Synthesis and photochemical characteristics of novel tribenzoporphyrazines possessing peripherally annulated tetrahydrodiazepine and diazepine rings

Novel tribenzoporphyrazines possessing peripherally annulated tetrahydrodiazepine and diazepine rings were synthesized and characterized, and the substituent effects on their absorption spectra in various solvents and on singlet oxygen generation were studied. Solvatochromic effects of tribenzoporphyrazines dissolved in a range of protic and aprotic solvents were evaluated by monitoring the changes in the UV-Vis spectra. The correlation between the Q-band shift towards longer wavelengths and the refractive index of the solvent indicated that the solvatochromic effects are mainly a result of solvation rather than coordination processes. The potential photosensitizing activity of novel tribenzoporphyrazines was evaluated by measuring the ability of singlet oxygen production, which is the result of the interaction between an activated photosensitizer and oxygen. This experiment proves promising photosensitizing activity of novel styryldiazepinotribenzoporphyrazine, which is an efficient singlet oxygen generator with a Φ_Δ value of 0.44, although this value is a little lower than that of zinc phthalocyanine.     

Δ(1232) axial charge and form factors from lattice QCD

We present the first calculation on the Δ axial?vector and pseudoscalar form factors using lattice QCD. Two Goldberger-Treiman relations are derived and examined. A combined chiral fit is performed to the nucleon axial charge, N to Δ axial transition coupling constant and Δ axial charge.     

The observable pressure of light in dielectric fluids

By considering a perfect reflector submerged in a dielectric fluid, we show that the Minkowski formulation describes the optical momentum transfer to submerged objects. This result is required by global energy conservation, regardless of the phase of the reflected wave. While the electromagnetic pressure on a submerged reflector can vary with phase of the mirror reflection coefficient between twice the Abraham momentum and twice the Minkowski momentum, the Minkowski momentum is always restored due to the additional pressure on the dielectric surface. This analysis also gives further evidence for use of the Minkowski stress tensor at the boundary of a dielectric interface, which has been the subject of a long-standing debate in physics and the source of uncertainty in the modeling of optical forces on submerged particles.     

Thermostability of glucose oxidase in silica gel obtained by sol-gel method and in solution studied by fluorimetric method

The thermostability of glucose oxidase entrapped in silica gel obtained by sol-gel method was studied by thermostimulated fluorescence of FAD at pH 5 and 7 and compared with that of the native enzyme in the solution and at the presence of ethanol. The unfolding temperatures were found to be lower for the enzyme immobilised in gel as compared with the native enzyme but higher as for the enzyme at the presence of ethanol. In gel, the thermal denaturation of glucose oxidase is independent on pH while in solution the enzyme is more stable at pH 5. The investigation the enzyme in different environment by steady-state fluorescence of FAD and tryptophan, synchronous fluorescence and time-resolved fluorescence of tryptophan indicates that the state of the molecule (tertiary structure and molecular dynamics) is different in gel and in solution. The ethanol produced during gel precursor hydrolysis is not the main factor influencing the thermostability of the enzyme but more important are interactions of the protein with the gel lattice.     

Global versus local QSPR models for persistent organic pollutants: balancing between predictivity and economy

Experimentally determined data on the key physicochemical parameters for halogenated congeners of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are available only for a limited number of compounds. In the absence of experimental data, a range of computational methods can be applied to characterize those species for which experimental data is not available. One of the techniques widely used in this context is quantitative structure–property relationships (QSPR) approach. There are two ways to develop the QSPR models: using a more complex global model or fitting a simple local model that covers a specific class of chemically related compounds. The essence of the study was to investigate, if local models have significantly better explanatory and predictive ability than global models with wider applicability domains. Based on the obtained results, we concluded that whenever global models fulfill all quality recommendations by OECD, they would be applied in practice as more efficient ones in state of more time consuming procedure of modeling the particular groups of POPs one-by-one. On the contrary, local models are applicable to solve specific problems (i.e., related to only one group of POPs), when high-quality experimental data are available for a sufficient number of training and validation compounds.     

