Probing the molecular-scale lipid bilayer response to shear flow using nonequilibrium molecular dynamics

A nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulation of the response of dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) bilayers to a solvent shear flow is presented. Application of shear flow to planar, stationary DMPC bilayers results in a redistribution of the membrane density profile along the bilayer normal due to the alignment of the lipids in the direction of flow and an increase in average lipid chain length. An increase in the intermolecular and intramolecular order of the lipids in response to the shear flow is also observed. This study provides groundwork for understanding the mechanism of the full response of lipid bilayers to externally imposed solvent shear flows, beginning with the response in the absence of collective lipid motions such as undulations and bilayer flow.     

Experimental and theoretical study of the V → T,R relaxation of CD4 between 300 and 100 K

Rate constants for the vibrational deactivation of CD₄ by the collision partners CD₄, He, Ne, Ar, Kr, D₂ and O₂ have been measured using a laser-fluorescence technique. The results are compared with those for the deactivation of CH₄ by the same collision partners and with a modified SSH type theoretical treatment.     

Synthesis, structure, and kinetics and stereochemistry of base-catalyzed hydrolysis of meso- and rac-[Co2(tmpdtne)Cl2]4+, bis(pentaamine) complexes devoid of deprotonatable NH centers

The bis(pentadentate) ligand tmpdtne binds two Co(II) centers, and the entity is readily oxidized to the dicobalt(III) derivative [Co(2)(tmpdtne)Cl(2)](4+) which has been separated into two isomeric forms. NMR studies establish these as meso and rac isomers arising from the different or same absolute configurations for the asym configuration about each Co(III) center. Each dinuclear ion base hydrolyses to the dihydroxo derivative [Co(2)(tmpdtne)(OH)(2)](4+) with retained asym configurations about each metal ion and also retained rac or meso configurations. The kinetics for the stepwise loss of the two Cl(-) ligands is uniphasic, and data are presented to show that the loss of the first chloride is rate determining and is followed by very rapid intramolecular and loss of the second Cl(-) via a hydroxo-bridged species to yield the observed dihydroxo derivative. Meso and rac forms of the latter have been crystallized. The X-ray crystal structure of the rac-dihydroxo complex is reported, and it establishes the configurations of all the complexes reported. The (1)H NMR spectra for the hydroxo ions show very high field Co-OH resonances (ca. delta-0.5 ppm) not observed previously for such ions, and this result is discussed in the context of published (1)H NMR data for bridged Co-OH-Co species. The base hydrolysis kinetics for the dichloro ions are first order in [OH(-)], and deprotonation at an alpha-CH(2) center (alpha to a pyridyl) is identified as the source of the catalysis, since there is no NH center available for deprotonation on the ligand. These data further support the new pseudoaminate base hydrolysis mechanism first reported in 2003. The values of k(OH) for the second-order base-catalyzed reaction are ca. 4.0 M(-1) s(-1) for both the rac and meso isomers, and these results are discussed in terms of the increased acidities of these 4+ cations compared to their 2+ ion counterparts.     

Preparation and dilute solution properties of model gemini nonionic surfactants

Dimeric poly(ethylene oxide) surfactants (or nonionic gemini surfactants) with the structure (Cn-2H2n-3CHCH2O(CH2CH2O)mH)2(CH2)6 (or GemnEm), where n is the alkyl length and m is the average number of ethylene oxides per head group, were synthesized. Surfactants were synthesized with alkyl chain lengths n = 12, 14, and 20 and m = 5, 10, 15, 20, and 30. Water solubilities and cloud temperatures at 1 wt% were determined by measuring turbidity as a function of temperature. Cloud temperatures increase with m and decrease with n, as observed for conventional surfactants. For large m the cloud temperatures were all above 100 degrees C. Surfactants with small m (i.e., n = 12, 14, m = 5 and n = 20, m = 10) were insoluble at room temperature, forming two-phase mixtures. Critical micelle concentrations (CMCs) were measured using a pyrene fluorescence method and are all in the range of 10(-7) to 10(-6) M, with the lowest values from the surfactants with large n and small m. CMCs of mixtures with both anionic and nonionic conventional (monomeric) surfactants were well described by an ideal mixing model.     

