Synthesis and Photochromic Properties of Configurationally Varied Azobenzene Glycosides

Spatial orientation of carbohydrates is a meaningful parameter in carbohydrate recognition processes. To vary orientation of sugars with temporal and spatial resolution, photosensitive glycoconjugates with favorable photochromic properties appear to be opportune. Here, a series of azobenzene glycosides were synthesized, employing glycoside synthesis and Mills reaction, to allow “switching” of carbohydrate orientation by reversible E/Z isomerization of the azobenzene N=N double bond. Their photochromic properties were tested and effects of azobenzene substitution as well as the effect of anomeric configuration and the orientation of the sugars 2-hydroxy group were evaluated.     

Highly enantioselective asymmetric reactions involving zinc ions promoted by chiral aziridine alcohols

Enantiomerically pure, chiral secondary and tertiary aziridine alcohols (including the aziridine analogue of ProPhenol—AziPhenol) have proven to be highly effective catalysts for enantioselective asymmetric reactions in the presence of zinc ions, including arylation of aromatic aldehydes, epoxidation of chalcone and addition of diethylzinc to aldehydes, leading to the desired chiral products in high chemical yields (up to 90%) and with ee’s up to 90%. A higher catalytic activity of Prophenol-type bis(aziridine alcohol) in the aforementioned asymmetric transformations has been demonstrated.     

Chemotherapy control by breath profile with application of SPME‐GC/MS method

Chemotherapy used as a treatment against lung cancer has influence on metabolic processes occurring in healthy cells. The changes of biochemical pathways proceeded inside cells might be observed in expired air. In the experiment, breath analysis was carried out before and after anticancer therapy. Expired air samples were collected from 22 patients with a biopsy confirmed lung cancer. Volatile organic compounds present in breath were analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. For enrichment of analytes solid‐phase microextraction technique was applied. Eight fibers covered by different sorbents were tested. Carboxen‐polydimethylsiloxane fiber revealed the highest extraction efficiency in relation to analytes in breath. The data showed that cytostatic drugs increase the concentration of acetone and isoprene in the breath collected after chemotherapy. Volatile metabolites of administrated drugs were not identified in expired air.     

Ground-state correlation properties of charged bosons trapped in strongly anisotropic harmonic potentials

We study systems of a few charged bosons contained within a strongly anisotropic harmonic trap. A detailed examination of the ground-state correlation properties of two-, three-, and four-particle systems is carried out within the framework of the single-mode approximation of the transverse components. The linear correlation entropy of the quasi-1D systems is discussed in dependence on the confinement anisotropy and compared with a strictly 1D limit. Only at weak interaction the correlation properties depend strongly on the anisotropy parameter.     

Solvability and continuous dependence results for second order nonlinear evolution inclusions with a Volterra-type operator

The paper deals with second order nonlinear evolution inclusions and their applications. We study evolution inclusions involving a Volterra-type integral operator, which are considered within the framework of an evolution triple of spaces. First, we deliver a result on the unique solvability of the Cauchy problem for the inclusion by combining a surjectivity result for multivalued pseudomonotone operators and the Banach contraction principle. Next, we provide a theorem on the continuous dependence of the solution to the inclusion with respect to the operators involved in the problem. Finally, we consider a dynamic frictional contact problem of viscoelasticity for materials with long memory and indicate how the result on evolution inclusion is applicable to the model of the contact problem.     

A majorization inequality for Wright-convex functions revisited

We give an elementary proof of a majorization inequality concerning Wright-convex functions.     

Molecular Recognition in Glycolaldehyde,the Simplest Sugar: Two Isolated Hydrogen Bonds Win Over One Cooperative Pair

Carbohydrates are used in nature as molecular recognition tools. Understanding their conformational behavior upon aggregation helps in rationalizing the way in which cells and bacteria use sugars to communicate. Here, the simplest α-hydroxy carbonyl compound, glycolaldehyde, was used as a model system. It was shown to form compact polar C₂-symmetric dimers with intermolecular O–H⋅⋅⋅O=C bonds, while sacrificing the corresponding intramolecular hydrogen bonds. Supersonic jet infrared (IR) and Raman spectra combined with high-level quantum chemical calculations provide a consistent picture for the preference over more typical hydrogen bond insertion and addition patterns. Experimental evidence for at least one metastable dimer is presented. A rotational spectroscopy investigation of these dimers is encouraged, also in view of astrophysical searches. The binding motif competition of aldehydic sugars might play a role in chirality recognition phenomena of more complex derivatives in the gas phase.     

Mathematical Modeling of Tidal Effects in Groundwater

This paper presents a special use of the linear poroelasticity theory to describe tidally induced groundwater oscillations. Two models of oscillation inducing mechanism make use of this theory to predict groundwater level fluctuations. The numerical solutions of both models are presented and compared with well water level measurement obtained in Police Basin, north-east Bohemia.