The solid-state structures of the salts of two substituted tryptamines, namely N-isopropyl-N-methyl­tryptaminium (MiPT) fumarate {systematic name: [2-(1H-indol-3-yl)eth­yl](meth­yl)propan-2-yl­aza­nium 3-carb­oxy­prop-2-enoate}, C14H21N2+·C4H3O4−, and 4-hy­droxy-N-isopropyl-N-methyl­tryptaminium (4-HO-MiPT) fumarate monohydrate {systematic name: [2-(4-hy­droxy-1H-indol-3-yl)eth­yl](meth­yl)propan-2-yl­aza­nium 3-carb­oxy­prop-2-enoate monohydrate}, C14H21N2O+·C4H3O4−·H2O, are reported. Both salts possess a proton­ated tryptammonium cation and a 3-carb­oxy­acrylate (hydrogen fumarate) anion in the asymmetric unit; the 4-HO-MiPT structure also contains a water mol­ecule of crystallization. Both cations feature disorder of the side chain over two orientations, in a 0.630 (3):0.370 (3) ratio for MiPT and a 0.775 (5):0.225 (5) ratio for 4-HO-MiPT. In both extended structures, N—H⋯O and O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds generate infinite two-dimensional networks.

The title compounds, 4-(5-acetamido-3-acetyl-2-methyl-2,3-di­hydro-1,3,4-thia­diazol-2-yl)phenyl benzoate, C20H19N3O4S (I), 4-(5-acetamido-3-acetyl-2-methyl-2,3-di­hydro-1,3,4-thia­diazol-2-yl)phenyl isobutyrate 0.25-hydrate, C17H21N3O4S·0.25H2O (II), 4-(5-acetamido-3-acetyl-2-methyl-2,3-di­hydro-1,3,4-thia­diazol-2-yl)phenyl propionate, C16H19N3O4S (III) and 4-(5-acetamido-3-acetyl-2-methyl-2,3-di­hydro-1,3,4-thia­diazol-2-yl)phenyl cinnamate chloro­form hemisolvate, C22H21N3O4S·0.5CHCl3 (IV), all crystallize with two independent mol­ecules (A and B) in the asymmetric unit in the triclinic Poverline{1} space group. Compound II crystallizes as a quaterhydrate, while compound IV crystallizes as a chloro­form hemisolvate. In compounds I, II, III (mol­ecules A and B) and IV (mol­ecule A) the five-membered thia­diazole ring adopts an envelope conformation, with the tetra­substituted C atom as the flap. In mol­ecule B of IV this ring is flat (r.m.s. deviation 0.044 Å). The central benzene ring is in general almost normal to the mean plane of the thia­diazole ring in each mol­ecule, with dihedral angles ranging from 75.8 (1) to 85.5 (2)°. In the crystals of all four compounds, the A and B mol­ecules are linked via strong N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds and generate centrosymmetric four-membered R44(28) ring motifs. There are C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds present in the crystals of all four compounds, and in I and II there are also C—H⋯π inter­actions present. The inter­molecular contacts in the crystals of all four compounds were analysed using Hirshfeld surface analysis and two-dimensional fingerprint plots.

Instances of crystal structures that remain isomorphous in spite of some minor changes in their respective mol­ecules, such as change in a substituent atom/group, can provide insights into the factors that govern crystal packing. In this context, an accurate description of the crystal structures of an isomorphous pair that differ from each other only by a chlorine–methyl substituent, viz. 5''-(2-chloro­benzyl­idene)-4'-(2-chloro­phen­yl)-1'-methyl­dispiro­[acenaphthene-1,2'-pyrrolidine-3',3''-piperidine]-2,4''-dione, C34H28Cl2N2O2, (I), and its analogue 1'-methyl-5''-(2-methyl­benzyl­idene)-4'-(2-methyl­phen­yl)di­spiro­[acenaphthene-1,2'-pyrrolidine-3',3''-piperidine]-2,4''-dione, C36H34N2O2, (II), is presented. While there are two C—H⋯O weak inter­molecular inter­actions present in both (I) and (II), the change of substituent from chlorine to methyl has given rise to an additional weak C—H⋯O inter­molecular inter­action that is relatively stronger than the other two. However, the presence of the stronger C—H⋯O inter­action in (II) has not disrupted the validity of the chloro-methyl exchange rule. Details of the crystal structures and Hirshfeld analyses of the two compounds are presented.

