Impacts of Diffuse Radiation on Light Use Efficiency across Terrestrial Ecosystems Based on Eddy Covariance Observation in China

Ecosystem light use efficiency (LUE) is a key factor of production models for gross primary production (GPP) predictions. Previous studies revealed that ecosystem LUE could be significantly enhanced by an increase on diffuse radiation. Under large spatial heterogeneity and increasing annual diffuse radiation in China, eddy covariance flux data at 6 sites across different ecosystems from 2003 to 2007 were used to investigate the impacts of diffuse radiation indicated by the cloudiness index (CI) on ecosystem LUE in grassland and forest ecosystems. Our results showed that the ecosystem LUE at the six sites was significantly correlated with the cloudiness variation (0.24≤R²≤0.85), especially at the Changbaishan temperate forest ecosystem (R² = 0.85). Meanwhile, the CI values appeared more frequently between 0.8 and 1.0 in two subtropical forest ecosystems (Qianyanzhou and Dinghushan) and were much larger than those in temperate ecosystems. Besides, cloudiness thresholds which were favorable for enhancing ecosystem carbon sequestration existed at the three forest sites, respectively. Our research confirmed that the ecosystem LUE at the six sites in China was positively responsive to the diffuse radiation, and the cloudiness index could be used as an environmental regulator for LUE modeling in regional GPP prediction.     

Deriving a light use efficiency estimation algorithm using in situ hyperspectral and eddy covariance measurements for a maize canopy in Northeast China

We estimated the light use efficiency (LUE ) via vegetation canopy chlorophyll content (CCC _canopy) based on in situ measurements of spectral reflectance, biophysical characteristics, ecosystem CO ₂ fluxes and micrometeorological factors over a maize canopy in Northeast China. The results showed that among the common chlorophyll‐related vegetation indices (VI s), CCC _canopy had the most obviously exponential relationships with the red edge position (REP ) (R ² = .97, p  <  .001) and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI ) (R ² = .91, p  <  .001). In a comparison of the indicating performances of NDVI , ratio vegetation index (RVI ), wide dynamic range vegetation index (WDRVI ), and 2‐band enhanced vegetation index (EVI 2) when estimating CCC _canopy using all of the possible combinations of two separate wavelengths in the range 400?1300 nm, EVI 2 [1214, 1259] and EVI 2 [726, 1248] were better indicators, with R ² values of .92 and .90 (p  <  .001). Remotely monitoring LUE through estimating CCC _canopy derived from field spectrometry data provided accurate prediction of midday gross primary productivity (GPP ) in a rainfed maize agro‐ecosystem (R ² = .95, p  <  .001). This study provides a new paradigm for monitoring vegetation GPP based on the combination of LUE models with plant physiological properties.     

Synthesis and characterization of silver(I) derivatives containing acylpyrazolonate and phosphino ligands: X-ray crystal structures of monomeric [Ag(Q)(PPh3)2] and of dimeric [{Ag(Q)(PiBu3)}2] (Q = 1-phenyl-3-methyl-4-tert-butylacetylpyrazolon-5-ato)

New silver(I) acylpyrazolonate derivatives [Ag(Q)], [Ag(Q)(PR₃)]₂ and [Ag(Q)(PR₃)₂] (HQ = 1-R¹-3-methyl-4-R²(CO)pyrazol-5-one, HQ^Bn = R¹ = C₆H₅, R² = CH₂C₆H₅; HQ^CHPh2 = R¹ = C₆H₅, R² = CH(C₆H₅)₂; HQ^nPe = R¹ = C₆H₅, R² = CH₂C(CH₃)₃; HQ^tBu = R¹ = C₆H₅, R² = C(CH₃)₃; HQ^fMe = R¹ = C₆H₄-p-CF₃, R² = CF₃; HQ^fEt = R¹ = C₆H₅, R² = CF₂CF₃; R = Ph or iBu) have been synthesized and characterized in the solid state and solution. The crystal structure of 1-(4-trifluoromethylphenyl)-3-methyl-5-pyrazolone, the precursor of proligand HQ^fMe and of derivatives [Ag(Q^nPe)(PPh₃)₂] and [Ag(Q^nPe)(PiBu₃)]₂ have been investigated. [Ag(Q^nPe)(PPh₃)₂] is a mononuclear compound with a silver atom in a tetrahedrally distorted AgO₂P₂ environment, whereas [Ag(Q^nPe)(PiBu₃)]₂ is a dinuclear compound with two O₂N-exotridentate bridging acylpyrazolonate ligands connecting both silver atoms, their coordination environment being completed by a phosphine ligand.     

