Ascorbic acid as a potential masking agent in the tanning process. Olated chromium complexes involving ligating ascorbate and bridging sulfate groups

Two polynuclear complexes, a dimer and a tetramer, involving sulfate and hydroxo bridges and ligating ascorbate were isolated from aqueous solutions. Structural formulae are proposed on the basis of microanalytical and thermal analysis results, i.r., ¹³C-n.m.r., mass spectral data and magnetic measurements.     

On estimating a density using Hellinger distance and some other strange facts

Résumé On s'intéresse ici aux possibles vitesses d'estimation d'une densité à support compact dans ^m sous des hypothèses de régularité, lorsque la perte est mesurée par le carré de la distance de Hellinger (on regardera aussi le cas connu des normes pour 1q2) et le risque est le risque minimax sur la famille. On donne une méthode générale permettant de traiter les problèmes dans le cadre de la théorie de l'approximation sous des conditions concernant l'entropie métrique et l' -capacité des familles à estimer. Les rapports entre régularité et entropie métrique étant bien connus, nous pourrons aussi traiter les cas classiques et d'autres qui le sont moins. Sous des conditions de bornes inférieures les vitesses sont celles observées pour la norme mais elles diffèrent dans le cas général. On montre aussi que les restrictions sur la compacité du support ou la régularité sont indispensables et que leur absence mène à l'impossibilité d'obtenir une estimation raisonnable en ce sens que n'importe quelle suite d'estimateurs sera arbitrairement mauvaise en un point au moins. Un résultat analogue est vrai sous des conditions de régularité.

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This work was carried out during a visit of the author at the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute at Berkeley     

Copper(I) and silver(I) complexes of bridging bis(quinaldinyl)phenylphosphine oxide ligand

Abstract

A novel tertiary phosphine oxide containing two quinaldinyl substituents has been synthesized according to adapted literature procedures. Its coordination properties toward Cu(I) and Ag(I) were investigated and the resulting complexes were analyzed by single crystal X-ray diffraction. Multinuclear complexes are formed, wherein the ligand is bridging across two metal centers. Though for the silver complex, no argentophilic interactions are present. The copper complex was characterized further by multinuclear NMR spectroscopy at variable temperatures.     

Spectral and electrochemical investigation of 1,8-diaminonaphthalene upon encapsulation of p-sulfonatocalix[4]arene

The ligand salt, Me₆[14]diene·2HClO₄ (L·2HClO₄) was prepared by condensation of acetone and ethylene diamine in the presence of perchloric acid. On reduction of this diene ligand salt, L·2HClO₄ with sodium borohydride, the two isomeric ligands, ‘tet-a’ and ‘tet-b’ were produced. The ligands, on reaction with ZnX₂ (X=Cl, ClO₄, NO₃ or CH₃COO) and ZnSO₄ produced the corresponding complexes. These complexes have been characterized on the basis of elemental analyses; IR, UV–Vis and ¹H-NMR spectroscopies; magnetic and conductance data. Based on these data, all of the complexes of the diene ligand L, as well as the perchlorate complexes of all of the ligands attained a square-pyramidal arrangement, whereas the complexes of ‘tet-a’ and ‘tet-b’, with X=NO₃, Cl or CH₃COO and with ZnSO₄ salt, were octahedral. Moreover, all complexes were monometallic except the nitrato complex, [(ZnL)₂(µ-NO₃)](ClO₄)₃ which is bimetallic. The structure of [(ZnL)₂(µ-NO₃)](ClO₄)₃ has been confirmed by X-ray crystallography. In this complex the zinc centres lie within a N₄O donor set, with the four nitrogen donors from L and one of the oxygen atom stemming from the bridging NO₃. The complexes show different electrolytic behavior in different solvents. The antibacterial activities of the ligands and complexes towards different phytopathogenic bacteria have been investigated.     

Spectral and electrochemical investigation of p-sulfonatocalix[4]arene-stabilized vitamin E aggregation

The host–guest interaction of α-tocopherol (vitamin E) with p-sulfonatocalix[4]arene (p-SC4) in solution state is studied using emission and cyclic voltammetric techniques. The lipid soluble α-tocopherol (α-T) forms a solid complex with p-SC4. FTIR and NMR spectral analysis of the solid complex reveals the tight packing of α-T inside the cavity of p-SC4. The structural deformation is confirmed by XRD analysis. SEM images differentiate the highly porous gel like structure of vitamin E aggregate and the solid structure of the host–guest complex prepared. NOESY spectra confirm the tight penetration of α-T within the hydrophobic cavity of p-SC4.     

