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Eckert, Juergen

Publications and source records attributed to Eckert, Juergen.

12 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2019

Hydrogen bond dynamics and conformational flexibility in antipsychotics

Effective treatment of disorders of the central nervous system can often be achieved using bioactive molecules of similar moieties to those known to be tolerable. A better understanding of the solid-state characteristics of such molecules could thereby create new opportunities for research on pharmaceutical preparations and drug prescriptions, while information about their rich intramolecular dynamics may well add an important aspect in the field of in silico drug discovery. As such, we have investigated three different antipsychotic drugs: haloperidol (C 21 H 23 ClFNO 2 , HAL), aripiprazole (C 23 H 27 Cl 2 N 3 O 2 , APZ) and quetiapine hemifumarate (C 21 H 25 N 3 O 2 S·0.5C 4 H 4 O 4 , QTP) based on similarities either in their structures, hydrophobic and hydrophilic moieties, or in their modes of action, typical or atypical. Our aim was to test the structural and molecular stability of these three different antipsychotics. To this end, we compared the molecular vibrations observed by inelastic neutron spectroscopy of these systems with those from theoretical periodic calculations of the crystalline antipsychotics using the Vienna ab initio simulation package (VASP). While most of the observed features in the lattice region were reasonably well represented by the calculations, the overall spectra were relatively complex, and hence traditional assignment procedures for the approximately 600 normal modes in the unit cell were not possible. These results indicate that in the search for new drug candidates, not only analysis of the flexibility of the receptor, but also the dynamics of the active molecules play a role in improving the prediction of binding affinities.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2017

Raman and Infrared spectroscopies and X-ray diffraction data on bupivacaine and ropivacaine complexed with 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin

The data presented in this article are related to the research article entitled “Probing the dynamics of complexed local anesthetics via neutron scattering spectroscopy and DFT calculations. This work shows the molecular and structural behavior of the local anesthetics (LAs) bupivacaine (BVC, C 18 H 28 N 2 O) and ropivacaine (RVC, C 17 H 26 N 2 O) before and after complexation with the water-soluble oligosaccharide 2-hydroxypropyl–β–cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD).

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2016

Restricted mobility of specific functional groups reduces anti-cancer drug activity in healthy cells

Here, the most common cancer treatments currently available are radio- and chemo-therapy. These therapies have, however, drawbacks, such as, the reduction in quality of life and the low efficiency of radiotherapy in cases of multiple metastases. To lessen these effects, we have encapsulated an anti-cancer drug into a biocompatible matrix. In-vitro assays indicate that this bio-nanocomposite is able to interact and cause morphological changes in cancer cells. Meanwhile, no alterations were observed in monocytes and fibroblasts, indicating that this system might carry the drug in living organisms with reduced clearance rate and toxicity. X-rays and neutrons were used to investigate the carrier structure, as well as to assess the drug mobility within the bio-nanocomposite. In conclusion, from these unique data we show that partial mobility restriction of active groups of the drug molecule suggests why this carrier design is potentially safer to healthy cells.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2013

Evidence for viscous flow nature in Zr{sub 60}Al{sub 15}Ni{sub 25} metallic glass subjected to cold rolling

The microstructure changes of Zr{sub 60}Al{sub 15}Ni{sub 25} metallic glass upon cold rolling and their influences on the thermally induced crystallization kinetics are investigated. The results show that atomic redistribution occurs within the localized zones in the glassy matrix, resulting from the softening of the shear modulus, which retards the crystallization behaviors during the subsequent heating. The present work provides direct evidence for the viscous flow nature in a metallic glass subjected to plastic deformation, during which the softened zones act as potential shear transformation zones.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2013

Design and Synthesis of Novel Porous Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) Toward High Hydrogen Storage Capacity

Statement of Objectives: 1. Synthesize viable porous MOFs for high H2 storage at ambient conditions to be assessed by measuring H2 uptake. 2. Develop a better understanding of the operative interactions of the sorbed H2 with the organic and inorganic constituents of the sorbent MOF by means of inelastic neutron scattering (INS, to characterize the H2-MOF interactions) and computational studies (to interpret the data and predict novel materials suitable for high H2 uptake at moderate temperatures and relatively low pressures). 3. Synergistically combine the outcomes of objectives 1 and 2 to construct a made-to-order inexpensive MOF that is suitable for super H2 storage and meets the DOE targets - 6% H2 per weight (2kWh/kg) by 2010 and 9% H2 per weight (3kWh/kg) by 2015. The ongoing research is a collaborative experimental and computational effort focused on assessing H2 storage and interactions with pre-selected metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and zeolite-like MOFs (ZMOFs), with the eventual goal of synthesizing made-to-order high H2 storage materials to achieve the DOE targets for mobile applications. We proposed in this funded research to increase the amount of H2 uptake, as well as tune the interactions (i.e. isosteric heats of adsorption), by targeting readily tunable MOFs:

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2011

FINAL REPORT

Hydrogen storage systems based on the readily reversible adsorption of H{sub 2} in porous materials have a number of very attractive properties with the potential to provide superior performance among candidate materials currently being investigated were it not for the fact that the interaction of H{sub 2} with the host material is too weak to permit viable operation at room temperature. Our study has delineated in quantitative detail the structural elements which we believe to be the essential ingredients for the future synthesis of porous materials, where guest-host interactions are intermediate between those found in the carbons and the metal hydrides, i.e. between physisorption and chemisorption, which will result in H{sub 2} binding energies required for room temperature operation. The ability to produce porous materials with much improved hydrogen binding energies depends critically on detailed molecular level analysis of hydrogen binding in such materials. However, characterization of H{sub 2} sorption is almost exclusively carried by thermodynamic measurements, which give average properties for all the sites occupied by H{sub 2} molecules at a particular loading. We have therefore extensively utilized the most powerful of the few molecular level experimental probes available to probe the interactions of hydrogen with porous materials, namely inelastic neutron scattering (INS) spectroscopy of the hindered rotations of the hydrogen molecules adsorbed at various sites, which in turn can be interpreted in a very direct way in by computational studies. This technique can relate spectral signatures of various H{sub 2} molecules adsorbed at binding sites with different degrees of interaction. In the course of this project we have synthesized a rather large number of entirely new hybrid materials, which include structural modifications for improved interactions with adsorbed hydrogen. The results of our systematic studies on many porous materials provide detailed information on the effects on hydrogen binding from framework modifications, including charged frameworks and extraframework cations, from reduction in pore sizes, functionalization of the organic linking group, and most importantly, that of the various types of metal sites. We provided a clear demonstration that metal sites are most effective if the metal is highly undercoordinated, open and completely accessible to the H{sub 2} molecule, a condition which is not currently met in MOFs with intra-framework metals. The results obtained from this project therefore will give detailed direction to efforts in the synthesis of new materials that can reach the goal of a practical sorption based hydrogen storage material.

08 HYDROGEN↗
NASA NTRS1998

Effects of Cycling Conditions of Active Material From Discharged Ni Positive Plates Studied by Inelastic Neutron Scattering Spectroscopy

The objectives of this presentation are: identify atomic-level signatures of electrochemical activity of the active material on the Ni positive plates of Ni-H2 batteries, relate finding to cycling conditions and histories, and develop INS spectroscopy as a non-destructive testing technique for the evaluation of Ni-positive plates of Ni-H2 batteries.

Eckert, Juergen↗