Effect of the π Bridge and Acceptor on Intramolecular Charge Transfer in Push–Pull Cationic Chromophores: An Ultrafast Spectroscopic and TD‐DFT Computational Study

Three (donor–π–acceptor)⁺ systems with a methyl pyridinium or quinolinium as the electron‐deficient group, a dimethyl amino as the electron‐donor group, and an ethylene or butadiene group as the spacer have been investigated in a joint spectroscopic and TD‐DFT computational study. A negative solvatochromism has been revealed in the absorption spectra, which implies a solution color change, and interpreted by considering the variation in the permanent dipole moment modulus and orientation upon photoexcitation. The fluorescence efficiency decreases upon increasing solvent polarity, in agreement with the excited‐state optimized geometries (planar in low‐polarity media and twisted in high‐polarity media). Femtosecond transient absorption has revealed the occurrence of a fast photoinduced intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) and the molecular factors that determine an efficient ICT. Considering the crucial role of the ICT in tuning the nonlinear optical (NLO) properties, these compounds can be considered promising NLO materials.     

Similar Structural Dynamics for the Degradation of CH3NH3PbI3 in Air and in Vacuum

We investigate the degradation path of MAPbI₃ (MA=methylammonium) films over flat TiO₂ substrates at room temperature by means of X‐ray diffraction, spectroscopic ellipsometry, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy. The degradation dynamics is found to be similar in air and under vacuum conditions, which leads to the conclusion that the occurrence of intrinsic thermodynamic mechanisms is not necessarily linked to humidity. The process has an early stage, which drives the starting tetragonal lattice in the direction of a cubic atomic arrangement. This early stage is followed by a phase change towards PbI₂. We describe how this degradation product is structurally coupled with the original MAPbI₃ lattice through the orientation of its constituent PbI₆ octahedra. Our results suggest a slight octahedral rearrangement after volatilization of HI+CH₃NH₂ or MAI, with a relatively low energy cost. Our experiments also clarify why reducing the interfaces and internal defects in the perovskite lattice enhances the stability of the material.     

Comparison of essential oil components and in vitro anticancer activity in wild and cultivated Salvia verbenaca

The objectives of our research were to study the chemical composition and the in vitro anticancer effect of the essential oil of Salvia verbenaca growing in natural sites in comparison with those of cultivated (Sc) plants. The oil from wild (Sw) S. verbenaca presented hexadecanoic acid (23.1%) as the main constituent, while the oil from Sc plants contained high quantities of hexahydrofarnesyl acetone (9.7%), scarce in the natural oil (0.7%). The growth-inhibitory and proapoptotic effects of the essential oils from Sw and Sc S. verbenaca were evaluated in the human melanoma cell line M14, testing cell vitality, cell membrane integrity, genomic DNA fragmentation and caspase-3 activity. Both the essential oils were able to inhibit the growth of the cancer cells examined inducing also apoptotic cell death, but the essential oil from cultivated samples exhibited the major effects.     

Chemical composition and antioxidant activity of essential oil from aerial parts of Teucrium flavum L. subsp. flavum growing spontaneously in Tunisia

The objectives of this study were to chemically characterise and evaluate the antioxidant potential of the essential oil from Teucrium flavum L. subsp. flavum growing spontaneously in Tunisia. The volatile oil was extracted by hydrodistillation of the aerial parts in a Clevenger type apparatus. Forty constituents were identified via GC and GC-MS analysis. β-caryophyllene (32.5%) and α-humulene (17.8%) were the most abundant components. The evaluation of free radical scavenging activity using stable DPPH free radical showed that the volatile oil exhibits a moderate antioxidant activity and reduces DPPH to 50% at EC₅₀ value of 1230 μg mL^? 1.     

Bioactivity and chemical composition of the essential oil from the leaves of Guatteria australis A.St.-Hil

Essential oil from the leaves of Guatteria australis was obtained by hydrodistillation, analyzed by Gas Chromatography coupled to Mass Spectromery (GC–MS) and their antiproliferative, antileishmanial, antibacterial, antifungal and antioxidant activities were also evaluated. Twenty-three compounds were identified among which germacrene B (50.66%), germacrene D (22.22%) and (E)-caryophyllene (8.99%) were the main compounds. The highest antiproliferative activity was observed against NCI-ADR/RES (TGI = 31.08 μg/ml) and HT-29 (TGI = 32.81 μg/ml) cell lines. It also showed good antileishmanial activity against Leishmania infantum (IC₅₀ = 30.71 μg/ml). On the other hand, the oil exhibited a small effect against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538, S. aureus ATCC 14458 and Escherichia coli ATCC 10799 (MIC = 250 μg/ml), as well as small antioxidant activity (457 μmol TE/g) assessed through ORAC_FL assay. These results represent the first report regarding chemical composition and bioactivity of G. australis essential oil.     

