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At least 595 records · Page 33

Protein3D: Enabling analysis and extraction of metal‐containing sites from the Protein Data Bank with molSimplify

Abstract Metalloenzymes catalyze a wide range of chemical transformations, with the active site residues playing a key role in modulating chemical reactivity and selectivity. Unlike smaller synthetic catalysts, a metalloenzyme active site is embedded in a larger protein, which makes interrogation of electronic properties and geometric features with quantum mechanical calculations challenging. Here we implement the ability to fetch crystallographic structures from the Protein Data Bank and analyze the metal binding sites in the program molSimplify. We show the usefulness of the newly created protein3D class to extract the local environment around non‐heme iron enzymes containing a two histidine motif and prepare 372 structures for quantum mechanical calculations. Our implementation of protein3D serves to expand the range of systems molSimplify can be used to analyze and will enable high‐throughput study of metal‐containing active sites in proteins.

Edholm, Freya↗

Impacts of Disulfide‐Containing Monomers in Alternating Diene Metathesis Polymerization

ABSTRACT Among the classes of synthetic polymers, disulfide‐containing structures offer unique opportunities due to their accessibility to redox chemistry that allows for degradation or reversible disulfide formation and exchange under mild conditions. Here, we examine the role of disulfides in olefin metathesis polymerization, specifically alternating diene metathesis (ALTMET) polymerization, for synthesizing unsaturated polyolefins with embedded disulfides. Our synthetic strategy hinged on the use of α,ω‐diacrylate monomers, including those connected by a disulfide unit, via copolymerization by the ALTMET mechanism to yield copolymers containing a range of disulfide content. In addition, the potential impacts of sulfur‐ruthenium interactions on the ALTMET process were investigated spectroscopically, while the degradation of the resultant polymers was affected by mild reducing agents. Overall, this study contributes to the development of degradable synthetic polymers using olefin metathesis methods, with an increased understanding of the potential for further use of disulfide groups in such metathesis reactions.

Lee, Kyoungwon↗

Computational modeling of the N-terminus of the human dopamine transporter and its interaction with PIP 2 -containing membranes: Modeling of DAT N-Terminus/PIP 2 Interactions

The dopamine transporter (DAT) is a transmembrane protein belonging to the family of neurotransmitter:sodium symporters (NSS). Members of the NSS are responsible for the clearance of neurotransmitters from the synaptic cleft, and for their translocation back into the presynaptic nerve terminal. The DAT contains long intracellular N- and C-terminal domains that are strongly implicated in the transporter function. The N-terminus (N-term), in particular, regulates the reverse transport (efflux) of the substrate through DAT. Currently, the molecular mechanisms of the efflux remain elusive in large part due to lack of structural information on the N-terminal segment. Here we report a computational model of the N-term of the human DAT (hDAT), obtained through an ab initio structure prediction, in combination with extensive atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations in the context of a lipid membrane. Our analysis reveals that whereas the N-term is a highly dynamic domain, it contains secondary structure elements that remain stable in the long MD trajectories of interactions with the bilayer (totaling >2.2 μs). Combining MD simulations with continuum mean-field modeling we found that the N-term engages with lipid membranes through electrostatic interactions with the charged lipids PIP 2 (phosphatidylinositol 4,5-Biphosphate) or PS (phosphatidylserine) that are present in these bilayers. We identify specific motifs along the N-term implicated in such interactions and show that differential modes of N-term/membrane association result in differential positioning of the structured segments on the membrane surface. These results will inform future structure-based studies that will elucidate the mechanistic role of the N-term in DAT function.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Effects of Sediment Containing Coal Ash from the Kingston Ash Release on Embryo-Larval Development in the Fathead Minnow, Pimephales promelas (Rafinesque, 1820)

The largest environmental release of coal ash in U.S. history occurred in December 2008 with the failure of a retention structure at the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Kingston Fossil Plant in East Tennessee. A byproduct of coal-burning power plants, coal ash is enriched in metals and metalloids such as selenium and arsenic with known toxicity to fish including embryonic and larval stages. The effects of contact exposure to sediments containing up to 78 % coal ash from the Kingston spill on the early development of fish embryos and larvae were examined in 7-day laboratory tests with the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas). No significant effects were observed on hatching success, incidences of gross developmental abnormalities, or embryo-larval survival. Results suggest that direct exposures to sediment containing residual coal ash from the Kingston ash release may not present significant risks to fish eggs and larvae in waterways affected by the spill.