Catalytic residues in hydrolases: analysis of methods designed for ligand-binding site prediction

The comparison of eight tools applicable to ligand-binding site prediction is presented. The methods examined cover three types of approaches: the geometrical (CASTp, PASS, Pocket-Finder), the physicochemical (Q-SiteFinder, FOD) and the knowledge-based (ConSurf, SuMo, WebFEATURE). The accuracy of predictions was measured in reference to the catalytic residues documented in the Catalytic Site Atlas. The test was performed on a set comprising selected chains of hydrolases. The results were analysed with regard to size, polarity, secondary structure, accessible solvent area of predicted sites as well as parameters commonly used in machine learning (F-measure, MCC). The relative accuracies of predictions are presented in the ROC space, allowing determination of the optimal methods by means of the ROC convex hull. Additionally the minimum expected cost analysis was performed. Both advantages and disadvantages of the eight methods are presented. Characterization of protein chains in respect to the level of difficulty in the active site prediction is introduced. The main reasons for failures are discussed. Overall, the best performance offers SuMo followed by FOD, while Pocket-Finder is the best method among the geometrical approaches.     

A New Fluorescent Sensor Based on 1H-pyrazolo[3,4-b]quinoline Skeleton. Part 2

A novel fluorescent dye bis-(pyridin-2-yl-methyl)-(1,3,4-triphenyl-1H-pyrazolo[3,4-b]quinolin-6-ylmethyl)-amine (P1) has been synthesized and investigated by means of steady state and time-resolved fluorescence techniques. This compound acts as sensor for fluorescence detection of small inorganic cations (lithium, sodium, barium, magnesium, calcium, and zinc) in highly polar solvents such as acetonitrile. The mechanism which allows application of this compound as sensor is an electron transfer from the electron-donative part of molecule (amine) to the acceptor part (pyrazoloquinoline derivative), which is retarded upon complexation of the electro-donative part by inorganic cations. The binding constants are strongly dependent on the charge density of the analyzed cations. The 2/1 complexes of P1 with Zn(++) and Mg(++) cations posses large binding constants. Moreover, in the presence of these cations a significant bathochromic shift of fluorescence is observed. The most probable explanation of such behaviour is the formation of intramolecular excimer. This is partially supported by the quantum chemical calculations.     

Experimental and modeling study on the pyrolysis and oxidation of n-decane and n-dodecane

High pressure n-decane and n-dodecane shock tube experiments were conducted to assist in the development of a Jet A surrogate kinetic model. Jet A is a kerosene based jet fuel composed of hundreds of hydrocarbons consisting of paraffins, olefins, aromatics and naphthenes. In the formulation of the surrogate mixture, n-decane or n-dodecane represent the normal paraffin class of hydrocarbons present in aviation fuels like Jet A. The experimental work on both n-alkanes was performed in a heated high pressure single pulse shock tube. The mole fractions of the stable species were determined using gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy. Experimental data on both n-decane and n-dodecane oxidation and pyrolysis were obtained for temperatures from 867 to 1739 K, pressures from 19 to 74 atm, reaction times from 1.15 to 3.47 ms, and equivalence ratios from 0.46 to 2.05, and ∞. Both n-decane and n-dodecane oxidation showed that the fuel decays through thermally driven oxygen free decomposition at the conditions studied. This observation prompted an experimental and modeling study of n-decane and n-dodecane pyrolysis using a recently submitted revised n-decane/iso-octane/toluene surrogate model. The surrogate model was extended to n-dodecane in order to facilitate the study of the species and the 1-olefin species quantified during the pyrolysis of n-dodecane and n-decane were revised with additional reactions and reaction rate constants modified with rate constants taken from literature. When compared against a recently published generalized n-alkane model and the original and revised surrogate models, the revised (based on our experimental work) and extended surrogate model showed improvements in predicting 1-olefin species profiles from pyrolytic and oxidative n-decane and n-dodecane experiments. The revised and extended model when compared to the published generalized n-alkane and surrogate models also showed improvements in predicting species profiles from flow reactor n-decane oxidation experiments, but similarly predicted n-decane and n-dodecane ignition delay times.     

On integrable rational potentials of the Dirac equation

The one-dimensional Dirac equation with a rational potential is reducible to an ordinary differential equation with a Riccati-like coefficient. Its integrability can be studied with the help of differential Galois theory, although the results have to be stated with recursive relations, because in general the equation is of Heun type. The inverse problem of finding integrable rational potentials based on the properties of the singular points is also presented; in particular, a general class of integrable potentials leading to the Whittaker equation is found.     

Synchronous states of slowly rotating pendula

Coupled systems that contain rotating elements are typical in physical, biological and engineering applications and for years have been the subject of intensive studies. One problem of scientific interest, which among others occurs in such systems is the phenomenon of synchronization of different rotating parts. Despite different initial conditions, after a sufficiently long transient, the rotating parts move in the same way — complete synchronization, or a permanent constant shift is established between their displacements, i.e., the angles of rotation — phase synchronization. Synchronization occurs due to dependence of the periods of rotating elements motion and the displacement of the base on which these elements are mounted.