Tuning the nucleophilic attack and the reductive action of glycine on graphene oxide under basic medium

Amino acids are important compounds for GO functionalization because they can improve GO properties for many applications ranging from biomedicine to depollution. However, amino acids can act as nucleophiles or as reducing agents for GO functionalization or reduction, respectively. Hence, we systematically studied the GO functionalization/reduction using glycine as a model amino acid under basic conditions at room temperature. Attenuated total reflectance–Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy were used to characterize the modified GO with glycine. We found that low glycine concentrations produced an epoxide ring opening reaction, whereas an increase in glycine concentration led to GO reduction. The basic medium allowed to conserve the carboxylic acid groups, whereas the GO reduction mechanism was governed by the partial hydrolysis of epoxide groups and the subsequent reduction of carboxylic acids to carbonyls. This article opens up the opportunity to study and control the conditions in which different amino acids could be used for either GO functionalization or GO reduction.     

Limiting domain wall energy for a problem related to micromagnetics

We study the asymptotic limit of a family of functionals related to the theory of micromagnetics in two dimensions. We prove a compactness result for families of uniformly bounded energy. After studying the corresponding one‐dimensional profiles, we exhibit the Γ‐limit (“wall energy”), which is a variational problem on the folding of solutions of the eikonal equation |∇g| = 1. We prove that the minimal wall energy is twice the perimeter. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

The Influence of Martensitic Intercalations in Magnetic Shape Memory NiCoMnAl Multilayered Films

Hysteresis and transformation behavior were studied in epitaxial NiCoMnAl magnetic shape memory alloy thin films with varying number martensitic intercalations (MIs) placed in between. MIs consists of a different NiCoMnAl composition with a martensitic transformation occurring at much higher temperature than the host composition. With increasing number of intercalations, we find a decrease in hysteresis width from 17 K to 10 K. For a large difference in the layers thicknesses this is accompanied by a larger amount of residual austenite. If the thicknesses become comparable, strain coupling between them dominates the transformation process, which manifests in a shift of the hysteresis to higher temperatures, splitting of the hysteresis in sub hysteresis and a decrease in residual austenite to almost 0%. A long-range ordering of martensite and austenite regions in the shape of a 3D checker board pattern is formed at almost equal thicknesses.     

Functional plasticity and allosteric regulation of α-ketoglutarate decarboxylase in central mycobacterial metabolism

The α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase (KDH) complex is a major regulatory point of aerobic energy metabolism. Mycobacterium tuberculosis was reported to lack KDH activity, and the putative KDH E1o component, α-ketoglutarate decarboxylase (KGD), was instead assigned as a decarboxylase or carboligase. Here, we show that this protein does in fact sustain KDH activity, as well as the additional two reactions, and these multifunctional properties are shared by the Escherichia coli homolog, SucA. We also show that the mycobacterial enzyme is finely regulated by an additional acyltransferase-like domain and by?the action of acetyl-CoA, a powerful allosteric activator able to enhance the concerted protein motions observed during catalysis. Our results uncover the functional plasticity of a crucial node in bacterial metabolism, which may be important for M. tuberculosis during host infection.     

When size matters: exploring the potential of aminocyclopropenium cations as head groups in triphenylene-derived ionic liquid crystals in comparison with guanidinium and ammonium units

The influence of the size of a single ionic head group on the mesomorphic properties of hexaalkoxytriphenylenes was investigated by synthesising three derivatives with increasing head group diameter. The derivatives were investigated with optical polarising microscopy (POM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray scattering (WAXS, SAXS). For the derivative with the small trimethylammonium head group, an enantiotropic mesophase was found. The derivative with the bigger tetramethylguanidine head group only showed a monotropic phase and the derivative with the largest bisdiisopropylaminocyclopropenium head group displayed no liquid crystaline properties at all.     

Peptide Amphiphile Supramolecular Nanostructures as a Targeted Therapy for Atherosclerosis

The rising prevalence of cardiovascular disease worldwide necessitates novel therapeutic approaches to manage atherosclerosis. Intravenously administered nanostructures are a promising noninvasive approach to deliver therapeutics that reduce plaque burden. The drug liver X receptor agonist GW3965 (LXR) can reduce atherosclerosis by promoting cholesterol efflux from plaque but causes liver toxicity when administered systemically at effective doses, thus preventing its clinical use. The ability of peptide amphiphile nanofibers containing apolipoprotein A1–derived targeting peptide 4F to serve as nanocarriers for LXR delivery (ApoA1‐LXR PA) in vivo is investigated here. These nanostructures are found to successfully target atherosclerotic lesions in a mouse model within 24 h of injection. After 8 weeks of intravenous administration, the nanostructures significantly reduce plaque burden in both male and female mice to a similar extent as LXR alone in comparison to saline‐treated controls. Furthermore, they do not cause increased liver toxicity in comparison to LXR treatments, which may be related to more controlled release by the nanostructure. These findings demonstrate the potential of supramolecular nanostructures as safe, effective drug nanocarriers to manage atherosclerosis.     