A comparative study of CE-SDS,SDS-PAGE,and Simple Western: Influences of sample preparation on molecular weight determination of proteins

The development of capillary electrophoresis, especially CE-SDS devices, has led CE-SDS to become an established tool in a wide range of applications in the analysis of biopharmaceuticals and is increasingly replacing its method of origin, SDS-PAGE. The goal of this study was to evaluate the comparability of molecular weight (MW) determination especially by CE-SDS and SDS-PAGE. For ensuring comparability, model proteins that have little or no posttranslational modifications and an IgG antibody were used. Only a minor influence of sample preparation conditions, including sample buffer, temperature conditions, and different reducing agents on the MW determination were found. In contrast, the selection of the MW marker plays a decisive role in determining the accurate apparent MW of a protein. When using different MW markers, the deviation in MW determination can exceed 10%. Interestingly, CE-SDS and 10% SDS-PAGE hardly differ in their trueness of MW determination. The trueness in relation to the reference MW for each protein was calculated. Although the trueness values for the model proteins considered range between 1.00 and 1.11 using CE-SDS, they range between 0.93 and 1.03 on SDS-PAGE, depending on the experimental conditions chosen.     

Controlling the Surface Functionalization of Ultrasmall Gold Nanoparticles by Sequence-Defined Macromolecules

Ultrasmall gold nanoparticles (diameter about 2 nm) were surface-functionalized with cysteine-carrying precision macromolecules. These consisted of sequence-defined oligo(amidoamine)s (OAAs) with either two or six cysteine molecules for binding to the gold surface and either with or without a PEG chain (3400 Da). They were characterized by ¹H NMR spectroscopy, ¹H NMR diffusion-ordered spectroscopy (DOSY), small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The number of precision macromolecules per nanoparticle was determined after fluorescent labeling by UV spectroscopy and also by quantitative ¹H NMR spectroscopy. Each nanoparticle carried between 40 and 100 OAA ligands, depending on the number of cysteine units per OAA. The footprint of each ligand was about 0.074 nm² per cysteine molecule. OAAs are well suited to stabilize ultrasmall gold nanoparticles by selective surface conjugation and can be used to selectively cover their surface. The presence of the PEG chain considerably increased the hydrodynamic diameter of both dissolved macromolecules and macromolecule-conjugated gold nanoparticles.     

Enzymatic Conversion of Flavonoids using Bacterial Chalcone Isomerase and Enoate Reductase

Flavonoids are a large group of plant secondary metabolites with a variety of biological properties and are therefore of interest to many scientists, as they can lead to industrially interesting intermediates. The anaerobic gut bacterium Eubacterium ramulus can catabolize flavonoids, but until now, the pathway has not been experimentally confirmed. In the present work, a chalcone isomerase (CHI) and an enoate reductase (ERED) could be identified through whole genome sequencing and gene motif search. These two enzymes were successfully cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli in their active form, even under aerobic conditions. The catabolic pathway of E. ramulus was confirmed by biotransformations of flavanones into dihydrochalcones. The engineered E. coli strain that expresses both enzymes was used for the conversion of several flavanones, underlining the applicability of this biocatalytic cascade reaction.     

Physicochemical properties of SARS-CoV-2 for drug targeting,virus inactivation and attenuation,vaccine formulation and quality control

The material properties of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and its proteins are discussed. We review the viral structure, size, rigidity, lipophilicity, isoelectric point, buoyant density and centrifugation conditions, stability against pH, temperature, UV light, gamma radiation, and susceptibility to various chemical agents including solvents and detergents. Possible inactivation, downstream, and formulation conditions are given including suitable buffers and some first ideas for quality-control methods. This information supports vaccine development and discussion with competent authorities during vaccine approval and is certainly related to drug-targeting strategies and hygienics. Several instructive tables are given, including the pI and grand average of hydropathicity (GRAVY) of SARS-CoV-1 and -2 proteins in comparison. SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2 are similar in many regards, so information can often be derived. Both are unusually stable, but sensitive at their lipophilic membranes. However, since seemingly small differences can have strong effects, for example, on immunologically relevant epitope settings, unevaluated knowledge transfer from SARS-CoV-1 to SARS-CoV-2 cannot be advised. Published knowledge regarding downstream processes, formulations and quality assuring methods is, as yet, limited. However, standard approaches employed for other viruses and vaccines seem to be feasible including virus inactivation, centrifugation conditions, and the use of adjuvants.