Nanoscale organization of the pathogen receptor DC-SIGN mapped by single-molecule high-resolution fluorescence microscopy.

DC-SIGN, a C-type lectin exclusively expressed on dendritic cells (DCs), plays an important role in pathogen recognition by binding with high affinity to a large variety of microorganisms. Recent experimental evidence points to a direct relation between the function of DC-SIGN as a viral receptor and its spatial arrangement on the plasma membrane. We have investigated the nanoscale organization of fluorescently labeled DC-SIGN on intact isolated DCs by means of near-field scanning optical microscopy (NSOM) combined with single-molecule detection. Fluorescence spots of different intensity and size have been directly visualized by optical means with a spatial resolution of less than 100 nm. Intensity- and size-distribution histograms of the DC-SIGN fluorescent spots confirm that approximately 80 % of the receptors are organized in nanosized domains randomly distributed on the cell membrane. Intensity-size correlation analysis revealed remarkable heterogeneity in the molecular packing density of the domains. Furthermore, we have mapped the intermolecular organization within a dense cluster by means of sequential NSOM imaging combined with discrete single-molecule photobleaching. In this way we have determined the spatial coordinates of 13 different individual dyes, with a localization accuracy of 6 nm. Our experimental observations are all consistent with an arrangement of DC-SIGN designed to maximize its chances of binding to a wide range of microorganisms. Our data also illustrate the potential of NSOM as an ultrasensitive, high-resolution technique to probe nanometer-scale organization of molecules on the cell membrane.     

Thermodynamic properties of transition metals in aqueous solution. 2. The enthalpies of mixing of aqueous solutions of CoCl2, CuCl2, and MnCl2 with NaCl at varying ionic strength at 25°C

Enthalpies of mixing (_m H) aqueous solutions of CoCl₂, CuCl₂, and MnCl₂ with NaCl solutions were measured at constant ionic strengths of 0.5, 1.0, and 3.0 molal at 25°C. The excess enthalpy equations of Pitzer were then fit to the resulting _m H data. The resulting parameters are the temperature derivatives of the activity coefficient mixing parameters in the Pitzer system. The heat of mixing data for CoCl₂ and CuCl₂ were in agreement with earlier isomolal results by other workers.     

Properties of ITO films prepared by reactive magnetron sputtering

Indium tin oxide (ITO) thin films were deposited by mid frequency pulsed dual magnetron sputtering using a metallic alloy target with 10 wt.% tin in an atmosphere of argon and oxygen. The aim of the work was to study the interdependence of structural, electrical and optical properties of ITO films deposited in the reactive and transition target mode, respectively. The deposition rate in the transition mode exceeds the deposition rate in the reactive mode by a factor of six, a maximum value of 100 nm·m min⁻¹ could be achieved. This corresponds to a static deposition rate of 200 nm min⁻¹. The lowest electrical resistivity of 1.1·10⁻³ Ω cm was measured at samples deposited in the high oxygen flow range in the transition mode. The samples show a good transparency in the visible range corresponding to extinction coefficients being below 10⁻². X-ray diffraction was used to characterise crystalline structure as well as film stress. ITO films prepared in the transition mode show a slightly preferred orientation in (211) direction, whereas films deposited in the reactive mode are strongly (222) oriented. Compared to undoped In₂O₃ all samples have an enlarged lattice. The lattice strain perpendicular to the surface is about 0.8% and 2.0% for films grown in the transition and the reactive mode, respectively. Deposition in the transition mode introduces a biaxial film stress in the range of −300 MPa, while stress in reactive mode samples is −1500 MPa.     

Investigating the interface of superhydrophobic surfaces in contact with water

Neutron reflectivity (NR) is used to probe the solid, liquid, vapor interface of a porous superhydrophobic (SH) surface submerged in water. A low-temperature, low-pressure technique was used to prepare a rough, highly porous organosilica aerogel-like film. UV/ozone treatments were used to control the surface coverage of hydrophobic organic ligands on the silica framework, allowing the contact angle with water to be continuously varied over the range of 160 degrees (superhydrophobic) to <10 degrees (hydrophilic). NR shows that the superhydrophobic nature of the surface prevents infiltration of water into the porous film. Atomic force microscopy and density functional theory simulations are used in combination to interpret the NR results and help establish the location, width, and nature of the SH film-water interface.     

CAROTENOID TRIPLET STATES IN PHOTOSYNTHETIC BACTERIA

Abstract— The triplet state spectra of anaerobically grown cells of Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides GIC and R. sphaeroides wild type and aerobically grown cells of R. sphaeroides wild type were examined under reducing and non-reducing conditions at 100 K. by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). Large differences in the zero field splitting parameters, |D| and |E| of the triplets are seen to arise in the different preparations. The spectra are assigned to the triplet states of carotenoids, some of which are closely associated with the reaction center and others are contained in the light harvesting complex. Taken together with the triplet state data on Rhodospirillum rubrum wild type previously published the trends in the zero field splitting parameters can be understood in terms of the extent of electron derealization in carotenoids of varying length.