Poly(L‐lysine) and clay nanocomposite with desired matrix secondary structure: Effects of polypeptide molecular weight

Nanocomposites (NC) were formed using cationic poly(L ‐lysine) (PLL), a semicrystalline polypeptide, that was reinforced by sodium montmorillonite (MMT) clay via solution intercalation technique. By varying solution conditions such as pH, temperature, and polypeptide concentration in the presence of clay platelets, the secondary structure of PLL was controllably altered into α‐helical, β‐sheet, and random coil. The high molecular weight polypeptide shows a strong propensity to fold into the β‐sheet structure when cast as films, irrespective of the initial secondary structure in solution. Nanocomposite local morphology confirms intercalated MMT platelets with PLL over a wide range of compositions. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 45: 239–252, 2007.     

Spectral shift function and trace formula

The complete proofs of Krein’s theorem on the spectral shift function and the trace formula are given for a pair of self-adjoint operators such that either (i) their difference is trace-class or (ii) the difference of their resolvents is trace-class. The proofs, essentially due to Krein, is based on Herglotz’s theorem on the boundary value of the analytic functions whose imaginary part is non-negative on the upper half plane, and an almost optimal class of functions are obtained for which the trace formula is valid. Also an alternative method based on Weyl-von Neumann’s theorem for self-adjoint operators, avoiding the complex function theory and inspired by Voiculescu’s work, is given for the first case. Furthermore, some applications of the spectral shift function have been discussed.     

Use of a chiral surfactant for enantioselective reduction of a ketone

The influence of a chiral surfactant and a polymer-supported chiral additive on reduction of ketones using sodium borohydride will be described. Initial preparations involved methylation of (S)-leucinol to give (2S)-N , N-dimethyl-2-amino-4-methyl-1-pentanol (1) (67%). The chiral surfactant (2) was synthesized by reacting (1) with bromohexadecane (71%). The functionalized styrene for the polymer-supported chiral additive (5) was synthesized by reacting (1) with 4-vinylbenzyl chloride. Polymerization was carried out with 10% of the functionalized monomer (4), 5% cross-linking agent divinylbenzene, and 85% styrene with AIBN as the initiator. The activity of the chiral surfactant and polymeric additive were examined by using them as additives in a standard reduction of 2-pentanone with sodium borohydride to yield (R)- and (S)-2-pentanol (3) (20%). The resulting alcohol was analyzed by polarimetry (ee 9.5%) and also esterified with (2S)-methylbutyric acid prior to characterization by NMR. 13C NMR indicated an enantiomeric excess of 5.2% when the chiral surfactant was used, and 7% when the polymeric additive was used.     

Structural features of some small carbonyls in the 1,3nπ states: An mcscf study

Structural features of a series of tetraatomic carbonyls in the ^1,3nπ* states are studied by using a recently proposed MCSCF algorithm at the INDO/2 level. The computed geometrical parameters and the inversion barrier heights agree quite well with the available experimental or ab initio theoretical data. The calculated transition energies turn out to be somewhat lower than the experimental counterparts. The specific MCSCF algorithm used is found to have excellent convergence properties.     

Stop times in fock space stochastic calculus

Summary A stop time S in the boson Fock space over L ₂()₊ is a spectral measure in [0,] such that {S([0,t])} is an adapted process. Following the ideas of Hudson [6], to each stop time S a canonical shift operator U ^Sis constructed in . When S({}) has the vacuum as a null vector U ^Sbecomes an isometry. When S({})=0 it is shown that admits a factorisation _S]{S where _{S is the range of U ^Sand _S] is a suitable subspace of called the Fock space upto time S. This, in particular, implies the strong Markov property of quantum Brownian motion in the boson as well as fermion sense and the Dynkin-Hunt property that the classical Brownian motion begins afresh at each stop time. The stopped Weyl and fermion processes are defined and their properties studied. A composition operation is introduced in the space of stop time to make it a semigroup. Stop time integrals are introduced and their properties constitute the basic tools for the subject.     

Spectroscopic and structural features of small thiocarbonyl molecules in low-lying excited states: Further applications of a variant of the orthogonal gradient method

Structural parameters of a set of five thiocarbonyl molecules in the lowest nπ* states are calculated by using a generalized orbital optimization algorithm (a variant of the orthogonal gradient method) in an INDO MCSCF framework. Transition energies, singlet-triplet splittings, planar inversion barriers, and dipole moments in nπ* states of different spin multiplicities are reported. Predicted structural features agree reasonably well with available experimental or theoretical data. Some interesting trends are noted in the computed inversion barrier heights, singlet-triplet splittings, and dipole moments in nπ* states.     

Cell separations using targeted monoclonal antibodies against overproduced surface proteins

Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology - The capacity of polystyrene microspheres with immobilized antibodies against type 1 pili ofE. coli was measured. Using pure IgG-type monoclonal antibodies...     

Synthesis of the fungal natural product (−)-xylariamide A

The first synthesis of the fungal natural product (−)-xylariamide A 1 is reported. N,O-Bis(trimethylsilyl)acetamide induced coupling of d-tyrosine with (E)-but-2-enedioic acid 2,5-dioxo-pyrrolidin-1-yl ester methyl ester 5 produced the dechloro natural product 6, which was subsequently monochlorinated using oxone and KCl to yield synthetic 1. (−)-Xylariamide A 1, (+)-xylariamide A 2 and (−)-dechloroxylariamide A 6 displayed no cytotoxic or antimicrobial activity.     

Kinetics and mechanism of the oxidation of thiosulphate by hexachloroplatinate(IV)

Summary Rate constants for the oxidation of thiosulphate by hexachloroplatinate(IV) have been measured. The kinetics of the oxidation of thiosulphate follow a second-order rate law, first order with respect to thiosulphate and first order with respect to platinum(IV). The influence of pH is small. The rates are found to depend on the nature and concentration of the cations and follow the order: Cs⁺>Rb⁺>K⁺>Na⁺>Li⁺. The activation parameters calculated from the temperature studies are: H=42.9 k J mol^–1 and S=–102 JK^–1 mol^–1. A mechanism of the reaction in terms of intermediate formation of free radicals followed by the formation of tetrathionate is postulated to explain the kinetic behaviour.