The structures of three compounds of 3-chloro-2-nitro­benzoic acid with 5-nitro­quinoline, (I), 6-nitro­quinoline, (II), and 8-hy­droxy­quinoline, (III), have been determined at 190 K. In each of the two isomeric compounds, (I) and (II), C7H4ClNO4·C9H6N2O2, the acid and base mol­ecules are held together by O—H⋯N and C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds. In compound (III), C9H8NO+·C7H3ClNO4−, an acid–base inter­action involving H-atom transfer occurs and the H atom is located at the N site of the base mol­ecule. In the crystal of (I), the hydrogen-bonded acid–base units are linked by C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds, forming a tape structure along the b-axis direction. Adjacent tapes, which are related by a twofold rotation axis, are linked by a third C—H⋯O hydrogen bond, forming wide ribbons parallel to the (overline{1}03) plane. These ribbons are stacked via π–π inter­actions between the quinoline ring systems [centroid–centroid distances = 3.4935 (5)–3.7721 (6) Å], forming layers parallel to the ab plane. In the crystal of (II), the hydrogen-bonded acid–base units are also linked into a tape structure along the b-axis direction via C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds. Inversion-related tapes are linked by further C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds to form wide ribbons parallel to the (overline{3}08) plane. The ribbons are linked by weak π–π inter­actions [centroid–centroid distances = 3.8016 (8)–3.9247 (9) Å], forming a three-dimensional structure. In the crystal of (III), the cations and the anions are alternately linked via N—H⋯O and O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds, forming a 21 helix running along the b-axis direction. The cations and the anions are further stacked alternately in columns along the a-axis direction via π–π inter­actions [centroid–centroid distances = 3.8016 (8)–3.9247 (9) Å], and the mol­ecular chains are linked into layers parallel to the ab plane through these inter­actions.

In the title compounds, C16H9Cl2N2O2·C4H8O2 and C16H9Cl2N2O2, the bicyclic 4H-chromene cores are nearly planar with maximum deviations of 0.081 (2) and 0.087 (2) Å. In both structures, the chromene derivative mol­ecules are linked into centrosymmetric dimers by pairs of N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds, forming R22(16) motifs. These dimers are further linked in the 3,4-di­chloro­phenyl derivative by N—H⋯N hydrogen bonds into double layers parallel to (100) and in the 2,6-di­chloro­phenyl derivative by O—H⋯N hydrogen bonds into ribbons along the [1overline{1}0] direction. In the 3,4-di­chloro­phenyl derivative, the 1,4-dioxane solvent mol­ecules are connected to the chromene mol­ecules via O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds.

The syntheses and crystal structures of five 2-benzyl­idene-1-benzosuberone [1-benzosuberone is 6,7,8,9-tetra­hydro-5H-benzo[7]annulen-5-one] derivatives, viz. 2-(4-meth­oxy­benzyl­idene)-1-benzosuberone, C19H18O2, (I), 2-(4-eth­oxy­benzyl­idene)-1-benzosuberone, C20H20O2, (II), 2-(4-benzyl­benzyl­idene)-1-benzosuberone, C25H22O2, (III), 2-(4-chloro­benzyl­idene)-1-benzosuberone, C18H15ClO, (IV) and 2-(4-cyano­benzyl­idene)-1-benzosuberone, C19H15NO, (V), are described. The conformations of the benzosuberone fused six- plus seven-membered ring fragments are very similar in each case, but the dihedral angles between the fused benzene ring and the pendant benzene ring differ somewhat, with values of 23.79 (3) for (I), 24.60 (4) for (II), 33.72 (4) for (III), 29.93 (8) for (IV) and 21.81 (7)° for (V). Key features of the packing include pairwise C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds for (II) and (IV), and pairwise C—H⋯N hydrogen bonds for (V), which generate inversion dimers in each case. The packing for (I) and (III) feature C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds, which lead to [010] and [100] chains, respectively. Weak C—H⋯π inter­actions consolidate the structures and weak aromatic π–π stacking is seen in (II) [centroid–centroid separation = 3.8414 (7) Å] and (III) [3.9475 (7) Å]. A polymorph of (I) crystallized from a different solvent has been reported previously [Dimmock et al. (1999) J. Med. Chem. 42, 1358–1366] in the same space group but with a packing motif based on inversion dimers resembling that seen in (IV) in the present study. The Hirshfeld surfaces and fingerprint plots for (I) and its polymorph are com­pared and structural features of the 2-benzyl­idene-1-benzosuberone family of phases are surveyed.

