Molecular structure, IR and Raman spectra as well as DFT chemical calculations for alkylaminoacetylureas: vibrational characteristics of dicarbonylimide bridge

The present work reports room temperature IR and Raman study of R-NH-CH2-CO-NH-CO-NH2 alkylaminoacetylureas (R=C3H7, C4H9, C5H11, C6H13, C7H15, C8H17, C9H19, C10H21, C12H25, C14H29, C16H33 and C18H37). The experimental energy levels have been compared to those obtained from DFT chemical quantum calculations performed with the use of B3LYP/6-31G (d,p) basis for the R=C3H7 derivative. Energies of 66 vibrational states have been calculated for this molecule. Its molecular symmetry was taken as C1 and was optimized in the both quantum models applied. The role of the hydrogen bond in the stabilization of the structure has been analyzed.     

Intrinsically Chiral Twist-Bend Nematogens: Interplay of Molecular and Structural Chirality in the NTB Phase

The front cover artwork is provided by Dr Rebecca Walker of the Liquid Crystals Group at the University of Aberdeen. The image is a cartoon depiction of the formation of the heliconical chiral twist-bend nematic phase (N*_TB) from its constituent bent molecules. The presence of a single enantiomer of the chiral, lactate-based liquid crystal dimers biases the formation of helices with only one handedness, unlike in the conventional N_TB phase, observed for achiral molecules, for which the left- and right-handed helices are doubly degenerate. Read the full text of the Research Article at 10.1002/cphc.202200807 .     

Simultaneous excitation of Ce and Eu ions in Tb3Al5O12

Y₃Al₅O₁₂:Ce³⁺ (YAG:Ce) and Tb₃Al₅O₁₂:Ce³⁺ (TAG:Ce) both show the typical Ce³⁺ ion luminescence of the allowed Ce³⁺ d–f transition. Eu³⁺ codoping, however, reveals different results for both matrices: in YAG:Ce,Eu, only the luminescence of the Ce³⁺ ion occurs by excitation within the Ce³⁺ absorption bands. Here, the Eu³⁺ luminescence cannot be sensitized by the Ce³⁺ ion. But in TAG:Ce,Eu, both Ce³⁺ and Eu³⁺ luminescence are measured at several excitation wavelengths: an excitation within the Tb-sublattice results in both Ce³⁺ and Eu³⁺ luminescence, which is not surprising as an energy transfer from Tb³⁺ to Ce³⁺ and Eu³⁺ is well known in literature. In addition, an excitation in the lowest 5d level of Ce³⁺ delivers Eu³⁺ luminescence at room temperature. This means that the Ce³⁺ ion can be used as a sensitizer in the TAG lattice that transfers its energy via the Tb sublattice to the activator Eu³⁺.     

Plasticized polylactide/clay nanocomposites. II. The effect of aging on structure and properties in relation to the filler content and the nature of its organo‐modification

Plasticized polylactide (PLA) – layered silicate nanocomposites were obtained by melt blending PLA with polyethylene glycol as plasticizer (20 wt %) and with different montmorillonite fillers: Cloisite® 20A, Cloisite® 25A, and Cloisite® 30B (from 1 to 10 wt %). Comparative samples of melt‐blended polylactide (without filler) and plasticized PLA with 20 wt % PEG were considered as well. Samples have been aged for 1 and 4 years and their chemical and physical characteristics were compared with not aged reference ones. It was found that molecular weight of the PLA decreased upon melt‐processing and aging, particularly when the Cloisite content increased, without a clear relation to the nature of the organo‐modifier. On the contrary, the PEG plasticizer was practically undegraded upon melt processing and aging. Structural studies revealed that plasticized PLA and plasticized PLA‐based nanocomposites are unstable in time of aging and undergo deplasticization. They showed, after aging, the presence of a thin PEG crystalline layer at the surface of the samples and improved the order in the PLA matrix to a higher extent in plasticized polylactide than in plasticized nanocomposite (due to clay stabilization effect). The amount of PEG diffusing toward sample surface was correlated with aging time, molecular weight of PLA matrix, and Cloisite® type, in clear relation to the extent of intercalation with PLA and PEG. Some modifications of the viscoelastic properties of PLA matrix, induced by the presence of both the nanoparticlate filler and the plasticizer, as well as a deterioration of the mechanical properties upon aging were observed. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 44: 312–325, 2006     

Direct High-Throughput Screening Assay for mRNA Cap Guanine-N7 Methyltransferase Activity

In eukaryotes, mature mRNA is formed through modifications of precursor mRNA, one of which is 5’ cap biosynthesis, involving RNA cap guanine-N7 methyltransferase (N7-MTase). N7-MTases are also encoded by some eukaryotic viruses and facilitate their replication. N7-MTase inhibitors have therapeutic potential, but their discovery is difficult because long RNA substrates are usually required for activity. Herein, we report a universal N7-MTase activity assay based on small-molecule fluorescent probes. We synthesized 12 fluorescent substrate analogues (GpppA and GpppG derivatives) varying in the dye type, dye attachment site, and linker length. GpppA labeled with pyrene at the 3’-O position of adenosine acted as an artificial substrate with the properties of a turn-off probe for all three tested N7-MTases (human, parasite, and viral). Using this compound, a N7-MTase inhibitor assay adaptable to high-throughput screening was developed and used to screen synthetic substrate analogues and a commercial library. Several inhibitors with nanomolar activities were identified.     

Nonlinear directional couplers with asymmetrical distribution of nonlinearity

An analytical solution is given for the nonlinear directional coupler with asymmetrically placed nonlinearity. It is shown that the distribution of nonlinearity influences the critical power value and changes the transmission characteristics.     

Seasonal variability of soil CO2 flux and its carbon isotope composition in Krakow urban area,Southern Poland

As urban atmosphere is depleted of ¹³CO₂, its imprint should be detectable in the local vegetation and therefore in its CO₂ respiratory emissions. This work was aimed at characterising strength and isotope signature of CO₂ fluxes from soil in urban areas with varying distances from anthropogenic CO₂ emissions. The soil CO₂ flux and its δ¹³C isotope signature were measured using a chamber method on a monthly basis from July 2009 to May 2012 within the metropolitan area of Krakow, Southern Poland, at two locations representing different levels of anthropogenic influence: a lawn adjacent to a busy street (A) and an urban meadow (B). The small-scale spatial variability of the soil CO₂ flux was also investigated at site B. Site B revealed significantly higher summer CO₂ fluxes (by approximately 46 %) than site A, but no significant differences were found between their δ¹³CO₂ signatures.     

Diurnal variability of delta13C and delta18O of atmospheric CO2 in the urban atmosphere of Kraków, Poland

This article presents the results of measurements of the isotopic composition and concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide, performed on air samples from Kraków (Southern Poland) in different seasons of the year. A simple isotope mass balance model has been applied to determine the contributions of different sources of CO2 to the urban atmosphere of Kraków city: the latitudinal/regional background, biospheric contributions and anthropogenic emissions. The calculations show that during the summer and early autumn the dominant contribution to local CO2 peaks is the biosphere, making up to 20% of atmospheric CO2 during the nocturnal temperature inversion in the lower troposphere. During early spring and winter, anthropogenic emissions are the main local source.