Coal Ash Toxicity Fish Early Life Stages Selenium ↗

Evaluating the Lightning Strike Damage Tolerance for CFRP Composite Laminates Containing Conductive Nanofillers

Conductive nanofillers, such as carbon nanotube, graphene nanoplatelets, and carbon black particles (with diameters in nanometers) have been shown to enhance the electrical conductivity of fiber reinforced polymer matrix composites in many existing studies. The motivation is primarily for lightning strike protection, electromagnetic interference shielding, de-icing, and the manufacturing of lightweight electronic components. Here, we evaluate the lightning strike damage tolerance of carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) matrix composite laminates containing conductive nanofillers with varying weight fractions, including carbon black (CB), carbon nanotubes (CNT), and a mix of CB and CNT, through simulated lightning strike tests, followed by both non-destructive ultrasonic inspection and destructive sectioning to characterize the damage inflicted by the simulated lightning strike. Three-point flexural tests are performed to evaluate the residual strength retained by all CFRP specimens. Results show that lightning strike damage experienced varying levels of reduction for CFRP composite specimens containing conductive fillers in comparison to the baseline specimen without fillers. Notably, the delamination only penetrated to the interface between the 1st and 2nd layer for the specimen with 0.25 wt.% CNT in comparison to the baseline CFRP specimen for which the delamination penetrated to the interface between the 5th and 6th layer. Moreover, the retention of the flexural modulus increased from 26.5% to a maximum of 95.0% for the specimen with 0.25 wt.% hybrid CB and CNT. Yet, we show that using our chosen conductive fillers cannot fully eliminate lightning strike damage. Additionally, adding conductive fillers could compromise the flexural properties. We provide discussions on future recommendations on using conductive fillers for the lightning strike protection of CFRP composites.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Preparation and Characterization of Iminodiacetate Group Containing Nonwoven Polyethylene Fabrics and Its Application in Chromium Adsorption

An iminodiacetate (IDA) group containing nonwoven polyethylene (PE) film was prepared by radiation induced graft polymerization of an epoxy group containing monomer, glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) onto nonwoven PE fabric and subsequent chemical modification to IDA group. The effect of solvents (water, methanol, ethanol, isopropyl alcohol and dimethyl sulfoxide) on modification of epoxy group of GMA grafted PE (GMA-g-PE) fabric to IDA group was investigated. Ethanol provided a higher density of IDA group on GMA-g-PE fabric. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis and dynamic mechanical analysis of IDA-GMA-PE adsorbent, GMA-g-PE fabric and pure PE fabric were studied. The ability of resultant IDA adsorbent to absorb chromium from aqueous medium was evaluated by batch method. The parameters such as feeding chromium concentration, pH of chromium solution and adsorption time of IDA adsorbent were discussed. The obtained results illustrate that the IDA adsorbent could be fruitful to absorb chromium from water. The equilibrium experimental data for the adsorption of chromium on IDA adsorbent fitted Langmuir isotherm model.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Mechanical and Thermal Properties of Green Thermoplastic Elastomer Vulcanizate Nanocomposites Based on Poly (vinyl chloride) and Nitrile Butadiene Rubber Containing Organoclay and Rice Straw Natural Fibers

Green thermoplastic elastomer vulcanizates (GTPV) nanocomposites using poly (vinyl chloride) (PVC) and nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) containing 5 wt% Cloisite 30B as an organoclay and various concentrations of rice straw natural fibers were made by melt mixing process and compression molding. The effect of used organoclay and various loadings of rice straw was monitored through using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), tensile tests and rheological measurements. The morphological investigations revealed that the GTPV nanocomposites reinforced by rice straw natural fiber show a more rough fracture surfaces indicated the existence of some interactions between the natural fiber and polymer matrix. Thermal decomposition measurements revealed a higher thermal stability for GTPV nanocomposites containing higher rice straw natural fibers. The tensile test analysis suggested that there is an optimum value for the weight fraction of rice straw to enhance the Young’s modulus and tensile strength of the prepared GTPV nanocomposites up to 9 MPa and 35 MPa, respectively. The effect of rice straw loading on the Young’s modulus of the PVC/NBR/organoclay GTPV nanocomposites was predicted through using the parallel and series equations of modified Ji’s model. The results show that the theoretical model can precisely predict the variation of Young’s modulus with respect to the rice straw loading.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Transmission Properties of One-Dimensional Magneto-Optical Photonic Crystals Containing Graphene Nanolayers