The title compound I, 2,2'-[(2-nitro­phen­yl)methyl­ene]bis­(3-hy­droxy-5,5-di­methyl­cyclo­hex-2-enone), C23H27NO6, features a 1,3-ketone–enol conformation which is stabilized by two intra­molecular hydrogen bonds. The most prominent inter­molecular inter­actions in compound I are C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds, which link mol­ecules into a two-dimensional network parallel to the (001) plane and a chain perpendicular to (1overline{1}1). Both title compounds II, ethyl 4-(4-hy­droxy-3,5-di­meth­oxy­phen­yl)-2,7,7-trimethyl-5-oxo-1,4,5,6,7,8-hexa­hydro­quinoline-3-carb­oxyl­ate, C23H29NO6, and III, ethyl 4-(anthracen-9-yl)-2,7,7-trimethyl-5-oxo-1,4,5,6,7,8-hexa­hydro­quinoline-3-carboxyl­ate, C29H29NO3, share the same structural features, such as a shallow boat conformation of the di­hydro­pyridine group and an orthogonal aryl group attached to the di­hydro­pyridine. Inter­molecular N—H⋯O bonding is present in the crystal packing of both compound II and III.

4-[(Morpholin-4-yl)carbothioyl]benzoic acid, C12H13NO3S, a novel phen­yl(morpholino)methane­thione derivative, crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P21/n. The morpholine ring adopts a chair conformation and the carb­oxy­lic acid group is bent out slightly from the benzene ring mean plane. The mol­ecular geometry of the carb­oxy­lic group is characterized by similar C—O bond lengths [1.266 (2) and 1.268 (2) Å] as the carboxyl­ate H atom is disordered over two positions. This mol­ecular arrangement leads to the formation of dimers through strong and centrosymmetric low barrier O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds between the carb­oxy­lic groups. In addition to these inter­molecular inter­actions, the crystal packing consists of two different mol­ecular sheets with an angle between their mean planes of 64.4 (2)°. The cohesion between the different layers is ensured by C—H⋯S and C—H⋯O inter­actions.

The title compounds, 5-(2H-1,3-benzodioxol-5-yl)-N-cyclo­hexyl­penta-2,4-dienamide, C18H21NO3 (I), and 5-(2H-1,3-benzodioxol-5-yl)-1-(pyrrolidin-1-yl)penta-2,4-dien-1-one C16H17NO3 (II), are derivatives of piperine, which is known as a pungent component of pepper. Their geometrical parameters are similar to those of the three polymorphs of piperine, which indicate conjugation of electrons over the length of the mol­ecules. The extended structure of (I) features N—H⋯O amide hydrogen bonds, which generate C(4) [010] chains. The crystal of (II) features aromatic π–π stacking, as for two of three known piperine polymorphs.

In this work, two methods of high-resolution X-ray data refinement: multipole refinement (MM) and Hirshfeld atom refinement (HAR) – together with X-ray wavefunction refinement (XWR) – are applied to investigate the refinement of positions and anisotropic thermal motion of hydrogen atoms, experiment-based reconstruction of electron density, refinement of anharmonic thermal vibrations, as well as the effects of excluding the weakest reflections in the refinement. The study is based on X-ray data sets of varying quality collected for the crystals of four quinoline derivatives with Cl, Br, I atoms and the -S-Ph group as substituents. Energetic investigations are performed, comprising the calculation of the energy of intermolecular interactions, cohesive and geometrical relaxation energy. The results obtained for experimentally derived structures are verified against the values calculated for structures optimized using dispersion-corrected periodic density functional theory. For the high-quality data sets (the Cl and -S-Ph compounds), both MM and XWR could be successfully used to refine the atomic displacement parameters and the positions of hydrogen atoms; however, the bond lengths obtained with XWR were more precise and closer to the theoretical values. In the application to the more challenging data sets (the Br and I compounds), only XWR enabled free refinement of hydrogen atom geometrical parameters, nevertheless, the results clearly showed poor data quality. For both refinement methods, the energy values (intermolecular interactions, cohesive and relaxation) calculated for the experimental structures were in similar agreement with the values associated with the optimized structures – the most significant divergences were observed when experimental geometries were biased by poor data quality. XWR was found to be more robust in avoiding incorrect distortions of the reconstructed electron density as a result of data quality issues. Based on the problem of anharmonic thermal motion refinement, this study reveals that for the most correct interpretation of the obtained results, it is necessary to use the complete data set, including the weak reflections in order to draw conclusions.

