Old drawback on azlactone formation revealed by a combination of theoretical and experimental studies

New insights into the formation of azlactone heterocycles bearing different substituents are hereby presented. The sum of both kinetic and thermodynamic factors contributes for the formation of 2-alkyl or 2-aryl substituted azlactones, while the cyclization of 2-alcoxy azlactones is less favored. These results are in perfect accordance with experimental observations obtained by infrared (IR) and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI(+)-MS) of the crude reaction mixture.

Reactivity of 5a,6-anhydrotetracycline platinum(II) complex with biological nucleophiles: a theoretical study

This paper describes a theoretical analysis of the interaction between 5a,6-anhydrotetracycline platinum(II) complex (AHTC-Pt) and some biological nucleophiles; adenine (A), guanine (G), cysteine (Cys) and methionine (Met). The aquated species [Pt(AHTC)Cl(H2O)]+ was taken as reagent for the processes studied here. For DNA bases (A and G), the calculated values for ΔGa,aq at the B3LYP/6-311+G(2d,p) level were 21.7 and 20.7 kcal mol-1 for interaction with A and G, respectively, which are in accordance with the expected behavior of faster process involving G. These values are higher than the experimental activation energy for the parent compound cisplatin (18.5 kcal mol-1 for interaction with G). For the process involving the amino-acids, the barriers were 17.6 (Cys) and 18.5 kcal mol-1 (Met), which are lower than the observed values for cisplatin (20.5 and 20.2 kcal mol-1, respectively). These outcomes show that AHTC-Pt hybrid complex may be considered a promising lead compound in the development of novel anticancer drugs based on platinum complex

A voz dos bandos: colectivos de justiça e ritos da palavra portuguesa em Timor Leste colonial

Este artigo examina as relações entre o discurso da justiça e a prática do ritual nos bandos do governo colonial português em Timor Leste, entre a segunda metade do século XIX e as primeiras décadas do século XX. Os bandos consistiam em ordens e instruções de comando emanadas pelo governador português em Díli, e comunicadas de forma cerimonial por oficiais às populações dos diversos reinos timorenses dispersos pelo país. Bandos eram um instrumento por excelência de governação colonial dos assuntos indígenas, servindo para arbitrar conflitos, punir transgressões e, em geral, instituir realidades no mundo timorense. Contudo, esta instituição assumiu igualmente uma singular expressão nos usos timorenses, servindo bandos para comunicar também as ordens de autoridades tradicionais, os liurais. O artigo acompanha as variações coloniais e indígenas que os bandos adquiriram em Timor Leste, conceptualizando-os enquanto colectivos de justiça. Ao considerar assim os bandos como colectivos – formações heterogéneas em que elementos linguísticos e não linguísticos se combinam na produção de efeitos de poder sobre as populações – o artigo propõe uma via conceptual alternativa às perspectivas linguísticas e literárias de análise do discurso colonial

The complete genome sequence of Chromobacterium violaceum reveals remarkable and exploitable bacterial adaptability

Chromobacterium violaceum is one of millions of species of free-living microorganisms that populate the soil and water in the extant areas of tropical biodiversity around the world. Its complete genome sequence reveals (i) extensive alternative pathways for energy generation, (ii) ≈500 ORFs for transport-related proteins, (iii) complex and extensive systems for stress adaptation and motility, and (iv) wide-spread utilization of quorum sensing for control of inducible systems, all of which underpin the versatility and adaptability of the organism. The genome also contains extensive but incomplete arrays of ORFs coding for proteins associated with mammalian pathogenicity, possibly involved in the occasional but often fatal cases of human C. violaceum infection. There is, in addition, a series of previously unknown but important enzymes and secondary metabolites including paraquat-inducible proteins, drug and heavy-metal-resistance proteins, multiple chitinases, and proteins for the detoxification of xenobiotics that may have biotechnological applications