Bimetallic copper(II) and zinc(II) complexes of acyclic Schiff base ligands derived from amino acids

The acyclic Schiff-base ligands (2-(OH)-5-(R³)C₆H₂-1,3-(HCNC(R¹)(R²)CO₂H), derived from the dialdehyde 2-hydroxy-5-R-1,3-benzenedicarboxaldehyde (R = Me or t-Bu) and two equivalents of the amino acids glycine, 2,2-diphenylglycine or phenylalanine, have been reacted with the metal acetates M(OAc)₂ (M = Cu, Zn) in the presence of triethylamine, affording the complexes [HNEt₃][M₂(CH₃CO₂)₂(2-(O)-5-(t-Bu)C₆H₂-1,3-(HCNC(R¹)(R²)CO₂)₂] (M = Cu, R¹ = R² = C₆H₅, R³ = Me (1); M = Zn, R¹ = R² = H, R³ = t-Bu (2); M = Zn, R¹ = R² = C₆H₅, R³ = t-Bu (3); M = Zn, R¹ = H, R² = CH₂C₆H₅, R³ = t-Bu (4)) in good yields. The crystal structures of 1·MeCN, 2·, 3·2MeOH, and 4·3MeOH have been determined.     

Synthesis and characterization of metallatranes with phenyl substituents in atrane cage

A new series of mono- and diphenylsubstituted silatranes and boratranes N(CH₂CH₂O)₂(CHR³CR¹R²O)MZ (M = Si, Z = CH₂Cl, CCPh, H, OMenth, R¹, R², R³ = H, Ph; M = B, Z = nothing, R¹, R², R³ = H, Ph) have been synthesized. Both transalkoxylation and stepwise modification of a preformed metallatrane skeleton were used. The chloromethyl derivatives N(CH₂CH₂O)₂(CHRCHRO)SiCH₂Cl (R = H, Ph) react with tert-BuOK under intramolecular cycle expansion to give 1-tert-butoxy-2-carba-3-oxahomosilatranes N(CH₂CH₂O)(CH₂CH₂OCH₂)(CHRCHRO)SiO^tBu (R = H, Ph). The treatment of boratranes N(CH₂CH₂O)₂(CH₂CR¹R²O)B (R¹,R² = H, Ph) with triflic acid and trimethylsilyl triflate results in the products of electrophilic attack at the nitrogen atom. The molecular structures of four silatranes and one boratrane bearing phenyl groups in the atrane skeleton were determined by the X-ray structure analysis.     

Morphological and physiological adaptive traits of Mediterranean narrow endemic plants: The case of Centaurea gymnocarpa (Capraia Island,Italy)

A case study on Centaurea gymnocarpa Moris & De Not., a narrow endemic species, was carried out by analyzing its morphological, anatomical, and physiological traits in response to natural habitat stress factors under Mediterranean climate conditions. The results underline that the species is particularly adapted to the environment where it naturally grows. At the plant level, the above-ground/below-ground dry mass (1.73 ± 0.60) shows its investment predominately in the above-ground structure with a resulting total leaf area per plant of 1399 ± 94 cm². The senescent attached leaves at the base of the plant contribute to limit leaf transpiration by shading soil around the plant. Moreover, the dense C. gymnocarpa leaf pubescence, leaf rolling, the relatively high leaf mass area (LMA = 12.3 ± 1.3 mg cm⁻²) and leaf tissue density (LTD = 427 ± 44 mg cm⁻³) contribute to limit leaf transpiration, also postponing leaf death under dry conditions. At the physiological level, a relatively low respiration/photosynthesis ratio (R/P_N) in spring results from high R [2.26 ± 0.59 μmol (CO₂) m⁻² s⁻¹] and P_N [12.3 ± 1.5 μmol (CO₂) m⁻² s⁻¹]. The high photosynthetic nitrogen use efficiency [PNUE = 15.5 ± 0.4 μmol (CO₂) g⁻¹ (N) s⁻¹] shows the large amount of nitrogen (N) invested in the photosynthetic machinery of new leaves, associated to a high chlorophyll content (Chl = 35 ± 5 SPAD units). On the contrary, the highest R/P_N ratio (1.75 ± 0.19) in summer is due to a significant P_N decrease and increase of R in response to drought. The low PNUE [1.5 ± 0.2 μmol (CO₂) g⁻¹ (N) s⁻¹] in this season is indicative of a greater N investment in leaf cell walls which may contribute to limit transpiration. On the contrary, the low R/P_N ratio (0.05 ± 0.02) in winter is resulting from the limited enzyme activity of the respiratory apparatus [R = 0.23 ± 0.08 μmol (CO₂) m⁻² s⁻¹] while the low PNUE [3.5 ± 0.2 μmol (CO₂) g⁻¹ (N) s⁻¹] suggests that low temperatures additionally limit plant production. The experiment of the imposed water stress confirms that the C. gymnocarpa growth capability is in conformity with the severe conditions of its natural habitat, likewise as it may be the case with others narrow endemic species that have occupied niches with similar extreme conditions.     