Photonic crystals containing graphene nanolayers have been attracting increasing attention due to their distinctive properties. In this paper, we present a theoretical analysis on the transmission properties of magneto-photonic crystals containing graphene nanolayers by using the transfer matrix method. The investigation shows that unidirectional defect modes with high transmittance can be achieved in the proposed structure, and broad flat-top photonic conduction bands (PCBs) can also be found between the graphene-induced photonic band gap and the Bragg gap. Furthermore, the study on the PCBs indicates that the relationship between the number of PCBs (n) and the period number of the structure (N) can be expressed as n = N − 1(N = 2,3,4…). And, new and unexpected photonic band gaps among PCBs are observed. The effects of chemical potential of graphene, thickness of defect layer, and incident angle on transmission properties are also discussed. The research results may provide a valuable reference for the design and fabrication of optical communication devices, such as isolators, switches, multichannel filters, and so on.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗

Total Mercury Analysis of Radioactive Waste Containing Multiple Mercury Species

In this work, a direct mercury analyzer (DMA) was used to analyze total mercury in radioactive waste samples containing methylmercury and other forms of mercury including Hg o (elemental) together with inorganic ionic mercury species and complexes. These samples were also analyzed using Cold Vapor Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (CVAAS) and/or Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy (ICMS). Comparative statistical evaluation of the results from spike solutions/simulants, liquid radioactive waste samples, and interlaboratory performance test samples demonstrated that the various methods generated accurate and/or equivalent total mercury data and equivalent precision (2σ ± < 20%). Triplicate total mercury analysis of an exemplar radioactive waste resulted in an average value of 54.1 mg/L (as Hg) using CVAAS, 55.1 mg/L using ICPMS and 56.0 mg/L using DMA. A primary advantage of the DMA in a radioactive environment is avoiding multi-step, labor-intensive, time-consuming and waste-producing sample preparation protocols needed for CVAAS and ICPMS. DMA was determined to be the preferred method for measuring total mercury in the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) radioanalytical laboratory based on analytical performance combined with ease of use in a radiological containment unit.

38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEA↗

Characterization of terbium containing cubic zirconia crystal for high power laser applications

A magneto-active terbium containing cubic zirconia crystal is an attractive material for creating Faraday isolators thanks to a high value of its Verdet constant and low absorption coefficient. The optical anisotropy parameter of this crystal which shows the distribution of orientations of the axes of thermally induced birefringence in a thermally loaded optical element has negative value. It means that there exists a dedicated orientation of crystallographic axes, at which the axes of thermally induced birefringence are arranged in the one direction and thermally induced depolarization may be reduced substantially. For assessing potential of this crystal for high-power applications we have investigated its temperature dependence of the Verdet constant that proved to correspond to the paramagnetic behavior. Thermo-optical characteristics are also of principal importance when operating with high-power laser radiation. We present results of measurements of thermo-optical characteristics Q and P which determines values of polarization and phase distortions of passing laser radiation. Measured values can be used to determine the characteristics of Faraday isolators based terbium containing cubic zirconia crystals in various implementations of their optical schemes for various parameters of laser radiation.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

High-Temperature Corrosion of Chromia-Forming Ni-Based Alloys in CO 2 Containing Impurities

Future technologies require structural materials resistant to environmental degradation in high-temperature CO 2 -rich environments. In this work, we exposed several commercially available Ni-based alloys (230, 263, 282, 617, 625, and 740H) to atmospheric pressure gases intended to simulate the compositions expected in future direct-fired supercritical CO 2 power cycles. The alloys were exposed to 95% CO 2 + 4% H 2 O + 1% O 2 and the same gas containing 0.1% SO 2 at temperatures of 600, 650, 700, 750, and 800 °C for 2500 h. With minor exceptions, chromia scales formed on all alloys at all temperatures in the SO 2 -free gas, yielding parabolic growth rates that followed an Arrhenius temperature dependence. Behavior in the SO 2 -containing gas was more complex. Generally, the alloys performed well at temperatures of 650, 750, and 800 °C. While some alloys further performed relatively well across the whole temperature range, several of the alloys experienced chromia failure resulting in non-protective duplex oxide scales and high oxidation rates, at temperatures of 600 and 700 °C. Deviation from protective behavior was associated with internal sulfide formation and, additionally for the case of 600 °C, external sulfate formation. Extensive carburization accompanied growth of the non-protective duplex oxide scales, which made it more difficult for the alloy to recover after initiation of the sulfur-induced accelerated corrosion process. The thermodynamic and kinetic factors influencing the accelerated corrosion in the presence of sulfur are discussed. The results suggest that caution is required when assessing compatibility of Ni-based alloys for CO 2 -based systems when sulfur-based impurities are expected.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

A cis -regulatory module activating transcription in the suspensor contains five cis -regulatory elements

