecules could be coupled onto CNTs without disruption of the structural integrity as well as with a statistical distribution of functional groups onto the surface of the CNTs. The cycloaddition reactions represent an effective and tailored approach for preparing CNT-based advanced hybrid materials that would be useful for a wide range of applications from nanobiotechnology to nanoelectronics.     

A naked-eye selective detection of cyanide ion: studies on the effect of chromophores and spacers on ditopic receptors

A series of novel thiourea based receptors (1-12) with different signaling units and spacers have been synthesized for the detection of cyanide ion. Among these receptors, 4,4'-bis-[3-(4-cyanophenyl)thiourea]diphenyl sulfide 6 and 4,4'-bis-[3-(3-cyanophenyl)thiourea]diphenyl sulfide 9 exhibited selective detection of cyanide by the naked-eye as well as by UV-Vis spectroscopy. Furthermore, the chemosensor is insensitive to the presence of other environmentally relevant anions. The chromogenic transformation permits the detection of cyanide (TBA(+) and K(+) salts) in the natural environment.     

Melamine-(H_2SO_4)_3 and PVP-(H_2SO_4)_n as solid acids:Synthesis and application in the first mono-and di-nitration of bisphenol A and other phenols

Melamine and poly vinylpyrrolidone（PVP） reacted with neat sulfuric acid readily to form two new organic solid acids namely melamine-（H₂SO₄）₃ and PVP-（H₂SO₄）_n.These solid acids were used for the first nitration of bisphenol A as well as other phenols in the presence of NH₄NO₃.Mono- and di-nitro bisphenol A have been characterized with IR and ¹H NMR techniques.     

Comparison of Planar and 3‐D Interdigitated Electrodes as Electrochemical Impedance Biosensors

It has been reported that the introduction of a dielectric barrier between adjacent digits of an interdigitated electrode array can improve the sensitivity of the array as an electrochemical impedance biosensor. Here we present an in‐depth analysis of the impedance in planar interdigitated electrodes and 3‐D interdigitated electrodes (with dielectric barriers). The analysis indicates that the planar geometry not only provides lower impedance but also a higher change impedance as a result of molecular immobilization on the electrode array surface.     

A facile method for the synthesis of copper modified amine-functionalized mesoporous zirconia and its catalytic evaluation in C-S coupling reaction

A new copper modified amine functionalized zirconia has been synthesized by a co-condensation method using zirconium butoxide and aminopropyltriethoxy-silane (APTES) in the presence of a cationic surfactant CTAB followed by impregnation of copper. Nitrogen adsorption-desorption, X-ray powder diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), (13)C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), scanning electron micrography (SEM), transmittance electron micrography (TEM), thermo gravimetric analysis-differential thermal analysis (TGA-DTA), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and UV-vis DRS spectroscopic tools are used to characterize the materials. FT-IR and DRS results indicated the incorporation of Cu and amino groups on the surface of zirconia. This Cu-anchored mesoporous material acts as an efficient, reusable catalyst in the aryl-sulfur coupling reaction between aryl iodide and thiophenol for the synthesis of value added diarylsulfides.     

Enantioselective enolate protonation in sulfa-Michael addition to α-substituted N-acryloyloxazolidin-2-ones with bifunctional organocatalyst

Organocatalytic conjugate addition of thiols to α-substituted N-acryloyloxazolidin-2-ones followed by asymmetric protonation has been studied in the presence of cinchona alkaloid derived thioureas. Both of the enantiomers are accessible with the same level of enantioselectivity using pseudoenantiomeric quinine/quinidine derived catalysts. The addition/protonation products have been converted to useful biologically active molecules.     

Extensional wave motion in homogenous isotropic thermoelastic plate by using asymptotic method

The present investigation is concerned with the study of extensional wave motion in an infinite homogenous isotropic, thermoelastic plate by using asymptotic method. The governing equation for the extensional wave motions have been derived from the system of three-dimensional dynamical equations of linear coupled theory of thermoelasticity. All coefficients of the differential operator are expressed as explicit functions of the material parameters. The velocity dispersion equation for the extensional wave motion is deduced from the three-dimensional analog of Rayleigh–Lamb frequency equation for thermoelastic plate waves. The approximations for long and short waves and expression for group velocity are also derived. The thermoelastic Rayleigh–Lamb frequency equations for the considered plate are expanded in power series in order to obtain polynomial frequency and velocity dispersion relations whose equivalence is established to that of asymptotic method. The dispersion curves for phase velocity and attenuation coefficient are shown graphically for extensional wave motion of the plates.     

Unifying fourth-order family of iterative methods

In this work, we develop a new two-parameter family of iterative methods for solving nonlinear scalar equations. One of the parameters is defined through an infinite power series consisting of real coefficients while the other parameter is a real number. The methods of the family are fourth-order convergent and require only three evaluations during each iteration. It is shown that various fourth-order iterative methods in the published literature are special cases of the developed family. Convergence analysis shows that the methods of the family are fourth-order convergent which is also verified through the numerical work. Computations are performed to explore the efficiency of various methods of the family.