Dialkyl phosphates determination by gas chromatography: Evaluation of a microwave‐assisted derivatization†

Dialkyl phosphates are organophosphate insecticide metabolites and their urinary analysis is useful for assessing human exposure to these compounds. This study presents a sample preparation method with microwave‐assisted derivatization for two dialkyl phosphates to make the process faster before gas chromatographic analysis. The optimized conditions for derivatization procedure were: 250 μL of 2,3,4,5,6‐pentafluorobenzyl bromide 3% in acetonitrile for derivative; microwave for 5 min with intensity of 160 W. The electron ionization mass spectrometric analysis was performed using a gas chromatography with mass spectrometry QP‐2010 from the Shimadzu^® equipped with RTx^®‐5MS capillary column. Ions were monitored at selected‐ion monitoring mode at m/z 350 for diethyl thiophosphate and m/z 366 for diethyl dithiophosphate. The developed method was linear for both metabolites. The intra‐assay precision was the values ranged between 1.1 and 9.1%, for diethyl thiophosphate, and between 4.06 and 6.9%, for diethyl dithiophosphate. The interassay precision showed relative standard deviation between 10.3 and 15.1%, for diethyl thiophosphate and between 4.9 and 11.9%, for diethyl dithiophosphate. The results obtained suggests that derivatization assisted by microwave, before gas chromatography with mass spectrometry analysis, can be applied to monitoring of exposure to organophosphates once is fast, sensible, and precise method to determinate dialkyl phosphates.     

Accuracy assessment of the linear Poisson–Boltzmann equation and reparametrization of the OBC generalized Born model for nucleic acids and nucleic acid–protein complexes

The generalized Born model in the Onufriev, Bashford, and Case (Onufriev et al., Proteins: Struct Funct Genet 2004, 55, 383) implementation has emerged as one of the best compromises between accuracy and speed of computation. For simulations of nucleic acids, however, a number of issues should be addressed: (1) the generalized Born model is based on a linear model and the linearization of the reference Poisson–Boltmann equation may be questioned for highly charged systems as nucleic acids; (2) although much attention has been given to potentials, solvation forces could be much less sensitive to linearization than the potentials; and (3) the accuracy of the Onufriev–Bashford–Case (OBC) model for nucleic acids depends on fine tuning of parameters. Here, we show that the linearization of the Poisson Boltzmann equation has mild effects on computed forces, and that with optimal choice of the OBC model parameters, solvation forces, essential for molecular dynamics simulations, agree well with those computed using the reference Poisson–Boltzmann model. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Normal form for librational curves of the standard map

We present a method for constructing analytic expansions approximating librational invariant curves in the case of the so-called generalized standard map. After some preliminary changes of variables, we apply a direct Birkhoff normal form to a fixed order. The resulting system describes homotopically trivial invariant curves close to a periodic orbit. We investigate the stability of the librational curves applying a numerical method developed by J. Greene.

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Sommario Presentiamo un metodo per la costruzione di espansioni analitiche, adatte a descrivere le curve invarianti di librazione nel caso della standard map generalizzata. Dopo aver effettuato alcuni cambiamenti preliminari di variabili, calcoliamo la forma normale di Birkhoff ad un ordine fissato. Il sistema risultante descrive curve invarianti attorno ad orbite periodiche. Studiamo la stabilità di tali curve di librazione tramite un metodo numerico sviluppato da J. Greene.

     

PA66/PA12/clay based nanocomposites: morphology and physical properties

The structure and the physical properties of several polyamide 66 (PA66)/polyamide 12 (PA12) blends containing different amounts of the two polymers and obtained by melt‐blending have been investigated. A low amount of organically‐modified layered silicate (OMLS, 4 wt%) has also been introduced in order to further improve the physical properties and, in particular, to evaluate its effect on the blends' structure and components' miscibility. The microstructure and morphology of all the composites were analyzed by means of X‐Ray diffraction (WAXD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and high resolution scanning electron microscopy (SEM), while the macroscopic scale properties (mechanical behavior and water adsorption) were assessed in order to investigate and understand the materials' structure–properties relationships. The partial miscibility of PA66 and PA12, with phase separation depending on blend composition, has been confirmed. The results also underlined the possibility to tailor the behavior of polymer blends in terms of mechanical water adsorption properties by varying the amount of PA12, added to PA66 with and without the addition of the OLMS. The effectiveness of the clay in modifying the components' miscibility as well as its tendency to segregate preferentially within separate PA66 domains have been assessed. WAXD results showed opposite effects of PA12 and clay on the crystallization behavior of PA66, an aspect that has also been deepened in another paper by the same authors discussing the results of the complete thermal characterization. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.