Understanding β-Hydride Eliminations from Heteroatom Functional Groups

Using density functional theory, we investigated detailed aspects of the quintessential organometallic process, β-hydride elimination (BHE). In general, we find that most BHE processes from alkyl functional group β-atoms are facile, while BHE processes from heteroatom functional groups (N and O) are prohibitively high in energy. We present calculated molecular orbitals and atomic NBO charges obtained from snapshots along reaction profiles to present a qualitative overview for how heteroatoms adversely affect these processes. We discuss these results to provide an illustration for how these processes proceed, clarifying a sometimes oversimplified model for these reactions

Nonadiabatic Study of Dynamic Electronic Effects during Brittle Fracture of Silicon

It has long been observed that brittle fracture of materials can lead to emission of high energy electrons and UV photons, but an atomistic description of the origin of such processes has lacked. We report here on simulations using a first-principles-based electron force field methodology with effective core potentials to describe the nonadiabatic quantum dynamics during brittle fracture in silicon crystal. Our simulations replicate the correct response of the crack tip velocity to the threshold critical energy release rate, a feat that is inaccessible to quantum mechanics methods or conventional force-field-based molecular dynamics. We also describe the crack induced voltages, current bursts, and charge carrier production observed experimentally during fracture but not previously captured in simulations. We find that strain-induced surface rearrangements and local heating cause ionization of electrons at the fracture surfaces

Large-scale Molecular Simulations of Hypervelocity Impact of Materials

We describe the application of the ReaxFF reactive force field with short-range distance-dependent exponential inner wall corrections and the non-adiabatic electron Force Field (eFF) for studying the hypervelocity impact (HVI) effects on material properties. In particular, to understanding nonequilibrium energy/mass transfer, high strain/heat rate material decomposition, defects formation, plastic flow, phase transitions, and electronic excitation effects that arise from HVI impact of soft and hard materials on different material surfaces. Novel results are presented on the single shock Hugoniot and shock chemistry of Nylon6-6, on the hypervelocity shock sensitivity of energetic materials with planar interfacial defects and on HVI chemistry of silicon carbide surfaces with diamondoid nanoparticles. Both methods provide a means to elucidate the chemical, atomic and molecular processes that occur within the bulk and at the surfaces of materials subjected to HVI conditions and constitute a critical tool to enabling technologies required for the next generation of energy, spatial, transportation, medical, and military systems and devices, among many others. This has proven to be extremely challenging, if not impossible, for experimental observations, mainly because the material states that occur are hard to isolate and their time scales for changes are too rapid (<1 ps). First principles quantum mechanics (QM) simulation methods have also been bounded by the prohibitive scaling cost of propagating the total Schrödinger equation for more than 100 atoms at finite temperatures and pressures

Electron dynamics of shocked polyethylene crystal

Electron force field (eFF) wave-packet molecular-dynamics simulations of the single shock Hugoniot are reported for a crystalline polyethylene (PE) model. The eFF results are in good agreement with previous density-functional theories and experimental data, which are available up to 80 GPa. We predict shock Hugoniots for PE up to 350 GPa. In addition, we analyze the structural transformations that occur due to heating. Our analysis includes ionization fraction, molecular decomposition, and electrical conductivity during isotropic compression. We find that above a compression of 2.4 g/cm^3, the PE structure transforms into an atomic fluid, leading to a sharp increase in electron ionization and a significant increase in system conductivity. eFF accurately reproduces shock pressures and temperatures for PE along the single shock Hugoniot

Adamtsl3 mediates DCC signaling to selectively promote GABAergic synapse function

The molecular code that controls synapse formation and maintenance in vivo has remained quite sparse. Here, we identify that the secreted protein Adamtsl3 functions as critical hippocampal synapse organizer acting through the transmembrane receptor DCC (deleted in colorectal cancer). Traditionally, DCC function has been associated with glutamatergic synaptogenesis and plasticity in response to Netrin-1 signaling. We demonstrate that early post-natal deletion of Adamtsl3 in neurons impairs DCC protein expression, causing reduced density of both glutamatergic and GABAergic synapses. Adult deletion of Adamtsl3 in either GABAergic or glutamatergic neurons does not interfere with DCC-Netrin-1 function at glutamatergic synapses but controls DCC signaling at GABAergic synapses. The Adamtsl3-DCC signaling unit is further essential for activity-dependent adaptations at GABAergic synapses, involving DCC phosphorylation and Src kinase activation. These findings might be particularly relevant for schizophrenia because genetic variants in Adamtsl3 and DCC have been independently linked with schizophrenia in patients

Atrasentan and renal events in patients with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease (SONAR): a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial

