An efficient synthesis of the natural tetrahydrofuran pachastrissamine starting from D-ribo-phytosphingosine

[reaction: see text] The natural product pachastrissamine, an anhydrophytosphingosine derivative isolated from various sponges and endowed with cytotoxic activity against several human carcinoma cell lines, was synthesized in three steps and with 72% overall yield from d-ribo-phytosphingosine.     

Thermodynamics of water octamer in a uniform electric field

We study the water octamer in a uniform electric field using the all-exchanges parallel tempering Monte Carlo method in the canonical ensemble. The heat capacity, quenched energy configurations, and the order parameter Q(4) are employed to understand the phase changes observed as a function of temperature and the strength of the applied electric field. At a low field strength of 0.1 V A(-1) a solidlike to liquidlike "melting" transition is detected. The corresponding heat capacity peak appears around 206 K, where Q(4) shows a significant change of slope. For E> or =0.5 V A(-1) such features are absent. However, at E=0.5 V A(-1) we find a solidlike to solidlike transition between cubic and extended structures around T approximately 25 K.     

Determination of clavulanic acid in calf plasma by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry

A method for the quantification of clavulanic acid in calf plasma using high-performance liquid chromatography combined with electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometry, operating in the negative ionization mode (LC-MS/MS), is presented. Sample preparation includes a simple and fast deproteinization with acetonitrile and a back-extraction of the acetonitrile with dichloromethane. Chromatography is performed on a reversed-phase PLRP-S polymeric column using 0.05% formic acid in water and acetonitrile. The limit of quantification is 25 ng/ml, which is lower than other published methods using ultraviolet (UV), fluorimetric or mass spectrometric detection. The limit of detection is calculated to be 3.5 ng/ml. The stability of clavulanic acid was demonstrated according to The Guidelines of Bioanalytical Method Validation of The Food and Drug Administration (FDA): freeze and thaw stability, short-term stability, long-term stability, stock solution stability and postpreparative stability. The method is used in a pharmacokinetic and bioequivalence study of amoxycillin/clavulanic acid formulations in calves.     

Chemical transformation of prostaglandin-A2: a novel series of C-10 halogenated, C-12 hydroxylated prostaglandin-A2 analogues

[reaction: see text] Synthesis of a novel class of C-10 halogenated and C-12 oxygenated prostaglandin-A(2) derivatives (6a-6c) has been accomplished. (15S)-Prostaglandin-A(2) (1), from the gorgonian Plexaura homomalla, served as the starting material for the synthesis. The absolute configuration was determined using NMR.     

Efficient DNA Binding and Condensation Using Low Molecular Weight,Low Charge Density Cationic Polymer Amphiphiles

A new class of biodegradable cationic macromolecules for DNA binding and condensation was developed by end‐group‐functionalization of poly(trimethylene carbonate). A series of one‐ and two‐armed structures was synthesized and their interaction with DNA was evaluated. To aid data interpretation, a non‐linear modeling method was applied to show efficient DNA binding that was intimately related to cationic charge density and macromolecular architecture. One‐armed, low charge density structures were consistently found to bind to DNA at lower charge ratios than their two‐armed, high charge density counterparts. This suggests that polymer backbone structure and characteristics are important considerations in the development of efficient cationic polymer systems for DNA condensation and delivery.

     

Vibro-acoustic radiation of rigid bodies oscillating at large amplitude and low Mach number: Modelling and experiments

The acoustic radiation of vibrating bodies can usually be considered as a linear phenomenon as in most cases the vibration amplitudes of oscillating bodies are small compared to their dimension. However, in case of large amplitude and small Mach number, the large displacement amplitude of a vibrating body gives rise to geometric nonlinear acoustic effects. In this paper it is shown that the nonlinearity causes an asymmetry in the time signal of the radiated pressure as observed at a fixed position, resulting in harmonic distortion of the radiated sound field. These nonlinear effects can be analysed by the finite element method, using a linear fluid behaviour in combination with a moving mesh approach. This approach is implemented and used to predict the nonlinear sound radiation of lithographic stages oscillating at large amplitude and low Mach number. Acoustic experiments prove the validity of the analysis technique for the geometrical nonlinear phenomena. In addition the structural response of a nearby body excited by the nonlinear acoustic radiation of the stage is calculated and verified experimentally.     

Three-dimensional negative index of refraction at optical frequencies by coupling plasmonic waveguides

We identify a route towards achieving a negative index of refraction at optical frequencies based on coupling between plasmonic waveguides that support backwards waves. We show how modal symmetry can be exploited in metal-dielectric waveguide pairs to achieve negative refraction of both phase and energy. Control of waveguide coupling yields a metamaterial consisting of a one-dimensional multilayer stack that exhibits an isotropic index of -1 at a free-space wavelength of 400?nm. The concepts developed here may inspire new low-loss metamaterial designs operating close to the metal plasma frequency.     

Evaluation of piezoelectric PVDF polymers for use in space environments. II. Effects of atomic oxygen and vacuum UV exposure

The effects of atomic oxygen (AO) and vacuum UV radiation simulating low Earth orbit conditions on two commercially available piezoelectric polymer films, poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) and poly(vinylidene fluoride‐trifluoroethylene) P(VDF‐TrFE), have been studied. Surface erosion and pattern development are significant for both polymers. Erosion yields were determined as 2.8 × 10^?24 cm³/atom for PVDF and 2.5 × 10^?24 cm³/atom for P(VDF‐TrFE). The piezoelectric properties of the residual material of both polymers were largely unchanged after exposure, although a slight shift in the Curie transition of the P(VDF‐TrFE) was observed. A lightly cross‐linked network was formed in the copolymer presumably because of penetrating vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) radiation, while the homopolymer remained uncross‐linked. These differences were attributed to varying degrees of crystallinity and potentially greater absorption, and hence damage, of VUV radiation in P(VDF‐TrFE) compared with PVDF. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 43: 2503–2513, 2005     

Optimal Paths And Costs Of Adjustment In Dynamic DEA Models: With Application To Chilean Department Stores

In this paper we propose a range of dynamic data envelopment analysis (DEA) models which allow information on costs of adjustment to be incorporated into the DEA framework. We first specify a basic dynamic DEA model predicated on a number of simplifying assumptions. We then outline a number of extensions to this model to accommodate asymmetric adjustment costs, non-static output quantities, non-static input prices, and non-static costs of adjustment, technological change, quasi-fixed inputs and investment budget constraints. The new dynamic DEA models provide valuable extra information relative to the standard static DEA models—they identify an optimal path of adjustment for the input quantities, and provide a measure of the potential cost savings that result from recognising the costs of adjusting input quantities towards the optimal point. The new models are illustrated using data relating to a chain of 35 retail department stores in Chile. The empirical results illustrate the wealth of information that can be derived from these models, and clearly show that static models overstate potential cost savings when adjustment costs are non-zero. This paper arises out the senior author's PhD thesis at the University of New England, Australia. The authors gratefully acknowledge Dr. George E. Battese for his comments on earlier drafts of this work.