Measurement of storage time, estimation of ion number and study of absorption line profile in a Paul trap

Europium (Eu⁺) ions were confined in a Paul trap and detected by non-destructive method. Storage time of Eu⁺ ions achieved in vacuum was improved by orders of magnitude employing buffer gas cooling. The experimentally detected signal was fitted to the ion response signal and the total number of ions trapped was estimated. It is found that the peak signal amplitude as well as the product of FWHM and the peak signal amplitude is proportional to the total number of trapped ions. The trapped ion secular frequency was swept at different rates and its effect on the absorption line profile was studied both experimentally and theoretically.     

Photodissociation of heme distal methionine in ferrous cytochrome C revealed by subpicosecond time-resolved resonance Raman spectroscopy

Cytochrome c (cyt c) is an electron-transfer heme protein that also binds nitric oxide (NO). In resting cyt c, two endogenous ligands of the heme iron are histidine-18 (His) and methionine-80 (Met) side chains, and NO binding requires the cleavage of one of the axial bonds. Previous femtosecond transient absorption studies suggested the photolysis of either Fe-His or Fe-Met bonds. We aimed at unequivocally identifying the internal side chain that is photodissociated in ferrous cyt c and at monitoring heme structural dynamics, by means of time-resolved resonance Raman (TR3) spectroscopy with approximately 0.6 ps time resolution. The Fe-His stretching mode at 216 cm-1 has been observed in photoproduct TR3 spectra for the first time for a c-type heme. The same transient mode was observed for a model ferrous cyt c N-fragment (residues 1-56) ligated with two His in the resting state. Our TR3 data reveal that upon ferrous cyt c photoexcitation, (i) distal Met side chain is instantly released, producing a five-coordinated domed heme structure, (ii) proximal His side chain, coupled to the heme, exhibits distortion due to strain exerted by the protein, and (iii) alteration in heme-cysteine coupling takes place along with the relaxation of the protein-induced deformations of the heme macrocycle.     

Synthesis and crystal structural study of ternary molybdate NaMg3In(MoO4)5

We have synthesized single crystals of a temary molybdate NaMg₃In(MoO₄)₅ and cam'ed out an X-ray structural study (a KM-4 automatic difiactometer, MoK, radiation, 4503 F, R = 0.047). The triclinic unit cell dimensions are a = 7.0476(7), b = 17.935(2), c = 6.9849(7)Å, = 87.650(9), = 100.980(8), = 92.510(9)°, V= 865.5(2) A³, Z = 2, and space group P^–1. The crystal structure involves MoO₄ tetrahedra and (Mg, In)0₆ octahedra forming a three-dimensional framework with Na atoms located in its cavities. The compound melts at 990°C with decomposition.Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences. Institute of Physics, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences. Buryatian Institute of Natural Sciences, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences. Translated fromZhurnal Strukturnoi Khimii, Vol. 34, No. 5, pp. 147–151, September–October, 1993.Translated by T. Yudanova