Human muscarinic receptor M4 belongs to the class A subfamily of the G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). M4 has emerged as an attractive drug target for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia. Recent results showed that M4-mediated cholinergic transmission is related to motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease. Selective ligand design for the five muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (mAchR) subtypes currently remains challenging owing to the high sequence and structural similarity of their orthosteric binding pockets. In order to obtain M4-selective antagonists, a new approach was tried to lock M4 into an inactive form by rationally designing an N4497.49R mutation, which mimics the allosteric sodium binding in the conserved sodium site usually found in class A GPCRs. In addition, the crystal structure of the mutation-induced inactive M4 was determined. By comparative analysis with other mAchR structures, followed by functional assays, the N4497.49R mutation was shown to stabilize M4 into an inactive state. Virtual screening of a focused ligand library using the crystal structure showed that the inactive M4 prefers antagonists much more than agonists. This study provides a powerful mutation strategy to stabilize GPCRs in inactive states and facilitate their structure determination.

Malaria is a devastating disease caused by a protozoan parasite. It affects over 300 million individuals and results in over 400 000 deaths annually, most of whom are young children under the age of five. Hexokinase, the first enzyme in glucose metabolism, plays an important role in the infection process and represents a promising target for therapeutic intervention. Here, cryo-EM structures of two conformational states of Plasmodium vivax hexokinase (PvHK) are reported at resolutions of ∼3 Å. It is shown that unlike other known hexokinase structures, PvHK displays a unique tetrameric organization (∼220 kDa) that can exist in either open or closed quaternary conformational states. Despite the resemblance of the active site of PvHK to its mammalian counterparts, this tetrameric organization is distinct from that of human hexokinases, providing a foundation for the structure-guided design of parasite-selective antimalarial drugs.

Crystal structure and microscopic optical properties of anthracene derivative compounds have been investigated by single-crystal synchrotron X-ray diffraction, laser confocal microscopy and fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy.

Cytisine, a natural product with high affinity for clinically relevant nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), is used as a smoking-cessation agent. The compound displays an excellent clinical profile and hence there is an interest in derivatives that may be further improved or find use in the treatment of other conditions. Here, the binding of a cytisine derivative modified by the addition of a 3-(hydroxypropyl) moiety (ligand 4) to Aplysia californica acetylcholine-binding protein (AcAChBP), a surrogate for nAChR orthosteric binding sites, was investigated. Isothermal titration calorimetry revealed that the favorable binding of cytisine and its derivative to AcAChBP is driven by the enthalpic contribution, which dominates an unfavorable entropic component. Although ligand 4 had a less unfavorable entropic contribution compared with cytisine, the affinity for AcAChBP was significantly diminished owing to the magnitude of the reduction in the enthalpic component. The high-resolution crystal structure of the AcAChBP–4 complex indicated close similarities in the protein–ligand interactions involving the parts of 4 common to cytisine. The point of difference, the 3-(hydroxypropyl) substituent, appears to influence the conformation of the Met133 side chain and helps to form an ordered solvent structure at the edge of the orthosteric binding site.

Each year thousands of vacationers enjoy the scenery along Virginia’s Skyline Drive, little knowing that for a few brief moments they are passing through the territory of an endangered […]

The post Study aims to give endangered Shenandoah salamander better odds at survival appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

A new study on the dodo’s island home of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean, paints a picture of this unusual bird as an intrepid survivor on par with the giant tortoise for its resiliency.

