Oscillatory and Asymptotic Behavior of Damped Functional Differential Equations

New theorems on the oscillatory and asymptotic behavior of solutions of the damped differential equations with deviating arguments of the form are established.     

The synthesis and reactins of ortho bromophenyllithium

Experimental conditions have now been developed whereby o-bromophenyllithium(II) may be prepared in excellent yields and used as an organometallic intermediate for the synthesis of a variety of ortho bromo substituted phenyl compounds (o-BrC₆H₄X). THe thermal stability, decomposition products and reactions of II wre studied. REactions between II and a variety of substrates, e.g., CO₂, dimethylformamide, fluorinated esters, hexafluorobenzene, and organosilicon chlorides were examined.     

Application of divergent multi-component reactions in the synthesis of a library of peptidomimetics based on γ-amino-α,β-cyclopropyl acids

The multi-component condensation of organozirconocene, aldimine and zinc carbenoid was applied to the stereoselective synthesis of cyclopropane amino acid derivatives. These compounds served as scaffolds for the preparation of a 46-member library. The C- and N-termini of the cyclopropane amino acid derivatives were diversified by condensations with ten amines and ten acylating agents, respectively. To improve yields and accelerate library synthesis, most products were prepared under microwave irradiation and purified by polymer-bound scavengers and SPE methodology. All compounds were analyzed by LC-MS and a representative selection was fully characterized.     

Three-component one-pot total syntheses of glyantrypine, fumiquinazoline F, and fiscalin B promoted by microwave irradiation

A microwave-promoted three-component one-pot reaction has been developed to provide access to the core pyrazino[2,1-b]quinazoline-3,6-dione (1) scaffold, which is common to several families of alkaloids with significant biological activities. By adapting this synthetic strategy through the use of selected Boc-amino acids and amino acid esters, we have accomplished highly efficient and concise total syntheses of glyantrypine (2), fumiquinazoline F (3), and fiscalin B (5), achieving overall yields of 55, 39, and 20%, respectively.     

From knowledge generation to knowledge archive. A general strategy using TOPS-MODE with DEREK to formulate new alerts for skin sensitization

A general strategy for knowledge flow concerning skin sensitization based on the combined use of TOPS-MODE and DEREK expert system is proposed. TOPS-MODE is used as a knowledge generator, while DEREK represents the knowledge archive. A TOPS-MODE classification model allows the identification of structural fragments and groups responsible for strong/moderate skin sensitization. These structural contributions are sorted, analyzed, and graphically displayed in an appropriate way allowing the identification of several structural alerts for skin sensitization. Nine structural alerts already implemented in DEREK are identified using this strategy. They comprise, among others, alkyl halides, aldehydes, alpha,beta-unsaturated compounds, aromatic amines, phenols, hydroquinone, isothiazolinone, and alkyl sulfonates. Four new hypotheses are generated using TOPS-MODE structural contributions to skin sensitization, which are not recognized as structural alerts by DEREK. They include the reduction of aromatic nitro groups and epoxidation reaction of double bonds as metabolic activation steps that can lead to reactive haptens which can trigger the skin sensitization mechanism. Another new alert is based on 1,2,5-thiadiazole-1,1-dioxide for which we have identified a possible mechanism explaining its strong skin sensitization profile. It is based on the existence of a tautomeric equilibrium and further reaction with nucleophiles, which are both supported by experimental evidence. Finally, we have identified a possible new mechanism for the skin sensitization of nonreactive compounds, which involves the formation of noncovalent complexes with proteins in a processing- and metabolism-independent way.     

The role of molecular shape in bilayer elasticity and phase behavior

A previously developed molecular level model for lipid bilayers [G. Brannigan and F. L. H. Brown, J. Chem. Phys. 120, 1059 (2004)] is extended to allow for variations in lipid length and simulations under constant surface tension conditions. The dependence of membrane elasticity on bilayer thickness is obtained by adjusting lipid length at constant temperature and surface tension. Additionally, bilayer fluidity at various lipid lengths is quantified by analysis of a length versus temperature phase diagram at vanishing tension. Regions of solid, gel-like (hexatic) and fluid bilayer behavior are established by identification of phase boundaries. The main melting transition is found to be density driven; the melting temperature scales inversely with lipid length since thermal expansion increases with lipid aspect ratio.     

Immanant positivity for Catalan-Stieltjes matrices

We give some sufficient conditions for the nonnegativity of immanants of square submatrices of Catalan-Stieltjes matrices and their corresponding Hankel matrices. To obtain these sufficient conditions, we construct new planar networks with a recursive nature for Catalan-Stieltjes matrices. As applications, we provide a unified way to produce inequalities for many combinatorial polynomials, such as the Eulerian polynomials, Schröder polynomials, and Narayana polynomials.     

Quantitative analysis of the low molecular weight serum proteome using 18O stable isotope labeling in a lung tumor xenograft mouse model

With advancements in the analytical technologies and methodologies in proteomics, there is great interest in biomarker discovery in biofluids such as serum and plasma. Current hypotheses suggest that the low molecular weight (LMW) serum proteome possesses an archive of clipped and cleaved protein fragments that may provide insight into disease development. Though these biofluids represent attractive samples from which new and more accurate disease biomarkers may be found, the intrinsic person-to-person variability in these samples complicates their discovery. Mice are one of the most extensively used animal models for studying human disease because they represent a highly controllable experimental model system. In this study, the LMW serum proteome was compared between xenografted tumor-bearing mice and control mice by differential labeling utilizing trypsin-mediated incorporation of the stable isotope of oxygen, 18O. The digestates were combined, fractionated by strong cation exchange chromatography, and analyzed by nanoflow reversed-phase liquid chromatography coupled online with tandem mass spectrometry, resulting in the identification of 6003 proteins identified by at least a single, fully tryptic peptide. Almost 1650 proteins were identified and quantitated by two or more fully tryptic peptides. The methodology adopted in this work provides the means for future quantitative measurements in comparative animal models of disease and in human disease cohorts.