Background: Short-term treatment for people with type 2 diabetes using a low dose of the selective endothelin A receptor antagonist atrasentan reduces albuminuria without causing significant sodium retention. We report the long-term effects of treatment with atrasentan on major renal outcomes. Methods: We did this double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial at 689 sites in 41 countries. We enrolled adults aged 18–85 years with type 2 diabetes, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR)25–75 mL/min per 1·73 m 2 of body surface area, and a urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR)of 300–5000 mg/g who had received maximum labelled or tolerated renin–angiotensin system inhibition for at least 4 weeks. Participants were given atrasentan 0·75 mg orally daily during an enrichment period before random group assignment. Those with a UACR decrease of at least 30% with no substantial fluid retention during the enrichment period (responders)were included in the double-blind treatment period. Responders were randomly assigned to receive either atrasentan 0·75 mg orally daily or placebo. All patients and investigators were masked to treatment assignment. The primary endpoint was a composite of doubling of serum creatinine (sustained for ≥30 days)or end-stage kidney disease (eGFR <15 mL/min per 1·73 m 2 sustained for ≥90 days, chronic dialysis for ≥90 days, kidney transplantation, or death from kidney failure)in the intention-to-treat population of all responders. Safety was assessed in all patients who received at least one dose of their assigned study treatment. The study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01858532. Findings: Between May 17, 2013, and July 13, 2017, 11 087 patients were screened; 5117 entered the enrichment period, and 4711 completed the enrichment period. Of these, 2648 patients were responders and were randomly assigned to the atrasentan group (n=1325)or placebo group (n=1323). Median follow-up was 2·2 years (IQR 1·4–2·9). 79 (6·0%)of 1325 patients in the atrasentan group and 105 (7·9%)of 1323 in the placebo group had a primary composite renal endpoint event (hazard ratio [HR]0·65 [95% CI 0·49–0·88]; p=0·0047). Fluid retention and anaemia adverse events, which have been previously attributed to endothelin receptor antagonists, were more frequent in the atrasentan group than in the placebo group. Hospital admission for heart failure occurred in 47 (3·5%)of 1325 patients in the atrasentan group and 34 (2·6%)of 1323 patients in the placebo group (HR 1·33 [95% CI 0·85–2·07]; p=0·208). 58 (4·4%)patients in the atrasentan group and 52 (3·9%)in the placebo group died (HR 1·09 [95% CI 0·75–1·59]; p=0·65). Interpretation: Atrasentan reduced the risk of renal events in patients with diabetes and chronic kidney disease who were selected to optimise efficacy and safety. These data support a potential role for selective endothelin receptor antagonists in protecting renal function in patients with type 2 diabetes at high risk of developing end-stage kidney disease. Funding: AbbVie

Large-scale molecular simulations of hypervelocity impact of materials

We describe the application of the ReaxFF reactive force field with short-range distance-dependent exponential inner wall corrections and the non-adiabatic electron Force Field (eFF) for studying the hypervelocity impact (HVI) effects on material properties. In particular, to understanding nonequilibrium energy/mass transfer, high strain/heat rate material decomposition, defects formation, plastic flow, phase transitions, and electronic excitation effects that arise from HVI impact of soft and hard materials on different material surfaces. Novel results are presented on the single shock Hugoniot and shock chemistry of Nylon6-6, on the hypervelocity shock sensitivity of energetic materials with planar interfacial defects and on HVI chemistry of silicon carbide surfaces with diamondoid nanoparticles. Both methods provide a means to elucidate the chemical, atomic and molecular processes that occur within the bulk and at the surfaces of materials subjected to HVI conditions and constitute a critical tool to enabling technologies required for the next generation of energy, spatial, transportation, medical, and military systems and devices, among many others. This has proven to be extremely challenging, if not impossible, for experimental observations, mainly because the material states that occur are hard to isolate and their time scales for changes are too rapid (<1 ps). First principles quantum mechanics (QM) simulation methods have also been bounded by the prohibitive scaling cost of propagating the total Schrödinger equation for more than 100 atoms at finite temperatures and pressures

Non-adiabatic dynamics modeling framework for materials in extreme conditions

Modeling non-adiabatic phenomena and materials at extremes has been a long-standing challenge for computational chemistry and materials science, particularly for systems that undergo irreversible phase transformations due to significant electronic excitations. Ab initio and existing quantum mechanics approximations to the Schrödinger equation have been limited to ground-state descriptions or few excited electronic states, less than 100 atoms, and sub-picosecond timescales of dynamics evolution. Recently, the electron force field (eFF) introduced by Su and Goddard (2007) presented a cost-efficient alternative to describe the dynamics of electronic and nuclear degrees of freedom. eFF describes an N-electron wave function as a Hartree product of one-electron floating spherical Gaussian wave packets propagating via the time-dependent Schrödinger equation under a mixed quantum–classical Hamiltonian evaluated as sum of self- and pairwise potential interactions. Local Pauli potential corrections replace the need for explicit anti-symmetrization of total electronic wavefunction, a wavefunction kinetic energy term accounts for Heisenberg’s uncertainty, and classical electrostatics complete the total eFF energy expression. However, due to the spherical symmetry of the underlying Gaussian basis functions, the original eFF formulation is limited to low-Z numbers with electrons of predominant s-character. To overcome this, we introduce here a formal set of potential form extensions that enable accurate description of p-block elements in the periodic table. The extensions consist of a model representing the core electrons of an atom together with the nucleus as a single pseudo particle with wave-like behavior, interacting with valence electrons, nuclei, and other cores through effective core pseudopotentials (ECPs). We demonstrate and validate the ECP extensions for complex bonding structures, geometries and energetics of systems with p-block character (containing silicon, oxygen, carbon, or aluminum atoms and combination thereof) and apply them to study materials under extreme mechanical loading conditions