The post Dodo bird a resilient island survivor before the arrival of humans, study reveals appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

Douglas Owsley, the division head for physical anthropology at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, presented today a forensic analysis of 17th-century human remains […]

The post Forensic analysis of 17th-century human remains at Jamestown, Va., reveals evidence of survival cannibalism appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

The Smithsonian is delighted to be included in this year’s Aspen Ideas Festival (June 26 – July 2 in Aspen, Colo.) which will gather some of […]

The post Three Smithsonian scientists to participate in Aspen Ideas Festival appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

Hot spots of mercury pollution in aquatic sediments and soils can contaminate local food webs and threaten ecosystems, but cleaning them up can be expensive […]

The post Toxicity of mercury hot spots can be reduced with application of activated carbon, researchers discover appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

Imagine sitting down at your favorite restaurant when something under the table begins painfully pinching and snipping at your toes. This is basically how T. […]

The post Diversity of resident crabs is key to coral survival appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

Aldo-keto reductases (AKRs) are NADPH/NADP+-dependent oxidoreductase enzymes that metabolize an aldehyde/ketone to the corresponding alcohol. AKR4C14 from rice exhibits a much higher efficiency in metabolizing malondialdehyde (MDA) than do the Arabidopsis enzymes AKR4C8 and AKR4C9, despite sharing greater than 60% amino-acid sequence identity. This study confirms the role of rice AKR4C14 in the detoxification of methylglyoxal and MDA, and demonstrates that the endogenous contents of both aldehydes in transgenic Arabidopsis ectopically expressing AKR4C14 are significantly lower than their levels in the wild type. The apo structure of indica rice AKR4C14 was also determined in the absence of the cofactor, revealing the stabilized open conformation. This is the first crystal structure in AKR subfamily 4C from rice to be observed in the apo form (without bound NADP+). The refined AKR4C14 structure reveals a stabilized open conformation of loop B, suggesting the initial phase prior to cofactor binding. Based on the X-ray crystal structure, the substrate- and cofactor-binding pockets of AKR4C14 are formed by loops A, B, C and β1α1. Moreover, the residues Ser211 and Asn220 on loop B are proposed as the hinge residues that are responsible for conformational alteration while the cofactor binds. The open conformation of loop B is proposed to involve Phe216 pointing out from the cofactor-binding site and the opening of the safety belt. Structural comparison with other AKRs in subfamily 4C emphasizes the role of the substrate-channel wall, consisting of Trp24, Trp115, Tyr206, Phe216, Leu291 and Phe295, in substrate discrimination. In particular, Leu291 could contribute greatly to substrate selectivity, explaining the preference of AKR4C14 for its straight-chain aldehyde substrate.

Imke K. Mandemaker, Di Zhou, Serena T. Bruens, Dick H. Dekkers, Pernette J. Verschure, Raghu R. Edupuganti, Eran Meshorer, Jeroen A. Demmers, and Jurgen A. Marteijn

Many chromatin remodeling and modifying proteins are involved in the DNA damage response by stimulating repair or inducing DNA damage signaling. Interestingly, here we identified that down regulation of the H1-interacting protein SET results in increased resistance to a wide variety of DNA damaging agents. We found that this increased resistance is not the result of an inhibitory effect of SET on DNA repair, but rather the consequence of a suppressed apoptotic response to DNA damage. We further provide evidence that the histone chaperone SET is responsible for the eviction of H1 from chromatin. Knock down of H1 in SET-depleted cells resulted in re-sensitization of cells to DNA damage, suggesting that the increased DNA damage resistance in SET-depleted cells is the result of enhanced retention of H1 on chromatin. Finally, clonogenic survival assays show that SET and p53 are epistatic in attenuating DNA damage-induced cell death. Altogether, our data show a role for SET in the DNA damage response as a regulator of cell survival following genotoxic stress.

The transformations from the primitive cells of the centered Bravais lattices to the corresponding centered cells have conventionally been listed as three-by-three matrices that transform three-space lattice vectors. Using those three-by-three matrices when working in the six-dimensional space of lattices represented as Selling scalars as used in Delone (Delaunay) reduction, one could transform to the three-space representation, apply the three-by-three matrices and then back-transform to the six-space representation, but it is much simpler to have the equivalent six-by-six matrices and apply them directly. The general form of the transformation from the three-space matrix to the corresponding matrix operating on Selling scalars (expressed in space S6) is derived, and the particular S6matrices for the centered Delone types are listed. (Note: in his later publications, Boris Delaunay used the Russian version of his surname, Delone.)

