Ikerbasque

About: Ikerbasque is a other organization based out in Bilbao, Spain. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Graphene & Quantum. The organization has 713 authors who have published 7967 publications receiving 231990 citations. The organization is also known as: Basque Foundation for Science.

Chemical Dynamic Kinetic Resolution and S/R Interconversion of Unprotected α‐Amino Acids

Abstract: Reported herein is the first purely chemical method for the dynamic kinetic resolution (DKR) of unprotected racemic α-amino acids (α-AAs), a method which can rival the economic efficiency of the enzymatic reactions. The DKR reaction principle can be readily applied for S/R interconversions of α-AAs, the methodological versatility of which is unmatched by biocatalytic approaches. The presented process features a virtually complete stereochemical outcome, fully recyclable source of chirality, and operationally simple and convenient reaction conditions, thus allowing its ready scalability. A quite unique and novel mode of the thermodynamic control over the stereochemical outcome, including an exciting interplay between axial, helical, and central elements of chirality is proposed.

Toward high-efficiency solar upconversion with plasmonic nanostructures

Abstract: Upconversion of sub-bandgap photons can increase the maximum efficiency of a single-junction solar cell from 30% to over 44%. However, upconverting materials often have small absorption cross-sections and poor radiative recombination efficiencies that limit their utility in solar applications. Here, we show that the efficiency of upconversion can be substantially enhanced with a suitably designed plasmonic nanostructure. The structure consists of a spherical nanocrescent composed of an upconverter-doped dielectric core and a crescent-shaped metallic shell. Using numerical techniques, we calculate a greater than 10-fold absorption enhancement for a broad range of sub-bandgap wavelengths throughout the entire upconverting core. Further, this nanocrescent enables a 100-fold increase in above-bandgap power emission toward the solar cell. Our results provide a framework for achieving low-power solar upconversion, potentially enabling a single-junction solar cell with an efficiency exceeding the Shockley–Queisser limit.

Free-form lensing implications for the collision of dark matter and gas in the frontier fields cluster MACS J0416.1−2403

Abstract: JMD acknowledges support of the consolider project CAD2010-00064 and AYA2012-39475-C02-01 funded by the Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad.

Structural Basis of Ligand Binding to UDP-Galactopyranose Mutase from Mycobacterium tuberculosis Using Substrate and Tetrafluorinated Substrate Analogues

Abstract: UDP-Galactopyranose mutase (UGM) is a flavin-containing enzyme that catalyzes the reversible conversion of UDP-galactopyranose (UDP-Galp) to UDP-galactofuranose (UDP-Galf) and plays a key role in the biosynthesis of the mycobacterial cell wall galactofuran. A soluble, active form of UGM from Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MtUGM) was obtained from a dual His6-MBP-tagged MtUGM construct. We present the first complex structures of MtUGM with bound substrate UDP-Galp (both oxidized flavin and reduced flavin). In addition, we have determined the complex structures of MtUGM with inhibitors (UDP and the dideoxy-tetrafluorinated analogues of both UDP-Galp (UDP-F4-Galp) and UDP-Galf (UDP-F4-Galf)), which represent the first complex structures of UGM with an analogue in the furanose form, as well as the first structures of dideoxy-tetrafluorinated sugar analogues bound to a protein. These structures provide detailed insight into ligand recognition by MtUGM and show an overall binding mode similar to those reported for...