Chronic photoinhibition in seedlings of tropical trees

Seedlings of five canopy species of tropical trees from Costa Rica and Puerto Rico were grown in full shade (midday range of photosynthetic photon flux density [PPFD], 100–140 μmol m^?2 s^?1), partial shade (midday PPFD, 400–600 μmol m^?2 s^?1) and full sun (midday PPFD, 1 500–1 800 μmol m^?2 s^?1) for 3 months. The species were Ochroma lagopus (Bombacaceae), a pioneer species; Inga edulis (Fabaceae), found in secondary forest; and Dipteryx panamensis (Fabaceae), Hampea appendiculata (Malvaceae), and Manilkara bidentata (Sapotaceae), three species characteristic of primary forest. After the plants were placed in the dark overnight, chlorophyll fluorescence characteristics were measured for recently expanded and mature leaves. The ratio of variable fluorescence to maximum fluorescence (F_v/F_m) was used to estimate the degree of chronic photoinhibition. Only individuals of one species, Dipteryx panamensis, showed significant depression of F_v/F_m after long-term exposure to full sun. The depression was highly correlated with quantum yield of O₂ evolution which also declined after exposure to full sun. The decline may have been related to foliar N concentration. Although all plants were supplied with ample nutrients, foliar N did not increase significantly for Dipteryx seedlings in full sun, whereas it did for Ochroma and Inga. Leaf age affected F_v/F_m only in the cases of Manilkara, where it was slightly lower in recently expanded leaves, and of Dipteryx where it interacted with the effects of light regime. We conclude that chronic photoinhibition is not common in seedlings of canopy trees of tropical rain forests except when availability of mineral nutrients may be limiting.     

Synthesis of dimethylcobalt(III) complexes containing trimethylphosphine and 2-formyl-phenolato- or 2-formyl-enolato(O:O) ligands

Substituted salicylaldehydes [C₆HR¹R²R³(CHO)(OH)] react with CoMe₃(PMe₃)₃ to afford 6-coordinate (cis-dimethyl)(2-formyl-phenolato)trans-bis(trimethylphosphine)cobalt(III) compounds Co[C₆HR¹R²R³(CHO)(O)Me₂](PMe₃)₂ (1: R¹ = H; R² = Me; R³ = tert-Bu; 2: R¹, R² = C₆H₄; R³ = H). Accordingly, substituted enolated malonic dialdehydes (CHO-CR⁴CR⁵-OH) react with CoMe₃(PMe₃)₃ to afford 6-coordinate (cis-dimethyl)(2-formyl-enolato)trans-bis(trimethylphosphine)cobalt(III) compounds Co[(CHO-CR⁴CR⁵-O)(Me)₂](PMe₃)₂ (3: R⁴, R⁵ = (CH₂)₂C₆H₄; 4: R⁴ = R⁵ = C₆H₅). In the molecular structure of 4, the cobalt atom is centred in an octahedral coordination geometry brought about by a six-membered chelate ring (O:O-ligand), cis-dimethyl and trans-trimethylphosphine groups. A reaction mechanism is suggested.     