The post The amazing story of adaptation and survival in our species, Homo sapiens. appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

This film is from the collections of the Human Studies Film Archives, Smithsonian Institution. Clip from silent film, Beautiful Japan (1917-18), by travel-lecturer Benjamin Brodsky. Benten Festival is celebrated on Shiraishi Island. Benten (Benzaiten) is the Goddess of the Sea and one of the Seven Lucky Gods of Japan.

The post Beautiful Japan: Benten Festival 1917-1918, from the Smithsonian’s Human Studies Film Archive appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

Silent black & white archival film clip from "Japan: Promotional and Theatrical Footage, ca. 1927". The full film, which is 17 minutes long, includes segments from what are believed to be a theatrical film, a promotional film and, possibly, amateur film - all of unknown origin.

The post Geisha Hairstyling, ca. 1927, a silent black & white archival film clip from the Smithsonian’s Human Studies Film Archives appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

Aukeran is a professional dance troupe from Basque country founded in 1997 by Edu Muruamendiaraz. The beautiful and graceful professional dancers have backgrounds in both […]

The post Basque Dance Troupe “Aukeran” at Smithsonian Folklife Festival appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

The circus is coming to the Smithsonian! The Big Top went up on the National Mall this week in preparation for the 2017 Smithsonian Folklife […]

The post Folklife Festival Big Top Rises in D.C. appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

 Blues singer and pianist Marcia Ball performs “Louella” at the 2008 Smithsonian Folklife Festival.      

The post Marcia Ball at the Folklife Festival appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

In Armenia, the completion of a carpet and cutting it from its loom is a significant rite of passion for young female weavers.

The post Smithsonian Folklife Festival: Armenian carpet-cutting ceremony appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

New results from a massive study at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute show that interactions among community members play an important role in determining which organisms thrive.

The post Tropical tree study shows interactions with neighbors plays an important role in tree survival appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

The post Smithsonian scientists work to ensure survival of North America’s wild orchids appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

For Smithsonian ornithologist Gary Graves it was a captivating spectacle. At an outdoor café in Kingston, Jamaica, Graves watched three mornings in a row as […]

The post Sweet survival: Some birds have a sugar edge appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

Fort Pierce, Fla. – Fall in southern Florida is festival season: when the weather stops being oppressively hot and 70 degrees is positively autumnal.  On […]

The post Annual Smithsonian-led science festival draws crowds in Fort Pierce, Florida appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

How specific fungi interact with seeds in tropical forest soils may be the ultimate arbiter in the struggle for survival among tropical trees. “Depending on […]

The post Study reveals soil fungi has final say in survival of seeds from tropical trees appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

According to a new study by biologists at the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center and Virginia Tech the offspring of a certain songbird, the wood thrush, […]

The post Study: Large shady forest plots essential to survival of post-fledgling songbirds during drought appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

A new paper published in Behavioral Ecology finds that some ant colonies defend more gallantly than others, revealing that colonies themselves may have personalities. Trees that have […]

The post Ant colony ‘personality’ may play role in survival of its host plant appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

In the first reported crystal structure involving the potential ligand N,N',N''-tris­(2-pyridin­yl)-1,3,5-benzene­tricarboxamide, inter­molecular N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds link the mol­ecules via their amide groups into slanted ladder-like chains. Only two of the three amide groups in the mol­ecule are involved in hydrogen bonding, which influences the degree of out-of-plane twisting at each amide group.

In the first reported crystal structure involving the potential ligand N,N',N''-tris(pyridin-2-yl)benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxamide, C24H18N6O3, intermolecular N—H...O hydrogen bonds link the molecules via their amide groups into slanted ladder-like chains, in which the uprights of the ladder are formed by the hydrogen-bonding interactions and the benzene ring cores of the molecules act as the rungs of the ladder. Only two of the three amide groups in the molecule are involved in hydrogen bonding and this influences the degree of out-of-plane twisting at each amide group, with the twist being more significant for those amide groups participating in hydrogen bonds.

