[Conference report] Magic and mathematics: The life and work of John Dee. National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, 13-14 June 2003

Tony Mann provides a report of a two-day meeting "Magic and mathematics: The life and work of John Dee" held from 13-14 June 2003 at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich.

Structural and biological investigation of ferrocene-substituted 3-methylidene-1,3-dihydro-2H-indol-2-ones

The Knoevenagel condensation of 1,3-dihydro-2H-indol-2-one with ferrocene carboxaldehyde afforded an approximate 2:1 mixture of the geometrical isomers (E)- and (Z)-3-ferrocenylmethylidene-1,3-dihydro-2H-indol-2-one respectively in an overall 67% yield; the air and solution-stable isomers were readily separated by preparative thin layer chromatography and their structures were unequivocally elucidated in solution, by (1)H NMR spectroscopy, and in the solid phase, by X-ray crystallography; both isomers of displayed in vitro toxicity against B16 melanoma and Vero cell lines in the micromolar range and inhibited the kinase VEGFR-2 with IC(50) values of ca. 200 nM.

The interaction of polyacid-modified composite resins ("compomers") with aqueous fluoride solutions

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate how the release of fluoride from two compomers and a fluoridated composite resin was affected by exposure to KF solution. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Two compomers (Dyract AP and Compoglass F) and one fluoridated composite (Wave) were prepared as discs (6 mm diameter and 2 mm thick), curing with a standard dental lamp. They were then stored in either water or 0.5% KF for 1 week, followed by placement in water for periods of 1 week up to 5 weeks total. Fluoride was determined with and without TISAB (to allow complexed and decomplexed fluoride to be determined), and other ion release (Na, Ca, Al, Si, P) was determined by ICP-OES. RESULTS: Specimens were found not to take up fluoride from 100 ppm KF solution in 24 h, but to release additional fluoride when stored for up to five weeks. Compomers released more fluoride cumulatively following exposure to KF solution (p<0.001), all of which was decomplexed, though initial (1 week) values were not statistically significant for Dyract AP. Other ions showed no variations in release over 1 week, regardless of whether the specimens were exposed to KF. Unlike the compomers, Wave showed no change in fluoride release as a result of exposure to KF. CONCLUSIONS: Compomers are affected by KF solution, and release more fluoride (but not other ions) after exposure than if stored in water.

Textural and structural properties of bioactive glasses in the system CaO-SiO2

Gel-derived CaO-SiO2 binary glasses of CaO mole fractions 0. 2, 0.3 and 0. 4 have been prepared and characterised. Pore diameter specific pore volume, skeletal density and porosity were found to increase with increasing CaO-content, whereas a concomitant decrease in specific surface area was observed. Si-29 NMR indicated that the 0.2 CaO mole fraction glass consisted of higly polymerized Q(4) and Q(3) silicate species, with some Q(2) units. With increasing CaO mole fraction, these silicate species became progressively depolymerised such that isolated SiO4 tetrahedra were detected within the 0.4 CaO glass matrix. Unusually, the glasses retained a proportion of Q(4) and Q(3) species as the CaO mole fraction was increased. All glass formulations exhibited in vitro bioactivity. The rate of hydroxyapatite precipitation followed the order 0.2 CaO > 0.4 CaO > > 0.3 CaO, an effect that is attributed to differences in the rate of dissolution of calcium from these glasses. This, in turn, appears to be dependent upon the proportion of Ca 21 participating in the formation of the glassy network.