Little is known about the molecular mechanisms by which the embryo proper and suspensor of plant embryos activate specific gene sets shortly after fertilization. We analyzed the upstream region of the Scarlet Runner Bean ( Phaseolus coccineus ) G564 gene in order to understand how genes are activated specifically in the suspensor during early embryo development. Previously, we showed that a 54-bp fragment of the G564 upstream region is sufficient for suspensor transcription and contains at least three required cis-regulatory sequences, including the 10-bp motif (5'-GAAAAGCGAA-3'), the 10 bp-like motif (5'-GAAAAACGAA-3'), and Region 2 motif (partial sequence 5'-TTGGT-3'). Here, we use site-directed mutagenesis experiments in transgenic tobacco globularstage embryos to identify two additional cis-regulatory elements within the 54-bp cis-regulatory module that are required for G564 suspensor transcription: the Fifth motif (5'-GAGTTA-3') and a third 10-bp-related sequence (5'-GAAAACCACA-3'). Further deletion of the 54-bp fragment revealed that a 47-bp fragment containing the five motifs (the 10-bp, 10-bp-like, 10-bp-related, Region 2 and Fifth motifs) is sufficient for suspensor transcription, and represents a cis -regulatory module. A consensus sequence for each type of motif was determined by comparing motif sequences shown to activate suspensor transcription. Phylogenetic analyses suggest that the regulation of G564 is evolutionarily conserved. Lastly, a homologous cis-regulatory module was found upstream of the G564 ortholog in the Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), indicating that the regulation of G564 is evolutionarily conserved in closely related bean species.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Modern level for properties prediction of iodine-containing organic compounds: the halogen bonds formed by iodine

The modern concepts on specific features of anisotropy of the electron density of valence shells of bound atoms and chemical bonds providing the successful description of the properties of halogen bonds formed by the iodine molecule in compounds with useful physicochemical properties are generalized in the review. The prognoses of basicity by the diiodine basicity scale for the nitrogen-containing compounds are illustrated. The regularities and peculiarities of shifting bands in Raman spectra of iodine-containing organic crystals are considered. The methodical and specific problems of modeling appeared when the electronic characteristics of the iodine compounds are estimated and briefly discussed.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Ferrocene-containing tri- and tetranuclear cyclic copper(I) and silver(I) pyrazolates

New tri- and tetranuclear macrocyclic silver(I) and copper(I) 3-ferrocenyl-5-(trifluoromethyl)pyrazolates were prepared: [{(3-((η"5-C_5H_4)Fe(η"5-C_5H_5))-5-(CF_3)-Pz}M]{sub 3} (M = Cu (1), Ag (2)) and [{(3-(( η"5-C_5H_4)Fe(η"5-C_5H_5))-5-(CF_3)-Pz}Cu]{sub 4} (3). The structures of compounds were established by X-ray diffraction analysis. In the crystalline state, a planar trinuclear silver-containing macrocycliс pyrazolate and a saddle-shaped tetranuclear copper-containing macrocycle are formed. The introduction of a bulky substituent, ferrocene, into the pyrazole ligand results in complete shielding of the acidic metal sites, which precludes the coordination of base molecules.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Zinc-containing derivatives of 2-aminopyrimidine

A platform containing three anticancer components is proposed. The components are a radioactive {sup 69}mZn isotope and zinc complexes, where both zinc and ligand exhibit anticancer properties. Two zinc-containing complexes, namely (2-AP){sub 2}ZnCl{sub 2} and (2-AP){sub 2}Zn(Sal){sub 2} (AP is 2-aminopyrimidine, Sal is salicylate) were synthesized and characterized. Their cytotoxicity with respect to some leukemia cell lines is demonstrated. Their stability in physiological solution and percentage of apoptosis (by flow cytometry) are investigated. Stable complexes of compounds with the isotope {sup 69}mZn were characterized by TLC and autoradiography.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Biological activity of some sulfur- and selenium-containing spiro compounds

Cytotoxicity to K-562 leukemia cell line of two spiro compounds containing selenium or sulfur atom in their structure were compared. 4-Fluorophenyl-(1-thia-3-azaspiro[5.5]undec-2-en-2-yl]amine hydrobromide was synthesized and characterized for the first time. It was found that the introduction of a sulfur atom is more promising for this biological model, since it leads to a 3-fold increase in the therapeutic index in the case of the sulfur-containing compound.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

New magnetic nanomaterials based on ferrocene-containing polymers synthesized under ultrasonic irradiation

A new magnetic nanomaterial was obtained based on soluble ferrocene-containing poly-phenylene synthesized under ultrasonic irradiation at room temperature. The maximum magnetization of the nanomaterial containing magnetite nanoparticles was 23 G cm{sup 3} g{sup −1} in a magnetic field of 2.5 kOe. According to transmission electron microscopy results, the average size of the magnetic nanoparticles was 19 nm.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