Complex coordinates and the Stark effect

The theories of the dilatation, r → r e^iθ, and translation, x → x + iq, transformations as related to the Stark problem are reviewed, and new results obtained. Results for the hydrogen atom n = 1 and n = 2 levels and the ¹P⁰, 2s2p H^? shape resonance in dc fields are presented, and the extension to the ac Stark effect made. Spectral estimates are made using the technique of the numerical range and via discussion of several model problems, using both coordinate rotation and coordinate translation.     

Electrochemical control of protein monolayers at indium tin oxide surfaces for the reagentless optical biosensing of nitric oxide

Cytochrome c has been immobilized onto functionalized, optically transparent indium tin oxide (ITO) electrodes by covalent and electrostatic techniques. Covalent immobilization was achieved by the formation of a disulfide bond between N-succinimidyl 3-(2-pyridyldithio)propionate-(SPDP-) modified cytochrome c and SPDP-silanized ITO. Additionally, ITO electrodes have been modified with the bifunctional reagent 1,12-dodecanedicarboxylic acid (DDCA), resulting in formation of a carboxylic acid-terminated monolayer. Covalent protein attachment to the DDCA-functionalized ITO was achieved with the cross-linker 1-[3-(dimethylamino)propyl]-3-ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride. Electrostatic attachment of the protein involved ion-pair and hydrogen-bond interactions between the terminating carboxylic acid groups of the DDCA-functionalized ITO and the primary amine groups of the lysine residues of cytochrome c. The electrostatic interaction between the cytochrome c and the functionalized ITO resulted in greater rotational mobility of the protein at the electrode surface, leading to ca. 63% electroactivity, as compared to ca. 41% electroactivity for the covalently immobilized protein. The redox state of the electrostatically bound cytochrome c monolayers could be electrochemically switched between ferric and ferrous forms. Electrochemical control of the bound protein was used to regenerate the biosensing surface following binding of nitric oxide (NO). Ligation of NO with the cytochrome c was monitored by measurement of the change of absorbance intensity at 416 nm. Through application of a negative potential, the cytochrome c was reduced from the ferric to the ferrous form, which led to the removal of the ligated NO. Application of a positive potential regenerated the ferric cytochrome c, enabling multiple repeat measurements of NO. Such electrochemical control of proteins immobilized on transparent electrodes enables the optical biosensing of analyte targets without recourse to exogenous reagents.     

Very long-lived doubly vibrationally excited states above dissociation threshold: non-RRKM behavior in model triatomic systems

For couplings and mass ratios appropriate to molecules such as H₂O, D₂O, and CH₂ large volumes of the classical vibrational phase space are found to be non-dissociating even well above threshold. Fully quantum calculations yield families of exceptionally long-lived quantum states corresponding to these trapped volumes.     

Synthesis of the alkaloids julandine and ipalbidine-use of silicon (IV) chloride

Titanium (IV) chloride and silicon (IV) chloride with high oxygen affinity are the best Lewis acid catalysts, of a number tested, for cyclisation of an enamine-ketone (1) leading to the alkaloid, julandine (2); cyclisation of (6) in methanol solution without catalyst yields $\text{O}$-methylipalbidine (7) .     

Uniform semiclassical self-consistent-field calculations of vibrational resonance energies and widths

Using the Breit—Wigner definition of a resonance, we calculate both resonance positions and widths for a model non-separable hamiltonian, using a uniform semiclassical self-consistent-field (SCF) method. Excellent agreement with recent complex-coordinate quantum SCF calculations is obtained.     

The Effect of Diet Quality on δ(13)C and δ(15)N in the Tissues of Locusts, Locusta migratoria L

Abstract Locust nymphs were raised from hatching to adult locusts on either seedling wheat (C(3)) or maize (C(4)), to determine whether relative enrichments/depletions of (15)N and (13)C within body tissues are influenced by diet. The maize contained less hexose sugars and protein per gram than wheat. The isotopic spacing between the food and the whole insect was found to differ between the two diets. The lower quality maize diet showed an overall +5.1‰ enrichment in δ(15)N compared to + 2.8‰ for wheat, possibly due to increased fractionation due to protein recycling. The maize diet resulted in increased depletion in lipid and trehalose and depletion in chitin relative to diet. The results for both δ(15)N and δ(13)C suggest that substrate recycling was occurring on the low quality maize diet. Therefore diet quality determines the enrichment/depletion in δ(15)N and δ(13)C within organisms.     

