Pentagonal Symmetry in Aperiodic Cyclic Multiply Twinned Nano- and Mesodiamonds.

This Review provides the first comprehensive overview of the structure and properties of exotic sp3-crystalline aperiodic cyclic multiply twinned nano- (10-100 nm) and meso- (up to 1 mm) diamond particles (MTPs) exhibiting pentagonal symmetry. It spans their independent experimental discoveries (1963, 1964, 1972, and 1983) and theoretical structural insights (1993) to recent advancements. The Review focuses on high-symmetry MTPs formed by the fusion of multiple cubic diamond fragments through [111] facets. The sp3 diamond lattice of individual fragments offers a vast range of MTP varieties. These particles are shown to be a special case of aperiodic crystalline solids with limited dimensions and rotational symmetry, leading to a breakdown of translational invariance. Detailed mathematical analysis of the MTPs' lattices highlights the crucial role of central cores in determining the symmetry and effective dimensions of these structures. Both structural and kinetic aspects of the formation mechanisms of pentagonal diamond particles are considered, revealing the main role of embryo seeds (low fullerenes, polyhexacyclo[5.5.1.12,6.18,12.03,11.05,9]pentadecane (C15), and polyheptacyclo[5.5.1.12,7.19,14.03,13.06,11]octadecane (C18)) in determining the MTPs' symmetry and structure. The effective dimensions of multiply twinned diamonds are shown to be limited by structural stress caused by the mismatch of perfect pentagonal and tetrahedral dihedral angles. The extraordinary mechanical and electronic properties of multiply twinned diamonds are discussed, highlighting that hexagonal interfaces between cubic diamond fragments may determine exceptional ultrahard and quantum characteristics. The MTP X-ray diffraction spectra reveal clear pentagonal patterns with single (diamond decahedrons or dodecahedrons) or ten (diamond icosahedra) central 5-fold axes. A comparative analysis of experimental structural data and simulations at different theoretical levels demonstrates a perfect correspondence of theoretical models with crystalline lattices.

Spin Polarization and Flat Bands in Eu-Doped Nanoporous and Twisted Bilayer Graphenes.

Advanced two-dimensional spin-polarized heterostructures based on twisted (TBG) and nanoporous (NPBG) bilayer graphenes doped with Eu ions were theoretically proposed and studied using Periodic Boundary Conditions Density Functional theory electronic structure calculations. The significant polarization of the electronic states at the Fermi level was discovered for both Eu/NPBG(AA) and Eu/TBG lattices. Eu ions' chemi- and physisorption to both graphenes may lead to structural deformations, drop of symmetry of low-dimensional lattices, interlayer fusion, and mutual slides of TBG graphene fragments. The frontier bands in the valence region at the vicinity of the Fermi level of both spin-polarized 2D Eu/NPBG(AA) and Eu/TBG lattices clearly demonstrate flat dispersion laws caused by localized electronic states formed by TBG Moiré patterns, which could lead to strong electron correlations and the formation of exotic quantum phases.

Migration of Excitation Energy in Furocoumarins.

The migration of excitation energy of a number of psoralen compounds has been studied. For this, the methods of induced absorption spectroscopy, stationary electron spectroscopy, fluorescence and phosphorescence, as well as quantum chemistry were used. A comparative photostability of psoralen was achieved by exposure to a XeCl excilamp irradiation (emission wavelength λem = 308 nm) with parameters Δλ = 5-10 nm, Wpeak = 18 mW/cm2, p = 8.1 J/cm3, f = 200 kHz, pulse duration 1 µs. It was found that the singlet-triplet transition played a major role in the migration of excitation energy into triplet states. Among all tested compounds, substances with an OCH3-group in the structure have the strongest effect on the spectral-luminescent characteristics.

The electronic structure and spin states of 2D graphene/VX2 (X = S, Se) heterostructures.

The structural, magnetic and electronic properties of 2D VX2 (X = S, Se) monolayers and graphene/VX2 heterostructures were studied using a DFT+U approach. It was found that the stability of the 1T phases of VX2 monolayers is linked to strong electron correlation effects. The study of vertical junctions comprising of graphene and VX2 monolayers demonstrated that interlayer interactions lead to the formation of strong spin polarization of both graphene and VX2 fragments while preserving the linear dispersion of graphene-originated bands. It was found that the insertion of Mo atoms between the layers leads to n-doping of graphene with a selective transformation of graphene bands keeping the spin-down Dirac cone intact.

[Correction of cronic liver failure by transplantation of liver cells suspension and cell-engineering designs (experimental investigation)].

On an experimental model of chronic fibrotic liver damage (male rats Wistar (n-60), damage of CCl4, the duration of the experiment 90 days) it was studied the effectiveness of cell therapy for the correction of chronic liver failure. These rats were divided into 3 experimental groups: in the Ist-group (control, n=10) isotonic saline (650 mkl.) was injected; in the IInd-group (n=20) suspension of liver cells was applicated in a dose 8 - l0 x 10(6) cells; in the IIIrd-group (n=30) suspension of liver cells and bone marrow cells (mesenchymal stromal cells) in ratio 5:1 were used as cell associates on microparticles intjectable heterogeneous biopolymer hydrogel "SpheroGEL" (cell-engineering design) in common dose 8 - l0 x 10(6) It was ascertained that in the 2nd and in the 3rd groups the accelerated normalization of disturbed liver functional indices (ALT, AST, ALP) took place - to 30 days, but in the control group only to 90 days. The reliable differences in rats ofnormalization offunctional indices were absent between the IInd and the IIIrd groups. But in 90 days by using special histological dyeing it was found out that defibrotic processes in liver tissue were more expressed in the IIIrd group in comparison with the IIIrd group. Received results were consequence of prolonged vital activity of cells (liver cells and mesenchymal stromal bone marrow cells) into cell-engineering designs, which were transplanted in the IIIrd group. The obtained effect can be explained by that the developed cell-engineering designs provide adequate conditions for prolonged vital activity of the transplanted cells.

