Near-Ultraviolet Circular Dichroism and Two-Dimensional Spectroscopy of Polypeptides

A fully quantitative theory of the relationship between protein conformation and optical spectroscopy would facilitate deeper insights into biophysical and simulation studies of protein dynamics and folding. In contrast to intense bands in the far-ultraviolet, near-UV bands are much weaker and have been challenging to compute theoretically. We report some advances in the accuracy of calculations in the near-UV, which were realised through the consideration of the vibrational structure of the electronic transitions of aromatic side chains.     

Identification of metabolic markers in patients with type 2 Diabetes by Ultrafast gas chromatography coupled to electronic nose. A pilot study

Metabolomics is a potential tool for the discovery of new biomarkers in the early diagnosis of diseases. An ultra-fast gas chromatography system equipped to an electronic nose detector (FGC eNose) was used to identify the metabolomic profile of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in type 2 diabetes (T2D) urine from Mexican population. A cross-sectional, comparative, and clinical study with translational approach was performed. We recruited twenty T2D patients and twenty-one healthy subjects. Urine samples were taken and analyzed by FGC eNose. Eighty-eight compounds were identified through Kovats's indexes. A natural variation of 30% between the metabolites, expressed by study groups, was observed in Principal Component 1 and 2 with a significant difference (p < 0.001). The model, performed through a Canonical Analysis of Principal coordinated (CAP), allowed a correct classification of 84.6% between healthy and T2D patients, with a 15.4% error. The metabolites 2-propenal, 2-propanol, butane- 2,3-dione and 2-methylpropanal, were increased in patients with T2D, and they were strongly correlated with discrimination between clinically healthy people and T2D patients. This study identified metabolites in urine through FGC eNose that can be used as biomarkers in the identification of T2D patients. However, more studies are needed for its implementation in clinical practice.     

Synthesis,Electronic Properties and WOLED Devices of Planar Phosphorus‐Containing Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons

We describe the synthesis and the physical properties of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) containing a phosphorus atom at the edge. In particular, the impact of the successive addition of aromatic rings on the electronic properties was investigated by experimental (UV/Vis absorption, fluorescence, cyclic voltammetry) and theoretical studies (DFT). The physical properties recorded in solution and in the solid state showed that the P‐containing PAHs exhibit properties expected for an emitter in white organic light‐emitting diodes (WOLEDs).     

四角晶相HfO2(001)表面原子和电子结构研究

采用基于第一性原理的密度泛函理论研究了四角晶相二氧化铪(t-HfO₂)体相及 其(001)表面的原子几何与电子结构.理论计算结果表明，t-HfO₂(001)表面不会 产生重构现象.与体相电子结构相比, t-HfO₂(001)表面态密度明显高于体相态 密度.其次，表面原子的态密度更靠近费米能级(E_F)，价带往低能量处移动，并 有表面态产生.计算结果表明了t-HfO₂表面禁带宽度明显低于体相的禁带宽度. t-HfO₂(001)的表面态产生以及表面禁带宽度减小是由于Hf原子与O原子的配位 数减少，表面原子周围的环境发生变化而引起的. 关键词： 密度泛函理论 2(001)')" href="#">t-HfO₂(001) 表面电子结构     

O在Au(111)表面吸附的密度泛函理论研究

应用密度泛函理论，本文系统地研究了O在Au(111)表面上的吸附能、吸附结构、功函数、电子密度和投影态密度，给出了覆盖度从0.11ML到1.0ML的范围内，O的吸附特性随覆盖度变化的规律.研究发现O的稳定吸附位为3重面心立方(fcc)洞位，O在fcc洞位的吸附能对覆盖度比较敏感，其值随着覆盖度的增加而减小；O诱导Au(111)表面功函数的变化量与覆盖度成近线性关系，原因是Au表面电子向O偏移，形成表面偶极子；O—Au的相互作用形成成键态和反键态，且反键态都被占据，造成O—Au键很弱，O吸附能较小. 关键词： 表面吸附 Au(111)表面 密度泛函理论 电子特性     

Non‐empirical calculations of NMR indirect carbon–carbon coupling constants. Part 4: Bicycloalkanes

