Diversity of potential hydrogen bonds in cellulose I revealed by molecular dynamics simulation

We have performed molecular dynamics calculations using a revised version of the Gromos56A_carbo force field to understand the consequences of the different potential hydrogen bonding patterns on the structural stability and thermal behavior of the I_α and I_β forms of native cellulose. For each allomorph, we considered three patterns of hydrogen bonds: two patterns obtained from neutron diffraction data refinement and a regular mixture of the two. Upon annealing, the hydrogen bonding schemes of cellulose I_β, irrespective of the starting structure, re-arranged into the main hydrogen bond pattern experimentally observed (pattern A). On the other hand, the I_α structures, irrespective of the starting hydrogen bonding pattern, converged to a non-experimental structure where the adjacent chains are shifted along the chain direction by 0.12 nm in the hydrogen-bonded plane, and the hydroxymethyl group conformation alternates between gt and tg along the chain. The exotic structure in I_α might be a consequence of a deficiency in force field parameters and/or potential molecular arrangement in less crystalline cellulose.     

Electron Transfer in the Cs⊂{Mn4Fe4} Cubic Switch: A Soluble Molecular Model of the MnFe Prussian-Blue Analogues

A mixed-valence {Mn^II₃Mn^IIIFe^II₂Fe^III₂} cyanide-bridged molecular cube hosting a caesium cation, Cs⊂{Mn₄Fe₄}, was synthesized and structurally characterized by X-ray diffraction. Cyclic-voltammetry measurements show that its electronic state can be switched between five different redox states, which results in a remarkable electrochromic effect. Magnetic measurements on fresh samples point to the occurrence of a spin-state change near room temperature, which could be ascribed to a metal-to-metal electron transfer converting the {Fe^II−CN−Mn^III} pair into a {Fe^III−CN−Mn^II} pair. This feature was only previously observed in the polymeric MnFe Prussian-blue analogues (PBAs). Moreover, this novel switchable molecule proved to be soluble and stable in organic solvents, paving the way for its integration into advanced materials.     

Nonlinear oscillations beyond caustics

This paper studies the focusing of high-frequency solutions of semilinear hyperbolic equations. In previous papers, we studied two opposite phenomena. First, the focusing of nonlinear waves can force the solutions to blow up, even before reaching the caustics. Second, for strongly dissipative equations, nonlinear oscillations can be completely absorbed when they reach the caustic set. In this paper, we study the intermediate case of equations with globally Lipschitz nonlinearities. The nonlinear oscillations persist after crossing the caustic set. The solutions are described using oscillatory integrals, which are associated with Lagrangian manifolds in the cotangent bundle. The equations of nonlinear geometric optics lift to these manifolds. In contrast to the linear case, the transport equations for amplitudes living above the same points of spacetime are coupled. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Nanoclusters of TiO2 wetted with gold

We combined scanning tunneling microscopy and density functional theory to establish the structure-functionality relationship for nanometer-sized defects on TiO₂(1 1 0). Three-angstrom high topographically distinct dots are ascribed to stoichiometric TiO₂ nanoclusters with low coordination numbers. The under-coordinated O atoms of the nanocluster, with surface O atoms, provide exceptionally strong binding sites for Au nanoparticles. Our atomistic model elucidates a number of characteristics salient to low temperature CO oxidation by Au nanoparticles.     

Optical and redox properties of a series of 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene oligomers

The optical and redox properties of a series of 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene oligomers (EDOTn, n=1-4) and their beta,beta'-unsubstituted analogues (Tn, n=1-4) are described. Both series are end capped with phenyl groups to prevent irreversible alpha-coupling reactions during oxidative doping. Absorption and fluorescence spectra of both series reveal a significantly higher degree of intrachain conformational order in the EDOTn oligomers. Oxidation potentials (E(PA1) and E(PA2)) determined by cyclic voltammetry reveal that those of EDOTn are significantly lower than the corresponding Tn oligomers as a consequence of the electron-donating 3,4-ethylenedioxy substitution. Linear fits of E(PA1) and E(PA2) versus the reciprocal number of double bonds reveal significantly steeper slopes for the EDOTn than for the Tn oligomers. This could indicate a more effective conjugation for the EDOTn series, confirmed by the fact that coalescence of E(PA1) and E(PA2) is reached already at relatively short chain lengths ( approximately 5 EDOT units) in contrast to the Tn series (>10 thiophene units). The stepwise chemical oxidation of the EDOTn and Tn oligomers in solution was carried out to obtain radical cations and dications. The energies of the optical transitions of the radical cations and dications as determined by UV/Vis/NIR spectroscopy were similar for the two series. These spectroscopic observations are consistent with quantum-chemical calculations performed on the singly charged molecules. Cooling solutions containing T2.+, T3.+, EDOT2.+, and EDOT3.+ revealed the reversible formation of dimers, albeit with a somewhat different tendency, expressed in the values for the dimerization enthalpy.     

Photogenotoxicity of mammalian cells: a review of the different assays for in vitro testing

During the past several years, phototoxicity has been studied at the molecular level, and these studies have provided new insights in the field of DNA lesion characterization, DNA repair and cell response to ultraviolet (UV)-induced stress. The development of new antibiotics and antiinflammatory drugs has highlighted the necessity to develop the assessment of phototoxicity in the safety evaluation of new chemical compounds. This paper aims at reviewing the known molecular mechanisms of the cellular response to UV-induced stress, the in vitro methods that can be proposed and used to screen for toxicity of sunlight and the photosensitization process resulting from the activation of drugs by light. UV sources, biological systems and endpoints of interest in that particular objective are listed. Phototoxic effects span from the cytotoxic-apoptotic effect to the induction of primary DNA damage, DNA repair and a variety of stress genes acting on the cell cycle and the fate of the cell. Ultimately, it can lead to the induction of hereditary DNA modification. A variety of assays are proposed to specifically address all these particular consequences of UV-induced toxicity.     

New stereoselective reaction of methylglyoxal with 2-aminopyridine and adenine derivatives: formation of imino acid-nucleic base derivatives in water under mild conditions

A remarkable stereoselective reaction of methylglyoxal with 2-aminopyridine, the nucleic base adenine and adenine nucleosides leads in good yield to heterocycles of a new family in water under mild conditions and should be of interest in the understanding of the biological effects of methylglyoxal which is toxic, mutagenic and involved in diabetic complications.