Allylic C-H bond activation and functionalization mediated by tris(oxazolinyl)borato rhodium(I) and iridium(I) compounds

Allylic C-H bond oxidative addition reactions, mediated by tris(oxazolinyl)borato rhodium(I) and iridium(I) species, provide the first step in a hydrocarbon functionalization sequence. The bond activation products To(M)MH(η(3)-C(8)H(13)) (M = Rh (1), Ir (2)), To(M)MH(η(3)-C(3)H(5)) (M = Rh (3), Ir (4)), and To(M)RhH(η(3)-C(3)H(4)Ph) (5) (To(M) = tris(4,4-dimethyl-2-oxazolinyl)phenylborate) are synthesized by reaction of Tl[To(M)] and the corresponding metal olefin chloride dimers. Characterization of these group 9 allyl hydride complexes includes (1)H-(15)N heteronuclear correlation NMR experiments that reveal through-metal magnetization transfer between metal hydride and the trans-coordinated oxazoline nitrogen. Furthermore, the oxazoline (15)N NMR chemical shifts are affected by the trans ligand, with the resonances for the group trans to hydride typically downfield of those trans to η(3)-allyl and tosylamide. These group 9 oxazolinylborate compounds have been studied to develop approaches for allylic functionalization. However, this possibility is generally limited by the tendency of the allyl hydride compounds to undergo olefin reductive elimination. Reductive elimination products are formed upon addition of ligands such as CO and CN(t)Bu. Also, To(M)RhH(η(3)-C(8)H(13)) and acetic acid react to give To(M)RhH(κ(2)-O(2)CMe) (8) and cyclooctene. In contrast, treatment of To(M)RhH(η(3)-C(3)H(5)) with TsN(3) (Ts = SO(2)C(6)H(4)Me) gives the complex To(M)Rh(η(3)-C(3)H(5))NHTs (10). Interestingly, the reaction of To(M)RhH(η(3)-C(8)H(13)) and TsN(3) yields To(M)Rh(NHTs)(H)OH(2) (11) and 1,3-cyclooctadiene viaβ-hydride elimination and Rh-H bond amination. Ligand-induced reductive elimination of To(M)Rh(η(3)-C(3)H(5))NHTs provides HN(CH(2)CH=CH(2))Ts; these steps combine to give a propene C-H activation/functionalization sequence.     

Anthocyanin identification and composition of wild Vitis spp. accessions by using LC–MS and LC–NMR

The composition and concentration of anthocyanins of grape berry skins were analyzed in order to assess phenotypic variation between four grape wine varieties belonging to 4 different species: Vitis vinifera, Vitis amurensis, Vitis cinerea and Vitis X champinii. High-performance liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (LC–MS) and NMR spectroscopy (LC–NMR) were used to separate and identify the structure of anthocyanins present in these species. Combination of LC–MS and LC–NMR data resulted in the identification of 33 anthocyanins. In particular, newly reported cis isomers of p-coumaric-derivatives were identified (petunidin-, peonidin- and malvidin-3-(6-p-coumaroyl)-5-diglucoside). In V. cinerea and V. vinifera, anthocyanins were monoglucoside derivatives whereas in V. amurensis and V. X champinii, both mono- and diglucoside derivatives were identified. Malvidin-, delphinidin- and petunidin-derivatives were, respectively, the most abundant components in V. cinerea and V. vinifera, V. amurensis and V. X champinii.     

Raman fiber distributed feedback lasers

We demonstrate fiber distributed feedback (DFB) lasers using Raman gain in two germanosilicate fibers. Our DFB cavities were 124 mm uniform fiber Bragg gratings with a π phase shift offset from the grating center. Our pump was at 1480 nm and the DFB lasers operated on a single longitudinal mode near 1584 nm. In a commercial Raman gain fiber, the maximum output power, linewidth, and threshold were 150 mW, 7.5 MHz, and 39 W, respectively. In a commercial highly nonlinear fiber, these figures improved to 350 mW, 4 MHz, and 4.3 W, respectively. In both lasers, more than 75% of pump power was transmitted, allowing for the possibility of substantial amplification in subsequent Raman gain fiber.