Physically based molecular device model in a transient circuit simulator

Two efficient, physically based models for the real-time simulation of molecular device characteristics of single molecules are developed. These models assume that through-molecule tunnelling creates a steady-state Lorentzian distribution of excess electron density on the molecule and provides for smooth transitions for the electronic degrees of freedom between the tunnelling, molecular-excitation, and charge-hopping transport regimes. They are implemented in the fREEDA™ transient circuit simulator to allow for the full integration of nanoscopic molecular devices in standard packages that simulate entire devices including CMOS circuitry. Methods are presented to estimate the parameters used in the models via either direct experimental measurement or density-functional calculations. The models require 6–8 orders of magnitude less computer time than do full a priori simulations of the properties of molecular components. Consequently, molecular components can be efficiently implemented in circuit simulators. The molecular-component models are tested by comparison with experimental results reported for 1,4-benzenedithiol.     

Multifunctional redox catalysts as selective enhancers of oxidative stress

Certain cancer cells proliferate under conditions of oxidative stress (OS) and might therefore be selectively targeted by redox catalysts. Among these catalysts, compounds containing a chalcogen and a quinone redox centre are particularly well suited to respond to the presence of OS. These catalysts combine the specific electrochemical features of quinones and chalcogens. They exhibit high selectivity and efficiency against oxidatively stressed rat PC12, human Jurkat and human Daudi cells in cell culture, where their mode of action most likely involves the catalytic activation of existent and the generation of new reactive oxygen species. The high efficiency and selectivity shown by these catalysts makes them interesting for the development of anti-cancer drugs.     

Validation of a simple, sensitive method for the determination of beta-estradiol in bovine urine using gas-chromatography negative-ion chemical ionization mass spectrometry

A new method is presented for the analysis of 17[small beta]-estradiol in bovine urine. After deconjugation, the sample is cleaned up using an OASIS[trade mark sign] HLB disposable cartridge and extracted into 1-chlorobutane. The hormone is derivatized using pentafluorobenzoyl chloride. The derivatized estradiol is quantitated using gas-chromatography negative-ion chemical ionization mass spectrometry. Calibrations, obtained using spiked blank urine, are linear in the range of 100-1000 pg mL(-1) with CC[small alpha] approximately 170 pg mL(-1) and CC[small beta] of 287 pg mL(-1). Recoveries are in the range of 80 to 130%. The method is rugged, rapid and sensitive when compared to other hormone methods.     

Ring expansion-annulation strategy for the synthesis of substituted azulenes and oligoazulenes. 2. Synthesis of azulenyl halides, sulfonates, and azulenylmetal compounds and their application in transition-metal-mediated coupling reactions

A "ring expansion-annulation strategy" for the synthesis of substituted azulenes is described based on the reaction of beta'-bromo-alpha-diazo ketones with rhodium carboxylates. The key transformation involves an intramolecular Buchner reaction followed by beta-elimination of bromide, tautomerization, and in situ trapping of the resulting 1-hydroxyazulene as a carboxylate or triflate ester. Further synthetic elaboration of the azulenyl halide and sulfonate annulation products can be achieved by employing Heck, Negishi, Stille, and Suzuki coupling reactions. Reaction of the azulenyl triflate 84 with pinacolborane provides access to the azulenylboronate 91, which participates in Suzuki coupling reactions with alkenyl and aryl iodides. The application of these coupling reactions to the synthesis of biazulenes, terazulene 101, and related oligoazulenes is described, as well as the preparation of the azulenyl amino acid derivative 110.     

Generic continuity of restricted weak upper semi-continuous set-valued mappings

Set-valued mappings from a topological space into subsets of a Banach space which satisfy a restricted form of weak upper semi-continuity, have particularly noteworthy properties. We establish a selection theorem for certain set-valued mappings from a (-) unfavourable topological space into subsets of a Banach space and as a consequence derive the property that restricted weak upper semi-continuous set-valued mappings which satisfy a minimality condition, from a (-) unfavourable topological space into subsets of a Banach space are single-valued and norm upper semi-continuous at the points of a residual subset of their domain.     

The reaction of allenylsilanes with α,β-unsaturated acylsilanes: new annulation approaches to five and six-membered carbocyclic compounds

The reaction of α,β-unsaturated acylsilanes with allenylsilanes can be directed to produce either five or six-membered carbocyclic compounds.     

A pseudoreceptor docking study of 4,5-α-epoxymorphinans with a range of dielectric constants

Summary Thirteen 4,5-epoxymorphinan agonists with established analgesic action were docked into an Asp-Lys-His-Phe pseudoreceptor complex under a range of distance-dependent dielectric conditions. The number of compounds with potential energies of the docked complexes that agreed in rank order with corresponding analgesic potencies was determined for each condition. Two dielectric conditions, n-decane (1.991) and ethanol (24.3), enabled the greatest number of compounds to relate to their pseudoreceptors with each having 9 and 8 successes respectively. Both of these conditions demonstrated unique influences on the types of structures that were successfully docked. For example, the morphine stereoisomer -isomorphine, the geometric isomer B/C trans-morphine, and the 8-position-substituted -isomorphine were successes in the n-decane condition, whereas the ethanol condition produced the substituted codeine derivatives dihydroco-deinone and dihydroxycodeinone. These findings emphasize the importance of dielectric influence when developing force-field modeled quantitative structure-activity relationships for a closely related homologous series.     

A reoptimization of the five-site water potential (TIP5P) for use with Ewald sums

The five-site transferable interaction potential (TIP5P) for water is most accurate at reproducing experimental data when used with a simple spherical cutoff for the long-ranged electrostatic interactions. When used with other methods for treating long-ranged interactions, the model is considerably less accurate. With small modifications, a new TIP5P-like potential can be made which is very accurate for liquid water when used with Ewald sums, a more physical and increasingly more commonly used method for treating long-ranged electrostatic interactions. The new model demonstrates a density maximum near 4 degrees C, like the TIP5P model, and otherwise is similar to the TIP5P model for thermodynamic, dielectric, and dynamical properties of liquid water over a range of temperatures and densities. An analysis of this and other commonly used water models reveals how the quadrupole moment of a model can influence the dielectric response of liquid water.