Diurnal movements of chloroplasts in Halophila stipulacea and their effect on PAM fluorometric measurements of photosynthetic rates

Since diurnal chloroplast movements in Halophila stipulacea were described by Drew in 1979, this phenomenon has not been studied further for seagrasses. In addition to an apparent photoprotective role, such movements may affect the measurements of photosynthetic rates based on pulse amplitude modulated (PAM) fluorometry. This is because calculations of electron transport rates (ETR) are directly affected by the light absorption of the leaves (or the so-called absorption factor, AF), the latter of which changes with the movements of the chloroplasts. In this work, we therefore determined chloroplast clumping and dispersal, and measured AFs, chlorophyll contents and PAM fluorescence diurnally for H. stipulacea grown under two irradiance regimes. Diurnal chloroplast clumping occurred in high-light grown (HL) plants (∼450 μmol photons m⁻² s⁻¹ during midday), which was accompanied by a decrease in AF values (from 0.56 in the early morning to 0.34 at midday) but not in the chlorophyll content. Also, non-photochemical quenching (measured as NPQ) increased during the day in these plants. No such chloroplast movements and, thus, no diurnal changes in AF values (0.60 ± 0.04 throughout the day), and no changes in NPQ, were found in low-light grown (LL) plants (∼150 μmol photons m⁻² s⁻¹ during midday). As a consequence of the chloroplast clumping in HL plants, and its effect on AF values, maximal ETRs did not differ significantly between HL and LL plants. This finding thus shows the importance of taking into account changing AF values along the day when calculating ETRs of H. stipulacea, and other seagrasses potentially featuring diurnally changing AFs, under high-irradiance conditions.     

Synthesis and structure of dichloropalladium(II) complexes of heteroleptic N,S- and N,Se-donor ligands based on the 2-organochalcogenomethylpyridine motif, and Mizoroki-Heck catalysis mediated by complexes of N,S-donor ligands

Ligands containing the 2-organochalcogenomethylpyridine motif with substituents in the 4- or 6-position of the pyridyl ring, R⁴,R⁶-pyCH₂ER¹ [R⁴ = R⁶ = H, ER¹ = SMe (1), SeMe (2), SPh (6), SePh (7); R⁴ = Me, R⁶ = H, ER¹ = SMe (3), SPh (8), SePh (9); R⁴ = H, R⁶ = Me, ER¹ = SMe (4), SPh (10), SePh (11); R⁴ = H, R⁶ = Ph, ER¹ = SMe (5), SPh (12), SePh (13)] are obtained on the reaction of R⁴,R⁶-pyMe with LiBuⁿ followed by R¹EER¹. On reaction with PdCl₂(NCMe)₂, the ligands with a 6-phenyl substituent form cyclopalladated species PdCl{6-(o-C₆H₄)pyCH₂ER¹-C,N,E} (5a, 12a, 13a) with the structure of 13a (ER¹ = SePh) confirmed by X-ray crystallography; other ligands form complexes of stoichiometry PdCl₂(R⁴,R⁶-pyCH₂ER¹). Complexes with R⁶ = H are monomeric with N,E-bidentate configurations, confirmed by structural analysis for 3a (R⁴ = Me, ER¹ = SMe), 7a (R⁴ = H, ER¹ = SePh) and 9a (R⁴ = Me, ER¹ = SePh). Two of the 6-methyl substituted complexes examined by X-ray crystallography are oligomeric with trans-PdCl₂(N,E) motifs and bridging ligands, trimeric [PdCl₂(μ-6-MepyCH₂SPh-N,S)]₃ (10a) and dimeric [PdCl₂(μ-6-MepyCH₂SePh-N,Se)]₂ (11a). This behaviour is attributed to avoidance of the Me···Cl interaction that would occur in the cis-bidentate configuration if the pyridyl plane had the same orientation with respect to the coordination plane as observed for 3a, 7a and 9a [dihedral angles 8.0(2)-16.8(2)°]. When examined as precatalysts for the Mizoroki-Heck reaction of n-butyl acrylate with aryl halides in N,N-dimethylacetamide at 120 °C, the complexes exhibit the anticipated trends in yield (ArI > ArBr > ArCl, higher yield for electron withdrawing substituents in 4-RC₆H₄Br and 4-RC₆H₄Cl). The most active precatalysts are PdCl₂(R⁴-pyCH₂SMe-N,S) (R = H (1a), Me (3a)); complexes of the selenium containing ligands exhibit very low activity. For closely related ligands, the changes SMe to SPh, 6-H to 6-Me, and 6-H to 6-Ph lead to lower activity, consistent with involvement of both the pyridyl and chalcogen donors in reactions involving aryl bromides. The precatalyst PdCl₂(pyCH₂SMe-N,S) (1a) exhibits higher activity for the reaction of aryl chlorides in Buⁿ₄NCl at 120 °C as a solvent under non-aqueous ionic liquid (NAIL) conditions.     