A systematic study of the one‐bond and long‐range J(C,C), J(C,H) and J(H,H) in the series of nine bicycloalkanes was performed at the SOPPA level with special emphasis on the coupling transmission mechanisms at bridgeheads. Many unknown couplings were predicted with high reliability. Further refinement of SOPPA computational scheme adjusted for better performance was carried out using bicyclo[1.1.1]pentane as a benchmark to investigate the influence of geometry, basis set and electronic correlation. The calculations performed demonstrated that classical ab initio SOPPA applied with the locally dense Dunning's sets augmented with inner core s‐functions used for coupled carbons and Sauer's sets augmented with tight s‐functions used for coupled hydrogens performs perfectly well in reproducing experimental values of different types of coupling constants (the estimated reliability is ca 1–2 Hz) in relatively large organic molecules of up to 11 carbon atoms. Additive coupling increments were derived for J(C,C), J(C,H) and J(H,H) based on the calculated values of coupling constants within SOPPA in the model bicycloalkanes, in reasonably good agreement with the known values obtained earlier on pure empirical grounds. Most of the bridgehead couplings in all but one bicycloalkane appeared to be essentially additive within ca 2–3 Hz while bicyclo[1.1.1]pentane demonstrated dramatic non‐additivity of ?14.5 Hz for J(C,C), +16.6 Hz for J(H,H) and ?5.5 Hz for J(C,H), in line with previous findings. Non‐additivity effects in the latter compound established at the SOPPA level should be attributed to the through‐space non‐bonded interactions at bridgeheads due to the essential overlapping of the bridgehead rear lobes which provides an additional and effective non‐bonding coupling path for the bridgehead carbons and their protons in the bicyclopentane framework. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Ultraslow phonon-assisted collapse of tubular image states

We predict ultraslow collapse of “tubular image states” (TIS) on material surfaces. TIS are bound Rydberg-like electronic states formed at large distances (∼30 nm) from the surfaces of suspended circularly-symmetric nanowires, such as metallic C nanotubes. The states are formed in potential wells, resulting from a combination of the TIS-electron attraction to image charges in the nanotube and its centrifugal repulsion, caused by spinning around the tube. We demonstrate that TIS can collapse on the tube surface by passing their angular momentum l to circularly polarized flexural phonons excited in the tube. Our analysis shows that for highly detached TIS with l ? 6 the relaxation lifetimes are of the order of 10 ns-1 μs, while for l < 6 these lifetimes are reduced by several orders of magnitude.     

Electronic Spectra and the Mechanism of Complexing of Uranyl Nitrate in Water–Acetone Solutions

Based on the analysis of electronic absorption and luminescence spectra, the processes of complexing in an aqueous solution of uranyl nitrate hexahydrate (UO₂(NO₃)₂·6H₂O) on gradual addition of small amounts of acetone have been investigated. In a pure aqueous solution, uranyl exists as the UO₂·5H₂O complex. It is shown that addition of acetone to the solution leads to displacement of some water molecules from the first coordination sphere of uranyl and formation of uranyl nitrate dihydrate complexes, UO₂(NO₃)₂·2H₂O. It has been established that the stability of these complexes is determined by the decrease in both the water activity and the degree of hydration of uranyl and nitrate. This is the result of the local increase in the concentration of the molecules of acetone (due to its hydrophobicity) in those regions of the solution in which there are uranyl and nitrate ions. The experimental facts supporting the proposed mechanism are given.     

Structure and Structural Nonrigidity of Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-Dioxin Radical Cations

Ab initio calculations showed that the tetrachlorodibenzo-para-dioxin radical cations (TCDD RCs) with a planar structure have two steady states with asymmetric dioxin cycles. The activation barriers between these states are up to 2 kcal/mole, so that the RCs may be regarded as being structurally nonrigid within the dioxin cycle. The 2,3,7,8-TCDD RC is more stable than the 1,4,6,9-TCDD RC, the energy difference being 5.2 kcal/mole. The adiabatic ionization potential of 2,3,7,8-TCDD (7.54 eV) is 0.1 eV smaller than the corresponding potential of 1,4,6,9-TCDD. These factors account for the increased hemoproteide affinity and hence increased biological activity of 2,3,7,8-TCDD.