Stable isotope variation in wool as a means to establish Turkish carpet provenance

The problem of establishing the provenance of carpets of artistic and historical importance is well known. We have addressed this by investigating whether there is sufficient geographical variation in the stable isotopes in wool (namely C, N and S) between key areas of Turkey to be able to recognize the different regions where carpets were made. Here we report results from modern wool samples taken from the winter growth of sheep in 2003/2004 from 13 carpet-producing sites. Although each site has a characteristic composition, most sites cannot be distinguished from each other, and the overall isotopic pattern is unexpectedly complicated. Thus in Western Turkey there is no sign of sea-spray effects in the delta34S values for sites close (10 km) to the sea, while, in the Konya Basin (Central Turkey), the delta34S values vary significantly between nearby sites. Two 'urban' settlements where sheep are now raised have dramatically higher delta15N values. It is nevertheless possible that certain production centers may have distinct signatures, and further work will compare carpets from known sources with the currently produced wool values. The results also provide additional insight into the natural variation found in archaeological faunal isotopic values, e.g. in bone collagen.     

Resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionisation photoelectron spectroscopy of the ClO radical: the C 2 sigma- state

A (2 + 1) one-colour resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionisation study is carried out on the C 2 sigma- state of the ClO radical in the one-photon energy range 29,500-31,250 cm-1. The ClO radical is produced by one-photon photolysis of ClO2 employing 359.2 nm photons derived from a separate laser. In this way a significant concentration of vibrationally excited ClO in its spin-orbit split X 2 pi omega (omega = 3/2 or 1/2) electronic ground state is produced. In addition to mass-resolved excitation spectra, kinetic-energy resolved photoelectron spectra for the X 3 sigma-(v+)<--C 2 sigma-(v' = 3-5) transitions are measured. These transitions are not completely Frank-Condon diagonal, and indicate a decrease in bond length on removal of the Rydberg electron from the C 2 sigma- state. In addition to an unambiguous assignment of the C 2 sigma- state, valuable information is obtained on the degree of vibrational excitation with which the nascent ClO radical is formed in the photolysis of ClO2. Analysis of the photoelectron spectra is supported by Franck-Condon calculations based on potential energy curves either from experimental spectroscopic parameters, or obtained by theoretical ab initio methods.     

Preparative separation of underivatized amino acids for compound-specific stable isotope analysis and radiocarbon dating of hydrolyzed bone collagen

Analysis of stable and radioactive isotopes from bone collagen provides useful information to archaeologists about the origin and age of bone artifacts. Isolation and analysis of single amino acids from the proteins can provide additional and more accurate information by removing contamination and separating a bulk isotope signal into its constituent parts. In this paper, we report a new method for the separation and isolation of underivatized amino acids from bone collagen, and their analysis by isotope ratio MS and accelerator MS. RP chromatography is used to separate the amino acids with nonpolar side chains, followed by an ion pair separation to isolate the remaining amino acids. The method produces single amino acids with little or no contamination from the separation process and allows for the measurement of accurate stable isotope ratios and pure samples for radiocarbon dating.     

Carbon isotope analysis of bulk keratin and single amino acids from British and North American hair

The reconstruction of ancient diets using isotopic measurements of bone collagen, and other tissues, which survive in archaeological contexts, relies on known isotopic relationships between diet and body tissues. Examination of these relationships often requires the study of modern human and animal subjects. While hair keratin can act as a useful proxy for bone collagen in isotopic studies on living humans, where it is inappropriate to sample tissues such as collagen, it can, in addition, act as a chronological indicator of dietary change. This study investigates hair keratin delta13C values from current residents of the UK and the USA. Residents in the USA showed a clear bulk hair delta13C enrichment of approximately 3 per thousand over UK individuals, attributed to an elevated C4 dietary input from maize fed to livestock in North America. The keratin delta13C of subjects who moved between the UK and USA showed a pronounced change after relocation, taking approximately 4 months to reach isotopic equilibrium. To investigate these differences further, we measured delta13C values of dispensable and indispensable amino acids as a group, and selected individual amino acids. As a group, enrichment of dispensable amino acids compared with indispensable amino acids occurred in samples from both continents, averaging 7.2 per thousand in the UK and 7.9 per thousand in the USA. Dispensable and indispensable amino acids, as well as all individual amino acids measured, were enriched in samples from the USA compared with those from the UK.