Modeling Spatial Patterns of Soil Respiration in Maize Fields from Vegetation and Soil Property Factors with the Use of Remote Sensing and Geographical Information System

To examine the method for estimating the spatial patterns of soil respiration (R_s) in agricultural ecosystems using remote sensing and geographical information system (GIS), R_s rates were measured at 53 sites during the peak growing season of maize in three counties in North China. Through Pearson''s correlation analysis, leaf area index (LAI), canopy chlorophyll content, aboveground biomass, soil organic carbon (SOC) content, and soil total nitrogen content were selected as the factors that affected spatial variability in R_s during the peak growing season of maize. The use of a structural equation modeling approach revealed that only LAI and SOC content directly affected R_s. Meanwhile, other factors indirectly affected R_s through LAI and SOC content. When three greenness vegetation indices were extracted from an optical image of an environmental and disaster mitigation satellite in China, enhanced vegetation index (EVI) showed the best correlation with LAI and was thus used as a proxy for LAI to estimate R_s at the regional scale. The spatial distribution of SOC content was obtained by extrapolating the SOC content at the plot scale based on the kriging interpolation method in GIS. When data were pooled for 38 plots, a first-order exponential analysis indicated that approximately 73% of the spatial variability in R_s during the peak growing season of maize can be explained by EVI and SOC content. Further test analysis based on independent data from 15 plots showed that the simple exponential model had acceptable accuracy in estimating the spatial patterns of R_s in maize fields on the basis of remotely sensed EVI and GIS-interpolated SOC content, with R² of 0.69 and root-mean-square error of 0.51 µmol CO₂ m⁻² s⁻¹. The conclusions from this study provide valuable information for estimates of R_s during the peak growing season of maize in three counties in North China.     

The first metal complexes bearing ligated 3-iminoisoindolin-1-ones

The reaction between Zn(OAc)₂ · 2H₂O (1) and the 3-iminoisoindolin-1-ones H₂NCNC(O)C₆R¹R²R³R⁴ (R¹-R⁴ = H 2; R¹, R⁴ = H, R², R³ = Cl 3; R¹, R³, R⁴ = H, R² = Me 4) in EtCN at 70 °C for ca. 12 h affords the novel family of complexes [Zn{H₂NCNC(O)C₆R¹R²R³R⁴}₂(OAc)₂] (R¹-R⁴ = H 5; R¹, R⁴ = H, R², R³ = Cl 6; R¹, R³, R⁴ = H, R² = Me 7) in excellent (90% and 93% for 5 and 6, correspondingly) to good (64% for 7) yields. The isolated compounds were characterized by elemental analyses (C, H, N), IR, NMR and ESI⁺-MS. X-ray diffraction data for 2 and 5 indicate that both free (2) and ligated (5) 3-iminoisoindolin-1-ones exist in the zwitterionic form.     

Structure and solution behaviour of cyclooctadiene complexes of platinum(II)

The substitution behaviour of [PtCl(R)(COD)] (R⁻ = Me and Fc) complexes, by the stepwise addition of phosphine ligands, L (L = PPh₃, PEt₃ and P(NMe₂)₃), were investigated in situ by ¹H and ³¹P NMR spectroscopy. Addition of less than two equivalents of the phosphine ligand results in the formation of dimeric molecules with the general formula trans-[Pt(R)(μ-Cl)(L)]₂ for the sterically demanding systems where R⁻ = Me/L = P(NMe₂)₃ and R⁻ = Fc/L = PEt₃, PPh₃ and P(NMe₂)₃ while larger quantities resulted in cis- and trans mixtures of mononuclear complexes being formed. In the case of the relatively small steric demanding, strongly coordinating, PEt₃ ligand the trans-[PtCl(R)(PEt₃)₂] mononuclear complexes were exclusively observed in both cases. The crystal structures of the two substrates, [PtCl(R)(COD)] (R⁻ = Me or Fc), as well as the cis-[PtCl(Fc)(PPh₃)₂] substitution product are reported.     

