Chemistry of Molybdaboranes: Synthesis, Structures, and Characterization of a New Class of Open-Cage Dimolybdaheteroborane Clusters

Reaction of [Cp*MoCl(4)], 1 (Cp*= eta(5)-C(5)Me(5)), with [LiBH(4) center dot thf] in toluene at -70 degrees C, followed by pyrolysis with excess dichalcogenides RE-ER (R = Ph, CH(2)Ph, 2,6-((t)Bu)(2)-C(6)H(2)OH, (CH(3))(3)C=(t)Bu); E=S, Se) yielded a new class of hybrid clusters, 3-8: (3, [(Cp*Mo)(2)(mu-eta(1)-SPh)(2)(mu(3)-S)(H(2)BSPh)]; 4, [(CP*Mo)(2)B(5)H(8)(SPh)]; 5, [(CP*Mo)(2)B(6)H(8)(SePh)]; 6, [(CP*Mo)(2)B(2)S(2)H(2)(mu-eta(1)-S)]; 7, [(CP*Mo)(2)B(2)H(5)(BSR)(2)(mu-eta(1)-SR)], (R = 2,6-((t)Bu)(2)-C(6)H(2)OH); and 8, [(Cp*Mo)(2)B(2)H(5)(BSePh)(2)(mu-eta(1)-SePh)]. Compounds 3-8 have been isolated in modest yields as green or brown crystalline solids. In parallel with 3-8, [(CP*Mo)(2)B(5)H(9)] was isolated as a major product in all cases. The isolation and structural characterization of compounds 3 and 6-8 provided the first direct evidence of the existence of [(Cp*Mo)(2)B(4)H(8)], 2, an intermediate in the formation of [(Cp*Mo)(2)B(5)H(9)]. These new compounds have been characterized in solution by mass spectrometry, (1)H, (11)B, (13)C NMR, and IR spectroscopy, and elemental analysis. The structural types were unequivocally established by X-ray crystallographic analysis of compounds 3-8

Detection of Bacillus subtilis spores using peptide-functionalized cantilever arrays

We move beyond anti body-antigen binding systems and demonstrate that short peptide ligands can be used to efficiently capture Bacillus subtilis (a simulant of Bacillus anthracis) spores in liquids. On an eight-cantilever array chip, four cantilevers were coated with binding peptide (NHFLPKV-GGGC) and the other four were coated with control peptide (LFNKHVP-GGGC) for reagentless detection of whole B. subtilis spores in liquids. The peptide-ligand-functionalized microcantilever chip was mounted onto a fluid cell filled with a B. subtilis spore suspension for similar to 40 min; a 40 nm net differential deflection was observed. Fifth-mode resonant frequency measurements were also performed before and after dipping microcantilever arrays into a static B. subtilis solution showing a substantial decrease in frequency for binding-peptide-coated microcantilevers as compared to that for control peptide cantilevers. Further confirmation was obtained by subsequent examination of the microcantilever arrays under a dark-field microscope. Applications of this technology will serve as a platform for the detection of pathogenic organisms including biowarfare agents

Sustainable Management of Root- Knot Nematode (Meloidogyne javanica) on Brinjal

Brinjal (Solanum melongena) is an important Solanaceae family vegetable, which is grown all around the world. It is affected by various fungal, bacterial, viral, nematode diseases but it is a major host for root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne javanica. Hence, for effective management of root-knot nematode experiment was conducted in field condition using the culture filtrate (3gm/kg soil) of bio-agents (viz., Trichoderma viride, Trichoderma harzianum, Purpureocillium lilacinum, Pochonia chlamydosporia and Pseudomonas fluorescens). The findings of the experiments revealed that, when compared to the control, all of the tested bio-agents considerably improved plant development characteristics and decreased nematode populations. Among the tested bio-agents T. viride was found most effective treatment with improve plant growth characters as well as in reducing nematode population over other treatment in field condition

Surfactant assisted synthesis of nickel vanadium oxide nanostructures with strong visible-light-induced photocatalytic activity

Nickel vanadium oxide (NiV2O6) nanoparticles were effectively synthesized using hydrothermal technique by changing the surfactants. The variation in the properties of the NiV2O6 based on the surfactants like cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), polyethylene glycol (PEG) and Thio-glycolic acid (T-GA) was studied and reported. Methylene blue (MB) dye was utilized to investigate the photocatalytic activity of nickel vanadium oxide nanoparticles generated under the presence of CTAB as surfactant. The materials showed more than 80% degradation of methylene blue dye in 150 min. A putative photocatalytic process has been postulated in this paper. Nanoparticles were shown to have high photocatalytic activity and stability, according to the findings. Based on radical trapping experimental observations conducted with different scavengers such as 2-propanol, benzoquinone and EDTA, the major role played by OH−in the degradation process were reported in detail

Targeting surface voids to counter membrane disorders in lipointoxication-related diseases.

Saturated fatty acids (SFA), which are abundant in the so-called western diet, have been shown to efficiently incorporate within membrane phospholipids and therefore impact on organelle integrity and function in many cell types. In the present study, we have developed a yeast-based two-step assay and a virtual screening strategy to identify new drugs able to counter SFA-mediated lipointoxication. The compounds identified here were effective in relieving lipointoxication in mammalian β-cells, one of the main targets of SFA toxicity in humans. In vitro reconstitutions and molecular dynamics simulations on bilayers revealed that these molecules, albeit according to different mechanisms, can generate voids at the membrane surface. The resulting surface defects correlate with the recruitment of loose lipid packing or void-sensing proteins required for vesicular budding, a central cellular process that is precluded under SFA accumulation. Taken together, the results presented here point at modulation of surface voids as a central parameter to consider in order to counter the impacts of SFA on cell function.This article is freely available from the publisher's site. Click on the Additional Link above to access the full-text