Colorimetric determination of reactive primary amino groups of macro- and microsolid supports

The several factors that could affect the sensitivity and the accuracy of the determination of solid-supported amino groups using 2-iminothiolane (Traut's reagent) and 5,5′-dithiobis-(2-nitrobenzoic acid) (Ellman's reagent) are described. The authors found that by using 0.1M phosphate buffer, pH 8.0, instead of ethanol as solvent for the reaction of the solid supports with the 2-iminothiolane, using 0.1M phosphate buffer adjusted at pH 7.27 instead of 8.0 as diluent of 5,5′-dithiobis-(2-nitrobenzoic acid), and selecting carefully the concentration of the latter reagent, it was possible to produce a very sensitive assay capable of quantitatively determining the surface amino groups of very different types of samples. The assay is well adapted for quantitative determination of amino-carrying plastic beads, permitting the determination of nanomolar quantities. In addition, the assay is well suited for microparticulated solid supports (e.g., AH-Sepharose).     

Multicomponent dynamical nucleation theory and sensitivity analysis

Vapor to liquid multicomponent nucleation is a dynamical process governed by a delicate interplay between condensation and evaporation. Since the population of the vapor phase is dominated by monomers at reasonable supersaturations, the formation of clusters is governed by monomer association and dissociation reactions. Although there is no intrinsic barrier in the interaction potential along the minimum energy path for the association process, the formation of a cluster is impeded by a free energy barrier. Dynamical nucleation theory provides a framework in which equilibrium evaporation rate constants can be calculated and the corresponding condensation rate constants determined from detailed balance. The nucleation rate can then be obtained by solving the kinetic equations. The rate constants governing the multistep kinetics of multicomponent nucleation including sensitivity analysis and the potential influence of contaminants will be presented and discussed.     

Besov spaces and the multifractal hypothesis

Parisi and Frisch proposed some time ago an explanation for multiscaling of turbulent velocity structure functions in terms of a multifractal hypothesis, i.e., they conjecture that the velocity field has local Hölder exponents in a range [h _min,h _max], with exponents <h occurring on a setS(h) with a fractal dimensionD(h). Heuristic reasoning led them to an expression for the scaling exponentz _p ofpth order as the Legendre transform of the codimensiond-D(h). We show here that a part of the multifractal hypothesis is correct under even weaker assumptions: namely, if the velocity field hasL ^p -mean Hölder indexs, i.e., if it lies in the Besov spaceB _p ^s, , then local Hölder regularity is satisfied. Ifs<d/p, then the hypothesis is true in a generalized sense of Hölder space with negative exponents and we discuss the proper definition of local Hölder classes of negative index. Finally, if a certain box-counting dimension exists, then the Legendre transform of its codimension gives the scaling exponentz _p , and, more generally, the maximal Besov index of order,p, ass _p =z _p /p. Our method of proof is derived from a recent paper of S. Jaffard using compactly-supported, orthonormal wavelet bases and gives an extension of his results. We discuss implications of the theorems for ensemble-average scaling and fluid turbulence.     

Atmospheric radioactive isotopes at orbital altitudes

The radioactive isotope ⁷Be was discovered on the forward-facing side of the LDEF satellite in amounts far exceeding that expected from direct cosmic ray activation of the spacecraft material. This prompted an examination of the production of cosmogenic isotopes in the atmosphere and of the processes by which they may be transported to orbital altitudes and absorbed by a spacecraft. ⁷Be is only one of several atmospheric cosmogenic isotopes that might be detectable at orbital altitudes and that might prove to be as useful as tracers of atmosphere ciculation processes in the mesosphre and thermosphere as they have been in the lower layers of the atmosphere.