Molecular interactions of zinc(II) cyclams with polycarboxylato ligands

Four new zinc(II) cyclams of the composition {Zn(L)(tp²⁻) · H₂O}_n (1), {Zn(L)(H₂bta²⁻) · 2H₂O}_n (2), [Zn₂(L)₂(ox²⁻)] 2ClO₄ · 2DMF (3), and Zn(L)(H₂btc⁻)₂ · 2DMF (4), where L = cyclam, tp²⁻ = 1,4-benzenedicarboxylate ion, H₂bta²⁻ = 1,2,4,5-benzenetetracarboxylate ion, ox²⁻ = oxalate ion, DMF = N,N-dimethylformamide, and H₂btc⁻ = 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylate ion, have been synthesized and structurally characterized by a combination of analytical, spectroscopic and crystallographic methods. The carboxylato ligands in the complexes 1-4 show strong coordination tendencies toward zinc(II) cyclams with hydrogen bonding interactions between the pre-organized N-H groups of the macrocycle and oxygen atoms of the carboxylato ligands. The macrocycles in 1, 2, and 4 adopt trans-III configurations with the appropriate R,R,S,S arrangement of the four chiral nitrogen centers, respectively. However, the complex 3 shows an unusual cis V conformation with the R,R,R,R nitrogen configuration. The finding of strong interactions between the carboxylato ligands and the zinc(II) ions may provide additional knowledge for the improved design of receptor-targeted zinc(II) cyclams in anti-HIV agents.     

Syntheses and properties of new metal-carbon bonded heteroleptic complexes of ruthenium(II) containing terpyridine coligand

Reactions of 2-(arylazo)aniline, HL [H represents the dissociable protons upon orthometallation and HL is p-RC₆H₄N = NC₆H₄-NH₂; R = H for HL¹; CH₃ for HL² and Cl for HL³] with Ru(R₁-tpy)Cl₃ (where R₁-tpy is 4′-(R₁)-2,2′,6′′,2′′-terpyridine and R₁ = H or 4-N,N-dimethylaminophenyl or 4-methylphenyl) afford a group of complexes of type [Ru(L)(R₁-tpy)]·ClO₄ each of which contains C,N,N coordinated L⁻ as a tridentate ligand along with a terpyridine. Structure of one such complex has been determined by X-ray crystallography. All the Ru(II) complexes are diamagnetic, display characteristic ¹H NMR signals and intense dπ(Ru^II) → π∗(tpy) MLCT transitions in the visible region. Cyclic voltammetric studies on [Ru(L)(R₁-tpy)]·ClO₄ complexes show Ru(II)-Ru(III) oxidation within 0.63-0.67 V versus SCE.     

Bis(phosphine)-Pd(II) and -Pt(II) complexes containing chiral tetrazole-thiolato rings: Synthesis, structures, and reactivity toward some electrophiles

Bis(azido)bis(phosphine)-Pd(II) and -Pt(II) complexes, [M(N₃)₂L₂] {L = PMe₃, PEt₃, PMe₂Ph, dppe = 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane}, underwent 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition with organic chiral isothiocyanates (R^∗-NCS: R^∗ = (S)-(+)-1-phenylethyl, (R)-(−)-1-phenylethyl, (±)-1-phenylethyl, (S)-(+)-1-indanyl) to give the corresponding tetrazole-thiolato Pd(II) and Pt(II) complexes, trans-[M{S[CN₄(R^∗)]}₂L₂] or [M{S[CN₄(R^∗)]}₂(dppe)]. Spectroscopic (IR and NMR) and X-ray structural analyses of the products showed that the absolute configuration of the starting organic isothiocyanates is retained throughout the reaction. Further treatments of the isolated tetrazole-thiolato complexes with electrophiles such as HCl or benzoyl chloride produced heterocyclic compounds containing a tetrazole thione or a tetrazolyl sulfide group. In addition, organic tetrazole thiones, [S = {CN₄H(R^∗)}] containing a chiral moiety, were prepared from NaN₃ and R^∗-NCS in the presence of water.     

Understanding DP receptor antagonism using a CoMSIA approach

A Comparative Molecular Similarity Indices Analysis (CoMSIA) was performed for 2,6-substituted-4-monosubstituted aminopyrimidine antagonists of prostaglandin D₂ receptor (DP). Both two-component (Q² = 0.63, R² = 0.82, SEE = 0.47 pIC₅₀) and three-component (Q² = 0.70, R² = 0.91, SEE = 0.36 pIC₅₀) CoMSIA models were established. Two hydrogen-bond acceptors with spatial separation of about 8 Å are shown as optimal for binding. A large hydrophobic center that separates the two acceptors confers to the potency of the 2,6-substituted-4-monosubstituted aminopyrimidine. The models were used to predict IC₅₀ values for compounds which had functional groups different from those in the training set.     