Relative isomer abundance of fullerenes and carbon nanotubes correlates with kinetic stability.

A methodology to evaluate the kinetic stability of carbon nanostructures is presented based on the assumption of the independent and random nature of thermal vibrations. The kinetic stability is directly correlated to the cleavage probability for the weakest bond of a given nanostructure. The application of the presented method to fullerenes and carbon nanotubes yields clear correlation to their experimentally observed relative isomer abundances. The general and simple formulation of the method ensures its applicability to other nanostructures for which formation is controlled by kinetic factors.

[Role of histidine in ligand binding ability of hemoglobin gene]. / Rol' gistidina v ligandsviazyvaiushchei sposobnosti gena gemoglobina.

The atomic and electronic structures of heme complexes with His, Gly, and Cys residues (Heme-His, Heme-Gly, and Heme-Cys) in the fifth coordination position of the Fe atom and with oxygen and nitrogen oxide molecules in the sixth Fe position were studied by the semiempirical quantum-chemical method PM3. A comparative analysis of internuclear distances showed that the strength of chemical bonding between the ligand molecules (oxygen and nitrogen oxide) is greater for Heme-Cys than for Heme-His and Heme-Gly complexes. Consequently, the strengthening of the chemical bond of the oxygen (or nitrogen oxide) molecule with Heme-Cys substantially weakens the chemical bond in the ligand molecule. The Mulliken population analysis showed that the electronic density of ligand (oxygen or nitrogen oxide) p-orbitals is transferred to the d-orbitals of the Fe atom, whose charge, calculated according to the Mulliken analysis, formally becomes negative. In the Heme-His complex with oxygen, this charge is substantially greater than in the complex with NO, and the oxygen molecule becomes polarized. No oxygen polarization is observed in the Heme-Cys complex, and the electron density (judging from the change in the Fe charge) is transferred to the coordinated sulfur atom. This is also characteristic of Heme-Cys complexes with nitrogen oxide. An analysis of charges on the atoms indicates that the character of chemical bonding of the oxygen molecule in Heme-Cys and Heme-Gly complexes is similar and basically differs from that in the case of the Heme-His complex. The English version of the paper: Russian Journal of Bioorganic Chemistry, 2004, vol. 30, no. 2; see also http://www.maik.ru.

Recovery of contractile function of cryodamaged rat myocardium after transplantation of fetal cardiomyocytes and predifferentiated bone marrow stromal stem cells.

The effect of cell transplantation into cryodamaged rat myocardium was studied on isolated hearts by increasing functional load to the left ventricle. Transplantation of allogeneic fetal cardiomyocytes improved the function of the left ventricle under conditions of considerably increased preload. Transplantation of autologous mesenchymal stem cells repaired left-ventricular function under conditions of increased pre- and afterload.

[Structure and electronic properties of heme complexes with various ligands]. / Struktura i élektronnye svoistva kompleksov gema s rzalichnymi ligandami.

The electronic and atomic structures, and the molecular dynamics of the atomic structure at 310 K of a set of heme complexes with His and Gly amino acids in the 5th coordination position and some ligands (O2, NO) in the 6th position were studied by ab initio (3-21G basis set) and semiempirical (PM3) quantum chemistry methods and the method of molecular dynamics. It was shown that the type of coordination of the imidazole ring influences the constant of chemical bonding of molecular oxygen of the complexes. On the other hand, NO and O2 molecules have different transinfluence on the ligand in the 5th coordination position. It was shown that temperature affects profoundly the atomic and electronic structures of the complexes, the tightness of chemical bonding and their reactivity.

[Electronic structure of hemoglobin's heme complexes with nitric oxide and dynamics of atomic base under physiological temperature]. / Elektronnaia struktura kompleksa gema gemoglobina s oksidom azota i dinamika atomnogo ostova pri fiziologicheskoi temperature.

The comparative study of atomic and electronic structure of hem complexes of hemoglobin with molecular oxygen and nitric oxide has been performed by semiempirical quantum chemical PM3 method. It has been shown that the length of chemical bonding in oxygen molecule coordinated with hem increases by 0.046 A and the length of chemical bonding in nitrogen oxide coordinated with hem increases by 0.064 A in comparison with pure substances. This fact indicates that chemical bonding between nitric oxide and Fe atom of hem is stronger that one with oxygen molecule. Analysis of charge of the molecules indicates that NO bounded with Fe by covalent chemical bonding and oxygen molecule bounded with Fe by weak dipole interaction. Atomic orbitals of ligand atoms in oxygen complex play small part in high occupied (HOMO) and low vacant (LVMO) molecular orbitals in comparison with HOMO and LVMO of complex with NO. In the last one unpaired electron of NO molecule moves from ligand to d-orbitals of Fe atom and creates d7-configuration. Molecular dynamics simulation under physiological temperature (310 K) indicates visible difference in atomic and electronic structure of the complexes in comparison with ones under low (from 77 up to 0 K) temperatures.