The enanti­opure monopyrrolidine derivative (2S)-methyl (Z)-5-(2-tert-but­oxy-1-cyano-2-oxo­ethyl­idene)pyrrolidine-2-carboxyl­ate, C13H18N2O4, (1), represents a potential ligand and an attractive inter­mediate for the synthesis of chiral metal com­plexes. At the mol­ecular level, the com­pound features an intra­molecular N—H⋯O hydrogen bond; neighbouring mol­ecules inter­act via N—H⋯N contacts to form chains along [100]. Due to its elemental com­position, resonant scattering of the target com­pound is entirely insignificant for diffraction experiments with Mo Kα and small even for Cu Kα radiation. A preliminary study with the harder radiation type confirmed the chiral space group and the suitability of the single crystal chosen; as expected, the results concerning the absolute structure remained com­pletely inconclusive. A second data collection with the longer wavelength gave satisfactory quality indicators for the correct handedness of the mol­ecule, albeit with high standard uncertainties. The absolute configuration has been assessed independently: CD spectra for both enanti­omers of the target mol­ecule were calculated and the spectrum for the S-configured stereoisomer was in agreement with the experiment. The Cotton effect of (1) may be ascribed to π–π* transitions from HOMO to LUMO and from HOMO to LUMO+1. As both independent techniques agree with respect to the handedness of the target mol­ecule, the absolute structure may be assigned with a high degree of confidence.

An efficient synthesis of 1-aryl­isochromeno[3,4-d][1,2,3]triazol-5(1H)-ones, involving the diazo­tization of 3-amino-4-aryl­amino-1H-isochromen-1-ones in weakly acidic solution, has been developed and the spectroscopic characterization and crystal structures of four examples are reported. The mol­ecules of 1-phenyl­isochromeno[3,4-d][1,2,3]triazol-5(1H)-one, C15H9N3O2, (I), are linked into sheets by a combination of C—H⋯N and C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds, while the structures of 1-(2-methyl­phen­yl)isochromeno[3,4-d][1,2,3]triazol-5(1H)-one, C16H11N3O2, (II), and 1-(3-chloro­phen­yl)isochromeno[3,4-d][1,2,3]triazol-5(1H)-one, C15H8ClN3O2, (III), each contain just one hydrogen bond which links the mol­ecules into simple chains, which are further linked into sheets by π-stacking inter­actions in (II) but not in (III). In the structure of 1-(4-chloro­phen­yl)isochromeno[3,4-d][1,2,3]triazol-5(1H)-one, (IV), isomeric with (III), a combination of C—H⋯O and C—H⋯π(arene) hydrogen bonds links the mol­ecules into sheets. When com­pound (II) was exposed to a strong acid in methanol, qu­anti­tative conversion occurred to give the ring-opened transesterification product methyl 2-[4-hy­droxy-1-(2-methyl­phen­yl)-1H-1,2,3-triazol-5-yl]benzoate, C17H15N3O3, (V), where the mol­ecules are linked by paired O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds to form centrosymmetric dimers.

Recent strides in biotechnology offer the promise of new and innovative applications -- from edible vaccines to protein-based electronics components.

Cardiac arrest strikes almost 600,000 people each year, killing the vast majority of those individuals, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine. Every year in the U.S., approximately 395,000 cases of cardiac arrest occur outside of a hospital setting, in which less than 6 percent survive.

A new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine offers detailed recommendations to guide federal statistical agencies in creating a new entity that would enable them to combine data from multiple sources in order to provide more relevant, timely, and detailed statistics – for example, on the unemployment rate or the rate of violent crime.

In recognition of the need for a national coordinated and collective response to the epidemic of opioid addiction in the U.S., the National Academy of Medicine (NAM), in partnership with the Aspen Institute, launched a public-private partnership made up of more than 35 organizations representing federal, state, and local governments, health systems, associations and provider groups, health education and accrediting institutions, pharmacies, payers, industry, nonprofits, and academia.

NASA should collaborate with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), industry, academia to research the full effects that increased unpiloted air vehicle traffic would have on society, including ramifications to sound, privacy, environmental matters, and cybersecurity, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.