Bidentate palladium(II) chelation by the common aldoses

The [Pd^II{(R,R)-chxn}(OH)₂] reagent (chxn = 1,2-diaminocyclohexane) is introduced as a metal probe for the detection of the bidentate chelating sites of a glycose. Two moles of hydroxide per mole palladium support double deprotonation of potentially chelating diol functions at a glycose’s backbone. The individual chelating sites are detected using one- and two-dimensional NMR techniques. At equimolar amounts of palladium(II) and aldose, the metal-binding sites include mostly the hydroxy function at the anomeric carbon atom. Chelators are derived from both the pyranose and the furanose isomers. Most pyranose-based chelators form five-membered chelate rings by using their 1,2-diol function. Though 1,2-diolate bonding is also common to the furanoses, the formation of six-membered chelate rings by 1,3-bonding is more significant for them. Metal-excess conditions provoke mostly bis-bidentate 1,2;3,4-chelation but unusual isomers form also: thus d-xylose is dimetallated in its all-axial β-pyranose form, and erythrose’s dimetallation results in the formation of two isomers of a metal derivative of the open-chain hydrate. The spectroscopic results are supported by crystal-structure determinations on [Pd{(R,R)-chxn}(α-d-Xylp1,2H₋₂-κO^1,2)]·H₂O (Xyl = xylose), [Pd{(R,R)-chxn}(α-d-Ribp1,2H₋₂-κO^1,2)]·2.25H₂O (Rib = ribose), [Pd{(R,R)-chxn}(α-l-Thrf1,3H₋₂-κO^1,3)]·2H₂O (Thr = threose) and [Pd{(R,R)-chxn}(α-d-Eryf1,3H₋₂-κO^1,3)]·3H₂O (Ery = erythrose).     

Stomatal and non-stomatal limitations to photosynthesis in field-grown grapevine cultivars

Diurnal changes of photosynthesis in the leaves of grapevine (Vitis vinifera × V. labrusca) cultivars Campbell Early and Kyoho grown in the field were compared with respect to gas exchanges and actual quantum yield of photosystem 2 (Φ_PS2) in late May. Net photosynthetic rate (P_N) of the two cultivars rapidly increased in the morning, saturated at photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) from 1200 to 1500 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹ between 10:00 and 12:00 and slowly decreased after midday. Maximum P_N was 13.7 and 12.5 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹ in Campbell Early and Kyoho, respectively. The stomatal conductance (g_s) and transpiration rate changed in parallel with P_N, indicating that P_N was greatly affected by g_s. However, the decrease in P_N after midday under saturating PPFD was also associated with the observed depression of Φ_PS2 at high PPFD. The substantial increase in the leaf to air vapour pressure deficit after midday might also contribute to decline of g_s and P_N.     

A continuous assay for α-methylacyl-coenzyme A racemase using circular dichroism

α-Methylacyl-coenzyme A racemase (AMACR) catalyzes the epimerization of (2R)- and (2S)-methyl branched fatty acyl-coenzyme A (CoA) thioesters. AMACR is a biomarker for prostate cancer and a putative target for the development of therapeutic agents directed against the disease. To facilitate development of AMACR inhibitors, a continuous circular dichroism (CD)-based assay has been developed. The open reading frame encoding AMACR from Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MCR) was subcloned into a pET15b vector, and the enzyme was overexpressed and purified using metal ion affinity chromatography. The rates of MCR-catalyzed epimerization of either (2R)- or (2S)-ibuprofenoyl-CoA were determined by following the change in ellipticity at 279 nm in the presence of octyl-β-d-glucopyranoside (0.2%). MCR exhibited slightly higher affinity for (2R)-ibuprofenoyl-CoA (K_m = 48 ± 5 μM, k_cat = 291 ± 30 s⁻¹), but turned over (2S)-ibuprofenoyl-CoA (K_m = 86 ± 6 μM, k_cat = 450 ± 14 s⁻¹) slightly faster. MCR expressed as a fusion protein bearing an N-terminal His₆-tag had a catalytic efficiency (k_cat/K_m) that was reduced 22% and 47% in the 2S → 2R and 2R → 2S directions, respectively, relative to untagged enzyme. The continuous CD-based assay offers an economical and efficient alternative method to the labor-intensive, fixed-time assays currently used to measure AMACR activity.