Side effects in measurements of selectivity coefficients of solid state ion selective electrodes

The influence of various factors such as solubility, the oxidation of the membrane, and the contamination of the solution, on the experimental values of the selectivity coefficients of solid state sulphide ion selective electrodes is discussed. A new method for the evaluation of very small selectivity coefficients, based on the addition of reagents forming complexes or insoluble salts with the main ion, is proposed. By means of this method, selectivity coefficients for silver, copper, cadmium and lead ion selective electrodes have been determined, which are in far better agreement with thermodynamic values than those described in the literature.     

Micellar ultrafiltration preconcentration of strontium by anionic micellar solution

Th anionic micellar system of the sodium dodecylsulphate (SDS) with di-2-ethylhexylphosphoric acid (D2EHPA) chelating ligand reagent in acctate buffer solutions was studied. The influence of the concentration and the composition of the micellar system for strontium preconcentration was determined. Different pH values of solutions as well as different concentration ratios of the ligand to the surfactant were used.     

Calculations of substituent and solvent effects on the kinetic isotope effects of Menshutkin reactions

Nitrogen, deuterium, halogen, and carbon kinetic isotope effects have been modeled for the Menshutkin reaction between methyl halides and substituted N,N-dimethylaniline at the HF/6-31G(d) level of theory augmented by the C-PCM continuum solvent model for several solvents. Systematic changes in geometries of the transition states and Gibbs free energies of activation have been found with phenyl ring substituents, solvent, and the leaving group. Kinetic isotope effects also change systematically; however, these changes are predicted to be small, inside the usual precision of the experimental measurements. On the contrary, no correlation has been found between the kinetic isotope effects and the Hammett constants for para substituents. Thus opposite to previous assumptions, our results indicate that kinetic isotope effects on the Menshutkin reaction cannot be used to predict the position of the transition state on the reaction coordinate.     

Insoluble eggshell matrix proteins--their peptide mapping and partial characterization by capillary electrophoresis and high-performance liquid chromatography

Avian eggshell matrix proteins were studied by two analytical approaches. Peptide mapping was done by trypsin and pepsin followed by collagenase cleavage; analyses were carried out by capillary electrophoresis and reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Comparison of peptide maps obtained by both methods revealed a complex mixture of peptides in the insoluble layers of the eggshell; it was concluded that there are at least three different insoluble protein/peptide layers in the avian eggshell (cuticle, palisade, and mammillary layer). Partial characterization of peptides in each layer was made by HPLC-mass spectrometry analysis. There is an evidence that the eggshell insoluble proteins contain species susceptible to collagenase cleavage, however, the sequences split by this enzyme probably are not those typical for the main triple-helical core of collagenous proteins. It is proposed that the action of collagenase upon eggshell proteins is caused by the side effect of collagenase described previously with synthetic peptides. Some of the proteins present are probably glycosylated. Fatty acid content in the insoluble eggshell layers (after decalcification) was in the range of 2-4% (which reflected both lipid and lipoproteins bound fatty acids). Porphyrin pigments are dominant in the cuticle layer.     

Evolution of physics-based methodology for exploring the conformational energy landscape of proteins

The evolution of our physics-based computational methods for determining protein conformation without the introduction of secondary-structure predictions, homology modeling, threading, or fragment coupling is described. Initial use of a hard-sphere potential captured much of the structural properties of polypeptide chains, and subsequent more refined force fields, together with efficient methods of global optimization provide indications that progress is being made toward an understanding of the interresidue interactions that underlie protein folding.     

Biocatalytic asymmetric hydroxylation of hydrocarbons with the topsoil-microorganism Bacillus megaterium

A Bacillus megaterium strain was isolated from topsoil by a selective screening procedure with allylbenzene as a xenobiotic substrate. This strain performed the hydroxylation chemoselectively (no arene oxidation and overoxidized products) and enantioselectively (up to 99% ee) in the benzylic and nonbenzylic positions of a variety of unfunctionalized arylalkanes. Salycilate and phenobarbital, which are potent inducers of cytochrome P-450 activity, changed the regioselectivity of the microbial CH insertion, without an effect on the enantioselectivity. The biotransformation conditions were optimized in regard to product yield and enantioselectivity by variation of the oxygen-gas supply and the time of the substrate addition. The different product distributions (alpha- versus beta-hydroxylated product) that are obtained on induction of cytochrome P-450 enzyme activity demonstrate the involvement of two or more hydroxylating enzymes with distinct regioselectivities in this biotransformation. An oxygen-rebound mechanism is assumed for the cytochrome P-450-type monooxygenase activity, in which steric interactions between the substrate and the enzyme determine the preferred face of the hydroxy-group transfer to the radical intermediate.     

DNA-templated three-branched nanostructures for nanoelectronic devices

Three-branched DNA molecules have been designed and assembled from oligonucleotide components. These nucleic acid constructs contain double- and single-stranded regions that control the hybridization behavior of the assembly. Specific localization of a single streptavidin molecule at the center of the DNA complex has been investigated as a model system for the directed placement of nanostructures. Highly selective silver and copper metallization of the DNA template has also been characterized. Specific hybridization of these DNA complexes to oligonucleotide-coupled nanostructures followed by metallization should provide a bottom-up self-assembly route for the fabrication and characterization of discrete three-terminal nanodevices.     

Preparative uv-laser photochemistry of the azoalkane spiro(2,3-diazabicyclo [2.2.1]hept-2-ene-7′,1-cyclopropane): Trapping of the 1,4-Diradical 2-(3-Cyclopentenyl) ethyl by Molecular Oxygen

Photo-extrusion of nitrogen from the azoalkane 1 in the presence of molecular oxygen gave besides the hydrocarbons 3 and 5, the endoperoxide 10 and hydroperoxide 11, the former via trapping of the 1,4-diradical 4 by triplet oxygen, the latter by ene-reaction-6f hydrocarbon 5 with singlet oxygen.     

Gamma radiation from the209Bi(3He, 3nγ)209at reaction

Gamma-radiation from the reactions of 28 MeV and 26 MeV³He-ions on the²⁰⁹Bi target has been studied by means of Ge(Li) detectors. Individual observed prompt -ray transitions have been assigned to the corresponding reactions. The results of previous studies of the²⁰⁹At nucleus have been verified and completed. Two new levels at energies of 640 keV and 1270·5 keV have been introduced. Additionally, 15 new transitions have been observed which could belong to²⁰⁹At. The²⁰⁹At level structure is discussed in terms of nuclear models.